Wednesday, June 25, 2014

Chicken Tettrazzini @Maury Povich #tbt

This is exciting because it is my first entry inspired by the facebook phenomenon, "Throwback Thursday." Although it's just a throwback to when I would watch episodes of The Maury Povich Show.  You might remember this little gem where a young woman has been wronged, nay, done an injustice. She accuses her long time beau, Paul, of cheating on her with Dominique who seduced her with...well...Roll the clip, Maury...


Now the most important part of that clip can be found at 0:14, where Alycia states, "but now she comin to my house, cookin' him CHICKEN TETRAZZINI...What is it? Do he want her and her CHICKEN TETRAZZINI?" I do recommend watching the entire clip when you get the chance.  Or come to the next general audition I go on, for this will be the greatest monologue, ever.

Recipe #23: Chicken Tetrazzini
Choice of libation: Root: 1 Carmenere.  Oh man.  You guys. I love me some carmenere, and this might be my new favorite. Wonderful ripe nose of plum and blackberry, gentle tannins, round complex flavor. AND IT WAS ONLY $9!!! 
Choice of music: The Bodyguard Soundtrack.  Because sometimes, you just want to drunkenly riff in your kitchen, with only your concerned dog and Whitney. 

The casserole requires a breadcrumb cheese topping.  Who am I to argue with the classics? 

The recipe says you know the roux is done when it coats the back of the spoon. So. Here?

We didn't have dry sherry for the sauce but we did have a lot of vermouth.

Now according to MauryPovichWikia, Dominique's recipe used cream of mushroom for the sauce. I did not do that, though I am not above cream of mushroom. But that is another story for another blog entry. 

I added spinach to wilt in at the last second to justify dumping way more cheese in than the recipe called for.  

Now, if I had made this a year ago, I would have probably eaten it at this point.  But because I'm supposed to follow through entire recipes blablabla, I just tasted a small sample. On a spoon. A large wooden spoon. Shut up.

Ah, the breadcrumb/Parmesan topping.  I hope Dominique would be proud.

I mean. It's not jewelry or perfume. But. Dayum.

Stolen from afoodcentriclife.com

Crumb Topping
1/4 cup toasted breadcrumbs 
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan-Reggiano cheese (or, you know, MORE)
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil

Sauce
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 tablespoons whole wheat pastry flour
2 cups rich turkey or chicken broth (low or no sodium)
1/3 cup grated Parmesan-Reggiano cheese
2 tablespoons dry sherry (I used Vermouth)
2 teaspoons fresh chopped thyme leaves
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
salt and pepper, to taste
Filling
8 ounces whole wheat pasta (you can use spaghetti, broken in half)
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 medium onion, diced medium
2 handfuls of baby spinach
8 ounces fresh mushroom, cleaned, stemmed, and sliced thick
2 cloves garlic, minced fine
4 cups diced cooked turkey or chicken
1/2 cup peas (thawed if frozen)

Directions
Mix toasted breadcrumbs, cheese and olive oil in a small bowl and set aside. Heat oven to 375 degrees.
Place the butter and olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Note – using a pan with sloping versus straight sides is easier when whisking. When butter and oil are bubbly, add the whole wheat flour and whisk together, cooking one minute to remove the raw flour taste.  Slowly add the broth, whisking to incorporate and cook until it starts to thicken. When it’s ready it will coat the back of a spoon and you’ll be able to draw your finger through it.
Off the heat, stir in the cheese, dry sherry, thyme, nutmeg and lemon juice. Season with a little salt and pepper.  Set sauce aside.
Bring water to a boil in a 4-5 quart pan. Add a tablespoon of kosher or sea salt to the water; add pasta and cook according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
While pasta is boiling, cook the onions in olive oil over medium to medium-low heat in a saute pan or skillet. When the onions are soft and translucent, add the mushrooms. Stir and cook the mushrooms until they are are browned and most of their moisture is gone. Stir in the garlic and cook another 30 seconds. Stir in the turkey (or chicken) and peas. At the last few minutes, add spinach to wilt.
In a large bowl, mix the cooked pasta together with the sauce, vegetables and turkey (or chicken). Spray a medium casserole, about 1 1/2 – 2 quarts with non-stick spray and pour the pasta mixture in. Sprinkle with the breadcrumbs and bake until hot and crumbs are golden on top.
Note – if your topping starts to brown too quickly, cover with foil when it’s golden and continue to bake until the casserole is 160-165 degrees internally, about 25-30 minutes overall. Let the casserole sit for a few minutes, then serve.



