Cookie Dough and Rooster Sauce!

One of the gifts we're making this year is a homemade version of Sriracha, the ubiquitous "Rooster Sauce" (or "Cock Sauce", if you're nasty) found in the fridges and on the tables of Asian food fans worldwide. Mr. Mac found a few good recipes online, and ended up doing something similar to this recipe from Food52.  It turned out to be easy, flavorful, bright red, and extremely delicious!  We omitted the pepper seeds from the first batch and it turned out very mild.  Next up: a spicy version ("Cock 'n' Balls Sauce"...classy, right?) with lots of chile kick.  Pictures of this operation happening in our tiny, cluttered kitchen?  Yes!

Mr. Mac is going to put this beautiful red/orange stuff into glass jars for Christmas gifts.  And now for the cookie dough:

I figured people might enjoy a roll of frozen cookie dough.  No muss, no fuss, and no one will know if the recipients of these gifts choose to eat the entire thing, unbaked, during an NCIS marathon.  Moving on.  I used Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe my mom used to make when I was a kid.  It's a variation of the ancient and renowned Toll House recipe, available on the back of Nestle chocolate chip packages.  I used Ghirardelli Dark Chocolate Chips and made one batch (4 logs of dough) each with and without walnuts, wrapped them in parchment and foil, and attached baking instructions.

1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 C brown sugar
1/4 C white sugar
1 egg
1 t vanilla extract
1/2 t salt
1/2 t baking soda
1 C + 2 T all-purpose flour
1 C chocolate chips
1 C chopped walnuts (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugars until light and fluffy.  Add the egg and vanilla and mix well.  Add the salt, baking soda, and flour and mix until the dough is sticky and all flour is incorporated.  Fold in chocolate chips (and nuts).  Drop by large spoonfuls onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, leaving room between the cookies.  Bake for 12-15 minutes, until golden brown and just set in the center.  Let cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then enjoy warm, chewy chocolate chip yum.  To bake from frozen, just preheat your oven and let the dough thaw at room temperature for 20 minutes or so.  Slice the log into 1" thick cookies and bake as above.

What's For Dinner?

Sweet potato fries!  Mr. Mac heated some peanut oil in our cast iron Dutch oven to 350 degrees F, using a candy thermometer clipped to the side of the pan with a wooden clothespin. 

While the oil was heating, he cut the sweet potatoes into batons (the classic fry shape).  He placed the potatoes in cold water and dried them thoroughly before placing small batches into the hot oil.  It's very important to dry your fries before you fry them!  The water droplets boil instantly in the oil, which can cause a big splash of hot oil.  Cold water + hot oil = DANGER.  

Mr. Mac fried the sweet potatoes for about 5 minutes per batch, removed them from the oil with a flat whisk (you could use a metal slotted spoon or a spider, a strainer with a long wooden handle).  He placed them on a rack above a sheet pan to drain.  

This was the first time we'd tried making sweet potato fries, and they came out pretty well!  Next time I think we'll try peeling them (the peels got a bit dark in the fryer) and draining them on newspaper to get rid of a little bit more of the oil.  We ate ours with a sprinkling of salt and some ketchup, but truffle salt, parsley, and minced garlic would really kick these fries up to a whole new level.  Mmmm.  

A Plethora of Potholders

Things have been a little busy around here this past week.  I took Mac Mini to a kids' Christmas party and am proud to announce that we have our first "screaming on Santa's lap" picture!  She enjoyed the party, but was afraid of the man himself.  We also got to see some of our PEPS pals, all of whom are growing into active, playful toddlers.  Mr. Mac and I have been working on our Christmas gifts: rolls of frozen cookie dough, jars of homemade Sriracha sauce, homemade laundry soap, and the aforementioned potholders.  I started making the potholders a few weeks ago, and today I'll finish binding the last pair.  Here are some for my mom and mother-in-law:

And a pair to match the green apron:

Potholders are a fun and easy little project.  It's just a 9" pieced square of any fabric, in any pattern.  I used a Jewel Star pattern for one pair, but the rest are either 4-patch or 9-patch variations.  I cut a coordinating 9" square for the back and two layers of batting for insulation, pinned the layers together, and quilted from the center out in straight lines or freeform patterns.  I'm still working on an orange and grey pair to match the other apron.

