New Look Auto Body

I wasn't always a lawyer.  Before I went to law school, I worked at a variety of random (some of them were pretty "odd") jobs, for example, washing dishes at a fraternity after lunch every day while I was a freshman in college.  The pay wasn't great but I ate for free, and the French lady I worked with was a great cook.

One summer I worked for Manny Lopez at New Look Auto Body.  I did light body work that mostly consisted of prepping the cars for painting.  I masked them, and went over every inch of the old paint job, filling in chips and scratches with putty and sanding them so they were nice and smooth before going into the paint booth.  Once in a while I did a little auto upholstery.

What does all this have to do with food?  Well the Lopez brothers had built a little hot dog cooker that consisted of a 6-inch piece of 2x4, 2 large (16-penny) nails, and a 3-foot length of electrical cord with a plug at one end.

DON'T LET YOUR CHILDREN READ THIS NEXT PART!!!

You see, the nails were pounded all the way through the wood and out the other side, so that maybe 2 and 1/2 inches of nail was sticking out the other side of the 2x4.  The nails were positioned about 3 inches apart from one another, and the wire end of the electrical cord had been split apart with one wire going to each of the nails.

To cook the hot dog, you set the cooker on the work bench with the nails sticking out the top.  Take a hot dog and, using both hands, stick that hot dog straight down onto those nails, so that each end of the hot dog has a nail going through it.  When you plug in the cord, that hot dog cooks IMMEDIATELY!!!  I mean, as soon as you plug it in, the hot dog sizzles and plumps up -- it is, most definitely, COOKED!!

So, what's the physics of that????  Was the hot dog being electrocuted?  I'm really not sure -- I have a very rudimentary understanding of how electricity works; one of my co-workers in the maintenance department at the student union where I worked as an undergraduate explained it to me like this:  From the plug, the 2 wires have to make a complete circle, but they have to have a "load" in between them, like a light bulb or a fan.  If the hot (the wire carrying the "juice") and cold wires touch each other without a load in between them that's a short circuit (not good - sparks).  In this case, I guess the hot dog is the load.  I sometimes wonder if you put a raw Italian sausage on it, would it get cooked as fast as the hot dog?  If so, that would sure save a lot of time.

I occasionally think about making one of those hot dog cookers; it would be very easy to build.  I never actually follow though with building it though, because my very next thought is always, you know, that's not a very safe thing to have around the house, what with 2 nails sticking out of it, one of them attached to a hot wire.  I mean, you WILL get shocked if you touch the "hot" nail while it's plugged in.  I don't think you'll get cooked like the hot dog... but... still not a good idea.

I suppose I could build it, do my Italian sausage experiment, then take it apart really fast, destroying any evidence of its existence, including the sausage which I'm quite certain would disappear quickly.  I'll let you know if I ever get around to it.   :-)

And I promise, my next post will be about something really yummy you can cook right now that doesn't involve nails or the possibility of getting shocked by your cooking apparatus!

Later....

I had a request to include a picture of the Lopez Bros. hot dog cooker, which, as you know does not, and may never exist, at least not in my world.  Which means, if I were to include a picture of this apparatus, it would have to be some kind of drawing.  So, here is the pencil sketch I put together:

Apple Pie "AJ"

I was so excited about the green chile harvest a few weeks ago, that I decided to make a green chile quiche, a dish that I "invented" (I only say that because I've never seen it on a menu).  So, in anticipation of making my quiche, I bought a pack of whole wheat pie crusts and brought them home.  Of course, the sight of pie crusts prompted the inevitable, and VERY excited question "Are you making a pie???????"  And me being the pushover foodie cook that I am replied "Well, there are 2 pie crusts in the pack... I guess I could make quiche and pie... and I do have a couple days off since it's the weekend..."  In short, there really wasn't any reason not to make pie...

