Tempeh it forward

Tempeh is a fermented Indonesian soy patty. That might not sound good, and the black spotted picture above might not make it look good... Trust me though, tempeh deserves a chance.

Because tempeh is made by fermenting whole soy beans, it retains much more protein and a higher level fiber, vitamins, and minerals than its other popular soy sister, tofu. Phytic acid is also worth considering. Soy beans have a very high level of the stuff, and it keeps your body from absorbing certain minerals and vitamins- not only those from soy products, but from other things you eat with the soy products. This is a large part of the soy controversy. Tofu and soymilk retain almost 100% of their phytic acids when processed because unlike other beans, you can soak and soak soybeans and still not get rid of the stuff. Tempeh, however, with its fermentation process, actually loses almost half of its phytic acid. This goes for Miso and tamari as well. I'll save the other benefits of fermentation for another time... perhaps I need to make something with sauerkraut soon... I have been craving it since I skipped out on eating it at the New Year like my other Northern friends. Oh- and that black stuff? Nothing to worry about. It's totally normal. I promise. As long as your tempeh is in date and isn't green, your good. Grey and black are just fine.

I used to make a bbq tempeh sandwich all the time. I'd used Amy's Maple Orgainc BBQ Sauce and it was good. I haven't made this dish in well over a year, though, and I decided to make my own sauce this time.

I cracked open my brand new Vegan Soul Kitchen cookbook by Bryant Terry that Scott so thoughtfully gave me for Christmas. I was positive I'd find a great recipe- and I was correct. I followed Mr. Terry's advice, other than I chose not to use chipotle peppers... I like them, but just a little... to me, it can often over power and I didn't want a super strong chipotle flavor all through my sandwiches, so I opted out. I also didn't have enough cumin... MUST MUST MUST get to Penzey's this weekend... so, instead, I used Arizona Dreaming- which is a spice blend Penzey's was giving away during my last trip. It worked perfectly. It's a blend of ground ancho, onion, garlic, paprika, lemon, jalepenos, chipotle, cocoa.... it's good stuff.
I had so much confidence in the hot vegan chef that I decided to double the recipe. That, and the can of tomato sauce I bought was about twice what I needed and I didn't want to waste it. Into a sauce pan went 1/2 cup EVOO, 1/2 fresh lime juice, 1/2 cup Bragg's Aminos (it's just tamari/soy sauce basically- but healthier) 1/2 cup aqave necter, 1/2 cup of red wine vinegar (oh, I used 1/4c red, 1/4c cider b/c I didn't have enough red...), a 15oz can of tomato sauce, 1 TBSP cumin, 1 TBSP Arizona dreaming, 2 tsp thyme, 1/4 tsp cayenne, and 1 cup water. A good whisk and medium heat would lead this to a nice simmer... it needed about 30-40 minutes to reduce down to about half its size. Doubling was a good idea. It's sweet, it's got a vinegary bite, a bit of heat, the lime juice in the background... I've made a few bbq sauces before and this was the best. Last night, I cooked Quorn meatballs and sweet potato fries and drizzed the sauce over the whole plate- yum.

I sliced a couple medium onions and a large green bell pepper. EVOO, salt, and low-medium heat for 40 minutes or so, and they would be caramelized heaven.

Time to prep the tempeh. Tempeh comes in a brick. There are many brands, but I really like LightLife. Tempeh can also be combined with rice, other grains, or veggies. I like them all, and actually, I can't tell a big taste difference. Once you get the tempeh out of the packaging- never an easy feat- I always do the same thing:
I think tempeh can have a bitter odd flavor... and I found that if I boil it, it goes away. So, regardless of what I am doing with tempeh, I always start out by cutting it into 5 pieces, butterflying it, and boiling it for 10 minutes. Then, I drain it and let it cool. After that, options are endless. You can leave it as is and create little patties, you can cube it and shallow fry it, you can slice it thinner and make fajitas or stirfrys, you can crumble it to make sloppy joes or a bolognaise... you can fry, saute, bake, grill... you get the point- it's a versatile little fermented brick.

