Cookin' Cajun for Cinco de Mayo

So, on the eve of Cinco de Mayo, when everyone is making tacos and margaritas, I decided to throw a curve ball and cook cajun. (However, I did not omit the margaritas. Drinking one as we speak). My Cajun inspiration was a lovely little pasta joint in Mission Hill across the street from the school I was student teaching at. It took me until the last day of student teaching to actually be coaxed into going there (I'm a brown bag lunch kind of girl), but I am so glad I did. Lilly's Pasta is a hidden gem- and they deliver to the Boston/ Cambridge area! But if you don't live close by, fear not. I was able to perfect their Cajun pasta so that you can make it in the comfort of your own home.

I also have to give credit to the amazing Pioneer Woman, Ree Drummond. One of my favorite bloggers slash Food Network Stars. Her recipes never fail to make my mouth water, and her blog is amazing for home cooks (http://thepioneerwoman.com/). If it's easier, just follow her recipe for Cajun Chicken Pasta, I promise I won't be offended. If not, here is my rendition.

Prep work: slice up one green pepper, one red pepper, and half a red onion (I'm sure a white onion would be OK too). Chop three cloves of garlic while you're at it. Put a large pot of water on to boil for your pasta.

Next, heat a large skillet over medium- high heat to cook your protein. I happened to have Cajun Spiced Chicken Sausage (how convenient!) so I heated that up. But like Lilly's and Ree's recipes, you can use chicken. If you go the sausage route, cook the links for a few minutes until heated through (they are already fully- cooked, so no need to go overboard here).

Once your protein is cooked, remove it from the pan and add a tablespoon each of butter and olive oil. To the buttery-oily goodness, add your veggies (green and red pepper, onion and garlic). Season them with Cajun seasoning (*see below*) and cook for a good 5-10 minutes until the veggies are soft and slightly browned.

Meanwhile, your water is probably boiling, so add some salt and a box (~1lb) of pasta. Any type of pasta will work here. Cook the pasta according to package directions (and maybe a minute less). No one likes overcooked pasta!

Once your veggies are cooked, add one 14.5 oz can of diced tomatoes and continue cooking for another minute or two. Remove from pan (i.e: pour into a bowl that your tall fiance got down from the top shelf and set aside).

With the pan back on the stove, add a 1/2 cup of white wine and about 2 cups of chicken broth. This will help deglaze the pan. Deglaze is a fancy word for loosening up all the tasty brown bits that are stuck to the pan. Cook the wine/broth mixture for a few minutes. What you're doing is burning off the alcohol (I know, how sad) and condensing the flavor of the wine. Therefore, make sure you use a good wine when you cook (who am I kidding- I used boxed wine...but then again, I drink boxed wine...) Once the wine/broth has cooked down, add 1 cup of heavy cream and let that cook down for a few minutes. I was expecting the cream mixture to thicken more than it did, so don't worry if it looks thin. Once you add back in the veggies, protein, and pasta it will thicken up just fine...

Speaking of, add your veggies and protein back in to the cream sauce. I also added about a cup of chopped spinach. This wilts quickly so the heat of the sauce will do the trick. After a minute or two, add in your drained pasta. I also added a generous palmful of parmesan cheese here, because, let's face it, everything is better with cheese.

*Cajun Seasoning*
If you have Cajun seasoning, you're good to go. If you don't, you can make it from what you already have in your spice rack. Paprika, cayenne pepper, oregano, thyme, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper. I approximated, so feel free to look up Cajun seasoning recipe online (there are tons!) Or, just wing it like I did and mix the aforementioned spices until it tastes good. Beware of the cayenne though. Cajun food is spicy but don't overdo the cayenne. If you're using chicken instead of sausage, you are going to use this seasoning to flavor the chicken so make extra!

I just want to add a quick side note that this is really good. Like, really good. It's spicy. It's creamy. It's veggies, protein, and carbs all in one bowl. And while I love Mexican food, this was the best Cinco de Mayo (ok, Quatro de Mayo) meal I've ever made. Speaking of Mexican, I need another margarita....

Adios y buen provecho.

