37 Cooks

Meet Sarah K!

2013-05-20T13:00:00.000-04:00

Hello everyone! I'm Sarah, the creator of The Garden of Earthly Delights, a food-centric blog for which I write and photograph from my home in Toronto, Canada.

The love for making, sharing and consuming good food was instilled in me from an early age, and part of my childhood was spent living in close proximity to maternal extended family, who are all incredibly fond of food and see it as a way to bond and show their love. We spent countless days at our grandparents’ – my grandmother always saw to it that there were at the very least three different main dishes on the table and an abundance of rice; my grandfather marinated chicken and ribs for the grill while we collected ripe plums and crabapples from their backyard trees – and countless hours in restaurants, sometimes driving almost an hour outside the city just to visit a particular restaurant that my grandparents (and by extension, the rest of the family) favoured, where they laid dish after dish on the table(s), and carved our meat tableside while we watched with greedy eyes. Over mouthfuls of food we talked and laughed, and ate till we were stuffed, and there were always plenty of leftovers to take home.

To this day I favour entertaining as my grandparents did; long, leisurely family-style meals with plenty to spare.
My cooking style varies wildly with the situation, but I'm a big fan of variety on the table, so I often make things that can be served in small portions. These scallop "sandwiches" are a great two-bite party food - serve them secured with cocktail picks or peeking out of a parchment "wrap".

Scallop, Avocado & Bacon Sandwiches

12 large (U/10 count) sea scallops (dry-packed is best to get a good sear)
8 strips of bacon
1 large avocado
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
Minced chives

Cut each strip of bacon into thirds, crosswise. Fry in a skillet until done. Drain on a paper towel.

Remove the "muscle" from the scallops and pat them dry with a paper towel. Heat a pan with some of the rendered bacon fat, and sear the scallops on high heat. You'll want to cook them in small batches, so that they aren't touching each other, or they won't get a good sear. This should take about 2-3 minutes per side. It's okay if they are slightly undercooked in the middle when you remove them - as they rest, they'll finish cooking.

While the scallops cool slightly, remove the flesh from the avocado and pour the lemon juice on top. Mash it up with a fork.

When the scallops are cool enough to touch, slice them in half with a sharp knife. Place a spoonful of avocado, a sprinkling of chives, and two pieces of bacon on one half of the scallop, and then sandwich with the other half.

Enjoy!

Meet Matt!

2013-05-20T10:00:00.000-04:00

I'm Matt, a.k.a. Matt the Butcher! I hate talking about myself, but here it goes. I live in central Florida, where it's way too hot for eight months out of the year. I've been cooking for most of my adult life. I really can't remember cooking as a kid, or what got me started cooking. I just know that I do love to cook, for myself and my family, and I get great pleasure watching others enjoy the food that I've prepared. I don't think I have any particular cooking style so to speak, but some of my favorite things to cook are a nice Boston butt that's been on the smoker for 10 or 12 hours, a Detroit-style pizza that I've been experimenting with, and any odd cuts of meat I can find, which includes most any kind of
offal. I'm a butcher by trade, working in a large grocery store. I absolutely love cutting meat and sharing recipes with all of my customers.

I'm also a self-taught cake decorator. When my kids were very young I started making their birthday cakes. Just the usual round 2 layer cakes, but as they got older the cakes became more and more complex, up to the point where I've made wedding cakes for a couple of my kids! So, if I could learn to make candles, I guess I'd be the person you've all heard of but never met: The Butcher, the Baker and the Candlestick maker!

When I'm not working or cooking, I like riding my old Harley or playing racquetball with my kids and grand kids. I'm addicted to tattoos, having about 15 or so. I'm in the process of getting my entire arm completely covered in ink. I like to think I've had a big influence in my kids being interested in cooking. My oldest son placed third in a Boston butt cook-off last year, and most of my other children love to cook, as well as my grandchildren! I can remember my oldest grandchild, Kay, sitting on the counter watchin' Grandpa cook when she was just a baby. She's 17 now, and cooks for her brothers and sisters when her Mom works late. At the moment, we have our 3 year old grandson living with us and he's my little sous chef, taking every pot and pan out of the cabinets and cooking along with me on the floor in the kitchen. My namesake grandson, Matthew, is 7 and he likes to cook on the BBQ while his Dad keeps an eye on him.

Matt the Butcher's Almost World Famous Mac 'n Cheese

Of all the different things I cook, I think this is my wife's favorite. Kinda her comfort food.

1 pound elbow macaroni
6 Tablespoons butter, divided in half
1 1/2 cups bread crumbs
3 Tablespoons flour
3 cups milk (any kind)
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 teaspoon annatto, if desired (for coloring)
1 pound extra sharp cheddar cheese, grated

Cook macaroni until it's about 2/3 of the way done (remember, it's gonna cook more in the oven). Drain macaroni and set aside. Melt 3 Tablespoons butter and mix with the bread crumbs; set aside. In the same pot that you cooked the macaroni in, over medium heat melt 3 Tablespoons butter and whisk in the flour, stirring and cooking for about 5 minutes. Turn the heat up to medium high and add the milk and spices, whisking constantly until the sauce thickens. Turn off the heat and add the cheese in 2 batches, stirring until all the cheese is melted. Add the drained pasta and mix well. Turn the mixture out into a 9x13 inch baking dish, cover with the bread crumb mixture. Place in a 450°F oven for about 15-20 minutes, until the bread crumbs are browned and the cheese is bubbling. Try and wait for about 15 minutes before serving. :)

Meet Sarah!

2013-05-17T13:00:00.000-04:00

My twin brother and I were adopted from Costa Rica when we were three. We grew up in a very loving home by the best Mom and Dad anyone could wish for. My Mom was the main cook in the house, always preparing a comforting classic meal that included a protein, a vegetable and a starch. In 8th grade, my Grandmother moved in with us and did a lot of the cooking and baking. It was always delicious. While my Dad didn’t do a lot of the daily cooking, he is quite the master when it comes to things like chili, pasta sauce, ribs and shrimp scampi. Thinking back, I grew up eating very, very well!

I never took an interest in being in the kitchen except for when it was time to eat. I now regret this because the beloved foods I grew up eating were lost when my Mom passed away in 2007. I wish I had taken the time to learn more about how she did things in the kitchen. I still dream of
her roasted chicken!

I really began cooking and taking a real interest in food after I met my fiancé, Mike. If I hadn’t, I would be eating dinosaur chicken nuggets and blue box macaroni and cheese every night, which is his specialty. One of my greatest pleasures is cooking for Mike and having him enjoy what I prepare. Although I don’t feel I have a specific style of cooking, I can say that I love simple, satisfying meals. That works for Mike, too, as he is definitely a man of simple taste. Though my Mom never had the chance to cook for him (we met two months after she passed away), he prefers meals with a protein, a vegetable and a starch, also. He would have loved her! I get very excited when Mike tries something new and discovers that he likes it. With my help, he is eating a lot more vegetables!

Mike is my rock and is always very supportive and encouraging. It doesn't matter if it’s getting through college, my career as a crime analyst for my local police department, or being a part of 37 Cooks, he is always there for me. Without him, I doubt I would make my deadlines for 37 Cooks! Even though Mike likes to say I have a food “problem” (eating, cooking, watching, reading and thinking about food 24/7 isn’t a problem, right?), it all leads to us sitting down to a home cooked dinner together, which is my favorite part of each day.

Not My Mom’s Meatloaf Dinner

I always keep my mom with me in everything I do, including in the kitchen. What is more classic comfort food than a meatloaf dinner? I remember having meatloaf my mom made and the family dinners we enjoyed. My meatloaf is different than my mom's, but it's just as delicious! As she always did and Mike likes best, I serve it with starch and veggie side dishes. Make your favorites, these recipes are what I had on hand! Also, I made this dinner for two, so if you are cooking for a family you can double it up.

Meatloaf:
Olive oil
1 celery stalk, finely diced
¼ small onion, finely diced
4 baby carrots, finely diced
2 strips bell pepper, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 Tablespoon tomato paste
Salt and pepper
½ pound lean ground beef
1 egg
4 Tablespoons ground flax seed
Parsley, finely chopped
Few shakes Worcestershire sauce
Pinch of red pepper flakes
Squirt Dijon mustard

Have a pan on medium high heat and drizzle in a bit of olive oil, enough to cover the pan. Add in all the veggies, the tomato paste, salt and pepper and sauté until soft. Set aside to cool.

In a large bowl, add the remaining ingredients and the cooled veggie mix. Mix to combine. Separate the mixture into two and free form two meatloaves onto a baking sheet. Bake at 350°F for 45 minutes. Serve with a“baked potato” and greens.

Easiest “Baked Potato”:
2 medium sized russet potatoes

This isn’t a recipe, it's just how I do my potatoes the easiest way when I want a "baked" one to go with a meal. I’m not reinventing the wheel, of course, so I let the microwave do the work! Punch the potatoes with a fork a few times all around, and nuke it until soft and tender, about 7-8 minutes. We like to open it up; add a few dabs of butter and salt and pepper.

Sautéed Greens:
Olive oil
4 cloves garlic, chopped
Big pinch crushed red pepper flakes
2 big handfuls of chopped chicory
2 big handfuls of chopped escarole
2 big handfuls of spinach
Juice from ½ lemon
Salt and pepper

This just happened to be the greens I had in my fridge, but you can use any delicious mix! Cover a pan over medium hot heat with olive oil. Add in the garlic and crushed red pepper. Add in the greens, a bit at a time, until they wilt and you can fit more in. Once they have all wilted down and are tender, add the lemon juice, salt and pepper and serve.

Meet Maurita!

2013-05-17T10:00:00.000-04:00

My name is Maurita Plouff, and I'm a rustic cook.

When I was growing up, I was only allowed into the kitchen to dry the dishes. I started cooking when I went off to college, because I figured it would be cheaper to cook for myself. I was right, but along the way, I had to learn to accept some fairly horrible meals. Thus I had an interest in improving rapidly, and fortunately I learned quickly. Cooking soon became an abiding interest. Sometimes I wonder if this is an ongoing act of rebellion, because to this day I refuse to dry the dishes with a towel.

