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Wonderous Garlic

22 May
How many of us always have garlic in our kitchen?  I appreciate its amazing natural healing elements, the fact that garlic is honorably claimed as “nature’s antibiotic,” and the unproduced flavor it gives to food.  My mom shared her “best kept secret” about garlic (I question if the secret is really guarded, but my mom does not need to know);  how wonderfully inviting aromatic scent it gives to any room.  It smells heavenly to walk into the kitchen where garlic cloves had just been bathed in warm olive oil. I know of some (not I) that actually walked with warm fry pan to each room in the house.

I want to share what I learned from my mom regarding the use and storing of garlic.

Garlic cloves cradled in my infamous wooden mortar/pestle

It comes in numerous forms such as powdered, dried, chopped, peeled cloves and fresh in its natural form.   I like to use fresh garlic, as the fresh flavor cannot be duplicated (although I do sometimes use garlic powder on occasion).  I have found that ready chopped garlic in jars can have a bitter flavor.  Fresh garlic is such an easy item to store and is not expensive so why not buy fresh.  You can leave it on the counter or in the fridge either open or in brown paper bag.  Do not store it in a plastic bag, again as other vegetables, it needs to be exposed to air.
Many people have asked me, how do you crush garlic into a paste.  The answer is very simple and easy. As far as I can remember, my mom, grandma,and aunts have always used a wooden mortar and pestle.  They peel each clove, sprinkle of salt and with a loving force, pound the garlic to a paste.  It becomes incredibly smooth, great for spreading, using raw in salad dressings (I have the best salad dressing for a future blog) or sauteing.  I have tried marble and plastic mortar/pestle sets but have found that the wooden ones give much more control and stability.  I have also tried other gadgets (i.e. garlic crusher) for making garlic into a paste, but nothing  comes near.  The old-fashioned method, the wooden mortar/pestle proves to be the best.

Up close and garlic

One very important to note is that  you need to add salt on the garlic, it helps break it down.  I have tried to pound the garlic without the salt, it doesn’t work nearly as well, the garlic still stays chunky, not smooth enough.  (Biting in a piece or chunk of garlic unexpectedly isn’t always pleasant).  Salt is the secret key to making a smooth paste.  It just takes a few minutes for the process.  Don’t be afraid to use some force to pound the garlic.  I don’t put more than 3 or 4 at a time.  Also, if the garlic is not so fresh, it is alright to use, it just takes a few minutes longer to break down (sometimes the older cloves can be a bit rubbery).

Smooth garlic paste

Simply garlic

Washing the pestle is also very easy.  Just rinse with warm water and transfer immediately to dry.  Do not leave it wet or soaking in the sink, you don’t even need to use soap.  Let it air dry and it will last many years.  I have had this particular one for at least 15 years.  I really cherish mine, not only because of its history but also how it does its job; simply and perfect (do I sound sentimental?).   Over time, a subtle hint of the garlic scent become ingrained in the wood…its wonderful!  If you use the pestle/mortar for ingredients such as spices, I suggest you keep the one for garlic separate.  The scent and taste of the garlic may transfer.

You can purchase these at middle eastern markets for around $7.  Very affordable, it’s a must have item that also showcases well on the kitchen counter.

 
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Posted by on May 22, 2011 in Savory, Vegetarian

 

Lettuce Wraps, Mediterranean Style

12 May
I learned this 100 year old recipe from my mother-in-law about 25 years ago. According to the story, this recipe (along with many others I will share) derived from gathering any local ingredients available in the neighborhood. On the busy Saturdays (being the laundry day), all the women in the area or village, (after hanging the last load of laundry), would gather to make this wonderful, light and amazingly delicious meal. Each would help with the gathering and chopping of the vegetables, then would sit round table and take delight in the freshness, and abundance of the earth’s gifts while sharing stories and happenings of their families.

To this day, my family still enjoys it, and each time,  we are surprised how it is chockfull of flavor (I’m really not sure why) Not only does it please the palate, but as you see by the picture, it is very colorful.   You may recognize it as a resemblance to Taboule.  It has very similar ingredients, but the ratio between the parsley and bulgar is reverse (this has double the amount of bulgar) which addes to the uniqueness of flavor. The freshness of the tomatoes, green onion, peppers, fresh Italian parsley really stand out, each bursting with their own distinct flavors.  This dish is light yet very satisfying and extremely healthy. This is especially refreshing for a light summer meal;  also a great picnic meal addition.   The process in making it is somewhat unconventional from most recipes, but please don’t let that stop you from trying.  It is very basic and easy, give yourself a chance to become accustom to making it.  I believe you will be surprisingly pleased.

