Pesto and Tomato Penne

Now that I've shared my pesto recipe, it seems only fitting that I share a pasta dish that uses it.  This is a quick and easy dish we put together after a long day of classes.

You will need:

1 cup uncooked penne pasta
1 Roma tomato OR 4-5 cherry tomatoes
2 tablespoons of pesto sauce

Cook penne in salted water.  Drain water.

Chop Roma tomatoes into small, bite-sized pieces or cherry tomatoes in half.  In the same pot you cooked the pasta in, place pasta and tomatoes.  Cook over a medium-low heat for a few minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add pesto and stir to coat pasta.  Let simmer for a few minutes.

Serve with a little grated Parmesan cheese and glass of wine.

- The Pink One

Pesto

We love the local farmers' market.  Even though The Olive and Yellow Ones have been nurturing tomatoes, squash, and herbs all summer, sometimes you need more of one thing than the garden can provide at once.  This weekend one of the deals I spotted at the market was on basil.  This huge bag of basil for only $4.  I decided it was time to make another huge batch of basil pesto and to share the recipe with you.

Pesto is one of those things you have to make partially by site, as the amount of liquid in the basil can vary.  Here is my general recipe.  I also adjust depending on how much basil I have available.

You will need:

1/3 cup pine nuts, toasted (see instructions below)
2 cups fresh basil leaves (pack it down into the measuring cup)
1/2 cup fresh Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup olive oil
4-5 cloves garlic, chopped
Pinch of salt and pepper 

Start by toasting the pine nuts.  Place a non-stick pan on the stove top and pour pine nuts in.  Toast on a medium-low level. Stir nuts frequently.  Keep a sharp eye and nose on the pine nuts.  Due to their oil content they can go from nicely toasted to burnt to a crisp in no time flat.  As soon as the nuts reach toasty goodness, remove from heat and set aside to cool down.  If you burn them, throw them away and start again.

Untoasted.

Toasted.

In a food processor or blender, place basil, pine nuts, Parmesan cheese, garlic, and salt and pepper.  Pour about half of the olive oil in and pulse, making sure all of the basil leaves and pieces of garlic are being processed.  Keep blending and add enough olive oil to make the mixture the consistency of a thick, oily paste.  The amount of oil needed can vary, but I typically try to add the least amount needed.

If you are making a large batch like I did, you will need to add the leaves in batches.  Get all of the other ingredients in with the first batch (minus half of the olive oil) to insure they are properly processed.  Add the remaining basil in small batches, adding oil as needed.

Store in an air-tight container in the fridge.  It will keep well for about 3-4 weeks. You can also freeze the pesto sauce.  There will be some browning of the top layer either way.  This will not affect the taste of the pesto, but place a piece of clingfilm directly on top of the pesto to prevent air from getting to it if you are concerned.  

Enjoy in your favorite pasta dish or try it on some fish or chicken.  Click here for a favorite quick pasta dish.

-  The Pink One

Hawaiian Inspired Chicken and Veggies in a Slow Cooker

School is back in session and with it comes long, tiring days that makes cooking an unsavory task when I get home.  We at the Guv'nah invested in a slow cooker last semester and tried out a few recipes.  We'll share some more with you as the weather gets colder, but this first one is one that works all year long.  Its light, tangy taste from the pineapple makes it great for spring and early summer.  But its warmth is a welcome treat on a cold winter's day.

You will need:

4-6 chicken breasts, cut into large strips
1 cup teriyaki sauce
1 large red onion, cut into large chunks
5-6 gloves of garlic, minced
1 medium bag of baby carrots
2 large cans of pineapple chunks, with liquid
2-3 red or orange peppers, cut into large chunks (optional)

Begin by preparing your chicken.  Cut off any unwanted fat.  Cut chicken breasts into large chunks, paring each breast into 3-4 pieces.  Place chicken and teriyaki sauce in medium to large slow cooker.  Set to low setting and place lid on the crock while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.

Prepare the vegetables as stated above and place in crock.  When placing pineapple in the crockpot, pour in the liquid as well.

Cook on low for 7 hours.   You can cook on high for 4 hours, but let chicken marinate in the teriyaki for about 30 minutes before you start cooking.

Serve on rice or with chunks of Hawaiian bread.

- The Pink One

Homemade Mozzarella

I'm not sure if you know this, but cheese is awesome.  Can you imagine a world without cheese?  Whoa, now, don't actually imagine the world without cheese.  Sounds nightmarish.

