My friend Susan came over to cook with me earlier this week.
I wasn't sure what to make, so I gave her a few choices--we could make chicken pot pie, beef stew or ratatouille.
She chose chicken pot pie.
As we were chatting before we got started, Susan asked if I had seen The Pioneer Woman's recipe for Frito Chili Pie--she was excited and said it looked like so much fun serving chili in small bags of Fritos.
When I asked if she'd like to make that instead, Susan answered with a resounding, "YES!"
Off we went to the market to pick up the ingredients.
We had so much fun together, I hope Susan and I can cook together on a regular basis.
Unfortunately, the CF card in my camera somehow became damaged and I lost all the photos I took while we were cooking, but luckily, I was able to retake this one shot!
We couldn't find the small bags of Fritos, so we served our chili with Fritos scoops and Tostitos Multi-grain Scoops.
My taste testers liked the Tostitos Multi-grain Scoops better.
Itadakimasu!
Recipe below.
***
You may have read about Susan when we went to the Santa Monica Farmer's Market or when we go to lunch with our friend Gail.
Susan brought me a gift--this book Fig Heaven by Marie Simmons.
I am overwhelmed by her generosity and thoughtfulness.
Thank you, Susan, you brought so much fun and laughter to my kitchen the other day--I value our friendship immensely.
We doubled the recipe to split between our two families.
This double recipe will serve 16.
Ingredients:
4 pounds ground chuck
1 pound chub hot Italian sausage
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 large sweet onion, chopped
4 celery ribs, finely chopped
1 beer
2 cans Ro-tel Original Diced Tomatoes & Chiles
2 cans (14 oz.) tomato sauce
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 tablespoons ground cumin
4 tablespoons chili powder
1 can (29 oz.) kidney beans, drained & rinsed
1 can (29 oz.) pinto beans, drained & rinsed
1/2 cup masa flour mixed with 1 cup water
Fritos or Tostitos Scoops
optional: shredded cheddar cheese and minced red onion
Brown ground chuck and Italian sausage in a large pot over medium-high heat. When the meat is cooked, drain all fat, then add garlic, onion and celery and cook until the vegetables are soft and wilted.
Add beer, canned tomatoes, tomato sauce, salt, oregano, cumin and chili powder. Bring to boil, then cover and simmer on low heat for 30 minutes.
Add drained and rinsed beans. Stir to combine, cover & simmer for another 20 minutes.
Turn the heat back up to high to add the masa flour and water--the chili should be boiling. Stir to combine thoroughly and turn the heat to simmer for 10 to 15 minutes more.
If you have the lunch-sized Frito bags, slit an opening in them on one side lengthwise, and scoop chili into the bags adding cheese and diced onion if desired. Serve immediately with plastic forks. A fun crowd-pleaser!
My neighbor has an awesome fig tree that he generously shares with us, some of you may have caught my blog post, Tree Ripened Figs!
My friend Laura came over last week talking all about fig jam, I received an email from another friend yesterday with a detailed description of her favorite fig pizza--and of course, The Pioneer Woman made Fig-Prosciutto Pizza with Arugula on her new Food Network show--so I had to make some too!
My husband loved this pizza.
He actually raved about it--saying it's healthy, light, tasty, filling and so delicious--then later in the evening, he ate a couple more pieces!
Thin crust pizza is my favorite, so for this pizza, I used lavash bread.
Perfect!
It was fun to make these pizzas.
I made 3, with different flavors in the 'sauce' next to the crust--fig jam, pesto, and cream cheese.
Try different combinations until you find your favorites.
Ingredients:
1 package lavash bread
1 package arugula
prosciutto
1 or 2 sweet onions, sliced and caramelized
thinly sliced mushrooms
cherry tomatoes, quartered
gruyere cheese
mozzarella cheese, shredded
olive oil
fig jam or preserves
pesto sauce
4 oz. cream cheese mixed with 2 tablespoons fig jam
fresh figs, peeled and sliced
The first thing I did was slice and start the onions to caramelize.
I simply put them in a pan over medium heat and cooked them until they were wilted and browned.
They're cooked about halfway in this picture, I got too excited about the pizza and forgot to take the onions' final shot.
My friend Laura made this jam.
It's really good, it's got a hint of balsamic vinegar in it.
For the first pizza, I cut the lavash in half, but I left the other ones whole, which makes the assembly much easier.
Put the lavash on a baking sheet.
Spread a thin layer of olive oil on the lavash, then spread a little bit of jam on top.
Sprinkle a pinch of salt to off-set the sweetness of the jam.
Then sprinkle a bit of mozzarella cheese on top and bake for 5 minutes at 400ºF, or until the cheese is melted and the lavash is crispy.
The next time I make this I am going to use about half the amount of jam--it was a little too sweet for me, but my husband liked it.
After it comes out of the oven spread prosciutto on top.
Then add sliced mushrooms, a generous handful or two of arugula, a sprinkling of the quartered cherry tomatoes and the sliced figs, then grate a little gruyere over the top.
