Everyone is Doing It

Happy Monday!

Wanna know why I'm so happy? I can't even begin to tell you...it couldn't be because I watched a three hour cheezoid movie about Charles Manson and then walked home at midnight by myself.

Nor could it be because I was a sex sandwich (and not in a good way) last night--as both people that live on either side of me were having loud, passionate sex whilst I sat and watched Law and Order reruns with my pooch.

It might be because I need focus to do a good job with work, and these days finding inspiration and conversation about food is easy to do.

Doesn't it seem like everyone cooks these days? I remember the old days when I was a sophisticate with my knowlege of haricot vert and squid ink pasta. Now I am a dime a dozen. Never fear, I rejoice in this new found love for good food--it can only mean fabulous things for me and my belly.

The book that will tell the tale: The United States of Arugula

This website proves that it is hard to get visits without a few recipes: HEYA HIFI

The master at writing about it: Michael Ruhlman

Someone who makes art with it: Aya Brackett

Someone who cooks it: .:tt:. (hey...how'd that get in there??)

These ladies LOVE food: Food Porn (not for the faint of heart or the under-aged, this is REAL PORN. Seriously. Don't look if you don't like porn. I HAD to look. Research. I swear. Research.)

So sit back nation, it's time empty your bowls of plastic and polyester food--there's a revolution going on.

.:tt:.

T-berry

Im sorry--I've been working like a fool. A fool indeed.

I wanted to share a story that you might enjoy. Because I have a sense of humor I enjoyed it, otherwise, I might have thrown the soup at them...

One day not long ago, S came home to say that she is off of sugar. "Oh bummer", says I--but I am a good little chef, and happen to know of all kinds of sugar substitutes that are natural.

"It's okay." I tell her, "You can eat Xylitol and Agave, two natural sugar-like substances that are really yummy."

So alas, Xylitol and Agave are out of stock. But eventually they are restocked and purchased and made into a yummy "healthy" version of Pinkberry.

6.30PM arrives. R comes home from work carrying a cute little bag that I note to be familiar.

"I've brought dessert...Pinkberry!"

So I'm instructed to serve up both so they can laugh at the "healthy" version and like the bowl clean of the other.

This is how I spend my days.

This ends the first reading.

T-Berry

1 large containter of FAGE total yogurt

juice of 1/2 Lemon

1/2 C of Sugar (or sugar substitute to taste)

1 pt Strawberries, quartered

tt Agave syrup

Mix yogurt, lemon juice and sugar in a mixer and put into an ice cream
machine and use according to directions

Once frozen top with strawberries and agave.

.:tt:.

Algabar, A Tasting

There is a new tea house in town, Algabar Home and Life. It is one of the most beautiful places you will step your two little pieds. It is co-owned by my friend Gail Baral and her business partner Robb Wain, and is truly a classy place.

Gail knows her tea after having traveled to China and Japan on many occasions, she makes the best cup of tea I've ever had. If you stop by the shop, she will ask you a few questions and brew a special cup just for you while you browse. If you have tea questions (does it have caffiene, brewing temperatures, or even recipes for tea cocktails) she will be happy to oblige.

I attended the first tasting that was held at her store jointly with (alas!) my favorite preserver/chocolate canner/syrup making purveyor, Robert Lambert. The food was exquisite, composed by chef Crispin Kitto and menu designed by Kim. The event was just lovely, and everyone involved is quite talented.

I have been working with an importer to develop recipes with her products and the product that I have included in almost every recipe is, of course, Roberts. Today I offer my favorite recipe thus far.

Brioche French Toast with Blood Orange Glazed Foie Gras

1 whole Cardamom Pod
1 Egg
2 T Cream
2-3 Slices of day old Brioche, 1" thick
10 oz Foie Gras, sliced into scaloppini’s (1/4" slices)
Robert Lambert Blood Orange Syrup
Mascarpone, whipped (optional)
Raspberries,
glazed with a little bit of the Blood Orange Syrup
Butter for frying

- Beat the egg with the cream and then grate 1/4 tsp of the cardamom
into the mixture. Pour in 1 T of Robert Lambert Syrup and set aside.

-
In a hot sauté pan, melt some butter and caramelize each piece of foie gras on
both sides.

- While the foie gras is caramelizing, heat another
sauté pan to medium high heat. Once it is hot, place some butter in the pan and
dredge the brioche through the egg mixture. Cook the pieces of bread on medium
high heat until caramelized on both sides.

