If the only prayer you ever say in your entire life is thank you, it will be enough.
Meister Eckhart
Showing posts with label gratitude. Show all posts
Showing posts with label gratitude. Show all posts
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
Wednesday, December 26, 2012
A Very Kefi Christmas
"It is a miracle if you can find true friends, and it is a miracle if you have enough food to eat, and it is a miracle if you get to spend your days and evenings doing whatever it is you like to do, and the holiday season—like all the other seasons—is a good time not only to tell stories of miracles, but to think about the miracles in your own life, and to be grateful for them." —Lemony Snicket
There are many things that have afforded me great success in this world-- I'm a white person from the US who went to college and is employed. To 99.99% of the rest of the world, I wasn't just born on third--I came onto Earth an inch from home plate.
Few things have made me feel as privileged as this past weekend, when my family got together to celebrate a pre-Christmas Extravaganza with me before I headed back to DC to work both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. It was an amazing 36-hour love fest that featured all of the people I hold dearest, from the family with which I was born to the mish-mash of folks I have chosen over the years to count among my people.
The Kefis have always believed in a big, fat, decorative Christmas, but our winter holidays have not always been as movie-esque as this one was-- those years that began when the oldest of my siblings became a teenager and ended when the youngest of us left adolescence behind brought as much angst and posturing around the holidays for us as they did any other family. We worked hard for our practically-perfect pre-Christmas, and it made me think about how wonderfully lucky we are if, as adults, we can move past the family squabbles about presents and table turf that our complicated world increasingly encourages, and remember how truly magic Christmas can be, if only we bring to the table with us best wishes for each other and a healthy sense of humor about ourselves (making Christmas a champagne-only event doesn't hurt, either).
It is, of course, more than happy circumstance that my family gets to enjoy holidays like these at a time when so many families are splintered by the demands of our world. In some other post at some other time, I will wax and wane on how closely linked happiness is to privilege. But, for now, let me say without hope or agenda--just because it's Christmas, and at Christmas you tell the truth--to me, we are perfect.
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
Butternut Squash "Spaghetti"
I thought about not blogging today. It seems strange to spend time thinking and writing about the banalities of butternut squash on a day with such looming significance.
I didn't know anyone who was in the either of the Towers that day, nor did I know anyone in lower Manhattan. Back then, the only people in my sleepy suburb who worked in the city were fire fighters and police officers, and so for our town the horror of the day grew more personal as time went by-- no one I knew had a parent who worked in the World Trade Center, but we all knew parents who went down to Ground Zero for weeks at a time, often unable to communicate with their families during those long shifts of sifting through the remains of what we knew. Our attempts at efficacy reflected our bizarre new reality: the blood drive organized by the senior class was cancelled when it became clear that there would be few survivors; instead we donated bagged lunches to the first responders and clean-up crews, who would be in harm's way indefinitely.
When I left New York to attend college in DC, I would spend four September 11ths feeling a strange guilt for not being in New York, not living out the grief I felt with the people closest to the loss. Perhaps most difficult for me was the strange brand of grief I watched take shape in the rest of the country, outside New York, where it was some twisted trend to "out-9/11" the person next to you in order to validate your grief. Five years after the attacks, there were still no words to name adequately the mourning we felt for the loss of our old world order, which left many who did not have the name of a lost loved one to mourn grasping for something that would make our sadness comprehensible. It wasn't enough just to have watched the crumbling of some 3,000 lives: soon, everyone had a story of someone they knew who had run out of Lower Manhattan, been in the Pentagon, or would have been on one of those flights, if not for some divine intervention. I never felt able to say to anyone but my roommate, who was also from a small suburb of the city, that I felt incredibly empty, that I still couldn't watch footage from the day without weeping, or that it was difficult to make it through this day every year. Not because any one thing had changed in my life, but because everything was, in some way, completely different.
And so today I write about butternut squash spaghetti. There is no link between this dish and this day, nor do I have a clever transition from the above emotions to the below recipe. It seems that this is what we do--note the date, feel the sadness, move on to the next topic.
---
Butternut Squash "Spaghetti"
.JPG)
Ingredients
-- 1 butternut squash (a medium will serve 2), peeled
-- 3 cloves of garlic, minced
-- 1.5 TBS butter (olive oil would prob work also)
-- Fresh basil, to taste (optional)
-- Whatever tomato sauce you like (I love this smokey marinara)
Assembly
1. Using a julienne peeler (which are widely available for about $5 at most grocery stores--they look like a regular "Y" peeler with teeth), shred the skinned butternut until the seeds in the bulb are exposed. Do not make this difficult: hold the butternut vertically and move the julienne peeler down it. This will make "noodles." Collect them in a bowl.
2. Heat the butter until it is melted over medium heat in a saucepan big enough for your "pasta." Add the minced garlic and let that sizzle for 2-3 minutes.
3. Add the squash. Using tongs if you've got 'em and a spatula if you don't, move around the pasta so spread out the butter and garlic. Then, let it sit over medium-high heat for 10-13 minutes, turning occasionally so all the "noodles" get cooked. You'll know it's done when it has the consistency you like your pasta to be. Throw the basil in and let it wilt.
4. Top with your favorite tomato sauce and enjoy.
Read More
I didn't know anyone who was in the either of the Towers that day, nor did I know anyone in lower Manhattan. Back then, the only people in my sleepy suburb who worked in the city were fire fighters and police officers, and so for our town the horror of the day grew more personal as time went by-- no one I knew had a parent who worked in the World Trade Center, but we all knew parents who went down to Ground Zero for weeks at a time, often unable to communicate with their families during those long shifts of sifting through the remains of what we knew. Our attempts at efficacy reflected our bizarre new reality: the blood drive organized by the senior class was cancelled when it became clear that there would be few survivors; instead we donated bagged lunches to the first responders and clean-up crews, who would be in harm's way indefinitely.
