The Enlightened Chef

Garlic Knots

2017-08-01T17:29:00.003-07:00

Today I am making pizza for dinner. I am taking the easy way out by using pre-made pizza dough and sauce from Trader Joe's. Please don't judge me: I've been on my feet all day, cooking for a living. I can say that the pizza dough from Trader Joe's is the best pre-made dough I've tried to date, so this is what I use when my family wants pizza. But this is not a post about pizza: It's a post about the cheesy garlic knots. They came out amazing! Here is the recipe. Enjoy!

Cheesy Garlic Knots
8 oz. (1 cup= 2 sticks) salted butter at room temperature
7-8 cloves garlic-peeled, crushed, and minced

Whisk the garlic and butter together. set aside.

3 1/2 cup all purpose flour (I use King Arthur Flour exclusively-but whatever you have will do)
1 1/2 tsp. kosher (or sea) salt
2 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil
1 to 1 1/2 cups of warm (about bathtub temperature) water
2 tsp. instant dry yeast

Place the flour, salt and oil into the the bowl of a stand mixer with the dough hook in place. mix the yeast and water together, until the yeast has dissolved. Add to the flour mixture and knead on speed 2-3 for 5 minutes. turn out the dough ball, and rub with more olive oil. Preheat your over to 400F.

Place the dough back into the mixing bowl and allow to rise for about 45 minutes, until doubled in size.

Punch down your dough and cut into 8-10 pieces. Roll them into 6-8 inch "worms" (this is the step my daughter does with glee). You can, of course, make them any shape you like, I just love the little knots.

Tie them into a single knot, and lay them evenly spaced on a cookie sheet. Sprinkle each knot with about:

1Tbs. grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese

Bake the knots for 15-18 minutes until the bread is golden brown and lovely. Pull form the oven, pop the knots into a large heat resistant bowl, and add about 1/2 cup of the garlic butter you set aside. Toss the knots and butter together. Add more Parmigiano cheese if you like (I always add more cheese!). Serve hot. Bon appetite!!!!

Salmon Burgers

2017-06-26T08:22:00.000-07:00

I've always subscribed to the notion that "Life happens while we're making other plans." As a matter of fact it is my Mantra most days. Thus, I'll be taking a hiatus for the summer. So here is the last recipe that I'll be posting for a while.
I recently discovered that I love salmon burgers, and I feel that I have finally perfected the recipe for my family. Even my 10 year old kid loves this dish. I hope you and your family love it as much as we do! Cook joyfully!

Salmon Burgers
Ingredients

1 to 1 1/2 pounds center-cut salmon fillet, skin and pin bones removed

2 tablespoons dijon mustard

1 egg white

1 tablespoon mayonnaise

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest

Pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)

1 1/4 cups panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing

4 burger buns

Tartar sauce (or garlic aioli) and

1 cup coleslaw of your choosing for topping

Directions

Cut three-quarters of the salmon into 1/4-inch pieces. Put in a large bowl. Cut the rest of the salmon into chunks; transfer the chunks to a food processor along with the mustard, mayonnaise, egg white, lemon juice, lemon zest and cayenne.

Pulse to make a paste.

Add the pureed salmon mixture to the bowl with the diced salmon. Add 1/4 panko, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and black pepper to taste. Gently mix until just combined.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and brush with olive oil. Divide the salmon mixture into 4 mounds on the parchment paper. With damp hands, pat into 4-inch-wide, 3/4-inch-thick patties. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 30 minutes.

Preheat the broiler.

Spread the remaining 1 cup panko on a plate. Press both sides of the salmon patties in the panko.

Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the patties (in batches if necessary) and cook until browned on the bottom, 3 to 4 minutes, adjusting the heat if necessary. Turn and cook until the other side is browned and the patties feel springy in the center, 3 to 4 more minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain; season with salt.

Meanwhile, Toast your buns under the broiler. Place the burgers on the buns, top with slaw, are serve immediately.

Maryland Style Crab Cake with Aioli

2017-05-30T10:27:00.001-07:00

Today is Memorial Day. I have many friends and family members who have served, or are currently serving in the United States Military. I have been blessed to know these warriors first-hand, and loved them all so deeply. My husband is a Marine, and since it's his day, I make for him whatever he wants. Because he's from Baltimore, apparently crab cakes are the traditional Memorial Day comfort food.

My crab cakes have a very minimum amount of ingredients, because crab is a gorgeous, delicate flavored thing, so you never want to overpower the beauty of the meat.

You will notice, also, that I use commercially made mayonnaise in the crab cake mix, and then scratch make a mayo-based aioli as an accompaniment. The reason for this is that commercial mayo is very bland flavor-wise and won't overpower the crab. The aioli is served on the side for people who simply must have a dressing for their crab cakes...it happens. What is aioli, you ask? Well...

Aioli or aïoli is a sauce made of garlic and olive oil; in some regions other emulsifiers such as egg are used. The names mean "garlic and oil" in Catalan and Provençal. It is particularly associated with the cuisines of the Mediterranean coasts of Spain , France, and Italy. Current versions of the French-Provençal sauce are typically closer to a garlic mayonnaise, incorporating egg yolks and lemon, whereas the original French Provencal and Spanish Catalan versions are without egg yolk and have considerably more garlic. This gives the sauce a pastier texture, while making it considerably more laborious to make as the emulsion is much harder to stabilize.There are many variations, such as adding lemon juice or other seasonings. In France it can include mustard.It is usually served at room temperature.
Aioli is, like mayonnaise, an emulsion-or suspension-of small globules of oil and oil-soluble compounds in water and water-soluble compounds. In Spain, purists consider that the absence of egg is what distinguishes aioli from mayonnaise, however this is not the case in France and other countries where egg and egg yolk can be used as an emulsifier and is generally used in making aioli today. Using only garlic as an emulsifier requires it to be thoroughly crushed and for oil to be added drop by drop so that the aioli is not "cut" by excess oil.

My aioli is an American variation that contains egg yolks, garlic, lemon juice, salt, and the addition of apple cider vinegar and lemon zest. I do serve mine chilled, but you can use it right away at room temperature if you want to be a purest. As well...If you are nervous about salmonella or other food-born cooties; simply use pasturized eggs from the fridge section of your local megamart. SO let's cook!

Crab Cakes
1 pound excellent quality lump crab meat
1/2 sleeve saltines
2 eggs seperated
1 cup mayonnaise
2 tsp. Old Bay
Place the crab into a fine mesh strainer and drain-if needed. Gently sort through the lumps, remove any shells that you find. Set this aside. In you food processor with the blade in place, pour in the saltines. Pulverize the crackers until they look like pepply beach sand.

Pour into a glass (or non reactive bowl). Add the crab, egg whites, mayo, and Old Bay.

GENTLY with your very clean hands fold everything together.

Once the crab cake mix looks to your liking, cover and allow to rest in the fridge 1 hour minimum and up to 6 hours. Meanwhile make the aioli!

Once your mix has rested for a bit, form into 3-4 ounce balls (I use a scooper for this that I bought at my local kitchen store).

Form the into little hockey puck shapes and place back in the fridge for a few minutes to let them rest a bit.

Heat about 1/2-1 inch of canola or peanut oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Once the oil starts to shimmer, add the crab cakes and cook 3-4 minutes per side, until they are cook through.

Evacuate your crab cakes to a paper towel lined, clean sheet pan to drain excess oil.

Serve hot with the aioli on the side.

Lemon Garlic Aioli
2 egg yolks (you did save your yolks from above, yes?)
2-6 cloves garlic (depending on your personal tastes)
2 Tbs. apple cider vinegar
2 Tbs. lemon juice
3/4-1 cup olive oil
1 Tbs. lemon zest
1 tsp. Kosher salt
1tsp. sugar (optional)
In the food processor with the blade in place-and for this your needn't even rinse out the cracker dust from above-pour in the yolks, garlic, vinegar, and lemon juice.

Turn on the machine and let it run 1-2 minutes, or until the garlic is pureed and the mixture is a light, pale yellow.

With the machine running, slowly in a steady stream, pour in the olive oil until the mixture is very thick.

Add remaining ingredients and puree for a few more seconds just to mix.

Pour into a pretty serving container, garnish with parsley if you like and serve.

VARIATIONS:
1. fold in capers
2. add some cayenne pepper for heat
3. add some chopped taragon or cilantro
4. change out the vinegar for a different variety-I like champagne and sherry vinegar best.
5. remove the vinegar and use a total of 4Tbs. lemon juice
6. Add 1Tbs. wholegrain mustard for flavor and texture

New York Style Cheesecake

2017-05-15T08:49:00.002-07:00

I love cheesecake. It is one of my most favorite dessert treats. It is also a perennial favorite of my family too. I usually make cheesecake several times per year for birthdays and holiday dinners.

Most people are afraid of tackling this fussy dessert, because it tends to be labor-intensive, and time-consuming. So if you do make this cheesecake be sure to set aside 3 to 4 hours, but don't worry, most of that time is hands-off as the cake is simply baking at a very low temperature (275F).

Cheesecake is, in fact, a cream cheese custard and should be treated as such. What is a custard? The most basic definition is; A dessert made of milk, eggs,and sugar that must be carefully cook at a low temperature so as not to curdle the eggs.

But cheesecake is especially difficult because even though the eggs don't curdle, if you over-bake your cheesecake it will crack and split. If this happens to you, don't panic. Simply top your cake with fruit or sour cream to cover the cracks. After all: People do love topped cheesecake, and no one but you will ever know!

For the sake of full disclosure, I will tell you up front that this recipe came originally from the Joy of Cooking cookbook. I have altered it over the years, and what I have come up with is a foolproof method that produces a gorgeous cheesecake every single time. YES, it is a lot of steps, but I promise you, dear reader, that if you follow them faithfully you will have a perfect cheesecake every single time! So, let's get baking!

Vanilla Bean Cheesecake

First thing you will need to do is to prepare a 10 inch springform pan. Line the outside of the entire pan with two layers of aluminum foil, line the bottom of your pan with parchment paper circle cut to fit, and LIBERALLY coat the inside wall of your pan with nonstick spray (I mean, seriously, go to town on that bad boy!!!)

Preheat your over to 525F....Now on to the baking:

2 cups graham cracker crumbs
4 ounces butter
Melt the butter in a microwave-safe bowl until just liquified. Mix in your graham cracker crumbs and pat into the bottom of your prepared pan.

Into a food processor with the blade attachment in place add:
2.5 Lbs cream cheese (I buy a 3Lb. block at CostCo, and use the extra 1/2Lb. for bagels)

1 3/4 cups sugar
1 vanilla bean's scrapings (save the pod for later/see note below)
5 eggs
3 yolks

Pulse the machine a few times to get the mixture going. Scrape the sides of the bowl to prevent lumps. Then hit the on switch and let the whole mess puree for a minute or two, until it is smooth and glossy. Then add:

3 Tbs. of all purpose flour
1/2 cup heavy cream or sour cream-depending on your personal taste

Pulse the mixture a few time to incorporate everything, and then pour into your prepared pan. Tap the mixture a few times on the counter to release any extra air bubbles trapped in the batter. Cover the pan top with another sheet of foil (this prevents over-browning and drying), and bake on the center rack for 20 minutes.

