Sane Cooking

Soup Du Jour

2012-01-24T09:45:00.000-08:00

Roasted vegetable soup with bulgur

I know, I know. Bulgur. What an unfortunate name for such a tasty and highly nutritious grain. <Click here for more information on bulgur>. But, what can I say, this is one delicious soup. Yumm!

Things I've learned along the way:
1. Leeks are sandy little buggers. Make sure you thoroughly wash them before use or you'll end up with sandy soup.
2. Wash all greens, even the ones that are prewashed.
3. An oldie but a goodie, flavor every layer. This is particularly important if you are roasting veggies.

Ingredients:
5-6 cups of vegetable stock
1 cup of bulgur, washed and rinsed
1 tablespoon of tomato paste
2 stalks of leeks, diced
2-3 cloves of garlic, diced
1 onion, diced or julienned according to preference
3-4 turnips, diced
1 tomato, diced
1 red bell pepper, julienned
1 green bell pepper, julienned
1 can of cannelini beans, washed thoroughly
Arugula, handful
Salt, as needed
Black pepper, as needed
Dried Oregano, Thyme and Parlsey, as needed
Olive Oil, as needed

Directions
Preheat the oven at 400 degrees. Once preheated, place the leeks, turnips and bell peppers on a cookie sheet, drizzle olive oil and sprinkle with salt and black pepper and roast for approximately 15 minutes or until the veggies have a nice char.
While the veggies are roasting, sautee, on low heat, the garlic and onions in a large stock pot, approximately 5 minutes. Once the onions start to become translucent, add the tomato paste and tomato and cook for another 3-5 minutes. Add the vegetable stock and the dried spices and bring the heat up to medium high. Once the stock boils, lower the heat to medium and allow it to keep cooking for another 10 minutes.
While the stock is boiling on medium heat, remove the veggies from the oven and allow them to cool.

Add the prewashed bulgur to the stock and cook for another 10 to 15 minutes until the bulgur is cooked through. <Cooked bulgur should still remain al dente>.

Add the cannelini beans and the roasted veggies and allow the stock to come back to a boil. Add salt as needed. Cook for an additional 2 to 3 minutes.

Ladle a healthy portion in a bowl, drizzle with good olive oil and garnish with a handful of arugula. Mix the arugula into the soup right before eating.

Enjoy!

Till next time, To Life!

Sane Cooking, redefined

2012-01-23T11:16:00.000-08:00

A few months ago, I decided to become a vegan (in short, vegans do not eat or consume animal products or byproducts including milk, eggs and cheese), a decision that was met with a range of reactions. Some, such as my sister and husband were incredibly supportive and proud. Others, such as my mom, were scared that my nutritional needs wouldn't be met <a fear that has been greatly alleviated once she saw what I actually eat!>. Still others, such as my mother and sister-in-law were wonderfully sweet and made sure to always have vegan friendly food. Some people, however, were immediately defensive and/or mocking. In the few months since becoming vegan, I've heard comments from "..why don't you just go munch on the grass outside.." to "Well, I don't really eat that much meat.." to "We [humans] aren't meant to eat only veggies and besides, we've always eaten meat.." and so on.

What is it about veganism that elicits these defensive reactions? I suspect it is partly related to what Colleen Patrick-Goudreau refers to as the "intimacy of food". We have a strong connection to food--it is the center of many of our holidays and celebrations, and adopting a vegan diet may be viewed by our family and friends as rejecting those traditions and by extension, them. It isn't! In fact, my husband and I celebrated a fully vegan holiday meal where animals were at the table--as friends. :)

Reading books, articles and blogs <such as my sister's http://indefenseofanimals.blogspot.com/> about veganism has helped me to understand and appreciate people's reactions. A (cook) book that has been particularly helpful has been The Vegan Table by Ms. Patrick- Goudreau.

Here's an excerpt that I find particularly compelling: " I didn't stop eating animals because I didn't like the way they tasted. I stopped eating animals and their "products" because I didn't want to contribute to the violence and exploitation of another when I didn't have to. It is a powerful and empowering way to live. The sense of peace you feel when you align your behavior with your values is intangible. It connects you with everything and everyone around you, and I can't think of a better way to deepen our participation in this world than by feeding our loved ones food that heals rather than harms. Most people don't look inside a slaughterhouse because they know if they did, they might be compelled to make different choices. It is our fear of change--our attachment to old habits--that drives us to keep eating animals and their products. Our ability to compartmentalize our emotions and justify the pain of other living creatures in favor of momentary pleasure cannot but [emphasis in original text] affect us at the most fundamental level. How can we function as whole human beings when we consciously cut ourselves off from a part of ourselves every time we sit down to eat?"

We humans are capable of so much love and compassion. We care for, love, and fiercely protect our pets. Thousands of us donate money to animal welfare organizations, foster abused and neglected animals, adopt from shelters or rescue organizations or take action when we hear of animals in need. We are collectively appalled when we hear of senseless violence towards animals (such as the recent mutilation of Mr. Aden's cat). What if we focused but a small part of that compassion towards other living beings? To creatures such as the intelligent and affectionate pigs, the gentle cows or the silly ducks? Trust me, ducks are silly! I have a few hooded mergansers that live in the pond in front of my home and their daily antics are amusing!

