Wish Upon A Chef

 Life is a funny thing.


Wine Syrup
Makes about 1 cup

If you are looking for an interesting read about ingredients found in food and some everyday household products, This Is What You Just Put In Your Mouth by Patrick Di Justo provides an in-depth look. 


This book contains reprints of Justo's weekly articles as they originally appeared in Wired magazine from 2006-2013.  The articles began out of curiosity about what was in certain foods and products that are commonly used.  Some of the things won't surprise or gross you out, but knowing some of the things may make you think twice.

It is light reading in the sense that you wouldn't just sit down and read the book from cover to cover in one or two sittings, but rather thumb through and read a few pages at a time.  It can make for interesting conversation as you're sitting around with friends enjoying drinks before dinner. "Hey!  Did you know that Vita Coco coconut water that you are drinking contains Gibberellins?"  Or maybe during dessert when you inform everyone that the Cool Whip they just dolloped on their piece of pie contains sex grease!

The book really makes you stop to think about how many corporations and companies are not very forthcoming with information when it comes to ingredients and production of their product.  And these are products that we eat, that touch our skin, or that we come into contact with on some level.  It pays to research products and companies if you are concerned about your health and well-being! 

 I received this book free to review from Blogging for Books. The opinions expressed in this review are my true thoughts and feeling regarding this book. I am disclosing this information in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

Do you ever have one of those moments where you walk into a room and have no idea why?  Or maybe you totally forget what you're talking about in mid-sentence? 

Yeah, me too.  And if it's happening to me at the ripe old age of 40 too many, how bad will it be in 10, 15, or 20 years? 

Que The Healthy Mind Cookbook by Rebecca Katz with Mat Edelson.  I couldn't get my hands on this book with 120 recipes to "enhance brain function, mood, memory, and mental clarity" fast enough. 

Along with recipes, photos and a lot of food and brain related research, The Healthy Mind Cookbook also contains a section called The Culinary Pharmacy that lists 80 ingredients used in the book with notes about the roles they play in helping memory, mood, energy, sleep and more.  The information was garnered from peer-reviewed studies conducted with humans and animals in a lab specifically looking at the connection between food and the brain.  Even though science has not yet proven definitive connections between diet and the brain, it is still a very important connection to study.

It is somewhat expected that fading memory and advanced age go hand in hand because it was believed that the brain was incapable of producing new cells to replace old or damaged ones.  But recent discoveries show that new brain cells can, in fact, be produced.  Omega-3's are linked to a chemical known for jump-starting neuron growth and foods rich in vitamin E like nuts, seeds, broccoli and citrus also show a link to increased neuron growth activity.

Personally, I don't need years of research and studies along with approval from the FDA or government to tell me that food affects stress, anxiety, mood, depression, memory, cognitive function and learning.   Realizing that our brain is comprised of 60% fat, it makes me wonder if the deprivation of fat due to years of the low fat/no fat diet fads could be the cause for the onset of Alzheimer's and dementia.  Do I want to take a chance with my brain health?

NO.  NO.  NO.

I want my medulla oblongata to have a fighting chance! 

After my initial glance through the book, I had no doubt that it would be one that was given a coveted spot on my kitchen counter instead of being relinquished to gather dust on the overburdened cookbook shelf.  I chose 17 recipes to try and as of this posting, I've prepared 5 of them and have not yet been disappointed.  I like the book because it makes me get outside of my real food box - it contains combinations and  ingredients that I don't normally purchase or already have on hand.  Nothing weird, just different items like chili paste and bean thread and fresh mint.  The book also contains a resource for buying special ingredients online in case you can't find them in your local grocery store.  I also liked the fact that ingredients are repeated in recipes throughout the book without being redundant or repetitive.  It helps to not waste food. 

The Thai It Up Steak Salad (pictured on the book cover) scared me at first with it's inclusion of fish sauce and bean threads but I was very pleasantly surprised.  The marinade/dressing was very spicy from the chili paste, but I couldn't stop myself from eating it.


The Shrimp-Stuffed Avocados 2.0 is perfect for lunch or as a quick and light summer dinner on the patio. I was piggish and ate two servings at one sitting.  I had some "stuffing" left over and served it over salad greens.  I liked the combination of the crunchy apple with the smooth, rich and creamy avocado.     


I eat a lot of seafood but honestly tire of so much shrimp and salmon.  The Baked Halibut with Tomato, Mint and Fennel broke up that monotony.  The  topping was an interesting combination that I wouldn't have thought about and again, it scared me but I was game to try something new and I'm so glad I did.  I served it alongside wilted fresh spinach from my garden.  I had a bit of the tomato, mint and fennel mixture leftover and tossed it with some nice chunks of Feta cheese and served it over salad greens. 


