Pop Shanpagne

Arachnophobia

2015-05-19T09:08:00.003-07:00

It was bound to happen. Even after a fairly warm winter, Chez Shack remained relatively pest free…save from the odd (monstrous size) Mosquito Hawk*.

But, last week…I saw my first spider of the year. Now, I've been known to spin a tall tale about spider run-ins, so I'll be frank, it wasn't the biggest creepy-crawly I've encountered. However, there was a big ol' booty on this fella.

I only noticed it as I was washing dishes and it scurried into the corner where two window panels meet…meaning if I were to try and eradicate it, I would fail…it would run away and I would never sleep again.

I thought more about my fear of spiders and felt very silly about it. Why are folks (not just me) so afraid of these critters? They are a fraction of the size of an adult and eat other household pests. Also according to Orkin, there are really only two species of spiders that are harmful to humans…the violin (Brown Recluse) and widow (Black Widow) spiders.

It was then decided I would do my best to live side-by-side this little one with the utmost civility I could muster. I was doing well too, until my sister found a Black Widow in her kitchen and described the epic fight to regain control of her tea pot and cabinet area.

Since I am incredibly irrational, I decided it was time for my new roommate to hit the road…cause while it is most likely a standard garden variety critter…I was convinced it had doubled in size since last week (irrational).

But, I also wanted to do it in a manner that was less murderous…ie, vacuum it up, shake out the bag outside while screaming.

It's only a matter of time before I get more visitors…and since I'm uneasy about using a bug bomb (low ventilation house and not very pet friendly) I began Googling ways to humanly discourage my house guests. Many sites I visited recommended the same things, here are a few of my favorite.

Vinegar and water: Put into a spray bottle and spray the corners/cracks.
Essential Oils: Specifically citrus, lavender or peppermint.
Cedar: The amazing smell of cedar is nauseating to those 8-legged villains.
Keep Home tidy and free of dust: Did my mother write this?

So, after research and idiotically searching to find out what kind of spider it is (don't Google California spiders…) I decided to go out and buy mint and lavender plants for the window sills in the bedroom and kitchen as well as stock up on those little cedar nubbins meant for dressers…and clean....thoroughly

I don't know how effective it'll be, but at least my house will smell wonderful.

Fun Fact: The Mosquito Hawk (or the Crane Fly) does not, or can not, actually eat mosquitoes…so I've been keeping them alive in my house for no reason.

After I let it go...Any idea what kind of monster?

Pescetarian Crossing

2015-01-20T20:37:00.001-08:00

I have never and will ever be dubbed a "picky eater." From alligator to escargot, I came, I saw and I conquered.

That being said, there are bouts of food aversions where I can't really seem to stomach the idea of certain items. Asian Pears, Naan, Boca Burgers have all fallen prey to my insane nausea, but normally it is standard items like pork or chicken. Right now, all red meat and poultry are on my no-fly list.

Thank goodness for fish, shellfish and all things oceanic. My freezer is stocked up with fresh and saltwater swimmers ready to take their place on the bottom of my food chain.

Tonight - Sockeye Salmon.

I had never poached anything but an egg and wanted to try my hand at poached salmon.

Armed with a cocktail and a surprisingly easy recipe from Food&Wine, I had dinner ready just in time for Top Chef.

What else would I be drinking? Bonny Doon or bust!

Never the most attractive of colors, but tasty nonetheless

A need. A need for Seaweed

2014-12-18T18:44:00.000-08:00

A Tale of Horror and Rejection - Brought to you by First World Problems

Last night, after a much needed glass of wine with a friend, I decided to stop by my local sushi joint to grab dinner to go.

I hadn't been grocery shopping in a while and I could only handle eating eggs on toast for so many meals. Awe-heck, who am I kidding I could eat eggs on toast all day.

As I was leaving I dialed the number and waited for my usual server to pick up so I could order my normal items and have them say, "Hi Shannon! How are you! This will be ready soon."

Nothing. No answer.

No matter. It's a delicious restaurant and gets busy. I called again.

Nothing. No answer.

I contemplated dialing a third time, but stopped myself for seeming desperate. I had two choices. I could either drive to the restaurant, order and wait the 20-25 min, knowing that Abby has been home alone since 1:30. (See note below) or drive home and forgo this craving of seasoned rice and spicy scallops.

I needed to go home. As a I drove by, I could very plainly see the OPEN sign illuminated. Taunting me.

Dejected, I drove on. Falling asleep, belly grumbling with hunger, I channeled by inner Scarlett and thought "I'll think about that tomorrow. ... After all... tomorrow is another day."

So tonight, I was prepared. I had the menu in hand and as soon as I was off of work I called and secured my prize.

Now sprawled out of the couch with Abby chewing on a bone, I feel triumphant and just a little too full.

A little American Horror Story

\
NOTE - Many of you may not realize that Brofriend has moved up north to Yreka in order to be trained by one of the leading (if not the leading) weightlifters in the nation. An amazing opportunity that he worked hard for and I couldn't be prouder. He'll be there anywhere from 6mths to a year.

Arts and Crafts

2014-12-14T13:11:00.000-08:00

A few months ago I posted a bog (seen here) about this damn hutch that followed me around like a bad penny. Although structurally sound and great bones, there was no room for the split pea green piece in Chez Shack.

It wasn't until the 14 hour drive back from Mt. Hood with my mother that I realized it was time to do something about it. As all long car trips we discussed a range of topics, including concerts, the 70's, eggs and of course, that damn hutch. She told me about this chalk paint from Annie Sloan that requires no priming or sanding. Sold. It also was discussed that in order to move my patio from a typically mountain graveyard of old furniture and TVs (now safely that the recycling center) I should try my hand at gardening.

