No Eggo to Leggo of

It's a dark day for waffle lovers. Kellogg announced today it's experiencing a waffle shortage which should last until . . . mid-2010! Yikes! 

Heavy October rains in Atlanta forced one of the Eggo bakeries to take a production hiatus. And to add insult to injury, Kellogg's largest waffle facility (in Rossville, TN) needs extensive repairs.

A Kellogg spokesperson said, "We are working around the clock to restore Eggo store inventories to normal levels as quickly as possible. Remaining inventory will be rationed to stores across the country based on historical percentage of business."  

[Note: Seriously, people, I can't make this stuff up. When I first saw this story, I checked the link because I figured this had to be a joke from The Onion, but it is a top story on CNN!]  

My initial reaction upon hearing the story was to post an entry here. But then I came to my senses and first ran to the grocery store and bought up all the Eggo boxes I could get my hands on. I know there will soon be desperate moms with crying children and hungry, hungover college students all deep in the midst of Eggo withdrawal. So, the bidding on ebay will soon commence with the starting bid of [insert dramatic pause] one . . . million . . . dollars! Mwahahahaha!

Meanderings & Wonderments

I've always wanted to invent a word. I know, most people are more interested in inventing something really important, like a cure for cancer, or an easier way to do something, like velcro. But no, I really want to invent a word. Not just any word, but a word that is super cool and people want to integrate immediately into the modern lexicon. I make up words all the time but so far nothing has stuck. Most of the words I come up with are often the combination of two words. It's like I can't figure out which word I want to say and my brain gets confused and they both come out at once in a peculiar auditory meshing. Of course my friends totally mock me for this, but I'm happy to say that at least in our little circle some of my words have been adopted (i.e. insuperior).

This summer when I was living in Spain, my confusion/invention was at it's worst/best. I was speaking Spanish all day but then would get on my laptop at night and try to write in English. The result was (1) I could only recall a small percent of my English vocabulary, and (2) my spelling became horrendous. But I did invent a word that I find myself using all the time: meandering. I know: it doesn't look like a new word, but it sounds like a new word if you combine "meander" and "wander." The phonetic pronunciation is me-on-der-ing. In truth, it was a mistake. I couldn't figure out which word to say and then pulled "a Holley" and out they both came. But I really like the sentiment behind it: to take an indirect course without a definitive purpose. I kind of wish there was more of that in life. 

Whenever I do a bit of meandering, I'm always humbled by the wondrous things I see. It makes me want to participate in more wonderment — to discover it, appreciate it, and be a part of it. Look around: there is wonderment everywhere, both natural and man-made. And what I find wondrous may be different than what you do, but that's the point really. 

I thought I might start sharing some of the wonderments I've encountered in my everyday life in a (perhaps a bi-monthly?) post. Interesting? Not interesting? Please weigh in with your comments below. The goal is merely to remind us to look for the wonderments. I know they're all around us if we just take the time to meander a bit more. 

So here are some wonderments I saw on Saturday: 

Marigolds ablaze

Chidori kale, which I've never seen before

Breakfast treasures discovered inside a delightful pink pastry box

Sunny satsuma

Fall tree in Santa Barbara

I hope your week ahead is filled with many wondrous moments, wherever you may find them. 

Quick and Dirty

As the weather turns cooler, I look forward to making soups. There is something so homey about the scent of a simmering pot of veggies and meat wafting through the house. It's high on the comfort food list in my book. As Auguste Escoffier, chef and one of the most important leaders in the development of modern French cuisine, said, "Soup puts the heart at ease, calms down the violence of hunger, eliminates the tension of the day, and awakens and refines the appetite." 

The one real drawback that often accompanies soups is how long it takes to make. Admittedly, it's often totally low maintenance. You usually just put some stuff in a big pot, bring it to a simmer and cook for three hours while you go about your business. You don't even have to be home for goodness sakes. But with that type of time commitment, making soup is often reserved for the weekend. 

I was paging through an issue of House Beautiful when a white bean soup recipe caught my eye because (A) I'm a little obsessed with white beans, and (B) it only takes 45 care-free minutes to make the soup. Bingo! We have a weeknight winner! Yes, it's also super healthy and a protein-rich vegetarian soup, but more importantly, it's delicious. You'll never miss the meat — and you certainly won't miss having to wait three hours before you eat it. But you're home will still smell delicious. 