From this point, it's just putting everything together. I crumbled the tempeh into the caramelized onions and green peppers, and added enough bbq sauce to give it a nice coat. The taste was on point. I gave it a bit of time to warm through all together while I toasted slices of Ezekial bread. I piled the bbq on top and drizzled a little ranch over the top. Wow... Thanks to that bbq recipe, these were, by far, the best bbq tempeh sandwiches I ever made.

If you've never had tempeh, pick up a brick next time you're at the store. You'll find it at most urban grocery stores near the produce with tofu, fake meats, non-cheese cheeses... you know where I mean. It lasts for a couple of months, so you'll have time to get your confidence up and find the perfect recipe- although I highly recommend this one.

cabbage cravings...

I crave cabbage. Yesterday, I braised red cabbage for lunch. Today I wanted cabbage soup.

I recently purchased Love Soup by Anna Thomas. I checked this book out of the library a few weeks ago and have been reading through the recipes as though they were chapters in a book. Anna Thomas wrote The Vegetarian Epicure back in the day. If you're not familiar, it was before its time and is a classic. She wrote it when she was in college, which is only more impressive. Love Soup was published much later, after her children were grown. It's a beautiful book, and I ordered my own copy from Amazon before returning the copy I'd borrowed.

Much of her cooking is Eastern European inspired from her mother, and I adore Eastern European food. Growing up, my family ate a lot of cabbage dishes, goulash, pierogies, kielbasa... as did many of us reared in PA... so, her food speaks to me on a personal level as well.

I opened her book first thing this morning when cabbage soup was calling my name... I remembered reading a recipe for caramelized cabbage soup and I was pretty sure that was what I would have on the stove for dinner that night. A quick read through the recipe sealed the deal.

I quartered and cored a small green cabbage before slicing it thinly. The cabbage was probably about 2lbs. The recipe called for a pound, but I figured I'd cook it all. I'd give the soup all it could take and pack the rest up for a quick side dish later in the week. I threw it all in a large bowl and coated it lightly with EVOO. I spread it out on a cookie sheet, sprinkled it with some gray French sea salt and stuck it in a 375 degree oven. Every 10 minutes or so, I'd stir it around and in about 45 minutes or so, it was browned and about half its size. While it roasted, I had chopped an onion and a leak. I put about a a teaspoon of butter and a tablespoon of EVOO into my saute pan along with the two members of the Allium family and a sprinkle of the sea salt. The heat was medium low, and I knew it would be around 40 minutes of patience until they were golden brown and sweet.

I chopped a Yukon potato, 2 carrots, and the innards of a stalk of celery. I love a new stalk of celery when I am making soup. The inside leaves are so tender and sweet, I always go for those first. Scott washed up the entire stalk for me, and I cut them into smaller sticks. We ended up putting some sunflower seed butter on a couple of the cut up sticks as an appetizer. I packed the rest for quick snacks throughout the week. I put 5 or so cups of veggie stock into my Le Creuset along with the chopped carrot, celery, and potato and brought it to a boil for about 20 minutes before adding in the caramelized onions and leeks and the roasted cabbage. I used almost all of the cabbage, but what is left will be perfect for my lunch later in the week. Anna Thomas suggests seasoning this soup with fresh dill and finishing the soup with milk. I didn't want to do that, even though I am positive it would be delicious. Instead, I seasoned with a little kosher salt and Alleppo pepper, which is from Turkey. You can get it at Penzey's. It's smoky, but with some heat, and I have found I adore it with cabbage, eggs, rice... I let it all cook down for another 2o minutes and the result was lovely.

Scott compared it to the broth from a french onion soup. The caramelized onions and leeks had seemed to let go of the touch of butter I used on them, resulting in a rich and thick broth. We sopped it up with chunks of whole grain bread and each went back for a small second helping. It was perfect for this rainy day and cured my cabbage craving... at least until tomorrow.

