Food Truck of the Month: December

December isn't over yet, folks, and I'm here before the New Year to tell you about my December food truck pick.

Rice Box Truck, "Chinese Take-Out on the Go."

IE delays my blog

I have not posted in nearly a month.

Truth be told, I have not cooked in nearly a month.  Parties, family in town, and a lot of work has led to me not cooking as much.  

Also, I frequently write a post while at work (on my breaks, mind you), and then edit and add pictures later.  I hope I didn't blow anyone's mind with a peek behind the curtain or anything just now, but that's how I was running the blog for the most part.

That is, until I updated to the newest version of blogger, and the version of IE at my workplace doesn't support it.

So instead of pulling up my apron-strings and taking the the blame for not updating frequently, I shall blame something that "could've happened to anyone."


Sigh. If only there were sarcasm font.  Truth is, one does what one pleases, and for some reason, writing about the food I had managed to cook did not please me the last month--call that "taking the blame" if you will, but I'm not quite certain blame need be cast, as this is a blog about food I cook. 

Excuses and exposition aside, I have managed to eek out a a few new developments in the past month, like me discovering Rawfully Organic produce, a co-op here in Houston that has amazing and local produce for relatively (and I haven't done that math) cheap. The name says it all, as there is organic and locally-produced fruits and veggies that are placed in "shares" seasonally.  I have thoroughly enjoyed them the two times I've managed to pick up a box, and seeing as how I rent and can't grow veggies in the backyard without an angry landlord or two, it's the closest I'll come to true seasonal cooking.

I am now the proud owner of not one but two new cookbooks, which I look forward to using in the near future. The first, The Silver Spoon, is a tome about cooking Italian.  It's not just recipes, however, there is a complete glossary in the beginning that was written for people just like, seeking to expand their cooking vocabulary and skill.  The other, Farm to Table Cookbook, is a guide and recipe book about eating locally, something I have recently gotten into.  Both were early Christmas presents of my dear friends and excellent foodies/chefs, R and C.  I love friends that know me so well.

I am constantly finding food and life lessons all around me.  I was listening to an edition of The Engines of our Ingenuity, and Dr. Leinhart was discussing the concept of Ignorance.  He stated at one point that, despite his many degrees and vast knowledge, sometimes tackling a problem with an attitude of arrogance will get you nowhere.  It was when he approached a problem with a humble heart and a readiness to learn, that he not only solved the problem much faster but also found his mind expanded beyond his own belief.  All this to say, I realized that this approach may be the best fit for myself when it comes to food and cooking.  I have noticed that when I am ready to learn and "forget what I know" about a given food-related topic, I learn more about it that I ever thought possible.  A closed mind gathers no knowledge, or however the saying goes.

More soon!

Housecleaning: Co-ops, Thanksgiving wrap-up, etc.

It's been about a week since I posted so I thought I'd start this round of posts off with some housecleaning on a bunch of topics.

It Finally Happened: Mac and Cheese

I made mac and cheese for Thanksgiving, as I had threatened to do many months prior.

In fact, I made it twice in the same week, because clearly I hate myself.

Meatloaf Dreams

I woke up this morning thanking heaven I wasn't running from faeries in a gigantic backyard in the middle of Texas, or fighting giants and falling down massive holes in the earth.  I had a bad dream, only because it was perilous.

THIS is why I shouldn't eat before bed.  Meatloaf especially, apparently.

The Trouble with Thanksgiving Potlucks

Conversation, verbatim with J:

J: "Soooo. My work is doing a potluck.  You can either bring a covered dish or you can bring $5."

Me: "If I make it, you have to help me."

J: "I figured you'd say that, and that I'd be bringing $5."

End Scene.

I like to think that I keep him on his toes, but it looked like he had me pegged from the get-go. 

Food Truck of the Month: November

After last month's procrastination fiasco, I decided to pull up my bootstraps and find some trucks.

I came across a few that were contenders already this month, as I attended a fall carnival/food truck corral held on 11/11/11.  Lucky me, a bunch of trucks all in one location!


It was a fun time--lots of people walking around and enjoying the food, kids bouncing on three different moonwalks, and there was even a DJ!  I arrived early (as I learned to do so from a late appearance at a similar gathering a few months back at Noel Furniture), and saddled up to Pi Pizza Truck, my pick for Food Truck of the Month.

Ajiaco: Chicken Soup for the Colombian Soul

Last Monday I decided to open The Gourmet Cookbook, and leaf around for inspiration.  I decided to make soup--not just any soup, but Ajiaco. 
Never heard of it? It's a traditional Colombian Soup that is made with chicken, corn, and potatoes.

