We Can Help!

This blog is about my experiences with cooking and food. I can gladly and proudly tell you that this passion of mine comes from growing up in the kitchen with my mom and dad. However, I know that trend is a rapidly dying one, and sadly it could be gone soon. Today I just watched a video from a TED conference with Jamie Oliver talking about food. His passion and heart about what he's doing for food and for children to fight teh obesity epidemic is inspiring, and I just want you all to watch this video and realize that our problems are not permanent, however devastating they are. I hope that the efforts of people such as the First Lady Michelle Obama, Jamie Oliver, and others like them are met with open arms and open minds.

http://www.ted.com/talks/jamie_oliver.html - this video is also 20 minutes long, but it's definitely worth watching.

Also, there are plenty of other inspiring, funny, and poignant videos at the TED website, www.ted.com. You can even search by category of speech, such as food!

Keep cooking, and watch the video!

New friends, new sauces!

I've been dying to make Chef John's beurre noir sauce for literally weeks now. During a performance 2 weeks ago, I made a new friend! I was talking about something I cooked and she was all, "Oh my goodness! Will you cook for me?!" And I was all, "Heck yes! Tell me what and when!" She requested steak, which this sauces goes great with! Ba BAM, and like that I get to fulfill my wishes. So, here is a long multi-recipe post for the steak, the sauce, and also I made green beans to go with it all. Thinking about it is making me hungry again, which is sad since I just ate all this an hour ago... dang it! Also, this is what I practiced using the grill pan for!! There's also a warning attached to this recipe, but it'll be at the bottom.*

What you'll need:
Steak - your choice on what kind, cut, etc.
   - salt and pepper to taste (I like mine really peppered)
   - same peppers as below, in fact from the same can

Sauce
   - butter, just keep it out, you'll be using a long of it.
   - garlic, 1 clove sliced, not minced or chopped
   - 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar, well aged and delicious in every way (remember that bottle from earlier?)
   - 1 tsp minced red chilies (I used a can of chipotle peppers in adobe sauce that I quickly minced)
   - 1/2 tsp tomato paste (I used 1/2-1 tsp flour and a few splashes of lemon juice)
   - salt and pepper to taste
Green Beans
   - 1/2 lb of fresh green beans
   - butter
   - salt and pepper to taste
   - whatever you want to add to make it special?

Put your green beans in a steamer and get them going. You want to pull them off when they're just a bit under cooked (al dente if it were pasta) and put in cold water to stop the cooking. Put aside! Throw your steaks on the grill or grill pan surrounded by the chipotle peppers (the warning pertains to this portion). Grill to medium-medium well, like a good steak should be! Let rest, and keep warm while the sauce is made! In a medium/small saucepan over medium heat, melt 1 tbsp of butter. When it's a little foamy, add the garlic slices. Let them cook for about 2 minutes, barely starting to brown, then add the balsamic vinegar. Let it reduce by 2/3 (about 3-5 minutes on my stove) and add the chilies. When it's reduced, turn the heat down to low, and add the tomato paste (I added flour and lemon juice because it's for a bit of acidity and body, which flour and lemon juice give). Take the pan off the heat, and add 2-3 more tbsp of butter, and just stir around so it melts. The sauce will already be hot and acidic, so it goes fast. Then pour over your meat! Back to beans! Add them to a medium pan with a tbsp of melted butter, and saute real quick. Throw on the plate with the meat, and devour.

The deadly mace-like pepper!

*When grilling the chipotle peppers, be careful. I'm pretty sure that's what mace is made out of, and so grilling it makes it hard to breathe/speak/think in the kitchen. I couldn't stop coughing and had to throw them away after the first two stakes so I could breathe again.

Also, make sure your plate is warm, or the sauce will congeal - it is mostly melted butter after all!

A French Fruit Cobbler Custard Casserole Thing...

Clafoutis! I love saying - "Cluh-foo-tee!" Now you try. I'm serious. Do it, right now, loudly and with conviction. I know you didn't actually say it so I'm very disappointed, and if you did then I'm obscenely proud. You choose which path to follow! It's like a fun book from when you were young, and if you never read one of those books then this analogy goes right over your head and you missed out on a good chunk of life.

I digress, this clafoutis is a french custard cobbler casserole thing and it's delicious. Super easy too, just go to the store and buy some fresh fruit (berries, stone fruits, or apples/pears are all probably best, but experiment. You know what you like!) The rest you'll probably have at home. Mine was made with blackberries and pears, just letting you know...

