VOTE VOTE VOTE!

FRIENDS!!! Quickest post ever -- I have 2 min 18 seconds left on my internet.  I am alive and kicking in Ireland.  I can't wait to tell you all about it!  This is a reminder to pop on over to vote for PHO REAL!  Sending you love an hugs!

xoH

And . . . I'm out

I am humming the tune "Leaving on a Jet Plane" right now.  My bags are packed, well almost. My papers are completed.  My competition post has been entered.  I actually have two hotel reservations booked and will be sharing a rental car with another bridesmaid.  I sort of have my shit together, sort of. 

This is a call to all of you to vote for PHO REAL?! starting on Monday.  I will do my best to remind you while I am away, but if I can't please, please, please.  You got me through round one, let's get to round three!  

I promise to bring home loads of stories, surely about driving on the wrong side of the road. Lord help me. My camera has a full battery and an empty memory card. Good people of Ireland, here I come!  xoH

Challenge # 2: Pho real?!

My friends, I made it to round two!  Hip, hip, hooray!!! Do you know what this means?  I get to share with you the most delectable and most crave-inducing soup on the planet.  I tout a lot of foods here at Hail's Kitchen. How many times have I uttered the phrase "best ever?" Too many probably.  But, people, this soup.  THIS SOUP!

Pho: it's pronounced fuh, and it is a Vietnamese treasure.

Typically the broth is made by simmering beef bones with aromatics and spices to create a rich, flavorful broth that invites you to bathe in the stuff it is so luscious. Meatballs, tendons, thinly sliced beef, chicken, gizzards, tripe, and other organs are often served alongside thin rice noodles.    

In addition to having an obsession with the broth that boarders on irrational, I love the garnishes that accompany this soup; bean sprouts, cilantro, basil, lime wedges, sliced chilies.  

When I lived in Salt Lake City, I made a point to eat pho at least once a week.  If I didn't know what to cook for dinner -- looks like a pho night!  If I had a stomachache -- pho!  If had a lousy day at work -- pho!  Breakfast, lunch or dinner, this soup fits the bill.  Heals you heart and soul.  Promise. Girl scout's honor.  

Now that I no longer live in the fine metropolitan area of Salt Lake City, I have missed my weekly ritual.  SORELY.  I've always wanted to make pho at home but have been scared of the broth.  I had this impression that it was too complicated, too many ingredients, too much time. 

Well, I am not going to sugarcoat this.  While the process wasn't necessarily complicated, the ingredients were a challenge.  The fact that I live in a relatively rural location, my grocery stores don't have a ready supply of exotic spices like star anise.  Sigh.  But, that didn't derail my mission.  I adapted with anise seeds and included fennel bulb.  Was it ideal? Probably not.  Did it satisfy my craving? Most certainly!  

The smell of the broth made my eyes roll in the back of my head.  Neighbors, you are welcome. To say that this broth is aromatic is like saying I am happy to have made it to round two: gross understatements on both accounts.

I had to fiddle with my broth a bit, adding more fish sauce and more sugar, to get it perfect.  I felt a little like Goldilocks, but finally, I got it just right.  

Good things come in nondescript, plastic bags.

Like beef bones.

 This is where I fell short in the recipe accuracy department. Anise seeds had to suffice. On a side note, every time I use cheesecloth I feel like a WWI nurse.  I enjoy channelling my inner Ernest Hemingway . . . or not. 

I, however, did not fall short in charring the onions and ginger.  I nearly burned down my building, but hey, all in the name of competition. 

My soup paled in comparison to my garnish in terms of beauty.

Thinly sliced sirloin and rice noodles ready for their salty bath.

My broth was not as clear as it should have been, but it certainly satisfied. 

I no longer have to whine and cry because I have to drive 2.5 hours for pho.  

