Misc

No, I’m not talking about overzealous tans, but Italian Peppers.

Almost 20 years ago, my brother Jeff told me about this great way to add texture and spice to salads, sandwiches, and even pizzas… He’s served them a couple times recently, so I had to refresh my memory…

Way back when, you used a needle and thread to string together several strands of those small, skinny Italian peppers (poking your needle through the STEM), and then hung them in your sunny window to turn bright red and let them thoroughly dry. Very pretty as ornamentation BTW, and that method will always work.

Lately he has been drying them on a rack over a bowl on the windowsill; air and sunlight, but no “needlework” required. I’ve got a bunch started at my kitchen window, using the trays from my dehydrator above and below (I’ve got cats), placed on a shallow platter. No, a dehydrator doesn’t work, because the peppers don’t get a chance to develop all that great color and flavor!

When all are richly red, slice in ¼” pieces. Heat a “larger than you think you need” pot with enough olive oil to bathe all the pepper pieces, almost to the smoking point. If you want to infuse the oil with garlic, by all means – just do it ahead of time!

Now, if your first test piece of pepper turns brown, the oil’s too hot. According to Jeff, it should sort of “pop”, and turn even a darker shade of red. When you get this result, add all of the other sliced peppers and turn off the heat – and then just wait for the marvelous!

For best results, let it all cool together, and then place in a jar or two. The peppers are best served at room temperature, with plenty of the slightly spicy olive oil adding to the flavor of … whatever!

Thanks, Bro!

Okay, I know that this is not incredibly popular, but it was topical for me! I recently had a medical procedure that required an entire 36-hours of no solid foods or dairy… ALL CLEAR LIQUIDS! The list that they provided as suggestions included: strained fruit juices, clear broth, coffee, tea, a few sodas and drinks, gelatin, and popsicles?!? YUCK!!!! I like my V8 and Diet Coke with Lime, but that’s just not enough for my palate, especially when I am hungry! Add to that, I spend a large part of my day thinking about food (for this site) – and I’ve NEVER done well with being told, “you can’t”… So thinking ahead, I made a pot of “Miracle” Soup. Now, I don’t know if any of the reported dietary benefits of this soup actually work, but it sure does taste great! I’ve made it a couple times before - it has Asian flavors, which you know I love… Because it makes a LOT, I’d suggest buying a package of frozen, cooked shrimp, then add some each time you reheat – shrimp gets very “rubbery” if cooked too long… I just sipped on the incredibly rich broth the day I needed to, but still enjoyed the rest of the soup after. In fact, I think I might send the recipe to the doctor… (Oh, and I’m just fine )

I have no idea where or how this recipe developed – I admit, I probably wouldn’t have made it if I hadn’t tasted it first. It’s wonderful! The cake & recipe came to me on a multi-cultural campus, and a staff member brought it in; rich and light at the same time!!! I’ve actually baked it for a “casual” wedding – two 13 x 9 pans (two batches)… Used one as the base layer, cut the other in half (6.5x9) and then the other half in half (6.5x4.5?). There are many versions on line that are much more chocolaty – sound great, but not what I used for the wedding. I even improvised on the chocolate pudding… So we got a three-tiered cake (I needed to use bamboo skewers to hold it together – the “frosting” is quite slippery) – and I added some sprinkles to make it pretty. They liked. Hope you do, too!

Recently I went to lunch, invited by a work associate from a few states away (actually, my BOSS) whom I had never met in person before! She was in the area to check in with the local site, and four gals had a truly enjoyable time. In conversation, one of the big events in our area was mentioned – The Spiedie Fest! And faces went blank. I guess that I take this delicacy for granted… I hear you wondering as well. A Spiedie (it MUST be capitalized) is a local treasure. In its most basic and to my mind most perfect form, it is marinated meat, flame grilled on a skewer, and then wrapped – or rather, caressed by a slice of Italian bread. It has been embellished over the years – rolls, veggies, cheese – but the original is the best. To those not yet enjoying these sublime delights (pronounced “speedy”), it’s like a kabob, but it’s different; similar to a gyro, but much simpler than the ones I’ve had… They originally were made with lamb, but are now available with chicken, pork, and occasionally beef. Home cooks report making them with venison as well. The festival held each August (2009 being its 25th year) is just that - highlighting hot air balloons, celebrity appearances, music, games, crafts… but at its heart is the contest for the best professional and amateur recipes for our adored Spiedie. I do not have my own recipe – it is SO easy in this area to just go to a local restaurant or even the grocery store. If you want to get a “hint” of what I’m talking about, try a bottle of Italian dressing (the vinaigrette style) and marinate your chosen cubed meat for at least two days; there are a few award winning commercial brands available online to ship (Google “spiedie marinades” – I won’t take sides here [okay, Salamida’s or Lupo’s!!]) which would be much preferable. I have friends who have left the area that still order religiously! Philly has its Cheese Steak; Chicago has its Pizza; Buffalo has its Wings… But WE have the Spiedie!!!! Enjoy! I do.

