Change Your Mind, Change Your Life

So its been a while. The past 10 days have been filled to the brim with the flu, a wicked cold, and a rabid job search. Needless to say my appetite has been non-existent. Good for my waist line not so good for my reading audience.

My diet has involved only bananas, white bread, and the occasional hand delivered soup. I did have a lovely paparadelle meat pasta at La Bocca de Verita on the North side last weekend. It is right up there with their chicken Marsala. Though I do believe that mine is better.

But thats about it. Oh and I had a bowlful of Cocoa Krispies tonight for dinner. It was crunchy but I didn't taste much else.

Hopefully, I will find my direction and taste buds soon. Life can be pretty bland if you can't savor the good bites.

Miss G and Her Love of CAKE

Miss G is the precocious 3 year old of my dear friend A. I have never been one for children but G has charmed me. Feisty, funny and fabulous. And G has a serious love of cake. Each time I have seen her devour cake she either whispers reverently as the cake is revealed "oooo cake" or shouts joyously and LOUDLY "CAKE"!!!!!!!!!!!!

G and I are cut from the same cloth. And the cake? A decadent SWEET SWEET SWEET Cookie Dough Pie from Oberweis Dairy. Complete with whip cream, mini m&ms, and cookie dough ice cream.

G recommends picking off the m&ms first, then eating the whipped cream with your fingers (after dotting her nose and mine with the cream) and then digging into the ice cream itself.

Make sure to sing "cake cake cake" as loud as you can also.

Happy 3rd B-day Miss G.

Three Days and 65 Degrees in the Windy City

I met M when I was 7 years old. I was a tyranical wanna be actress/director and M patiently participated in my plays and indulged my need for drama as an only child. M then disappeared leaving a very sad 7 year old without a cast for her next Tony award winning play.

Years later, M appeared at my high school. Grown up, dj'ing at our school radio and helping me limp through Geology by cheating off his amazingly sharp grasp of anything rock-based. We were fast friends again.

M disappeared after high school for a while but we met up again online while researching our 10th reunion. We met once in person about 10 years ago and then it was a steady check-in of phone calls.

This week, M came to Chicago to see his father, his grand parents and me. We shared many great meals, one at my favorite Vermillion and at West Town Tavern. He ordered a "Suri" at WTT and I was impressed with his choice. Great walks around the city and a wonderful time was had.

Thank you M for coming to Chicago. You have been missed.

Fellow Rice Cooker Addict and All Around Spicy Gal

As soon as I posted my rice cooker praise, Miss Brandy e-mailed me with this post from her friend Cinnamon. I have met Cinnamon several times and find her to be very sweet and amazingly creative. She makes beautiful purses.

Cinnamon also has written about the almighty rice cooker for Gaper's Block. She has some really great, simple recipes.

See I am not alone. :-)

Feed me - I'm SICK!

It's flu season and even though JB and I had our flu shots, we seemed to have both caught some strange virus. Mine caused me to sleep non-stop for three days and JB's played havoc with his insides. So how does food come into all of this? JB needed a more sedate diet to help him recover. His request? Rice.

I hate making rice. It's just hard to get rice right. Mine comes out too chewy, too mushy...too too and those bags are just messy. So low and behold I was watching PBS and there was a cooking show touting the benefits of a rice cooker. Since I never was a rice fan - I steered away from this gadget. My kitchen is not that big so I need to watch what I buy. But I watched in fascination when I learned you cook almost everything in a rice cooker. Not to mention that I could CURE JB with my fabulous cooking. Strange fantasy I have - ALISE CURES CANCER WITH STICKY BUN RECIPE!!!!!!!!!

So I bought a Rival 3 Cup Rice Cooker from Target. $14.99 and a bright cherry red. A very cute appliance if I might say so myself.

I made this dish all in the rice cooker. Clean up was so easy and JB loved the result. The spices were toned down in his version - hence the sick food - so add more than I have listed here.

