What we've been eating... 5/19/2010

With the baby my caffeine intake has been upped by about 50%.  One tablespoon has turned into two tablespoons, medium coffees have turned into larges, large coffees have turned into red eyes. 

I had a work dinner at Buca di Beppo, in the Pope's Room no less, and I liked the food.  I didn't think I would, but I did - and I liked the cake too!  I don't like cake, so, good job BDB.  Dinner for 22 was $1400 but telling dirty jokes in front of a bust of Pope John Paul II was priceless.

I scored some amazing waves at a secret spot near some train tracks in South Orange County.  My friend Rick keeps a plastic sword, a sombrero, and a 1980s briefcase in his truck just in case there is a photo shoot.  Bravo Rick.  Bravo.

I was tempted to buy some malanga but I didn't, some haupia pudding but I didn't, and some Sparks but I didn't.  If anyone has any suggestions on how to prepare malanga, let me know.  They're not supposed to be squishy, are they?  If anyone has any suggestions on drinking Sparks, keep them to yourself.

This week was brought to you by Samuel Adams, Coors Light, Kirkland Signature "Winery" (don't scoff, you snob), Bridlewood Winery, and Ridge Winery.

What we've been eating... 5/12/2010

I'm not a big flower person but I can easily say that I like tulips.  Mother's Day warranted a brunch of ham, potato salad, fruit, and cole slaw.  My mother in-law makes some good cole slaw and I'm a total slaw snob, so there's something to be said about that.

I attempted to improvise a Watergate Salad with pistachio pudding.  I ran out of ideas and ended up just putting pistachios in the pistachio pudding.  Nothing really to write home about.  It came out such a freakish green however, that I will attempt this again.

My black Starbucks Gold Card was transitioned to the gold Starbucks Gold Card and I'm not happy with the changes at this point.  They won't let me accrue free crap if I don't pay with the card itself. 

I realize how futile my argument is and that there are likely only 45 other people out there who agree with me, but I might write a letter anyways.

This week was brought to you by Samuel Adams, Kirin, and Amstel Light.

Starbuck's black Gold Card and Starbuck's gold Gold Card

What we've been reading... 5/9/2010

Sipping Beers on the Spanish Steps in Rome

• Peas Love Carrots - A blog about edible chemistry...: Eat Your Flowers - Part I
• Ramps: What Up With That? - The Amateur Gourmet
• Cilantro Stem Slaw - The Food in my Beard
• How to Jazz Up Your Guacamole | Serious Eats
• Confessions of a hardcore instant ramen lover - Boing Boing
• 40 Unfortunate Food And Beverage Names « Food Network Humor
• Placenta Recipes - Placentophagy
• State Seasonality Guides - Seasonality Guides by State 

What we've been eating... 5/7/2010

Well, sleep has become quite the luxury in our house with a one-week-old baby; Amy is quickly honing the art of the power nap.  I have always said that I sleep like a ninja, up at an instant, back to sleep instantaneously.  This skill makes me the Diaper Werewolf in the middle of the night.

Food-wise, we have been doing some more simple meals.  Pizza, sandwiches, stir-fry, tacos and the such.  My coffee intake has been stepped up and I've packed on a few lbs while Amy sheds them.  Enjoy the video, I've got to go change a dirty diaper.

Chili Shrimp Tacos with Mojito Cole Slaw

Chili Shrimp Tacos with Mojito Cole Slaw

Gastronorgásmico, [and just in time] for Cinco de Mayo.  These just might be "my most perfect tacos," ever.  The heat of the chili powder in the shrimp is cooled by the mint and sweet jicama in the cole slaw.  The earthiness of the cabbage, the taste of the sea.  Que rico!

These tacos put me on a beach, the sand between my toes, the sound of the waves peeling off a right cobblestone point break in the background.  The heat of the midday sun beating against the nape of my neck.  A Corona in one hand, a taco in the other.  

This recipe was inspired in one part by a conversation with The Teenage Glutster about how one of the more underrated aspects of Mexican cuisine is mariscos, seafood.  In another part, these were inspired by my friend Biggie gifting us a jar of his homemade "Chilli Powder."

