Shownotes for #6 Quesadillas !

The music for the opening and ending of the show is Fast Food Rampage by the The Touch Ups, courtesy of the Podsafe Music Network.

Stuff you need to know for this show's recipe:

All the recipes here are an hour or less. Total preparation time for the quesadillas is less than 15 minutes.

The podsafe music used in the show:

Today I am featuring Jimmie Ratcher and his song Bad Religion. Jimmie is a veteran blues musician who hales from Kansas City. I find his music provides just the right tempo for frying up some Quesadillas.

Here is the recipe I describe in the show:

8 flour tortillas

4 oz sliced or shredded chesse (jack, havarti, cheddar)

1 ripe avocado, pitted, sliced and skinned

2 oz chopped fresh cilantro

Heat an oiled griddle, skillet or oven pan til a drop of water flicked from your finger skips across the surface. Lay a tortilla down. Sprinkle on some cheese. Lay on a few slices of avocado and a bit of cilantro. Fold or cover with another tortilla, sandwich style. Flip and toast till cheese melts. Serve hoit with salsa and sour cream.

Re-oil pan before repeated.

Here are some additional recipes from the show:

Black Bean Quesadillas (adapted from Vegetarian Times Complete Cookbook)

1 15 oz can black beans, rinsed

1/4 c. chopped red tomato

3 tbs chopped fresh cilantro

12 black olives, pitted ands thinly sliced

8 tortillas

4 oz shredded jack or soy cheese

32 spinach leaves, stemmed and shredded1/4 c salsa

Mash the beans and combine with tomato, cilantro and olives, Spread evenly on one tortilla. Sprinkle on cheese, spinach and salsa. Fold or top with second tortilla. Heat till cheese melts. Cut in wedges. Serve hot.

Fajita Quesadilla (adapted from Deborah Madison's Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone)

2 poblano chilis

2 large bell peppers, 1 red and one green

1 small onions, thinly sliced

1 clove garlic, crushed and minced

1 tbs vegetable oil

Salt

Juice of 1 lime.

Roast and peel the peppers, peeling the skin and discarding seeds and membranes. Cut into strips about 1/2 inch wide. Saute onion and garlic until onion begins to brown around the edges, about 5 minutes. Combine with pepper strips and season with salt. Add a little lime, just before using. Will keep several days in a closed container in the refrigerator.

Spread 1/2 c or more onto the tortilla. Toast in a hot oiled griddle. Add grated cheese and a dab of sour cream. Fold or top with another tortilla. Flip and serve with salsa or a pile of pickled vegetables.

Sweet Potato Quesadilla (adapted from Moosewood Restaurant Cooks at Home)

1 1/2 c. finely chopped onions

2 garlic cloves, crushed and minced

3 tbs vegetable oil

4 c. grated sweet potato

1/2 tsp dried Mexican oregano

1 tsp chili powder

2 tsp ground cumin

generous pinch of cayenne pepper

SAlt and pepper to taste

1 c. grated sharp cheddar cheese

Saute the onions and garlic in the oil until the onions are translucent. Do not let them brown. Add the potatoes, spices and herbs. Toss and cook, covered for ten minutes. Stir to prevent sticking. When potato is tender, season with salt and pepper and remove from heat.

Spread 1/2 c of potato on tortilla and place on a hot, oiled griddle. Sprinkle on grated cheese. Fold or top with another tortilla and flip to melt the cheese. Serve hot with sour cream and a salsa. Try a salsa where black beans and corn kernels have been mixed into the tomatoes with this one. The combination of textures and tastes are surprisingly good.

Here is the shopping list for next week:

Next week I'm going to tell you about the best macaroni salad you may ever eat. You'll need the following:

An 8oz bottle of real mayonnaise

a lemon that's heavy for its size

a red pepper in good shape

At least three stalks of fresh celery

Some celery seed

Fresh flat-leaf parsley

some granulated sugar (or Splenda)

12 ounces of small elbow macaroni

Here is a list equipment you will need for next week:

That large, 8 quart stainless steel bowl we used for tossing Buffalo Wings in #3

A sharp knife for chopping

Shownotes for #5 Tomato Salsa!

The music for the opening and ending of the show is Fast Food Rampage by the The Touch Ups, courtesy of the Podsafe Music Network.

