Schools Days

Sorry for the break.  School has started and I  have had to switch gears; from lazy no real time constraints to deadlines popping up everywhere. So I have gotten a daily planner in order to remember what I did yesterday and what I am doing to day and what my deadlines are.  Remembering has become a lost art for me.  If I don't write it down, well then I am in trouble.  I have lived by sticky notes up to this point....but I keep losing them.

We Kent and I are have gotten that much closer to being empty nesters.  We moved our youngest to Brown John University last weekend.  I am so excited for my baby, she is having the time of her life.  I know some of the shine will wear off, but at this point she is happy were she is at.
My middle child will be moving out the middle of September.  She has a cute little apt. in an older complex that has a ton of large trees.  Whew losing two at a time is a little overwhelming.  But I still have my oldest and that is fine, he fixes the cars and is helping us renovate the Camper.

I created, if you will, a new recipe that my hubby loved.  He is not a big pasta salad eater, thinks it is "chick" food.  But he loved this!  So give it a try and let me know what you think.  Please leave a comment so that I know I am not alone in this world!  LOL


Pasta Salad Your Way

1 lb of cooked, rinsed and cooled pasta (orzo style pasta works the best I think)
1 4-6 ounces of soft goal cheese- room temp
1 cup of cherry tomatoes, cut lengthwise
1 cup of diced cucumber (I like the hot house of english, they are the ones wrapped in plastic)
1 cup of diced zucchini
1-2 heaping T. of good mayo
kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste

Mix the warm pasta with the cheese, keep mixing gently till the cheese is melted and combines.  Now add the remaining ingredients.  I use the mayo to loosen the mixture as needed.  Let this sit in the fridge for about an hour before serving.

You can add cooked chicken to this or diced ham for a protein hit.  If you really don't like goat cheese (sigh), then you can use cream cheese.  Make sure it is room temp or it will not mix easily with the pasta.

I like to spread this out on a large platter instead of a bowl.  Looks really pretty and it is easy to serve from.

I am heading out right now to do our Back to School Cook Out.  The rain has cleared off, the temps are cool and the blue sky is peeking out.  What a great day for August!

Poultry & Pork

Another day at the Old Town Farmer's Market done and done.  We had cloud cover which kept the soon to be heat at bay for a couple of hours.  The wind blew gently over where I was cooking....my hubby doing anything that I asked.  We had bottles of Ice water, and a hot grill heating up, it was going to be a good morning.

First off we cut chicken breast length wise so that they would cook evenly and quickly.  Be carefully doing this, but it a great way to cook chicken fast so that it won't dry out.  Add salt and pepper to the meat and place it either on the grill or in your wonderful cast iron skillet, we did both.  The grill did cook the chicken faster, but it might have helped if the burner under the skillet had been on high, once we did that then the cast iron started bringing on the heat.

In the second skillet on the grill we browned sweet Italian sausage.  I did want small crumbles, but a bit bigger pieces, so I did leave it a lone and broke up only the really big chunks.  Once that was browned I did add some onion and let it cook a bit longers.

Cooking on your cast iron on the grill, gas or charcoal keeps the heat and mess outside. I serve in the same skillet, looks rustic and nostalgic.  Better to wash only one pan than pans and bowls and serving pieces.

I tried to leave the meat in bigger than normal pieces for this dish.  You can use any type of sausage you like, hot or sweet or plain.                                    



Pasta & Sausage

1 lb of sweet Italian Sausage
1/2 small onion diced
1-2 cloves of garlic, smashed and diced
1 lb of mini bow tie pasta prepared according to package, drained and set aside
a bunch of basil, chopped
3 oz of Pecorino Romano Cheese, shredded-you can sub Parmesan if you find Pecorino too strong
Salt and Pepper to taste

Make your pasta, set aside
Brown the meat in a skillet over medium high heat, once it is browned add the onions and garlic.  Continue cooking for another minutes or so.

Combine the meat and pasta in a large bowl.  Add the basil and cheese and stir to combine.  May add a splash of olive oil to finish it off.


Creamy Chicken and Orzo

2 chicken breast cut length wise into a total of 4 pieces, season with salt and pepper
1/2 lb of orzo
1 cup of water
2 small zucchini, diced
1/2 small onion diced
1 cup of diced cherry tomatoes
1/2-3/4 heavy cream
salt and pepper
crust bread from Crust and Crumbs

Grill or brown the chicken remove from heat and set aside.  Add the orzo and the cup of water, bring to a boil, reduce.  Add the vegetables and simmer till orzo is almost cooked.  Add the cream and heat this up, taste and add salt and pepper as needed.  Serve with the bread.

