Becoming Jana-San: Or How I Made Beef Sukiyaki

Sukiyaki (skee-YAH-kee)-Known in Japan as the "friendship dish" because it appeals to foreigners, sukiyaki consists of stir-fried bite size pieces o f meat, vegetables, and sometimes noodles and tofu. It is flavored with soy sauce, dashi (bonito flakes) and mirin, and is usually prepared at the table. Before eating each bite, diners dip their cooked food into beaten raw egg.

That definition comes from The New Food Lover's Companion --really a must own for any aspiring foodie.

A couple weeks ago in the restaurant run by the culinary arts students at UVU (hey! I'm one of those!) it was Japanese week. One of the dishes we made was beef sukiyaki and let me tell you, it was fantastic.

Fast forward a few weeks and Chef Troy was going through the walk-in, throwing out things that had gone bad. We still had several containers of tofu left from Japanese week, so he sent it home with some of us. With 3 containers of tofu in my fridge, I thought I would make some Japanese at home. I used the recipe I got in class, but made a few modifications. It turned out very well.

A NOTE ON WORKING WITH TOFU: Tofu is packed in water. As a result, it tends to soak up a lot of it and will release a ton of water into your food as you cook if you do not prepare it properly. To start, drain the water from the tofu. Then place it on a plate that has been lined with paper towels. Place another paper towel on top, then place something heavy on top, like a cast iron skillet, or even a baking sheet with a heavy book on it. Wait about 15 minutes for the water to press out. Then your tofu is ready for use!

Beef Sukiyaki

3/4 cup soy sauce

2/3 cup mirin

1/2 cup sake

2 TBS sugar

1 1/4 lbs well marbled boneless beef, placed in freezer for 1 hour for easy slicing

3 packages shirataki noodles (check out your local Asian market)

1 lb mushrooms (crimini or button mushrooms are fine. If you want to use Shitakes/enoki, go for it)

1 bunch scallions, cut into 2 inch diagonals

8 oz firm tofu, drained, pressed and cut into 1 inch cubes

2 bunches of watercress, bottom stems removed

4 eggs

Olive oil

All of my ingredients, ready to go

1. Make the sauce by placing the soy sauce, mirin, sake, and sugar in a small saucepan. Stir to combine. Heat over medium heat and bring to a boil until the sugar is dissolved. Set aside.

2. Slice the semi-frozen beef across the grain into bite size pieces about 1/8 inch thick

3. Prepare noodles according to directions on the package

4. Coat the bottom of a large pan with about a tablespoon of olive oil and place over medium high heat. Add the scallions and cook for a few minutes, moving them around occasionally until they begin to soften.

5. Add the meat and cook for about a minute. Add half of the sauce and bring to a simmer. Add th noodles, mushrooms, tofu. Allow to cook for a few minutes.

6. Add the remaining sauce and the watercress and cook briefly until wilted.

When served, give each person a small bowl with a beaten egg in it. Traditionally this dish is eaten by dipping each bite into the raw egg. Sound gross and unsanitary I know, but the Japanese have been doing it for thousands of years and they haven't died because of it. I've done it a fair few times myself and let me tell you, it's delicious. All I ask is that you try it with the egg at least once. If you hate it, fine. But at least try it.

That hand belongs to my handsome man! I remembered I wanted a picture after he was halfway done eating. Notice the bowl of egg. :)

Salsa Verde for Enchiladas

Dear blog followers,

It has been FOREVER since I have last posted! I apologize. My life has gotten pretty crazy as of late....because I'm getting married! So I have been spending countless hours on the phone and looking at vendors instead of in the kitchen where I belong. So I apologize

My cute roommate Chantel is making enchiladas tonight and requested that I make the verde sauce for the enchiladas. Simple enough request. Here is the secret to making some killer verde!

Salsa Verde

Makes 3 cups

15 tomatillos

1 large onion

3 poblano peppers

3 cloves of garlic

*NOTE* This recipe will make a very mild verde. If you would like your verde to have more kick, add in 2-3 serrano or jalapeño peppers.

1. Remove the papery covering from the tomatillos and place on a baking sheet with the poblanos. Dice the onion in quarters and spread the layers over the sheet as well.

2. Roast in oven under the broiler on high, turning frequently, until skin is blistered on all sides.

*NOTE* The more frequently you turn the tomatillos/poblanos, the more evenly they will roast. The more evenly they roast, the easier step 3 will be. :)

3. Remove from oven and allow to cool until you can handle them comfortably. Peel the skins from the tomatillos and the poblanos and place the flesh in a food processor with the onions and garlic. *PLEASE PLEASE be careful not to touch your eyes or face until after you have thoroughly washed your hands. The capsaicin in the peppers will burn your eyes and the sensitive skin on your face like you wouldn't believe! So save yourself the pain.

