Roasted Garlic & Squash Pasta Sauce

The Lowdown:

Las Vegas -- the only place that has ever inspired me to go on a cleanse. I'm not talking about just showering either. Although, that city does make you feel like you need ten showers a day. I'm talking about the real deal -- liver, kidney, and maybe a little soul cleansing. Having just returned from Sin City, I am in severe need of some form of a health kick. Two weeks to be exact... is the goal I may or may not make it to.

As we all know, diets are lame. Uber lame actually. Cleanses are even worse. But if you make horrible life decisions like me, and have to endure through one, you might as well make the best of it. This is one of those recipes that I think just might make a diet and/or cleanse better. Oh man, just saying the word cleanse makes me want a glass of wine. They say you always want what you can't have. Then again, I wanted wine when I was allowed to have it. Deductive reasoning would clearly state that this idiom was devised for some purpose other than wine.

Although this meal bent a few minor rules, I felt really good about it. I avoided all the major no-nos which is the true purpose of a cleanse. I also used up the remainder of my ceasar dressing. Actually, it's my friend's "Doukhobor" ceasar recipe. He insists everything needs more garlic. After eating it, I understand. Some things just need more garlic.

I may have bent the truth. I attempted to make his "Doukhobor" dressing recipe, but instead of mincing everything I threw it all in a blender because I was lazy. Needless to say, that was a bad idea. It came out a sludge. Nobody wants that on their lettuce. However, add a little bit of roasted squash and blam-o -- a perfect, healthy, and tasty pasta sauce.

Stupid blender. In two weeks, when this cleanse is over, that blender will pay dearly for this by making me a margarita...

The Playlist:

Sauce:
1 Butternut squash
1/2 cup Olive oil (more if needed to make a paste)
7-10 cloves Garlic
1 Lemon, juiced
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
2 tsp Pepper, fresh cracked
2 tsp Paprika, smoked
Salt & pepper, to taste

Optional Topping:
250g Sundried tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup Oregano (fresh), chopped
1/2 cup Terragon (fresh), chopped
4 Shallots, minced
3 tbsp Olive oil
3 tbsp White wine vinegar
Salt & Pepper, to taste

GF Fettuccine:
1/4 cup Brown rice flour
3/4 cup Chick pea flour
1 Egg
Water
Chick pea flour, as needed

The Skinny:

Sauce Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375*.
2. Cut squash in half and de-seed. In large baking dish 1/4 full of water: place squash face down and bake for 40 minutes.
3. In blender: combined the rest of the sauce ingredients and puree. Set aside until squash is finished.
4. Remove squash from oven when finished. Remove the skin and add the flesh of the squash to the blender. Puree until smooth.
5. Voila, sauce is done.

GF Pasta Directions:

1. In large mixing bowl: combine flours and egg. Mix until egg is incorporated into the flour. Add enough water to form a dough ball. This isn't a science so add more water and/or flour until it resembles a very dense pizza dough.
2. Kneed dough on a well floured surface for approximately 5 minutes. After kneeding it shouldn't be tacky.
3. Cover dough ball with cellophane wrap and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
4. Cut dough ball into two.
5. Use pasta maker as per the directions that came with the pasta maker. 

 Optional Topping Directions:

1.  In large skillet: heat oil on medium-high heat. Add shallots and saute until clear.
2. Add sundried tomatoes, cover, and simmer for 5 minutes.
3. Add remainder of ingredients to the pan except for the fresh herbs. Sautee on high heat for 5 minutes, then remove from heat and add the herbs. Mix quickly and serve.

Stay Rad -h
Featured on: Premeditated Leftovers, 33 Shades of Green, Chef in Training, Food Renegade, Foodie Friday,  

Thai Green Curry (Gaeng Kiaw Wan)

The Lowdown:

I'm not sure that I've ever gone out for Thai food and not ordered a variation of this dish. It always manages to catch my attention, despite my best efforts to explore the remainder of the menu. In the end, what does it matter? Get a doggy bag and take it all home for later. However, this post isn't an meant to be an ode to my favourite Thai restaurants in town. Nor is it meant to praise one of my favourite "poor me, poor me, I'm sick and need a cure" recipes (although seriously, all that garlic, ginger, and shallots is a wonderful preventative medicine). No, this post is intended for something far more devious -- playful revenge.

I feel that over this holiday season, a bit of public payback is in order. Being the perfect son that I am, I decided that my parents would probably love a break from cooking while I was in their neck of the [urban] woods. Given that I love cooking, and they were paying for the groceries, it seemed perfect. Oh god how much I miss them paying for groceries.

