The Most Amazing Apple Pie!

As you may or may not know, I have been on a mission to be a better, healthier person. As part of that mission I have pledge to learn how to make meals and whatnot from scratch. I figured that buying meals and desserts pre-made is a short-cut that will lead to disaster for my health. This has been quite challenging to satisfy my sweet tooth. I suppose that since I am such as sweet person (haha! that cracks me up just to type that) that I will always need sweet stuff to eat. I love pies, cookies, cakes, dark chocolate, pudding....essentially I am a lover of all desserts. 

My attempts to make cakes has been less than a success. After six attempts, I finally got a pumpkin cake that is approved by the man of the house (who doesn't like pumpkin I should note!). After ten attempts, I am still confused to why my vanilla bean cake either falls in the middle or ends up too dry. After three attempts, I think my chocolate cake is good but too rich for the palette of most. It fell in the center the first two attempts but on the third it held up nice. My only concern is that if I make it again I might be sending someone to the hospital for a serious food buzz. 

My cookie ventures have been a bit more successful than my cake baking attempts. Sugar cookies, both the cut-out and drop varieties, have been good. Snicker doodles were...okay. The biggest disaster have been chocolate chip cookies. I have no idea what I did but those little things came out a deflated hot mess...twice. The story of my cookie ventures is representative of my other dessert attempts for the most part. Half of the time my adventures end up good (such as banana pudding) and sometimes they end up not so great. However, I have had higher success rates with making pies. My most recent conquest is my apple crumb pie. This recipe is not for the faint of heart. Like most food I make, it is delicately rich and I go by smell to primarily dictate how much spice to include. So, I will list the spices and let you decide how much to include. I include at least 1/4 tsp of each as a rule of thumb.

What You'll Need:

1 pie crust (Sorry, I won't let my secret recipe out the bag. There is a family history with this thing.)

Filling

4-6 cups peeled and slice tart apples (I use Granny Smith)

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup & 2 tbsp all-purpose flour

Cinnamon, Nutmeg, All Spice

1/4 tsp salt

1 1/2 tsp lemon juice

Splash vanila extract

Splash of water

Crumb Topping

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup all-purpose flour

4 tbsp butter, softened

Directions

1) Line bottom and sides of pie dish with the pie crust.

2) In a large pot on medium heat, combine filling ingredients. Warm apples until soft. 

3) While apples are cooking, preheat oven to 400˚ and combine crumb mixture. To combine crumb mixture, use a fork to break apart butter and then use hands to achieve cornmeal texture. Set this aside.

4) Once apples are soft, pour into pie dish piling apples towards the center. To get the crumbed topping, squeeze a handful of the mixture until firm then loosely drop on top of pie. Repeat as desired.

5) Bake for 40-50 minutes or until topping is browned. 

The Irritating Semicolon

I was reminded this past week while grading papers why at least twice a semester I grow to despise and truly hate the semicolon. It is not that I hate the use of the semicolon, and nor I am suggesting that my grammar and punctuation is anywhere close to perfect. However, in the hands newly minted college students (i.e. college freshmen) the semicolon seems to be used in such creative ways that would make any literate person mad. Instead of commas, there is the semicolon. Instead of periods, there is the semicolon. Instead of apostrophes, there is the semicolon. Instead of colons, there is the semicolon.

I have yet to figure out why there is the overuse of the semicolon in undergraduate papers. I've seen some students insert the semicolon so often into a 2-4 page paper that it rivals the same frequency of use as all other punctuation marks combined. This is troubling to me for a number of reasons. First, as often stated in a number of other scenarios, this semicolon dilemma is symptomatic of a larger problem in the U.S. - failing education system. I know that the U.S. is behind most other industrialized nations in terms of primary or K-12 education. Yet, there is still a mounting pressure to send kids off to college here in the hopes of better career. I can't fathom why we send woefully under-prepared kids into college with the expectation that the college will correct any problems with students' abilities. Second, I also find it troublesome that often these kids are passed through classes without the faintest idea that they are not producing high quality work. If you are reading this and are in academia, you surely have felt the pressure at some point to give higher grades than is warranted. I cringe at the though that a kid that truly deserves a C will get a B simply because an individual wants to avoid confrontation with the student. This cannot be good for the job market or the student. Sooner or later the student will fall short and may not be able to handle the situation appropriately. Perhaps this is why my generation is getting labelled as entitled (and that really sucks).

