A Farewell to Tyler - Spicy Chicken Coconut Curry

Hi everyone. My name is Joanne and I have been a cainophobe for 22 years, 9 months, and 5 days.

Step 1 to recovery: Admit that you have a problem.

Step 2 to recovery: Define cainophobe so that your readers don't think that you have contracted some disease that is endemic to the third world or have come down with some rare recessive genetic disorder that for some reason has only manifested itself now.

Cainophobia - fear of change.

Step 3 to recovery - Talk about your problem. At length. In excruciating detail. To anyone who will listen. No, really, it will help.

Tyler Florence Fridays was one of the first blog events I ever participated in. I think I first saw it on Sidewalk Shoes, which I had both secretly (pre-blog) and publicly (post-blog) been reading religiously for a few months. Being a huge Food Network fan, I of course knew who Tyler was (my roommate and I commonly referred to him as "the cute one" when we rehashed our most and least favorite FN stars over dinner at least once every two weeks) and had a great admiration for his recipes.

And so less than a month into blogging, even though my pictures were terrible and my cooking skills were mediocre at best, I decided to enter into the world of the TFF-ers. And boy am I glad I did. Doing so has introduced me to some of my favorite bloggers out there (Donna, Reeni, Natashya, Deb, Kim, Megan and all the rest of you out there - I would list you all but I fear that readers today have about a 6-name attention span), who inspire me to become a better cook on a daily basis. It has also spurred me to do some crazy things in the kitchen. Like bake pies. And make gnocchi. And attempt to cook dinner for my parents. And for that I am eternally grateful.

Then, just a few weeks ago, in the midst of my obliviousness, it was brought to my attention that TFF had a set end date, and that that set end date was only 3 weeks away. Needless to say, I was traumatized. I lay in bed, comatose, for about a week. Listening to emo and declaring to whoever would listen that the world was probably going to end on October 30th. I ate chocolate and refused to wash my hair or put on make-up.

It was rough.

But eventually, I realized that all the while I was doing this, time was passing uncontrollably. And I had not given even the slightest bit of thought to what recipe I was going to contribute to last round-up.

And the only thing more tragic than there being a last round-up would be for there to be a last round-up and then for me to not participate in it.

So I looked at my master list of Tyler recipes that I still want to make.

And ruminated.

Every week when I am first starting to menu plan (I go grocery shopping on Wednesdays. Menu planning for the next week begins on Thursday morning, as soon as I wake up) I tell myself that this is the week I will make Indian food. And every week, it gets pushed aside.

Not anymore.

For my final TFF entry, I decided to make Tyler's Spicy Chicken Coconut Curry. It was filled with incredible amounts of flavor and satisfied my constant craving for Indian food. The only things I changed were to use chicken thighs instead of breasts and to add in some bell pepper and some cauliflower.

And with that, I bid adieu to Tyler Florence Fridays. It was good while it lasted. And I will always look back on these times. And salivate. With a smile on my face.
So just some random things before I give you the recipe.

Happy (almost) Halloween to everyone! Yes, I am dressing up. Yes, my costume is both homemade and food related.

The medical school is having a party tonight and it is going to be insane. There will be pictures. I swear.

Also, the NY marathon is this weekend! And I am running the last 10 miles of it with my friend Alan! It's gonna be fun...

Finally, I want to thank SEDenufood for lavishing me with 4 beautiful awards (the Kreativ Blogger, One Lovely Blog, Yum-Yum Blog, and This Blog Was Awarded A Giant Bear Hug awards) and Nat of Girls Are Made Of for the Kreativ Blogger Award. You guys are awesome! I will pass them on in my next entry since I am running late and need to get ready for class!
Spicy Chicken Coconut Curry
Serves 4, adapted from Tyler Florence

• 2 tablespoons butter
  
• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 1-inch piece ginger, peeled and finely chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 tablespoons garam masala
  
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2 dried red chiles
  
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 (15-ounce) cans lite coconut milk
  
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 4 tomatoes, seeded and chopped
• 1 1/2 lb chicken thighs
  
• 1/4 cup cilantro leaves, plus more for garnish
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 1 red bell pepper
• 1 huge head cauliflower

Preheat the oven to 425. Spread the cauliflower out on a baking sheet and roast for 15 minutes.

Heat the butter in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium-low heat. Add the onions, ginger, and garlic and cook slowly until the onions are very soft, about 15 minutes. Add the tomato paste, curry powder, cinnamon stick, and chiles and give it a good stir; season with salt and pepper. Pour in the coconut milk and chicken stock and bring it back to a simmer; cook until the sauce has thickened, about 20 minutes, adding in the chopped red pepper about halfway through. Add the tomatoes, chicken, cilantro, and half the lemon juice; continue to simmer until the chicken is cooked through, about 10 to 15 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning with lemon juice, salt and pepper. Serve over the cauliflower and brown rice.