But the quiche came first!  It was really good.  I got some mild green chiles that had been roasted at the store, so it was real easy to peel them and chop them up, although I didn't get to smell that wonderful fall fragrance of the green chilies roasting at home...  We decided to add some cooked and seasoned ground meat to the quiche to make it a little more heartier, added shredded jalapeno pepper jack for the cheese, and cooked it all together with the eggs and milk.  Avocado salsa from Food City was the perfect topper!!

If you want to try making quiche, don't forget to cook the pie crust for about 10 minutes before you fill it.  I don't know why, that's just the way the French lady that I worked with at the fraternity a gazillion years ago taught me.. although it was actually quiche lorraine that she showed me how to make (ham, bacon, swiss cheese, eggs, milk).

Enough about the quiche already, I thought this post was about apple pie!

APPLE PIE "AJ":

This recipe is from the all-time classic "Joy of Cooking".

Heat your oven to 450 degrees.

Get your pie crust together, you'll need 2: a top and a bottom crust.  I had to make a little bit of pie crust for the top because, as you know, I used the other pie crust for the quiche.  Here's the ingredients for one pie crust:

2 cups AP flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup chilled butter
5 tablespoon water
(mix the flour and salt; cut in the butter; add enough water so the dough holds together into a ball)

Filling:

Peel, core and slice 6 cups of apples.
(to keep the apples from turning brown, put the sliced apples in water that has a little bit of lemon juice added to it, until you are ready to use them)

Combine the following and then add to the apples, mixing it in until the apples are coated:
1/2 to 3/4 cup white or brown sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 to 1 and 1/2 tablespoon cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Put the apples into the pie crust, then dot them with 1 and 1/2 tablespoon butter.  Brush the edge of the bottom crust with raw egg.

Roll out your top crust, and put it on top of the apples.  Trim the edges so it's a nice circle, and seal the top and bottom crusts by pinching them together.  Poke holes in the top crust, brush it with raw egg, and sprinkle sugar over the top to make it sparkle!!!  You can use the leftover pie dough to cut shapes like flowers and leaves to decorate the top of the pie, so pretty!!  Or you can cut the top crust into thin strips and make the basketweave design by laying half the strips across the top in one direction, then peeling back every other strip to weave in the cross strips.  Finally, use strips of dough to form an A and a J!!!!   hahahaha!!!

Cook the pie at 450 degrees for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat to 350 degrees and cook 35 to 45 minutes more (45 minutes to one hour total cooking time).  You'll know when it's done, it will smell sooooo good!!!

The Paleo Diet and other thoughts about eating...

There are SOOOOOO many diets out there for every purpose, and for every person: Atkins diet, cabbage soup diet, Buddhist diet, cookie diet, detox diet, gluten-free diet, grapefruit diet, halal and kosher diets, juice diet, organic, macrobiotic, vegan..... I could go on and on for days.  Some of these diets are meant to be followed for a short amount of time, and others are designed as a permanent lifestyle.  So my question is, is there a single diet that is best for every human?

The first answer that comes into my mind is "No."  I say that because some people get seriously ill when they eat, for example, gluten, or peanuts, or shellfish, while many others eat as much as they want of these foods and suffer no ill effects whatsoever.  So how can experts promote a "healthy diet" when our individual systems are so different from one another?

The Paleo Diet is based on what we believe our hunter-gather ancestors would have eaten: lean meats, seafood, vegetables, fruits, and nuts.  Those who promote a lifestyle that includes the Paleo diet claim that if a person follows this diet, that person can expect to be naturally lean, have acne-free skin, improved athletic performance, and relief from numerous ailments such as cancer, obesity, diabetes, arthritis, gastrointestinal diseases, and so on.  Folks that follow a Paleo diet avoid all dairy foods, all grains (including oats, wheat, corn, rice, barley), beans and peanuts, and starchy, salty, fatty, and sugary foods.  See a sample list of Paleo foods at http://altmed.creighton.edu/Paleodiet/Foodlist.html

Dr. Vance Inouye, N.M.D., promotes an extreme low-carb lifestyle in which fruits are also avoided, although I believe he allows dairy foods and peanuts to be eaten.  I must say I felt good when I followed this diet, I just couldn't see giving up fruits forever, I love them too much.