4. Pulse the tomatillos/peppers/onions/garlic in the food processor until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Pour over enchiladas, serve in burritos, or just serve it with some tortilla chips! :)

The Perfect Creme Brulee

I was standing in my good friend's pantry a little while ago and I noticed some chamomile tea. I stood there thinking, "Hey, wouldn't it be cool to do a dessert with chamomile and honey?" Then I forgot about it. Until a few days ago when I really wanted to bake. Then I remembered my little epiphany and pioneered this brainchild:

Chamomile and Honey Creme Brulee

Makes four 6 oz creme brulees

You will need:

A kitchen torch

Four 6 oz ramekins AKA those cute little ceramic dishes --> check out bed, bath and beyond or willams sonoma if you have trouble finding them

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

5 egg yolks

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup honey

1 pint heavy cream

3 chamomile tea bags

Extra sugar for the tops

1. Measure out your ingredients. Separate the egg yolks into a bowl. Save the whites for something delicious like chocolate mousse. :) Pour the cream into a small pot and add the tea bags. Turn the cream on low heat so the tea bags will steep and the cream can scald.

2. While the cream is scalding, add the honey and sugar to the egg yolks and beat vigorously with a whisk until the mixture is pale and smooth.

3. Remove the tea bags from the cream (squeeze all of the flavor out before you throw them away!) and pour slowly into the egg mixture, whisking continuously.

4. Pour into ramekins that have been placed in a baking dish. Pour water halfway up the ramekins. Cover with foil and bake at 325* for 35-45 minutes, or until the centers are set, but still jiggle slightly.

Just after removal from the oven

5. Chill the creme brulee in the fridge for at least 4 hours, or overnight.

6. To caramelize the tops: Pour sugar on top of the creme brulee and move it around, dumping out the excess sugar. Using a kitchen torch hold the flame just above the top and move it around slowly to caramelize. Be careful not to burn the sugars, especially around the edges where it burns more easily.

Serve in the ramekins. Fresh berries on top are a nice touch!

New Mexican Christmas Eve

Every year for Christmas Eve my family has a traditional New Mexican dinner: Tamales y frijoles. This year, we had the missionaries that are serving in our ward over for Christmas Eve dinner, so we ramped up our dinner a little bit and added a salad and a dessert. Our salad was a lovely southwestern number complete with a rockin' tomatillo lime vinaigrette, compliments of yours truly. :)

Tomatillo Lime Vinaigrette

1 cup apple cider vinegar

Juice of 3 limes

1 bunch cilantro

2 cloves garlic

2 tomatillos, halved

1 shallot, quartered

1 1/2 TBS dijon mustard

1 1/2 cups olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

1. Add the cilantro, tomatillos, shallot, lime juice, vinegar, garlic, and mustard to a large bowl

2. Blend using an immersion blender (you can also do this in a normal blender)

3. Once the above mixture is blended smoothly, add the oil in a slow stream with the blender on. Adding the oil slowly creates a better emulsion.

4. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Now for my salad: I chopped some lettuce, tossed it with arugula, tomatoes and roasted corn kernels. Done. You could also make some seasoned tortilla strips. Just cut the tortillas into thin strips, toss with oil and seasonings and bake in the oven at 350* until crispy. They would add a fabulous crunch to this salad.

Happy cooking everyone!

Cupcake obsession

Lately I've made a lot of cupcakes. I guess you could call me cupcake obsessed. I've been playing around with some new flavors. Here is the latest one I've done:

Maple Cupcakes

Makes 1 dozen cupcakes

1 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup butter, softened

2/3 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1/3 cup buttermilk

1/3 cup maple syrup (Use real maple syrup. Grade B is best because it has the most intense flavor)

1. Cream the butter and brown sugar together.

2. In a separate bowl, sift the dry ingredients together.

3. Add the eggs and vanilla to the creamed mixture and beat to combine. Scrape down the bowl once combined.

4. Add the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.

5. Add the buttermilk and maple syrup.

6. Fill cupcake cups 2/3 full and bake at 350 degrees for 15-18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Oh my heavenly cheese.

What I made for dinner tonight involved four different cheeses. FOUR! I'm lactose intolerant. Basically, this was a death wish. But it was a death I welcomed with open arms. For the cheesy goodness that I inhaled off my plate tonight was....Manicotti.

