Drink Something: Kai-Pee-Reen-Ya

It's a gorgeous eighty degrees outside. The sun is shining, the birds are chirping, and I am desperately wishing for an icy cold cocktail in my hot little hands. There is nothing in life that pleases me more than relaxing on the back deck with a book, a cocktail, and the hum of a lawnmower in the distant background. In honor of this beautiful Mother's Day Eve, I have decided to break out my bottle of Cachaca (a Brazilian rum, pronounced: ka-shah-suh) and make a very large Caipirinha.
For those of you unfamiliar with this Brazilian staple, please keep in mind that it is not for the faint of heart, nor is it for those who prefer those cloying, candied, toothaches that bartenders are now passing off as proper cocktails.
The perfect Caipirinha should be tart, with just a hint of sweetness, and pack quite a punch. There are only three ingredients, making this very impressively named drink, ridiculously easy to make. You will need a muddler, brown or raw sugar and crushed ice, if available. A muddler is a wooden object used to crush fresh ingredients in a glass in order to release as much flavor as possible. In this case, we want to release as much juice from the pulp and as much oil from the skins as we can. You'll want to make sure that you stir as you sip to ensure that the sugar dissolves into the drink. There is nothing worse than getting to the bottom of a drink only to find that you now have to chew it.

CAIPIRINHA
1/2 lime, wedged
2 t. sugar
ice
2 1/2 oz. cachaca
Place lime wedges and sugar in the bottom of a rocks glass. Muddle for about a minute until the fruit and sugar are thoroughly demolished. This will help dissolve the sugar. Fill glass with crushed ice and top with cachaca. Give it a good stir and enjoy.

Happy Mother's Day my darlings.

Be where you are

healthcarenewsblog.com

I've been suffering from a mild case of nostalgia. Despite society's (and my husband's) pressures to conform, I remain a die hard, pen and paper using, radio listening, barefoot in the kitchen, hard-bound-book, page turner. Now, I won't lie. I do appreciate the ability to read my Kindle, long after lights out without disturbing his highness's sleep, and Pandora is simply one of the best inventions ever but I am hesitant to fully give myself over to all that technology has to offer.
While listening to NPR today I heard a piece about the declining percentage of manual transmission drivers. This saddened me, as I am a manual driver and thoroughly enjoy it. In related news, I recently made three purchases that made my husband roll his eyes: a sewing machine, a turntable, and a refurbished 1920's Remington Model 3 typewriter complete with the original glass keys.
Back to the manual transmission. During the interview, the gentleman who was a devotee of the "stick" spoke fondly of being connected to the experience, of being in control and fully being in the moment.  I can relate. I recently told someone that I had an aversion to technology. I was wrong. I have an aversion to the virtual experience.
Enter: the sewing machine, the turn table and the typewriter. The need for these items came about because I want to be connected to the things I do instead of having them done for me. I want to feel like a participant in my life and the events that take place and know what it's like to do things "the hard way". I am convinced that we are willingly giving up this right little by little as we let the virtual seep into every crack of the authentic.
Instead of actually going through the trouble of visiting our friends, we Facebook them. Instead of shopping for, preparing, and lovingly serving our families dinner, we hop on the computer and order it without the inconvenience of dealing with a real person. Instead of putting ourselves through the humiliation of wearing those God awful bowling shoes and drinking cheap domestic beer, we simply bowl on the Wii...ok now that I kind of get. But I think you get the point.
We are losing out on real life experiences by leaning on our technology crutches. I overheard a conversation referring to cell phones as 'adult pacifiers' and to be honest, I couldn't find a good argument against it. It's true. Watch a line of adults and everyone of them will be occupying their time on their phones, sadly, as their friends and family stand right next to them doing the same exact thing. How many conversations have we missed out on because we were to busy being with someone via text, Twitter, or Facebook, instead of being with the people right in front of our faces. Wake up my darlings. The virtual friendships and experiences cannot hold a candle to those right in front of you. Put down the phone and be where you are.

Happy living my darlings.

