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lambpain82-blog · 6 years ago

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Lamb Meatballs with Pomegranate Glaze

Thu Aug 23, 2018

It's becoming harder and harder for me to restrain my ambitions at my Meatwaves. When I look back to my earlier days, I would pick three, maybe four, recipes to try out, resulting in manageable menus. I think it was when I decided to scale back my barbecues from every other week to once a month, that I changed and felt the need to cook all my ideas all the time, which has translated to me developing six to eight recipes each time, requiring a lot more work in both prep and cooking. I often feel rushed and totally consumed with grilling on Meatwave days, leaving less time for hanging out with my friends—a critical part of why I throw these cookouts in the first place. So when creating a menu for a meatball themed Meatwave last year, I actually came up with a ton of recipe ideas, and it took a lot of discipline to only choose four and stick to them so I could have a good balance in my day. That left me with a number of additional recipe ideas for me to fit into future menus, and I finally got to one of those recently...these lamb meatballs with a pomegranate glaze.

It was a Middle Eastern-themed menu that ended up bringing these meatballs to life. That's because the seasoning I was envisioning was comprised of mostly ingredients being used in other recipes in the line-up for the day. I wouldn't say the seasoning mixture was wholly Middle Eastern influenced though. It was actually what I thought would pair best with the very flavorful lamb and compliment the sweet pomegranate finishing glaze—it ended up being a combination of parsley, garlic, mint, cumin, orange zest, black pepper, red pepper, and salt plus breadcrumbs for a lighter texture and better bonding.

Before committing to rolling out all of the meat into balls, I test cooked a little patty to ensure the seasoning was good. I always recommend this step for any sausage or formed meat mixture because it's the best way to be certain what you'll be serving your guests tastes as good as possible. I'd like to think you can make my recipes without taste testing and they'll turn out great, but taste is subjective, so my idea of what is the right amount of salt, pepper, herbs, etc. may not fit yours and this step gives you more control to really make the recipe the best it can be for you.

Once I confirmed the lamb mixture was seasoned to my liking, I rolled out the meat into balls approximately one and half inches in diameter. I did this the day before serving to help me be a little less stressed at the actual Meatwave, where, at this particular event, I didn't restrain myself and made seven new recipes.

The pomegranate glaze presented a bit of a quandary for me. I knew I wanted to use a sweet and thick pomegranate sauce, and that is actually pretty easy to procure at a reasonable price at my local Middle Eastern market in the form of pomegranate molasses. On the other hand, I could opt to make my own glaze, which would require more time and investment by starting pomegranate juice that would need to reduced. At the end of the day, my DIY spirit won out and I made my own glaze, but I honestly think you'll be just as well served with pomegranate molasses if you prefer to lessen the load of this recipe.

Even though I decided to make my own glaze, I kept the ingredient list minimal. To the pomegranate juice, I only added light brown sugar, some fresh orange juice, and a little balsamic vinegar, which I let all simmer down together until it was thick and syrupy. Once done, the two cups of pomegranate juice I started with was reduced to about 3/4 cup of glaze.

The next step was grilling, which I did over a two-zone fire where I had situated the coals all on one side of the charcoal grate. This let me quickly get some good browning on the meatballs all over first by placing them directly over the hot fire and turning them regularly.

I was then able to move the meatballs to the cool side of the grill, brush with the glaze, and let them continue to cook more gently until the glaze had baked down and the center of the meat registered around 155°F—a temperature at which there was very little pinkness left, but the meat was still very juicy.

I served this in an appetizer manner, placing toothpicks in each individual meatball so my guests could easily grab and eat. I'm always a bit nervous when choosing to do a lamb dish because its slightly gamey flavor can be polarizing. Luckily on this day, I had some true lamb lovers that dug right in, and almost all the rest of my guests followed suit. Even those not totally sold on lamb were able to appreciate these meatballs which had a fresh and earthy seasoning that complimented the strong flavor of the meat along with the crowd-pleasing sweet and fruity glaze. I think that sweetness, in conjunction with the small sampling portion, is what really made these even more palatable to those folks who were a little timid when they heard that the meatballs were lamb, definitely helping the entire dish disappear in no time. These represented another success in a long line-up of meatball recipe ideas I'll likely be working my way through for years to come.

Lamb Meatballs with Pomegranate Glaze

A fresh and earthy seasoning along with a sweet pomegranate glaze pair great with the flavorful lamb to make one tasty meatball appetizer.

Prep Time:

30 Minutes

Cook Time:

10 Minutes

Total Time:

40 Minutes

Yield:

6-8 Servings

Ingredients

For the Glaze

2 cups pure pomegranate juice

1/4 cup light brown sugar

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

For the Meatballs

2 pounds ground lamb

3/4 cup fresh breadcrumbs

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley

1 tablespoon finely minced fresh garlic (about 3 medium cloves)

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh mint

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon orange zest

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

3/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Procedure

To make the glaze: Whisk together pomegranate juice, brown sugar, orange juice, and vinegar in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, reduce to a simmer, and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened to a syrupy consistency, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

To make the meatballs: Place ground lamb, bread crumbs, parsley, garlic, mint, salt, cumin, orange zest, black pepper, and red pepper flakes in a large bowl. Using your hands, mix together until thoroughly combined. Roll out meat mixture into balls 1 1/2 inches in diameter.

Light one chimney full of charcoal. When all the charcoal is lit and covered with gray ash, pour out and arrange the coals on one side of the charcoal grate. Set cooking grate in place, cover grill and allow to preheat for 5 minutes. Clean and oil the grilling grate. Place meatballs on hot side of grill and cook, turning occasionally, until well browned all over. Move meatballs to cool side of grill, brush all over with glaze, cover, and continue to cook until center of meatballs register 155°F on an instant read thermometer. Transfer meatballs to a serving platter and let rest for up to 5 minutes. Serve immediately.

Source: http://www.meatwave.com/blog/grilled-spiced-lamb-meatballs-with-pomegranate-glaze-recipe

#read more #see more #check it out #interesting #learn more

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lambpain82-blog · 6 years ago

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Three applications of Euler’s theorem

Fermat’s little theorem says that if p is a prime and a is not a multiple of p, then

ap-1 = 1 (mod p).

Euler’s generalization of Fermat’s little theorem says that if a is relatively prime to m, then

aφ(m) = 1 (mod m)

where φ(m) is Euler’s so-called totient function. This function counts the number of positive integers less than m and relatively prime to m. For a prime number p, φ(p) = p-1, and to Euler’s theorem generalizes Fermat’s theorem.

Euler’s totient function is multiplicative, that is, if a and b are relatively prime, then φ(ab) = φ(a) φ(b). We will need this fact below.

This post looks at three applications of Fermat’s little theorem and Euler’s generalization:

Primality testing

Party tricks

RSA public key encryption

Primality testing

The contrapositive of Fermat’s little theorem is useful in primality testing: if the congruence

ap-1 = 1 (mod p)

does not hold, then either p is not prime or a is a multiple of p. In practice, a is much smaller than p, and so one can conclude that p is not prime.

Technically this is a test for non-primality: it can only prove that a number is not prime. For example, if 2p-1 is not congruent to 1 (mod p) then we know p is not a prime. But if 2p-1is congruent to 1 (mod p) then all we know is that we haven’t failed the test; it’s still conceivable that p is prime. So we try another value of a, say 3, and see whether 3p-1 is congruent to 1 (mod p).

If we haven’t disproved that p is prime after several attempts, we have reason to believe p is probably prime.[1]. There are pseudoprimes, a.k.a. Carmichael numbers that are not prime but pass the primality test above for all values of a. But these numbers are much less common than primes.

By the way, if p is a huge number, say with hundreds or thousands of digits, doesn’t it seem odd that we would want to compute numbers to the power p? Actually computing ap would be impossible. But because we’re computing mod p, this is actually easy. We can apply the fast exponentiation algorithm and take remainders by p at every step, so we’re never working with numbers more than twice as long as p.

Fifth root party trick

A few days ago I wrote about the fifth root party trick. If someone raises a two-digit number to the fifth power, you can quickly tell what the number was. Part of what makes the trick work is that in base 10, any number n and its fifth power end in the same digit. You can prove this by trying all 10 possible last digits, but if you want to generalize the trick to other bases, it helps to use Euler’s theorem. For example, you could use 9th powers in base 15.

Euler’s theorem shows why raising a to the power φ(m) + 1 in base m keeps the last digit the same, but only if a is relatively prime to m. To extend the fifth root trick to other bases you’ll have a little more work to do.

RSA encryption

The original [2] RSA public key cryptography algorithm was a clever use of Euler’s theorem.

Search for two enormous prime numbers p and q [3]. Keep p and q private, but make n = pq public. Pick a private key d and solve for a public key e such that de = 1 (mod φ(n)).