When I left New York to attend college in DC, I would spend four September 11ths feeling a strange guilt for not being in New York, not living out the grief I felt with the people closest to the loss. Perhaps most difficult for me was the strange brand of grief I watched take shape in the rest of the country, outside New York, where it was some twisted trend to "out-9/11" the person next to you in order to validate your grief. Five years after the attacks, there were still no words to name adequately the mourning we felt for the loss of our old world order, which left many who did not have the name of a lost loved one to mourn grasping for something that would make our sadness comprehensible. It wasn't enough just to have watched the crumbling of some 3,000 lives: soon, everyone had a story of someone they knew who had run out of Lower Manhattan, been in the Pentagon, or would have been on one of those flights, if not for some divine intervention. I never felt able to say to anyone but my roommate, who was also from a small suburb of the city, that I felt incredibly empty, that I still couldn't watch footage from the day without weeping, or that it was difficult to make it through this day every year. Not because any one thing had changed in my life, but because everything was, in some way, completely different.
And so today I write about butternut squash spaghetti. There is no link between this dish and this day, nor do I have a clever transition from the above emotions to the below recipe. It seems that this is what we do--note the date, feel the sadness, move on to the next topic.
---
Butternut Squash "Spaghetti"
.JPG)
-- 1 butternut squash (a medium will serve 2), peeled
-- 3 cloves of garlic, minced
-- 1.5 TBS butter (olive oil would prob work also)
-- Fresh basil, to taste (optional)
-- Whatever tomato sauce you like (I love this smokey marinara)
Assembly
1. Using a julienne peeler (which are widely available for about $5 at most grocery stores--they look like a regular "Y" peeler with teeth), shred the skinned butternut until the seeds in the bulb are exposed. Do not make this difficult: hold the butternut vertically and move the julienne peeler down it. This will make "noodles." Collect them in a bowl.
2. Heat the butter until it is melted over medium heat in a saucepan big enough for your "pasta." Add the minced garlic and let that sizzle for 2-3 minutes.
3. Add the squash. Using tongs if you've got 'em and a spatula if you don't, move around the pasta so spread out the butter and garlic. Then, let it sit over medium-high heat for 10-13 minutes, turning occasionally so all the "noodles" get cooked. You'll know it's done when it has the consistency you like your pasta to be. Throw the basil in and let it wilt.
4. Top with your favorite tomato sauce and enjoy.
Sunday, July 29, 2012
...And They're Off!
It is truly the most wonderful time of the year!
Every year my brother JetSet Kef and I take off on vacation together, usually in the Augustish part of the summer. Inspired by our Mediterranean brethren, the Italians, we have come to refer to this tradition as Ferragosto.
Below, please find some highlights of Ferragosto through the years:
Read More
Every year my brother JetSet Kef and I take off on vacation together, usually in the Augustish part of the summer. Inspired by our Mediterranean brethren, the Italians, we have come to refer to this tradition as Ferragosto.
Below, please find some highlights of Ferragosto through the years:
2009 was Kanafe and Catastrophe. JSK was living in Ramallah, so I scidaddled over there for some fun in the sun.
 |
| We also bid a fond farewell to a dear friend, the Burka of the Beach. May her memory be eternal. |
---
2010 was the year of the Berry Loop. We met in the Pacific Northwest to explore the finer points of slower, organic American living. Although the food was enough to keep us in that part of the country forever, we grew tired of people asking us to slow down our talking and driving. East Cost for life!
----
In 2011 we actually had TWO vacations. First, a trip to the motherland, Greece!
 |
| At dinner in this restaurant, Cooking up Kefi was born. Thank you, Lindos! |
 |
| Later that week, JSK and I got up to our usual shenanigans + wine and traditional Greek dancing. The next morning was less awesome. |
After Greece, we jetted off to Mozambique (where else?) for some scuba diving and life-changing scenery.
 | |
| Just rotate your laptop. It's really a cute pic. |
------
This year, it's a return to Greece. See you in two weeks, folks!
Sunday, July 15, 2012
Nurse Kefi Makes Salmon Cakes
Five years ago, I graduated from college. Roughly two weeks after I graduated, I figured out that I wanted to be a nurse. Which means that for the last four years and 50 weeks, I have been wanting to be a nurse, waiting to become a nurse, and going to be a nurse someday. Well my friends-- someday is here, and I am, in fact, a real, live, Registered Nurse.
This is, for many reasons, no small miracle. To my friends and family who supported me, cheered me on, bought me coffee, and prayed for me through all those tests and months of studying: there will never be enough thank yous. Please recharge your batteries for the next few years because becoming an Nurse Practitioner will require a very, very large miracle. To BFKef, the great love of my life, who was there through alllllll the breakdowns (and there were many)-- I owe you another big, fat, juicy steak. And to my parents who were kind enough to give me a low-interest loan better than the deal Barack Obama leveraged from that wench Sallie Mae-- I will make sure my nicest nurse friends take care of you in the nursing home when you are old. Haha.
Finally attaining a benchmark I had set years ago got me thinking about goals, and how we make progressively fewer of them as we age. We used to have milestones every few months--first to tie our shoes, write our names, ride a bike, defeat King Koopa, and then to make the team, beat a PR, graduate from high school, maybe college, get a job, keep the job, and then.... what? Why is it that when we finally make it to this strange place called the Real World, our goals become fewer and farther between? Why do we trade the clearly-stated (if sometimes trivial) goals of our younger selves to settle for a long list of "maybes", "somedays," and 'if I have time I'll..."?
I don't know the answer to those questions. I'm not even really sure where this is going, or what it has to do with the truly delicious mango salmon cakes whose recipe is below. Perhaps I'll make it a goal to finish this thought and figure it out. But what I do know is that finally reaching this goal has me feeling more proud of myself now than when I graduated from college the first time, and I can't wait to see where my life as a nurse takes me.