- While the brioche is cooking, pour in Robert Lambert's Blood Orange syrup (enough to cover one side of all of the pieces of foie gras) and glaze the scaloppini’s for 30 seconds.

- Plate the french toast and place the foie gras pieces on top. Dust
with a little powdered sugar and serve with a dollop of whipped mascarpone
and raspberries tossed with a little of the syrup.

This is not low fat. In fact if you have heart issues, this is the dish that will stop the blood flow. This is the dish to eat before you fast. I would like to think Gandhi ate a plate of this stuff before he stopped eating. I would like to think it but am sure he didn't as Gandhi would never eat foie gras.

This is the meal I would request at my hanging.

If I could only eat once a month, this is the dish I would eat.

If I had to come back as a meal, this is the meal I would come back as.

Please eat responsibly (like perhaps with a glass of champagne).

.:tt:.

5% Celery Granola

I was checking through blogpatrol.com and noticed several links to 5% Celery from an archive in Chocolate & Zucchini. Upon further investigation, it seems my cohort has given away our secret recipe for our granola. Since that part was given up, I thought it would be kind and generous to give up the rest of it. Now, there are measurements written somewhere, but I am a professional chef, and I cook according to taste. I do not have the exact measurements, so do me a favor--play a little. Put a little of this and a little of that...if it tasts good before it is baked, then it will taste amazing after it has been. Also, know that it will be less sweet once baked, so if you find it pleasingly sweetened before, you might find it a bit less so out of the oven.

5% Celery Granola:

2 C Oats

1/2 C Pepitas (salted is fabulous)

1/2 C Sunflower Seeds

1/2 C Almond Slivers

1/2 C Dried Currants

1/2 C Dried Cramberries

1/4 C Flax Seeds

1/4 C Melted Butter

1/4-1/2 C Agave

1/4-1/2 C Honey

2 tsp Vanilla Paste or 1 tsp Vanilla Extract

pinch of salt

Preheat Oven to 350 F and line a baking sheet with a Silpat.

Melt the butter and add in the honey, agave, salt, and vanilla. Mix well and put aside to cool.

Take the oats, sunflower seeds, almonds and pepitas and put in a large bowl. Pour cooled butter and agave mixture over and mix well.

Put on baking sheet and spread out evenly. Bake for 15 minutes and take out and mix the edges toward the center and mix in the currants and cranberries and put back into oven and bake until it is golden brown.

Once cool mix in flax seeds and enjoy in a smoothie, with milk or on a hike in Colorado where the real "granola girls" roam.

.:tt:. and >rr<

Minestrone Soup

One night last week I was hungry and bored (whoooo meeee?) so I decided to cook.

See the thing is, I cook for a living--and I complain that the worst part of the job is the grocery shopping, so I will go to great lengths to keep from shopping on a day off.

It happens that I am housesitting for a client of mine who has the most fabulous vegetable garden (equipped with an English gardener!) and also a new Mario Batali pot that needed to be broken in.

So I went rummaging and this is what I came up with:

Mediterannean (the other coast) Minestrone Soup

1 pkg of Minestrone Bean Mix

or

Green lentils, any mixture of canned beans (white, red, black eyed, split, etc.) rinsed and Farro

2 boxes of chix stock (if using dry, less if using canned)

Tomato Paste

pancetta, diced finely (optional)

1 spring onion, diced finely

Herbes De Provence (thyme, rosemary, bay, lavender, fennel, marjoram)

swiss chard, chopped into 1" squares

Verjus (optional)

Garlic

2 preserved lemons (I use Robert Lambert--I writhe with pain if I can't)

S & P tt (to taste)

saute the onion and pancetta in soup pan (I usually use Le Cruset)

add tomato paste and herbes de provence and mix well

pour in chicken stock and minestrone mixture

cook until done

in seperate pan saute garlic and swiss chard in olive oil

deglaze with verjus and cook for another minute

season to taste

cover pan and turn off heat

chop the preserved lemon into fine dice

place the swiss chard into a bowl and cover with minestrone soup

garnish with the preserved lemon and serve

.:tt:.

Cooking Is Easy

Even a Monkey can do it.

.:tt:.

Stars & Spirits: The Latest

Helloooo, boys and girls! Granny RR is here today to dispense some invaluable wisdom. If you haven't gone to church this morning, the next best thing is the church of 5%C.

