Sunday in the Kitchen: Posole & Banana Bread

I love the colors of the M&Ms in this banana bread.

I thought I’d start this post with dessert. I didn’t take a picture when the bread was done, so while I was at work snacking, I snapped a photo before it was all gone. This recipe was really good. I followed it exactly, except I used creamy peanut butter instead of chunky because it’s what I had on hand.

This all came about because there were were two almost black bananas aching to be turned into something sweet and delicious. On our walk, Hubby kept asking me where I hid his bag of M&Ms, but I wouldn’t tell. Then a lightbulb went off, and he also made the suggestion when I said I was thinking of making banana bread. I didn’t tell him what I had in mind. I wanted to surprise him. I searched online for a recipe for banana bread with M&Ms and came across this one. It’s a keeper and I can’t wait to make it again.

http://myyellowfarmhouse.com/2014/04/11/not-your-grandmothers-banana-bread-with-mms-nuts-a-smidge-of-peanut-butter/

Sunday started off to be a good cooking week. I may have felt inspiration from the jambalaya and fried fish that my mother-in-law cooked during the week and invited us over to enjoy. She asked if we wanted refried or regular beans with our meal. We opted for refried. It was, as she said, a sinful meal, and we may as well go all the way. Almost everything was fried or had large amounts of delicious fat!

I had not planned to spend as much time in the kitchen on Sunday as I did. I thought I’d get in and out. I knew that I wanted to prepare posole, a Mexican stew that I grew up eating at my grandmother’s home. I searched the internet for recipes and found a variation by Rachel Ray that sounded promising. I’m used to eating red posole, but I went with a green this time.

I was specifically looking for a recipe that used pork tenderloin for a healthier version. I was happy to find Rachel Ray’s recipe. I also looked at a red recipe. I ended up using most of the ingredients in Ray’s recipe. But not the honey, and I only used two cans of chicken stock and enough water to my tastes. I used the 4 poblano chiles, which I blackened on the stovetop. I also used about 3/4 cup of chiles Japones (Japanese chiles). They are small red chiles and added some heat. I followed the preparation of the red chiles from the second recipe and set the sauce aside to add to the mix when I got everything in the pot.  I also decided to make the green chile separately rather than cooking everything in the pot, then pureeing part of it. I didn’t strain. I cut the husked tomatillos into quarters and put them into enough water to barely cover them and simmered them for a bit, these went into the blender with their water and the poblano chiles, garlic, and salt. I set this aside, along with the red chile, until I had cooked the pork and veggies and then brought everything together into the pot to simmer. I didn’t do the nacho surprise…maybe next time if I need a change.

We topped our stew with shredded cabbage and lime juice. We also had an avocado on the side. This was a delicious posole that I will definitely add to my repertoire of recipes. There was enough flavor from the chiles and other ingredients without needing those extra cans of stock; and the heat was great.

That was Sunday. The momentum continues!

And I might add to the quote and say that, “All true love is grounded in esteem and good food.”

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/rachael-ray/pork-tenderloin-posole-with-bottom-of-the-bowl-nacho-surprise-recipe.html

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/posole-rojo-recipe.html

Chicken Tostadas & Berry Crumble Crisp

Tuesday night we had tostadas from the leftover chickens that I roasted on Sunday. 

I've tried to be better about planning dinners for the week and doing all of the shopping on Sundays, whereas before I had been planning day by day.

I had seen cookbook in the new section at the library: Eat & Make: Charming Recipes and Kitchen Crafts You will Love by Paul Lowe aka Sweet Paul. I flipped through it and my eyes landed on the picture of a Nutty Berry Crumble. It was done. I would check the book out and a berry crumble or crisp of some sort was added to the week's meal plan.

I love taking pictures, and I've really enjoyed taking pictures of the food. Fresh fruits and vegetables are heaven to my eyes.

The tostadas were very simple as you can see. I was trying to work with what I had left because I hadn't intentionally worked them into my plan. I chopped up the remaining chicken, added one potato, a small can of olives, a can of El Pato brand tomato sauce with spices, and enough water to cover the potatoes. I let everything simmer down, stirring occasionally until the potatoes were tender. We topped our tostadas with Monterey Jack cheese, had a half avocado on the side and called it dinner. 

After dinner, I set to work on the mixed berry crumble. I also had my Better Homes and Gardens cookbook propped open to the berry crisp recipe. I decided to use the measurements in the Sweet Paul recipe which called for 3 cups of mixed berries, about one small container each and a 1/2 cup of mixed nuts. For the berries I used raspberry, blackberry, and blueberries just as he did. For the nuts I used walnuts and pecans. I also added oats to the crumble because I like the added texture and taste.

We served the crumble with a small dab of vanilla ice cream. It was divine. I'm not a fruit person, but I love berry and apple crisps and crumbles.

Delish! 

Black Bean Casserole

Two of my favorite recipes to prepare are from the Moosewood Restaurant Low-Fat Favorites cookbook: Black Bean Chilaquile and Blender Hot Sauce. I love the colorful freshness of the casserole, and it's nice to eat a vegetarian meal and not get any complaints or questions about where the meat is–It's so delicious that hubby doesn't even notice that it's meatless. 

The recipe for the Black Bean Chilaquile calls for layering the salsa into the casserole before going into the oven. I prefer to layer it without the salsa and spoon the salsa over the individual servings. We always have leftovers and it prevents the dish from becoming too soggy. I use regular cheese rather than low-fat. I also blanch the spinach first, set that aside, then after a quick rinse and dry, use the same pan for sautéing the onions and warming the other ingredients.

For the Blender Hot Sauce, depending on my mood, I will either include all three spices or only a little bit of oregano. I like the freshness of the salsa and I tend to not want to overpower that with too much spice. Since I use fresh tomatoes instead of canned, I add a bit of water to get the blender in motion. It's fun to watch the blended vegetables transform into what will become a nice salsa. The salsa does become smooth, but slightly thick. In between stirrings, I also skim off the excess foam until it eventually disappears allowing the sauce to shine through. The light tomato red that will simmer for 30 minutes becomes a burnished red that brightens up the casserole. 

As the salsa is simmering, I begin working on the casserole. 

I tend to forget, and think that this will be a quick meal to prepare, thinking I can have the whole meal done in 30 minutes flat, but it takes a little time with making the fresh salsa. 

40 minutes later, dinner is served. Delicious!

