Moving Time

Tags

challenge, life, moving, skills

Hi Everyone! Just wanted to let you all know that the month of April is going to be a little slacker when it comes to the recipes. Last week, I went on Easter vacation with my family to the Nantahala National Forest and had a blast hiking and zip lining and just hanging out in the mountains. Needless to say, I had neither the time nor technology to cook or write.

Skinny Dip Falls

Now that I am home from vacation, I have 4 days to get my entire life together to make the 10 journey to my new job in Washington State.  I have decided to couchsurf my way across America (with the exception of my 4 days in Denver for AmeriCorps training) and have all of my hosts pretty much set up. However, Camille still needs to get her shots updated, I need to pack, I am working two full days, I have to drive to Macon to pick up a car part and I need to get my teeth cleaned. That is a lot to do in 4 days! Plus, I am still taking that online Stanford Game Theory class, which is an excessive amount of work. Double plus, I still have to find a house in Washington!

The moral of this story: don’t expect a lot of me this month. I will try to update on my road trip across country but I doubt that I will be cooking much considering my current nomadic condition.  However, I promise that I will make it up to you when I get to Washington and begin my 12 month 12 skill challenge. Which, by the way, I still need a few more inspiring ideas for!

Check back in May for some exciting new recipes in line with early harvest! Cheers!

Key Lime Pie 1

Tags

dessert, florida, food, key lime pie, key lime pies, lime, pie, sweets

For awhile now I have wanted to take on the task of mastering a specific dessert. I wanted people to think of me and say,”Oh Marissa? She makes the best…” Macrons, which I view as the Kilimanjaro of pastries have been an option. As well as profiteroles. And representing South America and Spain I once thought that I would master the flan (that was a complete disaster). But I got to thinking, why would I, coming from Florida, make the best macrons when I haven’t even attempted the king of all Florida desserts… the Key Lime Pie.

So now I have. My new goal is to become a master of the elusive and diverse Key Lime Pie.

According to Key Lime pie aficionado David L. Sloan, ”Around here everyone has a story. They tell it in Key lime pie.” This has led to amazing variations on the original recipe, from bacon to jalapenos. According to historians, the pie was probably created by sponge divers who added the abundant local key limes to the condensed milk that they had on the boats. However the official story is that the Key Lime Pie recipe was first invented by a cook named Aunt Sally who worked in the house of millionaire and ship salvager William Curry. The first recipe, however, wasn’t recorded until the 1930s. Ever since, the Key Lime Pie has held a popular role in the Keys food culture and has spread throughout the state as well.

Personally, I prefer my key lime pies to be lighter and more airy than it’s cheesecakey counterparts. This recipe came from Pepe’s Cafe in Key West and was recorded by Sloan for Epicurious. It is definitely one of the best that I have tasted but I plan on continuing the my search for the perfect pie.

The Ingredients

For the graham cracker crust:

• 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs from about 12 (2 1/4-inch by 4 3/4-inch) crackers
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

For the filling:

• 2 large egg whites
• 4 large egg yolks
• 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
• 1/2 cup fresh (or bottled, if you must)  Key lime juice

To serve:

• 1 cup heavy cream
• 3 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar

The Process

Making the graham cracker crust:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Begin by stirring together the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and cinnamon. Combine with the melted butter and press into the bottom and sides of a 9 inch pie plate. Bake for about 10 minutes until brown. Take out and allow to cool but leave the oven on.

making the filling:

In the bowl of a stand mixer with whisk attachments, beat the egg whites until they are frothy. Then add 1/4 tsp cream of tartar and continue to beat until they hold stiff peaks.

At this point I squeezed about half a bag of key limes to get the half a cup of fresh juice. You can use store-bought juice if key limes are unavailable or you don’t feel like making the extra effort but I think that it takes away the charm of the dish.

In a separate large bowl whisk together the egg yolks and can of condensed milk. Add the lime juice. Gently fold the egg whites into the mixture until just combined. Spread the mixture in the pre-baked crust and bake until the center is set, about 20 minutes. I went ahead and left mine in until there was a little browning on the top.

