8 of the Best Foods from ‘Sh*thole’ Countries

As you may have heard, our commander-in-chief and “stable genius” had some choice things to say regarding immigration. According to the Washington Post, Trump claimed the U.S. is admitting too many people from “shithole countries.” Those are words I never thought I’d have to type on a food website, let alone see plastered across CNN chyrons. But here we are…welcome to 2018!

The countries bestowed by this dubious distinction include El Salvador, Haiti, and the entire continent of Africa (which actually contains 54 distinct countries, but who’s keeping track? Not Trump, that’s who!). Spoiler alert: when you look beyond the racism, it turns out there’s nothing crappy about them. Especially in the food department. These places all have rich culinary histories and cultures that, just like their people, deserve to be celebrated and embraced. While the president is scarfing down another Big Mac, we’ll be making these dishes instead.

El Salvador

Pupusa

Pupusas are a delicious and beloved Salvadorian dish consisting of a thick corn tortilla (usually made from masa de arroz, a maize or rice flour dough frequently used in Latin America) stuffed with a savory filling. Usually it’s beef, cheese, beans, or pork but you can get playful with the options. It’s also a super easy dish to put a vegetarian spin on, typically accompanied by curtido, a spicy cabbage slaw and tomato salsa. Get the recipe.

Yuca Fritta

My Colombian Recipes

Yuca fritta is essentially fried cassava. The tuberous roots are a hearty, starchy favorite. For a healthier take you can also boil yuca, but that’s not nearly as much fun. The plentiful is the also the third largest source of carbs in the tropics, making it a staple of Salvadorian kitchens. Get the recipe.

Panes Rellenos

Genius Kitchen

Panes rellenos is the Latin American equivalent of a turkey or chicken sub. Much like a poultry-based hoagie, panes rellenos are hearty, stuffed sandwiches. Chicken or turkey is marinated with Cuzcatlan spices and hand-pulled. Top it off with some tomatoes and watercress and you have a killer lunch. Get the recipe.

Haiti

Banane Pesée

Chichilicious

Haitian cuisine features an eclectic blend of flavors and draws from both French and Carribean influences. Banane pesée, which literally translates to “pressed banana,” is an example of this. Plantains are flattened and fried and make for an amazing snack or appetizer. Get the recipe.

Mayi Moulen (Mayi Moulin)

Kreyol Cuisine

Mayi Moulen (or as it’s sometimes spelled, “Mayi Moulin”) is comparable to grits in its taste and texture. It’s often eaten with sauce pois, a bean puree soup made from pinto or kidney beans. Serve with red snapper for a protein-packed meal. Get the recipe.

Ethiopia

Doro Wat

Immaculate Bites

Doro wat is an Ethiopian stew or curry made with chicken and vegetables. What separates it from other stews is its unique cooking method, which entails sautéing onions dry, without any added oil. Fat is later added, along with other aromatics which creates an unusually thick texture. Get the recipe.

Kinche (Qinch’e)

Ethiogrio

Kinche is a hearty Ethiopian porridge. Made with barley and spiced butter, this not your mother’s oatmeal. It’s the next breakfast alternative you need to try. Get the recipe.

Nigeria

Precious Core

Suya is a spicy kabob, commonly consumed in norther Nigeria. It’s generally made with skewered beef, ram, or chicken innards that are seasoned with peanut cake, salt, and various spices and barbecued to perfection. Get the recipe.

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Switzerland Bans Boiling Lobsters Without Stunning Them First

While not the most humane practice, throwing live lobsters into a boiling pot of water is a common culinary procedure. But not for long, at least in Switzerland. The Swiss government has just banned the cooking method. The crustaceans must be stunned before being boiled, either via electric shock or “mechanical destruction.” The stun is meant to knock them out before they’re put to death, lessening their overall pain.

As precious as it may seem, this law is a huge step in acknowledging and minimizing the animal’s pain. As if you needed more reason to stick to your New Year‘s resolution to go full-on vegetarian, scientists and animal rights activists both agree that lobsters actually have complex nervous systems and can feel significant pain when plunged into a pot to boil alive. David Foster Wallace even wrote extensively on the topic. Seriously, check out his insightful essay “Consider the Lobster.” It sure seems like Switzerland did!