Some notes:  

"Chilli Powder" is Biggie's version of AB's Chili Powder by Alton Brown.  It contains dried ancho, cascabel, and arbol chilies along with cumin, garlic powder, dried oregano, and paprika.  You basically blend everything together and the result tastes like the store bought variety but with far more depth and punch.

FYI gringos, Cinco de Mayo is not "Mexico's 4th of July," that's on September 16th.  On May 5, 1862 the Mexicans beat the French in the Battle of Puebla.  Although Cinco de Mayo is not as widely celebrated in Mexico as it is in the US, it is still a celebration of Mexican culture.  So, salud.

The Jicama plant is native to Mexico and has an edible tuber that has the texture of a raw potato and is nearly as sweet as a pear.  It is wonderful sliced raw for crutide - and even better with a squirt of lime juice, some salt, and a dash of chili powder on top. 

I wanted a slaw with some sharp acidity to it to counter the heat of the Chilli Powder.  Lime was the natural choice but then I wanted some more depth and thought the mint would brighten things up and add a freshness.  The jicama adds the sweetness to the mojito which rounds everything out.  Lime, mint, and jicama + cabbage = Mojito Cole Slaw

The slaw takes a little prep, it can be done the day ahead, and the flavors get more pronounced over time.  The tacos take almost no time at all, maybe 6 minutes.  Note:  If Biggie didn't give you a jar of "Chilli Powder," you can use store bought Chili Powder and add some Cayenne Pepper.

For the Mojito Cole Slaw (printable recipe)

• 1/2 a large cabbage, chopped into thin shreds
• 1 large carrot grated or shredded in a food processor 
• 1/2 a jicama, julienne
• 1 cup yogurt
• 4 tablespoons of mint, chiffonade
• juice of 1/2 a lime
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• the zest of 1 lime
• 1/4 teaspoon celery salt

Directions:

Make the dressing first by adding the yogurt, salt, pepper, mint, lime juice, lime zest, and celery salt in a bowl.  Mix the cabbage, jimaca, and carrot together in a large bowl.  Then, incorporate the dressing and the cabbage mixture well.  Keep refrigerated.

Homemade "Chilli Powder"

For the Chili Shrimp Tacos (printable recipe)

• 1 pound 36/40 Shrimp "Medium Large," or really, whatever size you like
• 4 tablespoons of Chilli Powder (or, 3 tablespoons of Chili Powder + 1 tablespoon of Cayenne)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons of oil
• 8 corn tortillas
• 2 large, ripe avocados, sliced into wedges

Heat the corn tortillas so that they are soft and pliable.  Over the open flame of a gas stove works best, otherwise, heat then in a dry skillet, turning once.  As they warm, wrap them in a stack in a kitchen towel tightly to keep them warm.

Rinse, de-vein, and clean all the shrimp.  Dry them well with paper towels.  Douse them with the salt, pepper, and Chilli Powder and toss them well so that the are evenly coated.

Bring a pan to medium-high heat and add 2 tablespoons of oil.  If you don't have a large enough pan, cook the shrimp in two batches.  Add the shrimp to the hot pan, turning, and cook through until they are pink, about 5 minutes.

Assemble the tacos.  Place a few shrimp into a corn tortilla, top with a healthy smothering of the cole slaw, 2 avocado wedges, and a dash of your favorite Mexican hot sauce.

Muy delicioso, viva Mexico!

Everything You Need to Know About Fast Food

I didn't make this but I found it interesting and well worth repeating. 

My favorite fun-fact? 

"The "bacon" in a McGriddle has 18 ingredients."

- Mmm, McGriddle.