A Post for Bean Town

Sunday morning I took an early morning cab to Boston Logan Airport. It was the 14^th of April. I was making small talk with the very friendly cab driver about Marathon Monday- an event that brings in thousands of people from around the world to run and celebrate and cheer on those brave and crazy souls that run 26.2 miles for fun. I asked the cab driver if he had been busy because of the influx of people. He laughed and told me “no- the type of people who are in town this weekend don’t take cabs,” he said, “they run...”

His sentiment came back to me a couple days later in the aftermath of the marathon bombing when I heard the news that some individuals, after running a marathon, kept running to the hospital to donate blood. There were several heroes that day. Several unnecessary heroes. Unnecessary because these heroes should have been cheering on runners, grabbing a celebratory beer, or taking a much needed nap. Instead they were running to donate blood, ripping off their own clothes to make tourniquets for injured bystanders, and weeping about a cowardly act that took innocent lives, jeopardized the safety of one of the oldest cities in the United States, and tainted the beloved Boston tradition that is Marathon Monday.

I find myself, in the aftermath of this horrible tragedy, ironically feeling a sense of pride that I live in Boston. Being a (almost) Colorado native, I never gave Boston much credit. The accent is annoying. The drivers are horrible. Dunking Donuts is everywhere and it’s not even good. It’s too windy. Too rainy. Too humid. The sun doesn’t shine enough. I hate the sports teams. I’m not a city girl…So many have said that whoever bombed the marathon picked the wrong city to mess with. They say the people of Boston are strong. You knock us down and we get right back up. It takes a certain kind of person to live in Boston. A person who can tolerate obnoxious accents and horrific drivers. Who can bundle up and walk head first into horizontal rain and ruthless wind. A person who can silently rejoice when the Patriots or the Celtics lose. Who can go to a game at Fenway Park and still enjoy the time-honored stadium despite the fact that the Red Sox squashed the Colorado Rockies only chance of a World Series. Ever. It takes a certain kind of person to live in Boston and after almost four years of living there, I realize I may just be that certain kind of person.

It’s only been a couple days since the historic marathon was terrorized with back-to-back bombs. The criminal is still on the loose. I have no doubts they’ll find it (it being the criminal. I prefer not to give it any human qualities). They’ll find it, punish it, serve it due justice. But what happened has happened. No amount of justice served can take back that day. No amount of justice served can give back lives or limbs lost. And no amount of justice served can erase the horrible images from my mind that are sure to haunt me anytime I walk down Boylston Street from this day forward. And I guess that’s just life. These things happen, and unfortunately they will probably happen again. And if they don’t kill you (God willing), they do make you stronger.  You have to keep on living. You can’t live your life in fear of cowards. You can’t let them win. I’m signed up for my first marathon in November in another old, historic city- Philadelphia.  And I’m going to run it for Boston. My family goes to the Indy 500 every Memorial Day Weekend. It is perhaps the most fun day of the entire year. And I’m still going to go this year, and the year after that, and the year after that. I’m still going to go to the movies on opening night. I’m still going to be an elementary school teacher. I’m still going to go sporting events and the mall and I’m still going to fly on airplanes. Life is full of danger. So what do you do? You live. You pray. You savor every day, every experience, every moment. I strongly believe there is more good in the world than evil. “You may say I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one.” Evil tries to knock us down, but we get right back up fighting even stronger than the last time. Still don’t believe me? Move to Boston. Become one of us. Then you’ll see. 

And if you're still having a hard time believing in good, here's some inspiration:

A Case of the Droopy Tulips

Happy Easter everyone. Or Passover. Or March Madness. Or whatever you find yourself celebrating tonight!

I discovered a couple things this weekend. The first was that lasagna is not solely for the Italians. The second was that there is a cure for droopy tulips (exciting weekend, huh?)

