tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73987972024-03-23T14:19:29.026-04:00in kat's kitchen(where all measurements are approximate)kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01399682228073757903noreply@blogger.comBlogger71125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398797.post-16890347392609203802013-11-19T13:44:00.000-05:002013-11-19T13:44:31.973-05:00About Champagne Cocktails<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kht20/8304036579/" title="Untitled by KHT20, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8495/8304036579_9bfa89d1a4.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="Untitled"></a><br />
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I do so love me a glass of bubbly and since every day is a celebration around these parts (CARPE THAT DIEM, BITCHES!), there's almost always a bottle in my fridge. And since there's almost always a bottle in my fridge, that bottle is generally an inexpensive (ok, cheap) sparkling wine. Do I wish every bottle was a bottle of Moët Impérial? Of course I do. Am I made of money? Of course I'm not. But I've found that one of the easiest ways to elevate that bottle of Cristal(ino) is by adding stuff to it!<br />
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The concept is simple: Put stuff in a glass (from a splash to half-full (or half-empty, I suppose), depending on how much you want your cocktail to taste like other stuff). Top glass off with bubbles. Simple.<br />
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One of my favorites is this, which I will now dub... Blueberry Pom Royale.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kht20/10894617833/" title="Untitled by KHT20, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3675/10894617833_258c9668fb.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="Untitled"></a><br />
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As you can see, the "stuff" is just Blueberry POM Wonderful.<br />
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Some other traditional variations include:<br />
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<b>Mimosa:</b> Just add OJ!<br />
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<b>Bellini:</b> Fresh peach puree!<br />
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The classic <b>Champagne Cocktail:</b> Pop a sugar cube in the bottom of your champagne flute and shake 3 drops of bitters onto it. Add an ounce of Cognac and fill'er up with French Champagne. Feel classy!<br />
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<b>French 75</b>: Stuff includes 1 1/2 ounces of Cognac, 1/2 ounce <a href="http://kht20.blogspot.com/2010/05/about-simple-syrup.html">simple syrup</a>, and 1/2 ounce lemon juice. I <3 you, French 75!
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kht20/4246622078/" title="Untitled by KHT20, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4028/4246622078_0d700eefda.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="Untitled"></a><br />
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Um, whatever this monstrosity was. ANYWHO, I think you've gotten the point. <br />
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Cheers!<div class="blogger-post-footer">Bon appétit!</div>kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01399682228073757903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398797.post-14888755946978497172013-08-26T11:51:00.000-04:002013-08-26T11:51:20.521-04:00About Cold-Brewed Iced CoffeeSummer is winding down, and I suppose I should have posted this recipe months ago but life went from bad to horrifyingly awful since my last post and, well, that's all I'm going to say about that. But THIS, this is by far the very best way to make iced coffee (if you're the iced coffee sort), and if you've done it right (which, if you're literate--which I assume you are, otherwise, the fuck you doing here?--should be no problem) will give you just about the smoothest brew imaginable. <br />
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So here's what you need:<br />
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3 ½ cups water<br />
1 ¾ cups ground coffee<br />
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Mix that together in a big pitcher.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kht20/9561257831/" title="Untitled by KHT20, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7455/9561257831_8fc858c7e5.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="Untitled"></a><br />
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Cover it up, and let it steep for at least 12 hours, but not more than 24 hours, at room temperature. Then, give everything one more stir (to loosen up the coffee grounds TRUST ME ON THIS ONE), and strain your mixture through a coffee filter.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kht20/9564054066/" title="Untitled by KHT20, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7319/9564054066_6c0c5a7c50.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="Untitled"></a><br />
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Pour your coffee concentrate into a bottle and park that baby in the fridge until it's chilled.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kht20/9561267033/" title="Untitled by KHT20, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2855/9561267033_64d2f6d58a.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="Untitled"></a><br />
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Now, it's important to note that what you've made is actually a coffee <i>concentrate</i>, so when the time for drinking comes, you're probably going to want to dilute it with at least an equal amount of water.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kht20/9564050688/" title="Untitled by KHT20, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7396/9564050688_e5f8ebbe22.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Untitled"></a><br />
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Serve that over ice with a little milk and <a href="http://kht20.blogspot.com/2010/05/about-simple-syrup.html">simple syrup</a> (if you like), have your boyfriend make you one of his world-famous omelets, and get ready to face whatever new horrors life decides to chuck directly at your face.<div class="blogger-post-footer">Bon appétit!</div>kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01399682228073757903noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398797.post-19189008691314597822013-01-09T14:43:00.000-05:002013-01-09T14:43:18.720-05:00About How I Learned To CookWell hello there. I just thought I'd pop by for a sec and see how y'all are doing. More than one of you has asked the question so I thought maybe it's time I drop by to answer that question, and by "that question" I mean, "What the hell happened here?" <br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kht20/8361981388/" title="416351_3380049056300_1239053455_o by KHT20, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8471/8361981388_31765e0017.jpg" width="500" height="500" alt="416351_3380049056300_1239053455_o"></a><br />
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To be blunt, I almost died. The day after my last post I was hospitalized with a pulmonary embolism. Several, actually; both of my lungs were completely riddled with clots, and that pretty much changed everything. I was put on medication that severely limited my diet (no alcohol, no greens, no fats, NO ALCOHOL), and as you might guess, a severely limited diet severely limits the recipes one might want to share on one's recipe blog.<br />
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Luckily(?) that medication didn't work, and at the end of the summer I almost died AGAIN. And of course I did, because I'm the girl who had chicken pox TWICE as a child. So I switched over to this new experimental drug that has no diet restrictions (YAY ALCOHOL), but as I told Vahid last weekend, that does nothing to alleviate the shitty lighting situation I've got going on in my kitchen. Until I figure out a solution to that problem, all of those half-written recipes I have waiting in the wings will just have to wait some more (wings, incidentally, being one of those waiting recipes).<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kht20/8305079556/" title="Untitled by KHT20, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8363/8305079556_a30dc9bc39.jpg" width="500" height="500" alt="Untitled"></a><br />
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I thought that while I'm checking in I might as well talk to you about how I learned to cook in the first place, you know, in case that maybe helps you learn how to cook or get more comfortable in the kitchen or whatever it is you hope to accomplish by reading this nonsense. I don't know your life. But I do know mine, and yes, it all started in my mother's kitchen.<br />
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As many of you know, my mother is an amazing cook. But she comes from "the old country," and from what I've gathered over the years, people from "the old country" see their children mainly as sources of manual labor. So while I started helping my mother cook at an obscenely early age (I was rolling chả giò before I could talk), I was basically doing all the hard work. Like rolling chả giò. Crushing cornflakes and peanuts. Peeling potatoes. Prepping green beans. You know, all the SEXY GLAMOROUS STUFF.<br />
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While I did pick up a few things from my mom, and from all the crazy group meals my friends and I shared in college, it wasn't until I got to law school that I bought my first cookbook. And that cookbook is <a href="http://www.amazon.com/How-To-Cook-Everything-Recipes/dp/0028610105/ref=tmm_hrd_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1357666413&sr=1-3">this cookbook</a>.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kht20/8365020934/" title="Untitled by KHT20, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8331/8365020934_97bb9d5912.jpg" width="500" height="500" alt="Untitled"></a><br />
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I wanted to learn how to cook everything, so I bought a book on how to cook everything. And to this day, it's still the first place I turn to when I want to try something new. The instructions are clear, the recipes are simple, and most of all, they are bare-bones BASIC. In other words, they're the perfect jumping off point for experimentation. My copy of <i>How To Cook Everything</i> is filled with scribbles: ingredients to add, extra steps to up the ante, notes on what worked really well. If you don't have a copy, run out and get one immediately.<br />
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When I first moved to DC I didn't have cable, so I ended up watching a whole lot of PBS. (The other day my boyfriend said he'd fight to the death anyone who dared suggest that I wasn't the very first American to watch <i>Downton Abbey</i>. I still watch a lot of PBS apparently.) And while I was watching a lot of PBS, I watched a lot of <a href="http://www.americastestkitchen.com/">America's Test Kitchen</a>. Hoo boy, this show. If you want very specific instructions on how to do things, this is the show for you. Their recipes are INSANELY FUSSY; like, they are the polar opposite of Bittman's. But they are really, really great at actually teaching you how to cook. They not only show you how to dice an onion, they explain why it's important that your onion is diced evenly. They get to the science of cooking, and when you understand that, cooking is easy peasy.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kht20/8365594868/" title="Untitled by KHT20, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8468/8365594868_c626276f99.jpg" width="500" height="500" alt="Untitled"></a><br />
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It wasn't until I moved in with Mitch and Seth that I got cable, and started watching <a href="http://www.cookingchanneltv.com/good-eats/index.html">Good Eats</a>. That thing I said about ATK and the science of cooking? Consider this a graduate course.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kht20/8360967577/" title="3 by KHT20, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8046/8360967577_486792b1dc.jpg" width="500" height="500" alt="3"></a><br />
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So there you have it. I learned how to cook from a book and two television shows. Looking back it turns out this was an incredibly boring story, so if you made it this far, I apologize for putting you to sleep. Maybe I'll bake you a cake or something.<div class="blogger-post-footer">Bon appétit!</div>kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01399682228073757903noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398797.post-44622651625391212692012-03-25T12:00:00.000-04:002012-03-25T12:00:00.119-04:00About Roasted AsparagusWhy roast asparagus? Crunch and caramelization, both of which are BEST. So luckily this is pretty easy. Just make sure you use thick-stalked asparagus. And if the stalks feel particularly woody you can peel off the tough outer layer with a vegetable peeler. Then just lay them out on a foil-lined sheet pan:<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kht20/6869923567/" title="Untitled by KHT20, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7182/6869923567_7b758ce59f_z.jpg" width="640" height="480" alt=""></a><br />