For many of us, turning vegan overnight is not a possibility; my evolution to veganism spanned months. Good news is, it doesn't have to be an all or none decision. What all of us can do is decrease the immense suffering we cause by lessening our intake of animal products and byproducts to the extent possible. Perhaps that means not eating meat for one day per week or leaving the pepperoni off the pizza...or passing on that leather coat.

Finally, for those of you contemplating a shift to a vegan diet, please do so responsibly. Consult a registered dietitian or a knowledgeable physician to help you transition to a vegan diet. Although a vegan diet is healthier for you and the planet, it does not provide one key vitamin--B12. This vitamin, which is not found in plant or animal products (it is produced by bacteria), is essential for normal functioning of the brain and the nervous system and must be supplemented through vitamins or fortified foods. There are a number of vegan B12 supplements and you should consult with a professional to determine the right one for you.

I hope you will join me in doing what we can to decrease the pain and suffering to which our fellow living beings are subjected.

Best of Two Worlds

2011-04-02T19:28:00.000-07:00

I love Italian food and I love sandwiches. So, I decided to turn one of my all time favorite Italian dishes--eggplant parmesan-- into a sandwich. The result? Divine.

Eggplant Parmesan Sandwich

What I've learned along the way about eggplants:
1. Cooking with eggplants is tricky as they can very quickly turn into a gelatinous mush. I always refrigerate the eggplants so that they retain their firmness.
2. Blot them dry if they seem a little wet. If that doesn't work, grill them before use.

Ingredients:
1 eggplant, sliced
1 cup of breadcrumbs, plain

1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup of white flour
Hot sauce, a dash of Frank's red hot
Pasta sauce, recipe here
Olive oil, 2 tablespoons or as needed
Shredded Mozarella cheese, as needed
Grated Parmesan cheese, as needed
Dried parsley, as needed
Dried cilantro, as needed
Dried basil, as needed
Red pepper flakes, a pinch
Sandwich rolls or buns

Directions:
1. Beat the egg lighly and add a dash or two of the hot sauce.
2. Add dried parsley, cilantro, basil, red pepper flakes and shredded parmesan to the breadcrumbs and combine well.
3. Set up an assembly line of the beaten egg, flour and breadcrumbs.

4. Dip both sides of the sliced eggplant into the ingredients of the assembly line as follows: dip into the egg, then the flour << Side note: be sure to tap off any excess flour from the eggplant. Otherwise, you'll end up with chunks of flour on the eggplant>>, back into the egg and then into the breadcrumbs.

5. Heat up 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet and brown the eggplant, about a minute and a half per side. <<Side note: to test out the temperature of the oil, add a pinch of flour into the oil. If it fizzes, it's ready to go>>.

6. Transfer the eggplants to the oven at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes, until the eggplant is cooked through. Take it out of the oven and cover with pasta sauce.

7. Top with mozarella and parmesan cheese and melt in the oven. If desired, broil for an additional 2-5 minutes until the tops of the cheese bubble and turn brown.

8. Toast the sandwich rolls or buns, spread a couple of spoonfuls of sauce on both slices and top with the cheesy eggplant.

Enjoy!

Till next time, To Life!

Food as Art: Spotlight on Sandy Patangay

2011-02-23T12:10:00.000-08:00

I met Sandy Patangay a year ago after I stumbled upon her website, here, during a frantic search for a henna artist for my wedding mehendi party. She was friendly, professional and incredibly talented. I was stunned at her intricate free style designs and eagerly booked her for my wedding. My friends and family were delighted with her and, eight months later, still comment on the beauty of her work.

Model: Sangeeta Nair-Collins

Henna by: Sandy Patangay
Photography by: Frank Manning/The Pros

So, you can only imagine my surprise and utter excitement when I heard that she'd decided to push the limits of her artistry to an edible canvas. There is at least one person who is eagerly awaiting the day she starts selling these (almost!) too-beautiful-to-eat exquisite creations.

Henna Inspired Cupcakes

All cupcake "henna" by: Sandy Patangay

All photos by: Matt Cohen/Matte Design

All cupcakes by: Parul Patel/The Cake Designer

Till next time, To Life!

My Valentine's Day Surprise

2011-02-21T17:59:00.000-08:00

The weeks leading up to Valentine's Day weekend were hectic. I was consumed with data processing, making seemingly unending edits to my dissertation chapter and trying to meet the stressful demands of being a study coordinator. To make matters worse, Mac became very ill and was hospitalized for a few days (Thankfully, he has since recovered from his ulcerated tongue and is now busy putting on the weight he lost during his illness).

Needless to say, I was in desperate need of some R&R.

I was excited to celebrate our first post-marriage Valentine's Day with the traditional "flowers and chocolate followed by dinner." But my lovely husband had something else up his sleeve! He surprised me with the absolute perfect gift that combined two of my great loves (aside from him, of course!), cooking and chocolate--a cooking class at the famous Sur La Table!

We spent two hours making and over dosing on white chocolate barks, truffles, fudge and chocolate-dipped strawberries. It was a great antidote to a stressful few weeks.The latter recipe was my absolute favorite and I wanted to share it with all of you. Enjoy!

