from Steamy Kitchen food column in Tampa Tribune

If I had to just choose one thing, “my killer app” in the kitchen, it would be salt. It doesn’t matter what cuisine I’m cooking, salt is the basis of flavor in a savory dish. Call me a salt snob, but I stay away from the regular table salt, mainly because it tastes like crap! The granules are way too fine, the anti-caking agent just sounds gross and added iodine is sooooo 1920’s. The taste reminds me of…um…getting smacked in the face with a salt lick dipped in a vat of bitters?

Normally, I use kosher salt in the kitchen, mainly because of the texture and cheap price. I really like the feel of kosher salt in my fingers as I’m seasoning, and I’ve learned to season by sight, feel and taste. I’m just too lazy to bust out the measuring spoons, because each time, I have to wash and wipe dry the set of awkward, clanging, dangling spoons for fear of tainting the oregano with chili powder or powdered sugar with vanilla extract. How inefficient! Wouldn’t it be cool if spice jars came with twist lids that doled out the spice in teaspoon increments? What a great product idea. And if you steal my idea, at least take me out to dinner. But I digress. Read the full story

Wow, almost 400 entries in the Cooking Light Complete Cookbook contest! Very cool. I cannot believe all the strange, exotic food combinations that you all entered. If you haven’t read through the entries, take a look, it’s fun to see all the weird flavor combos that you all enjoy.

I’m announcing the winners right here in video form! In fact, this is the very first Steamy Kitchen home made video ever published (i.e. not X-rated)

Steamy Kitchen Cooking Light Winners from Jaden Hair on Vimeo.

And who are the owners of these lucky numbers? Read on….

Read the full story

EDIT: 9:00am Sunday
Tampa Trib & Observer Readers: I goofed! I held the drawing Saturday morning, but in the Tampa Tribune and EC Observer, I wrote that the drawing would be held on Sunday. Well, my goof is your gain, as this morning, I’m going to pick an additional winner from the pool of only Tribune/Observer comments…so read on…

This Saturday morning, I had every intention of waking up bright and early to post the winners. But the boys wanted to make breakfast for MiMi and PaPa (Scott’s parents), who are visiting from Buffalo, NY.

How could I say no to this face?

They made German Oven Pancakes for breakfast.

Okay, I know. Enough about breakfast, how about the winners?
Read the full story

I know that you’ve not known me that long, but you’ve gotta believe that when I squeal in excitement like a monkey in heat - it’s good. Real good.

See those cards? My photos, my designs, and inside? My recipes!

Ok, ok. Let me share with you how I did it, because it was sooo easy and you could do the same. OMG, where do I start? I’ll just show you.

All you have to do is:

1. Upload photo/graphic for front of card
2. Type in the inside text. The font can even be in your own handwriting.
3. Choose recipient(s). Click SEND.

The company called Send Out Cards prints, stuffs, stamps and sends out your card. No licking envelopes, finding a stamp or buying ugly greeting cards at the store.

And a few days later, your recipient gets a real card in the mail. No more stupid spyware infected e-cards! YEAH!

The cost is 1/3 the cost of a greeting card at the store, starting at $0.31 for one card (meaning you don’t have to buy in bulk. cards are professionally printed and sent one at a time)

Here’s the front of one of the cards:

They are glossy, thick (like the expensive Hallmark cards) and the photo quality is amazing. I customized the front of this one with, “Sunday Morning with the Boys.”

The Inside

This particular card I chose to be tri-fold and inserted more photos and told a story about how the boys made German Oven Pancakes. Basically, I turned my blog post into a beautiful card and sent it to my Mom, who loved it. This tri-fold card cost me $1.24 to make and send + $0.41 postage.

Read the full story

Guys! Gals! Androids! I have something SO AWESOME to share with you…

and I’m not gonna.

just yet.

maybe in a couple of days.

I know, I’m a tease. But would you expect anything less from Steamy Kitchen?

In the meantime, I wanted to share a how decisions get made in the Steamy household.

How The Steamy Household Decides What to Eat

5pm weeknight, asks family: “What other side dish would you guys like for supper? We’re having tonight with some .”

says, “Oh cool, I love . We’ve been eating so much lately that it’s nice for a change.How about some

replies, “Ok. well, it’s 5pm and I can’t really make in time for supper.* How about just plain ? Kids, what do you want to eat?”

“”

“”

“Kids. We can’t have for supper. Are you crazy? Pick something else.”

“ “Vanilla Garlic’s Cinnamon Chocolate Cupcakes!”

