I would have made a good squaw

Sundays have always been a day reserved for chores around the house: laundry, yard work, bathrooms, floors. Yesterday I spent my morning cleaning out flower beds and raking leaves in preparation for winter's arrival. Berkley and Benny incessantly romped in my leaf piles requiring my project to take twice as long as it should have, but the skies were blue and the wind was not blowing. Here in Eastern Idaho, that is nothing short of a miracle. Poor Heather was laid up with a migraine -- the curse of our clan. Beyond that, it was a near perfect morning.

After more chores and some time spent on homework, we made our Sunday pilgrimage to Winco. A brief description of Winco for those who are unaware of the store's awesomeness and at the same time horrificness (yes, I made that up). Winco is kind of like Walmart in the sense that it brings out all walks of life -- the young, the old, the rich, the poor, those missing teeth, those missing brain cells, those lacking birth control, those lacking fashion sense.

I am not ashamed to admit that I am totally broke and need to shop at a store that caters to a low socio-economic group. Thank you, Winco. Not only do you help me with my food costs, but visiting your store is kind of like going to the fair -- you bring out all the crazies and you give out samples!

Along with the risotto that I served the other night, I made the WORLD'S BEST roasted chicken. I put that in all caps to emphasize that fact that this chicken really is the WORLD'S BEST. I give food a lot of hype on this site, but people, seriously, this is out of this world. The best part is that it requires only THREE ingredients: chicken, salt and thyme. Done. I can't take credit for this crisp skin, mouth-watering chicken recipe, as it hails from the one and only Thomas Keller. I make this chicken a couple times a month, as it is so simple and whole chickens are so inexpensive. Plus, as you'll see, you can use one chicken for multiple meals.

There are so many fun things you can do with a chicken carcass. (I just had to pause, reread that sentence and laugh out loud.) The following recipe is a family favorite that my mom made when I was a kid. The smells last night transported me back to her kitchen. She used to have this soup waiting for us when we returned home from ski trips. This soup is so aromatic and flavorful. We served it over basmati rice with a bit of sour cream on top, which I will forever repeat. It was fabulous. You could certainly omit the chicken and use vegetable stock, too, as it would make a lovely vegetarian dish.

If you ever come to visit me, I'll take you on a field trip to Winco. One of the many entertaining aspects of my new life :)

Chicken carcass ready for its transformation into broth.

8 cups of water, celery, carrot, onion, garlic, bay leaf.

Allow to cook down for 30-45 minutes, strain:

best chicken broth this side of the Mississippi.

Heather's a much better assistant than Berkley.

My mom gave me this recipe book when

I went away to college, the first time :)

Like I said, only the finest. Royal rice.

Indian-style potato spinach soup with chicken

2 cups cooked chicken, diced

1 large onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups potatoes, cubed

1 10 oz package frozen spinach, thawed and chopped (or in my case, 1 bag fresh spinach, chopped)

1 can diced tomatoes, including juice

6 cups chicken broth

2 tbs curry powder

2 tsp ground coriander

1/2 tsp ground cardamom

1/2 tsp caraway seeds

2 tsp canola oil

s/p

In a large stockpot, heat oil over medium-high heat. Cook onions, garlic, chicken and caraway seeds until onions are translucent, about 3 minutes. Stir in curry, coriander and cardamom. Cook, stirring constantly, about a minute more.

Stir in broth and potatoes. Bring broth to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer. Cook until potatoes are tender. Add spinach to pot along with the tomatoes. Simmer about five more minutes to allow the flavors to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

Good for what ails ya

The past few weekends have been full of fun. Our youngest sister came to visit Friday night, which lead to another night out on the town. My sisters are both tall, blond goddesses who attract men like flame attracts moths. It's pretty fun to sit back and watch.

Saturday morning offered a perfect opportunity for me to make a hearty, hollandaise-laden breakfast. We had butternut squash risotto a few nights ago for dinner, and I was laying in bed the other night unable to sleep wondering what to do with the leftovers (I think about food entirely too much). In popped the following recipe. For Mother's Day this year I made a salmon cake benedict that may have been the best breakfast known to man -- this is a close second.

Heather and I opted for a chill evening at home on Saturday, and I am so glad we did. I was able to take the love birds out for a great walk and as you can see, they didn't have a bit of fun.