It's that easy!

Tomato Jam and a New Friend

We had a great day at the Old Town Farmers Market yesterday.  It was warm, but not blazing hot, and there was a gentle breeze that helped keep it cooler.  People were enjoying the good company, the fresh food and veggies.  My daughter and I were at the Chef's Table getting ready for our cooking demo,

Often when I hit the market to demo I have very little idea of what I am going to cook.  I try to let what is available at the vendors create the recipe.  I do bring some basics, today I brought cooked Orzo and chicken....not sure as of yet what I was going to do with it.

I get to the market about an hour before the demo and walk around picking up veggies from different vendors, I found fresh basic and thyme, small sleek zucchinis, fresh green beans and glorious fresh cherry tomatoes.  The tomatoes looked like small red, yellow and black gems.  I also bought fresh Thai basil and cilantro, I am making fresh spring rolls for dinner tonight.


So, I have my idea for what I am going to cook....Pasta salad with fresh sautéed veggies and pan seared chicken.  I will also add fresh basil, thyme, lemon zest and juice, and to bring it all together cream cheese.  It seemed to be a big hit since we did run out, which is always a good thing.  There is a recipe but it can be tweaked for your personal taste, change the veggies, the meat and instead of cream cheese try goat cheese or feta cheese.  Make it your own.

Vendors I used this Saturday- Kansas Home Grown, Her Produce, La Tradition, Crumb and Crust

Where does Tomato Jam fit into all of this?  As it turns out I met an old friend that was also a new friend.  As we were cleaning up an attractive lady came up to me, excited to see me, I love that, so few people are excited to see me, lol.  She had been coming to the market for two years in hoping to see me, and well, we just missed each other.  Two year ago I had brought my homemade Tomato Jam and cooked with it and she loved it.  Cameo had made the jam but then lost the recipe and was desperate to make it again.

She found me yesterday and we hit it off.  So here is the recipe from yesterday and the Tomato Jam recipe and a couple of canning sources.

Fresh Veggie Pasta Salad

You can change out the pasta from orzo to your favorite, but give the orzo a try.  I think the orzo lends a certain flavor to the over all dish.  Orzo looks like a rice, but it is a pasta and it's name means rice like. This pasta cooks in around 5 minutes, don't over cook it, it cooks that fast.
You can use different veggies but the recipe will reflect what I did at the Market.


1 lb of orzo pasta, cooked, rinsed and cooled, so do this first
vegetable oil
2 6 inch zucchini, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
2 cups of fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into 2 inch pieces
1 cup of halved cherry tomatoes
1/2 brick of cream cheese, room temp
1 bunch of fresh basil, about 10 leaves, rolled into a tube and sliced into ribbons
1 t. of fresh thyme leaves
1 lemon, zested and juiced, reserve both for the salad
salt to taste
4 chicken breast, boneless and skinless


In a 10 inch cast iron skillet, heat over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium.  Add about 3 T. of oil to the pan and then cook each vegetable one at a time, once they are slightly charred or tender crisps remove to a bowl.  I cooked the zucchini for about 3 minutes, the green beans for 4 and the tomatoes about 2.  Once you have the hot veggies in the bowl add the cream cheese so that it can soften, set aside.
Add 3 T. of oil to the skillet and add the chicken breast.  Leave the chicken alone and let it brown. Keep the heat at medium.  This will take about 5 minutes.   The meat will stick to the pan until it is brown then it will release and that is when it is ready to flip.

Add the veggies to the orzo and stir to mix the cream cheese, add the lemon zest and juiced, add the fresh herbs and salt to taste.  Slice the chicken into bite size pieces and toss into the salad.

This can be served warm or cold.  Serve with crusty bread.

Amy's Tomato Jam- From Marisa McClellan and her cookbook " Food in Jars"

Ingredients

• 5 pounds tomatoes, finely chopped
• 3 1/2 cups sugar
• 8 tablespoons lime juice
• 2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 tablespoon red chili flakes

Instructions

1. Combine all ingredients in a large, non-reactive pot. Bring to a boil and then reduce temperature to a simmer. Stirring regularly, simmer** the jam until it reduces to a sticky, jammy mess. This will take between 1 and 1 1/2 hours, depending on how high you keep your heat.
2. When the jam has cooked down sufficiently, remove from heat and fill jars, leaving 1/4 inch of head space. Wipe rims, apply lids and twist on rings. Process in a boiling water canner for 20 minutes.
3. When time is up, remove jars from water bath and allow them to cool. When jars are cool enough to handle, test seals. Store jars in a cool, dark place for up to one year.

