Chris Can Cook

Have yourself a merry jar of pie filling?

Chriscancook — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 06:06:52 GMT

Oh joy of preholiday baking joys! The King Arthur Flour mail order drool fest came in my mailbox today. My mom and I spent some time paging through it together, playing "I want this" with the different baking pans and flavorings. Sure, a lot of the ready made cakes and cookies are over priced, but it's always fun to look. A few more pages in, and we hit the lazy from scratch cook jackpot - pecan pie filling in a jar.

Yes, this jar costs more than the gas and ingredients you would need to make your own pecan pie, but this isn't all that bugs me about this product. Ladies, pecan pie filliing is simple, heck, I usually don't even measure some of the ingredients, just mix and bake. But by King Arthur selling this product, they are telling their shoppers that no, you don't have the ability to make this yourself, and because this product sells we.are.believing.them.

Are you serious? A company that markets how many different types of breadmakers and specialty flours wants to try to belittle my baking confidence? Doesn't add up - I apparently have the pastry fortitude to make my own whole grain breads from scratch using Italian bread pans, yet cannot put pecan pie filling together (But I do have the ability to bake it myself. I feel better now.)

I have more respect for people who patronize a good local bakery and buy a pie than try to pass this dessert off as homemade. Honesty, especially with baked goods, is always the best policy. At least person A isn't sitting on the fence of store bought and made it myself. No shades of gray in pie!

Just say no to ready made over priced processed products. Get out the brown sugar and eggs and make your own pie filling. This isn't rocket science, this is classic Americana being sold to you in a jar, shipping and handling not included. Really want to stick it to the proverbial man? How about sticking this on your dining table and then your mouth this holiday season?

Classic Pecan Pie

Enough pie crust dough to line the bottom of your favorite pie pan

1 C brown sugar (dark is best, or add in 1 Tbsp molasses to light brown)

2 eggs

2 oz melted butter, unsalted

1 tsp salt

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/2 C pecans

Mix all, pour the filling into the unbaked pie shell. Bake at 350 for 30-45 minutes or until top is set and amber brown. Cool at room temperature and serve with whipped cream, ice cream, egg nog, you get the idea.

See? Was that really that hard, King Arthur?

The empty chair has my thoughts

Chriscancook — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 04:31:39 GMT

I recently had the joy of spending a week in the Chianti region of Italy on a scholarship from Women Chefs and Restauranteurs; it was my first real vacation in close to 2 years. The food was amazing, the cooking classes I took were so much fun and my pictures can't do the landscape justice. Other than the culinary aspects of my adventure, what made the journey exciting was being completely on my own in a beautiful country. It was me, directionally challenged me, and the little Fiat that could an hour from Florence.

Prior to the trip, I was pretty shy, the type of person who prefered the drive thru to sitting by herself in a restaurant if I was out and about and in need of food. The only issue? Italy doesn't exactly support the grab and go meal in many cases and I was getting hungry prior to my first class. So what's a self respecting gal on a culinary adventure to do? Thankfully, my passion for amazing food trumped my nerves of sitting alone and I shyly walked into the first restaurant that caught my eye.

Despite my trying to greet the host in Italian, he responded in English, so much for trying to get away with passing for a local. When I asked for a table for "just me," he smiled and jokingly admonished me for the word "just." I had nothing to be ashamed of; I might have been a single person, but I was still a polite and paying guest.

Despite a few odd looks from the other diners, my lunch was a wonderful experience. The service was attentive and my glass of chianti was a perfect compliment to my ricotta and spinach ravioli with truffle cream sauce. To think I could have missed out on such a tasty dish simply because I was nervous about eating by myself!

I repeated the experience later in the week at other restaurants in the area. I actually looked forward to treating myself by myself. At an outdoor cafe, I lingered over my vegetarian lasagne and watched a street performer for as long as I wanted. No one to rush me! Interestingly enough, I was able to observe some of the other diners. Some of them looked at my single eater status and probably thought I was crazy; others looked at their companions and most likely thought they were crazy.

