Thrifty Cupcake

Thrifty Cupcake Rides Again...

2011-04-30T03:51:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,

I have a new space for my ramblings at tumblr and hope you will follow me there! I really enjoy tumblr and hope to get started on my own domain at some point... but patience is a virtue and all that jazz. So yes, my new blog home is: www.thriftycupcake.tumblr.com

See you there!

Drunk Chicken Nachos

2009-10-08T14:24:00.000-07:00

So Monday was quite a hit here at the Maier/Magyar household. I whipped up smoked chicken nachos with homemade borracho beans. I loved the beans and the nachos, but be warned. Do not slice fresh jalepeños with your bare hands. My fingers were burning for 24 hours! Lesson learned. I used left over rotisserie chicken for the chicken, but you can add whatever meat you have around, or leave it off all together.

Drunk Chicken Nachos

Ingredients:

Chicken:
1 cup Rotisserie chicken (or chicken breast meat), shredded

Beans:
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 onion diced
2 fresh jalapeños
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can kidney beans, not drained
1 can pinto beans, not drained
1 12 oz can of Guinness

Toppings:
Shredded cheeses of your choice. The mexican blend works great.
Pickled jalapeños
Salsa (optional)
Sour Cream (optional)
Gracamole (optional)

Directions:

1. Heat oil in large sauce pan
2. Saute the onions until translucent, about 6 minutes
3. Add garlic and jalapeños. Stir for another few minutes until peppers are slightly browned
4. Add all three cans of beans and stir
5. Simmer for 90 minutes
6. As liquid reduces, add small amounts of Guinness to bring the consistency back to desired liquidity.

Fill plates with chips. Add beans, cheese and chicken. Also optional is salsa and sour cream.

Thrifty Dinner Menu Oct 5-11

2009-10-05T13:53:00.000-07:00

I just worked 5 days for a not very nice Tex-Mex restaurant and decided they were not for me. But somehow I've been thinking about Mexican food ever since! While unemployed I figure I can dedicate more time to food and frugality so I'm planning this week's menu ahead of time. Recipes to follow.

This week's menu:

Monday- Smoked chicken nachos, green salad and Mexican chocolate milkshakes
Tues- Chicken Burritos w. spanish rice and borrachito beans
Wed- Breakfast Tacos filled with eggs, chorizo, hash browns and cheese
Thurs-Marinated skirt steak w. left over rice and beans and green salad
Fri- Pasta fresca w. garlic bread and green salad
Sat- Chef's Salad w. garbanzo beans, turkey, ham, homemade croutons. Chocolate chip cookies for dessert.
Sun- Crock Pot Roast w. carrots, red potatoes and celery. Served w. french bread and salad.

Yummy Chicken Noodle Soup

2009-06-09T06:58:00.000-07:00

Alright, so no excuses for not posting, but here is a wonderful recipe for chicken noodle that I l-o-v-e. I used leftover roast chicken. Yummmm.

40 min | 15 min prep

SERVES 6

2 teaspoons butter
1 cup sliced celery
1 cup chopped carrot
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 small potato, diced
1 teaspoon thyme
pinch of cayenne
pinch of cumin
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
4 (14 ounce) cans chicken broth
2 teaspoons chicken bouillon
4 ounces egg noodles
2 cups cooked chicken
parsley

Melt butter in large pot.
Sauté the celery, carrot and onion for 2 minutes.
Add potato, thyme, poultry seasoning, chicken broth and bouilion.
Bring to a boil.
Add noodles and chicken and cook on low for 20 minutes.
Sprinkle with parsley.

Steeeeeeevia, yuck!

2009-01-07T10:20:00.000-08:00

Wow, I am all for 0 calorie anything, especially if it promises to taste good, but stevia is terrible! I know that many people grow to like artificial sweeteners but at this point, I wonder. My sweetener test is coffee. I figure coffee is as bitter as anything else I eat or drink and therefore can take some sweet, but wow stevia sweetened coffee made me want to march the box of it I just purchased back to New Leaf Market and tell them they mistakenly sold me poison! So where does this leave us in the battle of sweet? Agave Nectar is so amazingly delicious and has a dramatically low glycemic index! I say run, don't walk to your local health food store and pick some up. The lighter variety has the most basic taste. I haven't yet tasted the other flavor but welcome comments!!

Sour Soup in Denver Colorado

2008-12-27T05:03:00.000-08:00

When you hear "sour soup, " what comes to mind? Something tasty and pleasant I'm sure. This year I'm in Denver for the holidays with Chris' family who have a wonderful Hungarian Holiday spread including Sour Soup, which includes Sauerkraut juice hence the name. And it was really quite good! It does take an open mind and perhaps some liking of sauerkraut, but I enjoyed the experience immensely. I've placed the recipe below.

Happiest Holidays!!

Ingredients:
Peel and boil 2 large potatoes
1 large onion-chopped
1 c chopped mushrooms
4 tbsp butter
4 tbsp flour
Franks Sauerkraut juice

Peel and boil potatoes in salted water and set aside.
Sautee onion in butter until translucent and set aside
Sautee mushrooms in butter for 2-3 minutes and set aside.

Add above ingredients to 4 cups Franks sauerkraut juice and simmer for 20 minutes.

While simmering, make roux to thicken soup:
In skillet over medium heat melt 4 tbsp butter
Slowly add 4 tbsp flour
Stir constantly until mixed and a golden color.
Add to soup slowly, mix thoroughly until soup is at desired thickness.

Cookbooks and other exciting things

2008-12-17T04:23:00.000-08:00

I have been asked by my good friend David Terrazas to work on a cookbook involving recipes from an old bakery here in Santa Cruz called Maddock's. I am both honored and excited to get started on the project. David arrived at my work last week with a box filled with a jumble of recipes. So here I am, excitedly sifting through these old weathered recipe cards, some with only ingredients and other with pages and pages of instruction. It's such a fascinating experience to peek inside a now over 50 year old bakery and read the baker's handwriting. The best part about the cards is the quantity! There are literally quarts of eggs and 4-5 lbs of flour! Not to worry, I will surely pare down the quantities to normal human level for those of you who want to bake them. My first recipe will be the lemon cookies! Wish me luck!

Autumn Carrot and Fennel Soup

2008-11-30T11:32:00.000-08:00

Happy post-turkey day. I suppose I should post something tasty and turkey related, but alas I have no leftover turkey in my kitchen, so therefore will share with you a soup I made a few weeks ago. The fennel and carrot combination were lovely. I suggest blending very well to create a smooth texture. Otherwise it can wind up a little on the hearty side.

Carrot Fennel Soup

What a soup. Carrots and fennel caramelize when roasted at high heat, then release their sweet essence when blended. A drizzle of fennel-seed oil echoes and intensifies the fennel flavor.

Yield: Makes 6 servings
Active Time: 20 min
Total Time: 50 min

2 medium fennel bulbs with fronds
1 pound carrots, quartered lengthwise
1 medium onion, quartered
1 garlic clove
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1/2 teaspoon sugar
2 1/2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 1/2 cups water
1 teaspoon fennel seeds

Equipment: an electric coffee/spice grinder

Preheat oven to 450°F with rack in lowest position.

Chop enough fennel fronds to measure 1 tablespoon and reserve. Discard stalks and remaining fronds. Slice bulbs 1/4 inch thick and toss with carrots, onion, garlic, 3 tablespoons oil, sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt,

and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Spread in a 4-sided sheet pan and roast, stirring occasionally, until browned and tender, 25 to 30 minutes.

Blend half of vegetables in a blender with broth until very smooth. Transfer to a medium saucepan. Repeat with remaining

vegetables and water. Thin to desired consistency with extra water and simmer 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, finely grind fennel seeds in grinder and stir into remaining 2 tablespoons oil. 3Serve soup drizzled with fennel oil and sprinkled with reserved fronds.