It's hearty and good for the annual week of cold weather in Houston that will be coming up (hopefully) soon.

Who Moved my Mac 'n Cheese?

With the holidays fast approaching, my mind wanders to what I will contribute to the Thanksgiving and Christmas meals this year.  The easy answer has always been dessert. It was safe, it was easy, and by gum, I knew what I was doing.  Perhaps the time has come to step aside and let someone else shine in the sweets department--a family member has played with the idea of making Tiramisu.  Who am I to stand in the way of such greatness?    

If I choose 2011 to be the year to come out of a culinary comfort zone...what should I make?  So far, I've had my eye on mac n' cheese (call it inspiration from local establishment, "Jus' Mac"). 

I'm not talking about a box with an envelope of cheese.  I'm talking an oven-baked affair.  The kind with real cheese and noodles and possibly breadcrumbs.  What doesn't say the holidays like a casserole?

To be fair, this isn't so far outside of my comfort zone.  I've made mac from scratch before, but found the recipe I had chosen to be a rather bland and soggy affair.  Perhaps the real challenge of this dish will be finding a recipe worth making.

I've begun my search where I always do--the internet! My research revealed a few great NY Times article on the subject, circa 2006, and again in 2009.  Finally, a blog to check out that seems to have a handle on the idea of Mac.

I will keep everyone posted on the recipe chosen and any (if at all) further research I've done on the matter.

I've discussed the matter of mac 'n cheese with family and so far I've heard mixed reviews--some say it's not holiday canon and others say it sound delicious.  Either way, my guess it if it's there and looks good, chances are they'll try it.  The proof as to whether M&C could be a holiday staple is, well, in the pudding.

The Return of Abandons that are Reckless.

And we're back! I've been absent since 10/25! Wow!  So much has happened--I have a kitchen table and chairs (long story, I'll not get into it)! I have inspiration in the form of Zeigen Boch (another long story, which I will get into soon)! I have a new cookbook (see below)!

It was time well-spent away from cooking, for sure.  Quite frankly, I was mired in writer's block.  And not just regular writer's block--self-esteem writer's block.

This story begins in high school; I have always enjoyed writing and feel as though there are whole aspects of myself that can only be expressed through the page.  I was editor of the newspaper and had my own column.  I had things to say back then, but mostly due to a deadline.  Besides, who doesn't know everything at eighteen? In college I wrote papers instead of opinions, but still maintained a weepy-livejournal. I eventually stopped because I felt as though I had nothing more important (or weepy) to say.

Similarly, I feel like I have nothing innovative or important to add to the blog-world, or food-world, or food-blogging-world.  With so much good out there, what fresh spin did I have on the matter?

First world problems, amiright?

I gave this matter some thought, however.  I realized that I didn't place any major goals on the blog originally because I wanted to simply write about food, either made by me or someone else.  This lack of vision is the greatest strength and weakness about this blog--I am often at a loss of what to cook with such broad horizons. 

With new revelations come new missions! I renew my vision for Reckless Abandon: I want to cook, and write about it, in a way that entertains not only myself, but hopefully, the general public.  I want to try new things, find new ways to make old things, or simply make the old things.  This is about cooking for the love of it, and writing about it for the love of it.  No less, no more.

So, on to the cooking! I bought The Gourmet Cookbook for a steal on Amazon, a suggestion from CHOW's cookbook of the month forums.  This thing is a tome--over 1,000 recipes, in hardback, with sewn-in bookmarks.  A coworker thought it was a bible out of the corner of her eye. In a way, it is. A cooking bible.

I have already flagged a few recipes from the book and have plans to make them soon.  Stay tuned!

We Interrupt This Blog...

There has been no cooking this week for many reasons; one is lack of motivation, and the other lack of time.  Between work and housework, I have been volunteering for the bi-annual campaign for KUHF/KUHA (if you'd like to donate, click either here or here). Volunteering is such a great way to feel a part of something bigger than yourself-- what better local non-profit to donate to, become a member of, and volunteer for than the local news and classical radio station?  They provide an excellent service to the community, I can't help but feel compelled to give back.

Also, J has been working late hours and work has provided food, so there's only me, and I am usually content with cereal rather than pulling out pots and pans for a meal where 75% of it will go into the fridge only to never be eaten again.  This in no way implies that I will be that Haversham-esque Aunt that keeps only boxes and boxes of powdered potato flakes, cat food, and dry milk around the house.  Not at all.  