After 20 minutes remover the foil topper and turn the oven to 275F. Allow your cheesecake to bake, undisturbed for 1-1/2 to 2 hours.

You will know your cheesecake is done when it jiggles slightly when shaken. Turn off the oven and hold the oven door ajar with a wooden spoon. Allow your cheesecake to cool for 30 minutes. Then remove your cheesecake from the oven and place under a large mixing bowl and let stand for 3-4 hours until it is completely cooled.

Wrap the pan very tightly with clingfilm and chill-allow two days in the fridge for the flavors to fully mature before serving.

Congratulations! You've made a cheesecake that will wine you awards!

NOTE: What do you do with that vanilla bean pod? Well...I like to store mine is a little tub full of sugar. Then I have vanilla scented sugar for all my baked goods, and occasionally my coffee! Or you can place it into a full bottle of vodka for vanilla vodka for your martinis etc...

Chicken Pesto with Asparagus-A Kid-Friendly way to get your Wee One to eat Asparagus

2017-04-05T17:37:00.003-07:00

This has become one of my favorite go-to dinners. It's delicious, easy, and even my 10 year old loves it-so I consider it "Kid-Friendly".

Chicken and Asparagus with Pesto

2-3 chicken breasts: cut lengthwise into quarters
1/3 cup julienned sun dried tomatoes packed in oil
2 cups cherry tomatoes halved
1 bunch green onions, minced
1 Lb. asparagus tips
1/4 cup pesto sauce
2 cups cooked pasta

Preheat your oven to 450F. Heat a cast iron-or other oven safe skillet over medium high heat.

Add the sun dried tomatoes with the oil in the jar. Allow to sizzle, add the chicken and cook on each side just until browned (3 minutes per side. Sprinkle on the tomatoes,

then the asparagus, and green onions.

Place the pan in the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes until the asparagus is browned. Pour everything from the pan into a large bowl, add the pesto and toss to coat.

Serve over your favorite pasta of choice.

Tikka Masala; The lighter version

2017-04-05T09:30:00.002-07:00

I love curry. It doesn't matter if it's Indian, Sri Lankan, Thai, Japanese style: I love every version of Curry that I've ever eaten. My only problem is that most restaurant curries are LOADED with clarified butter, and oil, and sometimes cream (either dairy or from coconuts). Because of this, I try not to overdo my curry consumption. I can, however, get around the unwanted fat, by making a few of my own-MUCH LIGHTER-versions at home.

Today I'm making Chicken Tikka Masala. This recipe takes a little time and has a few steps, but I promise you that it is absolutely worth the effort.If you'd like a vegetarian version, simply substitute in 1 Lb. SMOKED TOFU for the chicken.

"Lighter" Tikka Masala

2 Tbs. grated ginger (I use the stuff in the jar)
6 cloves minced garlic
1/2 C. Plain nonfat Greek yogurt
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cumin
2 tsp. garam masala
2 tsp. smoked paprika
3 skinless, boneless chicken breasts

In a good sized, non-reactive bowl, whisk together the first seven ingredients. Cut the chicken breasts into 1 inch cube and add toss evenly in the yogurt mix to fully coat the chicken. Cover with food film, and place in the fridge 1-6 hours.

Preheat your oven to 500F. Remove the chicken from the fridge, and skewer the pieces onto 12 inch bamboo, or aluminum, skewers. Lay the skewers over the edges of a 9 inch wide casserole pan so that they are suspended (like being in a rotisserie).

What I like to do, as well, is to line my pan with foil so that I can capture all the wonderful drippings to add back to my curry later on-but that's completely optional. Bake the chicken about 20 minutes, or until it is just done through.

Remove from the oven and set aside for a few minutes while you prep:

1 diced onion
4 clove minced garlic
1 Tbs. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2 tsp. cumin
2 tsp. coriander
2 tsp. turmeric
2 tsp. chili powder
2 tsp. garam masala
2 tsp. smoked paprika
3 Tbs. Tomato Paste
1 (15oz.) cans tomato sauce
1 1/4 cup water
1/2 cup light sour cream

Over medium heat, sauté the onions and garlic until they just start to brown.

Add the next 6 ingredients, and allow the spices to lightly brown and become very fragrant.

Add the tomato paste and sauce, and the water. Stir to combine. Place the light sour cream in a small mixing bowl and ladle about 6 ounces of the tomato sauce into it and whisk to combine, add another ladle of tomato sauce and whisk that into the sour cream mix vigorously. (This step is imperative because the light sour cream doesn't have enough fat in it to keep it from breaking, and turning grainy in the final sauce without this step.) Set the sour cream mix off to the side.

Bring the tomato sauce to a simmer, add the chicken and pan drippings, place a mesh screen over the pot, and allow to simmer for 10 minutes or so to reduce the curry a bit.

The mesh screen allows the sauce to simmer while keeping it from splattering all over the range, thus avioding a huge mess-and cleanup!

Remove from the heat, add the sour cream mixture and stir. Serve immediately with rice, naan bread, and any other of your favorite side dishes.

New Home

2014-02-28T12:32:00.004-08:00

Happy Friday Fellow Foodies!

I have decided to move my blog over to a new home. While I will still maintain "The Enlightened Chef", any and all new recipes, and thoughts will be found at "Low Country Larder"
www.lowcountrylarder.blogspot.com

Restaurant Steak at Home

2014-02-24T06:47:00.002-08:00

Happy Monday Fellow Foodies!!!

(I have decided to move my blog over to a new home. While I will still maintain "The Enlightened Chef", any and all new recipes, and thoughts will be found at "Low Country Larder"
www.lowcountrylarder.blogspot.com)

Have you ever wondered why that steakhouse steak always tastes just a little (or maybe a lot) better in the restaurant than at home? Wonder no more, my foodie friends! I am going to give you every restaurant's secrets in one simple, easy to follow set of instructions.

I will tell you up front, that unless you have a restaurant-grade cook top or grill in your home kitchen, it is near impossible to get restaurant results. The reason for this is because in a restaurant the stoves put out way more heat (55,000BTU) than a home unit does (12,000BTU). But take heart, I said "nearly impossible".

The big trick is that you need a cast iron pan. They absorb heat so efficiently that they simply get hotter and hotter without degrading the pan in any way. You cannot do that with a nonstick pan-don't even try it! Click this link to see why: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/18/your-money/18shortcuts.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

If you need to learn about cast iron please click here: http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/cooking-tips-techniques/preparation/cleaning-seasoning-cast-iron-skillet-10000001178519/

Enough with the boring stuff...Here we go!

1) Buy you steaks. Sirloin steaks, ribeyes, tenderloins-any nice cut of meat will do for this. I recommend Grass-fed, or organic beef, but quite honestly I've done this with steaks I've bought at Costco with shockingly delicious results.

2) Once you remove them from the packaging, pat them dry with a few paper towels.

3) Liberally season your steaks on both sides with your favorite seasoning salt. For the record I use Lawrey's because I once worked in a Steakhouse who's "secret seasoning" was just Lawrey's with added MSG: Please don't add MSG at home, you don't need it.

4) Stack 3-4 paper towels on a plate big enough to fit all the steaks without them touching each other. Place the seasoned steaks on the lined plate and place open (yes DO NOT WRAP THEM OR COVER THEM), on an empty shelf towards the bottom of the fridge.

5) Allow the steaks to 'dry-age' for 24-48 hours, flipping once mid-way through the drying process. Do not worry; if your fridge is clean, and I hope it is, your steaks will not contract any food-cooties. If your fridge is not clean then go clean it right now...with bleach, please.

6) Take your steaks out of the fridge and let them come to room temperature, this takes about 30 minutes.

7) Using your trusty cast iron skillet, ( If you don't have one then now would be a great time to stop reading and go buy one. Don't email me and tell me you can't find them, I just bought one at Target-so there! ) place it over high heat. Allow it to get smoking hot-literally it should be slightly smoky. Add your steaks, turn the heat down just a pinch, and cook 3 minutes per side for medium-rare, 4 minutes per side for medium. Be sure to only flip your steaks ONCE. Never, ever, ever, ever flip them more than that. Oh...and you MIGHT want to open a window and turn on the fan-this is very smoky and will set of your smoke detectors.

8) Once you have achieved your desired doneness, remove your steaks from your trusty cast iron skillet and allow them to rest, covered, for about 5 minutes. This allows the built-up pressure inside the steak to relax, so that when you cut into it all the juice stays in the steaks, and doesn't gush out onto your plate.

9) serve with your favorite sides, and enjoy that restaurant steak!!!

Macaroni and Cheese

2014-02-22T05:17:00.000-08:00

I have decided to move my blog over to a new home. While I will still maintain "The Enlightened Chef", any and all new recipes, and thoughts will be found at "Low Country Larder" www.lowcountrylarder.blogspot.com

The other day I made one of my most favorite foods on Earth: Macaroni and Cheese. It is the ultimate comfort food. Pasta, cheese, and not much of anything else. How can you not love that?!?

The mac & cheese recipe is so easy and so yummy, that I thought I'd share it with everyone. So here it is...

Chef Julie's Amazing Mac & Cheese

8 ounces elbow macaroni
6-8 strips of bacon-diced small

3 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons flour

1 tablespoon powdered mustard

2 cups milk
1 cup heavu cream

1/2 cup yellow onion, finely diced

1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

1 large egg

16 ounces sharp cheddar, shredded

1 teaspoon kosher salt

Fresh black pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Using a cast iron skillet (or a nonstick pan if you don't own any cast iron) over medium low heat cook the bacon 12-14 minutes until all the fat is rendered out of the bacon and the little bits left are very crisp.

Drain the bacon bits on a paper towel and set aside.

In a large pot of boiling, salted water cook the pasta to al dente.

While the pasta is cooking, in a separate pot, melt the butter. Add the onions and cook at medium-low for 10-12 minutes until they are golden brown. Whisk in the flour and whisk vigorously, making sure it's free of lumps.

Stir in the milk, cream, onion, and paprika. Simmer at medium low for about ten minutes-stirring often.

Temper in the egg (see *how to temper below).

Stir in 3/4 of the cheese, and season with salt and pepper. Fold the bacon, and macaroni into the mix and pour into a 2-quart casserole dish. Top with remaining cheese.

Bake for 30 minutes.

Remove from oven and rest for five minutes before serving.

*To temper an egg, or multiple eggs, you need a large bowl and a whisk. Give the eggs a brief whisk in the bowl. Take your hot liquid mixture and, working with just a quarter cup at a time, pour it into the eggs as you whisk continuously. Adding the liquid slowly prevents the eggs from being cooked instantly-and thus turning into scrambled eggs-from exposure to heat. Keep adding the milk in small increments until half of it has been added. Then add the remaining liquid in a steady stream. Strain the egg mixture with a mesh strainer back into your saucepan, removing any bits of egg that might have gotten cooked, or sheels that strayed into your sauce, and proceed with your recipe as written.

What does "All Natural" really mean, anyway?

2014-02-06T06:14:00.001-08:00

Hola Fellow Foodies!

