tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-63464797403809267802024-03-08T17:16:07.471-08:00Cooking in CucamongaYou are the butter to my breadJanethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13357534027149882601noreply@blogger.comBlogger211125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6346479740380926780.post-88886848998332709612016-01-21T10:43:00.001-08:002016-01-21T10:43:37.448-08:00Korean BBQ Steak Bowls with Spicy Sesame Dressing<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-xvRouvV9-m0/VqEm1r0VHfI/AAAAAAAABTs/OC4DaAx-PG0/s640/blogger-image--718576775.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-xvRouvV9-m0/VqEm1r0VHfI/AAAAAAAABTs/OC4DaAx-PG0/s640/blogger-image--718576775.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div>These steak bowls come together quickly, are flavorful, and a great way to add a lot of veggies into dinner! </div><div>It's not included in the recipe below, but you can also make a pot of rice and add the rice to your bowl. I layered mine rice, veggies, steak, dressing. </div><div><br></div><div><b>Korean BBQ Steak Bowls with Spicy Sesame Dressing</b></div><div><br></div><div><b>Source: </b><a href="http://pinchofyum.com/korean-bbq-steak-bowls-with-spicy-sesame-dressing" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">http://pinchofyum.com/korean-bbq-steak-bowls-with-spicy-sesame-dressing</a></div><div><br></div><div><b>Dressing Ingredients</b></div><div>2/3 cup low sodium soy sauce</div><div>1/4 cup mirin (sweet cooking rice wine)</div><div>1 Tablespoon fresh minced ginger</div><div>1 Tablespoon sesame oil</div><div>2-3 Tablespoons brown sugar</div><div>1-2 Tablespoons sambal oelek (spicy chili paste)</div><div>5 cloves garlic</div><div><br></div><div><b>Steak Bowl Ingredients</b></div><div>1 lb top sirloin steak, thinly sliced</div><div>3 bell peppers, thinly sliced or spiralized</div><div>2 handfuls of spinach leaves</div><div>1 Tablespoon vegetable or olive oil </div><div>Optional toppings: green onions or scallions, sesame seeds, wonton strips</div><div><br></div><div><b>Directions</b></div><div>1. Combine all dressing ingredients together in a blender or food processor and pulse until smooth. Or combine all ingredients in a bowl (mince the garlic first) and stir together, if you prefer. </div><div>2. Place the sliced steak in a ziplock bag and pour just enough dressing to cover the meat, reserving the rest. (I reserve about 1/3 of the sauce.)</div><div>3. Heat the oil in a heavy pan over high heat. Remove the steak from the marinade, discard the used marinade, and cook the steak for 1-2 minutes, without stirring it around. Flip the steak and cook for another minute, or just until done. Remove the steak from the pan.</div><div>4. Either toss the steak and veggies together with the remaining dressing or layer the veggies in a bowl and top with the steak, drizzling the remaining dressing over the top. Top with your choice of toppings. </div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-lHT3OCm8nzc/VqEm0jKqUxI/AAAAAAAABTk/DWE2BxR5WoU/s640/blogger-image--419058063.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-lHT3OCm8nzc/VqEm0jKqUxI/AAAAAAAABTk/DWE2BxR5WoU/s640/blogger-image--419058063.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div>Janethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13357534027149882601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6346479740380926780.post-56495425591418295542014-03-12T17:21:00.003-07:002014-03-12T17:21:55.467-07:00Halibut with Zucchini and Toasty Garlic Mojo<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I recently bought Rick Bayless' cookbook Mexican Everyday and every recipe I've tried so far has been stellar. This is one of those recipes.<br />
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When I think Mexican food, I usually think of cheese-laden, heavy dishes, rice, refried beans, burritos and tacos. Obviously, Mexican cuisine encompasses so much more than that, but I don't think I am alone in my mental image. This is not one of those recipes. It is light and fresh, but full of so much flavor. I am not a huge fish fan, but even I was wishing for another bite once we were done eating.<br />
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<b>Halibut with Zucchini and Toasty Garlic Mojo<br /><i>Hipogloso al Mojo de Ajo con Calabacitas</i></b><br />
<b><i><br /></i>Source:</b> Rick Bayless' <i>Mexican Everyday</i><br />
<br /><b>Ingredients</b><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1/3 cup olive oil<br />8 garlic cloves, peeled and halved<br />2/3 cup chicken broth<br />salt<br />1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, plus more for seasoning the fish<br />Four 4 to 5 ounce fish fillets (1 to 1.25 pounds total) Halibut, snapper, mahimahi, catfish or bass<br />1 pound zucchini (I used calabacita [Mexican squash])</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1/2 cup (loosely packed) chopped cilantro</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 large lime, cut into wedges, for serving</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Directions</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Turn the oven on to its lowest setting and place an oven safe plate inside. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In a large skillet (12"), warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until soft, fragrant, and lightly browned (about 4 minutes). Using a slotted spoon, scoop the garlic out into a food processor or blender, leaving as must oil in the skillet as possible. Set the skillet aside.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Add the chicken broth, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and the pepper to the food processor. Blend until smooth.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Return the skillet to medium-high heat. Blot any moisture off the fish and generously season both sides with salt and pepper. Once the oil is hot, place the fish in the skillet and cook until browned (about 2-3 minutes). Flip and cook the other side about 2 minutes. Transfer the fish to the plate in the oven to keep warm.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">With the skillet still over medium-high heat, add the zucchini and cook, stirring regularly, until lightly browned, but still crunchy in the middle (about 6 minutes). Add the garlic mixture and cilantro. Stir until the sauce reaches a boil and the flavors come together. Taste and season with additional salt, if needed.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Spoon the zucchini and sauce over the fish. Serve right away with the lime wedges.</span><br />
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<br />Janethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13357534027149882601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6346479740380926780.post-55072383989989800812014-02-12T18:23:00.006-08:002014-02-12T18:23:45.651-08:00Pan Seared Lamb Chops with Rosemary and GarlicI need to start documenting what we eat again-crappy pictures be damned-so I can remember the meals we love. Too often I make something new, we enjoy it, but when I want to make it again, I can't remember where I found the recipe or what changes I made.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-shKPjIzm3Kg/UvwsfR9uQLI/AAAAAAAABJI/0HkYAmWGWMU/s1600/lamb.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-shKPjIzm3Kg/UvwsfR9uQLI/AAAAAAAABJI/0HkYAmWGWMU/s1600/lamb.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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I wasn't too concerned with plating or lighting (obviously!) with this picture because I just wanted something to jog my memory when I go looking for a lamb recipe.<br />
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Pan Seared Lamb Chops with Rosemary and Garlic<br />
Source: <a href="http://www.primalpalate.com/blog/pan-seared-lamb-chops-with-rosemary-and-garlic/" target="_blank">Primal Palate</a><br />
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Ingredients<br />
4 lamb chops<br />
1 head of garlic<br />
1/4 cup rosemary<br />
1 teaspoon coconut oil<br />
1 Tablespoon coconut oil<br />
salt and pepper<br />
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Directions<br />
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1. Heat the oven to 400 degress<br />
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2. Mince the garlic and rosemary.<br />
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3. Heat the teaspoon of coconut oil in an oven safe skillet over medium heat. Sautee the minced garlic and rosemary until soft. Remove the garlic and rosemary from the pan and set aside.<br />
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4. Heat 1 Tablespoon of coconut oil in the same skillet over medium high heat. Sear the lamb chops for two minutes on each side (three minutes if they're thick). Sear the edges for 30 seconds each.<br />
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5. Top the chops with half of the sauteed garlic and rosemary. Put the skillet in the oven and cook for 2 minutes.<br />
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6. Remove from the oven. Plate the lamb chops and top with the remaining rosemary and garlic.<br />
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<br />Janethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13357534027149882601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6346479740380926780.post-18533071766938019352013-09-02T20:49:00.003-07:002013-09-02T20:49:34.671-07:00Roasted Fig Flatbread Salad with Goat Cheese SpreadIt wasn't until my senior year of college that I first tried figs. I happened upon them at a little grocer in the SF Ferry Building, and having heard of them but never tasted them, decided to buy a little basket of the expensive fruit. Well, actually they're a flower--isn't that so weirdly interesting?<br />
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I was hooked on their sweet flavor right away. Now nearly 10 years later, I continue to seek them out each summer and savor their sweet flavor before their short season ends. This year I bought several baskets at Whole Foods, but stupidly tried to make them last for a week since the closest Whole Foods is about 40 miles away. Most of them turned moldy and gross a few days later and I learned my lesson- figs must be eaten right away!<br />
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The husband, who doesn't get excited about food the way I do, and definitely has never cared about figs before, is in love with this salad. So much so that he requested it for breakfast one weekend morning. :) There is something about the play of flavors here that is just so right. So much so in fact, that we're planning on eating it again this week and as many more times as we can fit in before figs are gone for another year.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4ZgLdbhAys0/UiVcOZFxrsI/AAAAAAAABAQ/_4B2l1ooXW8/s1600/fig+salad.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4ZgLdbhAys0/UiVcOZFxrsI/AAAAAAAABAQ/_4B2l1ooXW8/s320/fig+salad.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<i>PS: The recipe as written calls for 16 ounces of figs. I just buy a basket, or a clamshell (Fresh and Easy), of whatever variety I can find and use all of them. </i><br />
