Boxed Snootiness With a Side of Spicy Brownie

Very rarely growing up did I ever experience things that were created from a box. My mom just didn't believe in many things that came from a box. Pancakes didn't come from a mix, macaroni and cheese was carefully baked, and cookies were mixed together with a sturdy arm in a giant bowl. Now I proudly accept this genetic trait of boxed snobbery. This seems to be a trait that runs through many a food fanatic. We want it fresh, possibly organic, and definitely home made.

Not that I don't believe that some tasty things could come from a box. I mean I spent many a grocery trip with her begging for Kraft macaroni and cheese, (there's something addictive about that neon orange color when you're little). I also at times prefer a box cake mix, it's so darn moist. And I will confess to a store bought cookie dough one Christmas when all the kid wanted to do was smear gobs of icing on anything edible and go to town.

My mom is recently retired and doing quite well sinking in to retired life. She goes to Bunko games, wine tastings, movies, and has recently become obsessed with making the perfect brownie. I'm not sure where this obsession started, and maybe I should buy her a new book because my brownie consumption is through the roof now.

She was at a friends house (I believe for some retired lady event) and tried her brownies. She was thoroughly delighted and went on her way. Then upon further revelation realized that this woman isn't a from scratch kind of gal. After some intense brownie questioning she found out that this woman's secret brownie recipe was in fact -



Holy cow from a box. My mom quickly ran to the store and purchased a pair. One for her and one for me. She added this to her list of brownie experiments, but being the home made gal that she is couldn't leave a box well enough alone. She found this recipe from a show she remembered watching. So she added the recommended coffee and spices.



It was almost too easy. Some spices, a mix, throw it in the oven. There was no way these were going to be as good as a labor intensive from scratch recipe.



My mom made hers in a 13 x 9 inch pan, making a nice thin and chewy brownie. I wanted a big fat thick brownie so I made mine in a 8 x 8 pan. They both were equally good. I think the fat ones will last longer as the thin ones dried out. My mom also just used the regular chocolate variety, and I used the dark. I would recommend the lighter chocolate if you are going to add the coffee and spices. They were totally lost in the darker chocolate.



Clearly I'm going to have to reassess some of my snobbery toward mixes. I give these a couple thumbs up. Especially if you are really needing some good chocolate brownies and don't feel like spending an hour in the kitchen. I think that this mix is also a good ramp for some other mix ins or toppings. I really could go for some walnuts in these, or maybe a coffee glaze on top.

However wilth all of this brownie business I just can't help myself and after I go through a bit of brownie detox I am most definitely making these. The mix of chocolate, ginger and orange sounds so warming.

Do you have any boxed snobbery that you have recently broken free from? Or are you a hardcore box addict? Perhaps you would rather eat the outside of the box than be caught with one in your kitchen?

Top 5 Tasties

I'm back again with lists. I won't rehash how they make me feel sane and all of that. I just wanted to introduce you to a new feature that I thought would be fun here where Life Is Still Sweet.

This idea was conceived from The Omnivores' 100 and from my one of my favorite movies, High Fidelity. Now I had a clip all ready to show you in case you weren't familiar, but that Jack Black can throw out many an F-bomb in this movie. I didn't want to offend anyone, or any wee-ones that may be near your computer. My main point is super hansom John Cusack's character likes to make lists. Top 5 lists to be exact. Things like "top 5 songs to play on a Monday, top 5 dream jobs, top 5 reasons he misses his girlfriend". You get the point no?

I will be hosting a monthly Top 5 Tasties where hopefully we can all share our top 5 of a certain category of food. Maybe soon I'll even have items to be won, some fun recipes, or you'll think I have very odd tastes. At any rate it's always fun to learn how similar or distant you are from the next foodie. You know like in kindergarten when the question "what's your favorite color?" seemed to encompass oodles of information about any one person.

Let's start with an easy one, Top 5 picnic foods. Seeing as summer is going to be coming to a close (well in other parts of the planet, but not in Arizona), let's reminisce about all that is good in the summer. I'll go first.