Allow to cool completely and then cool for at least 2 hours before serving.

Whip the heavy cream and sugar together until whipped cream forms and use as garnish.

The Ultimate Sweet Tater Black Bean Burger

Tags

cook, food, Quinoa, Sweet potato, vegetarian, Veggie burger

The transition into vegetarianism (well, pescatarianism technically but that word makes me shudder) is a tough one. There are things that make it easier for sure. Fake meats, veggie burgers, etc but normally, they aren’t much better for you than the meat itself.

This is a whole different story. This burger, though made of vegetables, is no veggie burger. This is an entity entirely of its own. I got the recipe from a blog called Edible Perspective, where it is referred to as “The Burger” and I think that is quite right.I topped them with some provolone, lettuce, tomato and roasted red pepper but I think that avocado would be really good too.

Ingredients

• 15oz black beans, drained + rinsed
• 3c cubed sweet tater, cooked + skin on [~1.5lbs]
• 1/2c frozen or fresh corn
• 2/3c finely chopped onion [1/2 medium onion]
• 2 large garlic cloves, finely minced
• 1/2c cooked quinoa
• 6T rolled oats, partially ground
• 2T sunflower seeds
• 1/2t salt
• black pepper
• 1t cumin
• 1t oregano
• 1/4t coriander
• 1t chili powder
• 1/4t cayenne [optional]
• 1T olive oil

The Process

First things first. The quinoa needs to be cooked according to instruction on the box. While the quinoa cooks, cube the sweet potatoes and then steam them until they are soft enough to mash.  Mash the sweet potatoes just a bit, they should not be creamy.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Mash half of the beans and then mix them in with the other half of the beans. This will give a little bit of texture and help the burgers stay together.

Add all of the remaining ingredients, combine and adjust for taste.

Form the mixture into 8 medium-sized patties and place on a baking sheet. I have been lining my baking sheets with some new product that is half parchment and half foil. It worked for this but I don’t suggest it….

Bake for about 30 minutes, flipping half way through. Then serve and enjoy!

These are instructions from Edible Perspective for other ways to cook the burgers. I prefer baking mine I will let you make that choice.

“*To pan cook – Heat a pan to medium and lightly grease.  Cook on each side for 5-8min, flip + cook another 5-8min until golden brown.

*For the grill – Bake burgers for 15min on one side, flip burgers once and bake another 10min.  While baking, preheat your grill slightly above medium [~350-375*]  Grease the grates and cook burgers for ~3min per side.”

Camille

Tags

best friend, dogs, life, love

As my little blog grows, I have this sudden urge to share things other than food. Plus, I happen to believe that this topic deserves at least one post. More realistically, it deserves an entire website.

Anyways, this is Camille. She is 9 years old and she is my dog and best friend since an ex rescued her from the pound 6 years ago. She goes with me everywhere and we are exactly alike. She likes bacon (but not fake, dog bacon), laying in the sun, boats and late mornings. She dislikes most children, crowds (especially crowds with balloons), jellyfish and excessive hygiene.

We are peas in a pod.

Oatmeal Muffins

Tags

breakfast, food, muffin, oatmeal, snacks

I have been extremely busy lately. Firstly, I am moving to the other side of the country in exactly 21 days. I am getting there, Camille in tow, via Kerouac-style road trip, couchsurfing my way across America. However, last week, I vacationed in my beautiful home town of Amelia Island and plan on spending an extended Easter holiday in the Smoky Mountains and hence, don’t have a whole lot of time left to pack. Also, I am starting a nonprofit. And working on my blog. And taking a volunteer class on game theory through the Standford Open Courses. And farming….

Oh, also I work full-time. I work in my dad’s office taking files out of shelves and then putting different files back into shelves. Sometimes, I move files to places other than shelves. But eventually, I take them back. However, because it is my dad’s office I also listen to audiobooks and dance and eat while moving the files. I learnt all about Mises in those shelves….. I can’t wait to start my real job.

