Melt In Your Mouth, Grilled Teriyaki Wagyu Beef Sliders

This story will break your heart.  Shatter it.  Into millions of pieces.  I'm warning you.  I should probably just start penning a book called "Jenn's Super Sad Story."  Seth has been working nights and weekends (in addition to regular daytime hours). For months.  Then one glorious sunny Saturday, he decided to take a break and not go in for the day, just spend the day at home.  Even though I was feeling sluggish from not sleeping well and had a weird feeling in my throat, I was going to make the most of the day.  So we decided to do something low-key but fun - like grill!  We figured out what to grill, went out for lunch and afterwards obtained the necessary ingredients for our dinner.  And once all that happened, I realized I was sick.  Sore throat, headache, all that fun stuff.  So I helped make these sliders, but totally couldn't enjoy them the way they were meant to be enjoyed. Instead I savored some ice cream.  Since that never fails an ailing throat.  So that is the super sad story about how I was sick on the one day Seth was home and couldn't enjoy these sliders and "had" to eat ice cream instead.  I warned you that it would tug on your heartstrings in a profound way.  That said, Seth gave me some of this meat, fresh off the grill, and I can say it was absolutely melt-in-your-mouth amazing.  He insists they are the best sliders he's ever had, and still fresh in his mind a week later.  He even liked the pineapple on them!  And he hates pineapple!

Ingredients
2/3 cup mirin
1 cup soy sauce
4 teaspoons rice vinegar
1 teaspoon sesame oil
¼ cup brown sugar
7 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon minced ginger
1 tablespoon minced jalapeno pepper
1 inch strip of orange peel

3/4 pound thinly sliced waygu beef
butter lettuce
Japanese cucumber, sliced
radish sprouts
Maui sweet onion, halved then sliced thinly
fresh pineapple slices, cored
scallions, chopped
jalapeno slices
Sriracha
mini kaiser rolls

Instructions
To make the teriyaki sauce:  Place the mirin in a medium pot and boil over high heat.  Reduce to medium low and add the soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, jalapeno, and orange peel.  Simmer for 20 minutes.  Refrigerate to cool.

Once the teriyaki sauce has cooled, marinate the beef.  Place the beef in a resealable bag and cover with the sauce.  Let it marinate for at least an hour in the refrigerator.

Preheat grill to high (roughly 400°).  Lay down grill-proof griddle and allow 3-4 minutes to preheat.  Working in batches, as necessary, place marinated beef on griddle and flatten out.  After 30 seconds to a minute, flip the meat and let cook for another 30 seconds to a minute before removing.  Both sides should be browned and only slightly charred.

Brush onion slices, pineapple slices, and cut sides of rolls with canola oil.  Place canola oil in a small bowl.  Using a paper towel or cloth, dip in canola oil and rub over hot grill grates to prevent sticking.  Grill the onions and pineapple on high heat until they have a light char on either side.  Place the rolls, cut side down, on the grates, and remove when lightly toasted.

To assemble the sliders:  Place a lettuce leaf on bottom slice of the bun.  Then layer cucumber slices, grilled pineapple, meat, grilled onions, jalapeno slices, scallions, radish sprouts, and top with a drizzle of Sriracha.

Beef Trends

As I mentioned in my last post, I'm just back from West Virginia where I attended the Certified Angus Beef conference. It was a great opportunity to meet with chefs, talk to butchers and learn more about beef--the trends, the choices and what's on the horizon. When it comes to beef, just like chocolate or wine or coffee, the more I learn, the more I realize there is to learn. 

First a few common misconceptions, when it comes to beef:

Only some beef is grass fed. Actually all beef is grass fed. It's just a question of how it's "finished" Certified Angus Beef is finished on a feed lot and eats grain to bulk up in size and improve marbling of the meat. If you want to buy grass fed, pay attention to how it's finished. Some beef being sold as grass fed is not the same as "grass finished." 

Grass fed beef is healthier. I used to think so, but it turns out the evidence is mixed. While grass fed beef does have higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids, it's not a great source of them. And as an article in the New York Times concluded, " it’s not clear whether the nutritional differences in the two types of meat (grass fed versus conventional) have any meaningful impact on human health." Meanwhile other research challenges the benefits of grass fed over grain finished. I think the jury is out on this one.

