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Why I Need Two Pans of Stuffing

11/28/2013

Cornbread Happiness

Because one just isn't enough.

Prep started on Sunday with getting the knives sharpened. Then chopping on Monday.

SoCal Buddhist Cornbread made on Tuesday, specifically for stuffing.

The go-to stuffing is cornbread stuffing with dried fruits. I like sleeping in A Lot More than braving Black Friday chaos, so I have this stuffing for apres-Thanksgiving breakfast too.

This year, I'm trying a 'retro' recipe.

Bacon, green onion bread, onions, celery, mushrooms, golden raisins, apples, spinach and macadamia nuts, based on a Sam Choy recipe from the original "My Favorite Things" selfie cookbook.

This one has a smokier taste than the cornbread stuffing, mostly because of the bacon. The sweet salty balance is apple/thyme/bacon.

The other items are for color and texture, I think. My relatives, I'm quite sure, will let me know what they think of this one.

Click here for the recipe.

Happy Thanksgiving | Happy Hanukkah to all!

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What's Cooking This Week--Not Turkey, Yet

11/25/2013

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Skipping meat this time.

My favorite holiday approaches and I can't wait! However, teenagers still need to be fed, so here's what's cooking for this short week.

Meatless Monday, Buy a Turkey and Start Chopping!
Yakisoba with veggies. A teeny bit of pork makes this very much richer, but it's still good sans animal. Would not recommend adding tofu in this case.

Turkey Saga, Day 1
If you haven't already done so, best to pick up a turkey today. We have been getting fresh Diestel turkeys for years now. It was recommended that we get a hen (girl) rather than a tom (boy). There is no difference in price, and I've not a clue why, but we went with what the Turkey Whisperer told us.

While I love the citrus brine, The husband is trying out a new brine with allspice, cloves, onion, garlic, brown beer ale. I guess the relatives now know they are human guinea pigs once again.

I am also trying out a new old stuffing, based on a Sam Choy recipe. Macadamia nuts, apples, raisins and either bacon or pork sausage. Plus our more traditional cornbread stuffing. Again, the relatives will surely weigh in here too.

Tuesday
Korean chicken soup. It's getting cold for California, so we need soup and a little kim chee to keep us warm.

Wednesday
Gyros. We've been on a Mediterranean kick lately.

Happy Thanksgiving to all!

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Autumn Color--California Style

11/18/2013

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Hachiya persimmons on the drying rack

OK, so it really doesn't get cold here and the leaves don't turn into a riot of oranges and reds the way they did in New England last month.

Our version is kaki season. That's right, persimmons are in full-force right about now. Their leaves turn, fall and leave these gorgeous shiny orange fruits on a bare tree.

There are two kinds of persimmons.

Hachiya persimmons are longer, with a pointed tip at the bottom. These are the kind that are used for drying into hoshigaki (literally, dried persimmon). They can also be used for cooking/baking

The important thing to know here is that one DOES NOT eat Hachiya persimmons when they are firm because the Do Not Taste Good at that time. They may look pretty, but they are very much Not Ripe At All.

If eating, best to wait until it is very, very squishy, to the point where the skin is pretty much the only thing holding the fruit together. If you freeze it at that point, you can eat it as a kind of persimmon shave ice.

Perfect Fuyu persimmons

Fuyu is the other kind of persimmon. These are round and shaped like a tomato. (See left)

These are best peeled and eaten crisp/slightly hard, like an apple. They don't cook or bake so well, which I suppose is why I've never seen a recipe for persimmon pie.

Sun-drying the Hachiya for hoshigaki

Persimmon season has always reminded me of mango season in Hawaii. Lots of people have trees and one ends up with uku-piles of persimmons in a very short time window.

Best to enjoy it while it lasts.

FULL DISCLOSURE:
A big mahalo to a very talented graphic designer/ photographer who graciously agreed to let me showcase these images.

They are from Otow Farms, open in 1911, survived through internment and WW2, and still family-run in what is now Granite Bay, CA.

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What's Cooking This Week--3-Bean Veggie Chili

11/13/2013

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Why should we have four distinct recipes for chili? For the same reason I have many more than 4 pairs of shoes. Depending on how you feel, you need something a little different. This week, we are having a new chili recipe and 'mixed plates.'

