Mexican Salad

I love chopped salads with no lettuce. This is a simple salad that was just delicious. It includes radishes, jicama, bell peppers, tomatoes, and cilantro. Jicama is a strange looking vegetable. It is knobby and covered with a brown skin. You must peel the jicama and then slice and dice it. It is sort of like a cross between an apple and a potato. I used a store bought vinaigrette and I had a nice side dish in 5 minutes. Here is what I did.

Mexican Salad

1/2 Jicama peeled and diced. (don't be scared, it is easy to peel with a knife or peeler and then slice)
8-10 Radishes cut into quarters or halves
1 Bell Pepper (diced)
1 cup of cherry tomatoes (sliced in half)
1 TBL of cilantro (or parsley) (chopped)
Salt/Pepper
Vinaigrette to taste (any kind would do, but I used Newman's Own Oil and Vinegar)
Mexican seasoning, like a little cumin, paprika and chili powder. Just a couple of shakes.

Cut and dice all of the vegetables into bite sized pieces. Sprinkle with cilantro, salt/pepper and spices. Mix together. Then coat the vegetables with the vinaigrette. It is so yummy and easy. Feel free to add avocado, black beans and corn for a bigger salad. YUM!

Mulled Wine

I LOVE LOVE mulled wine. It is spicy and hot and delish. My friend, Melody and I bought a bag of mulled wine spice from Whole Foods. We were both unsuccessful in our attempts to recreate this delicious Christmas concoction. Thanks to the fab Jamie Oliver, I have mastered the art of mulled wine. The key is this mulled wine syrup....Just be careful. This wine will put hair on your chest!

Mulled Wine Syrup

1/2 cup of fine sugar per bottle of wine (use cup of wine for 2 bottles)
2 clementines or oranges cut in half (mash them into the sugar) per bottle
Two handfuls of mulled wine spice (includes cinnamon, orange zest, cloves, star anise) per bottle
1 bottle of red Wine
Brandy (like 1/2 cup or so per bottle of wine)

In a saucepan, pour sugar, oranges, and spices (feel free to make your own concoction of spices). Pour just enough red wine to cover the sugar (like 1/2 cup or so). You are going to make a simple syrup that you will then use later with the actual wine. I did this so as to not burn all of the alcohol off the wine because the mixture needs to boil to make it rich and thick (I am a really good Southerner when it comes to booze). Boil the mixture until a really thick syrup is formed...like 4 or 5 minutes. When you are ready to drink your mulled wine, pour in the brandy and a bottle of wine. You want to heat only what you want to drink. If it is two of you, then use half of the bottle of wine and half of the sugar mixture. Heat the wine with the sugar and brandy until heated through. Maybe like 4 minutes. Then strain and pour into mugs. YUMMY!!!!

The BEST PHO EVER!

Beef Pho at Tank Noodle, Chicago, IL

My friend Danielle and I went to Tank Noodle on Argyle, which is the Vietnamese area of Chicago. It is wonderful to eat in a place where not many people speak English. I love love Asian food, but don't eat it much because my hubs is ambivalent about it. I wanted to post a picture of Pho (pronounced Pha). It is thinly sliced beef that is cooked in a rich broth of cloves, garlic, fish sauce, and ginger. The resulting broth is amazing. The soup is filled with rice noodles, scallion, onions, basil, and mung beans. Lime is a typical accompaniment too. If you have a chance to eat real Vietnamese, run don't walk.

Paleo Coconut Chocolate Truffles

I was invited to a cookie party in the neighborhood and was asked to bake some cookies. I am a horrible baker and I did not have many options for baking without using gluten free mixes. Since I try to regulate my carbs, I decided to make a 100% paleo desert. I ended up making a quick and easy chocolate truffle. They were super rich and perfect for the chocolate purist. Here is what I did. Remember that the whole process including cooling and rolling will take up to 4 hours, but a lot of this time is hands-off. (This makes about 18-20 truffles)

Feel free to do whatever you want. This recipe is versatile. You will need one big pot for the water, a glass bowl for the chocolate and a small saucepan for the milk/butter. I melted a bag of good quality semi-sweet chocolate chips over a double broiler. This is simply melting the chocolate in a glass bowl that you place over a pot of (gently) simmering water. The steam melts it gently.

1) Place several inches of water in a pot.
2) As your pot of water comes to a simmer. Place 8 ounces of heavy cream and two TBL of butter in a small saucepan.
3) Pour your chocolate chips into a glass bowl and place over simmering pot.
4) Slowly begin to melt the chocolate.
5) Heat cream and butter in a small saucepan. Remove when you see bubbles on the side.
6) Once the chocolate is shiny and smooth, slowly add the cream mixture to the melting chocolate.
7) After the chocolate is melted and the butter/cream is added, add 1/2 cup of chopped nuts and 1 TBL of Orange Liquor (Kahlua would be delish). Espresso would also be amazing.
8) Mix this together in the big glass bowl.
9) I placed the bowl of chocolate mixture on my back porch because it is cold in Chicago. You will need the chocolate to cool for 2 hours.
10) Half way through the cooling process, go check on your chocolate and mix it around. It should begin to be firm.
11) Once the mixture is firm (really thick), you will want to roll the truffles.
12) Using a spoon, I scooped a spoonful of chocolate mixture into my hands and rolled it into a ball. You will be covered with chocolate, but just wash your hands when you need to. Do this step quickly, as the chocolate will begin to melt.
13) I covered a plate with coconut and rolled the chocolate around in the coconut. Cocoa powder or powdered sugar would be pretty too.
14) Once the balls are rolled, place them back outside or in the fridge for one more hour.

Now you have rich chocolaty goodness. I have to confess that they were too rich for me. I prefer cheese and salami to chocolate, but for those of you who love chocolate, you will love these.

Orange Glazed Turkey Legs

Here is a picture of the turkey leg recipe I posted yesterday. Enjoy!

Bone Broth

Bone Broth

Here is a simple method for making bone broth. I wrapped beef bones in a cheese cloth and tied it with butcher string. Simmer it for up to an hour. Discard cheesecloth in the trash. I keep lots of bones in the freezer. I have also used this method for making a quick chicken broth. In fact, the other night, I made risotto and did not have enough stock, so I took some bones out of the freezer and simmered them to make a quick broth to use in the risotto. Bone broth is loaded with minerals and is really good for the gut. It also nourishes all of our body associated with collagen, including our bones, ligaments, and joints. It can be eaten on its own or used as stock in soups and stews. This bone broth is made from beef bones that I kept in the freezer from ribeyes. The finished product is a really lush and fatty broth. Drink it in between meals or when you have a cold. Give it a try, I promise it is not as weird as it sounds.

Orange Glazed Turkey Legs

Try this method with any sort of poultry, like chicken or Cornish hens. I use marmalade and preserves a lot when marinating or glazing meats. It has a lot of sugar, so don't add the glaze early. Add in last 15 minutes of cooking. Apricot is a wonderful addition to barbeque sauce.

Orange Turkey Legs

1 turkey leg per person
1 tbl of Dijon mustard
1/4 cup of orange marmalade
1 dash soy sauce
1 splash water or stock
EVOO
Salt and pepper


Salt and pepper the turkey legs. Drizzle with olive oil. Roast in 400 degree oven. As the legs cook, mix the marmalade, mustard, soy, and water. Mix in 1 T of olive oil. Stir the glaze. During last 15 minutes of cooking, glaze the legs with the marmalade mixture. The legs should take about one hour to roast. Check the temp. Pull them when they are 165. Let them rest for 5 minutes. Serve with rice and roasted veggies. Enjoy!