Around The Culinary World

Good evening everyone! We're back and better than ever (well...back anyway!) Maggie is healing up nicely, although she does have some minimal pain from time to time, she is back to a normal diet and normal activities. My finger has healed up nicely over the past week, although it is still fairly gross to look at, I can type and (more importantly for blog purposes) cook with ease once again.

First and foremost, you may notice a few slight changes to the blog. It's true, I've spent the last few days making subtle visual updates or tweaks to the blog - no particular reason, I just felt it was time to freshen up a little bit. We're now using a new font style (ooh...ahh!) and a new color scheme, as well as a new background image. Enjoy and let me know what you think of the changes.

Also of note, yesterday the Urbandale Public Library held a 'forum' and book signing with Julie Powell of 'Julie & Julia' fame. After an hour -question/answer/interview session - we got to meet Julie and have her sign a copy of her book. Maggie will have more on this meeting on Wednesday's blog - but I just felt the need to mention that after we told her about our blog, she laughed and commented 'I love the name'. We're two for two in regards to famous culinary figures and loving our blog title. We may not become famous, get a movie or even make a buck on our blog - but at least we have an entertaining name. You have to take the little victories in life.

Over the last two weeks, the 'Around The Culinary World' feature has been a little...sparse to say the least. The food world simply wasn't turning out stories of any interest. There were small dustups over sodas and diet sodas - but nothing that deserved the full attention of the press juggernaut that is 'Around The Culinary World' (Full embellishment and sarcasm in use here)

This week, our patience has been rewarded with a new food controversy, thanks to the previously mentioned McDonald's oatmeal. Not to mention, our own favorite celebrity chef Jamie Oliver has come out firing at Sarah Palin (her stance on healthy eating and her own stupidity need no introduction) for her stance on changing the diets of children in America's schools. Top that off with a few interesting stories regarding snack foods and we've got a great week of tales to share! So, let's dive in!

Around The Culinary World: 2/28/11

We'll start off this week with the big food controversy. Over the past week, the actual ingredients of McDonald's newest breakfast menu item - 'healthy' oatmeal, were analyzed. It turns out that (and no surprise here) McDonald's version of healthy food and the rest of the world's version tend to differ...slightly.

McDonald's oatmeal, which has already been called out for being flat out disgusting and an assault on everything that is good about oatmeal (check out that story from a previous Around The Culinary World) is far from the healthy choice they lead you to believe. It turns out that the oatmeal contains more sugar than a Snickers bar and only 10 fewer calories than a McDonald's cheeseburger. This shouldn't be the case, after all - oatmeal IS AN INGREDIENT you don't have to add anything to it, alter it in anyway at all to make it a meal. It is a meal by itself. Adding fresh fruit and even a pinch of sugar or honey shouldn't send the dish skyrocketing to cheeseburger status. When prompted by an outside source regarding its ingredient choices, McDonald's responded with:

 “Customers can order FMO with or without the light cream, brown sugar and the fruit. Our menu is entirely customizable by request with our ‘Made for You’ platform that has been in place since the late 90s.”

               Oh -so, it's not our fault it's bad for you...it's yours. You're keeping all of the extra junk on the oatmeal, the old don't blame me, I just make it defense. (Also known as the 'you don't have to eat it' defense) Stay classy McDonald's. For more insight and commentary, check out the full story HERE


My favorite story of this week comes from the inspiration for this blog - Mr. Jamie Oliver. It's not secret that we're big champions of Jamie's 'Food Revolution' campaign - a movement that is trying to change the way school lunch systems operate (from the ground up). His argument is simple, start with healthy eating habits when kids are young and they will develop a healthier eating / lifestyle as the grow older. Obesity is a large problem in the United Sates, and starting off kids on the right foot (by removing processed foods and sugary drinks) is one great way to lower the rate that America's children are ballooning. Jamie's television show changed my perspective on cooking and eating well, his cookbooks taught me to cook and his passion made me a supporter of his cause. We're not doing what we're doing without Jamie Oliver.

Enter Sarah Palin, who for all intents and purposes, is the opposite of Jamie Oliver. Mrs. Palin has taken the stance that changing the dietary guidelines for children is an 'assault on American families' and that Michelle Obama and Jamie Oliver and telling parents how to raise their children. Healthy eating habits are bogus and America doesn't need this forced on our kids - etc. etc. We've lambasted Sarah Palin and her moronic stance on this issue before on the blog - so we won't dive into that issue again - however, Jamie Oliver fired back this week with something I wish I would have thought of calling her:

'Clearly, on this issue, she's a Froot Loop' Oliver said of Palin's attacks on Mrs. Obama and the healthy eating initiative. Well put Jamie! Read the full story of Jamie's comments on the political 'froot loop' HERE

Spot on Jamie...Spot on! 

How would you react if I told you chocolate was actually good for you?

Wait! Before you go running out the door to the nearest grocery store and stuff your face full of discounted Valentine's Day candy - you should know there's a catch.

Multiple studies are emerging that are linking chocolate to many health benefits. Chocolate has been found to include antioxidants, especially the antioxidant polyphenol, which is also found in plants and red wine. Polyphenol helps lower heart disease by preventing the artery walls form accumulating waxy, fatty substances known as LDL cholesterol. 

Ever eat a chocolate bar and feel a little more optimistic or aware? Science has an answer for that too - chocolate contains theobromine, which acts a lot like caffeine (without the withdrawal or addiction) a small amount of theobromine can stimulate the mind to be more awake or even improve your mood. 

In addition, chocolate has been proven to lower blood pressure in people with hypertension. One ounce of chocolate has been shown to be enough for all of these health benefits to be enjoyed. So, why has chocolate been getting a bad rap for all of these years? Well, much like any menu item at McDonald's it's not the item itself, it's what we've done to it. 

Chocolate gets filled with sugar and buttermilk, canceling out all of the health benefits with health detriments. (Such as obesity, cholesterol and high blood pressure...) So, (and here's the bad news) not all chocolate will help you and (more bad news) you can't eat mounds of it. However, small amounts of dark chocolate (which don't have nearly the levels of sugar or added fat as milk chocolate) can yield amazing heath benefits. So, there you have it - chocolate is good for you (sort of). Check out the full story, along with better descriptions of the science behind the story HERE. 