My interest and skills grew over the years. I have worked in the food biz as a personal chef, and my business did well for 7 years, but I'm cooking only for my family and friends now. I prefer to eat local foods in season - they're fresh! they taste fabulous! - and do my own canning and preserving. I suppose I'm an old-fashioned cook.

The best word to describe my cooking style would be 'rustic' - with connotations of homemade, charmingly simple, imperfect in appearance. I would much rather cook (and eat!) simple food prepared well, than an ambitious concoction that's been tortured into a perfect sphere. In my kitchen, food isn't ever fussy.

Inspiration for my cooking comes from the season, the weather, what's in the market, and what I have on hand. Today it is grey, rainy, and cold; I don't want to go out of the house. Hm, what to cook? I rummage through my preserves cupboard, and find a big jar of peaches I put up in the summer. Ahha! That will become a cobbler, and I'm off to the kitchen.

I give up: choosing just one recipe to represent what I cook wasn't going to happen; I rarely cook the same thing twice. Instead, I thought I would write about a typical "Market Day Menu". Now this does represent me, my approach to cooking, my recipes, my lazy Saturdays, and my philosophy in the kitchen.

I cook local and seasonal food, and I take a relaxed attitude toward cooking it. Saturday mornings will typically find me at the local Farmers Market. I have special connections to some of the farmers, and go back to them week after week for the best food around. Last Saturday was absolutely typical: I got to the market early, walked around to check out all the stalls. I went home with the first rhubarb of the season, leeks, and two whole chickens.

The rhubarb came from a greenhouse, and oh, it's wonderful after the long winter. I sit down with a cup of strong tea, and start to plan. Hm, it's chilly: let's use the oven. Rhubarb crumble, it's the easiest ever, get it in the oven first. Then prep the chicken with the last of my winter citrus and a handful of hardy sage. There's enough to invite friends over, and we'll hang out in the kitchen, playing cards or chatting, during the lazy afternoon.

Welcome to my rustic kitchen!

Rhubarb Crumble
serves 6-8

Filling:
2 pounds rhubarb, washed, cut into 1-inch pieces
3/4 to 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom

Crumble Topping:
1 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup brown sugar (packed)
1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick, 4 ounces), very cold

Heat the oven to 375F. In a medium-sized bowl, combine the rhubarb and the sugar -- use more sugar if you prefer it sweeter, though I rather like it tart. Mix in the flour, cardamom, and vanilla extract, and toss to combine. Spoon into a 3-quart (9" x 13") baking dish.

Make the topping: put the flour, salt, and brown sugar into a food processor and pulse to combine. Cut the butter into small cubes, and add to the dry ingredients. Pulse several times, until the bits of butter are pea-sized. (If you prefer, use a pastry cutter or two knives for this step.) Spread the topping mixture over the rhubarb.

Bake for 40-45 minutes, until the filling is bubbling and the topping is lightly browned. Let cool for at least half an hour before serving.

Roast Chicken with Lemon and Herbs

1 4-pound chicken
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 lemon (or 2 Meyer lemons)
1 bunch herbs (sage, rosemary, and thyme are all great)
1 Tablespoon oil

Prepare the chicken: remove the neck and any bits left ragged around the cavity. Dry the cavity, then sprinkle 1 teaspoon of kosher salt inside the cavity. Chop the lemon(s), and put the pieces, along with the herbs, into the cavity as well.

If you're not going to use a rack in your roasting pan, position the wings to stabilize the bird: twist them so that the bird is "crossing its wings behind its back". Spread oil over the bird, so that the skin will brown nicely all over.

Put the chicken in a shallow baking pan, and roast at 375F. After an hour and a quarter, check the bird for doneness - I wiggle the drumstick, and if it falls off in my fingers, the bird's done! - and let it rest at least 20 minutes before carving.

TIP: roasting 2 chickens in a larger pan takes about the same effort and time as roasting one. And you get all that lovely chicken meat to use later!

Meet Donna!

2013-05-16T13:00:00.000-04:00

I really don’t remember a time when I wasn’t helping in the kitchen – peeling, chopping, mixing … or standing on a kitchen chair in front of the stove melting butter for popcorn.
Growing up, we lived in a tiny apartment, so I was never far from the kitchen. Even if I wasn’t paying attention, my mother was nearby, chopping, stirring, seasoning, and serving. She seldom used recipes – everything was done by taste, and that’s how I learned to cook. I can’t really say that she taught me how to cook – it was more like I absorbed it from being around it all the time.

I have to say that I was completely surprised when I found
out that people used recipes for things like soup or turkey stuffing or meatloaf. I thought everyone cooked like my mother did, and that recipes were for things like making pickles.

My mother didn’t do much baking, but once I left the maternal nest, I fell in love with baking bread. There’s something magical about the way a mixture that’s mostly flour and water can start off so lumpy and ragged and sticky, but end up smooth and stretchy and bouncy.

When I first started making bread, I used recipes. But I found that most bread recipes made two -- or sometimes even three -- loaves of bread. It never made sense to me to make two loaves at a time, so I started modifying recipes to make a single loaf. Then I started experimenting with different flours and crazy ingredients. And when I started my blog, Cookistry, I posted a lot of bread recipes.

I don’t know if I actually have one signature bread recipe, but I have one that is the template for many of my breads. I swap flours, change the type of sugar or fat, or change the shape of the bread because I know the basic recipe is so reliable. This bread recipe is nearly foolproof, and it works with a variety of different kneading methods, from hand kneading to machine kneading to no-kneading. I also use this same recipe in my bread machine, but with less yeast.

Basic White Bread

1 cup lukewarm water
2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast
1 Tablespoon sugar
11 1/4 ounces (2 1/2 cups) bread flour
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon salt

Combine the water, yeast, and sugar in the bowl of your stand mixer, let it sit for a minute or two, then add the flour. Knead with the dough hook until the dough is smooth. Add the salt and olive oil and knead until the dough is smooth and elastic.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it rest until it doubles in size, about an hour.

Flour your work surface and turn out the dough. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Knead the dough just enough to knock out the air, then form it as desired. This will make 1 loaf or 12 buns, and you can make the loaf free-form or use a bread pan.

Cover with plastic wrap and set aside until it has doubled in size, about 30 minutes.

Uncover the bread (or buns). If you made a loaf, slash it as desired.

Bake at 350 degrees until the dough is nicely browned, about 30 minutes.

Let the loaf (or buns) cool on a rack.

Meet Susan W!

2013-05-16T10:00:00.000-04:00

Hi everyone, I’m Susan Whempner. I live in pretty, sunny Southern California with my wonderful husband of almost 28 years, and our 24 year old son, who is a recent college graduate. I enjoy quilting, photography, gardening, travelling and my husband and I have recently taken up the hobby of target shooting. Of course, I also love to cook.

When I was growing up, my mom was a very good home cook, as were both of my grandmothers. I have fond memories of my mom’s Toll House cookies, her spaghetti sauce, and her wonderful meatloaf, which she made on top of the stove instead of baking it in the oven. I
also loved all of the different goodies both of my grandmothers used to bake. As a young girl, I don’t remember spending a lot of time in the kitchen helping out. When I was a little older, I started making meals once in a while after my mom went to work for my dad, who had his own business at the time. It wasn’t until I got married and started making meals for my husband that I really came into my own and discovered my love for cooking, especially baking.

I’m busy all the time, whether it’s getting a quilt finished for a gift, running errands, getting things done around the house or helping out a friend, so my style of cooking is usually quick and simple. While it’s a lot of fun to fix fancy, complex dishes, when it comes right down to it, what I usually make is comfort food that I can fix in a hurry, but is packed with lots of flavor. If I can get more than one meal out of a dish, even better! I have a great time playing with recipes, tweaking ingredients, and I also enjoy developing my own recipes. When I do follow a recipe, I rarely make it “as is” because it’s fun to put my own twist on things. I enjoy trying lots of new dishes and I have a very bad habit of forgetting to make a note of where I found a really great recipe. The running joke in my family is “don’t get used to this (fill in name of dish here) because we’ll never see it again”.

Here is one of my very favorite ways to prepare chicken when I’ve had one of those busy, on the go days. It’s easy to make, and it proves that a recipe doesn’t have to be complicated or have a lot of ingredients to be delicious. I always roast more than we need for that particular meal because the leftover chicken is great in quesadillas (recipe below), soup, or shredded and tossed into a nice crisp, cold salad on a hot summer day. The possibilities are endless.

Simple Oven Roasted Chicken

One large package of bone-in fryer chicken pieces, or you can make this recipe with a whole chicken
Extra virgin olive oil (my favorite is to use a garlic infused olive oil)
Your favorite spices or spice blend (here’s one of our faves)

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Rinse and pat the chicken pieces dry. Brush all over with olive oil and sprinkle both sides with your seasoning choice. If you’re roasting a whole chicken, rinse and pat dry. Brush outside with olive oil; rub some of the seasoning inside the cavity and sprinkle all over the outside. Roast until internal temperature reaches 165°F (about an hour to an hour and a half for chicken pieces, or 1 ¾ to 2 hours for a 3 to 4 pound whole chicken).

Easy Chicken Quesadillas

2 cups leftover chicken from Simple Oven Roasted Chicken, shredded
one small can (4 ounces) fire-roasted, diced chilies
¼ to ½ teaspoon cumin (according to taste)
¼ to ½ teaspoon chili powder (according to taste)
enough softened butter to spread on tortillas
4 burrito sized flour tortillas
2 cups shredded cheese (I like a blend of Monterey Jack and Cheddar)
your favorite salsa
sour cream

Combine the chicken, chilies, cumin and chili powder in a microwave-safe dish. Cover and microwave on high for 30 seconds at a time, until hot. Lightly butter one side of each tortilla. Now start heating up a skillet over medium-high heat (don’t add anything like butter or oil to it). On one half of the non-buttered side of each tortilla, sprinkle some cheese, then some of the chicken mixture and top that with more cheese. Now sprinkle a drop or two of water on the skillet...if the water "dances" around the skillet then it's hot enough. Place quesadilla directly on heated skillet and cook until golden brown. Flip and do the same for the other side. Cut each into wedges and serve with your favorite salsa and sour cream, if desired. I usually make these for a fun weekend lunch and serve along with some tortilla chips. If I make them for dinner, I add Spanish rice and refried beans as sides for a complete meal! Quick, easy and delicious! Serves 4

Meet Traci!