Vietnamese Pho or beef noodle soup

adapted from a conglomeration of recipes

broth:

5 pounds beef marrow or knuckle bones (my butcher only had marrow bones)

2 onions, charred (burned skin removed) and quarted

2 celery stalks, rough chopped

2 carrots, rough chopped

1, 4 inch piece of ginger, charred and cut lengthwise 

1 bulb fennel, quartered

6 cloves garlic, crushed

1/4 cup fish sauce

3 tbs sugar

2 tbs kosher salt

spices: 6 cloves, 1 cinnamon stick, 6 whole star anise (if you can find them) or 6 tsp anise seeds, 1 cardamom pod (if you can find it) 

6 quarts of water

the rest:

thin rice noodles, cooked according to the package (al dente is best)

1 lb sirloin, thinly sliced (slightly frozen helps with slicing)

lime wedges

cilantro

basil, thai basil (AGAIN if you can find it)

bean sprouts

chili peppers, sliced

First, parboil the bones in a large pot of boiling water.  This helps to rid them of any impurities.  Be prepared for a foul smell and even fouler water.  After ten minutes, rinse the bones and the pot.  Meanwhile, char the onions and ginger.  If you have a gas stove -- great!  If not, broil them in the oven until they are good and smokey. 

Return the bones to the pot along with the vegetables and spice bouquet.  Fill with with water. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer.  Over-boiling causes cloudy broth -- check out my photos for a lesson of what NOT TO DO!  Allow the broth to simmer for at least 1.5 to 2 hours.  The longer the simmer, the greater the flavor.  

Strain out the vegetables and the beef bones.  Add the sugar, salt and fish sauce to the broth.  Be sure to taste and adjust accordingly to get the broth to your liking.  

To serve: in a big bowl, arrange a handful of sliced beef on al dente noodles.  Ladle in the hot broth.  Allow your guests to garnish their soup with the provided accoutrements: bean sprouts, cilantro, basil, sliced chilies and lime wedges.  Slurp and enjoy!

Dancing under a rainbow with a leprechaun, a Guinness in hand

I am trying to keep my cool this morning. I have felt like the Tasmanian Devil this week -- swirling around in dust cloud of my own chaos.

I leave for a certain foreign country in four days. I have been hydrating so my liver is prepared for all the Guinness and whiskey I plan to drink. My tummy is prepared for blood sausage and eggs. Beyond that preparation, guidebooks have yet to be opened. My bag is not even close to packed. I don't even have a hotel reservation. Flying by the seat of pants? Yeah, that's a fair observation.

My professors were all fine with me taking a week off of school. Sure, they said, have a great time! But . . . I'll need that paper before you leave. All three of them uttered the exact same words. Insert audible, painful sigh HERE. Can I get extra credit if I pay homage to Oscar Wilde?

The other tricky thing about this week is the food blog competition, which if you're reading this now and have not voted, I beg of you to finish reading this post and then GO VOTE. Thanks times infinity.

Back to the tricky part. The contestants who will move to the next round will be announced Friday. I leave for the airport on Friday, which would make it nearly impossible to bust out a classic dish from another culture that morning. So I busted mine out preemptively last night in the event that I make it to the next round. Fingers crossed.

Tricky part duo. If I make to the third round I will be in Ireland more than likely dancing under a rainbow with a leprechaun, a Guinness in hand. How in the name of pots of gold will I be able to 1. make a luxury dinner party for friends and 2. get an internet connection underneath a rainbow to post said dinner?

Well, I will be preparing the meal for a friend's 30th soiree dinner tonight and thus the luxury dinner party for friends. I have not planned a lick for this trip, but this food competition -- watch out! Sister's got mad foresight.

Here's a sneak peek of my dish for Friday, that is if you fine readers have voted for my lunacy.

I hope to post it's full glory Friday. Please send any intellectual energy my way, as I fear my papers are going to be more sixth grade than grad school. Until Friday, friends. xoH

Voting!!! and swoon-worthy sausage

It's Monday, September 20. Guess what that means? VOTING begins today for the Foodbuzz Project Food Blog competition! I feel like a radio announcer. All my loyal fans and readers -- all three of you -- please hustle over to Foodbuzz and vote. Please and thank you.

Here's how: click on my jazzy Foodbuzz profile to the right. This magically transports you to Foodbuzz where you will have to create an account to vote if you don't already belong to Foodbuzz. Don't panic. No credit card numbers or first borns will have to be traded -- just an email and password. You will then be armed with voting power. Vote on, good readers. Vote on.

