Can a White Jewish Girl cook Chiniese? ... yes apparently.

   When you think of Chinese food, Gwyneth Paltrow's glowingly bleached face doesn't necessarily come to mind, but these two recipes will challenge your assumptions about how white peoples can attempt to cook Chinese.

  I have been craving Chinese (must be all the Christmas carols....that makes no sense), and because I only have one day left of my "fast read rental" from the library, I thought I'd give Gwyneth's Cook book  "My Fathers Daughter" another go.  This was a meal that made me look at Gwyneth's cooking and eating healthy in a new light, sometimes you can have the best of both worlds~!  Enjoy.

-To make the Ms. Paltrow's Chinese Chicken is surprisingly simple.

rent me again!

"Best Stir Fried Chicken"

-4 boneless chicken brests

- 2 tbsp. cornstarch

-coarse salt-

-2 tbsp of vegetable oil.

-1/4 cup of minced ginger 

-1/4 cup of minced garlic

-1/2 cup of scallions

-pinch red chilli flakes

-1/2 cup of rice wine vinegar

1/2 cup brown sugar

-2 tbsp soy sauce
-two tablespoons of cilantro 

- Toss the chicken with cornstarch (flour is ok too) lots of pepper and a lil salt

-Heat oil in a non sick wok over medium high heat.  

-add garlic and ginger (chilli flakes if using) and cook for one minunte

-Add coated chicken and cook for 5mins

-Add vinegar, sugar and 5 or 6 grinds of pepper

-Boil on high for three mins.  This will carmalize the sugar and will result in sticky and sweet sauce

-Add the soy sauce and cook for another thrity seconds, serve with spinkled cliantro ENJOY!

Kale makes another unlikely appearance in my kitchen.

"Fried Rice with Kale and Scallions"
(don't worry, its good).

-1 bushel of kale

-1 1/2 Tbsp. vegetable oil

-2 cloves of Garlic (i used four, only because I'm afraid of impended Vampire attacks)

-3 large scallions, cut into 1/8th diagonal slices (this is Gwyenth's  pompous direction)

-2 1/2 cups of cooked brown rice (don't worry, you can't taste brown rice)

-1 table spoon, plus 1 teasponn of soy sauce.

Mash it all together 

-Cut Kale into ribbons (or as Gwyneth would say.....chiffonade,) and steam for 7mins

-Heat oil in medium heat , add garlic and cook stirring for 2 mins.

-Raise the heat to meduime and add the steamed kale and scallions.

-Cook for 2mins  then add the rice, cook for another 2 mins

-Add soy sauce and cook for 30 sec,

Enjoy!

Dramatic Mood Lighting!

 In the week that I rented Gwyneth's book from the libaray (ghetto, holla!) I've made three different dishes.  Surprisingly they've all turned out to be what I expected, made with healthy ingredents, and tasted like they were made from healthy ingredients.  I did enjoy everything I made from this book, however I still felt there was something lacking.  All and all I still need some more convincing to buy the book, but for the time being, I might just keep re-signing it out from the library every once and a while.

Hope everyone has a great Christmas season.

I've never met a dessert I didn't like.

Creme Brulee and I have LOTS of things in common, We both have an understated elegance, and are not optimized to our true potential (le sigh).  Having said that, Creme Brulee is soooo easy (we don't have that in common) and tastes soooo good (another commonality).   This would be a perfect holiday indulgence, and can be made up to three days in advance, great if you know your going to be running out of time.

Heres what you need:

Grand Mariner, yes please.

 

Here's the reciepe I used, from the love lorned Barefoot Contessa herself, Ina Gartens book, Barefoot in Paris.

-one large egg

-4 extra large egg yoke

-1/2 cup of sugar, plus 1 tbsp for each serving

-3 cups of heavy cream ((yum)( in Canada we use whipping cream eh))

-1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, (i used 1 tbsp)

-1 Tbsp of Grand Marnier (plus one shot for the chef, zing zing!)

• NOTE: before you start mixing, put one pot of water to boil on the stove, as well as a pot with your heavy cream and bring to scalding temperature, don't boil the cream.
• NOTE: Pre-heat oven to 300 Degrees

-combine egg and egg yokes with sugar in an standing mixer.  just to combine.
-once the whipping cream is close to a scaulding temperature, add the whipping cream to the egg and sugar mixture.