Fresh beef is better than frozen. Not really. Freezing actually improves the tenderness of beef, since ice crystals penetrate muscle and research shows there is no real moisture loss difference between fresh and frozen meat. Beef, like chicken and pork are expected to go up in price in the coming year and since meat prices vary throughout the year, take advantage of the cost savings and consider buying frozen beef. You won't be sacrificing quality. 

And the trends….

Bone in steaks! I saw this when I dined at Sidecut at the Four Seasons Whistler where a 52 ounce porterhouse, a 36 ounce rib eye and a 36 ounce strip steak are all served bone in and carved table side. This is a fun way to dine! I haven't done a side by side taste test of steak cooked on the bone versus off the bone, but generally speaking, meat on the bone tastes better. 

Signature grinds are a trend that is due to the popularity of gourmet burgers. It's not just the coarseness of the grind, but the very mix or meats such as short rib, prime rib, brisket or strip steak. What makes some burgers taste better than others? One secret is oleic acid. Oleic acid is the primary mono- unsaturated fatty acid in beef and accounts for about 33% of the fatty acid in beef (it's also found in olive oil) research shows that monounsaturated oleic acid does not raise cholesterol. It's this fat that is partly responsible for making meat taste so good and is found in higher percentages in very marbled beef. There is some very interesting research on this topic. Other ways burgers become "gourmet" include seasonings, fillings and toppings. My favorite to date has to be the marrow burger which is off the menu at Luella. But burgers with bacon, cheese and caramelized onions (and ground bacon in the grind), like the one at Marlowe are pretty spectacular too. 

Smaller portions. Hallelujah!  When I go to a steak house I typically order the smallest steak, or hope someone will share a large one with me (bone in perhaps?). Frankly I get tired of eating beef after about three to four bites. And I really get tired of having filet mignon be my only option for something more petite. As demand grows for smaller steaks, different cuts are showing up such as the culotte or top sirloin cap, filet of rib, cap of rib, sirloin end, chuck eye and they are very flavorful unlike the less flavorful yet tender filet mignon. For me good quality beef is a treat and a little goes a long way.

New cuts. The way beef is butchered or fabricated, is constantly evolving. Some cuts you may not have seen yet include the braison and merlot, also known as "heel" of the beef round. Both will be less expensive cuts, the braison is best for braising and the merlot can be grilled or cooked whole. 

It strikes me that there is something for everyone whether you want a big hunk of meat on the bone a gourmet burger or just a smaller portion. Which trends are you most excited about?

Disclosure: I learned about the trends at the Certified Angus Beef conference where I was a guest and my travel expenses were covered. I was not paid to write this or any other post. Special thanks to Kyle Miller and Michael Ollier for their terrific educational session and meat cutting demonstration.
 

Vanilla Latte with Vanilla Syrup and Vanilla Infused Raw Sugar

After a two month hiatus from my world travels, I was inspired to pick up my pans and camera this afternoon. Earlier today I found myself was standing in line at a coffee shop that shall not be named but that rhymes with Far Shucks. I was ready to suck it up and order at Tall Vanilla Latte to sate by caffeine and vanilla craving, when I got to thinking about how badly I was being ripped off. Now I don't mind paying a little extra for really good stuff I can't make myself, but coffee? vanilla syrup? steamed milk? Hello? I rather put my hard earned money in my gas tank - I know for sure I can't make petrol.

In my kitchen, one latte costs about .25 cents. At trendy, overpriced baristas, a Tall Vanilla Latte costs close to $3.00 bucks. Needless to say I left, and here I am - showing you the way to a super delicious, steaming cup of rich, dark coffee, swirled with a pillowy mound of frothy hot foam and sweetened with homemade vanilla syrup. And as if this weren't sexy enough, it's topped off with a sprinkling of vanilla-infused raw sugar.You don't need any fancy equipment or supplies, so have fun and experiment with different simple syrups and garnishes, using this recipe as your template!

Other than milk, all you need is right here: rich, oily coffee beans, vanilla syrup and raw sugar

 I like to use a mug that takes two hands to hold - but you can use whatever makes you happy

Vanilla Latte
1/2 cup super strong rich coffee or espresso
1 cup skim or 1% steamed milk
2-3 teaspoons vanilla syrup (see below)
1 tsp. vanilla infused raw sugar for garnish (see below)

Vanilla Syrup (Recipe can be doubled)
1 cup water
3/4 cup white sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Combine water and sugar in a heavy sauce pan bring to a boil for 5 minutes.
Remove from heat and add vanilla.
Let cool then store in a clean glass jar in the refrigerator.

