Cuisine: Cowboys in India Crock Pot Roast

This recipe comes via The S. Kitchen fan, Tina M. She bought Cowboys in India in late November and was wondering what to use it for. She decided to make a pork pot roast in a crock pot. It's a simple recipe with a lot of punch. It's almost like those infomercials: "Set it and forget it."

I hope you enjoy the recipe. And please share your own recipes.

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You will need:
Cowboys in India
Pork roast
Green bell pepper
Onions
Barbecue sauce

What to do:
I used the delicious seasoning with a pork roast, cooked it for 8 hours in a crock pot, and when it fell of the bone I shredded it, sauteed it with green bell peppers and onions, added barbecue sauce, combining all ingredients and served it on a bun. YUMMY!! It made the best bbq pork sandwiches ever with a spicy twist!! Thanks again!!

Conversation: Jason on KPFA's Morning Show

I appeared on the KPFA Morning Show today to talk about The S. Kitchen. It was a fabulous opportunity, and I am grateful to Tara Dorabji for the invitation to join her this morning. Please listen below. My interview is around the 50 minute mark. Happy Holidays! And I hope to see y'all at The S. Kitchen presents...A Year in Review on Wednesday (12/29). Doors open at 5pm. Don't forget to RSVP get the hidden location.

New KPFA Morning Show - December 27, 2010 at 8:00am

Click to listen (or download)

If you liked the interview and want to support The S. Kitchen, please contact KPFA and let them know! They can be reached at 510-848-6767.

Cuisine: Three Cheese, Twice-Baked Sage Scalloped Potatoes

I crafted this recipe for xmas dinner. I was serving pork, and I knew I wanted some potato-y goodness to go along side it. I love potatoes, so I am pretty much a whiz when it comes to cooking them in any form. Still, I wanted something truly special, something that would blow the socks off of my dear family coming for dinner.

This recipe is what I came up with, and boy is it a little piece of heaven. The potatoes are firm and give when bitten. The cheese all blends nicely together. And the sage...well... just WOW! It brings in just the right amount of flavor thanks to its double treatment in the buttermilk and the clarified butter.

These potatoes are perfect for the cook that is serving something special and doesn't have a big kitchen or stove. The fact that they are twice cooked means that you can set it in a low heat oven the next day along with your roast. (Hey that's what I did!) And just to note: milk will separate a little, but don't worry it tastes fantastic! And the buttermilk is waaaay better than cream for this recipe. The tart is just right.

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You will need:
4 large russet potatoes weighing about 4 pounds, peeled and sliced thinly
1 stick butter
1 vidalia onion, thinly sliced
20 sage leaves, separated
5 cloves garlic, crushed
1 quart buttermilk
8 ounce block of sharp cheddar cheese
8 ounces gorgonzola
5 ounces parmesean
salt
paprika
cider vinegar

What to do:
Put the potato slices in a large bowl with cold water, ice, about 2 TBSP salt and 2 capfuls of cider vinegar. Set aside.

Meanwhile, melt stick of butter in a small heavy bottomed sauce pot. Keep temperature low so as not to brown butter. Skim foam off of butter. Add thinly sliced onion, crushed garlic, and 10 chopped sage leaves. Cover pot and cook for 30 minutes stirring occasionally to make sure onions cook. Continue to keep temperature really low, almost below a simmer. You don’t want to brown the onion, garlic, and sage as well. Think of it almost as steaming in butter.

While the onions are cooking, pour buttermilk in a large heavy bottomed sauce pot. Add 10 whole sage leaves and a dash of salt. Cook over a very low heat until it almost comes to a simmer. It should be about the same temperature as the butter. Cook for 20 minutes. Turn off and let the sage leaves seep for 30 more minutes. Remove sage leaves and discard.

As the buttermilk cools, strain the butter. Set aside onions, sage, and garlic. Pour butter into a small bowl and let it come to room temperature. (It won’t be solid yet.) Put saran wrap over it and put it in the freezer. Freeze for about 20 minutes or until it turns to a solid on top. There will be liquid in the bottom.

Shred all of the cheeses together. Set aside about 2 cups and place in the fridge for the second baking.

Heat the over to 325 degrees. Drain, thoroughly rinse, and dry the potatoes. Grease a 13 X 9 inch pan. Put one layer of potatoes in the bottom of the pan. As you lay the potatoes down, make sure they overlap. There will be about four rows. Sprinkle with salt and paprika. Next sprinkle a layer of cheese (This should be the layer with the most cheese for this first baking.) Then spread a layer of onions and drizzle the liquid from the bottom of the butter. Then drizzle about ½ cup of buttermilk. Lay another layer of potatoes down. Sprinkle with salt and paprika. Sprinkle with cheese. Spread out the remaining onions. Drizzle a cup and a half of buttermilk over everything making sure to get buttermilk into the sides of the pan. Lay the last layer of potatoes. If there are a bit remaining that is okay. Sprinkle with salt and paprika. Using about 1 TBSP of butter, cut it up into small pieces. Dot all over the potatoes. Sprinkle the remaining cheese. Drizzle about 1 ½ cups of buttermilk over everything. You can use the remaining slices for a row around the edges. Sprinkle with salt and paprika. Drizzle with a little buttermilk. (There will be butter left over and a little buttermilk as well.)

Bake for 1 hour 30 minutes. Let cool to room temperature. Put in fridge to be cooked the next day.

The next day, take it out of the fridge and let it come to room temperature. Heat oven to 325 degrees. Decorate the potatoes with some whole fresh sage leaves. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top. Cover with tin foil and bake for 1 hour 15 minutes. Turn up heat to 375 degrees. Bake for an additional 20-30 minutes or until top begins to brown. Remove from oven and let cool for about 15 to 20 minutes. Serve warm.

