yum!

How I grew into a Garden . . .

2011-08-17T19:06:00.001-07:00

Growing up, I caught a crawfish in the ditch using bacon and string—and named him Fred and was my pet and an instant part of my family. Two days later Fred was dead. So I went to the ditch and replaced him and there was Fred 2. Randomly, Fred was the name the smiling custodian at my kindergarten, as well as each and everyone of my loved pets. I was well up to Fred23 before I found other things to entertain me. I decided I loved plants.

This realization came to me when I was 8 and my first philodendron's name was Fred. I had an Ivy and a Phil as well. But honestly, I have killed a plethora of beautiful flora. Ivy's, trailers, even cacti and bamboo. I would over-love my plants and give them lots of water, then resent that there is no immediate satisfaction or if they suddenly got limp from a drought and then my 'love' of 4 cups of water. Then I would 'forget' to take care of them until their green leaves are limp and listless. At 25, I gave up indoor plants. At 27, I got a dog and yards became his playground so no outdoor either.

Fast forward a number of years, and I love my indoor plants, have an orchid table for my re blooming favorites and have now been banned to bring home, save, buy, or clip any more plants. I can not possibly 'need' more plants. I do though, and with home ownership came a yard-full of them. A true dream. This is the year I decided to try my very first garden. I have a small raised bed in the yard - and small is making it sound big. It is 2x4. I also have amassed an untold amount of planters from apartment and rental living. After a little research and picking up a book, I decided I was going to do vertical garden to save space and maximize my harvest.

So on June 1st, I started the garden. Unfortunately, it froze on June 2nd and everything died. (picture on left was my first try)

So attempt #2 found me with 8 planters that hold 4 different tomatoes (love having fresh tomatoes to cook with!!), a mammoth jalapeno plant, a orange bell pepper, basil, and a cucumber plant.

The planter holds three huge strawberry plants, two climbing pole bean plants, one sweet pea plant because the one I planted a bit late didn't make it, three zucchini plants, one golden rush yellow squash, one butternut squash, two lemon cucumber plants and 7 garlic plants.

And I have moved on to the yard. I have planted 25 strawberry's, 3 golden raspberries, 6 red raspberries, parsley, thyme, radishes, and even an artichoke and found an apple and plum tree and planted an Asian pear tree. My yard is a basic snack. Awesome.

And why am I sharing?? Because I have recently gotten to start cooking the things that I am growing and find that my fruit and vegetables make my meals much more satisfying and I am being more inventive with my recipes so I can incorporate my fresh veg. Yum!

Mouthwatering Morels . . . and the update.

2011-06-01T19:09:00.000-07:00

Where have I been this past year? I don't know if I could even tell you. My life is very different from one year ago today . . . No longer working for the beautiful and prestigious magazine where I learned a love of writing and honed my design; I have also given up working for the non-profit I have devoted my last year to. Following dreams and such. It is crazy to say that I am now trying a new avenue of food writing. Mostly health and food writing. And I love the challenge of it all. and the exploration of it all. As in I am a food writer.

In other news, i have started my own mini-garden, planted fruit trees and bushes and sprouted my first seed. and now I hope to be able to chronicle it more and use this as an outlet for some light garden writing.

but enough about that - lets chat new food. Hopefully I will be more up lately on the new things I am trying. There have been quite some discoveries (and HORRIFIC failures) this past year. Right now in the Wood River Valley . . . it is all about morels. These delicious little 'shrooms are quite the task to find but the reward is worth the effort. Know what you are looking for - but after we had the pleasure of procuring a pound morels, I busted out my kitchen gear and got to it.

Morels.
Again - with an interest in mycology, jht knew what to look for when he was morel hunting. Research before you eat mushrooms!!! and follow the rules of cleaning when hunting wild fungi. They are like the filet mignon of 'shrooms. Soooo yummy and available in my own back yard.

Morels and Eggs for 2
I didn't want to use cheese and overpower the morel. So I beat 4 eggs and a bit of light cream and scrambled. In a separate skillet I melted 1T butter (be sure not to burn the butter!). I find that mushrooms often get soggy - and you can prevent that if you quickly flash cook them on very high heat. I cooked my morels in the butter for 2 minutes and then folded them into the eggs. Holy yum.

Stuffed Morels
I keep bacon bits in the fridge. Yup. It happens. I grabbed some plain cream cheese and mixed in some bits and a pinch of shredded cheddar. I gently sliced open my morels lengthwise and stuffed a bit of the mixture inside. then I light coated with flour. I heated a bit of olive oil in a saute pan and cooked the morels for 3 minutes covered. again. awesome.

And I am back. Hopefully will be writing here more.

Check out this blog: Snack Tips for Road Warriors

Because everyone likes an umbrella in their drink

2009-07-28T07:51:00.000-07:00

As it is getting hotter and hotter (and hotter!), I look for ways to keep cool around my house and the Valley. Now I have had many people in this town ask me, bless their little hearts, “How did you stand the unbearable heat in Louisiana?” And as the temperatures rise to ABOVE ninety in Hailey, I finally have my answer—the air conditioner. In the South, one moves from a temperature-controlled house to a chilly car to a destination, all in quick order and with as few stops as possible. In Idaho, this mode of pod-living is not an option. My house was built pre-air-conditioning (thank goodness for my trusty Suburu and the Sun Valley Magazine’s brisk office air). But in the high-and-dry mountains, I love being outside and around town, 90-degree temps be damned.

As I was trolling Hailey this weekend, I noted an essential and glaring absence: chips, salsa, breeze, margaritas. It is a travesty that there is not one place in town (and I am talking Hailey–not Ketchum or Bellevue) where I can sit outside in the shade, enjoy the summer breezes, gorge myself on tortilla chips with dippables, and sip on one of my classic summer favs, the margarita.

I have shared my favorite fruit margarita before on yum!, but I recently learned a quick and easy recipe from one of my favorite books, The Sweet Potato Queens Book of Love. There is a place in Natchez, Mississippi that I feel everyone should know about if they ever fancied a Delta vacation—Fat Mama’s. The best tamales, great atmosphere, to-die-for chips and salsa, and margaritas that will “Knock-You-Naked.” Luckily, I have the recipe so I can sit on my back porch, sip a cool drink, close my eyes, and dream that I have a cabana boy at my beck-and-call, instead of my bulldog, Montgomery, drooling on my feet.

The Margarita

If they “knock ya nekkid,” don’t say I didn’t warn you! Grab frozen limeade, ice cubes, and a blender to get really chilly.

18 ounces limeade
18 ounces tequila (use good tequila)
24 ounces 7-up (or sprite)
24 ounces Dos Equis or Corona

Get a large picture and mix it all up. Pour over ice and garnish with an umbrella. Because everyone likes umbrellas in their drinks.

Mangolicious

2009-07-28T07:50:00.000-07:00

The mango is an exotic and enticing fruit that leaves me contentedly frustrated. Content because the juice, flavor, fragrance, and color are so foreign that with one bite, I am transported from my happy mountain valley to any tropical location (mango is the national fruit of India, Pakistan and the Philippines; and a symbol of attainment and potential perfection in the Hindu religion). And frustrated because I never can cut it correctly or get enough meat away from the massive pit.

America has been good to mangoes in recent years. The word is a color description, fashion statement, SNL character, or Seinfeld reference. I have taken advantage of the continuing availability and buzz around the fruit and tried a number of new recipes. Mango is so healthy and great plain, as a salsa, as a topping to pork and a classic yummy dessert. I found this recipe years ago in Gourmet Magazine and it is a great way to quickly impress your guests with your mad flambé skills, or indulge yourself with a bit of rum-soaked heaven. Yum!

Mangoes Flambé

Serves 4. Takes about 15 minutes.

4 (one-pound) firm-ripe mangoes
6 tablespoons turbinado sugar
1/3 cup dark rum

Preheat broiler. Wash and dry mangoes. Use the ‘inside-out’ cutting method: Remove 2 flat sides of each mango with a sharp knife, cutting lengthwise alongside pit and cutting as close to pit as possible so that mango flesh is in 2 large pieces (reserve remaining fruit for another use). Make a crosshatch pattern with a small sharp knife, cutting across fruit down to skin at 1/2-inch intervals and being careful not to pierce through. Grasp fruit at both ends and turn inside out to make flesh side convex.

Arrange fruit, skin side down, in a large shallow baking pan lined with foil and sprinkle evenly with 4 tablespoons turbinado sugar (total). Broil 5 inches from heat until fruit is golden brown (it will not brown evenly), about 5 minutes. Arrange fruit on a large platter. Cook rum with remaining sugar in a small saucepan over moderately low heat, stirring, until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat, and then carefully ignite rum with a kitchen match and pour, still flaming, over warm mangoes. Serve immediately.

Pancakes are Good

2009-07-08T12:44:00.000-07:00

As I come back to reality after my beautifully long weekend, I realize that summer is just starting and every weekend for the next couple of months is going to be full of activities. Concerts to look forward to and festivals to anticipate, lifts to ride (baldy lifts are open), and art fairs to attend. And where there is fun and entertainment, there are picnics, dinners, barbecues and potlucks. In the summer, plans pop-up and then disappear as quickly. This is hard for me.

I like things to be in order. My pantry and fridge are alphabetical and categorized, my clothes are color-coordinated, my days are listed, recorded, planned—I am a scheduler and some have even gone far enough to call me OCD (I personally don’t see where they get that). My approach to meals is no different then my approach to my time. I like three meals a day and to know what and when I am eating. So everything going on right now, I have piece of mind with breakfast. My mom always said that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and since it facilitates my appreciation of pancakes, I agree. I find they can be time-consuming in the morning so I loved this recipe that I tried last weekend—easy, fast and delicious.

Pfannekuchen

German-style pancake

Makes 4 servings. This is thicker than the classic American pancake, but so yummy. I doubled the fruit and used my 9-inch cast iron pan. My mom found the recipe and we made it with fresh blueberries she brought me from her garden in Louisiana, though any fruit could be substituted. In Southern Germany the word for pancake is Pfannkuchen. Oddly enough, in Berlin the same word refers to a doughnut. German dialects can be very tricky. Be extremely careful when ordering pancakes in Berlin. If this looks too decadent, try my healthy pancakes. Recipe from The Times-Picayune, Thursday, June 18, 2009

2 eggs

½ cup flour

½ cup milk

pinch of nutmeg

pinch of salt

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar

juice of half a lemon (or less, to taste)

¼ cup fresh blueberries

blueberry jam

marmalade, honey, or syrup

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a mixing bowl, lightly beat eggs. Add flour, milk, nutmeg and salt. Blend by hand but leave slightly lumpy. Heat a cast iron skillet or a 12-inch skillet with a heat-proof handle over medium heat. Add butter, melt and heat without browning, then pour in the batter. Sprinkle berries in batter, spacing the fruit widely (I didn’t bother with that as I double the fruit). Bake in the oven for 20-30 minutes or until pancake is golden brown and billowing on the edges. Working quickly, remove the pan from the oven. Sprinkle confectioners’ sugar evenly over the cake with a fine sieve. Return to oven for 1-2 more minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle with lemon juice. Serve with jam, syrup or whatever. Yum!

Tasty Tubers

2009-07-06T10:49:00.000-07:00

As the Fourth of July creeps up on us, and we all start filling our calendar with plans for rodeos and street parades, parties and getaways. I fondly remember celebrating America’s Birthday as a child. Those lazy days were always spent trying to beat the heat at a local swimming hole (either in the river or down by a lake) surrounded by family, friends, music and cold sweet tea with pimento and cheese sandos.

This year, I am spending my Fourth at home and am looking forward to all the festivities in the Wood River Valley, especially the outdoor parties, barbecues, and pot-luck dinners. I often look at the get-togethers as the ‘ultimate cooking challenge’ and will spend way too much time deciding on something to bring. I want it to be yummy. New. Different. And I often use my unsuspecting guests as culinary guinea pigs, or if I’m being nice, supreme judges to sample my creations. Sometimes this approach has negative outcomes (I would never advise hot grapes in a noodle salad) but generally I am pleasantly surprised by the things I can cook.

