Chicken Sausage and Vegetable Soup

Today is the fall equinox which marks the first day of fall. Two years ago, I celebrated the equinox at the Vinotok festival in Crested Butte, Colorado with my best friend from middle school. It was a very appropriate reunion as "our song" was Earth, Wind, and Fire's September about the 21st night of September. I was lucky enough to spend the summer after college living at a research station just up the road from Crested Butte. Every morning as I walked down the mountain from my rickety old cabin toward our laboratory, I looked into the face of  Gothic Mountain. From my bed each night, I listened to the water in Copper Creek rushing through the rocks. Every night when I made my way to the outhouse, bundled in layers and using my headlamp to find my way, I took a moment to look up at the stars. I've never seen as many stars as I could from our cabin at 9,500 feet, far away from city lights. In fact, I don't know that I ever realized there were that many stars.

Crested Butte is the wildflower capital of Colorado. Even though I was there the summer after a funky spring resulting in fewer flowers than expected, the mountain meadows were beautifully colorful. When I visited in September, I learned that they are equally beautiful in the fall when the aspens start to turn and the landscape shifts from blue and green to brown and gold.

With the coming of Fall, I've noticed myself gravitating toward fall clothing. I've even worn shoes to work instead of my commuter flip flops. The funny part about it is that the highs are still in the low 90s. When I go into work in the morning and while I'm in the lab, my clothes feel sensible. When I leave work and it's 94 "feels like 97," I regret my choices and wish I had elected shorts, a t-shirt, and flip flops. While visiting Wisconsin, we were spoiled with warm days and cool nights. We even got to eat meals on patios and wear jeans, comfortably. Fall isn't going to feel the same down here in Houston, but we have started getting cooler mornings that feel wonderful (and by "cooler," I'm talking 72 degrees) and have left me longing for fall colors and flavors.

My baked goods are starting to take on warmer, comforting flavors like cinnamon, peanut butter, and  apple. I'm forcing myself to save pumpkin for November. I'm starting to want soup and warm foods instead of salads every day. Last weekend, C made a barley vegetable soup, our roommate made an Italian seasoned zucchini and summer squash soup, and I made a cauliflower soup with blue cheese. Since then, I can't stop thinking about soup (and for some reason, sausage). Soup with sausage, yep, that's what I want!

Objective
Make a sausage and vegetable soup with kale and cauliflower. Recipe is based on Spicy Sausage Potato Kale Soup (from The Candid Appetite) and Creamy Cauliflower Soup with Stilton from Home Made Winter (by Yvette van Boven).

Materials
1/2 pound italian chicken sausage, sliced
1 tbsp. butter/olive oil
1/2 medium onion, chopped
2 stalks celery
2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
1/3 head cauliflower, cut into bite-sized florets
2 large cloves garlic, peeled and minced
2 stalks kale, leaves pulled from tough stems and chopped
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp. salt
4 cups vegetable broth
Parmesan, for garnish (optional)

Methods
1. In a small saucepan, bring about 2 cups of water to a boil while you wash/peel/slice/dice/chop vegetables and sausage. To prepare the celery, chop off the white bottom and the leafy top. Peel the outer curve (you can peel the inner curve too, but it's a little challenging). Blanch the celery by dropping it into the boiling water for 30 seconds, then move it to a bowl of ice water. Once it's cool, chop it.
2. In a large saucepan, brown the sausage slices over medium heat. Once browned on both sides, move the sausage to a bowl or plate and set aside. Add butter (or olive oil) and swirl to melt. Add the onion, celery, carrot, and cauliflower. Cook until softened. Add the garlic, kale, pepper, red pepper flakes, and salt. Cook until the kale has wilted.
3. Add the vegetable broth and browned sausage. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Adjust the seasoning as necessary. Sprinkle with parmesan before serving (optional).

Results
Yum! There is a good amount of heat from the sausage and red pepper flakes. The cauliflower lends a buttery flavor and interesting texture, the kale adds greenery, and the carrots give it color. It's a lovely soup (sorry we devoured it too quickly for a photo).

Discussion and Future Directions
C and I both really, really enjoyed this soup. While some people think the secret to flavor is bacon, we agree that the secret is sausage (or chorizo). I was very pleased with this soup because I was afraid the cauliflower would make it a little weird. Like, weird flavor and weird texture. Thankfully, it worked quite well. I used celery, carrot, onion, and cauliflower because that's what I had in my fridge. I used kale because I really wanted to try a vege soup with kale again (I made one before that my family loved but I didn't think it was worth the effort roasting the veges). You could certainly use whatever you have on hand and use this recipe simply as a guide. You could also add beans or grains to add texture and nutrition. This is a great twist on chicken soup and perfect for capturing the flavors of fall.

Cherry Almond Oatmeal Cookies [Ice Cream]

Yesterday, I packed a measly lunch. I packed a handful of grapes and a bowl of Roasted Carrot Soup that our roommate made as part of a 5-course meal for losing our household March Madness tournament. The soup was delicious, but unfortunately not filling. By 1:00, I was craving cookies. By 2:00, my brain was shutting down because it needed fuel. By 3:30, my head was pounding and I was lightheaded, probably from my hunger combined with "Feels Like" 106º heat. When I got home, I told C that I wanted to make cookies. He said that I shouldn't (perhaps related to the 1/2 blueberry pie in the fridge and fresh batch of Snickerdoodles from our 5-course meal) and instead, he made me a bagel sandwich. There's a good chance I ate a Snickerdoodle (or two) while waiting for my personal Sandwich Artist to create something scrumptious.