• #5 - Potato Salad It pairs so well with everything picnic, but sometimes the mayo factor can be dicey so it's only #5.
• #4 - BBQ'd anything Slather a sponge with BBQ sauce and I may eat it.
• #3 - Grilled hotdogs - Sometimes you just need a hotdog to remember life is simple.
• #2 - Baked Beans, ranch beans - I like beans.
• #1 - Hamburgers - Nothing on earth is more satisfying than a very flavorful burger. It's indulgent yet simple.

Let's make my favorite burger. We have these (or some rendition of these) at least a couple times a month.

• Let's talk beef. I prefer organic, but you can use whatever floats your boat. Even ground turkey is delicious in this recipe. I wanted to double the batch to freeze some for later so this is 2lbs of meat. It will give you about 8 medium size burgers.

• Next some veg. Now I don't do this to "trick" my kids into eating something green. That's a perk, but they better eat their veggies regardless. Them be the rules around here. I like how the zucchini creates a nice moist texture without my burger falling apart. This is about 1 cup or 1/2 of a medium zucchini grated. Then I grate half of a medium onion for good flavor. Sometimes I grate in one clove garlic, but I left it out today.

• Now your spice. I always add 1-2 Tablespoons dried mustard powder for some zing, a bit of paprika, salt and pepper. Now if I'm making a good guacamole burger maybe with some pepper jack, I throw in chili powder and cumin powder. If I'm making a mushroom burger I like to put in some sage. So pretty much after the generics feel free to mix it up a bit. Sometimes I like a can of green chili's in this too. Today I threw in just a touch of cayene pepper because I'm not sure what these babies may end up with on top, but a bit of heat is always good.

• Shhhh. Here's the secret. Butter, grated butter. Just 2 tablespoons per 2 lbs. I know it bumps up the saturated fat content, but it does something magical to your burger. Try it once, you'll see. Then get your hands in there and mix it up. Don't over mix, ground meat can become tough with too much handling.

Now all you have to do is divide your mixture evenly and make patties. The real cooks on Food Network say to put a dent in the center to ensure even cooking. So I do it, but you know whatever works for you. Next grill or cook in a skillet. I love these grilled, but when it's too hot or when the propane runs out the cast iron works lovely. I do like to crank the heat up at first to seal everything in on both sides, then turn it down for a bit to cook the rest of the way.



A good bun always helps round things out. If you're lucky enough to have bacon in the house on burger night you may as well go for it. I was the coolest person of the evening just by placing strips of bacon on a burger.

So there's my Top 5 Tasty - picnic food. Now it's your turn. What makes you sing, keeps you outside near the grill, wish summer was longer, makes you spread out a checkered cloth?

How Rude

So I just realized that I posted something about a wonderful pie, I found in the paper, adapted from a gorgeous looking cook book, but never gave you an actual slice. Just a "preview" I think I called it. Well I apologize. Would you like some too?



Here is the recipe. I adapted this a bit myself to make it gluten free. The original recipe calls for a graham cracker crust. You could buy one if you wish, but graham crusts are very easy. Go here if you need a recipe.

For the crust (gluten free)

• 1 Package Pattie's (or whatever you like) Gluten free lemon shortbread cookies
• 4 Tblspns unsalted butter, melted

Add the cookies to a food processor and pulse to make crumbs. Then slowly add the melted butter while the processor is on. Press the mixture into a pie dish on the bottom and up the sides. Bake until the crust just barely starts to brown 7-10 minutes.

For the filling

• 1 14oz can sweetened condensed milk
• 3/4 cup fresh lime juice
• 2 tspns freshly grated lime zest
• 2 eggs

Mix together all ingredients and pour filling into the baked crust and put back into the oven for about 20 minutes or until set. Cool completely on a rack.

