State Fair Cooking

The North Carolina State Fair just ended here in Raleigh. I really love the tradition of state fairs, not so much for the fried Twinkies and meth-addicted carnies (sorry), but for this Charlotte's Web-inspired fantasy of wholesome farm-raised kids bringing their pigs, sheep, rabbits, etc. to be judged in the 4-H competitions, sturdy farmers with their prize-winning pumpkins and their hardworking, practical wives with their homemade preserves and some condensed soup casserole creations.  This year I decided to get into the fray by entering a recipe in one of the cooking contests. I entered the NC Apple Growers Association contest. It had to be a main dish made with at least 2 cups of North Carolina grown apples. I didn't win, but here is my recipe. I thought it was pretty yummy.

Smoky Apple Chipotle Chili Serves 10 (Main Dish)

6 strips of applewood smoked bacon, crumbled
2 large NC apples, diced (2 cups)
2 pounds lean ground beef
1 large onion, finely chopped (about 1 cup)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 bell pepper, diced (about 1 cup)
1 TBS ground red chili powder
1 TBS cumin
1 TBS oregano
3 chipotle chilis, (from one can of Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce) seeded and minced
1 ½ tsp. salt
2 15 oz. cans of red kidney or pinto beans, undrained
2 28 oz. cans diced tomatoes

1. In a large saucepan or dutch oven, cook bacon over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until crisp. Remove to paper towels with slotted spoon. Pour off all but about 1 tablespoon of the drippings.
2. Add apples; sauté 7 minutes or until tender and lightly browned. Remove from pan and set aside.
3. Brown ground beef with onion, garlic and bell pepper; drain.
4. Return beef mixture to pan. Stir in chili powder and next 6 ingredients (through diced tomatoes); bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
5. Add reserved bacon and apples; mix well. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 10 minutes. Ladle into bowls, serve with cheddar cheese, cilantro and sour cream as accompaniments.

Favorite Salad Dressings

My friend Alana asked for the recipe for the Cafe Rio Creamy Cilantro Dressing that we used with the sweet pork and lime-cilantro rice the other night. This dressing is one of our favorites but we do it slightly differently than the recipe that Ali gave me. So below you will find the Cackalacky Kitchen version. I thought while I was at it I would jot down a few other of our all-time favorite dressings. These are dressings that I simply can't live without.

Cackalacky Kitchen Creamy Lime-Cilantro Dressing
(We use this dressing any time we want to make a southwestern salad. Usually this means a green salad with any or all of the following: grilled chicken/avocado/tomatos/corn/black beans/red bell peppers.)

1 packet buttermilk Ranch dressing mix
1C mayo
1/2 C buttermilk or milk (we used 1 full cup this last time and it was a bit too runny)
juice of 1 lime
2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1/2 bunch roughly chopped cilantro
2 tomatillos
hot sauce or red pepper flakes to taste

Put everything in the blender and let it rip! Make it several hours ahead of time to allow it to thicken. *OK, there are two ways you can cheat on this recipe...if you want to really cut corners, use 1 cup of bottled Ranch dressing in place of the mix, mayo and milk, and halve the rest of the ingredients (or use 2 cups and keep the rest the same). Or you can use 1/4 cup salsa verde in place of the tomatillos.


Best Friend Dressing
My mom is blessed with the most amazing group of friends who she's known since their college days at Manhattanville. This recipe came to me from her dear friend Tena Kavanagh, who got it from their other friend Julie Empson. I love and admire this group of women so much. This dressing is perfect on a simple green salad. Cucumbers, green beans, celery, bell pepper, tomatoes, carrots, etc. It is essentially a simple vinaigrette, with a secret ingredient. Most people will not taste the curry but somehow it makes it irresistible.

2 T vinegar
6 T olive oil
1/4 t salt
1/4 t pepper
pinch of sugar
1 clove of garlic, minced
2 t Dijon mustard
1 T mayonnaise
1/4 t curry powder

Whisk all ingredients together, or what I do is put it all in a small mason jar and shake, shake, shake. The mayo works as an emulsifier to keep the oil and vinegar from separating... you can use that little trick whenever you make a vinaigrette.


Katie Carpenter's Spinach Salad Dressing
2 T toasted sesame seeds
1 T poppy seeds
1/2 cup sugar
2 t dried minced onion
1/4 t paprika
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1/2 cup vegetable oil (not olive oil)

Mix all ingredients together. Toss with spinach, sliced strawberries, craisins, apples, mandarin oranges, and toasted almonds. This is Ryan's favorite salad.

Delicious in Dixie

After a far-too-long hiatus from Cackalacky Kitchen, (blame our recent engagement and move to another spot just down the block in New York City), Adam and I we ventured to actual Cackalacky South last week. So here is the Northern outpost's latest report, and Adam's debut as a contributer to our online family exploits.

The entire clan headed down below to the beaches of South Carolina, and we brought our appetites! This was good, because Charleston welcomed us with open arms. These arms were filled with elements of each of the four important food groups: fat, sugar, grease and seafood.