The second one I made I spread with a thin layer of pesto sauce.
When it came out of the oven I added the prosciutto.
Then some mushrooms and onions.
Then the rest of the ingredients.
I think a sprinkling of chopped kalamata olives would be good.
I liked this combination.
But then I wondered if it would be good with cream cheese and fig jam, so I softened 4 ounces of cream cheese and added a dollop of fig jam.
And he loves to have his picture taken with Karen.
Bryan also loves the television show Smallville.
LOVES it!
When my cousin Bruce asked me if Bryan might like a Smallville poster, I sent Bruce Bryan's address, but Bruce sent the poster to me so I could watch Bryan's face as he opened it.
I videoed it so Bruce could see Bryan's face too.
Bryan is the best gift-getter I know.
A big thank you to Bruce Honda--how thoughtful of you to remember Bryan!
Put the sliced onions in a frying pan over medium heat to caramelize, stirring occasionally and lowering heat as necessary so they brown, not burn. Remove from heat when they are soft and brown.
With the lavash on a baking sheet, heat the oven to 400ºF. Spread a thin layer of fig jam, pesto sauce or a mixture of cream cheese and fig jam on the lavash. Top with mozzarella cheese and bake for about 5 to 7 minutes on the bottom oven rack--until lavash is crispy and cheese is melted.
Remove lavash from oven and top with prosciutto slices, sliced mushrooms, quartered cherry tomatoes, caramelized onions and generous handfuls of arugula. Add the fresh figs and sprinkle grated gruyere on top.
1-12 oz. can coconut milk--add a little water to make 2 cups
1 can (12 oz.) evaporated milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Process 1-1/2 cups sugar with 2 cups loosely packed mint leaves until evenly combined, scraping sides of bowl as necessary.
Add butter and process until creamed together.
Melt the chocolate in the microwave and add to the processor, pulse until evenly combined.
Add eggs, one at a time.
Transfer to a large bowl, add the rest of the ingredients and mix well.
Pour into greased and sugared (or floured) baking pans.
I used two smaller pans, but it will make one 9 x 13 inch pan.
Bake at 350ºF for one hour.
The center of the cake will fall a little as it cools.
I really like using 1/2 mochiko flour and 1/2 all-purpose flour.
It gives the mochi cake a little lighter chewiness.
It's still dense like mochi, but not as sticky.
Big thanks to Laura Miyake for coming over and giving me food styling tips and helping with photography!
Itadakimasu!
***
This is my husband Gary and our dog Dixie.
Whenever we take long drives--on vacations or traveling to craft shows, we've been listening to podcasts while he does all the driving, I sit and knit, and Dixie snoozes.
Gary likes cars, so I found Adam Carolla's CarCast--the first one we listened to was his interview with Jay Leno about his car collection--I actually enjoyed it.
I think it's funny how some guys love listening to the sound of a hot rod motor starting up, and smile big when they hear the sound of an engine revving.
Gary's a builder, so we also listened to Ace on the House, another podcast by Adam Carolla, who worked in construction for awhile.
That one was hit-or-miss, some of them were funny, but Gary could relate to the construction talk and said overall it was okay.
We've also been listening to NPR's Intelligence Squared podcast.
That's the one that's like a debate, there's a question asked and two people from both sides debate their responses--which we really like because both sides are represented.
I think the iPod is one of the greatest inventions--I can also put practically my whole music collection on it and play DJ while traveling--which makes for some interesting conversations and helps the driving time pass quickly.
If you're traveling with a dog, Kimpton Hotels are great--there are no extra fees which sometimes makes them about the same price as less-expensive hotels--and the rooms are super-nice!
***
Chocolate Mint Mochi Cake
Adapted from Favorite Island Cookery, Book III
Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter
4 eggs
1-1/2 cups sugar
2 cups loosely packed mint leaves
1/4 cup cocoa powder
6 oz. dark chocolate
2 cups mochiko
2 cups all purpose flour
1-12 oz. can coconut milk--add a little water to make 2 cups
1 can (12 oz.) evaporated milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Process 1-1/2 cups sugar with 2 cups loosely packed mint leaves until evenly combined, scraping sides as necessary. Add butter and pulse until creamed together.
Melt the 6 oz. dark chocolate in the microwave and add to the processor with cocoa powder, pulse until evenly combined. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing after each. Transfer to large bowl.
Some people might say this dish should be called fish stew.
I had always thought bouillabaisse was a peasant dish that fishing families made with the bounty of their catch and there were as many variations as there were families and types of fish.
I have learned that there are those out there that are a little fussy about what qualifies as bouillabaisse--especially since I am not using *gasp* white fish.
"When looking for a Bouillabaisse recipe in US, you’ll quickly learn that there is a Bouillabaisse police. If they could give out violation tickets for using the name of this holy soup in vain, they would. You used mussels in your broth – $50! You didn’t fly in the appropriate varieties of fish from the Mediterranean -- $100! ...Don’t even get me started on what makes authentic Bouillabaisse – I don’t care."