Via: Online Schools.org

What we've been reading... 5/2/2010

• Rhubarb Ice Cream with Oatmeal Shortbread – Not Without Salt

• Bring The Green of Spring to the Table: Three Pea Sauté with Green Garlic and Mint | Sippity Sup

• How to Shop for Cast Iron Cookware | Apartment Therapy Marketplace

• Food Blogga: I Was an Artichoke Diva

• Civil Eats » Blog Archive » Supreme Court Hears GM Alfalfa Case

• One farmer acts to save environment from factory farms - CSMonitor.com - StumbleUpon

• Will Allen from Milwaukee's Growing Power Inc. - The 2010 TIME 100 - TIME

• Gingervitis and poppy seed teeth

• 10 Common Healthy Cooking Mistakes | Health Foodie

• Veggie Might: Vegetarian Meal Planning for Meat Eaters

What we've been eating... 5/1/2010

I have been trying to eat breakfast more often, and the irony with that is I become hungry for lunch sooner than if I skip it.  Go figure.  In any case, I have reunited with a favorite cereal from the past, Grape Nuts.  Although they have no grapes or nuts in them, they're still delicious.  They do; however, take forever to chew and eat.  A big bowl can take 20 minutes or more.

On a humorous note, I found buckets of Cheese Balls at a drugstore that literally came with little plastic shovels.  I hope that the shovels were intended for some other purpose besides plowing Cheese Balls into your face but they looked hilarious nonetheless.  I had lunch at Romano's Macaroni Grill and was pleasantly surprised at the quality.

We made a trip to The Pint House in Fullerton, CA for some local drafts from the Bootleggers Brewery.  We polished off a bunch of veggies with a frittata one morning. We had brunch at Sapphire in Laguna Beach and gelato at Gelato Paradiso down the stret.  Both were excellent.

I found a Mexican restaurant in Encinitas, CA that has Jamiaca and Horchata on tap in the fountain, more Mexican joint need that.  I also bought some Ice Breakers gum which has a high content of Zylitol and is supposed to prevent cavities.  Too bad it is so difficult to find.

If you are wondering about all the cafeteria food at the end of the slideshow, well, we had a baby.  We have been in the hospital for several days and although it is no Macaroni Grill, the food here really isn't that bad.  It will be good to go home tomorrow.

Spring Vegetable Risotto with Goat Cheese and Mint

Spring Vegetable Risotto with Goat Cheese and Mint

This is a lighter, more healthful risotto featuring spring vegetables.  It doesn't take long to prepare so it is great for a weeknight meal.  The earthiness of asparagus and peas are brightened with mint.  The goat cheese rounds out the whole dish and adds some creaminess without weighing things down.

Spring Vegetable Risotto with Goat Cheese and Mint (printable recipe)

Ingredients:

• 6 cups vegetable or chicken stock
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 4 Tablespoons butter
• 1 cup onion, diced
• 1 leek, quartered lengthwise and thinly sliced 
• 3 cloves of garlic, chopped fine
• 1 pound arborio rice
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1 pound asparagus, cut into 1 inch pieces
• 1/2 cup peas - fresh or frozen
• 4 oz goat cheese
• 1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
• 1/3 cup parsley, chopped 
• 1/4 cup mint, chiffonade
• Salt and pepper

Directions:
In a small saucepan, warm stock on medium high heat. Once it comes to a simmer turn heat to low and keep warm.

In a large pot, heat olive oil with 2 tablespoons of butter on medium heat and add onion. Saute for 3-4 minutes or until translucent and then add leek and garlic. Saute for an additional 2-3 minutes. Add rice to pot and stir to coat in fat for 2 minutes. 

Pour in white wine and let it come to a simmer. Once wine has reduced, ladle in warm stock so it just covers rice. Stir and let simmer. As stock reduces, keep adding liquid (about 1 cup at a time). 

Once rice is almost cooked through, about 10-15 minutes, add asparagus and peas. Continue adding stock and stirring until rice and vegetables are all cooked through. Stir in remaining 2 tablespoons butter, 3 oz of goat cheese, 1/2 cup of Parmesan, parsley, and mint. 

Add salt and pepper to taste.  Serve immediately and pass remaining goat cheese and Parmesan cheese at the table for garnish.