Cheesemaking is an art beyond most of our means and capabilities, mine included.  But mozzarella is the one type of cheese that  just about any body who knows their way around a kitchen can make.  It can also be more cost effective for those who use it on a regular basis.  You can make one batch of homemade mozzarella for about $5; to buy the same amount in the store you'd have to shell out $10-15.

I have included both an ingredient and hardware list for this recipe.  This one takes quite a few instruments, so be sure to read through this a few times and gather supplies before you start.  Some ingredients, such as the citric acid and rennet, may be hard to come by in your area.  Try the local health food store, but I ended up ordering online.

You will need:

Ingredients:

1 gallon whole milk

1 ½ tsp citric acid

¼ tsp rennet

1 tsp salt

Equipment:

Large pot with lid – enough for 1 gallon plus a few inches to allow for stirring

Cooking thermometer

Slotted spoon

Long knife

Colander or strainer with a fine mesh (preferred) or cheesecloth

Microwave

Microwave safe bowl

Large bowl filled with ice water

Start by dissolving the citric acid and rennet.  In ½ cup cool water, dissolve citric acid.  In ¼ cup water, dissolve the rennet.  Stir to make sure to make sure all particles are evenly distributed.

Pictured: not a homogeneous solution.  Keep stirring. 

Pour milk into the large pot.  With the slotted spoon, slowly stir in dissolved citric acid.  Over a low-medium heat, slowly heat the milk to 90 F.  Remove from heat and gently stir in dissolved rennet for about 30 seconds.   Put on lid and let sit for at least 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes, check on the curd.  The curds should have separated from the whey, with the curd forming on top into a thick custard consistency and the whey settling underneath in the form of a clear, yellowish liquid.   If the curd is more like watery cottage cheese, let it sit a little longer. 

The curd will break up once you start stirring.

Using a long knife, cut the curd into 1 inch chunks, forming a grid.  Over a low-medium heat, slowly stir the curd with the slotted spoon.   Heat to 105 F, remove from heat, and slowly stir for another 5 minutes.

At this point, your friend's Garfield-esque cat will wander into the kitchen.  Don't worry; he just wants attention.  Give him some and then shoo him away from the kitchen so you don't accidentally step on him in the following steps.

 I just want loves!  And maybe some lasagna.

Drain curds and whey into the fine meshed colander or colander lined with cheesecloth.  Remove as much of the liquid whey as possible.  A fine meshed colander is preferred over the cheesecloth as less curd will be lost in the draining process.

It's going to smell a little...funky.

In a microwave safe bowl, heat the curds for 1 minute on high.  Drain off the whey again as more will form.  Knead in salt.  Heat the curd again for 30 seconds.  Drain any more fluid.

Turn out onto a flat surface and knead.  The curd will be hot at first, so start with caution.  Knead until stretchy and shiny. 

Form into desired shape (large ball or log, smaller balls, etc.).  Place into ice water for at least 30 minutes.  This helps the mozzarella keep its shape and shiny look.  Let dry and wrap in cling film.  Keep refrigerated.  Should stay good for about two weeks.

This batch came out a little lumpy, but was still delicious. 

This mozzarella is excellent in salads, on pizza, or as part of a snack.  It does not shred very well, so keep that in mind.  You can also add other ingredients, such as basil or minced garlic, to make it more flavorful.  If you want to try this, add some along with the salt.

- The Pink One

Peppermint Tea

Let's face it.  It's been a really freaking hot summer.  Too hot for coffee, but I still need my caffeine.  And sometimes iced coffee is way too much work.  I typically turn to iced tea in the summer, because I can make it by the pitcher and it takes minimal effort.  Adding a bit of peppermint makes this summer classic extra refreshing.

You will need:

3-4 cups water, brought to boil and slightly cooled
3-4 black tea bags
1 peppermint tea bag
1 pitcher approx. 3 quarts

Place tea bags into the pitcher.  Slowly pour in boiled water.  Let steep for approximately 20 minutes.  Remove tea bags.  Fill pitcher the rest of the way with water and ice.  Keep in the refrigerator.

It's that easy.  Enjoy this cooling summer treat!

- The Pink One

Keep Calm

There is more to surviving graduate school than making yummy food and fighting off bats.  The yummy good helps brings friends together and make the bad days bearable.  And the fighting of bats makes for a great tale to make your cohort laugh the next day.  But there will always be situations, in grad school and out in the real world, that come without warning.  Situations like this:

Last week, somebody broke into my car.  Now, in the grand scheme of sudden, unwanted situations, this rates about a 6 out of 10 on my personal scale.  High enough to cause you monetary problems and take time out of your week, but no where near a death.