Marbled Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries

recipe courtesy of Sur La Table

Ingredients:
2 pints large strawberries, with stems
8 ounces good quality bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
16 ounces good quality white chocolate, finely chopped

Directions:
Rinse strawberries and drain well in a colander. Pat strawberries dry with paper towels. Strawberries must be completely dry to ensure that the chocolate will adhere to their surface. Set aside.

Place a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper next to stove top.

Place 2 inches or water in a medium saucepan and heat over medium heat until water simmers. Place the bittersweet chocolate and white chocolate in separate large heatproof bowls. Reduce heat to low and place the bowl containing the bittersweet chocolate over the simmering water. When chocolate has melted, remove from heat and stir with a silicone spatula until smooth. Place the bowl containing the white chocolate over the simmering water. When chocolate has melted, stir with a clean silicone spatula until smooth.

Holding by the stem, gently drag a strawberry in one direction through the chocolate mixture to coat one side. Flip the strawberry over and drag it in the opposite direction across the chocolate mixture.

Allow excess chocolate to drip off the strawberry and place it carefully on the parchment-lined baking sheet. Using an offset spatula <<I used a fork and it worked fine>>, drizzle thick lines of melted bittersweet chocolate across the surface of the melted white chocolate. If either chocolate cools too much, place it over the simmering water to melt again.

Repeat process with remaining berries. Once all strawberries are coated, place the baking sheet in the refrigerator until chocolate sets, about 5 to 10 minutes <<I enjoy eating them before the chocolate sets. The warm chocolate has a richness that is missing when it cools>>. Serve immediately.

Enjoy!

Till next time, To Life!

Easy avocado salsa

2011-01-13T19:48:00.000-08:00

I love easy, simple recipes that showcase the main ingredient. That is what the recipe below is all about. It's easy, can be prepared in minutes and the outcome is subtle and delicious. Like the mango salsa, this recipe is very versatile and can be used in burritos, as a chunky guacamole dip or liberally sprinkled on cheesy nachos. I've also added the avocado salsa to my regular iceberg lettuce salad (just be sure to leave out the cilantro) for a fresh spin.

Enjoy!

Avocado Salsa

Some things I've learned along the way:
1. Once you've cut the avocado, be sure to drizzle with lime or lemon juice to keep it from browning. A little goes a long way..one teaspoon of lemon or lime juice is enough for one avocado.
2. When you use tomatoes for a non sauce recipe, such as in this recipe, be sure to remove the seeds. Doing so will prevent the salsa, dip, whatever from becoming too runny.

Ingredients:
-2 ripened avocados, diced
-1/2 roma tomato, de-seeded and diced
-Handful of Cilantro, roughly chopped
-Salt and black pepper, to taste
-2 teaspoons of lime juice

Directions:
In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients and let stand for 10-15 minutes until the ingredients are well combined.

Yummy mango salsa

2011-01-13T19:36:00.000-08:00

My love for mangos started very early in life. Much like the coconut tree, mango trees are abundant in Kerala. Whereas in the States, the mango fruit is still considered exotic, in much of India (and other parts of the world such as South and Central America) it is consumed daily in many forms, from modest recipes to truly complicated ones that take hours to prepare. One of my favorite childhood memory is sitting on the stairs outside my grandparents' beautiful home and eating green, still raw mangos that we picked from her yard. My grandmother would cut the mango into thick slices and sprinkle it with a dash of salt and indian red pepper. We savored every bite. Raw mangos are also used to create some delicious Malayali curries. They are a bit complicated but I promise to share them in the future when my mom is here to help with the recipe.

Mangos are also used in non-savory dishes. One of my all time favorite is a drink called mango lassi. yumm. yumm. yumm. Although I've only enjoyed this drink in a restaurant, I do hope to try my hand at making it at home. If I do, I'll def share it with all of you.

I love the versatility of this recipe. You could use it in a taco, on nachos or on baked white fish. It's fabulous.

Hope you'll try it.

Mango Salsa

Some thing I've learned along the way:
1. The mango has a HUGE pit in the middle which can be challenging when trying to cut the fruit. The best way to cut a mango? Start by cutting the top and bottom parts of the mango to create a stable base. Use a veggie pealer to cut away the tough skin, cut the outer parts of the fruit working your way in to the center. Discard the pit.

Ingredients:
-2 ripe mangos, cut and diced into small pieces
-Handful of cilantro, roughly chopped
-Dash of indian red pepper (may substitute cayenne)
-Salt and black pepper, to taste
-Juice from 1/2 a lime

Directions:
In a large bowl, combine all ingredients and let stand for 15-20 minutes to allow the ingredients to mix well. This recipe may be made a day in advance but be sure to keep it refrigerated.

Enjoy!

Till next time, To Life!

A much needed taste of summer....

2011-01-13T19:09:00.000-08:00

I am not a winter person. In fact, its safe to say, i hate the winter. The cold, the frigid wind and the constant feeling of being chilled to the bone is NOT my idea of fun. I love to feel the sun on my face while sipping an ice cold drink and relaxing with a great book. Since that is still a few months away *sigh*, I wanted to re-create the summer feeling with food. Something about the hot summer months lends itself to eating light and delicately flavored food. So I cranked up the heat in the apartment and sat down to dinner with Mike to savor my summer inspired fare. :)

Enjoy!