2013-05-15T13:00:00.000-04:00

Hi! I am Traci and I live in The Piney Woods of East Texas. I consider myself a comfort cook. It is just my husband and me, so we kinda play it by ear when it comes to meals. While I do try to plan for the week, something will happen, like working late, or having to run errands after work. We love to cook outside when we can. I have become a fan of smoking foods out on our deck. While I am not good yet, I enjoy the thrill of it.

I am a passionate baker! Every week, I make a sweet for my Honey to share with others at work. Yes, I do take requests. Some even come from his customers. I am so thankful to be a part of 37 Cooks. We started as acquaintances, and have become friends. I have become a better person in the kitchen and I ADORE having 36 other voices for encouragement and answers!

Fried Chicken Wings

This is a recipe I came up with after having too many overly breaded wings in my life. This is a light, well seasoned breading. We love wings prepared in many different ways, but this one is my favorite, so I chose to share it with you. I use this breading on shrimp, and even used it recently on some avocados.

8 whole wings separated at joints (tips are added to my chicken bag in the freezer to save for stock)
1 cup All-Purpose flour
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon cayenne (ancho or Aleppo will also work)
1 teaspoon salt (always optional)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 large eggs
1/2 cup hot sauce

vegetable oil, for frying

In a large bowl, beat the eggs well and add the hot sauce. Add the wings, toss them in the mixture and refrigerate while you prepare the rest of your ingredients. I have been known to let them marinate for an hour or so.

Combine all dry ingredients in a vessel of your choice (I like to use a plastic gallon-sized baggie). Mix well. Grab your chicken wings from the refrigerator. Use the largest frying pan you are comfortable with, you can always fry the wings in batches. You don't want to crowd them while they are frying.

Heat the oil over medium heat. At this point, I like to cook one wing for a taste test. Using tongs, take 1 piece of chicken out of the egg mixture, dredge it in the flour mixture and place into the hot oil. I cook it for about 6 minutes on each side; the chicken is ready when the juices run clear. This test will give you a better idea of how long you need to cook it. When it is done, drain on a paper towel. Taste and adjust seasoning of the flour mixture, if needed. Cook the rest of your chicken. These wings have such great flavor, we don't even dip them in anything. Of course, you could serve them with extra hot sauce, ranch, and even honey mustard.

I hope you try these wings and enjoy them!

Meet Christine!

2013-05-15T10:00:00.000-04:00

I get my fondness for cooking from my grandma and mom. My grandma was a stay-at-home-stick-to-your-ribs kind of cook, and my mom was a wrap-it-in-foil-then-bury-it-in-the-campfire kind of cook. We spent the summers waiting for my grandfather to get home from work so we could go down the hill, dig for clams and catch fish, or whatever happened to crawl in the traps. Back then, mussels were considered bait for the traps. Now I spend a lot of money for them. Who would of thought? Growing up, we were always told to take at least one bite and if we didn't like it, we didn't have to eat it. Well, I usually loved it. Now this is what I tell everyone at my table when I dish up something new. There have been many adventures in my kitchen. I love to try new things and with my family, friends and my 37 Cooks family, I have discovered a whole new adventure to get lost in...

Fish & Chips & Scallops Hugged Tight with Bacon

Fries:
deep fryer or large sauce pan

oil for frying

heat enough oil (about 3 cups) to 350°F

4 large russet potatoes

wash potatoes and trim any bruised parts

slice into long sticks about 1/4 inch thick

When oil is hot enough, fry for about 5 minutes, remove and drain on paper towels and set aside.

While fries are cooking, wrap your scallops:

1 lb sea scallops, rinsed and patted dry

1 slice bacon per scallop

toothpicks or kabob sticks

Wrap 1 slice bacon around each scallop and secure with a toothpick, or place 2-3 on a kabob stick.

Place each, bacon side down, into the oil and fry about 4 minutes per side, until bacon is crispy.

Remove and drain on paper towels.

While scallops are cooking make your fish batter:

1 cup flour

2 teaspoons Old Bay seasoning

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder

2/3 cup cold beer or water

Mix until smooth and thick.

Then the fish:

2 pounds haddock or cod

Rinse and pat dry. Trim any unwanted skin and check for pin bones.

Cut into serving size pieces, or you can leave whole.

Dip fish into batter, let any excess drip off and fry until golden brown, about 4-5 minutes. Turn every few minutes. Drain on paper towels. While fish is draining, place fries back into oil to finish cooking, about 3-4 minutes. Remove and drain. Serve with rolls, lemon, tarter sauce and malt vinegar.

Meet Jenny!

2013-05-14T13:00:00.000-04:00

I was taught to cook by my grandmother at a very young age. My grandmother is also my inspiration for attending culinary school. I am currently a junior at Johnson & Wales University in Providence, RI, studying culinary nutrition and hope to become a registered dietitian after graduation. I graduated with my associates degree culinary arts in November 2012. I was diagnosed in 2008, at the age of 26, with Celiac Disease and have been cooking and baking gluten-free ever since. I started my website, Creative Cooking Gluten Free right after my
diagnosis. I knew very little about the disease, but I knew I had to get really creative with my cooking, hence the name of my website. My time at culinary school has helped me hone my skills as a chef and recipe developer. I also co-founded and am the vice president of a gluten-free group on campus where we raise awareness of Celiac disease and non-celiac gluten intolerance/sensitivity. I love cooking all foods from different regions, but love cooking with Asian flavors the most. This probably stems from my slight obsession with the Asian cultures, cuisine, and diet. Thankfully, Bryan loves Asian cuisine as much as I do, we could live on it, and almost do. On my website, you will find many "regular" recipes that I have reformulated to be gluten-free, especially those from P.F. Chang's. My favorite recipes include a version of a P.F. Chang's classic: Beef a La Sichuan and my grandmother's meatball recipe. These two dishes scream comfort food to me but for very different reasons.

I currently lives in RI with my boyfriend Bryan (who has his own dietary restrictions) and our awesome ten-year old Jack-A-Bee Penny that we adopted last year.

P.F. Chang’s Beef a La Sichuan

Sauce Ingredients:

3 Tablespoons gluten-free soy sauce (I use San-J)
2 Tablespoons gluten-free Hoisin sauce (I use Dynasty)
1 Tablespoon garlic chili paste
1/2 teaspoon Chinese hot mustard
1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon chili oil/or Mongolian Fire Oil (made by House of Tsang), optional
1-2 teaspoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon minced ginger
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Stir Fry Ingredients:

3-4 medium celery stalks, julienned
2 medium carrots, julienned

1 pound flank or sirloin steak sliced thin
1/4 cup corn starch

1/2 cup peanut oil or canola oil (you may use less if using a non-stick pan, I only use about 1/4 cup)
Green onion stems, optional

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (or whole Tien Tsin Chinese chili peppers)

1 1/2 teaspoons sesame oil

Mix all of the sauce ingredients together and set aside.

Julienne your carrots and celery and set aside. It is important to get these done first because when it comes time to stir-fry them, it is a very quick process.

An important step is “velveting your beef” – thinly slice your beef and place in a bowl. Add the cornstarch and toss to make sure each piece is thoroughly coated. Set aside for 10 minutes.

Rinse the beef free from all cornstarch and pat dry – you do not want any moisture, or the oil will splatter when you add the beef to the pan.

In a skillet (or wok), fry the sliced meat in hot peanut (or canola) oil until crispy to your liking. Remove from the oil, drain on paper towels.

In the same pan (or wok) add the sesame oil and the following ingredients in this order: celery, crushed red pepper flakes (or Tein Tsin Chinese chili peppers), followed by the carrots. Do not overcook these ingredients – you want them to be nice and crispy.

Add the fried meat and green onions.

Add the sauce and bring to a fast boil, cook for 1 minute and serve immediately over white or brown rice.

This last step should take only 3-4 minutes – it is a very quick process so be sure to keep an eye on it so it doesn't overcook.

Notes:

I sliced my beef a little bigger than P.F. Chang’s does but not by much and didn't fry it as much as they do. Sometimes the beef can become a bit tough when it is fried for too long, so I left mine a little tender but it still had a slight crunch to it.

The veggies were perfect – like the directions above say DO NOT OVER COOK them, they are supposed to be nice and crunchy. This process goes very quickly.

I drained off most of the remaining oil from frying the beef before adding the sesame oil and veggies. I didn't want it to be too oily.

The recipe called for chili oil but I couldn't find it anywhere around me (my grocery stores aren't so good with stocking “international” cuisine products) so I left it out and didn't miss it at all.

The sauce was created from memory so if you have had it more recently and attempt to make it at home please adjust the measurements to your liking.

I cooked this in a wok but you can use a large sauté pan.

Gram’s Meatballs

(Just a little bit of a note: my grandmother has made this recipes for so many years, none of us are quite sure of the exact amounts, but I’m going to include some that I find work best in the gluten-free version.)

1 cup gluten-free bread crumbs – use 2 slices of gluten-free bread and pulse in a food processor until fine

1/2 teaspoon water

1 pound of ground beef (or 1/2 ground beef and 1/2 ground pork – the method I prefer)

1 egg

2 Tablespoons grated Parmesan

1 1/2 Tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

2 Tablespoons minced garlic

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper (freshly ground)

In a small bowl, mix the bread crumbs and about 1/2 teaspoon of water. You want the crumbs to be moist but not wet. This will help with the binding process in the meatballs.

In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients and mix well, but do not overmix.

Roll meatballs to your desired size.

Stove top: cook the meatballs in tomato sauce over low to medium heat until the meatballs are cooked.

Bake: you can bake the meatballs in the oven to your desired likeness.

Meet Chris!

2013-05-14T10:00:00.000-04:00

Hi there! My name is Chris, and I'm SO thrilled to be a new addition to 37 Cooks! I am a true Texas gal, born in Fort Worth, raised on a ranch out West, a UT- Austin grad, and a current Houston resident!!! I love my Longhorns, Astros, and Texans (amongst others), but more than any of those, I love to cook!!! I am a bilingual elementary school teacher who loves her job, puppies, and cats. I love my hubs, "S", as well. But that's another story. I
also like to camp, travel, and read, but again... back to the food!!!

