cooking is an art ... baking is pure science

Some people will say they can cook but they can’t bake and others can bake but they can’t cook. I never really thought about it before, but whenever I am cooking a new recipe, I follow the recipe for the most part, but really don’t bother to measure anything and have no problem “improving” upon the recipe and adding or deleting whatever I want. HOWEVER, when it comes to baking, I always measure everything out perfectly and very rarely do I stray from the recipe, at least not the first time I’m trying it. The reason I don’t mess with baking is that a cake is so fickle. You sub out peanut butter for regular butter and boom, cake comes out dense and oily. Maybe you add a teaspoon of vanilla to kick up the flavor but nope, you just end up with a cake that is gooey in the middle and burned around the edges. Only have two eggs and the recipe calls for three? Your cookies burn, your bread doesn’t rise and your cake resembles a large hockey puck. Altering a recipe for a baked good takes science and calculated substitutions; you can’t just add a little of this and a little of that.

On the other side of the spectrum, cooking is absolute art. While I love baking, especially the end result, I love the art of cooking even more. Going through my pantry and trying to figure out what flavors go with what based solely on what I have in the house (because I don’t feel like running to the store) can be so much fun! Take today for example, I found a recipe for a Reese’s peanut butter cake, followed the recipe to a T, and was ready to eat the batter with a spoon vs. actually baking it. But alas, I threw the batter in cake pans and placed them in the oven to bake. Meanwhile, I searched through the house to figure out what to make for dinner. I took some steaks out of the freezer to defrost, pulled a few potatoes out of the cupboard to bake, and got to thinking … baked potatoes are boring, not in the mood for mashed, what if I make twice-baked stuffed potatoes? Immediately, I went to my fridge to see what ingredients I had on hand. Hmmm, does asiago pair well with cheddar? I didn’t know, so I took a little piece of each, smooshed them together and popped it in my mouth, fab! I don’t have sour cream, guess I’ll use butter milk. Ooooooo, I think I even have some bacon!!!!

Once the steaks thawed, I rubbed them with a mix of fresh pressed garlic, cracked peppercorns and sea salt then sprinkled them lightly with a little Worcestershire sauce (say it with me Texans Woo-stur). I pulled the cake out of the oven and popped my potatoes in to bake; before I threw them in the oven, I washed the skins then rolled them in kosher salt, it makes the skins extra crispy, very important for twice-baked stuffed potatoes! Once the potatoes are cooked through, I’ll slice them in half lengthwise and scoop the insides into a bowl (always bake 3 if you’re serving 2 people, 6 if serving 4 people and so on); you only have to save as many potato halves as people you’re serving so once you have that many nicely preserved, it’s ok to ruin the others. Brush the halves very, very lightly with some olive oil (inside and out) then sprinkle with some salt and place back in the oven for about 5 more minutes and cook my bacon. Meanwhile, back to that bowl of potato innards, I’m going to add a few tbsp of non-butter, a big splash of buttermilk, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Normally, I am very much anti-lump in my potato, but for these, I use a hand masher and allow a few lumps. Once it’s all mixed up, I add half of the cheese and crumbled bacon and mix lightly with a big wooden spoon. I spoon the mixture out into my empty potato shells, top with the rest of the cheese and bacon then will eventually set them back in the oven for about 10 minutes (until the cheese is nice and melty).

On the stove, because if I’m using the grill and the oven, then clearly I have to use the stove to create a full-kitchen mess, I have a sauté pan filled with mushrooms, fresh pressed garlic, and a few tbsp of non-butter. Once Dan walks through the door, I’ll send him out back to warm up MY grill for the steaks then grill the steaks, turn on the mushrooms and pop the potatoes in the oven … all three will be done at just about the same time!

Just finished prepping everything and now I sit here and wait for Dan to get home, so I’m typing away as I ponder the differences between baking and cooking. It really does come down to art vs. science. Those that were very good at science in school are most likely much better bakers; and those that were better in the arts and English are probably best at cooking. I was really good at science and English, but well with art, ever hear the expression ‘A for effort?’ Yea, that was me. My art was never meant for a gallery, and usually hidden beneath something else on the fridge; I can draw a mean stick figure though! I guess it just took a few years to realize it, but cooking is my art.