But not just any old Manicotti. Oh no. This was special Swiss Chard and Sweet Pea Manicotti. I totally stole the idea from Giada de Laurentiis (Love her!). Because this Manicotti had peas and Swiss Chard (TWO green vegetables) I decided it made up for it being covered in cheese...right? Anyway, remember this dish next time you are trying to sneak green food into your children. It's covered in cheese, so they have to love it. Who can resist anything when it's drenched in cheese?

Swiss Chard and Sweet Pea Manicotti

12 manicoti or canneloni pasta shells

FILLING

1 bunch red or white Swiss chard

2 TBS olive oil

1 medium onion, diced

1 garlic clove, minced

1 (15 oz) container ricotta cheese

3/4 cup frozen peas, thawed

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup fresh basil

Salt and pepper to taste

FONTINA FONDUTA SAUCE

3/4 cup milk

1/2 cup heavy cream

3 cups grated fontina cheese

2 TBS grated Parmesan cheese

2 TBS fresh chopped basil

1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Grease a 9x13 inch glass baking dish

2. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add the pasta and cook until tender, but still firm to the bite, about 6-8 minutes. Drain the pasta. Set aside

FOR THE FILLING

3. Remove the Swiss chard stems. Chop the leaves into 1 inch pieces.

4. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until soft. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant. Then add the chard and cook until wilted, about 2 minutes. Cool the mixture slightly.

5. Place the ricotta, peas, mozzarella, parmesan, basil, salt, and pepper in the bowl of a food processor. Add the cooled chard mixture and blend until smooth.

6. Spoon the mixture into a prepared pastry bag with a large tip and stuff each manicotti shell with the filling. Place the stuffed manicotti in the prepared baking dish.

FOR THE SAUCE

7. In a medium saucepan, bring the milk and cream to a simmer.

8. Reduce the heat and add the fontina, stirring constantly until the cheese is melted and the mixture is smooth.

9. Remove the pan from heat and stir in the Parmesan cheese and basil.

10. Pour the sauce over the stuffed pasta and sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella cheese. Bake for 30-35 minutes until the top is golden. Let the baked manicotti stand for 5 minutes before serving.

I'll make you banana pancakes, pretend like it's the weekend...

Pancakes. This word alone has the power to draw sleepy roommates from their beds, calm the rage of a hungry five year old, and to bring back memories of late night runs to IHOP or family breakfasts in which mom would make pancakes shaped like Mickey Mouse.

I made pancakes this morning. Not banana pancakes as my title may suggest....I mostly just used that fabulous little number by Jack Johnson because I enjoy having catchy titles. I'll post about banana pancakes another time. By then maybe I will have thought of another clever pancake title.

Today, whole wheat pancakes. A lot of people don't like whole wheat pancakes because they tend to be reeeeeeeeeeally dense and quite chewy. Not these pancakes. Guaranteed, these will be the lightest, fluffiest whole wheat pancakes you've ever had the pleasure of sinking your teeth into. But be warned, they are quite filling. I eat like a pig and I get stuffed with 1 1/2 pancakes.

Whole Wheat Pancakes

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

1/4 cup sugar

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon

2 eggs

2 cups vanilla soymilk (If you don't know, I'm lactose intolerant. If you aren't, by all means use regular milk!)

1 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 TBS vegetable oil

1. Sift all of the dry ingredients into a medium sized bowl

2. Separate the egg yolks and whites. Put the yolks in the bowl with the dry ingredients, and put the whites in a separate bowl.

3. Whip the egg whites until medium peaks form.

4. Add the milk, oil, and vanilla to the dry ingredients and mix gently to combine.

5. Gently fold the egg whites into the batter

PANCAKE SECRET! The secret to getting perfectly round pancakes is to use a ladle to drop your batter into the pan. When you start to tip the ladle to let the batter run out, DO NOT MOVE IT FROM ITS POSITION. This will result in perfect pancakes. :)

Not your average chicken noodle soup

Okay so I woke up feeling like an absolute mess this morning. Runny nose, scratchy throat, head full of fog...joyous. After skipping class and going back to bed for a few more hours I felt a little better. I decided that for dinner tonight, nothing would be better than my home made chicken soup. It's delicious, comforting, and the spices I use clear my sinuses like you wouldn't believe.

Jana's Chicken Noodle Soup

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, medium dice

1 medium onion, medium dice

3 celery stalks, diced

2 large carrots, diced

1 1/2 quarts chicken stock/broth (See my post on how to make your own if you want!)

1 1/2 cups dry pasta (whatever shape you want! I used shells tonight)

1 cup frozen peas

3/4 cup frozen corn kernels

3 tsp curry powder

2 tsp dried tarragon

1 tsp dried thyme

Salt and pepper to taste

1-2 TBS fresh chopped parsley

1. Bring liberally salted water to a boil in a medium sized pot. Add the pasta and stir occasionally, removing from the water and setting aside when still slightly underdone.