In addition to coercing you to vote, I do have a recipe for this fine Monday morning.

Breakfast is my favorite meal to cook. Oddly, though, I am a horrific breakfast eater. In fact, my healthful and delicious breakfast of yogurt and granola is sitting mostly untouched to my right, but I am working on my third cup of coffee. Go figure.

The following recipe is noteworthy. The following recipe is company-worthy. The following recipe ROCKS JIMMY DEAN'S WORLD: homemade blueberry maple breakfast sausage. This sausage takes no time to throw together, it's fun to mush around, you can control the spice, and people, the combination of the sweet and salty and spicy is cosmic.

You will not be surprised to hear the following words coming out of my mouth, but, this is the best breakfast sausage on the planet. I can't wait to try other combinations -- nectarines or apples, ground elk sausage with huckleberries. Can you imagine? Swoon.

While I am dreaming of sausage recipes, please please please click on my profile and vote! I will love you forever and ever. Amen. Praise Jebus. Hallelujah. xoH

Jane's crazy mixed-up salt should be in your seasoning arsenal. If it's not, go buy some. Salty goodness.

I love how the pork tinges purple.

Eggs cooked in the same pan as the sausage = Good.

Blueberry maple breakfast sausage

1 lb ground pork

1 handful (about 1/2 cup) fresh blueberries, chopped

2 tbs fresh sage, chopped

1 tbs fresh thyme, chopped

1 tsp garlic salt

1 tsp black pepper

1 tsp salt

1.5 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (more if you like it spicier)

2 - 3 tbs maple syrup

In a bowl, combine the sage, thyme and spices. Stir well. Next add the pork, blueberries and syrup -- I use my hands to mix it all up. Form into patties. I fry them first in a skillet and then finish them off in the oven for about ten minutes to ensure they are cooked through. Serve hot and enjoy!

Confirmation: Zicam has not stolen my taste buds

Good morning. I have something idiotic to share with you this fine September morn. Something that is so quintessentially Hailey I could not let it go unposted.

Notice a similarity between these two containers?

Both share similar packaging and coloring. One is negligibly taller than the other, but otherwise these two containers look relatively identical. Yes? Am I correct in this observation?

These two containers hold very different products. Both are liquid. Both are tasty. One belongs in my coffee and one DOES NOT:

Can you guess which one I poured into my coffee without realizing my mistake and TOOK A SIP again without realizing my coffee hadn't really changed into the desired warm hue?

Two things: Zicam has not stolen my taste buds. Coffee spiked with chicken broth tastes like arse. Second: my abs are so sore from sneezing so much yesterday that I let out an audible yelp the last time I let out an "hachu." My Idaho History classmates are going to love me today.

Please Zicam, don't steal my taste buds

I have sneezed at least 337 times today. Allergies? I hope so. Common cold? Perhaps. I hope not. I had a presentation today, which I sneezed my way through so I thought it was necessary to take measures beyond just politely excusing myself and sneezing uproariously into the nook of my arm. I picked up some Zicam.

I was reminded after downing a few that Zicam, along with reducing cold symptoms, steals people's taste buds. Great. That's just what I need. A food blogger who can't taste her food.

After my workday wrapped, I hustled myself home as quickly as I could to whip up the following recipe: peanut butter pasta. Flavor, flavor, flavor. I had to be sure I didn't have an ensuing lawsuit again Zicam. Nope, even through my stuffy, runny nose this dressing SHINED.

My mom often made this pasta when I was kid, and it makes the yummiest leftovers. I made mine without any chicken, but it is delicious with shredded chicken. Shrimp would be fabulous, too. I tried to no avail to find my peanut dipping sauce recipe -- this is close. I will keep searching, as that recipe is golden.

I am off to the Thai restaurant where I hope to not sneeze all over the appetizer line. Excuse me. Sniffle. Sniffle.

P.S. VOTING opens Monday!!! I'll be posting thorough instructions on how you can complete the crucial process. Don't you fear.

These just happened to be in my pantry -- regular ol' noodles work just fine.

I do love their packaging though.

No need to stir!

Creamy.

And delicious.