Today I came across this video and wanted to share it with you, because I have been bitching about this deceptive practice for a very long time. I remember the fist time I saw the phrase "100 organic evaporated can juice", and my Chef's brain nearly melted down in the middle of the Whole Foods in which I was standing. Now, I do like that the cane juice in question was "organic", but does anyone out there know what the above phrase really means? anyone...anyone... ?

No? Well "evaporated cane juice" is...wait for it....wait for it....SUGAR!!!!! Yes that's right it is a very fancy way of saying sugar. Man on man, I bet the advertising guru who came up with that marketing angle has retired to Bora Bora with his millions!!!! You don't believe me? you have to, just read this article at Processed Free America (.org) http://www.processedfreeamerica.org/resources/health-news/405-the-truth-about-evaporated-cane-juice

With this in mind, I want you to keep an open mind, and a hunger for what's right, and please watch the video in the link below about EXACTLY what "All Natural" really means on your packaging. Peace out! http://www.upworthy.com/a-funny-video-that-makes-you-never-want-to-fall-for-this-natural-lie-again?c=upw1

Thanks www.onlyorganic.org for the great video!

Healthy Eater's Dream Snack!

2014-02-05T07:40:00.000-08:00

Happy Humpday Fellow Foodies!
I have decided to move my blog over to a new home. While I will still maintain "The Enlightened Chef", any and all new recipes, and thoughts will be found at "Low Country Larder
As a mom, I try to eat right, exercise, and get enough sleep (yadda, yadda, yadda). Usually I only accomplish those three things about 60% of the time, and usually not simultaneously. I am always on the hunt for some kind of snack food that is high on energy and nutrients and low on fat. If you are a health-minded individual then to you know how challenging this goal can be. We have, in the USA, sold our very souls to the gods of convenience, and the big food giants. We Americans love our crunchy, salty, soul-satisfying snacks more than any other culture. I am guilty of this love too. What's a mom to do?

After all, it's very easy to just grab a bag of chips, pretzels, etc...when you are busy running errands, taking to precious cargo to soccer, karate, playdates: well-you know!

So the other day, someone I know posted a recipe to Pinterest (I freakin' love that site), that is easy, healthy, delicious, and inexpensive to make. You can make it in big batches and store it in baggies. The best part? There is more than one best part: this is delicious, and nutrient rich, and vegetarian-friendly. The only real drawback is that there is sodium content, but it's a SNACK! Use a little discretion and you'll have not worries.

I did quite a bit of tweaking from the original recipe at "Being Vegan Eats", but the end result is still just as yummy! What is this magic snack? Here is the answer...

Spicy Garbanzo Snack

1 15.5 oz. can of Chickpeas/Garbanzo Beans
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. smoked paprika
dash of cayenne (strictly optional)
olive oil, for coating chickpeas
If you are feeling lazy: 1 tsp. Lawry's Season salt, and 1 tsp. smoked paprika instead of above!

Pre-heat oven to 300 degrees
Drain, rinse and pat dry the Chickpeas
In medium sized bowl, toss Chickpeas in olive oil
Add spices, coat Chickpeas thoroughly, spread out on a parchment lined sheet pan
Place in the oven for 60-75 minutes.

Stir them around every so often to ensure proper browning.

Remove from oven and let cool entirely before eating. You can store them in a zip top bag. If you need to re-crisp them, simply microwave the desired amount for 30-45 seconds. Allow to cool, and dig in!

I keep a little travel container in my car full of these little gems for when I am out running errands all day, and need a pick-me-up!

What's New and Beneficial about Garbanzo Beans

PLEASE click the hyperlink above for the full article.

There's now direct evidence about garbanzo beans and appetite! Participants in a recent study reported more satisfaction with their diet when garbanzo beans were included, and they consumed fewer processed food snacks during test weeks in the study when garbanzo beans were consumed. They also consumed less food overall when the diet was supplemented with garbanzo beans.
Garbanzo beans (like most legumes) have long been valued for their fiber content. Two cups provide the entire Daily Value! But the research news on garbanzos and fiber has recently taken us one step further by suggesting that the fiber benefits of garbanzo beans may go beyond the fiber benefits of other foods. In a recent study, two groups of participants received about 28 grams of fiber per day. But the two groups were very different in terms of their food sources for fiber. One group received dietary fiber primarily from garbanzo beans. The other group obtained dietary fiber from entirely different sources. The garbanzo bean group had better blood fat regulation, including lower levels of LDL-cholesterol, total cholesterol, and triglycerides.
In some parts of the world (for example, parts of India), garbanzo beans are eaten daily in large amounts and on a year-round basis. But a recent study has shown that we can obtain health benefits from garbanzo beans even when we eat much smaller amounts over a much shorter period of time. In this study, it took only one week of garbanzo bean consumption to improve participants' control of blood sugar and insulin secretion. Equally important, only one-third cup of the beans per day was needed to provide these blood-sugar related health benefits.
Garbanzos are a food you definitely want to keep on your "digestive support" list—especially if you are focusing on the colon. Between 65-75% of the fiber found in garbanzo beans is insoluble fiber, and this type of fiber remains undigested all the way down to the final segment of your large intestine (colon). Recent studies have shown that garbanzo bean fiber can be metabolized by bacteria in the colon to produce relatively large amounts of short chain fatty acids (SCFAs), including acetic, propionic, and butyric acid. These SCFAs provide fuel to the cells that line your intestinal wall. By supporting the energy needs of our intestinal cells, the SCFAs made from garbanzo fibers can help lower your risk of colon problems, including your risk of colon cancer.
Most garbanzo beans found in the grocery (especially canned garbanzos) are cream-colored and relatively round. This type of garbanzo bean is called the "kabuli-type." Worldwide, there's a far more common type of garbanzo bean called the "desi-type." This second type of garbanzo bean is about half the size of cream-colored type we're accustomed to seeing in the grocery, and it's more irregular in shape. The color is also different—varying from light tan to black. Researchers have recently determined that many of the antioxidants present in garbanzo beans are especially concentrated in the outer seed coat that gives the beans their distinctive color. Darker-colored "desi-type" garbanzo beans appear to have thicker seed coats and greater concentrations of antioxidants than the larger and more regularly shaped cream-colored garbanzos that are regularly found at salad bars and in canned products. Of course, it is important to remember that antioxidants can be found in both types of garbanzo beans and you'll get great health benefits from both types. But if you have previously shied away from darker-colored or irregularly-shaped garbanzo beans, we want to encourage you to reconsider and to enjoy all types of garbanzo beans, including the darker-colored and irregularly-shaped ones.

WHFoods Recommendation

Many public health organizations—including the American Diabetes Association, the American Heart Association, and the American Cancer Society—recommend legumes as a key food group for preventing disease and optimizing health. The 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans developed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (USDHHS) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recommends 3 cups of legumes per week (based on a daily intake of approximately 2,000 calories). Because 1 serving of legumes was defined as 1/2 cup (cooked), the Dietary Guidelines for Americans come very close to this as they recommend of 1/2 cup of cooked legumes on a daily basis. Based on our own research review, we believe that 3 cups of legumes per week is a very reasonable goal for support of good health. However, we also believe that optimal health benefits from legumes may require consumption of legumes in greater amounts. This recommendation for greater amounts is based upon studies in which legumes have been consumed at least 4 days per week and in amounts falling into a 1-2 cup range per day. These studies suggest a higher optimal health benefit level than the 2005 Dietary Guidelines: instead of 3 cups of weekly legumes, 4-8 cups would become the goal range. Remember that any amount of legumes is going to make a helpful addition to your diet. And whatever weekly level of legumes you decide to target, we definitely recommend inclusion of garbanzo beans among your legume choices. You will find that many of our recipes containing beans gives you the choice between using home cooked beans and canned beans. If you are in a hurry canned beans can be a healthy option. Unlike canned vegetables, which have lost much of their nutritional value, there is little difference in the nutritional value between canned garbanzo beans and those you cook yourself. However there may be some concern over the BPA content of canned products. To find out if the cans of your favorite canned beans are lined with BPA, you will need to contact the manufacturer. Your best bet to avoid BPA is to factor in a little more time to your meal preparation process and prepare beans yourself. See Healthiest Way of Cooking Garbanzo Beans below.

Garbanzo Beans, cooked
1.00 cup
(164.00 grams)

Calories: 269
GI: low

NutrientDRI/DV

molybdenum273.3%

manganese84.5%

folate70.5%

copper64.4%

fiber49.8%

phosphorus39.3%

protein29%

iron26.3%

zinc22.8%

This chart graphically details the %DV that a serving of Garbanzo beans (chickpeas) provides for each of the nutrients of which it is a good, very good, or excellent source according to our Food Rating System. Additional information about the amount of these nutrients provided by Garbanzo beans (chickpeas) can be found in the Food Rating System Chart. A link that takes you to the In-Depth Nutritional Profile for Garbanzo beans (chickpeas), featuring information over 80 nutrients, can be found under the Food Rating System Chart.

Health Benefits

Digestive Tract Support

Even though legumes are known for their fiber, most people do not know how helpful the fiber in garbanzo beans can actually be for supporting digestive tract function. First is the issue of amount. Garbanzos contain about 12.5 grams of fiber per cup. That's 50% of the Daily Value (DV)! In addition to this plentiful amount, at least two-thirds of the fiber in garbanzos is insoluble. This insoluble fiber typically passes all the way through our digestive tract unchanged, until it reaches the last part of our large intestine (the colon). Bacteria in our colon can break down the garbanzos' insoluble fiber into short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) including acetic acid, propionic acid, and butyric acid. These SCFAs can be absorbed by the cells that line our colon wall and can be used by these cells for energy. In fact, butyric acid is the preferred source of energy for the cells lining our colon. With the extra amounts of energy provided by SCFAs from the insoluble fiber in garbanzos, our colon cells can stay optimally active and healthy. Healthier colon cell function means lower risk for us of colon problems, including lower risk of colon cancer.

Unique Supply of Antioxidants

Many of our body systems are susceptible to oxidative stress and damage from reactive oxygen molecules. These systems include our cardiovascular system, our lungs, and our nervous system. Plentiful amounts of antioxidant nutrients are critical for the support of these body systems, and garbanzo beans are a remarkable food in terms of their antioxidant composition. While containing small but valuable amounts of conventional antioxidant nutrients like vitamin C, vitamin E, and beta-carotene, garbanzo beans also contain more concentrated supplies of antioxidant phytonutrients. These phytonutrients include the flavonoids quercetin, kaempferol, and myricetin (usually found in the outer layer of the beans), and the phenolic acids ferulic acid, chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, and vanillic acid (usually found in the interior portion of the beans). Depending on the type of bean and color/thickness of the outer layer, garbanzo beans can also contain significant amounts of the anthocyanins delphinidin, cyanidin, and petunidin. The mineral manganese—a key antioxidant in the energy-producing mitochondria found inside most cells—is also provided in excellent amounts by garbanzo beans. In fact, just one cup of garbanzos can provide you with nearly 85% of the Daily Value (DV) for this key antioxidant. An increasing number of animal and human studies clearly show the ability of garbanzo beans to reduce our risk of heart disease, and we believe that an important part of this risk reduction is due to the fantastic antioxidant make-up of these legumes.