This weekend has a poor cooking outlook as I have a friend coming into town and we'll be up at the Texas Renaissance Festival.

What's a gal to do for a cooking blog, then?  No matter.  I will return triumphant next week, hopefully full of ideas and recipes and flavor!

Food Truck of the Month: October

As the end of October nears, I realize I have not highlighted a local food truck, as I have "promised" to do so in the past.  I mean really, it's a monthly thing, how hard could it be?

Chicken Soup for the Leftover Soul

I want to start this post off by explaining that I took one billion photos of the chicken soup, only to discover later that I left the memory card out of my camera. I think my camera may have a little bit of it's own memory, but until I figure out how to get them out, this is a post without pictures.  

The very next day after our "Mexican Halloween" meal, I had leftover chicken that I couldn't bring myself to eat again.

Another Slow Cooker Chicken Recipe: Spicy Edition!

I have gotten on a kick of taking chicken and onions and whatever else I want and throwing it in the slow cooker to see what comes out.

Yes, this idea stems again from my original garlic bulb recipe, one criticism I wholeheartedly admit to.

Edible Smut: Website Edition

Have you heard of Cookstr?  Me neither.  However, go there.  Read what the nation and world's cooks are saying about food.

And die as you lived: smothered with information and gravy.  Even better, information gravy.

I'm off to eat crepes this morning and beg my crepe guy to recommend a food truck for October's food truck of the month.  There is no way this could not go well.

Rollin' In the Deep...Dish Pizza.

I made Chicago-style deep dish pizza, because of course I did.

Excuses Galore!

I've not posted in a few days as my schedule has been crazy.

In fact, I had to switch some days at work so I could attend not one, but two weddings (and one reception) on Saturday.

Glory, it was wonderful.  It was a day of seeing friends and family; the second wedding was really interesting as I saw and caught up with people I hadn't seen since graduating High School (yikes!).

Needless to say, however, not a lot of cooking has gotten done.  Poor J, having to eat out at all his favorite places. 

I suspect I will find time to post about the deep-dish Chicago pizza I managed to make last week, as it is a post that is ready to go, save the pictures.

I can't blame my schedule entirely, as I have gotten a little bit hooked on "Community" and have been chewing through the seasons available on DVD rather than my own cooking.

Ah well.  I will renew, with dedication, my writing. I just need a little time!

In the interim, please enjoy this video that has me salivating and jealous and wanting to own chickens. It's part of CHOW.com's "obsessives" video series--a woman in Oakland has her own Urban Farm.

No-Boil: Trend or Long-Kept Secret?

I learned something a few months ago that turned my world upside down.

A comment on a lasagna recipe stated that one does not need to boil lasagna noodles, just pre-soak in hot water, and assemble as you would having boiled them--and then bake as your recipe states.

This was described as "an old catering trick," but I've seen this idea pop up a few different places on the web, such as The Kitchn. Of note, however, the link is to a page discussing cooking pasta with "the passive method," an off-shoot of the no-boil method in which you boil for only 2 minutes and then turn the pot off to let the noodles soak for the remaining noodle cook time (10 minute pasta will need 8min left to soak).

I have been craving homemade mac 'n cheese for awhile now, and (pardon the pun) cooking up a recipe in my head to perfect for Thanksgiving, if the purists in my family so let me.  Whilst perusing the internet for recipes, as I am oft to do, I came across a recipe that specifically stated not to boil the pasta--just dump the elbow macaroni right in the cheese and bake.

These are two American staples that have been around for quite some time.  This "no boil" idea and his brother, "passive boil," intrigues me and begs to me try it out.  I also wonder what other factors need to be in a given recipe for this work--like co-ingredients and bake time.

This matter clearly requires further investigation and hands-on testing.  Now all I need is a clear hypotheses and I'll be one rhesus monkey away from "doing science to it."

Edible Smut: The Lattice Cookie

It's not quite pie, it's not quite a cookie, but it does make me green with envy over not having thought of it:
Lattice Cookies.

Have a happy Wednesday, knowing these are out there.

Also, check out the blog this came from, NotMartha.org.

Slow-Cooker Spaghetti Sauce

Another work week, another slow-cooker adventure!  Last week, I tackled Spaghetti Sauce.

Steaks on a Plate

I believe in the judicious use of failure.  One must learn, in a way, to fail, as a comparison for success.

This is not new.  People the world over, from philosophers to 50cent have discussed this idea--light needs dark as much as dark needs light.

This is a long road to say that the last time I attempted steak, I failed miserably.

