blue artichoke

After the inaugural batch of vanilla custard ice cream, I've been eager to try making fancier, flavored ice cream. I headed to the farmer's market to buy fresh peaches, only to learn that the late frost damaged the peach crop this year. What few there are sell quickly and are expensive. So, I bought a 4# crate of giant peaches at Sam's, and set to work. The idea was the same as the vanilla ice cream: make a custard and, once chilled, stir in a fruit puree. The custard procedure in this recipe, though, was very different from the traditional method. In the traditional method, you heat the milk or cream to just short of boiling, stir it slowly into a mixture of egg yolks and sugar, then return it to the pan to cook and thicken. This new method had me boil the milk/cream, then simmer it, then cover it and let it stand awhile before stirring it into the sugar/yolk mixture. I don't like this method because it is all based on rigid timing, not by the look or feel of the milk. I think the milk scorched a bit when it boiled or maybe simmered too hot or sat too long. I don't know, but it separated during the second heating stage. It may also have been because I used a whipping cream and half-and-half combo instead of all whipping cream, but I don't think that was the culprit. Once it froze, though, you couldn't tell that it had separated.

This recipe, though, used so many pots and bowls and strainers that I had to rewash a few times in the midst of preparation to have a clean bowl. And it took forever. I started making the ice cream eager and anticipatory, but by the time I finished, I was a snarling grump. I had a kitchen full of dirty dishes, no counter space (which led me to knock over the pan and spill ~1/3 of the milk mixture when trying to strain it into the egg mixture) and a wall and floor covered in ice cream goo. I hoped that I hated the ice cream, because I never wanted to go through the ordeal of making it again.

Unfortunately, it's excellent. It has nice chunks of peaches, not too sweet or eggy (like the vanilla batch) and a light and refreshing peach flavor. I learned a few tricks the first time around about freezing the ice cream, so this batch was not nearly as messy (in the churning/freezing stage, that is).

Peach Ice Cream

5 large ripe peaches(about 2 pounds)
4 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 3/4 cups sugar
2 tablespoons peach schnapps
2 1/4 cups milk
2 2/3 cups heavy cream
8 large egg yolks
Pinch of salt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1. Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Meanwhile, prepare an ice-water bath; set aside. Place peaches in boiling water for 1 to 2 minutes; remove with a slotted spoon, and cool in ice-water bath.

2. Peel and pit peaches, reserving skin and pits. Slice each peach into 10 wedges, place in a nonreactive saucepan, and stir in lemon juice and 2 tablespoons sugar. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until peaches are tender and liquid has thickened slightly, 10 to 15 minutes. Let cool.

3. Stir peach schnapps into peach mixture. Transfer to the bowl of a food processor, and pulse to a chunky purée, 10 to 15 pulses; set aside.

4. In a large saucepan set over high heat, bring milk, cream, peach skins, and pits to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low; simmer 5 minutes. Cover, and let stand 15 minutes.

5. Meanwhile, in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine egg yolks, salt, remaining sugar, and vanilla. Beat at medium-high speed until mixture is thick and pale yellow, about 3 minutes.

6. Strain milk mixture into egg mixture; discard solids. Beat at low speed to combine. Cook over low heat, stirring, until mixture coats the back of a wooden spoon, 3 to 5 minutes. Pass through a sieve into a bowl set in ice-water bath. When chilled, stir in peach purée. Freeze in an ice-cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions, in two batches if necessary. Store in an airtight plastic container in the freezer for up to 1 week.

Makes 6 cups.
www.marthastewart.com

I have another recipe for peach ice cream that I'd like to try out. It looks much easier than this one; hopefully it will taste just as good, or else I'll be stuck making this one again. And I would make it again. It's excellent.

Posted by Blue Artichoke at 03:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Despite the forecast of thunderstorms, I chanced a meal prepared on the grill. I'm such a daring risk-taker. I grilled tandoori-style chicken and mangoes. I've never really branched out into grilling fruit, but my curiosity was piqued by Bon Appetit's July cover recipe (from a Top Chef contestant) that included grilled cantaloupe. Hmmm... I like grilled plantains, though I've always grilled them on a grill pan on the inside stove. But cantaloupe? Interesting. I'll try it someday, but I kicked off my grilled fruit adventure with mangoes. They're really good, but get a little chewy if you let them char too much. The chicken was good, but kind of dry. I've yet to decipher juicy, yet fully cooked, grilled chicken. This month's Cook's Illustrated has an article about grilled chicken, so hopefully my next attempt will yield better results. The chicken was really good, mind you, just a bit dry. And the thunderstorm? Never happened.

Grilled Tandoori-Style Chicken And Mangoes With Mango Jasmine Rice

Mangoes are used two ways in this Indian dish — grilled with the chicken and tossed into rice.

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
4 garlic cloves
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon sweet paprika
1 tablespoon coarse kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 cup olive oil
1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

2 (2 1/2-pound) chickens, quartered

2 large ripe mangoes, peeled; 1 cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices, 1 cut into 1/2-inch cubes

2 cups jasmine rice
3 cups water
1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted

6 fresh cilantro sprigs

Purée first 7 ingredients in processor. With machine running, gradually add oil through feed tube and process until blended. Transfer 1/4 cup herb mixture to small bowl; reserve. Add yogurt and lemon juice to remaining mixture in processor and blend.