Chef Kefi, RN's First Recipe: Mango Salmon Cakes with Corn and Avocado Salad
Ingredients
1. Put 2 tsp olive oil and coriander in saute pan over medium heat. After about 90 seconds, add mangoes and stir around. Cook for about 5 minutes, until mangoes are soft and fragrant.
2. Set mangoes aside and cook diced onion in same pan without cleaning it. Cook for 5 minutes over medium heat, until onions are tender.
3. Combine all ingredients up to breadcrumbs, with breadcrumbs last. Let the mixture sit for about 15 minutes to absorb--this will make the frying easier.
4. Shape the batter into patties, about 1/3c at a time. Use your palms to make them flat. Do not place them on top of one another.
5. Heat 1-2 TBS of olive oil over medium heat in same pan. After about 90 seconds, put first batch of salmon cakes in-- I was able to make 3 at a time. Cook for about 4-5 minutes on each side, or until patty is firm and easily flippable. Depending on your pan and stove, it may take longer. If you find patties burning but not flipping without breaking, turn down your heat.
6. Combine avocado, corn, and lime juice in bowl and serve on side, or just heap it all on top like I did:
Read More
This is, for many reasons, no small miracle. To my friends and family who supported me, cheered me on, bought me coffee, and prayed for me through all those tests and months of studying: there will never be enough thank yous. Please recharge your batteries for the next few years because becoming an Nurse Practitioner will require a very, very large miracle. To BFKef, the great love of my life, who was there through alllllll the breakdowns (and there were many)-- I owe you another big, fat, juicy steak. And to my parents who were kind enough to give me a low-interest loan better than the deal Barack Obama leveraged from that wench Sallie Mae-- I will make sure my nicest nurse friends take care of you in the nursing home when you are old. Haha.
Finally attaining a benchmark I had set years ago got me thinking about goals, and how we make progressively fewer of them as we age. We used to have milestones every few months--first to tie our shoes, write our names, ride a bike, defeat King Koopa, and then to make the team, beat a PR, graduate from high school, maybe college, get a job, keep the job, and then.... what? Why is it that when we finally make it to this strange place called the Real World, our goals become fewer and farther between? Why do we trade the clearly-stated (if sometimes trivial) goals of our younger selves to settle for a long list of "maybes", "somedays," and 'if I have time I'll..."?
I don't know the answer to those questions. I'm not even really sure where this is going, or what it has to do with the truly delicious mango salmon cakes whose recipe is below. Perhaps I'll make it a goal to finish this thought and figure it out. But what I do know is that finally reaching this goal has me feeling more proud of myself now than when I graduated from college the first time, and I can't wait to see where my life as a nurse takes me.
Chef Kefi, RN's First Recipe: Mango Salmon Cakes with Corn and Avocado Salad
Ingredients
- 1/2 mango, peeled and diced pretty small
- 1 tsp coriander
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 1 onion, diced
- 1/2 c cilantro, chopped
- juice of 1/2 lime
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 12 oz of salmon (I used canned- just make sure its skinned and peeled)
- ~1/3c Greek yogurt
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- 2/3 c unseasoned breadcrumbs (I used gluten-free)
- Olive oil for frying, about 5 TBS
----- - 1 avocado, diced
- 2 cobs of corn, with corn cut from the cob
- juice of the other half of the lime
1. Put 2 tsp olive oil and coriander in saute pan over medium heat. After about 90 seconds, add mangoes and stir around. Cook for about 5 minutes, until mangoes are soft and fragrant.
2. Set mangoes aside and cook diced onion in same pan without cleaning it. Cook for 5 minutes over medium heat, until onions are tender.
3. Combine all ingredients up to breadcrumbs, with breadcrumbs last. Let the mixture sit for about 15 minutes to absorb--this will make the frying easier.
4. Shape the batter into patties, about 1/3c at a time. Use your palms to make them flat. Do not place them on top of one another.
5. Heat 1-2 TBS of olive oil over medium heat in same pan. After about 90 seconds, put first batch of salmon cakes in-- I was able to make 3 at a time. Cook for about 4-5 minutes on each side, or until patty is firm and easily flippable. Depending on your pan and stove, it may take longer. If you find patties burning but not flipping without breaking, turn down your heat.
6. Combine avocado, corn, and lime juice in bowl and serve on side, or just heap it all on top like I did:
Thursday, May 17, 2012
Blueberry-Banana Muffins
In other news, I'm about to graduate from nursing school, BabyKef has TWO Masters' degrees, and I'm getting new orthotics today which means that my month-long running hiatus is OVER. If all THAT isn't reason to praise the Lord, I don't know what is.
Thanks to everyone who helped me study, listened to me whine, and didn't take it personally when I ignored their calls/emails/texts--these juicy muffins are for you!
- 4 c flour
- 2 c sugar
- 5 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 eggs
- 1 ripe banana, mashed
- 1 cup lowfat buttermilk
- 2/3 cup vegetable oil (I used canola)
- 3 tsp vanilla
- 1.5 tsp cinnamon
- 2 cups (12 oz.) fresh ripe blueberries
1. Preheat the oven to 400. Sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
2. In a separate bowl, beat eggs and banana together. Add buttermilk, oil, vanilla, and cinnamon.
3. Pour wet ingredients over dry ingredients and mix well with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula. When fully combined, add blueberries. Batter will be very thick.
4. Fill muffin tins about 3/4 of the way. Cook for 20-22 minutes, or until you can insert a fork into center and it comes out clean.
Sunday, May 13, 2012
Lady, Don't You Know We Love You?
Happy Mother's Day to MamaKef!
And now, a few words about the incredibly difficult task of mothering, from the incredible Khalil Gibran
Shout out to moms everywhere, who work tirelessly, and often without thanks, compensation, or appreciation, to raise up some babies.
Friday, January 20, 2012
Resolutions in Action: Applesauce!
