Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Chocolate Chip Cookies & a mini-makeover

Like the show Dinner and a Movie-- my friend Julie came over and we went back and forth from baking cookies to getting her dolled up, and chatted about life in between scenes. So fun! 
(We also had tea and crumpets - just about my favorite thing ever. Especially while sitting in the "Eat, Pray, Love corner" of my kitchen; a sweet little alcove with iron & mosaic chairs, a robin's egg tablecloth over a round table with a bamboo plant and my teapot collection, and surrounded by memorabilia from friends and travels. Thanks to Vina for naming it!)

I've been making chocolate chip cookies using this recipe since I was twelve. Crunchy on the outside, soft on the inside, with a good texture that can withstand a hearty milk dunking! 
In recent years, I have made one change: the switch from chips to chunks. I love the dichotomy between the chocolate and the cookie and using chunks helps to highlight the separation - i.e. more chocolatey goodness concentrated into little pools in each bite of cookie! Especially wonderful warm out of the oven...

Chocolate Chip Cookies

1. Into a mixing bowl: 2 sticks of good butter, 2 extra large eggs, 2 tsp good vanilla extract, 1 tsp sea salt, 1 tsp baking soda, 1 cup white sugar, 1 packed cup dark brown sugar. Blend on low until mixed, then on medium for a minute or two until light and creamy. Don't blend so much that you lose the sugar granules though! I've found that makes for flat lifeless cookies.
2. Add 3 cups of unbleached all-purpose flour and mix until thoroughly combined. Fold in one 12 oz. bags of semi-sweet or dark chocolate chunks. (Milk chocolate makes the cookies overwhelmingly sweet). 
3. Bake at 350 for 12-15 minutes. 

This makes about 21 palm-sized cookies for me. Let them cool in a non-drafty place so they don't flatten, and cool thoroughly before storing in an airtight container.

(yes that's an alligator in the bamboo/pathos jungle - his name is Charlemagne.)


*Of note - I try not to use plastic for anything except the occasional silicone spatula. I mix, cook, and store everything in stainless steel, glass, or porcelain as much as is possible.

Monday, April 18, 2011

Sopaipillas con Pollo y Frijoles

If you want an easy recipe that makes a big impression - this is a great one!

A traditional dish of New Mexico and throughout South America, Sopaipillas translates as "little fritters". A form of fried dough, it is a variation on a theme popular throughout the world. You can buy sopaipilla mix at most supermarkets now, I used the brand Valencia- a bag I bought when I was in New Mexico living with some family friends for a while.(What a wonderful time - so much delicious food and culture!)

The special thing about this fried dough is that, if done right, the fritters should take on the shape of their nickname - "little pillows"!

To make sopaipillas:
The mix is kneaded with water to make a smooth dough and left to rise for 30 minutes. It won't double in size the way a yeast bread will, but you should notice an increase in the springiness of the dough.
Lightly flour your work surface. Cut the dough ball into fourths for ease of working, and roll out to 1/8th inch thickness. Cut the rolled dough into the size of the pillows you want - I cut them into 4, so 2 cups of mix yielded 16 pieces. 
Heat 1/2 inch of oil in a pan (more if you want, or you can use a deep fryer, but it's not necessary). When the oil begins to smoke (make sure you have a vent fan on over the stove!) - gently lay each piece of dough into the hot oil. They puffed the best for me when I didn't disturb them - just lay them in, and watch the magic happen! They puff completely in less than 30 seconds. Let them stay on that side until browned, then flip over and brown the other sides. Use a slotted spoon or spatula to flip them - tongs may flatten them. Lay them on a few layers of paper towels to drain off the extra oil and start a new batch!

The whole process, after the 30 minute rise/rest period, only takes 6-10 minutes.

While the dough was resting....I made the filling. Sopaipillas are so popular and ingrained in New Mexico cuisine because the oiled dough helps to cut the heat of the traditional chile dishes. To further capitalize on this quality, they are typically served with a jar of honey as well since sugar also helps to cut heat and make dishes more palatable.

To make the filling:
You may use chicken or pork for this. 
In a pot with a little oil (I use olive oil for everything) and the burner on medium high, put in corn and chopped bell peppers in equal ratio with the amount of meat you are using - chop the meat into chunks before adding. Add a packet of taco seasoning, green or red chile powder, and a dried poblano pepper. Cover with water and bring to a quick boil. Turn the heat down until its rolling along at a nice simmer and let it cook for at least 30 minutes. The longer you cook it, the easier it is to shred the meat which makes the filling much more delicious and easy to stuff into the sopaipillas. The chiles, corn, and peppers make this a wonderful, aromatic, colorful dish!

I heated up some refried beans as well.

Serve up your sopaipillas hot out of the pan, piled high in a basket for impressive presentation- and encourage your guests to open the fritters and stuff them with pollo y frijoles (chicken and beans)! Don't forget the honey - it makes a great dessert when drizzled into leftover sopaipillas without the meat filling. 

(Note - if you are planning on serving more than two people you'll need to make more dough. It's easy to eat a lot of these! Plan on about 1 cup of mix per person.)

Much Love,
Elizabeth ^_^

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Shrimp and Sea Scallop Orecchiette

After the walk back from the library through the chilling rain, I was crying out for something warming and reminiscent of sunshine. Shrimp always reminds me of hanging with my dad on the Outer Banks - heading up to Carawan's for fresh seafood to compliment veggies from his garden. Unless of course we caught mullet that day...but I'll save the fresh fish tacos recipe for when I'm down there making them with him!

So today it's shrimps with scallops, tossed with orecciette (oh-raykh-ee-eht-ay) and zucchini in a tomato parmesean sauce. Yum.


