Temazcal

Twas the night before Thanksgiving...and no one wanted to cook. So we tried a new restaurant- Temazcal Tequila Cantina in South Boston. Let's just say that it was definitely something to be thankful for.

The most striking thing about Temazcal's is their menu- it's no ordinary menu. It's an iMenu. That's right- when you arrive, the hostess shows you to your waterfront table and presents you with an iPad upon which their entire menu, including pictures of each and every dish, is stored. It is ingenious and I wish I was the one to think of it. The interactive browsing of descriptions and pictures not only helps you decide what to order but it make the process fun (and it probably increases Temazcal's profits ten fold).

Like any good Mexican restaurant, they bring complimentary chips and salsa. Their salsa selection was a trio of a sweet salsa verde, smoky chipotle, and what can only be described as black bean dip. We added guacamole to the mix which was good, but needed a little something (salt?) The avocado was perfect though so I can't complain. Another notable was their margarita. I judge Mexican restaurants off their margaritas, and Temazcal got an A+. I'm picky when it comes to margs, so I sprung for the "Primo" which was made with Patron, fresh lime juice, agave nectar, and Grand Marnier. It's $3 more than their "La Casita" margarita (made with a lesser tequila and triple sec) but worth every penny.

Being the day before Thanksgiving, none of us wanted to eat poultry so we opted for seafood and beef. For dinner I had what they call "Caldo Mariscos," or seafood soup. Large prawns, seared scallops, clams, and mussels were served swimming (no pun intended) in a chili-saffron-tomato broth that was perfectly spicy. It was a bit hard to eat given that you had to shell the prawns, but it was worth the effort. A definite must for seafood fans. Other dishes at our table included the Carne Asada and Mahi Mahi- both delicious (being the food blogger in the family, I always get to taste others' food). The skirt steak was grilled perfectly and served with a cheese enchilada and black beans. The Mahi Mahi was grilled and covered in a chili-garlic sauce and served on top a plantain mash.

Everyone left satisfied and overly stuffed (tis' the season). I definitely plan to go back to Temazcal, and when I do it will definitely be for the Margarita and the iPads.

Gobble Gobble!

Here I am with my beautifully browned bird on this year's turkey day. I cannot believe another Thanksgiving has come and gone. I found myself feeling what can only be described as bluesy as I woke up on Black Friday (and had to go to WORK-no wonder). Thanksgiving is a day I look forward to all year; it's the culmination and celebration of everything a I love- cooking and eating, family and friends. And it always seems to come and go so quickly leaving only Tupperware after Tupperware of leftovers and a minor wine and tryptophan induced hangover. Luckily, Thanksgiving blues quickly turn into Christmas red and greens. You sure don't have much time to digest your Thanksgiving before Black Friday and Cyber Monday shove Christmas down your throat. It's not even December 1st and I have already watched a handful of Christmas movies courtesy of ABC Family Channel. I'm not complaining though- I love this most wonderful time of year. The key is to avoid the commercial chaos, enjoy the beauty of the season, and spend time with those you love. It's all about getting back to how the holidays felt when you were a kid. Full of magic and excitement, happiness and wonder. I hope you will all get back there this holiday season...

So where was I....oh, yes. Thanksgiving. I'm getting one holiday ahead of myself. This years feast turned out great (not to toot my own turkey or anything).  I doubt anyone is in a rush to make stuffing, mashed potatoes, and cranberry sauce for dinner, but just in case here are my recipes.

Citrus and Cinnamon Cranberry Sauce

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine 12 oz. fresh cranberries with 2 cups white sugar, 1/3 cup orange juice, 1.5 teaspoons grated orange peel, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, and a pinch of salt. Boil for 8-10 minutes or until the cranberries pop. Let cool and store in the refrigerator.

Sweet and Savory Stuffing

Cook about 1.5-2 pounds of sweet Italian sausage until just done, crumbling into small bits as you cook. Remove. In the same pan, saute a medium onion (chopped) and 2-3 ribs of celery (chopped) in the sausage drippings and additional butter butter or olive oil. If you desire, add fresh herbs here (sage, parsley) and salt and pepper to taste. Combine the veggies with the sausage and mix in a cup of dried cranberries and 16 oz or so of bread cubes (homemade or prepackaged- I used a combo). Gradually add about 2-4 cups of chicken broth until the stuffing is well coated (not soggy, not dry). 

Now, you can stuff it in your bird (not my cup of tea but to each his own) OR bake in a 350 degree oven (or whatever your turkey is at) until the top starts to crisp up.

*As you can tell, my stuffing recipe isn't spot on with measurements. The staples for stuffing is celery, onion, bread cubes, and chicken broth to moisten- everything else is up to you. But I will say the sweet-bitterness from the cranberries and the savory-richness from the sausage was a great combo!*

Classic Masshed Potatoes 

Figure about 1 potato per serving. Peel and dice the potatoes then put them in a large stock pot and cover them with cold water. Bring the potatoes and water up to a boil and cooked until tender (when a fork goes through easily). Then mash them up with the flavors of your choosing. Milk, butter, roasted garlic, cheese, bacon, chives. The sky is the limit. We had some soft herb cheese spread (like Rondele or Boursin) from our pre-Thanksgiving snacks that make these extra indulgent. 