And yes, I know I’m not having a green vegetable for dinner but dammit, I'm also having something called a Reese's peanut butter cup cake, clearly I don’t care

opposites attract

What is the opposite of Irish? Well if you grew up on the East Coast, NJ especially, you know the answer to that is Italian. Since we had that fabulous Irish feast last night, tonight we will have Italian. Every good Italian dish starts with the sauce. I’ve made a huge vat of my homemade sauce and it has been simmering away all day on the stove. Many people are scared to make homemade tomato sauce because more often times than not, it comes out too acidic and ruins the dish. My trick for handling the acidity is to add in some finely chopped carrot and zucchini; they absorb the acidic flavors and naturally sweeten the sauce. In the rare case that doesn’t work, I just add a dash of sugar.

My favorite part of any Italian meal is always the bread. I tried to find a recipe for homemade Italian bread with a crunchy crust but all of them required about 5-6 hours of effort … no thanks. Instead, I found the recipe for a rosemary focaccia, which was MUCH easier, barely required any kneading, and only needed 30 minutes to rise. Despite my inability to make bread outside of my breadmaker, this turned out amazing and OMG my house smells SO GOOD!!!! I now can make two kinds of bread without my breadmaker: Irish soda bread and rosemary focaccia. Please don’t ask me to try anything else just yet; I’m still glowing over the success of these two breads.

Now really, with a good loaf of bread and a pot of sauce, I don’t need much else, maybe just a big girl glass. But alas, Dan will want a real meal when he gets home and if I’m already cooking, why not make an entrée. I’m going to make my grandmom’s famous lasagna. Many who’ve had my gmom’s lasagna would be mighty surprised to meet her, as she is the opposite of Italian. BUT another thing I learned back East is that you don’t have to be Italian to make a great sauce, you just have to be from the tri-state area. Since I’ve pretty much thrown the 90 day challenge out the window, I could just make the lasagna the way my gmom does; however, I’m feeling the need to at least try to be the littlest bit healthy so I’ve tweaked the recipe some. I’m using whole grain noodles, all low or nonfat cheeses and extra lean ground sirloin (beef two nights in a row, Dan is going to flip!).

After I finish layering my lasagna pan full of noodles, cheeses and meat sauce; before I top with my final handful of mozzarella, I’m going to melt 1 tbsp of butter into ¼ cup of milk and pour it over the top, just like grandmom used to do. That is the big Lewis family secret to the most amazingly delicious lasagna you have ever had in your life! Of course, gmom always used whole milk and real butter vs. today I used skim milk and reduced-fat butter substitute, so we’ll see if the results are the same.

My healthified version of Grandma’s classic lasagna:
1 box whole grain lasagna noodles
1 15oz container fat-free ricotta
2 cups part-skim mozzarella
1 cup reduced-fat parmesan plus extra for sprinkling
1 egg
Whatever Italian seasonings you like: oregano, basil, parsley, etc.
1 lb extra lean ground sirloin (or ground turkey)
3 cups tomato sauce
¼ cup skim milk
1 tbsp butter/margerine

Brown and drain the meat, return to pan and add 3 cups tomato sauce and warm through.

In a large bowl, beat the egg, then add ricotta and parmesan cheese and mix well. Add Italian seasonings and mix.

Now it’s time to make your lasagna; pour a healthy spoonful of sauce in the bottom of the pan; place 1/3 of the noodles on the bottom of the pan, top with 1/3 of the ricotta mix and 1/3 cup of mozzarella, cover with a ladleful of sauce. Repeat your layers until you just have noodles on the top.

In the microwave or on the stove, melt the butter into the milk and pour over the bare noodles; top with remaining sauce and remaining mozzarella.