Smiling happy Benny.

Super Berkley.

I missed these Idaho skies.

These tend to be a bitch to peel.

I nearly sliced off my hand. BE CAREFUL!

You can't make leftovers look sexy.

Sweet potato hash wasn't half bad.

Eggs benedict, risotto-style

leftover risotto (butternut squash recipe to follow)

2 tbs sour cream

1 cup breadcrumbs, preferably panko

1 package hollandaise sauce (I reserve ever right to use packaged hollandaise!)

poached eggs

paprika for garnish

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a cookie sheet with pam. Stir sour cream into leftover risotto. This brightens up the rice and enable the breadcrumbs to stick. With an ice cream scoop or 1/4 cup measuring cup, scoop out the risotto and form into patties. Dredge in the breadcrumbs and place on the cookie sheet. Bake 20-30 minutes or until golden; flip halfway through to crisp both sides.

Meanwhile, cook hollandaise according to package. Resist the urge to eat with a spoon. Prepare eggs. (I am no help with poaching. By the grace of God I managed to get three intact eggs).

Place two risotto cakes with with an egg(s) on top and spoon over the hollandaise sauce. Sprinkle some paprika for additional flare.

Butternut squash risotto

adapted from Art Smith's Back to the Table

1 butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cubed

2 shallots chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups arborio rice

6 cups chicken stock

1 cup dry white wine

2 tbs unsalted butter

1/2 cup parmesan cheese, more for garnish

2 tbs fresh sage, chopped (I used chives to mix it up this time, but the sage is lovely)

2 tbs olive oil

s/p

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spread the squash on a baking dish and toss with one tbs olive oil and salt and pepper. Bake until tender, about 35 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside.

Bring the broth to a boil in a large saucepan and keep warm. Meanwhile, melt butter and the remaining olive oil in a large stockpot. Add the shallots and garlic and saute until translucent, about 2 minutes. Add the rice and cook, stirring often, until it turns opaque. Again, about another 2 minutes. Be careful not to brown. Add the wine and cook until nearly evaporated.

Gradually incorporate the heated broth to the rice, 1 cup at a time. Cook, stirring almost constantly, until the rice absorbs the broth. Stir in another cup of broth and repeat this process until you use all of the broth and the rice is tender, about twenty minutes. If your run out of broth and the rice isn't tender, use hot water. Add the squash and cook until heated through, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat and stir in the cheese and sage. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

My sisters love this risotto. I promise, if you make it for your family they will love it, too. Be forewarned, they will ask you to make it all the time!

Last Friday as a free-loader

Today, Friday, marks my last day as a free-loading house elf who does nothing but cook, clean (sort of) and go to school. Starting Monday, I'll rejoin the responsible world of those who work. BOO! I've really enjoyed my lazy mornings drinking a pot of coffee and doing my homework at my own volition. Things will start to get a bit more complicated next week, but it's time, and to be honest, I'm ready.

I have secured a pretty kick-ass AmeriCorps position with a local government agency, and in a nutshell I'll be a health educator for old people. Kind of a departure from my future career in secondary education, but the skills translate. I hope anyway.

I really wanted to take advantage of this last Friday of freedom. How did I start my morning out, you ask? Well, dear readers, I snuggled in bed with Berkley drinking coffee and watching Dancing with the Stars on my computer until about 9:30 and then I got up and made the following oh-so-delicious hummus recipe. Next on my list, once I finish this post, is to take Berkley and her boyfriend Benny on a run. We are watching Benny while his Dad is in Moab for the weekend. Benny had a bit of gastrointestinal blowout yesterday, and the poor guy's pride hasn't recovered. Hopefully a jaunt through the sagebrush will help restore his confidence.

Berkley and Benny sitting a tree.

K I S S I N G

Then I get to arm wrestle with financial aid. I am straddling two schools -- my education classes are undergraduate and obviously my master's classes are graduate. Well, this unorthodox behavior of mine is giving both the financial aid and the registrar's offices aneurysms. Apparently, no one has ever, in ISU's history, attempted to gain their teaching credentials while completing a master's degree. I am going where no student has gone before, and it SUCKS!!! I just want to go to school and secure a little financial help while I'm at it. Is that too much to ask? In the eyes of ISU, yes.

