On the Table: Chocolate and Butterscotch Cookie Cake

In all the hype leading up to the royal wedding, I was most interested (of course) in the food.  I wanted to make something to celebrate the day, and I wanted it to have some kind of tie-in to the wedding.  Maybe a week ago, I heard that they were going to be serving a chocolate biscuit (i.e., cookie) cake as one of the desserts, and that sounded right up my ally.  I checked a few recipes online, all of which were pretty different, so I pretty much ended up going at it on my own, based on ingredients I had at home or could get very easily (it doesn't really get cooked, so there was much more freedom than there would have been if it were an actual baked cake).  I suspect my concoction bears little to no resemblance to the actual dish that was served.  It looks like something a five year old might come up with if left alone for too long with chocolate chips and graham crackers.  However, it is delicious!  To prepare:

In a double boiler over medium heat, combine the following: 1/2 of a cup of milk; 2 tablespoons of dark corn syrup; 1/2 of a stick of butter; and one 12 ounce bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips.  Stir constantly until the chocolate has melted and all of the ingredients are thoroughly combined.  Break up about 8 ounces of graham crackers into little pieces (bite-sized pieces, not crumbs) and stir them into the chocolate mixtures.  Stir in 1 teaspoon of vanilla and remove from heat.  Spray a pie plate with nonstick spray, and pour the mixture into the plate.  Refrigerate for at least several hours (I refrigerated it overnight), until the mixture is set.

Once the cake has set, prepare the topping.  Put about 4 ounces of butterscotch chips in a microwaveable bowl.  Microwave in 30 second increments, stirring thoroughly after each heating, until the chips have melted (about 1.5 - 2 minutes total).  Pour the melted butterscotch over the cake and spread it around with a spoon.

Return the cake to the refrigerator for a few more hours, until the top has set.  You may want to let the cake sit at room temperature for a few minutes before serving to make it easier to cut.

Enjoy!

On the Table: PBH&J Sliders

OK, this is definitely not a "recipe," but I am going to share it anyway because it is delicious.  If and when you make Peanut Butter Ham and end up with lots of leftovers (it's still not all gone!), and when you want a break from Ham Casserole (IF you want to take a break from Ham Casserole), I highly recommend making some PBH&J (Peanut Butter Ham and Jelly) sliders.  Just heat up some little dinner rolls (biscuits would also be delicious), slather on some apricot preserves (or the jam/jelly of your choice), slap on some leftover ham, and you're all set!

Of course, these sliders would work with plain ham - they just wouldn't have the same cool name :)  The real moral of the story here is that jam is delicious on ham (and sausage!) - try it on your next breakfast sandwich!

Coupons - At What Cost?

I came across the show Extreme Couponing last night, and I have to say that I got pretty sucked into it.  At first, I was fascinated.  Then I was horrified.  I will be the first to admit that I love coupons (though not nearly as much as the people on the show).  However, I try to make sure that I only use coupons to buy things that I would have bought anyway, or that I have been wanting to try.  And I buy one or two of the product, not forty.  The people featured on the show, however, have some pretty crazy couponing skills, and make a serious effort to buy hundreds of dollars of groceries for close to nothing.  They build stockpiles.  Their organizational skills and their patience are pretty incredible.  The fairly extended check-out scenes, however, are what led to my horror.  Pallets of toothpaste, cases of soda, and piles of canned goods came down the conveyor belts.  But there was not a single fresh fruit or vegetable in sight.

I would absolutely not claim that I shun canned and boxed foods, though I do think they need to be accompanied by a hearty supply of fresh foods (or frozen - frozen vegetables are definitely a staple in my kitchen).  I mean, if you are building stockpiles of food that could last for years, wouldn't you wonder what is in the food that allows it to last for years? 

I also had to wonder how much money they were really saving.  Some of them spent thousands of dollars each year on newspapers, and printing coupons off the internet can't be cheap, considering the cost of ink.  I realize they may relish the thrill of saving, but if your food budget is just a few dollars and your newspaper budget is thousands of dollars - doesn't that seem a bit backwards?

Here is what really got me, however: the people featured last night claimed to spend between 30 and 60 hours "couponing" each week.  With that much time, you could pretty easily grow a garden, which would produce lots of food for just the cost of seeds and some gardening supplies.  Plus, you would have tons of time left to cook from scratch, can your own fruits and vegetables, etc.

I have a brilliant idea for a reality show mashup.  I think Jamie Oliver should bring his Food Revolution to Extreme Couponing.

On the Table: Ham Casserole

The Peanut Butter Ham I made on Sunday was delicious, but it was pretty large, so the last few days have been an exercise in eating as much ham as possible without getting sick of it.  Ham sandwiches?  Check.  Ham and eggs?  Check.  Ham Casserole?  CHECK!  I think making ham casserole might be my favorite way to use up leftover ham.  It is really easy (even easier if you happen to have leftover mashed potatoes lying around as well), and really delicious.  Here's how to make it:

Prepare about 4 potatoes worth of mashed potatoes.  (Or, like I said, if you have leftovers on hand, that is even better.  And if you are really pressed for time and want to use the boxed kind...I won't tell.)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Dice up about two cups of ham into bite size pieces (don't worry about removing the outside or anything - I used the Peanut Butter Ham and the glaze just added more flavor).  Put the ham into a large skillet, along with 1/2 of a pound of frozen mixed vegetables, 1 tablespoon of worcestershire sauce, 1/2 of a cup of milk, and 4 ounces of shredded cheddar cheese.  Cook, stirring, until everything is heated through and the cheese has melted.  Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed.  The ham added enough salt for me, but you may need to add more depending on the specifics of your ham and your tastes.