Butternut Heaven

I bet you remember the first time you ate butternut squash soup. I just think it's one of those foods that do that to you... you take the first bite- not expecting much- but as soon as the first bite enters your mouth you realize something special is happening.
I was at Revelations- a restaurant that used to be where The Mix currently is in Greensboro. I had just stopped eating meat and seafood, and still wasn't sure what to do when I was out to eat... so, I ordered butternut squash soup for dinner. I remember being less than thrilled about my choice. But, what choice did I have? I had done this to myself...
Once I had that first bite, however, I realized the beginning of vegetarian bliss... it was just the start of being introduced to an endless amount of food I'd otherwise never take the time to notice...

The richness of the squash, the sweetness of the supporting veggies, silkiness of the cream... all hosting seasonings beautifully... butternut squash soup has become something I crave. I have tried to make it before- in my food processor. DO NOT TRY THAT EVER! What a mess! I learned rather quickly that using something too liquidy in a food processor is not a good idea... and you might be thinking how obvious that is considering something more liquid should go into a blender, while things that are more dry go into a food processor... I learned said lesson that day.
It also should be noted that using a blender for HOT liquid can also cause quite a mess- although it's doable if you are careful... I wasn't and another kitchen disaster left me feeling over ever trying to make soups that required blending... an immersion blender was the only answer. And an immersion blender, I did not have for a very long time.
Scott is a great man and got me one for Christmas this year and there was not a doubt in my mind what I would make first! Upon my next trip to the store, I bought 2 small beautiful butternut squashes. I knew I had carrots, onions, garlic, milk, and veggie broth at home... I could make that work.

First, I prepped the veggies for roasting... I coated quartered squashes, halved onions, peeled and quartered carrots, and a garlic bulb with EVOO and roasted them for about 40 minutes on 425 until the skins of the squash were golden brown and everything was soft. The house smelled so super good. When they were done, I sprinkled them with salt and pepper and gave them time to cool a bit on a plate. Into my soup pot went EVOO and a good amount of Penzy's Balti seasoning and Penzy's Vietnamese Cinnamon. I gave the oil time to heat and roast the spices before adding almost an entire box of veggie stock- maybe about 3-31/2 cups? I'd only used some of the box for a sauce on Christmas... Next, I squeezed the garlic out of the bulb, threw in the carrots and onion, and dug the meat out of each quarter of squash. The heat was on low, and it was time to use my new toy! Immerse, Immerse, Immerse! Everything began to come together... the carrots were my favorite-when I would buzz them, it was like a carrot blood bath into the yellow of the squash! This was fun!
Once it was smooth, I turned the heat up a bit until it got to temperature, then I turned the heat off completely. I added a glug of milk and tasted... a little more Balti, a bit more cinnamon, a little mild kosher salt... and it was perfect. I was so happy.

There were 2 biscuits left from Christmas Day, so I'd decided to turn them into crutons. I cubed them, put them in a small ziplock, added some EVOO, garlic powder, salt and pepper and shook to coat. They toasted up nicely in a 250 degree oven... excellent garnish.

Thanks to Scott, I can now quickly whip up one of my very favorite soups anytime I wish... and if you have somehow put off trying butternut squash soup, I hope you will order it next time you see it on a menu... or just come over, and I will make it for you!

All I Want for Christmas is Food.

Deciding on the menu for the most important cooking day of the year is always the good kind of stressful.. do I try new things? Stick with tradition? Balancing flavors, keeping some semblance of nutrition... there are a lot of aspects which must be considered as I lay out a menu that will hopefully outdo years prior.

It's just Scott and me on Christmas Day, and it is never anything short of magical. We sleep until we're ready to get up and open our stocking gifts while the coffee brews... Green and Black's 85% dark chocolate for me, Rocher truffles for him, new socks, silly gifts, it's so fun...