Serves 6

What we've been reading... 4/25/2010

• Kalofagas - Greek Food & Beyond by Peter Minakis: Kakavia (Κακαβια)

• Janet Is Hungry: Pistachio, Blue Cheese and Apricot Canapes

• Butternut Squash Risotto Recipe : Ina Garten : Food Network

• Lick My Spoon» Salmon with Creamy Mustard Sauce

• Alice Waters Taught Me All I Need To Know About Green Garlic Soup (with Sorrel) | Sippity Sup

• Garlic confit « food & style

• Food0grafia En: Honey Filled Orata Baked in Foil

• KFC's Double Down Healthier Than Salad - Fast Food - Gawker

• Tomato And Basil Soup – Video Recipe recipe, Soup Recipes

• Reader Inspiration: Grilled Pizza! | Apartment Therapy The Kitchn

Banana Oat Bran Muffins

Banana Oat Bran Muffins

At Papawow, we're bringing sexy back.  We're bringing oat bran back too.  Who remembers the oat bran craze of the 1980's?  We do.  It was everywhere.  It was in cereal, muffins, and pizza dough; it may have been going into our coffee and our salad dressing too.  I think people were stucco-ing their houses with it, but then again maybe not, it was a long time ago.

I clearly remember advertising companies going overboard with it.  The high-fiber bran part of the oat grain was once a by-product of the milling industry.  It turned superstar, and then it all came crashing down in a Lindsey Lohan-esque fall from glory.  We watched in silent schadenfreude and giggled to ourselves.

It all began in 1983 when Quaker Oats started putting oat bran back into some of its cereal products.  No one blinked at first but as medical articles started to come out touting it as a way to lower cholesterol, it began to gain in popularity. 

The tipping point came in 1987 when the U.S. government launched its Know Your Cholesterol campaign and Harper & Row published Robert E. Kowalski's best seller, ''The 8-Week Cholesterol Cure."  Cholesterol was the devil and oat bran was going to save us all.

The 8-Week Cholesterol Cure stayed on the best seller list for two years.  Oat bran was hot, so hot.  Oat bran was in the papers, it was on the news, it was being invited to all of the post-Oscar awards' parties.  "Sales of Quaker Oats Co.'s oat-bran hot cereals jumped from 1 million pounds in 1987 to more than 20 million pounds in 1989" - LA Times.

The downfall; however, began in 1990 after a Harvard study found no significant differences in cholesterol levels between people who ate oat bran and those who ate products made with white flour.  It was like oat bran got caught shoplifting, or worse, like it got chased down the street by its wife wielding a golf club for its cheating and she smashed in the back windshield.

It was soon an oat bran love-fest turned bash-fest.  Sales of books and products with oat bran in them plummeted.  America reverted to its pre-oat-bran-frenzy eating habits.  Unfortunately for this backlash, there are great health benefits to eating it.

We may not be able to live forever eating steak & eggs three meals a day with our trusty oat bran muffin, but it does work its magic in mysterious ways.  More and more studies come out proving its healthfulness - we're here to prove its deliciousness.

It not only adds fiber to whatever you put it in, but it adds good texture to baked goods and some nutty flavor as well.  Don't abandon oat bran, embrace it.  If you still think we're nuts after trying these muffins, drop us a line.  These muffins are fantastic.

Banana Oat Bran Muffins (printable recipe)

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 cup AP flour
• 1 cup oat bran
• 1/2 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 Tablespoons butter, room temperature
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1/4 cup applesauce
• 2 ripe bananas, smashed
• 1 cup walnuts, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl combine flour, oat bran, baking powder, salt and whisk together to remove any lumps.  Set aside.

Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream together butter and sugar until smooth.  Add in egg and vanilla and mix on low to combine.  Add in remaining wet ingredients just until combined: milk, applesauce and bananas.

Remove from the mixer and manually fold dry ingredients into the wet using a folding a spatula.  Once combined, fold in walnuts. Do not over mix.

Scoop batter into a greased muffin pan and bake for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Remove muffins from pan and place on a cooling rack until ready to eat.