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<b>Roasted Fig Flatbread Salad with Goat Cheese Spread</b><br />
<b>Source: </b>slightly adapted from <a href="http://www.annies-eats.com/2013/08/21/roasted-fig-flatbreads-with-chevre-and-greens/" target="_blank"><i>Annie's Eats</i></a><br />
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<b>Ingredients</b><br />
1 Tablespoon olive oil<br />
1/2 Tablespoon butter<br />
1 small yellow onion, thinly sliced<br />
16 ounces fresh figs, stemmed and halved<br />
brown sugar<br />
4 ounces plain goat cheese, slightly softened<br />
2 Tablespoons milk<br />
1/2 teaspoon to 1 teaspoon of honey<br />
Baby spring mix, or other salad greens<br />
2 flatbreads<br />
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<b>Directions</b><br />
Heat the oil in a medium pan over medium heat. Add the butter and the onions and reduce the heat to low. Stir gently, cooking the onions until they are soft, golden brown, and caramelized; about 40 minutes.<br />
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Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Set the figs, cut side up, on a baking sheet or glass baking pan. Lightly sprinkle the figs with brown sugar, salt, and pepper. Roast in the oven 10-15 minutes, until softened and juicy. Do not over bake them!<br />
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Meanwhile, mix the goat cheese, milk and honey together in a mixing bowl with the paddle attachment until smooth and fluffy.<br />
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Heat the flatbreads in the oven for about 2-3 minutes. Let them cool for about 3-5 minutes. (I heat them while the figs are in the middle of roasting, in order to give them time to cool off a bit.)<br />
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Spread the flatbreads with the goat cheese mixture, top with the greens, caramelized onions, and figs. Serve right away and enjoy!<br />
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<i>Note: I found it easier to eat these if I cut the flatbreads into four slices with a pizza cutter prior to toping them.</i><br />
<br />Janethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13357534027149882601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6346479740380926780.post-39829694146227289242013-07-30T20:13:00.003-07:002013-07-30T20:21:15.108-07:00Sesame-crusted Seared Ahi Tuna <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dYTHM7iMJsg/Ufh-2gQBvFI/AAAAAAAAA-o/AU23z31uDMY/s1600/seared+ahi.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dYTHM7iMJsg/Ufh-2gQBvFI/AAAAAAAAA-o/AU23z31uDMY/s320/seared+ahi.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Now that I am no longer pregnant, I have been venturing back into eating sushi again. But, I think pregnancy whacked out my taste buds because sushi hasn't tasted as good as it did pre-pregnancy. I really want to enjoy my beloved raw fish once again, so I decided seared ahi would be a good re-introduction.<br />
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In pursuit of this goal, the husband and I recently had the seared ahi appetizer and the ahi crunchy salad at the Yardhouse, and man it was so good I wanted to order another round. We kept talking about recreating the appetizer at home, so when we found ourselves at Whole Foods (aka Whole Paycheck!) near Huntington Beach, we picked up an ahi steak and set out looking for a sauce recipe to replicate the Yardhouse's appetizer. I didn't find any recipes claiming to mimic the Yardhouse, but with some minor adjustments, a P.F. Chang copycat recipe came pretty close.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Sesame-crusted Seared Ahi Tuna</span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Sources</span><br />
<b>Tuna:</b> <i>adapted from<a href="http://www.lifetasteslikefood.com/2011/07/20/sesame-crusted-seared-ahi-tuna/" target="_blank"> Life Tastes Like Food</a></i><br />
<b>Sauce:</b> <i>adapted from <a href="http://pfchangsathome.blogspot.com/2013/01/seared-ahi-tuna.html" target="_blank">P.F. Chang's Copycat Recipe</a></i><br />
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<b>Tuna Ingredients</b><br />
1 ahi tuna steak<br />
1/2 cup sesame seeds<br />
salt<br />
olive oil<br />
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<b>Sauce Ingredients</b><br />
1 Tablespoon wasabi paste<br />
1 Tablespoon rice vinegar<br />
1 Tablespoon ponzu or soy sauce<br />
1 Tablespoon sesame oil<br />
2 Tablespoons olive oil<br />
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<b>Directions</b><br />
Combine all sauce ingredients in a small bowl and whisk to combine. Set aside.<br />
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Pat the tuna steak dry. Pour the sesame seeds onto a plate and press the tuna onto them. Flip the tuna over and coat the other side. Repeat with the edges.<br />
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To cook the tuna, pour just enough oil to coat the bottom of a pan and the heat over medium high heat. Once the oil is shimmering and hot, place the tuna in the pan and cook for 30 seconds. Flip over and cook the other side for 30 seconds. Using tongs, sear the outside edges for about 10-15 seconds.<br />
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Remove the tuna from the pan and place on a cutting board. Slice into thin pieces and serve with the sauce.<br />
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<i>You can either drizzle the sauce over the sliced tuna or you can spoon the sauce onto the plate and top it with the tuna. I prefer to do both-spoon sauce onto the plate, top with seared tuna, then drizzle additional sauce on top. :)</i>Janethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13357534027149882601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6346479740380926780.post-31740282041559068572012-07-05T15:52:00.000-07:002012-07-05T15:53:51.018-07:00Lobster Roll<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/janetplanet20/7510841758/" title="lobster roll by JanetPlanet20, on Flickr"><img alt="lobster roll" height="333" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8019/7510841758_817902a6ef.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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The husband and I recently tried the lobster roll with butter from the <a href="http://www.lobstatruck.com/" target="_blank">Lobsta Truck</a> at a local food truck fest. We're both big fans of lobster-well, of shellfish in general, really-and I'm a fan of food trucks, so we were pretty excited to eat at the Lobsta Truck. Since there were so many different food trucks there that I wanted to try, and the fact that a lobster roll was $12, we decided to split one.<br />
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The lobsta roll was definitely great, made even better that they dressed the hunks of lobster in butter rather than mayo (I am decidedly not a fan of mayo). As we walked away, finishing the last few bites, the husband and I started talking, as we so often do, about trying to recreate it at home.<br />
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It seems Costco has their seafood road show every other weekend, with amazing prices on scallops, crab, and of course lobster, so it was only a short amount of time until we found ourselves in possession of some huge lobster tails (these bad boys were about a pound each!) and able to attempt a recreation. I did a quick Google search and couldn't find any recipes for lobster rolls that did not use mayo, so I decided I'd just wing it and keep it simple.<br />
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I quickly steamed the tails, melted some butter with a squeeze of lemon juice, and put together two sandwiches. Gloriously delicious! They were better than what we sampled from the Lobsta Truck-so much so, that we had the same thing for lunch two days later.<br />
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<b>Lobster Rolls with Butter</b><br />
<b>Source: Inspired by the <a href="http://www.lobstatruck.com/" target="_blank">Lobsta Truck</a>, execution my own</b><br />
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<b>Ingredients</b><br />
3/4lb to 1 pound lobster tail meat<br />
1/2 stick butter<br />
lemon juice to taste (I used about a 1/2 teaspoon in the butter and then added more to my sandwich after assembly)<br />
garlic salt to taste<br />
about 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley<br />
2 sandwich rolls<br />
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<b>Directions</b><br />
Using a sharp knife or kitchen shears, split the top of the shell down the middle, exposing the meat. Crack open the shell, leaving it attached on the backside. This will help the lobster meat steam and will make it easier to remove the shells once the tails are cooked.<br />
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In a large stock pot with a steamer basket, bring about 4 cups of water to a boil. Once the water is boiling, place the lobster tail(s) in the basket and cover.<br />
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Steam the lobster until the meat turns white all the way through, about 8 minutes per pound.<br />
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Meanwhile, melt the butter. Once the butter is melted, combine it with the lemon juice, garlic salt, and dried parsley in a medium bowl. Set aside.<br />
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Once the lobster is cooked through, remove from the steamer basket and let sit on a cutting board about 3-5 minutes, until cool enough to handle. While the lobster cools, split the rolls in half, and toast.<br />
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Completely remove the shells and discard. Cut the lobster meat into bite-sized chunks.<br />
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Add the lobster meat to the butter mixture and toss to combine. Spoon the lobster onto the sandwich rolls and drizzle with remaining butter mixture. Sprinkle additional lemon juice onto each sandwich, if desired.<br />
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<br />Janethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13357534027149882601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6346479740380926780.post-73026354703270833132012-05-22T18:47:00.000-07:002012-05-22T18:54:08.265-07:00Singapore Sling<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/janetplanet20/7246881352/" title="singapore sling by JanetPlanet20, on Flickr"><img alt="singapore sling" height="333" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7230/7246881352_a7f7ec42f0.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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I think I may have established that I love gin (<a href="http://cookingincucamonga.blogspot.com/2011/06/janet-collinsmy-spin-on-tom-collins.html">Janet Collins</a>, <a href="http://cookingincucamonga.blogspot.com/2012/04/ginger-mayhem.html">Ginger Mayhem</a>. It is definitely my go to spirit, replacing vodka's long-held top spot as my boozy favorite. And my current favorite gin-based drink is this retro cocktail: the Singapore Sling.