For blueberry topping

• 2 pint fresh blueberries divided
  
• 2 Tblspns sugar (more or less depending on how sweet your berries are)
• 1 tspn corn starch
• 2 Tblspns water

Stir 1 pint of blueberries and remaining ingredients together in a sauce pan and set on medium heat until it just starts to bubble. Lower heat and let simmer until the sauce starts to thicken. Remove from heat and gently stir in the remaining pint of fresh berries. Pour sauce over the cooled pie. Place pie covered in fridge and let chill at least 2 hours. Can be refrigerated covered up to 3 days.



Wow I tell my kids all day long to share and I didn't even offer you all some pie. Shame on me. So now go make pie, and don't forget to share a slice.

Waste Not

First of all I would like to pass on my "Beautiful Site Award" that was bestowed upon me from Giddy Gastronome (who by the way has some really good looking Fruitti Tutti smoothie pops up now).



I would like to pass this award on to 2 sites:

The Zest She has great pictures and I love how she writes about food.

Five Spice Duck I just stumbled upon this gorgeous site this week and love the photography. I'm a sucker for a good food pic.

Thanks again Giddy Gastronome.

Let's talk about using up leftovers. I just came across another excellent use for my Peach Butter. I was so worried that it wasn't being eating fast enough and that I'd have to throw a good portion of it out. I was in need of salad dressing and decided to experiment.



I'm so glad for tinkering in the kitchen. Here's what I did:

• 2 Tablespoons of Peach Butter (if you're lucky to have any left)
• 1 Tablespoon of Dijon mustard
• 1 Tablespoon of finely diced shallot
• 2-3 Tablespoons of white wine vinegar
• 3 Tablespoons of olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon of curry powder
• salt and pepper to taste

Mix together in a jar or however you prefer to mix your dressings. This was so good on just a simple green salad, but it certainly would go great on a more substantial salad. My recommendation would be good leafy greens, some grilled chicken maybe, onions, a good sharp cheddar, and do not what ever you do, forget some avocados.




Now my good mornings with peach butter have extended in to the afternoon and night. This stuff is your all purpose pick me up.

Changing it Up

I would like to first start out by thanking my friend Nazarina over at Giddy Gastronome for bestowing the "Beautiful Site Award" to me. I feel so honored as she creates such beautiful food, and prose to go with it. Thank you again.

I've also been frustrating myself with trying to revamp my site. It's not that I hated the old look, I just like to create things myself. Why would one try to make a blog when one knows nothing about code, or web design? I guess I like to curse at computers.

Perhaps there's not enough change around here -



Perhaps I can't relinquish control. Whatever reason I feel that it now looks more "like me". With less swelling and not such a huge middle -



They say change is good, let's see.

Expandable Palate

As much as it seems chaos exists abundantly in my house, I do like to minimize and organize things. Mainly my thoughts. It's soothing to get your thoughts and goals all out on a nice list that you can hold, and cross stuff off, and categorize. It causes me to think that I actually make some sort of sense.

I stumbled upon a very fun list on The Zests blog, who found it over here on Very Good Taste. I've since seen it on a couple more, but that's where I saw it first. It's more of a fun list, not like a this is stuff that needs to be done list.

Any food that you have tried is highlighted, food that you are unwilling to try is crossed out. With the help of Wikipedia I could decipher the unknown to see if I really would try it. I thought I would have lots that I haven't tried, but it wasn't too bad for my sheltered little life. It also has brought on a yearning for new food, for food adventures. Here's how I did:

1. Venison
2. Nettle tea
3. Huevos rancheros
4. Steak tartare
5. Crocodile
6. Black pudding
7. Cheese fondue
8. Carp
9. Borscht
10. Baba ghanoush
11. Calamari
12. Pho
13. PB&J sandwich
14. Aloo gobi
15. Hot dog from a street cart
16. Epoisses
17. Black truffle
18. Fruit wine made from something other than grapes
19. Steamed pork buns
20. Pistachio ice cream
21. Heirloom tomatoes
22. Fresh wild berries
23. Foie gras
24. Rice and beans
25. Brawn, or head cheese
26. Raw Scotch Bonnet pepper
27. Dulce de leche
28. Oysters
29. Baklava
30. Bagna cauda (I'm so gonna try this soon)
31. Wasabi peas
32. Clam chowder in a sourdough bowl
33. Salted lassi
34. Sauerkraut
35. Root beer float (on my list of top tens)
36. Cognac with a fat cigar
37. Clotted cream tea
38. Vodka jelly/Jell-O
39. Gumbo
40. Oxtail
41. Curried goat
42. Whole insects
43. Phaal
44. Goat’s milk
45. Malt whisky from a bottle worth £60/$120 or more
46. Fugu (no thanks I like life)
47. Chicken tikka masala
48. Eel
49. Krispy Kreme original glazed doughnut
50. Sea urchin
51. Prickly pear (they are all over the place here, eat em, why?)
52. Umeboshi
53. Abalone
54. Paneer
55. McDonald’s Big Mac Meal (I could easily go my whole life and never eat one of these)
56. Spaetzle
57. Dirty gin martini
58. Beer above 8% ABV
59. Poutine
60. Carob chips
61. S’mores
62. Sweetbreads
63. Kaolin (according to the Wiki this is Kaopectate, so yes)
64. Currywurst
65. Durian (sounds too stinky)
66. Frogs’ legs
67. Beignets, churros, elephant ears or funnel cake
68. Haggis
69. Fried plantain
70. Chitterlings, or andouillette
71. Gazpacho
72. Caviar and blini
73. Louche absinthe
74. Gjetost, or brunost
75. Roadkill
76. Baijiu
77. Hostess Fruit Pie
78. Snail
79. Lapsang souchong
80. Bellini
81. Tom yum
82. Eggs Benedict
83. Pocky
84. Tasting menu at a three-Michelin-star restaurant.
85. Kobe beef
86. Hare
87. Goulash
88. Flowers
89. Horse (maybe if I didn't know it was a cute little pony)
90. Criollo chocolate
91. Spam
92. Soft shell crab
93. Rose harissa
94. Catfish
95. Mole poblano
96. Bagel and lox
97. Lobster Thermidor
98. Polenta
99. Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee
100. Snake (as long as I don't have to go to the fair to try it)

Go ahead, try it. It makes your food adventures seem really significant. This also has inspired me to create a new addition to Life is Still Sweet. This and one of my favorite movies. I'll let you know next week and perhaps it will become a fun little game for all to play. I'm going to go find some Pocky so I can cross that off too.

Road Trip Re-make

My dad used to be a traveling salesman. A drug peddler actually. Not like the illegal kind silly, he sold animal drugs to veterinarians, feed stores, and feed lots. He's more your country cowboy type, not like a gangsta drug pusher. Some summers I would go with him on one of his routes and get to see some different (all be it remote) places. Hotel swimming pools were my main motive for going, and eating out.

My dad knew every little hole in the wall place on every back road that served the best....anything. My dad is a no frills meat and potato kind of guy so these places were very home style. No foie gras and truffle oil here. He would even plan his trips around certain places. "We'll take this route so we can stop and Gila Springs, this place there makes the best Chile Rellenos." Sure enough, they are the best rellenos I've ever had to date.

There are certain rules that seemed to apply to these little mom and pop places and trips.

• Rule number 1 - It is in your best interest to stick with what he said is the best. If he says they have the best chicken fried steak, get it. Don't go off the reservation and try to order something else. It usually wasn't very good, while his hot plate of juicy fried steak smothered in creamy gravy was the best.
• Rule number 2 - If it isn't specified as having the best anything, order at will. Either he'd never been there before, or everything was good.
• Rule number 3- Let him do the ordering. He had some mystical cowboy charm over a lot of these hometown waitresses and you may get yourself a free dessert, or extra gravy, or find out something even better than what was on the menu.
• Rule number 4 - Bring some Tums, Pepto whatever eases your gastro intestinal distress quickly because these places don't take grease lightly, and we ain't gonna be stopping at any salad stations soon. If you can't keep up with the man with a cast iron stomach, don't get in the car.

