Sarah's Day Off

From cooking, I'm still on camera duty.

As much as I love to cook, there are some days when dinnertime comes and I do not feel like it. I don't want to face chopping ingredients, handling slimy things like raw meat or stinky raw fish, and I especially don't want to be anywhere near the oven or stove. On those days I eat salad, or leftovers (I never mind using the microwave, it doesn't make me hot or need scrubbing after each use), or pb&j and a piece of fruit.

Boys though, boys are different. That kind of minimal, maybe even boring dinner is not high on the list after Ray's typical 11 hour work day. Not being a cook himself, there are a few things that I do not make satisfactorily for him. His man pasta is one of them. Tacos are another. These are actually kind of a treat to him.

Tacos were rare and special for dinner when I was growing up too. Why is that?

~

Ray's tacos require a very short list:

• lean ground beef
• taco seasoning
• shredded Mexican or cheddar cheese
• chopped lettuce
• taco shells

He browns the meat in my big skillet, chopping it finely with a spatula until well done. Then he adds taco seasoning. He doesn't measure, maybe a tablespoon or so, and a bit of water is added to moisten the mixture. Meanwhile, he chops up the lettuce. I never buy iceberg, but I always have romaine so he chops up a few leaves.

The cheese comes out of the fridge. This Mexican cheese blend is great; if we just have a block of cheddar he'll grate some up.

And the taco shells. Recently we've tried these new Stand 'n Stuff shells. They are the same price as the regular ones but much easier to stuff because they don't lay on their sides.

Ray makes three tacos for one dinner.

He spoons some of the meat into each taco, leaving plenty of room.

Then some lettuce,

And finally, lots of cheese.

Taste test. . .

Perfect thumbs up!

Hurray for leftovers and more days off! With enough meat and 7 more taco shells, there's at least two more meals to be had.

[I'm posting from Los Gatos Roasting Company today. My house is overrun with a dozen guys watching March Madness over the next three days, so I'm giving Ray his space and staying in Los Gatos until Saturday afternoon. He's taking me to dinner when I get home and I get some good time with my brothers and family. That's a fair trade!]

~:::~

Pretty in Pink

On Saturday I talked about inspiration, and how it comes from a variety of locations. Magazines are one of them, and this pretty dinner came from one of those.

I love reading cooking mags, but I usually just look.

It's rare that I'll make one of the recipes I see.

Sometimes a recipe looks awesome but too complex for everyday use; maybe I'm not sure the execution will deliver on its promise.

Food mags provide more entertainment while blogs and cookbooks provide more serious cooking options.

The first time I read the article containing this recipe, I knew I wanted to make it. I dog-eared the page and kept returning to it until my next visit to the grocery store.

I love salmon, but I don't buy it very often because I'm afraid I turn a beautiful fillet into a dry, flavorless excuse for fish. I'm aware that practice would solve this, but I fear the wasting of good fish as I stumble through those few trial runs. This recipe uses canned salmon rather than fresh. I've purchased small cans of salmon in the past, but never one this big; I didn't know they came this way until I was standing in the grocery aisle!

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Inside are 2 or 3 large pieces of salmon, sort of like sardines in a can (the body without head or tail). I should have taken a shot of the contents, sorry.

My recipe neglected to squeeze the moisture from the carrot and zucchini, and I think that's an important step to reduce liquid in the dish; you want a moist loaf but not so moist that slices don't keep their shape. My loaf was cooked through but I did have some issues with the slices staying intact. It tasted no less delicious, but presentation suffered.

Each of the four healthy portions of this salmon loaf boasts, for 300 calories:

• 27 grams of protein
• 7.5 grams of heart-healthy fats
• 379 mg calcium
• 3 mg iron
• 65 mcg folate, and
• 4 grams of fiber

Next to a beautiful salad with spinach, mixed greens, tomatoes, and olives, you've got quite a healthy dinner. We loved this meal, myself especially.
I have big plans for the remaining half of loaf: I might chop up a slice and add it to another salad, or place it between two slices of toasted bread for a special salmon sandwich. Or mix with some eggs to make an omelette or scramble.