I have had the good fortune of knowing two people with ties to Asia – a dear friend who spent many years in Taiwan, and an International student from Macao who was an active part of our family for a while (Hi Albert!).

While I’ve always enjoyed “Chinese” restaurants, I have learned that REAL Chinese cooking is very different – and better! The same great flavors, but a much simpler and healthier meal.

It can be daunting the first time you try a recipe – especially for the wallet. While the majority of the primary ingredients are actually quite inexpensive, if you don’t have all the sauces and seasoning, they do add up. Don’t despair! Over time, I have built up what I refer to as my “Asian pantry” – and you can do the same.

Soy sauce (both light and dark), Mirin, Rice Wine vinegar, 5 Spice Powder, Sesame oil, dried mushrooms, Soba and Rice noodles – these are some of the bare essentials. At a few bucks a piece, I can understand your reluctance to get started. Don’t despair - most recipes only use a little of each. If properly stored, they will keep for quite some time. Items like fresh ginger root are cheap; just save the unused portion in the freezer for future access.

Explore what my grocer refers to as the “Ethnic” aisle, and just pick up one or two items that appeal to you every once in a while – and once you’ve had some success, check out your local Asian markets. Soon you’ll be able to make your own, inexpensive Asian wonders, on a whim.

Dig out that Crockpot! Or maybe that slow cooker... The UP side to the economic state is that we are once again appreciating the joy of home cooked meals; if I believe the media, the slow cooked home meals.

Emeril is running a contest on GMA. America’s Test Kitchen is showing recipes using this technique. Even “The View” got into the act and posted a few recipes….

I’m all for it. But please, don’t just throw everything into the pot and expect it to taste great. It does require some advanced planning and prep work.

Any recipe using meat/poultry, onions or wine needs some browning/searing or reducing on the stove before going into the slow cooker. Some flavors intensify in time, others dissipate – and the fact that virtually all the moisture stays in the pot creates another element of dilemma.

I still have the “cookbook” pamphlet that came with the pot I’ve had for maybe 30 years?!?! Some of the recipes would be great if cooked slightly differently – but not as presented (I’ve tried them).

It may sound counter-intuitive, but the key to a simple dish is the preparation. PLEASE, look for ways to make this method as tasty as it is simple. Let me know what your favorites are!

My niece, who has great cooks surrounding her, told me about her experiences in her “home economics” course at school. Honestly, I had to stop her conversation because we were eating!

An apple pie dough that has yeast and requires kneading?!? Meatballs that had nothing other than ground beef, S&P, and a little thyme… Tomato sauce that has only tomato paste and water and a few seasonings?!?!!?! Pasta overcooked the first time, and then reheated… I'll grant that the meatballs and sauce could be used if that's all you have or can afford - but shouldn't the teacher be showing the RIGHT way to these children?

As a good aunt, I’ve encouraged my niece to be respectful to her teacher – and let her parents and I deal with the rest. Man, do I want to storm that classroom…

I'm not worried about Ris; she knows right from wrong - in the kitchen and elsewhere. My concern is for the other students who may not have such a strong or interactive home life.

Please, please, please – fight against ignorance every chance that you get. It is everywhere, and can hurt so many. Any topic, any place – dumb is forever, but ignorance can be cured!

From Sara Moulton’s Weeknight Meals on PBS, the following is worth checking out: Ramen in Curry Sauce with String Beans and Ground Pork or Turkey. I was intrigued at how a healthy and apparently good meal could be produced from Ramen noodles. Yes, Ramen noodles – the kind that is in those “just add hot water” soup mixes, and the packets we all seemed to survive on in college… The recipe works equally well with both ground pork and ground turkey. Fish sauce might be a little hard to find, but Worcestershire is an easy substitution. Onion can always replace scallions… I think this is worth a try!

Winter’s coming, that can’t be denied. That means it’s time to start thinking about soups. One of my favorites is Cheesy Vegetable Soup. In fact, a friend who recently discovered this site mentioned this soup to me (fondly remembered), and said it was a “must post”. Hate the name, but love the meal. I’ve made this several times – once as the "nibble" for a Christmas Day – and it is incredibly good! I “cheat” and buy a package of frozen vegetables that has the mix that the recipe calls for, but even that doesn’t change the wonderful results. I’ve got a couple other favorites that I will post as I start preparing them – but I look forward to hearing from you with some of your best, as well. Stay warm!

Every now and again we all start wanting (make that needing) something – something we don’t normally eat, or a lot more of something we have. I don’t know if it’s scientific fact or not, but I have found it wise to follow these urges. My friend has had a serious cold for the last few days, and on his shopping list is a jar of pepperoncini – he’s craving them. Just for fun, I googled… check out the article on Healthcare.com about the health benefits of hot peppers. To summarize, they break up the mucus, and are loaded with vitamin C – plus they provide a lot of other good stuff. Makes sense, don’t it? Got a cold, crave spicy peppers… Of course, you shouldn’t sit down and eat an entire half gallon of ice cream, but chocolate is actually healthy in moderation, and you might be needing some extra calcium… So – you have my “permission” to follow your whims from time to time.