Needless to say, what I really need is food that I can grab on the go. My mornings are normally completely booked with existential crisis and I always forget to eat. But I have found a solution.

Parts of this recipe came from 101 Cookbooks which is one of my favorite sources of inspiration as well as a constant go-to when things get complicated. Other parts came from memories that I have of making oatmeal muffins as a kid. At least I think that’s where they are from….

The Ingredients

Crumble topping:

• 3/8 cup whole wheat pastry flour
• 1/4 cup rolled oats (do not used instant)
• 1/4 cup natural cane or brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
• 1/6 cup unsalted butter, melted

Muffin batter:

• 1 cup rolled oats
• 3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon
• 7/8 cup unsalted butter, plus more for greasing pan
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups plain yogurt
• 2 large eggs, whisked

The Process

Preheat oven 350 degrees F.

Butter one or two muffin pans, generously. I used mini muffin pans. Use a fork to combine the flour, oats, sugar, and salt in a bowl and then stir in the melted butter until the mixture is moist. Form into a couple of hamburger sized patties and place in the freezer for about 10 minutes until they are crumbly.

Sift together the oats, flours, baking soda, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and sea salt. In a separate large bowl, mix together the butter, vanilla, yogurt and eggs. Then stir the dry ingredients into the wet. Be sure not to overmix.

Spoon the mixture into the muffin tin, filling each around 3/4 full (you will notice in the pictures that mine are fuller then that… it’s in my reckless nature). Take the crumble outside of the freezer and break it into pieces. Sprinkle a bit of it over each muffin.

Since I made mini muffins, I reduced the cooking time to 15 minutes. It is also worth noting that I have a mega oven and I always tend to need to lower temperatures / cooking times.

Sesame and Balsamic Glazed Asparagus Cranberry Tart

Tags

asparagus, cranberry, food, hummus, light fare, tart

Since taking the Americorps position in Washington, I have been crazy busy planning my cross-country trip, looking for housing, trying to determine what people wear in places where it snows…. I have had very little time to cook! Thank goodness that I have an arsenal of quick, yummy, and if I do say so myself, BEAUTIFUL dishes up my sleeve. Tonight, between arranging for housing, laundry and PBS’s showing of the Phantom of the Opera, I will be making a Sesame and balsamic glazed asparagus cranberry tart. I used half as much as the original recipe  as I was cooking only for myself. Also, I used organic wheat flour instead of all-purpose flour, which is totally passé.

The Ingrediants

To make the Asparagus and Cranberries (the filling):

1/2 bunch asparagus (about 10 spears), cut to the width of your tart
1/8 cup or as much as you want, dried cranberries
1.5 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for greasing the skillet
1 teaspoon white sesame seeds
Sea salt or any coarse salt
red crushed pepper
1 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
few tablespoon almond flakes/slivered almond

The Spread:

I used regular sun-dried tomato hummus but you could probably use anykind of spread / chutney / whatever with similar flavors.

For the crust:

1 cups organic whole wheat flour
1/6 cup + 1.25 tablespoons olive oil
1/8 cup + 1.25 tablespoons  very cold club soda (use a little bit more or less to make a soft but non sticky dough)
1 teaspoon salt
freshly ground black pepper
dried herbs, (optional) – any kind you like

The Process

Making the Crust:

Start by mixing the flour, salt, pepper and herbs together. In a separate bowl, whisk the club soda and olive oil together until it looks foamy. Add the wet mixture to the dry and stir with a fork until the dough comes together. Use your hands if you have to and if you feel that you need more moisture, just add a little bit of soda water. The dough should be more crumbly than stretchy.

Next, roll the dough out between two layers of parchment paper. Roll the dough into a square about 4′ by 4′. I am not very good at straight lines so I simply rolled up the edges so that it looked a bit more… square. Make sure that the tarte isn’t too thick as the dough will not retain it’s necessary flakiness.

Score the entire tarte with a fork.

Bake the crust on the parchment paper at 400 degrees F for 12-15 minutes or until the crust is firm.

