Sorry I haven’t blogged in a while (since before the holidays) …but there was just too much going on. COOKING, COOKING, COOKING, BAKING, COOKING AND MORE BAKING AND COOKING. And, if you think I’m sick of it, you’re wrong. Nope… still love it all.

So, I’m now in the fourth (or is it the fifth?) week of the “thaw and cook” challenge and, my fear that my butcher would think I was sick–or worse–that I defected to another provider–was TRUE!. Two weeks ago, I walked in to the shop, wanting to place my order for the holiday and, as I expected, Dom, my beloved butcher (after only 1 full week of not placing an order), he approached me with real seriousness (and a bit of a stammer) and said ” are you okay?” I quickly replied (actually, I started babbling like an idiot)…”Yes, oh yes…I knew you would think something was wrong, oh, I’m fine, thanks for asking, –I’m doing this–this thing…this commitment to thaw out my freezer…I’m fine, we’re all fine, you’re still my wonderful butcher, don’t worry…NO ONE could EVER take your place!”

I swear, without words, Dom’s expression said “I don’t know whether to hug this woman or to call the paramedics.”

Anyway, at least ordering meat for the holiday helped him to feel less abandoned by me, a customer that’s, I’m sure, trusted to pay a big chunk of the monthly bill for refrigeration at The Larchmont Meateria.

As far as the “big thaw” is going–Well, it’s going….and going. (Meaning, I’m getting close to the end.) That’s not saying that my freezer is not still full, it is! I have SO MUCH stock! All kinds of stock: dark chicken, light chicken, veal, beef, lamb, shrimp, fish and fresh clam juice. I also have bones…beef knuckles and shank scraps and marrow bones, chicken necks, backs and wing-tips, lamb shank bones (extras from last year’s Passover Seder), bags of shrimp shells and, I even found a bag of GOAT BONES… Not sure where those came from. Must have been when my son, Ben, asked me to make him curried goat and I thought I should make stock (for the sauce) with goat bones. I obviously never got around to it and I’m not sure how long goat bones stay good. …Or, shrimp shells, for that matter.

So, because this is the first blog in a while…and because I just can’t give step by step commentaries on ALL the food I’ve made over the past few weeks…and since I would really like to feel “caught up” so I can get back on the “blogging band-wagon” –I thought I’d just stick to a few photos of some of the highlights that cover my on-going (and I think, finally, concluding) “thaw and cook challenge.” More in-depth “formal” recipes and step-by-step blogs will be coming for many of the dishes mentioned and some are already on the site. If so, I’ll link their mention to the appropriate page. And, if there’s one recipe in particular that you’d like more clarity on, just send me a comment using the link provided on this page or click here and send me an email.

So, as my freezer got emptier, the foods became simpler, albeit not necessarily less delicious (or exotic)!

Take these hot dogs, for instance. I found these Kobe Beef Hot Dogs, frozen….so I thawed them out (in the refrigerator overnight) and, because it was raining, I decided to just cook them on the stove, using a stove-top grill pan. I always slash my hot dogs several times, on two sides, which helps them to heat thoroughly without bursting (and, to me, the slashes make hot dogs a bit more luscious-looking, once cooked).

No, these aren't just "any" hot dogs....

They're Kobe Beef Hot Dogs, slashed, grilled and placed on buns that have first been basted on the inside with garlic butter and then broiled till golden.

I served the hot-dogs with a cucumber salad that I concocted from one of my two (unexpectedly found) bionic cucumbers that were “hanging out” just outside the perimeter of my garden.

Oh, you don’t believe how big they were? Just take a look at this!

Just to show you the scale…

These cucumbers were taller than this 36 ounce container of rice! And, they were much more delicious than expected...really crisp, too.

For this simple salad: I peeled the cucumbers, halved them lengthwise and scooped out the seeds. I cut the cucumbers into chunks and tossed them with some thinly sliced sweet yellow onion. Then, I put together a simple dressing with 1/3 cup white wine vinegar, 2 cloves pressed garlic, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, freshly ground black pepper to taste, about 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes and 1/2 cup olive oil (I mixed pure and extra-virgin). I whisked the dressing and tossed it with the cucumbers and onions, along with a good handful of chopped fresh cilantro (you could also use dill, instead). I let this macerate for a few hours in the fridge. It was totally delish and a nice contrast to the rich hot dogs.

Home-grown cucumber salad...

The next night was pork chops…(yes, frozen and thawed).

I always brine lean cuts of pork…it’s simple and always assures me that the cooked meat will be succulent.

Here’s what to do to brine pork: Take 6 cups cold water and whisk in 1/2 cup each Kosher salt and sugar (white granulated or light brown sugar) and add some freshly ground black pepper. You could also add some chopped onion, or simply season the brine with onion and garlic powder (not onion or garlic salt). When well mixed, pour over the pork chops which should be laying in a single layer in a large, nonreactive dish, that’s able to hold them and the brine comfortably. Here’s what the chops look like when brined….

These are in the simplest brine of just water, sugar, salt and pepper.

Now cover the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 1/2 hours (no longer or the meat becomes weird…) If brining a larger pork loin (a roast), then you can brine the meat for up to 2 1/2 hours, turning the meat a few times.

Then, drain the chops and dry them off (no need to rinse before patting them dry).

Now, all you do is apply your seasoning. I like to marinate pork…this time, I kept it simple. I just used extra-virgin olive oil, minced garlic, herbs and lots of black pepper (some crushed red pepper, too).

Like this...

You can add an acidic, like vinegar or lemon or lime juice. Or, you can just use a favorite vinagrette that’s already in the fridge.

Then, I just applied this to the chops…

And I kept the chops covered and chilled until about 30 minutes or so before I wanted to cook them.

Which I did, on the stove, on a stove-top grill pan.

To do this: Preheat your pan, over medium heat until nice and hot. Then, just before putting on the meat, raise the heat to high. Sear the chops for three minutes on each side (have your exhaust fan on high, or make sure to have a gorgeous, freshly baked pie ready to give the fire guy who will, undoubtedly, show up at your front door…FYI: Fire guys are very good cooks and they’re ALWAYS hungry.)