The ban is part of a larger overhaul of animal protection laws and it isn’t the only change lobsters will experience in regards to their welfare. The new laws also mandate that live marine crustaceans, including lobsters, can no longer be transported on ice or icy water. Instead they have to be contained in their natural environment. Other non-lobster aspects of the law crack down on puppy mills, other animal imports, and devices that punish puppies automatically when they misbehave.

How these laws will be enforced is yet to be seen. It seems like a difficult process to monitor, since cooking is often a private, domestic affair. Even so, the laws sets an interesting precedent as animal welfare is slowly making its way into national policy.

We’ll have to wait and see if other countries follow suit, but in the meantime it certainly has us questioning our next seafood order. Maybe we’ll just stick to salad.

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Fresh and Creamy Lime Pie

Get Recipe!

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10 Super Bowl Foods You Can Make in a Crock Pot

Chili certainly gets the most love when it comes to the Big Game, but that’s not all that should be on your menu when hosting the biggest sporting (and some might say, eating) event of the year. This go round, why not give your slow cooker a break from the usual by trying an unexpected meal or drink to serve up? With this list of unique foods that you can make for the Super Bowl in the appliance, you’ll have plenty to choose from.

Pulled Pork

Chowhound

Hosting a bunch of meat-loving folks for the festivities this year? Then pulled pork is exactly what you should be serving up to your carnivorous friends and fam. This spicy recipe can work as the centerpiece for nachos, tacos, and sandwiches, or eaten solo for those still trying to stick to their New Year’s resolutions and cutting carbs. Get our Spicy Slow Cooker Pulled Pork recipe.

Spinach and Artichoke Dip

Slow Cooker Gourmet

Super Bowl foods don’t exactly have a health halo, but that doesn’t mean veggies can’t be part of your spread. A creamy, gooey dip like this one will keep everyone happy through halftime and beyond. Get the recipe.

Party Mix

Chowhound

The name says it all: What spells a get-together more than classic party mix? Try this smoky take on the store-bought version to give your guests something to munch on while they’re mingling pre-kick off. Get our Slow Cooker Party Mix recipe.

Chicken Wings

Damn Delicious

Pretty much nothing goes together quite like wings and football. Forego the overpriced delivery options this year and serve up some tender wings with minimal effort. Try this recipe for a sticky and spicy take that only requires 10 minutes of prep time. Get the recipe.

Jalapeño Popper Dip

Crock-Pot Ladies

The best Super Bowl parties have a plethora of dips on the menu. Serve up this cheesy and heat-filled concoction with chips or crackers that are strong enough to withstand lots of dipping. Get the recipe.

Shredded Buffalo Chicken

Host the Toast

Looking to trade in buffalo wings for something slightly less messy this year? Then shredded buffalo chicken is what you’re looking for. Serve it up in sandwiches or atop a sweet potato for a filling meal. Don’t skimp on the ranch dressing! Get the recipe.

Bacon Compote

Chowhound

If your crew is bacon-obsessed, then this compote will be a sure hit. Spread some on crostini if you want to make your affair a bit more high-brow, or use it as a topping for burgers and watch them disappear before the first quarter is even over. Get our Slow Cooker Bacon Compote recipe.

Hot Chocolate

Sally’s Baking Addiction

Any winter occasion is an ideal time to serve up some hot chocolate, for both the kids and the adults. Set up a hot chocolate bar with some of your favorite fixings like chocolate syrup, tons of marshmallows, peppermint and okay, some booze for the grown ups, and let everyone make their own customized drink. Get the recipe.

Spiced Nuts

Tammilee Tips

Spiced nuts can work as a welcome addition to a cheese platter or veggie tray or be put out in bowls throughout your home, so even those who aren’t watching the game can chow down, too. You won’t regret serving this up as a snack. Try this recipe.

Hot Cider

Kitchen Treaty

Hunting for an alternative to beer to sip on while watching the game? Then slow cooker cider is exactly what you’re looking for. Add in some rum for anyone 21-plus, or leave it virgin for the whole party to enjoy. Even if it’s frigid outside, you’ll warm right up with this beverage. (As a bonus, your home will smell amazing as this brews.) Try this recipe.

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What’s in Season in January

Welcome to our new series on seasonal fruits and vegetables!

When I first started cooking I didn’t understand what was even meant by “seasonal” when it came to food. It wasn’t until I started gardening and shopping at our local farmers markets that it hit home.