Salmon Loaf

adapted, serves 4

2 medium carrots, grated

1 medium zucchini, grated

1/2 onion, finely chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

1 15 oz can salmon, drained

1 cup fresh bread crumbs

3/4 cup milk

1 egg, beaten

1 Tbs fresh thyme, minced

juice from half a lemon

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Coat a 9x5 loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.

Grate the carrot and zucchini, and squeeze to remove some of the excess liquid, in a kitchen towel or paper towerl. In a large bowl, flake the drained salmon and add the carrots, zucchini, bread crumbs, milk, egg, onion, thyme, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Mix very well until incorporated and moist. If the mixture is too dry, add a small amount of milk.

Pour mixture into the loaf pan and pack gently into a loaf shape. Bake for 40-50 minutes until the loaf is set in the center and firm to the touch. Slice with a knife and use a spatula to transfer to plates or bowls.

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I served this a garnish of (leftover) homemade marinara sauce with goat cheese. Salsa or mustard would also be excellent condiments.

~:::~

Inspiration:

It comes from a lot of places. The grocery aisles provide well, as do magazines, cookbooks, and so many great food blogs. My cupboards often inspire a dish as I dig to see what my options are. They can be a most excellent black hole, swallowing ingredients until I look deep inside, almost like shopping in my own kitchen.

I take inspiration from dishes Mom made us as kids, and meals we eat in restaurants or friends' homes.

Sometimes a combination of factors inspire dinner, and that's what happened here.

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On a rainy weekday I didn't feel like eating much dinner. I have a few stand-by meals for those days: brothy leek soup with some pastina, oatmeal, a salad, some yogurt and cereal with some fruit. This only works for me; my partner needs something more substantial. He's not too picky but when there is no frozen pizza to be had and pasta won't satisfy, I turn to the cupboards and freezer for some brilliant idea that will hopefully work out. Some phyllo dough from the fridge, ground beef from the freezer, vegetables and some spices made dinner go from simple to extraordinary, with leftovers for another night!

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These meat pies wrapped in phyllo were inspired by my Grandma's spanakopita and the notion of sheperd's pie. The dough is a departure from the usual; I had some on hand it was fun to work with and exciting to the diner at mealtime. I could have used pizza dough to make a calzone, but the phyllo made it unique and matched well with the spicy flavors.

Cinnamon and cumin is a haunting combination on the palate, with the ground beef or any other filling. For a vegetarian option, sprinkle the two on some chickpeas and roast for a few minutes, or steam with some broth. You'll be in love.

Spicy Meat Hand Pies
makes 3 triangle hand pies

1/2 Tbs olive oil
1 cup onion, chopped
1/2 cup carrots, diced
6 ounces lean ground beef
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cumin
juice from half a lime
salt to taste
1 egg
4 Tbs melted butter
10 sheets (about 4 ounces) phyllo dough

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Heat a saucier pan over medium and add the olive oil, onion, and carrots and saute until the onion becomes translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the ground beef and brown until fully cooked (no pink spots). Drain off as much fat as you can, then add the cayenne pepper, cinnamon, cumin, lime juice, and salt to taste. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.



Meanwhile, melt the butter and ready a pastry brush. Take out your 10 sheets of phyllo dough and place them on a damp towel. Gently cut the sheets in half longways and cover with a second damp towel. Lightly flour your work surface.

Remove one half sheet of phyllo and place on the work surface. Recover the rest of the dough with the damp towel (every time so it doesn't dry out). Brush the half sheet with melted butter and top with a second sheet of phyllo. Brush again with butter, repeat one more time. After the third sheet is buttered, add one third of the meat filling to a corner of the dough. Fold the corner over, tucking the filling in carefully. Fold in thirds until the triangle hand pie is formed.

The best verbal description escapes me, so I hope a visual picks up where I fail.




Place the hand pie on the parchment. Repeat with the process with three more sheets of phyllo, buttering and adding the filling, folding and placing on the parchment.

Bake for 20-25 minutes until the phyllo is light brown and crispy.