Many of these places are forever embedded in my mind. I'm not sure if it's because I got to have these moments, small glimpses of my dad's life away from home, or if they are really that darn good. Either way they're there and sometimes I crave that one dish I ate one time in some remote part of the country.

For example, on a trip through Utah in to Arizona I think we went by way of lake Powell. I don't remember the lake, but I do remember rocks and lots of boats on the road. It was a small 2 lane road, my dad prefers these to interstates, maybe interstates have crappy food. But there was a small all wood building off the road. It looked almost like a very small barn, except for the mass of cars and boats parked out front. I wish I could remember the name. My dad told me that their burgers and fries are good, but be sure to get a shake with it. Well, I usually wasn't allowed these treats WITH dinner. Again, my stomach has a hard time standing up to grease so I was really just wanting a nice tea and toast. But if the man insisted on ice cream, so be it.

I ordered a peach malt and burger and fries. I honestly can't recall the inside of the place, the quality of the burger, or what my dad ordered. But I can still taste the peach malt. I never wanted it to end. I may have just disregarded anything in my path while sucking down that peachy dream.

The other day I wanted one of those peach delights so badly. I decided with my one peach that I hid from the kids, and the bit of malt, and 2 good scoops of ice cream I could be on my way.



I'm sure these folks have some special brand of oh so good ice cream. And maybe even ripe Utah peaches, but mine wasn't too far from the mark. It put a dent in my craving for that lost little place among the rocks, for the little girl enchanted by her fathers joy in little tastes in life. I'd go back there in a heart beat. To take it all in with a different point of view. Maybe my dad will meet me there for another malt and burger?



Or next time he comes for a visit I'll whip him up one of these and discuss his cholesterol level (I do believe he's taken to some salads and oatmeal after years of this kind of stuff). Do you have any road trip remakes that take you back in time, or back to that one vacation, or hole in the wall with the best...?

Humble Pie

Time is quickly passing, fall is ever so slowly trying to cool the desert off, school is in full swing, baby is pressing harder everyday trying to get out and my list of "to do's" is shrinking. Most of the time with a new baby comes much need for stuff. Lots of random things that pile up and seem hopelessly necessary. Even after 2 kids you feel like you just aren't equipped with every knick knack and gadget that magazines throw at you. This time I think I've got the baby tech gear yearning under control. I know what I really need to keep them safe, and fed, and nearly clean.

What really haunts us is the size of our car. It's sort of tiny, but do-able. Our other vehicle is what I'm actually writing about. It's a rather large, beat up, 1991 Ford 250. It was given to us by my father after the birth of our last baby. To make a long story sort of shorter, we were having a bit of stormy times with vehicles. One blew up, and the other was totaled. So a free vehicle was a huge blessing.



There she is. Do my photography editing skills make her look more shabby chic, or is she still just shabby? Any rate this hunk of junk has humbled me quite a bit. It's not like I was driving a Jag before, but the previous car had some noticeably better qualities.

Bertha here takes some getting used to. She used to refuse to be put in reverse causing some serious muffled grumbling. She is obviously not the easiest thing to park at the mall. You have to play with the headlight switch or the really nice police officer pulls you over to inform you that all electricity is shot in your big truck. Her AC is not just a faint memory, and she still carries a bit of dust from her days in the country with my dad. Needless to say I don't know where I would be without her.

No she isn't the minivan that I so strongly wish she was, I'm pretty sure sitting in the back seat is the most uncomfortable thing ever and she doesn't play cd's or even tapes, heck she doesn't have a rear view mirror.

She's taught me to adapt and endure. To realize that I have much bigger and better blessings in my life than I ever imagined. That I'm in love with someone who I believe was made just for me and he is the father of my beautiful children. I've never had to succumb to the pain of loss, or heaviness of illness. That if this is all I've had to endure, a not so comfy automobile, than my life is beyond blissful.