The Rosemary and Pear Muffins was written for making mini muffins and I gave thought to changing them up to make standard sized muffins instead.  But I stuck with the plan and in retrospect, I'm glad I did.  They are perfect bite-sized savory morsels.  I've enjoyed a couple for breakfast each morning at my desk with an apple and slice of cheese. 

Julie's Sweet-and-Sour Cabbage was a great way to use up the remaining red cabbage from the Thai salad and since it keeps for up to a week in the refrigerator, it's been a great side dish addition to lunches and dinners this week. Crunchy, colorful and tangy, it's been a nice change from my regular green salads. 

There are so many more recipes that I want to try, but I already declare The Healthy Mind Cookbook by Rebecca Katz and Mat Edelson a great addition to my real food cookbook collection! 

I received this book free to review from Blogging for Books. The opinions expressed in this review are my true thoughts and feeling regarding this book. I am disclosing this information in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.


 

I received this book free to review from Blogging for Books. The opinions expressed in this review are my true thoughts and feeling regarding this book. I am disclosing this information in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

It's no secret that I love the Boy Toy more than I love goat cheese.  And that, people, is ALOT.  As long as we've been together, I still get all twitterpated about date night with him. 

We had initially planned to go back to "our place" for Valentine's Day - the same restaurant where we've had dinner for the past two years, but after Boy Toy brought home a $300 souvenir speeding ticket from our California trip a few weeks ago, I made the offer to have dinner at my house instead.  I don't get the opportunity to cook for him often and I was uber excited about our plans all week.  I planned an easy-to-prepare menu complete with a sinful dessert and picked up a couple of bottles of wine that I had been wanting to try.  (This label combination made me giggle because I'm dirty like that.  50 Shades of Grey ain't got nothing on me!)


During our flights to and from California, Boy Toy entertained himself by streaming episodes of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives on my iPad (am I turning him into a foodie??) and at one point he turned to me and asked if I thought he would like polenta.  "Yes! Of course you would!" I said. (I really had no idea if he would or not but I always try to further his interest in food so I was very agreeable that he would absolutely LOVE it while at the same time wondering if I would even like it.)  I decided the next chance I had, I would test the polenta theory.  Keep in mind that you do have to plan ahead when making it as it requires several hours (or overnight) to cool.





Lemon Rosemary Steak with Mushrooms
Serves 4

4 (6-ounce) grass fed sirloin steaks, about 1/2 inch thick
Salt and freshly ground pepper
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
1/2 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 spring fresh rosemary
juice of 1 lemon
1/4 cup water

Pound steaks lightly with meat mallet to slightly thin.  Season both sides of steak with salt and pepper.

In a large skillet over high heat, combine 2 tablespoons of olive oil and garlic cloves. When the pan is hot, add 2 of the steaks and cook for 1 minute. Flip steaks, add rosemary to the pan and cook for 1-2 minutes more. Transfer steaks to a platter and keep warm. Add remaining olive oil and repeat process with steaks, garlic and rosemary. Remove steaks to platter and add mushrooms to pan and saute for about 2 minutes. Add lemon juice, water and any juices accumulated from steaks, lower heat to medium and cook for about 2 minutes, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Cook about 1-2 minutes more.

Discard rosemary and garlic, spoon pan sauce and mushrooms over steaks and serve.

---

Polenta cakes topped with mushroom pan sauce from the steaks

Polenta Cakes
Serves 4

1 cup cornmeal
3 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons butter, divided
shredded cheese (Cheddar or Parmesan works great)

Bring water and salt to a boil. Gradually sprinkle in cornmeal, whisking continuously until all cornmeal has been added. Simmer until mixture becomes thick, about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to keep cornmeal from sticking to bottom.. Once mixture is done cooking, stir in butter and pour mixture into a lined baking sheet making sure polenta is at least ½” thick. Cover with plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator to cool for at least 2 hours (up to 2 days).

Slice polenta into 8 cakes. Melt 1 tablespoon of butter and place 4 polenta cakes in a skillet. Grill cakes for 5 minutes, until golden brown. Flip and grill until other side is golden brown, about 4-5 minutes. Remove from skillet and repeat with remaining polenta.

Serve topped with shredded cheese.   I also topped with mushrooms and pan sauce from the steaks

---

Molten Chocolate Lava Cake with Caramel Filling
Serves 4

1 stick unsalted butter, plus melted for brushing
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
6 ounces 70% dark chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs, at room temperature
Pint of salt
4 tablespoons store-bought caramel sauce

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Brush four 6-ounce ramekins with melted butter.  In a small bowl, whisk the cocoa powder with 1 tablespoon of the flour; dust the ramekins with the cocoa mixture, tapping out the excess.  Transfer ramekins to a sturdy baking sheet.

