What to have on hand

There are two ways I like to cook. One is to go absolutely nuts and scour every cookbook in the house to create a dinner party menu that is both overly ambitious and somewhat impossible to execute. I talk myself down from there. The second is to throw together miscellaneous ingredients. So what do I like to have on hand for these last minute creations?

Breakfast and late night snacks - I would have to say, a chunk of the time eggs are my favorite ingredient. Omelets and frittata are hands down the best way to use up all veggies in your fridge. And once you get the hang of them, there is no end to the creativity. I like to top my omelets with a veggie chutney of some kind, like an avocado/lime/cilantro mix. For a cook who likes to stick to recipes, I recommend finding an omelet or frittata recipe you like and then exploring different flavor combinations in the very safe environment of eggs and a pan. For tips on flavor combos, check out my favorite book Culinary Artistry.

Lunch - Grilled cheese is super super easy. I always have cheese on hand...and usually bread. The picture above is of a three cheese quesadilla topped with sour cream and salsa. I had three random cheeses in my fridge...cream cheese, ricotta and something else.

My husband's favorite lunch is a black bean salad (black beans, cilantro, tomato, avocado, balsamic vinegar, and olive oil with maybe tuna or chicken on top). I literally have a case of black beans in my dining-room-closet-turned-pantry. This is an easy throw together lunch and stores really well if you make it a day in advance.

Cooked chicken is extremely versatile. I used to buy a rotisserie chicken every week, but now I roast my own chicken thighs. With cold chicken meat you can make chicken salad, chicken sandwiches, or throw bits into a pasta or bean salad. Chicken omelet anyone?


Dinner - My hands-down favorite dinner item is salmon. It is easy to dress up or dress down. I serve it with a side of whatever veggie I have in the kitchen. At an event on Wednesday I had some great salmon questions, so plan to devote a whole blog to this the loveliest of all fishes. For dinner sides, I love quick roasted or sauted veggies. My roasted potato dish has filled in on more than one occasion, I absolutely always have small red potatoes in a bowl somewhere...along with broccoli to steam or lettuce for a salad to go with the aforementioned veggies.


Dessert - Chocolate. Always have really really good chocolate on hand. In a pinch I will carve up a bar of my calebout chocolate or a nice bar of bacon chocolate (don't knock it till you try it) and serve it with coffee. Brownie mixes are also key. And ice cream in the freezer doesn't hurt. Fastest dessert I know how to make is bananas foster which really only needs bananas and some rum. :) I'm not a big dessert girl, rarely eat it, but my guests do, so I try to be prepared.

Martha Stewart says you should always have a bag of pistachios around for the occasional drop by guest. I figure if anyone feels like dropping by then they get the privilege of whatever may or may not be in my kitchen. But if you are so inclined, nuts are great to have on hand...they freeze well too.

Looks like I need a list. My typical pantry/fridge ensemble:

- 1-2 dozen eggs
- cilantro
- lettuce
- tomato
- avocado
- red potatoes
- lots of garlic and onion
- cheeses
- bread
- black beans or rice
- cans of tuna
- cooked chicken
- bacon or smoked salmon
- chocolate
- horseradish (mixed with sour cream and you have a salmon dip or something to serve with roasted potatoes or asparagus)
- flour or corn tortillas) last minute quesadillas or burritos
- bowl of fruit (and bananas)
- chicken stock
- large bowl of onions and garlic

Recipes:

Goat Cheese Herbed Frittata (or...whatever is lying around your kitchen Frittata)

INGREDIENTS
4 tablespoons olive oil
some veggies....suggestions are
1/4 medium onion chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
any other veggies you feel like adding (tomatoes-technically a fruit, bar squash, cooked potato bits, bacon...)
1 tablespoon thyme, chopped

6 eggs
2 tablespoons milk
2 tablespoons heavy cream

8 ounce herbed goat cheese or any melty cheese (fresh mozz, cheddar grated)

Salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Heat olive oil in an 8 inch oven-safe skillet (or cast iron pan) over medium heat. Add onion, and season with a little salt and pepper. Cook, stirring until translucent. Add the garlic and thyme and stir briefly to release the flavors.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk and cream. Pour over the onion mixture, and stir gently. Scatter lumps of goat cheese over the top. Cook over medium heat without stirring, until the edges appear firm.