2. While the pasta is cooking, heat a small amount of olive oil in a large pot. Add the chicken and sear on all sides, not cooking all the way done. Remove from the pot and set aside.

3. Add the onions to the pot and cook until just beginning to turn translucent. Add the carrots and celery, sauteeing until slightly tender.

4. Add the chicken stock and spices and bring to a low boil.

5. Return the chicken to the pot and add the pasta, peas, and corn. Continue on a low boil until the chicken is cooked through and the pasta is al dente.

6. Serve garnished with fresh chopped parsely.

Enjoy!

For my friends of the gluten free persuasion

I have had a couple requests of late to post some gluten free recipes. This seemed like a good idea to me, seeing as I know a couple people who have Celiac's disease, some who are just slightly sensitive to gluten, and then there are those who just want to be trendy and not eat gluten. Whatever boat you may be in, I did some experimentation, some research and here is the kick butt gluten free bread recipe I ended up with: OH! P.S. You can buy all of these ingredients at Sunflower Market. I bought Bob's Red Mill brand because it's excellent. If you don't have a Sunflower in your area, first of all, WEEP! But you can find Bob's Red Mill stuff in most grocery stores or health food stores.

Buckwheat Bread

Despite it's name, buckwheat is actually not wheat, contains no gluten, and is safe for celiacs to ingest. :)

1 cup sorghum flour

1 cup potato starch (NOT POTATO FLOUR!)

1/2 cup buckwheat flour

2 tsp xanthan gum

1 1/4 tsp salt

1 packet rapid rise yeast (or 2 1/4 tsp)

1 1/4 cup water

3 TBS olive oil

1 1/2 TBS honey

1/2 tsp lemon juice

1 egg white, whipped

1. In a stand mixer, add the yeast to the water. Add the dry ingredients, mix briefly, then add the remainder of the wet ingredients.

2. Transfer to a greased loaf pan, smooth and cover with a towel. Let rest for 20 minutes.

3. Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes or until the loaf generates a hollow sound when thumped.

If you like your bread to be more crusty on the outside, you can remove it from the pan at this point and place it straight onto the oven rack for a few minutes.

4. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Be sure to cool it for at least 10 minutes, or it will be hard to slice evenly.

*NOTE* The dough will actually be of a consistency more like muffin batter rather than an actual wheat based dough. This is due to the fact that is contains no gluten which is what lends dough its elasticity. So don't panic if your bread dough is like batter. It's supposed to be that way.

Let me also stress that each ingredient is absolutely essential and should not be omitted or lessened in any way. You will have poop bread if you try to omit something from this recipe.

Move over Rachael Ray

Tilapia fillet with cilantro sour cream, sauteed spinach with garlic,

tarragon roasted sweet potatoes, and curried butternut squash puree.

As much as Rachael Ray drives me absolutely bonkers, the concept of 30 minute meals has a lot of appeal for people nowadays. Let's face it, we live in a fast paced world. Most people don't have or don't make time for nutritious, delicious family dinners anymore. Which seriously breaks my heart (See The Purpose of This Blog).

Anyway, I digress. I think the reason a lot of people don't have home cooked meals anymore is because they just don't know how to go about putting good food on the table in short order. What most people need is a little inspiration. Here it is.

Fish. Yes, I recognize some people don't like seafood. However, I must extol the virtues of fish, for it has the ability to go from freezer to table in 15 minutes. No joke. My roommates and I shop at Walmart for most of our groceries (except for produce, in which case we go to Sunflower). There we buy bags of individually vacuum sealed fish fillets. Some weeks we buy salmon, others we buy cod...this week was tilapia. You can get 4-5 filets for about $4.98. Not bad, not bad. So now that we know it's relatively cheap, lets get back to the time factor. Freezer to table in 15 minutes. I wasn't kidding. Is that not the most beautiful thing you've ever heard? All you do is throw the fillets (once out of the plastic of course!) on an oiled sheet pan, sprinkle with salt and pepper (and whatever spices you may care to use), and put them in the oven under the broiler. 10-15 minutes later, they are done. In the meantime, you can whip up some tasty sides, and there you have it! Dinner on the table in 15 minutes. Take that Rachael Ray. You're 30 minute meals just got their butts handed to them!

!!!!!!Tasty Side Ideas!!!!!!!