The Celeb Update:
Friday was a great day for me at the store. I was very popular. Not only did several friends stop by, but at one point, a salesgirl came back and said, "Uh, Rach, do you know Jenna Elfman? She wants to see you." No WAY. This must be a mistake! So I go out, see the very adorably pregnant Jenna, and she lights up and goes "Oh HI! TT [who works down the street, where Jenna had just been shopping] said to make sure and say Hi to you!" Awesome. We had a little chat, and I managed to keep myself from shrieking, "Dharma is the greatest!" She was a sweetheart, too.

The Music Update:
Listen to Pavement's "Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain" on Sunday morning. Good idea. I think anyway.

The Food Update:
Elderflower Modified Mimosas. Combine champagne, St. Germain elderflower liqueur and pineapple juice. Hot damn, girl, that's a winner.

> r r <

Super Bowl

I'm not really a Super Bowl fan. Actually the only sports I like are the ones I can play: tennis, softball, basketball, soccer, fox hunting, shot put, and wheel barrow racing. So when I think of Super Bowl Sunday, I think of beer and food. This is what I do on Super Bowl Sunday:

Roasted Lemon Dip
2 large lemons
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh-ground pepper
1 cup sour cream
1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup snipped chives
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1. Roast the lemons: Heat the oven to 425° F. Rub the
lemons with the olive oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Pierce
the lemons and their flesh using a wooden skewer. Place the lemons in a baking
dish and roast until skin is golden brown and very soft -- about 25
minutes.

2. Prepare the sauce: Use a sharp knife to cut the skins
from each roasted lemon. Remove all the white pith and finely chop the remaining
yellow peel. Transfer the chopped lemon to a large bowl. Halve the skinned
lemons and squeeze their juice through a strainer into the bowl; add the sour
cream, mayonnaise, chives, cayenne, and remaining salt and pepper, and stir to
combine. Dip may be made a day ahead and refrigerated in an airtight container.

via: Country Living Magazine

Emeri's Jalapeno Crab Dip
1 pound lump crabmeat, picked over for shells and cartilage
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
1/2 cup chopped pickled jalapeños
1/4 pound Monterey Jack cheese with jalapeños, grated
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon hot sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup Mayonaise
2 ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, grated
Toasted Croutons

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Combine the crabmeat, garlic,
jalapeños, Monterey Jack, Worcestershire, hot sauce, salt, and mayonnaise in a
medium-size mixing bowl. Toss gently to mix. Spoon the mixture into a
medium-size shallow baking dish. Sprinkle the cheese evenly on the top of the
crabmeat mixture. Bake until golden brown and bubbly, about 25 minutes. Remove
from the oven and let sit for about 5 minutes before serving with the
croutons.

via: Emerils.com

Pommes Frites with Bleu Cheese Aioli

6 large Russet potatoes (NO IDAHO-click here to see why)

Oil for deep frying (Vegetable or Peanut)Ice water (optional)

Spray bottle with demi glace (thinned with water so that you can spray)

Parsley

Salt (to taste=tt henceforth)

Aioli

Bleu Cheese Crumbles (tt)

You can peel the potatoes, if you like, but it's not
necessary. Cut the potatoes into fries about 3/8"
thick. (Thin fries soak up too much oil.) Soak the cut fries in ice water for
about 30 minutes. Again, this step is optional but it does remove a lot of the
starch, making them less sticky when frying. Pat the soaked fries dry with a
paper towel before frying.
In a frying pan or deep fryer, heat the oil to
325°. Fry small batches of the fries for about 3 minutes; they will be softened
but not browned. Remove them from the oil and let them rest, or sweat, on paper
towels for at least half an hour, up to 2 hours. (A great make-ahead step.)
When you're ready, reheat the oil to 375°. Cook the fries a second time
until golden brown, 4-6 minutes. Drain again on paper towels, transfer to a
serving bowl. Spray with demi glace for flavor. Sprinkle with
parsley and salt.

Make aioli and add bleu cheese until you've had
enough!

via: My Brain

Warm Apple Crisp

3 pounds green apples (Granny Smith), peeled and sliced
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 brown sugar
3/4 teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cardamom
1 cup flour 1 cup quick-cooking oats, uncooked
1 cube unsalted butter, cold, cut into slices

1) Place sliced apples in a buttered 9 x 13 baking dish. Set
aside.
2) To make crisp topping: In a bowl, stir together all remaining
ingredients, except butter.
3) Add butter and with your fingers, rub
together with the dry ingredients until butter pieces are the size of peas
4) Cover apples with crisp topping. Bake 350, 45-50 minutes or until mixture
is bubbling and browned on top. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or heavy cream
poured on each serving.
Serves 6-8

via: Culinary Muse


.:tt:.