Cooks’ notes:
•Soup can be made 1 day ahead and chilled.
•Fennel oil can be made 2 days ahead and kept at room temperature.

Meanwhile, finely grind fennel seeds in grinder and stir into remaining 2 tablespoons oil. 3Serve soup drizzled with fennel oil and sprinkled with reserved fronds.

An attempt at "Sunday Gravy"

2008-11-14T20:07:00.000-08:00

When telling my co-workers that I made Sunday Gravy this weekend, they all looked at me slightly confused. I then launched in to a brief, and certainly flawed explanation. Sunday Gravy is simply meat sauce. It's a particular type of meat sauce that came from New York where many Europeans were making gravy in the traditional sense. The Italians decided this was their gravy. My favorite restaurant in town has a wonderful Sunday Gravy and I got there often, but I thought for this week, I'd try to make it at home. It turned out great and with enough to freeze for later in the week!

Sunday Gravy over Penne

3¾ hours | 45 min prep

SERVES 8 -10

3 tablespoons olive oil
4 garlic cloves (chopped)
2 onions (chopped)
1/2 cup red wine (I like cabernet)
1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
2 (28 ounce) cans chopped tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning

MEATBALLS

1 1/2 lbs ground chuck (85% lean/15%fat)
4 slices white bread (make fresh crumbs in blender or food processor)
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 , beaten
2 (chopped)
1/2 teaspoon salt
pepper (a few grinds)
1/2 cup grated romano cheese or parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons water
flour (for dredging)
vegetable oil (for frying)

SAUSAGE

1 lb sweet or hot Italian sausage loose, without casing.

PREPERATION

Heat oil in very large Dutch oven.
Add garlic and onions and saute until soft.
Add tomato paste and stir to combine.
Add crushed tomatoes and spices.
Stir bring to boil, lower heat to low--cover and simmer.
Meanwhile combine all meatball ingredients (except for flour and oil).
Form into balls about 2-1/2 inches in diameter.
Dredge meatballs in flour.
Fry meatballs in oil in skillet a few at a time until browned on all sides (not necessary to cook through they will cook in the sauce) Add fried meatballs from skillet directly to simmering sauce.
Stir and bring sauce back to a simmer.
Cover.
Brown boiled sausage in skillet.
Place browned sausage in simmering sauce.
Bring sauce back to simmer---cover and continue simmering for 2 hours over low heat---stir occasionally.
Remove meatballs and sausage from pot and place on serving dish.
Toss sauce with cooked pasta--You will have enough sauce to coat two pounds of cooked pasta.
This freezes very well!

Pomegrante and Persimmon Salad

2008-11-14T19:56:00.000-08:00

Ladies and gentlemen, I love autumn. It's the time when, hypothetically trees change color and the crisp air makes you pull your scarf around a little closer. Here in California, I grew up with palm trees and a constant 69 degrees. But one thing even we Californian's have in common with the rest of the states in Autumn, are pomegranates and persimmons. I was leafing through my all time favorite book, Alice Waters, "The Art of Simple Food" and I found a delightful recipe for a pomegranate persimmon salad and off I went. Needless to say, it was wonderful.

Pomegranate and Persimmon Salad

Ingredients:
2 Pomegrantes
2 Persimmons
Red Wine Vinegar
Olive Oil
Salt Pepper

Slice the pomegranates in half and submerge them under water in a bowl. This is a great way to take out the seeds without staining your fingers.

Once the seeds are drained of water, peel and slice the persimmon.

In a small dish, combine 2 tbsp oil to 1 tsp vinegar and add vinegar to taste.
Add salt and pepper to taste.

Place all ingredients in a bowl and toss.

Serve!

Signature Dishes and Guacamole...

2008-09-27T17:11:00.000-07:00

Chris has a signature recipe. It is this wonderful guacamole that has pomegranate seeds, pear and... wait... grapes in it. Now that's a new take on guacamole. I must say, Chris did not invent this recipe but discovered it in Gourmet many moons ago.

I love the idea of signature dishes. They can be something passed down from generations of family members or a dish stumbled upon in blog searches. But whatever the source, the idea is that this is something you are proud of. It represents what you bring to "wow" your friends or guests.

Do I have one you ask? I believe I am still looking. I do think quite highly of my spinach salad with cranberries, goat cheese and golden raspberries, but it isn't quite ready for that title. [The most recent version of the recipe is in the archives] Do you all have signature dishes that make your friends ooohh and aaahhh? Please do tell... Oh and the greatest way to keep your guac from turning brown? Leave the pit's in the finished product and remove them right before serving. Or save some lime juice to sprinkle over and re-mix it all together before serving.

Guacamole with Pear and Pomegranate Seeds

Adapted from Diana Kennedy
Makes 8 servings.

Ingredients

1/3 cup white onions, finely chopped
3 to 4 serrano chiles, finely chopped, with seeds
1 teaspoon coarse salt
2 pounds ripe California avocadoes (about 4 large)
2 to 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
3/4 cup pear, peeled and finely diced
3/4 cup seedless grapes, halved
3/4 cup pomegranate seeds

Special equipment:
molcajete y tojolote (mexican mortar and pestle) or food processor [You can also go the hard core way and mash it all up in a bowl with a wooden spoon]

Preparation

In a molcajete or food processor, grind onion, chiles, and salt into a rough paste. Gradually add the avocado, coarsely mashing it (you'll want it to be chunky).

Remove to a bowl. Stir in the lime juice. Fold in the pear, grapes, and 1/2 cup of the pomegranate seeds. Sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup pomegranate seeds over the guacamole and serve.

Work and the Foodie Life

2008-09-17T10:25:00.000-07:00

I shame to think of how little I've cooked since I got my full-time, big girl job. It just seems that after a long day, I've lost all steam and enthusiasm. I have this handmade fresh pasta and the chicken and herbs I bought to cook with it that's just been sitting in my fridge, looking at me, for a week. But try as I may, I sit on the newly purchased couch and stare blankly in the direction of the kitchen and hope my leadened legs get some motivation. I remember the long days off when a student and waitress. No wonder I got into cooking!

So what is a busy person to do when it comes to managing life and a love of food? Trader Joes? I certainly hope my life has not been reduced to the ikea of grocery stores. Not that TJ's is a place to be ashamed of, quite the opposite. Their food is good, but without any effort on my part, let alone creativity. So maybe its about planning. Alligning a few meals with recipes for the week, getting the shopping done on Sunday and fitting in just a few, well thought out meals and coasting by on the rest. I'm not one for Rachel Ray shortcuts, or for Rachel Ray in general, I want to find a way to bake my food loving cake the hard way and have time to eat it too.

And I know the many of you have the same issues with balancing work and cooking, any advice?

Local Groceries

2008-09-14T18:06:00.001-07:00

"Think local"... This phrase is thrown around in this town more than a baseball in fenway park in the height of summer. Many of us think local when it comes to books, gifts and farmers market, but what about groceries? In driving/biking distance I have five grocery stores, and surprisingly three are locally owned. These grocery stores are perfect little gems and of course I have my favorite. Local grocery stores are probably where my personal love for the buy local craze is at its strongest.
I find shopping at my local grocer to be a little like Cheers, with people knowing your name because they ask and very unlike Safeway where the cashiers scrunch up their face as they look down at the name printed on the receipt and mispronounce whatever name is registered on the Safeway card. (In my case it's my mother's) Today I went to my favorite place, Shopper's Corner, and talked shop with the butcher, ran into a co-worker and talked to the cashier about the new computer system. I came out with tasty dinner ingredients and a new method for cooking chicken.. recipe to follow later this week. It feels like since the space is smaller, the items on the shelves are selected with more care and thought. I get little bottles of vanilla that seem sacred and salt from the dead sea, but sitting just an isle away is kraft mac and cheese. And with the owners selecting what's on the shelves for 65 years, they sure seem to have something right. I just thought I mention it just in case you have driven by your local version of Shoppers Corner in favor of Whole Foods or Safeway every day thinking that it'll be too small or won't have what you need. You may be missing the grocery trip of a lifetime.

