The Popcorn Weekly - Coconut Oil

For this weeks popcorn recipe I decided to use coconut oil.  Coconut oil is a heart healthy food and has so many amazing health benefits.  According to Dr. Oz coconut oil helps "our bodies mount resistance to both viruses and bacteria that can cause illness...it can also can help to fight off yeast, fungus and candida. [Coconut Oil also] boosts thyroid function helping to increase metabolism, energy and endurance. It increases digestion and helps to absorb fat-soluble vitamins."  I've also heard that it can be used to help prevent wrinkles, is amazing for dry skin and hair and can even be used to shave your legs!  Coconut oil has a high-heat point so it is also ideal when frying foods.

I use organic coconut oil for a good majority of my cooking, so I thought Why not popcorn?!?  I know what you are thinking, Doesn't it make everything taste like coconut?  It actually doesn't!  I've cooked everything from chicken & sausage to eggs using coconut oil and it NEVER had a coconut flavor!  I think it can be interchanged in a lot of recipes that call for oil (keeping in mind its high heat point)  Now if you were to taste the coconut oil by itself, then yes, of course it tastes like coconut!

With that being said, I was expecting the popcorn to hold some of the coconut flavor since popcorn tends to really absorb the flavor of what it is being cooked in.  Since I wasn't quite sure how this popcorn recipe was going to turn out, I decided to make a smaller batch...just in case!  I scooped a small spoonful (approx. 1.5 tbsp) into a medium sauce pan.  Once melted, I covered the bottom of the sauce pan with popcorn kernels and began cooking the same way I did HERE.  It did cook differently than any other time I have ever popped popcorn.  Usually once the first couple kernels pop it goes pretty quick with the rest of the kernels.  This time, the first couple kernels popped and then a few more and then it was stagnant for about a minute and a half / two minutes.  I was about to give up and call this recipe a wash and all of a sudden they started popping like crazy!  I think the reason for the inconsistent popping was due to the coconut oils high heat point. Once the popping was finished I sprinkled with some sea salt.

More than anything else, I was worried the popcorn may be burnt because of the weird popping...but it wasn't at all.  Overall, I really enjoyed this popcorn recipe.  It did have a unique flavor...not necessarily a coconut flavor, but it was a little sweet.  I really liked the sweetness from the coconut oil mixed with the sea salt...it was perfect for an after dinner snack!  

I will definitely be making this again and would highly recommend trying this recipe out and using organic coconut oil as a substitute while cooking in general!  Enjoy!

Film Review: American Meat

Hello all!
 
I just recently went to a theatrical screening of the film "American Meat - A Leave It Better Story" with my sister-in-law Colleen** and wanted to share my thoughts about the documentary with you.
I first heard about the film on Twitter and found out they were doing a theatrical screening in NYC.  It was only an $11 donation to see the hour and a half film along with a 5 person question and answer panel.  My sister-in-law and I decided to attend the screening with the "Chefs & Butchers" panel.  The phenomenal panel included: Mary Cleaver - owner of the Cleaver Co., Tom Mylan - executive butcher and co-owner of The Meat Hook, Jake Dickson - butcher & owner of Dickson's Farmstand Meats , Bill Telepan - Chef and owner of Telepan & board member & the executive chef of Wellness in the Schools, and Graham Meriwether - the Director Cinematographer Producer of American Meat.

To sum up the film best, here is the description from the films website, www.americanmeatfilm.com: "American Meat is a pro-farmer look at chicken, hog and cattle production in America. Beginning with a history of our current industrial system, the feedlots and confinement operations are unveiled, not through hidden cameras, but through the eyes of the farmers who live and work there. From there, the story shifts to Polyface Farms, where the Salatin family has developed an alternative agricultural model based on rotational grazing and local distribution. Nationwide, a local-food movement of farmers, chefs, and everyday people has taken root... But could it ever feed us all?"




Needless to say, I was blown away by both the film and the panel.  The film was both informative and inspirational.  I was extremely captivated by Joel Salatin and his farming method; so much so that we are planning a trip to visit Polyface Farms in Virginia later this year.  It is amazing to me that the Salatin method of farming is considered an "alternative agriculture model" since it is actually just the way farming is supposed to be done.  I consider myself pretty educated about this subject so I was really surprised at how much I learned from this film.  I walked away with a lot to think about and wanting to learn more about farming and what I can do to "Leave It Better".  I truly believe that being educated and knowing exactly where your food comes from is the key to creating a sustainable & healthy food system in the U.S.  And, yes, this way of farming CAN fed us all!