Place the skillet in the preheated oven, and bake for 20 minutes, or until nicely browned and puffed. Flip onto a serving plate, and cut into wedges to serve. Serves 4

Roasted Red Potatoes with Rosemary and Garlic

Makes 4 servings

3 tablespoons olive oil
12 red new potatoes, quarter lengthwise to form wedges
12 unpeeled garlic cloves or not
Salt and pepper
2 sprigs fresh rosemary or thyme or sage or nothing

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place a roasting pan or cast iron pan on medium-high heat. Add oil and the potoates, season with salt and pepper. Cook for 10 minutes or until bottom of potatoes is carmelized brown color. Toss the postoates so a different side has a chance to cook. Throw in the garlic and herbs, cover with tin foil and place in hot over for another 15 minutes or until the potatoes are cooked through and are crisp and brown.

Bananas Foster

4 tablespoons unsalted butter (1/2 stick)
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar (3 1/2 ounces)
2 large, firm, ripe bananas sliced on the bias into 1/2-inch pieces
1/4 cup dark rum
1 pint vanilla ice cream

1. Melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the brown sugar, and stir to dissolve the sugar, about 1 minute. (If the heat is too high, the butter and sugar will separate instead of combining to form a sauce.)

2. Add the bananas and spoon some sauce over each piece. Cook until the bananas are glossy and golden on the bottom, about 1 1/2 minutes. Turn the bananas and continue cooking until very soft but not mushy or falling apart, about 1 1/2 minutes longer.

3. Remove the skillet from the heat. Add the rum and wait until the rum has warmed slightly, about 5 seconds. Wave a lit match over the pan until the rum ignites, shaking the pan to distribute the flame over the entire pan. When the flames subside (this will take 15 to 30 seconds), divide the bananas and sauce among the four bowls of ice cream and serve.

Equipment Do's and Don'ts

Last night I was at Cooks of Crocus Hill working with an excellent bunch of foodies. One gentleman in particular had some inspired questions about what equipment I recommend for basic cooking, what basic ingredients I keep in my pantry for last minute meals, and how I time my meals so everything finishes brilliantly at the same time. So let's dig in, I will try to answer each question in it's own blog, so you don't get bleary eyed with all the scrolling.


Equipment Essentials:

1 ½ to 2 ½ quart saucepan with lid
3 ½ to 4 ½ quart saucepan with lid
8 to 10 quart stockpot
8 or 12 inch frying pans
3 or 6 inch sauté pan
1 Dutch Oven
6 or 8 inch Cook’s knife
8 or 10 inch serrated knife
3 ½ inch paring knife
Sharpening steel
Instant read thermometer
Cutting boards, preferably wood
Measuring spoons
Measuring cups
Liquid measuring cups
Set of mixing bowls
9x13 inch baking pan
Cookie sheets
Colander, hand-held strainer, or something with which to separate water from food
Rubber spatulas
Bread pan/muffin pans (if you plan to bake)
Pepper grinder
4 sided grater or cheese plane
Juice squeezer of any type
Mixing spoons
Stainless steel whisk
Tongs
Peeler
Zester
Metal and plastic spatulas
Can opener
Kitchen towels
Really good kitchen shears
Food processor
BlenderGrill or grill pans
Kitchen Aid or hand mixer
Ramekins
Scale
Skewers

Equipment Niceties:

Salad spinner
Salt container
Cooling rack
Roasting pan
Japanese mandolin
Torch
Mini processor
Emerson blender
Wok
Springform pan

Don't Buys:

Entire knife sets
Pots and pan sets
Double boiler

You can never have too many:

Whisks Spatulas (scrapers)
Stirring spoons
Towels
Cutting boards
Utility Knives
Beautiful Serving Dishes

In my research I stumbled across Mark Bittman's article on equipping your kitchen. Mark thinks you can do it for $300. If you are looking for a restaurant supply store that is open to the public and you live in Minnesota, I recommend Hockenburg's.

So this article is really hard for me to write as I have more kitchen gadgets than anyone I know. I started with a very basic set of tools, but what with working at Cooks of Crocus Hill for several years and being an intern at America's Test Kitchen, I have amassed a huge assortment of items (most of them free) that I haven't even used yet. I am the queen of using whatever is around, so most of the time I completely forget I have exactly the right tool for something, and I end up using a jerry-rigged something or other instead.

A list of random things that barely see the light of day in my house:

Ice cream maker (rarely use)
Bamboo steamer baskets too large for any pan I own
Popsicle maker
Double decker steamer
Apple corer/peeler
Flour mill (yes, I have a flour mill)And many other things in my basement that I can no longer recal

Things I wash the most:

My cuisinart…favorite tool
My knives (all except the sandwich knife that came with a set...)
My way too fancy ergonomically correct pans
My 6 qt. Stoube Dutch Oven
My Asian Spider Skimmer
My Tongs

I know it is a bit crazy, but when I buy items I tend to go top of the line. A lot of people will skimp on good kitchen items, but for me, preparing food is an art and my tools are things I use everyday, so I like them to look pretty but to also hold up. Everyone has a different buying philosophy, but that is mine.

