What I Blog About When the Power is OUT.

Hurricane Ike paid a visit to Kentucky last week. Well, I guess it was a tropical storm by that point, but what ever it was, it wanted to go out with one last vindictive kick. We got it. 110 power lines down later – we were in the dark at my house for 8 days straight. My neighbors – who happened to have power, strangely – came to our aid and hosted us the entire time. I don’t know what we’d have done without them. Needless to say, I didn’t do a lot of cooking (with the exception of some darned good scrambled eggs.)

Since you all know how to make scrambled eggs, and since I’m weird, I decided to make a list of random food items I’ve enjoyed recently.  Do with the information what you will.

Best “No-Brainer” Side Dish: The Roasted Potato Recipe on the side of the Lipton Onion Soup Mix Box. Go to the store, pick up a box, and thank me.

The Dark Horse of the Dairy Aisle: Yoplait Orange Creme Yogurt. It’s going to take over the world. And I’m thinking about bathing in it.

What I’m Craving: Omeletes. These are also an art. The Joy of Cooking is an enlightening text on the subject. I prefer French, Two-Egg Omeletes. I will elaborate more on the technique once I’ve been in a lighted house for more than a week.

Popcorn Popped In a Pot on the Stove: So good popped in Oil AND Butter. And it’s mind-numbingly easy and cheap. Forget Orville.

I’ll see you this weekend with my most recent culinary triumph.

Nectar

As many of you know, I work at the front desk of a hotel two nights a week. It has its moments of harried activity, as well as its moments of sheer boredom – moments that leave me people-watching and people-listening.  I’m not being creepy. It’s impossible to avoid. Like today for instance: Two young, college-aged lovebirds (who aren’t guests, but students on the campus surrounding the hotel) decided to sit on one of the lobby couches, tissue-paper’s width apart and whisper and blush and cuddle. They did all of this a couch length away from people they didn’t know. Not that I’m against some controlled PDA, but in the lobby of a hotel? Where you aren’t guests? What happened to the “movies” ???? 

Most of my insights into unsuspecting peoples lives (however unsought) aren’t really that interesting. One incident leads me to my topic for today’s post, however. We had a charming couple from England in the hotel last week, and they came down frequently for our complementary supply of tea in the lobby. I didn’t have the heart to tell them that we’re about to do away with the tea bags and stick to coffee and hot chocolate. It’s not that we’re cutting back.  Americans in general don’t really “get” the whole hot tea thing. Hot Tea only goes to the super-intellectual (As in “Do you have “Lady Grey?”) or super-hip (As in “I’ll just have a Ginger Mango Tea after Yoga, thanks”) or just to women trying to feign more contact with high-society than they have. (Face it – hot tea does lend a certain air of aristocracy. The Queen of England drinks it.)  

Of course WE DRINK TEA. We just prefer it cold. From what I overheard, this was a bitter surprise to the kind British guest at our hotel. Again, I wouldn’t have the heart to tell her that it doesn’t stop there. After ice, there’s fierce regional debate over how it should be prepared.

You all know where I’m going with this.

I grew up in Alabama, where nobody drinks anything hot except for their daily coffee and an occasional cup of cider at Christmas when the temperature drops to a chilly 55 degrees, and people need to defrost. Why the heck would you, when the heat is thick enough to cut with a knife 360 days out of the year: heat that wraps its sticky arms around you in a perpetual bear hug ’til January. Ok, maybe December…30. Added to the Southerner’s love of ice-cold beverages a regional sweet-tooth, and you get Sweet Tea, the nectar of the South.

Now, then I say “Sweet” I mean really sweet. The classic Southern recipe below contains 4.5 tsps of sugar per 8oz serving, and I’ll talk straight with you and say that most Southerners consume 16oz per meal. That’s 1 tsp away from an adult’s recommended daily sugar limit. And we haven’t even gotten to the Pie yet. But in the South we don’t really quibble about things like sugar limits. We just worry about our Mamas and how our neighbor’s gettin’ along, and the shocking outfit Aunt Deb wore to her brother’s funeral. We’ll leave it to the rest of the world to be healthy.  

Southern “Tea”

• 4 Family Size Tea Bags (or 8 single-serving sized bags)
• 1 1/2 cups White Sugar
• Water
• 1 Gallon Pitcher

Fill a small sauce pan with 1-2 cups water and the tea bags. Bring the water to a boil and then remove from heat. Let tea bags steep for another 5 minutes. Put sugar in the bottom of the pitcher. Strain out the tea bags and pour tea into the pitcher. Stir til sugar is dissolved and fill the pitcher up the rest of the way with cold water. Refrigerate until cold. Serve over ice.