Finally this week,we have a interesting little story regarding snack foods. Snacking has always been a black sheep of the culinary world. Is it bad for you? Is it good for you? To an extent - yes to both. Snacking has been shown to have positive health benefits (supplementing a diet, lowering calories consumed throughout the day, better portion control) however, mindless snacking (and snacking on the wrong things) can be extremely detrimental to your health. So, what is the right snack food and what is the wrong snack food? Find out HERE. (The wrong isn't really a surprise in my opinion - but the 'right' may catch you off guard)


There you have it folks, that's what's new in the culinary world for Monday, February 28th 2011. We've got a full week lined up for you in regards to recipes - Maggie makes her return to the blog with two dishes this week. Also, I've got a great halibut dish (pushed from last week) that I can't wait to try out. It should be (pending any emergency surgeries or kitchen injuries) our first full cooking week in two weeks. Stop back tomorrow night for my halibut dish - until then,


~Cheers

Great Dish - With A Painful Lesson

Good evening everyone! Welcome back to Out Of The Culinary! I'm happy to say that Maggie is feeling much, much better today - she's even back at work and starting to resume her normal day to day functions. While she's not pain-free, she is feeling somewhat 'normal' again and that is a great improvement from 'death warmed up' (her words) earlier in the week.

Even though she's feeling better, we still have to ease back into a normal diet. That means the bland diet has to continue for another week or so - but that doesn't mean the dishes have to be boring. Tonight we're channeling French inspirations in the form of potato galette. Potato galette is a potato based dish (obviously) that resembles a pie. This is a typically complicated dish (as most French dishes) but the fine folks at America's Test Kitchen have found a way to keep the flavor but cut the prep time. Sounds like a win-win to me! Let's get cooking!


The Recipe: Potato Galette
Original Recipe Found In: Cook's Illustrated: March/April 2011 Issue

What You'll Need:

2 1/2 Pounds Russet Potatoes
5 Tablespoons Butter (Melted)
1 Tablespoon Cornstarch
1 Teaspoon Table Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Black Pepper
1/2 Teaspoon Dried Rosemary (Optional)


Begin by preheating the oven to 450 degrees and adjusting the oven rack to the lowest position.

This whole process is a lot easier if you have a Rotato and a mandoline available.  I was able to peel and slice the potatoes in about 15 minutes - much easier than by hand.  When using the mandolin, make sure the thickness is set to 1/8 inch or lower.  Anything thicker will inhibit the potatoes from sticking together.

Once the potatoes are sliced, fill a large bowl with cold water and rinse the potato slices in the bowl.  Move the slices to a kitchen towel and dry them thoroughly.

The reason we wash the potato slices is due to one element:  starch.  As you all know, potatoes are very starchy, however, not all potatoes contain the same amount of starch.  In fact, the level of starch can vary dramatically between two potatoes in the same bag.  What does this all mean for the recipe?  Starch is the component that makes the potato slices stick together.  When the starch levels are not the same, the potatoes don't stick together consistently.  By washing them in cold water, you are removing the starch from the potatoes and by adding corn starch, you create a consistent starch level for all the potato slices, which should result in a dish that sticks together (in a good way.)

In a small bowl, combine 4 tablespoons of the melted butter with the corn starch, salt, pepper, and rosemary.  Place the potato slices in a large bowl and pour the butter mixture over them.  Toss by hand until the slices are evenly coated.  Use the remaining tablespoon of butter to oil the bottom of a large oven safe skillet or Dutch oven.

Now you can begin creating the galette.  Choose a large potato slice and place it in the very center of the skillet.  Use the remaining potato slices to overlap the center slice in a circle.  Continue layering until the bottom of the skillet is completely covered.  For better structure, you can repeat this process multiple times - I did two layers of precise laying.

The French approach to this dish is to layer all the potato slices in this way. This is a time consuming and complicated process.  Luckily, we're not French.  Once you have your top layers established, simply add the remaining potato slices in no real order necessary.  Just make sure they are evenly dispersed.  Feel free to add some salt and pepper between layers to boost up the flavor. Also optional, you can add a tablespoon of unmelted butter to the last layer and let that flavor melt down into the potatoes as the dish cooks. If you're looking to trend healthier...avoid this tip!

Place the skillet on medium heat and cook for five minutes. This accomplishes two things, first it fuses the first two layers of the galette together, secondly it creates a beautiful golden brown layer that you will appreciate later.

With a wooden spoon, press down on the potatoes to eliminate any air pockets.  Place the skillet into the oven and cook for 20 minutes.  After 20 minutes, use the wooden spoon to press down on the potatoes again and return the skillet to the oven again for another 20 minutes.  After these 20 minutes, the dish should be done.

However, we're not quite done yet.  The galette is prepared upside down, meaning the first layer you put in the skillet is actually the top of the dish.  This means you'll have to flip the galette before serving.  Place a cutting board on top of the skillet and with one hand on the cutting board and one hand on the skillet, flip the dish until the the galette release.  With any luck, everything will have stuck together (thanks to the corn starch) and you should have a beautiful golden brown galette.  Slice into wedges and enjoy!

The Results:

For such a simple dish, the galette had a lot of flavor.  The potatoes were soft and moist, but the top layer had a nice crunch to it.  The extra touch of rosemary added to the warm country-like flavor.  The hardest part of this dish is the preparation and that's just time consuming.  In reality, a little bit of effort yields a fantastic end result.

The lesson from tonight involves the mandoline.  If you're familiar with the tool, you know it comes with a plastic skewer to grip whatever you're slices while protecting your fingers.  While this does slow you down sometimes, it's there for a reason.  Don't try to speed up the process by foregoing the plastic protector because you'll quickly find out that the mandoline cannot tell the difference between a potato and the tip of your finger.  I learned this the hard way after I sliced a corner of my finger off on the first potato.  Lesson learned (as a result, my finger hurts too much to type tonight's blog, thankfully, my lovely wife is typing up the blog as I speak it to her.)

ow...

That's all we have for you this evening.  We're off to Target to buy some heavy duty bandaids.  I'm planning on having another recipe tomorrow, but that could change depending on everyone is feeling.  Keep an eye on our Facebook page and we'll let you know if/when tomorrow goes up.  Until next time,

~Cheers

An Update

Good evening everyone! Tonight's blog is going to serve one purpose - to update everyone on Maggie's recovery and her progress back to normal, everyday function. While we won't go into the full details of the last week (trust me, there are some things you don't want to know...) - we can safety say it's been an eventful week, and I think it would have been more relaxing to actually have been at work, rather than at home!

Maggie is recovering nicely. She's had a lot of pain over the first few days but is now completely off the pain pills and down to a moderate 'ache'. We've had run ins with nausea and some cookie-tossing - but that seems to be behind us now.

Long story short, Maggie is the proud owner of 4 new holes in her tummy, one less internal organ and a whole lot of aches and pains. In the long haul, she should be able to return to the foods and flavors she so loves, in the short term, the menu is potatoes, mac & cheese and oatmeal.

