Cooking From The Edge

to kill a...um.

2010-05-01T10:38:00.001-07:00

–verb (used with object)

to choose; select; pick.

to gather the choice things or parts from.

to collect; gather; pluck.

–noun

act of culling.

something culled, esp. something picked out and put aside as inferior.

RIP Rosabelle.

how my chickens made me a feminist

2010-04-28T10:43:00.000-07:00

I have never called myself a feminist. It seemed silly to me to allow all the women who came before and fought the good fight down by not taking full advantage of what I had. No point naming it or drawing lines in the sand, right? I can learn what I want, work where I want, live where I want, vote for what I want, fuck who I want, I have kids if I want, not have kids if I want...
This isn't to say I wasn't an angry girl. Until recently, I was pissed. I didn't do "injustice" well, or quietly. I loved my riot grrrls. I fought back every time and without out pause. I surrounded myself with good, strong people, women and men, who probably consider themselves feminists. I still did not.

I was at the market the last week during the middle of the day, which is unusual for me. (Ash and I generally do the shopping together.) I had wandered a little aimlessly, puttered about the garden section, picked up a movie we didn't need, put back a bra I totally did... When I checked out something else unusual happened. The checker asked me if I had the day off work. (and he also carded me for those three bottles of wine and the one bottle of Belgian beer...sweet, right?)
"No, I don't work." I replied.
He looked a little confused and embarrassed, handed me my receipt and said,
"Well have a nice day anyway!"
Huh? Anyway? This made me remember a text that I received from a male friend just a day before. He asked me if I wouldn't feel better if I had a job and "lessened the burden" on my family. Huh? I'm a burden? I immediately sent the text to Ash who laughed it off and called the guy a dummy. I asked the kids if they thought I should go to work. My oldest responded, "only if you want to". My daughter said, "who would do everything"? My youngest son, "Why?". These responses set me at ease. My daughter was right. Who would do everything? I make our daily bread, I grow our food, I do our laundry and hang it on the line, I clean the bathroom, I make the meals from scratch (almost every single night). I make most of our decisions in regards to daily life. I do these things because I want to. Everyone helps out. My kids don't have assigned chores. We have a "do it" rule. If you're asked to do it, do it. I don't care whose turn it is, I don't care who did it last, work that out between yourselves and go do what I fucking asked. It works really well. They are responsible, mature, hardworking kids. Well...except Ethan. He's a clown. Are they going to get the wrong idea about women because of the amount of work I do in the home? No. I don't think so. They know I do this by choice. They know mommy can be whatever she wants and she chose to be self-sufficient.

I was bringing in the recycle bins from the curb when my neighbor came out to get in her car. She waved and said, "Isn't that mans work?". To be honest I was dumbstruck. I hadn't heard anything so overtly stupid and sexist in a really long time. To hear something so wrong come from a woman, a mother, who considered herself a successful business owner was sad. I know you may be thinking it was innocent and she was just kidding, blah blah blah. This is my story not yours, shut up. I regretfully said something equally stupid back to her, "well, I guess it depends on when you want it done." What the fuck did I just say? See,I know that my husband walks right past those recycle bins without thought because he knows Elliot will bring them in when he gets home from school. I would normally leave them out myself. I was only doing it because I happened to be out there. I thought I'd help him out. Did I say any of this to her? NO. I implied that my husband was incompetent and I was shouldering the burden. He didn't seem as disturbed as I when I told him. I am pretty certain he called her a dummy and made a lurid joke about mans work. I didn't really let it go. It got me thinking about these jobs, these boxes that still exist and why.

I was cleaning the chicken coop yesterday. I had fed them some snacks and I was happily scooping the poop from the hen box and tossing it into the compost when I realized I had it all. I at that moment realized that up until then some part of me had felt guilty for staying home. They were all right. The guy at the market, my dummy friend who called me a burden, the neighbor and her "mans" work, the women of my life who had asked when I was planning on going back to work for a decade before they finally got the hint. I didn't feel I was contributing. I felt guilty for not being a better Capitalist!
All along I had thought this was a Womans issue but it wasn't at all. It was a conformity issue. Deep inside I felt I wasn't doing the things current society dictate I should be doing. I hadn't realized I had found ways to deal with it, this guilt. I wasn't writing so I started cooking, I wasn't sculpting so I started growing, I wasn't seeking out your attention and approval and I started to breathe. My half done stories were playing out complete amongst those clucking, bitching, soothing chickens. Every poem I had scrapped was wrapping itself around the pea teepe's. The music was there too. It was the dogs tag as he jumped the asparagus bed, a cat landing on the rain barrel. I was taking care of myself. I was taking care of my family. I found what I need to do this now. I am not a consumer. I am a woman. I am...sigh...a feminist.

maybe its time to change our mission statement

2010-04-16T13:26:00.000-07:00

It's amazing how much has changed. I'm sure, my dear only reader, you've noticed I've been gone for most of the last year.I left you with promises of Coq Au Vin and stories of train sex... Alas, I have obviously failed. (Not with either of the latter, I assure you, I just mean I failed to uphold my promise to share.)

We took a good portion of the last year to make some really solid and permanent changes, changes as a family that make us feel better about how we live our lives and the impact we're having. I find myself slowing as I type, reluctant to bore you with all the details. I don't want to come off as preachy or ranty about our move back to a simpler life so I guess I'll just let it unfold naturally. Perhaps with each new post you'll get a better idea of our new found fulfillment.

We've decided to try to keep a journal or some record of what we plant from year to year since I tend to forget. I suppose this is as good a place as any. The size of our gardens have increased considerably. This is what we're growing already (inside the house and out): peas, onion, garlic, radish, carrot, chard, spinach, lettuce, rocket, shallot, potatoes- about 6 types, aubergine, broccoli,artichoke, cabbage, tomato, jalapeno, brussels sprouts, dill, cilantro, thyme, basil, strawberries, raspberries,watermelon, asparagus,rhubarb and of course all of my various perennial herbs and edibles. Not so different from last year, I think. Still to go in the ground: green beans, corn, black beans, pinto beans, cucumber, pumpkin, okra, and...um...what am I forgetting? Something I'm sure. As usual I'm off to an excellent start with the documenting. Bah! This is why Ash keeps the egg journal. Not only would mine be illegible, it'd be severely lacking. We've put in a few new raised beds for perennial food stuff. We've made some great potato bins, whose plans I'll share with you soon.

I leave you with some peas. getting ready to climb the teepee's. Scarlett runner beans! That's what I forgot, phew!
<3,
jamey

Chickens are for lovers

2010-04-12T13:12:00.000-07:00

I've been gone along time. Meet the girls. Demeter, Artemis, Rosabelle and Foghornabelle are the laying hens. An Australorp, an Americauna, a leghorn, and a Gold Lace Wyandotte.

Alana came over and took some pictures of the girls.

She was there just in time for our newest arrivals...um, arrival!

This is Hera. She's our little Bantam. Black Cochin to be specific.

That's Chrysanthemum.

Ash and I all cooped up...

You won't believe what we've been eating. Stay tuned.

<3,

jamey

craft fair goodness!

2009-11-17T19:48:00.000-08:00

heirloom tomatoes provencal on spinach and basil pesto pasta

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

With school heading towards full swing and the weather getting a bit chilly it was time to take what garden food I still had and make it comforting. All summer long we've had fresh clean options using these same ingredients and I'm soooo over it. I wanted a big ass bowl of happiness that will leave me with a vague sense of guilt and a huge sense of fulfillment.

Check out those tomatoes. With some creative pruning I finally started getting a decent yield. I really love the little round orange ones. The pink have been a big hit, they're really meaty, firm, and totally look like genitals. Which, as I'm sure you can imagine, goes over well in house full of tweens and teens.

I cut my tomatoes to about an inch, inch and a half, set them in a sheet pan, drizzled with olive oil, a little fancy balsamic, sea salt, fresh ground pepper, Italian oregano, and some thyme. Sprinkle each tomato with breadcrumbs and put in a 375 oven for 25-30 minutes. (I deviated from my normal breadcrumbs at this point and used panko this time, something I won"t do again.)
Panko regret:

I cooked my pasta and made my pesto while the tomatoes roasted.

The pesto was a few spinach leaves and a bunch of basil, some pan toasted pine nuts, a few cloves of the garlic confit I recommend you always, always have on hand, a dash of cayenne, and a little pepper blended in some olive oil.

At this point you start beating people back out of the kitchen...

When the tomatoes are about done sprinkle them with a little parmesan and basil chiffonade and set back in the oven for a few. I wouldn't typically let my parmesan get crispy but that's the way the pesto zombies wanted it. (It was alright...I guess.)