Place chicken in 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. Pour yogurt mixture over chicken; turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour.

Prepare barbecue (medium heat). Place chicken, skin side down, on grill. Cover and grill until chicken is cooked through, turning every 5 minutes, about 30 minutes total. Grill mango slices 2 minutes per side; set aside. Meanwhile, combine rice, 3 cups water, and reserved 1/4 cup herb mixture. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer until tender, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat; let stand, covered, 5 minutes. Fold in mango cubes and pine nuts.

Arrange chicken on large platter; garnish with grilled mango slices and cilantro sprigs. Serve mango jasmine rice alongside.

Makes 8 servings.

Bon Appétit
May 2007

Posted by Blue Artichoke at 02:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I know, I should be posting a Sunday Muffins recipe today, but, again, the muffins we ate this morning were just... good. I made Blueberry-Peach Muffins, the peach flavor supposed to be added by peach yogurt, but was undetectable. And, as blueberry muffins, they weren't the greatest. I suppose I'm in the midst of a Blueberry Muffin Snackdown. I've tried several recipes this summer, using the bounty of fresh berries that I buy each week, but so far no recipe has proven outstanding. There are a few more to try, though, so hopefully by the end of blueberry season, I'll have a winner.

I don't want to leave you without a delicious recipe, though, so here's the recipe for the awesome strawberry pie I made when GC's friend Kyle was in town (I don't know his gourmand name).

Strawberry Pie

Pastry:
½ c. shortening
1-½ c. flour
½ t. salt
3-4 T. ice water

Preheat oven to 425. Cut the shortening into the flour and salt until pea-sized. Add water, 1 T. at a time, mixing lightly with fork. When mixture holds together, gently form a ball and roll it out onto a floured surface to ~1/4” in thickness. Place in a 9” pie pan. Prick bottom and sides of dough with fork. Place pie weights or another lightweight pie pan on crust to keep it from bubbling up while baking. Bake 15-20 minutes or until browned.

Strawberry filling:
4-5 c. fresh strawberries
1 c. water
1 c. sugar
3 T. cornstarch
1 c. sweetened whipped cream or whipped topping

Crush 1 c. of strawberries. Add water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 3 minutes. Strain juice from berries. Add enough water to make 1 c. berry juice. Set aside.

Put sugar and cornstarch in a saucepan. Slowly add berry juice. Stir until smooth. Bring to a boil over med heat, stirring constantly. Cook until thick and clear. Cool slightly. Arrange remaining berries in baked pie shell. Pour glaze over berries. Chill.

Serve with whipped cream or whipped topping.

Serves 6.
The Cat Who…Cookbook

The crust was so quick to make and really easy to work with, baking up thick, crispy and flaky. Too bad it uses Crisco. The filling was also easy to make. I cooked some strawberries, then blended them with a wand-blender, strained and reduced that. I didn’t need to add additional water. It thickened up nicely and quickly, but was still a bit runny after sitting in the fridge. Make sure it is really thick before removing from the heat. I sliced the remaining strawberries into 1/4th and arranged them in the crust. It doesn't have to look pretty because the glaze will pretty much hide everything. Flavor was awesome. Best topped with whipped cream.

Getting to Know All About You: What is the dessert you most frequently make (type or specific recipe)?

Posted by Blue Artichoke at 01:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

I made this pie a while ago, before things got so hectic around here, and thought it best to post the recipe while the gettin' is still good for blueberries. This is a great berry pie, with lots of great antioxidant blueberry filling (I find it's best to focus on the healthy parts). The big plump berries you can buy in the grocery stores are already quite sweet, so unless you've picked your own wild blueberries, you can easily cut down the sugar to 3/4 cup without missing any sweetness. This is pretty easy to make. The blueberry mixture thickens and comes together suddenly. Use a purchased pie crust or use your favorite pie crust recipe. I'm still developing my own favorite pie crust recipe, so you're on your own this time.

Fresh Blueberry Pie

1 c. sugar
3 heaping T. cornstarch
½ t. ground cinnamon
1/8 t. salt
1 c. water
1 c. fresh or frozen blueberries
1 T. lemon juice
3 c. fresh blueberries
1 cooked 8-9” pie shell

Combine the dry ingredients in a large saucepan and stir to mix well. Add water and stir to dissolve cornstarch. Add 1 c. berries and cook, stirring constantly over moderate heat until sauce is thickened and clear. Add lemon juice; stir well to mix and cool slightly. Add 3 c. of fresh berries. Gently transfer the filling to the prepared pie shell. Chill thoroughly before serving.

Classic Home Cooking, American Action Fund for Blind Children and Adults

GC and I loved it, and even discussed throwing out all other blueberry pie recipes – untested – in favor of only ever using this one!

Posted by Blue Artichoke at 10:46 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Remember when I started this crazy kosher adventure? I said I'd be posting recipes and I haven't done so well on that. I also said I'd probably post some kosher versions of Blue Artichoke's recipes.