All in One Pot Comfort Meal
1 1/2 cups brown rice
3 cups organic, free range chicken stock
1 red pepper, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1/2 sweet onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, pressed
1 boneless, skinless chicken breast - bite size pieces
Tamari sauce to taste
Salt and pepper
1 cup frozen peas

Add the rice and chicken stock as instructed by your rice cooker. If you have a steamer, place on top of the rice mixture. If you do not have a steamer, it works to just put the vegetables on the rice/broth. Layer your veggies - placing the garlic on the very top of the heap. Then add your chicken pieces. The goal is to cook the chicken on top of the veggies infusing the chicken with the extra flavor. Turn rice cooker on. About 10 minutes before the cooker turns off add your peas. Peas only need to be heated up.

Note: Some may gasp at putting raw chicken on top of the other ingredients. *JB did. The steam will cook the chicken thoroughly and bring all of the ingredients to a very high temperature. Just make sure to check your chicken by cutting into the thicker pieces for doneness. No pinkness should be left in the chicken. This is a wise thing to do with ALL chicken dishes.

We loved this dish. The chicken was very tender. The rice was perfect. For well eaters, add more spices to the dish. Here is a link to some excellent rice cooker recipes I intend to try.

Alise's Mom's Cream Cheese Poundcake

Every October, my mom calls me from California and asks what I want for Christmas. I always rack my brain and try to think of something I need. To be truthful - there is not much I need. I am very fortunate to have all my needs met - so that makes Christmas purely about wants. I try to have balance. Some for me - some for charity and some years I win out and some years charities win. Last year I won.

I asked my mother for a bound book full of her favorite recipes and some of our family favorites. She made a face. As soon as the request was out of my mouth I WAS REALLY EXCITED! You would have thought I said diamonds. This gift was perfect. It was me and it would be something I could pass on -- to -- to -- to my cats. Mom was not as thrilled. LOVED the idea of it...not thrilled about the work. But I pestered, I whined, I became 8 again. And it worked!

A beautiful leather bound book of family recipes - complete with family anecdotes. "Everyone loved this one in the 70's!" "Your grandmother always served this at parties". Here is the breakdown of what treasures I received.

Mom's recipes: All her favorites - mostly healthy or California inspired and my childhood favorites. Meatloaf, etc. She truly is a magnificent cook. Oh, she also told to me to tell you that she also took me to Greens and Millenium for the first time AND steered me towards organics. Thanks mom. ;-)

My grandmothers recipes - both great grandma and mama: Tipsy Cake (remind me to post around Christmas - yes, it does indeed make you tipsy), her biscuits, and other Southern favorites

My Aunt J's favorites: It was a lovely surprise to see her handwriting and her comments. My favorite aunt on my mom's side. Hopefully she will send some more of her wonderful recipes.

My Stepdad's Mom: Candied Orange Peel - B's favorite from when he was a kid.

My Aunt A: One of my favorite memories of Aunt A was her roast beef hash. I loved it. Everytime I flew to see her, I requested this dish. I was a bit disappointed when I realized it was straight from a can. But that's my aunt A for you.

This was the best gift - it has blank pages and I have started adding my own. Mom has promised to add more each year.

Recently, I had the privilege of cooking for my mom in an effort to speed her recovery from shoulder surgery. We had a great time. She watched me cook and asked questions. I loved every minute of that exhausting night. I was able to take care of her in a way that I knew would help her.

Thank you mom for the book and for all that you give me. See you soon!

Love, A

Mom's Cream Cheese Poundcake
INGREDIENTS:
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
1 1/2 cups butter
3 cups white sugar
6 eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (thrown in a bit more for me if you like!)

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F, grease and flour a 10 inch tube pan.
2. In a large bowl, cream butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add sugar gradually and beat until fluffy.
3. Add eggs two at a time, beating well with each addition. Add the flour all at once and mix in. Add vanilla.
4. Pour into a 10 inch tube pan. Bake at 325 degrees F for 1 hour and 20 minutes. Check for doneness at 1 hour. A toothpick inserted into center of cake will come out clean.

