Ingredients:

4 Bacon slices
2 small onions, chopped
1/2 C long-grain rice
12 C chicken broth
4 C sliced carrots (about 12 large)
1 tsp sugar
Pinch of ground nutmeg
1/2 C whipping cream
Chopped fresh parsley

Directions:
1. Cook bacon in heavy, large saucepan over medium heat until crisp and brown. Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towel to drain. Add onion to drippings in pan. Saute until beginning to soften, about 3 minutes.

2. Add rice and stir to coat. Add broth, carrots, sugar, and nutmeg and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until carrots and rice are tender, about 20 minutes.

3. Puree soup in batches in blender, return to pan. Mix in cream. Season with salt and pepper. Ladle soup into bowls, and sprinkle with bacon and parsley.

Reaction: They said it was an A+ I think there were some doubters, since the soup basically looks like pumpkin pie filling.

Group Size: 8 girls

Group Involvement:2 people chopped veggies while I cooked the bacon and sauteed the onion.

Alterations: I only used 1 onion, but if I make this again I’ll use 2. Some of the girls added yogurt to their soup, and said it was tasty.

1lb flank steak or sirloin steak, tenderized
3 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons shao xing Chinese cooking wine (or cooking sherry)
2 tablespoons garlic (chopped)
2 tablespoons ginger (chopped)
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon oil
2 tablespoons garlic (chopped)
2 tablespoons fermented black beans (soaked in water and chopped)
1 pound asparagus (sliced into bite sized pieces)
1 pound shiitake mushrooms (stems removed and sliced)
1 tablespoon chili sauce (optional)
1/2 cup chicken stock
1 teaspoon sesame oil
* soy sauce to taste

Directions:
1. Marinate the beef in the soy sauce, rice wine, garlic, ginger, and cornstarch while you chop everything.
2. Heat the oil in a pan.
3. Add the beef and its marinade and saute the until almost cooked and set aside.
4. Heat the oil in the pan.
5. Add the garlic, ginger and fermented black beans and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute.
6. Add the mushrooms and saute until soft, about 3-4 minutes.
7. Add the asparagus and saute for 1-2 minutes.
8. Add the chili sauce, beef and chicken stock.
9. Cover and simmer for a few minutes.
10. Add the sesame oil and season with soy sauce to taste.

Reaction: I wasn’t at group when this was cooked and served, but I tasted it the next day and I think it is officially my new favorite stir fry.  I also got recipe requests for it, so that has to mean something good!

Group Size: 6-8 girls

Group Involvement: Not sure

Alterations: We couldn’t find fermented black beans or black bean sauce, so Lauren substituted regular black beans, drained.  I think the corn starch was also omitted.

Vegetable oil, for frying
2 pounds chicken tenders (you can buy these pre-cut, or you can buy chicken breast, tenderize it, and cut it into pieces)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup all-purpose flour (whole wheat is fine too)
2 eggs, beaten with a splash of milk or water
1 cup plain bread crumbs
1 cup pecans, processed in food processor to finely chop
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated or ground
1 orange, zestedDressing:
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup tangy barbecue sauce
2 navel oranges, juiced
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 hearts romaine lettuce, chopped

1. Heat 1 1/2 to 2 inches of oil over medium high heat (medium worked best for us, as the breading tended to get too brown too quickly over medium high).

2. Season chicken tenders with salt and pepper. Set out 3 shallow dishes. Place flour in 1 dish, eggs beaten with water or milk in a second. In the third dish, combine bread crumbs with ground pecans, nutmeg and orange zest. Coat tenders in batches in flour, then egg, then bread crumb mixture.

3. Fry tenders in small batches 6 to 7 minutes. Drain tenders on paper towels.  You can place tenders in warm oven (around 150-200 degrees) to keep them warm.

4. Combine maple syrup, barbecue sauce and orange juice in a bowl. Whisk in oil and season with salt and pepper.

5. Chop romain and place in large serving bowl.  Place chicken tenders on a plate, and pour dressing in another bowl.  Allow guests to serve themselves, first from the lettuce, then chicken, and finally drizzling the dressing over top.