Vanilla Infused Raw Sugar
2 cups raw sugar
1 vanilla bean

Pour sugar into a resealable jar, place vanilla bean in center of sugar and seal.
The longer the vanilla bean stays in the sugar, the more heavenly the scent and taste.
*I never take it out - just add more sugar as needed

Make the Latte
1. Brew your coffee as you normally do, but don't be afraid to add an extra scoop. If you grind your own beans, even better!
2. Pour syrup into bottom of good sized coffee mug.
3. In a glass measuring cup, pour in milk.
4.Using a frother (available at most stores like Target, BB&B), froth cold milk until good and foamy. If you don't have a frother, use your blender as though you were making a frappe.
5. Microwave milk for about 20 seconds (watch carefully so it doesn't overflow) until the you see the foam expanding (depending on your microwave this may take longer).
6. Add milk to syrup and cup.
7. Pouring down the inside of the cup so as not to disturb the milk, pour desired amount of coffee.
8. Top with a sprinkling of vanilla-infused raw sugar.




&#169 2010-2012, What's Cooking in Your World? Sarah Commerford/All Rights Reserved

Chefs on Beef

When it comes to beef, the kind of you choose is truly a matter of taste and personal preference. There are different cuts, different preparations and of course different breeds. Me? I care about humane treatment of animals and healthy eating, but first and foremost I want something that tastes really good. And so do chefs. One the last day of the Certified Angus Beef conference in West Virginia I got to hang out with chefs at the bucolic Ironside Ranch. It was a great opportunity to eat, talk and learn what cuts and types of beef they serve and sell.

I spoke with three outstanding and award-winning chefs--Govind Armstrong who has been involved in a variety of different restaurants including a chain of burger joints, Keoni Chang, a corporate chef with a supermarket from Hawaii, who has a CIA culinary degree and a restaurant background and Matt Hill, a steak house chef who has also worked in fine dining and also has a CIA culinary degree. I learned while they each have their personal preferences, ultimately they all believe in offering variety to their customers.

Govind Armstrong, Post & Beam (and 8 oz Burger Bar), Los Angeles CA

I was excited to meet chef Govind Armstrong, especially after enjoying a fantastic meal he served the night before. His beef preparations included a sous vide then seared dry aged filet of strip and crisp smoked beef bacon. Govind told me he has been using Certified Angus Beef for many years, he first learned about it when he worked with chefs Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger. He was impressed with the quality and has used it ever since. He appreciates the consistency and though he uses different cuts at the different restaurants he is affiliated with, he's a fan of the culotte. The tenderness and consistency mean "it's one less thing I have to worry about." 

He enjoys good quality meat and told me he has spent time in Argentina where all beef is  strictly grass fed and finished. The beef is a different texture, but one he appreciates saying it's grassier but that it's not what he wants everyday. He uses the middle meats such as the strip loin and barrel cut (a marbled part of the rib eye). He's a fan of cooking beef sous vide and adds seasonings and clarified butter to add flavor and richness. He noted different in some places like Mississippi and Louisiana, everyone tends to want their beef well done and that affects his choice of beef as well. 

Keoni Chang, Foodland Supermarkets, Honolulu HI

Keoni, a chef with a fine dining background told me he was brought on board at Foodland to improve the quality of the perishable food in the supermarket from the bakery through to the deli. The store was offering mostly Select grade beef and he felt it was important to expand the options. He likes the Choice grade and tried another company's product before settling on Certified Angus Beef. His stores also carry local and grass fed beef. The population in Hawaii is used to often using thinner cuts for Asian preparations but he says they are starting to want more thick steaks they can grill too. 

Which is best? He says it comes down to a lifestyle choice for most people and he wants to satisfy as many customers as he can. He focuses on the sub primals such as the top sirloin, rib eye, strip loin and one of his favorite, the boneless short ribs off the chuck which he says has great marbling. When it comes to the Choice grade, he points out there is a lot of variation from beef that is just a cut above Select to beef that is almost Prime. With Certified Angus Beef, he says "we are getting close to the Prime experience."