Nostalgia.

I’m finally eating again. I don’t like everything yet. Really strong, smoky flavors tend to turn my innards – but for the most part, I’m starting to feel like cooking. And eating. And that’s a good thing, because if this baby is going to have a well-rounded palate before he or she exits the womb, I’m going to have to stuff my nausea and start introducing new things. Cheese and Crackers is nourishing, but not exactly the building blocks for sophisticated tastes in food. And believe me – this kid is going to eat it all. None of this “I don’t like it” stuff. NOOO ma’am. I think I botched the whole thing up with my first. He prefers to live on cheese sandwiches and fruit. Although, he did eat broccoli last night. With Lemon and Butter. (Ok – we had to call them “trees” and give him pizza sauce to dip them in, but he chewed and swallowed something that didn’t include melted cholesterol. It was a proud day.)

Now that I’m thinking about food AND I’m pregnant I tend to get all nostalgic. Want to know that main thing I’ve been remembering? Souffle. My Mom used to make a Cheddar Cheese Souffle as a main dish when I was growing up. I don’t think I’ve eaten one since I was eight. It’s funny the things you remember. I’m not sure why she doesn’t make it any more. WAIT – yes I do. Teenage boys NEVER have sophisticated palates. Not even when you eat Caviar and Escargot while they’re in utero. It’s a sad, sad fact. ANYWAY – I’m thinking about tackling the Souffle over the next couple of weeks, armed with the Joy of Cooking and perhaps Julia Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking, should I be able to pry it out of the hands of the next unsuspecting library card holder. It never seems to be on the shelf when I need it. And I need it.

Want to whip up some egg whites and cheese with me? I’m talking Savory souffles here, people. No Chocolate. But I might be persuaded otherwise once I master the technique. Here’s a couple of sample souffle recipes for you to ogle.

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/CLASSIC-CHEESE-SOUFFLE-242119

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/blue-cheese-souffle-recipe/index.html

Have fun this week. And eat something yummy. I will.

Worth the Wait.

Thanks for the time off. Not that I really gave you much say in the matter. Since I left, I’ve had family visit me, visited more family, gone to two out-of-town weddings and worked on some extra work projects. I really needed the time, but even if I had been blogging, I doubt that anyone would have enjoyed it very much.

You see – I currently hate food.

It started a few weeks ago; A few weeks ago I found out that my husband and I are expecting baby #2. I don’t remember being this queasy with my first pregnancy. Maybe I just don’t remember. But man -I hate food. I’m not throwing up or anything. I just can’t bear to eat. And I’m starving.

Occasionally I do think of something that I want to eat, and when that happens, I make it. There are also some pretty safe bets at any time of day: Cheese and Saltine Crackers; Granny Smith Apples, and Vanilla Soft-Serve. (The cheese,crackers and apples are in my house. The soft-serve isn’t, for obvious reasons. But I’m thinking about breaking that rule in about 3 minutes.)

SO, you ask. What in the heck are you going to cook that includes crackers, cheese, apples and soft-serve? (Gross. Gross. Gross.) Well, I actually felt like cooking AND eating today, and so it’s all worked out perfectly. I made this dish to take to a family in our church tonight too – so it had to be presentable to more than the pregnant female population. I found it in an old Southern Living Magazine, and adapted it to make it healthier. But I included both the original ingredients and my adaptions, in case you want to fall off the health wagon.

Turkey Tetrazzini

• 5 tbsp of butter, divided ( I used half olive oil)
• 1 8oz package of sliced cremini mushrooms
• 4 green onions, chopped
• 2 tbsp flour (If you use evaporated skim milk, you may need 1 or 2 tbsp more)
• 2 cups chicken broth (I used fat-free, low sodium broth)
• 3/4 cup half and half or evaporated milk (I used evaporated skim milk)
• 1/4 cup plus 1 tbsp of grated parmesan cheese, divided
• 1/4 cup sherry or port (I skipped this)
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
• 2 cups hot cooked fusilli or gemelli pasta
• 3 cups cooked turkey, chopped (I used rotisserie chicken)
• 1 cup fine, soft bread crumbs

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. In a large skillet, saute the mushrooms and the onions in 2 tbsp of butter until tender (8 to 10 minutes). Pour into a large plate and set aside. Melt two more tbsp of the butter in the skillet and wisk in the flour, cooking for about 1 minute until it is a smooth roux. Add broth and milk and cook until hot and slightly thicken. (Sauce will hold a line on the back of a wooden spoon when you draw your finger through it.) Remove the sauce from the heat and stir in 1/4 cup cheese, salt and pepper. Add the Mushroom mixture, turkey and pasta. Transfer to a 2 quart casserole dish. Mix the bread crumbs, remaining tbsp of butter and 1 tbsp of the cheese together. Sprinkle evenly over casserole and bake 20-25 minutes until bubbly and lightly browned.

