Hangover Chili

Chili is a lot like scrambled eggs. Hard to mess up. Easy to cook. Tasty.

It’s also, maybe not so surprisingly, exxxxcellent for getting rid of a champagne hangover.  (The worst kind there is. Fact.)

Could not think of a better, more fun way to spend the very first day of a new year then over the stove whipping up this amazing soup/stew.  Good for the soul in more ways than one.

Hangover Chili (I realize that if you’re hungover, maybe the last thing on earth you wanna do is spend some time cooking for yourself.  If that’s true, maybe you’re lying to yourself. )

-1 yellow onion

-2 red, orange, yellow or green bell pepper

-1 jalapeno, de-seeded

-1 pound ground beef

-1/2 can of beer, the GOOD stuff. Please don’t use the one that rhymes with SudMight or Mudleiser. I used a good Pale Ale.

-few cloves of garlic

-1 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes

-1 can of black beans

-1 can of pinto beans

-thyme, few sprigs

Sautee diced onion and bell peppers until translucent in a large saucepot.  Add garlic and jalapeno. Sautee for one minute.  Pour beer into pot. Add beef and cook until browned.  Add thyme and seasonings.  I used salt, pepper, and season salt (something that despite how pretentious I will get with my food I’ll never be able to go without).  Pour crushed tomatoes and beans into pot, turn heat down to low and simmer for 1 1/2-2 hours. Be patient! It’s worth it! Mop this beauty up with some asiago and jalapeno bread. Garnish with sour cream cilantro, cheddar cheese. Kiss the cook.

Thanks, Rachael

I don’t want to admit it, but here it goes:  I learned pretty much everything I know about cooking from Rachael Ray.

The year is 2004.  I’m an underpaid, overly-stressed “Cafe Team Member” at a highly renowned San Francisco bakery/cafe.  I work the night shift, 4:00pm-10:00pm in a very crowded mall with bitter shoppers and managers filled with disdain.  I am pretty damn miserable.

30 Minute Meals was and probably still is the Food Network’s most popular cooking show.  I am not sure how I came across the show, but one day while waiting to leave for work, I found myself mesmerized by the loud-mouthed cook.  She wasn’t a chef, just a normal cook.  She didn’t measure ingredients and she hated to bake.  Kinda like me! I thought.

Soon enough I had a routine.  Shower by 1pm, finish getting ready by 2:30pm, plop down on the couch by 3pm.  Flip channel to Food Network. Learn a few things, drool and for a half hour and let my troubles (aka my job) roll by.

From Ray I learned how to chop an onion.  I learned that “two turns around the pan” of EVOO equals 2 tablespoons of EVOO. Give or take.  I learned that measuring ingredients when cooking is optional.  I learned that orange cupboards look awesome.  I didn’t know it then, but I think those afternoons spent watching the often times annoying cook was setting the stage for something spectacular to come in my own life.

FOOD AND MORE FOOD!

Since embarking on this food/cooking/food writing journey I have been kind of stupidly happy.  Christmas Dinner was a HIT (why did I just capitalize ‘dinner’? I’m becoming pretentious…).

My mom said “This is the best pork shoulder I have ever tasted.”  And she’s been to Spain!

So, thanks Rachael.  When I happen to catch 30 Minute Meals now I have to watch on mute because let’s face it…that voice. But, she taught me that cooking doesn’t have to be stuffy or hard or something that only trained chefs can do well.  With a little bit of enthusiasm, a good sharp knife and a kitchen for a soul, anyone can make good food.  Even me.

Couple up with this dish

Earlier today while sharing mediocre coffee and extraordinary conversation with my best friend of 15 years, I casually mentioned how the colder months are almost cruel for us single people.

As an attached woman of two years, she just nodded and reassured me that a nice, warm man was definitely, absolutely! waiting in the wings for me.  I laughed and agreed, but when we parted ways she, to her boyfriend’s company’s Holiday party; I, to a quiet home), our conversation was still on my mind.

It’s true that if you are single from Thanksgiving until at LEAST Valentine’s Day, people know it.  Your family bombards you with questions about your phantom significant other. You show up to fabulous Holiday parties sans a date, or if you do come with someone, it’s about as platonic as a gay man at a little girl’s birthday party.  Being single at the end of the year can be as chilly as the December air…

Naturally, I went to my stove for comfort.  Cooking for myself is one of the easiest, quickest and BEST ways I can love myself.  And hello, the most delicious. Since that nice, warm man isn’t calling, a good, home-cooked meal is the next best thing.  (And secretly I prefer it. Does YOUR stove get jealous when you befriend other stoves? Exactly.)