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As you know, 3+3+3= 9, not 10. So you're going to have an extra half sheet of phyllo left. You could toss it but that would be terrible! Do what I did: brush it with a little butta, and sprinkled with lots and lots of cinnamon sugar before cutting it into three pieces and rolling and crinkling each piece into a cinnamon 'straw'. Place on the baking sheet with your hand pies, and remove after 12-15 minutes.

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I Prefer Bowls to Plates

Other bloggers can attest to the fact that searching for a title can be the most difficult and frustrating part of a post.

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I couldn't think of much today that wasn't snarky or lame; I do prefer to eat from a bowl rather than a plate, so there you go.

:-)

I think the shape gives the illusion of more volume. This is one of those dishes that can be served in a bowl or on a plate, but it's so comforting that a steaming bowl makes it even better.

It's almost criminally simple. Fragrant brown rice is toasted before cooking a long time in a lot of liquid till soft, with some vegetables and spices. Brown rice can be more chewy than white rice, one reason why some people don't like it. This method allows you to cook it to a softer, moist consistency.

It's great straight from the pan, but two added garnishes take it over the top for me: a few drops of sriracha (hot sauce) and some fried onion strings (sold by Trader Joe's). You don't have to add these, but you really really should. You can add some poached chicken breast to the dish- I did add some to Ray's bowl- or you can serve it as a side dish alongside another protein. A big bowl by itself is a great meal for me, just don't forget to sneak in some protein in another way to help with Battle Protein.

The fried onion strings were a serendipitous impulse buy; they are great in salads too. Two tablespoons equals 40 calories and a small amount adds a lot of flavor and crunch. I used a mixture of low sodium chicken broth and water mixed with another TJ's favorite:
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These little packets are wonderful to keep in the cupboard and use on their own or if you are running low on canned broth. I started with 4 cups of broth for the recipe but needed to add more throughout the cooking process, about 6 cups in the end. I recommend having some extra broth handy just in case; that rice really soaks it up.

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This is also a good time to introduce you to my favorite stovetop cooking vessel. I mention it often and realize many might know what I'm talking about when I refer to the saucier. It's this guy:

He has a wide bottom like a pan but he's also deep like a pot- the best of both worlds. I use him for everything. As with the best recipes, I made this up on the fly one night, and cannot think of a particularly clever name. So I give you . . .

Vegetable Brown Rice Bowl
serves 4

1 Tbs olive oil
2 carrots, sliced
1 celery rib, peeled and sliced
1/2 large onion, diced
2 tsp fresh thyme
1 tsp dried rosemary
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup brown rice, rinsed
6 cups low sodium chicken or vegetable broth
1 cup frozen peas
salt and pepper to taste
sriracha (or other hot sauce) and fried onion strings for garnish

Heat the olive oil over medium in a saucier pan or pot. Add the onion, celery, carrot, and herbs and saute 3-5 minutes until the vegetables begin to soften.

Add the garlic and saute another minute. Add the brown rice and toast for 5 more minutes.

Add 4 cups of the broth and bring to a simmer. Stir occasionally and simmer until the rice is cooked, adding the rest of the broth as the pan becomes dry.

Add the frozen peas and cook to warm them through. Season to taste with salt and pepper.


Spoon into bowls and add a few drops of sriracha to each bowl, per the taste of each person. Top with a spoonful of fried onion strings and serve.

~:::~

Feeling

I'll finish my story tomorrow- we'll see where I'm at then, my fingers have never been so crossed- but I wanted to mention how I'm feeling.

On Sunday (Day 26, the length of my previous cycle) I was tired and moody, and had some light cramping. No period though, which usually accompanies or follows those cramps in my experience. I read online that some cramps 8-10 days after ovulation is normal, that it could be the egg nestling itself into the uterine lining. I've felt them a little on and off since, but very minor.

Also, I'm hungry. Like all the time. I seem to need more snacks the past couple days. Last night and the night before I had trouble getting to sleep. I couldn't quiet my mind, and two nights ago had nightmares when I did fall asleep. And my breasts are sore. Not incredibly sore like I imagined that would be, but it hurt to sleep on my stomach and my nipples are seriously sensitive. Not much, and at this point it could all be in my head.

The First Six Months

This is the origin of our baby story.

