Inner-City Eats

Homemade Rosemary Apple Butter

2014-03-02T21:20:00.001-08:00

Sometimes when winter lasts well into Spring and as it encroaches on daylight savings time we need to find a way to bring back the scents and emotions that make winter enjoyable!
(Without bringing back the calories! :-)

Rosemary Apple Butter

Prep/Cook Time:

15 Min / 3 hours

Ingredients (Yields less than 4oz)

- 10 small/medium apples of any variety

- 1/4 C Honey

- 3 Cinnamon Sticks

- 3-4 Sprigs of Rosemary

- 1/2 C Apple Cider

- Fresh Juice from 1 Orange

STEPS
1. Peel and chop your apples into 1-2in cubes.
2. Put all the ingredients into a stove top pot on high heat.
3. As soon as it comes to a boil, reduce and simmer for 45 minutes.
4. Once the apples have cooked through remove the cinnamon sticks and some of the Rosemary sprigs. (If you love rosemary flavor then leave them in.)

5. Toss it all in the blender and puree until you have applesauce.6. Then transfer to an oven safe casserole or back to your dutch oven and bake at 275 degrees for 2 hours. Stir every 30-40 minutes. 7. The applesauce will reduce into a thick, sweet, and tangy apple butter infused with the essence of rosemary.

Use it on grilled cheese, sweet breads, and anything else you would like!

Cameron Diaz' Whipped "Shallot Gold"

2014-03-02T19:12:00.001-08:00

Last week on the Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, the incredibly good dancer, Cameron Diaz, shared her favorite flavor enhancer! I took what she shared, tried it, and whipped it up in my blender adding a saucy twist. So here for your flavor enhancing pleasure is my version of Shallot Gold.

Cameron Diaz' "Whipped Shallot Gold"

Check out Cameron Diaz on Jimmy Fallon Here!

Prep/Cook Time:

1Hour - 1.5 hours

Ingredients (Yields less than one 6oz. Mason Jar)

-4 C. Shallots Minced (I chose to mince 1/2 and grate the other 1/2)
-1/2 C. Extra Virgin Olive Oil (High Quality EVOO)
- A hefty Pinch of Sea Salt

STEPS
1. Add EVOO to the saute pan on high heat.
2. Drop in one small shallot chip and see if the oil begins to fizzle around the it.

10 Min.

3. When the oil has reached the 'fizzle point' drop in all the shallots and spread the salt broadly across the shallots.
4. Quickly stir the shallots coating them with the hot oil and reduce the heat to medium. Be careful not to let the oil burn. Olive Oil has a very low tolerance for heat.

20 Min.

5. Once you can tell the onions have stopped 'steaming' then the water has come out of the shallot and it's time to reduce the heat for 45 minutes to an hour. Let it live on a very low simmer, stirring occasionally as the 'gold' forms.
6. Once you've achieved a perfect color and tasted/sampled your shallots to see if the bitterness is gone, then you are ready to 'whip' or emulsify it into a golden sauce.

55 Min

7. Put the full contents from the pan into the blender and whip it for 30 seconds to a minute until the color has lightened ever so slightly and you can tell that air is permeating the oil/onion mixture. Your goal is to achieve whipped puree. It will not 'fluff' but it should be the consistency of flowing sauce.

Store this in a mason jar in the fridge(2-3 weeks max) and use no more than a tablespoon each time you need a little flavor enhancement. Use this especially as a substitute for bacon bits or bacon flavor.

Disclaimer: Full credit goes to Jimmy Fallon & Cameron Diaz for the name & inspiration.

Olympic Recipes: Russia On a Roll in honor of Kaitlyn Farrington...who was also on a roll!

2014-02-12T20:57:00.000-08:00

Posted in honor of Kaitlyn Farrington and the awesome weather in Russia!

So while all of the USA is freezing cold today it is a balmy 60 degrees in Sochi, Russia. In my mind Sochi wins the Gold for weather today. But the weather wasn't the only surprise! Snowboarder Kaitlyn Farrington also surprised us with an incredible win on the women's half pipe! So, I give you Russia on a Roll!

