Baking Soda - the kitchen wonder-ingredient!

Baking soda does so much more than act as a leavening in baking - although that is a great use for it. I'm going to be discussing some more uses for this wonder ingredient today. I am sure there are more uses than I know of, so please feel free to share!

Image from Arm & Hammer's website

In the kitchen:
*Baking soda helps to put out small grease fires (NEVER pour water over them!). Keep your soda away from where the flames would spread (seriously, when I was younger my mom had a grease fire and couldn't get to the baking soda. Not a happy situation.) Do not use in deep fryers as it may cause the oil to splash.

*Baking soda can be used as a cleaning agent. Use it to help scrub counters or pans (avoid it on aluminum though.) If you have a stain on a counter-top (made of Formica), sprinkle baking soda over it and then pour on some white vinegar (yes the volcano combination!). Let sit for 5-10 minutes. Wipe clean. For more set in stains, you may need to repeat. (I've tried this and it works on food coloring, however the red did take a couple of times to get it out.)

Personal Care
*Baking Soda can be used as an exfoliant, simply add to your facial cleanser.

*Baking Soda can also be used as an antacid. One-half teaspoonful in a glass of water every two hours. (I used this when I was pregnant at a friend's house and had forgotten my antacids! Worked great.)

*Baking Soda can also be added to a bath to help ease itching (I remember using it as a child with chicken pox) areas (bites, stings, other irritations.) Simply add 1 cup under the tap while running the bath - be sure the water is warm to cool. Alternatively you can make a baking soda paste and apply to the affected area.

*You can gargle with salt and baking soda to help ease a sore throat (however this tastes disgusting.) Use 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp soda in an 8 oz glass of water.

*Baking Soda can be made into a paste and used as a non-flouride toothpaste. (It is suppose to be helpful in removing bad breath.)

Other:
*Add 1/4 cup to laundry to help remove odors (works great for towels that have sat in a washer overnight or for a few days... not that any of us would do that! ) I typically use expired baking soda for this and it still works great!

How do you use baking soda around your house?

White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies

My absolute favorite cookie has to be White Chocolate Macadamia Nut cookies... and I realize that is weird since I absolutely adore chocolate (especially dark). So how did a girl who loves dark chocolate come to decide that her favorite cookie doesn't have chocolate in it? I'm not getting into the white chocolate vs. chocolate in this post, just to let you know! I think it comes from hardly ever making these cookies and only having them on special occasions. Believe it or not, I hadn't made my favorite cookie until last year (at least not in my recollections, which is something I think I'd remember)! True story, I'd make cheesecakes, chocolates but never White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies. Is it because I held them up to such a high standard or because I felt that they should be reserved for a special occasion for which they were always store bought? I don't know. All I know now is that I'm definately making them more often in the future! I've only made them twice in the past year, but considering I've been on a diet the last 6 months, that makes sense... I eat WAY too many of these when they are laying around ;). So to answer the original question, I think these are my favorite because they were a rare treat and I enjoyed eating them every time I got one!

White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies

First you'll need 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened. You can use salted, but unsalted is better for cookies - plus it helps cut down on sodium in you diet. ;)

You'll also need 1/3 cup granulated sugar

and 3/4 cup brown sugar, packed.

Cream the butter and sugar together for 1-2 minutes.

Next, add 1/2 cup malt powder (I used Ovaltine's malt mix.) Seriously, this makes the cookies so darn good. I wouldn't omit unless your local grocer does not carry it!

Beat it in. Now is a great time to snitch the dough - which I realize is only butter, sugar and malt...

You'll also need 2 eggs. Beat well.

Add 1/2 tsp salt,

1 tsp vanilla extract,

and 3/4 tsp baking soda.

toss them all in and beat until just combined.

Next, add 2-1/2 cups flour. Beat until combined, do not over beat.

Next, add 2 cups white chocolate chips. Just a note on white chocolate - most white chips in the stores do not include cocoa butter (the only cocoa they have in them) but use instead some other type of oil. When possible try to get white chocolate chips (instead of vanilla chips, etc.) You'll have to read the ingredients on some to make sure, but unless it has cocoa butter it will not say White Chocolate (or should not!)

Also toss in 1-1/2 cups of Macadamia Nuts. Just a side note on macadamia nuts - toffee and chocolate covered whole roasted macadamia nuts are to die for, but are not good for your waistline. However, if you get a chance to try them, I highly suggest doing so!

Mix the chips and nuts into the cookie dough.

looks delicious!

Place by tablespoonfuls onto a cookie sheet.

These I had frozen into a log and baked later. This is a great way to help me not eat a whole batch in one sitting... not that I would!

Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes... or longer/shorter depending on the size of the cookies and your oven.

I pull mine out just before the middle is finished cooking and let them finish on the pan for 1-2 minutes. It makes them soft and gooey, plus they never get overcooked.

However, if you happen to cook them for just a bit too long, once removed from oven, place them on a cooling rack ASAP.

It stops them from being completely overcooked.