Two recipes that I found on the web, so that I could share:

Recipe for Black Bean Chilaquile

http://www.recipesource.com/fgv/beans-grains/02/rec0269.html

Recipe for Black Bean Chilaquile and Blender Hot Sauce

http://www.eatmedelicious.com/2008/11/black-bean-chilaquile.html

Journal ~ Oven Barbecued Chicken, School thoughts, and Banana Muffins

Yesterday I prepared one of my favorite chicken recipes that I found on the internet some time ago. I also prepared it for my mother-in-law on her birthday. And she didn't make a comment about it needing salt, which was a relief. The flavor was there in this simple and delicious oven barbecued chicken recipe. 

I paired the chicken with oven baked yams and a macaroni salad that I through together with leftover pasta that I I had used to make oven macaroni and cheese on Sunday night...yum! I knew that I didn't need the full pound, so I set some aside with the intention of making the mac salad. I added red bell pepper, black olives, green onions, celery, dijon mustard, olive oil, mayonnaise, salt, pepper, garlic salt with parsley, and dinner was served.  

I had an appointment later that evening with a school counselor to ask some questions about the certificates in accounting and to see where I'm at. In a way, the appointment was a waste of time. I think I already knew where I was at. But, it's part of the process. I think next time I have a visit, it will be more helpful because I may be closer to my goal, unless I begin to waver again. Time is not on my side. Many of the classes that I took so long ago, no longer count because in order to obtain the certificate, in my case, in accounting, the courses need to be completed within 7 years of the date of the certificate; 10 years for a business certificate. I don't know that this little piece of paper will help me down the road, but I thought if I had the classes already, I might as well. I waited too long, mainly because I've had a love/hate relationship with accounting for as long as I remember. And that's why I'm asking myself, do I really want to petition to retake accounting principles because I got a C in the class I took way back when. I know there's something inside of me that feels the need to go through a semester length course and to possibly pick up the certificate along the way. I also figure I may as well still aim for obtaining my A.A. except that for the area of emphasis, the time rules still apply. 

I think I need to do this, so that I know that I at least followed through and completed something...but part of me, thinks is it really necessary. It's an inner battle that I've been going back and forth with forever. And even though community college is a lot less expensive, it still puts a dent in the budget. The good thing is that there is no time limit on general education requirements. Back to the drawing board to see what I really want to do and if getting the piece of paper that is of little value in the real world is worth it, and to make sure I'm not fooling myself into completing something that I really have no interest in completing.

All that I could think about on the way home was the two ripe bananas that I've been waiting to be just right, so that I could make banana muffins. I found a recipe in the Moosewood Restaurant Low-Fat Favorites recipe book. I didn't need the recipe to be that low-fat, so I added two full eggs instead of one egg and one egg white. The recipe also called for 1 cup of rolled oats blended just until they were the consistency of corn meal–a nice healthy touch in addition to one cup of white flour. There was 1/4 of brown sugar, 1/2 t. of baking soda, 1 t. of baking powered, cinnamon, a dash of nutmeg, 2 T. of vegetable oil, 2 ripe bananas mashed, 1/2 cup of plain yogurt, and instead of the 1/2 cup raisins, I added 3/4 cup of milk chocolate chips because I had some leftover and I thought it would be a nice addition. 400 degrees for 25 minutes and the house was smelling of banana and chocolate goodness!

I've never really been a muffin person, and I've had this cookbook for years and have only made a handful of recipes out of it, which were all good. And I have to be honest, I usually steer clear from a muffin with chocolate in it, but I think what did me in was when we stayed at a place in Carmel that brought muffins and juice to our door in the morning and I bit into a muffin with chocolate in it and I thought, this is actually pretty good. I guess that stuck in my head; ironically, hubby didn't like the muffins and he loves chocolate. 

I do know that the ripe bananas were my inspiration. I saw two sitting there on the counter, as I've seen before, only this time, I wanted to make them into something, rather than send them away. That's when I looked in this particular cookbook hoping for a recipe because that other low-fat recipe book with the blueberry scones, it's going back to the library!

http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/oven-barbecued-chicken

Empanada

One of the cookbooks that I took home from the library was Aaron Sanchez's Simple Food, Big Flavor: Unforgettable Mexican-Inspired Recipes from My Kitchen to Yours. This is a beautiful cookbook with heart. I love the photographs of the ingredients and the finished meals. My mouth waters when I flip through the pages and makes me want to put the book down, get to the grocery store and get cooking! The conversational tone of the book makes me feel like I've Aaron there by my side as I read and set out to try his recipes.

I've been on the lookout for an empanada recipe ever since I had them at the food trucks and I have a regular turnover recipe, but I knew I was looking for something different; I just wasn't sure what until I found Aaron's recipe. It's simple, delicious, and the addition of masa harina (corn masa flour) makes all the difference. Subtle, but noticeable.

For the filling, I made a modified version of Aaron's recipe. 

The fillings are endless, from savory to sweet. It's all up to the cooks moods and imagination.

**

Pocket-filled delight,

a mixture of ground beef,

potatoes, onions, salt, pepper,

oregano, and El Pato brand Salsa de Tomate con Jalapeno.

Sizzling, spicy goodness.

Baked, not fried. 

Aaron Sanchez's

empanada dough recipe–

my first and my favorite, 

made wtih masa harina (corn masa flour)

and regular flour.

I take my first bite– 

deliciousness and 

comfort wrapped

inside

out.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars (Low-Fat)

Chocolate, vanilla, brown sugar–

These are the aromas that filled

our home last night and followed me 

as I went to sleep.

**

This recipe is so delicious. The added chocolate chips on the top were an after thought before it went into the oven...I added more than the recipe called for because hubby insisted. I also added a small packet of chopped hazelnuts.

**

A home filled with the scent of baking–

there's nothing quite like it,

and where it

takes you.

The Recipe:

http://simple-nourished-living.com/2011/10/moist-chewy-low-fat-oatmeal-chocolate-chip-cookie-bars-recipe/

Journal ~ Chicken Florentine Lasagna

The night before last, hubby and I were looking through the cooking sites that he has on his Flipboard App. We watched several short YouTube clips demonstrating how to make delicious meals that looked simple enough. One in particular caught his eye, so I asked him to send me the link. I didn't say whether I was going to make it soon or keep it for later. And I have to admit, that I was feeling a bit guilty about the fact that two cans of cream of soup of our choice were part of the recipe. Was this healthy? Were we being bad? I wasn't sure if I could go through with it. 

Later yesterday morning, I had to make a pit stop at Target. I walked by the tea isle and saw canned soups calling out to me. I saw the ones that deem they are the healthier choice. I looked at the sodium content. Not too bad. I grabbed a cream of mushroom and cream of chicken and tossed them into the basket. The decision had been made.