Shop Like a Man?

For some awful reason I turned on The Today Show this week and saw a segment called "Shop Like a Man." According to the segment, men and women shop different. They sketched out how men shop with "blinders on", which means they go in and get what they need and get out, while women are more likely to browse, which ends up in a higher bill. In addition to pointing out how men differ from women, they mention a number of other influences that lead to higher than intended bills such as shopping with friends or physically picking up an item.

For a number of reasons I would have liked to have went through the TV and smacked everyone participating in this segment. Here's why:

In my household, I do 99.9% of the shopping. This covers everything from trips to the grocery store, Home Depot, Pet Smart, etc. If the man of the house needs some attachment for the air compressor, I'm the one that goes and gets it. If the man of the house needs some some new tire valve covers, I'm the one that goes and gets it. If the man of the house wants some Little Debbie oatmeal cream pies, I'm the one that goes and gets it. Shopping is an allergy to the man of the house. So, if something is bought in this household, I'm the one that does the buying.

About 99.9% of the time all my shopping trips are planned. I have my list (see my previous post on price-matching at Wal-Mart) and targeted stores. I usually do not go out shopping unless there is something I need or would like to replace. This includes shopping for clothes. I go out only when I know something needs to be replaced or buying something for a special event, which isn't often. Only during .01% of the time do I derive from my shopping list or intended destination. Most of these impulse buys are the result of one of two things. 1) I am pre-emptively buying something for the man of the house because he would really like it or something that I know he will eventually discover he wants. So, under this scenario, I'm buying for someone else and not myself. 2) While shopping for clothes, I see some item not on my original list that is either really effing amazing or something that is on super discount that would be amazing in my wardrobe. In this case, it is a 50/50 chance that the item will eventually go back. Some items that I have found under such scenario include silver earrings for $4, a silver bracelet for $5, and tights for $10. I have not regretted any of these purchases simply because of the number of complements I have received.

So, my point is that since I do most of the shopping and there is only a small fraction of the time (unscientifically verified of course) that I do derive from the shopping list does not make me any different of a shopper than a man. If anything it just makes it to where I have greater opportunity to derive. If me and the man of the house were to shop equally, I guarantee you that he would forget items off the list and even drag in some questionable items. Luckily for me, I'm the only one shopping on Black Friday or I would be curious to know what random items would be returning to the house without me knowing.

For the Love of Baking

Baking, along with cooking, is one activity that calms me down and relieves stress. It is right up there with exercising. Along with yoga and my jump rope, the simple activity of crafting culinary deliciousness puts my mind back on track, and, to be honest, it is probably perfect that I love exercising as much as baking as it prevents me developing my own muffin tops.Yet, this wasn't always the case.

As a teenager and in my early 20's I would scarf down whatever sat in front of me that was salty, high in sugar or high in fat. Something happened after I moved from the South to Colorado for grad school. I gained weight and was depressed. I suspect that both were the primary result of that grad school plague, and particularly the Ph.D. plague, of constantly wondering why you made such a bad life decision. It took 2 years  and a bought of sickness that lasted 7 months but I finally got my act together and started realizing that short cuts in cooking were killing the pleasure of food and were perhaps adding to my waistline. So, I made a decision to avoid pre-made, processed food that allowed for quick dinners and short cuts to eating. From that point forward, for my mental and physical health, I would join in on the slow food movement and eat minimally processed foods. In other words, if I was going eat cake, I was going to make it myself. If I was going to eat anything deep fried, then I was going to figure out how to do it and be responsible for cleaning up the mess. This was the most liberating decision I have ever made. It was more liberating than leaving behind my family and everything I have ever know and venturing 1,500 miles away from home with the mere promise of a TA position and tuition coverage.