Peanut butter pasta

Adapted from my mom's recipe - I'd be damned if I could find hers

1/2 english cucumber, sliced thinly

2 carrots, sliced thinly

1 red or orange pepper, sliced thinly

3-4 green onions, sliced thinly

1 large handful cilantro, chopped

1 package noodles -- Asian or otherwise

Dressing:

6 tbs peanut butter

3 tbs chicken or vegetable broth, heated

3 tbs soy sauce

3 tbs seasoned rice vinegar

1.5 tbs sesame oil

1 tbs brown sugar

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 thumb-sized knob of ginger, minced

Cook noodles according to package. Drain and set aside. Meanwhile, make the dressing. Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl. Don't be nervous at the amount of liquid -- it looks like an enormous amount, but it mixes in. You could also buzz this up in your food processor if you feel like washing dishes. In a large bowl, combine the drained noodles, the sliced veggies and the dressing. Toss well. Garnish with more cilantro and serve either warm or cold.

Challenge #1: cook, photograph, eat, repeat

Ready, set, blog! What defines me as a blogger? More specifically, what defines me as a food blogger? What sets me apart, and do I have what it takes to be the food blog star?

Allow me to take you on a photo journey to explain.

The seed that was Hail's Kitchen sprouted its head in the fall of 2008. This little grain had been germinating in my head for years, but a number of events in my personal life had to transpire before the bud could really flower. I sold my car. I used that money to buy a camera. I began taking photos with said camera. Photos like this:

and this gem:

Thus began my unyielding appreciation and quest for natural light.

Hail's Kitchen took a hiatus when I moved to the country where I contemplated selling my kidney to afford an internet connection. I decided in favor of the kidney.

I moved back to my home state of Idaho in the fall of 2009, and Hail's Kitchen was resurrected. Closer to my family, closer to the mountains and rivers I missed, but farther away from the food I loved, I learned to make my favorite dishes I craved so desperately from the big city. Can't order take out? Make your own:

My culinary repertoire has extended to include many of the ethnic favorites I left behind in Salt Lake City. However, I might give a kidney for a steaming bowl of pho right now.

Hail's Kitchen revolves around food. Cook, photograph, eat, repeat. That's the mantra. I am not a professionally trained chef, nor am I photographer with lots of fancy equipment and lighting tools. I am just a girl who enjoys sharing her meals via the world wide web with family and friends.

I am also a girl who is not afraid to admit and embrace her failures, usually failures of epic proportion. Mochi at home? Bad idea. Horrific, in fact. Or the foiled tortilla espanola that ended up looking more like scrambled eggs than Spanish tapas:

While food dominates the theme of Hail's Kitchen, my life creeps into most posts by default.

Work days on the farm:

Family vacations:

Field trips to local playgrounds:

And often, moments that take my breath away:

Hail’s Kitchen is a place for folks looking for a little mealtime inspiration. Hail’s Kitchen is often a place for folks looking for a good laugh. Hail’s Kitchen is always a place for folks looking for honest, approachable food that anyone can prepare. If I can successfully bake a six-layer, almond-flavored rainbow cake, you most certainly can too:

My kitchen is my respite. Feeding those I love sustains my soul. Hail’s Kitchen is my vehicle to feed those I love, near and far, with my photos and words. Borrowing one of my father's (AKA the Judge) favorite expressions, I hope this site leaves you “fat and happy.”

Cheers.

Coming soon!

Competition post will be up tomorrow. Promise. Girl scout's honor. Sorry. Charles Dickens and and a big bottle of Barefoot shiraz is to blame. xoH

Project Food Blog Update

Yo, friends, I will be updating more about how this whole thing works soon. I really am a little unsure myself, but my first official 'competition' post will be Sunday. The voting opens on Monday, Sept. 13 so get ready to cast your ballot!

Here's how happy I'll be if I make it to the next round:

That's an elated face, not a bitter beer face.

Don't be confused.

Salad rolls: more like rolls, less like turds!

As if my plate has not completely runneth over as it is, I am now a kitchen elf at the new Thai restaurant in town. I was hired as a server, but my ears perked up when I heard they needed help in the kitchen. What you say, learn Thai cuisine and get paid for it? Sign me up!