So in honor of big Bertha, let's have some pie, and be thankful that we can. How about some lime pie with blue berry compote? I found this recipe in the paper and it said it was adapted from Blue Eggs and Yellow Tomatoes by Jeanne Kelley. Well I couldn't leave it alone and now I must have her cook book.



Every review goes on and on about how beautiful it is and that has a nice little section on starting your own kitchen garden. I already have a place plotted in my yard for this wee garden.

But here's a bit of a preview of the wonderful pie. It was very quick and oh so refreshing. Just what one needs after running errands in fantastic, bulging Bertha.

Special Torture

I don't know why we do this to babies. Seeing it in a series of episodes one after the other makes it seem so very cruel. But I've done it. Twice, and I'll probably do it to the third. I didn't get this reaction from number 2. She rather enjoyed her new sour find, and ate the whole thing.

See more funny videos and funny pictures at CollegeHumor.

Wonder what this one will do? Perhaps if I turn it into a quick montage with happy music you won't judge me. We'll see.

Night at the improv

Some days in the kitchen are just perfect little dreams. You have all the ingredients on hand, the dishes are already done, your oven stays at perfect temperatures, birds are chirping and things taste like you're a rock star chef. Other times even the most prepared of us will hit a wall. What do you do in that case? IMPROVISE. Now this happens regularly seeing as even with a well made grocery list, I skip over very important ingredients. I'm used to moving on without cumin, or using stock instead of wine, parsley even though I really want cilantro. All these things don't phase me too much. But the other night I was very excited to make a grilled tuna recipe that had a wonderful citrus marinade and an orange salsa. The ingredients were simple, the technique was nothing new. But things just went completely south.

Both of my oranges were less than quality on the inside. This I find out after already squeezing the juice of one for the marinade. The other, wasn't fit to even juice. What to do with beautiful Ahi steaks that were the only "meat" you purchased because it sounded so good? Keep on truckin'.



I figured there was just a bit of juice and that it wouldn't be destroyed with all the other good stuff. What to top it with and serve with it had all changed. I was outside grilling up these beauties and pondering what the heck else to eat. It's hot outside here in the valley. Very hot. Pregnant ladies don't do well in heat. I don't do well in heat. MMMMMM. Tuna steaks:



So I get back inside to the wonderful invention of air conditioning and hope my brain can pull it together. The kids are becoming scavengers searching for any remnant of chip, or candy (what they consider to be suitable dinner items). Needless to say I scrapped together the most random of things: edamame beans, pasta and roasted beets. I chopped up some green onions and cilantro and threw it on top of the tuna.



Now some improvisations have proven to be the most happy of accidents: yogurt instead of buttermilk for pancakes, homemade on the fly enchilada sauce, frittata fixings. This wasn't exactly an epic, but it wasn't bad. I mean I had to cook one tuna steak past rare because of my oh so fragile state (I know I may have well just opened a can of tuna, but it was still better than the can). But it will make my husband one nice nicoise salad, and it was an opportunity to stumble into the mysterious world of unknown potential.

Do you have any great stories of impromptu cooking, or happy accidents that have landed on your list of epics?

Super Simple Snack

Everyone enjoys a bit of picking, noshing, snacking, grazing. Especially my family. While I find nothing wrong with little meals, I sometimes find that what is available for snacking is not all that healthy. Chips are satisfying I won't argue with that. The salty crunch and fantastic fat content makes them near irresistible. But I just can't do it. I can't keep a nice crinkly, inflated bag on hand for them to tear into. When they do slip past my keen nutrition senses and make it in the house, the larger than life bag only lasts for mere hours.

I have recently tried to whip up more snacks for them. Of course I coax them into fruits, veggies, yogurt and the like, but I do understand the need for a crunchy sort of salty nibble. My favorite growing up was Funions. Oh how I loved those with a bottle of New York Seltzer Water - Peach. Remember that drink? My favorite snack of all time would have to be a tortilla with a bit of butter heated for 10 seconds in the microwave. I have a certain profile of tortilla for this, but I won't go in to that. What's your favorite snack?