It's now been a year and half since I made this decision a number of things have changed. 1) I am now smaller than what I was a year ago. I have only lost 5 pounds in fat but gained 8 pounds in muscle. I am now a lean muscle machine that lost approximately 15-18 inches on my body. I must admit I now like watching myself dance in the mirror. 2) I don't miss 99.9% of the "short cut" foods or take out from fast food places. In fact, eating fast food make me feel sick now. I would much rather chow down on a salad or soup than a hamburger or French fries. Go figure. 3) I have became much more saavy baker. I can now bake a variety of cakes, pies, and cookies from scratch and in high altitude. I was originally discouraged because a number of high altitude disasters, such as the center of the cake falling or horrible texture, but now can bake items that are the equivalent to store bought confections. 4) My spice variety has increased exponentially. This means less cabinet space but at least my cooking is bad ass. My current obsession is fennel seed. 5) I found out I love soup and stews. I always hated the canned variety and found more restaurant soups to be bland. Now I have a recipe repertoire bulging on over 30 varieties. My favorite to make is chicken noodle - such a classic. 6) My monthly food costs, combination of grocery costs and dining out costs, is soooooo much lower. For a household of two, we spend less than $400 a month on food costs. 7) I know how to stretch food into leftovers. As of today, I have only had to make lunch for myself four times in the past two weeks. 8) I like sharing my recipes with my friends and family. Of course this comes with the warning that I primarily cook based on smell and taste. 9) I find myself watching the Food Network or on cooking websites more often. This prevents me from endlessly searching for b.s. happening on Facebook. 10) I have learned more about myself and feel a sense of confidence that extends beyond the kitchen. I feel like I dress better, can explain my research better, and have began to lose the self-edification behavior of second-guessing and saying I can't. I am now a better person because I can and I want to cook and bake from scratch.

Getting Dough to Rise in a Cold House

I found out a number of things this past summer about my pizza making skills. I found out how to make garlic crust, whole wheat crust, and this delicate blend of deliciousness that is grilled pizza dough. However, now that temperatures in the day only occasionally reach the 50's, I'm finding it difficult to get the dough to rise for my pizza crusts. My rental house doesn't have central heat and running base board heaters is way too expensive. So, during the winter we keep ourselves warm by staying in sweats or moving around. For my dough, neither of these are an option. Nor is a mildly warm oven. My oven overall sucks. The lowest temp I can get is 170 and last time I did this I slowly baked my dough, which was super gross. But today I felt like I had a real stroke of genius. I placed the dough in a glass bowl, covered it with plastic, and stuck the lid on it. I then sat it on my glass top cooking surface of my oven. I didn't place it on an eye but about 4-5 inches from the base of one of the larger eyes in the back left side. I then turned said back left eye on high and let the heat rise into the air and warm the glass top. I left it on for about 10-20 seconds and did this every 30 minutes for 2 hours. The dough rose up like it was summertime and I finally can enjoy wintertime pizza. Success!

I Don't Do Extreme Couponing But I Do Price-Matching

I know several people that are into discount shopping and extreme couponing. They are experts are saving money and getting exactly what they want. However, I am not necessarily down to spending a lot of my free time trying to figure out how to get shampoo and the like for nearly nothing. I figured that I have a job (though as a grad student it doesn't pay much) and that my time can better be spent increasing my knowledge or working on my dissertation. So, instead of extreme couponing I price match.

Yes, I am one of those people that shop at Wal-Mart. Do I care about the stigma? Hell no. To be honest, my local Wal-Mart is not only closer than a traditional chain grocery store but it is also significantly cleaner than the King Soopers I would have to drive an extra mile in town traffic to get to. I never feel like I am going to contract an infectious disease from other shoppers and the food doesn't look like it is being kept in on E.Coli infected shelves.  (Also, the parking lot at Wal-Mart is less dangerous, too.)So, hell yes to shopping at Wal-Mart...at least where I live.

