The Beauty of the Stir Fry

As a child, I was hopelessly ignorant to the ease and versatility of stir fry. I would come home from whatever after school activity had kept me occupied until dinner, smell the distinct aroma of sesame oil and groan. How could I have been so blind?

In my wiser, much more mature 20s, stir fry meals have become staples in my weekly menu. How much easier could it get? Vegetables, protein, rice, done! It really is a nutritious way to squeeze all the main food groups into one dish. If you're a chronic stir-fryer, as I am, I highly recommend investing in a good wok - it makes a world of difference when cooking!

Stir fry can also be a very economical way to feed a family. Though it's certainly not my favorite, you can use frozen veggies, white rice and chicken to come up with a low-budget meal that'll keep tummies full.

For me, the best part about stir fry is the sauce! I cheat a bit here and use store-bought sauces, but that's just because they're so good! Trader Joe's has an amazing selection of stir fry and other Asian sauces that make it quick and easy to add flavor and spice. If you like to cook with tofu, you may have trouble with flavoring. I like to cut the tofu into pieces, scatter on a baking sheet and cover them with some of the sauce. Stick that in the over at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes and the tofu will stay firm and flavorful when it gets mixed in with the other ingredients.

You can also vary the type of rice you use based on your specific taste. I prefer brown rice because it gives an almost crunchy texture to the dish. But you can also use plain white rice. If you want to get adventurous, you can explore the worlds of jasmine and basmati rice. Jasmine rice is typically served with Thai food and is more aromatic than regular rice; it also has a stickier consistency. Basmati rice is often used in Indian cuisine and has a different aroma than jasmine, sometimes compared to the smell of popcorn. Any of these choices will liven up your stir fry dish.

Here are a couple of my favorite stir fry combinations:

- Bok choy, bamboo shoots, chicken, Japanese eggplant and Trader Joe's Yellow Curry sauce
- Extra firm tofu, broccoli, sugar snap peas, carrots, bean sprouts and Trader Joe's General Tsao's sauce
- Green beans, beef strips, yellow squash, carrots, zucchini and teriyaki sauce

Still need some inspiration? Try these recipes:
Asian Stir Fry with Spring Peas
Stir Fry Sweet and Sour Egg Strips
Cabbage Stir Fry
Lemon Chicken Stir Fry

Stupid Cupid

Oooooohh how the pressure of Valentine's Day increases as the day approaches. Perhaps that was melodramatic, but the truth is that it's easier for those long-established couples out there. Expectations have been clearly spelled out (usually by the female counterpart) and the respective halves (admittedly a slightly creepy expression for your significant other) understand what they need to do on this forced holiday of romance. Many of the men in just such relationships understand that flowers are NOT an option if they expect an amicable continuation of their girlfriends' affection. (Btw guys, you might want to look into flower meanings before presenting your lady with a bouquet.) When it comes to Valentine's Day, this assurance of romantic gestures is quite comfortable in couples who have been together for some measure of time.

But then there's people like me, floundering on the line of a wonderful yet undefined, even "it's complicated," relationship. In the beginning of such an emotion thing, either the subject of romantic expectations does not come up or neither party wants to scare the other off with such mushy talk. Worse yet, if something is planned, then you will just have spoiled it with talk. Should one celebrate and/or expect presents, and if so, how!? So much pressure. This is where food comes in.

Food is the neutral zone of gift-giving. And, it's my game plan for this Valentine's Day. No, I will not be baking my significant other a giant heart-shaped dessert (adorable, but not right in this situation). Rather, I will go for something understated and classy, like chocolate-covered strawberries. Not to mention strawberries are said to be an aphrodisiac. The message is affectionate, but not over the top. Timing is also essential to my game plan. I am going to present the chocolate goodies a couple days before Valentine's Day, not only taking the pressure off the big day for me, but giving him a couple days to panic about his gesture. *snickers*

Simply Delicious Strawberries in Rich Chocolate
Chocolate-Dipped Fortune Cookies
Chocolate-Covered Truffles
Homemade Chocolate Truffles
Valentine's Sugar Cookies

Edible Valentines

Some things are just better when they are in edible form. Edible jewelry (candy necklaces and ring pops), edible flowers (natural or fruit-shaped), even edible underwear! Most humans enjoy the act of eating and that's why edible valentines are the way to go this year - especially if you go to the grocery store to find the only cards left are for couples married over fifty years and children under the age of seven. Before you break out the Crayolas and construction paper, consider making your sweetheart something he (or she) can gobble down with glee. Here are a couple of my favorites:

Cookie Cutter Valentines
No longer do you have to search for the cookie cutter of your dreams, in these modern times you can make cookies in any shape you can think of, whether it is a baseball mitt or the state of Florida (no joke). Lucky for you, Valentine's Day only requires a simple heart shape that you can find almost anywhere (I particularly like this set of 6 for a measly $10).

