Low fat carb free chicken cabbage rolls

I have to confess....I have never made cabbage rolls before. And, oh my gosh. After this....I will be making them a lot more.
I'm used to making roulades, sushi, lumpia, spring rolls...but wrapping something in cabbage? When I am not dieting? Hmmm. It was a challenge accepted. Not only are they low fat, gluten free, low carb - they are delicious! Ok, and not the "settle for it" kind of delicious. I found a true way to your heart, dear eaters. Pure comfort food. That's Good For You. Got your attention now? Let's do this.
This recipe makes enough for 3 with an appetite, with plenty for leftovers. Depending on your pans, and cabbage - you can easily fill a 9x13 pan and maybe a pie pan. (For someone to take home, or for you to freeze.)
Or, make them thick and keep them all for you. Hey...I don't judge.

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What you need

• 2 pounds ground chicken
  
• One head cauliflower
  
• One head purple cabbage (Purple food rocks! High in flavonoids, antioxidants...they keep you young and sexy. {Ok, aka: they are powerfully charged with stuff that helps you age gracefully, keep your memory, avoid cancer, make your heart happy and...oh, they are yummy.})
  
• A whole mess of baby spinach (three handfuls or so. No need to measure)
  
• One round (10 oz) Queso Fresco (Spanish cheese...mmmm. Low fat....the Mozzerella of Spanish cheese. Flavor. No grease.)
  
• 1 red bell pepper (or orange, or yellow. The green isn't as sweet as we would like...read on)
  
• About 1.5 pounds of tomato. (go all fresh, or you can grab a can or two, and still add some fresh....we will roast. Read on..) if you go canned, this is 3 small cans.
  
• 1 yellow or white onion
  
• A cup of stock
  
• half head garlic
  
• 1 bay leaf
  
• Star anise - half a star
  
• Dried whole Spanish oregano (I know, I love the stuff. But it really makes a dish. It's less than a dollar an ounce, and the flavor is tremendous. Go for it...it's in the cellophane bags in the Spanish section of your supermarket)
  
• Salt and pepper (I like kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper)
  
• Red pepper flakes
  
  Making the sauce
  Get whatever fresh ingredients you are using together in a pan for roasting. I opted for a large call of diced tomatoes, so I only roasted one bell pepper, my onion, the garlic and two tomatoes. Drizzle your favorite oil, a sprinkle of kosher salt, some oregano if you wish, and let them relax in an oven at 425.
  
  Get your ground chicken sautéing, add a little salt, pepper, oregano, and pepper flake. Puree the canned tomatoes and add to the pan. (Or skip if you have all fresh ingredients.)
  Once your roasted veg is ready - (the tomatoes will split, almost as if smiling), carefully chop them fine or prepare in a food processor, and get them in the pan too (save two cloves of roasted garlic for the "rice"). Add two handfuls of baby spinach and allow to wilt in. Taste the sauce and add more seasoning if need be, then it simmer nice and low while you make the rice...the sauce will be simple, but sweet from the pepper.
  
  Start your "rice"
  Cut your cauliflower into bits. Not too big, not too small...think dried elbow macaroni sized, if not a bit smaller. Sautée with oil of choice, (MCT, coconut, or even Pam. We impart flavor otherwise...)
  Add salt and pepper, your bay leaf, star anise, a few cloves of the roasted garlic, and a heavy sprinkling of crushed oregano. (Taste it! It should stand alone...) Don't let it cook all the way, sautée semi-high to get a sear and flavor. It should still have "tooth" to it. It will become a ninja that pretends to be rice. Set aside when done.
  
  Rollin'
  Try to separate your cabbage into leaves as big as possible. Even if you have smaller pieces, don't fret. It all tastes lovely. Place them in a large pan with a bit of stock, add a lid, and allow to steam till a little soft. Not mushy, but not to firm. Purple cabbage holds on to it's great texture, so it's an easy candidate for this process. I also discovered that my dog fancies it as well. Isn't that strange? Silly dog.
  Once your cabbage is done, get yourself a baking dish. Start with a piece of cabbage, some sauce, and a couple cubes of quest fresco.
  
  Roll like a lazy burrito. (ends not tucked in). If you have small pieces of cabbage, just layer them together, and place seam side down.
  
  Continue, then top with sauce, chunks of queso fresco, and more spinach.
  
  Bake this bad boy at 425 til the cheese browns. Serve and enjoy!
  The leftovers are so great...it didn't even make lunch....had it for breakfast the next day ;)
  
  

Finishing shot: Roasted pork tenderloin with root veg and fingerling potato

Roasted pork loin with white wine pan sauce, herbed organic fingerling potatoes, roasted celery root and radish.

Roasted pork tenderloin with white wine pan sauce

It's still roasting season out here in the Great Northwest; Winter doesn't seem to be done with us quite yet. My solution? Savory comfort food that warms the home and belly. This dish combines a mellow yet deliciously well seasoned pork tenderloin with a creamy decadent sauce. Bring it on, Winter.

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Ingredients

• 2 small pork tenderloins (cooks a little faster and more tender than the huge one)
  
• Olive oil
  
• Salt
  
• Pepper
  
• Granulated garlic
  
• Dijon mustard
  
• Herbs de province
  
• Tarragon
  
• Beef stock
  
• Flour (omit for gluten-free)
  
• Butter (I used a homemade "compound butter". I take a good organic butter, soften it, add chopped fresh herbs, then roll it into a tube shape in parchment, refrigerate, and use as needed. I like a mixture of thyme, rosemary and oregano. It preserves the herbs for weeks, and the butter absorbs all the wonderful flavor. A million uses!)
  