As far as the blog goes - we're working on another shortened week. I'm planning on two recipes this week, but that all could change. Tomorrow night, I've found a potato recipe (with French inspiration) that fits right into our new short term diet ('safe foods') and will have a full blog (along with the cooking science behind the recipe) up tomorrow night. From there, the week becomes a big question mark. If everything progresses as planned, I'll have another recipe on Wednesday and that will be the week.

We won't be doing an 'Around The Culinary World' this week for two reasons. 1. I've been a little too busy taking care of miss Maggie to peruse the world of culinary news - and 2. After a quick look this morning, I've found nothing of interest to share with you anyway! A slow news week and a busy past few days have killed off our Monday feature for the week.


So there you have it folks, Maggie's alive and recovering. Slowly but surely she's on the mend. She'll be back and blogging before you know it. I'll have a recipe to share tomorrow night, and pending other circumstances (I.E. how exhausted I am as the week progresses) we could have an additional recipe to share on Wednesday.

As always, we'll try to keep you informed of everything that is going on - Stop back in tomorrow night for our return to cooking - it's a simple dish (less than five ingredients) but I'm eager to give it a go. Until then,

~Cheers

The Last Supper (For One Particular Gallbladder Anyway...)

Good evening everyone! Welcome to the final edition of Out Of The Culinary (well...for this week anyway). With Maggie's surgery looming tomorrow - we're going to be off for the next week or so. We hope to return by Monday the 21st, however, if Maggie cannot go back to a 'normal' diet by that time, we may have to delay the return of cooking (and in turn, the blog) until further notice. We'll be sure to keep you posted when we return to the world of cooking - but before we sign off for the week, we've got one more 'safe' recipe that (hopefully) will prove that healthy, non fat filled meals can still pack a lot of flavor. Tonight's dish, chicken with dumplings, combines foods that are gallbladder friendly (chicken, broth, veggies, biscuits) but uses them in a way that maximizes flavor without a lot of extra hassle. Let's get started:


The Recipe: Chicken With Dumplings
Original Recipe Found In: The Complete America's Test Kitchen TV Show Cookbook: Every Recipe from the Hit TV Show With Product Ratings and a Look Behind the Scenes, 2001-2011


What You'll Need:

5 Pounds Bone-In, Skin On Chicken Thighs (About 12)
4 Teaspoons Vegetable Oil
4 Tablespoons (1/2 stick) Unsalted Butter
4 Carrots, Peeled & Sliced 1/4 Inch Thick
2 Celery Ribs, Sliced 1/4 Inch Thick
1 Medium Onion (Sliced)
6 Tablespoons Unbleached All Purpose Flour
1/4 Cup Dry Sherry
4 1/2 Cups Low Sodium Chicken Broth
1/4 Cup Whole Milk (Do not substitute a lighter milk)
1 Teaspoon Minced Thyme Leaves (1/4 Teaspoon dried)
2 Bay Leaves
1 Cup Frozen Peas
3 Tablespoons Minced Fresh Parsley Leaves (1 Teaspoon dried)

Dumplings:

2 Cups Unbleached All Purpose Flour
1 Tablespoon Baking Powder
1 Teaspoon Table Salt
1 Cup Whole Milk (Do not substitute lighter milk)
3 Tablespoons Melted Butter*

*The original recipe calls for the reserved chicken fat from cooking the thighs. However, since we're trying to err on the side of health and good eating - we're substituting butter in place of the chicken fat. While butter is not 'healthy' it is slightly better for you than liquified chicken fat.

Begin by patting your chicken pieces dry with paper towels and season them lightly with salt and pepper. In a large dutch oven, heat 2 teaspoons of the vegetable oil until just smoking. Add as many of the chicken pieces as possible (if the dutch oven is large enough, you should be able to do this in two batches). Cook the chicken pieces over medium heat until the outside is golden brown - roughly 5 minutes per side. Remove the cooked pieces from the dutch oven and set aside on a plate. Place the remaining chicken pieces in the dutch oven (add the remaining vegetable oil if necessary) and repeat the cooking process until golden brown. Remove and discard the skin from the chicken pieces.

The concept of cooking the chicken skin-on first is to reduce the cooking time while maintaining the natural juices of the chicken. By cooking the chicken 'skin-on' you reserve the juices - when you remove the skin, you're allowing the juices to seep out and into whatever else you're cooking - which is great for our next steps.

Check the dutch oven to see if you need to remove any remaining chicken fat/grease. A little grease is okay, but a big pool:

Not so much. Drain the excess grease if needed. Next, melt 4 tablespoons of butter in the dutch oven (medium heat). Add your carrots, celery, onion and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Cook until the vegetables soften - about 8 to 10 minutes. Next, stir in the flour, combining until everything is well blended. Add the sherry, making sure to scrape up any browned-on bits from the chicken with a wooden spoon while mixing. Finally, stir in the broth, milk, thyme an bay leaves. Nestle the (naked) chicken into the pot and cover. Allow the mixture to simmer until the chicken is full cooking - roughly one hour.

Once the chicken is cooked and tender, remove the pieces of chicken from the stew and place them on a cutting board. (Now is also a good time to fish out and discard your bay leaves). Shred the chicken from the bones (after the hour long cook, it shouldn't be too hard to do) and place the meat aside in a small bowl. After you're shredded the chicken meat, return to the stew and skim off any of the excess fat/grease that may have risen to the surface. Finally, return the shredded chicken meat to the stew. Return the stew to a simmer and add the peas and parsley.

Now you can begin to work on your dumplings. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Next, microwave the milk and melted butter in a small bowl (high power) for about 45 seconds to 1 minute. You want to heat up the mixture, but not cook it. Adjust the cooking time based on your microwave's power.

Stir this warmed milk mixture into the flour bowl. Combine until the mixture is smooth and well mixed.

Using a wooden spoon or cookie scoop - drop golf ball sized dough balls on the top of the stew (leaving about 1/4 inch of space between each ball). Reduce the heat to low and allow to cook until the dumplings have doubled in size. This should take about 20 to 30 minutes.

Serve and enjoy!


The Results:

One of the time saving cheats for this recipe is using ready-made biscuits and simply serving the stew on top of those. While that may work for those in a time crunch, I feel that the homemade dumplings really make the dish. The stew itself boasts great flavor and an amazing aroma. Add in the fresh, slightly doughy dumplings and the dish moves to a brand new level. Simply delectable. A great way to end the week. (And, as a bonus, there are a lot of leftovers to enjoy for lunch the next few days!)


That's all we have for you this week! Maggie heads into surgery tomorrow morning, and should be out be early afternoon. We'll return to the world of blogging and cooking as soon as we can. Until then,

~Cheers

If This Counts As A "Bland Diet" - Count Me In!