I knew that I would still need to pick up the remaining ingredients when the work day was done. I've always loved eating pasta dishes with Ricotta cheese, but I've never actually prepared any with it, so I had to figure out which section to find it in. I thought it would be near the deli cheeses, but no, of course not. It was with the cottage cheese and such.

It also dawned on me after the meal was cooked that this was the first lasagna that I've ever prepared. I had always been nervous to even think of taking on lasagna myself, thinking that it seemed too complicated. 

It also became apparent to me that being back in the kitchen wholeheartedly is good medicine for me. It teaches me that I don't need to be afraid any longer, that I can do this. And one of the beauties is that it doesn't matter how simple it may seem, if it's new to me and I have these feelings of insecurity–what matters is I work through it, that I go through the process–and I love process! 

Cooking has always been a part of my life and has been a stop-and-go adventure. And lately, I feel that with each meal that I prepare, with each new cooking adventure, I become that much more confident in other areas of my life.

Chicken Florentine Lasagna - with yoyomax12 

http://flip.it/lyggj

In the Kitchen ~ Feeling the Spark: Potatoes and Chile

Being in the kitchen doesn't always energize me, but yesterday it did. We had planned to go to the local food trucks and have dinner there in the park. It's a nice setup with music. You can bring a blanket, chairs; or just sit directly on the lawn, throw your shoes off and relax. The food trucks draw a good sized crowd crowd, and by looking at all the people and families, you can see their having a nice time and are willing to wait in long lines for their favorite food.

Since I knew I had some time before I left the house to meet hubby at the food trucks, I tried to get a little nap in. Just as I started to nod off, the sound of an incoming text roused me from my slumber. Change of plans: No food trucks, and it sounded like hubby would take care of himself for dinner because he was going to be late; and I would take care of myself. 

I wanted so much to just go back to my nap. It was a hot day and my body felt heavy. Instead, I felt inspired to prepare a Peruvian dish that we recently enjoyed at a barbecue. It's a simple, but satisfying dish that was served as an appetizer by my hubby's cousin's cousin's husband: Yukon gold potatoes boiled then cut into thick lengthwise slices that were spread with freshly made jalapeño chile on top. 

So I woke myself up and went to the grocery store. I decided I would get a frozen dinner (bad, I know) for myself and hubby could have leftover pasta if he didn't eat dinner out. He could also munch on potatoes and chile. 

When I was done grocery shopping, I went home feeling a spark in my step. First, I needed to get that frozen dinner into the microwave because I was very hungry. Next I needed to wash the dishes in the sink. Not my favorite activity, but I kind-of enjoyed the zen-ness of it yesterday. 

Everything was in order. I was ready to be happy in the kitchen, replicating this tasty dish. I got the potatoes peeled and into the pot with water. 

I love potatoes as it is. With the chile slathered on top, I love them that much more, and they've shown me a new aspect of their personality. I'm excited to look at a couple of books on Peruvian cooking that were available at the library. Something so simple was able to provide the needed spark that I needed and pique my curiosity to explore a new cuisine. 

**

To make the chile, place 10 jalapeño chiles, 2 Serrano chiles , salt to taste, and enough oil to get the ingredients to move in the blender. Puree until smooth, but not liquid. It will have some body. That's it. Simple, fresh, tasty. Serve with cold sliced potatoes or anything else you'd like to top it with. You can also heat the potatoes back up. Either way.

**

There is also another recipe that he told us about that involves cheese. He didn't prepare that one, so we didn't try it. Different variations can be found on the web.

Journal - Cooking

This week has been about trying to find my cooking groove. I've gravitated toward already prepared meals over the past several months, only truly preparing a home cooked meal on the rare occasion–or at least that's how it's seemed.

I hope this week that I've broken this spell and I'm able to stay inspired about the next meal that I will prepare.

Monday, I went to an old standby: a sort of beef and vegetable stir-fry served with saffron rice. I try not to serve red meat more than twice a week, but this is one of those dishes that is so delicious, I could eat it almost every day!

Tuesday was chicken day. I must confess that I don't particularly like working with chicken, and unless it's well seasoned or has a nice sauce, I don't like eating it much either–well, fried chicken is the exception. I love fried chicken. I don't usually buy mayonnaise, but I was craving sandwiches to take for lunch for a change, so I bought a small jar. As I was looking for the expiration date on the jar, I noticed a recipe for chicken using the mayonnaise. I think of Paula Dean. I remember vaguely that she used to put mayonnaise on everything. The recipe was simple and sounded like it would be tasty. I mixed together the mayonnaise with grated parmesan cheese, garlic salt, Italian seasoned breadcrumbs, panko breadcrums, and lovingly spread this all around the top side of the chicken breasts. Into the 425 degree oven it went and 20 minutes later dinner was served. We had mashed potatoes and cauliflower on the side–my new favorite way to have mashed potatoes–and I sautéed finely chopped mushrooms with garlic, olive oil, a dash of Worcestershire sauce, and a splash of white wine; and a simple green salad with thousand island dressing. The chicken was pretty good. I forgot to season it directly, and although the crust gave it great flavor, I think it suffered from lack of seasoning on the meat itself. I couldn't believe I forgot the most basic rule of seasoning.

Tuesday night I pulled out my recipe box–the one that holds the handful of "My Great Recipes" cards that I still have from when I was just a young girl. I used to have a large box of these recipe cards, but damn me for getting rid of them during a move–that at the time I didn't think I would like. But, I still have the ones I deemed worth to stay. So, as I was flipping through the cards to figure out what to do for Wednesday's dinner, a plan formed in my head.

Wednesday's dinner would be planned around making use of the leftover potato and cauliflower mash. I had come across a pork chop recipe and I LOVE pork chops! It wasn't a complicated recipe by any means, but see, I'm a visual person and I need images to inspire me to cook and to provide ideas or to jog my memory to cook meals that I've prepared but forgotten about. Tuesday night, I had already come across a recipe for pineapple muffins, so I knew I wanted to bake those too. I modified the pork chop recipe a bit by adding in some additional veggies in addition to the called for chopped tomatoes and garlic. I added zucchini and spinach. I quickly browed the chops (I did remember to season the chops), set them aside, then added white wine and garlic to the pan, scraping any brown bits, and let that reduce a bit. Back in went the chops topped with the chopped tomatoes, zucchini, and spinach; that simmered for about 45 minutes. We skipped the salad Wednesday night since we had plenty of veggies and tasty pineapple muffins. I must say I'll need to work on the muffin recipe, but they were still pretty good, despite the bottoms getting stuck in the paper cups. So we were essentially easting muffin tops, which cut back on the calories, I imagine.      

I don't have a plan for tonight's dinner yet. I'm sure something will come to me.

