During my years of professional business travel I have been fortunate  to dine in many venues all around the globe.  How much better could it get for someone who loves great food than being required to travel to exotic international destinations as well as the great metropolitan cities of our country, spanning East to West and North to South…?  What wonderful opportunities I’ve had to savor and enjoy the flavorful cuisines of people and cultures all around the world.  I’ve dined in 5-star restaurants resplendent with crisp white linens and sterling silver gracing the dining table…  and I’ve sat at lunch counters in small family owned restaurants tucked away in obscure and nearly secretive places with a white paper napkin draped across my lap, my taste buds screaming in ecstatic delight at the delectable and indescribably delicious local fare on the plate before me.

One destination to which I always looked forward was Albuquerque, New Mexico, where I was first introduced to Los Cuates, a family owned and operated restaurant in a nondescript neighborhood east of the city center.  One of my favorite Mexican dishes is chicken fajitas and I’ve enjoyed them on numerous occasions  in a variety of restaurants, particularly in the Southwest and here in California.  The chicken fajitas in this particular dining oasis, however, were the best I have ever had.  The dish always arrived on a flat oval iron skillet  so  hot that the fragrant spicy strips of tender chicken sizzled and sputtered a welcoming invitation to dig in!  The flavors?  Absolutely indescribable!  This was, without a doubt, a preparation that contained seasonings and spices meticulously and loving combined according to a longtime family recipe… one of those, perhaps, that will forever remain a secret to those of us who are diners in that homey establishment!

A flavorful and spicy chicken dish that we enjoy preparing here at home is Arroz con Pollo.  In our kitchen this dish takes on the distinctive personality of the Yucatan Peninsula with the addition of Achiote Rojo, a spiced seasoning paste, or condiment, that hails from our neighbors in the south of Mexico.  Achiote Rojo consists primarily of a combination of annatto seed, spices, vinegar, salt, granulated garlic and cornmeal.  Annatto is produced from the pulp surrounding the seed of the achiote trees native to the tropical regions of the Americas.  Its scent can be described as slightly peppery with a hint of nutmeg.  Its flavor?  Slightly sweet and peppery.  Achiote also adds a distinctive reddish color to the dish.  Achiote Rojo can be found in the Hispanic food section of your market as well as in local Mexican food stores and shops.  If this condiment is not in your pantry we highly recommend you take the time to purchase it as is adds distinction to this flavorful dish!

Yucatan Style Arroz con Pollo

• 1 3 1/2 – 4 lb chicken, cut into 8 pieces

Season chicken with:

• 2 tsp dried oregano, rubbed between your palms to release the flavor
• 2 tsp cumin, toasted

Chef’s note:  Place ground cumin in a small skillet over moderately high heat, shaking the pan continuously until the fragrance is released.

• 1 T smoked paprika
• 2 tsp cayenne
• 2 T red wine vinegar

Rub and coat the chicken thoroughly with the mixture, allowing it to marinate 2 – 8 hours, turning occasionally.

Chef’s note:  The addition of the vinegar gives you the flexibility to safely marinate the chicken pieces at room temp, as well as giving great flavor.  We allowed it to marinate for the full 8 hours at room temp.  Should you choose, this first step can be done followed by overnight refrigeration.

For garnish:

• 1 red bell pepper, roasted and sliced into strips

Chef’s note:  To roast the bell pepper place it over an open flame or under a broiler and char till well blackened, turning as required:

Place charred pepper in a plastic bag, allowing it to steam, then cool, for 20 minutes.  Remove from the bag and gently remove the charred skin with a paper towel.  This will be an easy task as the result of thorough charring.  Don’t yield to the temptation of rinsing under running water as rinsing will wash away the  distinctive smokey flavor.

Prior to placing the chicken in the hot skillet dry the pieces well with a paper towel to promote browning.  In a medium saucepan warm:

• 3 1/2 C chicken stock (preferably low sodium)

Hold warmed stock in reserve.  In a large 12-inch heavy skillet, melt and heat over moderately high heat till shimmering:

• 2 T lard

Chef’s note:  Olive oil can be substituted.  Lard, however, produces an additional layer of authentic flavor so exceptionally wonderful in this dish.

Place the seasoned chicken into the skillet skin side down:

Brown well, approximately 5 minutes.  Turn the pieces and continue browning all sides, an additional 4 – 5 minutes.  Be sure to brown that “third side” of the  breast pieces as well!

