PSA: Perfect Sausage Announcement

So I feel a little like "Hints from Heloise" on this one (I loved reading her column, am I alone in this?) but...

I LOVE sausage, but hate slicing it. I have tried a serrated knife, regular knife, sawing it, slicing it and nothing seemed to work UNTIL I discovered a secret! 

One evening I took my sausage out of the freezer, placing it in the refrigerator so it'd be thawed in the morning (we order our pork and beef from a local family that raises them as organically/naturally as possible). The next morning it wasn't totally thawed but I went ahead and sliced it. This partially frozen sausage, still in it's plastic wrapping/packaging, combined with a gently serrated knife made PERFECT slices of sausage and it didn't get all mashed like normal. 

So now, if I have sausage already thawed out (as I did this morning, having to use store-bought sausage as we're out of our locally sourced sausage. Sad face.), I pop it into the freezer for about 30 minutes before I am ready to cook it. This gives it just enough time for the fats to slightly freeze, allowing for perfectly sliced sausage patties every time! I go ahead and slice the entire package at this optimum slight-frozen-state. Because they are not frozen solid, the cooking time is about the same except with this uniformity they all cook evenly! 

This has been a sausage-for-breakfast game changer for me and I hope you find it helpful, too. Bon apetit ! 

Quinoa for Two

So often I hear "I can't cook homemade meals for just the two of us" or "just me" or whatever reason keeps people out of the kitchen cooking real food from real ingredients. And it's all rubbish excuses! here is how I make a small batch of quinoa just for my son and me (it's actually just for me, he doesn't like it, but it was my original recipe so now it serves me dinner and two lunches):

1 C Chicken broth (or whatever broth you have)
1/2 C quinoa
1 clove garlic
juice from half a lemon

Bring broth to a boil.
Reduce to low.
Add quinoa.
Add lemon and garlic (minced/grated/finely chopped)

Simmer 10-15 minutes, covered, until broth is absorbed.

You can eat it as is (the chicken broth, garlic and lemon juice are delish on its own), or you can jazz it up a little. Here are links to previous quinoa recipes posted: Quinoa Salad and Friend Quinoa.

That's it. Makes a small batch for a small family. Real food. Real ingredients. Real love.

Sourdough Crackers

I love me some sourdough. I made homemade hummus yesterday (recipe from Inspired Taste, a wonderful blog) and I need something more than just veggies to go with the FOUR CUPS of hummus I have. Sascha (my Sourdough Starter) has never let me down when it comes to crackers! When I am waking her up, this is a great way to use some of the discard until it gets fully active and all wondefully full of natural yeast. Here is my basic recipe and, honestly, I do not recall where I got it from.

(all measurements are in the "ish" category)
1/3ish Cup of Sourdough Starter (fresh or discard)
2-4 T olive oil (depending on hydration of starter)
1 C AP Flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
Herbs and spices of your choice (I love Penzey's Frozen Pizza Topping, it's a salt-free blend)

I omit salt, but most recipes call for it. I try to control my blood pressure by diet, exercise and lifestyle so I generally leave salt out of everything.

Mix it all up. I mean, really, I don't do it in any order and it always turns out fine. I suppose you could mix the starter and oil, then combine the dry stuff in a diff. bowl and then add it. But why add steps and dishes?

I love a strong flavor and let mine proof overnight. Usually crackers can be proofed in a couple hours. I find the flavor is more intense and complex.

Roll it flat. You can either bake it uncut and break pieces off as you desire (a great way to have dinner bread) or you can cut into squares for regular looking crackers. Often I like to cut mine in long strips and place in a pint jar on the dinner table for a lil fancy-factor. We're real simple around here.

That's it. Bon apetit! Oh, I also bake half at a time and keep the dough in the fridge for up to 3 more days. The fridge stops the fermentation so you should be good without the overpowering flavor. Just let come to room temp for 15 minutes before rolling out.

Growing My Brain By Making Quinoa Salad?

Finally, I can grow my brain by doing something I like--like eating!? YES!

According to Dr. Kathryn Papp, neuropsychologist an instructor in neurology at Harvard Medical School, we now know that our brains can continue to grow well into adulthood and as we age. It was once believed that a person was born with every brain cell and connection they'd ever have and that was it. But we now know this to be false. Papp goes on to say that through a process called neurogenesis our brains can actually grow new cells. She continues to suggest that through the brain's complex malleability (neuronal plasticity), the brain can actually begin to make new connections (this in addition to growing new cells). This can be achieved through the seemingly simple process of learning a new task, activity, art, craft, etc. She does suggest for maximum growth, the new activity being learned have a physical component. I'm unsure if standing, walking, chopping, stirring counts as physical but in my (ever expanding) mind it sure does! 

