Not All Kitchen Adventures are Fruitful

Pun intended.

As you all know by now, I have spent the past week and a half settling into a new apartment. And with that new apartment for my last year of college, comes the need to feed myself everyday since my meal plan has now evaporated. This is no problem, let me assure you; I love to cook and actually look forward to getting in the kitchen and being creative to scrub up some dinner. I have been doing a pretty good job (if I say so myself) in keeping the limited staples that I have interesting and not repeating the same old same old every night. I have also, and more importantly, not fallen into the sinkhole of processed and frozen foods. Ick. I would much rather buy the vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and dairy in order to fill my fridge with the staples I need to balance my diet.

It has been interesting just feeding one person. At home I am feed four and two very eager puppy dogs. But here, just me. How does one just cook for, well, one? Strategically. I pick one or two fruits, and those are my fruits for the week. Three or four veggies to work on for a week. One half gallon of milk. Fat free yogurt. A pack of chicken (but what do I do with the other two breasts in the pack!?)

I started this blog to inform you that not all of my dinners this week have been successes. In an effort to clean out the fridge with the miscellaneous vegetables tid-bits and leftovers, I decided to take some leftover penne whole wheat pasta and some eggs to make pasta carbanarra. Essentially it is the Italian version of breakfast for dinner: cook your pasta, toss in a heated skilled with some scrambled eggs (they would add bacon as well) and some fresh herbs, maybe a sprinkling of cheese, and dinner is served. But I have to use these bell pepper halves, onion pieces, and some carrots. What the heck, I thought, the more veggies, the merrier. Wrong. So so wrong. I had a wonderfully delicious, satisfying, and simple dinner and I went and weirded it up with some sauteed veggies. Sometimes veggies don't belong. Shocking I know, but it's true. So what is the take away here? Eggs and bell peppers don't mix so well with pasta.

New Apartment, New Concept!

I am so excited to be writing this blog entry from the living room of my new apartment! We moved in last weekend, and have now officially been here for a week and a day today. Being that it is my last year of college, well, college at this university that is, it seems fitting that I am finally learning and practicing how to feed myself every night, clean every week, grocery shop for one, and walk the couple blocks each day to make it to class on time. These concepts are of course not foreign to me, just much more convenient now that I am not sharing a single room with another girl. I have I mentioned yet how I have a KITCHEN?! I am sure when I buy my own home, I will only care about a nice kitchen. I can sleep in a cardboard box on the kitchen floor as long as there is room for a double oven and stand mixer.

But I digress... I wanted to tell you all how I want to change the nature of my postings a bit. I am still going to cook what I cook best, being healthy, tasty, and pretty foods, but I am going to change my focus a little bit. I am going to show you all how it is possible and even, dare I say, FUN to cook healthy meals while juggling a million other things a day. From Student Government Exec meetings and Dance Ensemble classes, to sorority meetings and those pesky 17 hours of class, I feel as if I am simulating the pending 40, 50, and at times 60 hour work week. And I can still cook for myself. What have I managed to do in the past week you ask? Take a look:

• Stuffed Peppers
• Tossed Salad with Pomegranate Vinaigrette
• Corn Chowder
• Cherry Strawberry Smooties
• Banana Almond Muffins

And one of my roommates brought a snow cone machine to college with her so needless to say that has gotten some use this week (lemon lime and cherry coconut ones are frequently my dessert of choice.)

Tonight I was having a craving for Chinese, but not the kind laden in MSG and sodium. Instead, a homemade one with carrots, onions, and broccoli, all crisp tender and deliciously caramelized in a searing hot skillet (new ones for the new kitchen! Thanks for the early birthday presents Mom!)

A little grilled chicken, brown rice, drizzled with olive oil and balsamic vinegar (I am still building up my pantry of staples like soy sauce, but balsamic was a perfectly delicious alternative) and I had dinner... AND LEFTOVERS!

Goodbye Summer?

It is said that the man who needs a vacation the most is the man who just got back from vacation. I now fully understand what he was talking about.