Warm Kabocha and Chickpea Salad with Tahini Dressing

I have noticed around the blogger world that many people are posting 12 cookie recipes for the 12 weeks of Christmas.

Here at Eats Well With Others, we are doing a similar feature called the 12 Pounds of Winter Squash. Which may be followed up by How Joanne OD'ed on Vitamin A. Stay tuned.
How awesome would it be though if I could churn out 12 winter squash recipes before Christmas? I think I smell a challenge coming on...

So see those two squash up there? Those are actually pounds 1 through 3. Back when all of this was still new. I was still invigorated and had mass amounts of endorphins flowing through my body at the mere mention of winter squash.

Who am I kidding? I still click on every winter squash recipe that pops up in my Google Reader. And bookmark it. And then proceed to play the Black Eyed Peas song, I Got A Feeling, and dance around my room.
This recipe was actually one that made its rounds in the Blogosphere last year. I fell in love with it then. But only got around to making it now. Talk about lag time. I saw it on A Veggie Venture, Closet Cooking, and Everybody Likes Sandwiches. They saw it on Smitten Kitchen and/or Orangette, who adapted it from the cookbook Casa Moro. It was kind of like a game of telephone so who really knows if it in any way mimics the original. It would be kind of fun to see the original recipe, however, and compare. Note to self - get on Amazon.com and buy that cookbook.

Second note to self - this is why I should not be left to my own devices with internet access AND a credit card.

After taking my first bite into this dish, I was super angry with myself for not making it sooner! The tahini dressing was just so good and reminded me of why I need to incorporate more tahini into my life. The super thick texture of the kabocha also really appealed to me and made me wonder how much I like winter squash because of the taste and how much because of the texture. Something to think about.

I am submitting this delicious fall salad to Souper Sunday, which is hosted weekly by Deb over at Kahakai Kitchen.
Warm Kabocha and Chickpea Salad with Tahini Dressing
Serves 4, adapted from about six different blogs

3 lb kabocha (or any other winter squash)
3 cloves garlic
1/2 tsp allspice
1 can chickpeas
1 red onion
1/4 cup cilantro
1 clove garlic
1/8 tsp salt
1/4 cup lemon juice
3 tbsp tahini
2 tbsp water
2 tbsp olive oil
1 cup quinoa (or any grain)

1. Preheat the oven to 425. Cut the kabocha into chunks after de-seeding it. Toss it in a bowl with salt, allspice, sliced red onion, and the 3 minced cloves of garlic. Spread on a baking sheet, spray with cooking oil and roast for 25-40 minutes or until fork-tender.

2. While the squash is roasting, whisk together the ingredients for the dressing and cook your grain of choice. When the squash mix is done, toss it with the chickpeas and dressing. Plate it on top of the cooked quinoa and then garnish with cilantro.

Have the Cake - Pumpkin Apple Pie

If you had to choose something to eat every day for the rest of your life, what would it be?

The only reason I am asking is that when Justin came over to have a piece of this pie, he said that his dish of choice would be pumpkin pie. Hands down. No questions asked.

I have never seen someone so passionate about a baked good before.

So then I started thinking about it. And I would be really hard-pressed to choose.

My favorite desserts are ice cream, tiramisu, and bread pudding. But every day? From now until eternity? Ever and anon?

Maybe not dessert then. Maybe something savory is more in order. Lasagna? Ravioli? Sweet potatoes?

But would any of these be worth not ever having dessert again? It's a vicious cycle. Not gonna lie.

When I found out that this month's Have the Cake recipe was apple pie, I was really excited. But also kind of nervous. As I have noted before, pies are hard. The filling needs to be just the right consistency, homemade crust is kind-of a pain to make (who really knows how to "cut in butter" anyway?), there's a fine line between the pie being too sweet or completely lackluster in the flavor department, etc.

Or maybe I'm just a worrier at heart.

Very likely.

But when I saw this recipe for Pumpkin Apple Pie on the Whole Foods website that had gotten rave reviews, all of my anxieties and hang-ups went out the window. Sometimes you've just gotta jump in feet first, I thought. Things may turn out badly. But then again. Maybe not.

And sometimes, that's a risk you just have to take.

(Note to self - trying to philosophize on life through pie metaphors may seem like a good idea at 6AM but you should prepare yourself for the possibility that you may cause other people to think you are on crack.)

The pie was actually really good, though. It was an ideal combination of my favorite fall produce. Which, between the two, I probably do actually eat every day. What with the 12 pounds of winter squash and all. And the 5 lb bags of apples that Sophie and I keep buying. It's a tough life but someone's gotta eat it.