It's a fruity, sweet concoction that reminds me of Hawaii (even though I pretty much only drank Mai Tais and beer in Hawaii). If you're hesitant to give gin a try, this is the perfect cocktail.<br />
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<b>Singapore Sling </b><br />
<b>Source: <a href="http://www.drinksmixer.com/drink3758.html">Drinks Mixer</a> </b><br />
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<b>Ingredients</b><br />
1 ounce gin<br />
1/2 ounce cherry brandy<br />
4 ounces pineapple juice<br />
1/2 ounce lime juice<br />
1/4 ounce Cointreau orange liqueur<br />
1/4 ounce benedictine herbal liqueur<br />
1/3 ounce grenadine<br />
1-2 dashes Angostura bitters<br />
ice<br />
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<b>Directions </b><br />
Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Combine all the ingredients in the shaker and shake until the shaker is well frosted.<br />
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Fill a lowball glass halfway with ice and strain the liquid into the glass. Garnish with a pineapple slice and a cherry if desired.<br />
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Makes one cocktailJanethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13357534027149882601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6346479740380926780.post-43755275326059490352012-04-27T07:00:00.001-07:002012-04-27T07:00:04.411-07:00Ginger MayhemI like booze. I like champagne, sweet wine, craft beer, and cocktails. I'm constantly seeking our new micro or craft brews to try,and buying champagne to fancy up ordinary dinners. I especially like making cocktails, and drawing inspiration from Mad Men, vintage cocktails. I've conquered the Singapore Sling, the Bahama Mama, and Rum Runners. If it involves gin, I like it.<br /><br />The husband and I have built up quite the alcohol cabinet, from the basics (gin, vodka, tequila, rum), to the less likely (blue curacuo, cointreau, creme de cacao, benedictine), to a plethora of mixers (grenadine, Rose's sweetened lime juice, oj, pineapple juice, and club soda). Basically, we have pretty much whatever you need to make almost any cocktail. <br /><br />So when we went out to a new restaurant/lounge and I tried their Ginger Mayhem, a strongly ginger-flavored gin cocktail, I knew I needed to try mixing it up at home. It's different than many other cocktails out there, but in a good way. The ginger is spicy and warm, but plays well with the botanical flavors of the gin, especially with good quality, small batch gin. <br /><br />I've tried this with store-bought ginger beer and homemade ginger syrup. Each version is good, though the ginger syrup gives it a bolder, spicier, ginger flavor, whereas the ginger beer is a bit more mellow and cool. Either way, ditch happy hour and make these cocktails at home! :)<br /><br />I like to play around with using lemon juice, bottled key lime juice, and fresh lime juice, with each variation slightly changing the final drink. You could also try Rose Sweetened Lime Juice for a sweeter drink. I also play around with different varieties of gin, form Tanquery, to Hendricks, to small batch Leopolds; again, each variety changes the end result, and all have been a success. That's what I love about homemade cocktails--the ability to tweak each drink to your own specific tastes.<br /><br />With summer right around the corner, and finally some warm spring weather, this is a cocktail I'll be enjoying again and again.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Ginger Mayhem<br />Source: Inspired by the <a href="http://rapourrestaurant.com/menu/cocktail-menu">Ginger Mayhem at Ra Pour</a><br /><br />Ingredients</span><br />3 shots ginger syrup or ginger beer<br />2 shots gin<br />1/2 shot lemon or lime juice<br />cubed ice<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Directions</span><br />Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake and pour into a low ball glass with cubed ice.Janethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13357534027149882601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6346479740380926780.post-84351394394134566942012-04-17T07:00:00.000-07:002012-04-17T07:00:08.487-07:00Homemade Ginger Syrup<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/janetplanet20/6934857410/" title="ginger syrup by JanetPlanet20, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7112/6934857410_3cd38abb40.jpg" width="333" height="500" alt="ginger syrup"></a><br /><br />The husband and I are big Mad Men fans and, as a result, we've become increasingly interested in cocktails. I'm not talking Cosmos or Appletinis though; we like old fashioned drinks, preferably made with gin, like Singapore Slings and Sidecars. One of my favorite cocktails at a new restaurant/lounge nearby is their Ginger Mayhem; it's a gin-based drink with a strong ginger kick, made with their own ginger simple syrup. <br /><br />I've been experimenting with creating the Ginger Mayhem at home, and my first tries used store-bought Ginger Beer, which turned out good results, but not a strong enough ginger flavor. I figured it couldn't be too hard to make my own ginger syrup, and after a quick Google search confirmed this, I was in the kitchen, boiling chopped ginger, water, and sugar.<br /><br />Ginger syrup is incredibly easy to make, results in a nice golden-amber, spicy syrup, that can be used in cocktails or in homemade ginger ale (just pour it over ice with club soda). I poured mine in the Ginger Beer bottle I saved once the store-bought soda was gone.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Homemade Ginger Syrup<br />Source: <a href="http://www.imbibemagazine.com/Ginger-Syrup-Recipe">Imbibe Magazine</a><br /><br />Ingredients</span><br />2 cups unpeeled ginger, roughly chopped<br />2 cups sugar<br />6 cups water<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Directions</span><br />Place all of the ginger in a food processor and process until ground.<br /><br />Transfer the ginger to a large stockpot and add the sugar and water. Bring to a boil.<br /><br />Turn the heat down to medium and let simmer, uncovered, for an hour to an hour and a half. The liquid will reduce to half.<br /><br />Pour through a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth into a large pitcher. You may need to strain it twice. Once the syrup has been strained, pour through a funnel into a bottle or lidded jar. Store in the refrigerator.Janethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13357534027149882601noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6346479740380926780.post-27136657144841049332012-04-15T11:48:00.003-07:002012-04-15T12:04:29.540-07:00Sushi Bowls<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/janetplanet20/6934858218/" title="sushi bowl by JanetPlanet20, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7133/6934858218_2ae7fd1422.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="sushi bowl"></a><br /><br />The husband and I love sushi, and we often go out for rolls on Friday night. I've even tried making sushi at home before, and while it taster good, the effort required to put it together wasn't worth it for me. But then I found these sushi bowls on The Crumbly Cookie; I liked the idea of all the sushi ingredients and flavors combined simply in a bowl, but without the hassle of making rolls. Because really, what I wind up making is a mess. <br /><br />The husband loved these sushi bowls he asked me to make them at least once a week. He was impressed how easy it was to put them together and the lack of a mess in the kitchen (I cook, he cleans!). :)<br /><br />Make sure to get good-quality, sushi-grade fish since you'll be eating it raw. We like to go to 99 Ranch Market and pick out what looks the best. I used tuna steak this time, but we're thinking of trying salmon belly next time.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Sushi Bowls<br />Source: <a href="http://www.crumblycookie.net/2008/10/24/sushi-bowls/">The Crumbly Cookie</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/janetplanet20/6934859032/" title="tuna sushi bowl by JanetPlanet20, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7219/6934859032_97593dd4e8.jpg" width="500" height="324" alt="tuna sushi bowl"></a><br /><br />Ingredients</span><br />1 1/2 cups uncooked rice, rinsed well<br />3 cups water<br />4 teaspoons rice vinegar<br />4 teaspoons sugar<br />1/2 teaspoon salt<br />1/4 cup soy sauce<br />1-2 teaspoons wasabi<br />1/4 pound raw fish<br />green onions, chopped<br />nori, torn into small pieces<br />2 Tablespoons sesame seeds (optional: toast them)<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Directions</span><br /><br />Combine rice and water in a rice cooker and cook. Or cook in a covered pot on the stovetop. Once rice is cooked, remove from heat and let sit, covered, for 10 minutes.<br /><br />Combine the rice vinegar, sugar, and salt in a small microwaveable bowl and heat for 30 seconds. Stir to dissolve the sugar. <br /><br />Transfer the rice to a large wooden or glass bowl (I used a large melamine bowl and it worked fine) and pour the vinegar mixture over the top. Fold and cut through the rice with a paddle or spatula to coat each grain with the vinegar mixture. Continue folding, cutting and fanning until the rice is room temperature-do not put in the refrigerator. <br /><br />Combine the soy sauce and wasabi and pour over the cooled rice. Add in the fish, green onions, nori, and sesame seeds. Gently fold together to combine with the rice. <br /><br />Serve with additional soy sauce and wasabi on the side.Janethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13357534027149882601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6346479740380926780.post-68936575466602162572012-02-20T12:34:00.000-08:002012-02-20T12:50:51.767-08:00Beef Kebabs<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UXhoV4uTDHY/T0KufKXIMpI/AAAAAAAAA7w/MWKcf7ySqf8/s1600/kebabs.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UXhoV4uTDHY/T0KufKXIMpI/AAAAAAAAA7w/MWKcf7ySqf8/s320/kebabs.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5711319127839748754" /></a><br /><br />I've posted this recipe before, but we really love these beef kebabs, so when I made them again recently, I took the time to take a photo that actually does them justice. These kebabs are not the shish-kabobs I grew up with, but instead, they're the Middle Eastern-style kebabs the husband enjoyed as a kid. <br /><br />The husband's cooking skills leave something to be desired, but this is one meal he'll jump in and help me prepare without a second thought. The cilantro and chipotle chilies bring a nice flavor and slight heat to the meat, which pairs well with the smokey flavor from the charcoal. <br /><br />I usually serve these kebabs with tzatziki or plain yogurt mixed with chopped onions (sounds kind of gross, but it works. Also, the husband insists it is authentic and it's not kebabs without it).