To cook the Cranberries and Asparagus:

In a skillet, add the olive oil, sesame seeds and some roasted red pepper flakes and heat until the seeds sizzle a bit. The throw in the cranberries and trimmed asparagus. Toss until they are coated with sesame seeds and oil. Add the balsamic  vinegar and salt and toss until well coated. Cook the asparagus and cranberries for  about 5 minutes until they are slightly tender but still crunchy.

Assembling the tart:

Wait until the pastry is cool enough to handle and then spread you hummus (or whatever else you chose) on the top of it.

Arrange the asparagus on top of the hummus trying horizontally in a tightly packed line, allowing for little space between the spears. Toss the cranberries on top and garnish with some slivered almonds.

Put back in the oven at 350 degrees F, just long enough for the tart to completely warm up.  Enjoy!

How to be Good at Everything

Tags

goals, lessons, life, skills

“The question isn’t who is going to let me; it’s who is going to stop me.” – ~Ayn Rand

This blog has one main purpose that is contingent on two points: I like fancy things (especially all natural, homemade things), and I don’t have any money. Instead of taking the corporate jobs of the hollow men, I chose to follow my dreams and freedom. Needless to say, that means that I have to do a lot of things myself… or I have nothing.

Fortunately, what I have discovered is that getting the things that I want is easy! Generally, all you need are a few ingredients, a book or two and a bit of ingenuity and there are very few things that you can’t DIY.

This blog was born out of that thought. Unable to afford fancy restaurants, all organic specialty foods and daily pastries and such I had no choice but to learn the techniques myself. Nobody is going to stop me from eating like a queen, especially myself.

Now, I feel like there is almost nothing that I can’t tackle! No mountain is too tall!

I thought that Van Gogh’s Fishing Boats on the Beach at Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer would look nice in my bathroom so I painted it myself. And while I concede that it is a good ways off from the original, I am going to try again and again and again.

I couldn’t afford organic vegetables but refused to eat grocery store garbage, so I grew my own! It is so much cheaper than paying premiums for organic produce at the market and was really easy to do.

So now, when I want something, I figure out how to make it. There are limits on this of course but for the basics, I see no need in wasting any more money than I already have in the past 25 years. Additionally, my new skills have allowed me to barter. It is anticipated in my new move to Washington that I will actually be performing manual labor (gasp!) on a farm or ranch in exchange for my rent. This way, I get to save money that would be spent on rent as well as improve my skills for labor and manual dexterity.

This is where you come in. I have decided to do a 12 months, 12 new skills life adventure! I have already learnt so much in the past few months though that I am running short of ideas! So far, I have learnt (besides all the cooking) about how to run a farm from the lovely folks at Jenny Jack Sun farm, I have taken classes on making my own garden and growing my own vegetables (the cheapest way to eat!),  I have an entire new jewelry collection thanks to Honestly WTF.  And I have ransacked the public library. Books like “Knots and How to Tie them” and “Basic Ballet: The Steps Defined” litter my bedroom floor surrounded by other pieces of inspiration,

But I need more! So far, I only have two skill goals for the next 12 months. I would like to get ideas from my friends on things that you think would be interesting/useful/complimentary to my desire to have fabulous fancy things without spending money.

These are my constraints:

• Money
• Rustic living -I am fairly positive that for the next year I will be living in remote Washington state in a Pacific yurt with an icebox, a stove and a dry sink on a farm or a ranch…
• Season – I want to do things in concordance with the seasons because this is when materials will be cheapest. For example, I am hording some very exciting tomato based recipes that are waiting until June for when they are in full season.
• Personality – I don’t want to do anything boring or simple or…un-fancy.
• Processes – I want suggestions on things that require processes. Please do not send me ideas like “learn French” or “play the piano.” I would like ideas that requires steps, that can be done over a weekend and that will have lifelong benefit of learning.

