Omygoodness, a new post!!

I know kids, it's been way too long. I'm sorry. Life just has a way of... happening. You know?

Anyways, the reason I'm writing is that I've been inspired. Last night I was fortunate enough to obtain a free ticket to Michael Pollan at HVCC.

WHAT?? You haven't heard of Michael Pollan? If this is the case, just check out these links... once you do, it'll be easy for you to figure out why I admire him so much.

http://www.amazon.com/Defense-Food-Eaters-Manifesto/dp/0143114964/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1319635266&sr=1-3

http://www.amazon.com/Omnivores-Dilemma-Natural-History-Meals/dp/0143038583/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1319635208&sr=1-1

http://www.amazon.com/RULES-Pollan-Michael-Author-Rules/dp/B0046WN2BW/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1319637506&sr=1-4

http://www.amazon.com/Food-Inc-Participant-Industrial-Poorer-/dp/1586486942/ref=sr_1_5?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1319637617&sr=1-5

Yeah... basically, it's all about the food. <3

Everything this man says about food - particularly the history of the relationship between food and the human race, and especially how our eating patterns in modern America are so dramatically different from anything we've ever done before - hits home with me because it's what I try to teach people I come into contact with, and what I started out wanting to teach all of you who read this... unfortunately, however, being in the field of study I am, it is very easy to fall prey to the lure of Nutritionism.

Ah, Nutritionism... it's like sex - not so much that it's great, but moreso in that it SELLS. Ohhh boy, does it sell!

Think about it... how informed do you feel, buying a box of Reese's Puffs or Cookie Crisp for your kid because it's "whole grain" and is "a good [or EXCELLENT] source of 27 vitamins and minerals", and therefore it must be good for them?

The cereal is modeled after CANDY, folks!! We are, in essence, setting up our children to believe that eating sweets and all sorts of other junk food for the most important meal of the day is FINE!! What is wrong with us???

Yes... I am quite passionate about this stuff.

Anyways,  I could go on, but I really should be doing my homeworks. I do apologize again for the long silence... and I want to let you all know that I'm baaack! With a VENGEANCE. ;-)

End of the semester... a few weeks later

Morning kids!



I know, I know... it's been forever since my last post. After the semester finished up I went into hibernation for a while to allow my brain to untie itself from all the knots resulting from my courseload; then, of course, were the holidays; then more hibernation... and baking. :-]



During the final weeks of school, I came to see eating as something not so much to be enjoyed through a lengthy sit-down meal in the comfort of my home or the company of a friend. (I know-- it was awful!) I ate by the light of fluorescent soul-suckers in the library, all hours of the day and night (just a little less romantic than candlelight). The tortilla (the giant burrito-sized torts that I have only been able to find at the Pioneer Food Co-op) became my best friend; I discovered that you can pretty much make a burrito out of anything. Except maybe soup. If I figure out a way to make a burrito out of soup, I'll let you know.



Speaking of soup... it's tangent time!



When I began writing this post today, I was sitting in my apartment wearing a super-comfy set of pjs (courtesy of my lovely friend Erika), looking out the window at the snow and lingering over the most beautiful creamy cauliflower soup. It was a picture-perfect moment.


Alrighty, back to the originally intended subject of this post. Does the fact that I became a convenience-eater hold any significance for you, you ask?



Why, of course it does.

If it is true that just about any dish can be burrito-fied, just think of the possibilities! There's the almighty (and classic) black-beans-and-rice burrito, the breakfast burrito (scrambled eggs and veggies), the veggie pizza burrito (yes, I'll post a recipe), and the stir-fry burrito (and yes, a recipe for this one as well)-- and the magic of all these is that:



1) they require relatively few ingredients (quite a few of which overlap),

2) they only require a skillet and a spatula (and some recycled aluminum foil to wrap 'em up in), and

3) you can take them with you anywhere.



You can literally wrap up just about anything in these suckers! As I mentioned before, make sure you get the big tortillas-- these actually indicated on the package, as I mentioned, that they are "burrito size". You're looking for about a 12-inch diameter here, people. Remember: these are going to have your entire meal in them; don't skimp on the wrapping power. You will regret it if you do.

