Unfussy Foodie

New Site

2010-06-11T13:54:00.000-05:00

Unfussy Foodie has moved!! Check out my new and improved blog- same philosophy and posts, just a little sleeker and more refined. Let me know what you think!!

http://www.unfussyfoodie.com

The Meaning of Food

2010-06-02T11:54:00.001-05:00

I think it’s time I explain my relationship with food. Food is more to me than just sustenance, it is tied to my conception of the world, my community and my culture. Food is how we celebrate our victories, sooth our wounds and how we create community. We eat in times of happiness and sadness, for joy and for pain. We bring a plate of cookies to a new neighbor, a pot of soup to those who are sick. Food can do so many things, and yet at the end of the day, it is just food. It’s not overly complicated, doesn’t require anything from you, it is there simply to satiate your hunger and nourish your body.

I sought comfort in food at an early age, holding on to it for stability when it seemed my world was flying to pieces. It manifested itself in strange ways, like a constant, baseless fear of running out of food. I grew up simply, but having enough food was never once an issue- I have no idea where my fear came from. At birthday parties, I would eye the platters of beautiful food with an almost crazed mind, panicked at the thought that I would not get enough cake; that they would run out and I would be left cakeless, other kids eyeing me with pity. I had no basis for this fear, I have never seen a children’s birthday party with a shortage of cake. But I could not be convinced.

As I got older, I lost the fear of not having enough, and sought the comfort of food in other ways. I was an overachiever in school- straight A’s, dancer in a dance company, Rotary Interact Club President, outrigger canoe team, art classes- my resume was optimized for college applications. Food was my outlet. A simple process of mixing ingredients to yield a yummy finished product. Nothing to be graded, judged, or held up for comparison, this food was just for me.

I found my passion for cooking in college. I was shy, not the type of girl to go to wild parties, and turned to cooking to make friends. The smell of fresh hot chocolate chip cookies baking in a dorm could attract even the most reclusive of college kids. With food, I forged friendships and created my tribe. I joined a sorority, and through it made deep friendships with amazing women- smart, funny and inspiring. Each of our events was marked with food; cookie parties celebrating our accomplishments, dinners saying goodbye to graduating seniors, even attendance at our chapter meetings every Monday night was guaranteed with some sort of food bribe. We laughed and cried over those meals and parties and through them grew into our young adult selves.

Graduation scattered my closest friends across the country, but I stuck close to the familiar in the more sophisticated city of Seattle. The city brought many new things, but brought me closer to the tight knit group of girlfriends who stayed nearby. There were so many restaurants to be explored, happy hours to be tested and food festivals like the international cheese festival in Pike Market. Best of all, we started a tradition called Tuesday Night Dinner. The location rotated between each of our starter apartments, with barely enough kitchen space to turn around, let alone create a meal. We came up with a theme, like breakfast, Mexican, appetizers, risotto, and all brought parts of the meal and, of course, a few bottles of wine. No matter what our crazy lives threw at us, we always had Tuesday nights with the girls. While it was the companionship we treasured, it was the food that brought us together.

I have moved on from Seattle, but not from Tuesday Night Dinners. Instead of cooking to maintain relationships, I am cooking to build new ones. The meals have changed too. That first year out of school we were all playing at being grown-ups, pulling together prepared meals from the glorious Metropolitan Market (my favorite thing about Seattle shopping, more on that another day). Now that I have more time, I spend it creating menus, perfecting techniques (or at least attempting them), and appreciating the power of food.

I don’t know where my relationship with food will take me next, whether it will remain a hobby or blossom into a career, but I know that this love affair will continue throughout my whole life. No matter what else is going on, I know that with a few simple ingredients, I can satisfy someone’s basic needs, nourish their body, and even bring a smile to their face. That is the power of food, and it is a power I am happy to have.

Indoor Grilling

2010-05-27T09:55:00.000-05:00

The day started off bright and clear, perfect for our grilling plans. The menu: Teriyaki Salmon, Filet Mignon, leftover Macaroni and Cheese, Rice, Salad, and Corn. Grilled Teriyaki Salmon is one of my all time favorite meals, so moist and hearty, yet still light and healthy. Add to that all those sides (not that Filet is a side, but in my world, Salmon trumps steak), and you’ve got yourself a party!

Unfortunately, the skies had another plan for us. Big angry clouds rolled in around five, and unleashed a torrent of sideways rain, flooding the streets and nearly drowning cars. Grillmaster Andrew was really looking forward to an evening of grillin’, and was convinced that the show could go on but luckily for our delicious food, we moved the party inside. It may have taken a bit longer, and didn’t get that flame-seared flavor, but we ended up with a pretty great plate of food.

The Great Teriyaki sauce debate continues: Soy Vey vs. Mr. Yoshida’s. Last night, Andrew claimed a momentary victory: Soy Vey was available and Mr. Yoshida’s was nowhere to be found. But Soy Vey can make a mean marinade, so all ended well. We filled our bellies so full of the savory; we could barely fit the sweet (the cookie dough pots, made by special request for our guests). A night with friends, good times, and great food- hard to beat!

The Star of the Show

Marinade goodness

All wrapped up and ready to grill... or broil

Tender and Moist

Look at that bite- yum!

World's Best Mac and Cheese

2010-05-26T12:09:00.000-05:00

One of the things I miss most about Seattle is Pike Market. Not that I went all the time, maybe once a month at most, but just having it there made me feel very urban and sophisticated. I loved popping over, grabbing a loaf of bread from my favorite bakery, a pound of Wild Salmon from the fishmongers, and a huge bouquet of flowers and bringing it all home for a simple dinner overlooking the sound. The best part of Pike Market, though, is Beecher’s Mac and Cheese. Hands down the World’s best Mac and Cheese (ask anyone who has had it). Whenever visitors came into town, Beecher’s was a must-taste to get the true flavor of Seattle.

Here in the land of cheese, Wisconsin, I would have thought that they would have been able to top Seattle’s Finest, but it was not to be. Luckily, a little digging on the Internet revealed the holy grail of Mac and Cheese recipes. Tuesday Night has become our night for entertaining, so what better excuse than to present the Amazing Beecher’s Cheesy Pasta?