Pour the ham mixture into a baking dish, and spread the mashed potatoes on top.  Sprinkle with bread crumbs, if desired.  Bake in the preheated oven for about 30 minutes, or until the liquid starts to bubble and the mashed potatoes are lightly browned.

Enjoy!

On the Table: Roasted Asparagus

Nothing says spring quite like asparagus!  It is one of my favorite vegetables, and its short season makes it especially precious.  I think the best preparations for asparagus (as for most foods) are the simplest, so its delicate flavor is not overwhelmed.  On Sunday, I made simple roasted asparagus that was absolutely delicious.  I just tossed the asparagus with olive oil, salt, and a healthy sprinkle of white pepper, and roasted it in a preheated 500 degree oven for about 10 minutes.  The white pepper is really the secret ingredient in this dish.  White pepper has a stronger, more pure flavor than black pepper, and it works beautifully with the asparagus.  I served the asparagus unadorned, but it would also be delicious with a squeeze of lemon or a splash of balsamic vinegar.

Enjoy!

On the Table: Peanut Butter Ham

Forget brown sugar, the new greatest glazer for ham is...peanut butter!  I decided to try a new glaze for the Easter ham this year, and I found a fantastically inspiring Paula Deen recipe that included the aforesaid peanut butter.  I made some changes to better suit my personal tastes (for one, I think using Coca-Cola is absolutely essential for ham), and the result is delicious!   Here is how to make it:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Put the ham in a large baking dish.  Cook the ham for approximately 20 minutes per pound, or until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees.  During cooking, spoon some Coca-Cola over the ham every twenty minutes.  If the ham starts to get too browned, cover it with aluminum foil.

While the ham is cooking, prepare the glaze by combining the following: 1/2 of a cup of peanut butter; 2 tablespoons of soy sauce; 2 tablespoons of honey; 1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes; and a splash of Coca-Cola.  Stir well to combine.  During the last twenty minutes of cooking, brush the glaze over the ham with a pastry brush.  Cook, uncovered, until the glaze is set and nicely browned.

Enjoy!

On the Table: Braised Chicken with Fruit and Nuts

Braises are one of my favorite things to make.  They allow all the ingredients to mingle in one pot, and once they get started they require almost no tending.  Tonight, I decided to make braised chicken with fruit and nuts, rather than the traditional vegetables.  It was super easy, and absolutely delicious!  To prepare:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

Coat the bottom of a large ovenproof pot (that has a lid) with canola oil.  Put the pot over medium-high heat. 

When the oil gets hot, add into the pot 6-8 chicken drumsticks (thighs would also be fantastic).  Brown the chicken on all sides.  The chicken should fit into the pot in a single layer; if it doesn't, you can do this step in multiple batches.   

When the chicken is browned, add into the pot the following:  1/3 of a cup red wine (you could use balsamic vinegar if you don't want to use wine); 1/2 of a cup of dried cherries; 1/2 of a cup of dried cranberries; 1/3 of a cup of chopped walnuts; and enough chicken stock to go about 2/3 of the way up the chicken.  Bring the liquid to a simmer, then cover the pot and put it into the preheated oven.  Cook for approximately 45 minutes.

While the chicken is cooking, prepare some rice.

Remove the pot from the oven, and remove the chicken from the pot.  Bring the liquid to a simmer and reduce at least by half to create a sauce.  Season to taste.

Serve and enjoy!

On the Table: Balsamic Kale Pasta

My kale adventures continue!  This fantastic green can really be incorporated into all kinds of dishes, and today I decided to work it into an entree - a pasta dish.  This dish is super easy, and is ready in little more time than it takes to cook the pasta.  Here is goes:

Put a pot of salted water on to boil for the pasta.

Clean half a pound of kale (about half a bunch), strip the leaves from the stems, and tear the leaves into bite-sized pieces.

When the water boils, cook 1/4 of a pound of penne for approximately 9 minutes (you want the pasta to be slightly under-cooked).  When you drain the pasta, reserve 1/2 of a cup of the pasta water.

Coat the bottom of a large saute pan with olive oil and put the pan over medium-high heat.  When the oil gets hot, add the kale into the pan, along with approximately 1/8 of a cup of water.  Cook, stirring, until the kale is just slightly cooked and the liquid has evaporated.

(Look how bright it gets!)

Add into the pan 3 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar.  Stir to coat the kale and allow to cook for a few minutes.  Add the cooked penne into the pan, along with 1/4 of a cup of the pasta water.  Stir to incorporate all ingredients, and cook until the pasta is cooked through.  Add more pasta water if needed.

Serve with parmesan cheese cheese, if desired.  Enjoy!