Makes 12-16 muffins

Banana Oat Bran Muffins Cooling

What we've been eating... 4/21/2010

I think cupcakes would be better without frosting.  Is anyone else with me?  A bagel, a great loaf of cinnamon bread, a free cup of coffee at Starbucks.  Some horrible Chinese food, some kiwi (the fruit formerly known as the Chinese Gooseberry), and a homemade pulled pork sandwich.  This is how the week began.

I had lunch at La Especial Norte, a hole-in-the-wall place in Leucadia California that made Saveur's 100 for "Best Soups" in 2004.  Later, some artichokes and a bottle of Pinot paired well with a pasta dish of Roasted Cauliflower, Arugula, and Tomatoes. We followed this dinner with a lunch of a great Caprese Salad and a Risotto with Sausage and Radicchio.

I had a wonderful Prosciutto and Mozzarella sandwich one day, and a Mortadella and Salami Sandwich another; come to think of it, there was quite a lot of pasta and Italian food.  One special treat was Cardamom Ice Cream which I had never heard of but considering the Cardamom trend going on right now, it didn't surprise me at all. 

This week was brought to you by beers from Dogfish Head, Moretti, and Steinhaus Brewing Co.

Avocado Almond Cookies

Avocado Almond Cookies

The idea for these cookies came to me when I got shocked by a bolt of static electricity getting out of my car on a hot day in Riverside, CA.  I was thinking of a way to replace some of the butter in a cookie and yet still keep the richness; the green glow they emit was only a cool side effect.

We started with a basic Peanut Butter Cookie recipe as the baseline.  We added the almond extract because after tasting the dough, we needed something to bring out the subtle creamy flavor of the avocado.  The chopped almonds add great texture.

These make for a light, fluffy, almost cake-like cookie.  It you are looking for a dense, crumby cookie with a snap, then look elsewhere.  They are also not ridiculously sweet, I might go as far as to call them, "an adult cookie" - with no XXX connotation intended.

Avocado Almond Cookies (printable recipe)

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup butter, room temperature
• 1/2 cup smashed ripe avocado
• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cup flour
• 1 cup chopped almonds plus 24 almond slices to top each one
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375.  Cream the butter, avocado, and sugar together for 2 minutes; a stand-mixer works well for this or you could do it with a whisk and get your daily workout in for the day.  Once they are well incorporated, mix in the egg, the vanilla, and the almond extract.

In another bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt well.  Add this dry mixture to the stand mixer in three batches so that you don't make a flour explosion.  Mix just until they come together, do not over mix.

Use 2 teaspoons to portion out each cookie onto a baking sheet; we lined it with parchment paper so that they wouldn't stick.  Place an almond sliver into the top of each one before you pop them into the oven.  Bake for 5-8 minutes or until they develop a nice golden brown crust on the outside.

Makes about two dozen cookies.

More Avocado Almond Cookes

What we've been reading... 4/18/2010

• Tagliatelle with White Truffle Oil, Parmesan, and a Poached Egg - Spork or Foon?

• Spaghetti with Baby Artichokes and Caper-Mint Sauce | Noodle Fever

• Soyburgers laced with neurotoxins -- UPDATED AGAIN - Boing Boing

• Lambic plus kombucha equals a whole new beer « La Vita Cucinare: Life Lived to Cook  

• My Essential Kitchen Tools | Michael Ruhlman  

• Midday Brews: Low(er) Alcohol Beers to Have with Lunch Beer Sessions | Apartment Therapy The Kitchn  

• Making Sriracha Chile Sauce from Scratch | Serious Eats

• Best Chocolate Muffins Recipe | Chocolate Blood Orange Muffins | White on Rice Couple

• Leg of Lamb with Moroccan Spice Rub — Blue Kitchen

• Science of Meat: The Great American Pastime: BBQ

• How to Take Photos of Food - Diner's Journal Blog - NYTimes.com

Spinach and Ricotta Stuffed Crepes

Spinach and Ricotta Stuffed Crepes

My husband and I took an amazing trip to Italy a year ago where we ate and drank our way through the country. One of my favorite meals was the stuffed crepes I ordered at a small wine bar (or Enoteca) that was located next to our hotel room in Rome.

