Food for thought: Recipes for my Foreign Service/expat friends in hot climates!

Hi Jeremiah, Carmelia, Rachel, Diep and soon Adriana & Jenna,

Here are some fab recipes to make overseas! Tried to reduce/eliminate hard-to-find ingredients. Everyone else, some summer and all-American recipes a little early...

Spicy Gazpacho (cold tomato-based soup). Serve with avocado & steamed shrimp, white firm fish or even an omelet.

Cucumber salad is refreshing. Add some grated ginger for a more pronounced Asian flavor. If you don't have rice vinegar, use the lightest vinegar you have with a dash of water and sugar to equal 1/4 cup.

Watermelon Sorbet
Modifications: Puree with a food mill, blender, food processor or mash. Freeze until almost frozen, then take a big fork and grate until all is finely pureed. Freeze again. If it's still a frozen block, thaw a little while and repeat with the fork. Serve immediately. Tastes great with lime and mint!

Ranch Dressing--overseas version
1 small jar of mayo 8 oz/250 ml
juice of 1 lemon/lime
3 tablespoons Nido/whole milk powder (or use 1 tablespoon yogurt)
2 sprigs fresh parsley, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt

Grilled Jerk Chicken with Mango Chutney
Use any part of skin-on chicken. Make double paste; it keeps in the fridge for 1 week.


Homemade Ketchup
Save money in most cases by making your own ketchup. A 28-oz. can equals 5 or 6 small or Roma tomatoes (the kind that are oval-shaped). Leave out the oil to prolong freshness. And you don't need to cook it for that long. Add a 1/2 teaspoon tomato paste to the recipe and cook for 30 minutes. Add 1 teaspoon curry powder and 1 teaspoon sugar for curry ketchup. Delicious!

Barbecue sauce
Make ketchup recipe above, adding sugar, honey or molasses, 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard or 1 teaspoon dry mustard and 1 tablespoon vinegar. Add 1 pureed onion and slather on at the last 2 minutes of cooking.

French fries
Peel (optional--depends on your preference and source) 4 medium or 6 large potatoes. Cut into chalk-size pieces, 3/8 inches julienne if you have a mandoline slicer. Cook in water for 20 minutes (or microwave 6 minutes for a faster parboil method). Fry in a deep, heavy pan at least 5 quarts/liters. with corn or peanut oil at high heat. Just starting to smoke, then add a little more. Fry until golden. If you can't get the oil hot enough or you want extra crispy, fry again until deep golden but not brown. Sweet potato fries also taste great! And while we're frying, here's something for a bumper crop of eggplant

Fried Chicken
Use any bone-in parts, cut equally to the size of a deck of cards. For an extra treat, crush 1 cup corn flakes and reduce flour to 1 1/4 cup.

Pancake Syrup
So, you got your hands on some pancake mix and have flipped 30 pancakes. Uh-oh. What about syrup? These days, I don't even keep that cellulose gum/high-fructose corn syrup commercial stuff in the house; I just make my own. You just need 4 ingredients: sugar, water, vanilla(or another flavoring) and salt. The last two are optional! The technique is to caramelize a little of the sugar to give the syrup color and depth of flavor.
2 cups sugar
2 cups hot water (a little less for thicker syrup)
dash salt (to enhance flavor & taste like commercial syrup, not maple syrup)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Cook sugar on stove on medium high heat until boiling and making a loud noise with bubbles and just starting to turn chocolate brown in one spot. You have to be very attentive, and not wait too long, or all the sugar will burn, and you will have to start over. Add hot water immediately. Cook until hard sugar dissolves, a few minutes. Add dash of salt and vanilla. If you are adventurous, try this great looking recipe for Coconut and Ricotta Pancakes with Ginger Syrup.
This is how to make Ricotta Cheese. Instead of heavy cream, use evaporated milk. You can use whole milk powder for the whole milk, or add water to more evaporated milk. Note that it take 8 cups or 2 liters to make 2 cups of cheese! Here are other recipes for your hard-won cheese...