Good evening everyone!  As my surgery looms closer and closer, we're still batting in the safe zone, as far as food goes.  Granted, I could have my gallbladder go out with a bang, that's probably not the wisest decisions.  Today, I talked to a nurse about the upcoming procedure, and I asked her what I would be able to eat right after the surgery.  She told me "Very bland foods: macaroni and cheese, pudding, mashed potatoes, jello...nothing greasy or spicy" - which I have been doing and it seems to help.  But obviously I won't be diving in head first into the foods I once loved, but now have given up.  Time will only tell when I'll be able to eat that kind of food again.


Tonight, I decided to try a breakfast recipe as a "safe food."  Not only does it look delicious, but I think it might be a wise decision for my tummy.


The Recipe:  Buttermilk Pancakes with Vanilla Bean-Berry Syrup
Original Recipe Found In:  Food Network Magazine, January-February 2011

What You'll Need:
Pancakes:
1 1/2 Cups All Purpose Flour
1/2 Cup Finely Ground Cornmeal
3 Tablespoons Granulated Sugar
2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
Pinch of Grated Nutmeg
2 1/4 Cups Well-Shaken Buttermilk
2 Large Eggs, Beaten
1 Tablespoon Vegetable Oil, Plus More for Greasing
Syrup:
1 Cup Maple Syrup
1 Vanilla Bean, Split Lengthwise
1 Pint Fresh Blueberries, Blackberries, or Raspberries


Begin by making the syrup:  heat the syrup and both halves of the vanilla bean in a small saucepan over medium-high heat.  If you aren't aware, vanilla bean is VERY expensive, like 7 dollars a container of TWO vanilla beans.  We opted for vanilla bean extract, and splashed a 1/4 teaspoon with the syrup, just enough to add some flavor without bleaching our mouths with vanilla taste.  Just before the mixture comes to a simmer, remove from heat, stir in berries, and set aside for thirty minutes to let the flavors meld.  We chose blueberries in our version.  Blueberries and pancakes were just meant to be together and they have a great flavor pairing: the fluffiness of the pancakes and the tartness of blueberries just harmonize so well.

Making the pancakes:  preheat the oven to 200 degrees.  Whisk the flour, cornmeal, granulated sugar, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg in a large bowl.  In a separate bowl, whisk the buttermilk, eggs and oil.  Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until just blended.  Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat.  Add enough oil to grease it lightly and leave a film on the bottom of the pan.

Working in batches, ladle the batter, about 1/2 cup at a time, into the pan.  Cook until the pancakes are golden brown on the bottom and bubbles start to form on the top, about three to five minutes.  Flip and continue cooking for two to three minutes.  Put the finished pancakes on a sheet tray and let sit in the oven to stay warm.  Serve with berry syrup, butter, and enjoy!


The Final Result:

The sweetness and tanginess from the syrup adds a delicious touch to these pancakes.  The slight flavoring from the vanilla extract adds a whole new dimension to the syrup and boosts its flavor component.  The blueberries added a nice touch to the whole dish and proved, once again, that blueberries were meant to be with pancakes.  The pancakes were extremely fluffy and it filled you up, but never left a overt full feeling, like you get with most pancakes.  Overall, a mighty fine dish and very simple as well!  






Thanks Maggie! This could be one of the last 'safe dishes' we have to cook in a long while (after the two week 'recovery' period - obviously) that being said, if all the safe dishes came out like this...I don't think I'd mind!

That's all we have for you tonight. I'm back in the kitchen tomorrow night, so be sure to stop back tomorrow evening to see what I've got cooking. Until then,

~Cheers

Around The Culinary World

Good evening everyone! It's Monday once again, but somehow it's more tolerable than a typical Monday. Maybe that has to do with the 50 degree temperatures and the full 'it's almost spring' feeling that is in the air. As the thick icy grasp of winter begins to melt away, it's easier to feel a little more chipper - even when it's a Monday.

The last few weeks have been a bit slow in regards to culinary news. Small stories, neat little tidbits - and interesting (sometimes odd) tales have been the norm. I'm happy to say that this week...isn't any different. While it is a slow news week, the stories we do have for you are intriguing little glimpses into the culinary world. Here's the best stories from the culinary world this week.

The biggest culinary story of the week centered around the new studies linking diet sodas to increased stroke risk. The study found that a person drinking diet sodas everyday was at a greater risk for a stroke than a person who didn't drink any soda. The study has found that it was specifically diet soda (not any soda) that caused this increased risk. The study doesn't have an answer to what ingredient can be blamed for this risk. The study's scientists recommend that you drink water instead - a safer alternative to diet soda, they claim. I'd like to counter that drinking any form of soda everyday is going to put you at an increased risk for anything health related. The high sugar and empty calories have long been known to be bad for you and a everyday soda drinker is much more likely to be in slightly worse health than a non soda drinker.  That doesn't discount the fact that an increase of strokes in diet soda drinkers is a scary prospect - I just don't find the study as 'terrifying' as the news outlets want to make it out to be. Soda is bad for you - that shouldn't come as any surprise to anyone. Check out the full story HERE.



In a (slightly) related story - there is drama surrounding the new look of Diet Pepsi cans. The company unveiled the new look cans last week to a lot of critical outcry. The cans feature a taller, slimmer look that the company claims make it more desirable and trendy. "Our slim, attractive can is the perfect compliment to today's stylish looks" Pepsico said in a statement regarding the new look. The negative press began to pour in immediately. Not to regarding the actual style - oh no - that received praise, but regarding the fact that Pepsico was clearly pushing the 'skinnier is better' line to consumers. Once again, I find this to be a non controversy that news outlets are drumming up for a story - are people really outraged that Pepsico is making a skinny can? Are they taking in to consideration the fact that the reason there is even a Diet Pepsi is because consumers are thinking slim when they drink the product? Pepsico is reinventing their can to look more trendy and stylish with today's general public (E.G. the women of the world) - let's leave it at that and not make everything a major controversy. Read the full story (and both sides of the argument) HERE.

Above: Controversy! (And maybe a killer?) 

My fellow Americans, it's time to celebrate! The United States is no longer the fattest country in the world! This is obviously a sign that Americans are moving to healthier lifestyles, cutting out fast food and exercising more right? Well...no. What it is a sign of, however, is other countries sudden surge in weight gain. Yes, the U.S. isn't eating healthier - other countries are simply eating worse, at a faster rate, than we are. The new 'fattest country in the world' title holder? You wouldn't guess it if I gave you 10 tries. Check out the story HERE.

