Tag Archives: cooking and baking

The adventures of Phyllo Dough

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chickenphyllo

So I decided last week I was going to make “Turkey and Phyllo Pie” from my Better Homes and Gardens cookbook. But the recipe calls for leeks, which I am sure Jeff wouldn’t eat, and also we’re not too fond of turkey. So I altered it a bit, and made it with chicken instead.

Original recipe:

2 leeks, thinly sliced
1 clove garlice, minced
1 tablespoon butter
3 slightly beaten eggs
1 10-ounce package of frozen chopped spinach, thawed/drained
1 cup shredded mozzarella (4 ounces)
2/3 cup milk
2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 cups cooked turkey
4 sheets frozen phyllo dough, thawed
3 tablespoons butter, melted

Here’s what I used:

1 clove garlice, minced
1 tablespoon butter
3 slightly beaten eggs
1 10-ounce package of frozen chopped spinach, thawed/drained
1 cup shredded mozzarella (4 ounces)
2/3 cup milk
2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup cooked chicken
4 sheets frozen phyllo dough, thawed
2 tablespoons butter, melted

Basically, you cook your chicken, simmer your garlic, and mix everything together sans chicken. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Then you add the chicken. Then you spread the melted butter on one sheet of phyllo dough, put it in a pie tin folded crosswise, and do the same with the other 3 so that the entire tin is covered with dough.

Then you dump in all the goodness that is your spinach cheese mixture, and fold the phyll dough towards the center. Then you stick it in the oven and let it bake for about 45 to 50 minutes. And eat. Delicious!

And…for the left over phyllo dough, you make baklava. More on that to come.

Hope for the Hopeless? Yes, there is.

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obama_2It was a momentous night last night. I was with a group of friends, enjoying our Obama cupcakes, and enjoying our new found hope…

Yesterday seemed to be the longest day of my life. I kept listening to the Brett Dennen song, that asks, “Is there hope for the hopeless?” Well, I wasn’t hopeless, but I was sure nervous. I was focused entirely on good karma, positive thoughts, checking polls, checking polling problems, checking to see which places closed first. By the time four o’clock rolled around, I was a wreck. Here in CA, we got results early. So by 8 p.m. my time I knew that Barack Obama was our next President-elect. I am so proud. It seems that everyone is so proud.

The first African-American in history to be President. The first person in my lifetime that truly has motivated people in a way I had seen unparalleled in my brief years. I am blessed to be so young on this day, so I can remember it for all my years to come, and tell my children, and my children’s children, where I was, what I was doing, and how I felt the night that Mr. President Barack Hussein Obama becamse the 44th president of the United States.

I look forward to working, now, to get Prop 8 trashed and to get equality for everyone, gay or straight, black or white, or otherwise. I am also looking forward to a new four years and new USA and a new world, and a new outlook on life.

Yes, we did.

I roasted a bird. I baked some banana bread. I made Obama cupcakes. I voted.

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cupcakes3I’ve been absent for a while. I apologize. I thought I had chronic tonsillitis, but really I was just sick. Meanwhile, I have been getting ready for today. The day of all days. The day of new beginnings. Election Day, 2008. My friend K.S. is voting for the first presidential election today–she was too young last time around. Her sister is voting, too. I voted. Jeff voted. K and SS are voting. It’s a movement. I have friends coming out of the woodworks who are voting. B from work and SJ voted this morning. It’s so exciting. Everything is moving, everything is starting, and everyone is READY. FINALLY.

Last night I roasted a chicken for the first time, and made some more banana bread. Then I made cupcakes. I had a lot of pent up energy that I didn’t know what to do with. This morning I covered B’s carpool shift here at work, and chatted up my co-workers about the election. Wearing two Obama buttons, I was pretty sure it was clear which way I voted.

I am so excited for today. I am so excited for tomorrow. I am excited for the day after that. The future. The beginning, an end, something bigger than any of us could have ever imagined. I am proud to call America my home, and I am proud of places like Michigan that have 98% of their possible voters registered. I am proud of places like Ohio where people are waiting for hours to get their chance to vote, and for the volunteers who are committing themselves to getting every vote counted. I am proud of California for focusing on “No” on Prop 8. This morning, I saw some students at the school I work out with signs, standing in line at the car pool, trying to get parents to see their signs—NO on Prop 8. What a wonderful world we live in. I am so proud to call it my home.