So, how much are we willing to give up for the sake of perfect health?  And is there even such a thing as perfect health?  Is there a middle ground?

One thing that both of these approaches have in common is the avoidance of foods such as donuts, pastries, croissants, cakes, cookies, muffins -- foods that most of us agree are really not good for us.  In fact, most processed foods in general are avoided.

So, what is left if we avoid processed foods and anything from the bakery?  Well, lots, if you are blessed to have access to a full service grocery store that includes a fresh produce department and a fresh meat department (and I don't mean a deli!)

With a little know-how and imagination, you can turn raw, fresh meats and produce into yummy, mouth-watering dishes such as the seafood stew pictured above... ummmm ...  I didn't make it!!!  But it still looks delicious!!  (It's from the "Paleolithic diet" page of Wikipedia!)  And you don't have to slave all day in the kitchen either, but you do have to think about food, what you are eating and what you are feeding your loved ones.

So get out your knife, cutting board, frying pan, and a few spices, and start cooking!  And I don't mean semi-homemade!  Sorry Sandra Lee, processed shortcuts are not necessary!!  And please, enjoy some crunchy apples, sweet, juicy strawberries, carrots and celery sticks along the way!

Holla!!!

eating Diner-style at home

Grilled sandwiches, meatloaf and mashed potatoes, open face brisket with gravy, reubens, chili cheese fries, pickles and cole slaw, blueberry pancakes, waffles, eggs benedict, french toast, corn beef hash with poached eggs.... mmmmmm it all sounds so good!  You know you can save a lot of money making this stuff at home, and most of these dishes come together pretty quick.  I mean, even going out for burgers gets to be expensive!  So let me hook you up with a true diner classic, the patty melt.  This sandwich is an all-time diner favorite, and they are truly delicious!!!

PATTY MELT:
burger patty (1/3 to 1/2 lb.)
rye bread (2 slices)
cheese (2 slices)
onions sliced thin (1/2 onion)
butter and olive oil
condiment of choice: thousand island dressing, mustard, ketchup etc.

You'll need 3 pans for this dish, or a flat top grill and a spatula.  Break up the sliced onions so you have strips of onion.  Put a little olive oil in one pan and add the onions.  Saute them with salt, pepper, and garlic powder, allowing them to cook slowly so they don't get brown too fast.

In another pan, start cooking the burger patty which has been seasoned with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.  Don't forget to flip it!

When the onions are almost done, and the burger is about 1/2 done, put some butter in the third pan and melt it.  It should be enough butter to cover the bottom of the pan.  Put the 2 slices of rye bread on top of the melted butter, and the cheese slices on top of the bread.  Now you can add condiments on top of the cheese.  In a couple minutes, the bread will be grilled, the cheese will be melted, the burger and onions will be cooked.

Now put the cooked burger on one of the grilled bread, and put the grilled onions on top of the other grilled bread.  It should be a nice generous layer of grilled onions.  Now close up the sandwich and cut it in half.  Yummy yummy yummy!!!!!

Venice CA

We passed this large group of grown men in bathing suits playing rugby on the beach at Santa Monica, when we heard a woman behind us saying: "I wonder if they're gay or straight because I don't want to waste my desire on them if not."

That was random....

We left Tempe just after 2 p.m. on Saturday afternoon.  we weren't even out of Phoenix yet when we received a sad reminder of how it sometimes turns out.. http://www.abc15.com/dpp/news/region_phoenix_metro/central_phoenix/i-10-in-phoenix-closed-for-serious-crash   The driver of the minivan was still in her car when we drove by it.

Anyways, we had loaded up on standard road trip fare for the ride to Cali -- gummi bears, beef jerky, sour worms, gatorade.  I don't know what it is about driving that makes me want to eat gummi bears...  We stopped for burgers at a Carls Jr. somewhere around Coachella/Palm Springs, which were DELICIOUS, even without the bun!  And yes, I got yelled at for disrespecting a CJ burger by pulling the bun off it....