In a medium saucepan, melt 1 stick of butter with the chocolate over very low heat, stirring occasionally.  Let cool slightly.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat granulated sugar with the eggs and salt at medium-high speed until thick and pale yellow, about 3 minutes.  Using a rubber spatula, fold in the melted chocolate until no streaks remain.  Fold in the 1/4 cup flour.

Spoon 2/3 of the batter into the prepared ramekins, then spoon a tablespoon of the caramel sauce on top.  Cover with the remaining chocolate batter.  Bake in the center of the oven for 16 minutes, until the tops are cracked but the centers are still slightly jiggly.  Transfer ramekins to a rack and let cool for 5-8 minutes.

Run the tip of a knife around the edges of each cake to loosen.  Invert a small plate over each cake and, using pot holders, invert again.  Carefully lift off the ramekins.    

Mother Nature is such a tease.

This time last week I was soaking up the sunshine vitamin and therapeutically weeding the garden.  We had temperatures in the mid-60's and the 'hood was buzzing with the sound of lawn mowers, roosters crowing and kids playing.  (Roosters??  And why has our ever-so-vigilant Home Moaners Association not yet called a meeting to discuss how foul running amuck will ruin our property value??)

Tonight the weatherman is using words like "windchill" and "Arctic blast" and the temperatures are nose-diving into the single digits.

So. Not. Cool. Mother Nature.

No, not cool - downright *BLEEPING* cold!

Chilly days and nights like this make me think of, you guessed it....chili.  I usually have everything on hand to pull this together and yes, I use this taco seasoning in my chili.  Tacos.  Chili.  It's all the same to me because I season both with pretty much the same spices.  Serve this topped with grated cheese, a dollop of sour cream and maybe some parsley, cilantro or chopped scallions and you've got yourself a warm, hearty meal in less than an hour.   

Snuggle up and stay warm where ever you are - if you are in the Northeast, heaven help you because I hear there is more snow coming your way. 
   

Chilly Nights Chili
Serves 4-6


1 medium onion, diced
1 pound ground beef
1 recipe make-your-own-taco-seasoning
4 ounces green chiles
15 ounces diced tomatoes
15 ounces kidney beans, rinsed and drained
15 ounces tomato sauce
1 cup water
for garnish: sour cream, grated cheese, chopped scallions

In a medium soup pot, brown onion and ground beef until beef is cooked through.  About 8-10 minutes.  Drain any grease.

Add seasoning mix, chiles, diced tomatoes, kidney beans and tomato sauce and stir until combined.  Add water to reach desired consistency (about 1 cup) and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer about thirty minutes, stirring occasionally.  

The Boy Toy and I just returned from a much needed week long vacation of swirling and sipping our way through the California wine country. Not long before we started planning this trip, I accepted a job at a North Carolina wine and beer distributor and I soon found out that being “industry” ensured that the wine flowed and preferential treatment ensued during our winery visits. And I was not one bit ashamed of throwing my business card around - tastings and tours in Napa and Sonoma can get pretty pricey and we visited eight different wineries.

We also spent a couple of days seeing the sights of San Francisco since we were so close and Boy Toy had never been there. I took over 400 photos! I managed to whittle them down to a select 156 few and you can view them all here if you’d like.It’s been really hard to get out of vacation frame of mind and back into real life – I’m still pretending to be in the wine country each evening by pouring me a glass of wine while preparing dinner and trying to dissect its nuances.

Of the eight wineries we visited, six were suppliers that my company represents, which meant that I didn’t need to bother with buying their wine to bring home if we enjoyed it – I can just call out to the warehouse and have it brought to me. And you would think with that job perk, I wouldn’t need to buy wines from any other source. But there was one winery that I WANTED to buy from called Chacewater. Their grapes are grown organically and farmed bio-dynamically and their products carry a certified organic label. I had high hopes of coming back to work and spreading the good word about Chacewater in anticipation of adding them to our distributor portfolio, but my boss informed me that the word “organic” on a wine label is the kiss of death.  I was shocked to learn that – I know there aren’t many organic wines on the market but I would think with more and more people migrating to an organic and real food lifestyle it would be a growing part of the industry.  But then again, I also know that the concept only appeals to a minority.  So I’m singing the winery’s praises here and hoping it benefits someone looking for organic wines.  
 

With the Overburdened Cookbook Shelf leaching out into the rest of my house, it’s readily apparent that I do not need yet another cookbook. But I can NOT help myself.  It’s a sickness hobby.  Not long ago, I stumbled upon a website where you receive free cookbooks in exchange for reviews and it was just like having an intravenous straight line to feed my addiction hobby.  The hook, line and sinker for me (as IF I needed one) was that you don’t get just any cookbook – you could choose the book that you wanted to review.  After perusing the selections, I chose A Good Food Day by Marco Canora with Tammy Walker because it appeared to focus on the concept of real food.  