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Add a glug of olive oil and a couple pinches of salt and pepper, then mix all that up with your hands:<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kht20/6869924075/" title="Untitled by KHT20, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7183/6869924075_98850566ac_z.jpg" width="640" height="480" alt=""></a><br />
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Then put the sheet pan on the bottom rack of an oven pre-heated to 450 F. After 10 minutes flip your spears over and cook for another 10 minutes. Serve and enjoy!<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kht20/6869925083/" title="Untitled by KHT20, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7053/6869925083_d526eca1ef_z.jpg" width="640" height="480" alt=""></a><div class="blogger-post-footer">Bon appétit!</div>kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01399682228073757903noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398797.post-11284101043403492462012-03-18T12:00:00.000-04:002012-03-18T12:00:01.200-04:00About Vegetable SoupSo the weather outside is weather, specifically unreasonably unseasonably warm weather--I think it's been in the 80s all week? RIDICULOUS. Even more ridiculous is that in the middle of all this I made SOUP for dinner. HOT SOUP. HOT VEGETABLE SOUP. Please don't bring this up in a couple months when it's 129 degrees outside and I'm in the midst of one of my annual summer WHIIIIIIIIIIIIINE sessions.<br />
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But really, I have a very good reason for making this. See, the last few weeks? I've been eating nothing but pizza and wings and poutine and all other manner of, just, crap? And my dresses maybe feel more like sausage casings? So perhaps I need to rethink my eating habits a bit? Would you like another unnecessary question mark? There you go.<br />
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This recipe is insanely healthy for you; it's basically nothing <i>but</i> vegetables after all. And luckily, it is delicious. It's seriously one of my favorite soup recipes, so much so that a couple of years ago I pretty much had a bowl every day and accidentally lost 15 pounds. Bonus! It's also really easy since the measurements aren't exactly precise. Like, you see how I say you need 2 cups of some sort of leafy green vegetable down there? Well, for some reason I always end up adding, like, 3 pounds of kale. (I really like kale.)<br />
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This makes a lot, but don't worry; it freezes beautifully. Here's what you need:<br />
<ul><li>2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil</li>
<li>1 medium onion</li>
<li>2 medium carrots</li>
<li>1-2 stalks of celery</li>
<li>1 medium <a href="http://kht20.blogspot.com/2012/03/about-cleaning-bell-pepper.html">red bell pepper</a></li>
<li>3+ cloves of garlic</li>
<li>6 cups broth or water</li>
<li>3-4 sprigs of thyme</li>
<li>1-2 bay leaves</li>
<li>2 small zucchini</li>
<li>1 medium head of broccoli</li>
<li>½ medium head of cauliflower</li>
<li>½ small head of cabbage</li>
<li>About 61 cents' worth of <a href="http://kht20.blogspot.com/2012/03/about-prepping-greens.html">dark, leafy greens</a> (or 2 cups, shredded)</li>
<li>1 lemon</li>
<li>A couple tablespoons of fresh herbs (parsley, dill, and chives are especially nice)</li>
</ul>First thing is that you're going to want to give all of that vegetable matter up there a rough chop. Don't worry about getting a perfect dice, because it's all gonna end up blended together anyway. (That is, unless you don't want a blended soup, in which case you should make sure each cube is perfectly symmetrical and exactly the same size. It's what the French would have wanted.)<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kht20/6984761523/" title="chopped by KHT20, on Flickr"><img alt="chopped" height="302" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7185/6984761523_1e8fa9ccf2_z.jpg" width="603" /></a><br />
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In a dutch oven or stock pot (something big, basically), heat the oil over medium-high heat until it starts to shimmer. Saute the aromatics (your onion, carrots, celery, bell pepper, and garlic) with a pinch of salt until they soften.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kht20/6984773845/" title="sauteed by KHT20, on Flickr"><img alt="sauteed" height="302" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7192/6984773845_458ed48d25_z.jpg" width="603" /></a><br />
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At this point you can <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deglazing_%28cooking%29">deglaze</a> the pan with a glug or two of white wine if you happen to have any around. When the wine has almost entirely evaporated, add the both. (If you don't have any wine then just add the broth.) Crank the heat up to high and add the thyme, bay leaves, and the rest of your vegetables.<br />
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Now, if you've got my crazy kale addiction, chances are everything won't fit in the pot so good. But NEVER FEAR. Just slap a lid on that sucker and in a scant couple minutes your leafy greens will be wilted enough for you to give everything a good stir.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kht20/6984789143/" title="kale by KHT20, on Flickr"><img alt="kale" height="302" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7066/6984789143_dc40f6bea8_z.jpg" width="603" /></a><br />
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Once the pot comes to a boil, turn the heat way down and let everything simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, or however long it takes for everything to become nice and tender without overcooking it into mush.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kht20/6981988093/" title="Untitled by KHT20, on Flickr"><img alt="" height="480" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7042/6981988093_579bbdc001_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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Fish out the thyme stalks and bay leaves and blend that shit up.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kht20/6835863122/" title="Untitled by KHT20, on Flickr"><img alt="" height="480" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7065/6835863122_5b767d5afc_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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Add the juice of that lemon I told you to get, and then salt and pepper it to taste. (My guess is that you'll need a fair bit of salt.) And you're pretty much ready to go. Just ladle some soup into a bowl and garnish it with some of those fresh herbs I told you to get. (If you're feeling particularly fancy, you can also add a dollop of sour cream or Greek yogurt.)<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kht20/6981988703/" title="Untitled by KHT20, on Flickr"><img alt="" height="480" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7038/6981988703_3b59785fe7_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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Let the healthy eating begin!<div class="blogger-post-footer">Bon appétit!</div>kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01399682228073757903noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398797.post-84995256277079774732012-03-16T12:11:00.001-04:002012-03-16T12:11:00.896-04:00About Prepping GreensNot just any greens, mind you. I'm talking about the dark green leafy vegetables that are pretty much the <a href="http://www.aicr.org/foods-that-fight-cancer/foodsthatfightcancer_leafy_vegetables.html">healthiest foods on the planet</a>.<br />
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Wait a sec, that's not actually entirely accurate. What I'm REALLY talking about is a subset of the dark green leafy vegetables that are pretty much the healthiest foods on the planet, namely the kinds with big leaves and big stalks. And what kinds are those? Oh, you know, collard greens and mustard greens and turnip greens and Swiss chard and kale. In other words, the Southern kind.<br />
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The thing about the Southern kind is that because the leaves are so big, the stalks are big. And big stalks take a lot longer to cook than leaves, no matter how big those leaves are. So in order to cook greens <i>just right</i>, you need to first separate the leaves from the stalks. How does one do this, you ask? Just watch this handy instructional video:<br />
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And while we're on the topic of greens, please enjoy this picture of adorable Capitals defenseman Mike Green:<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kht20/6836180248/" title="greenie by KHT20, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7048/6836180248_96b3794b16_z.jpg" width="640" height="433" alt="greenie"></a><div class="blogger-post-footer">Bon appétit!</div>kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01399682228073757903noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398797.post-37496710033188398952012-03-14T11:44:00.000-04:002012-03-14T11:44:04.621-04:00About Cleaning a Bell PepperDoes it insult your intelligence to post this? I'm not sure I really care.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kht20/6835857038/" title="Untitled by KHT20, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7059/6835857038_eca3984bcb_z.jpg" width="640" height="480" alt=""></a><div class="blogger-post-footer">Bon appétit!</div>kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01399682228073757903noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398797.post-77833419684489768692012-02-26T12:00:00.000-05:002012-02-26T12:00:01.861-05:00About Steamed Fish with Ginger and ScallionsHi there. It's me. Sorry I left you hanging for a few weeks; we had our annual Super Bowl party at the house and ended up eating leftover dip for, like, ever. You know, as you do. But I'm back now with what is possibly my single-favorite entree ever, my mother's steamed fish. This isn't strictly speaking a <i>Vietnamese</i> dish, as I'm only half Vietnamese and I've taken one or two tiny liberties with the recipe over the years, but I think you'll agree it's super easy. But please note, you'll need some kind of steaming apparatus to make this work; I don't care what kind, just some set up that allows you to trap steam and then harness that steam to cook your dinner. This dish is <i>totes</i> Industrial Revolution, yo.<br />
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Here are the ingredients::<br />
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<b>Fish</b><br />
Any fish in any cut will do, whether it be whole trout or salmon steaks or tilapia filets, which is what I used here.<br />
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<b>Soy sauce</b><br />
Which you will add to the<br />
<br />
<b>Chicken broth</b><br />
in equal parts. And what parts is that? Well, we'll get to that in a sec.<br />
<br />
<b>Scallions</b><br />
Cut your scallions into about inch-sized rods. (Heh, I said <i>rods</i>.) And how many scallions should you cut up? Oh, I'd say about one bunch for every two servings. As the scallions cook they end up soaking up that broth you just made up there, mellowing out, and getting dang tasty.<br />
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<b>Fresh ginger</b><br />
<a href="http://kht20.blogspot.com/2009/05/about-peeling-fresh-ginger.html">Peeled</a>, then cut up into little inch-sized matchsticks. And how much ginger should you cut up? Oh, I'd say about a thumb-sized knob for every two servings. As the ginger cooks it ends up soaking up that broth you just made up there, mellowing out, and getting dang tasty.<br />
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<b>Some sort of pepper if you want</b><br />
Like serrano or thai chilis or jalapeno like I used here. You know, for a touch of heat.<br />
<br />
<b>Some kind of oil if you want</b><br />
Like peanut or sesame or canola like I used here. You only need like a tablespoon or so, and only to give the dish a bit of richness.<br />
<br />
Got it? Well, here's what you should do with all that: Put your fish in a heavy, heat-proof bowl--something that can stand a good steaming. Throw the scallions, ginger, and pepper on top of that. Then add enough soy/broth until the liquid is barely covering your fish. Finally, swirl a little oil on top.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kht20/6869921643/" title="Untitled by KHT20, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7065/6869921643_6b77c4bb9e.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt=""></a><br />
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Slap on a lid, bring your pot of water to a rolling boil, and let that steam until the fish is done.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kht20/6869922163/" title="Untitled by KHT20, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7187/6869922163_af2c80c309.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt=""></a><br />
<br />
And when is your fish done? Depends on how thick your fish is. These tilapia filets only took about 12 minutes, but then again, these tilapia filets were only about a quarter-inch thick. So add extra time accordingly.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kht20/6869922555/" title="Untitled by KHT20, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7195/6869922555_be275e3e47.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt=""></a><br />
<br />
