eG Foodblog: tejon - Served family style

[tejon]

Good morning everyone. Sorry things got off to a later start - my oldest had nightmares all night, making the morning a bit more blurry than normal, and I just got back from dropping him off at preschool. Yawn. I remember back in college staying up all night to write a paper and being perfectly fine in the morning, but at 35 it doesn't quite work that way any more.

I live at the outskirts of Los Angeles county in Diamond Bar, a smaller city at the edge of the hills and desert. It's a nice mix - LA isn't far away, but we're still out away from the city enough to enjoy hills that haven't been covered in housing. We actually have cattle grazing right over the fence from my townhouse complex. Foodwise, there are Indian and Asian communities throughout the area so it's easy to get most of the ingredients I tend to want.

Meals are planned around my husband and two boys, 5 and 3. I do meal plan each week, which I'll go into in more detail on Saturday since shopping is on Sunday. I just got tagged yesterday, so what you'll see will be what was on the menu this week.

I originally learned to cook by watching my grandmother. She was an incredible cook, focused on detail and how to feed her family well (she is still alive, but a series of strokes has left her unable to cook). Recently I was given her recipe box and cookbooks, which I treasure. As the keeper of the family recipes, I feel an obligation to keep those recipes alive and well by making them often and hopefully well. I got the highest possible praise last Thanksgiving when she said my rolls (the ones she made for every holiday) were as good as hers. The turn around of feeding her some of the things that are my fondest childhood memories warms my heart

So, on to the blog!

[NulloModo]

I can't wait to see what comes up in this one :).

Good luck, and again, sorry for the late tag ;).

[jgarner53]

Looking forward to your blog and wondering what's on the menu this week - Indian or Asian cuisine? Grandma's favorites?

What kind of rolls did she make?

[reesek]

looking forward to your blog, tejon!

are you a native californian?

[Smithy]

I too am looking forward to the blog, tejon! Now I can stop wondering about your screen name. I pass through Tejon Pass now and then, betwixt the Basin and the Valley, when I'm back visiting my old home grounds. Do be sure to let us know your favorite food shopping places. How much do you commute?

It's terrific that you're keeping your grandmother's traditions alive!

[tejon]

Breakfast:

Scrambled eggs topped with some shredded cheddar cheese, black tea.

NulloModo, no worries. As I said, getting tagged later made this easier since I didn't have any time to worry about anything

jgarner53, I will try to make some of my favorite recipes from Grandma, including the dessert we all still crave - peach crisp that is making me drool as I type right now. The menu, loosly followed with no particular days assigned:

Chicken stir fry with green beans, rice

Steak with chimichirri sauce, baked potato, bok choy

Dal, cauliflower, basmati rice

Slow simmered pinto beans, tortillas, cabbage slaw

Linguini with broccoli, garlic and red pepper flakes

My Grandma made what she called "Pepperidge Farm Rolls", buttery, rich, slightly sweet crescents that were served at every special occasion. When she stopped being able to cook, the torch was passed to me and I now make them. I've learned to make far more than you would think needed - upwards of 3 per person - since they tend to get devoured quickly. There would be dire consequences if I forgot to make the rolls. I may make up a batch later this week if there's interest.

reesek, I am a native Californian, which isn't very common. I'm actually the 5th generation here, since my Great Great Grandmother moved out on orders from her doctor in hopes that the dry air would help her tuberculosis. She and her husband owned orange groves in what is now Orange County. I'm about as native as you come for someone not indiginous to the area (I am a frigheningly pale, blond person, which also stands out a bit here in SoCal!).

[tejon]

My screen name is actually the result of a joke with my husband from years ago. Every time I would make a list of any sort, he would add "badger" to the end. One day, when I was looking up another word in a Spanish-English dictionary, I happened upon the word for badger - tejon. It's become a running joke between us, and I've found that username is never taken, which is handy.

I drive a lot more than is typical in other areas, but it's what I grew up with so I don't think much of driving 20 minutes to shop at Trader Joe's each week. I have a local Indian foods store that I love, and there is an asian market not even a mile away where I purchase most of my produce. I make a round of regular grocery store, Trader Joe's, and the asian market once a week, visiting other specialty stores as needed (I tend to buy dal and spices in large amounts, so I don't need to shop there as often).

