Tag: Food and Cooking

Classic Adobo

Posted on by Jo Anne

So with Easter looming ahead of me, I, of course, was trying to determine what we should have for dinner. The truly traditional lamb was not to be. Not only am I not a fan of lamb, but I have never made it for my family, nor have I ever forced them to eat it. It would have been an incredible waste of time and money for something they may or may not like, and I most definitely would not like.

The next option was a ham. I know my oldest would have loved it, but while she and my husband would have eaten it, my other two would not. My love for side-dishes notwithstanding, it would also have meant that I would have had to come up with at least 3 sides that we would all agree on. I can whip up some killer sides, but the time and labor involved…no thank you.

So I resorted to the (for me) non-traditional. My soon-to-be SIL had given me a book for Christmas that I had requested, called I am a Filipino by Nicole Ponseca and Miguel Trinidad. My hope was to learn some classics associated with my cultural heritage and instill a love for them in my husband and daughters.

This year, our main course was chicken and pork adobo. I planned ahead (by days). I did my shopping, and got everything I needed. I really don’t think I missed out on anything. And I have been reading. I didn’t get through a lot of the narrative at the beginning of the book yet, because I wanted the food. Have I mentioned I’m all about food?

Now I’ve made adobo before. It was always more stew-like, what I would liken to a stove-top braise. But this recipe had to be started well ahead of time, with the protein marinating for at least 6 hours. I let it sit overnight. In the fridge of course. And it was, let me go see what she called it, a “dry” adobo. This means less saucy.

I do have another recipe for adobo from a friend of mine who lives three states away. Hers calls for pork belly, and I’d always had a hard time finding pork belly. Nicole Ponseca’s calls for pork belly as well, and I went out of my way to find it (not very far, mind you). It was, and is delicious. You can see from my picture that the sauce really adhered to the proteins, as well, that is not “burn” or “char.” It is pure deliciousness.

The cooking process was challenging to time, with everything else I was cooking on Easter, but I managed. In future, I may lower the heat when I add the pork – that seemed a little bit overcooked and slightly tough, but I gotta say, so delicious that I’ve eaten the leftovers cold anyway.

i am a filipino

Posted on by Jo Anne

this is a cookbook, cultural history written by nicole ponseca & miguel trinidad. it is my goal to read and cook my way through this book, and writing about it through this blog. but i will enjoy several journeys on this blog – not just this book. and chances are, i will embark on several before finishing even one.

not only is this the name of the book, but it is me. i was born to filipino parents at a time, i suspect, that it would not have been acceptable to raise me themselves. i was adopted, and raised in an irish catholic family – large and wonderful. i learned to love meat and potatoes with my entire being. the most foreign of foods i ate as a child were italian dishes and take out chinese food.

through this book, i hope to learn more about my filipino heritage.

It’s pretty cold outside – a perfect reason for Chili!

Posted on by Jo Anne

Zak Chapman at Pexels

I have never been a fan of chili.  I have worked at companies that have annual chili cook-offs.  I have friends who get that faraway look of dreaminess and the promise of comfort food when they say, “Nah, I made chili today!”

I have never wanted to eat it.  I wasn’t afraid of the spice.  I wasn’t afraid of the heat.  But everyone I know makes their chili with BEANS.  I don’t know why, but I am not a fan of beans.  They have an odd texture when you eat them, a little too mealy or something.  It took me a long time to get used to the idea of refried beans.  I went out to eat and they served the refried beans in a tortilla cup and I ate them like a dip with the free tortilla chips.  But I digress.

I don’t like beans.

But about 2 days ago, when I was anticipating a blizzard, I had this brainstorm of an idea to make chili.  But what goes into chili?  I had to find a great recipe – that didn’t require beans.  And then I panicked.  I like to try to be authentic.  If chili without beans is not authentic, I did not want any part of it.  But all I could think about was scoops of beef surrounded by some delicious sort of gooey, drippy, sauce or gravy that tasted nothing like tomato sauce, or barbecue sauce.  What was I to do?