Cover the lasagna with foil and bake for 30 min at 350. Remove the foil and bake another 20 min. Remove from the oven, re-cover with foil, and allow the lasagna to sit for 15-20minutes before serving. Enjoy!!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!

Since today is St Patrick’s Day, and since I cannot mix alcohol with my various medicines, rather than celebrating with a few pints of Guinness, I will instead cook an Irish feast! I’ve decided to make some Irish Soda Bread, a shepherd’s pie and green cupcakes for dessert. First up, the soda bread … I really need to buy a pastry cutter. Mixing the cold butter into the dry ingredients is really such a pain in the bottom, but I’ve somehow been able to accomplish it with a fork. As I type, the soda bread is baking away in the oven, filling the house with the most wonderful aromas. You need to keep an eye on your soda bread, if it starts to brown too much on the top, just cover it with some foil until it’s completed baking.

Next up? Time to bake some cupcakes. I’ve decided to make plain, normal butter-recipe cupcakes and will add in some green food dye. Since Dan would probably think that is pretty boring, I will use a little ganache for the frosting.

Now onto the meat … I make a fairly traditional shepherd’s pie, with beef though, not lamb. I start with extra lean ground sirloin, brown and drain that then return it to the pan. While my beef is browning, I start peeling my potatoes for my mashed and set them on the stove in lightly salted water to boil. To the beef, I add beef broth (normally I’d also add Guinness but since I can’t drink it, I forgot to purchase it), Worcestershire, spicy brown mustard, and various seasonings from my cupboard. For my veggies, I’m adding corn, carrots, peas and green beans. I would normally only add peas and carrots, but I’m trying to up my vegetable intake and the farmers’ market really had some amazing produce today. I’ll steam them just a little in my microwave vegetable steamer then add them in with the beef, cover and let it simmer until the broth reduces (you may need to add a little roux). If you’re not as fortunate to live in a warmer climate that has access to fresh vegetables year round, or if you’re just lazy and not in the mood, you can totally use frozen mixed vegetables in place of fresh.

Your potatoes should be nice and tender by now and ready for some mashing. For shepherd’s pie, I only add milk, butter, salt and pepper then mash until all the lumps are gone. In a large casserole dish, pour the beef mixture, then top with the mashed potatoes. Make sure as you smooth out the mashed, you leave little peaks and valleys rather than making it perfectly flat across the top. Dot the top of the casserole with a few pats of butter, some salt and pepper and pop it in the oven for about an hour at 350. Let it set on the counter for a good 10-20minutes before serving; otherwise, when you go to scoop out that first piece, it all comes pouring out and your beef to potato ratio is reduced.

Well the soda bread is just about finished so it’s time to stop typing and start the cupcakes. I hope everyone has an absolutely wonderful St. Patrick’s Day, enjoy a pint for me!!

My recipe for Irish Soda Bread:
4 cups flour
3 tbsp sugar
3tsp baking powder
1tsp salt
¾ tsp baking soda
6 tbsp COLD butter
2 eggs, beaten
1 ½ cups buttermilk
(1 ½ cup raisins and 1 tbsp caraway seeds if you want, but I leave these out since I don’t like them)

Combine dry ingredients and cut in the butter until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. (stir in raisins and caraway seeds if you’re using them)

In a separate bowl, combine buttermilk and all but 1tbsp of the egg (set aside for later). Stir liquid into the crumb mix until moistened … it is VERY sticky at this point. Turn the dough onto a very well floured area and knead about 10-12 times then shape into a ball.

Place the dough on a greased baking pan (I like using baking stones, it comes out better), cut the traditional “X” in the top and brush the top/sides with 1tbsp of the egg mixture. Bake at 350 for about an hour and 20 minutes. Keep an eye on your soda bread, I usually have to cover mine with foil for the last 20 minutes of baking because the top browns too quickly.

i want my kitchen back!!!!