You don't have to run out and buy everything all at once, I recommend using what you have and when you are cooking and realize you really need something, make a list. Buy things one at a time and slowly build your collection. How much you spend and how it looks is a matter of personal preference. So that is me, how about you? Did I forget one of your favorite gadgets or something you consider indispensable?

Eat, Share, Freeze

Now that I have an excellent supply of chicken stock I have been making new soups weekly. Last week I made a spicy lentil bean soup and this week my brother and I made a fabulous beef stew.

I like to make a double or triple batch for eating, sharing and freezing. I would share my lentil soup recipe but it was a bit off the cuff.

Beef Stew (Cook's Illustrated)
Makes 6-8 servings

3 lb. Beef chuck, cut into ½ inch cubes

1 ½ teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 medium-large onions, chopped coarse (about 2 pounds)

3 garlic cloves, minced

3 tablespoons flour

1 cup full-bodied red wine

2 cups chicken stock or low-sodium chicken-flavored broth

2 bay leaves

1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves

6 small boiling potatoes, peeled and halved

4 large carrots, peeled and sliced ¼ inch thick

1 cup frozen peas (6 ounces), thawed

¼ cup minced fresh parsley leaves

1. Heat oven to 200 degrees. Place beef cubes in large bowl. Sprinkle with sale and pepper; toss to coat. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium-high heat in large nonreactive soup kettle; add beef to kettle in two separate batches. Brown meat on all sides, about 5 minutes per batch, adding remaining tablespoon of oil if needed. Remove meat and set aside.

2. Add onions to now empty kettle; sauté until almost softened, 4 to 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and add garlic; continue to sauté about 30 seconds longer. Stir in flour; cook until lightly colored, 1 to 2 minutes. Add wine, scarping up any browned bits that may have stuck to kettle. Add stock, bay leaves, and thyme; bring to simmer. Add meat; return to simmer.

3. Cover and place in over; simmer about 1 hour. Remove kettle from oven, add potatoes and carrots, cover and return to oven. Simmer until meat is just tender, 1 ½ to 2 hours. Remove stew from oven. (Can be cooled, covered, and refrigerated up to 3 days.) Add peas and allow to stand 5 minutes. Stir in parsley, adjust seasonings, and serve.

Tip: I find the stew sometimes needs a dash of red wine vinegar to make the flavors really dance.

Book of the Month: Culinary Artistry

My book recommendation this month is for the person who doesn't like to follow recipes, but sometimes needs inspiration on what foods pair well together.

Written by the same authors who published my previously recommended book "What to Eat with What you Drink". Page and Dornenburg don't include many recipes in this book, instead you find many suggestions on what foods pair well and which cuisines use which flavors.

For example, assume I am stumped as to what I should make for dinner. I look in my kitchen and see that I have some leeks to use up.

Opening the book to leeks, I am given recommendations on which foods go well or extremely well with leeks: bacon, beets, Gruyere, peas...etc.

Along with this list is a suggested list of ways to cook your leek: boil, braise, puree, steam or stew

I may decide to braise my leeks and serve them as a salad with bacon and truffle oil or perhaps make a Greyere-leek quiche. I find this book particularly helpful when making sauces and soups or working with a new ingredient.

One of my favorite tips from this book was the suggestion to pair lime juice and mango. I rarely eat a mango without a little lime now...maybe a dash of salt. It is the perfect marrying of flavors.

The book is broken up into many sections that provide great reading entertainment as well: Sample Menus, Dish and Menu Composition, and thoughts by well known chefs throughout. My favorites include the bits where chefs are asked what they would make if they were on a deserted island and could only bring 10 ingredients...their rationale behind each is very entertaining.

Jello? Jelloooo?

A few fateful weeks ago I ate at a local restaurant and became quite ill with food poisoning. I don't say this lightly...I hate to accuse food of making me sick. It was actually my husband's lunch. He was dubious about the freshness of his tuna salad, a fact confirmed when I took a bite and it tingled in my mouth. Having just finished a week of antibiotics that killed all good bacteria in my body, what should have been some mild stomach discomfort (husband), turned into a week of absolute misery for yours truly.


I was on liquids for a few days over the weekend and slowly, slowly, ever so slowly, worked my way to applesauces and other lovely foods. During this time of misery and heartbreak I continued to cook for Joel and friends...but instead of breaking bread with others, I instead broke the seal on my Jello cup. I never realized how much I truly hate Jello.