What you'll need:
1/4 cup flour
2/3 cup sugar, divided
1 1/4 cup milk
3 eggs
Dash of cinnamon (optional)
Dash of ground nutmeg (optional)
Pinch of lemon zest (optional)
Your fruit (2 pints? of blackberries and 2 ripe pears, pealed, cored, sliced)
One baking dish, buttered, about 10 inches? I think mine was bigger, and it turned out fine


In a bowl, combine the flour, 1/3 c of sugar, and milk, and cinnamon. Once that's good to go, add your eggs and beat them in with everything else. Put all of your fruit into the baking dish, and sprinkle with the other 1/3 cup sugar. Pour the custard filling stuff over the top of everything, then sprinkle the top with the lemon zest and nutmeg. Throw it in your 350 oven for about 45 minutes. Take it out and eat it warm or room temp!

This is what a nutmeg looks like when you grind it yourself!

Winter Grillin'

So I decided the other day that I need to practice with my grill pan since I'm using it later this week (technically tonight since this post is so late). Also, I love chicken! So I grilled some chicken. Crazy, I know...

What you'll need:
2 chicken breasts
Pepper and salt to taste
Worcestershire sauce
Pinch of cayenne pepper
1/2-1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup? Chicken broth
Grill (or grill pan if you're freezing in winter like me)

Drizzle a tiny, TINY bit of olive oil onto your pan which is over medium heat. Put on your chicken breasts. Add salt and pepper and a pinch of cayenne for heat! Pour/splash the W Sauce over it until it smells good, or you can't breath. I went with the latter - who knew that cooking with that much W Sauce would make it feel like it was impossible to breath? Cook it for about 10-ish minutes per side. Check to make sure it's done with a meat thermometer - should be between 155 and 165 F (sorry rest of the world). Then take the pan off the heat, take the chicken out of the pan, and let it rest. Immediately pour the broth into the pan and mix it around with the tasty chicken bits, then pour over the chicken when you've sliced it up and are eating it. Cue devouring here!

The Candy Man Can!

Story time! This weekend I went home because Maryville stifles my creativity and quite frankly I feel like my soul dies a bit more every day I'm there. So, now I'm in the KC area, and Saturday afternoon I see a tweet from my best friend Laura, saying she's downtown at a coffee shop we both love. I decide that I will surprise her and so I do, and we spend the rest of the afternoon in each other's company. In doing so, we decided that we need some Turkish Delight to relive the glory days - long story, as if this one isn't - so we hop on over to World Market to find some. Turns out, WM is no longer selling delight, so I say, "I bet I can make some. That's what I'll do, make us some." So I do.

What you need:
2 cups granulated sugar
2/3 cup cornstarch
1/3 cup powdered sugar
2 1/4 cups water
1/2 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
1/2-1 tbsp flavoring (rosewater* if you want to get traditional)
1/4 cup pistachios (optional)

White/grey Wax!

Put the sugar, lemon juice, and 3/4 cup of water in a pot; simmer and stir on low heat until the sugar is dissolved, including the stuff on the sides. Bring to a boil, and let it get to 240 degrees on a candy thermometer - then remove from the heat. In another pot, put in 1/2 cup cornstarch, cream of tartar, and 1/2 cup cold water, stir together. Add 1 cup boiling water, then stir until everything congeals - it should look like white/grey wax. Combine the "wax" and sugar water over medium heat (lower is better) and stir constantly for about 1 hour, 1:15. Seriously, stir constantly means sit every 2-5 minutes. You'll know it's ready when it's a pale gold color, then remove from heat. Stir in your flavoring, like rose water and pistachios. Pour into a heavily greased baking dish (I mean rub oil or shortening or whatever ALL over that dish, you'll thank me later). Let it cool/set over night. In the morning, or 10-12 hours later, whatevs, and cut into little squares with a heavily greased knife. Then combine the last bit of cornstarch and the powdered sugar, then get those suckers rolling in the dust!

*Rosewater: You can make your own! Gather enough rose petals to tightly pack 1 cup (either go picking or buy a bunch of roses) and combine with boiling water for 30 minutes to an hour.




You can use any flavor, but beware! Some flavors include alcohol, and so when combined in excess to boiling sugar wax lava stuff, you will make a fireball of death. Trust me, I got a full 3 feet out of mine!

How do You not find Food Sexy?

So yesterday (Feb. 15) was me and my boyfriend's four year anniversary. In celebration, I cooked dinner! Who's surprised? As such, I made the wonderful Prosciutto-Wrapped Chicken with Cherry Stuffing that I've been raving about for a week or two, and a deliciously rich Tiramisu Chocolate Mousse. While eating, I kept gawking over my chicken and how sexy I thought it looked - because it was sexy looking! - and Boyfriend just laughed at me, saying he thought I was silly, but it was delicious. I replied with, "How can you not think food is sexy?"