I was making this applesauce while writing yesterday's post about doughless pizza. If I had finished the applesauce before the post, I would NEVER have wasted my Swagu joke on the pizza because this sauce has me swearing never to storebuy applesauce again--but, alas, you could only use a bad joke once. In the spirit of some serious multi-tasking, I was also mid-way through the BEST pep talk from my mom, who always seems to know when I need some tough love and when I just need my mom to tell me that I'm great. So, it's only fitting that today you get a recipe PLUS a kefi story about MamaKef, making today's post a... kefcipe?
Every year, my mom would strap the KefSiblings, our friends, their siblings, and whoever else happened to be around into our cranberry Toyota Camry and schlepped us past the 8 apple farms within 10 miles of our house to THE BEST apple farm in our neck of the woods: Wright's Apple Orchard. We would wander the orchard for a few hours, compete over who found the "most perfect" apple, and inevitably recreate the rotten apple fight scene from The Wizard of Oz. At this point, my mother would remind us of the sign we passed upon entering the orchard, which promises (and I quote) that those who steal fruit will be "shot on sight." Not wanting to die at the hands of an overzealous apple farmer, we'd mosey back to the farm stand, eat some homemade apple-cider donuts that were made for us while we watched, get some homemade pumpkin ice cream to bring home, and then hit the road, the Camry all the heavier for the 10 pounds of apples and the 7 really-full kids we were now towing.
And then the kefi would REALLY get going. My mom would get right to cooking up some apple crisp, and soon the house would smell like apples and cinnamon. I don't think apple crisp was really ever anyone's favorite--the real fun was trying to steal a cinnamon-coated apple while MamaKef's back was turned (the butter and sugar topping didn't hurt, either). To this day, the smell of baking apples ALWAYS makes me think of those afternoon cooking sessions post-orchard (and, frequently, post-being-sent-to-my-room-for-being-bad-at-the-orchard).
Now that I've gotten all Little House on the Orchard on you, this one goes out to MamaKef, the original Apple Whisperer.
Apple Sauce So Good You'll Smack Your Mama*
Ingredients:
- 8 apples ( I used 4 Granny Smith and 4 Fuiji- but would have substituted the latter Macintosh if I could have found them this time of year)
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp nutmeg
- 1 TBS honey (feel free to use more or less. Sweeter your apples, less honey you need)
- 1/4c water
1. Preheat the oven to 425. Peel and core the apples. This is easier than it sounds-- I used a potato peeler and a knife and it took about 8 minutes. They do not need to be pretty.
2. Mix the lemon juice in with the apples, then mix the spices, then the honey, and then pour the water in. Mix everything around again.
3. Pour apples into 9 X 13 glass baking pan. Bake for 40 minutes, stirring apples at halfway point to avoid burnt tops. Apples will be mushy and more liquid will have formed in pan.
4. Remove from oven, let cool for ten minutes. Either manually mash apples for a chunkier sauce, or throw everything into the food processor and puree to the consistency you like. (Beware though-- I was LITERALLY licking my food processor because this was so good and those blades are sharp!)
(*unless your mama is like my mama... then maybe you just want to high-five her)
Saturday, December 24, 2011
On the Eve of an Extravaganza: Gluten-Free, Sugar-Free Corn Casserole
Upon meeting the Kefi family
for the first time, a friend remarked, "Well, you sure don't come from
simple stock, do you?" We're a spirited, complicated, opinionated bunch
more or less made for a reality television show (except, sadly, our
schticks are real, no scripted).
This is perhaps most apparent at the Christmas Day meal, when the extended Kefi family gets together and we break bread--except at this table we have at least four loaves: a sugar-free loaf, a gluten-free loaf, an all-sugar, all-gluten loaf, and a loaf of plain, white-ass Wonder Bread. Try the flow-chart below to understand complicated eating patterns of the greater Kefi family at large.
For the past nine years, the Kefi family has celebrated two holidays on December 25th: the birth of Jesus and the annual Extravaganza. My assumption is that you have the skinny on Jesus, His birth, and His life's work. So, I'll use this space to tell you about the Extravaganza.
On a snowy Christmas in 2002 (JetSet Kef interjection: "a VERY snowy Christmas"), our family friends (known here as the B's) were scheduled to come to Casa Kefi for dinner. Mama Kef is especially afraid of the snow and called to warn the B's that they ought to stay home--only to find out that the B's had already been out all morning searching for an open diner. So, despite many strenuous warnings from Mama Kef, they fought the white-out conditions to attend the Inaugural Christmas Extravaganza.
Ten courses, two helpings, 11 people in food comas, and a viewing of Love Actually later, we realized that the snow had accumulated and getting back home would be impossible for our guests. Luckily, the B's came prepared with pajamas, and so the extravaganza raged on into the night (and by "night," I mean until about 830). By the time we woke up the next morning, Grandma B had scrubbed the kitchen floor, Donna B had made the coffee, Lauren had already drank her first cup of coffee, and Grandpa B had his coat on and was ready to go home.
Though we haven't had a snow-induced sleep-over since, we have maintained many traditions throughout the 8 subsequent Extravaganzas: we don't dare sit at the table until Mama Kef tells us the seating arrangements; we have Brotherhood Winery Holiday Mulling Wine before dinner (to take the edge off, naturaly); we eat, then we sit, then we coffee, then we sit, then we open presents, then we dessert, then we sit, then we go; we open presents one at a time in a circle; we add a "Christmas Miracle" each year (which is a little bit like the Festivus Airing of Grievances, except more fun and less aggressive; we don't educate our asses (you read that right); and often we have a group of funny Frenchies join us, just for kicks (JetSet Kef: "No really-- they're French, so it's funny").
Today, I bring you this year's Christmas Miracle: a dish other than salad that every single person at the Kefi Christmas table could eat. It's meat-free, gluten-free, AND sugar-free corn casserole! Merry Christmas and enjoy!
Meat-Free, Gluten-Free, Sugar-Free Corn Casserole
Read More
This is perhaps most apparent at the Christmas Day meal, when the extended Kefi family gets together and we break bread--except at this table we have at least four loaves: a sugar-free loaf, a gluten-free loaf, an all-sugar, all-gluten loaf, and a loaf of plain, white-ass Wonder Bread. Try the flow-chart below to understand complicated eating patterns of the greater Kefi family at large.