Stuff you need to know fore this show's recipe:

All the recipes here are an hour or less. Active time for preparing the salsa is less than 15 minutes. You then need to let the salsa sit in the refrigerator for an hour to let the flavors blend. Total preparation time (refrigerator to mouth) is 1 hour and 15 minutes.

Proper salsa can only be accomplished by chopping the tomatoes with a knife. If you are new to using a knife, take a look at the videos on chopping and mincing on the Food Network. They are quite helpful. The technique for cutting the tomato is the same as dicing an onion. If you need a knife, there's a link I'll have more to say about how to buy a knife that will last you a lifetime in the show.

The podsafe music used in the show:

The Candy Butchers, What to Do With Michael , is my choice to chop tomatoes by.

Here is the recipe I describe in the show:

Salsa Mexicana (adapted from David Rosengarten, The Dean and Deluca Cookbook)

1 large ripe tomato, chopped

1/4 cup sweet white onion, chopped

1/4 cup fresh minced cilantro

1 to 3 serrano or jalapeno peppers, seeded and finely chopped

1 garlic clove, crushed and minced

1 tbs fresh lime juice or more to taste

Stir together, season with course salt and serve.

Here are some additional recipes from the show:

If you like your salsa aggressive, but not overpowering, try this chipotle-based variation from Mexico's Pacific coast:

Tomato-Chipotle Salsa (adapted from Schlesinger and Willoughby, Salsa, Sambals, Chutneys and Chowchows)

3 large very ripe tomatoes, diced small

1 cup tomato juice (buy the six pack of small cans and use one of them)

2 tablespoons minced chipotle peppers (buy a can of chipotle in adobo, use one chili and rinse off the adobo. Empty the leftovers into a clean container and refrigerate for another use, like chile con carne)

1 teaspoon fresh garlic

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1/2 cup lime juice (about 4 limes)

Salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste

Mix everything together and refrigerate for an hour. This should keep in the frig in a clean, covered container for 5 days.

If you like your salsa so aggressive that you break out in a sweat, try this one:

Pinapple Habanero Salsa (adapted from David Rosengarten, The Dean and Deluca Cookbook)

1 cup diced pinapple

1 tbs minced shallot or white sweet onion

3 tbs minced scallion (white and green parts)

2 tbs diced green pepper

1 tsp wine vinegar

1 tsp brown sugar

1 tsp finely chopped habanero pepper

1 tbs minced fresh cilantro

Mix together and let sit 15 minutes. taste and season with a little salt. If too hot, add sugar. If too sweet, add vinegar or lime juice.

Here is the shopping list for next week:

1 package of fresh flour tortillas

1/2 pound of sliced meltying cheese (Havarti, Havarti with chili pepper, Monteray Jack, Chihuahua Cheese, Mozzorella, or a combination

Fresh cilantro

One ripe avocado

Here is a list equipment you will need for next week:

A skillet, an electric frying pan or a griddle.

A knife

Shownotes for #4 Baked Artichoke Dip!

The music for the opening and ending of the show is Fast Food Rampage by the The Touch Ups, courtesy of the Podsafe Music Network.

Stuff you need to know fore this show's recipe:

If you would like to learn more about the fifth taste, umami, click here to go to a website dedicated to this taste. Isn't cool. I bet sweet, sour bitter and salty all wish they had websites too!

All the recipes here are an hour or less. Active time for the cook is less than 15 minutes. Total preparation time (refrigerator to mouth) is 1 hour and 15 minutes. This recipe goes quicker if you have some kind machine for combining the ingredients, a food processor, or a hand-held or stand mixer. If you are ready to buy a food processor, but can't spend the $150 for a five cup Cuisinart (the only one I recommend; its all about the power of the motor), there is a three cup version that will last you for several years. To use it with large amounts you mix the final combination of processed foods in a large bowl by hand. Still at $40, its a bargain. There's a link to Amazon's page for purchasing this 3 cup version here on the Munchiespodcast web page. If you can buy this, you'll use it a lot to make the snacks I'll discuss on future podcasts.

A blender will get stuck a lot with this dip. It will do too fine a job when it does work and add a lot of air. So don't use one.