Sweet Potato Casserole

Figure the same serving suggestion and cooking style as the mashed potatoes. Mash them up with milk, butter, brown sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon. Again, no real science to measurements. Start by adding each ingredient in a small amount, take a taste, and see what it needs. Spread the mashed sweet taters in a baking dish and top with mini marshmallow and chopped pecans. 

Bake in a 350 degree oven until the marshmallows are just starting to brown. 

*This is a great dish to get ready a day ahead of time. Just leave off the topping and store (covered) in the fridge. When you're ready to eat, you will need to bake the potatoes alone about 30 minutes before putting the topping on so that the potatoes can get warm without burning the marshmallows.*

From Scratch Green Bean Casserole

This is a fresher take on the Campbell's Soup classic.

Start by making your own fried onions. I thinly sliced a white onion and coated it in a Panko, flour, S&P mixture. Spread the onions on a foil-covered baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Bake in a HOT (475 degree or so) oven until browned and fragrant. You can make these a day ahead of time and store them (once cooled) in an airtight container).

Blanch 1-2 pounds of green beans (boil for about 5 minutes). Drain then cook in a bowl of ice water. This stops the cooking process. Essentially, you want the green beans to be slightly cooked (they should still have some bite to them). 

In a large skillet, saute one diced shallot with 12 ounces of sliced mushrooms in a couple tablespoons of butter (yes, more butter). Once the mushrooms are almost done, season them lightly with salt, pepper, and fresh grated nutmeg. Add a cup of half and half to the mushroom mix and cook over low heat until slightly reduced (8 minutes or so).

Combine the mushroom mix with the cooked/drained green beans in a baking dish and top with homemade french fried onions. Bake until the onions are browned and the casserole is bubbly.  

Cheesecloth Turkey

This was the easiest turkey I have ever made and it turned our moist and perfectly brown. I never thought you could put a cotton cheesecloth in the oven, but it can be done. 

Start by prepping your turkey as you like (removing neck and giblets, seasoning the skin, and stuffing the cavity). I recommend a simple salt and pepper dusting on the skin and stuffing the cavity not with dressing but with aromatics. I used a lemon, a green apple (both quartered), a whole head of garlic (split horizontally), fresh sage and rosemary. Position the turkey breast side up on a roasting pan and tie up any loose ends (literally). Next, melt a stick of butter (yes, another one) with 1/3 cup of fresh apple cider and soak a cheesecloth (big enough to cover the turkey) until it soaks up the liquid. Drape the butter-cider infused cheesecloth over the turkey, trying to cover as much bird as possible. 

Begin cooking your turkey in a hot (500 degree) over for 15 minutes, then decrease the temperature to 350 degrees and cook for about 12-15 minutes per pound or until a meat thermometer reads 160 degrees.  

During the cooking process, we basted our bird ever 30 minutes or so. The cheesecloth liquid didn't create any drippings so we ended up pouring a white wine-chicken broth-apple cider combo over the turkey after the initial heat blast, then used that liquid for basting.  This ultimately created more drippings in the bottom of the pan which turned into a wonderful gravy. 

Pumpkin Pie Cookies

We all have a can of pumpkin laying around after Thanksgiving, and the last thing anyone feels like is pumpkin pie, so why not reinvent the classic holiday pie into this cake-like cookie. While they make a great dessert, I think they are best in the morning with a hot cup of coffee. Enjoy!

Pumpkin Pie Cookies

(Adapted from Libby's Pumpkin Website)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a baking sheet.

In one bowl, mix together dry ingredients: 

2.5 cups flour (I used half wheat flour, half regular)

1 teaspoon each baking soda and baking powder 

2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

1/2 teaspoon salt

In a separate bowl, mix together wet ingredients:

Blend 1.5 cups white sugar with 1 stick softened butter

Once blended, add 1 cup pumpkin, 1 egg, and 1 teaspoon vanilla

Gradually add dry ingredients to wet until incorporated

Drop the cookies onto your greased baking sheet and bake for about 15 minutes or until they just start to brown around the edges. The dough is a bit looser than standard cookie dough so don't be surprised!

They are delicious by themselves, or you can glaze them. To prepare the glaze mix about 2 cups powdered sugar with 1 tablespoon melted butter and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Add more powdered sugar if the glaze is too runny, add more liquid (melted butter or milk) if it's too stiff. I also had some pumpkin spice coffee creamer in the fridge which worked perfectly in the glaze. You can also add a dash or two of cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice to the glaze for a kick. 

For easy glazing, try this: put a ziplock baggie in a drinking glass and fold the seal over the lip of the glass (as if the ziplock is a trash bag, and the drinking glass is the trash can). Spook the glaze into the open ziplock and seal. Remove the glaze-filled baggie from the glass, snip a small slit in one of the bottom corners of the baggie and Voila! You've created your own piping bag. This will make for easy drizzling over your cookies. Just make sure the cookies cool completely first.