My last night there, I did three courses at one of the nicer outdoor restaurants in Radda, the small town where I was renting a room. My meal, including wine and coffee, took almost two hours and cost me a little less than a week's paycheck. The food was delicious and so was the company.

So, dear readers, here is my challenge. Go out and eat a multi course meal by yourself in a restaurant with real silverware, respectable service, and food you have been itching to try. You have nothing to feel ashamed of and no reason to rush. Order the food you want and tip nicely if the service warrents it. Indulge in a good glass of your favorite drink and your own company. After all, if you can't enjoy it, how can anyone else?

Waste Not, Eat Ice Cream

Chriscancook — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 16:02:38 GMT

One of the fun aspects of my line of work is the chance to be creative. Sometimes, creativity comes out of excess, a forced creation, if you will. There's a case of peaches in the fridge, use 'em! Sometimes, the way to best use a product before it turns are obvious. Other times, a bit more mental leg work is needed.

Not too long ago, I was the recipient of a case of mint. Yes, a case. 2.2 pounds of the fresh herb, more than I could possibly use as garnish before it started to turn black. Me being me, the first place I turned was my ice cream freezer.

The additions of mint at different stages of making the ice cream really makes the flavor pop. Be sure to strain the base before freezing it. Add one cup of chocolate chips if you're into that sort of thing.

Fresh Mint Ice Cream

1 qt heavy cream

2 C whole milk

12 egg yolks (use the whites for angel food cake, breakfast, etc)

2 C sugar

1 Tbsp creme de menthe

10 sprigs, plus 2 Tbsp finely minced mint

In a large sauce pan, heat the cream, milk, 1 C of sugar and 5 sprigs of mint until barely simmering. Mix the yolks, remaining sugar and creme de menthe until well blended. Slowly add the warm cream mixture to the yolks, mixing constantly. Add the remaining mint sprigs, reserving the minced mint. Allow the base to cool over ice for at least 45 minutes. Strain, add the minced mint, and freeze in your ice cream freezer according to instructions. If desired, add 1 C chocolate chips or finely chopped chocolate (milk works well). Freeze for at least an hour and enjoy.

Frites d'Aubergine

Chriscancook — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 01:51:21 GMT

Or, simply put, a way to turn extra eggplant into an insanely addictive party nibble or side. Serve these with any type of dipping sauce that you would use for French fries and get ready to rethink eggplant!

2 medium size eggplants

1/3 C Kosher salt

Using a mandoline or very sharp chef's knife, slice the eggplant into fries 2 inches long and 1/4 inch square. Removing the skin is optional; I prefer to leave it on. Avoid cutting into the seeded middle of the eggplant.

In a colander placed in your sink, toss the fries with the salt and allow to drain for at least 30 minutes. Once the time has elapsed, dry the fries on paper towels, removing as much moisture as possible. No further salt will be needed.

Blend 1 C of Bisquick (I use the Heart Smart type, but use whatever you have on hand) with 2 C of water and 1Tbsp dried Italian seasoning to create a batter.

Heat 1/2 C vegetable oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Toss the eggplant with the batter and fry in small batches until golden brown on all sides. Drain in a single layer on paper towels.

These are amazing with sweet and sour sauce, but feel free to use tomato sauce, pesto, garlic mayo, ketchup, honey mustard, you get the idea. Unlike traditional fries, these eggplant lovelies are also tasty at room temperature.

This will also work well with summer squash, sweet potatoes or onion slices.

Ladies Home Safety

Chriscancook — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 19:37:14 GMT

I'm not a mother in any way, shape, or form, but the advice from Ladies Home Journal's latest issue on how to economically pack a child's lunch has raised some flags with me. What LHJ suggests might save you a few pennies on the actual food, but could cost you in doctor bills. This also applies to anyone who brown bags and does not have access to proper refrigeration.