Find a Farmer's Market Near You!

My favorite time of year is almost here - farmer's market time!  Even though there are a limited number of markets that are open year-round, most of them start opening around this time of year.  Plus, the variety of produce abounds beginning in the spring.  My preference is always to buy produce (and sometimes meat and bread) at the farmer's market, rather than the grocery store.  By choosing the farmer's market, you are not only supporting local farmers, but you also know the produce is fresher (it can be picked when it is actually ripe, rather than being picked and artificially ripened so it looks good by the time it gets to the grocery store), and if you have any questions (about pesticide use, genetically modified products, growth hormones, etc.), you can ask! 

Though I do not use one (yet!), a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program is another great option for purchasing local produce.  When you enroll in a CSA, you pay a set fee and receive periodic (often weekly) deliveries of whatever produce is ripe at that time.

Here are some resources for finding a farmer's market or CSA near you!:

http://www.localharvest.org/

http://apps.ams.usda.gov/FarmersMarkets/

The following two farmer's market networks operate specifically in the DC metro area:

http://www.freshfarmmarket.org/index.html

http://smartmarkets.org/

On the Table: Kale Chips

My current culinary obsession is...kale chips!  For some reason, I have been seeing recipes for them everywhere (at least, on the internet) recently, so I have been doing some experimenting on my own.  I think the whole point is missed, however, when you focus on a specific recipe, because the real beauty of this snack is that it is incredibly versatile.  Once you have mastered the technique (if you can even call it a technique), you can go wild with flavor and seasoning.  Here are the basic steps:

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. 

Clean and dry the kale leaves, and tear them up into bite-size pieces.  You want the pieces to be very dry before you bake them.

 
Spread the pieces in a single layer on a baking sheet.  At this point, you can season the chips however you want.  I have seen lots of recipes in which the chips are drizzled with olive oil, but I actually prefer the the final product when I skip the olive oil.  Today, I made a variety pack, so I sprinkled some chips with olive oil, some with parmesan cheese, some with sriracha, and some with Slap Ya Mama Cajun Seasoning.  You can also just leave the kale plain!  You want to go easy on any seasoning, so as not to overwhelm the taste of the kale.  Here is my sample platter (note the sriracha-flavored chips at the bottom left - only one drop of sriracha per chip!):

Put the baking sheet in the preheated oven and cook for approximately 15 minutes, or until the chips have dried out.  You may want to salt the chips after they come out of the oven (just like potato chips!), though I don't think that is necessary.  Enjoy! 

On the Table: Sour Cream Cabbage

Last night, I knew I wanted to make cabbage for dinner, but I figured cabbage alone was not really a meal, so I took the opportunity to do some more cleaning out of the cabinets.  I ended up with essentially a complete chicken or turkey dinner - but without the chicken or turkey; it included cabbage, cranberry sauce, and stuffing.  I wanted to do something a little different with the (green) cabbage, so I consulted a few cookbooks and came up with a fantastic variation on cooked cabbage.  The recipe for Cabbage in Sour Cream comes from The New York Times Cook Book - the original 1961 edition by Craig Claiborne.  I love cabbage and sour cream separately, and they work beautifully together!  I made a few alterations to the original recipe; here is what I did:

Remove any leaves from the outside of a head of green cabbage that have black spots or insect-bite holes.  Thinly slice the cabbage.  Put a large skillet over medium heat and coat the bottom of the skillet with canola oil.  Add in the cabbage and stir.  Add approximately 1/2 a cup of water to the skillet (you may need more, depending on the size of your pan - you want a small amount of water in the bottom of the pan to generate some steam).  Bring the water to a simmer, cover the pan, and turn down the heat.  Cook until the cabbage is very tender.  At the end of the cooking time, remove the cover from the pan to allow the water to evaporate.  Stir in the following: 1 tablespoon of white sugar; 1 tablespoon of honey; 3 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar; 1 cup of sour cream; a few dashes of nutmeg; and salt and white pepper to taste.  Lightly beat one egg and stir that into the pan as well.  Stir well so that all of the cabbage gets coated in the sauce.  Adjust seasoning.  Cook until the liquid has come just to a simmer, then remove from the heat and serve. 

(Sorry, I don't have a picture today - I guess I was really hungry!)

Enjoy!

In the Neighborhood: Tex-Mex in Del Ray

If you are in the mood for a BIG place of Tex-Mex, you've got to head over to Los Tios Grill in Del Ray (Alexandria).  The restaurant is big, usually packed, and loud, but I think that really just speaks to the popularity of the restaurant.  If it is a weekend (and ESPECIALLY if the weather is nice and you want to eat outside), be prepared to wait for a table.  The bar is large and the drinks are very good, however, so as long as you're mentally prepared to wait, it's not too bad.  The drink that you should not miss is the lemonade (non-alcoholic, so it's fun for the whole family.)  It is made in-house and is probably the best lemonade I have ever had.  Seriously.