Edible Smut: The Cherpumple

Have you not heard?

They call it, "The Cherpumple." It's three different pies, inside three different cakes, inside icing.  Even better, someone made this in response to a chef in Philly making a "Pumple" (a pumpkin and apple pie inside of a chocolate and vanilla cake, respectively).  Someone in LA seriously looked in the mirror and said, "We need to go deeper." Yes, I am the 8,000 person to make an Inception Joke related to this cake.  I care not. 

Someone phone Dallas, this needs to taken to the next level--let's fry this bad boy and sell it at the Texas State Fair.

DID I JUST BLOW YOUR MIND?!?

Okay, that's enough. Off to go and think about how NOT to make this abomination (also, diabetes called, it wants to know if you could somehow add twinkies). 

Places I Love: The Texas Renaissance Festival

On Friday, I went to camp at The Texas Renaissance Festival (TRF). I've been camping annually since 2004, but attending TRF since I was eleven. 

Being gone all weekend means I did no cooking whatsoever.  In fact, I ate as much convenience-food as I could, except for a delicious Ham and Potato Leek Soup that my dear friend and best-chef-that-I-know, R, made on Saturday night.  It was so good--chunky and rich in all the right places.  I love a good home-cooked meal, especially out camping.  Don't get me wrong, I love convenience foods, prepackaged in all their high fructosey goodness.  For laughs (and eats) I bought the biggest jar of cheese puffs as I could find.  God Bless Utz, the purveyors of fine "cheese" products.

I digress.  I love TRF. It's not the costumes, or the shopping, or the camping, it's the whole experience.  There is music playing, people dancing, and I even saw a wedding take place.  You're free to be whomever you want, be it a tall man dressed as a bee or a small baby in a unicorn outfit.  I even saw a goat dressed as a dragon.  I go in costume, but have been known to go in regular clothes too.  The experience is different each time I attend, and I have made good friends and met fine people.

This would not be a food blog if I didn't talk about what I ate--I had sausage-on-a-stick, and J sampled the fried alligator.  I think he came out the winner, as his was tastier and my corset was so tight I couldn't finish the sausage on a stick.  No matter, it left room for the ice cream I ate later in the day.  R commented, "there really isn't anything so comforting as Vanilla Ice Cream," and she was right.

I plan on going out to TRF a few more weekends this season, and if you're in the Houston Area, I suggest you try it out--with Astroworld gone, it's the closest thing we'll ever have to Disneyland/world, only better!

Cracking the Pomegranate: There Will Be Juice

The pomegranate: the seeds are edible, the red and white flesh is not, and many philosophers believe it was actually the forbidden fruit.***

The Apple of Madness

The melanzana, or eggplant, has always been a mystery to me. I've never been quite sure how to properly cook one.

"I'm Pete, this is my brother, Re-Pete.  I'm Pete..."

It's not that I'm not an eggplant fan--I've had it before in salads and on sandwiches. I've had it on a pizza, or simply fried or grilled, like in a tempura or at a friend's bbq.

I Want You, I Knead You: Butter

I made my own butter about a year ago.  I had read about it somehow online, and decided to try it.  I made cookies with that butter, and while I couldn't taste any real difference in home-made butter cookies and store-bought butter cookies, I was happy to have tried it.

Who you callin' "Butter Ball," bub? Oh me, right.

I got the itch to make butter again the other day, as I had a ton of leftover heavy cream from an ice cream recipe.  I make mine in a food processor, but one could make it in a mason jar or with a whisk, or even an electric mixer--The point is to agitate the cream until it separates into butter and buttermilk.

Once you are done, you simply have to squeeze the remaining buttermilk from the butter, and save both in the fridge (a cheesecloth comes in handy for the squeezing).  But what to do with both butter and buttermilk?

Once Eaten, Twice Shy

Update: The slow-cooked chicken, 8hrs later.

I hate leftovers.

I do, I hate them.  I don't like eating the same meal twice, and until recently, there were several instances when I found it hard to eat a homemade meal in the first place.

My enemy, my friend, Lentil.

Lately I have been captivated by the mysterious and sensuous lentil.  I have eaten (and greatly enjoyed) them before, and yet, have not been brave enough to cook them.

How does one cook a lentil?  Is it a grain, or a legume? What do I cook with them?  What do I do if I have some laying about, what does a typical non-soup recipe for lentils look like?

For me, the lentil is a foreign mistress, a wild stag that must be broken.

Science!

