Crowder Peas

-mysterious name, delicious eatin'-

there's nothing like a salted ankle of fat to transport you back to being 8, sitting at a wicker lined table having cabbage dinner with the family, watching as my mother reached into that big pot and pulled out the much prized (only to her) ham hock. ahhh memories. have you ever seen someone eat a ham hock? its very um, interesting. i assure you, my mother is not alone in eating this seemingly unmanageable piece of pork. my extended family adores taking on the feat of consuming the ham hock.

like i said - have you ever seen someone eat one of these? if you have you understand why i have wiped the ham hock from my mind and thusly life. but about 2 weeks ago my mom send a much adorned "care package" loaded with Camellia Brand peas and beans. YES! more of the best beans in my life. Louisiana loves their rice and beans. and we all know: beans / peas need salted pork. sorry but it just won't work if these guys aren't a pair.

i've made plenty of beans in my life but always with bacon and the likes. i finally caved and bought a hock for these crowders and i swear to you; the minute that thing hit hot water and its salty smokey scent started bumping around my apartment i dwindled back down to 8 years old.

CROWDER PEAS

1lb dried crowder peas

1 ham hock (1/2lb-ish?)

9-10c water

1tbs oil

3 carrots, diced

2 celery stalks, diced

1 onion, diced

3 bay leaves

3-4 sprigs fresh thyme

1/4 tsp dried basil

1/4 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp whole peppercorns (black)

*soak the peas in cold water for about 3-4 hours, drain

*add peas, ham and water to a large pot and bring to boil, turn heat down and simmer uncovered for 1hour

*in a separate pan saute heat oil, saute onions to almost translucent

*add in carrots and celery, cook 3-4 minutes

*add bay leaves, basil, thyme, oregano and peppercorns, cooking until fragrant (about 1 minute)

*remove from heat and add to simmering pea and ham

*preheat oven to 200F, cover your pot and place in oven

*cook 2 hours more, until ham is falling off bone and beans are cooked

*season with salt and pepper to taste

Banana Date Monkey Ice Cream -Sugar Free_GF_Vegan

- kinda tastes like banana chocolate chip bread, but better-

since getting the ice cream maker i've been hard at work trying to recreate our favorite "usuals" - amongst these favorites is the infamous chunky monkey. that's right folks; everyone in the world loves ben & jerry's because of chunky monkey and half baked. you know i'm right - ok phish food is up there too.

aaaand you know i can't allow 3 cups of cream, half dozen yolks and cups of sugar to hang around in my freezer waiting to be turned into a clogged artery. what does she do then? well, first i do research. and i found a few recipes for banana coconut ice-cream which is what i based the final product off of. but most all called for an entire can of coconut milk, which really is fine, but take a quick look at the fat count on that. while good fats - still, lets keep it under control eh? so i kept some of the coconut milk but lightened it up with unsweetened almond milk.

i am in love with this ice-cream. there is no added sugar, no dairy and gluten free. if you want it creamery (after freezing it does get a little "icey") use all coconut milk, that should keep everything smooth and decadent.

BANANA DATE MONKEY ICE CREAM

5 very ripe bananas, cut into 1" slices

2 medjool dates, diced

2 tbs coconut oil (melted if needed)

1 tbs vanilla

1/2c coconut milk

1/4 tsp coconut extract

1 1/4c unsweetened almond milk

1/2c toasted chopped walnuts

1/2c chopped dark chocolate

*preheat oven to 375 F

*place bananas and dates in a 11 x 7 glass baking pan

*drizzle the oil and vanilla over the bananas

*bake for 45 minutes, until the bananas begin to caramelize - don't let them burn!

*removed from oven, let cool a bit

*blend the bananas and milks together in blender until very smooth

*add in the extracts

*chill the mixture for 3-4 hours

*make as directed by your icecream maker

*about 2 minutes before it is done churning add in the walnuts and chocolate

*enjoy!

Chicken and Dumplings

-a bowl of low country love-

believe it or not: until today i've never ever had chicken and dumplings. i've never been at a table with chicken and dumplings or even seen a bowl of it in person. interesting right? how is it possible a southern lady like myself let this dinner staple slip past me all these years? this i can not answer but i have to say that being that this was my first attempt i am pretty proud of what has come out of my exhaustive research on the matter. josh gave it a thumbs up and had himself second, which never happens. i was throughly intrigued at how the balls of dough transformed into pillowy steamed biscuits. i know this brought josh "back home" and i am sure that it would have done the same for me, if i would have ever eaten it before but non the less it made me happy. its chicken and dumplings for god's sake!

