WTF? Oca Potatoes

SAY 'O'KAY to OCA POTATOES

Ugly little buggers, aren't they? I came across these starchy, rosy thingamabobs in Giant Eagle's Market District produce dept. They were DARING me to prepare them...  so I met the challenge! Mind you, I have never EVER seen or heard of "Oca Potatoes," so I was somewhat reluctant to try them. These bizarre little gems proved to be sweet and delicious and super easy to prepare!

Oca Potatoes a.k.a. New Zealand Yams or "Papa Roja" are grown in Mexico and the Andes. Oca's come in 3 different colors, (purple, yellow and rose)  and tend to get sweeter when they are yellow and left longer in the sun. An excellent source of calcium and fiber, Oca potatoes are a super versatile tuber and are delicious raw or cooked. You can boil them, fry them, throw them into a salad for some crunch... you name it! I prepared my Oca's boiled and broiled.

Prep: After washing them and cutting out some of the blemished areas, I dropped them in, unskinned, with my other potatoes, in the boiling pot of water and chicken bouillon. I reserved some, however, thinly sliced them and placed the slices on a prepared baking sheet with dark agave nectar, galic salt, chili flakes, salt and pepper. I put those under a low temperature broiler for 10 minutes.

Thumbs up or Down:  "WOW" is all I can say! I give this root veggie TWO thumbs up, and so does my husband... who is a potato purist! If you are looking for a little something to 'liven' up your carb cravings, Oca's will do the trick!  Oca's made my regular potatoes sweeter and more hearty. I noticed my children enjoying their mashed potatoes more (personal victory) probably because of their sweetness? The sweet and zesty broiled/crispy oca's gave an extra crunch to my green beans! The price is a little daunting, though. Remember, Oca's are imported and they cost more...  $6.99/ lb. Ouch!  But, I reccomend doing what I did and incorperating them into something, so you don't have to buy a pound or two. They are an EXCELLENT conversation piece and will leave your dinner company impressed and enlightened!

Challenge yourself to try something different!

RAMEN 101: College Souper Food LAB

Welcome to AICC2 University.
Fall Semester Syllabus: RAMEN 101 LAB
Professor Kertney

Lecture: There's more than one way to eat your Ramen Noodles:

Notes:  For this particular recipe, you'll need a few dorm kitchenette"must haves" to kick-up your Ramen eating experence, Thai-style. Provided that you are fortunate enough to have a fridge and microwave, you will need the following things. You can EASILY find all of the items below at Walmart or Giant Eagle. Just put them on mom's shopping list!

Equation: 4S+2C = AMAZING THAI RAMEN NOODLES

1. Soy and/or teryaki Sauce
2. Sesame oil
3. Sweet Chili sauce
4. Seasoned rice wine vinegar
5. Corn Starch
6. Chicken flavored Ramen soup package

Make your noodles per package instructions via microwave or stove top. Drain 2/3 of the broth and keep 1/4 cup for yinzself in a microwave safe bowl. Add 1tbsp of cornstarch to it, mix and add the noodles. Then add 2 tablespoons of the chili sauce and 1 tbsp, each, of the other sauces and vinegar. Finally, add  a drop or two of the sesame oil to the noodles mixture, stir together, and microwave for 30 seconds... to thicken the cornstarch, making "the sauce."

LAB Warning: Be prepared to share! The smell from this recipe, alone, will have your flat-mates wanting a bite. I have made my fair share of Ramen variations from my college days and I think this particular recipe was my favorite... and everyone elses! This Thai Ramen recipe is super easy to make and, most importantly, CHEAP! It tastes like you ordered take out... but for waaay less. It's a pretty amazing recipe for us non-college folk, too!

WTF Introduces: PITAYA. a.k.a. DRAGON FRUIT

This little pink gem is an intersting thing for a westerner to behold. It's flame-like outer shell can really intimidate the average shopper- let alone it's nick name! Cut it open, however, and you'll realize how tame and humble this dragon can be. No fire breathing, I promise. This particular fruit can even be manipulated to taste like whatever you want. Good dragon... fruit.

