The Chef and Cooks Make Dinner

After I assisted with a cooking class about risotto at a local cooking school, the chef sent each of us home with a dozen freshly formed risotto balls. "You cover them in flour, dip them in egg and then bread crumbs, and then you fry them," he said.

Two days later I pulled the plastic-wrapped balls from my refrigerator and dumped almost a full bottle of oil in my deepest soup pot. I filled a shallow dish with flour, beat an egg in a wide-mouthed bowl, and 'zapped' some bread in the food processor to create rough-chopped bread crumbs. Then I grabbed a 28-ounce can of organic crushed tomatoes with basil (and only 5% of the RDA for salt versus at least 20% for most commercial tomato sauce) and my husband poured it in the cleaned processor. After that he added:

3 teaspoons garlic powder

1 teaspoon minced onion

1 teaspoon oregano

2 (more) teaspoons of basil

He 'pulsed' the mixture briefly to create a slightly thick sauce, and I began frying. Now I can't remember the last time I deep-fried anything and I'd forgotten (a) that you have to work quickly to coat the food (b) you have to make sure you don't heat the oil at too high a temperature (c) and you've got to watch each piece constantly to make sure it fries evenly and with a crust that doesn't turn beyond golden brown.

By 8:15 we were diving into bowls full of this luscious stuff with no thought of salad or vegies or any other kind of side dish. Hunger won out and it tasted divine.

Raspberries + Chiles = Genius in Texas

Raspberries and chile peppers. In today's culinary environment, that sounds simple enough. But when Fischer & Wieser Specialty Foods created The Original Roasted Raspberry Chipotle Sauce, they were definitely ahead of the curve. And, when, potential customers tried the new product they raved about the combination of fresh raspberries balanced against smoky, seductive chipotle peppers.

Today, the sauce has put this family-owned Fredericksburg company on the map and become Texas' number one-selling specialty condiment. Decadent when served over cream cheese atop a mild-flavored cracker, and the perfect sweet-hot glaze for pork tenderloin or boneless chicken breast, the sauce actually has limitless possible uses.

But trying this legendary sauce in the original building it came from at 10 o'clock in the morning, and buying a bottle from the company's owner, made this a truly memorable taste experience.

War and Peace in Fredericksburg, Texas

I recently toured the National Museum of the Pacific War in Fredericksburg, Texas. This enormous collection of memorabilia related to Pacific conflict during the second World War includes a pair of automated mannequins talking on a dark battlefield, a miniature Japanese submarine, and a full-size B-25 plane. There are uniforms, medals, weapons, and literally thousands of memorabilia related to the conflict.

But my favorite section was the Japanese Garden of Peace, a gift to the United States from Japanese military leaders in honor of later peace between the two nations, native son, Fleet Admiral Chester Nimitz, and his long friendship with Japanese Admiral Togo.

Dedicated in 1976, the serene sun-drenched garden features glistening ponds and streams, lush greenery and hand-picked stones. There are soaring bamboo plants, stone pagodas and lanterns, and a long string of origami cranes hangs from a tree - a common Japanese symbol representing peace. This natural oasis also includes a building that replicates Admiral Togo's study in Japan.

No part of the garden drew me in so completely as the circular pattern etched into a large area of meticulously raked gravel, which I wanted to follow with a rake myself. The garden provides a beautiful and peaceful respite from thoughts of war and everyday life.

Symbol of a Never-Ending Journey

Traveling shows us new ways of living, thinking, and viewing the world. Such is the case with this business card whose logo I chose 4-5 years ago. It took a trip to New Mexico before I learned how appropriate this logo was to my current writing focus.

While visiting Hyatt Regency Tamaya Resort & Spa two falls ago I met the resort's general manager and we traded business cards. I had only recently begun to put a major emphasis on travel writing when he pointed at the spiral in the logo's center and asked, "Did you know this symbol means 'the journey'?" My jaw dropped as I thanked him for the information.

Since that meeting I have seen the spiral many times throughout the Southwest, from Petroglyph National Monument outside of Albuquerque to Enchantment Resort in Sedona's stunning Boynton Canyon. But the most beautiful representation of the spiral I've seen, so far, was in the lobby ceiling at Taos' El Monte Sagrado resort.