I must admit that growing up in a farm-style environment has definitely influenced my work in the kitchen today. I personally feel that there is a nice balance to be found in life, food included. Baking is fun on occasion, but I'm a cook at heart. A recipe, to me, should be a guideline, not a blueprint. I can't draw, paint, or sculpt, but I express my creativity in the kitchen. And I LOVE it!

I did live in Venezuela for awhile, so I have a certain nostalgic take on lots of recipes. If I were to describe my cooking style, I'd have to say that I am... a serious Texan, including BBQ, brisket, and Tex-Mex... with a German mother and a love for New Mexican and Caribbean influences... lots of spice and Latino flavors are hanging out in my kitchen, and I'm trying my hand at more Creole/ Cajun and Seafood. My surroundings inspire me, and I am proud to be who I am. Oh, and we do enjoy adult beverages around here, so don't be surprised if you stumble upon a concoction every once in awhile!

I'm really excited to be a part of this awesome group, and I look forward to sharing a lot of new ideas with you all! Cheers!!!

Caribbean Corn Bread, Texas-Style
adapted from a recipe in At Blanchard's Table by Melinda and Robert Blanchard

I'm always looking for new ideas and inspiration. This, however, is a time-tested, group-approved, down-South (well Texas Coast, at least) side that goes with just about anything. The original recipe is from the cookbook "At Blanchard's Table", by Melinda and Robert Blanchard. The (extra and varied) cheese mixture and jalapeño additions make it mine! I think that it's a good representation of my style of cooking -- a little sweet, a little rich, a little spicy... all rolled into one. Can be enjoyed with BBQ, chicken, salads, or as a nibble. I've even sliced a piece open, tossed in some sausage, and called it breakfast!!! Please try it -- and enjoy every bite!!!

1 cup flour
1 cup cornmeal
2 Tablespoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
½ pound butter (2 sticks), at room temperature
¾ cup sugar
4 eggs
1½ cups cream-style corn
½ cup crushed pineapple, drained
1 1/2 cups shredded jalapeño Monterey Jack and "the sharpest" cheddar that you can find (a mix of the two)
3 Tablespoons minced pickled jalapeños
2 Tablespoons pickled jalapeño juice, from the jar or can

1. Heat the oven to 350F. Butter and flour a large, deep pan, 9" x 13" (disposable is best). I usually line a cookie sheet with foil and place the pan on top of that. Trust me, it's worth the extra effort!!!

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, corn meal, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

3. Cream the butter and sugar. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Add the corn, pineapple, and cheese. Mix to blend.

4. On low speed, add the dry ingredients and mix until blended well.

5. Pour into the prepared pan and bake for about 1 hour, 1 hour and 15 minutes. (It usually takes longer.) Don't undercook!!!

6. The cornbread is done when there is a nice, firm, browned top on the dish. The "toothpick" test doesn't really work on this, as you want the bread itself to be moist and crumbly. Once you have a solid top on the cornbread, remove it from the oven and allow it to cool for 5-10 minutes.

*** A Little Tip... If the cornbread will be eaten in 2-3 days, it is okay to leave it, covered, on the counter. If, however, it will be hanging out longer than a few days, stash it in the fridge. Since pineapple and jalapeño are moist, they are susceptible to mold and I have had a couple of sad, sad instances of it. It also freezes really well. Let it cool, cut it up, and toss it into some Ziplock freezer bags. Then defrost -- just let it sit out -- and warm in either the microwave or oven. Microwave will produce a softer texture, while the oven will give you a nice crust and fresher taste. It's really up to you... But do please try it, it's a pretty simple recipe that always has people asking for more!!! Cheers!

Meet Diana!

2013-05-13T13:00:00.000-04:00

Well, hey. Hi there! I’m just a nutty woman who loves, and I mean loves, to cook. While I love cooking for everyone, my family and dearest co-workers are the ones I like to cook for the most. They’ve got my back, and so therefore my food, ya know?!

I tend to cook spicy, savory foods. I rarely do sweets, but when I do, they often have something hot, like my beloved Aleppo chile pepper in them.

Bread and flour are my current passions. I have a flour stash from hell (try 90-120 pounds of different flours). My dining
room is now my flour pantry. I make a boatload of yeast breads and we probably have pizza 2-3 times a week.

Do you dream about food? I do. Some of my best dishes have come from food dreams. Yeah, I know, it’s weird. Some of these dreams come from walking around the farmer’s market. Others come from childhood memories. As spring approaches, and my thumb gets itchy, my dreams will be green with all of the herbs I want to plant and play with in the kitchen.

What am I best known for? Well, amongst my sons’ friends, it would probably be pizza. I’ve been known to make it at 11 o’clock at night for late night pool parties. They probably will remember me as the crazy mom in flour covered pajamas. While I make many things, SDS, aka Secret Dipping Sauce, with homemade ciabatta bread is probably on the most requested list. The sauce recipe makes more than a gallon and I’m lucky if I can keep it in the fridge for a week.

And so on that note, I will leave you with SDS.

SDS

6 cups olive oil (just your basic cheap kind--I used Wegman's)

1 cup sliced garlic
1/3 to 1/2 cup pickled Thai chiles (depending on how hot you want it)
4 ounces Asian chili oil
2/3 cup honey
96 ounces crushed tomatoes (of course, I used Sclafani!)
1 1/2 Tablespoons kosher salt

Cook the garlic on medium low in the olive oil until golden (I used a stock pot). Strain garlic from oil and reserve both. Puree Thai chiles with chili oil in blender--set aside. In stock pot with olive oil, add tomatoes, honey, salt and pureed Thai chiles in chili oil. Puree mixture with stick blender or puree in batches in blender. Whisk in garlic by hand. Store it in mason jars in the fridge. This sauce is great with calamari, on chicken wings, over pasta, with bread or just straight up with a spoon. Enjoy!

Meet Luke!

2013-05-13T10:00:00.000-04:00

I am Luke Deville and I am from the metropolis of Ville Platte, Louisiana. We have a whopping 10,000 people that live "in" the Ville Platte area. We are a small Cajun town, with strong family ties and we all love to cook. Cajuns cook, that's what we do. When we get together we usually have ten times the amount of food than we actually need. I really don't know why other than we like to cook and eat! My family loves to cook and we cook often. That is what drives me to cook like I do.

I learned how to cook by watching my mom, dad and grandparents. I remember always being in the kitchen watching them. After my mom and dad let me stir the pot a few times, I began to catch on to this cooking thing. There were times when I would walk into the kitchen at my
grandparent's house on Sundays and my grandparents would be talking in English, then all of a sudden they would start talking in French. I guess they did not want me to hear what they were talking about. In time, I began to catch on to what they were saying and they would often be talking about us kids. Anyway, they showed me the basics on how to make a "sauce". I loved eating my grandparent's meatball fricassee, and after 100 times of eating it I began to fall in love with it, and I love to cook it. My Grandpa Teet (Teet is short for petite in French, especially Cajun French where we cut words short) loves to cook and really loves to eat. He was a cook in the Army during WWII and I'll bet the guys liked it when he was at the stove! I know that my family's love for food stems from my Grandpa Teet's store that he and my Grandma Ruby opened in the 50's here in Ville Platte. I can go on and on about the different things that makes me cook the way I do, but I'm running out of space!

A lil Cajun Fricassee a la Teet

I had a tough time choosing which dish to prepare for this challenge. I was stuck on cooking a smoked ponce, wildlife, and this magnificent fricassee. I stuck with my gut on this one, so here is my version of my Grandpa Teet's fricassee.

You will need the following:

6 meatballs

3 pork backbone chops

2 chicken leg quarters, separated at the joints

2 diced potatoes

3 quarts of water

1 jar of Kary's Roux

1 medium onion, chopped

1 medium bell pepper, chopped

3 cups of diced green onions (1 cup will be used in meatballs)

2 cups of diced parsley (1 cup will be used in meatballs)

For meatballs:

1/2 pound of ground pork

1/2 pound of ground beef

1 cup of diced bell pepper

1 cup of diced onion

1 cup of diced green onion

1/2 cup of diced parsley

1 Tablespoon of red pepper

1 Tablespoon of black pepper

1 Tablespoon of paprika

1 Tablespoon of salt

Spread ground meat onto wax paper, mix in seasoning and greens well. Then ball up into meatballs. You can even coat the meatballs with flour to ensure they hold together and to add thickness to your fricassee.

Season your pork backbone and chicken leg quarters the same way, or use your favorite Cajun Seasoning.

For the fricassee:

Place water into a pot and bring to boil. Once boiling, add 5 tablespoons of Kary's Roux and remove pot from burner so that the roux will not boil over. Stir well, lower heat to medium and place pot back onto burner. Do NOT let the roux boil over, you will have a mess. Just keep stirring until roux is dissolved.

Once dissolved add diced onions, diced bell pepper, meatballs and backbone. Let it cook on a low boil for 35-45 minutes. Start cooking the amount of rice you desire, I usually cook 3 cups for 4-5 people. After 45 minutes, add chicken leg quarters and chopped potatoes, and cook for another 25-30 until chicken is cooked. Once chicken is cooked, throw in the rest of your parsley and green onions and let it simmer for 10 minutes.

Cooking a fricassee is simple, let it roll, just don't let it roll over the pot! You are in for a tasty meal. One of my all time favorites. If you have any questions let me know!

Check out some of my other dishes on our blog. They all have some kind of Cajun twist, or you can go to www.teetsfoodstore.com and find a few more recipes that we use down here in Ville Platte, LA!

Bon appetit.

You're Meeting the Cooks and We're Meeting Too!

2013-05-10T16:00:00.000-04:00

Most of our cooks started off as folks who met through Internet cooking groups. Over time, people have developed friendships and today's cooks, Gary and Susan R, are just that! Great friends! Gary lives in Houston and Susan in Ambler, PA so when the opportunity arose, they and their spouses met up in New York City! They wanted to share this photo of them!

Most recently, Sus and Gary also met up in West Palm Beach for The Wine Dive/37 Cooks Recipe Challenge and when Gary was unable to be there for a television appearance for the event (he was a finalist in the competition), Susan was right there filling in for him!