A little Kaluha in the coffee, and it was time to make breakfast. I decided to make homemade biscuits for breakfast this year... I used Bobby Flay's recipe instead of Grandma Phoebe's- as hers calls for pure trans fats. I'm sure she'd understand the switch. Flour, loads of baking powder, salt, well over a stick of butter, and buttermilk... I really was worried I'd worked the flour too much- afraid they'd be like hockey pucks... but. They came out beautifully. Before putting them in the oven, I'd brushed the tops with half and half and sprinkled freshly ground black pepper on top. A fried egg, Port de Sol cheese, and a couple strips of Morning Star Farms Bacon and we were ready for meal #1. They didn't disappoint... gooey, crunchy, biscuity heaven. Yum.

Time to open another gift. Hottie Bryant Terry's Vegan Soul Kitchen cookbook for me! I got Scott Michael Jackson Experience for Wii. My man has moves and loves him some MJ, so I knew this would be a hit. We made blood orange mimosas and set off to play- what a blast!!! We were laughing so hard and needed to rest after so much activity. I put beets in the oven to roast- just wrapped them in foil with plenty of EVOO, set the oven to 400 and we put in Scrooged- and passed out. Scott set his phone alarm for the hour the beets needed, so no burnt beets!

It was time for lunch already! Not that we were hungry, but I don't think anyone gets hungry on Christmas Day, do they? I set to work on the stuffed zucchini. I've been making these on Christmas Day for years. They are the perfect lunch- still decadent, but packed with veggies, so at least there are some vitamins and minerals going on...
I halved the zucchinis, dug out the innards and set them aside. After brushing each half with EVOO, they went into the oven to roast until they were golden. In a sauce pan went EVOO, a chopped onion, 5 minced garlic cloves, and hot pepper flake. Once they were soft, I added the innards from the zucchini, a handful of chopped basil, and a can of diced tomatoes- the juice drained and reserved. Once the liquid cooked off the veggies, I deglazed the pan with a glug of nice Sauvignon Blanc... I gave that some time to cook off, and deglazed again with the reserved tomato juice. The stuffing was ready. In another small pan, a couple TBSP of butter and about a cup of whole wheat bread crumbs. When they were buttery and toasty, I added some additional pepper flake and chopped basil. The zucchini were ready and I filled each one with the stuffing and topped each with the bread crumb mixture and plenty of freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Back into the oven while I got the salad ready. My best quality EVOO, sherry vinegar, salt, and pepper... a good whisk to that... I added some into a large bowl with arugula and tossed. Big mounds of the arugula on our plates topped with slices of the roasted beets and blood orange segments... after our heavy breakfast, I was looking forward to some veg...

After lunch, I made a vodka soda and Scott began to try to varied beers I'd put in his stocking that were now cold enough to drink. We drank and watched a couple of our favorite trash TV shows that we continually pause and add in our own commentary. Good times. We also polished off the very yummy homemade popcorn I'd made for our viewing of Miracle on 34th Street the night before.

We opened a couple more gifts and I squealed with joy as I opened a Cuisenart hand blender with mini chopper and whisk attachment. I have been wanting one forever!!! Now I can make the butternut squash soup I've been craving!! I also have a small processor now and won't need to get out my HUGE processor just to make something small like pesto or tapenade. I was elated! Alton Brown would also be pleased at my man's ability to buy me a multi-tasker!

The snow began to fall! What a treat! Snow in Virginia on Christmas Day!!!

Dinner prep began with a dijon mustard sauce. I started with EVOO, minced garlic, and thyme- and then had to dump it and start again.... I walked away for all of 15 seconds and came back and my garlic had begun to brown... no good. Second time was much better. After the garlic was soft, I added a mixture of veggie broth and arrowroot (arrowroot is like cornstarch, basically...) and it began to thicken as soon as it hit the heat... I added a bit of the Sauvignon Blanc, lemon juice, tamari, pepper, and whole grain dijon mustard... brought it all to a boil until it was the right consistency, and set it aside to cool.
Into the oven to roast were Brussles sprouts and asparagus each lightly coated with EVOO. I added a bit of lemon juice, zest, and Penzy's Flordia Pepper to the asparagus. The Brussels would simply need salt before serving.
My chickpea cutlets begin by mashing the chickpeas with EVOO, then adding lemon juice, zest, sage, thyme, paprika, pepper, tamari, bread crumbs, and wheat gluten. I kneaded the mixture until it was combined and the gluten did it's thing making the mixture almost stretchy in a way... hard to describe...it's almost like stretchy play-dough... that doesnt sound appetizing, but they are so very good. I formed small patties and prepped a skillet with canola oil.
Baby Yukon potatoes were soft and ready. I drained them, put them back into the pot and added a little butter and some buttermilk along with salt and pepper. I gave them a rough mash and... omg, they were good. I let them stay warm on a back burner while I cooked the patties. The trick to a good veggie patty is low-medium heat and patience. You have to have the heat low enough that they will cook within without burning on the outside. They turned out perfectly.

