Blog Recommendation

I just found and absolutely LOVE this blog. It's cute, it's thorough, it's Japanese, and it's written with humor and heart. What else could you ask for? Oh, yes, pictures -- it has those, too.

Just Hungry:
http://www.justhungry.com/

Some things to look for:
Onigiri 2.0 - an easy way to shape them
Essential Japanese ingredients
Okonomiyaki recipe! I LOVE this.

Give it a look! You will not be disappointed.

"Scraps" Applesauce with Lemon and Spice

I had two Pinata apples (organic, on sale at Whole Foods) sitting in my room. Why? you may ask. Usually I eat like two apples a day as snacks, because they are so delicious. Well, these Pinata apples were somehow too sweet and too sour at the same time, and I couldn't bring myself to finish them.

And so, I made APPLESAUCE! I figured I could adjust the taste by cooking and adding seasonings. Well, I feel like I did a decent job, so I'm sharing:

This is called "scraps" applesauce because I used "leftovers" that were lying around, and "leftover" applesauce doesn't sound very tasty.

Why buy applesauce again when you can make your own, invent new taste combinations every week, and know every little thing that's in it!

*Note: Mixing varieties of apples makes the flavor more complex and tastier! The same goes for apple pie. I ended up throwing in a small tart apple towards the end.

=INGREDIENTS=
2 apples (preferably tart ones)
zest of 1/2-1 lemon (organic, or WELL washed)
juice of 1 small lemon
~2 c water
2-3 T sugar (any kind; I used granulated)
VERY SMALL AMOUNT of cloves (they're powerful!)
OR 1/2 T cinnamon

=INSTRUCTIONS=
1) Put a 1- or 2-qt pot on the stove with water & put heat on low.
2a) The "Conventional" Way - Put each apple right-side up and, with a small knife, make 4 or 5 big slices, leaving just the core. You can munch on this later while you stir. Roughly chop apple slices (maybe the size of your thumb nail).
2b) The "Checkerboard" Way - If no one's done this before then I claim credit. Take your small knife and CAREFULLY "roll" it blade bottom to blade top into the apple, not penetrating the core. This makes one cut. Make vertical cuts all around the apple; then cut horizontal lines to make a checkerboard design. Place apple on board and slice off a first layer all around, then a second, deeper layer. Now you will have lots of little apple bits and a core.
3) Bring water & apples to a boil (lid off) and then reduce to a medium bubble. Add the sugar, lemon zest, and spice of choice.
4) Cut the lemon in half, remove seeds, and then poke it a bunch with the knife. With your thumb or a spoon, press & squeeze every last bit of juice out -- pulp is good and adds flavor!
5) Stir it every few minutes to prevent the bottom from burning and sticking. After 10-15 minutes the apples will get soft and you can mush it a bit with a spatula or wooden spoon.
6) Taste a bit and adjust seasoning if desired. I have been known to throw in 1/2 a tsp of freshly grated black pepper for some kick! If you want, you can add more seasonings, add another 1/2 c of water, and reduce again so the flavors are well developed.

If the apples looks fine but there's too much water, increase to a hearty bubble, stirring occasionally, until it's reduced.

(Yields 2 hearty/4 small servings.)

Voila! Store it in a cute little 1-pt mason jar and call it "rustic!"

Orzo "Risotto" with Pulled Chicken

Very easy to make and totally delicious! Chicken is optional. You could sub with beans.

Orzo is a kind of Greek pasta. Look at the orzo box and use proportionally appropriate amounts of the ingredients depending on number of eaters.

=Ingredients=

Glug of olive oil (no EVOO here, Rachel)

Salt and pepper to taste

1 small onion, chopped (or 1/2 if you aren't a HUGE onion fan)

Organic orzo (1/2 c)

1 packet Trader Joe's Chicken Broth Concentrate

3-4 c boiling water

(Optional: 1 shot rice wine)

2-3 Tbsp vegetable bouillon

1/4 c feta cheese crumbles

1 tsp dried savory (or basil, or fresh basil)

Handful of pulled rotisserie chicken (remember, use the bones for broth!)

*Note: You can also cook the orzo in a mix of chicken broth and white wine.

=Instructions=

1. Chop the onion and sautee in the oil on medium heat until translucent and slightly browned. You can grind in some salt and pepper if you want. Squeeze in the TJ broth essence.

2. Meanwhile, you can have a kettle going with some water. Pour in the water and BE CAREFUL about the hot steam! Let it settle & mix it. If you want, glug in a shot or two of rice wine for special flavor and acidity.

3. Pour in the orzo and vegetable bouillon. Heat it on a hearty bubble, STIRRING often to prevent sticking. (This takes around ten minutes.)

4. When the liquid is almost all reduced, shake in the feta & give it a mix; it'll melt and get nice and gooey. Sprinkle in the savory and mix.

5. Taste it. If it's too weak, but getting dry, add some more flavoring (like bouillon, 1 tsp) and liquid (like water, 1 c). Let it reduce at a hearty bubble again, about 5 minutes, stirring faithfully.

6. When it looks like risotto (google it), turn off the heat and transfer to a serving bowl. At this point you can put in the chicken or beans and stir to heat through.

Note on stirring: I used wooden chopsticks while making this. You can get a lot of surface-area exposure if you separate the chopsticks (make a ~70-degree angle) and stir in twists and turns. I'm not certain, but I think this helps speed along the evaporation.

I put this into a ceramic storage bowl with a lid & reheated to my delight! Btw, I've sworn off plastics now after hearing about massive increase in chemicals in your body -- some guy did an interview with Diane Rehm about his 48-hour plastic experiment. Mason jars all the way!