"Russia on a Roll"
Commonly known as Cabbage Rolls or Голубцы

Prep/Cook Time:

1 Hour

(Preheat Oven: 350F)

Ingredients (6 Servings)

-6 Cloves Garlic
- 1/2 Onion Sliced
-1 C. Brown Rice
-1 Red/Yellow Pepper
- 2 C. Broth or Water
- 1 Tbsp. Fresh Tarragon
-1 lb. Ground Meat
-1 C. Sliced Mushrooms
-1 C. Fresh Tomato Sauce
- 1/4 C. Parmesan Cheese

STEPS
Cabbage Prep: Boil Broth or water and drop cabbage leaves in for 10 minutes or until they are soft and malleable. Then drain and run cool water over them to stop the cooking. You will use 10 -12 leaves.
Filling Prep: While the rice is cooking, saute the onions, add garlic and peppers, this should take 2-5 minutes on high heat. Add the ground meat and brown it well. Add the mushrooms give it a quick toss and then let it rest on medium heat for 3-4 minutes. Add the tarragon, a pinch of salt and pepper. Remove from the heat and add the cooked rice and toss everything together.
Assembly : Line the pan with part of the tomato sauce and Parmesan cheese. Add 3 Tbsp. of the filling to each leaf and roll while tucking in the ends. Then place close together in the pan. Cover with remaining sauce and the rest of the shredded cheese. Bake for 20-30 min at 375 degrees until cheese is melted.

Olympic Recipes: Ginger Peanut Butter Cookies for the USA's most beloved ginger, Shaun White!

2014-02-11T22:03:00.005-08:00

Posted in honor of my favorite ginger Olympian, Shaun White!

Shaun White is by far my favorite Olympian of all time! Growing up in Colorado as a young snowboarder I watched him grow the sport by innovating new tricks and blowing up the half pipe. He might have taken 4th in the Olympics today, but he will always be #1 in my heart! So, I baked him some comfort cookies!

"Ginger Peanut Butter Cookies"

Prep/Cook Time:
15 Minutes
(Preheat Oven: 350F)

Ingredients
(10-12 Cookies)
-1 C. Sugar
-1 C. Peanut Butter
-1 Large Egg
-1 Tsp Fresh Grated Ginger
-1 Tsp. Vanilla Extract
- A Pinch of Sea Salt (Coarse is best)

STEPS
1. Mix Sugar, peanut butter, egg, ginger, and vanilla thoroughly until all ingredients are fully incorporated.
2. Separate the dough into 1 in. balls on a clean lined baking sheet. (Should make 10 - 12.)
3. Depress each ball with a fork horizontally
4. Sprinkle 1 pinch of sea salt sparingly across all your cookies.
5. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-13 minutes.
6. Remove the cookies and let them cool/set for 1-3 minutes.

Depressing Cookies

Size of Dough Balls

Fresh Grated Ginger

Olympic Recipes: Dutch Split Peas in honor of the Dutch Mulder Twins who won Gold & Bronze in Speed Skating

2014-02-10T20:27:00.001-08:00

Posted in honor of the Netherland's Sweeping win in Speed Skating!

The Mulder twins Michel & Ronald took Gold & Bronze in men's speed skating in the Sochi Olympic Games on February 10th. Those boys are two peas in a pod and so was born today's Dutch Split Pea! But this recipe isn't just full of flavor it is super fast to throw together!

"Dutch Split Peas"

Prep/Cook Time: 10 Minutes

Ingredients (1 Serving)
-2 C. Vegetable or Chicken Broth
-2 C. Frozen Peas
-1 Tsp Garlic Powder ( or 2 Cloves Fresh Garlic)
-1 Tsp your favorite salty, crumbly cheese, like Feta, Cotija ( I used a homemade Huancaina Sauce)
-1 Tsp your favorite shaved cheese, like smoked Gouda, Edam, or something else Dutch (I used Parmesan!)
- 1 Slice Bacon (I baked my bacon in a 400 Degree oven for 15 minutes with chopped fresh Jalapeno!)

STEPS
1. Heat the broth to a boil and then add the frozen peas. Keep the heat on high until the peas are warmed through to their core. (Boiling this is not necessary and can reduce some of the flavor.)
2. Pour the heated peas and broth into your blender. (If yours is glass like mine then fill it with HOT water for 5 minutes and then dump it out, to temper the glass before you fill it with hot broth. This will keep it from cracking.)
3. Add the Garlic and salt to taste. Blend at the highest speed until your soup has developed a foamy top and is a rich and thick shade of green.
4. Your soup is good as-is but when you garnish this it becomes incredible!