Transfer browned chicken to a plate on the side:

Reduce the heat to moderate.  To the pan add:

• 1 medium white onion, coarsely chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, cut into large dice
• 3 fresh bay leaves (if fresh are not available dried are an acceptable substitute)

Saute 2 minutes:

Add:

• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 T Achiote Rojo

Stir to combine and saute 2 – 3 minutes.  Add:

• 1/4 C cilantro, chopped

Saute and additional 2 – 3 minutes.  Add:

• 2 large tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped

Stir to combine and saute for 2 minutes:

Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Add:

• 2 C long grain white rice

Stir to combine and saute an additional 2 minutes:

To the pan add:

• the warmed chicken stock
• 2 T freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1 C large pitted green olives, halved

Stir to combine and return the browned chicken pieces to the pan:

Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer and cook, covered, for 20 minutes.  Serve garnished with roasted red pepper strips… Bon Appetit!

Copyright 2009 Via Aurea Designs, Inc., All Rights Reserved

Since this is going to be a short work week because of Thanksgiving, this was an opportunity for me to try out a new recipe for my Dinner of the Week series. I spotted this recipe in the December issue of Food & Wine. Cookbook author Eugenia Bone (Well-Preserved) shares her recipe of meatballs with peas.

The thing I really love about this recipe is that the meatballs are served with rice instead of pasta. It just seemed like the perfect pairing. Instead of sliding off the slippery pasta, the marinara sauce gets soaked up by the rice. The idea of rice and peas gives me a wonderful homey, comforting feeling. I think that adults and kids alike will enjoy this dish. I’m going to add this to my repertoire so that one day I can make this for my very own mini Tarte Titous.

I tweaked the original recipe slightly. So instead of broiling the meatballs in the oven, I seared them in a skillet over stove top. I swapped the golden raisins for a 1/2 cup of pine nuts and tripled the amount of Parmigiano-Regiano cheese and added more garlic–who needs a reason to add more cheese?

Meatballs with Peas and Rice

Makes 3-4 servings

Ingredients

For the meatballs:

1/2 lb. ground beef chuck

1/2 lb. ground pork

1/2 cup pine nuts

1 large egg, beaten

1 medium onion, minced

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 Tbsp. dry bread crumbs

6 Tbsp. freshly grated Parmigiano-Regiano cheese

1 Tbsp. chopped fresh thyme

1 Tbsp. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 Tbsp. water

1 1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

For the marinara sauce:

1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

1 medium minced onion

2 garlic cloves, minced

One 16-0z. can whole peeled, San Marzano tomatoes

1/2 cup white wine

2 sprigs fresh oregano

1 1/2 cups frozen petite peas, thawed

Salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste

Special Equipment: medium baking dish

1. Make the meatballs: preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In a large bowl, mix the beef, pork, pine nuts, egg, onions, bread crumbs, cheese, thyme, parsley, water, salt and pepper with your hands. Mix well. Form about 15-20 meatballs.

2. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the meatballs, rolling a few times to lightly brown all sides. Transfer the meatballs to a baking dish.

3. Make the sauce: in a medium saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic and cook for 5 minutes. Add the wine and cook for 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and oregano and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

4. Sprinkle the peas into the baking dish with the meatballs. Pour the sauce into the baking dish and bake for 20-30 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling. let rest for 10 minutes, then serve with rice. Bon Appetit!

Rice krispy treats are one of the best kid foods and I’ve missed them. They are sticky and crunchy and sweet and satisfyingly delicious.

So I set out to make some for myself… without marshmallow cream (eggs) and without cane sugar. I found a vegan recipe and adapted it to be cane sugar free as well. I found crisped rice (looks just like the commercial cereal) at Sprouts, and it was completely unadulterated– no sugar or wheat flour!

I added cocoa powder to my batch and that turned out well, but I think I’ll leave it out next time and add more crispies because the filling became too dense and overwhelming.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup natural peanut butter (has a fuller flavor than sugar-added PB)
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup granulated fructose/or (sugar)
• 1/2 cup brown rice syrup /or (light corn syrup)
• 2 tbsp butter/or margarine
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 3.5 cups rice krispies cereal

Directions

Grease a 9X13 baking dish, non-stick spray works well. In a dutch oven or other large pot, slowly bring the peanut butter, sugar, rice syrup, and butter to a rapid boil while stirring constantly. Add cocoa powder and mix thoroughly. Let boil for a good minute, you should start smelling the peanut butter roasting. Turn off the heat and stir in the vanilla. Stir in the rice krispies until they are fully coated. I didn’t measure the rice krispies. I just dumped them in until it looked like they’ve soaked up all the peanut butter goo. Put in a little more than you think is necessary- the rice syrup mix should be a very thin coating as it has a very strong flavor. Dump the mixture into the baking dish and spread to an even layer. Let cool, cut them up, and enjoy. Makes about 12 servings.

