A Peace of Chicken

So I'm at a slight mid-collegiate crisis. Since I was 14, I have been telling everyone that I want to "grow-up and become a chef." For the past two years I have been working my buns off in Restaurant Management courses, dreaming of becoming the next big thing in the culinary world- but what if this isn't what I really want to do? What if this whole chef thing is just supposed to be a very serious hobby for me instead of an actual career? I mean, do I really want to spend the next 40 years of my life sweating to death in the back of a dirty kitchen??! ... but none of this changes that fact that cooking is what I love to do.

I love combining the flavors and textures of different ingredients, knowing that if I do it just right, I will have made something beautiful, exciting, fantastic, unique, memorable, filling, but most of all delicious. I love to cook and experiment with the beautiful gift of fruits, vegetables, proteins, herbs, and spices that God has granted us.

So help me find a job. A job where I can create beautiful gastronomical masterpieces, but where I can also sit and enjoy them with the people I love. A job where I can travel the world learning what each and every one of you have to teach me about the things you love. A job where I know that every morning I will wake up and be excited about the that work I do. A job where I know that I have made someone's day more special by sharing with them a love of good food.

Yes, I know its a tall order but I don't believe that in life anyone should settle for mediocre. We have one shot at this, don't we? One chance to do it right and make the most of it. And why should I be content in a place where I know that I have talents that can be better expressed else where.

So today's dish is my heart and my soul. This dish is my very first original recipe and feels a little bit like an extension of myself, a piece of home.

A few years back I couldn't even cook a peanut butter and jelly sandwich if I wanted to. I couldn't dice an onion, grind pepper, or even open up a jar of spaghetti sauce. But did my failures in the kitchen inhibit my drive to create original dinners for my parents and sister on a daily basis? No, and in their opinion, unfortunately no. For months I had fed my family terrible culinary creations that I usually came up with at 11pm the previous night while laying in bed. For months these mismatched combinations caused my dad to lose a few pounds while my mom retreated to the ever constant bowl of Cherrios.

Finally I had an epiphany. Just because you like two foods separately, that does not mean you will like them together. This one simple philosophy completely altered my culinary muse. I now began thinking of foods with base flavors combined with accents; meals that have a variety of textures, colors, and flavors. My second epiphany (inspired by my dear mama) is simple. So simple that many of us make this mistake every day; "Like words, you can always add more spice, but you can never take it back."

So here it is: originally crafted in 2006, my Roasted Greek Chicken.

So here's a toast from my personal experience: "To the days when you don't have the answers to life's questions, when you don't want to take the high road, and when you don't want to turn your lemons into lemonade, don't lose faith in your abilities; because after enough tries all your missteps might just come together into something more powerful than you ever thought you were capable of: a roasted chicken."


Roasted Greek Chicken:

Ingredients:
1 whole 4-5 pound chicken (if a larger chicken is desired, just alter the proportions of ingredients to fit appropriate size and adapt cooking time). (If frozen, allow time to fully thaw)
5 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons dried oregano
salt and pepper
2 lemons
2/3 cup olive oil
1 large onion

Game-Time:

• Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees
• Clean the chicken by removing any "chicken pieces" reserved in the inner cavity, rinse well with cool water 
• Place in a deep, greased pan BREAST SIDE UP to allow to come to room temperature (about 3 inch sides)(make sure the pan is large enough to hold the entire chicken)
• Wash and zest your lemons and place zest in a small mixing bowl.
• Juice one of your lemons and add to the lemon zest.
• Add to the mix your olive oil, oregano and garlic.
• Use your fingers to gently separate the skin from the chicken breast. Make sure skin is still attached along the spine but allow for a little space between the skin and the meat
• Use your olive oil mixture to fully coat all of the chicken. Make sure to start by seasoning under the skin to get the most flavor on the part that will be eaten. Use the remaining to season all the skin and thigh areas. If there is excess oil in the bottom of the pan that is okay
• Slice your remaining lemon into 1/4 inch slices to make circular rounds of lemon
• Cut your onion into quarters
• Stuff the inner cavity of your chicken with the onion and all lemon except two of the slices
• Use the remaining two lemon slices to stick under the skin of the chicken breast next to the legs to add addition flavor.
• Sprinkle with some salt and pepper to taste.
• Bake in the oven for approximately 1 1/2 hours or until internal temperature has reached 165 degrees (remember that meat will continue to cook after it has been removed from the oven. So if desired, remove 5 degrees early to prevent dryness)
• if the chicken begins to brown unevenly, don't hesitate to rotate the pan. Also, if it becomes too brown before the internal temperature has reached 165, cover with a piece of aluminum foil.

Pasta Perfection

 
So the Christmas holidays are coming to a close. My sister and I move back to school tomorrow and launch ourselves right into a new semester. Although it isn't always pleasant, it is often a fact of life that as a family grows older, it often grows apart. Luckily for me, I have two wonderful parents who have dedicated their lives to holding our family together. In my opinion, as Sarah and I have grown older, we haven't grown apart from our family, just simply more independent. It's a fact of life- children grow up and there is nothing we can do about it. Since the early parts of childhood, my family has always found time to bring us together at least once a day over the dinner table. This single fact is probably what has given me the love of good food and family that I have. No matter how hard or busy our day was, we always found time to sit around the dinner table as a family- not on TV trays in the living room, not microwave dinners on our own.

