Cooking Confessions

Sorry folks, no new recipe today, but I do have something a little different.  But first, since I feel bad for not posting a recipe in a while, you should check out these two quick recipes from the archives. They are both perfect for this time of year.

Smoky Corn Chowder Great recipe for those of us doing Fresh Fork. This week we're getting what is probably the last of the corn.

Candy Corn and Peanuts Quickest treat ever and no baking required.

Today marks the beginning of a series of posts called Cooking Confessions.  It won't be weekly or anything, I'll just throw them out there at random.  These confessions (sometimes embarrassing) will be about cooking, baking or food things that I like or don't like.  Some of them might surprise you even if you know me in real life so stay tuned!


Grilled Cheese & Pancakes: This is basic cooking right here, but I can't do it without "burnination". The problem is that I'm impatient. I start it off at the right temperature, get impatient then walk away and forget. Or I standby, get impatient and end up cranking the heat. It seems I'm willing to wait for more elaborate cooking (probably because there are other food tasks to be handled) but when it's such a simple food and it seems like it takes forever I have issues. I AM getting better with grilled cheese, but I haven't attempted pancakes for two in such a long time (I'm a waffle girl anyway).

On a recent family vacation, I made breakfast for everyone one morning and only had whatever pans the rental house provided. I had the bacon in the oven and pans on all four burners. None of the pans and burners heated the same so I was constantly having to adjust (aka no time to get impatient). I think these were the best cooked pancakes I've made in forever.

Tomato Sauce:

I use jarred tomato sauce. *gasp* I don't use red sauce that much so I just buy it. Sometimes it's a jar of local stuff and sometimes it's just whatever's on sale, but it's rare if I make it myself. 

Spaghetti and Meatballs:

While we're on the subject of tomato sauce I might as well tell you my feelings about spaghetti and meatballs.  Even though Kevin loves spaghetti, I won't make it.  I just don't like it. I'm not sure why, but it is what it is. I love me some bolognese sauce, but that's really the only meatsauce I like (is it a coincidence that bolognese isn't usually served with spaghetti noodles? hmm).  Everything else is meh including meatballs.  So you can count me off the band wagon for this meatball craze that's going on.  I'll eat them, but they don't really do anything for me.

So there you have it, my first installment of cooking confessions.  Do you have any cooking confessions?

30 Before 30: 10 Month Update

Only 2 more months until I'm 30! I have to say I'm not nervous/scared/whatever some people feel as they age. I'm actually a little excited! I don't know why, but maybe it's just because a milestone birthday is a great excuse to have a party. And I am having a party!

30 Before 30:
(in no particular order)

1. Attend a concert at Blossom (We went when the Cleveland Orchestra had a John Williams tribute: soundtracks from Star Wars, Indiana Jones, E.T., Jaws, etc.)
2. Keep in touch with people better (I've been texting a lot more so this helps)
3. Blog more regularly (I was doing well until the summer hit, but I've been getting back into again)
4. Participate in a blog swap (Since my last update I guest posted on Clue Into Cleveland, Eat*Drink*Cleveland and Peave Love Bagels. My posts were about local BLTs with homemade mayo, my favorite wine shop and how to DIY microwave popcorn, respectively.
5. Sing karaoke in public 
6. Bake for a good cause
7. Visit my sister in Atlanta
8. Visit my brother in New Orleans
9. Volunteer (nothing since April, I should volunteer at least one more time)
10. Attend a Tremont Art Walk 
11. Visit one of Cleveland's beaches
12. Now that the elephants are back in their new habitat, I want to visit the zoo again.  (I won tickets to Date Night at the Zoovies. We got to wander around after hours and watch The Breakfast Club in their ampitheater.) 
13. Visit the MetroParks outside of Solon
14. Host more parties (I've hosted 5 parties in 10 months and I've got my first bimonthly supper club dinner this weekend.)
15. Learn how to draw
16. Spend less time on the computer (I've been doing okay)
17. Visit Stan Hywet Hall (I work near there now, so this should be easy to do in the next few months)
18. Try to relax (This is even harder now that we have 5 temporary roommates)
19. Make our wedding album (our 5 year anniversary is a month before I turn 30) (Haven't even started, I need to get moving!)
20. Visit the West Side more often
21. Attend a Lake Erie Monsters game
22. Attend a Burning River Roller Girls bout 
23. Go skydiving (Coming soon!!)
24. Learn how to use some of the features on our camera
25. Go tobogganing
26. Be more positive about day to day stuff
27. Try at least 6 new restaurants
28. Drink more wine
29. Visit Cleveland's Asiatown and eat dim sum (This was so fun!  We took my parents when they were in town for Father's Day)
30. Exercise more (I'm on and off)

I'm Guest Posting on Clue Into Cleveland Today: Local BLTs and DIY Mayo

Head over to Clue Into Cleveland to check out my guest post! 