On the flip side, I also enjoy the classics: cold noodle salad, coleslaw, vegetable skewers. This year I’m using potato salad to put my southern roots on the table, literally (a potato is a root, isn’t it?). And this twist on potato salad melds the sweet potato (a staple in Louisiana) and my limitless love of bacon with local Idaho spuds.

Bacon and Sweet Potato Salad
This salad meshes SO many great flavors and is perfect hot or cold for any 4th of July barbecue. It was originally created by chef and southerner, Stephen Barber of BarberSq Restaurant in Napa, CA. but I have added and altered some of the ingredients.

3 large eggs, boiled and peeled
1 pound sweet potatoes, peeled and chunked
2 teaspoon salt, divided
1 ½ pound red potatoes, quartered
½ pound mini gold potatoes, quartered
8 slices bacon, diced
1 large red onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
¾ cup cider vinegar
1 tablespoon mustard seeds
1 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
¼ cup canola oil
¼ teaspoon pepper
3 tablespoons sugar
1 bunch green onions, chopped (about 1 cup)
¼ chopped parsley
salt and pepper to taste

Bring Sweet potatoes, ½ teaspoon salt and water to cover to a boil in a Dutch oven (or a big pot). Cook 10 minutes; add all remaining potatoes and cook fifteen minutes or until tender. Drain. While the potatoes are cooking, fry bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat for eight to ten minutes or until crisp; remove bacon and drain on paper towels. Reserve one tablespoon of the drippings in skillet and sauté red onion and garlic until tender. Reduce heat to low and whisk in vinegar, mustard seeds, and red pepper; cooking 3 minutes. Add canola oil, pepper, remaining salt, and sugar and mix well. Pour hot vinegar mixture over potatoes. Add eggs, bacon, green onions, and parsley, stirring gently to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

My love of Bacon

2009-06-30T10:47:00.000-07:00

I can't help it. I love bacon. I love the taste, the texture, the smell, the sound of it frying—and even have a jar of bacon grease in my fridge for flavoring plain dishes (read: vegetables). I am from Louisiana. I like fried things. I am not fat (I would call myself 'healthy' but this blog slightly challenges that description). I like beer. I eat a ton of bacon.

So here it is. My bacon list. My baby. My entertainment. One of the reasons you either love me or think I am crazy. These are things I want—to try, to own, to make:

RESOURCES

Grateful Palate. The best bacon resource in the world. Or at least, my favorite.

Bacon Today. Daily Updates on the World of Sweet, Sweet Bacon.

Bacon Haikus. Just in case you would like to read a couple

PRODUCTS AND GIFTS

Bacon of the Month Club. Best present ever. Just ask my brother in law.

Bacon Scarf. You are what you eat.

Bacon Bra. Making the bacon scarf look WAY more normal

Wake n' Bacon. Yes. It is an alarm clock that makes bacon.

EATABLES

Bacon of the Month Club. Best bacon ever. Just ask my brother in law.

Baconnaise. Because everything should taste like bacon

Bacon Gum. A fun way to carry bacon in your pocket

BLT ring. They only make up to a size 6. I wear an 8. I wrote a strongly worded letter. No response. I still want one.

Bakon Vodka. Oh yea. You can drink it.

THE Bacon Explosion. 'THE' being all caps is all you need.

Porktopia. Awesomeness. My boyfriend's response to such greatness: I personally would like to see small snack sized meat pigs. Say the size of a fist. I would garnish mine with leafy lettuce wings and onion ring halos. Love it.

Squeezeable Bacon. The world's most perfect food.

A Crawfish Creation

2009-06-15T10:23:00.000-07:00

I have been feeling slightly disenchanted with my meals lately and really wanted to put some soul in my cooking. This happens when I haven’t tried anything new or eaten anything southern-spicy. So I did what I always do when my personal recipes aren’t doing it for me—I called my cooking hero, my mom. I had an idea of what I wanted to eat: I wanted a fish I could throw on my grill and top it with some kind of yumminess. I love working with another foodie on recipes—and Mom is the best of the bunch. We’ll talk about a vague idea, and the back and forth conversation about ingredients will evolve into an original dish. Mom helped me by sending me a simple white sauce recipe (easily altered) that would work with the pound of Louisiana crawfish tails I had in my freezer. (I loved the result and am already planning on trying the recipe with morels, an Idaho delicacy that, much to my chagrin, I have yet to taste. I know you can buy them but I feel I need the local experience of finding them in the wild.) So I bought a pound of halibut (skin on), heated up my grill to medium, threw the fish on skin-side down for about 15 minutes, and topped it with my new favorite sauce. You can get crawfish tails here in the valley at Atkinson’s or substitute some shrimp instead.

Crawfish Extraordinaire

Here’s a similar recipe from one of my favorite sources, LA Conservationist, a publication of Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries. Judalee (my mom) found this recipe and used it as a topping for panned trout. The recipe is written to use as an appetizer or a sauce for noodles. Cooks note: depending on how spicy you want it, I usually drain the crawfish and season the tails with Tony’s or Old Bay before I sauté them into a sauce.

1 pound cooked crawfish tails

1/2 stick butter

2 tablespoons flour

1 medium onion, minced

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons parsley, minced

2 tablespoons green onion, minced

1/2 cup white wine

1 cup heavy cream

salt, pepper and paprika

(I think morels would really make this sauce pop)

Melt butter in a large saucepan. Add flour and stir until lightly cooked. Add onion, garlic, parsley and green onion and cook until onions are clear. Next, add crawfish and cook over a low fire about 10 minutes. Add white wine and simmer until blended. Slowly add cream and simmer over low fire. Do not let it boil or the cream will curdle. Add seasonings with extra paprika for a nice reddish color. Plate your fish and top with the sauce.

Recipe Twist: Serve this sauce toast points or in pasta shells for appetizers. I added my sauce to cooked noodles for a wonderful crawfish pasta.

The Cowboy Poet, BBQ, and Tofu Peanut Noodles

2009-05-29T09:33:00.000-07:00

Last night was pure magic for me. I will be the first to mock the great state of Idaho (I-da-ho. No. U-da-ho.), but one thing is certain—it is majestic. The descriptions beautiful or pretty just do not do it justice. Neither do stark, elegant, lovely. I like majestic. One place that shows the many facets of Idaho is Silver Creek Preserve. Mountains, slow-moving rivers, wildlife, plains. Absolutely breath-taking. And that was where I was last night. The Nature Conservancy had a staff retreat and I was invited (my cuz, Eli works for TNC).

Eli made my favorite quick dish—yummy hot or cold. Noodles with fried tofu and peanut sauce. All you do is make the sauce, cook a package of the noodle of your choice (we chose spag), and then got a package of tofu and sauteed it until golden. Mix it all together and there you go!

But back to the night. The food was great. BBQ's always are. Burgers (enough to have the double meat, which I went for), hot dogs, elk sausage, and all the best sides. I topped my burger with the scrumptious coleslaw Nancie brought to the table. And we got to finish it off with some excellent lemon cake from Stephanie and Heidi. I even went in for the second piece. Awesome.

Ernie Sites was the man of the hour. Singing classic songs, song writing, yodeling, poetry, storytelling, picking on a guitar, picking

on a mandolin, AND picking on a banjo. I honestly can't put it into words - it was so enjoyable. Just a magic night. I wasn't the only non-TNCer there, but they made me feel part of their night and it was just hella fun. Thanks Ernie, the entire staff of TNC's Hailey office and SC preserve team for such a great memory!

I Dig the Pig

2009-05-28T09:40:00.000-07:00

Ok. I can't help it. I LOVE pork. Just about everything that comes from a pig - bacon, chops, roasts, tenderloins, rinds, even corn dogs (read: NOT pickled parts, or hot dogs. Only when the dog is covered in a cornbread-like substance and then fried). I search the web and have found such treasures at the bacon explosion, porkgasm, the many bacon-styled gifts, and my favorite present to give—The Bacon of the Month Club (Just ask my brother-in-law—or anyone that saw the glimmer of excitement in his eye on Christmas morning—it rocks the house.).

So last night was incredible as I had friends over for a Porkfest of sorts. The pork chops were covered with a spice rub and some served with a raspberry chipotle sauce; and the pork ribs were grilled and then glazed with BBQ sauce. So hella good. One thing I do need to note is how much longer ribs are to cook than any kind of pork without a bone. They were good but a little pink inside, which freaks me out. Just be sure your pork reached over 180 degrees for a couple of minutes and the meat should be ok, even if it isn't totally white. Always good to know the rules of cooking meat.

I have no recipe here as you can check out some pork ideas from my Memorial 'All Things Pork' Day post. I just wanted to share my love of pork (and this, in no way, compares to my deep affection and devotion to bacon—which I will blog about a lot). Thanks Eli and JHT for a good night, and late arrivals Steph and Lacey made it fun!

My new plan

2009-05-27T08:58:00.000-07:00

ok. I feel like I have been a little 'blog happy' lately. I write a blog for Sun Valley Magazine - www.sunvalleymag.com - and I have been copying it here. Now I love to share my recipes - but this space isn't as conducive for huge long posts. So I am going to work at doing at least one quick blog a day - to share my love of food/the things I have tried/and what I am eating now. And I will alert everyone when my new SVM blogs are up.

Memorial 'All Things Pork' Day

2009-05-23T08:54:00.000-07:00

With Memorial Day weekend coming up, I am hoping to spend my time outside at the BBQ.

I love food, love to be outside, love to grill. I can show off my patio or garden, invite friends, feed numerous amounts of people cheaply, and just enjoy our weather and a cold beverage. Grilling is an easy way to bring the ‘wow, this is good’ factor to your food. It is—by far—one of my favorite things to do in the summer, besides set off treasure hunting around town at the many yard sales. In fact, I found my grill at one such yard sale, where I paid a minimal price for a great gadget, complete with a tank of propane gas.

Since there has been a large sale on grill-worthy meat lately, I hope you all take advantage of our great weather and a three-day weekend. I picked up a bunch of pork ribs and after my Memorial ‘All Things Pork’ Day, I am going to experiment with some of these recipes so I can have scrumptious lunches for the duration of the week. If pork is your choice, check out my recipes for this blog. If it is chicken, see the great recipes in last week's blog on Planning A Week of Food. And if it is steak, shoot me some recipes for next week!

Spices and Sauces

For my day of grilling pork, I am doing pork ribs, pork chops, a tenderloin, and two packages that were in my cousins freezer labeled 'pork'. I am going to dry rub them with spice and throw them on the grill 'til they are done.

Cajun Spices

3 tablespoons sweet paprika

2 tablespoons onion powder

2 tablespoons garlic powder

2 tablespoons dried oregano leaves

2 tablespoons dried sweet basil

1 tablespoon dried thyme leaves

1 tablespoon black pepper

1 tablespoon white pepper

1 tablespoon cayenne pepper

1 tablespoon salt

Dash chili powder

Dash cumin powder

Mix dry ingredients together using a fork or place them in a jar, cover & shake until they are mixed thoroughly. Store in tightly covered container.makes about 1/2 cup

Blackberry Barbecue Sauce

This makes about 8 servings and add a subtlely sweet flavor to the pork. Recipe from The Encyclopedia of Cajun and Creale Cuisine by John Folse

1/2 cup blackberry preserves

1 1/2 cup ketchum

1/8 cup packed brown sugar

2 tablespoons cane syrup (Louisiana cane syrup is the best)

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/4 teaspoon mustard powder

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1/2 cup fresh blackberries

In a mixing bowl, combine all ingredients. Mix well. Brush sauce over grilled pork tenderloin, pork chops or ribs when they are almost cooked.