Anyway, here is a pick of me and my Jello. I was so furious that night with my stomach. I still get hungry looking at this picture (click on it if you too want your stomach to rumble). :) I never realized before how much I constantly taste food as I am cooking. What a challenge to not be able to eat that that last crumb, or taste a sauce, or lick the spoon! May I never take good food and a hearty stomach for granted!

Soup Time!

Fall appears to have settled in, which means it is time to throw those chicken parts in the pot and make yourself some chicken stock to last through the winter! I called up my favorite local butcher shop and ordered a 40 lb case of chicken necks. Stock can be tricky the first time or two, but after that it is a breeze and absolutely essential for good soup.

I can be a touch of a snob (gasp) about homemade food, but can make an exception now and then for really good store bought products. However, when it comes to Chicken Stock (notice the caps), there is no substitute...none.

To make truly excellent stock, follow these steps. Email with any questions...really.

Perfect Chicken Stock

10 pounds fresh chicken back, neck, and wing bones
several carrots, diced
several celery ribs, diced
a few onions, quartered
2 bay leaves
some peppercorns
a few juniper berries
some parsley sprigs
a few cloves
1 garlic head, halved horizontally

1. (optional) Place half of the bones on a sheet tray and roast in a 350 degree oven until brown, about 50 minutes.

2. Place all the bones in a pot and cover by six inches with cold water.

3. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Lower heat to maintain approximately a 180 degree-200 degree temperature. There should be no bubbling or movement of the stock. Add all remaining ingredients. Keep steeping for 6-48 hours, adding the occasional cup or two of cold water if needed. Scoop off any chicken solids that float to the surface.

4. After cooking, strain slowly, discarding solids and scum at the bottom of the pot. Cool, skim the fat and strain again through cheesecloth. Cool and store in freezer bags. Tip: Don't season.

Can you loose weight by eating pineapple?

Is it just hype or are there really negative calorie foods? For as long as I can remember, I heard that you burned more calories chewing pineapple than you actually got by eating it. Is this true? I decided to find out.

My research took me to The Food Lover's Companion and On Food and Cooking (where else?) Neither had anything on negative calories in regards to the pineapple, I did learn however, that the pineapple must be picked ripe or the starch will not convert to sugar. Hmmm...

Apparently, the theory that you can burn calories by eating certain foods was the basis of the 1990s book Foods that Cause You to Lose Weight: the Negative Calorie Effect and includes other foods such as asparagus, lettuce, broccoli, beets, onions, cabbage, carrots, cucumber, zucchini, apples, oranges, pineapple, grapefruit, raspberries, pineapple, strawberries, lemons and limes.

So, can you eat your way to losing more weight? I couldn't find any scientific proof to prove this theory but stumbled across some great web articles:

My Diet Power

Excerpt:

"Calories are expended in three ways, Eckel explained: 70 percent through basal metabolic rate (basic activities of living), 25 percent through exercise, and 5 percent through thermogenesis (the cost of absorbing and storing calories). "Typically, a five-calorie carrot would need about 0.25 calories to absorb and store," says Eckel. "Thus, the carrot still has about 4.75 calories. The only way one burns more than one eats is if you eat less or exercise more. A calorie never changes."

Barbara Rolls, Ph.D., professor of nutritional sciences at Pennsylvania State University, finds the theory of negative-calorie foods "interesting, but very hypothetical. I don't think we have the metabolic tools to determine whether this is possible." Rolls thinks people lose weight eating so-called negative-calorie foods not because the foods burn calories, but because they displace higher-calorie foods. Co-author of the book Volumetrics: Feel Full on Fewer Calories, Rolls says that "clinical trials show that eating high-water-content fruits and vegetables helps with weight management."

"You eat fewer calories through satiety," Rolls concludes, "not through the metabolic effect."

Negative Calorie Foods: This article talks about fat burning foods.

Excerpt:

"Fat-burning fish foods: Salmon, Tuna, and Sardines. These foods all contain large amounts of omega-3 fatty acids which, besides being incredibly healthy, seems to have a strong effect on metabolism. Omega-3 fats (the healthiest of 'good fats') alters levels of a body hormone called leptin which directly influences metabolism and determines whether you burn calories or store them as fat. Basically, the less leptin you have in your bloodstream the more calories you use for energy. Cold-water fish and omega-3 oils like flax seed oil - which is definitely a strong fat-burning food - have been shown to significantly lower leptin levels and improve metabolism."

And for fun: "Caffeine and EGCG have both been shown to help you work out harder and longer!"