After searing the chops on both sides, turn the heat down low and, if using a large rectangular pan, like I am in the photo, place a large roasting pan over the pan and cook the chops gently, just until cooked through…155F is the internal temperature you’re after, though I never use a thermometer for this…) If using a smaller pan, with fewer chops, just use a round heatproof (stainless) bowl as the cover. What you’re doing is creating a moist “stove-top oven”…this is a great way to keep meats succulent after searing–especially those types that have a tendency to become dry after sitting in a conventional oven. The length of time you’ll cook the chops covered will depend on their thickness. The searing process is always the same…three minutes on each side. For chops that are 1 inch thick, I cook them (covered, on low) for about 4 minutes after searing, then turn off the stove and let them sit there for a minute or two…just to let them rest in a hot but non-aggressive environment.

Not bad for a "once frozen" pork chop!...

I served the chops with this…

Garlicky broccoli rabe over orecchiette pasta, white beans and chicken stock. (Yes, of course, my stock was from the freezer....) A separate blog and recipe is coming ...

Then there were the Mexican Fajitas! Oh boy…

First I marinated my skirt steak and boneless chicken breasts (each in separate dishes). The flavoring mixture was easy…Just extra-virgin olive oil, minced garlic and my fajitas seasoning (you can use my recipe or you can use any spicy taco seasoning.) Just sprinkle enough of the dry mix in to give it good flavor and color. Sometimes (as I did below) I’ll also add minced jalapeno peppers and cilantro. Coat the protein well and cover the dish(es).

Always marinate raw chicken and/or pork seperately --not with any other protein, even if using in the same flavoring mixture.

The chicken breasts were butterflied (opened up) so that their overall thickness would be more even.

Refrigerate up to 24 hours and, about 30 minutes before you want to cook, take the meat(s) out of the fridge.

After preparing the meat(s), then work on your vegetables.

Thinly sliced onion, Italian sweet peppers (or use sweet bell peppers), sliced garlic, minced garlic and seeded and thinly sliced jalapeno peppers. I also often will included sliced button mushrooms. You can do this a day ahead and keep all the vegetables refrigerated, well covered.

Don’t forget to keep a bowl of all your kitchen scraps to add to your compost bin (see…I am SO determined to have a great vegetable garden next summer!)

Now, up to two hours before you plan to cook the meat(s), you can cook your vegetables. Saute the onions in some extra-virgin olive oil, till softened and fragrant, over high heat. (If adding mushrooms, once the onions have softened, stir in the mushrooms and let them cook with the onions until tender and starting to turn golden.) Add some of the fajitas spice blend and the sliced garlic and continue to cook for a few minutes, then add the peppers. Cook just until the peppers are wilted but still retain texture, then stir in some chopped cilantro and season to taste with more of the spice blend and salt and pepper, to taste. Give the mixture a good squeeze of fresh lime juice.

Remove the vegetables to a bowl…

As mentioned, the vegetables can sit, like this, at a comfortable room temperature for up to two hours, loosely covered. Doing this makes the dish really easy to pull together, right before serving...

When getting ready to cook the meat(s), place a large fajitas pan into the oven (center shelf) and preheat the oven to 450F.

Fajitas pans come in different sizes and shapes (oblong and round) and usually with their own trivet.

On this night, since I used my outdoor barbecue, after preheating the indoor oven (with the fajitas pan inside), I started my outdoor fire. You could, though, just as easily heat a large stove-top grill pan (again, with your exhaust fan on!)

But, since tonight, the open air was my exhaust fan….I just got my charcoal nice and hot in two chimney starters.

Then, when the flames were seen at the top and most of the coals were red hot, I poured them out into the grill, below the grill grates.

I lowered the grates down, over the coals and let the grill grates get good and hot. Then I added the meat(s) to the hot grill grate and applied a good squeeze of fresh lime to the top. I cook the meat(s) on both sides until done. (Chicken should be cooked through, being careful not to overcook and beef should be cooked to medium rare (or more, depending on your preference)

Here’s the finished platter of cooked meat…

Then…after the meat(s) are done, it’s time to finish the dish (this is also when the meat(s) get to rest, making them more succulent.

To finish the dish: Open the door to the preheated 450F oven and carefully pull the rack toward you. Empty the cooked vegetables onto the hot fajitas pan and push the rack back into the oven. Shut the door and let the vegetables cook for 10 minutes (till hot and sizzling). Meanwhile, slice the meats into strips. One or two minutes before the vegetables are finished, open the oven again and place the meats on top of the vegetables (make sure to pour any accumulated juices from the platter over the top). Shut the oven door and let cook for the last minute or two, then bring the sizzling platter to the table….

OK, I don’t have a picture of the finished dish (from this night) …The truth: I forgot, we were all so excited about eating –Another truth: I had two margaritas…)

So, here’s a picture of the finished dish from my cookbook (and in this version, I added shrimp…seasoned the same way as the chicken and steak, just skewered and quickly grilled on both sides.

Yes, those are homemade flour tortillas and pico de gallo (all coming…)

By this time in the challenge, Jon was thinking he might need to increase his daily intake of Lipitor….So, I decided to make fish…

Whole roasted Dorade...so, so, so delicious (especially after all that meat!)

To learn more about cooking whole fish, click here.

I served the fish with sauteed fresh spinach.

Fresh spinach wilted in some hot, garlic-scented extra-virgin olive oil.

Before adding the spinach to the hot olive oil, I browned some poached garlic. First, I poached halved (peeled) garlic cloves in boiling water for 2 minutes(which helps garlic to take on the consistency of a potato). I drained the garlic and then browned them in some extra-virgin olive oil (which makes them taste like a garlicky roast potato). Like this…

While browning, tilt the pan, so the poached garlic can brown more submerged in the oil. This will help prevent inadvertent burning.

Then, using a slotted utensil, you’ll remove the browned garlic, and you’ll saute the spinach in this same (now garlic-flavored) oil. And, once the leaves are lightly wilted (over high heat), reduce the heat to low, add the browned garlic and some salt and pepper, to taste, and cover the pot. Cook just until the leaves are perfectly tender but still bright green, about 2 minutes. (You can also add some freshly minced garlic and some crushed red pepper flakes, just before covering the pan).

And then, I finally finished my “thaw and cook” challenge with this…one of Jon’s favorites.

Sloppy Joe’s ….(and it was SO EASY!)

Here’s how I did it…

Since this sauce freezes SO perfectly, I always make a big batch, then divide it and stick it in the freezer.