<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Beef Kebabs<br />Source: Martha Stewart's Everyday Food (June 2011)<br /><br />Ingredients</span><br />1 pound ground beef<br />1/2 small yellow onion, finely chopped<br />2 garlic cloves, finely chopped or grated <br />2 Tablespoons minced chipotle chiles in adobo sauce<br />1/2 cup cilantro, roughly chopped<br />1 teaspoon coarse salt<br />1/2 teaspoon pepper<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Directions</span><br />Prepare a charcoal grill for direct heat. Clean and lightly oil the grates.<br /><br />Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix together with your hands until well combined. <br /><br />Divide the mixture into 6 equal portions. Shape each portion into an oval patty (about 4 inches long, 1 inch thick) with your hands. Insert skewers lengthwise.<br /><br />Grill, turning occasionally, about 6-8 minutes, or until meat is cooked through.Janethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13357534027149882601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6346479740380926780.post-72614832425639996182012-01-02T13:47:00.000-08:002012-01-02T14:11:06.962-08:00A New YearThis blog has been sorely neglected for the past several months, despite my best intentions to blog more and increase the quality of my blogging in 2011. But, I am rarely home to cook anymore because I joined the coaching staff of a year-round competitive swim team in mid-September. Or should I say, re-joined. I was a swimmer on this team 7th grade through my first year of college, and then coached during my sophomore and super sophomore years, before spending several months in London, and then returning to the states to finish out my degree in San Francisco. It's been years since I hung up my goggles and stashed my stop watch, but funnily enough, right when I was feeling the itch to re-join the swimming world, I was asked if I wanted a position coaching the pre-senior level group. <br /><br />Despite the fact that my group doesn't practice until three and a half hours after my teaching day ends, and I don't get home before 8pm anymore, I love coaching and being a part of these athletes' experience. However, because of these late evenings, I am rarely in the kitchen these days. I try to cook on the weekends, on days when the school I teach at is on break, or the rare evening we don't have swim practice, but I still come up short on blog-worthy recipes. So if you've been following me these past few months, wondering what my deal is, there you go. My plan for 2012 is to blog at least one new recipe a month--I think that's do-able and hopefully you'll still want to check in with me and see what I've been "cooking in Cucamonga". :) <br /><br /><br />My other blog, <a href="http://janet-fromanother-planet.blogspot.com/">Janet From Another Planet</a>, houses my non-cooking musings, vacation photos, and other aspects of my life outside the kitchen. It's a little more witty and a place to let my hair down and have some fun. Yep, I am that nerdy and just said that! :) Check out my recent list of 11 New Year's goals and maybe let me know some of your goals!Janethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13357534027149882601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6346479740380926780.post-52006363818892875572011-10-30T20:33:00.000-07:002011-10-30T20:35:37.814-07:00Psst...<a href="http://beerauthority.blogspot.com/">My beer blog<br /></a><br /><br />Go read it. Try some new beers. Tell me about your favorite beers. <br />Mmm, beer.Janethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13357534027149882601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6346479740380926780.post-22402092610694718182011-10-15T18:51:00.000-07:002011-10-16T14:15:16.426-07:00Smoked Tri Tip<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-b6j5kCQRUnw/TptJENEOLqI/AAAAAAAAA6M/ETDeo-Rjrkg/s1600/smoked%2Btri%2Btip.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 239px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-b6j5kCQRUnw/TptJENEOLqI/AAAAAAAAA6M/ETDeo-Rjrkg/s320/smoked%2Btri%2Btip.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5664201292924202658" /></a><br />The husband and I were debating what birthday present I should get for my big 30th birthday last month, and we kept going back and forth between a new lens--L glass, drool-- for my camera, or the Weber smoker I'd been wanting for quite awhile. We'd go to BBQs Galore and stare and the smoker, then come home and I'd log into Amazon and oogle the lens. Decisions, decisions.<br /><br />Well, I'm sure you can figure out what direction I ultimately went, based on the title of this post. The free prime shipping and the allure of smoked meats won beat out the new glass. (Though I still hope to get the lens for Christmas!) The smoker arrived a few days before my birthday, but with all my prior commitments it was a few weeks until we were able to finally smoke some meat. Finally, a Saturday arrived where I was only semi-busy with coaching swim practice, followed by presenting at a literacy conference, and since tri tip takes less than 3 hours to smoke, I had the husband pull out the tri tip on my way home and I lit the charcoal moments after stepping in the door. With the smoker holding steady around 240 degrees, the small cut of meat was ready in just about two hours.<br /><br />We anxiously waited for the meat to rest once we pulled it off the smoker, and when it was finally time to cut into it, the husband and I kept eating small chunks of meat while I cut it into slices. Each piece was infused with a rich smokey flavor that enhanced it without overpowering the beefy flavor of the meat. We opted to just pour a little bit of BBQ sauce on the side, rather than directly on the tri tip, to allow the meat's natural flavor to take center stage. <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Smoked Tri Tip<br /></span>Source: Smoking-Meat.com, The Smoker King.com, and BBQBug.com<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Recipe</span><br />1 tri tip<br />garlic salt<br />pepper<br />1/2 cup apple cider vinegar<br />1/8 cup olive oil<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Directions<br /></span>Fill in chimney starter with crumpled newspaper and charcoal. Light the newspaper and let sit, about 20-30 minutes, until the top layer of charcoal starts to turn grey and ashy. I have a Weber Smokey Mountain-- I take the body off the smoker and set the<br />chimney on the charcoal grate for this step.<br /><br />Sprinkle the tri tip liberally with the garlic salt and pepper, rubbing the seasonings into the meat.<br /><br />Once the coals are ready, pour them onto your charcoal grate and re-assemble the body, if necessary. I added about 10 unlit coals at this point, to keep the fire hot throughout the cooking process. Once the smoker reaches 225 degress, add about 3-4 chunks of wood (I used apple) to the top of the coals, and then place the tri tip, fat side up, on the grill. Put the lid on and leave the smoker alone for the next 45 minutes. Be sure to monitor the temperature of the smoker, keeping it in the 225-250 degree range. If it gets too hot, close the bottom vents. <br /><br />While the meat is smoking, mix the apple cider vinegar and oil in a small spray bottle. Shake it up well and spray it on the meat after about 45 minutes. Spray the meat again every 30 minutes; be sure to do this quickly to prevent too much heat from escaping. You do not need to flip the meat over; the fat will render into the meat, giving it a rich, moist flavor.<br /><br />Test the meat's temperature after about an hour and 15 minutes; take the meat off the smoker at 130-135 degrees (this will be pink throughout).Janethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13357534027149882601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6346479740380926780.post-24926041335342111112011-09-25T16:59:00.000-07:002011-09-25T17:12:07.890-07:00Slogging ThroughIt's the last Sunday in September and I'm sitting here on the couch, trying to finish my thesis. This thing has become the biggest monkey on my back. I am <span style="font-style:italic;">so close</span> to being done, but it feels like the finish line is still miles away. The quarter has already started, which means I need to be completely done-all 5 chapters written, earlier revisions completed, ready for editing done- in the next 2-3 weeks. Chapters 1 and 2 are done, with the exception of revisions. I'm up the my eyeballs in Chapter 3, writing out instruction of specific strategies. Only about 7-8 more strategies to go--that's probably another 5-10 pages. Chapter 4 is 75% done; I need to explain the instruction of specific strategies based on text type (cause and effect, etc). I haven't even begun Chapter 5. That's suppossed to be the "easy" chapter, but we'll see. <br />I have a full-time job, with hours of work beyond the workday, and I'm coaching swimming in the evenings. I keep telling myself I'll work on writing in the hours between teaching and swimming, but with grading, contacting parents, and helping kids after school, I haven't held true on that promise yet. <br />And now, Mustache Bash 2011 (aka my 30th birthday party) is fast approaching, followed by 4 days in Sacramento for a state writing test committee (awesome resume builder!), then a weekend coaching at a swim meet in Seal Beach, speaking at a reading conference in Pasadena...when will I find the time? I really want to take one more quarter, but the husband doesn't support that idea. ::sigh:: He's right though. It's another quarter we have to pay for and I probably could finish if I buckled down harder. But, isn't my sanity worth it?<br />I'm sure anyone reading this is wondering what the heck I'm doing blogging and not working on my thesis. You're right. But, I've been working for the past 2 hours, I'm stuck on finding information on teaching comprehension of main idea in text, and my brain needs a break. <br />It'll all be worth it when I receive my master's degree, something I never thought I'd do. They pay increase will be nice, too.<br />Someone please remind me of this when I start thinking about phd school...Janethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13357534027149882601noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6346479740380926780.post-12005374157719509772011-08-30T18:50:00.000-07:002011-08-30T18:50:00.353-07:00Cauliflower Mashed "Potatoes" with Goat Cheese and ParmesanSo last fall I went hard core no carbs, South Beach Diet phase 1, for a few months and dropped over 20 pounds. It was really hard to not eat carbs since I love sweets and bread products, but losing the weight made me feel better about myself, and it was something I just needed to do for my health.