For the past nine years, the Kefi family has celebrated two holidays on December 25th: the birth of Jesus and the annual Extravaganza. My assumption is that you have the skinny on Jesus, His birth, and His life's work. So, I'll use this space to tell you about the Extravaganza.
On a snowy Christmas in 2002 (JetSet Kef interjection: "a VERY snowy Christmas"), our family friends (known here as the B's) were scheduled to come to Casa Kefi for dinner. Mama Kef is especially afraid of the snow and called to warn the B's that they ought to stay home--only to find out that the B's had already been out all morning searching for an open diner. So, despite many strenuous warnings from Mama Kef, they fought the white-out conditions to attend the Inaugural Christmas Extravaganza.
Ten courses, two helpings, 11 people in food comas, and a viewing of Love Actually later, we realized that the snow had accumulated and getting back home would be impossible for our guests. Luckily, the B's came prepared with pajamas, and so the extravaganza raged on into the night (and by "night," I mean until about 830). By the time we woke up the next morning, Grandma B had scrubbed the kitchen floor, Donna B had made the coffee, Lauren had already drank her first cup of coffee, and Grandpa B had his coat on and was ready to go home.
Though we haven't had a snow-induced sleep-over since, we have maintained many traditions throughout the 8 subsequent Extravaganzas: we don't dare sit at the table until Mama Kef tells us the seating arrangements; we have Brotherhood Winery Holiday Mulling Wine before dinner (to take the edge off, naturaly); we eat, then we sit, then we coffee, then we sit, then we open presents, then we dessert, then we sit, then we go; we open presents one at a time in a circle; we add a "Christmas Miracle" each year (which is a little bit like the Festivus Airing of Grievances, except more fun and less aggressive; we don't educate our asses (you read that right); and often we have a group of funny Frenchies join us, just for kicks (JetSet Kef: "No really-- they're French, so it's funny").
Today, I bring you this year's Christmas Miracle: a dish other than salad that every single person at the Kefi Christmas table could eat. It's meat-free, gluten-free, AND sugar-free corn casserole! Merry Christmas and enjoy!
Meat-Free, Gluten-Free, Sugar-Free Corn Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 cup milk (soy works just as well-- but adjust honey if it's already sweetened soy!)
- 2 Tbsp. cornstarch
- 2 Tbsp. butter (or coconut oil)
- 1 can each whole-kernal and sweet corn, drained
- 1/4 c honey
- 2 tsp. vanilla
- 2 eggs, slightly beaten
Directions:
1. Preheat
oven to 350 degrees. On medium heat, whisk milk and cornstarch in a
small saucepan and simmer until slightly thick and
creamy. It is important that you whisk constantly. The mixture will
get thick all at once-- butter and whisk until melted. Remove
from stove and let cool slightly.
2. Pour drained corn
into a mixing bowl. Once the milk/cornstarch mixture has cooled off a
bit, mix into the corn. Add honey , eggs, and vanilla. Pour into a
greased casserole dish.
3. Bake for 30-40 minutes until casserole is set and bubbling. Cool slightly before serving.
Friday, November 25, 2011
Chef Kefi's Gift-Giving Guide
If you hack into my email, you'll find a little document that has a list of all the people I love and, next to each name, an ever-changing list of ideas for their Christmas/birthday/anniversary present. I shudder at the idea of giving gift cards or, worse, cash (perish the thought!), and instead spend all year in search of the Perfect Gift for each of the people on my list.
Now, it might seem that a post about gifts is a strange way to end Gratitude Week. It has become trendy to be cynical about gift giving at this time of the year-- but, for me, a huge part of Christmas* Kefi is the gift-giving. I loathe the idea of HAVING to give a gift and rather relish the process of thoughtfully and meaningfully choosing something that will tickle the recipient pink. Are there other ways to show love and say thank you than to give just the right thing to just the right person? Yes--and some of them are better ways. But I believe that giving gifts with the intent of showing gratitude--not with the intent of checking off a list or outspending our brother-in-law--is a worthwhile and reasonable way to say "thanks" to those who love and support us all year.
Ok, now that we've rationalized the consumerization of Christmas*, back to the gift guide. If you're reading this I assume you've survived the up-all-night, door-busting, last-sweater-grabbing madness of Black Friday. I'll also assume that--owing to either too little sleep, too many cranberries, too much family, or too little patience for the crazies trying to fight you for a pair of argyle socks-- you didn't find something for everyone. So I present for you Chef Kefi's Gift Giving Guide for everyone left on your list.
For the Homebody
Clockwise, from left:
a) This stylish carafe is great for wine, juice, water. Plus, the cups fit inside, so it's easily storable or portable. b) Bring the great outdoors inside with this funky little bathroom organizer, great for the conservationist on your list. c) Who could resist this toaster, which comes in 4 different colors, has an adjustable width for toast/bagels/whatever, and one of those pull-out crumb trays for easy clean up? d) Never be caught without enough casserole- this 5.9 qt dish is great for anyone who cooks for a crowd--plus it comes with a decorative bamboo serving bowl, so it can go from oven to table in seconds. e) This bubbled beverage dispenser is an about exorbitantly-priced as it gets--but my oh my, what a great gift for someone who entertains! Just imagine it full of summer sangria....holiday cheer will flow throughout the year! f) You'll have the birds singing for whoever hangs their hat on this wall hook. g) If they don't wear coats, but you still really want to give them something for their wall, try this wall-mounted fish tank-- a unique accessory for the pet-lover with space constraints.