I could not get all the actual cheeses used in Beecher’s, but its not difficult to find some great ones out here. I used smoked mozzarella, cause I love a great smoked cheese, Fontina for a nice smooth sauce, and sharp cheddar to add a bite of flavor. To top it all off, I used a thin layer of cheddar/gruyere and a sprinkling of Panko breadcrumbs for a crunchy crust. I served it with a spicy honey glazed chicken, and a big green salad. MMMMMmmmmm. Perfection.

milk roux and cheese, ready to make sauce!

mmm, look at all that cheese

cheese sauce+pasta...

the extent of my baby kitchen!

ready to pop in the oven

Crusty on the top, hot cheesy deliciousness in the middle!

Mac and Cheese

12 ounces penne pasta

4 cups Beecher's Flagship Sauce (recipe follows)

1/2 cup cheddar, grated

1/2 cup Gruyere cheese, grated

1/4 Tsp chili powder

1/4 Tsp Paprika

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Oil or butter an 9x13 inch baking dish.

Cook the penne 2 minutes less than package directions. (It will finish cooking in the oven.) Rinse pasta in cold water and set aside.

Combine cooked pasta and Flagship Sauce in a medium bowl and mix carefully but thoroughly. Scrape the pasta into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle the top with the cheeses and then the chili powder and paprika. Bake, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Let sit for 5 minutes before serving.

Cheese Sauce

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

3 cups milk

3/12 cups semihard cheese, (I used cheddar)

1 1/2 cup grated semisoft cheese, (I mixed smoked mozzarella and Fontina)

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 tsp Chili Powder

1/2 tsp Paprika

1/2 tsp Cayenne Pepper

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Melt the butter in a heavy-bottom saucepan over medium heat and whisk in the flour. Continue whisking and cooking for 2 minutes. Slowly add the milk, whisking constantly. Cook until the sauce thickens, about 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from the heat. Add the cheese, salt, chili powder, paprika, cayenne pepper and garlic powder. Stir until the cheese is melted and all ingredients are incorporated, about 3 minutes. Use immediately, or refrigerate for up to three days.

Source: Adapted from Beecher's World's Best Mac and Cheese care of the Seattle PI

Shrimp Fresh Rolls

2010-05-23T13:51:00.001-05:00

A whole weekend on my own, with no one’s palate to please but my own. I was a single girl this weekend, but since I was basically bedridden my adventures didn’t stray beyond my kitchen. So this weekend, I got to cook whatever I wanted- all the goodies that I love that my partner in culinary escapades won’t touch with a 10-foot pole. Which means: Shrimp.

My family loves shrimp. In any and every form- You can barbecue it, boil it, broil it, bake it, sauteé it (Forrest Gump, remember that movie? No? Rent it immediately). You name it, we love it. You can bet if there is a shrimp option on the menu, at least one of my family members will order it. So it was a given that I make a shrimp dish at some point, I just had to time it right.

The best restaurant on the Island of Maui is A Saigon Café, the best Vietnamese food you will ever encounter. Ask anyone who lives there. It is impossible to find if you don’t know exactly where it is, and it has no sign outside (My mom called it “Opén” for a long time, since the only visible sign was the open sign). To get there, you drive into the creepy area of town, past boarded up buildings and drugged out homeless people, and park on a dark street just under a bridge. But don’t despair, just lock your car and walk inside.

The smiling staff greets you by name, the bright interior sooths your unease. It is always packed- birthday parties, first dates, groups of people eating before they go to the ballet or theater, guaranteed you will run into at least one person you know. The waiters are old friends- trading stories of their families and asking how I am doing on the mainland.

And then there is the food. No matter what you order, you can’t go wrong. My mom and I order about 5 family style dishes, with the intention of taking leftovers home, but it’s just too good to wait. My favorite dish is the make your own fresh rolls, where they bring you the fillings and you roll it all up into a yummy spring roll. While I adore their chicken rolls, I decided to substitute shrimp instead. Though nowhere near as good as their inspiration, they hit the spot.

Shrimp Spring Rolls

For the Shrimp

8 jumbo shrimp, uncooked, peeled and tail off

1/2 tsp chili pepper

1 tsp chopped Sweet Basil

1/2 tbsp vegetable oil

1/2 tbsp Rice Wine Vinegar

salt and pepper

For the Sauce

2 Tbsp Sweet Chili sauce

1 Tbsp Rice Wine Vinegar

1/2 Tbsp granulated sugar

Rolls

Lettuce

Cucumbers

Cooked vermicelli noodles

Chopped peanuts

Carrots

Spring Roll Wrappers

Bowl of hot hot water to cook wrappers in

- Heat oil in a medium hot pan and add shrimp. Add chili pepper, basil, salt and pepper, and rice wine vinegar and cook until shrimp turn pink.

- Mix the sauce ingredients together, adjusting to your taste.

- Chop the ingredients for the filling and arrange on a plate.

- Dip one spring roll wrapper into hot water at a time, rotating until it softens and becomes transparent

- Lay out flat on a plate and arrange fillings in the middle of the wrapper. Fold edges of wrapper over and roll.

- Dip into sauce.

Minty Mountains of Brownie Goodness

2010-05-22T16:51:00.000-05:00

I tried my best, I really did. Today was just not my day. I’m a little under the weather today, and to make myself feel better, I planned a long afternoon of my favorite thing: baking!! I found these sinfully sweet bites on Our Best Bites, and they immediately went on my must-bake list. Today, I decided they were just the thing to tempt my appetite into coming back.

I love chocolate and mint together- the perfect marriage of two unique flavors into something fantastically indulgent. These brownies take the best idea the girl scouts ever had (Thin Mints!) and made it even gooier and more scrumptious. I needed them in my life. Pronto.

I got off to a great start; everything was going well. I melted the butter and chocolate into a smooth, chocolaty syrup. Melting chocolate is always a risk: heat it too quickly and it will not melt- just chunk up and burn, too slowly and it will never melt, and remain in unappetizing clumps. I like the Microwave method- heating for 30-second intervals, stirring well between each session. The chocolate will not melt on its own in the microwave, only by stirring will it become creamy and smooth.

Then the sugar and eggs mixed into a frothy batter, ready to combine with the syrup and flour. I poured the syrup into the batter while mixing and watched while the chocolate formed a rich brown ribbon in the egg and sugar mixture. Next comes the core of the brownie, adding the flour to create substance. By spooning the flour mixture in, you avoid making the batter clumpy. Poured it in a pan, and threw it in the oven. So far, so good!