Source: http://www.good.is/post/chart-the-united-states-is-no-longer-the-fattest-country/

I don't think this particular ingredient is on the menu... Check out the surprising addition one woman got when she ordered a salad at McDonalds. There's not much more to add to the story than that. I'm not sure if I'd be happier to find out that the woman is lying, or that she is telling the truth. If she's lying - it's a sad reflection on our society and people's willingness to lie and deceive in order to gain financially - if she's telling the truth it's a shocking look into just how low our food service standards are these days. Lose, lose situation if you ask me.


Finally this week, EatingWell.com has a list of uses for a common citrus. The lemon. These go beyond zesting up a recipe or adding a nice tang to cakes and bread - the lemon is a secret kitchen force that has the ability to clean a cutting board, fight bad breath and keep fruits and veggies fresh for longer. Check out the full list of useful lemon tips HERE. (This article is primed for a 'Culinary Mythbuster' story - we've delayed our first foray of the planned feature until after Maggie's surgery, but we're still seeking ideas to test, try or demonstrate when it comes to culinary tips and tricks. Stay tuned for our first feature - regarding onions, in a few weeks. If you have any ideas or myths that you'd like to see us test (like the lemon article for example!) send them in to Outoftheculinary@gmail.com


That's the culinary news for Monday, February 14th 2011. We've got a short week of cooking lined up - one recipe apiece. Maggie is taking to the kitchen on Tuesday, and I'll close out the surgery shortened week on Wednesday. Stop back in tomorrow evening to see what Maggie's got cooking. Until then,

~Cheers

Bending The Rules...

Good evening everyone!  As my surgery date creeps ever so slowly, I've been doing a lot of research.  I understand that my diet will probably change quite a bit after surgery and slow reintroductions to foods will have to be incorporated.  But the thing that has been boggling my mind is what foods can I eat right after my surgery.  According to one website, I have to avoid everything and anything.  Another one said just liquids.  I suppose I won't know until I have the organ yanked out to find out what tastes good or not.


As for this evening though, I'm trying a festival of flavor.  Not only do the ingredients sound great, but they sound amazing together.  I figure for my last recipe (for a while) that I would go out with a bang...or something like that...


The Recipe:  Tasty Italian Chicken
Original Recipe Found In:  Taste of Home, December 2010/January 2011

What You'll Need:
1/2 Cup Chopped Onion
1 1/8 Teaspoons Paprika, Divided
3 Teaspoons Olive Oil, Divided
1 1/4 Cups Water
1/4 Cup Tomato Paste
1 Bay Leaf
1/2 Teaspoon Reduced-Sodium Chicken Bouillon Granules
1/2 Teaspoon Italian Seasoning
1/4 Cup All-Purpose Flour
1 1/2 Teaspoons Grated Parmesan Cheese
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1/4 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
1/4 Teaspoon Dried Oregano
1 1/2 Pounds Chicken Tenderloins (2-3 Chicken Breasts)


Begin with sauteing the onions and 1/8 teaspoon paprika in 1 teaspoon oil in a small saucepan.  Cook until tender, 5-10 minutes.  Stir in the water, tomato paste, bay leaf, bouillon, and Italian seasoning.  Now, you might be asking, "Maggie, I thought you would be steering clear of any tomato based products since it made your gall bladder upset."  Well...I kind of did take a risk here.  Since it is a paste and not really chopped or chunky tomatoes, it might do well in my system.  Bring the entire combination to a boil.  Reduce the heat to simmer and keep uncovered for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large re-sealable plastic bag, combine the flour, Parmesan cheese, salt, garlic powder, oregano, and remaining paprika.  Add the chicken into the bag, seal and shake to coat.  Also, another variation would be to use a plastic sandwich bag and roll the chicken for a minute or two until well coated.

In a large, nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray, cook the chicken in one teaspoon of oil.  If you have tenderloins, cook for two to three minutes on each side or until no longer pink.  If you have chicken breasts, cook for 10 minutes on each side or until a meat thermometer reads 165 degrees.  Remove the bay leaf, serve sauce with chicken and enjoy!


The End Result:

I thought this recipe would be bursting with flavor and have a nice thick sauce.  Both of which did not happen.  Most of the seasonings on the chicken were hardly there and could barely taste.   The tomato based sauce did have some flavor but not enough to make it great.  It ended up being really watery and added a nice accent to the dish, but that's about it.  As for gall bladder safe...I think it is.  Nothing is too potent in it to cause an uproar in my tummy, but, as with every dish that is "gall bladder safe", it needs more flavor!




Thanks Maggie, and yes dear reader - Maggie did cheat the rules for a dish tonight. Tomato products are off the list and onions are greatly discouraged. Someone snuck this recipe up on me until the last minute and managed to get it approved...hmm. That being said, the dish wasn't as bad as Maggie was making it out to be. The sauce was more of a light glaze that worked well as a dip. The flavor was reminiscent of chicken parmesan - but yes, it did need more herbs. Sadly, this dish is a victim of our limited diet until Maggie gets to feeling better.


That's all we have for you this week. We've got a short week lined up next week. Simply an 'Around The Culinary World' and one recipe. With surgery pending next week, we're simply not going to have the time or the energy to cook all week. We know you'll understand.

Until next time,

~Cheers

Au Natural Cod

Good evening everyone! I hope everyone is surviving the deep freeze out there! It's been in the negative numbers (actual temperatures) for the past two days and frankly, I've had enough. I'm ready for spring. Winter was miserable while it lasted, but now it's time for farmer's markets, warm weather, fresh (non-imported) vegetables, warm weather, sunny skies, warm weather and...warm weather.

Yesterday, we shared a delicious take on a breaded chicken recipe that also fell into the category of 'Maggie safe'. The breading was full of flavor, but didn't have a lot of creamy coatings or heavy oils to cause issues with Maggie's gallbladder. Tonight, I'm taking that concept one step further and going sans breading. Tonight's recipe is a variant of breaded cod - only without any breadcrumbs. Instead, the breading is created 100% by herbs and spices. (Nothing too extreme or fiery, however, as that would defeat the purpose!) I've attempted a recipe similar to this before - a pan fried curried cod that ended up...well, horribly. My hope is that by shifting from pan frying to oven roasting, the issues of that original recipe will not be a problem. Did it work out that way? Let's find out:


The Recipe: Fast Roasted Cod With Parsley, Oregano, Chile & Lime
Original Recipe Found In: The Naked Chef

What You'll Need:

2 Cod Steaks
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1/2 Tablespoon Dried Oregano
2 Tablespoons Flat Leaf Parsley (Dried)
1 Medium Sized Red Chile*
1 Lime

*Red chiles certainly have a season, and when they are not in season, they are harder to find than a Dodo bird, Maggie and I searched through 3 local grocery stores - including a specialty grocery store that usually has at least one of everything - no luck. Since we're not big pepper fans (and Maggie can't handle a lot of spice) I opted to replace the chile with 1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes - for a little bit of a kick.