The trickiest part for me is the binding.  I tried using binding made from coordinating fabric, but the time it took to press and the fact that I have to use a tabletop ironing board dissuaded me from doing that again.  (Nooooo space to work in our apartment.  None at all.)  So I have been using double-wide bias tape, which works well and looks tidy.  I still have a problem with mitered corners.  

Try as I might, I just can't seem to get them perfect on both sides.  Oh well, it's a good skill to work on for quilting in general.  

What's For Dinner?

Green beans, smashed red potatoes with parsley and bacon, and seared chunks of beef tenderloin chain (translation: the long strip of meat that comes from the side of a whole beef tenderloin before it is cut into filets; a meaty delicacy usually saved and consumed by the butcher because it's not attractive to customers).  Mr. Mac bought a "pismo" (whole beef tenderloin) at our local restaurant supply warehouse.  He paid $11 per pound for top-quality Angus beef, and was able to butcher out 8 steaks plus the chain meat, for a cut price of about $15 per pound (once the fat, silverskin, and other unwanted parts had been removed).  Not bad for supremely tender, lean, and juicy tenderloin steaks!  It's really nice to have a few steaks in the freezer for those red meat cravings (does everyone have those or is it just us?).  The chain meat was very flavorful and delicious, the green beans (frozen and microwaved in the bag - so easy and a great time-saver) tasted fresh and snappy, and, well, you just can't argue with potatoes and bacon.  Have I mentioned that we like bacon?  A lot.  Maybe too much.  Mmmm....bacon.

A Day of Accomplishment!

I finished Christmas Gift Apron #2:

And I revisited Mac Mini's baby quilt, which I never got around to quilting, what with all the excitement of being 38 1/2 weeks pregnant and in the midst of a giant nesting binge.  So now, 14 months and one week later, I finally finished quilting it.  I just kept it simple, quilting in the ditch around the blocks, because I really like the patchwork pattern (a beginner's pattern called "Yellow Brick Road").

This was my first grown-up quilting project and the first time I'd used a pattern.  Cutting and piecing it was really easy, which was very encouraging given my extremely large and ungainly state.  Seriously, people kept asking if I was having twins.

Look at my face: even I am astounded by the size of my still-growing midsection.  Yowza.  Anyway, the quilt turned out well despite the fact that I had no idea how to bind it properly or baste the layers together and pretty much did that whole part of the operation on the fly.  I was a bit short on patience in those days.  The fabrics (fat quarters from Undercover Quilts in Pike Place Market) are adorable.

Umbrellas for Stella!  I think she likes it.

What's For Dinner?

Wheat berries with kale, chicken, and red beans, that's what!  This bowl of delicious is high in protein and fiber, but the bacon makes up for that.  Kidding!  It's very healthy and low on the glycemic index for those watching your sugar intake.  The wheat berries and kidney beans provide some body,with plenty of good-carby substance to fill you up.  You will require a grilling apparatus.  I used the ol' Foreman because it was 39 degrees outside and I wanted to keep the heat in the apartment.  Recipe?  Here you go:

Cooking time: 45 minutes.  Makes 4 servings.

3/4 C wheat berries (Available in most bulk food sections; "red spring" is softer than "white winter".)

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts

splash of balsamic vinegar

splash of soy sauce

1 bunch kale of your choice (Lacinato, dinosaur, Italian, purple, etc.)

1 large apple of your choice (I used Fuji)

3 slices bacon (I used Hempler's uncured bacon and was disappointed...go for the good stuff.) 

1" knob fresh ginger

3 cloves garlic

8 oz chicken stock (You make your own and freeze it in ice cube trays too, right?  Right?)

splash of apple cider vinegar

1 can kidney beans

two shakes Chipotle Tabasco Sauce

one good shake ground cinnamon 

salt

pepper

Place the wheat berries in a medium-sized pot and cover with 3 cups water.  Bring to a boil on high heat, turn down to medium-low heat, and simmer for 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender.  Meanwhile...

