When life gives you lemons, well you know...

Life has given me quite a few lemons lately, so naturally I did what anyone would do:  Make lemonade.  One of my favorite things about living in Phoenix is the access to citrus trees and fresh (free) citrus.  I used my frozen lemon juice to make this amazing lemonade.

Truth be told, this is not a photo of my lemonade but it looks exactly like what I made.  I have an issue posting without pictures.  Posting without pictures reminds me of kindergarten, reading those drab books without illustrations.  Do you remember that?  Here's the recipe:

-1 3/4 C. white sugar
-8 C. water
-1 1/2 C. lemon juice
-1 large bunch basil
(optional: fresh seasonal berries)

1. Make a thick simple syrup by combining the sugar and 1 C. water in a small sauce pan.  Bring to a boil until the sugar dissolves, cool to room temp, and then cover and refrigerate until chilled. In pitcher stir together chilled syrup, remaining 7 C. of water, lemon juice, and the basil leaves. Leave in the refrigerator for 24 hours before serving.  I added pureed strawberries prior to serving, but any fresh berry would be delicious; I just chose strawberries so I wouldn't have to strain out the seeds.  It was also amazing on its own.  The basil added a subtle but definite flavor.  Perhaps for more of a punch next time I'll try pureeing some basil in with the berries. I also plan to try this recipe with limes instead of lemons to recreate a drink-able version of my favorite sorbet at Sweet Republic.

Speaking of frozen things, I also poured some of the lemonade into popsicle molds with some bits of basil and the strawberry puree, and they made another lovely treat.  

My mom, my son, and I had a picnic at The Farm at South Mountain this week.  Hopefully I'll get a chance to write about that soon.  It was so beautiful under the pecan trees.  If life is giving you lemons, try this recipe.  It helped me.

What kind of cook are you?

Reader, I pose this question:  What kind of cook are you?  There are several kinds I suppose.  Tonight I'll discuss two.  My mom and I stand at opposite ends of the spectrum.  My mom is the over-estimator and I am the under-estimator.  Let me elaborate-

You may be an over-estimator if:
-Your definition of "cooking" means heating up a jar of pasta sauce and boiling spaghetti noodles.
-You throw away recipes you haven't used in more than a year.  If you needed them, you would have used them in the past year, right?  There must be a reason you haven't cooked it, even if you can't remember why.
-You see anything that involves chopping as considered a difficult recipe.

You may be an under-estimator if:
-You significantly misjudge the amount of time a recipe will take.
-You actually refer to the "prep time" listed on a recipe like it's a reliable source of information (I will be the first to say I am no professional chef, nor do I possess any formal training, but the 5 minute "prep time" listed in the recipe I will share below is laughable.  Ha.).
-You don't seem to learn from past experience, and continue to utter the words, "Wow, this is taking longer than I expected" 2 hours into the cooking process.

So, over-estimators, like my mom, over-estimate the amount of work it takes to cook, and therefore find themselves avoiding it. The under-estimators, like me, continually underestimate the actual time and effort it will take to cook, and are surprised at how labor-intensive the process turns out to be.  Case in point:  This week's dinner.

Having a baby changed everything about the way I cook.  At first I tried to be wonder woman in the kitchen.  But after cooking honey lime enchiladas when my son was less than a week old led to a near complete emotional and physical breakdown, I realized things needed to change.  Enter a month and a half of frozen lasagna, pizza, bagged salad, pizza.. oh, and did I mention pizza?  Since staying with my parents, I have had the opportunity to cook again because of the extra hands.  This week was Indian food.  I cooked a sweet potato cauliflower dish and served it with saag paneer and naan a la Trader Joe's.  It was fun, but it definitely fell into my under-estimator category.  Here is the recipe:

INGREDIENTS;
-2 T. olive oil
-1 onion, chopped
-1 T. fresh grated ginger
-1 T. coriander seeds (or 1/2 T. ground coriander)
-1 T. cumin seeds (or 1/2 T. ground cumin)
-1 tsp. turmeric
-1 tsp. salt
-1 tomato, chopped
-1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
-1 small head cauliflower, cut into bite-size florets