Notes

*The finished yield on this recipe varies depending on the kind of tomato you use, the width of your pan and the finished thickness to which you cook it.

2010 yield: 4 1/2 pints; 2011 yield: 3 pints; 2012 yield: 2 1/2 pints

**In my kitchen, the word simmer means to cook just below a boil. There should still be a few bubbles, but it shouldn’t be splashing all over your cooktop. If you cook at lower temperatures, the cooking time will increase.

Food In Jars is a great cookbook for the first time canning experience.

Preserving by the Pint is her new book.  These two books will give you the basics and because they are small batches you will not be overwhelmed.  Any questions?  Head them my way.

Who is canning this summer?  What are you canning?  

Food Rules

I have been working on my up and coming cooking class syllabus.  As you might remember I teach a middle school cooking class at our private school, ( I am the food service manager which is a fancy title for lunch lady).  I love working with these kids and showing them how to feed themselves and their families.  I love trying to get into their heads and talk to them about how vital it is for them to learn to cook, a skill that is one generation from vanishing.

I see the lack of cooking skills all around me.  Kids will only eat chicken, if it breaded and fried (nuggets). When we did a baked lemon glazed chicken leg, the younger grades did not recognize it and were put off by the fact that it had a bone in it.  The lunch room helpers had to take the meat off for them, they would not pick up the chicken leg.

The only beef they like is hamburgers, and ground beef turned into tacos or nachos.  They loved steak fingers which is a beef product that is breaded and flashed fried.  When I made a really great tasting meatloaf I think I had, maybe, 20 kids take it.  I had someone tell me just recently that feeding this large of group of kids items that they will eat is like trying to hit a small moving target.  I will be honest, I do want to pull my hair out.

So I am left with the challenge of feeding kids new and exciting foods that they will consume with gusto.  I also have some marketable swap land for sale down south.  Ain't going to happen.  And truth be told it is not my job to teach these kids how to eat, that really does belong to the parents.  I know how hard it is to teach kids to eat anything put in front of them.  You come home, maybe from working, maybe from being a hard working at home mom, and the last thing you want is a food fight.  I had two of the worlds pickiest eaters, I understand.

When all is said and done though we are responsible for teaching our kids how to eat.  Both of my picky eaters, who are young adults now, eat salad, fruit, spinach, tomatoes, and their taste buds are developing.  I put food in front of them everyday for years that they would not eat.  But they saw it. I would change things again and follow the French Food  Rules for feeding kids.  Take the battle out, leave the expectation in and don't engage them in the fight. And Stand Firm!



I love this poster,by Ms. Le Billon it would be on my fridge and microwave if I had small children at home again.  Karen Le Billon has written about this subject and I would follow the poster if I had to do it all over again.  She has a ton of resources and there are a couple of books that I would recommend.  And remember apply the ideas to your family, the rules may need some tweaking and that is okay, tweak away.

Jamie Oliver also has some good resources, I have his cookbook. 
I use a couple of his recipes for my cooking class.  Crunch Garlic Chicken Nuggets and Sizzle Beef with Green Onions and Black Bean Sauce.  I have yet to have someone not eat either of these.  Once they cook it the students will try it.  I usually make a double batch because it disappears so quickly.  I love this cookbook and would highly recommend it.  Use the cookbook and get in the kitchen with your kids and make dinner together.

Once again this year as a lunch lady I will be trying new things, and see if I can get the students to purchase and then enjoy scratch cooking.  I have my fingers crossed.

Crunch Garlic Chicken Nuggets or Strips- serves 2

•   1 clove garlic
•   1 lemon
•   6 saltine crackers
•   2 tablespoons butter
•   4 sprigs of fresh Italian       parsley
•   sea salt
•   freshly ground black pepper
•   2 heaped tablespoons all-       purpose flour
•   1 large free-range egg
•   2 skinless higher-welfare    chicken breast fillets
•   olive oil

Directions:

Mince the clove of garlic, zest the lemon and reserve the lemon for later, crush the crackers and chop the parsley fine. Melt the butter and mix all of this together till combined.  Pour this out on to a plate.

On a second plate add the flour and salt and pepper.  In a bowl whisk the eggs.  Now you have your dipping station for your chicken.

Cut the chicken into nugget size pieces.  Dip the chicken into the flour, then the egg, then the cracker crumb mixture, pressing the crackers into the chicken.

