Royal Foodie Joust - December Contest

This month's ingredients for the Royal Foodie Joust over at The Leftover Queen were: coffee, honey and black peppercorns.

I'll admit, I was a bit stumped at first. But then I remember a recipe I had earmarked for bread that called for coffee. When I found it, I simply replaced the molasses it called for with some fresh farm honey I got from the CSA this summer and added freshly ground peppercorns to not only the dough, but on top as it was baking.

This reminds me of the dark steakhouse bread we've all enjoyed somewhere in the past. And I will definitely be making it again.

The recipe:

1 1/3 cups strong brewed coffee, room temperature
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup honey
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 cup whole wheat flour
2 cups bread flour
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast

Put all ingredients into your bread machine and choose a light crust, basic bread selection.

This was really great warm with butter and more honey.

Were you ever a waitress?

I was, and I believe that profession and a nurses' aide are the two most undervalued and underpaid positions - I have been both in my life. People shit on you both figuratively and literally.

So when the Food For Thought foodie book club chose Waiter Rant for our first book - I knew I would like it...and I did.

To think that this guy started out in the priesthood is irony at its best. Sharing the horror stories of rude customers who assume their waiter is their servant and deserves no respect, we realize that even a "saint" loses their patience. However I did feel a bit like his therapist by the end of the book. And more than once I wanted to say "suck it up", it is just a job - quit if you don't like it.

And the insight into what goes on in a kitchen is funny but a bit scary. It definitely makes you think about the food you order and how you treat your wait staff.

I actually "listened" to this one instead of reading so I could multi-task. I would like to warn that this isn't a book you can have playing in your office unless you have ear phones - the language is a bit rough. However, I am quite sure he softened it for the book than what goes on in real life.

Finally, it is a little more than scary that the Waiter's favorite food show is 30 Minute Meals???

Buena Comida

Our Mexican food tonight was indeed "buena comida". Homemade cheese and onion enchiladas with smokey, sweet and spicy enchilada sauce and refried bean dip and chips. Yum!


I began making my own enchilada sauce when I lived in Phoenix 20 years ago. I worked at an architectural millwork firm and we were in a very industrial part of town. Nothing but factories and warehouses around - except for a little Mexican cafe called Danny's.

As you can imagine, Danny was the owner and cook. He was one of the nicest gentlemen I have ever met. His cheese enchiladas were like crack - you could never just eat one.

We were talking about food in general once when I commented about the sauce - it was so much better than any other restaurants and especially the store bought variety. And that is saying a lot because in Phoenix there were some great Mexican restaurants.

He told me he was going to tell me his secret to good enchilada sauce. (I felt so privileged.) It actually was mother's recipe (again felt very privileged). They cook so much beef for shredded beef (there is no ground beef in real Mexican food) and there is always all this great beef stock leftover.

Most enchilada sauce is tomato based - his is beef stock based. He makes a roux and adds this great stock, spices and some tomato paste (but not much). Like most great things, it came out of necessity, practicality and common sense.

So I have no written recipe, but here is what I do and it does change each time depending on how spicy you want it:


Homemade Enchilada Sauce

5 cups of beef stock/broth
5 Tablespoons of fat - this could be from cooking a roast, frying bacon, or shortening
5 Tablespoons of flour

I really never measure any of these spices - I just add until it tastes and looks right.

1/3 c. chili powder
3 Tablespoons of sweet paprika
1 teaspoon of hot paprika
3 Tablespoons of ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon of freshly ground pepper
2 Tablespoons of sugar
1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder
1 drop of liquid smoke

2 Tablespoons of tomato paste

Make a thin roux with the fat and flour and let it simmer for a few minutes. This helps the flour cook so your sauce won't taste like flour.

Start adding broth and stir as the roux absorbs the liquid. Before you add all of it start adding your spices and tomato paste.

Stir over low heat for at least 20 minutes. It will be thick, but you want to keep cooking it a little so all the powder ingredients dissolve well.

This will make a lot, but it lasts for weeks in the frig.

Enjoy!

Life With 4

Having four dogs really isn't much different than three. However, it has been a few years since we had one this young. We forgot how much fun they are.

Even though she is very puppish - she isn't hyper and naps quite frequently, much like a 2 year old toddler. Also, she was just fixed on Monday so probably still a little sore.

But when she plays - she plays. Of course we never have the camera then so just imagine playing, chasing a ball and trying her best to get Shelby and Bear to play with her in between all of these naps.

Here are a few shots of Cady in the first few hours of her forever home.

Thanksgiving In Review

Our Thanksgiving was nice. Lots of good food and family time - not too much of either.

My niece, Vanessa, wanted to use my camera to take some pictures. So I am posting here what I found on the camera later.

This was Thanksgiving Day through the eyes of a 6 year old.

I love this self-portrait.

There are some really good shots, especially considering who took them. I might have just found the perfect Christmas gift for a little girl I know.