Category — Food for Thought

The weather in Chicago has been a little fickle, but on those days when you’re craving something cold and creamy and and chocolatey – and trying not to break the calorie bank or the piggy bank – head over to Trader’s Joe’s freezer aisle. Grab a box of Gone Bananas. And sneak a bite…or 2. Basically Gone Bananas is a sliced banana, each slice dipped in chocolate, and then frozen. It comes 20 to a box, and usually 2 or 3 bites satisfy my craving. Usually.

Sure, I could buy a banana, slice it, freeze each slice, melt some chocolate, dip each slice, return to freezer, and then package.

But for $1.99, I’ll buy a box. And at only 10 calories per banana bite, I can walk off a few mouthfuls walking to Trader Joe’s and home again. (Each box equals 1 banana = 130 calories = 20 banana bites: I’m rounding up!)

TJ’s Gone Bananas: they make me happy!

I thought everyone knew what Rooster Sauce is: but after 2 restaurant meals this week with friends, I found out I’m wrong: alot of you are somehow missing out on the huge red squeeze bottle with the green tip on your table at many casual Asian restos. I use Rooster Sauce like a sweet and spicy ketchup: occasionally as an ingredient, but more often as a condiment for soups, sandwiches, dips, spreads, marinades and sauces.

Rooster Sauce is not the real name: it’s actually named Sriracha Sauce. But because the most popular brand has a big rooster on the side I – and everyone else – call it Rooster Sauce. According to the Huy Fong website, Sriracha Sauce is made from sun-ripened chilies and garlic. And according to dozens of bloggers, it’s easy to make at home. But I just buy the Rooster!

I 1st remember Rooster Sauce about 12 years ago in Paris, where it was a condiment on the table in a Thai resto. Then, I brought it in the International section of the grocery. Where I still buy it today, in the US. I never have to search it out: it’s been available wherever we’ve lived from NYC to Chicago to St Louis to SoFlo. (But FYI: I never once saw Rooster Sauce in Thailand.)

The easiest way to use Rooster Sauce is to just put it on the table and let everyone spice up! But if you need some ideas on how to use Rooster Sauce:

• Spicy mayo for dipping sushi, egg rolls;  spreading on BLTs and tuna or salmon burgers; or mixing into cole-slaw or macaroni and cheese
• Blood Mary mixes perk up with a squirt of Rooster Sauce
• Make pasta arrabiata with Rooster Sauce in place of red pepper flakes
• A stream of Rooster Sauces wakes up instant ramen noodles ( college kids: take note!)
• Jump-start deviled eggs or chicken wings
• add Rooster Sauce to cocktail sauce for shrimp, crab or scallops

Spicy Mayo Recipe

2 parts mayonnaise
1 part Rooster Sauce (adjust to taste: some like it spicier so try equal parts; some like it milder so try 4:1)
Wedge of lime

Mix, and serve! (For a party, I put the mayo in a small dish, squirt circles of Rooster Sauce on top, and wedges of lemon on the side. It’s pretty, and festive!)

Rooster Sauce: Who Knew?

I hadn’t planned on talking about my lemon bars this week, but after I brought them to a dinner Saturday night I was asked for the recipe so many times I decided to share!

I needed to bring something for dessert to a casual dinner Saturday night and TBG suggested lemon bars, a favorite of the kids I haven’t made in forever. I went to pull out my recipe and oops: my longtime lemon bar recipe is in Chicago, and I’m in SoFlo.

So I googled. Browsing the online recipes made me decide to make 1 batch lemon bars, 1 batch key lime bars (after all, we’re in Florida!)

And after letting my fingers swipe one recipe after another, I decided to adapt a recipe by David Lebovitz. Primarily because his recipe was in an 8×8 pan and I was caught-up in his Paris kitchen remodeling tales. As good a reason as any.

Here’s the recipe I used: you can compare it to David’s* and see which you prefer.

Lemon Bars

Crust

Lemon Topping

1. 1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF
2. 2. Line an 8″ pan with foil
3. mix 1 cup flour, 1/4 cup sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 8 tablespoons melted butter, and vanilla, stirring until a soft dough forms
4. pat the batter evenly into the bottom of the pan
5. bake the crust for 25 minutes
6. juice and zest the lemon into a bowl
7. add the eggs, 1 cup sugar, four teaspoons of flour, 1/4 teaspoon of salt, and 3 tablespoons melted butter, and blend
8. when the crust comes out of the oven, reduce the heat of the oven to 300ºF. Pour the lemon filling over the hot crust and bake for 25 minutes
9. remove from the oven and let cool completely. Once cool, carefully lift out the bars grasping the foil.
10. cut the bars into squares or rectangles. Sift powdered sugar over the top before serving.