It is absolutely essential that you serve this over (preferably jasmine) rice, because all that broth in there is so freaking good. So put some rice on a plate, carefully (that bowl is hot!) top it with the fish, spoon out like a shit ton of broth and scallions and ginger, and maybe top with a bit of fresh cilantro if you want.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kht20/6869923029/" title="Untitled by KHT20, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7210/6869923029_09ed7dc807.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt=""></a><br />
<br />
And if you want a lot of extra heat this pairs well with <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sambal">sambal</a>. I promise it tastes better than it looks.<div class="blogger-post-footer">Bon appétit!</div>kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01399682228073757903noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398797.post-70919920515876941122012-01-29T12:08:00.000-05:002012-01-29T12:08:56.899-05:00About PolentaI can remember mentioning it <a fref="http://kht20.blogspot.com/2012/01/about-chicken-cacciatore.html" href="">at least</a> <a href="http://kht20.blogspot.com/2010/03/about-oven-roasted-shrimp-with-tomatoes.html">twice</a> in passing, and it's probably pretty likely that you saw the word and thought to yourself, "Self . . . whaaaa?" MY BAD. So before I flippantly mention it once again, let's talk a little bit about polenta.<br />
<br />
What is polenta? Well, polenta is--to put it crudely (if you happen to be Italian)--Italian grits. And what is grits? Well, as we mentioned <a href="http://kht20.blogspot.com/2009/05/about-cheese-grits.html">before</a>, grits is <a href="http://kht20.blogspot.com/2010/08/about-basil-and-lime-creamed-corn.html">corms</a>. Delicious ground corms.<br />
<br />
If polenta is just grits, why polenta? Because polenta is <i>Italian</i> grits. And what are Italians other than smooth, silky, and (rico) suave. Let's face it, sometimes you need a little Gerardo in your life, amirite?<br />
<br />
Now that we've gotten that out of the way, let's do this thing. There's actually two ways you can make polenta. (Well, there's probably a million ways to make polenta; I will present you with two.) You can make it according to your package directions (boil water, stir in corn meal, cook for 20 minutes, add cheese) or, if you have a little time, you can make it this way. You'll need:<br />
<br />
<ul><li>4 cups water</li>
<li>1 cup medium-ground corn meal (I've used white corn meal here because that's what I have; you'll find yellow is more traditional)</li>
<li>4 tablespoons butter</li>
<li>Up to 1 cup cheese (I like parmesan, but if you want a super fluffy and creamy and outrageous polenta you can use cream cheese)</li>
<li>Salt to taste</li>
</ul><br />
So, slightly salt the water and bring it to a boil over high heat. Once it's going, quickly whisk in the polenta until the mixture is smooth.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kht20/6679475301/" title="Untitled by KHT20, on Flickr"><img alt="" height="480" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7026/6679475301_a0ac9d6071_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
Reduce the heat to a low simmer, add the butter, and give everything a whisk occasionally for the next 45 minutes to an hour.<br />
<br />
You'll begin to notice that, unlike grits, your polenta won't maintain individual granules of corn meal. Instead, it'll almost take on the consistency of pudding. Savory, savory pudding. At this point it's time to whisk in your cheese.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kht20/6679479607/" title="Untitled by KHT20, on Flickr"><img alt="" height="480" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7147/6679479607_37705b9db1_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
Give it a taste and add salt as needed. Then, plop that goop down on a plate.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kht20/6679480183/" title="Untitled by KHT20, on Flickr"><img alt="" height="480" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7012/6679480183_27071a80c8_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
And top with your favorite slop.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kht20/6679481757/" title="Untitled by KHT20, on Flickr"><img alt="" height="480" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7021/6679481757_947a41f95b_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kht20/4377621822/" title="Untitled by KHT20, on Flickr"><img alt="" height="480" src="http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4008/4377621822_462891627e_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
And enjoy!<div class="blogger-post-footer">Bon appétit!</div>kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01399682228073757903noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398797.post-67720696936611777922012-01-22T12:00:00.003-05:002012-01-22T12:00:00.819-05:00About Chicken CacciatoreBy now you've probably gotten the hang of the old put-chicken-in-take-chicken-out-put-chicken-back-in cooking thing that's been going on in these parts (<i>cf</i>. <a href="http://beta.blogger.com/kht20.blogspot.com/2009/04/about-chicken-with-mushrooms-white-wine.html">this</a> and <a href="http://kht20.blogspot.com/2012/01/about-chicken-bog.html">this</a>), so this recipe should be so easy I won't even have to explain it to you. But I will, because Santa knows I do like to babble (no I don't).<br />
<br />
Like our chicken bog before it, chicken cacciatore is almost endlessly flexible, and it's almost endlessly flexible because when Italians go out into the countryside or wherever to do their hunting, they don't have grocery stores I guess? I don't know, I think something got lost in translation. But the ingredient list that follows is just the basics, so feel free to add whatever other vegetables you want depending on what's in season or what you pick up at the grocery store because I assume you're not out in the Italian countryside where they have no grocery stores. Apparently.<br />
<br />
What you'll need is this:<br />
<ul><li>2 chicken thighs</li>
<li>1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil</li>
<li>½ yellow onion, thinly sliced</li>
<li>1-2 garlic cloves, minced</li>
<li>Salt and freshly ground pepper</li>
<li>⅓ cup dry white wine</li>
<li>1 can diced tomatoes</li>
</ul><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kht20/6679474971/" title="Untitled by KHT20, on Flickr"><img alt="" height="480" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7005/6679474971_a8daef372c_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
I also added a package of crimini mushrooms, cut into quarters. Also good: zucchini, summer squash, bell peppers, eggplant, uh... other vegetables.<br />
<br />
Now, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat until it gets all shimmery. Generously salt and pepper both sides of your chicken and brown them off really well for about 4 or 5 minutes per side. Then, remove your thighs and put them on a plate for later.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kht20/6679475787/" title="Untitled by KHT20, on Flickr"><img alt="" height="480" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7153/6679475787_491237a027_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
Add your onions and assorted veg to the pan like this:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kht20/6679476215/" title="Untitled by KHT20, on Flickr"><img alt="" height="480" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7152/6679476215_3ce8a4b2b9_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
and saute all that down until everything is softened and the onions have become translucent like this:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kht20/6679476695/" title="Untitled by KHT20, on Flickr"><img alt="" height="480" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7006/6679476695_e742cd0460_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
Add the garlic<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kht20/6679477385/" title="Untitled by KHT20, on Flickr"><img alt="" height="480" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7024/6679477385_d00b4794ee_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
and cook all that for up to a minute, then deglaze the pan with your white wine.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kht20/6679478131/" title="Untitled by KHT20, on Flickr"><img alt="" height="480" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7153/6679478131_d4494b91c3_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
When the wine has mostly evaporated, add the can of tomatoes, with their juices. Give the pan a big stir to mix everything all up, then nestle the chicken thighs back in, skin side up.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kht20/6679478915/" title="Untitled by KHT20, on Flickr"><img alt="" height="480" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7014/6679478915_4cf9d4afa5_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
Turn the heat down to a low simmer and braise the chicken for about 40 minutes, until your thighs are nice and tender and almost falling off the bone (TWSS or something).<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kht20/6679481051/" title="Untitled by KHT20, on Flickr"><img alt="" height="480" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7150/6679481051_c926e0cb34_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
Serve the cacciatore over a crusty loaf of bread or pasta or couscous or rice or polenta or WHATEVER ALREADY GOSH. And feel free to top that mess off with some fresh basil and parmesan cheese.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kht20/6679481757/" title="Untitled by KHT20, on Flickr"><img alt="" height="480" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7021/6679481757_947a41f95b_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
And as the Italian hunters say, <i>Mangia</i>!<div class="blogger-post-footer">Bon appétit!</div>kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01399682228073757903noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398797.post-65359988906652767822012-01-15T12:00:00.001-05:002012-03-15T09:21:09.508-04:00About Chicken BogWell it hasn't exactly been quote-unquote <i>cold</i> in these here parts this season, but that doesn't mean you still don't need some down-home, rib-sticking, delicious Southern comfort food every now and again. And every time I'm feeling blue, you can bet this is what I'm making. <br />
<br />
The beauty of this recipe is that it's infinitely adaptable. I mean, it's chicken and rice; every culture on the planet has a version (except those pesky vegetarians--what is UP with those people? (says the former vegetarian)). Mine started years ago with <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/chicken-bog-recipe/index.html">this</a> Paula Deen recipe, and as you'll see it's morphed into something that may seem a little more sophisticated, but is really just a way to cram more vegetables in there (for the vegetarians, don't you know). Here goes.<br />
<br />
For two hearty servings (plus lunch for somebody the next day), you'll--at a minimum--need:<br />
<ul><li>2-3 skinless chicken thighs</li>
<li>½ cup chopped yellow onion</li>
<li>1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil</li>
<li>2 teaspoons creole seasoning</li>
<li>½ teaspoon cayenne pepper</li>
<li>1 bay leaf</li>
<li>Salt and pepper to taste</li>
</ul><br />
and<br />
<ul><li>1 cup wild rice</li>
<li>1 ¼ cup water, vegetable broth, or chicken stock</li>
</ul><br />
or<br />
<ul><li>¾ cup long grain rice</li>
<li>2 cups water, vegetable broth, or chicken stock</li>
</ul><br />
I generally start with a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mirepoix_%28cuisine%29">mirepoix</a> of a carrot, a stalk of celery, and about half of a small to medium yellow onion. Oh, and some fresh thyme never hurt anyone:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kht20/6431954887/" title="Untitled by KHT20, on Flickr"><img alt="" height="480" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7012/6431954887_b3f9e70e5c_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
And when I happen to have them on hand, I also like to add diced <a href="http://kht20.blogspot.com/2012/03/about-cleaning-bell-pepper.html">red bell pepper</a> and fresh jalapeno. But as you can see, they're not essential. Tasty, but not essential.<br />
<br />
Heat up the extra virgin olive oil in something with a lid, and saute your vegetables, herbs, and spices over medium-high heat until they've softened up. Then add your herbs and garlic and cook for about a minute more until your garlic becomes fragrant and you find yourself suddenly compelled to smear garlic all over your body but don't do that because that would be gross. And potentially deadly if you happen to be a vampire.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kht20/6431955507/" title="Untitled by KHT20, on Flickr"><img alt="" height="480" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7009/6431955507_f5db66ca7d_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
Next, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deglazing_%28cooking%29">deglaze</a> your pan with a splash of white wine or sherry or even a little beer if you have it. If not, just go ahead and dump in your water or broth, making sure to scrape up all of those little brown crusty bits stuck to the bottom of your pan.<br />
<br />
