Food, Love, and General Rantings

First of all, this post is not a recipe. Sorry. I have a couple great summer posts coming your way (I promise!), but this is not one of them.

Secondly, the subject of this post is obvious. As you read it, you will probably think to yourself...duh Katie..everyone already knows this. But, I had a moment today, so I am going to write about it.

So, here it is. This blog is about love and food. Not mushy, romantic love (though that also applies)...just pure, true, common, day-to-day love. 

Maybe I should back it up. Here's what happened. Today, one of my cousins asked me for a recipe. He wanted something simple that he could cook for his family, so I began to search through the recipes that I have pictures of on my phone. (Pictures of recipes? Yes. I write my recipes on cards and then end up photographing them...yes, I know it's counterintuitive...yes, I know there are much more efficient ways of doing these sorts of things. This is just what I do.) Anyway, as I searched back through the years on my phone, a certain picture caught my eye. It's a picture of my aunt and cousin grating cheese. And out of nowhere, it just hit me in the gut (in a good way)...the laughter, the love, the craziness reflected on their faces. As I looked at it, I thought back to the day it was taken. My whole family was gathered because my grandfather had passed away; it was by no means an easy, carefree day, but there in the commune of family...there on their faces it was. Pure, true love and happiness. Even on such a hard day, among family and food, joy was still present.

I kept scrolling, and I found so many more pictures. So many pictures of people I love and (of course) food, and it made me think about how much of my cooking is driven purely by that love. There are logs in my head dedicated to the people I love. If someone close to me asks for dinner, I already know what I'm cooking because I already know what their favorite thing is and have bookmarked many recipes under their name. If someone I love needs a recipe, I will find it, or create it if I have to. My best recipes have been created because I was trying to make something using a loved ones favorite ingredients. 

Like I said, none of this is news. Obviously, we all know that there is a lot of sentiment and emotion tied to our food. Recipes are passed down through generations. Some of my earliest memories are cooking with my grandmother and my father, and I now do the same with the children in my life. When someone is sick or dies, or (on a lighter note) comes home with a new baby, food is the first thing we bring. But, today, as I happened across that photo, it just really struck me, and I think it's an important thing to reflect on every now and then. 

So often, we get caught in the day to day routine, and that love that drives our cooking gets pushed to the background and begins to feel like obligation. So, even though I'm telling you something you've heard a thousand times, it can't hurt to hear it again. When we get caught up in the necessity and the duty of cooking, sometimes we need to stop and reflect on the pure, true, common, day-to-day love that initially drove us to the stove. 

Oh, and of course, I didn't forget to share some of the pictures that inspired my moment.

Have a great weekend!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

The magical cookie bar. How do I explain to you the power of these cookies? Upon tasting these cookies, grown men will cry. Make these, and you possess the power to change the course of history. Once people know that you are capable of such greatness, they will expect it forever...you will be making these cookies on a regular basis for the rest of your days, but... you will not be sorry. Because, these cookies, these squares of ooey gooey, chewy, chocolatey magic..they're worth it.

Okay, so here's the deal without all the over-the-top (but very true) drama. I have been making these cookie bars for so long that I don't even remember when I started. Every person I have known has loved and requested them over and over. They're just great. I have shipped them across cities; I have shipped them across states... I am convinced that the people I love may miss these cookies more than they miss their maker, but that's okay. I understand because these cookies are THAT GOOD.

They're everything a person could want in a cookie. They're soft, sweet, a little chewy, and a lot chocolatey. They're also sturdy, so they keep awhile, and they ship beautifully (a fact my loved ones are thankful for).

So, here's my not-so-secret secret...

The recipe is on the back of this bag. Yep, you heard me...It's on the back of Tollhouse bag. People have begged, pleaded, and bargained  for this recipe, only to learn the truth...the recipe they want so desperately has been right in their hands the whole time.  The funny thing is...when they learn the truth, they don't want to believe it. They argue with me, telling me that I must be keeping some secret from them. But..I'm not.

The coveted recipe really is ON THE BACK OF THE BAG. Pinky swear :-)

Here's how you do it.

Gather your ingredients.

Beat the sugars and butter in a bowl.

Add your eggs and vanilla.

Mix up the dry ingredients.

Add them to the butter and sugar.