Decreased Cardiovascular Risks

While epidemiologic studies don't always single out garbanzo beans from other beans when determining their relationship to cardiovascular disease, garbanzo beans are almost always included in the list of legumes studied when heart disease is the focus of diet research. Large-scale epidemiologic studies give us a great look at potential heart benefits from garbanzo beans, and the evidence shows garbanzo beans to be outstanding in this area. As little as 3/4 cup of garbanzos per day can help lower our LDL-cholesterol, total cholesterol, and triglycerides in a one-month period of time. This cardiovascular support is likely to come from multiple aspects of garbanzo beans and their nutrient composition. About one-third of the fiber in garbanzo beans is soluble fiber, and this type of fiber is the type most closely associated with support of heart health. As mentioned earlier in this Health Benefits section, garbanzo beans also have a unique combination of antioxidants, and these antioxidants clearly provide support for our blood vessels walls and blood itself. And while garbanzo beans are not a fatty food, they do contain valuable amounts of polyunsaturated fatty acids, including alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), the body's omega-3 fatty acid from which all other omega-3 fats are made. There are about 70-80 milligrams of ALA in every cup of garbanzo beans, and there are about 2 grams of other polyunsaturated fatty acids. Risk of coronary heart disease is one of the specific types of cardiovascular risks that has been shown to be reduced by regular intake of garbanzo beans and other legumes.

Better Regulation of Blood Sugar

No food macronutrients are more valuable for blood sugar regulation than fiber and protein. These two nutrients have an amazing ability to help stabilize the flow of food through our digestive tract and prevent the breakdown of food from taking place too quickly or too slowly. When food passes through us at a healthy rate of speed, release of sugar from the food is typically better regulated. Strong vitamin and mineral composition of a food - including strong antioxidant composition - can also help stabilize its digestive impact on our blood sugar. Given these basic relationships between nutrition and blood sugar control, it's not surprising to see garbanzo beans improving blood sugar regulation in research studies. We've seen studies in which participants consumed as little as 1/2 cup of garbanzo beans per day and still witnessed better blood sugar control in as little as one week. In animal studies, garbanzo-based improvements in blood sugar regulation have partly been linked to better control of insulin output and overall insulin function. We suspect that some of these blood sugar benefits are directly related to improved digestive function. Garbanzo beans are a fantastic food for providing our digestive system with nutrient support. Even though research studies have shown blood sugar benefits with as little as 1/2 cup servings of garbanzo beans, we recommend that you consider more generous single servings of this delicious legume, in the range of up to 1 cup.

Increased Chances for Satiety and Decreased Caloric Intake

We have been excited to see recent studies showing a positive relationship between garbanzo beans and weight management. The best single study we've seen in this regard has been a study that measured food satiety. "Food satiety" is the scientific term used to describe our satisfaction with food—how full it leaves us feeling, and how effective it is in eliminating our sense of hunger and appetite. Participants in a recent study were found to consume fewer snacks and fewer overall calories when supplementing their regular diet with garbanzo beans. They were also found to report greater food satiety, with experiences of reduced appetite and greater food satisfaction. We look forward to some large-scale studies in this area, and we expect to see a clear role being carved out for garbanzo beans in terms of weight loss and weight management. Along with their unusual combination of protein and fiber and their great ability to stabilize digestion, garbanzo beans also stand out as a food that is moderate in terms of calories. At approximately 270 calories per cup, we're talking about 10-15% of daily calories. In return for this moderate calorie cost, we get 50% of the DV for fiber and 29% of the DV for protein. Those nutrient amounts are great trade-offs for anyone struggling with weight loss or weight management.

History

Garbanzo beans originated in the Middle East, the region of the world whose varied food cultures still heavily rely upon this high protein legume. The first record of garbanzo beans being consumed dates back about seven thousand years. They were first cultivated around approximately 3000 BC. Their cultivation began in the Mediterranean basin and subsequently spread to India and Ethiopia. Garbanzo beans were grown by the ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Romans and were very popular among these cultures. During the 16th century, garbanzo beans were brought to other subtropical regions of the world by both Spanish and Portuguese explorers as well as Indians who emigrated to other countries. Today, the main commercial producers of garbanzos are India, Pakistan, Turkey, Ethiopia and Mexico.

Chinese Style Chicken and Mushroom Wontons

2014-02-04T12:47:00.002-08:00

Happy Tuesday Fellow Foodies!
I have decided to move my blog over to a new home. While I will still maintain "The Enlightened Chef", any and all new recipes, and thoughts will be found at "Low Country Larder" www.lowcountrylarder.blogspot.com
Today I had some leftover chicken to use up, so I made wontons with it for soup. Normally wontons are made with ground raw meat of some kind; such as chicken, pork, shrimp, crab, etc... The raw protein acts as a binder holding all the ingredients together, but since I used leftover, already cooked, chicken-I had to find another binder ingredient...enter leftover, cooked brown rice!

If you'd like to try this recipe with raw meat instead of cooked, just follow the recipe as written omitting the rice, and substituting in ground raw meat for the cooked chicken. Easy Breezy Lemon Squeezy!

As well, this recipe makes 5 dozen wontons. I usually use between 10-12 in a batch of soup, and simply freeze the rest for later. They keep about 12 weeks once frozen.

Chinese Style Wontons for Soup

8 oz. cooked chicken
1 cup cooked brown rice (white rice will do)
12 oz. shiitake or crimini mushrooms-quartered
1 Tbs. sesame oil
1/2 cup onion-diced
4 cloves garlic-minced
1 tsp. minced ginger
60 wonton wrappers
1 egg beaten with 2 Tbs. cold water

In a food processor, with the blade attachment in place, add the mushrooms and pulse until they are finely chopped up and looks like fine beach pebbles.

Remove from the food processor and do the same to the chicken

(if you are using raw meat, process until you have a fine pastes), remove the chicken from the processor and add the rice. Run the food processor until you have a thick pasty rice mash (if you know what MOCHI is, then you want a coarse looking mochi). Pour your sesame oil- please don't substitute a different oil here-into a hot sauté pan and cook the onions over medium low heat until they are translucent and golden brown-stirring often. Add the garlic and the chopped mushrooms, turn the heat up to medium high and cook stirring occasionally for 4-7 minutes, until most of the water has evaporated from the mixture.

Add the ginger and chicken, toss to combine everything. Remove the chicken and mushroom mixture to a bowl and allow it to cool to a workable temperature. Taste and adjust for seasoning. Add the rice paste and gently mix with your very clean hands until you have a smooth uniform consistency that hold a ball shape when you squish a little in your hand.

Lay out 5-10 wonton skins on your clean work surface, brush with the egg wash and place about 1-1.5 tsp. of chicken mix in the center of each skin.

Fold into a triangle and then fold the points of the long side together to make a wonton. I have put a brief (and very, very rare Video) together for you to watch below.

Now, simply bring your favorite soup recipe to a simmer, drop in as many wontons as you like, and cook for 4-6 minutes.

serve, and feel the love!

You can store the Wontons you don't use in the freezer for up to 12 weeks. Simply lay in one layer on a cookie sheet to freeze the for about an hours. Then transfer to an airtight container for long-term storage.

Sticky Buns (a half-homemade recipe)

2014-02-01T06:59:00.002-08:00

Happy Saturday, fellow foodies!
I have decided to move my blog over to a new home. While I will still maintain "The Enlightened Chef", any and all new recipes, and thoughts will be found at "Low Country Larder"
www.lowcountrylarder.blogspot.com
This morning I made Half-Homemade Sticky Buns. Are they healthy? NO! Are they an amazingly delicious once-in-a-while-treat? YES...yes they are!

Here is the recipe:

Half-Homemade Sticky Buns

1 1/2 tubes Flakey Pillsbury Grands biscuits

1/2 stick butter, melted

1/2 C Maple Syrup (please oh please use the REAL stuff!!!!!)

1/2 C Sugar 9you can use brown sugar if you like)

1/2 tsp cinnamon (optional)

3/4 C Toasted Chopped Walnuts (or pecans)

Spray a fluted pan liberally (seriously-go to town)with non-stick spray. Combine butter, sugar, and syrup in a small sauce pan.

Bring just to a simmer and remove from the heat.

Place about 3/4 of the syrup mixture in the bottom of the pan. Then sprinkle in the nuts-reserving about 2-3 Tbs. Lay the biscuits on the bottom of the pan, overlapping to form a ring.

Top with remaining syrup and nuts. Bake at 375 degrees for approximately 25-30 minutes or until golden brown.

Cool for 2 minutes in the pan, then invert onto a serving platter, eat warm.

YUM, YUM!!

Picky Eaters Suck!!!!! (and here's why...)

2014-01-31T06:43:00.001-08:00

Thank you, thank you, Amanda Nelson. You have just put into type exactly what I have been trying to say to picky people for years! My child eats what I cook , unless it's just too spicy, and then she get a sandwich or something simple. I hate, loathe, and despise super picky adults. I'm not talking about aversion to onions, or someone who simply doesn't like 1 thing. I know people who won't eat fish (or anything that came out of the ocean) at all, who won't eat steak at all, who won't eat anything green including herbs! Seriously, who the f*** are you people?

(Miso Roasted veggies, that a "dinner guest" refused to even try!)

As a Chef of 20+ years, I can relate to the frustration and rage of servers and cooks everywhere who have to deal with grown-ups ordering like toddlers. If you want a kid's meal, then ORDER A FREAKIN KID'S MEAL!!! Go eat some broccoli and get a life!

(caramelized Brussels sprouts-even my 7 year old scarfs these bad-boys down!)

