HAIL'S KITCHEN

What's a girl to do?

2012-02-08T14:31:00.001-07:00

This morning I completed a chore that I've been putting off for a few weeks. I shovelled the deck. More accurately stated, I chipped ice off of the deck. It was kind of like washing dirty dishes days after they should have been washed. Procrastination has a nasty sense of humor.

That said, I am still procrastinating the editing of my paper. I keep telling myself, tomorrow you will finish it. Then I get a phone call to go fishing. What's a girl to do?

That's me on the left.

The Great Samoan Hunter needed photos for the Lodge's fishing blog.

Who knew flying fish lived on the South Fork?

Growing up in Idaho, my dad instilled a healthy fear of wild animals in the hearts and minds of me and my two little sisters. However, the wild animals we were most afraid of were not the typical lions and tigers and bears one might associate with the wilds of Idaho. No, we were afraid of beavers and turkeys. Beavers carried beaver fever, a deadly disease no eight year old with buck teeth wished upon herself, and turkeys grew spikes -- enormous, thorny, angry spikes on the back of their legs that scratch little girls' eyes out. Not sure those were my dad's exact words, but to this day I am still leery of beavers and turkeys.

Yesterday I was just about to jump in the shower, and I noticed some movement outside of my bedroom window.

15 man-eating, eyeball-scratching turkeys in my driveway.

Casting fear aside, I snuck outside to catch their photo.

They ran away from me! That's right, bitches.

My eyes lived to see another day.

So did the turkeys, as Tuli slept through the entire encounter.

Last night with the full moon, we decided to drive over the hill to Victor for a nighttime skate ski. Fortunately for me, we didn't see any turkeys or beavers.

Before we left, we threw together the fastest, easiest, yummiest meal. This is a great one for anyone who is busy and/or lazy. These days I fall into the latter category. You can piece this meal together with any veggies you have on hand. After our moonlit ski, it was a wonderful treat to come home to a warm meal.

Chicken thighs, potoatoes, asparagus, and tomatoes drizzed with olive oil and seasoned with salt and pepper and thyme. Baked at 300 for 2 hours (less time would have been fine, but that was our roundtrip).

Tender, flavorful chicken and veggies.

I have one more super easy, translation lazy, meal for you today. Somehow all this talk of procrasting has enduced some bizarre blogging efficiency. Here's a fast, simple, delicious pasta that I made for lunch today. The sauce comes together in the time it takes to cook the noodles. In order to use the Great Samoan Hunter's internet, I bribed him with lunch.

Any shape pasta you like cooked according to the directions, one diced onion, one can green chiles, one small can whole tomatoes, and not pictured oregano, cumin, a handful of cilantro and some feta cheese.

While you bring your salted pasta water to boil, saute the diced onion in a tbs of olive oil. Saute until translucent -- about 3-4 minutes. Add the chiles and tomatoes. As the tomatoes simmer, smoosh them with the back of a spoon. Season with 1/2 tsp each of oregano and cumin. Simmer the sauce while the noodles cook.

Chop a handful of cilantro.

Throw in the cilantro with a good amount of feta. Add the cooked pasta (and a little of the cooking water if your sauce is too thick).

Toss it all together and enjoy!

Even the meat-eating Samoan Hunter enjoyed this lunch.

Getting my wiggles out

2012-02-01T14:22:00.000-07:00

You know the saying, when life hands you lemons, you make lemonade. Well, the decision to postpone my defense, and thus the culmination of my MA, felt, at the time, like an enormous mouth full of lemons. I puckered, I shed some tears, my jaw clenched. It was sour. However, now that I've had time to process my choice, I am so glad I made the level-headed, adult decision (this was inspired largely from the encouragement of my wonderful advisor) to give myself some wiggle room.

So . . . I am wiggling.

You've noticed I have been cooking and writing again. I have been exercising. I have been reading books -- books for fun! I have been spending lots of time in the out of doors. I have not, however, been exerting enough effort or time towards my paper. Whenever I walk Tuli, I always tell him "get your wiggles out!" I figure that's what I am doing right now, getting my wiggles out.

As my advisor reminded me, I want to present a paper that I am proud of. This time and space has allowed me to get excited about my project again, as well as lots of other areas of my life that I neglected as a grouchy, stressed, do it all but not all that well graduate student. How do you like that lemonade?

The following recipe is the fruits of my labor. Literally. The Great Samoan Hunter and I hiked up and down and up and down four or five ridges in search of chukar. On our way back to the truck, we flushed an enormous covey of birds. The Great Samoan Hunter shot left, I shot right. I didn't see anything drop from my side. After missing several birds throughout the day, I was quite disappointed in myself. I didn't walk all that way to come home empty handed! Much to my delight, Tuli recovered my downed bird that had landed around the ledge upon which I was standing. Not only is he an upland game dog, but he is also a retriever!

I acted like someone who had just won the publisher's clearinghouse -- squealing, waving my arms, jumping up and down. I may have peed in my pants a little.

If I tell you where we are, I might have to kill you.

My face hurt from smiling so much.

My retriever.

I can only take credit for one of these birds --

that's why I call him the GREAT Samoan Hunter.

I did find that deer shed in the background, though.

Chukar is very similar to pheasant, which tastes and looks much like chicken. I am nuts about both of these birds. Duck and geese, I am still working on. I decided to make chukar piccata -- lots of lemon, wine and capers. Had I served this dish to you blindly, you would have thought it was chicken. This dish blew me away. I had never made it before because I am not such a fan of capers, but I will be recirculating the dish for certain. Since chukar isn't an ingredient you can easily pick up at the grocery store, try the classic chicken piccata. Delicious!

Chukar breasts before I pounded them thin.

Familiar breading of flour, egg and panko with the addition of parmesan cheese.

Since I am trying to "eliminate muffin top," I baked instead of fried.

Sauce fixins.

Capers.

Who would have thought wild game classed up so nicely?

Couldn't ask for a more perfect meal.

Chukar (or chicken) piccata

4 breasts, pounded thin

2 tbs flour

1 egg, scrambled

1 cup panko breadcrumbs

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese (more for garnish)

1 or 2 lemons

1 handful Italian parsley, chopped

1/4 cup capers

1 shallot, diced

1 garlic clove, minced

1/2 cup dry white wine

salt and pepper

olive oil

2 tbs butter

pasta to serve

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil, drizzle with a little olive oil, and set aside. Place breasts in a ziplock bag and pound thin. Dredge first in the seasoned flour (about 1 tsp each of salt and pepper) shaking off any excess, then the egg wash, and then panko cheese mixture. Once all of the breasts are breaded, allow them to rest for about ten minutes on the baking sheet to ensure an extra crispy crust. Bake the breasts for about 15 - 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to boil for the pasta. Cook according to the directions.

In a saucepan, heat about 1 tbs olive oil over medium-high heat. Saute the shallots and garlic until translucent. Add the wine, juice of one whole lemon (if it's not super juice add the second for good measure), as well as the squeezed lemons and capers. Reduce by half. Add the chopped parsley. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the 2 tbs butter. Remove the lemon halves and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Pour the sauce over the breasts. Serve with pasta and extra parmesan. Enjoy!

I like it a lot

2012-01-30T12:04:00.002-07:00

Good Monday morning! I am writing this post from the river. The wireless in the river mansion is slower than slow so I am poaching internet from the Great Samoan Hunter's office. I am using one of the guide's desks, and I keep getting distracted by catalogues of shiny things like this:

Lucky for me, that reel is mine. I received that shiny beauty for Christmas. For those of you who don't fish, receiving an upgrade in equipment improves ones cast (and badassness for having such a cool setup) enormously. I went from driving a Hyundai to driving a BMW. Faster. More accurate. Smoother. Sexier. I really like my new reel.

After watching a marathon of a show called Alaska - The Last Frontier on the Discovery Channel, we were inspired to seek a little adventure of our own. This show is about several families who live on a 600 acre homestead in Alaska. They hunt, fish, grown their own fruits and veggies, can, raise cattle, among other things required to survive in the Alaskan wilderness. We kept saying we could do that -- we could be homesteaders! Well, after our self-sustaining weekend, I am confident we could at least feed ourselves.

Fishing not only puts food on the table, it's fun, too!

Pan-sized dinner.

Tuli won the best dressed award, again. Damn him.

Lovely.

Dinner.

I had various herbs in the fridge so I made a tasty garlic herb butter:

1 clove minced garlic, zest from 1/2 a lemon, handful chopped parsley,

cilantro and thyme. Mix with half a stick of softened butter.

The smell is worth making this butter alone -- would be fabulous on just about anything.

Getting ready to bread the fish -- flour, egg wash, panko.

1st: flour with 1 tsp salt and pepper.

2nd: one scrambled egg.

3rd: panko breadcrumbs.

We also dredged one of the trout in chopped pecans, which was my favorite.

Nutty and sweet with the fish. Delicious!

Fried first in half of the herb butter and finished in a 350 degree oven for about 10 minutes.

Love the platter!

Served the fish with sauteed broccolini and lemon wedges.

Can't get any fresher than that.

You don't have to catch your own trout to make this dish. Do try whole fish, though. I am not one who normally eats fish skin, but with the crunchy breading it wasn't at all fishy or gross. The only thing I wasn't too keen on were a few bones, but even those were worth the effort of this delicious meal.

Tonight I will be cooking the chukar that I shot yesterday. I am telling you, the Discovery Channel might be interested in the adventures of this city mouse turned country mouse. I like the country as much as I like my new reel. A lot. I like it a lot.

Muffin top

2012-01-23T16:44:00.001-07:00

Before I begin today's random diatribe, I have to briefly give thanks -- to you, dear internet friends. I realize my blog is but a blip in the garantuan universe of the World Wide Web, and you have myriad other sites to read. But, all three of you, you keep coming back, and I sure love you for that.

As I mentioned in the last blog post, the unabashed eating and drinking and being very merry has caught up to me. There used to be value in putting a little meat on one's bones in order to make it through the cold, bleak winter. Now that 'extra meat' has evolved into horribly irritating food references like 'muffin top,' which are not at all charming. The term 'muffin top' annoys me about as much as the abreviation 'EVOO.' I shutter at that phrase.

Someday when I am a master of English, I am going to strike muffin top and EVOO from the English language. That's what this near degree has earned me -- the power to make up words, as well as eliminate others I loathe.

Sorry, I warned you about the diatribe. I have for you a few photos of the merriment that ensued in Saipan. Because Heather and Nick were cautious of my camera's safety, I didn't take it everywhere. Almost everywhere.

Tuna and avocado salad. I can't wait to recreate this.

Spicy tuna.

So many food options, so little time.

Banana pancakes with caramel sauce AND chocolate ice cream.

Heather opted for the ice cream on the side.

Spam, corned beef hash, chorizo with scrambled eggs and garlic friend rice.

I blame this meal for the muffin top.

Have you ever eaten mac and cheese with chop sticks?

Nope, didn't think so.

$5.00, 5 pound thai feast.

Now that I am home and attempting to establish a routine (still splitting my time between river and city livin), I am also putting forth a diligent effort to gain control of my waistline.

Here's my plan:

Eat breakfast. Eat whole, real foods. Drink less beer. Drink more water. Move a lot (this has largely taken the form of walk/jogs with the Tuli dog and loads of yoga).

Easy, right? So far so good. I plan to sign up for a few fun runs and triathalons this summer to ensure that I am motivated to move. Fear is an extraordinary motivator.

Here's an easy peasy salmon recipe that is both delicious and nutritious. This dish combines garlic, ginger, seasame oil, soy sauce, sriracha and cilantro to create a spicy, flavorful glaze. You can whip up the sauce in the time it takes your oven to preheat. I served mine with quinoa and snap peas marinated in the same sauce. This would be great on any protein -- fish, chicken or pork. Try it, you'll like it.

Baked salmon with spicy glaze

1 lb fillet of salmon

1 clove garlic, minced

1 inch piece of ginger, peeled and minced

1 handful of cilantro, chopped

2 tbs soy sauce

1 tbs seasame oil

1 tbs sriracha (more or less depending on your affection for spice)

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl, combine all of the above ingredients. Place the salmon in a baking dish and pour the glaze over (I spooned the chunks over the salmon). Cover the pan with foil, bake for about 15 minutes or longer depending on your desired doneness. Serve hot or cold and enjoy!

Merry Christmas one and all!

2012-01-19T16:24:00.000-07:00

Are you having deja vu? Me disappearing shortly after Thanksgiving? I guess I need to embrace the fact that December is one busy month! Well, here I am. Refreshed, renewed, at least five pounds heavier and excited to begin regularly blogging again.