• I challenge you to locally source a BLT from a market near you. 
• I share a recipe for making your own mayo, it's really quick and easy.  Even if you don't normally cook, mayo is definitely doable!
• I give you the perfect BLT layout (I believe there is a certain order a BLT should be stacked).

This is the perfect opportunity for you to try my Bakin' Bacon method.  Since the bacon doesn't curl up very much, it creates a flat base to stack the rest of the ingredients!

 

Bakin' Bacon

Mmmmm bacon. I love bacon so much I had a Bacon Party!

Cooking bacon for more than two people can be time-consuming and messy. After today, you can forget about making multiple batches and splattering hot grease all over your stovetop. My secret?  I cook it in the oven. This method is perfect for makin' bacon for a crowd. Just throw it in the oven until it's done to your desired crispiness. And you don't even have to flip the strips! I like to save the bacon fat so once I pour it off, the lingering grease cools/hardens fairly quickly, then just crumple the foil and throw it away.

If you want bacon for breakfast without cooking it every morning, you can it in the oven, then reheat it with a zap in the microwave.  When I make BLTs, I just cook up the whole package for the two of us.  That way we get BLTs two days in a row and only one day of cooking bacon. 

It's surprises me that more people have not heard of this method. I've been doing this for a few years and have no idea where I first heard it, but it's genius.  Now that you know the trick, I hope you'll try it next time you have a bacon craving!

Oven Bacon

Original Recipe
Yield: 4-6 servings

1 lb bacon (I prefer thick cut, but use whatever you like)

2 rimmed baking sheets

Foil

Preheat oven to 400 F. Line baking sheets with foil. Lay the bacon on the foil. Don't be afraid to put them right next to each other, they'll shrink as they cook. As long as they're not piled on top of each other, it'll be fine. Put the trays into the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until they're done to your satisfaction.  Timing will vary depending on how thick or thin your bacon is so start checking around the 10 minute mark for thinner slices.  Remove the bacon onto a paper towel-lined plate to degrease a moment before devouring.

BLTs are one of my favs!

3 Year Blogiversary (My Favorite Year So Far)

Way back on June 16th was my 3 year blogiversary.  It slipped right by without any fanfare, but I really wanted to celebrate this past year.  I never imagined Cooker Girl would be anything more than a place to document recipes, but it's become so much more for me!  I wanted to point out a few things that have happened because of this blog (directly or indirectly).

I bought my domain name!  cookergirl.com was taken so I chose sarahberridge.com

I created a Facebook fan page.  C'mon "like" me!

I've met a lot of really great people through blogging and Twitter.  I've even made some new friends that I see pretty regularly.

Cleveland Magazine chose my blog to be part of the 32 Most Entertaining Blogs.  All the blogs went through a March Madness-style voting brackets.  I got into the Top 8 and ended up being #2 in the Food and Drink category!  Thanks again for your votes!

I won a Hunger Games recipe contest with my Roast Chicken with Root Vegetables recipe (aka Roast Groosling).  My prize was a cookbook (Lidia's Italy in America), but because the Plain Dealer was delayed in sending the prize, they threw in an extra cookbook. I love Lidia Bastianich!  She's in my top 3 favorite celebrity chefs along with Julia Child and Jacques Pepin.  (By the way, Jacques is coming to Cleveland for the Fabulous Food Show in November!)

I've been busy guest posting for some lovely ladies!  My Sugar Cookie Bars were on My Retro Kitchen, I did a restaurant review and shared my favorite shop for wine tasting on Eat Drink Cleveland and taught the readers of Peace Love Bagels how to DIY Microwave Popcorn.

Earlier this year I started baking for a cause, for two causes actually.  Two of my siblings were cycling in the Tour de Cure for Diabetes and I volunteered baked goods in exchange for donations.  The other recipients of baked goods have been US military troops through Operation Baking Gals.

Dump Truck Dirt Cake: Chocolate Cake, Oreo Filling, Vanilla
Buttercream with Oreo garnish around the sides and top

Last, but certainly not least!  I started baking for people outside of the family. Thanks to some nudging from friends, I've turned my passion into a little side business. I'm currently working on a "menu" to put on the site.  Let me know if you need any bakery!

Salted Caramels and Chocolate Cake Balls

I had stickers made so I can put them on my bakery boxes, etc.

Totally unrelated to the blog, but still something significant was a trip to Europe last fall.  Kevin and I spent three weeks in France and Italy.  It was completely amazing, a trip of a lifetime!

Siena, Italy (Tuscany)

A few random facts before I let you go:

 - Cooker Girl's third year had more posts than the two previous years combined!

 - This is my 100th post!
 - Today would have been Julia Child's 100th birthday.

So there you have it, it's been quite a year!  Thank you so much for reading!