Beverage suggestion: serve cran-raspberry apple juice over ice and top with a splash of soda water.

Reaction: The pecan coating is really good and flavorful, and the dressing adds a nice kick.

Group Size: 7 girls

Group Involvement: 1 person coated the chicken, 1 person prepped the dressing, 1 person fried the chicken.

Alterations: There are scallions and radishes in the original recipe (see link).  Other than that, it was about the same.

If I made this again: I would fry the tenders longer over lower heat

2 tubes refrigerated pizza dough (such as pillsbury brand)
2 tbsp corn meal or all purpose flour
1/2lb sliced pepperoni
3/4 lb sliced mozzarella cheese
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
4 tsp Italian seasoning blend
2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tbsp grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
16 oz marinara sauce, for dipping

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Break open the tube of dough and remove it from container. Dust your hands and lightly coat the dough with flour or cornmeal the roll out onto work surface. Stretch out dough, gently spreading out the rectangle shape it has been formed into already. Cut the thin rectangular dough into 4 equal pieces, working across the dough: cut it in half and cut each half in half again. Cover each piece of dough with: 2 slices pepperoni and 2 slices cheese. Roll each piece on an angle from corner to corner making a long roll that is thicker in the middle and thinner on each end. Brush rolls with extra-virgin olive oil then mix cheese and seasonings in a small cup, sprinkle and pat the mixture into the dough. Bake until evenly golden, 12 to 14 minutes then serve. If desired, serve with Dipping Sauce.

Reaction: Positive, and they said it was really filling (I agree). The only downside is that this is a gut bomb, heartburn provoking kinda meal It was hard to stop eating the Stromboli, but you regretted it for the rest of the night!

Group Size: 6 girls

Group Involvement: 1 person unrolled and cut up the dough, 1 person laid out the fillings, 1 person seasoned the rolls.

Alterations: The original recipe calls for a lot of different meats, but our group is small and there were only enough people to bring a few things.

If I made this again:  I would use trader joes pizza dough, or try to make my own beforehand.

Mango Guacamole:
3 Mangoes, peeled and stoned
3-4 Avocados, peeled and stoned
1 Jalapeno
2 limes (juice)
1 handful cilantro, chopped

Chipotle Chicken
2 TBSP oil
4-6 chicken breasts
12-20 tortilla wraps
chipotle powder to taste
salt and pepper to taste

1. Mix the mango guacamole ingredients in a food processor, or mash together by hand.
2. Tenderize chicken breast by pounding thin, and cut into strips. Season with chipotle powder, salt, and pepper.
2. Heat oil in frying pan (or, if grilling, heat grill)
3. Saute chicken in frying pan until golden brown, about 4-5 minutes per side.
4. Allow chicken to cool on wire rack for about 2 minutes. Prepare wraps with chicken and guacamole and serve!

Reaction: At first, highly doubtful, but then very positive!  Everyone was wary of the mango-guacamole mix, but after trying it I think they all really liked it.

Group Size: 6 girls

Group Involvement: 1 person tenderized, cut up, and seasoned the chicken, 2 or 3 people peeled the mangoes and avocados and mushed them up (we didn’t use a food processor), and then I sauteed the chicken.

Alterations: We didn’t have cilantro

If I made this again:  I really wouldn’t change it, except I’d like to try grilling the chicken.

2 tbsp butter
1 shallot, chopped
1 tbsp flour
1 jigger dry sherry (optional)
2 cans beef consomme or broth
2 lbs deli sliced roast beef
salt and pepper for seasoning
6-12 sandwich rolls

In a large, shallow skillet over moderate heat, melt butter. Add shallots to butter and saute 2 minutes. Add flour to butter and shallot and cook a minute longer. Whisk in sherry and cook liquid out. Whisk in consomme/broth in a slow stream. Bring sauce to a bubble and allow to simmer over low heat until ready to serve sandwiches.