Well, I simply can't do this when she keeps eating pork.

Plus, I've been WAY busy. I know that's a cop-out, but instead of going on a vacation I've been working 12 to 14 hour days. I know, I know, a lot of people do that. But a lot of people then don't go home to no gas, a missing hotplate (honestly, Blue Chocolate Challah, where is it?), and a cupboard full of no food and too many dishes.

I'm okay with that, though. I've been eating out a lot.

This weekend I'm attending a cookout, and while I have no idea what's going to be served, I'm taking a Mediterranean dip that seems to go well anywhere.

It's super-simple, and happily kosher.

Simple Mediterranean Dip

8 oz. hummus
4 oz. sour cream
1/8 c. chopped scallions
8 oz. crumbled feta
1 jar artichoke hearts in oil
4 oz. chopped black olives

Mix the hummus and the sour cream together, spread on a tray and refrigerate together for about thirty minutes. After that, add the scallions and feta on top. Chop up the artichoke hearts and add them, then drizzle the oil over the entire mixture. Top off with the olives.

Serve with pita chips. Lots of them, too.

If you want to double the recipe, the key thing is 2:1 ratio of hummus to sour cream. The remaining ingredients can be a little overpowering if you try to double them as well, but you really can't go wrong with this and can add and remove things as you want.

It really is quite tasty, though -- much more exciting than plain ol' hummus.

Posted by Red Momo, aka the Kosher Gentile at 07:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

This may not sound notable, but for me, it is. For as long as I've been able to tell the difference between crazy and sane, I've been afraid of mentally unstable people. I call them "wobbly" and this fear extends to old people who are possibly senile, retarded people, high-strung people who I think might snap any second and some extroverts. I can't think of any particular personal experience that led to this fear*, but I have a typical physical fear reaction when I spot one. I know this makes me shallow, callous and a terrible person, but the potential for unpredictable behavior sets me on edge. So, it is quite notable that today I shared my lunch table with a guy with Down's Syndrome. He seemed to be a happy guy, eager to talk, but he also banged on the table and kept saying something that sounded like "pontoon." I made some awkward conversation, finished my sandwich and left without lingering. I felt proud of my accomplishment, and a bit lucky, like I had faced danger and walked away unscathed.

*I can, however, think of an example that reinforced this fear, which was already entrenched when this happened. In cooking school, I identified a wobbly classmate early on (Yellow Sugar, for those who remember those days). I was usually on guard around him, but in a busy kitchen it's difficult to keep your eye on someone. One busy day during dinner service, I was hurrying from the sink to my work station, following Yellow Sugar, when he suddenly whirled around and jabbed a knife at my eye, for no other reason than he thought it might be fun. I narrowly avoided being blinded; it was really close. That's the sort of irrational and erratic behavior that puts the fear in me.

So, here's the list so far:
1. Roast a duck
2. Learn to make glass beads
3. Swim in an underground river
4. Sea-Trek
5. Touch a sea turtle
6. Make a chocolate meringue pie
7. Eat collard greens
8. Cirque du Soleil: Ka
9. Made ice cream
10. Ate Lunch with a Down's Syndrome Guy

Getting to Know All About You: What's your strangest fear?

Note: I edited this post because it came out too mean as originally posted.

Posted by Blue Artichoke at 05:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

Welcome to pork week! If you pay attention to the old adage that you are what you eat, we're swine. First, the pork tacos, then the Philippine-style pork for Wandering Gullet, followed by a second helping of pork tacos and, lastly, ribs last night for dinner. These weren't just any ribs, but crock pot ribs. Too hot to cook inside + too hot to stand over a grill outside = crock pot. I'm always on the lookout for good and/or interesting crock pot recipes, and I know a few of you folks are too, so I'll share this one with you, with the following disclaimer: These probably aren't the best BBQ ribs you'll make, but they may well be the best ones you make in your crock pot on a hot summer day while you watch tv or play video games or clean your house or whatever it is you do when you're home and not standing over a hot stove.

Spicy Country Ribs

hands-on time: 15 minutes
total time: 4 1/2 hours or 7 hours

These ribs are meatier than baby-backs and tend to have fewer bones. Serve them with biscuits and coleslaw on the side.

1 small onion, finely chopped (1/2 cup)
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon ground chipotle chili powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
4 pounds pork country ribs

Combine the onion, ketchup, vinegar, brown sugar, salt, Worcestershire, chili powder, and oregano in a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker. Stir in the ribs. Cook on low heat for 6 hours, or on high for 3 1/2 hours. Using tongs, remove the ribs from the cooker and arrange on a broiler pan. Heat the broiler. Pour the juices from the cooker into a bowl and place in the freezer for 10 minutes to hasten the separation of the fat. Remove and discard the fat. Pour the defatted juices into a saucepan; boil over high heat until reduced by half, about 15 minutes. Broil the ribs about 6 inches from the heat until browned. Serve with the sauce.

makes 4 servings
Real Simple, March 2004

This is fast to assemble and easy to clean up, especially if you use a crock pot liner bag and line your broiler pan with foil. The sauce is pretty good, but for even easier assembly, you could just use a cup or so of your favorite BBQ sauce. I used boneless pork country-style ribs, cut in half for easier serving. For those without a crock pot, or with central A/C, or who don't mind heating up the kitchen, you can also make this recipe in a Dutch oven. Combine the sauce ingredients, add the meat and cook for 3 hours in a 325º oven.