For the Green Team
a) I love these easy-to-clean collapsible boxes for sorting recyclables. b) The stars will come alive for the astronomer-to-be with this at home star projector. c) You should warn the recipient of a 4g ninja flash drive that any wasted paper will result in a prompt round-house kick to the gut. d) Once you give them these beautiful glass bottles, why would they ever use plastic again? e) I'm told cork is eco-friendly--pass that on to whoever gets this cork iPhone/iPad case! f) If everyone got one of these sustainably-sourced and reasonably priced watches, we could all stop counting down the time left til the end of the world... right? f) The green foodie will be reminded of your generosity all year long if you bestow a locally-sourced, in-season CSA box unto them for months to come!
For Everyone Else
a) If you know Time's Man of the Year, make sure his status is known 24/7 with this magazine cover pillow case, which also comes in Vogue, Esquire, and Playboy editions. b) For the long-winded techie, this retro phone receiver plugs into iPhones, Droids, and iPads so they won't talk their own ear off. c) Who wouldn't want to grow their own mushrooms in a box? d) Give this jazzy little milk-steaming system and get free lattes all year long! e) I bet you anything that the person with everything on your list doesn't have a personalized bobblehead of themselves! f) A single-serve French press seems just about the closest thing to giving world peace. g) I've always been a sucker for a good name plate, and I bet someone on your list is too! h) It's not you who's tipsy--these cognac glasses make the stuffy after-dinner drink fun.
And that brings us to the end of Grattude Week at CuK. Have a great weekend.
** I'm aware that it's crappy to pretend everyone celebrates Christmas--please forgive my laziness; I am a sucker for alliteration.
Read More
Now, it might seem that a post about gifts is a strange way to end Gratitude Week. It has become trendy to be cynical about gift giving at this time of the year-- but, for me, a huge part of Christmas* Kefi is the gift-giving. I loathe the idea of HAVING to give a gift and rather relish the process of thoughtfully and meaningfully choosing something that will tickle the recipient pink. Are there other ways to show love and say thank you than to give just the right thing to just the right person? Yes--and some of them are better ways. But I believe that giving gifts with the intent of showing gratitude--not with the intent of checking off a list or outspending our brother-in-law--is a worthwhile and reasonable way to say "thanks" to those who love and support us all year.
Ok, now that we've rationalized the consumerization of Christmas*, back to the gift guide. If you're reading this I assume you've survived the up-all-night, door-busting, last-sweater-grabbing madness of Black Friday. I'll also assume that--owing to either too little sleep, too many cranberries, too much family, or too little patience for the crazies trying to fight you for a pair of argyle socks-- you didn't find something for everyone. So I present for you Chef Kefi's Gift Giving Guide for everyone left on your list.
For the Homebody
a) This stylish carafe is great for wine, juice, water. Plus, the cups fit inside, so it's easily storable or portable. b) Bring the great outdoors inside with this funky little bathroom organizer, great for the conservationist on your list. c) Who could resist this toaster, which comes in 4 different colors, has an adjustable width for toast/bagels/whatever, and one of those pull-out crumb trays for easy clean up? d) Never be caught without enough casserole- this 5.9 qt dish is great for anyone who cooks for a crowd--plus it comes with a decorative bamboo serving bowl, so it can go from oven to table in seconds. e) This bubbled beverage dispenser is an about exorbitantly-priced as it gets--but my oh my, what a great gift for someone who entertains! Just imagine it full of summer sangria....holiday cheer will flow throughout the year! f) You'll have the birds singing for whoever hangs their hat on this wall hook. g) If they don't wear coats, but you still really want to give them something for their wall, try this wall-mounted fish tank-- a unique accessory for the pet-lover with space constraints.
For the Green Team
a) I love these easy-to-clean collapsible boxes for sorting recyclables. b) The stars will come alive for the astronomer-to-be with this at home star projector. c) You should warn the recipient of a 4g ninja flash drive that any wasted paper will result in a prompt round-house kick to the gut. d) Once you give them these beautiful glass bottles, why would they ever use plastic again? e) I'm told cork is eco-friendly--pass that on to whoever gets this cork iPhone/iPad case! f) If everyone got one of these sustainably-sourced and reasonably priced watches, we could all stop counting down the time left til the end of the world... right? f) The green foodie will be reminded of your generosity all year long if you bestow a locally-sourced, in-season CSA box unto them for months to come!
For Everyone Else
And that brings us to the end of Grattude Week at CuK. Have a great weekend.
** I'm aware that it's crappy to pretend everyone celebrates Christmas--please forgive my laziness; I am a sucker for alliteration.
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Gratuitious Gratitude #2: Running + High Protein Pumpkin Pancakes
Thank you, Jesus, for creating running. Let me say that again: THANK YOU LORD FOR RUNNING!
Running is heaven. It's stress relief, it's exercise, it's brain-boosting, it's cancer-fighting.... really there is no good reason NOT to run.
Unless, of course, you look like this while you do it:
If you are sitting there thinking to yourself, "I could never run a road race" you are wrong. Dead wrong. Two years ago, a good running week was one during which I ran more than once for a distance of more than 2 miles. In Jan 2010, I joined a running group, trained, finished the Capitol Hill Classic (an awesome 6.2 mile race) and immediately signed up for the Baltimore Half Marathon (a less awesome but still really nice 13.1 mile race). Suddenly, I felt like a runner.
So- if you feel like you want to be a runner but aren't sure you can-- sign up for a race and see what you can do! For some inspiration, here is one of the most heavenly creations on this green earth that are GREAT post-run:
High Protein, No Grain Choc. Chip Pumpkin Pancakes
1. Mix everything together.
2. Plop about 1/4 c on a hot, greased skillet or pan over med-low heat.
3. Let these cook slowly so they congeal. Flip once or twice.
4. Enjoy.
5. Go running!
Read More
Running is heaven. It's stress relief, it's exercise, it's brain-boosting, it's cancer-fighting.... really there is no good reason NOT to run.