Pile meat loosely across your cutting board or a large work surface. Season meat with grill seasoning or salt and black pepper. Set out 4 ramekins or small soup cups for dipping sauce, 4 dinner plates and 4 split torpedo rolls. To assemble, using a pair of kitchen tongs, dip meat into loose au jus sauce and pile into rolls. Set ramekins or cups with extra dipping sauce along side the sandwiches.

Reaction: Overwhelmingly positive   I think this is a new community group favorite.

Group Size: 6 girls

Group Involvement: 1 person chopped the shallot, 1 person seasoned the roast beef and 1 person prepared the broth

Alterations: We didn’t have sherry, so we used some other kind of alcohol (I don’t remember what it was), and we toasted the sandwich rolls

If I made this again:  We had 2 kinds of roast beef: some from the deli counter, 1 prepackaged.  The roast beef from the deli counter was amazingly good, and also less expensive than the prepackaged stuff.

Leftovers: None, but it would’ve been simple to store the roast beef.

From: Lauren, basically. Also a picture I saw at a Middle Eastern restaurant.
Serves: 10
Difficulty: Easy
People In The Kitchen: 3
Cost: Moderately expensive, depending on if you buy falafel mix + hummus or make your own.
Prep Time: 10 minutes with helpers, 15 minutes by yourself
Cook Time: about 10 minutes to fry the falafel
Toppings: Mint yogurt, hummus
Dessert: Hannah’s (no fat!) cheesecake squares

Ingredients:
For Mint Yogurt

8 oz plain yogurt
2-3 Tbsp dried mint
salt to taste

Mix yogurt and mint, add salt to taste. This will taste best if refrigerated for a few minutes.

For Hummus

1 can chick peas, drained
2 Tbsp tahini paste
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp lemon juice
2 garlic cloves
salt

Combine all ingredients in food processor and blend. Add more salt or lemon to taste.

For Falafal

2 Boxes of falafal mix (we used Near East brand)
2 Packages of Arabic bread
2 or 3 tomatoes, sliced (for topping)
1 onion, sliced (for topping)
1 cucumber, sliced (for topping)

Prepare falafel according to instructions on box. Meanwhile, heat oven to about 175. Slice arabic bread in half and put in oven to warm while making falafel. Place tomatoes, onions, and cucumbers on a plate so that people can add them to their falafel sandwiches.

Reaction: I though this tasted great, but I’m not sure how it went over with everyone else. People went for seconds, and particularly seemed to like the hummus as a topping. Probably an 8 or 9 out of 10.

Group Size: 7 girls.

Group Involvement: 2 people sliced veggies, another person made the falafel, and someone else sliced the arabic bread.

Alterations: None that I know of.

If I made this again: I’d do it the same way.

Leftovers: There weren’t any

From: Bend It Like Beckham. No. Seriously. Watch the special features.
Serves: 8
Difficulty: Easy (don’t let the 5 billion ingredients intimidate you)
People In The Kitchen: 2 or 3
Cost: Inexpensive
Prep Time: 5 minutes with helpers, 10 minutes by yourself
Cook Time: about 40 minutes
Sides: Rice

Ingredients:

1/2-1 c. vegetable oil
1 med onion finely chopped
1 or 2 green chilies finely chopped
1 Tbsp whole cumin seeds
1 Tbsp fresh grated ginger (or 1/2 T ginger paste)
2-3 cloves chopped garlic (or 1/2 T garlic paste)
1/2 c cilantro stalks, finely chopped
1/2 Tbsp tumeric powder
1 Tbsp salt
1 24oz can of chopped tomatoes
1 head chopped cauliflower
3-4 cup chopped potatoes
1 tsp. garam masala (you can buy in a spice store)
1 cup chopped cilantro leaves

1. Fry vegetable oil, onion, green chilies, and cumin seeds together until aromatic and onions are translucent (about 3-4 min)

2. Stir in grated ginger, garlic, cilantro stalks, tumeric, and salt until well mixed (about 1-2 minutes).

3. Add tomatoes, mushing them up as you stir them. Cook 2-3 minutes to allow tomatoes to soak up spices.

4. Add cauliflower and potato. You may need to add a little water as well. Stir to coat cauliflower and potatoes with sauce and let simmer, covered, 20 min. Stir occasionally.