*Note: I have the following year-long goals, both personal and professional,and it would  be nice if my small skill goals could compliment them

• Learn to sail
• Study French
• Farm
• Learn basic survival skills / camp alone
• Learn to fish
• Basic fiddle

What I have thus far:

• Perfume making – I want to learn how to make my own perfume, specifically like Jo Malone’s Pomegranite Noir. It is a delectable, sultry blend of night scents but also rather expensive, so until I have the money to afford it, I am trying my hand at making my own blend.
• Prosciutto - Once I get to Washington and get to know some people, I plan on obscuring a ham leg and curing / salting it myself to make prosciutto. And I don’t want to hear a word of disapproval about this from my Italian friends. I miss it, I can’t afford it, it is as easy as that.
• ???

Comments, ideas and other encouragement would be greatly welcomed!

Carciofi alla Giudia (Jewish-style Artichoke)

Tags

artichoke, culture, food, history, jewish, Roman, tradition

This recipe is the first (well, the second I guess because I think that the Tamales count) of many that I will feature that are not only delicious, but have played an important role in the growth of a culture or the success of a people. I think that food culture is outrageously important and recreating culturally classic recipes helps me relate to a different history, era or experience. As a humanist, I feel that this is quintessential. That being said, there are countless things that I miss about Rome, the greatest of them being the people who I left behind. Close second however, might be Carciofi alla Giudia. I can still remember the first time I experienced their crunchy leaves, tender heart and my favorite part, the perfect stem. This occurred solely on the insistence of Mr. Crowly, a friend who regularly frequents Rome and who allowed me the wonderful experience of a private tour of the inner lairs of the Vatican.  And I am eternally grateful for each of these things.

Carciofi alla Giudia has a long and interesting history. According to The Jewish Daily Forward (who, last year, featured an incredibly interesting and heartbreaking article on cookbooks and collections of recipes created by the depravity of the Holocaust and the stories which accompanied them),  ”Their history… stems back to 16th century, when Roman Jews were confined to an overcrowded, impoverished ghetto. Deep fried artichokes might seem like a delicacy now, but according to Matthew Goodman who authored, Jewish Food: The World at Table, “food [in the ghetto] was scarce [and] frying was the cheapest and easiest option of food preparations.”

The Ingrediants

• Juice of 1 lemon
• 6 to 8 small artichokes
• Salt to taste
•  Ground black pepper to taste
• Olive or vegetable oil for deep frying

The Process

Start by squeezing the juice of a half of a lemon into a nonreactive bowl and add water. This is for soaking the artichokes in after cleaning them so they do not brown. Begin preparing your artichokes. This, to me, is the hard part but it gets easier each time and as you become more familiar with an artichokes layers and insides (how romantic). Begin by trimming the thorny end of the artichoke, horizontally. Remove the loose, tough outer leaves around the outside until you get to the soft, yellow leaves.

Scoop out the artichoke, leaving the leaves and heart intact. Be sure to trim the pointy tips of the inside leaves so that they don’t poke you when you chew. Use a vegetable peeler to peel back the rough outer layer of the stem and base of the artichoke. Soak in the lemon water.

Holding each artichoke by the stem, place top side down on a flat surface, and press to loosen the leaves without breaking.

Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Heat 1/2 – 1 inch of oil (I use canola) in a saucepan over medium heat. add the artichokes and fry, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides, about 20 minutes. During frying, occasionally sprinkle the tops of the
artichokes with cold water, producing steam that helps to cook the interior.

Drain the artichokes on paper towels. Place top side down on a plate and let stand at least 1 hour. Reheat the oil. Holding each artichoke by the stem, dip into the oil, pressing the leaves against the bottom of the pan.

Serve warm or at room temperature and enjoy the fruits of years of Jewish tradition.

Smoked Tofu

Tags

food, lifestyle, smoked, Tofu, vegetarian

By this point, everyone knows how good tofu is for us. A staple in Asia for 2,000 years, tofu is known for its extraordinary nutritional benefits, as well as its versatility. Tofu, also known as soya curd, is a soft cheese-like food made by curdling soya milk with a coagulant. Tofu is a rather bland tasting product that easily absorbs the flavours of the other ingredients. Tofu is rich in both high quality protein, B-vitamins and calcium, lowers cholesterol and is easy to digest. Furthermore, tofu is rich in isoflavones which helps prevent osteoporosis and has shown to reduce likelihood of certain types of cancer. A wonderfood!