After my pork is cooked, I usually pull off all the meat and shred it. I do this using two forks and just tearing the meat apart. One EASY thing to do is to top the meat with BBQ sauce and enjoy a sando. But here are two different options:

BBQ Pork Pizza

2/3 cup barbecue sauce

1 prepared pizza dough (i like the Pillsbury ones that you can roll-out and prebake)

3/4 cup shredded Gouda

1 cup shredded mozzarella

3/4 cup Parmesan

1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced

1/2 green pepper, diced

1/4-1/2 pound shredded pork

3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In a small bowl, toss pork with 2 tablespoons barbecue sauce. Set aside. On a floured surface, roll out dough and place on a greased sheet pan. Shape to fill the sheet pan, about a 15 by 10-inch rectangle. Spread remaining barbecue sauce evenly over pizza dough. Sprinkle Gouda, mozzarella, Parmesan, onions, pepper and pork over top. Bake for 20 minutes or until cheese bubbles. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro and cut into pieces.

Pork Fajitas with Mango Black Bean Salsa

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice

1 tablespoon chopped cilantro

1 garlic clove, crushed

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1/4 teaspoon salt or spices

1/4-1/2 pound of your leftover pork (can be sliced, shredded, etc)

6 scallions, trimmed

Flour tortillas, at least 6

Mango Black Bean Salsa

1 large mango, chopped

1/2 red onion, diced

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained

1/3 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

1 jalepeno pepper, seeded and diced

dash of jalepeno juice

juice of one lime

1/2 teaspoon cajun spices (or salt)

For the salsa: Combine all ingredients in a meduim bowl. Stir well, cover and refrigerate until ready to use

For the fajitas: Whisk together lime juice, cilantro, garlic, cumin, oregano, chili powder, and salt. Place pork in baking dish and pour lime dressing over pork. Cover and let sit for 15-20 minutes while making salsa. Heat up a saute' pan and grill scallions until crisp. Remove pork from dressing and add to pan to heat. Divide pork and scallions among tortillas. Top with salsa. Serve.

Y'all have a great Memorial Day weekend. There is so much going on around town. Enjoy!

Planning A Week of Food

2009-05-20T09:07:00.000-07:00

My immediate dilemna is solving the current trend with my grocery budget. It is either feast or famine. Literally. But since I am a Master at looking in my bare and empty fridge and creating a 5-course meal, yet frugal enough when the living is large to know to double recipes and freeze, this has never bothered me.

But this weekend as I rushed around eating on-the-go, I realized that I have not been planning ahead and it is costing me time, money, and healthy meals—all things I like to have. So, I decided to give myself a slight challenge this May: To plan a ‘pay-it-forward’ dinner every week. Grab one big ingredient (something as a base to many meals) and cook it, then spend the week enjoying a twist on the leftovers. Hopefully this will stretch my grocery budget a bit (saving some cash for my summer plans), turn my hurried lunch hour of making food into enjoying my meal, and be a healthy way to stock my fridge.

I noticed that the whole chickens at Atkinson's were on sale (as are pork ribs). I grabbed a medium fryer – and this was my week:

Roasted Chicken

Roasted chicken is easy, good, and pretty quick. Rub down the chicken and cover with salt and pepper if ingredients are sparse or flavor it up for a little more kick.

3-pound farm-raised chicken

Cajun spices, kosher salt, fresh ground pepper

2 medium onions, peeled and quartered

4 celery stalks

1 green pepper, quartered

Unsalted butter

Dijon mustard

Preheat the oven to 450°F. Rinse the chicken, then dry it well. Salt and pepper the cavity and then stuff with onion, pepper and celery. Truss the bird, which ensures more even cooking and makes a more beautiful roasted bird. Spice the chicken—I like to rain the spices over the bird so that it has a nice uniform coating that will result in a crisp, salty, flavorful skin (about 1 tablespoon). Place the chicken in a sauté pan or roasting pan and, when the oven is up to temperature, put the chicken in the oven. Roast it until it's done, 50 to 60 minutes. Remove it from the oven. Baste the chicken with the juices and let it rest for 15 minutes on a cutting board. Remove the twine. Remove the legs and thighs and wings. And use that for your dinner. Slather the meat with fresh butter and serve with a simple green vegetable or salad.

When the chicken is cool, get all of the meat off the bones and reserve. Use the chicken carcass to make a really good homemade stock for future recipes or soups.

You have so many options with chicken meat. You could top green salads, make a soup, enjoy wraps, make chicken salad, chicken fajitas, chicken pizza, chicken and rice, chicken stir-fry, etc. etc. etc. Here are two ideas that I tried this week:

Chicken Enchiladas

My brother sent me this recipe and used 1.5-2 pounds of shrimp instead of chicken. He had 'the kid test' and 'the guest test' and passed. Everyone—his friends, wife, thirteen-year-old boy, eleven-year-old girl, and two-year-old baby—loved it. It is simple, easy, six ingredients, good and good for you. Special Equipment: food processor or blender

10-12 fresh tomatillos

2 serrano peppers.

1 1.5 pounds of chicken, cooked and slightly shredded into pieces

Corn tortillas

Pam cooking spray

6 ounces pepper jack cheese, grated

2 tomatoes, chopped

Husk and wash tomatillos and peppers, boil ‘til soft and color changes. Drain and blend together in a food processor or blender. Set aside. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat a pan on the stove to medium and soften corn tortillas one at a time with Pam. Fill tortillas with chicken and grated cheese, roll them up and put them in a 9x13 pyrex pan. My pan fit 2 rows of 6 enchiladas nicely. Cover with Tomatillo sauce and some more cheese. At this point everything’s cooked so heat it up for 20 minutes or so at 325, until cheese is good and melted. Put some fresh chopped tomatoes on top, eat.

Cooks note: You can do the tomatillo sauce beforehand, you can also get the whole thing together earlier in the day and let it sit before the heating up part (not too long so the tortillas don’t go to mush).

Fiesta Chicken Empanada

This is a recipe from Pillsbury® I cut out of a magazine—it really streches your chicken into a dinner, with great leftovers for lunch.

1 (15-oz) package Pillsbury® Refrigerated Pie Crusts, softened

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium onion, sliced

½ medium red bell pepper, chopped

½ medium green bell pepper, chopped

½ medium yellow bell pepper, chopped

10 ounces of cooked chicken, chopped

4 teaspoons dry fajita seasoning

½ cheese and salsa dip (I like using Rotel®)

1 egg, beaten

Garnish:

Sour cream

Salsa

Heat oven to 425 degrees. Use one pie crust, roll out and place in ungreased 14-inch pizza pan. Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add onion and bell peppers; cook 5 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Add chicken and fajita seasoning; mix well. Spoon chicken mixture onto crust, leaving one inch around the edge. Spread ½ cup dip over chicken mixture. Brush ege of crust with water and place remaining crust over filling. Press edges firmly to seal. Brush top with beaten egg. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until deep golden brown. Cover edge of crust with strips of foil after 10 or 15 minutes to prevent excessive browning. Cut into wedges, garnish, and serve.

There are so many options with chicken – it is easy, versatile, yummy, and cheap!

Strawberry Banana Crepes

Because I love my crepe maker and the strawberries are good right now. I got this recipe from Quick Cooking and it yields about 16-20 crepes. Special equipment: crepe maker – or use an 8-inch nonstick skillet.

Crepe Batter:

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon sugar

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

1-1/2 cups milk

2 eggs

1 to 2 tablespoons butter or margarine

Filling:

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened

1 carton (8 ounces) frozen whipped topping, thawed

½ cup confectioners’ sugar

Topping:

2 cups sliced fresh strawberries

2 medium firm bananas, sliced

¼ cup sugar, optional

In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, cinnamon, milk, and eggs; mix well. Cover and refrigerate for one hour. In an 8-inch nonstick skillet, melt one teaspoon butter. Stir batter; pour about 2 tablespoons into the center of skillet. Lift and tilt pan to evenly coat bottom. Cook until top appears dry; turn and cook 15-20 seconds longer. Remove to a wire rack. Repeat with remaining batter, adding butter to skillet as needed. When cool, stack crepes with waxed paper or paper towels in between.

In a mixing bowl, combine the filling ingredients. Spread 2 rounded tablespoons on each crepe; roll up. Combine topping ingredients and spoon over crepes. Serve.

yum!

Welcome to yum!

2009-05-05T14:36:00.000-07:00

Appetizing. Different. Succulent. Daring. Dining. Food.

I have an obsession with food. I talk about it—love looking at it—am entertained by every experience it brings—benefit from learning how to prepare a new dish—am educated by other cultures through their unique ingredients—and my zeal for the perfect bite knows no bounds.

Which is why—after years of teaching friends to cook, wowing my family with new tastes, and just generally being fascinated with the food culture—I made the exciting leap to food writing. I find it fun to share my recipes, tips, discoveries and failures in the kitchen, and my experiences in my home away from home—the Wood River Valley. I am originally from the South and meshing my cooking knowledge with Idaho's local resources has been a fun challenge. My goal with this blog is to give share recipes and fresh ideas that you can bring home to your own kitchen, share what is going on around us, and explore my life through food.

I write a blog for Sun Valley Magazine - so this is my spot to mesh that, with more-frequent updates/quick recipes/and munching around town.

Sauces, Sauces, Sauces

2009-05-03T10:34:00.000-07:00

(this was a blog I wrote in March - but I have been revisiting the recipes and they are all really easy and hella good)

As a newer transplant to the WRV, and for the first time living anywhere in the U.S. but the South—I am still amazed by the change of seasons and actually enjoy chatting about the weather. Indulge me as I’ve never before lived any place without 100% humidity. Besides, weather is such great conversation. No, really. I love to look up the 10-day report online and then talk about it. I love every minute of it but at the moment, it has me conflicted.

While I was over-the-moon with the 5 inches of dumping snow yesterday, today I crave to be outside of my office and on a patio, soaking up the sun and clear blue skies, hanging with my dog and enjoying the mild climate. I finally understand a rock and a hard place. It is this time between winter and spring in Idaho when neither you nor Mother Nature can make up your mind because either way you go, you would be thrilled. When the grass isn’t necessarily greener—because of the choices—because of the feeling of seasonal awe—because you live here. So though I find it hard to say goodbye to winter—my favorite season, the one I celebrate and relish as I enjoy our mountain every weekend—I also am looking forward to spring, to planting, to deck sitting and dog hiking. I can’t decide if I want in. Or if I want out. But I do know I have to sit back and enjoy the variety of this time of year—the ease of choice and beauty and some good quick cooking. Sauces. Dips. Dressings. Marinades. For either the oven or the grill—if you are staying in and hanging out—for dipping and topping…when whichever way you go, it is gonna be good.

Uncle Robert’s Johnny Sauce

My uncle makes this for the holidays and we all count down until the revered Johnny Sauce is in our fridges. Dip anything. Top anything. Grill with it. It is yummy and Robert is sharing—we are lucky. My uncle rocks.

1 cup mayonnaise (may use regular mayo, low-fat, fat-free or sugar free mayo)

1/2 cup chili sauce

1/2 cup vegetable oil (canola or corn oil)

1 teaspoon Lea and Perrins (steak sauce)

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon yellow mustard (prepared, not dry mustard)

1 tablespoon grated onion

2-3 cloves garlic pressed (may use equivalent of chopped garlic)

juice of 1 lemon or 2 Tablespoons bottled lemon juice

Mix together and chill. It's better if made a day ahead.

Simple Herb Sauce

This is a basic parsley sauce that is easily varied. Use mint, basil, etc. Special equipment: food processor

2 ounces flat-leaf parsley, stalks removed

1 clove garlic, peeled

juice of ½-1 lemon

5 oz extra virgin olive oil

In a food processor, add the parsley, garlic, and juice of ½ lemon and whiz to chop. Season with salt and pepper. Then, with processor on, pour in enough oil till sauce is to your liking. Taste, and add more lemon juice is you wish.

