I'd like a side of beef...

Fast Food Nation came in the mail last week. It has been on my que for some time and it seemed to arrive when I am at the height of disgust with fast foodishness and big business. The thing is, the same issues were taking place in slaughterhouses back in the 1800's. Immigrant workers coming in to work in substandard conditions, producing contaminated products.

When the movie was over, I looked up some ranchers in california that sell their free range, grass-fed, organic beef by the 1/4, 1/2, side and the whole thing. If I am ever in a situation to get a deep freezer, I plan to buy a side or maybe a 1/2 of beef...I don't know if we can eat that much beef in a year. It seems to cut out so much of the arenas for contamination and inethical practices, plus it supports a local rancher. It costs something like 7.50/lb, but you're getting a vareity of cuts that probably range from 4.99/lb to 19.99/lb, so it seems like it would even out.

I've been thinking a lot about reducing, and really eliminating our consumption of meat. We don't eat a whole lot to begin with, and we can't really afford to buy organic. Scott has already agreed that if companies start using cloned animals for meat, we will certainly go vegetarian.

I think the only reason I haven't taken the vegetarian plunge (at least while cooking at home) is that cooking vegetarian can be hard. Generally, you have a lot more ingredients and prep work.

We were talking the other day and even though there are chicken breast recipes I make, none of them are really satisfying...the meat is mostly flavorless unless it is bathed in some type of sauce or has marinated several hours before grilling. I have a couple good whole chicken recipes, but those require brining and really become a long, drawn out process. Certainly not fit for working-mom-week-night-dining. The point is, it will not be hard to say goodbye to chicken. Beef on the other hand...

The Ark of Taste

I was on the web page for slow food and found this page about Dry Jack Cheese in the ark of taste, a list of foods that are on the verge of extinction. If you are a cheese and wine kind of person and haven't tried this cheese, I urge you to drop what you are doing and head to Central Market, perhaps Trader Joes, or any place that they sell a good selection of cheese and get some, along with some crusty bread and a nice wine.

Scott and I stopped in at Vella Cheese Company in Sonoma on our honeymoon and took a tour from a cranky guy in rainbow suspenders, so Sonoma Dry Jack holds a place in our hearts as does Sebastiani Merlot. The cheese is great and is worth keeping from extinction, so try it. If your store doesn't carry it, ask them to.

Another item on the list is the Meyer Lemon If you have never tried one of these sweet lemons, you are missing out. My parents have a tree, so come on by for some lemon bars and lemonade next time you're in Pasadena.

Chili

When the weather turns, I immediately start thinking about warm soups and hearty stews, chili, too. I've found a recipe for chili that I really like, but it's not the good old fashioned chili...it's chunks of chuck slowly cooked in a spicy tomatoey chili sauce, which is great, but doesn't scratch the same itch. I've been on a bit of a chili kick lately, starting with my frito pie from the fair and on Monday we had a chili dinner for our floor party at Swiss Tower. It's got me thinking that I really ought to find a good chili recipe...one like Kathrin and Ryans super-secret awesome chili.

One year at post we did a chili cook-off and I was told that all-meat chili always wins contests, but I kinda like beans in my chili. I know some chili has chocolate in it and others have all kinds of vegetables. What kind of chili do you like?

State Fair of Texas

The Texas State Fair wrapped up on Sunday. Growing up in Southern California, I only went to the fair once...with my friends Shay and her family. I recently learned that is because my dad doesn't like the fair, but really, it wasn't such a big deal. I probably didn't even know it was going on most years. Since we've moved Dallas, the fair has become an unavoidable fact. Not only because it is a huge part of Dallas culture (schools even close so the kids can have a fair day), but because of our apartment location. Ever seen the movie bottle rocket? Remember the scene when he is on the roof and you can see the ferris wheel in the background? That is fair park in Dallas, and that is the same view from our apartment window.

Now on to the food part of my post, and the main point I am writing...Each year there are new fried delictables invented for brave fair-goers. There is a hum around the city about what fried tidbits should not be missed. Local news reporters spend ridiculous amounts of time talking about it and have special broadcasts from the fair. So, this year, we were inspired: On Saturday we had dinner at the fair (which I think should be held in December, because Hanukah is really the only time I can justify eating so much fried food).

Appetizer:
Fried Guacamole: balls of guacamole covered in cheese, battered in a spicy corn batter and deep fried. Served with Salsa, Ranch or Spicy Ranch.