Everyone seemed to be doing it, why not me.

So today I set out on a Pinterest worthy project of painting the hutch (two tones, what!?) and re-purposing it as a planter.

Several trips to Ace Hardware and the magnificent Ben Lomond Mountain Feed and Farm Supply store later I had the beginning of lovely patio...just in time for winter.

Just don't look too closely to the paint job.

A few more things to do, but I'm pretty happy with it!

Fall into Autumn

2014-09-24T16:43:00.003-07:00

     “I would rather sit on a pumpkin, and have it all to myself, than be crowded on a velvet cushion.”
                                                          ― Henry David Thoreau

I couldn't tell you how many hours I slept this weekend, but I am almost positive I could count it out on both hands…maybe I don't even need both of them.

New York, as always, was a whirlwind adventure. We performed, saw three great shows and managed escape just as UN Week began. My wonderful family and friends were accommodating with my busy schedule and I was able to see most of the folks I wanted.

Never fully adjusting to the time difference and yesterday's trip home left me utterly exhausted and starving (apparently I forgot to eat most of the trip). After work, I ordered an embarrassingly large amount of sushi, went home, gorged and lavished the feeling of being back in the mountains.

Last night I wanted to make something tasty, healthy and slightly rustic for the beginning of my favorite season. I found this recipe on Buzzfeed, of all places, in an article highlighting satisfying low-carb meals.

From the blog, So Let's Hang Out.

                                      One-Pan Crispy Chicken Legs & Brussels Sprouts

Ingredients

2 whole chicken legs (skin on & bone in)
1 stalk of Brussels sprouts, stemmed and chopped
1 generous tbs of coconut oil
salt, pepper & granulated garlic
1 tbs olive oil, for sprouts
Juice of 1 lemon
1/4 cup chicken stock
Pecorino or Parmesan cheese to garnish

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.
Wash, prep, de-stem and halve all of your Brussels sprouts.
Toss them in a bowl with your olive oil and a pinch or two of salt, pepper and granulated garlic. Season to your taste.
Wash your chicken legs and pat them dry.
Liberally season both sides of your legs with salt, pepper and granulated garlic. Set aside.
Heat up your coconut oil in your cast iron skillet until hot.
Once your oil is heated up, add your chicken legs to the pan face down.
Allow them to sit there and get crispy. This will take several minutes. Don't move them, even if you are tempted. Mine crisped up in 6-8 minutes.
Once the first side is crispy, flip your chicken legs over and crisp up the other side.
When both sides of the chicken are crisped up, add in your Brussels sprouts to the pan along with your chicken broth and lemon juice. Stir.
Place your pan in the oven and bake for 30 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and the juices run clear.
Garnish with some freshly grated Pecornio or Parmesan cheese and serve.

Traveling - SkyMall

2014-09-19T22:28:00.001-07:00

I can always tell I'm getting older by my reaction to the items in SkyMall magazine.

When I was younger, 15 probably, I would pour over the magazine during a flight ( while listening to my Discman, thank you very much) thinking about all the amazing things I could hypothetically purchase.

In particular, the Evenstar pendant from The Lord of the Rings trilogy. For those of you who don't know what I'm talking about (so sad), in the film adaptation, Arwen gives Aragorn the necklace as a symbol of her love. As a hormone-ridden teenager and unabashed nerd, I loved this necklace. For years, it would be the first thing I'd look for when I got in a plane. I even saved up the piddly $75 for it once, but never went through with the purchase.

As I flew to New York last night, I flipped through the magazine. It's finally gone. After 10+ years.

Now, on the otherside of 25, or as my dad calls it, "practically 30" there are new items. Things like, anti-snoring strips or the magic ottoman that turns into a guest bed, that peak my interest.

Though, I miss seeing that necklace.I have to wonder, if it was still there...would I finally achieve that 15 year old's wish and buy it?

The Big Apple Donut

2014-09-16T21:14:00.002-07:00

“Autumn carries more gold in its pocket than all the other seasons.”
― Jim Bishop

After a healthy round of bottomless mimosas on Saturday, I convinced Brofriend to go to my favorite store, Sur La Table. His grousing quickly turned into excitement as we wandered around looking at grills, cocktail tools and baking items. I was on the mission for a donut pan, for no particular reason other than the idea of being able to make donuts really appeals to me.

With autumn only a week away and my flight to New York(!) on Friday, I thought what better way to break in my new pan than with these:

Baked (Big) Apple Donuts
(Adapted from One Hungry Mama)

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
3/4 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup peeled, grated apple

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a non-stick donut pan with butter; set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and cloves; set aside.

2. In a small, separate bowl, whisk together sugar and eggs until smooth. Slowly whisk in oil until well combined.

3. Add wet ingredients to dry and mix until just combined. Add apple, along with any juice that’s accumulated, to the batter and mix until thoroughly incorporated. Spoon batter into prepped donut pan, filling each well 3/4 full. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool in pan for 2 minutes before inverting onto a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat process until all the batter is gone.

I served half with a cinnamon sugar topping and the other half with a pumpkin-spice glaze.

Bri-witched, Bothered and Bri-wildered

2014-09-12T15:48:00.002-07:00

"A party without cake is really just a meeting."

- Julia Child

Everyone has at least one of those friends that is wildly creative and a master of the crafts. (un)Fortunately for me, I have several. I really appreciate those who can knit, crochet, quilt, scrap and create fanciful trinkets out of whatever they have.