The beauty of cookie cutters is that they'll cut through most foods, so you can basically make heart-shaped anything! Try it with sugar cookies, Jell-O, sandwiches or pancakes - the heart-shaped cookie cutter will become your new best friend on February 14. Here are some basic recipes that work well:

Valentine's Sugar Cookies - Decorate with candies, drizzled chocolate or anything else you feel like. You can also make "sandwiches" and put melted chocolate or cream filling in between two cookies.
Valentine Cutouts - Use Jell-O to jiggle your way into their hearts.
Absolute Best Pancakes - Add some fresh strawberries on top for that special Valentine's flair
Sweetheart Sandwich - PB&J, grilled cheese or anything else in sandwich form. A large, heart-shaped cookie cutter makes this an easy way to say "I love you" at lunchtime.

Pizza Valentines
Pizza in the shape of a heart? Why not? With Wilton's Non-Stick Heart-Shaped Springform Pan, it's easy to make your favorite deep dish pizza for Valentine's Day. Use our recipe for Deep Dish Pizza and let the pan put you in the mood. If you really want to spell out your love, write a note to your sweetie in olives, mushrooms or another one of his favorite toppings. If you're lucky enough to live in the Chicagoland area, pizza mogul Lou Malnati's will deliver a heart-shaped pizza to your home!

Ingredients

2 3/4 to 3 1/4 C. all-purpose flour
1 pkg. active dry yeast
1/4 tsp. salt
1 C. warm water (120 degrees-130 degrees)
2 Tbs. cooking oil
3/4 C. chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbs. olive oil, margarine, or butter
1 14 1/2 oz. can tomatoes, cut up
1 8 oz. can tomato sauce
1 bay leaf
1 Tbs. snipped fresh basil or 1 tsp. dried basil, crushed
1 Tbs. snipped fresh oregano or 1 tsp. dried oregano, crushed
1 tsp. fennel seed, crushed (optional)
1/2 tsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 lb. ground beef
1 C. chopped onion
2 medium tomatoes, very thinly sliced
6 slices bacon, cut into 2-inch pieces, crisp-cooked, and drained
3 C. shredded cheddar, American, or Cojack cheese (12 oz.)

Directions

Cook 3/4 C. chopped onion and garlic in 1 Tbs. oil. Stir in tomatoes; tomato sauce; bay leaf; basil; oregano; fennel seed, if desired; sugar; and pepper. Bring to boiling. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 35 to 40 minutes or to desired consistency, stirring occasionally. Discard bay leaf. Meanwhile, in a large bowl combine 1-1/4 C. of the flour, the yeast, and the salt. Add warm water and 2 Tbs. oil. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds, scraping bowl constantly. Beat on high speed for 3 minutes. Using a spoon, stir in as much of the remaining flour as you can.

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead in enough remaining flour to make a moderately stiff dough that is smooth and elastic(6 to 8 minutes total). Divide dough in half. Cover and let rest 10 minutes. Grease two 11- to 13-inch pizza pans or baking sheets. On a lightly floured surface, roll each half of dough into a circle 1 inch larger than pizza pan. Transfer dough to pans. Build up edges slightly. Prick generously with a fork. Do not let rise.

Bake in a 425 degree oven for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned. Meanwhile, in a large skillet cook ground beef and the 1 C. chopped onion until meat is brown and onion is tender. Drain fat. Spread pizza sauce over hot crusts. Sprinkle with ground beef mixture. Top with tomato slices and bacon pieces. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake about 12 minutes more or until cheese melts and sauce is bubbly.

Yield: 8 servings

Pretzel Valentines
If your icing skills aren't up to par and you don't trust yourself enough to write a love note in chocolate, homemade soft pretzels are an adorable (and creative!) way to say, "Be Mine." Simply roll out the pretzel dough into letter shapes before baking and let the pretzels do the talking.