Veggie Pizza Burrito (makes 2 burritos; adjust as needed)

2 medium vine-ripe tomatoes, chopped
2 medium bell peppers, chopped (you can just do green or mix-and-match colors... try purple if you can find them!)
2 good-sized cloves garlic, pressed or minced
1 small-to-medium sweet yellow onion, chopped
1 lb frozen broccoli florets or frozen spinach
handful (about 1/2 cup) fresh mushrooms, sliced
extra virgin olive oil
salt and red pepper flakes (or just pepper... but red peppers are more pizza-ish)
1 cup (or more!) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese-- mix in some provolone and it'll be just heavenly... yummy
fresh or dry (to taste):

• basil


• oregano


• marjoram


• rosemary

Begin by heating about 2 Tbsp of olive oil over medium heat in either a cast iron or a stainless steel skillet; saute the onions and garlic for about 5 minutes, then add peppers and broccoli/spinach and season with salt+pepper+herbs to taste. Saute until veggies are tender (but not mushy) and bright in color.


Next, add the chopped tomatoes and turn off heat; fold in with a spatula until incorporated into the veggie mix but don't let it sit on the heat long enough for them to cook.


Divide between 2 Maria & Ricardo's giant tortillas, and sprinkle generously with cheese while veggies are still hot; if you need a little extra melty goodness, you can quickly broil them in the oven or zap them in the microwave.


To wrap: arrange the filling in the center of the wrap. Fold the edge that's closest to you over the mound of goodness in the center and tuck it in to create the proper "burrito" shape. Then, using both hands, take the side edges of the tortilla, fold them toward the center as well, and hold them in place... then, keeping your hands on the body of the burrito, roll it away from you until all the tortilla is rolled and it looks like... well, like a yummy burrito. (If my directions weren't quite clear or you're a visual learner like me, this video might help.)

Additional note: placing each tortilla between 2 damp paper towels and microwaving it for 10-20 seconds can make the tortilla softer and more flexible... sort of gives the same effect as a steamer.

For the stir-fry burrito, you'll be following a very similar procedure, except instead of tomatoes, herbs and cheese, you'll be using some soy sauce, sesame oil and ginger...


Delish Stir-Fry Burrito


1 cup cooked brown rice
2 medium bell peppers, chopped (you can just do green or mix-and-match colors... try purple if you can find them!)
2 good-sized cloves garlic, minced
1 small sweet yellow onion, chopped
1/2 cup carrots, cut into tiny sticks (julienne-cut)
2 small bunches bok choy, sliced
1 lb frozen broccoli florets or frozen spinach
handful (about 1/2 cup) fresh mushrooms, sliced (optional)
soy sauce and rice wine vinegar to taste
sesame oil
dried, ground ginger


Saute the veggies in the same way-- start with the garlic and onion in a little olive oil, then add the carrots and cook about 2-4 minutes, then the bok choy, broccoli/spinach, and mushrooms (if you choose to use them). Once everything is in the skillet, add about 2 Tbsp soy sauce, 1 Tbsp rice wine vinegar, and 1/4 tsp ginger to start. I like to give it a little kick with some red pepper flakes too.
Once the veggies are tender, toss in the rice and give it a good stir to combine. Once it's all mixed up, turn off the heat and add about 1 Tbsp of toasted sesame oil and stir thoroughly, then load up the tortillas, roll-wrap-enjoy!

Ciao!

Mmmmm... the first snow.

Yeah, it was more like sleet/slush/nasty, wet, cold stuff than actual snow... but you know what? That didn't stop me from making one of my favorite chilly-weather dishes: risotto.

Now, you might think risotto is rather snooty. And it just might be. But really, it's so good that you should totally get over the potential snootyness factor and make the dish. (I mean, isn't it kind of snooty to refuse to make a delicious, comforting, versatile dish just because people might think you're snooty?) You have no excuse not to try this at least once!

