Alton Brown’s Ginger Glazed Carrots

image from http://www.istockphoto.com

While I’m away on my imaginary vacation, I’m leaving the pantry stocked with posts from Exit 51 that would have been part of the Flashback Friday series. The following originally appeared on 7/8/09 at Exit 51.

Alton Brown’s Ginger Glazed Carrots

It should come as no surprise that I plan out meals in advance.  When I do my planning, I try use a Garanimals approach.  Remember Garanimals?  The line of children’s clothing, originally from the 70’s, designed to let kids put together coordinated outfits.  From their website:

“The kid-friendly Garanimals mix-and-match separates provide a simple, coordinated system that makes clothes easy to pair and fun to wear. The Garanimals pairing system brings creativity and independence to young children as they select their own clothes and dress themselves. Through these small, successful decisions, children develop early feelings of self-confidence.”

That is so what cooking should be.  Easy, fun, and confidence building.  Which is why I totally think of recipes as separates, that when combined, make a coordinated outfit on the plate. Continue reading “Alton Brown’s Ginger Glazed Carrots”

Intersection

image from http://www.istockphoto.com

While I’m away on my imaginary vacation, I’m leaving the pantry stocked with posts from Exit 51 that would have been part of the Flashback Friday series. The following originally appeared on 7/15/09 at Exit 51.

Intersection

Here at Exit 51, like in life, it’s funny how sometimes totally unrelated things intersect.  One day I’m going on and on about pickled this and pickled that.  The next I’m gushing over my glorious mandoline.  And today, I shall bring the two together.

Because nothing makes a more perfect combo than thinly sliced cucumbers and onions bathed in a pickley brine.  Yeah, chocolate and peanut butter are two great tastes that taste great together and I do love me some salty sweet watermelon with feta.  But none of them are especially suited for the mandoline. Continue reading “Intersection”

Dear Ed Part II

image from http://www.istockphoto.com

Dear Ed(amame),

I humbly ask your forgiveness for the unkind things I said to you in my last letter.  I need to accept full responsibility for our failure.  Because I didn’t give you what you needed in order to become the best version of yourself possible.  I hindered you and then I blamed you for becoming what I made you.  I now see that.  I also now see that with just a little bit of heat, you and I have chemistry.

It took a third party for me to see the error of my ways, but I’m not too proud to admit that sometimes I have to ask for help.  If Adam and Joanne of Inspired Taste ever decide to ditch the food blog, perhaps they can start a relationship blog.  Because they got me to see a completely different side of you.  And for that, I am grateful.

Edamame and Pea Bruschetta
Adapted from Inspired Taste’s Recipe

BAH Note:  Use the ratios below as a starting point.  I made a double batch of this for a party and decided to add more olive oil until it was as smooth as I wanted it.  I also threw in more basil for an additional punch of flavor.  And I used fresh peas, because I had them.  If using fresh peas instead of frozen, cook them in a separate pot.  They will take longer than the edamame to soften.

  • 1 cup frozen shelled edamame
  • 1/2 cup frozen peas
  • 1 garlic clove, roughly minced
  • 2 scallions, chopped
  • 1/4 cup basil leaves
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
  • salt and pepper
  • 1 French baguette sliced

Prepare an ice bath in a large bowl and set aside.

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil, add and the edamame, cook for 4 to 6 minutes or until just tender, then add the peas and cook for another minute or two.

Remove the edamame and peas from the boiling water and transfer them to the ice bath.  Once cooled, drain and set aside.

Pulse the garlic and scallion in a food processor until roughly chopped.  Add the basil leaves, edamame,  and peas and pulse a few times until the mixture is roughly chopped.  With the food processor running, slowly stream the olive oil into the mixture until looks like a thick pesto.  Add the parmesan cheese, a pinch of salt and freshly ground pepper and continue to process until it reaches your desired texture.

Serve on top of toasted baguette slices.

{printable recipe}

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Roasted Beets

image from http://www.istockphoto.com

I probably shouldn’t admit this but I am a gold medal grudge holder.  They run long and deep with me.  Cross me once and you won’t often get a chance to do so again.  Think excommunication or shunning is extreme?  That’s ok, we can agree to disagree.  The funny thing is that I hold grudges with food as readily as I do with people.  Maybe more so.

Tacos?  I’ve never forgiven you for making me violently ill when I was 12.  That was 27 years ago and I haven’t had another one since. The fact that antibiotics were involved is irrelevant to me.   Liver and onions?  Like religion, you were forced down my throat and I’ve lost all taste for you.  Barbecue and I have recently reconciled after a lengthy estrangement.  I’ve got The Mistah to thank for reuniting us and my life is better now that I’ve let go of those hard feelings.  Which brings me to beets. Continue reading “Roasted Beets”

Ina’s Roasted Carrots

We have gotten really bad lately about incorporating vegetables into our meals.  Sure, sure, we still eat a LOT of salads for lunch but back when we first embarked on our South Beach adventure, there was veg with each and every lunch and dinner.  Now, I try and convince myself that merely thinking about making a vegetable counts. Continue reading “Ina’s Roasted Carrots”

Hug It Out

Crispy Skinned Orange Chicken

Some people believe that your astrological sign determines facets of your personality.   If you were to ask The Mistah to describe my personality, I’m sure he’d find a polite answer that didn’t involve the phrase ‘crankypants’.  But I’ll tell you the truth, I AM a crankypants.  I must have been born under the sign of Cactus instead of Cancer because there are days, when for no good reason, I’m just all prickly.  Simple questions come out of my mouth with the tone of an interrogation.  Every question that gets put to me receives a reply drowning in sarcasm and impatience.  The Mistah has gotten good at reading the stars and knows that when Cactus is rising in the Seventh House, it’s time to hug it out. Continue reading “Hug It Out”

Habit

Steaming

Just because I am a creature of habit, doesn’t mean I won’t try a new way of doing things. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. And sometimes it works but I like my way better.

This recipe falls into that last category.

Restaurant Style Asparagus

Washington Post

Asparagus can be parcooked 1 to 2 hours in advance; refrigerate, then saute just before serving.

  • big pinch kosher salt
  • 1 pund asparagus, woodey ends discarded
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • lemon zest

Fill a large skillet with 1 or 2 inches of water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Have a clean, dry towel ready.

Add the asparagus, adding water if necessary to  make sure the vegetables are covered. Cook until just tender, 4 to 5 minutes for thin spears or 6 to 10 minutes for thicker spears. Use tongs to transfer the asparagus to the towel. and pat dry.

Use just enough oil to coat the bottom of the skillet and heat over medium-high. When hot, add the asparagus and salt and saute for 3 to 4 minutes, until they start to brown a little. Garnish with lemon zest and serve hot.

{Printable Recipe}

Q&A

image from iStockphoto.com
image from iStockphoto.com

A great thing about blogging is that it allows conversation between blogger and reader.  Like when I  tried Food In Jar’s Dilly Beans.  After trying the recipe, I commented on the post about the results I got. Continue reading “Q&A”