Original recipe found here

Since Kelly was not able to partake in the challenge today I have had the pleasure of eating KB lunch on her behalf. While I have the chance I have to say that I am very impressed with the challenge Kelly and Hollie have decided to undergo over the next few weeks. Their lunches have inspired me to be more creative in my kitchen and try cook meals that are low in calories and low in cost. I will most defiantly by tuning in each week to see what creations they have and will be noting down the recipes.

Chef: Hollie Matthews

Meal: Prawn laxa

Food Critic: Victoria Blackman (replacing Kelly Blaney for today)

Taste – 7/10

So much flavour! There was definitely an array of spices in it. I did have to dodge eating the green chillies as it had enough kick without eating them. I really enjoyed it despite the hotness and I am not one for a spicy/hot meal and I gobbled the whole thing down. It was nice to have the rocket garnish. I loved the baby mini prawns, perfect for a lunch time meal.

Presentation – 6/10

The laxa was presented in a nice white Ash bowl with fork and garnished with some rocket to help with presentation. I feel Hollie did everything she could for presentation for this dish. Presentation does have its limitations with the Ash kitchen – maybe KB and Hollie could up their game on presentation and think outside the square? I challenge them.

Healthy – 6/10

It has coconut milk and noodles so apparently it is max 400 calories. However in saying this, the meal was very light to eat and I don’t at all feel unhealthy afterwards like you can with takeaway meal equivalents.

Price – 10/10

81p is an outstanding result! Full marks on the cost Hollie!

TOTAL score: 29/40

Everytime we want to have something light and relatively healthy, we always go for Japanese food.

However, since Japanese restos are only beginning to be introduced to this kingdom (and with only a handful – the expensive ones – serving really good and authentic Jap dishes), we have to resort to home-cooked Japanese food most of the time.  And since I’m the designated cook at home, I make sure that I prepare mostly simple yet yummy dishes inspired by the Land of the Rising Sun.

Here’s what I came up with during our recent “Japanese Night”…

Maki Variants: Crabstick and cucumber with faux caviar and Spicy Tuna

BTW, I found this link especially helpful when prepping my sushi rice while this one made actually putting the makis together a tad easier.

And I also tried something new… well, not exactly… since I’ve had this years ago when my mom made this for us when they were still based in Nagoya…

Though the chicken dish was not a big hit with the tweens, I’m glad that both hubby and diva-lette liked it. And the maki? Well, they were  ”mercilessly devoured” – as usual – hahaha!

Here’s another shot of the chicken (with its Japanese name this time) up-close…

And finally, for those who may be interested, here’s the easy recipe for the chicken that my mom passed on to me (I think she got it from one of those “authentic” Nihongo cookbooks):

WHAT YOU NEED: 400 grams skinless, boneless chicken breasts (I used 450 g in mine with the same results), 2 tablespoons sake/Japanese rice wine, 1 tablespoon lemon juice

FOR THE SAUCE: 2 tablespoons sake, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon rice vinegar, 1 teaspoon sesame oil

HOW TO: Prick chicken breasts with a fork and season with salt (I used approximately half a tablespoon to season mine).  Put chicken in small bowl and add sake and lemon juice.  Let marinate for 20 minutes (I did mine overnight). Place chicken and marinade in a steamer and steam for 20 minutes. Mix together ingredients for the sauce and boil until sauce thickens somewhat.  Cut chicken into bite-size pieces and serve with the sauce.

Easy-peasy, isn’t it?

I was looking for a quick dinner one day last week and came up with this recipe. I got all the way done with the filling — then with no meat, mainly due to lack of planning and time — and changed course. I knew the hubs would whine if there was no dead animal involved.

So I scrounged the fridge for something I didn’t have to thaw or cook, and hark: pheasant sausage. Weird, but qualifies as dead animal. I crumbled a few pieces into the mix, and voilå. You can do the same with whatever red meat you have on hand…ground beef or stew meat, deer meat or other wild game, etc.

Honestly, by the time it was done, it was so yummy I’m not sure hubs would have noticed. Feel free to try it either way.