Salmon in Parchment with Olives, Fennel and Lemon will make you feel like a king when you sit down to dinner.  This elegant-looking recipe took less than 30 minutes from start to on-the-table-ready-to-eat and I only dirtied one knife and a cutting board.  My kind of meal for sure!  I threw in a few capers and then plan to use the remaining salmon next week for the Salmon and Arugula Salad with Pomegranate.

My momma always told me not to wish my life away.

When I was a kid, I can remember wishing for the days when I would be an adult.  Looking forward to having my own place to live, my own money to spend, my own rules to live by. Wanting NOW what would inevitably come. Wishing....

I think by now we've all realized that being an adult is a total rip-off.  Momma was right.

Another year has passed us by and I can't help but be a little melancholy. While everyone is oversharing on social media their enthusiasms and goals for the next 365 days, I feel sad about the passage of time. It all moves so fast. While I'm glad to finally have my family's hardships that lingered from 2013 into 2014 behind us and look forward to much healthier days ahead for everyone, I just wish it would all slow down so we can savor and enjoy the good parts more. It seems we blow through 365 days at lightening fast speed.  One day it's January 1 and in the blink of an eye we are already making resolutions for the next year.

My resolution for this year is to enjoy anything and everything as much as possible.  I resolve to see the silver lining in what might not be an ideal situation and learn from it.  I want to surround myself with those who matter and focus less on who and what doesn't.  We only have one audition for life and I want to make the most of it before the final curtain call.  I want to revel in the good times. 

We always seem to end a year with plenty of indulgences - Thanksgiving feasts, holiday parties, Christmas dinners and gifts, Champagne-laden toasts at New Year - so it stands to reason that a new year is marked with humbleness.  Black-eyed peas and collard greens are typically served as a meal for good luck and good fortune.  Most Eastern European countries serve split pea soup as a sign of prosperity in the form of money in the new year.

Since I had a nice meaty ham bone left over from Christmas dinner and since I've never eaten it, I figured it wouldn't hurt to test the split pea soup tradition.  And guess what??  I'm pleased to report that I was told today that I would be getting a 6.25% pay increase with my first 2015 paycheck.

I am a believer!!


Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup with Ham
Servings: 4 to 6

1 (16-ounce) package dried split peas, rinsed
2 carrots, peeled and sliced
1 medium onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 bay leaf
1/2 Tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
salt and pepper to taste
6 cups chicken broth
1 leftover meaty ham bone

Place all of the ingredients in the slow cooker and stir to combine. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 4 hours. Remove the bay leaf from the soup and discard. Remove ham bone from soup and pull remaining meat from the bone and set meat aside. You can either remove a few cups of the soup, and puree the remaining with an immersion blender or use the immersion blender to puree all the soup slightly. Stir the reserved ham (and soup) back into the soup and serve warm.  (If the soup becomes too thick after blending, add water to thin.)

My favorite part of the holidays always revolves around the aspect of food – making and decorating gingerbread houses, baking cookies to fatten the coworkers, preparing appetizers for holiday gatherings, collecting festive recipes and wishing I had time to make them all.

So my absolute giddiness should be no surprise even in the days following Thanksgiving and Christmas when Boy Toy bestows upon me his beautiful turkey carcasses. My kitchen becomes much like the setting for a production of Shakespeare’s Macbeth…

Scene: A dark Cave. In the middle, a Caldron boiling. Thunder.

Enter the three Witches:

“Double, double toil and trouble;
Fire burn, and caldron bubble.
Fillet of a fenny snake,
In the caldron boil and bake;
Eye of newt, and toe of frog,
Wool of bat, and tongue of dog,
Adder's fork, and blind-worm's sting,
Lizard's leg, and owlet's wing,
For a charm of powerful trouble,
Like a hell-broth boil and bubble.”

Exit stage left.

My slow cookers are loaded with the bird leftovers and aromatics and simmer for a couple of days to produce the liquid gold that keeps my freezer stocked for most of the upcoming year. I use turkey stock interchangeably with chicken stock because there is no taste difference in my opinion. Bird is bird. And I use every leftover part of the bird for stock – bones, skin, scraps, cartilage, fat - all those pieces and parts that you wouldn’t eat for dinner and would normally throw out.

Homemade stock is a beautiful thing. Not only is it more flavorful, heartier and healthier than store-bought stock, it also makes use of something that would otherwise go in the trash. A 32-ounce carton of chicken broth can cost anywhere from $3 to $4, so making your own stock allows for extra money in the food budget over time. Soups are a huge part of my menu rotation, so it doesn’t take long for me to see the savings.