My lunch break brings me the most interesting television programming.  I work with such a diverse group of people, one never knows what one will find on the TV in the break room.  I've seen reruns of I Love Lucy, Family Matters, and Rosanne.  I've watched CNN and begrudgingly, Fox News. My recent favorite is to find infomercials playing.

However, above all, there is The Food Network.  TFN has programming until late in the night--perfect for us night owls at the hospital.

I walked in the other day to find a rerun of "Chopped," the game show where chefs battle each other, and "weird" ingredients, to win money.

Initially I was not a fan.  I despise "reality" shows, and they have no real draw for me.  I'd rather see a regular drama than a reality show with the same plot lines under the pretense of being unscripted.  Call me a snob, but whatever happened to the "three-camera-angle-and-canned-laughter" TV show?  Can't it still work? (Note: according to fans of "The Big Bang Theory," yes it could; Watchers of "Whitney" would probably say no. BURN)

Despite my vitriol for reality TV, I feel as though "Chopped" is growing on me.  I haven't sought it out on the DVR or anything, but if at a friend or family's house, I may partake without a problem.

What exactly brought about this internal switcher-oo?  For me, these shows do well because of the layers they present.  The competition appeals to our more animalistic nature while the intrigue (the creative ingredients and choice of pairings) appeals to our more intellectual nature.   

Similarly, the show challenges the chefs to really know how to cook, or at the very least the science behind what they actually do cook on a daily basis.  How would one prepare pork rinds for a dessert?  What about beef tongue?  If you know a given ingredient, that's fine, but what if you don't?  One would have to have at least a base understanding of a given ingredient's food group and scientific make-up to know how it would cook and take form.  It's not just cooking, it's science, and entertaining at that.

The idea of  "hacking" regular and well-known dishes using bizarre and fun ingredients isn't nouveau, but Chopped seems to reheat it and serve it like it were fresh (hey, I had to stick a cooking pun in there somewhere).

I don't know why I wasn't watching this show in the first place, come to think about it.  I am always looking for recipes, and always looking for hacks to those same recipes.  The few days before grocery day can be my most blissful--I love figuring out how I can make something with only the items found in my pantry or fridge.

I may have to keep my eye on the show, if only for further inspiration.  Or, for the very least, entertainment.

"That's It. I'm Cooking a Chicken."

Monday I was once again uninspired.  The lethal combination of listlessness and preoccupation with other housework usually means one thing.  No dinner cooked on Monday or Tuesday night!

What to do?  I can't leave J out in the culinary cold for that long (he survived, however). 

At work I decided, "Screw it.  I'm cooking a chicken."

The Ressurection of Beef Stew?

As the days get cooler and with the week of winter approaching (because in Houston, that's about all you get), my heart still goes back to beef stew. 

My recent attempt was a decided flop.  I put too much in the slow-cooker, overcooked it, and from what I could tell, while the smell was good, the taste was not.  What was I missing?

A quick online search and research lead me to Chowhound, a part of CHOW.com, one of my favorites to visit.  Link is here. It's the typical "ask a question and readers respond" set-up, but this time with a question that I actually want to know the answer to.

To save you to have to read (TL:DR), I'm posting the suggestion that seemed to help me the most: 

[I agree with] the searing and browning...don't crowd the pan when you sear. Then you're steaming instead of searing. Sear your meat in batches if need be.

Begin with a few slices of chopped bacon, if you like. Use concentrated beef stock. Don't use bouillion cubes. Use full-bodied, inexpensive red wine.
Adequate salt and freshly cracked pepper (slightly less salt if using canned stock with lots of sodium)
Don't use a crock-pot or slow cooker -- the heat isn't hot enough so it won't concentrate the liquids and flavors or form the Maillard reactions on the beef that increase flavor. This is the same reaction that creates flavor when you brown beef.
Braise instead, in the oven for two hours at 350 degrees. Liquid should come up not quite to the top of the meat. Use a snug-fitting lid...All these factors build intensity and develop layers of flavor. Since my sense is that you want the classic rich taste of beef stew, with a great gravy, I don't believe in muddying the classic flavors by adding spices like paprika, smoked paprika, bay leaf, or curry. I don't add tomatoes either, though a tablespoon of tomato paste would be fine.

So there we have it! My first move, which was to throw it in a slow cooker, was the wrong one to begin with.  Although, it looks as though this commenter was a little passive-aggressive--first they gave tips on using a slow cooker and then said to throw out the idea and move to the oven!

It appears as though I need to change my game a bit.  If I want beef stew, I ought to just do it in the oven/stove top.  And if I want a slow cooker recipe, best to look elsewhere.  Problem solved?