Winters in Toronto can be quite brisk, making a spicy Thai green curry the perfect dish to make. After braving the cold, then fighting tooth and nail in the grocery store (December 23 in a grocery store is near suicide) I came home to the question, "why didn't you just buy the packaged green curry paste?" Oh, the humility! If this wasn't enough, it was soon followed by, "if it's not good, you still have time to go to the store and buy the packaged stuff." Oh lord, please help me restrain myself. And now everyone knows the antics I must deal with.

The Playlist:

Curry Paste:
4 Serrano peppers, chopped
1 large piece Ginger, chopped
2 Shallots, chopped
3 cloves Garlic, chopped
1 bunch Cilantro, stems only
1 Lime, zest and juice
1 Lemongrass stalk, outer layer removed then chopped
1 tbsp Oyster sauce
1 tbsp Fish sauce
1 tsp Coriander, ground
1 tsp Cumin, ground
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp White pepper, ground

Ingredients:
1 lb Mussels, fresh
1/2 lb Prawns
2 cups Shitake mushrooms, coursely chopped (optional)
Vegetables, julienne (optional)
3 cups Sui choy, chopped
3 tbsp Vegetable oil
1 can Coconut milk
2 cups Chicken broth (optional)
5 Kaffir lime leaves
Thai basil leaves, to taste
Thai chili peppers, to taste
Coriander, to taste

The Skinny:

  
After trial and error, along with a helpful tip, I found that an immersion blender is the easiest way with the best results. Apparently it releases the fragrance and oils of each of the curry paste ingredients. Optimally, a stone mortar and pestle works best, but it takes much longer and I don't own one.

1. In immersion blender measuring cup (tall and thin): add lemongrass, ginger, and serrano peppers. Using immersion blender mince until a grainy paste forms. Then add shallots, garlic, and lime peels and repeat the blending process. Finally add the remaining curry paste ingredients and repeat the blending process.
2. The curry paste makes a dish for 5-7 people. Or it can be separated into two dishes for 2-3 people. The remainder of the instructions are for the smaller portion. For the larger portion you can double the ingredients or add them as you please. The paste can be refrigerated for two weeks or frozen.
3. In large wok: heat oil on medium-high heat. When oil is hot, add curry paste and cook until fragrant (about 5 minutes). This requires constant stirring so that the paste doesn't burn. Add 1/4 of the coconut milk and continue mixing until it becomes the same consistency as a thin guacamole. Reduce heat to medium-low, add the remaining coconut milk and bring back to a gentle boil. Add chicken broth and simmer for 30 - 45 minutes. 
4. Remove 2 cups of liquid and set aside.
5. To wok: If bell peppers and celery are desired add them now and cook for 5 minutes. Add Thai basil, Thai chili peppers, mushrooms, and kaffir lime leaves and remove from heat.
6. Remove curry from the wok and place in a serving dish and set aside.
7. In wok: on high heat add the liquid that was set aside and bring to a boil. Add mussels and prawns and cover. Cook until mussel shells open (about 2-3 minutes). Remove all mussels that remained shut. 
8. Add mussels, broth, and prawns to the serving dish.
9. Serve with rice and the chopped sui choy. Pouring the broth over the sui choy in individual bowls cooks it just enough so that it remains firm.

Stay Rad -h
Featured on: Premeditated Leftovers, 33 Shades of Green, Chef in Training, Food Renegade, Foodie Friday,  

 

Scalloped Potatoes

There are few things I love more than potatoes. I think that's the Albertan in me. I have a special fondness in my little heart for those bad boys.

It's been a long time since I've lived in Calgary, Alberta. In that time I've developed a raging affinity for other foods: pasta, polenta, homemade tomato sauce, chicken liver pate, cheese, wine. In fact, I often think my food-soul is Italian. 

And I have mostly managed to shake a lot of the Albertanisms that make me think of it as "little Texas" - big money, greed, Budweiser, big oil guzzling trucks, saying "get 'er done". Not that there is anything wrong with Alberta or Texas in and of themselves - I'm just a little more West coast than that. Or as the people I work with often refer to me, a little more social-communist. And I'm okay with that. I like shopping vintage thrift and up-cycling material goods. Smart cars are an excellent way to get around the city. And sauntering from one place to another, taking time to smell the flowers and breathe the air and watch the birds and lay on the beach all while being protected by universal medicine is A-okay with me.

But try as I might - potatoes linger both in my mind and judging by the popularity of the Paleo diet, my hips too, apparently.  Smother 'em in cheesy, creamy goodness and I've got the best of all worlds.

So while Italian may be my food-soul, potatoes are my soul-food. They remind me that I stem from a meat and potatoes kinda place. Filled with big trucks, oil money and bad beer. So I hold them dear and close to my heart. That and country music.

