OB Cookie

Pear, Cheese and Almond Mini Galettes

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 09 Dec 2013 20:36:00 +0000

The pear is an underappreciated fruit, especially in baking. Pears are cheap, sweet and abundant in the late fall and early winter. These desserts would be perfect for a party—they are handheld but more substantial than a cookie. The crust is slightly sweet and fortified with almond paste, which is a little pricey but completely worth it.

The crust is brought together similarly to pie crust, then set to chill. A cream cheese and brown sugar mixture is then plopped on top and then a quarter pear. 20 minutes in the oven, and you have a very special Christmas dessert.

Pear, Cheese and Almond Mini Galettes

Makes 20

For the crust

2 cups all purpose flour

4 oz chilled almond paste (not almond meal)

1 stick very cold butter cut into cubes

pinch salt

3 tbsp sugar

¼ cup plus a few tbsp ice water as needed

Cream cheese mixture

8 oz cream cheese

¼ cup brown sugar

zest of one lemon

½ tsp almond extract

5 small pears or 4 medium pears, peeled, cored. The pears should be slightly under-ripe but still juicy.

juice of ½ lemon

2 tbsp sugar

1 tbsp flour

Finishing sugar

In a mixing bowl combine butter, flour, almond paste, salt and sugar with a pastry cutter until well blended and the butter is in small pea-sized pieces. Carefully with your fingers, blend the mixture together until it begins to combine. Add the ice water 1 tbsp at a time and combine by hand until the mixture comes together easily in your hands. Without working the dough too much, bring the dough into a ball and divide in two and cover in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Soften the cream cheese and whisk in the brown sugar, lemon zest and almond extract. Put aside.

Peel and core the pears. Cut lengthwise and then then again widthwise into quarters. If you have larger pears, then slice lengthwise and divide the width into thirds. You want pear sizes that can fit into each small galette. Put the sugar, flour, pears and lemon juice in a bowl.

Preheat the oven to 350. Take the dough out of the freezer. On a heavily floured surface, roll out the dough to 1/8 inch thick. I didn’t have a 4” diameter cutter so I used a large wine glass. Use whatever you have—a small bowl, or just cut them with a knife. They are free-form so they don’t have to be perfect. After you have cut out your crust, place ½ tbsp of the cheese mixture and then a pear slice on top. Crimp the edges to fold around the pear. Sprinkle a heavy dose of finishing sugar (plain sugar will work just fine) and place on a baking sheet covered in parchment paper. Bake for 20 minutes or until the bottoms are slightly brown and the crust has set. Allow to cool and enjoy!

Chocolate Crepe Cake with White Chocolate Peppermint Mousse

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 07 Dec 2013 17:49:00 +0000

I’m pretty proud of myself for this one. I have loved crepes for many many years and used to subsist on them in medical school. This dessert would be perfect for Christmas dinner. It is chocolate crepes wedged between a simple white chocolate peppermint mousse. After it has chilled, the whole cake is doused in a glossy chocolate ganache and topped with powdered sugar. The dessert is sweet but not overly sweet.

Getting the technique down for making the crepes can take a bit of practice. The beauty is that if you need some freebies you can easily make another half batch of batter to get enough crepes for the cake. The first few crepes are rarely perfect. You need about 20 for the beautiful layering effect.

I’m not usually a big fan of nonstick pans, but they are essential for having good results for the crepes. I have a dedicated 9 inch crepe pan, however you could use any 9 inch non-stick pan with similar results. Tricks to making good crepes include making sure your pan is not too hot, medium to low medium heat should be plenty. The batter should be thin enough to easily coat the whole pan before the batter cooks –the excess can be poured off. If your batter is too thick, then add some extra milk. The video here is a good visual however I don’t think the butter to coat the pan is necessary and he doesn’t pour off excess batter. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uNIcZSt_I0E

Chocolate Crepe Cake with White Chocolate Peppermint Mousse

For the mousse

2 cups whipping cream

¼ cup powdered sugar

10 oz white chocolate

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp peppermint extract

3 oz candy canes

For the crepes

2 cups milk

6 eggs

1 cup flour

½ cup cocoa powder

2 tsp espresso powder

¼ cup powdered sugar

2 tsp vanilla

½ stick melted butter

pinch of salt

For the ganache

6 oz semisweet or bittersweet chocolate

½ cup heavy cream

Extra powdered sugar for the top of the cake.

For the mousse. In a mortal and pestle or in a plastic bag with the back of a pan, pulverize the candy canes until it is a fine powder. A few slightly larger pieces of candy cane are ok. In an electric mixer, whip the cream with the powdered sugar until soft peaks form. In the microwave on high heat in a glass heatproof bowl, melt the chocolate (if it is a whole block, then chop up the chocolate) for 30 seconds. Remove and stir. Again, cook the chocolate in the microwave, this time for 20 seconds. Stir. If your chocolate is not completely melted, cook for 10 seconds at a time until melted. Do not overcook as white chocolate can seize easily. Fold the white chocolate, peppermint, vanilla and candy canes into cream. Chill the mousse.

For the crepes—in a blender sift the cocoa and espresso. Add the eggs, milk, sugar and vanilla. Blend on high for 30 seconds. Add the flour and blend until well combined and there are no lumps. Add the melted butter and pulse for a few seconds. Strain the batter. Over medium heat with a nonstick pan, pour about 2 tbsp batter into your 9 inch non-stick pan. Swirl around the batter until it coats the entire pan and pour off any excess batter back into the bowl. Cook the crepe until small bubbles form and the edges begin to separate from the sides of the pan. Flip the crepe and cook for another 10-20 seconds. Place the crepes on a plate and continue until you run out of batter. When you are done, place the crepes in the fridge and chill.

To assemble the cake. Using a 9 inch springform pan with a piece of parchment paper on the bottom, stack the crepes and place a thin coat of mousse between each crepe. Continue until your run out of mousse. Chill. When ready to glaze with ganache, invert the cake onto a cake stand and remove the base of the springform pan. To make the ganache, mix the chocolate and cream in a heatproof glass bowl and microwave for 30 seconds, 20 seconds then 10 seconds as above, stirring between each until the chocolate is melted into the cream. Pour on the cake while it is still cold and spread around the sides to completely frost the cake. Clean off the excess.

I made a stencil for the snowflake using the template found here:

http://www.altogetherchristmas.com/crafts/stencils.html. I printed the stencil and then using an exacto knife cut out a replica on a piece of cardstock. Then sift powdered sugar over the stencil on the cake. To slice, run a very sharp knife under hot water and dry. Serve and enjoy!

Roasted Cauliflower and Barley Salad with Caesar Dressing

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 05 Dec 2013 01:36:00 +0000

Merry Christmas! I have a few minutes to spare. I am going to TRY and post some fun recipes for Christmas and I have some good ideas for salads, appetizers and deserts. Salads seemed like a good place to start—as a good recovery from Thanksgiving (for now) and also as a nice accompaniment to a main course (for Christmas).

This warm salad is substantial enough for lunch or a light dinner, but would also taste great with a roast or fish. Roasted cauliflower is probably one of the best foods in the world, and something about a smooth coat of egg, garlic and parmesan from the Caesar dressing makes it so luxurious. Don’t be scared of the sugar, it just helps it become more crispy brown—it doesn’t make it too sweet. The egg, not unlike carbonara, coats the grain and cooks through, so don't fear the raw egg.

1 head cauliflower
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp kosher salt
2 tsp olive oil
1 tsp pepper

8 ounces barley

1 egg yolk
1 clove garlic
2 tbsp. lemon juice (from 1 to 1/12 lemons)
1/4 cup grated parmesan
pepper
1 anchovy fillet
pinch salt
1 tsp pepper
1/4 cup olive oil

4 sprigs thyme, leaves picked, finely chopped

1/2 cup pine nuts

Preheat the oven to 400. Cut up the cauliflower into florets and spread them on a cookie sheet lined with foil. Sprinkle the salt, sugar and drizzle the olive oil. Cook the cauliflower until golden, approximately 25-30 minutes. On a separate baking sheet, bake the pine nuts for 5 minutes at 400 when the cauliflower is almost done.