So, because I already had the sauce, all I had to do was purchase some ground beef (or ground turkey). (No, I wasn’t cheating because I had to thaw a frozen container of my sloppy Joe sauce…

Then, all I did was brown the beef in a dry skillet, dump out any rendered fat and then add the sauce. And, in just 10 minutes…

I was ready to spoon the sloppy Joe mixture onto large burger buns that were (like with the hot dog buns in the beginning of this blog), basted on the inside with garlic butter and then broiled until the seasoned sides were golden. And, by the way, if feeding a vegetarian, you can also use reconstituted textured vegetable protein instead of meat! You would add the reconstituted protein to a skillet and skip the browning step. Just add the sauce and bring to a simmer…let cook a few minutes to fully flavor the protein and you’re good to go.

I served the sloppy Joe’s with poached and oven roasted potato wedges (Potatoes are my favorite vegetable on earth. A potato blog is coming…)

So, my family got to enjoy yet another delicious week, all stemming from my freezer.

And now, even though I’ve still got a lot of frozen stock, it’s finally time to put this challange to bed. My butcher, Dominic, I’m sure, will be very happy…

Tags: best fajita recipes, broccoli rabe, chicken fajita recipe, cooking whole fish, easy to make sloppy joes, fajita recipe, fajita seasoning recipe, fajitas, fajitas pan, homemade flour tortillas, hot dogs, how to cook a whole fish, how to cook fajitas, how to cook hot dogs, how to make sloppy joes, kobe beef hot dogs, recipe for sloppy joes, sloppy joes, steak fajitas, steak fajitas recipe

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You know what they say…give a girl a bigger closet and she’ll just fill it up with clothes! Well, I rarely shop for clothes but I’ve become a real hoarder when it comes to shopping for food–and my freezer is just busting with all kinds of things from raw meat and poultry to a variety of types of homemade stock and other cooked concoctions that were so good, I had to save them for another night (although “another night” just never seems to come because…well, because I simply love to shop for fresh food!).

So, a few days ago, when I saw that I almost had no space left in my freezer, I finally decided to stop shopping and to start thawing what I have.

Uhh, this could take a while...

So, here’s the deal (the rules of my new self-imposed challenge): Although I can purchase fresh produce, dairy and fish, all other dishes will be made from things that are from my freezer. Any grain or pasta (unless it’s homemade) will also come from my pantry shelf. I started this past Monday (I took a few things out of the freezer on Sunday, so they could thaw slowly in the fridge). So far, it’s been wild!

Week One: Dinner from the freezer.

Monday night’s din-din…

Chicken parm before baking...

Into a preheated 375F oven for about 35 minutes…

Just out of the oven...

To learn how to make this, go here and, instead of using veal, substitute skinless boneless chicken breasts that have been opened up (butterflied) and flattened. For each person, allow one half of a breast. After flattening and breading, each portion is surprisingly ample. All other instructions remain the same.

And, on the side…

We also shared some spinach linguine with red clam sauce (Yup, the sauce was in the freezer. A recipe is coming soon!)

Tuesday night…

I had a five-pound (frozen) pouch of cubed wild-boar shoulder (from D’Artagnan). So, I made an amazing stew. Of course, the leftovers had to go into the freezer…(Sheesh, I’m already going in the wrong direction!)

Wild boar stew, with grape tomatoes and peas.

I served the stew over cooked lasagna noodles that I broke into pieces...

A formal recipe is coming soon (By the way, this delicious sauce would be just as great with lamb, beef or veal shoulder.) And, although there are tomatoes in the sauce that have melted perfectly into their surroundings, the addition of grape tomatoes closer to the end of cooking, add a real meaty tomato texture without diluting the intense sauce.

Wednesday night…

Seared and sliced, duck breasts (see, I told you things have been wild!)

There were five for dinner tonight, so these three duck breasts are just the right amount, especially with the side dishes.

After scoring the fat, I rubbed it with Kosher salt, black pepper and dried thyme.

You want to score the fat deeply but without cutting into the meat. Scoring and seasoning can be done early in the day and then refrigerated until later. I like to take them out of the fridge an hour or so before searing. Then, I get a large, cast-iron fajitas pan hot (heat it slowly, over medium heat)…. Before cooking, I brush the flesh side of the breasts with a mixture of extra-virgin olive oil, minced garlic, fresh thyme and rosemary and some hot red pepper flakes (sometimes, I’ll add some minced pickled hot cherry peppers, which gives the flesh a really nice bite). Then I give the flesh a good sprinkle of Kosher salt and black pepper. I don’t salt lean meats until just before cooking since doing it sooner could cause juices to exude, making the cooked meat  more likely to be dry.

The breasts are seared slowly, fat side down, over medium heat.

As the breasts sear, the fat will render and will need to be poured out of the pan repeatedly (be careful here). Pour into a heatproof bowl (stainless) and continue until almost all of the fat is gone and only a very thin, crisp layer of top fat remains (so good…). The searing process will take between 15 to 20 minutes so make sure the heat isn’t too high or the surface layer will burn before the fat has rendered properly. As you get to the end of this process, preheat the broiler with the rack about 6 inches from the heating element. Make sure to pour off any accumulation of fat that’s surrounds the breasts and stick the pan under the broiler. Cook until the meat is done to your liking, remembering that, like a good steak, duck breasts should be served medium rare. As soon as you remove the pan from the broiler, use tongs to turn the breasts fat side is up, and lay them on a cutting board to rest for a few minutes so the juices can settle and centralize before slicing.

Cooked duck breasts resting before being sliced.

What to do with rendered duck fat: Don’t throw the fat down the drain. Instead, let it cool and either pour into a zip-lock bag and discard or you can strain out any bits of solid matter and allow the fat to congeal. Then store the fat in a plastic tub (in the freezer). And, when you want to occasionally use a really flavorful fat to baste potatoesbefore roasting, just chip off a chunk of frozen fat, melt it down and add some halved cloves of garlic and simmer them in the fat until almost tender but not yet colored (about 3 minutes). Then add some minced fresh herbs (thyme and rosemary are good) and roll unpeeled new potatoes (halved or quartered) in the fat  (with the garlic) and place all of it in a shallow baking dish or baking pan and season well with Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.  Roast,  covered,  in a preheated 450F oven for 30 minutes. Uncover and continue to roast until the potatoes and garlic are golden, crisp and tender in the center, about 20 minutes more. If you want to roast whole potatoes, keep them covered a bit longer, then roast uncovered until they achieve the right look. Covering the potatoes initially is one of the ways to help them to become tender before the outside gets overly hard. Better than good…(Of course, you can also just poach the garlic in some boiling water, drain and proceed, using extra-virgin olive oil instead of the duck fat. Just as good and much more appropriate, health-wise, on a regular basis…)

Serve the sliced duck hot with….

