I'm back!

After a lengthy absence, I'm excited to be back in the blogosphere to share my culinary adventures.  You might be wondering why I stopped posting.  The primary reason is that when our apartment was burglarized my camera was stolen along with my tripod mount.  In typical procrastinator fashion, I took a long time to file an insurance claim and a long time to replace my camera--a very long time.  (Surprisingly, the insurance company was very quick to send the checks.  Who would have guessed?)

My love of food and cooking hasn't diminished and I'm looking forward to exploring new recipes, cuisines and techniques in the kitchen.  I'm also determined to finally learn all the bells and whistles on my not-so-new-anymore camera, so stay tuned for some better photography.

See you online!

Shepherd's Pie, adapted from Cook's Illustrated

I found this recipe on one of my favorite food blogs, What Did You Eat. It is based on a Cook's Illustrated recipe, which generally means that each and every detail concerning ingredients and technique is documented. This isn't a bad thing! They come close to creating the "best" recipe by making numerous versions of a food and then having tasters tell them which one is best. This recipe came out well enough, and I would certainly recommend it.
My only modifications to the recipe included reducing the amount of salt slightly, substituting Smart Ground for the beef, not putting an egg wash over the mashed potatotes and not broiling the whole thing (my casserole is not broiler-proof). It doesn't look nice and burnished, but I'm sure it tastes just as good.

M.I.A.: honeybees

A few weeks ago I had read about honeybee colonies disappearing mysteriously, and here's another article on this phenomenon. Hmmm... what are we to think? I sure hope scientists and beekeepers can solve this one, since we're so dependent on bees as pollinators for food crops. Soylent green, here we come!

Too Lazy to Shop

It's winter and I try to make as few trips to the grocery store as possible, so when faced with the challenge of making dinner the other night using only what I had remaining in my kitchen, I threw together a few of the things I almost always have in stock: frozen peas, onions, garlic, parmigiano-reggiano and polenta. Follow these simple steps to a quick and tasty meal you too can create out of thin air:
1. Caramelize onions in olive oil
2. Add chopped garlic
3. Add frozen peas and a small amount of water
4. Steam/braise the peas in a covered pot along with the onions/garlic.
5. Serve this over polenta or, best of all, tossed with egg tagliatelle

Tip: As with any pasta dish where you're combining the pasta and sauce, be sure to save some of the pasta water to add to the sauce--the hot, starchy water helps the sauce meld with the pasta.

Honestly, this came out better with the pasta since the tagliatelle absorbed the flavors better. Nonetheless, polenta never fails to satisfy.

Battle of the Taquerias

If you live in Boston and you're a fan of Mexican-style food, you've probably eaten at Anna's Taqueria and Boca Grande, but have you tried Baja Betty's? These are just a few of the reasons why Baja Betty's is better than Anna's or Boca:

1. Ingredients are of higher quality and are fresher
2. Menu selections are more varied
3. Betty's offers a fresh salsa bar (be sure to try the tomatillo salsa)
4. Flavor-this food tastes great! (Boca and Anna's are rather bland.)

Yes, prices are higher than Boca or Anna's, but don't you care about what you're stuffing into your maw?

The photo above depicts a one-item platter featuring an enchilada filled with spiced squash, sides of Mexican rice and black beans and several of their delicious, home-made tortilla chips with guacamole and salsa cruda. Off to the left, you can see two of their delectable salsas. Que rico! I love Baja Betty's.

Snarling and Clawing Preschoolers

I had to laugh when I read this brief article on the New York Times site. Researchers have shown that eating in a large group leads to a higher rate of food consumption. Perhaps the solution to our childhood obesity problem lies in limiting the number of children that eat together at one time. Or maybe we should focus on providing more nutritious meals, smaller portion sizes and encouraging people to exercise and be active?

Improvised Chili & Cornbread

I'm not from Texas, but I think I can whip up a pretty mean chili. Some of you might point out that my recipe includes beans (a no-no according to some purists) and once you read below and find out that it also includes Smart Ground instead of real ground beef or turkey(!), I'm certain a few of you will be shaking your heads saying: This ain't no chili!
You'll just have to trust me that it packs a real punch and can't be beat on a damp and chilly February night. In case you're wondering, I consider myself an omnivore. I will cook chicken maybe 2-3 times/month and perhaps some ground beef or turkey about once/month. I'd share my thoughts on diet, vegetarianism, environment, etc., but I really want to jot down this recipe now before I forget what went into it. It was improvised and since it came out so well, I need to preserve it for future reference... and, perhaps, your enjoyment!

Chili for a Cold, Damp Night
olive oil (I just pour in what I think is enough... go ahead, be daring!)
2 medium onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
1 large carrot, grated
1 jalapeno, seeds intact, halved lenghtwise, cut into thin slices
1 stalk celery, halved lengthwise, sliced
2 bell peppers (1 red, 1 green) cut into bite-sized chunks
2-3 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. dried oregano
12 oz. Smart Ground or ground turkey/beef
1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
1 15 oz. can diced tomatoes
1 can kidney beans, do not drain
1 can pinto beans, do not drain
1 bottle of beer

In a large pot, sautee vegetables until onions are transulcent and other vegetables soften. Add spices and sautee 2-4 minutes longer until fragrant. Add Smart Ground and sautee another minute. Add remaining ingredients, including all bean liquid. Cover, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 30-45 minutes while you make the cornbread... Stir occasionally-don't ignore your delicious, newborn chili.

Cornbread
This recipe comes from my Mom. I have no idea where she got it, but I'm guessing she transcribed it from something like the Fanny Farmer cookbook.

Sift together...
3/4 c. cornmeal
1 c. all-purpose flour
1/3 c. granulated sugar
3 tsp. baking powder

Mix in...
1 c. milk (I often substitute rice milk.)
1 well-beaten egg
2 tbsp. melted sweet cream butter (I use canola oil-I'm sure butter would taste better, but I'm lazy, and cholesterol-obsessed.)

Pour mixture into a greased 8" sq. pan and bake in a preheated oven at 425F for 20 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean. Hmm good! There's nothing like hot cornbread, right out of the oven--it's to die for. Go slather some butter or trans-fat free spread on it.

See you online and often.