Well, I know I’m not the first person to know that Google is your friend with quandaries such as this.  A simple search of “Does an authentic chili recipe require beans?” yielded several resources that all quoted the same source.  And here, I am writing another post that will quote the same source.  The International Chili Society.  Their official rules state, and I quote,

“Traditional Red Chili is any kind of meat/combination of meats cooked with red chili peppers/powders, various
spices and other ingredients. Any non-meat fillers are not allowed, including beans. Preference is not given to
either cut meat or ground meat. “

So I was totally thrilled and super excited!!! The next step was to find a recipe.  First I tried trusty Google.  However, my Google-fu is not as strong as that of my friends.  So I turned to my trusty Epicurious.com.  I settled on this Beef Chili recipe from Claire Saffitz in Bon Appetit in February of 2018.  Sadly, this recipe did not involve ground beef, but boneless beef chuck.  It also involved 3 types of chilis: Ancho, Guajillo and Pasilla.  The local grocery store chain here does not really carry dried peppers of any kind.  I purchased fresh poblanos.  Then I went back to my trusty Google.  I looked for alternates for the others.  Well, I was able to find guajillos at another store, but not pasallas.  Mulato chilis were given as an acceptable substitute.  Buuuut, since I didn’t write that down, when I got to the store, I found dried Moritas and purchased them.  It wasn’t until I got home and reread, that I realized I didn’t have the same peppers.

It didn’t matter.  Apparently, if a recipe calls for dried peppers, you should never substitute with fresh.  The flavor profile is completely different.  Since the kids would be eating said chili, I decided that was ok, as the fresh poblanos would soften the heat.  And let me tell you, that the flavor of this chili was A-MAY-ZING!!!

I have one regret.  I didn’t take any pictures.  I didn’t take pictures while I cooked it.  I didn’t take pictures while I ate it.  I didn’t take pictures of the leftovers.

I will make it again, for sure.

My Love Affair with Coffee, Part 2

Posted on by Jo Anne

Kaboompics .com at Pexels

Or, how I began drinking my coffee black.

This time last year, I started thinking about doing my first Whole30.  It was a daunting thought, really.  No added sugar.  No grains.  No dairy.  No legumes.  That’s a lot of no’s.  And the really surprising no, was the legumes.  Because really, haven’t we always been told that beans are good for you?  Good source of protein in the absence of meat; filling, tasty.  But boy did that cut things out…peanuts, soy anything, hummus.  And how many of you are not used to reading labels?  Did you ever realize how many things have some sort of soy product in its recipe???  But what was really worrying was coffee.

As previously mentioned, I was hooked on Dunkin’ Donuts coffee.  My regular order was Medium Coffee, Milk, 2 Sugar.  Let’s face it.  2 Sugar at Dunks is almost equivalent to a quarter-cup.  I mean, it’s usually a heaping spoonful, with a dripping trail of sugar.  If the person putting together your coffee can swing it, that trail lands in your cup too!  How on earth was I going to cut milk and sugar from my coffee?  The thought had crossed my mind to just give up coffee for the month of April.  I’d giving it up for longer periods of time during Lent.  Surely I could do it for 30 days.  The question was, did I want to?  At the same time, I purchased a Yeti.  I was tired of paying $2.39 for a 14oz cup of coffee.  And I managed to save a TON of money by making my own coffee.

During the month of February, I decided that I would have to prep myself to drink black coffee.  Each morning, I’d wake up, and before I got out of bed, I thought, today’s the day I try to drink black coffee.  I’d make my way to the coffee maker, and then I’d put 2 spoons of raw sugar and a splash of milk in my cup.

Sigh.

Sometime around Winter Break, I caught a cold.  A nasty one.  Colds are usually when I stop consuming dairy; cheese, butter, milk, ice cream.  So I resorted to tea – delicious Earl Grey.  Delicious and fragrant, it is something I drink with no modifiers…no milk, no sugar, no honey…so tea it is.  Then I flew to Seattle.

Working in my sister’s house, I had great coffee available, and I started by putting about an inch of black coffee into a mug.  I managed to finish that.  It wasn’t terrible.  So then I added more warm to the mug – I doubled the first amount.  And so on.  This is how I learned to love black coffee.

I guess there *could* be a part 3 to this saga.  We’ll see.  Check back in about 8 months. HA!

https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/pepper-crusted-steak-with-horseradish-cream-on-grilled-garlic-crostini-231150

I love to plan anything involving food

Posted on by Jo Anne

No 31 - painted brownsI love food. I’m not shy about that. My belly will tell you the same story. My blood pressure will tell you the same story. And when I attended culinary school, I was thrilled. I got a really good job upon graduating (Salutatorian!) as a Sous Chef with a very small, but very successful catering company about 20 minutes from my house.