5. Add garam masala and cilantro leaves. Let cook 5-10 minutes more to infuse dish with cilantro and garam masala then turn off heat and let dish sit, covered. The longer it sits the more the veggies can soak up the spices and flavor. It’ll taste even better the next day. Serve with rice!

Reaction: Uh, yum! A 10 out of 10!

Group Size: Works best for about 8 people, depending on gender + appetite. What we made fed about 8 girls, but I think they would’ve eaten more.

Group Involvement: This is a great group meal, because different people can be assigned to chopping up veggies and such. If I remember correctly, we had about 3 or 4 people helping out.

Alterations: None that I’m aware of. My roommate Lauren was in charge of this meal, and I think she followed the recipe as is.

If I made this again: I’d double it. Also, if I made this for myself I’d let it sit for a day. The flavor intensified noticeably (and deliciously) even as we ate, so I can’t imagine how good it’d be after 24 hours.

Leftovers: There weren’t any :’(

You’re wondering how this relates to a food blog, aren’t you? Well, cooking is really just a great big science experiment. The better you understand the chemistry and biology (and even physics) behind food prep, the better your meals turn out.

So, I’m on a food science kick right now, which means I have a book review for you!

First up, Molecular Gastronomy by Herve This. If you have a bit of mad scientist in you, you’ll probably dig this book. The author’s goal, as far as I can tell, is to prove or disprove various kitchen myths and legends. Some examples: searing beef seals in the juices, lemon juice prevents fruit and veggies from rotting, and salted water boils faster than unsalted water. He details experiments you can easily re-create in your lab kitchen, and explains the results in a scientific, but understandable, manner.

How to Read a French Fry by Russ Parsons is a much quicker, lighter read. Parsons, like This, delves into the biology and chemestry behind food, but without the do-it-yourself experiments. However, he includes wonderful charts after each chapter that summarize all his scientifically based suggestions for food prep. I love this feature, because every single paragraph in the book contains information I want to remember. It’s nice to have it distilled into something I can glance at while cooking.

Annnd I borrowed about 5 other food science books from the library, so I’m betting there will be more book reviews in the future.

To Make Cake:

4-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3 cups sugar
1 cup cocoa powder
1 tablespoon baking soda
2 teaspoons salt
1-1/2 cups vegetable oil
2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
3 cups strong brewed coffee
¼ cup cider vinegar

To Prepare Cake:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease 3 (9-inch) round cake pans, dust with flour, and line bottom with parchment or wax paper.

Sift together dry ingredients in a large bowl. Add oil and vanilla extract. With electric mixer on low speed, blend until fully combined. With mixer on medium speed, gradually blend in coffee. When mixture is smooth, add vinegar and blend on low speed just until combined.

Divide batter evenly into prepared pans. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or just until a knife or toothpick inserted in the center of layers comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool 15 to 20 minutes on a wire rack. Remove from pans and allow layers to cool completely before icing.

To Make Icing:

2 (8-oz) packages of cream cheese, slightly softened and cut into small pieces
½ cup (1 stick) butter, at room temperature
4 cups powdered confectioner’s sugar, sifted
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese in a large bowl until smooth. Add butter and beat until smooth, creamy, and fully combined. Add powdered sugar and vanilla extract and beat slowly until sugar is incorporated. Continue to beat until consistency is extremely smooth and fluffy.

(yields icing for 3 (9-inch) cake layers)

To Prepare icing:

Frost layers with icing. Crumbs from this dark cake can sometimes come loose and show through the white icing. It may be useful to apply a crumb coating – a very thin initial coating of icing to trap crumbs. After applying, place cake in the freezer for a few minutes to solidify crumb coat and proceed with a clean, crumb-free spatula to decorate cake with remaining icing. Garnish with any dark chocolate candy or cookie inserted into or placed on top of cake.