• Dry white wine (as I mentioned in making ratatouille, I go for a dry pinot gris or grigio. (It will give the already flavorful sauce an acidic kick - which is key for bringing brightness to a sauce with a bit of butter.)

Total time? About an hour and 15 minutes. More than half of that is prep and let sit and chill time.Prepping the loin You will have a half an hour - or more, after prepping. This makes for a perfect opportunity to pull some side dishes together, turn on some music, or call Mom ;) Sear all sides of the loins on high heat - no seasoning. Then, rub with a good coating of the Dijon. You will get some curious and awkwardly interested looks from your significant other. Then sprinkle on the salt, pepper, tarragon, garlic, herbs de province, and let chill in the fridge for a half an hour. This could easily be done the night before, 2 hours before....but a half hour is the magic spot for the flavors to awaken. After your loin has sat in the fridge, let it pre-funk on the counter by coming to room temperature. Cooking the loin Preheat your oven to 375. I like to preheat the oven with the pan i will be cooking in already in it (minus the meat). This way everything is nice and ready. Why stick a cold pan in a warm oven? Once preheated, oil your pan lightly, add the loin, and bake for about half an hour or so - depending on the cut of your pork loin. I like the finger test approach. It hasn't failed me yet! I go for a mid rare, as it will cook a bit more once pulled out of the oven to rest. Sauce base I start with a basic brown sauce base, but made thick. It's handy to make a few cups at a time and keep in the refrigerator - just a couple of spoonfuls makes for the start of a good pan sauce. To make the base, melt 2 tablespoons of compound butter in a small pot, and add 3 heaping tablespoons of flour. Cook this off til the flour turns a golden color, stirring often with a whisk. (Look at us making roux!) Then add the stock, keep whisking, and as it simmers together it will thicken. Salt and pepper lightly, and set aside. This can be done while the loin is still in the oven. Multitasking! Final sauce and plating While your loin is resting from it's amazing journey to becoming a delicious meal for you, we can pull together the final sauce. Transfer the loin to a cutting surface and place the pan over medium high heat. We are going to use all the love it left behind in the pan! Once the pan has heated up, deglaze with a cup of the pinot, and a pat of compound butter. The butter will help add a nice sheen and unctuous mouthfeel. Let this simmer together for a few minutes, while the alcohol cooks off. Add a couple of spoonfuls of the sauce base, and whisk together. You may want to salt and pepper here - don't be shy, taste and see! The sauce should be thin (we aren't making gravy), but it should have a sexy body. You may even be tempted to sneak off and find a place where you can eat just the sauce by itself. For a gluten-free version, just omit the base. Instead, add a healthy cup of beef broth, and that extra butter that would have been roux. Reduction may take a little longer, but it's worth it! Slice the loin, drizzle with sauce and serve! It's great garnished with parsley or fresh rosemary. Whomever is lucky enough to share it with you will be happy you did. And, if it's all for you? Well...aren't you lucky.... What Winter?

Food for thought: Mastering the Shirataki noodle

When it comes to Shirataki noodles, there are two types of folks (typically). Those who have had them, and those who haven't. Most who fall in the former category will exclaim: "Oh gross! They taste like ass!"
That's where I come in.

These mysterious zero calorie noodles can be so delicious; cravable, even - but there's a trick to handling them. They are the only noodle I use in my ramen soups, and these soups are even kid approved.

Stick with me - they will blow your mind. I will use a ramen style soup for my example.

Finishing shot: Spicy pork chops and applesauce with stirred potatoes and braised red cabbage

Spicy cast-iron seared chops with applesauce with braised purple cabbage and boar bacon with creamy stirred potatoes with spinach.

Spicy cast-iron seared pork chops and applesauce

I stumbled into this recipe one night...a typical form of cooking for me. (I like to play!) But sometimes, meals come together lacking the oomph I strive for. I started prepping in my usual fashion, making stuff up as I go, beginning with a bone-in pork chop and simple rub. Sigh. The dish wasn't turning me on at all - it was looking pretty ho-hum.....

Then, as I lingered in the fridge it hit me.....How about a twist on classic pork chops and applesauce? I tweaked the rub by adding some cayenne for a great spicy contrast against the sweetness of the chunky organic applesauce and herby fresh oregano. Yes! From ho-hum to oh-yea. I rubbed my hands together in delight, as my daughter wondered out loud why I was laughing like an evil mad scientist.

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Let's get mad!

• 3 bone-in chops (or whatever fits in your cast-iron without crowding)
  
• Applesauce (I like the unsweetened chunky sauce...it's sweet, and the ingredients are: apples. Nuff said. Or, make your own by sautéing diced apple with a bit of lemon juice.)
  
• Fresh oregano lightly chopped
  
• Salt and pepper
  
• Cayenne powder
  
• Dried oregano (Just a light pinch per each side of the chop, for added earthiness.)
  
• Olive oil

Let the pork chops pre-funk for the party on the counter, coming to room temperature. Then rub 'em down with olive oil. Now they want to party. Sprinkle a generous amount of salt, pepper, cayenne, and a dash of dried oregano, and rub that in. We aren't seasoning broccoli, we are imparting flavor with a rub. Salting properly is important! Smell the spice coming off the chop...it will mellow when cooked, but see if you catch a hint of oregano in there. If all you smell is cayenne, add just a pinch more. The oregano rounds out the flavor. We want the seasoning simple, yet well done. Garlic or anything else would muddy the flavors.