Since you know p and q, you can compute φ(n) = (p – 1)(q – 1), and so you can compute the public key e. But someone who doesn’t know p and q, but only their product n, will have a hard time solving for d from knowing e. Or at least that’s the hope! Being able to factor n is sufficient to break the encryption scheme, but it’s not logically necessary. Maybe recovering private keys is much easier than factoring, though that doesn’t seem to be the case.

So where does Euler come in? Someone who has your public key e and wants to send you a message m computes

me (mod n)

and sends you the result [4]. Now, because you know d, you can take the encrypted message me and compute

(me)d = mφ(n) = 1 (mod n)

by Euler’s theorem.

This is the basic idea of RSA encryption, but there are many practical details to implement the RSA algorithm well. For example, you don’t want p and q to be primes that make pq easier than usual to factor, so you want to use safe primes.

[1] Saying that a number is “probably prime” makes sense the first time you see it. But then after a while it might bother you. This post examines and resolves the difficulties in saying that a number is “probably prime.”

[2] The original RSA paper used Euler’s totient function φ(n) = (p – 1)(q – 1), but current implementations use Carmichael’s totient function λ(n) = lcm(p – 1, q – 1). Yes, same Carmichael as Carmichael numbers mentioned above, Robert Daniel Carmichael (1879–1967).

[3] How long does it take to find big primes? See here. One of the steps in the process it to weed out composite numbers that fail the primality test above based on Fermat’s little theorem.

[4] This assumes the message has been broken down into segments shorter than n. In practice, RSA encryption is used to send keys for non-public key (symmetric) encryption methods because these methods are more computationally efficient.

Source: https://www.johndcook.com/blog/2018/09/23/eulers-theorem/

#read more #see more #check it out #interesting #learn more

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lambpain82-blog · 6 years ago

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Best Natural Remedies for Shingles — (I Survived it Myself! And How Homeopathy Helped)

It happened again. I've told you about this before: I'm convinced that at times God allows me to get some weird stuff just so I can research it and then pass along what I've learned to all of you, my beloved reader friends. And I do love you guys and all, but this is getting a bit ridiculous! Besides the below issues, I'm pretty darn healthy and feel great every day! But each of these experiences have taught me a lot about natural remedies that will help you get better without causing a bunch of new problems in the process, as most drugs will. And those conventional “fixes” don't really get you better anyway, they just put on a little bandaid and later when it's ripped off again, you're usually worse off than where you started.

God knows that I love helping all of you get better, stay healthy, etc., but we really have had some odd maladies hit our home, and even some scary issues like…

This time it was shingles, lovely. But at least then I could figure this one out for you too: the BEST natural remedies for shingles that WORK!

Yep, that's my back in the picture above. I had shingles a few months ago and I'm just now finding the time to tell you about it. I'll share some of what I wrote in my daily notes to keep track of what was happening.

It began as quite the mystery — nothing was making sense at first…

It started on a Sunday when my back began to ache in an unusual way that I'd never felt before. I was in the car a lot over the weekend and thought maybe it was from that. It wasn't horrible, just a weird dull ache that felt a little like muscle pain on the right side of my back all day.

It was worse on Monday, I was uncomfortable if I was in one position too long and had to keep moving around. (I later learned this was a shingles symptom, but hadn't put that together yet.) By evening there was a little burning sensation in the front on the right side too. Since I still thought it might be a muscular issue and it was a “pain that gets better with motion”, I took some of this homeopathic remedy, which also turned out to be a good shingles remedy, but I still wasn't thinking shingles yet…

Tuesday I began getting itchy, not constantly but occasionally, on my mid-abdomen and side. Because of the burning and how it hurt in the front and the back, I started wondering if my gallbladder or liver were involved somehow — it's crazy how many of these symptoms are similar to gallbladder issues! (Read more about that here: How to keep your gallbladder and what to eat if it's already removed.)

By Wednesday I started getting a little rash on the middle of my back, and when I had a numb feeling on the skin there, which was still a little itchy, I still had “gall badder” in my head — even though I eat so many healthy fats, and I couldn't imagine that my gallbladder could be sluggish for any reason! I was researching it, of course, and learned that “bile backing up in the bloodstream” could cause the numbness…

Thursday early in the morning I woke and felt the same mild pain in middle of my right side under my rib cage and it went toward the front and back, and I still had that weird rash in the middle of my back, about 2 inches square, that was mildly sore and only mild itchy. I started to realize that this thing wasn’t going away, although it wasn't getting worse either, but I got some apple juice to start the gallbladder cleanse.

Monday there were 2 MORE itchy spots along a line around my waist and one in front so then it finally hit me: this is shingles and not gallbladder — the back pain and tingling was all nerve related, duh!

Thankfully the pain and itching isn't bad at all, only a mild case I think? I asked Joette if I should take some homeopathy to prevent the symptoms from getting worse and she said you just treat the symptoms, so if they're not bad or bothering much, just leave it for now.

The following Monday my side started to hurt a little more again, weird that I didn’t have that for week or so and then it was back, still not horrible, just annoying if sitting or standing too much. Also started getting “zingers” in my arm and on my side — where a little quick shooting nerve pain would startle me, so I took this remedy for that and any lingering back pain and it worked well.

Two weeks after the rash first began it was pretty much gone. Still a bit itchy on my side and back now and then. Back pain mostly gone too unless on my feet a lot. Now just the shooting pain occasionally so I started taking this remedy that is more for nerve pain.

And that was the end of my notes, it was done!

Best Natural Remedies for Shingles — everything I used is spelled out here, and thankfully my case remained nice and MILD

Take this remedy at the very first sign of shingles — here are the symptoms to look for:

The first symptom of shingles is usually pain on one side of the body. There may be itching, numbness, tingling, burning, a constant ache, or “zingers” as I called them — a shooting nerve pain. I didn't have the nerve pain yet, just an ache that felt better if I moved, which is why I knew to start with that remedy, but it turns out it was a good choice for shingles (itching, pain) and Joette said she thinks that's why I had such a mild case, because it's what I took right away!

Typically, 1-3 days after the pain starts, a rash with raised, red bumps and blisters shows up on the skin in a similar areas to where the pain was, often near the waistline. They can become pus-filled, just like with chicken pox, then form scabs in less than 2 weeks and disappears within another week or so. These could cause scarring, more on this below.

Sometimes: Fever and chills, headache, upset stomach or abdominal pain.

That same morning I had some digestive upset, but again, not bad enough to take anything, but if I'd needed it, I'd have taken this.

For the nerve pain or “zingers” as I called it when the pain would quickly shoot through my arm or on my side, and also for any lingering back pain, I'd alternate with this pain remedy and this one that is more specifically for nerve pain. (I was glad to have it in case this became a bigger problem, but it never really did so I only took it a couple of times.)

By the way, once most of my symptoms were gone, I started to feel a cold coming (stuffy nose, scratchy throat), so took this remedy that I always take now at the first sign of any illness coming on and 9 times out of 10 it knocks it out before it even begins, and it worked again! (I also continued taking extra probiotics as an immune booster.)

Best Natural Remedies for Shingles — more homeopathics that may help:

Rhus tox is one of the more common remedies employed for the treatment of shingles. If Ranunculus is the Rolls Royce, then Rhus tox is the Cadillac of remedies that relieves the fearsome itching and pains accompanying this condition. The rash consists of small, red fluid-filled vesicles or blisters that break when scratched, spreading the infection. The individual will mostly likely be restless, changing positions often seeking relief. Shingles will appear primarily on the left side of the body. Hot baths and warm compresses bring temporary relief.

Iris versicolor is indicated when the rash is worse on the right side of the abdomen and under the right arm. Shingles are often accompanied by abdominal upset or problems with the pancreas. Also used for neuralgia (nerve pain).

Clematis erectus alleviates shingles pain that features burning, red blisters that become aggravated at night time and with the application of cold water. There may be urinary tract complaints during an attack of shingles, more clearly indicating the use of this remedy. (Source)

Why not take the shingles medicines from your doctor?

My favorite homeopath, Joette Calabrese, is convinced that shingles and MOST other health issues are milder and do not recur when you don’t use the conventional meds. Those are what makes it more intense or what causes it to last for a year! You have shingles—>your doc gives you an antiviral medicine; you have asthma—>he puts you on an inhaler; if it's eczema—>you go on steroids, if you have anxiety—>he puts you on the meds and now you're STUCK. Now you'll get everything worse and it'll last longer!

“Often, homeopathy can work in spite of allopathic drugs, but not so well when it comes to shingles. It is my experience that if drugs are begun, homeopathy’s ability to clear the case is hampered.”

Be aware of shingles vaccines!

After having had shingles, of course I'd still never recommend the shingles vaccine, read this, including the comments.