Garnishments: You can add so many things to this soup base to enhance the already rich flavor. But don't overdo it...just pick 2!
Olive Oil: A 1/4 tsp drizzle of Olive oil and a pinch of pepper increase the flavor of this soup fast!
Herbs : Herbal accompaniments that would blend well include chives, green onions, or a few chilli flakes.
Cheese : In the photo above you will see I garnished my Split Pea with a spicy yellow cheese sauce native to the Huancaina region of Peru. You can get the recipe for my Huancaina sauce here. I also added a pinch of grated Parmesan.
Bacon Bits : In the photo you will see I used a Bacon slice that I baked with fresh grated Jalepeno directly on top of the bacon slice.

Eet Smakelijk!
(Bon Appetit in Dutch)

Olympic Recipes: The Bright Grilled Cheese for Australian Snowboarder Torah Bright

2014-02-09T21:25:00.001-08:00

Posted in honor of Australia's Torah Bright in Olympic Women's Slopestyle!

Apparently Australian Female Snowboarder Torah Bright thinks she can compete in every single snowboarding discipline happening in the Sochi Olympic Games. There is nothing like an ambitious female snowboarder to make me feel really ambitious about my Olympic snack! So here it is...

"The Bright Grilled Cheese"

Prep/Cook Time: 12 Minutes

Ingredients (1 Serving)
-2 Slices of Your Favorite Bread (lightly buttered)
-2 Tbsp of Your Favorite Sharp White Cheddar, Shredded (I used 'Australian Old Croc Extra Sharp White Cheddar'!)
-1 Tbsp Goat Cheese
- 1 Tbsp Pear Blue Cheese Spread (Or any other fruit/cheese spread)
- 6-8 Fresh Raspberries (Or a favorite fresh fruit jam.)
- 2 Fresh Mint OR Basil Leaves
STEPS
1. Lightly toast your bread and then butter the outer sides.
2. Spread the goat cheese and fruit-studded cheese on both insides of your bread.
3. Add raspberries and mint leaves or basil leaves to one side and the shredded white cheddar to the other.
4. Put the two sides together and grill on medium/low for 2-3 minutes on each side until your cheese is melted and heated through.

Enjoy Mate!

Olympic Recipes: Sage Kotsenburg: Browned Butter Bison Linguine w/ Butternut Squash

2014-02-08T21:31:00.000-08:00

Posted in honor of our Gold Medal win by Sage Kotsenburg in Olympic Snowboarding Slopestyle!

Prep/Cook Time: 30 Minutes

Ingredients (4 Servings)
1 lbs Ground Bison
1 Cubed Butternut Squash *
1/4 Diced White Onion
1 Stick Unsalted Butter Cubed (Real Butter Please!)
1 Fist-Ful Linguine**
1/4 C. Shredded Parmesan Cheese
1 tsp. Olive Oil
A Pinch of:
Rosemary, Sage, Chives, Oregano, Chilli Flakes, Tumeric

STEPS
1. While you boil a large pot of salted water for the Pasta, toss the Butternut squash and diced onion together with a pinch of rosemary, oregano, sage, salt, and pepper in a shallow pie plate. Place the squash in the oven at 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes, until soft and tender.
2. Then drop your pasta into water that has reached a rolling boil. Add a splash of olive oil to the water. Boil for 10 minutes (or check you pasta package for timing.) Then drain and set aside.
3. Toss the cubed butter with a pinch of sage, chives, oregano, and chilli flakes as well as 1 tsp of olive oil.
4. Then in a high-sided saute pan brown the Bison. Add to the browned bison, a pinch of salt, tumeric, and chilli flakes. While on High heat toss the butter into the meat until it melts and hits a simmer then immediately remove from the heat and stir constantly.
5. Toss, into the bison, the onion/squash mix from the oven and the drained linguine and toss it all together. Toss in half of the Parmesan and use the remaining Parmesan to garnish on the top.

