nature vs. nurture?

Dear Snookie,

Really? Jersey Shore? After your father and I strove our hardest to instill in you an appreciation for the finer things in life? Where did we go wrong? Maybe we didn't start early enough. Maybe we should have held a tv up to my stomach while I was carrying you and played endless reruns of Masterpiece Theatre. Would that have helped? Maybe not.

Maybe some things are best left in their natural state, allowed to be themselves, however unrefined as that might be. Take the lowly sweet potato. (Now, don't get all defensive - I'm not comparing you to a sweet potato.) Let's face it. Sweet potatoes aren't very elegant in their natural state. Cooks have been trying to fancify them for decades. Every November, all of the cooking magazines and blogs seem to have at least one recipe for the ubiquitous sweet potato casserole. You know the one. Sweet potatoes are cooked, whipped to a frenzy, insulted with the addition of additional sugars or orange juice, and then, just when you think they have been degraded beyond any point of redemption, they are put in a dish surrounded by marshmallows! This is kind of like putting a pink tutu on a bull mastiff. It just shouldn't be done.

I would rather let the tormented tuber shine on its own. That's why you will never find sweet potato casserole on my Thanksgiving table. I prefer a simpler, kinder treatment; just boil them, then slice and fry them in butter. The sugars in the potato caramelize on the outside, resulting in sweet buttery disks of delight.

Preparing sweet potatoes this way is simple, but a little tedious. The potatoes can be boiled early in the day, then peeled and fried just before serving. They have to be watched carefully as they are frying, because they will burn easily. The goal here is to fry them just until they start to develop a dark crust, and then remove them from the heat.

Well, I will sign off for now - your dad and I are going to sit down and watch reruns of The Beverly Hillbillies.

fried sweet potatoes

4 medium sweet potatoes
1/2 stick butter (add more as necessary)

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
2. Add washed sweet potatoes to the boiling water, and boil until fork-tender. This will take anywhere from 25 to 40 minutes, depending on the size of the potatoes.
3. Remove potatoes from water and cool until they are easy to handle.
4. Peel potatoes, and slice 1/4" to 1/2" thick. (make sure all slices are the same thickness so that they will cook evenly)
5. Melt butter in a large skillet.
6. Add potatoes to skillet and fry over medium heat. Do not overcrowd the pan. When they start to brown, flip them over and fry on the other side. Watch them carefully as they fry to avoid burning them.  (Fry them in batches if necessary, removing them to a warmed serving platter when done.)

da motha-land

Dear Mom,

I have a little confession to make (brace yourself because I think you will be disappointed in me): I like Jersey Shore.  If you're unfamiliar with the show, its this really terrible reality t.v. show on MTV about eight Jersey-Shore-loving-Guidos (I'm not trying to be derogatory, they call themselves that).  Sadly, I'm not the only one addicted to the show, my husband follows it as well, in fact I kind of blame him for getting me hooked.  The first season they were given a house to live in on Jersey Shore, a very low-responsibility job, and lots of cash to spend on going out to bars, alcoholic beverages, and of course the three cornerstones of any Guido's life: GTL (gym, tanning and laundry).  In following seasons, they were given a change of scenery.  They were sent to live in Miami Beach, then back to the Shore, and this season they were in Florence, Italy ("da motha-land").

Florence, Italy....  I never thought I would be jealous of the Vinny, Pauly, Ronnie, Snookie, Jenni, Sammy, Deena and The Situation, but now I am.  While I have no desire to run around the Jersey Shore in a drunken haze for six weeks, I would gladly make the sacrifice if MTV would send me to Italy for free...  I've been dying to go for years now, I don't know why I'm so in love with the country, I'm not Italian, but it just looks so beautiful... And the food!  At least I married a guy who is half Italian, so when we are ready some day our babies will be one-quarter Guido.  But for now, since I'm not Italian, at least I can try to cook some yummy Italian-American food like my Italian Flag Soup. 

Italian Flag Soup

1/2 lb. uncased Italian sausage (I used 1/4 lb. mild and 1/4 lb. hot)
1 small onion, chopped
2 small carrots, chopped
4-5 red gypsy peppers, chopped (or 2 red bell peppers)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup white wine (such as pinot grigio)
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 bunch spiagrello, coarsely chopped (or kale or spinach)
1 16 oz. can white beans, drained
extra virgin olive oil
salt & pepper
parmesan cheese (for garnishing)

Heat about 1 tbsp. olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat.  Brown sausage, crumbling and stirring as you go, remove from pan and set aside.  If your sausage does not leave behind too much oil, heat some additional olive oil in the pan, add onion, carrots, peppers, garlic and a good pinch of salt.  Cook over medium heat until beginning to soften (about 10 minutes).  Add white wine, scrape browned bits off of the bottom of the pan.  Cook for 5 minutes.  Add chicken broth, bring to boil and simmer for an additional 10 minutes or until carrots are cooked through.  Add sausage and spiagrello to soup, cook until spiagrello is wilted and tender.  Add white beans and cook an additional 5 minutes, or until beans are heated through.

