Thursday, July 30, 2009

Stuffies and Clam Cakes

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Oh my goodness, I have just returned from a whirlwind tour of Rhode Island with a quick jaunt into New York tacked on at the end. There was a lot of eating involved. A lot. And I want to share all the delicious things I had to eat. So to start off my food tour, I present for you: stuffed quahog (pronounced "COE-hog") clams, also known as "stuffies."

They are made using large quahog clams, chourico (spicy Portuguese sausage), onion, green pepper, lemon juice, Portuguese hot sauce, Portuguese masa (sweet bread), cilantro, parsley, masa de pimenta (red pepper paste) and white bread crumbs.

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Oh, and there were clam cakes too. Delicious clam cakes with a spicy sauce for dipping.

I apologize for my absence. I'm back now.

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Simple, Delicious Eats

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These dishes are what they call easy, breezy, beautiful...wait, that's a Cover Girl commercial. My bad.

But here is an oh-so-simple appetizer that also has the added benefit of being oh-so-French.

Start with some fresh, crisp radishes and add some soft butter and a small dish of sea salt.

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Scrub the radishes, and then cut off the roots (yeah, I forgot to do a few of them; I'm what they call "far from perfect") and the green leafy part down to about an inch.

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The stem will serve as a handle for dipping in the butter and salt. Sounds a bit odd, I know, but it's good, I promise.

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You can also top a piece of toast with some butter and sliced radishes. Add salt, if needed (they really don't though, and you'll be hard-pressed to find me saying this). But this is one of my favorite breakfasts. Pretty much anything with toast wins me over. (Hello, toast with jam and cheddar cheese! Best. Meal. Ever. Maybe. The jury's still out on that one, or so I'm told.)

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Another quick and simple side for dinner: blanched green beans with toasted sesame seeds. Boil the green beans for a few minutes until they turn bright green, then plunge them into a bowl of ice water for a minute or so. Take out the beans and drain, then place them in a bowl.

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You don't have to toast the sesame seeds, but it's really so much better if you do. Just toss some seeds in a pan (sauté pan, frying pan; makes no difference), and then watch and stir until they start to brown.

Once the seeds brown, add them to the green beans.

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If you want, add a few splashes of soy or seasoning sauce. Or even just some lemon juice. Yes, it really is this simple.

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Stir about and enjoy. Easy, breezy...wait, that's that Cover Girl commercial again. I apologize. But it's all so delicious (and did I mention simple? Sorry, I'm getting old; I can't remember it all) and a great way to add a side or appetizer to your dinner party.

I'm heading out of town soon, and I hope to post from the road, but please check back in again.

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Say Hello to My Little Friend

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No, no, this is not Scarface, though that wouldn't be a bad name for a male betta, given their reputation as Siamese fighting fish.

Actually, this guy here was named for the brightest star, Arcturus, in the constellation, Boötes. The name Arcturus means "Guardian of the Bear" in Greek, and the star was named as such since it was the brightest one in Boötes, which itself is next to the Greater and Lesser Bear constellations, Ursa Major and Ursa Minor.

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This is a face only a mother could love, really. But one of the cool things about this face is that it has a labyrinth organ that allows the fish to breathe from the surface of the water, in addition to its gills. I imagine that this organ developed in order to help the fish survive in the rice paddies of Siam, where they originated.

But the labyrinth organ allows the betta to be confined to very small spaces (I have heard of people putting them in wine glasses for a party, but removing them afterwards, of course), although in reality, they need 1.5-2 gallons of water to live comfortably. Because they also must breathe from the surface, I suggest using a bowl that maximizes the surface area of the water.

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Did you know it's hard to take pictures of a fish in the water? It's easier if they are in a bowl, I suppose, than if they were out swimming in a pond, or the ocean.

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But a male betta is still not the easiest thing to photograph, especially Arcturus. Apparently, he's a little camera-shy. Though it might have something to do with the big creature he sees outside his bowl with a large black object.

I'm not sure though; I'm afraid that will remain one of life's unsolved mysteries.

Monday, July 20, 2009

Saturday Night's Supper

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I went to visit a very dear friend this weekend, and we cooked a lovely meal almost entirely on the grill. First up: grilled pork chops that have been rubbed with salt and pepper, followed by grilled zucchini and peaches. As a side, we also had some chopped tomato with basil and mozzarella.

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Add a splash of balsamic along with some salt and pepper, and you've got yourself dinner.

It was all so perfectly easy, and so much fun to prepare with a friend!

And a quick reminder: Email me by tomorrow with your name and address if you'd like to receive a postcard from my upcoming trip.