Black Bean and Rice Enchiladas

• 6-8 flour tortillas, enchilada size
• 1 cup cooked short-grain brown rice (found in the healthy foods section of most supermarkets)
• 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed (or equivalent amount of soaked, cooked beans)
• 1 large can red enchilada sauce, mild
• 1 tsp. chili powder
• 1/2 tsp. cumin
• 1/8 tsp. (a sprinkle) cayenne or chipotle powder
• 2 T. dried onions
• 1 garlic clove, pressed OR 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
  (May substitute prepared taco seasoning for above spices)
• 1 tsp. kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese (or queso blanco or queso fresco from your grocer’s dairy Mexican foods)

Cook the rice according to the package directions, but just a minute shy of the texture you would normally shoot for. (Remember that you’re using one cup of cooked rice, not dry…start with one cup of dry and save the extra for something else.)

Remove all but one cup of cooked rice from the pan. Add the black beans and about one-third of the large can of sauce. Add the seasonings and onions/garlic if using, and warm the whole thing up slowly over medium heat while stirring. (Be careful not to break up the beans while stirring!)

As the mixture warms, the rice will absorb some of the sauce and the mixture will tighten up. Keep warming and adding more sauce, if necessary, until you get a good, thick consistency for filling the tortillas.

Spray some cooking spray into the bottom of a large, rectangular baking dish and pour a tiny bit of  sauce in the bottom, about 1/4 cup.

Warm the tortillas in the microwave or oven until pliable. Using a plate or cutting board as a work surface, lay down one tortilla and spoon about 1/4 cup of filling into it. Roll the tortilla and place, seam down, into the baking dish. Repeat until the dish is full, then pour the remaining enchilada sauce over the top. Sprinkle cheese over this and cover with foil. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes.

***********
As you can see, this could easily please your vegan or vegetarian friends…just leave out the cheese (or use a soy substitute) and you’re golden. (But make sure the tortillas are free of lard if you’re feeding a vegan.) Sensitive to wheat? No problem; use corn tortillas.

Dang, just realized I don’t have a photo of this. We ate it all up days ago. Sorry.

Enjoy, and stay tuned. I’ve got more…homemade macaroni and cheese, a new recipe from Chef Shane, and maybe even my Thanksgiving menu.

Happy cooking!

Rice 1/2 cups

Toor dal 1/2 cup

Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp

Tamarind  1 lemon-sized ball

Onion 1 big

Capsicum 1 medium-sized

Carrot  2 medium-sized

Beans  150 gm

Yellow pumpkin 100 g

Drum sticks 4-5 pieces

Chow chow 1 small

Tomatoes 3 medium-sized

Shelled peas/peanut 1/2 cup

For the masala:

Red chillies 5 or 6

Coriander seeds 2 tbsp

Chana dal 2 tbsp

Cloves 5

Cinnamon 2″

Cardamom 2

Grated coconut  3  tbsp

Curry leaves 3 or 4 sprigs

Saunf 1 tsp (optional)

Salt 1 tbsp

Oil 4 tbsp

Ghee 1tbsp

Cut the onions fine and cut the vegetables into 1/2 inch pieces.

Pressure cook the rice and dal together after adding the turmeric powder to the vessel. Add a little excess water than normal and cook it a little extra. On cooling mash the dal/rice to give it a porridge-like texture.

In a large heavy-bottomed vessel, add the oil and temper the mustard seeds. As soon as they start spluttering, add the onion and saute till they are translucent. In case peanuts are added, saute the peanuts till tender. Add the capsicum, saute a little; add tomatoes and saute till done.

Add the remaining vegetables, stir for 2 minutes and add the tamrind extract. Add enough salt and let the vegetables cook till don.

Powder the masal ingredients welll and add the masal to the cooked vegetable.

Simmer the flame, add the mashed rice and stir well till all are blended well.

Add the ghee and serve hot.

]]> http://lilveggiepatch.com/2009/11/22/dos-and-donts/ Mon, 23 Nov 2009 05:04:34 +0000 lilveggiepatch http://lilveggiepatch.com/2009/11/22/dos-and-donts/

Hey there, strangers! How was your weekend? Mine was lovely… I spent the last few days relaxing in upstate New York with my parents.  Time seems to move slower there; I never felt like I was rushing to catch my breath or finish five things at once.  It was a nice change.  What did you do?

Here’s a quick re-cap of the weekend chez with Mom & Pop LVP, Do/Don’t style!

