Meg Cooks. Or, she doesn't.

I have a good excuse for barely cooking these last couple weeks--have I cooked anything? I'm not sure. I also have a good excuse for that, right?
New baby or not, sometimes I get into ruts with cooking. Especially in winter. So I'm wondering: what do you make for dinner when you don't feel like cooking and eating out isn't an option?

The Thai Request

Is it lame to post a semi-lame post? Probably, but i'm tired of seeing that nagging date back in January of my last post. Elsha, this one is especially for you.
I would love to say I make amazing Thai food from scratch, on my own. Well, not yet. And I can't really speak to authenticity either. However, I do know good food when I eat it, and that's Thai Kitchen. Their rice noodle soups, noodle carts, and rice noodle stir fries are staples in our pantry. If you feel like making something a little more culinary (and spicy), try making a curry with one of their curry pastes. We have tried both red and green and like them both. This recipe comes from the Thai Kitchen website; you can also find it, or a similar recipe, on their curry paste bottles. There's nothing like spicy food when it's cold and drab outside.
Another perk? They are great about marking whether their products are gluten-free: they will actually say Gluten-Free. So if you or someone you know is looking for quick and easy meals, check out their selection.

Green Curry with Basil

Smooth and rich with a delicate hint of basil.

1 (14 oz.) can Thai Kitchen Pure Coconut Milk (Regular or Lite)
1-4 Tbs. Thai Kitchen Green Curry Paste
1/3 cup vegetable or chicken stock
2-3 Tbs. Thai Kitchen Premium Fish Sauce
2 Tbs. brown sugar
1⁄4 cup chopped basil leaves
1 1⁄2 cups assorted vegetables, cut into 1” pieces (try red bell pepper, zucchini, peas, or your favorite combination)
12 oz. chicken breast, cut into 1” pieces
Thai Kitchen Jasmine Rice

Mix the coconut milk, green curry paste, stock, fish sauce, brown sugar and basil in a 2 quart saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes. Add the vegetables and chicken and simmer for an additional 10 minutes, until the chicken is thoroughly cooked. Serve over cooked Thai Kitchen Jasmine Rice. Serves 4.

An Apple a Day

I found these perfect little gala apples at the store the other day, and couldn't resist. Apples are one of Jane's favorite fruits: she loves to eat them whole, peeled, right to the seeds in the center. What kind of blessed time and place is this that we can eat good, fresh apples in the middle of winter? It's nice that even when it's cold and dark, we can reach to warmer months through taste.

Cooking Therapy

My inner-50's-diva helps me take control of life through the kitchen.

Sometimes when I'm grappling with Jane's new napless/late nap schedule, the endless parade of papers and laundry, the evening settling in at 4:30 at night, withdrawals from "The Office" and "30 Rock," and my inability to see my toes, I find one refuge: The Kitchen. I cook dinner. The fresher, the better. If it's something new and it comes out well, that's the best.
I roasted my second chicken ever this week, on a night like that one. It came out juicy and browned and salty--just what we needed on a damp, cold Tuesday. Nothing magical happened with that dinner--it took hours longer than it should have, to the point of splitting it into the side dish course and the meat course--but there was something profound about watching Brad bite into that chicken, long anticipated, highly acclaimed. And it was so nice to hear someone else say they wish we weren't out of Brussels sprouts, they were so rich and flavorful. Okay, perhaps it was magical: for once, I didn't burn the rice. Or undercook it. Or add too much water.
Nothing makes this woman feel more in control than ruling every corner of my kitchen.