Sunday we walked all the way from the Venice boardwalk to the Santa Monica pier (and back).  I bought a cup of fresh fruit so big it would more properly be described as a BUCKET of fruit!  It was huge!!  And delicious, even without the chile and lime!  Which proves that you really can get something healthy to eat at the Venice boardwalk!

Later we ate yummy Japanese food at Mishima, 8474 W 3rd St Ste 108, Los Angeles, CA 90048, (323) 782-0181.  We had so much food; steamed spinach with sesame, deep fried shishito peppers, yaki-imo, karaage, tempura, California rolls, gyoza, curry.....  If you like Japanese food, you should go to Mishima because they are celebrating their 20th anniversary by returning to 1990 prices!!  it's a pretty good deal!!!

So, in honor of Japanese cuisine everywhere, here's a very common dish that my mom (Muzz) actually taught me:

KARAAGE (ka-RAH-geh), "Japanese Style Fried Chicken":

Muzz makes it with just 3 ingredients: chicken, soy sauce, and corn starch.  I've added a few more flavors, but you can still go back to the basics and just make it with soy sauce.

Boneless, skinless chicken (1 lb.?)
Soy sauce, sesame oil, chile flakes, black pepper, etc.
Corn starch (1/2 cup?)
Oil for frying

Cut the chicken into approximately 2-inch pieces, about the size of a chicken tender cut in half (don't forget to remove the tendon).  I like thighs, but some eaters have expressed they like the white meat better.  You can get 3-4 pieces out of each thigh.

Put the chicken in a bowl and coat it with soy sauce.  Add sesame oil, red chile flakes, black pepper, etc. if you like.

Heat some oil in the pan.  I believe the original recipe may call for deep frying, but you can also cook these one side at a time by just putting enough oil to cover the bottom of the pan, like a little puddle.

Stir the corn starch into the chicken just before you cook it.  Carefully place the chicken in the oil one piece at a time, and turn them a couple times till they're done.  Drain on a rack.  Serve karaage with rice and some veggies.  Enjoy!!!!!

Another kind of breakfast..

Look at me trying to be a food stylist hahahaha!!!

I know there's lots of people who don't want to eat pancakes, eggs, sausage and bacon for breakfast.  So here's another option, or maybe even a yummy beverage to enjoy with your eggs and bacon...

FRESH FRUIT SMOOTHIE WITH YOGURT:

You can use almost any kind of fruit to make these smoothies:
classic strawberry and banana..
strawberry, blueberry, and banana..
bananas and grapes..
apples..
peaches (pictured above - Safeway had these fat juicy peaches this week)..
blackberries - might be my favorite because it turns the smoothie the most beautiful deep purple color.. (hmmmmm..I might have to make a blackberry run up to Oak Creek Canyon to find Lisa M.'s secret blackberry patch..)  ;-)
Bananas always make the smoothie nice and creamy.

Put about 1 and 1/2 to 2 cups of fruit in the blender.
Add about 1/2 cup of plain or vanilla yogurt (vanilla yogurt makes it sweeter).
Then you need to add some liquid almost to the top of the fruit, such as, soy milk, milk, or juice.
If you want to make it even sweeter, add some honey, sugar, or condensed milk - that stuff is VERY sweet.

Then blend it all up till it's smooth like a smoothie!!  When you drink it, you'll feel that cool goodness going all the way into your stomach!!!  Mmmmmmmm!!!!

El Tricolor

El Tricolor ("el tree-co-LOR"): The three colors of the Mexican flag.  Nuff said.

BEEF TACOS, PICADILLO:
Chop the veggies and put them in the pan with a little oil and start sauteing them:
onion (1/2)
green pepper (1/2) (yeah, that's red pepper in the picture too!)
jalapeno (1) (optional)
garlic (2 or more cloves)
tomato (1/2)
green olives (10 or 12)

Add some seasonings that you think would taste good in the tacos, such as:
salt
pepper
red chile
chile flakes
cumin
garlic powder
oregano (tiny bit)
bay leaf

When the veggies are soft, add:
1 lb. of ground meat

Keep cooking until the meat is done, mixing it in with the vegetables as it cooks.  You may need to add more seasonings.