*Look for it in your freezer section for faster prep!
**I've been Gluten Free since 2012 so I love to go with Brown Rice Pasta. Not only is it GF, it's also fewer calories and a great hearty pasta!

'Render unto Ceasar' Salad

2011-02-16T20:08:00.000-08:00

Part of the joy I take in cooking comes from my Aunt Margeaux, who is not only an extremely stylish and beautiful woman, she is also a vegetarian genius in the kitchen! When I was 14 I spent the end of my 7th grade year living with her family in their Tea House styled home in the mountains overlooking Stinson Beach. I was in the best shape of my life and ate this exquisite ceasar-style salad daily. It is a flavor that can be defined as a ceasar dressing because of the ingredients but this dressing is uniquely tangy and is of the lighter persuasion. Ceasar in restaurants often turns me off because of it's thicker creamier texture. This dressing doesn't contain any cream or dairy product and is meant only to lightly coat your tossed salad.

This makes dressing for a salad that would serve at least 8!

Ingredients
1/2 C. Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice
3 TBSP Fresh pureed Garlic (using a Mortar &
Pestle with 1 Tsp. Salt or a food processer)
3 TBSP Olive Oil
Anchovy Paste (To taste...normally I squeeze out 1 & 1/2 inches of paste...about 1.5 tsp)

Put all the ingredients in a jar or blender and shake or blend vigorously for several minutes then chill. The colder the dressing is, the more flavor comes out.

Pour the dressing over 2-3 heads of chopped romaine, grated or chopped Parmesan cheese, and some croutons. Add some chopped chicken off the grill or last night's roast into the mix for some meat and protein.

Feel free to add whatever your favorite veggies are to your salad. The roman empire died long ago and won't be offended if you take creative liberty with you salad. Plus brighter veggies add more vitamins and nutrient value to your meal.

Voi'La

(My roomate Lydia actually gets most the credit for the salad creation...she just devoured all the leftover veggies in the fridge with a dull chop and tossed them with my dressing genius to create this wonder!)

SuperBowl Queso

2011-02-06T14:57:00.000-08:00

ATTENTION LADIES OF AMERICA!

Make your man (and all his friends) happy this SuperBowl Sunday with a quick crock-pot queso! Not only is it fast and SOOooooo easy, it cooks without your help so you might actually catch the game as well...or at least sit next to your man and yell when he does! Without neglecting the grand layout of All-American Super-bowl foods!

Ready for KickOff In just in time! (Feel free to double or triple the ingredients for company!)

Ingredients
1 Velveeta Loaf
2 Cans Diced Tomato with Green Chile or Garlic
1/4 Diced Onion
3 Cloves Diced garlic
2 lbs Ground Turkey or Beef (Turkey is WAYYY healthier...just dont tell the MEN!)
1 Packet Chili Seasoning

Steps To a Delicious Crock Queso

1st Down: Open the two cans of Tomatoes and put them in the Crock Pot on HIGH. The will prep the pot for the meat and cheese.

2nd Down:Brown the Turkey with the Onions and Garlic

3rd Down: While the turkey browns cut the Velveeta Loaf into cubes.

4th Down: Once the Turkey is fully cooked add the McCormick Chili seasoning packet to the meet and mix it in well.

TOUCHDOWN: Turn the heat down to low and top the meat with the cubes of Velveeta. Let sit for 10 minutes and the cheese will soften without loosing shape.

Field Goal: Check to see if the tomatoes and crock are steamy and then spoon the meat and cheese into the tomato sauce stirring as you go. Put the top on, turn it to LOW, and there is your SuperBowl Queso!

"If the SuperBowl had a flavor, that is what it would be!" -Lydia Wilkin

USES FOR THIS QUESO:
Chips
Nachos
Hot Dogs
Hot Links
Top a new york strip, carne asada, or tri-tip with this cheesy goodness!
Chilli-cheese dogs (it is both the chilli and the cheese!)
Put it inside a hollowed out sourdough bread bowl!
ANYTHING ELSE THAT NEEDS A DIP OR TOPPING!

Drop it into this for serving!