Carne Asada Tacos

Can you believe it's August already?!  Summer always goes way too fast.  Here's a good entree to throw on the grill.  Whether you're at home or at your favorite Tex-Mex place, carne asada is always a great choice!

Carne Asada Tacos

Adapted from Simply Recipes

Yield: 4-6 servings

2 pounds flank or skirt steak

Olive oil

Salt and pepper

Marinade:

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 jalapeno, seeded and minced

1 tsp cumin

1 large handful fresh cilantro, leaves and stems, finely chopped (great flavor in the stems)

Salt and pepper

2 limes, juiced (about 1/4 cup)

2 Tbsp white vinegar

1/2 tsp sugar

1/2 cup olive oil

For Serving:

Tortillas
Pico de gallo (fresh tomato salsa)

Chopped avocados or guacamole
Chopped peppers (red, green, yellow, whatever strikes your fancy)
Cilantro
Lime
Sour Cream
Cilantro Lime Rice (optional)

Lay the flank steak in a large non-reactive bowl or baking dish. Combine marinade ingredients and pour the marinade over the steak. Make sure each piece is well coated. Cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1-4 hours.

Preheat your grill over medium-high flame (you can also use a cast iron grill pan on high heat for stove-top cooking). Brush the grates with a little oil to prevent the meat from sticking. Remove the steak from the marinade. If you are cooking indoors, you may want to brush off excess marinade as the bits may burn and smoke on the hot pan. Season both sides of the steak pieces with salt and pepper. Grill the pieces for a few minutes only, on each side, depending on how thin they are, until medium rare to well done, to your preference. You may need to work in batches. Remove the steak pieces to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes. Thinly slice the steak across the grain on a diagonal.

Serve with warm tortillas (flour or corn). Warm the tortillas for 30 seconds on each side in a dry skillet or on the grill, until toasty and pliable. Alternatively, you can warm tortillas in a microwave: heating just one or two at a time, place tortillas on a paper towel and microwave them for 15 to 20 seconds each on high.  Add the carne asada and additional toppings to the tortilla, then serve.

What a great marinade!

Old Fashioned Strawberry Pie

My parents came into town over Father's Day weekend.  We spent all day Saturday galavanting around Cleveland and it was so much fun.  The main reason we went was for Marine Week.  There was military equipment, vehicles and helicopters out on display for people of all ages to hold, climb in and touch. Dad was like a little boy with wide eyes and a big smile the whole afternoon.  We even got to see a "Huey" helicopter similar to the one our friend Sgt. Trevor Cook flew.  Seeing the environment that the Marines had to endure was a real wakeup call.  The equipment is heavy and every nook and cranny in the vehicles is being used for something so there isn't room to move around.

For lunch we had dim sum at Li Wah (among the many dishes we tried were chicken feet), we visited the Asian market next door, then did a driving tour around the rest of Asia Town.  We headed back to Public Square for more Marine Week, played a bit in the casino, had drinks on the rooftop bar at The Greenhouse Tavern, then ate a late dinner at Indian Delight.  It was long, full and fun day spent in our beautiful, bustling downtown.

Side Note: We always eat ethnic food while my parents are in town because my dad likes to try different foods.   The area where I grew up doesn't have much in the way of ethnic cuisine, so Dad craves it when he visits.

Anyway, you're here for the recipe, so let's move on.  Dad loves pie, pretty much any pie, but this time of year he gets his fix with strawberry pie.  I'm not talking about strawberry pie with the glaze on it. I mean an old fashioned, double crust, strawberry pie.  Most people haven't even heard of it and there aren't many recipes out there, believe me I've looked.  It's similar to a strawberry ruhbarb pie minus the rhubarb.

When it's strawberry season, I eat most berries fresh, but we all need to get our strawberry pie fix once a year.  And Kevin (who doesn't really like any pie) even ate a slice of this one!

Old Fashioned Strawberry Pie
Adapted from allrecipes.com

1 double crust pie dough (unbaked)

1 1/4 cups sugar

1/3 cup flour (up to 1 Tbsp more if strawberries are extra juicy)

1/4 tsp cinnamon

4 cups fresh strawberries, sliced

2 Tbsp butter, diced

Preheat oven to 500 F. Place one crust in a nine inch pie pan.

Mix together sugar, flour, and cinnamon in a small bowl. In a large bowl, add the strawberries and the flour mixture, stirring lightly to evenly coat the berries. Pour filling into pastry lined pan, and dot fruit with butter. Cover with top crust, and cut slits in the top. Seal and flute (or fork) the edges.

Lower the temperature to 425.  Place the pie on the baking sheet and bake until the crust is set and begins to brown, about 25-30 minutes.

Rotate the pie and reduce the oven temperature to 375, continue baking until the crust is deep golden brown and the juices bubble, 25 to 30 minutes longer.

Cool the pie on a wire rack for at least 2 hours before serving.