What is your first /favorite Thanksgiving memory? 

I grew up in Atlanta, but my mother’s family are off the boat Italians from Calabria who came to NY and landed in the Bronx.  We always used to have an Italian/Southern style Thanksgiving cooked by my mother and my grandmother. We’d start out around 1pm with a huge Antipasto platter, then the real feast would ensue around 2:30/3 – Italian lasagna AND southern-style Thanksgiving turkey.  My mother’s lasagna is absolutely my favorite dish she makes.  It’s all homemade from scratch with her legendary Ragu sauce- she’ll never give out her recipe though, even I haven’t been able to figure out the right way to make it after all these years!  As if that wasn’t enough food, there was also always a southern flavored slow roasted turkey with cornbread sausage stuffing, and plenty of red wine, prosecco, sambuca, and grappa.

Now that fall is here, what are some seasonal ingredients that you are eager to cook with?

Fall is my favorite season, so you name it and I’m cooking it! I love everything about the fall harvest… all of the delicious root vegetables- sweet potatoes, carrots, beets- I’m really into juicing these vegetables and using the fresh juice in my risottos, like my Beet Risotto, and my Double-Carrot risotto.

What is your recommendation for turkey leftovers for the days after Thanksgiving?

Turkey Tacos with cranberry chutney salsa.

Where/how will you be celebrating Thanksgiving this year?

I’ll be cooking with my kids! Not sure if we’re going to do the Italian/Southern Thanksgiving this year or not, but there will definitely be my cornbread and sausage stuffing on the table!

Do you have a favorite part of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade?

My favorite part of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is the balloons.  They’re great, and they get more amazing every year.

Cranberry Chutney Salsa Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 cup packed light-brown sugar
• 1 red onion, finely chopped
• 3/4 cup mixed dried fruit, such as currants or golden raisins
• 1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger (from one 1 1/2-inch piece)
• 10 whole cloves, crushed with the side of a knife (1/2 teaspoon)
• 2 whole cinnamon sticks
• 12 ounces leftover cranberry sauce (3 1/2 cups)

Directions

Bring vinegar, sugar, onion, dried fruit, ginger, cloves, and cinnamon sticks to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring until sugar dissolves, about 5 minutes. Add cranberry sauce. Reduce heat to medium, and simmer gently until cranberries are tender and start to burst, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a bowl, and let stand until cooled. Refrigerate until chilled if desired.

Grilled and Chilled Shrimp and Crab Recipe

recipe by Todd English

“Instead of the usual boiled shrimp or crab cocktail, I like to marinate and grill the seafood. The crab claws will be cooked when you buy them, so you’re not really cooking them on the grill. You’re just infusing them with the marinade over heat and adding a bit of smoky char and flavor.“

Serves 6

• 2 cloves garlic, sliced
• 8 fresh basil leaves, julienned
• 4 fresh flat-leaf parsley sprigs, chopped
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 18 jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 12 cooked snow crab claws
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Cocktail sauce for serving

To marinate the seafood: In a large bowl, whisk together the garlic, basil, parsley, paprika, and olive oil. Add the shrimp and crab and toss to coat the shellfish evenly. Cover and marinate overnight in the refrigerator.

To grill the seafood: At least 2 to 3 hours or as many as 12 hours before serving, preheat a gas grill to medium high, or light a fire in a charcoal grill and let it burn just until the coals are covered with gray ash and very hot.

Remove the shellfish from the marinade, and season with salt and pepper.  Set the shrimp and crab claws on the grill grate. Cook the shrimp, turning once, until pink, curled, and just cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Grill the crab claws, turning once, until heated through, about 1 minute per side.

To chill and serve: Transfer the shrimp and crab to a rimmed baking sheet and let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours.  Serve chilled with your favorite cocktail sauce.  You can either divide the seafood among individual serving plates and garnish each plate with a dollop of cocktail sauce, or you can arrange the seafood on a platter and pass the cocktail sauce at the table.

Get “The Macy’s Culinary Council Thanksgiving & Holiday Cookbook” here.