Then oven betrayed me again. It’s my fault this time- one of those fool me once shame on you, fool me twice…Bravo toaster oven, you have shamed me well. I shouldn’t expect too much out of the toaster, it is only a little guy. But I wanted my brownies, and I wanted them NOW, not in 2 months when I have a real oven again. So I crossed my fingers and wished for the best. The oven wished for my brownies to burn. It won. But I do not go down that easy- I cut the edges and burned parts of the top off. It may not be the prettiest brownie on the block, but it would still taste just fine.

I moved on to the frosting stage. Minty and light, creamy and smooth- MmmmmmMmm. I added a few drops of vanilla to the mint frosting, just to round out the flavor. I spread it on, covering up the uneven crumbly edges from operation-pretend-it-didn’t-burn-on-top. All that was left was popping it in the fridge to chill it, then drizzling a layer of chocolate glaze on top.

This is where is really went sideways. And I do mean that literally. The edge of the pan caught the edge of the shelf in the fridge and BAM. My pan of yummy mint brownies went crashing to the floor, falling SPLAT on its edge. Half the brownies fell out, face down on the floor. The other half piled on top of each other, mashed up, upside down, frosting smeared all over the place. Disaster.

But too bad. I am salvaging these brownies no matter what. I scraped the brownies off the floor and tossed them. Don’t worry, none of them made it into the final product, I’m not THAT desperate. The brownies that managed to stay in the pan got spread around, re-frosted as well as they could be, and put on a plate. Instead of flat, neat squares of brownie, I ended up with little mountains of minty chocolate goodness, delightfully gooey. While I would not declare this day a resounding success, the brownie mountains did their duty- I was hungry enough at the end of it to indulge in a whole little chunklet. And enjoyed every bit of it. You regular brownies watch out, this may become a new trend!

Source: Our Best Bites- see link for complete recipe

Roll-ups

2010-05-21T13:25:00.000-05:00

I am not a big breakfast person, never have been. Aside from an occasional big special breakfast, I would really rather just move right on to lunch, on to the good stuff. Don’t get me wrong, I’ll eat it- cereal, oatmeal, a piece of bacon here or there, but it’s just not my favorite meal of the day (hello dessert).

Roll-ups, however, are different. Roll-ups are the best a morning meal can get for me. Like pancakes, but lighter and sweeter. Like a crepe but with more substance. Roll-ups were my mom’s specialty growing up. I think at one point she had wanted to make Swedish pancakes from scratch, and somehow ended up with this delicious concoction instead.

The important trick to remember with Roll-ups is to butter the pan before every batch. This makes a crispy ring around the edge, adding the perfect salty, buttery flavor. They cook a lot quicker than regular pancakes, so you have to keep a watchful eye to make sure these babies don’t burn. They are yummy with any nearly any filling- fruity jam, cinnamon and sugar, lemon juice and powdered sugar, or my favorite- no topping at all, just the warm buttery Roll-ups. Best eaten hot, standing next to the stove while making another batch to gobble up!

Roll-ups

2 cups flour

3/4 cups sugar

1 tsp salt

1 1/3 cup milk

2 eggs

Combine all dry ingredients together. Add eggs and milk and mix thoroughly. Batter should be very thin, dripping off the fork after stirring. Heat pan to medium, spread with butter. Pour 1/4 cup of batter per Roll-up. When the edges of the Roll-up are solidified, flip it. Cook for another minute or two and remove from pan. Top with your favorite filling and enjoy.

Fish Burgers

2010-05-19T10:57:00.000-05:00

Food to me is about more than sustenance or nourishment. A good meal is like a good song, well balanced, filled with emotion and capable of changing your mood. A cupcake is a happy, upbeat tune that makes me feel like I’m cruising down a sunny strip of highway in a convertible, wind in my hair and not a care in the world. I like the soulful feel of a steak, a bottle of full-bodied cabernet, and Jonny Lang on low in the background. I like my music like I like my food; uninhibited with a note of soul.

Lat night’s tune is light, carefree and brings me back to the beach, more of a Jack Johnson than a Jimmy Buffet feel. I have been missing home a lot lately; the people, the beach, and of course the food. Even the air in Hawaii is different- it just feels healthy and happy. It may sound strange, but go there and see for yourself (don’t we all wish). Last night, we dined like happy islanders would: pan seared fish burgers on whole-wheat buns. I had a hankering for fish, but being thousands of miles away from any coast, sometimes we have to sacrifice quality. Tonight’s halibut from Whole Foods was perfect, moist with the perfect level of flakiness. And best of all, it was fresh, never frozen. Not quite sure what fresh, previously frozen means (yes, that is what many of the fish selections are labeled here), it seems like an oxymoron to me.

I like to play mad scientist when I make new sauces. Little of this, little of that, taste. Eww gross, dump that, start over. Lots of this, tiny bit of that, taste. Better. More experimenting, then yes! Perfect, Which is a great method when discovering new things, but bad for consistency when you want to recreate the winning sauce. The recipe below is my lazy take on an aioli like sauce (I didn’t write it down as I went, so well see how I do). Aioli is a mayonnaise-based sauce with LOTS of garlic. True aioli takes lots of time and either a food processor or a mortar and pestle, neither of which I own yet. I urge you to try this sauce as is below, and if you find that it is gross, well, become a mad scientist yourself and mix to your hearts content. Hey. I did tell you I had an issue with consistency.

Fish Burger Sauce

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1 clove garlic, minced

1 Tbsp lemon juice

1 tsp Worcestershire

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

salt and pepper to taste

Mix ingredients with a fork, breaking up mayonnaise. Stir until creamy. Taste, add more of whatever you like to taste

Mini Cinnamon Rolls

2010-05-17T15:38:00.000-05:00

Cinnamon rolls hold a special place in my life. While it has never been my favorite sweet thing, my memories of this delicious treat go back all the way to when my parents were still together. Every Saturday morning, my dad would take my brother to the cinnamon roll store to get four big, sugary rolls the size of my head (not too hard-I was 3, so my head wasn’t THAT big yet), and bring them back to my mom and I at home. I can remember sitting on the back porch as a family, swinging my little legs as I peeled layer by layer off my giant satisfying breakfast.