Dinner:
Gyro (Scott): You know what a Gyro is.
Frito Pie (Dana - I had never heard of this before moving to Texas): A bowl with Fritos in the bottom, Texas style chili (con-carne, no beans), cheese, onions.

Dessert Appetizer:
Fried Latte: Deep fried dough strips, some kind of sweet coffeeish sauce, coffee ice cream, whipped cream.

Dessert:
Good Ole Funnel Cake: Last time I had a funnel cake was at Six Flags over Texas. It was Scott's birthday (our first year in TX) and we thought it would be fun to go to SFOT. Wrong. It was hot and miserable.

Pumpkin Curry Soup

In honor of the first week of fall weather, I've posted my favorite soup recipe. I found this gem last year and I think we had it for dinner at least once a week (and never got tired of it). It's easy and it's yummy. If you make it, please comment about it on the blog...and don't forget to serve it with a good, crusty bread.

Pumpkin Curry Soup
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 small chopped onion
2 large cloves garlic, pressed
1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
3 cups chicken broth
1 (15 oz.) can 100% Pure Pumpkin (do not use organic - for some reason the soup doesn't turn out)
1 (12 fl. oz.) can Evaporated Milk
Optional Garnish - Fried Onions (French's or Trader Joe's)

Melt butter in large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic;
cook, stirring frequently, for 2 to 3 minutes or until tender. Stir in curry
powder, salt and pepper; cook for 1 minute.
Add broth and pumpkin; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; cook, stirring
occasionally, for 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in evaporated milk. Transfer
mixture to food processor or blender (in batches, if necessary); cover.
Blend until smooth. Serve warm.

Grilled Chicken with Indian Spices

This little gem of a chicken recipe was discovered when a friend and I decided to make an Indian Feast. We made chicken masala, and this is the chicken part without the sauce. It was so good, I decided to keep it. As a side note, the original recipe called for way too much salt, so I cut it in half and there is still quite a bit of salt, but the flavor is much more balanced. If you want it spicier add another teaspoon of Cayenne. With one teaspoon of Cayenne it has a little spice, but is pretty mild.

1 C. Plain Yogurt
1 Tbsp. Lemon Juice
2 tsp. Ground Cumin
1 tsp. Ground Cinnamon
1 tsp. Cayenne Pepper
2 tsp. Ground Black Pepper
1 Tbsp. Fresh Ginger, minced
2 tsp. Salt
4 each Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts cut into bite-sized pieces

In a large bowl, combine yogurt, lemon juice, 2 teaspoons cumin, cinnamon, cayenne, black pepper, ginger, and 2 teaspoons salt. Stir in chicken, cover, and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Preheat a grill for high heat.

Lightly oil the grill grate. Thread chicken onto skewers, and discard marinade. Grill until juices run clear, about 5 minutes on each side

Confessions of an addict...

I have always been a big coffee fan...

My first job was at Cafe Monet, a combination of cafe and florist. In acutality, it was a flower shop that happened to serve coffee and have sandwiches in the refrigerated case (incidentially the owners were Persian and this was where I first tasted Falafel). A later job was at the short-lived Cafe Mayhem...an attempt at a cool coffee house by a business man who didn't understand the concept. Then Micah's, which was essentially the same. Then La Tazza in college, which carries so many fond memories for me.

On the weekends in High school the girls from PHS and I would spend hours over coffee at Denny's shooting the breeze. I spent many hours during college at the E Bar in Pasadena. First in a dark alley of old town and then on green street. Wood floors, simple wood chairs and tables, the white walls, stained yellowish by the cigarette smoke, were mostly bare, except for random pieces of artwork that were dark and unfriendly. You could count on the staff being indifferent at best, but rude most likely. After Zha Zha started working there I probably spent at least part of every day sipping an americano and visiting with the regulars...Doug, Scott (not mine), Erin and the others. The ban on smoking in bars and restaurants was the downfall of the e-bar. Actually, it was the man that reported their non-compliance of the law, but that's another story.

I don't drink a lot of coffee...usually no more than a half a cup a couple times a day, but I love it. I went through a period where I couldn't sleep at night after having coffee or a soft drink, but I just convinced myself that it was mental and now, once again, I have no trouble.

I have known for a while that a cup of coffee in the late afternoon does wonders for me at night. I come home from work and I have the energy to do laundry or any other chore that I normally would not even want to think about. I was reminded of that yesterday when I had a late afternoon cup.

And here is my confession, I think coffee makes me a better person.