Here's a perfect sweet and tangy partner to rich duck meat...

I served the duck with Stewed Red Cabbage and…

Maple-Basted Acorn Squash (After placing a slice of squash on a plate, I filled the center with cooked peas.)

Scrub and dry each acorn squash and, using a sharp chef’s knife, cut them into 1-inch thick slices (slice horizontally, not from stem to tip). Take out the seeds and any stringy matter. Line a shallow baking pan with aluminum foil (preferably nonstick). Pour some melted butter into the bottom of a plate and pour some maple syrup onto another plate. Dip each slice of squash, on both sides, into the melted butter and then into the maple syrup. Lay each slice, in a single layer, on the prepared baking sheet (If not using nonstick foil, first brush the foil with butter. Sprinkle the tops of the squash slices with Kosher salt and roast in a preheated 400F oven (loosely covered) with greased parchment) for 20 minutes. Uncover and continue to roast for another 20 to 30 minutes or until the squash is tender and golden.  Use a turning spatula to transfer to plates.

Thursday night…

Truth be told, today I woke up with a lousy cold and I don’t feel much like cooking or doing anything at all. But…my thawed links of hot Italian sausage are waiting so I decided to make something easy, nurturing and spicy since my taste buds are a bit dulled.

So, tonight, on the menu, is: “Italian sausage, braised with tomatoes, peppers, olives and potatoes.”

I didn’t even feel like shopping for produce so I just dug around my refrigerator to use whatever I had.  I found a couple of large leeks, so I cleaned and sliced them, I chopped some garlic and then seeded and quartered a few hot cherry peppers. I had some sliced mushrooms in the fridge so I grabbed them, too.

Leeks, garlic, hot cherry peppers and sliced mushrooms, all cooking together until softened and fragrant.

Then I added some whole canned tomatoes that I tore apart with my hands (after removing the tomatoes, I reserved any tomato juice that was left in the can) and I stirred in some boxed chopped tomatoes that were already opened from two nights ago (about 1 1/2 cups). Amounts here aren’t important…I wanted a chunky texture and I used what was available.

While the sauce was coming up to a simmer, I browned some sausage in another pan.

Always brown sausage in some olive oil and use high heat.

After browning the sausage, I dumped out any oil from the pan and I put the pan back over high heat. I added the reserved tomato juices from the can, about a cup of dry white wine and some chicken stock (about 2/3 cup) that I had in the fridge.

Let the liquids bubble briskly and reduce to about half their original volume. (No measuring, just eye-ball it.)

While the liquids were reducing…

I always have a bowl of home-roasted peppers in the fridge (both red and yellow) so I thought that I would add some sliced yellow peppers (for color contrast) and some oil cured and Kalamata olives, for their saltiness. (Remember that amounts aren’t important in this type of cooking…just do what feels right. ) Once the sausage was browned, I added the links to the simmering sauce. I then brought the sauce back up to a brisk bubble, turned the heat to low and simmered the sausage, with the cover ajar, for 20 to 30 minutes total. (You don’t want to cover the sauce tightly because this will create too much condensation, which would dilute the sauce.)

Mid-way through the sausage cooking, I added some peeled and cut up potatoes that I parboiled seperately in salted boiling water (covered) for 10 minutes (until not quite tender). I did this because the sausage doesn’t need as much (or as aggressive) cooking as the potatoes do so, by giving them a head start, I could add them to the simmering sauce when the sausage was almost done. This way the potatoes will retain a nice toothsome texture.

I used three medium Russet potatoes but, again, all that’s important is that you don’t overfill the pan (which, as you see, I almost did!) I let the mixture simmer uncovered, over low heat, just to let the potatoes cook a bit more and to imbue them with the sauce (potatoes are nice and absorptive).

So, to serve, all I did was ladle portions into bowls that were low, wide and warmed. I served a Caeser Salad with homemade Garlic Croutons.

The recipe for and blog about the traditional way to make a Caesar salad is coming...

I added some good crusty (purchased), artisan bread (with my cold, there was no way I was making bread today…) and we drank a wine that was deep and red which made things feel just perfect…

After dinner, my cold was feeling better ! (Until, of course, I got into bed. You know how colds are at night…)

Friday night’s dinner… (B0y, since I decided to cook things only from my freezer, I’ve never eaten better in my life!)

Having said that, because it’s the beginning of the weekend, I’m never really sure how many will be at my table. (Ok, I did know that my son Ben and his girlfriend would be away in Jamaica for the Labor Day weekend and ….Yes, I also know that Julie , one of my daughters, is living in San Francisco going to school…But, that still leaves Jessie (my youngest, who is living home and about to start graduate school) to possibly eat with us and, when she does, I like her to feel able to invite a friend to join us. So, since I had only one (smallish) organic chicken in the freezer to thaw, I decided to also take out a rack of baby back ribs. That way, we would have enough for who ever showed up. (See, this is my (never-ending)  issue…I need  to always have  more than enough food. Is this just a Jewish mother thing or are all mothers this way?? –No doubt, the subject of another blog… )

Anyway, back to tonight’s dinner.

So, when I went to the freezer (yesterday) in addition to the chicken and ribs, I saw a big container with a smallish amount of curried butternut squash soup. So I took that out too, thinking it would be a nice first course –and it was taking up way too much room  in the freezer for such a small amount of soup.

Thawed curried butternut squash soup.

Although I usually simmer peas in the soup, since this week we’ve already had peas twice, I decided to sauté some quartered Brussels sprouts and guild the soup with them (a great combination, don’t you think??)

By the way…there was a major detour in today’s cooking. At about noon, the doorbell rang and it was Lou, my oven repair man who was there to, I thought, fix the broiler in my upper wall oven. I had been waiting for a part for over a month and, finally, he showed up to save the day.

Lou attempting to fix my broiler...

But, while he was trying to install the new part, the insulation surrounding the old wires totally disintegrated in his hands. He then deemed my oven not safe to use at all and so now, both the upper and lower ovens had to be turned off until he could get new wires! (Suddenly my head-cold felt like it was worsening….)

Then I remembered….

See, this is when it pays to be a food professional !...

I have a second fully equipped prep kitchen downstairs in the basement for when I do TV and cooking videos. So, although not as convenient, my “thaw and cook” challenge shall continue!