Bring your cast-iron to a medium high heat. Add olive oil, the place the chops in there and sear for two minutes each side. Then cover the pan, remove from heat, and the residual heat will cook the chops to perfection!

Top with a couple of spoons of applesauce, and garnish with oregano. Simple, flavorful, lightening fast...and the spicy sweet contrast will knock your socks off. I love a triple threat!

Try it...you will laugh like an evil scientist too...

Creamy stirred potatoes with spinach

This dish is a perfect example of good things happening when a food is allowed to be itself. No need to mash, or beat these guys into submission - they give up the love with a simple stir, which creates a creamy "sauce". It's a great way to sneak in healthy greens into a side dish. Since the greens are simply wilted, they retain much of their nutrient value. And you can finish this dish in a snap!

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Let's get stirring:

• 3 - 4 cups of potatoes diced into big chunks. I like purple potatoes for this, but any high starch potato will do, like a russet or Yukon gold.
  
• 2 - 3 tbs butter
  
• 1/4 or more cup of chives (Half for the dish, half for garnish. Parsley or fresh dill is also a great garnish.)
  
• 1/4 cup of cheese, lightly measured - not packed. You can always add more later if you like it a little more cheesy. (I use Parmesan, Romano and a sharp strong flavored New Zealand cheddar. It's good to balance some mild with some strong. If you like Gorgonzola, that would be good as well!)
  
• 1/4 cup of plain yogurt (I eyeball. We will know once we stir if we need more.)
  
• Small bunch of spinach, stems removed (you can leave the leaves whole - they will cook down)
  
• Salt and pepper
  
• Granulated garlic

Steam the potatoes until soft (around 20 minutes, or until a fork easily penetrates), drain, and return to the pot over medium low. If you are cooking other dishes and not ready to complete the potatoes, you can pop a lid on the and let them sit - as they get a reheat later.

Once you are ready to start stirring, the rest of the dish takes less than 10 minutes to finish. Add butter and spinach. Begin to stir until spinach wilts. This should only take a couple of minutes. If the spinach is stubborn, add a bit more butter and up the heat just a tad. They will give in eventually. Then stir in the rest of the ingredients, reducing heat. As you stir, a creamy sauce will form, generated from the yogurt, buttered and potato starches. Taste and add seasonings, more yogurt, etc. as you see fit.

Serve with your garnish of choice! These potatoes are so creamy and flavorful - the tang from the yogurt partnered with the cheese, butter and garlic creates a flavorful sauce that is light yet decadent. Who needs to mash?

Blueberry Tea for sinuses

Sniffle....I'm warding off the yuchs, as are most folks this time of year.


The rainy weather in Washington is a fickle sort of thing - leaving you stuffy, groggy, sniffly, or - if you are lucky, in a headache type of fog, that is bearable, but much like a Tim Burton movie.

This beverage works wonders for head colds, sinus infections, and headaches. The hot tea soothes the throat (it gets angry at the nose dumping it's worries), while the alcohol opens the sinus, and works with the tea to relax the self in a gentle way (they balance each other, the caffeine gets neutralized, but is essential to the concoction). It's a magical combo: Just one or two teas should do it - I recommend it right before bed, or even on the onset of a sinus discomfort.

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All you need: (for the alcohol, get just the tiny $4 single serve bottles)

• Earl Grey tea (add boiling water to only half your mug, then brew. If you don't have Earl Grey, use a black tea of sorts. A strong tea - both in flavor and caffeine - works best.)
  
• Amaretto 1/2 tiny bottle
  
• Grand Marnier 1/2 tiny bottle
  
• A slice of orange (or lemon, or omit.)

Combine, drink slow, and enjoy the vapors. It will soothe and relax both the head and sinus. If it gets a little cold as you sip, heat it up a bit more. The heat and vapors are key.

If you want a three-fold effect, stir your tea counter-clockwise and envision banishing the nasties. Healing happens best with a topical (smelling the vapors), internal (nomming the tea), and mental (knowing and believing you are ridding yourself of toxins) approach. After one mug, the mental will come easy. As will sleep and health.

Cheers!

A no-wisdom teeth Vegetarian feast

Today I received a "blog challenge" from a friend at work. I love a challenge! Her fiancé is having his wisdom teeth pulled, and she wondered if I had any ideas on some good but soft vegetarian fare. Ooohhhh....good challenge....

The first thing that comes to mind: soup. But there has to be a more creative way around this. So, I pondered, flexed my culinary grey matter, and concocted some ideas. I haven't tested these, but am basing my theories off my palate, ability...and an imagination for food. Read on...Soup "No-Dumpling" Dumplings, hearty Gratin, Sweet Potato Benedict, and Foster!

Basic roasted cornish hen

This rub will make your bird have it all: color, flavor, and crispy skin. It works wonders on a hen or whole chicken. The below rub should be enough for 3 hens, or one whole fryer chicken. If baking a fryer, add 15 minutes to the baking time.

Preheat your oven to 375, then combine:

• 1/8 cup kosher salt
  
• 4 tablespoons granulated garlic
  
• 1-2 teaspoons cayenne
  
• 2 tablespoons oregano, herbs de province, or thyme
  
• A healthy dose of cracked black pepper
  
• 3 teaspoons paprika (for a smokey flavor, try Spanish paprika)
  
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
  
  (One disclaimer...most of my measurements, except for the salt, are "heaping". Aka, I tend to eyeball!)
  

