Salami Hummus Sushi

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Sushi: Salami and Hummus

If you are a regular reader you know that last week I was removed of my debit card by a nice person out in the world that wanted to borrow it. And with that temporary change to my wallet I challenged myself to spend the next week cooking with items that I had in my home with no trips to the grocery store. 

While one evening perusing the social media mega god Facebook I saw a friend post his evening meal. He dubbed it a Salami Taco. Simply a round of salami with a thin layer of hummus, topped with rice, and folded for ease of eating. He also stated that it was, "also kinda sushi".

The resulting negative support of his "friends" got me thinking of what dire straits I would be in with my cooking challenge. Then I realized I, too, had salami, hummus, and rice in my larder.

As my salami was still uncircumcised I got to thinking of his sushi comment.

I do love sushi.

And that is how I ended up dining on Salami Hummus Sushi. Luckily I had some chipotle hummus to give it some life.  

Sometimes all you need is a little push to get you up the summit.  

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SUSHI RICE

RECIPE COURTESY OF ALTON BROWN

ingredients

2 C sushi or short grain rice

2 C water, plus extra for rinsing rice

2 T rice vinegar

2 T sugar

1 T kosher salt

instructions

1. Place the rice into a mixing bowl and cover with cool water. Swirl the rice in the water, pour off and repeat 2 to 3 times or until the water is clear.

2. Place the rice and 2 cups of water into a medium saucepan and place over high heat. Bring to a boil, uncovered. Once it begins to boil, reduce the heat to the lowest setting and cover. Cook for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and let stand, covered, for 10 minutes

3. Combine the rice vinegar, sugar and salt in a small bowl and heat in the microwave on high for 30 to 45 seconds. Transfer the rice into a large wooden or glass mixing bowl and add the vinegar mixture. Fold thoroughly to combine and coat each grain of rice with the mixture. Allow to cool to room temperature before using to make sushi or sashimi.

Yes and Yes Book Club: Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty

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BIg Little Lies Cocktail

It's Yes and Yes Book Club time again! This month I read Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty and drink Fizzy Pink Cocktails. This perfect for the beach book takes us deep inside the crazy lives of suburban Australian families with secrets to keep and cocktails to down. 

Head over to Yes and Yes here to read my review and get the recipe! 

If you have any suggestions on new Summer cocktails please share below!

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Dark Brown Sugar Cookies

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Dark Brown Sugar Cookies

This past Friday I found myself languished in an oversized booth of a new Thai restaurant painfully waiting for my Panang Curry to arrive tout de suite. It had been a draining week in the cube and I needed sustenance and ginger martinis fast! Upon arrival I unhinged my jaw, inhaled my curry, cleansed my palette with a second martini and flagged down the wonderful waitress so I could pay my tab. 

And in that slow motion moment in all great movies. She returned uttering that dreaded and demoralizing phrase, "Do you have another card? This one was DECLINED!!!!". Followed by a cackle one only sees in great Disney movies the moment the pre teen princess decides it's a good idea to trust her gut and go with the strange bitter hag she only just met.  

Panic set in until I realized that for some strange reason I was griping some crumpled up green receipts in my hand. It was then I realized that those were not receipts but cash! Not something I normally have. So I did what all my forefathers before did. Paid the lady and got on my way. 

One quick call to my bank later I was informed that my debit card had been "compromised". Apparently someone had tried to use it to buy a $299.04 movie on "m-video.com". Now I am not a cheap person but I don't pay for those kinds of movies. There are plenty of free sites. And to pay $299.04 for one I said to that phone banker, "daymn".  So they kindly stopped the transaction saving me from paperwork and the poor house.

However that leaves me cash poor for one week as I wait for my new card. Which lead me to think this is a perfect time to play the game Eat Only What's In Your Home and Not Buy Groceries For A Week. It's a fun game I sometimes play given my monthly (not weekly) pay check. It makes you think outside the box and not waste a thing. 

Naturally I needed cookies for breakfast today while I watched This Old House. And since I was using only ingredients presently located within the confines of my apartment I was limited.

The end result being Brown Sugar Cookies. There are few things I stock up on. Dark Brown Sugar is one of them. For some reason down here in North Carolina Dark Brown Sugar is not always at the grocery store. So when I see it I load up like I'm heading to the bunker for a few years. 

My breakfast cookies turned out well. And this recipe could not have been any easier. One bowl is all you need. Just two notes. The original recipe called for 2 Cups All Purpose Flour. I had to add almost another full cup to make the dough the correct consistency. And I also made the balls much smaller than the original 1/4 C stated in the recipe. 

Let me know below if you like this recipe! And please feel free to hit that share button to impress all your friends with them!