“Yeah! ”

“Cool. ”

(SIGH). How can I satisfy all?

Orzo with Brown Butter and Cinnamon

Recipe from Epicurious

GF-Adaptable: substitute orzo with GF pasta

1 pound orzo
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 tsp kosher salt
1/4 lemon
3/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (from 2 bunches)

Cook orzo in a 6- to 8-quart pot of boiling salted water until tender. While orzo cooks, melt butter in a small heavy skillet over moderately low heat, then simmer until golden brown with a nutty aroma, about 5 minutes. Remove skillet from heat, then stir in oil, cinnamon, and pepper. Drain orzo in a colander, then return to pot and add brown-butter mixture, scraping up any brown bits from bottom of skillet, and parsley. Toss until combined well and season with salt and a squeeze of lemon

*(YES I KNOW, Jeff and Zoe, if I had some dough in the refrigerator, I surely could have gotten laid tonight by by just seducing him with a beautiful loaf of .)

***

And now for the winners of the tsp spice giveaway!

Three winners will get some beautiful spices. Winners were randomly chosen by The Psychic Science nifty random number generator.

Drumroll….please…(sound of envelope being ripped open)

The first winner who is….on the next page.

[hee hee - I just did a "ryan seacrest!"]

Contestant #115, who will recieve tsp spices

Sun Shine: Sun Shine contains one can each of organic lemon zest and organic orange zest. Each spice can contains 12 one-teaspoon packets. Organic lemon zest and organic orange zest infuse your cooking with a kiss of sunshine. $16.

# 115 claudia at ‘cook eat FRET’ Says:

February 26th, 2008 at 11:51 pm e

thyme, garlic, salt and pepper
add cauliflower and cream
mash
oh my!.

And our next winner is….

Commenter #42 who wins tsp spices:

Sweet Heat: Sweet Heat contains one can each of true cinnamon from Saigon and crushed ancho chiles. Each spice can contains 12 one-teaspoon packets. Sweet Heat is an age-old taste sensation made dazzlingly new. Awaken your senses with the delicate flavor of true cinnamon and ancho chile. Teaspoon packets allow you to use them singly or together. $16.

# 42 Lisa Says:

February 26th, 2008 at 2:27 pm e

Cumin, coriander, turmeric and a tiny pinch of cinnamon. Not only does it taste great - the color is beautiful too!

Hey Lisa and Claudia- you guys should get together and swap some spice packets, because my absolute favorite combo for tsp spices is Orange Zest and Ancho Chile!

The final winner is of the spice giveaway is…..

Contestant #218 who will get:

Savoir Fare: Contains one can each of organic marjoram and organic sage. Each can contains 12 one-teaspoon packets. For knowing cooks, marjoram and sage are a deliciously compatible pair. Team them up to season a bread stuffing or pork sausage. Try them separately to flavor meat loafs, soups or bean dishes. Continental chefs have long savored both of these herbs. Now it’s your turn. Bon appetit! $16.

# 218 amy purple Says:
February 29th, 2008 at 3:07 pm e

That is some fancy packaging for spices! I’m probably more of a Basil or Parsley person, but I on the last dish I made for my husband’s lunch, I used Ginger and Curry.

Do you have an orange tree? That photo just makes me want to suck the juice out of one of those orange slices!

Congrats winners! Email me directly at jaden@steamykitchen.com with your name, address and phone number for shipment!

I teased about this awesome package that I got and asked for several testers to help out with product testing. Thank you to the 15 testers to responded! I sent each of them 1-3 samples of tsp spices, and they each cooked with the spice and gave me a short 2 sentence review.

You guys rock.

What is tsp?

tsp spices are organic spices in perfectly measured, freshly sealed, single-use packages. Each tin comes with 12 spice packets - each 1 tsp of the spice. Their products, “packets of pure adventure,” make measuring spoons obsolete and also protect spices from light and air to ensure freshness and the fullest flavor. A reprieve from spice cabinet chaos, these one-teaspoon spice packets are stored in tin cans that look great displayed on the kitchen counter, which makes them a perfect gift for home cooks.

Dried spices lose their potency after 6-12 months and the more light and air that gets exposed to the spice, the shorter the shelf life. Simply put, if you’ve still got that ground ginger in the back of your pantry, inherited from old Aunt Martha, your food is gonna taste like…well…crusty Aunt Martha. Nasty. I love the concept of tsp, because I only open what I need. the rest stays fresh and sealed.