That, ladies and gents, will wrap up my day because I'm quite certain after the encounter with financial aid I will be defeated and want want to crawl back in bed with Berkley. Instead of coffee in hand there will be another choice beverage, and it most definitely won't be an upper.

Sorry for the diatribe! On to the hummus!

This is a fantastic, quick and oh sooo yummy homemade hummus. I have tried a couple of unsuccessful hummus recipes that have ended up tasting and looking like play dough. This does not. This hummus is lemony and garlicky and wonderful. I had to restrain myself from licking the food process bowl. You could play with flavors too -- sun-dried tomatoes, roasted peppers, hot chile flakes. Homemade hummus sounds daunting, but it is incredibly simple. Try it at your next soiree -- you'll totally wow your friends!

Only the finest for this house elf.

Usually tahini is in the organic/healthy

section of your grocer. It's a little pricy,

but it will stay good in your fridge

for a muy long time.

Hummus

1 can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed

1/3 cup tahini, mixed well

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 tsp cumin

1.5 tsp salt

pinch cinnamon

1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon

1 teaspoon lemon zest

1 tablespoon olive oil

Italian parsley for garnish

In a food processor, puree the chickpeas, tahini, garlic, cumin, salt, cinnamon, lemon juice and zest until smooth. Gradually incorporate the olive oil. Add a few drops of water if necessary to make the hummus more creamy. Before service, drizzle with olive oil and chopped parsley.

Because my quads deserved some half and half

Heather and I recently joined a local gym, and we had a complimentary "meet and greet" with a personal trainer. This personal trainer wasn't your average sporty kid decked out in wind pants and high tops. Oh no. We met with RICH. (You're meant to read the name RICH in a low, manly, beer-crushing kind of voice). RICH is a twenty-something body builder whose arms are three times as large as my thighs. I am quite certain RICH could bench-press my Subaru.

So Heather and I discussed our fitness goals with RICH, and he asked us if we have any injuries or had surgeries he should be aware of. I immediately looked at Heather with trepidation because I hate admitting that I had heart surgery. I was totally fine mentioning to this stranger, RICH, that I had knee surgery in college, but as soon as I utter the words heart and surgery in the same sentence people look at me like I have three eyes.

At this point in our little "meet and greet," RICH looked at me like I was the bionic woman whose fitness goals were totally unrealistic. I would rather reveal my body fat to you, internet, than have to repeat that conversation with RICH. Not going to happen!

Nonetheless, RICH did redeem himself with his weight training regime he suggested for us light weights. He walked us around the gym and demonstrated his Herculean strength on the various weight machines. I was not kidding about the Subaru.

We finally got around to RICH's legs workout on Monday. I am writing this Wednesday evening and both of our legs are still sore. The kind of sore where it's difficult to walk up/down stairs. The kind of sore where it's difficult to sit on the toilet. Sore.

We returned home from the gym on Monday and did not feel the slightest bit guilty when we devoured this creamy, comforting pasta dish. This is another recipe that you can totally tweak to suit your fancy -- use what you have on hand, leave out the artichoke hearts, add bacon, use fettucini instead of ravioli, whatever! Also, my veggie friends, this a great one for you.

I may be the bionic woman, but after RICH's weight training regime, I'll be able to bench-press my Subaru.

This is the greatest tomato paste around.

You don't have to waste an entire can

when you only need a tablespoon.

Find it at your local grocer :)

Notice Berkley wondering if these raviolis are for her.

I got these at the DI for $1.33 in total.

I love them.

Pink sauce with ravioli

2 packages ravioli

2 shallots, diced

2 cloves garlic, diced

1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes (not in oil), sliced

1 can artichoke hearts or bottoms, cubed

3-4 large mushrooms, sliced

1 cup spinach, rough chopped

5-6 basil leaves, chiffonade

1 small can tomato sauce

1 tbs tomato paste

1.5 cups half and half

1/4 cup parmesan cheese, more for garnish

1 tbs olive oil

1 tsp red pepper flakes

s/p

Cook pasta according to the directions. In a large sauce pan, heat oil over medium heat. Saute shallots and garlic until fragrant, about two minutes. Increase the heat to medium high and add mushrooms. Stir to combine and resist the urge to constantly stir. Allow the mushrooms to caramelize. Season with salt, pepper and red pepper flakes.

