Monday, October 31, 2011

Happy Halloween to you!


For as long as I can remember Halloween has been my favorite holiday.  This has long baffled many of my friends and family.  "What?  Halloween is your favorite holiday?  Not Christmas?"  Don't get me wrong, I love Christmas too, but there's just always been something about Halloween...

Maybe it's the costumes...black cat, witch, cowgirl, cheerleader, doctor...every year I anticipated what I was going to be.  No matter what though, it had to be cute.  I was never one of those girls who wanted scary face paint or a weird mask.  Nope, I wanted to be a cute version of everything...probably because I was totally awkward looking enough on my own (with acne and braces)!

Maybe it's the anticipation...carving the pumpkins, decorating the house, watching "The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown," or standing in the vast candy aisle at Target trying to decide which bag of sugar I am going to choose to rot my teeth...

Speaking of candy...I have a feeling candy is near the very top of the list on why I love Halloween so much.  Evidence of this love dates back to my early trick-or-treating days.  My dad would take my brother and me out Halloween night.  Usually he would carry around his mug of coffee and freeze while we would run from house to house ringing doorbells and collecting candy and other weird things our neighbors thought were great (combs? homemade popcorn balls? black licorice?).  About an hour into the process, my brother would get bored and want to go home.  My reaction?  "Are you serious?!  No WAY am I going home!"  So, we would usually walk my brother back home and my dad and I would journey back into the night.  Every so often, my Dad would say "I think it's time we headed back home."  I would respond with, "Just one more house Dad!"  Of course he let me go to a few more.  We would head back home and sometimes make it back without eating any of the candy....but not usually.  Once we got home I would pour my candy out onto the floor with my brother. (My collection was of course 3 times bigger than his!)  My parents would sort of check it (nice effort guys!) and then it was time to enjoy!!!  My dad usually took a few boxes of Milk Duds (his favorite) and my mom was always searching for Snickers bars (her favorite).  I had plenty to go around...except when it came to my brother.  :)

Hmmmm, so maybe it's not the candy exactly.  Maybe it's just the wonderful memories that I have from all of my Halloween's past.  Thank you Dad for staying out with me and being my favorite Trick-or-Treat partner!  Thank you to my brother who would at least humor me for a little while during our mad dash throughout the neighborhood Halloween night.  Thank you Mom for always letting me be whatever I wanted for Halloween...the cute version!!!  I love all of you and I cherish these memories so much!!!!

Happy Halloween to you and I wish you a day full of memory making!!!

Friday, October 28, 2011

Really???

Did you ever watch Saturday Night Live when Amy Poehler was still on?  She used to do a hilarious skit with Seth Meyers called  "Really?"  Basically, it was them bashing someone doing something really dumb...usually with sentences beginning and ending with the word "really."  Horrible description, but it was funny....REALLY!  Ha!

Anyway, I feel like I should be writing the script for that segment because I see the most hilarious, yet dumb stuff all of the time.  Let me explain.....

For instance, on a leisurely walk down a busy Chicago street I happened to see a young woman smoking a cigarette and drinking a Gatorade.  REALLY?  I mean, is she worried that she might get dehydrated with how much exercise she's getting from smoking that cigarette?

Another funny thing happened at the gym.  I noticed a Fabio look-alike (wow, am I dating myself with that reference or what?) next to me.  Ok, it was hilarious that he looked like Fabio, but the best thing about the guy was that he kept swinging his long hair around and posing with Zoolander-type faces in front of the mirror.  Alarming and yet, intriguing as it appeared that this man mistakenly confused Bally Total Fitness with a second-rate fashion runway show.  REALLY? 

And yet another thing....the first week in October I saw that someone had a pumpkin on their porch.  Normally that wouldn't be a big deal, but this person had already carved the pumpkin.  REALLY?  I mean, by the time Halloween actually rolls around your pumpkin will be all wrinkly, rotten and probably half-eaten by squirrels (or rats, I mean we are in Chicago here people)...so sad.

Oh, and another....I was at the grocery store, minding my own business, or at least trying to, when I spotted an older gentlemen down the aisle from me.  He was nicely dressed in a suit...and nearly choking himself with his index finger trying to lodge something out of the depths of his mouth.  Really?  Ewwww???  I mean, how many nasty things did he touch before he crammed his finger in his mouth...and more importantly, how many things was he going to be touching until he washed his hands???  REALLY?