Just so the "WEB POLICE" don't come after me, in full disclosure, I copied this article from the Huffington Post: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/food-riot/raising-open-minded-eaters_b_4698712.html

First appeared on Food Riot, by Amanda Nelson
What I'm about to say will remove me from the Hip Parent Club and place me firmly in the Old-Fashioned Parent Club along with dads who wear khaki shorts with white socks and sneakers and moms who require their children to say "yes, ma'am," so prepare yourself to throw stones my way: my children eat what I prepare, or they don't eat anything.
My reasons for this, like everything having to do with parenting, are personal: I don't have the energy or the time to be a short-order cook in my own home. I don't want my kids to think they can customize the world to their liking by having a tantrum when something happens to not suit their whims. I don't want them to eat only bread and cheese and bread and cheese (which is exactly what would happen if I let them pick their meals). Admittedly, there's also a bit of My Parents Never Made More Than One Meal And I Had To Eat What Was In Front Of Me And I Turned Out Alright, Dammit, with a side of Because I'm The Parent And I Said So.
All those reasons play a big role in my mean mommyhood, but there's also this big one: there is very little on this Earth that I find more irritating than a grown-up human being who is as picky as a child. Not just someone who is picky, but has high levels of pickiness combined with the demanding entitlement of a toddler. Being as picky as a child means someone's gumming up the works at a restaurant, asking 50 million unnecessary questions about the chicken breast they want and making all those substitutions, dear Lord, you are not in When Harry Met Sally. Being as picky as a child means that you're That Person at the dinner party making the host run ragged trying to accommodate how you just don't eat this or that and can't be bothered to eat around it (pickiness in the face of someone who is literally and figuratively serving you being the height of rudeness to my Southern sensibilities).
Being as picky as a child -- and I don't mean just not liking some things and carrying on about your business, I'm talking pickiness that negatively affects other people -- shows a weird dearth of open-mindedness, an "I like what I like and that's all that I like" nose-in-the-air 'tude that implies a lack of culinary adventuresomeness (similar to, ya know, a toddler's).
Well that got a bit out of hand. MOVING ON. So, I place a really high value on raising my kids to not be a pain in the ass when taking in other people's hospitality. To that end, dinner goes like this: I make a thing and serve the thing. The children are required to take one bite of the thing (I find this to be really important, especially since mine are young enough that any new food -- which, when you're 3, is still probably most of the foods -- is frightening).* If they do not like the thing, they are free to get down and go on their merry way. There's no after-dinner snacking because you're hungry because you decided not to eat the thing. There's no negotiation, there's no mommy making other things.**
The results so far: Who knows? They're only 3, they don't know what they like. They'll eat beans and quinoa and peas and goat cheese with no complaint, but won't eat any sort of leafy green, red peppers, eggs that aren't cooked the "right" way, chicken nuggets (what kid doesn't like... whatever), or really any meat. They'll chew on a raw onion with wild joy, then randomly decide that grapes are the devil's eyeballs. When they're older and have developed more firm ideas about actually not liking something (as opposed to just trying and failing to exert their will, toddler-style, in any way they can), I'll take those ideas into consideration when I make a meal.
But the best result of my mean-meanness is this: I only cook once per night and then I sit down on the couch, amen and hallelujah. And I hope I hope I hope that maybe it will mean that someday, when their adventures take them to the table of a stranger who is serving something unfamiliar, they'll eat it with an open mind and an of-course-I'll-have-some grateful attitude that they'll owe JUST THE TEENIEST TINIEST BIT to their parents.
*The American Psychological Association and the USDA say it can take a kid nine to twelve times to accept a new food, which is why I always require them to take at least one bite.
**Since this is the Internet and parenting is second only to politics in the rage it induces in the comments, let me go ahead and say these few things before someone else does: No, my children are not starving or even mildly unhealthy. No, refusing to cook separate meals for my children is not child abuse. No, I don't think this is the only way to create adventurous eaters -- it's just what works for us right now. And no, I'm not talking about children/people who have allergies or any other medical or ethical dietary restrictions. Carry on.

Moroccan Cinnamon Chicken with Orzo

2014-01-19T16:44:00.001-08:00

Happy Weekend, Fellow Foodies!

Here in the USA we love cinnamon. It is one of the most popular spices sold, but usually we only use in sweet preparations such as: Apple pie, apple sauce, hot apple cider, mulled wine, sweet rolls, mixed with sugar for our toast, ice cream, etc...

Cinnamon is so much more than just a dessert additive. In Indian, Middle Eastern, and Northern African cuisine, cinnamon is added to sauces and rubs in savory preparations. It is a wonderful spice that add so much depth of flavor, and zest to whatever it has been grated or sprinkled into. There are hundreds of recipes available on the net for preparing every kind of meat you care for with cinnamon, but here is one of my favorites. It is easy to make, and even though the ingredient list is a bit long you should have most of it already in your spice holder. You can use pork, or lamb, or even smoked tofu instead of chicken in this recipe, so there is no reason not to try it. If you don't want to use Orzo pasta you can simply cook a bit of your favorite rice in place of orzo too!

Moroccan Cinnamon Chicken with Orzo

1.5 Lbs. of chicken (white or dark meat, or a combination)-cut into 3/4 inch cubes
4 cloves (2 Tbs.) garlic
1 tsp. kosher salt
7-10 black pepper corns
2 tsp. smoked paprika (plain will work too)
1-3 tsp. excellent quality cinnamon (depending upon your personal tastes)
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper (OPTIONAL)
1 Tbs. first cold pressed olive oil (or any oil you have will do)
1 cup diced onions
1 cup raisins
2 cups petit peas
1/2 cup water (or chicken stock)
Garnishes of your choosing (see below)

12 oz. package orzo
1 Tbs. turmeric

With a mortar and pestle, crush the garlic along with the salt and pepper.

If you do not have a mortar and pestle just mince the garlic by hand. In the mortar, or a small bowl add the next 4 ingredients (and cayenne if using), and stir with a small spoon until you have a thick paste.

In a nonreactive bowl, place you chicken pieces and with your very clean hand mix the spice pastes and the chicken together. Allow to stand in the fridge for 20 minutes-24 hours.

When you are ready to cook: Heat a little olive oil in a 12 inch sauté pan over high heat until it begins to shimmer. Add the onion and turn the heat down to medium low. Cook the onions 9-12 minutes stirring often. Bring the heat up to high and add the chicken and spice mix, and toss with the onions to mix them together.

Cook for 3-4 minutes without disturbing to brown the meat darkly on one side. Add the raisins, peas, and water, and stir. Cover the pan turn the heat down to medium and allow the mix to simmer until the meat is cooked through.

Meanwhile bring about 4 quarts of water to a boil. Add the turmeric and orzo, and cook according to the package directions.

Once the chicken is cooked; remove the lid and allow the water to evaporate. Drain your cooked orzo and spoon onto your serving plates. Spoon some chicken mixture over the orzo and serve with a few garnishes on the side:

Chopped cilantro
French fried onions
Hot chili sauce such as Sriracha or sambal sauce
Pickled onions
Sliced pickled garlic
finely sliced green onions or chives
Oil cured (or Kalamata) olives-chopped
Cayenne Pepper

HEALTH BENIFITS OF CINNAMON

Blood Sugar Control – Several studies have found that Cinnamon has properties that help those with insulin resistance. It is therefore very popular with Type 2 diabetics who take it to control their blood sugar variations.

Ceylon Cinnamon is particularly popular because it has low levels of Coumarin. compared to Cassia Cinnamon found in your grocery store. In case you did not know Coumarin in high doses can cause liver damage.
in another study Ceylon Cinnamon was found to have an effect on blood sugar control in a rat model. If you are taking Ceylon Cinnamon for diabetes, take it in moderation as part of a healthy program of diet, proper nutrition and moderate exercise.
Candida Yeast Infections - Cinnamon has shown an amazing ability to stop medication-resistant yeast infections. This applies to Escherichia coli bacteria and Candida albicans fungus. This study discovered that Cinnamon Oil was one of three leading essential oils effective against Candida. Another study was found Cinnamon Oil to be effective against two strains of Candida, C. orthopedics and C. parapsilosis. A third study found that Cinnamon Oil was effective against three strains of Candida, Candida albicans, Candida tropicalis, and Candida krusei. Real Ceylon Cinnamon Tea infused with Cinnamon Bark Oil could be an excellent way to fight internal Candida infections and boost your immune system. For topical applications (except genital areas and mucous membranes) 1% Ceylon Cinnamon Leaf Oil mixed with a carrier oil could be an extremely effective treatment option.
Stomach Bug/Flu - By far and away the best remedy for a horrible stomach bug is Cinnamon. It make sense because Cinnamon is a powerful anti-bacterial. Research has shown Cinnamon is one of the most effective substances against (click the links for the research) Escherichia coli, Salmonella, Campylobacter. Another study found Cinnamaldehyde from Cinnamon Bark Oil in its various forms is effective against adenovirus. Another reason to have our Cinnamon tea which is infused with Cinnamon Bark Oil that has high levels of Cinnamaldehyde (over 75%).
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) – As a digestive cinnamon dramatically reduces the uncomfortable feelings associated with IBS especially the bloating. It does this by killing bacteria and healing infections in the GI tract and enabling the gastric juices to work normally. A Japanese study apparently showed it to cure ulcers but this cannot be verified. But if you do have stomach cramps or upsets, a cup of Cinnamon tea 2-3 times per day will dramatically reduce the pain.
Cancer Preventer – Research shows that Cinnamon oil is a promising solution in the treatment of Tumors, Gastric Cancers and Melanomas. Research studies show that sugar maybe causing or sustaining cancer cells and cinnamon may have a mitigating effect by controlling blood sugar levels in the body. Another study found good results with leukemia and lymphoma cancer cells. Cinnamon in its various forms has two chemical constituents called Cinnamaldehyde and Eugenol (From Cinnamon Oil). These have been used to develop nutraceuticals in this study that have proven fairly effective in fighting Human Colon Cancer Cells (Eugenol) and Human hepatoma cells (Cinnamaldehyde). So the evidence seems to suggest that Cinnamon is starving cancer cells of the sugar needed to sustain them.
Arthritis/Osteoporosis – The widely cited Copenhagen university study is a hoax. Most of the evidence that Cinnamon helps arthritis is from personal testimonials. Some people claim drinking Cinnamon tea helps the pain from arthritis while others claim a Cinnamon Oil based massage oil helps ease the pain.

What we do know is that Cinnamon has high levels (73% DV in two sticks of Cinnamon) of Manganese which is used to build bones, blood and other connective tissues, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. The body needs manganese for optimal bone health, so people who are deficient in the mineral are more likely to develop osteoporosis. Of course another factor causing Osteoporosis may be excessive dairy consumption.
Anti-Bacterial/Anti Microbial - Ceylon Cinnamon Leaf Oil is a powerful anti-bacterial and makes a great natural disinfectant. Cinnamon oil had the best anti microbial activity among three oils against Escherichia coli , Staphylococcus aureus , Aspergillus oryzae , and Penicillium digitatum.
Dilute it with water to disinfect kitchen counter tops, sinks, your refrigerator, door knobs, toys and many other things. If you have young children and don't want to use harsh cancer causing chemicals use Cinnamon Oil. Cinnamon sticks are also a good anti bacterial but you would need a lot of it to make a difference. If you want a mild disinfect, like to wash your face, then a couple of Cinnamon sticks boiled in hot water might be an idea.
Food Preservative – Cinnamon is effective in inhibiting bacterial growth. This maybe one reason why it is widely used in food preparation in hot Asian countries. In Sri Lanka, virtually every dish has a pinch of Cinnamon in it. In addition to great flavor, Ceylon Cinnamon in combination with other spices like Turmeric and Chili may have been an indigenous solution to preserve food without a refrigerator. This study for using Cinnamon Oil coated paper as a preservative found a 6% Cinnamon Oil solution was responsible for complete inhibition of mold in sliced bread packaging. This study listed on Feb 2013 also found cinnamon oil effective in developing insect resistant food packaging film. Cinnamon also came on top in this study, even against All spice and Clove Oil as very effective for making edible food film.
Odor Neutralizer – Pure Cinnamon Leaf oil not only smells great but is an effective odor neutralizer as it kills bacteria that creates bad odors and not just mask odors. All you need is 2-5 drops of Cinnamon leaf oil mixed with water on a diffuser and within minutes all odors are neutralized. Alternatively spray diluted Cinnamon Leaf Oil and wipe down toilets, floors and kitchen counter tops, garbage cans and the interior of vehicles to rapidly remove foul odors. Far better than any chemical sprays. It also has the effect of improving your mood. Especially great as a cure for the winter blues.
Alertness, Memory & Cognitive Development – According to a by Dr. Bryan Raudenbush, Director of Undergraduate Research and associate professor of psychology at Wheeling Jesuit University in Wheeling, WV. Cinnamon may keep you more alert and decrease your frustration when you are behind the wheel.