So, which of these thrilling feats should I talk about first? How bout' the flowers. I bought a beautiful bunch of orange sunset tulips on Saturday afternoon (yes, orange sunset is a color. Google it). I got them home quickly, filled up a big vase of water, cut off the the bottom of the stems...I did everything you're supposed to do. But as soon as the tulips went into the vase, they drooped right over. Major problem. No one wants a droopy tulip. So I went to my trusty friend, Google, and searched for cures for droopy tulips (something I never thought I would Google). People recommended sugar water, ice water, little to no water, even vodka water. I wasn't about to waste my vodka on tulips (sorry guys) so I sought a second opinion (aka, the next Google search result). I found that by poking a pin-sized hole in the stem right under the flower head, something magical happens and the tulips perk right up. I figured it was worth a shot (and I didn't have to part with my vodka) so I got to pricking. Nothing happened right away, and I had honestly forgotten about it, until this morning (Easter morning) I woke up to perky tulips! It was the resurrection of my tulips! Or the Easter bunny. One of the two. And if you don't believe me, see for yourself!

Before (Sad Tulips)

After (Happy Tulips)

So now that I cured the world of droopy tulips, I'll get back to what I'm really good at- food. We had a little pre-Easter family gathering on Saturday night at our place and I offered to cook (surprising, I know). My initial thought was vegetarian lasagna. I've been really into veggies lately and what better place to put them than layered between pasta and cheese. But, instead of going to the store in the car I don't have to pick up a bunch of ingredients with the money I also don't have, I opted instead to use what I had on had and try my hands at a Mexican-style lasagna. This was seriously easy and seriously delicious. Seriously.

Lasagna Mexicana

Olive oil

1 onion, diced

2 cloves of garlic, diced

1 lb ground beef, turkey, or chicken

Taco seasoning 

1 can diced tomatoes, drained

1 can black beans, drained

1 cup corn 

4-8 tortillas 

2 cups shredded cheese

Start by heating olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat (a tablespoon or two is enough). Give the oil a minute or two to heat up, then toss in the onion and garlic. If you don't have onion and garlic, it wouldn't be the end of the world if you left it out. Let the O & G cook a couple minutes then add your ground meat. I used ground turkey, but you can use whatever you like. Ground turkey is pretty inexpensive for the quality, it's a lot less greasy than ground beef, and the other ingredients in the lasagna keep it moist and delicious. Once the meat is about halfway cooked (you'll know) add your taco seasoning. You can use the taco seasoning from the packet (like Ortega or Old El Paso) or you can use another blend. My favorite is Chili 9000 from Penzeys Spices. I probably use about a tablespoon of seasoning, maybe less. I'm really bad at measuring, if you didn't figure that out already. Let the meat cook until just done (again, you'll know). Stir in the tomatoes, black beans, and corn. Set aside for now.

Lightly coat a casserole dish with olive oil or cooking spray (I used an 8x8- any similar size would work). Now, you build the lasagna. The first layer is tortillas. I cut the tortilla into quarters and put the point of each tortilla quarter into each of the four corners of the casserole dish. If you're not a visual-spacial geek like me, just throw the round tortilla in the square dish. It will be fine, I promise. 

Top the tortilla with about a fourth of the meat mixture. Then, a good layer of shredded cheese. Whatever cheese you please. On top of the cheese, more tortilla. Then mean. Then cheese. Rinse and repeat. Just kidding, don't rinse. That would be gross. Just repeat the layers until you run out of ingredients. Bake in a 450 degree oven for about 15 minutes or until the cheese is melted. Slice and serve with your favorite burrito toppings- salsa, guacamole, sour cream. Yum. You won't regret this decision. It's just as good the next day, too, so have at it!

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend filled with good food and perky tulips. Enjoy the sunshine where you are.

CIAO!

Spring is in the Air...Finally!

If you've been following my blog lately, or the national news for that matter, then you know winter hasn't exactly had mercy on Boston (and this is coming from a girl from Colorado). It seems like every week there is a storm brewing. Punxsutawney Phil didn't know what he was talking about when he said Spring would come early (which I guess is why they are suing him. Yes, you heard me. Someone is suing a groundhog? Who does that?)

But, alas, Spring is here. Well, sort of. Spring will be here when we breach 60 degrees, but I'll pick my battles. My first indication that Spring was coming was a little ski trip we took last weekend to Shawnee Peak in Maine. The snow was that light, semi-slushy mix that is the epitome of "Spring Skiing." We also went night skiing and I didn't freeze my face off (the Hot Irish Nut I got in the ski lodge may have been part of the reason). And, we got a major discount on our lift tickets, something that would have never happened during peak ski season (aka, winter).