My Name is Alise and I am a Vanillaholic.

HELLO ALISE!

So after my recent blog, I went on a spice and vanilla rampage. One evening last week, I just could not sit still. So I ran to the Spice House in Evanston. Here is a list of my booty.

• 4oz. Vietnamese Cassia "Saigon" Cinnamon
• 4oz. Natural Cocoa Powder as opposed to Dutch-processed (Gale Gand from Tru only ises natural stating that she prefers the stronger taste of cocoa. - I agree!)
• 2oz. Crushed "Caribe" Red Pepper Flakes for JB's pizza
• 2oz. "Salt Free" Cajun Blackening Seasoning
• 2oz. Freeze Dried Shallots - I love these in scrambled eggs!
• 4oz. Salsa Seasoning - WARNING: Do not breathe in while using this product - it contains jalapeno powder
• 4oz. Mexican Vanilla Extract
• Huge bottle of Nielson Massey Vanilla Extract
• Huge bottle of Sonoma County Co. Almond Extract - both the these were from TJMaxx. I will let you know if they are good.

I went home and laid them all out on the countertop, arranged them, stood back and sighed with contentment. :-)

Spice House Tip on avoiding the "fishy" smell in your kitchen:
When cooking fish, place a slice of bread in with the fish while cooking. The bread absorbs most of the smell and you can just toss it after cooking. Thanks!

Goat Cheese Tomato Tart

The fabulous tart from the Sunday brunch I blogged about! Thanks B!

Goat Cheese and Tomato Tart
Pastry for one tart (I used butter yesterday but usually I use butter and chili oil instead of water or to replace some at least)
1 T dijon mustard
3/4 C grated Gruyere cheese
4 or 5 Roma tomatoes, sliced
8 oz. goat cheese, sliced

brushing oil: (combine all ingredients)
1/2 C extra virgin olive oil
2 T fresh chopped herbs (I used basil and parsley yesterday, but anything you like will do)
1 or 2 garlic cloves, crushed (I opt for 2 usually)
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 375 and place a baking sheet in oven.

Roll our pastry dough and place in a 12 inch tart pan. Spread dijon mustard over bottom of tart shell, then spread grated gruyere cheese over bottom. Alternate tomato slices and goat cheese in overlapping layers, then brush with all but two T of herbed oil ove the top.

Put tart on baking sheet and bake for 35 minutes (I used my convection oven so it was a little less time). Remove from oven and brush remaining herbed oil over the top.

I have made this tart numerous times and it is always a hit. It is nice for lunch as well as brunch.

Gross Out Food Trivia:

Thank you to Brandy from http://www.loosetooth.com/ for today's food trivia.

Brandy recently had a job at the Kohler Company (faucets, toilet fixtures, etc.) After chatting with some employees, it was revealed that to simulate "pooh" in testing toilets they use formed pieces of bean paste.

I almost lost my latte over that piece of trivia. Good to know for future Halloween pranks. Um thanks Brandy. ;-)

The Best Vanilla Extracts

America's favorite flavor of ice cream? Vanilla. My favorite pudding flavor? Vanilla. Cake? Vanilla. The latest craze in perfume bases - you guessed it - VANILLA.

I am a big fan. I think at one point I put a dab of vanilla extract behind each ear to see if I could save on the expensive perfumes I seem to gravitate towards. I remember it smelling delicious but I also remember a slight burning. Not to mention the fear of being referred to as "cupcake" by friends.

So let's talk vanilla. There are tons - Tahitian, Madagascar, Mexican, vanilla beans...you name it and they have it. Vanillas could be compared to wine...they all seem to have their own character.

I grew up with McCormick brand. You can find it in every supermarket right next to the artificial vanillas. But this barely skims the surface.

Artificial vs. Real Vanilla
Yes, the artificial is cheaper...yes, it smells almost like true vanilla BUT read your ingredients. Lots of scary chemicals and usually a higher alcohol content. Splurge for the good stuff. A little vanilla goes a long way and the taste of true vanilla makes a big difference in your final baked goods. A small bottle can run you around $10. My favorites are at the bottom of this post.

