Salted Cashew Caramels

Christmas Week sweetness continues with these soft, chewy caramels that are studded generously with cashews and sprinkled with sea salt. Looking at my first two contributions to holiday baking, you can probably sense a theme - simplicity. Both sweet treats have ingredient lists that you don't need more than the fingers on a single hand to count.

Soft caramels have always been a weakness of mine. There's just something comforting about sinking your teeth into a rich, burnished chunk of transformed sugar. I'm also the girl that can polish off a tin of cashews all myself without coming up for breath, so the two of them colliding may be more of a danger than anything else.

Baseball Nut Ice Cream (a copycat Baskin-Robbins recipe)

You know how certain foods, just like certain songs, can transport you back to a certain moment in time? For me, Baseball Nut ice cream is one of those foods. I didn't plan such a perfectly round number, but it was exactly 20 years ago this summer that I didn't go home from college for the summer for the first time. It was the summer after my sophomore year, and really, the next step in exercising my independence.

I rented the tiniest room known to man in a house rented by some of my friends who were already living out of the dorms. Seriously, it should have been a closet. My twin bed was just able to squeeze in between 3 of the walls, my other stuff in boxes stacked high against the fourth wall. I didn't have any room to walk, only enough room to open and close the door. After about a week or two, there was no hot water in the house and it was filthy (my housemates were all guys)—but I was on my own.

I didn't have a car, but it was the mid-90's, which meant that I rollerbladed everywhere. I lived in East Lansing, but worked in Okemos, which was about a 3 mile treck. I had pretty much the same meal every day: a sleeve of saltines, a tin of tuna fish, and an orange. Once a week I'd walk to Subway and order a Subway Club with light mayo and salt and pepper. And every once in a while I'd treat myself by popping in to Baskin-Robbins and ordering a double-scoop of Baseball Nut Ice Cream. Only that, never anything else.

Chicken, Strawberry, & Tarragon Salad w/ Cashews & Cashel Blue

Every time I make a salad, I make a proclamation that it's only the first in a line of many that will be gracing my table in weeks to come.  Visions of salad plates and dainty forks dance in my head.  And then tomorrow rolls around I promptly forget that decree.

Seriously.  Every.  Single.  Time.

50 Women Game-Changers (in Food): #13 Rachael Ray - Orange-Cashew Chicken

In May '11, Gourmet posted a list of 50 Women Game-Changers (in Food) that runs the gamut from food writers to cookbook authors to television personalities to restauranteurs to chefs to food bloggers.  Some are a given.  Some are controversial.  Speaking the names of some brings fond childhood memories.  Speaking the names of others will make some readers cringe.  And of course, some of our favorites were not even included.  We food-lovers are a passionate bunch of people and whether we agree or disagree, every woman on this list has earned her place for a reason.  Being a woman who is passionate about food (cooking, eating, talking about, writing about, photographing), when I caught wind of Mary from One Perfect Bite's idea of cooking/blogging her way through each of these 50 women...one per week...I knew I wanted to join her.  Many of these women paved the way for us in culinary school, in the kitchen, in cookbooks, in food writing, and on television and I think it is a fabulous way to pay tribute to their efforts.  Some of the women on the list have been tops with me for years.  Some I have heard of (perhaps even seen, read, or cooked from) before.  And there are even a handful that I am not familiar with at all.  I excited to educate myself on each of these women game-changers and hope you look forward to reading along.  We are going in order from 1 to 50.

the "Gourmet" prompt...

13. Rachael Ray- She’s heee-eere. Your TV’s haunted by her, and, love or hate the woman, her always easy recipes have cured millions of their kitchen phobia.

It's true.  While I know of some people who really like her, I know my fair share of those who cringe at the mention of her name.  I don't have any issues with her.  Except the made up words.  I'll admit it.  Hearing evoo and yum-o and delish and stoup (especially stoup) used as words makes me shiver a little.  And not in a good way.  The bad thing is, I've probably used delish myself.  But only in writing.  Never out loud.  Anyhoo...her ability to bring home cooking to the masses and take away the intimidation factor is pretty impressive.  She seems approachable.  Her food looks good.  And the things I've tried of hers actually have been good.  She's got her own magazine.  She's got a ton of cookbooks (a few of which I own).  And yes, her fair share of television time.  Let us not forget she is even a brand name.  She doesn't claim to be anything that she is not.  I think she earned her spot in "the 50".  What do you think?

Check out her website.

Orange-Cashew Chicken

slightly adapted from Rachael Ray's Look + Cook

serves 4

3 Tbs. vegetable oil

1½ lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast or thighs, chopped bite-sized

salt

freshly ground pepper

1 red bell pepper, ½" dice

1 onion,  ½" dice

3 garlic cloves, minced

1" fresh gingerroot, peeled & finely chopped

¼ c. hoisin sauce

¼ c. orange marmalade

1 Tbs. hot sauce

2 Tbs. tamari or soy sauce

½ c. chicken stock

½ c. honey roasted cashews

hot, cooked rice (brown or white)

4 scallions, thinly sliced

Add 2 Tbs. of the oil to a large pan placed over high heat.  When the pan is very hot, add the meat, season it with salt and pepper, and stir-fry until golden brown, ~5 minutes.  Remove meat from the pan and reserve on a plate.  Add remaining tablespoon of oil, then add the bell pepper, onion, garlic, and ginger to the skillet and stir-fry for ~3 minutes, or until veggies have just begun to get tender, but are still a bit crisp.  In a small bowl, stir together the hoisin, orange marmalade, hot sauce, tamari, and chicken stock.  Return the chicken to the skillet and pour in the sauce.  Add cashews, toss to coat, and continue cooking until the sauce thickens up (though not much), ~1 minute.  Serve over hot rice and garnish with scallions.