Today is day 27 of this menstrual cycle. It is also two days after I started expecting my period. I still have some waiting to go, but the more time goes by, the more odds are in my favor. Could I be. . . I can't bring myself to use the word. After so much time waiting, watching others experience it and seeing my body misbehave over and over, it's almost hard to believe it could actually happen. So easily. And so incredibly hard.

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This journey began about two years ago, when Ray and I started talking about the time to start a family. At that point I was not quite ready, but I was getting there. He wasn't, but the conversation was on the table. Then in late 2008 we both felt ready enough and agreed that I would cease birth control at the end of my cycle in January. I'd been on birth control for, well, years. We won't get specific. I definitely thought it would be great not having to worry about that anymore.

That last cycle ended and we weren't trying, just not not trying. The days when I would have had a period came. . . and went. I was a week late and ecstatic and terrified at the same time. That was quick!

I had just visited a new doctor in our town to replace my old one 30 minutes away; I made an appointment and took a pregnancy test in the office. Negative. Doc said it was too soon to tell, to come back in a week if I still didn't get my period.

Week later. No period. Visit #2. Negative again. Full blood work-up is ordered. Starting to get a little spooked.

Visit #3 holds the results of the blood work, which are, well, off. Very low estrogen levels, so low that my cycle wasn't triggering. My thyroid levels were also outside the normal range. I have a pre-existing thyroid condition, Hashimoto's thyroiditis. I've taken replacement since I was twelve years old but my dosage was no longer correct. Something had changed. Doc orders an MRI to see if there is something wrong with the pituitary gland in the brain. WHA???? I'm thoroughly upset and scared that something huge could be wrong.



MRI was highly uncomfortable but clean of course, I wasn't going to end up a candidate for a House episode. I don't return to that doctor, who ordered the expensive procedure prematurely considering my thyroid could have caused the chain of events that interrupted my cycle. Return to my previous OB who has treated me for several years and prescribes my thryoid meds. She agrees that from my blood work the thyroid could be the cause. The thyroid produces hormones that stimulate the pituitary which sends the signals to your ovaries to make follicles. If the levels of thyroid hormone are too low or too high, it can screw up the whole equation. My levels were really high. She also looked me up and down and said that weight could be an issue. The past two years I had slowly been losing weight with dedication to exercise and restrictive eating habits. Maybe a little too restrictive, but the high thyroid levels also create a speedier metabolism which could be a culprit. I loved how I looked and felt, but per the OB my body was probably not meant to be that thin.

~

This was me at Christmas 2006. Still a tad heavy leftover from some serious binge eating my senior year of college. I was probably around 115 lbs here.

And Christmas 2007, five months after our wedding. I slimmed down the year before the wedding and it continued after. My new drivers license say 108 lbs, so probably around there here.

April 2008- more like 106

To April 2009, probably my thinnest, at 102

In late spring 2009 we started changing my thyroid medication to achieve the proper dose. I had to be on each dose for at least 6 weeks before taking blood work to see if it was right. I changed three levels before arriving at my present dose of 75 mcg. Meanwhile, still no period. No period means no ovulation. I no longer had any clue when to expect it. . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

A (Very) Quick Dip

I have so much I want to do today! I've already worked out, vaccuumed and swept the floors, weeded the front yard, made and eaten breakfast, and made and consumed my first coffee with my new french press (pretty good for my first try)!

But the sun is shining, and there's a lot more I want to accomplish. You know those days, where your mental to-do list is long and you want to get going before you lose steam and leave it incomplete?

First, I want to share a great dip recipe with you.

I have a little backlog of recipes to share; I made this dip for a Super Bowl party this year and loved it. It's smoky with a minor kick of heat, and made even better when crowned with some extra sharp cheddar. It held its own next to the creamy ranch dip and guacamole classics on the table. And did I mention that it's possibly the fastest party food I've ever made?

I can't wait to try it as a veggie filling for tacos or nestled underneath the polenta next time I make Tamale Casserole.