DIRECTIONS:
Place the oil in a large nonstick skillet and heat over medium-high heat.  Add the onion and ginger and cook for 4 minutes. Stir in the spices and toast for 15 seconds and then add the tomatoes and sweet potato.  Add water as necessary to keep the ingredients from sticking, and cook until sweet potatoes are tender. Add the cauliflower and stir well to combine.  Place a tight fitting lid on the pan and cook until the cauliflower is crisp-tender, about 5 to 8 minutes.

Sounds easy enough, right?  It certainly wasn't the hardest recipe I have ever cooked, but it was definitely an under-estimator.  And when all is said and done, I can't say it will become one of my go-to's, but it was a fun venture into home-cooked Indian cuisine.  I loved the saag paneer and naan from Trader Joe's.

Until next time, goodnight.  I suppose I'll be back with an another underestimated recipe soon since we under-estimators just never seem to learn...

Nielsen's Frozen Custard

I have been spending a few weeks in Utah.  The grandparents are loving spending time with the little one, and I am loving the extra hands so it's a mutually beneficial, beautiful thing... :)  My trip has been full of a lot of good-old comfort food (Javier's, fried chicken from Maddox, Tony's pizza with those wonderful signature green olives) and some exceptional standouts (Chocolate calzone from Arella Pizzeria, shrimp tempura from Temari).  Ice cream has always played a major role in my life.  Since being pregnant, ice cream has played a nearly daily role in my life--and I'm not ashamed of it whatsoever.  Haagen Dazs chocolate peanut butter has been my regular go-to.  Today we took a trip to Trader Joe's in Salt Lake and on the way home stopped at Nielsen's Frozen Custard in Bountiful.  It was a gorgeous spring day, about 73 degrees.  And speaking of gorgeous.... 

I can't call myself a frozen custard aficionado.  I don't have tremendous knowledge about the subject, but I trust my palate, and Nielsen's is the closest thing I've ever tasted to frozen custard perfection.  It is so unbelievably smooth.  The concretes are thick, rich... I'm literally salivating writing this.  Literally.  My parents' classic orders have been passed down to me:  A chocolate almond malted concrete, and a caramel cashew malted concrete.  Have you ever eaten something and been unable to refrain from uttering audible oohs and ahhs?  This was one of those moments for me.  Every bite seemed just a bit better than the last.  The creamy, dense texture of the custard; the bold crunch of the roasted almonds in every bite, the rich chocolate flavor.  Heavenly.  Freddy's is good for a frozen yogurt craving in Phoenix; Rita's is delicious for what it is, although let's be honest, that soft-serve frozen topping in your gelati is a far cry from true frozen custard; but my original introduction to frozen custard still holds the number one place in my book.  And in my heart.  And I'm so grateful today provided me the opportunity to relive that love affair over again.  Wish me sweet frozen custard dreams tonight.   

Back from the abyss... with Avocado Egg Salad Sandwiches

Well I'm back from the abyss that was 2013!  Over a year since my last post and a lot of life changes.  I have a new little one with me, and I am motivated to get back into blogging.  I have a whole list of back-logged entries I'd like to add (the "Big Unit" at Alice Cooperstown, Restaurant Week at Binkley's, the heaven that is The Welcome Diner...)-- we'll see if that happens.  But for now, I'll start with a delicious new recipe:  Avocado Egg Salad Sandwiches.

Egg salad sandwiches were a staple in my mom's kitchen.  My mom's version included the usual egg salad mix topped with paprika, and our own Hyde specialty:  Bread and butter pickles.  A great version.  But here is a great twist if you're looking for something healthy and a bit more unusual.  I found this recipe on Pinterest, tried it, loved it, but felt it was lacking something sweet.  My mom discovered the secret ingredient to make this sensational sandwich perfect:  Mango chutney.