Shrimp Taco with Mango and Avocado Salsa

A few things I've learned along the way:
1. Flavor every layer of a dish. That means flavor with salt, pepper etc as you add each new layer of ingredients.
2. How do you know when an avocado is ready to be used? Most fruits turn black when they begin to spoil. Not an acvocado! It's green when it's raw and turns black when it's ripe. Be sure to use only ripened avocados unless the recipe specifically calls for the raw version. Also, lighly squeeze the avocado. One that's ready to be used will yield to the touch without caving in.

Ingredients:
1 pound of shrimp, deveined and cleaned
Salt and black pepper, to taste
1 pinch of Indian red pepper (may substitute with cayenne)
Tortillas
Juice of one lime
Mango salsa, recipe here
Avocado salsa, recipe here
Cilantro, roughly chopped
Vegetable oil, as needed

Directions:
Thoroughly clean the shrimp. Drizzle with vegetable oil and season with salt, black pepper and indian red pepper or cayenne pepper. Let stand for 5 minutes while the shrimp marinates.

In the meantime, warm the tortillas on stovetop. Cover the tortillas with a lid/aluminum foil to keep it warm.

Cook the shrimp. <<side note: click here for a refresher on how to cook shrimp>>

Now, it's time to build the taco. Layer a few pieces of shrimp on a tortilla and add the mango and avocado salsa and enjoy. It's that easy!

Till next time, To Life!

It's gone to the dog!

2010-12-28T15:28:00.000-08:00

A few months after our wedding, Mike and I decided to add a new member to our growing menagerie of animals. We knew we wanted a boxer because of their energy, loyalty, unconditional love and boxer wiggles. Most importantly, we had previous experience with a wonderful boxer name Moe. We filled out applications to a boxer rescue, went through multiple interviews and were finally matched with a two year old brindle boxer named General MacArthur. Lol. "Mac" for short. Armed with tons of doggy toys, a new bed and various books on bringing a new dog home, we were ready to pick Mac up from his foster parents 340 miles away!

Boy, were we wrong. We were spectacularly unprepared for the literal and metaphorical journey. After 12 hours of driving, 2 flat tires and an incredibly anxious dog, we exhaustedly made it back home. Suddenly, bringing a dog home was no longer the joyous event we were hoping for. Instead, we came home to a dog that was so fearful that he destroyed our home and more importantly, self injured. We'd always prided ourselves on being the kind of people who never gave up and rose to meet any tough situation. But less than a week after bringing Mac home, we found ourselves having a frank discussion about taking him back to rescue. During the course of our hour long talk, something changed: we came to the realization that we couldn't give up on Mac. He's a lovely dog that just needed a second chance and, at that moment, we knew we'd try our best to give that chance to Mac. That was five months ago.

Now, Mac is flourishing under our love, care and consideration. With the help of some much needed medication to soothe his anxiety and continued behavioral trainng, he is beginning to calm down. Although we're not completely there yet, we are happy to report that Mac no longer hurts himself. His confidence is growing and much to our happiness, his goofy and protective boxer traits are finally surfacing. In five short months, Mac has reminded us that everyone deserves a second chance and that we have the patience and love to help someone that is just hurting. In five short months, Mac has also become a certified therapy dog and will pass along his happiness to others. Not bad for a little guy who was abandoned.

In celebration of all the hard work that Mac's done to get to where he is now, I thought it would be nice to treat him to some home made cookies. Not only are they better quality than the store bought version, but they are also a kinder alternative to using cookies with animal products. <<side note: please check with your vet regarding any food allergies before you give these or any other food to your pets>>

I hope your babies enjoy it as much as Mac does.

Peanut butter doggy cookies
adapted from ehow.com

Ingredients:
1 cup water
1 cup of peanut butter, chunky or smooth
1/4 cup of vegetable oil
3 cups of flour, sifted

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large glass bowl, whisk water, peanut butter and vegetable oil.

Gently mix in 1 cup of flour at a time to the wet ingredients until you have a non-sticky dough. If the dough is still sticky after 3 cups of flour, mix in 1/4 cup of flour and check again.

Flour a work surface and roll out the dough until it is a 1/4 inch thick. Cut into desired shapes.

<<side note: Before you use a cookie cutter, be sure to lighly dust it with flour.It'll help prevent the cutter from sticking to the dough>>

Bake for 15-20 minutes until the bottom of the cookie is golden brown. Cool thoroughly and serve to your favorite fur ball.

<<side note: Know a pet lover? Just pile a dozen cookies in tissue paper and tie it off with a nice ribbon and present them as gifts! >>

Till next time, To Life!

It's raining cookies in here!

2010-12-21T16:39:00.000-08:00

I spent this past Saturday making batches of delicious Italian cookies with my lovely and multi-talented sister-in-law, Michelle and my adorable mom. For a few glorious hours, I left the stress of dissertation writing behind and just relaxed.

As the cookies baked away, we spent the afternoon sitting around the kitchen table, drinking coffee, chatting and watching gorgeous juncos, cardinals and chickadees put on a show for us in the backyard. It was a wonderful way to spend a Saturday afternoon-eating, laughing, sharing and enjoying the holiday season.