As a matter of fact…

Does the Varicella vaccine have anything to do with WHY there so many more cases of shingles nowadays?

So in case you're wondering, Kasey's chickenpox that I told you about not long ago was a few months after I had shingles. And too bad, because if he had gotten it beforehand, I may not have gotten shingles at all…

Chickenpox Is Nature's Way of Protecting You from Shingles:

Nature has devised an elegant plan for protecting you from the shingles virus.

After contracting and recovering from chickenpox (usually as a child), as you age, your natural immunity gets asymptomatically “boosted” by coming into contact with infected children, who are recovering from chickenpox. This natural “boosting” of natural immunity to the varicella (chickenpox) virus helps protect you from getting shingles later in life.

This is true whether you are a child, adolescent, young adult, or elderly—every time you come into contact with someone infected with chickenpox, you get a natural “booster shot” that protects you from a painful—and expensive—bout with shingles.

In other words, shingles can be prevented by ordinary contact, such as receiving a hug from a grandchild who is getting or recovering from the chickenpox. But with the advent of the chickenpox vaccine, there is less chickenpox around to provide that natural immune boost for children AND adults.

So as chickenpox rates have declined, shingles rates have begun to rise, and there is mounting evidence that an epidemic of shingles is developing in America from the mass, mandatory use of the chickenpox vaccine by all children. (Source)

I was lucky…

I know that shingles is really horrible for some people, with debilitating nerve pain that can go on for months (although they really should check out the remedy mentioned above for nerve pain!), but thankfully my bout with it was quite mild and not too big a deal. Hopefully now that you know about all of the best natural remedies for shingles, you'll be ready in case you or someone you love is surprised when they have it too!

More you might like:

Source: https://kellythekitchenkop.com/best-natural-remedies-for-shingles/

#read more #see more #check it out #interesting #learn more

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lambpain82-blog · 6 years ago

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Skinnytaste Meal Plan (March 4-March 10)

posted March 2, 2019 by Gina

A free 7-day flexible weight loss meal plan including breakfast, lunch and dinner and a shopping list. All recipes include calories and Weight Watchers Freestyle™ SmartPoints®.

First week of March and we are finally getting some snow, crazy winter in New York! A few comfort food dishes like Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore and Quick Beef Chili have been added to this week’s meal planner.

If you’re new to my meal plans, I’ve been sharing these free, 7-day flexible healthy meal plans (you can see my previous meal plans here) that are meant as a guide, with plenty of wiggle room for you to add more food, coffee, beverages, fruits, snacks, dessert, wine, etc or swap recipes out for meals you prefer, you can search for recipes by course in the index. You should aim for around 1500 calories* per day.

There’s also a precise, organized grocery list that will make grocery shopping so much easier and much less stressful. Save you money and time. You’ll dine out less often, waste less food and you’ll have everything you need on hand to help keep you on track.

Lastly, if you’re on Facebook join my Skinnytaste Facebook Community where everyone’s sharing photos of recipes they are making, you can join here. I’m loving all the ideas everyone’s sharing!

Also, if you don’t have the Skinnytaste Meal Planner, now would be a great time to get one to get organized for 2019! There was a print error last year, but it’s perfect now! You can order it here!

THE DETAILS:

Breakfast and lunch Monday-Friday, are designed to serve 1 while dinners and all meals on Saturday and Sunday are designed to serve a family of 4. Some recipes make enough leftovers for two nights or lunch the next day. While we truly believe there is no one size fits all meal plan, we did our best to come up with something that appeals to a wide range of individuals. Everything is Weight Watchers friendly, I included the updated Weight Watcher Freestyle Points for your convenience, feel free to swap out any recipes you wish or just use this for inspiration!

The grocery list is comprehensive and includes everything you need to make all meals on the plan. I’ve even included brand recommendations of products I love and use often. Cross check your cabinets because many condiments you’ll notice I use often, so you may already have a lot of them.

And last, but certainly not least, this meal plan is flexible and realistic. There’s plenty of wiggle room for cocktails, healthy snacks, dessert and dinner out. And if necessary, you can move some things around to make it work with your schedule. Please let me know if you’re using these plans, this will help me decide if I should continue sharing them!

MONDAY (3/4) B: 2 scrambled eggs (0) with 1 slice whole grain toast (3) and an orange (0) L: Taco Salad Meal Prep (7)* D: Cream of Broccoli Soup (4) with ½ a grilled cheese* (7)

Totals: Freestyle™ SP 21, Calories 998**

TUESDAY (3/5) B: Overnight Oats in a Jar (5) L: Taco Salad Meal Prep (7) D: Cilantro Lime Fish Tacos (6)

Totals: Freestyle™ SP 18, Calories 865**

WEDNESDAY (3/6) B: Overnight Oats in a Jar (5) L: Taco Salad Meal Prep (7) D: Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore (5) over 1 cup whole wheat spaghetti (5) with Roasted Asparagus ***(0)

Totals: Freestyle™ SP 22, Calories 881**

THURSDAY (3/7) B: Avocado Toast Egg-in-a-Hole (4) L: Taco Salad Meal Prep (7) D: LEFTOVER Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore (5) over 1 cup whole wheat spaghetti (5) with Roasted Asparagus (0)

Totals: Freestyle™ SP 21, Calories 867**

FRIDAY (3/8) B: 2 scrambled eggs (0) with 1 slice whole grain toast (3) and an orange (0) L: 2 ounces turkey (1) on 2 slices whole grain bread (6) with lettuce, tomato and 1 tablespoon light mayo (1) D: Seattle Smoked Salmon Chowder (7)

Totals: Freestyle™ SP 18, Calories 1,021**

SATURDAY (3/9) B: 4-Ingredient Flourless Banana-Nut Pancakes (4) (Recipe x 4) with 1 tablespoon maple syrup (3) L: Chicken Waldorf Salad (3) (recipe x 2) on 1 slice whole grain bread (3) D: DINNER OUT!

Totals: Freestyle™ SP 13, Calories 716**

SUNDAY (3/10) B: Breakfast Pizza (5) L: The Skinny Tuna Melt (4) (recipe x 2) with an apple (0) D: Quick Beef Chili (4) with 2 tablespoons cheddar (2), 1 tablespoon light sour cream (1) Totals: Freestyle™ SP 16, Calories 981**

*Prep Taco Salad Sunday night for Mon-Thurs lunch. Grilled cheese includes 1 slice whole grain bread and 1 ounce cheddar. **This is just a guide, women should aim for around 1500 calories per day. Here’s a helpful calculator to estimate your calorie needs. I’ve left plenty of wiggle room for you to add more food such as coffee, beverages, fruits, snacks, dessert, wine, etc. ***Boil extra pasta and roast an extra pound of asparagus for dinner Thursday.

**google doc

Shopping List:

Produce

1 pound broccoli florets (or 12 ounces pre-cut)

2 jalapeño peppers

1 large head garlic

1 (6-ounce) container fresh blueberries

1 large bunch celery

2 medium red bell peppers

1 medium green bell pepper

1 bag/bunch carrots

2 pounds asparagus

2 medium oranges

6 medium apples (your choice)

5 medium bananas

3 small red potatoes

1 small head cauliflower

½ small head purple cabbage

1 large head romaine lettuce (save 1 leaf for Friday lunch)

2 small (4-ounce) Hass avocados

1 (10-ounce) bag baby spinach

1 (1-pound) clamshell mixed greens

1 small container Pico de Gallo (or make your own with ingredients in list plus 2 medium tomatoes, 1 extra jalapeno and lime)

1 medium bunch cilantro

1 small bunch basil or Italian parsley

½ pound seedless grapes

1 medium and 1 large vine-ripened tomato

1 dry pint cherry tomatoes

7 medium limes

1 small red onion

2 small, 2 medium and 1 large yellow onion

1 small bunch/clamshell fresh chives

Meat, Poultry and Fish

1 pound 93% lean ground turkey

1 pound flaky white fish fillets (such as flounder, sole, or tilapia)

½ pound smoked salmon fillet

1 ¼ pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 package center-cut bacon

2 ounces sliced deli turkey

8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs

1 pound 93% lean ground beef

Grains*

1 large loaf whole grain bread

1 package quick oats

1 package white corn tortillas

1 (1-pound) package whole wheat spaghetti

1 bag all-purpose or whole white wheat flour

Condiments and Spices

Extra virgin olive oil

Cooking spray

Olive oil spray (or get a Misto oil mister)

Kosher salt (I like Diamond Crystal)

Pepper grinder (or fresh peppercorns)

Garlic powder

Cumin

Chili powder

Paprika

Oregano

NuNaturals liquid vanilla stevia (or your favorite sweetener)

Cinnamon

Bay leaves

Hot sauce (optional, for Avocado Toast)

