Tear jerker

I'm hooked on the show" Heat Seekers" which features two chefs, Aaron Sanchez and Roger Mooking who are on a quest for hot food. They comb every city, going into restaurants and dives that serve the fieriest dishes. It's good reality TV when the chefs unintentionally cry, gasp, sweat, and blow their noses. Their fake bravado and steady repartee makes the show quite comical as they blink back tears and valiantly compete for the limelight. The loser is the butt of well meaning ridicule, but ridicule non the less. It makes for interesting entertainment but the down side is that the more I watch the hungrier I get.

Those of you that read my blogs must know that I am a heat seeker myself and drool at the mere whiff of hot food. What happens after each episopde is pretty predictable. Out come the chilies and the food processor and a flaming hot concoction is created.

This particular hot sauce happened late one night much to the horror of my family. It was an inspiring moment for me and I went for it full throttle. Hopefully you will appreciate it as much as I do.

Recipe for Hot Sauce:

10 Habanero peppers

5 finger hot red chili peppers

3 ancho chili peppers, re-hydrated

6 green chilies

1 tbsp chili powder

1 tbsp paprika

6 cloves garlic

3 tbsp white vinegar

salt to tast

4 tbsp oil

1. Heat oil in a pan.

2. Blend all ingredients in the blender and saute in the pan briefly till the oil separates.

3. Cool in the pan and fill into a sterilized jar. Eat by the spoonful or refrigerate.

Disclaimer: Do not try this at home if you can't take the heat!

Let them eat pie...

Nothing beats a good old fashioned mince pie any time of the year. So Christmas is over you may say; I can't deny that but I felt like baking mince pies and so I did. When did I ever do as I was told? And why are we so intent on following unnecessary rules made centuries ago? There is something to be said about food traditions like turkey at Thanksgiving and mince pies at Christmas but who says we can't bend the rules? I say eat what you want- when you want. Besides, I did have a lot of home-made mincemeat left over from the holidays.

A mince pie is a fruit filled pie originating in England eons ago and to this day eaten at Christmas time. It is filled with dried fruit, nuts, distilled spirits and spices that are mixed and left to marinade together. A mature mincemeat is infused with spice and alcohol and literally melts in the mouth.

I ate my first mince pie in my uncles house in Nottingham, England some thirty years ago and recall sneaking into the kitchen at night when everyone else was sleeping. I've loved them since and now my children love them and do the sneaking around...

Recipe for Mince Pies:

Mincemeat- store bought or home-made

350 gms All Purpose Flour

a pinch of salt

2 tbsp icing sugar

2 eggs

220 gms unsalted butter

Combine all the dry ingredients and mix in the fat till it resembles breadcrumbs. Mix in the eggs with a pastry mixer or a metal spatula just until it comes together into a ball. Wrap and chill. Roll out onto a floured cutting board and cut out circles . Cut larger ones to make the cases and smaller ones for the lids. Spray a muffin tray with cooking spray and lay the cases neatly. Fill in the cases and place lids on top , squeezing them down gently. Cut a slit on top of each and bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes. Serve hot or cold.

For home-made mincemeat combine: peeled diced green apples, raisins, currants, sultanas, mixed candied peel, juice and rind of oranges and lemons, ground cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg, suet, dark brown sugar and brandy.

Note : Most recipes call for suet, which is animal fat. I substitute that with a small blob of butter in the center of each pie filling before I put the lids on.

Salad Ballad

Salads are every girl's best friend, or at least the best thing that can happen to your waistline, but a salad without any kind of protein can unleash the munchies big time. It brings on endless snacking and actually has the reverse effect of what we have in mind. Let's not kid ourselves; most of us love to eat and that's why I'm writing (obsessing) about it and you are still reading. Glad we got that out of the way.

Anyway, in order for a salad to have the desired effect of keeping us in our skinny jeans, there are a few things to keep in mind:

(a) Keep the dressing low fat

(b) Add in protein, preferably nuts, beans, fish, eggs or chicken

(c) Add in as many veggies as possible

(d) Change up the vegetables often

(e) Add in fruit or dried fruit

(f) Keep the portions large ( filling)

(g) No croutons, bacon, cheese or rustic bread to mop up the dressing and last but not least

(h) Eat slowly. Where's the fire?

Recipe for Grilled Shrimp and Mango Salad:

4-6 large grilled shrimp per serving

1 ripe mango sliced thinly

Mixed bag of lettuce

Cherry tomatoes halved

Minced onion

Black beans cooked

Shredded carrot

Corn kernels

Dressing:

Flavored vinegar ( raspberry/ tarragon or whatever's in the kitchen)

lemon juice

Dijon mustard

salt to taste

crushed black pepper

Combine the dressing, Toss in the greens and arrange on a plate. Enjoy!

Philly Cheesesteak

I live about a half hour away from Philadelphia, home of the Cheesesteak and thought it only fitting that I pay tribute to a sandwich greatly enjoyed up and down the East coast. Known as a Cheesesteak to locals, this sandwich consists mostly of thinly sliced rib-eye roast, sauteed onions and melted provolone. I like to add in peppers for color and texture since it is not the most visually stimulating sandwich and tends to taste better than it looks. Trips into Philly are usually rewarded with these sandwiches, and the only time I make them at home is with left over steak which tends to become chewy the following day. There are variations of the original cheesesteak with the addition of sauteed mushrooms, sweet peppers, mayo, hot sauce or ketchup and the choice of bread is usually a type of crusty Italian roll. I use hoagie rolls, baguette or whatever I have lying around. It still tastes pretty good...