Cook the barley in salted boiling water according to instructions. (I bought parboiled barley and cooked for 12 minutes). Drain when tender.

To make the dressing, combine egg yolk, garlic, lemon juice, pepper, pinch of salt and anchovy in a blending. Add the oil slowly and then the parmesan. Blend for 1 minute until creamy. While the barley, pine nuts and cauliflower are still warm, combine all ingredients in a bowl including the thyme. The warmth of the salad should cook the egg through.

Sherry Poached Apples

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 15 Oct 2013 00:21:00 +0000

I just got back from a wonderful trip to New England. How luxurious to sneak a few fall days in with beautiful leaves, lattes and gingerbread pancakes. I even got lucky enough to spend a few days with my lovely grandfather who took me apple picking. The trees were full of red beauties—we picked up Cortlands, Empires and Pinovas.

I made a similar dessert a few weeks ago for a party using pears. I avoided using cinnamon, instead opting for a combination of vanilla bean, fresh ginger, cardamom and black peppercorns. Sherry is a great wine to use for dessert. This dessert is easy to make and keeps well in the fridge. The syrup cooks down to a rich caramel that is beautiful warmed and drizzled over ice cream.

It’s still hot as heck here in Dallas, but I’m going to pretend it is fall and make a simple fall dessert. Humor me, ok?

Sherry Poached Apples

4 large apples good for baking, peeled, cored and quartered

1 750ml bottle sherry

2 cups water

1 cup sugar

1 knob ginger, peeled and thinly sliced

1 tsp black peppercorns

½ vanilla bean, scraped

2 green cardamom pods

pinch salt

In stockpot, bring sherry, water, sugar, ginger, peppercorns, vanilla bean scrapings and pod, cardamom and salt to boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium low, add apples, cover and cook for 15 minutes or until apples are tender but not mushy. Remove apples and set aside to cool.

Bring heat back to medium high and cook liquid down until it is a thick, dark syrup, about the consistency of maple syrup, will yield about ¾ of a cup. This will take about 20 minutes at least. Allow to cool and strain. Serve with vanilla ice cream. If you refrigerate, allow to reheat in microwave on high for 1 minute.

Cannellini, Tuna and Herb Salad

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 15:30:00 +0000

This is the perfect summer lunch. Light, refreshing and healthy with a huge dose of fresh herbs. You can use whatever herbs you have on hand, parsley and mint are always excellent, rosemary and tarragon would also taste delicious. This salad would be great on sandwiches, on lettuce or just by itself served with hard boiled eggs, avocado and tomato. The options are really endless.

2 cans tuna drained

1 15 oz can cannellini beans drained and rinsed (other white beans such as great northern would also be good)

1 cup loosely packed roughly chopped herbs. I used a combination of parsley, mint, dill, basil, lavender and thyme

juice of 2 lemons

2 tbsp sherry vinegar (red wine vinegar would also be good)

1 tbsp Dijon mustard

1 tsp salt

1 small shallot finely chopped

pepper

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

Make the vinaigrette by adding the herbs, lemon juice, vinegar, mustard, shallots, salt, pepper and oil. Allow to sit 5 minutes to let the herbs soften. In a large bowl, combine tuna and beans and then add the vinaigrette. Combine everything. Enjoy!

Spicy Thai Eggplant Dip

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 00:01:00 +0000

How’d that happen? I started this blog when I was a 4^th year medical student, anxiously awaiting the future. Tomorrow is my first shift as a 4^th year resident running a busy labor and delivery. Residency has been no doubt the hardest thing I’ve ever done, but in many ways, also the easiest. I love what I do and feel so blessed by the challenges and rewards of my job. I sure hope I learn a lot this year before I am released into the wild!

In residency you can really only have one hobby and even though I continue to cook, keeping up this blog has proven to be very difficult. I still exercise with frequency, which is no minor feat to stay in shape through my busiest year. Hopefully I’ll have more time in the next 12 months to update here.

I have been able to keep the weight I lost off for more than a year (!) and even gave all of my old clothes to the women’s shelter—my closet now filled in with new attire. Who needs all of that temptation in the form of flowy dresses and baggy jeans sitting in the back of the closet?

In attempt to stay thin, I have been cooking many more healthy foods. I will try and post healthy and easy recipes this summer for everybody to try. The easiest way to eat well is to buy and prepare your own food, eating whole grains, lean proteins, fruits and vegetables. Eating well is completely delicious by using herbs, spices and lots of fresh produce. And, unfortunately for my husband, bake less.

This recipe is based off an appetizer that is served at one of our favorite restaurants near our house. The tangy eggplant dip is served with sticky rice, which is used as a chip of sorts to scoop it up. It could just as easily be served with pita or tortilla chips and be equally delicious. I emulated the recipe and wanted to amp it up a bit by grilling the eggplant, peppers, garlic and shallots that go in. I know sticky rice isn't a whole grain but, oh well, it's good.

Spicy Thai Eggplant Dip

1 eggplant

4 green or red thai peppers (more if you like really spicy)

1 shallot whole

2 cloves garlic in their shell

6 kaffir lime leaves (can be found at Asian grocery stores, or if you are my neighbor, I have a plant)

1 handful of cilantro, stems and leaves

juice of 1 lime

2 tbsp fish sauce

salt and pepper to taste

1 tsp sugar

2 tbsp vegetable oil

Wrap the whole shallot, garlic cloves and peppers in a foil packet. Cut the eggplant in half and prick it with a fork all over. Grill the eggplant and peppers until the eggplant is tender, about 30-40 minutes. Peel some of the eggplant (I like the texture of leaving some of the peel and it has more fiber) and cut the eggplant into cubes. In the food processor, add the peeled shallots, garlic, peppers, lime leaves. Add the lime juice, fish sauce and sugar. Roughly chop the cilantro and add. Whiz all of the ingredients until everything is combined and then slowly add the oil. Serve room temp or cold with sticky rice or chips.

Superbowl Snack Stadium

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 02:30:00 +0000

A couple of weeks ago, I saw a picture of a snack stadium on the internet. I knew then that I had to make one for the superbowl. Let me tell you people, marry an engineer. My wonderful husband designed, crafted and wired a beautiful stadium out of foam board and then completed it with lights and a working LCD screen with our own advertising. All I had to do was fill it in with spinach artichoke dip field and crab dip end zones. I painted the lines with sour cream and filled the stands with chips, veggies, dips and brownies. Let's just say we had fun.

Merry Christmas Everyone

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 10 Dec 2012 22:43:00 +0000

Merry Christmas Everyone

Have been busy. Things happened. Including not blogging and delivering my first set of triplets.

Andy and me after we finished running. Look tired? I can't walk.

Running a lot. Every Sunday a 10 mile jog around the lake leading up to running a half marathon yesterday, and now limping around. I think I bummed my knee. Anybody know a good orthopedist?

My publishing debut

Getting published in a cookbook. This humble potato soup recipe, one of my first blog entries, was picked by the editors of a lovely website Food52 to be published as part of a compilation of recipes on their website. The cookbook is beautiful and is evidence of the wonderful and inspiring home cooks across America. You should buy it for Christmas.

Baking hundreds of cookies, including these beauties. I just love the Christmas palms. Frosting them took forever but I think they were worth it. Here is a good guide about how to decorate sugar cookies with royal icing. I used Martha Stewart's Baking Handbook for my recipes.

These cookies were inspired by this lovely idea. Basically, they are citrus based cookies (I used James Peterson's pate sucree and added the zest of 2 grapefruits and 2 oranges) with a grapefruit juice glaze and charred brulee style with a torch. They have that lovely crispy deep caramel flavor that I just love.

And I've also been doing just a bit of work.