CSA Take 52

2008-09-01T11:50:00.000-07:00

So the only issue I'm currently having with the land of CSA's is the lack of variety. We have gotten summer squash for two months. Every week. Not that I don't like summer squash, but really? I'm waxing poetic lately on strolls down farmer's market lane and wondering if days were better then or if the grass is just greener. I do miss it though, nonetheless. And to follow up on an earlier post about second hand stores and kitchen appliances, if you see it grab it! I just went on a trek for an ice cream maker and came up sadly empty handed. Lesson learned if you ask me.

Chocolate Chip Heaven

2008-08-18T08:57:00.000-07:00

I was traveling along reading blogs and I read this post about Chocolate Chip cookies. This led to the original recipe from the Times and my search to create the perfect chocolate chip cookie. I do believe they live up to the lore and the fame. I hope you take the time to make them. I am in love.

Two notes: 1)I used high quality chocolate chips, not the disks asked for in the recipe and it was delicious nonetheless and 2) I kept my dough in the fridge for two days and let it sit an hour before molding into dough with an ice cream scoop.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Adapted from Jacques Torres

Time: 45 minutes (for 1 6-cookie batch), plus at least 24 hours’ chilling

2 cups minus 2 tablespoons

(8 1/2 ounces) cake flour

1 2/3 cups (8 1/2 ounces) bread flour

1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt

2 1/2 sticks (1 1/4 cups) unsalted butter

1 1/4 cups (10 ounces) light brown sugar

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (8 ounces) granulated sugar

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons natural vanilla extract

1 1/4 pounds bittersweet chocolate disks or fèves, at least 60 percent cacao content (see note)

Sea salt.

1. Sift flours, baking soda, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Set aside.

2. Using a mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream butter and sugars together until very light, about 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla. Reduce speed to low, add dry ingredients and mix until just combined, 5 to 10 seconds. Drop chocolate pieces in and incorporate them without breaking them. Press plastic wrap against dough and refrigerate for 24 to 36 hours. Dough may be used in batches, and can be refrigerated for up to 72 hours.

3. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat. Set aside.

4. Scoop 6 3 1/2-ounce mounds of dough (the size of generous golf balls) onto baking sheet, making sure to turn horizontally any chocolate pieces that are poking up; it will make for a more attractive cookie. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt and bake until golden brown but still soft, 18 to 20 minutes. Transfer sheet to a wire rack for 10 minutes, then slip cookies onto another rack to cool a bit more. Repeat with remaining dough, or reserve dough, refrigerated, for baking remaining batches the next day. Eat warm, with a big napkin.

Yield: 1 1/2 dozen 5-inch cookies.

Note: Disks are sold at Jacques Torres Chocolate; Valrhona fèves, oval-shaped chocolate pieces, are at Whole Foods.

Spicy Summer Squash Soup with Yogurt and Mint

2008-08-18T08:24:00.000-07:00

I was going crazy with summer squash and this recipe saved me. I have most of these spices at home and I hope you do too, I used regular paprika, but the sweet paprika sounds fun. I hope you love this recipe as much as I do. And as a side note, Alice Waters is my new guru.

Spicy Summer Squash Soup with Yogurt and Mint
from The Art of Simple Food by Alice Waters

Makes 2 quarts, 4-6 servings

Heat in a heavy bottom soup pot,
1/4 cup olive oil
Add and cook, stirring often, over medium heat:

1 large onion sliced fine, A pinch of saffron threads 1 teaspoon cumin seeds 1 teaspoon coriander seeds 1 teaspoon turmeric 1 teaspoon sweet paprika 1/2 teaspoon cayenne 2 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced

Cook until very soft but not browned. If the onions and garlic start to stick, turn down the heat and add a splash of water to the pot.

While the onions are cooking, wash in cold water:
5 medium green or yellow summer squash

Cut into thick slices, When onions are done, ass the squash to the pot with
Salt

Cook for 2 minutes then pour in:
3 cups chicken broth 3 cups water

Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook until squash is tender, about 15minutes. Meanwhile, make the yogurt and mint garnish. Cut in to Julliane:
A small handful of mint, or any fresh herbs preferred.

Pound or grind herbs into a paste and add:
2 tablespoons olive oil
2/3 cups yogurt and salt to taste.

Let soup cool a bit and then puree until smooth. Reheat and thin if necessary. Serve with a spoonful of yogurt.

New Tea in Town

2008-08-18T08:09:00.000-07:00

Asana, the new sitar music playing, agave nectar serving tea spot has opened. And the staff seems lost. My first experience was a very pleasant one. I ordered a chai tea with oat milk and my tea partner ordered their coconut flavored black tea. They were both delicious, refreshing and affordable. The atmosphere caters to a wide variety of people as well. People both in suits and board shorts can be spotted. I do highly recommend them but I also hope their computing gets more fluid. The prices are now relatively high, but not unusual at $3.50 for a chai, yet they are even more expensive when charged twice. I went Friday and when viewing my online banking, I had been charged $3.25 and $3.26 and $.081. So at this point, three weeks after their opening I do hope they get the financing in order, but on a positive note, the chai is wonderful.

Rainbow Chard with Carnberries and Toasted Almonds

2008-07-28T21:44:00.000-07:00

Since joining the CSA, our fridge has overflowed with veggies. Yet, in the past few weeks, we have only thrown one thing away... kale. We tried it the first week and then decided to never ever look at it again. Well, I did secretly. I vowed last week to learn to like kale... but no, it hasn't happened yet.
Tonight's dinner has one phenomenal side dish... chard. And it looks a lot like kale, but it is far less bitter. Some people say "sh-ard" and others "ch-ard" and it comes in a variety of colors but all of it pretty much tastes the same, and by same I mean quite tasty. The word Swiss was used to distinguish chard from French spinach varieties by nineteenth century seed catalog publishers and the first varieties have been traced back to Sicily.
I stumbled upon this recipe this afternoon. It was originally in Gourmet but I made it with a few important changes including substituting dried cranberries for the raisins and slivered almonds for the whole.

Chard with Cranberries and Toasted Almonds

Makes 2-3 servings

1/2 large onion, sliced lengthwise 1/4 inch thick (1 cup)
2 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1/4 teaspoon Spanish smoked paprika
2 lb Swiss chard, center ribs discarded and leaves coarsely chopped
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup coarsely chopped

Cook onion with 1/4 teaspoon salt in 4 tablespoons oil in a 5- to 6-quart heavy pot over medium heat, stirring, until softened. Sprinkle with paprika and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add chard in batches, stirring frequently, until wilted, then add raisins and add salt and pepper to taste and water. Cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until chard is tender, about 7 minutes. Salt to taste.

Cook almonds in remaining 1/2 tablespoon oil in a small heavy skillet over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until golden, 3 to 5 minutes. Sprinkle almonds over chard.

Creepy Crawly Cheetos...

2008-07-22T09:43:00.000-07:00

Cheetos are really really scary. I mean what on earth is in them anyway? Well, here it is folks, broken down for you step by step:

Enriched Corn Meal (Corn Meal, Ferrous Sulfate, Niacin, Thiamin Monoitrate, Riboflavin, and Frolic Acid), Vegetable Oil (Contains one or more of the following: corn, soybean, or sunflower oil), Whey, Salt, Cheddar Cheese, (Cultured Milk, Salt, Enzymes). Partially Hydrogenated Soybean Oil, Maltodextrin, Disodium Phosphate, Sour Cream (Cultured Cream, Nonfat Milk), Artificial Flavor, Monosodium Glutmate, Lactic Acid, Artificial Colors (Including Yellow 6), and Citric Acid. Contains Milk Ingredients.

