An amalgam of color and glory

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

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!

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?

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!

Stronger, smarter, and by golly, a little prettier

This thing still works! Can you believe it?  The good folks with Blogger did not relegate me to the defunct bloggers who neglect their sites.  After a little spring cleaning and some much needed time off, folks put your big girl panties on, Hail's Kitchen has been resurrected . . . for the second time. 

The phrase distance makes the heart grow fonder has always been malarkey in mind. Until today.  I opened my blogger account with intention, with purpose, with longing to refresh this little hobby of mine that has been gathering dust the past few months, and I felt like I had returned home after a visit to Mars.  I missed my humble little post here at Hail's Kitchen something fierce.  I didn't realize until I uploaded a few photos and started writing how much I truly love cooking, photographing, eating and repeating.

For those three of you who are loyal readers, I am sorry for my absence. I am not entirely sure what happened other than this chronic condition people call life.  I won't bore with what I have been up to the past six months nor will I promise that you'll see a new post every third day, but I will say I missed it here.  A lot.  With each resurrection, Hail's Kitchen gets stronger, smarter, and by golly, a little prettier.  

So, I hope you join me, big girl panties and all, as we head into the third attempt at Hail's Kitchen.  The summer won't disappoint as I'll be splitting my time between river livin' and city livin'.  That combo is sure to deliver a healthy serving of random.  

Until then, here are some photos from my spring break trip across the pond to jolly ol' England where we visited the happiest place on Earth for a foodie like me, Borrough Market.  My friends, I was nearly left  because I of my enchantment with their produce.  After twenty minutes of capturing the setting sun on cabbage leaves, my hungry travel companion threatened to leave me and my Cannon to sleep with the taters.  Imagine a four year old girl at a Disney princess breakfast, yep, that was me at Borrough Market.  Squeeling and all.

Missed you internet.  xoH



Definitely not Albertsons.

Shrimp, both of them.

 

I nearly forgot, eclairs will forever be a Thanksgiving staple.