Scalloped Potatoes

(printable recipe) - serves 4.

Ingredients:

Approx 3 Lb (6 medium sized) Yukon gold Potatoes, sliced very thinly (use a mandolin on thinnest setting).

1 Onion, peeled & sliced very thinly in the same way as the potatoes.

2 Garlic Cloves, minced.

1 or 2 Sprigs of Fresh Thyme.

1 Bay Leaf.

2 1/2 C 2% Milk or Cream.

2 Tbsp Butter.

2 Tbsp Flour.

Pinch of Nutmeg.

1 1/2 C Gruyere Cheese, grated.

1/2 C Parmesan Cheese, grated.

Coarse Sea Salt & Fresh Cracked Black Pepper.

What to Do:

Pre-heat your oven to 400 degrees F & lightly grease a 9 X 9" baking dish.

Heat a medium sized saucepan over medium heat. Add the butter and melt until sizzling - add the flour and stir constantly until fragrant and just starting to change color. Remove from the heat and add the milk, stirring to ensure it doesn't curdle. Add the garlic, thyme, bay leaf, nutmeg and a generous helping of salt and pepper. Place back on heat and stir stir stir until the milk thickens. Remove from the heat and discard what's left of the thyme stem.

Ladle a little of the liquid into the prepared baking dish, followed by closely layered slices of potatoes so they overlap. Top with some of the grated Gruyere and another ladle full of the milk mixture. Repeat until the dish is full with 1/2" of headroom - you should end up with 3 - 4 layers of potatoes, finishing with the Parmesan cheese.

Cover with tin foil and place in the oven to bake for 50 - 60 minutes. Remove the cover and continue cooking for a further 10 minutes or until cheese on top is bubbly and golden.

Remove from the oven and let sit for a few minutes before cutting into. 

Eat.

What's your background? What foods or lifestyle choices do you hold close to your heart? What makes you who you are? What do you hang on to? What do you let go of? Are there any other country fans in the house?

RPI Eggs: Super Simple Poached Egg Sunday Breakfast

Happy Thursday darlings!

The best part of my day? I logged into Blogger, checked the blog's stats for the day, and opened up my draft for RPI Mission Eggs... I was greeted by this:

Jingle bells, batman smells, Robin laid an egg.

Batmobile lost a wheel and Joker got away.

Oh the joy of sharing a blog with a close friend who you wished lived closer. I've heard this song eight million times and was always kind of annoyed by it. Until now. Now it's the endearing gentle message my dear friend Haydn left me in my draft copy of RPI Eggs - a small but significant message that he hopelessly misses me. I miss you too, Haydn. Stupid, giant, Canadian country.

Something else that is dear to my heart? Eggs. Particularly, super simple Sunday breakfast eggs. When we established eggs as our Rock, Paper, ingredient mission this month, my mind immediately started digging into the various culinary fascinations of eggs - custards, cakes, aioli, souffle, blah blah blah. Ultimately, I chose to showcase the true nature of the protein powerhouse known as the egg. And stayed true to chicken.

Small side note: Duck eggs scare the squeezebox outta me. Much too large. Much. too. large. Pretty much anything that is larger in size than the average/normal freaks me out.

All you need for this recipe: eggs, bread, left over veggies. Maybe a little cheese. Golden. 

Super Simple Poached Egg Breakfast

(printable recipe) - serves 2.

Ingredients:

4 Pastured Eggs.

1 Tsp Vinegar.

1 Bunch Kale or Chard.

1/3 C Chicken or Veggie Stock.

Leftover Roasted Winter Veg.

2 Pieces Baguette or Sourdough Loaf, cut on an angle.

2 Shavings of Salty Grainy Cheese (ie Grana Padano, Parmesan, Pecorino Romano)

Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

Coarse Sea Salt & Fresh Cracked Black Pepper.

What to Do:

Pre-heat your oven to a high broil. Once hot, place sliced bread on a baking sheet, brushed lightly with olive oil, and slide under heat. Broil until golden. Remove from oven and lay the cheese on warm toast. Set aside.

Turn the oven down to 400 degrees F. Re-heat winter veg in oven until hot. 

Heat 2 Tbsp of oil over medium heat in a large saute pan. Once hot, throw in the greens, season well with salt and pepper and stir well to coat. Add the stock and while stirring often, allow the greens to cook through and the stock to evaporate.

To poach eggs: Bring a deep saute pan of salted water to a light boil over medium-high heat. Once the water starts to bubble, add vinegar. Crack eggs into individual bowls and gently slide into the semi-boiling water. Using a slotted spoon, corral the whites around the yolks to help them keep their shape. Cook for about 3-4 minutes or until the egg whites are cooked through and the yolks runny. Remove from water and gently place eggs on top of cheesy toast.