DO make Eggs In A Basket out of an open-face grilled cheese sandwich.  Thanks for the idea, Kaytee!

DO enjoy pumpkin whole wheat pancakes on a frosty fall morning.  The secret to their fluffiness? A little bit of vinegar.

DO support your local farmers and buy apples at the orchard…

…and while there, DO pick up an apple cider donut for your mama.

It will make her happy.

DO top your salads with Red Ants On A Log (celery with Sunbutter and dried cherries).

DON’T feel silly when you squeal with delight after finding holiday teas at your local food co-op, after searching every chain grocery store with no luck.

DON’T gloat about winning some fancy protein powder from your neighborhood Everythingtarian.

DO share Holly’s pumpkin molasses cookies with those who gave you life… albeit grudgingly.

DO cozy up to a mug of Spiced POM Cider…

DO have a nice dinner at Church and Main, a sustainable restaurant that supports local farmers and uses only the freshest ingredients (and DO go home and watch Food, Inc. afterward).

DO drink local Riesling…

…eat wedges of bread…

DO share two appetizers with Daddy-O to maximize tastings, like these bay scallops with parsley pesto over cappelllini...

… and this spinach and arugula salad with candied almonds, parmesan and goat cheese.

DO have the pan-roasted Atlantic monk fish with creamy white beans, celery root, warm baby winter greens & roasted beets for yourslef.

DO share three desserts (warm chocolate cake with caramel sauce, gingerbread crème brulée, semolina cake with roasted apples).

And, in case you were wondering, this is a salsify root:

…this is a celery root:

… and this is a turnip.  DON’T worry, these aren’t sea creatures!

Do warm up for your first 6 mile run since your injury with Yoga For Runners.

DO give your knees a break and run on a track.

DO utilize the Lap function on your heart rate monitor; DON’T feel bad for taking a year to notice it.

Total distance: 6 miles
Total time: 59:54

Mile 1: 9:49
Mile 2: 9:57
Mile 3: 10:07
Mile 4: 10:14
Mile 5: 10:03
Mile 6: 9:41

Average Pace: 9:58

DO refuel with a bowl of apple cinnamon raisin oatmeal.  Microwave a diced apple, sprinkled with cinnamon, for 90 seconds. Insta-baked apple.

DO enjoy an end-of weekend bowl of Marcella Hazan’s Spinach and Rice Soup.

DO buy packaged falafel based on the brand name alone.

And most importantly, DO take advantage of your boyfriend’s absence to load up on things like Garlic Lovers Hummus and raw onion.

For an added bonus for body and soul, DO a free Lunar Flow practice before bed, with your eyes closed and the lights off.  You’ll thank yourself.

What are your most recent DOs and DON’Ts?

Something I LOVE to eat in the winter time and when I’m sick is rice porridge.  You literally just add rice with double the amount of water into a pot and cook it for about 20 minutes.  It’s delicious with a touch of soy sauce or kimchi.  There are restaurants dedicated to this delicious dish and can be made with thousands of ingredients.  I love using half water, half chicken broth and then adding a little shredded turkey at towards the end.  SOOOO delicious!

201428     วิศวกรรมโรงสีข้าว     Rice Mill Engineering

การออกแบบระบบสีข้าว การออกแบบอุปกรณ์ที่ใช้ในโรงสีข้าว การทำความสะอาดและการสีข้าวเปลือก การแยกแกลบออกจากข้าวสาร การขัดขาวและขัดมันข้าวสาร การคัดขนาดข้าวสาร การบรรจุถุง อุปกรณ์ทดสอบคุณภาพข้าวสาร

(Design of rice mill systems; design of rice mill machinery; cleaning and hulling of paddy, separation of rice husks, whitening and polishing, grading of milled rice; packaging; rice quality testing equipment.)

(201428 มหาวิทยาลัยเกษตรศาสตร์)

October 16, 2009

Ok I know this is totally lame but I find rice cooking to be really difficult. And I think using a rice cooker is kinda cheating. But FINALLY I have found a recipe that makes sense and I can use. (And, I like the idea that this recipe tells you to use your knuckle as a measuring tool. That is just cool.) So, hooray for this recipe which I think I am going to be using often!

Many students are have seen a jail cell this week not because of alcohol, drugs, etc. but because they chose to publicly demonstrate their distaste and opposition over a University of California decision to increase tuition costs.

At last I read, there were about 90 students who have been cuffed by police and that number is certain to climb for I just finished reading that officials are going to use force on the Santa Cruz campus soon.