Bangin' Noodle Salad

2010-09-24T14:26:00.000-07:00

Recently my life has been a little crazy. I have been traveling a lot, not home so much, and consequently cooking a little bit less. These last few weeks I needed a dish that I could just throw in a Tupperware container and take to lunch without it leaving me uninspired and lacking in nutritional value. This dish has been my staple for the last two weeks, because you can make a lot or a little according to your needs and it keeps for a week easily in the refrigerator.

I also appreciate this dish because in keeping with the theme of Inner-City Eats, it can be me made in a dorm room, or small apartment without much of a kitchen, and entirely out of the corner fruit market in my urban village. The title of the dish was derived from the hit 'n' run fender bender I was in this week, directly in front of my local fruit market! We all know these things happen on occasion and there is nothing like good food to calm you down after you've been all banged up! So, in keeping with the vernacular, while also honoring the chaos of the inner city, I give you...

Bangin' Noodle Salad
Pasta:

1-- 16oz. Pkg. Spaghetti, Angel Hair, or Vermicelli Pasta

Dressing:
4 Tbs. Seasoned Rice Vinegar
4 Tbs. Soy Sauce ( I prefer Tamari)
1/4 Tsp. Fish sauce
1 Tsp. Sesame Oil
1 Tbs. Siracha Chilli Sauce (less if you don't like spice)
1 Tbs. Minced/finely chopped Fresh Garlic
5 Tbs. Olive Oil

Salad:
1 bushel of cilantro
1 Bushel of Green Onions
1 - 2 large Tomatoes

Cook the Pasta to your liking. Preferably cooked until it is limp and no longer gives the sensation of chewiness when you munch on it. Once it is finished cooking swiftly rush it to the sink, with the COLD water running and drain it. Follow it up with about a minute worth of cold water rinsing. Then toss it with 4-5 tablespoons of olive oil to keep it from becoming starchy and sticky.

While the Pasta cooks,
slice up your favorite salad toppings. I use cilantro, green onion, and tomato. Dice them into 1/2 inch or smaller bits and toss them into the cooled & oiled pasta.

Mix up the dressing!
Toss all of the liquids together into a bowl, or I prefer a jar and bang it up. Include the minced garlic in the dressing as well. Stir or shake this vigorously until it is well integrated.

TOSS IT UP! Throw everything together in a large bowl with the salad, pasta, and dressing and toss it with chopsticks or a couple forks, or any ethnic cutlery of your choosing and then eat it until your heart's content, or until your portion control lunch tupperware is empty.

The 'College-Try' Tuna Melt

2010-08-28T13:47:00.000-07:00

The 'College-Try' Tuna Melt

I am sure you have hear the phrase, 'give it a good old college try.' I'm not really sure what it means exactly or where it came from. But I know the sandwhich I made for lunch today definently applied! It also happens to be one of my first 'replicate me' recipes for dorm students.

I am sure you remember, Dorm life = restricted cooking access! You are limited items such as hot plates, the trusty george forman, and your mini-fridge. Well the 'college try' tuna melt only requires your George Forman and will leave you reeling from the tantalizing sensation of asian meditteranean fusion dancing around in your mouth!

For this two melts you will need:

1 Tbs Mayo

2 Can Tuna

2 tbs chopped fresh Basil & Cilantro (or dried herbs use 1 tsp)

1 tsp grated ginger (Or dried powder ginger...use 1/4 tsp)

2 Tsp honey mustard
2 drops Sesame Oil

1 Avocado

4 Tbs shredded cheese

4 Slices of Bread (Whatever you prefer, I used soft Wheat)

2 Tbs Butter

1/4 tsp crushed garlic

To Begin:

Create an herbal butter spread

In a small dish combine two tablespoons of butter with one tablspoon of fresh chopped cilantro and basil and 1/4 teaspoon of crushed or finely chopped fresh garlic. Mix the ingredients vigorously until the butter is smoothly blended with the herbs and garlic.

Season the Bread

Once your herbal butter is ready spread a thin layer on both sides of the sandwhich bread, both inside and out. You can be more generous with the spread on the inside of the sanwhich, but be gentle with it on the outside because it will burn rather than brown if the layer is too thick.

To Mix the Filling:

In a cereal sized bowl add two cans of well drained tuna, with the Mayo, ginger, sesame oil, honey mustard, one tablespoon of the freshly chopped herbs, and mix vigorously again. Prefferably with a fork so the tuna breaks up and encompasses the entire mixture.

