I finally made time to watch Sicko, the newest Michael Moore documentary. I know this has nothing to do with food or cooking. But since a healthy diet is our number one form of preventative medicine, I thought it pertinent to share. Sure, it's a typical Moore film filled with worst/best case scenarios and a lot of fluff aiding his point of view. But it's a real eye opener for those of who don't feel the need or importance for universal health care. As Americans, we're so fear full of uniting on an even, equal plateau, that we'd rather pay billions of dollars in medical expenses to a core group of people that are completely dicking us over. Wouldn't you rather live in country where instead of fearing your government and the corrupt powers that be, you were your government and had a choice (or at least the ability to get medical help without going bankrupt)? It's time to get down with socialism. But then again, I would probably rather live on my own island where currency was made of cupcakes and conflict resolution was handled much like these guys...
Anyways, I try to keep politics to minimum here. So watch the movie. And then maybe do some of your own research. And then, perhaps, form an educated opinion on the subject, cause it's one we will most likely face in our lifetime. (Hopefully)
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Monday, January 26, 2009
Chili, yo!
Dude. I made chili.
Like, a lot of chili.
Like, so much chili I was nearly incapable of properly stirring it.
So much so, that I filled an entire crock-pot full to unload on some friends and still had a nearly unzippable gallon sized zip-lock bag left in my fridge.
I've been planning a chili day for weeks. I got my beans, the usual dried variety blend from the bulk section: kidneys, blacks, pintos (this is where the quantity mishap began. I stumbled into my kitchen half asleep after realizing I'd forgotten to soak my beans, so in my stooper I poured the entire bag of beans into the water, enough intended for two large pots of soup, oops). I pulled my meat to thaw, a lonely pork loin that's been in my freezer since Thanksgiving. I was ready.
When I woke up in the morning my soaking beans had, what seemed like, quadrupled in size. This isn't the first time I've done this. I recently found my self fishing spoon-fulls of half cooked peas out of a pot of split pea soup once I noticed I would need a pot twice the volume once they were rehydrated. How much do beans/peas grow, anyways? When you look at it, it seems like they would just barely double in size after cooked. Like if you look at a dried black bean and compare it to a cooked one. Doesn't it? I have always known I have a really poor perception of size and distance, like when I assume something is an inch, it's really more like two. Clearly my assumption that they only double in size has steered me wrong, I should probably read up on that one.
So anyways, back to the chili. I did something new this time. I've always been a ground beef kinda girl when it comes to chili. It's not necessarily that I prefer it, it's just the meat that comes to mind when I think of making chili. It probably has something to do with the pantry full of Stagg canned crap when I was growing up (it was delicious at the time, thank you mom). This time, as mentioned, I used pork loin. As opposed to braising, I did a browning/boiling combo that seemed to work nicely. The meat got fall apart tender but still held most it's shape. Perfection! It created a really flavorful base to build the rest of the chili on.
This turned out was awesome! Smokey and robust, lots of garlic and pepper flavor from the pablanos, but still kid proof. Pablanos (larger wide, dark green) are the peppers typically seen in chili rellenos, nice bright flavor, very mild heat. Combining these with anaheims (long narrow, light green) will give you a well rounded pepper flavor and you can adjust the heat by adding smaller amounts of a spicier variety like jalapenos or serranos. Also, if you have any whole dried chilies like anchos or pasillas, toast them on a hot dry pan and add to the boiling stock/pork. This will add a much deeper, fresher flavor than dried chili powder. For heat, I used a bit of ancho paste I had lying around from an attempt at homemade hot sauce that never quite panned out.
This is the part now where I'm supposed to give you the recipe... But I failed to pay attention to quantities of anything, hence the overabundance of beans, so I'm just gonna give you a general ingredient list and let you play around.
Chili con Pork
1-2lb pork loin, cut into 1 in. cubes
4 c dried bean mix, or so, you can always use extra beans for something else
one pablano pepper, small dice
one anaheim pepper, small dice
one large yellow onion, small dice
one bunch fresh cilantro, chopped, reserve half for garnish
a few scallions, chopped
4-5 cloves of garlic, chopped
ground cumin
chili powder
paprika
dried oregano
dried thyme
2-3 cans diced tomatoes with juice, fire roasted ones are nice for this
4 c vegetable stock
3-4 T olive oil
water
salt and pepper to taste
So there's two basic parts to the recipe: Boiling the beans, boiling the meat. Soak your beans overnight, and boil til tender, about an hour or so. You can choose to use canned beans to make it easier, but boiling your own allows you to add aromatics like bay leaf, pepper flakes and garlic to add an extra layer of flavor. Remember: never salt beans until they are tender, the salt will lengthen the cooking time and toughen the bean. Drain beans and set aside.