Pumpkin Apple Pie
Serves 8, adapted from the Whole Foods website

1/3 cup light brown sugar
1 tbsp cornstarch
1 tsp cinnamon, divided
1/2 tsp salt, divided
1/3 cup water
2 tbsp butter
2 granny smith apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
1 egg
1/3 cup sugar
3/4 cup canned pumpkin puree
1/4 tsp cloves
1/4 tsp ginger
3/4 cup evaporated milk
1 (9-inch) unbaked pie crust

1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Put brown sugar, cornstarch, 1/2 teaspoon of the cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon of the salt, water and butter into a medium pot and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil. Add apples and cook, tossing to coat in sugar mixture, 3 to 4 minutes more. Remove from heat and set aside.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together egg, granulated sugar, pumpkin, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, remaining 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, cloves, ginger and milk until well combined.

3. Pour apple mixture into pie shell then spoon pumpkin mixture evenly over the top. Bake for 10 minutes then reduce temperature to 375°F and bake until filling is just set in the middle, about 40 minutes more. Set aside on a wire rack to let cool completely then cut into slices.


Okay now back to the SF recap. For today's edition, I think I will describe the food that I ate. Since we are foodies. And all.

This picture has nothing to do with food. But it is me, in the hotel lobby, next to the Team In Training schedule-of-events. I adored my experience with Team In Training and would train with them again in a heartbeat. Fundraising was the hardest part for me, but everyone was so supportive and so helpful. And it was nice to have a team there on race day to calm my nerves and hug me when I got really anxious and reassure me that everything would be okay.
When I was researching restaurants in SF I was completely overwhelmed by the myriad of options. Thankfully, Justin from JustCookNYC had just visited there and had a gazillion suggestions for me!

One of his suggestions was Burma Superstar, a Burmese restaurant that has been featured on the Food Network a few times. Although I have had Burmese food before in NY (it is kind of a fusion between all Asian cuisines - Thai, Indian, Chinese, etc.), it was only from a crappy hole in the wall. So I was excited to try some good, quality dishes.
Tiffany and I waited an hour for a table here (it was packed!) but it was so worth the wait. We started out with an appetizer plate of this Chicken Coconut Curry dip with Paratha to dunk in. The coconut flavor was so deliciously prominent. I loved it.

For a main dish, I got the Pumpkin and Pork Stew while Tiffany got a curry dish. We also split an order of coconut rice that was topped with some fried onions. Everything was amazing. This place is a must-go if you ever find yourself wandering the streets of SF while hungry.
The next night was pre-race night, so we were all about the carb loading. We were going to be adventurous and hit up one of SF's many Italian restaurants but then I got cold feet about the whole thing (I was worried about eating something that would bother my stomach) and so we ended up at The Cheesecake Factory. Yes, it is ridiculous that I went all the way to California to eat at a chain restaurant. But I figured tried and true is the way to go sometimes. And although it may demolish my credentials as a foodie, Cheesecake Factory is good. I ordered a dish called Evelyn's Favorite Pasta, which consisted of tons of roasted veggies in an olive oil based sauce over penne. It was good.
Now we come to Sunday. Post race. I was ravenous.

First, we got brunch at this diner-ish place near the hotel. I ordered the pumpkin crepes with a side of English muffins (I would like some carbs with my carbs, thank you very much!). They were really good, but the hostess was kind of obnoxious so I am not going to go into very much detail. Tiffany's croque monsieur was mediocre. Nothing to write home about.

After brunch/lunch, I lay in bed all day. Which apparently, after 26.2 miles, forces you to work up quite a hunger. So then we headed out to Mission for some Mexican food and ice cream!

We ended up at a hole-in-the-wall taqueria for dinner. The food, while being simple street food, was absolutely delicious and completely authentic. SF is apparently the place to go for good Mexican food. I have never had anything in NY that compares. I ordered the carnitas dinner platter, which came with some guacamole, chips, tortillas, rice, refried beans, and salad. All for under ten dollars. Plus they had a ton of salsas sitting out at a salsa bar that you could sample. I, as someone who has and does eat salsa from the jar with a spoon as a snack, was in heaven.

Then, also per Justin's suggestion, we went to Bi-Rite Creamery, which supposedly has the best homemade ice cream in all of SF. I ordered a sundae with hot fudge, whipped cream and brownie topping over a scoop each of Cinnamon with Snickerdoodle and Malted Vanilla with Peanut Brittle and Milk Chocolate Pieces ice cream. What is the point of running 26.2 miles if you are not going to eat to your heart's desire? Right? Right.

This ice cream was JP Licks-worthy (my favorite ice cream joint in Boston and the place where I will be headed right after the Boston marathon). It's a good thing it is now 3,000 miles away. Otherwise we might have a problem.

All in all, SF is definitely a foodie paradise when it comes to restaurants. There were so many there, all of which looked amazing, and so I will have to go back. Many, many times.

And because inquiring minds want to know, the cookbooks I bought were The Curry Bible by Mridula Baljekar and Heirloom Baking with the Brass Sisters by Marilynn and Sheila Brass. Plus I should also mention that I won Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World from Xiaolu over at 6 Bittersweets. For which I am eternally thankful and ridiculously excited.