I'm now going to give you a nice, basic risotto recipe. It's not hard at all, but there is a little timing to it. Make sure you have all the ingredients measured out and ready to go before you start! It makes the process flow much more smoothly. Depending on the amount of people you're serving, this recipe can be very easily halved, doubled, quadrupled... however you need to alter it. Also, as I usually say with the recipes I post here, feel free to substitute ingredients. I'll give you some ideas below the basic recipe.

Consider the following:

• Risotto is made with Arborio rice; a very starchy, short-grain Italian rice. It is on the expensive side, so PLEEEEEASE, buy it in bulk! (Also, buying in bulk allows you to just buy enough for 1-2 recipes so you can try it and decide if you want to buy more!)
• Don't rinse the rice. This diminishes the starch content of the grains, and the starch is what makes risotto creamy and yummy!
• For the wine, you have a few options: some people use sherry, some people use cognac (ooo, fancy!)... I used some Barefoot Pinot Grigio because that's what I had around (and I had it around because it's cheap!). Don't feel pressured to use an expensive wine for this; you can use anything you like-- though I wouldn't recommend anything red unless it's Valentine's Day... it'll turn your risotto pink! You don't even need to use wine if you don't want to. I included it because I like the way it makes the dish taste. Just add a little extra stock in its place.

Basic Risotto
1 small-medium shallot, chopped
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp butter or tub margarine
1 Tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper
1/3 cup dry white wine (optional)
1 cup Arborio rice
3 cups stock of your choice (vegetable, chicken, beef, etc.)
a pinch of grated Parmesan, Romano or Asiago cheese

Alrighty, are all your ingredients set to go? Let's get started! If you want to keep track of the time once the first liquid is added, apparently the ideal cooking time for risotto is about 22 minutes (thanks Rachael Ray).

In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat the butter and olive oil over low-medium heat and sauté the shallot and garlic for a few minutes until almost translucent. Add the rice and a pinch each of salt and pepper, and continue to cook, stirring constantly. After another few minutes, slowwwwlyyyy add the wine or the first dose of stock (if the latter, add about 1/4 cup), keep stirring. Give the liquid a few minutes to be absorbed, then add the next dose-- again, slowly. Stir, let it absorb, stir, add more liquid... you get the idea. Keep it going until the risotto is creamy and the rice is cooked to al dente (it shouldn't be smooshy, but it shouldn't crunch either). Sprinkle with the cheese and stir it in.

Risotto can be served as a side with a protein (preferably fish) or made into a main dish with the addition of some veggies (mushrooms, leeks, peas, spinach, squash, etc.) or legumes (try lentils or kindey beans!), and accompanied by a fresh salad or some bruschetta... or just served on its own, with some fresh bread to wipe the bowl clean. You can add other things instead of broth as well, like butternut squash soup! Be creative. You can make a breakfast version of risotto if you like; brew some Celestial Seasonings Gingerbread tea and use that to cook the rice, with some maple syrup and/or brown sugar.

Have fun and experiment, kids. It keeps life interesting.

Ciao!

Now that doesn't sound snooty at all, does it?

We're not through with Butters yet, kids!

First of all, I'd like you all to meet Butters. (Isn't he just precious??) I found him at the Troy Farmers' Market this past Saturday-- along with a GIGANTANORMOUS kohlrabi that I will amuse myself with at a later point-- Butters (and the epic kohlrabi) are from Slack Hollow Farm. When I told the nice people working at their table that he was just the little squash I'd been looking for, they gave me a free bunch of fresh, amazingly fragrant rosemary. *sigh* I love the farmers' market.

Anyhoo, I do so apologize for neglecting you all; I've said it before and I'll say it again... school is absorbing all the hours in my life that were formerly occupied by happy and fun things, like cooking... baking... and blogging. It is a bit sad, but necessary; I am gaining some awesome knowledge, however, and I'm coming to understand metabolic processes on a whole new level. It's very interesting.

In any event, this is just a little something from me, because I know you've all wondered, like I have, if the seeds you scoop out of Butters before roasting him are toastable and yummy like the pumpkin seeds I'm sure a lot of you scooped out of your pumpkins this past weekend (and if you didn't toast your pumpkin seeds, shame on you!!).

