I love Zucchini

I'm a little embarrassed to write this but... I love zucchini!

I always thought that it was a cucumber featured in this famous scene, but according to Spinal Tap A to Zed it is most certainly a zucchini... because "A cucumber is all pimply."

I also discovered on a site called Witchipedia (who knew that such things existed) that "zucchini resonates with earth energy" and "is feminine in nature." Zucchini is apparently used in "spells for increase and fertility" because of it's prolific nature. So you might want to be careful next time you serve this dish at a dinner party.

What other vegetable do you know that can be used as "Trouser Helper" while resonating with feminine earth energy? Some might call it the perfect food!

When it is not doubling as trouser make up or being carved into fertility charms by Wiccans zucchini also makes a wonderful addition to any summer meal.

Sauteed Italian Style Zucchini

1-2 zucchini
1 onion
3 cloves garlic
olive oil
fresh herbs (or if none are available dried will work fine... you can either use a combination of basil and oregano or just use a sprinkle of Italian seasoning)

Saute diced onion and minced garlic in olive oil until soft. Add the zucchini and cook until it is just tender. Stir in the herbs (I like to use basil and oregano from my garden) and cook until just wilted. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Cinco De Mayo

Contrary to popular belief Cinco de Mayo is not Mexican Independence Day... but a celebration of the Mexican army's defeat of the French in the battle of Puebla in 1862. After years of being involved in various wars Mexico was short on cash. When they failed to pay their debt to the French France decided that it was time to start their own Latin-American empire. The battle of Puebla didn't bring an end to the French occupation... but it did boost the morale a bit. It was several years before they managed to rid themselves of the French. It isn't a very big celebration in Mexico unless you happen to be in the state of Puebla... but in the United States it is a huge event especially in Central Texas where I live.


To celebrate we made Fajitas and my daughters went out in the yard to play with the piñata she made at school. She also made one for her sister when she got home so that they both would have a chance to break one.






Pinto Beans

These make a great side dish or filling for tamales or tacos. You can also make these in a slow-cooker. Just throw all the ingredients in a crock pot except the tomatoes and salt and cook the beans all day. Throw the tomatoes and salt in during the last hour or so of cooking time.

1-lb. of pinto beans
several cloves of garlic
1 onion
1-2 bouillon cubes

Sort and wash beans. Place in a large pot and cover with 2 inches of water. Bring to a boil and cook 2 minutes and then soak for 1-2 hours. This is the quick soak method…otherwise just soak the beans overnight.
Now you are ready to cook the beans. Add garlic and onions to the water and cook until the beans are almost tender. When the beans are done add bouillon cubes or salt. Add other spices such as cumin and chili powder if you wish... you can even throw in some stewed tomatoes or jalapenos. Be creative.

Add a little zest to your next meal!

Last night I made orange zest for a reduction glaze for pork chops. I don't have a zester so I just used my grater. Zest adds a wonderful flavor to sauces, vegetables or meats. You can buy dried zest at the supermarket... but it is so easy to make your own. I highly recommend it because it adds a wonderful flavor. Check out this link for information on drying your own.

I also made lemon zest for my sauteed spinach. What a wonderful smell. Just make sure to stop grating when you get to the white pith. The pith is very bitter and can be a bit overpowering.

Here is my glaze for the pork chops. I used brown sugar, rosemary, broth, orange juice, orange zest, crushed red pepper, salt and pepper to make it. Follow this link for the recipe. I just made spinach instead of the broccolini because it was more readily available.

Here is how I made my sauteed spinach: I sauteed garlic and onions in olive oil until golden. Then added I the spinach and cooked until wilted. I threw in the juice and zest of one lemon, salt and pepper to taste, and there you have it! It is a wonderful and easy side dish.

Here is the finished meal... Sadly my kids didn't like it. They had a PB and J night. The husband liked the pork chops, but wasn't fond of the greens. Oh well it was just more for me.

Cheers,

Jenn

Kiss My Grits-- Hominy and Soul

Last week the prompt for the Sunday creative was soul... I immediately thought about grits. Not only are grits part of the soul food tradition, but grits are at the very soul of Southern cooking.

My mother doesn't like grits, so even though Texas is on the edge of the grits belt (it stretches from Texas to Virginia), I didn't grow up eating this tasty treat. I don't think I had my first serving until I was in high school... and while I didn't dislike the flavor I didn't fall in love with it either. I cooked some the other day, however, and I glad I did. Grits are great! They are warm and gritty... They lend themselves to almost any flavor, savory or sweet, and they could be a side dish any time of day.
I like mine with butter, salt, and pepper. It was nice how the maple syrup from my pancakes surrounded them giving them just a little sweetness without overwhelming their simple flavor.