I forgot to mention that I love listening to music while I cook, and it has been a reggae week. Reggae calms me and gets me into the perfect state of mind, causing me to pause and dance while I cook.

Feeling at Home in my Little Kitchen

My first destination when I enter Trader Joes is the little spot in the back corner that offers free samples of various items from the store. I recently tried a polenta casserole that was made with their prepared logs of polenta, salsa verde, shredded three cheese mix, and pork carnitas. I purchased all the items I would need except for the polenta. I knew I had a box at home and prefer making it myself. I was pleasantly surprised at how tasty the salsa verde was. The casserole was great, and now I have a new way to prepare polenta, jazzing it up a bit with the salsa verde. It's low budget, filling, and there are plenty of leftovers for two.

I also had a bunch of hot chiles that my significant other's mom gave to me. I can't recall what type they were, but she had cooked them up, not expecting them to be so hot and she wanted to share them with us. They sat in the refrigerator in their own juices for a couple of days before I decided that I would make a crustless quiche. I've never made a crustless quiche before, but I know that I like frittata and made that, so I searched for a recipe and made modifications. I eyeballed the amount of milk that I added until it looked about the right consistency. I had some leftover bell peppers and the remaining shredded three cheese mix; I added onion, sautéed all the peppers and onion together, let it cool while I tossed the cheese with some flour, mixed everything together. Then, into a greased pie pan. 30 to 35 minutes later, the crustless quiche had set. The aroma of peppers and cheese was wonderful, it tasted great, and had good heat from the chiles. 

At Trader Joes, I also sampled Red Leicester cheese with chili and red bell pepper. I tossed a chunk into the basket, even though I already had several other hunks of cheese in the refrigerator. On Sunday, I fixed a plate of pita crackers with the various cheeses that we had on hand, including this new Red Leicester, and a small slice of truffle mousse pate that we got at BevMo. I brought M. a beer, a water for me, and we enjoyed or plate of treats in our backyard on our weathered table that we found for a bargain at an estate sale over the weekend.   

I had a hankering to prepare navy bean soup on Sunday, but the day got away from me. I ended up making it on Monday instead. I love soups in general, and navy bean has always been high up on my list. The first and only place I had it was a small cafe that I haven't gone to in ages and don't go to any longer. The memory of going in on a day that navy bean was their featured soup was always a dilemma and a highlight. I would have to decide between my other favorite choices or the soup that they only made once a week.   

This is the second time I've made navy bean soup. I follow the recipe on the back of the navy bean package with modifications to suit my taste. It's not a soup that I will make often because I'm sure the sodium content in those scrumptious ham hocks would tilt the sodium meter into regions I shouldn't be in. I reheated a bowl of leftover soup yesterday and my taste buds were savoring the creaminess of the navy bean and potato together with the rich flavor of the ham hocks and the hint of thyme throughout that brought an earthy, green goodness to the soup.

Bread was in order for this soup. I was going to fall back on Jiffy corn muffins, but (a) I hadn't actually bought any and (b), I wanted to make something from scratch. I didn't have a whole lot of time. I thought about making baking power biscuits. No, too bland. Then I saw a recipe for cheese and beer bread. Perfect. I had all of the ingredients, except I didn't have regular cheddar cheese, so instead I used the rest of the Red Leicester. I did a Google search about the cheese so I could see if it was actually good to cook with, and I learned from Wikipedia that this is a British cheese, similar to cheddar with a crumblier texture, which is true. It's a cow's milk cheese, originally from Leicestershire, England. I'm glad that this cheddar beer bread recipe made me seek out and learn just a little bit more about this new cheese–new to me, anyway. 

The bread looked great. I thought it tasted good too, but it could have used a little something extra. M. agreed. The second day, though, when I took a slice to have at work with my lunch, I thought it tasted great. It gave me the sense that it was made with yeast from a package. I will definitely be making this bread again. I followed the recipe in my trusty Better Homes and Gardens Cook Book. Simple, straightforward and low fat! 

Next time I want to try the Cheddar Spoon Bread recipe.

I don't do most of my shopping at Trader Joes; though, I do go there for certain items and they have a great selection of interesting cheeses at reasonable prices, and other interesting things, of course.  I think I'll make a habit of going to Trader Joes at least once a week. It provides inspiration and tasty snacks to satisfy me until dinner time.

Pork Tenderloin and Pasta with Lentils & A Potential New Experience on the Horizon

Last night I prepared pork tenderloin with a rub of salt, pepper, garlic salt, cayenne, tarragon, paprika, rosemary, and a few turns of “Pirates Bite,” which adds some extra heat. I served the tenderloin with a side of lentils and pasta. I followed a recipe for lentils and pasta with chard years ago and had only prepared it once, but have craved it ever since. I got rid of the cookbook where I found the recipe. After an Internet search, I found another recipe as a guide.

The recipe link is below. What I did different: I did not use a slow cooker. This time I used Spinach. I bet this would be great with kale and mushrooms. I decided to use large macaroni noodles instead of linguine, and I didn’t feel that I needed the Parmesan cheese—as much as I love cheese—the cream cheese was enough and pulled the dish together into a creamy delight. I cooked the lentils in low sodium chicken stock and the pasta in water. I will definitely be preparing this again, adding and subtracting along the way.

You can find the description for “Pirates Bite” at The Spice and Tea Exchange
http://www.spiceandtea.com/pirates-bite-p-197.html

Here is the recipe I used as a guide at About.com:
http://southernfood.about.com/od/crockpotbeans/r/bl21c6.htm

**

I’ve been doing a lot of thinking the past week about how I think I’d like to work with children as a classroom assistant. I say think because I’ve never really worked with children for any length of time. Only a few times, one-on-one.  I think I’d be comfortable in the kindergarten through third or fourth grade environment. I know that I don’t have the means to pursue the education or certification needed to be a teacher. I need one to get the other. And adding onto my existing loan debt would not be a good option.

Last time, at least ten years ago, when I thought about going this direction, I called a local Montessori and shadowed for a day in the toddler section to see if it was for me. Though the toddlers were adorable, I didn’t want to change diapers and when I shadowed the older toddlers, I noticed I wasn’t as outgoing or at ease as the other teachers. When we walked through the class for the older children, I felt that this would be the right environment.

So, I thought long and hard, even though it’s only been a week and through the years this thought has cropped up. I have been shy around children in the past the few times that I have been in a situation with many children. I do better with one or a small group, and on a few occasions, the shy ones are drawn to me, probably because they sensed another shy and quiet human.