A few hours (and 5 paintings) later, I was still craving cookies, oatmeal cookies. When C left to go get more canvases, I booked it to the kitchen to whip up a batch of cookie dough before he returned. Now, he can't get mad at me for my baking problem because he has an ice cream problem. About a week ago, he came back from the grocery store with 3 half-gallon cartons of ice cream. Shortly thereafter, our roommate came back with 2 pints of Ben & Jerry's and alerted C of a sale. It wasn't long before I noted a new pint of Cherry Garcia in the freezer. When I asked him about his flavor choice (I thought he knew I was planning to make cherry chocolate chunk ice cream), he said "I panicked. There was a lady behind me and I couldn't find Oatmeal Cookie, so I grabbed that one. But I really wanted Oatmeal Cookie." So that's why I was craving oatmeal cookies! I decided that I would stir crumbled homemade oatmeal cookies into vanilla ice cream so that C could get his Oatmeal Cookie ice cream fix and I could satisfy my oatmeal cookie craving a la vez. I figured this had to be close to the Ben & Jerry's flavor, though I'd never actually had it.

Earlier in the day, I'd decided to make Thin Oat Ginger Crisps from Green Kitchen Stories. What excited me about the recipe was the list of ingredients, specifically pure maple syrup instead of refined sugar and buckwheat flour instead of wheat flour. What I didn't like about the recipe was the thickness of the cookies. I prefer soft, chewy cookies, not thin, crispy cookies. I decided to try them anyway, but with different flavors, and the addition of steel-cut oats. I got the idea to add steel cut oats from Adventures in Cooking. I decide on cherry and almond additions because I've been craving cherries since they first hit the market in June.

Objective
Make oatmeal cookies to crumble over ice cream as a substitute for Ben & Jerry's Oatmeal Cookie ice cream.

Materials
4 tbsp. butter, softened
3 tbsp. pure maple syrup
2 tbsp. milk
2 tbsp. buckwheat flour
2/3 cup rolled oats
~1/4 cup steel-cut oats
pinch cinnamon
pinch salt
1/4 to 1/2 tsp. almond extract, to taste
2 tbsp. to 1/4 cup  blanched almonds, chopped
2 tbsp. to 1/4 cup dried cherries (or dried cranberries flavored with cherry juice)

Methods
1. Preheat the oven to 350º. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, beat the butter, maple syrup, milk, buckwheat flour, rolled oats, cinnamon, salt, almond extract, blanched almonds and cherries. With the almonds and cherries, stir in as many as you want for the amount of chunkiness you desire. Stir in steel-cut oats, starting with 2 tbsp. until the dough stops looking "wet." (You want it to look like normal cookie dough for chocolate chip cookies.)
3. Drop dough onto the parchment by the tablespoon, and gather the dough into balls to make the dough a little cohesive. If needed, redistribute the dough for 12 even dough balls. Flatten the tops slightly.
4. Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until the edges are lightly browned. Remove from the oven and cool on the cookie sheet.

Results
These cookies are delicious and I don't feel guilty about eating them. They are very crumbly, which makes them perfect for crumbling over ice cream, though difficult to eat. The texture is soft and a bit chewy. I would describe the flavor as 50:50 oatmeal to almond, though easily mutable based on how much you decide to add. Stirred into ice cream? Delicious and you'd never even know these are "healthier" oatmeal cookies.

Discussion
The cookie itself? Very good. I'm pleased with the cherry/almond combination as well as the addition of steel-cut oats. I have to admit, I was going to make the cookies as written, as flat, crispy cookies. However, when I saw how moist the dough was, I decided I wanted to make it thicker like my normal oatmeal cookie dough. I kept adding steel cut oats until I got there (~1/4 cup). I knew this would increase the amount of dough and consequently decrease the amount of butter per cookie. I totally forgot that the recipe called for flattening the cookies as flat as you can make them, so I only flattened them slightly. The end result was exactly what I was looking for: thick, soft, and chewy. A happy mistake!

Now, cookie + ice cream? Since I've never had the ice cream flavor, we'll turn to C. "Better than the real stuff." Whew! That makes up for the brownies I made last week with spelt flour (that part was fine) and beet puree (not fine). I wondered what Ben & Jerry's flavor actually does taste like. Apparently its real name is Oatmeal Cookie Crunch and it's described as "sweet cream cinnamon ice cream with chucks of oatmeal and fudge." Mine didn't have chocolate, but I'm glad I added cinnamon to the cookies. I generally omit cinnamon from all cookies and quick breads, but I added it because I figured B&J's oatmeal cookies were bound to be cinnamony. They also add raisins. Gross. Anyway, next time C's craving oatmeal cookie ice cream, I think I'll whip him up another batch.

Supplementary Materials

To make Oatmeal Cookie Ice Cream:
Bake and cool Cherry Almond Oatmeal Cookies. Get out vanilla ice cream and let it sit out to soften. Crumble the cookies over the ice cream and stir to combine. Return to freezer until you're ready to eat it. Cookie recipe makes enough cookie crumbles for about 1/2 quart of ice cream.

Panna Cotta with Leftover Whipped Cream and Leftover Buttermilk

Leftover perishables are an unfortunate part of baking. Even with diligent foresight and planning, everyone ends up throwing out spoiled food once in awhile. Case and point? Buttermilk. Rarely does a recipe call for a full quart, which where I live, is the only size available at the grocery store. Generally I use buttermilk for biscuits or muffins, which rarely call for even a full cup. A full quart? That's over 4 cups. I've never made anything with that much buttermilk! Another thing that's hard to use up is whipped cream. Think about the holidays. Do you make whipped cream to serve with pie? Maybe you stick a little in a fruit salad or use some on breakfast waffles, but have you ever actually finished it? At the end of my family's holidays, there is always a little silver bowl of whipped cream covered with saran wrap that gets forgotten in the back of the fridge. A week later, it gets thrown away.

While my parents were here, I made a Coconut Cream Pie with whipped cream. The whipped cream was a bit of a fiasco. I couldn't figure out why my whipping cream hadn't started to form peaks after 10 minutes of whipping. With a quick pour, my amazing boyfriend realized that it was because my whipping cream was improperly labeled. It was nowhere near heavy cream. It was half and half at best, but maybe even whole milk. The lady at the grocery store was a bit confused when C showed up and explained that our cream wasn't cream. Much to my relief, he came home with the last two cartons of cream and the first one I tried actually whipped!