First, a Thermos should never be used for anything other than liquids that were heated or chilled to a safe temperature and are going to be consumed within 2-4 hours. The liquid stays in contact with the sides of the container at all times, allowing the plastic to maintain the temperature. LHJ writes about sending your child off to school with chicken fingers in a Thermos. The irregular shapes of the chicken fingers make it impossible for full contact with the sides of the container. The air between the chicken pieces also stays at a cooler temperature. Combine this with the insulating properties of the average elementary school locker, and you've got a recipe for lukewarm poultry and a potential disaster. Sure, the bulk buy bag of processed chicken may be cheaper than a school lunch or certain brown bag sandwiches, but this is not the way to save.

Another idea that needs to be blasted from the drawing board is the use of frozen bread as an ice pack. LHJ says that making a sandwich on frozen whole wheat instead of room temperature bread will keep the entire meal cold enough until the bread defrosts around lunch time. First off, frozen bread takes maybe 15 minutes to defrost, a far cry from the lunch bell. Bulk buying bread on sale and freezing it is a good way to save if you have the freezer space and go through 2 or more loaves a week. But trying to use two paltry pieces of bread to keep a lunch bag at a safe temperature is impossible. Before your child starts his or her first class, that bread's defrosted and sending come as you are invites to any germ in range.

Always play it safe when it comes to food and I would be happy to answer any food safety related questions!

Have Blender, Will Travel

Chriscancook — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 23:19:03 GMT

As the weather heats up and the humidity leaves me with a weeks' worth of bad hair days, I'm making more frozen desserts. Ice creams generally require sticking to a recipe, but for sorbets? A simple ratio can give you the freedom to exercise those creative muscles.

Simple Syrup

2 C sugar

2 C Water

Bring to a boil in a large sauce pan, stir as needed to dissolve the sugar. Cool to room temperature.

Add in 2 C of your favorite fruit puree and freeze according to the instructions on your handy dandy ice cream freezer. But, the question is, what kind of fruit puree? Oh, so many options!

Sure, you can stick to the basics, strained raspberries, mango, banana (as creamy as ice cream!), but summer's bounty leaves me wanting a bit more.

Strawberry Basil Sorbet

Puree 2 qts of fresh strawberries in a blender or food processor. Add in 5 basil leaves and puree again. Strain to remove seeds and proceed with the recipe above.

Red Wine Blackberry Sorbet

Reduce 1 C of a medium bodied red wine to 1/2 C in a sauce pan. Feel free to use an inexpensive blend wine - Luna di Luna works well for this. Add in 4 C of blackberries and allow the berries to mascerate for 1-2 hours. Puree, strain, and make sorbet.

Repeat with peaches and riesling!

One thing to keep in mind: Most sorbets are healthier than ice creams. The rule breaker? Coconut! One serving of coconut milk has 47% of the daily recommended amount of saturated fat. Coconut milk does make an amazingly creamy sorbet, but if you're counting calories, augment your bowl with some fresh fruit or a few scoops of pineapple sorbet.

Some words for my younger sister

Chriscancook — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 03:32:57 GMT

Dear stupid neighbors,

I'm sure you've noticed by now that I have a dog. Unlike you, Lucky is a kind, compassionate soul who would never think of harming anyone. Considering that you also own pets, I am shocked that you thought shooting off fireworks was a good idea tonight. Maybe I'm feeding Ultra Calm Biscuits to the wrong party. Just a thought. ~Chris

On behalf of those who are unable to speak for themselves, mostly because they are too busy cowering in a dark basement, under a stuffy bed, or kitchen table, I am asking you all to consider your 4th of July celebrations. Enjoy your BBQ's, wear your sunscreen, but please, take it easy with the fireworks, especially if you live in a pet-populated suburban area. The shiny explosives aren't too good for you, either.