I loved it so much I went back the next day and ordered it again! Each time I go to an Italian restaurant I look for this on the menu but I am always disappointed to find it missing. Finally, I decided that I needed to recreate it myself. It wasn't identical to the Roman version but it was definitely delicious and a big hit in my household!

This dish can take some time to make so you may want to save it for the weekend. However, if you want to make it for dinner guests you can easily prepare it in advance. Just fill the crepes and keep the marinara sauce in a separate container until you are ready to bake so the crepes do not get soggy. Once the oven is preheated, ladle the sauce over, sprinkle with cheese and place in the oven.

Spinach and Ricotta Stuffed Crepes (printable recipe)

Crepes

• 2 eggs


• 3/4 cups milk


• 1/2 cup water


• 1 cup flour


• 3 Tablespoon melted butter, plus more for cooking

Crepe Filling

• 1 tablespoon olive oil


• 12oz. fresh spinach


• 3 garlic cloves


• 1 egg


• 15oz. package of ricotta


• 1 cup basil, chiffonade


• 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, plus extra for topping


• Salt and pepper

Marinara Sauce

• 1 Tablespoon olive oil


• 1/2 cup onion, finely diced


• 3 cloves garlic, minced


• 1 teaspoon dried oregano


• 28oz. can of whole peeled tomatoes


• 8oz. can of tomato sauce


• 1 cup basil, chiffonade


• salt & pepper

Stuffing the Crepes

Instructions:

Crepes -
Combine all the ingredients in a blender and blend for 10 seconds. Scrape down the sides and pulse one more time to ensure that all the ingredients are incorporated. Place batter in refrigerator and let sit for at least 1 hour before using.

Once crepe batter has rested, heat an 8"-10" non-stick skillet on medium heat. Add a 1 teaspoon of butter to cover the bottom of the pan, then slowly pour a small amount of batter while rolling the pan so that it coats the bottom evenly.

Let the crepe cook until it holds together and begins to turn a light golden, about 1-2 minutes then flip and cook on the other side for an additional 1 minute. Place finished crepe on a plate and repeat with remaining batter until it the batter is all used up.

This will make 8-10 crepes. Also, don't worry if your first crepe does not turn out, this is typical, just throw it out and make the next the second one...it will come out great!

The Crepes before they get sauced

Crepe Filling -
In a large sauté pan, heat olive oil over medium heat and add fresh spinach with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and cook until spinach has wilted. Drain liquid from spinach, coarsely chop and add to a large bowl.

Let spinach cool slightly, then add garlic, egg, ricotta, basil, parmesan and mix together. Taste for seasoning, then add additional salt and pepper as necessary.

The Crepes right before they go into the oven

Marinara Sauce -
In a large sauté pan, heat olive oil on medium heat and add onions and cook until onions become translucent, about 3-5 minutes. Add garlic and oregano and cook for an additional 1 minute.

Add in canned tomatoes and tomato sauce and bring up to a simmer while breaking up the whole tomatoes with a spoon. Alternatively, you could chop the tomatoes before adding them to the pan. Let sauce simmer on medium-low heat for 20-30 minutes, or until it sauce thickens slightly.

Add in basil then taste for seasoning adding salt and pepper as necessary.

Assemble Crepes -
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Butter or oil a large baking dish and ladle a thin layer of marinara sauce on the bottom. Lay crepes on a flat surface and spoon about 1/4 cup of filling into each one.

Fold in the long sides then roll up like a burrito and place in baking dish. Once baking dish is full, ladle marinara sauce on the top and sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese. Bake in oven for 25-30 minutes, or until the filling is heated through and sauce is bubbly. Serve warm.

Serves 4-6

Here is a photo of the original Crepes from Rome:

Spinach and Ricotta Stuffed Crepes in Rome

What we've been eating... 4/15/2010

Another 1000 miles and a 6 foot burrito.  Among assorted snacks and road food, the stand-outs included a batch of homemade Cincinnati Chili.  Not the packets of Gold Star, but the real deal from scratch.  A luxury most Midwesterners likely have even indulged in.  The leftovers became Cincinnati Chili Dogs, how appropriate.