After a difficult trip through the airport, we arrived with some delicious cupcakes of the Northern variety, which got approved by the most (only) discriminating eater among us. South Carolina laughed in the face of our teeny cupcakes with the following item:

Adam taught Anna about "breakfast cupcakes". Here they are, caught in their jammies.

Adam and I were happy to learn that the youngest Halverson had a seriously enthusiastic approach to eating. OK, granted, he was more interested in the act of eating and the art of smearing fruit on his face than the boring "getting food into the stomach and digesting it" side, but Elliot, you made us proud.

It was so fun to be in Charleston, where we got to experience the freshest seafood at Shem Creek. Here, Anna and Grandpa wait for the shrimp-n-grits watching the sun set.

As we all learned from watching Forrest Gump, you can enjoy shrimp all sorts of ways. Popcorn shrimp, sauteed shrimp, etc... But to quote one of our waitresses "I mean... fried's always the best, right?"

The burgers at Poe's tavern on Sullivan's Island were the perfect mix of simple and exciting. With an ice-cold lemonade, nothing is better on a sunny day.

We had a lot of yummy meals, but one of the most exciting came from Charleston's celebrity chef at McCrady's. There were beautiful dishes that arrived one after another, which we demolished in the most indelicate manner.

Delightful strawberry gazpacho
One beautiful dish after another
Culminating in some impressive desserts
Anna will remember this Yuzu meringue for a long time.
No spoon was left un-licked
The smile of a satisfied diner

Our final meal was the best, though, as Anna weilded her culinary wand and whipped up a magical crab steam. How do you cook 36 crabs for a cranky crowd in an unfamiliar kitchen? Just look at a video online!

http://www.oldbay.com/Videos/Picka-blue-crab.aspx

We were amazed how yummy this was. Here's Anna and Dad cleaning up the mess we made devouring it...


All in all, it was a wonderful and delicious trip which has us hungry for more!!

Spicy Jerk Chicken Kebabs with Bell Peppers and Pineapple

The weather was so awesome this weekend that it inspired Ryan to fire up the grill. He is fanatical about grilling. He researches recipes, goes shopping for all the ingredients himself and then is a total stress case (sorry babe) the whole time he is cooking. We have a charcoal grill which makes things a little trickier because you have variables of heat and timing that you don't really need to contend with if you have a gas grill. Anyway, that was our choice and Ryan is determined to become an ace grill master. In my opinion he is already there--he knocks it out of the park on taste and presentation. This is what he made tonight. The recipe is from one of my favorite sources: Cooking Light magazine. He tore out the recipe from one of the back issues I have saved. I have a small collection...every issue issue dating back to 2002 (thank you Aunt Ann for my subscription!!)  Yes, I know, it's all online, why do I keep them?? Having the actual magazine to page through provides inspiration. And it's not like they are posing a fire hazard. Yet.     

You have to soak the skewers in water before using them or they will burn up on the grill. Using two skewers prevents the meat, veggies, etc. from spinning when you flip the kebab.

Assembled and ready to go...

And the finished product. Now, doesn't that look delicious!

Spicy Jerk Chicken Kebabs with Bell Peppers and Pineapple

Ingredients

• 1  teaspoon  whole allspice
• 1  teaspoon  black peppercorns
• 4  whole cloves
• 1/4  cup  packed brown sugar
• 1/4  cup  fresh lime juice
• 1/4  cup  low-sodium soy sauce
• 2  tablespoons  Worcestershire sauce
• 2  teaspoons  paprika
• 2  teaspoons  dried thyme leaves
• 8  garlic cloves
• 3  large shallots, peeled and cut in half
• 1  (3-inch) piece peeled fresh ginger, thinly sliced
• 1  jalapeño pepper, halved and seeded
• 2  pounds  skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2  cups  (1-inch) cubed pineapple (about 1 medium)
• 1 1/2  cups  (1-inch) pieces red bell pepper (about 1 large)
• 1 1/2  cups  (1-inch) pieces green bell pepper (about 1 large)
• 1  teaspoon  salt
• 1/2  teaspoon  black pepper
• Cooking spray

Preparation

Heat a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add first 3 ingredients to pan; cook for 1 minute or until lightly toasted and fragrant.

Place spices, brown sugar, and next 9 ingredients (through jalapeño) in a blender; process until smooth. Combine spice mixture and chicken in a large zip-top plastic bag; seal and marinate in refrigerator 2 hours, turning occasionally.

Prepare grill.

Remove chicken from bag, reserving marinade. Thread chicken, pineapple, and bell peppers alternately onto each of 8 (12-inch) skewers. Brush reserved marinade onto pineapple and bell peppers. Sprinkle evenly with salt and pepper. Place kebabs on a grill rack coated with cooking spray. Grill 8 minutes or until chicken is done.

Cooking things up

I love the evolution of this blog from the subject to food to really a discussion of the same things that would occupy a kitchen in real life. Yes, of course, food is central to the discussion, but also those issues that would come up as we chopped and stirred together. I remember when Mommy first taught us how to make Lemon Meringue Pie in our ancient stove in Tappan, NY. As she cautioned us not to lick the gooey lemon stuff before it cooled off, I had my first sense that the heart of a home is in its kitchen.