Not quite.  I work three nights this week...what shall I make in the slow cooker, and when will I have time to make a full-on beef stew? 

The internet--the cause of, and solution to, all of life's problems...since 1991!

Steak and Carbonara, or, Clogged Arteries Ahoy!

Oh, Red Meat.  How I've run from you for so long.  Truly, I haven't had a steak in about a year or more.

Just not a fan of the stuff, to be quite honest.  I've had great steaks in my life, but never to the point of wanting them weekly or even monthly.  I even had a "vegetarian" phase that probably ended in the earlier part of 2011. 

Initially going veggie in 2010 wasn't hard.  I didn't and still don't crave meat on a daily basis, and the thought of going on the Adkins diet makes me a little nauseated.  I eventually caved to the meat-eating world because I realized that I didn't hate eating it altogether, nor was it getting me anywhere good health-wise.  Most of all, a decidedly meat-eating boyfriend came along, whom I cooked for on a consistent basis, and it wasn't worth the trouble (or money!) of making two different meals.

The Silent Meal

J and I shared a meal together and neither of us spoke.  We were not mad at each other; on the contrary, we had much to say. The reason we exchanged few words was that the meal was the best I've ever made ("can't talk, eating," as a friend once said to me).

Places I Love: Blog Edition

There are a few blogs I've been reading lately that I can't help but post.  I mean, really, where have I been?!

For starters, there is my friend Heather, over at The Mad Kitchen.  I particularly love her "Trial by Friday" sections and "Tips Tuesdays."  She's not just my friend, she's an amazing writer and empath; her food is instinctual and creative.  I am completely jealous that she lives in Japan and has a whole different world of ingredients and culinary experiences to draw from.

Another is "Eating Our Words," a local blog about the Houston Food Scene, which keeps me in the know and also provides gossip about various going-ons about town.  Houston is a city where people of all cultures meet each other and bond over food, and while I know there are other blogs about Houston, I feel as though "Eating" is the local blog that is most sensitive and aware of this. Runner Up: "Eater, Houston."

A friend and inspiration, Laurel, lives in Waco, attends grad school, and manages to run an interesting blog about her food adventures, "Memoir Munchies."  She discusses food, and life, honestly with a blend of sweetness and wonder.  I read her stuff and think, "I'll get there, someday..."

Finally, there is a blogger out in Oregon that has me in stitches lately, "Cooking for Assholes." Very clearly NSFW, this is as frank and honest as an episode of Rosanne.  I'll let them speak for themselves:

You suck at cooking. You f*ck up rice. You think Cayenne is that fat b*tch from around the way and Old Bay is the piece of sh*! that keeps calling the cops on you and your boys. Stop being such a f*cking loser and grow a brain. Cooking is easy as sh*!. Learn it.

I'm not sure I could say any better, or more at this point.  Join the next "Places I Love," where I talk about El Bolillo, a straight-up Mexican Bakery of the gods. 

"Sweet Endings Part Two," or "Bread today, Gone Tomorrow"

Finally! Good Hair! I found my usual stylist, groveled and begged, and got a better haircut.

I'm no Eva Longoria, but this is the best celebrity-depiction I could find:

It's shorter than Eva's, parted a little less deeply as well, but truth told it was the best way to salvage the bad haircut.

That, and banana bread.  I became inspired by America's Test Kitchen and their "ultimate banana bread," as it was a new way to make something I've always made (truly, other than a from-scratch cake, it was one of the first things I can remember baking).

"Sweet Endings Part One," Or, "How Bad Haircuts Make Good Banana Bread"

Do you remember those days as a kid when you skinned your knee or hurt yourself, or made "straight A's," and you got something for it, like, say, dessert?

Let me rewind. I got a terrible haircut the other day.  I found a salon while driving to the grocery store, thinking, "this place will be great!" It was a hole-in-the-wall type that looked well established and frequented.  I walked in and the two women who were the only occupants of the shop made me wait for twenty minutes.  No one else was getting their haircut.
 
At this point, I should have seen this as a huge red flag (get out of there!).  However, the last time I randomly walked into a salon and asked for what I wanted, I was in California for a friend's wedding and they did a fabulous job.  

This was not to be one of those "happy random occurrences."  I was given short bangs I didn't ask for, which I couldn't stop until it was too late.  She gave me layers that probably weren't good for my hair type and face shape, and gave me "the Rachel" with short bangs.

Imagine THIS with bangs. HORRIFYING.