Bring your pot to a boil, then nestle your chicken thighs in that delicious brothy hot tub.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kht20/6431955965/" title="Untitled by KHT20, on Flickr"><img alt="" height="480" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7011/6431955965_f0fba0e300_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
If you like it then you should a-put a lid on it (groan, sorry), then lower the heat and gently simmer for 30-40 minutes.<br />
<br />
At this point your chicken should be mostly if not totally cooked (don't worry if it's not; so long as it's not still completely raw, which I'm not sure how that would happen but stranger things etc.) so you'll want to remove the pieces to a plate. Then, add the rice to the pan.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kht20/6431956819/" title="Untitled by KHT20, on Flickr"><img alt="" height="480" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7172/6431956819_1e6b30f2d3_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
Let that bubble away for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, using a couple of forks or those folk-like things attached to your wrists, shred the chicken thighs.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kht20/6431957385/" title="Untitled by KHT20, on Flickr"><img alt="" height="480" src="http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6111/6431957385_e98bc9a44d_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
When the 10 minutes are up, add the shredded chicken meat back into the rice. This is the point where I like to clean the leftovers out of my fridge, so if I have any collard greens or mustard greens or turnip greens or kale or sauteed zucchini or squash or whatnot, I add that too. And then you just let that simmer for another 10 minutes while the rice finishes soaking up all that delicious broth.<br />
<br />
Give the pot a little fluff job and serve with a little Tabasco on the side.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kht20/6431957875/" title="Untitled by KHT20, on Flickr"><img alt="" height="480" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7145/6431957875_a56d2f2576_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
And dig in!<div class="blogger-post-footer">Bon appétit!</div>kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01399682228073757903noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398797.post-16277942378949940722011-10-05T15:23:00.000-04:002011-10-05T15:23:40.936-04:00About Mirin-Glazed SalmonThere's not a whole lot to say about this recipe other than it's Winston-approved, which is weird because he has almost no interest in people food (we trained him good when he was a wee little baby).<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kht20/30056674/" title="Resistance is futile by KHT20, on Flickr"><img alt="Resistance is futile" height="480" src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/22/30056674_5b72ce0a1d_z.jpg?zz=1" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
(Sorry, I couldn't resist.)<br />
<br />
Seriously though, unless it's, like, the water from a can of tuna (but not the actual tuna), the orange powder on a Cheetos Puffs Cheese Flavored Snack, butter, or olive oil, he wants no part of whatever you've got. Until, that is, I made this this other night, at which point he jumped up on the dining room table, started eating the salmon right off my plate, and when he was done with that, walked over to Seth's plate and started eating his salmon, too. (Diagram that, Sister Bernadette!)<br />
<br />
Oh, and we also liked it.<br />
<br />
Here's what you need for the marinade:<br />
<br />
<ul><li>½ cup mirin</li>
<li>¼ rice vinegar</li>
<li>2 tablespoons soy sauce</li>
<li>1 tablespoon <a href="http://kht20.blogspot.com/2009/05/about-peeling-fresh-ginger.html">peeled</a> and grated ginger</li>
</ul><br />
Which is this, all mixed up (don't know what to do):<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kht20/6214683273/" title="Untitled by KHT20, on Flickr"><img alt="" height="480" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6050/6214683273_e8c6171505_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
Then you just marinate your salmon fillets in there for at least 20 minutes like so:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kht20/6215200074/" title="Untitled by KHT20, on Flickr"><img alt="" height="480" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6169/6215200074_8f2fc3ab5c_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
And when that's done you pat your fillets dry and then cook them <a href="http://kht20.blogspot.com/2009/04/about-pan-roasted-salmon-fillets.html">like we did before</a> until they look like this:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kht20/6215200312/" title="Untitled by KHT20, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6058/6215200312_d3c03a7e03_z.jpg" width="640" height="480" alt=""></a><br />
<br />
And then you try to eat it before your cat does.<div class="blogger-post-footer">Bon appétit!</div>kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01399682228073757903noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398797.post-3384800588361625362011-09-26T14:10:00.001-04:002012-03-15T09:21:55.971-04:00About MeatloafI don't know if you ever get this way--I don't know your life--but sometimes I just really, really, really want meatloaf. Like, a lot. Like, more than I've ever wanted anything in my whole entire life (even more than that red Corvette Stingray I really, really, really wanted when I was ten). So what's a girl supposed to do? Why, make meatloaf of course!<br />
<br />
But here's the thing; meatloaf is kinda tricky. I mean, not that it's super hard to make or anything (it <i>is</i> just a log of meat, after all), it's just that I tried making meatloaf for years and years before I settled on a recipe that was just right. And oh, how right it is. And, AND! you're in luck, because I'm a-gonna spare you those years and years of wandering the desert like some sort of traveling Wilbury and share with you my perfect, perfect meatloaf recipe.<br />
<br />
First up, pour yourself a glass of wine. Like so:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kht20/6185414775/" title="Untitled by KHT20, on Flickr"><img alt="" height="500" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6164/6185414775_70137ab671.jpg" width="375" /></a><br />
<br />
Then, <a href="http://bonsoircanard.blogspot.com/2011/09/get-your-shit-together-mise-en-place.html">get your shit together</a>. And that shit is:<br />
<ul><li>1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil</li>
<li>¾ cup finely <a href="http://kht20.blogspot.com/2009/07/about-dicing-onion.html">diced</a> onion (about half a medium onion)</li>
<li>½ cup finely diced <a href="http://kht20.blogspot.com/2012/03/about-cleaning-bell-pepper.html">green pepper</a> (about half a small pepper)</li>
<li>½ teaspoon kosher salt</li>
<li>1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper</li>
<li>½ tablespoon minced garlic</li>
<li>1 pound ground meat of your choice</li>
<li>2 slices sandwich bread</li>
<li>⅔ cup barbecue sauce</li>
<li>1 teaspoon chili powder</li>
<li>½ teaspoon ground cumin</li>
<li>big pinch of cayenne powder</li>
<li>1 egg</li>
</ul><br />
(Quick aside: I normally make this in all of its full-sized glory so's to have lots of leftovers for sammiches and stuff, but this time I only made a half batch, which is what you see here. For your full-sized loaf just double the recipe and follow the additional notes I'll try to remember to include below.)<br />
<br />
Step The First (after the wine and the getting your shit together and whatnot): Preheat your oven to 350 F.<br />
<br />
Now, here's your veg:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kht20/6185415003/" title="Untitled by KHT20, on Flickr"><img alt="" height="375" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6172/6185415003_cfa48a2cb7.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<br />
Heat up the olive oil in a medium skillet until it gets all shimmery, then throw in the onion/green pepper portion of your veg with a pinch of salt and pepper like so:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kht20/6185415979/" title="Untitled by KHT20, on Flickr"><img alt="" height="375" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6170/6185415979_63c12d498e.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<br />
Saute that for a few minutes until your veg is soft and the onions have turned translucent like so:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kht20/6185940576/" title="Untitled by KHT20, on Flickr"><img alt="" height="375" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6159/6185940576_1459979924.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<br />
Add in the garlic and stir that up for about 30 seconds, and then pull your pan off the heat while we talk a little bit about MEAT. (I don't know why I wrote MEAT like that; just seemed like the appropriate thing to do.) MEAT.<br />
<br />
You can use any combination of ground meat you want for this really, just be aware that turkey and chicken will end up a lot drier than beef or pork. When I make a big meat log I usually use a pound of ground turkey and a pound of ground beef, but this time I found this magical package in the grocery store:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kht20/6185938434/" title="Untitled by KHT20, on Flickr"><img alt="" height="375" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6163/6185938434_4543ce241b.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<br />
(And I also know that we could have a friggin' year-long conversation about the evils of the ground meat industry, so by all means, grind your own meat. I don't have a meat grinder because no one bought one for us off our gift registry so I guess we'll just take our chances since we haven't died so far as far as I can tell. I mean, who knows, I could be writing this from beyond the grave OMG AM I A GHOST? WTF.)<br />
<br />
While we're talking, we might as well talk about barbecue sauce too. Now, I know I could make my own barbecue sauce from scratch--and you're welcome to do just that--but why would anyone do such a thing when this is in the world?<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kht20/6185938742/" title="Untitled by KHT20, on Flickr"><img alt="" height="375" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6152/6185938742_5e5393470a.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<br />
(Seriously guys, <a href="http://www.dinosaurbarbque.com/">Dinosaur Bar-B-Que</a> is so fucking good.)<br />
<br />
Where were we? MEATLOAF. RIGHT.<br />
<br />
So those slices of bread.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kht20/6185939672/" title="Untitled by KHT20, on Flickr"><img alt="" height="375" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6180/6185939672_7cc6cacd34.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<br />
Those are the ones. Take them to the kitchen faucet and soak them down with water, the squeeze that water back out like you were squeezing a sponge.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kht20/6185416945/" title="Untitled by KHT20, on Flickr"><img alt="" height="375" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6156/6185416945_62c0554282.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<br />
Yeah, like that. Now chop your bread spit-ball up into little pieces like so:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kht20/6185942272/" title="Untitled by KHT20, on Flickr"><img alt="" height="375" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6167/6185942272_b341371b14.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<br />
Fun!<br />
<br />
And with that, we're ready to start assembling (initially I typed "assumbling" which sounds like a whole lot more fun whatever that is). Get a big bowl, and dump your meat in it. Then, dump in your sauteed vegetables.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kht20/6185942702/" title="Untitled by KHT20, on Flickr"><img alt="" height="375" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6170/6185942702_81f6bb419e.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<br />
Then, get your hands in there and mix everything together. And this is where it really helps that you've gotten your shit together in advance, because after you add each of the next ingredients, you're going to have to mix everything together with your hands. With your shit together in advance, you won't have to keep washing your hands. Without your shit together in advance, you cover your kitchen in meat goo. I think the choice is clear.<br />
<br />
So. Add the chopped up bread mush and mix.<br />
<br />
Add most of the barbecue sauce and mix.<br />
<br />
Add the spices and mix.<br />
<br />
Add the egg and mix.<br />
<br />
Everything should be all mixed up uniformly now, which will give us the perfect opportunity to talk about pans.<br />
<br />
Here are the two pans I own:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kht20/6185420227/" title="Untitled by KHT20, on Flickr"><img alt="" height="375" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6154/6185420227_0183cfbfb3.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<br />
The one on the left is your standard 9 ½ x 5 ½-inch loaf pan, and is the one you should be using if you're making a full-sized loaf. Your meatloaf should completely fill this pan. The one on the right is some other weirdo pan that came with the set that's shallower and wider than a standard loaf pan, and it's what I'm using here. But since it's shallower, I didn't smoosh the meat all the way out to the sides; instead, I kept it tall and proud and loaf-like when I shaped it in the pan. Oh! Because that's the next step in the recipe: pressing your meatloaf mixture into the pan, and topping that off with your remaining barbecue sauce.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kht20/6185420787/" title="Untitled by KHT20, on Flickr"><img alt="" height="375" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6154/6185420787_a4cfa92d2d.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<br />