We are 37 cooks from all over the United States and Canada but we are all doing our best to meet! This year there are or have been meet ups in Houston, Denver, New York City, Atlanta and Knightdale, North Carolina!!

Meet Susan R!

2013-05-10T13:00:00.000-04:00

When I think back to my earliest memories, they all seem to center around food and cooking. I now live in Pennsylvania, but I grew up in Maine. My grandfather was a Lobsterman in Cape Porpoise and my grandmother had the biggest vegetable garden I have ever seen. (Well, I was a little kid so it seemed big to me!) I learned at a very young age to respect the resources our land and sea provided. My grandmother canned fruits and vegetables, and she also made her own root beer. We loved to see the few bottles that fermented and pop the tops so they hit the ceiling. That didn’t win us any points! My mother was an amazing home cook. She loved to experiment and I learned to use my imagination in the kitchen after watching both my parents
and grandparents create flavorful and exciting food. Every family event is centered around food. My dad is an avid fisherman. He has travelled the world to fish and compete in many fishing tournaments. Not many people know this, but there was a United States Tuna Team, and in 1972, my dad was the Captain. That year he caught a 921-pound tuna! We were eating sashimi before most of America knew what it was. I visit him in Florida regularly to fish, and hopefully catch enough to bring some back home to Pennsylvania.

As I progressed in my quest to create unique and delicious dishes, I developed a passion for grilling. Most of my friends and family turn to me when they have grilling questions. I am very proud of my beautiful WeberQ. I grill year round, regardless of the weather. We don’t eat traditional Thanksgiving meals in our home. Each year, the menu is decided around a grilled protein and whatever side dishes we feel like having. I have created a number of exceptional rubs and marinades over the years. One of my daughter’s favorite grilled meats is my marinated and grilled pork chops. So that is the recipe I am choosing to share with you.

I am definitely not a baker. In fact, my oven is used to store pots and pans. It is a running joke with all of the great cooking friends I have! If I have to roast vegetables, I generally do it in my large cast iron skillet on the grill. If I have to use the oven, it is a daunting task to find places to put the hardware I store there. It is truly one of my goals to learn the art of baking. Some day. In the meantime, I will continue to embrace my love of creating great food. On the grill!

There is nothing complicated about this Marinated and Grilled Pork Chop recipe. Yet, it is one of the most requested grilled pork recipes of all time by my family. It happens to be my daughter's favorite and because of the simplicity, it is a regular on our holiday menus. I love grilling, and if you do too, I hope this recipe becomes a new favorite!

Marinated and Grilled Pork Chops

For the Marinade:

¾ cup soy sauce (I prefer lower sodium)

2 Tablespoons olive oil

2 Tablespoon ketchup (I prefer Heinz)

1-2 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce (I prefer Lea & Perrins)

1 Tablespoon light brown sugar

1 teaspoon Sriracha or another hot sauce of your choosing

2 garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped

1 small yellow onion, peeled and roughly chopped

4 pork loin chops (T-Bone), cut to 1 ¾-inch thick

Hickory wood chips (I use 1 cup)

Warm water

Combine the first 8 ingredients in a gallon-size zipper bag. Squeeze to combine. Add the chops, seal and mix well. Place in a bowl to prevent any accidental leaking. Marinate for a minimum of 3 hours, or up to 6 hours in the refrigerator, turning about every hour. (Soak the hickory chips in warm water for about an hour prior to lighting the grill.) About 30 minutes before cooking, remove the marinated chops and let them come close to room temperature. Preheat the grill to medium-high. When the wood chips are smoking, it is time to cook the chops! Remove the chops from the marinade (you can reserve the marinade and reduce it) and sear the chops for 4 minutes on each side, rotating the chops 90 degrees at the 2-minute mark. Stand the chops up on the flat side of the “T-Bone” and reduce the heat to medium-low. Close the lid and roast the chops for 12-15 minutes until they are cooked to medium, which is our preference. Remove the chops from the grill to a plate and cover loosely with foil. Allow them to rest for 10 minutes.

If you choose to reserve the marinade, it is a delicious compliment to the chops. Strain the remaining marinade through a fine mesh strainer to remove all solids. Bring to a boil over high heat in a small saucepan, reduce the heat to medium and allow the liquid to reduce by half. It is a rich and flavorful dipping sauce to serve along with the perfectly cooked chops!

**Note: Cooking time will vary depending on the grill. My grill reaches 800°, so the chops cook quickly. Use an instant read thermometer to ensure the pork is cooked to your desired temperature.

Meet Gary!

2013-05-10T10:00:00.000-04:00

I credit my parents for being the most important culinary influences in my life. Having been raised in a restaurant environment, I was exposed to not only classic Cantonese cuisine, but also what could only be described as genuine Soul Food. Chicken Fried Steak would often mingle with Chicken Chow Mein at the same table! The sights, sounds, and most importantly, the flavors of these restaurant years would inspire me to not only seek out and eat, but to learn to create delicious, balanced, Asian-fusion comfort food. An avowed carnivore, I love to take large cuts of meat (run, piggies, run!) and prepare them in delicious, often frugal ways, sometimes even making the leftovers more spectacular than the original meal (Spicy pork tacos, anyone?). I live in my hometown of Houston with my partner of 15 years, who eats most of what I cook. I currently work in Conference
Services/Event Planning for a global law firm. In my spare time, I incessantly post food pictures to Facebook and my blog.

Shrimp and Lobster Cantonese

Of all the dishes I have learned over the years, this one is probably the most inspirational. A sentimental favorite, it represents, literally, the center of the menu at my parents’ restaurant (Number 61 fell smack dab in the center of the “Cantonese Specialties” column, which ran down the middle of the menu). It is both a luxury and a comfort food; it offers a variety of contrasts, some subtle, some not. It contains some of my favorite ingredients: lobster, shrimp, garlic, and yes, pork! The cooking process is a study in the beauty of cooking transformation; when the beaten eggs are swirled into the dish, creating a smooth, supple, delicious gravy, it’s truly magical!

1 whole, live lobster (about 1 pound)

1 pound jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined

Coarse salt

White pepper

1 Tablespoon dry sherry or dry white wine

1 teaspoon cornstarch PLUS

2 teaspoon cornstarch, divided use

½ pound ground pork

Freshly ground black pepper

Brown sugar

3 Tablespoons dried, fermented black beans, rinsed, drained

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon freshly minced ginger

3 Tablespoons peanut oil

2 cups chicken broth, warm, divided use

3 Tablespoons light soy sauce

4 Tablespoons oyster sauce

2 eggs, beaten

4 green onions, chopped

1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Plunge the lobster in the water, head first. Cover and cook for 10-12 minutes, until the shell is bright red. Plunge into ice water to arrest cooking; drain. When cool enough to handle, twist the head from the tail, and separate the knuckles and the claws from the body. With a sharp knife, slice the tail into 1-inch pieces. Wrapping knuckles and claws individually in a kitchen towel, firmly hit with the back of a knife to crack the shell open and expose the meat. Rinse to remove any small shell fragments. Set lobster pieces aside.

In a large dish, place the shrimp. Sprinkle with salt and white pepper, sherry or wine. Toss to combine. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of cornstarch and set aside.

In a medium dish, place the ground pork. Season liberally with salt and black pepper. Sprinkle with a pinch of brown sugar. Stir to combine and set aside.

In a small bowl, place the rinsed and drained black beans, minced garlic and ginger. Mash together with a spoon to create a coarse paste.

Heat a large wok or pot over high heat. When hot, add 1 tablespoon of oil. When the oil begins to smoke, add the shrimp in one layer; do not disturb. Cook for 1-2 minutes, until lightly browned. Turn, and cook for another 1-2 minutes, or until the other side is just browned, and shrimp are almost completely cooked through. Remove the shrimp and keep warm.

Add 1 tablespoon of oil to the wok and heat until smoking. Add the pork and black bean mixture. Cook for about 2 minutes, browning and combining the pork and black bean mixture. (Additional oil may be added if pork is very lean) Toss again, breaking up the pork. Cook until browned throughout and the pork is no longer pink. Add 1 ½ cups chicken stock, soy sauce, and oyster sauce. Bring to a boil. Combine the remaining 2 teaspoons of cornstarch with the remaining chicken stock. Add to the pork mixture, stirring until slightly thickened. Check the seasonings, adding more salt, pepper, and/or soy or oyster sauces to taste. Add the shrimp and lobster to wok. Toss to combine and heat through.

Reduce the heat. Stirring gently, slowly drizzle the beaten egg around the edges of the wok, incorporating the egg into the sauce. The sauce should be thick, but smooth (additional hot stock may be added if too thick). Add half of the chopped green onions and drizzle with the sesame oil. Toss to combine, and remove to a serving platter. Garnish with the remaining green onions, and serve at once.

Meet Tracy!

2013-05-09T13:00:00.000-04:00

I am a graduate of the University of Houston Conrad N. Hilton College of Hotel and Restaurant Management. After graduating from college I was hired by the Army to run an Officers' Club in Washington State. I met my husband there and we have lived all over the country for the past 21 years.

I spent most of my career working in catering and event planning. I never had an interest in cooking because I spent most my days writing menus and selling food. After working in a Four-Star Four-Diamond hotel, I was intrigued by the beautiful trays and presentations put forth by the kitchen and decided to replicate some of the same beauty at home. So parties and party food became my passion. Searching for recipes in magazines and cookbooks, I began having parties at home.

In 1998, I became a stay at home mom. I have put away the party food and now cook meals for my family. I belong to a group that shares cookbooks and I write poems about the recipes I try.

Now with 37 Cooks, I enjoy cooking and I am becoming equally excited, if not more, about photographing my creations. Even though I cook a wide range of items, hors d’oeuvres are still my first love. The recipe I am sharing is Green Goddess Cucumber Cups.

I chose to share this dish because it is a winner. I have made it for years and always get requests for the recipe. They are easy and pretty and always a party-pleaser. They are refreshing and compliment any buffet. Don’t leave out the anchovy paste, no one will know it is in there and it really makes them a hit!