I had another eye-opening trip to Peet's, the location in North Irvine may be an anomaly but Tim and Wes there REALLY know their coffee.  I picked up a gold filter, because A) I'm tired of buying paper filters all the time, and B) trying to save the Earth you know, one paper filter at a time.

I ate McDonald's for the first time in months and... it was good.  I know, I know.  There's something about their Cheeseburger that reminds me of innocence.  The most unusual thing on the menu? -> Why does the Double Cheeseburger cost less than the Cheeseburger?

Shortly after my trip became aware of The Elusive Mc10:35.  Only available in that fast food limbo between McDonalds' breakfast and lunch, it is the amalgamation of a McMuffin and a McDouble.  I tried once this week but was told they were out of McMuffins.  I must have come at 10:36.

If anyone gets one, SEND ME A PICTURE!  These are the things legends are made of.

At home and in the kitchen we made some Almond Avocado Cookies, some Spinach and Ricotta Stuffed Crepes, Strawberry Shortcake, a Pork Loin with Sauerkraut, an Ice Cream Cake and Oat Bran Banana Nut Muffins (recipes will follow). 

Lastly, I found an incredible Italian sandwich shop by asking the locals.  I could have driven by Agrusa's Submarine Sandwiches in Escondito, CA a thousand times and never stopped in but I asked a local and they sent me in.  The "Classic" is killer.

Green Lentil Salad with Grilled Salmon

Lentils:  daal, llentia, čočka, linse, linzen, lentille, adasha, lencse, linsubaun, lenticchia, adas, soczewica, lenteja, mercimek.  No matter what you call them, whether they are green, black, or red - lentils are high in iron and a great source of protein. This is a healthy, easy, and delicious meal perfect to feed the family on any weeknight.

Lentil Salad (printable recipe)

• 1 1/2 cups French green lentils
• 2 carrots, finely diced
• 2 celery stalks, finely diced
• 1 shallot, finely diced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• Juice from 1 lemon
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 cup parsley
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper

Grilled Salmon (printable recipe)

• 1 1/2 lbs wild salmon filets
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• salt and pepper
• Juice from 1/2 lemon

Rinse lentils with water while you bring a large pot of water to boil on the stove. Add lentils and let boil for 20-30 minutes or until lentils are cooked through. Strain lentils and set in a large bowl.

In a medium skillet add 1 tablespoon of olive oil on medium heat and add carrots, celery, shallots and sauté until they soften, approximately 4-6 minutes. Add in garlic and sauté for 1 more minute. Add vegetable mixture to bowl with the cooked and strained lentils.

Add in the remaining ingredients: lemon juice, remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, parsley, salt, pepper and fold everything together to combine. Taste for seasoning and add additional salt and pepper if necessary.  Serve alongside grilled salmon.

For the salmon: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Heat grill pan on medium high heat. Drizzle olive oil over salmon and season with salt and pepper.  Place salmon on hot grill pan flesh side down for 2-3 minutes, or until grill marks have been made.

Flip par-cooked salmon onto a sheet pan skin side down and place in oven to finish cooking. Bake until salmon is just cooked through, about 8-10 minutes depending on thickness. Once salmon comes out of the oven, squeeze fresh lemon juice on top and serve with lentils.

Serves 4

What we've been reading... 4/11/2010

• Chocolate Wontons Recipe - Recipes Steamy Kitchen

• International House of Pancakes! South Indian Adai | Sippity Sup

• Guava Bread, Recipes from Deb's Test Kitchen - Rick Bayless | Frontera

• America's Test Kitchen TV OnDemand Chicken and Dumplings

• Cocktails Cops Can't Resist - Reason Magazine

• Is Grass-Fed Beef Better For You Than Corn-Fed Beef? : NPR

• Recipe: Waffled soft pretzels - Waffleizer

• Iron Chef Your Leftovers and Stop Throwing Away Perfectly Good Food - Food - Lifehacker