In a non-stick skillet pour about 2 T. of olive oil.  Let the pan and oil heat till it shimmers.  Add half the chicken and cook till golden, flip to the other side.  4-5 minutes on the first side 3-4 on the second.  Have a warm oven to place the finished nuggets to keep them hot.

Chicken is cooked once and internal temp of 160 is reached.  Remember there will be a little bit of carry over so I pull them when they are about 155 and the oven will also continue to cook them.

When ready to serve squeeze some fresh lemon juice over them.  These really are good and easy.  You double of triple the recipe for the needs of your family.



The first time around this dish may look a bit intimidating, but it can be very easy to put together.  Once you have the first time under your belt it will be one of your go to meals, I promise.

Black bean sauce is found in the ethnic aisle of the grocery store.  It is fermented black beans, it is very pungent and a little goes a long way.  Yet the flavor it gives a dish is amazing so do not skip it. Keep it is the fridge and add it to vegetable stir fries or any other dish you would add soy sauce to, just start out with small amounts.







Sizzling Beef with Green Onions and Black Bean Sauce- 
serves 2

Salt and Pepper
1 cups of cooked rice cooled
1 -1 1/2 lbs of flat iron steak
1 red bell pepper
1 thumb size piece of fresh ginger (can use abut 1 t. of dried, but the fresh is the best)
2 cloves of garlic
2 green onions
1-2 t. of red pepper flakes
1 bunch of cilantro or flat leaf parsley if you don't care for cilantro, I love the stuff
1 handful of fresh snow peas, or asparagus or any other quick cooking green veggie
1-2 T. of vegetable oil
1 T. of sesame oil
2 T. black bean sauce
! t. soy sauce
2 limes
1 egg

Slice the meat against the grain into thin strips.  Cut the red pepper into thin strips.  Peel both the garlic and ginger, (use the back of a spoon to scrape the peel off the ginger), then slice them thinly.  Finely dice the green onions using the whites and about half way up of the greens.  The top third of a green onion can be very strong.  Chop the cilantro including the stems, but keep them separate from each other.

In a bowl add all of your veg including the garlic and ginger, keep the cilantro leaves separate, but do add the stalks.  Add the sesame oil and red pepper flakes and mix till everything is coated.

Now you are ready to stir fry.....heat a cast iron skillet ( 10 inch or 12 inch) with the vegetable oil till the oil shimmers.  You want this very hot and the cast iron will hold the heat and not cool off as much when you cook the food.  Add the bowl of veggies and move everything around the pan for 2 minutes, remove the veggies to a bowl and cover.

Add a bit more oil, let the pan heat up again, then add your meat.  Let this sit for a minute, then move it around, then let it sit for another minute.  Once the meat is cooked to your satisfaction, remove it to the bowl with the veggies and cover.  We like ours rare, but it will continue to cook in the bowl.

Add more oil, crack your egg into the pan and break it up, add a teaspoon of soy sauce and then the rice. Keep it moving till the rice is hot, turn your heat off. Spread the rice out into the bottom of the skillet and pour your veggies and meat from the bowl over the rice, do not stir.  Sprinkle your cilantro or parsley leaves over the top, squeeze a bit of lime.  Serve the rest of the limes with the dish at the table.

I love serving out of my cast iron skillets, it looks great in a campfire sort of way and I only dirty one dish.

Again once you have done this, the second time is a breeze.  You can double or triple the recipe to fit the needs of your family.  Also you can change this up, do this with chicken or pork or even tofu.  Use what ever veggies your family likes, add more if you like.  Please don't skip the black bean sauce it is what makes the dish.

Quick and Fast Meal!

Spicy Korean-Style Pork Medallions with an Asian Slaw


I made this dish last week at the Old Town Farmers Market.....and it was a hit.  I cleaned the pork, sliced it into the medallions and flattened them out.  I caramelized them in a hot cast iron skillet, my favorite cooking utensil.  But the meat can be cooked on a grill just as easy.  I love cooking outside and keeping the mess out there.


You can raise the heat on this dish by adding more hot sauce.  I added Thai Sweet Chili sauce to the dressing for the slaw; I did not want the sriacha sauce to be the only flavor.  I like the tang of  of both the hot and sweet over the crisp cabbage.  Savoy or Nappa cabbage are great choices, but you can use regular cabbage, and I did at the demo, just cut it very thin so that it will break down.

Give this dish a try over the weekend and wear the crown of a great cook proudly.

A Used Kitchen is a Dirty Kitchen – But It’s Worth It!