Sunday, June 22, 2014

Hope They Don't Take Away My Asian Card for This

Yeah.  That's right.  I did it.  I made fried rice without using rice.  I often do things that I'm sure other Asian people will shake their head at. Like naming this blog "rice-ist." Or making my AIM screen name, "dissoriental." Or that one time when my friend Sven and I were making fun of the "Oriental" sign in the international foods section at the local Safeway and terrorized shoppers by yelling and screaming show tunes from South Pacific in shopping carts until they kicked us out.  To be fair, there really isn't very much to do in the summer in Renton, Washington.

(Sven and I, circa 1997, before the manager threatened to call the cops 
Photography by Rachael Anne Telford)

Anyway, the lovely Laura Coover recommended a recipe to me, months ago, which replaced rice with shredded cauliflower, and while I applauded her efforts for being healthy and creative, it just seemed. So. Wrong.  But cauliflower was on sale at Mariano's this week, so I went for it. Don't worry.  I didn't get thrown out.  This time.

Recipe #22: Cauliflower Fried "Rice"
Choice of libation: Tobin James 2011 Zinfandel.  You really gotta let that one breathe a bit.  I took one sip after pouring it and was afraid it was corked.  I mean, it didn't stop me from drinking it, but the flavor did really change after a few minutes.
Choice of music: I thought -- what music would fit the bastardization of Asian culture? The soundtrack of Kill Bill: Volume One, of course! Actually, I friggin love that movie and album and forgot how amazing it is. Santa Esmerelda's cover of "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood" is my jam.

Remember the last time I used the food processor and it was leaking? Or I was bleeding? Or...something.  This time, NOTHING TERRIBLE HAPPENED! EVERYBODY DRINK!

 At this point if you wanted to make a bunch at once, you could put extras in ziploc bags and freeze them for future use.  Cuz. Even one head of cauliflower makes a crap ton of fake rice. 
EVERYBODY DRINK!

Though you can probably make this a one pot creation, I sauteed the chicken with garlic, soy sauce and ginger separately because I was still shredding the cauliflower. And drinking.  I am quite the little multi-tasker.
EVERYBODY DRINK!

I added chicken sausage to the saute.  I wanted Lapsang sausage but they didn't have it.  Amazing, Mariano's has 12 kinds of greek yogurt but no Chinese sausage. Oops, also at this point I ran out of wine.

If you have some giant wok sort of thing, dump all the cauliflower in (I added more salt, pepper, garlic and ginger in at this point) and let that cook for 3 minutes before adding whatever veggies you would like and let that cook 5 minutes more before adding the meat from the other pan. 

Make a well in the center of the pan to make room for the eggs.  Then stir, drink, stir, drink and stir. I stirred it as long as I could before my stomach told me it was time to plate.

SUCCESS! It was another meal, where after the first bite, I proclaimed something about my being a genius, so there's that.  I could see this working for a fake jambalaya or dirty rice or whatever you'd like!  EVERYBODY DRINK!*

stolen/adapted from...
familyfreshmeals.com

3 cups of grated raw cauliflower (use a cheese grater or food processor)
3-4 cups whatever veggies you enjoy
1 cup chicken, cubed (or tofu, or shrimp or whatever)
1 package of Lapsang Sausage (or chicken sausage or tempeh or whatever), chopped
3-4 garlic cloves, minced
3-4 tbsp shredded ginger
1/4 cup green onion, diced
1/2 tbsp olive oil
2 eggs (or 4 egg whites) 
3 tbsp soy sauce
fresh basil to garnish