Thyme

Maple syrup

Light mayonnaise

Red wine vinegar

Dairy & Misc. Refrigerated Items

1 18-pack large eggs

1 (8-ounce) package sliced (regular or reduced fat) cheddar cheese

1 small box unsalted butter

1 (8-ounce) tub light sour cream

1 (8-ounce) container unsweetened almond milk (can sub soy or skim)

1 (8-ounce) container 2% milk

1 pint whole milk

1 (8-ounce) bag shredded mozzarella cheese

1 (17.5-ounce) container plain nonfat Greek yogurt

1 (8-ounce) bag shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Frozen

1 small package corn kernels

Canned and Jarred

2 (4.5-ounce) cans tuna in water

1 (15-ounce) can reduced-sodium black beans

1 (10-ounce) can mild diced tomatoes with green chilies

1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes (I love Tuttorosso)

1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce

1 small jar mild salsa

2 (48-ounce) cartons reduced sodium chicken broth

Misc. Dry Goods

1 small package chia seeds

1 (8-ounce) bag chopped pecans

1 bottle white wine (such as Sauvignon Blanc)

Baking powder

1 bottle light beer (such as Corona, or you can sub ¾ cups beef broth in chili)

*You can sub gluten-free, if desired

posted March 2, 2019 by Gina

Source: https://www.skinnytaste.com/skinnytaste-meal-plan-march-4-march-10/

#read more #see more #check it out #interesting #learn more

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lambpain82-blog · 6 years ago

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TWO CREAMY CAPPUCCINO PUDDINGS AND MY SAD TALE

It's been ages since I blogged-- 2 months, actually. I have been battling with nerve pain from a case of shingles for about 4 months now. I haven't mentioned it because it's not exactly a pleasant subject. It's not that I can't function, but it does affect my productivity and energy level. I hope to be back experimenting and writing before too long. Until then, here I offer you two easy and delicious puddings that I developed for my old Vegan Feast newsletter. Either one will make a pleasant ending to a meal, or even a tasty afternoon pick-me-up.

BRYANNA'S CHAI CAPPUCCINO PUDDING

Serves 4

This spicy and unusual pudding would make a nice light dessert to follow a rich Indian meal, or any meal, really.

1/2 cup creamy nondairy milk

1/2 cup extra-firm silken tofu (can be Lite [reduced fat] variety)

1 cup strong chai tea (unsweetened)

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1/2 tsp vanilla

1 pinch salt

Your favorite vegan whipped topping

Garnish: cinnamon sugar and cinnamon sticks for garnish

Whip the creamy nondairy milk and tofu together to make a smooth cream, using a hand immersion blender, or blender. Add the chai, sugar, cornstarch, and salt.

Scrape the mixture into a microwavable 1 1/2 quart bowl or pitcher and microwave at full power for 1 minute. Whisk and cook 1 more minute, or until thickened and translucent. Whisk in the vanilla.

Alternatively, you can cook the pudding, stirring constantly, in a small heavy saucepan over medium-high heat until thickened and translucent.

Pour the mixture into 4 small pudding dishes, tea cups, or cappuccino cups. Cover and chill for at least 4 hours.

Before serving, smooth 2 tablespoons of the whipped topping over the top of each serving of pudding. Sprinkle each with a little cinnamon sugar and insert a small cinnamon stick into each dish. Serve cold.

Nutrition Facts (using Lite [reduced fat] extra-firm silken tofu)

Nutrition (per serving): 214.1 calories; 21% calories from fat; 5.5g total fat; 0.0mg cholesterol; 150.6mg sodium; 225.1mg potassium; 37.1g carbohydrates; 1.4g fiber; 28.9g sugar; 5.7g protein.

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BRYANNA'S CREAMY CAPPUCCINO PUDDING

Serves 4

This is good enough for company-- a perfect light dessert after an Italian meal.

1/2 cup nondairy milk

1/2 cup extra-firm silken tofu (can be Lite [reduced fat] variety)

1 cup strong espresso coffee (unsweetened) (The espresso should preferably be freshly-made, but it can be made from a good Italian instant espresso powder, such as Ferrara, Medaglio D’Oro, Café Bustelo or King Arthur.)

1/3 cup unbleached sugar

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 pinch salt

1 tsp vanilla

OPTIONAL: 1 tablespoon liqueur (such as Amaretto, or any that you prefer)

Your favorite vegan whipped topping

Garnish: grated dark chocolate, or cinnamon, or cocoa powder for garnish

Whip the soymilk and tofu together to make a smooth cream, using a hand immersion blender, or blender. Add the coffee, sugar, cornstarch, and salt.

Scrape the mixture into a microwavable 1 1/2 quart bowl or pitcher and microwave at full power for 1 minute. Whisk and cook 1 more minute, or until thickened and translucent. Whisk in the vanilla, and optional liqueur, if using.

Alternatively, you can cook the pudding, stirring constantly, in a small heavy saucepan over medium-high heat until thickened and translucent.

Pour the mixture into 4 small pudding dishes, small glass coffee mugs, or cappuccino cups. Cover and chill for at least 4 hours.

Before serving, smooth 2 tablespoons of the whipped topping over the top of each serving of pudding. Sprinkle each with a little grated dark chocolate, cinnamon, or cocoa powder. Serve cold.

Nutrition Facts (using Lite [reduced fat] extra-firm silken tofu)

Nutrition (per serving): 178.1 calories; 26% calories from fat; 5.7g total fat; 0.0mg cholesterol; 155.8mg sodium; 261.4mg potassium; 26.9g carbohydrates; 1.4g fiber; 19.0g sugar; 5.8g protein.

Source: http://veganfeastkitchen.blogspot.com/2019/04/two-creamy-cappuccino-puddings-and-my.html

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lambpain82-blog · 6 years ago

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YETI Presents | Hungry Life: Southern Yucatan

Source: http://www.youtube.com/oembed?format=xml&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3D7kghlXxaYe0

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lambpain82-blog · 6 years ago

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Loaded Apple Bread

Apples are coming in at our local orchard, which signals the commencement of apple recipe season for me! I dearly love all of the wonderful flavors of this season and like to take full advantage of fresh local apples whenever possible. Today’s recipe is a showstopper – another one my mother can’t stop raving about. Y’all know if you’re cooking something and your Mama likes it, you’ve done good!

To make this, you’ll need: Brown sugar (light or dark, whatever you have is fine), cinnamon, white sugar, butter, eggs, milk, self rising flour, vanilla, apples, powdered sugar, and walnuts or pecans (nuts are completely optional though).

This seems like a lot of ingredients but it’s pretty standard pantry stuff so you likely have all you need already.

Begin by making your cinnamon topping by stirring together the brown sugar and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon. Set this aside.

Go ahead and peel and dice your apples as well. Place them in a bowl with granulated sugar, cinnamon and stir that together. Set this aside also. (exactly measurements for topping and filling are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post).

In a large mixing bowl, with an electric mixer, beat together room temp butter and granulated sugar until fluffy. Add in eggs, milk, vanilla, and flour and beat until well incorporated and smooth, scraping sides as needed.

Pour half of this batter into greased 9×5 loaf pan.

Sprinkle batter with half of the apple mixture, half the chopped nuts, and half of the cinnamon sugar mixture.

Top with remaining batter.

Top that with the remaining apple filling mixture and the remaining cinnamon sugar mixture.

Bake this at 350 degrees for 55-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Allow to cool in the pan for ten minutes before turning out onto a platter and then allow to cool completely.

Once cooled mix together glaze ingredients until smooth and use a spoon to drizzle generously over the top.

Get ready to impress folks!

Perfect for a sweet breakfast, afternoon pick me up, or evening coffee and conversation.

I hope you get to make this soon. Be sure and print out the recipe at the bottom to add to your files!

Loaded Apple Bread

Ingredients

Cinnamon Topping

⅓ cup light brown sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Apple filling:

3 medium Granny Smith apples

½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)

2 Tablespoons granulated sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Batter:

⅔ cup granulated sugar

1 stick butter, softened

2 large eggs

½ cup milk

1.5 cups self rising flour

2 teaspoons vanilla

Glaze:

½ cup powdered sugar

3 Tablespoons milk, heavy cream, or half and half

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare 9 X 5 loaf pan by spraying with non-stick spray.

Cinnamon Topping- In a small bowl, stir together the brown sugar and cinnamon. Set aside.

Apple filling-Peel and finely dice apples into medium bowl. Sprinkle with the sugar and cinnamon and stir to coat. Set this aside along with the chopped nuts.

Bread Batter:

Pour half of bread batter into loaf pan.

Top with ½ of the apple filling, ½ the nuts, and ½ of the cinnamon topping. Spread remaining bread batter over filling. Top with remaining apple filling, nuts, and sprinkle remaining brown sugar cinnamon topping over loaf.