Appalled yet? I certainly was.  I won't go into much more detail as this is a blog about food and not my recklessness outside of the kitchen, but suffice to say that while they did not wash my hair at first (spritzed it wet!), when I asked for a blow-dry (I had to ask!), they responded by asking me if my hair was clean, stating, "maybe we should wash it first."  At that point, I wanted them to pay me for such a disaster.  (I am also not sure how much malice was put into those scissors.  From the moment I walked in to the moment I walked out, the lady seemed to loathe me.  Examples: twenty-minute wait in a deserted shop, not wanting to wash or blow-dry my hair, etc.)

My first instinct was to call my regular stylist and beg for forgiveness and to see if she could squeeze me in to try and salvage the mullet/rachel mess I had gotten myself into.

My second instinct was to make banana bread.  Call it a throw-back to childhood, but I just wanted to soothe it with the salve of baked goods.

My recent inspirations have been Alton Brown (I've been yearning to make these), and America's Test Kitchen. The former for all the hubbub on twitter with AB's "fanifesto" and some Houstonian calling him a "tool," and the latter because I'm mildly infatuated with ATK as I've written about before, and their banana bread recipe looks to-die-for.

That's all I have for now, as I have work tonight and a date with my stylist tomorrow afternoon.
 
Join me this weekend for "part two" in which I actually make these sweet treats, and (hopefully) have a better haircut, and outlook, on life.

Refrigerator Inspiration, or, "Whole Lotta Tex-Mex Goin' On"

Periodically, I draw upon J for inspiration and ideas for meals.  He has to eat the stuff, too, so I figure why not get his input.

This week he suggested enchiladas.  No problem; I was wanting to use items I already had laying around as it was, so win/win/win (10pts for the reference!).

I had a perfectly-good-never-opened pack of wheat tortillas (blasphemy to some, delicious to the rest of us), a ton of shredded cheese that would go bad in a week, and chipotle peppers in adobo sauce that were also destined for the "great-white-bag" in the sky.  Even better, I figured it would be a great way to use the last of the garlic chicken (from, "1000 Splendid Bulbs") in a creative way that wasn't just reheat-nation.

1000 Splendid Bulbs: Garlic Chicken

I had been meaning to make this slow-cooked meal all week.  Thursday I forgot, Friday I was off (and we were busy), and Saturday my family had me over for dinner.

Sunday then became "the battle of the bulb." 

Breakfast On The Cheap

I came home from work this morning, only to realize/remember that there appears to be nothing to make for breakfast.

I've always been a cereal girl, but we're out of milk.  There are no eggs to scramble or to make french toast, and I made waffles for dinner last night on my way out the door.

What to do?  Payday is tomorrow, and hence grocery shopping day.

Undaunted, I rooted around in the pantry to find something to whip together.

Who else did I find, but an old friend--it was Oatmeal to the rescue!

I'm a bit old-school and like the oats to be in a can or bag (See Bob's Red Mill), and I like to cook it over the stove.

After cooking/during cooling on the stove, I add raisins, a dash of brown sugar, and a pinch of cinnamon.

I plate it, add cream and whatever I have handy (mixed nuts in this case) and a drizzle of syrup.

It was perfect on this cool/rainy morning.

Three cheers for captain oatmeal!

 

Blood, Sweat, and Tears: Slow-Cooker Pulled Pork





In keeping with my slow-cooking kick, I decided to make pulled pork Wednesday morning. I would post the recipe but after an exhaustive search, Whole Foods has since taken it down.  Alas. If I can find it, I will repost in an edit later on.

The title of the blog was self-fulfilling prophecy that fateful morning, as I began to literally bleed, sweat, and cry through the prep process.

This Baker's Challenge: Fruity Desserts!

 As mentioned in previous posts, I am a lover--and baker--of all things desserts.  I can remember baking my first "from scratch" cake at the age of 9, the first time I was allowed to use the stove and everything all by myself.  It's a good story: when I asked my mother for an "Easy Bake Oven," she promptly got to work showing me how to use the big oven we had in the kitchen.  I am grateful for this, for many reasons, mostly the fact that it started me on a path that led me here.  Also,  have you ever had anything cooked in an easy-bake oven? (Edit: I just heard that the Easy Bake Oven got a face-lift, a structural redesign and a new marketing ploy...so really I'm talking the "lets half-cook with a light bulb" Easy Bake Ovens of the last 50 years).

Tapatio, "It's a sauce...that's very saucy!"

About two years ago I found myself eating breakfast in Huntington Beach, California.

