Best Hot Cocoa

I'm absolutely positive that I'm not the first person to think this up. But that fact did not hinder me from tasting this new hot cocoa concoction and falling in love. I don't have a picture, because I drank it too quickly, but here's how it went.

Step 1: Throw a teaspoon or so of cocoa powder (UNSWEETENED) into a mug.
Step 2: Add a few dribbles of honey.
Step 3: Add a splash of milk, stir, and microwave for thirty seconds.
Step 4: Stir, add the rest of the milk, microwave for a minute.
Step 5: Enjoy a really delicious hot chocolate beverage that isn't cloyingly sweet, and isn't bad for you either if you use lowfat or skim milk!

I don't think I will ever use ready mix hot cocoa, not even for the mini marshmallows. This hot cocoa tastes much richer, more deep, earthy chocolate flavor (which is even greater if you use a high quality baker's cocoa) and none of the saccharine additive flavor of store bought mix.
I know it's summer, but summer evenings get nice and cool. My room is air-conditioned. And even if it was two in the afternoon on a ninety degree day and I was going to sit outside, I would probably still enjoy this drink.
Okay, I am enjoying it more in my brisk sixty-five degree room. But I digress.

Chocolatey in Columbus,
Celina.

Leftover Steak (Pot Pie)

The summer brings with it the grilling season. And grilling season brings with it an affinity for some yummy, charred on the outside-juicy on the inside steaks. But if your family is anything like my family, one person (the grill master) overestimates everybody else's appetite for steak and we end up with lots and lots of grilled steak leftovers. Try as you may, leftover steak just isn't as good as a steak straight off the grill. So as I peered into my fridge the other day and saw the big container of cold steak sitting there, I decided we really needed to use this up. And being the poor, lazy college kid that I am, I didn't want to get any extra ingredients from the store. So I came up with a use for whatever we had lying around: steak pot pie.

Ingredients:
-some leftover steaks (preferably not super well done, or they'll get really really tough when you cook them a second time)
-frozen (or fresh!) veggies. I used peas, corn, and green beans.
-a jar of beef gravy
-some sort of crust. I used crescent rolls.
Method:
Basically, I just chopped up the steaks while they were cold and trimmed off any fat or gristle. Then I thawed the veggies, mixed the steak, veg, and gravy together in a pot to warm up. Finally, I threw the mixture into a pot pie baking dish, unrolled the crescent rolls on top, and garnished with a few sprigs of fresh thyme in an attempt to class it up. Bake at 375 F for about 18 minutes, or until the crust is browned. I don't suggest covering it with foil afterwards, it takes away the crispiness of the crust.

It turned out pretty good! It definitely wasn't the most creative, inventive, or amazing dish I've ever made. But when you're scrunched for time and you've gotta use up some things, it's nice to be able to come up with something homey and comforting.

Dessert was a fruit salad with whatever fruits we had (Bosc pears, apples, cantaloupe, and grapes) with some Parmeggiano and aged goat cheese (I used a Romanian kind called Kashkaval) to top. Fruit and cheese are a match made in heaven.

Pro Tip: soak sliced apples in a solution of a couple splashes of lemon juice+cold water. Keeps them from browning without making them too acidic.

Cheese-Stuffed Apricots

Slightly underripe apricots stuffed with fresh Spanish cheese, broiled, topped with thyme and drizzled with honey.

soft, soft flesh, acidic and relying on honey for sweetness, plays with mild, slightly salty cheese. Thyme perched on top, king of the dish, infuses every morsel.

Olive Oil, Egg, Toast, Thyme

There is something distinctly unique about a simple perfectly cooked egg. I'm talking viscous golden-orange yolk reminiscent of a dripping August sun; firm but yielding, maybe even crispy, whites, pure as snow set against a backdrop of hot olive oil and warm toast, perfumed with fresh flowering thyme.

At least, that's how I enjoyed my egg today. Just one (one is perfect) cooked in a generous glug of olive oil (not extra virgin, see note), flipped over after two minutes to achieve that delicate white blanket that preserves the soft, soft yolk; then laid over a slice of toasted potato bread and decorated with freshest thyme sprigs from the garden, tops blooming with tiny, teasing mauve flowers. 

I break the yolk and admire the perfection of this egg that I have cooked, my egg, just for me. I take a bite and burn the roof of my mouth just a bit on the layer of still-hot oil, but no matter! This egg is worth it. I take another bite strategically to catch the river of molten gold before it hits the plate. The thyme is like a fresh breeze in my mouth, chasing the rich yolk and dainty white; woodsy, lemony, tasting the freshest color of green. In no time, all I have left on my plate are a few drops of sunshine that were too quick for me. Shamelessly, I drag a greedy finger across and collect them, savoring the satisfaction.

(Note: Extra virgin olive oil is super nice to use, but not the best for cooking, and especially not for cooking with high heat. It is delicate and has a low smoking point, so it can burn quite easily. For a flavorful oil that you can heat, use regular olive oil. It's usually marked as "pure" or "light" olive oil. This does not mean it's less fatty than other olive oils, it's just lighter in color because it's not the first press. Either way, olive oil is really really good for you, so try it instead of butter when frying eggs, and in salad instead of ranch. )

Postponed...

Unfortunately, I am going to postpone my quest for the best taco in Columbus, or for the best anything, because I've realized the hard way that this stuff costs a lot more money than I make! So when I have a better paying job and I am done with college, I will start this back up again because I really did it enjoy it thus far.

In the meantime, I will continue to post about my cooking/eating adventures! So keep reading if you are interested. I appreciate any comments or suggestions!

Sheepishly yours,
Celina.