This hard to verify German study cited in this article those taking Cinnamon improved their response times and memory recall. While not scientific, our personal experience suggests pretty good results in alertness and concentration.
Anti-oxidant – With an ORAC value of 267536 μmol TE/100g (USDA 2007) cinnamon is one of the top seven anti-oxidants in the world. The suggestion is that Anti-oxidants reduce the formation of " Free Radicals " that cause cancer. A study found Cinnamon has sufficient anti-oxidant properties and makes for improved food palatability.
Weight Reducer – Cinnamon apparently has the effect of thinning your blood thereby increasing blood circulation. Increased blood flow generally boosts your metabolism which is why it may be helpful in weight loss. This blood thinning property of Cinnamon also helps it in acting as an anti clotting agent especially for those suffering from heart disease. However care must be taken to NOT to take it with other blood thinning medication. The main ingredient that causes your blood to thin is Coumarin which is present in high doses in Cassia Cinnamon (4%) but not in Ceylon Cinnamon (0.04%). However Coumarin causes liver damage. So taking Cassia Cinnamon for weight loss may end up causing liver damage.
Massage Therapy – Cinnamon is a well known warming agent. Combined with a carrier oil it is highly effective in relaxing and relieving muscle pain. Some put a few drops in their bath to relax and to sooth tired and aching muscles.
Anti-Fungal – Got a bad case of athletes foot? Perhaps a toe nail fungus? Cinamon's powerful anti fungal properties are the perfect natural alternative to killing the athletes foot fungus. You can use Cinnamon sticks or even better a few drops of powerful Ceylon Cinnamon Leaf Oil (not to exceed 1% cinnamon oil to water) and soak your feet. Usually good results in three days with the oil. Similar results for toe tail fungus.
Lowering LDL cholesterol & triglycerides – According to a Mayo clinic article the only possible way Cinnamon could lower cholesterol is indirectly via how the body processes sugar and fat. But there is no direct effect on cholesterol. Still another study in Pakistan found Cinnamon reduced triglyceride (23-30%), LDL cholesterol (7-27%), and total cholesterol (12-26%). A review in 2011 found The consumption of cinnamon is associated with a statistically significant decrease in levels of total cholesterol, LDL-C, and triglyceride levels, and an increase in HDL-C (the good cholesterol) levels, but qualified it by saying that applying it to patient care is difficult. Still, worth a try in our book.
E-coli Fighter/Salmonella – One of the most effective E-coli fighters because of its anti microbial properties. Mix cinnamon oil with hydrogen peroxide and spray your cutting board and kitchen sink especially after you have cut meats. Spray it in your refrigerator. It’s safe and natural. A concentration of 2 microl/ml from cinnamon was enough to inactivate Salmonella Enteritidis, E. coli, and L. innocua in apple and pear juices and 8 and 10 microl/ml from cinnamon for melon juice and tryptone soy broth.
Tooth Decay and Gum Disease – Again the anti-bacterial properties of Cinnamon play a crucial role in getting rid of harmful bacteria without damaging your teeth or gums. It’s one of the reasons that Cinnamon Oil is often used in chewing gums, mouthwashes, toothpaste and breath mints.
Nutrients – One teaspoon of Cinnamon Powder (a realistic dose) has 0.33mg (16% DV) Manganese, 0.76 mg (4% DV) Iron, 24.56 mg (2% DV) Calcium.
Insect Repellant – The anti microbial qualities of Cinnamon Leaf oil is often used for head lice treatment, black ant control, bed bugs, dust mites, and roaches. It is well known as a defense against mosquitoes'.
Cold, Sore Throat and Cough – At the first sign (within 5-10 minutes) of sniffles or an itch in your throat take some Cinnamon Tea or Cinnamon stick Tea. It is said to stop an impending illness in its tracks. Again this is related to the anti bacterial properties and warming properties of Cinnamon and its propensity to increase blood flow and thereby improve blood oxygen levels to fight illness. Chinese traditional medicine commonly recommends Cinnamon for phlegm coughs.
Alzheimer’s Disease – An Israeli study done at the University of Tel Aviv that found sufficient evidence to conclude that Cinnamon can delay the effects of five aggressive strains of Alzheimer's inducing genes. Another study also finds that orally administered Cinnamon extract has had good success in correcting Cognitive Impairment in Alzheimer's Disease in Animal Models.

The latest finding indicate that two compounds found in cinnamon — cinnamaldehyde and epicatechin — may be effective in fighting Alzheimer's. According to a study by Roshni George and Donald Graves in 2013, two scientists at UC Santa Barbara, Cinnamon has been shown to prevent the development of the filamentous “tangles” found in the brain cells that characterize Alzheimer’s.
PMS - Again because of the high levels of Manganese Cinnamon may be an excellent candidate to mitigate the effects of PMS. According to the University of Maryland web site women who ate 5.6 mg of manganese in their diets each day had fewer mood swings and cramps compared to those who ate only 1 mg of manganese. These results suggest that a manganese rich diet may help reduce symptoms of PMS. Another clinical study found that 46 patients with PMS had significantly lower amounts of calcium, chromium, copper, and manganese in their blood. You should not consume more than 11 mg of Manganese per day (about 12 cinnamon sticks) according NYU. FDA guidelines establishes a daily value of 2mg (about 2 Cinnamon sticks).
Depression/Reduced irritability/Mood Enhancer Ancient folklore says the smell of Cinnamon is the best cure for the winter blues. The only scientific evidence we can find to support this thoery is this study by Dr. Bryan Raudenbush, Director of Undergraduate Research and associate professor of psychology at Wheeling Jesuit University in Wheeling, WV. The study found that the scent of Cinnamon reduced driver irritability.

But Cinnamon may be an excellent cure for depression in a more round about way. There is some evidence that certain types of gut bacteria may make you more susceptible to depression. Cinnamon as a powerful stomach anti bacterial may help you remove the bad bacteria. However since Cinnamon removes both bad and good bacteria from your stomach you would be advised to repopulate your body with good bacteria by drinking a good probiotic or eating fermented food after taking Cinnamon.

Chocolate Caramel Crunch Cake

2013-12-28T07:22:00.001-08:00

Happy (Nearly) New Year fellow foodies!

Over the holidays I was super busy. It was wild and it was eventful, but I managed to cook for family and friends quite a bit. The dish that seems to have been most talked about and the recipe most asked for was a chocolate cake recipe containing mayonnaise. I know that sounds like it might come out weird, but I can assure you, dear reader, that mayo in a cake adds depth and richness, and-no-you don't taste the mayo in the final product.

So, once your diet-filled-no-cookie-eating January is over, try this cake for Valentine's Day in February. I guarantee it'll be one of your favorite go-to cakes!

Cake
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 3/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
3 large eggs
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 3/4 cups mayo (not low or no fat!)
1 Tbs. Vanilla
1 1/3 cups lukewarm water

Frosting
24 ounces dark or bitter sweet chocolate chopped into small bits
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/4 cup water
2 Tbs. light corn syrup
2 cups heavy or whipping cream
1 tsp. salt
3 cups (6 sticks-24 oz.) unsalted butter-at room temperature

1, 12oz. bag of Heath Bar Toffee Bits

Cake Assembly
Preheat the oven to 325F. Lightly coat 2 nine inch cake pans with nonstick spray and line the bottoms with parchment paper; spray again.

Whisk the first 5 ingredients together in a big bowl. Using an electric mixer with the paddle attachment in place, whip the butter and sugar until light and fluffy (about 4 minutes). Add mayo and vanilla and whip on high two minutes more. Turn the mixer off and add 1/3 of the dry mix. Turn the mixer onto low speed and slowly add 1/2 of the water. Mix until the batter is smooth. Add 1/3 more dry mix and the remainder of the water. Mix again on low speed until the batter is smooth. Add the last 1/3 of the dry mix and continue to run the mixer on low until you have a smooth creamy batter. Pour into your waiting cake pans. Bake for about 30 minutes. Transfer the pans to a wire rack and allow to cool completely before removing the cake layers from the pans (about 45 minutes).

Frosting Assembly
Put the chopped chocolate in a medium medal bowl. Find a pot that the bowl will fit on top of without falling into. Pour about 1 inch of water into the pot and bring it to a boil. Turn the heat off, but leave the pot on the burner and place the chocolate over the hot water, being very sure that the bowl does not come into direct contact with the water. Set aside.

Meanwhile, in your tallest pot, pour in the sugar, water, and corn syrup. bring this mixture to a boil, trying not to stir it more than once or twice. Allow the sugar mix to boil until it reaches a nice golden brown hue (about 315F on a candy thermometer). This take somewhere between 9-13 minutes, but please don't leave it unattended or you could have a mess of smoking burnt sugar on your hands-and no one wants that!

Once the mix has reached a golden brown hue, turn the heat down to medium low, and add a little cream-THIS WILL ERUPT AND BUBBLE VIOLENTLY-which is why you need your tallest pot. once the bubbles subside stir with a wire whisk and continue to add the cream a little at time until you have a smooth creamy caramel sauce. Add the salt and cook stirring for about two minutes to ensure all the sugar has dissolved. Pour the caramel over your now mostly melted chocolate, and gently whisk together. Place the mix on the counter and allow to cool to room temperature.

Using your electric mixer with the whisk attachment in place, whip the butter for about 5 minutes until it is fluffy. Add the chocolate caramel mix and whip on high for about 3 minutes more. Place the frosting in the fridge for about 30-45 minutes to chill it to a spreadable temperature.

Cut your cake layers on half horizontally, making four thin cake layers. Place on onto a round cake board or serving platter. And evenly cover with a thin layer (about 1/4 inch) of frosting. Repeat with your remaining layers. Evenly ice the cake's sides and top with remaining frosting. Hold your cake in the fridge until you are ready to serve.

Right before serving, pour the Heath Toffee Bits into a bowl, and scoop some into the palm of your hand. moving from bottom to top, smooth the bits into the side of the cake. This is a bit messy and you'll have toffee bits falling here and there. Just wipe them up with your hand and put back in the bowl as you work. You should use the entire bag of bits on your cake.

Serve and absorb the praise!!!!

Just a cute meme!

2013-12-01T12:57:00.002-08:00

Kimchee Kale

2013-11-19T15:09:00.000-08:00

Happy Tuesday Fellow Foodies!

If you've been reading my blog for a while, then you know that I have been on a mission to try the vegetables that I hated as a kid. I have had great success with this experiment. I have found that not only are cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, and corn not offensive, but that they are actually delicious!

Today I tackled something I never had as a child, and only once as an adult-KALE...