Making homemade stock is easy and not very time consuming and can be made on the stove top using a large stock pot if you don’t have a slow cooker. The biggest challenge for me is having enough vessels to store it in.  I'm usually scrounging up every empty jar or tub I can find.  I purchase whole chickens from Windy Hill Farms throughout the year but other times when I’m only cooking a few legs, thighs or bone-in breasts and don’t necessarily have enough bones at once, I’ll collect them in the freezer until I have enough for a batch (sometimes the contents of my freezer could be the makings of a good horror flick!) If you catch legs and thighs on sale for a really low price, pick up a couple of packs and use them for stock.

The beautiful thing about the recipe for homemade stock is that there is no set recipe. It can be modified to use whatever aromatics you have on hand, so don’t stress if you don’t have these exact ingredients on hand. I personally never season my stock with salt while preparing – I wait until it goes into whatever recipe I’m using it in so I can control the seasonings.

I also try to maximize my savings by using the same set of bones for two rounds of stock. After I strain the first time, everything goes right back into the pot for Round 2. The first round of stock is best used for soups and dishes where the broth is the main component of flavor and the second round is best used for flavoring things like rice or sauces.

Homemade Chicken Stock
servings = varies

1 onion, quartered
2 stalks celery
2 whole carrots
2 to 3 cloves of garlic
1 bay leaf
1 bunch fresh herbs of your choice (I like parsley, thyme or oregano or a combination of all)
2 Tablespoons whole peppercorns

Place all ingredients in the slow cooker along with your bones and meat scraps. Add enough water to fill the cooker, leaving about 1 inch of space. Cook on low for 8-10 hours or on high for 4-6 hours. If using stove top method, simmer in a pot over medium-low heat for 4 hours.

Strain contents of the pot through a sieve or colander and discard the solids (or use for a 2^nd round of stock.) Cool stock overnight. When completely chilled, skim accumulated fat from the surface. Use immediately or store in containers in the freezer.

 

When you date a food nerd, sometimes you just don't know which way a conversation is going to turn.

I can't help but feel a little resentment when it comes to preparing food for others for the holidays.   Boy Toy is King of the deep fryer, so for the last two Thanksgivings I've been in charge of preparing side dishes to compliment his beautiful birds.  We host his family members for the meal and I understand that my idea(s) of tradition may be somewhat foreign to others.

My family's Thanksgiving meal consisted of most things that I continue to prepare today and for two years now, most of my food has gone untouched because it is not what Boy Toy's family is used to.  As time has gone by and the more I've socialized with them around the table, I've come to realize that most of his family members are used to (and prefer) processed, packaged foods.  The mashed potatoes they know come from a box, green beans come from a can, and bread is from a plastic bag with directions to "brown and serve."  I know that people tend to stick with what they are familiar with and what they like, but it is very disheartening when my hard work and love go into food that is greeted by grimaced faces and rude comments (someone actually told me they "wouldn't cross the street" for my made-from-scratch chicken tetrazzine.  He ended up eating a sleeve of saltine crackers for dinner that day.)

Last year I made the declaration that I would no longer spend so much time, energy and money preparing what I thought was "good" food for the holiday.  But as I started giving thought to the menu for this holiday season, I had a revelation.  I decided that I would continue to make my "weird" food and they could take it or leave it.  I made reference in my last post about there being no time like the present to introduce real food to Boy Toy (who is a little more open-minded about my food) and his kids and I'm going to continue with that mindset.  I'm not going to compromise what I love about Thanksgiving - especially when I am tasked with preparing the food.  Hopefully as my food continues to appear on the table year after year, someone will give in, try it, and decide it's not so bad after all.

This year I'm arriving at the Boy Toy home loaded down with cornbread dressing, creamed corn, spinach casserole, made-from-scratch green bean casserole, sweet potato casserole, pumpkin pie, cranberry tart.  and this port wine cranberry chutney.

I will be thankful for the opportunity to spend time in my kitchen preparing the things that I love and everyone else can be thankful that McDonald's is open!

Port Wine Cranberry Sauce 
servings = makes about 2 cups

½ cup ruby port
Zest of 1 orange
½ cup fresh orange juice
12 ounces fresh cranberries
¼ cup honey
2 tablespoons candied ginger, chopped

In a medium saucepan, combine port wine with orange zest and orange juice and bring to a boil. Add the cranberries, honey and ginger and simmer over medium-low heat until the sauce is jam-like, about 15-20 minutes. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve warm or at room temperature.

Can be made ahead and refrigerated for up to 2 weeks.