I'm impatient. The only thing I think I'm slightly competent in is cooking, baking and drink making. All which I was invited to do at my friend Bri's.

To paint a quick picture: Bri is essentially a mix of Miss. Honey from Matilda and Belle from Beauty and the Beast. Her apartment, is delicate, feminine and precious all the way from her living room to the adorably vintage kitchen. Quite the opposite of my bro-infested cottage.

Her youngest sister is turning 19 and loves Harry Potter, so Bri invited me to come over and help bake the Harry Potter Birthday Cake and Butterbeer Cupcakes.

Oh, and to make drinks.

I understood the Butterbeer reference, but wasn't sure what "the" Harry Potter Birthday Cake was. In a slightly exasperated tone, Bri jogged my memory to the first time Harry met Hagrid on that dark and stormy night. He brought a crudely made birthday cake for Harry.

"Anyway — Harry, a very happy birthday to yeh. Got summat fer yeh here — I mighta sat on it at some point, but it'll taste all right."

But, first the drinks. To recreate the dark and stormy night Harry received the cake, I made us each....a Dark and Stormy!

In a tall glass, combine:

3 ounces Mount Gay Rum
5 ounces ginger beer
1 Lime wedge (optional)

Not Picture - Dancing Pirates

Happy Birthday!

Well deserved milk after hours of baking

Local Eats - The Sandwich

2014-09-08T16:37:00.002-07:00

"Life itself is the proper binge."

Julia Child

There are days (like all of last week) where I can't bring myself to cook anything.

Dinner ends up being what ever leftovers can be found, eggs of toast or takeout. Tonight was no different.

On the way home after rehearsal (what's that you say? Rehearsal? More on that later), Brofriend and I looked at each other and knew. We needed the sandwich.

Down here in the sticks is the Ben Lomond Market and in the store is a deli and on the menu of this deli is something called the Classic Tri Tip Sandwich.

This is one of those sandwiches that is properly made. No frills, bells or whistles. Only meat, bread and garlic butter

It all starts with the bread. The foundation of any good sandwich is good bread and this bread is great. A soft roll is slathered with garlic butter and toasted in a panini press.

Once the bread is properly golden, the house tri tip, house smoked, is layered on with the skill of a champion Tetris player.

The sandwich artist wraps it up and slides it into your eager hands with a side of tangy BBQ sauce for dipping.

The five minute trip home is excruciating, you didn't realize how hungry you were until the scent of garlic and BBQ'd meat wafts through the car rendering you absolutely ravenous. There is barely time to pour a glass of wine, change into sweatpants and snap a photo for the blog, because all there is, is the sandwich.

It's bliss. Brofriend and I splayed out on the couch, Fraiser playing and our belly's bulging with happiness.

Super baked (goods)!

2014-08-28T20:35:00.002-07:00

"A woman is as old as she looks before breakfast."
-E. W. Howe

It's no secret we live in a small place. At 375 sq ft, it's easy for Brofriend and I to often be in each other's way ( and by often I mean all the time). So when one of us goes out of town, we relish the opportunity to spread out a bit, literally.

Fortunately for me, Brofriend is spending the next few days inOregon visiting his buddies, lifting weights, playing video games and eating Taco Bell breakfast. Not to say I won't miss him, but it's these moments alone where I am able to do all the things I like to do, that may be harder with a Brofriend occupancy.

A few examples:
- Keep the house clean
- Cook fish
- Blare Broadway music
- Keep the house clean
- Watch terrible television
- Keep the house clean
- Bake

Granted, I can also bake while he is home, but he huffs and puffs the whole time about his training and diet…so it's quieter if I do it without him.

With a long weekend coming up, my mom staying with me for a few days and two set of family coming to visit, I wanted to make something that inspired thought of leisure and vacation, like a lazy breakfast. For me, that's sconces with a pot of tea.

I rarely turn my nose at any breakfast pastry, but I especially love scones. Not too sweet that you can almost pass it off as healthy…almost.

To create my scones I used two recipes, one for the pastry and one for the lemon glaze.

Grated 14oz of butter. So pretty.

Scone-rito

With the glaze!

I would like my beef well(ington), please

2014-08-26T20:31:00.000-07:00

"I am a great eater of beef, and I believe that does harm to my wit."

- William Shakespeare

I have a great desire to travel, taking stock in all there is to explore about local cuisine. Unfortunately, the extent of my international travels is limited to the UK, Ireland and Mexico, having been to all those locations twice.

While Mexico is well known for its vibrant spices and fresh food scene, the UK and Ireland are not, but my culinary experience there were nothing less than extraordinary (as detailed in this post). My last trip to Ireland with my family is a memory I cherish. We were lucky to stay in several beautiful locations and be treated to exceptional meals, especially the last night. As courses of tasty plates rolled through during the birthday dinner of my uncle, one in particular stood out. The mini Beef Wellington. Two bites and it was gone.

In hopes of recapturing that meal, I found this recipe for Master Chef Night

Beef Wellington Tarts

Adapted from Delish

    8 ounces beef tenderloin
    kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
    2 T coconut oil
    1 sheet thawed frozen puff pastry
    1 T unsalted butter
    8 ounces mushrooms, thinly sliced (any variety)
    1 clove garlic, minced
    1/2 cup dry white wine

Thirty minutes before you begin cooking, take beef out of fridge and allow to come to room temperature. Preheat oven to 400F.