Getting to Know All About You: If you are what you eat, we're porky pigs. What're you?

Posted by Blue Artichoke at 02:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

I told you about all the delicious pork we ate over the weekend, and the chess pie, but I didn't tell you about our other dessert: homemade ice cream. We received a Kitchen Aid attachment ice cream maker as a wedding present; I think that was the one gift that GC was most excited about. I started collecting ice cream recipes, but the maker stayed in its box on the top shelf of our kitchen gadget nook. The problem has been a lack of freezer space. That freezer bowl is big and our freezer just never seemed to make room for it. However, after being out of town for the last several weekends in a row, I didn't do much cooking on those few days home between trips. We ate a lot of leftovers, and I didn't add anything to the freezer. So, finally, I made ice cream, for the first time ever.

I made vanilla, which isn't difficult for someone who has made countless batches of pastry cream and egg custard in culinary school. The ratio of ingredients vary, but the process is the same. The mixing part was a bit messy, ok, very messy, but I've learned what not to do and think the next time will go a bit smoother. The final product was really good, though more egg custardy than vanilla ice creamy. GC liked it OK, but said it isn't nearly as good as the homemade vanilla ice cream his granddaddy makes. It's difficult to compete with the nostalgia of summer days spent running through the sprinkler, playing in the grass and eating your grandfather's fresh, hand-cranked ice cream. I'll have to get his recipe.

Frozen Vanilla Custard

2 c. milk
8 egg yolks
1 c. sugar
2 T. vanilla
½ t. salt
2 c. whipping cream

Heat milk in a large saucepan over med-high heat just until bubbles appear; don’t boil. Remove from heat. Whisk together yolks and next 3 in a large bowl until thick and pale. Gradually whisk warm milk into yolk mixture; return to saucepan.

Cook over very low heat, stirring constantly, until milk mixture thickens and reaches 160, ~5 minutes (If you don't have a thermometer, or are, like me, too lazy to use one, it's ready when small bubbles begin to form at the edges and the milk starts steaming a bit). Remove from heat and strain into a bowl. Cool, stirring occasionally. To cool it faster, place the bowl in another larger bowl with ice and water. Make sure the water doesn't splash into the ice cream mixture. When cool, stir in 2 c. whipping cream; cover and chill 1h.

Pour mixture into freezer container of an electric ice-cream maker; freeze as directed.

Makes 1 ½ quart.

Southern Living Cooking School, Summer 2006.

Though I used skim milk in this recipe, the ice cream is almost too rich and creamy for me. Don't get me wrong, it's great, but I can't eat a whole lot at one time. I suppose that's for the best, considering how fattening this ice cream is. Next time, I'm going to try to lighten it up a bit somehow, perhaps using half-and-half in place of the whipping cream, and maybe try peach or strawberry. Or, my favorite, mint chocolate chip. If I can keep space in the freezer, that is...

Getting to Know All About You: What's your favorite kind of ice cream?

Posted by Blue Artichoke at 12:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)

I had a great weekend, culinarily and otherwise. First, there was no Sunday Muffin post, not because I didn't make muffins, but because they weren't good enough to share the recipe. I made banana-blueberry muffins in my little toaster oven to avoid heating up the house. I had to make them in batches, but they baked up just fine, except that the banana flavor was missing and they weren't great as just a blueberry muffin. So, no recipe.

Saturday night I made a Gentleman Caller's Request dinner to celebrate his birthday from earlier in the month. He chose my Pork Adobo tacos and his mama's Chess Pie. Both were excellent, as usual, and I'm polishing off the last piece of pie right now for breakfast. Sweet! After dinner we went to watch some amateur mixed martial arts cage fights, which were awesome.

But on to the best meal of the weekend, the Wandering Gullet: Philippines. This is a recipe that I actually wasn't really excited about because I couldn't imagine how it would turn out. I've had it in the roster for several weeks, though, but it kept getting pushed aside for other, perhaps more exciting, countries. Finally, though, I had all the fixins and the entire afternoon at home, free to spend in the kitchen. Though the recipe takes a long time to make, it doesn't actually require a whole lot of time in the kitchen. Just time near the kitchen, like, say, on the hammock in the back yard with a good book. The recipe uses chicken and pork, but GC and I both agree that the pork is far and away superior to the chicken, which is still very good. But the pork is awesome. The next time I make this (and there will definitely be a next time), I'll use only pork.

Chicken & Pork Adobado

Philippine-Style Braised Chicken and Pork

All About Braising: The Art of Uncomplicated Cooking by Molly Stevens, 2004

6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
½ c. white wine vinegar
½ c. water
2 T. soy sauce (not “lite”) -I used low sodium
2 t. grated lime zest
2 bay leaves, each torn in half
2 t. brown sugar
½ t. coarse salt
½ t. cracked black pepper
6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, ~2 ¼# total
1 ½# boneless country-style pork ribs -I cut each rib into thirds for easier handling
2 T. peanut oil
Tomato relish, optional* -Relish is wholly unnecessary. Don't bother.