Bake for 55-60 minutes or until tests done. Cool in pan for 10 minutes and turn out onto platter. Cool completely.

Glaze: Mix together powdered sugar and milk until smooth. Use a spoon to drizzle glaze over cooled bread.

Notes

If you really want to take this up a notch, add ½ teaspoon allspice to the cinnamon sugar mixture!

3.5.3251

YOU’RE INVITED TO JOIN US

Also, if you’d like to join us as we read through the Bible together in one year over in my Christy Jordan’s Front Porch Fellowship Group on Facebook, I’m doing a live video tonight where I announce the new reading plan. We are finishing up our first year and the new plan begins October 2. We’d sure love to have you join us whether it be tonight or whenever you happen to see this. It’s a passion of mine to encourage folks to get into the Word, firsthand, on a daily basis. Click here to visit our group and request membership. Make sure you answer the two questions that you’ll be asked so I can add you.

Yum

Source: https://www.southernplate.com/loadedapplebread/

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lambpain82-blog · 6 years ago

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travel: the city by the bay… (san francisco; 2018)

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According to the year-end travel summaries and stats issued annually by my airline of choice, San Francisco has been my most-frequent destination for the past four years. And yet, I rarely mention the city on this blog.

I’ve written about eating in cities like New York, Copenhagen, Paris, Kansas City (where I get my mail), Tokyo, San Sebastian, among many other far-flung destinations around the globe, like the Laplands of Sweden, the Auvergne of France, and the ever-exotic and alluring Bentonville, Arkansas. But I’ve never dedicated a post to the city where I have spent the majority of my time recently. And, just off the heels of editing the latest issues of Drift Magazine (vol. 7) and Ambrosia Magazine (vol. 5), in which we explore the coffee and food cultures, respectively, of the San Francisco Bay Area, I think it’s time I do.

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Is anyone else getting panicky about the restaurant scene in San Francisco?

From personal observations mixed with conversations I’ve had with chefs, cooks, and restaurateurs, it seems the market is oversaturated. In the last half decade, San Francisco has seen a spike in restaurant openings, especially in the mid-tier. The city now crowds with so many options that I can’t help but wonder whether the talent pool can keep apace.

The problem isn’t attracting cooks to kitchens in the city. The eagerness and mobility among the rising generation of young cooks may be the industry’s one saving grace. And if there’s a culinary beacon in America to which they should flock right now, it’s San Francisco.

Rather, the issue is whether these restaurants can afford to pay cooks enough to live in San Francisco, which has now displaced New York as the city with the highest cost of living in the country. To a Midwesterner, who is accustomed to sprawling lawns, multiple-car garages, and square footage to spare, San Francisco is breathtakingly expensive. I can’t imagine living there on a respectable salary, let along on a cook’s wages.

And yet, restaurants keep opening. It doesn’t help that the Michelin Guide has started doling out stars like it’s the Oprah Winfrey Christmas giveaway. Who wouldn’t want a part of the action? (Even the State of Utah has been awarded three stars by the once-prestigious guide.) One hundred seventy years ago, it was the great California Gold Rush, now, it’s the great restaurant rush.

As you can probably guess, I think a lot of it is senseless noise.

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Before going further, let me disabuse you of a myth. While it’s true that I photograph for Saison, and have a handful of meals there every year – which, I am well-aware, amounts to more times than the average person will eat at Saison in their lifetime – Saison is not an everyday experience for me. Neither is Saison the only restaurant in the San Francisco Bay Area with which I work and have worked. There are many, stretching from Aubergine down in Carmel-by-the-Sea all the way up to The Restaurant at Meadowood in Napa Valley.

In my relatively narrow field of work (as a photographer), proximity often translates to frequency. So, it may appear that I prefer to spend my time at the handful of restaurants with which I am professionally associated – or worse: that I actively promote them for financial benefit. The latter I flatly deny and find insulting.

Of course, there is no way for me to completely dispel the skepticism that, understandably, arises from the blurred lines of professional coziness. And even if I could, I’m not sure I would. As someone who advocates for mindful consumption, I hope my followers continue to question my motives and integrity.

As to the former – the perception that I prefer to spend my time and resources with the chefs for whom I photograph (and their restaurants) – I not only admit it, but do so enthusiastically. Proximity and frequency are, undoubtedly, the best perquisites of choosing to work with those who I believe to be the very best at what they do. And I am so very lucky to have the opportunity to do so.

That being said, social media is a distortion of reality. And while I don’t deny preferring certain restaurants over others, the few to which I find myself increasingly attached professionally hardly represent the much wider range of restaurants that I not only visit, but like very much.

So, I leave aside the multi-starred restaurants with which I’m often associated (rightfully or not) for a moment to focus on the the middle market, where I spend most of my time eating. There are a lot of options in this tier right now. Unfortunately, there’s a lot of overlap nowadays too; restaurants and the food they serve are so similar – in tenor, theme, and quality – that they’ve begun to blur together. That’s not to say they’re worthless. To the contrary, San Franciscans have more and better dining options now than ever before, and arguably better dining options than any other city in the U.S. However, very few restaurants, in my experience, merit serious discussion. Most of them have been mentioned on this blog before, scattered throughout countless posts. And many of them you’re likely to know already. This post gathers some of my favorites together; a particularly useful link for the stream of inquiries I receive from those wanting recommendations.

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My best mornings are spent at Boulette’s Larder in the Ferry Terminal Building (Embarcadero). Amaryll Schwertner is one of the unsung chefs of San Francisco. She is as fastidious in her cooking as she is in her demand for quality. Once, after a longish wait for my breakfast, a server informed me that, unfortunately, I’d have to wait a little longer. Schwertner wasn’t happy with the way my eggs turned out. As I turned to the open kitchen, I saw her scrape my failed plate of eggs into the trash bin. Calmly, she set a new pan on the stove and started anew.

I first started going to Boulette’s Larder years ago for the canelé. Schwertner bakes two dozen of these caramelized cakes every day, and I’d swing by for one (or three) of them, still warm, at the end of my morning run along the Embarcadero. They really are some of the best canelés I’ve ever had.

It wasn’t long before I started staying for breakfast.

While the weekly breakfast menu is short, the Sunday brunch menu offers a more robust selection of egg and meat dishes. Schwertner cooks seasonally. This is unsurprising, given that farmers from all over the San Francisco Bay Area bring a spectacular rainbow of produce to sell at the Ferry Terminal Market right outside her restaurant at least twice a week. But what I particularly like about her cooking is that it’s far from the mainstream Americana you’ll likely find everywhere else. And yet it’s not weird food either. Her menu often traces the rim of the Mediterranean, using spices and flavors of North Africa and the Middle East. Sometimes, there are noticeable Asian influences – I once had steak-fried rice with my scrambled eggs (hot sauce, of course); I’ve also had beignets dusted with matcha sugar. And at other times, she can be blissfully traditional – a strawberry and rhubarb fool, for example, under a cloud of whipped cream.

You’ll pay for the quality at Boulette’s Larder. I understand that most Americans aren’t accustomed to seeing breakfast and brunch prices like these. But Schwertner is one of the few chefs who I trust implicitly. She is as confident as she is capable and I never doubt the quality or value of what she offers. And I gladly pay for it. [While Boulette’s Larder is only open for breakfast and brunch, its sister restaurant next door, Bouli Bar, is open for lunch.]

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Here’s an important question I wish people would ask more often these days: is the food well-made and delicious? That’s the threshold criterion for me. And it’s the simple and straightforward common denominator among the restaurants that I frequent.

Respected as a doyenne of home cookery for years (among her many other talents), Pim Techamuanvivit turned her passion for cooking into Kin Khao, a Thai restaurant that she opened in 2014 in an oddly shaped, back-corner space of the Parc 55 Hotel (wedged between the Tenderloin and Union Square neighborhoods).

I know woefully little about Thai cuisine, so I won’t venture into the tangled territory of authenticity (if you want to know Pim’s thoughts about it, I’m sure they’re floating about on the internet; surely someone has posed the question to her). And I can’t keep track of who is appropriating what from whom anymore (Pim is Thai, by the way). What I can tell you is that a great deal of research goes into the food at Kin Khao, and that Pim – who isn’t the day-to-day chef, rather more of a restaurateur – doesn’t coddle her guests with cultural platitudes. She serves Thai food the way she thinks it should be served rather than what guests might want or expect. And it’s terrific.

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Increasingly, accessibility also determines where and how I eat. My years of effort and enthusiasm have passed, tempered by age and boredom. I’ve eaten just about everywhere I care to eat. And quite frankly, the past few years haven’t been terribly encouraging – as I suggested above, there is a lot of shiny and new without much substance. So, in cities to which I am regular, like San Francisco, I tend to gravitate towards the tried and true.

