To Make Frozen Yogurt: Mint Edition

We have a few great gelato places in DC, but there's no good spots (that I've found) to eat some frozen yogurt. Maybe those don't generally exist? Is frozen yogurt stupid? TCBY? Ugh.

Anyway, I didn't want to make the swirly kind of frozen yogurt. That's all sugary. I wanted a frozen version of the full fat, plain yogurt I eat for breakfast. When done right, that kind of yogurt brings me back to the first time I tried French plain yogurt: sour, thick, creamy, and fluffy all at once. I topped it with raspberry jam. And I sat on a balcony overlooking the lake in Annecy pretty much feeling like I'd never be that happy again. I was that happy again, but it was 14 years ago and I can see myself there, making that discovery. Profound yogurt experience.

SOOO. Back to the present and the frozen plain yogurt. I had this idea that I could make mint yogurt. Not mint chocolate chip. Not mint made from phony flavors. But, real minted frozen yogurt. When I read about the perils of freezing yogurt, lots of people said it can get too icy. And a lot of people just used mint extract. And some people put heavy cream in theirs, which is fine, but I really want to do my best to have the focus be the yogurt. So, I followed the Kitchn's recipe + 101 Cookbooks and took some tips from the Internet at large (add vodka; strain the yogurt to reduce water content) and came up with something that I think is pretttttty decent. Don't make this expecting the creaminess of ice cream or gelato. It's NOT that. But, it's something you could eat a little bit of every night as a snack and feel pretty good about.

I brought 1/2 can coconut milk to a simmer with a package of mint leaves. I pressed on the mint leaves to extract flavor. I let that set for 30 minutes off the heat. I mixed together 2 cups of full fat plain yogurt (that I had strained for 2-3 hours; not much water came out, but some did) + 1/4 cup sugar + 1 tablespoon of vodka + 1 tsp vanilla + the coconut milk minus the mint leaves + ~40 drops of mint bitters. Then, I put it in the ice cream machine until the magic happened. (I tried making it without the ice cream machine, and it was WAY too icy. It was okay to eat if I let it set out for 1/2 hour before eating...but the texture was not perfect.)

To Cook a Dream: Hot Cucumbers

One day I was just thinking: can you cook cucumbers? I mean can, duh. But should I suppose was the better word: should I cook cucumbers? I don't remember what happened after that, probably I carried on eating raw cucumbers like a big dumb idiot.

Then, I was in Austin (Texas -- more on that later) and we were enjoying a cappucinno on the patio of the cafe. I was reading Food & Wine, which turned out to be very much worth the $6 price tag I hadn't paid attention to before I got to the check out. And there they were: hot & sour cucumbers. Hot as in spicy, but also as in temperature.

They were SO delicious. Like eating spicy, warm, slightly sweet but definitely tangy pickles. I feel like onions would be a hugely welcomed addition.

I adapted the recipe from Food & Wine, but mostly just based on the things I had in my kitchen. I'll tell it to you like I did it, cause that's how I do:

2 tbsp sesame oil
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1/2 container cubed baby bellas (the mushrooms)
6 slices of pickled jalapeno
2 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp honey
1 big ass cucumber (from TJs), cut thickly & diagonally
1/2 lemon's juice
cracked salt (as in, not salt you could shake from a shaker)
***
Heat sesame oil. Add garlic until fragrant. Add shrooms & 'penos, til the shrooms soften. Add cukes. Stir in vinegar & honey & 2 tbsp water. Stirrrr. Cover. Cook for 7 mins. Squeeze lemon juice & sprinkle salt. Devour.

I served it with brined chicken breast. The brine was simple, just salt & honey & water. Brined for 4 hours. But it was maybe the best chicken breast I ever cooked. I used this oven baked/under wax paper method, per my new habit. And I was like HELLZYA this naturally bland piece of meat is SO good.

Frankly, darlings, I was amazed at the deliciousness of this simple meal. YES, I brined for 4 hours, which maybe is not so easy for an every night meal, but eff it, it was worth it. SPOILER ALERT: I might make it Sunday to have as part of my lunch salads.

To Eat Lunch: Brox Cakes & Cucumbers Edition

I refuse to do any lunch preparation in the morning. I wake up at 5 and depending upon the state of my hair am out the door between 545 and 6. So there's no brain space to be like, "ohhhh what should I eat at noon?" I also really like the rare treat when I can make a lunch once and not have to prep anything during the week. You're like what're you talking about this prep? Like a salad, you buy the ingredients and then every night have to prepare it so things don't get soggy or gooey or gross. 

Anyway, I made these broccoli fritters. EXCEPT, I used 12 oz of broccoli (she used like 7?) and I cut the flour down to 1/4 cup. I did that to use up the whole bag of broccoli and didn't want to dry them out. They're so broccoli-y! Which feels healthy and like the right move. I forgot to add the Parmesan cheese! So maybe they're lacking a little zing. Don't do that. AND, I grated TWO garlic cloves instead of mincing one, DO that. I made a yogurt sauce for the side. DO that, too! As a side dish I had:

I chopped up cucumbers, added some couscous from the other night and threw some cherry tomatoes into that adorable lunch pail my husband bought for me. MEANWHILE, the paprika on the couscous just keeps getting smokier as the days go by! Anyway, it's a nice filling lunch with some crunch, greens, smokiness, and coolness.

To Reminisce: The April Menus

March 30th

WEEK ONE

Sunday March 29: Brox & Crispy Egg
Monday March 30: Lentils Stir Fry w. Grilled Endive
Tuesday March 31: Frittata, popovers & sweet pepper soup
April Fool's Day: Sakuramen
Thursday April 2: Frittata & Roasted zukes & brox
Friday April 3: Buffalo chicken + salt & vinegar potatoes
Saturday April 4: Passover

March 31st.