Almost Cheesecake. Use "Vache Qui Rit" or "Laughing Cow" cheese in the little paper rounds for the cream cheese. 1 packet of 8 should do fine. If you don't have an oven, use a steamer and put in buttered glass or metal containers in a pot over a bigger pot of boiling water. Soft Scrambled Eggs with Ricotta and Chives-made a similar recipe for work. If you have a microwave, try this one night when you want something hot but don't want to really "cook." Use scallions or onions and some parsley in place of chives. Microwave on high and stir every one to two minutes until desired doneness is achieved. Tastes great with hot bread or even fried potatoes. Collard greens kale, or that tougher variety of spinach in West Africa will be fine for these Vegetable and Ricotta Roll-Ups. Note that the recipe calls for mozzarella cheese.

Flambé all those great tropical fruits like mango, banana and pineapple. These flavors marry well with nutmeg, vanilla, cream, lime zest and caramel.
Banana Bread Pudding with Rum Sauce is divine! Try it with 2 tablespoons Kahlua. If you don't have dark brown sugar, try a little molasses with your sugar, or just use the sugar you have.


Some of these recipes you might recognize from Peace Corps. If you remember something you want the recipe for, let me know!
Bonne cuisine!

Food for thought: Cooking via flavor combinations + NYE recipes

Flavor Matchmaker
One book that is my new go-to favorite for cooking ideas is called "The Flavor Bible." It lists myriad food affinities. It lists foods and major chefs' flavor combination suggestions. It's a helpful resource if you know your key ingredient and mode of preparation but just need a little push marrying flavors. Also great for those who don't need a recipe to get started. Give it to all your friends who read cookbooks cover to cover like a novel.

Here are a couple recipes friends have asked me for. The following I made it for a summer reggae party theme, but it also worked really well for New Year's Eve.

"Rasta" bean salad
vegan with black-eyed peas and red, yellow green bell peppers
This is for a crowd. Halve it for a small cookout or filling main or side dish.

2 lb. dried black-eye peas, cooked according to directions. Salt while cooking, if desired
12-16 oz. bottle creamy honey mustard or other sweet & tangy dressing
6 bell peppers, red, gold & green, diced
1 large or 2 small mild onions, finely chopped
4 minced garlic cloves
6 sprigs (or more) parsley, minced
Black and/or cayenne pepper, to taste

Combine all ingredients in large bowl or stock pot and let marinate in refrigerator 3 hours or overnight. Serve chilled.


Microwave Peanut Brittle, from epicurious.com

You will love this recipe. Track how much time it takes for each phase & write it down for a more foolproof process afterward. Also, it helps to have some cold water nearby to make sure the mixture has reached a hard crack stage--a hard ball/strands in water. That way you'll be sure it's ready. I've tried it with slivered almonds, peanuts and pumpkin seeds, all divine. Oh, if you use peanuts, add 1 T. peanut butter along with the butter. Add 1/2 t. almond extract + vanilla for almonds. Out of this world!

You can view the complete recipe online here.


Microwave Peanut Brittle
1 1/2 cups unsalted dry-roasted peanuts (about 7 1/2 ounces)
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
Pinch of salt
1 tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda

Butter large baking sheet. In microwave-proof bowl, combine peanuts, sugar, corn syrup and salt. Microwave on High until mixture bubbles vigorously, about 6 minutes. Remove mixture from microwave and stir in butter and vanilla. Return to microwave and cook on High until candy turns light gold color, about 3 minutes. Remove bowl from microwave. Working quickly, add baking soda to candy mixture and stir briskly (mixture will foam up). Immediately pour out onto prepared baking sheet. Shake baking sheet from side to side to spread brittle as thinly as possible. Let stand until cold and hard, about 2 hours. Break brittle into pieces. Store in airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 month. Good luck keeping it that long!