Prepare the marinade, 1-2 hours in advance: In a gallon bag, combine first 9. Zip bag and shake to dissolve sugar and combine all ingredients. Rinse the chicken thighs and pork ribs; dry thoroughly with paper towels. Add the meats to the marinade in the bag, turning to coat; set aside to marinate 1 hour, turning every 20 minutes. If your kitchen is hotter than 75°, marinate in the fridge for 2 hours.

The braise: Transfer the chicken and pork, along with all the seasonings and liquid, to a large lidded skillet or other shallow braising pan (12-13” skillet or 4 ½-qt capacity). Put the pan over med-high heat and, as soon as bubbles appear, lower the heat to a quiet simmer and cover tightly. Every 10-15 minutes, get off of the hammock and return to the kitchen to lift the lid and turn the meat so that they braise evenly. Continue to braise at a gently simmer until the chicken and pork are tender and the meat pulls easily away from the bone, 45-50 minutes total. If at any time the liquid is simmering too aggressively, lower the heat or set a heat diffuser beneath the pan.

The sauce: Using tongs, transfer the meat to a shallow platter to catch the juices. Skim the surface fat from the braising liquid and bring to a boil over med-high heat. Boil the sauce until reduced by ~2/3 to the consistency of a thin syrup, 12-15 minutes. If you happen to have your back to the oven and let the sauce reduce a bit too much, add a tablespoon or so of water to bring it back to the desired consistency. Taste. It should be quite sharp and lively. Remove the bay leaves if desired. Keep the sauce warm over low heat.

Meanwhile, brown the meat: Heat the oil in a large sauté pan, preferably nonstick, over med-high heat. Pat the chicken and pork thoroughly dry with paper towels. When the oil is shimmering, add as many pieces (skin side down) as will fit without crowding; fry until they acquire a crisp, lacquered crust, ~3 minutes/side. The meat will splatter quiet a bit as it fries; if you own a splatter screen, this is a good time to use it. Transfer to the same large plat and repeat with the remaining pieces of chicken and pork.

Finish: Slip the browned meat into the sauce and add any accumulated juices. Turn each piece of meat to coat with sauce; heat through over med-high heat. Serve over rice and spoon the sauce on top. Pass the relish, if using, at the table.

Serves 6

Wine Notes: Lightly and fruity red without too much tannin, such as a lighter-style Shiraz (Syrah) or Shiraz-Grenache blends from Australia; or lighter easy-drinking Zinfandels from CA

Tomato Relish

¾ c. finely chopped white onion
2 ripe tomatoes, ~1#, cored and chopped into ¼” dice
1/3 c. loosely packed chopped cilantro leaves and tender stems
1 T. fresh squeezed lime juice, plus more as needed
Coarse salt

Put the onion in a strainer and rinse well with cold water. Transfer to the center of a clean dishtowel. Bring up the edges and squeeze the onion to eliminate as much moisture as you can.

Place the onion in a med bowl. Add the rest and stir to combine. Season with salt. Taste and add additional lime juice or salt as needed.

Serves 6.

The tomato relish is unnecessary, and perhaps a bit of a detractor. I wouldn't bother with it. This recipe does create an awful lot of dirty dishes, which isn't such a problem for those civilized folks with a dishwasher, but for those whose dear husband is the dishwasher, it seemed a mountain. But worth it. This recipe is going into my Top 5.

Getting to Know All About You: How was your weekend?

Posted by Blue Artichoke at 09:45 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

The Not Buying It project didn't get much attention because of the screwy Internet, but here's the wrap-up:

April
2 plastic under-the-bed rolling storage bins
1 pair of white sandals
1 oven mitt
1 plastic 2-cup liquid measuring cup
1 pair of black sandals

May
1 router
1 foam paint brush
1 sports bra

June
1 cardio heart monitor
1 pedometer

All the things I bought in April and May were replacing similar items that were broken or worn out. The June purchases were new items, so technically illegal purchases during Not Buying It. I justified the purchases because they were for my health. Shoot, I couldn't waste another month on aerobics videos that don't get my heart rate high enough. And all those extra steps I've taken because of the pedometer clipped to my waistband will surely add minutes to my life. All in all, I'm rather impressed with myself, though as it turns out, I didn't actually need the white sandals (haven't worn them all summer. I might try to return them.) or the oven mitt (the old, scorched one still had some life in it).

Since the conclusion of the project, though, I've been in a shopping twilight zone. I went straight out to Big Lots (one of my favorite bargain stores) ready to throw down some money. Though there were several things I could have bought, I talked myself out of everything but a $1 set of 4 small pool balls, to take with us to Cancun next year. The best luck I had was in Indianapolis, where I ducked into a TJ Maxx to cool off during my 9-mile hike around the city. (I knew it was 9 miles because of my fancy new pedometer). There was a sale and I walked away wearing a new pair of shorts and a belt, and carrying a new bathing suit and wrist weights. I've tried to take advantage of the sales on summer clothes, but I've talked myself out of every purchase. I even bought two new pairs of brown sandals and returned them both because they weren't all-purpose enough. I've never been a good shopper, but after the Not Buying It project, I'm much worse. I try to shop. I want to buy something. I find nice things. I talk myself out of most potential purchases.