How have you been?

Polenta and greens casserole

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 10 Sep 2012 23:12:00 +0000

The last few months have been some of the most challenging of residency. I felt stretched to the limit of emotional and mental energy. 4am and I became great friends.

The greatest challenge is fitting “it all” in. There are only 24 hours in a day. With work between 12 and 16 hours a day plus commuting to work, bathing, and dressing, what does that leave? At least I’m lucky enough to be able to come home every night as we have a night float system.

What is “it all” then? There’s no such thing. For me, making dinner, exercising 3 to 4 times a week, sleeping, spending time with my husband and occasionally meeting a friend is enough. Long gone are the days of piano lessons, reading Madame Bovary, and watching Law and Order marathons.

But sometimes I need those piano lessons and Law and Order marathons to feel like me. And sometimes I need “me” to be there when my patients are sick and asking hard questions. So thank God for some moments of peace and quiet for the past couple of weeks. Thank God for sleep and books, mountains and fresh air. Bless the hour I had to sit in front of the stove on a Sunday afternoon and lazily stir polenta.

I shouldn’t complain. I should be grateful to have a job at all, especially one that I like that’s fulfilling. It could always be worse, much much worse. But I want my life to be great. So, I’m just going to keep trying to find those moments just for me to make me me. Keep stirring my polenta.

This polenta casserole could be lasagna’s green, vegetarian, gluten free cousin. It is a great main course but also a wonderful side dish. It is quite rich but also very healthy, thanks to a properly made polenta that tastes rich with just salt and water. It is topped with a layer of green veggies and a small layer of cheese and butter to help it brown. The beauty of this dish though is that it could be an afternoon affair or very quick to prepare. It could be made with pre-cooked polenta in one of those plastic tubes and topped with frozen spinach which would still be delicious.

Polenta and greens casserole

4 cups cooked polenta***

2 cloves garlic

4 eggs

½ cup skim milk

1 can artichokes in brine

2 bunches fresh greens (I used yellow beet greens and brocollini) but the options are endless, kale, chard and spinach would all be wonderful

½ lb brussel sprouts quartered

6 oz fresh mozzarella

¼ cup fresh parmesan grated

1 tbs unsalted butter

salt and pepper

chili flakes

Make the polenta or unwrap it. Pre-heat the oven to 375. Butter an 8x8 casserole. Pat down the polenta into the bottom of the casserole in an even layer. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Blanch the greens in the boiling water for 5 minutes. Remove the greens and strain but keep the water boiling. Chop the greens and wring out all of the water by squeezing them in your hands or through a strainer. Blanch the brussel sprouts for 5 minutes in the same water as the greens. Do not press but drain well as you want the vegetable layer to have as little water as possible. Drain the artichokes, chop and wring as much liquid as possible from them. In a medium bowl whisk the eggs and milk with salt and pepper until the eggs are foamy and a paler color. Add the vegetables, chili flakes and garlic to the egg mixture and stir to combine. Layer the egg mixture on top of the polenta. Thinly slice the mozzarella. Evenly distribute the cheese on top of the casserole. Add the grated cheese. Cut the butter into very small pieces and place on top of the casserole. Bake for 45 minutes at 375. Increase the temp of the oven to 450 and bake for another 10 minutes until golden and bubbly.

****To make the polenta, I stole the recipe/idea from Marcela Hazan. You need 7 cups of heavily salted water boiling over medium high heat in a large pot. With 1 2/3 cups of Italian polenta add the corn meal grain by grain through your hand over boiling water, constantly stirring to avoid lumps. Continue to stir. Once the mixture starts to be violent and sputter, reduce the heat to medium-low or until there are only a few bubbles emerging from the polenta. Continue to stir constantly with a wooden spoon. After about 45 minutes, the mixture will be thick and will completely come off the sides of the pot.

Easy as Fudge, Four Ingredient Fudge Pops

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 16 Jul 2012 14:44:00 +0000

Greetings from the faraway lands of third year of residency. I’m busy. This is the fourth month in a row that I have to get to work at 5am. I took advantage of the business to put myself on a diet and start exercising to keep myself sane. And I lost 15 pounds.

I was never fat, but as happens to most of us, I used to be much thinner. A couple of months ago, I was reading the 2011 Medscape survey of practicing OB GYNs across the country. I was shocked at how few docs in my age group exercised and that almost 40% of all OB/Gyns were overweight. As I am now half done with residency and starting to prepare for life as a practitioner, I want to be healthy and have good habits.

It is amazing how much more energy I have back at my high school weight. Exercising is easier, and eating vegetables, lean proteins and whole grains doesn’t bottom me out, so I spend less time feeling like I got runover by a Texas truck. People at work ask me how I lost so much weight, and really the answer is simple. I downloaded an app for my phone called Lose It that helps you track your daily caloric intake. I ate between 1300-1500 calories a day for 2 months and exercised.

Now I’m trying to keep a happy balance. I am back to a 2000 calorie diet, but keeping healthy habits that got me here. Still, this girl can’t cut out dessert. So, here is something delicious and rich, but less dangerous than two dozen cookies. I figure that each of these fudge pops is about 120 calories apiece, but made only from real ingredients. And they couldn’t be easier. No guar gum or any of that crap.

Luscious fudge pops

4oz high quality dark chocolate (I just love Callebaut and you can buy blocks at Whole Foods)

1 12 oz can fat free evaporated milk

2 tbsp brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla

Popscicle molds (we bought ours at Target)

Cut the chocolate into fine shards or small pieces. Over a simmering pot of water on medium heat, place a well fitting bowl with the milk and chocolate. Whisk continuously until the chocolate is completely melted and the mixture is smooth. Whisk in the sugar and the vanilla and pour the mixture into your popsicle molds and freeze until hard, about 4 hours or more. To dislodge, run the pops under warm water for a few seconds.

Chocolate Dipped Hazelnut Lace Cookies

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 22:21:00 +0000

It's been a while since I posted a nice cookie recipe. Well this is certainly one I'm proud of. You’ve gotta make these cookies. Chewy and crispy, nutty and buttery, bathed in chocolate, these are worth the time. I based them on the Lacey’s cookies, which are tubs of heaven at Whole Foods, purchased to soothe the pain of a busy night at the hospital. The cookies capture the same lacelike look, with a slightly less sweet and chewier mouthfeel. I used Rice Krispies for most of the starch, keeping an airy quality.

These cookies are very candy-like, in fact the first step is the same as making toffee. In the humid and already hot days of Texas spring, they are best stored in the fridge. The whipped egg white, which I realized if done by hand takes the same amount of time as a kitchen aid with the right whisk, adds a meringue like quality. They need to be baked just perfectly, between 6-8 minutes until the edges are darkened but not burnt otherwise the texture isn’t right.

Makes ~18 cookie sandwiches or 3 dozen unadorned cookies

1/2 cup hazelnuts

2 cups Rice Krispy

1 stick butter

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup cream

Pinch salt

Tsp vanilla

1/4 cup flour

Pinch cream of tartar

1 egg white

6 oz chocolate (dark or milk)

Preheat the oven to 350. Chop the hazelnuts until they are fine. In a large bowl combine the cereal and the hazelnuts. Over medium high heat in a heavy saucepan, combine the butter, sugar, honey and cream. Bring to a boil and let boil for one minute. Turn off the heat, allow to cool slightly, and whisk in the flour, salt, vanilla and cream of tartar. In a small bowl, whisk the egg white until it makes soft peaks. Add a small amount of the warm butter mixture to the egg and fold in. Fold the rest of the butter mixture into the egg. Combine the butter and egg mixture with the cereal and hazelnuts. On a baking sheet lined with a silicon mat or parchment paper, add a heaping teaspoon of batter, spacing at least 2 inches between cookies as they spread when baked. Bake for 6-8 minutes until the cookie is lacey and the edges are dark brown but not burnt. Allow to cool, then transfer to a baking rack.