As my previous (and most future ones) recipes, quantities are not a science.  You will get a feel with the measurements.   Do not be afraid to experiment.  Each time I make this, it turns out different, and that’s OK.   The flavor can vary especially depending on the tomatoes since they are the heart of the meal.  It still will turn out just fine.

it’s a….Wrap!

chopped tomatoes and bulgar, showcasing the round pan
chopped parsley, mint, green onion, anaheim peppers and basil
closer look at the bulgar after water was added

I prepare this dish in an aluminum pan (as seen in picture) 161/2″ round and 21/4″ deep pan.  This pan also has history.  This pan is about 50 years old and has seen many many days.  Many of the middle eastern grocery stores carry them.  They also come in a few variety of sizes.  The depth and width make the “kneading ” easy, giving it ample room to work in.  If you do not have such a pan, a large mixing bowl will also work. ( The wider, the better).  This recipe will feed at least 4 adults (with some remaining for next day’s lunch).  This meal is also wonderful for the kids, they may think that “scooping ” with the lettuce leaves would be fun.  And do not forget, this meal is so healthy, full of vitamins and high in fiber.

Ingredients

6-8 medium tomatoes or 8-10 Roma tomatoes (fine chopped)

1 bunch Italian parsley (fine chopped)

1 bunch green onion (fine chopped)

2 Anaheim peppers (fine chopped)

1 fresh lemon

sea salt

red chili pepper (optional) (I like it a bit spicy)

1 bunch leaf lettuce (green, red, romaine or bib)

2 cups #1 bulgar

extra virgin Olive Oil

fresh basil and mint(if both are in season) 1/4 c of each chopped

You can chop the vegetables earlier during the day if you are crunched for time.  In fact, you also could have the chopping done the day before and leave it covered in the fridge (separately).

You can buy the bulgar in all ethnic stores ( middle-eastern) grocery stores.  Main-stream and health food stores are also beginning to supply bulgar.  It comes in 4 sizes, named by #1,#2,#3,and #4.  As the number increases, so does the size.  For this recipe, I use #1.  Bulgar is a wonderful, very versatile and healthy whole grain, high in protein.

Again, measurements are not a science, so don’t worry too much about making sure it’s exact.  This recipe is very giving.  Dampen the bulgar very lightly with water just so it softens up.  Leave it about ten minutes ,you then are ready to incorporate the rest of the vegetables with it.

Now, add the tomatoes, and with your hands, mix it almost like you were kneading dough.  The idea here is to break down the tomato into the bulgar, incorporating it into one.  This should take about 6-7 minutes, you can notice if the tomato pieces are blended into the bulgar.  You now can add a juice of 1 lemon,  about 1/3 cup of olive oil,  approx. 2 tsp of sea salt, and red pepper( if you would like).  Mix this again making sure all the ingredients have been worked together.  Finally, add the chopped parsley, green onion, fresh basil, mint, and anaheim pepper.  Mix it all together again and taste.  Each flavor of the ingredient is very distinct and separate, but they come together so perfectly to create a symphony of amazing flavor.

Separate and wash the lettuce leaves and use them as your utensil to “scoop” the mixture from your plate or wrap it like a roll.

“This recipe is a bit different from the norm, only because of its method.   Let this not stop you from trying the recipe.  The ingredients are simple and available most year round, plus you are introducing something unique to your family.

This recipe cost me around $7 plus I had left-overs for the next day.  It holds well in the fridge for up to 5 days.

From my family to yours

Enjoy in good health

 
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Posted by on May 12, 2011 in Recipes, Vegetarian

 

Store Ads

11 May

Well, if you have your pantry list ready with your core ingredients (items you always use such as;  peanut butter, salt, sugar, flour, etc),  you then can start exploring the ads to scope out your items on sale.  I like to plan my menu first according to what I want to serve, what my family likes and what is on sale.  There are certain items that I will buy only at a certain store because I know they have the best price.  For example, since we use a lot of rice, I purchase 2 types of rice (jasmine and calrose) 25 lb bags at Costco.  The quality is great and compared to ethnic stores and grocery stores, Costco’s price is the most economical.  I have found grocery/drug stores have the best deals on cereal.   In last weeks ad, Great Grains cereal sold for $2.25 per box.  It usually runs at $5.00 a box.  The sale price is less than half. Why not then take advantage of the wonderful savings of $2.75.   (I purchased 5 boxes, saved 13.75 just on a cereal).  That is significant savings, well worth the time.   In this case, I ended up buying as much as my space allows.  Last minute purchases can be costly.  Why not pay your self  (difference in price) instead of the grocery stores.  Also look-out for clearance items in grocery stores.  Many times they are seasonal or items they no longer will carry.  In February, I was so excited that QFC ( my local grocery store) put dates on clearance.  I love to cook with them and eat them as a snack.  Dates can be a bit spendy, but I bought approximately 20 lbs for $20 dollars.  I was in heaven.  (I will share some dessert recipes using dates).  They are an amazing fruit.  What a find!  It felt like a treasure hunt, discovering the biggest find. 