In a large pan, saute garlic and ginger and onions in olive oil on a medium/high heat, until onions become soft and transparent. (about 2-3 minutes) Add in chicken and soy sauce, cook until brown then add sausage and green onions

2. Next add in veggies and cook until things like peppers and carrots begin to soften and peas are heated through, about 3-4 minutes

3. Next stir in scrambled eggs , cauliflower and soy sauce. Cook stirring frequently for about 5-7 more minutes. 

*final photo by Robert Gavino








Saturday, June 21, 2014

Spanakopita, or "Why I'm Surprised Anyone Dated Me in College"

When I was in college I was obsessed with the Greek spinach feta pie also known as spanakopita. I loved eating it and I even loved saying it. So much that in my first on campus apartment there were black and white pictures of me saying the word "spanakopita", like a series of pictures,  in the living room as decoration.  Because I had just discovered The Food Network and was a giant nerd.  Not like the cool, sophisticated woman I've become.


Anyway, I've always wanted to make it but as previously stated, baking pastries kind of scares me, so it never occurred to me that I would ever grow up to have a blog where I forced myself to cook food that I hadn't tried before and that in that blog I would make the very food item that once was displayed on our living room wall sophomore year of college.  DREAMS DO COME TRUE!

Recipe #21: Spanakopita
Choice of libation: DRY Cucumber Soda. It was a muggy day and my brother, Bobby, and I wanted something refreshing and cool.  I just had it over ice and it was sweeter than I was expecting it to be.  Not unpleasant.  Next time, I'll add gin.  
Choice of music: Bobby wanted to listen to a British Electronic group called Clean Bandit.  It's really good pop, with nice hooks.  I especially liked "Rather Be." 

Bobby took this shot. Isn't it artsy with the angles and the action and the whatnot? 
It is mainly to show you that I now have blue nail polish.

Mmmm...fresh dill, green onions and parsley. We start out with these glorious greens. 

Yeah.  I took a picture of my brother taking a picture of what we just put in a bowl. 
Isn't he cute, though?

The recipe called for fresh steamed spinach, but...

We folded in the amount of feta the recipe called for but it looked wrong. So we added 1/2 cup goat cheese. FOR CALCIUM.

I keep forgetting to buy a pastry brush because I only do recipes once a year that call for it.  Oops.  Anyway, we ended up brushing a paper towel with some olive oil then patting that onto the phyllo dough.  BECAUSE WE'RE GENIUSES. And also I had LOOKED IT UP ON THE INTERNET.

 I still didn't think we had enough cheese, but at this point we were both hangry and wanted to get this in the oven already.

With two people in the kitchen, Pippin knew her chances of catching food in her mouth had doubled.

After layering olive oiled phyllo dough sheets, we packed in the spinach filling. 

I know. It doesn't look like much of anything - this was right before we put it in the oven.

In the end it did LOOK like the stuff I order at Greek restaurants.  I will say this recipe was really basic and when I make it again, I will fold caramelized shallots and roasted garlic into the mix, with lemon juice and zest and maybe a bit of red pepper.  But, I mean. I'm not gonna not eat it.  And I still really enjoy saying it: SPA-NA-KO-PI-TA!


stolen from...
closetcooking.com

2 pounds spinach, steamed, squeezed, drained and chopped
1 cup feta, crumbled
1/4 cup dill, chopped
1/4 cup parsley, chopped
1/4 cup green onions, sliced
3 eggs, lightly beaten
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup olive oil
12 sheets phyllo dough

Mix the spinach, feta, dill, parsley, green onions, eggs, salt and pepper in a large bowl.
Brush the bottom of an 8x8 inch baking pan with olive oil.
Brush the top of a sheet of phyllo dough with olive oil and place it in the pan. (You may have to cut the phyllo dough to fit the pan.) Repeat until you have 6 layers.
Place the spinach mixture on top of the phyllo dough.
Brush the top of a sheet of phyllo dough with olive oil and place it on the spinach. Repeat until you have 6 layers.
Bake in a preheated 350F oven until golden brown on top, about 30-50 minutes.