"I'm going to make you a Pizza"

One of our most joyful gluten-free discoveries: a tasty, chewy pizza crust. We make pizza at least twice a month, especially since it has quickly become one of Jane's favorite meals (who doesn't like pizza? Anybody?)
The crust comes from Bette Hagman and is one of her finest contributions to gluten-free cooking.
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Yeast-Rising Thick Pizza Crust
2 cups rice flour
2 cups tapioca flour
2/3 cup dry milk powder or nondairy substitute
3-1/2 teaspoons xanthan gum
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons pizza seasoning (optional)

2 Tablespoons dry yeast granules
1 cup lukewarm water, 105 to 115 degrees
1 Tablespoon sugar

3 Tablespoons shortening
½ cup hot water

4 egg whites, at room temperature

1. In the bowl of a heavy-duty mixer, put flours, milk, xanthan gum, and salt.
2. Dissolve the yeast in lukewarm water with the tablespoon of sugar added.
3. Melt the Shortening in the hot water.
4. With the mixer on low, blend the dry ingredients, adding the seasoning, if desired. Pour in the hot water and shortening, blending to mix.
5. Add the egg whites, blend again, then add the yeast mixture. Beat on high speed for 4 minutes.
6. Spoon half the dough onto a greased cookie sheet, round pizza tin, or pizza stone. With your hand in a plastic bag, pat the dough out in a circle about ¼ inch thick except at the edges, which should be higher to contain the sauce and fillings. Repeat with the second half of the dough.
7. Let rise 10 minutes, then bake in preheated 400° oven 5 to 7 minutes BEFORE spreading with sauce and your favorite toppings.
8. Bake 20-22 minutes more.

Makes two 12½ inch pizzas serving 8 to 12.
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When Jane isn't putting toppings on the pizza, she's eating them. her favorites: pepperoni and green bell pepper.

Want to add more vegetables to your pizza? Sneak them into the sauce. We like sauces that have lots of vegetables in them already. I have also put shredded carrots in the sauce without a noticeable difference.

Jane might turn into a tomato

Right now, I only take photos like this...from other people. Please don't throw tomatoes at me.

We stopped in at our favorite little produce shop yesterday. I was craving Brussels sprouts (hooray for healthy pregnancy craving!) and Jane, apparently, was craving tomatoes. The mere sight of them kept her "mmm-mmming" all the way home. It inspired me to make a t-shirt for her with a big tomato on it and some clever phrase like "I don't just eat tomatoes, I wear them" or "My mommy says it's okay to eat tomatoes in this shirt." Yeah, i'm using the word clever quite liberally up there. That's how creativity goes for me, lately--the spark of an idea is there, even if it hasn't developed into any kind of happy campfire.
If anyone has any ideas for a tomato shirt that you would like to share, please do. You may even get to see your idea *published* on Jane!
Whatever she is wearing, nothing makes me happier than watching Jane bite into a juicy, tangy tomato. Yesterday was actually pretty incredible--she ate baby carrots, bites of sweet pepper, munched on some "trees" (broccoli), and ate half of a satsuma. I love sharing my food discoveries with her, and she is proving an agreeable partner in exploration.

Going Green

Brussels sprouts are named for their place of origin.

I've been tempted to try Brussels sprouts for months, and today I finally did. Mundane indulgence, I know. After Brad's warning that they are often bitter, I settled on the following recipe from the Joy of Cooking, which is introduced like this:
"Ethan Becker was always disappointed by Brussels sprouts--until he tried these."
If they're good enough for Ethan Becker, I thought, they are good enough for me. I would recommend these to anyone. They also fall into the category of "fancy-named recipes that make me feel like more of a chef" (I'm working on a shorter title for that). I'm not about to keep that wonderful feeling all to myself: here's the recipe.
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Brussels Sprouts Cockaigne
2 to 4 servings

Rinse, pat dry, and slice in half lengthwise:
12 Brussels sprouts

Warm in a medium skillet over medium-low heat:
3 Tablespoons butter, or 1-1/2 Tablespoons butter & 1-1/2 Tablespoons olive oil

Add and Cook, stirring, until beginning to brown:
1 to 2 cloves garlic, crushed

Remove the garlic from the skillet with a slotted spoon and discard. Place the sprouts cut side down in the garlic butter. Cover and cook over low heat until tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Arrange on a warm platter and drizzle with any remaining butter. Serve with:
Freshly grated parmesan cheese (optional)
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I didn't add the parmesan, but that would be even more delicious. I ate the tender, lightly garlicky and sweet Brussels sprouts over a bowl of white rice. They reminded me of steamed artichokes, another of my favorite green treats.