The Day After

It's the first of March and it's 77 degrees in my house. No, I do not have the heat on, but for those of you who know me well, I can understand why you'd think that.
I opened every window in the house today. When I woke up, the staleness of the room made me feel as if I couldn't breathe...and I needed to breathe, badly. With a day as beautiful as this, I felt that I would be remiss if I didn't at least get out for a little bit of exercise. I also badly needed to move and stretch and feel something solid beneath my feet. Unfortunately, it turns out that it's true what they say about past performance not being an indicator of future performance. I went out for a little 3 mile run/walk, during which I had hoped to be doing more running than walking. Let's just say that nothing ever goes as you'd expect. That's ok though. Life goes on and you just keep moving.
Which brings me to my next point, I quit my job. Yesterday was my last day at Kincaid's. After eight years, I have finally decided to pass the torch and move on. Don't ask me why. I'm not sure I could answer in a way you'd understand. There are a million common sense reasons I could give you but none of them would be true. When it comes right down to it, I got the urge. At least, that's what I call it. For me it's that little tickle in the back of my brain that tells me that it's time to go. It happened in my first marriage, after my first enlistment, the day I met Steven, and now. When something pushes or pulls you this strongly, it's not wise to ignore it.
Yesterday, someone asked me why I happen to make such drastic changes in my life (first marriage to U.S. Navy to GM of a restaurant to the corporate offices of a tax company). Clearly this person does not know me well. I've always been the one to make the crazy decisions...to uproot myself in perfectly fine situations in the hopes of finding something new and exciting. Ok, so maybe the situations weren't perfectly fine but I could have stayed and been content in almost every one of them.
Everyone said I was crazy for joining the Navy. Then, everyone said I was crazy to get out and go to culinary school. Now I am crazy for leaving a perfectly good position for an industry in which I know absolutely nothing. I won't say that I am still finding myself because I don't believe that to be true but I do feel myself becoming stronger as a person and loving the adventure with each daring jump. I highly doubt I'll ever be disappointed.

Happy change my darlings.

Those who can, do, those who are passionate, teach.

cobrabrigade.com

I've been asked multiple times now to go back to my cooking classes. When I owned Girl With a Knife Private Catering, I also taught out of my home. I did theme nights, taught knife skills, how to flip food in the pan, the intricacies of phyllo, you name it. It was a fun way to stregnthen friendships, meet new people and treat my husband to some pretty amazing leftovers. 

My point to this story is that my passion helped ignite a new passion in others. If there is something you have a talent for, or are passionate about, why not teach it to someone? I have a friend A, who does magic with Photoshop, and another friend, S who could tell you everything there is to know about fitness. Maybe you have a flair for decorating, maybe it's a penchant for gardening. I know I could really use someone to teach me how to improve my currently brown thumb. We all have passions and it's a huge shame to keep them bottled up and to ourselves. Make sure you are finding ways to share yours. 

P.S. I will be going back to my cooking classes in March. Stay tuned for dates, times and pricing. Feel free to message me if you have questions, comments or ideas for the next class. 

Happy teaching my darlings. 

Veg Out

Last week I posted about Meatless Monday. Maybe you participated, maybe you completely forgot. Either way, I'm not here to judge. After that post, the emails started trickling into  my inbox. The discussion had started. Thank you D, for your positive affirmations about tofu. One reader, M, asked about where to start. I promised her, as well as my dear friend T, that I'd post a few simple recipes and ideas to get them started. T, please use one of these and do some actual cooking...
I hope you find these as delicious and fulfilling as I do.

High in fiber, antioxidants, and minerals, kale is the best thing you can do for your body. This recipe, stolen from a local restaurant, is stupidly simple and crazy delicious. Every time my husband sees a bunch of kale in the fridge, he always asks me how long till kale salad will be ready. Try to use 100% organic ingredients when possible. 
Kale Salad
1 bunch kale
1/4 red onion
2 lemons
1/8 C olive oil
kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste
Cut the thick middle ribs from kale and chiffonade (roll leaves like a cigar and slice very thinly). Thinly slice red onion and add to kale.  Juice both lemons and add to kale along with olive oil, salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly and let sit for a few minutes to let the flavors develop. I like to eat this with chopsticks. You'll know why after attempting to eat it with a fork.