Is that 'white kiwi?" A common misconception that I've heard uttered a few times, but, it does look much like kiwi fruit. Besides, isn't 'white kiwi' an endangered bird?  Anyway, dragon fruit has the same seedy texture as it's little furry cousin (not feathery) but with a completely different taste. In fact, I would be hard pressed to say that dragon fruit has any taste at all. It is humbly sweet and has a muted honeydew melon-like flavor. It can easily be manipulated into any fruit dish and holds flavor well. It is delicious when paired with melon, mint and agave nectar... not to mention brilliant to look at. Who would have thought that with such a menacing exterior, the dragon fruit could have such a radiant interior?  Maybe it's that huge white flower it hails from?

Pitaya cactus can be found, now, all over the country. They were originally introduced to us by South America, Central America and Mexico. The cactus is as intersting to look at as it's fruit. I guess it's true what they say: The dragon fruit doesn't fall far from the cactus. (Am I funny, or what?) Pitaya is also nutrient rich and very, very easy to prepare. When ripe, and it needs to be ripe, it's skin peels as easily as a banana.

Thumbs UP or DOWN? Up... but with reservations. Dragon fruit is an interesting discussion food, that's for sure! Personally, I like it. I think it has a nice taste and it is super easy to work with! My only gripe is it's 6.99/lb price tag. So... I would reccomend this fruit much like I reccomended it's dragon tongue bean cousin; Buy it to impress company and make a visual statement. If you have never experienced Pitaya, by all means, pick one up and give-it-a-go! Other than that... I think you can leave the dragon in it's cave.  

  

   

FOOD NEWS: Disney "Imagineer" making YOU hungry in supermarkets to $pend more

We've all heard it before, "NEVER BUY GROCERIES ON AN EMPTY STOMACH!" Now, with this new little hunger enhancer, that saying is truer than ever. A Brooklyn supermarket is testing our olfactory system to empty our wallets. In selected aisles, little black fans are strategically placed to pipe in food fragrances. In the candy/ baking aisles, for example,  they have a "Lindt chocolate" fragrance. "Smoky bacon" is billowing in from the minute you walk into the store and "Rosemary Focaccia" is an additional scent wafting in from the bakery. I saw a segment this morning on CBS with a few customers who had the same reaction, "the smells are making me/us very hungry." And that's the idea. Makes me wonder who came up with this?

Would you believe, Disney? The mastermind behind ScentAir, the name of the company providing these intoxicating aromas, is a former Lockheed Martin rocket scientist turned Disney Imagineer. Disney is all about making your experience as enchanting as possible. ScentAir's philosophy is no different. In their "Scent Science" section, online, they claim to harness:

"...the power of emotion linked with smell - and put it to work for your business.We've helped our clients... fix problems (like making a greasy restaurant smell fresh and clean), sample fragrances (by wafting custom scents for patrons to enjoy and purchase), and sell more product...from coffee to clothes and speakers to shoes."

In the food business, isn't it a RED FLAG when a store has to mask it's odor? Natural smells are one thing, but, superimposed fragrances to "make a greasy restaurant smell fresh and clean" is totally different. Call me crazy, but, I always welcome the scent of generic PineSol in my grocery store- I know it has been cleaned. I also welcome the smell of sour milk or funky fish as a defense mechanism/ deterrent away from those would-be food purchases. 'Hard to make those rational decisions when "Lindt Chocolate" is distracting my better judgement. More importantly, are these smelly judgement infractions even safe for us?

The American Lung Association concluded that most air fresheners have negative impacts on those with lung conditions- approximately 40 MILLION Americans! I, myself, am a migraine sufferer. There are about 30 million of us. I can't even walk by a Yankee Candle without plugging my nose for fear of a migraine attack, so I avoid those stores and those products at all costs. I would be angered if my local supermarket's superficial market strategy was the result of my migraine or worse...  my child's asthma attack! Wouldn't you?