Jewel's Favorite Soup

By Jewels and Jill Elmore

Ingredients

3 15-oz cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

6 cups chicken stock, vegetable stock or water

2 cloves garlic, sliced

2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped 

2 ribs celery, chopped

4 ripe tomatoes, cut into small pieces

1 tsp sea salt

1/4 cup fresh parsley, roughly chopped

1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Directions

Place beans, stock and garlic in a large pot on the stove. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and continue cooking for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. 

Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the skillet is warm, add the olive oil and saute the onion and celery for 5 minutes or until soft and translucent. Next, add the tomatoes and salt and continue to cook another 3 to 4 minutes. 

Add the vegetable mixture and parsley to beans. Cook another 15 minutes to meld the flavors together. Serve with Parmesan cheese grated over each bowl. Yields: 6-8 servings. 

In Defense of Cauliflower

In the world of under-appreciated vegetables, cauliflower has to be near the top. It's one of the red-headed veggie stepchildren sandwiched in between brussels sprouts and cabbage. No doubt recollections of bland steamed vegetable medleys and cauliflower boiled past oblivion have made cauliflower the vegetable non grata in the most kitchens. 

And while I've eaten my share of dismal cauliflower dishes, at some point along my eating adventures I saw the light — and it was not eating it off a crudité platter dipped in Ranch dressing. I don't recall exactly where or when it was, but it was transformative. 

I was at one of those mega steak houses where the petit filet is 12 oz and all the sides are a la carte. To their credit, those places usually have delicious and rich side dishes. Garlic mashed potatoes or truffled mac 'n' cheese, anyone? . . .  Anyway, I went to pick a side dish and probably because the mashed potatoes and mac 'n' cheese had already been ordered, I got a wild hair and requested the roasted cauliflower. It was a client dinner so I was with a large group. Do you remember that scene in Animal House where Otter, Boone, Pinto and Flounder take their dates to see Otis Day at an all-black bar? There was total silence when they walked in, and the bar inhabitants gave the fraternity boys a look like, "Are you white boys crazy?!" It was pretty much like that when the people around the table heard I ordered cauliflower. I'm known to have a pretty discriminating palate so no one ridiculed me openly but I could tell they thought I'd lost my mind. The point of the story is that the cauliflower dish was the first thing devoured and seconds were ordered. In short, it was adored. 

There are so many ways to adore this funny-looking crucifer: whipped with mashed potatoes, layered in a decadent gratin, simmered in a spicy curry served over coconut rice, or simply slow roasted in the oven. But one of my favorites is a beautiful pureed soup that could inspire poetry. It's light yet rich, layered with luxurious textures and flavors. While I don't use this word often to describe food, this soup is opulent. There is just no other way to describe it.

But it's also like a woman who rolls out of bed and looks stunning with no make-up on. Effortless beauty. That's what this soup is. 

Cauliflower Soup with Pecorino and Truffle Oil

Adapted from Bon Appetit

Ingredients

2 oz applewood smoked bacon (about 2 1/2 slices), chopped

1 cup chopped onion

3/4 cup chopped celery

2 garlic cloves, chopped

6 cups 1-inch pieces cauliflower (roughly 1 large head)

3 1/2 cups (or more) low-salt chicken broth

1 3/4-inch cube Pecorino Romano cheese, plus additional cheese shavings for serving

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

White truffle oil (for drizzling)

6 sea scallops

Directions

Saute bacon in heavy saucepan over medium heat until golden brown and some fat renders. Add onion, celery and garlic. Cover and cook until vegetables are soft, stirring occasionally, about 7 minutes. Add cauliflower, 3 1/2 cups chicken broth and cheese cube. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer until cauliflower is tender, about 20 minutes. 

Puree soup in batches in processor (or use an immersion blender and leave in the pan). Return to pan and add cream. Bring soup to a simmer. Thin with more broth as necessary or desired. Season with salt and pepper if necessary. 

Wash and dry scallops and lightly salt and pepper them. Sear them for 1 1/2 minutes in a hot skillet drizzled with olive oil. Flip them over and cook another minute until they are opaque. Don't overcook them. This is what makes scallops tough. And they'll continue cooking when you remove them from the pan. Ladle the soup into shallow bowls and drop one scallop in the middle of the soup. Sprinkle with cheese shavings and drizzle with truffle oil. Yields: Six servings. 