The answer is yes. I found a recipe for toasted winter squash seeds (winter squash is just Butters' family; acorn, butternut, buttercup, etc.), and they can make for a tasty and healthy snack. Usually I write the recipes out with my own little twist, but this one I'm just going to copy and paste (it's from allrecipes.com):

Roasted Winter Squash Seeds

Ingredients

• 1 cup winter squash seeds
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste [note from me: make sure that it's super-finely ground salt!]
• [another note from me: if you're feeling daring, add a pinch of cayenne pepper or hot chili powder to the mix!]
  

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 275 degrees F (135 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
2. After removing the seeds from the squash, rinse with water, and remove any strings and bits of squash. Pat dry, and place in a small bowl. Stir the olive oil and salt into the seeds until evenly coated. Spread out in an even layer on the prepared baking sheet.
3. Bake for 15 minutes, or until seeds start to pop. Remove from oven and cool on the baking sheet before serving.

Well, there you have it, kids. The perfect snack for a chilly fall day... especially if you add either one of those special, warming spices. And, as always, I encourage you to discover your own favorite seasoning blends! Be creative, that's part of the fun of cooking.

Say "ciao" to our friend Butters!

Heehee...

One last green salad...

Even though when the weather gets colder we think less and less about eating salads and more about soups, stews and casseroles, I'm going to do something potentially dangerous... I'm going to post a salad recipe.

This isn't just any old salad, folks. This salad is made with escarole and Romaine lettuce instead of those delicate and tasty spring greens that we indulge in all spring and summer long. I love my mesclun mix, don't get me wrong... but this is a salad that has some meat to it. Escarole is a tough green, and Romaine can stand up to just about any dressing you throw at it (or on it). Together, they make a delicious, filling-- I would almost say hearty-- mix that's good any time of year.
The dressing is somewhat reminiscent of Caesar... and not the creamy "Caesar" stuff that tastes like ranch dressing with a little Parmesan cheese, kids: the real stuff! I recommend balsamic vinegar, but if you really wanted to Caesar it up you could substitute lemon juice. Just make sure that there's an acid of some sort in there; we need it to make the tough, bitter escarole tender and tangy. Mmmmm.

Escarole comes in heads like leaf lettuce; this recipe calls for 2 heads. It may seem like a lot, but if you've ever cooked greens then you know... it won't stay that way. When the acid in the vinegar/juice basically "cooks" the greens, they will wilt... and you'll be wondering, "where on earth did all my greens go??" So take it from me, especially since this salad is so yummy; it's worth it not to skimp on the amounts of ingredients.

Escarole, Tomato and Asiago Salad (serves 4-6)

Ingredients:

The salad
~ 2 heads fresh escarole
~ 1 good-sized head fresh Romaine lettuce
~ 4-5 medium vine-ripe tomatoes
~ 1/2 a small white onion, very thinly sliced (optional)

The dressing
~ 1/3-1/2 cup balsamic vinegar (or lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, or red wine vinegar)
~ 1/4 evoo
~ 2-3 garlic cloves, pressed or minced
~ fresh ground sea salt and pepper
~ a pinch of fresh chopped or dried parsley/basil/oregano, any or all (optional but nice)
~ grated Asiago cheese (if you want a nice shortcut you can usually buy tubs of grated Asiago in the supermarket cheese section... I like Belgioso)
~ 3 minced anchovy fillets (get anchovies canned in olive oil if possible)

Pick and wash the leaves of the Romaine and escarole, then slice them into strips. The easiest way to do this is stack a few leaves on top of each other, roll them into a tube lengthwise, and slice the tube into pieces about 1 inch wide. Pile the pieces into a giant bowl.
Cut the tomatoes into bite-size pieces, then throw them in too. For the onions, if you choose to add them... you know the paper-thin sliced onions they put on subs at Italian delis? That's how thin I'm talkin' here. Throw them into the bowl.

Whisk together all the dressing ingredients EXCEPT FOR THE CHEESE. That stuff's gonna get sprinkled on at the end. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss together thoroughly... use your hands if you're not afraid to! Work the dressing through all the nooks and crannies of that salad. When it's all mixed up, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and throw it in the fridge. It's going to sit and marinate for at least 2 hours; more if you can spare the time. Every once in a while, re-toss it because all the dressing will have worked its way to the bottom of the bowl.

