So many promises.

Dear 29,
Mighty shellfish* of me to show off these fancy snow crab legs that we celebrated day one of 2013 with, but I'm doing it anyway.

Some hot legs. Too far? Maybe.

In my last post I mentioned a little list of promises for 2013. Rather than resolutions (which are really just intentions), I'm working on a list of promises to myself and to a few others this year. So many good things ahead, but lots of work to get there. This fancy set of crustacean limbs feeds (pun intended) one such promise: Cook more at home. I won't share them all on the blog because, let's face it, we all hear enough about what I WANT TO DO and see all the lists I have out there for the world to see.

The remains of a fancy dinner. Not so pretty after it's devoured.

There were so many well cooked meals already in 2013. I took this promise pretty seriously for these first 8 days, but let me tell you, I have a hard time staying in when so many great dining spots exist in DSM. (These links take you to a few of my very favorites) I do love to cook, though. It's like making delicious art. Or, less poetically, it's fun. Endless internet sources leave me combing Martha, Jamie, Chow and Bon Appetit, plus about 187 food blogs, every Saturday (literally. and I'm using the word correctly here.) Some might say I'm obsessive.

One of my favorite dishes to cook up: Risotto. All kinds of mushrooms hanging out too.

Collecting cookbooks, foodie magazines, kitchen tales from friends and new Macguyver style meals (it's been awhile since I brought that up. What do you think blogland? Do I bring back the Macguyver style recipe post?) has become a pretty serious, fattening hobby for both me and the HBF. I'm hungry just thinking about it.

First attempt at scallops at home. Easy on the budget and darn tasty.

In an effort to uphold the aforementioned promise as well as another (Save money for that grown up life ahead), I'll be gourmet-ing a whole bunch this winter. What are your favorite recipe sources? Where do you find feastpiration? (believe it or not I just made up this word.) Share them all.
Now. I must eat.

xo-LP

*A most hilarious joke. I can't stop laughing about it. It's crackin me up.**
**Another hilarious joke.

Thai one on: a working title

Dear 29,
Anthony moved. It's very sad, but also super great for him. (Hi Tone) In your honor, I made authentic pad thai. (Anthony tells me it's pronounced "pod thai" and that "pad" isn't the correct way to say it. I still said "pad thai" while cooking. Sorry Anthony. The new pronunciation is pretty tough to get used to my friend.)

This quest to cook authentic pad thai (I'm assuming Alton Brown's recipe is authentic. I hope it was.) came out of a hungry conversation on a car ride back to DSM from Muskie. Thai Flavors was closed. Ridiculous considering the internet said they were open until 8pm on Sundays. And poof: I decided I needed to cook thai food. Real thai food.

I made two trips to the local Asian Market after forgetting to buy "salted radish." I had to google a whole lot of these ingredients. Salted Radish, for example, is actually dried, salted radish, as the package says. Should have probably been able to figure that one out myself.

Tamarind Concentrate is super tart and made from the pods from the tree featured on the packaging. Palm sugar is tasty, just so you know, and I am using it in my coffee daily. (The coffee made in my new Keurig. Which I technically bought for a Christmas gift for someone else, but kept at my home to "try it out for awhile." Generosity.) 

I've now given this recipe a go twice. And I'm definitely learning a lot about the individual ingredients, especially how they smell. Whew. A few things to know about pad thai and the "authentic recipe" that might help you:
- It smells terrible at first. Like run the fan above the stove terrible. Then it starts to smell delicious. I promise. You will think you failed, but you didn't. Keep going.
- Wok. You should use one. I didn't, and wish I did.
- Drink a Thai beer while cooking to bolster your courage. I recommend Singha.
- Salted Radish is a good substitute for Salted Cabbage.
- Snip up the dried shrimp into tiny little bits. You'll be happy you did.
- This is worth repeating. Don't smell the fish sauce + tamarind + rice vinegar + palm sugar mix.
- Make sure you have some sriracha for your dinner date in case they want to add a lil spice.
- You'll have enough of the ingredients to try this recipe a few times.