Notes: I think the bacon can be overwhelming if you're not careful, which is why the applewood smoked bacon is suggested. I would start with 1 1/2 slices first and see how you like it. If you think you want a smokier flavor, I would go with the full 2 1/2 slices but it will definitely have a more pronounced bacon flavor, which I personally wasn't going for. A little of the truffle oil goes a long way, so be judicious with this. You can always add more. If the scallops are particularly large, I usually score them so they'll cook more evenly. This could be converted into a vegetarian dish by omitting the bacon and scallop and using a good vegetable broth. It would still very rich in flavor. The soup can be made a day ahead. Cool slightly; cover and chill. Rewarm slowly and then add the cheese shavings, truffle oil and scallop. 

On the Border

Friends are the family you choose. My mom used to tell me that when I was young. Growing up as a military brat, I often found myself far from my relatives but blessed with a network of surrogate aunts, uncles, and cousins. This was most pronounced when we lived in Panama where we met a group of families that affectionately became known as the Panama Connection (a.k.a. the PC). For three years, it seemed like all of our holidays, trips, weekends, and even afternoons were spent together. 

It was an amazing place to be a kid. The jungle was our sandbox with monkeys, sloths, iguanas and agoutis around us. We would buzz by the Panama Canal in our little ski boat on the way to our island bohio (thatched hut) to catch rainbow bass on the weekends, watching the QE2 scraping through the locks. We would get in these huge mango throwing fights. The green ones hurt worse than the ripe ones, but you'd be sure to get a poison ivy-like reaction from the sap so it was a trade-off. But more than anything, it really was the people I shared this with, my "chosen family," that made these experiences so special. 

It's been about 30 years since we left Panama. The PC is now spread all over the U.S. but still gets together regularly. It's rare, though, for the entire group to make it to a gathering. But when a PC wedding rolls around, well, that's something not to miss. A few weeks ago, we all convened in El Paso, TX to celebrate the marriage of Mike and Shelly, but it also felt like a family reunion. 

It was my first visit to El Paso, which is a wonderful city. However, I didn't realize how close it is to the border of Mexico. It's literally a stone's throw. 

The Mexican influence is pervasive, resulting (happily!) in lots of really good Mexican food. Real tortillas, salsa that makes your tongue burn, tender chili rellenos. . . . And for whatever reason, the margaritas tasted better too. 

With any large group in tow, you need to keep them busy. So the groom's parents suggested the PC hit the Indian and Mexican market festival. I must admit I'm usually most interested in casing the food stands at events like this. I'm not a "fair food junkie" but, seriously, who can resist a funnel cake?! Unfortunately, nary a funnel cake did I see. Actually not even a hot dog or cotton candy could be found. No, it was way better! 

There was Apache fry bread (the Southwest's version of a funnel cake) and grilled corn on the cob with a dusting of delicious spices. But what stole the show for me was the asadero cheese and green chili quesadilla. I know what you're thinking: How can a cheese quesadilla be anything to get excited about? For one, the tortillas do not have a shelf life of six month. Secondly, the green chilies have an amazing depth of flavor even though they look totally unassuming. And lastly, I'm wondering how I've made it through three decades of my life without asadero cheese. The end product is this heavenly toasted pocket filled with gooey cheese and fiery green polka dots. The photos do this no justice sadly. 

The genius is in the simplicity. It's not trying to be high falutin'. It's just comfort food at its best. I'm quite certain if I'd gone to college in El Paso, I'd be eating this on my way home from every party I ever went to.  

The Calm Before the Storm

I kind of feel like a teenager who's missed curfew and is trying to sneak back into the house without their parent's detection. You know you're late, but you're hoping there's some way to get into bed and then act all nonchalant like you've been there for hours doing your nails when your mom pops her head into your room and finds you there. Personally, I could never pull it off. At a certain point you just had to suck it up and face the music. So without further ado . . .  I realize I haven't blogged in 22 days. I wish I had a good excuse (i.e. alien abduction), but I don't really have one (although I was recently in New Mexico). At least when I was younger, I could usually blame my older brother ("Mom, I swear I wanted to come home on time. I couldn't get Rob to leave the party!"), but I can't play that card here. How about just "I'm sorry and I won't let it happen again. And here is a nice recipe I think you'll enjoy!" 

I do feel as if this time of year is the calm before the storm. Once Halloween hits, it seems like the holiday tornado is unleashed. I admit I considered momentarily ordering holiday cards last night as I booked my airline ticket for Thanksgiving, but couldn't bring myself to do it. For one, the 87 degree weather we're having is tricking my brain into thinking that Labor Day is around the corner. And two, I want to relish the peaceful pre-holiday window just a tad longer. Plus, it's a great time to make some tasty treats you can pop in the freezer now to enjoy in the midst of the holiday hustle and bustle — which really is just around the corner.  