Place chicken boobs in a Ziploc bag or reusable container with lid.  Add soy sauce and balsamic vinegar, shake to coat, and set aside to marinate.  Rinse the kale and remove the large stem from each leaf.  Roughly chop into 2-3" pieces and set aside.  Place bacon in a large saute pan or wok and cook on medium heat until bacon is brown and fat has rendered out, about 10 minutes.  Mince the garlic and ginger.  Core and dice the apple.  Remove bacon from the pan and place on paper towel to drain.  Reserve 2 tablespoons bacon fat in the pan - save the rest in the fridge for cooking your eggs in the morning (yum).  Add garlic and ginger to reserved bacon fat and cook on medium heat, scraping the bottom of the pan to get all the bacon-y goodness, until lightly browned (but not burned), about 5 minutes.  Add the apple, 6 oz of the chicken stock, and the apple cider vinegar.  Cook until the apples start to soften, another 5 minutes.  Then add the kale and gently toss.  It will seem as though your pan is much too small.  Don't worry - soon your kale will wilt and shrink.  Cook the kale mixture another 5 minutes until the greens are tender, then turn heat to low.  Now go preheat your grill.  

In a small pot, place the drained and rinsed kidney beans, the remaining 2 oz of chicken stock, the cinnamon, the Chipotle Tabasco, and a good pinch each of salt and ground pepper.  Cook on medium-low heat until the beans barely start to burst, about 7-10 minutes.  Cover and turn heat to low.  While the beans are cooking, drain your cooked wheat berries and add them to the kale mixture.  Crumble the bacon over the wheat and kale.  Toss and season generously with salt and pepper.  Keep it on low heat...no one likes a cold dinner. 

Remove your boobs from the marinade and slap 'em on the grill.  Grill 3-4 minutes per side, until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast reads 155 degrees Fahrenheit.  Then remove from the grill and set aside to rest for 5 minutes.  Do not slice your chicken too soon...this causes the juices to run out, leaving you with dry meat.  

Warm up some shallow pasta bowls (or plates).  Spoon on a generous helping of wheat berries and kale, then top with red beans and sliced chicken breast.  Enjoy!  

Tantrum

Wow.

I am reeling from the effects of Mac Mini's first X-treme Temper Tantrum, which occurred only moments ago.  She's had screaming, angry fits before, but this time she threw herself onto the floor, kicked her feet, and yelled until her face turned an alarming shade of magenta.  The cause, you ask?  What tortuous thing could I have done to my child to make her behave this way?  I offered the wrong post-nap snack.  I gave her fruity yogurt puffs; she wanted a banana.  Of course, her vocabulary is very limited, so it took a fair amount of guessing and trying to remain calm while she threw things across the room and shrieked like a banshee.  Deep breaths....deep breaths. Well, she does turn 14 months old today, so I suppose she had to mark the occasion somehow. Now she's happily munching on the banana, biding her time and plotting her next chance to give Mom an aneurysm.

Boo-ya! An apron!

I finished one of my Christmas gift projects last week: a pleated apron for a friend who helps us out with childcare for Mac Mini and is just generally a very generous, fun, and creative person.  I used Amy Butler's In Stitches book again, only this time I stuck to the pattern (not my strong suit...I always want to tweak things before I know how to put them together properly).  I used a really mod grey-on-white patterned fabric for the apron body and a bright saffron color for the trim, waistband, and ties.  And here's what happened:

I rocked those pleats like a friggin' hurricane.  I measured accurately (shock), pinned like crazy, basted, and it turned out perfectly.  Turns out following the directions leads to a superior product!  You'd think that my pastry chef brain, which is really quite nitpicky and measures everything, would be able to translate that quality to sewing, but no.  Not usually.  Just this time.  Let's take a look at the pocket and a closer look at the patterned fabric (this picture was taken pre-ironing, so don't judge).

