The 10 Most Polarizing Foods

After writing a mini-novella about coconuts a few weeks ago, I did some Googling for other foods that people love to hate.  While there are some foods people dislike but don’t really complain about (such as mustard for me), and then there are the common foods that people HATE and tend to get quite opinionated about (coconuts).  I found an aptly named article from Huff Post, The 10 Most Polarizing Foods, and have decided to give my two cents on each contentious food.

1. Cilantro: Apparently this is the most debatable food out there, and I’m quite surprised by that! With the exception of guacamole, where I feel cilantro really makes the dip, I seldom notice the presence or lack thereof cilantro.  Usually, I skip cilantro when a recipe calls for it, but that’s only because I rarely have fresh herbs on hand.

2. Celery: It’s got zero calories (right?) – what’s not to love!? I’m also partial to ants on a log, celery topped with peanut butter and raisins, because it reminds me of my childhood.

3. Licorice: Red Twizzlers are good. Black licorice and black jelly beans are not.  Whenever I get a jelly bean delivery from the Easter Bunny, I immediately discard the black ones, although I should gauge KK’s feelings on licorice and barter with him for a black/purple jellybeans exchange if that works out in my favor!  I also despise all things licorice, anise, or fennel.  This is one of the flavors I can catch if there’s even the slightest drop of it in my food. Update: KK shares my disdain for licorice, so any black jellybeans from the Easter Bunny will be discarded. 

4. Green Pepper: Although I don’t hate green peppers, I certainly like red peppers better.  Who doesn't!? I was shocked to read that Dan Barber, chef and owner Blue Hill restaurant in NYC and one of my favorite Top Chef guest judges, refuses to have green peppers on his restaurants’ menus.  Love to hate!

5. Marzipan: Although there hasn't been much baking on 3D Dinners, I have a serious sweet tooth! One version of marzipan’s history recalls the nuns of the Convent of San Clemente in Toledo, Spain.  After a long Spanish battle, many, many years ago, there was no wheat to be found in Toledo.  There was, however, plenty of sugar and almonds, and the nuns used it to make a paste to feed to the starving people.  Marzipan saved Toledo! In October 2011, KK and I took a daytrip to Toledo.  The city’s streets were lined with so many marzipan shops that it was nearly impossible to decide on a purchase.  This conundrum resulted in marzipan purchases from multiple shops!

6. Mayonnaise: In moderation and light-versions, I think mayo is a good thing.  A little bit goes a long way on a sandwich.  Now that mayo's gone fancy, I love trying the more creative flavors of mayonnaise: chipotle, olive oil & cracked pepper (a new favorite from Kraft!), sun dried tomato, horseradish... the list is almost never-ending!

7. Blue Cheese: I've just had another flashback to our October 2011 Spain trip.  We took a Mad Ride free walking tour of Madrid, and our tour guide recommended Cervecería 100 Montadito as an inexpensive yet delicious lunch option.  If I recall correctly, sandwiches were ~€1, mugs of beers were €2, and a side of French fries was €3.  Perfect.  Except I mistakenly ordered a "queso azul" sandwich instead of a "queso blanco."  One bite of the queso azul and I had a look of utter disgust on my face.  KK couldn't help but laugh!

8. Vegemite/Marmite: Skip. I know nothing about Vegemite, but I don't like what I'm reading.

9. Coconut: See post for One Pot Thai Chicken Pasta.  Although I gave it a shot, and would probably cook the pasta dish again, coconut is still on my personal "love to hate" list.  I will still continue avoiding, but at least I know I'll live if it contaminates any of my other foods.  I did just come up with one coconut thing that I tolerate/like - Girl Scout Samoas! Yum!

10. Liver: No thank you.

So there you have it - my thoughts on the Huff Post's most polarizing foods.  Surprisingly, I'm OK with 50% of the foods.  I thought my percentage would be much lower! Without consulting with him, I'd say KK's most hated foods are raw onions and goat cheese.  Missing from the list for me? Olives, broccoli, capers, mushrooms, oysters.....