Dinner Party

Tonight I am cooking for a dinner party. I often cook dinner parties as a chef, rather than large affairs. They are what keep me in the game, otherwise, I might have quit cooking all together.

Tonight I shall cook:

De Puy Lentil Soup with Preserved Lemon

Roast Leg of Lamb in Red Wine Vinegar and Garlic
Potato and Artichoke Gratin
Harcots Vert with Herbes De Provence

Yogurt Cheese Cake with Pine Nuts and Blood Orange Sauce

I am using a new syrup from Robert Lambert, because of the limited citrus crop this year, I got to the store and found that my blood oranges were out of stock! Robert makes everything with his hands. He squeezes the juice, peels the rind, and mashes the fruit in the artisnal manner.



The curious thing about salt preserved lemons is that there is so much flavor so I mustn't add in much salt, keeping the beans from getting tough and my ankles from retaining water!



If you would like any of the recipes, email me and I will be happy to forward the recipes.

.:tt:.

Recipe Refuge

My mother called to confirm that she has cancer. It’s highly treatable—so do not fret. But this leads to many things. One being a trip to a bookstore, because that’s where I like to go for safety and the other was in a bowl of soup (and an apple pie).

Kale and White Bean Soup

Butter
1 Yellow Onion
3 large Carrots
1 stalk Celery
2 cloves Garlic, minced
32 + oz Chicken Stock
4 cans Rinsed "White Beans", rinced
2 Bunches of Kale, cut into 1/2" pieces
1 Bay Leaf
1 sprig of Rosemary
2 sprigs of Thyme
S & P tt (to taste)

Cut the Onion, Carrot and Celery to appropriates sizes (1/2
inches seems about right).
Cook in a soup pot on low with an appropriate amount of butter (I used my slow cooker)
Throw in the minced Garlic for 15-20 seconds
Pour the Chicken Stock in.
Put all Beans in.
Add enough Chicken Stock to cover
Cook on LOW heat for an hour
Take off of heat and let cool for a bit
Blend half of the Soup on a blender.
Pour back into the pot and place the Kale in the pot
Cook on low for 30 min-1 hour (I like my crispier--but
most will like their greens cooked thoroughly)

.:tt:.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING, Y'ALL.

http://www.barnonedrinks.com/recipes/shooters/a/applepieshot.html

Blended Breakfast.

I had the best morning ever. Seriously. Like, this afternoon was like, totally horrible. I was in the library looking up definitions of fashion terminology like "shawl collar" and "paper-bag waist" and "armhole" for FIVE FREAKIN HOURS DUDES. But the morning made up for it ahead of time. (In part because Dieu and I went to the Mike & Chris sample sale and I got this:)



But also because it was farmers' market day, so I set my alarm for 8:30 WHOA and trotted down and picked up my fruit and veg for the week, including a gorgeous perfectly ripe persimmon. Persimmons, if you've never had one, are as delicious and blissful as a whole birthday cake in your mouth. When I got home, I pulled out the last of my fresh raspberries and put them in our old blender with the "$6" sticker on the lid.


Blended up with my fave Trader Joe's Lowfat Organic Plain Yogurt, it made a fantastic peachy-colored smoothie. The best possible start to the day (especially since the afternoon was SO BORING AND HARD and I ALMOST LOST MY DOCUMENT and the guy at the library CAN'T EVEN WORK HIS OWN COMPUTERS). I slurped it down on my way to Mike & Chris and it made me feel like this:



> r r <

Another Good Reason to Get Out Of Bed

My favorite breakfast:

Poached Egg on a bed of Sautéed Spinach with Toast and St Andre Cheese

I found a fool proof way to poach an egg.

The end.

Just kidding.

You really want to know?

Okay.

Fine then.

What?

Oh you want me to tell you.

Sheesh--do I have to do everything?

