Celebrating My 30th

Our posts have not been as regular as we like them to be, but that's because we have been busy celebrating. If one is forced to turn 30, I stand firmly on the grounds that a month long celebration is indeed in order. That being said, we have been traveling around and filling our tummies. We have saved up our "processed" meals for this time, and I thought I would give you an idea of how we have been splurging. The following photos document some of our culinary delights. We'll have to go on a cleanse once it's all over and done with, but for now, I'm just enjoying the moments!


*Tacos at La Taqueria on Mission St.*


*The cellar at Mt. Eden Vineyards - high up in the Santa Cruz Mountains*


*Enjoying the wines at Mt. Eden with some Vosges chocolate from Chicago!*


*Dinner at The Plumed Horse in Saratoga*


*Showing off our purchase at Ridge Montebello*


*Riding horses and drinking wine at Cooper-Garrod*

Fighting Childhood Obesity - Chili Mac & Quesadillas

The Boston Globe ran a story yesterday dedicated to the efforts being made to fight childhood obesity and better nourish our children. (Click on the previous link to read the full story and get tips on how to improve your family's health.) I contributed to the article by styling Sheryl's Sweet Potato Quesadillas (a tasty gem of a simple recipe) and creating/ styling the Chili Mac recipe. Both dishes contain lean proteins and an addition of more veggies than are found in traditional versions.

Sweet potato and turkey quesadillas with cheddar
March 10, 2010
Serves 4

2 large sweet potatoes
8 large flour tortillas
2 cups shredded cheddar
4 slices cooked turkey breast, cut into strips
Salt and pepper, to taste

1. Set the oven at 425 degrees. Pierce the sweet potatoes 6 or 8 times with a fork. Set them in a roasting pan and bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until they are tender when pierced with a skewer. Remove the potatoes from the oven; leave the oven on.
2. Let the potatoes sit until they are cool enough to handle. Halve them lengthwise and scoop the flesh into a bowl. Mash it with a fork.
3. On 2 large baking sheets, arrange 4 of the tortillas so they are not touching. Heat them in the oven for 3 minutes or until they are warm but still pliable; leave the oven on.
4. Line the tortillas up on the counter. Spread them with a thin layer of mashed potatoes, add a sprinkle of cheese, some turkey, salt, and pepper. Cover each round with another tortilla to make a sandwich. Return the tortillas to the hot oven.
5. Bake the quesadillas for 5 to 8 minutes more or until the top round is crisp and the cheese is melting at the edges. Transfer to a cutting board and cut the rounds into quarters.
6. Set 4 quarters on each of 4 plates.
Sheryl Julian

Chili mac
March 10, 2010
Serves 4

Old-fashioned versions of this classic rely on ground beef, ready-made tomato sauce, and regular pasta, and typically do not contain other vegetables. This updated recipe uses ground turkey instead of beef. Choose a mixture of white and dark meat, or use only ground breast meat for the leanest option. Bell pepper, celery, and zucchini provide a healthy dose of veggies; young diners may not even notice them in the dish. Use whole-wheat macaroni, but let the kids choose the shape. Elbows, shells, and even bow ties will work with this presentation. Top each bowl with a few pieces of avocado, giving the dish a fresh look and healthy fats.

1 teaspoon olive oil
1 pound ground turkey (mixture of white and dark meat)
1 small onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
Salt and black pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 cup water
1 can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes
1 can (15 ounces) kidney beans, with their liquid
2 small zucchini, chopped
1/2 pound whole-wheat macaroni or other small pasta
1 avocado, peeled and chopped

1. In a large flameproof casserole, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Brown the turkey, breaking it up with a spoon, for 5 minutes or until it begins to brown.
2. Add the onion, bell pepper, celery, garlic, salt, and black pepper. Cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes or until the vegetables begin to soften.
3. Add the chili powder, oregano, and cumin. Stir for 1 minute.
4. Add the water and tomatoes. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer for 10 minutes.
5. Stir in the kidney beans and zucchini. Return liquid to a boil. Lower the heat, and simmer for 30 minutes. Taste for seasoning and add salt and black pepper, if you like.
6. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the macaroni or other pasta. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 7 minutes or until pasta is tender but still has some bite. Drain the pasta into a colander; shake it but do not rinse.
7. Divide the noodles among 4 deep bowls. Top with chili and garnish with avocado.

Baked Trout with Lemon and Paprika

Also in today's Globe!

Serves 4

Finding time to cook a fancy meal for company sometimes seems as likely as a celebrity chef showing up to fill in. If you can find boned and butterflied whole trout, which cook in a very short time, they make a beautiful presentation. Fill the cavities with lemon, thyme, and garlic and bake the fish inside foil packets to keep the flesh moist during baking. Serve with steamed potatoes sprinkled with parsley and black pepper.

1 teaspoon olive oil
4 whole boned trout, butterflied
Salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 teaspoon paprika
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 lemon, thinly sliced
8 sprigs fresh thyme
1/4 cup white wine

1. Have on hand a rimmed baking sheet. Set the oven at 350 degrees.

2. Cut 4 sheets of foil (each 16 inches long); line them up on the counter. Brush each piece of foil with olive oil. On the center of the foil, place 1 whole trout, skin side up; season with salt and pepper. Flip the fish over and season the flesh side with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with paprika.