Throw it all on a plate and chow down my friends, chow down.

Yes - eat.

How do your friends let you know they love you? How do you show you love them?

Salads Ain't Just Fo' Summer Yo!

There are plenty of splendid and flavorful ingredients that can be used to make some pretty stellar Winter ones. Who needs mass produced & globally shipped lettuce when you can use locally and organically grown kale? Mmmm-mmmm - Christmas Winter salads are a wee bit of yum, yes?

I know, I know.

I promise that every post I do here up until Christmas will not be Christmas related.

To be fair though, this dish really isn't about Christmas. It's about using your Winter veg up effectively and let's be honest: Sometimes it's friggin difficult to find a fresh way to use those beets. Or leafy greens.

There comes a point, in every CSA participant's box, when we think "for the love of all that is good and holy - if I get one more (insert bastard vegetable here), I'm going to kill myself!". For me, that's usually kohlrabi. For John, it's turnips. Thence this recipe.

The fact that this dish is white, green and red just happens to make it an excellent side to a holiday meal. I promise, it's not Christmas.

Beet Carpaccio & Massaged Kale Winter Salad

(printable recipe) - serves 2.

Ingredients for Salad:

6 Small Red Beets, scrubbed and well dried.

6 Small Golden Beets, scrubbed and well dried.

1 Bunch Kale.

6 Oz Goat Cheese, room temperature.

Handful of Sweet & Spicy Nuts.

Coarse Salt & Fresh Cracked Black Pepper.

Ingredients for Dressing:

1/2 C Good Quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

The Juice of 1 Orange.

1 Tbsp Good Quality Balsamic Vinegar.

Coarse Salt & Fresh Cracked Black Pepper.

What to Do:

Pre-heat your oven to 400 degrees F. Place the golden beets in one roasting pan and the red beets in another. Drizzle both with olive oil and season well with salt and pepper. Cover and roast in the oven for 40 - 60 minutes, depending on the size and age of the beets. When a fork slides gently into the beet, they're done. Remove from the oven and set aside until you can touch them. Chop off the top, peel the skins off and discard and place beets in the fridge until cool.

Meanwhile: remove the stem/rib of the kale and then chop into thin sliced. Massage - yes, massage - until the kale becomes soft and edible. This can take a while so just plop down in front of the tv if you want and rub baby rub. Set aside.

Make the dressing: Dump all the ingredients into a mason jar and shake. Set aside.

Once the beets are cool, use your mandolin to slice them on the thinnest setting. Watch your fingers! You can do this with a knife but it will take longer and it will be difficult to be as consistent. Make sure you do all the golden ones before the red or you will discolor the delicate gold beets with purple.

Lay the red beets on a plate, slightly overlapping the edges until the plate is full. Slide gold slices so they lay just slightly under each red beet. 

In a bowl, dress the kale with some of the dressing and the goat cheese. Gently place on top of the beets and finish with some nuts.  Season lightly with salt and pepper.

Eat.

How do you feel about Winter salads? Have you ever massaged kale? What do you get in your CSA that makes your little heart happy? Angry? Confused?

Rippin' Another Blog: Sweetly Serendipity

Who doesn't love a good - and I mean good - side dish?

I've been saying for years that I think it's the sign of a good chef who can lovingly make the side dish as interesting, flavorful, and delectable as the main. 

And you know what? .....Taryn @ Sweetly Serendipity is a pro. Not to mention an awesome super babe. Hey - when a girl can make vegetables taste the way she did, a girl's gotta butter her up. Besides, how else am I gonna talk her into coming to Victoria to cook me dinner?

...Starting this week, "Post from Another Blog" posts are going to be a little different around here. Instead of simply (and separately) picking a recipe from any old blog we felt like, Haydn and I are taking turns choosing a blog from which we will both select a recipe from and see what we come up with. Will we choose the same recipe? Will we choose different ones? The suspense is killing me! Okay, maybe not. But I think it'll be more interesting, yes?

So for this week's blog, we're taking on Taryn. I chose Taryn because I know her from The Secret Recipe Club and after having made her fabulous rice pudding, I felt like the woman and her blog deserved more props because as I said earlier, she's kind of awesome.

And this time around, just as the first, she did not disappoint. I only have 3 words for you: Summer. Vegetable. Gratin.

The crunchyness of the breadcrumby salty Parmesan, sweetness of the caramelized onions, delicateness of the Summer friendly squash, and acidity from the tomatoes made this a highly enjoyable side that I plan on making again. For reals. Thank you Taryn darling!

Summer Vegetable Gratin

(printable recipe) - serves 4.