 Mixing at a breakneck speed (mix just to combine tho)

 

-With the mixer still on slow, add the vanilla and grand mariner, fill the ramekins till almost filled.

-chef at this point should administer the grand mariner shot to him/herself.

  cook towards the light.....

 

-Add the boiling water to the baking pan and plop the filled ramekins into the newly created water bath.  

• NOTE: Make sure the water is filled to half the height of the ramekins.

-Place the water bath and ramekins in the oven and bake for 40 mins.  (check after 40 mins. to see if they have set)

-Let cool on countertop to room temperature, then put in fridge to cool completely. 

how can something so beautiful, be so under used?

-If your feeling extra festive, sprinkle 1 tbsp of sugar on each of the ramekin and heat with a kitchen blowtorch (a candle lighter does not work, trust me!)  If anyone wants to buy me a kitchen blowtorch this holiday season, I would gladly make this dessert for them in full, however I didn't add the sugar to the top, but the custard portion was still really really good.  

Lets get juiced ya'll!

Today I was on a mad health kick today so I thought I'd share my ultra healthy, ultra pretentious lunch.

When I decided to get this health party started, I though I'd start my lunch with a punch

Time to break out the juicer....

James' Get Juiced Juice Includes:

- One generous handful of spinach (bleck)

- Four Carrots

- One apple

- 1/4"  of Ginger Root (zing zing)

- and a squeeze of lemon.  

Thank you Waring Pro!

• hint: juice the spinach first (not much liquid in those leaves) then follow with something full of juice (ie apples).   This will allow you to optimize your leafy greens intake *nerd alert*

As if that juice wasn't enough, I thought I'd literally take a page from GWEN (not Stefani, the other one), Paltrow and make some Kale Chips.  

Gwyn Says: "My Cookbook will make you

feel like your not eating healthy enough."

Kale Chips are easy enough, 

-Pre heat oven to 400 

-Clean, and Rip the leaves of Kale, discard the steams 

-Toss the Ripped Kale bunch with  2 Tbsp. of Olive Oil. 

-Disperse Kale on a parchment covered baking sheet, sprinkle with coarse salt and throw it in the oven for 12 -15 mins.

When the chips come out, they may look like a mistake, but they are surprisingly good!

Sooo....do you hate me yet?  I'm hoping your reading this while your eating a Big Mac, and I have made you feel the way Gyne made me feel when I read her cookbook while eating an entire pan of rice crispy squares.

feelin' winey tonight!

Since part of the reason for starting this blog was so I would be motivated to make new foods, I thought I'd extend my opening of new horizons into trying new wines.  I've always been a big fan of cheap wine (well, for financial reasons mostly), so this bottle that I'm reviewing is just slightly over $ 10.00, coming in at a whopping $10.09 What a treat!

Watson ready!

Another reason why I feel it nessicary to review this bottle of wine was because when I bought it, I got ID'ed!  That hasn't happened in a good while, so I'm taking it as a sign from the wine gods to start with this one!

Sampling is fun!

From the Southeastern region of Australia, Banrock Station's , unoaked (unwoodened) Chardonnay offers an ok bang for your buck.  I was greeted with a smooth and sweet, aroma of peaches, and grapes (duh). After letting the wine breath for a bit, my taste buds puckered up for an intial lively punch of strong citrus notes combine with a slight tartness.  Banrock, offers a smooth light bodied wine and if you don't like your wine to linger, then this would be a good choice for you. There is very little finishing flavour, but what ever finish it has, there are definate citrus ends!

All and all I can't really see myself buying this wine again, It offers little flavor complexity, (all i could taste was grapefruit) and its a little too dry for my liking.  Having said that, it might end up being your cup of tea, or glass of wine.  Happy Tasting!

Disappointing blog post numbered 1

I know, I know, I kinda hate myself too for starting another blog about cooking, but I promise this one will be different.  Wait, no it won't, its just going to be like every other blog about cooking, except I`m doing it!  I'm just going to post new recipes that I've made, either to perfection, or into a bloody mess.   I'm formally inviting you to check back here periodically from now on, join me won't you! 
NOW, the hard part..... my first recipe blog post will beeeeee... *drum roll*.....meh.... I`ll let you know.