Then, pop that baby (but not your actual baby) into the oven and bake for 45 minutes (an hour and a half for the full-sized loaf).<br />
<br />
When it's done, take it back out of the oven and let it sit for about 20 minutes, if you can wait that long.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kht20/6185944582/" title="Untitled by KHT20, on Flickr"><img alt="" height="375" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6155/6185944582_167cf03864.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<br />
Because believe me, the smells that will start filling your house are liable to make you want to chew your own arm off. I'm drooling just thinking about it. Oh man.<br />
<br />
ANYWHO. When you're ready to serve, just pour off any fat that may have accumulated in the pan and slice the loaf into thick slabs of meaty goodness. Serve with more barbecue sauce, or ketchup, or A-1 (my condiment of choice), or whatever it is you like or nothing at all because have I mentioned this before? This is SO GOOD.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kht20/6185422005/" title="Untitled by KHT20, on Flickr"><img alt="" height="375" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6162/6185422005_94ac27ea19.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<br />
(And yes, those are my <a href="http://kht20.blogspot.com/2009/05/about-cheese-grits.html">cheese grits</a>. ALSO GOOD.)<div class="blogger-post-footer">Bon appétit!</div>kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01399682228073757903noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398797.post-78569756335145378752011-07-20T14:34:00.000-04:002011-07-20T14:34:27.489-04:00About Chilled Zucchini SoupBlah, blah, blah, HOT AS BALLS, blahblahblaaaaaaaah. I don't know, it's HOT AS BALLS. But <a href="http://iron-fist.net/">Vahid</a> asked for more summer recipes, and this is a really good one, especially as it's almost the exact opposite of HOT AS BALLS. Which would be cold as cubes? I don't know, my brain is fried on account of it's HOT AS BALLS. <br />
<br />
ANYWAY, this joins the pantheon of <a href="http://kht20.blogspot.com/2010/07/about-moroccan-tomato-soup.html">cold</a> <a href="http://kht20.blogspot.com/2009/07/about-chilled-corn-soup-with-adobo.html">soups</a> I've shared on this here website, and like those others it's delish. (What did I just do there? I DON'T KNOW. Random letters are just coming off my fingertips right now. Let's move on.) Soooo... for about 4-6 servings (or one really, really big serving you bloody pig), you'll need:<br />
<ul><li>2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil</li>
<li>2 large shallots, thinly sliced crosswise like this:</li>
<li><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kht20/5958404430/" title="Untitled by KHT20, on Flickr"><img alt="" height="180" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6007/5958404430_2f24bb9e66_m.jpg" width="240" /></a></li>
<li>4 large zucchini, peeled and halved lengthwise, then cut into thin slices like this:</li>
<li><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kht20/5958404882/" title="Untitled by KHT20, on Flickr"><img alt="" height="180" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6146/5958404882_4e2aca1a9c_m.jpg" width="240" /></a></li>
<li>2 strips of fresh lemon zest, about the width of your vegetable peeler and the length of your lemon, sort of this this:</li>
<li><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kht20/5958405490/" title="Untitled by KHT20, on Flickr"><img alt="" height="180" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6143/5958405490_1cb824008c_m.jpg" width="240" /></a></li>
<li>1 teaspoon salt</li>
<li>1/4 teaspoon black pepper</li>
<li>1 3/4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth</li>
<li>1 3/4 cups water</li>
<li>1 cup loosely packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves</li>
<li>1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh dill, or about this much:</li>
<li><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kht20/5957846815/" title="Untitled by KHT20, on Flickr"><img alt="" height="180" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6006/5957846815_2a4db010db_m.jpg" width="240" /></a></li>
<li>6 ounces plain Greek yogurt</li>
</ul><br />
Heat up your olive oil in a 4-quart heavy saucepan or dutch oven over moderate heat. Add the shallots, and cook those down for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until they're softened. They'll go from this:<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kht20/5958404662/" title="Untitled by KHT20, on Flickr"><img alt="" height="375" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6125/5958404662_ea3491f34f.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
to this:<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kht20/5958405104/" title="Untitled by KHT20, on Flickr"><img alt="" height="375" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6011/5958405104_388a2f8bf8.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<br />
Add your zucchini, lemon zest, salt, and pepper, and cook those down for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until the zucchini is softened.<br />
<br />
They'll go from this:<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kht20/5957845693/" title="Untitled by KHT20, on Flickr"><img alt="" height="375" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6022/5957845693_cd2fc70752.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
to this:<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kht20/5957846057/" title="Untitled by KHT20, on Flickr"><img alt="" height="375" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6137/5957846057_3945e732f6.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<br />
Next up, add your broth and water (this is what makes it soup!), and simmer everything for about 3 minutes until the zucchini is tender.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kht20/5958406638/" title="Untitled by KHT20, on Flickr"><img alt="" height="375" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6014/5958406638_4c9760da4a.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<br />
Throw your herbs in the pot.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kht20/5958407342/" title="Untitled by KHT20, on Flickr"><img alt="" height="375" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6126/5958407342_a484b9705e.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<br />
Then, working in batches, puree the soup in a blender until it's smooth. IMPORTANT SIDE NOTE (although it's not to the side, which I guess makes it more of an IMPORTANT WITHIN-PARAGRAPH NOTE): When pureeing hot liquids in a blender, make sure you take the little nubbin thing off of the blender lid. I don't really know what that's called, if it's called anything at all, but it's the thing that leaves a giant hole in the lid. And now you're probably asking yourself why you'd want a giant hole in the blender lid, because isn't a lid supposed to, you know, seal shit up? And this is true, but if you don't have a giant hole in the lid when you're blending hot liquids there would be no place for steam to escape and with no place for steam to escape you get HOT STEAMING EXPLOSIONS. Hence, the Industrial Revolution.<br />
<br />
But, you still have a giant hole in the lid which can (and does, believe me) lead to splash back, so just hold a kitchen towel over the hole to catch any soup that might be organizing a massive jailbreak.<br />
<br />
Or, you know, you could just buy a stick blender and use that to puree your soup right in the pot. Like this!<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kht20/5957847531/" title="Untitled by KHT20, on Flickr"><img alt="" height="375" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6140/5957847531_18209869ec.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<br />
Set that aside to cool. Once it's at room temperature, whisk in the yogurt.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kht20/5957847819/" title="Untitled by KHT20, on Flickr"><img alt="" height="375" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6140/5957847819_b11957af3b.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<br />
Give it a taste, and add more salt if you need it. Then stick that bad boy (or girl, whatever) in the fridge and let it chiiiiiiiillax for a few hours. When it's cold, it's ready to serve!<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kht20/5958408430/" title="Untitled by KHT20, on Flickr"><img alt="" height="375" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6008/5958408430_32cc15f9ff.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<br />
Stay cool, friends!<div class="blogger-post-footer">Bon appétit!</div>kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01399682228073757903noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398797.post-13153911907257456712011-03-11T10:32:00.000-05:002011-03-11T10:32:33.396-05:00About Chocolate PuddingThere are things they say about mice and men that apply equally to Kats and women. My Flickr account is overburdened with pictures I need to turn into recipes, and half a dozen cookbooks sit on the shelf waiting to be reviewed. And what have I been doing all this time? Well, a lot of things, actually. Like major, life-altering things. More to come this summer.<br />
<br />
For now, let's talk chocolate pudding, and more specifically, this chocolate pudding. I had originally intended to post this before Valentine's Day as a fun little "Heeeeey, I gave you VD!" recipe, but I ran out of eggs. Oops. Anywho, I've adapted this from Michel Richard's <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1579652999/ref=s9_simh_gw_p14_d0_i1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=1RCVFM4ZNWZ99PPCQ4TT&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=470938631&pf_rd_i=507846">Happy in the Kitchen</a></i> (one of those aforementioned books I intend to review one of these days) and it really couldn't be easier. In fact, as long as you know how to work a microwave this should be a piece of cake. I mean, a bowl of pudding. Whatevs.<br />
<br />
Let's make some groceries. For four servings you'll need:</h><br />
<ul><li>2 cups milk</li>
<li>4 large egg yolks</li>
<li>2 tablespoons cornstarch</li>
<li>2 tablespoons honey</li>
<li>½ cup semisweet chocolate chips</li>
</ul> Combine your first four ingredients in a large, microwave-safe bowl, and whisk all that up until the honey and cornstarch are dissolved.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kht20/5517051731/" title="Untitled by KHT20, on Flickr"><img alt="" height="250" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5218/5517051731_d84b741b62.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<br />
Stir in the chocolate chips, and microwave on high for 2 minutes. Remove the bowl and whisk your proto-pudding well, then microwave for another 2 minutes. Whisk again. Then microwave again.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kht20/5517056045/" title="Untitled by KHT20, on Flickr"><img alt="" height="167" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5132/5517056045_3b037348f1.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<br />
If your pudding hasn't come to a boil or isn't thick enough, keep microwaving/whisking it for a minute at a time until it looks like pudding. You know, like this:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kht20/5517610464/" title="Untitled by KHT20, on Flickr"><img alt="" height="375" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5060/5517610464_3a4999d373.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<br />
Then, let it sit on the counter for about 15 minutes, periodically whisking to help it cool evenly. Refrigerate it until it's cold, and that's it! You just made pudding! (<a href="http://www.whippedlightning.com/">Whipped Lightning</a> topping completely optional.)<div class="blogger-post-footer">Bon appétit!</div>kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01399682228073757903noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398797.post-69543922389682503292010-12-01T06:44:00.003-05:002010-12-01T06:44:00.227-05:00About Oatmeal Raisin CookiesI mentioned <a href="http://kht20.blogspot.com/2009/05/about-chocolate-chip-cookies.html">once before</a> that I have exactly two cookie recipes, and this is the other one. And can I just tell you how lucky you guys are that you’re getting this today? Because it’s H-E-DOUBLE-HOCKEY STICKS week at work and I’ve been (a) away from the computer, and (b) STUCK IN MOTHER EFFING VIRGINIA.<br />
<br />
So, to recap, cookies = delicious and Kat = busy. And this recipe = 18 delicious oatmeal raisin cookies, which are made of oatmeal and raisins, and since oatmeal and raisins are very healthy and good for you, you should feel free to eat all 18 by yourself. Which you are sure to do, because as I said, cookies = delicious. Here’s what you need:<br />
<br />
<ul><li>12 tablespoons (that would be 1 1/2 sticks) of unsalted butter, at room temperature</li>
<li>1 cup light brown sugar</li>
<li>1/2 cup sugar</li>
<li>1 teaspoon baking powder</li>
<li>1/4 teaspoon baking soda</li>