Of course, the entire operation can also be accomplished by chopping the artichokes finely with a knife and using a big spoon to mix everything together.If you are new to using a knife, take a look at the videos on chopping and mincing on the Food Network. They are quite helpful. If you need a knife, there's a link I'll have more to say about how to buy a knife that will last you a lifetime, next week.

Additional podsafe music used in the show include:

I happy to showcase Matthew Ebel's holiday song Walk a Thousand Miles. This is a live acoustic version from the Podsafe Music Network that will go very nicely with your enjoyment of that artichoke dip.

Here are some additional recipes from the show:

For the original, full-on heart clogging recipe that made suburbia the place for parties, see this page on the All Recipes website.

The following recipes can all be served in a bread bowl! Eating food on bread is a very old way to eat, predating ceramic plates. When you were done with the stew or meat, you ate the "plate!" There was less to clean up. Buy a high round bread of any variety. This shape is known as a boule. Cut a round slice out of the top of the bread as if you were opening a bowl. Scoop out the interior crumb with your hands. Save this for making bread crumbs (dry a few days, then grind in a food processor; keep in a bag in the freezer to maintain freshness), or cut into cubes to make croutons (toss with oil, salt and pepper, and saute in a skillet until the sides begin to color; then keep in a plastic bag)..

Pour the dip into the hollow bread bowl on serving platter and surround with slices of multigrain or whole grain bread for dipping. Reserve extra dip to warm and refill the bread bowl as necessary. Cut up bread bowl when the dipping slices are gone. Eating the bowl (at the end of the party or the next day) is even better than dipping slices of bread because the bowl absorbs the flavors from the dip.

Baked Artichoke Dip (with even less calories from fat then the one featured on the show; recipe adapted from Food Network Kitchens)

3/4 pound light (but not fat free) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup 2% milk
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
2 scallions (white and green), chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 large eggs, beaten
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 cups drained jarred or thawed artichoke hearts, patted dry
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Pinch cayenne
Butter, as needed
Assorted crackers

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
In a food processor, combine the cream cheese, milk, Parmesan, scallions, garlic, eggs, and lemon juice; pulse until smooth. Add the artichokes, salt, pepper, and cayenne, and pulse until just mixed, but still chunky. Transfer the mixture to a buttered, deep 4-cup casserole dish and bake until lightly browned and set, about 1 hour. Serve warm with crackers.

Spinach and Artichoke Dip (traditional recipe)

1 box frozen chopped spinach, thawed
1 cup light sour cream
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella
8 ounces reduced fat cream cheese, softened
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more as needed
1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce, plus more as needed
1 (14-ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained
Carrot sticks, celery sticks or baked tortilla strips, for serving

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Squeeze all excess liquid from spinach, place in a food processor with sour cream, Parmesan, 1/2 cup of the mozzarella, the cream cheese, garlic, pepper and hot sauce.

Process until just blended but still slightly lumpy. Add artichokes and pulse to form a chunky mixture. Place in a 1-quart baking dish. Top with remaining mozzarella. Bake until bubbly, about 30 minutes. Serve with carrot sticks, celery sticks or baked tortilla strips.

Stovetop Spinach and Artichoke Dip (recipe adapted from Rachel Ray, The Food Network)

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan
1 tablespoon butter
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 onion, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme leaves or 2 teaspoons dried
1/2 small red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 cup chicken or vegetable stock
1/2 cup half-and- half or heavy cream
1 can (15 ounces) artichoke hearts in water, drained and coarsely chopped
2 boxes, 10 ounces each, chopped spinach, defrosted and squeezed dry in kitchen towel
1 1/2 cups shredded Italian 4 cheese blend (provolone, Parmesan, mozzarella and Asiago) available in 10-ounce pouches on the dairy aisle of your market
Salt and pepper
1 round loaf crusty bread: top removed and cubed, bottom hollowed out to use as serving bowl
1 loaf multigrain or whole wheat baguette, sliced at bakery/bread counter in market

To a medium sauce pot preheated over moderate heat, add about 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan in a slow stream. Add butter to oil. When butter melts, add garlic and onions to the pot. Sprinkle in thyme leaves. Saute 2 minutes, add chopped red pepper. Saute mixture a minute more. Sprinkle in flour, stir to coat vegetables. Cook flour 1 minute. Whisk in wine and reduce by half. Whisk in stock and thicken sauce 1 minute. Stir in half-and-half or cream. When sauce returns to a bubble, add artichokes, spinach and cheeses. Keep stirring until cheeses melt and sauce is well combined. Add salt and pepper and adjust seasonings, to your taste.