So, back to the menu for tonight…

Apple-Scented, Curried Butternut Squash Soup with sautéed Brussels sprouts

The caramelized Brussels sprouts were a magnificent addition…

Perfect Roast Chicken

Heaven on a plate. Poached and Oven-Roasted Baby Back Ribs Do I really need to tell you how good these are???

And, a simple rice pilaf (recipe and blog are coming). To see a preview of me making this in an on-line video, click here.

A vegetable-laced rice pilaf is really easy and very soothing...Here, I had just taken the lid off, after the rice finished cooking. At this point, just "fluff" (maybe add a knob of butter), season and eat!

Well, dinner tonight was really delicious. Oh, and by the way…Jessie didn’t eat home tonight. She went out with her friends. So, it was just Jon and I and, as usual, we had a wonderuful time.  We also have great leftovers to enjoy for lunch over the Labor Day weekend. If you’d like to see me prepare the roast chicken and also learn why this recipe is so very special to me, as a wife and mother, click here and scroll to the bottom of the page to see a video.

Well, you’re now up to speed on my first five days (nights) of the “thaw and cook” adventure. By the size of my freezer, this could go on for quite some time so I hope you’ll stay with me and cheer me on.

And, if you were wondering, no we’re not overweight.  When the best ingredients are used to prepare food the right way, to be shared in the right spirit and eaten for the right reasons, anyone can (barring a pre-existing and diagnosed physical condition) create meals that build and maintain a healthy, wholesome and delicious life. To me, home food can be trusted to be the very best food and always will be.

So, I’ll be back with an update on next week’s meals that stem from my freezer and pantry. (And also on the saga of my now defunct wall ovens…)

And, I want to encourage you to leave me comments…Don’t be shy! I love to  know that  someone (somewhere) is reading and hopefully enjoying my blogs.  And, I’m always very interested in hearing your thoughts on my new adventures (and learning about yours) in the kitchen and in life in general.

Tags: how to cook acorn squash, how to cook duck breasts, how to make chicken parmesan, how to make room in your freezer, how to make stewed red cabbage, how to thaw food, how to use Brussels sprouts, what to cook when you have a cold, when it pays to be a food professional

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Well, I’m doing it! Yes Siree, I’ve forgotten all about being the “hostess with the mostest” …now, I’ve become fixated on having the compost with the most toast! (Listen, if I ever start cooking specifically for my compost, just shoot me…)

Actually, not too much bread goes into my compost bin, just LOTS and LOTS of kitchen scraps. All day long I’m adding stuff to my kitchen compost pail…and, by the way, if you’re considering getting this, before you spend the money on any one in particular (whether an outdoor compost bin or an indoor kitchen scrap collector), you need to really think about how you cook (meaning HOW MUCH garbage you create on a daily basis!). This is important …and I learned this the hard way.

Geeze…I never realized how many kitchen scraps I can accumulate in one day, let alone an entire week!

Between my morning coffee grinds, egg shells, vegetable trimmings of all kinds and now, even all the old vegetables hiding in my refrigerator, things that I’ve deemed not worthy of my meals —well, NOW they’re deemed perfect for a higher purpose!! By the way, no animal products (or fats in general) should be added to a compost bin (it attracts all kinds of animals). That means no meat, bones, dairy or whole eggs and nothing that’s been cooked in or adored with fat (thus, no buttered bread…just stale bread.)

So, back to the bins…
I did lots of research on the Internet about all the different kinds of outdoor bins to use. I’m not going to go into all the different choices since I’m not versed enough to describe them well. So, I’m going to put links on the bottom of this page with all the information I have accumulated about composting. And, I’ll be updating it regularly (and dating the additions), so check back often to see what’s new.

I first made my choice for an outdoor compost, a big Compost Tumbler, by Achla Designs. It stands on metal legs and, as it’s filled, it needs to be turned several times every few days. So, I went to my local hardware store (Foley’s) and ordered it. (Days before my compost bin arrived, I started collecting my stash of scraps. )

For my indoor bin, I ordered a cute-looking covered container specifically for compost collection (indoors). Before it arrived, I (of course) had to put my organic garbage somewhere, so I put it in a tall, covered garbage pail that I had, one that wasn’t being used. During the day, while cooking, I would pile my scraps into a large bowl and then dump them into the pail and attach the lid. (Look at how much stuff I had after just a few hours of cooking!…)

An 8-quart bowl full of kitchen scraps...

After adding to the bowl, I lay a kitchen towel over the top and just keep cooking…

Then, at the end of the day, I add the contents of the bowl to my tall garbage pail (always lined with a bag).

And I close the lid (tight).

So, in a few days, the ”cute” scrap container finally arrived and, all I can say is, “what a waste of money!”  It was way too small for me.

Here’s what I got…

Are they kidding??

I filled this thing up in about 5 minutes (no joke).

Now…if you don’t cook that much and you like the look of the above pail (it really is nice looking for a scrap collector and it has a filter which (they say) eliminates odors, but a tight lid works just as well), you can go here to get one. (In addition to stainless, these also come in black or white ceramic.)

Anyway, by this time, my indoor bin was loaded to the brim and I really needed to get this stuff outside and into a true compost bin.

Finally…it arrived.

In a big box, all disassembled (oy vey).

Lucky for me...my gardener and carpenter were at the house!

I, of course, was VERY GOOD at providing refreshments!….

Ginger snap cookies make any day (or job) a bit nicer…

Here's the assembled compost tumbler.

Here it is, opened and full of grass clippings and kitchen scraps...

At this point, we needed to add lots of hay (anything brown and dry, like dried leaves, straw, mulch or saw dust). This is because kitchen scraps and grass clippings (greens) are high in nitrogen. If that’s all I used, not only would the ph be off but the mixutre would also become too dense (wet) to create a healthy compost …so the browned (dry) components, add carbon which help to balance the ph and also to help aerate the mixture as it decomposes properly.

I don’t know if this is considered cheating, but I’ve been told that sprinkling in a compost helper is a good idea, so things get started right…

Now, we just secured the top and gave it a good spin (remember, it’s a tumble-compost bin)…

The next week, my gardener asked me if it would be OK to add some worms to the compost bin. I said YES! (Clearly, this wasn’t the “girlie” side of me that jumped at this opportunity…). I learned that worms help to create an amazing compost and can actually increase the yield of a garden by 30 to 40%! This is because they eat the waste and then excrete a completely digested and organic compost. However…I’m aware that this will get VERY ugly. Apparently, as the worms eat, they quickly multiply so ….well, you get the idea.