Over a pot of simmering water on medium heat, add a snug mixing bowl and chopped up chocolate. Stir constantly until barely melted. Smear a teaspoon or so on a cookie and immediately sandwich another cookie on top. Allow to cool and then place in the fridge for the chocolate to harden. Enjoy!

Texas v. Planned Parenthood

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 16:40:00 +0000

Poor Planned Parenthood. I’m not a particularly political person, however I do care deeply about the health of women. The de-frocking of Planned Parenthood by the Komen foundation, a Dallas based organization, is just another step that Texas took to halt preventive care for Texan women. The defunding of Planned Parenthood by Susan G Komen highlights the tragic rift that already happened between preventive health care and politics in Texas, written about today in the New York Times regarding Title X.

Last year, Texas legislature attempted to pass a bill that would halt all funding for the Women’s Health Program, a Medicaid associated program that provides annual exams and contraception for all reproductive age women that qualify, simply because Planned Parenthood participated in the Women’s Health Program. This puts programs such as where I work in a bind. The funding is in serious jeopardy of being eliminated completely.

According to the Texas Health and Human Services Commission, the Women’s Health Program saves Texas at least $20 million a year. By providing an annual exam, contraception, STD screening and cancer screening, patients also get their blood pressure checked, are screened for domestic violence and substance abuse and connected into a hospital system.

As a second year resident in my training in OB/GYN at one of the busiest county hospitals in the country, Parkland Hospital in Dallas, I’ve seen a lot. Parkland is a massive safety net for north Texas, catering to women of all races, creeds, nationalities and ages. Parkland Hospital takes care of over 10,000 pregnant women a year alone, at a cost much below the national average, yet manages to have excellent outcomes including one of the lowest pre-term birth rates in the country.

Parkland maximizes utilization of state programs that fund preventive care. The Texas Medicaid Women’s Health Program allows uninsured women below a certain income level to qualify for annual well women exams and reproductive health maintenance. Outlying clinics staffed by nurse practitioners provide these vital services.

Beginning last year, under financial and political pressure, Governor Rick Perry attempted to cut funding to the Women’s Health Program because the Women’s Health Program also funded Planned Parenthood. Planned Parenthood, although providing abortion services, focuses on “[helping people] make responsible choices about their sexual and reproductive health”. The main focus of Planned Parenthood in fact parallels Parkland’s ideals of health care by promoting prevention through screening and education. (Parkland does not perform abortions.)

The consequences spell disaster. Already, with decreased funding to family planning clinics in the Parkland Health system, the number of patients crowding the Women’s Emergency Room at Parkland has steadily increased for both low and high acuity issues. Compared to a low cost preventive visit to a family planning clinic, the cost of an ER visit charges a base of about $1500. The state eats this bill, as patients cannot pay. Without preventive care or contraception, the unplanned pregnancy rate will rise, placing increased burden on a breaking Medicaid system.

Regardless of individual opinions of abortion, taxes or politics, I hope we can all agree that having healthy women who get pregnant when they want to is an important goal. How did we let a bunch of stuffy men in suits and really ugly sweater vests start to hack away at women’s rights that we have been fighting for the last 100 years?

I am pro-choice but not pro-abortion. I would love for every pregnancy to be loved. Abstinence is a great option, and should be taught, however people are not going to stop having sex. Our evolutionary drive to reproduce is stronger than morals or politics. If we as a country of parents, educators and health care providers could teach our children, students and patients about safe sex and provide them with mental and physical resources to make healthy decisions for themselves, then we would reduce the abortion rate.

We are eliminating a program that saves money, increases patient choice, reduces unwanted expensive pregnancies and reduces abortion. Even though abortion only encompasses 3% of the services provided by Planned Parenthood, sadly the almost 100% of women will be affected that participate in the Women’s Health Program. The results of undermining Planned Parenthood—Unplanned (and very expensive) Parenthood.

Pickling it up--Italian style grilled spring veggie pickles

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 15:30:00 +0000

As my resident life advances and becomes more surgical, having clamped through my first few hysterectomies, tied and cut dozens of tubes of postpartum women, and delivered hundreds of babies abdominally through C-sections, I have had my share of complications. My wise attending told me “if you haven’t had a complication from surgery, you haven’t done enough surgery.”

The inability to always prevent complications unsettles me. An adverse outcome during a case provokes a feeling of desperation. Sometimes I just feel like a stupid jerk that doesn’t want to operate anymore. But I have to get over myself, because I’m going to be doing surgery for the rest of my life, and no matter how much I study and practice, things aren’t always going to go right. I am lucky to have great teachers who have coached me through fixing mistakes and counseling patients postoperatively.

Thank god I have the kitchen. Complications arise all the time, under-whipped egg whites, a cake that falls apart the second you invert it, awful tasting crab sauce, and overcooked T bones. The beauty of the kitchen is the cauliflower won’t bleed, the chicken doesn’t need its ureters anymore (does a chicken even have ureters?), and best of all, there’s always Chipotle.

When I find myself in a funk at work, stressed or depressed, nothing distracts me like the kitchen, my improvised operating room. Just like surgery, I gather my supplies, wash my hands, gown in an apron and begin. The knife courses through pork fat and onions, on my feet for hours.

The comparison between chefs and surgeons has been made more than once. Both jobs heat up quickly, promote distended bladders and last long hours. The stakes separate the two. Kitchen failures are frustrating, sometimes depressing, but rarely scary or life changing. I’m just fine with that.

I’ll keep my day job and my hobbies separate, enjoying pickles in edible instead of existential forms. These Italian style pickles with grilled spring vegetables taste salty, sour, oily and herby. They make a great snack. They are beautiful on their own or served over toast with ricotta for a wonderful bruschetta. They would also taste great in a pasta salad, over grilled fish or a plethora of other foods. They take a little effort, but they last for weeks. I use a grill pan to grill the asparagus and eggplant, however roasting them in the oven or over an open grill would produce equally tasty results.

The veggies I use in the recipe below are just what I had in my fridge. Surely other vegetables such as fennel, carrots, or zucchini would also be delicious. The pickles do not taste sweet at all, the sugar merely softens the blow of the vinegar and salt, as does the water.

Pickled Grilled Spring Veggies Italian Style

Half an eggplant

10 spears asparagus

1 red onion

½ head of cauliflower

2 ribs celery

4 birds eye chiles or other peppers

2 cloves garlic smashed

10 black peppercorns

½ tsp fennel seeds

½ tsp dried oregano

¼ cup chopped fresh parsley

¼ cup chopped fresh basil

1 ½ cup white vinegar

½ cup red wine vinegar

1 cup water

¼ cup plus 2 tbsp kosher salt

¼ cup sugar

½ cup canola oil, ¼ cup olive oil

olive oil and salt for grilling vegetables

To grill the eggplant, asparagus and onion: Slice the eggplant into thin slices. Cut off the woody end of the asparagus. Cut the onion in half. Salt and oil the veggies. Over medium high heat on a grill pan, cook the vegetables in batches until they have grill marks and begin to soften, however they do not have to be completely cooked. Cut the eggplant rounds in half, cut the asparagus into 1 inch pieces and slice the onions in strips. Set aside.

Cut the cauliflower into small pieces and chop the celery. Slice the chiles, keeping the seeds. Over medium high heat in a medium pot, add the garlic, chiles, peppercorns, fennel and oregano until fragrant but not burnt, about 20 seconds. Add the vinegars, water, sugar and salt and bring to a boil. Add the basil, parsley, celery and cauliflower and cook for another 5 minutes.

Pour the hot liquid in a large jar over the grilled vegetables. Float the oil on top, if the oil does not cover the vegetables, add more. Allow to cool on the countertop and then refrigerate overnight.

Playing vegan with miso glazed acorn squash and soba noodles

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 17:31:00 +0000

In December after a week of steak eating, cookie baking and face stuffing, unfortunately much prior to Christmas, I decided to become a vegan. Now I only could do it for a week, as my love for dairy, eggs and meat should be obvious. But, I can assuredly say that I felt much better. I had a lot more energy and was less hungry.