Years later, cinnamon rolls meant a visit to Grandma’s house on Oahu. Grandma’s house meant a big family Christmas, and Christmas meant Christmas shopping. Growing up on the more rural islands of the Big Island and Maui, we didn’t have all the comforts of big city living like the Cinnabon at the mall. After each shopping trip, we treated ourselves with a hot sticky cinnamon roll from Cinnabon to share between three of us. I loved watching them roll the cinnamony dough into a spiral, my nose pressed tight against the glass. When we got our very own bun and opened the flimsy cardboard top, the smell of utter deliciousness overtook our senses. We took turns cutting into the hot sticky treat, unrolling the layers one by one.

The center of the cinnamon roll is perfectly undercooked, deliciously doughy and the best part of the whole thing. It was the treasure, and we always fought over it. We took turns scraping the last of the sweet icing from the container and only stopped short of licking the box because it just wasn’t dignified to do in public.

I don’t know whether it is because Saturday morning cinnamon rolls are one of my last memories of my family all together, or if later getting them as a once a year treat signified the start of our Christmas celebration, or whether it is just because the buns are so perfectly delectable, but Cinnamon Rolls will always bring back memories of family, happiness, and always can put a smile on my face.

I had about 98 pounds (actually, more like 2) of dough leftover from my failed Rosemary Rolls, so the hardest part of making these mini rolls was over and done with. Now came the fun part, putting them all together! Thanks to my great photographer Andrew, I could focus on all the fun bits- rolling out the dough, spreading melted butter all over- hey, no one said this was health, and covering it all in sugar and cinnamon. I rolled the dough into a spiral length-wise and cut it into 2-inch pieces- I liked the idea of little mini rolls, especially after the burned rosemary roll fiasco.

15 minutes after they went into the oven, out came mini golden cinnamon rolls with crusty sugary tops. After a drizzle of icing over the pan of rolls, we served them up and ate them hot. I only took 2 little mini rolls, ok, 3. We had gone on a 3-hour, mostly uphill hike earlier, so we deserved it!! These were amazing. Each bite was filled with cinnamony, sugary, doughy goodness. Now I have a new cinnamon roll memory to add to my collection- a happy Sunday night with my man, cozy in our makeshift home after a long day of exploring. And they definitely put a smile on my face.

Mini Cinnamon Rolls

Dough Courtesy of the Pioneer Woman, the rest courtesy of my memories

Dough:

Ingredients

1 quart Whole Milk

1 cup Vegetable Oil

1 cup Sugar

2 packages Active Dry Yeast

8 cups (Plus 1 Cup Extra, Separated) All-purpose Flour

1 teaspoon (heaping) Baking Powder

1 teaspoon (scant) Baking Soda

1 Tablespoon (heaping) Salt

Preparation Instructions

Mix the milk, vegetable oil and sugar in a pan. “Scald” the mixture (heat until just before the boiling point). Turn off heat and leave to cool 45 minutes to 1 hour. When the mixture is lukewarm to warm, but NOT hot, sprinkle in both packages of Active Dry Yeast. Let this sit for a minute. Then add 8 cups of all-purpose flour. Stir mixture together. Cover and let rise for at least an hour.

After rising for at least an hour, add 1 more cup of flour, the baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir mixture together. (At this point, you could cover the dough and put it in the fridge until you need it – overnight or even a day or two, if necessary. Just keep your eye on it and if it starts to overflow out of the pan, just punch it down).

Turning Dough into Rolls

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 cup melted butter

cinnamon for sprinkling

Icing

4 cups of powdered sugar

3 Tbsp Milk

2 tsp vanilla

pinch of salt

-Preheat the oven to 375º

-Sprinkle surface with flour.

-Roll out the dough into a thin, long rectangular shape.

-Spread 3/4 cups butter evenly over dough surface.

-Mix the granulated sugar and brown sugar together and sprinkle over the buttery dough.

-Cover surface with a generous layer of cinnamon.

-Roll the dough length-wise, keeping it relatively tight. Pinch the ends of the roll tight.

-Cover the bottom of a round pan with 2 tablespoons of butter.

-Cut the roll into 2-inch sections and place in the pan. Space the rolls to leave a little room for rising.

-Let the rolls rise 20-30 minutes.

-Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until tops are golden brown.

-While they are baking, mix together the icing ingredients. Add more milk or powdered sugar to achieve a thick but pourable liquid.

- Remove rolls from oven and drizzle with icing while they are still warm.

-EAT!!

Prosciutto and Cheese Tortellini

2010-05-16T12:45:00.000-05:00

We took a trip to Italy last night, at least a culinary one. And I have to say, my first foray into homemade pasta far surpassed the fare that we encountered in our most recent trip to Rome. We were so excited for our three-day trip to Italy (crazy short!), mostly for the food. And we were disappointed. Horribly. Where were the fresh, crusty pizzas? What we were served (with every meal) was gummy, greasy, and tasted like ketchup. What about rich Carbonara? The only Carbonara we found sat in a pool of uncooked egg. Even the gelato was disappointing. By the end of the trip, we were stopping at little markets and grabbing packages of prosciutto, a block of cheese and a baguette, which was quite tasty, but didn’t quite scream “I’m in Italy!”

If we had found these little pillows, I think we would have never left that great city. Each bite was rich and cheesy with delicious bits of prosciutto, and the pasta wrapping was fresh and light. I would have loved to attempt pasta from scratch, but using Pot Sticker Wrappers cuts out a few hours of prep time, always a good thing when you have a very hungry man watching over your shoulder. I love the versatility of these wrappers- Italian or Asian, main dish or dessert, these set the tone for a perfect meal.

I filled the tortellini with ricotta, mozzarella and prosciutto, adding fresh oregano and pepper for a fresh taste in every bite. Making these requires a commitment- mixing the filling with your hands, pinching the wrappers closed- not a job for the cook who doesn’t like to get dirty. I made twice as many as we needed, so I froze the rest. Next time we have a craving for amazing Italian food, all I have to do is boil some water and throw these in and cover with sauce.

