a wise man once told me cheese is love.

i've never liked cheese.  at least that is what i was lead to believe.  what i realized very late in life is that its not cheese i hate, its cheddar cheese.  it's the only cheese my parents believe exists, next to that frigo shredded mozzarella stuff and plastic kraft parmesan (it lasts forever, i swear!).  but other cheeses are bliss. cheese calls for honesty, and i'm not going to lie.  i don't like tasteless brie or stinky roquefort.  none of that blue cheese crap. no way am i that kind of gourmet.  but there are a few choice cheeses that i keep on hand...for nights like tonight when i'm alone and feeling a bit romantic and nibbly.  

there's just something about the perfect combination of cheese and fruit.  por moi, the fromage has to be flavorful but light, not too out there.  a good pepper jack, some fresh basil and balsamic vinegar and bocconcini- the "bite-size" buffalo mozzarella balls that come packed in whey, a good pairing of black figs and chevre, you can forget the men and the cats.  stairway to heaven baby.

here's to me being snarky: 

my lonely gratification

cheese plate

ingredients

red grapes

danish dill havarti

crumbled goat cheese

baby spinach leaves

toasted sesame water crackers

alouette herb and garlic spreadable cheese

1.  this is simple enough people. arrange aesthetically.  pour yourself a glass of wine, perrier, or white grape juice and live it up.

someday i will tell you of buttery cinnamon toast.  it's the best way to love yourself, ever.

carbalicious definition makes the veggies thankful.

ive cooked dinner every thankful thursday in november for the past two years. growing up i never had a thanksgiving persay, mostly because my mom cringes at the sight of raw meat and cooked meat and therefore there was no meat allowed in our house. my brother and I tried substituting other foods for turkey. the record low was the year my father, in jest (i hope...) carved us up some leftover plain white rice after a trip to the hindu temple to give thanks for our obvious bounty.

but a series of very fortunate events, namely my cousin sister veena moving to irvine with her family, having a kid and wanting to establish decidedly american traditions for the little tyke lead to little ol' me presiding over the holiday cookoff. the amusing thing is that the sides take center stage at our gala, not the bird- though she's real beaut, rubbed with garam masala- a blend of coriander, cumin, ginger, cinnamon, pimento, black pepper, cardamom, cloves, bay leaves and nutmeg (take that emeril with your pansy-ass essence!), stuffed with apples, cinnamon sticks, onions and cranberries and basted every 30 minutes with a combination of chicken stock and apple juice. due to the majority veggiesaurus population at our annual shindig we cook everything but my juicy, succulent, exotic turkey with non-meat ingredients, and we do it up right. oh the sides - mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, stuffing, cornbread, crescents...are you noticing a pattern? its a carb-y starch-y extravaganza every year, and this year my darlings, was no different. here are a few choice items, secrets and all. who says you can't cook thanksgiving food for christmas? noone, that's who!

byebye dracula.
garlic mashed potatoes - serves 4

ingredients
2 garlic bulbs peeled
8 tb unsalted butter
3 lbs baking potatoes
1/2-3/4 cup of milk
salt and white pepper

1. in a heavy frying, melt half of the butter over low heat. add the garlic cloves whole, but peeled. cover and cook gently for 20-25 minutes, until very tender and just golden and shaking the pan and stirring occasionally. do not allow the garlic to scorch or brown

3. remove the pan from the heat and cool slightly. spoon the garlic and any butter from the pan into a blender or food processor fitted with a metal blade and process until smooth. transfer to a small bowl, press plastic wrap onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming and set aside

4. peel and quarter the potatoes, place in a large saucepan and add enough cold water to just cover them, salt the water generously and bring a boil over high heat

5. cook the potatoes until tender, the drain and work through a food mill or press through a sieve. return to a saucepan and dry out the potatoes over medium heat using a wooden spoon to stir for 1-2 min. remove from heat

6. warm the milk until bubbles form around the edge, gradually beat the milk, remaining butter and reserved garlic puree into the potatoes and season with salt if necessary and white pepper.

yams with bam!
sweet potatoes with "toasted spice rub" - serves 4

ingredients
4 medium sized sweet potatoes, cut in quarters
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup finely chopped pecans
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons garam masala (bam!)
1/2 teaspoon gray salt
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Put sweet potatoes in a glass or stainless steel bowl.

1. melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat. stir in brown sugar and lemon juice. when sugar is completely melted, stir in garam masala and gray salt. pour mixture over sweet potatoes. toss well.

2 arrange sweet potatoes in a baking dish. scrape all the butter and spice mixture over the top of the sweet potatoes, and then add a sprinkling of brown sugar and chopped pecans on top of each one. cover with foil and bake at 375 degrees until easily pierced with a knife.

mushy on the inside.
spicy stuffing - serves 4

ingredients
1 - 6 oz. bag of cornbread stuffing
1 jar 6 oz. of marinated artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped finely
3 cloves garlic, pressed or chopped finely
1/2 onion, chopped finely
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp lemon pepper blend
1 cup vegetable broth
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1. in a bowl, mix all ingredients (except cheese) with a spoon.

2. place in greased casserole, sprinkle with cheese and bake covered for the last 1/2-hour of turkey cooking time. if cooking in a casserole, uncover for the last 15 minutes of cooking if you like a crisp top.

the average thanksgiving meal is 3000 calories.
god bless.

baking: an introduction.

to be a part of my family, a prerequisite is a love of food. next to breathing, we cook and eat. then we proceed to talk about what we cooked and how we ate it. point is, the love of food is inherent with me.  it flows through my veins, its encoded in my dna, it can be furthered metaphorized in alternate cheesy fashions. but the love of food and the skill to make it wasn't easy come.  if i was brought up in india like my parents, i would have learned to cook uppitu, tuppa-anna and chapati out of necessity.  but like many first generation "american" girls with parents paranoid about the combination of fire and klutzy daughters, my first foray into the kitchen was through baking (cause sylvia plath didn't stick her head in an oven...)

at first, i was awful at it. the cookies came out with burned bottoms. my brother and i would eat out the gooey tops out with a spoon and throw away the bottoms. the cakes were dry. i would slather them with tubs of betty crocker frosting and hope no one would notice.  the brownies hard. i'd call them fudge in an attempt to save the day.  but i was dogged, persistent! and i prevailed. these are the cookies that did me into the baking hall of fame in high school. they are refreshingly undisgusting for xmas, unlike fruitcake, marzipan and eggnog, more apple pie. the perfect comforting holiday treat. or the ultimate gateway recipe. you decide?

the oh-so-famous mock trial christmas party cookies
chocolate-chip walnut oatmeal cookies - makes 45

ingredients

1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp cinnamon
pinch of nutmeg
3/4 cup rolled oats
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1. preheat oven to 350 degrees. grease 3-4 baking sheets.
2. sift flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in a mixing bowl and set aside.
3. cream together the butter and both types of sugar. add the egg and vanilla and beat until light and fluffy.
4. slowly add the flour and mix until blended well. add the rolled oats, chocolate chips and walnuts and stir until distributed well. the cookie dough should be crumbly.
5. drop dough in tablespoonfuls onto greased cookie sheets and bake for 10-15 minutes, depending on your oven.

these are perfect with hot cocoa - preferably ghirardelli's sweet ground cocoa in milk with a pinch of cinnamon (and a splash of kahlua...if you're naughty). welcome to bliss!

ADDENDUM: for my lacto but not ovo veggies:
substitute half a cup of yogurt for the egg and bake as normal. see, i provide answers for all!