• Bring a covered stockpot of salted water to a boil
  
• Crack the egg into a small bowl
  
• Once the water is at a rolling boil, pour the egg into the water and cover
  
• The water will try to boil over—let it come right to the top of the lid
  
• Uncover and let cook to your desired consistency
  
• Take egg out and put on a towel to dry

You’ll find a nice little plump egg has come out of the water—the high boil knocks off the “thready” things that form on the egg when you put it in the water.

This was found purely accidental. I was “rehearsing” for a job—and the chef asked me to poach an egg. I was panicked. I haven’t poached an egg in years! In culinary school we had a week of eggs—all eggs. But we had one lesson on poaching! The instructor was so precise that I was afraid without all of the “rules”—deep pot, fresh eggs, vinegar in the water, “make a water hurricane”—that it wouldn’t work.

Well it did. And I got the job. And I get a great breakfast every morning.

Full Fat:

• Start water for Egg
  
• Mince Garlic
  
• Place in a cold pan with Olive Oil on the stove (do not turn heat on)
  
• Toast the Bread (I like French Bread)
  
• Smear with St Andre Cheese as you would with Butter
  
• Warm pan with Garlic (low heat)
  
• Poach Egg
  
• Bring Garlic up to a medium heat and put Spinach in
  
• Cook for a minute or so
  
• Plate in this order:
  Toast, Spinach, Egg and top with freshly cracked Pepper
  
  
  Lower Fat:
  
• Do the same as above, but skip the Bread
  
  
  Variations:
  
• Crush toasted Pine Nuts for garnish
  
• Add Bacon to the mix
  
• Place on a Crab Cake and make a spicy Aioli

Serve with some freshly squeezed Orange Juice and you can live the high life like me!

tt

Brit-O-Lantern, et. al.

WHY I LOVE AMERICA
by Rachy Rach

OK, so, the really great thing in this country is that we have so many holidays that are, like, not all religiously oriented and biased and rooted in materialism and whatever. Like Martin Luther King Day, which was created to celebrate diversity, or Thanksgiving, which has been around for at least a hundred years and is purely a time for family togetherness and old-fashioned home cooking. And Easter too--bunnies, arts and crafts, plain old fun.

Not to mention Halloween! Halloween is an occasion for wholesome, fun quality time, dressing up and carving pumpkins. It's probably the least corrupted, vulgar, commercialized thing you could come up with! Good job USA. Halloween has already improved my daily life this week, or at least one day of it. We invited all our friends over on Thursday and told them to bring a pumpkin and we would provide knives (safe ones) and fun for the whole family. And we carved the pumpkins and made a killer collection of jack-o-lanterns!


Seriously it was SO FUN. People got way into it and the air was full of pumpkin smell and you could really tell that everyone's creative juices were flowing, which I have to say made us kind of proud because it's always good to help stimulate people's minds and make them step out of the box a little bit. And they really crossed that line:



There's a koala my friend carved, and then Britney Spears which I made. That Britney did not look so hot after I carved her, believe me, and I was all worried that it looked more like "Britney shot in the face" as one of my friends said. But the we lit it up and honestly it looks SO good! Ha ha I showed them. It's cool because both koalas and Britney are cute and happy, and I think probably really fun in real life. I only wish we'd had a Kevin Federline stencil to go with Britney because HOW CUTE WOULD THAT HAVE BEEN.

Anyway I just want to encourage everyone to partake in this American tradition and enjoy some time with your family and friends. Also be sure to include any foreigners you might know--we invited our Finnish friend who seriously didn't even know where pumpkins come from, and now she can feel like she fits better into society here.

ALSO, I'm super excited because when I was thinking about this post, I was wishing that I had this recipe for pumpkin pot de creme that I cut out and then could never find again. And then--no joke--I found it on my desk here at my parent's house where I am for the weekend to celebrate my grandmother's birthday! I can't believe it after a whole year it was here at the exact right time. I love that.