Okay, fast-forward to serving time... toss it once more with tongs to redistribute dressing, then grab a handful of Asiago shreds and sprinkle in an even layer over the top of the salad. (SEE how it's shrunk?? Holy moley!) Now serve, eat and marvel at the power of pH.

Now that you're eating it and marveling at its deliciousness, I'm going to tell you a little bit about escarole, cause it's AWESOME. I'm not going to give it any cutesie little names or anything like that... escarole doesn't need to be cute. It's packed with vitamins A, C, K and several B vitamins as well as iron, copper, manganese, potassium, and bunches of dietary fiber; escarole is power food. LOVE IT.

On that note, have a great day kids! Apologies once again for the long absence... school is intense, but I still love ya!

Ciao. ^_^

Meet Butters.

I. Love. Fall.

This is, without question, my favorite time of year (weather-wise, anyway). The leaves are turning those beautiful shades of color that I imagine painting my kitchen with someday... the chill in the air tugs gently at the hoodie or light jacket you have on... Starbucks has once again brought out the Pumpkin Spice Latte... butternut squash is back in season and available in abundance at any grocery store, co-op or farmers' market...

*happy sigh*

... so, today we're going to make the most of our squashy friend; let's name him Butters. With Butters' help, we'll make some tasty burritos, a warm quinoa (or rice) salad, and a cheesy, delicious casserole. But first, let's get to know Butters a little.

Butters is a butternut, a member of the winter squash family (his brothers and sisters include acorn, carnival, spaghetti, and his fraternal twin Buttercup). He's got cousins on the cucumber side and the melon side... but they come out more in summer, and Butters is a fall-and-winter type dude. He likes to be in soups that warm the kids up after a day playing in the leaves; he likes to be in yummy, rich, cheesy, spicy dishes that make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside. He likes to be put out with festive decor all around him, maybe even served with the special China dishes. Oh boy!

Butters is my favorite of the winter squashes, for several reasons:

Reason #1: he's not too sweet. He's good in sweet or savory dishes; my favorite being him just baked and then pureed with a boatload of olive oil (and/or some butter) and some nice sea salt and ground sage. OH! and fresh grated nutmeg. Whenever Butters lays eyes on Nutmeg, he gets all squishy inside. There's no use trying to keep them apart, I've told his mamma; those two were made for each other.

Reason #2 why I love Butters: he's full of awesome vitamins and phytonutrients. Vitamin A is a powerful antioxidant and important for growth, eye health, and a few other pretty important body processes. It's available in animal foods as retinol and plant foods as beta carotene... and Butters has lots of beta carotene (this is especially good if you're a vegan and therefore don't get vitamin A from animal foods such as eggs). He's also super good for vitamin E as well as the B's, and he's got a good bit of calcium, potassium and the definitely-important magnesium and manganese.

Reason #3: He goes with some of my favorite things, namely: SPINACH, broccoli, cheese, quinoa, olive oil, nutmeg (as previously mentioned, but I just had to say it again)... and roasting. He's sooo tasty when roasted in the oven, sprinkled with some olive oil, salt and pepper. Mmmmm.

Okay, so now that we're a little bit acquainted with Butters and all of his charms, let's go cook him up! (Sorry if that idea is a little disturbing now that we've gone and personified him... I mean it!)

First dish we're going to make is a yummy squash and black bean burrito, adapted from poorgirleatswell.com (another awesome blog! Yayyy!)

Ingredients:

4-6 whole grain tortillas, 8-10 inch (unless you want to do mini burritos for the kids; cute and yummy!)
1 nice, big butternut squash (2-ish lbs), washed and cut in half lengthwise (remove the seeds with an ice cream scoop or other scoopish object... or just a spoon)
1 big can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 small-medium yellow onion, chopped
1 or 2 big cloves garlic, minced
evoo
salt and pepper
ground cumin
fresh grated nutmeg is you have it
burrito toppings (cheddar cheese, sour cream, salsa, sliced olives... go nuts!)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Place the halved squash open side down in a glass baking dish with a little bit of water and a pinch of salt, and roast for 45 minutes to an hour, until squash is soft enough to mash with a fork or puree in a blender or food processor. (If you wanted to, you could also just peel and cut the squash into cubes and roast it that way, then skip the pureeing step. Up to you.)