I have a 45-minute food shopping strategy. I first outline weekly meal plan. I account for breakfasts, lunches, and dinner. Typically, I write down the most details for dinner since this is the primary meal that I will prepare and I have to account for how to cook for just two people. I then do a quick look into my pantry and refrigerator to see what items I have or will need to get soon. I compile a shopping list in the order in which I will travel around the store. I have a freakish mental map of Wal-Mart and can tell you where all my needed items are located. I start from front (the deli) and work my way back (dairy). As a final step, I go through local ads on-line to see what items I need may be cheaper elsewhere. I typically don't buy name brand anything else there is a good sale or coupons to make it even lower than generic. (Side Note: I found that Malt-O-Meal cereals will always be cheaper than name brand and store brand. The bonus is that I prefer Malt-O-Meal's Honey Nut Scooters to Honey-Nut Cheerios.) I mark all items on my shopping list that can be price matched. I include the store of price matching, sizes (e.g. ounces, each, lb.), and price. These is the necessary info in order to price match. You never have to have the ad in hand.

What I have found is that some cashiers will have to pull on the notebook of ads to confirm your price match. Others, and these are my favorite because it prevents dirty looks from people behind you, will take your word as long as you have it written out and indicate the store. Since I am regularly in Wal-Mart, I have a tendency to go to the cashiers that won't have to question my price match. I get why some will check. It's unfortunate that some people are willing to lie.

A Note on Coupons: Wal-Mart will allow you to use coupons on price matched items. Just last week I price matched two cans of shaving cream for a $1.50 each (Wal-Mart's price $2.50). I then used a manufacturer's coupon that allowed you to save a $1.50 on two cans of shaving cream. This meant that I not only saved $2 by price matching but an extra $1.50 by using the coupon.

Gift Giving to the Unfeminine Mother

Thanksgiving is next week, and, while I don't like getting in the Christmas spirit until after giving thanks, I do like getting my Christmas shopping done before November even begins. I find that it is easier to buy gifts for others when I am not out searching for something but instead can take the time to consider who the person is and what they may like. I also like snagging deals when I can and find that Black Friday does not always present the kind of deals of the items I would gift. Generic gifts are usually not my things and I don't really enjoy giving them unless I know that person loves throw blankets and has dogs that destroy them every year. Same thing that I would only buy candles for someone that truly loves candles.

Two problems always present themselves every year. What do I want to gift my parents? My dad can pretty much buy whatever he wants or needs. My mom, on the other hand, can't buy whatever she wants or needs but doesn't truly want anything. She presents the bigger challenge of the two. My dad and I bond over a few interesting items like coffee or candy. So, that is pretty easy. Send a bag of coffee or some unique candy. Done! And I generally think he is happy. However, despite the fact my mom should present a wider array of options, she only a has a few interests. None of these interests lead to any clue on potential gift giving. The gifts would either completely blow any budget (i.e. way too expensive) or require technical expertise to buy. Usually the fallback options with moms are feminine or girly things. Yet, she lacks interest in typical feminine things and hates to spend money. So, while she may light the occasion candle, this is not an option. Nor is make-up, salon gift certificates, jewelry, soap, lotion, clothes, etc. I simply refuse to give her any additional trinkets to clutter up her house and only to collect dust.

Here I am halfway through November and I just finished all my Christmas gift shopping. What will my dad receive? Candy. Because being cracked out on sugar Christmas day is always a bonus.What did my mom end up with? Some relatively generic stuff - a glass nail file (because hey she does have nails), some cozy fleece socks (because she always says she has cold feet), and a reed diffuser with the scent of apple cinnamon pie (because who doesn't like a house to smell like pie). Deep down inside I feel guilty like I should have done something better because I truly love my mom. Yet, I realize that this is a problem that presents itself more than just this time of year.

I'm Not As Young or Dumb As You Think

I am pushing forward into my late twenties and I am starting to get frustrated on why complete strangers believe I am younger and dumber than what I actually am. Yes, I got the chubby checks of a 16-year old female, act goofy, and generally find it difficult to carry on a conversation with non-academics. Perhaps this comes off as me being younger and dumber than what I am but this is no reason for people to assume anything about me. I generally find it a good rule of thumb not to assume anything about someone until they open their mouth long enough to gauge their personality.