You don’t have to visit endless amount of stores and waste your time.  Get in the habit of scanning the store ads, highlight your needed items, purchase them as much as your space and budget allows.  Creating the menu is much easier and simpler when your pantry is stocked.  You then don’t end up shopping last-minute, buying your ingredients not on sale and end up paying much much more than necessary.   This is where and when the stress comes in.  I am all about simplifying and paying as little as possible with-out compromising quality and my time (minimizes trips to the store).

Planning your shopping strategy initially may feel like more work, but that is because it may be new to you.  The investment is well worth the payoff.  Plan your menu with the ingredients you now have in your kitchen  (purchased at the right price).  To me, it is a game between my pocket-book and the grocery store.  I dictate the price at which I will purchase the item.  It is empowering because I make sure I win the game.  Like I have said, I have not yet found a staple item NOT on sale.  Vegetables are a bit more tricky to fit into this ideology, but same principles apply.  Shelf life for fruits and vegetables are short, but if stored properly, they can last longer.  Do not keep them in plastic bags, they need air circulation.  I keep tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, grapes in open containers in the fridge.  Also wash the fruit as you need them, washing and storing  also minimizes their shelf life.   Fruit stands serve well from the spring to early fall.  Vegetable prices are considerably less than from grocery stores.  They also tend to have more variety since they usually serve a more diverse population.  Trust me, this method is easier, much less stressful and economical. 

Thanks to my parents for teaching me a skill ,which to this day has served me quite well.  May you begin to enjoy your savings, a less stressful menu planning while having more time to enjoy life.

 
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Posted by on May 11, 2011 in Living Life, Price Comparisons

 

Cook With Your Heart

09 May

Mechanical, technical, these words almost make things sound robotic, void of the human touch.  An idiom referring to the opposite such as “put your heart in it” brings warmth, the human touch,  almost as if it erases, forgives or overlooks  any flaw.  In other words, any mistake or anything less than perfect is still wonderful because it had been created with the heart, with love.

When cooking, cook with your heart, not just with the recipe.  Allow your memories, (the joy of creating more), and the anticipation of enjoying the meal guide  your hands as you prepare the meal.  Whether I am fixing breakfast or preparing Sunday dinner, I envision my family and friends being together.  It is calming and very gratifying.  If its your first meal or an attempt at a new recipe, you may feel anxious or fear that it won’t turn out “picture perfect.”  That’s OK.  Real dinners usually don’t mimic the picture from the cookbook… they may, but certainly don’t have to. (I don’t recall the reality of my dinners resembling  pictures in any cookbook).   Many a times when we have tried new recipes, they had not turn-out what we imagined it to be.  It didn’t matter.  It did create conversation, laughter and memories. Yes, you can laugh at what doesn’t turn out (I don’t like to refer to them as “mistakes”). Cooking with the heart does not solely involve the meal;  it bonds the connection with each other to the meal.  That is why the meal is a success.

 
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Posted by on May 9, 2011 in Family Traditions

 

Eggplant with tomatoes and onion

01 May
Eggplant with tomatoes and onion

show-casing italian eggplant, vine-rippened tomatoes, yellow onion, anaheim and sweet japanese peppers

small chopped yellow onion, anaheim and sweet japanese peppers
small chopped vegetables (just added the tomatoes)
tomato mixture in heavy stainless steel 5 quart pot
cooked onion, peppers, tomato and tomato paste
adding eggplant and garlic to cooked tomato mixture
final, cooked eggplant with tomato/onion sauce

6-8 small italian eggplant (or 2-3 lg eggplant)

1 lg onion (medium chopped)

4-5 chopped tomatoes

2 anahiem pepper (or 1 hotter pepper of your choice)

approx 2 tablespoon tomato paste

vegetable and olive oil

salt (preferably sea salt)

7-8 cloves garlic med chopped

This recipe is very giving on the quantity of the ingredients.  Pay attention to the process and amount of salt.  If you have one less tomato or anaheim pepper, its OK.  Feel free to play around with the amounts.