I like just plain nuts of any kind, but I thought perhaps the masses would enjoy some kicked up fanciness in theirs. Enter - tamari almonds. These are so simple with minimum ingredients but are extremely addicting. I first saw this recipe in a pretty good cook book I have, Vegetarian Slow Cooker. I've since seen similar, but I sort of tweak a few things, and I don't feel like bending down to pull out my slow cooker and the oven works great.



Tamari Almonds

• 2 cups raw almonds
• 2 Tablespoons Tamari sauce (you can use soy, but I use Tamari because it is gluten free)
• 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1-2 shakes of cayenne pepper

Toss the almonds and other ingredients together. Spread out on a lined baking sheet (I LOVE my silpat). Bake in oven on 375 for about 6-8 minutes. Watch them, if your oven runs hot these babies could burn quick.



I send these off to work with my love to keep him out of the vending machine. These would pair so nicely on a cheese plate with a nice sharp cheese and some dried apricots. Or with a beer and ball game, or hiking, or road trips, or Tuesdays when you're at your computer checking out baby gear when you should be working. Get to work!

Out on the Town

Things are really jumping around here. I've grown and grown and now am in third trimester marathon freak out. There is so much to be done and my list just keeps getting longer. Which means in a non pregnancy mind there are some things to do, but nothing major or really of any importance. But to me, I need to get a going. So to share in the fun around here I'm going to up my postings. Part because I agreed to a bit of research, part because lots of cooking is going to happen. I'll be keeping you up to date with my great freezing (more to come), and all that comes out of my kitchen and others. Now hurry, we must get everything done. Including going out before we can never leave the house again. I mean at least not for 18 years.

I will readily admit that I don't get out much. I mean I leave my house, we're not talking agoraphobia or anything. Part of it is occupational hazard, I mean how often does a work at home, pregnant housewife, with only one air conditioned car, who's living on a budget get to eat at all the hip and swanky gigs around town? When Aunty T is in town, that's when. We adore Aunty T on every level. She's the one who takes the kids to a movie and lets them eat whatever they want. She's the one who will come over and play hide and seek even in the heat. She rocks the Guitar Hero, buys the cool school clothes. But she was mine first, so I get to go eat with her ALL BY MYSELF.



With the clock a tickin' on this whole third baby arrival I was so excited to blow dry my hair and check out one of the spots in town that I've been dying to escape to, Radio Milano. I think I read a review in the paper about a year ago. I don't even remember the specifics but it sounded like a fun evening.

Radio Milano is part of the LGO series of hospitality joints around here. Chelsea's Kitchen, Postino Wine Cafe, Le Grande Orange Grocery. All of these are a big hit in Phoenix. I needed to be part of the buzz.

Radio Milano has such a subdued urban hip feel. It's not over the top in any direction and feels very comfortable. The decor is very warm, but still a bit trendy. Notice the super cool red lamp in the background (Aunty T was seriously close to swiping it and running out the door, if we didn't have to wait for the darn valet they may be short a lamp).

We were seated right away even though it was fairly jumping Friday night (I was out on a Friday night). They have some cool deals too: kids eat free before 7:00pm, and cocktails and wines were 1/2 off until 7:00. No wine for me but the wait staff was very helpful with Aunty T's wine. Right away we noticed Bacon and chive deviled eggs. It made me wonder why, with how insanely good deviled eggs are, why don't you see them on more menus?



These tasted just as good as they looked. I'm a total geek for super cool server ware, so again if it wasn't for valet, I may have high tailed it with the wood devil egg server.

It was hard to narrow down our choices, but the good thing about eating with Aunty T is she's all about sharing, so we get to eat MORE! We decided to split the mushroom risotto and the special - grilled swordfish with chimichurri. Holy cow! I haven't had such good risotto in a long time. I make a lot of risotto and do enjoy what I make, but Radio Milano's had such a good depth to it. Then the sword fish, mmmmmm. It was very moist not at all dry. The chimichurri wasn't overpowering, but just a fresh little spike to the wood flavor of the grill (I wish I had pictures, but the place gets a bit dark and food with flash doesn't look so good).