Skillet Chicken Parmesan

Although Friday's post was 3DDinners' first post outside of Hoboken, this is my first post based on a meal cooked outside of Apt. 3D! KK and I weren't up for food shopping on Friday night, so we went to the local pizza joint for dinner.  The Pizza Stone was right down the road from the house, has a great beer selection, and live music by the Cold River Ranters.  We spilt an order of cheesy bread sticks and had the Gouda Morning pizza - garlic butter, mozzarella, sausage, leeks, roasted garlic, Caraway cumin Gouda, and cilantro.  It was absolutely amazing.  Here are a few pictures from our night out:

On Saturday, we drove north to Long Trail Brewery.  In all honesty, they only offered a lackluster self-guided tour of the brewery, so it was less impressive than the Harpoon Brewery tour in Windsor, Vermont we took last spring.  That being said, we still enjoyed the pub fare and craft beers.  Before making a full-size pint selection, KK and I shared the 6 beers in the Long Trail Sampler: Blackbeary Wheat, Pollenator, Long Trail Ale, Double Bag, Traditional IPA, and Brown Bag Milk Stout.  For our next round, I ordered my favorite from the sampler, the spring seasonal Pollenator, and KK decided to try the Double IPA Brewmaster special.  None of the Long Trail beers wowed us, so we didn't pick up anything from the To Go store.  If we had to choose, KK and I would both opt for another visit to Harpoon over Long Trail.

I should mention that this Vermont house sleeps 10 people (plus 4 in the carriage house!), so the kitchen is extraordinary.  My only complaint about the kitchen was the lack of sharp knives, but otherwise I'd be in heaven if I had this kitchen to cook in every day!

The kitchen was stocked with essentials (spices, sugar, flour, oils, etc.), so we only needed a few ingredients from Shaw's.  I almost didn't mention our grocery store specifics, but KK suggested I mention Shaw's for some reason...I'm guessing because it reminds him of his fraternity shopping trips during college in Boston :) We picked up chicken tenderloins instead of breasts by mistake, but I've updated the ingredient list below because they ended up being a nice change.  Plus, I was less worried about the chicken not cooking through with the thinner slices.  During dinner, KK shook his head at me and said that I had ruined ordering Chicken Parm at restaurants for him.  I guess that's the sign of a well-cooked meal!

Skillet Chicken Parmesan

Adapted from Mel's Kitchen Cafe
Time: 40 minutes
Serves: 3-4

Ingredients
8 ounces spaghetti
2 cloves garlic, minced
28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 lb. boneless chicken tenderloin

Salt and pepper
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups shredded Italian blend cheese

Directions
1.  Cook spaghetti according to package directions.

2. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine the garlic, crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, oregano, basil, sugar, salt, pepper and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Set aside.

3. In a large skillet with a lid, heat oil over medium heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper.  Place the flour in a shallow dish and cover the seasoned chicken with flour, coating both sides.  Place chicken in skillet and cook for 3-4 minutes per side to form a golden crust; chicken will not be cooked through.  Remove the chicken to a plate.

4. Wipe the skillet clean, and pour tomato sauce contents into the skillet.  Adjust the heat to medium, and submerge the chicken into the sauce, making sure the chicken is mostly covered.  Cover the skillet and simmer on medium for 15 minutes, sitrring every few minutes to ensure the chicken isn’t sticking to the bottom of the skillet.  If the chicken is sticking, reduce the heat to medium-low.

5. Uncover the skillet, sprinkle the Italian cheese blend and remaining Parmesan over the chicken and sauce.  Recover and cook for 5 minutes, until cheese is melted.

6. Plate pasta and cover with sauce and chicken.  Enjoy!

Roasted Red Pepper & Pesto Penne

This is a new one - I'm blogging from the car! KK and I are on our way to Vermont for the weekend. We found out on Thursday morning that we won the "lotto" at KK's work, and get a free weekend at a house in Vermont. We also won last spring, so we know what to expect - a gorgeous house set on several acres of land, with hiking trails and a skeet shooting range on property.  During our last trip, we visited Harpoon Brewery where we bought the Brewmaster beers we enjoyed with this amazing pesto pizza. We're hoping to check out some of the other local breweries this weekend.  I don't think we'll get any skiing in, but I do see hiking and a trip to the Vermont Country Store on our list of things to do!