The Asparagus was still bright green and crisp, the Brussels were brown and crisp like Scott loves them, and potatoes were fluffy and buttery and topped with fresh chives, and the patties were golden. I had added a bit more broth to the sauce, let it get just above room temp, toasted a couple of biscuits... and dinner was served.
Scott had opened and poured the wine- a lovely Avenel Red Table wine from Napa that I'd bought him last year for Christmas- We have started a tradition where I buy him a good wine each year- and we save it for the following year's Christmas dinner. This one was smoky, but soft in the mouth and absolutely perfect for the meal.
We sat and ate slowly, talking about our childhoods, our future, how good the food was... it was perfect.
We ended our day of celebration by opening the rest of the gifts under the tree. I got purple patent Danskos!!! I was so excited I put them on immediately and ran around the house- they are too cute! Henry sat right between us while we opened- trying desperately to fit himself into a box that really didn't fit his girth... he's so funny.
When the gifts were opened and the wine was gone, the intensity of the day hit hard- we were exhausted! We fell asleep together on the couch reliving our day while the snow began to accumulate outside... I am really not sure I'll be outdoing myself next year because this entire day was nothing short of absolute perfection...

Soup for Joyce

At the start of the school year, each grade level signed up to bring one of our staff, Joyce, dinner. Joyce is going through chemotherapy right now, and on the weeks she has treatments, we are all making sure she has a good dinner on the table the night before they begin. Being new at the school, I have only just met Joyce. It didn't take long, however, to see the compassion she has for the students, and the great knowledge she has from her years of experience.

Joyce is our media specialist, and for anyone who is a teacher, you know this position is at the heart of the school's functional system. She has dropped everything to help me find a book, she has talked to our team at length about creating lessons to support our grade level's curriculum, and she has helped me out of technology jams more than once. All of this, while she is going through what must be a very difficult, scary, and challenging time in her life.

I decided to make soup. Soup always builds me. It makes me feel nourished and stronger, and that's what I wanted for Joyce. I thought about exactly what kind of soup I would make for awhile... but, I ended up deciding on minestrone. A soup so simply stuffed with every possible vitamin- what else could be better?

Soup is decidedly simple. It's one pot. It's chopping and some seasoning and some broth and it's eating. But, I had to put more than that into this pot of soup. Somehow, I had to get every positive thought, every ounce of strength, and every bit of extra energy I had into this soup. I started by chopping the freshest organic vegetables I could find.

Leeks, green beans, onion, garlic, carrots, celery, yukon potatoes, zucchini. As I chopped, I thought about Joyce and thought about her full recovery. I saw her be able to stop wearing her handkerchief- which I must note- she rocks- I saw her with her family, I saw her busy putting away books, I saw her teaching media lessons, working with the 5th graders on morning announcements, and reading stories to the kindergarten students... I saw her strong.

Into my Le Creuset all the veggies went along with a generous glug of extra virgin olive oil, a hearty couple pinches of salt, and a few grinds of pepper. I added in 2 bay leaves (this was a lot of veggies), a few pinches of thyme, a few shakes of ground fennel, and a few shakes of hot pepper flake. On medium, I allowed the veggies to sweat out and begin to soften. I also added a small rind I cut from a wedge of parmesan cheese.