This dish is very simple and incredibly tasty.  The ingredients are simple, yet full of flavor.  It has always been a favorite of the family.  It  is better served at room temperature, so if you want to serve it for dinner, you can make it the day before or the morning of.  The flavors intensify with time.  Because of the many colors, the presentation is also inviting to the palate.  We usually eat it with pita bread, using the bread as our utensil to scoop up all the juices.  If you have leftovers, this dish also works well if you put it in the food processor just until all is blended (chunks are ok).  It makes a wonderful spread on crackers or crostini bread for appetizers. 

When buying the eggplant, look for a green tip (the greener tips indicate freshness).  Make sure that all parts of the eggplant are firm, not bruised or discolored.  If the eggplant is not firm and green, they tend to be more seedy and bitter.  Italian small eggplant are the best, japanese ones are also good, they are longer in size and have a lighter purple color where as the italian are a darker purple, almost black.

Wash the eggplant and cut the green tips off.  Wash peppers and tomatoes.  As shown in the picture, I use a heavy bottom stainless steel pan, works beautifully since the food doesn’t stick to the bottom.

Chop the onion and any pepper you have (you could also use red pepper if you want).  Start sauteing the onion mixture with about 1/4 cup of vegetable or canola oil.  While the onions cook, chop tomatoes and garlic.  Keep a close watch on the onions, you want them to be translucent but not too brown.  Once they are ready, add the tomatoes and the couple of spoons of tomato paste.  Add the salt, cover the pan and let the mixture cook under low heat.  You want everything to break down and come to a nice sauce.  Keep checking the mixture, you may need to add a bit of water (couple tablespoons)  if it’s too thick.  Taste the sauce, make sure you can taste for the amount of salt.  Don’t be afraid to add if it tastes bland.  Once the mixture has come together nicely, add the eggplant, line them up so they fit comfortably in the pot.  Add the garlic around, cover and let it simmer.  You will need to check it periodically; as the eggplant cooks, it will release water and will cook down.  Try not to mix it too much, gently with a wooden spoon, you can help re-arrange the ingredients by moving the spoon to the bottom and sides of pan.  Remember to keep the lid on, but towards the end (about 15 min), you can keep the lid partially open.  Let it all cook for approx. 1 hr or so, or until all the eggplant is soft and cooked.  Please taste for salt again.  At the end, (once you have turned off the heat)  you can drizzle some extra virgin olive oil (once or twice around the pan).  This gives it an extra rich flavor.  This will feed at least 6-8 people with left-overs. 

This dish is exceptionally wonderful.  It is very healthy, simple and full of flavor.  I buy the eggplant more towards the summer, securing its freshness and lower price.  I use fresh (or home frozen) tomatoes, buy them on sale only.  I find that canned tomatoes have a rubbery texture and don’t break down easily when cooked.  So buy the ingredients on sale, it doesn’ t and shouldn’t be expensive to taste great.  Enjoy with good health.

Eating good, all….ways.

 
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Posted by on May 1, 2011 in Vegetarian

 

The Power of Food

25 Apr

Holidays, yearly celebrations, any and all gatherings and functions. what do they have in common?  Food.  Food that binds and brings together friends, family and strangers to a common cause.  It becomes the catalyst to promote, support and create conversations, dialogues with any two or more people.  It is amazingly powerful, not only does it nurish and feed the body, but also is paramount to the soul.  If any two or more gather, an underlying question or thought might be ” will there be something to eat”, or “I wonder what food will there be?” It is a total pleasure to the point of salivating at the anticipation of the actual act of eating the food.

From river side fishing trips, grand weddings, business meetings to memorials, and first dates, food will be present, the common thread. Food also is the velcro to our own cultures, family rituals and generational stories.  Its the adhesive that brings the past generations alive to the present.  What stories and rituals are we creating for our families of today and tomorrow? What a wondrous gift. 

How is it that baked goods; cookies, cakes, ice-cream and pies take on a friendly face for holidays, then turn around and almost become the enemy for us in relation to the diet war.  Does it have to be looked at as bad or good.  I think moderation is the key, but it appears that this simple one word is so difficult to attain.  Can we just have one piece of cake or cookie once in a while?  Diet foods prove not to work in replacement of our own judgement to quantity control.  Lets enjoy food for what it is and what its meant to be, lets keep it real with no substitutions or replacements.  It doesn’t work!  Looking forward to a Sunday dinner, holiday meal, leisure weekend brunch or a picnic can always be a constant positive in our lives.  Why not extend this celebration to our everyday living?