Event: The S. Kitchen presents...A Year in Review

The S. Kitchen presents...A Year in Review on Wed, 12/29 @ 5pm
RSVP on Facebook or on Socializr. And remember...you MUST RSVP to get the secret location.

It has been a wonderful year here at The S. Kitchen! We have brought together over 100 people over the course of 2010 for cuisine, conversation, and camaraderie. We have celebrated causes ranging from the LGBTQ elders stories to school gardens to the BP oil disaster to the interfaith coalition building through music to the power of play to early literacy intervention. Through it all, we have kept the events free, ate fabulous fo...od, and found fellowship.

Now, it is time to put our money where our mouth is. I know this is a hard economic time. I am unemployed myself. I also know that if we work together we can maximize our contributions and promote collaboration over competition. That is why I am organizing The S. Kitchen presents...A Year in Review.

All past organizations were invited to participate in this first ever collaborative fundraiser. Guests that are confirmed are Urban Sprouts and OutLook Theater Project. Working together, we hope to change the way fundraising is done. Instead of a go-it-alone strategy, we are embracing the communal ask.

Friends, fans, and family of The S. Kitchen, Urban Sprouts and OutLook Theater Project will be asked to make a contribution one of two ways: either directly to an organization you want to support OR to the "pot". The "pot" will be shared among ALL organizations. The event is FREE to attend and our lovely family is not required to give in order to be a part of the fabulous cuisine, conversation, and camaraderie.

Continue reading and RSVP.

Camaraderie: The S. Kitchen and Carnelius Q.

I wasn’t quite sure what to expect from The S Kitchen when I received my first invitation to an event, but The S Kitchen has definitely become something that exceeds my expectations! We have all been bombarded by messages of the importance of “bringing back the family table”. It is well known that many of life’s lessons, values, and meaningful dialogue happen over food. However, for the LGBT/Queer Community – where defining family is not so simply about blood relatives – having a space to eat, share stories, and develop a political analysis and civic engagement with loved ones is critical. And The S Kitchen has even found a way to make it fun.

What I love most about this concept is how easy it is to get involved. It is youth development for adults – everyone has a chance to bring whatever skills or lenses they cherish to the table, and there is nothing wrong with just sitting back eating food and stimulating your mind, either. And what I have found is that this low maintenance method of community building yields maximum results. In this time of diminished resources and increased stress – it often seems a burden to care. We attend the fundraisers of the causes we love. We sit on boards and advisory panels that all have various degrees of bureaucracy and red tape. And we try to do the best with what we’ve got for our families of choice. And The S Kitchen honors that. It stays relevant because it is a mechanism that thrives off of what its participants generate.

Jason’s highly effective skills as a community organizer, trainer, and motivational friend fuel this
dynamic collection of individuals, and his commitment to radical and progressive politics combined with his gentle and laid back approach create an atmosphere where The S. Kitchen members unwittingly challenge themselves to do better, be better, and do more – all under the guise of enjoying themselves and building their cooking and social justice tool kits. Participants are allowed to contribute in several ways – from hosting events, to contributing as guest bloggers on the website to contributing recipes that will be helpful for The S. Kitchen members on a budget or on the go. And what’s most important is that everyone feels validated in their experiences and is asked to genuinely contribute to conversation.

The best ideas are most often the simple ones. And what is simpler than a hearty meal and a vibrant conversation? I believe that the true testament to The S. Kitchen’s success is how it's grown beyond the capacity of its humble founder. And since Jason is not an individual that could ever be short of ideas, of loving friends, and of a passion to keep moving forward – I believe that anyone who contributes to The S, Kitchen in its nascent form will reap the benefits of being able to stand proudly and attest that they had a stake in the humble beginnings of what is sure to be a international phenomena. The recipes are getting more creative. The guest speakers are happy to have such a refreshing and welcoming platform to promote their causes. The attendees at events are growing, as people excitedly bring their friends. And the blogs remain fierce in their cutting edge analysis and wit. The S. Kitchen is a voice that needs to be heard because it is the voice of a community that has always existed but lacked venues like this to articulate, reflect, and define itself. This idea can never be stale because Jason has created a mechanism that thrives on innovation, continuous quality improvement, maximizing the talents of its growing base of supporters, and always revolving around a critical staple in our lives: food.

I think there is so much more to this idea to be unearthed. So much more potential that The S. Kitchen has to offer to social justice movements of ecological advocacy, food justice and healthy eating in metropolitan fast paced life, developing the leadership of young people, and LGBTQQI advocacy and holistic support. Right now, The S. Kitchen thrives off of the genius of its founder and the love labors of its volunteers. But for this idea to achieve its true potential, The S Kitchen needs support to build an infrastructure that will support its simultaneous development in adjoining communities.

It is a foolish idea to invest in a great idea not backed by a sound plan or championed by a thoughtful leader’s certainly. But it is more foolish to ignore the sound reasoning of a seasoned activist, advocate, and community organizer who has worked for and alongside non-profit, city and state government, and independent leadership bodies with a proven track record of innovation and success. Jason has boldly invested in his passion, which is maximizing the passions of others and building community. And his community has responded with an overwhelming “thank you”.

I urge you to support this desperately needed space for lovers of life, food, and building a sustainable tomorrow, not just fiscally, but by becoming a member! I know that my cooking skills have vastly improved. My awareness of social issues outside of my work sphere is much more acute. And most importantly, I have been plugged into a community of loving and creative people that remind me I am not in the fight for a better world alone. It is the most productive outlet for self care I have ever experienced, and it will continue with or without your support. You, however, have the unique opportunity to increase The S Kitchen’s impact ten-fold. And considering the economic times we find ourselves in, an investment like that is invaluable.