More SingleMindedWomen.com Thanksgiving Articles

Celebrity Chefs’ Thanksgiving Recipes 

Cooking School: Pumpkins

Cooking School 101: Holiday Ham

When Jennifer Reese lost her job, she was overcome by an impulse common among the recently unemployed: to economize by doing for herself what she had previously paid for. She had never before considered making her own peanut butter and pita bread, let alone curing her own prosciutto or raising turkeys. And though it sounded logical that “doing it yourself” would cost less, she had her doubts. So Reese began a series of kitchen-related experiments, taking into account the competing demands of everyday contemporary American family life as she answers some timely questions:  When is homemade better? Cheaper? Are backyard eggs a more ethical choice than store-bought? Will grinding and stuffing your own sausage ruin your week? Is it possible to make an edible maraschino cherry? Some of Reese’s discoveries will surprise you: Although you should make your hot dog buns, guacamole and yogurt, you should probably buy your hamburger buns, potato chips and rice pudding. Tired? Buy your mayonnaise. Inspired? Make it.

With its fresh voice and delightful humor, Make the Bread, Buy the Butter gives 120 recipes- get her delicious Pumpkin Pie recipe here.  Reese is relentlessly entertaining as she relates her food and animal husbandry adventures, which amuse and perplex as well as nourish and sustain her family. Her tales include living with a backyard full of cheerful chickens, muttering ducks, and adorable baby goats; countertops laden with lacto-fermenting pickles; and closets full of mellowing cheeses. Here’s the full picture of what is involved in a truly homemade life- with the good news that you shouldn’t try to make everything yourself- and how to get the most out of your time in the kitchen.

Here are some of Reece’s “Make or buy” recommendations:

Jennifer Reese has been a professional journalist all of her adult life, working mostly for national magazines, and has been an avid, adventurous home cook for even longer, which she blogs about at the Tipsy Baker (tipsybaker.com) as well as for online publications like Slate. Reese also teaches cooking classes in Marin County, California, where she lives with her family.

Buy Make the Bread, Buy the Butter by Jennifer Reese today!

Want to be a SMW Book Reviewer? Click here.

A complete culinary guide, The Cooking Light Gluten-Free Cookbook offers a glossary of common gluten-free ingredients, advice for avoiding hidden gluten, and other helpful tips that reach beyond its tasty dishes.

Try two of 150 delicious recipes in The Cooking Light Gluten-Free Cookbook right here on SingleMindedWomen.com.

Buy “The Cooking Light Gluten-Free Cookbook” today!

Want to be a SMW Book Reviewer? Click here.

The mantra is a simple one and doesn’t just make cooking easier, but it makes the cook healthier, too.  “ The most important piece of advice I can offer is to know what you put into your body.  I can out eat most people. It’s my job. But I work out a lot and I know what I am eating. If you can’t easily find the ingredients, choose another recipe. And if you can’t pronounce the ingredients on a label, don’t put it in your body. It’s most likely not good for you. Turn over your packages and read!”

Claire keeps all those things in mind when she is choosing ingredients for her 5 Ingredient Fix recipes. She believes the best dishes feature carefully selected fresh foods with distinct flavors and a straightforward cooking style that also promotes healthy and seasonal eating, but that doesn’t mean she doesn’t look for ease, too.

At a recent breakfast celebrating the launch of Coffee-mate’s new Natural Bliss coffee creamer, Claire shared her excitement about the all natural product and her recipe for French Toast with Sweet Whipped Cream. “When I first read the ingredients – cream, skim milk and sugar – I thought, ‘Wow this is great for my coffee!’ And then it hit me. I can cook with this!”

Claire calls Natural Bliss a double duty ingredient: an ingredient that delivers maximum flavor because it combines several all natural ingredients together, making it easy for her stay within her 5 ingredient limit. “ A ton of ingredients can get confusing.” But sometimes, she says, you might need a couple more than five. “It’s not the perfect number all the time,” she says. So, that is where products like Natural Bliss and flavor infused olive oils  – another of her favorite double duty ingredients – can really come in handy.

“Quick cooking doesn’t have to be cheating. It can be convenient, though. I started cooking this way when supermarkets weren’t readily accessible to me in France. I only had a few ingredients. And when they are fresh and good, you don’t have to do a lot to them. A sign of a great chef is how you choose the ingredients. There is never an excuse not to get fresh food on the table.”

For a coupon to try Coffee-mate’s new Natural Bliss creamer, click here.

