Cookbooks #54 & #55--Double the Pleasure

My brothers are completely carnivorous. Heck, my entire family is completely carnivorous. A family BBQ for my brothers' birthdays is the perfect opportunity to test out some beef recipes. Ironically, the two recipes I chose were actually for chicken, but when you start buying beef for your brothers, it's hard to stop. Beef here, beef there, beef everywhere. It's like a Dr. Seuss nightmare.

First cookbook up is Thai in Minutes by Vatcharin Bhumichitr. My mom scoffed as she doesn't believe Thai can be done in mere minutes. She's probably right, but this cookbook does seem to have some of the shortest ingredient lists I've seen in a Thai cookbook. I chose a basic satay recipe which was actually pretty new to me. A little confession here: all satays I've done in the past come straight from a packet. After making my own for the the first time, I'm a bit embarassed that I've clung to the packet for so long. This recipe is super duper easy and grinding your own spices is curiously satisfying.


Cookbook number two for the BBQ was from my backup Food Network man, Bobby Flay. A girl needs a backup chef in case things don't work out with Tyler Florence.
Bobby Flay's Grill It is a newer indulgence in my sad obsession with cookbooks and it's already climbed the list to favorites. I often tell the books I love them equally, but in truth, I do have some favorites. Bobby gives entire chapters to grilling mushrooms, corn, salmon, scallops and tuna. Enough said.
Chipotle Honey Glaze is genius--a perfect blend of spicy, sweet and tangy. Again I reiterate; I just love Bobby Flay.

I gave them both a bit of a taste, because, well, when you cook it, you should try it. Loved the flavors of the spices in both recipes--definitely will try them both with chicken instead.

Beef Satay

adapted from Thai in Minutes

1 tsp coriander seeds

3/4 tsp cumin seeds

2 tbsp soy sauce

1 tsp salt

3 tbsp oil

1 tbsp curry powder

1 tbsp tumeric

1/2 cup coconut milk

3 tbsp brown sugar

1 lb beef or chicken--sliced thin

1. Partially freeze chicken or beef--just long enough to allow for easy slicing of thin strips. Place strips in medium bowl.

2. Roast coriander and cumin seeds in small frying pan without oil for 5 mins over medium head, shaking pan often to prevent burning. Remove from heat and grind to make a fine powder.

3. Add all spices to bowl and mix well to combine. Lett marinate for 8 hours or overnight.

4. 45 mins prior to cooking, soak wooden skewers in water for 30 mins

5. Skewer meat and cook over grill for 6-8 minutes for chicken, turning once halfway through. (Cook beef for 4-6 mins turning once)

Chipotle Honey Beef Skewers

Adapted from Grill It!

3/4 cup honey

1 tsp salt

2-3 tbsp canned chipotle chiles in adobo, finely minced

1 tbsp dijon

3 tbsp ancho chile powder

3 tbsp canola oil

2 tsp ground coriander

2 tsp paprika

1 lb beef, thinly sliced

1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds

1. Mix together honey, chipotles, 1 tsp ancho powder, salt, and 2 tbsp oil in a small bowl.

2. Combine paprika, 2 tbsp ancho chile powder and coriander in small bowl. Add to beef and let marinate for 2-3 hours.

3. Soak wooden skewers for 30 mins. Skewer beef

3. Heat grill to medium-high. Place skewers on grill. Brush honey glaze on top. Cook 3 minutes, flip and glaze other side.

Daring Bakers July Filbert Gateau

I have a confession to make---I hate making cakes. Clarification: I hate making fancy cakes. Nigella's Guiness cake all stirred together in the same pan you melt the butter in? That's the cake making I can handle. Or Duncan Hines funfetti... love it. But fancy cakes with piping and layers and 20 minutes mixing frosting? Not so much. So why did I join Daring Bakers despite my full knowledge that there would be cakes in my future? I asked myself that many times while tackling this month's challenge. In the end I was glad I tried.