Before we left for the weekend, KK insisted we finish the open jar of pesto and very ripe red peppers in the fridge. I adapted Kuntal's recipe to use store bought pesto instead of making it from scratch. To add a homemade touch to dinner, we roasted our own red peppers! When roasting peppers, I find it best to use the broiler on high heat. Char the peppers until they're nice and black - this makes the skins come off much easier.  Here are some other helpful red pepper roasting tips.

One final note: we should've considered halving the pasta quantity because now, although the pesto and peppers are finished, we have a ton of leftovers!! This recipe easily feeds 4-6 people. Enjoy!

Roasted Red Pepper & Pesto Penne
Adapted from Kuntal's Kitchen
Serves: 4-6
Time: 40 minutes 

Ingredients
2 red peppers
1 lb. penne pasta
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 lb. chicken breast, cut into small pieces
1/2 cup jarred pesto
1/2 teaspoon crushed red peppers
1/2 cup heavy cream
Salt & pepper
Grated Parmesan, for garnish

Directions
1. Cut red peppers in half from top to bottom, and remove ribs and seeds.  Preheat your broiler and roast peppers for 5-7 minutes.  Place peppers in a Ziploc bag and let sweat for 15 minutes.  Peel off skins and chop peppers into small pieces.

2. While peppers are sweating, cook pasta according to package directions.  Drain and return to the pot.

3. Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.  Cook chicken, turning occasionally, until golden, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a plate and set aside.

4. Using a food processor or handheld immersion blender, combine 1 tablespoon olive oil, pesto, roasted peppers, crushed red pepper, and heavy cream until smooth.

5.  Add chicken and sauce to the pot of pasta.  Stir to combine, season with salt and pepper.  If necessary, heat on low until warmed through.  Garnish with grated Parmesan.  Serve immediately.

Grilled Eggplant alla Norma Burgers

Back in 2010, my Mom turned Rachael Ray’s subs into burgers, so this meal was inspired by her.  I've worked really hard to season my cast iron grill pan over the past few months and, with a few successful burger attempts (think Chili Lime Chicken and Chicken Parm burgers), I finally got around to trying this adaptation on Monday evening.  As Rachael Ray would probably say – "Yum-o!"  Not only were the burgers delicious, but they were also incredibly simple.  If you don’t have tomatoes on hand, or if you feel like saving more time, you can substitute the tomato mixture for store-bought bruschetta.  I've doubled the tomato mixture ingredients below because KK and I used the original amount for just two burgers.  To reheat the leftovers, I recommend using a toaster oven to avoid soggy eggplant.

Grilled Eggplant alla Norma Burgers
Adapted from Rachael Ray
Time: 30 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients
1 medium eggplant
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper
1/2 lb. shredded mozzarella cheese
4 plum tomatoes, lightly seeded and chopped
Fresh basil (10 leaves), torn into small bits
2 cloves garlic, minced
Hamburger buns, toasted
Margarine, for spreading
Garlic salt

Directions
1. Heat a grill pan or outdoor grill over medium-high heat.

2. Slice the eggplant into 8 ½-inch “burgers."

3. Pour olive oil into a bowl. Using a pastry brush, brush the eggplant burgers on both sides with the oil, and season with salt and pepper. Cook the eggplant burgers for 3-4 minutes per side, until tender. While still warm, top eggplant burgers with cheese.

4. Using the same bowl, still with some remaining olive oil, combine tomatoes, basil, and garlic.  Season with salt and pepper, then toss to combine.

5. Spread hamburger buns with margarine, and sprinkle with garlic salt.  Toast.

6. Layer 2 slices of eggplant with lots of raw tomato mixture into each burger roll.

Slow Cooker Tex-Mex Chicken Stew

After Saturday's early Easter festivities, KK and I had Easter brunch with some friends at O'Nieals.  The brunch menu had a good range of breakfast and lunch options, as well as an extensive variety of Bloody Mary choices, including a "build your own" option.  I'm more of a mimosa girl myself, but several people around the restaurant were enjoying Bloody Marys.