French Toast with Strawberries and Cream

Serves 4 to 6

3 cups fresh strawberries, hulled, sliced and divided

2 tablespoons water

6 large eggs

Table salt

1 1/4 cup Nestle Coffee-mate Natural Bliss Sweet Cream all-natural dairy creamer, divided

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided

8 1-inch-thick slices brioche (from day old loaf)

1 cup heavy cream

.                Preheat the oven to 200 degrees and place an ovenproof serving platter in oven.

.                In a medium saucepan over moderate heat add 2 cups berries and water. Bring to a simmer and cook until berries are softened, about 2 to 3 minutes. Set aside.

.                In a large shallow bowl whisk together eggs, 1 cup Natural Bliss Sweet Cream and a pinch of table salt.

.                Place a large non-stick griddle or non-stick skillet over medium heat and melt half the butter. Working in batches, dip half the bread quickly in egg mixture until lightly soaked, turning over to coat both sides of bread.

.                Transfer bread to skillet and cook until golden brown and slightly crisp, about 3 minutes per side. Place French Toast on platter in oven and cover loosely with foil. Repeat with remaining ingredients.

.                Whip 1 cup cream to soft peaks and slowly whisk in the remaining 1/4 cup Natural Bliss Sweet Cream.

Serve French Toast with warm strawberries, reserved fresh strawberries and freshly whipped cream.

Once upon a time, someone started a rumor that the only way to stay skinny, especially in a city like New York where crossing the street corners are literally a test of will power, was to eat bland, boring foods. In the past month lobster roll AND french fry trucks have popped up all over the place, parking themselves along side the mini cupcake wagon and dessert treats truck. So trading all that in for a bag of mini carrots is a hard task for any city girl. Enter Urban Skinny, Danielle Schupp’s answer to living the glamorous life and looking like you do, too. Every woman can find herself in this book. Maybe you are Laura from chapter 7 who generally ate healthy and hit the gym five times a week but still gained 10 pounds over the course of six months.  Or maybe you can relate to Gillian, a 44 year old super social single girl who could eat anything she wanted…until she hit her late thirties that is.

While every scenario is different, the science for all of the women in the book – and for you – is simple: calories in, calories out. Danielle helps her clients keep track of their calories with a food log and even gives them tips on how to order when eating out. Hitting a Thai restaurant for dinner with the girls? Skip the coconut milk based soups and sauces and instead choose something with a curry sauce, but ask for it on the side or bring your own slotted spoon for serving. Yes, you will get stares, but if you follow the program, it won’t be just for the spoon.

Curry is a spice and alone it contains no calories, but with that coconut milk broth, it can be a diet killer. So serve yourself the all the veggies you want along with some protein and you will get the flavor from the sauce, but the majority of it will sink right back into the serving dish.  As for apps, choose things like veggie summer rolls that are steamed or clear broths like lemongrass soup.

She’s got dinner at the Italian restaurant, Chinese joint and even included a section on ordering takeout in the deli covered, so you are never left guessing what is safe and what will sabotage your diet.

“Make your calories yummy calories so you’re satisfied,”she writes on her blog. “One client of mine went hardcore on January 1st, stuffing her face (her words) with lettuce and chicken and veggies and water. By the end of the first week, she had a huge problem. Her cravings were kicking in – she wanted something that tasted good and so she spent a day overeating – not because she was hungry, but because she’d deprived herself all week.”

The trick, she explained at the Reebok Sports Club where she works as a nutrition counselor, is to snaz up your snacks with energy providing foods and to eat them often and in the right amounts. But since most of us don’t have time in the mornings to brush our teeth let alone count out the number of dark chocolate dusted almonds that will get us through the daily 3pm sugar cravings, she developed a line of snacks  called Smart & Skinny that takes the guess work out of snacking for us.

Each hormone-free SMART&SKINNY SNACK contains 200 calories packed with a balance of high-fiber carbohydrates, lean protein and heart healthy fat.  So why 200 calories?

“You need a snack when going 3 to 4 hours without eating. That’s when your blood sugar starts to fall and hunger kicks in. A 200-calorie snack is just the right amount to satisfy hunger and boost energy levels. Whether you are stuck on a conference call and can’t get out to eat lunch (don’t you just hate when that happens), in need of an afternoon snack to satisfy a craving or in need of a pre-workout snack, SMART&SKINNY SNACK will do the trick!”