Listen, I'm all for business tactics and market strategies, but, not when it comes to disguising MY food. That's just wrong. I would be looking out for these little black hunger enhancers your grocery stores, if I were you. I'd be willing to bet this is something Giant Eagle would fiddle with? So, if you are there and start getting a headache, crave a BLT on rosemary focaccia, all while humming "it's a small world after all," you know you've found one.  

Protect yourself: Wrap it up!

Tried on your summer shorts, lately? Uh-oh. Not fitting the way you remember? Well... protect your figure from carbs and sodium (bloat, anyone?) and try this cost friendly, easy, sweet and tangy wrap. Healthy food doesn't have to be flavorless, nor should it come out of a Lean Cuisine freezer box. Buy all of the ingredients and you can prepare these bad boys all week. This wrap is around 400 calories and PACKED with flavor and hunger quenchers that will help to get you back into your summer duds- without sucking it in!

Zesty Chicken and Zucchini Wrap

with feta cheese and dried cranberries.  

You can get most of these ingredients from Aldi, and you know how I love me some Aldi, except for three. Yields one wrap. 

3 oz prepared chicken- grilled and diced

1/2 zucchini, grilled and cut into strips

2 tblsp of dried cranberries

1 handful prepared salad mix

1 tblsp crumbled feta cheese

1 tblsp chopped walnuts

Equal or other artificial sweetener

1/2 tsp Sea Salt

Olive Oil
Freshly squeezed lemon juice (optional)

Things you must get from other grocery stores (Walmart, Giant, etc):

1 large wheat wrap (80- 100cal)

Mrs. Dash Original Blend

Rice Wine Vinegar

For a person who's short on time, buy a package of prepared grilled chicken strips and don't bother grilling the zucchini. For someone who has a few minutes...

Butterfly (split in half) your chicken breast and season with Mrs. Dash, a pinch or two of salt and a drizzle of olive oil to prevent the chix from sticking on the grill. Do the same thing with your zucchini-slice in half, then slice again to make them thinner and easier to grill.  Grill your prepared chicken, irst, and then the zucchini (so all of the yummy chix flavor passes onto the veggie). Yum! The zucchini will take maybe 2 minutes on each side to char.

Next, prepare your dressing. You can prepare enough for one wrap... or... make enough for a couple and store it. Trust me, this dressing is so awesome, you'll want to use it for everything; salads, wraps, marinades... you name it! This recipe is for a few servings:

3 tblspoons of Mrs. Dash

2 pkgs of Equal or other "blue" artificial sweetener. If you don't want to use nutrasweet, substitute with honey or sugar.

3/4 cup of rice wine vinegar

1.5 tbls of water

1/4 cup of olive oil

In a large bowl, add a handful of your salad mix, 2 tablespoons of dressing, feta, zucchini, cranberries and walnuts. Squeeze half of you lemon into the mix, as well, and toss. Grab your wheat wrap and add your mix and chicken on top. Wrap it up and enjoy. You can do it much like the shirtless fellow below... 

WTF introduces: Jerusalem "Sun" Artichokes

What the food is a Sunchoke?

Jerusalem artichokes, a.k.a. Sunchokes, are a North American Indian Sunflower with an Italian nickname that, despite it's name, has nothing to do with Jerusalem, nor is it actually an artichoke. Don't ask. 

Italian Americans call this flowery root vegetable girasole, translation: turns with the sun. American Indians grew this daisy with their corn to make harvests heartier. (A good tip for any of my fellow gardeners out there) The Sunchoke's flower is very, very small, compared it's sunflower brothers and sisters. The big surprise, however, is under the soil, where it harbors a large, lumpy,  potato-like root... only... it tastes like an artichoke... but isn't.  Okay, now I'm confused.. so I got some.