Ferrous Sulfate:

Before using ferrous sulfate, tell your doctor if you are allergic to any drugs, if you are an alcoholic (uh oh), or if you receive regular blood transfusions.

Seek emergency medical attention if you think you have used too much of this medicine, or if anyone has accidentally swallowed it. An overdose of iron can be fatal, especially in a young child.

Niacin:

Before taking niacin,

tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to niacin, aspirin, tartrazine (a yellow dye in some processed foods and drugs), or any other drugs.
tell your doctor if you drink large amounts of alcohol and if you have or have ever had diabetes; gout; ulcers; allergies; jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes); or gallbladder, heart, or liver disease.
you should know that this drug may make you drowsy. Do not drive a car or operate machinery until you know how this drug affects you.
remember that alcohol can add to the drowsiness caused by this drug.
you should know that niacin causes flushing (redness) of the face and neck.

Partially Hydrogenated Soybean Oil:

What's Wrong with Hydrogenated Oils?

Unlike butter or virgin coconut oil, hydrogenated oils contain high levels of trans fats. A trans fat is an otherwise normal fatty acid that has been "transmogrified", by high-heat processing of a free oil. The fatty acids can be double-linked, cross-linked, bond-shifted, twisted, or messed up in a variety of other ways.

The problem with trans fats is that while the "business end" (the chemically active part) is messed up, the "anchor end" (the part that is attached to the cell wall) is unchanged. So they take up their position in the cell wall, like a guard on the fortress wall. But like a bad guard, they don't do their job! They let foreign invaders pass unchallenged, and they stop supplies at the gates instead of letting them in.

In short, trans fats are poisons, just like arsenic or cyanide. They interfere with the metabolic processes of life by taking the place of a natural substance that performs a critical function. And that is the definition of a poison. Your body has no defense against them, because they never even existed in our two billion years of evolution -- so we've never had the need or the opportunity to evolve a defense against them.

But the worst part is that in the last stages of oil processing (or "refining"), the oil is literally steam distilled to remove its odor. So it doesn't smell. But a hydrogenated oil is much worse than rancid butter. So it it did smell, it would smell worse than the most rancid butter you've ever seen. (And that goes for all refined oils, not just the hydrogenated ones. It's just that hydrogenated oils are everywhere in the American diet.) So the next time you see "partially hydrogenated oil" on a label, think "rancid butter".

Partially Hydrogenated Oils Make You Fat:

You Eat More

It's not like you have any choice in the matter. Remember that the essential fatty acids are vital to every metabolic function in your body. You will get the quantity of essential fatty acids that you need to sustain life, no matter what. You will not stop being hungry until you do.

If you are consuming lots of saturated fats, you really have no choice but to become fat, because saturated fats contain only small quantities of the polyunsaturated fats that contain the essential fatty acids you need. The key to being thin, then, is to consume foods containing large amounts of polyunsaturated oils. (Those foods include fish, olives, nuts, and egg yolks.) Over the long term, those foods remove your sense of hunger.

Note:
The difference between a "fat" and an "oil" is temperature. A "fat" is a lipid that is solid at room temperature. An "oil" is one that is liquid at room temperature. Both are lipids (or "oil/fat"). Change the temperature, and you can convert an oil into a fat, or vice versa.

Partially hydrogenated oils make you gain weight the same way that saturated fats do -- by making you consume even more fat to get the the essential fatty acids you need. But partially hydrogenated fats are even worse. Not only do they produce disease over they long term, but they interfere with the body's ability to ingest and utilize the good fats!

Picture it like this. The trans fats are now the guards along the watchtower. The essential fatty acids (the support troops) are waiting outside to get into the fort (the cell), so they can be distributed along the watchtower (the cell wall). But the guards won't let them in! So they have to find someplace to stay in town. Over time, more and more troops are finding lodging in town. So new houses (fat cells) have to built to keep them in. The town grows more and more swelled with troops (fat), and it gets bigger and bigger (fatter). It's not a pretty picture at all, when you realize that the town is your belly, buns, face, and neck.

Your Metabolism Slows

Worse, most partially hydrogenated oil is partially hydrogenated soybean oil. That's a problem, because soybean oil depresses the thyroid--which lowers your energy levels, makes you feel less like exercising, and generally makes you fatter!

Of course, soybeans have been used for centuries in the Orient--but mostly as the basis for soy sauce and tofu. Asians didn't have soy milk, soy burgers, soy this and soy that. Most of all, they never used concentrated essence of soybean, in the form of soybean oil. And they didn't hydrogenate it, and they didn't use it in everything.

Walking down supermarket aisles in America, you find product after product with partially hydrogenated oil--often in products you would never expect. But why not? After all, it's cheaper than butter. And it's not illegal. Yet. When you eat out, restaurant breads and fried foods are loaded with stuff.

As a result, Americans are consuming soybean oil--partially hydrogenated soybean oil--in virtually everything they eat. It's no wonder that America is experiencing epidemic levels of diabetes, obesitiy, heart disease, and cancer.

Disodium Phosphate:

Uses: Enamel - Enamelling improvement; Water treatment, Water softening and pH stabilizing in boilers; Detergents and cleaning agents; As mild alkaline phosphatizing agent in metal treatment; In the processing of ceramics; Buffer in the dying process; Stabilizer in the bleaching process of textiles.

Sources:

http://www.drugs.com/ferrous_sulfate.html

www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/medmaster/a682518.html

www.treelight.com/health/nutrition/PartiallyHydrogenatedOils.html

http://chemicalland21.com/industrialchem/inorganic/DISODIUM%20PHOSPHATE%20(ANHYDRATE).htm

CSA (3.0) A Day On The Farm

2008-07-06T19:41:00.001-07:00

Summer Berry Crumble

2008-07-06T18:36:00.001-07:00

This recipe came to me in a dream. No, actually it was the New York Times a few days ago and the red and blue berries looked ever so patriotic. So I went to the store for the "quick tapioca" the recipe says will prevent a runny desert to add and almost left it out entirely, but Chris used my own advice against me when he said "You never know it's a good recipe unless you follow it." Man did I regret those words... But lo and behold the recipe was wonderful and the tapioca helped immensely. The modified recipe is below for your reading pleasure. One note, I quartered the strawberries, but feel free to also process them all together if you want a more jammy texture. Happy 4th everyone!

Mixed Berry Almond Crunch

Prep Time: 1o min. Cook Time: 55 min.

FOR THE FILLING:

8 cups mixed fresh berries: blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, strawberries (quartered)

1 tablespoon quick-cooking tapioca

3 tablespoons sugar but more if you have tart berries

1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

FOR THE CRUMBLE TOPPING:

2 cups all-purpose flour

2/3 cup dark brown sugar

2/3 cup granulated sugar

2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/8 teaspoon salt

2/3 cup melted unsalted butter

2/3 cup finely chopped almonds.

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. To prepare filling, toss berries with tapioca , sugar and lemon zest. Set aside.

2. To make topping, in a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugars, spices and salt. Stir in butter and almonds. Coarse crumbs will form.

3. Pour filling into a 9-inch square or round pan (do not grease first). Using your fingers, form topping mixture into 1/4-inch to 1/2-inch crumbs and spread over cake. Bake until filling bubbles and topping is golden, about 50 minutes. Let cool for 5-10 minutes.

Yield: 6 servings.

CSA (2.0)

2008-07-03T18:57:00.000-07:00

The national CSA acceptance day...is today ladies and gentlemen. I was telephoned and offered the joys of Lindencroft Farm who I will be getting my first box of fruits, veggies and maybe even chili peppers from next week! And it costs an amazing $30 a week. The pics above are taken by Tana Butler at the farm. That's $15 each for more vegetables than Chris and I know what to do with. Needless to say, I am very happy and excited and look forward to the plentiful recipes that await. Just thought I'd share.

CSA's are haunting me!