This blog is definitely in need of more vegetables. I love eating vegetarian fare, but somehow steamed broccoli with lemon juice just never seems sexy enough. Of course my husband never even touched this dish, but that’s ok because sometimes I need things for myself.

White miso paste has a very rich, salty and sweet taste to it. I cut the squash in half and then cut very thin slices with a sharp knife. Then I painted the glaze of miso, maple, soy and sesame on and roasted the squash in a hot oven until it was bubbling.

To make this a complete meal, I made a miso sauce to toss buckwheat soba noodles. This is delicious hot or cold. Now I know the pictures aren't pretty, but this is good. Playing vegan is fun sometimes!

Maple miso roasted acorn squash with soba noodles

For the squash

½ acorn squash

2 tbsp white miso paste

1 tbsp maple syrup

1 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp soy sauce

drizzle sesame oil

For the noodles

2 tbsp miso paste

¼ cup hot water

2 tbsp grated ginger

1/2 garlic clove, grated

2 scallions finely chopped

drizzle sesame oil

1 package soba noodles

Preheat the oven to 400. Cut the squash in half, then cut thin strips of squash, cutting those in half as well. Mix the glaze and paint on with a pastry brush. Bake the squash until it is golden brown and bubbling about 20 minutes.

For the noodles. Make the noodles according to the directions. Combine the rest of the ingredients and toss with the hot noodles and squash.

What The Hell Am I Doing?

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 18:00:00 +0000

As my husband and I try and make a long term financial plan for paying off my almost $200,000 in loans from medical school, I sit here wondering, why did I pay 200 grand so that I can get peed on, pooped on, bled on, screamed at and sworn at? I’ve delivered a baby without gloves on (it was an emergency). I’ve been kicked so hard I almost fell off the bed. In one hour this fall, two patients in our women’s emergency room looked me in the eye and screamed “F*&^ you!” That occurred at 2 AM, probably on a Friday, after I spent all night running a busy emergency room rife with women with ectopic pregnancies, miscarriages, wound infections, pelvic inflammatory disease, cancer and all other varieties of disaster. And I’m sure I often deserve a giant cursing out, you see I’m not always the most lovely human on the planet, but I can assure you that I did nothing but ask both those women simple questions that set them off.

Why did I sacrifice my twenties, my weekends, holidays, and sleeping at night to take care of screaming, crying women? I didn’t have a bridal shower because I only had one weekend off in the six months before my wedding. My husband got off work early for Valentine’s Day and surprised me at home, so we could actually share the dinner that I was going to leave in the fridge for him before I had to run to the hospital. I’m working at a job that pays less than medical school costs and without my husband couldn’t pay it back. The interest rate alone is 6.8%, accruing thousands of dollars a month.

The funny thing about all of the drawbacks to being a doctor is that I’ve never been happier. Really. Obviously I’m a little sick, but that’s ok. I can’t remember a time that I’ve felt to be so proud of who I am and what I do, and I enjoy going to work almost everyday. Even on the most horrible, body fluid filled, back straining day, I go home with a sense of satisfaction. I’ve never been so determined to learn so that I can take good care of people.

I don’t have to sit at a desk or sit in long meetings. My office is the hospital floor, labor and delivery, clinic and the emergency room. I’m on my feet. I get to learn how to operate and perform all kinds of procedures. I get to meet amazing people every day, and I get to work with all sorts from medical assistants, nurses, OR techs, medical students, other residents, fellows, attendings, patients and families. I get to teach and learn at the same time. I have an amazing group of peers going through the same thing that can find humor in just about anything.

Taking care of patients, becoming an intimate part of their lives and their bodies, is a great honor. And I exaggerate saying they all scream and cry. Most, even though they have little and are often sick, are some of the most amazing women I have ever met, stoic and strong. When a patient looks at me and says “thank you doctor”, at least for that moment I think I might be part of something good.

I recently got into a heated discussion with the anesthesia resident during a long surgery. He told me that his dad, also an anesthesiologist, always wished he hadn’t gone into medicine. This resident said that he wished he had gone into investment banking because one of his best friends already has six houses at age 32. I told him that I loved being a resident and enjoyed taking care of patients, and that even though I have debt and might not be rich I live a very comfortable life. He told me I would change my mind, especially once I have kids.

I can understand why any parent who has gone through the gruel of medical training wouldn’t want their kid to endure that amount of stress. But I can tell you for sure that I didn’t make a mistake getting peed on, pooped on, bled on, screamed at and sworn at. There’s no better job for a science nerd and adrenaline junky. Becoming a doctor isn’t the easiest way to get rich quick, but if my kid wants to go through all of the same pain I have, I’ll tell them to go ahead.

A Cake From My Heart to Yours

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 00:13:00 +0000

Baking a cake can cure almost any funk besides poorly controlled diabetes or gastroenteritis. Batter is medicine for this doctor. The oven in my house must cook out bad humors, leaving happy, sugary ones. Licking the spoon has no age limit; in fact if I ever have kids, they’ll have to share with me.

This is an easy Valentine’s Day cake. Just like my mom used to make them. Take a square pan and a round one, bake the cakes and cut the circle in half. Attach each semicircle to the top like a diamond and frost the whole thing.

This cake is made of champagne, Andre in fact. Andre, which is really more like bottom of the barrel sparkling wine as many college girls could tell you, makes a very moist cake with a subtle boozy flavor. The cake and frosting are spiked with raspberry liquor.

So cuddle up with your cat, your down comforter, your iPad or whatever you love (I guess you could share with your boyfriend) and enjoy a piece of heart shaped cake. Your mouth will thank you, although your thighs might disagree.

Champagne Raspberry Heart Cake with Cream Cheese Brown Sugar Frosting

1 8 inch square pan, greased and floured

1 8 inch round cake pan, greased and floured

For the cake

2 cups cake flour

2 tsp baking powder

¼ tsp baking soda

¼ tsp salt

1 cup sugar

1 cup oil

½ cup buttermilk

3 eggs

¾ cup champagne

2 tbsp raspberry liquor

1 tsp vanilla

For the frosting

2 8oz packages cream cheese, softened

1 stick butter, softened

½ cup sour cream

½ cup brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1 tbsp raspberry liquor

2 drops red food coloring

3 cups confectioner’s sugar

Preheat the oven to 350. Sift together cake flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl. In a large mixing bowl, whisk the sugar and oil until well blended. Whisk in the buttermilk, then add the eggs one at a time. Whisk in the champagne, liquor and vanilla, then slowly whisk in the dry ingredients, do not overwhisk, lumps are ok. Divide batter so both cakes are at the same level and bake until golden brown or until cake tester or toothpick comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Allow to cool completely before frosting.

To make the frosting, beat cream cheese, butter, sour cream and brown sugar until fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Add vanilla and liquor. Slowly add confectioner’s sugar until well combined, then add the food coloring and beat on high speed for another minute for a very light frosting.

To assemble the cake, using either a piece of cardboard covered with foil or a very large baking pan, release both cakes from the pan. Cut the circle in half, placing one half on consecutive sides of the square. Use a small amount of frosting to make a crumb layer, then generously frost the entire cake. Allow to chill and serve.

Cake loosely adopted from Baking by Dorie Greenspan.

Perky Poached Salmon with Pink Pisco Sour Sauce

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 22:13:00 +0000

Somehow the other night I inadvertently made an all pink dinner. Sometimes the only things you have in your fridge are salmon, beets and Meyer lemons. Forget lettuce or carrots. But after last weeks’ all brown dinner, which is a frequent specialty, fluorescent pink looks great on the plate. This would be a great meal for Valentine’s day.