You can also sign me up for a prescription for an anti-anxiety medication. Remember that clone I mentioned a few weeks ago, yeah, I am serious. Anyone want to be my personal assistant? The pay is, well, no pay. Sorry. Good company though!

Salad rolls have always been one of my favorite appetizers to make. However, my rolls always turned out looking less like rolls and more like turds. Until now! I have learned some helpful hints to rolling these oh so delicious and healthful treats, which you'll see below.

These salad rolls are the first thing I have cooked in my kitchen since I made chicken cordon blue last week. Things have been a bit slow here in terms of cooking. I am indebted to my new employer, as they feed me dinner every night. If not for them, I would be living on string cheese and coffee. How I do love caffeine and portable cheese.

Rice wrappers. You can usually find these in the Asian section of most grocery stores.

I have always made the mistake of soaking these too long. They only need a quick, complete dip in a bowl of hot water. That's all!

Vermicelli noodles.

Adapt your salad rolls to your favorite veggies; I used salad greens, bean sprouts, shredded carrots, thinly sliced carrots, cucumbers and green onions, and cilantro.

Here's the best trick I learned! Use TWO sheets, layered on top of one another. Helps enormously!!!

Layer lettuce, bean sprouts, carrots, cucumber, pepper, onion and cilantro.

Finally, a bit of noodles.

Then the tricky part! Roll carefully yet TIGHTLY, tucking in the edges as you roll. I kept getting scolded for "not rolling tight enough" by my darling little Asian instructor. I still don't have this down pat. In fact, I am afraid to serve these to paying customers. I needed the practice at home.

Not bad.

I usually make my own peanut sauce, but do you think I had time to make my own peanut sauce? Hell no. Store bought was excellent. I'll email you my peanut sauce recipe if you would like it. It is tasty.

Lovely day(s)

I hope everyone had a fabulous three day weekend. I shirked all homework responsibilities and pretended like I am not a graduate student by shimmying myself up to the South Fork of the Snake River where I played outside from sun up to sun down.

See:

There's a bright golden haze in the meadow . . .

We got up before the sun to catch the mist coming off the river and snap some marketing photos. I was actually in front of the lens for most of the photos, which is not my m.o., but I was able to sneak in a few shots while the mist lingered.

And this one of the shoot in action. Beautiful place to greet the sun.

I managed to fulfill every redneck girl's fantasy this weekend: I fished, I helped hang a tree stand (which I managed to avoid sitting in -- 12ish feet up was sure to end in Disaster with a capital D), I assisted with praise and moral support in the foiled shot at a deer, I then subsequently searched for the arrows for what felt like 12 hours, I decked myself out in camouflage from head to toe, and I shot myself not one, but TWO ruffled grouse with a 20 gauge shotgun. Yes, ma'am, you can call me Annie Oakley. I think I would do quite right living off the fat of the land.

I am a catch and release fishergal 99% of the time. You can't really catch and release while hunting. My mom likes to say that she hunts with her camera lens. I get her point. However, I crawled around in the brush, over trees, through huckleberry bushes, and I earned my dinner. To say that successfully shooting a flying bird is exhilarating would be like saying I have a little bit of reading to do this semester. I nearly shat myself I was so excited when I connected with that little creature.

What was even more thrilling was eating the bird I had shot only a few hours previous. Friends, this meal was spectacular. We wrapped the grouse breasts in bacon since it is a super lean bird, plus I have been on a bacon-binge as of late. We also cooked up some taters in foil with sliced garlic and a can of cream o' mushroom soup (read that with your best redneck drawl). Food snobs don't turn your nose up . . . these took five minutes to throw together and about thirty seconds to gobble down. They were delicious.

I closed the weekend down with a Boise State football game. Yes, it was a lovely weekend.

Ruffled grouse. Tastes like chicken but better dressed.

Tuli worked hard. Amazing to watch him in his element.

Fortunately I did not have to clean the birds -- hiding behind the camera works wonders sometimes.

Can you smell the goodness?

Got to love eating outside -- notice the piece of grass that snuck on the plate?

Looks a little monochromatic. Tasted megafantastic.