Getting to Know All About You: Are you a browser or a stick-to-the-list shopper (grocery, clothes or other)?

Posted by Blue Artichoke at 05:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

I've got some issues with water. I'm trying to drink more of it, but I usually find it so boring. I can fill a pretty plastic cup, a tall glass or water bottle and it will remain full for the rest of the day. But I've found that the Smart Water bottle appeals to me, be it the size, shape, feel in my hand or the happy little goldfish that peeks through the bottle; whatever the reason, I'll chug down any bottle within my reach. Buying water is ridiculously expensive, though, so I usually refill the Smart Water bottles several times, until they start to smell funky. When I'm traveling, however, or thirsty out and about town, I balk at paying $1-$2 for something that comes free (ok, very cheap) from the tap. I need to buy something when I pay for a drink -- caffeine, artificial flavors, synthetic dyes... something. As with the Smart Water, I think I may have found a solution to staying hydrated and getting economic satisfaction: Crystal Light On-the-Go Energy. A little pouch of powdered caffeine and vitamins that you dissolve in a bottle of water. Sounds good (and, yes, I'm perfectly aware that I'm actually paying more for a bottle of water by adding in the cost of the caffeine packet, but paying more allows me to buy water when I need it, so back off!). I tried my first Crystal Light Energy in Vegas. It's so hot and dry there that hydrating was difficult. I couldn't even drink much alcohol because I was craving water, but I needed the caffeine to keep up with my crazy cousins all night. I added the packet to a 20 oz. bottle of water while waiting in the hotel registration line. The instructions say to add a packet (2 servings) to a 16.9-oz. bottle of water, or 20-oz. "for a lighter flavor." Lighter flavor!? I can't imagine it any more concentrated; it was a lip-smacking sweet and tart when mixed with 20 oz. Next time, I'll dilute it even more. If there is a next time, that is. For the next 10 hours, I felt speedy, jittery on the inside and exhausted on the outside. It was like I went to a rave and couldn't find any ecstasy and the mushrooms didn't work so I took a fistful of ephedrine and didn't sleep for three days. That's the feeling, that third day of not sleeping, all wrapped up in a tiny pink packet. Maybe it was the circumstances of my first drink - a lack of sleep and an empty stomach - or maybe Crystal Light Energy is the new club drink. I'll try it again under more ideal conditions, and maybe wear my cardio heart monitor to see if it truly is powdered speed. I like the idea of caffeinated water, but I never want to feel like that again. It's quite disturbing to feel like you should be moving at 100 mph but too tired to do anything about it. I may have to settle for the decidedly less stimulating but equally delicious Crystal Light On-the-Go Raspberry Ice (my favorite CL flavor).

Getting to Know All About You: So, what's up with you?

Posted by Blue Artichoke at 05:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

I was first introduced to Cirque du Soleil by the PBS station when I lived in DC. There always seemed to be a show playing when I flipped through the channels, and, since I didn't have cable, I watched quite a few Cirque shows. Since then, I've wanted to see one in person. And I finally did, last weekend in Vegas. We saw Ka. I must admit that if I had not read about the story beforehand, I probably wouldn't have known exactly what was going on, but the story doesn't really matter. The theater was amazing, with catwalks and cages all around, and the seats had speakers in the headrests. The fight scenes and acrobatics were awesome; my favorite was the human Plinko scene. I can't do it justice in my description, but I'll just say that it was truly fantastic, and I'll definitely see another Cirque show whenever possible.

30 New Things Recap:
1. Roast a duck
2. Learn to make glass beads
3. Swim in an underground river
4. Sea-Trek
5. Touch a sea turtle
6. Make a chocolate meringue pie
7. Eat collard greens
8. Cirque du Soleil: Ka

I wish I could add to my 30 New Things list "Played in a poker tournament in Vegas," but I can't. I wussed out. The family poker tournament began at midnight (2am my time), and I had been awake and traveling since ~7am. I was exhausted and jittery from too much caffeine, and I didn't think I could make it through an entire tournament. I went to watch, though, and as soon as the betting began, I got a second? third? fifth? wind and regretted sitting out. The players were a mix of serious players and ones who had never played before. It was casual, and quite amusing to watch. I made it through the end of the tournament, and even went out to other casinos afterwards. Most people regret something they did in Vegas; I suppose it's better to regret something you didn't do.

Getting to Know All About You: What, if any, Vegas shows have you seen?