The food makes the wait worthwhile.  As soon as you sit down, servers start arriving with chips and salsa.  The chips are fresh-made, and often arrive nice and warm.  The chips and salsa keep coming...so pace yourself!  Entrees are substantial, so try not to fill up on the chips!  The enchiladas are fantastic, and the spinach enchiladas are particularly noteworthy because so many other restaurants don't do them well.  Instead of stringy, cold spinach, the enchiladas at Los Tios are filled with well-cooked spinach that is well incorporated with the cheese.  Meat options are also delicious, and the meat is of good quality.  The chicken enchiladas might be my favorite option.  The chili rellenos are delicious, though on my last trip the batter was overly dense.  I really liked the tamals, though my dining partner was not a huge fan.  There was a wonderful spice note that I could not identify; it reminded me of Christmas (cloves, maybe?).  The accompaniments on the platters are fantastic (and extensive).  Platters come with beans and rice, sour cream, guacamole, and pico do gallo.  The beans and rice are particularly noteworthy: the beans are beautifully cooked, but still resemble beans, rather than a shapeless blob, and the rice includes pieces of carrots and corn - no bland white rice here! 

In addition to Tex-Mex favorites, Los Tios also features a large selection of Salvadorean dishes.  I seem to always be in the mood for Tex-Mex when I go there, but the huge menu means there is something for everyone!

In the Neighborhood: Brunch in Dupont

Eating breakfast out on a weekday is a fantastic treat, but finding good sit-down options can be challenging.  There are plenty of restaurants open for breakfast and brunch on the weekend, but few carry their a.m. enthusiasm through the week.  Hotel restaurants tend to hold the most promise, and the Tabard Inn in particular fulfills that promise.  The hotel is a tiny little building that you could easily walk right past; the lobby is very quaint (you have to walk through the lobby and a little sitting room to get to the restaurant); and the restaurant is likewise tiny and charming.  There is a bar, a small dining area, and a patio that looks fantastic - it was a bit chilly at breakfast time, but it looked like they were setting up the patio for later today; it is shaping up to be a beautiful day! 

The service was pretty slow (and my dining companion's cappuccino arrived cold, which was unfortunate), but the food more than made up for the wait.  I had an omelette with goat cheese and mushrooms and my dining partner had an egg white omelette with goat cheese, spinach, and tomato.  Both dishes were delicious.  The accompanying toast comes with a delightful raspberry jam, which has no seeds and the consistency of barbeque sauce - it sounds weird, but it was so good I could have eaten it with a spoon.  We also tried the applewood smoked bacon, which was fantastic - nice and thick and crispy without being burnt.

It can take weeks to get a weekend brunch reservation at the Tabard Inn, but it might be worth planning a little mid-week indulgence and going for the weekday breakfast!

On the Table: Sausage and Corn Bread Skillet

Last night, I wanted to make something for dinner that included sweet Italian sausage, since I had some in the fridge.  I originally started thinking along the lines of pasta, but then I remembered I had some corn meal that has been in the cabinet for a while; as part of my ongoing effort to clean out the cabinets, I thought maybe I could use the sausage and corn meal together.  The corn meal package (House-Autry brand) has a recipe on the back for Skillet Corn Bread, so I decided to use that as a jumping-off point for some experimentation.  The results were delicious!  It is substantial enough to stand alone as a main course, but if you want to have a really meat-tastic meal, this would be a great alternative to traditional corn bread that you could serve with chili.  Whichever you choose, make sure you save some leftovers, because it tastes pretty darn good the next day!  To prepare:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Finely dice half a yellow onion.  Put a large skillet (mine is 12 inches in diameter) over medium-high heat, and add enough canola oil to coat the bottom of the pan.  When the oil gets hot, add in the onions and turn the heat down to medium.  Cook for a few minutes, until the onions are translucent.  Remove the casing from half a pound of sweet Italian sausage and add it to the pan, breaking it up with a wooden spoon.  Continue cooking until the sausage is cooked through.  Remove from heat.

(You can do the following step while the sausage is cooking.)  In a large mixing bowl, combine the following: 2 cups of plain yellow corn meal; 1/2 cup of all purpose flour; 1 tablespoon of sugar; 1 teaspoon of salt; 1 tablespoon of baking powder; 1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper; 1/4 teaspoon of ground ginger; and 1/4 teaspoon of ground mustard.  Add two eggs to the bowl, and use a fork to incorporate them into the rest of the ingredients.  Add two cups of milk, and use a fork to incorporate; the mixture should have the consistency of a fairly thick battter. 

Add the batter into the skillet, and stir to incorporate the sausage and onion; all ingredients should be well-distributed throughout the pan.

Put the skillet (uncovered) in the preheated oven and cook for approximately 15 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the middle of the bread comes out clean.

Serve with sour cream and hot sauce - yum!  (and maybe some vegetables on the side).

Enjoy!

Off the Shelf: Novel Meets Cookbook

Despite the chick-lit cover, this book is all about the food.  That would be my synopsis of Amanda Hesser's book Cooking for Mr. Latte. 

The book draws from columns Hesser wrote while at the New York Times, and recounts her relationship with her (now) husband, from their first date through their wedding.  The story is presented as a series of vignettes, each of which involves some sort of meal and concludes with recipes related to that meal.  The love story is interesting, particularly considering that "Mr. Latte" (so called because he had the audacity to order lattes after dinner) started out with considerably less interest in food than Hesser has.  However, the prose also provides a telling look into Hesser's culinary aesthetic.  She seems to truly embrace food without pretension, and she praises fresh, largely-unadulturated food in equal measure with the most technically complex dishes.