Grits are either made of corn or hominy. They can be served as a porridge or they can be formed into blocks and pan fried. You can serve them with cheese, bacon, onions, garlic, sugar, syrup, honey... just about anyway you can imagine. How do you like your grits?

Battle of the Dressings...

Every year my husband and I argue about it... Which reigns supreme....bread dressing... or cornbread dressing??? I grew up in the south... and as a result my family always made cornbread dressing. We never stuffed the bird with it... My mom made it in a corning ware dish on the side. You can see it there on the table... It is next to the my Nana's fruit salad (which just means fruit covered with Cool-Whip). Bread dressing is alright... but it just isn't Thanksgiving without my mom's cornbread dressing. In my heart it is as sacred as stealing olives from the relish tray and eating seconds (and sometimes thirds) of both dinner and dessert.

My husband's family makes bread stuffing. They make some on the side (vegetarian style for my sister-in-law)... but they also stuff the bird with some of it. It tastes good... and I've had it many times... but when push comes to shove I'm a cornbread gal all the way. I could probably dig up his family recipe for stuffing... but this is my story and so I'll stick to what I know. Here is my mom's recipe for dressing... along with my Nana's fruit salad recipe:

Mom’s Cornbread Dressing

On Thanksgiving my family serves cornbread dressing. Here is my mother’s recipe vegetarian style:

Bake about 3-6oz packages of cornbread according to instructions. Crumble cornbread into a casserole dish. Brown 1 ½ cups each of onions and celery. Add to the corn bread along with some green onions for color. Add 3t. poultry seasoning (this is a spice not a broth so it is vegetarian) and 1 ½ t. pepper. Add about 3 slices of wheat toast breadcrumbs. Moisten this mixture with 3-4 c. of vegetable broth and 3 eggs. Bake at "turkey temperature" until the top is golden, but it is still moist.

Nana’s Fruit Salad

When I was a kid my Nana used to let me help make fruit salad. We would usually start by opening a can of fruit cocktail. The we would add a few odds and ins such as mandarin oranges, apples, bananas and extra grapes (there were never enough grapes in fruit cocktail)...And finally we would take a few scoops of cool whip and stir it in.

1 can of fruit cocktail
1 can mandarin oranges
banana
grapes
apples
Cool Whip

Mix all ingredients. Chill.

BOW Ourdoor Cooking Class

As I promised here is a little more about my experiences this weekend with BOW (Becoming and Outdoors Woman). One of the many highlights of my weekend was my outdoor cooking class. I really enjoyed it and learned a lot about all the new equipment that is out there but I also learned tips on using some of the old fashioned technology like Dutch Ovens.Here is an assortment of cooking gear for the back packer: A pouch to carry utensils and spices, a small propane stove with an extra light cooking pot, and a fold up fire pit (it is the item that looks like a vegetable steamer).

This on the other hand is a fully stocked outdoor kitchen for the luxury camper or tailgater. It even has a small sink for washing dishes and plenty of room to store all those gadgets that some of us don't like to live without.

Here our instructor is whipping up some cowboy coffee. He put the grounds inside a bandanna. Along with the grounds he placed an egg that he lightly cracked in order to keep the grounds from escaping into the boiling brew. He then dropped the coffee into a pot of boiling water and cooked it until it reached the desired strength. I plan on doing some experimentation and research about the egg method. I've read about it but this was the first time I'd seen it demonstrated and I must say my interest is peaked.

For our starter we made Salmon on a cedar plank. Our instructor seasoned it lightly and then topped it with lemon slices and a sprig of rosemary. The cedar plank must be soaked for several hours prior to cooking (preferably overnight). He then placed the plank on a propane grill and lowered the lid until the fish flaked easily.

Here is the finished product. We ate it on crackers for some truly gourmet camping fare.

Next we made tin turtles. To make these you simply wrap meats and veggies up in a small sheet of foil and place the packages directly on the coals. I've made these before... but this time I learned a new trick. Simply line the foil with cabbage leaves to prevent the veggies from burning. The cabbage leaves will burn (and frankly they smell pretty awful)... but once you get past that you'll enjoy nicely cooked vegetables and meat without the typical overcooked bottom layer.

We each labeled our tin packages with fingernail polish so that we could eat our own custom made creation. The fingernail polish will weather the fire better than most other methods.

Here is my finished creation. The burned mess on the bottom is the cabbage leaves... but once I poured my meal into a bowl it was cooked to perfection.