Assemble & Grill:

Once your tuna is mixed and your bread is seasoned you can assemble the sandwhich for grilling. I suggest a layer of the tuna filling followed by two tablespoons of shredded cheese then 3-4 thin slices of avocado and then the top.

Place it on the grill, close it, and press down for 7-10 seconds. Then release the pressure and allow it to grill for one to two minutes until the cheese is apparently melted and the outside of the panini is lightly browned.

Eat Fresh...Subway doesn't have anything on this sanwhich!

Sunday Roasted Chicken

2010-08-01T15:55:00.000-07:00

Sunday Afternoon is a time for rest and preparing for the week ahead. For me, this means some recreation which includes cooking! Thankfully my favorite pasttimes also help me prepare for a week of delicious meals. One of my favorite things to do on a Sunday afternoon when the spirit moves me is roast a large portion of meat that I can use all throughout the week. You have already seen my Pot Roast, just a few posts down, but today, I am bringing you my simple Roasted Chicken.

A few notes of preparation for a week of delicious chicken items:

DON'T THROW AWAY THE GIBLETS! That little bag of chickin insides that nobody seems to want these days is full of delicious flavor starters. Don't look down on your grandmother's old fashioned ways...they were good ways! Put those insides and any extras you might choose to trim into a ziploc and pop it in the freezer for later! (My next blog will surely be my timeless chicken soup from scratch...using these items!)

Here is what you need to get started! Preheat your oven to 400 Degrees Farenheit

Ingredients

1 (3 1/2 pound) whole chicken

Salt and pepper

1 bunch basil

5 cloves garlic (pop them whole skin on in the microwave for 10 seconds and the skin pops right off!)

Kitchen twine

2 tablespoons vegetable oil or Olive Oil

2 Key Limes (or your favorite citrus fruit)

Preparation

Place your chicken in a roasting pan or casserole dish. Pat it dry with a paper towel. The dryer your bird, the crispier the skin. Slather it in olive oil, salt and pepper. Stuff the inside with a healthy handful of fresh basil leaves. Then tuck 5-7 garlic cloves into all the hidden places you can find. Under the wings and the legs, in the cavity, under the skin, and anywhere you can manage to sneak them. Lastly, squeeze the juice of your favorite citrus fruit over the top of the bird, giving it a little acid wash and a hint of flavor.

Roasting

I like the look of a trussed bird. Some say it cooks unevenly and isn't the best way to go, but I preferr it. However, if you don't have trussing string, don't use a pair of shoelaces, just go without, it won't hurt a thing.

Tie the legs togeher in the back and cut a small slit in the front of each thigh then tuck the wings in tight while you wrap a piece of twine around the breast of the bird, top to bottom securing the wings in place tucked up close to the breast and into the thigh.

Finally, leave your lime leftovers in the pan for a delightful aroma in your home as it roasts. Place your dressed up bird in the center of the roasting pan, in the center of the oven, and I suggest you turn the oven down to 375 and roast it 20 minutes per pound. About an hour. Always use your meat thermometer and check to be sure your bird is fully cooked.

When your bird is cooked, you can have it for sunday dinner, or do as I always would shredd it up and have lots of leftover dishes through the week. Chicken tacos, chicken salad, chicken and rice...etc. But whatever you do...DONT TOSS OUT THOSE BONES!

Toss them in a freezer bag and put 'em in the freezer because sometime this week I will teach you how to make a masterpiece out of them! Every part of the bird is useful!

Red Quinoa Pizza

2010-07-29T20:24:00.000-07:00

This pizza was an inspiration from the very heart of Pizza's beginnings. Originally, as the tale goes, pizza was never meant to adorn the average dinner table. It was the leftover dough and meal bits from your Italian Nonna's table the night before tossed together and then fed to the servants or the dogs. However, the introduction of a food into the New World often means the transformation and recreation of it's reputation as well. Americans stereotypically love to give value to things that are considered trash to other culinary cultures. Because of this trait we can claim the true Pizza as an American Artform.

Well my roomate Lydia and I in the spirit of Old Italy with the adventurous hearts of the New World ventured into our leftovers and created this culinary delight, and so we now share it with you.