The recipes accompanying each vignette are the true highlight of the book.  Some chapters provide essentially an entire menu for a particular type of party, while others include just one or two featured recipes.  Many of the recipes are suitable for dinner parties, so they are not labor-intensive or can be made ahead of time, though there are some recipes that involve marathon cooking sessions.  Hesser's culinary expressions seems most pure when she presents recipes that involve careful seasoning to accentuate ripe fruits and vegetables; she seems to abide by the premise that less intervention often produces the best results.  I would recommend this book for the recipes, even if the reader has no interest in the accompanying prose.

On the Table: Awesome Braised Chicken

Most of my recipes use pretty common ingredients and are not reliant on a specific brand of product.  Last night I made a braised chicken dish, however, that is inextricably tied to this product:

The name is very accurate.  It is awesome, and it is sauce.  Bigg Riggs Farm is a seller at the local farmers market (which sadly does not start until May - no worries though, I loaded up on sauces last year), and Awesome Sauce is just one of the sauces, jams, and other products they sell (in addition to fresh produce).  (I checked out their website this morning and apparently their products are also sold at local Whole Foods locations.  I was super excited to learn that I can stock up year-round.)  The Awesome Sauce has the creaminess of a thin ranch dressing, and it initially coats your mouth like dressing, but then you get a great pop of flavor.  It has a spicy finish, but is not overwhelming.  It gave the chicken an incredible flavor.

To make the braised chicken:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.  Coat the bottom of an oven-proof pot with canola oil and put it over medium-high heat.  The pot should be just big enough that the chicken will fit in a single layer.  When the oil gets hot, pat dry the chicken pieces (I used two thighs and two drumsticks) and put them in the pot in a single layer.  Turn the pieces as needed so the chicken browns on all sides.  When the chicken is browned, add to the pot 1/2 cup of dry white wine and enough Awesome Sauce to come about 2/3 of the way up the chicken (I used about 6 ounces, but the amount will really depend on the size of your pot).  When the liquid comes to a simmer, cover the pot and put it in the preheated oven.  Cook for about 1-1.25 hours, or until the chicken is cooked through and very tender.  While the chicken is cooking, prepare rice as an accompaniment - you are going to want it to soak up the sauce!

Sadly, I do not have a picture of the finished dish - I was about halfway done eating before I even thought of taking a picture.  Yes, it is that good.  Enjoy!

If you are interested, you can learn about Bigg Riggs farm here:  http://www.biggriggsfarm.com/index.html

On the Table: Curried Cabbage

I had planned to make braised cabbage one day last week but it never seemed to go with anything else I was making, so last night I decided to try something a little different with the red cabbage.  I started experimenting with a dish that could still use a little refinement, but I am going to share it anyway because (1) it still tasted good and (2) y'all could do some experimenting with it on your own!  Specifically, I think the proportions of the spices may need to be adjusted.  To prepare:

Take half a head of red cabbage and cut it in half again, through the stem.  Thinly slice the quarters.  Coat the bottom of a large skillet with canola oil and put it over medium heat.  When the oil gets warm, add in 3/4 teaspoon of cumin, 3/4 teaspoon of coriander, and 1/2 teaspoon of celery seed.  Allow the spices to cook for just 1-2 minutes.  The spices should start to get fragrant (but don't let them cook too long or they will burn!).  Add the sliced cabbage to the pan and stir well.  Add in 1/8 teaspoon of nutmeg, 1/4 teaspoon of salt, and a dash of black pepper.  Cook for about 5 minutes, or until the cabbage starts to soften, stirring often.  Add to the pan 6 ounces of plain yogurt and 2/3 of a cup of rice milk.  Stir well.  Cover the pan and turn the heat down to low, and allow to cook for about 20 minutes, or until the cabbage is tender.  Remove the lid and allow to cook for about 15 more minutes, or until most of the liquid has evaporated.  Taste and adjust seasoning.

For an extra treat, toss in a handful of raisins during the last 15 minutes of cooking.  The raisins provide a nice contrast to the cabbage and spices.

Enjoy!

In the Neighborhood: BBQ in DC (and MD, and VA)

For the best BBQ in the (DC) area, you've got to go to Rocklands.  I always go for a pulled pork (they call it chopped pork) sandwich, but the beef brisket is also delicious.  The BBQ chicken is also very good...and that's about all I can say about the meats.  I haven't tried the others.  Really, it is impressive that I ever made it past the pork.  As for the sides, Rocklands offers pretty standard BBQ options, and they are done very well.  The Texas corn pudding is their specialty, and it is very good.  The collard greens (I love green leafy vegetables!) are respectable (though sadly not as good as those at many Southern restaurants, they will satisfy your craving).  The side that is not to be missed, however, is the mac and cheese.  I have left many restaurants disappointed that the mac and cheese was not better than the version I make at home.  But this is not one of those restaurants.  Condiments abound at Rocklands; there is plenty of extra BBQ sauce, should you find yourself needing more (you probably won't NEED it, but you'll want it!), as well as a healthy selection of hot sauces, in case you want to amp up the spice. 