Prosciutto and Cheese Tortellini

1 package of Pot Sticker Wrappers (found in the produce aisle of your grocery store)

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

1 1/2 cup ricotta

1 cup proscuitto, cut into small peices

1 Tbsp fresh oregano

Salt and Pepper

-Mix ricotta, mozzarella, oregano, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Add more mozzarella or ricotta until it reached the consistency and taste you like.

-Add proscuitto and mix until combined evenly.

-Place 1 spoonful in the middle of a wrapper. If you find that wrappers are breaking, use two wrappers for each tortellini. Wet edges of wrapper, this will help the edges stick together.

-Fold the corners over to create a triangle shape. Pinch the edges together.

-Fold the two long ends of the triangle to the middle point, and pinch together. Play with shapes and folding techniques until you find what works for you!

-Boil water. When water reaches a boil, carefully add the tortellini to the water. Boil for 3-5 minutes, or until tender. Because this is fresh pasta, not dried, it takes much less time to cook and is prone to overcooking if not watched carefully.

-Cover with your favorite sauce and enjoy.

Cookie Dough Treats

2010-05-14T20:49:00.002-05:00

“MMMM.” bite. “This is.” bite. “The Best Thing.” bite. “Ever!” bite bite bite. “Seriously.”

Any food that elicits this type of reaction is worth a post in my book. Cookie dough usually gets a pretty positive response- I mean, it’s all the best ingredients, mixed up into a luscious, sinful dough. It’s rich and sugary, with little bits of chocolate sprinkled through. Best eaten raw (salmonella is just a myth, right?), but if you HAVE to cook them up, they can make a pretty delicious finished baked treat too.

This idea takes every girl’s favorite break-up foods, cookie dough and ice cream, and multiplies their deliciousness by a million and a half. And the great thing is, it’s just so easy. These little pots of hot, half-baked cookie dough topped with creamy vanilla ice cream and a generous drizzle of chocolate sauce are perfection. They are great for a dinner party too, since they take basically no prep work or cook time and are guaranteed to delight even your pickiest of eaters.

These little babies are not for those on a diet; even a whiff of the warm dough and half melted chocolate chips will send you to the treadmill for another 10 minutes. Indulge in a whole coffee cup full (like I obviously did), and you may have to hit the gym twice the next day!

The steps are simple. Get some cookie dough. When I actually want the finished baked cookie, I make it from scratch, but when all I want is to treat myself to some dough, I reach for the easy stuff- a roll of Nestle straight from the refrigerated section. Strange? Maybe, but I’m all for easy. Next, put the dough in a coffee cup or ramekin, bake in a 350º oven for 10-12 minutes until the tops are golden brown. Add some ice cream and chocolate syrup and indulge yourself while they are still warm. Try not to scrape the dish when you’re done, I dare you.

Source: Our Best Bites

The Would-Be Rolls

2010-05-13T14:29:00.002-05:00

I blame the toaster. Normally, I would take full responsibility for all of my mishaps and failures, because, as we all know, I tend to be quite the chaotic cook. But this time, it was not my fault. I swear.

I love bread. There, I admitted it. They say the first step to recovery is admitting you have a problem, but I don’t think admitting this particular problem will solve anything, because the only solution for this problem is MORE BREAD. The only thing I crave more than a warm, gooey brownie (no nuts please) washed down with ice-cold milk, is fresh bread, still warm from the oven. When it comes to bread, I have no willpower. Zero. Zilch. And I am quite ok with that.

As I mentioned before, Rosemary is by far the best spice ever created. So put rosemary together with fresh baked bread, and you have perfection. I found this recipe on The Pioneer Woman Cooks, a blog that makes me feel like a failure of a woman and at the same time, incredibly inspired for what someday I could be. She is a photographer, cookbook author, amazing writer, inventor, teacher, and a pretty funny lady to boot. These buttery, herb-laden rolls made my mouth water just looking at them, so obviously I needed to make them.

First of all, the recipe calls for a cast iron pan. I do not own a cast iron pan, nor do I at the moment posses an oven capable of fitting said pan. I have fond memories of a particular cast iron pan that accompanied us on every camping trip growing up. My mom was a single mom and took our safety and protection very seriously, especially out in the wild. Our pan must have been a foot and a half in diameter and about 40 pounds. While we did cook out of it, the main reason it was dragged around (and I do mean dragged- 40 pounds is a lot for a small child) was to be used as a weapon if ever the need arose. Actually, if the need ever DID arise, I have no idea how one of us would have lifted it to bonk our attackers on the head.

But I digress. Back to the rolls. The recipe said to use frozen dough, but I had some time on my hands, so I went the from-scratch route. Using the cinnamon roll dough recipe, I started the looooong process of dough making. The recipe made enough dough to feed the whole cast of the Lion King (who are currently staying in our hotel), so if I were you, I’d cut it in half. But as I plan to make some cinnamon rolls in the very near future, I was fine with the amount of dough.

The recipe calls for “scalding” the milk and oil mixture, which meals heating the liquid until just before the boiling point, stirring until the sugar dissolves and oil breaks up and mixes with the other ingredients. The smell is a delicious- think of a cold wintery night as a kid, getting a cup of warm, sweet milk right before bed. No? Maybe that was just me.

Next comes the yeast and flour. With bread, you do not want to knead the dough too much, because the more you touch it, the tougher and gummier the mixture will be. The chemical bonds break down and the gluten builds up. What does that mean? Not sure, just don’t over-knead it. I love this part. Your hands are covered in dough, there is flour flying everywhere, and the yeasty smell holds the promise of fresh bread.

I let the dough rise for a little over an hour, and it was perfect. Following Ms. Pioneer Woman’s directions, I put it in the fridge to be used later that night. I took it out a few hours later and it had risen to monstrous proportions. If I had let it go unchecked, it would have escaped the fridge and gone over to Japan to attack some poor unsuspecting city. Luckily, I caught it in time to punch it down, pinch a few roll sized pieces off, toss them in a well greased springform pan, cover with butter, rosemary and salt, and put in the oven to bake.

This is when, my dear readers, disaster struck. My oven is small. 13 inches wide and 7 inches tall. No match for the hardworking yeast that fill the dough. I watched in sadness as the dough rose and rose and reached for the heating elements. Alas, the rosemary rolls I had slaved over for hours burned to a crisp on top, leaving the middle and bottom essentially raw. I will definitely have to attemp these again, with all the proper tools. They will be as delicious as I imagine, as delightful as the pictures. But for this batch? There was no hope, no fix. And I absolutely blame the toaster.