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Prep your bird (remove giblets if there are any, and gently rinse in cold water). Then dry the bird really well with paper towels. This step can be done the night prior, and here's a little trick: if you dry your bird the night before, leave it on a tray in the fridge un-covered. This allows the skin to dry out even more, and when cooked....it turns into chicken/hen skin crack. It's irresistible.

Once your bird is dry and ready to cook, simply rub a generous amount of olive oil on and inside your poultry, then follow with the rub. Be generous. Rub as much as possible both inside the bird and out - sprinkling the rub on places that are harder to rub (like armpits). Ensuring the inside has a healthy coat ensures the favors will permeate from inside.

Place your poultry breast-side up, and bake for 45 minutes - then remove. Let them rest for 5 minutes with a watchful eye. (Someone will try to steal some skin!)

This resting period will allow the juices to redistribute - and oh man, when you cut into this bird, you will notice the meat will want to fall off the bone. Be careful...when I say juicy, I mean it!

Enjoy!

Blood orange vinaigrette

This dressing gets it's sweetness from balsamic vinegar and juice from a blood orange. No sugar needed! It gains an amazing creaminess when shaken and emulsified with a good organic olive oil. It's super simple, easy, oh so yummy, and healthy!

It goes well over any salad, can be used as a marinade, and tastes great as an acid component for sautéed braising greens, like chard or kale. No blood orange? You can use any citrus - grapefruit, lemon, or orange would be a welcome guest to this party. You can even sub out the purple onion for garlic or shallots, or the tarragon for thyme or oregano. It's a playground in a jar!
Grab a jar, and pour in:

• 1/2 cup olive oil
  
• 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
  
• Juice from 1 blood orange
  
• 3 tablespoons finely diced purple onion
  
• Three pinches tarragon
  
• Two pinches kosher salt
  
• A couple pinches of ground black pepper
• If you like, a little ground mustard really gets it creamy. But, I get lynched for mustard...this is a please all recipe

Shake. Done! Yum.....
PS. Try this drizzled on any protein and broiled. Eggs, steak...yum. Even good on bread for panini. It's multi purpose!

Cooking School: Washing & storing vegetables

Session 2 in The Fundamental Techniques of Classic Cuisine covers basic techniques for washing and cutting vegetables. I will throw in my two cents on storage as well. Let's get to it!

Food for thought: Cooking mushrooms and imparting flavor

There's one basic rule that applies to cooking - no matter your background, style, or cuisine type. Seize the opportunity to impart flavor whenever possible. Roasting or using braising liquids (instead of straight up oils), deglazing your pan with wine, searing on high heat - all essential in adding flavor.

But there's one enemy of flavor that goes overlooked: water. Can you guess what delicious ground nugget is mostly water and largely incorrectly cooked? The beloved earthly mushroom.

It's a simple remedy - just give them room to do their thing. When spaced in a single layer in your pan, and seared on medium (then sautéed - if youre like me and like to play); they caramelize and turn into Magic Mushrooms.

If you have a dish that calls for onions and mushrooms sautéed together, treat your mushrooms like the star they are, and give them their own dressing room. If they are crowded with other performers in your dish, they tend to pout and not remember their lines.

Set them aside, then let them "bow" in at the finishing act. They will give you a much better performance, worthy of an encore.

Finishing shot: Chorizo stroganoff stuffed tomato with vinegared green beans and basil potatoes

Vinegared bacon green beans with chorizo stroganoff stuffed tomato and steamed fingerling potatoes sautéed with butter and basil.

Vinegared bacon green beans with shallots

Bacon is a ray of salty meaty sunshine that has the ability to brighten even the
ho-hummiest of dishes. Everything is better with it.
Having a bad day? Have some bacon. Eggs lonely? Bacon will keep them company. Shrimp a little self conscious about being naked? Make them a bacon outfit, and watch them work it.

Vinegared bacon green beans are another perfect example of that symbiotic relationship - and it hits all the right notes: salty, savory, with an acidic bite, a touch of sweet from the shallot, and....bacon from the bacon. But it's actually the little hit of vinegar that really makes this dish sing in the mouth.

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Let's get our bacon fix:

• 1 pound of fresh green beans, ends trimmed (I opt for organic locally grown green beans from Full Circle Farms, the flavor and health benefits alone make it worth it to go organic!)
  
• 5 - 6 thick slices of bacon, diced in large chunks
  
• 3 shallots roughly chopped
  
• 1/4 cup of stock
  
• Red wine vinegar
  
• Butter
  
• Salt and pepper
  

Making some magic: Sauté your bacon pieces until almost done, and set aside, leaving the rendered fat in the pan. (Hey, I saw you sneak a few pieces...just leave some for the dish.) Sauté the shallots and green beans in the bacon fat until the shallots start to caramelize. Add butter if your pan needs a bit of motivation.
Then add the bacon and the stock. Continue to sauté til the stock has reduced out, and the beans are tender but still have a good texture. Then hit the pan (deglaze) with a few healthy drizzles of red wine vinegar. Give everything a few minutes to come to their happy place.
Taste, salt and pepper accordingly, and be ready to smack some hands away from the pan...you will have some lurkers! As soon as you turn your back to get the plates...

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The bacon and beans will take on this wonderful hint of vinegar that makes the bacon taste like "bacon crack". "Why is this bacon so good!?" They will exclaim...almost in disbelief. (It does boggle the mind. How can bacon taste better than....bacon?)