Last night was my first time visiting the Rocklands in DC (it is in Glover Park, and it is actually the original location), and any potential future visitors should be forewarned that it is very small.  The location in Arlington (the one that got me hooked!) is bigger and offers a lot more seating, so that is something to keep in mind if you are looking for a (very casual) sit-down meal, and especially if you have a large group.  Rocklands also has restaurants in Rockville, MD, and Alexandria, VA, and all of the locations offer take-out, so you can enjoy the experience at home as well!

On the Table: Onion and Mushroom Quesadillas

Quesadillas are one of my go-to foods because they are just so easy to make.  In desperate (and time-crunched) situations, just put some grated cheese in a tortilla, fold it in half, microwave for 45 second, and eat.  However, I think the quesadilla also provides a great canvass for experimentation, and with a little time and creativity, you can get some awesome results.  Last night I made quesadillas filled with sweet balsamic onions and sauteed mushrooms, and the quesadillas were both delicious and filling enough for a meal.  (A side note: if you are not super crunched for time, I would highly recommend the oven rather than the microwave.  The oven doesn't take THAT long, and the results are much better.)

To prepare (amounts given will produce two quesadillas):

Prepare the Sauteed Mushrooms

Clean and thinly slice 1/4 of a pound of mushrooms.  Coat the bottom of a large frying pan with canola oil and put it over medium heat.  When the oil gets warm, add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occassionally, until tender.  Season to taste.  Set aside the mushrooms.

Prepare the Sweet Balsamic Onions

Thinly slice one small white onion.  Coat the bottom of a large frying pan with canola oil and put over medium heat (you can use the same pan as for the mushrooms, to reduce the number of dirty pots and pans).  When the oil gets warm, add the onions and cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are tender.  When the onions start to get translucent, add in 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar, 2 tablespoons of brown sugar, and salt to taste.  Stir until the sugar and vinegar fully coat the onions (you may need to add more vinegar, if the sugar doesn't entirely dissolve).  Cook until any excess liquid has evaporated.

Prepare the Quesadillas

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grate 1/4 of a pound of cheddar cheese (or the cheese of your choice).

On a baking sheet, arrange two 8" tortillas (I use flour tortillas, but you could certainly use corn or whole wheat).  On each tortilla, arrange half of the cheese, onions, and mushrooms. 

If you want to make sure the quesadilla gets sealed closed, you can split the cheese between the bottom and top of the stack.  (I always eat mine with a fork and knife, so that wasn't as much of a concern.  However, if you wanted to cut up the quesadillas and serve them as appetizers, for example, I would recommend splitting the cheese.)  Top with another tortilla.  Bake in the preheated oven for about 10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted.  Serve with your favorite toppings.

Enjoy!

On the Table: Braised Kale with Raisins

I love love love green leafy vegetables (spinach, collard greens...really any of them), and as a bonus they are REALLY good for you.  I picked up some kale at the grocery store and decided to try a little twist on basic braised kale.  Raisins give this dish a great little hint of sweetness that balances out the slightly bitter kale and the nice acidic vinegar; the raisins also partially rehydrate during cooking, so the nice plump raisins provide a textural contrast to the still-somewhat-crisp kale.  To prepare:

De-stem and clean one big bunch of kale.  To get the leaves off the stems, (if you are right handed) hold the stem steady in your left hand, and pull your right hand along the stem to strip off the leaves (if you are left handed, reverse the hands in these instructions).  Put the leaves into a collander and rinse them well, and throw away any pieces that are discolored or mushy.  Tear the leaves into bite-sized pieces.  You can use a knife to cut them up, but I think it is easier to just use your hands since the leaves tear really easily. 

Finely chop three medium slized garlic cloves.  Thinly coat the bottom of a large skillet with canola oil and put it over medium heat.  When the oil gets warm, add the garlic to the pan and allow it to cook for just a few minutes, stirring frequently (garlic burns REALLY easily so be careful - if it starts to brown, turn down the heat!).  When the garlic is nice and aromatic, add the kale to the pan.  Also add 1/2 cup of apple cider vinegar, 1 cup of chicken stock (or vegetable stock, to keep the dish vegetarian or vegan), about 1/4 cup of raisins (or more, if you really like raisins!), a healthy dash of salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper.  Stir the kale so all of it gets exposed to the liquid (tongs would be good for this step - just flip over bunches of the kale), and when the liquid comes to a simmer, cover the pan and turn the heat down to low.  Allow the kale to cook for about 20 minutes, or until the kale is tender but still retains some body.  Taste and adjust seasoning.

Enjoy!