When I really want comfort food, I cook Italian. Pasta specifically.  I hadn’t been grocery shopping in a while, so I rummaged through the cupboards and fridge until I came up with this recipe.

The end result was definitely romantic even if I was the only one appreciating it.  The combination of a gray, rainy night, soft jazz humming in the background, this dish and my Great Uncle’s HOMEMADE red wine.

Not so surprisingly, I didn’t feel lonesome for very long.  With a belly full of pasta, ears full of Chet Baker and a heart that was just plain full, lonesome wasn’t anywhere on this menu.

Whatever Ya Got Spaghetti (I call this “whatever ya got” because literally, you could add whatever veggies you have on hand into this dish. Anything will work.) Serves 1

-1 small onion

-2 carrots, unpeeled

-2 cloves of garlic

-butter

-olive oil

-1/2 pound of pasta

-1 16 oz can tomato sauce

-2 heaping tablespoons of sun-dried tomato pesto

Saute veggies with a little butter and olive oil over medium heat until transparent and soft.  Add tomato sauce and pesto to veggies.  Cook pasta and when al dente, add to saute pan. I really feel like spaghetti tastes better when it is tossed in the same pan as the spaghetti sauce.  Just do it! Trust me Add pepper, salt, and oregano to taste.  Really, it’s that simple.

Impatient Girl’s Garlic Toast (when you don’t feel like turning on your oven)

-1 slice of your favorite bread. I used sourdough cause it’s what I had on hand.

-1 clove of garlic, crushed

-butter

-fresh oregano

Toast bread until golden brown. While still hot, rub crushed garlic over bread to infuse it.  Spread butter and sprinkle oregano on top. Get it while it’s hot!

Red wine really works best with this, but use whatever you have or whatever you like. Bon appetit!

Family food ties

I didn’t grow up with a spatula in my hand or even really watching my mother cook for us.  As a single mother with a full-time job at a high tech company, cooking was not something my mom looked forward to.  If it could be cooked in half an hour with minimal effort, my brother, sister and I probably ate it back in the early 90s.  As a result, we ate a lot of TV dinners, frozen foods (fish sticks and pigs in a blanket anyone??) and yes, even fast food.

So, I’m really not sure where my passion for food comes from. I really should be shopping at your regular ol’ grocery store instead of a specialty store like Whole Foods.  I really should not give a damn about the well-being of this countries meat (or lack thereof).  But, I do.

My family (bless their hearts) is not very sophisticated when it comes to food.  My mom, brother and sister are pretty flexible when it comes to ingredients.  To them, if it’s in a box, it’ll do!  And it’s something that I love about them because it gives me plenty of ammunition when I start getting remarks about being “too picky”…

I, on the other hand am somewhat of a snob.  Okay, a really big snob. I prefer the homemade route. Yeah, it takes time and more effort but that’s half the fun for me.  Chopping vegetables is meditative.  Making homemade chicken stock feels like an art project…

I grew up eating frozen foods so maybe this desire for the fresh stuff comes from wanting a little bit better now that I can choose for myself.

This year, I’m in charge of Christmas dinner and I’m giddy with excitement and anticipation.  (more about the menu and our regular Christmas “dinner” in my next post…)  I can’t think of a better way to show my family I love them then with a good, good meal.

And sorry Mom, but, frozen veggies are not getting an invite.

My stove is calling me…

I have clumsily been following my own health advice since last week. After dodging curveball (getting sick) after curveball (work being sketchy) from life, I kind of caved & just ate whatever the hell I wanted. Or, rather whatever the hell my mood told me I should eat. I’m an emotional eater if one ever existed.
Sad? Eat some cake! Happy? Let’s buy milkshakes!

On top of everything else, my Grandmother is very sick & will likely pass this week, and all I wanna do is eat nothing but piles & piles comfort food. That’s normal…

My definition of ‘comfort food’ has changed. Self-care is virtually a synonym for health, so taking the time to cook my meals has been a god-send. It does take a lot more effort than just ordering take-out, but the reward is infinitely more satisfying. In every sense of the word.

Last week was a bit of a distraction, but I’m back & ready to go with fresh herbs & veggies in hand.