Heat olive oil in pot you plan on making chili in. Slowly add pork cubes allowing them to brown, when meat has good color, toss in the peppers, onion, garlic, cilantro, spices and salt and pepper. Let that caramelize for a bit to add some color and then cover it with vegetable stock and let it simmer, with tight fitting lid. Test meat after an hour. It should hold it's shape but pull apart easily with a fork. At this point, just add tomatoes, beans, any water if needed and salt and pepper to your liking. Adjust seasoning and spice, and let it simmer and low heat for awhile to incorporate flavors.
Meanwhile, grab your favorite hot sauce, some chips or cornbread. And remember to share, cause if your the only one who ate chili, an hour later everyone will know where that smell came from... Seriously, lethal.
Enjoy!
Like, a lot of chili.
Like, so much chili I was nearly incapable of properly stirring it.
So much so, that I filled an entire crock-pot full to unload on some friends and still had a nearly unzippable gallon sized zip-lock bag left in my fridge.
I've been planning a chili day for weeks. I got my beans, the usual dried variety blend from the bulk section: kidneys, blacks, pintos (this is where the quantity mishap began. I stumbled into my kitchen half asleep after realizing I'd forgotten to soak my beans, so in my stooper I poured the entire bag of beans into the water, enough intended for two large pots of soup, oops). I pulled my meat to thaw, a lonely pork loin that's been in my freezer since Thanksgiving. I was ready.
When I woke up in the morning my soaking beans had, what seemed like, quadrupled in size. This isn't the first time I've done this. I recently found my self fishing spoon-fulls of half cooked peas out of a pot of split pea soup once I noticed I would need a pot twice the volume once they were rehydrated. How much do beans/peas grow, anyways? When you look at it, it seems like they would just barely double in size after cooked. Like if you look at a dried black bean and compare it to a cooked one. Doesn't it? I have always known I have a really poor perception of size and distance, like when I assume something is an inch, it's really more like two. Clearly my assumption that they only double in size has steered me wrong, I should probably read up on that one.
So anyways, back to the chili. I did something new this time. I've always been a ground beef kinda girl when it comes to chili. It's not necessarily that I prefer it, it's just the meat that comes to mind when I think of making chili. It probably has something to do with the pantry full of Stagg canned crap when I was growing up (it was delicious at the time, thank you mom). This time, as mentioned, I used pork loin. As opposed to braising, I did a browning/boiling combo that seemed to work nicely. The meat got fall apart tender but still held most it's shape. Perfection! It created a really flavorful base to build the rest of the chili on.
This turned out was awesome! Smokey and robust, lots of garlic and pepper flavor from the pablanos, but still kid proof. Pablanos (larger wide, dark green) are the peppers typically seen in chili rellenos, nice bright flavor, very mild heat. Combining these with anaheims (long narrow, light green) will give you a well rounded pepper flavor and you can adjust the heat by adding smaller amounts of a spicier variety like jalapenos or serranos. Also, if you have any whole dried chilies like anchos or pasillas, toast them on a hot dry pan and add to the boiling stock/pork. This will add a much deeper, fresher flavor than dried chili powder. For heat, I used a bit of ancho paste I had lying around from an attempt at homemade hot sauce that never quite panned out.
This is the part now where I'm supposed to give you the recipe... But I failed to pay attention to quantities of anything, hence the overabundance of beans, so I'm just gonna give you a general ingredient list and let you play around.
Chili con Pork
1-2lb pork loin, cut into 1 in. cubes
4 c dried bean mix, or so, you can always use extra beans for something else
one pablano pepper, small dice
one anaheim pepper, small dice
one large yellow onion, small dice
one bunch fresh cilantro, chopped, reserve half for garnish
a few scallions, chopped
4-5 cloves of garlic, chopped
ground cumin
chili powder
paprika
dried oregano
dried thyme
2-3 cans diced tomatoes with juice, fire roasted ones are nice for this
4 c vegetable stock
3-4 T olive oil
water
salt and pepper to taste
So there's two basic parts to the recipe: Boiling the beans, boiling the meat. Soak your beans overnight, and boil til tender, about an hour or so. You can choose to use canned beans to make it easier, but boiling your own allows you to add aromatics like bay leaf, pepper flakes and garlic to add an extra layer of flavor. Remember: never salt beans until they are tender, the salt will lengthen the cooking time and toughen the bean. Drain beans and set aside.