Getting to Know You

Chriscancook — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 03:22:44 GMT

A few weeks ago, I was lucky enough to have lunch with one of my dearest friends from college. Getting the chance to see her in person is always a spur of the moment undertaking. We're both in the restaurant industry and always susceptible to last minute schedule changes. That party cancelled, take today off and come in tomorrow instead. Someone got sick, can you be here in an hour? Ping pong schedules have made me appreciate the solidity of the relationships I have all the more.

During lunch, my friend mentioned something that I've been pondering since she said it. "You never really know someone until you have a meal with them."

There are many ways to complete the sentence "You never really know someone until you..." Live with them, go through their iPod, and get lost on a dark dessert highway with cool wind in your hair come to mind. But eat a meal? I think she's spot on with this.

Beer and chips in front of a tv do not count as this type of meal, nor does anything you consumed while driving. The meal need not be expensive, extravagent, or even a full plate of food. In retrospect, many of the times I have learned the most about my dining companion have been over the humblest repasts. A split mug of tea and homemade zucchini bread on the floor of a dorm room, Taco Bell in a mall food court during a crazy snow storm in upstate New York, sushi in the middle of nowhere, PA. This conversation took place over a delicious lunch at one of Jersey's best restaurants, but could have happened over PBJ, like it did when we were roommates.

So what is it about a meal that brings out the best or worst in people? Is there something about the deliberate and purposeful consumption of food that shows us at our true selves?

Table manners first come to mind. Obviously, one learns the level of sophistication of her dining companion, but it goes beyond chewing with a closed mouth. Are the dainty bites she's taking natural? The jerky movements she makes indicate nerves, but is it the food, the atmosphere, or something deeper that's causing them? Does he feel comfortable enough with me to order that full rack of baby back ribs even though he knows I'm a vegetarian? Does he believe me when I say I won't judge him as long as he keeps away from my sweet potato fries? 1 word: napkin. You take it from there.

I've learned so much about the people in my life during natural meal pauses as well. When there are minimal outside distractions, can someone be comfortable in silence? I've had dates at fancy restaurants where I've paused because I had nothing to say. I've had homecooked meals where I've paused because I wanted so much for my next words to count. Even new friends can feel like old friends when the pauses are natural.

I can't tell you what foods or what atmospheres will get anyone to open up, but I can promise one thing. When you focus on the meal and have only the person in front of you as entertainment, wonderfully tragic and amazingly beautiful surprises happen. The loud classmate who was always such fun at the dive bar suddenly becomes a bore. The quiet coworker has millions of life stories. Or maybe, you simply drain the last of your coffee, pay the check, and leave having once again confirmed that you are blessed with a true friend.

My Farmers' Market Fling

Chriscancook — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 04:13:52 GMT

I ran into an old friend Saturday morning at the local farmers' market. It was opening day for the market and perhaps my joyful mood overtook my common sense. There he was, beautiful as ever, and I fell in love again.

I should have known better than to hope I could avoid him. Of course he would be there, why wouldn't he? He lives for moments like these; it's his time to shine. I was looking for new experiences, but he sweet talked me like he was chatting up a 16 year old instead of a woman who has been around the tents a few times.

I started looking at one of his cohorts, just to evoke some jealousy. "Basil," he sneered, "Dime a dozen. Tomatoes, cheese, bah. What else can that one do? I am so much more versatile."

I knew he was right; basil is good, but ubiquitous. Right next to him, though, was a lovely bunch of fresh mint. He laughed,"What? You make mojitos? Lemonade? Tacky dessert garnish? Let's see you throw him on the grill!"

Oh, scallions, I thought as I picked him up from the table, you never were subtle, but you had me at grill.

New Potato Salad with Grilled Scallion Pesto

2 lbs cleaned red potatoes, sliced 1/4" thick

1/4 C Olive Oil

1 bunch scallions, both ends trimmed

2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

Salt and Pepper

Fire up your grill to medium high heat. Toss the potato slices and the scallions with 2 Tbsp of the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill the potatoes 4 minutes per side and the scallions 5 minutes, rotating when charred. Puree the scallions with the lemon juice and remaining olive oil in a blender until semi-smooth. I'm a fan of textured sauces, but take it all the way if you prefer. Toss the potatoes with the scallion dressing and serve warm or room temperature.