While it's roasting, prep your beans. Heat a skillet over medium, add some olive oil and the garlic and onion. Saute these together for about 7-10 minutes, until onion is translucent and the mixture is fragrant... mmmmm... season with salt and pepper, then add the rinsed and drained beans and the cumin and some of the nutmeg (it's pretty strong stuff; just a pinch'll do ya!). Cook over medium heat, stirring, until the beans are warmed through and everything is mixed evenly.

Warm up the tortillas in a warmer (if you're lucky enough to have one!) or the microwave, wrapped in a damp paper towel to make them moist and flexible. Alternatively, throw them in a hot cast iron skillet for a few seconds on each side. Fill them with the beany and squashy goodnesses, top with the aforementioned goodies, wrap 'em up and enjoy! You could also do these quesadilla style and grill them. Mmmmmmm... yumtastic.

Cheesy Squash Casserole

Ingredients:

A nice, big squash (try about 2 lbs or so, like for the burritos)
1 cup polenta
1-2 Tbsp butter
a pinch salt
water or broth (I haven't quite figured out the perfect polenta-to-water ratio, so start with 3 cups plus the butter and salt and slowly add the polenta, whisking constantly)
1 lb frozen spinach, nuked
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium shallot, minced
ground sage and fresh nutmeg
olive oil
shredded cheddar or Gruyere cheese (lots of it!)

Start by roasting and pureeing the squash like we did for the burritos. Start heating the water for the polenta, and when it's come to a boil, reduce the heat and add the butter, salt and polenta. Stir constantly until it thickens, then remove from heat.

Heat olive oil in a cast iron skillet. Saute garlic and shallot for about 5 minutes, then add spinach. Season with salt and pepper and saute for another 5 minutes.

If you turned off the oven, turn it back on now; set it at 350.

Spray a 9x13" baking dish with canola cooking spray; spread the polenta in an even layer on the bottom of the pan. Layer the spinach over it, then spread the squash puree on the top, finishing with a generous layer of cheese and some nutmeg.

Bake for 20-25 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly. Let cool for 5 minutes, then cut into squares and eat!

On that note, I think two recipes is sufficient for one post. I'll share the salad recipe with you all next time. Say goodnight to Butters.

Ciao!

Ahhh, first day of class.

The first day of the new semester, kids! Can you feel the buzz of anticipation? Hear the excited chatter of students in the air, the "Hey! How was your summer??", the awesome discovery that you have a class with your favorite study partner from a previous course?

Well, quite honestly, I'm not quite there yet. But what helped me get out of bed this morning (besides the mistaken belief that I had an 8am class when it was really at 9am), was my favorite morning sammich. What kind of sammich, you ask?

Fried egg with caramelized leeks, I answer. It may sound elaborate, but it's actually very simple, VEEEEEERY tasty, and the perfect motivation to get out of bed on a chilly Monday morning. It was inspired by Sassy Radish's "Eggs Baked in Cream" recipe. It's just this: take a cast iron skillet, warmed over medium heat, and throw in some good butter and a slice of bread (I use organic whole wheat bread because I got it on sale, but use whatever you like). Flip it once it's nice and golden brown, then when it's done on both sides, lay it on a piece of waxed paper or aluminum foil you've got ready for your sammich to go! (Or, if you're one of the more civilized among us, a plate.) With the pan still warm, throw in some canola or olive oil and some thinly sliced leeks. Stir fry them for a few minutes, sprinkling with a little salt and pepper, until caramelized... then spread them in an even layer on your bread. Another pat of butter, and a local egg from a pasture-raised hen, fry it up with a sprinkle of salt, pepper and some fresh grated nutmeg... layer it on top of the leeks. Then another yummy slice of skillet-toasted bread, and you're in business! Spice it up if you like, with some red pepper flakes or some chili paste; I like it just as is. Now it's class time.

Ciao kids!