Then you take your tomatoes and set them over the pasta.
Like this:

no really, do it.
<3,
jamey

summer goods

2009-08-03T13:08:00.000-07:00

Hiya. I'm back. It's been awhile, huh? Sooooooo long in fact that I'm way over discussing the Coq Au Vin I was going to lead into from the last blog post. Its far too hot to bother with now. Instead I'll talk about what Ethan and I made for his class project...it was compiled into a cookbook and given to mom's for mother's day. Back when school was still in we had to haul our butts all the way across town to the market to pick up the goods we'd need for this dinner but now we just hop straight out the back door and pick whatever we need. It rules. The garden has been a wonderfully productive learning tool for all of us this year. We have a better idea of our lot. We know how much more space we'll need next year to keep us in the green. We have a better idea of what crops grow in which location. And I think most importantly, we know what we have far too much of and what we desperately wish we had more of. ( like artichokes, YUM)

Ash and I have been scavenging materials to build the bottle walled chicken coop. I'm excited to try this out. I don't have this one completely planned as of yet. I really want to build something that I can use for chickens and/or squab. A rabbit idea is being tossed around as well. The issue I have is that I have no desire to have rabbits as inedible pets. We have enough pets, too many maybe. What we need is a nice steady food supply. Convincing the kids of this was easy. Its the husband who has difficulty with the idea of killing flopsy, not that he has any issue when it comes to eating him (go figure). So...that is where I've been- collecting materials, growing food, adjusting our lives a little everyday. The good stuff.
Back to the food! Ethan and I sauteed some onions/shallots, (whichever you have) with one jalapeno and a few cloves of garlic in some oil until soft. I like to put in a pinch of cayenne and a little, say a teaspoon , of chinese five spice here and cook it for about 30 seconds. Then we added some ground turkey and cooked through. Ethan shredded a few carrots while I chopped cabbage.

I had thrown a cup of rice into the rice cooker when we started so it'd be ready to add by the time I needed it ( I always cook my rice in stock). We cooked down the cabbage and carrots in the spicy meat, added a cup to a cup and one half of rice and stirred it all together. We seperated the leaves of romaine on a platter and viola! We were done. Everyone has a bowl of spicy meat and veggies and access to as many leaves as they like. Its fast, try it. The jalapeno and cayenne don't add much heat so its kid friendly and you'll want to serve with sri racha for sure. Unless of course you're a bunch of wusses...in that case you could probably sub the jalapeno for a bell pepper and skip the cayenne. Either way...

It's really good.
<3,
jamey

eff the potatoes

2009-03-26T10:14:00.000-07:00

I have decided that I must have dreamed my potato purchase. There is no other explanation.
I have never lost my keys much less a fucking TWENTY POUND bag of potatoes.
So...in light of the pathetic nature of my recent dreams, I am going on vacation.
I have never been on one before with a husband and kids. I'm excited. There will be a train and sneaky booze, and maybe even some illegal transport of produce. At the very least I wanna have train bathroom sex. ( plug your eyes mother) Wish me luck! I'll explain the photo when I return.
<3,
jamey

losses

2009-03-17T15:39:00.000-07:00

I know I bought a bag of russet potatoes at Costco two weeks ago.
Now where the hell is it???

true love soup

2009-03-02T11:57:00.001-08:00

For valentines day the whole lot of us ( minus bella the defector who swears she "loves cheese more than anything in the world " but couldn't be bothered to stay home with her family and sample some really great muenster, brie, havarti, and farmers cheese. oh no...she had to go to her best friends house instead. psht.) stayed in and had a feast.

I made chicken with 40 cloves of garlic, give or take 20 cloves. By give or take I mean give. It totally had so very many more. I had one of those giant Costco garlic tubs and I didn't want to waste any so I made garlic infused food as well as confit all damn day.

This post is not about the amazing roasted chicken , or even the roasted garlic, the cheese plate, or the tomatoes with sea salt, basil chiffonade, and fresh cracked pepper that we enjoyed that evening. It is about what happened the next day. After dinner I ( very slowly as i was fat with cheese and chicken) put the carcass on the stove to make a stock and went to bed. The next day I was faced with one of the most amazing soup bases I have ever had the pleasure of coming up against. Oh man... it was clear and beautiful and so wonderfully infused with the garlic flavor. MMMMMMMmmmmmm

To this I added left over chicken, cabbage, jalapeno,peas, green beans, red onion, salt and pepper and then after cooking all of this until the vegetables were tender, I added some rice noodles that I had soaked for about 20 minutes. I let the whole thing sit on the heat for another twenty minutes and served with fresh bread. So easy and so fresh.

I love soup.
<3,
jamey

summertime please.

2009-02-26T16:18:00.000-08:00

My fascination with Eric Ripert has finally reached the point where I feel like I should apologize to my husband.

<3,
jamey

eff you fingerling potatoes

2009-02-18T13:51:00.000-08:00

I don't know if I've ever mentioned how much my dearest Ash hates potatoes.
He does. It had been totally cramping my style for like 5 years and I had enough.
Costco had beautiful fingerling potatoes and I couldn't help myself. I had actually walked past them during two other trips and asked the tater hater, ( yeah...i said it) if he wanted them and he was so violently vehement in his no's that I passed them by.
I thought about them so much I couldn't take it.I made demands and went back and they came home with me.
Now, this is by no means a special or even interesting recipe other than the fact that it was one that everyone liked and ate despite their feelings on the starchy bastards.
I marinated the fingerlings in olive oil, sea salt, cracked pepper, red pepper flakes and fresh thyme. (Which I had put in a bottle the night before...and it was funny.)

I laid them out all single layered and cooked them alongside the meatloaf at 375 for about 45 minutes.
I put a bunch on his plate. I watched while he took his first bite...I watched while he took his second bite...by the third bite when he smiling at me sheepishly, I proclaimed, "Fuck you! I knew it!" Hence the name. Eff you fingerling potatoes will be around more often. You can count on that.
I would like to show you a roasty toasty picture of them but I can't.
We ate them.
<3,
jamey

mmmmmmeatloaf

2009-02-18T13:15:00.000-08:00

Yummy, right?

I never had meatloaf growing up. I didn't know what it was supposed to taste like until I was 23 and sitting in a bar in Ballard drinking shots of whiskey to get me through the blind date from hell. I loved it! ( Not the date, obviously) The meatloaf was pretty extra fucking wonderful for a comfort food. So I decided to make it using ground beef and those flavor packs you buy from one of those inner aisles of the market. It always turned out OK but never what I wanted. Time passed and I allowed myself to let go of my first meatloaf experience and it led me here...to you...with love.
That delightful looking paste in the center of the above picture of heaven is about 6 cloves of garlic confit mashed with a spoon. I went on a garlic preservation jag last week and found this was the best method for me.
Just cover some peeled garlic cloves in a neutral flavored oil and cook on low for about 40 minutes. You will end up with a nice golden, easily mushed clove that you store in the oil in the refrigerator for up to a few months.

The fresh chopped ingredients in the 3.75 pounds of turkey breast above are 1 jalapeno that has been veined and seeded, 1/4 cup chopped flat leaf parsley, 1 finely diced shallot, and a bunch of scallion greens.

The wet and dry ingredients I add last; 4 eggs, sea salt, pepper, and 1 cup bread crumbs.
If your mix seems to dry add a dash of chicken stock. you want something that is going to hold together but not taste bready or dry.

That looks awesome, doesn't it.

Shape this into a loaf shape in 9x13 pan and drizzle with grasshopper spit and sri racha. ( Or whichever hot sauce you prefer) Cook for about an hour at 375 and love.
This fed 9 people with 1 slice leftover. I'm not saying this makes 10 portions- I'm pretty sure it makes more than that...I'm saying this fed 9 people. We actually ate it so fast that I didn't get end pictures.
This meatloaf is NOT to be eaten with ketchup. I mean it. That's gross and kinda cruel.
<3,
jamey

another sunday breakfast

2009-02-05T14:44:00.000-08:00

I am fairly certain if you ask either of my parents what goes into a really yummy sandwich they are going to say, "pickle, onion and cheese." My mom is a purist she has these ingredients with a little mayo on whole wheat. Perfection. My dad, if given awhile, will start adding things like ham, turkey, roast beef...maybe one day on whole wheat, maybe another day on a French roll. When it comes to food, I certainly tend to follow in my dads footsteps. We are eaters. We are recreators. We are reinventors. We spent years eating way too quickly and making my mother groan just watching us. So this sandwich is a gracious nod to both of my folks. To my Mom, for the basics. To my Dad, for making me want to add ham. ( To everything, really)
Ash and I made these together for brunch a few weeks ago. They were not only wonderful, but the time of day allowed us to sneak in a glass of wine just before noon. It was integral...um, to the dish. Yeah. Thats right. It was NECESSARY.
On sourdough I placed swiss, cheddar, pickle, onion, and ham. I lightly buttered just the outsides of the bread and grilled them till the cheese was melty. Ash fried up a couple of eggs, possibly in butter, though I may not admit it... and slid them on top.
Coarse salt and fresh cracked pepper.
You do this too.
Eat.
Send me flowers.
<3,
jamey