WEEK TWO

Sunday April 5: Easter
Monday April 6: Frozen TJs pizza
Tuesday April 7: Matzo ball soup
Wednesday April 8: Pop's Sea Bar appetizer + chicken with creamed kale
Thursday April 9: Arugula ravioli + artichokes
Friday April 10: Oleana
Saturday April 11: Lamb, string beans, roasted potatoes

April 12th

WEEK THREE

Sunday April 12: Fried chicken, mashed potatoes, collards, biscuits
Monday April 13: Tomato juice & blue chips
Tuesday April 14: Spaghetti with meat sauce
Wednesday April 15: Spaghetti with meat sauce
Thursday April 16: Spaghetti with meat sauce
Friday April 17: Sushi take out
Saturday April 18: Zaytinya

April 20th

WEEK FOUR

Sunday April 19: Chinese take out
Monday April 20: Roasted chicken thighs + braised peas
        >>Sausage instead of prosciutto. So creamy.
Tuesday April 21: Maple
Wednesday April 22: Trader Joe's Pizza + Sauteed Artichokes
Thursday April 23: Casserole DISASTER >>> Faux cacio e pepe
Friday April 24: Frittata + Tortellini Salad + Lemon Artichokes
Saturday April 25: Etto

To Bring an Appetizer: Antipasto Edition

I brought an appetizer to a party. Important things when considering what to bring:

1. Have ONE million flavors available
• Lemon, salty, sweet, creamy, crunchy
2. Be seasonal
• In season veggies + berries (with honey) 
3. Ensure several colors
4. Do a mix of handmade & store bought
• HOMEMADE: Garlic lemon artichokes + roasted asparagus + crackers + honeyed walnuts + quickled cucumbers + blueberry jam (not pictured)
• BOUGHT: Berries, goat cheese, salami, cheese
5. Consider how things will be eaten
• Liiiiiike, I made the cheese in triangles so they'd fit on the cracker--cubes would have been awkward 
• The asparagus probably could have been friendlier
6. Aesthetics
• Basil to add fresh greenery
• Color dynamics (Sort of green, red white, red, green, white)
• Flag toothpicks for festivity
7. Do NOT under any circumstances say: "oh, would you mind if I used the oven?" 
• Some people would be like: you fraud! You asked to use the refrigerator at this party and that could have been annoying, too! Agreed.

just cuz.

To Grill Indoors: Chicken (Skewers) Edition

The timing couldn't have been more perfect. Sally asked the British lady: chicken SOS, what do I do? (Or something.) And the thing is, out of context that's bonkers. But, the context is: me, in my car, pulling up to my apartment with chicken breast in the grocery bag. And the British lady said (on the Splendid Table podcast): easy. Olive oil, cinnamon, cumin, crushed garlic, and cayenne on the chicken. So, I did it. The chicken marinated for an hour. Then I grilled it with some pickled jalapenos. Those are spicy, but really good grilled.

I already had in mind to make an Israeli cous cous salad with yellow peppers, garlic sauteed spinach, blistered cherry tomatoes with a splash of lemon juice & avocado oil. Something was missing; I added smoked paprika. Depth. I finished the dish as I planned: with some grilled peppers and mushrooms and a dabble of parsley yogurt sauce for dipping onto the plate. 

I had also planned to grill the chicken and veggies on the sticks. But then things weren't cooking evenly and I decided (bold move) that COOKED chicken was more important than skewered chicken.

Expert tip: use Greek yogurt (plain, obviously) add a little water + salt + parsley or cilantro. 

The Irish lady said the meal would be spicy and cool. (She had also recommended yogurt, but hers was plain.) Sometimes, I forget to add cayenne in my spice blends. But, judging by the speed with which this dinner was inhaled, I'll likely remember it.

Is this a #bigdeal? Since I was wearing so many colors, the cashier at Trader Joe's gave me stickers. "You wear so many colors! These are special, " he leaned in as he whispered to me, "they smell when you scratch them." 

To Treat. Yo. Self.: Staycation Breakfast Edition

Sometimes working 9-5 isn't as perky as Dolly Parton might have you believe. It's even less perky when you're passed over for promotion again. So, treat yo'self. The sun is shining, my windows are open, and before getting up to enjoy the day, I don't mind if I'll help myself to a non-sad, non-desk breakfast. Thank you, please, I'll have my breakfast in bed.

I'm taking a staycation for the next couple days. To clear my head. To think. To do mindless internet browsing. To walk outside. To pet my cat. To remember that work is work and not being recognized sucks, but its not everything. 

Steps to ensuring a pleasurable staycation breakfast:

1. Don't eat what you usually eat at work. (I LOVE my hardboileds [eggs] but not today.)
2. Don't use regular dining accouterments. I chose a yellow bowl we bought in Turkey.
3. Don't eat sitting up. Like, in a chair. Usually, eating while reclined is frowned upon, see: choking. But, sit somewhere cushiony, preferably by a window.
4. Make your beverage special. I foamed some milk for the coffee.
5. Light a candle. Create ambiance. I fluffed my blanket, turned on a podcast, and propped up my pillows.

As for what I put in that bowl. I didn't choose anything gourmet. But, full fat greek yogurt + cinnamon puffins + freshly cut strawberries + trader joe's Turkish honey = a small luxury on a beautiful day. (IDK the veracity of the Turkishness of that honey, or if we should be importing honey from Turkey when we've some American beez. But, that honey is amazing, this coming from someone who hates that honey from a bear.)

Oskar is dubious, but trust me. This shiz was good. Now, I'll go make a second cup of coffee. A thing I never do when I'm at work, treating myself.