PS . I expect to be feeling more like cooking in a few more weeks, but even so – You’ll get a recipe from me next Friday, even if I have to post a link to it. Happy cooking! I’m going to Dairy Queen.

Back from the Dead…Kind of.

I’m here, if only for a second, to apologize, profusely, for my extended absence. I’m in the middle of craziness that includes two weddings back to back (of which I am an attendant), family in town, work on a deadline, and extreme fatigue. I promise to be back in August, but until the 2nd week, I am going to be MIA.

Please refrain from wailing and heaving sobs. Absence makes the heart grow fonder!! Love to you all, and see you soon!

Me

Blowing Bubles In the Loby? Feeling Wobly? Shaving Stuble Off Your Face?

I have not lost my mind. It’s just that every once and a while you’re given a window of insight into a particular situation that really never mattered at all in light of starving children, foreign wars and natural disasters but it’s so funny to finally have an explanation for it, you have to share it with as many people as you can.

Clear on anything yet? I didn’t think so. Let me start from the beginning.

Rewind to my first Thanksgiving away from my hometown. We had just moved from Auburn, AL to Louisville, KY, and we were unable to make it down for Thanksgiving Dinner back home, due to work schedules. My favorite sister had taken matters into her own hands, and had come to visit us so we wouldn’t have to spend Thanksgiving alone in our dark apartment, crying into our Turkey. She did that because that’s what favorite sisters do, and I still love her for it. We had a terrific time. We combined forces with several families in the same situation, ate too much, played games, watched football, etc. The day after Thanksgiving, my favorite sister and I decided to shop, because what else is there to do on the biggest shopping day of the year? We were driving around Louisville in search of good bargains, when we saw it.

I’m just going to stop right here and say that all names have been changed for the sake of preserving whatever shred of personal dignity remains for the people involved. I don’t blog to smear people, ok? Glad we got that out of the way. ANYWAY – what we saw when we turned a corner was the very large marquis of a local music store that read: “Happy Thanksgiving. Goble.”

There are a few passing observations that I’d like to make about this festive greeting. First of all, learn to spell. Second of all, learn to spell. Third of all, NO self respecting turkey stops at only one Gobble. Give the public the benefit of at least a two-gobble bird on the biggest shopping day of the year, ok?

My sister and I, when we realized the mistake, laughed until we cried. And we told everyone about it. Misspelled signs are funny like that, and this one was right up there with a sign in Opelika, AL that reads “Goo Goo Car Warsh”. You just have to pass it along. But, we did give the poor, undereducated employee the benefit of the doubt. Perhaps the wind blew off the second “b” in “Gobble”. (It would have had to blow the blank space between the “b” and the “l” out too, but we didn’t say that.) Or maybe Mr. Music Employee’s family didn’t have double gobbling turkeys. I’m all about embracing each person’s life experience. There had to be some reasonable explanation for why the guy at the music store managed to botch up the marquis on the very day everyone would be looking, and why the business-savvy owner didn’t catch it.

Fast forward to this week. I was working my normal shift at the front desk of the hotel, and one of the guests ordered a pizza from a particularly fabulous local pizza joint. While the delivery guy was waiting for said guest to come down to claim his pie, he started laughing and pointing at the directions to our hotel that Frank, the person in charge of taking orders at the pizza place, had scribbled.

After the address he had quickly written, “Deliver to Loby”.

We both had a good laugh, and since the situation was shockingly similar in theme to my ever-popular Thanksgiving Marquis Story, I proceeded to share the similarities. After a hearty laugh, Mr. Delivery Man had an “Ah Ha” moment. (Oh, how I love those.) He paused mid-guffaw, and uttered the following illuminating words.

“You know, Frank actually used to work at Charlie’s Music before coming to work here.”

It all comes together now. Isn’t it good to have answers?

Be back Friday. Thanks for indulging my recipe-free post. I’ll have something for you to goble down soon.

What to Rub On Chicken When Your Neighbors Are Blowing Up Asphalt.

Sorry to be late, but it was, after all, a holiday weekend. My husband and I did all the things you are supposed to do on July 4th. We braved the masses at the grocery store, grilled out, and experienced spectacular pyro-technics. I should add, however, that I would have preferred a little less “bang” for my buck.