Just smile, and say: "Because I cooked it".

Let's keep the real secret between us.

Enjoy!

Roasted chorizo stroganoff stuffed tomato and pepper

This meal is the perfect example of a meal that was saved by improvisation. There's lots of room for play - especially if halfway through making this you find you are missing an ingredient or two....

(In my case, someone ate my ingredients!)

So what started out as a cream sauce, turned into a stroganoff, and was thus dubbed a happy accident.

To have your own happy accident, you will need:

• 3 large tomatoes
  
• 3 large bell peppers
  
• 1 pound of chorizo
  
• 1 bunch chard (or other hearty green) chopped
  
• 4 cloves garlic minced
  
• Half a purple onion diced
  
• 2 tbs fresh rosemary chopped
  
• 2 tbs of oregano
  
• 2 tbs rough chopped cilantro
  
• 1 egg
  
• 1/2 cup sour cream
  
• 1/2 cup of cheese (or more!) that tickles your fancy. (aka whatever cheese you have on hand that hadn't mysteriously disappeared prior deciding to make this dish)
  
• A sprinkling of granulated garlic
  
• Salt and pepper
  

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To make the tomato and peppers: After you wash these guys, we are going to want to hallow them out.

The tomato will need its top sliced off, and then a knife ran along the inside.

Then use a spoon to scoop out the flesh and seeds. (Throw the scraps into your freezer bag to make homemade stock!)

The pepper will need a little help standing upright - simply slice the bottom to make a flat surface, trying not to expose holes. If you do - ah well. I did too. The filling is sturdy enough to stay put. Slice off the top, and gently carve the seeds from the inside. The peppers should be as tall as the tomato - so you will be chopping off quite a bit of the top. Reserve the tops and ends, dice them, and set them aside to be sautéed into the filling.

Assemble the tomatos and peppers in a baking dish and drizzle them with olive oil, salt and pepper and granulated garlic.

To make the filling: Sauté your onion, diced pepper, and garlic until they begin to caramelize, then add the chorizo and herbs. once the chorizo is cooked and giving off some juices, add the chard and sauté til it is wilted and tender.

Set this aside in a bowl to cool, and preheat your oven to 400. Once the filling has settled down a bit, (try NOT to taste it...I dare you) add some of the cheese (reserve some for the top), cilantro and sour cream. The cream will help to cool the mixture more. Taste (if you haven't already) and add seasoning if needed, then stir in your egg. Fill the tomatoes and pepper, top with the rest of the cheese, and cover the baking vessel with foil. Bake them for 20 minutes or so (tomato skin will split), remove the foil, and bake 10 minutes more.

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These savory vessels of chorizo stuffed love are delicious, surprisingly light and satisfying. For a vegetarian option, sub out the chorizo for soyrizo, an awesome vegetarian meat-free option that even this meat lover enjoys!

Happy eating!

Roasted green pepper pork chili

It just started snowing here in Washington...which is an exciting moment. It doesn't happen but once a year.....

It's the perfect time to lock ourselves indoors, make chili, drink wine and beer, and hang out with friends.

This is my go to chili. Easy, savory, delicious .... And it makes people make those noises. You know what I mean. The noises they make right before they realize "holy $hit I can't wait to get more of this in my mouth..."

Oh yes. This is the chili that makes people curse, or stuff their face while cursing......Read on.

It's a simple recipe...just have an hour ready for pre-prep for roasting the chilies. After that, its a simmer and let-alone sort of dish. You don't want to mess with it. Even with the few ingredients involved....trust me. Try it pure. You won't regret it. This recipe highlights the true flavor of chili with pork...a classic, wonderfully simple combo, that is effortless and timeless.

This makes enough for a family of 3, with leftovers to spare - and a few cups to save or freeze. (hmmm...it never makes it to the freezer though....)

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What you need

• 5 pounds or so of peppers (Anaheim, poblano, and pasilla are my favorites. For this, I use about 18 poblano and 13 anaheim)
  
• 1 white onion diced
  
• 8 - 10 garlic cloves, finely diced
  
• 3 pounds pork tenderloin, cubed
  
• Salt and pepper to taste
  

To roast the chilies:

Fill your sink or a large bowl with water. Get those guys in there and bathe them good. Rinse, repeat. Let them sit for a good five minutes as you ponder how awesome this is going to taste, then - Roast them in an oven at 425 on a roasting pan lightly touched with olive oil. But stay away from straight aluminum, it lends to a metal flavor.

You are going to want to watch these guys every 10 minutes or so. If using two pans, the top pan will roast fast - so rotate each pan every 10 minutes or so. Just watch em - You can tell....they get bubbly and the skin breaks away. Flip them to expose new sides that need roasting. They flatten as they roast - it's almost like they beg for it.

If something sticks to the pan...no worries. The stuff that sticks will be just a bit of skin you want off the pepper anyway! I suggest using as many pans as possible...so the peppers don't get crowded. They like their space to do their thing. Two to three pans should be plenty. If you are filling more...whoa. But it'll still be awesome. Room for play, that's my motto.

Assembling the chili:

While the peppers roast, dice the pork tenderloin, then add it and half of the diced onion and garlic to a large bowl. Mix it a bit to incorporate. Show some love by giving a generous sprinkling of salt and pepper, and then....let it sit. The pork likes to pre-funk on the counter, by coming to room temp. Hey, don't judge, we all party in our own ways. This helps it to loosen up and give more flavor and......ok. Need I say more. It's pre-funking.