Heat olive oil in pot you plan on making chili in. Slowly add pork cubes allowing them to brown, when meat has good color, toss in the peppers, onion, garlic, cilantro, spices and salt and pepper. Let that caramelize for a bit to add some color and then cover it with vegetable stock and let it simmer, with tight fitting lid. Test meat after an hour. It should hold it's shape but pull apart easily with a fork. At this point, just add tomatoes, beans, any water if needed and salt and pepper to your liking. Adjust seasoning and spice, and let it simmer and low heat for awhile to incorporate flavors.
Meanwhile, grab your favorite hot sauce, some chips or cornbread. And remember to share, cause if your the only one who ate chili, an hour later everyone will know where that smell came from... Seriously, lethal.
Enjoy!
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Why...
...can't I relax?
I'm on vacation and all I can think about is work: When will it start? What do I need to accomplish before it starts? What will I need to accomplish when it starts? What's going to be different/new/the same when I do start? How will I regain focus and motivation when it starts? How can I improve, what can I improve when I go back?
These are not proper vacationing thoughts. And then, when I start to think about how I'm wasting my precious brain juice on thoughts I shouldn't be having till next week I get angry with my self, which leads to a bit of depression, cause really? Who in their right minds gets angry with themselves on vacation? Then, in the midst of anger and depression, I try to pick myself up and get motivated to do something vacationy like going for a stroll or starting a project. But alas, upon doing so, something reminds me of work, or the lack there of, and I get anxious thinking about the how's and what's and where's of working again and then... well, you get it.
It's cyclical.
It's pissing me off.
I feel like I did really good during the first couple weeks of the vacation thing. And maybe that's it. Maybe I've just had enough. Maybe I'm just so ready to get back to the chopping block that it's all I can think about. But what if it's not? I have this fear that upon returning to reality I will no longer be fulfilled by prepping and firing and serving. That I'll hate it. Thus, causing a huge rift in my I'm-pleased-with-where-I'm-at life. I'm not ready for that. I have a plan for that moment but it's not quite set it's self into motion yet, so I really need to be pleased with what I've got right now.
I should probably read between my lines here and take a more serious approach to my onward-and-upward plan. But transition is tough. Having one full time job really seems to interfere with starting a different full time job. And taking that leap is scary. Falling short is scary. Then fear of failure/change keeps you settled and then... well, you get it.
It's cyclical. (I'm allowed to use that twice, I'm sure of it)
I think sleep is a wise next step here.
I made chili.
We'll talk about it later.
I'm on vacation and all I can think about is work: When will it start? What do I need to accomplish before it starts? What will I need to accomplish when it starts? What's going to be different/new/the same when I do start? How will I regain focus and motivation when it starts? How can I improve, what can I improve when I go back?
These are not proper vacationing thoughts. And then, when I start to think about how I'm wasting my precious brain juice on thoughts I shouldn't be having till next week I get angry with my self, which leads to a bit of depression, cause really? Who in their right minds gets angry with themselves on vacation? Then, in the midst of anger and depression, I try to pick myself up and get motivated to do something vacationy like going for a stroll or starting a project. But alas, upon doing so, something reminds me of work, or the lack there of, and I get anxious thinking about the how's and what's and where's of working again and then... well, you get it.
It's cyclical.
It's pissing me off.
I feel like I did really good during the first couple weeks of the vacation thing. And maybe that's it. Maybe I've just had enough. Maybe I'm just so ready to get back to the chopping block that it's all I can think about. But what if it's not? I have this fear that upon returning to reality I will no longer be fulfilled by prepping and firing and serving. That I'll hate it. Thus, causing a huge rift in my I'm-pleased-with-where-I'm-at life. I'm not ready for that. I have a plan for that moment but it's not quite set it's self into motion yet, so I really need to be pleased with what I've got right now.
I should probably read between my lines here and take a more serious approach to my onward-and-upward plan. But transition is tough. Having one full time job really seems to interfere with starting a different full time job. And taking that leap is scary. Falling short is scary. Then fear of failure/change keeps you settled and then... well, you get it.
It's cyclical. (I'm allowed to use that twice, I'm sure of it)
I think sleep is a wise next step here.
I made chili.
We'll talk about it later.
