Three C Peanut Butter

Posted on February 16, 2011 by Anita!
Well, two more weeks left of my weird, loop-holey sugar abstinence:

Pros:
No longer randomly grabbing at the meaningless foods in my path:
  • candy bowl proferrings
  • off-brand commercial cookies that don’t taste good anyway
  • dollars in my backpack for the vending machine
  • or that abandoned power bar left temptingly on the bench in the women’s locker room at the gym (embarrassed to admit I even considered it).

    • Slowly peeling away from the “dessert as reward” system of thought
    No longer getting that sugar-binge sweatiness.  I know you know what I mean

    Con:
    I’ve been missing out on the homemade treats of my friends:

  • cheesecake
  • chocolate cheesecake
  • oatmeal cookies
  • pumpkin bread
  • truffles
  • trifle
  • and yes, Ari’s thin mints
    • What I’ve learned:
    This may be the end of wrapped sweets for me, a hard yet liberating decision.  It may also be the end of my own baking…no loss, I was always a mediocre baker.  However, a friend recommended that I make a once-a-week exception for the things made by friends–that I can still appreciate their talents and will probably appreciate the treat for the occasion it represents.
    Weirdly, I’ve had little trouble saying no to most things–except for the Jiffy peanut butter.  Last week I attempted to make my own PB, supplementing spices for the sweetness.  The result?  Definitely not a replacement, but maybe a nice addition to my snacking repertoire.

    Unfortunately, the new method I was hoping I’d be able to share failed.  I realize most students do not have a food processor, so I tried the Simply Recipes method of a mason jar and a blender.  While this was perfect for chopping nuts, it failed utterly in the creaming stage.  I’ll try to put up the 3 part failure video in the near future.
    For now: Roasted peanuts + Chili powder + Cumin + Coriander + Garam masala = the rough-around-the-edges cousin of sweet little Jiffy.

    Ingredients

    • 1.5 cups roasted peanuts
    • 1 tsp cumin
    • 1 tsp coriander
    • 2 tsp chili powder
    • 0.5 tsp garam masala
    • salt to taste…i used about .5 tsp
    • 2 tsp neutral oil (optional) for that glassy effect
    Set the oven to 350F and put the peanuts on a foil-lined baking sheet.  After about 10 minutes, remove the peanuts (they should be warm and easier to break up at this point) and deposit them into a food processor.  Add the spices, salt, and oil, then set the food processor to low, building speed as the peanuts turn into powder.  Keep blending on high, the creaming process will take as much as 10 minutes.  You’ll see the peanuts disintegrate, then clump, then begin to form a particulate ball, and then turn into a paste as the peanuts give up their oil.  Keep blending until you achieve a consistency that you desire.
    Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
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    Posted in Snacks | 11 Comments

    Brie, Tomato and Basil Pasta

    Posted on February 13, 2011 by Ari

    I think it’s safe to say that the majority of warm-blooded individuals love cheese (even those who recognize that cheese does some pretty bad things to their GI system still have an acknowledge at least a slight interest in this delightful treat…hence the importance of our dear friend “Lactaid”). I am no exception to this rule. Despite my complete disinterest in the precursor of this food item (aka milk), there’s no denying the fact that my mouth starts to salivate at the very thought of cheese. My love for cheese is blind…or should I say anosmic. In fact, the smellier, the better. My parents introduced me to blue cheese at the tender age of 8, and since that point in time, I have never turned a smelly, moldy, or holy cheese away.
    While Brie isn’t really a smelly cheese, it is nevertheless one of my favorites. My first run in with this butter-like cheese was actually at synagogue. As is tradition in most temples, following friday night services is Oneg Shabbat – for adults, an opportunity to mingle with the other congregation members, and for children, snack time at the end of a very long lecture. While my brother and sister would often sneak away to the cookie table while my parents weren’t looking, I would hover around the brie and crackers using all the willpower a 10-year-old has not to run away to the corner with the whole wheel. As a 23-year-old, I have yet to learn to control my obsession with cheese, but at least I’ve learned to put it towards good use by incorporating it into some tasty dishes.