As you all know, this site is as much a photo journal of my adventures as it a cooking blog. This post will align with the first description more than the second. Sorry if I dissapointed.

This Christmas marked a couple of firsts: I hosted my very first Christmas, complete with the grocery shopping, decoration hanging, bed making, Christmas wrapping, and all the mayhem associated with hosting nine humans and three canines in one house. It was remarkable -- everyone got along, no one got overly intoxicated, and I didn't poison anyone with my food. Merry Christmas one and all!

Also, the Great Samoan Hunter and I cut down our first Christmas tree. I imagined the outing would resemble others where we hike into the woods, climb mountains, and return 12 twelve hours later exhausted and starving with a Charlie Brown tree. Much to my surprise, we found a glorious tree after walking only 50 yards. I think it was the prettiest tree in the whole forest.

Since Heather, AKA Martha Stewart, could not join us for the holiday, I had to step up my wrapping game. 3337 pieces of tied yarn later, not sure the beauty was worth the effort.

My consolation prize for HOURS of wrapping, the Cooking Channel and Food Network.

Before everyone arrived at the river mansion, the temperatures hovered around zero. When the Great Samoan Hunter decided it would be fun to take his dad duck hunting a few days later, the temperatures dropped to a balmy -14. My camera frosted shut. My shutter reluctantly captured a few shots before it retired for a cup of hot coffee.

These ducks were not shot the day my nostrils and eyelids froze shut.

Nothing moved in those temperatures, less the hunting lunatics.

Thanks to the cold temperatures, we were able to utilize the deck as a walk in refrigerator/freezer, as the kitchen was bursting with delicious food. In fact, I still have enough food stored to host another Christmas. Don't judge me if I feed you Christmas ham in March.

Christmas Eve buffet table with all things good and holy.

In addition to wonderful food and family, we also were incredibly lucky to receive a special visit from Santa. His visit was complete with crying babies, presents and camouflaged muck boots.

After the family left, I ditched the frigid temperatures and snow. Four airports, a sunrise, a sunset, and innumerable crying babies, I arrived:

Saipan!

I packed an extra suitcase filled with Heather and Nick's Christmas presents and got to celebrate all over again! I couldn't get enough of the fake snowmen and palm trees decorated with lights.

We rang in the New Year with true Hodges class.

And danced with the Japanese teenagers who had overrun the hotel. They couldn't get enough of Heather.

In addition to hopping from beach to beach, happy hour to happy hour, mainly I ate my way through Saipan. Heather and Nick were the most amazing tour guides. I sure miss them.

Thursday night street fair = fabulous people watching and cheap and delicious food.

Whole squid, anyone?

This is called the Saipanda. I consumed as many fruity beverages with flowers and/or umbrellas as my wallet and waistline would afford. Thanks to this trip, I am now actively seeking employment and a personal trainer.

Between the beach lounging, fruity drinks, spicy tuna rolls and snorkeling, we snuck in a tour of a merchant marine ship.

As you can tell from the photos, the past several weeks have not been any fun. Truly, all I can say is that I am so grateful and feel very blessed for having the opportunity to spend time with family in amazing locales. 2011 went out with tons of love and laughter and 2012 has continued with even more. I'm looking forward to the great fun that is in store in the coming months. I hope you and yours also had a wonderful holiday!

I promise my next post will be food related . . . a recipe even . . . probably a healthy one considering the decadence that has ensued recently. See you then! xoH

Dazed and confused and hungry

2011-11-29T18:13:00.001-07:00

Has this week been tough for you? Wow. Reentry to reality has left me wondering what day it is and what class I am supposed to attend. After an entire week off I feel more than a little dazed. Vacations are wonderful! No wonder you have to earn them and then spend a week recovering from them.

I love, love, love San Francisco. My previous knowledge of this fabulous metropolitan largely consisted of the BART and Forever 21 at Union Square. After eating my way through the Bay Area, I can confidently say I want to go back. Like, tomorrow.

I have loads of things to report on, but here's a quick photo tour of our adventures:

Half Moon Bay + surfing + 70 degrees + no shark attacks + bloody marys + fresh oysters

HEAVEN.

My car hit a milestone on the trip. I danced a celebratory jig and

then prayed for 100,000 more miles.

View from the Bay Bridge.

Saltwater taffy.

Aquarium splendor.

Holy gills batman.

Sourdough gator!

Chinatown.

Pork bun.

Chinese broccoli.

Stunt woman might be in my future.

Need I say more?

Truffled french fries.

Fields and fields of brussels. I so desperately wanted to bring some home.

Can you tell it was a good week?

Stay tuned for the delectable Thanksgiving spread. Taro and coconut and squid, oh my!

Purple, not pumpkin

2011-11-20T20:45:00.001-07:00

People often ask me why I don't make desserts. One, I don't measure. Two, I am terrified of baking. Three, I am terrified of baking. Did I mention I have a fear of baking?

Behold something rare and unusual here on Hail's Kitchen: a dessert worth making.

With the holidays quickly approaching and things like cranberries in abundance at the grocery aisle, the following dessert is a fun twist on a classic.

Not only does this dessert taste great -- it's tangy and sweet -- and the color of the filling is a gorgeous purple. Your Costco pumpkin pie will look really boring next to this.

Seriously, if I can make these bars, you can make these bars.

I am headed to San Francisco tomorrow morning where I will be eating my first Samoan Thanksgiving. I can't wait to report on palusami and octopus cooked in coconut milk. Cross your fingers I don't get eaten by a shark when we go surfing or get locked into a cell at Alcatraz.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving all! xoH

Cranberries cooked until they "burst!"

Zipped up in the blender until smoothed.

Strain out the solids.

Sweetness.

Cranberries, condensed milk, lemon, egg yolks.

Purple. Not pumpkin.

I ate mine for breakfast.

Cranberry bars
thanks Vegetarian
for the filling:
1 lb cranberries
7 oz sweetened condensed milk
1/4 cup lemon juice
3 egg yolks

for the filling:
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/3 cup graham flour (here's a link on how to make graham flour)
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
6 tbs butter, melted
1/2 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Meanwhile simmer cranberries with 1/2 cup water in a pot. Cook for ten minutes or until the cranberries "burst" then cool.

To make the crust, combine the flours, sugar and salt. Add the butter and vanilla and mix to combine. Press the crust into a buttered 8 inch pan. Bake the crust for 25 minutes. Turn the heat down to 300 degrees.

While the crust bakes, make the filling. Blend the cooled cranberries in a blender until smooth. Strain and transfer to a bowl. Whisk in the condensed milk and lemon followed by the egg yolks. Pour the filling into the hot crust. Bake for 23-28 minutes or until firm in the middle. Cool completely and then slice into squares.

Defying nature

2011-11-17T22:13:00.001-07:00

Good morning and happy Friday! I know the title of Hail's Kitchen suggests food:

However, anyone who knows me, knows that my camera goes everywhere. I would probably take it to class if I was allowed. Well, Hail's Kitchen certainly involves my kitchen adventures (and often misadventures), but it also involves some randomness captured by the camera.

Last weekend Kenai, Tuli and I took a walk around the river mansion, and I heard Tuli whining in a group of thick trees. He wasn't just whimpering he was CRYING like he was dying. I immediately reacted with fear -- animals capable of eating Tuli and myself live in close proximity to the river mansion.

Much to my relief, I discovered this as the cause of the consternation:

A harmless grouse.

Tuli's genes as an upland game bird suggest that he "find the bird!" He did, and I lacked any instrument to "kill the bird" so Tuli took actions into his own little hands/feet. Behold the tree-climbing dog, Tuli:

He climbs better with his tongue out.

Nearly there, buddy.

A little higher . . . activate the tongue.

Four feet up, no grouse.

He was very proud of his new skill that

he asked for glamour shots.

Oh, don't get my bad side.

This side is much better.

Kenai stood at the bottom of the tree in as much shock as me.

So in addition to tree-climbing dogs this past week, I managed to capture some equally amazing moments:

Lord help me if I have ever have children. They will hate cameras. Thanks, Hai, for having the most beautiful boys. xo

I also managed to prepare and photograph a meal that was not as exciting as dogs who defy nature or children worthy of porcelain.

Lately I have been obsessed with two things: braising and inexpensive cuts of meat. Short ribs and chicken thighs are my favorites, as they are very reasonably priced, easy to cook, and oh so delicious. The following meal came to together in less than hour, required very little effort, and produced a meal that fed us with wonderful leftovers for three days.

I trick myself into thinking these are healthy because they have no skin,

then I cook I cook them in bacon. Go figure.

Leeks, garlic, mushrooms.

Chicken broth, fresh thyme, a little half and half,

salt and pepper.

Served with wild rice with grapes. Try it, you'll like it!

Braised chicken thighs with leeks and mushrooms

1 package chicken thighs (somewhere between 1.5-2.5 lbs)

3 slices bacon, roughly chopped

2 leeks, sliced

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1 8 oz package mushrooms, stems trimmed but left whole

3 sprigs fresh thyme

about 2 cups chicken broth

about 1 cup half and half

handful flour

salt and pepper

In a large pot with a lid or dutch oven, cook bacon until it's crispy. Drain off any extra bacon grease. Meanwhile, dredge the chicken thighs in a bowl with flour and about 1 tsp salt/pepper. Fry in the pan with the bacon, browning on all sides. Remove the chicken and add the leeks, garlic and mushrooms. Cook until wilted -- about 2 minutes. Add the broth and scrape up the goodness that has accrued on the bottom of the pan. Return the chicken to the pan along with the thyme (the broth should just cover the chicken -- adjust if needed). Put the lid on, turn to the heat down to a simmer. Cook for about 40 minutes or until the chicken thighs are tender and falling apart. Add the half and half, salt and pepper simmer about five more minutes. This was great with wild rice, but potatoes would be great too. Enjoy!

Throwing a bone

2011-11-16T08:06:00.001-07:00

I love blogs. Over the years, I have obsessively followed a few to the point that I evolved from reader to stalker. There is something incredibly unique about this medium. Blogs are available to anyone who has something to say -- no need for a publisher or techie knowledge. They trace your life. It's remarkably fun to look back on what I was doing one year ago (making cauliflower soup, actually).

My dear friend Ashley turned me onto a blog that provides this gentle reminder in various forms: be kind to yourself. For someone who continually struggles with throwing herself a bone, this site rocks.

So, guess what I did this week? I threw a myself an enormous bone: I postponed my paper deadline and oral defense.

This decision did not come without lots of kicks and screams. However, once I realized the benefits of finishing the semester with passing scores, restoring the health of my silly body, and completing a paper I will be proud of, I alleviated so much stress and anxiety that I think I grew two inches.

I actually completed all of the reading for class last evening. I participated like a human and not some drone who mimics the other warm-blooded creatures sitting next to her. It was weird.

I struggle with this concept of balance -- humbling to admit you can't manage all of those spinning plates. By allowing one plate to slow down a bit, I can now pay attention to those that precariously held on through the mayhem. Sorry if you were one of those plates.

I know I'll look back on this post one year from now (Master's degree and paper months behind me) and be glad I decided to be kind to myself. Blogs are cool like that.

Here's another bone for you to chew on: braised short ribs. With cold weather upon us, this is the perfect meal to fill your home with delicious smells and your tummy with the flavors of fall.

Beef short ribs.

Seared on all sides.

See that? That is flavor.

Three carrots, three celery ribs, three cloves of garlic.

Red wine, beef broth, mushrooms, fresh thyme

(which didn't make the photo deadline).

Slow and low for three hours.

Fuzzy photo, fabulous meal.

Braised beef short ribs

1.5 lbs beef short ribs

3 carrots, chopped

3 celery ribs, chopped

3 cloves garlic, smashed

1 8 oz package mushrooms, whole

3 sprigs fresh thyme

1/2 bottle red wine

1 cup beef broth

olive oil

flour

salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. In a large, dutch oven or other oven safe pot with a lid, heat about 1-2 tbs olive oil over medium-high heat. Meanwhile, dredge the short ribs in a handful of flour and about 1 tsp salt and pepper. Brown the meat on all sides. Remove short ribs and add the carrots, celery and garlic to the pot. Saute for about 5 minutes. Deglaze the pan with the broth and simmer for about 2 minutes, scrapping all the goodness off the bottom of the pan. Return the ribs to the pan along with the mushrooms, wine and thyme. Give it a good stir and tuck the ribs into the braising liquid. Place the lid on the pot and place in the oven. Cook for 2.5-3 hours when the meat falls of the bone. Serve over mashed potatoes. Enjoy!