After the peppers are good and soft - blackened and lovely - transfer them to a bowl and cover them. Saran wrap, towel - anything that keeps the heat in and makes a mini sauna...these guys need to steam a bit. This helps the charred skin come off a bit easier. While they sweat it out - start to sweat the rest of the onion and garlic in a large stock pot (or pressure cooker) with a light sautée.

While that's going, prep your peppers by scraping out the seeds and removing the skin and stems. Then dice the peppers, and get ready to make chili. If you don't get all the skin - no worries. Just dice it - and move on. Call it "rustic", and people will say "ooohhhh".

Add the pork and pre-funked garlic/onion party to the now sweating happy onion/garlic stuffs in the pot, and stir gently. After 5 - 10 or so minutes, add all the chilies. Add some water, just so the "party" is covered. Then bring back to a simmer for 40 minutes (at least...if longer, reduce to really low) - or if pressure cooking, bring to pressure and cook for 20. Then you are done! Give a final taste to make sure it's salted and peppered enough...If someone dares to reach for the shaker....Gasp! They should be busy cursing.

Like most recipies with fresh roasted good, this is even better the next day, making it a perfect make-ahead dish. It's great served with a drizzle of Crème fraiche and diced green onion with shredded cheese or....if you can't wait, right out of the pot. I won't judge. Just don't tell anyone I did it too....

Cheers!

Salsa three ways

I love the moment when the spice high kicks in...your eyes glaze over...the world becomes a softer, more gentler place...

I've even been questioned about drinking during lunch after returning from eating 5 star Thai. With a silly grin on my face, and glisten on my brow, I explain that I was merely eating Thai food - which is typically responded to with a knowledgable nod, an "ahhhh...." and a smile.

Those who know me know that my 5 stars is really the universe.

That's what's great about the salsa 3 ways - there's something for everyone, no matter how much spice you crave. We will begin with the "Mother", and a lot of it! The Mother is mild, fresh, and the base salsa. She gets her bite from crisp onion. You can stop there, or use some of the Mother and create the medium salsa - a smokey roasted jalapeño with chipotle. (Don't get scared! We tame them. And you don't have to use as many as I do.) And if you're game, you can then use more of the Mother to make the vinegary, fruity, and wonderfully spicy hot roasted habanero. Oh yeah.....my mouth just started watering.

Now, this recipe will yield about 16 -18 or more cups of salsa, even if you stop at the Mother or decide to make all three. If you make all three you will still have quite a bit of the Mother salsa left - and trust me, it won't be around for long. Try this: make salsa 3 ways and bring it all to a get together. You will leave very, very sad. Why? Because they will eat. It. All.

Let's get to it then! The only special equipment I use is a food processor. But I've also made this by chopping everything by hand. It takes longer, but it gives you more time to dance to some music in the kitchen and sip a beer while you make it. (It's one of the secret ingredients! I actually had someone tell me they could taste the fact that I danced and enjoyed a Corona while making it!)

I do roast the chilies for the mild and hot salsas. You can roast the green chilies for the Mother, too - but I typically use canned - it still comes out fresh and yummy. Another tip: if dicing the chilies in a food processor for the medium and hot, add a bit of the Mother to help get things moving.


For the Mother, you will need:

• 16 cups tomatoes, diced (if canned, drain)
  
• 1 white onion, finely diced
  
• 2 1/2 - 3 cups green chilies, diced (or three 7 ounce cans)
  
• 1 bunch green onion, diced
  
• 1 bunch cilantro, finely chopped
  
• 8 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
  
• Lime juice to taste
  
• Salt and pepper to taste
  

All you do: combine the above in a big bowl. Taste - adjust salt and pepper if necessary. You will notice, if she is made and then served fresh, she will have a bit of water - this tightens up if she is allowed to sit overnight. But waiting isn't necessary!

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To roast the peppers for the next two, sprinkle them with olive oil, chili powder and garlic powder. Roast in a shallow pan in the oven at 375. Check them after 10 minutes - maybe turn them as they blacken. Once they are good and roasted, they are ready to join in on the fun.

For the smokey chipotle jalapeño medium, mix together:.

• 2 1/2 cups of the Mother
  
• 3 jalapeños roasted, finely diced, tops removed (the flavor will mellow if left overnight after preparing. To further mellow the flavor, slice them open and remove the seeds by gently scraping)
  
• 3 tsp. chipotle seasoning
  
• Lime juice to taste (even though the Mother has lime, a little more acid helps round out the smokey flavor)
  
• Salt and pepper to taste
  

For the habanero hot, mix together:

• 7 roasted habaneros - seeds and all, tops removed, finely diced
  
• 1 1/2 cups of the Mother
  
• 2 tbs. rice wine vinegar
  
• Lime juice to taste
  
• Salt and pepper to taste
  

The flavor will knock your socks off. Habanero has a great slightly fruity and flavorful spice to it.

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For a quick guacamole, I mix lightly cubed avocado with one or a combo of the above salsas, and a couple dollops of plain yogurt or mayo (the olive oil one is awesome) with extra lime juice and salt thrown in.

Until next time! May the spice force be with you.....

Food for thought: Skillet vs. Sauté pan

Did you know that there's actually a difference between the sauté pan and the skillet?

The skillet has sides that flare out, while the sauté pan has sides that are straight. This gives the sauté pan more surface area. The skillet, however, is actually better for sauté than the sauté pan due to the sloping sides.

I'm a food nerd, and find this fascinating. Check out some more nerdy facts about these pans on Serious Eats.