It probably helped that I had a friend with  me the whole time, helping me take care of things, like finding the non-emergency police number and a repair shop, while I cleaned up.  But I felt surprisingly calm the whole time.  No real feelings of anger, no need to cry, just a need to get it taken care of quickly so I could return to life as usual.

Keeping calm is probably one of the best pieces of advice you can ever try to live by.  Panicking, crying, throwing a tantrum; none of it would have gotten me anywhere.  It rarely does.  Keeping a cool head, planning my next move, and surrounding myself with people who know what they're doing gets my way further.

So it sucked, but I got to move on to the fun part much quicker.  You know, the part when you get to tell all your friends about how your car got broken in to and all the asshole took was the power cord to your GPS.  But left the actual GPS on and by the seat.  Or how the neighbor gave advice so unhelpful you thought he was quoting Captain Hindsight from South Park.  Or write a blog about what a great teaching moment it was....

- The Pink One

The Battle of the Bat

It's finally summer time in this college town.  A lighter course-load, plenty of sunshine, and day-drinking has become much more socially acceptable.  And all the undergrads are gone.  But something else has taken their place.  Nature.  Freaking Nature.  How did I know this invasion was occurring?  I found a bat in our kitchen the other night.  A fraking bat!  I was too busy freaking out and running away to take a picture, but it looked something like this:

But larger.  And with much bigger fangs.

So I did what any other grown woman in my situation would have done.  Screamed like a little girl, ran back to my room, and and slammed the door shut in case he was following me.  After my moment of panic I formulated my plan of attach.  Call for The Sleepy One's help.  He happened to be staying over for the night and surely I could appeal to his sense of masculine pride to protect us from the vicious demon-spawn camped out on the kitchen counter.  But alas, The Sleepy One was already asleep.  Go figure.  But so was The Olive One and The Yellow One wasn't home.

I was on my own.

What was I to do?  No way was I just going to let that thing fly around The Guv'nah all night, eating our clementines, pooping on our dinning room table, going through our DVDs. Action had to be taken.  So I grab my spare blanket, cover my head and neck, and slowly walk backing into the dinning room.  I turn on the light, ready to duck and cover, but the little bastard is no where to be seen. I slowly creep into the room and peak into the kitchen.  Still no sign.  I turn around and OMG IT'S HANGING FROM THE BASEMENT DOOR-FRAME!  

Before now, I never thought I'd be this afraid of bats.  That whole bit from Batman Begins where Bruce Wayne is all "I want a symbol that will strike fear in the hearts of my enemies" always gave me a laugh because of all the fearsome creatures you could pick, you chose a small, squeaky, flying rat.  Really?  But after seeing one up close and swooping around our kitchen, I have to give it up to Wayne.  Well done.

While I'm having my second freak-out, Batty is calming hanging upside down from the door-frame, plotting his revenge for those who have disturbed his sleep.  I step back into the kitchen, open up the backdoor in hopes of driving it out there, and start looking for weapons.  A girl has to defend herself.  Everything I see is either too sharp and pointy or will severely damage the walls.  My only viable option: a baking sheet.  Yes, I am a walking stereotype.

Pictured: My sword and armor.

After a few practice swings I slowly creep towards my new best friend.  My best hope is to smash it with the baking sheet, but realistically I know its not going to sit still long enough.  Sure enough I was right and it flies away before my blow lands.  The battle is on.

There I am, a grown woman with a blanket around my neck and shoulders, swinging a baking sheet around the dining room trying to get a bat to swoop out the back.  In my pajamas, no less.  But I figure that if saving the world in PJs is good enough for Arthur Dent and The Doctor, they're good enough to save The Guv'nah in.

The bat swoops around the dinning room a few times and then lands back in the kitchen.  One step closer.  I swat at it again and raise my baking sheet like a sad, sad little shield.  It swoops around the kitchen once, twice, thrice.  And then out the back door.  I rush forward, slam the door, and lock it for good measure.  

Way easier than I though it'd be.  Kind of anti-climatic really.  But hey, no trip to the hospital for a rabies shot.  So that's a plus.

So fly away, little bat, and tell all your disease-ridden batty friends that no bat is welcome in The Guv'nah.  Well, unless he looks like Christian Bale.