Happy 4th of July!

This year, the 4th of July marked one month at my new job. I was totally digging my new job and getting into a groove, when, of course, like clock work, things started to go wrong. Not just one thing. Oh no. That would be far too simple. One thing after another stopped working and I was (and still am) getting frustrated.

So as you may imagine, a 3-day weekend was just what this doctor ordered. I wish I could tell you that the weather was gorgeous and I went to the beach and partied and drowned my work sorrows in a weekend o' fun, but I would be lying. It is in the 60s here in La Jolla, it is windy, and rainy, and I haven't seen the sun in 4 days. And although the weather is not causing my work funk, it is definitely not helping it either.

Due to this weather rut, I spent most of my weekend indoors. Although this doesn't rank high on the excitement meter, it was very relaxing and I got to catch up on my Netflix queue, as well as some much needed rest. I also got to get back in the kitchen and try some new recipes. And really, what better excuse for mid-summer cooking is there than the 4th of July? I made my first attempt at homemade bbq sauce, as well as some patriotic desserts, and more than a few tasty beverages. If you live somewhere chilly like me, bake this salmon and warm up your kitchen. If you live somewhere warm, fire up your grill and try your hand at grilling this salmon. I promise that you won't regret it!

You can find this bbq sauce recipe here. As you can see from the number of ingredients required, it's kind of a kitchen sink approach, but it sure is tasty!

Here's what it looks like once you start boiling it in the pan. The brown sugar makes a nice glaze. It was great on salmon, but would go really well with red meat too.

I made this couscous to accompany the salmon. Pearled (or Israeli as it is also known) couscous is delicious and tastes heartier than regular couscous. Give it a try if you haven't already.

The finished product (not the most gorgeous plating, but you get the idea).

Paul enjoyed some boiler makers while I worked on the meal.

We tried to get Charlie in on the festivities.

To finish the meal, I made mini cheesecakes. The recipe is as follows:

Mini Cheesecakes

Crust:

6 honey graham crackers
1/8 stick of butter (1/4 cup)

Filling:

2 8-ounce package of cream cheese
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs + 2 egg yolks

Topping:

fresh berries (I used blackberries and raspberries, but blueberries would be nice too)

Preheat oven to 325 F. Coat 4 small pyrex custard cups with non-stick spray. Grind graham crackers (I used a mortar and pestle, but you could also crush them in a ziploc bag). Melt butter and toss with graham crackers in a small bowl. Place 3 Tbsp of the graham cracker and butter mixture in pyrex dishes. Press down with fingers to form loosely packed crust.

Graham crackers before . . . .

And after.

Mini crusts.

Beat cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla in a large bowl for about two minutes. Add eggs and yolks one at a time, blending well after each addition. Divide filling evenly between pyrex cups. Place cups in casserole dish and pour enough hot water in the casserole dish to reach halfway up the sides of the cups. (I know it's not easy to make out the water with the blue dish, but hopefully you can see it below.)

Bake for 45 minutes at 325 F. Remove cheesecakes from water bath immediately after baking and place on baking rack to cool completely.

After cooling, wrap each cheesecake in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours (up to overnight). Top with berries and serve.

My lame attempt at making a star.

Demystifying Tofu

When I first decided to stop eating all meat other than fish, I was positively frightened by tofu. I definitely did not grow up eating tofu (my dad is a tried and true steak and potatoes kind of guy) and although I had heard time and time again that tofu could be used as a healthier alternative to just about every protein on the planet, just how in the hell was I supposed to get from the flavorless white block I saw in the grocery store to a delicious meal?

The first tofu dish that I ever made was what I like to call chili and garlic tofu. I decided to go with a Chinese food-ish recipe (considering that tofu has been a prevalent ingredient in all different types of Asian cultures for centuries, I figured this was probably the best place to start). I found one that called for a whole host of different exotic veggies, but when I got to my local grocery store, I couldn't find most of them. So I bought the ones I did find and I ended up with a delicious recipe that I still enjoy to this very day, 8 years after my first foray into the wonders of cooking tofu.

(Side note: I know some people honestly cannot stand tofu, but don't shy away from this recipe - it also makes a wonderful marinade for chicken! You can whisk the ingredients together and marinate chicken breasts in them for 2 hours, then cook as you usually would.)

Chili and Garlic Tofu

2 Tbsp sesame oil
1 block extra firm tofu, cubed
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 bunch of green onions, diced
1 large jalapeno pepper, cored, seeded, and diced
(Be sure to remove the seeds and all of the white part of the jalapeno - otherwise the dish will be overly spicy!)
3 Tbsp low sodium soy sauce

Heat sesame oil over medium-high heat. Add tofu and saute for about 5 minutes, turning once (tofu should have a crispy, golden-brown color). Add garlic, green onions, and jalapeno and saute for 3 minutes. Add soy sauce and saute for 3 minutes. Serve over steamed rice.

Practicing my chopping skills for when I audition for Next Food Network Star. ;)

Cubed tofu (before it's transition into deliciousness).

Spa Cuisine

As much as I love cheesy snacks, no one should live on bar food alone. And with the NBA finals dragging on to game 6, I have been consuming more than my fair share of bar food and beer, so I was starting to crave something healthy.