Creamy, saucy, spicy

2011-11-09T09:13:00.000-07:00

It sure feels good to write in my Hail's Kitchen voice rather than the academic voice that has dominated my brain recently. Why didn't someone warn me that writing a paper like mine would be a full-time job. In fact, I am working overtime on this paper. Hazard pay?

I am so close to having this thing wrapped up. Sooooo close. You know when you are nearing the end of a race, and your body begs you to give up, your mind taunts you to quit, but miraculously something inside you tells your body and mind to shut the hell up. You manage to cross the finish line and then someone hands you a beer. (The beer part might be unique to my family).

I am living that stage now. My endurance is waning. My body is revolting with strange disorders (shingles?!). My attitude is less than positive. However, I am pushing through because I know my family and friends will be there at the finish line, beers in hand, to congratulate me.

That day cannot come soon enough.

On a completely unrelated and fabulous note, river living received a major upgrade this past week. We basically moved from a shoebox to mansion. This move is temporary, sadly. Mansion river living will only last through May, but words can't express my affection for this new abode. It. Is. Amazing.

I had to break myself away from the masion to join in on the hunting this past weekend. It's cow elk season, and we are trying diligently to fill the freezer. We hiked up hills, over hills, down hills, across hills. Did I mention up and down hills? I spent equal time on my arse as I did on my feet. We saw every critter but elk. I am praying that the Great Samoan Hunter finds one this week while I am in the city.

After burning twelve thousand calories, the following meal hit the spot. Shrimp and grits have been on my wish list for a long time. Creamy, saucy, spicy. We earned all the cheese and bacon after our hiking marathon.

Eliza and Narcissa are calling. Until next time, friends. xoH

Tuli is living bird dog heaven.

Never in my life did I think my kitchen counter would

display food as well as bullets.

The Great Samoan Hunter.

Three chopped green onions and one green pepper.

Three slices crispy bacon.

Cook one pound shrimp in bacon grease until just pink.

Add the green onions, green pepper,

1 large chopped shallot and 3 cloves minced garlic.

Add half of can of diced tomatoes and one cup beer with

1-2 tbs cayenne pepper, 1 tsp smoked paprika and 1 tsp oregano.

Simmer about 3 minutes or until the liquid is mostly reduced.

Return the shrimp and bacon to the pan.

(I doused the shrimp with a bit more cayenne).

Cook only to rewarm the shrimp and bacon.

Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serve immediately over the cheesy grits.

For the grits: bring four cups broth to a boil.

Add two cups quick cook cornmeal and

stir vigorously for about 2 minutes.

Add one cup shredded cheddar cheese. Stir to combine.

Season with black pepper.

This parsely jumped on the plate.

Preview: braised short ribs.

You clean it, I cook it

2011-10-31T11:28:00.001-06:00

Happy Halloween! I am rocking out to my newest Pandora station -- Halloween Party Radio. These songs are silly and ridiculous and totally wonderful. I am Monster Mashing right now!

Halloween might be my favorite holiday. Over the years Heather and I have concocted some grandiose costumes: Sarah Palin and Cindy McCain, sister wives with a life-sized cutout of Warren Jeffs, unicorn and toucan. Since Heather now lives in paradise, I had to whip up my own costume.

My love for BSU football is not a secret, nor is my desire to one day be the Boise State Bronco girl. After watching her gallop around the field at last weekend's game against Air Force, my costume was decided.

Thanks to the crafty assistance of Ashley and the overnighting of the head from Julia, behold the Boise State Bronco girl and her faithful stead:

Amazingly, no fights ensued, no one spent the night in jail, and the head was only mildly accosted. If this master's degree goes nowhere, that BSU cowgirl will have some competition.

In addition to wearing chaps and fake, blue eyelashes, I spent some time in the kitchen this weekend. It's hunting season, which means I have to come up with creative ways to mask the taste of often gamey birds. On the menu yesterday, pheasant.

Pheasant actually tastes likes chicken. It lacks the gamey, icky taste of other birds, and it is super lean. Fortunately, I don't do any cleaning of the birds. Fair trade off -- you clean it, I cook it.

I decided to make a fall potpie with squash and kale. I adapted (no surprise) the recipe from one in a Martha Stewart magazine. You could easily swap out the pheasant for chicken or turkey, or omit it all together for a vegetarian dish. This rustic meal really hit the spot yesterday.

We also whipped up some jalapeno poppers for an appetizer. Readers beware, you will fall in love! They are super easy and fast to throw together, and they are beyond tasty. They would make a perfect snack for trick-or-treaters OR those distributing candy.

For good measure, I think I'll wear my chaps to class this afternoon. They're too awesome to only wear once. Have a fun evening all!

Leek love.

I love fall.

Pot pie filling.

Simmered for 20 minutes.

To make the poppers:

slice 8 -10 jalapenos in half, remove the seeds and ribs.

Combine 1 tbs mayo, 1 cup shredded cheese and 1 block cream cheese.

Slather cheese mixture into the jalapenos.

Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 20 minutes or until golden and melty.

Kale and squash potpie with pheasant

1 pheasant (I boiled the meat and shredded it to remove any shot -- got two!)

1 bunch kale, roughly chopped

1 medium hard squash, peeled and cubed

3 leeks, sliced (only use the white/greenish part)

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 15 oz can diced tomatoes

3 cups broth (veggie or chicken)

1 tbs Italian seasoning

salt and pepper to taste

1 tbs olive oil

2 pie crusts

1 egg

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a large pot or saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add the leeks and garlic and sauté until wilted, about five minutes. Add the cooked pheasant, squash, kale, tomatoes, broth, Italian seasoning and simmer for 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Pour mixture into a large baking dish. Cover with the pie crusts and brush with an egg wash (just scramble an egg and brush on the crust). Cut vent slits into the crust and bake for 45-55 minutes or until golden and bubbly. Enjoy!

Time, commitment, patience, helpers and a big bottle of wine

2011-10-20T10:23:00.000-06:00

As promised, post numero dos! Today I will be writing the largest, the hardest and the most comprehensive chapter of my thesis. I figured by writing here first I would grease the creative wheels a bit. Plus, I am only on cup two of coffee. My fingers and brain have yet to be adequately primed.

Thesis writing aside, I have a meal of epic proportions today: gnocchi (or as my friend/ roommate/landlord Brooke says endearingly: gnotchi). Every time I see gnocchi on a restaurant menu I have to order it. I love the delicacy (most often) of these little Italian potato dumplings. The ideal gnocchi is light and airy and will be the perfect platform for your favorite sauce(s).

Gnocchi has been high on my bucket list ever since Martha Stewart published a spread about it a number of years ago. However, I have never had the necessary equipment -- a potato rice or food mill. Thanks to the graciousness of friends, I now my possess my very own food mill! Potatoes around the State just shivered.

According to Jaime Oliver (not Italian but my most admired foodie), "proper gnocchi is simply made from potatoes, flour, egg and seasoning." The secret to perfect gnocchi, per Jaime, is to bake your potatoes, making for light, dry, fluffy flesh. You want to use as little flour as possible to achieve the same lightness in the finished product. Finding the right amount of flour took some practice for us. We felt like Goldilocks trying out beds -- eventually we got the flour just right.

Making gnocchi is much like making pasta -- it requires time, commitment, patience, helpers and a big bottle of wine. Now that I think about it, writing a thesis is much like making gnocchi. Is it too early to start drinking wine?

Roasty, toasty.

Scooping out the potato flesh.

My new favorite kitchen utensil.

Thank you Ashley's garage sale leftovers!

I wish you could touch this -- lovely lightness.

One egg yolk, salt/pepper and a dash of nutmeg.

The first bed -- not enough flour.

The second bed -- more flour.

The third bed -- just right.

They conveniently float to the surface when finished cooking.

A busy, occupied kitchen = Hailey's happy place.

First sauce: sautéed mushrooms with sage, thyme and brown butter.

Second sauce: roasted and fresh tomatoes with feta.

What I would give for some of these leftovers right now.

Potato gnocchi

thanks to Jaime Oliver's Cook with Jaime

Here's the recipe in all of his charm:

6 medium potatoes

olive oil

1/2 a nutmeg, grated

sea salt and fresh ground pepper

1 large free-range egg yolk

1-2 handfuls of all-purpose flour

semolina flour

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Rub your potatoes with olive oil, prick them with a fork and lay them in a roasting tray. Put in the preheated oven and bake for an hour until the potatoes are fluffy on the inside and crispy on the outside. allow them to cool for a couple of minutes and then, when they are still nice and hot, use a dish towel to pick up your potatoes one at a time, cut them in half and carefully scoop the flesh out of the skins into a ricer. When you have lovely and smooth mashed potato, put it into a bowl. Add the nutmeg, a tablespoon of salt, a pinch of pepper, the egg yolk and enough of the flour to bind your mixture -- you may not need it all. Mix together and then knead with your hands until you have a dry, doughy consistency. Add a little water if it feels too dry, or a little more flour if it's too wet. To get the hang of perfect gnocchi dough, you'll have to practice a few times. **the best advice in the recipe!!!** If you're unsure, try testing one by chucking it in some boiling water -- if it falls apart, add a bit more flour to the dough.

Once you have your gnocchi dough, divide it into 3 pieces and roll each piece out on a floured surface into long tubes the thickness of a sausage. Cut each of the tubes into 1 inch pieces. Place them on a bed of semolina flour on a tray and put in the fridge for 10 to 20 minutes.

Cook gnocchi in a pot of salted boiling water for about 4 minutes or until they float to the surface. Once, cooked the gnocchi are very delicate, so carefully drain them in a colander. Add them to your sauce and Enjoy!

My yolk was in fact free range -- thanks Ashley! I didn't have fresh nutmeg, a dash of ground worked great. Also, I didn't have semolina flour. Regular old flour worked swell. Also, we determined that smaller gnocchi is both cuter and more functional. Try this recipe. You won't be disappointed!

Groovy and upbeat

2011-10-18T09:17:00.000-06:00

Hello all! I started my Tuesday by listening to Stevie Wonder instead of the usual Morning Edition. Stevie has become my favorite pandora station -- groovy and upbeat. I am swaying with my eyes closed as I type right now. Less occupy Wall Street and more sunshine.

This past weekend my folks joined me on the river. We had been planning this overnight trip for months. October weather can be tricky, especially when you're camping. The Tetons already show a healthy blanket of snow. We lucked out though! Great weather, excellent fishing, fabulous company and delicious food.

Fall colors and cheery anglers.

Cow moose.

Brown trout.

Model dog.

Model parents.

Drink anyone?

Shish kabobs.

Flank steak.

Breakfast burrito fixings.

Both of my parents caught fish on dry flies, which is always thrilling. I successfully rowed the boat without endangering anyone's life. Tuli took the award as the best dressed man. And we didn't drive our guide totally nutty. Great success!

I will, amazingly, have another post for you all this week. Here's a preview:

HOMEMADE gnocchi.

Pillows of Heaven. Clouds of goodness. Cushions of delight.

Until then, friends! xoH

Mandolins and Christmas music

2011-10-07T11:10:00.000-06:00

Guess what I heard on the radio yesterday? The song: "Let It Snow." Am I mistaken? Isn't it October? Halloween is still a few weeks away.

Perhaps this is what encouraged the ridiculous melody to pierce my ears:

That's the view out of the front door yesterday afternoon. We've been socked in with temperatures hovering around forty the last couple of days. This weather makes me want to curl up around a fire. Take a bath. Drink hot beverages. Apparently, this weather also causes out of their mind radio producers to play Christmas songs. Go figure.

I had an extra night in the city this week so rather than listening to Christmas songs on Clazy 97 I decided to bust out the mandolin. Inclement weather really brings out the slicer in me.

The last few weeks I have been dabbling with a wheat-free diet. I know, you think I have truly lost my marbles. I have a sensitive tummy that is easily upset over most things normal humans eat . . . like yogurt and ice cream. Hi, my name is Hailey, and I am lactard.

Lately, though, I have been experiencing the same uncomfortable symptoms when I eat wheat. Not that you care about my GI issues, but I have a serious love affair with wheat products. Pasta, bread, BEEEERRRRR.

I have been pretty good at choosing my battles, because let's be honest, I am already a bit neurotic and certainly do not need anything else to stress out about. So yesterday when I started dreaming about lasagna during my linguistics study group I gave in to the craving.