We opted for a non-traditional Easter dinner - Tex-Mex stew! With the temperatures in the mid-50s, I'm not really sure what prompted KK to pick stew for dinner, but it was delicious.  I think KK was swayed by his love of shredded chicken! I started the slow cooker before we left for brunch, and the apartment smelled heavenly by the time we got home.  Without Tapioca on hand, KK's research indicated that we should use flour to help the stew thicken.  My original instinct was to use cornstarch, but thankfully KK learned that cornstarch tends to break down in the crockpot.  Good to know! I carefully removed most of the jalapeno ribs/seeds, but KK and I didn't think the stew was hot enough.  Remember - we like things spicy! A little Frank's RedHot did the trick, but next time I'll probably leave some of the jalapeno seeds or add more chili powder.

Slow Cooker Tex-Mex Chicken Stew
Adapted from Tracey's Culinary Adventures
Time: 5 hrs 35 minutes
Serves: 6-8

Ingredients
2 onions, chopped
2 jalapenos, seeds and ribs removed, chopped
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 tablespoon chili powder
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes, drained
1/4 cup instant tapioca
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
3 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed
2 cups frozen corn
1 (15.5 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 chipotle chile in adobo sauce, minced
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
Shredded Mexican cheese (optional), for topping

Directions
1. Combine the onions, jalapenos, garlic, tomato paste, oil, and chili powder in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 5 minutes, stirring half-way though, until the onions have softened. Transfer mixture to the slow cooker.

2. Add chicken broth, tomatoes, tapioca, and brown sugar to the slow cooker and stir to combine. Season chicken with salt and pepper, then add it to the slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 5 hours.

3. Move chicken from slow cooker to mixing bowl; shred it using two forks.  Allow the stew to sit uncovered and untouched for 5 minutes; use a spoon to skim any fat from the surface. 

4. Add the corn and black beans, cover slow cooker and cook on high for 10 minutes.  Add the shredded chicken and chipotle chile, and cook for another 5 minutes.  Stir in the parsley and season to taste with salt and pepper.  Serve and top with shredded cheese, if desired.

Easter Treats

Happy Easter!!! Our friends in Weehawken hosted an Easter egg hunt and an early Easter supper yesterday.  They hid ~200 eggs in their basement and backyard, and watched as 10 of their friends ran around, frantically trying to collect the most eggs.  KK had never participated in an Easter egg hunt and, with beginner's luck, he collected the most eggs.  KK won $5, but also managed to pickup one of the reward/chore eggs, and was on bartender duty for the next 1.5 hours.  I think the "punishment" was fair considering he won cash and picked up the most candy! My reward was something from the 21+ grab bag - no chore for me! One of our friends also won the same 21+ reward, but his reward was accompanied with a chore - wearing pink bunny ears for the rest of the evening!

The Easter supper spread was amazing! Unfortunately I forgot to snap a picture of it, but we had salad, rolls, ham, rotisserie chicken, green beans, potatoes au gratin, and a savory pineapple casserole.  My favorites were the potatoes and the pineapple casserole... I hope my lovely friends are willing to share their family recipes with me.

Luckily most of us saved room for dessert! There were cupcakes, chocolate trifle, and cake batter & sprinkles dip.  After devouring the sweet treats, we played LCR and Fast Track.  Our friend's grandfather made the Fast Track game board himself.  KK was on a winning streak, so he of course took home the winning title (no prizes this time) in Fast Track.  

Trifle tips: I made the brownies on Friday night to ensure there was enough time for them to cool completely.  I also thawed the whipped topping in the refrigerator overnight.  The chocolate pudding layer was a bit thick, so be careful as you're layering so it doesn't get all over the sides of your trifle dish.  In a festive mood, I used Easter M&Ms for my topping, but feel free to get creative and use anything that comes to mind - Heath bars, crushed Oreos, sprinkles, fresh fruit - the possibilities are endless! 

Dip tips: After stirring the ingredients together by hand, I noticed the mixture wasn't very smooth.  I wasn't going to, but I'm glad I pulled out the hand mixer because the consistency of the dip was perfect afterwards!

