Nobody puts cauliflower in the corner

I had a series of failed meal attempts recently. There was this corn chowder using 2% milk - good, but not great.


There was an attempt at a basic version of mac and cheese involving, yet again, 2% milk (sensing a trend?). (This, oddly enough, was better as leftovers, nuked in the microwave.)


Oh yes, and a chicken tikka masala also using - you guessed it - 2% milk.

There is a reason why these recipes call for whole milk or cream, calories and all.

Chicken chili/stew

What I love about this chicken chili/stew is that I was able to use four - four! - things that I'd made previously to assemble this meal:

• chicken (from my first roast chicken)
• cannellini beans
• tomatillo salsa verde
• chicken broth (also from my first roast chicken)

Because I had all of these things stocked up (some in the freezer) and ready to go, this was a fairly easy meal to prepare on a weeknight.

The Bean Chronicles: Black Beans III

The bean: Black beans
Amount: 1-pound bag
Method: No soak in the oven. I used a Dutch oven, covered the rinsed beans with water, added a little salt, put the lid on, then popped into a 325 degree oven.
Cooking time: About 2 hours. I opened the lid after an hour to stir the beans, and the beans were actually boiling so next time, I'll probably turn the heat down to 300. After another half hour I salted the beans and turned the oven off, then let cool in oven for about 15 more minutes.
Storing? In the fridge
Result: These were so good. I could have eaten a bowlful right away. In fact, I probably ate the equivalent of a bowlful straight out of the pot. The beans were incredibly soft and so tasty.


However, I think I'm still having issues with the beans getting too hard after being refrigerated. I made a vegetarian batch of this chipotle espresso chili and it was fantastic, but I didn't think the beans held up their original melt-in-your-mouth softness.


I guess beans really should be used as soon as you finish cooking them. Or, maybe if I just way over-cook them, it will compensate for the refrigeration. I do like the oven method - it's easy and seems to allow for an even cooking temperature.

Double oatmeal chocolate chip walnut cookies

There are some foods that need to rest before eaten (steak), or that get better the next day, as the spices and flavors truly blend together (chili, Indian food).


But there are some foods, like these oatmeal cookies on steroids, that must be eaten right out of the oven.


I've made these before, in April 2009, but back then, I didn't get a chance to try them - and I had no idea what I was missing. I can't believe I waited so long to experience such enlightenment.

My first roast chicken

A whole roast chicken seems to be the quintessential feat of a true cook. I've been a bit averse to the idea because I am a bit squeamish when it comes to cooking with meat, especially a whole bird. I remember one Thanksgiving years ago when I said I would make the turkey, but my mom had to actually prepare the turkey itself, like removing the stuff inside, rinsing it off, etc. All I did was stick it in the oven.

I made so many excuses not to make a roast chicken. "I don't have roasting pan," "I don't want to put my hand inside a chicken to remove the gizzards," "No matter how many videos I watch of trussing a chicken, it's still confusing to me."


It really seemed time though, in my culinary journey, that I tackle the whole chicken.