And finally,  on October 24th...I had my first sighting of Christmas decorations....REALLY???  Do I really need to say anymore about that???

Thursday, October 27, 2011

Rick Bayless Project...More tomatillos please

Sometimes I say things and I'm not really thinking when I say them...does anyone else have this problem?  Case in point...the conversation below between the husband and me this evening.  Hilarious!

The husband: "What's for dinner?"
Me: "Rick Bayless."

Get it?  Ha!  I really thought that was pretty funny...my husband didn't appear as amused...but that might just be because he was distracted by his fantasy football team...hard to tell.

So, yes, Rick Bayless was on the menu...sort of.  It was actually the latest RBP recipe which was Chicken with Roasted Peppers and Salsa Verde.

This is a delicious dish  made with tomatillos (seems to be a RB favorite ingredient), chicken and poblano chiles.  It takes a little bit of work, but it's really not too difficult.  I actually doubled the recipe so that there would be leftovers (a trademark of mine) and used chicken thighs instead of chicken breast. 

Again...another delicious dish...really Rick Bayless...you are my hero!!!


 
My wrinkly roasted poblano peppers.

 
Yes, more tomatillos...and onions.


Looks a little weird, but tastes delicious!


NOTE:  I will no longer be putting Rick's recipes on my blog unless he already has them posted on his website.  Instead, I implore you to go out and buy the book (Mexican Everyday by Rick Bayless)...it's a good investment...I promise!

Sunday, October 23, 2011

The Rick Bayless Project: Swiss Chard Tacos

Week 3 of the Rick Bayless Project has come and gone and I have yet another successful recipe to share with you.  Things are going amazingly well...I mean, I have not made anything that hasn't been fantastic.  I can't tell you how happy I am about that. 

The night I made the most recent RBP recipe, my husband had a deep thought.  Ok, maybe not a truly deep thought, but a good one nonetheless.  Basically he was commenting on the fact that Rick Bayless makes authentic Mexican food...not that generic Mexican food most of us are used to.  If you are following along with the RBP, you have probably noticed this as well.  This type of Mexican cooking isn't well-known or done in most American kitchens, but I urge you to be open-minded and give it a try.  Most of the truly authentic Mexican dishes are super flavorful and usually pretty healthy (chef and RD approved!). 

This week's successful Mexican recreation? 

Swiss Chard Tacos with Caramelized Onion, Fresh Cheese and Red Chile with Smoky Chipotle Salsa. 

Ingredients:
A 12-ounce bunch Swiss chard, thick lower stems cut off
1 1/2 Tbs vegetable oil
1 large white onion, sliced 1/4 inch thick
3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 cup chicken broth
salt
12 warm corn tortillas
1 cup crumbled Mexican queso fresco
3/4 cup Smoky Chipotle Salsa (see recipe below)

Method:
Cut the chard crosswise into 1/2-inch slices.  In a very large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high.  Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until golden brown but still crunchy, about 4 to 5 minutes.  Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and stir for a few seconds, until aromatic, then add the broth, 1/2 teaspoon salt and the greens.  Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pan and cook until the greens are almost tender, about 5 minutes.



Uncover the pan, raise the heat to medium-high and cook, stirring continually, until the mixture is nearly dry.  Taste and season with additional salt if you think necessary. 
Serve with the warmed tortillas, cheese and salsa.

Heaven on a plate!

*Note: For a heartier taco, I took Rick's advice and added some shredded chicken.

Smoky Chipotle Salsa with Pan-Roasted Tomatillos

Ingredients:
3 garlic cloves, peeled
4 medium tomatillos, husked, rinsed and cut in half
2 canned chipotle chiles en adobo

Method:
Set a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.  Lay in the garlic and tomatillos (cut side down).  When the tomatillos are well browned, 3 or 4 minutes, turn everything over and brown  the other side. (The tomatillos should be completely soft.)


Scoop the garlic and tomatillos into a blender jar or food processor, along with the chiles and 1/4 cup water.  Process to a coarse puree.  Pour into a dish and cool.