oh things we've missed

2009-01-12T14:20:00.001-08:00

Brined pork loin adapted from a bobby flay recipe, coq au vin (made with a hen not a cock...its supposed to be cheap and easy, remember), mommy's best risotto, three bean chili with just enough serrano chili to warm you right up and make your nose sweat, holy crap meatloaf sammiches. I've been busy folks, far too busy for my liking but thankfully we have finally settled back into normal life after the never ending birthday/holiday weeks. The kids have spent a full snowless week in school and there isn't a candy cane in sight. Phew. Now maybe I can pull my head outta my ass and remember to take some photos and share with you the wonderful winter food we've been eating! Maybe.
This year we made some family resolutions and I'm really excited to see the kids adapting so easily. ( Ash too...he really does embrace some things with unparalleled enthusiasm. Its a shame those things never ever include cleaning the toilet.)
1.)We have given up paper napkins and gone cloth. Everyone was so into this idea that they even made guest napkin rings. So far so good. Ethan and I even managed to badger our excessively tidy selves (read: horribly uptight obsessive compulsive germaphobes) into using handkerchiefs throughout the duration of our current sickness. Yay, us!
2.) Compost! Compost! Compost! We bought a new bucket and gave it a permanent home. The compost waste now goes out at the same time as the garbage and recycling. This resolution took off better than I thought it would, the compost bin has existed but we have had a disconnect in what we could and couldn't put in there and we were still producing just too much garbage. The kids are expert recyclers and they really seem just as excited to make compost now that everything has its place and routine.
3.) Grow and store our own food. Seeds are on order, plots are dug, plans have been made! We looked at deep freezes this weekend and hope to have one in place by April. Ash and Isabella plan on making cheese, all different types of delightful cheese, yay!
4.) Learn to create something for family use, sale, or trade. Elliot has taken up knitting and sewing felt dolls, Ethan wants to learn how to make lavender oil, and Isabella has her cheese and innumerable arts and craft projects going on in her studio. Ash and James keep trying to convince me that beer is a valid option but I know them... What are the odds that beer will ever, EVER, make it out of the house? Slim to none, I know.
5.) Get a massage every month for the duration of the year. This one is actually just my resolution. My very favorite resolution at that. They're covered by insurance, why the hell not, right?

I'll be back here soon. Writing with love and devotion about cheap, healthy, family friendly food made in my kitchen every. single. day.
<3,
jamey

snowy sunday morning breakfast

2008-12-17T10:47:00.000-08:00

Ash is not amused with wife this early in the morning

We had our first dusting of snow on Saturday night!!! (If you're not from the Northwest you might not understand what a big deal this is.) In the Puget Sound area that week or so a year we get snow is either heaven or hell for residents, for us it just happens to be heaven. That first day it gets cold enough...the whisper that spreads through schools and neighborhoods...watching the street lights waiting for a any sign of a flake. Its a ritual we all embrace. So joyfully, it snowed!
Sunday morning the kids were up and out the door before Ash and I were even fully awake. Normally on Sundays I just paw at my husbands arm repeating the words, "coffee. coffee. COFFFFEEEEE" until he rolls out and does my bidding. ( okay, maybe not just Sunday... maybe everyday. So what.) Anyhow, today I got up with him and surveyed the damage the kids breakfast had caused. As I grumbled he demanded I go back to bed but it was too late, I had opened the fridge and I was effing hungry.
I cannot fry an egg to save my life. (also, I cannot make french toast. I cannot, I cannot, I cannot!) I was smart enough to marry a man who can, and luckily does. I wanted something savory. He wanted me to get out of his way. I wanted green beans. He wanted me to calm down. I was too quick for him though, I had some beans steaming and a little garlic and onion sauteeing before he could pick me up and physically remove me like he had threatened. I believe it was the delightful smell that changed his mind, because before I knew it he had the sourdough in the toaster and two eggs in hand.

toasty.
I mixed my green beans and the sauteed yumminess and set it aside while Ashley fried up the eggs in the drippings. The coffee was pouring, the toast was popping, and before you knew it we had this:

The BEST Sunday morning snowy day breakfast ever. That yolk mixed in with the green beans wonderfully. The sourdough sopped up the garlic and onion bits. It was perfect.

yum!
<3,
jamey

a day in the life...

2008-12-10T16:20:00.001-08:00

The middle school is having a fundraiser. Which is nothing new if you know us. The kids go to a public k-8 Montessori school. They are getting an amazing opportunity and education for free...well, almost. The middle school addition is only in its 3rd year. I now have two kids attending and the whole damn business needs some cash to get going. So we raise funds. Its worth it really, the 7th and 8th grade trips are going to be really inspiring and leadership camp is something that everyone should be forced to attend, but I digress. Or do I? Whatever. On Friday there will be a holiday craft fair. This gives the kids and families a chance to make, buy, or sell items from other families or local vendors. This includes for the first time ever in my 13 years as a parent: A FUCKING BAKE SALE!!! I love bake sales. I love baking... I love selling. Its really a perfect venue for me.
I spent yesterday finishing up some handmade brooches for the vendor table we rented. I could post a picture, but this is a cooking blog, not a super cool dinosaur in a nest of glass beads brooch blog, is it... Nope! So, anyway, today I baked and confected. What is confected you ask? That would be the word I made up to describe my act of making confections...truffles to be exact.
I made them from this delightful book.

They looked like this...

and this...

After I had those setting up and waiting to be rolled, I made some bread for Ash and myself to eat for lunch. My Husband comes home everyday for lunch, did you know that? Even though it cuts his one hour lunch down to 20 minutes because he's a walker...he still comes home. I made two loaves today. One for us to split for lunch and one for dinner. They looked like this...

So he came and went and I moped about like I usually do for about 20 minutes after he left and then I made these... from a recipe I read at Minimally Invasive. They looked like this...

Only less blurry of course. So now I am off to make dinner. Which I probably won't share with you because I will be too damn tired.
<3,
jamey

cleaning out the fridge meal

2008-12-03T14:25:00.001-08:00

I wondered what we were going to eat for dinner almost all day yesterday. I pondered fast food. I thought about defrosting the chicken soup in the freezer, I was indecisive and unsure of myself...until about 4 o'clock. I trudged into the kitchen to face my dilemma and was wonderfully surprised. I came upon 1/3 of a bag of organic frozen green beans ( the big Costco sized bag, not your standard grocery store size), 1/2 of a bag of peas ( grocery store size), 2 frozen chicken breasts, some fresh baby spinach, a bag of bow-tie pasta, some leftover lunch ham, the last of the parmesan, and a few cloves of garlic. Of course I also had wine, I always have wine...I mean it's me...who would I be kidding to act surprised by that little find? Certainly not you. I steamed my beans and peas till crisp tender and dumped them into one of my giant bowls, retaining the water to boil the pasta in ( you'll have to add some more of course). I chopped my chicken into small bits and started them on medium heat in the cast iron, sprinkling with salt and pepper. When the chicken was cooked through I removed it from the pan and set it aside and I threw in the 2 oz of sliced lunch ham and cooked until it was a little crispy, then removed and added to the chicken. In the pan to dislodge the crispy bits I tossed in some white wine and then garlic, reducing and adding a little chicken broth ( another constant-don't act surprised), salt and pepper. When the pasta was cooked I strained and added to vegetables reserving 1/2 cup of pasta water which I tossed in as well as the chicken, ham,garlicky wine sauce,parmesan and fresh spinach. Sprinkle with a little dried dill and red pepper flakes, mix it all up and serve. This fed 4 teenagers, 2 grown men, and myself. It was so bulked up with the vegetables it was enough for everyone to have a decent helping. it was good.
<3,
jamey

spicy pinapple

2008-12-03T09:50:00.001-08:00

MMMMMMmmmmmmmmm.

Saute sweet white onions in a little oil with some chili paste...
Chop up delicious Maui pineapple your parents brought you from their birthday trip.
Mix all together and cook for a few minutes until everything is tender.
Sprinkle with salt.
Love.

<3,
Jamey

on pork

2008-11-12T12:00:00.000-08:00

I understand that we were all raised with pork fear.
I know that you were told you'd get worms if your other white meat was even sort of undercooked. Click on this link and pay close attention to the freezing instructions.
This works really well for my family because we buy our meat in bulk locally and have to freeze it in dinner sized portions.

I cook my pork to 150-155 degrees and let it rest for about 10 minutes under some foil. It generally adds about 3-7 more degrees during this rest period leaving me with a juicy tender piece of pork instead of a tough overcooked hunk of yuck. Please don't be afraid. You are really, really selling yourselves short.