My family and I just returned from an impromptu week tucked away in rural northern Michigan. A mile away from the sandy (and nearly deserted) shores of Lake Michigan and right on Little Traverse Lake, we spent time together, just the four of us, before we jump headlong into the chaos that consumes August and the return of classes, homework, dance classes, and meetings. These sorts of vacations are my favorite, ones where there is no agenda but plenty to keep me mildly busy in between cat naps and meals. I was able to read not one, but TWO whole books that have been staring at me longingly from my bookshelves for a year now, and stock up on the much needed quiet time before all of my time is devoted to things most decidedly less quiet.We played board games, talked on the porch by tiki light, and played Euchre until we were all rubbing our eyes fighting against the Sand Man. Needless to say it was a wonderful area to visit, plenty of adorable little towns with the most unique shopping, dining, and natural attractions, and I highly recommend it. Just make sure you fully commit to the wonder that is relaxing. Aahhhhhh...

And now planted firmly back into the reality of August, I spent today wading through the 71 emails that had accumulated in my Inbox, finishing up some lose ends that I had put off until "after vacation," and doing laundry and refolding EVERYTHING so it can go back into a suitcase to be taken back to school tomorrow. Which just leads me to the inevitable question that surfaces every August: Where did this summer go? I think through the months between "then" and "now" and make a face of mixed disgust and disappointment. Sad how fast time flies by when you don't keep an eye on it. Though admittedly there are too many things for me to be keeping my eyes on nowadays. So I make the renewed promise to myself to take each day as it comes, reveling in the work and the fun that may come. This year even more so because it's my last year at my university, and thus my last time to make the promise to myself to make this year wonderful. The real world is looming, with real bills and real jobs and real chores and real adult stuff like buying a house and, dare I say, starting a retirement account? Insert another slightly disgusted face here.

I guess the wrapping up of summer has me slightly thoughtful, and I know for many of you our there you are thinking "What the heck is this chick talking about?! It's only August 4th! Summer ain't over until the school bells ring." I agree. So let's relish in the beauty of summertime food yet again!

What do we have here? New recipes!? Why yes, yes we do. I wanted to do something different and was craving some good, old fashioned soul food, which is very different for me. Usually I'm the one who steers clear of fat and calories and absolutely adores summer time because of the abundance of fresh vegetables and lean protein. But today called for gumbo. With the cooked roux and everything. (I also wanted to use my mom's new dutch oven... I really need to get me one of these.) Simply start the gumbo with your butter and oil (the oil raises the scorching temperature of the butter, which allows the fats to be heated to higher temperatures without tasting burnt) and melt, then add flour to create the roux. You need to cook this until it is golden brown, then add your protein. I used Spanish style chorizo and bacon, but ham, chicken, and pork tenderloin could also work.

Roux with flour...

Cooked roux with browned meat (some of that wonderful meat fat can act as your butter/oil combo)

You now want to prepare your vegetables, and in New Orleans they have the Holy Trinity - onions, celery, and bell peppers. No carrots like the traditional French mirepoix. When you process you bell peppers, however, you want to take the membrane out of the inside of them so they more easily release their natural sweetness. 

Simply run your knife along the inside of the quartered peppers to remove the membrane.

Toss the veggies around in your roux and meat mixture, add some broth (beef, veggie, chicken, whatever floats your boat,) bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and let cook until thick and bubbly. Serve over rice.

Enjoy!

And of course I had to have something sweet to end the meal.... key lime pie (the healthy way) for everyone!

A Little Tilapi' with by Pappy

I should have warned all of you from the start, I am a big old dork. A dork whose free time is spent in a hot kitchen, who thinks it is fun to surf food blogs and keeps a journal with recipes to try or variations on classics, and who knows that her future will be a happy one if she gets to use her chef's knife everyday. Yep, that's a pretty accurate description of me actually. But I have no shame in by obsession (let's call it what it is here) with food. It makes me happy, is usually delicious, and brings people together in a most wonderfully unique and genuine way. Ever notice how you can bond with someone at a restaurant you don't know from Adam by asking what they ordered and whether they like it. Never done it before? That's a shame, try next time you out. Or chat up the vendors that the next farmer's market you visit. Most often than not you will walk away with at least three ways to prepare whatever you just bought, the history of it starting when it was just a thought in someone's head, and with a smile on your face to boot.

It is in my blood to get just as excited about trying a new food as I do waiting for Christmas to come. So whilst I was home this past weekend I commandeered the use of my familiar family kitchen and set out on a quest to demystify cooking fish as home. I love fish, it is one of my favorite treats. It is always what I ask for for my birthday dinner, and I am not picky either. Raw, seared, blackened, grilled, poached, Asian style, salmon, monkfish, shellfish, sandwiches, salads, you name it. But I, like so many other home cooks I know, was scared to death to try my hand at home. It's too expensive. There is no way I can keep it from sticking. What in the world would I serve it with? I don't have time. Oh I was so very wrong...