Within one week of passing my oral exams (a major milestone towards completing my degree), four strangers commented that I looked like a teenager. I have never felt so frustrated before in my life. With only one of these strangers did I have a conversation long enough to devolve into how I am a Ph.D. candidate and will be teaching a class this upcoming summer. This person looked shocked. Not only did I look super young but apparently I was also smart enough to teach a college course at a 4-year institution. This isn't the first time and probably isn't the last that someone has assume that I was too young to know anything.

This past weekend I went new car shopping with someone only for the salesman to act like a complete jerk. I hate to school the old man but the younger generation (for the most part) does research before making such large and expensive purchases. We will always know more about the technical specs AND I will know how low the dealer is willing to go on the price. Furthermore, I will always understand why the law dictates certain technologies in vehicles, limits emissions, etc. Because of all this Mr. Salesman, it is completely unacceptable to throw your hands in the air, pop off "been a nice day", and walk away from potential customers just because you found out we don't pay sticker and know more about the product we are buying than you do.

While I get that looking young now may be beneficial as I get older (because who doesn't want to look twenty-something while in their forties), it is a major pain when trying to advance into the world as an adult.

It's Not Cute to Have Bat Wings

In the past year I have been on a quest to get healthier and get my body into super awesome shape. This is not because I feel like I have to conform to some societal expectation of beauty but because I know deep down inside that I am a badass. Yep, a true badass. I know I will never be taller than 5'4, thin, or have a natural tan. Instead, I have a athletic hourglass shape, super pale skin (we're talking translucent here), and have freckles dotting my face. Yet, while I may be a size 2-6 (depending on the brand), I still get SUPER frustrated clothes shopping. This is especially true now that I am trying to update my wardrobe with more mature and better fitting clothes. Here is a list of my dilemmas when shopping:

1) Why do designers think it is appropriate to give me wings? I am truly questioning how Dolman sweaters and the like became so popular. When I first tried on a Dolman top I thought I could turn into Rocky the flying squirrel. It also took away my amazing shape and made me look huge. I'm sure this may work on some people, but it is a no-go for me.

2) Related to above, why do most dresses and shirts look like burlap sacks with holes cut out for the head and the arms? I know that I could cinch some of these dresses with a belt, but, again, this still makes me look huge.

3) Related to point 1 and 2, why are designers trying to entice strangers to ask me if I am pregnant? This problem has been going on for awhile now and it usually seems to happen to girls that are not wafish but have some meat on their bones. Do I really need so much surplus fabric around my midsection to beg that old man in Walmart to ask me how far along I am? I didn't think so. This is similar a point that Leigh Newman points out (http://www.cnn.com/2012/10/19/living/oprah-rules-after-35/index.html?iref=obnetwork). Rule number 25 states: "There is only one clothing size. Yours. Baggy stuff makes your feel thin but look fat. Tight stuff is just plain painful." I agree. No baggy stuff. But the tight stuff is more problematic when you have big boobs. Which leads to another point...

4) Some girls naturally have big boobs, and unlike our man-made big boob counterparts, we do face a totally different set of dilemmas. For example, our boobs have spent years trying to sag to the floor, and we know that our boobs will only get bigger if we have kids. So, designers please take note because not only do I need more than a spaghetti strap to hide my bra strap, I also need more fabric/cup size in the bust. It is frustrating to find things off the rack that can accommodate a big bust and small waist. (On a side note, I am super happy to see a larger variety of bras for the D+ cup women. I finally can get colors.)

5) Knee-high boots need to have more than a 14-inch circumference. I'm athletic and short. My calves are freaking amazing but will never be smaller than 14.5 inches in circumference as the widest point. I don't dig short boots that make me look stumpy. I want tall boots with enough room for my leg not to look a sausage getting stuffed into a casing.

6) Some clothes need liners. I would like to see designers either include liners or have stores start selling a variety of liners for skirts and dresses. Modesty is always in. I don't need to flash my hot bod to just anyone.

Presidential Election Years Stink

In case you didn't know, I study politics. While I do not consider myself to be a full-fledge political scientist with a specialization in American politics, I do know a great deal more than the average American about politics and elections. I also know that election years tend to bring out the worst in people. As I have reflected back on the past 12 months leading up to this election year I have decided to compile a list of things I find REALLY annoying. I don't care if you agree with them or not because you don't write or have to read this blog.