The UC students’ situation, like every college student, is one extremely daunting reality we must face every semester as we attend to receive a higher education. Cause we don’t only have to worry about passing class, we also have to have figure out how we’re going to pay for all of this. There’s no getting around it and by the time we’re done with our four years of undergrad, the amount student owe tallies anywhere between $5,000 – $100,000+.

Really, this is a complete shame. Though state schools provide some benefits to in-state students, the debts this new generation faces are intimidating and cripples a person’s chances to immediately benefit after graduation. Furthermore, the average person will not be able to pay off these loans until they reach their early to mid forties. By that time, he or she will be deep into a mortgage and have to provide for his or her family. The circle of debt will not end.

So why do young adults have to begin this debt when they enter their college years? Why do universities have to increase tuition each year? And finally, is there any way a student can still go to school if they can’t afford it?

When conducting an interview earlier this year, my former boss within the university informed me that because of the economy, this was the first year employees would not be able to receive a pay increase.  Later on, I asked how the university was able to provide a pay increase and without explicitly saying, she motioned to the idea that it is the students that pay their salaries. Also, going to a school that carries national attention in various sporting programs, the revenues generated are far more superior and a small cut could be contributed to the university. When all is said and done, there is absolutely no reason why state funded schools should increase their tuition on a yearly basis.

Now, what she said makes sense and I get it, but there is no excuse to place these added expenses on people wishing to further educate themselves. Just in 2009 alone, Indiana University tuition rates increased 5% and will increase another 5% in 2010. What began as going to school for only $7,000 a semester for me will end with it being close to $9,000 for my final semester. This doesn’t even include living expenses and extra curricular fees.

By graduation, my expenses will look as if I chose to go to an out-of-state university.

I should consider myself lucky. In fact, if it weren’t for a scholarship that paid for my eight semester stay, I would not be able to go to school and my dreams to be a writer would be destroyed. Then chances are, I would be stuck in Tipton, Indiana working retail or fast food the rest of my life.

If students are eager to achieve further education, the cost of going to a state-funded school should be slim to none. There are already a small handful of universities in practice of a free tuition system. Schools like University of Virginia, Michigan State, Rice University and Miami University of Ohio all provide students with low-income backgrounds with a free ride if they maintain a C average through their undergrad years. This type of program should be in place for all public universities so students who cannot go to school because of financial obligations would be given their chance of success.

If nothing is done to solve this problem, then in a generation from now, the costs for attending a school would be near impossible. If students do not receive any sort of financial aid, then government loans will linger in their lives until they reach the latter part of their adulthood. It’s a world young Americans should not face as they begin their lives because we have grown up believing success can be accomplished through hard work. But if we are not given the opportunity to achieve this, then the whole American Dream is a facade. A fake. It’s something we should not be up against in our early 20s.

Yet again, this is one of the many reasons as to why I want to graduate early. I want to prevent myself from having to take out yet another loan and owe the banks an amount that will take me 20 years to pay off.

———–

Here’s the article.

From Joe Heflin

1 pound vialone nano arborio rice (carneroli is
acceptible as substitution)
1/4 cup olive oil (as good as you can find, i.e. Badia
Coltibuono, Castello di Ama, etc.)
one sweet onion (Vidalia, Texas Sweet, etc.) finely
chopped to equal one cup
1 1/2 cups chardonnay (I use Beringer or a wine at
least equal to this-NOT a cheap wine.)
2 cups chicken stock (REAL chicken stock, not from a
can or a cube)(frozen chicken stock that sells for
$3.99 for 8 ozs. is OK) Use WARM chicken stock
that you keep heated in a separate pot over
low heat.
7/8 pound Gorgonzola DOLCE (NOTE: You MUST use the
dolce, no other gorgonzola will do. Don’t make
this if you can’t find it!!!) The gorgonzola
should be broken up into pieces or one to two
inch soft chunks that have sat at room temperature
for an hour or more.
1/2 pound unsalted butter (Pleugra, Kate’s, European,
absolute best you can find.) I slice the butter one
inch thick and let the slices sit at room tempera-
ture for at least an hour.
1/2 cup toasted (in oven for 3-4 minutes at 325 degrees)
pistachios, chopped that you have shelled yourself.
Use everything, chopped nut and “dust” but remember
you want these for crunch as well as flavor. I
might even use a bit more than this. Use unsalted
pistachios.
10 ozs. Reggiano Parmegiano grated which will equal
about three cups in volume. Grate this
yourself from the best and most moist brick you can
find.
I use an All Clad 3 1/2 quart pan and a wooden spoon with a flat side for stirring. In the sauce pan over medium to medium high heat (6 to 7 on a scale of 10) heat olive oil. Add onions until they sweat (several minutes). Add rice and toast stirring constantly as it cooks for two minutes or so. Add wine and cook until completely reduced stirring frequently. When the wine has completely disappeared start adding stock one ladle at a time (about 2/3 cup) and cook stirring constantly until the rice absorbs the stock. Repeat until all of the stock is absorbed. After 8 or 9 minutes of this add the gorgonzola dolce. Continue to stir the cheese into the mixture for another four minutes. Remove the pan from the heat. Add the butter, toasted pistachios and reggiano. Gently stir all together thororughly.