Green Goddess Cucumber Cups

2 English cucumbers, peeled and cut into ½-inch slices

1 8-ounce package cream cheese

¼ cup parsley, chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

2 Tablespoons green onion, chopped

2 Tablespoons anchovy paste

1 Tablespoon white wine vinegar

1 teaspoon dried tarragon

With a melon ball tool or spoon, gently scoop out the centers of the cucumber slices, leaving a small amount of the bottom intact. Lay upside down on a paper towel to drain. In a food processor, combine all remaining ingredients until smooth. Place the cream cheese mixture in a pastry bag and pipe into each individual cucumber slice. Serve.

* These can be made a several hours ahead and stored in the refrigerator , covered with plastic. Bring to room temperature before serving.

Meet Rachael!

2013-05-09T10:00:00.000-04:00

Since I was a little girl, I have had a love for baking. It started by making cookies from scratch, with the help of my grandmother, who always let me lick the beaters. I had my own apron, my own special whisk, and a nagging sweet tooth. I continued to bake over the years and fell in love with cake decorating. A few years ago, I founded La Dolce Vita Cakery, where I create custom cakes for clients.

In addition to cake decorating, I also work part-time from home as a Medical Billing Specialist. I have a wonderful husband and a sweet 17-month-old boy (and another little one on the way)! In my spare time, I enjoy doing photography, reading, cooking and being outdoors.

I became more interested in cooking a couple years ago when I joined a group on Facebook called Cook my Book. It's a group of about 15 people who each choose a cookbook of their own to pass around. Every person gets a couple weeks to cook whatever they want from that book, post photos to the group and talk about the recipes, then they pass it along to the next person. When you get your "cooked book" back, it's full of notes, tips, signatures... and the occasional food stain. Thanks to that group, I have moved on from my easy and repetitive recipes and tried so many new things.

I love food, and cooking has become one of my most favorite hobbies, thanks to 37 Cooks! I'm honored to be a part of this awesome group, where I am constantly challenged and always striving to become a better cook.

Here is my favorite recipe; a regular around our house.

Spicy Thai Peanut Noodle Salad
adapted from: The Food Chronicles

Peanut sauce:
1 Tablespoon + 1 teaspoon peanut oil

2 teaspoons minced garlic

1 1/2 cups crunchy peanut butter

2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes

1 cup chicken broth

4 Tablespoons cider vinegar

4 Tablespoons corn syrup

2 Tablespoons soy sauce

1 Tablespoon + 1 teaspoon Sriracha, or to taste

Noodle salad:

2 Tablespoons peanut oil

1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger

1 teaspoon minced garlic

10 ounces matchstick carrots

10 ounces broccoli slaw

1/4 cup water

2 cubes chicken bouillon

1/2 cup sliced green onions

7 ounces pasta swirls, cooked and drained

Peanut sauce:

Heat the peanut oil over medium heat in a medium saucepan. Add the garlic and sauté. Add the peanut butter and stir until well blended. Add the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil, stirring until smooth. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Noodle Salad:

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ginger and garlic and sauté. Add the carrots and broccoli slaw. Stir-fry for 2-3 minutes. Add the water and chicken bouillon cubes, stir to dissolve.

Remove from the heat, stir in the green onions and noodles, and toss. Drizzle with the peanut sauce, as desired. (The more, the better!)

Recipe Round Up! Chiffonade’s Sweet Potato Pizza with Teet’s Smoked Sausage

2013-05-08T16:00:00.000-04:00

Chiffonade’s Sweet Potato Pizza with Teet’s Smoked Sausage
by Chiffonade

When using a gas grill, resist the temptation to crank the heat under these pizzas as the bottoms will scorch while waiting for toppings to heat through and melt. The smokiness of the sausage complemented nicely the smoky flavor imparted to
the crust by the grilling process. The sausage was highly flavorful and permeated the entire pizza.

Sweet Potato Dough:
1 cup warm water
1 Tablespoon yeast
1 Tablespoon honey
¼ cup canola oil
3 cups all purpose flour
1 Tablespoon brown sugar
½ teaspoon cinnamon
1 Tablespoon kosher salt
1 ½ cups cooked mashed sweet potato flesh
Proof yeast in warm water with honey for about 5 minutes. It should appear foamy. Stir in canola oil and set aside.

Place flour, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt in a stand mixer bowl fitted with dough hook With the mixer running on low speed, pour the yeast mixture into the flour. Increase speed to medium. When dough is about halfway incorporated, “fling” big pinches of sweet potato into the mixer while it is running. When no more dry flour is visible, increase speed to high and allow to beat for 5 minutes. The dough will appear quite wet and make a slapping sound as it is moved around the bowl (beware of “mixer walk” which causes the mixer to creep across the counter possibly crashing to the floor). After five minutes, add ¼ to 1/3 cup more flour to dough and beat for another 2 minutes.

Place some bench flour on a clean countertop. Scrape the dough onto the countertop and knead for about 5 minutes. Use a bench scraper to facilitate kneading and only add additional flour in small increments, the dough should remain moist. Form the dough into a ball and place it into a large oiled bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic and raise at room temperature for at least 2 hours, or place bowl in the refrigerator and raise overnight. Bring to room temperature before proceeding.

Toppings:
For this pizza I used about 1 cup diced Teet’s Smoked Jalapeno Sausage, diced poblano, diced yellow bell pepper, diced red onion, chopped garlic and mozzarella on top.

Using dough balls of approximately 3” in diameter roll out thin pizza crusts. Have all topping ingredients ready and assembled. It is not advised to grill more than one pizza at a time.

For Big Green Egg:
Light charcoal in chimney and pour hot coals into grill. Place pizza stone on grill and preheat to 425º. Use a pizza peel well coated with corn meal to place fully assembled pizza on stone. For Gas Grill: Preheat grill to low/medium. Drape one crust over grill and allow the dough to cook until large bubbles form, about 3 minutes. With tongs, flip the dough over and quickly apply toppings to cooked side. Allow to cook about 3-5 minutes or until toppings are heated through and melted. If using an outdoor grill, close the cover but check at one minute increments. If using an inside vented built-in stove grill, use a domed pan lid to concentrate the heat on the toppings so they will cook.
With a large spatula or peel, move the cooked pizza to a board, cut and serve.

Meet Louise! You can call her Chiffonade too!

2013-05-08T13:00:00.000-04:00

I grew up in an Italian household in Brooklyn, NY with two parents and a brother, ALL of whom loved to cook. We ate dinner together every night where we discussed problems, triumphs of the day –everything. This fostered in me a great feeling of “community” around food. High School Home Ec was a favorite class and I strong armed my classmates into letting me cook everything. They liked the good marks – I got to have an afternoon snack – everybody wins. I cooked a lot as a teenager and into my 20’s but I really became attached to my stove after my daughter was born in 1988. I was inspired to pass down the cooking traditions of my youth and add a few more. As a child, Liana wanted to know why it took me so long to make oatmeal. I explained that I wasn’t pouring it out of an envelope and that I added brown sugar, cinnamon, walnuts, craisins, a dash of vanilla, and I cooked it with milk. Now in her 20’s, my daughter understands the distinction.

I attended Peter Kump’s NY Cooking School in upper Manhattan. The school has since moved to Chelsea and renamed itself Institute of Culinary Education. It’s tough for me to think of it as anything but Peter Kump’s because he was not only the founder but a fixture at the school when I attended. I learned how to cook French food at Kump but I know six or eight other ethnic cuisines, all of which I taught myself. (A good cookbook can be a course in just about anything culinary.) I am presently a freelance caterer and baker; and cook for my own entertainment as well. A local restaurant sells my NY cheesecake –which I consider to be my specialty.

I am unabashedly and unapologetically a foodie. I believe meal times are not an “annoyance” or a “distraction” but a time to reconnect with whoever is on the other side of the table. If you happen to be dining alone, make it a celebration of restoring your body’s ability to function at maximum capacity for another few hours; and an opportunity to exhale. Whether you commemorate this event with a hot dog from your favorite street cart or lunch at The Palm – be PRESENT. I am cognizant during both the cooking process and the eating afterward and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

As for the name Chiffonade - when I first discovered chat rooms (innocently, mind you) - I had to pick a screen name. I define myself as a cook so I chose a cooking term. This was during a time where real names were not used and anonymity ruled the day. Facebook changed all that with the use of real names but if I didn't add Chiffonade to my account, none of my foodie friends from years ago would have been able to find me.

Recipes are like children, you should never pick a favorite. However, if I had to narrow it down, I’d say tomato sauce. Not the long cooked Italian Sunday Gravy replete with braised meats – but a simple, quick marinara. This sauce can be used as a springboard for so many recipes. My mother tasted very few dishes through her life she did not feel could be elevated by adding “a little bit tomato.” I wholeheartedly concur.

Basic Tomato Sauce

1 Tablespoon olive oil
¼ cup onion, finely chopped
1-3 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
1/4 cup white or red wine

1-28 ounce can whole peeled tomatoes

1-7 ounce can tomato paste
1 teaspoon dry basil or 3-4 leaves fresh basil, shredded
Salt
Pepper

In a saucepan large enough to hold all ingredients, heat the olive oil. Add the onions, sauté for 2-3 minutes over medium heat. Add the garlic and sauté another minute. Add the wine and cook until wine is almost evaporated. This will concentrate the flavor and remove excess water.

Place the tomatoes in a blender (reserve a few if you like, to chop roughly for a chunky sauce). Blend the tomatoes until liquefied. Pour into saucepan with oil & aromatics. Place the tomato paste in the blender. Add 3 tomato paste cans of water. Blend, then add to the saucepan. Stir in the basil, salt and pepper to taste.

Simmer sauce about 20 minutes. It is now ready to be used as a basic tomato sauce or calamata olives, capers and anchovies may be added for a quick puttanesca; or crushed red pepper may be added for diavolo. Sauce can be used to adorn breaded and fried chicken cutlets; to simmer chicken thighs or it makes a great pool into which a few eggs might be cracked for Eggs in Purgatory.

Meet Julie!

2013-05-08T10:00:00.000-04:00

Hi! I'm Julie and I live in Atlanta, GA by way of South Jersey/Philadelphia, PA (Go Flyers!). Throughout my childhood, my food standards were set high by my mom. Most nights, she presented us with amazing homemade meals that she labored for hours to prepare. It's embarrassing to admit that we took these efforts for granted until the night that Mom served Hamburger Helper. My brother and I refused to eat the offending casserole, opting instead to stay hungry. Our tastes ran towards food prepared from scratch, with love.

