I Like Killing Flies

I love exploring restaurants; it is one of my favorite things to do when I travel or move someplace new. Since moving to Seattle I now have cable for the first time in 7 years, and the only channel I watch is The Food Network channel. I am totally addicted to Drive-in Diners and Dives, and I make a conscious effort to check out the restaurants the host of the show, Guy Fieri, visits when I am traveling someplace new. I just love "Mom and Pop" restaurants, the food has character and so do the owners.

I just recently finished  watching the documentary "I Like Killing Flies." It's about the eccentric, witty, and funny owner (Kenny) of the restaurant, Shopsin's, in Greenwich Village.  Kenny has an interesting perspective in life and how he runs his business. This restaurant looks like a hole in the wall on it's best day; and for a restaurant that you would think anything and anyone is welcomed,  you will be shocked that "restaurant rules" are strictly enforced. Kenny is not above throwing out customers if they do not follow his restaurant rules. A restaurant with so much personality is on the brink of being shut down after 30 years of being opened.  You definitely want to see this documentary on your next rainy day, or the next time your stomach is growling. The movie is available instantly on Netflix.

Play: Leaving Iowa

The set of "Leaving Iowa"

It seems like no matter where you are living, if you look hard enough you can find midwest gems scattered anywhere. I recently found one of those gems, a play that was brought to life in the Ballard neighborhood of Seattle's Taproot Theater. I went with a work friend who also grew up in Iowa. The synopsis of the play:

"Remember those family vacations you tried to forget?

Don's memories of family road trips come to life as he travels

cross-country to scatter his father's ashes. Packed with rollicking 

good humor, this celebration of family reminds us that sometimes

the journey is more important than the destination."

The theater is one of those that there isn't a bad seat in the entire theater. There was a simple set that allowed the script and acting to be the stars of the show. When we walked into the theater, the usher handed us our program and indicated that if we wanted to learn more about the state of the Iowa that information was on the wall behind her. We told her that we both are from Iowa; her eyes got so big and said "Really! Wow! That's amazing." It isn't what she said, but HOW she said it. She made it sound like we were some mythical creatures that she didn't know existed....ironic?...YES!

The play incorporated a lot of things from Iowa and neighboring states. Moments included Hy-vee shopping carts, farmers galore, tourist traps, corn, visiting Hannibal Missouri, tractors slowing down traffic, packing snacks, and so much more.

Don (the son) who has moved far away from his family in the Midwest, relives places and sights that he has long forgotten. Through this final road trip (finding the perfect place to spread his father's ashes), Don remembers his father, his family and what was important to all of them. We all have road trips that we cherished and those that we want to forget...but the relationship we have with our fathers are priceless. Therefore, not only was this play hilarious but it allowed me to be nostalgic towards times I have spent in the midwest with my dad.

Outside of the Taproot Theater

Christening My New Kitchen

Herbed Couscous and Crockpot Moroccan Chicken

In May I moved into a new apartment in Seattle. Today I christened my kitchen with a crockpot and a stovetop recipe. I have included the recipes in this posting but wanted to share my day of attempting these two recipes.

• Although I am half middle eastern I cannot cook rice to save my life; therefore, I live on Uncle Ben's 90 second rice. Therefore, today I thought I would attempt to bring pride to my middle eastern family if I could successfully prepare couscous. 
• I was successful  and wanted to share this accomplishment with my dad. Therefore, I called him up and told him I made couscous and below is the conversation with my father:
• Dad: "What is couscous?"
• Shaida: "It's sort of like rice, it goes good with chicken dishes." 
• Dad: "You know what goes good with chicken, rice." 
• Shaida: "Dad, have you not had couscous before? It's really good."
• Dad: "Why would I eat this couscous when I can have rice."
• I wanted to make moroccan chicken because I deeply miss a moroccan restaurant in Omaha that was in my neighborhood. This restaurant is the only thing that Omaha has that Seattle does not offer. Therefore, I felt a little nostalgic, so I got out my crockpot this morning and put all the ingredients in the crockpot. I decided I would leave it cooking and I would go to a park and read.
•  I come back about 4 hours later and excited to try my new recipe, and realize that I didn't plug in the crockpot....such a rookie mistake. 
• Therefore, I plugged it in. About an hour later I came to check on it and it still wasn't cooking. Therefore, I made sure I actually turned it on (after forgetting to plug it in, forgetting to turn it on wasn't too far of a stretch). It was turned on. Therefore, I began thinking maybe my crockpot got damaged in the move; which if it did I would have the proper funeral arrangements prepared for this beloved small kitchen appliance. But then I remembered there is a mystery light switch which I hadn't figured out what it did; therefore, I flipped it and VOLIA my crockpot is alive and well.
• I love cooking with my crockpot because its is nearly impossible for a person to screw up a recipe in a crockpot. Every time I use my crockpot, I am reminded of the amazing food it produces.....if only I can remember to plug it in.

Below are the recipes I used, changes and comments for the recipe are in red.

Herbed Couscous Pilaf

• 1 tsp garlic olive oil (I used one tsp of olive oil and then minced two garlic cloves)
• 1 shallot, minced
• 1/2 cup of whole wheat cousous
• 1/2 cup + 1 tbsp chicken broth
• Sea salt and freshly crack pepper
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped (I used about 1/8 cup)
• 1 tbsp fresh chives, chopped  (I used about 1/8 cup)

Heat the garlic olive oil in a small sauce pan over medium heat. Add the minced shallot and cook stirring constantly, for 1-2 minutes. Add the couscous and cook stirring often for 2 minutes. Add the chicken broth, sea salt, and pepper; bring to boil  ( I added the same amounts but there was no boiling because the couscous soaked up the broth almost instantly). Cover, removed from heat, and let stand for 5 minutes (I didn't do this step. I just kept the dish on medium heat and continued stirring often). Add the fresh parsley and chives then fluff with a fork (there was no fluffing of any kind...I just used a spoon for stirring the dish). Taste and add more seasoning if needed. 

The original recipe: http://www.fortheloveofcooking.net/2012/03/herbed-couscous-pilaf.html

Crockpot Moroccan Chicken

• 5 boneless skinless chicken breasts, chopped into bite size pieces (I only used 2)
• 1 tablespoon ground coriander
• 1 tablespoon smoked paprika (I used regular paprika)
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon mccormick's montreal steak grill seasoning (I used spicy version)
• 1 teaspoon ground tumeric (I love tumeric so I used 1/2 tablespoon)
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon (I used a teaspoon)
• Olive oil (I used a teaspoon)
• 1/2 of a yellow onion
• 1 cup chicken stock (I used fat-free and low sodium)
• 1/2 cup raisin (I had never cooked raisins before so I wasn't sure how I would like them so I only put in a small handful. I wished I had put more in; I absolutely loved them)

Throw everything in the crockpot and cook for 4-10 hours. I cooked on high heat for 4 hours and after 2 hours I stirred the contents because comments left on the original recipe indicated that the chicken was getting too dry. Cooking it my way the chicken was so tender; my fork slid right through it. The original recipe: http://www.food.com/recipe/moroccan-chicken-made-on-stove-top-crock-pot-or-tagine-375800