I hope you'll love baking and eating the cookies with your family as much as we did. Be sure to bake extra, because if you're anything like me, you'll snack on a couple or ten cookies along the way. :)

Italian Cookies

This recipe was passed down to Michelle from her grandmother, and now to me and all of you.

A few things I learned from Michelle:

1. The dough is ready when it doesn't stick to your fingers. If it is still a bit sticky, add a quarter cup of flour and check again.

2. In general, it's somewhat difficult to tell when cookies are fully baked. An easy technique? Check the bottom of the cookie. It it's a nice, golden brown, then it's cooked through. If not, bake for a few extra minutes and re-check.

Ingredients

5 cups flour

2 tablespoons baking powder

1 cup sugar

7 eggs

2 ½ sticks melted butter

1 tablespoon vanilla

½ teaspoon salt

Directions

Beat eggs; add sugar, melted butter, vanilla and salt.

Add dry ingredients

Form dough into rounds, knots and ribbons.

Bake at 375 degrees for 10-15 minutes

Top with icing made from confectioner’s sugar, water and desired food coloring

Enjoy!

Till next time, To Life!

Everyday Exotic

2010-12-13T08:05:00.000-08:00

During a recent trip to the local supermarket, I was amazed at the variety of authentic Indian spices available. I no longer have to trek to a desi market to find Indian turmeric or chili powder. These once exotic spices are becoming more accessible and non-Indians are willing to try making home made Indian food.

If this is your first time making Indian food, check out my "International Pantry Essentials" section. It gives you a list of items you'll need to start your Indian pantry.

Curried chickpeas with rice

A few things I've learned along the way:
1. When you cook with Indian spices, low heat is the name of the game. Take your time and allow the spices to cook thoroughly to give your dish a complex yet unified taste.
2. Don't be afraid to experiment! The recipe below or any of the other savory dishes that I've featured aren't written in stone. The liberating aspect of cooking (vs. baking) is that you can use a basic recipe (such as below) and modify it in countless ways to showcase your creativity.

Ingredients
1 tablespoon of vegetable oil
1-15 ounce can of chick peas, drained and washed
2 whole tomatoes, diced
1/2 red onion, diced
2 cloves of garlic, grated
1 cup of fresh or frozen peas, thawed if frozen
2 green chili, diced
1/2 teaspoon of tamarind paste
1/2-1 teaspoon of garam masala, according to taste
1 pinch of turmeric powder
1 teaspoon of chili powder
1/2 teaspoon of coriander powder
2 cups of basmati rice
1/2 cup of cilantro, roughly chopped

Directions
Rice:
Cook rice according to package directions.

While the rice is cooking, let's prepare the chickpea curry.

Chickpea:
In a sautee pan, heat up one tablespoon of vegetable oil. Add the grated garlic and onions and sautee on low heat. 5 minutes. In the mean time, add the turmeric, chili, coriander and garam masala powder to a mortar and pestle. Add the diced green chili and grind until a thick paste is formed. Add 2 tablespoons of water to the paste to thin it out.

Add the thinned out mixture to the sauteed garlic and onions. On low heat, cook the spices thoroughly. 5 minutes. Add the diced tomatoes and cook for 5 more minutes.

Add the chickpeas, green peas and a handful of cilantro. Coat well with the spices and tomatoes. Cook for 10 minutes on low heat. Stir occasionally.
<<side note: at this point, you may substitute chickpeas with cleaned fish, shrimp or chicken. Keep in mind that your cooking time may increase or decrease depending on the meat you use>>

Meanwhile, in a small container, add the tamarind paste to a cup of warm water. Stir to dissolve. Add this mixture to the pan and cook an additional 10 minutes.

Ladle the curried chickpeas on a mound of rice, sprinkle some cilantro and enjoy!

Till next time, To Life!

Me and my manicotti

2010-12-09T15:28:00.000-08:00

One of my all time favorite Italian dish is the delicious gooey, cheesy manicotti. Yumm. Just thinking about it makes my mouth water! When I first made it a few years ago, I stuck to the basic, no-frills recipe. Over the last few years, it's gone through quite a few transformations and has evolved into what I like to think of as the ultimate cheese fest. So, if you're not a fan of cheese (yes, there are a few out there), then this recipe is most certainly not for you. But, if you're like me, and you've never met a cheese you didn't love, well then prepare yourself for the ultimate in cheesy heaven.

Three cheese manicotti

Some things I've learned along the way:
1. Always add a teaspoon or so of salt to the pasta cooking water. It flavors the pasta itself.
2. In the same vein, always cook pasta in a BIG pot. Cooking in a too-small pot will cause the pasta to clump together. The recommendation is that you need about 1.5 gallons of water for a pound of pasta. If you're not sure how much water to use, always err on the side of caution.
3. Buy a chunk of parmesan instead of the already shredded version. Fresh parmesan is definitely a bit more expensive but it lasts longer and the taste difference is worth the extra few dollars.
4. Cilantro is incredibly sandy. Be sure to thoroughly wash it under cold, running water.