Ingredients:

1 Lb Zucchini, sliced into 1/4" thick rounds.

1 Lb Yellow Zucchini, sliced into 1/4" thick rounds.

3-4 Large Ripe Tomatoes, sliced 1/4" thick.

2 Medium Onions, halved and sliced thin (approx. 3 cups).

2 Medium Sized Garlic Cloves, minced.

1 Tbsp Fresh Thyme, stemmed and chopped.

6 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

1 Handful Fresh Basil Leaves, chopped or roughly torn.

1 C Panko Crumbs.

1 C Parmesan Cheese, grated.

Coarse Sea Salt and Fresh Cracked Black Pepper.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

What to Do:

Toss the zucchini in a colander with a good helping of salt. Let sit for about 45 minutes and drain well - you may want to pat dry with a tea towel to remove excess moisture. 

In a separate colander (or lay on a towel on the counter) - do the same with the tomatoes. 

As your veggies de-moisturize, heat a couple Tbsp of oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Once hot, add the onions. Stir well. Turn the heat down to medium-low and slowly caramelize them, stirring every few minutes or so until dark golden brown. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Pre-heat your oven to 400 degrees F and spray a 9 X 9" baking dish with non-stick spray.

As the oven heats, combine the garlic, 3 Tbsp of oil, a good helping of pepper and thyme in a mixing bowl. Add the zucchini and toss well to coat.

Pour the entire zucchini bowl into the prepared baking dish, topping with the onions and finishing off with the tomatoes, overlapping just slightly.

Place in the oven and bake 40-45 minutes or until the tomatoes are pulling away from the sides of the dish and the edges are just starting to brown.

In a bowl, mix together the panko, parmesan and a Tbsp of oil. Remove the dish from the oven, turn the heat up to 450 degrees and top with this mixture. When the oven is ready, place back inside and allow the top to brown and crust (approx 5-10 minutes). 

Remove from the oven, top with the basil, and serve.

Eat.

What's your favorite part of a meal? Appeteaser? Main? Side? Dessert? The alcohol?

This post is linked up with Cast Party Wednesday; Whole Foods Wednesday; Frugal Days, Sustainable Ways; The Wednesday Fresh Foods Blog Hop; Showcase Your Talent Thursday; Keep it Real Thursdays; Full Plate Thursday; Tastetastic Thursday;

Thirsty much? Watermelon Salad = Good

Happy Thursday morning to you darling readers!

When you think of Summer, what comes to mind?...

Lazy days on the beach? Coronas* on a patio? Music festivals up the ying yang? (if there was a music festival up my ying yang I'd have one thing to say, and one thing only... "ouch").

Aside from the above, along with tomatoes, flip flops, and camping, Summer to me means watermelon!

I think it stems from my childhood. I distinctly remember sitting at picnic tables as a young'n with the sun smiling down at us, giant slice of watermelon in one hand, way messed up napkin in the other, spitting seeds directly out onto the grass beneath our feet. Those were the days. The days of Summer when the biggest responsibility you had was making sure the dishes you had to dry after dinner weren't still sopping wet when you put them away in the camper. Oh yeah, and watermelons still had seeds! 

I know it wasn't the classiest of endeavors - eating a watermelon. Bite, chew, spit. But it was fun. And the watermelons weren't franken-fucking-scary engineered products of some group of men hidden away in Monsanto's windowless labs. That being said, I still eat me some tasty watermelon from time to time and after the experience I referred to in this post, this dish just had to be done.

Watermelon Salad with Fresh Mozzarella & Marcona Almonds

(printable recipe) - Serves 4.

Ingredients:

4 C Chopped Watermelon, 1" pieces, refrigerated & cold.

1 Ball Fresh Buffalo Mozzarella (If you can get your hands on Burrata, sub that), drained & roughly torn.

Small Handful of Marcona Almonds, lightly toasted.

Small Handful Fresh Basil.

1 C Creme Fraiche.

4 Tbsp Local Organic Honey.

Coarse Sea Salt.

What to Do:

First, toss the watermelon with a good pinch of salt and place back in the fridge until ready to use.

Next, mix the creme fraiche and the honey together in a bowl until well blended. Adjust to taste. You want it fresh yet slightly sweet.

Lastly, drizzle or spoon the dressing onto a plate, topping with the rest of the ingredients, finishing with the torn mozzarella (or beautiful burrata) and basil.

And that's it!

Eat.

When you think of Summer, what comes to mind?

*I am well aware that Corona is a terrible beer and not original at all. That being said, I can hardly think of anything I'd rather have whilst camping, laying on a beach, or hiding in the back of my shoe closet** - the only place in my house that really feels cool when it's 35 degrees outside.