Okay, that said...if anyone knows where I can get my hands on some cougar meat, hit me up.

<3,
jamey

thyme for a friday night fall feast

2008-11-12T09:22:00.000-08:00

Its damp. Damp, dark, dreary, chilly and windy. On Friday it was raining in the house. We needed a hearty soul satisfying feast. Whats more feasty than herb stuffed pork tenderloin, rich smashed parsnips( aka smarshnips),buttery asparagus, and warm fresh bread? Nothing, I say! NOTHING. On Thursday night I chopped up fresh thyme, rosemary, a couple cloves of garlic, a pinch of salt and mashed it altogether with a fork. I laid out two cleaned and trimmed (all silver skin removed) pork tenderloins that I kind of flattened with my hand in a dish and smeared the herb and garlic mixture all over one side. I stacked one on top of the other and tied with kitchen string at serving sized intervals. This sat in the fridge all night only to be removed about an hour before cooking time so it wouldn't be so chilly when it hit the pan.

I seared this on all sides in a little bit of oil in the cast iron skillet
and dropped into a 400 degree oven for about 25-30 minutes. Internal temperature on removal should be about 150. Set this pork aside and as it rests the internal temp will go up a few degrees. In the pan drippings add some chopped shallot and a little garlic. This cooks for about two minutes before you hit it with white wine and scrape the bits off the bottom...cook this down. Let the wine pretty much go away before you add some chicken stock and let it all cook down. Add a little salt and pepper to taste and you should be good to go. This is a super easy meat sauce recipe that can be used in all sorts of contexts.

I cut my loin along the strings tossed them away. I doused it all in the sauce and holy crap.
I mean, really... look.

While the pork was cooking I peeled and chopped my parsnips.

Parsnips are sooo rich a little goes a long way. I chop these all the way to the top discarding the ends. If you use a really large parsnip you may want to cut out the tough center and just use the surrounding less fibrous parts. ( I typically just stick to a little bigger than carrot sized parsnips to avoid the extra work.) Boil these up in salted water or stock, vegetable or chicken, doesn't matter. It doesn't take long to cook these tender. Drain, add a pat of butter, salt and pepper.
and SMASH! I use a potato smasher. I don't put them in a food processor and I do not blend. These are parsnips... a beautiful rustic root that is begging to be rough smashed and enjoyed.
So do it.

They don't look like much... I know, but they taste like a million easily made bucks.

So to finish it all up we had some asparagus with a little butter and dill, which is pretty self explanatory.

Oh yeah! To finish it all up and really bring the feasty aspect all the way home...

(click on this picture...do it. its amazing bread)
Friday's bread. With rosemary. Yum.

We are getting a new roof come Thursday...I wonder what we should celebrate with?

<3,
jamey

herbfarm beatdown

2008-10-22T14:12:00.001-07:00

Miss me? I missed you, I did indeed. I haven't been challenging myself much lately due to the insane cost of food let alone new and exciting ingredients. That coupled with the guilt that I feel because I didn't can or freeze ANYTHING this year, has me feeling pretty frugal and something else I can't quite name- contrite? Maybe... So, anyway, I battled that crappy Herbfarm recipe. As you can tell from the pictures I beat its ass. I put it down soundly. I made it weep little Herbfarm tears. Boo hoo hoo.
I swear it cried all the way home.

I'd love to tell you how but it was awhile ago and I can't remember. It was good though.
See?

( If even one of you someday choose to take me up on my offer to please, pretty please change the original recipe from the previous post and post it here on my blog ...I too will post my new recipe. I was hoping for a fun and exciting game damnit. I know there are at least two of you out there.)

So lets, see...what else have I been up too? OH! This:

I have a link to the right for a site called "Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day" and its amazing. That's exactly what I have been doing. Making fresh bread for my family every single day. Its really makes for perfectly cozy fall time house smells. The goal is to eventually eliminate the need to buy bread at the market, period. So far we seem to have a hard time making the loaves last long enough to use them for sammiches. But I did manage to get a few croutons one day.
Speaking of...Its time for soups isn't it? Hmmmmmm....

I'll see you guys soon.
<3,
jamey

fried green tomatoes

2008-09-12T09:28:00.000-07:00

Mmmmmmm. Green tomatoes, a few jalapenos, some yellow pear tomatoes...you know, garden stuff. Its getting chilly in the mornings and I still have a lot of tomatoes on the vines. I figured before I pulled them out to ripen in a safer location I would try and give myself and my family a fried food heart attack. The older kids are away at leadership camp this week and I was only cooking for four. Ethan and I always get a little bummed out when the house is so quiet so comfort food seemed in order. I made a wonderful jalapeno, brown basmati, meatloaf that I am still waffling about sharing the recipe...(I have about 6 meatloaf recipes. One more amazing than the next and I am not certain you are deserving of them... Yet) Okay, actually I was planning on doing a meatloaf series so keep your pants on. Anyhoo...where was I ??? OH YEAH! Fried green tomatoes. I sliced my tomatoes nice and thick, covered them with salt, pepper, and cajun spice blend. I let these sit for about 20 minutes.

In the meantime I heated, in a cast iron skillet, about 1/2 cup oil on medium high heat.
I used vegetable. (I wanted to use bacon grease but I am not fully committed to the heart attack idea yet) I made up a little dredging station of 1. Flour with salt, pepper, and cayenne 2.Milk 3.Bread crumbs. I dredged and dropped into the heated oil for about 2 minutes per side. Flip
these very, very carefully with tongs. Unless of course you have asbestos hands. Which I bet you don't.

These were delightfully spicy. The kick so much better than the mostly bland fried green tomatoes I have tasted in the past. This is one of those recipes though, where it really comes down to what your family enjoys. You can skip the spice... you can even skip the bread crumbs. You can substitute panko, you can use actual bacon fat! Its up to you. Its a wonderful occasional treat though...and I highly recommend it as an end of season tradition.

yum!

<3,
jamey

spaghetti with roasted cherry tomatoes and thyme from the herbfarm cookbook

2008-09-10T11:21:00.000-07:00

(the following recipe by jerry traunfeld)

Its been awhile since I've been excited to try out someones recipe to the letter. (I guess technically I made some minor adjustments to this one...though I still think they really would not have mattered). Help me out here. I am going to give you the exact recipe that I followed. Perhaps someone can try it out and we can compare notes. Don't get me wrong. This wasn't a truly bad experience. It just wasn't what I had anticipated from such a renowned restaurant.
(my family reluctantly nom'ed. really reluctantly.)
Here goes:

6 quarts water
1 1/2 tablespoons plus 1/4 teaspoon salt
1 pint small cherry tomatoes
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons very coarsely chopped fresh English thyme
Freshly ground black pepper
12 ounces dried spaghetti
1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

1. Tomatoes. Preheat the oven to 450 F. Fill a large ( 8-quart) pot with the water, add 1 1/2 tablespoons of the salt, and bring it to a boil over high heat. Using a very sharp thin knife, cut each tomato in half and put them on a baking sheet. Drizzle with the olive oil then sprinkle with the thyme, the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and several grinds of the black pepper. Using your fingers, gently toss the tomatoes to coat them evenly.

yum, right?

2. Spaghetti. When the water is at a rolling boil, stir in the spaghetti. Put the tomatoes in the oven and roast until the are sizzling, slightly shriveled, and have released some juice in the pan, about 6 minutes. Rinse a large mixing bowl with hot tap water to warm it, then empty the roasted tomatoes into it. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper if needed. Cook the spaghetti until tender but still firm, 7 to 9minutes. Drain and add the pasta to the mixing bowl. Sprinkle with the parsley and toss gently with tongs or two wooden spoons. Serve in warm shallow bowls or plates and pass the cheese at the table.

Alright. I did all of that. As you can see I used yellow pear and red cherry tomatoes.
I used fresh thyme and flat-leaf parley from the garden... and yet.
I will make this again. I will add red pepper flakes to the roasting tomatoes and I will use less parsley and it will be more finely chopped. Try this one out for me would you please?
Lets compare do-overs as well.
<3,
jamey

mexican rice that was so good i forgot to take a picture.

2008-09-09T09:06:00.000-07:00

This recipe is technically a two-parter because I made the rice to go into something, but first things first. I am going to give it to you the way I made it because its my blog...though I am going to remind you that your probably not feeding as many boys, men and Isabella's as I am and you will probably want to halve this. I chopped 1 whole onion and sauteed it in 3 tablespoons olive oil. When the onion was transparent I added 1.5 tablespoons ( give or take) of cumin that I had ground in the mortar and pestle, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon cayenne, and some black pepper. I added 2 cups of jasmine rice and browned it. Here you can add chicken stock or vegetable stock. I chose vegetable stock for Isabelle's sake. ( Isabelle whom we have taken to calling "PORK") 4 cups of the stock of your choosing and 1.5 cups of good quality tomato sauce. Bring all this to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cover. Check it occasionally...stir it up...taste it...praise it. Now. On to the second part.
I made burritos.