Anthony. I hope you're proud. 

xo-LP

I'm not tryin to be rouxde.

Dear 28,
R. Kelly shows up a lot on this blog. (Here. Here. and here again.)  Today is Mardi Gras- the fattest of Tuesdays. And to properly celebrate, I made a gumbo. (and pimento cheese. and a very pilsbury version of a kings cake.) I also decided tonight I'd like to illustrate an R. Kelly themed cookbook. Our Kelly can perform at the book release.

 I searched the interwebs for a just-right gumbo recipe, even browsing the comments of several recipes (seriously- read the comments. so helpful). Most of the comments from actual New Orleanians (1. is that what the people of NOLA are called? 2. I am only assuming the anonymous comments are from true New Orleaners) point out that "real gumbo is tomato-less" or that "this would never be served in my Louisiana kitchen" and other such criticisms. So I googled "authentic gumbo recipe." That lead me to an ultra-informative gumbo hub. I chose to make the Chicken and Sausage Gumbo and prayed to the MardiGods that I could master the roux (after reading this incredibly helpful how-roux)

The many stages of the roux.

Several things were learned in this gumbo making process. Now I shall list them.
1. I need a heavy bottomed pot. (which immediately makes me think of this song and giggle) I have an old pasta pot that Mar and Den gave me that is in great shape, but is intended to boil pasta and steam veggies, not hold a swirly roux for 35 minutes. The roux is simply flour and oil that's stirred for a looooong time until it magically gets smooth and dark like a deeply brown peanut butter.
Maybe I'll purge the pasta pot and invest in a dutch oven. I think most people get those from wedding registries or something because whew they are pricey.
2. Roux is the perfect word for wordplay.
3. Tony Chachere's Original Creole Seasoning is the only way to go (thanks Nick) and also tastes delicious sprinkled on cottage cheese if you get hungry while making gumbo.
4. I tend to get flour on my face and cannot avoid crying while cutting onions. Oh and I really dislike the smell of Tabasco sauce.
5. A wooden spatula type utensil is really your best bet when stirring the roux. It covers a lot of surface in the pot (whether fat bottomed or otherwise) and helps the roux not to burn.

The Trinity. Amen.

6. Celery + Green Peppers + Onions are called the Trinity.
7. Making your own chicken stock is so easy. Not only do you control the salt content (see I'm sticking to your diet too Mr.), but that pasta pot with the colander in it works perfectly for chickenbone+celery+onion+carrot+wholepeppercorn boiling. A sense of accomplishment follows submerging a chicken carcass with aromatic and flavorful veggies. (that is sick)

So much was learned in a 3 hour gumbo makin' adventure!

Tonight I'll actually eat the gumbo, now referred to as "I'm not tryin to be rouxde Gumbo," so a full flavor report will have to come later. A few bites last night were pretty tasty, but the real test is this evening when it's served over rice while Cajun tunes fill the stoop.
I can't decide if I'm more excited about the completed gumbo or the hand drawn recipe card with a clever R. Kelly title...
xo-LP

In a drought.

Dear 28,
My creativity has been bottled up and left unwritten about over the last few weeks. How people blog daily is beyond me. I'm going to (yet again) apologize (mostly to myself, and Jen) for the blog drought and get back in the habit of writing. I mean there's all this to do in February:
- Craft a tip for Danny's awesome project.
- Get these RecycleMe Iowa postcards out the door.
- Celebrate Valentines day.
- Make my 22nd grocery list. (I'm obsessed with cooking lately. obsessed.)
- And then there's that big list.
- A bunch of movies still need to be seen (Although not 10, still need to cross off #3)
Still can't believe we're already into month two of twenty-twelve. February is full of plans.
Like my plan to not buy coffee unless I have a meeting there, or my plan to send mail everyday, or my plan to wear my glasses more, or my plan to host a dinner party. So many plans worth blogging about.
Next post coming sooner than later.
xo-LP

Living under the per diem (day two).