I loosely based this meal on Peruvian cuisine. I went to Peru in 2005, alone. I'm not sure how well advised it is to travel solo in South America as a 21 year old girl, but I’m still alive. I spent the afternoons wandering around Cusco conversing with a textile shop owner, and wandered around Machu Picchu with a wicked cold, warding off death as I admired the beautiful stone structures.

My pisco sour sauce derives from the tangy sweetness of a pisco sour cocktail, reduced with red onion and a splash of salt, for a southern hemispheric take on sweet and sour sauce. Between Peru and Chile, pisco, a distilled grape liquor, abounds. Family gatherings and fancier restaurants offered a pisco sour, a cocktail frapped with egg white, sugar, lemon juice and pisco. After living in Chile for a year, I tried pisco mixed with just about everything, a piscola or pisco and coke was my favorite.

I poached the salmon in olive oil, resulting in a delicious, delicate fish. It is a treat because it requires about a cup of oil per fish fillet. The oil cooks the fish at a low temperature allowing the fish to retain every drop of moisture without overcooking it. I accompanied the fish with beets and quinoa which absorbs aberrant olive oil and sauce.

Pisco sour sauce

1/2 small red onion thinly sliced

1 tbsp butter

Juice and zest of 2 Meyer lemons

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup pisco

Tsp salt

Olive oil poached salmon

1 cup oil per fillet of salmon

Wild salmon fillets

For the sauce. In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and sweat the onions, about 5 minutes. Add lemon juice and zest, sugar, pisco and salt and reduce until thick, about 20-30 minutes. The texture should be similar to syrup.

For the salmon. Over low heat in saucepot large enough to fit the fish, add the oil and heat until warm to touch. You do not want to boil the oil or overheat it, just simply warm it. Add the salmon. Allow to cook 15-25 minutes until the surface of the entire fish appears white. Remove the salmon and the excess oil.

Stout Braised Short Ribs with Horseradish Gravy

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 23:40:00 +0000

I would love to take a bath in beer right about now. My back is sore from hunching over the desk from too much studying. (We just had our CREOG exam, the national OBGYN in-service test). Instead though, I put juicy shortribs on the bone in a languid stovetop bath of beer, maple syrup and balsamic. They emerged tender and relaxed, I wish my muscles felt the same.

The last few months have had their ups and downs. I finally have a moment to rest in the past couple of days. With the best intention of sitting down and writing, I wake up on the couch three hours later, the sun set, grocery store unvisited, and the husband hungry.

Work has been just a touch less demanding this year, so I’ve filled my time with other activities including creative writing classes, a Christmas cookie baking marathon and studying. This makes me just as tired as before, but maybe a little more emotionally whole.

This recipe is very easy, but it does take a few hours. It is a great dish for a Saturday night at home and goes great with a nice cabernet, or obviously with beer. I served it with boiled kale, which is better than it sounds, and polenta. The shortribs I bought with the bone on, which makes a much more succulent gravy.

3 lbs ribs, bone on

1/4 cup olive oil

2 cloves garlic

1 large shallot or medium sized onion

2 carrots, cut in discs

One parsnip, cut in discs

1 whole sprig rosemary

1 bottle stout

1/4 cup maple syrup

2 tbsp balsamic

2 tbsp apple cider

Salt and pepper

1 1/2 cups water

For the gravy

4 cups strained braising liquid

1 tbsp flour

2 tbsp freshly grated horseradish

Salt

1 tbsp cream

Over high heat in a large dutch oven, being careful not to splatter and burn your arm as I might have done, brown the ribs on all sides. Remove the meat and reducing the heat to medium high add the chopped garlic, shallot, parsnip and carrot until shallot is transluscent. Place the ribs on top of the vegetables. Add the beer, vinegar, water, rosemary, salt and pepper, making sure the meat is almost covered (you can add more water if necessary). Reduce the heat to low and let cook until the meat is fork tender (about 3-4 hours). Remove the ribs and allow to rest.

Strain 4 cups of braising liquid into a small saucepan over medium heat and add fresh horseradish. Whisk in flour and salt. Allow to thicken and whisk in cream. Enjoy.

Turkey Meatloaf with Tomatoes, Arugula and Goat Cheese

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 22:18:00 +0000

Can you tell I have goat cheese in the fridge? A healthy yummy meatloaf. Easy to make and easy to eat.

1 tbsp olive oil

1 medium shallot chopped

1 clove garlic chopped

1 handful parsley chopped

2 cups arugula

2 roma tomatoes cubed

1 tsp salt

1.25 lb ground turkey

1 egg

1/2 cup milk

1 slice white bread

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp dijon mustard

1/2 tsp honey

4 oz goat cheese

In a saute pan over medium high heat, heat olive oil. Cook shallots and garlic until fragrant and soft about 3 minutes. Add parsley and tomatoes, cook until tomatoes begin to wilt, about 3 minutes. Add arugula and salt and wilt arugula. Set aside and allow to cool.

Preheat oven to 375. Soak bread with milk. In a medium bowl add turkey, egg, soaked bread, salt, honey and mustard. Combine with hands until bread is evenly distributed. Add vegetable mixture and mix throughout. Gently crumble in cheese and combine.

Put mixutre in loaf pan and cover with foil. Bake for about 30 minutes. Remove foil and allow meatloaf to brown, about another 20 minutes. Allow to rest for about 30 minutes before eating.

Refreshed-- Tart and snappy apple, fennel and fig salad

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 02:25:00 +0000

Life is worth celebrating!

Feeling happy and refreshed. Even though I’m still working a lot I feel comfortable in my job and I’m loving what I’m doing. Second year has been fantastic so far; I’m not so nervous about every decision I make or what everybody thinks of me. I’m not falling asleep with the pager under my pillow praying it doesn’t beep.

This year I’m focusing on two goals--improving my surgical skills and more importantly appropriately counseling patients. As much as I wanted to give patients the right information I think I failed many times last year due to time constraints, fatigue, frustration and lack of knowledge. I’m trying to take the time to step back and truly make sure patients understand what is happening to them and why, and it’s a really good feeling.

I’m also trying to bring a bit of balance back into my life. It’s easy to forget what being a human is like. The other night I made this easy and fresh salad using fresh fall flavors which is very tart and sweet--but not too sweet. The salad was very easy to make with a mandoline for thin slices. A very sharp knife would work just as well. I brought fresh figs as something new to try and was very happily surprised and how great they taste raw tossed in some lemon juice and olive oil.

Tart and snappy apple, fennel and fig salad

2 gala or other tart apples cored, unpeeled

1 fennel bulb

4-5 fresh figs

1-2 lemons (depending how tart you like your salads)

½ cup toasted and salted pepitas

crumbled goat cheese

¼ cup olive oil

½ tbsp salt

With a mandoline or sharp knife, slice apples and bulb of fennel into paper thin slices. In a medium bowl combine apple and fennel with lemon, salt and olive oil. Toss to combine. Place on platter, leaving remaining juices in bowl. Slice figs into thin slices and toss in remaining dressing. Place figs on top of apple and fennel combination. Sprinkle pepitas and goat cheese on top. Enjoy!

Panna cotta, cherry and champagne parfait (aka creamy, boozy, fruity Jello)

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 21:32:00 +0000

layers of cream, fresh pureed cherries and champagne adorn this simple, beautiful parfait

Can I tell you a secret? I love Jello. Slurping fluorescent red goop between my teeth is pure pleasure. I eat less Jello now than I did in college, but my obsession was so great that my friends bought me a whole Jello cookbook after graduation. This is just one of the hidden junk foods that I love. I am a total food snob with a private occasional hankering for all things processed, salty and neon colored-- I could never turn down a bright orange cheese puff.

Call this dish what you want, panna cotta with champagne gelee, but let’s not hide the truth. Think of it as a fancy creamy, cherry flavored Jello shot. The recipe is very light and refreshing in this horrible heat.