And they looked like this.

And they made people do this.

I steamed some tortillas in the ole microwave. Warmed up some vegetarian fat-free refried beans. ( I know this sounds like some Sandra Lee shit but its a weeknight dinner...make your own damn refried beans if you want to...I got mine from a can) I put some beans, some rice and some of our favorite house hot sauce inside, folded them up, and two by two after spraying a large cast iron skillet with olive oil cooking spray, grilled them for a minute on each side. I topped
with sliced tomato and avocado.
They ate it.

They mean mugged it.
(that is what that looks like right?)
This is yummy and easy to make for anywhere from 1-8 people. (I'm guessing anything over 8 gets complicated no matter what.)
I once made it for just Ash and myself using refried black-beans and some of that tomatillo salsa.
You should use whole wheat tortillas. For a family this size with today's grocery prices, that's not always an option. You could use whole beans and brown rice as well. Have at it.
<3,
jamey

p.s. the next blog will not have anything to do with my longing for a permanent taco tuesday, i swear!

tomatillo salsa

2008-09-09T08:44:00.001-07:00

I needed a cheese and cream free topping for black bean soup. Don't get me wrong, I adore both cheese and cream...they just don't always mesh with the eating light, heart healthy, low calorie diet we've adopted. I found some tomatillos I had picked up at the farmers market along with a few cherry tomatoes and a jalapeno from the garden. Combining all that with a portion of the giant Walla Walla onion Ash brought me, and I was in business. I diced my onion and tomatillo. I rough chopped some cilantro and halved my cherry tomatoes. I removed some of the seeds from my jalapeno and chopped it fine. I squeezed some lemon juice. I dashed with salt and pepper. I bashed it all up and down on the counter in my Magic Fucking Bullet. I tasted. It was fantastically great. I served alongside some avocado on top of my soup. Which I will blog when I get to the soup portion of this season. This really topped everything off perfectly if I do say so myself.

And it was pretty.

The tomatillos really add and apple like sweetness and crunch to an otherwise traditional pico de gallo.
Try it please.
<3,
jamey

so what, i lied about the harissa...

2008-09-03T10:55:00.000-07:00

Turns out the stuff is genius.
It really was worth the time to make. I roasted up some tomatoes and made a quick pasta sauce using
a little of this and a little of that( actual recipe to follow) and a dash of harissa...PERFECTION. Mix harissa with a little mayo, put it on a turkey sammich...PERFECTION. Add it to a black bean soup...PERFECTION.
I love this stuff. Make some.
I have been cooking. I'll post soon. I have a couple early fall friendly recipes I think you'll want me to make for you.
<3,
jamey

harissa, meh

2008-08-07T15:36:00.001-07:00

In an attempt to overcome my mid-summer slump I decided to try to make a North African chili
sauce called Harissa that I had been reading about lately. I was bored and it seemed like the perfect way to spend a hot and humid Wednesday afternoon. ( That was sarcasm. I am an idiot.)
The sauce itself is easy enough. I used about 8 dried New Mexico chili's and two Thai chili's that I soaked in boiling water for about a half an hour. Wearing rubber gloves I removed the stems and seeds and put the bits into a blender. Notice I say blender here and not food processor. You should use a food processor...I should have used my magic bullet. Alas, I didn't. I used the fucking blender. So be it. I tossed in 4 garlic cloves, 1tbs ground coriander, 1/2 tbs cumin, salt, pepper, and dried cilantro. I blended it all together using a little bit of the water the chili's soaked in so as to avoid too much olive oil...which I added about 1tbs of. I tasted this as I went because I am hardcore like that. I suggest you be hardcore like that also or this will end up tasting like butt. I put the whole bunch into an empty artichoke jar and put a layer of olive oil on top. This will keep for awhile in the refrigerator. ( 1-2 months) To be honest, I wouldn't suggest making this unless you're really bored. It wasn't exactly worth it. Though I did use it in dinner...and it worked out okay.
<3,
jamey

its summertime and i am lame

2008-08-04T08:17:00.000-07:00

I have been cooking. I have. It's just been repeats or something so excessively boring that its not worth talking about. In the summer our menu is usually just a protein and a veggie. Its just too busy to worry about much else. I know its a lame ass cop out... and I know I had Ash pick me up those golden beets to honor Bronwyn...

I will be back on the ball when the kids get back from camp, I swear. In the mean time. Go back and try making my grilled corn and slather it was some cayenne butter. The grilled baby bok choy seems lonely. Cook it. You all know you could do with more lentils in your life. Make my Dal, it's perfect for summer and will feed you well for days. I think thats what I'll make for dinner tonight. I kinda want something crunchy though. Oooooh! Maybe I'll make some grilled pizza with tomatoes from the garden and roasted golden beets.
I'll keep you posted.
<3,
jamey

you have never had it this good pork tenderloin with white wine and shallot sauce

2008-07-24T12:15:00.000-07:00

One day back in February I was removing the fat and silver skin from a pork tenderloin while Isabelle watched. The sight of me sliding that very sharp knife under those long veins of inedible tissue turned something in my delightfully carnivorous daughter. She proclaimed right then and there that she would never eat meat again and to her credit she has not. Though everytime I make pork tenderloin with shallot and white wine sauce...I swear I see her salivate. Its so interesting to me that a little girl who I have witnessed sing the praises of meat from bacon to goat, a child who never flinched at the idea of eating babe, or bunny, could just turn her back. Go figure. So. In honor of Isabella's vegetarian proclamation, I bring you, PORK! YUM. Buy the best quality pork tenderloins you can. You are going to want to trim these, wash them, pat them dry. My rubs vary and I adjust based on whatever herb flavor I seem to be craving that week but the base is always the same, dry mustard. This week in my mortar and pestle it was dry mustard powder, salt, pepper, dry onion, lots of oregano, and a dash of thyme. I rubbed this all over both clean pieces of pork, wrapped them in plastic and refrigerated for a few hours. ( I have been known to do this for 24 hours) DO NOT FORGET to let your meat sit at room temperature for about an hour before cooking. I am serious about this. Its important. Now in my big giant cast iron skillet I have some olive oil heating on high heat. Its hot and popping when I toss the tenderloins in and let brown on all sides before I throw the whole entire thing into a 400 degree oven.

I have never been very good at timing things. I tend to cook by smell and browning. Thats not necessarily safe when cooking pork and poultry so I also cook by temperature.
Set your timer for 13-15 minutes and then check your temp. You are going to take the pork out of the oven at 150 degrees internal temp. You'll set it on a plate and cover it with foil and ignore it for about ten minutes while you make an amazing sauce. ( The internal temp will go up to about 155 degrees while the pork sits, this is exactly what you want.)

1/4 cup shallots in the hot pork drippings, cook for a couple minutes and then deglaze with 1/4 cup of white wine. Stir this until it starts to disappear and then toss in 3/4 cup of good quality chicken stock. Let this cook down. Slice your pork into 1/2 inch bits and top with sauce. I have a huge list of exciting sides to go with this. I can't wait until I get to parsnips!
This is the most tender, moist, delightfully perfect pork you will ever eat. I swear.
<3,
jamey

easy yummy berries.

2008-07-21T11:29:00.001-07:00

Marion berries and Black berries were found at this weeks down town farmers market.
2 bucks a pint isn't that bad I guess...but it's certainly not free. We had an abundant supply of berries just across the alley until the berry police bought the house next door and complained until the owners of said berries were FORCED to kill them off. No jam, no pie, no shakes. Sigh. So, Ash brought me two pints of delightful dessert makings! I marinated the berries in a little balsamic with some finely chopped mint and lemon balm for about a half an hour and set it on top of some light vanilla bean ice cream. I think next time I will use spearmint instead of peppermint. It was wonderful and refreshing. No need to add honey. To anything. Really. At least not with this berry combo.

I am a few posts behind.
We don't actually eat dessert very often...but I'm preparing you for a pork tenderloin that will make you want to slap me for being so awesome.
<3,
jamey

ginger spice cake with chocolate coconut curry drizzle

2008-07-17T11:29:00.000-07:00

I am not going to tell you how to make it.
I made it for Annie's birthday dinner.
The afternoon itself was kind of a disaster, but I really liked this cake.
Do you feel like this:
Or maybe like this:

You should. More soon...Things I may actually share.