<li>1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon</li>
<li>2 large eggs</li>
<li>1 teaspoon vanilla extract</li>
<li>1 cup raisins</li>
<li>1 3/4 cups flour</li>
<li>2 cups rolled oats (and I mean the good, Irish rolled oats, not the quick-cooking or instant oats)</li>
<li>Sea or kosher salt, for sprinkling</li>
</ul><br />
You can easily make this recipe by hand, but since I now have this amazingly amazing stand mixer courtesy of my non-mother-in-law (gift registries RULE!!!11!!!!!!), I will be making it in that. So. In a large bowl, beat the butter for a few minutes (on medium-high speed if applicable) until it’s light and fluffy.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kht20/5147187586/" title="Untitled by KHT20, on Flickr"><img alt="" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4145/5147187586_90d3e37c41.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<br />
Scrape down the sides of the bowl (if applicable) and add the sugars, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon, beating until the mixture is well blended.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kht20/5146585763/" title="Untitled by KHT20, on Flickr"><img alt="" height="375" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1439/5146585763_c5a2e4ca17.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<br />
Reduce the speed of your amazingly amazing stand mixer (if applicable) to medium and add the eggs and vanilla extract, mixing until well incorporated.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kht20/5147188010/" title="Untitled by KHT20, on Flickr"><img alt="" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4149/5147188010_328a456880.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<br />
Stir in the raisins. Then, reduce the speed of your amazingly amazing stand mixer (if applicable) to low and add the flour and oats, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary and mixing just until they are incorporated.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kht20/5147188228/" title="Untitled by KHT20, on Flickr"><img alt="" height="375" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1244/5147188228_f6e9a2742f.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<br />
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill your dough for at least an hour before baking. Meanwhile! Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.<br />
<br />
Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat silicone non-stick baking mat. (Thanks, Jennie and Joe! Gift registries RULE!!!11!!!!!!) Form the dough into balls about the size of balls of golf and place them on the mat about 2 inches apart.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kht20/5146586793/" title="Untitled by KHT20, on Flickr"><img alt="" height="375" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1323/5146586793_263686b041.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<br />
Now here’s the (arguably) weird part: generously sprinkle sea or kosher salt on top of each dough ball. Trust me on this one; it makes all the difference.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kht20/5147188642/" title="Untitled by KHT20, on Flickr"><img alt="" height="375" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1238/5147188642_52e0fc87c2.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<br />
Bake 1 sheet at a time for 15 minutes or until the cookies are puffed and beginning to turn golden.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kht20/5147189176/" title="Untitled by KHT20, on Flickr"><img alt="" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4003/5147189176_6d4d078a8a.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<br />
Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. If you can wait that long. Me? I eat them as soon as they stop burning my fingers. And then I eat them all. Which brings us to today’s PROTIP!<br />
<br />
You can go ahead and scoop out all of your golf balls onto a baking sheet like this:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kht20/5147188454/" title="Untitled by KHT20, on Flickr"><img alt="" height="375" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1199/5147188454_362f33cbe0.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<br />
and then stick that baking sheet (without the sprinkling of salt) in the freezer. As soon as your dough balls are frozen through, transfer them to a freezer bag for storage and safe-keeping. Then! Whenever you want warm fresh-baked oatmeal raisin cookies, take a ball or two out of the freezer, sprinkle them with salt, and stick them in your toaster oven. They’ll bake at the same temperature, but add a minute or two to the cooking time. Then! Voila! Warm fresh-baked oatmeal cookies whenever you want them!<br />
<br />
Yay!<div class="blogger-post-footer">Bon appétit!</div>kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01399682228073757903noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398797.post-18640714438383653982010-11-09T08:41:00.000-05:002010-11-09T08:41:43.467-05:00About Roasted Acorn Squash with MarmaladeBrrr. Sure is getting cold out there, huh? Looks like that long, hot, disgusting summer is finally gone for good, and can I just say? THANK YOU SANTA. And lest you need a kindergarten lesson in the calendar, when summer ends the fall begins. (Speaking of <i>The Fall</i>, has anyone seen that movie? Because it was INCREDIBLE, and I’m not just saying that because The Piemaker is, like, super hot or anything. Which he is. I DIGRESS.)<br />
<br />
Where was I? OH YEAH. Autumn. Which brings cooler temperatures and winter squash. Both of which I love. Now, I‘d love to give you about a billion recipes for winter squash, but my boyfriend the picky eater doesn’t like winter squash, so I think I can probably only manage a few, but we’ll start with this one and see what happens. Okay? Okay.<br />
<br />
Acorn squash! Acorn squash is a bit of an odd duck, sort of like the illicit love child of a yellow squash and a sweet potato, which means it plays really well with butter and orange marmalade. Yes, you heard me, orange marmalade. Orange marmalade is one of my favorite things on Earth. I like it in my gin, I like it on my rye toast, and I like it on my acorn squash. Just mix two tablespoons of marmalade with one tablespoon of softened butter and proceed as follows.<br />
<br />
Preheat your oven to 400 F. The prepare the acorn squash but cutting it in half and removing the seeds and strings in the center of each half with a spoon.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kht20/5092447967/" title="Untitled by KHT20, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4147/5092447967_fd47eaa051.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="" /></a><br />
<br />
Place the halves cut-side down in a shallow pan or baking dish filled with 1/4 inch of water.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kht20/5093045556/" title="Untitled by KHT20, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4126/5093045556_ec83bd9a87.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="" /></a><br />
<br />
Put that in your preheated oven and bake it for 35 minutes. Then turn the squash halves over, and prick each half several times with a fork. Sprinkle the acorn squash with salt and pepper, and spoon your marmalade mixture over each half.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kht20/5160693095/" title="Untitled by KHT20, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1062/5160693095_9588ea08f4.jpg" width="500" height="250" alt="" /></a><br />
<br />
Broil that up for about 5 minutes or until it’s lightly browned around the edges. And viola! Acorn squash!<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kht20/5092448377/" title="Untitled by KHT20, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4107/5092448377_be9453f1d4.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="" /></a><div class="blogger-post-footer">Bon appétit!</div>kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01399682228073757903noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398797.post-72966116779879169462010-08-27T10:23:00.000-04:002010-08-27T10:23:28.322-04:00About Watermelon and Feta SaladI do not make idle threats. However, I am horrifying lazy. Actually, that’s not true at all; I’ve just been traveling a heck of a lot the last couple months so I haven’t had the opportunity to do much cooking. HOWEVER however, revenge is a dish best served cold, as is this one, and long ago I threatened Candice and Heather Anne with this recipe so here it is. NOT that I’m trying to get revenge on them for anything or nothing, it’s just that they were a little aghast at the idea even though it is SO GOOD.<br />
<br />
(THAT SAID, we made this for Seth’s mother back in May and, while she didn’t hate it, she informed us that she wouldn’t be making it for herself any time soon. Also that she suddenly developed a love for kalamata olives. Silver lining?)<br />
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The key to this salad has a lot to do with balance, with playing off salty and sweet and sour, with freshness bouncing off heartiness. And if you’ve ever put salt on your apple or watermelon you’ll know exactly what I mean. (Do other people actually do this? Or is this another weirdo Vietnamese habit I think is normal?) All that nonsense said, I don’t have a whole lot of instruction for you on this one; just(ish) a list of ingredients. Which look like this:<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kht20/4930556419/" title="Untitled by KHT20, on Flickr"><img alt="" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4099/4930556419_08f7168edb.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<br />
And consist of:<br />
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<ul><li>A watermelon (the sweeter the better), cut into bite-sized chunks</li>
<li>A block of feta cheese, cut into smaller bite-sized chunks</li>
<li>Good quality kalamata olives, cut in half</li>
<li>Fresh mint, <a href="http://www.blogger.com/%E2%80%9Dhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julienning%E2%80%9D">julienned</a></li>
<li>Fresh lime</li>
<li>Extra virgin olive oil</li>
<li>Salt and pepper to taste</li>
</ul><br />
I said that the key to this dish is balance, and the key to balance is ratio. So basically you want a quarter to a third the amount of feta and olives as to the watermelon. Does that make sense? MATH IS HARD. What I mean to say is, you want mostly watermelon, with a bit of feta and olive mixed in to add a little salty accent.<br />
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After you've carried the two, put all that in a bowl, add a fair bit of the mint, a generous squeeze of lime juice, and a glug or two of extra virgin olive oil. (You can also add thinly sliced red onion to this, but I never do.)<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kht20/4930556629/" title="Untitled by KHT20, on Flickr"><img alt="" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4136/4930556629_7ce2746111.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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Give it a gentle stir and an initial taste. My guess is that it’s going to need a bit more lime juice, and some salt and pepper. But they’re your taste buds, so you decide for yourself. Then, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate it for an hour or two until it’s nice and cold.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kht20/4931147570/" title="Untitled by KHT20, on Flickr"><img alt="" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4101/4931147570_321bb9f149.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
<br />
And voila. A refreshing salad for a hot barbecue.<br />