Curried Butternut Squash Puree

1 butternut squash, peeled and seeded

1 tsp curry powder

1 TBS agave syrup (honey works well too!)

1 TBS butter

salt and pepper to taste

1. In a large pot, bring liberally salted water to a boil

2. Meanwhile, dice the butternut squash into small chunks

3. Once the water is boiling, add the squash and cook until fork tender, about 10 minutes

4. Drain the water from the squash, and return to stove

5. Add the butter, salt, pepper, curry powder, and agave

6. Mash with a potato masher. Or puree in blender or food processor. Or bust out your immersion blender and puree it stovetop. Whatever your little heart desires.

Tarragon Roasted Potatoes

One of my favorite sides. It's my go to side when I'm feeling lazy and I don't want to put in a lot of effort but still want something delicious and good for me.

2 large russet potatoes, well scrubbed, skins on (or red potatoes, or yukon gold potaoes.....you get the point)

1 large sweet potato, peeled (yams are okay as well)

1-2 tablespoons dried tarragon (located in the spice aisle of course!)

Olive oil for drizzling

Salt and pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees

2. Dice the potatoes in about half inch cubes.

3. Transfer potatoes to an oiled sheet pan.

4. Drizzle the potatoes with oil, sprinkle with salt, pepper, and tarragon.

5. Roast in the oven until fork tender, about 15-20 minutes

The Stock Box OR How I Saved $4

I am about to share with you something that may change your life forever. Well, maybe not. But this little tidbit may help you out if you are trying to put good food on the table while working with a tight budget.

Allow me to introduce you to the stock box:

My stock box is just a tupperware container that lives in my freezer. When I'm making a salad or prepping vegetables, I pull it out and put my vegetable scraps in it. Onion ends, carrot ends, pieces of celery that aren't as crunchy as they used to be, parsley stems, red bell pepper pieces....no one is to poor to be included in my stock box (except potatoes. They make my finished product cloudy!)

I also save the scraps of the meats I process in my kitchen. For me this means the trimmings of a pork tenderloin, the carcass of a chicken I roasted for Sunday dinner, the bones leftover from my chicken drumsticks, you name it. I put those in a gallon size ziploc bag, label it and toss it in the freezer.

Now, when I notice that my stock box is full of vegetable scraps and I have a bag of bones accumulated in my freezer, I pull it out to thaw in the fridge. Once it's thawed, I put it the bones and the contents of my stock box in a large pot, cover it with water, and put it on the stove on low heat and I let it simmer for several hours.

After several hours of simmering on the stove, I strain the liquid into another tupperware container, and what I'm left with is a beautiful, flavorful broth.

Do you see what I just did there? I took something that most people just throw away and I turned it into something usable. Because I just saved my scraps, I don't ever have to go out and buy a can of Swanson broth when I want to make soup. I have homemade, delicious broth right in my fridge. You can freeze it too, if you'd like to save it for another time. But seriously people. I just saved myself about $4 by saving my garbage.

Here's what I'm making tonight for dinner with my delicious chicken broth.

Olive Garden's Zuppa Toscana

1 lb Italian sausage

8 oz smoked bacon, diced

1 quart chicken broth (hey look at that! You don't have to buy it!)

2 large russet potatoes, scrubbed and cubed

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 medium onion, chopped (HEY! Save the ends for your stock box!)

2 cups chopped kale or Swiss chard

1 cup heavy cream

Salt and pepper

1. In a skillet over medium heat, brown the sausage, breaking into small pieces. Drain and set aside.

2. Fry the bacon until brown, drain and set aside.

3. Combine the broth, potatoes, garlic, and onion in a pot; simmer over medium heat until potatoes are tender, 10-15 minutes

4. Add the sausage; simmer for 10 minutes.

5. Add the kale and dream. Season with salt and pepper to taste and simmer until the soup is heated through. Do not allow to boil.

6. Add bacon just before service so it remains crispy.

*DISCLAIMER* In a restaurant setting, this is not, not, NOT the way you make stock. I fully understand that and I promise I am a lot more conscious of what is going into my stock pot when I am working. However, at home I find that this is a really great money saving tip that yields great results without a ton of extra work.

The Great Pumpkin

Fall food. Love it. I think I've mentioned that a time or two on this blog...So pumpkins. They're pretty awesome. And they are good for a lot more than just making jack o lanterns. Here are a few things you can try with pumpkin.

Pumpkin Wedges with Sage

Preheat oven to 400. Cut a small pumpkin (such as a sugar pumpkin) in half; scrape out seeds. Drizzle pumpkin with olive oil, season with salt and black pepper. Place cut side down on a baking sheet. Roast for 30 minutes. Remove from oven. Turn oven to broil. Cut pumpkin into 2 inch wedges; poke fresh sage leaves into flesh. Drizzle with more olive oil. Broil until wedges are sizzling and sage is crisp, about 6 minutes. Serve.