I think it's nice to have a few tricks up your sleeve for the holidays, which means you have to plan ahead. OK, that sounds a bit soap-boxy. What I really mean to say is it's much easier to do this now than when you're trying to juggle the end-of-year push at work, family commitments, holiday shopping, insane people who are also out holiday shopping, bad weather, travel, etc. I discovered this great recipe, which I think makes for the perfect holiday "secret weapon." These empanadas would make an awesome Thanksgiving amuse-bouche, a delicious (and easy) addition to a holiday cocktail party or buffet (thumbs up for anything you can make ahead), or even a thoughtful gift (as long as there is a freezer nearby) for any hardworking, food-loving hostess. 

They'll be the perfect foil to the holiday madness. And you'll look like a rock star.  

Chicken and Chorizo Empanadas with Raisins, Olives and Spinach

Adapted from Gourmet (R.I.P.)

Ingredients

1 breast and 2 thighs of rotisserie chicken, shredded and chopped

2 Tbsp olive oil

2 large onions, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 California bay leaf (or 2 Turkish)

3/4 cup finely diced Spanish chorizo, casing removed

1/2 tsp Spanish smoked paprika (not hot)

1 tsp coriander 

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1/4 cup pitted green olives, chopped

1/3 cup golden raisins

1/2 cup dry white wine or vermouth

1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth

8 oz frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained

Empanada dough (recipe following) or 1 lb pizza dough

1 egg 

Directions

Saute onions, garlic and bay leaves in olive oil until onions are softened, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add chicken and chorizo, along with paprika, coriander, salt and pepper. Add olives, raisins, spinach, wine and broth, then reduce heat to moderately low and simmer until liquid has evaporated but mix is still moist. The goal is to avoid a soupy empanada filling. 

Divide your empanada dough into two sections. Roll out first section on a floured surface until the dough is very thin, probably 1/8" in thickness. You need the dough to be thick enough to hold the filling but not so thick to overwhelm eat bite so all you get is a mouthful of dough. Keep the other half of the dough wrapped in plastic and refrigerated. 

Cut out 3" circles as your empanada base. Place a dollop of filling in the middle of each circle. You don't need much — about 1 Tbsp per circle. Wet the edges of the circle and fold in half to seal. Press the edges with a fork to create a decorative border. I think it goes faster if you do this in an assembly line fashion: cut out all the circles, then add the filling to all, then fold and seal, etc. Brush the top of each empanada with an egg wash of 1 yoke and 1 Tbsp water. 

If you are going to eat them immediately, place them on a lightly greased cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 25-40 minutes, until golden brown. 

If you are going to freeze these, simply put the finished empanadas on a cookie sheet and stick in the freezer until firm. You can then remove them and store in a Ziploc bag for a month or two in the freezer. To reheat, place them on a cookie sheet and thaw for about 15 minutes. Bake them at 350 degrees for 25-40 minutes, until golden brown. Yields: Approximately forty 3-in empanadas. 

Empanada Dough

2 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1 large egg

1/3 cup ice water

1 Tbsp distilled white vinegar

Sift flour with salt into a large bowl and blend in butter with your fingertips or a pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse meal with some pea-sized butter lumps. 

Beat together egg, water, and vinegar in a small bowl with a fork. Add to flour mixture, stirring with a fork until just incorporated. The mixture will look "shaggy."

Turn out mixture on a lightly floured surface and gather together, then knead gently with the heel of your hand once or twice, just enough to bring dough together. Form dough into a flat rectangle, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Yields: Approximately twenty 3-in empanadas. 

Note: The filling can be made 2 days ahead and cooled, uncovered, then chilled, covered. It also can be frozen until you're ready to make these. Just bring the filling to room temperature before assembling. This recipe actually makes a lot of filling (enough for 40+ or double the dough recipe), so you may want to make one batch and then freeze the rest until you're ready for your next batch. Just make sure there's not a lot of excess water from the spinach. 

I have not made these with pizza dough but that is what the original recipe called for. To me, it was not difficult to make the dough from scratch — and that is coming from a non-baker! I'm sure they'd still be a hit if you used the shortcut, which may be all the time you have during the holidays so don't let that stop you. As an alternative, you might even consider making this into a calzone, which would also be sure to please on a cold winter's night. 