As a kid, I always loved to play in the kitchen. But when I went to college, my cooking really took off. Tired of cafeteria food, I tried cobbling together my favorite meals in a dorm
microwave (Stracciatella soup, for example: the eggs will curdle when microwaved, but it will still taste good). When I finally moved into a shared home with its own kitchen, I began learning the valuable lessons that every cook needs. Who would have guessed that hours of braising won't make lamb tenderloin tender? Although no roommate I've ever had was completely comfortable with me breaking down whole chickens, I was never afraid to try anything in the kitchen.

My cooking philosophy is constantly evolving. I love throwing together simple but satisfying meals, like carbonara or chicken roasted over root vegetables. But I'll always make time to concoct something elaborate, such as Slap Ya Mama Duck Gumbo. I believe that a little fat adds a lot of flavor, that one should always avoid food that comes in boxes labeled with chemistry-lab reagents masquerading as ingredients, and that grocery store tomatoes are worthless in winter. I cook from scratch whenever possible, and am incredibly proud that my family appreciates my efforts so much that they have forbidden me to use store-bought chicken stock.

When I'm not cooking, my hobbies include playing the guitar, taking photos, jogging around Atlanta, and scuba diving. I volunteer at the Georgia Aquarium and hope to eventually join their dive team. But most of the time, you'll find me working. I'm a clinical research coordinator, working on immunology studies. Eventually, I hope to return to school so I can become a PA (physician's assistant). I love working in the medical field and can't wait until I have the knowledge and skills to help people feel better.

My Signature Recipe: "The Broken Yolk" Pizza

Around these parts, we'll often have what we call "pizza nights". I'll prepare five days in advance by mixing up dough and letting it cold-ferment until the big day. I'll get a bunch of toppings and see how it all fits together on the pies. I love inviting groups of friends for the festivities, and it's even more fun when everyone jumps in to play with dough and create their own topping combinations.

Pizza dough is important. After a few years of experimenting, I came up with some dough that I'm proud of. It blends techniques from folks who know better than I do, namely Jeff Varasano and Peter Reinhart.

For the home kitchen, it turns out reliably delicious dough that puffs up big, crisps nicely on the outside, and stays tender within. But my friends come for the toppings, one in particular.

My signature topping combination was inspired by Pizzeria Stella in Philadelphia. When I tried their tartufo pie, it was love at first bite. Since I live so far from Philly, I had to recreate it at home. Of course, my version is a little different. A blistery, perfectly chewy crust is topped with Fontina cheese, mushrooms, truffle salt, and an egg. The egg is what makes the pie amazing. The white is set, and the yolk warm and runny like it's sunny-side-up. When the yolk spreads over the pie, it ties everything together in a way that sounds delicious and tastes a million times better than that. This is my signature dish because it's the pizza that everybody requests when they come over for pizza night. It's the pie that folks hesitate to try but, after that first tentative bite, fall in love with and request again and again.

Here's how you can recreate the magic. Start with a round of dough, your oven pre-heated to its highest setting, and a screaming-hot baking stone.

Stretch the dough into a round. Top it with Fontina and sliced mushrooms, then slide it onto your stone and bake until it's looking close to ready, but a little pale. Slide that sucker out, crack an egg on top, and slide it back into the hot oven for just a minute

or two. It's done when the white is just barely set. Place the pizza on its cutting or serving surface. Quickly sprinkle it with truffle salt and anoint with a few swirls of olive oil. Then, using a fork, break the egg yolk and spread it around the pizza's surface. Serve immediately.

Please visit my blog! The Popcorn Diet.

Dough (makes approximately four dough balls that stretch out to 10" pizzas):

13.6 ounces bread flour (I use King Arthur)

0.3 ounces salt

0.1 ounce instant yeast (a little less than a teaspoon)

9.4 ounces water, at room temperature

In the base of your electric mixer, or in a large bowl, combine all the ingredients. Using the paddle attachment (or a large wooden spoon if you're mixing by hand), stir the ingredients together until well-combined. In a mixer, the sides of the bowl should be clean. This will take about two minutes. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a moist towel and allow the dough to rest for 20 minutes.

Next, using the dough hook attachment of your KitchenAid, or kneading by hand on a lightly floured surface, mix the dough for about 8 minutes. Start slow and increase the speed to medium-high in the last couple minutes of kneading.

Turn the dough into a lightly oiled bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and let ferment in the fridge for as long as you can stand it. I let mine ferment for about five days.

On the day you want to make pizza, remove the dough from the fridge and let it rest at room temperature for about an hour to take off the chill. Divide into four even balls. Place each ball in a lightly oiled bowl or vessel (I use plastic takeout containers or Tupperware), cover with a spritz of oil and loose plastic wrap, and allow to rise for at least two hours.

When you're ready to bake, I recommend the Serious Eats skillet-broiler method for a Neapolitan-inspired pie. Alternatively, preheat your oven as high as possible, stretch the ball into a round, top accordingly, and bake on a stone or baking sheet. You can go crazy with an infinite number of ways to bake pizza, but if it's your first time, try to relax. No matter how it looks, it will taste good!

To make one individual Broken Yolk pie, you will need the following ingredients:

1/2 cup Italian Fontina cheese

1 cup sliced mushrooms (button, cremini, porcini, etc., or a blend)

1 egg, at room temperature

1 three-fingered pinch truffle salt

Good olive oil, to taste

Stretch out your pizza dough and top with the Fontina and

mushrooms. Whether you use the skillet-broiler method or bake the pie on a stone, let it cook until it's almost done. When you're about a minute from pulling the pie, remove it and crack the egg on top (I sometimes crack the egg into a small bowl beforehand, just to avoid shell mishaps). Bake for another minute or two, or just until the white is set. Remove the pizza from the oven, sprinkle with truffle salt and olive oil, and then use a fork to break the yolk and spread it across the pie. Enjoy!

Meet Linda!

2013-05-07T13:00:00.000-04:00

I'm a native Houstonian. I have been married to my high school sweetheart for 37 years and I have two adult children. I started my insurance career as a file clerk right out of high school, and I retired 10 years ago as a licensed Property & Casualty Insurance Agent. My faith and family are my priority. I love to hunt for vintage items and high-end bargains. Much of my home is decorated with things I have inherited or found at garage sales and secondhand stores. I enjoy traveling, especially to see my daughter in Kansas.

I grew up in a household with a single, working mom and elderly grandparents. Since my grandmother was ill, most of
the cooking was done by her housekeepers. However, she continued to bake amazing desserts (with assistance), which was her passion. I never had an opportunity to learn a lot about cooking from my mother or grandmother. So, as a young bride, I cooked by trial and error. My life was very fast paced and my calendar was full with my professional activities, church activities and my husband's/children's activities. Our weekly dinners suffered and were often last-minute and thrown together.

In my late 40s, I had to retire due to illness. Many things changed and I had to pretty much reinvent my life. Working on a healthy lifestyle that included home cooking with healthy, fresh ingredients became a priority. To that end, I got in a cookbook group, which eventually led to my involvement in 37 Cooks. Both groups have taught me a lot. From cooking techniques to spices, I learn something new almost each and every day, and I love to share it all with my family. I also stay busy in both groups by helping out on the administrative side.

I would like to spend more time developing my personal blog, Seasons to Seasoning. My theme and catchphrase is "adding seasonings to the many seasons of my life". That pretty much sums up my life in a nutshell.

When we were asked to come up with a signature dish, I really could not think of one particular thing. Instead, I decided to share a dish that reflects my new healthier lifestyle and one that brings all kinds of different flavors and vegetables together.

My son Ryan was a very picky eater growing up. He was content with meals consisting of Kraft Macaroni and Cheese or Spaghetti Os. In an attempt to get him to try something new, I renamed Shepherd’s Pie “Luke Skywalker Casserole”. I cannot say it was a healthy dish with its seasoned ground beef, canned green beans, mashed potatoes, butter and sliced American cheese singles. However, since it was something different and with the new name, Ryan was satisfied and ate it. As an adult, his palate has changed greatly. He had a roommate who introduced him to a wide range of cuisines and dishes, many of which I haven’t even tried. Thai, Indian, Cuban and Greek are now some of his favorite cuisines, and alligator, sushi, and oysters are all things that he now loves. While he still request Luke Skywalker occasionally, for a comforting reminder of childhood, he is happy with Mom’s new style of cooking.

These sliders were definitely a hit with him! Calories and fat are reduced by using a pork tenderloin vs. pork butt roast. The non-mayo slaw dressing also keeps the calories down, as does limiting the amount of barbecue sauce used. The salad has all the extra flavor and texture you need and you will love the addition of sugar snap peas, avocado and blue cheese.

Pork Sliders with Avocado-Blue Cheese Slaw

For the Pork:

1 ½ pound pork tenderloin

½ teaspoon lemon pepper

½ teaspoon chili powder

½ teaspoon cumin

¼ teaspoon Slap Ya Mama Hot Cajun Seasoning

¼ teaspoon seasoning salt

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 cans diet Dr. Pepper

Sweet Baby Ray’s Original Barbecue Sauce

For the Slaw:

2 cups prepackaged coleslaw mix (the kind with green cabbage, purple cabbage & carrots)

1 cup shredded carrots

2 cups sugar snap peas, blanched, drained and cut into small pieces

1 cup celery, diced

1 cup purple onion, diced

2 avocados, medium firmness, diced

½ cup blue cheese crumbles

½ teaspoon Slap Ya Mama Hot Cajun Seasoning

½ teaspoon black pepper

For the Slaw Dressing:

1 lemon (¼ cup of lemon juice)

¼ cup rice wine vinegar

¼ cup olive oil

Meet Judy!

2013-05-07T10:00:00.000-04:00

Hi, I'm Judy! I live in Oklahoma City and have a photography business, Visuality Photo, that keeps me busy most of the time. I have three true passions: photography, cooking, and travel. My first adventure in cooking was at age 9, when with the help of a neighborhood girlfriend, I attempted to bake my dad a birthday cake. She was reading the recipe to me and I was following orders. Somehow, instead of putting in a cup of sugar, I put in a cup of salt--it made for a memorable cake! I was teased about that a lot growing up.