<3,
jamey

mommy's meatball subs

2008-07-14T12:39:00.000-07:00

Those stupid Subway sandwich commercials have taken over the minds of my family. We don't ever eat there...ever. Yet when I ask what people want for dinner what do I hear? "Subway meatball sandwiches" UGH! What? NO!!! Don't get me wrong... I love meatball subs. Just not crappy ones so I decided to give it a shot.( A waistline, heart friendly shot at that.) I started with John LaFemina's recipe for a basic tomato sauce. In a stock pot over medium heat I cooked 1/4 cup shallots and 1 tablespoon chopped garlic until softened. I added two 28-ounce cans of whole plum tomatoes, 2 tablespoons salt, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, pinch of pepper and a
pinch of crushed red pepper. Cook this on high heat for about 30 minutes stirring occasionally, breaking up tomatoes slightly, then lower heat to medium and simmer for another 30 minutes. This makes a lot of sauce and the leftovers can be frozen for up to 3 months.
While the sauce was cooking I made up some meatballs using my recipe that I really should link to here, but don't know how. It was in June. Find it. I felt guilty feeding my family a fruity meat sandwich. I thought, hmmmm, maybe I should make a salad...AHA! No! I'll make a spinach and arugula topping for this delightful sandwich. Brilliant! ( No, seriously... I really said that. Out loud. To myself. Alone. In the kitchen.) I whipped up my basic vinagrette and remembered to add the lemon juice this time. I washed and chopped some arugula and baby Walla Walla greens from last weeks farmers market. I found some baby spinach in the refrigerator and tossed it all together while I stuck some sourdough rolls under the broiler for a minute. The result was really great. I was really excited. The greens and vinagrette really filled in the flavor of the light tomato sauce.

To be honest, I was a little nervous about this one. It wasn't traditional.
The flavors were lighter, less invasive than you're regular overindulgent sandwich.
The reviews were rave! The kids and the men ate them without pause.
Yay for meatballs!

<3,
Jamey

a dessert made of beer that i stole

2008-07-10T11:25:00.000-07:00

To celebrate the fourth of July, I stole this recipe for beer slush from a blog I came across called " Thursday Night Smackdown." (I will link it just as soon as I figure out how.) I bought a bottle of Lindemans Framboise raspberry lambic beer ( a wonderful belgian fruit beer) and poured it into a glass 9 x 13. I stuck this in the freezer and stirred it about every 45 minutes to an hour or so for about 4 hours. Once I had a lovely red slush I plated and topped it with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream, shredded spearmint, fresh raspberries, and a sprinkle of lavender chocolate I had left over from a cake I made.
You will not understand how good this is until you try it.
James had two bowls...and not just because it was beer. The kids of course had to settle for the ice cream alone, but I don't think they minded much.
<3,
jamey

p.s.
You can safely assume the picture is a bit off because I had indeed been testing this dessert through out the day.

chicken milanese as promised.

2008-07-09T09:01:00.000-07:00

Summertime is busy. In the slowest possible way, it is just plain busy. I find myself having less time for everything. ( Mostly just blogging, I appear to be attempting an apology for my absence.)
Without further ado, I would like to present my version of chicken milanese. I guess I will break this recipe into two parts, as it is a two part meal and you can determine your best timing instead of using mine.
The beautiful greens soaking in my kitchen sink are spinach from last Thursday's downtown farmers market. I let them soak for about a half an hour while I get the rest of my stuff going and then have Ash play salad spinner in the backyard. (That last line was a subtle gift suggestion just in case anyone is reading. ) My vinagrette is 1/4 cup olive oil, 1/4 cup red wine vinegar, 1/4 cup white wine, one finely diced shallot, (or red onion), salt, pepper, and a dash of red pepper flakes. Taste it as you work and adjust your flavors accordingly. To be honest these measurements are a guess because I always forget to measure. Whisk it all up and mix in your spinach just before you serve under the chicken . Okay! moving on...

I used panko this time instead of traditional bread crumbs and I do not think I will be going back.
I pour a box onto a baking sheet and mix it up with 1/4 cup olive oil, salt, pepper, and cayenne and toast it all in the oven for a few minutes at 425. Check this often and mix up as the top layer toasts up. Remove from oven and place at the end of your dredging line. My dredging line goes in this order, chicken breasts cut thin and pounded flat (washed, trimmed, and patted dry), flour seasoned with salt, pepper, and cayenne, two eggs whisked with fork, our delicious toasted panko, and baking sheet.
I use one hand for all of this so I have a second unchickened hand to handle the incredibly difficult job of opening the oven and baking the chicken, without turning, at 375 for about 15 minutes or until done.
At which point you serve it with the spinach you have lovingly made and weep when its gone. Like Ethan did:

<3,
jamey

easiest corn ever. i swear.

2008-07-03T10:52:00.000-07:00

Pull back the husks. Peel the silk. Throw it away.
Replace husks. Place on hot grill. Cook for 20 minutes. Turn sometimes.
Hold corn in hands with dish towel to remove hot husks. Roll on buttered, salted, and peppered bread. Eat. ( add exotic spice blend or cayenne to your bread if you like)
Do not soak in water. Do not wrap in foil. Do not fret.
<3,
jamey

oh jeez i love green beans

2008-07-02T09:02:00.001-07:00

Would you look at that? I love love love green beans. I cannot explain to you how much. Since I was a little baby. I can name for you some of favorite green bean experiences, ( Barb has a place here, Grandpa) but that would be creepy of me. To sit here and list all of my most precious memories of eating that lovely hued delightfully flavored vegetable...sigh. Ash didn't like green beans when we met. My heart broke a little, you can believe that. We bonded over our shared love of brussel sprouts and cheese burgers absolutely. This green bean thing really ate at me for awhile. It was even weirder than him not liking onions and potatoes. We went YEARS without eating green beans for crying out loud! This year I decided I hadn't heard him state his distaste and I started making them again. Steamed with salt, pepper and lemon to start and then I started putting them in various dishes and then this. Hes seems to have had a change of heart, thank goodness. Oh man you have to try this. The original recipe came from Julee Russo's Fresh Start Cookbook. I tweaked just a little because I like the vegetable gravy that results. I start with a pound and a half of green beans. The biggest greenest firmest you can find. Try to buy these locally grown, I promise they will taste better. Grow them your self if you have to, seriously. In my large skillet I add one tablespoon of olive oil two tablespoons each of grated ginger and chopped garlic. Keep in mind that powdered ginger and fresh ginger are NOT the same thing. Don't even try it. Cook these together until lightly browned. Add the green beans and coat with oil and yummy stuffs keep everything moving for 3-5 minutes. You'll see the color darken. This is good. Add one and a half cups vegetable broth warmed up with one and a half teaspoons chicken boullion and simmer, stirring until the beans are tender and you have a slight sauce to spoon over beans before serving. Add your salt and pepper at any point. I typically add a dash when I first add the green beans and then wait until the end to add more to taste.

yum!
<3,
jamey

i haven't forgotten, nor have i stopped cooking

2008-06-23T08:53:00.000-07:00

The kids are out of town until Friday. Its very strange and we miss them very much. Cooking for three boring ole grownups who eat things without hesitation and have typical reactions is honestly kind of, well... boring. I love the way my kids eat. Elliot's favorite food when he was a baby was lima beans. He called them "yummy" beans. He now, at 12, loves pho with the whole of his heart and practices eating skittles with his personal chopsticks. Isabella never did eat baby food. She nursed until she was a year old and ate tid bits from my plate and then one day before we knew it she was chomping jalapeno's dipped in sri racha. Ethan. Oh, Ethan...the whitest child I ever did have. I really thought he was going to be my picky one, what with his undying love for candy and bread. I figured out at a very early point that with him you just need to tell him that he likes it. For example, "Mommy, do I like Pad Thai?" as long as I respond, "Yes, remember?" he'll try anything. So without them around to cook for, I find myself wondering what is the point?

That and I broke my finger. I will go to the Orthopeadic surgeon this week and see if they want to put the bone back where it belongs or just let it heal since its the little lesser used finger. Why is it everytime I break bones I have to extra break them? No hairline nonsense for me. So thats where we're at and thats why I haven't posted for a few days. I made a delightful chicken Milanese last night that you'll like. The spinach and shallot salad was an easy bed for it. I was all hopped up on a pain pill and starving, otherwise I probably would have shared it with you. I'll certainly make it again this summer. So please stick with me. I'll be back in a day or two.
<3,
jamey

yummy baby bok choy

2008-06-19T08:48:00.000-07:00

Sigh.
I have been cooking up a storm since last Sunday. I really nailed slow roasting pork loin for Fathers day... dry marinated overnight and stuffed with garlic cloves then thinly sliced and topped with roasted leeks, vidalia onion, and sliced provolone on grilled sourdough
Monday I made my first ever barbeque sauce and turned it into delightful pulled pork sandwiches.
On Tuesday I didn't really cook up much of a storm as we went out to celebrate the last day of school, however we did stop at the Vicala market to purchase pickled quail eggs ( the kids' new favorite snack), pickled mud fish( Ash is asking for it), and lychees in heavy syrup. The produce they have is perfectly bagged for a family this size so I also grabbed a bag of baby bok choy and some lovely green beans. I would love to be able to prove to you that I have accomplished all of these beautiful things, but I can't. I screwed up the camera. I fixed it just in time to get a few shots of what I did with the bok choy so I will share that with you. And maybe a few other things. Like a picture of the peonies that Ash bought me at last weeks farmers market up there at the top. Pretty, yes?

