Chicken Salad Recipe
December 17th, 2008
Being someone that cooks for a small household (there are only 2 of us), I know how uninspiring leftovers can be. Not to mention, I can’t stand the thought of eating the same thing two meals in a row. Okay, I’ll admit there are exceptions to that rule, but very few.
Having been raised by a frugal mother, I have always been very resourceful with what I have at hand. And in this economy I find myself even more conscious of using each and every ingredient to the fullest and not wasting anything. Continue Reading »
Homemade Applesauce and Apple Upside-Down Pancake
December 5th, 2008
The changing of the leaves that signify the start of fall remind me of Saturdays spent touring the apple orchards in Southwestern Wisconsin as a child. On a recent trip back home to Wisconsin, I had the opportunity to experience the fall foliage that I have longed for for the last 4 years since moving to Southern California. During that trip, my sister, mother and I made a stop at a local orchard on the way to my grandparents’ home to do some fall baking. When it was all said and done we had 6 apple pies, a pan of apple crisp and a pot of applesauce. Continue Reading »
Acorn Squash Soup with Apples and Roquefort
November 25th, 2008
Two of my favorite fall dishes are butternut squash soup and roasted acorn squash. So, naturally one of the first recipes that stuck out to me in the Google Cookbook was this acorn squash soup recipe.
For some reason, there seems to be this misconception that soups are difficult to make. This, however, is a very simple soup dish that any novice cook can easily execute. It starts with roasting the squash and apples, sautéing the aromatics and combining the ingredients for a quick stew with broth and wine.
Artichoke Orzo Salad
November 8th, 2008
As a last hurrah before the summers end, we gathered our good friends for a weekend camping trip to Cuyamaca Rancho State Park. As all of you loyal readers of Wasabi Bratwurst will know, we take camping very seriously and typically start preparing our food a couple days in advance. There are a few signature dishes that are regularly in rotation, like; caramelized onions, for the honey ham and blue bagel sandwich, also great as an accompaniment to cheese and wine. Larb, a Thai lettuce wrap that can be eaten warm or cold, best after a couple of drinks :) We also love the one-pot dishes like, Japanese curry or a recent favorite, the Guinness stew - always enough for everyone! Taking the time to prepare food ahead of time simplifies our camping life and gives us more time to enjoy nature and, of course, party. Plus, we get to indulge in one our greatest pleasures, turning our friends on to some of our favorite dishes.
The Beauty of Homemade Mayonnaise
September 27th, 2008
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The past few weeks have been very warm in the San Diego area; not the typical dry, warm weather but much more humid. The morning glories are still blooming and the garden is still full of tomatoes, peppers, chilies, and all kinds of herbs are growing abundant. Although the sun is starting to set earlier and evenings are getting chillier, it appears that San Diego is not ready to give up the summer yet.
A recent conversation with my running coach made me think about mayonnaise, one of the greatest all-purpose sauces. Most Americans use it for one of two purposes; either to dress a sandwich or lubricate a macaroni salad. I know many who are disgusted (including my running coach) by even the mention of the condiment when having a conversation about food. When did mayonnaise get such a bad rap? Is it the crazed non-fat diet movement? Or could it be that the tasteless, mass-produced ‘mayonnaise’ available from your local mega-market hardly contains a single mayonnaise ingredient?
Beef Tongue
September 6th, 2008
It’s part of my belief that when eating meat, the whole animal should be respected and valued in its entirety. Something that many Americans neglect these days. In the old days when humans lived among the animals that they raised, a meat animal would be valued as a whole, unique parts such as tongue, head, cheek, brains, heart, liver, tail, and etc. would be enjoyed not just because waste was not acceptable, but also because they are simply delicious.
Must-Have Books for Food Lovers
August 31st, 2008
With the end of summer upon us, it seems as though there are still a hundred and one things to do. For us the last couple weeks of the summer have been filled with summer concerts (saw both Radiohead and DEVO this week), reconnecting with old friends over wine in Temecula, a momentous 10 year class reunion and one last beach barbecue. Although I have to admit, for those of us in San Diego, September marks the start of “our” summer. As the tourist head home and the kids go back to school our coastline becomes clear, both of vacationer freeway traffic and sunbathers. In the kitchen we have been inspired by a couple of recent cookbook purchases.
Mighty Leaf Tea to the Rescue
August 20th, 2008
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I wouldn’t call myself a tea snob, but sometimes you need a morning or afternoon pick-me-up that isn’t a calorie packed latte that’s going to leave you bouncing off the walls late at night. A cup of high quality tea will most definitely do the trick, especially if you’ve come down with a cold like I have this past week. I usually reach for a designer tea blend of an estate Darjeeling, jasmine pearls or an African Rooibos blend for a real treat at my local tea house.
The store brand tea bags just don’t cut it, especially because their flimsy pouches are usually low on flavor and selection. I recently met Annelies Zijderveld, marketing manager of Mighty Leaf Tea Company, through Twitter (www.twitter.com/mightyleaf) and she let me know about their diverse selection of teas that will satisfy even the pickiest tea aficionado.
Food Fight - A Stop Motion Photography
August 10th, 2008
Today, I wanted to share a fabulous stop motion animated short film called Food Fight. Director Stefan Nadelman gives an abridged history of modern warfare; from World War II to present day, as he tells the stories through the native foods of the countries that are in conflict against each other.
Can you guess the food that represents each country? Continue Reading »
Basil Parsley Pesto
July 31st, 2008
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Basil has been a culinary herb in Europe and Central Asia since before the written word. It’s easy to grow here in San Diego as basil thrives in hot sunny weather. The smell of basil gets me very excited as it is yet another reminder of summer. And as my basil plants begin to take over the patio I know its time to make pesto. Since my parsley plant was doing much of the same I decided to toss that in as well. Besides, parsley gives the pesto a much more vibrant color; but be careful, if you add too much it can turn bitter.