(photo from tsp spices)

Such fancy packaging…are they expensive?

$7-$9 a box (12 tsp per box) - which is about 30% more than I pay for non-organic supermarket spice. However, I’ve learned something this year. Rather than go find the best deal possible, I’ve decided that I want to buy less and splurge on things that are beautiful, lovely to use and good for my family. I want to really savor and enjoy the things I have in my home, especially in the kitchen. Let me tell you, these spices are gorgeous.

Actually, when I first opened the package, I said out loud to Scott, “Damn. All this packaging - so wasteful! What’s the point of organic spices if you’re going to waste earth’s resources for the packaging?”

And of course, Scott replied, “Stop bitching. Reuse the boxes.” So now my boys’ matchbox cars smell like Oregano.

read on….I’m giving some tsp spice tins away!!!

What did I make with the tsp spices?

The most awesome braised chicken ever. Oranges, garlic, and a blend of tsp ginger and coriander.

Ginger, Coriander and Orange Braised Chicken

Inspired by flipping through Nigel Slater’s Appetite which has been sitting on my desk for the past 2 weeks because I can’t stop looking at it. I love his style of cooking - “a small handful of crabmeat per person” “ginger root - a small lump.” Nigel’s book teaches you how to improvise and create a dish all your own. Forget following recipes word-for-word, he gives you a template and teaches you which flavor combinations work well and when is it done.

Each recipe also has variations at the end. The “Chicken, Garlic and Herbs” recipe (this is the recipe my Ginger, Coriander and Orange Braised Chicken is based on) has options for:

• a buttery finish
• a creamy finish
• use this same recipe to cook lamb with garlic and lemon
• or even pork steaks with apple and creme

Anyways, I highly recommend this book. And hey, if Jamie Oliver says, “Nigel is a genius” then I’m totally sold.

You can substitute skin-on chicken breasts for thigh. Cut back the simmer time just a bit as the breast will cook faster than the bone-in thigh. Best to check it around the 17 minute mark, timing really will depend on how big and thick your breasts are.

6 chicken thighs, skin-on
1 oranges, cut into 8 wedges
6 cloves garlic, smashed with side of cleaver
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground coriander
2 tsp kosher salt
fresh ground pepper
1/2 cup white wine
2 1/2 tsp soy sauce
cilantro to garnish

In a small bowl, combine the ginger, coriander, salt and pepper. Season chicken on both sides with the spice mixture. Let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes or overnight in the refrigerator. In large dutch oven or deep skillet, heat 1 tbl olive oil on high heat. When hot, place the chicken, skin side down to brown for 1-2 minutes. Turn skin side up. Turn heat to low, throw in garlic and 4 orange sections (give a nice squeeze as you throw them in to get the juice in the pan). Add wine. Cover and simmer on gentle, low heat for 25 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Remove chicken to plate, leaving the sauce in the pan. Remove and discard oranges, and add the remaining fresh orange wedges. Turn heat to medium-high and add soy sauce. Cook for 3 minutes until thickened. Pour on top of chicken, garnish with fresh cilantro.

Free tsp spices

Really! Just for you! tsp is sending me 3 twin packs. So, 3 lucky ducks will get a beautiful set of spices.

How to enter

Just comment below and tell me what is your favorite spice combination? That’s it! If you want to link to one of your recipes, feel free to link away.

Contest is open until Saturday March 1st at 10pm est. I’ll take entries up until then and we’ll pick 3 winners using the nifty random number generator.

That’s it! Good luck!

My tester’s reviews

are on the next page!

Wow, I can’t believe how many of you made the  No Knead Sticky Pecan Caramel Cinnamon Rolls! As promised, I’m not going to leave you hanging with extra dough in the refrigerator. Here’s your recipe for No-Knead Nutella and Roasted Hazelnut Challah from the book, Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day by Jeff Hertzberg and Zoe Francois.  By the way, if you haven’t entered the contest to win a copy of their book, make sure you do!

Ok, I love their basic Challah recipe, but thought I’d be a bit fancy and make a Nutella and Roasted Hazelnut version. Screw the diet - just for a day, ok? Hey, don’t look at me like that - I’ve been testing the book’s recipes all week long JUST FOR YOU and I took one 3 lbs for the team!

Damn. I need to review a diet book next. Anyone have a good diet book that needs reviewing?

Read the full story

Do you know what I call smart? Taking something from “works awesome” (No-Knead Bread) to the level of “KICK-ASS.” Which is exactly what authors of the book  Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day, Jeff Hertzberg and Zoe Francois have done.