Bon Appétit
July 1993
by Amy D. Lawley: Montgomery, Alabama


Happy cooking!

Food for thought: Traditions, traditions!

This is the time of year when we get caught up in traditions, including the Dickensian homage to sugar plums, figgy pudding, geese, tom turkeys, and sleigh bells. However, most of the people I know do few things that really resonate with that time and place.

So, I was thinking of new or different traditions to start with friends and family, especially foodwise, that would make the spirit bright.

A progressive dinner--great for neighbors, apartment dwellers and families living nearby. Have cocktails and appetizers at one house, dinner at another place and dessert somewhere else. Everyone can pitch in with dishes to leave all the hosts happy.

Go out for dessert and tea or coffee instead of a whole meal. Save money and savor every last bite.

Eat fondue as a family or use a few pots for a party. That was actually a fun eighties fad that could use reviving. You can boil bouillon and olive oil for meats and veggies, cheese for bread and veggies, and chocolate for cake and fruit.

Use the fireplace. Forget about chestnuts roasting! I'm so tempted to roast small kebabs (over untreated wood), marshmallows or even pop popcorn. Hot dogs would be fun, too.

Use the slow cooker for a holiday brunch. The night before, put fruit in a slow cooker. Serve atop waffles or bread pudding. You could also put potatoes, onions and sausage in a slow cooker right before bed and eat hash browns for breakfast.Cider was made for the slow cooker, and you could put it in the same room as your festivities.

Agree to go shopping with friends after the post-season sales kick in and give gifts then.

Collect pine cones, evergreen, and other natural treasures on a walk to decorate your home instead of storing things you'll only use once a year.

Adopt a tradition of a new country or region each year. One year you can wake your friends up in the middle of the night with a traveling band and make them feed you (Puerto Rico); another year you can have or attend a procession of St. Lucia and drink mulled wine (Sweden). Click on the blog title for a link. Unfortunately the site was written in stream-of-consciousness style and without spelling or grammar revisions.

Make new drinks, but keep the old. Egg nog, rum and Bailey's Irish cream was a Christmas Eve hit a few years back. What about a Jack Frost?: Peppermint schnapps and coffee topped with ice cream (just made that up!) Use crushed candy canes to make an alcohol-free drink. Here are two ideas for New Year's Eve: sparkling wine with cachaca, mottled sugar, mint & lime or Chambord (raspberry liqueur) with hard or sparking cider.

However you celebrate this time of year, happy holidays!

Food for thought: Easy Homemade Biscuits

These biscuits are soo good and very fast & easy to make. No need to use Bisquik or those canned biscuits with scary ingredients.

Drop biscuits save you the step of kneading and molding. I used a scoop with a release that came out really well.
Powdered buttermilk really saves the day and keeps for months in the fridge. Cold buttermilk is key, and you want the butter to be clumpy--it will make the little pockets of butter...Mmmm!

Makes 12 biscuits

2 cups (10 oz.) all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. sugar
3/4 tsp. salt
1 cup cold buttermilk
8 Tbsp. (1 stick) unsalted butter, plus 2 Tbsp. butter for brushing baked biscuits. Melt butter, then cool for 5 minutes.

Adjust oven rack to middle position. Heat to 475 degrees (450 if your oven runs hot.)
Whisk dry ingredients in large bowl.
Combine buttermilk and 8 Tbsp. butter in medium bowl, stirring until butter forms small clumps (the size of a sunflower seed or popcorn kernel).
Add buttermilk mixture to flour mixture with a rubber spatula, until dough just starts to pull away from the bowl.
Using a 1/4-cup greased dry measuring cup or a greased ice cream scoop, scoop level, uniform amounts of batter on parchment paper. You need parchment paper or a silicone pad to avoid sticking.
Space batter 1+ inches apart. Watch closely, and bake until tops are golden brown and crisp, 12-14 minutes.
Brush with melted butter. Cool 5-7 minutes before serving.