Matt Hill, Charlie Palmer Steak, Washington DC

Matt told me he chooses Certified Angus Beef for the consistency it provides. He appreciates the higher level of marbling and tender product. In taste tests he preferred Certified Angus Beef dry aged strip loins to American wagyu beef, referencing the mouthfeel in particular. 

He also buys locally raised grass fed quarters and whole animals and enjoys breaking down the product in his restaurant. For grass fed he prepares carpaccio and charcuterie, while for Certified Angus Beef he is particularly fond of the culotte. He also admitted that farm to table is easier to do with pork than with beef. 

Note: Matt was one of StarChef's Rising Stars in 2010 and has just left Charlie Palmer Steak to work at a new concept. Stay tuned! 

Disclosure: I was a guest at the Certified Angus Beef conference and my travel expenses were covered, however I was not paid to write this or any other post.

Banana Nutella Walnut Bread

I suppose that if we were normal human beings we would be telling you that our favorite activities to do as a couple include long walks on the beach, or whittling pieces of driftwood into home decor pieces, or reading poetry to each other in front of the fireplace.  But no, our very favorite thing to do as a couple is annoy each other.  We are really good at it!  Professionals, really.  We can sit in the same room for hours and just make random noises and sounds and comments to each other that we know will irk the other one.  I have a truly amazing ability to sing incredibly off-key quite loudly.  And I use that ability.  Oh I use it.  I also have been blessed with the gift of pretending to sing opera.  I make use of that.  Naturally.  Seth can make this one sound and hold it for ridiculously long period of time and it never ceases to annoy me.  He is also incredibly skilled at asking annoying questions over and over and over again.  We aren't being mean to each other - we are just child-like (or childish, depending on your perspective).  So what could be better than to annoy him with than banana bread with Nutella swirled in it?  I totally foresee questions like - how in the world is banana bread an annoyance?  Well, Seth HATES bananas.  Passionately.  He can detect when a baked good has banana in it from like a mile away.  It is uncanny.  Now I just have to sit back and wait to see how he retaliates.

Ingredients 
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup white whole wheat flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup brown sugar
3 bananas, mashed
1/3 cup canola oil
1/4 cup whole  milk
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
2 tablespoons flax seed
2/3 cup toasted walnuts
1/3 cup Nutella

Instructions
Heat oven to 350.  Grease a 9x5 loaf pan.  Whisk flours, baking powder,  baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.  In a large bowl, stir together brown sugar, bananas, canola oil, milk, eggs, vanilla extract, and almond extract.  Gently stir the the flour mixture into the wet ingredients, being careful not to over mix.  Stir in the flax seeds, and toasted walnuts.  Pour batter in loaf pan.  Swirl in the Nutella.  Bake for about 45-50 minutes, until the loaf has a golden-brown color and a cake tester comes out clean.

Scallion and Cheddar Drop Biscuits

I think it is good and important to critique structures and institutions that make up our everyday lives.  Whether it is interrogating patriarchy, kyriarchy, capitalism, U.S. imperialism, colonialism - I am all for reimagining a more just and equal world.  But I have my limits.  And I draw the line at bread.  I fully support the hegemony of bread.  I feel like bread has been receiving a bad rap.  I'm supposed to be all like, "Oh I feel so much better after not eating bread."  Bread is a "sometimes" food.  No.  I am a fervent believer in the amazingness of bread and other, great bread-like products.  So there!  Here are some scallion and cheddar biscuits to celebrate.

Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into tiny pieces
3 scallions, chopped
2 cups coarsely grated cheddar cheese
1 cup half and half

Instructions
Heat oven to 450.  In a large bowl, whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, paprika, and garlic powder.  Add the pieces of butter and using your fingers work the butter with the flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumble.  Stir in the chopped scallions and cheddar cheese.  Then stir in half and half.  Drop the batter onto a Silpat-lined baking sheet in large spoon-fuls.  Bake for about 15-20 minutes, until they have a golden brown color.

Sunshine Smoothie

You know when you convince yourself that you can indeed carry that very large pile of laundry up the stairs in one trip without the laundry basket?  Because the laundry basket has been lost to the cause of either being a bed for a cat or to a toddler to commandeer?  And so you begin the trek up, full of confidence.  And then a sock slips out.  And then you pick it up.  And then two more shirts drop. This slapstick like scenario continues.  Then, finally, for 4 amazing stairs, you actually do keep it all together.  And you feel all smug, because you totally did indeed succeed in making it up the stairs with the ridiculous sized load in one trip!