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(One small note: this salad doesn’t keep well. The salt eventually breaks down the watermelon and turns it into mush, so it’s best to make this the day you need it and not the day before. Consider yourself warned.)<div class="blogger-post-footer">Bon appétit!</div>kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01399682228073757903noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398797.post-8082968625716488532010-08-10T12:35:00.002-04:002010-08-10T12:41:23.241-04:00About Basil and Lime Creamed CornIs it weird for me to do a variation of creamed corn when I have yet to give you a recipe for just plain creamed corn? Yes? No? Do I care? Not really.<br /><br />I’m back from a week in the Pacific Northwest, a week that was very decidedly NOT hot as balls. And now that I’m back I feel like I was away for 47 years, and oh yeah, it’s also HOT AS BALLS. Because it’s summertime. And summertime means CORMS!<br /><br /><a href="http://icanhascheezburger.com/2007/10/23/scuze-me-waitur/"><img class="mine_7459216" title="funny-pictures-hamster-wants-corn" src="http://icanhascheezburger.files.wordpress.com/2010/04/funny-pictures-hamster-wants-corn.jpg" alt="funny pictures of cats with captions" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://icanhascheezburger.com/2007/02/12/i-has-a-corm/"><img src="http://icanhascheezburger.wordpress.com/files/2007/02/funny-pictures-hamster-has-a-corn.jpg" alt="funny pictures of cats with captions" title="funny-pictures-hamster-has-a-corn" class="mine_3948671" /></a><br /><br />Dear Santa I sure do love corn. It’s something I inherited from my mother, I think, who used to bring home 20 ears from the roadside veg stand, steam them all up in a big ol’ pot, and proceed to eat all 20 ears all by herself.<br /><br /><a href="http://icanhascheezburger.com/2008/10/13/funny-pictures-nom-ding-ziiiip/"><img class="mine_1942326" title="funny-pictures-cat-eats-an-ear-of-corn-with-typewriter-sound-effects" src="http://icanhascheezburger.wordpress.com/files/2008/10/funny-pictures-cat-eats-an-ear-of-corn-with-typewriter-sound-effects.jpg" alt="cat" /></a><br /><br />My boyfriend, however, is lazy. He does not like to eat corn on the cob.<br /><br /><a href="http://icanhascheezburger.com/2007/10/24/imvisible-corn-on-da-cob/"><img src="http://icanhascheezburger.wordpress.com/files/2007/10/128371108123281250imvisiblecorn.jpg" alt="funny cat pictures & lolcats - imvisible corn on da cob" /></a><br /><br />But he will eat corn if I do most of the work for him, which does NOT mean, by the way, that I chew it up and regurgitate it back into his mouth like he’s some kind of baby bird EW GROSS YOU PEOPLE ARE DISGUSTING.<br /><br /><a href="http://icanhascheezburger.com/2009/11/24/funny-pictures-nomnivore/"><img title="funny-pictures-cat-eats-corn" src="http://icanhascheezburger.wordpress.com/files/2009/11/funny-pictures-cat-eats-corn.jpg" alt="funny pictures of cats with captions" /></a><br /><br />(Winston, unlike many lolcats, appears to have no interest in corms.)<br /><br />ANYWHO, this is my super-healthy version of creamed corn that I came up with all by myself, and it’s light and fresh and requires very little cooking at all, plus unlike real creamed corn there’s no actual cream involved, just a little creaming of the cob.<br /><br />And this is how you cream a cob.<br /><br />FIRST! Remove the corn kernels as originally demonstrated in <a href="http://beta.blogger.com/%E2%80%9Dhttp://kht20.blogspot.com/2009/07/about-removing-kernels-from-ear-of-corn.html%E2%80%9D">this instructional video</a>.<br /><br />THEN! Use a spoon to cream the cob as demonstrated in the following instructional video:<br /><br /><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://www.flickr.com/apps/video/stewart.swf?v=71377" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" width="400" height="300"> <param name="flashvars" value="intl_lang=en-us&photo_secret=8cd07bf25a&photo_id=4838766814"> <param name="movie" value="http://www.flickr.com/apps/video/stewart.swf?v=71377"> <param name="bgcolor" value="#000000"> <param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://www.flickr.com/apps/video/stewart.swf?v=71377" bgcolor="#000000" allowfullscreen="true" flashvars="intl_lang=en-us&photo_secret=8cd07bf25a&photo_id=4838766814" width="400" height="300"></embed></object><br /><br />You’re gonna want to do that over a shallow bowl or deep plate to capture all the juices that you scrape out of there. It’s slightly messy work, but it’s delicious work, and delicious is half the battle. What’s a battle? I DON’T KNOW.<br /><br />Moving on. To the recipe. Which is why you’re here (presumably).<br /><br />For 2 servings you’ll need:<br /><ul><li>2 ears of corn, kernels removed and cobs creamed</li><li>1/4 c <a href="http://beta.blogger.com/%E2%80%9Dhttp://kht20.blogspot.com/2009/07/about-dicing-onion.html%E2%80%9D">diced</a> onion or shallot</li><li>1 tsp butter or olive oil</li><li>Salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes to taste</li><li>Splash of chicken broth or water</li><li>1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, <a href="http://beta.blogger.com/%E2%80%9Dhttp://kht20.blogspot.com/2009/05/about-chopping-herbs.html%E2%80%9D">chopped</a></li><li>Freshly squeezed lime juice (if you use those bottles of lime juice you’re not allowed to make my recipes anymore), to taste</li></ul>Heat the oil and butter in a medium-sized skillet or saucepan over medium heat. When the oil starts to get shimmery or the butter has stopped foaming, add the onions (for sweeter creamed corn) or shallots (for slightly garlicky creamed corn), a pinch of salt and pepper, and, if you like, a bit of red pepper flakes. I don’t always add the red pepper flakes, but I was serving this with a bit of tilapia and thought the heat would be a nice contrast with the mildness of the fish. ANYWHO, saute all that until the onions/shallots become translucent and start to brown.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kht20/4838767524/" title="Untitled by KHT20, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4125/4838767524_4f27f486da.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="375" /></a><br /><br />Add the creamed corn and a splash of broth/water. The starch from the corn creaming will thicken up the sauce and the broth/water will help the kernels cook evenly. Simmer that until the kernels are tender and the liquid has mostly evaporated.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kht20/4838155529/" title="Untitled by KHT20, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4154/4838155529_f18029f2cb.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="375" /></a><br /><br />Remove the pan from the stove and add the basil and enough lime juice for bright, tangy freshness. And add a little more salt and pepper if you think you need it.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kht20/4838768210/" title="Untitled by KHT20, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4127/4838768210_b931132357.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="375" /></a><br /><br />If all went according to plan, you should now have a light, summery side dish in under ten minutes. If not, well, MY BAD.<div class="blogger-post-footer">Bon appétit!</div>kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01399682228073757903noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398797.post-53851901867342625142010-07-28T16:19:00.001-04:002010-07-28T16:22:20.795-04:00About the NegroniHave you ever had a Negroni? No? Well you should get on that, because it is the perfect cocktail for summer. But you don’t have to take my word for it; <a href="http://www.blogger.com/%E2%80%9Dhttp://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/youngandhungry/2010/07/27/how-to-make-a-proper-negroni/%E2%80%9D">Tim Carman</a> totally agrees. I’ve been drinking my own bastard cousins of the Negroni for the past three or four years, but on this hump day I thought I’d give you this year’s <i>slight</i> variation on the classic.<br /><br />For one delicious drink you’ll need this stuff:<br /><br /><a href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4089/4838763824_37b45f087c_b.jpg" title="Untitled by KHT20, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4089/4838763824_37b45f087c.jpg" alt="" height="500" width="375" /></a><br /><br />Which, more specifically, is:<br /><ul><li>2 tbsp. gin</li><li>2 tbsp. Campari</li><li>2 tbsp. vermouth</li><li>a couple shakes of bitters</li></ul>Normally you're supposed to shake up your ingredients with ice and then strain the concoction into a martini glass to be enjoyed straight up, but it’s HOT AS BALLS (sorry for the imagery Manmaw!) outside, so I just pour it all into a jelly jar and garnish it with a slice of lime.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kht20/4838764010/" title="Untitled by KHT20, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4112/4838764010_74a74a18a9.jpg" alt="" height="375" width="500" /></a><br /><br />Because that’s how I roll.<div class="blogger-post-footer">Bon appétit!</div>kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01399682228073757903noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398797.post-59015536750282362982010-07-26T13:19:00.003-04:002010-08-27T10:26:10.253-04:00About Cold Noodle SaladSomethong (okay, I could fix that typo but COME ON) about the words <i>cold</i>, <i>noodle</i>, and <i>salad</i> together in a row like that strikes me as... funny? Odd? Somethong? Anyway, let’s get on with it, eh?<br /><br />How about that thunderstorm, hey? That was some insane shit, I’ll tell you what. Winston was mesmerized by everything blowing around all over the place, and spent the majority of yesterday afternoon with his nose pressed to the window. But I guess that’s what happens when a (relatively) cold front smashes into HOT AS BALLS. (Incidentally, I tried to sit out by the pool on Saturday but my skin melted off after 37 seconds. True story.) Thankfully it’s no longer HOT AS BALLS, but it’s still pretty damn hot out there, so we’ll continue with our tour of dishes that do not require much if any use of heat-creating kitchen equipment. Hence the aforementioned cold noodle salad.<br /><br />This is a recipe in two parts. We’ll tackle the noodles first. For four, healthy-sized servings you’ll need:<br /><ul><li>A little more than half of a box of whole-wheat spaghetti</li><li>1/4 cup water</li><li>3 tablespoons soy sauce</li><li>2 tablespoons canola oil</li><li>2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar</li><li>2 teaspoons dark sesame oil</li><li>2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger</li><li>1 teaspoon sugar</li><li>1 teaspoon crushed red pepper</li><li>3-4 cloves of garlic, minced</li><li>1 tablespoon peanut butter</li></ul>Cook the pasta according to the directions on the box. While that’s boiling, mix up the rest of the ingredients in a big bowl to make your dressing.<br /><br /><a href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4073/4820855693_0352b65e66_b.jpg" title="Untitled by KHT20, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4073/4820855693_0352b65e66.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="375" /></a><br /><br />When the pasta is cooked, drain it, then rinse it in cold water to stop the cooking process. Drain again and toss the noodles with the dressing in your big bowl.<br /><br /><a href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4122/4820856281_c6677afd96_b.jpg" title="Untitled by KHT20, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4122/4820856281_c6677afd96.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="375" /></a><br /><br />Then pop that big bowl in the fridge while we tackle the “salad” portion of our cold noodle salad, which consists of approximately 3 cups of whatever veg you like.<br /><br /><a href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4097/4821473078_6a9816db0f_b.jpg" title="Untitled by KHT20, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4097/4821473078_6a9816db0f.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="375" /></a><br /><br />This is what I brought home from the farmers market: carrots, cucumbers, radishes, cilantro, and scallions. Other veg that would be good: baby bok choy, mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, etc., etc., etc. BASICALLY, you just want to make sure your approximately 3 cups of veg is cut pretty thinly so that twirling everything onto a fork is no big whoop.<br /><br />Now toss all that together with your big bowl of dressed spaghetti.<br /><br /><a href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4081/4821473680_5b1ce064ee_b.jpg" title="Untitled by KHT20, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4081/4821473680_5b1ce064ee.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="375" /></a><br /><br />Now you have a choice: you can either serve it right away at room temperature, or you can park that baby in the fridge for an hour or so for it to chiiiiiiiill. Either way, you probably can’t go wrong.<br /><br />Probably.<div class="blogger-post-footer">Bon appétit!</div>kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01399682228073757903noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398797.post-50666613735421872002010-07-20T11:55:00.002-04:002010-07-20T11:58:11.959-04:00About Margaritas!Hello, gentle readers. My name is Kat and I’m a boozeaholic. I’m addicted to boozeahol. And why wouldn’t I be, dammit? Booze is DELICIOUS. Or rather, <i>DELICIOSO</i>. Because today we’re making margaritas! From scratch! And you know why? Because it’s HOT AS BALLS out there right now, and I could really go for a nice cold margarita. Or two, for which you’ll need:<br /><br />The juice of 3 limes<br />6 ounces of tequila<br />2 ounces of triple sec or Cointreau<br /><br />First up, your PRO TIP of the day: If you zap your whole limes in the microwave for about 15-20 seconds, you’ll be able to extract waaaaaaaay more lime juice out of them.<br /><br />ONWARDS!<br /><br />Mix together all that stuff I said you’ll need.<br /><br /><a href="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1098/4598780387_cd9782873a.jpg" title="Untitled by KHT20, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1098/4598780387_cd9782873a.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="" /></a><br /><br />Muddle some fruit in the bottom of your chosen drink receptacle and salt the rim (but not in that order, and only if you like).<br /><br /><a href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4030/4599400146_afe3629b25_b.jpg" title="Untitled by KHT20, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4030/4599400146_afe3629b25.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="" /></a><br /><br />Divide your boozy concoction between the two glasses, give it a stir to incorporate your optional fruit, and fill ’er up with ice.<br /><br /><a href="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1341/4598781517_30efc0532a_b.jpg" title="Untitled by KHT20, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1341/4598781517_30efc0532a.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="" /></a><br /><br />Dude, margaritas! (Someone bring me one now please kthxbai.)<div class="blogger-post-footer">Bon appétit!