Soft Pretzels
Ingredients

3 1/2 C. all-purpose flour
2 Tbs. sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 package active dry yeast
1 C. water
1 Tbs. margarine
1 Tbs. water
1 egg yolk, beaten
Coarse salt for topping

Directions
Mix 1 C. flour, sugar, salt and undissolved yeast. Heat 1 C. water and margarine to 120 to 130 degrees. Gradually add to dry ingredients; beat 2 minutes at medium speed of mixer. Add 1/2 C. flour. Beat at high speed 2 minutes. Stir in enough additional flour to make a soft dough. On floured board, knead 5 minutes. Set in greased bowl; turn to grease top. Cover and let rise in warm, draft-free place 40 minutes. Divide dough into 12 equal pieces. Roll each into a 20-inch rope. Shape into pretzels or other shapes. Place on greased baking sheets. Cover; let rest 5 minutes. Mix egg yolk and 1 Tbs. water; brush on pretzels. Sprinkle with coarse salt. Bake at 375 degrees 15 minutes or until done. Cool on racks.

Are you a heart-shaped kitchen gadget lover? Check out these goodies:

Heart-Shaped Waffle Iron
Heart-Shaped Chocolate Fondue Set
Heart-Shaped Measuring Cups
Heart-Shaped Ravioli Pasta
Heart-Shaped Pan
Heart-Shaped Cappuccino Stencil
Sweetheart Cookie Pan
Heart-Shaped Melon Baller
Silicone Heart Sheet Mold
Pink Heart-Shaped Ramekins
Mini-Heart Cheesecake Pan
Heart Shaped Frying Pan for Eggs

Meat Gets a Little Fruity

Like the perfect frittata, I find the concept of using fruit in the preparation of meat absolutely brilliant. And perhaps the reason for this might go back to my youth. My sister Ali and I (YES, Ali and Caley rhyme, enjoy it) played an absurd amount of soccer growing up, and thus burned through a staggering amount of calories each day. Sitting down to dinner meant an all-out annihilation of every edible item in sight, including epic battles between sisters over the last dinner roll. To this day I am often accused of eating as though it's going to run away. Over the course of our soccer years, Ali and I had little respect for the division between courses or between side items and main dishes and learned to mix all food together on our plate and in our hungry mouths.

I've certainly slowed down my eating as I've gotten older (I can't say the same for my sister) but will always be a bit nostalgic for that happy, albeit often exhausted time. Bread will still often be incorporated, even lost, in the flavors of the main dish. I will always mix my vegetables into my Macaroni 'n' Cheese. Actually, I suspect that peas are meant to go into Macaroni 'n' Cheese. Don't you agree? To get back to the point of this post though, mixing fruit and meat not only nostalgically reminds me the efficiency eating of my youth, it just plains tastes good. I have hardly ever come across a meat recipe calling for fruit in the preparation that I did not like.
Here are some suggestions for fruity meat:

Chicken
Being the most versatile of meats, chicken adapts well to a variety of fruits, including pears, berries, and even mango. For an elegant meal, serve your chicken with pears poached in red wine.
Chicken Breasts with Pears and Zinfandel
Chicken with Pears
Berry Patch Chicken with Spinach and Garlic Rice
Mango Chicken

Pork
When it comes to pork, my absolute favorite preparation will always be with apples.
Spiced Apple Pork Roast
Pork Loins with Cabbage, Apples and New Potatoes
Apple and Pork Stir Fry with Ginger
Braised Pork Medallion with Apples

Fish and Seafood
A fruit "salsa" is a common way to top off many kinds of fish.
Smoked Whitefish Salad With Avocado and Grapefruit
Grilled Mahi-Mahi with Berry Salsa
Grilled Trout with Apricot Salsa
Jerk Fish with Pineapple Salsa
Easy Citrus Salmon Steaks
Oysters with Tangerine Salsa

You Say Potato, I Say Pel-meni

I'd like to introduce everyone to the little-known love of my life: potato dumplings. If you find it odd that such a plain, unattractive little lump could cause my pulse to race, then you've obviously never had a true Russian potato dumpling. You can find dumplings in some form or another in most cultures: the Chinese have wontons or potstickers, the Jews have kreplach, the Indians have samosas and the Polish of pierogis. But my absolute favorite are Russian dumplings called vareniky. You may have heard of pel-meni, which are technically dumplings filled with meat, but the word is often used to refer to both types.

Ironically, it was not my Russian boyfriend who introduced me to these pockets of potato. Instead, I stumbled upon them while attending the University of Wisconsin-Madison for undergrad. The glorious State Street, which runs through the center of the downtown area, contains a vast array of ethnic and not so ethnic cuisines. And among them all is a tiny hole in the wall called Pel-meni. Tucked in among the chain restaurants and other local eateries, Pel-meni's tiny store-front window (often completed fogged up due to the steamy heat inside and the frigid Madison weather outside) boasts its name in Russian and English letters. Though admittedly sketchy-looking from the outside, I don't think I ever passed by around 2 a.m. when there wasn't a line out the door (and rarely was I not waiting in line as well). Serving up large plates (or to-go boxes) of meat- or potato-stuffed dumplings with your choice of hot sauce, this foreign staple has become a favorite haunt for many.