Feel free to make extra scallion dressing to use as a sauce for grilled meats or seafood. It's a great way to use up extra scallions that sweet talked their way into your market bag!

Dad's Favorite

Chriscancook — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 05:50:26 GMT

I got the choco-holic gene from both sides of my family. Every cook needs a from scratch brownie recipe in her bag of tricks and this is mine. These chocolate cherry brownies are one of my dad's favorite treats. Feel free to use raisins or a favorite nut in place of the dried cherries. Using a mini muffin tin in place of a large baking pan makes these perfect for a family style casual dinner - no cutting and every bite has a crispy outside and fudgy inside. Hopefully, the dads in your life will also enjoy them this Fathers' Day!

Preheat oven to 350. Grease 2 mini muffin pans or 2 regular muffin pans. Do not use cupcake paper liners - the brownies will be impossible to get off of the paper! Place 2 dried cherries in the bottom of each muffin well.

Melt 1 stick of unsalted butter and 4 oz of dark chocolate in a small sauce pan, stirring constantly.

Beat 2 large eggs with 1/2 C granulated sugar and 1/2 C brown sugar. Add 1 tsp vanilla and 1 pinch of salt. Slowly add the chocolate. Fold in 1/2 C all purpose flour.

Fill the muffin wells 3/4 full with the batter. Bake for 25 minutes and allow to cool at room temperature. When the brownies are removed from the oven, they will be underdone. Let them cool in their baking pans before removing them. Brownies will keep best in an air tight container out of refridgeration.

Wooden Spoon Baking

Chriscancook — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 15:14:49 GMT

"Patience is a virtue," I mutter as my order printer spits out tickets on yet another off-to-the-races Saturday night. It's early for me, 7:30 maybe, and my coworkers in the main kitchen are already in the midst of their rush. I can hear pans slamming against the worn metal of the range from my kitchen on the second floor. My dance goes from a delicate ballet to a frantic tap a bit later and I've got my fingers crossed.

Contrary to the demands of my art, I am not by nature a patient person. Yoga has helped with the aches that come from lifting industrial bags of sugar and flour and I drink at least two cups of green tea a day. In my dreams, I am a consistently calm and collected professional. Reality usually involves blasting obnoxious rock music on my way home from work. It’s all about finding balance, something I will spend the rest of my life perfecting.

My culinary training has provided me with a variety of tricks and techniques that can quickly shorten a to-do list or dinner pick up. Most often, though, few of them apply to pastry. I can rush a medium rare sirloin, but that soufflé needs a solid 20 minute baking time and will be ruined with prodding, temperature fluctuations, and general screaming. My days now are a switch from how they were when I worked as a line cook. My preparation time is much more demanding than my service time. Baking crème brulee to order will never work! One thing pastry has taught me is that sometimes the best response to time constraint stress is not to speed up, but do the opposite. Illogical? Maybe not.

Certain activities, like whipping egg whites for meringue kisses with a whisk, are kamikaze baking practices; you will never get the same result without the use of an electric mixer or bionic triceps. Others are like therapy, even and especially when you stare down a to-do list.

It might take an extra few minutes, but there is something very satisfying about breaking out the wooden spoon for chocolate chip cookies. Throwing all of my ingredients in a Kitchen Aid bowl and flipping the switch takes the humanity out of a soulful process. Beating sugar into softened butter by hand makes me feel like I’ve accomplished something, even if all I’ve done is take a few frustrations out on helpless dough. The end result may be the same batch of cookies, but no industrial mixer has the option to care.

I’m still learning, as both a person and a nearly self taught pastry chef. Sometimes I take a few deep breaths right before my timer buzzes. If my desserts need a few extra moments, maybe, so do I.