Now the only thing I do remember about the review was that Howard said do not leave without a slice of Olive Oil cake. I had made a couple olive oil cakes this Christmas as gifts, but we didn't get much of it. Radio Milano's version is studded with pistachios and served with cream and berries on the side. When Howard is right, he's right. This cake is so moist and delicate, but perfectly balanced with the rich olive oil.

I'm so glad that I had my "me time" as number 1 called it. I want to go back again and again. Perhaps I'll drag the wee ones. I mean they can eat free and all, and they are sort of cute.

Refried Beans - Still Sweet Style 101

Refried beans at a decent Mexican restaurant are like silkiness to the tongue. Wonderful buttery beans swaddled in lard to give them the perfect texture and flavor. I used to just open up a can of refried beans, pry them out of the can and call it a day. I'm not sure what possessed me to concoct a similar texture out of a can of whole beans, but I did. My family loved them and soon they were scoffing at the can of refried canned gloppy beans.

I whip these up often because it's so quick and so versatile. Today I'll give you a little refried bean lesson.

• Your beans: I enjoy either pinto or black for this recipe. But most of the time I'm pretty picky about which brand of bean to use. Progresso makes a really good pinto bean, but I like this because it's organic. I have noticed that cheap beans don't come out as good.

You will need 2 cans to make enough for a family of 4. I like to open mine and pour off just a bit of the juice. This is about the only recipe where I don't drain or rinse my beans (you'll see why later).

• Next the stuff that makes it so yummy: One jalapeno seeded (unless you like it hot), and diced. Two cloves garlic minced. I prefer to make a paste with salt on top of the cloves on my cutting board, but I also have been using my pre-minced stash which is handy. And last about 1-2 Tablespoons of cumin powder.

All of this goes into a pan with about 2 good Tablespoons olive oil over medium high heat. I like to toast up my cumin powder with the garlic and pepper. After a minute or so dump in your cans of beans. Don't let your garlic burn whatever you do (not that I've ever done that, no way).

• Smooshing: Smooshing the beans is an important step. Use the back of your spoon and squish some of the beans. Not all of them, who's got time for that? Just enough to smooth out the texture and thicken things up. Now let them simmer fairly high. All that bean sauce is going to thicken and smooth out. Now go and chop more stuff up, but don't forget about your beans. Give them a little stir now and then. Go chop.

• Getting ready for the end: This is where my picture may vary from what I say. Do as I say folks, not as I do. I usually like a nice heap of cilantro dumped in at the end. This particular day I forgot I used up all of my cilantro and instead turned to some green onions. So whilst your beans are re-frying chop up some cilantro (green onions were lovely though in this, but I enjoy cilantro immensely). Oh and halve a lime, you'll need it.

So this is now what your little beans are looking like after about 4-5 minutes:



Not the prettiest for a picture, but they taste divine. I usually leave my beans on the heat until they are just starting to thicken and look like that. Then I remove them from the heat where they will thicken up a bit more. I stir in some pepper here too.

• Finishing things up: Here is where you throw in your chopped cilantro and I squeeze just a touch of lime over the top. Not even a half of a lime, just a touch.
  

• Re-spicing: Go ahead and take a taste. I usually end up adding more pepper and a little more cumin powder (I like the addition of non-toasted cumin at the end). Now I don't add any more salt than the salt I used to mash the garlic. My love has high blood pressure and we've become pretty sensitive to salt. You on the other hand may need to add some.

Now go ahead and use these however you wish. My favorite of all time is bean tacos.


While your at it try Homesick Texan's recipe for rice. This recipe is so easy and so tasty. I will admit to struggling with my Spanish rice for years. Hallelujah for her recipe.

These beans my not be the lard laden lovelies of the restaurant, but they will satisfy even the most die hard refried bean need. With out clogging up your arteries or leaving most of them stuck on the inside of the can.