 
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Posted by on April 25, 2011 in Living Life

 

What’s for Dinner?

25 Apr

I would bet that this is the most raised question everyday with most families, “what’s for dinner.”  Is it dreaded, feared, ignored, or welcomed?  How much attention is it given, or better yet, how much attention does it deserve? Families all across the nation have to attend to this everyday.  Whether you cook or not, dinner in some form will be provided.  I know of families where mom almost hates hearing this question only because the later part of this question is followed by ” not this again…I don’t like this!” They cringe anticipating it.  Hearing this over and over again would not do wonders to the creative eagerness needed in planning the menu to feed the hungry souls.

How does each family attend to this question?  Some plan a menu for the week, others do it day by day depending on schedules, or is this fundamentally essential human need answered depending on what take-out correlates with the day of the week.

How did our parents, our grand parents and their parents deal with this.  How many choices did they have on their plate?  I guess the bank accounts ( or lack there of) is a determining factor as to how to answer the question, but ironically, some of the best foods came from the times where there was less abundance. There wasn’t the conveniences of prepared food, fast foods, or gourmet take-out. So how can we answer this question where all  parties (family chefs and diners) are happy?  With the all the endless choices of cookbooks, cooking channels, how can this question still be a dread, a inconvenience, a burden for so many?  What does it take for us to be able to integrate this potentially celebrated part of the day into our daily lives.  Maybe we are bombarded with too many choices (many of which shouldn’t exist).  Perhaps we would benefit from less,…going back to the times of “this is what there is,lets enjoy it.”  Simplifying may be the key, eating from the earth’s bounty always sounds good, but is it applicable in today’s life style?  Yes it can work, more importantly, for today and tomorrow’s generations, we can not afford it not to work.  Lets start thinking for ourselves, thru our past generations and our own cultures. Not soley thru the voices of our environment, food manufacturers or our media. Lets bring back the true celebration of eating something that tastes so good, very basic, chock full of nutrient, and recognizable as whole real food.  Allow present and future generations to experience the beauty and importance the very basic and magical time at the dinner table.

 
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Posted by on April 25, 2011 in Family Traditions, Living Life

 

Welcome to LifesCooking.com!

25 Apr

When did we start “trying to eat healthy?”  When did we start realizing that the American diet wasn’t so healthy after-all (despite the all the low-fat, low-carb, no hydrogenated oils, processed foods)?  When did families start wanting to make dinner easy and convenient and effortless?  How did food take on a different identity other than nutrition for the body, and pleasure for the pallet?

Why do children have “their own special diet” as they graduate from month to month or year to year?  How and when did chicken nuggets contain the highly needed nutrition of a toddler or child?    It appears as time goes on that our high-paced society is continuously looking for the fast and easy answer for dinner time.

Endless recipes, cookbooks and cooking shows may have the answer, but why do we still default to our learned rituals of fast foods or packaged, boxed or frozen substitutes for feeding our families.  Are food labels, advertisers and processed food companies become our bible for dinner time?

Are we chasing our tails seeking and searching for the perfect answer to such a basic and fundamental need of feeding ourselves?

I guess the bottom line is asking ourselves, “what do I want?”  Do I want to invest in myself and family by eating healthy, great tasting food or am I looking for the convenient substitute from processed, already prepared so called food?

You can have your cake and eat it too.  The food revolution does demand a change of thinking, a different approach and respect to real  whole food, its preparation and integration into our hectic, crazy paced lives. We can’t afford not to adopt this change. What are we afraid of?  The pendulum is moving slowly to a more simpler time ironically when things appear to become more complex with and overload of the high-tech world.  Whey are we trying to migrate to a more simpler way?  Are we aiming towards ” the more simpler times” of our ancestors.  Is there a dissonance between the basic needs of us humans vs the complexity and huge variety of today’s progressive and confusing times.

I would like to share my experiences and knowledge of how to feed our families with healthy food and yet make it a doable process even for the busiest families.  We had a family restaurant for over 30 years.  I am first generation Armenian.  These two facts combined have provided me a library of recipes with such diversity and richness of culture.  Old style cooking lends its self to ingredients that are simple, rich in flavor and easy on the budget.  What a generational gift to pass on to the next generation.  It is all very possible!

I will share my kitchen, my cooking and shopping and ideas from years of experience and gained wisdom.

.

 
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Posted by on April 25, 2011 in Living Life