I have cooked two huge meals in the last two days.  I doubled the recipe for one of the meals in order to feed our family and a friend with her three adorable small children.  The recipes* turned out great.  They were both easy to make and will be a lot quicker to prepare the second time around.  The best part was they tasted good… better than good.  I mean, really good.  Unfortunately, I have discovered over the years that the resulting mess is directly proportional to how tasty the meal is.  After I finished, the kitchen looked like a starving, and slightly sadistic, wolverine had worked his way from one end of it to the other.

Once the meal is through, its time to call “The Clean-up Crew”; you know, those people that come in a flash and scour your kitchen.  Some call them kitchen fairies.  I call them slave-labor family members! 

I will be the first to admit that I am not the housekeeper my mother was and still is.  I can go to bed with dirty dishes still hanging out on the counter, pots and pans soaking in the sink and the counters a bit crummy.  Sorry.  I’m just being honest.  I do strive to be more like my mom (gee did I say that out loud?  Yep…), but I usually fall short.  Once I prepare and cook one of these really great meals I am exhausted.  So you ask, “Why cook, then?”  Why? Because my family then sits down, spends time together and eats.  So if that means dirty dishes, so be it.

But once the meal is finished we do try to clean the kitchen. We clear the table; get the dishes loaded and the dishwasher splashing away. I try to get everyone to give me fifteen minutes of their time to clean, but sometimes even that is a singular struggle.  I get it; we are all tired.  But we also all want to eat!  So everyone helps out in the end. 

One thing I do know is that eating at home in the long run will be cheaper and will be far healthier.  Right now Denny’s is running an ad about their four-dollar meals.  Okay, start with four bucks, add a two-dollar drink, tax and a two-dollar tip.  You are up to eight dollars and some change; then there is the time it has taken and the gas as well.  You have a clean kitchen, high blood pressure and that extra twenty pounds around your middle.  Then that extra twenty grows each year as you eat out more and consume easy and cheap food.

So cooking at home can mean an especially messy, blasted kitchen.  But it also means real family time, far more healthy food and an overall lower cost. 

*The recipes can also be found on my Pintrest page, Recipes to Try... 

Clean Kitchen...

This has been a pothole of my life.  I can clean the kitchen up perfect...I scrub the sink, the stove and the counters and than within minutes a tornado has gone through and thrown food and bits of debris everywhere.  I don't want to cook in that mess!!!!  Nor do I want to take an hour to clean it all up then to cook and mess it all again only to clean it again!!!!!!!!!  This is a war and I have lost the battle.  I am too tired, hurt too much and have fallen into the pothole and can not get out.  I think I will lay down and just give up.  Only I can't give up can I????  People want to eat and have cooked food...why?????????


So two weekends ago, a miracle happened, my daughter Clare...(who by the way just won a scholarship competition and has a full ride to John Brown University, Thank you God), attacked and cleaned the kitchen, I mean cleaned it.

Before

  

Before

Before

Ignore the floor it has issues

  

There is a table!!!

We have now kept it clean for 14 days!  It is work for everyone...but everyone likes the results so maybe we can fill this pothole in and keep this up.  Clare, myself and Kent have been working hard on keeping this going.  I am hoping that once we are use to it we can then move to another part of the living area.  

Last nights dinner turned out really well.  

 It came form a Papered Chef cookbook called Grill it Quick, and this was a quick recipe and turned out really well.  We all had seconds.

Greek Islands Steak Salad

The Steak- 1 1/2 lb beef flank steak or two flat iron steaks
1 T. olive oil ans 1 T. of kosher salt and 1 T. of fresh cracked pepper

Rub this well into the steak.  You can grill this out when the weather permits, I did it under the broiler.  You can do it on the stovetop as well.  But under the broiler leaves next to no mess to clean up, cooking it on the stove top leaves grease splatters everywhere.
Line a sheet pan with foil, lay your well seasoned steaks on there and cook them for 14 minutes on the first side (or heat your boiler up for 15 minutes then you start with 7 seven minutes a side).  Turn and broil for 4 minutes or until your level of doneness.  We like our steak very pink, but either end is a bit more done for those we like shoe leather.