Oh yeah, and I hold them both directly responsible for the extra 3lbs I’ve just gained testing their recipes.

Keep reading for the recipe and a free cookbook drawing!

So, they’ve taken the basic No Knead Bread recipe and added 2 big concepts to it:

1) Make enough dough to store in the refrigerator for 2 weeks. Pinch off what you need and bake. Return the rest to refrig. This allows you to bake a loaf of artisan bread in as little as 20 minutes rest + 25 minute bake any day of the week. Perfect for spontaneous cooks like myself. Want dinner rolls for just 2 tonight? Pinch off a smaller chunk of dough. Plus, the “aging” of the dough produces the most amazing flavor, something that was lacking in the original No Knead bread.

2) Create over 100 different bread/pastry recipes, all no-knead. Um. Let me see if I can whet your appetite (I love the ones in red)

PEASANT LOAVES: Baguette, Batard, Pain d’Epi, Ciabatta, Crusty White Sandwich Loaf, Olive Bread, Caraway Swirl Rye, Limpa (Scandinavian bread wit honey and orange zest), Portuguese Corn Bread, English Granary Style, Oatmeal-Pumpkin, Raisin Walnut Oatmeal, Vermont Cheddar Bread, Caramelized Onion & Herb Dinner Rolls, Spinach Feta, Sun-Dried Tomato & Parmesan, Granola Bread, Roasted Garlic Potato Bread, Eastern European Potato Rye, Bagels, Bialys, Soft Pretzels, Montreal Bagels

FLATBREADS/PIZZAS: Pizza, Spinach & Cheese Calzone, Philadelphia Stromboli with Sausage, Prosciutto & Olive Oil Flatbread, Pissaladiere, Focaccia with Onion & Rosemary, Olive Fougasse, Fougasse Stuffed with Roasted Red Pepper, Sweet Provencal Flatbread with Anise Seeds, Pine-Nut Studded Polenta Flatbread, Arabic Za’atar Flatbread, Pita, Amenian Lavash, Moroccan Anise and Barley Flatbread, Naan, Scandinavian Rye Crisp bread

ENRICHED: Challah, Turban Shaped Challah with Raisins, Onion Pletzel, Sticky Pecan Caramel Rolls, Brioche, Brioche a Tete, Almond Brioche “Bostock”, Brioche Filled with Chocolate Ganache, Beignets, Chocolate or Jam Filled Beignets, Panettone, Soft-Style American White, Buttermilk Bread, Cinnamon Raisin Bread, Chocolate Bread, Swiss Muesli Breakfast Bread, Sunflower Seed Breakfast Loaf, Chocolate Prune, Chocolate Raisin Babka, Apple & Pear Coffee Cake, Sunny Side up Apricot Pastry, Blueberry Lemon Curd Ring, Braided Raspberry Almond Cream Pastry, Cinnamon Twists

Wipe that drool off the keyboard!

The first recipe I tried was to satisfy my sweet tooth. I love the No-Knead Bread from Lahey, but after an entire year of spoiling myself with crusty, homemade round loaves, I yearned for a sweet bread. This Sticky Pecan Caramel Cinnamon Roll truly is a no-knead, no-brainer!  Read the recipe first, then the free cookbook contest!

Read the full story

Before we tie a big, fat bow on this year’s box of ups, down and go-arounds, I‘d like to give props to Spam, the wondrous food that started my relationship with Creative Loafing (the newspaper that I write a weekly food column for) earlier this year when I dared editor Max to lose his spam virginity to me. And yes, I was gentle. I fed him luscious morsels of Spam nestled in mounds of snowy, fluffy, white rice.

It’s not an easy task, convincing people to willingly eat meat that comes in its own coffin, especially after hearing the “STHLURP” as it slithers out and the “STHLUNK” as it lands on the counter top in a quivering, solid, gelatinous mass.

Read the full story

I scootched over to my friend, Sue Ann’s blog, noticed that she had a badge on her site, proudly proclaiming that her blog’s reading level is College Post-Grad level. Curious, I went to see what reading level Steamy Kitchen is, because I am a supporter of education and higher learning.

Crap. Must be because I used the words “HAIRY TWAT” once in a post.

Note: Up until about 4 minutes ago, my blog was at ELEMENTARY SCHOOL level. I added the words, “BUTT-HEAD” to this post and was immediately raised to JUNIOR HIGH level! WOOHOO!!!

I want to hear what your blog’s reading level is!

Read the full story