Begin by placing a wire rack on a rimmed baking sheet and spraying the rack with nonstick spray. Place the rack/baking sheet into the oven and begin preheating to 425 degrees. The idea behind heating the rack at the beginning is to create a instant sizzle when you place the cod on the rack. This helps both sides of the fish cook evenly - the top side is exposed to the most even heat, but the bottom side got a head start.

Pat your cod fillets dry with paper towels. It's very important to remove all of the moisture possible from the outside of the fillet. Moisture, especially when dealing with breaded fish, causes a lot of problems in breading. It clumps, it runs and disrupts even cooking across the surface of the cod. Moisture is your enemy in this situation - remove it with a vengeance.

Once you have destroyed all evidence of moisture's existence, gently rub olive oil on the surface of the cod. You just want a light layer - don't soak the the surface with oil. Unlike water, the olive oil evenly attracts the breading and evenly distributes heat while cooking. Not too mention, the oil acts as a barrier on the surface keeping the interior moisture of the cod (the good kind) inside where it belongs.

In a small bowl, mix the herbs, chile pepper and a pinch of salt and pepper. The original recipe calls for the cod to be rolled in the mixture, but I found it easier to simply pick up pinches of the herb mixture with my fingers and distribute it evenly across the surface of the fish. Once both sides are evenly coated with a herb breading, place the fish into the oven (listen to the sizzle when you first put the cod on the hot wire rack!) and cook for 10 to 15 minutes or until the cod becomes light and flaky.

+

=

Serve with some freshly squeezed lime juice (or lime halves) and enjoy!


The Results:

Jamie Oliver's claim to fame has always been to let recipes tell their own story. You don't need to pour sauce all over a dish to make a great flavor come out. Instead, let the natural flavors work together to create something that so many people miss - real flavor. Tonight's dish is the simplest form of this philosophy. While it may not seem like it, these few ingredients pair up so well together, it's like the fish really is breaded and covered in a multitude of sauces and creams. Add the light zest of lime juice and you have a almost tropical tasting dish that required very little effort or odd ingredients. Simple, elegant, delicious cooking (and healthy to boot!)

That's all we have for you this evening. Maggie takes to the kitchen tomorrow night to finish off the week. Be sure to stop back tomorrow evening to see what she's got cooking. Until then,

~Cheers

Golden & Delicious Breaded Chicken

Good evening everyone! It's been a challenge over these last few weeks to adjust our cooking style to accommodate Maggie's sensitive digestive system. We have to be overly careful when we're picking recipes - making sure that every single ingredient will agree with her in the end. This means a lot of our discussions sound something like this:

Maggie: How about (recipe X)?
Tyler: What's in it?
Maggie: Chicken, arugula, alfredo, chives..
Tyler: The alredo is probably a no go
Maggie: Yeah...

(More browsing)

Maggie: How about (recipe X)?


And so it goes, again and again until we come up with three recipes that are bland enough to keep an angry gallbladder satisfied, yet do not compromise flavor to the point of cooking what amounts to boiled chicken. This because even harder when you start to have a craving for a particular food. For me, that food this week was fried (or at least breaded) chicken. The challenge was coming across a recipe that didn't fry in oil, baste in buttermilk or create some other creamy concoction to create a breading base for the chicken. This was surprisingly harder than it sounds. However, after a lot of searching, I came across tonight's recipe. Rather than using a creamy base, it uses a light dash of cooking oil to create a 'stickier' breadcrumb mixture. This mixture clings to the chicken with ease - eliminating the need for sticky, creamy bases. Does this compromise ruin the flavor? Let's find out:

The Recipe: Oven Baked Chicken
Original Recipe Found On: Eatingwell.com

What You'll Need:

4-5 Chicken Drumsticks (Skin removed)
1/3 Cup Breadcrumbs (Fine or as small as possible)
1/4 Teaspoon Paprika
1/4 Teaspoon Onion Powder
1/4 Teaspoon Salt
2 1/2 Teaspoons Vegetable Oil
1 Large Egg

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.

Place a wire rack on a large rimmed baking sheet and spray the rack with cooking spray. Set aside.

Begin by mixing your breadcrumbs, paprika, salt and onion powder together in a large bowl. Next, add the oil, making sure to mix well. At first, the oil is going to cause a lot of clumping and not really want to disperse all that well. However, a little elbow grease and vigorous stirring with a fork should break up the clumps and eventually distribute the oil evenly throughout the breading mixture. If you feel the crumbs after this point, they should have a slight 'damp' feel to them and should cling fairly easily to your fingers.

Next, crack the egg into a medium bowl and whisk briefly with a fork. Set this bowl aside.

Just like any other breading recipe we've done on the blog - the easiest method of breading is assembly line style. Line up the bowls so the egg mixture is first, followed by the breading mixture. Place a plate or the rimmed baking sheet at the end of the assembly line and you're ready to get started.

Simply dunk the chicken into the egg mixture, making sure it is evenly covered. Allow the excess egg to drain off before rolling the chicken in the breading mixture.

I'll admit, this is the best breading I've managed to achieve since we started the blog. I've had many encounters with breaded chicken (and fish) and have had my share of horror stories (and some successes - but a lot of horror stories) about how badly some of the breading adhered to the meat. Tonight's method could not have been easier. The breading clung to the chicken with ease - a few quick turns in the bowl and everything was taken care of.

Simple repeat this process until all the drumsticks are covered. Place the drumsticks on the wire rack and into the oven. Cook for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the center of the thickest drumstick registers at 165 degrees on a digital thermometer. Serve with honey mustard sauce and enjoy!


The Results:

Surprisingly delightful! The breading mixture pack a lot of flavor without all of the extra mess or poor nutritional value that other breading can fall victim to. The chicken held a lot of moist flavor, while being boosted by the nice crunch of the breading - a win, win situation when it comes to oven roasted chicken. With the ease that the breading went on, combined with the amazing flavor, this breaded chicken recipe (and technique) has taken a place on top of my list of favorite breading. It's worth a shot for those of you following along at home. You won't be disappointed!