*note: I wanted to try the whole lemons in the food processor, but my processor is in storage. Somewhere.

Lime Bars

I followed the exact same recipe as the lemon bars, except I substituted 2 key limes for the 1 lemon.

Optional: add 2 drops green food dye to differentiate the lime bars from the lemon bars. I used 3 drops in mine, and I think they’re a little too green, don’t you?

Note: I was violently conflicted about adding the food dye but the only other solution to differentiate the bars was to sprinkle the powdered sugar dusted lemon bars with lemon zest, and the lime bars with lime zest. And that would have involved a trip to the market, which I wasn’t doing. Then I realized: key lime pie in Florida is ALWAYS green, and it doesn’t get that way from the limes!

There were no complaints Saturday nite. And a large empty plate.

Today, February 2, is the national holiday La Chandeleur in France, a Catholic feast honoring the Virgin Mary. Tradition says that the Pope offered crêpes to pilgrims who came to honor Mary. And the French have been eating them ever since. Today all of France is dining on crêpes, the very thin rolled pancakes with delicious sweet or savory fillings. Crêpes are easy to make at home – and even easier with the ready-made crêpes I shared with you last year – but this year I’m introducing you to Moi new favorite neighborhood crêperie, La Crêperie.

To be totally honest, TBG and I passed this resto countless times before finally going in…we just assumed it wouldn’t be what we wanted. Were we ever wrong: its exactly the type of neighborhood restaurant everyone wants to have:

• easy walking distance
• casual authentic food
• inexpensive menu with a good variety of options
• and, its a French!

Living in Paris we were always lucky to have a crêperie within a few footsteps, plus outdoor crêpe stands are easily found in many Paris neighborhoods. Living in St. Louis, we walked to City Coffee and Crêperie, and then in NYC we literally lived above Artopolis, featuring crêpes and gelato! I guess we thought it too good to be true: but once again, a charming and authentic crêperie right in our neighborhood.

On our 1st visit to La Crêperie we took niece Rachel, who was a little reluctant to go to an “authentic” crêperie: we’d taken her to Artopolis, and she loved the more creative pizza crêpe. Inside, La Creperie is dark and crowded (everyone in the neighborhood discovered it before us!) but charming and reminiscent of a 3rd or 4th generation crêperie in Brittany. She was a little skeptical of the menu, but TBG and I were enthusiastically discussing the beer, wine and cider menu: this crêperie was the real thing! After explaining that fromage crêpe was basically toasted cheese on a pancake Rachel chose that, while I decided to order the soup a l’onion gratinee and “share” Rachel’s fromage crêpe and TBG’s jambon et fromage – and a HUGE platter of pommes frites.

OohLaLa! Accompanied by un verre rouge and un bol cidre – and a diet Pepsi for the child – we were very happy indeed. But saved a little room to share a Banana Sara for dessert: oozing with banana, chocolate, caramel and vanilla ice cream.

the details

Bon Appétit!

Most ex-expat Parisians moan their loss of French cheeses, many still practically unheard of in the US. Personally, while j’adore le fromage Francais, I find the cheeses at specialty stores – such as Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s and other gourmet shops – and the cheeses from my local farmer’s markets do a pretty good job of satisfying my craving for fresh, rich, indulgent cheese.

Until recently, the same couldn’t be said of yogurts. While many Americans jump off the plane and head straight to a Parisian street market or the local fromagerie, I headed straight to the Inno or Monoprix refrigerated section to indulge in richy, creamy, tangy French yogurt. While I  would readily have risked confiscation by smuggling yogurt into my luggage, I sadly feared 9 hours on the plane (plus 2 hours waiting for my luggage to bump down the belt) would curdle or liquify the yogurt.

Why French yogurt? I’ve always been a yogurt lover, but prior to my 1st trip to Paris I thought yogurt was overly-sweet, bright blue or red, lumpy, and pudding-like. More like a snack or dessert: good but not a meal. Back in the day I even bought myself a yogurt maker, and with a little plain yogurt starter I made my own plain yogurt and sweetened it with honey, fruit preserves and wheat germ (who’d heard of granola back then???) But lack of time (and counter space) due to family, job, house and dogs eventually buried the yogurt maker.

But now, Greek yogurt is firmly ensconced in the US and my craving for rich tangy yogurt is satisfied. Chez Moi I’m a huge fan of Fage, and TBG prefers the slightly sweeter Chobani. But this week, TBG made a grocery run and as usual, he didn’t stick to the shopping list.