I thought that a great way to satisfy what I’m being pulled toward is to start searching the volunteer pages to see if there was an opportunity to work in a classroom as an assistant. I found a few that required credentials and/or a minimum of 12 ECE units, which I do not have. I kept looking and changed my search details, and I may have found just what I was looking for. It’s a literacy program for grades K-3 where tutors work one-on-one or in small groups in the classroom, which would be perfect. I love the energy of children when I am around them and have always and still love children’s books; and I feel that I am a teacher at heart; definitely a child at heart, as well as a nurturer of the sprit.

I have many fond memories of my teacher’s from childhood, especially Kindergarten, all the way through third grade, actually. Well, no, wait…second grade wasn’t so great. The instructor didn’t seem very nice. And though it’s a distant memory, I can remember my mother’s presence in one of my classrooms. I believe she was a teacher’s assistant and it must have been first grade. I remember seeing her help other students. It’s a memory that comes in and out of focus. In my childhood I didn’t think much of it, yet now looking back has created yet another piece of the puzzle toward understanding my mother—toward learning who she was and also the things she had me do and how it helped foster who I became, whether intentionally or not. I do remember how she was helpful with the other students.

I feel a certain synchronicity in that my search aligned with an upcoming training session for the tutoring opportunity. It will still take time between waiting for the training date late next month, and then for placement, which could take more time. I am very much looking forward to this new experience, and now I must wait.

MasterChef ~ Christine Ha: Cooking, not by Sight, but from Memory and a Strong Palette

Two cooking shows that I’m watching this season are Hell’s Kitchen and MasterChef. Soon each show will be crowing the winners.

This is the first season for MasterChef to have a legally blind contestant, home chef, Christine Ha. It has been a treat to watch her cook. She has a guide to help her around the kitchen and pantry and she may occasionally ask the guide if her plate looks all right. That’s where it stops. She does all the preparation and cooking; her sense of memory, smell, and taste are her most important allies throughout this competition.

During one team challenge, an outside barbeque, Christine was put in charge of grilling corn. The corn skins caught fire and she wasn’t aware until someone shouted, “Fire!” A team member came to the rescue and all was under control after that. Even with that mishap, she bounced back and the team managed to produce a winning meal that was victorious over the other team.

An episode where she won the individual challenge to replicate a dish that chef Graham Elliot had prepared was one of my favorites. It was a sashimi dish that was beautiful in presentation. She nailed it. She outdid her competitors in knife skills, presentation, and taste. Simply impressive.

On last night’s episode, what stood out to me was when chef Ramsey asked the guest judges if they were surprised to see that Christine was blind. One of the chefs replied that in the kitchen he tells his chefs to, “practice in the kitchen until you can do it with your eyes closed.”

This is a small clip from a past episode showing an emotional Christine as she receives feedback and encouragement from chef Ramsay.

Christine’s Apple Pie on MasterChef
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WIGXboHpge0

Christine is truly an inspiration. In a TVGuide interview I learned that she studied to be a fiction writer. Perhaps she will work on a book one day and publish it!

Mushroom Polenta Pie

This morning
I would like to settle into
a large pot of warm polenta,
slathered in butter.


Two evenings ago, for dinner, I made mushroom polenta pie from the Moosewood Restaurant Low-Fat Favorites cookbook. I have had ready-made polenta rolled up and ready to cut, but found the texture coarse. As simple as polenta is to prepare, this was my first time buying a box of cornmeal and making it. When I poured the cornmeal water mixture into the boiling water, it was moments before it was a silky smooth consistency. With each effortless stir, I escaped into the softness and the gentle steam.

I used the new glass baking dish I got from IKEA for the mushroom polenta pie. After the cornmeal was done, I smoothed it into the baking dish and on top of that added the gently sautéed mixture of mushrooms, onion, garlic, and chopped spinach. To the top was added fresh grated Parmesan cheese, then into the oven for 25 minutes. This was the recipe that was to go with the tomato wine sauce that I prepared on Sunday. I heated some of the sauce in a small pan. It did go well, but it was just as tasty without. In fact, my significant other preferred it plain and thought the sauce too overpowering for this dish. We had a very light meal that night paired with avocado and a spinach salad.

This will definitely be a recipe that I prepare again, knowing that I can change the ingredients and play around.

Living in the Moment of Gumbo

The workday yesterday was long, one continuous loop. It was a fine day and I lived in the moment—the moment of making gumbo! Ever since my trip to New Orleans I’ve wanted to make gumbo. All day yesterday, I thought of the items on my list. I knew it would be a late workday. It didn’t matter. I just wanted to come home and cook gumbo, to enjoy the aroma of lard and flour slowly cooking, stirring and stirring, forming the roux.

I mentioned before that I watched the movie, Julia and Julia over the weekend; I feel that this movie has had a profound affect on reigniting my passion for cooking. I still enjoy watching cooking shows and looking through cookbooks, though this time, there was a new pizzazz in me after watching this movie.

So there I was at moments throughout the day dreaming of making gumbo. I let any trace of stress blend into the aromas and rich brown of the roux—all the while thinking to myself about what the chef at the New Orleans School of Cooking reminded us about in the demonstration: You have to use lard or it will not be the same. I believed her. I grew up on lard (manteca in Spanish) and the aroma once it hits the pan is like no other and my taste buds watered, so while I was there at the demonstration, I was also transported to my grandmother’s kitchen. It was a heavenly intersection of cooking memories of the past with new memories of the present and future.

After the workday was done—later than usual—I headed to Safeway for the gumbo fixings. I realize too there are many variations of what you can put into a gumbo. I chose andouille sausage, small shrimp, okra; garlic, onion, celery—the holy trinity—as the chef deemed these three lovely ingredients; and bell pepper. The last item I needed was lard. I didn’t see it in the section with all the other oils and shortenings. I asked someone. “No, we don’t carry it anymore. We used to,” he said.

Well, I had all the items in my basket, and it was already late and I wasn’t near a Mexican style store and I just wanted to go home by this time.

Part of the joy of cooking is that it reminds us that often we’ve got to improvise in cooking, as in life. Things change, we adjust, we improvise, work with what we have. I had all the other items in my basket and, though I wouldn’t be going home to make a roux or a true gumbo, I would still set out to make a modified gumbo stew with the ingredients I had. This wasn’t going to be dinner, but for our lunches and any leftovers for the following dinner or another lunch. When I got home, I didn’t even feel the need or want to rest after a long day at work, I simply wanted to be in the kitchen—after greeting and kissing my significant other and chit chatting about our days.

One of my favorite cooking shows is Chopped, where the contestants are presented with three mystery baskets. They begin with an appetizer, the winners moves onto the entree course, and finally, the two contestants left standing, battle it out in the dessert round. The mystery baskets are revealed at the start of each round, each containing oddly paired ingredients, where the chefs then have access to the pantry and their own experience and creativity. This is a show demonstrating the true art of cooking improvisation. 