So, now, all I do is add to the compost bin when I have a good stash in the kitchen. With each addition of scraps, I also add browns, to keep things in balance and if things get too dry, I add some water to encourage the  right kind of bacterial growth and then I just give it all a good spin. (As the bin becomes more and more full, spinning becomes more and more difficult….) I ordered a second compost bin since the first is now full.

I mean business! Same time next year, I plan to have an awesome vegetable garden…

Once full, you let it sit (spinning every few days and watering if things get too dry) and the heat of summer does it’s job and actually cooks the materials inside the compost bin. Then, when everything becomes “dirt” like  (when the solids have totally decomposed), it’s then considered “compost” and can be used in the garden. (I’m still a bit foggy on this part since I’m at the first stages of things. I’ll be keeping you abreast of how things look at each stage…).

Since I live in the northeast, apparently the compost will go to sleep once the climate gets cold …again, this part is new for me.

As I mentioned, there are some links for other forms of compost bins… so check them out, below, so you can make the choice that best suits you. There are also some video sites below, so you can get more of a visual grip (and advice) on the composting process.

Have fun!! And, please remember that I’m always open to learning from your words of wisdom.

Added September 21, 2009: http://www.geocities.com/green_cache/compost.html

http://www.compostbins.com/composting-tips.cfm

http://www.plantideas.com/compost/

http://www.geocities.com/zip80917/Compost.html

Video (E-How Expert Village)

http://www.ehow.com/video_4467177_when-compost-heap-ready.html

http://www.ehow.com/topic_1868_composting-beginners.html (page with lots of video links)

For a selection of compost bins:
http://www.compostbins.com/

http://www.theveggielady.com/

http://www.theveggielady.com/theveggieclub/herbs101_silver.php

Tags: backyard composting, composting, composting bins, composting containers, home composting, how to create a compost, how to store kitchen scraps when wanting to create a compost, kitchen compost bins, tumble compost bin, types of composting, what not to put into a compost, what's the best compost bin, worm composting

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I just opened a jar of delicious homemade bread and butter pickles (a formal recipe and a separate blog is coming) and, there’s something about “putting up” foods that make me really want to be a good gardener, which I’m NOT. Oh, you don’t believe me?

Here, look at this years “crop”… (and it’s already the middle of August!)

My ENTIRE crop of peppers!

 Oh, forgive me but I spoke too soon!

I just found one lonely green bell pepper...

And…

  Here’s my load of baby carrots (No, I’m not proud of this…)

Can you believe the size of the tops in comparison to the carrots?

 
 
Jon actually did the picking. He, I’m sure, was SO excited when he saw the height and lushness of the tops…
 
Thinking “WOE, we’re going to have a MOTHER load of man-size carrots!”
 
Well, when I saw those teeny-weeny carrots laying in my kitchen, all I could think about was when I was pregnant. Each time I gave birth I weighed a ton (only slightly exaggerating) and, after pushing out the children, each time I would hold them in my arms and think “all this weight for such an itsy-bitsy person?
 
THEN, there are the tomatoes…
 

Yup, this is it, so far.

An embarrassing update…(regarding the above tomato). Jon just read my blog and told me (sheepishly)… “That tomato on your blog isn’t ours.” I said “What??”  He said “I got it at the farmer’s market. I said “but it was sitting next to that pile of embryonic carrots… I thought for sure we at least grew that tomato!” (Actually, I found it pretty hard to believe that I could grow an heirloom tomato, but I thought that maybe it was some kind of poetic justice, considering the sorry shape of everything else).
 
Ok, back to the so-called garden.
 

I think there's an onion in there, somewhere...

At the beginning of the season, we started out fine… we planted tomatoes (as usual) but this year, with all the rain, the plants just disintegrated and we had to remove the entire lot….

This section was originally filled with tomato plants.

And that’s not the only area that’s defunct…

Yet another sorry section...I think we planted zucchini here (have no idea what happened--I thought ANYONE could grow zucchini!)

So, this is all that’s left of my 2009 garden… a lot of bushy carrot tops, a few tomato plants and, of course, that one (albeit a lovely one) green pepper. 

My only hope ...

Ok, so up until this point, I’ve been a lousy vegetable grower. I admit it. And, although I know it’s too late for this year’s garden, it’s never too late to get better at something that’s deemed important. Actually, having a so-so garden never really bothered me before but, this year, after seeing the total demise of a plot of land that I always trusted to at least produce SOMETHING respectable… I’m finally motivated to fix this. And, I think you’ll agree that the only place to go from here is up!
So, as of today (it’s now a public commitment), I am determined (by this time next year) to become good at growing delicious vegetables! And so, for those who actually know what they’re doing, I would truly appreciate any (and all) the advice I can get! (I really get so turned on by being a beginner! So much to learn and then “do”…love it.)
 
First things first, after consulting the Internet, I’ve decided to create a compost…
(Oh, this part should be easy since I create more food-scraps than anybody in the county–make that COUNTRY!). I’ve ordered a compost bin from my local hardware store and it’s scheduled to be delivered this Friday (I’ll show you what it looks like, when it arrives.)
To get ready, everyday this week, I’ve been accumulating coffee grinds, egg shells, CARROT TOPS, potato peels, and any other kind of  food-scrap that’s not animal protein (and no bones)…which attract animals (I already have enough problems with squirrels). 
 
This is how I set up when I’m doing my food prep…

When cooking, I have one bowl out for food-scraps and one bowl for trash.

 As I cook, I just keep adding to the separate bowls…

And I keep dumping the scraps in a big garbage bin (which is now in my kitchen but will SOON be going outside …)

Almost to the top and this is after just three days!!

I keep it closed and I’ve attached sticky tags so no-one mistakenly adds anything inappropriate. I’ve become VERY protective of my baby compost (don’t cross me, here)!

My "inside" compost container...

So, I’m feeling ready (and excited) to begin this new journey. I hope you’ll come along for the ride. And, please, DO share your words of wisdom with me. (Really, I would appreciate it. I need all the help I can get.) Wish me luck!

Next blog…about those pickles!

Tags: advice on creating a great compost, how a lousy gardener becomes a good grower of great vegetables, how to create and maintain a healthy compost, how to finally become a good grower, the journey to becomming a good food grower

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I just got back from walking my dog, Mango, and my first seasonal whiff of freshly cut grass went right to my brain! What an amazing scent! It brought back some of the sweeter memories from my childhood in Woodmere, New York (that’s on the south shore of Long Island) where I, and my two older brothers grew up. We lived on a cul-de-sac and on the first really nice day of spring, that was my cue to begin my afternoon “look out” for the Good Humor truck. We had the same driver for years, a nice man named “Pete,” who we always called “Petey.” He never knew it but, after getting my toasted-almond pop, i used to hop onto the back ledge of the truck’s bumper and i would hang on as Petey would zoom off. I always jumped off just before he left my street.