</div>kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01399682228073757903noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398797.post-25302059585505485712010-07-19T09:28:00.002-04:002010-07-19T09:32:57.803-04:00About Moroccan Tomato SoupIt’s too hot to cook. (If you’re reading this out loud, this is how you should say that sentence: “It’s toooooooooooo HOT to cooooooooook.” And throw in some pathetic wimpers and sobs in there while you’re at it.) Seriously, I don’t know if you’ve stepped outside any time in the last, oh, TWO MONTHS, because if you haven’t (LUCKY!), let me tell you, it is HOT AS BALLS out there. So the very last thing I want to do when I come home at the end of a long commute, deliriously meandering back to Chinatown in the 100-degree heat, is turn on the stove. (The first thing I want to do is jump in a swimming pool full of ice and unicorn tears, but that is neither here nor there.)<br /><br />So, if I get around to it (shit’s busy all up in here, yo), I think I’ll try and feature some coooooool summertime recipes over the next couple of weeks. Because it is HOT AS BALLS out there.<br /><br />First up: a cold tomato soup that is NOT gazpacho. I like the idea of gazpacho, and Santa knows I order gazpacho a whole heck of a lot for someone who hates gazpacho, but that’s just it; I HATE gazpacho. But this I like. It’s an old <i>New York Times</i> recipe that I’ve tweaked over the years, and now that tomatoes are showing up in the farmers market in full force, I (literally) crank out a batch once a week. So, let’s get started, hmm? <br /><br />For four servings you’ll need:<br /><ul><li>5 garlic cloves, minced</li><li>2 1/2 teaspoons sweet paprika</li><li>1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin</li><li>Large pinch of cayenne pepper</li><li>4 teaspoons olive oil</li><li>2 1/4 pounds tomatoes, cut into chunks (unless you don’t have a <a href="http://www.blogger.com/%E2%80%9Dhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Food_mill%E2%80%9D">food mill</a>, in which case, see below)</li><li>1/4 cup packed <a href="http://www.blogger.com/%E2%80%9Dhttp://kht20.blogspot.com/2009/05/about-chopping-herbs.html%E2%80%9D">chopped</a> cilantro</li><li>1 tablespoon white wine vinegar</li><li>3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice</li><li>2 teaspoons kosher salt</li><li>1/2 large English cucumber, diced</li><li>2 tablespoons water</li></ul><br />One more thing before we get started. This soup is super fresh, so if your produce doesn’t look like this:<br /><br /><a href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4095/4806696862_c6c41f1aa7_b.jpg" title="Untitled by KHT20, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4095/4806696862_c6c41f1aa7.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="375" /></a><br /><br />don’t bother. Your soup will taste like crap. Don’t say I didn’t warn you. Also you’ll probably need a food mill to smash up your tomatoes and remove the skins. If you <i>don’t</i> have a food mill, you can always use <a href="http://www.blogger.com/%E2%80%9Dhttp://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes-and-cooking/how-to-peel-tomatoes/index.html%E2%80%9D">this technique</a>, to peel your tomatoes before blending them up in a food processor, but that just sounds like a giant pain in the ass to me. <br /><br />Okay so I guess that was two more things. SUE ME.<br /><br />Now, in a small skillet, stir the garlic, paprika, cumin, cayenne, and olive oil together. Place the pan over medium-low heat and cook the spice mixture, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes. This will remove the bite from the garlic and bloom the flavors of the other dry spices. It’ll also make your kitchen smell like Marrakesh, without all the incense and b.o. Anyway, this is what it will look like:<br /><br /><a href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4116/4808719068_37eedde37f_b.jpg" title="Untitled by KHT20, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4116/4808719068_37eedde37f.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="250" /></a><br /><br />Remove the pan from the heat and set aside.<br /><br />Next, pass the tomato chunks through a food mill fitted with a large disk. <br /><br /><a href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4119/4808642882_6b39e3230a_b.jpg" title="Untitled by KHT20, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4119/4808642882_6b39e3230a.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="375" /></a><br /><br />This is the hard part.<br /><br />When your tomatoes are all milled up, stir in the cooked spice mixture, cilantro, vinegar, lemon juice, salt, cucumber, and water. (What I'm saying is, stir in the rest of your ingredients.) Give it a taste, and add more salt if you need it. Refrigerate until cold, then serve, garnished with more cilantro.<br /><br /><a href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4118/4806697608_0c834bfc51_b.jpg" title="Untitled by KHT20, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4118/4806697608_0c834bfc51.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="375" /></a><br /><br />And enjoy the antioxidant rush.<div class="blogger-post-footer">Bon appétit!</div>kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01399682228073757903noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398797.post-4095221134750711672010-05-11T14:43:00.001-04:002010-05-11T14:45:31.397-04:00About Banana BreadI know quite a few of you already have my super easy and super delicious recipe for banana bread, so for those of you who don't, SUCKS TO BE YOU, SUCKERS.<br /><br />Just kidding.<br /><br />Here you go, suckers.<br /><ul><li>3-4 very ripe bananas, peeled</li><li>1/3 c melted butter</li><li>1 c sugar</li><li>1 egg, lightly beaten</li><li>1 tsp vanilla extract</li><li>1 tsp baking soda</li><li>pinch salt</li><li>1 1/2 c flour</li></ul>Preheat your oven to 350 F.<br /><br />Mash up the bananas in a large bowl with a fork.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kht20/4599314340/" title="Untitled by KHT20, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1245/4599314340_f93456e183.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="375" /></a><br /><br />(When I was in Belize I rode a horse named Banana. This was Banana:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kht20/4285082673/" title="Untitled by KHT20, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2772/4285082673_1556172c5c.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="375" /></a><br /><br />Clearly not the same thing.)<br /><br />Stir in the melted butter.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kht20/4598695355/" title="Untitled by KHT20, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3355/4598695355_9156c5ac27.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="375" /></a><br /><br />Stir in the sugar.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kht20/4598696557/" title="Untitled by KHT20, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4038/4598696557_d9175b736b.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="375" /></a><br /><br />Stir in the egg, lightly beaten.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kht20/4598697187/" title="Untitled by KHT20, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1152/4598697187_033fbdb777.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="375" /></a><br /><br />Stir in the vanilla.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kht20/4598697635/" title="Untitled by KHT20, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1248/4598697635_dfcb869ee9.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="375" /></a><br /><br />Stir in the baking soda (and fine, the pinch of salt, too).<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kht20/4599317324/" title="Untitled by KHT20, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1083/4599317324_dd689b4e7e.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="375" /></a><br /><br />Stir in the flour...<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kht20/4598698479/" title="Untitled by KHT20, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3299/4598698479_9ca50bbf56.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="375" /></a><br /><br />...Until just combined.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kht20/4599319034/" title="Untitled by KHT20, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4014/4599319034_73ca4d9e59.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="375" /></a><br /><br />Pour into a loaf pan sprayed with cooking spray.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kht20/4598705733/" title="Untitled by KHT20, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1040/4598705733_24e79be4ee.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="375" /></a><br /><br />And bake for one to one-and-a-half hours, until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the loaf comes out clean.<br /><br />Let it cool for a while on a wire rack and then slice into perfectly even slices.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kht20/223122785/" title="i had too many bananas by KHT20, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/83/223122785_974923ff22.jpg" alt="i had too many bananas" width="500" height="375" /></a><br /><br />Or just cram it into your gaping maw by the fistful. Whatever floats your boat, suckers.<div class="blogger-post-footer">Bon appétit!</div>kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01399682228073757903noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7398797.post-40984464640772401592010-05-01T18:17:00.001-04:002010-05-01T18:20:29.793-04:00About Mint JulepsDoo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-dooooooooo.<br /><br />I mean,<br /><br /><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://www.flickr.com/apps/video/stewart.swf?v=71377" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" height="375" width="500"> <param name="flashvars" value="intl_lang=en-us&photo_secret=c54f15a8a3&photo_id=3497773335"> <param name="movie" value="http://www.flickr.com/apps/video/stewart.swf?v=71377"> <param name="bgcolor" value="#000000"> <param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://www.flickr.com/apps/video/stewart.swf?v=71377" bgcolor="#000000" allowfullscreen="true" flashvars="intl_lang=en-us&photo_secret=c54f15a8a3&photo_id=3497773335" height="375" width="500"></embed></object><br /><br />(Dude, my boyfriend has lost a lot of weight since last year. Go him.)<br /><br />Happy Derby Day! Last year we celebrated the Preakness with a mighty tasty <a href="http://kht20.blogspot.com/2009/05/about-black-eyed-susan.html">Black-Eyed Susan</a>, so this year I thought it might be nice to introduce you to the classic mint julep. But, as with everything on this here website, please take this recipe with the following caveat (emptor; hi, Scott!): this is not the "traditional" way to prepare a mint julep. No, like most things Southern-with-a-capital-S, the traditional mint julep is prepared with a level of pomp and circumstance reserved for weddings and funerals (four and a, if you're counting). And since I lack the proper <a href="http://shop.ebay.com/?_from=R40&_trksid=p3907.m570.l1311&_nkw=mint+julep+cups&_sacat=See-All-Categories">silverware</a>, you'll just have to roll with me on this one.<br /><br />LET'S GET DRINKING. For each cocktail you'll need:<br /><ul><li>2-3 oz. of the Bourbon of your choice</li><li>1-2 teaspoons of <a href="http://kht20.blogspot.com/2010/05/about-simple-syrup.html">simple syrup</a> (I err on the side of less sweet)</li><li>8-10 mint leaves (I grow my own, of course)</li><li>Ice, preferably crushed</li></ul>So, gather your ingredients and glassware.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kht20/4568660887/" title="Untitled by KHT20, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4063/4568660887_170560c934.jpg" alt="" height="375" width="500" /></a><br /><br />(My boyfriend and I have slightly different tastes in both, apparently).<br /><br />Add the mint leaves and simple syrup to your glass.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kht20/4568661209/" title="Untitled by KHT20, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3342/4568661209_52395c583b.jpg" alt="" height="375" width="500" /></a><br /><br />Now, muddle the mint with a muddler until the leaves are bruised, but not falling apart into pieces (that will later get stuck in your teeth like the obnoxious leaves that they are).<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kht20/4568661373/" title="Untitled by KHT20, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4036/4568661373_160af903e0.jpg" alt="" height="375" width="500" /></a><br /><br />Now add the bourbon.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kht20/4569299262/" title="Untitled by KHT20, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4026/4569299262_c7dfd783e0.jpg" alt="" height="375" width="500" /></a><br /><br />Now add a little ice, and vigorously stir that all up until it's nice and chilled.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kht20/4568661701/" title="Untitled by KHT20, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3266/4568661701_46d4e354b6.jpg" alt="" height="375" width="500" /></a><br /><br />Now fill up your glass with some more ice until you're pretty much full.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kht20/4568661827/" title="Untitled by KHT20, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4011/4568661827_e935747c68.jpg" alt="" height="375" width="500" /></a><br /><br />And now it's time to make your bets! (I put five bucks on the filly. GIRL POWER!) <br /><br />Cheers!<div class="blogger-post-footer">Bon appétit!</div>kathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01399682228073757903noreply@blogger.com5