And brought home Cabot Greek Yogurt. We were familiar with Cabot Cheeses: we love the American brand, always buy their cheddar. But I didn’t know they’re now making greek-style yogurt. Its rich, creamy, tart and a little sweet. Perfect with my morning berries and granola.

Yes, I’ll still buy Fage. But when I find only Cabot Greek Yogurt in the fridge I’ll be looking for a spoon, not my car keys.

Bon Appétit!

• Fage Greek 0% Yogurt: 17.6 oz $6.99

• Cabot Greek-Style Plain Yogurt: 2lbs $5.99

• Chobani Fat-Free Greek Yogurt: 32 oz $5.99

NOTE: Dairy prices vary widely by region. I’m in SoFlo now, so your prices may differ. For the best price, try Target or Costco.

Greek yogurt: it makes me happy!

I was Christmas shopping with niece Rachel and we found the perfect gift for her dad…and for TBG! Rachel’s dad has long been making dehydrated fruits and vegetables, which she says takes 3 days so they never do it. Shopping at Genevieve Lethu in Chicago we discovered TopChips for making chips in the microwave!

$25 for a set of 2 stackable trays. Machine washable, finished in 3 minutes: Done!

So this weekend I pulled out an idaho potato, sweet potato, and a couple Fuji apples. I peeled the potatoes, and sliced all 3 on 1/8inch on the mandolin.

First, the idaho potatoes:

I spread a single layer on each of the 2 trays, stacked the trays, and set the microwave for 3 minutes at full power. After cooking I let them set 2 minutes, but they were still soft and flexible, not at all crispy, so I put 1 tray in for 1 minute. Much better: thin and crispy and crunchy. I immediately sprinkled them with sea salt and put them in a little dish for the ultimate taste-test: TBG.

TBG’s vote: Make some more!

Next, I finished the remaining idaho potato slices, then went on to the sweet potato. I found they need to be cooked even longer than the idaho potatoes. I recommend closely monitoring so the chips don’t burn: after 3 minutes just continue cooking in 30 second intervals, remembering the slices continue “cooking and crisping” once they’re removed from the micro.

Finally, the apple slices. I left the peel on, did NOT core them, and just sliced them thin and microwaved for 3 1/2 minutes. I liked them plain, but they would be good with cinnamon or nutmeg too. They’re a little more chewy than crunchy but a easy healthy snack.

Moi tip: Mignette likes the chips too: without salt or any other seasonings, the perfect puppy treat! (btw…she likes potatoes and apples raw too.)

You can buy TopChips at specialty kitchen shops, amazon or online. $20-25, depending on the accessory package.

The holidays are officially over but I still feel incredibly busy: Too much travel? Too much baking? Too much online shopping? Too much Lifetime Christmas Movies?

Fortunately over the holidays I discovered 2 new treats that are making Moi life just a little sweeter…

Torani Sugar-Free Salted Caramel Flavored Syrup - I’m always up for a Starbucks trip. Recently I ordered my year-round standard (tall skim chai, extra shot, extra water, extra hot please!) SIL Katie ordered a sea salt caramel mocha coffee: how’d I miss that? Still missing NYCs posted calorie counts, I went online and checked the calorie count: anywhere from 220 to 450! So saved for special treats…

Then on a shopping trip to World Market I happened to see the Torani syrups, and noticed Sugar-Free Salted Caramel: voila! Now afternoons when I’m working at home I make my own salted caramel mocha coffee:

Salted Caramel Mocha Coffee

• 1 cup fresh hot coffee (I usually make decaf)
• 2 pumps Torani Sugar-Free Salted Caramel syrup
• 1/2 packet 25 calorie Swiss Miss instant hot chocolate

Sweet and salty and chocolatey – and less than 25 calories!

$6.99 per 250z bottle: and I like the convenient pump for a 1-time extra $1.99.

Marzetti Sweet & Salty Caramel Dip: niece Rachel came to visit, and gifted us 2 cartons of Sweet & Salty Caramel Dip and a big bag of pretzels: Uh- Oh! I held out for a week, but then I had to open the 1st container…huge mistake! So sweet and so salty and so creamy and so easy! I’m guessing it would be yummy with apples too…but so far I’m sticking to pretzels!

$3.99 for a 16oz container…but I’d buy 2…just in case!

Torani Sugar-Free Salted Caramel Syrup and Marzetti Sweet & Salty Caramel Dip…it makes me happy!

Moi Idea: I’m thinking I might try my nutella poundcake but with Sweet & Salty Caramel Dip in place of the nutella: this could be dangerous!

