De Ma Cuisine

Thoughts Archive

Wednesday

7

March 2012

2

COMMENTS

Are You a Chowder? – Episode 13

Written by , Posted in A Cooking Show with Rachel O, Abundant Harvest Organics, This Week's Feast, Thoughts

First thing’s first. This may not actually be a chowder. I’m not sure what a chowder is supposed to look like. I’ve only ever had the Clam Chowder from Splash Cafe. I did not make something that tastes like that. Second thing, there isn’t ham in it. I just liked the way the name sounded. There’s pork roast. That’s not the same thing as ham (I have recently learned). You may use ham if you’d like. It’s what I was planning to use. This way was great too.

You may not trust me anymore, but let me tell you a few more things. They’re true. Really.

This soup/chowder/stew/dishthatyoueatinabowl is good. Husband had seconds.

I made corn muffins to go with it. I used a recipe from my Joy of Cooking cookbook (not to be confused with Joy the Baker‘s cookbook, which, since I’m talking about it, I’m giving away – to enter: see this post). I followed the directions too… they got a little dark… too long in the oven. Oh well.

We’re still having soup because I like soup. And, because the weather is (occasionally) still cool.

This is a slight variation on the chowder I posted a few weeks ago. It would be good with any kind of meat (clams, salmon, chicken… beef… might make it more like beef stew, but if that’s what you’re going for, then try it).

This recipe features a lot of what came in my Abundant Harvest Organics box today: carrots, rutabaga, spinach, collard greens, potatoes, cauliflower, kale, parsley, chives. The stock that I used was made when I cleaned out the vegetable drawers. I found lots of still ok, but past their prime veggies. Anything from lettuce to carrots, leeks to rutabaga. It all went in to a pot with some water and cooked for about 2 hours.

Ham Chowder

Last modified on 2012-07-18 23:24:25 GMT. 0 comments. Top.

Ham Chowder
Recipe Type: Soup, Main
Author: Rachel Oberg – De Ma Cuisine
Prep time: 15 mins
Cook time: 90 mins
Total time: 1 hour 45 mins
Serves: 6
Ingredients
  • 4 T olive oil, divided
  • 3 carrots, chopped
  • 1 C cauliflower, chopped
  • 4 potatoes, cubed
  • 1 rutabaga, chopped
  • 2 C greens, rough chop (I used kale, spinach, and collard greens)
  • 1 T fresh parsley, chopped
  • 2 T chives, chopped
  • 1 1/2 C corn (frozen is fine)
  • 1 C cooked pork, chopped (I used leftovers)
  • 1 C cheese, grated (I used cheddar, mozzarella, and parmesan)
  • 1 T smoked paprika
  • 1 T sweet paprika
  • 1 T chili powder
  • pinch all spice
  • smoked sea salt
  • pepper
  • 2 T flour
  • 1/4 C apple cider vinegar, or white wine, plus 1 t
  • 1 T dijon mustard
  • drizzle honey
  • 4 1/2 C veggie stock
  • 3 C milk
  • 2-4 C water (or more if it’s too thick)
Instructions
  1. Chop veggies, greens, and herbs.
  2. Heat soup pot (use a large one!), add oil; heat, then add veggies (all but greens and herbs). Add seasonings. Cook over med heat for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  3. Add vinegar/wine. Stir. Cook 5 minutes more.
  4. In a separate pan, heat remaining 2 T oil. Whisk in flour and cook 30 seconds. Slowly whisk in 1 C stock. Add mustard and let thicken. Add to veggies, along with stock, milk, pork, honey, and corn (you can add water at this point too, if there’s room in the pot – be careful, it will bubble and splash, so not too close to the top!). Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook 1 hour.
  5. Add water (optional). Blend a little with immersion blender (optional). Cook an additional 30 minutes, or less if you’re ready to eat sooner.
  6. minutes before serving, add greens and herbs.
  7. minutes before serving, turn off heat and add cheese and 1 t vinegar.
Notes

Would be great with ham, clams, chicken, salmon, even without meat.
Would be yummy topped with bacon, chives, croutons.
Would be excellent served in a bread bowl, or with corn muffins.

This meal can be found on Wednesday of this week’s menu.

This week’s episode is sponsored by: Abundant Harvest Organics, Llano Seco Organic Pork, Bari Olive Oil Company, and Molly Jenson.

Monday

5

March 2012

36

COMMENTS

Joy the Baker Cookbook Giveaway

Written by , Posted in Contests, Thoughts

I met Joy the Baker last week!

Although I feel like we are friends (or could be), we’re not actually. I feel like I know her, from reading her blog, and listening to her podcasts. She doesn’t know me. That’s OK. It doesn’t mean that I can’t be inspired and encouraged by her. I am. I will continue to be.

I’m so thrilled that I met her! And, oh my gosh, she watched my cooking show!