Cook the Books: French Lessons - Macaronis et Fromage Avec Des Champignons (Macaroni and Cheese with Mushrooms)

From what I can tell, bloggers are generally an optimistic group of people. We always have positive things to say about each other's food (either that or we do the whole - if you don't have anything nice to say, shut up - thing) and in general I feel like we try to say good things about the products that we review.

So I may be going against the grain here with my next comment.

I didn't love Peter Mayle's French Lessons: Adventures with Knife, Fork, and Corkscrew. I don't know what it was, but I just couldn't get into it. The book is broken up into chapters, each of which describes one of Mayle's many experiences with what I like to call France's culinary extreme sports. He basically travels around France going to all sorts of festivals and crazy foodie landmarks, such as the Foire aux Escargots, the Frog Fair in Vittel, le Club 55 - a nudist restaurant on Pampelonne beach, and the Beaune Wine Auction to name a few. Maybe it was the disjointed nature of the book that didn't do it for me. Maybe it was his dry sense of humor. Maybe it was that he didn't spend enough time describing the food (at least for my liking). Who knows. You can't account for taste.

That being said, I'm still a blogger. And so I am going to throw a positive spin on things. There was one chapter that I did actually like. And if you know me, and have read the book, then you will absolutely hands down know what it is.

During his vast culinary adventures, Peter Mayle attends the Marathon du Medoc, which is almost like a satire of a real marathon. Except that it actually occurs. As Mayle writes, "The course conforms precisely to the official distance: 26.2 miles, 385 yards - or 42.195 kilometers. And there, any resemblance to a conventional marathon ends."

Runners get dressed up in ridiculous costumes (the men often resorting to cross-dressing), wine is handed out instead of gatorade and Gu gels at twenty different points along the course, and speed is sacrificed for the sake of enjoyment. Not to mention the huge pasta party that occurs the night before to carb load.

Now, I may not be able to understand wanting to drink wine during the course of a race. Or having a desire to dress up as a strawberry or a nurse. But carb loading, I get. However, the pasta dishes in question are not exactly the light and simple fare that I usually eat before a long run. Instead, they are carbs "a la bordelaise" - so heavy that even Mayle says, "Not being blessed with an athlete's cement-mixer metabolism, I found it impossible to believe that anyone would be able to walk the morning after a dinner like this, let alone run."

Point well taken. My pre-race dinner consisted of a pasta with roasted veggies in an olive oil sauce from The Cheesecake Factory. That I only ordered after asking the waiter three times whether or not there was any cream in it. You can never be too careful.

But, the race being behind me, I felt that a good way to commemorate both this book and the carb-loving spirit of the runner would be with the heaviest pasta dish I could think of. A dish that would really capture the "to hell with it all!" spirit of the Marathon du Medoc. Macaronis et Fromage Avec Des Champignons. A play on the macaroni and cheese that we all know and love. Except that it is saturated with Gruyere instead of cheddar or American cheese. And has mushrooms.

Not one for the faint of heart (or the hypercholesterolemic) this dish is the picture of comfort food. And also my submission to this edition of Cook the Books.

Although I wouldn't recommend eating it the night before you plan to run 26.2 miles. But the night after, anything is game.
Macaroni and Cheese with Gruyere and Mushrooms
Serves 6

2 1/2 tbsp butter
20 oz cremini mushrooms, sliced
1 lb pasta
1/4 cup flour
3 cups milk (I used almond milk because that is my dairy beverage of choice)
12 oz gruyere, grated if you have the patience or cubed if you do not
1/2 cup bread crumbs
salt and pepper to taste

1. Preheat the oven to 350 and grease a 9x13 baking dish (or some other casserole dish).

2. Set up the water for the pasta and cook until the pasta is not quite al dente. Strain and pour into the baking dish.

3. Cook the mushrooms in a non-stick skillet for about 10 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Strain and add to the pasta.

4. Return the pasta pot to medium heat. Melt the butter in the pot. Whisk in the flour and reduce heat to low. Cook until bubbling, for about 1 minute. Whisk in the milk (hot) and boil over high heat. Stir in the Gruyere. When it is melted, remove from heat. Season it with salt and pepper and pour it over the pasta/mushroom mix. Mix all of this together in the casserole dish. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs and dot with a little bit of butter. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the sauce is bubbling and the bread crumbs are browned.

I am also submitting this to Presto Pasta Nights, which is being hosted by Haalo of Cook (Almost) Anything At Least Once.

Now that we are done with the food, I am going to give you a little taste of my SF trip. I think it will be easier for me to do it in installments than all at once. And much more fun.

I got in on Thursday night and was met at the airport by the lovely Tiffany, my roommate from college. I was so excited to see her, it was ridiculous. This girl is basically my soulmate in female form. We lived with each other for three years without ever having a single fight. I think that says something.

We met in the BART station and headed back to her apartment in Berkeley where I was greeted by a batch of butterscotch blondies that she had whipped up for me. They were amazingly delicious. I proceeded to eat half of the pan. We talked for a bit that night, trying to catch up as best we could, and then eventually fell asleep.
The next morning (Friday), Tiffany had to go to work and so I was left alone to wander the streets of Berkeley. I went for a 30 minute run, as per my coaches' instructions and got a tour of her neighborhood.
As you can see, it was beautiful.

