Jacqueline Malan :: Taking Only What I Need

Ratatouille

jmalan — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 14:41:56 +0000

One of the things I love most about Colorado summers is the abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables available. From grocery stores to farmer’s markets, it’s a wonderful thing to know that the produce I need, and plenty more that I don’t need, is fresh, plentiful and grown locally. So, what better time to make this delicious dish of ratatouille?

I made ratatouille for supper tonight. I love ratatouille. It’s one of those dishes that you can’t make wrong; you just endlessly experiment with different variations on the theme of vegetables, seasonings, and cooking method. Ratatouille is a reflection of now. ( And in your best Julia Child voice you can say “aubergine” instead of eggplant! How delightfully snooty.)

Foodie Friday (a day late)

jmalan — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 14:41:15 +0000

Morning- with so much going on right now, I completely forgot about posting my foodie Friday links yesterday. I leave for Napa in one week, I’ve been busy sending out my goodbyes and seeing friends. Spending the last moments in the comfort of my own kitchen before stepping up to a new challenge…probably the hardest challenge I have ever set out to do. Here’s to new beginnings, life’s challenges, and always keeping things exciting. Happy cooking, and happy Friday/Saturday!

Grace’s Sweet Life: Chocolate Glazed Doughnuts Recipe
The Family Kitchen: Banana Flapjacks
The Comfort of Cooking: Savory Breakfast Muffins
The Little Foodie: Caramelized French Toast

Fried Chicken (Take Two: The Real Deal)

jmalan — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 19:24:47 +0000

This was my first foray into making real fried chicken. I was nervous, to say the least. Something about the dish feels unfair to me. It’s almost as if every step has to be completed perfectly to end up with good fried chicken. Also, doesn’t it seem as though every recipe out there claims to be the best? I have been eyeing the recipe from the Ad Hoc cookbook for a while now. I figured, go big or go home.

Oh, and for your viewing pleasure…I’m told this is a well-loved song in the south. It’s charming, kind of.

Saturday Morning Scones

jmalan — Sat, 28 Aug 2010 14:34:00 +0000

Scones are sort of a sweetened version of biscuits. I couldn’t resist taking advantage of the cherry season and I whipped up a batch of these for friends and family. They certainly did not last long. Shortly after placing my scones in the oven, my entire kitchen was filled with wonderful aromas of cherry baked goodness. I can’t think of an easier to way to wake up my house-guests early on a Saturday morning- a house filled with beautiful smells and a belly soon full.

Foodie Friday

jmalan — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 13:45:54 +0000

I’ve been spending my last few weeks of summer cooking and enjoying Boulder before I head west for a few months. While I am excited in the journey that awaits me in Napa, I will most certainly miss Boulder. I decided in honor of Boulder and my love for cooking I’d share some local Boulder farm links. Here’s to summer, local farming, and Boulder! Happy Friday and Happy Cooking!

Brillant Bruschetta

jmalan — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 03:13:20 +0000

Summer is not officially here until I make bruschetta with real tomatoes. And when I say real tomatoes, I mean the kind I pick fresh off the vine and are still warm from the sun. The kind that never, ever get refrigerated. Fresh tomatoes and basil served over grilled bread might be my favorite meal. Maybe an ear of sweet corn and a peach for dessert to round things out. Can it get any better than this? I love summer. I love the fresh produce it brings. And the first tomatoes, before there are so many you don’t know what to do, are the best.

Summertime Sloppy Joes

jmalan — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 14:12:54 +0000

Sometimes I forget about sloppy joes, and I was thinking maybe you forget about them sometimes too. So consider this your reminder that sloppy joes are a fun dinner idea.

If your fiance is anything like mine he really likes sloppy joes and would be really happy if you made them every week. Well, I average about once every three years….not to bad right.

I think the reason I kind of forget about them sometimes is because I didn’t really like my moms sloppy joes growing up. I can’t believe I just wrote that. My mom occasionally reads this blog….In my defense I’m trying to recall something I ate when I was six, and back than I could be a bit difficult when it came to trying new things. Love you Mom!

I recently somewhat reluctantly made sloppy joes, and to my surprise they were wonderful…I’m chalking this one up to maturing taste buds and an open mind about food- much different from a six year old’s interpretation.

Foodie Friday

jmalan — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 13:54:49 +0000

Lot’s of fun stuff happening lately, mostly in the kitchen… I’ve been working with Michael DeBeor who runs a culinary camp for children called ‘Camp Culinary’. Over the past week, he’s taught me a number of valuable skills many of which I can apply in a professional kitchen. Stay tuned for yummy new posts and as always keep cooking! Happy Friday, and Happy Cooking!

Camp Culinary

Firecracker Coleslaw

jmalan — Sun, 15 Aug 2010 23:59:21 +0000

I have gone through most of my life with an unfair prejudice against coleslaw.

It IS coleslaw, after all. Because it’s usually relegated to sloppy side items at barbeque restaurants, picked-over picnic salad platters and soggy summer parties, coleslaw gets a bad rap. How many times in your adult life have you thought “Wow, I’m REALLY craving some coleslaw right now.”

Yeah, I thought not. But if you’re like me, you probably just haven’t had coleslaw done RIGHT just yet.

Coleslaw, as we know it in American foodie culture, usually consists of raw green or red cabbage shredded finely, with some sort of creamy, mayonnaise-based dressing to bind and flavor it. There are many different types of cabbage as well as different varieties of dressings and add-ins. Coleslaw doesn’t have to be a mayonnaise-laden mess of shredded cabbage and carrots. The following recipe is a great simple summer salad that will bring loads of flavor and color to any picnic or barbecue.

Ingredients (makes 8 cups):

1. vegetables of your choice (I used red bell pepper, fennel, celery, purple cabbage, carrot, cilantro, and parsley)

2. 1/2 Cup of EVOO

3. 1/2 Cup of White Vinegar

4. 1 1/2 tbs of sugar

5. 1 tbs of mustard

6. Salt and Pepper to taste

7. toasted sesame seeds (optional)

Method: Combine ingredients to taste and let rest for several hours.

Happy Birthday Julia

jmalan — Sun, 15 Aug 2010 22:44:22 +0000

Happy Birthday Julia~we miss you!