The other day, I was thinking about how she “made it”. She has a cookbook, an awesome following on her blog, a podcast… so many wonderful things. I’m terribly happy for her. It’s exciting to see someone you admire do well. But, the thing I realized was that “making it” shouldn’t be compared to someone else. I’m sure Joy’s life is wonderful and lovely. I really believe that. But, I’m happy with my life. I don’t want hers. And, I don’t need to “make it” in the same way she has. My goal isn’t to be her. 🙂

I’m too often comparing myself to others… Why don’t I have 20,000 followers on my Facebook page, or 1,000 people reading my blog each day, or whatever my gripe of the moment is… But, the reality is that I’m me, and am on my own journey, which I’m missing out on by looking longingly at everyone else’s. If I have 64 people reading my blog each day, wow, that’s still 64 people. If they are all family and friends, wow, I’m so blessed to be loved by that many people. People who actually KNOW me and still want to read what I’m writing. I’m excited, encouraged, humbled by this revelation.

Back to the actual meeting of Joy the Baker…

Husband bought me Joy’s cookbook two weeks ago. The catch was, it wasn’t being released until the 28th. That was also the same day as her book signing at Vromans, in Pasadena. I really wanted to go. I really wanted my book to arrive so I could get it signed. It didn’t. And, Vromans was sold out of her books (yay for her, sucky for me)… In the end, at the last second, I was handed a book by an employee (we were in line for the signing, and I had only a spatula, grabbed at the last second from home, for her to sign). ONE more had been found! However, it meant buying another copy of a book I technically already owned. Insert frustrated sigh. Husband ran and bought it for me. I had a book. We were relieved. We proceeded to meet Joy; I gushed a lot, I told her she was like my Pioneer Woman (as in I look up to her the way I think she may to PW), I asked her to sign pretty much everything on the table. She graciously obliged. We took some photos, and then just like that, we were back in the car, headed home. The next day, my book arrived from Amazon. I emailed them and told them how disappointed I was. They refunded my money and said I could keep the book.

And then there were two.

So, now, mostly because she inspires me, a lot because I want you to make Browned Butter Blueberry Muffins (p18), Avocado Fries (p96), Cheddar Chive and Jalapeno Biscuits (p46), Giant Cinnamon Rolls with Buttermilk Glaze (p42), and in part because I have a second copy of her book (which I decided to give away as soon as I found out I’d have to buy another, whether I got a refund or not, it’s just that good)…

I’m giving away a copy of Joy the Baker’s cookbook, along with a signed bookmark!

To enter (please leave an additional comment below for each entry, and please note that you must enter on the blog post):

Like De Ma Cuisine on Facebook and post about this giveaway on your Facebook page, tagging De Ma Cuisine.

Follow De Ma Cuisine on Twitter and post about this giveaway tagging De Ma Cuisine.

Write a note about it on your blog, providing a link to my blog.

Do you need one more? You can tell Joy that she should like De Ma Cuisine on Facebook and Follow De Ma Cuisine on Twitter. Um, just kidding. Kinda… I’d be delighted if Joy the Baker followed De Ma Cuisine. Like really happy. But, whatev. 🙂

Contest closes Tuesday March 13th at noon (PST).

This contest is open to residents of the USA and Canada. Winner will be announced next week and will have three days to contact me with their mailing address to claim their prize.

 

Thank you to all who entered!! The contest is now closed. The winner is Gracie Hsieh Behrens!!! It was also announced on this week’s episode of A Cooking Show with Rachel O. 


Friday

2

March 2012

0

COMMENTS

Katy Shares Her Omelete Expertis – Guest Post

Written by , Posted in Guest Posts, Thoughts

Happy Friday!! My friend, Katy, is back to share another delicious recipe with you. I hope you make these this weekend!!

Here’s Katy:

There is no such thing as too little or too much for an omelet! Omelets are one of those things that can just be breakfast in the morning or a gourmet dinner, that’s what I love about them. They taste great with cheese, salt, and pepper and they taste delicious with herbs, potatoes, peppers, bacon, and of course cheese. This is a recipe for a VERY good omelet, when you have time! Remember, if you don’t have time, the original is always great!

Katy’s Omelets

Last modified on 2012-12-01 02:24:45 GMT. 1 comment. Top.

Katy’s Omelets
Recipe Type: Breakfast, Eggs
Author: Katy Durrance
Serves: 1
How about an omelet for breakfast in the morning or for a gourmet dinner?!
Ingredients
  • 2 eggs
  • a pinch of salt
  • a pinch of pepper
  • herbs (rosemary, time, chives, parsley, etc.) put as much as you please! 🙂
  • potatoes cooked with salt, pepper, and garlic
  • bacon, cooked and chopped
  • grated cheese (preferably monetary jack)
Instructions
  1. Heat a small pan to medium to medium high heat.
  2. Beat the eggs, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.
  3. Spread butter on the pan and immediately add the egg mixture. Here’s the secret, add the cheese and herbs when the egg is mostly raw, this helps all the flavors to seep into the egg and make it tastier.
  4. Once the egg starts lifting a bit from the pan add the bacon and potatoes. Then, with the spatula, fold the egg in half. Keep it there for a few seconds then slide it onto a plate. Garnish with a few leftover herbs. Bon Appetite!