1) Democrats and Republicans are equally dumb parties. With only a two-party system there is limited choice in spectrum of economic v. social values that can be represented. This means that every candidate, including even the more moderate varieties in each party, stinks. Polarization, whether electorate or parties, only compounds this problem.

2) Being an unaffiliated/independent registered voter in a swing state is not as glamorous as you think. While nationally my vote may matter more, there are host of plagues associated with this privilege. I get between 4-10 phone calls a day from political pollsters, campaign offices, and interest groups. These calls come as early a 9 am and as late at 9 pm. So far, only the RNC and Planned Parenthood have left messages. Planned Parenthood, however, invited me to listen in during a phone forum. I also get a crap ton of visitors to my door and mailers. Some of my favorite mailers use generic language to play on my emotions. Such language includes hurts the middle class, small businesses, etc. In addition to the above, I also get to view 15-20 political commercials during a 30 minute broadcast and have traffic snarled because of Presidential visits. Almost 90% of these commercials are negative.

3) Everyone is suddenly a political expert and believe their 2-cents matters during presidential election years.

4) Related to point 3, when said experts find out you study political science, they want to hold a debate or have a long conversation with you. I try to avoid such conversations by saying that elections is not my area and walking away.

5) Also related to point 3, Facebook is not the place to air your political grievances or act like an ass. I always find it amusing to find Facebook friends (many who I have not seen or heard from in years) that celebrate getting rid of a friend because he (or she) posted some hateful comment on Democrats (or Republicans). What makes this even more amusing is when these political friend deleters later claim to have an open mind. Really? Don't be such an idiot.

6) I get irked that mid-year elections never get this much attention or turn-out.

7) I find political commentators and experts on news programs annoying and dumb. Where did these people come from? I'm not talking about the regulars here. I'm talking about the C-list individuals that suddenly pop up on both national and local stations. Most of the time I never hear any credentials as to why I should listen to anything they have to say. I only further get irked when they smirk after they think they've made some profound insight. Ugh....just go away and let me make up my own mind.

Changes and a Jedi Dog

So, it's been awhile since I've posted anything. A few things got in the way. Primarily, I had to prepare for my comprehensive exams. After six months of preparation (with three months of full-time dedication), I have somehow managed to pass both my written and oral comprehensive exams. For those of you familiar with the hazing experience of Ph.D. comps, I can now report that I am really burned out, have yet to recover any academic confidence, and am struggling to move forward on my dissertation proposal. Le sigh...

Now that I have returned from the depths of reading for 12 hours a day, I decided to adjust my blog to consider more than just cooking and food. While I do enjoy cooking and catching random appliances on fire, I am also super into other things like Game of Thrones, exercising, pirates, penguins, funny dog videos, and trying to step my game up on how I dress (because I can't look like a young grad student forever). That said I would like to share with you an amazing jedi fighting dog. Why do I find this funny? Because deep down inside I kinda wish I could battle my own pooch with a light saber.  ----> http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=VyEBwAaEDpI

Hardee's (or rather Carl's Jr.) Yummy Turkey Burger

I want to sing the high praise for Hardee's turkey burger. That thing was delicious and here's why...when you are a small individual like myself that means that some menu items are simply not within the boundaries of a healthy diet even if I was to share it with someone else let alone eating by myself (which is the case during lunch hour). So, when I forget to bring my lunch to work there a limited dining options within close proximity to my office on campus. This means I have to settle for whatever is at the student center. And what exactly are my choices - Carl's Jr., some panini and wrap offering, smoothies, coffee and cupcakes, Taco Bell, Spoons, bagel, Panda Express (gross and overpriced), subway, a pizza place, or the campus bar. These places can be broken down into 3 categories - cheap with some flavor/questionable healthiness; expensive and tasty/not healthy; or expensive with limited taste/healthy.

The turkey burger, however, seems to balance taste, healthiness, and cost. Yay! I was really expecting a fluffy and tasteless wad of meat. Instead I got a dense, char-coaled flavored deliciousness. It was even better than the beef burgers I have had in the past.