2008-07-02T16:34:00.001-07:00

Alright, so Chris and I were discussing the adventures of subscribing to a CSA. (Image provided by Wednesday Chef)Just in case my devoted readers are not exactly sure what a CSA is, it is basically a local farm that you purchase a share of in return for fresh produce delivered to a drop off point in you neighborhood once a week. Most CSA's run March-October in northern California, but I've spotted a few year round ones in the neighborhood, although they are rare. So here we are back to them haunting me. Chris and I decided to take a serious look at subscribing... so local harvest.org lists about 10 local farms in my area that drop off within a few minutes of my house and the cost is somewhere near $25 a week! How's that for thrifty? And the food is generally enough to feed two very veggie-friendly people or four not so friendly. And then I scanned and read all the websites top to bottom and picked my favorite one. And just as I'm attempting to join the CSA party, I read they're full. And so was my second choice... and third. They were all full. All of them. So here we were making this "big decision" and the CSA's wouldn't have us! And then I read my blogs for the day and, this shows up in the inbox.... Why You Should Belong to a CSA by the Wednesday Chef. "I tried!" I tell the computer screen, but it just glares back. Chris looks at me and says sadly, "Maybe next spring." Spring seems like a lifetime away, but I'll be the first in line come March! And in the meantime, if there are any CSA's looking for one more member, I'm so obviously your gal. Oh yes, and on that note readers, go join a CSA! (Or try in vain like I did...)

What's for Breakfast?

2008-06-24T16:09:00.001-07:00

Eggs and ham and pancakes, Denny's style? Oatmeal and fresh fruit? Starbucks? America, or at least my little part of it, seems to be dramatically confused in the breakfast department. This morning, my roommate and I cooked a yummy "Tuesday Brunch" including eggs with basil, oregano and paprika with bacon, chicken apple sausage and whole wheat toast. To tell you the truth, I'm still full. And this breakfast is the likely fare at most breakfast restaurants when you are not ordering from the "heart healthy" part of the menu. I think if that were breakfast every morning I'd have a heart attack, not to mention my waist size would surely increase exponentially.
Conversely, there is the average American weekday breakfast: coffee and a white flour, sugar filled pastry. What's going on here? We either have three types of pork and tons of carbs or nothing but sugar and coffee? Thats a little breakfast schizophrenic if you ask me.

But it's "the most important meal of the day" they tell us. So what are we supposed to eat and why? Well the theory goes, a) eat something b) include protein and c) complex carbs are a good option too. So maybe there is a reason the eggs benny is reserved for Sunday. And where does that leave us? Whats for breakfast after all? Granola. And fruit and yogurt and occasionally pancakes, etc. That's the answer I keep stumbling upon in my search for the breakfast answer. (Stephanie Jarworski has an awesome recipe for homemade granola here that is lots of fun to make.) The biggest complaint about breakfast is that it makes us feel heavy too early in the morning and who wants to start a day like that? So that's where the granola/fruit comes in. And making your own is so much healthier and way less expensive. In a box of any given cereal, 4 cents of corn/wheat becomes a $4 box of the stuff. Although granola is wonderful, is that truly the holy grail of early morning eating? That might make a very boring gastronomic beginning to the day...

So now what's for breakfast? Oh I give up. Hand me my Starbucks.

Food Machinery

2008-06-16T19:21:00.000-07:00

I still haven't touched the food processor. It sits, black and mocking on my kitchen counter. What to do with it? I suppose I am supposed to cut tomatoes or herbs or onions? but I can do that with a knife. So what are these things really for anyway? Perhaps they are for the weak of spirit! I will scour the earth for a recipe requiring one of these bad boys, and if none emerge, back to costco it goes. And that's final. (Or more probably it will sit, with my occasional glare, on the kitchen counter...)

The Origin of the Foodie or Ode to Mom

2008-06-11T22:49:00.000-07:00

My mother didn't cook the way her Irish-Catholic gourmet father did. She cooked like a single mom with flair. She took a can of spaghetti sauce and with a little vino and spices, turned it into magic. She made wonderful meatloaf, shake and bake chicken and pot roast. Sunday dinners we called them. It was a time for us to sit together and talk about our week with the television actually turned off.
Yet cooking wasn't something I jumped at immediately. It was something done in the kitchen right before I grudgingly attacked the dishes with soapy hands and water. But she taught me to be creative and to try new things constantly... so when the time came to try new things, I decided on Italian food. I wanted to be an expert. That led to olive oil and then somehow, years later, here I am with white truffle oil and mayer lemon vinagarette. So the root to my love of food I believe is a huge part my mother. And for those foodies out there, who/what was your inspiration?

P.s. My mother is flying in Saturday and we are spending the entire day in the kitchen. Don't worry, there will most certainly be pictures.

Fast Factory Food

2008-06-07T23:28:00.000-07:00

I have a guilty pleasure, it's called the Cheesecake Factory. I know, believe me that it's a very silly pleasure, but hey, I grew up in LA where chain food is where its at. So I drag Chris there because we have to be at an art show in San Jose anyway. And... well.. I felt a little like cattle. They herd you all in the corner and take you one by one to your small booth and then cook the food at rocket speed and get you out of there. They must have this thing down to a science.
To be honest, this time my guilty pleasure wasn't so pleasurable. It may have been that Chris was not thaaat excited to be in the corporate mall of a food place, but I think it was more than that. I want my cook to put a little love into my food when I eat out. Just last Saturday, we went to our all time favorite place, 515 where the Apple appetizer alone left us talking about it for hours. And Chris also knows the Chef there and was able to try out the new menu item a few days before. What a difference. So here I am retracting my guilty pleasure statement and tooting the eat fresh/local horn, I know you are so surprised!

Gadgets, Gadgets Everywhere and Not a Bite to Eat...

2008-06-03T10:03:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I took a walk down costco impulse buy lane and picked up a small food processor and a new brita. The processor was a good deal at $25 but did I really need one? Alice Waters talks about how she almost always uses a mortar and pestle for her pesto, etc.

Similarly, a few weeks ago, I was trying desperately to spend the last bit of a gift certificate and there it was, a kitchenaid mixer for about $100. Yes, it was the display model, but there stood my childhood dream mixer for such a good price. And my sensible friend said, "You don't even bake, why would you get an expensive mixer?" Excellent point. So why would I? And now I sit staring at this food processor that was, at least quite a bit less, and the only thing I know how to make with it is pesto! So Gadgets, are they needed at all? Waffle makers can definitely be argued for but what about these ice cream makers, panini presses, george forman grills, etc? Maybe they are just taking up space.
Don't you wish we could rent one for a little while, maybe a month and see if we get any use out of it? Then we'd say, nah I'll stick with my grilled cheese over your panini press any day. But honestly, I still want the mixer. I tell myself, I'll become a baker and use it all the time! But truly, maybe it's this little foodie's sense of consumerism coming out to haunt me. No, I don't want a plasma screen 100 inch TV, but give me my mixer!

An Ode to Pesto

2008-05-30T13:47:00.000-07:00

Today for lunch, I "whipped something up." This term always seemed like it was reserved for the pros or those very ept in the kitchen, I am neither. But I took a look aaround my kitchen and created a very tasty lunch. I started with the desire to make a salad with the latest and greatest white nectarines I picked up from the farmers market. Then I decided I'd still be hungry after this salad so I boiled tortellini. As the pasta was sitting there lonely and completely without sauce and I thought, why don't I whip up some pesto. And that's what I did. I quickly toasted some pine nuts, put them in a blender with Parmesan cheese, garlic and olive oil and viola! Cheese Tortellini with fresh delicious pesto. It's all about the little things in life right? Pesto and salad recipe below... Oh and for most, these do not go together thematically at all so don't feel it necessary to eat them the way I did.
Cheers!

Pesto (modified from Alice Waters)

In a food processor pulse
2 c Basil leaves; packed tightly
3 Cloves garlic
1/4 c Pine nuts and
1/4 c Parmigiano reggiano until blended.