On the Table: Glazed Chicken Drumsticks

For the past few days, I have been wanting to experiment with homemade chicken wings.  Chicken drumsticks were on sale at the grocery store, however, so I decided to give those a try instead.  I figured they would be pretty similar to wings, though they might take a bit longer to cook (and honestly, I think it is easier to get the meat off a drumstick than a wing).  I made a seasoning mixture and used it to glaze the drumsticks during cooking.  The drumsticks were a distant, but equally delicious, cousin to chicken wings!  To prepare:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a medium sized bowl, whisk together: 1/4 cup of canola oil; 1/4 cup of apple cider vinegar; 1/8 cup of honey; 1/2 teaspoon of salt; 2 teaspoons of sriracha; 2 teaspoons of spicy brown mustard; 1 teaspoon of soy sayce; and 1 teaspoon of worcestershire sauce.  Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.  Arrange 4-6 chicken drumsticks in a baking dish and spoon about half of the mixture over the chicken.  Bake in the preheated oven for about one hour, or until the drumsticks are cooked through.  Every 15 minutes during cooking, spoon another layer of the seasoning mixture over the chicken.

(I really should have wiped off the plate before taking this picture...)

Another option when preparing the chicken would be to marinate the chicken in the seasoning mixture for an hour or two before cooking it.  I served the chicken over rice.

Enjoy!

On the Table: Chickpeas and Chilis

For the past few weeks, I have been on a mission to clean out the fridge, freezer, and cabinets.  I like to keep my kitchen well-stocked so that I have plenty of ingredients on hand for experimenting.  Recently, however, I have not only been running out of space, but also noticing that there are definitely some products that have been hanging around for a while.  I have been making a concerted effort to use them (even frozen and canned goods expire eventually!). 

I love making hummus from scratch, but it seems that I went a little overboard in terms of stockpiling ingredients; today I decided to find an alternative use for some of the chickpeas (also called garbanzo beans) I had in the cabinet.  Whenever I visit the kabob restaurant down the street (I will post a review one day!), I love getting their chickpea dish, so I decided to experiment with leaving the chickpeas whole and cooking and seasoning them as a side dish.  The result was less Afghan and more Tex-Mex/Indian fusion, but it was delicious nonetheless! 

In preparing this dish, I managed to rid my fridge and cabinet of: a can of chickpeas/garbanzo beans; one small white onion; and some diced green chilis leftover from making (ironically) spicy hummus a while ago.

To prepare the chickpeas:

Small dice one small white onion.  Rough chop one large clove of garlic or three small cloves of garlic.  Drain a (15.5 oz) can of chickpeas.  To a large frying pan over medium heat, add enough canola oil to thinly coat the bottom of the pan (about 1-1.5 tablespoons). 

When the oil is warm, add the onions.  Stir frequently, and when the onions get tender, add the garlic.  Allow to cook for just a few minutes (you don't want the garlic to burn!), then add the chickpeas and half a cup of diced green chilis.  To the pan, add about 1.5 cups of stock (I used chicken stock since I had some in the fridge, but you can certainly use vegetable stock if you want to keep the recipe vegetarian or vegan); 1/4 teaspoon of cumin; 1/4 teaspoon of coriander; 1/8 teaspoon of ground ginger; 1 teaspoon of garam masala; and 1/4 teaspoon of salt.  Cover the pan, turn down the heat to low, and allow to cook for about one hour or until the chickpeas are tender but not mushy. 

Throughout the cooking time, you will want to check the chickpeas - you may need to add more stock (there needs to be enough liquid in the pan to keep the chickpeas from sticking and burning!).  When the chickpeas are cooked through, remove the lid, adjust the seasoning, and allow the liquid to cook down, if there is too much left in the pan.  Finish with a squeeze of lemon juice.

Enjoy!

Off the Shelf: Costumes and Criticism

Over the weekend, I finished reading Ruth Reichl's Garlic and Sapphires: The Secret Life of a Critic in Disguise, and the speed with which I finished it is really a testament to the fact that I couldn't put it down.  I picked up the book thinking it would be a quick, fun read after finishing The Taste of Place, which was fairly dense and academic.  Well, Garlic and Sapphires was both quick and fun to read, but it turned out to be much more than that. 

Ruth Reichl was the restaurant critic at the New York Times for much of the 1990s, and went on to become the Editor in Chief of the now-defunct Gourmet magazine.  She also has written a number of books; Garlic and Sapphires focuses mainly on her tenure at the New York Times.  Reichl writes about the lengths to which she went to disguise herself while dining out, and the alter-egos she devised are impressively complex.  In addition to donning wigs and costumes, she developed back-stories and full personalities for herself.  These disguises allowed her to experience restaurants as "everywoman" would, since she almost invariably received significantly better food and better treatment when she was recognized at a restaurant.  Her experiences in a restaurant both as herself and incognita would inform her ultimate review. 

Costuming became more than just a way to do her job better, however, and in some ways the book becomes a sociological and psychological study.  In developing and living as different personalities, Reichl experiences firsthand the differing treatment that different types of people (women, specifically) receive from society at large.  Furthermore, it is fascinating the extent to which donning a costume allows her to express previously hidden aspects of her personality.  It seemed that wearing a disguise changed her behavior, almost without her having to consciously think about it.

Finally, the book reveals Reichl's inner (and in some cases external) struggle with her own profession.  At some points, she considered herself a sell-out for getting paid to eat in and write about extremely expensive restaurants, in a world where so few people can actually afford to eat in those types of establishments.  She also consciously focused on smaller restaurants and ethnic restaurants, in addition to the restaurants that she was "expected" to review, and this approach won her some critics.  Her use of disguises allowed her to experience restaurants as (most of) her readers would, and it seems that Reichl in some ways viewed herself as the "protector" of the everyman; she wanted to endorse restaurants at which everyone would be treated well and receive good food. 