The Best Thing I Ever Ate

A couple months ago I got a new job located in an area of Boston that I hadn't really explored before. My office is located near the Boston Harbor in South Boston (or "Southie) as the locals call it. Every morning, I get to cross the bridge and breathe in the briny smell of the ocean, something I really enjoy and never got to experience in land-locked Colorado. And on my way home, I cross back over the bridge and admire the bright lights of the city skyline. It's these moments that make me feel grateful for Boston. Of course, there are the other moments- the ones when I cross the bridge and the wind gusts are so strong that they turn my umbrella inside out allowing the rain to pelt my face and ruin my hairdo. 

Another thing I'm grateful for about my new workplace is the hidden gem that is Flour Bakery and Cafe.  I am typically a bring-my-own-lunch kind of girl, but now that I've discovered Flour, all bets are off. I first heard about Flour from the Food Network on the show "The Best Thing I Ever Ate." One chef was describing the sticky bun at Flour being the best thing she ever ate. I guess the chef hadn't tried Grandma Grabert's sticky buns. Grandma Grabert's stick buns have rum. In my book, sticky buns with rum always trump sticky buns without rum. But I digress, enough about sticky buns. What Flour really has going for them is their Sandwiches. Chicken, arugula, brie, roasted red peppers and caramelized onion. Lamb, tomato chutney, and goat cheese. Roast chicken, jicama, and avocado mash. Portobello mushroom, roasted tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, and basil pesto. All grilled, panini style, between two slices of fresh baked bread. Is your mouth watering yet? I think it's time for lunch.

The best thing about Flour? They have a cookbook. So if anyone is wondering what to get me for Christmas...

I hope you all have a delightful lunch spot near your workplace. If not, I invite you to try mine next time you find yourself crossing the bridge into South Boston.

Fall Flavors

I discovered this recipe a few years back and I now make it ever autumn. It incorporates one of the seasons staples (apples) with a simply-delicious dijon and cider glazed pork chop. I give all credit Rachel Ray on this one, so I feel it only appropriate to say yum-o!

Begin by making the apple compote. In a medium saucepan, mix 1/2 cup unfiltered apple cider with 1 apple (cored and chopped), a handful of raisins (golden or otherwise), a pinch of cinnamon, and a tablespoon of brown sugar. Cook the mixture over medium heat until the apples are tender (about 15 minutes).

Next, season the pork chops (one per person, bone in or out is fine) with salt and pepper. Heat a tablespoon or so of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pork chops and cook until browned, about 6 minutes each side. Once the pork chops are done, stir in 1/4 cup of pure maple syrup and a tablespoon or two of dijon mustard. Turn the chops in the pan and coat with the sweet and savory sauce. Plate the pork chops and top with a generous pile of the cooked apple compote. Serve with your favorite fall sides and enjoy!

Love to Cook, Cook to Love

My week got off to a great start when I received a care package from my mom with all sorts of Autumn goodies inside (thanks, Mom!). Among the pumpkin-scented soap and Halloween colored clothing was a couple boxes of spices from Penzeys Spices. On each of the jars was Penzeys slogan: "Love to Cook, Cook to Love." The array of spices got me inspired to get cookin' and the result was the below Chicken Sate with Peanut Sauce. Along with a couple sides, this makes a great dinner but it would also make a crowd pleasing appetizer for your next gathering.

Begin by soaking wooden skewers in water. Doing this prevents the skewers from charing during the cooking process. I'll admit this is the first time I have actually soaked the skewers and it definitely helps.

Next, make a marinade by mixing 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt with the juice of 1/2 a lemon. Now it's time to spice it up. I used the Sate seasoning from Penzeys, which is a mixture of salt, brown sugar, garlic, onion, coriander, ginger, tumeric, paprika, lemon grass, and various peppers. Any similar spice blend would work or even just a basic yellow curry would be great. Mix the spice of your choice with the yogurt/lemon mixture and marinate chicken breast tenders for an hour or two.

While the chicken marinates, make the peanut sauce by mixing a tablespoon or so of creamy peanut butter with 1/4 cup soy sauce, 1/2 tablespoon of brown sugar, and a good squeeze of lemon or lime juice. Add a couple tablespoons of warm water to thin out the sauce and refrigerate until it's time to eat.

Skewer the marinated chicken and cook over an open grill or indoor grill pan until done, about 5 minutes per side. Serve with the prepared peanut sauce and enjoy!

You Say Tomato, I Say Bruschetta

During a late-day stroll this afternoon, Mike and I popped into a market for Bruschetta fixings. Plump Roma tomatoes, fresh basil, and a warm baguette. There is no rocket science behind this appetizer, but its certainly a crowd pleaser and very refreshing for a pre-dinner treat!

Mix together the following: 2-3 Roma tomatoes (seeded and diced small), a handful of fresh basil leaves (chopped into a thin confetti), salt and pepper (to taste), a drizzle of good olive oil. If you have it, fresh oregano (about a teaspoon) makes the flavors even brighter. Serve along with thinly slices baguette, sliced Italian salami, like Soppressata, and a glass red wine. Buon Appeetito!