I don't have a set recipe, I don't know (or, like Helen, particularly care) what is authentic--I generally use whatever I feel like putting in it, or what is available.
In any and all ways, bouillabaisse is a favorite at our house.
At one time, it was our go-to dish for special occasions--and we had it with our extended family every Christmas day.
Now we have shabu-shabu for special occasions, and I'd forgotten how much I enjoy this dish.
I'll have to make it more often and be sure to invite my friends that love it--the more people you have, the bigger the pot and the more kinds of seafood you can have!
The key to making good bouillabaisse is to make it with seafood you like.
I don't care for mussels, so I don't add them--but I have friends that love them and say they are a must--so use what you like.
Traditionally, the fish used is a white fish, but my family loves salmon and I've been using salmon for the last few years with rave results.
Adapted from the Silver Palate Cookbook
Ingredients:
about 1/4 to 1/2 cup olive oil
1 large leek, rinsed thoroughly and chopped
1 1/2 cup chopped sweet onion
1 cup chopped carrot
1 cup chopped celery
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 cups sliced mushrooms
2 cups canned tomato puree
3 cups chopped fresh tomatoes
2 cups dry white wine
1 tablespoon fresh thyme or 2 teaspoons dried
2 bay leaves
4-6 cups water or stock
1 tablespoon brown sugar
salt and pepper to taste
3 to 6 tablespoons butter mixed with 1 tablespoon flour
1/2 cup chopped parsley
1 heaping teaspoon saffron threads
an assortment of fish such as:
cherrystone or manila clams, scrubbed
raw shrimp
crab
fish--sea bass, snapper, cod or salmon
scallops
lobster
Saute the chopped leek, onions, carrots, celery, mushrooms and garlic in olive oil until soft and lightly colored.
Add the canned tomato puree and fresh chopped tomatoes along with the wine, and bay leaves.
Then I zipped about a tablespoon of fresh thyme leaves off the stems and added them to the pot.
Simmer for about 30 minutes.
Then add the chopped parsley.
Season with salt and pepper.
Taste the broth.
I added a tablespoon of brown sugar and some water to balance the flavors.
Balance the flavors according to your tastes.
Turn heat to low or turn the heat off until just before you're ready to serve.
Scrub the outside of the clams with a vegetable brush.
This is a picture of Warren, me and Gordon fishing in the Sierras when we were little.
We must be attempting to show off a fish we've caught.
I'm sure we couldn't have been fighting.
If we were fighting, I would have been mad.
Warren's my buddy.
He's smart and has a lot of talents.
Warren is a mountain biker.
That's their dog, Lucy.
Warren's also what I'd call a Foodie.
He knows what's good and is always going out to restaurants to try different things.
Warren loves fishing.
For a while, he fished in the bass circuit.
He's good at trout fishing, too.
He knows where all the big fish are in Gull Lake and Crowley Lake in the Eastern Sierras.
He grew his hair out for several years.
But got it cut recently for his son's wedding.
He looked nice.
And 20 years younger with short hair.
He recently went deep sea fishing for three days and won the jackpot fish each day.
He's really good at fishing.
***
Adapted from the Silver Palate Cookbook
Ingredients:
about 1/4 to 1/2 cup olive oil
1 large leek, rinsed thoroughly and chopped
1 1/2 cup chopped sweet onion
1 cup chopped carrot
1 cup chopped celery
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 cups sliced mushrooms
2 cups canned tomato puree
3 cups chopped fresh tomatoes
2 cups dry white wine
1 tablespoon fresh thyme or 2 teaspoons dried
2 bay leaves
4-6 cups water or stock
1 tablespoon brown sugar
salt and pepper to taste
3 to 6 tablespoons butter mixed with 1 tablespoon flour
1/2 cup chopped parsley
1 heaping teaspoon saffron threads
an assortment of fish such as:
cherrystone or manila clams, scrubbed
raw shrimp, shells removed
crab, shells cracked & broken apart
fish--sea bass, snapper, cod or salmon--cleaned and cut bite-sized
scallops
lobster, cut into pieces
Prepare seafood and set aside.
Saute the vegetables and garlic in olive oil, stirring occasionally, until soft and lightly colored, about 30 minutes.
Add the tomato puree, fresh chopped tomatoes, wine, bay leaves, thyme and parsley. Simmer for about 20 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper and adjust seasonings, adding 1 tablespoon brown sugar and water if necessary.
Mix 3-6 tablespoons of softened butter (depending on how rich you like it) with 1 tablespoon flour into a smooth paste.
Whisk into simmering soup and add a heaping teaspoon of saffron threads.
Add the seafood and gently cook for about 5 minutes or until the clams have opened, the fish is firm and the shrimp is pink and curled. Do not overcook. Garnish with basil, parsley or chives.
Ladle into warm bowl and serve with a green salad, hot rice or bread.
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