July's Daring Baker's Challenge put a double emphasis on the "challenge" part. The original recipe was for a Filbert Gateau with Praline Buttercream -my version ended up almond. The recipe was a bit daunting at first, at least until I realized it was merely a set of smaller recipes. It was actually relatively easy(minus the decorating part) but quite time consuming. When all was said and done, over a two day period I made the following:

1 almond Genoise
1 recipe sugar syrup, flavored with italian amaretto
1 recipe amaretto buttercream frosting
½ cup heavy cream, whipped to soft peaks
1 recipe Apricot Glaze
1 recipe Ganache Glaze, prepared just before using


Slicing one cake into three layers was a bit difficult. And since I'd halved the cake recipe and not the whipped cream or buttercream recipe, I got a bit carried away filling the cake. My frosting/whipped cream layer was as thick as the cake layers.



Decorting may be the one area where I pushed the boundaries a bit. We were to decorate with piped buttercream but when it's 95 degrees, well, buttercream is the devil. It had a bit of a goldilocks moment--it was too soft and then after refrigeration, it was too hard. But never just right. And after a buttercream explosion out of the piping bag and all over the kitchen, I just piped some straight into the middle of the cake. Technically, it's decorated with buttercream frosting. Right there in the middle, underneath the chocolate leaves that accidently fell on the cake afterwards.


The taste? Eh. It does have that nut cake texture and flavor that seems a bit foreign. I tend to like my cake soft and spongy or dark and dense. But if nothing else, this July challenge was quite the adventure.

Hanging Lake

If your friends happen to say "Hey let's go hiking up in Glenwood Canyon this weekend--there's a relatively easy trail we've been wanting to hike" well, just be warned because they might be lying.

Spending a day in Glenwood Canyon may sound like a beautiful way to spend the afternoon,
but when you get to the trailhead, you may just find that your friends have a bad case of liar, liar, pants on fire.

When the trail starts off immediately with rocks, I'm believing the sign and not my friends.

But as it turns out, it's only a little over a mile up to Hanging Lake from the trailhead. One mile hikes I can get on board with. Truth be told, I'd rather ascend quickly and steeply rather than ramble on for hours.

And I can say without hesitation that Hanging Lake is worth the hike . Though it says it's a difficult trail, there were people of all ages making the trip. If a woman can carry her 6 year old on a sling on this trail, I'm thinking anyone can do it. It's a super short trip up, and there are even some railings to keep you from tumbling right over the steep ledge at the top. when you reach the top, you are rewarded with amazing waterfalls and a crystal clear lake.

Water cascading at 1/400 shutter speed

And slowing it down to 1/10.

What's not especially well marked is a little rock trail that takes you up to the most spectacular waterfall of them all.

With a little cavern where you can walk behind the waterfall...

Hiking down is just as beautiful as the hike up.

Cooking It Up Indian Style

A friend of mine surprised me on my bday with a gift certificate to Cook Street School of Fine Cooking. Oh the class choices...Greek, Thai, technique, knife skills. I've been eyeing their class list ever since Passionate Palette closed its doors.

In the end I chose the class that felt that most foreign to me...indian. I love indian food-I've even made it on several occasions. But really, I'm not going to lie to you here. It always tastes exactly like curry. No matter what I make, or how the recipes differ, I'm making something that tastes like curry. I knew there was more to indian than just curry.

The class did not disappoint. I learned all about spices, that saffron could be found in powder form for a fraction of its whole price, how to make my own garam masala and even how to to turn fabulousing thick greek yogurt into a fabulous mousse dessert by adding saffron, powdered sugar and some freshly ground cardomom.

Of course the yogurt mousse is best served on a bit of fresh grilled pineapple,

and only after consuming the Chicken Korma, minted lamb, naan and jeweled rice we'd prepared. Fun, scrumptious, and I got to pull out my camera. It was the perfect evening.

A Very Serious Photojournalistic Narrative

A Peanut's Second Birthday

The End