Sadly, with my college days behind me, I was at a loss for my potato dumpling cravings until my boyfriend's mother found the cure for my hunger pains. She found a women who makes dumplings in her house and sells them in bags of 100 for the obscenely cheap price of $10 per bag. The homemade dough wraps around perfectly seasoned potatoes and with just a few minutes in boiling water, they're ready to eat! After coming out of the water, all they really need is a bit of butter to keep them from sticking. Pel-meni serves their dumplings with a side of sour cream and a slice of dark rye bread and that's just how I like mine! Some people also like to add hot sauce.

I haven't found a Russian woman yet who is willing to give up her secret vareniky recipe, so alas, I cannot share one here. The best I can do is point you in the direction of Madison, Wisconsin (or Juneau, Alaska - they have a restaurant there too. Really.) and tell you to get in line.

While Recipe4Living isn't lucky enough to have stolen any pel-meni or vareniky recipes yet, we do have recipes for some interesting dumplings from other cultures. Want to share you dumpling recipe? Click here.

Cantonese-Style Pork and Shrimp Dumplings
Michaelangelo's Potato Gnocchi
Polish Lazy Dumplings
Wontons
Canedereli Tirolesi (Italian Bread Dumplings)

Soup's Up

I've noticed that a lot of food blogs have been writing about soup lately (I especially enjoyed the Parsnip and Turnip Soup from Barrett of Too Many Chefs). And it seems only fitting - cold weather makes me want to consume hot things. And if you're lucky enough to live in a moderate climate, you probably can't quite grasp what it's like to come inside from 5 degree weather (the low in Chicago this weekend is -12 degrees Fahrenheit). My tea intake has gone through the roof and I find myself choosing dinner menus that involve a satisfying soup. Today was no different. I met my boyfriend for a quick lunch at Go Roma. (For those readers who are not familiar with this restaurant chain, it's basically quality Italian-style food at affordable prices... kind of like a Noodles & Company.) And I know most sophisticated foodie bloggers would look down on this commoner choice for dining, but I love it and I don't think I need to defend that. (I also love the Mac & Cheese at Noodles & Co., but that's beside the point. Perhaps I should work on a acquiring a more sophisticated palate...)

At any rate, my lunch choice was not a difficult one. Go Roma's Tomato Basil soup is one of my absolute favorites. I'm a fan of Tomato Basil soup in general - I just love the creamy yet slightly chunky texture of the tomatoes mixed with bits of fresh basil, especially with a big piece of crusty bread. My previous Tomato Basil obsession was from La Madeleine, which I enjoyed immensely until it went out of business and is no longer in the area.

I have yet to master the Tomato Basil technique in my own kitchen, but for now I have no shame in feeding off of others' excellence. We do have an excellent recipe on the site that is not particularly difficult and will certainly warm a freezing tummy. Go Roma adds a drizzle of basil-infused olive oil on top that really adds to the creamy texture.

Fresh Tomato Basil Soup

Ingredients

4 C. fresh tomatoes, peeled, cored and chopped
4 C. good chicken stock
10 fresh basil leaves
1 C. heavy cream
1/4 lb. unsalted butter
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Combine tomatoes and stock in saucepan. Simmer 30 minutes. Puree, along with the basil leaves, in small batches, in a blender or food processor. Return to saucepan and add cream and butter, while stirring over low heat. Garnish with extra basil leaves and serve with your favorite bread.

Recipe4Living *PHOTO CONTEST*

Max and I, and all the other editors at Recipe4Living.com love our readers. We love that they share their scrumptious recipes for pesto, buffalo wings, peanut butter kisses, and even the occasional squirrel stew. And we love those amusingly saucy responses to our cooking questions posed in the newsletters ("How do you get kids to eat their veggies?" "Easy, threaten to take away their X-box!").

But Recipe4Living has a new apple of its eye: recipe photos! In order to make our growing community cooking site even better and share some love with our wonderful readers, we are holding a Recipe Photo Contest. Dust off your camera and start snapping pictures of your favorite recipes!! The first 100 photo submissions with recipes will receive a $5 Amazon gift card. Use the gift card to purchase Cool Cooking Gadgets or anything else your culinary heart desires. Weekly contest winners will be featured on the Recipe4Living homepage and
will receive a $50 Williams-Sonoma Gift Certificate. Of course, all the wonderful photo submissions will be featured in a special photo gallery on Recipe4Living.com.

So, let's see some photos of Grandma's favorite cookies!

Submit Your Recipe Photos Here!