Recipe from Cook's Illustrated, Nov. & Dec. 2007

Food for thought: Talkin' Turkey Day

Question: How does one keep a turkey warm if it cooks before other dishes?
OK, the two main things for a turkey that is cooked ahead of other things are to keep the bird moist and warm. The turkey does not have to be hot, and it is juicier if it rests for half an hour. Beyond that, keep the oven on warm or anything under 250 degrees and stick it back in 20-30 minutes before serving.

As for juiciness, brining and basting will promote moist meat. Salt one or two gallons of water (depending on bird and receptacle size with 1/4 to 1/2 cup salt. Use a covered container like a bucket or huge pot. Luckily, it's cold now, so you can leave it outside overnight. Just make sure nothing or no one can disturb it overnight. You can add a cut-up onion, garlic, pepper or spices, but it isn't necessary. Avoid vinegar or other acidic foods. The next day, presumably Thanksgiving, drain the brining liquid and let the bird rest one hour. Rinse bird if you will be adding any salt. Drain again, season and put in the oven as usual. Every hour while cooking, baste the turkey with the juices that have collected.

One other note: If the turkey will be out on the table for several hours, make sure it's more than 135 degrees the whole time before serving for food safety reasons. Tent it with foil to keep it warm, then put it back in the oven a few minutes to crisp the skin back up if it has gotten soggy.

Question: What's a good green bean recipe?
Here's an easy green bean recipe for you, Carmelia. You can use salt or a Maggi cube instead of chicken broth, and use peanuts if cashews are hard to come by. Some advice for a crowd: bring the nuts with you and see if someone has a major allergy. Then, sprinkle them on before serving.

Happy cooking!

Food for thought: Recipes for budget-minded bon vivants, Part 2

Creme fraiche*
For some reason, perhaps since we have sour cream, creme fraiche is very difficult to find. When it's available, it's really expensive. Creme fraiche, and the spectrum of sour cream, yogurts and other milk cultures are replicable at home.

I learned that on an overcast days getting the fermentation going can be hard. But persevere! Making a luscious creamy yogurt or creme fraiche is its own reward. Plus, you can really save money!

Now that I think about it, this may not technically be creme fraiche, but it tastes great! My goal was to have a creme-fraiche-style finished product with a wee bit less fat. I took 1/3 cup plain yogurt with active cultures and added about 1 cup half-and-half and 1/2 cup heavy cream. After trying to ferment it by putting on the windowsill with no sunlight whatsoever, I left it by the toaster oven while I cooked a lasagne, then put the container atop the lasagne while it cooled(!), then left out on the counter overnight. The key is to let the cream ferment in a warm environment (85-90 degrees air temperature). The result was an unctuous thick cream with a touch of twang. Just what I wanted!

So, what does one do with creme fraiche? All that you would do with sour cream and a luscious yogurt, and then some. Try hot buttered bread with honey and creme fraiche. Creme fraiche is a star in many French, Scandanavian and Russian recipes, paired with potato latkes and smoked salmon, beets, summer fruits, sweet and savory tarts and soups. In France, it is a standard soup thickener, as it doesn't curdle. If you want to use creme fraiche for this purpose, use heavy cream exclusively when making at home; otherwise, it may curdle.

High-end vodka
No, don't go rushing out to buy potatoes and a still. Just use a Brita carafe and filter. Make sure it is only for this purpose. Buy the cheapest vodka you can find (plastic bottles and a name that makes you laugh out loud are good indicators of low quality.) Filter the vodka three times in the carafe, then pour the finished vodka in an expensive bottle!!! This public service message is brought to you in time for the holiday season.