Cut puff pastry into four squares. Using a paring knife, score a 1/2-inch border around each square. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet (or lightly spray your pan) and refrigerate until ready to bake.

Heat non-stick pan over high heat. Season both sides of beef with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Add 1 T oil; when it shimmers add beef ( I love the idea of oil shimmering) I also threw in a pad of my compound butter I had made from the week before.

When both sides are seared well and have a nice brown crust, place the skillet into the preheated oven. Cook for approximately 8 minutes for med-rare; 10 minutes for medium. Remove from oven, then remove beef from skillet. Let rest for 10 minutes.

Put puff pastry squares in oven. Bake for 10 minutes at 400, then reduce heat to 375 and bake for 10 minutes more, or until golden brown.

Put the same skillet (be careful – it’s been in the oven and it’s still hot!) back on the stove on high heat. Add another T of oil and a T of (compound?)butter, and scrape up all the browned bits left from cooking the beef. Add mushrooms, and do the same thing here that you did with the beef: leave them alone and let them get nice and brown. Once the first sides are browned, stir them up and brown the rest of the way. Add the wine and let it cook off for one minute. Mix in garlic and thyme, then remove from heat and put mushrooms in a small bowl; cover to keep warm.

Using the back of a spoon, flatten inside portion of each pastry square. Thinly slice beef (against the grain) and arrange slices on top of pastry. Top with mushroom mixture, and drizzle with sauce. Serve immediately.

NOTE: The original recipe calls for foie gras mousse, being as A) I can't easily use that in my everyday cooking B) Brofriend's horrified face at the price and product deterred my indulgent tendency, I went without. Using a homemade mixture of my magic bacon spread and goat cheese instead.

I'm stuffed (with butter)!

2014-08-19T19:59:00.004-07:00

“You are the butter to my bread,and the breath to my life”

- Julia Child

You may have noticed a theme in my recent recipes, being that they typically include chicken, eggs and bacon.

With Brofriend's training, he typically eats the same thing over and over unless I cook for him, but even then it's the same ingredients in different shapes.

Kind of like Taco Bell.

Yesterday I decided to run along the same vein of ingredients, but really give myself a push to make something I've thought about quite a bit. Something I've never had and always wanted to make.

Chicken Kiev.

The origin of this dish is said to be Ukraine, as it shares the same name as the country's capital. However there is a strong certainty from many that the dishes roots are Russian.

I don't know which is true nor do I care. All I know is I get to gleefully pound out a chicken breast and stuff it with garlic butter.

How could you go wrong?

Many of the recipes recommend cook this baby in oil, but seeing how I am currently without a proper thermometer I will be cooking it in the oven.

Recipe adapted from Food Network

Ingredients

1 stick of room temperature butter
2 teaspoons dried parsley/basil/tarragon etc (whatever you like)
2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves ( so 4 all together)
2 large whole eggs
2 cups Japanese bread crumbs (panko), plus 1/4 cup for filling

Directions

Combine butter, herbs, salt and pepper in the bowl and mix thoroughly. Wrap in plastic wrap into shape of log and place in the freezer.

Place chicken breasts, 1 at a time, between 2 pieces of plastic wrap. Haul off and pound to no less than 1/8-inch thickness. Season each piece of chicken with salt and pepper.

Lay 1 chicken breast on a new piece of plastic wrap and place 1/4 of the compound butter and 1 tablespoon bread crumbs in the center of each breast. Using the plastic wrap to assist, fold in ends of breast and roll breast into a log, completely enclosing the butter; roll very tightly. Repeat with each breast. Place chicken in refrigerator for 2 hours, or up to overnight. (I only waited 30 min....too hungry)

Place egg and water mixture in 1 pie pan and 2 cups bread crumbs in a different pie pan.

Dip each breast in the egg mixture and then roll in the bread crumbs.

Place seam side down in an 8-in. square baking dish coated with cooking spray. Bake, uncovered, at 425° for 20-25 minutes

Compound butter - Garlic, Dill and spices

Not as brown as I would've like, but super moist!

You've stolen a pizza my heart

2014-08-17T18:04:00.001-07:00

A wise man once said, ‘Forgiveness is divine, but never pay full price for late pizza.’

Michelangelo, TMNT

A little over a month ago good friends of ours were married and the during the ceremony there was a clear theme, other than eternal love, commitment, partnership...blah blah blah, that being pizza.

They met at a pizza joint and it continues to be a prominent feature in their relationship, including make your pizza nights at home. They sicken me and I love them.

Regardless, they were the inspiration for tonight's dinner....which also happens to be Brofriend's favorite meal.

I prefer making my own pizza dough when I can and when you use a food processor it's super easy.

The dough.

Ingredients

1 package active dry yeast

1 cup warm water (105 degrees F.)

2 1/2 to 3 cups flour, plus more if necessary

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Directions

Add the yeast and water to a bowl. Allow the yeast to dissolve until it is incorporated into the water, about 5 minutes. Add the olive oil, salt and 1 1/2 cups of the flour. Add the ingredients in a food processor until the dough forms a ball. After a few seconds of mixing or processing, add the remaining 1 1/2 cups flour. The dough should be soft but not sticky. If it is too sticky, add a bit more flour and process for another minute.

Transfer dough to a lightly floured work surface and knead dough for 2 to 3 minutes, adding enough additional flour if necessary to form a smooth and elastic dough. Dough should not be sticky. Transfer dough to a lightly oiled 2 or 3 quart bowl and turn to coat dough with oil. Cover with a damp towel and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, usually at least 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 500 degrees F and if you have one, place a pizza stone on the bottom rack of the oven.