The following lasagna is not your run of the mill lasagna. This lasagna is company-worthy, sit at the dining room table-worthy, bottle of wine worth more than $5.75-worthy.

This lasagna oozes goodness (literally) for three reasons: the béchamel sauce, the sautéed chard and the yams (or sweet potatoes whatever camp you live in).

A note of warning, this dish takes some time and a few dishes. Don't attempt to make this lasagna after a long day of work while listening to Christmas music on Clazy 97 in October -- you might turn the mandolin on yourself.

This is both a photo of a garnet yam and my double-jointed thumb.

To make the béchamel sauce: simmer 3.5 cups milk with

1 chopped onion, 3 gloves garlic and 1 tsp thyme for 2-3 mins.

Remove from heat and allow to steep for 10 minutes.

Drain the solids from the milk.

Melt (don't judge me) 6 tablespoons butter and

whisk in 3 tablespoon flour. Whisk constantly for 2 minutes

then add the drained milk.

Stir constantly for at least 5 minutes.

You will doubt that your sauce will ever come together, it will, I promise.

Just keep stirring!

You know it's done when you can draw a line on the back of a spoon

and it doesn't run together.

The assembly line.

Matt and Brook's dog, Kenai, desperately wanted to help.

In a large oven-safe dish, spoon enough sauce to cover the bottom of the pan

and drizzle with a little olive oil to ensure non-stickage lasagna removal.

Layer pasta noodles, the chard mixture, yams and sliced cheese.

Then add another layer of noodles, more sauce,

more chard, yams, cheese, noodles, sauce, cheese.

Holy cheese, Batman.

Bake in a 350 degree oven for 45 minutes or until golden and bubbly.

Allow the lasagna to sit for at least ten minutes before cutting.

Can't for lunch leftovers!

Swiss chard and yam lasagna

for the lasagna:

2 bunches swiss chard, chopped

2 yams, peeled and sliced thin

2 shallots, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 package sausage (I found a fabulous sweet Italian chicken sausage at Freddies)

1 box no boil lasagna noodles

3 packages sliced sharp white cheddar cheese

salt and pepper

olive oil

béchamel sauce:

1 onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, chopped

3.5 cups milk

1 tsp thyme (dried or fresh)

6 tbs unsalted butter

3 tbs flour

1/2 cup parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Start the béchamel first by bringing the onions, garlic, thyme and milk to simmer over medium heat -- be careful with high heat, as you will scald your milk. Gently simmer for 2-3 minutes and remove from the heat. Allow to steep for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large saute pan, heat a glug of oil over medium high heat. Add the shallots and garlic and saute until fragrant. Add the sausage, breaking up into bite-sized pieced. Add the chard and saute until wilted. Season with salt and pepper.

Drain the solids from the milk. Melt the butter and gradually add the flour, whisking constantly. After about 2 minutes, slowly incorporate the milk, again whisking constantly. After you have whisked for what feels like hours (5-10 minutes), the sauce will begin to thicken. Check its thickens with the spoon test. Remove from the heat and add the parmesan cheese.

Now you are read to assemble! In a large oven-safe dish, spoon enough sauce to cover the bottom of the pan and drizzle with a little olive oil to ensure non-stickage lasagna removal. Layer pasta noodles, the chard mixture, yams and sliced cheese. Then add another layer of noodles, more sauce, more chard, yams, cheese, noodles, sauce cheese until you are at the top of the pan and out of ingredients.

Bake for 45 minutes or until golden and bubbly. Allow the lasagna to sit for at least ten minutes before cutting. Enjoy!

My new calling

2011-10-04T09:43:00.000-06:00

It's alive!

We had to sacrifice my lens, but all told, my little buddy is a-okay! The camera man sold me on the importance of a good lens, lenses are your investment, he reinforced. I knew camera equipment is pricey. I sold my CAR to buy my camera! However, I had no clue you could drop this kind of coin on lenses. As much as I wanted to spend $1700 on a 70-200 mm lens, I settled for my go to 50 mm. I did upgrade to glass, which as you'll see below, I had some fun experimenting with it this weekend.

Speaking of the weekend, it was gorgeous here! The river traffic has slowed down so I had the odd Saturday to play. We took a drive over the river and through the woods where the hillsides have been sprinkled with windmills. I felt like I had been transported to an alien planet. I love these things, but they sure look strange.

Where's the bird, Tuli?

View from the office.

Monday started off a little wonky. I drove nearly 45 minutes and realized I had forgotten a whole stack of readings for a paper I have to write today. Oops. I am certain my ballet comrades cried because I wasn't in class to dazzle them with my skills.

The day, however, gradually improved: my thesis adviser gave me a big thumbs up on my introduction (hooray!), turkey legs were in stock at Freddie's, and I was in bed by 10:30. Best part of the day!

The following recipe is loosely adapted from one by Jamie Oliver. I swapped out Jaime's duck for turkey legs. Can you imagine a turkey leg version of hot wings (legs)?

Regardless, these turkey legs are great. Next time you are at Fred Meyer (or Smith's since they are related), look for them. They add a nice twist to dinner. This gorgeous stew can easily be made in the crock pot, served with pasta or mashed potatoes, and you could certainly leave the meat on the bone. Whatever you do, try this dish. It is an excellent fall meal.

In addition to turkey legs, I also pulled out my mandolin, which I have never used before. Holy hell this thing is amazing! I could do an infomercial for it because it truly slices like a dream. Fingers beware, it does not discriminate! I made a potato tart to go with the turkey stew and had loads of leftover slices. BEST POTATO CHIPS EVER! The first batch I sprinkled salt, pepper and dill, the second batch only garlic salt and pepper. Yes, I think I have found my calling. Potato chip queen.

Season with salt and pepper.

Brown in a large pot or dutch oven.

Diced shallot, carrot, celery and garlic.

The stars of the dish: orange juice and zest.

One cinnamon stick.

A handful of rosemary.

Throw in some olives and bake until the meat falls off the bone.

It's harvest time in Idaho.

The instrument of torture.

Layer on a nonstick sheet pan.

Salt, pepper, chopped rosemary and feta cheese.

Bake in a 350 degree oven until crispy and delicious (about 30 mins).

Turkey legs A LA Jaime Oliver

4-6 turkey legs

3 carrots, chopped

3 celery sticks, chopped

2 shallots, chopped

4 cloves garlic, chopped

1 orange, zest and juice

4 large tomatoes, chopped (or one can)

3 sprigs fresh rosemary

3 tbs flat leaf parsley, chopped

1/2 cup olives

1/2 bottle of crisp white wine

1/2 cup broth

1 cinnamon stick

salt and pepper

olive oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat about 3 tbs olive oil over medium heat in a large dutch oven or oven-safe pan with a lid. Brown the turkey legs on all sides -- you may have to do this in batches. Remove the legs and add the celery, carrots, shallots and garlic. Cook, scrapping up the bits on the bottom of the pan, for about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and bring to a boil. Add the wine, broth, olives, orange zest and juice and the parsley. Stir well to combine. Return the legs to the pan -- I had to get creative so they all could fit. Add the cinnamon stick and rosemary. Place the pan, with the lid on, in the oven and bake for about 1.5 hours or until the turkey meat falls easily off the bone. Shred the meat off the bone -- watching for bones -- and return to the sauce. Enjoy!

Crying over spilled milk, sort of

2011-09-27T10:27:00.001-06:00

I have bad news today. What I am about to report is something I have feared for months, nay years.

My camera is dead.

Let's rewind to 2008. This was a huge year for yours truly. Called off a wedding, moved out of my house, left my dogs, started a new job, had heart surgery, sold my car and BOUGHT MY CAMERA.

Hail's Kitchen (or something like it) was on my wish list of things to do. "Someday I'll have a camera, then I can start the blog." I must have repeated that statement twelve thousand times.

I sold my little Hyundai to a couple who spoke no English -- we completed the entire transaction in the parking lot of Walmart in Spanish. They bought the car sans driving it, because the wife said it was pretty.

Long story short, bought my beloved canon and started the blog. If you bravely look back on the first few photos, we had a rough start. I didn't grasp the concept of lighting. I still don't really grasp this concept, but I at least appreciate it now three years later.

I guess the point of my pathetic diatribe is I have nothing to tantalize your taste-buds with this morning. That's the thing with food blogs, a photo is truly worth a thousand words and right now all effort in word production should be dedicated to my thesis.

So if you are of the praying type, please say a prayer that the good folks at Canon will work their magic and restore my camera to all its previous glory.

Until then, here is a video that has nothing at all to do with food. For a girl who is trying to learn to dance at thirty years old, I watched this video in complete awe.

Come on science!

2011-09-20T16:29:00.000-06:00

If you could have one wish right this very moment what would it be? Win the lottery? Have the ability to fly or read minds? Even better, the ability to teleport? Guess what mine is this very second -- a CLONE! I want a clone who would studiously read my homework, attend class and write my thesis. My clone would free up my time so I could play outside in this glorious 72 degree weather. Because I have no clone, I am stuck inside attempting to write a chapter of my paper.

I can hear you crying, too, because you're stuck at your desk. Clones. I am telling you, the world would be a happier, more productive planet if we had mirror images of ourselves to do all of our unwanted work. Come on science!

Since you are stuck at your desk, here's something delightful to distract you. FHE last night was less of an affair than last week. My roommates had some gorgeous, wild Alaskan salmon that we grilled on cedar planks. Thanks to my lovely neighbor and friend Ashley, we had the tastiest of tasty glazes for the fish: chipotle huckleberry. I will get the recipe for you straight away, as it was really something special.

We had a number of sad looking root vegetables in the fridge so I once again tricked the roommates into eating rutabagas and turnips. We also sauteed some red cabbage and kale. Without planning, we created quite the antioxidant-rich, purple meal.

Try these mashed veggies. You'll like them, and I'm certain if you had a clone, s/he would like them too.

I peeled the rutabagas and turnips and left the potato skins on.

Boil in salted water until tender.

(The rutabagas take longer so you could put them in a few minutes

before everything else).

Mash up and blend with 1/2 cup broth (vegetable, chicken or beef),

2 tbs butter, 1 heaping tbs grainy mustard. Season to taste with ground pepper.

Cedar planks soaking.

Deboning the salmon. Fish bones are about as pleasant as gun shot.

Wild and delicious.

Matt glazing.

Product placement was entirely accidental.

You're welcome Deschutes.

Family home evening

2011-09-13T09:34:00.000-06:00

A tradition has been established: Monday night family home evening. This borrowed term describes the gathering of friends, the drinking of wine, and the only night I have to cook. These shared meals are an antidote to the dreaded case of the Mondays.

This week's meal was particularly fun because I employed the assistance of my roommate and my neighbor. We also employed the assistance of Indian food queen Madhur Jaffrey for inspiration. We perused the cookbook and the fridge choosing dishes that helped us clean out the bounty of vegetables from the past week's CSA shares.

We chose seven dishes and two condiments. Seven main course meals that required an enormous amount of slicing, dicing and blending. The three of us, armed with numerous instruments of vegetable mutilation, managed to produce this feast in just two hours. I kept asking the girls, "I am not sure if we have enough food." I was sincerely concerned.

Friends, we cooked the equivalent of an Indian Thanksgiving dinner. We will be eating Indian food until I come home next Monday. We had plenty of food.

Here's the menu: carrots with dates and raisins, peas with tomatoes, creamed spinach, mung bean sprout salad, cauliflower and zucchini, corn and coconut milk, lentils with tomatoes, yogurt raita and cilantro chutney.

After this meal, I am confident I can orchestrate just about any family eating event -- Thanksgiving, Christmas or Monday night family home evening.

Excuse me while I heat up a plate of leftovers. Until next week!

The bounty.

I chopped three HEADS of garlic and six inches of ginger.

Thank you Pampered Chef.

Cilantro chutney lovingly assembled by my kitchen partners in crime.

No dish, pan, plate or fork was left unscathed.

As a result, dessert required some creativity:

butter knife, baby spoon, melon baller, serving spoon.

These two dishes seemed to be the favorites. This corn is out of this world. Please try it. The peas, well, the peas will make your toes curl. Just saying.

Corn with coconut milk

adapted from Madhur Jaffrey's Vegetarian Cooking

4 cups corn

1 large onion, sliced in rings

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 1/2 tsp cumin seeds

1/4 tsp ground tumeric

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1 tsp salt

1 tsp sugar

2 tbs vegetable oil

2 cans coconut milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large oven-safe pan with a lid, combine corn and coconut milk. Bring to a boil and then set aside. In a separate pan, heat oil over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until caramelized, stirring frequently -- about 10 minutes. Remove and set aside. Meanwhile, combine the garlic, cumin, tumeric, cayenne and 1/4 cup water in a small bowl. Add this mixture to the same pan as the onions. Fry for about a minute. Add the onions, sugar and spice paste to the coconut and corn. Bring to a boil. Cover and place in the oven. Bake for 45 minutes.