Tiger Woods

A golfer, but also the namesake of our most recent beverage of choice. Actually it is the iced tea with lemonade from starbucks. Typically this is called an Arnold Palmer, but since our version is made with green tea, we thought we'd modify the name to include the asian element. I've duplicated it at home. There aren't exact measurements, but here's what to do. Boil a saucepan full of water and add 3 green tea bags (I used the zen tea from starbucks). Let it steep for 3 minutes and discard tea bags. Pour into a pitcher. Add 1/4 C. Splenda or sugar to taste. Add lemon juice or true lemon to taste. Fill the rest of the pitcher with cool water. Chill. This is a surprisingly refreshing drink. Too bad I didn't know about it when I was prego.

My newest obsession

Now that I'm a working mom, I am trying even harder to find easy ways to put healthy meals on the table. I've always thought highly of spice rubs (especially the gourmet rub from Weber Grill), but this truly is an easy and tasty way to cook meat and vegetables. Forget the complicated recipes with a gazillion ingredients, a little EVOO and a spice rub, maybe some lemon juice for the meat and all you have to do is grill or broil it! I purchased some spice rubs from World Market called Tulocay's and they are pretty nifty. The Asian Accents rub is amazing on zucchini. Who knew?

If you feel awful, eat Falafel!

At Hannukah, or for special occasions we like to make Falafel at home. I got this recipe from a little recipe book put out by the Israeli Embassy. Hope you enjoy it.

Falafel
16 oz. cooked chick-peas (drained)
1 lg. onion, roughly chopped
2 tbsp. Parsley, chopped
1 egg
1 tsp. salt
1/2 to 1 C. Breadcrumbs
1 tsp. Ground Cumin
1/2 tsp. ground coriander
1/2 tsp. Crushed Red Peppers
1 tsp. Garlic Powder
A whole lot of vegetable oil

Combine chick-peas with onion. Add parsley, lightly beaten egg and spices. Mix in a food processor or blender. Add breadcrumbs until mixture forms a small ball without sticking to your hands. Form chick-pea mixture in small balls about the size of a quarter (one inch in diameter). Fry until golden brown. (If frying in a pan, flatten them slightly before frying and flip to brown both sides.) Drain on paper towels. Serve with chopped tomato, cucumber, lettuce, onion, and tehina inside pita.

Tehina
1 C. Tahini (sesame paste)
2 cl. Garlic, crushed
1/2 C. Water (or more)
dash of cayenne
1 tsp. Salt
1/2 bunch parsley, chopped
juice from 2 lemons
olive oil for garnish

Mix tahini, garlic, water, pepper, salt, and lemon juice until you get a smooth paste. Add water if tehina is too thick.

A Tip for Dallasites and Chicagoans

Whenever I'm in the mood for serious chocolate, I know where to go. Eatzi's. The name of the cake: Chocolate Oblivion. They sell them whole, but often they will have individual slices in the refrigerated case or they have single serving mini-cakes in the bakery case. Imagine a bottom layer of moist (sorry Jerod) chocolate cake topped with a thick layer of creamy chocolate mousse and finished off with chunks of Toffee and caramel sauce.

I recently purchased this cake for a department event and was quite amused by the reactions to it. It reminded me of one of my favorite scenes from the movie Chocolat, when they are celebrating Armand's birthday. In slow motion you watch the group savor the delicious meal that Vien has prepared for them; a truly sensual experience.

So, if you live in Dallas or Chicago, you may also satisfy your inner chocolate monster. In Dallas Eatzi's is located on Oak Lawn just south of Lemmon, in Chicago it is located on Clark just north of Diversey. They have a wide variety of other gourmet foods that are delicious as well, but none quite as noteworthy as Chocolate Oblivion.

Cappucino Chips

If you're like me, when I saw the cappucino chips (Ghirardeli) at the store, I envisioned a chocolate cookie or muffin with delightful coffee flavored chips melted in each bite. Heaven, really.

I bought them over the weekend on one hungry trip to the grocery store (danger!) and made the cookies yesterday. I substituted 1/4 C. cocoa powder for 1/4 C. of the flour called for in my Aunt Adrienne's Chocolate Chip cookies and then added 4 oz of grated semi-sweet chocolate and of course the cappucino chips. I was really pleased with myself and expected these to be amazing cookies that will become part of our family favorites. Then...I took a bite.

Have you ever had to keep tasting something because you expect it to be so wonderful and you just can't believe it tastes so bad? Well, the cookie part was great, but the cappucino chips were like little coffee flavored chemical bombs. Bleh! Disappointing. How is it that they can make all the other flavored chips taste so good?