Don’t forget: Happiness is where the warm stove is…

El Amigo Burrito

If you’re going to do Mexican food, you need to do it right.

Or you could just go to El Amigo Burrito and let them do it for you, the right way.

Tucked unpretentiously in the middle of an unassuming shopping center on Stevens Creek in Santa Clara, stands the little restaurant with a big reputation.  For starters, you are always greeted with a warm smile.  There is never a wait, the waitresses will recognize your face by your second visit, and even if they don’t, they’ll act like you’re their friend anyway. Service is top notch to say the least. I’ve never had to wait longer than 20 minutes for food to come out.  And if you get the smiling, cheery Marisol, you will be treated like royalty guaranteed.

The menu is typical for a Mexican restaurant, featuring chimichangas, enchiladas, burritos, tacos, etc, but the quality is what sets El Amigo above the rest.  The chimichangas are perfectly golden brown and crisp.  It’s dressed in sour cream, guacamole, and salsa and served with a side of perfect refried beans and delicate spanish rice. And rest assured, if you order it sans meat, it won’t be sans flavor.

If you’re watching your waist line (why are you at a Mexican restaurant?? I digress…), there is a chicken salad you can order that is just as filling and just as delicious as anything else on the menu.  The weekly specials are about $5 off their regular prices, so I’d recommend going for those items if you are punching pennies.  The prices are pretty steep, but you certainly get what you pay for.

A word about the margaritas: Watch yourself! They pack a huge (delicious) punch and will knock you on your ass if you aren’t careful. I’d suggest ordering a pitcher if you are dining with a party of over two.

Authentic Mexican is everywhere in the Bay Area, but when it’s done right, as it is here at El Amigo, there is no replication.  The interior design of the restaurant isn’t something to write home about, but what this little establishment is lacking in aesthetic, it more than makes up for in hospitality.  Besides, all you really need to drink margaritas, eat good food and have an all-around good time is the will to do so.

4485 STEVENS CREEK BLVD
SANTA CLARA, CA 95050
(Between Kiely & Woodhams)

P  408.248.3113
F  408.248.8625

Mon-Fri	10-9PM
Sat-Sun	9-9PM

Why did the chicken cross the road? She was probably sick of her living conditions.

Well, this is kinda funny but I’m sick.  Sore throat & cough.

Could it be because of the CHICKEN sandwich I ate this past Saturday? Possibly, though there is no way to tell for sure. I’m reading Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer and it’s educating to say the least, though overwhelmingly at times.  I’m still torn and I still am not comfortable calling myself a vegetarian, but I’m working my way towards just that. And I’m also not comfortable telling myself that I will never, EVER eat a cheeseburger at one of our family BBQs ever, EVER again. But I’m working my way towards just that.

It’s hard. I’ve been eating meat my entire life and up until a few years ago I didn’t really see anything wrong with it. Something changed though, when I started realized — slowly at first — that I was eating something that used to roam the earth.  Or more realistically, sitting on its own shit in a too-small crate next to thousands of other miserable chickens.

I can’t help being a sentamentalist.  The very first book I remember reading was Charlotte’s Web.   The very first movie I fell in love with was The Wizard of Oz. (I’ve always wondered why a dog couldn’t talk when a lion could.)  I tend to humanize all the pets I’ve ever had. For me, it’s easy to imagine chicken on my plate as a chicken. My argument for my vegetarianism doesn’t stem from my love of animals alone though.  (Although I do think that reason is valid enough.)  And honestly I don’t have enough energy to get into it all right now, but it’s a discussion I think more of us need to be having.  Especially the treatment of our factory farmed animals.

ANYWAY. I’m going to nurse myself back to health with plenty of (veggie) soup and tea and rest and plenty of staying away from the chicken. More fun food posts later in the week…

In the meantime, enjoy this video from our boy.

The Most Important Meal Indeed

Breakfast is a luxury I’m learning to love.

 

 

I was always sort of indifferent to breakfast.  If it wasn’t a holiday or we didn’t have guests over or it wasn’t someone’s birthday, my family never really participated in what I am now learning is a seriously fun/important occasion: sitting down to eat breakfast.

 

All my life I’ve read that breakfast is the most important meal of the day.  I heard it but it never really registered. Mostly because I saw breakfast as inferior to lunch and dinner, the meals my family dived into with fervent interest.  My mother has been throwing elaborate dinner parties all my life and the next morning when the adults were too hungover to cook, and the children too rambunctious to care, we just ate whatever was left over from the previous night’s celebration.  In my life, breakfast was always literally and figuratively put on the back burner.