[reesek]

your menu looks great - i wish i'd eaten like that when i was a kid. do your kids like spicy food - or do you make a couple of versions of the same dishes?

peach crisp sounds so good. ("crisp" is always a harbinger of good)

[tejon]

I tend to make foods a bit less spicy than my husband and I like it, then add more heat to our dishes once I serve the boys. My oldest goes back and forth on spicyness - when he was a toddler he loved chile peppers and used to beg for a bit of raw onion or garlic when I was prepping for dinner, now I never know day to day if he'll want something spicier or not (he has mild autism and wide swings in food preference go with the territory). My younger son does NOT like anything spicy, but he does like a good amount of flavor and will turn down plain rice or anything too bland.

Edited July 20, 2004 by tejon (log)

[tejon]

Lunch was pretty simple and light. Salad with persian cucumbers, shredded carrot, and some coarsly chopped almonds and a simple vinaigrette, Fuji apple, and water (my drink of choice during the day):

Dinner will most likely be linguine with broccoli, garlic and red pepper flakes. My sister in law is in town from Northern CA, so there most likely won't be much time to cook tonight.

[tejon]

Snack time

Started out with these:

End result:

Edited July 20, 2004 by tejon (log)

[bloviatrix]

You have a Whirly Pop!! I love ours -- they make the best popcorn.

[tejon]

It's especially good for kettle corn, since the paddle stirs the caramelizing sugar around well enough so it doesn't burn. I used to use a regular pot before we got the popper, but it took a lot of careful shaking and I still usually ended up with some bits that were overdone. Plus, it's really fun to crank the handle!

[Toliver]

Ooo, you have an Oven Rack Squirrel!

I bought my mom one of those. She told me she'd rather display it than use it...she's afraid of getting it dirty!

[tejon]

Ooo, you have an Oven Rack Squirrel!

I bought my mom one of those. She told me she'd rather display it than use it...she's afraid of getting it dirty!

The sad thing is, I forget it's there most of the time. Very handy...when I actually remember to use it .

[gingerly]

hi tejon!along for the ride and wanting to know if the pop corn gizmo is still being manufactured?

edit-cake scorching in oven!

ok-i just read the name and googled-sorry!

Edited July 21, 2004 by gingerly (log)

[tejon]

Had the best of intentions for dinner......then my mother in law showed up with pizza.......

AT least I added a bit of salad

[Susan in FL]

We love the Whirly Pop, too!

I'll take free pizza any day... looks good.

[bloviatrix]

hi tejon!along for the ride and wanting to know if the pop corn gizmo is still being manufactured?

I bought ours at Williams-Sonoma about 18 months ago.

[gingerly]

thanks bloviatrix!i was attempting to juggle several things in the kitchen while speed reading so missed the name where you mentioned it!i will definitely be getting myself one of those.speaking of names-here's something that a friend unleashed on me that i think i must share-http://www.badgerbadgerbadger.com/

it's even got food!

[Susan in FL]

I had no idea what badgers are until I clicked the badgerbadgerbadger link and googled. I felt like somebody was telling a joke and I didn't get it. Maybe I still don't get it completely... Food badgers? Are you talking about those animals or a kind of cartoon? Thanks!

[phaelon56]

There would be dire consequences if I forgot to make the rolls. I may make up a batch later this week if there's interest.

And you think the consequences will be any less dire of you fail to make them for us this week? We must see the rolls

I really appreciate your sharing about the passing along and preservation of your grandmother's recipes. I wish we had enough recipes and enough cooking tradition in my family to do such a thing.

[tejon]

Breakfast: stomach is a little off, so this morning it's just toast and tea.

Gee, thanks. Now I have that badger song back in my head again . I think the referred to food item was the MUSHROOM, MUSHROOM!, though I'm sure badger could be braised.

I'll definitely make up some of the rolls a bit later in the week. I'll also make up a few of my favorite dinners that Grandma used to make, plus the much awaited peach crisp.

Dinner. I need input. Should I make chicken stir fry, dal, slow simmered beans, linguine with broccoli, or steak with chimichurri sauce? I'll make the one with the most votes, unless husband exercises his veto power.

Edited July 21, 2004 by tejon (log)

[Jake]

Whichever one your stomach will feel most up to eating. Linguine, perhaps?

Hope you feel better soon, great blog!

[gingerly]

I had no idea what badgers are until I clicked the badgerbadgerbadger link and googled.  I felt like somebody was telling a joke and I didn't get it.     Maybe I still don't get it completely... Food badgers?  Are you talking about those animals or a kind of cartoon?  Thanks!

hope this helps Susan! tejon-sorry about the earworm!there is more food if you venture further into that crazy place-check out the two eggs in ikea(weebl)

my vote is for the steak(actually it's for the chimichurri sauce) or whatever you feel like.