While the meat is cooking, you need to warm some corn and/or flour tortillas on the comal.  You'll have enough meat for at least 8 or 10 tacos.  This is how you warm up 2 tortillas at once:
Put 2 tortillas on the comal, one on top of the other.  Flip them both over, then flip over just the top tortilla.  Flip them both over, then flip over just the top tortilla.  Flip them both over, then flip over just the top tortilla.  Repeat until both tortillas are nice and hot!

Whatever else you put in your tacos is up to you.  Tonight, we added lettuce, tomato and sour cream.... mmmmm they were good!!!  Food City has this awesome avocado salsa that is the best salsa EVER!!! I totally would have put avocado salsa on my taco if I had some!  Another good option would be pico de gallo, or "salsa cruda" (chopped raw veggies: tomatoes, onions, jalapenos, cilantro, lemon juice, salt).  Or the classic chopped onion, cilantro, cabbage, lime, and tomatillo salsa... that sounds good too!

Enjoy your tacos and don't forget to share them with someone you love.  Andale!!!

Twins!!!

It doesn't happen very often, so imagine my surprise when the first egg I cracked this morning slid out of its shell with 2 yolks!!  Good thing I had the presence of mind at 6 a.m. to snap this picture.  Ok, ok, I'm obsessed with taking pictures!  And it's a good thing I did because I have found out since then that there are people I know who have never seen an egg with 2 yolks!  Anyways, it's for real.  It's not fake.  I even cracked his carton-mate into the bowl next to the twins so you could see the size of the single-yolk egg.  So cute!

SAUSAGE AND EGG BURRITO:

breakfast sausage (2)
eggs (2) (3 if it's twins hahah!)
flour tortilla(1)

Heat your comal and put the tortilla on it to get it warm on both sides.  You'll need to flip it over a couple times while your eggs and sausages are cooking.  If you don't have a comal, just use a flattop or a large frying pan.  I am currently using a large cast iron skillet because my comal got rusty and I had to throw it away.

Heat an egg pan and put the sausages in it.  I used Farmer John breakfast links which are easy to work with because they have no casing and you can smash it up with your spatula.  That makes it cook faster plus you need to chop the sausage up anyways to put it in the burrito.

Crack the eggs into a bowl and stir them up real fast with a fork so the white and yolk are mixed together.  Add some salt, pepper, and anything else you like such as, red chile powder, chile flakes, hot sauce, etc.

When the sausages are brown pour the eggs into the pan with the sausage and scramble the eggs in with the sausage.  When the eggs are cooked (i.e., not runny any more) turn off the heat.  Put the tortilla on a plate and put the eggs/sausage on top of the tortilla.  Roll the tortilla around the eggs and sausage, folding one (or both) end in so the filling doesn't fall out.  Now eat it!!!

So, why does grease jump out of the pan???  That is so annoying.  When it's not burning you, it's still making a huge mess all over the stove and even down onto the floor!  I'm sure there is a scientific explanation for it and maybe someday I'll even discover it.  In the meantime I have to keep cleaning it up....

Another blog about food Hahahahaha!!!

I wanted to write, and I've been asked to write, but the topic of my writing was always left open.  Although I felt some obligation to write about some "legal issue" it wasn't hard for me to answer the question "What do I really care about, what am I really passionate about (aside from my loved ones)?" 

The answer was easy:  FOOD!!!!!!!

So here it is, another food blog!  I don't know who, if anyone, will read this hahaha!  In it I hope to discuss... food(!), what I'm cooking, what I'm eating, (what I'm watching on food network), along with recipes and methods, and general thoughts about food.

So here is just what the world needed... another blog about food.  My  next post will definitely be about FOOD!!!   :-)