Saturday, July 18, 2009

Basil Mashed Potatoes

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Time for some basil mashed potatoes! Nothing says summer like, um, summer. Maybe not basil mashed potatoes as much.

But work with me here. Please? I know it's hot, but trust me, these potatoes are worth slaving over a hot stove for, and if by slaving, I mean just boiling, then yes, you would be correct.

To serve up this bowl of deliciousness, you will need about 3 medium potatoes and 8-10 basil leaves, as well as about a cup and a half of plain lowfat yogurt, strained, as I've explained here. And for those of you who can't fathom mashed potatoes without butter, feel free to add a few tablespoons of butter to taste.

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I just dug these red 'taters out of the garden, and they did get a bit big for this type, but they will be just fine with this recipe since they are getting boiled.

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And they are decidedly less mutant looking than these ones, which look like some sort of experiment-gone-wrong from the island of Dr. Moreau. I have no idea what happened here.

I used red potatoes, but you could use Yukon Gold or even Russet potatoes if you prefer. Also, I don't peel them, as there are a lot of nutrients in the skin, but if you don't like 'em dirty, feel free to peel away.

So start these in cold, salted water, as you would all root vegetables.

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Boil them for a while, probably 10-15 minutes or so. At least until you can easily stick a fork in them. I've always wanted to use that phrase "Stick a fork in it."

Go ahead and chop up your basil while you are waiting for the potatoes to boil. Maybe call a friend too. Or paint your nails. When the potatoes are done, drain and prepare to mash.

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I like to use a square pan rather than a bowl for mashing, as the rectangular masher fits so much better in an object of similar size. You could use a hand mixer, and then you'd probably want a bowl, but I like to get a little workout in to counter-balance all the potatoes I end up eating in the tasting process.

And after I'm done, of course.

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Once you've mashed the potatoes a bit, go ahead and add the yogurt, the basil and salt and pepper to taste. And butter, if you like. Everything is better with butter.

Keep mashing until the desired texture is reached. I like mine lumpy. Then scoop into a bowl and serve warm, maybe alongside some vegetables off the grill. And a nice pork chop.

And vegans, take heart! I know you can't use the recipe as I've outlined it here, but don't be afraid to try some red potatoes (boiled or grilled or baked or however you want them) with some chopped basil.

Friday, July 17, 2009

Surprise Postcard from the Road

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[Note: This picture actually has nothing to do with the following post, but I didn't want to leave you with a text-only post.]

I am going out of town for a few days next week, but I am going to make every attempt to post from the road. This is going to be something new for me, so please have patience as I have no idea if or when I'm going to have Internet service.

But don't despair, we can still be in touch! By snail mail, that is. See, I love getting postcards in the mail, so I thought I would give you all the chance to appreciate that joy as well. If you would like to receive a surprise postcard from the road, shoot me an email with your name and address by midnight PST on Tuesday, July 21, 2009, and I will send you one.

See how easy that was?

Thursday, July 16, 2009

Pools and Things

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It was too hot to do anything yesterday afternoon other than write or swim, and the former having escaped me earlier, I decided to take a dip in the neighbors' pool. Probably even better than having your own pool is having neighbors who have a pool (only if they let you use it, of course), as you get all the benefits of a pool without the hassle and maintenance.

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So I popped over, and not long after I got in, I noticed that it was so hot that even the bees were drowning themselves in an effort to get some respite from the heat.

To give myself something to do, I started rescuing the bees from the pool. After all, these bees have important work to do in the garden, and seeing as how I was bored, I was thankful for the distraction. Swimming as exercise? Yeah, never heard of it.

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Sometimes, all you need is a second chance and maybe a small life raft to keep you afloat (or leaf, in this case). This may be in the form of an email/text/phone call or letter/postcard for a long-lost friend, or maybe something entirely different.

But never underestimate the power of the little things. They have helped me tremendously, in case you need proof.

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Truly, it's the little things that make the world go 'round. Take this bee I rescued, for example. It might be responsible for pollinating the vegetable plants I harvest in the garden.

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Okay now, prepare for some strange things, my friends, as you may not have seen a bee up close like this before. But it's fascinating, right? Okay, maybe that's just me; I'm a bit of a science dork.

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See this thing? It's a proboscis, in case you weren't sure (but I know you kids are smart) and the bees use it to harvest nectar.

And I'm not up on all my animal behavior literature, but I do remember this from my college classes: bees guide other bees to food sources by doing a specialized dance, and they use polarized light in addition to landmarks to orient themselves, which makes sense because the sun and other orbital objects change their position in the sky throughout the day, so they can't rely on solar or stellar orientation as the sole source of information as far as nectar is concerned.