Check for salt, and serve with parmesan cheese.

Just desserts

Dear Kristin,

I just spent a most enjoyable "soup and sweets" afternoon with some dear friends. We try to get together for a meal every couple of months or so, and usually our meals are "themed" in one way or another. This month's gathering was originally going to be just desserts, but reason prevailed, and it was decided that a bit of soup would make our decadent indulgence a little less guilt-ridden.

As you can see, the dessert table was set beautifully - definitely worthy of a magazine shoot. After bowls of hearty chicken noodle and butternut squash soup we were ready to tackle the dessert buffet. Apple pie, chocolate torte, white chocolate key lime cheesecake squares, and my contribution of pumpkin roll were enjoyed while we shared some good conversation and a lot of laughter. All in all, a lovely way to spend a gloomy and chilly Saturday afternoon.

Maybe our next gathering should be "all things diet". But, then again...

pumpkin roll

3 eggs
1 c. granulated sugar
2/3 c. canned pumpkin
3/4 tsp. vanilla, divided
3/4 c. flour
1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
2 Tbsp. butter, softened
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 c, confectioner's sugar (plus more for dusting)

1, Preheat oven to 375 F.
2. Line a 10" x 15" jelly roll pan with parchment paper. Spray with cooking spray, making sure all of the paper is coated in spray.
2. Beat eggs in a large mixing bowl. Add granulated sugar and mix well. Add pumpkin and 1/2 tsp. vanilla. Stir until combined.
3. In a separate bowl, mix flour, pumpkin pie spice, salt and baking soda.
4. Add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture. Stir to combine.

5. Pour cake mixture into prepared jelly roll pan, spreading evenly. (Your layer of batter will be very thin.)

6. Bake 15 minutes, or until cake springs back slightly when touched. Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly, just until it is cool enough to handle.

7. Invert cake pan onto a cotton (not terrycloth) kitchen towel. Carefully remove the parchment paper.

8. Starting from one short end, gently roll the cake jelly roll style with the towel inside. Allow cake to cool completely.

9. Thoroughly beat cream cheese, butter and 1/4 tsp. vanilla in a bowl until completely blended. Add 1 c. confectioner's sugar and beat well.

10. Unroll cake. Spread cream cheese mixture evenly over the cake, leaving a 1" edge all around.

11. Re-roll cake jelly roll style. Place seam side down on serving platter. Chill at least one hour. Dust with confectioner's sugar before serving.

a vegetarian attempt

Dear Mom,

John and I had an absolute blast hanging out in good old Rochester this last weekend.  Although we are in desperate need of detox after the "taste of Rochester" that we embarked on.  Between Tom Wahl's burgers, Salena's Mexican, a wine tour in the Finger Lakes, wings at Buffalo's Duff's, and a massive prime rib dinner at The Red Osier, we are still stuffed!  We've been wanting to get a little healthier, trying to eat vegetarian a couple of nights a week and maybe eating more fish and chicken, less beef; so now's as good a time to start as any. 

Despite the absolutely perfect grilling weather outside, I decided to stick to my guns and cook vegetarian last night.  This of course usually leads to my husband kicking and screaming and having a complete temper tantrum, but I think I made something that has convinced him that vegetarian is not so bad. 

vegetarian enchiladas

For the Sauce:
1 tbsp. canola or veggie oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup low sodium vegetable broth (or chicken broth)
1 cup fire-roasted green chilis
1 tsp. cumin
2 tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro
1 tbsp. corn starch (dissolved in 2 tbsp. water)
salt & pepper

For the Filling:
1-2 cups mashed sweet potatoes
2 small leeks, sliced
1 15 oz. can black beans
1 cup frozen corn
1 tsp. chipolte hot sauce (such as Tabasco brand)
salt & pepper

cooking spray
6 whole wheat flour tortillas
1 cup light mexican shredded cheese
light sour cream, for serving

Preheat oven to 350.

For the sauce, in a medium saucepan saute onion until softened and browning slightly.  Add all sauce ingredients through cilantro.  Stir to combine over medium heat until warm.  Add dissolved corn starch, and bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally.  When the sauce is thickened and coating the back of a spoon, remove from heat. 

In a large microwavable bowl, combine all filling ingredients.  Add salt and pepper to taste, add more hot sauce if you dare.  Warm in the microwave. 