Enter the following dish - it's light and healthy, but packs a ton of flavor. Baking the salmon cuts down on the extra fat you would get while frying the fish. And as an added bonus, it only requires 5 ingredients and 20 minutes to make. After eating it, you'll feel full without feeling weighed down. It's like going to a health spa, without the price tag and time commitment.

Baked Salmon with Lemon Olive Oil and Basil

2 salmon fillets
grapeseed oil
4 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
juice from 1/2 lemon
chopped fresh basil

Heat oven to 350F. Brush salmon with grapeseed oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake salmon for 20 minutes. Whisk lemon juice and olive oil together in a small bowl. Drizzle salmon fillets with lemon-oil and sprinkle with chopped basil. Serve with couscous (the brand and flavor pictured below pairs really nicely with this salmon recipe).

Game Day Goodies

As much as you all know this girl loves to watch her sports in a bar, not getting a paycheck for a month and a half has put a damper on going out to eat/drink/be merry. So when game 4 of the NBA finals rolled around, I decided to whip up some bar food of my own at home. Bust out the cheese and the bacon - we're making Irish Nachos!

My sister introduced me to this tasty treat not long ago and I quickly became hooked (what's not to love about potatoes, bacon, and cheese?). In doing an internet search for Irish Nachos, I discovered that a bar in Arlington, TX called J. Gilligan's Bar and Grill is credited with inventing this delicious dish. It seems there are a million different ways to make this dish, but basically, these are just nachos with potatoes used in place of the tortilla chips. I went with a more traditional version, but feel free to spice it up as you see fit! Oh and one more thing, GO LAKERS!

Irish Nachos

1 bag frozen potato wedges
1 cup grated sharp cheddar
1 cup grated mozzarella
2 strips bacon, crumbled (since I don't eat meat, I used veggie bacon, pictured below)
chopped chives (used as garnish)

Cook potato wedges according to instructions on package (either bake or fry - it does not make much of a difference). Sprinkle wedges with cheeses and crumble bacon on top. Scatter chives on top to garnish. Place under broiler at 450F for 5 minutes (or until cheese starts to bubble but has not started to brown yet). Serve with ketchup and sour cream and enjoy!

Fake Bacon! (Almost) as good as the real thing.

Work, Work, Work

Ok, so if you read my last post you know that I am back at work after several months of working primarily from home, traveling, or being off work completely (ah, the good life). I often hear people say that they are so bored staying home, they could never not have a job, etc etc. I am not going to lie to you - I have no idea what these people are talking about. I have so many hobbies, interests, and passions that have nothing to do with working, I feel like I could never work another day in my life and not ever be bored. But alas, I haven't won the lottery (yet), so I can't afford to be jobless. Maybe once I pay off those student loans . . .

But back to reality - I am neither independently wealthy nor out of debt, so I must work. Today marks the end of my first week at my new job, and I have to say, the job has been so far so good (knock on wood so that I don't completely jinx myself). My co-workers have been welcoming and helpful, I am working on something unrelated enough to my thesis that I am not bored but related enough to my strengths that I am not completely overwhelmed - all in all, a pretty good fit so far. But as you can probably imagine, there is one severe drawback to being back at work - the reduction of my precious free time by a minimum of 9 hours each day. And one of the first things to fall victim to my limited free time is cooking. Until I get into more of a groove, I am looking for simple, delicious meals that I can eat more than once a week (that's right folks, I said I would eat the same meal more than once in one week which, if you know me, is not at all my style).

Enter the casserole. It has been serving just this purpose for years and years now. It takes minimal prep time, you can throw ingredients together, you can make it as high or low class as you want, it doesn't have to be pretty or perfect, and then you can just throw the whole thing in the oven for 30 minutes and it will be hot and ready to eat. In essence, exactly what I am looking for these days. I chose mac and cheese because it's a great, classic comfort food, and it's super easy to make (even as far as casseroles go). There are tons of variations on a classic mac and cheese recipe, but what makes this one so delicious is the use of several different types of full-flavored cheeses. Thanks mac and cheese for saving the day for a tired cook once again!

Baked Macaroni and Cheese

7 Tbsp unsalted butter
1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
4 cups non fat milk
1 1/2 tsp dry mustard powder
1/8 tsp cayenne
1 lb elbow macaroni
1 cup grated extra-sharp cheddar, 1 cup grated sharp cheddar, 1/2 cup grated emmentaler, 1/2 cup grated gruyere (12 ounces of cheese total)
1 1/3 cups grated Parmesan cheese (4 ounces)
1 cup panko (Japanese bread crumbs)

Preheat oven to 350F. Spray a 3 quart casserole dish with non stick spray.

Melt 6 Tbsp butter over medium-low heat in a small saucepan. Add flour and whisk for 3 minutes to form a roux (basically a french term for "thickening agent" - you can use roux to thicken up gravies, sauces, soups, or stews). Pour milk into saucepan and bring to a boil, whisking often (this takes awhile, so be sure to whisk so that you do not to allow this to burn). Add mustard powder, cayenne, and add salt and pepper to taste. Simmer until mixture thickens, whisking occasionally (2-3 minutes).