    What you need:

    • 1 lb brie
    • 2.5 cups diced tomatoes (I prefer using cherry tomatoes)
    • 1/2 cup olive oil
    • 2 tbs salt
    • 3 cloves garlic, minced
    • 3 tbs minced basil (fresh if possible)
    • 1 lb bowtie pasta

    What you need to do:

    1. Cut up your brie into small pieces after removing the rind (about 1/2 in x 1/2 in), dice your tomatoes and mince your garlic and basil.
    2. In a large bowl or baking dish, combine these ingredients with the olive oil and salt.
    3. Cover the bowl/dish with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for at least 2 hours (the longer the better).
    4. Once the ingredients have marinated, boil your water and cook your bowtie pasta.
    5. After draining the pasta, pour it into the bowl/dish containing the other ingredients.
    6. Stir until all the brie has melted.
    7. Enjoy!
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    Posted in Pasta, Vegetarian | 8 Comments

    Join me at the West Side Market Tomorrow

    Posted on February 11, 2011 by Anita!
    Well, I’ve been summoned to the West Side Market tomorrow.  From 10am-3:30pm I’ll be stationed at Mediterranean Imported Foods, the store where I worked for part of senior year of undergrad and part of 1st year of med school.
    If you want to see me look funny in a white apron, cut the cheese, and lacerate myself on the deli slicer, please come and say hi!  I would love to see/meet you.
    So…why the picture of Lactaid, you ask?  What with work tomorrow and the deliciousness Ari has planned for you Sunday, I thought I’d prepare myself for the cheese apocalypse.  Stay tuned!
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    Posted in Non Recipe | 1 Comment

    Mustardy Brussels Sprouts

    Posted on February 9, 2011 by Anita!

    I have a relationship with my crock pot. We’ve been involved for about a year.
    It all started last January, when some friends and I went to Udupi Cafe and then to the nearby thrift store. I shuffled around without intending to buy anything until I happened  by the back rack.  The attraction between the crockpot and me was so instantaneous that I sidled up to grab it, checked the price, and walked to the cash register without looking back.
    On the drive back home, gazing adoringly into my arms, I cooed: “…I love you.”
    “Awww, you do!?” my friend sitting next to me asked hopefully.
    Awkwardness ensued.

    I’ve only used it a few times since then, but the crock has never done me wrong.  The recipes that take 8 hours I can let sit quietly overnight.  For the recipes that take up to 3 hours, I can take the pot up to my room and tend to it during homework breaks.  There’s nothing more intimate than a slow stir by the light of my monitor.

    As it turns out, mustard and brussels sprouts are from the same genus (along with cabbage, turnips, cauliflower, and broccoli) and are sure to soften the resolve of even the most savage Brassica basher.  I think you could make this on the stove top…but believe me when I say that right now there is probably someone chucking a crock pot at a thrift store near you.  Seize the chance for the love of a lifetime.

    Ingredients (her blog is no longer easily searchable, but this was inspired by the author of this book).

    • 1.5 – 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
    • 1 bag frozen brussel sprouts (if you’re using fresh ones, I think that amounts to about 40-50.  Use little ones if you can because they cook more quickly).
    • 1/4 cup Dijon mustard
    • 1-2 Tbsp garlic chili sauce (optional)
    • salt and pepper to taste
    Here’s the easy part: dump all of these things in, turn your crock pot to high, and stir every 10-15 minutes for 90 minutes or until the brussels sprouts take on some darkness.  Try one–it should have the body of a sprout but the soul of butter and mustard.  Season as desired.  This is intended as a side.  But as always, I have self-control issues.
    Sugar update:  I forgot to tell update last week…I was too overcome by peanut butter.  Yes!  Jiffy got the best of me.  It’s pretty much the only food-come-sedative that helps me with my insomnia.  Next week’s post includes a recipe for my very own sugarless peanut butter.  Hope you like it!
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    Posted in Slow Cooker, Vegetarian | 7 Comments