Kale is one of those greens that is in the cabbage family. It is very high in beta carotene, vitamin K, vitamin C, and rich in calcium. Kale is a source of two carotenoids, lutein and zeaxanthin. Kale, as with broccoli and other brassicas, contains sulforaphane (particularly when chopped or minced), a chemical with potent anti-cancer properties.Boiling decreases the level of sulforaphane; however, steaming, microwaving, or stir frying do not result in significant loss. Along with other brassica vegetables, kale is also a source of indole-3-carbinol, a chemical which boosts DNA repair in cells and appears to block the growth of cancer cells. Kale has been found to contain a group of resins known as bile acid sequestrants, which have been shown to lower cholesterol and decrease absorption of dietary fat. Steaming significantly increases these bile acid binding properties.

It is dark, and fibrous, and a little bitter.

For this reason I think most people in the past (and my mother-in-law in the present) boil the ever-lovin' shit outta this stuff. Thereby making the house stink to high heaven, and the kale taste like a 3 day old gym sock worn by a guy with fungal feet. JUST SAYIN'...

Kale is exceptionally healthful, as you read above, and I've wanted to try it again. So here is how I prepared it. I thought the recipe came out pretty yummy and I might even try it again soon.

Kimchee Kale

1 Tbs. veggie oil of your choosing
2 cloves of garlic-minced
1 bunch (or one bag from Trader Joe's) Tuscan kale
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup kimchee
1 tsp. soy sauce
2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
1 tsp. pure toasted sesame oil
sesame seeds to garnish (optional)

Heat the veggie oil in a large sauté pan. add the garlic and sauté for about a minute. add the kale, water, and soy sauce. Cover the pan and cook 2-3 minutes until the kale turns a bright, shiny green.

Remove the cover from the pan and allow the water to evaporate. Meanwhile slice your kimchee into thin strips.

Once the water has evaporated from the pan, add the kimchee, lemon juice and soy sauce. Toss everything together and finish with a drizzle of sesame oil. Pile high onto a few plate and garnish with sesame seeds.

* If you want to make the dish a little more exciting, add a few drops of SRIRACHA and toss before finishing with sesame oil.

Curry in a Hurry (or how to pick up a freind when she's down)

2013-11-18T11:28:00.001-08:00

Today a friend whom I taught all my culinary secrets and recipes to, my protégé if you will, (someone I consider a sister-in-arms) needed me. This girl has been through Hell and come out the other side so many times, I would swear to you that she and Satan are drinking buddies.

Without giving away too many details, she has a family member that is critically ill in the ICU. I went to be with her at the hospital, and while there I invited her back to my place for lunch. She loves Indian Cuisine as much as I do, so this is what we had. I hope it warmed her heart as must as it filled her tummy.

I Love Ya, Girlie-Girl!!!!!

Goan-Style Chicken Moelho
1.5 tsp. cumin seeds
1 tsp. black mustard seeds
1 tsp. chipotle powder (or Cayenne for a kick)
2tsp. paprika (I used smoked but hot or sweet work too)
1/2 tsp. turmeric
1.25 tsp. kosher salt
1 Tbs. red wine vinegar
4 cloves garlic-crushed and minced
1 1/2 Lbs. Chicken breast meat cut into 1 inch cubes
3 Tbs. Olive oil (I use clarified butter)
1 medium onion-julienned (about 1 1/2 cups
2 Tbs. white wine vinegar
1/2 cup water

Pulverize the cumin and mustard seeds in a mortal and pestle, or a spice grinder. Mix together with the next 6 ingredients. Place chicken in a nonreactive bowl, add the spice mix and massage into the meat with your hands. Allow to Marinate on the counter for 10-15 minutes or, cover and place in the fridge for 2-12 hours.

Pour the oil into a 14 inch sauté pan set over medium heat. When hot, add the onions and fry until golden brown. Add the marinated chicken and cook 7-8 minutes, allowing it to brown. Add the second quantity of vinegar and the water. Cover and cook 5 minutes more. Check seasoning and adjust the salt if needed. Serve with rice or Naan.

Fancy Yellow Rice

2 cups jasmine rice
1 tsp. turmeric
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. Fennel seeds
3 Tbs. olive oil or clarified butter
Chicken stock
Combine the first five ingredients and whisk together. Cook with the amount of chicken stock according to the package directions on the rice.

The veggie in this picture is sauté green beans with garlic and black mustard seeds, but today I made for my girlfriend "Aona no Goma Ae" or in English-

Spinach with sesame dressing:

1Lb. of fresh baby spinach
½ cup sesame tahini
¼ cup soy sauce
½ cup rice wine vinegar
grated ginger to taste
½ tsp. minced garlic
3 Tbs. sugar
black sesame seeds to garnish (optional)

Lightly wilt the spinach in in a hot sauté pan. Once wilted, place the spinach in a nonreactive bowl in the freezer for 5-6 minutes to chill it quickly. In a mixing bowl, place the tahini and SLOWLY add the soy sauce. As the mixture becomes thick add a little rice wine vinegar to thin the mixture back out. Whisk in the ginger, garlic, sugar, and sesame seeds toss a little into the spinach and set aside any extra dressing for a later use. The leftover dressing is delicious used as a marinade for chicken or pork. It can be used on any green salad, and is delicious as a dip for cook veggies, especially root vegetables like turnips, parsnips, and carrots. You can also substitute kale, mustard greens, turnip greens, or collards for the spinach. Just remember to cook the greens lightly as to not loose any vitamins.

Raviolis

2013-11-07T09:40:00.001-08:00

Happy Thursday, Fellow Foodies!

Today I made Raviolis. Not just any raviolis though: Yesterday I made, from scratch, Pimento Cheese, thus I made pimento cheese raviolis today.

You can fill your ravis with just about anything you like. You can also "sauce" them with tomato, or Alfredo sauce, or just tossed in some butter (the possibilities are endless) you can even float them in soup. I happen to be very fond of tasso ham and collard ravis in split pea or potato leek soup.

The filling and sauce combinations for raviolis are only limited by your own imagination and personal tastes. So here is my "Southern" take on the ravioli:

For the Dough

3 cups all-purpose flour
3 large eggs
6 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
1 cup Pimento Cheese *RECIPE BELOW

In the bowl of your food processor combine the flour and salt and pulse 2 to 3 times. In a liquid measuring cup whisk the eggs, water and oil. While pulsing the machine pour this mixture in a continuous stream and continue running the machine until the dough begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl. It will look loose and pebbly.

Empty the food processor bowl onto a clean work surface and knead the dough about 4 minutes until it is a stiff shiny ball. It should feel a bit dry and very stiff. Wrap the ball in plastic. Place in the refrigerator for 1 hour to rest.

If you are lucky enough to have a pasta roller, by all means use it, and roll your pasta to #2 thickness. If you are like me and have to use a rolling pin...then some patience will be required. Lightly flour your work surface, and with a rolling in, roll your dough to a thin 1/32 of an inch. Cut your dough in half as it will be easier for you to handle.

When you have your sheet ready to go, trim it to as even a rectangle as you can make. I fold my dough in half and use a pizza cutter to trim the edges to "match".

Cut the dough in half. Place 1 to 1-1/2 tsp. of pimento cheese about 1-1/2 inches apart on one sheet of dough.

Lightly beat an egg, and brush the egg over the second sheet of dough. Pick it up and stretch it very gently and lay it egg side down on the pasta sheet with the filling.

Starting with the ravis in the center and working outward, press the dough over the filling trying to squeeze out as much air as possible to form little pillows. You can cut them into whatever shape you like-I find using my pizza cutter to make squares or rectangles easiest. A small round or triangular cutter is nice as well if you have them.

Gently press the edges of your ravis to between your thumb and first finger to seal them tightly. Allow them to rest on a sheet of parchment or waxed paper while you proceed.

Bring a large stock pot of salted water to a boil. Drop in your ravis and allow to cook 3-4 minutes. Meanwhile in a sauté pan combine:

2 Tbs. butter (I used browned butter-but plain butter is easier-*see below)
1/2 cup pancetta cut into matchsticks

Cook over high heat until the pancetta starts to crisp, By now your ravis are done. Drain and add to the sauté pan. Toss to coat your pasta, allow the ravis to cook over high heat about a minute-just until they brown a bit (this adds textural interest), and serve garnished with Italian (flat leaf) parsley.

*Browned Butter
Heat a thick-bottomed skillet on medium heat. Add 1 to 2 sticks, sliced butter (sliced so that the butter melts more evenly) whisking frequently. Continue to cook the butter. Once melted the butter will foam up a bit, then subside. Watch carefully as lightly browned specks begin to form at the bottom of the pan. Smell the butter; it should have a nutty aroma. Remove from heat and place on a cool surface to help stop the butter from cooking further and perhaps burning. Use as you wish.

Pimento Cheese
8 oz. Shredded cheddar, 3/4 cup mayo, 4 oz. jar sliced pimentos-drained but not rinsed, 1/2 tsp. each onion powder, garlic powder and kosher salt. Mix Everything in a big bowl. Store in fridge for 24 hours before using. EASY BREEZY LEMON SQUEEZY!!!!

For traditional Ricotta filling combine 1 cup whole milk ricotta one large beaten egg and a pinch each or salt and pepper. Chill for a hour before proceeding.

Homemade yogurt-too easy not to do yourself!

2013-11-06T06:59:00.001-08:00

Happy Humpday Fellow Foodies!

I hate all the additives in commercially made yogurt, and I cannot always make the trek to Whole Foods or Trader Joe's. I love to make my own yogurt. I use skim milk for my recipe with great success, but even with whole milk the health benefits outweigh the fat content. So please give homemade yogurt a go, it only takes a few minutes of effort for an amazing amount of reward!!!!

I will admit that I just cut and pasted this article straight from the NPR webpage; http://www.npr.org/2013/11/06/243014945/yes-it-s-worth-it-to-make-your-own-yogurt?utm_content=socialflow&utm_campaign=nprfacebook&utm_source=npr&utm_medium=facebook

But as soon as I read it, I knew that I HAD to share it verbatim! This is uber-easy to follow. If you go out to the above link there are also several recipes for what to do with all of your beautiful new yogurt!

Happy Eating!

Homemade Yogurt

This is a simple recipe: a few tablespoons of pre-made yogurt gives the necessary base while the milk makes up the bulk of the yogurt. I have listed whole milk as the starting point but you may use non-fat, low-fat, (unsweetened) soy milk, etc., and the formula remains the same.

Makes 1 quart of yogurt
1 quart whole milk
1/4 cup plain whole milk yogurt
Have a 1 quart jar with a screw-on lid (or several smaller jars) ready and boil water. Pour the boiling water into the jar and let it stand for 5 minutes to sterilize it. Pour out the water and set aside.
In a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan heat the milk until it reaches 180 degrees on a thermometer. Remove from heat, keeping the thermometer in the pot.
When the temperature drops to 115 degrees, stir in the yogurt until thoroughly incorporated. Pour the mixture into the jar and screw on the lid.
Place the yogurt in a warm place and leave it undisturbed for 10 to 12 hours. You can wrap the jar with a towel if your house is a bit cool. For a thicker, tangier yogurt, let yogurt sit an additional 3 to 5 hours.
Refrigerate yogurt for at least 3 hours before eating.

