The New Year's Eve Dinner

New Year's Eve is not the rockin' holiday it was pre little j. In fact, we are here in our living room watching the Disney Channel New Year's Eve. Nice.

That doesn't mean we can't enjoy good food. Our menu tonight:

Romaine Hearts with Vinaigrette
Oysters on the Half Shell
Mussels in Saffron Mustard Broth
Brussels Sprouts roasted with Pancetta
Gloria Ferrer Brut Sparkling Wine
Assorted Tartletts from Albemarle Baking Company

little j is now snuggled up on the couch with her kitten watching Hannah Montana while Big J and I wait for her to fall asleep. A lovely New Year's eve!

Christmas Meals

One thing I love about Christmas is the traditional food that comes along with it. I'm sure everyone has a version of a traditional Christmas eve or Christmas dinner, even, perhaps, breakfast. When I was growing up we always had hamburgers on Christmas eve, shrimp or crab cocktails as a starter for Christmas dinner and Tom and Jerry's on Christmas morning.

Despite other holiday tradition differences, Big J and I both had Tom and Jerry's, and boy am I glad because it is one holiday tradition that I refuse to do without.

A few years ago I had to work the day after Christmas, so we decided to do our big dinner on Christmas eve. I can honestly say that it is one of the best decisions we made. Christmas day is so busy with gifts, phone calls, visits from friends, etc. that the last thing I want to do is think about a big dinner.

The last few years we have had a rib roast for Christmas eve dinner. Yum! This year we originally thought it would just be the three of us, so we decided to have steaks. As it turned out, our neighbor, the fabulous Ms. J, and her two children joined us so we got two extra steaks and some portabellos for the vegetarian. Big J bought delicious tenderloins from the Organic Butcher. They were amazing. I made twice baked potatoes with blue cheese and thyme, sauteed green beans and Caesar salad. Of course we began the dinner with shrimp cocktail. Here's our family recipe:

That Girl's Cocktail Sauce

Ketchup (I prefer organic such as Whole Foods brand or Muir Glen)
Celery, finely chopped
Fresh squeezed lemon juice
Prepared horseradish (not cream style)

Just mix it all together until it tastes how you like it. I prefer a little more celery and I like it pretty hot. One thing I learned years ago, it always takes more lemon juice than you think.

On Christmas morning we had Alton Brown's Overnight Cinnamon Rolls (totally easy). And, of course, Tom & Jerry's.

Now I know that many of you are asking, "What are Tom & Jerry's? And why would you have a cartoon cat and mouse over for the holidays?" Actually, a Tom and Jerry could be classified as a hot toddy. But for some reason both my family and Big J's enjoyed them in the morning. (Oh, who am I kidding! I enjoyed several in the evening as well!) Here's our recipe:

Tom & Jerry's

4 eggs separated
Approximately 1/3 pound powdered sugar
Whiskey
Brandy
Hot water
Freshly grated nutmeg

Lightly beat egg yolks with a fork. Using a hand held mixer, mix in powdered sugar gradually. You may need to add more or less depending on the consistency -- you want it to be honey-like.

Whip up the egg whites to stiff peaks in a separate bowl. Fold in egg whites to yolk and sugar mixture.

Meanwhile, heat water. Fill a shot glass halfway with whiskey and then finish with brandy. Pour in a mug. Add about 3 - 4 tablespoons Tom and Jerry mix to cup. Top with hot water. Grate nutmeg on top. Be sure to include a spoon for stirring. (These are more potent than you think, especially if you are using a small cup!)

For Christmas dinner, Big J smoked a turkey breast. We did this last year as well and it was such a great idea. We also had roasted root vegetables, tangerine and port cranberry sauce (made by little j), and a sweet potato souffle.

Oh, I forgot to mention dessert. I generally don't make pies at Christmas and this year I decided to go with a chocolate cake with whipped cream peppermint frosting. Damn! It was an ugly, ugly cake, but it was one of the best things I have ever tasted, cake-wise. And this is from someone who, given the option, would never choose chocolate cake.

So there it is: That Family's holiday meals. I know, I know, the holidays aren't over. Don't worry, I'll report on our New Year festivities in a few days!

