Make a salad!
- 1 head of cauliflower
- 3/4 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1 package shredded 6 cheese Italian blend
- 3/4 cup cashews
- bacon (3 strips)
a collaborative blog for friends who love food.
What you see above is the picture of a chicken (and pizza) vending machine that I encountered at a hospital in the
I find an unusual source of inspiration for my cooking in the Mennonites. You may be wondering what place they have in a food blog, but cook a recipe from one of their many cookbooks and you’ll understand. I first stumbled upon one of these cookbooks when my aunt passed down to me a box of kitchen items that belonged to my late grandmother. I eagerly read through the recipes, the unique quotes, tips, and stories as if it were a piece of literature. However, I never did take the time to cook from it until I found myself at dinner with friends who planned to prepare stuffed acorn squash from the Simply in Season cookbook (http://www.worldcommunitycookbook.org/).
Patience is required to reap the rewards of this dish. You begin by scooping the seeds from the squash halves and softening the inside of these edible bowls by roasting for 40 minutes. In the meantime, sausage, apples, herbs, raisins and walnuts are combined and eventually placed into the bowls. The entire dish is then put back in the oven for another 20 minutes so the flavors meld together, the aroma tempting you the whole while. When we finally sat down to eat, we excitedly took in the smell, the sight, the taste of our meal--but it was the sharing of the meal, with friends and family, that gave it the true Mennonite quality.
Their cookbooks are rich with recipes like stuffed acorn squash, and furthermore the books are more than just a collection of recipes. They are unique in their educational and stewarding approach to cooking. They set out to empower chefs with the tools to prepare local, in-season foods in a manner that reduces waste and overconsumption. If you are looking for a cookbook to invest in, give the Mennonites a chance.
Sausage Stuffed Acorn Squash
Cut squash in half and remove seeds. Place cut side down on lightly greased baking sheet. Bake at 350° until almost soft but not mushy, 40-50 minutes.
While squash is cooking, sauté sausage in frying pan just until cooked through. Add seasoning, celery, onion, apples, raisins, walnuts and water. Cover and simmer 15 minutes. Mix in sour cream and bread crumbs. Stuff into cooked squash and bake at 375° for 15 minutes.
Remove from oven and enjoy!
Fun Food Fact: After WWII, the Mennonites were providing 40% of America's non-govt. food aid even though they made up less than 1/10 of 1% of the US population, and they are still going strong http://mcc.org/whatwedo/food
(Tosado)
Next up were our fresh fish tacos- fried fish, raw red onions, fresh lime and cilantro smothered in creama simply melt in your mouth. We cracked open a Mexican Coca-Cola to wash it down; the important difference is that Mexican Coke has real sugar (azucar) in it.
After reclining for a digestive moment I knew I’d have to get more. Dos taocs de pulpo sin creama (as I’m lactose intolerant) I ordered in my gringo Spanish. Three minutes latter I was in octopus bliss.
If you’re ever…ever…in
If you’re lucky enough to taste fresh, authentic frozen custard in this lifetime, you have tasted a piece of heaven. Frozen custard is like the Rolls Royce of ice cream. Its texture is silky—and no I don’t mean soy milk silk. Custard is far from vegan-friendly. I mean the richest, creamiest, softest, edible silk you can imagine. Frozen custard hides under the radar of most dessert connoisseurs, but establishments like Culvers and Ritters are seeking to make this divine dessert accessible to all. The frozen custard culture finds its origins in the Midwest, notably Wisconsin. It takes ice cream to a new level by using butterfat, egg yolks and a slow-churn process that minimizes the incorporation of air, creating a new definition of creamy.
Today we uncovered a foodie treasure in the “Dairy Godmother,” right here in the DC area. The Dairy Godmother is off the beaten path, nestled in the cute, up and coming neighborhood of Del Ray. Each day they serve up fresh frozen custard in chocolate, vanilla and a rotating third ‘flavor of the day’. It was fate (aka my roommate Sapphira) that brought us to Dairy Godmother on the day they decided to feature the flavor kulfi. This may very well be the best fusion food ever known to mankind. Kulfi is an Indian ice cream made with cardamom and almonds, and turning this flavor into frozen custard couldn’t be a more successful blend of East and West! Check out Dairy Godmother’s website for more unique flavors.
Fun Food Fact: Frozen custard won’t be found in the frozen section of the grocery store. It’s made fresh so it can be served instantly, at a warmer temperature than ice cream. This reduces numbing of the taste buds and allows your mouth to really taste the richness of the flavors.