 

The other thing about breakfast is COFFEE. I have gone without it for the last five days, but the first three were hell. I tend to treat coffee like dessert (big surprise), so I like it heavy on the cream and sugar.  I’m learning to like tea, though, it’s a gradual process.  I still prefer coffee with breakfast, but the ugly side effects it had on me is not missed at all.

 

I still don’t know how to cook pancakes without a few sticking to the pan and/or burning, but the fact that I now take the time to cook myself (and sometimes these lucky people I live with) breakfast, is fan-freakin-tastic to me. Whenever I did eat breakfast in the past it was always heavy on the carbs — pancakes with loads of butter and sugary syrup, toast only with no protein, cereals, pastries, etc.  The incorporation of protein, carbs and fruit in the morning seems to be a winning combination, and I’m sticking with it.  When I start my own family, I’ll make sure my kids appreciate breakfast the way I am now. It’s way too fun and delicious to skip.

 

 

The open-faced sandwich is an exotic, sexy creature. At least to my eyes and taste buds. It feels European to me, probably because the Dutch, Finnish and Belgians all have their own famous versions of the sandwich.  Half the bread, half the carbs, but double the fun and scrumptious as far as I’m concerned. I experimented this morning with goat cheese and pesto because I had it on hand, and I now have a new favorite dish to dive into first thing in the a.m. If this is too heavy for your tummy in the morning, I would suggest substituting the goat cheese and pesto for veggies such as tomatoes, bell peppers, mushrooms or a leafy green such as spinach. With this recipe you can mix and match and still come up with something great. Happy eating!

 

 

T’s Easiest Ever Egg & Pesto with/ Goat Cheese Open-Faced Sandwich

Serves one

*I forgot to take a picture of this dish. Sad face.*

 

-One egg or two egg whites

-Homemade or Trader Joe’s sun-dried tomato pesto, 1 tablespoon

-Dark bread, such as pumpernickel or rye, 1 slice toasted

-Goat cheese, 2 teaspoons, crumbled

 

Scramble egg or egg whites, sprinkle with salt & pepper. While egg is cooking, toast bread.  You can spread butter or honey on the bread, but I ate mine dry and it was still delish.  Place egg on toasted bread and spoon pesto over the eggs. Crumble goat cheese over egg and chow down! Serve with a bowl of fruit. Of course.

The Beans of Change

My relationship with food is changing.

 

Before, it was kind of like a passionate love affair that often times I tried keeping a secret.  I tried hiding how much I ate because I was ashamed of how much I was gulping down.  I’ve always thought that I ate kind of like a bulimic only without the vomiting part. (I know that’s really, really politically incorrect of me. Sorry.) It’s true though! I did eat like I was storing up for winter, only I’m not a bear (though I do give the best bear hugs) and winter never really comes to California.  So really I was just eating and eating because it felt so good.

 

When you eat for comfort, you are never fully satisfied.  Your stomach can tell you one thing (STOP THAT HURTS.) and your mind will tell you something completely different (You need a bigger slice of cheesecake than that. Seriously, that slice is too puny.) That’s what I’ve been doing my entire life.  I ate because I was sad or happy or bored or miserable, etc.  And I mean, who can blame me?  Food is amazing!  Especially cheese, especially pesto, especially burgers, especially milkshakes!  And they made me feel better because for the moment that it took to scarf down a meal, I was distracting myself from the real issue at large.  There have been a lot of those moments and even more of those issues that I procrastinated on confronting.  I have been unsatisfied for a large portion of my life.

 

I’m learning that food is fuel.  Food is NOT life, and life is NOT food.  Obviously food is a necessity, but my relationship with this fuel has been so dysfunctional and obsessive to the point of extreme un-health and an extreme dislike for my body.  I spend a lot of time thinking about food.  What i’m doing to eat, what I feel like eating, what I ate yesterday, what I hope I eat tomorrow.  It’s all very one-sided and I’m learning how to create some balance.  There seems to be a part of me that is unwilling to let go of my love for food.  And I really do love it. I love standing over a cutting board chopping veggies or herbs.  I love stirring food simmering in a pot or pan.  I love creating recipes in my head and seeing what we have in the pantry to accompany a dish.  But I’m learning that you (me) can love food and not be controlled by it.  For a long time I couldn’t distinguish the two.