Smoky Black Bean Dip
adapted from activefoodie on Tasty Kitchen

2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1 1/2 tsp adobo sauce from a can of chipotle chilies
1 tsp salt
1 garlic clove
6 cherry tomatoes, diced
the juice from 1 lime
1/2 large jalapeno, seeds removed and diced
1/2 red onion, diced
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

Add the beans, adobo sauce, salt, and garlic to a food processor and pulse a few times to combine. Add the lime juice, jalapeno, tomatoes, onion, and cilantro and pulse a few more times to combine thoroughly. You can leave it more chunky or process a little more for a smooth dip, your choice. Garnish with sharp cheddar cheese, and serve with blue corn chips.

I'm late, I'm late, for a very important date!

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Not So Hot Coconut Curry Noodles

This dinner was a flop, and I debated sharing it here before deciding that

a) you might really like it, and

b) flops can be as valuable as successes.

It's a good recipe, it just didn't do it so much for us.

Sometimes things just don't work out the way you hoped. I liked these noodles more than Ray, but not enough to repeat the recipe. If it sounds good to you, MAKE IT.


I've had this recipe bookmarked for several weeks thinking it had great potential for an awesome Friday dinner. We love Asian noodle bowls, especially with these rice stick noodles.


And coconut milk. Love coconut milk! And tofu, and fresh cilantro.



I really thought it would be a winner; we'd gobble it up and there would be nothing leftover.

I was wrong.

And surprised, but I think I know why it failed for us. Ray and I like curry but in smaller more subtle amounts. The curry flavor here was too strong and it overwhelmed the coconut and cilantro. Paradoxically, the dish was bland. Really bland, which I would never have predicted.

The concept is still very appealing so maybe I could modify it to suit our tastes more. Using less curry or none at all is very easy to do. But what to do about avoiding the bland factor, which could be worse with less curry?


Live and learn. Not every dish is a keeper, but it could be the starting point for something great.

How would you remove the bland factor from this dish?


~:::~

Breakfast Love

Today I had this for breakfast.

Oh boy this was good . . . pumpkin oatmeal poured into an empty peanut butter jar with some blueberries. I'm emptying nut butter jars more regularly and try to remember to save them.


I know it's finicky but this kind of tall, thin container is not as enjoyable as a wide, shallow bowl. It seems like more volume, and I think I eat more slowly. Anything to extend the pleasure of eating.

Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day. I workout in the morning between 6AM and 7AM, so by the time I eat maybe 45 minutes later, I'm ready for something good! (Exercise supressing my appetite so I don't feel starving from waiting this long after waking up.) It's also my quietest meal; I'm alone, checking emails, reading blog posts, and sneaking a few minutes of GMA (love Robin Roberts and miss Diane Sawyer, but George Stephanopoulous is a good replacement).

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I consider myself a food blogger but not the type that posts her meals three times a day. One reason is that I can't keep up with all the photo taking and daily events. I'd do great for a few days, but as soon as my schedule changed I'd start missing a lot of stuff, there would be gaps, I'd let you down, I'd let me down. That said, I really admire those food bloggers who do this.

The main reason? Well, I think it would be pretty boring. My everyday life isn't that exciting, and I eat a lot of the same things over and over. And over. I do love trying different things but usually on the weekends when I experiment more or we go out for dinner. On a daily basis, posting my eats would get really old, really fast. How many days in a row is pumpkin oatmeal with a dab of peanut butter interesting? To me it's good enough to repeat but it's not interesting blog content. Lunch is similar to breakfast- I usually have a salad or some soup but they are pretty similar to each other with a few detail changes. Dinner varies a little more bu usually it's so simple that it's not worth sharing.

The pumpkin oatmeal combo (1/2 cup old-fashioned oats, 1 cup water, spoon of pumpkin, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, splash of soy milk, granola or peanut butter) has been my daily breakfast for 1 1/2 years now. If I'm feeling radical I swap the pumpkin for some berries or apple, but even in summer I like the pumpkin.

I'm 27 so comparitively the pumpkin-oat obsession hasn't been that long. Recalling other past and present favorites, this is what I come up with.