For the egg salad:
5 hard boiled eggs
1 large avocado
Small container (around 1/3 C.) plain greek yogurt
1 tsp. curry powder (more or less depending on your affinity for curry)
Salt and pepper to taste

Spread a generous portion of mango chutney on one slice of bread.  Top with the egg salad, romaine lettuce, and another slice of bread.  Makes 4 sandwiches. Divine.

I inhaled the sandwich too quickly to snap a photo--I'll try to control myself and add one next time.

This Year's Christmas Gift

I made these as Christmas gifts this year.  They taste delicious, but give yourself plenty of time to segment the oranges. Turns out it is one of the world's most monotonous tasks.  Ever.  I wish blood oranges were in season so I could have used those.

Oranges with Dark Chocolate and Sea Salt

Makes approximately 30 segments

  

-3 navel or blood oranges 

-3.5 oz. high quality dark chocolate (I use 72% Cacao)

-1 to 2 tablespoons high quality sea salt (If you can’t find Fleur de Sel, I have also used Himalayan Pink Salt from Trader Joe’s)

For segmented oranges:

-Carefully peel and segment oranges. Scrape away excess pith (aka white) carefully with a non-serrated knife. 

For peeled oranges:

Slice oranges width-wise, then into smaller circles.  Carefully cut off the rind and pith. Can either be left as a full circles, or sliced into half-moon circles.

Melt dark chocolate over a double boiler.  Pat orange segments dry before dipping into the melted chocolate.  After dipping, place oranges on a sheet of wax paper to dry.  While the chocolate is still semi-wet, sprinkle a small amount of sea salt on top of the chocolate portion of the orange (if you sprinkle the salt on the chocolate too soon, the salt will mostly dissolve in the chocolate).  Oranges will be dry and ready to serve/eat in about an hour.  Oranges are best if eaten within a day or two of preparing.  

Mushroom Primavera with Spaghetti Squash

Made this for dinner tonight.... It's delicious, particularly when spaghetti squash is sweet and in season. Super healthy and gluten free as well if you're into that sort of thing.  I'm generous with most of the ingredients, particularly the kalamata olives and feta cheese.  I also use half olive oil/half butter when cooking the mushrooms. Make sure to salt and pepper the sauce--I do this after adding the onions and garlic to the mixture.

1 spaghetti squash (about 3 lbs.)

1 T. olive oil

1 lb. white button mushrooms

1 C. chopped onion

2 tsp. minced garlic

1 C. cherry or grape tomatoes, halved

3/4 C. crumbled feta cheese

1 1/2 T. sliced kalamata olives

1/2 C. chopped fresh basil, plus more for garnish

With the tip of a knife, pierce squash in about five places.  Place on paper towel in microwave and cook on high for 10 minutes, or until squash has softened.  When cool enough to handle, cut squash lengthwise and remove seeds with a spoon.  Remove the spaghetti-like strands of squash with a fork, set aside and cover to keep warm (or reheat in microwave at serving time). 

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat.  Add a single layer of mushrooms and cook, without stirring, for about 5 minutes or until mushrooms become red-brown on one side.  Stir in onion and garlic and cook for 3 more minutes, until onions are softened.  Add tomatoes, cheese, and olives and cook about 3 minutes longer, until mixture is hot and bubbling.  Remove pan from heat and stir in basil. 

Divide squash among 4 shallow serving bowls.  Spoon sauce over spaghetti squash and garnish with additionally chopped basil.  Serve immediately.  Serves 4. 

Another day in “Paradise Shrimp” at… Nunthaporn's?