The narrative in the book is interspersed with some of Reichl's restaurant reviews from the Times, along with her own recipes.  It is a joy to read, and gives an entertaining and informative look into the life of one of America's foremost arbiters of food.

(Used) Books, Books, Books: Coming up this Week!

For book (and cookbook!) lovers alike, this coming week is very exciting!  There are used book sales happening on both sides of the Potomac.  The Friends of the Arlington Public Library Book Sale runs from April 7-10 (Thursday - Sunday) and the Stone Ridge Book Sale in Bethesda runs from April 8-11 (Friday - Monday).  Check early if you are looking for must-haves, but both sales also offer great deals on their last days.  I am a huge fan of used books, and this week is a great time to stock up on some reading material (and cookbooks!)

You can find more information about the book sales here:

http://arlingtonvalib.blogspot.com/search/label/Friends%20Sale

http://www.stoneridgebooksale.org/

In the Neighborhood: Thai in Westover

In trying to decide where to eat this evening, I started craving something crunchy and spicy.  Spicy, like I wouldn't be able to taste anything for two days.  In retrospect, I think my mind may have been...exaggerating on that last point.  I'm glad my dinner wasn't that hot.  Anyway, given my fairly specific craving, I started thinking "duck" and "Thai."  Also, I wanted to try someplace new.  Crystal City and Columbia Pike both have some great Thai restaurants, but I was kind of just looking for a change of scenery (but without having to go too far!).  A little research led us to Thai Noy in Arlington's Westover neighborhood, and it turned out to be a fabulous choice.  The restaurant is tucked away in the same little shopping area as Lost Dog Cafe (also a great restaurant).  We dined early, so I think we beat the crowds.  There was parking available on the street, and the restaurant was only about a quarter full. 

Walking into the restaurant was incredibly relaxing.  The interior is cozy yet beautiful, and it was fairly quiet.  The menu is pretty extensive; it includes standards such as Pad Thai and a variety of curries, as well as some items that were new to me.  We ordered the crispy rolls as an appetizer, and they came out so quickly that I had to wonder about their freshness.  They were respectable though; they were nice and crunchy, and enough to take the edge off our hunger so we could enjoy our entrees.  I ordered the Duck Chu Chee (crispy! and spicy!) and my dining partner had the Wild Boar Basil.  The duck was delicious.  The fat had been nicely rendered and the skin was nice and crispy.  Most of the spice was in the sauce, and it was not nearly as hot as I had anticipated (or hoped?) - the spice was pleasant without being overwhelming, and could be controlled by varying the amount of sauce in each bite.  Overall, the dish really hit the spot.  The Wild Boar Basil was not nearly as exciting as the name would imply (it was pork, not boar), but delicious nonetheless.  The pork was a little overcooked (it was cut into thin stir-fry-style strips, which would be super easy to overcook), but overall the dish was delicious.  It had three chili peppers on the menu (the spiciest classification), but was not overwhelmingly spicy at all.  Both dishes did a very good job of using spice to enhance the flavor of the dish, rather than to mask it.  That being said, in the future I would consider asking them to amp up the spice just a little. 

Throughout the meal, people were coming in to get take-out orders, so I would image this place is pretty popular with people living in the neighborhood.  They are lucky to have it, and I definitely think it would be worth a trip back in the future!

In the Neighborhood: Beachy Bar Food in Crystal City

On a cold and dreary night (like last night), the flourescent frontage of Freddie's Beach Bar & Restaurant is a welcome sight.  The menu is much more extensive than most bar offerings (it offers pastas, salads, and full entrees in addition to the usual sandwiches, burgers, and appetizers), and the food is pretty decent.  Last night our party went fish-heavy.  I had a salmon burger; I was surprised that a bar offered a salmon burger, but it was good!  I also got some tastes of the fish and chips, which were respectable - the fish was flaky and the coating was crisp, with a salty bite, and the fries were the nice thick-but-not-too-thick kind.  Salt seems to have been a challenge for the restaurant (last time I went, I had fajitas that were so salty I was unable to finish the dish - and it is RARE for me not to clean my plate), but seasoning seems to have been less of an issue this time.  Plus, salt keeps you drinking, right?  Which brings us to the real reason to visit Freddie's - the drinks! 

They have a decent selection of beers and some wines, but the real treat is the cocktails.  They tend to be (a) very colorful and (b) very strong.  The Green Monkey was sweet, with just enough coconut flavor to be refreshing without being overwhelming; the Rum Rita was SOUR, but somehow irresistable!  In a welcome change from many bars, the cocktail menu actually lists the ingredients in each (cleverly-named) drink, so you know what you will be drinking. 

No matter whether you stop in for drinks or food, be sure to stick around for karaoke.  Some of the performers are pretty hardcore (is there a professional karaoke league anywhere?) and really good (one guy sounded just like Nathan Lane).  However, the crowd is very supportive, so even newbies are welcome to rock out!