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<br />Well, I got lazy, started chowing down on all my favorite carbby foods again, with no restraint, and I re-gained a few of those pounds. The husband's pants have been fitting a bit tighter lately as well, so we decided to give South Beach another try, but this time focus more on less carbs, rather than NO cabrs, because let's face it, carbs taste good! And no carbs gives me headaches and makes me crabby- I'm no ray of sunshine on a normal day, so doing something that puts me in a bad mood is no way to live life.
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<br />In our quest to cut the carbs, I pulled out this recipe for cauliflower mashed "potatoes", which obvs contain no potatoes. Let me tell you, I am not a fan of many vegetables, and cauliflower is definitely on that list. But, once they were pureed, then combined with goat cheese and parmesean cheese, I could.not.stop eating them! The consistency was spot on- smooth, creamy, velvety. Yummm. The two different cheeses added extra creaminess, as well as amazing flavor.
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<br />The husband, who is a veggie hater and steak lover, commented that this dish was the star of the meal and better than the steaks we had for dinner. If that's not a ringing endorsement, I don't know what is!
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<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Cauliflower Mashed "Potatoes" with Goat Cheese and Parmesan Cheese
<br />Source: <a href="http://www.kalynskitchen.com/2006/04/pureed-cauliflower-with-garlic.html">Kayln's Kitchen</a>
<br /><a href="https://sites.google.com/site/cookingincucamongarecipes/home/cauliflower-mashed-potatoes">Printable Recipe</a></span>
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<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Ingredients
<br /></span>1 head cauliflower
<br />2 cloves garlic, minced
<br />1/2 - 1 Tablespoon half and half or cream
<br />1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
<br />2-3 ounces goat cheese
<br />salt and pepper to taste
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<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Directions</span>
<br />Chop up cauliflower into small chunks, discarding the stem and leaves.
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<br />Put cauliflower and minced garlic in a saucepan (or microwave safe bowl if you want to microwave it) with enough water to cover the cauliflower. Cook for 20 minutes, until cauliflower is soft.
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<br />Drain the water and let cauliflower sit in a colander for about 5 minutes to allow extra water to drain off.
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<br />Puree cauliflower in a blender or food processor (I used my immersion blender for this, with the cauliflower in a saucepan. It worked great!). Put pureed cauliflower in a saucepan over medium-low heat, and mix in the goat cheese, parmesan cheese, and salt and pepper. Stir to melt the cheese, then remove from heat. Sprinkle chopped chives over the top and serve warm.
<br />Janethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13357534027149882601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6346479740380926780.post-39346724027968541602011-07-19T10:12:00.000-07:002011-07-19T10:14:14.916-07:00Beer Delay...Sorry for the delay with the second half of my beer round up. I typed out the entire thing, but like a bonehead, forgot to save it before closing the window. :{ Since my thesis is sorely neglected right now, and we're going on vacation soon so I really must get more done, Part Two will not be up on the blog until later in the week. Go re-read Part one instead! :)Janethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13357534027149882601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6346479740380926780.post-5963765022710316932011-07-14T21:03:00.001-07:002011-07-14T23:55:57.409-07:00"What's Not on Tap" Part OneSo I've got something a little different here tonight. Instead of the usual recipe blog post, we'll be discussing beer. Specifically a beer tasting class I attended at Total Wine. Do you have a Total Wine near you? They're like BevMo, but bigger, and according to The Husband, better. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_hS3qiZmgVw/Th_hiOW26KI/AAAAAAAAA1c/dph381GFke0/s1600/beer%2Bclass.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 239px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_hS3qiZmgVw/Th_hiOW26KI/AAAAAAAAA1c/dph381GFke0/s320/beer%2Bclass.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5629466037322180770" /></a><br /><br />Total Wine does beer and wine tasting classes every month, and I've been wanting to attend one for quite awhile now, but either grad classes conflicted with the date/time, or I would just plain forget about the class until the day after is happened. Yeah, seriously, it sucks to remember you wanted to do something pretty much right when it ends. Lame. This month the stars aligned and I actually remembered before the class passed. (Well actually, we were at the store on Sunday, buying some new gin for an at-home gin taste taste, when I saw the sign and immediately signed up.) <br /><br />The beer class was $15 a person and I went alone because the husband is a party pooper and didn't want to join. Well that and he has nearly zero listening comprehension skills, because no matter how many times I described the class to him, mentioning it was a beer TASTING, he thought it was a class on homebrewing. What??? I mean it makes a teeny tiny bit of sense because I have been talking about a desire to homebrew recently, but that never came up in the conversations we had about taking a beer tasting class. :/ I called the afternoon of the class, once he finally realized it was a tasting not a brewing class (which by the way, I think would be an awesome class to take!) and said he wanted to go too, but they were sold out. Ha! Maybe next time he'll learn to listen to me...who am I kidding, no he won't. <br /><br />Anyway, if you've made it through that long intro, I applaud you; I'm sure you are thinking to yourself "when is she going to stop yapping about nonsense and get to the goods?!" Well, here we go.<br /><br />As the title of the post suggests, this was not a tasting of Bud Light or Coors. (People of the world, put down your shitty beers!) Actually, I stole the title from the class, which was called "What's Not on Tap: Uncommon, Extraodinary Beers You Must Try". I was really hyped to try beers that would require CIA-like intelligence to find, but being as this was in Total Wine, a store that sells beer, it's not <span style="font-style:italic;">that</span> hard to find them. Just walk down their aisle of beer, and there you go! However, you're not going to pony up to your local dive and find these on tap, so I guess there is some truth to the title. <br /><br />Upon arriving and checking in, I found a seat at a long table, and then headed to the back for some fancy cheese (ok, it was really just regular ol' cheese from Fresh and Easy. but still good.). We were all given a packet of tasting sheets to record the beers we tried, along with our thoughts on their appearance, aroma, taste, and mouth feel, as well as 2 glasses, a bottle of water, and a cup to spit into (I choose to actually drink all my beer. Why would you waste perfectly good beer?!). We were also given a copy of the evening's PowerPoint which contained information on each style of beer, foods and cheeses to pair with the beers, beer trivia, and a few websites for more beerformation. Don't get wigged out by the PP aspect! It was not boring in the least, and was a good way to know what the heck was going on. Plus, having a copy meant I didn't have to write down all that info, but could instead focus on drinking-I mean <span style="font-style:italic;">tasting</span>- the beers, and recording my thoughts on each. I was thankful for this because I felt the pourings moved at a bit of a quick pace and I wasn't always sure how to describe the beers, so referring to the PowerPoint, which listed characteristics, helped me out a bit.<br /><br />Let's get into the beers, shall we? Just a quick note before you leap into judgement--all of these photos were taken with my iPhone. I didn't want to bring my DSLR and feel obnoxious or deal with trying to figure out the right settings while trying to enjoy the beer. Also, I forgot to take pics of a couple of the beers because I was too busy having fun drinking.<br /><br />Beer #1<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oeXs1d_BoBE/Th_iVPl_jsI/AAAAAAAAA1k/NgU4QpTvjdc/s1600/kolsch.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 239px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oeXs1d_BoBE/Th_iVPl_jsI/AAAAAAAAA1k/NgU4QpTvjdc/s320/kolsch.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5629466913827425986" /></a><br /><br />Name: Reissdorf Kolsh<br />Style: Kolsh<br />Country of Origin: Cologne, Germany (many of the beers I tasted were from Germany)<br />ABV: 4.5-5.5%<br />Recommended serving temperature: cold, 39-45 degrees<br />Food pairings: grilled food, spicy food, German food, chicken, fish, shellfish<br />Cheese pairings: Brie, Camembert, Montery Jack, Edam (WTF is that??)<br /><br />Okkkkkkkk, I have like zero notes on this beer. LOL. It was a pale gold color, clear, with a diminishing, fizzy head. Since I have no notes, I can only deduce that it wasn't a favorite. I think I remember it was kind of bland and boring. Not for me. Maybe good if you're not a big beer fan? Though really, I think shitty beer is what keeps people from liking beer. Not that this is a shitty beer. <br /><br />Some other beers in this style are one by Flying Dog, Tire Bite Golden Age, and Alaskan Brewing's Summer Style. Who cares. This beer was not in my top anything.<br /><br />Ok, let's move on.<br /><br />Beer #2<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8Bvfrxu98Jk/Th_i-_9OP-I/AAAAAAAAA1s/OFw5xTE5UF8/s1600/lost%2Bcoast.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 239px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8Bvfrxu98Jk/Th_i-_9OP-I/AAAAAAAAA1s/OFw5xTE5UF8/s320/lost%2Bcoast.