And every pack contains one functional food, or a super food that that has health benefits beyond nutrition. Those almonds we mentioned? They contain Vitamin E & monounsaturated fats, which may reduce the risk of heart disease. And the dark chocolate they are dusted with contains flavanols  – power antioxidants that may improve cardvascular health by increasing blood flow & reducing overall blood pressure.

“No foods are forbidden. Just watch your portions and stay within your calorie budget. Calorie budgets and how to spend your calories are in the first 3 chapters of Urban Skinny. And as you make your way through January, don’t aim to be perfect, just aim to be consistent so you can continue your Urban Skinny life beyond week one.”

Here are some more skinny tricks from Danielle that will help you get, and stay, in your bikini all summer long.

What are ideal, energy foods to keep on hand in your gym bag or purse for on the go snacking?
I always like to carry protein bars, fruits or veggies in a ziplock bag, yogurt drinks or even a bagel. This would hold me over for a while until I have a full meal.

A busy woman might only have 30 minutes for exercise. Is that enough?
I understand busy women have very little time to exercise and I believe thirty minutes is better than nothing. thirty minutes a day everyday does help, if someone is consistent in certain activities everyday it can go a long way.

What are some fitness tricks/tips a woman can do at the office without getting stared at?
Walking on your tippy toes can work on the calve muscles.

What’s better: meal before or after a workout?
The meals are better for after you worked out. When someone workouts, the body needs to immediately replace the nutrients it lose. I think it also helps to drink two cups of water right before the meal so I don’t overeat and not get that full feeling.

Remember, in order to get fuel from your snack you have to allow time for your body to digest it.  Just because you eat something doesn’t mean you get energy from it instantly.  Food needs to be digested, absorbed and metabolized before it is converted to a form that our bodies can use for fuel.

Post-workout, you can have a snack or a meal depending on what time you finish.  If you did the 6 am workout, then follow with a balanced breakfast shortly after. My fav breakfast:  chobani yogurt, paired with 100% whole wheat cinnamon raisin toast topped with peanut butter.  It contains both protein and carbohydrates to replenish your energy stores.

A chocolate craving comes along…what’s a girl to do?
ANSWER IT!!  If you don’t answer a craving it will only come back 10 fold. I specifically created CHERRY BOMB one of my SMART&SKINNY  SKINNYMIX flavors for the chocolate lovers.   I typically will insist that my clients listen to what their bodies are telling them.  It’s ok to have chocolate, especially dark chocolate which is packed with antioxidants, simply limit the portion size to 200 calories.  Remember, there are no “good” or “bad” foods, just “good” and “bad” portions.  The key is portion control.  Some women try to avoid eating chocolate and substitute it with other “healthier” options, but they end up eating more calories than if they just went ahead and gave themselves permission to indulge.

What is your go to healthy breakfast on the go?
My healthy breakfast on the go is instant oatmeal with fruit. It does not take long to prepare, it good and healthy.

What is your favorite make at home, eat alone meal?
Blueberry pancakes!

If you want to reach Danielle for a consultation, you can contact her via the above Urban Skinny websites or write/call her at : 917-376-6976, Danielle@smartandskinny.net.

When you hear the name, two things happen:  an unbelievable craving for chocolate overcomes you and so does the question: who are the 2 Chicks with Chocolate? SMW has the answer for both.

2 Chicks is Elyissia Wassung and her entrepreneurial mom Barbara, who first discovered her love of chocolate making when a car accident prevented her from commuting to work.  Se took to her kitchen and then sent Elyissia out on the road to sell the goods door to door in order to pay their bills. That was years ago, and today the fruits of their labor have paid off.

Following her Mom’s gutsy spirit and honest advice to “never take no for an answer”, Elyissia – who found herself in a lucrative telecom job, but still managed the chocolate business on the side – knew she would have to eventually follow her heart and make a change. She decided to get really serious about taking the chocolate industry by storm and left her job for the world of cocoa.  Her goal is to bring inspiration through chocolate and to make 2 Chicks a household name that people will not soon forget.

It actually took a tough time to get 2 Chicks started years ago. How did chocolate become healing?
My mom worked in Manhattan for an insurance company and would commute to work. After her car accident she couldn’t commute, so she took a chocolate making class and used what she learned to support her family. At 9 years old, I would sell candy door to door. That is how it all started.