Dear 28,

Day 2: $9+$13+$4 ($26)

Day two was destined to fail. I had a coffee visit, which never is enough for breakfast, so I went to the nearest café. Damn breakfast isn’t cheap. And damn breakfast wasn’t good. So $13.84 later, I’m still hungry (picking through an unseasoned frittata – a frittata with peas in it - for an hour works up an appetite). Marmalade Café did offer free wi-fi, an interesting conversation between an Australian on a diet and his work buddy who took all the waitress’ advice, and a cute baby at the table next to me. Reminded me of my cousin Carrie's perfect twin daughters. (see below. oh-so-cute.)

Those darling Burch girls. 

I must say I'm getting pretty great at my SoCal directions. I know my 405 from the 5 from the 55 and now know which way to turn on MacArthur to get to John Wayne. So scooting from Tustin Legacy to Irvine seemed like a breeze. (And I learned a little about these weird giant concrete structures: the Tustin Hangars. Read about them. Apparently they have their own weather. However that works.) Prior to hitting the road, like just one day prior, I had a hankering for pho (not hangaring) and so I overtook the table with a bunch of plates at Fawn's. I barely at half of it. But oh it was delicious. (this is seemingly unrelated, but read on to find a lunch with even more plates.)

You'd think after a lunch that size (just yesterday) I'd be ready for something petite, and more salad like. Or at least trainer approved. But business took me elsewhere and for lunch I hit a DU alum’s spot- Mizuki- and feasted on a salmon plate lunch that took up the whole table. A well spent $13.31 (including tip). Not only was Sarah the server super friendly, the food was tasty.

And I’m ALREADY OVER the allotted $26. Looks like no night cap for this kid.

Dinner at the Red Table (yum) and a successful night.

xo-LP

This month ahead.

Dear 28,
Oh January. Like everyone else using the Gregorian calendar, I have big plans for you. A new year is rejuvenating. (That word sounds like it's only used in Neutrogena commercials) There'll be many meals, budgeting, hot pink calendar making, love letter writing and lots of time at the office.

After about twelve days off from 8-5 life, I'm getting back on track (and even got my lazy bones outta bed by 5:13am to get back to the glaza studio two days in a row.) I've been in the kitchen a bunch lately, cooking for my good-lookin people. Cooked up some mole (talk about lots of ingredients, layers of flavor, and use of the mini-magic-bullet-knockoff-blender), roasted my first chicken, my very own chicken stock that went into this simple and tasty creamy carrot soup (I am crazy about my new immersion blender, just crazy about it) the go-to eggplant recipe and made the easiest delicious ricotta dumplings. Big plans to keep cookin in January. (It'll make my Mint emails be easier to look at when the bar/restaurant budget is manageable and less gasp-worthy and hopefully impress those good-lookin people)

(Thanks DMSC + Joe Crimmings for the 2012 party photo)

Bring on the metaphorical snow days. (this phrase has a three post maximum)
xo-LP

CoqAuVinture.

Dear 28,
I don't know how to say "Coq Au Vin" out loud. I bet you are trying to right now. Qu'il est difficile de dire. And even though Tom has repeated it about 16 times to me, I still sound ridiculous. Co uh wha? Coke oh van? Really? 4 years of high school French class paid off big time. I can sing a song about strawberries (J'aime les fraises) and understand a little bit of French movies without reading the subtitles. Thank you Miss Sorden.

Photo credit goes to Fawn + Sara. 

Tom tells me French food takes time, the finest ingredients, and patience. Ina Garten tells me it's just like Beef something or another, but with chicken. Local foodie, and cookbook author, and friend of Tom's, Miss Moranville writes a whole book about French cooking and gave us her blessing on the shortened Coq recipe. But Sarah tells me I'm cheating by both using le poulet (instead of coq) and cooking up the impossible-to-pronounce-naturally recipe in one night rather than the French Master Julia's way-- over two frickin days, deux jours. I decided to use the Barefoot Contessa's recipe for several reasons. 1. This recipe is doable in one night. 2. Barefoot Contessa's book has really pretty pictures. 3. Tom said it was a good idea.