CHICKEN AND DUMPLINGS

1 tbs oil

(1) 3 1/4 lb chicken, cut into 8 pieces, and neck

1 oz butter

1 onion, diced

2-3 celery ribs (inner ribs w/ leaves preferred), diced

3-4 medium carrots, diced

3 tbs flour

2 tbs dry sherry

3c chicken stock

2 tbs whole milk

3-4 sprigs thyme

2 small bay leaves

1 tsp chopped rosemary

1/2c frozen peas

3 tbs chopped parsley

DUMPLIN':

1c cake flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2c whole milk

1 1/2 tbs reserved chicken fat or butter

*heat oil over medium heat in your dutch oven, add chicken pieces, browning in two batched if needed - do not over crowd.

*remove the chicken and place on plate to cool - once cooled enough, remove and discard the skin

*drain off and reserve the fat in the pan

*add butter and onions until starting to soften

*add celery and carrots, cook about 3 minutes

*add flour, stirring constantly for a minute

*add sherry (or dry white wine if needed) with whisk, deglaze the pan

*add in the broth, milk, thyme, rosemary and bay leaves, stir to combine everything

*place the reserved, skinless chicken back in the pan, nestling into the broth

*cover and simmer for about 1 hour

*remove from heat, remove chicken to a plate. once cool enough to handle remove the meat from the bones and discard the neck.

*this should have given the fat time to rise and pool at the top of the broth. skim and discard as much fat as you can.

*add chicken back to the pan with the broth and vegetables

make the dumpling dough:

*combine the milk and fat (either reserved chicken fat from earlier or butter) and microwave for 45 second - just to warm it up.

*in a separate bowl combine the flour, salt and baking powder

*with a wooden spoon stir in the milk combo

*turn heat on dutch oven to medium, add in the peas and parsley, bring back to a simmer.

*drop tbs sized balls of dough (about 18 total)

*cover the pan and let cook, undisturbed (see above note) for 15-16 minutes.

*the dumplings should double in size once cooked.

Skinny Cinnamon Rolls

-light, guiltless cinnamon rolls, woohoo!-

about 3 years ago during a weekend visit upstate i made josh and our friend dave cinnamon rolls. these rolls were full proof, i'de made them for years as a special treat for my friends back home in Louisiana. they're about the size of your head and loaded (like any heart stopping breakfast indulgence does) with a pound of butter. well, though they'd always been a hit with my deep fried southern cohorts and josh and dave devoured them - they also didn't eat anything else for the rest of the day. and for those lord of the rings fan; they were renamed "elvin rolls". very funny.

i never made them again. as a cook i want people to eat numerous times during a day - who else is going to dispose of all my kitchen creations? alright so starting about a year ago josh has been nagging me to take a try at cinnamon rolls again. finally i agreed but only under the stipulation that they would be lightened up - significantly.

valentines rolled around and i got to work. these rolls are best eaten right out of the oven or same day. comparatively they have very little fat content so they dry up pretty quick. but the good news - they were a hit (josh ate 3) and rendered the eater able to eat lunch and dinner with out suffering.

SKINNY CINNAMON ROLLS

1c warm skim milk

3 tbs melted butter (divided)

1/3c sugar

2 1/4 tsp yeast

3 3/4c AP flour

1 egg, beaten

1/4 tsp salt

Filling:

2 tbs butter, melted

7 tbs packed brown sugar

1 tbs ground cinnamon

Icing:

3 tbs melted butter

2 tbs milk

1 tsp vanilla

1c powdered sugar (more if needed)

Make rolls:

*combine milk, butter, 1tbs sugar and yeast - set aside until foamy (about 5 minutes)

*add egg and remaining sugar

*stir in 1c flour, let rest 10 minutes (will get bubbly)

*add in 2 1/2c flour and salt, stir until a soft ball forms

*turn out onto surface and knead for about 5 minutes adding small amounts of flour as needed to keep from sticking to hands

*place in oiled bowl, cover and let rise about 35 minutes until doubled in size

*punch down, cover and let rise another 35 minutes to double

*punch down again, let rest 10 minutes

*meanwhile mix together the the brown sugar and cinnamon for filling

*roll dough out into a 18 x 11 rectangle

*brush the rolled dough with the 2 tbs melted butter

*sprinkle cinnamon sugar mixture over buttered dough

*roll the dough, tightly, into and 18" log

*cut into 1" pieces, place on greased pan, cover and let rise about 35 minutes until desired size

*preheat oven to 350F, place risen rolls in oven and bake for about 20-25 minutes until they begin to get a golden hue

*let cool in pan for 10 minutes

*combine all ingredients for the icing, adding more sugar to get your desired consistency

*drizzle the icing over the rolls - and enjoy!