Meatless Monday
Oh my goodness. The CARNIVOROUS and anti-celery husband has been converted. I take no credit whatsoever for this winner-winner-veggie dinner. He started with a recipe from the PickyEater blog (which is well-worth perusing!), and proceeded to turn out a wicked chili that includes 3 cans of beans, celery and is completely meatless. It's not faux-Zippy's, our standard (turkey) meat chili, or the sweeter Farmer Kenny's chili, but it is definitely a keeper! We dressed ours up with some pickled peppers and Monterey jack jalapeno cheese. Super spicy and very satisfying.

Food that makes you happy!

Turkey on Tuesday
In preparation, or perhaps in defense of Thanksgiving, turkey burger sliders with fresh cranberry sauce, and a Honeycrisp apple thrown in. We are practicing for turkey day!

Wednesday
Clam pasta and soyrizo. We made this awhile ago and it is long overdue to gt back in the rotation. Using the very last of the summer tomatoes. Love the gentle California stretch into fall/winter.

Humble yet deeply satisfying

Thursday
Variation on lemony-bacon farfalle with greens. After 16 meetings in two days, this will be a little bit of a desperation dinner. Pasta, Italian (turkey) sausage, arugula and a little chicken broth, red pepper flakes and garlic. And ice cream, straight out of the carton. Chunky Monkey is the potion of choice.

Friday
Oyako donburi. Since taking on FTE, the husband has been cooking quite often.This is one of my favorite meals. Nothing fancy, just good homecooking. Perfect way to end the week.

Very excited to be planning for Thanksgiving in a couple of weeks.

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What's Cooking This Week--Whoa, It's Dark

11/4/2013

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Japanese Garden @Golden Gate Park

It's dark outside and our heat has finally kicked in. Fall in the Bay Area means it's cold enough for sweaters and boots. But no snow, sleet, ice or gloating allowed.

Here's what's cooking for the first week of Pacific Standard Time.

Meatless Monday
Black bean burgers with sriracha mayo. Another winning veggie burger from Cooking Light, which we adjusted and expedited. 1/2 a large onion, 3-4 cloves garlic and big handful of cilantro. I did measure the panko since this has do to with texture.

A very good weekday meatless dinner, though the portion is pretty skimpy. It makes exactly four patties. Best to double the recipe.

Tuesday
Chicken Tikka Masala, using bottled sauce as the base with add-ins

Wednesday
Furikake salmon, musubi and ung choy (or choy sum) with shoyu mirin sauce.

Meatless Thursday
What was supposed to be meatless Monday has been re-scheduled. Using the rest of the spinach from Monday to try out the Quinoa Salad with Maple Vinaigrette that I found on Pinterest. This is also a good site for gluten-free recipes.

Friday
PDQ Hot and Sour Soup. The perfect way to end the week.

Finger-lickin' good!

Extras
Sweet and sour chicken leftovers from Sunday's dinner.
I made a LOT of chicken yesterday and these little guys are great for taking for lunch or after-school snacks.

Recycled croissant bread pudding.
This is just too good not to make again. Toss a few apples and maybe a touch of cinnamon in this time.

Have a great week!

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What's Wrong with this Picture?!

11/2/2013

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Decorations at Santana Row. Too early!

Holidays make me happy.

So why am I grousing about this lovely photo of a bedecked Gothic-esque structure in the bright sunlight?

Because I took this picture TODAY.

2 days after Halloween and 52 days before Christmas.

The Jack-o-lanterns haven't even had time to get gross and squishy. Don't get me wrong, I adore Christmas, but every holiday should have its time.

Plus, Thanksgiving is food for the body and soul. No presents, fireworks, or egg-hunting.

Just time to be with our ohana and to be thankful.

Don't let Thanksgiving be reduced to the meal before Black Friday. #SaveThanksgiving

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Why I Need Two Pans of Stuffing

What's Cooking This Week--Not Turkey, Yet

Autumn Color--California Style

What's Cooking This Week--3-Bean Veggie Chili

What's Cooking This Week--Whoa, It's Dark

What's Wrong with this Picture?!

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