Trying to make this smoothie was a similar production.   This smoothie is the one that almost didn't happen.  Oranges were obtained, then lost to a little guy with a fickle appetite.  All the oranges.  Ginger was assumed to be sitting peacefully in the crisper drawer, hanging out with carrots and celery.  But it wasn't.  I had never picked it up.  Then ginger and oranges were all ready to go, but we repeated the ginger episode with the pineapple.  Finally, luckily, all these things came together.  I felt all smug, having finally succeeded in corralling all the necessary ingredients together, and making a smoothie that should have only taken 10 minutes to begin with.

Ingredients 
2/3 cup crushed pineapple
1/2 cup buttermilk
zest of 1 orange
juice of 1 orange
1 banana
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions
Place everything in a bowl and blend with an immersion blender (or place in a blender and blend).  Serve over crushed ice if desired.

Grilled Cheese with Fontina, Pear, and Walnut Spread and Mixed Greens

I should probably just go ahead and call this "the lunch I ate the other day."  With the key word there being "I."  This was all mine.  Almost everything else we eat is for sharing, it's communal, it is for togetherness.  It is all so lovely and nurturing and familial.  I mean, we are super huge fans of dipping for this communal aspect!  But sometimes you just need something to call your own.  Like a room.  But instead of a room, I had some lunch.  A good something, though fleeting.  

Max was asleep, blissfully (or so I assume) asleep in his bed.  Alternatively, he could have been scampering around his bedroom pulling out books to "read" and toy cars to play with and diapers to drape over his arms.  Either way, nary a peep was heard from him.  Seth was the opposite of "blissful," putting in yet another round of weekend hours on a project at work.  

So I made this - and for 15 wonderful moments I savored each and every bite.  I stood at the kitchen counter with food in one hand and flipped through a magazine with the other.  Multitasking at its finest.  All while standing on one leg (It has come to my attention that I am often found standing in a weird birdlike position - on one leg with the other bent out, and I know this because I have caught Max copying me and realized what I was doing).  I somehow even managed to get all the dishes cleaned up before Max awoke.  It was as though it never happened.  But I at least know it did.

Ingredients
1/2 cup toasted walnuts
1 peeled pear
1 tablespoon olive oil
pinch kosher salt

Fontina cheese, sliced
slices of pear (to cover the cheese)
2 slices whole wheat bread
1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard
salt and pepper to taste
dollop of honey
2 cups mixed greens

Instructions
To make the sandwich: Start by making the chunky walnut spread.  Throw the walnuts, pear, olive oil, and salt in a food processor.  Pulse for 30 seconds to a minute, until a chunky spread forms.  Save any unused portion for later.  Spread on a slice of bread.  Add pear slices and fontina cheese to taste.  Top with the other slice of bread.

Melt the butter in a cast iron skillet over medium heat.  Once one side has turned golden-brown, flip to brown the other side.

To make the salad:  Whisk the vinegar, olive oil, mustard, salt, pepper, and honey together.  Toss the mixed greens with the salad dressing to taste.  Add toasted walnuts, if desired.

Soft Scrambled Eggs with Smoky Seasonings and Chives

I think I am going to go ahead and classify my relationship to eggs as "complicated."  On the one hand, I adore almost everything about them - how they get all wonderfully creamy when hard boiled...so runny when fried, so very big when the whites are whipped...you get the picture.  

But on the other hand, egg is such a weird word to say.  And to look at.  It is only three letters and two of them are the letter g?  How did that end up qualifying as a word?  

Then there is the slightly bigger issue.  I am perhaps a bit touchy about the word because it was my sister's and then consequently my best friend's (waves at Jess!) nickname for me.  According to my sister, my shoulder looks like an egg... and therefore I am to be called egg.  Strange child she was.  Regardless, we love her.  You should see the the egg stuff I have been given through the years by these two - a pot scraper shaped like an egg, a whisk with an egg for a handle, a sparkly purple egg, a really weird puzzle egg.  Photos of eggs posted to my Facebook wall.  Fried-egg gummies.  To this day, I continue to feel anxious around the e-word.  