Although I'm not from a family of cooks, I did grow up eating

from our vegetable garden and we had our beef slaughtered. There was always "real" food on the table, not a lot of convenience or frozen foods. Along with having a mother whose style was Southern cooking, each summer, I visited my aunt who lived in Coastal California, and was exposed to the fresher, lighter cuisine which was popular there. I learned what good food tastes like and it gave me an appreciation of clean eating and healthy, natural foods.

I gained a true appreciation for cooking and food when I had the opportunity of dining at The Restaurant at Meadowood, and at The French Laundry a few years ago. The presentation was so artful, and it was an experience I will always remember fondly. I was truly inspired after that and wanted to create dishes that were as beautiful to look at as they were delicious! I also got to photograph and briefly visit with Chef Thomas Keller, who was so gracious and is one of the world's finest chefs.

I am continuing to learn from everyone in 37 Cooks and am honored to be counted among them!

One of my very favorite things to fix, especially in the summer, is tabouli. Not only is it beautiful to look at (so colorful!), but it is also easy to prepare, healthy, and so very tasty. It's a great dish to take to family or neighborhood get-togethers, but be sure to take along the recipe -- everyone will ask!!! Bulgar can be found in most stores, but barley or couscous may also be substituted.

Tabouli

1 cup bulgar wheat
2 medium tomatoes
1 cucumber (either English or regular, seeded), chopped
1 bunch green onions, top half chopped
1 cup fresh parsley
1/3 cup freshly-squeezed lemon juice
1/3 cup olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Put the bulgar in a large bowl, add 2 cups of water. Let sit for 20 to 30 minutes, until the water is absorbed.

Mix all ingredients together and toss to combine. I usually add about 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Cover and chill for at least 4 hours for best flavor. Enjoy!

Meet Sandra!

2013-05-06T13:00:00.000-04:00

Age 16...made a cake from scratch. It was rock-hard and so bad, the birds wouldn't eat it! I can’t say I did much cooking after that until I married Willie, and we decided to homeschool and added a cooking class to the curriculum. How did I teach cooking? I stayed one day ahead of the kids! I kept them interested by giving them the title of sous chef and used words like mise en place. They were so impressed by my French! We started out cooking with The Six O’Clock Scramble because the menus were pre-planned, and the grocery lists were done, and I found I really liked to cook!

The cooking influences in my life were grammas who made fried pork sandwiches, noodles and strawberry cakes, and grampas who took us to eat at the Petroleum Club, and moms
who circulated the same meals week in and week out, and moms who made nachos, or Chicken Divan, or beef tenderloin. A lot of comfort food and a lot of fancy food. And then Willie came along and added ethnic foods and adventure to the mix.

So who did I turn out to be? As a cook, I am still trying to figure that out! As a person? A people-pleaser, big-time reader and an idea girl. I am not happy unless I have 17 windows open at one time on my laptop. And I like to start things like…

New Recipe for a Year Club (loved it!)
Cook My Book Club
Dear Lauren, Love Mom
37 Cooks
Simmons’ House Bar Tastings (our friends love it!)

The Menu Game

Giving Phillips Sonicare Toothbrushes in Easter Baskets (some ideas are more inspired than others! ha!)

I absolutely do not have a signature dish. How could I, when I rarely make the same recipe twice? I don’t have a dish that defines my style. Nope. That said, I do love beets, and fritters, and pho, and noodles, and roasted vegetables, and salad, and Frito Pie Burgers, and crusty bread, and plum appetizers, and tortillas, and beignets, and spring rolls, and taco meat made with mostly zucchini, and Bacon, Egg & Tomato Pie. You see my dilemma in providing you with one recipe here? Can’t be done! But it’s OK. Here is a recipe everyone will like. After all, I AM a people-pleaser!

Whipped Cream and Mason Jars

You can’t beat whipped cream. Actually, you must beat cream to get whipped cream! What I mean is, there is no need whatsoever to buy ready-made whipped cream when the real stuff is so easy and so fun to make. Here’s how to do it.

Get out a Mason jar.

Get out the heavy whipping cream.

Pour it in the jar. P.S. That's Erin in the picture.

Shake the carton and get all of it!

That looks like plenty.

Get out this tool. Here's the link. Now you can use any kind of immersion blender you want. But use the wire whisk attachment. Dad bought this one and it was pretty darn cheap so naturally I turned my nose up at it. But now I love it and I no longer want a new one.

Get out the sugar. (I don't know why my sugar canister looks so unclean and unfocused. In real life it looks just fine, beautiful even! I love these OXO canisters. You never could've convinced me I would like anything made of plastic! I am a glass girl all the way! But still, I do love them.)

Get out a spoon. Add some sugar.

Blend on high.

Blend some more.

Taste it. Add more sugar if you want. Blend some more. Repeat.

Blend some more.

Then it's done. Put it on some Blueberry, Blackberry, Apricot & Raspberry Cobbler. Or just eat it off the spoon. The whole process takes 3 minutes. Never eat Cool Whip again.

Meet Willie!

2013-05-06T10:00:00.000-04:00

I grew up in Houston, Texas, in an area that was confused as to its identity. We weren't really the Heights, which was more affluent, but we couldn't claim to be the 1st Ward because it was farther south, even though economically, we were a closer match. As a result, I grew up with a very ethnically-mixed group of friends and was exposed to a variety of foods at an early age.

My mom grew up on a South Texas farm, where everything could be made to taste better with bacon, butter, or gravy. My best friend’s mom (my second mom) came from Peru, so I was exposed to dishes composed of organ meats and a variety of vegetables and rice. The area was really known as the Near Northside and was predominantly Mexican. As a result, I had
many friends whose mothers cooked unbelievably great food from the homeland, and to this day, real Mexican is my favorite cuisine.

While playing softball and baseball, I made many black friends. Some ate traditional southern soul food, but the ones that had the most influence on my culinary preferences were from Louisiana. Between the spice from my childhood friends' Mexican food and these friends' Creole and Cajun dishes, I have developed a love for all things HOT!!!

After the fall of South Vietnam, many Vietnamese families moved to the Houston area because of the Gulf Coast, and so I developed a love for their cuisine. The idea of mixing fresh vegetables and herbs after the main dish is cooked stays with me today.

I have traveled extensively in my career and my exposure to various cuisines has taught me a valuable lesson, I’ll try anything once, twice if I like it. As a result, I look for new experiences in my travels. One of my recent discoveries is the amazing Ethiopian cuisine.

My absolute favorite foods are bacon cheeseburgers, chicken fried steak, chili, and smoked Texas brisket. Hey! I’m a Texan! I often cook these at home and choose any of the four for guests that I really like. If I had to choose my favorite meal that I cook it would be chicken fried steak, mashed potatoes smothered in cream gravy and green beans with an insane amount of bacon.

Food is an incredible way to communicate your love for each other and great food eliminates all boundaries. Laissez les bon temps rouler---let the good times roll!

Chicken Fried Steak

4 6-ounce strip steaks

2 cups flour
2 Tablespoons Slap Ya Mama Original Blend Cajun seasoning
1 quart buttermilk
Peanut oil

Place the buttermilk in a shallow dish.

Place the flour in a shallow dish and mix in the Slap Ya Mama or another seasoning salt (but why would you use anything else?).

Butterfly the strip steaks and pound them thin. Soak the steaks in the buttermilk for 30 minutes.

Dredge one steak in the seasoned flour. Dip the steak in the buttermilk and re-dredge in the seasoned flour.

Pour oil into a cast iron skillet to about ½ “ and heat to 325F. Place the steak in the hot oil and fry until golden brown on both sides. Repeat with the remaining steaks.

Smother with cream pepper gravy and Remember The Alamo and Goliad!

I would give you a recipe for the gravy, but Pioneer Brand Peppered Gravy Mix is perfect, so why bother?

Meet Ben!

2013-05-03T13:00:00.000-04:00

Well, hello there! I grew up in a small town in western Massachusetts, on a little farm. When I was younger, it was my job to take care of the chickens, sheep, cows and turkeys, and this gave me great respect for fresh meat and eggs. As I grew up, my parents, who are both wonderful cooks, taught me to be more adventurous in the kitchen (for the longest time I literally only made omelets), and once I moved to Brooklyn, I became a much
more diverse cook. I work on the technical side of a news network and love every minute of it. In my spare time, I love to wander the city, especially Chinatown where I can find the weirdest ingredients (live jellyfish anyone?). Without 37 Cooks, I honestly don't think I would be half the cook I am today.

Risotto to me is one of the best dishes out there. Many people are scared to make it because it is supposedly fussy -- well, I am here to debunk that. The great thing about risotto is that you can basically throw anything into it and it will taste delicious. Below is my recipe for Risotto Primavera, but you can use your own add-ins in it. I've made it with shiitake mushrooms and bacon, as well as with scallops and orange zest. I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do! Also, keep in mind that this recipe can be scaled up or down, depending on how many people you are serving, just remember the liquid to Arborio rice ratio is 3:1 .

Risotto Primavera

1 large shallot, finely minced

2 Tablespoons olive oil

1 Tablespoon butter

4 cloves garlic, finely minced

2 cups Arborio rice, uncooked

1 cup white wine

5 cups chicken broth

2 bell peppers (red, yellow), diced

3 large carrots, sliced

1 bunch asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces

1 cup snow peas

1 1/2 cups grated Parmesan (or whichever cheese you prefer)

Flat leaf parsley to finish

Salt & pepper to taste

In separate pans, heat up the broth and the wine to a slow simmer.

In a heavy dutch oven, add the oil, butter, garlic and shallots. Cook until the shallots soften, about 8 minutes.

Add the Arborio rice and let sit until white spots form in the center of the rice grains, about 1 minute. Add the wine and stir frequently until all liquid is absorbed, about 2 minutes.

Add the hard vegetables (such as carrots and peppers) after the wine is absorbed, so they soften. Continue adding the broth, 1 cup at a time, and stirring frequently. Add the asparagus after the 4th cup of broth, and finally, the snow peas, after the last cup of broth.

Once the risotto is just tender but slightly firm in the center (it takes about 20-25 min) and the vegetables are cooked to desired firmness, add the grated Parmesan and stir until fully incorporated.

To serve, spoon onto a plate and garnish with the parsley.