Divide dough into 2 portions (for 2 (12-inch) pizzas) and form into balls. Place on a lightly oiled baking sheet and cover with a damp towel. Let rest for 15 minutes, then transfer to a lightly floured surface, shape as desired and roll out to a thickness of 1/2-inch. Transfer dough to a pizza peel and top with toppings of choice. Transfer to the preheated pizza stone and bake until crispy and golden brown, usually 12 to 18 minutes (depending on the toppings). Remove from the oven with a metal peel or spatula and serve immediately.

I roasted garlic, chopped veggies and did our favorite pesto/tomato

Heaven

It's goin' in!

Fin!

Goodwich or badwich, at least it's not the samewich

2014-08-15T19:56:00.000-07:00

“Until I discovered cooking, I was never really interested in anything.”
- Julia Child

NOTE: It should be said before the rest of this post, I am very capable of preparing things other than sandwiches….but when I do make a sandwich, it's a damn good one. Moving on.

One of the many things Brofriend and I bonded over was our love of food, particularly healthy food. Growing up vegetarian and with a vegan mother, he was exposed to a multitude of healthy options and rarely shies away from a vegetable. My own mother worked at a health food store during my formative years, leading to a broad appreciation of all things green and/or crunchy.

However, this is not a healthy food post. This is a "thank goodness this week is over, I need grub" post. This is a "too lazy to go out to the store once I've put on my sweats on, what do we have in the house" post.

This is a Chopped Challenge - Sandwich Edition

So tonight as we drove home, I asked Brofriend what he wanted for dinner, without hesitating he said "That sandwich."

One thing to note about Brofriend - When he has something for the first time and takes a liking to it, then all he wants it that particular thing. Happened when he first roasted brussels sprouts or tried BBQ and it definitely happened last night when I made him the Spanglish Sandwich.

I can't make twice in a row, I'm not an animal! The man still wanted his sandwich, so I rooted around in the fridge and came out with…

- Bacon
- Bacon Spread
- Eggs
- Pesto
- Roasted chicken
- Tequila
- Lettuce
- Cheese

First things first, a drink.

Here's what I did -

1: Pre-heated George Forman to act as panini press
2: Sliced whatever needed slicing prior to sandwich assembly
3: Cooked off the bacon in our cast iron (save some of the grease!)
4: Warmed up the chicken in the pan with the pesto
5: Placed chicken, sliced cheese, bacon and a shmear of spread onto sliced bread and pressed it
6: While sandwich is being paninified, I fried an egg in some of that bacon grease (not a healthy food post)

7: Once sandwich is sufficiently melty and crispy, I took it out and opened it up to add the avocado, egg and lettuce.
8: I ate and drank and drank some more.

An Ode to Thomas Keller, part deux.

2014-08-14T19:23:00.000-07:00

"Too few people understand a really good sandwich."
- James Beard

Often referred as Britain's biggest contribution to gastronomy, the sandwich primarily stakes its lineage in the western world, but can be found on a delicious global scale.

From the burger to the bánh mì, there is little this miraculous package of flavors can handle.

In my last post, I unabashedly raved about Thomas Keller's roasted chicken recipe.

It just so happens Mr. Keller was the mastermind behind one of cinemas most infamous sandwiches (because they're so many). In the film Spanglish, Adam Sandler's character is home from work (as a chef) and constructs this heavenly sandwich and pours himself a tall beer. That sandwich currently boosts almost 67,000 results on Google.

In his own words

Essentially it is a BLT with a fried egg and cheese. Simple enough. As always, it's the quality and care put into these ingredients that makes a meal so special.

Thomas Keller's Spanglish Sandwhich

For two sandwiches:

8 thick slices of bacon
4 slices of Monterey Jack cheese
4 thick slices of rustic white bread, toasted and hot
2 tablespoon mayonnaise
8 tomato slices
4 leaves of butter lettuce
2 teaspoon unsalted butter
2 large eggs

In a skillet, cook the bacon over moderate heat, turning, until crisp, about 8 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain.

Set the toast in the broiler until edges barely begin to brown and add the cheese to one piece. Remove from the oven once the cheese is wonderfully melty.

Spread the mayonnaise on the other slice of toast, then top with the bacon, tomato and lettuce.

In a small, nonstick skillet, melt the butter. Add the egg and fry over moderate heat, turning once, until crisp around the edge, about 4 minutes; the yolk should still be runny. Slide the egg onto the lettuce; close the sandwich and eat right away.

Winner Winner Chicken Dinner

2014-08-13T21:02:00.002-07:00

"Food Should be Fun."

-Thomas Keller

The last few days we have been playing nursemaid to poor Abby, as she has been on the rough end of an allergy attack. With a vet appointment pending and my fingers permanently smelling of peanut butter (to mask the Benadryl), I forgot I had a chicken defrosting for my Master Chef night. While the episode was watched, the food was ordered in. So tonight is fancy meal night!

The weather has been slowly cooling with thoughts autumn creeping in. Somewhere between our perfect summers and our rainy/sunny winters, we Californians experience a few short weeks of crisp, cool and colorful autumn.

It's this time of year when I crave a very distinct item.

Roasted Chicken. To be precise, Thomas Keller's Simple Roasted Chicken.

There is nothing like this chicken. This chicken is everything you want in a roasted chicken. Juicy with a crispy salty skin and easy to pull off.

I have made this no less than 100 times (roughly).