• Check Out The Secret McMenu Item That's Sweeping SF, The Mc10:35 - The Consumerist

• A Disturbance In The Force - burger joints mapped colorfully using the inverse-square law « Weather Sealed

• New York regulators ban mom’s banana bread, but not Pop-Tarts / The Christian Science Monitor - CSMonitor.com

• KFC's Bacon Sandwich On Fried Chicken "Bread" Starts Killing People Nationwide April 12 - The Consumerist

• Emergency Breakfast-cake (savoury or sweet)

Spiced Rum Banana Bread: So Hot Right Now

Spiced Rum Banana Bread

Everywhere I look it's Banana Bread, Banana Bread, Banana Bread.  I did a check on Google Blog Search for "banana bread recipe" for the past 30 days and it turned up 34,982 results.  During the same 30 day time period, for comparison, "apple pie recipe" turned up only 15,920 and "lasagne recipe" just 11,730.

Like I said, Banana Bread is so hot right now.

I started looking more closely at these Banana Bread recipes and most left me blasé.  One idea that just my juices flowing was to add whisky.  Amy thought rum would be better.  Spiced Rum.  I agreed wholeheartedly.  Armed with a couple of spotted-ripe bananas, Chef Amy set out to develop a recipe that will get you up early on a weekend just to make some.

Without further adieu, let me ask you, "Got a little Captain in you?"

Spiced Rum Banana Bread

Bread

• 2 cups AP flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup butter, room temperature
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup bananas, smashed
• 1/4 cup applesauce
• 1/4 cup spiced rum (We used Captain Morgans)
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 3/4 cup pecans or walnuts, chopped

Rum Glaze

• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 2 tablespoons spiced rum
• 2 tablespoons water
• 2 tablespoons pecans or walnuts to garnish, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Butter and flour a bundt pan and set aside.

In a large bowl sift together flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

In a mixer, cream together butter and both sugars until smooth. Mix in eggs one at a time until incorporated. Take bowl off mixer and stir in the bananas, applesauce, rum, and vanilla. Fold in the dry ingredients into the wet being careful not too over mix.

Fold in chopped nuts. Scrape batter into a prepared bundt pan and bake for 40-50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool for 10 minutes before turning out onto a large plate. Make glaze.

Captain Morgan's Spiced Rum Glaze

Glaze:
In a small saucepan, combine butter, sugars, rum and water. Bring to a boil, lower heat and let simmer for 3-5 minutes or until it thickens slightly. Let cool for a few minutes then pour glaze over the top and sprinkle with chopped nuts. Slice and serve.

Serve Spiced Rum Banana Bread with Fruit and Mimosas

What we've been eating... 4/7/2010

Another week, another 1000 miles, another box of wine.  I found myself trying to eat less meat and in doing so getting an amazing sandwich and a sub-par burrito.  Easter rolled around and we made some little bunnies out of deviled eggs and had a blast doing them.

We also made some of Cooks Illustrated's Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies, scored some tasty waves in San Diego, and found some houses in Enicinitas made from boats.

We made a trip to Stone Brewery, quite possibly my favorite brewery in the whole-wide-world, and if you like beer and come within 50 miles of the place, I highly suggest going.  Not only did I have an Oaked Arrogant Bastard, I found an Arrogant Bastard Onesie, had a soft pretzel and a salad - but we also got their triple Crème brûlée .  It came in citrus, green tea, and chocolate ginger.

Easter brunch came with a side of 7.2 on the Richter Scale, right in the middle of my second mimosa.  We made an amazing Spiced Rum Banana Bread (recipe to come).  We also had a ham which we doctored up with a tangerine glaze, potato and cucumber salads, and a lemon meringue pie.

I finally managed to finish off the Tagalongs Ice Cream after we made the leftover ham into an au gratin and served it with Brussels Sprouts.  We've been loving these, "Just Mango Slices" from Trader Joes recently; that's exactly what they are, no salt, no sugar, just dried mango.  We wrapped up with a batch of homemade Cincinnati Chili (recipe to come).

Auf.