As most of you know, my son and I are intentionally incorporating more fruits, vegetables, healthier grains, less meat, etc. into our diet. I am also becoming increasingly "on the go" with clients, finishing up my forthcoming book, and so on so I am always looking for quick, healthy, easy meals which will have leftovers I can take with me and even eat in the car sometimes while waiting to pick my son up from school. This meal is PERFECT to achieve those goals and can be tailored to meet your dietary restrictions, taste buds, yada, yada, yada. My top three priorities for this meal: low sodium, fresh veggies, easy. I have achieved the trifecta, y'all! And I want to help your brain grow with this new (to me) recipe while helping you eat a healthy diet, too! So here goes...

 Quinoa Salad

(I made a small batch to test, you could easily double or more)

1 cup low sodium chicken broth

Garlic

1/2 cup uncooked quinoa

1 carrot

1 celery stalk

1/2 (?) bell pepper (I used a few strips of various colors)

boneless, skinless chicken breast

Olive oil

seasoning of your preference (I used Penzey's frozen pizza mix, smoked paprika and some sodium free guacamole mix I bought on clearance at kroger)

bake chicken breast, marinaded in italian salad dressing (or whatever you choose, I usually bake a ton of chicken breast at once, bag and freeze it in single-meal servings for later use, this is what I did here, so in this case I actually just took the chicken out of freeze this morning to thaw. Always thaw meat in the refrigerator for safety purposes). I imagine this would taste d'lish even without the chicken for a vegetarian option. Sub out the chicken stock for vegetable stock and it becomes vegan. 

Put one cup chicken broth in a small pot, grate one clove of garlic, mix in uncooked quinoa. Cook at a low simmer for 15ish minutes (or basically until most of the liquid is gone). Your house will smell amazing from the chicken broth-garlic simmer!

I let mine cool fully then: 

Chop carrot, onion and bell peppers into small pieces. Mix in shredded chicken. Drizzle with a little olive oil and generously season with preferred spices (I am thinking curry next time). Mix thoroughly. 

Add cooked and cooled quinoa. Mix thoroughly. 

Bon apetit! yes, it really is that simple. . . to grow your brain, but not your waist! 

So I am going to bed tonight feeling like my brain has experienced a growth spurt and also feeling good about making healthy life-choices for my son and me. 

Click Here for the full Harvard Medical School article

Grandma's Banana Nut Bread

As some of you know, I now live in and own the house my grandmother and grandfather rented since the early 80's. I moved in with my grandmother the last two months of her life (6.5 weeks actually) to help her die at home instead of an institution. And then I just kept renting until the opportunity to purchase and keep it in our family came along.

This house is the house I spent a great deal of time in as a kid. My mom worked full time while also completing a degree in teaching while I was in elementary/middle school and my dad owned an auto-body shop. I remember one year pleading with my parents to let me live with my grandparents (oddly, now my son makes the same plea. I guess the apple does not fall from the tree haha). I loved and adored my grandma for as long as I can remember.

It was in her house that I learned to do things like sew, quilt, can and bake. And tonight, I'd like to share the banana nut bread recipe my grandma gave to me in a cookbook she made me for Christmas, 2004. On the inside cover it says, "Christmas 2004. To: JR. from: Grandma" in her well-known scrawl. I miss her, but in keeping this house...I try to keep her legacy alive and well.

Note: If this recipe is from a book, magazine or newspaper I apologize...she wrote it with no credits and it is the only recipe I've ever used making banana nut bread both with her and on my own.

1/2 Cup butter
1 Cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon soda
1/3 Cup chopped nuts (next batch I am using bourbon soaked walnuts)
2 bananas, overly riped and mashed
2 Cups flour
My tweaks:
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmet
1/4 teaspoon cardamom

Pre heat oven to 350
cream butter & sugar
Add unbeaten eggs, nuts and bananas (I usually do this with a mixing spoon)
sift flour and soda and add to mixture (if adding spices, sift along with soda/flour)
Pour into greased loaf pan (makes one full loaf or four mini loaves)
Bake at 350 for 50-60ish minutes til it passes the spring and knife test.

Even though I am not currently baking this bread tonight, I can sit with my eyes closed and smell it. Reliving so many wonderful memories in this house, and many others, with friends and family over coffee and my grandma's banana nut bread.

Y'all, take time to slow down, bake up something delicious (this bread?), and enjoy a story, a laugh, a tear...with friends and loved ones. The only regret you'll have is that you didn't make more time for this when those you love are gone.

Or, at least that's my 26.2 cents worth. Lemme know if you wanna join me for some banana nut bread sometime.

Donald