Here is the recipe in his own words -

Ingredients:

One 2- to 3-pound farm-raised chicken
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons minced thyme (optional)

Preparation -

Preheat the oven to 450°F. Rinse the chicken, then dry it very well with paper towels, inside and out. The less it steams, the drier the heat, the better.

Salt and pepper the cavity, then truss the bird. Trussing is not difficult, and if you roast chicken often, it's a good technique to feel comfortable with. When you truss a bird, the wings and legs stay close to the body; the ends of the drumsticks cover the top of the breast and keep it from drying out. Trussing helps the chicken to cook evenly, and it also makes for a more beautiful roasted bird.

Now, salt the chicken—I like to rain the salt over the bird so that it has a nice uniform coating that will result in a crisp, salty, flavorful skin (about 1 tablespoon). When it's cooked, you should still be able to make out the salt baked onto the crisp skin. Season to taste with pepper.

Place the chicken in a sauté pan or roasting pan and, when the oven is up to temperature, put the chicken in the oven. I leave it alone—I don't baste it, I don't add butter; you can if you wish, but I feel this creates steam, which I don't want. Roast it until it's done, 50 to 60 minutes. Remove it from the oven and add the thyme, if using, to the pan. Baste the chicken with the juices and thyme and let it rest for 15 minutes on a cutting board.

Remove the twine. Separate the middle wing joint and eat that immediately. Remove the legs and thighs. I like to take off the backbone and eat one of the oysters, the two succulent morsels of meat embedded here, and give the other to the person I'm cooking with. But I take the chicken butt for myself. I could never understand why my brothers always fought over that triangular tip—until one day I got the crispy, juicy fat myself. These are the cook's rewards. Cut the breast down the middle and serve it on the bone, with one wing joint still attached to each. The preparation is not meant to be super elegant. Slather the meat with fresh butter. Serve with mustard on the side and, if you wish, a simple green salad. You'll start using a knife and fork, but finish with your fingers, because it's so good.

Worth the watch

Sneak!

I'm stuffed (zucchini)!

2014-08-05T19:43:00.001-07:00

"Vegetables are a must on a diet. I suggest carrot cake, zucchini bread, and pumpkin pie."

- Jim Davis

I'd say one of the best and worst things about having agriculturally minded folks in my life is all the loot.

Our landlady with her vast garden frequently drops off fresh herbs, squash and tomatoes.

Whenever we are in Davis, Brofriend's mother sends us off packing with delicious cucumbers,lemon cucumbers, apricots and plums.

The issue is making sure we incorporate all of these items before they turn. I can't tell you how many times a sad head of lettuce was discovered shoved in the back of the fridge…with a discarded block of Parmesan.

When my dear friend Kate came down for the weekend a cooler tagged along filled with tasty items from her parent's house in Salem, including beets, zucchini and blueberries. I knew I had to think quick.

Blueberries could be frozen. Bam! Beets? Pickled. Pow!

Zucchini? That's tough. Brofriend won't eat it, because it's too healthy or something, so it's rarely incorporated in our meals.

As it is Master Chef night and my last few dishes have been stuffed, I figured tonight should be no different.

Chopped Master Chef Zucchini Boats

INGREDIENTS

4 zucchini
1/2 lb of ground meat
Fresh basil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 1/2 cups marinara sauce
2/3 cup cheese (Mozzarella/Goat/Feta/Whateva)

The margarita is necessary

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.
Cut each zucchini in half horizontally, then carefully scoop out the center
Slice a bit off the bottom so they don't roll around in the pan or on your plate.

Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium high heat. Add ground meat and whatever seasonings you'd like to taste.

Cook until browned, about 3-5 minutes, making sure to crumble meat as it cooks; drain excess fat.

Stir in marinara sauce until heated through, about 1-2 minutes.

Add meat mixture to each zucchini and sprinkle with cheese.

Place into oven and bake until the zucchini is tender and the cheese has melted, about 10-12 minutes.

Enjoy with feet propped up and Gordon Ramsey on the tube.

Sweet Tooth

2014-07-30T21:03:00.000-07:00

My wife can't cook at all. She made chocolate mousse. An antler got stuck in my throat.- Rodney Dangerfield

It's no secret amongst my family and friends that chocolate doesn't really hit my sweet spot.

If I'm going to hit up the candy aisle it'll be for Hot Tamales, Jelly Bellys or the really sugary, gummy fake fruit ones…like orange slices or gum drops. Cheaper the better.

Still, my lukewarm feelings for chocolate doesn't stop me from occasionally grazing at office candy dish(es).

I'm still a Tierney and we are grazers.

In the jar(s) there is a variety, including Snickers, 3 Musketeers, Milky Way - Regular and Midnight and Baby Ruth.

Throughout the last two weeks of the mini-candy residency (we used to have Werther's!) it has been clear that this office has obvious preferences to some brands than others. Baby Ruth being a clear loser.

My sister pointed out that it made no sense as Baby Ruth and Snickers are the same thing to which my co-worker scoffed saying they were clearly different candy and Snickers were superior.

Here is what we know, Snickers and Baby Ruth both include peanuts, caramel, nougat and are wrapped up in a chocolate coating.

I turned to Wikipedia for an in-depth analysis:

Snickers is a brand name chocolate bar made by Mars, Incorporated. It consists of nougat topped with caramel and peanuts, enrobed in milk chocolate.

Baby Ruth is an American candy bar made of peanuts, caramel and chocolate-flavored nougat covered in compound chocolate.