When they had about 10 minutes or so, I added in a bunch of chopped kale and a can of whole tomatoes with their juice. I gave the tomatoes a quick chop before adding them. I also added 4 cups of veggie stock, a can of cannelloni beans, and a couple handfuls of whole wheat orzo pasta. From here, it just needed time. I allowed it to come to a rolling boil for about 3 minutes, before backing it down to a slow simmer. About 20-30 minutes later, I scooped out bowls for Scott and I to have for dinner, and packed a large container to take to Joyce the next day.

I also packed her a small container of basil pesto and some freshly grated parmesan cheese. Soup is great, but the garnishes make it fabulous. The pesto was extra special, as it was from a jar of homemade that Rachel gave me. She'd canned loads of pesto in August when her garden overflowed with basil.

The soup was good. Really good. I hadn't made a minestrone in awhile and Scott and I were in heaven. It was tomatoey, brothy, veggie heaven. We ate it along with a chunk of sourdough bread, and I would allow the corner to soak up the soup until it was practically falling apart... delicious. I was happy that this was the meal I was passing on to Joyce and her husband.

After I ate, I felt nourished and strong- and convinced Joyce would feel the same.

Stuff Yo' Peppers!

A dreary rainiy day makes it easy to want comfort food, but I had to choose something on the lighter side since I gained a few pounds my last few weeks at Hondos. (Why not have a drink 0r two every night with co-workers and eat french fries as if they were carrot sticks?!) Comfort food for most people includes the foods they grew up eating. For me, that would include lasagna, goulash, pigs in a blanket (NOT hot dogs wrapped in frozen bread dough, btw), fried chicken, ham and bean soup, stuffed peppers...

Yes! Stuffed Peppers!!! We used to have them at home ALL the time. My dad would stuff green peppers with white rice, ground beef, onions, tomatoes... and then top it with a little cheddar cheese and bake them in a light tomato broth. I knew I could top the PA version by making it healthier and just as good (if not better!)

I started by toasting some brown rice with a bit of evoo, then adding water and getting it to a simmer. I'd have used vegetable stock if I had any. In a saute pan, I added another glug of evoo and threw in a chopped onion, half of a diced red pepper, 4 minced garlic cloves, and a big handful of grape tomatoes that I'd quartered. I gave it time to get soft and just a little caramelized. I then diced 2 Quorn 'Turkey' burgers and added it to the veggies along with a generous amount of Penzey's Spanish Smoked Paprika and some cumin. I coated all the veggies evenly while allowing the spices to toast up a bit. Then I added a few splashes of Habenero hot sauce for some heat. Next was a heaping tablespoon of tomato paste... I incorporated that into the mix to give it some heat and mellow it out some, then added water a little at a time until I had the consistency I wanted. I adjusted the seasonings with a little more salt, pepper, and hot sauce.

When the rice was done, I added about a cup to the mix. I stirred it all together, tasted once more and was very happy with the outcome. I turned off the heat and just let it do it's thing for about 30 minutes while I puttered around and got the peppers ready. I cut the tops off 2 orange and 2 yellow bell peppers and hollowed them out. I coated my small Le Cresuet baking dish with a little evoo and set the peppers inside. Then, I spooned the mixture to fill each pepper and topped each with a small amount of shredded pepper jack cheese. I covered the dish with foil and placed it in a 400 degree oven while I worked on my "TRAILBLAZERS" sign for my new school. I quite like that as a mascot. I like that purple is the school color even more! When the peppers were soft, I removed the foil and allowed the cheese to brown just a little.

When they were done, they were gooey and so so comforting! The paprika, cumin, and pepper jack cheese gave them a perfect smoky flavor and the hot sauce gave it a bit of heat... the peppers are sweet though, so the contrast was perfect! I had to blog about these quickly because I have to remember how I made them! I have to say I think I exceeded the PA version... they were definitely healthier and I must admit, I think I liked them better... So happy there are 2 leftover for our dinner tonight!