I haven’t cooked in days … at first, I was really excited about the kitchen remodel but now I’m just over it. Yes, I knew it would be a lot of work and no, I didn’t think it could happen overnight but ugh!!!! I am a very organized and methodical person. Before starting any project, I make a list of individual tasks that need to be accomplished in order to complete the overall project before I even think about starting anything. I then put them in order of which needs to happen first, second, last and power through each item one at a time until all of it is done. Now if only I could get Dan to be that way, hmpf!

It started as an accident, Dan was pulling out the old dishwasher and he broke a few of the bad 70s tiles that covered our countertops. Then he disappeared for a few minutes into the garage and emerged with a rubber mallet in one hand and a screwdriver in the other. Within seconds, he’d removed a 2ft x 2ft square of the tile and was smiling ear to ear. By the end of the night, all of the tile on the right hand side of the kitchen was GONE! I was quite pleased. Unfortunately, the removal of the bad 70s tile revealed bad 70s yellow laminate (? I think it’s laminate but I really haven’t a clue). Over the next two weeks, Dan worked nightly to continue removing the rest of the tiles and to begin removing the remnants of cement that still covered the bad 70s yellow. And here we are now, the tile is gone, the cement is almost completely gone (some from the backsplash still remains), and I have not yet picked out what I want for my new countertops.

I am a clean-as-I-go kind of person, Dan is not. He has kicked me out of the kitchen on more than one occasion through this process because I just cannot stand the mess. I thought I was helping him, cleaning up his mess as he was making it; apparently I was just being annoying. We are now at a critical point, I can make him pause and live with the bad yellow for a few days and at least get back into my kitchen, or I can let him forge forth with sanding down our bad 70s cabinets which he will then refinish. What do I do??? I cannot live in a state of perpetual mess, but I want my new kitchen, I would’ve worked from the top down and completed the cabinets first, but then again this all started as an accident and how could he know that his accident would turn into a kitchen remodel? Just for today, I’m going to enjoy having my kitchen back, today. It is Sunday, my Sunday, the day I typically spend all day in the kitchen.

If you don’t hear from me for a few days, it is most likely because I have given my kitchen, MY kitchen, back to Dan to continue working. Now I’m off to enjoy my big girl glass while my stuffed peppers cook away in the oven, filling our home with the most beautiful aroma, one I’ve missed while waiting to get back in my kitchen. Wish me luck!

where's the beef

There are certain times that ground turkey will just not suffice and I have to have some juicy, tasty RED meat. Thursday was one of those rare exceptions, although it was not due to a craving of my own; damn that Dan!! I attempted to protest, as we were only on Day 4; however, Dan had threatened me with the promise of placing a muchaco from Bueno in front of me (something I am unable to resist) if I did not show him the beef. While I should instead work on my own willpower and inability to say no to the sweet deliciousness of the muchaco shell wrapped around the savory goodness that is the perfect mix of Bueno beef, beans and shredded cheddar, which I am most positive is not made with 2% milk; I instead gave into my husband’s request and found a way to healthify one of his favorites: Salisbury steak. But now that I think about it, I really could go for a muchaco …

US News & World Report stated back in August of 2009 that red meat can be part of a heart-healthy diet, when eaten in moderation and if the right cuts of beef are chosen. I selected extra-lean ground sirloin: in a 4oz portion there are 130 calories (40 calories from fat), 4.5g of fat, 60mg of cholesterol , 75mg of sodium AND 22g of protein. There is also a big serving of Iron, Vitamin B12 and Zinc. For comparison purposes, in a single chicken drumstick, you can find the following: 112 calories (90 from fat), 10.1g of fat, 60mg of cholesterol, 273mg of sodium and 18g of protein. Also, there is very little Iron and minimal amounts of Vitamins A, E and B2.

I purchased 1lb (16oz) of extra lean ground sirloin, divided it into fourths and restrained myself enough to only eat one portion. But before I could divide and conquer, one must first season one’s meat or risk Chef Ramsay shaking his head in shame that I learned nothing from watching every single episode of Hell’s Kitchen, not even his cardinal rule: you must season your dish! I chose to go fairly light on the seasoning: 1 minced garlic clove, a healthy sprinkling of fresh ground black pepper and a dash of red wine. Add the seasoning to the meat and mix it well then form into 4 mostly equal portions; roll each portion into a ball then smush between your palms to form fairly thick patties, with even thickness throughout (you don’t want them thick in the middle and skinny on the sides).