For those of you who don't know the difference between milk chocolate and compound chocolate (like me): A baker tempers chocolate by cooling the chocolate mass below its setting point, then re-warming the chocolate to between 31 °C and 32 °C for milk chocolate, or between 32 °C and 33 °C for semi-sweet chocolate. Compound coatings, however, do not need to be tempered. Instead, they are simply warmed to between 3 °C and 5 °C above the coating's melting point.

While the Snickers bar and Baby Ruth share many similar aspects they are both equally delicious and revered by many as the great American candy bar.

So there is no clear winner here, except for the dentist.

I'm stuffed (cabbage)!

2014-07-29T19:29:00.000-07:00

Last night, like some sullen teenager, I demanded that Brofriend stop at the local Chinese food restaurant so I could pick up dinner…which has nothing to do with our marathon wine tasting the day before.

Why do people go out on Sundays?

Regardless, we shuffled home with our (my) boxes of food, put on sweatpants and watched Fraiser.

Whenever I order from this restaurant, my eyes are is always bigger than my stomach leaving leftovers in the fridge.

I think nothing taste better than leftover take out, but, if you're like me, there is always an abundance of moo shu chicken as the pancakes and plum sauce met their demise the night before.

Now the challenge is how to use it for dinner, quickly before I end up eating it out of the carton over the sink.

In the fridge, we have asparagus (shocking), cabbage, eggs, bacon, Greek yogurt, avocado, fried rice and rosé - pretty bleak.

I remembered growing up my Mom used to make something she'd call Hippie Rice. The idea was to throw whatever leftovers you had in the fridge in a pot of rice and cook it up. It was always excellent.

Channeling my mother, I summed up a meal worthy of Master Chef Night.

Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

Instead of the traditional stuffed cabbage leaves bathed in a delicious tomato sauce, I opted for a "inventive" "fusion" type.

1: To soften the leaves, bring a large pot of water to boil. Season the water with a pinch of sea salt.

2: Preheat the oven to 350F and grease a large square oven dish with some olive oil. ( All I had was a glass bread pan)

3: Boil the leaves in batches for 2-3 minutes until just softened. Dry the softened leaves.
Helpful hint - If you thin the spines of the leaves by cutting them from the outside, they won't break during the rolling process.

4: Place a few teaspoons of filling on each cabbage leaf and wrap into tight rolls. Tetris the rolls into the oven dish.

5: Bake for 15-20 minutes.

6: Take several photos for your blog while Brofriend impatiently waits.

7: Put your feet up, turn on Master Chef and eat.

Somethin' about a hutch

2014-07-23T20:04:00.000-07:00

We are living in a world today where lemonade is made from artificial flavors and furniture polish is made from real lemons.
- Alfred E. Neuman

Roughly 10 years ago my best friend, Nicole, asked if we could store her dresser/hutch in our garage. This was no weird request since Nicole and I have spent the last 20+ years storing/leaving/forgetting items at eachother's home.

However, 10 years later and the dresser/hutch has moved from:
Dad's place
Storage
Sister's apartment(s)
Up to Oregon to my house
Down to Scotts Valley to my closet
&
Is currently living on my porch in Ben Lomond, acting as a display case for my margarita glasses. I have more than a person should have, in varying degrees of tackiness.

I'm pretty sure Nicole will never want this back, it was part of her childhood bedroom set, and the color is an antique-y green. Think Cream of Sage soup, with flowers.

The construction of the piece is wonderful and it's a good size. It was a cookbook holder/bar in Oregon and I loved it.

The time is now. I am venturing into unknown territory.

DIY Crafts.

I am not crafty. I am impatient and reckless with a hot glue gun.

But, this is a perfect opportunity for me to step outside my comfort zone and take on a project that doesn't involve muddling or bangs.

All of you out there that have roamed the hallowed halls of OSH or ACE and lived to tell the tale….help! What worked best and what would you have done differently.

Stain or Paint?

Plain or Design?

Shaken or Stirred?

Here are a few ideas I like.

Which do you like?

I'm stuffed (chicken)!

2014-07-22T20:23:00.000-07:00

I love my cooking shows. Chances are if it's on Food Network or the Cooking Channel, I'm watching it.

The problem is you are starving by the middle of the show. So to counteract rumbly tumbly feeling, I am trying my hand out on new dishes.

Tonight.

Asparagus and Goat Cheese Stuffed Chicken

Recipe from Just a Taste.

Prep Time: 20 min Cook Time: 30 min

2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
6 stalks asparagus, trimmed at the ends
¼ cup light garlic-and-herb goat cheese spread (such as Montchevré)
¼ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 Tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon minced garlic
¼ cup low sodium chicken broth

The wine is the most important part

Directions:

Slice a pocket into each chicken breast without cutting all the way through the meat.

Spread a portion of the garlic-and-herb goat cheese in the middle of the pocket and then place three asparagus stalks on top of the cheese (if needed, use a toothpick to secure the ingredients).

Sprinkle each stuffed chicken breast with salt and pepper.

Heat the olive oil and butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan, then add the minced garlic.

Add the stuffed chicken breasts to the pan and cook for about six minutes on one side.

Flip the chicken breasts to sear the second side and add the chicken broth. Cover the pan and cook until the chicken is fully cooked.

Eat with your feet up on the table and Master Chef on the boob tube.
--

Note:

I can not stress enough how important the little toothpicks are. I didn't use them and the asparagus was everywhere.

Also, try cooking at a lower temp for longer otherwise the garlic will burn.

Notice the burnt garlic, classy.

Extreme Home Makeover - Shack Edition

2014-07-18T08:04:00.001-07:00

Our house is a very, very fine house with two cats in the yard, life used to be so hard,
Now everything is easy cause of you and our la, la, la...

- Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young

Had you asked Brofriend and I a few months ago if we planned to move out of our mountain shack, it would have been a resounding, "Heck yes!"

However. After searching for a new home and budgeting out the remainder of 2014, it seems that staying put is our best option. We could very well move into a new and bigger spot closer to downtown, but why stretch the dollar when we could be putting that money away in savings and into a new car?

Together we made the decision to stay put (assuming our lease is renewed).

We also made the decision(I suggested and he didn't say no) to reorganize/redecorate the shack.

The Kitchen/Living Room

One of the challenges of our place is small kitchen and tiny living room. For the past month, I have been feverishly hounding Pinterest and Google for tips on organizing and arranging small spaces.

The problem here is that the Internet and I have a very different view of what small is.

Here is what I get

This is my reality

I can't make it bigger so we simplified.

New dishes, drinking glasses and pans replaced the outdated and overused. Brofriend parted ways with roughly 1,000 shaker bottles.

While the area stayed the same, the removal of the superfluous helped quite a bit. Plus, I feel much more legit with white square plates than I did with red flower plates…because that's what counts.

Side Note - Boss idea from Pinterest.

Squaghetti

2014-07-15T20:25:00.001-07:00

“Everything you see, I owe to spaghetti.”
~ Sophia Loren

Most days, if I'm not thinking about virtualized security, mobility management or video compression, I am typically thinking about food: What to eat, where to eat and when to eat.

Brofriend and I prefer to cook at home to save money and cut down on calories…but after a long day of working and working out you want nothing more than a burrito or carne asada plate.

He is in the cut phase of his diet, which means when I am struck with an intense craving for Spaghetti and Meatballs (like today) it's unlikely I can get away with cooking it at home.

Fortunately, there is such thing as spaghetti squash or squaghetti. A low carb (barf) alternative that is rich in nutrients, including folic acid, potassium, vitamin A, and beta carotene. It's also low in calories, averaging 42 calories per 1-cup serving.

Cut it in half, scoop out the seeds, drizzle some olive oil and throw it in the oven at 375 for 40 minutes. I tend to bump my oven up to 390, but only because it's ornery.

Naturally I would like to have made my own sauce and let it simmer for hours developing flavors and creating layers of tasty…but I'm hungry and I want to watch Master Chef. So, I spruce up canned sauce…good canned sauce. No extra hoohah or preservatives. I add beef, onions, more garlic, spices, wine, herbs, cheese or whatever I have lying around to make it my own.

Scrape out the tasty squaghetti threads and mix it all up.

Pour yourself a little glass of vino and park your tush for some quality television.

The egg.

2014-06-23T17:40:00.002-07:00

A box without hinges, key or lid,
Yet golden treasure inside is hid.

-The Hobbit

I don't know when my love affair of eggs started. It might've been because the only thing my Dad could cook well (sorry BJT) was a poached egg or maybe it is the memories of my mom's perfectly fired egg sandwiches or the creamy and light quiches that were made on special occasions.

Whatever it was, I can think of no better way to start the day than with eggs over medium, rye or sourdough toast and jam. Especially when they being served by Brofriend while I am still tucked in bed. Yes, he is amazing, barf.

Here is the thing about the egg. It's perfect. It is incredibly versatile and it's super good for you.

Sure, egg yolks do contain cholesterol, but egg yolks are "egg"ordinarily rich in vitamins and minerals that help with your bodily functions. Egg yolks and egg whites both contain 13 varieties of minerals including, calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium, sodium and selenium.

Pretty "egg"cellent, right?

So, tonight. I will cook a dish I've been wanting to make for ages. It represents both the need for a nutritious meal and creamy yolky goodness…as long as I don't break the yolk.

Roasted Asparagus and a Poached Egg

What the cluck?

2014-06-18T19:15:00.000-07:00

I'm exhausted.

A fun(and lengthy) weekend in Vegas followed by a "I Wanna Marry Harry" marathon and very little sleep has left me slightly worse for wear. Regardless, I am happy to be home and back to regular routine at work.

The warmer the weather the more the cooking bug nags at me. I dream of the day where Brofriend and I move into a new place with a kitchen that comes with storage and an oven that cooks evenly. The only successful thing to come out of that kitchen is a fried egg and a margarita. But, I cook on.

Like tonight! Monday I threw together a meal for Brofriend as he was driving home from Davis and would be hungry and thirsty upon arrival.

Padding around the grocery store I picked up some chicken breast and caprese makings as our appetizer. I decided then to use whatever odds and ends we had at the "shack" to make a meal.

So, I pulled out bacon, goat cheese, Frank's Hot Sauce and chive cream cheese. Good enough.

I don't care how many times I've cooked a chicken breast or how many recipes I've read. I always, always, always find a way to ruin it.

It's a gift.

Thinking I was smart, I sliced through the chicken to create four thinner pieces. " That way I won't under cook it!"

Idiot.

The idea behind the meal was genius. A mixture of cheese and buffalo sauce would lay on top of the chicken while a piece of bacon wound itself around it…like a warm embrace.

Well, I cooked the hell out the chicken. Tough 'ol bird. Fortunately, the whiskey coupled with his inexperience with meat made Brofriend a huge fan.

My plan is to rectify Monday's disaster. It's me against the chicken and I don't give a cluck.

Here's what what I did

Here's how it turned out

PERFECT!!!! The chicken at least. Ugly as sin, but moist.

Brofriend, " A flavor bazooka filled with nostalgia and childhood dreams."

I think he's lying.