We had lots of kids on our block. I was the only girl, which never seemed to bother me. In those days, we rarely locked our front door and my parents always left the car keys in the ignition. (Having three kids of my own, i can’t imagine being so “relaxed”…not sure if that’s the right word…)

Anyway, once the weather turned nice and everyone was “out,” often i would come home and find some of the kids from our block gathered in my kitchen, parked in front of an opened food cabinet (the boys would just walk in, without ringing the bell!).

We always had really good snacks in our house. Not the homemade kind but, to a bunch of kids that didn’t know any better (me included), it was all good just the same. We always had Oreos, Malomars, Fritos, Cheetos and Ruffles (you know, the crisp, salty chips with ridges). We usually had little parfait glasses filled almost to the top with chocolate pudding in the fridge (the kind you made from the box) and, although today recipes are written to avoid the formation of a skin on top, to me (dare I say), the skin was always my favorite part. I loved the way the spoon would cut through and carry the darker, somewhat leathery top skin as it entered into the soft, creamy custard beneath. To me, this combination heightened the experience of eating pudding into something that was both, texturally soothing and exciting at the same time.

It’s so interesting how just the scent of fresh cut grass on the first really nice day of spring can cause a flood of childhood memories. I think that’s one of the reasons why i love living in the North East. Each new turn of the seasons prompts me to wake up and appreciate sweetness, in all it’s various forms….

Here’s one of those sweet recipes that I have made over and over again for the people I love. It makes us all very happy and I hope it does the same for you. If it does, please let me know since helping to make you and yours happy is a big part of what makes me happy…

Quick and Easy Ice Cream Birthday Cake

For Kids from 3 to 103!

Celebration Birthday Cake!

Yield: one three layer, 9-inch cake; serves 12

You’ll notice that throughout this recipe I’ve specified my favorite specialty “brand names” of cookies and candies and I kept things simple with vanilla, chocolate and strawberry ice cream. This is only a guide. The ingredients you choose are strictly about the person being celebrated so pick those that would make them the happiest. If you need more information about any of the cooking terms or equipment requested, just go to kitchen management. Oh, and if you want to see a preview of the video I made showing how to make this truly delish cake, click here.

Special Equipment
9-inch spring-form pan (for a larger crowd, use a 10 or 12-inch pan)
Food processor (optional)
Electric mixer or a balloon whisk and wide shallow bowl
Metal icing spatula, preferably with an elbow bend
Pastry bag with star tip
Cardboard cake box (optional), for freezing

Ingredients
1 box Nabisco thin chocolate wafers
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
1 stick (1/4 pound) unsalted butter, melted
1 1/2 pints each best-quality vanilla, chocolate and strawberry ice cream, softened to a spread-able (but not soupy) consistency
4 large Butterfinger bars, crumbled (whack with a can or meat mallet while still wrapped)
1 1/2 cups crushed Oreo cookies (regular or fudge-covered)
1 recipe Perfect Whipped Cream (see recipe)

Optional Toppings (below are just a couple of suggestions)
Assorted colored sprinkles (also called “Jimmies”)
Cake decorating gel
Chopped dry-roasted peanuts (salted or not)
M&M’s candies (regular or peanut filled)

To prepare cookie crust: Put chocolate wafers in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade and grind them fine. Alternatively, place broken up cookies (in batches) in a heavy-duty plastic bag and roll over them with a rolling pin until finely crushed. Transfer crumbs to another bowl and whisk in cinnamon, if using. Add melted butter, mixing with a fork until thoroughly blended. Press a thin layer of crumbs on the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch spring-form pan, using all of the crumbs. Place pan in freezer to firm up crust while ice cream continues to soften to a spread-able consistency.

To set up to assemble cake: Line a shallow baking sheet with waxed paper and place chilled crust on the tray. Squeeze vanilla ice cream out of its containers onto the bottom of the crust. Using a metal spatula and your hands, spread the softened ice cream evenly over the bottom of the crust. (Dip your hands in the hot water as necessary but always dry them thoroughly before continuing.) Cover ice cream with crumbled Butterfinger bars, pressing gently. Spread chocolate ice cream over crumbs and cover with crushed Oreos, again pressing gently. Cover crushed cookies with strawberry ice cream and smooth the top with a metal spatula. Place into the freezer to firm for 4 hours.

To top the cake: Prepare Perfect Whipped Cream (following) as directed in recipe. Spread 2/3 of the whipped cream over the top of cake and reserve the rest for a decorative border. (For smoothest surface, spread only once, in one direction, and then scrape off excess whipped cream into the bowl. Continue spreading and scraping until surface is perfectly smooth.) Return cake to the freezer for a minimum of 20 minutes, just to firm the whipped cream.

To decorate the cake: Fit your pastry bag with a star tip and fill bag with remaining whipped cream. Remove cake from freezer and pipe on a simple swirled border around its circumference. If desired, sprinkle border with some colored sprinkles. Return to freezer to firm for 4 hours, uncovered (or freeze for several days). Once very firm, you can cover the cake with plastic wrap. The day of serving, write a message on top with decorating gel and/or sprinkle the inside of the piped whipped cream with another thin border of crushed unsalted peanuts or a ring of M&M’s.

To freeze and store the cake with a written message: Either purchase a cardboard cake box from a bakery or stick toothpicks in the border of whipped cream (to camouflage the holes) and drape aluminum foil loosely over the top. This will help prevent freezer burn.

To remove the spring-form sides and serve: When cake is thoroughly frozen, dip a dish towel in very hot water and wring it out. Place the hot towel around the sides of the pan to help release it from the crust. Unlatch lock and ease off sides. Return cake to freezer. To serve, remove cake from freezer 30 to 40 minutes before serving to enable it to become softened enough to cut into wedges. Present the cake whole and cut into wedges at the table.

For a 10-inch cake: Increase the cookie crumbs (for the crust) to: 1 ½ boxes of chocolate wafers, mixed with 1 ½ sticks of melted, unsalted butter. Increase the amount of ice cream, per layer, to 2 pints. Use a bit more cookies and candies in between the layers and keep the whipped cream topping the same.