Once the cream was whipped and the pie was topped, there was a whole tupperware full of leftover whipped cream. Just yesterday, I threw out the leftovers. But! I did find a way to use some of the whipped cream before it went bad. I made a Panna Cotta-esque dessert adapted from Elements cookbook.

Objective
Make buttermilk panna cotta to use up buttermilk and whipped cream.

Materials
1 packet gelatin (or about 2 1/4 tsp)
2 1/2 tbsp. cold water
1/3 cup cream, half and half, milk or non-dairy milk
1/3-1/2 cup sugar (to taste)
1 tsp. vanilla bean paste
2 cups buttermilk
1/2 cup leftover whipped cream
Fruit for garnish

Methods
1. Place 2 1/2 tbsp. cold water in a shallow bowl. Sprinkle the gelatin in an even layer over the water and let sit until the gelatin softens (about 15 minutes). Prepare and ice bath in a large bowl and set aside.
2. In a saucepan that holds at least 1 1/2 qt., heat cream, sugar, and vanilla paste until the sugar dissolves. Do not boil. Stir in the softened gelatin. Move to the ice bath, and stir occasionally until the mixture cools to room temperature.
3. Stir the buttermilk into the cooled mixture. Then, fold in or gently whisk in the whipped cream. This should end up being about four cups in volume.
4. Pour the mixture into molds such as a muffin pan (12 regular muffin cups or 6 jumbo muffin cups) or divide between 6-8 1-cup dishes (such as prep bowls or jars). Chill until solidified, between 4 and 6 hours. Can be prepared a day in advance.
5. To serve, slide a knife between the panna cotta and dish, tugging gently toward the center to loosen the bottom. Flip onto a plate and serve with fresh fruit. If you used prep bowls or jars, you could garnish them and serve them in the vessel. Serves 6-12 depending on how large you make your portions.

Results
This is rich and well-flavored. The texture is a bit softer than I'd expected (but I had a little trouble with my gelatin). Great with tart passionfruit and blackberries.

Discussion and Future Directions
I was very skeptical of the flavor, fearing that the panna cotta would be sour like buttermilk. Instead, it's rich, creamy, and deeply flavored. The vanilla is prominent, though there is a slight tang. The texture is soft, which made it a little less beautiful on the plate. I used cream (to try to use it up), but next time, I'd use something less rich. I just read a recipe where someone used coconut milk. That sounds delicious (and I happen to have some leftover coconut milk in my fridge from the coconut cream pie)! My version is fairly sweet and I think it would be equally delicious with less sugar. Be sure to adjust the mixture to suit your taste, but keep in mind that if your whipped cream is sweetened, you'll add more sugar at the end. Also, vanilla paste is quite sweet. You can use a vanilla bean instead or stir vanilla extract into the mixture once it's cooled.

If you make a sweet panna cotta, I would suggest serving it with tart fruit such as passion fruit, raspberries, or blackberries. If you reduce the sugar, I would suggest something sweet like strawberries or cherries. You could even add chocolate or agave drizzle. The options are endless!

Supplementary Materials

Chili Cook-Off Vegetarian Chili

Guess what? I moved to Texas! I finished my master's degree in St. Louis and headed south. My experiments are starting to pick up at my new job and I'm jumping into life as a "Wisconsinite Displaced in Texas." The cheese and brat selections in Houston are far superior to those in St. Louis, many of the traffic lights are shorter, and I left town 2 days before a snowstorm that was the first of many. I walked in the surf on the Gulf of Mexico, saw my first rodeo, and went in the pool on Easter Sunday! With that and more in mind, I'd say that the move was a great idea.

Oh yeah, there's also a boy in Texas. For the past few months, that boy and I have been talking about hosting a chili cook-off. His work schedule is kinda crazy (he's a pediatric intern), so we had to schedule it during a month when he got weekends off (a rarity). Coincidentally, I moved to Texas during just such a month. Planning a chili cook-off over Easter weekend might not have been the best idea. We aren't religious, but it turns out a lot of our friends are. Even so, we ended up with 8 chili entries (3 vegetarian, 5 meat) and a number of "fixin's" and desserts. Entries included an okra, bean and Sriracha chili, a barley and bean chili, a bell pepper and bean chili, traditional Texan beef chili, tomatillo beef chili, chicken chili, ground turkey chili, and, believe it or not, a venison chili! Overall, our chili cook-off was a success and we had a lot of fun.

To prepare for the cook-off, we went to the grocery store and bought every type of dried chile available (including but not limited to ancho, New Mexico, morita, mulato, chipotle, arbol, guajillo, pasilla, Japanese, and pequin). I knew I wanted to make a vegetarian chili to be sure that there was at least 1 vegetarian option available. I started off by reading The Food Lab: How to Make The Best Chili Ever on Serious Eats. Kenji provides an excellent discussion of chili--from flavor, to texture, to ingredients, and beyond. The article links to Serious Eats' Best Vegetarian Bean Chili recipe, which I used as the starting point for my chile. At first, I wanted to use as many chiles and peppers as possible (we had serranos, jalapenos, manzana, red/orange/yellow bell, poblano, and a really long green one). I decided to limit the peppers to bell peppers because I thought they would hold their crisp texture better than the others (poblanos tend to get mushy and I wasn't sure about any of the others). I wanted to use a bunch of different types of beans to add character. I decided to add lime for acidity and cinnamon for sweetness because the flavor of the chiles didn't come out right away upon taking a spoonful. In the end, I stirred in some corn for color and texture. I'm proud to report that my recipe tied for best vegetarian chili.

Objective
Make a tasty vegetarian chili for the Chili Cook-off using dried chiles as the base of the flavor.