CoqAuVinture night was a lot of work (and there was beaucoup de vin). Les carottes, les oignons, beaucoup de vin, lard de fantaisie. That's basically coq au vin in French. There's a lot of browning of chicken (like a lot of it). And the bacon-- don't be all skimpy on that. Tom says to go for REALLY fancy bacon. And the wonderful Abbe picked out a special bottle of vin for the recipe. (While you're looking at the Gateway site, click on the "meat/seafood" tab. You'll recognize a meat buyer.) You don't really want to skimp on that either. She picked out one that had a stamp on it-- HOW APPROPRIATE!

After the bacon cooking, the chicken browning (go for the golden+tan-ish color), and being super patient (obviously this was the hardest part of the whole recipe for me), you add the veggies and wine and herbs and chicken stock and probably other ingredients I forgot about. Then there's the time you get to light the pot of delicious food on fire. That was fun.

oh. that smells delicious. especially after adding booze and lighting it on fire.

Overall the dish turned out to be flavorful, oh-so French and far simpler than I thought, but it does take a while. The final meal earned a highfive. (as pictured below) 

Someday I'll try it Sarah's way (only if she does the first day of cooking. read that Sarah. And let's make that happen. coq au vin- off can still occur) And I would definitely make the Contessa's recipe again. Thanks Tom and Sara and Fawn for sharing the French feast with me (and putting it all together). Vous êtes la plus grande compagnie.
Also. This post taught me how to type accents. SO much learning in French cooking!
What a CoqAuVinture.
xo-LP

SuperFancy Cooking on a Sunday takes a long time.

Dear 28,
Writing about cooking? This blog is getting really diverse in content. I keep all my Martha Stewart Living magazines. Semi-obsessively. But I've never cooked a recipe out of any of them. So after scanning the pages of old October issues, I settled on crafting a feast. I could locate and operate an immersion blender. I could figure out how to peel a squash. I would conquer this meal plan provided by the queen of craftiness. (This is how I talk myself up when tackling a difficult task. Or when planning to host another stoop dinner that requires a hefty grocery list. Positive vibes.)

The menu included:
Roasted Pumpkin Soup
Black-Eyed Pea Salad
Cheese Flautas with Cilantro Pesto
Apple Cranberry Crumble

Martha was even kind enough in the article to tell me the order in which to cook things (1. Roast veggies and make pesto. 2. Prepare black eyed peas, salad dressing. 3. Blend soup and prepare flautas. 4. Fry stuff.)

So with my sous chef (Liz you were excellent company) and all the ingredients scattered on the counter, I started peeling 2.75lbs of butternut squash. "Butternut squash?" you say. Yes. Apparently a "sugar pumpkin" doesn't exist at Dahl's and even the produce guy is unsure if a "pie pumpkin" and a "sugar pumpkin" are the same thing. (Note: apparently the two are the same. Sometimes called "sugar pie pumpkins.") While darling Martha did not tell me how to peel or cut up a butternut squash, I was able to cross reference Real Simple, and managed to not slice off my fingers with the sharpest, largest serrated knife ever. Then there was the use of an immersion blender. That was fun.

There were those cilantro+pepitas pesto troubles (the mini-food-processor had some problems). If you decide to make that pesto-- be sure to add extra lime juice and to know that you really only have to buy one bunch of cilantro, that's plenty. Martha asks for you to use baby red mustard greens in the salad, psh. Using a spring mix pre-packaged salad worked just fine. The crumble used the prettiest shiny red frozen cranberries, but would have benefited from some bonus sugar (I used granny smith apples, maybe a sweeter baking apple would have helped too.) 

In the end the meal took about 3.5 hours to prepare, fed about 8 people and was polished off in about 20 minutes. The food was complimented. My sleeveless blue angels shirt I wore while cooking was not.

xo- LP