I cut the bottoms off the baby boks and soaked them in cold water for about a half an hour to get all of the dirt off. I lay them all out between two kitchen towels and dry them up before putting them on a grill pan. I took a picture of this happening but you cannot see it because its gone. Gone where you ask? I don't effing know, I respond. But here is a picture of Isabelle showing you how much smarter bok choy will make you.

So, bok choy is spread out on a bbq grill pan, the kind with all the holes so you get a grilled effect without losing your greens through the grates of your grill. I drizzle with olive oil, salt, pepper, and five spice. I also added a little coarse ground coriander here, but its not necessary. Toss and grill checking often and tossing occasionally. These will be done when the white part of the bok choy at the base has become tender looking...a little translucent. Take a Beano and eat these while they're hot. Seriously finger looking good. And once again, sigh.

<3,
jamey

saturday spring rolls

2008-06-17T08:51:00.000-07:00

a
The kids were gone this Saturday. One would think that cooking for fewer people would be a relief...but its not. No folks, not a relief at all. It was actually kind of daunting to rifle through and figure out what I could make that could still be applicable on a larger scale. At one point I threw up my hands and whined, " I want Le Le!" ( Our favorite Viet/Thai cuisine in the area) Thats when I had a stroke of genius. Well, actually thats when I saw the spring roll wrappers under the loaf of wheat bread. Spring rolls!!! yum.

Spring rolls are Ashley's favorite food. He loves them almost as much as he loves...um...um, oh! chocolate cake and cheeseburgers! We first attempted these at Sylvia's birthday feast. I set them up as a build your own buffet and it actually went over really well with everyone young to old. Start by soaking your rice noodles for ten minutes in cold water and then boiling for ten more, rinsing in cold water to stop the cooking process. During this time you can start soaking your rice papers, about 4-5 per pie plate ( I use a pie plate to soak my papers) in lukewarm water for about 6 minutes. These can be stacked and covered with a damp towel to keep them from drying out. Julienne or chop or just sort of cut some carrots, an english cucumber, scallion, mint, thai basil, cilantro, and maybe a little bit of lemon verbena ( which I have in abundance if anyone would like some). Lay out some bean sprouts and maybe a little bit of BBQ pork or shrimp. The rolling part is really, really a huge pain in the butt. Its also a lot of fun to keep attempting. I have found that the husbands love of the roll has translated into an expert ability at handling it, so he is my designated roller. For a dipping sauce I cut some hoisin with low sodium soy sauce and added a tad anchovy past and some scallions. 3-4 spring rolls make a nice cool dinner on a warm summer evening.

Enjoy!
<3,
jamey

no guilt ,have an extra glass of wine, friday night pasta

2008-06-16T08:46:00.000-07:00

I love this easy, tasty, veggie filled pasta for a couple reasons. Not only is it easy to throw together, but its so low in fat and calories its virtually guilt free. I doubled this once for a Sunday dinner with friends and it just didn't work out... I totally effed it up. So I went back to making the smaller version, which easily feeds six, and it came out just fine. This originally came from the Julee Russo, Fresh Start Cookbook ( her version serves 2).
I start off boiling a box of linguine in some well salted water.
I steam broccoli florets and green beans for a few minutes (4-6) until done and set aside, and then steam asparagus cut into two inch segments and snap peas until done (2-3) and throw in with your broccoli and beans. ( You can use good quality frozen vegetables for this if you like. As far as amounts per vegetable, use the amounts that you think will really fill out one box of pasta maybe using a little more of your favorite vegetable.) Reserve about 1 to 1 1/2 cups steaming vegetable broth. We didn't have any snap peas this week so we steamed some edamame and popped the seeds out of the pods and mixed it in. Chop up 1/4 cup dill, 4-5 garlic gloves, and 6-7 scallions green part only.

Drain pasta put back on heat, add vegetables, garlic, onions, dill, 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper,
a dash of olive oil, salt, black pepper, the reserved broth, toss to coat, and serve.
Some folks like to add a little parmesan...some folks like me.

yum!

<3,
jamey

because its f'n cold lentil soup

2008-06-12T09:52:00.000-07:00

I may have figured out something important yesterday when I was so into my lentils that I forgot to get the photographs I wanted. I think I love them. I do. I love lentils. Not quite enough to marry them, but enough to spend some time getting to know them a little better. I would let lentils take me out, totally. I think this must be why I have never really changed a lentil recipe. It must be purely because the lentils are just sooo damn good. This is another everyday food recipe I found last fall and we used all winter...(which we appear to still be in the midst of) So here goes the perfect easy 25 minute lentil soup. In a heavy stock pot with a little bit of oil cook up 1 onion and 3-4 cloves garlic. I toss in bit of salt, pepper , and 1 teaspoon of cayenne after the onions are translucent. When all smells yummy, 3 carrots diced very small, add 1 (32 oz) box of vegetable stock, 1 bag of lentils, 1 bay leaf (remove before serving), and 3 cups water. Bring all of this to a simmer and cover half way. Cook until tender (about 25 minutes) and then add a little more salt to taste. I top these with homemade sourdough croutons. I cut day olds and butts into 1 inch cubes and toss with salt, pepper, and olive oil. This gets baked on a sheet for about 8 minutes at 375, tossing once half way through. Serve to your starving family with a dash of parmesan.
yum!

<3,
jamey

Red Beans and Rice for Riah

2008-06-11T08:32:00.000-07:00

This is probably the closest thing my family has to a "family recipe". My parents started making it when I was a teen and it has gone through many incarnations since. While making this last night I had to do something I had never done before while cooking red beans and rice, I had to measure.
It was a little discombobulating and it totally slowed down what is normally a super fast weeknight meal, though I think it was worth it. For I had a goal, folks. Yes indeedy I did. I wanted to get this recipe out for Mariah so maybe she could make it for her mom, Annie. See Mariah professes to love my version and compares her mothers and mine on a regular basis ( which I confess I find endearing and flattering). I thought I could kill two birds with one stone and feed my family and pass on this recipe to someone who loves it as much as I did at her age. One of the really great parts about this recipe is that it feeds about 10 people. (Which means we have lunch leftovers, Yay!)
I start by dicing one whole onion and 4 cloves garlic. I heat a big cast iron skillet add a little oil and toss in half of the onion and garlic, adding a little salt and pepper. These will cook until the onion is translucent and then you'll add 1 1/2 pounds of ground turkey, cooking it through. Now, I add half my onions and garlic instead of all for one very specific reason...I like the crunch of the second half of onion in the overall texture at the end. After the turkey is cooked through add in one large can dark red kidney beans, two small cans light red kidney beans(all drained), 1 tablespoon grasshopper spit, 1 teaspoon dried oregano crushed in fingers, 1 teaspoon garlic chili paste, a bit of salt and pepper keeping in mind you can always add more later so don't over do it, and the second half of your garlic and onions. stir this up, cover and cook for about 10 minutes. When your beans start to split and everything tastes good add 6-7 scallions whites and greens chopped, and about 1/4 cup fresh basil. Mix all of this together and serve over basmati rice. Top with a little sri racha and grasshopper spit if you like and eat.

<3,
jamey

you're gonna need a bigger bowl noodle salad

2008-06-10T11:15:00.000-07:00

Alright, this one seems a little complicated but I promise you its not. I make a huge batch of the necessary marinade/sauce because I use 4/6 chicken breasts and a half a block of very firm tofu. The Vicala market on MLK is, so far, the only place near us that sells Tacoma Tofu. Tacoma Tofu is a tofu wholesaler on MLK as well. It has always seemed a little strange to us that this product isn't abundant in the area. Perhaps more people have wondered the same thing?
Anyhow, the marinade...I use about a cup of low sodium soy sauce, 1/2 cup lite rice wine vinegar 3 tablespoons organic brown sugar teaspoon anchovy paste or fish sauce 3-4 green onions, 3-4 garlic cloves, and red pepper flakes a teaspoon and a half give or take. This recipe would typically call for lime juice but I ALWAYS forget it (though I find a place for it later). I chop my chicken breasts very thin and marinate in a plastic bag using about half the marinade. The tofu get diced and marinated in a small glass or metal bowl. I let these sit at room temperature for a half an hour to 45 minutes.