I met up for lunch with a post-doc who I worked with in a lab at MIT, who now has a tenure track position at Berkeley. We got Thai food at this place called Cha-Am, which is apparently the best Thai restaurant in Berkeley. I ordered the Penang pork curry which was absolutely amazing. The first of many good meals in SF.
After lunch, Danica took me to the Campanile on Berkeley's campus, which is basically this bell tower that you can go to the top of and thus see all of the city. She thought it would be the fastest and easiest way for me sightsee. The view was absolutely gorgeous. There were mountains, the bay, and really pretty houses. I loved every second of it.

Danica and I then parted ways since she had to go back to lab and work on a grant application and so I meandered around Berkeley for the rest of the afternoon. Which is always a dangerous thing. Especially when I passed by a 1/2-price-used-bookstore. And proceeded to go in and look at the cookbooks for an hour. And then buy two of them. Yes, I am a glutton for punishment.

I then walked around a bit more, trying to pass the time until Tiffany got home from work. I walked down Shattuck Street, which was filled with small shops and tons of restaurants. I felt like I could eat out here every day for a year and still not manage to eat at the same place twice. When it was nearing five o'clock, I headed back to her apartment, stopping for a snack along the way. I got pumpkin spice flavored bubble tea (surprise surprise). It was delicious.
Back in Tiffany's apartment, I packed up my things in preparation for my relocation to the hotel room in SF that was being provided to me by Team In Training. We left Berkeley at around 6 for the big city, both nervous and excited about the unknown adventures that lay ahead (okay, I was nervous and excited. Tiffany was probably just excited). And thus, the real expedition began...

Regional Recipes - Scandinavia Round Up!!

Many people believe that you can just jump into hosting a blog event feet first without the slightest bit of preparation.

I, however, maintain that you need to get into the right mindset and figure out how to identify with the event in question. Do some mental calisthenics, if you will, so that the two of you can become one.

So this morning, upon waking, I offered up a sacrifice to Thor, the Norse God of War. Blasted Aqua's Barbie Girl as loudly as possible without causing an uprising (really, what were we all thinking making that song a Top 40 hit?!?!?). And risked the entire contents of my bank account by perusing Ikea's online catalogue (that thing is almost as bad for my monetary health as walking into a used cookbook store is).

My Scandinavian qi is now officially centered. Shall we begin?
First up, we have Kim from Stirring the Pot who brings us Tyler Florence's version of Swedish Meatballs with Cranberry Sauce and Egg Noodles. She fearlessly braved the many pots and pans that this recipe required and was pleasantly surprised with the results. The meatballs were soft and paired very nicely with the cranberry sauce - a tasty and aesthetically pleasing dish for the holidays!
Reeni, the Comfort Food Queen of Cinnamon Spice and Everything Nice has whipped up some delicious Swedish Meatballs that she says are the perfect combination of spicy and tender and are ideal for warming you up on a chilly October day. Can't argue with that!
Christine of Kits Chow graces our tables today with Jansson's Temptation, a traditional Finnish or Swedish potato gratin that differs from other gratins in its use of Swedish anchovies. This dish is also on Christine's list of 100 Things to Cook, which you should all check out if you are looking for some inspiration in the kitchen.
In tribute to her Danish roots, Darlene of Blazing Hot Wok not only chose Scandinavia as the the location for this month's Regional Recipes but also shares with us this stick-to-your-ribs-good Fried Pork Belly and Potatoes with Parsley Sauce. I can just imagine eating this to warm my bones on a cold winter's night! Darlene is hosting next month's round-up so be sure to check her blog for the details on that!
Megan of Adventures of A Part-Time Vegetarian tricks her husband into eating some new (and apparently scary) ethnic food by describing this Hernerakkaa or Finnish Split Pea Soup as "Split Pea Soup with at Least Three New Kinds of Potatoes Which You Liked When My Parents Made It, Remember?". Thankfully, he liked it and why not - it looks delicious!
TheWoman of The Creative Pot really steps up to the plate by submitting not one. Not two. But FOUR entries. Each of which looks better than the next. Here we have Swedish Meatballs.
Stroganoff with Pickled Cucumbers and Honey.
Jansson's Temptation.
And Stuffed Beef Rolls. If you weren't hungry when this all started, you certainly will be after perusing all of her posts!
Graziana of Erbe in Cucina gives us these Stuffed Tomatoes with Blue Cheese. With a combination of my favorite fruit/veggie with my favorite cheese - you can't go wrong!
Finally, we have my contribution. This hefty Swedish Tea Ring which ended up being the size of a 12-inch pizza and serving at least 20 people. It was truly a tribute to the epic nature of Scandinavian history.