Peas

also adapted from Madhur Jaffrey's Vegetarian Cooking

1 gigantic bag of frozen peas

1 large onion, roughly chopped

1 inch chunk of ginger, peeled and roughly chopped

3 large tomatoes, diced

1 tbs red chili flakes (or more if you like it spicier)

1 tbs ground coriander (I had coriander seeds and it was delicious)

1/4 tsp ground tumeric

1 tsp salt

1 tsp black pepper

2 tbs vegetable oil

Put the chopped onion and ginger along with 1/4 cup water in a food processor. Blend until you have a smooth paste. Heat the oil in a large pan. Add the spices and stir until fragrant, then add the onion/ginger paste. Cook until the paste begins to caramelize -- about 5 minutes. Add the chopped tomatoes. Fry for another 5 minutes. Add the peas, salt and pepper and simmer for 10 minutes or until the peas are cooked through.

Craving fall

2011-09-07T08:32:00.001-06:00

Hello all! Guess what? It is WEDNESDAY! I think all weeks should start on Tuesday. Just saying.

I hope you and yours enjoyed the weekend. The weather here couldn't have been better; however, fall is in the air. In fact, the leaves on the river have a yellow twinge to them. As soon as the temperature drops below fifty degrees my stomach starts to growl for cold weather food. While I should be enjoying the bounty of summer, all I wanted yesterday was roast beef.

The grocery store had all sorts of fun root vegetables: turnips, parsnips, rhutabagas. This is a fun dish to trick finicky eaters into eating foodstuffs they would normally shy away from. Since I don't have kids I get to trick my roommates.

This recipe will look familiar.

Roast beast.

Just another manic Monday

2011-08-30T08:24:00.000-06:00

I have a strange confession: I enjoy Mondays. Usually I return to the city on Monday mornings, always late and rushing like my hair's on fire. This has been the routine all summer. Now instead of heading to my job, I head straight to BALLET.

I still am one of the worst in the class. Not THE worst but damn close. If a good ballet dancer was one who stomped around awkwardly and waved her arms like she was shooing flies, then I would be the best ballet dancer on the planet.

My hour and thirty minute drive gives me time to listen to NPR, drink coffee and mentally prepare myself for being a bull in a china shop. It also gives me time to dream about what I'll cook with my one night in the kitchen.

Yesterday I wanted something unfussy. I wanted something we could enjoy on the patio. I wanted something that did not require utensils. I wanted grilled flank steak and veggies.

A brief diatribe: when I was in England in March we ate one of Jamie Oliver's restaurants called Fifteen. This meal was without a doubt the most memorable dinner I have ever had. In fact, I don't think I have posted pictures from that meal -- I will! Nonetheless, they served the most wonderful green olives. They were bright green, tender, not brined. I felt bad because I devoured the entire bowl leaving my dinner mates to nibble on the seeds. My mom let me know that they carry a close second at Fred Meyer and lucky for me, we have these divine little olives at my store, as well. If you like olives you must try these. I think I enjoyed the appetizer last night more than the meal.

As summer wanes, make a meal like this one that requires very little prep time and clean up. Call some friends, open a bottle of wine, and eat with your fingers. Do it on a Monday, too.

Toasted bread with olive oil and sea salt, feta cheese and

green goodness.

Not the best shot, but you get the drift.

I marinated the steak in something close to this.

Serve on a big plater and enjoy!

Dessert did require a spoon.

I spy with my little eyes . . .

2011-08-23T11:16:00.000-06:00

Yesterday was my first day of my last semester of graduate school -- woohoo! I met with my thesis adviser who helped me map out a writing plan for my MA paper, I sat down with my graduate adviser and wrote out my petition to graduate, and I attended my first BALLET class. Monday was a big day.

A note on the ballet class, I am about as graceful and elegant as an armadillo. Imagine my fear and trepidation walking up to class when all the ballerinas were decked out in their pink tights and leotards, spread eagle in the hallway. I nervously asked, "Is this Ballet 1?" They looked me up and down, fortunately wearing yoga pants and not jeans, and snickered.

I sincerely expected the first class to be more or less a tutorial: my name is, wear this, bring water, explain the posses, this is the bar. Negative ghost rider. We jumped right in with all sorts of words and posses I couldn't pronounce less articulate with my awkward, gangly body. I am headed today to buy ballet slippers and maybe some tights. Not sure about the leotard. I hope by investing in some ballet attire I will be guilted into going back on Wednesday.

As you wait with bated breath for a report on Wednesday's class here are some photos of the latest river adventure. I spy with my little eyes:

Two bull moose. Can you see them?

They were close enough to throw a stone at,

but fortunately they were more concerned with munching on grass than our humble presence.

I wouldn't want him swimming in my direction.

Hasta luego, moose.

As with most things I cook, I begin dreaming about them mid-morning. The following dish is no exception. I started craving these flavors as I was preparing for my linguistics class. Reading about phonetics and morphology really incites an appetite.

These meatballs were inspired by a Vietnamese sandwich called a bahn mi. It is typically made with lemongrass and ginger marinated pork, carrots, cucumbers, cilantro and served on a baguette. My ballet experience still fresh on the mind, I decided to swap the pork for ground turkey, the baguette for lettuce. Go figure.

The weather was scorchingly hot here so this fresh, light salad was perfect for a late meal. These meatballs would be fabulous over rice or noodles or in a baguette. Or munched on alone walking to ballet class.

Lemongrass. Remove the woody outside and use only the tender core.

Grated ginger, garlic, chopped cilantro, sliced green onions, minced lemongrass,

chili paste, rice wine vinegar, fish sauce.

Brown on the stove first and finish in a 350 degree oven.

Served over lettuce with shredded carrots, bean sprouts, cilantro and pickles.

I made a quick Asian dressing with more garlic and ginger, chili paste, rice wine vinegar,

vegetable oil, and dab of mayo to hold it all together.

Asian meatballs

1 lb ground meat of your liking

1 inch piece ginger, minced or grated

4 garlic cloves, minced or grated

1 large handful cilantro, chopped

4 green onions, sliced

4 lemongrass spears, tough outside removed, minced

1 tbs rice wine vinegar

1 tbs fish sauce

1 tbs chili paste

1 egg

1/2 cup breadcrumbs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine all the ingredients, less the meat, egg and breadcrumbs; stir well to combine. Add the meat, egg and breadcrumbs. Mix to incorporate and form little balls. Brown in a lightly oiled skillet in batches then place on a cookie sheet. Bake in the oven for about 10 minutes or until cooked through. Enjoy!

You say tomato, I say tomatillo

2011-08-17T16:50:00.000-06:00

This summer has been bittersweet because, while I have been enjoying my time playing on and around the river, I have not been playing on the farm. I look forward to the day when I once again have my own little plot of dirt to plant obscure veggies. Until then, I enjoy the benefits of friends' CSA shares and the occasional score at the grocery store.

I stopped in Winco yesterday to avoid senselessly driving out of my way to another store. Winco usually exhausts me. I liken my trips to Winco to trips to Walmart. I have seen one too many obese women proudly flaunting their too-tiny t-shirts and Eeyore sweat pants.

However, yesterday I was delighted by the selection of produce and a little girl who insisted on showing me her lollipop that was as large as she was. Her mother and I continued to bump into each other in the dairy aisle, produce corner and checkout lane. This little person looked at me each time with her enormous doe eyes and pronounced, "Mira!" I attempted to converse in my broken Spanish asking how old she was and telling her that she was "preciosa!" I need to brush up on conversational Spanish just so I can chat with darling two year olds in the check out line.

In addition to my new friend, I found some beautiful tomatillos. If you like salsa verde, you must try this recipe. It is so easy. I added avocados to the mix and WOWIE! If I may humbly say, this is the best salsa verde I have eaten.

Take a field trip to your local Winco. Brush up on your Spanish. Befriend a toddler. Make this salsa.

Lovely little lantern.

Peel them open to reveal the tomato cousin.

1.5 lbs tomatillos, 1 large onion, four garlic cloves and two jalapenos (seeded)

drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with salt and pepper.

Roast for about 20 - 25 minutes in a 425 degree oven.

Blend with a large handful of cilantro and three avocados.

Also, juice of two limes, 3 chopped green onions,

1/2 tsp salt, pepper, cumin and oregano.

Add some cayenne for additional heat.

Sweet and salty and spectacular!

Cheers to an unscathed neighborhood

2011-08-16T10:14:00.001-06:00

Yesterday was my first day back in the city in nearly three weeks. At first I felt like country mouse struggling to fit in in city mouse's world. Pocatello is less than a bustling metropolis, but coming from quiet, peaceful river livin', this analogy fits.

As I was leaving work last evening I noticed an enormous plume of smoke rising from the area of my new abode. Hmmm. Is it serendipitous that just a few hours earlier I had updated my address on my renter's insurance? I think not, as this is the view from the driveway as I pulled up to the house:

What did I do? Turn on the sprinklers? Grab a hose?

Gathered my friends, grabbed lawn chairs, beers and posted up in the driveway:

There were a few moments when the wind gusted and the flames rose when we all declared what items we would rush to save in the event that the winds turned, but fortunately for us, the fire steered clear of our little neighborhood. Computers and photos were unanimous. I agreed to both of those and added the ruffled showered curtain Heather made me. I love that beautific thing enough to risk my life in a burning house.

Other fire gawkers posted up in the neighborhood.

It really was like a neighborhood block party.

Stressing yourself out that your house might

burn down really works up an appetite.

Sweet potatoes, reds and Yukon golds.

Microwave for about 5-8 minutes then bake in a 400 degree oven for 40 minutes

or until soft inside.

We couldn't be bothered by a trip to the store

so we improvised with everything in the fridge.

Literally everything.

Cottage cheese and sun dried tomatoes.

Texas caviar and feta cheese.

Pepper jack cheese and tuna.

Smokey sunset.

Cheers to an unscathed neighborhood.

Moose doesn't give a sh*t

2011-08-12T11:35:00.004-06:00

Hello Internet! I am returning from two days off after working twelve days straight and eighteen shifts (please don't cry for me Argentina). True to form, the blog has been a bit spotty this summer, but I have a photo montage of river livin' for you.

We have had wild weather the past few weeks. Thunderstorms are to be expected this time of year, but we had two days of solid rain; it was delightful. Between shifts, Tuli and I snuggled in with fleece blankets and read captivity narratives until we were both cross eyed. Rain + captivity narratives = delicious naps.

Not a bad view from the porch.

My only cooking apparatus here on the river is a microwave. As a result, I have been eating loads of string cheese, pop corn, luna bars and clementines. I made a mad dash to Idaho Falls one afternoon to pick up supplies and put together this non-cook meal. I love summer picnics.

Cherries, radishes, roasted chicken, cucumbers,

tomatoes, crusty bread, cheese, and CHUCK SHAW!

On one of my free mornings my friend Dana and her sweet girls joined me for a field trip to the lake where we frolicked in the water and stopped for a square ice cream cone. I am not sure who had more fun, me or the girls. Me. Without a doubt.

Dana appropriately named this: Little Girl, Big World.

Finally, Wednesday came. TWO DAYS OFF!!! In a row! We loaded the boat: beer, dog, fishing paraphernalia, sun screen, bug spray, camera, STEAKS. The outfitters maintain a fully equipped camp on the river where clients rest and recharge after a day of fishing. When I say rest and recharge, I mean arrive to find their gear set up in their wall tent with cots and sleeping bags and pillows and chef who cooks them steak and lobster. No one was using said camp on Wednesday night so we jumped on the occasion to pamper ourselves. We didn't have a chef or lobster, but it was pretty close.

Rainbow of nymphs.

I sneezed at least 337 times.

This is called a Double Bunny; she's a streamer (imitation of a baby fish).

They call this kind of fishing throwing meat because ENORMOUS

fish come out of the depths to eat these little guys.

It's like watching shark week live from a drift boat.

I am now addicted to streamer fishing.

Canyon stretch of the South Fork of the Snake River.

Best two days off EVER.

Since we had no chef to cook us lobster, I stepped in so no one went hungry.

Coors Light is so versatile.