Materials

2 chiles New Mexico

2 chiles de arbol

2 chiles mullato

2 chiles pasilla

2 chiles guajillo

1 chile morita

1 1/2 tbsp. cumin

1 tsp. oregano

1/2 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. salt

2 limes

1 tbsp. olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
6 cloves garlic, minced
3 bell peppers (1 each: red, orange, yellow), chopped

28 oz. Kidney beans

28 oz. Black beans

14 oz. Great Northern White beans

14 oz. Black eyed peas

28 oz. crushed tomatoes
14 oz. diced tomatoes
1 1/2 cups frozen corn

1 tbsp. soy sauce
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

Methods
1. Prepare the chile paste: cut the stems off of the chiles and remove the seeds. Place them in a dry skillet and cook over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes. Add enough water to the skillet to cover the chiles (don't worry if they start to float). Bring the water to a boil, then remove the skillet from the heat and sit 15 minutes. 

2. Move the chiles to a blender with 1/2-1 cup of the chile water. Add 1 1/2 tbsp. cumin, 1 tsp. oregano, 1/2 tsp. ginger, and the juice of 2 limes. Blend to form a thick paste, adding more chile water if necessary.

3. In a large pot, heat 1 tbsp. olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook about 3 minutes. Add the minced garlic and chopped bell peppers. Continue to heat and stir until the onions and peppers have softened. Add the chile paste, beans, tomato, corn, soy sauce, cinnamon, and cayenne pepper. Stir the chili to mix the ingredients. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes.

4. After the chili has simmered, taste the chili for flavor. As necessary, add more salt, cumin, cayenne, cinnamon, ginger, oregano, and lime juice. Continue simmering until and adjusting the spices until you reach a flavor that you like. Beware that the longer the chili simmers, the intensity of the flavors will dissipate.

Results
Yum! Without meat, it's tricky to get chili with texture that isn't just mush. Using a variety of beans and adding corn helped a lot. The flavor is good. It's sweet with a little bit of spicy. After sitting in the fridge over night, the heat was lost and the chili became very mild.

Discussion
The biggest thing this chili lacks is something to chew. I don't like tofu or fake meat, so maybe the texture I should add is crunchy. Just a little something to give the teeth some resistance. Maybe sprinkling the top of each bowl with crushed tortilla chips would work. The other thing I'd like to taste is more heat. Most of the other chili makers used Sriracha. I know that I'm in the huge minority these days, but I've never purchased or used the stuff. I wouldn't have thought to add hot sauce because I wanted my heat to be authentic from the chiles I added. I ended up relying a lot on the cayenne for heat and the peppers for flavor depth. Hot sauce might be the key!

My usual chili recipe is a turkey and black bean chili with chipotle salsa. I've made it with and without meat, and either way, the flavor is hard to beat (the brand of the chipotle salsa is the key). For the chili cook-off, I was determined to use chiles and not chili powder. I'm glad that I did because it was a learning experience. It took a lot more tasting and adding spices than I'm used to, but in the end, I liked my product enough that I was glad I didn't use my usual recipe.

End of Summer Pistachio Almond Gelato

In Wisconsin, Labor Day weekend marks the end of summer and the beginning of a new school year. In Missouri, Labor Day weekend means a day off of school. I must say I prefer the former, because it makes for 15-week semesters instead of the brutal 18-week long semesters Washington University finds necessary. In St. Louis, there are an assortment of festivals over Labor Day weekend. Unfortunately, Hurricane Issac made his way to Missouri just in time to rain out many of the activities. It's been dark and dreary. It's not cold, but it feels like soup weather. Determined not to let the weather damper my enjoyment of summer's end, I decided to make ice cream.

I haven't made a lot of ice cream this summer because I can't eat enough to justify making a whole batch. I didn't know if a half batch would freeze properly, so I just skipped ice cream all together. With cold weather just a few months away (or maybe not with the kind of weather we've been having), I decided that it's now or never. Last week, my friend Ann and I went to a painting class at Bar Italia. Ann ordered a drink made with cranberry juice, pistachio liqueur and a splash of lemon lime soda. It was delicious and inspired me to make pistachio gelato.

In the blog world, David Lebovitz seems to be the leading authority for ice cream recipes. Being the rebel that I am (and because I didn't want to track down Pistachio Paste when I have a lifetime supply of unsalted, shelled pistachios in my fridge), I opted for a recipe by David Leite. I couldn't have been more pleased with my choice! The creaminess is unparalleled. For the full, unmodified recipe, see  David Leite's Pistachio Gelato.

Materials
1 cup (scant) unsalted, shelled pistachios, finely ground
1 1/4 cup whole milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
pinch salt
2 egg yolks
1/3 cup granulated sugar (or less)
1/8-1/4 teaspoon almond extract

Method
See David Leite's Pistachio Gelato.

Results
The flavor isn't overly pistachio-y. The texture is indescribably creamy. You'll have to make it to believe me. No, really. Go make it. You won't be disappointed.

Discussion
Besides halving the recipe, I did modify the ingredients a smidge. I added the upper limit of sugar. That was a bad idea because it ended up a little too sweet. I think the sweetness masked the pistachio flavor.  Next time, I would let the pistachios steep in the milk/cream for an hour or two before refrigerating. Because my gelato wasn't very pistachio-y, I stirred in some almond extract immediately prior to freezing. In flavor, it tastes a lot like Blue Bunny Pistachio Almond Ice Cream. In texture, it's far superior. I was pleased with my decision to leave out the chopped pistachios so that the texture was smooth.

I am so pleased with this recipe that I would like to try it as the base for future flavors. It would be easy to make it a mint gelato, or another herb/nut infusion. Though I wouldn't know where to being, it would be amazing as chocolate gelato. It might be a few months or even a year before I make ice cream again, but I will be sure to keep this recipe in mind when I do (and so should you)!

Supplementary Materials

Variation for Chocolate Gelato
I did make this recipe into chocolate gelato. After heating the milk and cream, I whisked in 1/6 cup (1/3 cup for the full recipe) cocoa powder. Then, after tempering the eggs and whisking them into the cream mixture, I whisked in 1 oz (2 oz for the full recipe) Ghiradelli 60% Cacao Bittersweet Chocolate Baking Chips. The texture wasn't as creamy as the pistachio, which was disappointing, but it reminded me of a Wendy's Frosty. I'd definitely make it again!