With this sauce:

You can make a stuffing by adding 2 ounces breadcrumbs and 1 ounce pine nuts to spread over a pork fillet. Or you could add chopped anchovies and gherkins pickles, stir in some smooth mustard, and mix into beef casseroles. Add some mayo to make a dip or add more herbs and olive oil to drizzle over tomato, avocado and mozzarella.

Watercress Sauce

Watercress is so packed with nutrients and totally good for you. Serve with salmon. Special equipment: food processor.

1 onion, peeled and roughly chopped

1 tablespoon olive oil

7 ounces watercress, washed

½ pint vegetable stock

Whiz onion in the processor until chopped. Heat oil in a pan and cook onion for 10 minutes til softened. Whiz watercress in processor till finely chopped, then add to onion and cook for five minutes. Stir in stock and bubble for 15 minutes. Serve or cool and refrigerate.

With this sauce: Mix in 2 beaten eggs and 2 ounces of heavy cream. Fill a ready-made tart shell and bake. Make a soup cooking 9 ounces of finely peeled and chopped potatoes in 15 ounces of stock. When done, stir in sauce and heat throughout. Make a stuffing for lamb by adding 4 ounces breadcrumbs, 1 tablespoon of tomato paste and 2 ounces of parmesan cheese. Make a pesto by adding toasted pine nuts, lemon zest and grated parmesan and processing till combined. Add to pasta.

Red Pepper Sauce

This sauce freezes well and is great with fried chicken breasts. Special Equipment: food processor.

3 red peppers, seeded and halved

1 onion, peeled and chopped

2 tablespoons olive oil

14 ounce can chopped Italian plum tomatoes

In processor, whiz peppers and onion till finely chopped. Heat oil in a shallow pan and add pepper mixture. Simmer over a medium heat for about 10 minutes, then add tomatoes and cook on a low heat for another 10 to 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

With this sauce: Make a great sauce by stirring in mascarpone and mix through hot pasta. By adding a chopped red chili pepper (or flakes or paprika), one pint of stock, a can of chickpeas and fried chorizo; you have a great soup. Do a thicker sauce for pork chops or tuna steaks by mixing in 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, the zest of one orange, and 2 ounces ground almonds. Make a dip for shrimp or fish sautés by adding a dollop of the sauce to garlic mayonnaise.

White Sauce Recipe

I put on shrimp tacos. But you could top fish or chicken as well. This makes a TON.

2 cups Miracle Whip or mayo

¾ cup milk

½ tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 ½ teaspoon cumin

½ teaspoon salt

1 ½ teaspoon garlic powder

1 ½ teaspoon oregano

Measure dressing in bowl. Gradually stir in milk. Season with pepper flakes, cumin, salt, garlic powder and oregano. Mix well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours to allow flavors to blend. If you taste right away—it will taste like mayo or dressing.

Peanut Sauce

Great on chicken sauté, as a dip, or over pasta. My sister-in-law gave me this recipe about 4 years ago and I am a pb lover so I keep this around. It is so good I can actually dip bacon into it. Thanks Erica for sharing!

1/2 cup chunky peanut butter

1/2 cup peanut oil

1/4 cup white wine vinegar

1/4 cup soy or tamar sauce

1/4 cup lemon juice

4 garlic cloves, minced

8 cilantro sprigs

2 teaspoons dried red chili pepper

2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh ginger

Blend all ingredients. Serve.

Italian Dressing

I use this to marinate meat, fish, and veggies before I grill them. Also as a dressing for salads. To make this a creamy Italian dressing—add 1 teaspoon mayonnaise and 3 teaspoons of water.

½ cup olive oil

¼ cup white wine vinegar

1 teaspoon dried Italian spices

1 ½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sugar

black pepper

½ teaspoon fresh minced garlic

Combine all ingredients in a blender on high until combined—about 30 seconds. Cover and refrigerate.

yum!

Picnics in the Valley

2009-04-27T11:01:00.000-07:00

(from the desk of the SVM foodie’s mom)

In planning and looking forward to a visit to the valley, I was thinking about all the fun things to do in the beautiful ID outdoors.

Picnics at Ketchum Alive, picnics at the top of Baldy, picnics in one of the many beautiful parks, picnics by those pristine rivers, picnics with family, picnics with friends. Picnics, picnics, picnics...which brings to mind one of the first little girls that packed a picnic basket: “Little Red Riding Hood” and her encounter with Grandma’s impostor. And as the wolf would say, “what better way to see you, my dear?”

Spring is here in the south and with that all our roadside stands, farmer’s markets and fruit stands and grocery stores are stocked with fresh strawberries. Soon the wild dewberries (blackberries) will be getting ripe in the briar patches that line ditch banks, fence lines and crop up in the most unusual places.

What would a picnic be without strawberry shortcake or berry cobbler? You can be as simple or as fancy as you like and as the wolf would say, “what better way to eat berries, my dear?”

Fresh Strawberry Pie

One way to enjoy strawberries is in a classic strawberry pie. This one is from the Official Louisiana Seafood and Wild Game Cookbook from the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries:

6 cups fresh strawberries

1 cup sugar

3 tablespoons cornstarch

2 tablespoons lemon juice

9 inch deep-dish pie crust, baked

1/2 cup whipping cream, whipped

Mash 3 cups strawberries in large saucepan with fork or potato masher. Add sugar and cornstarch and bring to simmer over medium heat. Stir until thickened and clear, 3-5 minutes. Blend in lemon juice. Remove from heat and let cool. Add the remaining 3 cups strawberries, reserving 4 or 5 for garnish. Spoon into crust. Top with whipped cream and garnish with reserved berries. Refrigerate pie; serve chilled.

Chef Chris’ Money Hill Plantation Lemon Beurre Blanc sauce

We don’t have mushrooms or asparagus that grows wild here, but I hear that you do. Both would be simply delicious to pop on the grill with a little lemon butter or a fancier lemon beurre blanc sauce. “What better way to eat freshly foraged goodies, my dear?”

1/2 tablespoon olive oil

1 large shallot chopped

2 cups white wine

½ cup heavy cream

8 ounces unsalted butter cut into cubes

1 lemon cut in half

salt and pepper

In a heavy sauté pan over high heat, sweat the shallot in olive oil. Pour in wine and reduce heat to medium. Add lemon (cut side down), salt & pepper and reduce to 1/3 of the original volume. Pour in heavy cream and reduce by half. Turn off heat and stir in butter one cube at a time with a wooden spoon. Pour through a fine strainer.

Serving suggestions: this is an easy sauce that is great over vegetables and any fish. Add 2 tablespoons of drained capers for an added kick.

Grilled Shrimp with Asparagus and Garlic Mayonnaise Dip

From the Louisiana Conservationist comes Grilled Shrimp with Asparagus and Garlic Mayonnaise Dip. This has an excellent method for cooking asparagus:

1 large egg

4 medium garlic cloves

1 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 hard-cooked egg yolk

1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 cups olive oil

2 pounds fresh asparagus

2 1/2 pounds uncooked large shrimp, peeled and deveined

olive oil

chives

Mayonnaise Dip: blend first 7 ingredients in processor. Gradually add 2 cups olive oil through tube and blend until smooth and thick. Transfer to bowl.

Blanch asparagus in boiling salted water, about 3 minutes, or until tender. Do not overcook. Plunge into ice water to stop cooking and drain. Set aside.

Prepare barbecue (high heat). Thread shrimp on skewers. Brush with olive oil. Cook until shrimp turn pink, about 2 minutes per side. When ready, place mayonnaise in center of platter and sprinkle with chives. Toss asparagus with 2 tablespoons lemon juice a dna pinch of dill. Remove shrimp from skewers. Arrange shrimp and asparagus around mayonnaise and serve immediately.

Rice Dressing with Oysters and Mushrooms

In the South, We like to stuff just about anything. Mushrooms would fall in that category—either stuffed, or in the stuffing. This is a side dish or stuffing that’s also from the

Official Louisiana Seafood and Wild Game Cookbook from the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. Cook's note: rice dressing is considered a side dish but it can be used as a stuffing.

2 cup cooked rice

2 tablespoons -4 tablespoons butter

1 medium chopped onion

1 chopped bell pepper

1 cup chopped celery

1 clove garlic, crushed

1 quart oysters

1 pint fresh mushrooms

½ cup chopped parsley

½ cup chopped green onions

salt, pepper, hot sauce to taste

Melt butter and add onions, celery, bell pepper, garlic, and mushrooms. Sauté until soft, add oysters. Simmer slowly, add parsley and green onions. Season to taste and mix thoroughly with hot cooked rice. If too dry, add some chicken stock. Serve immediately or put into casserole and reheat at 300 degrees only until heated through.

Caramelized Onion and Bacon-smothered Exotic Mushrooms

This recipe comes from Emeril’s Delmonico: “This recipe may look simple but the flavor is incredible, making this an often-requested recipe from Delmonico diners. The mushrooms are initially roasted to intensify their flavor as well as to prevent them from getting mushy. Serve these mushrooms alongside steak or chicken."

1 1/4 pounds exotic mushrooms (such as shitake, crimini and oyster), wiped clean and stems removed

3 tablespoons olive oil

½ teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 strips bacon, chopped

5 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 pound yellow onions , thinly sliced

1/3 cup chicken stock or canned low-sodium chicken broth

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the mushrooms in a large bowl, drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil and toss to coat with the salt and pepper. Spread the mushrooms on a large baking sheet and roast for 10 minutes. Set aside to cool. Cook the bacon in a small skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp and the fat is rendered, 4-5 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Heat 4 tablespoons of the butter in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions, reduce the heat to medium-low, cook slowly, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and caramelized, about 35 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Heat the remaining 1 tablespoons olive oil in another large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring until tender, about 4 min. Add the caramelized onions and bacon and cook until heated through, about 1 min. Add the chicken stock and cook, stirring to deglaze the pan, about 1 min. Add the remaining 1 tablespoons butter and cook, stirring for 30 seconds. Serve immediately.

Thanks mom—these recipes are completely yum!

Sun Valley Slack Specials

2009-04-23T10:59:00.000-07:00

It is that time of year again around the Wood River Valley—slack—and I am loving it for lots of reasons. I like the slight slow down in pace. I enjoy going out and seeing the locals who, though we enjoy our home year-round, seem to hibernate when the area is inundated with tourists. Typically I find that I will see more people I know in the next month than I will run into for the entire summer season and it is great to catch up. What better time then now to reconnect with all of our friends and neighbors over a bite to eat at some of the Valley’s finest eating establishments? It is time to slow down, grab your cruiser bike, and enjoy the town. Check out and take advantage of the Slack Specials that the awesome eateries are offering, but act quickly—some of these only last through April (and be sure to tell them I sent you!) . . .

http://www.sunvalleymag.com/Blogs/yum/Spring-2009/Slack-Specials/index.php?cparticle=3&siarticle=2#artanc

Welcome April!!

2009-03-31T10:55:00.000-07:00

Molly—my older sister, 6 years my senior—always refered to herself as the "Queen of Everything"; while I got the title "The Princess of Quite A Lot". Growing up I thought it was awesome to be a princess. I mention this because Molly has been on my mind often lately because she just had my new nephew—Sweet Baby James—and her birthday is the first week of April. I happen to know a LOT of people that are either Aries and Taurus—my brother, cousins, and many friends—and birthdays are a reason for cake and pie. A beautiful thing, in my mind and something I am always ready to jump up and make for the occasion. The Cake Doctor is a book I have, highly recommend, and will let you borrow if you don’t have the time to make a cake. But check out the following recipes for some of my favorites—an easy apple pie—and the best cheesecake ever. So happy birthday Molly—and all the April babies—I hope you are enjoying being the "Queen of Everything".

Easy Apple Pie

People swear you need to make your own crust—and prebake the apples. Two things that take time and I can’t tell the difference in the end result. So go grab some Pillsbury pie crusts and this yummy pie can be whipped up in about 10 minutes plus baking time. I get rave reviews every time. Cooks note: change it up by making a pear pie or using different apples (I like Rome Beautys, Wynsaps, or Cortlands mixed with a granny or two).