I found this salad in an Epicurious magazine a few years ago and have been making it ever since. It's smoky and hearty, yet refreshing and a bit spicy all at the same time. It's a great anytime snack or a meal when served with some wild rice and roasted vegetables. 
Edamame Salad
1 1/2 cups frozen shelled edamame (8 ounces)
1/4 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15-ounce) can black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup chopped red onion
Juice of one fresh lime
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Thaw edemame completely. Add remaining ingredients. Mix thoroughly and let sit for awhile to allow flavors to develop. 


I used to do cooking lessons out of my house. One of my biggest joys of teaching is in watching the face of someone who has just tasted a vegetable the way God intended. Roasting is the simplest way to cook a vegetable yet the method that, in my opinion, allows the true expression of the flavors to shine through. I like to eat these over pasta with a simple lemon butter sauce or over wild rice with soy sauce for a simple meal. The leftovers make a great omelet, quiche or strata in the morning. 
Roasted Vegetables
vegetable of choice (carrots, brussel sprouts, onions, cauliflower, sweet potatoes, parsnips, broccoli, zucchini, mushrooms, etc.)
olive oil
salt
pepper
granulated garlic (fresh garlic will burn)
optional additions: cumin, parmesan cheese, chili flakes, curry powder, toasted sesame oil, thyme, brown sugar, etc.
Chop veg into manageable pieces, toss in olive oil and seasonings to coat. Broil at 500' until browned and beautiful. If the veg is brown but underdone, move to bottom rack to complete cooking. A simple poke with a knife will determine degree of doneness.

(I'm adding this one for those times when you need a little indulgence. As this is not a low-fat recipe, serve this recipe sparingly, with a big healthy salad.)
Handed down many years ago, this recipe is an heirloom that I've treasured since I was a child. To simple to be this amazing, this recipe will feed your family with surprising effectiveness. I frequently substitute other cooked vegetables for the spinach but find that I still like the original the best. Thanks for this one Mom. 
Spinach Quiche
1 box frozen spinach, thawed and drained well
6 eggs
1 bag shredded cheddar
1 bag shredded swiss
1 frozen deep dish pie crust
Beat eggs thoroughly. Brush a small bit of egg on the bottom of the pie crust to coat. Layer half of spinach, followed by half of swiss, then half of cheddar. Repeat layers. Pour egg over top very carefully. It will overflow if you move to quickly. Bake on a foil lined baking sheet at 350' for one hour. Let cool for fifteen minutes before eating.

Faux Show

Get ready for Meatless Monday!
( www.meatlessmonday.com.)

In honor of the new year, and in an effort to expand QOMOC to include being queen of my own body, I have thrown myself into learning about all things health related. Being a Netflix member allows me access to many a documentary on topics such as the evils of the FDA, anti-cancer diets, organic raw veganism, and the meaning of biodynamic. Needless to say, the information available on how to use nutrition as a way to keep the doctor away, is mind-boggling. Please keep in mind, I am not here to convert anyone, but if you are considering transitioning into a healthier lifestyle, I am a happy and willing resource.

I have participated in Meatless Mondays and dabbled in vegetarianism/veganism on and off for quite some time now. I am a huge fan of vegetables and have used Meatless Mondays and bouts of veganism as a way to expand my culinary prowess, reduce my grocery bill, feel healthier, and get my friends and family as amp'd about vegetables as I am. (Ok, I know how corny that last bit just sounded but I love finding ways to sneak a hated vegetable into a meal only to have someone tell me they absolutely loved it.)

Enter tofu, the faux meat. Many people think of tofu as the colorless, flavorless, waterlogged blob of whatever that crazy vegans eat because they are, well...crazy.
I beg to differ. When prepared correctly, tofu can be a meaty and flavorful addition to your meal. You can marinate it, grill it, saute it, broil it, even puree it into a smoothie for added protein. Tonight I chose to saute it in toasted sesame oil and serve it over rice noodles and stir fried vegetables in a miso broth. It was heavenly to say the least. The exterior had been sauteed to a crisp golden brown and the interior had a moist, meaty chewiness to it. At the end of dinner, I was stuffed. As a bonus, the food coma that typically ensues after eating a traditional American meal did not annihilate me for the evening. I was completely satiated, but did not feel as if I needed to lie down, unbutton my pants or punish myself with a tortuous gym session. So, I encourage you, give Meatless Mondays a chance. After all, what do you have to lose...except maybe a few pounds ;)

Happy cooking my darlings.