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5629467631184396258" /></a><br /><br />Name: Lost Coast something or other (helpful, right? Don't worry, I actually <span style="font-weight:bold;">improve</span> as we go on)<br />Style: Herbed/Spiced Beer<br />Country of Origin: no effing idea, but it is over 1,000 years old<br />ABV: varies, but low (what the eff type of information is this? Sorry, this is copied from the PowerPoint. Stick with me past this beer and I promise improvement here people. Besides, it's not like YOU paid $15; this information is free...Ok, sorry for the hostility there. Let's keep going, shall we?)<br />Recommended serving temperature: cool, 46-54 degrees<br />Food pairings: salads, desserts<br />Cheese pairings: none given...effin' Total Wine screwing up my blogging...<br /><br />Alright, well with that intro this must be a promising beer. So an herbed/spiced beer means that the brewer added in plants and herbs beyond the normal hops to give the beer a sweeter taste. Informative, yes? So this technique, called gruit, is actually really old; they were doing this back in the Middle Ages before hops. Do you think serfs were drinking it up, or was it just a royalty thing? I'm sure Google could tell us, but let's move on to my assessment of the beer. <br /><br />This beer was not as forgettable as the first one; it had a light, summery, slightly perfumey or herbal taste to it, with the hazy, pale straw color of an unfiltered beer. But again, not a favorite of mine. Too boring. Maybe I should mention at this point, I tend to go for dark, bold, flavorful beers. And sometimes Bud Light Lime. What, a girl's allowed to slum it sometimes.<br /><br />Beer #3 No Picture. <br />Name: Pike Kilt Lifter<br />Style: Scotch Ale/Wee Heavy (what a cute name, wee heavy!)<br />Country of Origin: Scotland (say it with a Scottish accent for more fun!)<br />ABV: 6.5-10%<br />Recommended serving temperature: cellar, 55-57 degrees<br />Food pairings: roast/grilled lamb, game, pork, grilled smoked salmon, deli sandwiches<br />Cheese pairings: aged and smoked cheeses, asiago, gruyere (we had a smoked Gouda in class and it was really delish with this beer)<br /><br />I enjoyed this beer much more than the first two, though I didn't take many notes beyond circling attributes on my tasting sheet. The beer has a honey/caramel color, with some cloudiness and a lasting head on the pour. It smelled caremely, but tasted more nutty, toasty, and <span style="font-style:italic;">slightly</span> smokey, with a smooth moutfeel. This beer has a bit of warmth to it, but I wouldn't shy away from drinking it during a summer BBQ (cook out for those of you not in The Golden State) either. This was a nice, drinkable beer that I'd recommend for someone who is ready to move past the yellow fizz that is Bud and Coors and into a real beer. (Yep, I am a beer snob.)<br /><br />Beer #4 No picture<br />This is about the time people started loosening up and the room got noiser and a bit rowdier. People were talking beer and having a great time. I was pretty quiet since I was there alone and the woman next to me disliked pretty much every beershe tried. As did the woman with her. WTF? Why come? Even two of the guys in their group weren't enjoying the beers. These were clearly MBC people (MBC is Miller, Bud, Coors for those of you not in the know.)<br />Name: Old Suffolk English Ale<br />Style: Old Ale<br />Country of Origin: England<br />ABV: 6-12%<br />Recommended serving temperature: 55-57%<br />Food pairings: baked ham, roasted/grilled game, lamb, beef (so, perfect for Easter dinner! Now when you need to bring sometime to a spring dinner, you can bring this beer.)<br />Cheese pairings: Asiago, Gloucester (an English cheese I haven't seen in the states. I was a big fan of this cheese during my stint in London.), Gorgonzola, Gruyere, Roquefort, Stilton (another English cheese I haven't seen stateside. Let me know if you know where to buy it!)<br /><br />Ok, I actually took some notes about this beer. It is a brown ale with a diminishing head, and a sweet, chocolately, toasty, smokey, slightly spicy aroma. It had a sweet, chocolatey taste, with some dark fruity flavors, almost like a wine. I thought this was an enjoyable beer that I would drink again. It was very smooth with a balanced body and a long finish (you're still tasting it awhile after that last swallow). <br /><br />Beer #5 Not pictured<br />Name: Weihenstephaner<br />Style: Weizenbock (meaning "strong-wheat")<br />Country of Origin: Germany <br />ABV: 6.9-9.3%<br />Recommended serving temperature: cool, 46-54 degrees<br />Food pairings: roast pork, roast beef, smoked ham, desserts<br />Cheese pairings: Gouda (including smoked....again MMMM!), Manchego (a hard, Spanish cheese)<br /><br />Let me get this out there right away. I love wheat beers. Hefeweizens are a big favorite of mine. And actually, I thought all German wheat beers were Hefs, so it was pretty cool to learn that is not the case. According to my handy PP handout, Weizenbocks are stronger in alcohol and flavor character than Hefeweizen or Dunkleweizens, and are characterized by clove spiciness and fruity-banana flavors. Typically, I do not like wheat beers with banana notes, but this Weizenbock showed me that some beers can get it right. <br /><br />The Weihenstephaner looks like your standard unfiltered wheat beers: golden color, cloudy appearance, a fizzy head. It has a clean, yet spicy aroma, which mimics the taste. (Look, I'm actually giving you some real information now! Aren't you excited? I'm excited.) It is slightly sweet, with a fruity, spicy/clove taste, and a small hint of bananas. Which, as I said before, normally I am not a fan of--nor do I like wheat beers that have a bubble gum taste (what the eff is up with that?! Why would you want a beer to taste like gum? Go drink a Jones soda if that's what you're looking for and leave the beer to those of us who don't want to junk it up!). But this beer pulls off the banana-clove taste very well. <br /><br />If you're not a big beer drinker, but you're looking for a brew you can actually enjoy, I'd suggest giving a weizenbock a try. But don't get the one at Gordon Biersch; it has that weird banana-bubble gum taste. yuck.<br /><br />What number are we on now? <br /><br />Beer #6<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lax0PI93cps/Th_jqEL0-AI/AAAAAAAAA10/YsrOvF-or0A/s1600/spaten.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 239px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lax0PI93cps/Th_jqEL0-AI/AAAAAAAAA10/YsrOvF-or0A/s320/spaten.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5629468371053770754" /></a><br /><br />Name: Spaten Monchen Dunkel<br />Style: Munich Dunkel Lager<br />Country of Origin: Germany <br />ABV: 4.5-5.6%<br />Recommended serving temperature: cool, 46-54 degrees<br />Food pairings: roasted meats, BBQ, sausages<br />Cheese pairings: Gruyere, Munster<br /><br />So the first note I have at the top of my tasting sheet for this beer is *buy. Guess I liked it. LOL. So the Spaten Brewery has been around since 1397, which I guess means they know what they're doing. Here's another fun fact for you: Lager in German means "cellar" and lager beers are aged, or rested, to mellow out the flavor. What does that mean to you, a beer layman? Basically it means that this is a smooth, balanced, drinkable beer. It's an amber color, with a diminishing, fizzy head. It has a sweet, caramely, chocolately aroma, with a chocolately, toasty, and bisquity flavor. It has a very mild bitterness to it, which plays nicely against the chocolatey, bisquity, or bready, flavors. <br /><br />I'd definitely recommend giving this beer a try, especially if you're looking for an easy to drink, yet flavorful beer. This is another one I'd like to see at summer BBQs and get togethers. Again, if more people were trying quality beers, less people would say they "don't like beer." Though then again, if those people keep thinking that way, it means there's more good beer for me.<br /><br />Ok, since there were 13 beers sampled in the beer class, I'm going to break this up into two parts. Read about the rest of the beers on Monday! And it would be awesome if you commented and told me how much you're enjoying my beer roundup...or how lame you think this all is. I just like comments.Janethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13357534027149882601noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6346479740380926780.post-29555090162396162052011-06-29T08:00:00.000-07:002011-06-29T11:04:03.731-07:00Grilled Summer Vegetables<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-po_DZsRAfyM/TgtpCpW4y5I/AAAAAAAAAzY/dEoEy5AhbYk/s1600/grilled%2Bveg.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-po_DZsRAfyM/TgtpCpW4y5I/AAAAAAAAAzY/dEoEy5AhbYk/s320/grilled%2Bveg.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5623704053884701586" /></a><br />The husband and I can be a bit of picky eaters when it comes to veggies, which leads to us eating far fewer vegetables than we should. But one of our favorite ways to incorporate more vegetables into our diets is by grilling them. The grill brings out the sweetness in the veg, similar to oven-roasting, while the burning charcoal imparts a nice smokey flavor into the food.<br /><br />Usually, I just slice up the vegetables and sprinkle them with some salt and pepper, and maybe a drizzle of olive oil, before grilling em up. This time, I decided to make up something of a simple marinade to add some pizzaz. The lemon and lime juice adds a bright note to the veggies, without overpowering them. <br /><br />The best part of this dish is that it works with whatever veggies you have on hand. The husband loves broccoli, so I threw some florets in for him, but you can easily leave them out. Onion slices would be delish, as would carrots or asparagus. Make it your own, but make it soon! <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Grilled Summer Veggies<br />Source: A Cooking in Cucamonga Original<br /><a href="https://sites.google.com/site/cookingincucamongarecipes/home/grilled-summer-veggies">Printable Recipe<br /></a><br />Ingredients</span><br />about 1 pound of summer squash (I used 1 yellow crookneck, 1 patti pan, and 1 round squash I don't know the name of)<br />1 medium head broccoli, stems trimmed and discarded<br />2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil<br />juice of 1/2 a lemon<br />juice of 1/2 a lime<br />1 teaspoon Italian seasoning<br />heavy shake salt and pepper<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Directions</span><br />Prepare a charcoal grill for direct heat. <br />Slice the squash into planks or into bite-sized chunks.