Crab, lobster and chantarelle ravioli
No, I don't have a way to make this ravioli cheaper. But I do have a suggestion for how to get the taste of super-expensive raviolis with less fuss, muss and coin: lasagne. Think about it: minus the tomatoes, with a nice Bechamel or "white sauce", you could enjoy the sumptuous flavors of your favorite raviolis. I make the "good stuff" in an 8x8 square pan to conserve ingredients and save time. Plus, I can pop it right in the toaster oven. If you assemble and refrigerate the night before, you can bake it in the evening in time for dinner. Try it with this white lasagne recipe as a springboard, then cram it with your favorite posh ingredients.

*I am a stickler for using the right accents, but I didn't want to mess up the posting in case it converted badly for some readers. Crème fraîche. Béchamel. Ahh, now I feel better!

Food for thought: Rice-cooker and crock-pot meals

I used to think that sauteing and other quick methods for cooking were the best, most flavorful ways to eat. And if you're eating expensive foods like shrimp and chicken breast, that may be true. But if you are holding a kid or are too cranky when you get home or are on a budget, slow, hands-free preparations may be the way to go. Thanks, Rachel, for the following recipe. For more rice-cooker recipes, click on the "Food for thought" heading.

October 1, 2008, New York Times

Rice Cooker Chicken Biriyani With Saffron Cream

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 cup plain yogurt, preferably whole milk
1 1/2 teaspoons coriander powder
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon mild chili powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
1 onion cut into chunks
1 2-inch chunk fresh ginger, peeled
3 garlic cloves, peeled
1 fresh green chili pepper such as jalapeño or serrano, stemmed
3 tablespoons canola oil or ghee (clarified butter)
1 1/2 cups basmati rice, rinsed
6 cloves
6 cardamom pods
1 cinnamon stick
3 cups chicken broth (use low-sodium if canned) mixed with 1/4 teaspoon garam masala
1 teaspoon salt
Pinch saffron threads mixed with 2 tablespoons heavy cream
3 tablespoons chopped cilantro, more for garnish
3 tablespoons chopped mint
1 lime.

FOR OPTIONAL GARNISHES:
Oil for frying
1 onion, thinly sliced
Big handful cashews
Big handful raisins.

1. Cut chicken into bite-size chunks: 6 to 8 pieces from each thigh. In a bowl, mix yogurt and powdered spices. Add chicken, mix well to coat, and set aside.
2. In a food processor, purée onion, ginger, garlic and chili pepper together. Set aside.
3. In a rice cooker, heat oil in cooking bowl on “cook.” When hot, add onion paste and cook, uncovered, until some liquid has evaporated and paste begins to brown, about 15 minutes. Stir occasionally.
4. Add rice and whole spices and stir well. Smooth top and arrange marinated chicken pieces over surface.
5. Gently pour in broth and salt. Cover and let cook until rice is tender and chicken is cooked through, about 25 minutes depending on cooker.
6. When done (or when cooker switches to “warm” function), add saffron cream and mix, making sure to scrape and scoop up bottom layer of rice. Sprinkle chopped cilantro and mint on top and re-cover. Let steam 5 minutes more.
7. If making garnishes, heat 1 inch oil in a pot until rippling. Add onion and cook, separating rings, until golden brown. Lift out and drain. Add cashews and raisins to same oil and cook until cashews are golden brown. Lift out and drain.
8. Just before serving, squeeze lime over biriyani and mix very well, fluffing lightly. Scoop onto serving platter and garnish with chopped cilantro and fried onions, cashews and raisins.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings.

Note: Lacking a rice cooker, biriyani can also be made in a heavy round pot with at least a 3-quart capacity. After adding broth in Step 5, raise heat to bring mixture to a simmer, then immediately reduce heat to very low. For Step 6, turn heat off.


One thing bettycrocker.com is good for: hundreds of slow cooker recipes. I weeded out some scary ones, like pizza fondue. Four that I will probably make before Spring are below. If you want Americana Kozy Kitchen full-on, check out these recipes.