 

 

Monday

27

February 2012

0

COMMENTS

Our Oscars Menu

Written by , Posted in Menu Planning, Thoughts

We love the Academy Awards. We watched with a couple friends, and made so much yummy food. Whether it’s just the two of us watching, a few of us, or many, we make a lot. And, everything goes with a movie.

The Menu

“Hemingway’s Choice”

(Wine, Cheese and Crackers)

Midnight in Paris

“Ballpark Nachos”

(Homemade cheese sauce, homemade Kettle Corn, Lemonade and Beer.)

Moneyball

(Aren’t the signs awesome!? Husband did all of them!)

“Protein Ladies”

(Beef and Caper Crostini – Thank you Elizabeth for this amazing recipe!)

The Iron Lady

“Kermit’s Eyes”

(Olives, ya, maybe weird, but I wanted to have olives.)

The Mupplets

Cupcakes with heart frosting

(Thanks, Joanna! She has a photo on her blog.)

Hugo

“Black and Whites”

(Espresso over vanilla ice cream.)

The Artist

Fried Chicken

(Thanks, Drew and Sarah!)

The Help

Mozzarella and Tomatoes with Balsamic Vinegar

(Made by Sarah.)

Some Italian movie that I don’t remember the name of

“Hawaiian Sliders”

(With caramelized pineapple and leeks.)

The Descendants

The Hawaiian Sliders and the Protein Ladies were the most fun to make. I’m trying out some organic beef from TX Bar Organics, and we did a blind taste test with the crostini, comparing some made with conventional beef, others with organic, and just tasted the sliders to see if we liked them. We did. And, in the taste test, the organic beef won. Even the vegetarian agreed! (She ate it by choice, she was not forced!)

The sliders were simple to make, and really yummy. I’ll share my recipe with you, so you can make them for your next event, or just for dinner tonight!

Hawaiian Sliders

Last modified on 2013-10-02 20:42:07 GMT. 2 comments. Top.

 

Hawaiian Sliders
Author: Rachel Oberg – De Ma Cuisine
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 6
A bit of sweet, a bit of meat, makes a nice tasty treat.
Ingredients
  • 1/2 lb ground beef (I used organic)
  • to taste, Tropical Pepper Sea Salt
  • 1 t lemon juice
  • drizzle olive oil (I used Bari Organic Olive Oil)
  • 1-2 leeks, cut into rounds (and washed)
  • 4 slices pineapple, cut into thirds
  • 2 T honey
  • 1 C pineapple juice
  • 6 Hawaiian sweet rolls, halved
  • dijon mustard, for serving
Instructions
  1. Over medium heat, cook leeks with honey. Once they start to caramelize, add pineapple to one side of the pan. Flip pineapple once, when it starts to caramelize on one side. When the other side is caramelized, remove from pan.
  2. Add pineapple juice to leeks. Turn heat to med-high, and reduce until it’s all absorbed.
  3. Mix beef, salt, lemon juice and olive oil.
  4. Heat pan, add a drizzle of olive oil. When it’s hot, add burgers. Cook over med-heat, about 5 minutes. Flip, cover, cook about 5 minutes more, or until internal temperature reaches 160F.
  5. Serve each slider on a Hawaiian roll, topped with two pineapple slices, a spoonful of leeks, and a bit of Dijon mustard.

 

(I can’t believe I don’t have a photo of these… Actually, I can. We ate them as soon as they came out of the pan. Sorry. You’ll have to make them for yourself to see what they look like! :))

Friday

24

February 2012

0

COMMENTS

Food Safety Part 2

Written by , Posted in Guest Posts, Thoughts

Another installment from my brother Josh, the soon-to-be health inspector!

There are a few types of food thermometers that are commonly used in a household kitchen. The first is the basic “stick” thermometer. This is called a bi-metal thermometer, and records temperature through 1 of 2 metal ribbons inside shrinking due to heat, and the other expanding, which results in the dial at the top moving. These thermometers need to be calibrated (adjusted) often. If you are using one of these, keep in mind that the area on the thermometer that reads the temperature is the area from the pointed end until 1.5 inches up – so make sure to have the whole sensor in the food, or the temperature will be read wrong!

The second common thermometer is called an “oven-cord” thermometer. This one has a little box, and then a cord that you insert into the food, and it can go in to the oven. This is my favourite household thermometer. It is relatively cheap (~$20) and more accurate than the stick type.

When measuring temperatures of food, make sure to insert the thermometer into the thickest part of the food, and avoid touching the thermometer to the bottom or sides of the pan when recording.

Since I know that all of you reading this are so very enthralled by all of this food safety, I’ll give something a little bit more interesting to think about. A common misconception in the kitchen is the idea that colour (color) is an indication of how cooked a food is. This is not the case! One of my professors did a study to show how hamburgers that were cooked to the proper temperature still showed a red colour in the meat, and other hamburgers that were cooked until there was no more red, did not achieve the proper cooking temperatures and woud have been unsafe to consume. The colour of meat can be influenced by the pH (acidity) of the meat, or even how old the meat is (older meats tend to be a bit more brown).