Over on the other side of my kitchen, I had my favorite pan warming over medium-low heat. I pretty much always use my cast iron pans when I’m making beef, I don’t know why but I swear it just makes beef better. I placed the patties in the pan and increased the heat to medium; you want to brown both sides of the patties. Meanwhile, whisk about 2 tbsp of flour into 2 cups of nonfat reduced sodium beef broth until the flour is fully incorporated. Once the patties have been browned on both sides, add the broth to the pan, also adding about 1 ½ cups sliced mushrooms and a good sprinkling of black pepper. Once the broth starts to boil, reduce the heat and allow the patties and mushrooms to simmer, turn the patties occasionally until they are fully cooked through.

While those finished cooking, I popped some green beans in the microwave and voila! A well-balanced, healthy meal that had beef as my centerpiece. So there Dan … there’s your beef, you can keep your muchacos to yourself!!!

if that's more fake meat, i'm throwing it out!

When I first met Dan, he was open to all things new and different. He was used to eating meat and potatoes; his experience with Italian included the olive garden and pizza hut. On our first real date, we went to the Melting Pot where he learned the art of fondue. On our second date, we went to Jin Beh where he experienced the best fried rice ever made, hibachi-style. I was sure I’d hit a cuisine he didn't like, but that didn't happen until 3 1/2 years later.

Dan loved all things Indian, Thai, Chinese, Japanese, French, Spanish and even Irish! Since I love to cook, I introduced him to true Italian cooking, as can only be made by an east coast gal. I think the most important thing to note is that for the first year of our relationship, I tried to get Dan to eat as many different cuisines as possible. We had authentic Spanish tapas in New York City, a Moroccan 7 course feast in Philadelphia and Maryland crab cakes in Baltimore ... all during his first trip to the east coast.

He’s had East Coast, West Coast and Southern style Mexican and toured the delicacies of all of South and Latin American: Peru, El Salvador, Ecuador, Guatemala, Brazil, Argentina and even Columbia. Every time we ate something new, he just loved it more than what he'd had the day before! Each dish was carefully savored, each spice combination committed to memory and slowly recreated in our kitchen on cloudy Sunday afternoons.

I tempted Dan into my life by serving him carefully created dishes to tease the senses and have him begging for more: chicken cacciatore, my grandmother's lasagna, perfectly marinated pork tenderloin, a well-crafted meatloaf with mashed potatoes, rib-eyes on the grill, whatever he craved, I made. The holidays in our home were magical, the turkey that roasted slowly in the oven while the potatoes boiled on the stove; each plate so clean the dogs had nothing to look forward to when the meal was over.

Then finally came the day, the day we both dreaded: our once speedy metabolisms slowed down, family members younger than us began their blood pressure and cholesterol medications. We could no longer feast on mashed potatoes made with heavy whipping cream and big, fat, juicy steaks until our bellies were full (and then some). I started out slow and enrolled in 'boot camp' twice weekly. I threw away the butter, switched us to 1% milk, bought Splenda and banished all things beef. I took all of Dan’s favorite foods and cut the sodium, swapped ground beef for ground turkey, used non-fat evaporated milk instead of heavy whipping cream and that "smart butter" stuff wasn't all that bad. He didn't seem to mind, he liked that I was cooking more often (since I had thrown away all the take-out menus). Some of the new healthy recipes seemed to be even better than what I had been making before! He even pretended that he couldn't tell the difference when I used whole wheat pasta.

After the first 6 weeks of healthy eating and exercise, I wasn't noticing any difference in myself and was determined to lose this faux preggo pooch. I upped the exercise and started training for a half-marathon and insisted on one meatless dinner per week. The first meatless dinner was actually really good: fresh grilled veggies over whole wheat linguine with my homemade spaghetti sauce. Next week, we had black bean burgers topped with salsa and reduced fat sour cream. After that, the meatless meals became something Dan didn't even notice as anything different. I started to branch out and look for other meatless recipes, which was my downfall.