Slow Cooker Garlic-Spiked Turkey Breast with Fresh Basil Mayonnaise

Prep Time:30 min
Start to Finish:8 hr 30 min
Makes:12 servings

1 bone-in turkey breast (6 1/2 lb), thawed if frozen
6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1/4 cup grated lemon peel (from 3 medium or 2 large lemons)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 1/2 teaspoons lemon-pepper seasoning salt
1 tablespoon olive or vegetable oil
1 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves
3 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil
1 cup mayonnaise or salad dressing

1. Remove gravy packet or extra parts from turkey breast. Remove skin from turkey. Using small paring knife, make cuts, 1/4 to 1/2 inch deep and 1/4 to 1/2 inch wide, in top of turkey. Insert garlic slices into cuts.
2. In small bowl, mix lemon peel, parsley and lemon-pepper seasoning salt; rub onto turkey. In 12-inch skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat. Add turkey; cook in oil until brown on all sides.
3. In 5- to 6-quart slow cooker, place turkey and any drippings. Cover; cook on Low heat setting 8 to 9 hours.
4. In food processor, place basil and 3 tablespoons oil. Cover; process until basil is chopped. Add mayonnaise. Cover; process until smooth. Serve sliced turkey with mayonnaise mixture.

Here's a vegan side dish that would be great for Thanksgiving. Plus, it wouldn't take up space on the stove!
Slow Cooker Wild Rice with Cranberries
Prep Time:15 min
Start to Finish:5 hr 30 min
Makes:6 servings

1 1/2 cups uncooked wild rice
1 tablespoon butter or margarine, melted
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
4 medium green onions, sliced (1/4 cup)
2 cans (14 ounces each) vegetable broth
1 can (4 ounces) sliced mushrooms, undrained
1/2 cup slivered almonds
1/3 cup dried cranberries

1. In 2- to 3 1/2-quart slow cooker, mix all ingredients except almonds and cranberries.
2. Cover and cook on low heat setting 4 to 5 hours or until wild rice is tender.
3. In ungreased heavy skillet, cook almonds over medium-low heat 5 to 7 minutes, stirring frequently until browning begins, then stirring constantly until golden brown and fragrant; set aside. Stir almonds and cranberries into rice mixture. Cover and cook on low heat setting 15 minutes.

Slow Cooker Caramel Rice Pudding
Prep Time:5 min
Start to Finish:4 hr 5 min
Makes:8 servings

3 cups cooked white rice
1/2 cup raisins
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
1 can (12 ounces) evaporated milk
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1. Spray inside of 2- to 3 1/2-quart slow cooker with cooking spray.
2. Mix all ingredients except sugar and cinnamon in cooker.
3. Cover and cook on low heat setting 3 to 4 hours or until liquid is absorbed. Stir pudding.
4. Sprinkle pudding with sugar and cinnamon. Serve warm.

Slow Cooker Maple-Sauced Pears
Prep Time:10 min
Start to Finish:2 hr 50 min
Makes:6 servings

6 pears
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup maple-flavored syrup
1 tablespoon butter or margarine, melted
1 teaspoon orange peel
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons orange juice

1. Peel pears. Core pears from bottom, leaving stems attached. Place pears upright in 3 1/2- to 5-quart slow cooker.
2. Mix remaining ingredients except cornstarch and orange juice; pour over pears.
3. Cover and cook on high heat setting 2 to 2 1/2 hours or until tender.
4. Remove pears from cooker; place upright in serving dish or individual dessert dishes.
5. Mix cornstarch and orange juice; stir into sauce in cooker. Cover and cook on high heat setting about 10 minutes or until sauce is thickened. Spoon sauce over pears.

Note: These four Betty Crocker recipes were tested in slow cookers with heating elements in the side and bottom of the cooker, not in cookers that stand only on a heated base. For slow cookers with just a heated base, follow the manufacturer’s directions for layering ingredients and choosing a temperature.
(Total time will vary with appliance and setting.)