The gig didn’t last too long, as I determined that loading and unloading while pregnant was probably not the smartest thing in the world.

So here I am. Planning parties for fun. Perhaps I should be a party planner.

My friend texted me a few weeks ago to let me know she was having a “catalog” party, and to let her know if I wanted anything. I convinced her to skip the catalog party, and to have a real party so that the consultant could peddle her wares, and let me cook.

That’s right. I have no idea how many people will arrive (we’re thinking 12?) but I plan to cook.

We decided on an appetizer menu. I went through some recipes that I had, and settled on Stuffed Mushrooms, a steak crostini, meatballs and a cheese/cracker plate. It’s probably a lot for 12 women. But, I think with enough wine (beer for me) we’ll be hungry and devour it all.

The party is tomorrow. I’m excited. I haven’t had a chance to cook for people in a long time. My steak is marinating, and all other ingredients have been purchased. My poor friend was unable to find any flat-leaf parsley. Her grocery store only had curly, so I picked it up. I’m sure she’ll want to know what the difference is. So I’ll explain it now. Curly parsley has no flavor. It only has ONE purpose. Garnish. It’s just for looks. Flat-leaf on the other hand, has some flavor to add. And you can garnish with it. Why would you ever buy curly again?

QftB Reignited: Sangria

Posted on by Jo Anne

This is a nod to my old blog which got blown away by stupidity.  I’m reigniting my Quest for the Best: Sangria because my good friend asked me for a good recipe.  I gave her 4.  I should have at LEAST been able to give her 2.  On that note, here is the post that started it all…

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So this past weekend was Memorial Day.  There are usually ample opportunities to enjoy a nice cold beverage with friends and loved ones.  As you know, I decided on Sunday that I was going on a Quest for the Best (QftB) Sangria.  I had 8 recipes appear in my Inbox…either via link or specific recipe.  I was pointed to others as comments to the same question posted on other people’s status updates.  And then…I failed.  I decided that I’d wait until Monday to go get all the stuff I’d need to craft a truly fine representation of any of these recipes.
This was a big mistake for more than one reason.  First, almost every single recipe recommends that you soak the fruit

Peach Mango Pineapple White Sangria
Photo credit: Averie Sunshine.

overnight, in whatever liquid they are recommending for the recipe.  This means, that by the time I perused all the recipes on Monday morning, I was already 12 hours behind.  Then I thought, well, some of these say soak for a couple hours…the longer the better.  This translated into, if I can get everything into the pitcher by 1pm, we can have a reasonable sangria by 3pm.  Alright, I was willing to work with that.    Which brings me to my second reason this was a big mistake.  Massachusetts blue laws prevent liquor stores from opening on Memorial Day.  Which was Monday.
So, we headed to our scheduled cookout with no sangria and no beer.  We had only food.  Not that food is bad.  I love food.  And anywhere I bring food, people are happy to see me.
Needless to say, I was unable to make and test the first of 8 recipes.
This weekend, however, I have some lead time.  It is only Wednesday.  The choice now is…do I go for a white wine sangria, or a red wine sangria?
Using the random number generator, I have selected the following recipe:  Peach Mango Pineapple White Sangria from Averie Cooks.  This entry was given to me by my friend Veronica.  By coincidence, her friend posted, almost simultaneous to when I requested recipes, that she made this recipe.  Her friend doubled the recipe, used Barefoot Pinot Grigio, Splenda instead of sugar, and frozen peaches instead of frozen mango.  Based on where I am heading this weekend, doubling the recipe is definitely in order.  I’ll see what type of Pinot Grigio I can find, because I’ll admit…I’m a fan of Pinot Grigio.  And I will follow the recipe.  The only thing I’m noticing is that there is no seltzer or ginger ale.  This is not a deal breaker, just something I noticed.  As many other recipes I’ve seen online include a seltzer or ginger ale.  Maybe I’ll have some flavored seltzer on hand…just in case.
This will be consumed on Saturday.  I will let you know how it goes, if it is any good, how it is received by the crowd.