RED QUINOA PIZZA

Quinoa is a red grain that comes from Peru, but is now regularly found in your local Whole Foods or Trader Joes market. It is a perfect whole grain that is also gluten-free! We use it as a substitute for rice, a great stuffing for peppers, or just as a side dish. I have leftovers in my fridge on a regular basis.

Ingredients:

1 Trader Joes Fresh Pizza Dough
1 Jar of your Favorite Alfredo sauce...or you can be a Betty and make it if you want!
1 C. Cooked Quinoa
1 Handful of fresh Sweet Basil Leaves

3 C. of your favorite White Cheese. (My personal preference is a mix of asiago, mozerella, parmesan, and provolone.) This is a LOT of cheese, so feel free to scale back if you wish.

1/2 C. Diced Peppers, red, greeen, yellow, orange.

1/2 C. Squash (also leftover from the Ratatouille the night before)

1/4 C. Fresh julianned Red Onion
1/2 Beefsteak or Roma tomato sliced thin

Assemble and TOP-IT:

After you have allowed your dough sufficient time to rest at room temperature, roll it out or hand toss to your preffered shape and size. I prefer thin crust so I hand toss it thin and square to fit on a cookie sheet. My dough is rarely even or pleasant looking...it is going to be covered up anyways so don't try to hard or get yourself frustrated. It is just the begining!

Once you have your dough spread out on a well oiled cookie sheet or on your fancy pizza stone then poke it all over with a fork and pop it in the oven for 1-3 minutes to let it set and rise some more. Prepare all your ingredients by chopping them up or slicing them elegantly to layer onto your dough.

Once you dough comes out of the oven a little pre-cooked, top it with your alfredo sauce, followed by evenly sprinkled cooked quinoa. Then your vegetables, squash, peppers, and tomatoes, followed by your basil leaves and evenly distributed shredded cheeses.

Don't feel restricted to these ingredients, use whatever side dish leftovers you have available but beware...the more ingredients the harder it is to bake so it is recomended to keep it under 3-4 main toppings.

Bake:
Preheat your oven to 400-450 depending on your pizza dough instructions. Don't forget to pop that dough in the oven for a few minutes before topping it. Once it is fully topped place it in the dead center of your oven and close that door and don't open it until your cheese is melted and starting to become golden around the edges near the crust.

Once you see the cheese start to hint of golden brown near the edges it is time to take it out and let it rest for 5+ minutes while all the toppings marinate together.

Then cut it, dive in, and enjoy! Remember...Pizza is not pretty, it was originally meant for the dogs...but this one tastes like it was mean for kings and queens!

Mango Limeade Icy Pops...keep the heat away!

2010-06-14T08:55:00.000-07:00

Tragically summer is best known for scorching heat and rising temperatures. In the city however, those temperatures get magnified and held in by the polution and sheer number of people on the move all the time. In Oakland, the summer temperatures are suprisingly bearable, however this has resulted in the sadly all to common LACK of any form of air conditioning in most buildings and apartments. I have the incredible priveledge of a cieling fan, which does wonders in the heat, but most have almost no relief.

Are there any flavors quite as refreshing as a glass of limeade and a fresh juicy mango? At the latino fruit market across the street I can aquire a fresh mango & 5 limes for $0.89 cents. Yet again demonstrating the joy of savvy living in the inner city! Get your summer cure started around noon, and by the overbearing heat of 5pm, your icy relief will be ready. So, I give you the Mango Limeade Icy pop!

(These portions are based entirely on the number and kind of icy pop container you have. This is set for the average store bought Icy pop trays, but make more or less to your liking. If you don't have an icy pop tray, use your ice cube tray and popsicle sticks cut in half, or just toothpicks. It would make great BBQ hors d'oeuvres)

Ingredients

1 Large Fresh Mango

1-2 Lime

1 Bag of Frozen Chunks of Mango (usually in the frozen fruit section.)

***Optional Sweet Tooth Addition: Simple Syrup or (equal parts sugar & water melted together & cooled) Pictured to the left.

STEPS

1. Peel the mango gently and scrape all of the meat out into a bowl, scraping as much off the seed and the peel as possible.