Pumpkin Pots de Creme with Amaretti-Ginger Crunch

1 cup canned pumpkin puree
3 cups heavy cream (whoa)
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
8 egg yoks
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon (optional) (but not really since cinnamon is delicious)
1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg (optional) (see above)
2/3 cup crumbled amaretti cookies
1 Tbsp. finely chopped crystallized ginger

1. In a heavy saucepan over medium heat, bring pumpkin, cream and vanilla bean to a boil; set aside for 15 min., then remove vanilla bean. In a medium metal bowl or the top of a double boiler, combine egg yoks and sugar. Place bowl over a pot of barely simmering water. Whisk constantly until mixture forms a ribbon when you lift the whisk (about 6-8 min.). Be careful not to overheat, or egg mixture could curdle.
2. Whisk in hot pumpkin mixture, and cook over medium heat, whisking often, until mixture has consistency of thick cream (40-50 min.). Mixture should gently steam; be careful not to overheat. Add cinnamon and nutmeg, if using, and mix well. Strain into a pitcher or a bowl with a pouring lip.
3. Divide mixture among 10 to 12 teacups, ramekins or custard cups. Refrigerate at least 4 hours or up to 2 days. Just before serving, combine amaretti crumbs & ginger, and sprinkle on top of each dessert.

Me, Myself, and I or Date Night Menu #3

I was saying to mySelf, “self, why did you commit to writing a date night menu once a week?” Well, myself said back to me, “Self, why it is so hard to commit to a date night menu for you?” Next I heard mySelf saying, “I have a hard time committing in general—and since myself and mySelf are single, date night actually happens to be the busiest night of the week.”

Myself conceded and so we (as in the queen's proverbial “we”) decided that “date night menu” will follow date night and not precede date night. Myself apologizes; mySelf cannot seem to manage.

This recipe is from my new favorite cookbook, The Lee Bros. Southern Cookbook. They are very talented food writers from the little news paper known modestly as The New York Times. They also happen to be Amanda Hesser’s favorite—I like Amanda, so I like them. If you like southern food, this book is well planned and intelligently written.

Texas Red-Braised Beef Short Ribs with Grits

Serving for 6 (umm…I’m gonna say that you might need two rounds in the event of a long night…)

Short Ribs

3 ½ pounds Beef Short Ribs
1 ½ tablespoons Kosher Salt, plus more for taste
3 large Yellow Onions, trimmed, peeled and quartered
8 Garlic cloves, husks removed
3 tablespoons plus 4 teaspoons Oil
1 ½ teaspoons freshly ground Black Pepper
2 cups Sunday Beef Broth (recipe to follow) or one 14 ½ ounce can beef broth
3 Ancho Chilies, torn in half, stemmed, and seeded
3 Pasilla Chilies, torn in half, stemmed, and seeded
One 28-ounce can Crushed Tomatoes
¼ cup semisweet Chocolate Chips


Season ribs with salt and pepper
Toss onions and garlic with oil and salt and pepper in a 9-x-13-inch roasting pan and broil three inches from flame
for 8-10 minutes until the veggies are charred slightly
Preheat oven to 325
Bring broth to a boil over high heat. Once it boils turn it off.
Heat 3 T oil in a cast iron skillet and toast all the chilies
until they are soft (about 30 seconds) and then transfer to the broth
Add more oil to the cast iron skillet and turn on high and add the shortribs and sear until the surfaces are brown.
Blend the charred garlic and onions in a food processor. Add the tomatoes and process into a smooth puree and reserve into a bowl.
Add the chilies and broth and puree until smooth.
Add the chili puree to the tomatoes to the degree of heat that you desire.
Once that is achieved stir in the chocolate.
Place short ribs in the roasting pan you used for the onions and garlic and spoon over the “red sauce”.
Cover and bake for two hours or until they are falling off of the bone.
Serve on a plate with simple grits (recipe to follow)


Simple Grits

2 cups Whole Milk
2 cups Water
1 cup Stone-Ground Grits
¾ teaspoon Kosher salt, plus more to taste
½ teaspoon freshly Ground Black Pepper, plus more to taste
1 tablespoon Butter


Bring Milk and Water up to a boil. Add the Grits and Salt and reduce the heat to medium. Stir until the grits are thick and soupy and fragrant, about 8 minutes. Bring to a simmer and stir every couple of minutes for another twenty minutes.
Cook for 15 minutes more stirring constantly.
When the grits are done turn off heat and season and add butter. Serve immediately.


Sunday Beef Broth

1 tablespoon Canola Oil
1 pound Oxtails
½ diced Yellow Onion
½ cup diced Carrot
3 large Bay Leaves
¼ cup full-bodied Red Wine
6 cups cold Water
Salt and Pepper to taste


Heat oil in stockpot until it shimmers. Add Oxtails and sear. Remove and reserve to a bowl.
Add onion and carrot and bay leaves to the pot and cook until softened. Add the wine and stir with a wooden spoon.
Simmer in wine for 3 minutes.
Return oxtails to the stockpot and add water.
Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low and simmer gently for an hour, skimming the surface intermittently.
Strain with a fine mesh strainer and throw away solids. Store stock in a container with a tight fitting lid in the refrigerator for two days or freezer for a few months.