<br /><br />Combine the squash and broccoli florets in a large bowl or Ziplock bag. Pour the remaining ingredients over the vegetables and stir or shake to combine. <br /><br />Once the charcoal is medium hot (I usually cook my meat first, then the veggies, so the charcoal is at the appropriate temp) and the coals are glowing, but there aren't any flames, place a grill pan over the center of the grill. Pour the veggies into the grill pan and cook until the veggies are soft and slightly charred, about 5 minutes. Shake the grill pan and stir the veggies as they cook to ensure all the vegetables cook evenly. <br /><br />Remove from heat and serve.Janethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13357534027149882601noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6346479740380926780.post-38170511046475994122011-06-27T19:22:00.000-07:002011-06-27T19:24:26.981-07:007 Layer Bars<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ySOukB5YVoc/Tgk7UWaLk9I/AAAAAAAAAzE/W73NE04bixc/s1600/seven%2Blayer%2Bbars.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ySOukB5YVoc/Tgk7UWaLk9I/AAAAAAAAAzE/W73NE04bixc/s320/seven%2Blayer%2Bbars.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5623090830547588050" /></a><br />I recently brought dinner to a friend of mine who had a baby. The night before I planned to visit, I realized I didn't make any kind of dessert-you can't bring someone dinner and leave out the sweets! I didn't have a lot on hand (no milk really limits you in baking!), but I figured I could throw something together. A quick Google search lead me to these 7-Layer Bars, and luckily I had nearly all of the ingredients in my pantry; I did have to sub milk chocolate chips for the white chocolate, but really, who's going to complain about more chocolate?!<br /><br />These bars are thick, a bit chewy, and wonderfully sweet. They're easy to whip up and a complete crowd pleaser. What more could you ask for in a dessert? <br /><br />PS If you're looking for an easy, yet impressive dessert for the 4th of July, these cookies definitely fit the bill.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Seven-Layer Bars<br />Source: <a href="http://www.browneyedbaker.com/2009/06/17/seven-layer-bars/">Brown-Eyed Baker</a><br /><a href="https://sites.google.com/site/cookingincucamongarecipes/home/7-layer-bars">Printable Recipe<br /></a><br />Ingredients</span><br />1 cup sweetened flaked coconut<br />8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter<br />9 graham crackers (5 ounces), crushed<br />1 cup finely chopped walnuts<br />1 cup semisweet chocolate chips<br />½ cup white chocolate chips (I used milk chocolate)<br />½ cup butterscotch chips<br />1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Directions</span><br /><br />Adjust an oven rack to the lower-middle position and preheat to 350°F. Spray a 9×13-inch baking pan with non-stick spray. Line the pan with two overlapping pieces of foil or parchment paper, leaving overhang to act as handles for lifting the bars out of the pan. Spray with non-stick spray.<br /><br />Spread the coconut on a baking sheet and bake until the outer flakes just begin to brown, about 4 minutes. (Keep a close eye on it – coconut can go from slightly browned to burnt in a matter of seconds.) Set aside.<br /><br />Melt the butter and combine with graham cracker crumbs in a small bowl. Toss together until the butter is evenly distributed. Press the crumbs evenly onto the bottom of the prepared pan.<br /><br />In order, sprinkle the walnuts, chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, and coconut over the graham crumbs. Pour the condensed milk evenly over the entire dish.<br /><br />Bake until the top is golden brown, about 25 minutes. Cool in the pan on a wire rack to room temperature, about 2 hours.<br /><br />Remove the bars from the pan using the foil or parchment handles and transfer to a cutting board. Using a sharp knife or bench cutter, cut into 2" by 3" bars.Janethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13357534027149882601noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6346479740380926780.post-90634985066308400802011-06-20T10:39:00.001-07:002011-06-20T10:39:59.356-07:00Strawberry Nectarine Vodka Collins Popsicles<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-omvVijWs64Y/Tew7WCI8DeI/AAAAAAAAAxk/J8Z0ZRJ5BdE/s1600/posicles%2Bvodka%2Bstrawberry%2B1.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-omvVijWs64Y/Tew7WCI8DeI/AAAAAAAAAxk/J8Z0ZRJ5BdE/s320/posicles%2Bvodka%2Bstrawberry%2B1.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5614928085141687778" /></a><br /><br />Wow, that's a mouthful of a title, isn't it? What about strawberry nectarine boozesicles? Better? Summer vodkasicles? Ok, ok, I'm getting a bit ridiculous here, I know. Whatever you want to call them, go for it, but the important thing is that you make these. Soon. <br /><br />These are extremely customizable too what you have on hand; the original recipe calls for peaches, but I had nectarines. I bet mangoes would be wonderful as well. I also used half white sugar, half brown sugar because I didn't have enough white. And now I'm thinking I want to try switching the vodka for Malibu rum next time for a tropical twist.<br /><br />If you're making these for non-drinkers or kids, you could switch out the alcohol with juice. I bet Kern's Nectar peach would be fabulous.<br /><br />I picked up my popsicle mold at Target for about $4, though I've heard they have them in their $1 spot right now (I checked 2 Targets and couldn't find any). If you don't want to buy a popsicle mold, you could also use Dixie cups or cordial glasses. <br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Note: </span>The Husband and I agreed the vodka taste was a bit strong in these, but I am not sure if that's because I put 3 <span style="font-weight:bold;">Tablespoons</span> of strawberry puree in each, rather than the 3 teaspoons the recipe calls for, or that they really are just strong. My best guess is, with the right amount of strawberry puree, the vodka won't be an overpowering taste. I do want to try making these with gin soon!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QmgpqqLdBp8/Tew7P5aM18I/AAAAAAAAAxc/vOGIAi_ilPk/s1600/popsicles%2Bvodka%2Bstrawberry%2B2.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QmgpqqLdBp8/Tew7P5aM18I/AAAAAAAAAxc/vOGIAi_ilPk/s320/popsicles%2Bvodka%2Bstrawberry%2B2.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5614927979718956994" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Strawberry Nectarine Vodka Collins Popsicles<br />Source: <a href="http://www.endlesssimmer.com/2011/06/02/tired-of-adult-popsciles-yet-we-didnt-think-so/">Endless Simmer</a><br />Printable Recipe<br /><br />Ingredients</span><br />10 strawberries, pureed<br />nectarine syrup (recipe at the end)<br />12 ounces tonic water<br />2 ounces plus 3 ounces vodka (divided usage)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Directions</span><br />Stir 2 ounces vodka into the strawberry puree. <br /><br />Pour 3 teaspoons strawberry vodka mixture into the bottom of popsicle molds. Set aside.<br /><br />Pour the tonic water into the nectarine syrup and stir to combine. Add the remaining 3 ounces vodka and stir. <br /><br />Spoon the nectarine mixture into the popsicle molds over the strawberry puree. Stir to combine. <br /><br />Place in the freezer for 8 hours.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Nectarine Syrup Ingredients</span><br />1 nectarine, peeled, pitted, and sliced<br />1 cup water<br />1 cup sugar (I used half white, half brown sugar)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Directions</span><br /><br />Puree the nectarine slices in a blender or food processor. <br /><br />Combine the nectarine puree, water, and sugar in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook for 5 minutes.Janethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13357534027149882601noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6346479740380926780.post-43696724106197744762011-06-10T08:00:00.000-07:002011-06-10T08:00:04.626-07:00Pantry OrganizationI am a hot mess when it comes to organization and tend to just throw things on the floor or counters, rather than putting them away. My desk at work it often piled with papers that are in the process of being graded, have already been graded and need to be passed back, or need to be graded. My student assistant cleans up my desk for me at least twice a month! <br /><br />Even worse than my desk is my pantry. I buy a lot of items in bulk, and then just toss them in the cabinent, still in the plastic bag from the grocery store. Or I transfer it (flour, sugar, dried coconut, etc) to Ziplock bags, which I label, but then again, just throw them in the cupboard, with no real rhyme or reason. <br /><br />Look at what I am talking about! A huge mess, right?! <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-u-_vLj8KVw8/TexNS43dVVI/AAAAAAAAAyM/QjBHHh9lv5w/s1600/messy%2Bcabine.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-u-_vLj8KVw8/TexNS43dVVI/AAAAAAAAAyM/QjBHHh9lv5w/s320/messy%2Bcabine.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5614947822322144594" /></a><br /><br />Beyond the fact that my pantry looks extremely disheveled, the mess also leads me to forget what items I have in stock, so I tend to buy the same things over and over, despite having a plentiful stock on hand. <br /><br />Last Sunday, while the husband napped on the couch, and after finishing my 3 store grocery shopping trip, I finally decided to tackle the mess. I headed out to Wal-Mart, bought tons of glass storage jars and a package of labels, then headed home to empty and organize.<br /><br />This is that same cabinet from the last picture, but all cleaned up. Amazing, right?! <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8ZUOYCPz13w/TexNbi_fMBI/AAAAAAAAAyU/CAPhXjWu7bE/s1600/organized%2Blower%2Bcabinet.