3. Divide garlic and lemon slices among the fish. Top with thyme, dividing evenly. Sprinkle white wine over each. Fold one fillet over the other, closing up the trout.

4. Fold the foil up and around each fish, and make a seal on top. Set the packets on the baking sheet.

5. Bake for 10 minutes or until the fish is firm and opaque.

To My Readers:

You are a small but loyal crew. I must apologize for my absence. With 30 looming down on me, I've been busy making all the preparations to celebrate the fateful day -- and not by having a solitary pity party! In addition to the chaos of the celebrations of my birth and fortunate continued existence, I have been working like a dog, scrapping together recipes and photos for the Boston Globe (and 1 or 2 other publications that I will let you know about later). The really fantastic thing about the Globe is that they pay me. So, you will understand that is why I sometimes make my world revolve around the demands of said paying gig.

Fear not, though, my friends, unprocessed is still in full swing. A giant batch of hoagies sits on my counter next to an even larger bag of gaufrettes that Ben made at work. The remaining ingredients for an unprocessed birthday party sit in canvas sacks, ready to make their arrival into this world. We'll be sure to post a few new recipes that came about as a result of this soiree. And, if you happen to be in the area, stop by and give an early Happy Birthday salute to me and my dear friend, Suzan. We'll be commemorating the big 3-0 all night long!

Below is a post from today's Boston Globe Short Orders section. You may have seen me touting the merits of Blue Grass Soy Sauce before, but this is the "professional" version.

Microbrewed, small batch, and single barrel are not terms usually associated with the production of soy sauce. But Matt Jamie, president of Bourbon Barrel Foods, is doing just that. Made with non-GMO soybeans and spring water, Blue Grass Soy Sauce ($5.99 for 5 ounces) is one of Kentucky’s finest. The condiment is fermented and aged in bourbon barrels; each label states the batch and bottle number, handwritten by Jamie’s father. The subtle smokiness, derived from its time in oak, perks up a simple stir-fry or rounds out a sharp balsamic vinaigrette. From the land of whiskey and thoroughbreds comes an artisan elixir deserving of space on your shelf. Available at Don Otto’s (formerly Lionette’s), 577 Tremont St., Boston, 617-778-0360; City Feed and Supply, 672 Centre St., 617-524-1799, and 66A Boylston St., 617-524-1657, both in Jamaica Plain; or from www.bluegrasssoysauce.com.

Enough with the Nut Butters, Already!

I realize that at this point, you must think that my infatuation with all things nutty and ground in the food processor borders on serious insanity. Well, I can assure you that I am certifiably crazy, but it has nothing to do with schmears intended for toast.

That being said, our latest venture into the nut butter world was cashew. Ben is interested in trying out one of Martha Stewart's recipes that calls for cashew butter. I must admit that out of the three that we have tried thus far, cashew butter is my least favorite, although I can't clearly articulate why. Perhaps there is a higher starch content, which in the end yields something slightly more difficult to spread than the good old Peter Pan standby. While this may not sound like a ringing endorsement, I do suggest you try it. Variety, after all, is the spice of life. Who knows? Maybe I will even venture into the world of Brazil nut butter. Does that even sound good?

4 cups raw, unsalted cashews
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup oil
4-6 tablespoons water

1. Set the oven at 350 degrees. On a rimmed baking sheet, spread the cashews. Roast for 20 minutes, or until nuts begin to brown and release their oils.
2. In a food processor, grind the nuts with the salt, scraping down the sides often.
3. With the machine running, pour in oil and water, again scraping the sides as necessary. If the butter seems too stiff, feel free to add more water or oil.
4. When the cashew butter is smooth and homogeneous, transfer to an air-tight container. Store in the refrigerator.

Project Foodie

My mother's house - much like my own postage stamp in the Mission - was filled with stacks and binders of decades worth of food magazines and newspaper clippings. Hers were namely Gourment; my secret hoarding fetish includes mostly Saveur. I remember the sadness in her eyes when the basement flooded and she was forced to throw away the moldy back issues that had brought her so many gastronomic pleasures. Eventually, I would grow overwhelmed by their presence -- so many layers of precious information, but without the Dewey Decimal system or a computer driven search engine, how the hell does one find something even remotely specific?

Enter Foodie Pam of Project Foodie, a delightful personality that I had the pleasure of dining with at Cav Wine Bar and Kitchen this evening. Pam is the founder of this ingenius site that searches only reputable food publications and provides the user with links to recipes that will surely not result in disaster. No longer is it necessary to while away the hours in fruitless search of an elusive dish (although, I admit that there is nothing that I would like more). Nor are you forced to place your evening meal in the untrustworthy hands of less-than-average-blogger-Joe. Registration ensures that you can return to your favorite recipes again and again -- carefully bookmarked in your very own e-recipe box, ensuring that your prized instructions won't be set aflame on a misdirected burner or covered in Bordelaise sauce.

Foodista!

I stumbled upon a contest on Foodista. They are looking for recipes and photos from food blogs to be chosen for an upcoming book. So far, I entered my Vegan Pumpkin Bundt Cake and Kayo's Homemade Ketchup (to be fair, it is mostly Ben's ketchup, but we are a team!). You can vote for me by clicking on the Foodista links on the side. There is one link for each recipe entered. Fingers crossed!