With Spring in the air, I have been searching for seasonal recipes. I always welcome the change of seasons because I get to switch up my recipes (and my wardrobe, but let's not make this a fashion blog).     With Spring comes some of my favorite green vegetables (think peas, green beans, artichokes, and asparagus). Going back through my Pinterest archives, I came across this Spring treat: Pesto Orecchiette With Chicken Sausage. The perfect blend of veggies, meat, and pasta all in one comforting bowl. And this dish came together is about 30 minutes. Easy as 1, 2, Spring!

Start by putting a large pot of water on to boil. Meanwhile, trim your green beans and cut into 1" pieces (asparagus would work well in here too. You want about 1 cup of either). When the water reaches a boil, salt it (if you roll like that) then add in your pasta. The recipe calls for Orecchiette which I couldn't find at the store, so I used medium shells. Any short cut pasta (i.e: not spaghetti or linguini) would do. The shorter cuts have nooks and crannies for the peas to get stuck in, which isn't by any means essential but you have to admit it's kinda cute. FYI: I used about 2/3 of the box and it still made 4+ servings, so adjust accordingly. 

While the pasta is cooking, get your chicken sausages cooking. I used hot Italian chicken sausage, but in hindsight I wish I would have used a pre-cooked variety (like al frescos or Aidells). The pre-cooked ones stand up better when you cut them into rounds, plus they come in some very intriguing varieties. Use one link per serving (4 links if you're making the whole box of pasta). 

Cook the pasta according to the package directions (usually about 8-10 minutes) and add your green beans and peas (about 1 cup) during the last 2-3 minutes of the cooking process. Before you drain the pasta and veggies, take out about a cup of the cooking liquid. Mix this cooking liquid with your pesto (1/3 - 1/2 cup or so) in a big serving bowl. Feel free to use store bought pesto, or see the pesto recipe below). Add in your drained veggies and pasta, toss with parmesan cheese and voila! You've got yourself a healthy one-pot Spring treat!

Momma Grabe's Pesto

In a food processor, combine the following: 

• Fresh Basil (about 2 cups)
• 2 Cloves Garlic
• Toasted Pine Nuts (1/4 cup, toast them up over low heat in a small skillet)

Stream in Extra Virgin Olive Oil until smooth (you'll probably use about 1/2 cup)

Remove from food processor and fold in shredded parmesan cheese and salt and pepper to taste. 

Easy as pie. Or pesto. Enjoy!

Mountain Getaway

As predicted, my blog has taken a back seat to the other demands of life. And while I haven't exactly starved, you haven't been missing much by way of new and exciting kitchen endeavors. It's been incredibly cold here in Boston, so the only thing that sounds good are big pots of chile and spaghetti. So not blog-worthy.

This week is "February Vacation" for Boston Public Schools, something we never had back in Colorado. Sure, we had Spring Break in March, but Boston has that, too. February Vacation is just bonus week off. And while I should be doing my taxes or getting ahead on lesson plans and school work, I have filled my days off catching up on Top Chef episodes and dreaming of a warmer tomorrow (did I mention it's been cold here?)

We were able to take advantage of the wintery weather last weekend when we went up skiing to Killington, Vermont. The conditions were great (for New England- I will always be a ski snob partial to my Rocky Mountain moguls) and the town of Killington was very quaint (and crowded- I guess that's what people do for February Vacation in the Northeast). Aside from skiing (and the Aprés Ski hot tub), the highlights of my weekend were food-related (go figure). The first came in the form of Buffalo Chicken Dip (also Aprés Ski). If you've never had Buffalo Chicken Dip, go directly to the store, buy the ingredients, and make a batch- NOW. It's really that good, if you like Buffalo Chicken, that is. If you don't like Buffalo Chicken, then I'm not sure if we can be friends anymore. Because from now until eternity (eternity being the day I find a better dip) if you come over to my house for any reason- be it the Super Bowl, the Oscars, a Tuesday night- there will be Buffalo Chicken Dip.