I purchased a package of Sunchokes at our Giant Eagle Market District with some Israeli couscous (stay with the theme, right?), sweet peppers and scallions. You'll find these ugly ducklings at most specialty markets; Trader Joes, Wegmans, Whole Foods, in produce, next to the celery, fennel, bok choy, etc. According to online cooking instructions, you are to remove the outer skin and either eat raw or boil in salted water for 10 minutes to bring out the artichoke flavor. I thought they were better cold and raw, but we'll get to that later.

Attention Diabetics: The flavor, when cooked, is the taste of inulin. Inulin is a polysaccharide- a highly nutritious component that most diabetics or sugar conscious people know as levulose- the sweetest of all known natural sugars. Sunchokes provide all of those nutrients (especially potassium and fiber) without the company of dextrose- a component that is often added to levulose. A component that diabetics should avoid.

I decided to boil the artichokes for 10 minutes in salted water because I wanted to taste the artichoke flavor, without them getting too soft... and boy did we ever! I say "we" because my friend, Stephanie, joined us for dinner that evening.

Thumbs up or down?

Both! I have to admit, Steph and I didn't care for them cooked. I think they tasted like a brutally strong artichoke. I preferred the crunchy, subtlety of the flavor, rather than the high impact ARTICHOKE flavor. Stephanie said that they "did nothing for her" and I agree. Luckily, the flavor did not overpower the couscous. Please forgive me for not showing a picture of the finished meal. My three year old somehow managed to break my camera without my knowledge and I am in the market for a new one. Any point-and-shoot camera suggestions would be most appreciated. I will post a picture and recipe as soon as I but a new camera. The next time I make this dish, I will keep the "artichokes" raw and keep my three-year-old away from my camera.

Better than buffet: How to make your Chinese taste like theirs.

You've decided to make stir fry for dinner- knowing that it simply won't taste like your favorite Chinese food restaurant's dish. Not anymore! I promise that with a few simple items and cooking techniques, you won't want take-out... well, not as often, anyway.

You need a few key items to make your Chinese taste like theirs... better, even. I suggest taking a trip you your local Asian market for the best prices and an awesome cultural experience. If an Asian market isn't near you, all of the condiments listed below can be found at your local grocery store. Note: "La Choy" is not an option! The ingredients on my Kung Pao recipe cannot be found at Safeway. You'll have to hit up the market.  They are STAPLES in most of your favorite Asian dishes. 

1. Pre-flavored vegetable oil. 

Oil that has been used, previously, to fry fish or chicken. (So, the next time you fry something, strain the bits and reserve the oil in a container for a later date)

2. Oyster sauce. 

Yes, it's fishy and salty... but... it's the main ingredient in most of the Chinese dishes you love; LoMein, Kung Pao, General Tso's, to name a few. You can find this sauce in the specialty/
international foods aisle.

3. Teriyaki sauce
4. Seasoned Rice Wine Vinegar

 A sweeter, tart, pre-seasoned alternative to vinegar. I absolutely looove RWV and I often use to replace "regular" vinegars in my salad dressings, etc.

5. Sesame oil

6. Soy sauce

7. Corn starch

8. Whole, dried red pepper pods*

You can use red pepper flakes, if you want to... but pepper pods offer more flavor.Be careful, they pack quite a HOT punch!

9. Toasted sesame seeds*

*optional items that can be found in the spice aisle

Today we're going to tackle this recipe:

Garlic Sesame Chicken with Snow Peas served over Vegetable Fried Rice.

"Hot pan, cold oil- food no e'stick."

My family lived in Taiwan in the late 1960's. If there's one thing Mom learned, it was how to prepare the food... she also learned to speak Mandarin, but the food was more important! Our housekeeper, Mei Li, (not an uncommon thing for Naval officers, back then) taught Mom everything she knew about Chinese cooking and Mom taught Mei everything she knew about American cooking.

 Another influential Chinese cook, Martin Yan, helped Mom in the 1980's on Saturday mornings with his show, "Yan Can Cook." Besides his amazing handywork with a cleaver, one of his most frequent sayings was, "hot pan, cold oil- food no e'stick." Remember that saying... it comes in handy when cooking Chinese food, believe me!