Recipe for Cheesesteak:

4 hoagie rolls

1 lbs sliced rib eye

sauteed onion

grated provolone cheese

condiments of choice

1. Fill the rolls with all the toppings and stick under the broiler till the cheese is melted. Add on the condiments and enjoy!!

Something's Fishy!

There was a time when the mere mention of the words "Fish taco" made me grimace in distaste; they made me think of fishy smells and unpleasant texture, but that was before I tasted one. Now I'm a convert and will eat a fish taco anytime if it's made well. There's nothing fishy about it and the texture is a combination of flavorful fish and crunchy slaw topped with salsa and guacamole. Even my kids enjoyed it and we were back buying fresh fish the following week. That in itself is a giant step in a household that eats fish only when it involves vast amounts of batter and grease. After eating our way through the holidays, I had to move up a size ( very depressing) so it's only fitting that I work on moving back down. A fish taco is relatively healthy and one ends up eating

a variety of vegetables in the guise of toppings, so it's really a win win situation...

Recipe for Fish Taco:

2-3 large fillets of flaky white fish

1 tablespoon chili paste ( Ancho / chipotle or any other)

2 chopped green chilies

salt to taste

handful chopped cilantro

1 tablespoon lime juice

Marinate the fish in all the ingredients for a few hours and cook quickly on a grill.

Prepare the other components while the fish is marinating:

Flour or whole wheat Tortillas

Salsa

2 avocados, mashed with lime juice and salt to taste

Cole slaw: Shredded cabbage ( red and green) shredded carrots, red onion, cilantro and chillies dressed with lime juice, salt and a little sugar.

Assemble by filling the tortillas with the fish and adding on toppings as desired.

Oh bring us the figgy pudding...

Every time I hear those words, it's music to my ears. That sticky, fruity, boozy, moist pudding is my favorite part of the Christmas dinner. I don't necessarily use figs, but there's usually enough fruit in there to make up for it. I believe it keeps well and it should considering the copious amount of alcohol that goes into it! Stored the proper way, it should be fine for a few months- wrapped in parchment paper and kept in a cool dry place. I can't say that mine lasts very long (I tend to sneak it a lot). A few years ago I found the BBC Good Food magazine's Christmas pudding recipe and it works like a charm. My pudding is a little lighter in color only because I used lager instead of dark ale. I also used margarine instead of suet, which is not readily available. The list of ingredients seems long and scary but if you are in a hurry just use the packaged fruit for a Christmas cake along with the raisins, currants and almonds. It is a relatively easy recipe - the most tricky part being the steaming of the puddings. They are easily scorched, so keep the water in the pot replenished and on a simmer.

Recipe for Christmas Pudding:

4 oz almonds blanched and chopped

4 oz AP flour

2 tsp allspice

1/2 tsp ginger powder

1/2 tsp nutmeg

6 oz suet ( I use margarine)

4 oz dark brown sugar

4 oz fresh breadcrumbs

4oz glace cherries

2 oz candied peel

4oz dried apricots or figs

8oz cooking apples diced

8 oz currants

10 oz raisins

12 oz sultanas

grated rind of a lemon and an orange

3 eggs beaten

8 fl oz brown ale

2 tbsp brandy or rum

1. Sift the flour and spices into a bowl. Beat in the margarine, sugar and breadcrumbs.

2. Combine the fruit and nuts, mix well and add it in. Add in the eggs, brandy/rum and ale.

3. Take two pudding basins (2 pints each) and grease well. Place a parchment paper in each and make pleats as needed so that it fits snugly. Pour in the pudding and cover tightly with the parchment. Tie it you feel it is necessary so that it stays snug.

4. Place each in a larger pot with a tight lid, half filled with boiling water which you turn down to a simmer. Cover and cook for 3 hours. This can be done in an oven too ( in my opinion) and may be a better option to keep it from burning. Keep an eye on the water in the pots - they run out suddenly and then the pudding is scorched.

Microwave with a lid if you like it warm with a touch of custard or whipped cream. Merry Christmas!

'tis the season!

Holidays are notorious for baking and " tasting" and there is much licking of the spoons at every stage. Smoky almond bark, pecan fudge, lemon cookies, toffee cappuccino bars and pistachio cranberry biscotti are churned out, packaged and delivered with precision. Meanwhile I taste and re-taste. I'm never sure if everything tastes the way it should. There's so much going on in the kitchen that it all grows fuzzy until it's one big blur and I fall on the couch exhausted. I always feel a sense of dissatisfaction - it could have been softer, harder, sweeter, nuttier, crisper etc. The kids taste and re-taste and reassure me but I am inconsolable. It happens every year and it still takes me by surprise. My Type A kicks in and has a grip even while I fasten a bow on the last box that says thank you. Teachers, manicurists, hair stylists and even the mail man gets one. I am filled with relief when it's all done and quickly forget until the next Christmas comes around....

Recipe for Pecan Fudge:

2/3 cup evaporated milk

2 T butter

1 1/2 cup sugar

2 cups marshmallows

1 1/2 cups chocolate chips

1/2 cup pecans or walnuts chopped

1. Combine the evaporated milk, butter and sugar in a pan and bring to a full boil. Remove from the heat and add in the marshmallows, chocolate chips, whisking till it is incorporated.

2. Line a tin with parchment paper and pour in the fudge. Sprinkle with the nuts and chill for about 2 hours. Cut into squares and store in an airtight container.