Indian Spiced Pumpkin

Roast pumpkin in the oven at 400 degrees for 45 minutes using the above method (you know, cut side down and all that). Scrape out pumpkin flesh. In a skillet over medium heat, warm about a tablespoon of olive oil. Add 1/4 tsp fennel seeds, 1/4 tsp cumin, and 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes. Cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add pumpkin and 2 Tbsp maple syrup. Cook for 1 minute, mashing to combine. Add 1 Tbsp unsalted butter and stir. Serve immediately.

Or one of my favorite ways to have pumpkin...

Pumpkin Spice Bread

2 cups pumpkin

3 cups sugar

1 cup water

1 cup oil

4 eggs

3 1/2 cups flour

2 tsp baking soda

2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

3/4 tsp cloves

1 tsp salt

1 tsp baking powder

1. Combine sugar and wet ingredients in a bowl

2. Combine dry ingredients in a separate bowl and add slowly to the wet mixture.

3. Divide between 2 greased loaf pans and bake 60-70 minutes @ 350.

4. Cool on a rack for 10-15 minutes, then remove from pan to finish cooling.

This time around, I made my pumpkin spice bread into pumpkin spice cupcakes. It makes 34-36 cupcakes depending on how full you fill your cupcake cups. If you want to make cupcakes, they only take 20-25 minutes to bake. I topped mine off with some delicious cream cheese frosting. Here's the recipe:

Cream Cheese Frosting

Makes enough frosting for 1 dozen cupcakes

3 oz cream cheese

1/4 cup butter

1 tsp vanilla

2 cups powdered sugar

1. Cream the butter and cream cheese together

2. Add the remaining ingredients and beat for 10 minutes. No joke. Beat it for the full ten. That's how it gets so smooth and fluffy. :)

Homemade Pasta Sauce

Now that I have a post about quick pasta sauces, I find myself the possessor of a bucketful of tomatoes from my family's garden. I went home for fall break and my mom said, "Please take some tomatoes back with you. We have way more than I know what to do with. You can make some of that fresh pasta sauce for your roommates." Thanks mom, I will.

Making pasta sauce from scratch is a process, let me tell you. But it is SOOO worth it.

First you get lots of tomatoes.

Then you cut a little X on the bottoms of the tomatoes, plop them in some boiling water for about 30 seconds.....

And shock them in an ice bath!

Peel them, cut them in half and squeeze out the seeds, then throw them in a blender and whiz for a second. Then throw some fine diced mirepoix (carrots, onions, celery) in a saucepan with a few tablespoons of olive oil and cook until tender. Blend the mirepoix, and combine in the pan with the tomatoes and about a cup of your blanching water (the water you used to boil the tomatoes), and simmer the snot out of it. Seriously, you simmer it forever. My sauce sat on the stove for three and a half hours. Salt and pepper it to taste and voila! You have achieved sauciness!

Jana Banana Fee Fi Fo Fanna....

...That's what my Uncle Dean calls me. Anyway. Bananas. We have about a zillion (okay, seven) of them in our freezer at my apartment. For some reason a couple months ago people felt inclined to give me their old, browning bananas. They were all, "Hey before you go, take these bananas! They're too soft for me to eat, but I'm sure you can make banana bread out of them or something right?" Well yes, indeed I can. So today I rescued our freezer from hostile takeover by brown bananas and made some banana-blueberry bread. :)

Banana Blueberry Bread

1 cup butter, softened

2 cups sugar

2 tsp vanilla

1 tsp lemon juice

4 eggs

2 cups mashed banana

1 tsp salt

3 1/2 cups flour

2 tsp baking soda

2 tsp baking powder

1 cup sour cream

About 2 cups blueberries *SEE NOTE

1. Cream the butter and sugar together. Add the rest of the ingredients in the order given.

2. Bake at 350 for 55 minutes. Makes two loaves.

*NOTE* Unless you want blue bread it is pertinent that you gently fold in your blueberries at the very end. Also, I find that using frozen blueberries lessens the color bleeding, and makes them a lot easier to fold in without accidentally mashing them.

Cold Weather Food

Anyone who knows me knows that I am a desert girl through and through. I love the heat and I absolutely cannot stand humidity. Hot and dry, that's how I roll. So when the change of seasons rolls around I lament the onset of cold weather. Despite my dislike of the cold, I do love cold weather foods! I'm starting to bust out my arsenal of soups. Here's what I made for dinner tonight...