6 large apples; peeled, cored, and chopped or sliced

Unbaked pastry for two crust pie

1 tablespoon lemon juice

2 tablespoon flour

½ cup sugar

½ cup brown sugar

¾ teaspoon cinnamon

¾ teaspoon ginger

¾ teaspoon nutmeg

dash of salt

3 tablespoon butter or margarine

Tip: Place a cookie sheet under your pie as the apples and sugars will combine and can boil over.

Place apples in unbaked pie shell. Sprinkle lemon juice over apples. Mix flour, sugars, and spices. Sprinkle flour mixture over apples. Dot with butter. Cover pie with top crust. Make cuts to look pretty and vent. Bake at 450 for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 and bake for another 45 minutes.

Lemon Pie

This is a no-baker. I have one that is a bit more involved (home-made graham cracker crust and filling) but this one works if you only have about 5 minutes to mix it up. Cooks Note—great to make at lunch and let chill. Needs to be in the fridge for AT LEAST 2 hours.

1 can condensed milk

1 small can thawed lemonade

1 small carton cool whip

graham cracker crust pie

In a bowl, mix the condensed milk and lemonade. Mix together, then fold in the cool whip. Pour into the pie crust and let chill for several hours. Serve cold.

Best of the best cheesecake

John Clancy’s Baking Book

re: Best of the best #5/cheesecake, Family Circle, 1975

A family/birthday favorite that my Mom made me every year. It is a labor of love - but one of the few things I regularly take on because it is worth it. Soooo good. Bake @ 350 for 1 hr. 15 min. Makes 1 nine-inch cake. Cooks note - you need a springform pan

CRUST:

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs

3 tablespoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

5 tablespoons sweet butter, melted

FILLING:

measure all ingredients, grate lemon rind and juice lemons before starting

3 pkg. (8oz. each) cream cheese (room temperature)

11/4 cup sugar

6 eggs separated, also room temperature (do this before starting)

chill a stainless steel bowl and the beaters in the fridge

1 (1 pint/16 oz.) container dairy sour cream (room temperature)

1/3 cup all purpose flour

Grated rind of 3 large lemons (mixed w/ 1/2-1t. flour)@room temperature

juice of 2 lemons (do this before mixing)

2 teaspoon vanilla

For the Crust:

1. generously grease a 9x3” springform pan w/ butter. Place pan in a 12” square of heavy duty foil and press foil up around sides of pan.

2. combine graham cracker crumbs, sugar, cinnamon in small bowl. Pour melted butter over crumbs a little @ a time. Stir until well blended. Press mixture into bottom and side of pan. CHILL while making filling.

For the rest of the cake:

1. grate lemon rind onto wax paper, sprinkle w/ flour and stir to blend.

2. separate eggs (always do this one @ a time in a small bowl and transfer to larger bowl). You’ll finish w/ 1 bowl of yolks and 1 bowl of whites. Heat oven.

3. With hand mixer (or wooden spoon), beat cream cheese in large bowl until soft. Gradually add sugar until light and fluffy.

4. Beat in egg yolks, one @ a time, until well-blended. Stir in sour cream, flour and vanilla. Blend.

5. Then, using spatula, fold in the lemon rind (mixed w/ flour) AND juice. Stir until smooth. (You’ll use the spatula to blend from now on.)

6. Use large mixer to beat egg whites (w/chilled beaters in chilled stainless steel bowl) until they hold stiff peaks.

7. Using spatula, gently fold whites into cheese mixture (soufflé fashion), until well blended. Pour into prepared pan.

8. Bake in moderate oven (350 degrees) 1 hr.-1hr. 15 min. or until top is golden.

9. Turn off oven and allow cake to cool in oven for 1 hr.

10. Remove cake from oven and allow to cool on wire rack @ room temperature.

11. Chill overnight before serving. May dust w/powdered sugar just before serving (I never do).

I know it looks hard - which is why I did a step-by-step. I promise that if you follow the recipe and take your time, you will be thrilled.

Busy Little Bees, Spring is Here

2009-03-24T10:49:00.000-07:00

As I post this blog—I apologize to my readers that it is a day late. I have now been in the Valley for two years and I have noticed that my time fills up more quickly as I discover new passions (snowboarding, hiking instead of strolling, road 'cruiser' biking, fly fishing) and as I meet new interesting people. Along with getting to know my environment more intimately, spring, spring break, spring cleaning, dog hikes, jobs, and a NEW AND SHINY Sun Valley Magazine coming your way, I have been quite the busy little bee. I love it though so, no excuses, just an explanation.

Right now, I realize that I am so consumed with my daily activities that food isn't the first thing I think of in the morning and finding time to cook is a challenge—and I find myself wishing for a cooking fairy (JHT-this so means you) for the first time in my life. For those of you reading this rolling your eyes that this is a first for me, let me assure you that I don't have kids (so I am sure I don't quite understand 'busy'), just an awesome bulldog that is easy to feed. I need a cooking fairy that has the ability to feed me, instead of me feeding myself. Now, I realize that the kitchen can be a scary place for some people so I have posted some ideas and recipes using the basics (chicken breast or ground meat) to show you that you too can be a cooking fairy. So if you find yourself needing to step up to the plate or want to make a good and quick meal—check these out—and invite me to dinner!

Salad

Ok. They aren't my favorite things to make but are pretty, cheap, easy, and filling. Easily varied with tomatoes, avocado, and different cheeses.

1 bag of cleaned spring greens

1 apple, chopped

6 ounces of a soft, crumbled cheese that you like (goat or blue)

1/2 bag Craisens

1/2 cup of nuts (peanuts, almonds, walnuts, pecans)

1/2 cup good olive oil

1/3 cup good balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons spicy mustard

salt and pepper

In a salad bowl, combine first 5 ingredients. In a separate mixing container (I use glass jars), combine remaining ingredients for dressing and mix well. Pour dressing over salad and serve.

Chicken Breasts:

Check your fridge because I bet you have most of the ingredients for the following recipes:

Cheesy Ranch Chicken

This was/is a staple for me. It is so easy to have a cooked meal in under an hour.

4 chicken breasts

1 cup prepared Ranch dressing

1 cup grated cheese (something meltable—cheddar or mozzarella are yum)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place chicken in a casserole dish and pour ranch over chicken. Cook for 30 - 40 minutes, until the chicken is cooked and juices run clear. Top with cheese and cook for 5 more minutes. Serve.

Grilled Chicken with Salsa

This recipe can be altered by using different toppings. Try salsa verde with tomatillos, an avocado and tomato salsa, or a papaya salsa to liven it up.

4 chicken breasts

seasoning

1/2 can black beans

1 mango, peeled, cored, chopped

1/2 red onion, chopped

1/2 cup cilantro, chopped

1/4 cup fresh lime juice

Season chicken and let it soak up the spices. Grill chicken until cooked. Combine remaining ingredients for a salsa and top chicken. Serve.

Chicken Pot Pie

It is all about the 'goo' in the chicken pot pie.

3 chicken breasts, cooked and diced

2 prepared pie shells

2-3 cups any chopped veggies that you think would be good (I like the frozen spring blend of onions, peas, carrots, broccoli, etc)

flour

chicken broth

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook veggies in chicken broth. Add flour one tablespoon at a time until broth becomes thick and gooey. The goo is very important. Add chicken. Put in pie and cook for 30 minutes or until set.

Ground meat.

Burgers are classic. As are tacos. Lasagna is easy here. Just cook meat, get the noodles you don't have to precook—and run with it. A great way to feed a number of people and make yourself look like you slaved. But I always loved easy stromboli.

Stromboli

I made this in college because it was so affordable and still make it now because it is good. Kids love it, it is a great lunch, and you can vary the recipe easily by choosing different vegetables or upgrade it by using bison meat or elk.

1 loaf french bread

1 - 1 1/2 pound lean ground meat

1 onion

1 bell pepper

1 cup pizza sauce

2 cups shredded mozzarella

Cut bread in half, long ways, and tunnel out each side of the bread (I usually toast the tunneled out part for homemade croutons). Set bread on a big piece of tin foil to reduce mess and for easy cooking. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Saute meat and drain. Add vegetables and saute for 5 minutes, until they are slightly cooked. Pour your mixture on one side of the bread. Top with pizza sauce and cheese. Put the top on the bread and wrap up in tinfoil. Bake for 25 minutes, remove from oven, slice bread, serve.

Beannachtam na Feile Padraig!

2009-03-16T10:45:00.000-07:00

Saint Patrick was a gentleman, Who through strategy and stealth,

Drove all the snakes from Ireland,

Here’s a toasting to his health.

But not too many toastings,

Lest you lose yourself and then

Forget the good Saint Patrick,

And see all those snakes again.

If you haven’t noticed these last weeks—I LOVE Saint Patrick’s Day. I celebrate the heck out of it, look good in green and enjoy toasting. To anything. As I have been gearing up for the big day I noted that though I appear to be decidedly black Irish, in reality I am a mix of bloods and backgrounds—not as varied as some—more eclectic than others. But for now and to quote my favorite movie (that I will be watching tomorrow night. Boondock Saints—A chick flick in my mind—those brothers. those accents. ‘nough said), “Yeah, it is Saint Patty’s Day. Everyone is Irish tonight.”

So grab some Guinness and get creative. Try the Guinness and meat pie from last week. Enjoy the day and learn some new toasts. And let me be the first to say, “Slainte!” (pronounced 'slawn-cha', meaning Health! A common toast in Ireland, the equivalent to ‘Cheers’).

Health, and long life to you ,

Land without rent to you 

The partner of your heart to you 

and when you die

may your bones rest in Ireland!

Dubliner and Guinness

Cheese and beer. yum!

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened

7 fluid ounces Guinness® Draught Beer

1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 clove garlic, minced

1 (8 ounce) package Dubliner Irish cheese, shredded

Place the cream cheese in the bowl of a food processor; pulse the cream cheese while adding the Guinness and Worcestershire sauce. Add the garlic and Dubliner cheese; process until smooth. Spoon the mixture into a serving bowl; cover. Chill in refrigerator overnight or 8 hours before serving.

May you always have a clean shirt,

a clear conscience,

and enough coins in your pocket to buy a pint!

Jitters

Everyone knows the Irish Coffee, Black and Tan, Half and Half, and Black Velvet. Even an Irish Car Bomb. Here I am sharing a classic that my brother and his friend Ray concocted. A perfect way to start your day. My brother is a genius.

I pint Guinness

1 espresso shot

Drop the shot into the Guinness. Enjoy your breakfast.

May your blessings out number 

The shamrocks that grow, 

And may trouble avoid you 

Wherever you go.

Guinness-Oil Salad Dressing

A great way to add a little Irish into your daily diet.

A piquant dressing for tossed green salads.

1/2 cup oil 

1/3 cup beer 

1/4 tsp dry mustard 

 1/4 tsp salt 

1/8 tsp freshly ground pepper 

dash garlic powder

Process ingredients in a blender or shake vigorously in a covered jar. Makes about 3/4 cups.

Wherever you go and whatever you do,   

May the luck of the Irish be there with you.

Guinness Stout Ice Cream

Ice cream and beer. Best of both worlds. Yields: about 2 cups. Special equipment: an ice cream maker

3 egg yolks 

 2 tablespoons sugar 

1 cup milk 

 2 tablespoons heavy cream 

1 pint Guinness Stout (reduced)

First, if the bowl of your ice cream maker has to be frozen, make sure you do so. In a sauce pan bring the pint of Guinness to a boil and let it reduce to about half to concentrate the flavor. Whip the egg yolks and sugar until pale and thick. In another sauce pan bring the milk and cream to a boil. Pour the boiling milk mixture over the yolks and whisk continuously. Return to sauce pan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens just enough to coat a spatula. Do not allow the mixture to boil. Pass though a fine strainer or 2 layers of cheesecloth. Cover loosely and quickly place in an ice bath. Whisk in the Guinness Stout reduction. Churn in an ice cream machine according to the manufactures instructions.