Monday, June 2, 2014

Bears. Bacon. Bourbon. Battlestar Galactica.

Ok.  I had a bad show.  Like, I full on tripped and fell face first into a wall onstage.  And then tripped over an audience member's foot, in the next act.  So.  I'm having a bad day. And when I'm having a bad day, I eat my feelings.  Sometimes I drink my feelings. Sometimes I cook my feelings.  Today I did all of those things.  And that is my prerogative.


ANYWAY. I wanted bacon and cheese and carbs, so I made this for myself.

Recipe #20: Sweet Potato Biscuits with Bacon, Blue Cheese and Chives
Choice of libation: What I now call "Bruised Ego Breakfast" -- We start off with the typical stuff - iced coffee, kahlua, BUT THEN, we add New Holland Beer Barrel Bourbon (which has traces of their Dragon's Milk chocolate stout in it) and this bourbon caramel sauce that the lovely Brooke Hills gave as a gift.  You guys.  This drink.  Is divine.  DOOOOO IIIIIT...


Choice of music: Sister Sparrow and the Dirty Birds - They're bluesy and loose and they go with this drink.

Ok, so I'm cheating a little.  I've actually made sweet potato biscuits before.  But I've never put bacon and blue cheese and chives in them, that's new.  I'm cheating so you and I can win, ok?  

I actually used 2 cups of whole wheat flour and only 1 cup of all purpose flour .  PRACTICALLY A SALAD (please disregard the 12 tablespoons of butter (unless you count that towards your calcium intake, like I do)).

This is actually a great recipe to try when you need to work out some frustration. Like after falling into a wall.  For example.  

More calcium.  For the cookie sheet.

Our entire place will smell like bacon for the rest of the week. And we are never sad about that.

Too misty. And too much in love.
(I actually forgot that I should have mashed the sweet potatoes beforehand with the milk, but I got too excited.  And by excited, I MIGHT mean drunk)

Yes, I use janky scissors on my chives.  Say it: I am a philistine.

All the good things in life are in this picture, right here.

Further proof, we might drink too much...Yes, that IS a beer goblet I am using to cut out biscuits.

Think about it. If I can make these beautiful baked goods while I'm half in the bag, think of how easy it must be. They're real real good, though.  Variations you might wanna try -- sharp white cheddar and green onions or maple and cinnamon with cream cheese...Happy baking! Good night.  

adapted from foodnetwork.com
(Food Network's former diva, Paula Deen (I'm still mad at her, but the woman knows her buttery baked items))

2 cups cooked mashed sweet potato (about 2 large sweet potatoes)
1/3 cup milk, as needed (I used coconut and almond milk)
1 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
2 cups whole wheat flour
3 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoon baking powder
2 teaspoon salt
12 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small bits
about 5 slices of bacon
3 or 4 tablespoons of chives
1/2 cup blue cheese

Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 425 degrees F. Grease a baking sheet (with butter, oil or cooking spray).

Cook the bacon, let cool then chop to desired size

Chop up chives

In a small bowl, whisk together the sweet potatoes and 1/3 cup milk. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Cut in the butter with your hands, a pastry blender or two knives until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add the sweet potato mixture and fold gently to combine. Add the remaining milk a little at a time until all the flour is moistened. The amount of milk you will need will depend on the moisture of the sweet potato.

Sprinkle a small handful of flour on a work surface. Turn the dough out onto the surface and knead lightly 2 to 3 times with the palm of your hand until the mixture comes together. 

Fold in the chives, cheese 

Pat the dough out into a 1/2-inch-thick round.

Using a 2 1/2-inch-round biscuit cutter, cut the dough into biscuits. Gently reroll the scraps and cut out more biscuits. Place the biscuits on the prepared baking sheet and bake until light golden brown and firm to the touch, 12 to 14 minutes. Serve these fluffy biscuits warm or at room temperature.