Yahoo!  Yee-haw!  Now I'm ready to make another one for another dear babysitter.  These colors are "aloe" and "asparagus", and quite apropos for the lady friend for which I am...for who it is...uh, who it's for.

The greens are a deeper olive in real life.  The lighting in our apartment in the winter is wretched, and my flash just makes things worse.  You get the idea.  I'll post pictures of the finished green apron when I get around to making it.  Voila!

Pillow Cover Fail

Ugh.  My pillow cover project has hit a serious snag.  I worked on it quite a bit yesterday, and I've lost confidence in my project plan.  The combination of fabrics I've chosen turned out to be very Christmassy with all the red and gold and semi-snowflakey patterns on two of the fabrics.  That's okay for the short term, but what I'm really going for is a combination of gold, red, and orange to marry the cool cherry-red of our couch with the warm rusts, golds, and dusky blues of our Oriental rug (no, I'm not an old lady racist...that's just the style of rug).  Beautiful heirloom rug, beautiful modern couch...these things do not go together easily.  Plus, our bookshelves, coffee table, and TV stand are dark wood, the dining table and side table are oak, and we have a gold-dominated Klimt print over the fireplace.  Maybe pillow covers won't solve all our style problems, but they've got to help.  Our current throw pillows came with the sofa and are both hideous and ratty.  Max has been systematically dismantling them with his claws and teeth...that cat can't get enough polyester.

I started out trying to follow Amy Butler's Big Dot Pillow from In Stitches.  I used five different fabrics, cut in random thin strips and stitched together lengthwise, to create the dots.

Then I cut out 3" and 4" diameter circles to applique onto my background fabric.  I set up my satin stitch presser foot (for the very first time!) and pinned the circles in place.

I fooled around with the tension settings on my machine and did a practice run, which came out a little bit puckered but okay.  I messed with the settings some more and started satin stitching around the big dots.  Yuck.  Puckered fabric, unevenness, the circle looked like an amoeba.  My background fabric is too lightweight and it just doesn't look good.  So....now to decide what to do with this fabric.  I like the patchwork, so I'll keep that and do some other design with it.  I also ran out of my special multi-colored thread.  Crap.  To be continued.

Dreamie House Potluck...and a baby bunny!

Friday night the Mac family, along with our friends and neighbors from the 4th floor, went to a potluck to celebrate the triumphant return to Seattle of Farmer Becky.  Dreamie House is a lovely urban oasis of a home, with chickens, rabbits, and a spectacular indoor garden upstairs.  Roommate Noe cooked up some delicious braised rabbit, Becky made potatoes and celeriac au gratin, and Magan made the best gluten-free peanut butter chocolate chip cookies I've ever tasted.  Siri and Gerry created a full smorgasbord, complete with pickled herring (with and without mustard sauce), rye bread, homemade lutefisk with melted butter (gelatinous but tasty), and something called ski cheese, which was nutty and delicious.  Gerry also made some kick-ass lox hors d'oeuvres with cream cheese, green onions, and lemon olive oil on rice crisps.  Other guests brought pasta with salmon and cream sauce, homemade bread stuffing, cranberry bread, carrot salad with goat cheese, greens with beets and walnuts, chips and guacamole, and a vast array of homebrew, cider, and wine.  We brought a pear cobbler, adapted from an Epicurious recipe.  I substituted Kraken rum (yum) for the bourbon and used orange zest and juice instead of lemon.  We cut back on the nutmeg in the topping and added a bit of cinnamon and baked it in our trusty cast-iron Dutch oven.  The house was full of happy potluckers, the conversation was wide-ranging and entertaining, and I got to see some friends and reconnect. Mac Mini was the star of the show, toddling around and tasting everything; her favorite was the guacamole.  Gerry brought in a 3-week old bunny from the hutch in the backyard and Mac Mini got to carefully pet it.  So soft and sweet!  We left early-ish to put the kiddo to bed, but I could have stayed much longer with the good food and good company.  Yay Friday night potluck and welcome back Becks!