Questioning Organic

Among the many things that I read, the most exciting subject I like to read and discuss is food policy. I love everything from discussions of the global food market to whether or not the snack tax is a feasible or even good idea. To be honest, I am surprised that I am even able to eat anything considering what knowledge I have accumulated about food production, manufacturing and handling. The sheer fact that most Americans never get food poisoning is amazing. (Of course, the jury still seems to be out about other health consequences associated with the modern food system including ties to obesity, autism, ADD, and reproductive and immunity complications.)

So, what inspired this particular post? Well, due to a 4th grade science project I found out that organic labeling does not guarantee lack of pesticides. While I have yet to obtain permission to share the e-mail from Driscoll, I will share the details of the science project and summarize the response this 4th grader received from Driscoll when their organic strawberries tested positive for pesticides. When and if I do get permission, I will publish the contents of the e-mail at a later date.

The 4th grade project --
To see how strong a variety of organic and traditionally-grown strawberries tested for pesticide residues. Apparently there is a kit at Lowe's and Home Depot that you can use to test your produce for pesticides.

After testing a variety of traditionally-grown and organic strawberries from such stores as King Soopers, Albertsons, and Whole Foods, all strawberries tested positive for pesticide residue INCLUDING THE ORGANIC VARIETY CERTIFIED AS USDA ORGANIC.

The project coordinator (i.e. the 4th grader's parent) sent an e-mail to Driscoll asking why their organic strawberries tested positive for pesticides. The response was along the line that sometimes it is necessary during the production for an application of pesticides.

So, what does this mean? Well it means that organic isn't necessarily organic. It means that it is healthy to consider if the value-added product (in this case organic certified produce) really lives up to your standards.

Bourbon Chicken

I really love brown sauce used in most Chinese and Japanese restaurants. I adapted this recipe and made it a bit thinner than what others call for. However, next time I plan on adding a tbsp of cornstarch to try a thicker bourbon sauce. This recipe feeds 2-3 people.

Ingredients:
.75 lb chicken pieces
1 chopped green onion
Salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder
3-4 cups of vegetables (we used broccoli, carrots, and yellow onion)
1 tbsp of soy sauce

1/3 cup light brown sugar
1 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/4 cup apple juice
2 tbsp natural ketchup
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup water (or less if you don't want it thin)
1/3 cup soy sauce (use the low sodium version if you don't want it to be very salty)

 1) Place chicken and green onion in a large greased skillet. Spice, cover, and cook over medium-high heat.
2) While chicken is cooking, mix brown sugar, garlic, crushed red, ginger, onion powder, apple cider vinegar, apple juice, water, ketchup, and soy sauce in small bowl. Set aside.
3) Once chicken has cooked push to one side and add vegetables. Cover.
4) In about 5 minutes, test the tenderness of the vegetables with a fork. If tender remove lid for a minute to evaporate any additional water from the pan. Turn the heat up and sprinkle 1 tbsp soy say sauce and stir for about 3 minutes.
5) Turn down heat and pour in sauce mix. Bring sauce to a boil for 5 minutes then reduce heat. Continue to simmer for 20 minutes.
6) Served best with jasmine or fried rice.

French Toast

While some individuals may reserve this for a weekend activity, I enjoy making French toast on mornings I have more than 10 minutes to eat before I walk out the door. While I may vary how much cinnamon, sugar, and nutmeg I mix in on some days, the recipe below is generally how I make it. I have used a variety of breads including plain loaf bread (wheat, white, and multi-grain), French bread, hamburger/hotdog buns, and Italian bread. I typically just top it with just powdered sugar. I try to reserve syrup for special occasions since Alaga Syrup isn't sold in the Mountain West region. (NOTE: The recipe is intended to make breakfast for one hungry person.)

Ingredients:
2-3 pieces of bread
1 egg
1/2 tbsp milk
1/2 tbsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tbsp sugar
Powdered sugar and syrup (optional)

1) Heat skillet on medium-high heat.
2) In a small bowl beat egg and milk. Add vanilla extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, and sugar. Beat mixture again until well-blended.
3) Lightly grease the bottom of the heated skillet. Dip bread in egg mixture covering all surface area. Place in skillet.
4) Brown each side and serve topped with powdered sugar and syrup.