The breakdown of the family in today's society is something that saddens me. There is something wrong to see to many families that seem to have it all (a house with a dog, a highly paying job, etc.), yet can't grasp the concept of reading a bedtime story or a marriage without a pre-nup. I think there is something amazing about bringing a family together nightly at the dinner table, that creates a bond like no other.

Get involved in the kitchen and find something for everyone to help out with. Before I was old enough to actually help out with dinner, my mom had a basket under the sink of old muffin tins and measuring cups for me to play with while she worked. All of us were always there- chopping, cleaning, setting the table, whatever was needed. It gave us a time to relax and forget about what all had happened that day- the things that made us cry or become stressed out; but it also gave us a time to share the wonderful things- an A in science class or getting a part in the school play.

Pasta is something that has been uniting families since 5000BC. Originating in China, pasta has spread across the globe, now existing in approximately 600 different varieties. There is a deep love in my heart for this Italian family staple.

Although it may take a little extra time, homemade tomato sauce is worth the extra "love" put into it. This sauce recipe is inspired by the recipe my Aunt Liz has used for years and has proved to be the family favorite. For those of you who like my father believe this to be a "faux" sauce because it doesn't comes out of a jar with absolutely no texture, please think about the anatomy of a sauce: it is made from real live vegetables. Fresh vegetables and herbs aren't naturally silky and paste-like; an extreme amount of processing, preservatives, and thickeners go into these types of sauces to make them into what we Americans call "spaghetti sauce." Please don't be offended. When time is of the essence, a good jarred tomato sauce can go a long way on some hot pasta; but when you have a little extra time to dedicate to this wholesome family favorite, I guarantee you'll love it.

Classic Tomato Sauce


Ingredients:

5 cans of diced tomatoes (unseasoned)
1 large onion
1/2 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 c red wine
4 cloves of garlic, minced
salt and pepper
3 tablespoons sugar
5 springs of rosemary
2 stems of basil (or approximately 10 leaves)
*chicken stock (only if needed)

Game Time:

Begin by heating approximately 3 tablespoons olive oil in the the bottom of a large skillet. Dice the onion and sauteé until caramelized. Add the 2 tablespoons of butter and continue to cook until melted (adds additional flavor to the sauce). Sauteé the minced garlic. Sprinkle in salt and pepper to taste.

Strain 2 of the 5 cans of tomatoes. Add all 5 cans of tomatoes to the onions and garlic (2 strained, 3 with juices). Add wine.
Bring to a slow boil and add the springs of rosemary and basil (do not remove herbs from their stems because you will remove them in the end: feel free to use an herb sachet if available).

Simmer on low for 45 minutes to 1 hour in order to thicken and soften vegetables. If sauce begins to become too dry add chicken stock in 1/4 cup increments.

Remove herbs and discard. Sprinkle in sugar and 1/4 cup olive oil. Stir and use spatula to break up larger pieces of tomato if desired.

Remove from heat and serve over your favorite pasta (I recommend angel hair).

Hope you all have a wonderful time creating and eating this dish with your loved ones this holiday season as much as I have.

A Little Taste of Summer: Oven-Roasted Tomato Soup

You want to know the good thing about having four different seasons? As human beings, we are never content with what we have- therefore, due to the very nature of a cyclical year, we always know that whatever season, weather condition, or holiday we are wanting is only a matter of time away. In the 95 degree summers of central Alabama, all we Alabamians ever want is some ice and snow to cool down those blistering days. And on the opposite end of the spectrum, the second even the tiniest snowflake falls, we are ready to set up our lemonade stands once again and slather on the SPF.

There are a few things that always come to mind when I think of summer- the smell of Banana Boat tanning oil, Ono Island, and tomatoes. Every year since I was a kid, my dad has grown the most beautiful tomato garden in the neighborhood- tomatoes ranging in size, color, acidity, and shape. Every evening, we'd go in the garden, pick a bucket full of ripe tomatoes and then my mom would slice a plate full for us to eat with dinner- simply topped with some salt and pepper. We had SO many tomatoes, that once a week, my dad would fill our little red wagon full of tomatoes and would tell me and my sister not to come home until we had given them all away... luckily, our neighbors were always willing to accept as many tomatoes as we would give them.

(Go ahead and be jealous. I know I look good in my polka-dot swimsuit. Not all 7 year old's can look this good in a one-piece)

It never fails that every year during the winter once Christmas has past, all I crave is summer. Unfortunately, one of the things I associate with summer the most isn't in season during the month of January... that's why I created this homemade tomato soup that can be made from whole canned tomatoes instead of the fresh variety. When used under certain conditions, canned tomatoes can provide an equally tasty and even easier way to enjoy this summer-time vegetable. To add an additional layer of flavor to the soup, I chose to oven roast the tomatoes. By roasting the tomatoes, you caramelize their sugars, removing that raw "salsa" tomato flavor while giving the soup an extraordinary taste. So enjoy this little ray of summer sunshine right out of the heart of Alabama on this blustery winter day.