Every vegetable and fruit has its season—a season when it is ripe and plentiful, when it tastes the best, and costs the least.

Continue reading "What’s in Season in January" »

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How to Use Your New Sous Vide Immersion Circulator

This post is brought to you in partnership with Joule: Sous Vide by ChefSteps.

Did you just get a fancy new immersion circulator for cooking sous vide at home? Awesome. Welcome aboard.

I’ve fallen hard for sous vide cooking in the past year. At first, I wasn’t quite sure how it would fit into my everyday cooking – I’m not a restaurant chef, nor do I cook like one!

But the more I experimented, the more I realized that cooking sous vide is in the same category as cooking in a slow cooker or with a pressure cooker: It’s another option in our arsenal as home cooks for getting a good meal on the table with as little fuss – or failure – as possible.

Continue reading "How to Use Your New Sous Vide Immersion Circulator" »

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How to Eat and Party Like a Cat…with Your Cat

If you have a cat, you love that cat. You envy that cat. You probably want to be that cat. I mean, why wouldn’t you want to curl up in a ball, sleep 20 hours a day, get reliably fed and pampered with snuggles, and totally ignore the endless horrors of the 24/7 news cycle?

Minus going to the bathroom in a box, being a cat seems like a pretty sweet deal.

While we’re unable to make a feline-human “Freaky Friday” switch a reality, we can tell you how to eat, drink, and party like the kitten you yearn to be. Take a lesson from Ariana Grande and put on your best sequined cat ears and get ready to unleash your inner lion!

What’s on the menu?

Chowhound

Being a cat may seem unenviable from a dietary perspective, but oh you’re so wrong. Cats eat a protein-rich diet, full of fish, chicken, and other meats, so you have that going for you.

While humans can technically eat canned cat food without too much medical risk, it’s inadvisable from a health and taste perspective. The ingredients in a typical can of cat food include turkey and chicken byproducts, taurine, and ash. While human kidneys could technically process such high mineral content, it’s not an ideal way of living the cat lifestyle.

When appropriating a feline diet, stick with fresh fish. We recommend salmon and tuna. Chicken works too. Just make sure it isn’t raw or spoiled. Also it should ideally be cut into small pieces to fit in your delicate mouth and adorable pink tongue. Be careful not to get any stuck in your whiskers either.

What can I drink?

Shutterstock

If you’re not so keen on lapping water out of a bowl, opt for a more creative option: catnip tea. Sure it will require the use of your very-human thumbs to make it, but it will also allow you to take pleasure in one of your cat’s greatest delights. Catnip, (nepeta cataria, as it’s scientifically known) is a member of the mint family and is totally safe for human consumption, plus it’s known to have some healthy digestive and sedative properties as well.

To make the tea, you’ll need dried flowers and stems from a catnip plant, about one or two teaspoons is ideal. Just mix with boiling water and you’re set. You can add lemon or honey if you want to offset some of the bitter, woodsy flavor too.

But be forewarned, instead of getting you hyped up to play with a ball of yarn, it will have the opposite effect. Much like chamomile, it’s known to be soothing and can induce sleepiness. Which is also perfect if you want to tap into your inner kitty and curl up for a cat nap.

But I want wine!

Apollo Peaks Pet Beverages

Cat wine totally exists! Well, sort of. Pinot Meow is one of the crazy concoctions created by Apollo Peak Pet Beverages.  The “wine” doesn’t actually contain any alcohol. Instead, it’s a smooth blend of red beets, water and yes, more catnip. One glass is the perfect way to unwind after a tough day of mouse hunting and laser pointer chasing. (Will we ever catch that pesky red dot?)

What should we play?

The best party games to play as a cat (or for the less-comital folks in the back) with your cat all involve the thrill of the chase. Everyday objects like string and feathers can provide hours of entertainment.  Or for more high-tech variations, watch some amazing fish and bird videos on YouTube. They’ll have you pouncing at the screen.

What are some more human foods I can enjoy as a cat…I mean with my cat?

Fully cooked whole grains, cooked eggs, small amounts of cheese and certain veggies are usually okay for cats to snack on. Always check with your vet before feeding any people food to your pets.

What can’t we eat?

Chocolate, grapes, and alcohol are all huge no-nos. So if you’re looking to fully embrace the cat lifestyle, you make have to make a couple sacrifices. But it’s a small price to pay for the bounty of sleep and snuggles you’ll get in return.

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