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Weird and cool all at the same time; who knew? Or maybe not. Please feel free to let me know in the comments.

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

And Now a Message From Our Sponsor

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Basset Hound Security Company!

Basset Hounds are great security dogs, but only if someone is home, really. Otherwise they tend to bark at any number of things, including falling leaves. And they will probably only snap at pesky flies. This is them on high alert.

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High alert status doesn't seem to last very long though. Come to think of it, Basset Hounds tend to be a bit lazy, especially when it's hot. And they are very food-motivated, so a nice, juicy bone might be all it takes to distract them.


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But they are so very cute, don't you think? So they have that going for them. Though what that has to do with security, I have no idea. Sometimes my brain can't handle these difficult questions.

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So I'll just focus and stare deep, deep into those big, brown eyes. Oh yes, now I get it. They hypnotize you into submission with those big, brown eyes. That's their security method.

Mystery solved!

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Stay tuned for the next episode of "The Non-Adventures of Tucker & Lucy." Thank you and have a nice day.

Tuesday, July 14, 2009

About "About" Cooking

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I call all of my cooking "about" cooking. Note the quotation marks; they are key to anything I do here in the kitchen, as I don't want to be confused with being an authority on the subject. (Ha! As if that was really an issue.)

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Part of my reluctance to be exact and measure out all the ingredients can be attributed to my lack of patience and my desire to be expedient. But most likely it is due to my penchant (some might call it an obsession, but that's still up for debate) for cleanliness. After all, my sister doesn't call me "Monica" for nothing. I simply don't want to have tons of dirty dishes lying around, nor do I really want to wash them all later, and so I make a concerted effort to minimize the amount of dishes I use. Which means, dear readers, that I don't waste energy on using things like measuring cups and spoons. After all, that's what my eyes are for, right?

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But one of the reasons that I love cooking is learning how to push the boundaries of what you are doing. There are so many ways to stumble upon something good if you're willing to experiment. I really only started cooking regularly about a year ago. And by regularly, I mean, actually following recipes, as before then, dinner involved things like half a can of corn and half a can of black beans, mixed together and heated up the microwave (I still do love this combination though, just a little more sophisticated than that.)

About the only "herbs" I used (if you can call them that) were salt and pepper. And I think I listened to Salt-n-Pepa more than I even used them. Remember "Push It"? (Note: this a link to the Youtube video, and I promise to end all the gratuitous parentheses now.)

Oh, wait, what were we talking about? Oh, yeah, cooking. Sorry, I get distracted sometimes by my childhood memories of 80s music. Let's get back to experimentation with cooking.

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Take, for example, mint. This is one of the most underappreciated herbs, in my opinion, for cooking. Oh sure, mint is the star in a number of cocktails: mint juleps and mojitos come to mind. But those cocktails are very labor-intensive and might earn a disdainful glance from a bartender in a busy bar, no matter how much he or she protests otherwise.

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But in cooking, all it takes is a few chopped leaves to add instant flavor to any number of foods. See, easy, right? I have been having it on zucchini a lot lately, adding it to the charred slices after they come off the grill, along with some salt and pepper, and maybe a little bit of cheese. It's good with watermelon too, as you can see here.

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And speaking of experiments, I have had a bunch of unripe green tomatoes thrust upon me as of late, due to the presence of a gopher in the garden who has been killing the plants. Not one to cried over spilled milk, I harvested the green tomatoes so that at least they wouldn't go to waste. And my loss is your gain, as now I can experiment with them beyond fried green tomatoes. So feel free to leave a comment with any suggestions you might have, and I'll try them out.

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I found a simple way to dress up sauteed shrimp is to chop up the green tomatoes with some shallots, then adding some white wine vinegar and salt-n-pepa, not to be confused with the group, letting all that stuff marinate for a while and then topping the shrimp with it. Please note that unripe tomatoes tend to be a little bitter, so keep the pieces small. Adding a tad bit of sugar might help sweeten them up too, but I haven't tried them that way.

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It also works pretty well as a side dish with a mild white bean, like cannellinis or Great Northerns, for those of you looking for a vegan alternative. Or heck, just throw it on top of the grilled zucchini if you are feeling adventurous.

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But I really don't want to end up with a tomato garden that produces just unripe green tomatoes. I do have hope. Right now it happens to be a Great Yellow Hope.

Which reminds me: Do you have any methods for, ahem, disposing of gophers? Because if you do, I will buy it. Ever heard those sayings, he could sell "sand to an Arab" or "ice to an Eskimo"? (And yes, I realize those saying are probably all kinds of politically incorrect, but work with me here, and yes, I realized that I might have been misleading you earlier with a promise to end the parentheses, but this is it, I promise.) Um, you don't even need those special salesman techniques with me. Pretty much, if you say "gets rid of gophers," I'm buying it.