In my holiday baking frenzy I also had to supply pick-up desserts for my mother’s 80th birthday party. The Queen Mum’s surprise party guest list ages ranged from 80+ down to less than 1 month old, with grandkids of all ages sure to begin their dinner with the dessert table.

What to bake for the kids….Cake Pops!

Cake Pops are everywhere these days: they are bite sizes cupcakes (the size of a donut hole) on a stick. The original recipe called for baking a cake or brownies, crumbling it up, mixing it with frosting, cream cheese, or some other binder, and shaping it into a ball. Too messy, too much work.

But on one of my weekly shopping trips to Bed Bath and Beyond I discovered the Bake Pop pan: just pour cake batter into the pan, cover with the lid pan, bake and decorate! $19.95 – $5 coupon. Done!

I bought the pan, 1 box of chocolate cake mix and 1 box of yellow cake mix, and followed the directions on the Bake Pop can for mixing the batter (slightly different from cake batter directions: extra egg).  Followed the directions, et voila! cake pops!

Now to decorate. The Bake Pop pans come with 18 sticks, but that’s no fun! I decided to make my cake pops with edible sticks: pretzels sticks. Now to find the right pretzels sticks. Traditional pretzel sticks are too thin, pretzel twists were too short and too thin. Then at my favorite Trader Joe’s I discovered Trader Joe’s Honey Wheat Pretzel Sticks: not too thick, not too thin; not too short, not too long: perfect!

Next, the assembly: I used a chopstick to poke a hole in each cake pop. Then, I melted some white chocolate. I dipped an end of each pretzel stick in the melted white chocolate, then inserted it into the cake pop hole. I refrigerated 10 minutes to harden, then continued making the cake pops.

I’m not a great cake decorator, so I decided to go with the easy tuxedo-style chocolate candy covered cake pops. I dipped each cake pop (in the stick) into the melted white chocolate, almost up to the pretzel. I let the excess chocolate drip off, then set the cake pop to harden on a silpat mat for about 30 minutes.

Next, I melted some semi-sweet chocolate chips. I dipped each cake pop into the chocolate at a 45° angle first on one side of the cake pop, then the other, and set it again to rest on the silpat mat. Voila! Each cake pop decorated tuxedo-style with a white shirt and black tux.

Moi Tip: I considered but then decided against flavoring each cake pop before inserting the pretzel stick: after making the hole with the chopstick, add a few drops of liqueur such as Cointreau or Frangelico; or a pump of flavored syrup (I liked Torani’s Caramel Syrup). Try making your cake pops with a flavor: and let me know.

Moi Tip Encore: this would be a great baking project with your kids!

Bonne fête, Maman!

Last week was our annual Christmas bake-a-thon: Julie and I spent 3 days baking our usual favorites cranberry-pistachio shortbread, English toffee, fudge, puppy chow, and nutella poundcake.

Every year we add to the holiday mix: This year we created batches of biscotti, madeleines and canelé. Canelé you ask? Bien sur: Julie and I have been baking canelé since we lived in Paris, and we each discovered the little pastry when we traveled with our husbands to the village of St Émilion, intent on sampling the great wines of the region, and along the way falling in love with the charming cobble-stone village and the sweet, crunchy patisserie with the soft custardy center.

I had not seen canelé in Paris (they’ve since become very popular in Paris) so after TBG and I revisited several canelé shops, and purchased several boxes to take home, in my best beginners French I asked the owner of a canelé shop if she would share her recipe: and she did!

I took the recipe with me back to Paris, Julie and I went to E. Dehillerin to purchase the expensive little copper canelé molds, and home again to test out the recipe. Since then, with the internet we’ve discovered and tested other recipes, but none seem to work as well as the original recipe, and our own uncomplicated process for making canelé.

Le Canelé
500g sugar (2 1/2 cups)
250g flour (2 cups)
2 eggs
3 egg yolks
1 litre milk (4.22 cups)
Mix together in a bowl the eggs, sugar and flour.

Heat the milk, and slowly add it to the mixture. Add a little of your preference of rum, Cointreau or vanilla. Let mixture sit overnight.

Butter then fill the molds. Preheat the oven to 450°. Then, reduce the oven to 350º and put the molds into the oven. Bake the canelé 40-45 minutes, until the tops are dark brown and crusty. Remove the molds from the oven and let cool, then remove from molds.

Wait 1 hour before eating.

Note: Canelé molds are now aslo made in silicon: these can be easier to use, but also harder to clean. Typically the outsides are less crusty when using silicon molds.

During the years we lived in Paris, and long before, The International Herald Tribune reprinted a column by writer and columnist Art Buchwald. He’s no longer with us, but his words will make us smile once again this Thanksgiving.

Bon Appétit, Art