Out With the Old...

Just a quick note on food safety...

This is a time of year when we use some spices we haven't used in a while. After all, not that many recipes call for ground anise, right? Plus, we're making hot chocolate and all sorts of pies with cinnamon, nutmeg and more. Yummy. Make sure your spices are fresh. If you haven't used a spice in a few months, chances are it's no longer at its' best. Plus, there is potential for great harm in using old spices, especially cardamom, fennel, anise, curry powder, and basically everything middle eastern in flavor. Why? Well, we can thank Aflatoxin, a toxin produced by mold that grows on things like these spices, corn food stuffs, nuts, dried fruits and more. The toxin can be deadly in high doses but Aflatoxosis is only common in third world countries. However, long-term exposure can lead to certain types of cancer. If you really want to learn about Aflatoxin, read this article from Cornell University: http://www.ansci.cornell.edu/plants/toxicagents/aflatoxin/aflatoxin.html

Most of the risk of exposure happens before it gets into our cabinets, but it's still a good idea to throw out old spices and opt for fresher ones. Happy Christmas baking everyone!

Soup Days

I am cooking too much these days to be writing about cooking - but here's the gist. Soup is good. It not only feeds the body, but it nourishes the soul as well. I mentioned the soup swap in my last post and have since finished off the soups my friends prepared. Here are the rave reviews:

• Jen's Chowder: rich and full of flavor. The kids loved it and so did the grown-ups!! Came in handy when mommy had strep throat - thanks!
• Jenni's Lentil Soup: Hearty and sustaining. Added some hot sauce and ate it with bread slathered in butter - very good!!
• Kara's Tomato Soup: Loved the garlic. Baxter proclaimed it to be the best he had ever had. Also came in handy when we had nothing else to eat!
• Jennifer's Vegetable Soup: Some of the best I've ever tried and I cannot copy it - although I have tried twice since.

I love my freezer and I love my friends!!

Today is another soup day but I had none left so I had to make my own. I made a beef-vegetable soup and a fresh cake of cornbread. I love it when my kids hum while they eat - it means they're very happy.

Food For the Soul

I recently took part in a soup-swap with my girls from my bible study. It was such a great idea. you basically make your favorite recipe in proportions enough for each family to eat for dinner and everyone else does the same. So, I took a tub of Coconut Chicken Corn Chowder for each of my 4 girl friends and kept one for myself. That night, I came home with four different soups to try! My freezer is going to come in handy during soccer season! We already ate one dinner - Jennifer's vegetable soup. I have had a lot of vetegable soups before and I always enjoy it to a degree but this was hands down the BEST vegetable soup I have ever had in my entire life. I do not give out complements where they are undeserved - I am not one to flatter - this was so entirely good that I could have eated bowl-full after bowl-full until I threw up. It was full of black eyed peas, okra, tomatoes and plenty of other veggie goodness. But it was the flavor that had me. Baxter couldn't get over it either. The flavor was unbelievable. It was so nicely melded, not one flavor overpowered another. Perfect soup. I can't wait to try all of my others but I am going to make myself wait until I have no other dinner options. Otherwise, I will eat them all in one rainy day!

I am looking forward to walking up to the Smyrna Farmer's Market tomorrow for the first time. I hope to come back beaming with arms loaded down with goodies.

Been THAT Long??

Wow. I'm still alive - I promise! I have been in the midst of a very busy summer and an even busier fall looms ahead. What happened to the cooking blog? I have totally but it on the back-burner and am a little disappointed in myself. I considered trashing it; but now I'm thinking that it was just a slump. In fact, last week, the slump was really revealed to me in an unexpected way.



Last Tuesday, I hosted my bible study here in our home. It was the first time I have entertained for anyone besides our next door neighbors and it was really fun! I was a little unsure about how the set-up would be. I worried that there wasn't enough room here for 4 other adults to eat and talk comfortably. In the end, things worked out just perfectly and I was very pleased.



How much do I need to entertain? Well, apparently, I need it a lot! For a couple of months, I have been the reluctant cook. I have felt a little bit like a Waffle House short-order cook lately and not very happy with my job. I had lost a bit of my spunk. Then came the day for me to cook for my friends. I had to plan, I had to clean and I had to think about presentation, beverages, and everything else that goes along with it. With the exception of music, I really planned everything well. I made lots of make ahead dishes that simply needed plating or heating right before arrival so things were easy for me. I also opted to eat in the living room and spare everyone the awkwardness of serving in our tiny kitchen. We had tapas and conversation and it was really everything I had hoped for. I had such a nice time hosting and cooking for my friends that it has completely reawakened my culinary sense of adventure. I had no idea how much entertaining had meant to me until this. So, I'm back on my food blog. Here is my menu from Tuesday, and I promise to do better with posts in the *near* future!