And...add the chocolate chips!

I like to use the mini chips when I'm making bars because I think they distribute better. 

Also, at this point, you can really add whatever else you want..nuts, toffee, different kinds of chips...go crazy...it all works in here.

Here it is. The cookie dough that could change the course of history... resist the urge to eat it all (you know, salmonella..blah blah, finish what you start..blah blah), and...

Dump it all in a pan. All of it. No need to be gentle...just dump it all in there.

Spread it out, and bake it.

And then, just take a moment to take them in. A whole pan of magical, golden, gooey, chocolatey goodness. 

But, you can't have them yet. Yep, sorry. You have to let them cool. 

Go distract yourself...do dishes, go for a run, cry in the corner while you stare longingly at the forbidden cookie bars... until...

They cool!

Cut them into bars, and you're done!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

(adapted from Tollhouse)

Ingredients:

2 sticks butter, unsalted

3/4 c brown sugar

3/4 c sugar

2 eggs

1 T vanilla

2 1/4 c flour

1 t baking soda

1 t salt

bag of chocolate chips

toffee, nuts, or other add-ins

Directions:

1. Cream butter and sugar until fluffy (about 3 min). Add eggs and vanilla and mix until incorporated.

2. In a separate bowl, whisk flour, soda and salt. Slowly add flour mix to butter mix. Add in chocolate chips.

3. Spread dough into greased jelly roll pan and bake at 375 degrees for 20-25 min, until just golden.

Cool completely before cutting into bars.

Store in an airtight container and...

ENJOY!

Package them up and share them with the people you love; you won't be sorry...and neither will they!

Mexican Shredded Chicken

I'm posting this recipe for a couple of reasons.

One, I gave you green enchilada sauce yesterday, and you are all sitting around wondering what you will fill your enchiladas with. You've been up all night fretting and hoping that I will give you an answer, so..here's your filling.

Two, one of my close friends is getting married, and she needs this. She doesn't know it yet, but she does. Soon, she will be moving far away from Texas. She will wake up one day and want me to make it for her, but chicken doesn't ship well...so..she needs this.

Now, let's talk chicken. You're going to see this recipe and realize...it's not much of a recipe. It's basic, easy, and it has like 5 (give or take) ingredients. But, don't let it's simplicity fool you...this chicken is a BIG deal. You can use it for pretty much anything Mexican. Tacos, chalupas, nachos, enchiladas,  taco salad...the list goes on, and the people you love will thank you. They will cheer; they will applaud; they will give you a standing ovation, and when they're done, they'll beg you for more.

So, basic...yes. Simple and easy...yes. But, don't underestimate it. This chicken will knock your socks off.

Here's how you do it.

You'll need some chicken breasts. Cut them into chunks, and throw them in a pan. (See..Easy.)

Let the chicken brown. I know...you're impatient and it's taking forever, but it tastes better if you let it brown. (Still easy.)

Now for the real flavor. Chili powder, comino, onion, garlic, salt..and that's all. Tex-Mex flavors are pretty straightforward.

Just toss it all in there until the onions soften a little. 

Add some chicken broth, cover it, and walk away. Let it simmer for 30 minutes.

(Told you...easy peasy.)

After 30 minutes, you will be able to shred the chicken. And, you should...shred it.

You can shred with forks, but I'm impatient, so I use a potato masher. It's faster, but, if you only have forks, use them. They'll do the job.

Squeeze in some lime juice, and...

You're done.

Just like that, you have shredded chicken.

Easy.

Mexican Shredded Chicken

Ingredients:

2-3 chicken breasts, cut into 1-2 inch chunks

oil

1 onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 T chili powder

1 T comino (cumin)

1 cup chicken broth

juice of 1 lime

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Heat oil in a skillet, and add chicken. Allow chicken to brown.

2.  Add onion, garlic, spices, salt and pepper. Allow onions to soften (2-3 min), and then add chicken broth. Simmer until chicken is tender and breaks apart easily with a fork (about 30 min). If the broth cooks off before the chicken is tender, add more.

3. Shred the chicken. Squeeze in the lime juice, and simmer another 5-10 minutes. Taste and add more salt or chili powder, as needed.

ENJOY!

This one's for you, Beth. It'll be here when you need it. :-)