Remember to leave a comment with a suggestion for green tomato recipes if you want me to try anything out. Because I'll try just about anything; check this out if you don't believe me.

Sunday, July 12, 2009

Edible Delights from Friday Night

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First off, let me start out by saying that I'm not a cook; I don't want you to get that impression. I'm just a girl, wanting to give sustenance to those I love. Fortunately, those I love are those that are willing to deal with my experiments. And I haven't made anyone sick yet! That's an accomplishment, right? Kind of? Okay, maybe not really, but can we just pretend that it is?

Anyway, last Friday one of my lovely friends came over for dinner, and I served up items from this menu. The shrimp-lemon kebabs and zucchini skewers browned nicely in the broiler. See, shrimp and lemons and vegetables can all play well together!

I wish I would have chopped up the cilantro closer to the time I was going to serve it so that the cilantro-lime vinaigrette would have retained it's bright green color. I didn't really use a recipe for this. I just chopped up a big handful of cilantro and added the following items in "about" these proportions: juice from half a lime, 1/4 cup olive oil, 1/8 red wine vinegar, 2 garlic cloves and salt and pepper to taste.

I enjoyed the green and cannellini bean salad as a modified version of this Food & Wine recipe, but I forgot the basil. Other than that, I stayed pretty true to the recipe with just two substitutions: green beans for yellow wax beans and canned Great Northern beans for the cannellini beans. The original recipe was for 10 servings (which was way too much), but that's way too much math for a Friday evening to make all the conversions, so I didn't measure everything and instead just sort of eyeballed it. That's okay, right?

Hope you all had a wonderful weekend!

Saturday, July 11, 2009

How to Spend a Saturday

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Some days are just lazy days. The kind that are best spent with not too much on the agenda.

I realize that for most people these types of days might be luxuries that are few and far between, if they exist at all.

Tucker, on the other hand, seems to have these days in spades. I guess that's the benefit of being a basset hound.

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Yeah, I feel you Tucker. I think you've got got the right idea here. I might just go grab a cup of coffee, top it off with some whipped cream, and join you here.

Friday, July 10, 2009

What's on the Menu

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Tonight I am having a friend over for dinner, so I thought I'd share the menu with you beforehand. I haven't made all these recipes before, and I certainly haven't served them together, so I will let you know how it goes.

I am using the following recipes as guides:

  • Shrimp-lemon kebabs with zucchini skewers from Real Simple. I really like Real Simple's recipes because they are, well, real simple and typically only have a few ingredients, and none of them are particularly exotic. Also, while the flavor profiles are good, they are still basic, so there is room to experiment.
  • Green & cannellini bean salad from Food & Wine.

And you know what's almost as good as sharing all this delicious food with a good friend? Everything, with the exception of the shrimp and cannellini beans, was grown locally. The green beans, zucchini, basil and potatoes are going to be freshly-picked from my garden. I'm going to trade the neighbors some zucchini (because it's coming out of my ears) for some limes and lemons from their yard. And I picked up the corn and watermelon the other day from Chino's.

Please don't let my crude drawings scare you away. Come back soon for a full report. And pictures, which are way better than my drawings (though maybe not by much).

TGIF, folks. Are you fixing any special meals this weekend? If so, please share in the comments.

Quick Dip

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Remember how I said I was going to put strawberries in this star-shaped dish for the Fourth of July? I know it's been a while, but I didn't forget!

So without further ado, I present to you a quick and easy dip to make for serving with strawberries. It involves a total of 2 ingredients: yogurt and brown sugar.

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My mom used to make this with sour cream, which you could certainly use, but since I didn't have any on hand, I used some plain lowfat yogurt.

In order to give the dip a creamier texture, I drained the water off the yogurt by placing a cone-shaped coffee filter inside an empty yogurt container, dumping some yogurt into the filter, and leaving it in the fridge for a day or so.

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The result is a thicker yogurt that will stand up to dipping. This is the most important step in my opinion, so don't skip it! Although, you might be able to get by without straining it first if you use Greek yogurt.

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I then added about a tablespoon of brown sugar to taste to the 1/2 cup or so of the yogurt. You can use this technique to make all sorts of savory dips for vegetables, just substitute dill or mint or cilantro or whatever you have on hand for the sugar. Let your tongue be your guide as far as how much flavor you want to have. Wait, I'm not sure that came out right.

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Anyhoo...Is it okay if I double-dip if it's just me?