How did you take the plunge from leaving a stable job to commit yourself to chocolate making full time?
First I have to say, I loved my job. But I hated that there was no passion or drive or mission or goal. I wanted to be a part of something bigger. I was still doing 2 Chicks on the side, and knew I either had to do it right or not at all. In  2006 I retired from my telecom job and dove into the market. I spent a year investigating the market and figuring out how we could position ourselves. I did a business plan and started getting investors in 2008 and then the economy took a giant hit in 2009. It seemed like uncontrollable crises and events were bringing my business down and we then had to bootstrap it all the way.

How did you decide to focus on web-based sales?
We knew we couldn’t open a store because retail plummeted, so we decided to go to market slowly and launch online. We focused on direct sales and crawled our way to baby steps. Then we started walking and now, thankfully, we are sprinting.

What was the turning point?
The 2009 Chocolate Show was our debut in the market and that year we won Top Ten Chocolatier. This year, at the show, we doubled our sales.

What are your best sellers?
The 12 piece Bon Bons are really popular. And the hand made ganache and caramels. The milk chocolate pretzel bark and coffee bark have been a hit as well.

Who came up with the idea for the Wine Collection chocolate pieces?
The wine collection is really popular. We have two in the collection – the spicy merlot and cabernet caramels.  That was my brainchild because I love wine country and I got tired of the bad chocolate out there. So I created something for a wine lover. This year, we are experimenting with some other flavor profiles like malbec and Shiraz. The chocolates have wine in them but not a lot, so you get the notes of the grape but not the alcohol in the wine.

What did you create for this Valentine’s Day?
This year we did the peanut and butter and raspberry frogs. One chocolate frog’s belly is filled with peanut butter and his partner has a belly full of dark chocolate raspberry.

How often do you eat chocolate?
Every single day.

Do you ever get sick of it?
No. Well, once I did. We were testing the champagne truffle. Something just wasn’t jiving and it wasn’t delivering the finish I wanted. Nothing goes out on the shelves unless it tastes amazing. I must have eaten like 30 bon bons in a 24-hour period, so that day it was too much. But normally, I don’t ever get sick of chocolate.

Sounds like a girl after our own heart!

Check out the 2 Chicks with Chocolate website for more on their award winning treats and for Elyissia’s new blog where she talks about the business of chocolate. “I will talk about chocolate, but the business side of things too. It’s not as easy as it looks to start a company. What do you do with your shareholders and how do you brand and streamline the process? That is what I want to share.”

And of course, she wants to share chocolate! So much so that 2 Chicks is offering SMW readers a discount! Use code THANKS25 when visiting their site and you will get 25 percent off your purchase!

MARTINI Sparkling Rose

Italian winemaker Martini and Rossi have always been supporters of breast cancer awareness. First launched in 2009 with Kim Kardashian and Kris Jenner, MARTINI Sparkling Rose is their feature spirit again this fall in their partnership with The Pink Agenda. MARTINI will match every $5 dollar donation made (up to $35K) to The Pink Agenda. DRINK PINK to support The Pink Agenda. Look for more information and details at local wine and liquor stores where MARTINI Sparkling Rose is sold or visit facebook.com/drinkmartini.

Kitchen Aid Cook for the Cure Products

Kitchen Aid has your countertop covered this month. Slice in style with the Kitchen Aid Cook for the Cure pink hued knife set (shown above) or choose from a selection of other products like the Measuring Tool Set. Each product purchased is registered at cookforthecure.com and will generate a 10% donation to the Susan G. Koman Breast Cancer Foundation. $50  and 14.99 at shopkitchenaid.com.

Avon Walk for Breast Cancer products

Avon has a huge selection of products that all support breast cancer research. Each product comes with a Breast Health Resource Guide and 100% of the net profits will be donated to the Avon Breast Cancer Crusade. This cute pink water bottle is just $5 at avon.com.

Breast Cancer Awareness Fortune Cookie

Send a survivor or patient a message of love in the shape of a giant pink fortune cookie! Each cookie is hand dipped in Belgian White Chocolate and adorned with edible Pink Ribbon designs and pink and white non-pariels. Almost the size of a football, each cookie contains a 1-ft. long personalized message inside. $30 at amazon.com.