Crab and Artichoke Dip (recipe adapted from La Quinta Resort, Palm Springs, CA)

2 cups chopped shallots (or red onions)
1/2 cup chopped garlic
2 tablespoons olive oil
8 ounces chopped artichoke hearts (canned or bottled, but not marinated)
8 ounces Dungenesss crab meat (flake is sufficient, don't spend a lot of money on lump meat for this recipe)
4 cups spinach (2 boxes or one large bag frozen will do here)
1 cup heavy cream (not whipping cream)
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper, or to taste
1/2 cup diced tomatoes
1 cup (2 boxes) Boursin cheese
1 cup bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Saute shallots and garlic in olive oil until caramelized. Add the artichokes and crab, and saute. Add spinach, cream, crushed red pepper, tomatoes, and cheese. Stir. Let it simmer then puree mixture. Place in casserole dishes and top with bread crumbs. Bake for 7 minutes.

Here is the shopping list for next week:

Three or four ripe red tomatoes,

A fresh lime

A large onion

two or three chilies, like jalapeno or serrano. These should be fresh, not canned or pickled. The skin should be tight, not wrinkled.

You’ll also need some fresh cilantro.

Here is a list equipment you will need for next week:

Shownotes for #3 Buffalo Chicken Wings!

The music for the opening and ending of the show is Fast Food Rampage by the The Touch Ups, courtesy of the Podsafe Music Network.

All the recipes here are quick. Active time for the cook is less than 15 minutes. Total preparation time (refrigerator to mouth) is 45 minutes.

Buffalo Chicken wings are more than deep-fried wings tossed in hot sauce. They are part of a family of recipes for treating chicken wings that lead to infinite variations. The cooking process, whether in deep fat or oven fried, crisps the skin and makes it absorb some of the sauce. In last week's project, barbecue chicken wings, the sauce sits on top of the skin. The tossing of the wings in the sauce is not only a dramatic finish to the preparation, it cools the skin slightly, insuring an even coating of the wings. Try some of the variations below. They may not be Buffalo, but they use the same techniques. They are also delicious.

Additional podsafe music used in the show include:

Allison Crowe's "Montreal" Allison may be from Vancouver, but she seems to love Montreal as much as I do.

If you would like some help visualizing how to cut up the chicken wings, there are some excellent photos of the process at the Hot Sauce Blog website

Here are some additional recipes from the show:

Notice that what all of these recipes have in common is that you toss the wings in flavored oil and then put them in a hot over. That's oven-frying!

CHICKEN WINGS IN PEANUT SAUCE (adapted from Gourmet Magazine, January 2001)

For wings
4 lb chicken wings, halved at joint, tips removed if desired
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 1/2 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger
1 garlic clove, minced

For sauce
2 tablespoons natural peanut butter
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 1/2 teaspoons Asian fish sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon salt

Make wings: Preheat oven to 500°F.

Pat wings dry and toss with oil, ginger, and garlic. Arrange wings, thick-skin sides up, in 1 layer in a large shallow baking pan and roast in upper third of oven 25 minutes.

Turn on broiler and broil wings, turning once, until nicely browned and crisp, 10 to 15 minutes.

Make sauce while wings cook: Whisk together sauce ingredients in a large bowl until blended.

Add wings to sauce and toss until coated.

CHICKEN WINGS AFRICANA (adapted from Gourmet Magazine, February 1992)

These chicken wings bring together flavors of Portugal, China, and Africa, which were connected through the trade routes and colonization of Macau.