Midway through my rotation where I spend every night on the labor floor for a month, I find myself longing for mealtime and all that means to me... Together, the night team orders food from any of a few restaurants that serve the Washington Heights area. It is truly a melting pot. We order Mexican food cooked by Chinese people, Asian food cooked by Dominicans, and Indian food that would be unrecognizable to any actual Indian person. But it gets us through the nights - and at 2 am, cold leftovers of almost anything seem delicious.

Nibbling pizza crust in the conference room, I find myself looking forward to the Presidents' Weekend trip that Adam and I have planned to go to Unadilla with some of our friends. We are basically planning to hang around and cook food together. Play some games. Maybe go on a side trip to the metropolis of Cooperstown. I am so excited for this weekend of slow living. Now I pose the question to the Cackalacky Kitchen: what is the recipe for comfort, relaxation, and laughing away the icy winter blues?

Here are my first ideas a menu. Perhaps you (Anna or anyone else!) can suggest alterations or your favorite comfort/group fun recipes?

FRIDAY: Folks will be arriving at different times, mostly after dinner, so we anticipate a spread of charcuterie (soppresata, of course) and some stinky cheese, bread, grapes

SATURDAY Brunch: French toast, sausage or bacon

Snacks: chips and salsa, guacamole, apples and pears

Dinner: Roast chicken or Pork loin, mashed potatoes, green beans, salad and warm rolls.

Dessert: Ice cream sundaes

SUNDAY Brunch: Omlettes, muffins (blueberry?)

Dinner: OUT

Dessert: Make your own cupcakes

MONDAY Breakfast: Bagel buffet

Even writing about this is a welcome escape. I've got one eye on the fetal heart monitors of my laboring patients as I write this. It's a reverse evolution: as we get busier and more technological, the simple things seem like a great breakthrough.

Baby Food

OK, this isn't really about baby food, but it's about a really interesting article about the history of changing attitudes toward breastfeeding. It was in this week's New Yorker. Click here to read the article. I would love to hear what other people thought of this article so if you get a chance to read it please post a comment. 

Ford Family Fun

Last week was a wonderful treat for me, as the Halverson family came up to New York to celebrate Christmas. Anna and Ryan piled a minivan full of kids and holiday cheer and then drove North. Among our many festive events were a few memorable culinary experiences....

My favorite NYC Christmas event is the Bronx Botanical Garden Holiday Train Show. A miniature version of NYC is constructed out of plant products, and model trains snake around the Statue of Liberty, the George Washington Bridge, and many other historical buildings. As you can imagine, this was quite a hit with Anna's kids.

Ollie and I hide out in the gingerbread house in the Children's Garden.

After working up our appetites by marveling at the trains and playing in the Children's Garden, we drove to Arthur Avenue, "the real Little Italy", to fill our bellies. We went to Dominick's, where we were greated by a boisterous crowd of early-dining Italian-Americans. The waiter did not present us menus, he just asked, "Whaddaya feel like eating?" We told him to surprise us, and happily stuffed ourselves with pillowy bread, silky pasta and chicken parmesan which had been pounded flat and fried crisp. We had joked at the sheer amount of food placed before us, but were pretty much all liking the plates by the end of the meal. After dinner, we got an assortment of pastries and coffee from the shop next door and headed back into Manhattan, already missing our dinner.

The Halversons explored the city for a few more days, and on Christmas Eve, we all headed up to our dad's house in Unadilla, NY. Dad had been spiffing the place up in anticipation of Christmas for months, and it looked great! Immediately, the Halversons, our parents, and my boyfriend Adam who joined the fray settled into the activities that Unadilla does best. (i.e. sitting around relaxing and eating).

Gathered around the tree, where we all watched the boys open presents.

I'm pretty sure that the adults enjoyed the boys' presents as much as they did. Again, all this relaxing got our appetites going! Adam and I decided to get to work to make Christmas dinner.

Our menu included:

-sauteed mushrooms

-smashed red potatoes with roasted garlic

-artichokes with rouille dipping sauce

-pork loin

-ice cream and cookies for dessert

The cooking was pretty much standard, but as the pork loin is Dad's sure-fire recipe, I will share it with you:

-make 1-inch stab wounds in a large slab of pork, about 1-2 inches apart

-tuck a clove of garlic into each pocket

-sprinkle rosemary and thyme, and salt and pepper the entire piece of meat

-roll the pork into a cinnamon-bun shape, and tie it with string

-brown the meat on all sides in a sautee pan

-stick it in the oven to complete cooking at 350 degrees

-after about 30-45 minutes, it should be done (use a meat thermometer to ensure >150 degrees)

-slice and serve

English Crackers have long been a tradition at our Christmas Feast. Even little Elliot is a king!

We all sat down to a delicious meal and realized how truly lucky we are to be able to be together as a family.