Thank you all for joining me on this culinary tour of Northeast Europe. Next month's Regional Recipes will be hosted over at Blazing Hot Wok and I have been allotted the much-desired task of choosing our new destination. In lieu of the looming cold temperatures, I propose we go somewhere tropical. Such as....CUBA!! With such delicious and flavorful cuisine as ropa vieja, mojo sauce, and tamales, I think there will be something for everyone to enjoy!

Celebration Cupcakes - Funfetti with Marshmallow Frosting

You may have come to my blog today thinking that you were going to see pictures of San Francisco. A beautiful, beautiful city. With great food. The best Farmer's Market I've ever been to. And absolutely gorgeous scenery.

And in theory that would have occurred. Except that my camera is still in my duffel bag. And my duffel bag is on the floor. And I am still too sore to bend over and look for it. So tomorrow. I promise.

You may also have stopped by thinking that the Regional Recipes: Scandinavia round-up would be up. Again. Tomorrow. Or Thursday. Definitely be Thursday. I just need to get my life together first.
But one thing I can give you is a recap of the race.

It all started on Sunday morning, when my roommate and I got up at 5AM after a surprisingly restful night of sleep. We had gone to bed at 9:30 the night before and somehow actually managed to sleep that whole time. We ate our pre-race meals (Larabar and Skippy's Chunky Peanut Butter for me!!), threw on our singlets, sneakers, and shorts, talked about how nervous we were and then headed downstairs to meet up with our team.

TNT New York met in the lobby of the Hilton at 5:45 and I have to say, it was extremely comforting to see my coaches along with all of the other familiar faces (hi Cindy, Barb, and Jen!!) with whom I have spent my Saturday mornings and Tuesday evenings for the past four months. "It's just another long run", we kept telling ourselves. "Just like Ramon says, we are going to start running when the timer goes off and then just keep going until we see a big sign that says FINISH. No big deal."

As the clock counted down to our 7AM start time, we could feel the anxiety rising in the crowd. It kind of felt like we were swimming in a sea of purple. TNT shirts were everywhere and I felt so proud to be part of this amazing group. We went to line up at 6:40 and pushed our way to the front of the crowd. It is really hard to get momentum going when there are hundreds of people bottlenecking in front of you and, knowing that I wanted to qualify for Boston and thus that every second counted, I tried to get as far up as possible. My stomach was jittery and fluttery but I forced myself to stop thinking about what was ahead of me in the next 4 hours. The last thing I needed was to make myself sick just minutes before the gun went off.

All of a sudden it was 6:59. We were counting down. The DJ at the start line started playing Beyonce's All The Single Ladies. I was dancing, bobbing my head. And then I was walking towards the start line. Approaching. Approaching. Crossing the start line. And GO. I was off.

The first ten miles were a blur. There was a hill at mile 3. And then an even bigger hill at mile 6. And they hurt while I was doing them, but not as badly as I was told they would. During this whole time, I was just taking in the San Fran scenery, which was beautiful. We ran along the water and through suburbs. It was possibly the most thorough tour of the city that I could have gotten in that amount of time. The whole first half of the race felt great to me. I remember thinking, "God this is why I love running so much." I was just in this zone. Going and going. Not really thinking about time but keeping it in the back of my mind. As I stepped over each chip sensor I thought of my friends and family getting the text messages telling them where I was and imagined them plugging the numbers into a calculator to see if I was on pace. I was too preoccupied to do the math in my head but I had faith that everything was going to be okay.

Then came the first wall. I think it was right after the first half. Around mile 14. When I realized that I still had 12 miles to go. And that is scary. Because I had come so far. But it was only a fraction of what was left. Still. I kept on chugging. And chugging. And chugging.

And then I was okay for about 2-3 more miles. Nothing hurt too badly. Until the lake. Oh Lake Merced, how I hate thee. Lake Merced occurred from Miles 19-23. And it is isolated. There are almost no fans around it. You are running along this highway. And you can see just how large and looming the lake is. And all you can think about is how you have to just get around it. And you may run into it head first in the best mood ever. But when you get out of there, your spirits will have been crushed. The hills were nothing in comparison to that lake. It also doesn't help that at this point, your thighs hurt with every step you take. And you can't slow down, because that will hurt. And you can't speed up. Because that will hurt even more. So you just keep going. Just one foot in front of the other.

And at mile 22 the Ghirardelli people will try to hand you chocolate. But it will still be wrapped. In foil. And at that point you can barely move your fingers, let alone figure out how to get the chocolate out of its foil. So you may or may not fling it at the people who are attempting to hand it out to you. Sorry, I am still kind of bitter about that.

But then all of a sudden you are at mile 23. And you realize that you have over a half hour left in which to qualify. And you know that everything is going to be okay. Because you have not run slower than a 10 minute mile in months. You don't think you could even if you wanted to. And it hits you. You are actually doing this.