Unless, of course, you look like this while you do it:
 | |||
| Chef Kefi, finishing the 10k that started it all. |
So- if you feel like you want to be a runner but aren't sure you can-- sign up for a race and see what you can do! For some inspiration, here is one of the most heavenly creations on this green earth that are GREAT post-run:
 |
| Thanks for the image, paleo-project! |
High Protein, No Grain Choc. Chip Pumpkin Pancakes
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup canned pumpkin
- 1/2-3/4 cup almond butter, depending on how thick you like them
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp vanilla
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1 tablespoon agave or honey
- 6-8 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips
1. Mix everything together.
2. Plop about 1/4 c on a hot, greased skillet or pan over med-low heat.
3. Let these cook slowly so they congeal. Flip once or twice.
4. Enjoy.
5. Go running!
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Gratuitous Gratitude #1: The Calculus of Cooking
One day in college, I decided to throw a dinner party. I didn't know how to cook, really, but having mastered literacy by the second grade, I felt confident I could at least follow a recipe. So I picked out several ambitious recipes with about 100 ingredients each, and muddled my way through, to pretty spectacular results (if I do say so myself). The problem came the next time I offered to make dinner for people: this time, I had deluded myself into thinking I knew how to cook and picked out new, equally-ambitious recipes with even more ingredients. The result was, uh, less-than spectacular.
This persisted for the next four years and led to many nights of apologizing ("I can't imagine what went wrong with the duck confit, but my isn't this mango gallete delicious?"), until one day it occurred to me that I had started with calculus before I knew how to multiply. So I went back to some more basic things and experimented with types of food I wanted to learn how to cook.
So now I present to you: three recipes I am grateful for. These are three of the easiest, most basic, most instructive recipes I know. The Bluberry Focacia is a GREAT first-bread to make and you'll learn a lot about how a dough is supposed to look/rise because you can't mess it up; the smokey marinara sauce can be paired with ANYTHING and make it better, and the nutella bread pudding (yes... you read that right) is just the best thing you will ever put in your mouth, period. Plus, they're so good everyone will be very impressed and think you are a domestic-mother-effing goddess, as some of us are known around these parts. And that's something to be grateful for.
Also- I don't know how to make a "jump"--but one day I will, so sorry if these multi-recipe posts give your fingers carpal tunnel from scrolling down.
The easiest bread I've ever made: Blueberry Focacia
I got this from Oprah Magazine and it has been a big hit everywhere. DO NOT BE INTIMIDATED.
5 minutes (will get a little foamy). In a large bowl (on standing
mixer if you have one-- if not, no biggie), combine flour, HALF cup of
brown sugar (save the rest for later), salt, and cinnamon. Stir the
egg into yeast, then pour wet mixture into dry mixture and mix on low
speed (or combine very quickly if you don't have standing mixture).
Add butter, mix until combine. Knead dough until smooth and pliable
but still relatively wet-- about 5 minutes.
2. Grease large bowl with oil or Pam. Put dough in bowl and cover w
plastic wrap (again-- has to be plastic, not tin foil, or it won't
rise). Let rise for about an hour in a warm place- dough will double.
3. Grease two baking sheets. Break the dough into two halves and place
one half on each baking sheet. Stretch out slightly until dough is
1-inch thick and oval-shaped. Cover with greased plastic wrap for
another 45-60 min.
4. With greased fingers, "dimple" surface of each loaf. Sprinkle each
loaf with half your berries and 1/4 c brown sugar. Bake until golden
brown- about 30-35 min.
The most versatile sauce I've ever made: Smokey Marinara
Many thanks to the people at myrecipes.com for bringing me this incredible sauce (and, incidentally, the inspiration for butternut squash lasagne)!
2. Add garlic, basil, parsley, and oregano; sauté 1 minute, stirring frequently.
3. Stir in balsamic vinegar and remaining ingredients. Reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes.
The best dessert I've ever made: Nutella Bread Pudding
Do I even need to preface this? I found this recipe while in South Africa, and since then it has tantalized palates from five countries on four continents. Be careful- it is truly dangerous!
Ingredients
• 6 croissants for a small batch, 12 for a large
• as much Nutella as you dare (I use about 5/6 a jar for a large batch)
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup sugar
1. Preheat the oven to 350 F.
2. Slice each croissant in half lengthwise, then slather one side with Nutella. Place the croissants nutella-side-up in an ungreased glass baking pan until you get to the top layer, where I like to do nutella-side-down. Try and arrange them as equally as possible with as few gaps as possible. This does not have to be pretty!
4. Whisk/beat Teggs, cream, vanilla extract, and sugar to a medium bowl and until combined. On good days, I get this to a custard-consistency, but it works even if it doesn't quite make it there.
5. Pour the custard over the croissant-nutella-goodness until it is covered. You may need to manipulate this by pushing down on some of the croissant pieces--that is fine.
6. Let sit at room temp for at least 30 minutes--if you have longer, let it sit for about 90 minutes.
7. Bake for 30-45 minutes. That is a huge range, I know-- but this is an oven-sensitive recipe, so check it a few times. You want a golden brown top and a "set" pudding-- so basically it should look like there's no more liquid in the mixture.
Read More
This persisted for the next four years and led to many nights of apologizing ("I can't imagine what went wrong with the duck confit, but my isn't this mango gallete delicious?"), until one day it occurred to me that I had started with calculus before I knew how to multiply. So I went back to some more basic things and experimented with types of food I wanted to learn how to cook.
So now I present to you: three recipes I am grateful for. These are three of the easiest, most basic, most instructive recipes I know. The Bluberry Focacia is a GREAT first-bread to make and you'll learn a lot about how a dough is supposed to look/rise because you can't mess it up; the smokey marinara sauce can be paired with ANYTHING and make it better, and the nutella bread pudding (yes... you read that right) is just the best thing you will ever put in your mouth, period. Plus, they're so good everyone will be very impressed and think you are a domestic-mother-effing goddess, as some of us are known around these parts. And that's something to be grateful for.
Also- I don't know how to make a "jump"--but one day I will, so sorry if these multi-recipe posts give your fingers carpal tunnel from scrolling down.