Friday, January 9, 2009
Visiting.
I'm currently watching my sis and friend attempt the assembly of a gazillion piece princess closet. My baby is soundly napping in the guest room, we had a big morning at the children's museum. I just consumed about 13 gyozas and am now incapable of removing myself from this chair. Tomorrow I make time for Khya and the possibility of rollerskating is in my near future.
I like this.
I'm on vacation.
I'm visiting.
It's nice.
I like this.
I'm on vacation.
I'm visiting.
It's nice.
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Friends with benefits
We all have them. Special friendships that benefit you in a special way. Really, all friendships are beneficial in some way. You have the friends that enhance your social or work life, or the ones that help you gain knowledge or understanding. Some friends are standbys, the ones that are always around or available to assist you with whatever task is at hand. Friendships play an intricate role in our happiness, health, pleasure, wisdom and success. But mostly, for right now, I'm speaking of the pleasure.
On a sleepy Sunday morning, a particular special friend of mine can make pure magic happen, with just a dash of Tabasco and a hint of lime.
You've had your breakfast, but It's still a bit early. You need a pick-me-up that leaves you with a warm yet refreshed fuzzy feeling inside. You want something cold. Not sweet. Not creamy. You want something you can crunch into, something with a kick of heat and a tangy peppery finish. You crave that good-for-you flavor while appreciating that naughty distilled addition.
You, my special friends, need to make yourselves a Bloody Mary.
.
Unfortunately, I'm not able to benefit you with the exact recipe of the magical Marys I was able to enjoy. But, I can offer up a few suggestions to make yours particularly tasty. First, and this is kind of a no brainer, always use good vodka. It's the only liquor in the drink and really folks, bad vodka, is BAD. There's a couple key ingredients for flavor depth on top of the base of V8 and vodka. Use your favorite hot sauce, traditionally Tabasco is used but switching up the flavor by using Cholula or Sriracha would be lovely. Worcestershire sauce, celery salt and freshly cracked black pepper are important additions to round out the earthy salad flavors. The funnest part for me is the garnishes. A few of my favorites include limes, pickled green beans, celery, olives and pepperoncinis, they all add that crunchy bite of both flavor and texture.
Well I should let you get your drink on now...
So here's to cozy Sundays and advantageous relationships... giggidy!
Cheers!
On a sleepy Sunday morning, a particular special friend of mine can make pure magic happen, with just a dash of Tabasco and a hint of lime.
You've had your breakfast, but It's still a bit early. You need a pick-me-up that leaves you with a warm yet refreshed fuzzy feeling inside. You want something cold. Not sweet. Not creamy. You want something you can crunch into, something with a kick of heat and a tangy peppery finish. You crave that good-for-you flavor while appreciating that naughty distilled addition.
You, my special friends, need to make yourselves a Bloody Mary.
.
Unfortunately, I'm not able to benefit you with the exact recipe of the magical Marys I was able to enjoy. But, I can offer up a few suggestions to make yours particularly tasty. First, and this is kind of a no brainer, always use good vodka. It's the only liquor in the drink and really folks, bad vodka, is BAD. There's a couple key ingredients for flavor depth on top of the base of V8 and vodka. Use your favorite hot sauce, traditionally Tabasco is used but switching up the flavor by using Cholula or Sriracha would be lovely. Worcestershire sauce, celery salt and freshly cracked black pepper are important additions to round out the earthy salad flavors. The funnest part for me is the garnishes. A few of my favorites include limes, pickled green beans, celery, olives and pepperoncinis, they all add that crunchy bite of both flavor and texture.
Well I should let you get your drink on now...
So here's to cozy Sundays and advantageous relationships... giggidy!
Cheers!
Saturday, January 3, 2009
Home is where the ham is.
Let's just pause for minute.
We're gonna take a little moment of thoughtful silence,
and we're gonna think about bacon, sausage, ribs, chorizo, ham, hocks and chops.
Ahhh....
Wasn't that nice. Do you feel all warm and fuzzy and slightly hungry? I do.
I've spent the last week feasting on a diet primarily based around pork products and it's become abundantly clear to me that the pig, in all its (dare I say) perfection, may be my animal of choice, for digestion purposes that is. I realize that a lot of you, more likely most of you, would completely disagree with me. And that's fine really, but when your morning eggs are cradled up next to a side of turkey bacon, don't tell me you've never wished longingly for the real deal. Agreed, I prefer a steak over a pork chop or grilled lamb over pork roast, but imagine the world of charcuterie without this divine beast, I just don't see cured chicken products taking off with the masses like those of the pig.