Rachael Ray (August 25, 1968 - present)

"I got my job by a series of accidents. I guess, don't plan out your life too much and take any and every opportunity that comes your way, no matter how surprising the idea may be to you.. with the exception of the XXX industry, that is."  ~Rachael Ray

Who is cooking along with these 50 Women Game-Changers?

Mary- One Perfect Bite, Val- More Than Burnt Toast, Joanne- Eats Well With Others, Taryn- Have Kitchen Will Feed, Susan- The Spice Garden, Heather- girlichef, Miranda- Mangoes and Chutney, Jeanette- Jeanette's Healthy Living, Katie- Making Michael Pollan Proud, Kathy- Bakeaway with Me, Sue- The View from Great Island, Amy- Beloved Green

I am sharing this post with:

*Saturdays with Rachael Ray at Taste and Tell

Ajwain (Carom Seeds) Fried Rice ...for MAITRI

A few days ago, I posted a little teaser about an event that I am participating in that is called Maitri. It is basically a friendship chain for foodies (Maitri is the Sanskrit/Hindi word for "friendship") in which mystery ingredients are sent out by one person and identified by another.  This person then makes a dish using the mystery ingredient and shares it on their blog.  This is a fun way to meet other foodies and discover new ingredients.  Maitri was started by Priya of Mharo Rajasthan's Recipes and Reshmi of Rasoi...and  you can find a full list of "how to participate" at either of their sites (click on their blog names).  It's all very simple.  The main requirements are that your dish be vegetarian (no eggs, unless unless used in baking) and that you are able to make a dish within a certain amount of time of receiving your mystery ingredient...and that you're able to send out a mystery ingredient.  If you'd like to peek at what has been made so far, check out this running roundup.

The incredibly sweet Rashmy of Amma & Baby was in charge of sending me my mystery box, and I was on pins and needles waiting to see what surprise would end up on my door step.  And I was not disappointed.  I tore open my package to find something that I had never worked with...or was even familiar with...before.  Rashmy gave me a little note with a clue on it...to aid me in my search for the name.  So, it was a seed (herb/spice) used commonly in Indian and Pakistani cooking.  When I smelled it, I thought it smelled like thyme.  It looked like mini cumin or caraway.  Well, my search led me to the answer...

...Ajwain...otherwise known as Carom Seeds.  Carom seeds contain thymol (that's why I smelled thyme...the same essential oil) and is related to caraway.  Treat them like other seeds (fennel, cumin, caraway, dill, anise)...dry roasting/toasting (or toasting in a bit of hot oil) releases the fragrant oils inside.  Ajwain aids in digestion and is also used in Ayurvedic medicine.  Many Indian cooks add it to fried foods and breads and it is commonly used with lentils.

While I have many things I want to try Ajwain in in the future, I decided to start with something simple that I knew the hubs and I would love and that I already had everything on hand to make.  I see Ajwain Parantha, Potato Samosas with Ajwain, and of course Lentils with Ajwain in my very near future.  But until then, I adore this new (to me) way of making fried rice.  The flavor is very reminiscent of a combination of thyme and cumin.  It was such a perfect match to the nutty, rich crunch of the cashews and the subtle heat of the chiles alongside the delicate scent of the curry leaves. The lemon sprinkled over just before service totally brings the whole dish together.

Ajwain (Carom Seeds) Fried Rice

inspired by & adapted from Gruhinii

serves 2-4

1 Tbs. olive oil

 ½ c. cashews

2 tsp. Ajwain (Carom Seeds)

1 large (or a few small) dried, red chiles, sliced or broken

4 curry leaves

1 small (~½ c.) onion, chopped

2 c. cooked rice (any kind)

~½ tsp. fine sea salt

lemon wedges, for serving

In a large non-stick skillet, heat olive oil. Add cashews and stir-fry until deep golden.  Remove and set aside.  Add ajwain, chiles, curry leaves, and onion to pan.  Sauté for a few minutes, stirring until it smells amazing...and onions are translucent.

 Add rice and stir-fry for a few more minutes, until everything is hot and a bit of the rice is starting to color.  Season with salt.  Serve with lemon wedges for squeezing over individual servings.

Rashmy, thank you so much for sending me this secret ingredient...I had a blast with it and I now have a new spice for my arsenal!  And I just wanted to share another fun thing that Rashmy packed for me, along with my secret ingredient...a box of Indian sweets called Soan Papdi.  Another thing that was completely and totally new to me.  It felt like Christmas morning (as a carefree child, not a stressed-out adult) and I carefully peeled the tape back from the box and found a cute little plastic container inside.  Then I opened that and found a block that was cut into slices inside of some soft, wax-like paper.  Light and delicate and pale with paper-thin slices of nuts laced throughout...I was so intrigued.  I lifted one to my mouth, closed my eyes and tasted cardamom bursting at me from every layer of this flaky, layered sweet.  It is made simply from chickpea flour, sugar, fine wheat flour, pistachio, cardamom, & ghee.  I am enamored...and I know I'll be attempting to recreate this on my own one day, too.  Thank you, Rashmy!

So.  What are you waiting for?  Food, mystery, suspense, friendship, new experiences...come join the Maitri fun!

I am also sharing this post with:

For fun, links to my mystery ingredient recipients and what they made with it:

Rathi of Kitchen Fever made Hibiscus Banana Sorbet