The parfait is very easy to make, it just takes some time because each layer must set before the next can be concocted. The first layer, panna cotta, which I had never made before, tastes almost like ice cream without an ice cream maker and couldn’t be simpler to whip up. Fresh bing cherries are not as fluorescent as red food coloring, but they are certainly more delicious. Champagne makes a great gelatin dessert; make sure to add a pinch of sugar to help bubbles form as the parfait sets for the final layer.

Panna cotta, cherry and champagne parfait (inspired the French Laundry cookbook)

9 inch loaf pan

pitted bing cherries to top

Panna cotta

1 packet gelatin

½ cup milk

1 cup heavy cream

3 tbsp sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

Cherry layer

1 lb bing cherries, stemmed and pitted

2 ½ tbsp sugar

1 ½ packets gelatin

¼ cup champagne

juice of one lemon

Champagne layer

2 cups champagne, divided

3 tbsp sugar

1 ½ packets gelatin

To make the panna cotta, sprinkle gelatin over milk and let sit 5 minutes. In a saucepan over medium high heat, bring cream and sugar barely to a boil. Remove from heat, add gelatin and vanilla extract and whisk until all ingredients are combined. Add mixture to loaf pan and allow to cool and set, at least one hour.

Cherry layer. While panna cotta is setting, in medium bowl break up cherries with hands. Add champagne, lemon juice and sugar and allow cherries to release juices for at least half an hour. Add cherries and juices to blender and blend until smooth, about 3 minutes. Strain mixture. Sprinkle gelatin over ¼ cup water and allow to sit for five minutes. Bring cherry puree to a slight boil, remove from heat and add gelatin. Pour mixture over already set panna cotta and allow to cool and set, at least one hour.

Champagne layer. Over ½ cup champagne, sprinkle gelatin. Bring 1 ¼ cup champagne to a boil with 2 tbsp sugar to cook off alcohol. Remove from heat. Add gelatin and whisk until combined. Add final ¼ cup champagne and 1 tbsp sugar (this will make it bubble). Quickly add to loaf pan and allow to set, preferably overnight.

When ready to serve, loosen parfait from the sides of the pan with a sharp knife run along the edges. Run the bottom of the pan under warm water for one minute and carefully invert onto platter. Slice and enjoy with fresh cherries.

Corn, carbon and hair

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 20:27:00 +0000

Sweet, creamy elote dip made from fresh summer corn

A friend of mine asked me to write a dip recipe for the 4th of July. Oops. Well, it’s still July isn’t it? I based this recipe on one of my favorite foods that I’ve been introduced to since moving to Texas. Termed “elotes”, which simply means corn in Mexican Spanish, these delectable treats are served in Dallas at roadside stands and adjacent to taco joints. In a Styrofoam cup, corn kernels are layered with butter, sour cream, cheese, hot sauce and lemon pepper. Certainly not a diet food, but my husband and I fell immediately in love with this local fare and even asked our caterer to make a fancy version for our wedding which was a huge hit.

This dip uses some sour cream and mayo but the creaminess is amped up by the corn itself, half of which is pulsed through a food processor to make almost a corn pudding-like consistency. The dip is topped with a thin layer of cotija cheese, a salty dry cheese, not unlike a high quality Kraft parmesan. The whole thing is baked for a nice gooey texture and served with corn chips.

I was asking my friend Heather if she thought this was too much corn for an appetizer. She made an interesting point about a documentary she saw, King Corn, in which scientists used radioactive isotopes to trace about 50% of the carbon that we consume as Americans to corn. As carbon, hydrogen and oxygen are the basis for carbohydrates, fats as well as amino acids and thus energy, it is quite remarkable how corn dependent our food chain is.

The scientific methods used to trace the foundations of humans’ diet are fascinating and use human hair as the tissue of study. Hair leaves an excellent footprint of what we eat—it is metabolically inactive, is derived from what we consume and immediately reflects changes in diet. This excellent article in the UVA magazine biographies one of the major scientists, Stephen Macko who helped advance research in using hair to trace the origins of diets, even using mummy hair to deduce food consumption among ice men and paleo humans. He also helped the filmmakers of King Corn use their hair to measure the amount of corn in their diet.

Using various concentrations of variations of carbon, nitrogen and sulphur, known as isotopes, scientists can deduce the biologic origins of humans’ diets. Corn is rich in the 13C isotope, thus allowing scientists to trace corn as it escalates in the food chain. Scientists also use 15 nitrogen isotopes, which increase in an animal that eats a plant, then in a human who eats that animal, to track the amount of meat somebody is consuming in their diet.

In the US, most livestock is corn-fed, thus meat is a large contributor to the corn carbon isotopes. In fact, it has been demonstrated that when somebody moves from the UK to the US, their carbon isotopes from corn increase by approximately 3%. A 2008 study from the University of Hawaii traced the carbon isotopes of various fast foods, and after a survey of various restaurants throughout the US, only about 5% of the chicken and beef were not solely corn fed; also many of the fries contained large amount of corn isotopes.

The politics behind corn growth, production, alteration and consumption is a heavy debate--one that represents many levels of lobbying, industry and culture. It cannot be denied that corn is pervasive and permanent in our daily lives. Surely though, it is not corn in its unaltered form, such as this delicious elote dip, that calls for concern. What is alarming however, are the ways that corn is manipulated and passed through the food chain and can produce potentially damaging effects on health, the economy and the ecosystem.

Elote Dip

4 ears corn, grilled, roasted or steamed, or 2 cups frozen corn defrosted

¼ cup mayo

¼ cup sour cream

¼ tsp cayenne

juice of ½ lemon

¾ cup grated cotija cheese (or if you cannot find this anywhere, grated parmesan)

1 tsp black pepper

2 tbsp Mexican hot sauce, such as Bufalo (or substitute for 1 tbsp Louisiana hot sauce)

Preheat oven to 400. Cut corn off cob. In blender or food processor place half kernels, mayo, sour cream, cayenne, lemon juice, pepper, hot sauce, pepper and ½ cup cotija cheese. Blend until smooth. In heatproof dish, combine blended mixture with the other half of whole corn kernels. Top with leftover cheese. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until brown and bubbly. Serve with tortilla chips.

Macko, SA. Engel, MH, et al. Documenting the diet in ancient human populations through stable isotope analysis of hair. Philosophical transactions PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS- ROYAL SOCIETY OF LONDON SERIES B BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES. 1999, VOL 354; ISSUE 1379, pages 65-76

McCullagh, J et al. Carbon isotope analysis of bulk keratin and single amino acids from British and North American hair. Rapid Commun. Mass Spectrom. Volume 19, Issue 22, pages 3227–3231, 30 November 2005.

Jahren, A, Kraft R. Carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes in fast food: Signatures of corn and confinement. PNAS November 18, 2008 vol. 105 no. 46 17855-1786

Petzke, KJ et al. Carbon and nitrogen stable isotopic composition of hair protein and amino acids can be used as biomarkers for animal derived dietary protein intake. J Nutr. 2005 Jun;135(6):1515-20.

Grilled chicken and eggplant salad with arugula pesto

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 14:29:00 +0000

I’m feeling lucky and relaxed, back from another wonderful vacation with my husband spent in the car driving around the Midwest. Also, even bigger cause to celebrate, I’m a second year resident! Intern year is over and I feel so proud and accomplished of all that I learned and did in one year (tons of deliveries, dozens of C-sections, gynecologic surgeries, hundreds of emergency and clinic patients.) More than anything, I’m freaking relieved by the promotion. The second year schedule is a bit more forgiving and well balanced and there is a scant amount of clout that comes with the job.

Even though I had an awesome year, it is great to know that it will be somebody else running around labor and delivery trying to get it all done--although I think I’m hard wired to sprint when I hear “doctor for decelerations/delivery/exam” on the overhead speaker. As second year, we learn how to be consultants to midwives and are in charge of the women’s ER. Plus, there will be lots of scalpel time as we are primary surgeon to all C-sections at night. It is amazing how much I’ve seen after just one year, and I’m excited to keep learning and gaining more responsibility as I work my way up.