Chicken and Lentils

something about lentils. i see them in the store, i think to myself "i like lentils, they come in different colors (fun!) and they're a quick cook, why not?" then i buy a pound. after this i they sit in my cabinet for about a year taunting me, guilting me for ever bringing them home and letting them waste away when someone else could be making a delicious dinner out of them. in my defense; i had a bit of an incident with lentils a few years back when i was vegan and just getting back into the swing of cooking. it seemed that a.) i was very very poor and b.) wanted to cook only super simple (and by this i mean only water and maybe salt) to compliment my bachelorette life. this horrible combo doesn't really give optimal results - in other words everything tasted like crap. but with no one else to share this food like stuff with, i never felt the need to say, go out and by a few spices or maybe some quality olive oil. to make an already long story short - i made some kind of lintel dish that tasted just like - i am not kidding or exaggerating - it tasted like dirt.

alright so now we come full circle: after the being plagued for months by the brown lintels sadly sitting there every-time i reached for the black beans or brown rice i found this NYTimes recipe for chicken and lentils. i'm on a dutch oven kick lately, maybe its just the winter thing, and this was a perfect fit. i think this dinner cured me of my dirt eating phobia. this was perfect! its a great winter(y) dish that isn't heavy or overly "stew like", if that even makes sense. try it out, i promise you wont be sorry. its cheap to make, scrumptious and best of all doesn't take much man power.

i made a few changes to the original recipe: completely omitted the 2 garlic cloves, used apple cider vinegar and removed the chicken skin after browning - i find the skin just gives off too much fat and turns slimy when slow cooked, but make sure to leave it on when you are browning the chicken it adds flavor when it needs to. oh and next time i think i'll add in carrots. delish all the same. enjoy!

CHICKEN AND LINTELS

1 tbs olive oil

2oz pancetta (thick slice - one should be 2oz), diced

1 1/2 lb skin-on, bone-in chicken thigh (organic)

1c finely chopped onion

1/2c finely chopped celery

1 tsp fresh ground cumin

1c lentils

1 1/2c chopped radicchio (1/2 head-cored)

1 1/2 - 2c chicken stock

1tbs finely chopped fresh sage

1 1/2tsp apple cider vinegar

*preheat oven in 300F

*over medium heat, heat oil in dutch oven, add pancetta and cook to golden - remove and reserve

*season chicken with salt and pepper, add to dutch oven and brown

*remove chicken and reserve, remove the skin once slightly cooled, pour off all but 2tbs of the fat

*add the onion and celery, saute until translucent, scraping the pan down to get all the browned bits up .

*add in the cumin - cook until fragrant

*add in radicchio, sage and vinegar - saute briefly

*add lentil, reserved pancetta and stock

*add reserved chicken, bring to a simmer, cover and cook in oven 1 hour

*check after 45 to add more stock if you need to.

*after an hour the lentils should be done and the chicken just about to fall off the bones. season to taste and serve.

(makes about 2-3 servings)

Pesto!

- pine nut and basil -

while i've always really liked the idea of pesto - tons of fresh herbs, earthy nuts and always lovely parmigiano reggiano all bound together with good olive oil - its the presence of raw garlic that i can't handle. basically, i'm a vampire. just the mention of garlic and i hiss. i've spent years avoiding anything that included pesto and considering its not used just for pasta anymore, the list is gets pretty long - and kinda bland.

because of this extensive time away from pesto i've learned to

just kinda wipe it from my mental recipe index and that's about it. then about a month ago i was skimming through a foodie magazine and was jolted back into the world of pesto. what was the reason i never made it again? oh right the toxic garlic. well that's the plus of cooking for yourself - you delete as you please. and that is exactly what i have done. not to mention played around with the nut / herb roster. toss with whole wheat penne and you've got yourself a delicious and nutritious meal!

- walnut and parsley -

WALNUT & PARSLEY PESTO

1/4c walnuts

2c parsley

1/4c olive oil

1/2c parm. reggiano (keep it real)

*pulse the nuts in a food processor

*add the parsley with the oil and process to smooth

*add in the parm. and pulse to combine

*chill or freeze any leftovers

PINE NUT & BASIL PESTO

1/4c pine nuts

2c basil

1/4c olive oil

1/2c parm. reggiano

*repeat as above

Lake Charles, Louisiana

-no restaurant is complete w/out a stuffed alligator flying on a cypress log-

as mentioned in my last post: i ventured back home last weekend for a much needed visit with my parents and best friend (ahhhh). i have to say - the older i get the more i realize what a great place ole Louisiana is. where else can you get a (real) soft shell crab po-boy, a beer for $2 and a fresh chocolate souffle all in one day? oh and did i mention the daytime temperature never dropped below 50ish. life down there is nice and slow - i'm not sure if this is a side effect of the excessive sodium / alcohol intact or just a kind of mellow nirvana that us north easterners have yet to realize. either way...

-soft shell crab po-boy, dressed correctly. this may be my "last meal" choice-

-catfish platter, my parents' favorite. what platter would be complete with out a garden of fries-

-this picture was not taken at a carnival, just a standard notification medium in La-

-is anything better than a piping hot chocolate souffle and fresh whipped cream at 1 am? did i mention the bottle of wine? -

-dad and his two enormous cabbage heads. my parents garden is small but fierce-

- what i learned this night or more so the next morning when i stumbled out of bed: i am closer to 30 than 20 -