For a 12-inch cake: Increase the cookie crumbs (for the crust) to 2 boxes of chocolate wafers, mixed with 2 sticks of melted unsalted butter. Increase the amount of ice cream, per layer, to 3 pints. Use a bit more cookies and candies in between the layers and increase the whipped cream topping, as follows: Whip 3 cups heavy cream with 2/3 cup sugar and 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla.

To fill a pastry bag: The star tip should first be inserted into the bag and secured in place. Place the bag with the tip facing down into a tall drinking glass. When the tip hits the bottom of the glass, fold the remainder of the bag down over the outside rim of the cup. Fill the inside of the bag with the filling. Alternatively, you may simply cuff the top portion of the bag over your left hand (if you are right handed) and fill the bag with your right hand. The glass method is particularly good for the beginner and when filling a pastry bag in advance of a procedure so the bag can stand upright without the contents spilling out.

Timing is Everything: The cake can be assembled two weeks ahead through step 4 and, after being fully frozen, covered with plastic wrap until the day of serving, which is when you’ll write your “celebratory message” on top.

A nice big slice of ice cream cake! (Oh, go ahead...)

Perfect Whipped Cream

Yield: about 4 cups

Special Equipment
Electric mixer or a large balloon whisk and a wide, shallow bowl

Ingredients
2 cups very cold heavy cream (preferably not ultra-pasteurized)
1/4 cup regular or superfine sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

To whip cream by hand: Add cold cream to a chilled, wide and shallow bowl. Tilt one side of the bowl upward slightly with your hand and grasp a large balloon whisk in your other hand. Apply large, sweeping, circular strokes to the cream in a continuous, repetitive motion until the cream becomes thick. Once thickened, add sugar and vanilla while continuing to beat. (To relieve some of the pressure from your mixing arm, hug the bowl in toward your body as you continue to whip until you reach the desired consistency.)

To whip with an electric mixer: Place cold cream in the chilled bowl and begin to beat with the chilled whip attachment. As cream begins to thicken, add vanilla and gradually increase the speed while adding the sugar in a steady stream. Beat until the cream is of desired consistency, checking the consistency frequently to avoid overbeating.

To store: Use the whipped cream as desired and refrigerate leftovers in a covered bowl or secured in a pastry bag (with the tip in place) standing within a tall drinking glass.

You can fold 2 tablespoons melted chocolate into the already thickened cream. Or,reduce the vanilla to 1/2 teaspoon and, when adding to the cream, add 1 tablespoon of your favorite liqueur.

For a printable version of this recipe with a shopping list, click here. And, again, to see a preview of the video with me assembling this very delicious cake, click here.

Tags: cake, candy in cake, chocolate, comfort food, food, fresh cut grass, ice cream cake, Oreos, pudding, soothing textures

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Here’s a question from Ann:

I found a recipe that was my Mother’s and it calls for Chicken Fat. Can you purchase it in a grocery store and if so in what section would I begin to look. Thanks so much–Ann

Affectionately called “schmaltz,” chicken fat is a traditional ingredient in many savory, ethnic Jewish dishes and is often used as the fat of choice in meat dishes since it’s a no-no in Kosher cooking to mix milk products (like butter) in a meal that contains meat. Having said this, you certainly don’t need to be kosher, or even Jewish, to love the flavor that chicken fat gives to food. You might be able to buy rendered chicken fat from a very well stocked supermarket (in the refrigerated or frozen section) but you’d definitely be able to get it at a butcher shop. Sold in tubs, rendered fat means you get pure melted down chicken fat that’s had any bits of meat or skin removed. Although the plain rendered fat is fine to be used “as is,” I always flavor the fat with onions which elevates the taste immensely. To do this, melt a couple of tubs of the chilled fat down again in an uncovered skillet and, when liquefied, (it will have congealed to a firm, chilled butter-like consistency once refrigerated), add a cup or two of minced yellow onion. Continue to cook the fat with the onions, over low heat, still uncovered, until the onions have turned golden brown and your home smells like you never want to leave (ever!)–no joke, the aroma is that good.

Then, allow the fat to cool to just warm with the onions and strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a plastic tub and attach the lid. This can be frozen for many months. To use, just chip off a frozen piece, melt it down and stick the rest back in the freezer.

Now, if you can’t find chicken fat already rendered, each time you work with a whole chicken, pull off any wads of fat and cut off lose pieces of skin from the cavity opening and snip both into small pieces, using kitchen scissors. Then put these in a small, doubled freezer bag and freeze, continually adding to your stash until you have two cups or more. Then, melt the fat and skin, with the onions and follow the same instructions given above. When you do things this way (the second way) you will not only have wonderfully flavored chicken fat to use in your ethnic dishes but you will also get the prized pieces of crisp skin, called “gribenes.” These can be added to omelets, kneaded into bread, or simply popped into your mouth.

Hope this helps! Here’s a printable recipe for Rendered Chicken Fat. And, once you make up a batch, if you like chicken soup, why not try my delicious recipe for Matzo Balls.

Tags: chicken fat, chopped chicken liver, ethnic cooking, Jewish cooking

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No, no, this isn’t a blog about reducing the saturated fat in my cooking. I was just putting some thinly sliced prosciutto on a plate for our dinner tonight and I saw that there was a wide layer of fat surrounding almost every slice of meat which, to me, is not what I (or those at my table) want to eat so I simply cut it off with kitchen scissors. I’m writing about it because as I was snipping away I couldn’t help but think about all the snooty types who think they know everything about the dos and “don’t-dos” in the world of cooking and eating and about how they would hang me out to dry because I dared to remove the sacred fat. This also reminds me of how those same people (those I just mentioned) also get ALL bent out of shape when they see a cook rinse the skins off roasted peppers instead of allowing more of those acrid black specks to remain on the flesh. And let’s not forget when they (yup, the same folks) claim that “you can’t chop aromatics (onions, celery and garlic) a day ahead without sacrificing the integrity of their flavor!”… Sheesh.

With so much happening in the world, how can people get so upset over stupidness?

Listen, one of the greatest blessings provided by the art of home-cooking is that we all can (and should) custom make our taste, texture and esthetic experiences to suit ourselves and those we’re feeding. That’s the whole point!

So, this little note is just to give all of you non-snooty types a vote of confidence when you decide to cook according to who you are and what you want!

Go ahead—Cut off the fat!  

Tags: chopping vegetables, cutting fat, family cooking, personalized cooking, roasting peppers

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