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DARK BROWN SUGAR COOKIES

RECIPE INSPIRED BY SERIOUS EATS

INGREDIENTS

14 T butter, melted

1 3/4 C packed dark brown sugar

3/4 t kosher salt

1 large egg

2 t vanilla extract

3 C All Purpose Flour

1 t baking powder

1/2 t baking soda

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Move oven rack to middle of oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment and set aside.

2. Mix together melted butter, 1 1/2 cups dark brown sugar, and salt until well combined. Stir in vanilla extract and egg until combined. Add flour, baking soda, and baking powder and stir until combined.

3. Divide into balls. Roll balls in remaining dark brown sugar and place on baking sheets. Press balls with fingers until about 1" thick.

4. Bake until cracked on top and golden ring of happiness is visible. About 9-11 minutes. Remove from oven. Let cool for 5 minutes on pan. Move cookies to cooling rack until cool to touch.

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No Knead Onion Rolls

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No Knead Onion Rolls

The past week I was graced with the presence of family for a whole week. And while most of my friends don't talk to their family members but maybe once in awhile. I talk to mine almost daily. I think it's mostly so they know I haven't pulled a full Miranda Hobbes and am naked on my bathroom floor hoping one of my stoned neighbors hears my cries. 

But anyway, my family was in town for a visit. And while I may not have kids, a husband, or even a pet to use as bait, I do have food. Over a period of 6 days we worked our way around 1000 miles of North Carolina paved roads trying to squeeze in as much eating as possible. 

Between BBQ take out, fried chicken hideaways, and mountain breakfast we consumed our fair share of carbs. Which got me thinking about bread. Namely how much I love it, and why do we have it at every meal.

Wherever you go there is bound to be some version of bread offered before a meal. A basket of flatbread is always the most disappointing. And only redeemable if accompanied by some cheeses or compotes. Always appreciated is a warmed pre sliced loaf of airy sourdough. The trick then being whether or not to risk filling up before the meal arrives.

Down south you are often presented with a biscuit slathered in butter and jam. Just as pleasing as any of the aforementioned options. Most desireable with a bloody mary and eggs. 

As a child I recall seeing slices of Roman Meal being passed around the table. Occasionally a crescent roll or biscuit that involved beating a cardboard tube against the counter. Fresh homemade bread was not something I saw regularly. And it wasn't until I was balls deep in a variety of flours at baking school that I realized how easy and fulfilling it was to make my own bread. 

I love making my own bread so much that I once gifted it on a first date instead of flowers. In hindsight I should have given the flowers. I would have gotten more out of the marble rye. 

Living alone I don't make my own bread much any more. Only because I have a tendency to slice into it fresh out of the oven and not move until there is only enough left for me to make a sandwich for dinner with. However, when I do make my own I am mesmerized by the magic that happens and the happiness it brings. 

Flour, water, yeast mixed with some aggression related pounding of the dough and a few hours later you are in bloated bliss.  

This week I am in need of rolls. And have challenged myself to use everything in my freezer/cupboards/pantry before hitting the grocery store. So with half a purple onion and some poppy seeds I made the below No Knead Onion Rolls. With only slightly burned finger tips as I rushed to devour one fresh from the oven. 

No Knead Onion Rolls

Recipe from Real Simple

INGREDIENTS

3 tablespoons olive oil

3 medium onions, finely chopped

1/4 cup plus 1 teaspoon granulated sugar

kosher salt

2 0.25-ounce packages active dry yeast

2 large eggs

6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted, plus more, at room temperature, for the pan

6cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled, plus more for shaping the dough

Instructions

1. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions, 1 teaspoon of the sugar, and ½ teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, 15 to 18 minutes.

2. Place 2 cups warm tap water (105° to 115° F) in a large bowl; sprinkle with the yeast and let stand until foamy, 4 to 5 minutes. Whisk in the eggs, 4 tablespoons of the butter, the remaining ¼ cup of sugar, and 1 teaspoon salt. Add the flour and three-quarters of the onions and mix until a sticky dough forms. Brush the top of the dough with the remaining tablespoon of oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.

3. Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking pan. Punch the dough down. With well-floured hands, form the dough into 16 balls and place in the prepared pan, spacing evenly. Sprinkle with the remaining quarter of the onions. Cover the pan loosely with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, 30 to 40 minutes.

4. Heat oven to 400° F. Remove the plastic wrap and brush the dough with the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Bake until the rolls are golden, 18 to 22 minutes (tent with foil if the tops brown too quickly). Cool in the pan for 5 minutes before serving

***only changes to the recipe I made involved using 1/2 of a large purple onion in place of the 3 medium suggested and sprinkling poppy seeds to the top of the rolls just before placing in oven

I Gave Up Jesus And All I Got Was This Cadbury Creme Egg

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French Toast with Blackberries and Peaches

On the 5th day of Elul in the year 5773 I became a Jew. That's August 11th, 2013 for you kids still on the Gregorian Calendar. For a refresher on the event check out what happened here. 