Mexican Cornmeal Cookies

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

Today, I've been in the kitchen cooking food for a Cinco de Mayo party while reflecting on my study abroad experience in Guanajuato. Not trying to be cliche (but I'll do it anyway), the summer I spent in Mexico was one of the best summers of my life. As anyone who has studied abroad knows, it's hard to explain why. It was my first time moving away and doing my own thing. It was also something that my friends and family didn't think I was capable of doing. The night before I left, my best friend wouldn't say goodbye because she anticipated seeing me back in Wisconsin in no more than two weeks. I was determined to prove them all wrong and be independent, and that's exactly what I did!

I always loved Mexican food. However, until I went to Mexico, I had no idea what Mexican food was. I was shocked to learn that tacos aren't ground beef with a packet of seasoning stirred in on flour tortillas with cheddar cheese and chunky salsa out of a jar (kidding). Tacos were something you made yourself during every meal, from whatever meat and toppings were available, salsa and fresh corn tortillas. I also learned that freshly made corn tortillas are delicious. I came to love chipotle salsa (my host family's maid, Lupe, made the most incredible chipotle salsa, but regrettably, I do not have the recipe). I loved saturdays because we would get Pollo Feliz for lunch because our host mom was at church. Pollo Feliz consisted of a spicy rotisserie chicken with a large stack of corn tortillas and an assortment of salsas. Yum.  On Sunday, when our host dad would be home from where he worked as a mining engineer, we would have barbacoa. Whenever there was a reason to celebrate, we would go get ice cream. The best ice cream (second to the kind you would buy in a tub at the OXXO) was from Dunkin' Donuts, which we frequented regularly.

For two weeks at the end of July, our host family was in Michigan visiting their son. While they were gone, their former maid stayed with us and cooked for us. She was determined to feed us authentic Mexican food and was happy to teach us to make things whenever we were interested. I was on a gluten-free diet at the time, so I missed out on the Mexican pastries and many of the desserts. Our "substitute" host mom told me about a recipe she had for cookies, that didn't use flour. I didn't try them while I was in Mexico, but did when I returned. They aren't your average cookie, but they are tasty in their own right.

Galletas de Maíz Recipe

1 cup harina de maiz (finely ground corn flour)

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

3 tablepsoons caramel sauce

2 eggs

pinch salt

Mix all ingredients together. The mixture will be thick but viscous. Pour by the teaspoon onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Leave at least an inch (if not two) between cookies. Bake at 375 degrees until golden. Move to a wire rack to cool

Banana Piloncillo Ice Cream with Kahlúa

Objective
To make banana ice cream. I came across this recipe while flipping through cookbooks over the holidays. At first, I thought "Banana ice cream? Gross." The more I thought about it, the more I thought I had to try it. Plus, since I love Mexican food so much, I was super excited to use piloncillo (silly me). Adapted from Baked: New Frontiers in Baking to fit in a household blender and ice cream maker.

Materials
3 tablespoons water
1 cinnamon stick
3/4 cup piloncillo, grated*
6 bananas, extremely ripe, peeled, then frozen (or more if you want to make it chunky)
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream (you may not need it all)
2/3 cup chopped pecans, toasted (optional)
Kahlúa (optional)

*Piloncillo (also called panela) is a sugar used in Central and South America. It comes in packages with a few brown colored cones of sugar. Look for it in the fresh produce section of your grocery store near the dried chiles. If they don't have it, substitute dark brown sugar, muscovado, or jaggery.

Methods
1. In a small saucepan, combine the water and cinnamon stick. Simmer over medium-low heat until the cinnamon stick is fragrant (about 3 minutes). Add the sugar of choice and stir until the sugar dissolves and the mixture begins to thicken into a syrup. Remove from heat, remove the cinnamon stick, and cool the syrup (at least to room temperature. I suggest sticking it in the fridge overnight so that everything you add to the ice cream maker will be cold).
2. When ready to make the ice cream, remove the bananas from the freezer and chop well (dime-sized chunks).
3. Add 1/2 cup cream, cooled sugar syrup and a handful of the chopped bananas to your blender. Blend until completely smooth, slowly adding more bananas as your blender can handle them. If the blender starts making funny noises and sounds strained, turn it off, stir the mixture (remove some if needed), add a little more cream and proceed.
4. Freeze in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's directions. This shouldn't take more than 5 minutes since everything going into the ice cream maker was already cold or frozen. Add the pecans in the last minute of mixing. If you want chunks of banana, chop up another frozen banana (or two) and add them with the pecans.
5. Serve immediately or cover and put in the freezer. For the "adult-version," drizzle your scoop of ice cream with Kahlúa.

Results
Incredibly creamy with a delicious banana flavor.

Discussion and Future Directions
This is the best banana anything I've ever had (excluding banana bread). What is so incredible about this recipe is that it is mostly banana. However, it was a huge pain to make. To get 3/4 cup of grated piloncillo, I stood at the counter grating piloncillo for one hour (not an exaggeration. I've never seen my bicep as big as it was when I was done. It was quite a workout). Truthfully, I'm worried I dulled my Microplane® grater. I want to make this again (because it's delicious), but there has to be a better way. The easiest way would be to use dark brown sugar instead of piloncillo because it's already ready to go. But, the flavor of piloncillo is unique and might be what gives this recipe the extra "umph." The flavor of the syrup reminded me of honey, but thinner (until I refrigerated it and it recrystallized). Anyway, I'd try to hammer the piloncillo cones into chunks (seriously, with hammer) and then dissolve the chunks in simmering water to make the syrup.

The next problem was blending everything together. I reduced the amount of banana and increased the amount of cream from the original recipe because it was like concrete in my blender (my brand new blender overheated in less than 2 minutes). So, follow the instructions and be prepared to turn off, unplug and let your blender cool down when the mixture gets thick.