The best thing about Buffalo Chicken Dip (BCD, from here on out) is how easy it is to make. All you need is 2 cups chicken (leftover, Rotisserie, canned, whatever you have) 8 ounces cream cheese (use low fat if you like. In fact, do use low fat because you will eat the entire bowl of dip and I don't want to be responsible for your weight gain. I have BCD related weight gain of my own to worry about.) 1/2 cup ranch dressing (see aforementioned low-fat comment) 1/2 cup shredded cheese (cheddar, jack, any non-pretentious cheese will do- don't be throwing Brie into the BDC. No offense, Brie, I still love you and all of your pretentiousness. This just isn't your scene) and finally 1/2 cup FRANKS Red Hot Sauce (no substitutions, please. The BCD recipe is on the bottle of Franks. Do not betray him). Speaking of betrayal, the original BCD recipe calls for blue cheese dressing and blue cheese. I don't agree with cheese being blue, so I (an everyone I've met who makes BCD) uses good ol' ranch and cheddah'. We're not trying to impress anyone here.

Once all your BCD fixins' are mixed, bake it in a 350 degree oven for about 20 minutes, or until bubbly. Use tortilla chips as your dippers. You could use carrots and celery, too. I'll let you make that call. Whatever you're dipping, prepare to be amazed.

You know what goes really great with Buffalo Chicken Dip? An ice cold beer! You know who makes really good ice cold beer? Long Trail Brewing Co. in Bridgewater, VT., conveniently located just 15 minutes east of Killington, making it the perfect end to your ski weekend (I should do their advertising).
All jokes aside, Long Trail does make great beer, supposedly with the "best water in Vermont!" We opted out of skiing on Sunday because it was too cold (note: third reference to how cold it is here) so we got a head start back to Boston and stopped in at Long Trail Brewing Co. on the way home. We weren't the only ones that had that bright idea, but it ended up being a great detour. The brewery is essentially a restaurant with an awesome waiting area. While waiting for our table, we took the self-guided brewery tour, enjoyed a beer by the outdoor fire, enjoyed another beer inside the heated tent...we were at a brewery after all. I can't say no to good, inexpensive brew.  The food was good too, notably the soups. Mike had the chili, which was apparently really good (so good that I didn't even get to smuggle a bite!) And I had the Cheddar Ale Soup (made, of course, with Long Trail Ale). It was the perfect ending to a great weekend away. Cheers!

Welcome, Twenty-Thirteen

Happy New Year (only 9 days late...) I'm off to a busy start so far- Student Teaching 21 5th Graders, two classes at the University, spinning, intermittent wedding planning. My lack of time (and income) might put a damper on my blog but perhaps I'll feature some low-budget quick fix meals (crock pot recipes anyone?). But before I get all Debbie- Downer on you (cue the jingle), let me recount a few foodie wins from the last days of 2012.

Michael and I traveled south 6 hours to Wilmington, DE where we spent the holiday with his family. I really enjoyed Wilmington- practical and charming. And some of the best restaurants I've been to. Despite an unexpected blizzard, we went to Orillas Tapas Bar in downtown Wilmington for my birthday (also known as the day after Christmas). We were some of the only guests that night (because of the aforementioned blizzard, not because Orillas isn't amazing). Our waiter was a self-proclaimed professional (waiter, that is) and provided tasteful comic relief. And the food was superior. Some may say tapas with a twist. The menu offered all of the Spanish staples one craves (Patatas Bravas, Tortilla Espanola, Gambas al Alijjo...hungry yet?) but with their own spin on them. Our favorites of the night were shrimp and jalapeno ceviche with a buttered popcorn topping (Mike is really into ceviche since Peru) and the lamb meatballs (albondigas to the Spaniards). And let me not forget the Cava Sangria. No tapas meal is complete without a pitcher of the fruit-and-wine concoction, and Orillas has one step up on the classic with their sparkling rendition. Cava (Spanish sparkling wine from the Catalonia region), brandy (to amp up the booziness- it was my birthday after all), mint and strawberries. All muddled together into a refreshing batch of Sangria. I hope to recreate this myself, and so long as my efforts as successful, I will get back to you.