Zucchini with egg

You know this dish is good, because it's one my Mom would make it for me. (Hi Mom!)

Whenever I eat it, I can't help but make those "mmmm yummy" noises.


Try it.
I bet you make those noises too.
Yes, and it even counts if you make them in your head where no one can hear.

It's a delicious, healthy vegetarian dish (for those who eat eggs), packed with protein and flavor. At four ingredients, it's a great dish to have in your culinary arsenal when you need a quick side or main meal.

It's the trifecta! Fast, yummy and healthy!

All you need:

• Zucchini
  
• 1/2 of a white onion (per zucchini)
  
• 2 minced garlic cloves (per zucchini)
  
• 1 egg (per zucchini)
  
• Olive oil
  
• Salt and pepper

Slice the zucchini in half, then slice each half into half moons.

Slice onion in half, then into strips.

Heat a large sauté pan to a little above medium. Get the onions and garlic working, and sauté for a couple of minutes, or when the onions just start to become translucent. Then add the zucchini. Sauté for a couple more minutes, or until zucchini just start to lose their firmness. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Whisk the eggs in a separate bowl - they need to get ready to join in on the fun. (They like to pre-funk a little bit and hang out on the counter til they get to room temperature.)

Push the cooking zucchini party to one side of your pan, add a little more oil if needed, and scramble the eggs in the newly created space. Once the eggs get to a soft scramble, begin mixing everything together and reduce heat.

Plate, serve, enjoy!

Theres something magical that happens when these foods play together. It's somewhat creamy and decadent. (I am so making those mmmm yummy noises in my head...right...now. I'm on the bus. People are staring.)

Gluten free meatloaf muffins with blood orange balsamic ketchup

Nothing says lovin' like a muffin made outta meat. Ok, they are more like large meatballs - but the trick is the cooking vessel: a standard muffin tin. No more hour plus waits for meatloaf!

For my recipe I use 2 pounds of grass-fed beef. This yields about 12 or more large muffins. Hey, I like leftovers!

To the beef, I add:

• 2 eggs (I have to give a shutout to The Good Eats Gal, my next door neighbor. In the middle of making these I discovered I had no eggs....FAIL. She graciously lent them to me. Don't you love neighborly neighbors!)
  
• A generous amount of chopped garlic and 1 small finely diced or shredded purple onion (If shredding, raw is best. If chopped, a quick sauté with the garlic til caramelized is a great way to add flavor.)
  
• 1 bunch of fresh basil (finely shredded)
  
• A couple pinches of dried thyme
  
• A palm of that awesome Spanish oregano I mentioned in ratatouille with spinach
  
• 2 tablespoons of coconut flour to help it bind
  
• 2 tablespoons milk (cut this to 1 if you are using shredded raw onion, as it lends moisture)
  
• A few shakes of pepper flakes to taste
  
• Kosher salt and black pepper to taste
  
• A heaping quarter cup fresh shredded cheese - I used Romano and Parmesan.

Now comes the fun part - use those utensils at the end of your arms, dig in, and mix well! To form the muffins, I grab a palmful of meat and cradle in my right hand. Then I use my left hand to "lift and turn" quickly to lightly form into a ball. We are aiming for a size just under the actual size of a cooked real muffin. Now they are ready to be muffinized. Place them in the tin, and place the tin on a cookie sheet. They will give off enough love to not stick, and if there's too much love - the cookie sheet will keep the love from getting the oven all messy. Bake these guys at 375 for 20 minutes and let everyone know dinner's on in half an hour.

Now for the sauce! To make our own sugar free healthy ketchup, we'll start with a can of tomato paste, some salt, powdered mustard, and blood orange balsamic. Regular balsamic would also work great here - or you could make your own flavored citrus balsamic by simmering some balsamic lightly and adding your citrus of choice. The balsamic will add just the right hint of sweetness, which helps curb the acidity of the tomato paste.

Start by drizzling the balsamic into the paste and a sprinkling of mustard. Mix, taste, add salt, adjust....until you have it just how you want it. Once the muffins reach the 20 minute mark, smear some ketchup on them and pop them back in the oven for 5 minutes more.

Let them rest for 5 minutes before serving, they worked hard and deserve a little break. Use a fork to remove them from the pan by gently "carving" around the exterior of each muffin (to release the sides from the pan) and lifting out. (There will be some juice and fat accumulated in the bottom of the cup. The fork helps to remove the muffin from its juicy bath.)

And then the fun part. Eating!

Served with ratatouille with spinach and roasted winter squash purée topped with black lava salt.

I need better lighting in the kitchen. I will work on that....

Until next time!

Crème fraîche

You are going to kick yourself this is so easy.

• Get a jar.
  
• Add 1 cup of whole cream. (And trust me, not "low fat")
  
• Add a tablespoon of buttermilk. (Again, not low fat. We aren't drinking the stuff, so go "all in".)
  
• Shake.
  
• Let sit on counter for 24 hours. (I know, it's weird. But it'll be ok. Plus, don't you love an element of danger in your life?)
  
• Open, stir, and tell people how fancy you are because you make your own crème fraiche. (Then you can refrigerate. It'll keep for two weeks! If it lasts that long....)
  
  
  

What can you do with it? What can't you do with it!
Try adding to a brown sauce to make it sexy. Or, drizzle on soups for a creamy garnish. Would you put sour cream in it? Try adding the crème. It's tangier, a little softer, and a fun way to play with your food.
Cheers!