Have a great St. Patty's Day!

Now the We have Sprung. . .

2009-03-09T10:42:00.000-07:00

Sprung forward and lost an hour of sleep. There was some grumbling until I realized how much I love longer afternoons. Which I find sweet because there is more time to just do stuff. And while we all readjust, we have St. Patrick’s Day to look forward to. Now I know I am a bit early but I feel that this day—this awesome Irish holiday—is important and needs two weeks of attention. Just to cover the history, folklore, fun, and traditions alone will take some time—not including the recipes! So start wearing green early, keep a look out of what is going on around town and check out these traditionally Irish recipes (Personally, I can’t wait for the Apple's to Grumpy's parade!) Blog source: www.history.com

Irish Soda Bread

It is a 'traditional' Irish bread because it is cheap and easy and everyone could make it without yeast. Even when there was famine.

4 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup white sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 eggs

1 pint sour cream

1 cup raisins

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease two 8x4 inch loaf pans.

Mix the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add the eggs, sour cream and raisins and mix until just combined. Distribute batter evenly between the two pans.

Bake loaves at 325 degrees F (165 degrees C) for 1 hour.

Corned Beef and Cabbage

This is the traditional ‘St Pat’s Day’ meal.Though cabbage has long been an Irish food, corned beef only began to be associated with St. Patrick's Day at the turn of the century. Irish immigrants living on New York City's Lower East Side substituted corned beef for their traditional dish of Irish bacon to save money. They learned about the cheaper alternative from their Jewish neighbors.

5 pounds corned brisket of beef

6 peppercorns, or packaged pickling spices 

3 carrots, peeled and quartered 

3 onions, peeled and quartered 

1 medium-sized green cabbage, quartered or cut in wedges 

Melted butter (about 4 tablespoons)

Place the corned beef in water to cover with the peppercorns or mixed pickling spices (in supermarkets, these often come packaged with the corned beef). Cover the pot or kettle, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 5 hours or until tender, skimming occasionally. During the last hour, add the carrots and onions and cover again. During the last 15 minutes, add the cabbage. Transfer meat and vegetables to a platter and brush the vegetables with the melted butter. Serve with boiled parsley potatoes, cooked separately. (The stock can be saved to add to a pot roast or stew instead of other liquid.)

Steak and Guiness Pie

Cooks' note:  Stew (without pastry) can be made 2 days ahead, cooled completely, and chilled, covered. Bring to room temperature before using. Special equipment: 4 (14-oz) deep bowls or ramekins (4 to 5 inches wide) or similar-capacity ovenproof dishes.

2 lb boneless round steak, cut into 1-inch pieces 

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 

1 teaspoon salt 

1/2 teaspoon black pepper 

1 tablespoons vegetable oil 

2 large onion, coarsely chopped 

2 garlic cloves, chopped 

3 tablespoons water 

5 slices of bacon

1 1/2 tablespoons tomato paste 

1 cup beef broth 

1 cup Guinness or other Irish stout 

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 

2 teaspoons drained brined green peppercorns, coarsely chopped 

2 fresh thyme sprigs 

Rough puff pastry dough 

1 large egg, lightly beaten 

1 tablespoon water 

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Pat beef dry. Stir together flour, salt, and pepper in a shallow dish. Add beef, turning to coat, then shake off excess and transfer to a plate. Brown the bacon in a wide 5- to 6-quart ovenproof heavy pot over moderately high heat. If there are enough drippings to brown the meat, begin—if not, add oil and heat until just smoking, then brown meat in 3 batches, turning occasionally, about 5 minutes per batch, transferring to a bowl. Add onion, garlic, and water to pot and cook, scraping up any brown bits from bottom of pot and stirring frequently, until onion is softened. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Stir in beef with any juices accumulated in bowl, broth, beer, Worcestershire sauce, peppercorns, and thyme and bring to a simmer, then cover and transfer to oven. Braise until beef is very tender and sauce is thickened, about 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours. Discard thyme and cool stew completely, uncovered, about 30 minutes. (If stew is warm while assembling pies, it will melt uncooked pastry top.)

Put a shallow baking pan on middle rack of oven and increase oven temperature to 425°F. Divide cooled stew among bowls (they won't be completely full). Roll out pastry dough on a lightly floured surface with a lightly floured rolling pin into a 13-inch square, about 1/8 inch thick. Trim edges and cut dough into quarters. Stir together egg and water and brush a 1-inch border of egg wash around each square. Invert 1 square over each bowl and drape, pressing sides lightly to help adhere. Brush pastry tops with some of remaining egg wash and freeze 15 minutes to thoroughly chill dough. Bake pies in preheated shallow baking pan until pastry is puffed and golden brown, about 20 minutes.Reduce oven temperature to 400°F and bake 5 minutes more to fully cook dough.

The love of the Irish

The First Parade

The first St. Patrick's Day parade took place not in Ireland, but in the United States. Irish soldiers serving in the English military marched through New York City on March 17, 1762. Along with their music, the parade helped the soldiers to reconnect with their Irish roots, as well as fellow Irishmen serving in the English army.

The Chicago River

Chicago is also famous for a somewhat peculiar annual event: dyeing the Chicago River green. The tradition started in 1962, when city pollution-control workers used dyes to trace illegal sewage discharges and realized that the green dye might provide a unique way to celebrate the holiday. That year, they released 100 pounds of green vegetable dye into the river—enough to keep it green for a week! Today, in order to minimize environmental damage, only forty pounds of dye are used, making the river green for only several hours.

Wearing of the Green Goes Global

Today, St. Patrick's Day is celebrated by people of all backgrounds in the United States, Canada, and Australia. Although North America is home to the largest productions, St. Patrick's Day has been celebrated in other locations far from Ireland, including Japan, Singapore, and Russia. In modern-day Ireland, St. Patrick's Day has traditionally been a religious occasion. In fact, up until the 1970s, Irish laws mandated that pubs be closed on March 17. Beginning in 1995, however, the Irish government began a national campaign to use St. Patrick's Day as an opportunity to drive tourism and showcase Ireland to the rest of the world. Last year, close to one million people took part in Ireland 's St. Patrick's Festival in Dublin, a multi-day celebration featuring parades, concerts, outdoor theater productions, and fireworks shows.

The Shamrock

The shamrock, which was also called the "seamroy" by the Celts, was a sacred plant in ancient Ireland because it symbolized the rebirth of spring. By the seventeenth century, the shamrock had become a symbol of emerging Irish nationalism. As the English began to seize Irish land and make laws against the use of the Irish language and the practice of Catholicism, many Irish began to wear the shamrock as a symbol of their pride in their heritage and their displeasure with English rule.

Les Le Laissez Bon Temps Rouler

2009-02-23T10:28:00.000-08:00

Or, as they say in Louisiana “Les Le Laissez Bon Temps Rouler.” And this Mardi Gras season, the good times are rolling and so are the parades. Being from southern Louisiana, I can honestly say that Mardi Gras is a time, a holiday season, an event – one that you live through, enjoy, and work to survive. I love it, miss it, and forever wish I was in Louisiana during Fat Tuesday. Being a veteran of such a party, I feel that a survival guide is needed for anyone attempting to celebrate it here in snow country. So if you are in the spirit this week–or weekend (hello, Marley in the Mountains!), please use the following information to keep you hydrated, fed, and feeling good.

The Must Haves

Each and every one of the following has saved my life, and my Mardi Gras:

(*please note:this list has been adapted for altitude and snow.)

A beanie (for so many reasons…In Louisiana, this would be bandana—and, really, you may want one of those too, for so many other reasons) 

A Costume. For Fat Tuesday (if not prepared, grab any sheet—toga!!!) 

Sunglasses and sunscreen 

A down parka or windbreaker (Mountain weather is slightly unpredictable . . . just as Louisiana weather can be—if down South bring an umbrella or rain parka ) 

Some hand warmers or foot warmers. (See weather explanation above) 

Snacks—Doritos, pretzels, sweets, anything that is munchies. 

A koozie (keep your drink cold, your hand warm) 

Water  (hydration while at altitude is essential, hydration while drinking at altitude is elemental)

Excedrin. (Or what we call, Candy. Painkiller plus caffeine—the end all be all do all of over-the-counter get rid of the fog and ready for the day kinda candy.) 

A camera—can’t forget watching your friends make fools of themselves (or relations doing the same—and the images are always fun later around the table at Christmas) 

A cooler with wheels (read: easy to transport and walk down parade routes) to hold the following: 

 • beers 

• Ice (both to keep the beers cold and to make drinks) 

• Vodka 

• Tequila 

• Gin 

• Bourbon 

• OJ (because it mixes with everything and you get some Vitamin C—very needed. Lets just say very needed.) 

• Peach Schnapps (to mix with the OJ and vodka. Be warned. This can be fatal) 

• And type of cola—for the bourbon 

 • Anything and everything to make Bloody Marys (the olives double as snacks)

Tip. DO NOT ATTEMPT to make white russians. Milk is not a good idea at Mardi Gras. I will just share my infinite wisdom here, and not the story.

What to know:

Every single burger place (or fried chicken establishment) in the vicinity. This is necessary to cure the morning hangover. Vitamin G— Grease and carbs—is often the only way to make it through Mardi Gras in New Orleans. Make sure the restaurant of your choice has cheese and bacon.

These are the WRV Locales:

Grumpy’s (860 Warm Springs Road, Ketchum)

Lefty’s (231 Sixth Street, Ketchum)

Mahoney’s (104 S Main Street, Bellevue)

Cowboy Cocina (1st St. Meriwether Building, Hailey)

The Wicked Spud (305 N Main Street, Hailey)

And since I am in Idaho and not New Orleans, I am going to surround myself with friends, let the good times roll, and celebrate Fat Tuesday! Do the same!—stay home and listen to some tunes, or head out and around town and check out what is going on in the Valley. If y’all hear anything or can add – please post

Tuesday, February 24th: What I have heard around town

Sun Valley Brewery

drinks, happy hour, and a band

Mardi Gras Party 6p.m.-9p.m. Damphools start at 7:30. Special New Orleans drink menu

three•TEN•main

special southern menu, get a reservation, and enjoy!

And if you DO make it to New Orleans for Mardi Gras, follow the following Do’s and Do Nots.

For your food fix:

Port Of Call (838 Esplanade Ave) 

Yo Mama’s (727 St. Peter—dude. Bacon Peanutbutter Burger. Need I say more? I shouldn't have to.)

Do write down where you are staying. The hotel name. A phone number. Do not think you are above this. 

Be nice. 

Have fun. 

Remember to eat.

Do not—as a local—under any circumstances flash for beads. There are many reasons for this rule. The most important being, when you wake up with a pile of beads and a faint recollection of nudity—you might feel cheap. And nobody likes that.

 Do not go to central lock-up (the jail)—it is not a vacation and your mom might not bail you out.

The Presidential Palate

2009-02-16T10:19:00.000-08:00

The 200th anniversary of Lincoln’s birth. Washington’s Birthday. And to celebrate both with a day off work—Presidents' Day. But what about all the other leaders of our nation whose names never get mentioned for this holiday? I find myself thinking of them as I anticipate my three-day weekend and I wonder why their great contributions are not celebrated. To remedy this grave injustice of American history, this year, I am going to specifically celebrate William H. Taft (1909-1913).

I chose Taft for a number of reasons. I like his name. He was the largest president ever elected (standing 6’2” and more than 300 pounds). He is credited with starting the “first pitch” tradition in baseball. He got stuck in a bathtub and had a new one installed in the White House that was 7 feet long. He is the only person to have served as both President of the U.S. and Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. Taft liked milk so much that he brought his own cows to the White House. One cow’s name was Pauline. Taft had a sweet mustache. And finally—back to baseball—he allegedly inspired the 7th inning stretch during the game at which he initiated the first pitch by standing and stretching during the 7th inning. The rest of the crowd reverently followed suit and the 7th inning stretch was born.