Green bean casserole - the prerequisite for attending Thanksgiving dinner at the Boy Toy household. It’s like the “No shoes, no shirt, no service” sign posted on the door of restaurants and convenience stores. “No green bean casserole, no entry."

But the traditional version of his beloved casserole, which contains a processed can of cream of mushroom soup, goes against my real food policy and since I’m in charge of side dishes this year, I’ve decided to contribute a made-from-scratch version. Will the Boy Toy still love me after I’ve desecrated his favorite dish? Will the other dinner guest choose to go hungry instead of trying something new (as they are sometimes apt to do when my “odd” food is placed before them?)

I know what you’re thinking - it’s just one time per year and I should allow Boy Toy to have this indulgence, right? But here’s the thing – how am I ever going to get him turned on to the idea of “real” food if he isn’t exposed to it? How will he ever know that the homemade version of a favorite dish can be just as good – even better – than the original version? I’m personally striving for an unprocessed Thanksgiving this year, at least with the food items that I contribute and with the foods of others that I consume.

Unprocess your Thanksgiving with this made-from-scratch Green Bean Casserole and give thanks that it’s so delicious! You can prepare the cream of mushroom soup a few days in advance but it is best to prepare the onions just before topping the casserole.

Made-from-Scratch Green Bean Casserole
servings = 6

4 cups green beans, steamed
½ cup milk
1 teaspoon soy sauce
For the cream of mushroom soup:
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 small onion, diced
1/2 cup mushrooms, diced
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup milk
3/4 cup chicken broth
For the onions:
1 small onion, thinly sliced
1 cup milk
1 cup whole wheat flour
Oil or butter for frying

For the soup: Sauté garlic, onion and mushrooms and set aside. Melt butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour. Cook for about 2 minutes. Add milk and broth. Add sautéed garlic, onion and mushrooms.

Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until it reaches desired consistency (about 10-15 minutes). Season to taste with salt and pepper.

To assemble the casserole: Combine green beans, ½ cup milk, soy sauce and cream of mushroom soup in a 1-1/2 quart casserole. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until mixture is hot and bubbly. Sprinkle with fried onions. Bake for 5 minutes or until the onions are golden brown.

For the onions: While the casserole is baking, soak onions in milk for 5 minutes. Dredge onions through flour to coat. Heat oil or butter in large skillet and fry onions in batches, stirring as needed to brown evenly. Drain on paper towels and season to taste.

Take a look at the ingredients in Old El Paso taco seasoning:




Making your own seasonings is simple and easy, especially if your spice collection looks anything like mine - you probably already have most of the needed ingredients on hand.  You can mix them according to your taste and control the ingredients – maybe you like a little more spice and a lot less sodium in your life.  This single batch of taco seasoning took less than 5 minutes to put together but most of that time was spent rummaging through my spice drawer to find everything (maybe reorganization is due?)  You could easily mix this in batches and store in resealable bags to have on hand for those emergency dinner prep nights.

This isn't just for tacos either!  You can also use to season homemade chili.

Make-Your-Own Taco Seasoning 
makes enough to mix with 1 lb. ground meat

2 teaspoons chili powder
1-1/2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1 pinch red pepper flakes, to taste

Mix all items together in a bowl.

There's always some sort of soup coming out of my kitchen each week, whether it be freshly made or just thawed from having been squirreled away in my freezer from a previous batch.  I love that making soup requires such little effort and you can be so creative!  Use whatever you have on hand - most of my best batches come from having bits and pieces of leftover veggies and such in my frig that aren't enough to make something with on their own.  No two batches of my soup are ever the same.

I think most of the world's problems could be solved over a bowl of soup - there is something so satisfying and comforting about a collection of meat and veggies in rich warm broth. Chicken soup is definitely a cure-all, solve-all type of soup and it works for alot of my own problems.  Lord knows I lived on Campbell's Chicken Noodle Soup when I was a kid but I've far outgrown any premade canned versions of soup now.  And besides, have you looked at the ingredients on the side of the can?


I don't know about you, but I don't often throw things like monosodium glutamate (MSG), ferrous sulfate, sodium phosphates (which is another name for salt, which explains why the sodium content for 1/2 cup of soup accounts for 35% of your RDA of sodium) or even soy protein isolate into my pot of soup. Who wants to eat that garbage?
Soup should be real and made with real ingredients. I love the perkiness that the lemon and fresh dill impart in this version of homemade chicken soup.  I use my own homemade broth and I've been slowly migrating to more whole wheat pasta during my real food lifestyle change, which I'll admit hasn't been easy.  There is just something about the taste and texture that hasn't quite won me over yet.  In the meantime, I've been doing a half/half combination of whole wheat and regular pastas.  It's better than nothing, I suppose, and who knows - maybe I'll eventually completely change pasta teams!