Into the kitchen I went—wash, wash, rinse, dry; chop, chop; chop, chop. The ingredients sizzled away, wonderful aromas wafted. I tasted in intervals of simmering. Mmmm. The okra was emitting is sappy juices, mingling with the others. It felt done and I let it cool. This morning I cooked some white rice and last night I cooked more corn muffins, so that will be lunch for both of us today. Now, what will I cook next?

Purple Pot Roast

I wasn’t sure what Saturday would bring. The day unfolded, another change from winter weather back to spring. A late start to the day; uncertain of our plans and then learning that we had the day to ourselves, yet we seemed in different moods, so we went our separate ways for the day.

I thought of a few things: A walk, a drive, a solo adventure? Decisions. I had the day to myself, and it was too nice of a day outside to stay inside and read the day away. I went to my recipe box and looked through “My Great Recipes” recipe cards. Each card, a color image with many possibilities. A few that stood out: beef and cheese turnovers, sesame peanut butter cookies, pineapple muffins, pumpkin-pecan pie. I’ve had these recipe cards—those that I salvaged from the set—since childhood. I wish that I had kept the entire set, but at least I have a small batch of cards left. I’ve looked at the beef and cheese turnovers card and the others several times over the years, pulling and putting back. Of these particular cards that caught my attention yesterday, I have only made the sesame peanut butter cookies, which were delightful—the added flavor, crunch, and texture of the sesame seeds make all the difference.

After looking through recipes and finding nothing that I was certain about, a spark lighted: I would make a Pot Roast. Not a typical day for a hearty winter meal, though, a fine excuse to finally buy the cast iron Dutch oven that I saw at World Market; and at last I would make a pot roast, a craving I’ve had for some time now, and only my second time making one. I followed the recipe in The Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook.

Once I knew I was going to prepare a beef pot roast, I wrote a grocery list and off I went. My first stop was World Market and while I picked up the Dutch oven, I also bought a new cutting board for veggies, since I had used the other one for meats and have been breaking the rules of keeping the meats and veggie cutting separate.

Next I took the scenic route to Safeway— always the scenic route. I went to a different Safeway this time for a change of pace and I’m glad I did. After winding through narrow hilly roads, admiring homes; taking it slow; smiling at trees flirting with spring, and ending up on the long stretch of road that would take me to my destination, I arrived.

And upon arrival, my whole body felt like the mountain looking back at me, beginning to show its verdant vibrancy through the sleepy browns; tree stumps all around were like happy people; other trees blossoming yellow puffs of brilliance. I sat in my car and soaked it in—life all around me—tingly with the beauty that surrounded me; when I heard the crow caw, I said hello softly. I let him know I hear him and I always look to find where he is, and I see another and they are conversing from the small distance between them.

Slowly, coming out of my reverie…I pull myself along and I walk into Safeway with a light step. I made it through my list and the last item I needed was a dry red wine for the roast. I’ve come to the conclusion that though I’ve enjoyed the few wine tastings I’ve been to, and enjoy a glass of wine here and there, I’m truly not a wine drinker. I tend to prefer beer, but only certain beers—a very small pool of beers.

In search for a dry red for the pot roast, and having no idea and forgetting to look this up before I left home, I asked the person working in the beer and wine area. He was stumped. He was still helpful and went to ask someone else, but came up empty. I thanked him anyway and said I’d have a look and hope for the best.

The wine isle was too crowded for the cart. I swung around and entered the isle from the other side, parking my cart out of the way. I was still puzzled when I saw a gentleman with white hair, a handsome man of 65 or 70, a sparkle in his eyes and friendliness in his face. I asked him if he happened to know of a good dry red for a pot roast—for cooking and drinking. He thought about it a moment and then said that he and his wife had actually enjoyed a Bogle Petit Sirah recently with a pot roast. I remembered having had a Sirah once and I liked it. I thanked him and went in search amongst the many reds. He was edging back that way to meet his wife and he pointed it out.  “Ah, there it is. Thank you,” I said. He saw his wife and told her what I was looking for and she smiled in a way that made me feel he made a good recommendation. I said thank you again and was so pleased at how helpful the man was.

Safeway is known for their customer service. This particular store had the friendliest group thus far and they seemed genuine: The young man who gave me a cart on my way into the store; the woman in produce who went out of her way to help me find the type of apples I couldn’t find; and the older gentleman bagging my groceries who asked my name before then thanking me by name and bidding me a good day in a truly blissful way. How could one have a bad day when so many others are filling it with their good nature and joy?

Back at home, I unloaded, and set to work. The second thing I did after getting the meat in the refrigerator was to open the wine and have a glass while I prepared the meal. I must say I was pleasantly surprised at how easy the wine went down, but on weekends I still prefer a cold beer during dinner preparation. I took the meat out and began browning each side in my new cast iron Dutch oven. Once that was done, I poured the mixture of heated red wine, Worchestire sauce, beef bullion, and crushed basil over the top as instructed. The aroma was heavenly.

Between cooking, I finished watching the movie, Julia and Julia, a compliment to the pairing to the day’s meal and mood.

For the most part, I was pleased with how the pot roast turned out, though the color of the juices, which became the gravy, looked a deep blackish purple. It wasn’t a bright gravy as I’m used to seeing and I don’t think I’ve ever seen a gravy look like this. This is a case where it tasted much better than it looked and I found that it didn’t look as bad when poured over the top of the roast and vegetables. I do wonder if the deep wine color and the cast iron together caused this odd color?

I kept the meal simple and served the roast and added vegetables of potato, carrot, and celery, with “Jiffy” corn muffins. I cheated a bit on the muffins. “Jiffy” makes it easy and tasty.

I was pleased and felt much better about the meal when my significant other raved about the flavors and said the meal was delicious. Because this wasn’t a roast cooked all day, it didn’t become fall apart tender, as I would have preferred, but he assured me that it was tender enough. He wanted seconds and enjoyed it a lot more that I expected. That made my night.

Valentine’s Day

Valentine’s Day was always one of my favorites. As a kid in school, I looked forward to selecting Valentine’s Day cards, not individual cards, but the boxed variety with miniature envelopes and a selection of Valentine messages. I remember in elementary school making the pouches and decorating them with stickers and our art, hearts, lots of hearts and lots of red and pink. These would be our Valentine’s Day school mailboxes for the day.