*Note: This salsa is ridiculously easy and ridiculously delicious....and addictive...double the recipe! 
**Note: Rick mentions laying a piece of foil in a normal pan in place of using a non-stick pan.  I think that's the better way to go as I used the non-stick pan method and it (or maybe I) ruined my pan.

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

The Invisible Pain of Infertility Redbook Article - November 2011 Issue


http://www.redbookmag.com/health-wellness/advice/dealing-with-infertility

Check out this amazing article in the newest issue of Redbook Magazine.  It's an insightful piece that all women (and men!), not just those struggling with infertility, should read.

The article is aptly titled "The invisible pain of infertility."  The first paragraph alone was enough to move me..."Chances are, someone you're close to is struggling to get pregnant, but you may never know.  Redbook's on a mission to end the shame and secrecy of infertility - and you're about to join it." Amen to that! 

Interesting facts from the article:

1) "Infertility strikes one in eight women in the United States."
2) "Sixty-one percent of couples hide their infertility from family & friends."
3) "Anywhere from 10 to 20 percent of infertility is "unexplained" as in, there's no medical answer for why..."

Another great part of the ariticle is a highlighted box titled "4 Things NEVER to say to a Friend Who's Been Trying."  I am sure that people don't know what to say when I tell them what I'm going through...I know it's not easy for them either...but this is some good advice about what NOT to say...

1) "Just relax and you'll get pregnant."
2) "If it's meant to be, you'll have a child."
3) "So, are you pregnant?"
4) "Why don't you adopt"

Read the article for reasons why these statements and questions may cause us to cringe.

They also provide "2 Things ALWAYS to say":

1) "I'm here for you."
2) "You're not alone."

A great article indeed.  Pass it along to your friends and family.  The more we talk about it, the easier it will be for all of us!

Monday, October 17, 2011

Celebrate Food Day October 24th, 2011


Mark your calendars....October 24th (which is a week from today!) is the first annual Food Day which is sponsored by the Center for Science in the Public Interest, "a nonprofit watchdog group that has led successful fights for food labeling, better nutrition, and safer food."

Click on the link below to learn more about this fun day and how you can get involved!!!  Happy Food Day to you all!



Wednesday, October 12, 2011

The Rick Bayless Project: Tomatillo-Sauced Enchiladas with Spinach and Mushrooms

Success!  I have made it to week two of the Rick Bayless project without any delays, catastrophes, or tears.  Things are looking, and tasting, very good around here.

For those that missed the earlier blogs, I am re-creating (isn't that a fancy way of saying it?) recipes from the cookbook Mexican Everyday by Chef Rick Bayless.  My first recipe (re-created last week) was a complete success...I was hoping for a repeat this week, and I was not dissapointed during round 2 of the RB Project (cool new name I just gave the project...hilarious! I am so creative).

The recipe I chose this week was...drum roll please...oh wait, I already told you...oh well, the recipe was Tomatillo-Sauced Enchiladas with Spinach and Mushrooms.  Super fab and yum-tastic!  I thought those tacos last week were good, but these saucy little enchiladas are my new fav. 

First let me say that I did stray (as I usually do) a little from the recipe.  Instead of fresh spinach, I used frozen organic spinach (well drained of course).  Also, because I had all of that awesome pork (hanging out in the freezer) left from last weeks recipe, I decided to use that instead of the chicken.  Finally, because I am a true risk-taker, I made my recipe with half corn and half flour tortillas and decided to bake them after they were sauced and cheesed.  Yum!

Another RB Project success story.

Tomatatillo-Sauced Enchiladas with Spinach and Mushrooms

Serves 4

Ingredients

  • 3 cloves garlic, peeled
  • 1 jalapeno or 2 serrano chiles, stemmed and quartered
  • 10 to 12 medium tomatillos (about 1 1/2 pounds), husked, rinsed, and quartered
  • 3/4 cup loosely packed chopped fresh cilantro, plus sprigs for garnish
  • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, olive oil, or bacon drippings, plus more for the tortillas
  • 2 cups homemade or store-bought low-sodium chicken broth
  • 8 ounces mushrooms, such as button, oyster, or shiitake, stems removed and sliced
  • 1 large red onion, thinly sliced
  • 10 ounces spinach, stems removed
  • 1 cup (about 4 ounces) shredded cooked chicken, or cubed ham (optional)
  • Coarse salt
  • 12 corn tortillas
  • 3 tablespoons Mexican crema, sour cream, heavy cream, or creme fraiche
  • 1/2 teaspoon sugar (optional)
  • 1 cup (about 4 ounces) crumbled Mexican queso fresco, or other fresh cheese, such as feta or goat cheese