I might have mentioned before that I cook a lot with my dad when I am home. We share the same bottomless stomach and curious nature which makes brainstorming, tasting, adjusting, and daydreaming about what we will have for dinner one of our favorite past times. And he too, does a fair amount of cooking on his own and has yet to crack the "fish at home" fear either. So we embarked on the journey together, and thus produced a most wonderful plate of food.

Pretty right? It just screams summer. We attempted talapia, a mild, inexpensive, (yes you read correctly) and "blank canvas" fish. Grilled with fresh thyme, parsley, and lemon slices, then topped with a summery salsa of blueberry, strawberry, diced parmesan cheese, and balsamic vinegar made for a deliciously different protein. Paired with our favorite grilled veggie (asparagus) and a rice pilaf (minced parsley, arugula, thyme, grape tomatoes, olive oil and tarragon vinegar) and we were in business.

I am here to tell you you no longer have to avoid your wanting eyes when you walk past the seafood department at your local grocer. Instead, take a deep breath, march your little self up there, and ask the fish monger what he can recommend. Yet another way to connect with a complete stranger about food!

I Have a Challenge for You All!

I am trying really hard to learn to like avocados. I mean really REALLY hard. I know they are good for me. They have tons of vitamins and minerals, not to mention all the good for your fat that makes your skin glow and your hair shiny. I like healthy skin as much as the next girl, but I just can't stomach an avocado. I don't even like guacamole. Maybe it isn't the fruit but the methods by with I have tried to desperately to digest this conundrum. It isn't bad on sandwiches simply because usually you can't taste anything other than the creaminess it add to the bite. I am way too much of a salsa person to be into guac. I don't like fried food so fried avocado doesn't even sound appealing (and I have heard such wonderful things about it too.) But I am a determined person.

I have tried salads.

But the bell pepper, salt, and pepper didn't hide the avocado enough. I am quickly realizing I am a texture person and my dislike of mayo, sour cream, or any other similar fatty, coat-your-mouth foods just turn me off in the worst way. Avocado falls into that category.

I have tried little bites.

This was somewhat better. First of all, texture was restored by the baked tortilla chip and I added salsa, which masked the bland avocado blugh taste. Which allows me to maintain faith that one day, hopefully in the near future, I will find an avocado recipe that I like enough to get some of those wonderful health benefits I am dying for.

Which leads me to my challenge: have any wonderful avocado recipes out there that will make me change my mind for good about this much dreaded green goo? I would to replace my current five year old "icky" face with a more adult appreciative, thoughtful face when discussion turns to avocado, but I am going to need your help. Post whatever you'd like, and I will be sure to try them and hopefully be able to write soon about my wonderful frolics down avocado lane...

Until then... I'm going to ignore the avocado that's in my fridge right now. Frozen yogurt anyone?

We have a New Addition to the Family!

And nope, it's not what you are thinking either. No bouncing baby boys or cooing baby girls, but a brand new English Labrador puppy! My grandparents (affectionately names Mommaw and Boppaw and will be referred to as such from here on out) have an affinity with "labies" and make sure that their acreage out in the country is kept company by a couple of them at all times. I personally could not be happier for them! Not only does that mean that they have more puppy love to pass around but I get to live the puppy life vicariously through them!

His name is Del's First Mate, or Mate for short. They live right on the river and it would be inappropriate to name his anything other than a swaggering sea name. I love it! Doesn't he look like a Mate to you?

These pictures are my sister's handiwork too. She really is phenomenal at what she does and you can certainly tell a difference between her photographs and mine. This one is my favorite of hers.

That is Mate with my dad, just chilling and loving the attention. He will be a lovely addition to our family. Fits in already!

Look at that cute little pink puppy belly. And of course he has already been in the mud, in true boy form.

Oh I can't get enough of him. There is nothing like a puppy to make you smile from ear to ear until it hurts... and then rub your cheeks a bit so you can smile some more. But this blog entry isn't just about new puppies. It is about food too! And what better time to make an entry about burgers and salads!? It is that time of the year that I can't wait to get to, savor, cherish, and then cry a bit when it is all over. Grill season. When I was still living at home we would grill almost every night when the weather was warm. We would spend the days at the pool, doing yard work (yes, we all did yard work together, even us girls) at swim meets, but we always seemed to have time to take a moment and grill up a tasty dinner. My dad is the true grill master in our family, and between him and I we have grilled pretty much anything. Veggies, fruits, pizza dough (you HAVE to try this and there will be an entry all about grilled pizza in the very near future,) angel food cake, and of course any manner of protein you can think of.