If the date goes well, then you can use the left over grits for breakfast; just add bacon and cheddar.

tt

Salmon and Celebrities

All right, so, yesterday Jenni and I had a date to make a delicious dinner. It was going to be a leisurely process--cosy little grocery shopping trip, a few glasses of wine, perhaps some romantic music to cook by--but my school day ended up three hours longer than it was supposed to have been, so we had to expedite the process. It's a long story, so I'll just skip to the food.

HA HA HA HA. Yeah right--it's not that long a story, and it's by FAR the most blog-worthy topic (sorry, Jenni). So recipes, just shut up and wait your freakin' turn--I have CELEB GUSHING to do here.
Okay, so remember Nick from last season's Project Runway? The super nice sweet one who never said anything (terribly) bitchy except sometimes in the solo confessional-style parts? With the snappy wardrobe and little faux-hawk? The one who teaches at my school? Oh right, that one. Whether you remember him or not--though you SHOULD, since anyone worth anything should have been watching P.R. and commiting every detail to memory since Episode One--the point is that as I was sitting in Mrs. Something-or-other's Fundamentals of Sketching class yesterday afternoon, I realized that if I did a little scheduling magic, I COULD BE IN NICK'S CLASS INSTEAD. And that, kids, is what I did. So three short hours later I found myself making big eyes at Nick himself, asking for permission to join his roster (success!), and listening to him call everyone "honey" in the most flamboyant possible way (it seems that, since P.R., he's turned up the volume on the flamitude.). He also managed to name-drop more substances that he'd like to ingest in the name of relaxation (Xanax, Jager--since when is that relaxing?--, margaritas, and at least a few others) than I'd have imagined possible in one three-hour class. Anyway, despite all the show, he looks to be a really effective teacher. He guided us through making our own croquis (sketching model) and assigned an armload of homework (never mind the armload of actual materials for the class...I'll definitely be in serious need of a chiropractor soon).

And for the other celeb, or something: I was so absorbed in Nick and his spiel that I didn't even notice that the (in)famous Lauren from "The Hills"was sitting in the seat across from mine, overly tan, tapping away at her sidekick. Woo. We all had to sign release forms saying that we don't mind if MTV uses our images, words, "and any lyrics we may sing on tape" for their own skeezy purposes. I can't decide whether having a chance appearance on "The Hills" will be funny or just bad. Oh, as for LC--hard to tell What She's Really Like. The only glimmer I saw was when, standing in line, another girl introduced herself to me and LC as Valentine. LC's reaction: "That's a neat name." Silence. Ooookay.

ANYWAY! On to the food! After class, I jumped on the bus, picked up salmon and spinach at Trader Joe's, and then got Jenni (with neato oyster mushrooms and Japanese eggplants in hand). We made a delish vegetable sautee:
-ginger, onions & garlic sauteed in oil
-oyster mushrooms & normal mushrooms added
-soy sauce and fresh spinach added & cooked just until spinach wilted.
All of the above served over sauteed eggplant rounds, next to:
-salmon fillets, sauteed in sesame oil with a black pepper & sesame-seed crust. SO YUM.

Speaking of salmon, I just read a neat tip in Russ Parsons's book: to cook salmon so that the skin is crispy and good instead of slimy, "use the back of a knife to 'squeegee' the skin of the salmon until you see moisture come out and collect on the knife. Wipe the knife and the salmon dry with paper towels. Repeat until moisture no longer appears. Cook skin side down, and flip over only at end." Huh. Neat.

> r r <

I've Found the Second Coming (so to speak)

Holy cow; fashion + chocolate = …well, it equals things that I haven’t even experienced yet. The ninth annual (I’ve missed 8 years of this???) Salon Du Chocolate will be held in NYC on the weekend of the 28th birthday of yours truly. I will be in attendance. Will you? In the meantime, I will share a recipe brought to you by my favorite blog Chocolate & Zucchini.

Spiced Chocolate Peanut Butter

125 grams (1 cup) raw peeled peanuts
40 grams (1 1/2 ounces) Xocopili (substitute bittersweet chocolate,
chopped, plus a teeny-tiny pinch each of ground chili, curry, paprika, and
cardamom)
Sea salt, to taste

Makes about a cup.

Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
Spread the peanuts on a rimmed baking sheet and roast for 5 to 7 minutes,
keeping an eye on them and stirring halfway through, until golden and fragrant.
Let cool.

Combine the nuts and chocolate in a food processor, and process until
the mixture turns creamy, scraping the sides of the bowl every once in a while.
This will take a few minutes, and you may want to sing your latest favorite song
(such as Forgotten Christmas Gift) at the top of your voice to cover the sound
of the motor and keep yourself entertained. Add salt to taste and mix
again.
Transfer to a jar and close tightly. The texture is best for spreading
at room temperature, but keep in the fridge if you're not going to consume it
right away or if the weather is very warm

Sheesh. Heaven in a jar.

tt

Caution, Lessons Learned Ahead

We have an opportunity to learn a great lesson this week. A little over 5 years ago, planes flew into buildings and killed a massive amount of American men and women. It was said that this was done to show our weakness; the world (specifically Al-Qaeda) was fed up with our arrogance. Our response as a country was to wear American flag tee-shirts and wage a war on those who would dare show our vulnerability. We seemed to say, “Us vulnerable? We’ll show you vulnerable.”

So here we are engaged in the war five years later; raw. The anniversary was marked with still a great bit of sadness and the ongoing battle concerning the memorial is fraught with bureaucracy.

Last week a man who was said to be “angry at god” opened fire on group of children in an Amish community. It is said that the first child killed asked to be shot in order to let the others go free. She was 13 years old.

There were tears and solemn faces, but mostly there was a lot of talk of forgiveness. Hours after the milkman killed 5 of their children, the Amish were more concerned with the effects of anger than the passing of these young lives.

I think their faith must be strong enough that they feel the children are safe in heaven now. But we are still here, vulnerable on earth. Here, earth, is where anger and hatred lie. Not where those that have passed have gone—but here where those live.

The Amish community attended the funeral of the gunman, in a show of solidarity of their ability to forgive and to set his soul free.

I see the potential for great healing in this community. In five years time, they will not still be erecting a memorial. They will not be shaking at the sight of the murder weapon. Nor will they argue over where the memorial fund should go. They will be healed as best as they can be and will find their peace once again on earth.

Amish Friendship Bread

1 cup Amish Friendship Bread Starter
2/3 cup oil
3 eggs
2 cup flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 cup sugar

Preheat oven to 350°F.
In mixing bowl,
combine all ingredients.

Grease and flour well 2
9″x5″ bread pans.
Bake for 40 to 45 minutes.

Variations: Add
1/2 cup of one or more
of the following - raisins, chopped apples, crushed
pineapple, candied fruit,
coconut, chopped dates, nuts or chocolate chips.
Add to batter just before
baking.

tt

Mission Accomplished

Our government did a fine job waging a “War on Spinach”—but, indeed, spinach prevailed and now you can find it again on your grocers’ shelves. I am so excited that I am running off to Trader Joes to buy bags and bags of the iron-clad leaf.

Below are a few suggestions of spinach-laden meals;

Poached Egg with Sautéed Spinach and St Andre Cheese
Wilted Spinach Leaf Salad with Sweet Apple Cider Vinaigrette
Egg Soup with Spinach and Israeli Cous Cous
Spinach Salad with Roasted Beets and Baked Goat Cheese in a Pine Nut Crust
Creamed Spinach with Nutmeg and Roasted Garlic

And one of the best recipes of all time from Diane Worthington’s book, “Seriously Simple."

Baked Pasta with Spicy Tomato and Sausage Sauce

1 pound Hot Italian Sausage, casings removed
1 Onion, finely chopped
3 Garlic Cloves, Minced
2/26-oz boxes Pomi brand Marinara
6 Tablespoons Basil Pesto
1 pound Penne Pasta, al dente
½ pound Smoked Gouda, finely diced
1 cup Parmesan Cheese, freshly grated
1/6-oz bag of Baby Spinach Leaves

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit
• Sautee Onions and Sausage being sure to break up the meat with the spoon
• Add Garlic and Marinara
• Stir in Pesto and season
• Spread a thin layer of Sauce over the bottom of a casserole dish
• In a bowl combine all ingredients, but for the Parmesan
• Pour into the casserole dish and sprinkle with Parmesan
• Bake until the cheese is browned

tt