Then at mile 24, Pete, one of your coaches starts running with you. And you have never been so happy to see anyone in your life. And then all of a sudden you approach the finish line. And you see Tiffany. And you want to cry because not only are you going to qualify for Boston but because it almost over and you have 6 minutes to spare which is faster than you ever dreamed possible, especially for your first marathon. You want to cry. But you can't. Because you just don't have the energy to spare. And then all of a sudden, you are across the finish line and a firefighter in a tuxedo is handing you a Tiffany's necklace and you happier than you have ever been in your entire life.

And that is the story of my marathon. My final time was 3:35:11. I came in 63rd overall out of about 4,000 people (men and women). My coaches were thrilled. My friends were elated.

And I registered for Boston as soon as the official times went up. Needless to say, it's going to be an awesome Patriot's Day. There will be photos. Soon. I promise.
Now I did not bake these cupcakes in celebration of my marathon. Although I did come home last night to a Black Forest Cake and a room full of my best friends. They are amazing and I couldn't have gotten through without knowing that they were waiting on the edge of their seats for my times.

No, these I baked for my friend Crystal's birthday a while back. But they are fun. And delicious. And the rainbow sprinkles make me think of confetti and confetti is the quintessential celebration necessity.

Funfetti Cupcakes with Marshmallow Frosting
Makes 12, adapted from Baking Bites

4 oz almond milk
3 large egg whites
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp almond extract
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
6 tbsp butter
1 oz rainbow sprinkles
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 large egg whites
1/3 cup water
2 teaspoons light corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Preheat the oven to 350 and line a muffin sheet with paper liners.

2. Whisk together the milk, egg whites and extracts. Set aside.

3. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder. Cut in the butter until the mixture is coarse and sandy. Whisk in the milk mixture and beat at medium speed for 1 1/2 minutes. Scrape down the sides and continue beating for 30 seconds. Fold in the sprinkles.

4. Divide the batter evenly among the liners. Bake for 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

5. For the frosting, whisk together the sugar, egg whites, 1/3 cup water, light corn syrup, and cream of tartar in a metal bowl (I used a small pot). Place this pot over a pot of simmering water but don't let the bottom of the first pot touch the water. Using a handheld mixer, beat on medium speed until the mixture resembles marshmallow fluff.

6. Increase speed to high and beat until the mixture is thick. Remove from on top of the water and beat in the vanilla. Continue beating until cool. Frost cupcakes and add more sprinkles if desired.

WARNING - this makes way more frosting than you need. You will have extra. It will be delicious on peanut butter sandwiches. Just saying.

Race Results

Hi everyone! I just wanted to thank you all for your support and all of your beautiful comments. Knowing that all of you were rooting for me definitely helped keep me going throughout the race.

The good news is that I finished the race, relatively unscathed, although I am RIDICULOUSLY sore. The even better new is...

I QUALIFIED FOR BOSTON!! I finished the marathon with a time of approximately 3:35, which is 6 minutes faster than I needed!!

I am off to enjoy my last night in SF but I should be back to regular blogging and commenting tomorrow. I miss reading all of your blogs and I didn't want to keep you all hanging on the edge of your seat. Especially thanks to Palidor for sending people over here from her blog. I SUPER appreciated it!

TFF - Chicken Marsala

Warning. The prospect of running a marathon in less than three days can cause you to do crazy things. It can skew your sense of reality. Make you vaguely delusional. And impulsive. Very. Impulsive.
For example, you may suddenly become convinced that it is a good idea to not go to histology class in lieu of taking a nap. Or you may leave all of your packing until twenty minutes before the GO Shuttle is supposed to pick you up and take you to JFK. (Not that it matters, because the GO Shuttle will be 45 minutes late anyway.) Better yet, you may decide that enough is enough and that you are going to take matters into your own hands and kiss this boy who you kind-of-sort-of-definitely have a thing for. Five minutes before the GO Shuttle is supposed to pick you up. Talk about good timing and lucid thinking.
Or, perhaps what is craziest of all you could potentially go home the weekend before your marathon and attempt to cook dinner for the pickiest eaters of all time. A feat that may in fact rival running 26.2 miles.

All I have to say is thank god for Tyler and this recipe. It was a winner all around. In fact, I think this is the only time that my brother, who generally only gives me ambivalent, non-descript opinions about my food, actually said that he liked what I cooked. The chicken and mushrooms were completely infused with the buttery, salty, marsala-y flavor of the sauce and each bite kept you going back for more. And more. Until you realize that 6 people have just eaten a meal that was supposed to feed 8. This is something that will go down in the history book as a recipe to make again and again.

As a side note/announcement. You have exactly 5 days (until October 20th) to email me your Regional Recipes - Scandinavia entry. So get to it. My email address is jhbruno87@gmail.com. And my inbox is patiently awaiting your entry.
Chicken Marsala
Serves 4 (I doubled the recipe), adapted from Tyler Florence

1 1/2 lb thin-sliced chicken breasts
2 tbsp olive oil
4 oz prosciutto
10 oz sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup marsala wine
1/2 cup chicken broth
2 tbsp butter
1/4 cup parsley
3/4 lb pasta

1. Set up the water for the pasta and cook according to package directions. I used fresh whole wheat pasta from out local Italian deli, which was outstandingly fabulous.