It’s a little bit last minute, but I’m going to try and get a few Valentine’s Day decorations for the apartment. My significant other and I were going to go out for a special Valentine’s Day dinner, but at the last moment—yesterday—, I suggested we save a little money and have it at home in our cozy apartment. I would cook something—what I didn’t know. “Any requests,” I asked. “All that matters is that I’m here with you,” he said. I kissed him and told him that I feel the same and that I would think of something.

I see hearts wherever I can find them—in leaves, in the clouds, in the cement. I don’t necessarily look hard for them, but I do find them. The photo I posted is a heart I found in February a few weeks ago on one of my walks. I had my camera with me, prepared this time. As soon as I saw the image, I was taken. I knew that I would post it today, Valentine’s Day. I don’t think I’ve ever noticed a heart in a tree before. What a treat.

I wanted to prepare something different for dinner than the usual and I saw a soup recipe in Cooking Light that I’m leaning toward. I’m nervous because it will be the first time, but I think I’ll take a chance. It’s Spicy Thai Coconut Chicken Soup. The photo in the magazine looks delicious.

“No flowers or chocolate.” That’s what I told my significant other as he was leaving for work this morning—meaning that I don’t want a Valentine gift—because we have each other and we’ll be cozy at home this time, instead of in a restaurant. Even though I said no flowers, I think I will pick a small bunch of freesia or other fragrant flower to put on the table, if I have time. If I lived near a field of pretty wildflowers, I’d rather pick those for our table.

So in my mind’s eye, I’ve set the table with red placemats and fragrant flowers in the center; a few chocolate kisses spread like rose petals; a tall candle, to dine by candlelight, and a little sugar and spice offered by the soup on this Valentine’s Day.

Cozy, loving simplicity, with a dash of pizzazz: A perfect recipe for an intimate Valentine’s Day celebration.

Happy Valentine’s Day.

Memories of Mother and Sustenance

Different memories have been stored away of when my mother passed away. Memories of how I adjusted—different compartments that I placed her within my 13-year-old self—different memories that sometimes seem to barley scrape the sides of each other as though they are fractured, yet whole.

What really brings me to a standstill is when I realize that 13 years is such a short time when it begins at birth—to know someone. But when the bond is between mother and child, daughter in this case, the bond seems to bend time into something more profound. Some of my memories include trying to get a sense of who she was to me—who was this person—this woman—my mother? I have many memories, some stronger than others but to wrap my mind around it—the best that I can do is continue knowing my mother through my own self, through the flickering memories; and through the ways in which I think about her and continue to nurture her in my living life.

I always enjoyed being in the kitchen when my grandmother cooked and I helped out by making the tortilla dough into balls, but I didn’t help her cook anything else. My mother wasn’t a very good cook—at least I don’t think she was. She never prepared any Mexican meals. She made a potato soup that I loved. My stepfather seemed to do most of the cooking and some of his meals were from his days in the Army. Shit on the Shingles is one I remember because of the name, of course. He cooked a lot of pork and beef dishes, and oh how I adored his scalloped potatoes. I’ve never tasted anything so heavenly. My aunt, who lived next door at the time, cooked and baked. I would help her bake cookies. She didn’t make them from scratch, but I enjoyed the process of going to the store with her to select a cookie mix and go back to her kitchen and get to work.

When my mother passed away, I had what must have been one of her paperback sized Betty Crocker cookbooks, and in the inside cover I remember writing the date of her death. I didn’t visit her in the cemetery for a long time and when the cookbook disappeared, I lost the date and as odd as it may sound, no one seemed to remember the exact date either. I knew it was October—we all did— but couldn’t remember the day.

I’m not sure when exactly; a strong sense that it was sometime after her death, I would watch cooking channels like they were cartoons. I loved Julia Childs; Yan Can Cook with Martin Yan; “The Frugal Gourmet” with Jeff Smith. I started looking in cookbooks and trying out recipes.  I would cook a meat meal for my grandfather and I could tell the meat was too tough by the way he was slicing into it. I made cream puffs, cookies, and cakes. I even tried to make a dessert that looked so beautiful but it involved gelatin and I really didn’t have a clue. It was a circular form and had white wine it in, layers and layers of grapes cut in half would set into the gelatin. I don’t think it ever worked out, but I still remember the picture in the magazine. I also tried my hand at candy—divinity, penuche, taffy. As I dig into these candy memories, I wonder was it the names that got me. The letters side by side are enough to entice a young girl, the sounds of the words taking me into another realm. I don’t know. I do know that I did not have a candy thermometer, so I ended up with a bad mess. I didn’t care. I just wanted to be in the kitchen, experimenting, losing myself. No one helped me. I think this is one way that I felt complete and I’ve always loved food.

Food has been there for me—in my grandmother’s wonderful Mexican dishes and her love; my aunt’s cookies and her kindness; my stepfather’s interesting concoctions and his sugary sweetness because he worked in a large bakery; and even my mother’s potato soup, ah dear mother—especially her soup because it seems to be one memory that connects me to her through cooking. Now I see even more so why the potato is one of my favorite foods. I will eat anything potato—the gracious, versatile, nourishing potato.

I’ve mostly cooked and some baking here and there, on and off, through my adult years. I’m nervous to use our small oven in the apartment because it’s gas and because it seems to get so hot. I don’t fully trust it. 

Now I have the Better Homes and Gardens Cook Book, which I love consulting and searching through.

Recently I prepared a recipe from the Moosewood Restaurant Low-Fat Favorites: Flavorful Recipes for Healthful Meals. On Sunday I made one of the recipes: Southwestern Hominy Stew. It reminds me of Posole, a pork and hominy type soup, my grandmother used to prepare and that I know my mother loved. I enjoyed it very much and my significant other gave the thumbs up as well. Last week, I made a chicken curry with peas and spinach and coconut milk. It was pretty good, but I feel like it needed some heat to counterbalance the sweetness of the coconut milk. I used an already prepared curry powder from World Market.

Here is the recipe for the Southwestern Hominy Stew:

1 cup chopped onions
3 large garlic cloves, minced or pressed
2 medium potatoes, cut into 1-inch chunks (about 2 ½ cups)
2 cups frozen lima beans
2 teaspoons ground cumin (I used a lot less so that the cumin wouldn’t overpower the stew)
1 teaspoon salt (seemed to be enough sodium already, so I waited to salt my individual bowl)
3 cups basic vegetable stock. (I used an organic prepared container)
2 cups undrained canned tomatoes, chopped. (I used fresh tomatoes and added water)
1 roasted green bell pepper, seeded and coarsely chopped
1 roasted red bell pepper, seeded and coarsely chopped
1 roasted fresh green chile, seeded and minced. (I used a jalapeno)
1 tablespoon finely chopped cilantro

(I roasted the peppers on a flat cast iron skillet)

Combine the onions, garlic, potatoes, lima beans, cumin, salt, and vegetable stock in a 3-quart soup pot. Cover and bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer gently for about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes with their juice. Stir in the roasted bell peppers, the roasted chile, and the hominy. Simmer the stew, covered, for about 15 minutes more, until the potatoes are tender. Add cilantro and serve.