Buttered Rosemary Rolls

Ingredients

Frozen, Unbaked Dinner Rolls (I substituted the dough from the recipe below)

Melted Butter, Regular, Salted

Fresh Rosemary, Coarsely Chopped

Coarse Sea Salt

Preparation Instructions

-Spray a small iron skillet with cooking spray (or coat with olive oil). Place rolls in the skillet, leaving plenty of room for rising. Cover and allow to rise for several hours.

-After rising, brush rolls with melted butter.

-Sprinkle on chopped rosemary. Brush with additional butter. Sprinkle with coarse sea salt.

-Bake according to roll package directions (usually 400 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes), until rolls are a deep golden brown on top.

-Serve skillet on the table.

Roll Dough

Ingredients

1 quart Whole Milk

1 cup Vegetable Oil

1 cup Sugar

2 packages Active Dry Yeast

8 cups (Plus 1 Cup Extra, Separated) All-purpose Flour

1 teaspoon (heaping) Baking Powder

1 teaspoon (scant) Baking Soda

1 Tablespoon (heaping) Salt

Preparation Instructions

Source: The Pioneer Woman Cooks ** some pictures borrowed from the Pioneer Woman's excellent photography to show what SHOULD have been created

How Many Veggies...

2010-05-11T09:12:00.002-05:00

As the weather gets warm, in theory at least, all sorts of things start to happen in the produce aisle. All these amazing colors start to spring up (no pun intended): sweet corn, peas still in their pods, the greenest of green beans, shiny red peppers- well, just too many beautiful veggies to count! The mission: get as many fresh vegetables as possible into one meal.

Stir-fry is one of my go-to dishes. It’s so easy, so healthy, and best of all, so tasty! I throw whatever I have on hand into it, so it always send up a little different, but each time, just as delicious. I searched high and low, but could not find my favorite teriyaki sauces anywhere, so I had to make do with an imposter brand. Andrew and I have a long-running debate on which is the best…Bad news Andrew, no one can beat Mr. Yoshida’s special blend. This strange brand wasn’t quite up to snuff, so I had to add some chili powder, a dash of Worcestershire, and garlic to improve it.

The trick in making stir-fry is to brown the meat before you add all the veggies. Since the meat takes much less time to cook than the veggies, throw the meat (I chose skirt steak for tonight’s dish) in a hot pan first to sear the it, then transfer the meat to a holding dish and set aside. Cook the vegetables in the same pan the meat was in, soaking up all the yummy flavors. Cover, stirring the mixture from time to time to keep it from sticking. When the veggies get a little tender, add the meat back in, pour on a generous amount of sauce, and simmer until cooked through.

No Hawaiian girl worth her salt would serve this without a big pot of rice! I always add a dash of salt while the rice is cooking for flavor. This meal is complete for me, but Andrew, for some strange reason, believes that stir fry is served with tortillas. Never mind that they are from a completely different culture, on a completely different continent. It’s something he picked up from Mongolian Grill restaurants that serve their veggie/meat/sauce combos with warm flour tortillas. Now I have never been to Mongolia, I don’t think I have even met a Mongolian person, but I am reasonably sure that their national dishes do include stir-fry from a buffet line with tortillas on the side… But whatever culture it comes from, they may have a good idea there. Delicious teriyaki steak wraps!

(Nearly) Homemade Pizza

2010-05-09T15:29:00.002-05:00

What a day! It may be May, but apparently the weather doesn’t care. We awoke to a sky filled with dark clouds: air thick with raindrops, and a temperature high of 42. Wonderful. We might as well have stayed in Seattle for a day like this. But we are used to bad days, so we loaded up and headed out to New Glarus, a Swiss town a short drive away. The town itself is adorable. Kitschy shops line the one historic street, guaranteed to fulfill all your lederhosen and miniature Swiss flag needs.

The town also has the honor of being home to New Glarus Brewing Company http://www.newglarusbrewing.com/, a Wisconsin based Micro Brewery, well worth a visit if you ever make it out this way. The 2-year-old building has 6 miles of stainless steel piping laid by one 24-year old guy (it took him 2 1/2 years, but still, more than I have to show for my 23 years); it is more a work of art than a high volume, working Brewery. Try the Spotted Cow, their most famous brew, or my favorite, Stone Soup (only in WI, sadly).

It may have been the 3 samples we had, but on the way home, we were really craving pizza. Homemade of course, no Dominos delivery for us!! Well, I have to confess, it wasn’t 100% homemade, more of home compiled. I love fresh crust, and I don’t mean the Pillsbury kind that comes in the cardboard can that you peel open and it pops- although that is always fun, like the poppers you get on New Years. I mean the fresh crust with the yeasty, floury smell that fills the kitchen as you knead it.

Now normally, I would be ecstatic to measure out my ingredients, mix it, knead it, and devote a few hours to watching it rise, but yesterday, I was just too lazy. I’ll let you in on a little secret. Nearly all local Pizzerias will sell you raw pizza dough, for a lot less than you can get it at Whole Foods, and it is a lot tastier than a can of dough. I like to add some spice to the dough I get- a few dashes of garlic salt add a nice flavor. Once it is kneaded through, the fun part comes. Since I do not own a rolling pin, especially in my tiny travel kitchen kit, I make do with a bottle of wine- it has enough heft to get the job done.

I like to brush the edges of the crust with olive oil, which helps the edges to brown without burning. Inspired by our Little Switzerland excursion, I cut up some chicken sausage we had on hand and laid it over a nice imported Italian Pizza Sauce, sprinkled on some fresh oregano, and finished with local Wisconsin Mozzarella Cheese. 20 minutes in the oven, and voila- mostly homemade pizza! It was so good; we nearly ate it all before I remembered to take pictures!

Walk on the Wild Side

2010-05-08T17:22:00.003-05:00

Every night, we play the game of “what sounds good for dinner?” I could plan our meals a week or two out, and in fact I have, but the truth is, you never know what kind of food-mood you’ll be in when dinnertime actually rolls around. We have also been very good about spending as little money as humanly possible while still eating healthy and delicious food- we tend to reuse ingredients time and again. Wait, not like that. We don’t actually rummage through the trash for scraps or anything. We have a bit more class that that. But our shopping trips usually start in our own Costco-stocked freezer before resorting to a grocery store trip. Meaning that we have lots of chicken. Bags of it. Frozen and awaiting transformation into some sort of meal.