Lemony Chicken Soup
servings = 4

Inspired by bon appetit

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
1 celery stalk, thinly sliced
1 carrot, peeled and thinly sliced
12 ounces cooked organic free-range chicken
6 cups chicken broth (homemade or organic)
salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup whole wheat orzo
1/4 cup fresh dill
lemon wedges, for serving

Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat.  Add onion, carrot and celery and cook, stirring often until vegetables are crisp-tender.  Add broth, season with salt and pepper,  Bring to a boil.  Add orzo and cook until al dente, about 8-10 minutes.  Reduce heat to simmer, stir in chicken and dill and heat through.
Portion soup into bowls and serve with lemon wedges for squeezing over soup.

The Italian dish of risotto is typically prepared by adding liquid, small amounts at a time, to rice and stirring almost constantly until the liquid is absorbed each time and more can be added. Ain’t nobody got time to be standing over a stove all day long.

And that’s why I like this recipe for Italian Sausage Risotto from Farmstand Chef. It only takes a few minutes for the wine to absorb and beyond that you can dump in all the stock and forget about it with the exception of a few stirs here and there.

I used hot pork breakfast sausage for this – I have it in the freezer from my Windy Hill Farms CSA and I’m not much of a sausage eater so I’m always trying to find creative ideas to use it. I also had pork stock in the freezer from some previous kitchen project involving pork. And speaking of things in my freezer – I’m not a red wine drinker either but anytime I entertain and have red wine for Boy Toy or friends, I pour any leftover wine (WHO has leftover wine??) into a container and freeze it for use in recipes. It never freezes solid so I can chip off as much as I need and thaw.

Serve this dish with a green salad and dinner can be ready in about 30 minutes. I love easy, simple and delicious recipes like this. It’s a man-pleaser too - Boy Toy loved it.

Italian Sausage Risotto
servings = 4-6

From Farmstead Chef

1 lb. Italian pork sausage (I used hot breakfast sausage)
1 cup onions, finely chopped
1 tablespoon butter
1-1/4 cup Arborio rice
½ cup red wine
3 cup chicken stock (I used pork stock)
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
Salt and pepper, to taste

Fry sausage in a large skillet, breaking it up into small pieces. When lightly browned (about 8-10 minutes), remove from pan and drain on paper towels.

To the same pan, add butter and onion and cook over medium heat until onions soften (about 3-5 minutes.) Add rice and toss until well coated in butter, stirring constantly.

Add wine and stir until it is absorbed. Add sausage back to pan and stir.

Add stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to very low, cover and cook 15-20 minutes until the broth is absorbed and the rice is tender. Stir occasionally.

Remove from heat and stir in cheese and salt and pepper. Serve extra Parmesan cheese alongside for sprinkling on top.

 


Let’s just get one thing out in the open: I shop at Aldi and I am not ashamed.

My first encounter with an Aldi store was some years ago when I lived in Arkansas. I drove past one almost daily for 6 years but never mustered the courage to stop. It was located in one of those strip-mall type places that sometimes induce fear and misconceptions so I chalked it up as being one of those scratch and dent/bargain bin/food-on-the-brink-of-death stores. When I relocated to Charlotte, I saw even more Aldi stores again located in strip-malls with although not too questionable neighbors, but businesses that I’d just never frequent. I continued to pass them by without a second thought.

It wasn’t until about two years ago when I took notice of the newly razed patch of ground a few miles from my house proudly displaying an Aldi “Coming Soon!” sign that I began to wonder about the store. It occurred to me that if they were truly a cheap food store, they would not be building a brand new store on a prime piece of Mecklenburg County real estate. Visiting an Aldi became top of my list of things to do and I soon found that my opinion of them was undeserved.

Aldi is a German owned and operated company that was founded in 1913 to initially appeal to the working class. They were able to deeply discount items by keeping their stores small, selling no fresh produce, having few offerings within a product line and removing from inventory any items that did not sell. With the exception of now selling fresh produce, they still stand by many of those same practices – you won’t find fancy shelves and displays and you won’t find 10 different choices of an item. You’ll pay a quarter to release the cart from the chain gang (and I guarantee you won’t find any loose carts in the parking lot.) They don’t accept credit cards (cash, debit or EBT only) and you’ll bag your items using your own bags or carry items out balanced precariously in your arms.

What you will find at Aldi is privately branded staple items and inexpensive household items. The U.S. division of Aldi has been around since the late 1970’s and also operates Trader Joe’s. If you look closely, you’ll see similarities in a lot of products, just different packaging. I’ve spent a lot of money at Aldi since my discovery and in return received excellent quality and value – I’ve never been disappointed in their products and even if I were, they have a double money back guarantee meaning if you aren't happy you not only get your money back but they'll also replace the item if you wish.