With motor running, pour
1 /2 c olive oil in a thin stream until incorporated.
Season with salt and pepper

Ginger Orange Salad Dressing
Blend together:
Juice of 1 orange and 1 lemon
3 pieces pickled or fresh ginger
1tsp honey or agave nectar

Pour over greens of your choice, I like baby spinach for sweeter salads and add fresh fruit such as 1 small nectarine and 1/2 tsp sesame seeds.

Two and a Half Cookbooks

2008-05-29T17:29:00.000-07:00

Last night I sat at my kitchen table with cookbooks abound and a cup of chamomile tea by my side. I was nose deep in three cookbooks: Alice Waters The Art of Simple Food Mark Bittman's The Minimalist Cooks at Home and Jamie Oliver's Jamie's Dinners. Waters's Cookbook starts with a fantastic introduction where Waters explains in her delicate prose, the necessary aspects needed in a pantry and tools every chef needs. This is followed by actual cooking lessons and foundation recipes. Bittman's cookbook is a wonderful weeknight staple. Chris saw the Honey-Orange Roast Chicken recipe and was in love. It's simple, to the point and even offers an inspirational essay about roasting chicken. Jamie's cookbook has interesting categories but I don't see myself coming back to this one time and time again in the same way as the first two. That's why I call this the 1/2 cookbook. It feels worth a library check out but not the $30 the publishers are asking. I recommend the Waters book hand down. Feeling cooking deprived? Go find your copy. It'll help, I promise.

Limp Little Veggies

2008-05-28T10:42:00.001-07:00

Asparagus Soup is amazingly perfect for veggies that have been hanging out too long in my fridge, that is if a) you don't burn the asparagus and b) you like it in the first place. The recipe called for 45 minute bake time for these little tiny asparagus. I think that was a bit of an overshoot. I'm pasting my modified version below. Fill me in on any additions or deletions...

Roasted Asparagus Soup with Spring Herb Gremolata (modified from Bon Appetit)

Gremolata (a classic Italian garnish made from lemon peel, parsley, and garlic) gets a new twist here with the addition of tarragon.

Makes 4 servings

ingredients

2 pounds asparagus, trimmed, cut into 2-inch pieces
2 cups chopped leeks, or about 2 large leeks (white and pale green parts only; these tame the asparagus so very important)
1/4 cup olive oil
2 cups low-salt chicken broth or vegetable broth
1/2 cup heavy cream (half and half or whole milk can be substituted)

Gremolata:
1 tablespoons minced fresh Italian parsley
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon peel
1 tablespoon minced fresh tarragon
1 small garlic clove, minced
preparation

Preheat oven to 325°F. Combine asparagus, leeks, and oil in very large bowl; toss to blend. Divide between 2 large rimmed baking sheets. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast vegetables until asparagus pieces are soft and leeks are golden, stirring occasionally, check every 10 minutes, for a total of aprox 30 min.

Mix parsley, lemon peel, tarragon, and garlic in small bowl for gremolata. Set aside.

Spoon 1/3 of vegetables into blender; add 2 cups broth. Blend until smooth. Transfer to large pot. Repeat 2 more times, using half of remaining vegetables and 2 cups broth for each batch. Add cream to taste. I recommend 1/2 cup.Warm soup over medium heat, thinning with more broth by 1/2 cupfuls, if desired. Season with salt and pepper.

Ladle soup into bowls. Sprinkle with gremolata and serve.

Dining for One

2008-05-23T12:33:00.000-07:00

So C. flew off this morning at 5am to visit his best friend for the weekend. And I am left with a weekend full of working (all three days) at my restaurant and committing at least two of those days to school as well. So in these circumstances, of when people are hanging out at home, how does one cook for only themselves? And better yet, find the inspiration? My friend L. eats out quite often, and this is largely due to not having anyone to cook for or with. So do we all submit ourselves to the eating out gods if we are cooking for one? Hardly, I assume anyway, although the quality of food does sound appealing. But as far as those who are willing to face the stove alone, I found a few insights:

Canned and Frozen are less scary but more expensive- Canned split pea soup from Trader Joe's is phenomenal. Hands down the best split pea soup I've ever had. Add a little fresh ground pepper and you are set. Feel more adventurous, whip us a vinaigrette and make a salad with some crusty french bread and you are set for about $3. Or, buy a pound of ground beef and make one burger while freezing the rest. The basics I keep reading over and over are 1) Start from something a little bit pre-made and make it better and 2) Cook for a few days at a time and take the left overs for lunch. Also, although this is cheating, 3) have a few friends over and make them cook and/or bring something. This can't be impossible and that way you all are saving money.
I'll be making that asparagus soup tonight for myself and anyone I can convince to join me. I'll post the recipe if it goes well.

Slutty Coffee?

2008-05-21T18:09:00.001-07:00

First, there is Starbucks being "banned" for its new suggestive logo and a newer 14 chain coffee company called Cowgirls Espresso with girls in itty bitty bikinis... What's going on in the coffee world?

Where Oh Where Has My Cooking Mojo Gone?

2008-05-20T00:48:00.000-07:00

This weekend I left two bunches of asparagus, parmesan cheese and patty pan squash on my kitchen table and forgot about them for the entire two days. I had grand plans of making asparagus soup Friday and pesto earlier in the week, but somehow the week slipped by and I was left with droopy veggies. So I sit here, after eating, yes, pizza and wonder about what to do when a momentary loss of cooking momentum hits. Maybe grab a food mag, book, etc and read my troubles away. Or maybe I'll have a declared easy week and allow myself canned soup and short cuts and even pizza. What do you do when you don't feel like finding that little bubble of creativity?

Relationships with Food

2008-05-19T01:33:00.000-07:00

On the telephone earlier this week, my friend S. complained about eating yet another celery stick on her "new" diet. She's not alone in her quest for a quick way to lose a few pounds before bikini season rears its ugly head this summer, but it began a pondering about out relationship to the food we eat. For S, I believe food is the enemy. It is what stands between her and the itty bitty yellow bikini, but could food ever truly be an enemy? And at what cost?
If food is only a source of sustainment from one day to the next, what amount of happiness is lost? And if cheese, meat or god forbid dairy are consumed and all one feels afterwards is dread, then is that any better? Of course not. But it does present an interesting problem.
We interact with food more than fresh air and even our fellow human beings at times. What is our relationship to it? perhaps food is a lover, something to come to for comfort and in times when all else is lost. Warm soup, a carton of ice cream, etc. I wonder if it is possible to eat well and love food, or does a love of food mean cream, steak, etc? When I take a look around me at the blogging community and my own, I'd say we have a strong sense of healthy lovable food. The farmers market alone offers more than enough goodness to keep me personally going on about it far longer than any of you would like to read. So my expert opinion is maybe S. should stop eating bunny food, start cooking her veggies, maybe even sautee some asparagus and have a delicious spinach salad and then reassess her emotional ties to the substance that keeps us alive.

Do's and Don'ts of Foodie Thrift Store Shopping

2008-05-14T11:42:00.000-07:00

When reading David Lebovits's lovely blog about food and desert, I began to ponder getting myself an ice cream maker. These babies range in price from the twenty dollar range through the hundreds. So do I go for a high priced item that I may never use? Not me. The idea surfaced that I may get lucky with a thrift store version.
So I went on a hunt for the best ice cream maker thrift stores could offer. Salvation Army had a 1980s looking monstrosity that had a huge metal part that was supposed to sit in my tiny freezer. That just wouldn't do. Goodwill though, was much better stocked. They had an electric maker, no freezing required and it was less than $10! That was pretty exciting. I decided to see what else Goodwill had and to my gadget delight I found deep fryers, pretty toaster ovens, hand mixers and even a waffle maker. If I had to room to store it all, I would have surely cleaned them out. So there you go, the thrift store is the perfect place after all for kitchen fun and a wonderful place to start if you aren't quite ready for a big commitment. And if you never use it, you can always give it back, they'll even give you a tax write off.