HOW MORE AMERICAN CAN YOU GET? All Washington did was cut down a cherry tree while Taft and his wife Nellie planted the Japanese cherry blossoms that D.C. celebrates every spring. So I say “Go Taft!” on this President’s Day. And I hope you will join me in celebrating those that history has overlooked. Pick Polk, Harrison, Fillmore, or Buchanan, and give them the love. And just for kicks—I am posting some presidential favorites and fun facts.

Turtle Soup

This was President Taft’s favorite dish and since 2009 is the year of William Taft (as proclaimed by us here at yum!), we will start there. (James Garfield loves squirrel soup—but even though I am from Louisiana—I am not down with that). This is Chef John Folse’s Creole Turtle Soup. Prep time: 2 Hours: Serves: 12.

This soup may be made with equal success using alligator, ox tail or any other soup meat. The use of grated eggs in this recipe is a carryover from when we used the fresh turtle eggs in the dish.

3 pounds cleaned snapping turtle

2 onions, quartered

1 stick celery, chopped

4 cloves garlic

1 bay leaf

2 gallons beef stock

1 cup vegetable oil

1 1/2 cups flour

4 cups diced onions

2 cups diced celery

1 cup diced bell pepper

1/4 cup minced garlic

1/2 cup tomato sauce

4 quarts reserved beef stock

2 whole bay leaves

1/2 tsp thyme

1/2 tsp allspice

Pinch of nutmeg

Pinch of mace

Pinch of cloves

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/4 cup Heinz Chow Chow

1/2 cup Madeira wine

3 boiled eggs, grated

Salt and cracked black pepper to taste

In a 3-gallon stock pot, combine turtle with beef stock or water, quarter onions, celery, garlic and bay leaf. Bring to a rolling boil and reduce to simmer. Cook until turtle is falling apart, 1 - 1 1/2 hours. Strain and reserve 1 gallon of stock. Discard vegetables and coarsely chopped turtle meat.

In a two-gallon stock pot, heat oil over medium high heat. Add flour and using a wire whisk, stir constantly until roux is golden brown. Do not scorch. Should black specks appear, discard and begin again. Add onions, celery, bell peppers, and garlic. Sauté three to five minutes or until vegetables are wilted. Add tomato sauce blending well into the roux mixture. Add beef stock, one ladle at a time, stirring constantly until soup-like consistency is achieved. Additional stock may be needed during cooking to maintain consistency. Add turtle, bay leaf and season to taste with thyme, allspice, nutmeg, mace, and cloves. Add lemon juice and Chow Chow, bring to a low boil, reduce to simmer and cook approximately one to one and a half hours or until soup has developed its great flavor. Season to taste using salt and pepper. When ready to serve garnish with a tablespoon of Madeira wine and a tablespoon grated boiled eggs per serving.

Blueberry Banana Pancakes

Random I know—but pancakes are listed as at least five presidents' favorites: Andrew Jackson, Thomas Jefferson, Calvin Coolidge, FDR, and LBJ. And who doesn’t love pancakes? I can't remember where this recipe originated as it has slowly morphed into perfection. Knowing me, it was Self Magazine as these have healthier wheat flour. prep 10 minutes, cook 10-15 minutes

cooking spray

1 cup whole-wheat flour

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 cup frozen blueberries

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 ripe bananas

1 cup milk

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

syrup—I like maple. good Vermont maple syrup.

Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Coat a griddle or large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and preheat. In a medium bowl, combine both flours, sugar, baking powder, salt, mix well with a fork and set aside. In a large bowl or food processor, mash bananas until mushy. Add milk, egg, and vanilla and mix or process until blended. Add dry ingredients to banana mixture and mix until just blended (tiny lumps will appear). Ladle about 3-4 tablespoons of the batter onto hot griddle for each pancake. Top each with 1-2 tablespoons of blueberries. When bubbles appear around the edges of pancakes, after about 2-3 minutes, flip and cook one minute. Transfer pancakes to a warm plate and keep warm in a 250 degree F oven while you cook remaining pancakes. Serve pancakes with syrup.

Bacon Margherita Pizza

Celebrate Obama. The Main Man likes the margherita pizza from Italian Fiesta Pizzeria in Chicago’s Hyde Park. I love the margherita but feel that bacon makes everything better. I dig the pig (and did I mention I worked at Piggly Wiggly in high school? Oh yeah. Yes, you can.).

12" prepared pizza dough (I like to get the frozen Pillsbury kind, roll it out and cook it for about 5 minutes to pre-bake)

3 Tablespoons olive oil

2 garlic cloves, separated and crushed

4-5 plum tomatoes, chopped

1/2 cup of basil leaves, chopped

6 strips of cooked bacon, chopped

4 ounces Gruyère cheese, grated (this can be substituted for part skim mozzarella or any pizza cheese)

4 ounces whole milk buffalo mozzarella, sliced

1/2 teaspoon of salt - I use creole seasoning

Follow the directions for the dough and while your it is pre-baking, combine 2 tablespoons of olive oil, tomatoes, one garlic clove, and salt and let marinate. When dough is a bit firm (about 5 minutes), lightly brush with remaining olive oil and gruyere cheese, top with tomatoes, bacon, and mozzarella and bake for 3-5 more minutes, until crust is golden and mozzarella is melted. Remove from oven and top with basil. Slice. Serve.

Valentine's Day - take it or leave it, but LOVE the food.

2009-02-09T10:00:00.000-08:00

Valentine’s Day is upon us so we all know that this week will be filled with candies, chocolate, romance, nausea for some of us, and everything pink. I would like to be the first to wish everyone either a “Happy Valentine’s Day” or a “Happy commercialized and shallow manipulation of a day set to celebrate love”.

I have had both kinds of V-days: In love, stars, and romantic dinners out—to cynical groups of men-hating women celebrating the fact that love is dead. I think one needs both experiences to come around and just enjoy the day. No matter whom you spend it with or what it means to you—celebrate the one thing or person that you love the most. And for me that means food (believe me, my bulldog Monty is getting a peanut butter and dog food heart-shaped cookie!).

This Saturday get your reservations early and check out the menus around the Valley as this is going to be one of the busiest weekends this year. You could even go boogie at the Rosie with DJ Lenny at 10. But if going out isn’t your thing or you want a more personal touch then bring it home and get out all the recipes. I have set up a V-day party (with a music list because I am that good) to either wow your cutie (and mine is so cute!) or to keep the cynics thinking the glass is half empty.

Starters

Mozzarella and Roasted Red Onion Crostini

This is a yummy starter I found in the book, Antipasti Made Easy. It is really beautiful on a plate because of the purple color of the onions and green basil. The onions can be made a day in advance and stored in the fridge. Special Equipment: lemon zester

Ingredients

4 red onions, peeled and cut into wedges

Olive oil for drizzling

2 tablespoon sugar

6 slices country bread

Salt and pepper

8 ounces mozzarella, cut into bit-sized pieces

1 small bunch of basil

Pre-heat the oven to 400F. Place the onions on a baking tray, drizzle with oil and sprinkle with the sugar. Cook until the become golden and soft—usually 30 minutes. Heat the pan until hot, drizzle the bread with oil and grill on both sides. Slice the bread in half, drizzle with more oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place the cheese and onions on the toast, season, top with basil leaves and drizzle with oil.

Creamy Two Hearts Salad

This serves two so adjust for the right amount of guests. Recipe from a great cookbook, Small Parties.

Ingredients for the Salad

½ head radicchio, torn into bite-sized pieces

½ head Bibb or Boston lettuce, torn into bite-sized pieces

4 hearts of palm, cut into 1-inch pieces on diagonal (from a can of hearts of palm)

4 artichoke hearts, cut into quarters (from a can of artichoke hearts)

2 ounces of chevre or goat cheese, crumbled

2 tablespoons chopped toasted walnuts

2 large slices red bell pepper cut into hears with a cookie cutter for garnish

Ingredients for the Dressing

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon Kosher salt

¼ teaspoon ground white pepper

In medium bowl, gently toss the ingredients for salad. In separate bowl, whisk ingredients for dressing in a bowl and refrigerate until ready to serve over salad. Drizzle over salad, garnish, and serve.

Main Course

Tuscan Pork Chops

This recipe is sooo good—one of my deal closers. I like to serve it with potatoes and green beans. It serves four.

Ingredients

¼ cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

¾ teaspoon seasoned pepper

4 (1” thick) boneless pork chops

1 tablespoon boneless pork chops

1 tablespoon olive oil

4-5 garlic cloves, pressed

1/3 cup balsamic vinegar

1/3 cup chicken broth

3 plum tomatoes, seeded and diced

2 tablespoons capers

Garnish: fresh parsley sprigs

Combine flour, salt and pepper in a shallow dish, dredge pork in mix. Heat oil. Cook pork cops in hot oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat for two minutes on each side and they are golden brown. Remove chops from skillet. Add garlic to skillet and sauté one minute. Add vinegar and broth, stirring to loosen particles from bottom of skillet, stir in tomatoes and capers. Return chops to skillet and bring sauce to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer 4-5 minutes or until pork is done. Serve chops with tomato mixture and garnish.

Dessert

Poached pear with Hot Chocolate and Cardamom sauce.

Serves 6. This all can be made the day before and kept in the fridge.

Ingredients

6 pears, peeled, leaving stem intact.

Juice of one lemon

1 vanilla pod, split (these are $$ so sub for a bit of extract if it can’t be done)

1 tablespoon sugar

Sauce

12 ounces dark chocolate (use one with a cocoa content of at least 45%)

8 tablespoons of water

2 tablespoons of golden syrup (I use corn syrup)

½ ounce butter

1 cardamom pod, crushed

(I like to add about a ½ inch root of peeled and chopped ginger or some ginger powder to this—yum!)

In a large saucepan, sit pears in neatly, then cover with water and lemon juice. Add the whole vanilla pod and sugar and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook for about 40 minutes, till pears are soft. Pierce the underside of a pear to check, then carefully life the pears out of the water with a slotted spoon and pop to one side to cool. Keep in the fridge if making a day ahead. In a saucepan, add the chocolate, water, syrup, butter, cardamom pod and ginger. Melt over a low heat, stirring all the time. When it is all melted, remove from heat and pop to one side. You can reheat this when required—it will be lovely and glossy. Remove the cardamom pod and ginger root before serving. Place a cold pear on a dish and drizzle with the hot sauce. Serve.

The Drinks

Butter up your honey butter. Ok. That is a bit too much mush for me. Drink and be lovey.

The Big Easy Gin Fizz

Fizzes are served late morning in Louisiana. I am adding it here in case you need to prepare to handle the love of V-day.

9 ice cubes

2 ounces gin

½ ounce fresh lime juice

1 ounce fresh lemon juice

¼ ounce Cointreau

½ ounce simple syrup (see below)

2 to 3 ounces chilled club soda

Fill shaker with 6 ice cubes, gin, lime and lemon juice, Cointreau, and simple syrup and shake it up. Fill a highball glass with remaining ice cubes and strain mixed drink into glass. Add club soda to reach the top and garnish with lime, cherry, or lemon peel.

Drowning Love Bellini

Oh yeah. A little fresh fruit and bubbly.

¼ fresh peach, skinned

½ ounce crème de peche

champagne

cherry

Blend the peach and add to a champagne flute. Pour in the crème de peche and gently top with champagne, stirring carefully and continuously. Garnish with your cherry and serve.

Affair to Remember

Or at the very least, a drink to help you forget yours.

½ ounce Amaretto

½ ounce Triple sec

½ ounce vodka

½ ounce white Crème de Cacao

1 ounce cream

Shake all together with ice and strain and serve over ice in an Old Fashioned glass.

The Last Dance

It is always the bittersweet moment in the night. Before the lights come on. Here is a cocktail to match the mood.