Once the mushrooms have gained some color, reduce the heat and pour in the tomato sauce. Add the sun-dried tomatoes and artichoke hearts, as well as the tomato paste. Stir well to combine. Pour in the half and half and allow to simmer until sauce begins to thicken, about 3-4 minutes. Add the spinach, basil and parmesan cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Serve over the pasta.

A staple

I hope everyone survived the holiday weekend. Tami from Running with Tweezers coined the perfect phrase, and I hope she doesn't mind but I am totally going to steal it: Swalloween. This phrase summed up our festivities, and I won't share many of the details because I want you, friends, to continue reading this site.

In brief, Warren Jeffs made a quick prison-break for the weekend to help us horrify our friends and the local children. Fun and debauchery was had by all. Thanks, Warren.

The following recipe is a dish I could not live without. Seriously, I might die if I don't eat it in some form several times a month. As Stuart Mackenzie says in So I Married an Ax Murderer, it has "an addictive chemical that makes ya crave it fornightly, smartass!" This mixture, combination, amalgamation of turkey, crunchy vegetables and salty goodness is, well, worthy of the above quotation.

Here's the problem though. I have never written down my recipe. My mom has asked for this recipe at least thirty-seven times, and I've always said add a couple tablespoons of this and a couple tablespoons of that. As I've mentioned before, I am a chronic non-measurer. It also depends on what I have in the fridge. This time I didn't have any sesame oil so I had to do without -- did the lettuce wraps still make my toes curl with ecstasy? Yes. Internet friends, I love this dish. LOVE. LOVE. LOVE.

I suppose my point is: BE FLEXIBLE. Try using ground pork, use cabbage instead of lettuce, serve over rice or rice noodles, adjust the seasonings to suit your family's taste. I admire Asian cuisine and wish I was more well-versed in it's many nuances. By no means am I expert. In fact, I probably butchered a classic recipe, but if butchering tastes this good, I'm going with it.

I hope you aren't disappointed by the hype of my toe-curling description. But I could die happy after a meal of these lettuce wraps that's how good they are.

Feel free to adjust these characters. Like I said,

they were on hand.

Water chestnuts are FUNDAMENTAL.

Lettuce Wraps

1 package ground turkey

2 carrots, diced

2 celery stalks, diced

5 green onions, diced

1 can water chestnuts, diced

2 shallots, diced

1 - 1 inch piece ginger, minced

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 tbs canola oil - NOT olive oil

1/2 tsp sesame oil

2 tbs hoisin sauce

2 tbs oyster sauce

3 tbs soy sauce

1 tsp fish sauce

1 tsp brown sugar

1 tbs sriracha - disregard if you don't like spice

1 head crunchy lettuce or cabbage

In a large pan or wok heat oil over medium high heat. Add ginger and garlic. Be careful not to burn, as it will ruin your dish. Stir-fry until fragrant. Add the carrots, celery and shallots. Cook for about 5-8 minutes or until tender. Meanwhile, mix all of the sauces together in a bowl including the sugar. Stir well.

Add the turkey. Stir completely to incorporate all the vegetables. Add the water chestnuts and green onions. Pour in the sauces. Continue stirring so all the flavors combine. Cook until the turkey is cooked through. Serve in lettuce/cabbage cups.

Leaner, meaner baked schnitzel

Ever since the Eat on $30 Challenge I've been reserved about the meals I've prepared, or not prepared for that matter. We've been eating a fair amount of what I call cheater meals, stir fries made with frozen vegetables or ham sandwiches, for dinner. Not that these dishes don't have a place in our busy lives, they do. If I were living alone I probably would just eat string cheese on nights like this, but I'm the big sister and have to take care of my little sister (even though I live in her house, with her husband and her dog while I go back to school to restart my life). Life's funny that way.

None-the-less, I just finished a big paper and had lots of free time yesterday. Berkley and I both could have used a run in the hills, but the wind was hateful and we would have returned home grouchy with earaches. We hung out in the kitchen instead.

This is one of my favorite methods of preparing pork or chicken -- pound it super thin and then cover it in bread and cheese. Yum, right! Most often people fry schnitzel, which makes it heavy and fatty, and I'm all about cooking food that is as healthy as possible. Go to a restaurant and eat fried schnitzel -- that way it won't stink up your house, your clothes, your dog.