Meanwhile, cook the pasta and drain. Return to pasta pot and add sauce, and cheeses (saving 1/3 cup parm for topping), stirring to mix evenly:

Transfer to casserole dish. In a bowl, mix panko (pictured below) and 1/3 cup parm to form topping.

Sprinkle pasta in casserole dish evenly with panko/parm topping. Cut remaining 1 Tbsp of butter into small squares and distribute over topping, as pictured below:


Bake on middle oven rack for 30 minutes, until topping begins to brown. Serve and enjoy!

Happy (Belated) Memorial Day!

I hope you all had a nice holiday weekend!

This Memorial Day weekend marked the last weekend before I started my new job as a postdoc at UCSD, so I was determined to have as much fun as possible. My sister Renee flew down from Davis for the weekend and she, my sister Anne, and I went to the beach, laid out by the pool, relaxed, and did a lot of bar hopping. But in between all of these hedonistic pursuits, we took some time out to make a delicious Sunday morning brunch (accompanied by mimosas, naturally). She made her version of "upscale" french toast (by coating it with an almond crust) and I made my berry-infused maple syrup to top it off with. It was the perfect way to spend a lazy Sunday morning!

The three of us enjoying our mimosas.

CHALLAH!

Whisk 1 cup heavy cream, 3 eggs, 1 tsp vanilla extract, and 1 Tbsp cinnamon in a large bowl.

Dip the bread in the batter and turn to coat evenly.

Cover a plate with sliced almonds.

Roll the crust of the bread in the almonds.

Place in a hot pan and cook until just golden brown on each side.

Place one package of blackberries and one package of raspberries in a small sauce pan.

Heat berries over medium-low heat and allow to break down.

Pour berry mixture through a strainer.

Push on berry mixture to extract as much juice as possible. Return strained berry juice to saucepan and combine with 1/2 cup maple syrup and 1/2 cup light brown sugar. Bring mixture to a boil, stirring constantly until slightly thickened. Remove from heat and allow to cool for 10 - 15 minutes.

This is what your finished product should resemble.

Drizzle over french toast and enjoy!

Baked Potatoes 101

In my mind, baked potatoes are one of the most perfect foods out there. Not only do they make a delicious side dish, but they can stand alone as a hearty, filling meal that requires minimal prep work and zero active cooking time - what's better than that? Baked potatoes are probably one of the first things I learned to make on my own, helping my mom out in the kitchen. I would grab a potato, wrap it in aluminum foil, use a fork to stab several holes in the foil/potato, and then arrange them on a plate for my mom to put in the oven. The result, when cut open, was a hot, steamy, fluffy, starchy delight that I would cover with butter and bacon bits (I was a bit of a picky eater growing up). So imagine my surprise when I was told, after years and years of making what I thought were perfect, delicious baked potatoes, that I was doing it all wrong.

Apparently what I had enjoyed growing up was technically a "steamed potato" because all of the heat released in baking the potato gets trapped in the foil creating steam, which leaves you with a soft potato skin and interior. A proper baked potato, as I was kindly informed by a friend who is a chef from Idaho, has a crispy golden skin so flavorful that it rivals the deliciousness of the fluffy interior (as well as providing a textural counterpoint). This was news to me since we never once ate the potato skin growing up (hence the lack of washing, scrubbing, etc.). But seeing as nearly all of the vitamins and nutrients in potatoes are in the skin, it made sense to me to give this whole eating the skin thing a try. Turns out, it does not take much more work, and it does taste twice as delicious! No offence to those who prefer the "steamed" method, but I think the baked method is here to stay in my house. If you'd like to try it at home, get your hands on some russet potatoes, pre-heat your oven to 400 F, and follow these easy steps:

1. Rinse potato under cold, running water.

While rinsing under cold water, scrub potato with stiff bristled brush (sorry I could not show both at once, but I only have so many hands!)

2. If you see any bruises, pock marks, or discolorations (like the ones pictured above), remove them by picking them out with a spoon. If you see sprouts, discard the potato - the sprouts can be toxic.

3. Take a fork and poke 6 - 10 sets of holes around the potato to allow steam to escape. (Otherwise, you risk having the potato explode in your oven).

4. Lightly oil the potato. I like to put some olive oil in a bowl, dip the potato in the oil, then spread the oil over the potato with my hands to evenly coat.

5. Roll oiled potatoes in salt.

6. Place potatoes directly on top oven rack. Place a baking sheet two racks down to catch any drips.

7. The baking time will vary based on the size of the potato. For these potatoes, which were medium-sized, it took an hour. You will know when they are done when the skin is brown and crispy and the potato gives slightly in the center when pressed with tongs. (If you are more of a stickler, you can insert a thermometer - the inside temperature should be 210 F). Once they are done baking, puncture the potato with a fork several times down the center to form a line.

8. Press on either end of the potato gently (but be careful, the steam released will be hot, hence the tongs). The potato should open up nicely (as pictured above).

9. Top the potato with your favorite items (I highly recommend my friend Hailey's phenomenal chili topped with cheddar) and enjoy!