All Gussied Up

I am particularly picky about bananas. I will only eat them when they are JUST ripe, still with a tinge of green to them. Ideally they should be unblemished with nary a black mark on the peel. And God forbid I bite into the banana to find any mushy brown areas. The whole banana goes into the garbage (guilt by association). But I love bananas. I eat at least one every day. However, given my very narrow definition of edible bananas, I end up going to the grocery store and buying a few barely ripe bananas about every two to three days.  

Every once in awhile I get over zealous and buy a half dozen. I carefully select them from four or five different bunches, trying for a spectrum of greenness in hopes of each banana ripening in turn so I can get almost a week's worth of bananas. In spite of my efforts, the bananas don't cooperate. By day two the remaining and previously totally green and unripe bananas are suddenly speckled and dark yellow! ¡Quelle horreur! I'm embarrassed to admit this but they usually go immediately into the trash. 

Of course, from time to time, my conscious gets to me and I take the inedible bananas and make banana bread with them, which is truly the only acceptable use of bananas in such a compromised state. But why make just your ordinary banana bread when you can make a banana bread that's all gussied up?! That's what I thought . . . . 

One of my favorite reads this year was A Homemade Life by Orangette blogger Molly Wizenburg. It's bursting with great and personal stories about her life and the influence food has had on it — whether it was in the background or the center stage, to help nurse wounds or celebrate happy moments, or just to serve as reminders of experiences that shape us as individuals. Part of the joy of this book is the numerous recipes Molly so graciously shares with her readers. I'm not exaggerating when I say I've dog-eared three-quarters of the pages to mark recipes I want to try. One of the highest repeating recipes thus far has been Molly's Chocolate Chip Banana Bread with Crystallized Ginger. That's right: Moist, dense banana bread oozing with little pockets of melty chocolate and piquant studs of translucent golden ginger. 

It's hands down the fanciest banana bread, and dare I say gussied up banana bread I've ever eaten. It's sumptuous enough to serve as dessert after dinner, something I'd never do with the original version. It strikes a delicious harmony with the rich semisweet chocolate, the crystallized ginger (which is like an adult gumdrop with a slight kick), and the bananas. Honestly, once you try it, it's virtually impossible to eat Plain Jane Banana Bread ever again. 

And did I mention how easy it is to make? It doesn't even require a mixer or softened butter, which is my baking nemesis. Maybe that speaks to my impatience (not my proudest trait). When I want to make cookies, I want to make cookies. Right then. Not six hours later once the butter has softened up. Let me just tell you that I've yet to perfect the "softening" of butter via the microwave. I just get liquid butter. But I digress . . . . 

So next time, instead of force-feeding yourself those disgusting overripe bananas, make this instead. It will make you feel all pretty and decadent — even if you're sitting at home in your sweat pants eating off a paper plate. 

Banana Bread with Chocolate and Crystallized Ginger

By Molly Wizenburg

Ingredients

6 Tbsp unsalted butter

2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup sugar

3/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1/3 cup crystallized ginger, finely chopped

2 large eggs

3 ripe bananas, mashed

1/4 cup well-stirred whole-milk plain yogurt (not low or nonfat)

1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions

Set a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x5-in loaf pan with cooking spray or butter. 

Melt butter on the stove or in the microwave and set aside to cool slightly. 

In a large bowl,whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt. Add the chocolate chips and crystallized ginger and whisk well to combine. Set aside. 

In a medium bowl, lightly beat the eggs with a fork. Add the mashed bananas, yogurt, melted butter and vanilla and stir to mix well. Pour the banana mixture into the dry ingredients, and stir gently with a rubber spatula, scraping down the sides as needed until just combined. Do not overmix. The batter will be thick and somewhat lumpy, just make sure all the flour has been incorporated. Scrape the batter into the loaf pan and smooth the top. 

Bake until the loaf is a deep shade of golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 50 minutes to an hour. If the loaf seems to be browning too quickly, tent with foil. 

Cool the loaf in the pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Then tip out onto the rack and let it cool completely before slicing. Yields: 1 loaf pan. 

Notes: Try to chop the crystallized ginger as finely as possible, which admittedly is not easy but is worth the effort. And definitely keep it to 1/3 cup. I added more once and it was too strong and seemingly disjointed. I have been told this freezes well wrapped in plastic and again in foil, but I've never had any left to freeze. But speaking of freezers, you can keep ripe bananas in there until you're ready to use them. They will turn black but will be perfect for baking when thawed.