Cast iron, beer and fire makes for a delcious potato.

Onions.

Mushrooms and red peppers.

RIBEYES!

Food always tastes better when cooked and eaten outside.

Rainbow trout caesar salad.

Fun to gather your ingredients from a fully stocked, professional kitchen!

The next morning we noticed something swimming down river.

A bull moose headed straight for a rapid.

Hang on buddy!

Can you imagine swimming with a rack like that and hooves?

We were concerned he wasn't going to make it to the side.

Nearly there.

He's gathering himself and thanking Jebus for solid ground.

Moose doesn't give a sh*t. He does what he wants.

So does Hailey. Until tonight when she goes back to work.

Make these noodles!

2011-07-29T12:12:00.005-06:00

Those fine readers who frequent Hail's Kitchen know that I have a fierce obsession with noodles, specifically Asian noodles in all forms and textures. I often encourage you to try certain recipes and prod you to think out of your culinary box. However, today I am IMPLORING you to try the following recipe. If I could type on my knees I would and beg you to try these noodles.

Before I go into Ramen heaven, a brief diatribe. I moved this past week. Again. I loathe moving. It is as high on my dislike list as the dentist, left lane drivers and ice chompers. Gracious friends have allowed me to move into their newly finished basement. Once again I am a house hobbit. The noodles were the last meal cooked in my studio. Tear. Sniff.

However, I am moving up! My new landlords/roommates have a fabulous home with a great yard, wonderful views and lovely neighbors. I have to say that cooking for one is really a drag. In fact, it is quite depressing. I do get to share my meals virtually with you, Internet. But now I can share my meals in real time! I am still splitting my time between river and city living so I apologize in advance for sporadic posts. Don't fret, though. Hail's Kitchen will still be around to feed you.

The noodles! When my research assistant and I visited Julia in June we ate lunch at a noodle shop called Toshi's. I heard rave reviews from Heather about this place and was pretty tickled when I had the opportunity to taste for myself. For a noodle fiend like myself it was as if I had just stepped through the gates of heaven. I have been craving their noodle soup since I left and decided it was time to try my hand at a recreation.

Considering that this dish was made three quarters of the way through moving day, I utilized a shortcut:

Don't judge. Ramen noodles are highly underrated. Especially when you lack the time, utensils and energy to boil pork bones to make your own broth. Use Ramen noodles.

What makes this dish so spectacular are two things: butter and garlic. DO NOT omit either of these when you make these noodles. I can't even articulate what these two do to the soup other than make it so so so tasty. This meal came together in the time it took to cook the pork: 30 minutes. (I bought a teriyaki pork loin which was very convenient). Easy. Delicious. Budget friendly.

MAKE THESE NOODLES! xoH

Two ears of corn nuked in the microwave for about 4 minutes then sliced off the

cob and slivered green onions.

See the moving mess in the background?

One can bamboo shoots, rinsed bean sprouts, garlic and butter.

Boil the ramen according to the directions, add bean sprouts, corn,

bamboo shoots, green onions, cooked pork, butter and minced garlic.

These noodles will surely be a favorite.

Thanks Toshi.

Blueberry envy

2011-07-18T22:08:00.003-06:00

Can you believe it is July 17? I start school in a few short weeks, which means this really is my last summer vacation. I should be running through sprinklers and sliding on slip 'n slides and chasing ice cream trucks. Are you allowed to do those things when you're thirty?

I feel like I blink and a week goes by. Can someone please slow the rotation of the Earth down just a bit? Only a smidge. If you do that for me, I will make you the most epic salsa recipe on the planet. Deal? Deal.

In all seriousness, this salsa recipe will rock your world. I have professed my unyielding love for tomatoes on this site before. In fact, if you recall, Hail's Kitchen was nearly named: Tomato Envy. That being said, this salsa that is about to knock your socks off is made with BLUEBERRIES.

You will never look at blueberries or salsa the same.

I am off to look up the number for the Schwan's man. I really want a push up. Now that I'm thirty I can order all the push ups I want. At least I can do that.

Rough whiz in the food processor.

Diced red onion.

One jalepeno -- seeds and veins removed then diced.

Tossed together with salt and pepper, juice of two limes, one clove minced garlic,

a handful of chopped cilantro and a drizzle of olive oil.

Sorry tomatoes.

I am kicking myself for not doubling the recipe.

This is endive.

This is Israeli couscous.

These are tilapia filets season with salt and pepper.

Roast in a 350 degree oven for about 15 minutes.

Perfect platform for blueberry salsa.

Couscous, wilted endive, feta cheese, red onion,

lime juice, olive oil, salt and pepper.

Perfect bitter and savory companion to the sweet salsa.

I wish you could taste this.

And this.

I tend to mix my food. They were deliciously beautiful together.

Grandma Joyce: food innovator and badass

2011-07-13T07:37:00.000-06:00

A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of spending an evening with my Grandma Joyce. This gal just celebrated her 85th birthday and still looks and behaves likes a spring chicken. She can largely take credit for my affection for cooking. She's pretty much a badass.

My research assistant and I arrived at her house late in the evening, tired from driving all day, ready for a beer and True Blood. Then she asked if we were hungry. Come to Grandma's house and not eat? Is the sky blue?

She offered me a variety of items, but one thing caught my ear: carrot salad. I immediately thought raw, shredded carrots, perhaps Indian spices and raisons. Silly, Hailey. Imagine potato salad with carrots. I ate the whole container.

Being an Idaho girl, I am genetically inclined to love potatoes, but dare I say, I think I might enjoy carrot salad better than potato salad! Everyone has their own favorite combination of mayo, sweet or dill relish, eggs, celery, what have you, so try swapping out white for orange. Thank Grandma Joyce for being such a food innovator.

The only thing that would have made this better: chopped celery.

Nothing ever tastes as good as Grandma's.

Buckteeth, pigtails and Bountiful Baskets

2011-07-12T08:11:00.001-06:00

This morning as I completed my normal routine -- brewing coffee while listening to NPR -- I heard a story that I had to share. This weekend a semi-truck hauling HONEYBEES drove off the rode releasing a swarm of millions of bees in the area of Island Park spilling the entire load of honey all over highway 20. Emergency professionals were stung repeatedly as they attempted to clean up the sticky substance. Can you imagine? Not a typical day for a state patrolman!

I think what made my ears perk up just so was that I had driven that stretch a few days earlier on my way to Yellowstone. Days off are few and far between this summer so I have a "summer bucket list," if you will, that included our nation's most famous national park. Other items on the list include: an overnight backpacking trip, grilled pizza, sleeping in past 6:45 a.m.

If you've never visited Yellowstone, the people watching is almost as entertaining as the animal watching. I think in the brief time we were there we heard at least six languages. We also saw a number of folks who were candidates for a Darwin Award. But buffalo look so fuzzy!

No regard!

Tuli was relegated to the car: eyes only.

In an attempt to inject more fruits and vegetables into my meager diet this summer, I shared a Bountiful Basket with my sweet friend Sarah. She also splits her time between city livin' and river livin' so we thought we could capitalize on our wonky schedules and share a basket.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with Bountiful Baskets, check them out! My mom first informed me about this great food co-op when she kept calling with odd food questions. What would you do with a persimmon? What is a chayote squash? Each week she picks up an enormous basket of wonderfully fun fruit and vegetables, bread, salsa making kits, Asian packs.

The one caveat, you have no clue what your basket will include. This week Sarah and I split broccoli, mushrooms, tomatoes, plums, apricots, bananas, wheat bread, figs and spinach. Sadly, my figs were moldy and my spinach had also expired.

Being that I only have a few nights in my kitchen, I needed to get after my bounty. I intended to salvage the spinach for this pasta to no avail, so I picked up some arugula. If you never tried this peppery green, you must! It is fabulous raw in a salad, on sandwiches, scrambled into eggs, or folded into pasta which is what I did. The following pasta is super fast and wonderfully satisfying.

Sliced mushrooms.

Familiar items: onions and garlic.

Fresh thyme.

Try it. You'll like.

Creamy goodness.

Toss the pasta and the raw arugula together with the sauce.

Be sure to save about a cup of the pasta water to aid in a creamy, smooth sauce.

I had a difficult time resisting the entire pan.

I also used up my tomatoes. My grandmother made these when I was kid.

Slice the tomatoes in half, season liberally with garlic salt and pepper,

cover with sharp cheddar and bake until bubbly.

When I took a bite I was transported back to the days of pigtails and buckteeth.

Whole wheat pasta with mushrooms and arugula

1 box whole wheat pasta, any shape you like

1 large onion, sliced

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 package mushrooms, any you like or have, sliced

1 clamshell arugula

2 tbs fresh thyme, chopped

1 pint half and half

1/2 cup dry white wine

2 tbs olive oil

1 tbs butter

parmesan cheese

salt and pepper

Cook pasta according to package. Be sure to reserve one cup of the pasta water. Meanwhile, heat oil and butter over medium high heat in a large saute pan. Cook the onions and garlic until translucent and beginning to caramelize. Add the mushrooms and cook until golden. Season to taste with salt and pepper Add the wine and cook until reduced. Add the half and half and handful of grated parmesan and reduce until thickened. Season liberally with pepper.

Toss in the cooked pasta and fresh arugula directly into the sauce pan. Add pasta water to loosen the sauce if needed. Serve with more cheese and enjoy!

Hungry readers -- I have delivered!

2011-07-06T08:08:00.001-06:00

Now that summer has arrived my schedule is crazier than ever. I feel as though I am always bitching about the nuttiness that dominates my life, but my fridge is indicative of my transitory lifestyle. The following photo is rather embarrassing:

That empty fridge is why is you have not seen any recipes as of late. Don't fear hungry readers -- I have delivered!

A couple of friends recently mentioned the abundance of greens in their weekly CSA share (community supported agriculture). As a kid, we had a wealth of greens in our garden, but they were always unappealing to my kid appetite. Now as an adult, the various greens have solidified a place in my list of favorite food items. Not only are greens like chard and kale beautiful, but they are so good for you! I have posted a few leafy green recipes here that trick finicky eaters into eating their vegetables, this next recipe also does just that.

This dish is sure to appeal to kid or adult taste-buds, and you could serve it with rice or pasta, creamy polenta or mashed potatoes, with a piece of grilled chicken or fish, or eat it with a big ol' spoon. I had to lock up the leftovers before I devoured the entire pan. Get your hands on some chard -- red, rainbow, whatever -- and make this dish. Tastes and looks like summer!

This brand of polenta comes in all varieties;

any will do, but the quinoa is extra delicious and nutritious.

Any bean will do -- these were in my pantry.

BUY THIS CHEESE! I always have this on hand for easy, salty snacking.

Red chard rinsed well.

Sliced red onion and diced garlic.

Love the texture!

Baked crispy in a 400 degree oven while the chard cooks.

What makes this dish so wonderful is the addition of orange juice and zest.

Looking at this photo, lunch seems so far away!

Sauteed chard with cannellini beans and orange

1 large bunch chard, washed and roughly chopped

1 red onion, sliced

4 cloves garlic, diced

1/2 orange, zested and juiced

1 can beans, drained and rinsed

1/4 cup broth, chicken or otherwise

2 tbs olive oil

feta cheese, crumbled

one roll polenta

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place sliced polenta on a cookie sheet and bake while you prepare the chard. Flip once.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet heat about 2 tbs olive oil and add the onions and garlic. Cook until the onions are translucent and beginning to caramelize, about five minutes. Be sure not to burn the garlic. Add the rinsed chard. Cook until the greens begin to wilt then add broth. Stir to combine. Add the orange juice and zest, as well as beans. Saute a few more minutes until the liquid has cooked down a bit. Season to taste with salt and pepper -- remember the feta is super salty.

Remove the polenta when the chard is finished. Serve with crumbled feta and enjoy!

Geek out

2011-06-28T21:58:00.000-06:00

Hello Internet. Did you miss me? Believe it or not I was doing homework. I was in Oregon and Washington working on my MA paper and visiting my little sis with my research assistant, my mom. The original documents of the two missionaries I am writing my finest work as a graduate student are housed at Whitman College in Walla Walla, WA so I kidnapped my mom for the week. We spent a fair amount of time in the archives of the library. We visited some wineries. We gawked at the people and the vegetables at the farmer's market. We had a jolly good time.

If I may geek out a bit . . . I've been enamored by these women since my first semester as a grad student. To hold their journals -- the ones they wrote in 1836 -- in my hot little hands was such an experience. We sifted through letters written on onionskin that was so thin they looked as if they might disintegrate. We touched these documents -- without gloves! My mom brought a stack of magazines to read while we were there thinking she would be bored. The woman has been equipped with her pencil elucidating illegible words and filling in gaps of the story since we left the library. I dare say she enjoyed the research more than I.