Hurry up, Summer!

Chriscancook — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 21:59:41 GMT

Early summer fruit is finding its way into my local grocery store. Peaches, nectarines, plums are piled high next to the almost local berries. These stone fruits look tasty, but biting into one tells a different under-ripe story.

So what's a girl to do with a pile of early peaches? Take a few basic ingredients and turn these rock-like fruits into magic!

In a large sauce pan with a tight fitting lid, bring the following to a boil:

6 C water

2 C granulated sugar

Juice of one lemon

One vanilla bean, halved and scraped

Pinch of salt

1/2 C white wine (use an economical wine or omit)

Reduce the heat to medium and let sit for 15 minutes.

Add 5 halved peaches, skins on or off depending on your preference. If you do decide to peel the peaches, add the skins to the poaching liquid. Cover the pot and allow the peaches to cook for 10 minutes. Turn off the heat, but do not uncover the pot for about 45 minutes. Allow the peaches to cool in the poaching liquid.

Now for the fun part. Use the poached peaches as an elegant topping for ice cream (berry sauce optional!), pound cake, or even waffles for brunch. Store the peaches in the poaching liquid to maintain their flavor.

The poaching liquid can be saved and used again within a week or even better, reduce it until it is as thick as maple syrup. Add a tablespoon of the strained syrup to your favorite sparkling wine for a great summer cocktail!

Peachy extras: Clingstone peaches can be used, just slice against the pit, removing 2 large pieces and 2 smaller pieces. Freestone peaches can be simply halved and pitted.

Omg, Martha!

Chriscancook — Sat, 30 May 2009 22:06:18 GMT

Love her or hate her, she's got an amazing recipe development team.

I speak of course of The Queen of Domestic Living: Martha Stewart. Sure, I would love to spend my summers planting a garden of heirloom tomatoes from seeds I had harvested from last year's award winning crop, stitching antique lace onto handmade pillows, and turning my bathroom into a Colonial-inspired oasis, but oh yeah, I have to work and don't have 48 hour days.

Despite the fact that sometimes flipping through Martha Stewart Living makes me feel inferior to my fellow Jersey girl, her cookbooks are some of the most beautiful I have in my collection and her recipes work. Living the way Martha supposedly lives might be an impossible standard, but the recipe for strawberry shortcake cookies on the last page of this month's issue are crazy easy and insanely good. For these miniature scone like bites of summer, you'll be forgiven for thinking I have $25 to spend on a spring tine cultivator as featured on page 38, Martha.

Preheat oven to 375.

Finely chop 12 oz of fresh stawberries and mix with 1 Tbsp granulated sugar and 1 tsp fresh lemon juice.

Mix 1/2 C sugar, 2 C all purpose flour, 1/2 tsp salt, and 2 tsp baking powder. Add 6 Tbsp unsalted butter and rub until small crumbs form. (This is so relaxing!) Add the strawberry mix and blend in 2/3 C heavy cream. Drop tablespoons of the dough on a parchment lined sheet tray and bake 25 minutes.

If you want to make chopping the strawberries easier, try using a sharp egg slicer. Hull the berries and slice them longways with the egg slicer. Rotate them and slice in another direction. Either hand chop these strips of berry or try using the egg slicer a third time for a nice even dice.

The icing is my addition. Martha uses sanding sugar to top these, but they look and taste better with a basic glaze to imitate the whipped cream used in traditional strawberry shortcakes.

Mix 1/2 C powdered sugar with 1 Tbsp milk and drizzle over cooled cookies.

These cookies have been a hit with everyone I have made them for. And as long as you don't get in trouble for insider trading, you're looking at a new summer favorite!

Customer Service is Dead

Chriscancook — Wed, 27 May 2009 22:06:02 GMT

So this isn't really about food specifically, but it applies all too well to the hospitality industry. I sadly think many of you will be able to relate to this.