Orange Carrot Ginger Soup

8-10 large carrots, medium dice

1/2 onion, medium dice

1 1/2 quarts orange juice (no pulp is preferable)

2 TBS fresh grated ginger (may substitute 2 tsp dry ground)

Salt and pepper to taste

Olive oil

1. In a large pot, heat a few tablespoons of olive oil over medium high heat. Add the carrots and onions and cook until carrots are slightly tender, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes.

2. Add orange juice, and boil until carrots are soft.

3. Puree in a blender or food processor.

4. Add ginger, salt, and pepper, and return to stove to keep warm until service

*NOTE*

If you are using fresh ginger, it is important to add it as the last step in your cooking process. Ginger has a tendency to turn bitter as it cooks.

Enjoy everyone! Happy fall cooking!

The Purpose of this Blog

I was discussing blogging with some friends of mine recently. One friend was interested to find out that I do indeed have a blog. She wanted to know more about it. I was about to tell her about my blog until another friend of mine interjected and said, "Oh, it's just about food."

JUST about food? JUST about food?! I was a little bit peeved by that statement. I asked him, "Well, what else would I blog about?" He replied with, "Ummmm....your life?" First of all, food is my life. Second of all, I don't blog just to record what I do. This isn't meant to be some digital archive of my life. Besides, I feel like there are plenty of whiny college students out there that blog about their lives (not to knock anyone else's blog. There are many that I very much enjoy reading). But I want to accomplish something with this blog. So I feel like maybe I should share with you my purpose in blogging.

I was raised in a family where food was more than just something you put in your body so you wouldn't keel over and die. My parents are incredibly passionate about health, so I was taught from a very young age to be conscious of the food I put in my body. Not just any old food would keep me operating at an optimum level. Even when I was a baby, I didn't eat baby food out of a jar. Oh no. My mom would take the time to cook food until it was soft, and she would puree it for me. Even from the beginning of my life I was eating real food. Also, my family has kept a rather large garden every summer since the time I was six years old. I worked a lot of long hours in that garden during my growing up years, and was so lucky to reap the benefits around harvest time. I've had the privilege of enjoying fresh fruits and vegetables as the majority of my diet.

Those factors have influenced my philosophy about food greatly. However, I think the largest contributor to my appreciation for food has got to be my mother. First of all, she is a wonderful cook. But more important than that is the fact that she never let me be picky. If I didn't want to try something that was on my plate, that was just too bad. If I left the table without finishing something, it would end up on my plate at the next meal. Also, because of my mother's abilities, I was able to experience a wide variety of flavors during my young life, which did a lot in refining my palate.

This is going to sound totally cliche, but I have a lot of fond memories of sitting down to eat a home cooked meal with my family. In fact, if I think about some of my best childhood memories, most of them involve people gathering together to eat. Think about it. Thanksgiving dinner, Christmas dinner, Easter dinner, birthday dinners, lunch dates with your mom, dinner and a movie with your girlfriends...food!

I guess what I'm trying to say is food brings people together in a way that not many things can. And sure, I guess people can be brought together by a box of pizza. But to me, that's not all that special. As much as I enjoy the creativity and the skill it takes to execute a meal with flair and culinary perfection, where I find the most satisfaction is in the happiness I can bring to others with the food I make. Few things are as precious to me as the way a person's eyes will close as they savor a bite of something I've made. Then they smile, open their eyes, and with a twinkle in them, say to me, "Jana. This is amazing." When I spend six hours making you a birthday cake, what I'm really trying to say to you is, "Hey! I think you are so awesome that I didn't just want to buy you any old generic birthday cake. I wanted to put my heart and soul into it and make it something special. Because to me, you are worth those six hours and so much more. You are worth my time and effort."

To me, food is an expression of everything good in life- energy, passion, creativity, and love. I want to share those ideals with as many people as I can. If I can do that by posting recipes, and helping people feel the joy that I feel when I make something delicious and share it with others, why wouldn't I do that?

I want people to be able to have the same kinds of experiences with food that I was so blessed to have in my childhood. But so few people know how to cook. How are they supposed to find that joy that I found when each member of their family shuffles off to their corner of the house with a piece of frozen lasagna that says, "Our family isn't important enough for me to make time for family dinner." That's bogus. Other people say, "I just don't know how to cook." Also bogus. Learn. That's what I'm trying to do. I'm trying to teach people a skill that was central in making my childhood great. Something that has shaped who I am today. That's why I blog about food. Because food is about so much more than sustenance. It's about joy.

Molto bene!