Greek-Style Yogurt

You can make your homemade yogurt slightly thicker and more like Greek yogurt.
Makes 2 cups
Line a medium-large bowl with a piece of cheesecloth and dump 2 cups of homemade yogurt into the center of the cloth.
Bring the four corners of the cloth together and lift the yogurt over the bowl and twist the corners to squeeze out the liquid (it will drain through the cloth).
Continue squeezing to force the liquid out. When the majority of the surface liquid has been drained, it will start to drip more slowly. Tie off the top of the cloth just above the mass of yogurt with string.
Place the cloth containing the yogurt in a strainer or colander and place the strainer or colander in a bowl where it doesn't touch the bottom; liquid will continue to drain.
Place the bowl containing the strainer/colander in the refrigerator and let drain for 2 to 3 hours. After draining, take the cloth containing the yogurt and put it in the sink (do not remove the string). Using your hands, squeeze out any remaining liquid.
Remove the string, open the cloth and using a spatula, scrape out the yogurt into a bowl. Yogurt should be at least as thick as sour cream.

Kid Friendly Brussels Sprouts

2013-11-05T07:21:00.002-08:00

Happy Tuesday Fellow Foodies!

If you are a friend of mine, or have followed my blog for any length of time, then you know that there are certain foods that I have loathed since childhood; such as Kale, Cauliflower, Brussels Sprouts, Corn, etc...the list is longer than I care to admit being a chef.

My mother, whom I love, is your typical working mom of the 1970's-1980's. She has the double curse of not having enough time to put great effort into cooking, and she also learned how to cook from her 1950's era mother.

Now, please don't email me and tell me I have the whole "Americana Experience" wrong. When I grew up vegetables were either fresh and then cooked to a dead death, or every mother in American assumed they grew in a can. So most of the veggies that I consumed growing up (peas, green beans, corn, beets, what-have-you) came out of a can. The fresh ones, when we got them (Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, carrots, etc) were cooked to a mushy, yellow, stinky mess of ick! [Sorry mom, I love you- and it's not your fault, that's how Nana taught you to do it.]

So when I went to culinary school, my entire world opened up! I learned everything that they taught, but what made the most lasting impression upon me was that veggies were fresh, crispy, delicious gems of yumminess! It was a life altering experience that broccoli was tasty, and that cabbage didn't have to stink up the house when you cooked it!

With all that said there were still a few vegetables that I found most repugnant: Kale, Brussels sprouts, Cauliflower, and a few others. I have simply been avoiding them all these years, but now the game has changed, because I have a little kid. I don't want her growing up to be a picky eater, and while she eats and loves most veggies, I have not until recently served the vegetables that I dislike to her.

Enter a change of heart... A friend prepared roasted cauliflower for a dinner party a while back, and in a show of "grown-up-ed-ness" I had a helping. I found this dish not only inoffensive, but downright delicious! So began my journey into previously untried veggies, and recipes to cook them in a way that I and my 7 year old will enjoy them! Below you will find my Chili-lime Brussels sprout recipe that we both gobble up. It starts out kid-friendly and then it finishes with a grown-up kick.

The secret to enticing kids into eating their veggies, is to add a salt, fat, and acid. That may sound extreme, but a little soy sauce, sesame oil, and lime juice go a LOOOOOOOOOONNNNNNG way! Even kosher salt, a small amount of butter, and lemon juice can make a big difference to a kid's successful consumption of the mysterious green things they must eat to obtain dessert! So here is the recipe:

Kid-Friendly Brussels Sprouts

2 Tbs. sesame oil
1 Lb. Brussels sprouts
3/4 cup chopped onions
1 Tbs. minced garlic
2 Tbs. dark soy sauce (you can use regular soy sauce, but the finished product won't be a delicious)
2 Tbs. light brown (or coconut palm) sugar
juice of 1 lime
water

1-2 Tbs. Vietnamese Chili-Garlic sauce

Trim the heels off your sprouts and cut then lengthwise in half. In a 12-14 inch skillet heat the sesame oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook 3-4 minutes until lightly browned add the garlic and the Brussels sprouts, toss them all together to coat the sprouts with the oil. place the turn the heat to high and turn as many sprouts as you can to the cut (FLAT) side down in the pan.

Leave them undisturbed for 2-3 minutes, until they are nicely browned.

Meanwhile, mix the soy sauce, lime juice, and sugar in a one cup measuring cup. Add enough water to make 1/2 cup of stock. Once your sprouts are ready pour the soy sauce stock over them and toss gently. Allow them to cook for a minute or two, just long enough to evaporate most of the liquid, and you have a shiny glaze. Your sprouts should still be a bright green color, and have a slight al dente crispness-please don't overcook them, I will weep!

Remove a few sprouts for your kid(s), and then add the chili garlic sauce and toss to evenly coat the sprouts for the grown-ups! Serve with your meat, and starch of choice.

Basil Shrimp with Shichimi Togarashi Pasta

2013-10-22T06:32:00.000-07:00

Happy Tuesday Fellow Foodies!
I find myself now in Charleston, SC. This is where I will be calling home for the foreseeable future. There is a lot of amazing food and a great "food-culture" here in the Low County. Restaurants pride themselves on sourcing as much of their menu items as possible form the local, sometime boutique farms and farmer of the area. Charleston is an oasis of amazing cuisine in a vast dessert of southern fried everything.

One of the very best local products is the shrimp that is caught daily in the waters of South Carolina and Georgia.

I picked up a pound of locally caught shrimp the other day, and this is what I did with them:

Linguine with Shrimp Togarashi, and Basil Oil

Oil

½ cup basil

1 cup olive oil

Combine in a blender and puree. Strain through a fine mesh strainer. Throw away and bits left behind. Save the oil in the Fridge up to 2 months.

Pasta

1 Tbs. basil infused olive oil

1 small onion (or 1 whole shallot)-minced

The zest of 1 lemon-reserve fruit for another day

1 garlic clove-crushed

24 oz. clam juice

½ cup dry white wine

2 cups heavy whipping cream

1 Lb. Linguine, or your favorite ling pasta

1-1 1/2 Lbs. 24-30 count shrimp-peeled and de-veined

1 Tbs. Shichimi Togarashi

In a heavy sauce pan heat the oil and sauté the onions, lemon zest, and garlic over medium heat until onions are cooked through-about 5 minutes. Add clam juice and wine; simmer until the liquid is reduced to about 1 cup. Add the cream and continue to simmer until the cream mixture is reduced to 1 ½ cups. Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to package directions-minus 2 minutes of cook time: Thus, if your pasta directions say cook for 9 minute cook only 7.

Sprinkle the shrimp LIGHTLY (this stuff is super spicy) with the shichimi togarashi and sauté in 2 Tbs. of the basil oil until done. Once the pasta has cooked to within 2 minutes of al dente, drain and place into the pot of cream sauce. Allow the mixture to simmer for 2 minutes until most of the sauce has bee absorbed by the now perfectly cooked pasta. Place your pasta in your favorite bowls and top with shrimp. Drizzle with a few more drops of basil oil and serve ASAP!

NOTE: This recipe works well with little neck clams, scallops, and crab meat too!

Half Homemade Puttanesca Sauce

2013-10-14T17:52:00.000-07:00

Happy Monday Fellow Foodies!

you might have noticed that I have not been around a lot lately. That is because I have recently moved to South Carolina, and I am talking very recently: Like 2 days ago!

So while I'm waiting for the movers to arrive with my stuff, I and my family are staying with my mother in law. To thank her for putting us up for so long while the movers take the Slow Road, I decided to make pasta Puttanesca for supper tonight. Since her kitchen is not nearly as stocked with équipement as mine is, I decided to go with a half-homemade route! The sauce came out so yummy, I thought I should share it with the world.

Half-Homemade Puttanesca

1 Jar of very good quality maranara sauce (Classico, Newman's Own, etc...)

3 Tbs First cold pressed, extra virgin olive oil

1 small onion finely diced

2 cloves garlic-minced (about 1 Tbs.)

1 cup pitted Kalamata Olives -coarsely chopped

1/2 cup capers

Grated parmesan cheese to garnish

12-16 ounces Pasta of your choosing

Place a medium sized stock pot over medium high heat. Add the oil and heat until shimmering. Add the onions and turn the heat down to medium and slow cook the onions for 8-12 minutes. Until beginning to brown. Add the garlic and cook 2-3 minutes more. Pour in the entire jar of sauce. Bring the mixture to a simmer, and add the capers and olives. If you'd like add a little of your favorite wine to perk up the flavors.

While the sauce is reducing, cook your pasra according to the package direcrions-minus one minute of cook time. Once the pasta is done, drain it completely and add it to your sauce. Toss everything together and allow to cook one minute more. Serve garnished with parmesan cheese. Yum, yum!!!

NAAN Bread

2013-09-24T20:32:00.000-07:00

Hola Fellow Foodies!

This week I was feeling nostalgic for my favorite Indian Restaurant, which I happened to discover, back in Japan. I have never been to India and I cannot say if this particular establishment was in the least bit authentic, but I can assure you that the food was amazing, and their NAAN bread was from Heaven itself.

After considerable begging and convincing of the Indian owner that I was not going to open a competing restaurant, he gave me his NAAN recipe.

I had to alter it a bit, as no one (myself included) in the USA happens to have a Tandoori oven handy. I do think , however, the final result is so close to the original tandoori NAAN, that you will be glad you gave this recipe a go!

Chef Julie's NAAN Bread
1/2 ounce (2 packages) active dry yeast
2 cups warm water
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup plain yogurt
6-7 cups bread flour
2 tsp. kosher salt

1/2 Lb. Clarified or melted warm butter

Combine the yeast and the water in a mixing bowl. Allow to sit for about 10 minutes, until the yeast is bubbly. Add everything else, EXCEPT THE MELTED BUTTER, to the party, and with your dough hook, mix on low speed for 5-7 minutes. You may need to adjust for moisture and flour depending on your ambient temperature and humidity. Once you have a shiny, tight ball of dough you are ready to proceed.

Oil the mixing bowl around the dough. Cover the dough in the bowl with a double layer of plastic wrap, an let rise for 60-75 minutes-until doubled. Transfer the dough to a clean lightly floured surface and knead for 3-5 minutes until smooth and elastic. Roll the dough into a long cylinder and cut into 12 equal parts. Roll each cut bit into a ball. Cover the balls with plastic wrap, and preheat your over to 500F.

Once your oven is up to temperature, place a cookie sheet upside-down on the lower third of the oven. Take three balls of dough and stretch then out with the palms of your hands to a 4x12 inch flat sheet of dough.

Toss the sheet onto the upside-down cookie sheet and cook 2-3 minutes per side.

Remove for the oven and liberally brush with: Clarified or melted butter.

Repeat the baking process until all of the bread dough is baked off. Serve immediately, or store in the freezer for up to 12 weeks.

VARIATIONS:
1) Use buttermilk instead of water for a tangier tasting bread
2) Add fresh minced herbs or garlic at the end of the first kneading cycle in your mixer
3) Brush a little egg wash onto your dough and sprinkle with minced fresh herbs or garlic
4) Sprinkle on a little Turmeric, or Paprika after brushing with butter to enhance the color and taste of the NAAN