Yesterday, I spent part of my morning with my best friend going shopping and then lunching. She was in need of some new summer dresses, so we went to a well known department store. After some browsing and trying on, she found some items she liked and we got in line to pay. Keep in mind the register we were in line for was near one of the 2 entrances for this store.

A man on crutches approached the cashier and asked where he could find a wheelchair. As one of his legs was in a cast, it was obvious why he needed the wheelchair. The cashier informed him that wheelchairs were kept in Loss Prevention (why?) on the other side of the building. At this point, my friend and I looked at each other and knew that common sense was being murdered in our neighborhood Sears. It would only be a short time before someone would fire the fatal shot.

I must give this cashier credit. He recognized how difficult it would have been for this man to hobble over to the other side of the store and called for backup so he could get the wheelchair for this customer. After a few minutes, his supervisor came bristling over, obviously ticked off that she had been called to help. As the first cashier finished his current transaction and left to get the wheelchair, Little Miss Cheerful announced, "Normally they have to get (the wheelchairs) themselves!"

My friend and I had been muttering comments to each other during this situation, unsure if we should get involved in something that didn't apply to us, but this was too much. I had to speak up, even if the man on crutches was unwilling to demand common courtesy.

"Ma'am, he's on crutches. I mean, c'mon!" My comment didn't really seem to phase her, which kind of scared me. She simply said that she didn't know and proceded to offer my friend a Sears credit card. You think we'll be back after watching how you idiots treat your guests?

Um, he needs a wheelchair for a reason and you expect someone with his leg in a cast to get himself over to the other side of the store? How? Is this a test? If he can get over to the wheelchair, obviously, he doesn't need it?

I think what troubled me the most was that this poor man was willing to endure this treatment. It's Sears, man! There is nothing they have that you need right now to not warrent walking out of the store to protest. This isn't exactly Heart Transplants R Us!

So after this lovely experience, we went over to Applebee's for lunch, one of our traditions. The food was decent, but we were constantly interupted by our waiter and then the manager asking us if everything was okay. It got to the point where I almost said,"Do you expect there to be a problem? If you keep asking if everything is okay, trust me, I'll find something that isn't to tell you!"

The wisest fortune I ever got in a fortune cookie was "Common sense is uncommon."

Obsessive Compulsive Dining

Chriscancook — Sat, 23 May 2009 00:32:16 GMT

Ever have an intense short term obession? You know, the days, weeks, where you listen to one song, wear the same shoes, or throw on the same sweatshirt. We get comfort from these actions; the outcome never changes. But what happens when you start to hit repeat on your fridge? Like dealing with any obsession, do you give in to eating spaghetti for dinner 4 nights a week or do you flat out refuse to hit up the Taco Bell Drive Thru despite crazy cravings?

My current ingredient obession is avocado, I'll admit it. But I used my last half of one on this amazing salad and don't think I'll let myself buy any more for a good while. After gleefully crunching this down, though, I think I might move on to sweet potatoes! This salad makes a great vegetarian lunch and if it does turn into an obsession? It's healthy enough to eat again!

Tex Mex Tastic Salad with Sweet Potato Croutons (serves 2)

Dressing:

3/4 C ranch dressing

1/4 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp minced cilantro

10 grinds black pepper

Mix all and reserve

Croutons

1 medium sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1/4" cubes

Nonstick cooking spray

Adobo seasoning

1 C canned black beans, rinsed and drained well

Heat a nonstick saute pan over medium high heat. Mist the potato cubes with the spray and toss liberally with the adobo. Brown the cubes on all sides and lower the heat to medium. Cover the pan and allow the potato to cook 7 more minutes, shaking the pan every so often. Add the beans and heat through

Salad

1 head romaine, cleaned and cut into bite sized pieces

1 plum tomato, chopped

1 avocado, cut into 1/4" cubes

1 small red onion, thinly sliced

1/2 C grated cheddar cheese

Mix all ingredients with dressing. Top with sweet potato and beans.

Enjoy!