Long story short, I made a wonderful dinner, we danced in the living room to French cool jazz after dessert, and had a perfect night overall.

So! I'm not going to put the recipe's up here, because I won't lie, I used Chef John's recipes from FoodWishes.com. I will however give a few edits I had for each recipe, and link to the recipes I used.

http://foodwishes.blogspot.com/2012/02/prosciutto-wrapped-chicken-stuffed-with.html - Chicken
I didn't get to use the sauce at the end because my roommate thought it was just a dirty dish and threw it out...
Also, it took my chicken 40-45 minutes to cook, not 20 like Chef's, but my oven is super shitty and never holds an even temperature.



http://foodwishes.blogspot.com/2012/02/tiramisu-chocolate-mouse-pickem-up-and.html - Mousse
I had to use way more than 2 tbsp of coffee, more like 3/4c or 1c. Also, I didn't use/have wine (the pains of being only 20) so I just used water with the egg portion - which I cooked over the double boiler, it was way faster. Finally, go ahead and use an electric hand mixer for your whipped cream; it doesn't matter how cold your cream and bowl and whisk and heart are, it will take you forever. Chef John's comment of not cleaning a mixer after dinner is moot, because you have to make it 2-3 hours minimum before serving.

I hope everyone had a wonderful Valentine's Day, and if you didn't then maybe next year?

Love Quiche: A Valentine's Dish for Me

My boyfriend was in rehearsal tonight (like every night) and so I have the evening to myself. In celebration of this loving day, I made myself quiche because I love quiche and quiche loves me and it's Love Day. In case you have no worldly pleasures in your palate, a quiche is a French egg pie - literally. Scrambled eggs, in a pie crust. Heaven.

What you'll need to make sweet love:
1 Pie crust - I had leftover homemade crust from a baking adventure over Xmas break. Store bought is equally delicious.
4 Eggs
1/2 - 1 c milk - guesstimate so that it looks like a yummy buttery color when mixed with eggs
Anything You Want Inside - Honest, a quiche is like an omelette pie, throw in whatever sounds good to you. I used sausage and cheddar cheese

Scramble your eggs with the milk in a bowl. Add in whatever you are adding in. (If it's meat, cook it first.) Pour all ingredients into the pie crust. Wrap foil around the edge so your crust doesn't burn, then cook at 375 for roughly 30 minutes. My stove is jank, so I can't give correct baking times.

*I should also give a special thanks to my roommate Helen, because yesterday I used her edamame, and tonight I used her eggs and milk. I'll pay her back in kind. Check out her blog here at: http://beautyinveterate.blogspot.com/*

Erika's Heavenly Beverage

With tonight's food, I also brewed a tasty iced tea. Of course I can't let anything go untouched by spices, so I went off book and made this wonderful drink to compliment the fabulous dinner with a friend.

What you need:
Black tea (Loose leaf is a fun challenge) (mine was decaf apricot if you want to be specific, but try something else if you want.)
Ground Cinnamon - a hearty dash, maybe 1/2-1 tbsp
Ground Clove - a minor dash, maybe 1/2 tsp
Ground Nutmeg - a medium dash, maybe 1 tsp

Boil a pot of water. Take off the heat and add tea and spices. Let steep for 2-3 min, then strain into a pitcher. Add water to fill your pitcher if it isn't full. Throw in the fridge and enjoy when it's cooled.

You can also drink it hot if you want... I'm sure it's delicious that way too, I just wanted to make iced tea.

Erika's Heaven

I'm a theatre major, and as such I perform in shows. Since I'm in college, that means I'm also supposed to do things like help set the stage up and take it down. However I don't like to, and managed (completely accidental, honest) (Truly, honest) to miss the set up or "load-in" if you want to be hip with the lingo. As a plea for forgiveness, I cooked dinner for my director. Erika (my director) requested terriyaki chicken and then I proposed quinoa stuffed bell peppers to go with. I used couscous, because it's cheaper.

Chicken - What you need:

4 chicken breasts

1/2 c soy sauce

1/2 c water

1 T ginger puree (mine was freshly grated)

1 T garlic puree (mine was freshly chopped)

1/4 c sugar

Put all of the non-chicken items in a small saucepan, and let simmer for 15 min. Cut some slices into the chicken, but don't cut all the way through and put all of the chicken into a smallish baking dish so they form a single layer. Once the sauce is ready, pour roughly 1/3 over chicken and bake at 375 for 25 min under foil. After the 25, remove foil, and cook for another 20 min - every 5 minutes you pour a bit more sauce over them. LET THEM REST then devour.