Then why aren’t more people gobbling it down? Tofu tastes like crap. Well that’s not exactly true, it actually tastes like absolutely nothing at all. And the texture is weird. If you meet someone who tells you that they like tofu as is, do not trust them. They are trying to impress you and they are liars.

However, not all is lost. Tofu is extremely versatile and capable of taking on the taste or whatever is it marinading in. And when baked, the texture changes. Hope for it yet.

This is my favorite way to make tofu and a perfect addition to sandwiches or salads. And it’s so easy too…

Ingredients

• 1 to 1 1/2 lb. extra-firm tofu
• 3/4 to 1 cup water
• 1/4 cup dark Superior brand mushroom soy sauce (or reg. soy sauce if unavailable)
• 2 tablespoon maple syrup or organic molasses
• 1 teaspoon hickory liquid smoke

The Process

• Slice tofu about 1/3-inch thick lengthwise (or into triangles if serving as an appetizer/snack) Mix the rest of the ingredients in a plastic container with tight lid in which you can soak all of the tofu slices in this marinade sauce. Marinade the tofu slices for 24 hours in refrigerator.

• Bake drained marinated tofu slices on an oiled cookie sheets for 10- 12 minutes in 400 F oven. Flip and bake the other side about another 10-12 minutes.
• Let them cool before using if using for sushi. Otherwise enjoy! Good to eat hot or cold.

Sugar Cane Mojitos and Caipirinhas

Tags

afternoon drinks, beverages, caipirinha, food, lime, mojito, rum

As most people who know me know, Caipirinhas are in my top 10 favorite things in the world. I love everything about them, the time and muscle that it takes to hand muddle lime and sugar, the tangy cachaça, even the way that the name sounds rolling off of my tongue. So when I found this recipe in an issue of Town & Country, I immediately ran out to buy ingredients.

This recipe originally came from El Bulli, the sorely missed wonder of haute cuisine created by gastronomical genius Ferran Adrià. Normally, I wouldn’t touch a recipe of his. Molecular gastronomy is chemistry, which is a subject I failed at. Literally, in college. But this drink is a whole different beast. Although grandiosely posh, this recipe is super simple and sure to impress even the snootiest of dinner guests.

 

Serves 10

Ingredients:

5 lengths of sugar cane

For Mojito

3/4 cup rhum agricole (such as Neisson Rhum Reserve Special)
15 fresh mint leaves

For Caipirinha

3/4 cup cachaca
To finish: demerara sugar
Citric acid crystals
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
Grated lime zest
10 fresh mint leaves
crushed ice

Preparation

For sugar cane rods:

1. With serrated knife, cut sugar cane following its natural separations, which should not be less than 3 inches.
2. Peel the bark of the sugar cane.
3. Cut the tender inside of the sugar cane into rectangular rods 3 inches in length by 1/2 inch wide to produce 20 rods of sugar cane.

For sugar cane mojitos:
1. Place 10 sugar cane rods in a Ziploc bag, along with rhum agricole and mint leaves.
2. Seal the bag tightly and store in the refrigerator for 24 hours.

For sugar cane caipirinhas:

1. Place 10 sugar cane rods in a Ziploc bag, along with cachaca.
2. Seal the bag tightly and store in the refrigerator for 24 hours.

To finish cocktails:

1. Remove sugar cane rods from Ziploc bag.
2. With a knife, make a small vertical cut in one end of each of the mojito rods and insert a whole mint leaf into each, being careful to center the leaves.
3. Sprinkle demerara sugar and grated lime zest over all the rods.
4. Sprinkle two citric-acid crystals on each mojito rod.
5. Fill two glasses with crushed ice and place five mojito rods and five finished caipirinha rods in each.
6. Serve at once.

To enjoy: Chew and lick the cane to extract the cocktail. (The cane is not eaten).