Roasted winter squash purée

This is a great alternative to mashed potatoes or a starchy side. It's a pretty intuitive dish, simple, and easy to experiment with. Woo hoo! Playing with food! You know I love it. *grins wildly*

This makes the dish an excellent repurposed leftover food. Yes. Waste not want not! I start with a good sized winter squash (thick skinned like an acorn or butternut), and cut into quarters. I brush just a bit of olive oil on it, nothing else (it'll get the love later), to help encourage caramelization.

I roast it at high temp of 425 to really coax out those toasted savory flavors. Once the flesh is soft when pricked with a fork, and the tips are a little toasted, I pull out the squash to cool.

Time to get naked! The squash, that is. Well, you can too. I won't judge. Turn the squash flesh side down in a bowl. This makes the skin super easy to remove.

Next it's time to mash, add a little salt, pepper and butter to taste. Wasn't that easy?


With this base, you can upgrade fresh or from leftovers by adding:

• Cinnamon, brown sugar and cardamom
  
• Goat cheese, parsley and garlic
  
• Ham, caramelized shallots and fresh thyme
  
• Topping of bacon crumbles, crème fraiche, and scallions
  

The list could go on and on....

Enjoy!

Ratatouille with spinach

This dish screams comfort to me. It's fast, healthy, and most importantly, delicious. Most ratatouille uses eggplant, summer squash (zucchini or thin skinned squash), onion, and root veg. For this recipe, I subbed out the squash for spinach because.....well, I didn't have squash. But hey! That's the great thing about cooking. Improv! Play! Experiment! Who makes the rules? You do. The one with the knife! Ok. Sorry. I got carried away.

I have some tips when it comes to that wonderfully bulbous purple veg: the eggplant. The skin (or more exactly, right under the skin) holds a little bit of bitterness. Some like it, some don't. If you are in the "don't" category, peeling the eggplant will mellow it out. Slice the eggplant into rounds before cooking, sprinkle with salt, and lay them in a single layer on a cookie sheet for a half hour to an hour prior to prepping (dicing). This also mellows out bitter favors, and helps to leech out some of the moisture so your end product is firm and not mushy. Who wants naked mushy eggplant? Not me. If you are crunched for time, microwaving also helps leech out some moisture. Microwave for 5 minutes, let sit to cool, then pat with paper towels. Voila! Eggplant that is prime time and ready to party.


In my recipe I used:

• 1 eggplant
  
• 1 bunch of spinach
  
• 1 parsnip
  
• 1 carrot
  
• 3 roma tomatos
  
• 1 bell pepper
  
• 4 garlic cloves
  
• Kosher salt, black pepper and dried oregano. (A little secret - the mexican food aisle of the grocery store, where all the little cellophane bags of herbs are? Dried oregano there is amaizing. The leaves are whole little round things of oregano loveliness. So fresh tasting, and at 65 cents a bag, it's a steal.)
  

Veg gets chopped into similar sized chunks and garlic gets a dice.
Get your hard veggies into a pan (onions, carrots, parsnips) heated to medium with some olive oil or ghee. Sautée them til they start to give up a little love, and caramelize a bit.
Then add the rest of the goodies, all except the tomato. You can add some butter and a splash of white wine for extra flavor. Go for a dry wine like Pinot Gris or Pinot Grigio - it will add a nice hint of acidity and brightness. Stay away from oaky heavy Chardonnay. Eggplant loves to absorb the flavors it's cooked with!

Season with oregano, salt and pepper, and sautée for about 3 - 5 minutes, or until cooked to your liking. Not too long or the eggplant will get mushy. Just keep an eye on the eggplant and use that to gauge how long your sauté should be. And taste it!

Add tomato and go 2 - 5 minutes more. You can stop here, or...if you have a stove to oven pan, drizzle a bit of olive oil on top and fresh grated parmesan and broil for just a couple of minutes. Broiling will make the tomatoes cry mercy, and adds a great roasted flavor to the dish. A flavored oil such as lemon tarragon works good for this step. Or any flavor oil you wish. You have the knife, remember?

Cheers!

Homemade stock - quick version

Homemade stock is the best. You can control the salt content, ingredients, richness...and it's a handy way to use all of your "scraps"' so nothing goes to waste. Whenever I chop veggies, I keep the good scraps in a big plastic bag in the freezer. Mushrooms on the edge, green onion ends, carrot tops, beet tops...fresh herbs that are just about to give up before I have time to use them - it all goes in there.


I throw this all in my pressure cooker with a bouquet garni (I use what's on hand: usually kosher salt, garlic, bay leaf, thyme, & peppercorn) and some water (til the veg is submerged). For extra oomph I'll sometimes add some stock I have already prepared.





After it comes to pressure, I usually cook it for 20 minutes. If cooking in a traditional pot, I try to simmer for up to 6 hours or so, or less - depending on how the flavor has developed and how much I'm making. After it's given all it can give, the stock gets strained and portioned out into 1 cup and 2 cup portions and frozen. Super easy! It's nice also to reserve a couple of cups and reduce it down even further, til it reduces by half or more - and freeze into ice cubes (then store in a baggy or the like). It makes for a quick and easy demiglace icecube that you can use to make a pansauce, punch up a soup base - eat as a snack...(kidding. Go for it though, it's healthy!) The veggie broth makes for a good base to start a quick meat broth as well. Nothing is better than a soup or risotto made from homemade stock! In cooking school, we will go over the long "proper" method later. Enjoy!