Then the panel after the film was a fantastic bonus.  All the people on the panel are a true inspiration and my only complaint is that it wasn't longer!  I was already a huge fan and a customer of The Meat Hook (Tom Mylan) and The Green Table (Mary Cleaver).  I also really enjoyed hearing from Jake Dickson about Dickson's Farmstand Meats and will definitely be checking it out next time I am at the Chelsea Market (which I already love). but I was most impressed with Bill Telepan (http://www.telepan-ny.com) and hearing about the work he does with Wellness in the Schools.

I consider this film a must see.  They just finished their Theatrical Release Tour, but you can pre-order the DVD HERE.  I would love to hear what you guys think of the film too!
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**Check out my sister-in-laws upholstery and furniture restoration blog http://timberandcloth.blogspot.com/ and follow her on twitter @timberandcloth.  She is an amazing artist, upholsterer/furniture restorer, and teacher.  "Keeping unique furniture pieces free from the landfill by giving them a new life and a new home!"

Simple Homemade Stock Recipes

Making your own cooking stock is easy, inexpensive, resourceful and I personally find it to be very fulfilling. The boxed stocks you find in the grocery store can be expensive (especially if you buy organic), loaded with salt and like any other pre-packaged item is unnecessarily wasteful . So, once I realized how easy it was to make my own stock I have never looked back! Below are simple and yummy base recipes that you can customize based on your taste and preference.
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VEGETABLE STOCK RECIPE:

• Roughly chop up some celery, carrots, onion, and garlic into chunks.  I'm not specific about the amount of each kind of vegetable because I really just use what I have around the house and eyeball it based on my preference. Some other ingredients to consider adding would be green peppers, mushrooms, kale, leeks, scallions, peas, corn, etc...really anything you have laying around in your fridge.  Making stock is a really good way of using up the random leftover vegetables that you may normally just discard.
• Saute' the chopped vegetable with olive oil in a large stock pot and add any fresh (or dried) herbs you have laying around (ex. thyme, parsley, bay leaves, chives, oregano, rosemary, sage, etc.).  Saute' for approx. 5-10 minutes - stirring frequently.  Note you can also make a sachet for your herbs by tying whatever herbs you are using into a cheesecloth.  If you decide to do this, don't saute the herbs, instead add the herb sachet into the pot when you add your water in the next step. 
• Add 5 cups of cold water to your pot and slowly bring to a simmer.  Add salt and pepper to taste and continue to slowly simmer anywhere from 45 min. - 2 hrs, stirring occasionally.
• Strain the stock removing all of the vegetables and herbs.  Most recipes call for you to just discard the vegetables, but you could also put them in a blender with a little bit of your stock and use it as a thickening agent for other recipes.  Another option is to compost the vegetables.

CHICKEN STOCK:

• Follow the recipe above for making Vegetable Stock and just add your leftover chicken carcass and bones when you add the water. Add more water if necessary; you want to make sure all the bones and carcass are covered by an inch or two.
• It is also important to simmer all the ingredients together longer than you do when making vegetable stock.  I would suggest simmering for at least 2 hours, preferably closer to 4 hrs. if you have the time.
• Another good and flavorful tip for making chicken stock is if you are going to make your chicken broth using a chicken that you just roasted yourself, use the roasting pan as your cooking vessel instead of a stock pot.  This will let you soak up all the extra flavors from the pan the chicken was roasting in. ( I just did this over the weekend and the stock turned out fabulous!)

BEEF & PORK STOCK:

• I have never personally made beef or pork stock as I don't eat a lot of pork on the bone or beef in general.  A standard recipe looks as though you roast the beef or pork bones in the oven first until brown and then follow pretty similar instructions to the chicken stock recipe.
• Do you have a Beef or Pork Stock recipe that you like?  I would love to try your recipe and post about it here.

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MORE STOCK TIPS AND IDEAS: 

• Freeze any leftover stock.  Make sure when freezing stock to label what it is with the date.  Frozen stock stays good for 4-6 months.  Also don't fill your freezer container all the way to the top, be sure to leave 1/2"-1" of room for it to expand.
• You can also freeze your stock in an ice cube tray so that you have smaller serving sizes at your disposal  and don't have to thaw out a huge container if you aren't going to use it all.  This allows for quick defrosting and individual size portions that are perfect for everyday cooking.
• When making chicken stock, don't use just the bare bones, leave a little meat on the bones to give your stock a little more flavor.





• Don't just use your stock for soups and stews, you can also use it to pump up the flavor when making rice, risotto, couscous, polenta, gravy, sauces, mashed potatoes, steamed vegetables, etc. What is your favorite unexpected recipe to use stock in?