Yet life must go on, and I  just can't let my issues interfere with using this most delicious foodstuff.  Now that is a fun word - just cramming an unnecessary word right next to another one!  Another fun word is hullabaloo - I've yet to be in a situation that required use of that word, but one day, just you wait, I will gleefully whip that baby out. And it will be a joyous occassion.     

After reading about this soft scrambled technique in Bon Appetit, I was smitten. 

Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 eggs
scant 1/4 teaspoon smoked sea salt
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon ancho chile powder
2 tablespoons chopped chives

Instructions 
This makes enough for 2 servings.  In a medium saucepan over low heat, whisk the olive oil, salt, paprika, garlic powder, ancho chile powder, and eggs together continuously for about 4 minutes, until small curds have formed and it is no longer soupy.  You don't want it runny, but you also don't want it dry.  Top each serving with a tablespoon of chopped chives.

Sweet and Spicy Avocado and Shells

I was 23 when we first met.  I wouldn't say it was love at first bite, but because of geographic circumstances our love affair wouldn't happen until a bit later anyways.  I had been listening to NPR at work one morning when they aired a segment suggesting simply seasoned avocado mashed with lime and spread on sourdough toast for breakfast.  Even though I hadn't actually had an avocado at that point (having grown up in a northeast Pennsylvania former mining town), I said to myself, "Yes, yes that is what I want.  That is clearly the meaning of life.  Avocado for breakfast.  On toast.  I want to be a person who eats avocado on sourdough for breakfast."  At that point we were living in Seattle, and somehow, on my first try, I picked out an avocado that was perfectly ripe and ready to eat (which is surprising, because, as I now know, most of them are sold hard, meant to be eaten after a few days to a week).  That segment on NPR was correct - it was most definitely good.  But it wasn't quite meant to be at that point.  A year later we ended up in Southern California, where we could at long last resume our relationship. And what a relationship it has been.  Always being there for us, so creamy and green and buttery.  And since then we have all lived happily together.  Even the notoriously picky lad has fondness for this produce.  

Now, as for this particular avocado pasta recipe goes, I feel as though I should be apologizing for the light green hue.  Saying such things like, "Oh it may appear an unappealing green, but once you dig in you'll love it."  But I cannot do that.   I cannot sincerely apologize for the hue.  It is apologizing for an essential part of avocado.  And I cannot do that to this fruit/vegetable thing.  I just can't.  We just need to accept - nay - celebrate its wonderful green color.  I love the avocado for its entire being - not only for its creamy, buttery flesh, but also for its hard pit and its scaly green skin.  And for the fresh pea color it gives this pasta.  

Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 shallot, minced
5 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 cup vegetable broth
2 avocados
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons lime juice
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon toasted and ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 cup frozen corn kernels
1/2 cup frozen peas
12 ounces medium shells

Instructions
Bring a large pot of water to boil and cook the pasta shells according to pasta directions.  Drain the pasta, then set aside the pot to use later (if you are interested in reducing the amount of dishes used like me, if not - feel free to grab another pot!).  In a bowl, mash together the avocados, lemon juice, kosher salt, pepper, cumin, coriander, and paprika.  Melt the olive oil and butter in the reserved pot over medium heat.  Add shallot.  Once that softened, add the garlic and red pepper flakes.  Saute for a minute, until fragrant.  Add the vegetable broth, and let everything cook together for a minute.  Reduce heat to low and pour the shells in the pot.  Then add the avocado mixture, coating the shells with the avocado.  Add the corn and peas.  Once the peas and corn are cooked, take off heat and serve.

Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream

Since having our little nugget boy, I have become fixated on cookie cutters.  Like, the universe might implode if we don't have the appropriate cookie cutter to correspond to holidays, outings, activities, lessons, etc.  I have amassed a bit of a collection, which isn't too hard when you can buy gigantic containers of 100 for like 10 dollars.  But it isn't even the little guy who likes having fun-shaped treats.  He has made it quite clear that he is completely and utterly unimpressed to receive a sandwich cut out into the shape of a truck.  I, on the other hand, am very impressed by our ability as a society to provide the tools to make sandwiches into truck shapes.   I'm apparently the real toddler in this parent-child relationship.  That is why the gingersnap cookies are in little heart shapes.  I was feeling "heartsy."  I also made an owl! But I ate him before he could end up in the photo.  I guess I could have given that one to Max, but lets face it, he would not have appreciated it as much as I did.  