2. In a bowl mix together a whole bunch of flour, salt, and pepper. Dredge the chicken in the flour mixture, shaking off any excess.

3. Heat the oil over medium-high flame. When hot, add the chicken, cooking for about 5 minutes per side or until golden and crispy. Remove to a plate and keep warm.

4. Lower the heat to medium and add the prosciutto, which has been cut into strips. Saute for 1 minute. Add the mushrooms and saute until their moisture has evaporated, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add the marsala and boil until the alcohol has cooked off. Add the stock and simmer for a minute to reduce a bit. Add the chicken back into the pan and simmer until heated through. Season with salt and pepper, garnish with parsley, and serve over the pasta.

I am submitting this to Tyler Florence Fridays!

And to Presto Pasta Nights which is being hosted next week by Heather of Girlichef, one of my favorite bloggers!

Monthly Mingle - Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Scones

While I would like to say that by this time tomorrow I will be in San Francisco, that would be a lie. By this time tomorrow plus a couple hours, however. Is another story.

That is right, this is the big weekend. On Sunday. October 18. I will be running in the first of (hopefully) many marathons to come. Am I excited? Yes. Am I nervous? Yes. Does the thought of running 26.2 miles make me want to vomit, just a little bit? Yes. Does it help that looking at the elevation map for the race instantaneously caused shooting pains to run up and down my abdomen? Definitely not.

But irregardless of how my stomach feels about this endeavor, I know that I have trained as best as I could. I have done the mileage. And so I am ready.

SF here I come!

I will continue to blog from SF, by the way. I have so much food that I have made recently to share with you guys that the thought of getting any more backlogged makes me almost as ill as looking at the race course does. Plus blogging soothes me. It is my anti-drug, if you will. And I think I will need that in the next few days otherwise I might just turn to injecting heroin into my veins as a palliative. And no one wants that.

If you have any desire to track me during the race, you can have updates text messaged to your cell phone on Sunday. Just go to Nike's website and add in my name to their runner tracker (Joanne Bruno), and you will receive my splits as they happen.
I was excited when I saw that the Monthly Mingle theme for this month was High Tea Treats. The last time I had High Tea (which was also, incidentally, the first time) was with FACES, the MD/PhD women's group here at Cornell. We went to this fabulous place called Alice's Tea Cup where I proceeded to eat my weight in scones, tiny sandwiches, cookies, and pastries. The tea was good too. Not one of my shining moments, nor one of my healthiest dinners, but c'est la vie.
My favorite item that was served at Alice's Tea Cup was the pumpkin scones. These things were huge, incredibly moist, and a revelation when served warm. I remember walking out of there that afternoon, turning to Sophie and saying, "That is what I need to learn how to do."

Hence the inspiration for this recipe.

And how did they compare? Well, mine were slightly smaller than the Alice's Tea Cup version (which I think my body thanked me for), plus I added in chocolate chips and pecans. So they were different. But still good. The spices in them reminded of the holidays and the hint of pumpkin made me envision all of the fall desserts that are looming in the imminent future. Forget sugar plums, I have visions of pumpkin cheesecake, apple pie, and sweet potato muffins dancing in my head.

Being that the best part of baking is sharing the goods with other people, I sent my awesomely excellent running partner, Alan, home with a bunch of these after my last TNT practice last night. (It was depressing and I don't really want to talk about it.) So Alan, if you're reading this, I hope you like them!
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Scones
Serves 16, adapted from A Dash of Sass

2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup sugar
1 tbsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground cloves
2 eggs
1/2 tbsp vanilla
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
1 tbsp half and half
1/2 cup butter, cold, and chopped into small pieces
3/4 cup chopped, toasted pecans
1/2 cup chocolate chips (or raisins or dried fruit or more nuts)

1. Preheat the oven to 375 and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Stir together the pumpkin, cream, one egg, and vanilla until well-combined. Place in the fridge.

3. Sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Mix in the spices.

4. Using a pastry blender or two forks, cut the butter into the flour mixture. Work it until it resembles coarse sand. Whatever that means.

5. Add the cold wet ingredients to the crumbly dry ingredients. Mix until just combined.

6. Stir in 1/2 cup of the pecans as well as the chocolate chips.

7. Pour the dough onto a lightly floured surface and shape into a 7-inch square. Cut into quarters. Cut each of the quarters into quarters. Place on the baking sheet.

8. In a small bowl, beat the remaining egg. Brush the tops of the scones with the egg. Sprinkle some sugar and the remaining 1/4 cup of pecans over the tops of the scones. Bake 16-17 minutes.

I am submitting this to Meeta's Monthly Mingle, which is being hosted this month by Aparna of My Diverse Kitchen.