This dish is easy. It's just messy. I wish I could have taken a picture of my fingers when I was finished, but I didn't trust Berkley with my camera. Be prepared to make a bit of a mess, but trust me, it's worth it. This pork or chicken (I know there are folks who just don't like pork) is divine. With a squeeze of lemon it is so bright and cheery. I served it with the Pioneer Woman's crushed potatoes, which you can find here. By the way, my Utah lovelies, she'll be in your neck of the woods next week! She's signing her new cookbook at the King's English Bookstore on Wednesday. You should go for me and tell her how much I love her and how when I grow up I want to be just like her -- kitchen and cowboy and all :)

Baked Schnitzel

3 boneless pork chops

1 cup panko breadcrumbs

¼ cup parmesan cheese

¼ cup flour

2 eggs

1 tbs grainy mustard

1 tbs chopped Italian parsley, more for garnish

½ tsp salt/pepper

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. On one plate combine flour and salt and pepper. On another plate combine panko, parmesan and parsley and in a bowl scramble the eggs with the mustard.

Place pork chops in a sealed zip lock bag and pound the hell out of them. Don’t worry if they look a bit mangled – the more tender, the more better :). In assembly line fashion, dredge your chops in the flour first. Shake off any excess. Move on to the eggs and then the breadcrumbs. Place on a cookie sheet (I sprayed mine with Pam to ensure stick-free removal).

Depending on how thin your chops are, bake for about 15-25 minutes. No one likes to eat raw pork. Serve with lemon slices.

An ode

I just returned from a quick trip to visit friends in Utah over the weekend. Not only was I craving fake chicken, but I was long overdue for a slow meander through the King's English bookstore and the cleansing breaths of Scott's yoga class, but mostly, I missed the company of people I love so dearly. I needed another day or two or month to see everyone and spend ample time, which is why I am so glad it's a quick drive. If only I could teleport.

This was actually meant to be my second post, but alas, here we are today. Over a year late. That's how I roll -- late, postponed, delayed and always with the best of intentions.

I must mention that I have a mild obsession with television. In fact, my obsession is so severe that I didn't have television in my house for over five years. There is a TV in the house now, but it only has three channels, none of which are the Food Network so I am able to curb my addiction and safely walk into the living room without the concern that my arse will permanently mold into the couch. Visits to my mom and dad's house are still dangerous though because left to my own volition, I could watch HOURS of slicing, dicing and Giada. I have no self control. None.

During those years without tv I discovered that networks were taking pity on fools like myself and airing their programs online and for free. This enabled me to catch my favorite shows in a 'controlled environment.'

Enter Gordon Ramsay.

I'm sure many of you are muttering to yourselves, but Hailey, Gordon's not on the Food Network. Yeah, I know. He should be. He's too much for those safe housewives though. He would make all those Paula Deen lovers gasp in disapproval. He would add much needed sexiness and scandal in contrast to the Sesame Street cake contests. Hell's Kitchen introduced me to his incessant hand-clapping, garbage can-kicking and wanker-screaming tirades. I then discovered Kitchen Nightmares, the F Word and miriade other shows he has on the BBC. Then I fell in love. Hell's Kitchen . . . Hail's Kitchen.

He is much milder on his BBC programs. I think his Fox producers encourage him to beef up the bitchy persona he has adopted here in the states. Youtube has tons of videos from the F Word where he cooks in his own kitchen. There is one specific video where he prepares scrambled eggs. He plates this gorgeous breakfast of eggs, tomatoes and toast and then mentions it's for his wife who is sleeping upstairs. I am not so naive to think the scenario was indeed as he mentioned, but the delivery was spot on. Oh to be served breakfast in bed by Gordan Ramsay.

I am not entirely sure what my obsession is with the man. Perhaps it's how wild his hair is or how crisp his chef coat always looks or how passionate he is about food and how that translates beautifully to the destitute restaurant owner or the arrogant chef. He is definitely high on my list of celebrities I would, well, you know. My dad reads this blog -- Hi dad! Mostly, if I ever had the chance to meet him, I would ask him to teach me to make scrambled eggs. He says this is a gauge of one's skill in the kitchen. Then I might seduce him.

Here are a few hysterical videos one, two, three of a young Chef Ramsay. They made me laugh on this Monday morning.