For the chicken wings
4 garlic cloves
2 shallots
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon Chinese five-spice powder (available at Asian markets and most supermarkets)
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon crumbled dried rosemary
1/2 teaspoon cayenne, or to taste
1/4 cup vegetable oil
4 pounds chicken wings (about 20 to 24), the tips cut off and reserved for another use

For the sauce
1/3 cup natural-style peanut butter
1/4 cup well-stirred canned cream of coconut
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/8 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes, or to taste
1 teaspoon soy sauce

coriander sprigs for garnish if desired

Prepare the chicken wings:
Mince and mash the garlic and the shallots to a paste with the salt and in a large bowl stir the paste together well with the five-spice powder, the paprika, the rosemary, the cayenne, and the oil. Add the chicken wings, stirring to coat them well with the marinade, and let them marinate, covered and chilled, for 4 hours or overnight. Arrange the wings, skin sides up, on the rack of a foil-lined large broiler pan and bake them in the upper third of a preheated 425°F. oven for 25 to 30 minutes, turning once, or until they are golden brown. The wings may be prepared 1 day in advance, kept covered and chilled, and reheated.

Make the sauce:
In a blender blend together the peanut butter, the cream of coconut, the garlic, the water, the bell pepper, the red pepper flakes, and the soy sauce until the mixture is smooth and season the sauce with salt.

Transfer the sauce to a serving bowl set on a platter, arrange the wings around the bowl, and garnish the platter with the coriander.

SOUTHERN-STYLE FRIED CHICKEN WINGS (Adapted from Gourmet Magazine, June 1998)

This recipe demonstrates the alternative method of frying the chicken wings in the least amount of oil. This one uses shortening and butter. However, you could use lard or vegetable cooking oil (canola, peanut, corn).

3 pounds chicken wings (16 to 18)
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons coarse salt
2 onions
3 cups buttermilk
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons cracked black peppercorns
1 teaspoon cayenne
2 cups vegetable shortening
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter

Cut off chicken wing tips, reserving them for another use (such as stock). Arrange wings in one layer in a 13- by 9-inch glass baking dish and sprinkle them evenly with 1/2 cup kosher salt. Turn wings over and sprinkle with 1/2 cup more salt. Chill wings 2 hours.

In a colander rinse wings under cold running water and drain. Arrange wings in one layer in baking dish and thinly slice onions. Arrange onions over wings and pour buttermilk over onions. Chill wings, covered, at least 12 hours and up to 1 day.

Discard onions and in colander drain wings. Have ready an 18-inch sheet of wax paper. In a large shallow bowl whisk together flour, peppercorns, cayenne, and remaining 2 tablespoons salt. Working with no more than 2 wings at a time, dredge wings evenly in flour mixture and shake off excess. Arrange wings flat sides up and a few inches apart on wax paper and let stand 15 minutes. Generously sprinkle remaining flour mixture over wings, patting it to adhere, and let stand 15 minutes more.

Have ready a rack set over a baking pan. In each of two 10- to 11-inch heavy skillets melt 1 cup shortening and 4 tablespoons butter over high heat just until butter begins to turn golden (360 degrees F.) . To each skillet add 8 or 9 wings, flat sides down, and reduce heat to moderately high. Cook wings, covered, until deep golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Turn wings and cook, uncovered, until deep golden, about 8 minutes. With tongs transfer wings to rack set over pan to drain.

Here are two recipes for dips:

Roquefort Cheese Dressing

1/2 cup Roquefort cheese, crumbled
1 (3-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon wine vinegar
1/2 cup sour cream

In a medium size bowl, cream the Roquefort and cream cheese until smooth. Mix in the remaining ingredients and blend well. Chill for 2 hours.

Blue Cheese Dip:

1 cup blue cheese, crumbled
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons minced onion
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Combine all ingredients, place in a serving bowl and refrigerate until needed.

Here is the shopping list for next week:

a small jar of light mayonnaise

Pecorino Romano cheese for grating (you can buy the pre-grated stuff for this. But the fresh grated cheese tastes better.)

8 oz of light sour cream

1 14 oz can of artichoke hearts, packed in water, any size.

The following herbs and spices: garlic powder, onion powder, marjoram, paprika.

Pita bread, a french baguette, tortilla chips, bagel chips or crackers for dipping

Here is a list equipment you will need for next week:

A small glass or ceramic baking dish that holds between 1 1/2 and 2 cups of liquid. Any shape will do. Good suggestions for purchase might be a 2 cup souffle dish or a 2 cup gratin dish.

If this stuff is not available at your local housewares store, I have links on this page to ordering from Amazon.