For the condiments, I warmed corn tortillas until they got hard and then loosely cut them up for adding into the individual bowls. I also chopped onion, more cilantro, and avocado. I imagine cheese would be nice too, but I liked it this way. Because we like meat, I cooked up a small amount of pork tenderloin with onion and garlic as a topping.

In the words of the late Jeff Smith when he would close his “Frugal Gourmet Show,”

I bid you peace.

The Next Iron Chef: Storytelling and a Small Token that Snuck In

On Sunday evenings at 9:00 p.m. sharp, I am tuned in to the television to watch The Next Iron Chef. I used to watch the Iron Chef back when they had dubbed voices for the Japanese-speaking judges. It was actually quite comical. You could tell that the judges were having a good time, laughing a lot in between their comments as they watched the chefs cook off for a win. At some point in the years, the judges changed and the show was no longer dubbed. I stopped watching on a regular basis and became an intermittent watcher. I had never watched how one became an Iron Chef, but when I saw a few weeks back that The Next Iron Chef would be airing, I knew I would be glued to the TV for an hour each Sunday.

It’s all about the secret ingredient and how successfully you incorporate it into your dish. Several Sunday’s ago stands out to me as one of the most challenging competitions: The Concessions Challenge. The chefs would have one of several concessions items: root beer, malted chocolate balls, and sour candy, to name a few. The chefs would have to create a masterpiece in an hour showcasing the secret ingredient in their dish. Can you imagine? It’s exciting to watch the chefs, as they figure out quickly what they will cook as they set to work, concocting, tasting, plating. It’s a culinary whirlwind.

This past Sunday’s show was my favorite so far: Storytelling. The chefs were presented with six postcards featuring six iconic New York City locations: Brooklyn Bridge, Statue of Liberty, Broadway, Central Park, Times Square, and the Empire State Building. Wow! Food and storytelling—this would be a dream episode to savor. I started to think about food in general and the story that it does tell. I thought of memorable meals that I have experienced and if I were to cook from a perspective of telling a story, what would I cook and what story would I want to tell.

Back in Kitchen Stadium, each chef would pick a number from one to six and be matched up with a post card. The chef with the advantage from the last competition would go last and have the option of keeping their postcard or swapping for one of the five in hand. All of the chefs seemed pleased with their offerings. As usual, I watch in anticipation and excitement at the creativity and passion that these chefs exhibit as they set out for a win. The clock ticks down. Time goes fast. Time’s up: Step away. Judging time.

Two stood out to me for different reasons.

What I recall about Chef Alex Guarnaschelli’s presentation is that she wanted to evoke the smell of New York, of walking the streets and being hit with that NYC smell. Her creativity is what got me. Along with her meal, she had a small brown paper bag that was meant only for smelling and in it were the burnt roasted peanuts to bring the judges there to NYC. Her overall meal was not that exciting and she did have some bumps, but her creativity got me.

Chef Anne Burrell was the clear winner in her story, food presentation, and delivery of her own memories tied to Central Park and what it represents to her. She personalized it and made it universal. It was as though from the moment she got her postcard, she knew exactly where she was headed. She recounted how most may think of her as a city girl, but she was actually raised in a country setting and it was this feeling that she received from sitting in Central Park, with the pigeons, trees, grass, and birds.

And how could I not think of Red Room member, Mary Wilkinson (m), in all the stories—stories that she has served up with food and words. It made me reflect for a moment upon her blogs, especially the food blogs and the wonderful stories that come out of her kitchen. And for the lucky passerby in her cozy area, they could probably catch the mouth-watering smells that sneak from her kitchen windows. I imagine her on her culinary journey and how she gets to do what these great chefs do in this one particular episode of telling stories with food. I guess this last part is a small token of appreciation to, m, all the way in Ireland: An ode to her and an ode to all the chefs and aspiring chefs of the wordly and culinary world.

Salute!

Ground Turkey and George Foreman

I once had a Turkey burger in a restaurant and it was OK, but not great. We’re trying to eat healthy and delicious.

Whenever I would hear people talk about the George Foreman grilling Machine, I rolled my eyes. I thought it was just another gadget to own. Well, even when I reject something, I am still fair and give something a try before my final judgment. We did buy one—the small version for two. I tried to justify all the reasons in my mind of why this could be a good thing. I also had a George Foreman grilling cookbook with recipes. The book was given to me some time ago. This was the impetus behind the purchase.

A month later, and I’m having my doubts. As I suspected, it’s a bit of a pain to clean. It’s time consuming and if I use honey in a sauce to pore over the meat, it is even harder to scrape off the grill. You cannot submerse the grill in water. All cleaning must be done by hand, careful to get in the grooves and get all the little bits out.

It’s a novelty that the meat cooks from the bottom and the top. For the most part the meat or fish stays tender inside, leaving a slightly tough and dry outer skin. I have a feeling that after a few more uses, we are going to retire Mr. Foreman. I think what I like most about it is that it doesn’t spatter oil all over the place and I don’t have to have all the stove burners running.

We’ve cooked chicken, salmon, sole, and turkey burgers on the grill. If not for the grill, I may not have ventured into the world of ground turkey, thus, I prepared a dinner last night that was light and delicious.

I knew that I was going to prepare the small package of  artichoke with cheese and olives raviolis. I didn’t want to pair a heavy sauce with it, so I decided to use what I had in the kitchen. The idea came to me after looking through a few cookbooks. To make the simple sauce, these are the ingredients I used. It’s not so much a sauce as a dressing. I ran out of garlic; otherwise, I would have added it too.

Dressing a la ground Turkey

-Splash of olive oil

-Pat of butter

-Small handful of ground turkey

-Dash of salt and garlic salt

-Pinch of parsley

-Few shakes of basil

-1/2 handful of walnuts crushed up

-Bunch of fresh baby spinach leaves

Brown the ground turkey in the olive oil and butter, using the spoon to break it down into fine pieces. Add all but the spinach, stir. When all ingredients have married, add spinach.

Keep warm. Cook pasta, add a bit more olive oil, and toss with turkey spinach dressing.

We also had a green salad with dried cranberries, gorgonzola cheese, and cherry tomatoes, tossed with an olive oil vinaigrette; and tortillas as our bread.

I must say this was one of my favorite meals so far and all thanks to the George Foreman Grill.