Notes: Today you can get a free tall coffee at Starbucks, and a free ice cream at Ben & Jerry’s.

cupcakes21

I'll need a meat thermometer…

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Well, the big day is almost here. No, not Halloween. Thanksgiving. The big Turkey day. My first away from home. I am very excited about the prospects of the up-and-coming holiday, and recently I had a conversation with Jeff that went something like this:

“Hey Jeff, I want to host Thanksgiving.” – me

“OK. Cool.” -Jeff

“Hey, I think Jen and I are going to host Thanksgiving.” – Becca, who just had walked in.

“Oh.” – me (Disappointed because I wanted to cook the turkey)

“But, can you do the turkey? Please?” – Becca

“Um, sure, no problem.” – me (Internally screaming YES OF COURSE)

But now I had a problem. I had to make a turkey. I’ve never so much as thought about roasting a bird. But my friend K can do it, so if she can, I can. Thus, I came up with a six week plan.

Week 1: October 19-25

*Research types of recipes for roasted turkey

Week 2: October 26-November 1

*Practice roasting a chicken

Week 3: November 2-8

*Practice on a small-sized turkey

Week 4: Nov 9-15

*Whittle away recipes, choose favorite 1

Week 5: Nov 16-22

*Whittle away recipes, choose favorite 1, buy ingredients

Week 6: Nov 22-27

*Discuss with Becca how her oven cooks, lay out final plan, purchase turkey

*Cook!

Now I know that might seem a little ridiculous, but I want my first turkey to be delicious. So I am going to practice. I’ve bought a chicken for this week, and last week looked at some recipes. However today, I was researching a bit more, and I found this:

“Number of Diners: 12.
Turkey Size (including leftovers): 16 to 18 pounds.
Thawing Time (for a frozen turkey): Refrigerator, 3 1/2 to 4 days; cool water (changed every half hour), 8 to 9 hours.
Roasting Time (unstuffed): Roast at 425° F for 45 minutes. Cover with foil, reduce temperature to 350° F, and continue to roast until a thigh registers 180° F, 2 1/2 to 3 hours total.”

This sounds harder than I originally thought. And that information is from “Real Simple.”

Real Simple also had this little trick: “Tip: Roast two small turkeys side by side rather than one extra-large bird. They’ll be done in almost half the time.”

I just might, Real Simple, I just might.

Meanwhile, I’d like to hear what you all think–what’s hard about cooking a turkey, what’s easy, what do I need to remember?

I already feel like I need to purchase a meat thermometer, and a baster. So I did some more probing on the website from Real Simple, and found out there are 7 things I should own to make a turkey. This might get expensive.

*Meat thermometer
*Baster
*Roasting pan
*Roasting rack
*Carving board
*Carving set
*Gravy separator

Looks like I have some work to do…next up, “40 ways to Simplify Thanksgiving.” I can’t think of 10 things I’d need to do, let alone 40 things I’d want to make my life easier. Looks like I have some learning to do…

B-A-N-A-N-A-(S) Bread

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As I left the house in a rush yesterday morning, it occurred to me that the bananas that I had bought at the farmer’s market this weekend were getting black spots. As the temperatures for yesterday were supposed to be in the 90s, I decided it’d be a great idea to make them into banana bread when I got home. Of course, once I had decided that, I couldn’t get “B-A-N-A-N-A-S” out of my head, and as I write this I am singing it in my head.

I searched the Internet for a recipe that I had all the ingredients for.

Finally I settled on this one:

  • 3 or 4 ripe bananas, smashed
  • 1/3 cup melted butter
  • 1 cup sugar (can easily reduce to 3/4 cup)
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour

The original recipe is here.

I changed the recipe a little–I used, 4 tablespoons of butter, or a half stick, instead of 5 1/3 the recipe calls for, and I used 1/2 cup of sugar instead of 1 or 3/4. I also added about 2.5 tablespoons of cinnamon, and only 3 bananas. Delicious. So, my modified recipe below:

  • 3 ripe bananas, smashed
  • 1/2 stick of butter (4 tbsp)
  • 1/2 cup of sugar
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
  • 2.5 tbsp cinnamon

It was a huge hit with the boys, my roommates P and E. We’ll see if Jeff will try a piece, as he doesn’t like banana bread very much. But, it was a good breakfast for me, and a great alternative to ice cream after dinner, so as far as I am concerned, job well done.