That's all we have for you this evening. Be sure to stop back tomorrow evening to see what I'm cooking up for day two of the blog. Until then,

~Cheers

Around The Culinary World

Good Morning Everyone! Welcome to another Monday here at Out Of The Culinary. Whether this story finds you at work, finding a distraction from the usual or sitting at home having survived another return to the work week, we're here to provide a little entertainment. This week was a fairly quiet one as far as culinary news stories go. In fact, every story we have this week is of the quirky or unusual variety. Most of the culinary stories this week centered around Super Bowl food and parties. What mixes with this, how to make the best version of this...etc, etc. Being as today is a day AFTER the Super Bowl, I really didn't think these stories would be all that useful for anyone today! So, let's dive into this week's (slightly odd) Around The Culinary World:


The only real culinary news from this week that doesn't involve something odd or humorous was the announcement of the new dietary guidelines. Every five years, the USDA and the USDHHS (US Dept. of Health & Human Services) get together and release a new set of standards for 'healthy living'. These include recommendations for daily levels of vitamins in a diet, the amount of salt they recommend you take in, all the way down to what your diet should (ideally) be composed of from a item by item perspective. This time, there were some major adjustments to the guidelines. For the first time the report recognized the importance of vegetables in a diet (emphasizing the health benefits that vegans and vegetarians see from their eating habits). The report also emphasizes the reduction in sodium from your everyday diet - something that is just starting to be tied to weight loss and healthy living (on a more widely accepted scale). This report has to be taken with a grain of salt, however, (see what I did there?) due to the biggest problem government agencies have - bias. It seems that lobbyists have made their way into this report - while the report specifically lists foods that are good to eat, they list the foods that are bad to eat by their chemical and fat scientific names - E.g. no specific calling out of red meat - but listing the chemicals that make red meat bad. In addition, the report calls out in great support of the dairy industry, but fails to mention that some of the very chemicals they are calling out against are in said dairy products - or that there are other alternatives out there to supplement the nutritional value of dairy products without all of the fats. It's an interesting report - but like most government products regarding food, it has issues. It still has it's benefits though - Read the full story HERE for more information.

When I say wine country, what comes to mind. The French countryside? California hillsides? Perhaps, the Rhine in Germany? How about India? Not so much huh? It turns out there are more than a few 'unique' wine growing regions across the world. Read about a few of the most unique, unusual wine producing countries HERE.

Speaking of wine, have you ever found yourself craving a bottle of wine - say where you're at a picnic or out wandering the streets of New York - but found yourself without a corkscrew? (No - me either, but those two seem to be the only realistic reasons why you'd need some of these wine opening tips!) Regardless, the Daily Meal has a collection of interesting ways to open a wine bottle without a corkscrew. Here's a free tip - the article doesn't really mention that each topic has a video, simply click on the title of the tip and it will take you to a video of someone preforming this miracle liberation of wine from bottle. It's not really practical, but it is humorous. Check it out HERE.

Corkscrew? No thanks, I've got my shoe

Finally this week, well...this article is hard to introduce. I'll just keep it simple. What we have for you here is a collection of odd beverages -

Because I want a beer gut - but a HEALTHY beer gut!

No - stranger than that. What we have here is collection of beverages ranging from beer flavored milk (or is it milk flavored beer?) titled - obviously Bilk (duh!) to turkey and gravy flavored soda. There are two questions with this article - why make this product and, more importantly, who the heck drinks this stuff!? Check out the full list of grossed out drinks HERE.


That's all we have for you this week - I told you it was a light (but odd) week! We're scheduling another full week of recipes, I'll take the kitchen over on Tuesday and Wednesday and Maggie will finish off the week on Thursday. With Maggie's surgery coming up next week - this will be our last full week of cooking for at least a week, maybe two.

Also, we have run out of space to store images and posts for the blog. We're allowed only a set limit and after close to a year of blogging 3 to 5 days a week, we've maxed out that space. In order to keep old posts from being taken down when new ones go up - we have to purchase more storage space. Help us fund this expansion by purchasing our cookbook (now on sale for $23). Follow the Blurb link on the righthand side of the blog to get yours today. We'll use the proceeds to upgrade the site and keep all of the old recipes up in the archive for you to reference anytime. Your help in this situation would be greatly appreciated!

That's all we have for you today. Check back tomorrow evening to see what I've got cooking. Until then,

~Cheers

Not Your Ordinary Pizza

Good evening everyone!  As the bitterly cold winds have died down and more snow is cleared off the roads, we settle into another evening.  As my gallbladder has restricted my diet from foods I absolutely love to having minimal portions.  Although I though there are certain foods that trigger an attack (greasy foods, tomatoes, salsa,) some of my favorite foods involve those.  Like tomatoes, for instance.  By themselves, I would probably be in pain for three days; having some sort of tomato base in a food, would more than likely cause an attack.


Pizza would be one of those items.  Granted, the mariana sauce would get to me, I'd rather not risk it.  I do love pizza - and quite frankly, who doesn't?  This evening, I'm trying my own variation of pizza...and yes, this a first for me because I've never made homemade pizza.  Will it turn out as good as a pizzeria style pizza?


The Recipe:  Chicken Bacon Alfredo Pizza (Black and Blue Pizza)
Original Recipe Found In:  Taste of Home Magazine December 2010/January 2011


What You'll Need
1 Loaf Frozen Bread Dough, Thawed
8 Bacon Strips, Chopped
1 Pound Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts, Cut Into Strips
3 Teaspoons Blackened Seasoning
1 Large Shallot, Minced
8 Ounces Alfredo Sauce
3 Teaspoons Dried Basil
2 Teaspoons Dried Thyme
8 Slices Provolone Cheese
3/4 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese


Start by thawing out the loaf of bread, according to package directions.  When thawed, roll dough into a 16 by 10 inch rectangle.  You can either transfer to an ungreased baking sheet or roll it out on an ungreased baking sheet - the latter might be slightly harder to do, but well worth the effort.  Build up the edges slightly.

In a large skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp.  Remove to paper towels with a slotted spoon; drain, reserve two tablespoons drippings.  Sprinkle chicken with blackened seasoning; cook chicken in the drippings until no longer pink, about four minutes.  Add shallots and garlic, cook for one minute longer.  Set aside.

Spread alfredo sauce over crust; top with chicken mixture and bacon.  Sprinkle with basil and thyme; top with Provolone and Parmesan cheeses.  Bake at 450 degrees for 14-18 minutes, or until bubbly and cheese is melted and crust is a light golden brown.

The End Result:

Even though I ended up cooking the pizza a little too long, the flavor was amazing.  The blackened seasoning made the chicken really pop and the herbs tied all those flavors together.  I could barely tell that the bacon and the alfredo sauce was there, but it was an incredible combination that made for a delicious pizza, something I would definitely make again and recommend to make.


Thanks Maggie! This gets my vote as one of the best chicken pizzas I've ever had. Kudos to Maggie on a great dish!