The Straight Stuff - Madagascar, Tahitian, and Standard
Tons of choices out there. Madagascar has become more prevalent among vanillas. Rich, deep. Tahitian I find to be softer and more subtle. Good for velvety flans or angel food cakes. Standard works for almost everything but is a bit more ho hum. These are your standard vanillas found in your local grocery. Your best bet is to try them all and see what your preference is. A good compromise is Sonoma Company's Madagascar/Tahitian "Crush". Both tastes in one bottle.

Mexican Vanilla
A long time ago I bought a HUGE bottle of Mexican "vanilla" in Juarez. One whole liter for $5. What a find! I went home and started using it immediately. It tasted strongly like coconut. I never really thought much about what was in that bottle until 3 years later I ran out and started looking for more Mexican vanilla. I ended buying a bottle from The Spice House in Evanston.

What an incredible difference! The coconut flavor was gone and it was replaced with a spicy richness (complete with cinnamon stick left in the bottle!). I use Mexican instead of Tahitian or Madagascar when I am looking for a stronger, spicy and more pronounced taste. The Juarez bottle turned out to contain synthetic vanilln and a high alcohol level. (no wonder I liked it)

Here is a great link to The Vanilla Company's explanation of how to spot fake Mexican vanilla and why you should avoid it. I have not tasted their vanilla but they look to be serious. :-)

Vanilla Beans
Vanilla beans are a wonderful thing but are a big pain in the ass. Recently, I had the
opportunity to work in the pastry kitchen at Tru. One of my tasks was to make a caramel sauce for sticky buns. They presented me with a huge jar of vanilla beans. Now I had always eyed vanilla beans with envy in spice stores. These lovely oddities smell wonderful and cost a fortune. Needless to say I stayed away from them and stuck with extracts. But I have to admit every time I see specks of vanilla in custards or cakes, I am in love. So when I was presented with this bounty at Tru my first thought was how to pilfer as many of them as possible. OF COURSE I didn't take any. Yeesh. I may be a liar but I am not a thief!

I took out one bean and tried to slice it open. (imitating the chefs on the Food Network) I sliced it down the middle or should I say tried. I butchered that poor bean and then spent 10 minutes trying to save the little specks inside for the caramel. Repeat: PAIN IN THE ASS.

But I have to say in the sauce - DELICIOUS. And KL from Tru told me to save the bean and to stick into a mason jar full of sugar. In a couple of days you have vanilla sugar for dusting cakes or for use in your coffee.

Another alternative to vanilla beans is paste. I use Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Bean Paste. All those wonderful specks and taste without all the work.

A's Favorite Vanilla Products

Tahitian Vanilla

• Trader Joe's Tahitian Vanilla - good price, good everyday vanilla. Trader Joe's also now sells vanilla bean paste. I have not tried it yet.


• Nielsen-Massey Pure Tahitian Vanilla - the Cadillac of vanillas. Their website also has fantastic recipes and other extracts like coffee, almond and the like. Some may gasp at this but I have seen TJMaxx selling this vanilla at a discount in their gourmet department. I do not guarantee anything about its authenticity but it might be a great way to try it on the cheap.

Madagascar Vanilla

• Nielsen-Massey Pure Madagascar Vanilla - see above
  
• The Spice House - Pure Madagascar "Bourbon Islands" Single Strength Vanilla Extract

Mexican Vanilla

• The Spice House - love the cinnamon stick in the bottle!

Blends and Pastes

• Sonoma Syrup Co. - I love the "Crush" blend.
  
• Nielsen-Massey Vanilla Bean Paste - forget the beans

Good products make all the difference in cooking. If you have some vanilla favorites, please e-mail me. I will post a vanilla pound cake recipe that my mom swears by later today.

Another tip: These extracts are a must to have on hand.

• Pure Vanilla Extract
• Pure Almond Extract
• Pure Lemon Extract

All others are nice to haves if you are an addict like me!