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. With a food processor running, drop garlic cloves and chiles through feed tube one at a time, pureeing each piece before the next addition. Add tomatillos and cilantro; process until smooth.
2. Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add puree; cook, stirring constantly, until mixture has reduced to the consistency of a thick tomato sauce, about 7 minutes. Add chicken broth; reduce heat to medium and simmer for 10 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, heat remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms; cook, stirring constantly, until they begin to brown. Add three-quarters of the onion, reserving the rest for garnish; cook, stirring frequently, until onion is translucent, 1 to 2 minutes. Add spinach and chicken, if using; cook, stirring constantly, until spinach is wilted, about 1 minute. Season with salt. Cover to keep warm; set aside.

5. Lay tortillas on a clean work surface. Spray or brush lightly on both sides with oil; stack in twos and transfer to a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Bake until tortillas are soft and pliable, about 3 minutes. Stack tortillas in a single pile; cover with a clean kitchen towel to keep warm.
6. Stir crema into sauce; season with salt. Taste sauce; if too tart, add sugar, if desired. Holding tortilla by one edge, dip into sauce, and then lay it on a plate. Spoon a heaping 2 tablespoons filling down the center, roll it up, and lay seam-side down on a dinner plate. Repeat with 2 more tortillas. Top enchiladas with about 1/4 cup of the tomatillo sauce, sprinkle with 2 tablespoons cheese, and garnish with reserved onion and cilantro. Assemble remaining enchiladas, 3 to a plate; serve immediately.

Yum!

Friday, October 7, 2011

Homemade Pizza

Anybody else love pizza?  For me, pizza is right up there with Mexican food.  I believe that I would have no trouble existing solely on pizza and Mexican food.  Ok, maybe I would like to have chocolate somewhere in there too...

But, back to pizza.  I have loved the stuff since I was little.  Some of my favorite early memories are of eating pizza.  Hilarious!  Seriously though, I can remember being a little girl and going to this pizza place by us that was called Grambolis.  It was kind of a darkly-lit place, with those little red glass candles on each table (which my brother once tried to use to burn down the place).  They also had cool arcade games, the coolest being a sit-down Pac-Man game that my brother and I would play.  Oh, and I almost forgot, they had really amazing pan crust pizza.  :) 

Maybe pizza doesn't just taste good...maybe it's also comforting to me.  It makes me feel happy and reminds me of those fun pizza experiences when I was a kid.  It's amazing how food can do that!

A few years ago I decided that I wanted to be AWESOME at making my own pizza.  I did some serious research and have tried many recipes and I finally have a somewhat perfected version.  The base of my recipe comes from one of my amazing culinary instructors, Chef Tom Beckman.  The man is awesome and I loved his class so much.  I adapted it a little because I wanted to incorporate a little more sweetness as well as some whole wheat flour. 

If you've never made pizza from scratch, you are really missing out.  Give this recipe a try and you won't be disappointed.  Also, the great thing about this dough is that if you aren't going to use it all, you can wrap it up and store it in your freezer.  Good luck!

Pizza Dough Recipe (base recipe from Chef Tom Beckman)
makes 2 pizzas
Ingredients:
1 1/3 cup warm water
1 envelope active dry yeast
1/4 cup olive oil
1 3/4 cup bread flour
1 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 Tbsp sugar
2 Tbsp honey
1 1/2 tsp salt

Method:
Straight dough.  This basically means you can put everything together (except the salt, you add that in after you've mixed for awhile) in your stand mixer (with dough hook attachment) and blend away on low speed for about 6 minutes or until you've gotten some good gluten development.  It also helps to get the warm water and yeast started before adding the remaining ingredients.  After it's mixed, shape it into a ball, cover and let rise in a non-drafty place for about an hour.  After that first rise, punch down the dough and form into 2 separate balls.  Cover and let rise again for another hour or so.  After that, you are ready to roll it out and make your pizza.  Bake in a preheated oven set at 500'F with a pizza stone...it should only take a few minutes.  Enjoy!