Peppers - What you need:

2 bell peppers - yellow!

1 box of couscous

1/4 c carrots - diced

1/4 c celery - diced

1 orange, zested and half juiced

1/4 c parsley

Edamame beans, thawed

Halve and de-seed your peppers, and boil them for 2 minutes to soften. Cook couscous as directed, then add everything else and mix together. Stuff couscous into peppers. Devour.

*You MUST make this recipe with cool jazz playing so you make classy food. This is entirely optional of course, but HIGHLY suggested.

Balsamic Vinegar Chicken

I was hungry and had just finished doing the dishes. So what do I do? Immediately get them dirty again, go me. I was glad because I got to use my new 18 year aged balsamic vinegar. When it was heating up in the pan it was like I was getting high on delicious fumes from heaven. I realized after I had started to cook this that I should take pictures, so there's only a few here. I'm learning!

What you need:
Balsamic vinegar
2 chicken breasts
garlic clove
shallot... clove?
1/2 T of butter
pasta of your choice

Melt your butter in a medium saucepan, then add 4-5ish T of the balsamic. Add in chopped garlic and shallot, then chicken. Cook 10 min/side. When it's done take it out and, say it with me, let it rest. While you did all that you could have been boiling your pasta, salted of course. Slice chicken and throw with the pasta!

Technically it should only be 1 breast per serving, but I was really hungry, so I ate both. I know, shame on me.

Foodie Facts (Part 1?)

So, in order to keep myself occupied as well as to keep you all entertained, here are some fun food facts that are sometimes beneficial, and sometimes just neat to know.

• Dark roasted coffees have less caffeine than light roasts, despite the obvious kick in flavor!
• If you don't rest your meats after cooking, usually 5 minutes, then you lose all of the delicious natural juices.
• Always salt your pasta water after adding the pasta. Before helps too, but doesn't flavor the noodles.
• Pasta gets sticky when the water isn't at a full boil while cooking them.
• Oranges are juicer on the northeastern part of the tree than the southwestern.
• Hawaii is the largest consumer of SPAM in the USA.
• Popcorn pops because of the build-up of steam inside the kernels. 
• Popcorn kernels that don't pop are called "Old Maids."
• Fresh herbs and dried herbs actually have different tastes.
• Vitamin C helps develop collagen, which is in almost every part of your body.
• Vitamin C is the cure for scurvy.

So, I know I love random facts to whip out at parties. Now you can too! Be looking for a new recipe this week I hope, if not very beginning of next!

Keep eating, and cook carelessly!

Here's the thing...

I'm dirt broke. However, I feel that anyone who reads this more than once, and hopefully the person who found this in Germany (I hope you're still reading so you can share fun German recipes with me), should know that I'm still planning on cooking very soon. Here are a few things to look forward to!

Quinoa Stuffed Bell Peppers and Teriyaki Chicken
Beurre Noir  sauce to go with Beef or Pork Tenderloin
Chocolate Mousse
Cookies or Cake or Pie (anything and everything I can bake with Nicki Kearney, the better half of Baking       Queens)

In the meantime, if you need a better fix for your foodie needs, check out my two favorite "food porn" sites:
http://www.foodgawker.com - search by ingredient, dish, or just randomize
http://foodwishes.blogspot.com - he lists all of his recipes by main ingredient on the side, and has lightly humorous videos posted on YouTube

This week, I promise. Just wait for me!

I've got Lemon/Lime disease...

Last night I made lemon/lime chicken with pasta pour moi et mon petit ami Tony, and tried to make a lemony sauce to go with it. However, the sauce portion turned into a gooey blob of shit, so I threw it out. Hey, adventure comes with failures, and failures come with backup plans!

What you'll need:
2 chicken breasts
lemon juice
lime juice
olive oil
salt/pepper
pasta (we had spaghetti)

1) Drizzle 1tbs of olive oil into a medium pan and let heat over medium-high temperature
2) Add chicken breasts. Pour lemon juice and lime juice strait onto chicken, then salt and pepper. Eventually you flip them and do the same thing to the other side. When it's done take out of pan and LET REST ON YOUR CUTTING BOARD
3) Cook pasta, again like any normal person does
4) Cut the chicken (AFTER RESTING) into bite-sized pieces, throw on top of your pasta
5) Drizzle just a bit more olive oil on top, add a few splashes of lemon and/or lime juice, and put a bit of cheese on top if you so wish

Step five would have been the sauce, but like I said, it was generally shitty, so we tossed it out.