**I wish I had a shoe closet. What I really have is a shelf very much in need of a good dusting that has been kind enough to begrudgingly allow me to wedge it in between my collection of under-used hand bags and a skateboard that hasn't been ridden in 4 years. I don't actually sit in there.

This post is linked up with Cast Party Wednesday; Whole Foods Wednesday; Frugal Days, Sustainable Ways; The Wednesday Fresh Foods Blog Hop; Tastetastic Thursday; Full Plate Thursday; Showcase Your Talent Thursday; Keep it Real Thursdays; Foodie Friday; Fight Back Friday; Fresh Bites Friday; Wellness Weekend.

Andhra Pappu (Dal) w/ Curried Sweet Potato Chips

The Lowdown:

I'm not sure where my fondness for Indian food came from. Whatever the reason, I'm glad I discovered it (or more likely it was forced upon me). The flavours are unmatched. The aromas are unmatched. Well, scratch that. A revised statement would go something like this, the aromas are sometimes unmatched. Right now it looks and smells like a napalm bomb just exploded in my kitchen. I was trying to be what some refer to as a multi-tasker. But let this be a lesson to you, oven @ 485* + shower = disaster. You know you've fudged it when you have to arm everyone in the house (condo in my case) with a fanning-towel. You may have won the battle, curried sweet potato chips, but the war is far from over. For now, a glass of wine. Tomorrow, I will overcome your evil antics.

If you've made it this far, or have read anything else I've written, you'll know that I'm a horrible planner when it comes to cooking. I am sporadic at best. I invite people over for dinner without a plan or menu. I have to improvise because I'm too lazy to go hunting and gathering. To sum it up, I am a horrible cook. But then again, I've never claimed to be anything other than that. I would like to think I make up for my downfalls with wine. Yes, the old "get them bubbly and they'll enjoy anything" tactic. Love it.

If you're still reading, despite my best attempts to warn you, the plan was to make a dal with curried sweet potato chips for dipping. Instead, I have dal with watering eyes and inflamed lungs. Curry is not so pleasant when you burn the hell out of it. In fact, not pleasant is a gross understatement. For your enjoyment, I will refrain from saying what I am really feeling right now. Lucky you.

It is a known fact that curries are better the day after anyway. So let it be called fate that I burned the chips and could not eat the dal tonight. Yes that's it. It was all part of some grand scheme - a master plan if you will. (In a National Geographic narator's voice): the young cook's hunt ended poorly; tonight he will go hungry. Likely, he will survive as he has stored fat reserves over the past winter.

So without further ado, this is Food Mazaa's Andhra Pappu. And that concludes this weeks Recipe Remix. If you're new or confused, once a month we post a remake of a recipe from another blog. So enjoy. Do it, that is an order!

The Playlist:

1/2 cup Toor Dal (medium-sized Split yellow lentils)

1 cup Masoor Dal (split red lentils)
4 Tomatoes, chopped
1 Onion, diced
1 tsp Turmeric

2 cups Spinach, chopped
4 Green chillies, halved

1/2 cup Coriander leaves, chopped

2 tsp Garham marsala 

Salt, to taste

2 tbsp Oil

2 tsp Mustard seeds

1 tsp Cumin Seeds

4 Red chillies, dried
4 cloves Garlic, minced

The Skinny:

1. Soak the dals in water for an hour then strain and add to a large skillet with 3 cups of heated water. Bring to a boil then skim off the froth. Cover and allow to boil for 25 minutes.
2. Add the tomatoes, green chilis, turmeric, spinach, onion, coriander leaves, salt, and garham marsala into the lentils. Cover and simmer on medium heat.
3. In a seperate pan, put oil, mustard seeds, garlic, red chilis, cumin, and garlic on medium heat and cook until garlic browns. Once browned, add to the pappu. Mix thoroughly and allow to simmer for a while longer.
4. Remove the lid and simmer for 5 more minutes. If you have the time, allow the dal to rest over night. If not, serve warm.
5. If you'd like to make the curried sweet potato chips all you have to do is heat vegetable oil in a frying pan (enought to submerge the chips in), then cut the sweet potatoes thinly and dust them with chickpea flour and garham marsala. Cook in the oil until crispy.
6. Enjoy. 

Featured on: 33 Shades of Green, Premeditated Leftovers, Food Renegade, Chef in Training, 

Stay Rad -h 

I like it hot and cheesy!

I've missed you lovelies!

Due to a ridiculously busy week of also family visitations, work schedule fuck ups, Haydn's birthday, university convocation, hair appointments, and the need to finish the last book in The Hunger Games, I took last week off. And you know that? I'm damn glad I did!

It just needed to be done. 