Serve by itself in a large white plate or pasta bowl.
This is extremely filling and very intensely flavored. The above recipe will serve at least eight because of this. Again do NOT make this if you cannot find EXACTLY the ingredients called for.

It’s only natural for me to be the most comfortable cooking traditional Panamanian dishes. It makes sense for these dishes to have special meaning to me. That the mere thought of them takes me back home, to the house I grew up in on Calle L, to watching my mom busily stirring pots and pans. There are dishes that remind me of Sunday dinners with aunts, uncles, cousins.

Guandúes are also known as gandules, or pigeon peas and are commonplace in Puertorrican and Caribbean tables and generally combined with rice. In Panama it is usually made with coconut milk and rabito–salt cured pig’s tail. I don’t have the luxury of using freshly picked guandú, but I can find them in the frozen section or the Latin aisle of most of the grocery stores in my area. Goya is a well-known brand for Hispanic products, they have the frozen ones.  

Arroz con Guandú

2 cps rice
1 cp frozen guandú (pigeon peas)
2 cps coconut milk
1/2 cp salt pork or bacon
1 tbsp vegetable oil
Sea salt

In a pot with a tight-fitting lid, brown the salt pork/bacon rendering some of its fat. Add the guandúes (pigeon peas), coconut milk and a bit of salt. Bring it to a boil, then reduce the heat until it simmers. Cook it until the peas are tender, about 40 minutes. Strain the liquid and measure, add enough water to make 3-1/3 cps of liquid, set aside.

This recipe uses the frozen peas, however, if you are using the canned variety, just skip the step above. Instead, strain the peas and measure the liquid in the can, then add coconut milk and water to  measure 3-1/3 cups. Fry the salt pork or bacon just before adding the rinsed rice.

Add oil to the pan with the peas, rinse the rice and add it to the pot stirring all the ingredients. Add the liquid, check the salt, stir this well. Make sure you remove any drippings that may have been stuck to the bottom of the pan. Bring it to a slow boil; once the liquid boils do not stir it again. Keep the temperature on medium high.

Once the liquid is almost completely evaporated, bring the temperature to low and cover with the lid. Allow to steam undisturbed for 40 minutes. When you remove the lid, all the peas will be at the top, go ahead and stir them into the rice. You’re done!

Note: The flavor of the coconut milk will intensify with time. You can cook the peas a day ahead to allow the flavors to meld together.

So, how did your pot come out?

Cookingly yours, 
Anamaris

Since my last post: I have been entirely consumed in a rush of activity and schoolwork and lack of internet access that has inhibited my ability to post regularly, but rest assured, that means I have plenty to update on. In short, since leaving La Selva I spent three weeks living with a host family in the neighbor city of San Jose, San Pedro. I attended classes at the Costa Rican Language Academy (highly recommended!). Travelled for one week around the country (to Cahuita and Montezuma) before reuniting with our faithful OTS professors. From there we headed to a research station up in the mountains of Monteverde called San Gerardo, with an unbelievable view of Volcan Arenal.

Now, we are at Palo Verde, the third of three OTS research stations (the other two of which we have already visited: La Selva and Las Cruces), located along the Tempisque River floodplain at the northern tip of the Gulfo de Nicoya, where the Nicoya Peninsula meets the mainland. Unlike the other stations that we have visited, Palo Verde is located amidst a tropical dry forest – six months out of the year the station is engulfed in a dry season and the majority of the trees lose their leaves. We are here in the transition period between the wet and the dry seasons, although the trees have not yet started to drop their leaves. We are visiting in an irregular El Nino year, however, and rainfall has been exceptionally low even through the wet season.