We live in an interesting neighborhood. Most of the residences nearby house people in their late 40s to 70s. The noise level usually peaks on the weekends when each resident mows his or her lawn (the exception being our across-the-street neighbor who mowed hers on Wednesday, and punctuated each stall of her weed-eater with curses and cries for a tall glass of whiskey.) For the most part though, we have it pretty quiet. People sit and chat on their porch at night, and go to bed pretty early. (Well, except for that one guy on his moped, who likes to buzz up and down the rode in the cool, crisp late-night air.)

Such is not the case on Independance Day. Our neighhbors – usually mellow and cogenial – turned into raging pyro-maniacs. We were surrounded by sputters, pops, whistles, screeches and smoky belches until long after our friendly neighborhood curfew. Oh, and Green and Purple seemed to be the colors of choice during the brief period I braved the outdoors.  But do you want to know something eerie? I didn’t hear any shouting or loud drunken conversations. These people were absolutely zoned in on the task at hand. They were just stoically lighting fuses.

Where exactly do I live?  Yikes.

I really can’t resist naming the following recipe something corny enough to follow a story like the one I’ve just related to you.  I’ve actually come up with several pretty darned good choices. So I’ll let you decide which one you like best. The recipe, unlike the title, isn’t corny or gag-worthy. It will become the only chicken rub you ever use on the 4th of July or any other day.

Neighbor Jekyl/Neighbor Hyde: A Chicken Rub

OR

Mulletts, Matches and Mayhem: A Chicken Rub for the 4th

OR

What To Rub On Chicken When Your Neighbors Are Blowing Up The Asphalt

• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp chili powder (or paprika, if you don’t have chili powder)
• 3/4 tsp Kosher Salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

Rub on Chicken Pieces and grill. You will not be sorry. I wasn’t.

*Post-Script: You can make this even if your neighbors are the kind that go to the gym, the spa and then go to bed at nine after sipping a mint julep on the veranda. In which case, just rename the rub. It’s totally flexible.

I Love My Readers #5: Hodge Podge of Helpful Links

My lovely readers – I hope you feel appreciated. We’ve have quite a week! I’d forgotten what it was like to post everyday. Whew! But ya’ll are worth all the finger spasms and sleepless nights. (Just kidding – about the spasms and no sleep, that is.)

I’ve decided to give you a gift, on this, the last day of Reader Appreciation Week. I’m not going to post a recipe today. I’m going to give you a link list, of sorts. The sites below are all a “must bookmark”. There are recipe sites, and sites to buy cooking utensils (things you need and things you MUST HAVE), and sites that talk about food and foodies. They are all tons of fun. Have fun browsing! Hopefully they will keep your brain pulsing with new ideas. I’ve had fun with you this week! See you next Friday!

Love,

Me

Recipe Sites:

Simply Recipes

101 Cookbooks

All Recipes.com

Food Blogs and/or Online Food Communities:

The Fresh Loaf (Bread)

Serious Eats

Lessons with Master Chefs (I know this is in my blogroll, but PLEASE go here. It’s fantastic.)

The Smitten Kitchen (Gorgeous)

Places to buy everything you need (and things you don’t):

Cookware and More

Chefs Resource

Sur la Table

Chef’s Catalog.com

I Love My Readers #4: When You’re Broke.

Well, maybe not BROKE per se, but you know what I mean. You want to cook something tasty and special, just so long as tasty and special = cheap. My husband and I spent the first three years of our marriage eating on the cheap. In fact, our first grocery budget (in the year 2004) was $30 a week. We ate a lot of canned vegetables and casseroles with very little meat per square inch. I’ll admit that having very little monetary resources really does cramp one’s culinary ambitions. But over thoseearly years of penny-pinching I did find a few recipes that I used to make because they were cheap, but now make because they’re good recipes. To me, if you can do both, you’ve got it made. If you’re broke, it’s more money for canned beans and bread. If you’re not, it’s more money for beef tenderloin or fancy imported cheese or your kids college fund. Which ever comes first. 

I’m only posting one recipe today - but it’s a goodie. I actually created this soup based on a really fabulous black bean soup recipe I got from a friend. I call it “Checker Board Soup” because of the black and white beans. After making it with dried beans once, I realized that I prefer canned. This way you don’t have to cook it for very long – just until the onion is tender.  If you have a $30 a week budget and you can’t afford the $2.99 for fresh thyme, skip it. But it is a lovely addition.