The Dressing-this plays a big role in the over all flavor
3/4 c good olive oil
1/3 c red wine vinegar
2 large cloves of garlic, pressed
zest from one lemon
1-2 t. of dried oregano
1/2 c of pitted kalamata olives (the purple ones)- rough chopped
1/4 c of chopped pepperoncini peppers-these are a mild yellow pepper that add a lot of flavor
Mix this well, taste for seasoning add salt and pepper to your taste.  Set aside

The Salad-I mixed this in a large bowl, then laid it out on to a large platter
6 or more cups of spinach-it will wilt down when you dress it.  I used closer to 10 cups
1 c of diced cucumber-use the ones that are wrapped in plastic.  They are called hot house, English, or seedless cucumbers.  They taste better, don't need to be peeled and allow you to have good manners since they are also called burpless cucumbers.
Mix 1/2 the dressing with the above mixture. Set the remaining aside for the moment.

1 large brick of feta cheese broken into bite size pieces- hold this back, don't mix it with the spinach.

The assembly-
On a large platter lay out the dressed spinach.  Top with the bite size feta.
Remove your meat when it is done and allow it to rest for ten minutes covered with foil.  Slice the meat thin against the grain.  Lay the meat on top of the spinach salad.  Drizzle more of the dressing over the top of the meat.  Serve!!!!

 This recipe was a nod towards spring, I think it will be here, right?

Cooking Class

Many of you know that I teach a Middle School Cooking Class here at CCA.  I have been doing this for about four years now, and I love it.  This year I have been blessed with students who value the things I am teaching and who want to learn.  They are to have around and to teach.  I am so lucky.

Cooking class is far more than just cooking; it teaches kids life lessons.  And being a middle school aged kid is hard. They are trying to find an identity and figuring out where they fit in. In cooking class it is a level playing field.  Many of the limiting aspects of their lives outside the kitchen vanish. Each student has the ability to shine;  they interact with peers who are all in the same boat.  A couple of my students are familiar with cooking.  They have been in the kitchen with a parent and understand some of the basics.  They get to be the first team leaders at first, share their knowledge, then step back and let another student be a team leader.  Often the boys and girls have to work on the same team.  This really challenges them.  Sometimes I will let them have friends and many times I switch them all around.  They figure out social standings, cooperation, and the over-used term of team building.  Then each student goes home, and shows their parents and siblings what they have learned.....it really is the only class that they can demonstrate for their family.

We start off the unit with knife skills.  They learn to chop onions.  Lots of onions.  And they cry.  With tears running down theirs faces they realize that tears are just that; tears.  They wipe their eyes, finish dicing onions and rinse their faces.  It is a hoot!  But they learn how to chop onions which means,with that skill alone, they can cook a meal for themselves!  Chop a few onions, carrots and celery and you have a base for several dishes....stew, soup, roast, brisket, pork loin and so much more.

My main goal in teaching this class is teaching kids to cook for themselves and not to rely on fast food as they get older and go to college.  That cooking a meal will mean saving money, but it will also mean being healthy.  Sometimes you can eat out cheaper, but the cost to your health is not worth it.  We talk about how the cost will not rear it's head until they hit their 30's.  But doing things correct now will allow them to age with grace and great dignity.

We talk about childhood, and teenage obesity....we talk about how it has to be avoided with this current generation.  We discuss how the commercials they see on TV that are geared for them and fast food well, that those commercials do not have their best interest at heart.  They have their own bottom line agenda.  And Taco Bell will make money at the cost of teenage boys being overweight and they won't raise an eyebrow over it.

Then, there is the entire social world of cooking.  My own children are 18, 20, and 22.  I not only encourage them to cook for themselves but for their friends. Instead of ordering pizza I will cook for their friends and have my children help.  I want to teach them that it is such a treat for their friends to have a home cooked meal instead of another cheese pizza.

Here are two more dishes we did in cooking class.  The students gobbled it up!  Then I went home and made it for my family and it was a hit there as well.

Loaded Carbonara – serves 4- From Cooks Country

Browning the chicken in the bacon fat builds a strong backbone of flavor for this dish.

4        boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 ½ lb)

          Kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper

6        slices of bacon, chopped

3        large eggs

1 ½ c grated parmesan cheese

3        cloves of garlic, minced

½  c   chicken stock

1         lb of pasta

2    c   of frozen peas, thawed

1.  Bring 4 qts. of water to boil in large pot.  Pat chicken dry with paper towels, and season with salt and pepper.  Cook bacon in large skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 8 minutes.  Transfer bacon to paper towel-lined plate.  Remove 2 T. fat.

2.  Cook chicken in 1 tablespoon fat in now-empty skillet until well browned and cooked through, about 5 minutes per side.  Transfer to cutting board and tent with foil.  Let rest 5 minutes, then slice thin crosswise and reserve.