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8ZUOYCPz13w/TexNbi_fMBI/AAAAAAAAAyU/CAPhXjWu7bE/s320/organized%2Blower%2Bcabinet.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5614947971069063186" /></a><br /><br />Here's the shelf above it, which was just as messy to begin with.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rNIXfqVq32o/TexNmLFz-gI/AAAAAAAAAyc/Qjmf4Tc1PRo/s1600/org%2Bupper%2Bcabinet.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rNIXfqVq32o/TexNmLFz-gI/AAAAAAAAAyc/Qjmf4Tc1PRo/s320/org%2Bupper%2Bcabinet.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5614948153631701506" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NnMWa9MZ9V0/TexNvJKmm_I/AAAAAAAAAyk/NejkL0RwqJc/s1600/organized%2Bdouble%2Bcabinet.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NnMWa9MZ9V0/TexNvJKmm_I/AAAAAAAAAyk/NejkL0RwqJc/s320/organized%2Bdouble%2Bcabinet.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5614948307733748722" /></a><br /><br /><br />I have what seems like a million types of flours (AP white, AP whole wheat, whole wheat bread, whole wheat pastry), brown sugar, white sugar, cinnamon sticks, sesame seeds, slivered almonds, whole almonds, milk chocolate chips and semi-sweet chocolate chips (we kept pulling our bag after bag of these delicious morsels; I'd even bought more during my grocery trip that morning, thinking I was running low!), and a ton of other pantry staples. Now, rather than digging through bags and bags of bulk items, I can just grab the canister it resides in and go.<br /><br />There are a few items that are still in ziplock bags; most of those items are things I don't purchase often, so I didn't feel the need to spend the money on jars for them, when a ziplock bag will work fine. <br /><br />Next up cleaning and organizing my spices, liquids, and other cooking supplies (bread crumbs, panko, cornmeal, etc).Janethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13357534027149882601noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6346479740380926780.post-49270695456039777422011-06-08T08:00:00.000-07:002011-06-08T08:00:04.368-07:00Cashew Chicken Lettuce Wraps<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kPVlBW8MJeU/TexAU-ZkjbI/AAAAAAAAAyE/k1ujhs-CpiI/s1600/cashew%2Bchicken_edited-1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kPVlBW8MJeU/TexAU-ZkjbI/AAAAAAAAAyE/k1ujhs-CpiI/s320/cashew%2Bchicken_edited-1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5614933564515978674" /></a><br />Can I tell you how much I love Pinterest? I spend waaaaay too much time on there each week, scrolling through everyone's pins, repinning them to my own boards, looking for images to pin from other websites. I have been known to even have dreams about pinning. It's an addiction I tell you. But one I'm not looking to break anytime soon.<br /><br />Most of my pins are food-related (of course!), which is how I came across this recipe for cashew chicken. A few days after I repinned it to my board, I cooked it up in my kitchen. Both the husband and I loved it, and wished I'd made more, practically licking our plates clean. The original recipe calls for butter leaf lettuce, but I couldn't find any, so I used iceberg since I already had some in the crisper. I think I added a bit too much cayenne though, as this dish was a tad spicy for the two of us, however, it didn't take away any of the yum. :)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><br />Cashew Chicken Lettuce Wraps<br />Source: <a href="http://shewearsmanyhats.com/2009/09/chicken-cashew-lettuce-wraps/">She Wears Many Hats </a><br />Printable Recipe</span><br /><br />I<span style="font-weight:bold;">ngredients for Chicken Cashew </span><br />2 chicken breasts (about 3/4 lb. total), diced<br />8 leaves of greenleaf or iceburg lettuce<br />3 tablespoons canola oil (or oil of choice)<br />1 cup onion, diced<br />2 garlic cloves, minced<br />1 teaspoon soy sauce<br />1/4 cup cashews, chopped<br />Salt and pepper to taste<br />basil, for garnish<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Ingredients for stir fry sauce<br /></span>2 tablespoons soy sauce<br />1 tablespoon rice vinegar<br />1 tablespoon brown sugar<br />1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper<br />1/4 teaspoon ground ginger<br />1 teaspoon sesame oil<br /><br />Directions<br />For the stir fry sauce mix all ingredients together, making sure to dissolve the brown sugar. Set aside.<br /><br />Heat canola oil in pan over medium to medium high heat. Add diced chicken and brown (about 4-5 minutes). Remove chicken from oil. <br /><br />Add onions, garlic and 1 teaspoon soy sauce to pan; brown. <br /><br />When onions and garlic are brown and tender, add the stir fry sauce, browned chicken and cashews. Saute mixture for a few minutes and remove from heat.<br /><br />Spoon chicken mixture into individual lettuce leaves. Add your favorite hot sauce, more cashews or basil.Janethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13357534027149882601noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6346479740380926780.post-43216647423330135322011-06-06T08:00:00.000-07:002011-06-06T08:00:02.219-07:00Janet Collins...My Spin on a Tom Collins<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RpxXvPviR8o/Tew5r3Mt3LI/AAAAAAAAAxM/lI6dICKsdyQ/s1600/janet%2Bcollins.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RpxXvPviR8o/Tew5r3Mt3LI/AAAAAAAAAxM/lI6dICKsdyQ/s320/janet%2Bcollins.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5614926261138611378" /></a><br />Have you ever watched Mad Men? The husband and I are big fans of the show, though we're a few seasons behind because we just started watching it on DVD a few months ago. I love the suave business environment with men in hats and liquid lunches. Well, let's be honest, it's not just liquid lunches, but drinks pretty much every moment of the day.<br /><br />After watching 2 seasons of the show, and reading part of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Boozehound-Trail-Obscure-Overrated-Spirits/dp/1580082882">Boozehound</a>, I decided it was time I venture beyond my standard vodka tonic and try something that would make Don Draper proud. As a classy bar in Vegas, all dark wood and bronze-vested barmen, I ordered a Mad Men classic, an oldfashioned. Wow. Just wow. It's basically just burbon, sugar, and muddled oranges and marishino cherries. Definitely a stiff drink. A little too stiff for me. I moved onto the Tom Collins, which I found to be much more up my alley. I was ready to join the Sterling and Cooper crew....I guess I'd have to be Peggy or Joan, since I'm not a guy.<br /><br />I brought a bottle of gin down to my parents' house for a recent visit, promising to make a round of Tom Collins' for everyone, however, I failed to look up the recipe in advance, and wound up not having most of the needed ingredients. I summoned by inner Draper and improvised. <br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><br />Janet Collins<br />Source: A Cooking in Cucamonga Original<br />Printable Recipe<br /><br />Ingredients</span><br />2 shots gin (use the god stuff)<br />2 shots tonic water<br />3 shots 7-Up or Sprite<br />1 1/2 shots Rose's lime juice<br />juice of 1/4 lime<br />crushed ice<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Directions</span><br />Pour all ingredients, except the ice, in a tall glass and stir to combine. Add additional 7-Up to taste, if desired.<br /><br />Add crushed ice to two rocks glasses, and pour the liquid over the top. Garnish with a lime wedge and enjoy.Janethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13357534027149882601noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6346479740380926780.post-29897346937862789592011-06-05T19:29:00.001-07:002011-06-05T19:39:47.944-07:00Photo Class: 2 Peas Week 1Despite having my DSLR for over a year now, I don't feel like my photography skills have progressed much in that time span. I began shooting completely in manual right away, but I usually have no idea what settings to use or why. I've joined some photo forums, but I spend more time on the social aspect than the learning portion, so I needed to try something else.<br /><br />My blogging buddy, MJ of <a href="http://www.therookiechef.com/">The Rookie Chef</a>, recently bought a DSLR herself and we decided to tackle the <a href="http://sites.google.com/site/biowbiow002/twopeas_12week">2 Peas photography</a> course together, in hopes of actually learning how to take decent pictures. Once a week, we'll be posting our course work on our blogs, food pictures or not, to track our progress...and frankly, because I need some accountability! :)<br /><br />This week's focus was aperature. I shoot wide open a lot of the time, so this week's lesson was great for me...I think I like shooting a bit more closed up! The tutorial instructed to shot in AV (aperture priority) mode this week, ignoring shutter speed; I also set my ISO and white balance to auto, so I could just focus on aperture. <br /><br />I'd definitely love to hear any constructive criticism from anyone out there. :)<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><br />F/1.8</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vyI2m5k9QuY/Tew8ljNJMFI/AAAAAAAAAxs/kYL78eQOw10/s1600/rose%2B%2Bf1%2B8.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vyI2m5k9QuY/Tew8ljNJMFI/AAAAAAAAAxs/kYL78eQOw10/s320/rose%2B%2Bf1%2B8.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5614929451227361362" /></a><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">F/8</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2ITskdxZbuY/Tew8zmku5QI/AAAAAAAAAx0/U_ozi9oQbSM/s1600/rose%2Bf8.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2ITskdxZbuY/Tew8zmku5QI/AAAAAAAAAx0/U_ozi9oQbSM/s320/rose%2Bf8.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5614929692649776386" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">F/22</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZjmbjwX_l2E/Tew881Tp77I/AAAAAAAAAx8/obwsP-G_ydA/s1600/rose%2Bf22.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZjmbjwX_l2E/Tew881Tp77I/AAAAAAAAAx8/obwsP-G_ydA/s320/rose%2Bf22.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5614929851223502770" /></a>Janethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13357534027149882601noreply@blogger.com3