spicy honey bbq tofu + Alma Thomas

the super bowl is this weekend and i couldn't be more excited. i'm not much of a football fan but i love the spirit of the super bowl, the anticipation, the communal bonding, and obviously the food. it is estimated that americans will eat 1.25 billion wings during this years super bowl on february 2 reports the national chicken council. if you are looking for something different, try my spicy honey bbq tofu. 

Alma Woodsey Thomas was an American artist and educator whose distinctive color field paintings recall the techniques of Pointillism and Abstract Expressionism. Alma was 80 years old when she became the first African-American woman featured in a solo show at the Whitney Museum of American Art in 1972.

• prep time: 20 min

• cook time: 20 min

ingredients:

• 1 block extra firm tofu, pressed and cubed (to press, place the tofu block on a plate and cover with a few paper towels or a clean kitchen towel then place a heavy pan on top of the towel for at least 30 minutes.)

• 3 tablespoons of cornstarch

• 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil

• 1 teaspoon of garlic powder

• salt and ground black pepper (to taste)

• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

• 1/3 cup honey

• 4 tablespoons of sriracha (or to taste)

• 1/4 cup of bbq sauce

• 1 tablespoon soy sauce

• juice of 1 lime

super bowl sunday is the second-largest day for u.s. food consumption after thanksgiving day. 

directions:

• preheat the oven to 350°F

• line a baking sheet with parchment paper

• heat 1½ tablespoon of oil in a skillet over medium-high heat

• add the cornstarch, garlic and salt and pepper to the tofu in a small bowl and toss to coat

• add the tofu to the skillet and cook until browned on all sides, about 5 minutes.

• while the tofu is cooking: heat 1½ tablespoon of oil in a skillet on medium heat: combine the honey, sriracha, bbq sauce and lime juice, bring to a boil; simmer until slightly thickened, about 1-2 minutes.

• when the tofu is cooked add it into the honey bbq sauce, mix well and let the tofu simmer for a min. 

• place the mixed tofu on the parchment let it bake for two min and then broil for 2-5 min. (till the tofu starts to crisp.)

chili sin carne (vegetarian chili) & Mardonio Magaña

it's been a wonderful winter! cold with lots of snow and warm food. tis the season for soups and stews. chili has become a go to winter recipe for me. the recipe is simple, packed with flavor, and keeps well. go figure, I'm not the first to notice that chili keeps well: on the American frontier settlers often brought chili with them for the trip. before traveling the chili was dried into bricks and could easily be heated on the road.

I paired this chili recipe with the work of Mardonio Magaña, A Mexican sculptor was known for his folk art and stone direct carvings, he was also known to work with wood and mud. A self-taught artist inspired by nature. His work represents the vigorous persistence of the rural and campesino tradition in twentieth-century Mexican art.

ingredients: 

• 2 tablespoons of olive or vegetable oil

• 1 medium red skinned onion, chopped

• 1 large red pepper, seeded and chopped

• 1 large green pepper, seeded and chopped

• 1 large jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped

• 5 cloves garlic, crushed and chopped

• 1 cup of vegetable stock/broth or pale beer 

• 1 can of crushed or diced tomatoes

• 1  can of black beans

• 1 can of red kidney beans

• 1 can of corn 

• 1 tablespoon of ground cumin

• 2 tablespoons of chili powder (or to taste)

• 1 tablespoon of cayenne hot pepper sauce (or to taste)

• 1 teaspoon of salt

toppings:

• chopped scallions, whites and greens 

• 2 cups shredded spicy monterey jack (your preference)

• corn tortilla chips (your preference)

prep time: 10 min

cook time: 23- 30 min

total time: 40 min

directions: 

• over moderate heat, add oil to a deep pot and combine onion, peppers, and garlic. saute for 3 to 5 minutes to soften vegetables.

• deglaze pan with broth, add tomatoes, black beans, red kidney beans, and stirring to combine.

• season with cumin, chili powder, hot sauce,& salt.

• thicken chili by using a potato masher to mash the beans.

• simmer over low heat about 5 min

• stir in the corn to the chili, let the chili simmer for another 5 to 10 minutes.

• serve bowls of chili and top with chopped scallions. (add cheese and tortillas if you so choose!)

• voila! bon appétit!

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