Ingredients
1 box of manicotti shells
Home made pasta sauce, recipe here
1 (15 ounce) container of whole milk ricotta cheese
2 cups of shredded, mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup of freshly grated parmesan cheese, remember to use your microplane grater!
10-12 baby portabella mushrooms, diced
1 (10 ounce) packet of frozen chopped spinach, thawed
Salt and pepper, to taste
1/4 cup of basil, chopped
1/4 cup of cilantro, chopped

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degree F.

Pasta
Fill a big pot with plenty of water. Add a tablespoon of salt, cover with a lid and bring to a boil. Add the manicotti shells to the boiling water. Stir well and cook the pasta according to directions. <<side note: because the pasta is going to bake in the oven for a few minutes, cook it for a few minutes less on stove top so that it remains al dente.>>

Three cheese stuffing
While the pasta is cooking, let's prepare the manicotti stuffing.

In a large glass bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese and 1/4 cup of parmesan cheese. Stir in some freshly ground black pepper to taste and set aside while we prepare the spinach and mushroom for the stuffing.

Heat a teaspoon of olive oil on medium heat in a sautee pan. Add the diced mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes until the mushroom starts to wilt down a bit. Mix in a pinch of chopped basil and cilantro and transfer the mushroom to the ricotta mixture. In the same sautee pan, add a teaspoon of olive oil and add the thawed chopped spinach. The spinach is already cooked so you just want to heat it through for 5 minutes. Stir frequently to prevent the spinach from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Transfer the spinach to the ricotta and mushroom mixture. Mix all the ingredients well and, if needed, add a pinch of salt. Set it aside to allow the ingredients to blend together.

Using a small spoon, scoop in the cheese, spinach and mushroom stuffing into the manicotti shells. Coat the bottom of a baking dish with some pasta sauce and line the stuffed manicotti on top. Once they're all lined up in the baking dish, pour the remaining pasta sauce on the pasta and cover with the remaining mozzarella and parmesan cheese.

Sprinkle with some fresh basil and cilantro. Bake for 15 minutes or until the cheese melts.

Enjoy!

Till next time, To Life!

Pasta sauce the way grandma didn't make it.

2010-12-09T11:54:00.000-08:00

When I know I'm going to have an exceptionally hectic week, I make a HUGE pot of pasta sauce over the weekend so that I can make quick dinners all week long.

I was a staunch pasta sauce-out-of-a-can kind of gal until one day a few years ago, I was craving pasta but was out of the usual store bought sauce. Since I always have a stash of canned tomatoes, I decided to give the almost fresh pasta sauce a whirl. A short google search later, I headed to the kitchen with a recipe in hand. The result was delicious.

I've made various versions of the below basic recipe--from adding loads of veggies for a hearty sauce or a touch of cayenne for some kick (sorry, Mom, but I've never added curry powder). But, its the following simple, tasty version that I make most frequently. The sauce can be used in a variety of pasta dishes.

I hope you enjoy it as much as I do and feel free to share your own time perfected recipe!

Simple, homemade pasta sauce

Some things I've learned along the way:

1. There is indeed a difference among the innumerable types of canned tomatoes. I've learned that when I don't have all day to slow cook a pot of pasta sauce, the stewed tomatoes (cut or whole) are a great addition. They give almost a sweet taste to the pasta sauce while infusing the sauce with a slow cooked taste. Use it and everyone will think you spent hours preparing the sauce!
2. Tomato paste is highly concentrated and used most often to add an additional layer of flavor. Use it conservatively. If you've never used it before, start off with one tablespoon of tomato paste and then add according to taste.

Ingredients

4-6 cloves of garlic, grated
1/2 spanish onion, diced
2 cups of baby portabella mushrooms, diced
2 tablespoons of olive oil
2 tablespoons of tomato paste
2 (14.5 ounces) of stewed tomatoes
Vegetable stock, as and if needed
1/4 cup of fresh basil, roughly chopped

Directions

On low flame, heat two tablespoons of olive oil in a pot. Sautee the garlic and onions until softened. Add the diced mushrooms and cook for five minutes.

Add the tomato paste and cook for five minutes, stirring occasionally. Once the tomato paste begins to cook, add the stewed tomatoes. Turn the heat up to high and boil the sauce for 20-30 minutes until the tomatoes start to break down. Stir frequently. If there isn't enough liquid, add vegetable stock as needed. Add in fresh basil and stir.

Lower the heat to medium low, cover and cook for an additional 15-20 minutes.

It's ready to be enjoyed with your choice of pasta.

Till next time, To Life!

Whisk up some bisque

2010-12-06T10:32:00.000-08:00

I look forward to the weekend because it's my time to try out recipes. One such recipe is Ina Garten's shrimp bisque. After a quick look at her list of ingredients and realizing that I didn't have many of them, and being too lazy to make a grocery run, I decided to modify her recipe.

I hope you enjoy my take on Ms. Garten's recipe. I know Mike did. I was lucky to be able to take the below pictures before he devoured the entire pot of bisque!