Riedel Ouverture Pink Toasting Flutes

Beginning in 2005, Riedel Crystal has produced limited edition Pink glasses and donated 15% of their sale to breast cancer charities, Living Beyond Breast Cancer (USA) and the Princess Margaret Foundation (Canada).  Each year since, Riedel has introduced a different glass to benefit this great cause: the Pink O glass, the Pink O Champagne glass, the Pink Vinum Rosé glass and the Pink CrescendO. This year, they are toasting to a cure with the Ouverture Pink Toasting Flutes. The Pink Toasting Flute glass elegantly stands over nine inches tall and  taper in as they flow downwards toward a bright pink crystal base.

$39.90 / pair at riedelwebstore.com .

SingleMindedWomen.com & More Ways to Help Support Breast Cancer Research

Fab Fashions Supporting Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Breast Cancer Beauty

Breast Cancer Awareness Month: Beauty for the Cause

October: Think Pink

Just in time for the outdoor drinking season, Belvedere Vodka brings us Belvedere Pink Grapefruit. The most versatile Maceration flavor to date, it’s distilled from whole pink grapefruits combined with fresh ginger and Spanish spring lemons. There are no artificial additives in Belvedere Pink Grapefruit, so it’s a drink that won’t do a lot of damage. And to celebrate the new flavor, Matthew Williamson has designed a limited edition kaftan so that your wardrobe is as stylish as your cocktail.

Available exclusively at Matthew Williamson boutiques and online at matthewwilliamson.com

Make your mornings brighter with the BEAN French press from Bodum. It features a patented new locking lid system and offers a heat seal and precision pour spout so that when you pour yourself that important morning cup, a sputtering of spills won’t follow. Bodum, $70

Game night in your house will never be the same. Foodie Fight Trivia is chock full of questions covering everything from cooking techniques to celeb chef trivia. Sur La Table, $18.95

If you are a foodie, chances are you try to keep yourself in shape. The two seem to go hand in hand – that chocolate truffle mousse isn’t gonna work itself off. New Balance has exactly what you are looking for this season. Their rock&tone collection features cute new flip flops and sneakers have a rounded sole shape that will help to tone muscles and burn extra calories while you are buzzing around the kitchen cooking or racing to make it to your reservation on time. And their personalized pink 993 shoe is the official customizable Lace Up for the Cure shoe – the official shoe of the fundraising race. Stitch on your own personal message on them, or opt for the gray and pink pair. Each pair’s proceeds go to the Susan G. Koman foundation so you are not only keeping yourself in shape, you are helping find a cure for breast cancer. Working out never felt this good before! New Balance, $54.99 & 149.99

Flavors like milk & honey and orange sherbet make it hard to believe this stuff belongs in the bathroom, but it does. A sweet scent fills the room and soothing bubbles fill the bath, so that you can relax in true indulgence. Etsy, $12

Even though pizza is experiencing a revolution, what remains the same is our fondness for the dough. Sure people are adding interesting things to their dough, like fancy imported flour or cornmeal, but the principal and technique behind making the dough is the same. And once you master the basic dough recipe, you can get creative and experiment with different kinds, too.

Since pizza dough is made with yeast and requires a bit of rising time, there should be some planning involved. I like to make a batch in the afternoon on weekends and let it rise while I run errands or do chores, so that when guests arrive, all I have to do it roll it, top it and cook it. And more often than not, my guests like to get in on the topping action
This recipe makes enough dough for two 12-inch pizzas. Make both or freeze one for another time.

Ingredients

1 ¼ cup of warm water

1 tsp salt

Olive oil

3-4 cups of sifted flour

2 packages of dry yeast

To the warm water, add the yeast and stir gently until the yeast dissolves. Let sit.

Add 3 cups of flour to a stand mixer. Pour the yeast and water mixture into the middle of the flour and using the dough hook, slowly mix it until it starts to come together. Pay attention to the dough – does it appear sticky? If so, add some more flour by the ¼ cup full and continue to blend. The dough is ready when it forms a ball around the machine and is smooth. This should take about 7-10 minutes.

Remove the dough and turn it out on to a lightly floured surface and knead by hand for 10 minutes. Place it in a deep bowl that has been greased with olive oil and cover with a dishtowel or plastic wrap. Keep it in a warm dark place until it doubles in size, about 45 minutes.

After it has risen, punch the dough down, turn it out again onto the surface and knead it for a few minutes. Divide it into two even portions. Let it rest for about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 500 degrees.