Always start with your rice.

**You want to prepare the rice ahead of time and refrigerate. The rice works best when it is cold. If you have had trouble preparing rice in the past, never fear! I'm here to help! Try Mei Li's fool proof way to cook rice and don't you dare use anything thing with "minute" in front of it!

Fried rice is exactly that, fried. You have to start with cold,  pre-cooked rice and then... well... fry it.

Serves 2-4:
3 tbsps seasoned veggie oil
1/4 tsp sesame oil (use a tiny bit... too much will ruin the flavor. A little goes a long, long way)
1 clove garlic, pressed or chopped
2 cups cold, pre-cooked rice
1/2 frozen peas
1/2 cup finely chopped onions
1/2 cup finely chopped carrots
1 egg- beaten *optional
2 tblsps - 1/4 cup soy sauce
1 or 2 handfuls of bean sprouts

Heat your wok (or largest pan you have) over med-high heat and wait a minute or two. Add your seasoned vegetable oil (hot pan, cold oil... remember?) onions, carrots, frozen peas and pressed garlic and sautee utnil onions are translucent. Reduce the heat.  Add your egg and scramble. Next, add your cooked rice and mix together. Finally, add the soy sauce and bean sprouts and sautee until everything is well incorperated. Remove from the heat, cover and set aside.

Garlic Sesame Chicken with Snow peas or green beans.
Servings: 2-4

3 Table spoons of per-flavored veg oil
1/2 tsp of Sesame oil
2 large, boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 tblsps corn starch
1 12oz package of pre cut/washed green beans or...
2 large handfuls of Snow Peas from the grocer's bin
1 medium red pepper, sliced
1 celery stalk, thinly sliced
3/4-1 cup of garlic sauce
2- 4 Red pepper pods (depends on how spicy you want it?)
2 stems of Scallions, sliced
Sesame seeds for presentation

Chicken stirfry prep:
Chinese food is prepared in stages. Yes, it's tedious, but... it's how to get your dinner tasting like theirs.

Butterfly your chicken breasts and pound the hell out of them, (in between two pieces of wax paper) until they are nearly paper thin and flat. Slice the chicken into bite sized pieces and coat in the corn starch. FYI: Corn starch acts as a meat tenderizer and as a thickening agent for the delicious sauce that we drizzle all over our rice.

Next, in a seperate pot, boil your green beans in water for 5 minutes until the beans are a vibrant green. Shock them in a cold water bath and set aside. No prep (other than a rinse) needs to be done for the peas.

Heat your wok on high and wait a minute or two before adding your cold, pre-flavored oils (veg and sesame)- which prevents the chicken from sticking to the wok. Fry your coated chicken slices until they are completely cooked and remove them from the pan. Reduce the heat to medium and fry the green beans and celery- 5 minutes, TOPS! Avoid over cooking the vegetables- you want a crunch not a mush! Reintroduce the chicken to the wok with the scallions, red pepper pods and add the sauce:

Garlic Sauce:
1/4 cup Oyster sauce
3 tsps Rice Wine Vinegar
3 tsps Teriyaki sauce
2 tsps Soy sauce
1 tblsp Corn starch
1/4 cup Chicken stock or water
2 cloves Garlic, chopped

Toss everything in the sauce on a medium/high heat (so the sauce will thicken) and add the sliced red peppers at the very end- 2 minutes TOPS! If your sauce is too thick, add more stock. Serve immediaely over rice and sprinkle with the sesame seeds for that finished look.

Trust me, this Chinese food  is as authentic as it gets... without going out for it. You know you've prepared it correctly when you are hungry, again, in 20 minutes.

If you must go out for authentic Taiwanese/Chinese (which is the best, if you ask me) please visit Taiwan 101, in Monaca, PA (A Pittsburgh suburb). For my Baltimore area friends, visit Hunan L'Rose. Both establishments are, by far, the best Chinese retaurants I have ever, EVER had the pleasure of enjoying!

再見! (Zàijiàn)
Goodbye.