Another hidden gem we found in Wilmington was Culinaria in North Wilmington. This place was seriously a hole in the wall. Very unassuming, smack-dab in the middle of a strip mall, but with the ambiance and cuisine of an Italian eatery in the heart of Tuscany. I tried the Rigatoni Bolognese- veal and beef sauce atop al dente rigatoni and topped with ricotta crema. Oh. Em. Gee. I must have been pretty immersed in my meal because, quite honestly, I don't remember what anyone else had. Well, until dessert hit the table. If you ever make it to Culinaria, please do not leave without getting dessert. And if you enjoy coconut even in the slightest, get the coconut creme pie. Or the peanut butter pie. Or the lemon creme pie. Or maybe a slice of each? You can always doggy-bag it!

Even though we did eat out quite a bit during our holiday in Delaware, we did turn out many delicious meals ourself, too! Chili and cornbread, Roasted Turkey with Sweet Potato Gnocci and Braised Brussel Sprouts, Grandma's Famous Pecan-Rum Rolls, Cherry Pie...Yes, I caved and made a cherry pie for Christmas dessert. Not my favorite pie, not cherry season, just a good old-fashioned desire to please my fiance (who, in case you cannot connect the dots, loves loves LOVES cherry pie). I'm hoping the Christmas compromise will mean I get my way with the wedding cake (read: no cherry pie for the wedding cake...OK, maybe a cherry on top...)

Christmas Cherry Pie

4 cups frozen cherries (if you happen to be making this when cherries are actually in season, you can use fresh- but that requires pitting and a lot more money...)
1 cup white sugar
4 tablespoons cornstarch (I used more for a thicker filling)
Juice of 1 lemon
1/4 teaspoon almond extract (you don't have to do this, but it makes it amazing!)
2 pie crusts (make them yourself, buy them pre made, whatever floats your cherry pie)

Add cherries (fresh or frozen) to a saucepan over medium heat. Cover. Let cook about 5 minutes or until some liquid had escaped. Meanwhile, mix the sugar and cornstarch together. Add this, almond extract, and lemon juice to the hot cherries. Turn the heat to low and continue to cook until the filling has reached desired consistency. If it becomes to thick, add a little water. Too thin, add a little cornstarch. You can add more sugar, lemon, or almond extract to taste, too (I may have...) Let the filling cool.

While the filling is cooling, prepare your pie crusts (if you're using pre-made pie crusts, the box will tell you exactly what to do, if you're making your own pie crusts...shouldn't you know what to do? Because I'm not a make-you-own-pie-crust type of gal). Pour the filling into the prepared pie crust, dot with butter, then top with the second pie crust. Pinch the edges of the crusts together, make a few slits at the top, sprinkle with sugar, and bake in a 375 degree oven for about 50 minutes. Keep your eye on it though- mine got a little too cooked (probably because of all the mimosas...see above photo). After an initial conniption fit, I got over it. And it still tasted pretty darn good, even for cherry pie (wink, wink).

I hope your holidays were as lovely (and filling!) as mine, and I hope your 2013 is off to an incredible start! Cheers!

My First Latkes

A couple weeks ago, before the first night of Hanukkah, I gathered with my future Sister-In-Law, Lisa, and her roommates and friends for a festive night of cookie baking (see below post), holidays movie watching (Love, Actually), and wine drinking (of course). But no Christmas celebration could be complete without...Latkes? Luckily, one of our crew was a Hanukkah celebrator (aka, Jewish) and delighted us with the best Latkes I have ever had. Actually, I think they were the only Latkes I have ever had, but I don't ever expect to have better Latkes. Latkes with a capital L, because they deserve proper-noun status.  Apparently the chef (the one and only Emily Josephs) got the recipe from Gwyneth Paltrow's blog, goop, but the Latkes she (Emily) turned out were way better (looking) than Gwyneth's (no offense, Gwyn). Let me paint you a picuture...hearty potatoes and crisp apples molded together into a perfect patty, then deep fried in oil until crisp and golden brown. It's like hash browns on steroids. But wait, there's more. Top the latkes (whoops, Latkes) with creme fraiche, smoked salmon, and dill. Put them alongside a salad of peppery arugula, lemon and Parmesan, and you have yourself Latke nirvana. Hyperbole? I think not. Try for yourself. How do you like them Latkes?

For those who celebrate it, happy (belated) Hanukkah! And thank you for your Latkes!