2. Juice the lime into the bowl with the mango.
3. Using a fork mash the two ingredients toggether.
4. Drop severel pieces of the frozen mango chunks into your icy pop tray.
5. Then spoon the Mango lime mixture into the tray, encouraging it to slidedown and around your mango chunks.

*** At this point you might realize your mixture is too thick and want to dilute it a little in order to make sure it fills your containers. You have several options. More lime juice. Simple Syrup. or Water. I reccomend lime juice if you really enjoy tart treats. I reccomend simple syrup if you have a sweet tooth. I reccomend water if you are giving this treat to children, the mango is plenty enough sugar for them.

Pop ur Pops in the freezer for several hours until froozen. When they are finished run them for 1-2 seconds under some warm water to release them from their container and let the refreshing icy pop do it's job.

Delightful Additions to make this icy pop a BBQ favorite...

1. The Latin Pop:

Rub some simple syrup on the inside of your icy pop tray and then lightly Sprinkle Lime Salt and chilli on the insides of the containers before you fill them, adding a layer of color, texture and flavor to the outside of your pops.

2. Mint Pops:

Rinse a bushel of mint leaves and the spread some simple syrup inside each icy pop tray. Stick 1-2 whole mint leaves to the sides of your icy pop containers and then fill them. Adding dimension to your pops and a layer of fresh flavor. But remind your guests they might not want to eat the mint leaf, just toss it out once it melts off your pop.

SummerTime Pot Roast - 15 min Prep :: 3 Hrs CookTime

2010-06-04T17:00:00.000-07:00

SummerTime When the Livin is Easy...
... The food should be too!

Today reminded me of those first days of summer as a kid. Those first few days after the school year was finally over, when you first convinced your body to sleep in. It was mildly hot, and boredom set in about 2pm...so did hunger. So what better way to spend an afternoon than preparing an incredible dinner. It is with that I give you the first Inner-City Eats recipe!

Pre-Heat your oven to 350 Degrees F.

Ingredients:
Cheap Medium Sized Chuck Roast (yes, as in 'inexpensive'...less than $10)
1 Can Cream of Celery Soup (Subsititute with your favorite 'cream of..' condensed soup)

3-6 Cloves of Garlic (Depending on your The Garlic Rule**)

3 Carrots (cleaned)

2 Stalks Celery

1/4 C. Marsala Wine

2 TBS. Worcestershire Sauce

3 Bay Leaves, Salt, Pepper, Seasoning Salt to taste.

Tools:
Dutch Oven, High Sided Cast Iron Pan, or Deep Casserole dish with a cover, or Aluminum Foil.

Prepare the Roast:

Give your roast a relaxing massage with a light sprinkling of salt, pepper, & seasoning salt on all sides.

2-3 teaspoons of OliveOil into a heavy bottom skillet or cast-iron over med-high heat, lightly sear all sides of the roast, about 3-4 minutes per side.

As your Roast Sears:

Rough chop a whole yellow or white onion, 3 medium sized carrots, 2 stalks of celery, garlic.

Whisk together Worcestershire, Marsala, Cream of Celery soup, Bay leaves, & 3/4 c. Water.

Prepare it for the Oven:

Transfer your seared roast to your dutch oven, casserole dish, or a plate for few moments, while you turn down the heat on the searing pan and toss in the onions and garlic for about 2-3 minutes for a quick sautee in the same pan used to sear the roast.

Once you have tossed them around a litte, either return the roast to the searing pan, or pour the onions over the roast in the roasting pan.

Toss all the other veggies into the pan also and pour your gravylishious mixture over the top of the roast.

Cover it with the top, or aluminum foil and pop it in the center of the oven for 2.5-3 hours at 350 Degrees F.

**The Garlic Rule:

1-3 Cloves: If you are single without prospects stick with less garlic, just in case one of your handsome single neighbors smells your cooking and his nose leads him to your doorstep, you don't want to have garlic breath.

3-6 Cloves: For those who cook for two. If you are both eating it, your breath will be equally garlically and should not produce relational conflict.

6+ Cloves: For either the Celebate, the Happily Married, or the one with the Cold. This much garlic urges on medicinal. Some of my recipe's will call for this level of garlicy influence, but if used inappropriately there is no telling what harm it could do to your social life. However, medicinally, it may kick that cold ASAP!