I gave up Jesus. I stayed with the same G-d that I was used to over that the Catholic Church. Downsized my reading by 50%. Took on some new holidays. And separated myself even further from those around me. Don't get me wrong. My family and friends have been more supportive than I could have ever asked for. But every once in awhile (let's be honest, around the holidays) I realize that my choice made my life a little more lonely. 

Please don't take that as a plea for sympathy. It took me many years to come to the conclusion that I am a Jew. And it took many years after that to make it real. I knew going into it that I would be giving up some things. But I also knew in exchange I was bringing myself closer to who I am on the inside. 

One thing I did not take into account was the novelty of conversion for some and how it would come into play in my day to day. If/when I am asked about my religion I say, "I am Jewish". If, and only if, it comes up do I speak to my former life as a friend of Jesus. More often than not it is my friends who out me as a convert. And it is those moments that the Jewish side of me becomes less than. An anecdote at the bar. I look around the table and wonder who now thinks I am some zealot out for blood?

On more than one occasion in the past 6 months I have been outed like this.

"Oh! He's a convert!", with an extra beat on the 'con' to make it feel even more scandalous. I know it isn't malicious. And the people doing it are more often or not my most supportive friends.

Recently I was picking up some cannolis in a strip mall with one of my four Jewish friends (a Jew by birth). I told her of my recent experiences of being outed by others. She reminded me that once converted, I am a Jew. I am not a convert, I am a Jew. No questions asked. I never told her but that statement meant as much to me as the moment Rabbi Zimmerman welcomed me to the tribe on that summer day in 5773.

I don't wear my yarmulka all the time. I haven't been to Temple in over a year because I feel awkward going by myself. I don't ask for Jewish holidays off at work because I am one of two Jews in a sea of Baptists, Mormons, Catholics, Lutherans, and Adventists. Everyone who I want to see this Passover is either in New England or Seattle. So instead of unleavened bread and bitter herbs this upcoming Passover I am making french toast from some homemade bread and chasing it with a four pack of Cadbury Creme Eggs.

As I said earlier I am not looking for sympathy. I knew taking this on people would have questions. And I am very happy to answer and discuss. I like to think that I am Jew with training wheels. Slowly adjusting to the terrain around me. With hopes that someday I am simply described as "that cranky old Jewish man who lives next door. If you're nice to him he gives you Cadbury Creme Eggs."

Happy Easter.
Happy Passover.
Happy Just Another Weekend In April.

Classic White Bread
(as used in french toast above)

Recipe from Betty Crocker Cookbook

6 to 7 cups all purpose flour or bread flour

3 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon salt

2 tablespoons softened butter

2 packages regular active yeast or fast acting dry yeast (4 1/2 teaspoons)

2 1/4 cups very warm water (120-130 degrees F)

2 tablespoons butter, melted, if desired

1. In large bowl, stir 3 1/2 cups of the flour, the sugar, salt, softened butter and yeast until well mixed. Add warm water. Beat with electric mixer on low speed 1 minute, scraping bowl frequently. Beat on medium speed 1 minute, scraping bowl frequently. Stir in enough remaining flour, 1 cup at a time, to make dough easy to handle. 

2. Place dough on lightly floured surface. Kneed about 10 minutes or until dough is smooth and springy. Grease large bowl with butter, shortening, or pan spray. Place dough in bowl, turning dough to grease all sides. Cover bowl loosely with plastic wrap and let rise in warm place 40 to 60 minutes or until dough has doubled in size. Dough is ready if indentation remains when touched. 

3. Grease bottoms and sides of 2 (8x4- or 9x5-inch) loaf pans with shortening or cooking spray. 

4. Gently push fist into dough to deflate. Divide dough in half. Flatten each half with hands or rolling pin into 18x9-inch rectangle on lightly floured surface. Roll dough up tightly, beginning at 9-inch side. Press with thumbs to seal after each turn. Pinch edges of dough into roll to seal. Pinch each end of roll to seal. Fold ends under loaf. Place loaves seams side down in pans. Brush loaves lightly with 1 tablespoon of the melted butter. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise in warm place 35-50 minutes or until dough has doubled in size. 

5. Move oven rack to low position so that tops of pans will be in the center of oven. Heat oven to 425 degrees F. Bake 25-30 minutes or until loaves are deep golden brown and sound hollow when tapped. Remove from pans to cooling rack. Brush loaves with remaining 1 tablespoon melted butter; cool.