I really wanted to make a pumpkin pie now that we have moved into September.  And I like to pretend that there really is Autumn here in Southern California.  However, making this pumpkin pie would have caused distress for Seth for two reasons.  Number 1 - He doesn't like pumpkin.  Okay, fair enough.  We all have foods we don't like.  But Number 2 - HE DOESN'T LIKE PIE!  How can someone not like pie?  I have no idea how that happened in life.  So since I love baking pumpkin pie in a gingersnap crust, I decided to eliminate the second of these issues.  Because I'm nice like that.  I, however, am not getting rid of the pumpkin.  I feel I compromised enough.  So here is a pumpkin pie ice cream into which I dipped gingersnap cookies.  The ice cream is best fresh, so remove it about 15 minutes before serving if storing in the freezer.  

Ingredients
1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
1 cup coconut milk
2 cups heavy cream
2 tablespoons molasses
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon clove
dash pepper
pinch of kosher salt

Instructions 
Place all ingredients in a bowl.  Once again, I am doing an egg-free ice cream, as I am very impatient and hate waiting for the custard to cool.  I like to whisk until a layer of bubbles forms on the surface and the sugar is dissolved.  Pour the mixture into the canister of the ice cream maker and churn according to manufacturer’s directions.  Serve with gingersnap cookies (either store-bought or use your favorite recipe and roll out some fun shapes!)

Mushroom Puffs

"Puff" is one of those splendid words in the English language.  It can be used in multiple situations, as it is a word that is somehow both vague and precise at the same time.  Puffs of smoke, cheese puffs, puffy shirts.  It is also really fun to say.  Puff.   It sounds so fluffy and billowy, like a gust of wind is going to swoop down and whisk it  away.  

Puff is also the term we use for Jiji's paws.  Jiji is our short cat with short legs and tiny white  little paws (mostly - hello toe spot!) that are basically rendered useless by their tinyness.  And we just adore them.  Don't they look like tiny cottonballs?

Then we have these puffs.  Puff pastry stuffed with a savory herb and mushroom mixture.  Maybe not as adorable as the previous puff you've seen, but thats okay.  Instead of being prized for their cuteness, they tend to be devoured quickly and immediately.  Also a good quality.  Try adding some creme fraiche as a cool, refreshing dip.

Ingredients
1 sheet puff pastry, thawed
1/3 cup dried porcini mushrooms (will need to be hydrated)
2/3 cup boiling water
8 ounces cremini mushrooms, chopped
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons chopped chives
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
2 tablespoons mushroom liquid
2 tablespoons port
1 tablespoon soy sauce
pinch lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste
1 egg
splash of milk
creme fraiche and additional herbs, optional, for serving

Instructions
To hydrate the porcini mushrooms: Pour the boiling water over the porcini mushrooms and allow it to sit for at least 2 hours to soften the mushrooms.  Once the mushrooms have softened, chop and set aside.  Reserve the mushroom liquid.

Melt the butter and olive oil in a large sauté pan over high heat. Once the butter has melted and the bubbles in the mixture have started to subside, add the chopped mushrooms. Stir continuously, allowing the mushrooms to absorb the butter and oil mixture. After a few minutes, the mushrooms will brown.  Once that happens, reduce the heat to low and stir in the garlic.  Let that cook for 30 seconds to a minute, then add in the chives, parsley, and thyme.  Stir in the mushroom liquid, port, and soy sauce.  Add a pinch of lemon zest and some lemon juice for a bit of freshness, and adjust salt and pepper to taste.  Take off heat and let the mixture cool.

Heat oven to 400 (or whatever temperture is recommended on your puff pastry dough).  Cut the puff pastry into four squares by slicing horizontally and vertically with a pizza cutter.  Then cut each square into two triangles by slicing on a diagonal.  You will have a total of 8 triangles.  Place about 1 1/2 tablespoons of the filling on each triangle, bring the opposing edges over and seal the puff into a triangle shape.  You may want to use just a bit of water to help seal.  Whisk the egg and milk and brush the mixture on each triangle.  Bake for about 15 minutes until golden brown and puffy.  serve with creme fraiche and herbs, if desired.