Those of us with blogs know how time consuming they can be, but my wonderful friends who aren't obsessed with their computers don't realize that between 3 posts a week @ Gastronomical Sovereignty and 1 here, I probably waste spend near 40 hours a week cooking, taking photos, editing photos, posting, promoting, and doing general blog things. It really is about 10 hours a post - and while I love it, I needed a week off. 

But now I'm back! And that also feels damn good.

And to celebrate? How about a little cheesy spicy goodness? For this week's make-something-from-another-blog-post I decided to pull out a little trick from Kimberly @ Rhubarb & Honey.

The chick is fuckin' rad and so is her food philosophy. She also happens to partake in The Secret Recipe Club with me - and while I may not get as my SRC assignment, it doesn't mean I can't give the woman props and make something from her blog.

Her recipe has less fat in it than mine does but I have a slight fear of anything "low fat" or "non-fat".... If they take the fat out of an ingredient, they have to replace it with something. What is that something??? Ick! So instead, I went all-fat. And let me tell you, I'm pretty sure my thighs are feelin' it. But it's all good because anything that is cheesy and spicy makes me a happy girl... 

Speaking of which, have you read 50 Shades of Grey??? I'm on the first book right now and I've never read anything so outright cheesy and hot in all my life. But it's Summer time - when else during the year can you indulge in such sauciness?

Gooey Cheesy Baked Jalapenos
 (printable recipe) - serves 5 - 6.

Ingredients:

6 Jalapeños, halved and seeds & ribs removed.
1/2 Cup Cheddar Cheese, grated.
1/4 C Cream Cheese, whipped.
4 Scallions, finely chopped.
1/2 Cup Whole Wheat Flour.
1 1/2 Cups Panko Crumbs.
4 Large Egg Whites.
Course Sea Salt & Fresh Cracked Black Pepper.
1/2 C Sour Cream.

What to Do: 

Pre-heat your broiler and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place a wire rack on top and lay jalapenos on rack, broil for approx 2 minutes or until they start to char. Allow to cool completely and turn the oven down to 400 degrees F via the regular element.

In a small bowl combine the cheddar, cream cheese and half the scallions. Gently spoon & tightly pack into eat half pepper.

Place the flour and panko crumbs in two separate shallow dishes, seasoning both with a little salt. In a third bowl, whisk the egg whites until foamy.

Dredge each jalapeno through the flour,s haking off the excess, followed by the egg whites, and then the panko.

Place back on the wire rack/foil lined baking sheet again and season with salt and pepper. Bake until breading is golden and cheese is melted, approx. 20 minutes or so.

As they brown, mix the remaining scallions into the sour cream and season lightly with salt.

Serve baked jalapenos with the sour cream on the side for dipping.

Eat.

What do you do to relax? How do you know it's time for a break? Good Summer read suggestions, darlings?

 

This post is linked up with Whole Foods Wednesday; Frugal Days, Sustainable Ways; Cast Party Wednesday; Simple Lives Thursday; Showcase Your Talent Thursday; Full Plate Thursday; Tastetastic Thursday; Fresh Bites Friday; Fight Back Friday.

Apple Cinnamon Mashed Potatoes

The Lowdown:

Mike Bannon, 2012

Potatoes, as everyone knows, are the blue jeans of cooking. They can be as boring or out-there as you want. You can fry them, deep fry them, saute them, mash them, smash them, thrash them, mush them, stuff them, bake them, flake them. You can turn them into pies, fries, or chips, or dips. You can salt them, butter them, or coat them in any concoction. They can be served for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or any snack in between. Yes, they truly are easier than a drunk prom date.

Potatoes, to me, have grown old and boring. They are sort of stuck in the pub fare fries section of the culinary sphere. Perhaps even in the I'm to lazy to make dinner so I'll make peas and mashed potatoes with ground beef section. By now, I feel like I've explored every avenue of patatoville. However, that theory was blown to smithereens when I went on vacation. Very rarely do I get surprised by a meals deliciousness when I go out for dinner. I always feel like the three bears story. It's too cold, it's too salty, it's just too unsatisfactory. Period. I'm not picky, so to say, I just have high expectations when I'm spending money on a meal that I could cook much better. I'm pretty sure we've all been there.

On the flip side, there are those rare occasions where you find a diamond in the rough. A great meal that seems to be a gift from the gods, tailored just for you. For me, this was the apple cinnamon mashed potatoes. Well, to be honest, I have no clue if they actually were apple cinnamon mashed potatoes. The menu was in Spanish, which I don't speak, and they looked like regular mashed something-or-anothers. The point being, if they were potatoes, they opened up my mind to the possibilities of potatoes once again. Good bye pub fare, hello renewed love for potatoes! Also, make enough for left-overs, because these make excellent "hash browns" for breakfast the next day.