The next dish was Cornish hens cooked in a Dutch Oven. First he rubbed butter under the skin and seasoned them with rosemary, parsley and chives. Then he simply placed them in a Dutch oven with some baby carrots and broccoli. He placed the coal under the oven and then cover the lid with more coals and baked these babies for about 45 minutes-1 hour. Mmmmmm.

Here are the birds cooked to perfection. I was really impressed with how easy and yet elegant this dish was.

Before we even arrived our instructor whipped up a batch of sour dough biscuits and set them to rise. He keeps a batch of sourdough starter on hand for just such occasions and he showed us how to prepare the Dutch oven for cooking. He said that any sour dough biscuit recipe would do... I found this one on line... and I plan on trying this once I get around to buying myself a Dutch oven.

Here is the finished product. We ate these delicious treats with lots of butter and honey. They were fantastic!

Last, but not least, we made some peach cobbler. First we melted a whole stick of butter in an insert pan and added two large cans of peaches in heavy syrup and a tablespoon of cinnamon. I was responsible for adding the cinnamon... and oops... a slip of the wrist and half the jar went in... but no worries it was wonderful anyway. After the peaches came to a boil we sprinkled a box of yellow cake mix on the top (to make the crust ).

Once the ingredients were all added to the mix we simply arranged the coals around the Dutch Oven and waited.

And here is the finished product. I found a similar recipe online for anyone who is interested. You can find it here.

After this meal fit for a king class it was time to head to dinner. Yikes! I ate a big salad and then waddled back to my room.

Cheers,
Jenn

Jalapeno Cream Corn

Dinner last night was good. I tried out a side dish that I hadn't made since my restaurant days and it was tasty and easy. I thought I'd show the recipe here... along with what dinner looked like on a typical Thursday night at the K household.

First I dipped chicken breasts in an egg and coated them with progresso bread crumbs. I gave the bottom of my cast iron a coating of olive oil and then cooked the breasts until golden brown and the chicken was cooked through. It is not the healthiest preparation of chicken... but it is certainly lower in fat than traditional fried chicken and it was tender and good. I have also cooked chicken this way in the oven before... but sadly despite the arrival of fall... summer is still holding on to a little of the heat and the oven seemed like a bad idea.

Every night we have some sort of fresh fruit and salad on the table. On this night it was melon and spinach salad... The salad is in the bag...très chic...but hey I'm a practical woman and who wants to wash out a big salad bowl if you don't need to? We set the table every night and have a family dinner together.

Finally the Jalapeno Cream Corn. This is not that gloopy cream style corn from a can (that I loved as a kid... but kind of find creepy as an adult). This is corn with cream cheese and jalapenos. It is very simple to make...All you need is a 1 lb. bag of frozen corn (or if corn is cheap and in season then use fresh for even better results), 4 oz of cream cheese, 2 T. butter, and jalapenos to taste. 1. Cook the corn according to the package directions. 2. Drain fully 3. Add all the other ingredients, stirring it until the cheese and butter are fully melted. Wah-la that's all there is to it.

Dinner is served!

See You Later Sweet Potater...

As a child I never liked sweet potatoes... The idea of that traditional southern dish of pureed potatoes with coconut, pecans, and marshmallows served every Thanksgiving just somehow seemed wrong to me. I mean I loved marshmallows as much as any kid... but marshmallows on a vegetable... I just couldn't wrap my head around it. But then one day I tried sweet potato fries at a BBQ restaurant in Gruene, Texas. From that moment on I was hooked. The first time I made my own I just bought the pre-made fries from the freezer section at the grocery store. It was a big disappointment and it was a while before I tried them again. Since then I have been making my own steak-cut fries and sauteing them in oil with onion, salt, and pepper. I like cooking them until the onions and potatoes both have a nice brown color... caramelizing them brings out the sweet flavor. mmmmm

Hatch Chilies

The New Mexico, or the hatch chili, is an aromatic pepper that is milder than the jalapeno. Like the jalapeno, however, it is a versatile chili that compliments many dishes. It can be served a variety of ways, but it is best when roasted and peeled. The green chili is central to New Mexican cooking. Right now it is Hatch chili season and they are being celebrated all over the Southwest. They are really inexpensive right now... so I like to buy a lot, roast them, and freeze whatever I don't use. The trouble is I think of so many ways to use them that I rarely have any left in reserve once the season is done.

How to Roast a Pepper: Place the oven on broil…or even better heat up the outside grill. Puncture each chili to prevent explosion. Place peppers on a cookie sheet or if cooking outside place directly on the grill. Cook until the skins begin to blacken and separate. Turn occasionally.

Remove from heat and place in a bag or a bowl with a lid to sweat. After 15 minutes or so peel and discard skin. If you wish to freeze some for future use leave skin on until you are ready to use.