In the mean time I soak my noodles for ten minutes in cold water, and then boil for ten minutes. When I remove them from the heat I rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process and set them aside. I use a vegetable peeler to get my carrot ribbons. I cut my english cucumber into strips. I spend a little time chopping up cilantro, mint, and lemon verbena ( all grown in my flower beds alongside my pretty things, though I can never seem to produce enough cilantro to make it worth our while) I pull my bean sprouts out of the fridge and cut up some limes and a few more scallions if I feel like it. Usually, with kid, dog, cat, and husband interruptions this keeps me busy until its time to get everything cooking.
I throw Isabella's marinated tofu into the wok first, cook it up for a few minutes and set aside covered with foil. I the cook the chicken in batches ( in a little oil) until I can't help but burn my fingers and mouth stealing tastes. This is where the lime juice I forget in the marinade comes in. As the chicken is about to leave the wok, hit it with some fresh lime juice and then set aside in a covered bowl until everything is done and you are ready to compile. The noodles go into a bowl, followed by everything else in any order you like. Topped with a couple spoonfuls of the sauce and maybe a little sri racha, this dish is unstoppable. No kidding. Unfreakingstoppable.

amazing spicy asparagus

2008-06-09T11:45:00.001-07:00

What you see above is a wok full of the most amazing smells you have ever smelled.
It is 2 tablespoons of peanut oil, 1 trimmed and chopped stalk of lemon grass, 1 inch of galangal which is easily found in our local thai markets,( it is a cousin of ginger, a bit firmer and a little more lemony) 2 chopped serranos stir fried until golden.
Add one pound of asparagus and cook for about 3 minutes. Stir in one teaspoon sugar, 1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce,1 tablespoon plus a dash of fish sauce and toss together. Just before removing from heat toss in a hand full of chopped cilantro and crushed roasted peanuts.

Plate and serve with a squeeze of lime juice.

Weep with joy at how wonderful this tastes and smells.

<3,
jamey

anti headache chocolate cake

2008-06-09T09:08:00.000-07:00

My mother in law turns 60 today. ( Happy Birthday Sylvia!)
I made a Vietnamese Feast on Saturday which I will be outlining for you very, very soon.
However, its early in the morning and I'm still kind of dragging so I thought I would start us off with cake.
This cake is so stupidly good. This cake is even more stupidly easy.
A friend tipped me off to the diet cake awhile ago and its really the only way I go for most occasions. It eases up the cake calories so I can have more delectable topping calories.

A diet cake is a box of your favorite cake mix and a can of diet soda.
Thats it. I have mixed chocolate with diet cherry coke, diet root beer, regular diet soda... I have done spice cake with diet ginger ale and diet seven up. The options are endless, really.

So this one was diet cherry coke and chocolate.
Mix them together for a couple minutes with an electric mixer and pour into a greased bundt and cook as per instructions. ( my oven and bundt call for about 35 minutes)

After you remove the cake from oven and its sits for a few minutes to cool, invert onto cake plate and set aside. In a double boiler melt 2.5 ounces chopped dark chocolate lavender bar and 1 ounce dark chocolate. Melt nice and slow stirring gently. Drizzle with a spoon over the top of cake.
Stick the whole thing into the fridge until the chocolate is hard again. While this is happening whip some heavy whipping cream to form stiff peaks. Before serving dollop some cream about the top, garnish with a few heads of lavender from your (or your neighbors) garden, and sprinkle the whole thing with a little bit of dark chocolate bits.

Stick a few candles in and sing a song.

Keeping in mind as you eat, the delightful soothing headache relieving benefits of lavender.
And then go do the dishes.
Again.

<3,
jamey

quick clean quesadilla's

2008-06-09T08:08:00.000-07:00

I grew up hating quesadillas. They were oddly goopy tortillas filled with waxy cheese globs...bland flavorless pockets of grease.
I started making my version about a year ago for Ash and Ethan, mostly...though even I will eat them. The options for the quesadillas are pretty much endless. My first attempts were made with some canned chicken my mother in law had brought over. ( I didn't know chicken came in a can like tuna fish until that day...it was a little scary but worked out beautifully) Since Isabella decided to become a vegetarian I have found myself replacing 2-3 meals a week with vegetarian alternatives. No one seems to mind...(actually, no one seems to have noticed.) So read on and keep in mind you can add whatever meat you like if you want.

I start by heating my skillet on medium while I chop my tomatoes, cilantro, Serrano (or any kind you prefer) chilies, and scallions. I heat up a can of black beans and a can of refried beans. You can of course use dry beans and make your own refried's...but that sort of defeats the purpose of a quick quesadilla. The market had Weight Watchers brand Mexican cheese on sale and I was surprised by how melty it got...a little flavorless compared to Sargentos , but it worked and it was cheap. On a plate layer 1 tortilla, 1/4 cup cheese, sprinkle of cilantro, 4 slices roma tomato,
pinch of scallions, a scattering of chilies, and a dash of your favorite hot sauce. I use a red sauce and a golden habenjero. Top with another tortilla and slide into a heated skillet that has been hit with some olive oil spray. Cook on each side until its puffed a little bit, crispy and golden.

Remove from heat and set back onto your plate.
I like to cut mine into quarters before I top with a spoonful of refried beans, a spoonful of black beans, cilantro, salsa is an option if you have any and a dash of Parmesan or Asiago if you like. This last bit is really open to whatever you have and whatever you like. I want to point out that I don't use a lot of cheese. I think that the 1/4 cup is really enough to provide you with the melty cheesiness without overwhelming the crispy tortilla and the fresh tomato and cilantro flavors.

(Dad, do not put anything resembling sour cream on this...I will consider it blasphemous.)
Serve this up with a cup of tomato soup and it's a perfect quick lunch or dinner.
Before Elliot had braces and peanut butter was out of the question I used to make him and Ayva a peanut butter, banana, fig jam version that I dusted with a little bit of confectioners sugar before serving. Yum.

<3,
jamey

tuesday night turkey meatballs

2008-06-04T12:29:00.000-07:00

Meatballs.
How I love thee... and the ease with which you manage to top off my boring leftovers so appropriately on a typical weeknight.
I had leftover vegetables from Sunday dinner, a can of good quality spaghetti sauce, and about a pound and a half of ground turkey. What was I to do?
( aside from go out to eat) Make meatballs, duh.

In my mortar I combined 1 Tablespoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon dried fennel, 1 teaspoon garlic granules,1/2 teaspoon kosher salt,1/2 teaspoon pepper, and 1/8 teaspoon cayenne. I mashed all this up until the fennel was broken down nicely and I added it to my turkey along with 1/4 cup bread crumbs, 1 egg, and 1 Tablespoon chicken stock. ( I actually used no-chicken chicken stock which we seem to have in the house often now that Isabelle is a vegetarian)

I mixed until well combined,( I confess that I at times ask Ash do this because my hands get too cold and I always end up touching the faucet in an attempt to warm my freezing meat fingers, and poultry faucet is gross, you know?) form into little balls and cook at 375 for about 30 minutes. check one about 20 minutes in to be sure you're not over cooking.

Add these to whatever you want.

yum!

<3
jamey

wedding day dal

2008-06-02T12:12:00.000-07:00

Its not often that I make a recipe that I don't eventually end up changing. This weekend we had a wedding with a potluck dinner and then a couple of friends over for Sunday dinner( we'll get to that one later) These are times when I generally stick to family favorites or quick classics...that usually just happen to be recipes that after my first attempt I have never felt a need to change.
I chose this dal for the wedding because its good, its easy, and it needs very little explanation or time. I originally found this recipe in everyday food.

If you can find canned lentils for this it will only take about twenty-twenty five minutes to make.
If not, go ahead and cook your lentils, I use the whole bag, for about twenty minutes until tender.

In a large heavy pot heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil.
Add one whole onion chopped and about 2 inches of grated ginger.

Cook these up with a little salt until the onions are translucent.

Add 1.5 tablespoons garam masala ( I prefer mixing my own, I'll get to that another time)
1 tablespoon curry powder ( mild to hot its up to you)
1 teaspoon cayanne

Cook all this up for about a minute or so, it will make a beautiful smell.

Add lentils and one big can of your favorite tomato sauce plus one cup water.

Stir it all together and let it simmer for about 15 minutes or so...

Toss on some fresh chopped cilantro and the juice from half a lime.

Serve with basmati rice and lime wedges.

ta'da!

easy.

yummy.

vegan.
( I have at times topped this dish with thinly sliced grilled pork loin, its nice...but unnecessary)

This dish helped us meet some really great local folks whom I hope we will be seeing again.

Congratulations Nate and Lori!

<3
Jamey

hypocrite already

2008-05-30T13:56:00.001-07:00

The very first post on a food blog dedicated to cooking healthy yummy meals for my family at home every night just happens to fall on the same night as the annual school block party. Said block party offers free crap food for all. Yay.

I don't have to cook tonight.

hehe... talk about timing.

ooops.