Chick-fil-A and the Canola Oil

A few months ago I walked into my local Chick-fil-A. Going to order my usual (what use to be the #5 six-pack but has changed since they keep adding new menu items), I noticed that the fries are being advertised as being cooked in canola oil. I cringe at this thought but order anyways assuming that maybe, just maybe, the fries would taste good enough. Did the fries taste good? No. Was I disappointed? Yes. Was I angry that Chick-fil-A turned its back on peanut oil for cooking fries? Yes.

For some of you, you may be thinking "well canola oil is healthier for you." Others may be thinking that I better be glad I haven't faced this Chick-fil-A canola oil problem until now. While each claim has a point here is mine. I wrote the company to tell them that I was angry with change and the flavor of the fries has suffered at their switch. In addition, this is not the first time that the company has made a switch in its product offerings. Several years ago the diet lemonade (less sugar = more delicious) use to be made with real sugar and was then switch to being made with Splenda. I don't consume Splenda and generally avoid all artificial sweeteners.

The response I got from the company went as follows:

"Thank you for taking the time to contact Chick-fil-A.  You are very important to us, and we appreciate your remarks.  We hope the following information will be helpful.

Chick-fil-A has changed from peanut oil to high oleic canola oil for our Waffle Potato Fries and Hash Browns. Canola is vegetable oil having the lowest in saturated fatty acids, is an excellent source of omega-3 (ALA), and a good source of vitamin E. Canola oil is trans fat and cholesterol free and is high in monounsaturated fatty acids which studies show may help lower "bad" LDL cholesterol. 

We will still continue to cook all of our breaded chicken in peanut oil. Peanut oil imparts a great flavor to our chicken that is uniquely Chick-fil-A.

Chick-fil-A made the switch to canola oil for Waffle Fries and Hash Browns in order to support our current and future growth needs for cooking oils and to allow current and future Chick-fil-A customers to continue to enjoy our chicken cooked in 100% refined peanut oil.

Additionally, when we tested our Diet Lemonade made with Splenda versus Equal, we found that the Splenda recipe tasted more like our regular lemonade. We conducted customer taste tests and found that customers preferred the Diet Lemonade made with Splenda over Equal.

Again, thank you for your time and interest in Chick-fil-A."

Really Chick-fil-A? You are going to contradict yourself like that? You can't claim health standards and then come at me with a maintenance of a unique Chick-fil-A flavor when you change the flavor of your fries (for health and $ reasons) and your diet lemonade (to make it taste like original) First, fried food is fried food. I didn't come to your establishment to eat healthy. I came to get my deep-fried greasiness on. If I wanted fries cooked in canola oil there are other places I can go or I can do that at home. Furthermore, the science behind canola oil doesn't suggest that deep-frying with canola oil is a way to stay heart-healthy. Second, if you are going to go healthy (and save money I suppose) adding Splenda to the diet lemonade is contradictory to your switch to canola oil. Splenda and other artificial sweeteners have recently came under fire for a number of health consequences that result from consuming artificial sweeteners. And, if I really wanted the flavor of the regular lemonade, I would have ordered it with the normal amount of sugar. But I don’t want that much sugar and I don’t want that flavor.

About My Blog

Just some FYI when and if you decide to read any of my entries now or in the future. First, I currently live in a high altitude (appx. 5,000 feet). So, not all recipes will be posted for this. I don't plan on living at this altitude forever and will probably be heading back for sea level soon enough.

Second, I like my food spicy and rich. I love flavor. I especially like vinegar, peppers, garlic, dark chocolate, and vanilla beans. What I won't and can't include in any of my recipes are nuts or coconut. On that note, I usually don't eat condiments like ketchup, mustard, etc. unless it is part of a sauce or something along those lines.

Third, on occasion I might post on random foods I love or restaurants that rock my socks (and make me want to be a good cook/baker). I may also discuss food policy events or news.