The easiest bread I've ever made: Blueberry Focacia
I got this from Oprah Magazine and it has been a big hit everywhere. DO NOT BE INTIMIDATED.
- 1 package (1/4 oz) acive dry yeast (you can get this in the baking section of most grocery stores)
- 2 1/4 c warm water
- 6 c all-purpose flour
- 1 c brown sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 lg egg
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter at room temp (seriously room temp-- makes everything easier)
- 5-6 c blueberries (at this time of year, you might be able to get away with 1/2 fresh, 1/2 frozen--but try it once with fresh so you can see what it should be like!)
- Oven preheated to 400F
5 minutes (will get a little foamy). In a large bowl (on standing
mixer if you have one-- if not, no biggie), combine flour, HALF cup of
brown sugar (save the rest for later), salt, and cinnamon. Stir the
egg into yeast, then pour wet mixture into dry mixture and mix on low
speed (or combine very quickly if you don't have standing mixture).
Add butter, mix until combine. Knead dough until smooth and pliable
but still relatively wet-- about 5 minutes.
2. Grease large bowl with oil or Pam. Put dough in bowl and cover w
plastic wrap (again-- has to be plastic, not tin foil, or it won't
rise). Let rise for about an hour in a warm place- dough will double.
3. Grease two baking sheets. Break the dough into two halves and place
one half on each baking sheet. Stretch out slightly until dough is
1-inch thick and oval-shaped. Cover with greased plastic wrap for
another 45-60 min.
4. With greased fingers, "dimple" surface of each loaf. Sprinkle each
loaf with half your berries and 1/4 c brown sugar. Bake until golden
brown- about 30-35 min.
The most versatile sauce I've ever made: Smokey Marinara
Many thanks to the people at myrecipes.com for bringing me this incredible sauce (and, incidentally, the inspiration for butternut squash lasagne)!
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh or 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar (this is what makes it so delicious
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon pepper
- 1 (28-ounce) can crushed fire-roasted tomatoes, undrained (I cannot say enough how much it matters that they are fire-roasted--the flavor differential is incredible)
- 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes, undrained (in late summer, I substitute with fresh heirloom tomatoes and it makes it even better)
Preparation
1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.2. Add garlic, basil, parsley, and oregano; sauté 1 minute, stirring frequently.
3. Stir in balsamic vinegar and remaining ingredients. Reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes.
The best dessert I've ever made: Nutella Bread Pudding
Ingredients
• 6 croissants for a small batch, 12 for a large
• as much Nutella as you dare (I use about 5/6 a jar for a large batch)
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup sugar
1. Preheat the oven to 350 F.
2. Slice each croissant in half lengthwise, then slather one side with Nutella. Place the croissants nutella-side-up in an ungreased glass baking pan until you get to the top layer, where I like to do nutella-side-down. Try and arrange them as equally as possible with as few gaps as possible. This does not have to be pretty!
4. Whisk/beat Teggs, cream, vanilla extract, and sugar to a medium bowl and until combined. On good days, I get this to a custard-consistency, but it works even if it doesn't quite make it there.
5. Pour the custard over the croissant-nutella-goodness until it is covered. You may need to manipulate this by pushing down on some of the croissant pieces--that is fine.
6. Let sit at room temp for at least 30 minutes--if you have longer, let it sit for about 90 minutes.
7. Bake for 30-45 minutes. That is a huge range, I know-- but this is an oven-sensitive recipe, so check it a few times. You want a golden brown top and a "set" pudding-- so basically it should look like there's no more liquid in the mixture.
Monday, November 21, 2011
Gratitude Week at Cooking Up Kefi
Whenever I get gloomy with the state of the world*, I think of all the things I am thankful for. With 2012 drawing near and the news growing ever more doom-and-gloom, this can be easier said than done.
I worry, sometimes, that showing thanks is something we do only when were prompted to-- during those last few minutes of yoga, as we walk out of stores, or while our parents are watching-- but not something most of us do because we're actually, you know, thankful. The number of times I see people interact with other humans--in settings from cafes to hospitals--without expressing even a morsel of gratitude is troubling. And let me tell you--if we're not thanking the people who keep us caffeinated and handle our body fluids, then times are tougher than even Lou Dobbs could have thought.
It's more than just transactional thanks that have gone away--we seem to have lost a feeling of gratefulness. Were it not for Turkey Day every November, I wonder how many of us would take even one pass around a dinner table to list just one thing we're grateful for. Even Thanksgiving has become, ironically, an opportunity to identify things we are decidedly NOT thankful for: the traffic we're forced to endure to travel to our family, the pounds we will undoubtedly pack on from the excess of food cooked for and served to us, the stress of dealing with people who, for better or worse, know us intimately enough to push our buttons. If I were learning English in America right now, I might get the feeling that "thanks" meant any number of things other than "I am grateful you just did that." We use the word to say "I know you'll do this for me" (as in: "Can you be sure this gets done today? Thanks."), to end conversations ("OK great, thanks."), to make snarky social media statements ("#thankssomuch"), and as a closing to annoying emails so overpunctuated we can't even spell the whole damn word out ("THNX GUYS!!!!!!!!") --but how often do we just express a good ol' plainjane, "thanks"?
On my less cynical days, I can believe that we haven't, in fact, lost the feeling of gratitude--we've just gotten to be very bad at showing it. And for that reason, I bring to you: Gratitude Week (da da da dahhhhh!) Nothing fancy--just a chance for me to share some of the things that I am grateful for (big and small). And, hopefully, a chance for all 4 of my readers to share, too--because I'm tired of feeling like I'm talking to myself (big shout out to Jillian, who increased by readership by 33%!).
So--this week I'll be writing about the things I'm grateful for: running, cooking, family, finding a calling, and making a difference (among other things). What are you thankful for? Tell me in the comments!
*Eternal gratitude to Hugh Grant and everyone associated with Love Actually, an instant Kefi family holiday classic
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