I spent a good chunk of my life as a vegetarian, or rather a pescetarian, but all the while the one animal I missed munching on was the pig. I know what people say about the cleanliness of swine (or lack there of) and of their omnivorous diets and all the health risks that may be involved in consuming pork products, but I just can't imagine life without pig.
Awhile ago, my dear friend O, a fellow avid admirer of pork, threatened to eliminate said food group from his diet. His threat was based on the possible outcome of a pork-chop/coke-a-cola experiment that may or may not end with large, previously unnoticed, worms that were to crawl to the surface of the meat after being coaxed by the sweet flavor of coke-a-cola. Needless to say, his threat was just that and we still share a morning round of thick cut bacon from time to time and I made a promise to never waste good meat products on science experiments.
Any who, with all the pork intake I've had lately, I really felt like not only do I owe a huge thanks to Mr. Pig *THANKS* for being so damn yummy, but also I really just wanted to send on some pork eating inspiration (I realize that neither of those things actually help Mr. Pig stay Mr. Pig, but...). Try parts you've never tried. Try your hand at making homemade sausage or pate. Ask your butcher for the head and boil it into a rich stock for posole, or go crazy like this lady. Save the trimmings (ears, tail, feet) and cook up some feijoda. A pig is so much more than a chop, and your butcher has a lot of interesting things hidden in his walk in. But even if you decide you just like bacon, try switching it out with pancetta (Italian salt cured pork) in your next recipe. Pork has inspired me to cook so many incredible meals lately, so I hope by now I've spread a little inspiration on to you, cause I'm full.
This is currently my my fave pork concoction. Sourdough, farm fresh eggs, HAM, vine ripe tomatoes, alfalfa sprouts, horseradish cheddar and a touch of salt and pepper... D-licious!
We're gonna take a little moment of thoughtful silence,
and we're gonna think about bacon, sausage, ribs, chorizo, ham, hocks and chops.
Ahhh....
Wasn't that nice. Do you feel all warm and fuzzy and slightly hungry? I do.
I've spent the last week feasting on a diet primarily based around pork products and it's become abundantly clear to me that the pig, in all its (dare I say) perfection, may be my animal of choice, for digestion purposes that is. I realize that a lot of you, more likely most of you, would completely disagree with me. And that's fine really, but when your morning eggs are cradled up next to a side of turkey bacon, don't tell me you've never wished longingly for the real deal. Agreed, I prefer a steak over a pork chop or grilled lamb over pork roast, but imagine the world of charcuterie without this divine beast, I just don't see cured chicken products taking off with the masses like those of the pig.
I spent a good chunk of my life as a vegetarian, or rather a pescetarian, but all the while the one animal I missed munching on was the pig. I know what people say about the cleanliness of swine (or lack there of) and of their omnivorous diets and all the health risks that may be involved in consuming pork products, but I just can't imagine life without pig.
Awhile ago, my dear friend O, a fellow avid admirer of pork, threatened to eliminate said food group from his diet. His threat was based on the possible outcome of a pork-chop/coke-a-cola experiment that may or may not end with large, previously unnoticed, worms that were to crawl to the surface of the meat after being coaxed by the sweet flavor of coke-a-cola. Needless to say, his threat was just that and we still share a morning round of thick cut bacon from time to time and I made a promise to never waste good meat products on science experiments.
Any who, with all the pork intake I've had lately, I really felt like not only do I owe a huge thanks to Mr. Pig *THANKS* for being so damn yummy, but also I really just wanted to send on some pork eating inspiration (I realize that neither of those things actually help Mr. Pig stay Mr. Pig, but...). Try parts you've never tried. Try your hand at making homemade sausage or pate. Ask your butcher for the head and boil it into a rich stock for posole, or go crazy like this lady. Save the trimmings (ears, tail, feet) and cook up some feijoda. A pig is so much more than a chop, and your butcher has a lot of interesting things hidden in his walk in. But even if you decide you just like bacon, try switching it out with pancetta (Italian salt cured pork) in your next recipe. Pork has inspired me to cook so many incredible meals lately, so I hope by now I've spread a little inspiration on to you, cause I'm full.
This is currently my my fave pork concoction. Sourdough, farm fresh eggs, HAM, vine ripe tomatoes, alfalfa sprouts, horseradish cheddar and a touch of salt and pepper... D-licious!
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