One of Eliza's letters. Sigh.

Comparing my stenographer's copy of the journal with the original. No person has ever been this excited to be in the basement archives of a library. Ever.

This is the site of the Whitman Mission where they lived and where they were eventually murdered.

Walking the permitter of the Mission house and site of the massacre.

Oregon Trail.

Name says it all. This is where they buried all those killed by the Cayuse Indians in 1847. Narcissa was the only woman killed.

After our time spent in Walla Walla, we headed West to see Jules!

She is quite the tour guide -- wineries seem to be her specialty. It's no wonder we're related.

The girls talking about ice crystals and pinot noir. They're so savvy.

Lovely. Can I take one of you home?

After the tour we had lunch on the patio. The cute little waiter boy tucked my research assistant in extra tight. Snug. As. A. Bug. In. A. Rug.

The next night we packed a picnic and listened to live music at another winery. Oh, and drank more wine.

The only thing missing was Heather.

Something I might love more than wine: FARMER'S MARKETS!

We had a fresh, vegetarian meal beginning with radish toasts (these were the Easter egg variety -- cute, eh?!). They were both skeptical in the beginning, but no radish toasts remained.

Romanesco. Looks like a Thai temple.

Clockwise from the temple: roasted romanesco, new potatoes and peas with fresh dill, baby squash with parmesan, radish toast fit for the Easter Bunny, garlic scapes (or whistles as they call them in Oregon), and quinoa. A meal worthy of some sort of temple.

Last but certainly not least, sexy Rexy. Don't hate her 'cause she's beautiful.

For your viewing pleasure

2011-06-19T11:13:00.002-06:00

First thing's first, Happy Father's Day to my number one fan, my dad. I love you very much! I hope the morels are plentiful today -- wish I were with you!

This week I have been on the river honing my server skills. We had a menu tasting where I was asked to photograph the items for the website. My skills do not warrant a place on a commercial website, but it sure was a treat to shoot properly plated food in a setting that blows my setup out of the water -- literally.

The menu is one that I am really proud of (not that I can take any credit for designing it). Our chef is committed to using locally raised and grown products. Hooray for eating locally! I am thrilled to work for a restaurant that supports our local farmers and producers, plus, every chance I get I am gawking on the line, asking questions, watching our chefs work their magic. This food really is magic, people. Magic!

House-made spinach raviolis with ricotta cheese and spicy marina sauce;

fried to perfection!

Beef carpaccio with Dijon sour cream.

Cheese plate with cheeses from Rollinstone Chevre in Boise and Ballard Farms in Gooding.

Smoked Rainbow trout salad.

Prosciutto wrapped sturgeon with horseradish citrus cream sauce.

Escarole stuffed Rainbow trout.

Black Canyon elk chop with brandy demi glace.

Creme caramel and chocolate decadent cake. Yes, please. I'll have both.

In my free time I should have my nose in the books working on my master's thesis, but alas, I can't focus. The river is still raging at 17,000 CSF and is too cloudy for any productive fishing. Instead of my fly rod, I am equipped with my camera.

Below is wildlife photography part deux for your viewing pleasure. I am off to diligently attempt to read about pioneer women and their relationship to Indians. Diligently. Attempt. To read.

The South Fork corridor is the largest nesting ground for bald eagles in the contiguous US.

He could have easily snatched forty pound Tuli out of the boat.

Mama merganser.

Hey, wait up, ma.

Golden eagle.

Serendipitous shot.

Mallard hiding in the grass.

Didn't look or feel like June.

I am fairly certain I caught this exact expression on his face last summer.

Pelicans are not native to the South Fork.

Beaver fever.

Almost missed her! Last second shot.

Nice place for a pit stop after a cold, drizzly float.

I'll have the chocolate cake and a hot toddy please.

No future in wildlife photography

2011-06-14T09:20:00.004-06:00

This past weekend I was on the river enjoying fresh air, a special visit from dear friends, great food, lots of wildlife. A momma moose and her brand new baby were spotted cruising across from the lodge. Birds of all sorts were busy taking care of their own babies and building new nests.

We took a quick trip to Jackson where we strolled through an art gallery. I kept thinking -- I can do that. I can take a picture of a bird. Yeah, right! Birds don't hold still. I crept as quietly as I could, tip toeing, army crawling. Wildlife photography is way harder than say grilled cheese photography.

Fortunately for me, I caught one little guy who had yet to figure out the art of flying. He looked at me. I looked at him. We agreed that we wouldn't mess with each other. (Bird lovers relax, I wasn't this close. I had my big honkin' lens on).

He still has a fuzzy head!

I tried my damnedest to snap a decent photo of a western tanager for my dad who loves birds, but holy hell! They were not interested in supporting my Father's Day present.

Hey girl. I see you.

Yeah, I'm not interested in your stupid photo. See ya.

I am left cursing and army crawling in the middle of the road. Thank God no one drove by and heckled and/or ran me over. Stupid birds.

Since my wee little room on the river lacks a cooking facility, when I return home I am always thrilled to get into my kitchen. I love salmon cakes, crab cakes, savory cakes in general. You could use fresh salmon for this, but I had canned salmon at the ready, which you would never know the difference. These little cakes were so tasty. I served them for dinner, but you could make them a bit smaller and serve them as a lovely little appetizer. Try these. You won't be disappointed.

I made these pickles but instead of cutting them I used my vegetable peeler and made ribbons. Carrots, too.

Lime zest, green onions and cilantro. Next time I'll add fresh ginger.

This salmon is from Costco. So so good! Makes great salmon salad sandwiches, too.

Good thing to have in your pantry. Lots better than any other breadcrumb.

Humina, humina, humina.

Here's where the meal took a turn from yummy to YUMMY! I made coconut sticky rice for dessert, and I had about half a can of leftover coconut cream. So in the pan that fried the cakes, I added about a cup of the coconut cream, the juice of two limes, and about a tbs of chopped of cilantro. This was a total crapshoot. WOWIE! This sauce had a rich coconut flavor with a hint of lime. Wonderful sweet contrast to the salty salmon cakes.

I would pay for this in a restaurant.

Easy asian salad dressing: 1 tbs wasabi sauce, 1 tbs mayo, 3 tbs olive oil, squeeze lime, 1 tbs rice wine vinegar, squeeze sriracha, salt and pepper. Whisk until combined. Toss greens with dressing and sesame seeds. Fancy!

Canned asian salmon cakes

3 cans canned salmon

2 limes, zested

2 green onions, sliced thinly

3 tbs cilantro, chopped

1-2 eggs

1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs (more for dredging)

3 heaping tbs wasabi sauce

salt and pepper (good dose of each)

canola oil for frying

Preheat oven to 325. In a bowl, combine zest, onions, cilantro and salmon. Begin to combine and break up the chunks of salmon. Next add the eggs (you'll have to feel the texture and judge whether you need 1 or 2 to hold the cakes together), breadcrumbs, wasabi and salt and pepper. Fashion the salmon into cakes using your hands. Dredge them in the breadcrumbs and set aside until all the salmon is used.

In a hot skillet, add about 2 tbs oil and GENTLY! add a few cakes. You could easily bake these for healthier cakes and eliminate this tricky frying process, but they get a lovely, crispy crust. Fry until golden brown -- only about 2 - 3 minutes total if your pan is hot. Remove salmon cakes to a cookie sheet and bake for about 8 minutes or until the cakes are cooked through.

Serve with wasabi sauce, sriracha, ponzu sauce -- all would be delicious! Enjoy!

Drink Bailey's at work without getting fired!

2011-06-09T07:14:00.005-06:00

I am just coming down from my birthday high. I had such a glorious, sunny, lovely birthday. I hope wherever you live you experienced the same weather we had here in Southeastern Idaho. I wore a tank-top. Outside! After three great parties, I went to bed Sunday night sun-kissed, sleepy and so thankful for all of my friends and family.

Oh, and I forgot to mention. My rump hurt, too. LOVE, baby!

There are a few things that make me truly grouchy -- someone chewing ice within earshot, left lane drivers, NO COFFEE. I have professed my love and unyielding affection for coffee before on this site. If I don't have at least two cups of coffee within half an hour of waking up, I turn into a cranky little bitch. I may be so brazen to say that I love coffee more than any other foodstuffs.

That said, this little bottle of goodness has made my coffee cup all the more enjoyable:

You can now drink Bailey's at work without getting fired! How cool is that? This creamer really is more than a gimmick. It is delicious. Watch out Coffee-Mate.

Moving on, a recipe . . . on a food blog. Go figure! (I apologize for the sarcasm. I am only on cup one).

I will be the first one to stand up and shout on my soap box about processed foods. However, there are times when life prevents us from making CURRIES FROM SCRATCH.

Thank you Thai Kitchen:

I was skeptical about these curries (I have also seen green, red, and panang in the Asian section), but I could not be bothered making my own. I was pleasantly surprised, which is why I am sharing this easy, super quick, yummy meal with you all. It is nice to have ready meals such as this one at hand for days when you haven't consumed enough coffee. Or someone chewed ice in your ear all day. Or you got stuck behind a left lane driver. Just saying.

These are the same potatoes you saw a few weeks ago that were beginning to sprout new potatoes; they were begging to be cooked. Along with them, I diced up some chicken, an onion, a few carrots and a sweet potato. Feel free to add any veggies or meat that you and yours enjoy.

This was a lucky score! Sweet basil is great in curries, too.

I parboiled my taters in the noodle water first then added the rice noodles, sauteed the chicken and onion in a separate pan, then tossed in the potatoes and curry sauce. Fifteen minutes total.

Close to takeout.

Over half my life . . .

2011-06-03T09:49:00.000-06:00

Before I begin, for those folks who are new to Hail's Kitchen and have not seen Nick's ass cake, please beware . . . ass cake below!!!

For those of you who frequent Hail's Kitchen, you will recognize this cake. I couldn't be bothered mustering up another epic ass cake for myself. I little photoshopping (terrible photoshopping, I might add), and voila! Friends, may I present you with a seventeen year obsession:

People who know me well know that I have lusted after this silly tattoo since I first saw A River Runs Through It when I was about thirteen. A few friends and my mother, specifically, have questioned, "Why????" Well, this is an entirely personal location. It's not like LOVE would be tattooed on, say, my forehead. Future employers would never know. I don't foresee a career shaking my derriere anytime soon. My dad just audibly sighed when he read that.

I have never wanted something consistently for SEVENTEEN years. Well, maybe to win the lottery, but that's beside the point. This tattoo would be an entirely selfish venture. My twenties were largely a lesson in making me a priority in my own life. I spent a large chunk of time attempting to make other people happy -- at the cost of my own happiness, health and overall well-being.

As I celebrate this big birthday today, I feel I am finally settling into my own skin, proud of the direction I am heading with my degree, my potential career, my life! A number of women who I admire very much have reminded me how wonderful their thirties are/were. All I can wish for today is that I enter my thirties with as much grace and class as those fine gals.

I hear my parents now, grace and class do not marry well with a tattoo on one's rump, but you know what does? Having the gall to do something I have wanted to do for over half of my life. How can you argue with that? Happy birthday to me! xoxoH

If you could eat summer it would look like this

2011-06-02T09:47:00.001-06:00

The following pictures may confuse you. You may think, wow, Hailey drove to the coast for Memorial weekend. Gray skies, waves, sand. Then you will be jolted back to reality when you see the RV, which gets less than appealing gas mileage and a drive to the coast would require me to sell one of my kidneys to afford the trip. Also, sagebrush. I am fairly certain sagebrush does not grow on the coastline.

However, this location (which I have been sworn to secrecy by my sweet friends who shared this little spot of heaven) was in Idaho -- a little more than an hour's drive away from my home. The weather required us to enjoy the haven of the RV for a large part of our night's stay, but listening to whitecaps smash on the rocks truly felt like we were on the ocean. Perhaps I am just easily amused, but living in a landlocked state, I will gladly take moments like this any time. Plus, s'mores cooked over the gas stove with reeses peanut butter cups instead of plain chocolate revolutionized the way I look at marshmallows, chocolate and graham crackers.

See Tuli in the front seat -- he would drive if he had thumbs.

Sand, shore birds and waves. Oh my!

He's so fashion-forward.

Breakfast scramble with zucchini, onions, peppers and squash, and CREAM CHEESE. Next time you scramble eggs, add a few tbs of cream cheese instead of cheese = delicious.