Cotogna (Jackson Square) is always high on my list, for lunch or dinner. It’s best to have a reservation, but I often go alone, and rarely have to wait for a seat at the counter. So terrific are chef Michael Tusk’s pastas, I fear that the rest of his menu gets overlooked. I hope not, because the salads and pizzas are equally terrific, as are the roast meats, which the restaurant also serves in large-format, family-style at the “chefs table” (must be reserved ahead).

You’ll find me just as often at Zuni Café on Market Street in Hayes Valley. When Judy Rodgers, who became chef of this iconic San Francisco restaurant in 1987, died in 2013, the New York Times called her a “Chef of Refined Simplicity.” In that obituary, chef and author Joyce Goldstein said of Rodgers, “She didn’t have a huge menu, she didn’t need to be fashionable, she didn’t feel she had to invent new things; she just worked on every dish until it was perfect.” In the years since Rodgers’s death, Zuni Café has held true to her ethos.

The Cæsar salad, roast chicken (for two), and the espresso granita are de rigueur. But, on the rare occasion that I veer off script, I’m never disappointed. As Goldstein observed, the menu is short and the cooking is good.

I’ve never had a problem getting into Zuni Café at lunchtime, although dinner reservations require some forethought, especially for the weekend tables. But if you go alone, or in a small party, the wait is usually pretty short for the tables in the bar area, which are reserved for walk-ins. I prefer sitting in the bar area anyway. The warren of rooms upstairs can get too cozy, and sometimes loud.

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It has been more than a decade since I ate in the dining room (downstairs) at Chez Panisse in Berkeley. But I’ve returned to the café upstairs many times since. Open lunch and dinner, it’s one of my favorite places to eat in the East Bay. Like Zuni Café, this pioneer in the California cuisine movement offers a concise and dependable fare. The ingredients are always fresh and the cooking is simple and straightforward. It’s the type of place (along with Boulette’s Larder and Zuni Café) that offers fruit on its dessert menu – whatever’s in season, ripe and perfect. Some think it’s lazy, or ridiculous. I have a hard time arguing against ripe and perfect.

Also in Berkeley is Great China, which is now in its second generation of ownership by the Yu family. I was first introduced to this restaurant by my friends Marty and Alex – both wine professionals. They were attracted by the restaurant’s incredible wine list, about which the San Francisco Chronicle has written. But the food here is pretty great too. This is a lazy Susan kind of place, where all the dishes are meant to be shared. And the quality of cooking is fairly impressive for the size of the menu. I’ve mentioned my favorite dish here before – a phenomenal version of the very Chinese-American honey walnut shrimp. But the roast duck (Peking-style, with the skin and meat carved and served with wrappers, scallions, and hoisin), and other Chinese-inspired dishes are terrific too.

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I know there are a lot of great Asian restaurants in San Francisco, especially down-bay, towards San Jose (in vol. 5 of Ambrosia, we mini-dive into the Vietnamese community and restaurants in San Jose). Sadly, I haven’t explored nearly as much as I’d like. And most of the Asian restaurants I have visited have been disappointing; the rest, I haven’t visited enough times to feel confident recommending (Izakaya Rintaro is a good example; it’s been years since I’ve eaten there, even though I consistently hear positive things from trusted sources). The few places in the city to which I return tend to be over-subscribed, like Kin Khao (mentioned above) or Z&Y in Chinatown. Part of the problem with Z&Y is that it doesn’t take reservations (unless you have a party of 6 or more). But that’s because it doesn’t need to – people will line up for an hour or more for this spicy, Szechuan cooking. And it’s easy to understand why – everything I’ve had has been terrific, especially the shaved beef tendons, soured green beans, and wontons in chili oil. I’ve also found chive pockets on the menu; one of my favorite Chinese dishes. If you like scallion pancakes (Z&Y’s are particularly great), you’ll like these thin pastry pockets filled with chopped Chinese chives (my favorite versions include scrambled eggs and dried shrimp).

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I haven’t been to the “manufactory” yet, but Tartine Bakery (Mission) is great. Although it’s most well-known for its bread, pastries, and sweets, I particularly like the hearty, hot-pressed sandwiches there. And just down the street is Bi-Rite Creamery, where you’ll find fantastic burnt caramel ice cream.

If you’re looking for golden-brown flakes, you might also consider trekking to Arsicault in the Inner Richmond (or is it in Presidio Heights?) for its sheeted dough pastries. I’ve written about it before on this blog. Further out in the Outer Richmond is Marla Bakery, which has pretty great bread and a short but strong menu (it serves breakfast, lunch, and brunch.)

I’ll admit that I go to Blue Bottle Coffee mostly for proximity – there are three within walking distance of where I usually stay in San Francisco. The wait can be infuriating, especially when there’s a line out the door and only one person working the register. But, I suppose, that can be an argument for quality – slowing the orders helps baristas focus on each drink. If St. Frank weren’t so far (it’s on Russian Hill), I’d be there more often. Not only do the baristas there know what a smile is, there’s also wifi. Having both of those amenities makes St. Frank a unicorn among San Francisco coffee shops.

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There are a few places in San Francisco that I appreciate for specific reasons. Tosca Café, for example, I keep in my back pocket for a late-night option. It’s open until 0200 every day of the week.

If I want food delivery, Rooster and Rice is usually at the top of my list. It’s one of the few, Bay Area fast-casual concepts that I like. It serves variations of khao mun gai, or Thai chicken and rice. It’s such a simple concept, I don’t know why there aren’t more of them across the country.

And because there are so few options in SoMa near the ballpark, where I spend a lot of my mornings, Cento gets a lot of my coffee money. This small, alleyway walk-up is the sort of unaccommodating, San Francisco coffee shop I would normally avoid – grumpy baristas who refuse to make gibraltars (a.k.a. cortado) to-go, because they insist on serving it in a gibraltar glass onsite. And until recently, it was cash-only – in a tech city that operates on a cashless basis. But, they do a decent job, and I admire the spunk – a little patch of analog in an increasingly digital city.

Of course, there are many places up and down the Bay Area coast where I will make a point of stopping when I’m in those corners, like Duarte’s Tavern in Pescadero (for its fruit pies), or Verve Coffee in Santa Cruz, where I can get pastries from Manresa Bread (Los Gatos). In this latest issue of Ambrosia, we tell readers about Dad’s Luncheonette in the sleepy surf town of Half Moon Bay, where Scott Clark is serving some simple but tasty burgers and salads out of a caboose (literally). In that same issue, you’ll also find my love letter to Napa and Sonoma, where I’ve spent quite a lot of time exploring, and, over the years, have settled into routines at familiar places, like Hog Island Oyster on Tomales Bay; Model Bakery in St. Helena (English muffins!); and El Molino Central in Boyes Hot Springs; among others.

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So reliable and satisfying is my cast of favorite restaurants that I’ve become reluctant to deviate. And it doesn’t help that when I have, I’ve been consistently unmoved, and in many cases disappointed.

But I am always hopeful of finding something new and good. I know that there are a lot of places I’ve yet to discover (if you have recommendations, please send them). My friends Maggie Spicer and Michael Molesky have opened Douglas, a corner market and café in Noe Valley. Knowing them, it will be lovely. And there are a few openings on the horizon to which I look excitedly, like Michael Tusks’s cave á vin Verjus (Jackson Square), which is expected open this fall, and Joshua Skenes’s Angler on the Embarcadero, which I will be photographing shortly.

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Photos: Crab and egg buns at Great China; Michael Tusk at Quince; Christopher Kostow in the kitchen at The Restaurant at Meadowood; Joshua Skenes, chef of Saison, with grouse in Idaho; Justin Cogley, chef of Aubergine among the tidal pools in Carmel-By-The-Sea; poached eggs with creamed spinach and cardoons at Boulette’s Larder; sheeps milk yoghurt with coffee-poached dates at Boulette’s Larder; Khun Yai’s rabbit green curry at Kin Khao; squeezing lime at Kin Khao; quail on the counter at Cotogna; roast chicken for two at Zuni Café; pluot and blackberries at Chez Panisse Café; spicy shaved beef tendons; Sean Ehland preparing loaves at Martha Bakery; antipasti on the counter at Tosca Café; coffee and Manresa Bread bostock at Verve Coffee in Santa Cruz.

~ by ulterior epicure on August 22, 2018.