As a culinary fanatic the question I get the most is "What is your favorite thing to cook?" I hate that question. I seriously cannot answer it. The sheer joy I find in cooking cannot, CANNOT be delegated to one item alone. So I usually tell people, "I can't pick a favorite. Wanna know my specialty though? It's Italian."

I have been so fortunate to have interned and worked in an Italian restaurant in Albuquerque. It's called Vivace (if you ever visit Albuquerque, check it out! It's great. Tell them Jana sent you). Because of my three years of experience there, I have grown to love Italian food and Italian food philosophy so much more. And I feel like I'm quite proficient in the cuisine as well!

Anyway, the point of this post. My lovely stake relief society sisters started up a monthly cooking class and I signed up to teach today's class. I love opportunities to share my passion with others. Especially because I feel like cooking is a dying art. So few families sit down to a home cooked meal anymore, and many people lack the skills in a kitchen that I always assumed were common knowledge. I feel so blessed to have grown up in a home with a mother who is a fabulous cook, and one who taught me a love of good food as a child. Anyway, I wanted to find something simple, delicious, and quick to teach these sisters. As college students, we don't have time to spend all day making dinner (unless you are me, in which case I MAKE time). So I decided to teach them a few simple pasta sauces, and one really simple pasta dish.

Alfredo Sauce

1 pint heavy cream

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter

1 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Black pepper

Chopped fresh flat leaf parsley

Heat heavy cream over medium-low heat. Add butter and whisk gently to melt. Sprinkle in cheese and stir to incorporate. Season with pepper. Toss gently with hot pasta. Garnish with fresh parsley.

*NOTE* If you would like a lower fat version of this recipe, here are some ideas. Instead of using heavy cream, you can use milk. However, you will have to find a way to thicken your sauce. You can accomplish this by mixing equal parts butter and flour in your saucepan before you add milk. Cook the butter and flour mixture (called a roux) for about 2 minutes so the flour taste cooks out. Add your milk and whisk the snot out of it. Then proceed with the recipe as above.

Quick Marinara Sauce

Most old world Italian sauce recipes that you find require at least a day to produce. The sauces require such long hours of simmering --that's why they have such phenomenal flavor! This recipe (courtesy of Cook's Illustrated) is the best way to get the flavor of hours of cooking in 30 minutes or less!

2 TBS unsalted butter *See note

1/2 an onion, grated *See note again!

1/4 tsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp salt

2 medium garlic cloves, minced

1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes

1/4 tsp sugar *see note once again! Sorry, I like notes!

2 TBS coarsely chopped basil leaves

1 TBS extra virgin olive oil

Heat butter in a saucepan over medium heat until melted. Add onion, oregano, and salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid is evaporated and onion is golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in tomatoes and sugar; increase heat to high and bring to a simmer. Lower heat to medium low and simmer until thickened slightly, about 10 minutes. Off heat, stir in basil and oil; season with salt and pepper. Serve over hot pasta.

*NOTES, Notes, Notes!* If you would rather substitute olive oil for butter, feel free. The reason this recipe calls for butter is because butter naturally caramelizes as it cooks which deepens the flavor of the sauce. For this reason, the recipe also calls for grated onion. When onions are grated, the surface area is increased, so they caramelize faster. I prefer to just finely mince my onions (I have terrible luck with box graters. I always end up with grated knuckles). About the sugar. Don't add it if you don't wanna! If you like your sauce with a little more sweetness, the sugar is there. If you like it more savory, leave it out.

Pesto alla Genovese

"Alla" means in the style of. This pesto hails from the region of Italy known as Genoa (hence pesto alla Genovese!) The olden day Italians came up with this sauce as a way to ensure that they could have the fresh flavor of basil year round.

2 cloves garlic, peeled

1/3 cup parmesan cheese

1/2 cup spinach

2 cups basil leaves, loosely packed

1/2 cup toasted pine nuts

Juice from 1/2 a lemon

Olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Add garlic, parmesan cheese and pine nuts to a food processor or blender and pulse until a paste forms. Add spinach and basil, pulse to combine. Add lemon juice. With the machine running, add a stream of oil until desired consistency is achieved. Add salt and pepper to taste. Toss with cooked pasta!

*NOTE* Please, use this recipe as a guideline. If you like more garlic, add more garlic. If you don't like cheese, don't use any. Play around with it. Don't be constrained by my recipe. Also, feel free to make substitutions! Try adding walnuts instead of pine nuts. Maybe make a pesto out of cilantro and parsley instead of basil and spinach. Make it your own creation. Experimenting is the best way to learn what flavors blend well together.

Special thanks to my roommates Melissa and Bekah who were my photographers and plated my pastas! You ladies rock!