On Tuesday September 18^th Ben and I drove down to Mesa to see Fiona Apple in concert.  Thankfully her arrest for drug possession occurred Wednesday the 19^th of September rather than Monday the 17^th because her show was “extraordinary” (Extraordinary Machine?  If you’re still confused, nevermind).  We were running short on time for dinner so we decided to park at the concert and try to find something within walking distance. I remembered seeing a Thai restaurant on Main Street on one of my trips down to the Mesa temple, so I asked Ben to look it up. We soon discovered the restaurant I had seen was called “Nunthaporn’s.” I was initially encouraged. You can often tell the authenticity of a restaurant based on its name, and no self-aware, English (first language) speaking restaurateur would include the name “porn” in his restaurant (unless perhaps he owned some disturbing, hole-in-the-wall eatery off the Las Vegas strip). I have yet to try my favorite-poorly-named restaurant clearly titled by a foreigner: Fook Yuen Seafood in Honolulu. But I digress. So… I’m thinking, perhaps there is potential with Nunthaporn’s.  There were also decent online reviews, which, combined with our affinity for Thai food, sold us.

The restaurant was fairly crowded, but we were seated immediately and ordered promptly.  I asked our server which of three dishes he preferred (all three were shrimp dishes, and descended in order down the menu), and he informed me all were good (which, by the way, is a pet peeve of mine as this is not a helpful response from a server).  I went with the “paradise shrimp” because I was craving something sweet and it was mango season.   Soon our curry noodle soup arrived, and as the waiter was about to set down our second dish, a puzzled look covered his face, which communicated that this was not the right dish.  He turned around, without informing us what the issue was, and rushed back to the kitchen.  Ben and I ate the curry, which was pleasantly surprising.  Light, but with a unanticipated depth of flavor.  It had been about five minutes and we began to be somewhat antsy looking at the clock.  But no need to fear—just as we began to worry our server came back carrying a new plate.  He set it down on the table and apologized for the delay.  The first thing I noticed was baby corn and large specks of black pepper running throughout the dish.  My mind immediately returned to the description of “black pepper shrimp” (which, by the way, was NOT one of my three options) and I asked the server, “Is this the black pepper shrimp?”  He looked at me with a look of horror in his eyes as if he’d been caught red-handed, and then thrust the fingers of his right hand to his forehead while closing his eyes (think Homer Simpon’s “d’oh!”) while saying ever so shamefully, “Yeah… it is….”  His next response: “It’s really good!” was even better.  Yes Nunthaporn server who will remain nameless—I’m sure it is good—but the problem is it is not what I ordered.  As the nameless server became more and more agitated, the apparent owner, an older Asian woman, came to see what the problem was.  She asked me, “Do you want me to make you another one?”  (another pet peeve of mine… of course I want you to make me another one!  Did I order the black pepper shrimp?  Aren’t I the one paying here?!).  Through more chaos, it was eventually decided that she would return to the kitchen and cook the “paradise” shrimp.  Third time’s the charm apparently, and after another five minutes the correct dish arrived at our table.  I wouldn’t call it “paradise”, but it was definitely a decent dish with bold seasoning. We had hoped to share mango and sticky rice for dessert, but by this point we thought we better cut our losses and stick to the safe side.  After all, nothing more could go wrong at this point right?  As we were nearing the end of our meal, our nameless server dropped off our bill, stating, “I know you need to get to a concert, so here’s your bill.”  I always look at bills before handing off my debit card, but because I was so eager to see Fiona, I thought, “just this once”, and handed off my debit card.  Fateful mistake.  When our check returned Ben looked at the bill and started laughing out loud. We definitely paid someone else’s ticket because we did not order two glasses of wine and green curry.  With how complicated the whole process had been so far, I dreaded how long it would take to resolve this mess.  Our nameless server was so downtrodden with dishonor he avoided all eye contact at this point.  Eventually things were straightened out we walked out the doors of Nunthaporn’s. 

Turns out our rush was for naught because Fiona didn’t get on stage until her “opening act” played an hour-long less-than-exciting set.  All in all, we enjoyed our adventure at Nunthaporn’s… primarily because we continue to giggle when we say the name.  So reader:  Eat at your own risk!  It won’t ever become a destination for us, or one of my “diamonds in the rough”, but if I’m ever feeling up for an adventure again and need to eat somewhere near Main Street in Mesa, I would consider a second go-around.