the constant hunger

Re-joining the Blogosphere

I stepped away from the constant hunger five years ago but I think I'm ready to come back. I don't have a plan for this blog yet. All I know is I enjoyed the time I spent writing and I want to start up again. Will it be a food blog? Not specifically but I'm sure there will be smatterings of food-related posts as I still enjoy cooking and eating good food.

I want this blog to be a place where I can write about...anything really. Food, travel, work, fashion, home, relationships. A lot has happened over the last 5 years. I've grown and changed in so many ways. Things that used to be important are no longer important. Things I'm interested in today, I wasn't interested in years ago. I want this blog to be a place where I can document all aspects of my life.

I hope you find value in what I share. If not, that's ok. I'll still continue to write.  

Don't Call It a Comeback

Chickpea Casserole

My coffeemaker broke this morning. We've had it for years and never had a problem with it. Then, all of a sudden, this morning when I flipped the switch to "ON" the little orange light that fills me with joy every morning failed to light up. I tinkered with the machine for a bit but soon came to the realization that my trusty coffeemaker had brewed its last cup. R.I.P. Cuisinart DCC-1200. 

I'm tempted to purchase a French press but it does seem like a little more work than I want to put in early in the morning. Grinding fresh beans while I am still half asleep is not very appealing. But I know that the quality of the coffee is superior to that of a drip coffeemaker. I also thought about one of those one-cup deals like this, but it is a pricey way to get a cup of coffee in the morning. Many options will need to be considered.

Now on with the show. Yesterday I decided that I would make three casseroles during the week, all vegetarian. I am not a vegetarian but I often choose to not eat meat, especially when cooking just for myself. Plus, my gorcery bill for the week was next to nothing.

I came across this chickpea casserole recipe a couple of weeks ago and immediately put it on my list of must-try recipes. There is a fair number of ingredients that go into the casserole (I bought cottage cheese for the first time in my life).

As a side note, I am totally enjoying cooking in my new kitchen. Though the layout is not as practical as my New York kitchen, I love cooking with the back door wide open and catching glimpses of my backyard.

{Yes. I always have a glass of wine while cooking.}

This turned out better than I expected. The lemon gives it a fresh flavor. (Is there any smell better than lemon zest?) The shallots give the casserole a nice bite and really make the dish, in my opinion. The next time I make this, I will switch up the quantities of yogurt and cottage cheese. I definitely want a creamier, less dry consistency which I think can be achieved by using more yogurt. I will also use less breadcrumbs and grated Parmesan to cover the top. They really soaked up a lot of the liquid. Using a bit less will still allow you to have a golden brown, almost crunchy crust but you'll also get that creamy texture.

Happy cooking! 

 

 

Shredded Chicken Tacos

When cooking, any home chef should be able to make last-minute adjustments to his/her menu. This weekend I had planned to make pork carnitas. I had bought a nice chunk of pork shoulder on Thursday along with all the accouterments. When I took out the pork from the fridge yesterday to let it get to room temp before cooking, I noticed something funny. Rather, I smelled something funny. My beautiful cut of pork smelled...well, funky. Perhaps I was too optimistic in thinking that I could keep the meat refrigerated for four days without it going bad. Was I crazy to think this?

Having to scrap my idea of making carnitas, along with my beautiful pork shoulder (the marbling was superb), I had to think of a plan B. I still wanted to keep with the Mexican theme so I took out some chicken breasts from the freezer to defrost and went searching for a chicken taco recipe that would use ingredients I already had at home (it was a lazy weekend. Didn't even feel like leaving my cozy apartment). 

I came across this recipe that fit the bill. I made one big adjustment to it though. Instead of frying the chicken breasts, I decided to poach them using this as a guide. As a result, I did not use one drop of oil in the entire recipe. The only fat came from the avocado and the tortilla. Even though this was a very low fat meal, it was full of flavor. I am definitely going to make this recipe again.

Happy cooking! 

Turkey and Bean Chili

Hello from the West Coast! After all the apartment hunting, dealing with movers and other headaches related to a cross county move, we are finally settled in our new home. What a change from the hectic pace of New York. San Francisco is a beautiful city with a rich heritage and tons to do, but it's definitely more laid-back. What a change! 

With lots more spare time (I'm hunting around for a new job ;-) I have thrown myself back into cooking full force. My San Francisco kitchen is about the same size as my New York one, though it's laid out a little differently. I'm still getting used to it but after the recipes I have planned to make this weekend, I'm sure to find my old groove.

Yesterday, I wanted to make a comforting dish, something that felt homey. What better dish than chili! I remembered that I had once made a turkey chili that was delicious and I was convinced that I had shared it on the constant hunger. Looking through my archives, I couldn't find it so here it is. I used this recipe and doubled it up. I made enough for two meals plus freezing another two meals, at least. Instead of using chili powder, I went with cayenne pepper and I threw in the orange bell pepper I had in the fridge instead of a green one. 

As you can see, I like loading up my chili with toppings: reduced fat sour cream, sharp cheddar, chopped cilantro and a good dose of hot sauce.

Happy cooking!

P.S. I celebrated my anniversary this week at this Italian restaurant. Had an unbelievable white truffle pasta. Any other Italian restaurant recommendations?