My hosts had just finished cooking eggs, and asked, "would you like some Tapatio with that?"

Puzzled, I inquired to what the heck it was.

"Only the best hot sauce known to mankind.  Try some!"

Out came a 1.5L bottle of the stuff, and following that, my introduction to a whole new sauce world.

Empanadas! (Alt title: Neighbor, can I borrow a cup of tequila?)

I began the morning uninspired.

A delicious cookout last night led me to have a serious meat hangover.  I went to bed at 9pm and woke up 12 hours later.  I was refreshed, but lacking creativity.

"What do I make for dinner?!"  The last thing I'd ever thought I'd be saying.

A few quick google searches later, I came across a suggestion for empanadas.  Then I remembered this recipe (video is middle page, I love the explanation!) over at America's Test Kitchen, and felt the creativity flowing back.

In Celebration of the Weather: Beef Stew.

August brought Houstonians stretches of days where the temperature outside wasn't below three digits.  There was no breeze.  There was no rain.  We were asked to conserve water. We were asked to keep our indoor thermostats as high as we could.  Our sweat had sweat. IT. WAS. HOT.

And September rolled in like an angry British bouncer, breaking up the hot weather whilst screaming: "OL RITE, WHAT'S OL DIS DEN?"
And we got a breeze, and wonderful weather, and just like that everyone (in Houston) was happy again.
(The breeze and hot weather has not been kind to Central Texas, however. The fires have been brutal to say the least, and my heart goes out to all of those out there that are suffering--businesses, families, livestock and pets.)

This lovely weather has made me yearn for Fall--and what a better meal to celebrate Fall anticipation than a Beef Stew!

Places I Love: Melange Creperie

Due to a series of unfortunate circumstances, I was not able to make beef stew in the slow cooker (car troubles, allergies, you name it, it happened).

However, all was not lost.  I began the day with a visit to a wonderland of crepes and happiness on the corner of Westheimer and Taft. A place that I decided to highlight in order to kick off my whimsical new segment, "Places I Love."

I present: Melange Creperie**!  A story of a man, his crepe cart, and a boat load of charm.

Bandwagoning, in the good way?

My new found friends over at Cafe Luz Houston alerted me on twitter of the "Hipster Barista" meme, and how it all centers around one dude, and this controversy.

My first response: "I've got to blog this. I'M FIRED UP!"

When I read a little deeper, I couldn't find where they out and out call this man a "douche" (perhaps it's been taken down), but I did find a long comment list of the classic flame wars on the internet.

Jerk Chicken, Slow-Cooker Style.

I work nights as a nurse, mostly as a necessity.  That being said, when the "chore wheel" came out, and after a bit of logical deducing, I became the person responsible for making food at the house (the boyfriend, J, does the dishes, and I cook.  It's a good system).

My solution? Slow-cooking, and lots of it.  I'm always on the hunt for interesting and non-stew type dishes to make.  You'd be surprised how many variations there are on the same three slow cooker recipes. 

Food Truck of the Month: Good Dog Hot Dogs

Yes, I have jumped on the Food Truck bandwagon, and No, I don't care what people think--I for one welcome our food truck overlords.

That being said, I'd like this to be a recurring spot here at R.Abandon, and what better way to start us off than with Hot Dogs, non?

New Hotness

Well, another year, another failed blog. My sushi challenge stopped somewhere in between "wow sushi is expensive" and "neato, I have a boyfriend!" I decided to leave old postings around for my own rememberance of things past (especially failures), and to show you where I've been.

I woke up last week and realized, finally, that I loved food. Really, it was more of final acceptance. I realized that I loved not just sushi, but all things edible. Combine that with the fact that I recently moved in with my boyfriend about two months ago, I have had a need to cook. Money, time, etc.

Yes, me. Cooking.

Let me explain: I've always baked, and felt comfortable in that world. You name it, I've either tried to bake it or been wise enough not to try (I'm looking your way, patachou).

But Cooking?! What strange new world, with such ingredients in it!
I've no real experience cooking. I've never been a server (lest you count that brief stint with catering in college), and I've only ever darkend the doorstep of one or two cooking classes in my brief lifetime.

The only thing I have under my belt (har har) thus far is necessity. And as they say, necessity is the mother of digestion.

Or was that convection?

No. Conviction. That's it. Time to serve up some big heeping bowls of the stuff--No longer is it about "cute" challenges or "money spent" anymore, but rather the love, and necessity, of the food itself. Flavors mingling as the ingredients form together and the science behind it all. Join me, won't you?