Once the dough is rested, using a rolling pin, roll it out to your desired thickness and place on an oiled pizza pan or cookie sheet. Add whatever toppings you like. Repeat with the second portion of dough.

Cook on the bottom rack of your oven for 5 minutes. Then transfer the pans to the middle rack and continue to cook for another 6-7 minutes.

She helped put Mexican food on the map in NYC, and now

‘”It is my mission to make my Mexican culture known and understood.”

Zarela Martinez speaks with a passion that is addictive. Her website, Zarela.com, focuses not only on sharing information about her namesake restaurant Zarela and her many books and TV appearances, but also contains a separate section titled “Culture” where Zarela shares family recipes and traditions during Mexican and American holidays. And now she is taking those traditions to the Mexican Cultural Institute in New York City.

To commemorate the bicentennial of Mexican Independence, Zarela has crated a “Food is Art” program that explores the rich history of Mexican cuisine. “This is my dream program,” she says. “Mexican cuisine tells a story. In America, it is the story of how second and third generation Mexicans are living their culture.”

Part of the program includes a recipe contest that encourages contestants to create a recipe based on a traditional Mexican dish. Recipes from Metropolitan area cooks are food lovers will be tested and the top 20 dishes will be featured on menus at restaurants around the area. Zarela chose the first winner through a Facebook. “Jackie Diaz and I are friends through facebook where she once posted a picture of her fish tacos which looked delicious. I was intrigued and asked her for the recipe. When I saw how carefully she had written it, I tested the recipe and was very pleased with the results.”

Zarela was born and raised in Mexico, but began cooking professionally during the late 1970s in El Paso Texas. With the encouragement of Paul Prudhomme and Craig Claiborne, who had been impressed by her vivid Mexican food, she made some nationally noted guest-chef appearances and in 1983 moved her business to New York. In 1987 she opened Zarela and it has been a dining destination for Mexican food lovers ever since.

Zarela passed on her love of culture to her son, celebrity chef Aaron Sanchez. “ I never forced my kids into anything. I always wanted them to do what they wanted, to follow their passion. I told them ‘don’t tell me what you think I want to hear. Tell me what you really think.’ They learned how to express themselves with food.”

On Sundays, Zarela makes it a point for the whole family to get together and enjoy a homemade meal. Everything we serve has to be home made, except for bread and cheese.” The family prepares the meal together and sits together to enjoy it.” There is always a story in food.”

Zarela’s Baja Fish Tacos

Makes 12 tacos

Ingredients

Pink Chile Mayonnaise:

· 1 cup sour cream

· 1 cup mayonnaise

· 3 chipotle chiles in adobo, plus 2 tablespoons of adobo sauce

·½ lemon, juiced ·

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Fish Batter:

· 1 cup flour

· 2 teaspoons salt

· 8 oz. light beer (Corona is highly recommended)

Fish Prep:

· 3 Catfish fillets, cut into 4 by 1 inch strips (1 fillet will give you about 4 pieces of fish for frying)

· 4 to 5 cups vegetable oil, for frying

Garnish:

· Lime

· Cabbage, shredded

· Red onion, finely chopped

Instructions
Pink Chile Mayonnaise: In a blender, put the chipotles, sour cream, mayonnaise, adobo sauce and lemon juice and process until the mixture is consistent and creamy. Season with salt and pepper and refrigerate, covered, for at least half an hour to allow flavors to blend.

Fish Batter: In a medium bowl, combine flour and salt, then add beer. Whisk until well combined.

Fish Prep: Cut fish into 4 by 1-inch strips. Pat the fish dry with paper towels. Add three pieces of fish to the batter and stir gently to coat. Pour the oil into a large saucepan until it measures 2 inches deep. Heat the oil over medium-high heat until it reaches 375 degrees. Use your hands to pick up the pieces of fish from the batter, one at a time, allowing any batter to drip back into the bowl, and add to the hot oil. Fry in batches of three until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Drain on paper-toweled lined plate. Serve immediately for best texture. Return the oil to 375 degrees and fry the remaining fish.

To serve, place 1 or 2 pieces of the fish inside each tortilla (or use two tortillas) and top with sauce and some of the shredded cabbage and onion. Squeeze with lime juice to taste. Add hot sauce (I like “Tapatio” hot sauce) for added flavor. Serve immediately.