Let them cool for a few minutes. Or you can be like me and almost burn your mouth on the cookies right out of the oven.

I can guarantee you these were not the first batch out of the oven!

Excuse me now, I'm going to have to go make a batch of these... actually I'm going to have to run to the store to get chips and malt powder first!

Enjoy!

Two months and a completed degree later...

Almost two months later I'm finally back from my blogging break. Although I will not be posting a menu today as we were traveling last week and ate out more than is good for me ;). However the main purpose of the trip was accomplished: 

 My husband finally finished and submitted his Master's Thesis! He finished after the Spring deadline, so he'll be getting his diploma in August (or rather a few months later in the mail.) We are super excited that after having so many problems he was able to finish it!  Congrats honey!

With that behind us, I'll be back to posting 4-5 times per week. And as promised, I will be having a give away this Friday.

Letters

Sunday I while discussing the sharing of our mutual computer and how the thesis was coming, we decided I could start blogging again... then yesterday hubby got an email from his advising professor about the latest draft and let's just say he'll be burning the midnight oil a few nights to get it finished by the end of the allotted time period (about a month after the end of the semester.)  Thus I offered to extend my blogging break to help support the finishing of the thesis. I will be back toward the middle or end of the month about the middle of June.

However, yesterday while reading through my reader, I found this wonderful post by Joy the Baker. I absolutely loved the idea and decided to copy her idea... I asked first and she was very encouraging that I use the idea. I mean, who doesn't love to get handwritten letters?! or mail in general... okay unless it's junk mail, but I have to admit I do sometimes prefer getting a junk mail envelope as opposed to no mail at all! Am I alone in this? I hope not. Please tell me at least one of you feels the same from time to time. I hope this does not make me pathetic...

We all need each other and I would love to be able to help cheer up someone by sending them a handwritten letter. That's where you come in, I need you! I need people to send letters to that would love to get one.

So here's the deal - if you want a handwritten letter (and recipe, because after all who doesn't love to get handwritten recipes) simply send an email to this email address: crystalismypenpal (at) gmail (dot) com. If you want a specific recipe that I've had on my menu but hasn't gotten posted - just let me know and I'll include that as the recipe.

And no worries about sending me your address through that email. I will only use it for the purpose of sending you a handwritten letter and recipe. I won't publish it online or sell it to wherever addresses are sold to (I don't really know where one sells address at so you have no worries there!) 

Also, when you get the letter, if you could snap a picture of it (preferably with you in the picture) and email me the picture... I'd love to see the pictures, but not something you HAVE to do. So please still send me your address even if you don't want to take a picture.

One last thing - if you want a more personal letter - tell me something about yourself. It can be something as simple as I love birds. Or it could be a whole paragraph filled with anything you'd care to tell me and most likely have me reference in a letter. 

Finally, if you know anyone who would love to get a handwritten letter, please feel free to pass this on to them! 


Bye for now. I can't wait to hear from you all!

Cuban Seasoned Pork Chops

Just an FYI the soup will be posted early next week... But as promised I am posting this recipe (which tied in the poll with the Butter Parmesan Herb Pasta) from February. I can't believe I've put it off this long - but I'm finally bringing it to you! Also some good news, my husband has a draft ready to submit to his advisor and on his to do list: Schedule his Thesis Defense! Sure it probably won't be until sometime next month, but I can see a light at the end of this tunnel. It's been 2 years since he finished his coursework and at one point he was seriously considering changing his topic (comparing the visual complexity of this type of map with this type of map - and yes both types are actually in the first poster, which is made by my husband.) because the data was giving him such problems. It is great to be at this point now!

So what does that have to do with Cuban Seasoned Pork Chops - absolutely nothing. But sometimes a girl just has to brag about her honey bun. Just don't tell him I called him honey bun online. On to the pork chops, this is a recipe I pull out once in a while, basically when I have pork chops and remember how much I love it. It also helps if I'm not in an experimental mood... then I tend to try new recipes. These Pork Chops are honestly so delicious and I've tried them with rice and beans as well, it just makes them feel more authentic. It's also great because it doesn't require marinating for any period of time, which I have to admit is something I struggle with. I feel on top of things if I remember to have the meat defrosted by dinner time... anyone with me on this? Please say that there is at least one person out there who can relate.

 Cuban Seasoned Pork Chops

To start, you'll need the following: grated lime peel (from one lime - about 2 tsp), juice of one lime (about 1-2 Tbsp - I used the same lime I got the peel from), 1 Tbsp ground cumin, 1/2 Tbsp ground black pepper (it would be better if you had fresh cracked pepper), 1/2 tsp salt, 2 Tbsp olive oil (you can use vegetable oil as well), and 1 clove garlic - minced.

Mix all the above together - I know it does not look very appetizing, but this is the marinade that goes all over the pork chops. Oh, yeah speaking of pork chops - you'll need those as well! This works great with 4 pork chops, however if you want to use less, it will just mean more flavor for each one you do make!