Served our breakfast guests espresso in plastic cups. Keepin' it classy in the rv!

After enduring the wind and weather as long as we could, we escaped to my parents house . . . to their hot tub. My mom prepared a fabulous Memorial weekend meal that channeled warmth and summer -- bbq chicken, watermelon, corn on the cob. Eating food like this really does get you excited for the months ahead. Bring on summer!

Next time you eat corn on the cob, try this combination: equal parts sour cream and crumbled feta cheese (eyeball enough to serve your guests), season with salt and pepper. Slather on hot corn and have a napkin handy -- messy but worth it!

Grilled corn and bbq chicken.

If you could eat summer it would look like this.

An amalgam of color and glory

2011-05-31T12:25:00.001-06:00

Today is Tuesday, which means that we only have four more work days this week. It also means that an oral health grant I've been working on is due today. May 31 also means that there are only four more days until my birthday. Four more days in my twenties. I feel like I need to cram as much twenty-something, irresponsible behavior into the next few days -- drink to excess, stay up all night, engage in risky activities, run up a credit card, get a tattoo. Tattoo, maybe. Those other things sound exhausting.

Last year for my birthday I made myself a six layer rainbow cake in preparation for this magical monstrosity. Can you imagine? That cake would envelope my entire 451 square foot studio. I don't have enough counter space let alone enough patience to attempt a cake of that scale.

Maybe I'll make the cake version of the tattoo I've been dreaming about since I was fourteen. It involves the movie A River Runs Through It, my bum and the letters L.O.V.E.

Yes, I think that will be my birthday cake. If you're confused, I promise an unveiling later this week. It will be rad.

Until the cake reveal, here is a recipe that taunts me almost daily. I crave the following dish like I crave Asian noodles. Friends, be forewarned, you will L.O.V.E. this concoction of rice, veggies and chili sauce. It's called bibimbap, and it is a mainstay in Korea. It's the perfect dish to clean out those neglected vegetables in your fridge. Also, it can easily be made vegetarian or vegan! Try it . . . but don't blame me when all you want for dinner is bibimbap.

Homemade pickles: sliced English cucumber with 1 tsp sugar, 1/3 cup rice wine vinegar, 1 tsp garlic chili sauce (more on this condiment below). Combine all ingredients well and chill for at least 30 minutes.

Zucchini, carrots and bean sprouts.

Tri tip marinated in this.

Sauteed spinach, carrots and zucchini.

Below this amalgam of color and glory is steamed rice.

Top with an over-easy egg and a dollop of chili sauce. Resist the temptation to lick the screen.

Bibimbap

This recipe will serve two with much desired leftovers.

steamed rice, I like basmati but any kind will do

1 - 2 smallish tri tip steaks, grilled to your desired doneness (pork and chicken would be delicious too)

2 eggs

2 carrots, julienned

1 zucchini, julienned

1 large handful mung bean sprouts

1 English cucumber, pickled as indicated above

1/2 package spinach

4 cloves garlic, minced

garlic chili paste -- Sambal Oelek (buy this! It has a green lid and rooster on the label. Love. Love. Love)

Sesame and canola oil

sesame seeds

salt and pepper

First, make the pickles and stick them in the fridge. Don't forget them! Cook rice according to the package. Meanwhile, prep all the veggies and heat your grill, grill pan or saute pan. In a large skillet or wok, heat about 1/2 tsp sesame oil and 1/2 tsp canola oil. Add 1/4 of the garlic and saute until fragrant -- be careful not to burn! Add the carrots, season with salt and pepper and sesame seeds. Saute until just tender (about two - three minutes). Remove the carrots from the pan and repeat the process with zucchini, then bean sprouts and finally the spinach. Grill meat until you reach your desired doneness and set aside. Cook eggs very last.

In a big bowl, add a healthy layer of rice. Arrange the vegetables and meat on top. Place an egg (I like over-easy, as it creates a fabulous sauce) on top, as well as the chili sauce. Mix it all up with your fork or chopsticks and enjoy!

Per my provider's instruction

2011-05-27T13:00:00.002-06:00

I am approaching a certain monumental birthday, a birthday when one's healthcare provider begins uncomfortable conversations on weight-gain, bone-loss and fertility. At my recent annual exam, women around the world cheer in unison, my provider reminded me that weight training should be included in my exercise regime. As someone who instructs others on the importance of weight-bearing activities, I shook my head in accordance and agreed with her. Yes, I know. I know. I enjoy lifting weights as much as I enjoy running, which is as much as I enjoy my annual exams. A lot. I enjoy those things a lot.

So this morning, being the obedient patient that I am, I lifted weights. Earlier this week, I pulled my right glut and now I have the left glut to match. Both of my gluts are tweaked, and I am walking real funny. I suppose I should follow my provider's other instructions and get a massage. Yes, much more appealing than weight training.

Here's a yummy, protein-packed, post-workout sandwich (or breakfast, which is often the case for me). I love egg salad sandwiches and try to have a ready supply of hard-boiled eggs in the fridge for easy snacks.

I've said it before, and I will say it again, I hope the sun is shining where you live, because we have SNOW in the forecast for Southeastern Idaho. Nonetheless, happy Friday all!

Easy, peasy egg salad sandwich

4 hard-boiled eggs

2 tbs chopped dill pickle
2 tbs mayonnaise
1 tsp grainy mustard
1/2 tsp dill
squeeze sriracha to taste
salt and pepper to taste

In a bowl, mash up all of the ingredients. I can't make anything these days without sriracha. This is fun to eat with crackers, you could serve it traditionally between two slices of bread or roll up in a tortilla, or do as I often do, eat with a spoon. Enjoy!

Golly, that's the biggest I've ever seen!

2011-05-23T20:08:00.000-06:00

This past weekend we travelled to our cabin on the South Fork of the Payette River for a bon voyage weekend for Heather and Nick who moved to an island paradise in the South Pacific this morning. For real. They live on an island. Where it is 80 degrees all year round. A lemon tree lives outside their patio. They have a view of the ocean . . . from their bed.

If you sense some envy, you're spot on. Not only am I entirely jealous of their new home, but I am going to miss my sister and her husband, two of my closest friends, dearly. I will be living vicariously through their island-hopping adventures the next couple of years, and if I'm lucky, will go visit at least thirty seven times. I am going to start cooking spam in honor of them. Better start taking your cholesterol medicine.

Back to the weekend. While we travelled in style to our mountain/river destination (a 1977 RV that was recently purchased to facilitate epic adventures such as this), we travelled at a turtle's pace. On the way there we had a head wind that caused us to cruise at a max speed of about 50 miles per hour. What is normally a five hour drive took about seven and half. We entertained ourselves and tortured Berkley to pass the time:

This is the view of one lineup behind us. No one seemed that mad we were going 45 in a 65 construction zone:

Once we finally reached the cabin, we soaked in the hot spring pool and ate till our buttons popped and celebrated a graduation, three birthdays, Forth of July and Thanksgiving. We had a lot to cram in. Oh, and I can now scratch something off of my bucket list. MORELS!

Those who hike to the top of a hill and are willing to get rained on and eaten by misquotes will be rewarded! I geek out over food frequently here at Hail's Kitchen, but to discover a food item that goes for $500/lb and to share the bounty with my family, can only be described as epic. Morel hunting was like finding nearly buried treasure that you can eat. I am fairly certain my mushroom hunting partner in crime and I jumped up and down when we found the first clump. Jumped and squealed. Jumped and squealed.

Here we are after returning to the cabin. Wet, exhilarated and ready for a soak in the hot pool.

My Grandma has seen her fair share of morels and when she saw the largest in our loot she declared, "My golly, that's the biggest one I've ever seen!"

Sauteed morels

1 lb fresh morels (if you are lucky!)

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tbs fresh thyme, chopped

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 tbs olive oil

1 tbs butter

salt and pepper

Rinse and dry morels well. I cut the mushrooms into bite-sized pieces, as we served this over steaks, but you could easily leave the smaller ones whole. Heat a sauce pan over medium-high heat. Add the oil and butter. Once melted, add the garlic -- be careful not to burn. Cook until fragrant, about a minute. Add the mushrooms and stir to coat with the oil/butter. They will release a ton of moisture. After about five minutes of cooking (once the moisture has evaporated) add the cream. Cook until reduced by half. Add the chopped thyme and season with salt and pepper. Serve alone, with pasta, over a protein like grilled steak or chicken. Whatever you do, enjoy!

Who needs croutons?

2011-05-19T08:20:00.003-06:00

I am a creature of habit. My mornings are reminiscent of Bill Murray's Groundhog Day. Every morning I hit the snooze button about approximately 37 times. Eventually I crawl out of bed and with eyes still closed, I stumble over to my kitchen where I turn on NPR and proceed to make a full pot of coffee. Then I walk over to my window and check out the weather. Every day. I am surprised there isn't a trail tread into my carpet from my morning routine.

However, as of late, peering out the window has done nothing but encourage me to snuggle back into my fleece sheets. Gray skies. Rain. Wind. SNOW! What the hell, Mother Nature? I was actually looking back on the blog at this time last year, and guess what I was doing? Writing a paper and begging for poor, crummy weather so I wouldn't feel the pull to play outside. What was wrong with me?

I apologize if my ridiculous thoughts twelve months ago brought on this heinous weather that forced me to wear a TURTLENECK yesterday. In response to having only two nice days to play outside (I'm not exaggerating, this Spring has been dreary), below is my middle finger to Mother Nature.

I have two summer-inspired dishes that are sure to increase your serotonin or whatever feel good chemical that is.

First, radishes. I made this unassuming appetizer (or today, my breakfast) for a party this winter and several eyebrows were raised in question. Really? Radishes with butter? That's it? That's it. Radishes are soon becoming one of my favorite veggies. They are crispy, zippy and so lovely. Plus, they are cheap! You can't argue with .69 cents in this economy. So, friends, try this dish. It will take you moments to throw together. It looks gorgeous at a party. The best part, it tastes divine.

Slice radishes very thin. A mandolin is ideal --

I always forget I have one until I am finished.

UNSALTED butter is imperative.

Slater sliced bread with butter (be liberal), cover with radishes, sprinkle with sea salt and chives (if you have them, great without, too) and serve. Enjoy!

Recipe numero dos. I told you to put on your big girl panties.

My family loves caesar salad. My mom makes her own homemade dressing that rivals any I've had in a restaurant. It's the real deal with fresh eggs. I love my mom's dressing, but I've been on the quest for a recipe that I can serve to guests without fear of salmonella. I had to call my mom and apologize to her, because I am afraid this dressing may titillate taste buds more than hers in a side by side taste test. Love you, mom.

Not only is the dressing amazing in the following salad, I got a little creative in the topping. Croutons are traditionally served with caesar salad but I had some fingerling potatoes that were about to sprout on my counter:

Why not grill potatoes and substitute them for croutons? I thought they were a fabulous substitution. While I had the grill pan hot, I bravely grilled the lettuce, too. I had heard of folks grilling romaine for caesar salads. The grilled lettuce truly made the salad. It gave it a smokey flavor and gorgeous grill marks. This is not my momma's caesar salad.

Don't fear anchovies!

Except when you spill fishy oil all over your floor like I did shortly after snapping this photo.

Boiled fingerling taters.

Terrible photo but check out that steam!

Brush lettuce with olive oil and grill for about 30 seconds or until grill marks appear.

Drizzle on your dressing and serve with taters and grilled bread.

Who needs croutons?

Grilled caesar salad with fingerling potatoes

1 head romaine lettuce, sliced in half

handful fingerling potatoes

olive oil for brushing

parmesan cheese

Caesar dressing

adapted from epicurious

1/3 cup mayonnaise

3 anchovy fillets

2 cloves garlic
3 tbs olive oil

1/2 tsp sriracha

1/2 worcestershire sauce
juice of one lemon

black pepper to taste

Boil potatoes until just done in a pot of salted water -- about eight minutes -- and slice thin. Meanwhile, heat your grill pan. In a food processor, combine anchovies and garlic. Then add olive oil, sriracha, worcestershire, mayo, lemon juice and black pepper. Zip up until smooth. Set aside.

Brush the potatoes with oil and grill until marks appear. Be patient and don't fiddle with them. Grill the lettuce briefly. This will take only moments. You don't want the entire head to be wilted.

Arrange the romaine and potatoes on a plate, drizzle with the dressing, sprinkle with parmesan cheese and serve with grilled bread. Enjoy!