Before making the move to real and organic foods, nearly all of my shopping was done at Aldi but since then I do have to supplement some items from other places. I’ve recently noticed that my store is carrying more organic items so a larger portion of my grocery budget is going into Aldi’s pocket once again. The chain has also just recently announced that they will now carry several gluten-free items on a permanent basis. So many people argue that eating real and/or organic food is expensive, but Aldi is living proof that the lifestyle can be budget-friendly.

If you are looking to trim your grocery expenses and still eat quality ingredients, run to your nearest Aldi store and check them out! Here are some items that I buy at Aldi on a regular basis to support my real food lifestyle.  Remember it is still important to be a food label reader no matter where you shop.


Dairy and cheese: You’ll find an excellent variety of cheeses at Aldi – especially during the holiday season. Goat cheese always goes home with me and I’ll occasionally pick up one or two other imported selections. I normally purchase organic whole milk but if Aldi is my only shopping stop, I’ll concede to their organic 2%. I use it for smoothies and along with their plain Greek yogurt for my breakfast oatmeal during the week.



Nuts and dried fruits: I buy a lot of nuts and dried fruits here since they are more reasonably priced than other stores. Whole almonds and cashews are my go-to snacks and dried cherries, cranberries, apricots and pineapples are used for homemade granola or mix-ins for my breakfast oatmeal. I also stock up on walnuts during the holiday baking season.

Fruits and vegetables: I can’t always afford organic fruits and vegetables but if Aldi offers them, I do choose them over conventional produce. Their regular organic offerings include lettuce, carrots, cherry tomatoes and apples. Bell peppers, asparagus, lemons, limes, avocados and fresh pineapple are also significantly cheaper here. All of these items, along with any other fresh fruits and veggies like cucumbers, onions, garlic, mushrooms, broccoli and cauliflower usually go home with me on a weekly basis.  Do the best you can with what you can afford and be mindful of the "dirty dozen" if you have to make a choice between organic and conventional.



Pastas and canned goods: I've started noticing more whole wheat pastas and some organic canned goods being offered, so I always grab a few boxes and cans to replenish the pantry.

Frozen foods: I stock up on frozen organic blueberries, raspberries and strawberries for smoothies and occasionally pick up a bag of frozen peas to toss into salads or soups.  I also buy their jumbo uncooked shrimp to keep on hand for quick and easy meals.  On my last trip I picked up a box of both strawberry and blueberry organic frozen yogurt bars that were really tasty.


Crackers and snacks: Almond butter and cashew butter have recently made an appearance on Aldi shelves and make great protein rich snacks when paired with an apple or crackers or added to smoothies. Organic honey and “real” maple syrup are pantry staples and are used to sweeten my oatmeal and smoothies. I also occasionally buy Aldi’s version of Triscuits and always pick up my one indulgence – chocolate.


They distribute a German brand of chocolate bar called Moser Roth in several different varieties but I always go for the 85% cocoa. It’s not for the faint of heart, but it pairs so well with a glass of wine in the evenings for dessert. They are very reasonably priced and despite the fact that they do contain soy lecithin as an ingredient, it’s the best I can do for the money. It is hard to find chocolate without this emulsifying ingredient and when you do, the bars are usually upwards of $4. The Moser Roth packages contain 5 individually wrapped bars that are the perfect serving size.

Among the multitudes of bags of chips, you’ll find Blue Corn Tortilla chips made with organic corn masa and I also love the multi-grain flaxseed chips and they carry organic salsa as well.





Convenience items: I’m not going to lie. Even on a real food lifestyle, I do sometimes cop out to convenience/fast food/junk food just like most everyone else. There are days where I just do not feel like cooking or there just isn’t enough time. Again, I try to do the best that I can with my selections. My freezer almost always has one of Aldi’s “Specially Select” frozen pizza varieties. Containing minimally processed ingredients, uncured pepperoni with no nitrates and sometimes organic ingredients, again it is the best choice I can make with my money.

Meats: Other than a very occasional package of prosciutto to add to an antipasti platter, I do not purchase meat items from Aldi or any other grocery store. Instead, I belong to a CSA and pick up my monthly meat allowance from a local North Carolina farm called Windy Hill.

I could ramble on and on about my love of Aldi but I think you get the idea that if you aren't familiar with the store, you should be.  It isn't a one-stop-get-all-your-shopping-done kind of store and among the real and organic items there is alot of processed food and junk food, but just like any store it can be as healthy and real as you make it.  If you're still curious about Aldi but not brave enough to go in just yet, check out this three-part series about the store written by Ali, a Kansas City blogger.