Shrimp and crab bisque

Some things I've learned along the way:
1. Use a roux (fancy word for a cooked mixture of fat and flour) to help thicken up soups, chowder, bisque etc.
2. Be sure to cook the flour thoroughly to avoid the raw flour taste. It takes about five minutes to cook a couple of tablespoons of flour. Also, cook the flour and whatever fat you decide to use (butter, oil etc) on low heat.
3. Crab meat can be purchased as "lump crab meat" or "claw crab meat." Although the two grades are nutritionally similar, they vary in their taste. Lump crab meat has a more subtle taste whereas the claw meat is more robust. <<To learn more about the various types of crab meat, visit: http://www.thenibble.com/REVIEWS/main/fish/seafood/crab-types2.asp>>

Ingredients:
1 lb of shrimp, cleaned and deveined
1/4 lb of lump crab meat (I used claw meat as it was cheaper)
2 tablespoons of butter or margarine, unsalted
2 tablespoons of butter or margarine, unsalted and softened
2 tablespoons of canned tomato paste
4 cups of canned stewed tomatoes
1/2 cup of seafood stock
1/2 onion, diced
4-5 garlic cloves, grated
1 garlic bulb, roasted (directions below)
1 cup of heavy cream
Salt & pepper, to taste
Parsley, handful, roughly chopped
1 french baguette, sliced and toasted

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F.

Cut the top off the garlic bulb and discard. Lightly oil the remaining portion of the garlic bulb, place it on a cookie sheet and roast for 20-30 minutes. Your nose will tell you when the garlic is done.

<<side note: why roast the garlic? Unlike sauteing, roasting brings out the garlic's sweetness. Try it, the results are fabulous.>>

While the garlic is roasting, let's make the bisque.

Bisque:
In a large pot, add 2 tablespoons of butter and melt on low heat. Once the butter is melted, add garlic and onions and sautee till they are fragrant and translucent. Add the flour and cook thoroughly.

Add the tomato paste and evenly coat the flour mixture with the paste. Let it cook on low heat for 5 minutes. Add the stewed tomatoes and turn up the heat to medium high. Mix well and allow the sauce to boil for 10 minutes. Stir often. Add seafood stock. Boil for an additional 5 minutes.

Lower the heat to low. Slowly whisk in the heavy cream and let the flavors combine for 5-10 minutes. Transfer the sauce to a blender and puree for 5 minutes until the mixture is smooth. While it is pureeing, prepare and cook the shrimp. Once cooked, cut the shrimp into smaller pieces.

Transfer the pureed mixture back into the pot and add the shrimp and crab meat. Cook on low heat for 5 minutes.

Bread and butter:
Take the roasted garlic bulb out of the oven and squeeze out the deliciously roasted garlic cloves. Combine the roasted garlic, chopped cilantro with 2 tablespoons of softened butter or margarine. Spread the garlic butter on sliced, toasted baguette.

Ladle the bisque into a soup bowl, top off with a drizzle of heavy cream and a couple of slices of the jazzed up baguette and enjoy!

Till next time, To Life!

Color me.....shrimp!

2010-11-29T08:14:00.000-08:00

I love cooking shrimp. It's easy, cooks in minutes, is always delicious and can withstand a wide variety of cooking techniques--grilling, baking, sauteing etc. I use it often in pasta, gratins and various curries. The one thing I have not done nor will ever do is make shrimp ice cream (umm....iron chef, anyone??)

I've made the below recipe a hundred times for my husband who devours it in record time. You can change it up in various ways by adding different seafood items. This dish is particularly great with scallops and/or mussels. I left them out in this version because I only had shrimp on hand. If you do decide to add other seafood items, be sure to increase the number of tomatoes so that you get a good amount of sauce.

Shrimp with mushroom and cilantro couscous

Some things I've learned along the way:
1. Shrimp cooks really, really fast. That's a good and a bad thing. Here's how to cook it: Put the shrimp on an oiled grill, in a sautee pan etc., on medium flame and leave it alone for 3-5 minutes. Then, turn it over and cook for an additional 2 minutes. That's it, it's done. Overcooking the shrimp makes it really tough and rubbery. But, if you're like my husband, and you like your shrimp a little tough and chewy, then by all means cook it longer. :)
2. Sautee garlic and onions on low flame. Cooking on low flame releases their aroma gently. This way, you prevent either from getting burnt and the result is delicious.

Ingredients:
10-15 shrimp, peeled and deveined (de-pooped, perhaps?)
20-30 cherry tomatoes
1 red onion, julienned
1 filet of oil packed anchovie
Capers (add quantity according to taste)
1 fresh jalapeno pepper; canned version is fine too if you prefer a milder kick
1/4 vegetable broth, if needed
2 cups of couscous
2 cups of baby portabella mushroom, sliced
1 bunch fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
3-4 cloves of garlic
Salt and pepper to taste
3-4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon of lemon juice

Directions:
Shrimp
On low to medium flame, heat up 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil in a big, open mouthed skillet. Grate the garlic cloves and add to the olive oil and let the garlic cook on low, even flame for 3 to 5 minutes. Add onions and cook for another few minutes. Remove and set aside.

In the same skillet, drizzle some olive oil and add an anchovie filet and cook till the fish melts. If there isn't enough oil to melt the fish, add another tablespoon. Don't be alarmed by the strong fishy flavor it gives off initially as the smell will dissipate in a few minutes and it gives the dish a wonderful depth of flavor. But if you are not a fan of fish, by all means omit it.