Spread the marinade onto the chops and cook - I broiled mine using my makeshift double broiler. (Place directly onto oven rack about 4 inches under broiler - have a cookie sheet, actually more of a jelly roll pan with some water in it underneath the rack. Be sure to position the chops over the pan to catch the drippings.)

Alternatively, you can grill these... if it happens to be warm enough where you live to fire up an outside grill. Unless you have an inside grill - then you can do it whenever and you're a ton cooler than me. Plus I'd want to move in with you, or just into your house!

If you use my method, when you open the oven (halfway through - after about 8 minutes) it will be steamy enough to fog up the camera.

Flip and cook until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees with a meat thermometer when inserted in the thickest part (also be sure to avoid bones if you are not using boneless pork chops - I wasn't but I do sometimes...)

Enjoy! I served this with some mashed sweet potatoes (mixed in a little cumin - tasted great - but I do mean a LITTLE like 1/4 tsp for 2 sweet potatoes), and chips with guacamole.

Menu: April 11-17 & a Blogging break

I've been itching to make tamales again lately, so I asked my tamale making friend to help me again... okay so we've both only made them once before - last fall. I will have to say that tamales are not HARD to make they just take TIME! I actually made enough this time to freeze some, which I did. So now next time I start craving tamales, I just have to pull them out of the freezer. I'm super excited about that. I'll let you know how they taste when I make them (I froze them before steaming, so I will have to steam them for over an hour!)

In other news, my husband submitted a draft of his thesis to his advisor about two weeks ago. He heard back and now has some edits to make. Unfortunately with how busy our lives have become and the whole sharing the computer I'll be taking a break to let him make the final leap to the end. We're hoping he can defend in the next 30 days! I will be posting the recipe from last week's poll - Chipolte Black Bean Soup sometime in the next week. If I get time to work on any posts I will be posting a tied recipe from about a month ago that I haven't gotten to as well (The Cuban Seasoned Pork Chops.) Once he's done with the writing of his thesis (which won't take the next 30 days - hopefully only two weeks) I'll be back and will be having a giveaway!

Here's the menu:

Monday: Green Chili Chicken

Tuesday: Tamales ** I included variations at the end of the post.

Wednesday: Tamales

Thursday: Tamales

Friday: Ate out

Saturday: Tortellini with Red Pepper Sauce (sorry no pictures)

Sunday: Spinach Bacon Quesadillas (Sorry no pictures)

No poll this week!

Black Bean Tortilla Casserole

It seems like I'm running a day behind this week! I honestly feel like today should be Thursday instead of Friday. Hence the reason I'm posting this recipe today instead of yesterday... Putting the fact that I don't know what day of the week it is aside, let me talk about the recipe that you're about to read. I LOVE it! Seriously, I've started rating recipes on a scale of 1-10... well I do that when I remember. This delightful dish got a rank of 9. I've made it 2-3 times in the past few years and each time I asked Hubby what he'd rate it, he'd say about a 9. I totally agree with him and it is one of our favorites. I just forget about it or we'd have it a LOT more! Do you ever forget about a truly awesome dish you've had?! In a way it is nice because you get to re-discover something great. But on the flip side, I totally was missing out by not having this every week (or month really!)

I hope you all enjoy this as much as we do!

Black Bean & Tortilla Casserole

You'll need 1 cup chopped white (or yellow) onion and 1/2 green bell pepper, chopped.

Place in a skillet with 1 Tbsp oil and saute for 5 minutes.

You'll also need 1/2 cup picante sauce - I like the chunky stuff!

You'll also need 1/2 cup Salsa Verde. Or you can just increase the picante sauce to 1 cup. However, I loved the flavor of the green salsa!

You'll also need 1 can (14.5 oz) chopped tomatoes. I used tomatoes with chipolte peppers, but it works well with regular canned tomatoes as well.

Add the salsas and tomatoes to the pepper and onions.

Also, you'll need 2 teaspoons ground cumin. I was talking recently with my best friend about cumin - she's never bought it. I had her smell it and she decided it smelled like taco seasoning. Seriously it does make a HUGE difference when cooking with Mexican/Latin flavors.

Lastly (for now at least), you'll need 2 cloves of garlic.

Mince the garlic and add to the onion and pepper mixture.

Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low.

Simmer for 10 minutes.

Next, you'll need 2 cans (15 ounces) of black beans.

Rinse and drain the beans.

Add the beans to the pan and stir.

Spread 1/3 of the bean mixture over the bottom of a pan.

Use corn tortillas to form a layer over the bean mixture.

Top with 1 cup shredded cheese. I've used Cheddar and Monterey Jack - I did like the Monterey Jack cheese better, but the cheddar works fine.

Repeat layers.

1/3 Bean mixture,

and tortillas. Repeat with remaining bean mixture, tortillas and

sprinkle with a small amount of cheese.

Bake covered at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Remove from oven and top with 1 cup cheese.

Bake for 5 minutes more, uncovered. Remove, let stand for 10 minutes.

Serve with lettuce, tomato, sour cream, fresh cilantro sprigs, green onion and olives.

Enjoy!

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