Peach Mango Pineapple White Sangria
Photo credit: Averie Sunshine.

Sangria #1 was a white wine sangria.  It included peach schnapps, mango and pineapple.  You can find the recipe over at Averie Cooks.  This recipe had fantastic flavor.  I put everything together, on Friday night, around midnight.  I combined all the ingredients together as per the recipe, with the following changes.  I used a full cup of each mango and pineapple.
They soaked for a good eighteen (18) hours.  When I served it up for myself, I poured it over ice, and then added some seltzer.  First taste: flavor was good, but it seemed weak. And I *think* it was because I added too much seltzer.  I say this because with my second glass, I poured a lot more into it, and added much less seltzer.  Still, it was delicious.  And I would definitely make it again.  The only thing I have to compare it to is whatever I’ve ordered in restaurants.
My next recipe choice was submitted to me by Dawn Marie.  It is a Red Wine Sangria, which begs the question…by comparing red wine sangria with white wine sangria, am I effectively comparing apples to oranges?
Ok peoples. I am on a search for the best sangria recipe. Over the next few weeks I would like to evaluate several different recipes. Please INBOX them to me. I would like to know the origin of the recipe (Ancient Chinese Secret? Family favorite?) and how much you like it, and why (some people like them sweeter…some not so sweet, etc.). As I try each one, I will blog about it, and then, I will have a wrap-up, with my reviews. Please, and thank you.
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This was originally posted on “The Writing On The Wall” which is now defunct.

 

Ready-to-bake cookies

Posted on by Jo Anne

Ok. I admit it. I buy the ready to bake cookies from Pillsbury. I will tell you that they don’t come close to homemade. And they involve little-to-no bonding time with my children. But I will have to give them their props when it comes to being able to provide what my kids think are a real home made treat in almost no time at all. Prep time is non-existent, and cleanup is minimal.

I don’t know about you, but I like my sugar cookies with a little crunch to them. Not overcooked, but a nice golden tinge to them, and a little crisp around the edges. I have come home on occasion, and had my husband present me with cooked cookies, from the ready-to-back package, and they were as pale as the precooked dough. Now I’m not saying he can’t follow directions. He cooked them exactly as long as the package says to. What I am curious about, is how many people like their sugar cookies that gooey. Chocolate chip cookes, definitely. Sugar? Not so much. At least for me.

I cooked a batch up today that were perfect. And now my kids know a perfect sugar cookie as well. Next is to teach them how to bake them from scratch…which are soooooo much better.

Nommy apply crispy

Posted on by Jo Anne

My break tonight consisted of a trip to the grocery store to pick up the ingredients for my favorite fall/holiday dessert to make…Apple Crisp.  Admittedly, I’ve been making the same recipe for so long, that I don’t remember where I got it.  Certainly, both my immediate and extended families never made apple crisp for the holidays, so I have no clue where it came from.  All I know is it is yummy and delicious.

I start with about five to eight good sized Granny Smith Apples.  If you are in-the-know, you understand that using a nice tart apple like the Granny Smith helps to offset the sweetness of the crisp topping.  This is true of any baked apple product.  The only time I opt for a sweeter apple is when there is minimal sugar involved.  Anyway, so I start with the apples.  Core them; peel them; slice them.  Then toss them with some lemon juice.  The acid in the lemon juice will keep the apples from browning.

Truly the best part of the apple crisp is the crisp.  Top it with Breyer’s Natural Vanilla ice cream, and it’s a winner beyond measure.  The crisp is made of rolled oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, and butter.  Now, the butter does not make it the healthiest dish.  However, butter will make the oats and sugar and cinnamon bake together into the yummy crispy goodness it is.  I usually make more than the recipe calls for because the crisp topping is the best.  Let’s face it.  You know it’s true.

I cook it, and then I serve it warm.  And as I said before, it requires Breyer’s Natural Vanilla ice cream.  Whipped cream doesn’t cut it with this apple crisp.  Ok, I suppose ANY vanilla ice cream would work.  But I’m partial to Breyer’s.  It has just the right level of “sweet” and that’s the truth.

After making my first apple crisp of the season, I start to think about Christmas Cookies.  And so, tonight, in the wee hours of the morning when I return home from work, I will commence the preparation of our first Apple Crisp of the season.