The Playlist:

3 Potatoes, peeled and cubed

1 Apple, peeled and finely cubed

1 Cinnamon stick, whole

1 Cinnamon stick, crushed (using a mortar & pestle)

1 tbsp Apple cider vinegar

1 tbsp Canola/Vegetable oil

1 tsp Brown sugar (or honey)

1/2 tsp Vanilla

2 tbsp Ranch (or sour cream)

2 tbsp Butter

Salt & Pepper, to taste

The Skinny:

1. Boil potatoes and cinnamon stick in enough water to fully cover the potatoes. Cook until they are soft to the touch.
2. While potatoes are boiling, saute apple cubes in the vinegar, brown sugar, crushed cinnamon stick, and oil. Cook until each side is browned then turn off the heat and cover.
3. When potatoes are done, remove the cinnamon stick and add the ranch, butter, salt, and pepper. Mash until desired consistency, then add the apple cubes (which should be soft, but not mushy by now). Mix everything together.
4. Serve warm and enjoy.

Featured on: Premediated Leftovers, 33 Shades of Green, Chef in Training, Food Renegade


Stay Rad - h

Poached Egg Over Creamy Polenta (with mushrooms, blue cheese & pistachios)

There are times in a young woman's life when she just needs to let go and dive in...

...When she's gotta let her (short) hair down....

...Throw caution to the wind....

...And just do it...

...When she just needs to take a chance...

...And indulge her fantasies...

That happened...

...When I read Sonia's recipe for Poached Egg Over Creamy Polenta (with mushrooms, blue cheese & pistachios) @ The Healthy Foodie.

Holy Hannah Montana!

Seriously. I saw this recipe and food orgasm'd. Twice.

Anyone who knows me know I love me some good polenta. Toss in a few mushrooms, a couple bold flavors like blue cheese and pistachios, and top it off with a creamy decadent poached egg - and you've got yourself a lover for life. Whether you want me or not. 

Simple. Divine. Comforting. Gourmet. And all at the same time. I love it.

Poached Egg Over Creamy Polenta

(with mushrooms, blue cheese & pistachios)

adapted from The Healthy Foodie 

Ingredients:

1 C Fine Ground Cornmeal.

6 Cups Salted Water or Chicken/Veggie Stock (or mixture of both).

80g Fresh Mushrooms (I used a mixture of oyster & shiitake).

1 Zucchini, cut into quarters and BBQ'd briefly (these were leftovers I just chucked in).

40g Pistachio, shelled & roughly chopped.

40g Blue Cheese, crumbled.

1 Tsp Fresh Thyme, de-stemmed & roughly chopped.

1 Lemon for juice.

3/4 C Parmesan Cheese, grated.

Kosher Salt & Fresh Cracked Black Pepper.

1 Poached Egg.

Drizzle of Truffle Oil (optional).

What to Do:

In a large saucepan, bring the juice of half a lemon and the stock or salted water to a light boil over medium heat.

Add corn meal with a Tsp or two of salt and pepper in a slow steady stream, whisking continually. Once you have added all the cornmeal, reduce the heat to medium-low. Whisk/cook for about 10 minutes or until cornmeal has reached the desired consistency and cooked through. Don't stop whisking though or it'll clump!

Take off heat, stir in fresh thyme and parmesan. Mix well. Cover and set aside until plating. 

Drizzle a little bit of olive oil in a  medium non stick frying pan and heat over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook until nice and golden on both sides, about 2-3 minutes total.

Meanwhile, poach the egg. In a small pan heat some salted water over medium-high heat. As it heats, crack the egg into a small bowl. Add a little vinegar (about a Tbsp) to the water and the juice from half a lemon - this will keep your whites from flying around when you pour the egg in. When water starts to simmer, gently slip the egg in the water and push it back with a large spoon to help it take shape.

Cover lightly and cook for about 2-3 minutes, until white is completely set and opaque but yolk is still runny. Remove from water with a slotted spoon and allow to drain well.

Laddle polenta into a bowl or shallow serving plate. Top with the mushrooms and poached egg. Sprinkle generously with blue cheese and chopped pistachios on top. 

Garnish with a few sprigs of fresh thyme, a small sprinkle of salt and pepper, and if you like - a little truffle oil. Serve while hot!

Eat.

 What dishes or ingredients give you double food orgasm?

This post is linked up with This Chick Cooks; Cast Party Wednesday; Simple Lives Thursday; Full Plate Thursday; Tastetastic Thursday;Fresh Bites Friday; The Hearth & Soul Blog Hop via The 21st Century Housewife; Tasty Tuesdays; Slightly Indulgent Tuesday; Tuesday Talent Show.