Spray a small baking dish with cooking spray and ladle 1/2 cup sauce on the bottom. Into each tortilla scoop about 1/2 to 1 cup filling, roll and place in baking dish, seam side down.  Slowly pour remaining sauce over filled tortillas, try to cover them completely.  Cover dish with foil and place on a baking sheet in the oven for 30 minutes.  Remove foil and cover with cheese, return uncovered to oven for another 10 minutes until cheese is melted. 

Serve with sour cream.

cosmo's cooking notes:  Spinach would also be good in these.  If you have left over mashed sweet potatoes this is a great opportunity to use them. 

Truth in advertising

Dearest Kristin,

While it is true that I live in Rochester, home of the Garbage Plate and anything prepared "French", (I'm just waiting for someone to come up with a 'garbage plate French', or, translated, 'plaque ordures francais') I am also one who likes to know what I'm getting when I set myself down to dinner. My Lemon Chicken is what it is and I am proud of it. It's chicken. It tastes strongly of lemon. It's Lemon Chicken. Do the math. I think food should be dubbed honestly, so there are no nasty surprises awaiting you after consumption.

Seriously, if you gave a five year old sweetbreads and she later found out that she was eating the thymus gland of a cow, she would be scarred for life. Rocky mountain oysters? No sailor I know would eat such a thing. Deviled eggs? One would think that they are so loaded with cayenne that the fires of the underworld would seem a cool oasis in comparison. Oh, and what about jumbo shrimp? It's enough to confuse the greatest minds on earth! Hamburger? Now there's false advertising if ever I saw it!

You get my drift.

I'm just getting started. There are also foods that are named after things they resemble; Mississippi mud pie, floating islands, and rocky road ice cream, to name but a few. If you are a picky eater, just think of the delights you would be depriving yourself of just because they don't sound all that appetizing. Really, if you have the choice between consuming a sweet, moist, soft, cake-like cookie or a ladyfinger, what would you choose? Cannibalism?

It is with all of this in mind that I offer "Slow-Cooker Chicken Cordon Bleu". I will not claim that it is true Chicken Cordon Bleu because it is not baked, as is the classic. Instead, chicken breasts are pounded thin and wrapped around a filling of deli ham and Swiss cheese. After an egg bath and a dip in some seasoned flour it is cooked in a slow cooker, resulting in a moist, saucy dish that goes well with a green salad and a crusty loaf of bread.

The recipe is a bit labor-intensive for something that goes into a slow-cooker, so I admit that the name could be misleading. Oh, and there's nothing blue in the list of ingredients either. Oh dear, maybe you better turn me in to the culinary captioning police!

Okay, I'll get off of my soapbox now and go and make myself some devils on horseback.

slow-cooker chicken cordon bleu

1 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 c. grated parmesean cheese
1 egg
1 Tbsp. water
4 large boneless, skinless breast halves
6-8 slices deli ham
4 large slices swiss cheese
1/2 c. white wine (I use Pino Grigiot)
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 10.75 oz. cans lower sodium cream of chicken soup
3/4 c. sour cream (do not use "lite" sour cream)
crispy bacon pieces for garnish (optional)

Prepare dredging station; Mix flour, salt, pepper and parmesean cheese in a large shallow dish. Whisk egg and water together and place in a second large shallow dish.

Pound chicken breasts as thinly as possible without tearing the meat - about 1/4" thick.

Place 1 chicken breast on work surface with the smooth side down. Place 1 to 2 slices of ham on top of the chicken breast. Place 1 slice of swiss cheese on top of ham. Tightly roll chicken jelly-roll style, tucking in the ends as best you can. Secure roll with kitchen twine or toothpicks. Set aside, and repeat with remaining 3 breast halves.

Dip chicken breasts in egg wash, covering all sides and allowing excess to drip off. Generously dredge chicken in flour mixture.

Chill chicken breasts in refrigerator for at least one hour.

Place soup in slow-cooker. Set aside.

Place olive oil in a large, non-stick skillet and bring up to medium to medium high heat.

Brown chicken on all sides in preheated olive oil. Do not overcrowd the pan. Brown in batches if necessary. Once the breasts are nicely browned, place them in the crock pot on top of the soup.

Once all the chicken breasts have been browned, deglaze the pan with the white wine. Allow the wine to reduce by 1/2. Pour the pan drippings over the chicken in the crock pot.

Cook on low for 4 hours.

Remove chicken from slow-cooker and place on a warmed serving platter. Mix sour cream into soup in the slow-cooker, and continue cooking until heated through.

Garnish chicken with bacon pieces, if desired, and serve with a generous amount of sauce.

comfy's cooking note: Don't worry if your chicken bundles aren't hermetically sealed. Even if the cheese oozes out, it just adds to the flavor of the sauce, so there is really no loss in flavor. Either way, this makes for a nice, rich chicken dish.