The enormous crystal mounted in the center seemed to produce palpable positive energy and I took every opportunity to stand below and gaze at it. And, each time I see another spiral during my travels, it seems to verify that I've chosen the right writing - and life - track.

Black Bean Cornbread - Take II

If you follow this blog regularly, you know my household is making some dietary adjustments because of my husband's recent heart procedure. I wrote my recipe, Black Bean Cornbread with Quick Chile Sauce long before we had to watch salt, sugar, and fat intakes (see 10/24/08 entry). But with leftover cornbread, black beans, and low-fat organic mozzarella on hand, plus a quick grocery run to get canned green chiles, I revised this recipe a bit to make it more heart-healthy.

Black Bean Cornbread - Take II
Makes 5-6 large servings

1 red onion, diced fine
2/3 pan cornbread
1 tablespoon cooking oil
1 can black beans, drained

2, 4-ounce cans diced green chiles
(VOE- Interesting thing about these green chiles versus
the green chile sauce I previously used; 15 ounces of green chile sauce has 15% of the
RDA for salt, while two cans of chiles only has about 6%)

4 sandwich slices of low-fat mozzarella

Saute red onion over medium heat until limp; set aside. Puree green chiles in food processor; set aside. Slice cornbread in half between top and bottom 'crusts.' Place slices in a 9 x 13 baking pan beside each other.

Spread black beans evenly over cornbread and then spread red onion over beans. Spread green chile puree over beans and onion. Top with mozzarella.

Bake at 350 degrees for about half an hour. Garnish with cilantro and serve with stir-fried zucchini.

Four Forks For Chocolate

Tell me about your favorite chocolate dessert. Here's one of mine:

On a cool spring night in Fredericksburg, Texas, we sat down for dinner at Bejas Grill and Cantina, beside the main drag. Earlier in the day customers enjoyed their food on the small patio but, tonight, brilliant hued walls and huge, brightly-colored paintings surrounded us in the packed dining room.

Huge margaritas arrived, icy cold with just the right amount of sweetness and salt rim. Everybody seemed to order something different, from my Portobello and Squash Enchiladas with a light cream sauce to Shrimp & Mango Enchiladas and Chicken Baja Tacos in soft corn tortillas.

Conversation bounced along the walls and hard-surface floor as we pushed back our plates. Because of our upcoming drive home and schedule the following day, nobody requested a to-go box. But several of us ordered - and shared - dessert. As usual, my tastebuds craved something made with cacao; in this case, a decadent Scharffenberger Chocolate Cake.

Moist, dark, spongy and doused in a thick layer of chocolate 'icing,' this cake provided the ultimate end to a thoroughly satisfying meal.

Liquid Avocado II

After my visit to San Antonio last spring, I wrote a post about the dynamite avocado margaritas that we enjoyed at Aldaco's in Sunset Station (see photo above, and post, Liquid Avocado in San Antonio). Almost a year after tasting this unusual cocktail, I created my own version this afternoon. I looked at several recipes online (Aldaco's doesn't share theirs on the web site) and then headed for our kitchen.
Though not a duplicate of the creamy, smooth concoction from Aldaco's, this recipe is definitely worth making again. See what you think:


Lisa's Avocado Margarita
Makes approximately four, 5-ounce servings

2 cups crushed ice, after crushing
1/3 cup fresh lime juice; about 3-4 small limes
1 1/2 medium avocados
1/2 cup tequila
1/4 cup triple sec (or orange brandy)
3-4 teaspoons honey

1/4 lime juice - bottled is fine
1-2 tablespoons chile powder
lime slices, cut in half

Crush ice in food processor or sturdy blender. Juice limes and cut avocado into large chunks. Place all ingredients in blender and combine to create a milkshake consistency. Adjust honey and lime juice to taste.

Pour 1/4 cup lime juice in a wide bottom bowl and chile powder in another wide bottom bowl. Wet top edge of each glass in lime juice and then dip in chile powder so it surrounds the entire rim. Place slice of lime on each rim. ENJOY!