Perhaps now with a new year and a new job, July is a much better month than January to make New Year’s resolutions. While in January I was merely trying to survive; to get out of bed, go to work and do the best job I could, I’m blessed to have a bit of time this month to make some real changes in my habits. I’m feeling bloated after eating a hot fudge sundae every day of my vacation. This is worsened by the fact that even though I joined the gym almost a year ago, I haven’t been at all since February. (My husband is surely chuckling)

Thankfully, summer is a great time to eat a lighter diet. I found beautiful small eggplants at the grocery store and they grilled up just great. We have a gas grill as part of our apartment, and I know, I know it’s not charcoal but I’m getting the hang of the grill and hopefully someday can promote myself to hot coals. Even though pesto isn’t necessarily diet food, it at least is a step in the right direction. I love making pesto with arugula as it has a wonderful peppery bite and is cheaper than basil. This “salad” can be served hot or cold and would be great over bread, mixed in with lettuce or pasta or can be eaten alone.

Grilled chicken and eggplant salad with arugula pesto

Arugula pesto

Handful loose basil

1 cup arugula

Salt and pepper to taste

Clove garlic

¼ cup grated parmesan

¼ cup walnuts

1 tbsp high quality balsamic vinegar

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

1 lb eggplant

1 lb roma tomatoes, seeded and divided in eight pieces

½ red onion thinly diced

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts

Olive oil and salt for seasoning

To make the pesto, place basil, arugula, garlic, cheese, walnuts, salt and pepper into food processor. Run until all components are well combined. Scrape down sides and pulse in balsamic vinegar. With machine running, slowly add oil until all ingredients well combined. Set aside

Preheat grill to medium high heat. If using small eggplants such as thai or Indian as I did, cut in half and salt and brush with olive oil. If using a large eggplant, cut into 4-5 horizontal slices and salt and brush with oil each side. With the chicken, salt and oil each breast. Grill eggplant for about 6-7 minutes on each side until juices run from the eggplant and they are soft to touch. Grill chicken for about 7 minutes on each side until juices run clear and the chicken has an internal temperature of about 150F.

Dice eggplant into about 1 inch cubes, doing the same for the chicken. In a large bowl, add eggplant, chicken, tomato and onion. Add pesto by the tablespoon until each piece of salad well coated. You will have leftover pesto which can be put aside for a separate use.

Pork and Peaches—Pork Chops with Perky Peach Salsa

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 00:26:00 +0000

The best thing ever happened a couple of months ago. The USDA lowered the cooking temperature of pork. Now pork can sit at a pink tinged 145 degrees instead of a crusty, chewy, floss-inviting 160. The evolution of this change is directly related to laws passed in food safety.

Even though there is much disturbing news these days about food production including E. coli infested sprouts in Germany, overcrowded, overmedicated, overfed cows and chickens, and genetically modified plants and animals, it’s amazing how far we’ve come in many ways regarding food safety. The main concern about undercooking pork used to be trichinellosis, a disease provoked by tissue dwelling roundworms that caused fevers, muscle aches and a whole bunch of nasty. The trichinella rate has declined exponentially since the 1940s. In a survey by the CDC between 1997-2001, there were only 72 cases reported to the CDC, including 29 cases from bear meat and one from cougar meat (only 12 cases from commercial pork). 1

The rapid decline in trichinella is directly related to government policy. Disgustingly, pigs were previously fed garbage contaminated with raw animal waste. Only until garbage laws were passed in the 1950s did this rate begin to decrease. Other policies enacted by the USDA have also reduced the rate of trichinella.

Even though trichinella is killed by cooking at 140 degrees, there was concern by the USDA that due to uneven cooking, trichinella would survive. This concern has now decreased and pork can be safely cooked to 145, also killing other potential microbes looming on the surface.

Now that I’m officially allowed to undercook my pork, I like it a whole lot better. There’s nothing like a quickly brined pork chop nicely grilled with a tangy fruity sauce on top. This peach salsa is bright and only slightly sweet, complimented by mint, cilantro and jalapeno. I know it’s a lot of fruit recipes lately, but I can’t help myself. It’s summer!

Peachy Pork

4 center loin boneless pork chops

for the brine 4 cups water, 3 tbsp kosher salt, 1 tbsp brown sugar

For the peach salsa

5 ripe peaches

handful mint leaves--chiffonade

handful cilantro—chiffonade

1 large shallot finely diced

1 tsp salt

1 jalapeno finely diced

juice of 1 lime

Place chops in brine and let soak two hours in fridge. Remove from brine and blot with paper towels to dry. To cook, grill (outside or on grill pan) on each side about 7-8 minutes until golden on the outside and 145 degrees on inside. Combine all ingredients for peach salsa. Serve with cold salsa.

Trichinellosis Surveillance --- United States, 1997—2001. MMWR July 25 2003. 52 (SS06); 1-8. http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/ss5206a1.htm

Hawaiian Style Pina Colada Creme Brulee

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 00:59:00 +0000

Ahh. Wondrous vacation.

sunset at our Hawaiian paradise

Makes a girl go from looking like this

Self portrait after a horrible night shift

to this.

It’s hard to come back from a romantic belated honeymoon with time in the sun, a cool Hawaiian breeze, tropical fruit, and lots of pleasure reading to 100-degree heat and C-sections.

*********************************************************************************

I love scientific research that is so obvious. For example, a 2009 meta-analysis in the Journal of Occupational Health states that vacation has a positive effect on health. People have actually spent money researching the fact that sitting on a sailboat drinking lemonade is more healthy than working a 12 hour shift overnight without sitting or eating taking care of 15 patients. Yeah, I know.

Sadly, the same study suggests that coming back to work erodes away all positive effects of vacation between two and four weeks. However, I have to disagree. Having gone a six-month stretch between vacations this year with only one weekend off between, I think a vacation got me through about three months of that. Then it was pure pain.

With this recipe, we can all go on a tropical vacation together. I love pina coladas with their 1200 calories of rummy goodness. I begged my husband to buy me ONE at the pool bar because it was 12 bucks. (It wasn’t even that good.) Now home, attempting to maintain my island spirit, I decided to make my own version of a pina colada in the form of a creamy crème brulee. This recipe has all the tropical hints of a pineapple and coconut without being overly sweet or cloying--just the elegance of fresh fruit and a tiny splash of rum wrapped in a ceramic package of a delicious custard and a crispy sugar shell.

Pina colada crème brulee

2 cups coconut milk

1 cup heavy cream

1 tbsp rum

2 tsp vanilla

5 large egg yolks, 2 large eggs

¼ cup brown sugar

Thin pineapple slices

granulated sugar to top

blowtorch! Or oven broiler

6 6 oz ramekins

Pre-heat oven to 350. In heavy bottomed saucepan over medium heat, whisk together coconut milk, cream, rum, vanilla and brown sugar. Heat, stirring constantly until almost simmering. In separate bowl, whisk eggs together. Temper eggs by slowly adding 1/3 of the warm cream mixture to the egg mixture and then add the tempered eggs back into the saucepan with the rest of the cream mixture. Continue to heat over medium heat, stirring continuously until mixture begins to slightly thicken, about 2 minutes. Do not allow to curdle. Strain custard with a fine mesh strainer. Divide mixture between ramekins. Place ramekins in large roasting pan. Place pan with ramekins in preheated oven and fill pan with boiling water ¾ of the way up the ramekins to make a water bath. Bake for 15 minutes and as custards begin to set, carefully place pineapple slices on top. Bake for another 15 minutes until the custards are set. Remove from heat, allow to cool and refrigerate overnight.

The next day, add 1-2 tsp granulated sugar to the top of each ramekin. With a blowtorch or carefully with the broiler, caramelize the sugar until it is golden brown.

De Bloom J, Kompier M, et al. Do we recover from vacation? Meta-analysis of vacation effects on health and well-being. J Occup Health. 2009;51(1):13-25. Epub 2008 Dec 19.