Posted by Blue Artichoke at 01:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Whew. I tell you what, this blog has taken some neglect from the Internet snub and then from family reunion month. I have returned from the last reunion, in Las Vegas, and can get back to blogging regularly. For all the times I've been to Vegas (3), I've never done the foodie thing. There are so many good restaurants in Vegas, but I tend to gravitate to the buffets. Good food, fairly cheap. That's my foodie style. I can't pick a best buffet; they all offer so many options. I did have a super excellent dessert, though, at the Grotto Ristorante at the Golden Nugget. We only got the dessert because the kitchen forgot to put chicken on our pizzas, but this cake was so much better than chicken. I asked the name of the dessert, and promptly forgot it. I think the server said it was an Italian wedding cake made of very thin layers of angel food cake and sweetened whipped ricotta, topped with slices of fresh strawberries. I've been surfing around a bit looking for the name, but have found it mentioned only by the description "strawberry and ricotta angel-food bombe." It looked pretty and fancy, but not necessarily like something I would have chosen from a dessert cart. But, oh man, it tasted fantastic. Perhaps Bon Appetit will get the recipe for me.

Getting to Know All About You: What type of gambler are you?

Posted by Blue Artichoke at 07:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

The worst vacation I ever took was to Jamaica with Black Cake. The trip soured before we even boarded the plane, as we were downgraded from a 5-star resort to a 3-star resort. We took one look at the place and began complaining loudly. Three stars were far too generous. Our room was tiny and smelly; our complaining earned us a room upgrade to a deluxe one with old coffee still in the coffeepot, dirty towels and a stinky bedspread that spread its stink throughout the room (I don’t even want to know…). The staff was surly, but the locals were dangerously aggressive. After being chased by a woman intent upon braiding our hair, we stuck close to the hotel where it was marginally safer (though the swarm of bees poolside could have messed us up almost as much as braids). The food that looked good enough to eat, wasn’t. I think we survived the week on Snickers bars. The only thing good about the trip was the company. So it was with trepidation that I approached this Wandering Gullet dinner. Actually, I started making it a week earlier, but the chicken I bought smelled funny and failed the Larry test (if Fat Larry turns his nose up at raw chicken, it’s probably bad). Even after rinsing and marinating it, I still smelled that weird chicken smell, so I threw the whole lot out. With new, fresher and better smelling chicken, I started over.

Jerk is a style of cooking meat, chicken in this case, but pork is also common, rubbed with a spicy-hot rub made of allspice and fiery Scotch bonnet peppers. Other spices and seasonings are often included, such as green onions, thyme, nutmeg, garlic, cloves and cinnamon, but the allspice and Scotch bonnet are mandatory. The meat is then cooked on pimento branches (from the allspice tree) over a pit. My jerk chicken was not quite authentic. I’m a chili-pepper pansy, so I used a serrano pepper, which though not as hot as a Scotch bonnet, still kicks my ass. Allspice tree-shrubs don’t grow in my yard, and if they did, I wouldn’t know. I cooked the chicken on metal grates over my gas grill. As a side dish/dessert, I mashed plantains with butter and coconut milk. Oh, sweet sister, was that good. (yes)

The chicken was much better than I anticipated. It would have made a better story if I had eaten the first batch of Jamaican Jerk Chicken and gotten food poisoning (take that, Jamaica!), or if I had hated the chicken, but it was good. Not good enough to make me want to go back to sample authentic Jamaican cuisine, or even to forget the worst vacation ever, but good enough to made me admit that perhaps, just maybe, Jamaica has some redeeming qualities for those of us who don’t particularly like reggae or smoke weed.

So, if you’re so inclined, turn up your Bob Marley album, fire up a doobie and munch on some jerk chicken. Don’t forget the plantains; they’re the best part of the meal. Yah, mon.

Jerk Chicken

For an even fierier dish, use additional habanero chiles with their seeds, or add a teaspoon or two of habanero hot sauce. Serve with sautéed okra and tomatoes.

Chicken:
1/3 cup diced yellow onion
1/4 cup finely chopped green onions
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 teaspoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 habanero pepper, quartered
6 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
½ teaspoon salt
Cooking spray
Plantains:
2 soft black plantains (about 1 pound)
1/2 cup light coconut milk
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 teaspoon salt

To prepare chicken, combine first 10 ingredients in a food processor; pulse 30 times or until finely chopped. Spoon onion mixture into a large zip-top plastic bag. Add chicken to bag; seal. Marinate in refrigerator overnight, turning bag occasionally.

Prepare grill.

Remove chicken from bag; discard marinade. Sprinkle chicken with ½ teaspoon salt. Place chicken on a grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 6 minutes on each side or until done.

To prepare plantains, peel plantains, and cut into 1-inch pieces. Cook plantains in boiling water 20 minutes or until tender; drain. Combine plantains, coconut milk, butter, and ¼ teaspoon salt in a medium bowl; mash to desired consistency. Place 1/3-cup plantain mixture on each of 6 plates, and top each serving with 1 chicken breast half.