The station is located right at the edge of the Tempisque River floodplain, occasional flooding has created an expansive marsh that is home to a wide variety of waterfowl. Research and conservation priorities at Palo Verde are centered around the marsh, and there are a myriad of interested political and biological issues ripe for study. Of prominent concern is the decreasing frequency of natural flooding and the (supposedly) consequential invasion of Thalia (a native species in the family Marantaceae that has created a nearly impermeable monoculture in the swamp), Typha (cattails), and Eichornia crassipes (water hyacinth – an herbaceous aquatic plant native to Brazil), which has lead to a decline in open water marshland, and a decline in waterfowl. The principal cause of water decline in the Tempisque River which has lead to an altered flood regime is water diversion for rice cultivation upstream of the national park.

Since our arrival here we have had ample time for exploration and adventuring; we are amazingly lucky that these adventures are closely tied to our ecology courses, and we have been able to learn about all of the organisms we encounter while happily tromping around the area. Highlights thus far have included: many encounters with coral snakes and scorpions, faculty-led projects about termite nests and aquatic macroinvertebrate abundance in the rice cultivation canals, daily runs to the tidal Rio Tempisque where crocodiles can be frequently sighted, daily tramps through the marsh, and a hands-on learning experience with bats (mist-netting, capturing, and observing) with a U-Latina biology professor/bat specialist. While all of these experiences are worthy of an independent post, I am limited by free time (not enthusiasm!) and will update more posts with pictures as I find my time. Upcoming posts: explorations in the marsh, and a bat lecture recap.

Perhaps the most annoying thing in the world is when uncalled, uninvited, and most importantly, culinary retarded  guests go inside my kitchen and lift open my rice lid. I mean, what the fuck are you doing? You can’t even bring an omelet to a satisfactory mode, so why, in the name of Sarah Palin’s fine ass,  do you think it’s okay for you to walk into my kitchen and open a lid or crack open the oven while I’m baking?

Now I admit that I’d still be uber mad even if Masaharu Morimoto will ruin my rice by opening the lid while it cooks. But at least that dude earned the right to enter the kitchen and open any fucking lid he wants. But for people who have no clue to do the same…..that’s exasperating.

Can you imagine yourself walking into the operating room and playing darts with the scalpels? Looking under the hood in the middle of a child delivery? GET THE FUCK OUT OF MY KITCHEN. You do not belong in here. There’s no reason to believe you can contribute anything with your toddler-like capabilities.

It occurred to me that I should put a basic rice recipe on here. The thing is, the cooking time and water required varies greatly by variety of rice, so this is a little difficult. I’m going to put down how we cook it, and let you experiment. If you have rice:water proportions on your rice packet, follow those instead. Timings vary by microwave, so you have to figure out what works best for your microwave.

White Rice: For every 1 cup of rice, add 2.5 cups of water (2 if you are using a pressure cooker). Cook for 20-25 minutes on high in the microwave, or for two whistles in the cooker.

Brown rice: For every 1 cup or rice, add 3 cups water. Cook for 35-45 minutes in the microwave until rice is done. Depending on your variety, brown rice tends to stay a little nutty and doesn’t cook as soft as white rice.

Lemon rice is light and full of delicate flavors. I love to make it, because it’s so easy, and love to eat it, because it’s delicious. This recipe minimizes the oil used, so it isn’t greasy either.

You need: 1 cup white rice; 1/4 tsp turmeric (haldi/manjapodi); 1 tsp mustard seeds (sarson/kadagu); 1 pinch asafoetida (hing, optional); 1 tbsp lemon juice; 1/4 cup chopped cashews (kaju); salt to taste; 1 tbsp oil; 1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro (dhaniya/kothamali)

How to:

1. Add the turmeric to the rice and mix well. Cook the rice.
2. Heat the oil. Add the mustard seeds.
3. When they start to sputter, add the asafoetida and cashews.
4. Stir and take off the heat.
5. Mix into the rice (which should be yellow).
6. Add the lemon juice and cilantro and mix well.

Busy day asks for fast and easy evening meals.  This is one:

Van TofuParty dishes

RICE AND TOFU SUPER FAST WOK

• Boil rice, add frozen peas at the last minutes.
• Chop up 1 onion and some carrots.
• Heat some oil in a wok, add the vegetables.
• Keep stirring, add tofu pieces (I used the ones from alpro but of course you can make your own marinated tofu)
• Add 2 tbsp soy-sauce
  
• Stir in the rice and peas.