• Bruschetta
• Curry Chicken Salad
• Hummus (2 kinds)
• Panchetta Wrapped Broiled Asparagus
• Cut Veggies, Pita Chips, Bagel Chips
• Coconut Cream Pie
• Raspberry Lemonade, Diet Green Tea, Agua

I was pleased with the menu I chose, especially the bruschetta and coconut cream pie. I used Mrs. Rombauer's recipe for the pie (aka, The Joy of Cooking) and used a store bought crust. Sometimes those are just better than what I can make. Bruschetta is one of my favorite things and the recipe is my own, adapted from the menu at East-West Bistro in Athens, GA circa 1999. Enjoy the last of summer's bounty of tomatoes and home grown basil if you have it.

Bruschetta

Begin by dicing 2-3 ripe on-the-vine tomatoes and 1 small onion, place in bowl with 2-3 cloves fresh minced garlic, 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar and salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate until ready to use.

For the croustades, begin by preheating oven to 450 degrees. I use 1 baguette, sliced about 1/2 to 3/4" thick. Brush both sides of each piece with extra virgin olive oil and place side-by-side on a sheet pan. Bake about 5-10 minutes and turn to brown on 2nd side. Bake another 5-10 minutes, remove from oven and set aside to cool.

Wash and dry one large piece of basil for each croustade. If your basil isn't large enough to cover the entire surface of the bread, use more. Once the crustades have cooled to room temperature or only slightly warm, they are ready to assemble.

Place a large basil leaf on each croustade. Next, spoon your tomato mixture on each piece. Then, crumble a good-quality brand feta cheese over the top of this. Serve with lemon wedges and fresh cracked black pepper.

To Veggies, With Love

Summer is upon us and vegetables are coming in from all over. I know I'll be taking advantage of fresh seasonal offerings. I want to post a few recipes from my coffers that are among my best. Some veggies are quite versatile and one can prepare them in a plethora of ways. There are others that offer more of a challenge. I have one recipe for brussel sprouts - it's excellent and I never diverge from it. So, here is my recipe for brussel sprouts. If you're not a fan, I beg you to try them this way just once and see if it changes your mind.

BROWNED BRUSSEL SPROUTS

16-20 brussel sprouts, washed, dried and halved lengthwise

2 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon olive oil, maybe more

2 cloves garlic, peeled

melt the butter in a medium iron skillet over medium-low heat. add your garlic and slowly brown (careful not to burn it). remove garlic and reserve. place brussel sprouts cut side down in pan and cook slowly until golden-brown. remove from pan. chop toasted garlic, sprinkle over the top and serve immediately.

Sugar Alternatives

Having Type 1 Diabetes can be tricky. High blood sugar can cause symptoms like these in the short term and much more serious complications for me long-term. I do what I can to keep my blood sugar at a happy number. Sometimes, this means saying no to dessert. Sometimes, this means taking a HUGE shot or bolus before I indulge. Sometimes, I look for other ways to satisfy my sweet tooth. Even if you aren't watching your blood sugars like a hawk, sugar intake is important to consider. If you aspire to live a healthy lifestyle but also like to bake, sugar can really pose a problem for you. I do not advocate using man-made sugar substitutes, especially when you are baking for your kids. However, there are several natural sugar alternatives you can try in your recipes.

Barley Malt and Brown Rice Syrup are both excellent, natural substitutes. Use 1 to 1 1/2 cups per cup of sugar and reduce your liquids by 1/4 cup. If there are no liquids in your particular recipe, you may add 3/5 tablespoons of flour for each 3/4 cup of the sweetener.)

Other alternatives you may want to try:

-Pureed Dates - simply chop and blend with hot water to puree
-Overripe Bananas, mashed
-Fruit Juice Concentrates
- Stevia

These last few may require experimentation. Stevia is especially potent so handle with care!

Some Like It Hot

Well, my fickle self is already sitting slumped over and panting after a few days of 80 degree weather. I do like it warm - but I need to change a few habits - and quickly! We do not have central HVAC here in the new digs. One window unit and ceiling fans are all that stands between us and the sizzling Georgia heat. As much as I romanticized living without air conditioning in the book Eat Pray Love, it will take some getting used to. Problem one: I love to cook. I now have a gas range. I'm loving the instant heat on the cook top but BOY does it get hot in there! So that part about "Kissin'''' don't last, cookin' do?" Well, if we don't get another A/C unit, we may all go on a raw foods diet this summer! So much for cookin' around here (and kissin' too, if you get my drift). The other day, I decided to boil peanuts and bake banana muffins. After emerging from my sauna, I needed a cold glass of wine and a pool to plunge in. I don't think I'll be boiling peanuts all day again any time soon. Looks like my kitchen may need to move outside a good bit too. I guess Baxter will be the grill master and I the lovely lass, sipping on the porch. Well, the peanuts are good so I guess I'll share my method:

Hot Boiled Peanuts

1 pound green (raw) peanuts

1/4 cup kosher salt

2 tablespoons Old Bay Seasoning

8 cups water

Place all ingredients in a large pot on the stove and bring it to a boil. Cover and simmer for about 8 hours! It's a cheap and authentic southern offering for your guests to enjoy at cookouts, dinner parties or as a snack any time.