Now, I love chicken, it’s possibly my favorite protein, just cause it’s so versatile! Andrew, however, has gotten quite tired of my 100-ways-to-cook-chicken routine. “Chicken again?” he remarked sorrowfully as I told him the plan for the night. This recipe, I assured him, would be different. Not your typical grilled chicken and salad dinner. The spicy kick of the paprika, chili powder, cayenne pepper, and cumin mix is tempered with the sweet and tangy honey/cider sauce, which is addicting enough to go back for seconds, and maybe even thirds! I found that even with the recommended amount of honey, the chicken had too much heat for my taste, but with a few more generous spoonfuls, the balance was perfect. And added to the incredible taste of this dish, is the knowledge that it is just 321 calories per serving!!

We added some Garlic and Rosemary potatoes, a salad and some fresh bread to the meal. If I have ever cooked for you, you know about my love affair with rosemary. It is by far the best herb ever created, and I can’t think of a dish that wouldn’t be improved by a whole handful of fresh rosemary. Something about the smell, or is it the taste, just evokes an image of freshness. I could devote a whole post to my love of Rosemary, and probably will in the near future, but for now, I will settle for simply saying that these garlic and rosemary potatoes were pretty delicious and made the perfect side dish to my new favorite chicken dish.

Spicy Honey Chicken

2 tsp garlic powder

2 tsp chili powder

1 tsp coarse salt

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp paprika

1 teaspoon ground red pepper

8 chicken thighs with skin removed

6 Tbsp honey

2 tsp apple cider vinegar

Preheat broiler.

Combine first 6 ingredients in a large bowl. Add chicken to bowl; toss to coat.

Place chicken on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray. Broil chicken 5 minutes on each side.

Combine honey and vinegar in a small bowl, stirring well.

Remove chicken from oven; brush 1/4 cup honey mixture on chicken. Broil 1 minute. Remove chicken from oven and turn over.

Brush chicken with remaining honey mixture. Broil 1 additional minute or until chicken is done.

Add honey mixture to taste.

Source: adapted from Cooking Light Magazine, March 2007

Garlic and Rosemary Potatoes
3 Roasting potatoes
1/4 cup fresh rosemary, removed from stems
1 clove garlic, minced
1 Tbsp Olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Heat large frying pan to medium/high.

Chop potatoes into 1 inch pieces.

Pour oil into hot pan and wait for it to heat. Add garlic and rosemary and stir until becomes fragrant.

Add potatoes to spice mixture and stir frequently. Allow a light brown crust to form on potatoes, then reduce heat to medium-low and cover. Cook for 20 minutes or until potatoes are cooked through.

Source: My own head

Sweet Attempts

2010-05-06T13:47:00.004-05:00

I have been in the mood for sweets for DAYS, and decided that yesterday was as good of a time as any to satisfy my craving. I enjoy cooking- the smell of garlic and rosemary sizzling in a pan, a bubbling pot of pasta, and of course, the finished delectable meal- but I truly adore baking. Flour, sugar, butter eggs, and a generous splash of vanilla; its amazing how just those few ingredients can create such a diverse array of luscious desserts. Few things are as delicious as cookie dough, or better yet, brownie batter. Yes, I know all about the dangers of Salmonella, but I cannot be stopped. Raw dough and batter must be tested- for quality assurance only, of course.

I found this recipe on one of the most beautiful blogs I have come across, CakeSpy. Based in Seattle, this blog finds everything that is sweet; from bakeries to recipes. Luckily for me, she found these Bonbon cookies.

I was pumped to start these cookies. The original recipe showed these cute little pillows of blue, topped with a thin cap of smooth icing and a few sprinkles of white sugar crystals. From a picture like that, who could resist?? Mine, however, fell short of perfection. The cookies were not light enough, the edges not clean enough, the frosting more a heavy blanket than a light cap. It could have been the accidental addition of 1/4 cup of powdered sugar (it called for 3/4 cup, I used the 1/3 measuring cup and dumped 3 cupfuls in…oops). Or it could have been when I decided the cookies were just not quite yellow enough and threw a few more drops of food coloring in when it was well past the food-coloring-adding stage (thus the orange flecks of color in the dough). I am not 100% happy with this batch, but I’m told the cookies I sent to the hungry consultant’s office disappeared in a matter of seconds. Although I am half convinced I could throw a loaf of stale bread into that office and have the same effect. These cookies will be tried and tested again; I will not stop with them until they are the adorable airy bites that I first saw. At least the cookie dough is delicious!

BonBons

Makes 20-25 cookies.

1/2 cup soft butter

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup sifted powdered sugar

1 Tbsp Vanilla

Food Coloring

1/8 tsp. salt

Icing

1 cup powdered sugar
2 Tbsp cream
Food coloring of your choice
1 tsp vanilla

-Heat oven to 350.

-Mix butter, sugar, vanilla and food coloring, until creamy.

-Blend in flour and salt by sifting mixture into dough. Add 1 to 2 Tbsp. cream if dough is dry.

-Use tablespoon to shape dough into a half dome.

-Place 1 inch apart on un-greased cookie sheet and bake 12 to 15 min.
-Mix icing ingredients until creamy.

-When cool, dip tops of cookies in icing and sprinkle with sugar crystals.
These are delicious as is, but to add a little extra punch of flavor, fill with chocolate chips, nuts, fruit, etc before baking.

Source: Adapted from CakeSpy, who adapted it from Mrs. Joseph J. Wallace, Whitehall, Montana

Cookbook Musings

2010-05-05T11:19:00.001-05:00

I love the printed word. Learning to read when I was four probably helped my interest develop into an obsession, but I come from a very literary family. I inherited my love of glossy printed media from my mom, who has built a nest of clippings, magazines and books around her comfy chair in the living room. I don’t know what fascinates me most about them. Whether it is the pages of carefully styled photos showing beautiful people, food, and products, or the well-edited articles lauding influential people, new places and experiences I just have to try, I’m not sure. Most likely, it is the ability of magazines to transport me to a different place; allowing me to try on different lifestyles where I own this beautiful house perched on a cliff over the water, or wear that dress while I peruse that cute little shop-lined street in London.