Yield: 6 servings

CALORIES 276 (17% from fat); FAT 5.3g (sat 2.8g,mono 1g,poly 0.6g); PROTEIN 40.4g; CHOLESTEROL 104mg; CALCIUM 36mg; SODIUM 427mg; FIBER 1.8g; IRON 1.8mg; CARBOHYDRATE 14.9g
Cooking Light, MAY 2007

Posted by Blue Artichoke at 06:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Recently I wrote about using Jiffy corn muffin mix; try as I might, I can’t seem to find a homemade cornbread recipe that can rival the Jiffy mix. For the most part, I’m a DIY girl in the kitchen. I make that shit from scratch! Homemade is usually better, but it is often inconvenient and messy and why bother when you can pick up a decent-tasting prepackaged mix or ready-made, right? Though I don’t use them often, most cake mixes are pretty good and brownie mixes are hit-or-miss. It’s been a long time since I have bought a bakery dessert, but I’ve had some surprisingly awesome bakery cakes (pies are never that good). I don’t even try to compete with ready-made biscuits, though. Frozen or canned, manufactured biscuits are awesome and much better (and faster) than I could make from scratch.

What other shortcuts do I like? Here’s a list!

• Vacuum-packed gnocchi is pretty good for quick meals.


• GC likes pudding cups. I think they’re nasty.


• Take-and-bake baguettes and rolls.


• GC likes Lean Pockets; I tasted one and it was pretty good.


• Totino’s party pizzas and pizza rolls, though it’s been a long time since I’ve had either.


• Morningstar Farms breaded veggie nuggets.


• Frozen cheese ravioli and pierogies (I tried to make pierogies once – a lot of effort and it still wasn’t as good as the frozen ones).

What else? I can’t think of anything else right now!
What are your favorite shortcut mixes and prepared foods?

Posted by Blue Artichoke at 09:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

Both of GC's family reunions are over. Both were in Tennessee, and both were fun. The first involved a lot of sitting around, eating, drinking beers and visiting with far-flung family members, only a few of whom I had met before. The second was held in a state park and involved a lot of sitting around, eating, drinking beers and visiting with far-flung family members, most of whom I had met before. It also involved pontoon boat rides around Pickwick Lake, a new three-person tennis game called "thracket", a guys-only golf tournament and many heated matches of Wii tennis, golf and bowling. And lots of food. I discovered how tenuous my will power really is. I think I can avoid temptation because I avoid bringing temptation into my house; when surrounded by Twinkies, Pringles and Chips Ahoy!, though, I find that they quickly end up in my mouth. One morning, I opted out of breakfast followed by snacks and visiting time to exerplore (my new word: exercise + explore) the state park. I walked 4 miles, and felt better about all the fried chicken, bacon and BBQ I ate. Not great, but better.

Now that we're home, though, it's time to detox from beers and fatty foods. I made a nice, light summery salad for dinner that tastes even better than it sounds:

Toasted Quinoa, Snow Peas, Tomatoes, and Mozzarella Salad Quinoa grains are covered with a naturally occurring bitter substance called saponin. Although processors remove most of this soapy substance by either washing or polishing the grain, it is important that quinoa be thoroughly rinsed in several changes of clean water before it is cooked. For added flavor, toast it before cooking.

1 1/2 cups uncooked quinoa, rinsed and drained
3 cups water
1 cup diagonally cut snow peas
3/4 cup (3 ounces) diced fresh mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1/2 cup chopped seedless cucumber
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
4 teaspoons extravirgin olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce (such as Tabasco)

Heat a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add quinoa to pan; cook 5 minutes or until toasted, stirring frequently. Add 3 cups water to pan; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and cook 15 minutes or until tender. Fluff with a fork; cool. Place quinoa in a large bowl. Add peas and next 6 ingredients (through tomatoes).

Combine rind and remaining ingredients in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add juice mixture to quinoa mixture; toss gently to coat.

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 1 1/2 cups)

CALORIES 265 (29% from fat); FAT 8.6g (sat 2.5g,mono 3.5g,poly 1.5g); PROTEIN 9.1g; CHOLESTEROL 11mg; CALCIUM 138mg; SODIUM 368mg; FIBER 4.8g; IRON 3.8mg; CARBOHYDRATE 35.1g

Cooking Light, JUNE 2007

This salad comes together quickly and doesn't heat up the house, which is a plus when the kitchen temperature is parked in the 90s and the rest of the house is a balmy mid-80 degrees. Sheesh. I realized that there is very little protein in this meal, so I nuked a couple of Morningstar Farm sausages to serve on the side. They don't really complement the salad, but I was hungry and they were the quickest option. Don't be like me; plan ahead and grill some chicken to go with this salad. Then sit back and gloat over your satisfyingly delicious healthy dinner.

Getting to Know All About You: What has been the most recent new food you've tried?

Posted by Blue Artichoke at 09:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

July is family reunion month. One down, two to go. Between the first two, today is the only day with internet access, so just a quick note from Indiana. Gentleman Caller and I had lunch yesterday in east TN at my favorite restaurant (Subs N' Such) with Blue Grilled Cheese, then had one of the best meals ever at St. Elmo's Steakhouse in Indianapolis last night. We each ordered something different, then split our steaks (he a ribeye, I a filet mignon), and those two steaks were truly the best I've ever had. Ever. My favorite between the two vacillated depending upon which bite I had last. Now we're sitting out on the single greatest porch known to man, drinking gin & tonics and waiting for even more steaks to cook on the grill. Family reunions = good eatin'.

Getting to Know All About You: What have been some of your most memorable meals?

Posted by Blue Artichoke at 06:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)