Pasta is the Root of All Savings

2008-05-12T14:25:00.001-07:00

This week I didn't sit and plan much for dinner. I waited for inspiration to strike at the grocery store. Somewhere in between the produce and canned tomatoes, I decided this week, I'd start out with pesto. I scurried over to the cheese isle and picked up shredded parmesan for $2.19. I then went to the farmers market Sunday and picked up fresh, organic basil for about $1. So although I had the pine nuts and pasta already in my kitchen, my entire meal (for three) was going to cost me $3 out of pocket this week. Add in some patty pan squash for another $2 and there is a relatively easy, homemade delicious meal for $5? Yep.
I began to ponder pasta in general. Take a can of tomatoes, add garlic, basil and a little red wine (optional) and you have a pretty fantastic marinara. Or roast a few tomatoes in the oven for an hour and make a pretty amazing roasted tomato sauce. All three sauces listed are not only inexpensive, but they require few ingredients and are simple to make. Even Alfredo sauce can be created for about $5. So before you run out to spend a small fortune on your local Italian restaurant, try one of these sauces at home for a fraction of the cost and do something fun with all the money you'll have left over.

Life is SO a bowl of early season cherries

2008-05-08T10:05:00.000-07:00

I was wandering down the stalls of my farmers market, I passed the oranges I was sure to come back to later, and what's this? Cherries? Cherries! I don't know if I even liked cherries before that moment or if the sight of their little burgundy selves just were the right thing at the right time. Cherries mean summer and happiness and long warm days, even at a whopping $6 a pound. I did save on the oranges and bread though so the cherries were a much needed indulgence. And wow, were they worth it. So my recommendation, of course, is to run to your market so that cherries can make your days sunnier too.

Suggested Uses:

1. Eat by the bowlful
2. Use in a fruit salad
3. Chocolate Mousse (This was posted in July's Bon Appetit)

Quick Chocolate-Cinnamon Mousse with Cherries Bon Appétit | June 2007

Either bittersweet or semisweet chocolate will give great results, but bittersweet will pack more intense chocolate flavor.

Makes 4 servings.

Dave Lieberman

Ingredients
Cherries
8 ounces fresh Bing cherries, pitted
1/3 cup black cherry preserves or other cherry preserves
1/3 cup ruby Port or cherry juice

Mousse
1 1/4 cups chilled heavy whipping cream, divided
1/8 teaspoon (generous) ground cinnamon
4 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped

Preparation

For cherries:
Combine cherries, cherry preserves, and Port in heavy small saucepan. Bring to boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium and boil until juices thicken to syrup consistency, stirring frequently, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Transfer to small bowl and chill until cold, about 3 hours. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and keep chilled.

For mousse:
Combine 1/4 cup cream and cinnamon in small saucepan; bring to boil. Remove from heat. Add chocolate and whisk until melted and smooth. Transfer chocolate mixture to large bowl. Using electric mixer, beat remaining 1 cup cream in medium bowl until soft peaks form. Fold 1/4 of whipped cream into lukewarm chocolate mixture. Fold remaining whipped cream into chocolate mixture in 3 additions just until incorporated. Divide mousse among 4 glasses or bowls. Chill until set, about 4 hours. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; keep chilled.

Spoon cherries with syrup atop mousse and serve.

Clotilde's Adventures at a Bookshop in Santa Cruz...

2008-05-06T21:34:00.000-07:00

I just came home from Clotilde Dusoulier's (Of the popular chocolate and zucchini blog and author of two marvelous books) reading and book signing event at Bookshop Santa Cruz, in downtown Santa Cruz. She was heavenly. I sat there, next to the cheese book I so desperately wanted to flip through, and watched her read from her new culinary guidebook to Paris titled Clotilde's Edible Adventures in Paris that comes highly recommended from both Paris and food lovers alike. She has a graceful demeanor and speaks just loud enough that every one can hear her impeccably pronounced words with a slight French accent.
In the Q &A Session she was asked about local grocers and markets she enjoyed. She spoke about the bargain section of the local gourmet store she frequented and mentioned taking the discounted cheese home since that was what she and her boyfriend could afford. It was a wonderful comment of humility. I enjoyed all of it immensely. Unfortunately, I had to leave early to meet a roommate prospect, but for anyone interested, definitely look up her next city and go see for yourself.

Someone Stole My (and Chris's) Idea!

2008-05-06T19:14:00.000-07:00

In the past week or so, Chris and I have had a budget contest of sorts. The Oregonian wrote a 6 part article about a very similar idea. The article offers some advice on saving money, but much of it is relatively obvious. I recommend it nonetheless.

Foodie + Thrifty = Match Made in Heaven?

2008-05-06T18:04:00.000-07:00

I was sitting thinking about the weeks grocery purchases and it dawned on me that having a love of food has aided in my recently acquired thrifty nature. I purchased frozen turnovers... yumm for 2.75. And that's it so far. Last night I combined forces with Karl and we made a delicious tortellini soup with rainbow chard for the combined total of about $5 for three people. And today I brewed my awesome coffee from the farmers market and ate a bowl of oatmeal with bananas for breakfast and a turkey sandwich with avocado and gouda for lunch.
I realized that when you are a somewhat gourmet eater, and a picky one like me, it may serve a much better purpose to eat at home and have exactly what one wants. The sandwich at the local deli is fine, but mine is better and I bought a loaf of bread for the price of less than half of a sandwich at the Buttery (an awesome bakery/cafe in town). A grilled ham and cheese runs at about $8. When I make a grilled turkey and cheese at home, the bread is from a local bakery, the turkey is hormone free and often peppered and, in this case, the cheese was gouda. How can I go wrong?
There is the glaring issue of convenience though. I don't work a 9-5 and therefore can spend more time cooking; but I'm not spending hours slaving in front of the stove, I put time in where it matters and leave the extensive cooking to the weekend. So, even taking time into consideration, with a little planning at the beginning of the week and a little time to make lunch, that $1920 you spend on lunch in the year (at $8 a day) could be spent on a trip to Europe! Not that we don't all need a starbucks every once in a while, but I think its pretty awesome to think about the savings if we indulge our inner foodie just a little.

Three Cheese Tortellini with Rainbow Chard

Ingredients:
1 bunch of rainbow chard, stems removed and leaves cut into one inch strips and stalks also sliced into 1-inch pieces.
2 cups vegetable or chicken broth
1 lb frozen or fresh tortellini of your choice
1 tbs olive oil
1 small french loaf (optional)
salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:
1. Par-boil (boil for a few minutes) stalks in large sautée pan in broth until tender on med-high heat
2. Add leaves and stir in olive oil, salt and pepper cooking for 5-7 minutes uncovered
3. Meanwhile cook tortellini as instructed on package
4. Add tortellini to sautée pan and let simmer for 2-3 minutes on low heat to combine flavors
5. Serve with large pieces of toasted french bread
6. Enjoy!

The Fridge Runneth Over

2008-05-03T22:41:00.000-07:00

Have you ever gone shopping and then realized what you purchased won't fit into your fridge? As I posted earlier this week, I am on a budget for the month of May where I am allowed $86 for the week for groceries and $2 a day for spending money. Well as I came home with my Safeway purchases Thursday, I realized that I had way too much in my fridge to begin with. I actually had too much on my somewhat conservative budget. Fast forward to today and I pulled the saddest little shriveled radishes out of the crisper and threw them away. Here I am trying to save money and I'm throwing food away. So today, I'd like to address the alternatives to the little shriveled radish.

1. Shop every day for what you'll need that night for dinner.
This is a tried-and-true approach of my mother's. I remember growing up going to the grocery store again for whatever she had decided was a good match for that evening, but this, as I'm sure one could understand, gets old. And it did. But the freshness of your veggies can't be beat and there is a very good chance you will be more in the mood for whatever food you are planning to eat that night. There is also the added bonus of fewer things going bad if there are fewer items cluttering up your fridge space.