<<side note: the best grater that I've ever come across is the Microplane Grater-Zester. I received one a few months ago and it’s been my constant cooking companion. It grates the garlic into a fine paste so that you don't end up with chunks of garlic in your food. It’s a great stocking stuffer for a cook. You can purchase one at http://www.crateandbarrel.com/kitchen-and-food/prep-utensils/microplane-grater-zester/s360417. >>

Add the cherry tomatoes and coat evenly with the melted fish and cook on low to medium heat for a few minutes. Then, crank up the heat to high. Yes, high. After a few minutes, you'll get gorgeous char marks on the tomatoes and they'll start to burst. Be sure to stir the tomatoes to get an even char.

Once all the tomatoes have burst, lower the heat to low. Add the jalapeno pepper, and add back the onions and the garlic mixture you set aside earlier. Cover and cook on low heat for 10-15 minutes minutes, stirring occasionally. If there isn't enough sauce, add a 1/4 cup of vegetable broth. Don't have any broth? Just substitute with water.

It's time to cook the shrimp. First, you need to prepare the shrimp. Once the shrimp is peeled and deveined, wash it under cold water. Add some salt and pepper and drizzle with a tablespoon of olive oil.

Turn the stove top grill (or a regular pan) on medium heat. Add a tablespoon of olive oil and let the oil heat up. Add the shrimp. Let it cook for 3-5 minutes. Turn it over and cook for an additional 2 minutes. When it turns pink and feels springy to the touch, it is done.

Add the shrimp to the tomato sauce. Stir to coat the shrimp, add the remaining chopped cilantro and a handful of capers. Keep in mind that the capers are salty, so if you’re watching your salt intake, just give them a good rinse to remove excess salt. Add the lemon juice and mix well. Set aside while we cook the couscous.

Couscous
Cook couscous according to directions on the packet.

<<side note: I prefer buying the plain couscous. It's not only cheaper but I can control the ingredients that go into it>>

While the couscous is cooking, slice the mushrooms and cook them in an oiled skillet under medium heat. Cook for 5 minutes until they are tender. Add pepper and salt to taste.

Add mushrooms and the remaining roughly chopped cilantro into the couscous. Fluff the couscous with a fork to mix all the ingredients.

Ladle a generous portion of the shrimp on a bed of couscous and enjoy!

Till next time, To Life!

Oh Coconut, How I Love Thee...

2010-11-22T11:13:00.000-08:00

In the Malayalee (see here) kitchen, the coconut is the undisputed king. This delicious fruit is infused into a wide variety of dishes, from breakfast chutneys to forming the base of spicy fish curries to decadent rice pudding. It even serves as an offering to the gods.

So, it is only fitting that my culinary journey begin at home, with an ode to the coconut. Of course, since I am also nursing a sweet tooth, the coconut offering will be in the form of a cupcake.

I hope you enjoy it!

Coconut cupcakes

A few things I've learned along the way:
1. Always bring the butter, eggs and other ingredients to room temperature before working with them.
2. Always add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Do it the other way and you end up with dough and not really batter.
3. Be sure to sift. I know, I'm not a huge fan of this either but the lumpless cakes are reinforcement enough to keep on sifting.
4. Sample your delicious food along the way. It's the cook's prerogative!

Ingredients
-3 cups of flour, sifted
-2 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder
-1/2 teaspoon of salt
-1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
-2/3 cup butter, at room temperature
-2 eggs
-2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
-1 1/4 cup milk (I prefer to use whole milk, but 1 or 2% works fine too. Try to avoid the non-fat version)
-4 cups of sweetened, shredded coconut flakes; 1/2 cup for toasting
-4 packets of cream cheese, at room temperature
-1 cup of confectioner's sugar or to your preference
-1/2 cup of heavy cream

Directions
The cupcake:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Start by combining the flour, baking powder and salt and sifting it. Set aside.

Meanwhile, using a hand held mixer or a stand mixer, cream the butter until it is light and fluffy. In small batches, add the sugar into the creamed butter. Allow the ingredients to combine well before continuing. Be sure to scrape down the sides...you don't want to miss any of the delicious goodness! Once the ingredients are well combined, add the eggs one at a time and 1 1/2 teaspoons of vanilla.

<<side note: For special occasions, you might want to use pretty cupcake wrappers. Click here for choices of elegant to whimsical cupcake wrappers. Yup, they're expensive..which is why I only use it on really special occasions>>

Allow the cupcakes to rest while you prepare the frosting.

The Frosting:
Before you start, make sure the cream cheese is at room temperature.

Using a mixer, mix the cream cheese until its soft and pillowy. Slowly add in the cream until it is well incorporated into the cream cheese. Add the remaining vanilla extract and mix well. Finally, slowly add in the powdered sugar to your desired level of sweetness. I prefer very sweet frosting, so I usually add a 1 1

<<side note: At this point, you can also divide the frosting up into smaller batches and add different food coloring to them. It makes for a festive presentation>>

Take 1/2 cup of sweetened coconut flakes and, on low heat, toast them on the stove until they begin to turn a light brown. Remove from heat.

Take a generous spoonful of the cream cheese frosting and liberally slather each cupcake. Top each cupcake with a couple of pinches of the toasted coconut.

You're all done and ready to enjoy the fruits of your labor.

Till next time, To life!