Then! More troubles! Because the mixture freezes so quickly, and water expands as it freezes, I had an ice cream volcano coming out of my ice cream maker. I love science (obviously) and think volcano experiments are awesome, but not all over my kitchen appliances! So, I reduced the number of bananas in the recipe. Pay close attention as you're freezing the mixture to make sure it will fit (and add your blended mixture slowly). If you need to, freeze it in two batches (don't worry--your ice cream maker will still be cold enough).

Despite the troubles, I would absolutely try making this again (plus, the Kahlúa at the end helped me forget how much of a pain it was to make)! If you don't like pecans, or prefer your ice cream to be smooth, leave them out. It's perfect without or without pecans. If you like your ice cream chunky, add some extra frozen banana chunks at the end. Make it how you like it. The star of this dessert is the ripe banana. In spite of the small quantity of cream compared to most ice creams, it's quite amazing that the texture is so smooth and creamy. The kahlúa adds a nice coffee flavor and makes this the ideal breakfast food (don't judge--somehow I didn't get around to eating breakfast until 4 pm today. I love Saturdays)!

Supplementary Materials

Sweet Potato Fries (Pappy's Style)

Objective
To make sweet potato fries like those at Pappy's Smokehouse. If you've never been to St. Louis, you may not know of Pappy's. If you've been to St. Louis and haven't been to Pappy's, you should probably go back to try their barbecue! I've had Pappy's twice since moving to St. Louis. The first time it was catered, so I not only missed the "whole experience," but I also missed the sweet potato fries. The second time I went on a date and it was absolutely incredible (though we decided that we were in such good moods that about anything would have tasted good). Back to the sweet potato fries! My second experience with Pappy's was much more rewarding because I got to have their coleslaw and sweet potato fries. The fries were small and thin like fast food fries. The outside had a granulated, sweet crunch, but the inside was moist and tender. They weren't overly sweet. The minute I left, I knew I needed more! Adapted from The Art of Doing STUFF.

Materials
1 medium-sized sweet potato, with the ends cut off
1-2 teaspoons cornstarch
olive oil, for drizzling
salt, for sprinkling
dark brown sugar, for sprinkling

Methods
1. Slice the sweet potatoes into medium to small fries (I like mine a little thin but wide so they look flat). Place them in a bowl of water to minimize oxidation until you're ready to use them.
2. Place an oven rack in the center of your oven and place another rack directly below it. On the lower rack, place a seasoned baking stone. Preheat the oven to 425° with the baking stone in it. Give the oven about an hour to preheat and heat the baking stone.
3. Drain the sweet potato fries and give them a squeeze in a paper towel to remove excess water.
4. Place a bit of cornstarch in a large plastic bag. Add the sweet potatoes and shake to lightly coat the potatoes. Transfer the fries to a baking sheet with sides.
5. Drizzle with a small amount of olive oil. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and about a teaspoon of dark brown sugar. Stir to coat the fries with oil and seasoning.
6. Bake 15 minutes then remove the fries and baking stone from the oven. Stir, then transfer the fries to the baking stone, leaving behind any excess oil. Return to the oven and bake another 15 minutes or until the fries are just beginning to crisp on the outside.
7. Cool slightly and serve.


Results
These are pretty close to Pappy's! The lack the chunk of particulate that Pappy's has. The outside is crisp and the inside is tender. The flavor is sweet.


Discussion and Future Directions
These are delicious! They are sweet and make the perfect health-conscious dessert. I dipped mine in a Cilantro&Chipotle dipping sauce to make them savory (see Supplementary Materials).The biggest difference was the lack of "crunch." Pappy's sweet potato fries have little granules of what must be some type of sugar on the outside. Next time, I would sprinkle the fries with sugar as soon as they come out of the oven. I can't decide what type of sugar to use, but I'm thinking I would try brown sugar while cooking for the flavor of the caramelized sugar and superfine granulated sugar to sprinkle on after baking. Even without the crunchy sugar, these are close enough for me to be satisfied!

Supplementary Materials

Cilantro&Chipotle Dipping Sauce
Mix equal parts mayonnaise and sour cream. Stir in chopped cilantro and pureed chipotle in adobo, to taste. Mix well and serve.

Raspberry Sherbet with Berries and Chambord

Objective
To use the raspberry sherbet in my freezer to make a delightful adult dessert. I made the raspberry sherbet this fall when the raspberries in my local grocery store were essentially "on clearance." This week, my fridge is full of cherries and blueberries that I got on sale. As I was settling in for the evening with a movie, instead of a glass of wine, I wanted something sweet but refreshing. My mind immediately settled on black raspberry liqueur, but I didn't want a drink. Remembering the cherries and blueberries in the fridge and the raspberry sherbet in the freezer that wasn't getting any fresher, I got a vision of a very colorful dessert full of berries. Sherbet recipe was adapted from Simply Cooking and Joy of Baking.

Hypothesis: the flavor of the alcohol will be masked by the sherbet and the dessert will be fresh and tangy.

Materials
For sherbet:
4 cups (or 1 pound) of fresh raspberries, washed
2 cups whole milk
1 cup granulated sugar (or more to taste)
1 1/2 teaspoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice*

*Note: some people like to add a little alcohol (about 2 teaspoons) to their frozen yogurt and sorbets to prevent it from becoming a block of ice. Instead of (or in addition to) fresh squeezed lemon juice, you could try adding a bit of lemon vodka or lemoncello in the last minute or two of the freezing process to get the tang of the lemon with the added bonus of reducing ice formation in your sherbet.