Checker Board Soup

• 2 cans of black beans, rinsed and drained (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 2 cans of white beans, rinsed and drained (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 5 cups of chicken broth
• 3 cups water
• 1/2 cup salsa
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tsp fresh thyme
• 2 tsp of McCormick Montreal Steak Seasoning (NOT the spicy one if you want to live.)
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin

Combine everything in a large stock pot. Bring to a simmer and cook until the onion is tender and everything is nice and hot and fragrant (15 to 20 minutes). Serve with tortilla chips, sour cream, and cheddar cheese to garnish.

    

I Love My Readers #3: When You Want Real Food

Ok, I admit it. I am a HUGE fan of chick food. I love grilled chicken salad, and grapfruit, and carrot sticks and hummus and I am in love with pink lemonade pie (Yes – ask me for the recipe. I have it.) I have even ordered the baked potato - with broccoli on top - off of the Wendy’s fast food menu. More than once.

But I LOVE to eat real food. 

If you ask me (and I can tell you because I am a chick-food-eating kind of girl), inside every girl that orders a side-salad at McDonald’s there is a raging wild woman screaming for Nachos with extra queso or a bowl full of chocolate truffles (yes, a bowl). I won’t even go into why I think this is. But I would like to give the rabbit-food munching chick a piece of friendly advice: Every once and a while, release the beast.

Eating real food is good for the soul as well as palate. I’ll just get right out there and say it: my husband and I have both recently lost a good bit of weight eating well, exercising, etc. But what’s the use of losing all that weight if you can’t enjoy the rich, delicious stuff every once and a while? I’m serious! At least once every month or two (or three if you are obsessive and live on laughing cow cheese and celery), cook and eat one of the following recipes. Your life will be enhanced. And the rabbit food will be there in the morning. Trust me. I know this.

Smothered Enchiladas

*Yes, I said “smothered”. As in Cheese and Cream Soup. This recipe is from “The All New Ultimate Southern Living Cookbook”. It’s great for the simple reason that you can make it the night before, and put it in the fridge until you’re ready to bake it. Plus it’s cheesy and mexican and spicy. If you would like to make this a bit healthier for everyday use, you could use ground turkey, whole-wheat tortillas, and low fat or fat free versions of the soup, sour cream and cheese. I can’t believe I just added that. Oh well.

• 2 pounds of ground beef
• 1 (1 1/4 ounce) package of mild taco seasoning
• 1 4.5 oz can of chopped green chilies
• 2 (10 3/4 ounce) cans of cream of chicken soup
• 1 16 oz container of sour cream
• 8 8-inch flour tortillas
• 2 cups of Shredded Cheddar Cheese

Brown ground beef in a skillet and drain. Add the taco seasoning and half the chilies. Set aside. Combine the remaining chilies, sour cream and soup. Spoon half of the soup mixture into a 13X9 inch baking dish that has been lightly greased. Divide the meat mixture evenly between the tortillas and roll up. Lay them seam-side down in the baking dish. Pour the remaining sour cream mixture over the top and sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 350 degrees, uncovered, for 25 minutes, or until heated through.

Recipe adapted from The All New Ultimate Southern Living Cookbook. Copyright 2006 by Oxmoor House.

Sally Lunn Bread

*You know me – I can’t leave out bread while we’re being indulgent. This is a yeast bread, but it’s not “Scary” for all you non-bread-making people. There’s no kneading. It actually mixes up more like a quick-bread in method. Just let it rise, and bake. I will warn you though – moderation and this bread are not compatible.

• 2 envelopes of active dry yeast
• 1/2 cup warm water (100 to 110 degrees)
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup butter or margarine
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 large eggs
• 5 cups all-purpose flour

Combine the yeast and warm water, and let sit for 5 minutes. In a sauce pan over medium heat, heat milk, sugar, butter and salt until butter melts. Cool to 100 or 110 degrees. (If you need to do this quickly, setting the bowl over an ice bath and stirring it until it reaches the desired temperature works really well.) Beat yeast/water mixture, milk mixture and eggs at medium speed with an electric mixture until fully combined. Add flour gradually, beating on low, until flour is completely incorporated. Beat on the lowest speed of your mixture. Dough will be very soft and sticky.

Cover with a piece of lightly greased plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place, away from drafts, until doubled (about 1 hour). Stir the dough to punch it down, cover it again, and let it rise for 30 minutes until doubled.

Stir the dough down again, and spoon it into a greased 10-inch bundt pan or tube pan. This is a sticky task, but try to spread it out as evenly as you can. Cover and let rise for 20-30 minutes until it is twice its size.

Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes, or until golden and a wooden pick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean. Remove from pan as soon as you take the bread out of the oven.

Yeild: 16 servings

Recipe adapted from The All New Ultimate Southern Living Cookbook. Copyright 2006 by Oxmoor House.