But of course, some of these "traditional" offerings get monotonous, so if you have hit the proverbial bar-b-q wall already, try this variation. I made a stuffed turkey burger with broccoli salad. It was different, packed with flavor, and of course, grilled up perfectly (though these will do just fine inside on a grill pan or in a skillet as well.)

A few notes about turkey burgers - Usually people choose turkey over beef to cut calories and fight back some fat. But unless you are buying all white meat ground turkey to make your burgers, then there is really no nutritional difference between beef and turkey. And I know there are probably a few of you readers saying "But dark meat has all the flavor and juiciness." That is precisely why I chose to stuff and season my burgers with mozzarella cheese, Italian breadcrumbs (extra credit if you make your own,) sage, red pepper flakes, black pepper, and fresh parsley. All of these elements come together to make one lip-smacking burger, and once you top it off with some juicy tomatoes and crispy lettuce, you might as well banish all those worries of "dry turkey."

And about that salad - No need to get burnt out of the same old potato, macaroni, cole slaw, or green salads. Pick out some of your favorite veggies and make it shine in a salad of it's own. Love carrots? Make a shaved carrot salad with tarragon vinaigrette. Squash more your taste? Saute up some with some garlic and fresh basil and you're good to go. This is a great way to experiment in the kitchen (something I am always trying to encourage people to do) in addition to using some of the plethora of fresh vegetables and fruits ripe for the picking this time of year. I chose broccoli but in order to keep some of the intergrity of the vegetable, served it raw with a plain yogurt and vinegar dressing. With a few raisins, slivered almonds, and diced red onion, it had me coming back for seconds.

Happy grilling all!

Rustic is my Middle Name

I figured today was a fine day for me to figure out how to use Blogger and how to make the pictures that I take (which are certainly not fabulous) look spectacular. I don't pretend to be a photographer (that is what I have my younger sister for; she takes jaw-dropping pictures) nor am I a professional chef by any means. I just love to cook and share my findings with others. And hopefully bring about some inspiration and curiosity in the kitchen after reading my blog. So welcome to the new and improved Peach&Kiwi!

One of my favorite things to do is use up any and all leftovers in the fridge in a different way than originally intended. Odds and ends veggies go into a frittata, a ham hock is re-purposed for a big stock pot of brown beans, leftover cornbread is diced and made into a southern version of panzanella salad. Today's leftover mission was to take white bean stew and turn it into breakfast. Not impossible, and oh so delicious! 

Let's start with the white bean stew first. I am a sucker for any kind of stew or soup (though admittedly I don't like cream based soups to save my life) and when I started reading a lot about using white beans as a base for a hearty soup, I was all too eager to try my hand at it. I took basically every veggies I had in the fridge (which included carrots, celery, onions, bell peppers, spinach, and tomatoes) and simmered them with some savory spices like rosemary and bay, bumped up the nutrition with some pearled barley, and whala! I got a soup that was comforting yet non-traditional, filling yet light. I ate it for a few nights but then needed to change it up and, since breakfast was staring me in the face, turn it into a savory breakfast.

I have been on a recent poached egg kick. I don't like big breakfasts (you know, the eggs, potatoes, biscuits, gravy, meat route) and instead tend to stick with cereal and yogurt. But poached eggs toe that line for me, that line between having to loosen your belt so early in the morning and having to go back to the cupboard because you're still hungry. The key is protein and carbs, those are your main energy suppliers. And this soup had plenty of that, so I took the heel off of a loaf of bread (yet another wonderful way to use up the heel that no one seems to want to eat anymore) toasted it up, ladled some of the white bean stew over top, topped that with a perfectly poached egg, seasoned with salt, pepper, and a few dashed of balsamic vinegar, and it was breakfast time!

It occurred to me shortly after eating this that you could do this same thing with any number of soups or stews. Vegetable, chili, corn chowder, cabbage soup, you name it and it can be made into breakfast. Not to mention ones that are impressive to entertain with at a brunch or breakfast-for-dinner party. So I encourage you to have fun and be creative... and go look at your leftovers!