For dessert:
2 scoops of raspberry sherbet
10 fresh blueberries
5 fresh cherries, pitted
2 oz (or more if you're not a lightweight like me) black raspberry liqueur (like Chambord)

Methods
For sherbet:
1. In a blender or food processor, puree the berries, milk and sugar until smooth. Taste the mixture and make sure that it is sweet enough. If it's too tart, add more sugar to taste.
2. To remove the seeds, strain the mixture into a large bowl (I recommend a batter bowl or measuring cup that holds 4+ cups and has a pour-spout). This step is tough. I used a fine mesh strainer and a spatula and it took me around 2 hours and I stained my entire kitchen magenta. Truthfully, at this step I swore I would never use raspberries to make anything ever again unless I could buy them seedless. What I suggest is squeezing the mixture through cheesecloth or a spice bag or something similar, in small batches, and washing the seeds out of the cloth before starting the next batch.
3. Stir in the lemon juice.
4. Cover and place in the fridge overnight (this will facilitate the freezing process).
5. Freeze per the directions of your ice cream maker. If you do not have an ice cream maker, place in a covered bowl in the the freezer and stir occasionally until the mixture freezes.
6. Store in a covered bowl in the freezer.

For dessert:
1. Place two small scoops of sherbet in a bowl.
2. Add blueberries and cherries that have been cut in half and pitted.
3. Drizzle black raspberry liqueur over the top and stir to mix.

Results
The dessert was colorful, tangy and refreshing. The flavors worked well together and the taste of the alcohol was not at all noticable.

Discussion and Future Directions
This dessert was everything I'd hoped it would be, and more. It was the perfect way to relax, though the liqueur alone might have been secret! Lighter in calories than ice cream, sherbet is more refreshing. This dessert could easily be made with whatever type of berries you have on hand, keeping in mind that blackberries and raspberries would have seeds to detract from the smooth texture of the dessert.

For this recipe I used Chambord liqueur, which as first introduced to me at the Mariner's Inn in a sauce served with roast duck. I later used it to make incredible butter cream frosting for brownies. I made a drink with cream and Chambord over ice which was delicious. It's not cheap, but I think it's worth it for its versatility. Plus, in my opinion, liqueurs that are made with real berries as opposed to "berry-flavored liqueurs" taste much better and mask the alcohol a lot more.

This dessert could absolutely be made with store-bought raspberry sherbet. If you don't have an ice cream maker or lack patience, I would actually recommend using store-bought raspberry sherbet. However, if you ever find yourself with more raspberries than you know what to do with, give the sherbet recipe a try. It's delicious and, in my opinion, tastes a lot truer than store-bought. Plus, it's on its fifth month in my freezer and still tastes as good as it did when it was fresh.

Supplementary Materials

Mexican Rice and Bean Salad

Objective
To make a Mexican-inspired side dish to go along with stuffed poblanos. As an undergraduate, I studied abroad in Guanajuato, Mexico. My first few nights in Mexico were rough. My stomach was doing somersaults and I could hardly eat. My Señora couldn't quite get the hang of "gluten-free." While my roommate ate delicious pastries for breakfast, I choked down eggs and mango, both of which I hated. I can best describe the smell of Guanajuato as a combination of exhaust, sewerage, and corn tortillas. The last piece is what made Mexico such a great place to be gluten-free. I ate a lot of corn and a lot of rice. Ever since, Mexican food has been a staple in my diet and I couldn't have been more excited when "Taqueria Guanajuato" opened in Madison, WI with pictures of Plaza de la Paz and other familiar places. I believe this is the first recipe I've noted on my blog as gluten free (though I went back and tagged a few others). From here on out, I hope to be better at remembering my friends who are gluten-free! Recipe adapted from  Better Homes and Gardens Special Interest Mexican edition.

Hypothesis: This salad will be a little zippy with the onion and jalapeño but refreshing with the vinegar and lime juice.

Materials
1 cup uncooked long grain rice
2 cups water
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups frozen peas
1 15-oz can black beans, rinsed
1/2 cup red onion, chopped
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 Tablespoons cider vinegar
2 teaspoons lime juice
2 Tablespoons fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Methods
1. Bring 2 cups of water, 1 cup of rice and 1/2 teaspoon salt to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook for 15 minutes or until the water is absorbed.
2. When the rice is fully cooked, move to a large mixing bowl. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir to mix thoroughly. Eat as is or chill before serving.

Results
This salad looks beautiful! The flavor is light and not overpowering.

Discussion and Future Directions
This salad made a great side dish for a Mexican entree and also made a great salad for lunch. I actually preferred the salad closer to room temperature than cold. I think that chilled, it wasn't quite as flavorful (sort of like red wine--different temperatures effect the smell and taste of your food/wine. Aromatic compounds won't be as strong if the food is colder, and the vinegar may become more prominent). I used very conservative amounts of salt and pepper, so I encourage you to continue adding more to taste.

One thing that disappointed me was that the jalapeño flavor really gets lost in the dish and there is no "zip" or heat. I de-seeded and de-veined the jalapeños which dramatically decreased the heat of the peppers (biting into seeds wouldn't be good because the texture contrast with the soft foods would be kind of weird). If I were to make it again and want some heat, I would probably use serrano peppers instead of jalapeño peppers. This makes a lot of food and since it doesn't need to be kept warm, would make a great dish for a potluck!

Supplementary Materials

Scandinavian Meal: Cod and Rutabaga

There is a store in Madison, Wisconsin called the Century House that is a fun place to peek around for two reasons. (1) They sell unique Scandinavia items, from Christmas ornaments to clothing to furniture and bedding. But what I think makes it so special is (2) the glimpse back in time because it is housed within an old stone home along what is now one of the most busy streets in Madison. On my last visit, I sat in a chair and flipped through cookbooks for about an hour. I was intrigued by a recipe in the cookbook Kitchen of Light called Rosemary Cod with Vanilla-Scented Mashed Rutabaga. I had just purchased vanilla beans across the street at Penzeys Spices and was excited to use them, but in mashed rutabaga? I decided it would be worth a try and baked cod sounded like a delicious and lighter alternative to the traditional Friday night fish fry that is part of Wisconsin culture.

Objective
Make a Scandinavian meal centered around fish.

