Note: Do Not Try This at Home

"The laziest man I ever met put popcorn in his pancakes so they would turn over by themselves."

~W. C. Fields

Do you know what day it is?

It's International Hot and Spicy Food Day! According to Punchbowl (check out the link because it has some interesting info), it's also National Fig Newton Day. January is National Oatmeal Month, too!

Cayenne pepper is known to be a great colon cleanser, figs are known to help lower blood pressure, and, as I'm sure you've seen on the Quaker Oats commercials, oatmeal helps lower cholesterol.

If you find some interesting spicy food, fig, or oatmeal recipes, please share them! I'll credit you here on the blog. Until then, check out Rick Bayless' recipe for my favorite spicy Mexican dish, Chilaquiles (chee-lah-kee-less)!

The Most Mouth-Watering...and Eye-Watering Food

What other food is there that can make both our eyes and mouths water at the same time but the onion? As such, I feel this bulb of aromatic bliss deserves some attention. To start off, here are a few links with interesting information about the types of onions that exist, their different uses, old wives' tales about the onion, and tips on how to use them:

Kitchen Dictionary: Onion --This site even has nutritional facts.

All About Onions --Miscellaneous facts, including old wives' tales

Now, I've heard a number of suggestions for cutting onions without getting sappy, but the most prevalent one is that you must use a very sharp knife. Others have said to chew gum while chopping (it works a little, but not so well--I've tried it), and still others have said to rinse the knife in cold water before chopping and to keep the cold water running while chopping.

Aussie chef, Curtis Stone, former star of "Take Home Chef", has a few other tips about cutting onions on his YouTube page:



And if you're feeling adventurous, try making Musakhan Chicken, one of my favorite dishes from Palestine, featuring chicken alongside its co-star, the onion. It's actually very easy to make, and you can make it without the sumac if it is unavailable to you. Don't be shy about the cinnamon; though it may seem strange to use with chicken, it actually works with the onion to bring out the savory flavor of the chicken.

This recipe (and the image thereafter) comes from Mediterranean Cook, by Paul Gaylor, page 100.

Ingredients:
3 tbsp. olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
2 onions, sliced (I like to use red onions when I can because of their sweetness)
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 tsp. sumac
2 3/4 cups chicken stock
juice of 1/2 lemon (you can substitute lime juice if needed)
1/3 cup pine nuts, toasted (may be eliminated if unavailable, but their flavor is superb)
2 tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro
4 pita breads or shirak

Method:
1. Heat the oil in a frying pan. Season the chicken and add to the pan; cook for 1-2 minutes until golden. Remove to one side.

2. Add the onions to the pan. Cook for 5-10 minutes until golden, then add the cinnamon and the sumac. Return the chicken to the pan, add the stock, and bring to a boil; cook for 5 minutes.

3. Remove and cut up the chicken into bite-size pieces; place in a bowl and squeeze the lemon juice on top. Add the pine nuts and cilantro.

4. Cut the pita breads in half lengthwise and fill with the chicken and pan juices.

Disclaimer, Concession, and a Toast

This is not a new year's resolution. I am NOT going to cook my way through a new cookbook, like maybe a curry cookbook, in a year. That would be suicide. :) I am, however, going to share new recipes and culinary treasures I make and find, often with photos. After purchasing three new international cookbooks--Indian, Italian, and world curry--today at B&N for less than $22 (you simply must check the clearance and bargain books for finds like this), I have a good feeling that I'll have a lot to share.

Be forewarned: I'm not inclined to cook much "American" food...unless someone can find me some real gems. I've been raised sort of an international culture/language/food snob, a fact to which I will readily admit. But since America is truly a melting pot (or tossed salad--use whichever metaphor you prefer because both are about food!), I may just find some things I absolutely must try.

So, raise your glass with me, and let's toast to wherever this may lead. :)