3.  Whisk eggs and cheese in medium bowl.  Heat remaining fat in now-empty skillet over medium heat until shimmering.  Add garlic and 1 teaspoon pepper and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.  Stir in chicken stock and simmer until thickened, about 2 minutes.  Slowly whisk chicken stock mixture into egg mixture.

4.  Add 1 tablespoon salt and pasta to boiling water and cook until al dente, about 8 minutes.  Reserve ½ c of cooking water.  Place peas in colander, drain pasta through the same colander.  The hot water will thaw the peas.  Transfer the peas and pasta back to the pot and add the chicken, egg-chicken stock mixture and bacon.  Stir; use the reserved pasta water if needed to loosen the mixture up.  Serve with additional parmesan cheese. 

Chipotle-Grilled Pork Tacos Serves 4

Halving the tenderloins lengthwise creates more surface area for the wet rub to develop into a flavorful crust.  Serve these tacos with shredded cheese and lime wedges, if desired.

¼  cup mayonnaise

1  (8-ounce) can pineapple chunks in juice, drained and chopped, ¼ cup      juice reserved.

3       T. minced fresh cilantro

3  garlic cloves, minced

 1 ½   T. minced canned chipotle chilies in adobo

1 (8-ounce) bag coleslaw mix

3 scallions, sliced thin

Salt

2 pork tenderloins (1 ½-2 pounds total), sliced in half lengthwise

12 corn tortillas

1.     Whisk mayonnaise, pineapple juice, cilantro, garlic, and chipotle in large bowl; reserve ¼ c mayo mixture, set aside.  Add pineapple chunks, coleslaw mix, scallions, and ½ t. salt to bowl with remaining mayo mixture and toss to combine.

2.     Pat pork dry with paper towels and season with salt.  Rub with reserved mayo mixture.  Heat a large skillet with a couple of T. of vegetable oil.  Brown the meat on all sides about 6-8 minutes.  Remove from heat, tent and allow to rest.

3.     Meanwhile-grill the corn tortillas over an open flame on a gas stove or in a dry skillet till slightly blistered.

4.     Slice pork thin, arrange on tortillas, and top with coleslaw.  Enjoy. 

My Husband and "Dangerous Grounds"

Dangerous Grounds

My darling wife has one habit that just absolutely drives me crazy – and not in a good way.  I hate to admit to it because to the uninitiated my peevishness would seem silly and trite.  So, for a long time I haven’t said anything about it.  But the day has finally come; I can’t be silent any more. Simply put, my wife is a coffee fiend.

I myself don’t drink coffee.  Now, I personally have nothing against those roasted beans from the Rubiaceae family that have been dried, ground, expertly blended and then resuscitated with some steaming hot water.  To me, the smell of coffee is one of the supreme aromas in the world – especially on a cold morning in the mountains, just as the sun is about to rise.  But I have never developed a taste for the stuff. 

Its not like I haven’t tried.  I have attempted to develop a taste for coffee several different times in a variety of ways: this blend and that, with and without cream, with and without sugar.  All of my stabs were without success.  My attempts were out of a desire to display my love for my wife.  She is such a coffee aficionado that she would love for us to be able to share a carafe on the back porch as we watch the sunrise.  But, alas, I simply don’t like coffee.  And, as it turns out, it is for the best.

At first, I thought that my wife’s addiction to coffee was just one of those innocent vices that all of us have in one form or another.  But then I began to realize that there is a larger aspect involved.  It is part of an alien plot to subjugate the human race.

Now, I know what you are thinking; I have taken a simple activity of my wife’s and turned it, somehow, into some sort of conspiracy theory.  But, I have proof.  And once I have laid out my case you will realize that you have seen the same things that I have seen – and hopefully you will join with me in the fight to eradicate this symptom of an evil empire.

The first event that aroused my suspicions occurred a couple of years ago.  Early one Saturday morning as I was wandering through the house I did a double take as I glanced into the kitchen.  In the semi-light of dawn I saw a gnarled, gnome-like creature huddled over the kitchen counter.  Not being personally acquainted with any gnomes, I grasped that I had an intruder on my hands and quickly decided that action had to be taken.  With my heart in my throat and my nerves on a sharp edge, I quietly eased my way to the hallway closet and grabbed a baseball bat.  I then tiptoed to the kitchen, turned on the light and raised the bat, prepared to vanquish the intruder. 

The figure in the kitchen turned slowly around – and I suddenly found myself standing face-to-face with my lovely wife. 

“Good morning, Honey” she said as she gave me a little peck on the cheek.  She raised her cup and cheerfully asked, “Do you want some coffee?” 