Materials
2 one-pound cod cellos
2 small to medium rutabagas
6 sprigs rosemary (1 1/2 to 2 inches long)
1/2 vanilla bean
1/2 stick unsalted butter
sea salt
pepper
olive oil

Method
1. Preheat the oven to 400°.
2. To prepare the rutabaga: In a large saucepan, bring about 6 cups of salted water to a boil (enough to cover the rutabaga). Remove the skin from the rutabaga and cut into small cubes. Boil the rutabaga for 25 to 30 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the fish.
3. To prepare the fish: If the fish are frozen, thaw them in cold water. Rinse the fish under cold running water for about 10 minutes. Dry with paper towels. Make three diagonal slices into the fish about 1/4-inch deep and long enough to fit the rosemary sprigs. Put the rosemary sprigs into the slits. Rub with olive oil and sprinkle each side with salt and pepper. Place in a 9x13" pan lined with foil.
4. When the rutabaga is soft, drain it and return it to the pot over medium-low heat. Stir in the butter and seeds from the vanilla bean. Stir frequently and cook until it is easy to mash the rutabaga (with a potato masher, electric hand mixer or food processor). Keep warm as the fish bakes.
5. Place the fish in the oven. After 15 minutes, check the fish. The fish is done when it flakes easily when probed with a fork (and should be opaque all the way through).
6. Serve immediately (recipe serves 4).

Results
The cod was incredible. It was well-flavored and perfectly cooked. The mashed rutabaga was surprisingly delicious and the vanilla wasn't overwhelming.

Discussion and Future Directions
The original recipe called for cod fillets with the skin on, which I was unable to find. The purpose of the skin was to help the rosemary flavor the fish. The flavor of the fish was great and I wouldn't have wanted a stronger rosemary flavor. One mistake I made was making too much fish at once. The fish lost it's tender flaky crust upon reheating.

The mashed rutabaga was a surprisingly pleasant. It reminded me of my family's Thanksgiving sweet potato casserole, but without the added sugar and pecan topping. Even the texture was smoother and creamer than mashed sweet potatoes. I will be sure to make this again!

To make it a full meal, I served pickled herring salad on rye bread with dill for appetizers and made Tosca Cake for dessert. When thinking of new types of cuisine to try, Scandinavian food never occurred to me. I am very happy I tried it and look forward to incorporating it into my diet. I encourage you to try it too, especially if you love fish!

Supplementary Materials

Bacon and Herb Chicken

I don't like to make meat because I hate the feeling of cold, raw meat in my hands.  I keep telling myself I'm going to stop making meat at home and only eat it when it's prepared for me. But, then I flip through a cookbook and find a recipe like "Bacon-and-Herb-Rubbed Salt-Baked Chicken." Chicken, rubbed with bacon and herbs? As soon as my interest is piqued, there is nothing I can do but make the recipe! The other interesting part of this recipe is that it calls for 4 pounds (yeah, you heard me correctly, pounds) of salt. Forgive me for not doling out the money to buy 4 pounds of salt for one chicken. I don't like meat that much. Anyway, the salt gets mixed with egg whites that bakes into a  hard casing outside of the chicken to hold in the moisture. If I'm ever going to try making a whole chicken, it's gotta be this one!

Objective
Cook a whole chicken rubbed with bacon and herbs and baked under a salt "helmet"! Adapted from Olives and Oranges (recipe here).

Materials
8 ounces bacon
4 cloves garlic
15 sage leaves
6 sprigs rosemary
2 dried chiles de árbol
5 egg whites
2 1/2 cups salt
3 1/2 pound whole chicken

Method
1. Preheat the oven to 400°. Line a 9x13" baking dish (or roasting pan) with aluminum foil. 
2. Whisk the egg whites until frothy. Whisk in the salt. Pour one third of the mixture on the aluminum foil to form a bed for the chicken.
3. Finely chop the raw bacon, garlic (can use garlic press), sage leaves and rosemary leaves. Mix together to form the rub. 
4.Rub one third of the mixture on the breast-side of the chicken. Place the chicken breast-side-down into the salt bed. 
5. Rub the top of the chicken with the remaining bacon/herb rub. Pour the remaining salt and egg white mixture over the chicken, trying to coat the chicken with the mixture.
6. Bake for 90 minutes. Make sure the thickest part of the chicken registers over 165° and the juices are clear. Rest 10-15 minutes.
7. Remove the salty crust and carve.

Results
This chicken was incredible! It was well-flavored from the herbs but not overly salty. It was very tender and moist. Even the breast meat was tender.

Discussion
This may have been the best chicken I've ever had! The egg white/salt "helmet" sealed in the moisture and the herbs and bacon flavored the meat nicely. The original recipe called for 7 cups of salt. I didn't have the heart to add that much and 2 1/2 cups of salt did the trick! The easiest thing to do next time would be to buy a 26-oz package of salt and dedicate it for use in this recipe (which would be more than 2 1/2 cups). I don't think the amount of salt is as important as making sure to coat the entire chicken.

I've been trying to find a good reference to explain why the salt coat is important. Most sources discuss osmosis and the difference in salt concentration within the chicken versus the coat. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to find an explanation that I find convincing. To me this seems like a poor explanation for two reasons: 1. the cells are dead, so I would imagine the salt would dehydrate the cells because the dead cell lacks the ability to pump ions across the membrane to maintain cell size and solute concentration so the water would move out of the cell, blah, blah, blah and 2. even with diffusion occurring, I don't believe it would be enough to penetrate the entire chicken. The most convincing explanation I've found relates to process of making a brine. The explanation was that the increased concentration of salt denatures the proteins, allowing them to interact with and bind more water molecules, which will be maintained throughout the cooking process. However, this recipe doesn't actually make a brine. Instead, I think the salt coat prevents the water from evaporating as the chicken cooks (simple as this--put a lid on a pot while it's cooking and less water will be able to evaporate and escape the pot).

All I could think about was how delicious a Thanksgiving turkey could be prepared this way, though it might actually take 7 cups of salt! Because of the increased cooking time required for a turkey to cook properly, it might not be as moist as a small chicken, but I'd really like to try.

Supporting Materials