Tormented Kitchen

2010, another year, another rib glut! For years, we have made it a point to attend this annual festival devoted to pork ribs. I have to say this year, it was bigger and busier than I have seen, ever. Around Victorian Square, there have been many changes this past year in terms of buildings being demolished and turned into parking lots. The city bus system opened a new station as well, so there were just general improvements for access to the cook-off. We arrived mid-afternoon and walked to see what was available, end to end. It was a long, slow walk because the amount of people was incredible. We checked out the vendors. A whole area was set up in front of the theaters, row upon row of tents of vendors, more than I have ever seen there before. They even had a tiny carnival set up for kids with a midway where you could win a hermit crab. They thought of everything this year. We returned to the Nugget to relax in the hotel room before dinner time. We had pr...

Rice pudding is one of my favorite comfort foods. It's funny to think that most of the people I have met weren't familiar with it. The best comparison is that it's like tapioca pudding. It's custard with rice. I have fond childhood memories of coming home from school to find the same rectangular covered glass dish in the fridge filled with this heavenly treat. It was almost torture to have to wait until dessert to eat it. I think knowing it was there made whatever we had for dinner disappear faster. Once I left home for college, this became a special-occasion treat for me. I didn't get to make it very often. It's time consuming and requires constant attention. If I went home to visit Mom and Dad and found some in the fridge, well, it was history. At some point, I was shopping for grocieries and noticed Kozy Shack rice pudding in a tub by the refrigerated Jell-o. I was curious. So I have to say, Kozy Shack is a reasonable substitute when I don't have the...

If someone told you to eat eggplant because it's good for you, what would you do with it? I've tried regular globe eggplant and it just doesn't taste that good to me. I've tried frying it, stuffing it, dicing it and adding it to casseroles and it has always fallen a bit short of my expectations. In my Thai cooking class, we made this dish using the thin Japanese eggplants. I've never eaten those before. And believe me, I was skeptical because my past eggplant experience was sketchy. But we made it, we all ate it and I was in utter disbelief! Eggplant that really tasted good! Even my husband liked it and he doesn't like regular eggplant at all. OMG! This is now one of my new favorite recipes. I even shared it with Grandma Rose. Pla Nuea Makreua Orn Ingredients 3 small Japanese eggplants canola oil for frying 1 lb beef tenderloin (same as filet mignon) 1 Tablespoon sliced shallots 1/4 teaspoon sugar 1 Tablespoon fish sauce (nam pla) juice of one lime 2 - 5...

I recently attended a cooking class just for Thai food. I think unless you have a real talent for exploring ingredients, it can be beneficial to have someone show you what to use or how to use it. I've been to Asian markets before and wandered around wondering what exactly was that stuff in a jar. Then, I pretty much only bought things I could recognize without having to read the wrapper, like rice, noodles, produce, or certain condiments. Thankfully, being told name brands to look for also makes a huge difference. My cooking instructor suggested Three Crabs Fish Sauce.  If you can't read the label, at least you can find one with 3 crabs. But then at the store, they also have Five Crabs Fish Sauce. Seriously? Is 5 better than 3? I went with 3 because that is what she told me. My instructor pointed out one thing about Thai food is that it requires a lot of prep work, but cooks up quickly. She said it's really perfect for busy weeknight dinners if you can get the prep wo...

I have been making thse brownies for years.  I stopped making them for a while, going for the convenience of box mix brownies.  But there is something about brownies from scratch that you can't get from a box. For one thing, they aren't loaded with preservatives so they taste really buttery and fresh. I like that. Everyone should like that. The edges are particularly yummy because they are crisp. I like how the edges creep up and fold in as they begin to cook. If you look in the oven as these cook, the middle stays really wet until the very last 5 minutes. And you have to watch it so the middle is done without letting it get overcooked and dry. For a little history on these brownies, I was probably in junior high when I started making these.  Yes, I have been in the kitchen since a very young age thanks to my mom and her watchful eye. I discovered that these super dense, rich brownies turn out well when baked in a round cake pan.  To make these really ...

I haven't been cooking very much lately.  I want to, but things come up.  It's summertime.  There are yard projects to do and after work is the perfect time. The heat isn't so stifling, the breeze comes up, the kids play on the playground , and we can actually get things done.  In honor of summertime, we have been regularly grilling.  Lots of grilling, and it's mostly beef. Tri-tip is one of those cuts of beef that you have to have a knack for cooking.  There are certain cuts of beef that you can just toss on the grill and they are always fine.  Tri-tip needs a bit of finesse to really turn out well. You can season it with pretty much anything, but it's the grill technique that will make a difference. You really have to grill over medium-hot coals or fire.  If the heat is too low, the meat dries out and gets tough. If it's too hot, the outside gets charred and the inside stays raw.  We have found if you aim for medium done, th...

There aren't many things easier than taking fresh fruit and dipping it into something for a quick, cool dessert. Growing up in the Midwest, it never occurred to me that perhaps this could be weird. We just always ate strawberries this way. Once we moved to Nevada, I figured out that West Coast people were not on board this concept, so to speak. After I moved out on my own, to be honest, I sort of forgot about eating strawberries this way. It wasn't until I was on a business trip that sent me to Illinois that I was reminded. I was at a nice restaurant and they had it on the dessert menu. My first thought was seeing a simple fruit dessert offered at a restaurant was pretty novel. My second thought was that I really liked this combination as a kid and should remember to eat it at home. Ingredients 4 Strawberries per person, whole, washed well (make sure to get under the leaves for hiding sand) 2 Tablespoons Sour cream or plain Greek yogurt 2 Tablespoons Brown sugar Meth...