Chocolate Trifle
Adapted from All Recipes
Time: 1 hour + cooling time
Serves: 12

Ingredients
1 (19.8 oz.) package brownie mix
1 (3.9 oz.) package instant chocolate pudding mix
1/2 cup water
14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
20 oz. frozen whipped topping, thawed
Chocolate candy or candy bar

Directions
1. Prepare brownie mix according to package directions.  Cool completely and cut into 1 inch squares.

2. In a large bowl, combine pudding mix, water, condensed milk, and 8 oz. whipped topping.  Mix until smooth and no streaks remain.

3. In a trifle bowl or glass serving dish, place half of the brownies, half of the pudding mixture and half of the remaining whipped topping (6 oz.). Top with chopped chocolate candy.  Repeat layers, topping off the trifle with the remaining chocolate candy for garnish. Refrigerate 8 hours before serving.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Cake Batter & Sprinkles Dip
Adapted from I'm Topsy Turvy
Time: 10 minutes
Serves: A lot!

Ingredients
2 cups whipped topping
1 (18 oz.) package Funfetti cake mix
1 1/2 cups plain yogurt
Sprinkles

Directions
1. Place whipped topping in a large microwave-safe bowl; heat in the microwave for 20 seconds to slightly thaw it.

2. Add cake mix and yogurt to the bowl.  Mix until smooth, with a hand mixer if necessary. Stir in as many sprinkles as you'd like!

3.  Chill for at least 1 hour before serving with cookies, pretzels, or fruit.

Creamy Jambalaya Pasta

It's been a crazy couple of days in Hoboken! On Tuesday around midnight, a car flipped over just outside my apartment. How does that happen with stop signs every other block and a speed limit of 20 mph!? Thankfully the driver and passenger only sustained minor injuries.  I imagine there was more extensive damage to the cars parked nearby.  Personally, I suffered from a lack of sleep due to the numerous ambulance, fire truck, and police car sirens blaring outside the apartment for an hour.  KK somehow slept through the whole thing.

Besides being a bit tired on Wednesday, things were calm in Hoboken.  To spice things up, I repeated this Creamy Jambalaya Pasta.  Last time I made it, I used light cream for the sauce, but this time I used the leftover evaporated milk from the One Pot Thai Chicken Pasta.  Although it tasted the same, the sauce didn't come together as smoothly as it did with light cream.  The recipe calls for 1/2 cup of white wine, so we enjoyed the rest of the bottle with dinner: a 2009 Flygirl White Vineyard Salute from Airfield Estates (60% Viognier, 18% Chardonnay, 15% Gewürztraminer, 8% Roussanne).  This worked well, but it would also pair nicely with Chenin Blanc or Riesling.

Chaos returned on Thursday when there were TWO water main breaks in town.  Hoboken was without water for most of Thursday.  Thankfully KK was out watching the March Madness games, and I had dinner and drinks in the city at Dos Caminos.  There's still have a boil advisory today, so I think we'll stick with leftovers for dinner this evening!

Creamy Jambalaya Pasta
Adapted from Plain Chicken
Time: 30 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients

8 oz. pasta, such as Farfalle or Ziti
14 oz. spicy andouille sausage, sliced into bite-size pieces
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 cup white wine
1 1/2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning
1 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
4 tablespoons tomato sauce
1 cup light cream (or half & half, heavy cream, or evaporated milk)
Chopped parsley
Parmesan cheese

Directions
1. Cook pasta according to package directions.

2. Coat a large skillet with cooking spray and brown sausage over medium-high heat, about 5-7 minutes.

3. Once sausage is browned, reduce heat to medium, add onion and saute for 2 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds.  Add white wine to skillet, and let wine reduce by half, about 2 minutes.

4. Stir in Cajun seasoning, paprika, salt, pepper and tomato sauce. Add cream and heat to almost bubbling, then reduce heat to medium-low. Allow the cream mixture to reduce by half, about 5 minutes.

5. Drain pasta and add to skillet. Top with parsley and grated Parmesan.