Birthday Dinner

When I was growing up, we ate dinner pretty much every Saturday night with family. It was a mix of family, but it was perfect. It was my mom's brother, Frank, his wife, Carol, and their two boys, Travis and Jason. My Aunt Carol's dad, Ray, and her Aunt, Fay, were always there as well, along with my parents and my Dad's mother, Phoebe. Other random friends and family could also show up on any given weekend. We would eat and usually play Trivia Pursuit, or other games, afterward. Even as I got older, I loved these dinners. Mom and Dad would request that I wait until after dinner and visiting for awhile before I went off with my friends. I never minded a bit and some of my favorite growing up memories are these dinners.

Well, when it was your birthday, you got to pick what you wanted- the whole thing- from start to dessert. It was fantastic. I usually chose beef on wick and french fries or spaghetti with Italian sausage. I remember that Travis always chose pancakes and Jason always wanted my mom's pineapple upside down cake. Funny I don't recall what the adults ever wanted. Travis and Jason and I were 3 peas in a pod growing up. They are 6 and 8 years younger than me, respectively, but they lived 2 houses away and were my brothers full stop. Travis is a father now, and Jason's been to Iraq 3 times. How'd we grow up so fast?

I digress. This post is really actually about Scott's birthday dinner... I got a little sidetracked by my memories.

I didn't give Scott a choice of what he wanted me to cook because since starting his new job, I think this was one of his busiest weeks. He was up at 4 or 5 in the morning every day and traveling around with another sales guy and working until quite late in the evening. I also worked every single night and before his birthday at dinner time on a Thursday, hadn't seen him awake since Sunday afternoon. So, I was going to pick for him.

It was a random assortment of food, but it actually came together rather well. Brussels sprouts were the easiest choice. He didn't know how much he loved them until I roasted them once for him. Now he asks for them all the time. For potatoes, I decided on making homemade potato chips and blue cheese dressing since homemade potato chips in any form on restaurant menus always has him wanting some (even if I'm stubborn and don't give in most of the time) and he especially likes the ones from Harper's in Greensboro that are served with a blue cheese dressing. I chose Salmon because we needed a protein and it's been awhile since I've made it. To personalize it a bit more, I did bread and pan fry it. Every guy likes fried stuff and Scott is no exception. I slaked on dessert mainly because I did not want to have leftovers taunting us! Thank you Whole Foods for the lovely cupcakes!

Prep on the salmon and Brussels really isn't that exciting or difficult, so I'll focus on the chips. I used my mandolin on a fairly thin setting to slice a huge russet potato. I used russet because they have a lot of natural sugars and therefore get really brown just like we like them. (My dad and I used to literally ruin bags of chips fighting over the "burned" ones! If only Utz made their bag of russet kettle chips back in the day... a whole bag of "burned" chips... it's heaven.) I put all the sliced potatoes in a tea towel and dried off the excess water. I set the oven on 400 and placed the cookie sheets inside to get hot. When the oven was ready, I covered the cookie sheets with parchment and brushed the paper with canola oil. I spread out the chips in one layer and gave the tops another brushing of oil. After that, I just had to keep my eye on them and flip them when they were golden. I guess it took about 10 min on the first side and just a few on the second. I worked in batches until they were all done. As soon as I removed them, I placed them on paper towels to remove the excess oil and gave them a generous sprinkling of salt. For the blue cheese dip, I mixed about a half cup of a Danish blue cheese, some Duke's mayonnaise, sour cream, a little milk, a few dashes of pikka peppa, (think Worcestershire) and salt and pepper. After some counter time to come together, it was perfect.

With all the fried foods, it wasn't long before we were full and there were loads of leftovers! If you saw my status update on Facebook, you know how the reheating of the leftover chips ended... we decided the toaster oven would crisp the chips back up... and that it did when the entire thing caught on fire. Thankfully, Scott had his eye on things and the fire did not spread beyond the toaster oven itself, but it did create enough smoke to set off the fire alarm! We were bummed that we didn't get to eat the leftover chips.

I wonder what Scott will cook me for my birthday? :)