Oven-Roasted Tomato Soup

Ingredients: 
2, 14oz cans of whole tomatoes
Extra Virgin Olive Oil (approximately 1/2 cup)
2 Stalks of Celery, diced
1 onion, diced
3 cloves of garlic, diced
2 large carrots, diced
1 cup chicken stock
1 bay leaf
salt and pepper
3 large leaves of fresh basil, rough chop
1/2 cup heavy cream

Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees.

Open the cans of tomatoes and strain them into a large bowl (reserve the liquid to be used later).

Gently squeeze the tomatoes to remove any excess liquid or seeds. Space out the tomatoes on a sided cookie-sheet lined with aluminum foil. The aluminum foil allows for easy clean-up. 

Drizzle the tomatoes with a little olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for approximately 20 minutes or until caramelized.

While roasting the tomatoes, heat 1/4 cup of olive oil in a large skillet and sauteé the onion, celery, and carrot. After sauteéing for 5 minutes, add in the garlic and continue to cook until vegetables are tender and onions are translucent.

Add the roasted tomatoes to the other vegetables along with the tomato liquid, chicken stock, and bay leaf. Simmer on low for 20 minutes to tenderize vegetables. Stir in cream and basil and continue to cook for 5 minutes.

Remove from heat. Using a blender, food processor, or immersion blender, blend the soup until smooth or desired consistency.  (If using a blender, do not seal the lid tight because the steam will cause it to pop)

Amaretto and Toasted Coconut Chocolate Truffles

Something my dad has taught me is that each and everyone of us has a choice we can make daily; we each have the power to be happy. My family has always instilled within me and my sister that nothing can buy or create happiness; it's a mindset. Every new year we all make New Year's Resolutions that we believe will make us happier people- "I'm going to lose 20 pounds." "I'm going to earn a promotion by June." Yes, to an extent those things can be great, but this year, my New Year's Resolution is different than the usual. My resolution is to not only be content, not just happy, but ecstatic about my life every day exactly the way it is- not how I wish it would be instead. Why shouldn't I be happy? Every morning that I wake up, I have been given another opportunity do something in this world- yet like most of us, I find something to complain about. I sit and complain about my 8am Geography class yet isn't it such a blessing to have the chance to have an education? My resolution is to rejoice in the good things, accept the bad, learn from my mistakes, love people for who they are, and to be thankful for all of the people who have gotten me to where I am.  

Nothing makes my day more than to cook something that brings a smile to someone's face. That's the wonderful thing about a love of food- it's a two-party deal; there is someone who cooks the food and then someone who eats it. It's pure brilliance on the behalf of God that He made something that is vital to our existence so enjoyable. Some people, like myself, LOVE to prepare the food that others enjoy, while others love to enjoy the food that others prepare. I am one of the people who belong to both sides of this culinary game.

My boyfriend comes from an Italian family deeply entrenched in the love of good food. Considering my family is filled to the rim with foodies as well, that factor is probably one of the things that keeps our relationship going. Having the opportunity to relax, laugh, travel, eat, drink, dance, and learn from his family for over two years now has been such a blessing. I have been blessed with the most wonderful family and it's the most wonderful gift that John lets me share his family as well. 

For New Year's with his family this year, I decided to bring something along with me that is a little out of the ordinary when it comes to party food. Its convenient and easy to bring a bag of chips and some dip, but I felt that I should do a little something more special to introduce 2011. This recipe for chocolate truffles is easy, yet impresses even the most difficult of culinary critics. So here it is, the easiest yet most impressive thing I will probably ever make.


Amaretto and Toasted Coconut Chocolate Truffles

Ingredients:
1/2 pound of dark or semi-sweet chocolate (approximately 2 1/2 cups if you don't have a scale and are using chips) 

1 stick butter

1/2 cup heavy cream

3 Tablespoons Amaretto liquor

2 cups coconut, toasted

Game Time:

Chop the chocolate and butter into equally sized, small pieces and place in a large bowl 

Pour the cream into a small pot and bring to a very soft boil (if you bring it to a full boil, the cream will curdle) 

Immediately, pour the cream over the chocolate and butter and stir until the pieces are completely melted.

Stir in the amaretto.

Refrigerate until firm (I always chill overnight)

Using a tablespoon, scoop out a portion of the chocolate ganache (do not shape into a ball yet. The heat of your hand will cause the chocolate to become sticky)

Place your portion of ganache into your toasted coconut. Use the coconut as a barrier between your hands and the ganache to quickly shape into a small ball. Work as gently and quickly as possible- the more you work the ball of ganache, the stickier it will become.

Congrats! You did it! Now eat your heart out or store in the refrigerator for up to 10 days.