Posted in dessert, dining, drink, michelin, restaurant, restaurant review, travel Tags: arsicault, bay area, berkeley, bi-rite, blue bottle, boulette's, bread, chez panisse, chinatown, chinese, coffee, cogley, cotogna, douglas, great china, ice cream, kin khao, kostow, manresa bread, martha, molesky, napa, pastry, rooster rice, san francisco, skenes, sonoma, spicer, st. frank, szechuan, tartine, tosca, tusk, zuni

Source: https://ulteriorepicure.com/2018/08/22/travel-the-city-by-the-bay-san-francisco-2018/

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lambpain82-blog · 6 years ago

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Korean Sweet Potato Cheese Sticks

Korean sweet potatoes are one of the Korean vegetables that I want you to try whether you like normal sweet potatoes or not. They are naturally very sweet, have a nice texture, and are healthy. Among Korean sweet potatoes, there are 2 main kinds. One is a water sweet potato called MulGoGuMa in Korean. It’s soft and mushy texture is pretty similar to the normal sweet potatoes that you find in America. It is just a lot sweeter and has good sweet potato flavor in it. The other type is chestnut sweet potato called BamGoGuMa in Korean. This one is also very sweet and has good sweet potato flavor. The only difference is that it’s texture is firm and not mushy like mulgoguma. It’s texture is a little similar to chestnuts, so it must have gotten the name because of that. Anyway, both kinds are good to try, but I especially love bamgoguma and that is the one we will use for today’s recipe. Instead of making the same old cheese sticks, make this upgraded version of it with tasty Korean sweet potato paste.

Yield: 12 Pieces

Short Korean Lesson

SilSu (실수) = Mistake

SilPae (실패) = Failure

Video Instructions

Main Ingredients:

1½ Cups Cooked Korean Sweet Potatoes

6 Mozzarella Sticks

1 Cup Korean Bread Crumbs

¼ Cup All Purpose Flour

1 Egg

2 Tbsp Whipping Cream or Milk

1 Tbsp Sugar

1 Tbsp Salted Butter

⅛ tsp Salt

Directions

Get about 2 small size sweet potatoes (about 12 oz). It is important to get bamgoguma as I briefly mentioned in the description. Wash them good.

Then, I will steam them in my pressure cooker. It is nice to use this metal steamer. Put the steamer in your pressure cooker or pot and pour some water in it. Place the sweet potatoes in the steamer and close the lid. It took about 20 minutes for me to finish cooking my sweet potatoes with this pressure cooker. It takes over 45 minutes when you steam them in a pot.

20 minutes later, I poked the cooked sweet potatoes with a fork, if the fork goes in smoothly like this, they are done.

Peel the skin off the sweet potatoes and mash them with a potato masher or a fork.

Add about 2 Tbsp of whipping cream or milk, 1 Tbsp sugar, 1 Tbsp salted butter, and ⅛ tsp salt to the sweet potato. This is a little tricky. If you have mulgoguma, which will be soft and mushy, you need to skip the whipping cream and milk.

The whipping cream is used to not only give good flavor, but also to make the firm and stiff mashed potatoes (in this case bamgoguma) softer. Mix everything well.

Divide the sweet potatoes into 12 portions.

Prepare 6 mozzarella sticks. Some kid’s snack mozzarella sticks have less salt.

Cut the cheese in half. Btw, now they look like Korean sticky rice cakes for tteokbooki. Don’t you think so? lol

To get nice crispy cheese sticks, we need these 3 ingredients: ¼ cup all-purpose flour, 1 beaten egg, and 1 cup of Korean bread crumbs in a separate bowl.

Before working on the sweet potato paste, get a generous amount of flour on your hands and a cutting board.

Take a portion of the sweet potato paste. Put some flour on the surface and flatten it in your hand like this. When it becomes slightly bigger than the cheese stick, put one piece of cheese in the center.

Wrap the sweet potato around the cheese and seal it well. Make sure that all the cheese is covered evenly with the sweet potato paste, or the cheese might come out later when you fry it.

Coat the sweet potato covered cheese with some flour.

Cover it with egg next.

Finally, coat it with bread crumbs. Gently press it so that it will get a lot of bread crumbs on it.

Use the same process for the rest of the cheese sticks. When you have about half of them done, start to preheat the cooking oil to deep frying them on medium-high.

I will fry half of the cheese sticks. In every few seconds, roll them around so that they will cook evenly.

It will take about 3 minutes of frying before they are nicely golden brown.

After 3 minutes, take them out of the oil and set them on a paper towel to remove some of the grease.

Serve the sweet potato cheese sticks with either pizza sauce or ketchup. The sweet and creamy paste along with the melted salty cheese and crispy bread crumps make this food so amazing. Try it someday.

Source: http://aeriskitchen.com/2019/02/korean-sweet-potato-cheese-sticks/

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lambpain82-blog · 6 years ago

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homemade turkey bacon bravo sandwich

Well, you guys and gals — in less than two weeks my little family and I are moving into our home on wheels. Cue ALL. THE. FEELS.

To be honest, most of the feelings right now resemble a little bit of panic, anxiety, stress and grumpiness all mixed together because there are literally eleventy billion things left to do. Downsizing everything, moving out of a house, moving into an RV, getting an RV ready for full-time living and doing it all while raising two kids and working? Yeah, it’s a lot. But I am confident that once we hit the road come next weekend, we will be as ready as we’ll ever be for this adventure of a lifetime.

If you’re interested in following along, we have an Instagram page! It’s called @outofboundaries and we’ll be posting stuff about RV life, sure, but mostly about alternative living and what this experience is teaching us about our family, our values, our faith, etc.

But I digress! Because while today is about packing and purging and cleaning and all those SUPER FUN things, it’s more importantly about this turkey bacon bravo sandwich recipe that I’ve been wanting to share with you for a while (sorry, I’ve been a little busy!). If you’re anything like me, you have a serious, deep love for Panera’s Bacon Turkey Bravo sandwich. If you and I are on the same wavelength here, then rejoice! Because I just made a homemade version (with from-scratch bread and everything!) that will blow your mind and tastebuds.

Initially, I’d planned to break these recipes into two posts — one for the tomato basil bread and one for the sandwich. But then I thought that would be selfish of me, to tease you with only half the recipe for the greatest sandwich of all time. So here ya go, friends — two recipes in one post! Hooray!

The first recipe is for the bread, which you must make in order for this turkey bacon bravo sandwich to taste anything like the restaurant version (only better, IMHO). The tomato basil bread is richly flavored with tomato, fresh basil, Parmesan cheese and a brown sugar-tomato glaze for the crust that is very necessary for maximum replication. It’s my favorite part of Panera’s bread and this homemade variation nails it. We snacked on slices of this bread alone before I made the sandwiches and it was so, so good.

The second recipe is for the sandwiches, which is really just the classic turkey bacon bravo ingredients (turkey, bacon, smoked Gouda, sliced tomato and lettuce) plus an extremely tasty sandwich dressing into which you’ll want to dip your face. I wouldn’t judge.

Make the bread, spread on the sauce, pile on high the toppings, take a bite, go to Sandwich Heaven. It’s not science — it’s just the formula to living life right.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to dive headfirst into a mountain of boxes and hopefully come out having packed everything and will reward myself with a turkey bacon bravo sandwich. Or two. I’ll catch up with you next time on the road (eek!).

Homemade Turkey Bacon Bravo Sandwich

Author: Girl Versus Dough

Prep time: 2 hours 35 mins

Cook time: 40 mins

Total time: 3 hours 15 mins

Yields: About 4 sandwiches

2¼ teaspoon (1 packet) active dry yeast

¼ cup warm water (about 110-115 degrees F)

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon granulated sugar, divided

2½ to 2¾ cups bread flour

¼ cup minced fresh basil

¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 can (10 oz) condensed tomato soup

4 tablespoons tomato paste, divided

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon brown sugar

½ cup mayonnaise

¼ cup ketchup

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

¼ teaspoon ground mustard

½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Hot sauce, to taste (optional)

1 vine-ripened tomato, thinly sliced

4 to 8 romaine lettuce leaves, cut in half

8 slices cooked bacon

8 slices deli turkey

4 slices smoked Gouda cheese

In a small bowl, whisk yeast, water and 1 teaspoon sugar until yeast is dissolved. Let stand 5 minutes until yeast is foamy.

In a large bowl or bowl of a stand mixer, add 2 cups flour. Make a well in center; add yeast mixture, remaining 1 tablespoon sugar, basil, Parmesan cheese, tomato soup, 2 tablespoons tomato paste, olive oil and salt. Stir with a wooden spoon or dough hook until just combined. Stir in enough remaining flour until dough forms.

On a well-floured surface or in bowl of a stand mixer with dough hook on medium speed, knead dough until smooth and elastic (about 10 minutes by hand, 5 minutes in stand mixer), adding more flour as needed so dough is no longer sticky. Shape dough into a ball; place in a large, lightly greased bowl. Turn to coat. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let rise in warm place 1 hour until doubled.

Punch dough risen dough; knead briefly, then shape into a ball and flatten slightly into a round shape. Place on a lightly greased rimmed cookie sheet. Cover with a thin towel and let rise 45 minutes to 1 hour until doubled.

Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Using a sharp serrated knife, slice an X into top of loaf. Brush with cold water. Bake 30 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, stir remaining 2 tablespoons tomato paste, brown sugar and 2 teaspoons of water until mixture is thick but brushable. Brush coating all over top of loaf. Return to oven to 5 to 10 minutes until baked through and coating is mostly dried. Cool loaf on a cooling rack 20 to 30 minutes before slicing.

While loaf cools, make the sandwich dressing: In a small bowl, stir all ingredients until combined. Prepare sandwich toppings.

Slice loaf into ½-inch thick slices. Assemble sandwiches with sandwich dressing, then tomato, lettuce, bacon, turkey and Gouda cheese.

3.2.2802

Source: http://www.girlversusdough.com/2018/06/19/homemade-turkey-bacon-bravo-sandwich/

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lambpain82-blog · 6 years ago

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Cassava Flour Tortillas (Paleo, AIP)

Grain-free cassava flour tortillas requiring only three ingredients! These homemade tortillas are easy to make and are paleo and AIP-friendly.

If you enjoy all the foods that involve tortillas – tacos, burritos, wraps, enchiladas, etc – but have a difficult time finding store-bought tortillas that fit your dietary restrictions, check it! -> These cassava flour tortillas are grain-free, nut-free, vegan, dairy-free, and egg-free.

PLUS they’re a real hoot to make.

I use Bob’s Red Mill Cassava Flour to make these tortillas. Are you new to cassava flour? Cassava is a starchy root vegetable that in my opinion is underused in our country.

The starch in cassava make it a great carbohydrate option for those who don’t eat grains or legumes (hint: if you follow an AIP or paleo diet or are doing a Whole30), and also make it ideal for baking, as it holds together much better than some of the grain-free flours out there.

How to Make Cassava Flour Tortillas:

Add all ingredients to a mixing bowl.

Stir well until everything is well combined and a dough forms. Form the dough into a ball. Allow the dough to sit at room temperature (or transfer to the refrigerator) for at least 1 hour. Place the ball of dough on a cutting board that is dusted with cassava flour.

Flatten the tortilla dough into a disc.

Cut into 8 to 10 sections (note: for thinner tortillas, go with 10..for thicker, naan-like flatbread, go with 6 to 8).

Roll each section out into a circle.

Heat a large non-stick skillet to medium-low and spray with cooking oil.

Transfer one disc of dough to the skillet and cook until it begins to puff up and bubble, about 2 to 3 minutes. Flip to the other side and continue cooking another minute or two.

Repeat for remaining dough.

Use tortillas for tacos, tostadas, enchiladas, wraps, etc!

Tips:

Don’t skip the part where you allow the dough to sit in a ball at room temp for 1 hour – it becomes easier to manipulate and cracks less after it sits. While the tortillas can certainly be made without allowing the dough to sit, the process goes easier when you perform this step.

If tortillas harden or become stale after you make them, simply zap them in the microwave for 10 to 15 seconds in a moistened paper towel to bring them back to life.

Taco time!

Cassava Flour Tortillas (Paleo, AIP)

Instructions

Add all ingredients to a mixing bowl. Stir well until everything is well combined and a dough forms. Form the dough into a ball. Allow the dough to sit at room temperature (or transfer to the refrigerator) for at least 1 hour.

Flatten the tortilla dough into a disc.

Cut into 8 to 10 sections (note: for thinner tortillas, go with 10..for thicker, naan-like flatbread, go with 6 to 8). Roll each section out into a disc using a rolling pin, a wine bottle, or press into a disc your hands.

Heat a large non-stick skillet to medium-low and spray with cooking oil.

Transfer one disc of dough to the skillet and cook until it begins to puff up and bubble, about 2 to 3 minutes. Flip to the other side and continue cooking another minute or two. Repeat for remaining dough.

Use tortillas for tacos, tostadas, enchiladas, wraps, etc!

Cassava Flour Tortillas (Paleo, AIP)

Amount Per Serving (1 of 10)

Calories 237 Calories from Fat 153

Total Carbohydrates 21g 7%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Source: https://www.theroastedroot.net/cassava-flour-tortillas-paleo-aip/

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lambpain82-blog · 6 years ago

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The best Canada Day desserts from coast to coast

Exploring Canada has long been one of my passions and traveling to the far corners of our beautiful country has allowed me to enjoy a myriad of culinary experiences from coast to coast.

No matter where you land on the map of Canada, you’re sure to find a local dessert, as Canadians have a notorious sweet tooth. Here in Québec, I make my butter tarts with maple syrup and on the Prairies, they bake Flapper Pie from their grandmother’s recipe.

On Vancouver Island, Nanaimo bars are stacked, irresistibly, on every café counter. Salty and sweet, oatcakes can be found at various stops along the Cabot Trail in Cape Breton, and in the Yukon, even the cinnamon buns are made with sourdough starter.

I still dream about the partridgeberry pie and hot toutons drizzled with molasses in Bonavista, NL and if you’re ever in Ontario’s Niagara region, cool off with peaches n’ cream ice cream from Avondale Dairy Bar.

Without question, Canadians will be celebrating our upcoming national holiday with something sweet and so today I’m bringing you a handful of suggestions for a perfect Canada Day dessert.

The best Canada Day desserts from coast to coast

Photo by Tim Chin

Maybe you already have your Canada Day dessert traditions, a recipe passed down from your grandmother for Saskatoon berry pie or date squares. Those are gems to be treasured, for sure. But in case you are looking for something new, this round-up of recipes is sure to inspire.

Photo by Tim Chin

Maple Pecan Butter Tarts

I’m starting with my favourite – the classic butter tart, only I’ve taken the liberty of using maple syrup for an even stickier treat. They are a three-bite delight, encased in a flaky crust and delivering just the right amount of sweetness.

Get the recipe for Maple Pecan Butter Tarts in my book, Brown Eggs and Jam Jars.

Sour Cream Panna Cotta with Strawberry Compote

On a scorching hot long weekend, it can be nice to cool off with a chilled dessert. Creamy, light-as-air-panna cotta is scrumptious on its own and even better when served with a seasonal fruit compote. Red and white, the panna cotta is keeping with the colour scheme, but best of all is the fact that it can be made well in advance.

Get the Recipe:: Sour Cream Panna Cotta with Strawberry Compote

Strawberry Shortbread Jammy Bars

It’s not summer without a crumble bar filled with seasonal berries, and few are as decadent as these jammy shortbread treats. They are reminiscent of traditional thumbprint cookies, but offer the perfect amount of jam in every bite.

Get the Recipe :: Strawberry Shortbread Jammy Bars my recipe via FNC.

Photo by Tim Chin

Glazed Lemon Bundt Cake with Fresh Strawberries

I love this lemon cake so much, I make it year round, even when it’s too hot to bake. It slices up nicely to feed at least 20 people, especially when served with a scoop or two of ice cream.

For a summer spin, I leave off the sugared lemons and heap strawberries on top while the glaze is still sticky. A lemony glaze with the bright berries – there’s your red and white Canada Day decoration.

Don’t worry if you can’t find Meyer lemons, it isn’t the season. Just use regular lemons, organic if possible.

Get the Recipe :: Lemon Bundt Cake

Nanaimo Bars

You’d think that I would have a recipe for Canada’s most popular sweet in my back pocket, but I honestly don’t make them often enough. My very favourite bar comes from the Feast cookbook, and is a gluten-free Nanaimo Bar recipe sourced from Mon Petit Choux in Nanaimo, B.C. They are a lot of work (compared to most bar desserts, which are reputably simple), but they are well worth the effort.

Get the recipe :: Nanaimo Bars from Mon Petit Choux via Feast: An Edible Road Trip

Honey-Sweetened Strawberry Shortcakes

Another simple do-ahead dessert, thanks to a freezer stash of whole wheat shortcakes. Use any local berries that are in season right now and dress them up with mounds of whipped cream.

Get the recipe :: Honey-Sweetened Strawberry Shortcakes

Muscavado Blueberry Plum Sorbet

Keep cool with a scoop or two of this vibrant summer fruit sorbet. I love the blueberry-plum flavour combination because it is a perfect balance of tart and sweet. Our local U-Pick is bursting with blueberries, but if huckleberries or saskatoon berries grow where you live, you can use those in the sorbet instead.

Get the recipe :: Muscavado Blueberry Plum Sorbet

Meringue-Topped, Layered Ice Cream Cake

It’s going to be so hot over the long weekend here in Montreal, so you may want to build an ice cream cake and serve that up to your friends. This one is a crowd-pleaser for sure.

Get the recipe:: Meringue-Topped, Layered Ice Cream Cake

Canadian readers, how will you celebrate Canada Day?

Source: http://www.simplebites.net/the-best-canada-day-desserts-from-coast-to-coast/

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