It is this same transportive power that I have discovered in cookbooks. I have forever been down on my mom when she lingers in the cookbook section of every bookstore, rolling my eyes when she purchases yet ANOTHER cookbook which will join the rows of untouched books lining the bookshelves in our house. She replies to my ribbing by simply saying she doesn’t drink, smoke or gamble, but owning cookbooks is her one vice in life. But recently, I have discovered my own obsession with these beautiful books. I have started reading cookbooks as if they were novels. Each page is a new story, filled with an easy to follow plot, a cast of unique characters, and little mishaps along the way (or at least when I am following them). I can imagine cooking each dish, creating an event in my head that would call for Chocolate Mascarpone Cheesecake Pots with Shortbread Spoons (Sticky Chewy Messy Gooey by Jill O’Connor) or Spaghetti con la Sarde (Molto Gusto by recent James Beard Award Winner Mario Batali). Most of these dishes will exist for me only on these cookbook pages and in my imagination (which may be a good thing when you look at the caloric value of them), but I have begun to adventure into the world of complex cooking. From baking my own bread, to having a Mexican fiesta for two, I have come to realize the fun in following a recipe (or at least looking at it for inspiration) to cook an actual meal as opposed to throwing some food in a pan for sustenance. I love having someone else to cook for, its much more enjoyable when you know your food will be enjoyed by another set of taste buds.

Here are a few of the cookbooks I am poring over at the moment. While I will not actually be purchasing any of these fine tomes of cookery (we have a strict no-more-stuff policy while we are on the road), I have visited them many a time at the bookstore. Jamie’s Food Revolution by Jamie Oliver introduces simple, affordable, healthy recipes that look absolutely delicious. If you haven’t seen it yet, check out his show on Hulu. He is trying to revolutionize the way America eats by introducing healthy, fresh meals starting with the Public School lunch system. As I mentioned before, I am really into Sticky, Chewy, Messy, Gooey. The pictures look so delectable you almost want to eat the page, and the recipes are accompanied by witty prose that makes you feel as if the Author Jill O’Connor is a friend you meet for coffee and cupcakes. In fact, I think I may just have to add it to my collection…Shhhh, don’t tell Andrew!

An Exercise in Excess

2010-05-04T13:30:00.003-05:00

Whew! The piles of food have disappeared, the cases of drinks diminished, and our tiny abode is nearly back to its usual organized chaos. Don’t be fooled by the clean counter tops and uncluttered floor; behind every curtain, inside every drawer, and beneath the mattress lurk piles and piles of our belongings which we have, for whatever reason, decided are absolutely necessary to our survival during our three month stint in Madison.

But I digress. This particular tale begins 48 hours ago, with an epic shopping trip to Costco. We volunteered to host a company sponsored BBQ in the backyard of our hotel. Number of hungry consultants? Twenty(ish). Budget? Undefined. If you know anything about the consulting industry, you know that the good people that travel more than half their week work hard and play harder. They are a fun bunch of people with discerning tastes and a hearty appetite for food and drink. I wasn’t about to serve frozen burgers with American cheese, oh no. In typical Emi fashion, with lots of input from my man, I may have gone a bit overboard in my menu planning. Ok, who am I kidding, WAY overboard.

THE FINAL MENU

Grilled Corn

Potato Planks

Grilled Zucchini and Red Peppers

Salad

Mashed Potatoes

Garlic Bread

Filet Mignon

Rib Eye

Baby Back Ribs with homemade BBQ sauce

Robin Hood Chicken

Chicken Sausage

Once all the party supplies made it to the room, which was an adventure in-of-itself, the fun part began. I attacked the ribs first, breaking them down into small enough pieces to jam into our tiny (toaster) oven. Then comes the marinade. I know it sounds crazy, but the trick is Dr. Pepper. The acidity of the soda tenderizes the meat while the sugar adds sweetness without becoming too sickly sweet. Cover the ribs with soda, and add a quarter cup of salt and a few dashes of chili powder, cover with foil and pop in the fridge overnight.

Next on the list is the Robin Hood Chicken, adapted from Grilling Magazine. The citrus in this recipe enhances the natural flavor the meat and helps get the skin crispy on the grill. My favorite spice by far is rosemary, and combine that with fresh oregano, parsley, some olive oil garlic and lime…mmmmm. I don’t think you can beat this rub in marinade.

The day of the big feast is a busy one. As Andrew can attest to, I am not a calm, cool, collected chef. My kitchen is awash in burned fingers, time crunch stress, and sometimes even a flying curse or two. In matter of a few hours, I have pulled together some semblance of order, and am ready to get everything on the grill. Now I am no grill master- the agreement was that I do the prep work and hand it off to a much more skilled griller than I. But as many agreements go, the terms seem to inexplicably change as the night wears on, and I found myself in charge of flipping, heat moderation, and perfecting the doneness of steak and chicken alike. Battling tear inducing smoke, waves of blistering heat and droves of hungry diners, I managed to do a pretty good job of feeding our guests. From the number of compliments it received, I think the ribs were the biggest hit, followed closely by the steaks, cause lets be real, who can pass up filet mignon?? All in all, I’d declare the night a success, although I hope it is a few weeks before I attempt another meal of this caliber.

Lazy Sundays

2010-05-03T12:19:00.005-05:00

After a much too gluttonous day at Costco, I am surprised that we were even able to move, let alone eat another meal. But as night began to fall, our tummies began to rumble, and we needed a quick, healthy fix. Luckily we had some frozen Salmon filets in the freezer-not quite as nice as walking down to Pike Market and picking up a pound of fresh wild Alaskan King Salmon, but it have will do here in the midwest. Add to that a generous pot of white rice, essential to any Hawaiian girl’s meal, and steamed broccoli with a light sprinkling of Wisconsin’s famous Cheese made 20 minutes away. I have to say, Wisconsin’s cows are the laziest I have ever seen- every farm you drive by, all they seem to do is lay around! Anyway, place a small pat of butter on top of each filet for rich flavor, spice with rock salt, garlic salt and black pepper and finish with a few slices of fresh lemon for a healthy yet hearty meal. Mission complete!