Bewildered, I backed up a bit, rested the business end of the bat on the floor and nervously wiped the perspiration from my upper lip.  “Uh, no  - but thank you anyway”, I responded in my manliest falsetto.

“Are you sure?  You seem so uptight.  A good cup of coffee will calm you down.”

“You know I don’t touch the stuff.  Besides, I’ve got some work to do” I countered, and beat a hasty retreat.

Over the next couple of days I reflected over my kitchen encounter and tried to make sense of what I had seen.  Was it merely the result of an overly developed imagination working overtime or, frighteningly, were there sinister forces at work?

The answer came a few days later as I drove to work.  Have you ever noticed that you can see the same thing day after day and then realize that you are really seeing that thing for the first time?  That’s what happened to me.

I was waiting for the light to change.  At that corner is one of those coffee joints that bestows long names on their products and then charges by the letter.  The line of cars, as usual, snaked around the building and almost out into the street.  As I sat there, I felt my blood turn to ice as I noticed the drivers waiting in the drive thru.  They were huddled figures that looked almost inhuman.  They clutched steering wheels with gnarled hands with long almost claw-like fingernails.  They all had bloodshot, sunken eyes, protruding foreheads and wrinkled skin.  And most of all, they had expressions reminiscent of Boris Karloff.

A horn blared from behind.  I pulled through the intersection and as I passed the far side of the coffee shop, I looked to see what was coming out of the drive thru.  My suspicions were confirmed as I saw the drivers coming out; they looked, well, normal – almost human;  sipping on their cups of coffee with bright, cheerful expressions.  I made the final two miles to work in record time and hurried down to the kitchen.  I had to tell someone about my discovery.

The only person in the kitchen was my coworker, Dan (the names have been changed to protect the transmuted).  He was busy tending to the coffee machine. 

“Hey Dan”, I started.  “Boy have I got something to tell you.  Heh-heh, I just noticed that you need to get those nails of yours trimmed.  And you might want to see your doctor about those blood-shot eyes.  By the way, you sure do a great Bela Lugosi imitation!” 

As I was trying to extricate myself from the kitchen, three creatures walked or, rather, shuffled into the room and past me in a stupefied manner.  Their bloodshot eyes fixed on the brown life force that streamed from the machine and into the pot.  They huddled together, rocking back and forth making hissing sounds reminiscent of the Sleestak in Land of the Lost.  When the brew was complete, they and Dan filled their cups and began to drink.  When they turned around, I was amazed to see three of my female co-workers.  “Good morning!” they exclaimed cheerfully.  Want some coffee?”

As you have no doubt deduced by now, coffee drinkers are in fact aliens that have taken human form.  In order to maintain their masquerade as humans, they have to drink…well, coffee.  And apparently some of them have to drink vast quantities to maintain their facade.  They took their extraterrestrial form by drinking coffee in the first place; kind of like the pod people in Invasion of the Body Snatchers (only in that story they got “taken” by falling asleep).  And to make matters worse, the aliens are out to convert the rest of us.  Notice how they will almost always ask you if you want a cup?

Since my discovery, I have been very conciliatory towards my wife when it comes to satisfying her daily fix.  I have been known to run up to the nearest fast food outlet on a Saturday morning to get her a cup.  On Sunday mornings, we stop on the way to church to go through the drive thru to get the gourmet variety.  And, I don’t mind.  It’s the only way to keep the monster in the cage.

Hijacked Post

Sous-chef....

..... and how I need one!  I have been cooking and then cleaning, then cooking again and I am exhausted from it all.  There is never enough counter space.  I make a dish and then have to stop and clean in order to have more space for the next dish. How did I make Thanksgiving dinner?  Oh yeah. I didn't; my mom and I did.

My mom is known in our family as the cleaning tornado.  She cleans all the time.  Any mess she comes upon is vanquished in seconds.  We were always amazed as kids at how we had a clean home and so many of our friends did not.  I remember one friend, I went over to her house and was astounded...every horizontal surface was piled high with whatever!  There was not one surface that was not 2 feet high with clothes, bags, mail or whatever.  And the kitchen was unbelievable.  A week's worth of dishes lay every where; sink, counters, even hidden in the oven!  This was not the only friend who had a dirty house.  It was common.  My mom was the unusual one.  Keeping a



house neat and clean was what she grew up with and was taught by her grandmother.  That gene skipped a generation.......





I try, but I am not up to the caliber my mom is.  But when she comes up and we cook a meal, we are a good team.  She keeps me focused and cleans up

As I bare my soul to all......a dirty kitchen.

PS.  This did get cleaned up....with help.