• Egg whites with cheddar and tomatoes, rolled in a flour tortilla (college favorite)
• Two pieces of toast or an English muffin with jam (high school breakfast)
• Eggo waffles with lots of butter filling the cracks (ah the joys of being a kid)
• Yogurt with cereal, eaten separately (my breakfast every day the two years I worked at Google)
• Pancakes (all kinds!) with real maple syrup, or ricotta cheese/maple syrup mixture at home (try that, it's delicious! spread the ricotta and drizzle with syrup, smooth together)
• 'Cheese eggs,' made by Dad, who makes them very cheesy, browned, and caramelized
• Lox and cream cheese on a toasted poppy seed bagel (another high school/college favorite)

What are your favorite breakfasts? I'd love to know!

~:::~

What a Tart

The word tart has several definitions. As an adjective, it could mean having a pungent taste, sour or sharp and bitter. As a noun it can mean a dessert- a pastry shell with shallow sides, no top, and various fillings.

It can also mean a prostitute or sexually promiscuous woman, but we won't address that one today.

~

You'll never -evereverever- see me turn down a hefty slice of homemade pie. If that day comes, you better look outside because life as we know it might be over. But you'll also never see me make an easy decision when given choices.

Piece of pie or a cupcake? . . . um . . . um . . . um . . . panic!

Fun-sized desserts keep that indecision to a minimum since I can try a couple things. Like this weekend's Afternoon Tea- I was able to have a blueberry tart, a chocolate beignet, and part of a mini apple turnover before throwing up the white flag in surrender.

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The small size might seem intimidating, but these blueberry tarts are really easy. You could get fancy if you want but I usually stear clear of embellishments in favor of rustic and simple.

I love rustic, it's much less stressful.

~

I used a muffin tin for the tarts, and because my biscuit cutters were too small I used the biggest glass I could find. It was still small (the dough didn't come all the way up the sides) but I was happy with the results. The tarts would have been bigger but this smaller size is what I was shooting for to begin with.

~

Of course I HAD to overfill a few, so those bubbled over.

So they looked less than perfect; so what? They tasted just as yummy.

One more thing: I had half a batch of my favorite pie dough (the one with vodka) in the freezer from the last time I made pie. I was able to make ten tarts so two of the muffin tins were empty and I had extra filling. I filled two ramekins with the leftover blueberry filling and I've been stealing spoonfuls every time I pass the fridge.

You could make more tarts and use up the filling with a full batch of pie dough. Be prepared with a second muffin tin.

Blueberry Tarts

makes 10

1 disk (1/2 batch) Vodka Pie Dough

filling:

6 cups frozen wild blueberries

1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and grated

2 tsp lemon zest

2 tsp lemon juice

1/2-3/4 cup sugar

2 Tbs instant tapioca

pinch of salt

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray a muffin tin generously with baker's spray (containing flour) and set aside.

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Remove the pie dough from the fridge and roll out on a floured work surface, about 1/8 inch thick. Using a biscuit cutter, cut circles from the dough and press gently into the muffin tin, especially at the bottom. Repeat with the rest of the tin and stash in the fridge for at least 15 minutes.

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Place 3 cups of the (still frozen) blueberries in a small saucepan over medium heat. Smoosh blueberries with a potato masher (I don't own one, I used a whisk) to release the juices. Cook, stirring occasionally, until half the berries are broken down and the mixture has thickened and reduced, about 8 minutes.

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Meanwhile, grate the apple and wring dry with a towel. Transfer the apple to a large bowl and add the remaining 3 cups of frozen berries, lemon zest, lemon juice, 1/2 cup sugar, tapioca, and salt. Toss to combine, then add the hot berry mixture. Stir thoroughly, and taste to see if you need the additional 1/4 cup of sugar. If you do add here; the frozen berries should be thawed by the cooked ones.

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Spoon carefully into the chilled muffin tin, leaving a little clearance at the top so they don't bubble over. If they do, it's ok.

Bake for 30 minutes until the crust is golden brown and the filling bubbles. Transfer the tin to a wire rack to cool. If any of the tarts bubbled over, run a sharp knife carefully around the edges to make them easier to remove. Let cool for 15 minutes, then carefully remove the tarts to finish cooling on the rack.

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Store the tarts in an airtight container before serving.

Would you rather make pie instead of baby tarts?

This filling and the method used to make it works extremely well in the mama version.

Just don't ask me to choose which one I like better.

~

Blueberry Pie

~:::~