  1. Cook the orecchiette as you would any dry pasta - in a pot with plenty of well-salted water at a rolling boil, until al dente (done, but still firm and holding its texture). 
  2. Once done, drain the water, add tomato based sauce of your choosing (I had a Cabernet marinara on hand), along with peeled and de-veined shrimp and scallops (raw) and slices of zucchini or other green vegetable. 
  3. Cover and cook on medium until the shrimp are that pretty sunset color and opaque throughout. 
  4. Turn off the heat, Add freshly grated parmesean and basil (dry or fresh) to taste, and let the flavors blend and the dish cool for five minutes.
  5. Serve with a hearty bread and olive oil - and, as always, enjoy with friends if possible.


Bon Appétit!

With Love,
Elizabeth

Saturday, April 9, 2011

A day of experiments

It's been a quiet day in this little apartment, though I did manage to convince myself to go for a run by the river earlier in the afternoon. I am currently enjoying my dinner with a glass of red as I write this.

Experimentation is sometimes a necessity- for instance when the pantry has a paucity of readily preparable goods. Things I had: a can of oysters, a tin of sardines in oil, half a green cabbage, some potatoes and onions, frozen greens, tomatoes, and fruits. Strange assortment, you say? I took it as a challenge. I cracked open my Silver Spoon cookbook and set my imagination to work...

Lunch: Curried Oysters over grits
I was skeptical...it was delicious.

Can of oysters (small can) went into a pot with a few good shakes of curry powder, and about 1 cup of frozen greens (I used collards). I put the grits in a bowl with water and microwaved it for about 4 minutes. Pour curried oysters over the grits - done. Seriously - it was delicious.
(omit grits to keep it paleo. maybe riced cauliflower?)

Dinner: Potatoes with Anchovies and Cabbage
Also delicious. Very buttery with the strong cabbage and anchovy flavors absorbed and mellowed by the potato.

Anchovies went into the pot with a little more olive oil, and about 1/4 of the cabbage shredded, 1 chopped onion, and 1 chopped red potato.
Add a good 2 tablespoons of parsley, 2-3 cloves of garlic, and a splash of sherry or dry white wine.
Cook over medium until the potatoes are soft.

Salad:
Grape tomatoes, freshly sliced parmigiana cheese, splashes of olive oil and balsamic vinegar, with a pinch of basil I dried myself last Fall when my poor plant died from want of love (and water). The flavor is much stronger than the store bought dried basil.

Finally, I had about 1/4 of a cabbage left and I was tired of seeing it in my fridge, so I made Cabbage Chips.

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.
Separate out the leaves of a cabbage (green or red, though Kale works even better for this) and cut in half or quarters - the size of the 'chips' you want.
Arrange them on a baking sheet, spray with olive oil (easier than trying to brush them) and bake for 20 minutes or so. Keep an eye on them. They are done when they brown a bit and are crunchy, like chips! Sprinkle the warm leaves with a pinch of sea salt. Wonderful healthy snack!


That was all my fun for the day - study time now!

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Slips of Paper

Sometimes the most important things in life are written - not in leather bound journals - but on slips and scraps of paper.

Here is a list of Life Advice. I found it on a torn out scrap of a magazine page, taped nonchalantly to an otherwise blank wall:

- Forgive.
- Forget.
- Apologize.
- Admit errors.
- Avoid mistakes.
- Listen to advice.
- Keep your temper.
- Shoulder the blame.
- Make the best of things.
- Maintain high standards.
- Think first, and act accordingly.
- Put the needs of others before your own.


Pay attention to those little slips of paper - they are filled with ideas so important that they required documentation even before a full piece of paper could be acquired.

What important things have you found, or written, on just a slip of paper...?

Monday, April 4, 2011

Mayan Hot Cocoa

It's been a rough day. You've driven around town an hour in the wrong direction, the air is chilly and filled with the looming sense of rain, you dropped your keys in a puddle, and when you looked out your window hoping to be warmed by the sound of the church bells, you saw they were a call to a funeral instead.

On days such as these we need an emotional boost - some input to balance the output.

I find a steaming, frothy cup of traditional hot cocoa to be a fine remedy. A fine remedy for a great many things in fact- not just a depressed mood. I prepare it more like the ancient way- bitter and spicy. It is then able to soothe and awaken the senses rather than dull them the way hot chocolate with marshmallows does. 

Mayan Hot Cocoa:
Put two heaping tablespoons of baker's cocoa into your mug with just a tiny pinch of sea salt. You may add 1-2 tablespoons of sugar, suited to your taste, though the ancients skipped the sweetener. Also stir in a good pinch of cayenne pepper- about 1/8 teaspoon- less if you want less kick. Plus a dash or two of cinnamon. Mix these together with just a drizzle, maybe 1/2 teaspoon, of olive oil. Slowly add steaming hot water (more refreshing) or milk (more soothing) to the dry mix. Start with one spoonful and work it into a paste to prevent lumps. Whip the final drink until frothy.
Finish with just a few drops of quality vanilla extract, and stir it up with a cinnamon stick.


Add to that a plate of Beef Wellington with italian green beans and some of my favorite chocolate chip cookies, and you've got a good little piece of food heaven. How can you be sad now? You can't! So indulge a little - rainy days are made for comfort food. 

I'm sick in bed with vertigo today - so while I managed to make the cocoa, I was unable to make anything more substantial. The cookies and beef wellington were from last week when I made them with the help of my friend V for a nice surprise for my man. We devoured the beef. And the cookies. Recipes for those two to come!
À bientôt!