Mixin' with my dough hook.

Ready for the first rise.

It grew!  My dough ball after the first rise.

Ready for the second rise.

Yum, time to eat!  Pesto, fresh spinach, grape tomato and goat cheese.

Thursday, October 6, 2011

Moving forward

It's been a few weeks since I posted anything about my baby journey.  Don't worry, nothing horrible has happened...I have just been in sort of a "limbo" with the whole process....or more appropriately, on a "vacation" from the whole process.

During this "limbo" I have managed to have some seriously good times.  I visited my amazing family in Nevada, I did some really fun cooking demos, I played black jack with my brother on his birthday, I drank beer at an Oktoberfest with my friends, I went to San Diego for a conference and I started the Rick Bayless Project!  :) 

I didn't realize how much I needed this break until now.  Let's just say I was totally burnt-out with everything.  I'm sorry, but I don't much enjoy the weekly uterine ultrasounds (or the early morning bus ride to get there), the blood draws, the multiple phone calls or medications.  To have these past two worry-free, stress-free months has been amazing.  I feel like I have my life back.  Even better though, I feel refreshed and ready to re-start the journey.

With that being said and now that I am feeling like my normal self again, we are moving forward in our baby journey.  Next week I am going to be having some diagnostic testing done and I am both excited and scared. Ultimately, I am hopeful that we will have more answers as well as a better understanding of why we are having such a hard time conceiving. 

Wish me luck and keep us in your prayers!!!  Here's to the baby journey and to  all of you that have provided me with such love and support.

I leave you with this quote:

"Hope is that thing with feathers that perches in the soul and sings the tune without the words and never stops...at all."  ~ Emily Dickinson

....couldn't have said it better myself.......

Sunday, October 2, 2011

The Rick Bayless Project Begins

Week 1 of The Rick Bayless Project

Recipe: Smoky Pork Tinga Tacos with Avocado and Fresh Cheese, p 191

Obviously I am not starting this project at the beginning of the book.  I mean, what fun would that be?  I wanted to make sure my first recipe was something fun and relatively easy.  Yes, it is a taco recipe... which happens to be one of my absolute favorite Mexican food preparations.

First and foremost let me say...make this recipe!  It is absolutely easy to execute and is delicious.  The recipe uses a slow cooker, and really there's very little prep work.  Plus, you have the bonus of smelling this amazing concoction while it cooks...the aroma should be turned into a candle...seriously, it smells that good.

If you are new to Rick Bayless or to Mexican food in general, this would be a good first recipe to try.  Like I mentioned before, it's easy to prepare and your dinner guests will think that you are an amazing Mexican chef superstar (maybe that's a bit extreme, but you never know!)   

Thank you Rick Bayless, this was an amazing way to kick-off the project!  Can't wait until the next recipe. 

To view the recipe, click the link below (it'll lead you to Rick's website...you are welcome in advance):

 http://www.rickbayless.com/recipe/view?recipeID=234

Saturday, October 1, 2011

The Rick Bayless Project

Did you happen to read the book "Julie and Julia?"  Maybe you haven't read the book, but you've seen the movie by the same title?  If not, it's about a woman named Julie who (in her small New York apartment) takes on the daunting task of executing all of Julia Child's recipes in "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" in 365 days.  It's a true story and after reading it, I felt inspired.

By now you are fully aware of my love of Mexican cooking.  You may also remember that I have a profound amount of respect for Chicago's very own, Chef Rick Bayless.  He has amazing restaurants here in Chicago, a show on public television, and of course, many cookbooks.

Back to being inspired....I loved the idea that Julie had about cooking all of Julia Child's recipes.  However, as hard as I try, I don't really get very excited about French food.  Hmmmm, but I do get excited about Mexican food....

Which led me to....wait for it...."The Rick Bayless Project!"  Yes, I am going to attempt to make all of the recipes in his "Mexican Everyday" cookbook.  Now, I am not going to attempt this with the same vigor as Julie...I mean, I have to work and of course there's laundry to be done and all of that, which doesn't leave me with a ton of time or energy.  Instead, I am going to aim for at least one recipe a week.


The book...go out and get your copy and follow along!

Stay tuned...the first recipe will be revealed VERY soon!