On a related note - we've maxed out the number of pictures we can put up on the blog at one time. Since we're not exactly funded (I.E. we don't make a cent doing this...) we have to start pulling down the older photos. I'm not a fan of this alternative - but it looks like it's the only way we can continue on. As such, old blog posts will no longer have photos. Starting with day one of the blog and working backwards, we're going to be pulling the pictures. The only way to get full recipes (with photos) after that is to purchase your own copy of the Out Of The Culinary Cookbook - at only $25 it's a great full color cookbook to add to your shelf (and it helps your favorite amateur chefs) click the link on the upper right side of the blog to get your copy today! We'll use the proceeds from the cookbook sales to purchase more storage for the blog. You get a great cookbook - plus the blog gets to run as is for the long haul.

That's all we have for you this week! Thanks for joining us on another week's worth of culinary adventures. We are off until Monday, when we'll return with another Around The Culinary World - until then,

~Cheers

The Simplicity Of Cooking

Good evening everyone! Welcome to day 2 of the great snowpocalypse - the cleanup. When it was all said and done, we piled up a solid 7 to 9 inches (depending on who you ask) of the white stuff. That combined with 30 MPH winds made last evening a nightmare for those out and about. This morning, the winds died down and the roads were cleaned (very well, when you consider the mess that was on them only hours before) and everything returned to normal. I don't know about you, but this snowstorm seemed to be more hype than it was worth. All the news talked about is how terrible things were going to be and how the greater metro would grind to a halt due to the weather. Neither of those things came true. (Obviously, if you live in south eastern Iowa or the Chicago region - this is a different story!) Not that I'm complaining, it's just interesting to see a snowstorm deliver so little of an impact after a forecast was proven to be accurate.

Now that we have all safely survived the great snowstorm of 2011, we can move on to more important things, like tonight's recipe! Tonight, my recipe is the definition of simplicity and culinary creation. I made this recipe on my own, no outside sources consulted, and ended up with a dish that delivered such great flavor - the best part? I used things we already had in the freezer / pantry! No groceries, no recipe and a great meal - here's how you can make this wonder dish yourself.

The Recipe: Chicken Gravy On Biscuits
This is an Out Of The Culinary original creation!

What You'll Need:

2-3 Chicken Pieces (Thighs, breasts, whatever you have in the freezer or left in the refrigerator)
2 Cups Chicken Broth
Frozen Vegetable Mixture (Or fresh chopped carrots, peas and green beans, again, whatever is available)
3-4 Tablespoons All Purpose Flour
1/2 Teaspoon Thyme (Dried)
6 Fresh Biscuits, Bread Slices or Russet Potatoes (To make mashed potatoes)


My inspiration for this dish came from meals my mom used to make when I was growing up. It was common practice for her to turn leftover chicken into chicken gravy and serve it upon fresh biscuits, egg noodles or mashed potatoes. The ingredients were usually whatever we had leftover. Corn, peas, carrots, whatever needed to be used up from a previous meal made its way into the pot with the chicken and via a process (which at the time I assumed was simple 'mom magic') ended up as a nice, thick gravy that was full of flavor and filled you up!

Setting out to duplicate this end result, I started with what I had - 3 pieces of chicken. 1 frozen thigh, 1 frozen drumstick and one fresh breast. I also had a bag of frozen vegetables (a mixture of carrots, peas, corn and green beans) and simple put together a process that made sense to me.

The easiest way to get chicken soft and shred-able (best for gravy that way) is to cook the living daylights out of it. Enter the slow cooker. I love my slow cooker simply because it makes the evening meal so much easier. Pop in a few ingredients, set the dish to low and come back at the end of the day to a wonderful dish that is ready (or very near ready) to eat.

To make your own version of chicken gravy on biscuits, simply add whatever chicken pieces you have to a large slow cooker (they can still be frozen, it doesn't matter) add your vegetables (fresh, chopped, frozen - whatever you prefer). Add enough broth to barely cover the top of the vegetables - this was abot 2 cups for me, but it could vary based on the amount of chicken you are using and the size of you slow cooker. All that's left is to set the cooker on low and let things cook for a solid 5 to 8 hours.

After your ingredients have had all day to stew, all you have to do is a pluck the chicken from the slow cooker. Most of the meat should fall right off the bone, but if you still have some sticky pieces, be sure to pluck it free with tongs. Add all of your meat to a small bowl and, using tongs, simply toss the chicken until it breaks apart into smaller strands. This shouldn't take a whole lot of effort - usually the chicken is falling apart before you get it out of the slow cooker!

That's all that remained on the bones

After only a few tosses with tongs

Next, add the thyme and 2 tablespoons of flour directly to the veggie mixture in the slow cooker. Stir until everything is mixed well and evaluate the mixture. If things still seem soupy, add another tablespoon of flour and stir. Repeat this process until the veggie/broth mixture turns slightly 'stew like'. Add the chicken and stir again. Return the slow cooker to low (or the warm setting if your cooker has that option) while you work on the biscuits / potatoes / noodles or whatever you are going to serve the gravy on.

For this dish, I decided to use a few russet potatoes that we had in our pantry. This meant that I (finally) got to use another Christmas gift - the Rotato. If you're not familiar with the Rotato, let me just say that it is a device created by the kitchen tool gods to make your life 1000% easier. My least favorite kitchen activity is peeling and preparing potatoes. I hate it. It's time consuming, it's a mess - I can't stand doing it. The Rotato takes the potato on its stand, and with a push of a button, spins a little peeler blade around the spud until its shed of all its skin. All you have to do is chop the tater and you're good to go. In 1 minute I had 3 large russet potatoes peeled, sliced and into a pot of boiling water. If you don't have a Rotato - go get one. You'll love it. I promise!

The Rotato in action! 

All that's left is to serve the gravy on top of the biscuits, potatoes or whatever you decide to serve it on and enjoy!


The Results:

I'm stuffed to the gills. Absolutely stuffed. This dish turned out much better than I ever imagined it could. There is something to be said about simplicity in cooking. When the flavors of the dish are natural, simple flavors that blend together this well - it goes toe to toe with any French culinary creation you could muster up. The best part is it took maybe 5 minutes of prep time before and 10 minutes of prep time after (and that was just for the potatoes) and the dish was done. Factor in the fact that we had all of the ingredients on hand and you end up with a dish that simply cannot be beat.

In the end, my attempt to recreate a dish based on childhood memory was successful. It wasn't just like my mom's dish, but that's okay. It was delicious in its own right - and it's my own dish, that makes it even better.

This concept doesn't have to be limited to chicken either - simply add a roast, replace the chicken broth with beef broth and you can create a great beef gravy on biscuits too. Your only limit is the amount of leftovers in your pantry and your own imagination! If you've never cooked up a dish like this - give it a shot this weekend. You'll be glad you did.

That's all we have for you tonight. Maggie is in the kitchen tomorrow night to close out our week. Be sure to stop in tomorrow evening to see what she's got cooking. Until then,

~Cheers