New Mexico Green Sauce

If Hatch chilies don't happen to be in season right now... or you just don't live somewhere where they are common you can substitute other mild peppers like Poblano peppers for the hatch chilies. This is a good sauce for eggs, enchiladas, and burritos or just as a dip for chips.

6 New Mexico or Hatch chilies
1 C. warm water
2 T cooking oil
3 T flour
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Cups veggie broth
1/2 small onion diced

After you roast the chilies in the broiler or on the grill and place them in a bag to sweat you will then want to remove the peel and seeds. Place 3 chilies in the blender with water and blend.

Sauté the flour in oil until slightly brown. This is the roux that will thicken up the sauce when you add the remaining ingredients.

Add garlic and onions and sauté until translucent. You can also heat up the broth at this time. You can use either vegetable broth or chick broth depending on whether you wish to make this a vegetarian meal.

Add other ingredients and cook until thick. Dice the three remaining chilies and add to mix. Serve hot or cold. Or use to top a New Mexico Style Burrito.

New Mexico Corn and Zucchini

2 t. veggie oil
3 New Mexico chilies-Roasted, peeled, etc…
1 Chopped onion
2-3 ears of corn
3-4 Cloves of garlic, minced
2 zucchini, sliced

Heat oil and sauté onions and garlic until translucent. Add the chilies, corn and zucchini. Cook until zucchini is tender, but not falling apart. Add salt and pepper to taste. Use as a side dish or a filling for tamales and burritos.

New Mexico Style Burritos
This is a recipe my husband Paul likes to make. The recipe is based on a burrito I ate at a small brewpub in New Mexico. The pub called the burrito “The Fatty”… and it is fat indeed!

1 recipe sauce
Burrito size tortillas
1 can black beans
1 recipe New Mexico corn and zucchini
Potatoes fried with onions, garlic and cumin. (cooked well-almost like mashed)

Wrap beans, potatoes, and veggie in tortilla and top with sauce. Garnish with cilantro and top with cheese if you wish. I also like to just put beans and potatoes in the burrito and serve the corn and zucchini as a side dish. You can stuff the burrito with whatever you wish... just make sure to top it with plenty of sauce!

Ivory to Plantains

I'm working through a course on creativity for the next couple of weeks. Each day I will be given a creative prompt that I am suppose to turn into some sort of creative project in my chosen medium. My medium is food and food writing and my prompt for today is the word Ivory... I wasn't really sure what to do with this word so I started by brainstorming... What exactly is ivory? There is the color, the tusk of an elephant, a bar of clean smelling soap, or it could also be Ivory Coast. Since soap and elephant tusks don't make good eating... I will concentrate on the color and the country. Here it is....

It just so happened that today I had a craving for fried Plantains... I was dreaming about our upcoming trip to Honduras and I was thinking about how nice it was going to be sipping on a beer and eating fish and fried plantains. I was considering a trip to the store to buy one that I could fry up for breakfast... but I changed my mind when I started thinking about the starchy plantains that you get here... What I really wanted was something fresh and closer to the source... A plantain that had flavor... a plantain that I could sink my teeth into. I was craving an experience from my past and I was also thinking about creating a new one. The desire wasn't so much about food, but about the memory of the breakfasts I made when I lived in Mexico... and that stirred up a desire to create new memories (possibly ones involving steaming plates of fried plantains served with cold beer) when I travel this summer.

Plantains are a versatile food. They can be starchy like potatoes or sweet like their cousin the banana. You can eat them boiled, grilled, fried, steamed, or baked. You can make them into chips, stir them into a stew, eat them mashed, or turn them into fritters. Plantains are common all over Africa, Mexico, Central and South America. The following recipe is simple and found all over the world.

2-3 medium size plantains
oil
salt and pepper

Peel plantain by trimming ends and making a slice from end to end (plantains are more difficult to peel than a banana). Cut the plantain into 1-inch slices. Heat the oil and fry the pieces until they start to turn light brown. Remove from oil and drain slightly. Place each piece on its flat end and crush into small patties of chips. Return to oil and fry until golden brown. Drain on paper towels and sprinkle with salt and pepper. If you prefer you can cut the plantains into thinner slices and omit the crushing and re frying. Serve with salsa and sour cream.

What do plantains have to do with Ivory you ask? Why did I jump to this tangent? Well it is simple. Alloco (fried plantains) just happen to be the National dish of the Ivory Coast. Also when you cut open a plantain the fruit is.... well... ivory colored. A stretch I know... but sometimes you have to stretch a little in order to flex your creative muscles.