1 ½ ounces of tequila

1 ounce Créme de Cacao

1 ½ ounces heavy cream

dash of grenadine

pinch of ground cinnamon

In a shaker half-filled with ice, combine the tequila, crème de cacao, cream and grenadine. Shake, strain, and serve in an old-fashioned glass. Serve.

The Music

What is music if not food for the soul? And in that thread, what were the 80’s and broken hearts without Bon Jovi and ‘Bad Medicine’???!!??

Love it

Anything by Johnny Cash or Al Green for me—can’t help it with the voices there. An easy and free way to get a playlist is Pandora.com. Love songs are standard though—go on your tastes. Here are some suggestions:

"Lay Lady Lay," Bob Dylan

"Love Me Tender," Elvis Presley

"Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic," The Police

"How Deep Is Your Love," The Bee Gees

"Let's Stay Together," by Al Green

"Love Song," The Cure

"Something," The Beatles

"Crazy in Love," Beyoncé

"I Want You To Want Me," Cheap Trick 

"My Girl," The Tempations"

"Pour Some Sugar on Me," Def Leppard

"I Walk The Line,” Johnny Cash

"Ring of Fire," Johnny Cash (fun fact – his wife, June Carter Cash – wrote this song)

"I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend," The Ramones

"Crash into Me," Dave Matthews

"Forever," Ben Harper

"At Last," Etta James

Hate it

As some celebrate Valentine's Day, let's all remember those poor, tortured souls who've been screwed over, dumped, or otherwise had their hearts broken. I've created this playlist especially for them. These are some of the most heartbreakingly beautiful tracks ever recorded and they will help you take your self pity to places not previously known to mankind (or womankind). Check out these:

"Walk Away," Ben Harper

"Love will Tear us Apart," Joy Division

"Untouchable Face," Ani Difranco

"Burn," Ray Lamontagne 

"He Stopped Loving Her Today," George Jones 

"Ain't No Sunshine," Bill Withers 

"Disintegration," The Cure 

"Wicked Game," Chris Isaak 

"Blue Moon Revisited (Song For Elvis)," Cowboy Junkies 

"Tears Are In Your Eyes," Yo La Tengo 

"Killing Me Softly With His Song," Roberta Flack

"Goodbye To Love," The Carpenters 

"Paper Wings," Gillian Welch

"Delicate (Live In Dublin)," Damien Rice

"Still I Long For Your Kiss," Lucinda Williams 

"Last Goodbye," Jeff Buckley

"Heartache Tonight," Eagles

"Hungry Heart," Bruce Springsteen

"Don't You Want Me," Human League

"Always on My Mind," Willie Nelson

"Everybody Hurts," REM

"Wonderful," Everclear

"Song Sung Blue,": Neil Diamond

"With or Without You," U2

"You Give Love a Bad Name," Bon Jovi

"I Can't Make You Love Me," Bonnie Raitt

"19th Nervous Breakdown," The Rolling Stones

"Leaving on a Jet Plane," John Denver

"Love Bites," Def Leppard

"I Guess That's Why They Call it The Blues," Elton John

"This is Not a Love Song," Nouveau Vague

"Bad Medicine" Bon Jovi

"Chains of Love," Erasure

"I will Survive," Gloria Gaynor

The Valentine

Because my new, shiny boyfriend is hella cute.

Duck, Duck, Duck, and no Goose?

2009-02-02T08:47:00.000-08:00

Yup, duck season is over. You have time to cook. Eating time is here.

I hope that you are enjoying a freezer full of fowl and are ready to start enjoying the benefits of a season well hunted. Here are some favorites I have collected to share—including my duck gumbo (it is my mom’s original—from the south—uber-yummy).

Duck Ramaki

This is a perfect recipe created by combining recipes from Janet and Preston Ziegler and Laurie Swall Christian. Thanks y'all!

2 duck breasts (approximately one duck), cubed into 1 to 1-1/2 pieces

1 package bacon, uncooked

1 can water chestnuts

1 package cream cheese

2 fresh jalapenos, sliced

1 onion, sliced

MARINADE

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons dry sherry (or sake)

1 tablespoon ginger, peeled, grated, fresh

2 tablespoons light brown sugar

Mix all marinated ingredients together. Cover duck with marinade and refrigerate for 2-3 hours. To assemble: place a piece of marinated duck together with one small water chestnut, jalapeno slice, and onion slice. Hold it all together with a little cream cheese and wrap with half a piece of uncooked bacon, then secure with a toothpick. Place the duck bundles pieces on a cookie sheet under the broiler for 3-5 minutes, then serve immediately.

Marinated Grilled Duck

Recipe courtesy Beau Burks. This recipe has some wiggle room so try out the flavors and adjust to your liking.

1 c shitake-soy-ginger Sauce (or similar soy marinade with ginger)

1/2 - 3/4 cup soy sauce

1/4 - 1/2 cup worcestershire sauce

3/4 - 1 cup brown sugar

3-4 cloves garlic, pressed

1/4 - 1/2 cup water

1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped

6-8 duck breasts from 4 ducks

Mix all ingredients together, add water to taste. Cut duck breasts into 3/4-inch wide strips and marinate overnight. Grill on high heat, turning frequently. Approximately 3-5 minutes on. Do not overcook duck as it will become tough and leathery if overdone. Duck should properly be grilled to medium-rare.

It is all about the Ox

2009-01-26T08:46:00.000-08:00

It's January 26, 2009 so let me be the first to wish y'all a Happy Chinese New Year!

I do love this time of year—I get to celebrate my new year. Recover. Celebrate Chinese New Year. Recover. Then I go straight into Groundhog’s Day, Mardi Gras, and the one I love the most—St. Pat’s Day. It is beautiful stuff. And as I write this, it is beginning to snow so all is well in the Valley.

I realize one could ask how could I so positive when it is well below freezing and after midnight (and yes, my pipes are frozen AGAIN) but I have reasons AND I am sharing. I'm optimistic because it is the Year of the Ox. Not that I am an ox. I am a sheep/ram/goat—see, even other cultures can’t define me—but an ox year is a good year for many reasons.

The ox is traditionally a sign of prosperity through hard work and confidence. But this is what I love. Traditionally, sweets are eaten at the beginning of the year to ensure the consumer a "sweet" year and sweeping the floor is forbidden on the first day of the ox year as it will sweep away the good that lies ahead. These two things alone ensure me a great Monday full of hopeful prosperity, hard (satisfying) work, good food, sweets, and no cleaning the kitchen. I wish every day could be this sweet in 2009.

To celebrate I have included a recipe if you are staying home to celebrate. But if you are going out—check out some of the fun events in the Valley...

Spring Rolls

Easy and quick to make. Yummy with a dill yogurt sauce - or a prepared store bought one.

Oil for pan

1 pound center cut filet of salmon

2 hard boiled eggs, cooled and peeled

1 pack spring-roll wrappers

1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, and finely chopped

1 red onion, finely chopped

1 bunch fresh dill, chopped

2 tablespoons of capers, finely chopped

juice from one lemon

salt to taste

Preheat oven to 350. Lightly oil shallow baking pan and put salmon in center. Bake 25 minutes until opaque and flaky. Finely chop egg. Fill wide bowl with warm water. Working one at a time, plunge a spring roll wrapper into water and hold ten or fifteen seconds until it softens. Place wrapper on clean, flat surface. Using fingers, pinch off one tablespoon of salmon, shred, place in spring roll in a line near bottom of wrapper. Sprinkle tablespoon of egg followed by tablespoon of cucumber and red onion and one teaspoon of dill and capers. Squeeze lemon juice, sprinkle salt. Lift flap nearest to the filling over filling and roll wrapper until filling is surrounded. Fold in ends and continue rolling. Keep rolling until it looks like a cigar. Cut spring rolls in half on an angle and serve.

The New Year. The South. And my new, albeit-forced, love of Salad

2009-01-19T08:26:00.000-08:00

The New Year is here—we are two weeks in—and already resolutions have been pushed aside because of lack of time, a full social calendar, or because they just aren't that realistic in the first place. My holiday was fun—I loved it—but it is what made me think of a needed resolution or change in my eating plan for January.

I have had a couple of trips to the dirty south (a term of endearment I borrow from songs) in the last 4 weeks. I do love going home—southern fried pork chops, collard greens, corn bread, candied yams and casseroles. Each start with a pound of butter or a tub of mayonnaise—or dropped in an awesome tub of oil and deep fried - and each is too scrumptious to turn down. So I don't even try. And though I enjoy each and every moment and meal—at the end of a week straight—I am not feeling like the epitome of health.

So it is back to the Valley. Back to my real life. Making meals. Loving this time of year. Enjoying the crispness and the snow. I like to hole up here in the winter. Stay in our beautiful hideaway. Keep it local. Eat well. Feel full. This time of year soups equal happiness in my book. And to jump start my feeling good—I am going to try to add salads to my daily routine.

My problem is that I LOVE salads but absolutely HATE to make them. I have good intentions and buy the ingredients—even have everything chopped and stored in seperate containers for easy tossing—but when it comes to doing it . . . Let's just say I'd sooner take those same ingredients and have the best homemade pizza ever.

So, no real resolutions on losing anything or tightening up stuff for me, just a conscience effort to eat some lettuce this January. This all came to me as I was sitting in the Salt Lake city airport bar, having a dark beer and a huge over saturated plate of nachos. Really. Epitome of health.

I flew back in to the Valley on Monday and went straight to Divine Wine in Hailey. I dream about their Caprese salad. I personally like to add bacon on top—as bacon makes everything better in my mind—but this salad is my favorite in the Valley. Excellent mix of flavors, colors, and crunch—the perfect bite is attainable with this one. Gaining momentum on my pledge of salad, I had spring rolls from Taste of Thai. Yes. That counts for me. And yum!

After jump-starting my routine—I have decided to bring it home. And I have a plan. A big pot of soup to stay happily full—and some yummy salads to satisfy my pledge of green. I work down in Hailey and am always looking for some great lunch tips (the whole someone else making it for me thing. . .) so would love to hear from you about your favorites around town. Shoot an email to the magazine or just post a comment on this blog.

Blue Cheese, Cranberry, and Candied Pecan Salad

This salad can be prepped and stored in the fridge for up to 6 hours.

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1 tablespoon honey

2 handfuls of dried cranberries (I like Craisons)

1/2 pound mixed field greens

1 pint grape tomatoes, halved

1 small container of blue cheese

Citrus Vinaigrette Dressing

The dressing can be made a day in advance.

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

3 tablespoons orange juice

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon dijon mustard

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

salt and pepper to taste

Heat oven to 350º. Mix pecans and honey in a shallow baking dish and bake until golden, 8-10 minutes. Set aside to cool. Toss remaining salad ingredients together in a salad bowl. For dressing, combine all ingredients and mix well. Drizzle over salad. To mix this up a bit—omit the tomato and add chopped pear.

Curried Carrot Soup

Can be served hot or cold. Special kitchen gadgets: food processor/blender

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons butter

1 medium onion, chopped

1 1/2 pounds packaged baby carrots, from produce section

6 cups chicken stock, available on soup aisle

1 tablespoon mild curry paste or 1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper

1 piece fresh ginger, 1/4" thick, peeled, cut in half

Coarse salt (I subsititue a cajun spice blend Zatarain's)

sour cream and fresh chives for garnish

Preheat medium sauce pot over medium high heat. Add olive oil, butter, onions and carrots and saute. Add 4 cups of stock, spices, ginger, and about 1 teaspoon of Zatarain's. Boil, cover, and cook for about 12-18 minutes, until the carrots are tender. Process soup in batches until it is fully pureed. Return soup to stove over low heat. Check spices. If soup is too thick, add remaining stock until desired consistency is reached. If I have extra oranges laying around my house—I often squeeze the juice into this soup for an extra layer of flavor. Ladle soup into bowls, top with a dollop of sour cream and some sliced chives, or garnish with anything around the pantry—toasted seeds, nuts, cheese shavings. yum!