2. Shop once a week for the bigger items and if the mood strikes, every other day for something specific.
I would generally assume that most people shop this way -- well, most people I know anyway. Many folks I know shop around the farmer's market. This may get people into danger (like my fridge this week) but there is a good chance that one would spend much less time at the market and more time at home cooking. So I guess this is a common way to do it, but perhaps there is a way to avoid having too much food, or food that goes to waste.
Karl suggested, in jest, an inventory of everything in the entire refrigerator taped onto the front of the fridge. He got the plan from a senior citizen he knew. Although I can't imagine anyone posting an inventory, this made some sense. How often do I/we completely forget about some triple cream brie that cost an arm and a leg, cheese in the back of the fridge?
Another thought is to make at least a mental list of what is in there before the big grocery trip for the week. This way, planning can involve what is already in there. Also, cleaning out the fridge before shopping can help one see what has already gone bad and what has to be eaten immediately and what can wait till next week.

3. The Sam's Club/Costco/Smart and Final shopping
This is great for families, but what about single or two-person households? There are deals to be found in bulk and the quality of the food at Costco is has improved much in the last few years, but what on earth should someone get there? And is it worth the cost of membership? My short answer is no. I personally run into the way too much brie problem more often than oh, I'm glad I bought ten years worth of almonds. If food waste is a problem at all, I'd suggest staying away from these places, unless you are craving a kosher hot dog.

One conclusion I did come to this week is that, perhaps, we don't even need $86 to sustain a foodie lifestyle for the week if the contents of one's fridge are taken into account. This is a wonderful revelation and I will certainly test the theory and report back in the upcoming weeks. Maybe I could live on as little as $200 a month on groceries without going within 100 feet of a Safeway. Too good to be true? Let's find out.

Farmer Love

2008-05-01T13:46:00.001-07:00

I went to the farmers market yesterday to start my thrifty life, (see previous blog). It made me phenomenally happy. It all started with shade grown, organic, we pay better than fair trade coffee. I split the bag with my roomate, but it was $10 total. We made our way to the bread guy and got some amazingly delicious 3 seed bread for $3, and then to the Gouda lady where I got mild Gouda for $4! Trader Joes was $8. We rounded out our trip with sweet, heavenly (my new favorite word) strawberries, oranges and golden beets. If you haven’t tried golden beets, run to your farmers market. They are soooo sweet and just gorgeous to look at. We also picked up a garden salad mix and rainbow chard. I have no clue about chard so if anyone reading has recommendations as to how on earth to cook it, comments are more than welcome! The total was somewhere in the $30 range. For all that wonderful food. Wow.

Then, alas, it was late at night and Chris (bf) had to do his shopping for the frugal may kick he’s doing so we went to safeway. Shame, I know. I bought certainly scary chicken, frozen food for lunches and emergencies and salami I think that’s about it and it came to over 30! Terrible place. I vow to never shop there again. I think what is interesting is the fact that so many people shop there because they think it’s less expensive that the small little grocers and markets that cater to sustainable food. And by my simple comparison, I don’t think it’s cheaper at all.

I mean, think about it… wander over to the market, chat with the bread man about his amazingly tasty bread that he baked that morning OR spend the same amount of money at safeway where everything is over processed and hormone laden. The market food tastes better, doesn’t require gas guzzling trucks to cross the nation with pesticide fruit, and it costs about the same amount! I’m sold… but I think you knew that. (No more preaching today I promise.)

Chris’s Very Thrifty Mission

2008-05-01T09:45:00.000-07:00

The wonderful man in my life is starting a contest… with himself. It all began about a week ago with a phone conversation where we both realized we spend waaaayyy too much money eating out. He decided to do something about it. In all desire to live a frugal existence, he will, for the month of May, live on $2 a day (spending money). Groceries are a whole other ball game, but he has decided to go with $62 per week… dividing $10 a day from 3 months I think. But that matters less than the fact that he is living on $10 a day for all fun and food. This includes gas! You can read all about it in his blog here. So who knows what his (and my) life will be like for the month.

I have decided to go along for the ride and participate on my own foodie level. I will take on the $2 a day rule, but I cannot live on that grocery bill. No, no. I am in too in love with Gouda cheese and lavender honey! So I have decided to follow a Budget of $100 a week including the $2, so my groceries will have to remain at the $86 range. For some this will still seem expensive and I understand completely, but I am aiming first and foremost to stop spending 20, 30, 40 on dinner on some random, not very good steak, or for spending $10 for a movie or who knows what on going out for drinks. I’ve gone out for dinner and drinks with $80 in my wallet and come home with the lint in the bottom of my wallet.

The very, very good news is that this will give me an opportunity to try out various new recipes, like this Classic Bolognenese that actually came from Bologna. It can be found in April’s Saveur. I promise to post my grocery extravaganzas and the recipes I try over the month as I attempt to be… a thrifty little cupcake (so to speak).

Why Cupcake?

2008-04-30T13:44:00.000-07:00

We all know and love that divine little cake that sits unassumingly in a bakery window in all its perfection. Why are they so innately beautiful? It is like baby tennis shoes, that are simply adorable because they are shrinked versions of the big mommy or daddy shoe? Well I’ve never seen a “big” version of a cupcake in my day, so that question remains unanswered for now.

But to answer the looming question about the name of this said blog, I’ll quote from Clare Crespo in her recent article in Bon Appetit about, what else, but cupcake love.

“Why Cupcakes?”

“Because a cupcake makes you feel happy. Even if made with fancy ingredients, cupcakes are still approachable and not pretencious… they are just perfect.”

In honor of the first thrifty cupcake post, I will leave you with a marvelous red velvet cupcake recipe from Clare’s book Hey there cupcake!:

Red Velvet Cupcakes

Servings: Makes approximately 14-18 cupcakes.

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
2 ounces water
2 ounces red food coloring
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon baking soda

Preparation:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Prepare cupcake tins as directed as directed in the recipe you are following.

2. Cream butter and sugar until fluffy.

3. Add eggs and blend well.

4. Make a paste of cocoa and food coloring and add to the butter mixture.

5. Sift flour and salt together into this mixture.

6. One at a time, add the following ingredients: buttermilk, vanilla, and water.

7. In a small bowl, combine the vinegar and baking soda. Fold it into the cake batter. Make sure it’s incorporated, but don’t beat it.

8. Pour the batter into the cupcake tins. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the cake springs back when touched.

9. Remove from oven and let cool for about 10 minutes, then turn the cupcakes out of the tins and onto a rack to finish cooling completely

Why Thrifty: A food Lover's Manifesto

2008-04-29T13:42:00.000-07:00

I spent hours thinking about the name of this blog. Frugal Foodie was the first thought, but some grad student stole that one. Then I searched this lovely thing we call the internet for a decent thesaurus, and discovered the word thrifty:

Practicing or marked by the practice of thrift; wisely economical.
Industrious and thriving; prosperous.
Growing vigorously; thriving.

I liked all of these definitions and felt that they were a much nicer way of introducing one’s self. And then I sat pondering all things wonderful and instantly I thought of cupcakes… well not exactly, I looked at my bon appetit cover that has these three dancing cupcakes on the cover.. and there it was: Thrifty Cupcake. This is not a blog about cupcakes, but a blog for people who love all things tasty and are on a budget. (like me) I plan to include tips on saving money and eating wonderful food simultaneously. But for good measure, here is the definition of cupcake:

1. a small cake, the size of an individual portion, baked in a cup-shaped mold.
2. Older Slang.
a. a sexually attractive young woman.
b. a beloved girl or woman.

Besides being slightly offended, I am enjoying the exploration of these words. I hope you enjoy the blog and the many culinary adventures we embark upon together!