 

When I’m hungry now, I eat. I (try to) eat slow.  It’s really all about forming new habits. My whole life I’ve scarfed food down in record time, so being mindful of what I’m eating takes a lot of practice. I’m gettin’ it though.  Especially now that I’m cooking my own meals and actually seeing what goes into the dish. I don’t know about you, but it’s hard to eat McDonald’s slowly and mindfully.  Who wants to really think about what’s inside that Big Mac?

 

When I need energy now, instead of sulking and wallowing in my sluggishness, I eat protein.  For lunch today I whipped up a quick black bean soup and it was divine.  So, so good. Way better than anything I could have wasted my money on in fast food.  Did you know that aside from the protein factor, the darker the bean, the more antioxidants it has? So basically, black beans are like little soldiers in the Army of Good Health.  I learned that today while researching the health benefits of beans. What is happening to me?? Oh yeah, change. It feels so good, I just wanna give myself a huge bear hug.

 

Satisfaction guaranteed.

 

 

T’s Bountiful Black Bean Soup

 

-1 can of Amy’s Organic Black Beans. (Obviously fresh is best, but that is way time consuming. Amy’s is certified Organic and also certified Yummy.) Drain about half of the bean juice.

 

- 1/2 of can of tomato sauce.

 

-1/2 fresh tomato, diced

 

- 2 cloves of garlic

 

-Salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper if you like the heat.

 

-Any veggies you got on hand. Bell peppers, onions, squash, etc.

 

Over medium heat, pour a few turns of extra virgin olive oil into pot.  Sautee garlic and veggies until translucent or soft.  Add seasonings. Stir.  Add can of black beans and tomato sauce.  Reduce heat to low and let simmer for 10 minutes.

Serve with 1 tablespoon of creamy cheese such as Havarti and a slice of thick rustic bread to mop up the yummy juices.  Garnish with a few sprigs of cilantro. Bon appetite!

adventures in the land of food

This morning as I was pouring vegetable oil into the pumpkin bread mix that I bought from Trader Joe’s, I dropped the cap of the oil onto my linoleum kitchen floor.

“Crap,” I said bending over to pick it up.  As I bent over, I took a misstep and somehow ending up twisting my foot around inside of my wool slipper that is two sizes too big for me.

Rinsing off the spatula and wiping sweat from my brow, I quickly realized that this would probably be my lot in my kitchen life.  Always dropping something only to trip over my own foot as I go to pick it up.  Burning the edges of the pumpkin bread because I set the timer for ten minutes too long.

If you were to ask my family members they would tell you that I’m this clumsy in other areas of my life, and I wouldn’t dare disagree with them.  Still, my love of food and cooking and dinner parties and showing my love for others with food, will never wane. I dive in head first (sans helmet most times) because it brings me too much joy.

I suppose I stumbled onto this path somewhat clumsily.  After 25 years of eating the Standard American Diet and suffering awfully from its side effects (read: gaining too much weight), I finally decided to take matters into my own hands and DO something about it,  ie: start eating better. Which has led to me cooking for myself, which has led to me absolutely loving to cook.  I get all giddy thinking about recipes and ingredients and shopping lists, and I get way too excited about going to the grocery store.

It hasn’t been easy though. I’m still learning how to say no to unnaturally fed beef and chicken.  Last night my mother offered to bring me fast food for dinner.  After I declined I sent out a mass text to all my friends asking them “WHAT IS HAPPENING?”

Since I’m not Jonathan Safran Foer I won’t dive too much into that whole debate, though I will, from time to time defend my own stance on the issue.  My goal for this food blog (GAH so excited to finally have one!) is to chronicle my own clumsy but good intentioned food adventures. I’ll be sharing recipes, posting my own food porn (DROOL), and of course dissecting all things gastronomic.

Trader Joe’s Pumpkin Bread & Muffin Mix (if you are too good to accept help from store brand mixes every now and then, you are too good for me…)

-2 eggs

-1/2 Vegetable oil

-1 cup water

-1 package bread mix

I added in 1/2 cup of chopped almonds to make things interesting.

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9×5 baking pan. In a medium bowl combine eggs, oil and water. With a flat rubber spatula fold in bread mix until thoroughly combined, about 1-2 minutes. Pour into pan and bake 55-60 minutes. If you don’t eat this with a dab of butter and a drizzle of honey, I can’t be your friend.