I found this fabulous recipe for panko-crusted tofu with fire roasted tomatoes (similar to chicken parmesan, without the chicken of course) and decided I would finally introduce Dan to tofu, what a great idea! That Sunday, I went to the grocery store as usual but this time had to ask for assistance, where in the world does one find tofu? Luckily enough, the produce guy knew the answer and helped me pick out the right kind for the recipe. I was all set to make our weekly Wednesday meatless dish.

I got home from work and went right to work, carefully following the recipe to ensure it turned out just right. Dan came in the door and greeted the dogs, came over to give me my hello kiss and told me "something smells great" then went out back to play ball with the boys. I called for him to come in, dinner was just about ready and he had to wash his hands and set the table. As usual, we sat down to dinner and Dan asked what we were having ... only this time, rather than giving me a big smile and digging in, he hesitated. He said it smelled great, took a big bite and stared blankly at me, not chewing, not moving. I could see on his face that he was having a tough time so I let him off the hook and told him it was ok. He quickly spit his mouthful into his napkin and tried to reassure me that it was him, not me. It was clear he was grasping and trying not to make me feel badly, told me it smelled great, had a fabulous flavor, but it was just a texture thing. The whole scene was actually pretty funny, he loved the spinach and zucchini and still left the table with a full belly; I promised never to try to make tofu again (even though I thought it came out great and had seconds).

It took 3 1/2 years, but it had finally happened, not only had I found something Dan did not like, but I had cooked a meal that Dan had not devoured!!! For the first few days, Dan gave me rave reviews on absolutely everything I made, overcompensating for that one meal he just didn't like. Weeks then months went by, every meal a success, every plate cleaned. Then came a regular Sunday grocery shopping …

As is custom in our house, I do the grocery shopping then Dan carries it all in from the car and we put it all away together. As he was helping me unpack everything, he came across the polenta I had purchased for a new meatless recipe. He picked up the tube, dropped it on the counter. A panic came over his face as he said "what is that? If that is more fake meat, I’m throwing it away!!!" Through my laughter, I calmed him down, explained that it's a cornbread-like product for Italian cooking to substitute for pasta, but he wasn't sold.

There are two things that I cannot prepare in my kitchen: tofu or polenta. So now as I enter into this new challenge, Dan has made me PROMISE not to make any tofu!!! Dan was quite pleased to come home tonight to black bean tostadas, meatless Wednesday had a triumphant return!


Recipe for panko-crusted tofu with fire-roasted tomatoes and zucchini chips (you’re not getting my famous spinach recipe just yet):
•Firmly-packed Tofu
•2tbsp skim milk
•Panko crumbs
•Italian seasoning
•2 cloves garlic, pressed
•1 can fire-roasted tomatoes
•2 zucchini
•2 tbsp olive oil
•Salt & pepper

Wrap the tofu in paper towels and try to squeeze out as much of the water as possible. Slice tofu in ½ inch slices and set aside.

Place milk in a shallow dish, you’re going to dip the tofu in the milk before you bread it … in a separate dish or plate, mix the panko and Italian seasoning (you can also add garlic powder and parmesan cheese if you want).

Dip the tofu in the milk then in the panko mix and place on a baking sheet. Bake tofu at 375 for 20-25 minutes until browned (but don’t do this just yet, wait until you do the zucchini).

Slice the zucchini into ¼ inch pieces, place on a baking sheet and lightly coat both sides with olive oil (I drizzle the oil over top, flip then drizzle the other side), season both sides with salt & pepper. Bake zucchini at 375 for 15-20 minutes until browned and crispy.

Empty the can of tomatoes into a sauce pan and add the garlic, simmer over low-medium heat. Serve tofu topped w/ tomato sauce, zucchini chips on the side. You can also top the tofu with a little bit of part-skim shredded mozzarella.