Non-Holiday Cooking

It's funny, but I find cooking dinner the week before a major holiday more daunting than the holiday meal itself. We put so much effort into the menu and prepping things days before that other meals seem like a distraction, an afterthought.

This week I tried to put a bit more thought into it and last night's dinner turned out great. Actually, it was the perfect pre-holiday dinner: light, flavorful and quick. In planning, I turned to my standby Epicurious. Big J asked for chicken sandwiches and I wanted something a little different than our grilled chicken, pesto and apple sandwiches. Through a quick search I found Grilled Chicken Sandwiches with Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Goat Cheese.

Although I didn't marinate the chicken overnight, which I can only imagine would have yielded even more flavorful results, the sandwiches were tasty and easy -- perfect for a holiday week. Unlike much of the country, I was able to go outside and grill nearly everything which I think makes a difference. Of course if it is too cold or you have 20 inches of snow putting everything on a broiler pan in the oven would work just as well.

Now I can really concentrate on the holiday meal!

Turkey Pot Pie

The secret to really great pot pie, in my opinion, is the sauce, or gravy if you will. Fortunately, as mentioned in my last post, I made really good gravy this year and translating that to the pot pie was not difficult. The key was, of course, my own rich turkey stock.

Here's my turkey pot pie recipe -- I made it in a single dish, but it could definitely be made in individual oven-proof dishes as well.

That Girl's Turkey Pot Pie

6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 yellow onion, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1 teaspoon dried thyme
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 cups turkey stock (chicken stock will do in a pinch)
1/4 cup half-and-half (can substitute milk or heavy cream)
3 small carrots, diced & blanched for 2 minutes
3 small potatoes, diced & blanched for 2 minutes
2 cups turkey cut or shredded into bite-sized pieces
1 recipe pie crust for single crust pie (I used *gasp* Pillsbury)

Heat turkey stock in a saucepan. Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, celery and thyme and cook until translucent, about 8 to 10 minutes.

Add flour and mix into a roux. Stir continuously for two minutes. Add warmed turkey stock and stir. Bring to a simmer stirring occasionally until thickened (should be the consistency of a thin gravy). Add half-and-half, potatoes, carrots, and turkey.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Pour the mixture into baking dish and cover with dough, crimping edges and folding any extra over towards the center. Make 3 - 5 slashes in the top. Set on a baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes or until bubbly.

Thanksgiving Leftovers: The Moistmaker

I suspect that anyone who watched Friends remembers The One With Ross's Sandwich, in which his sandwich made of Thanksgiving leftovers gets eaten. We made our own open-faced version of "The Moisemaker," so called because of the gravy soaked third piece of bread in the middle of the sandwich. If you have good gravy, which we did this year (yea me!), I highly recommend either version.

That Girl's Thanksgiving Leftover Moistmaker

1 slice of bread, preferably white but whole wheat is fine
Gravy
Stuffing
Turkey

Spread a spoonful of gravy over the slice of bread and place in a bowl. Place one layer of turkey on top of the gravy, then about 1/2 cup of stuffing (spread it out a little). Place another scoop of gravy over the top, as much or as little as you want.

Microwave about 90 seconds to 2 minutes.

A Traditional and Simple Thanksgiving Meal

Every year I go through all the magazines, all the on-line guides, and my cookbooks and think about everything I would love to make for Thanksgiving dinner. It is really the one holiday this is about the food, traditional food at that.

The first year we moved to Virginia we decided since it was just the three of us we would forgo the traditional turkey and have cioppino. It was delicious. And then I cooked a turkey breast over the weekend.

This year we decided that we would go simple and traditional. Here is our menu:

Butternut Squash Soup with Cider Cream
Simple Roast Turkey
Sage Stuffing
Rich Turkey Gravy
Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Sweet White Corn
Spiced Cranberry Sauce
Apple Pie
Pumpkin Pie

We opened a bottle of Blenheim Vinyards Petit Verdot that perfectly complemented the meal.

little j and I did much of the cooking on Wednesday so we could have a relaxing day on Thursday. We took our guest, my college roommate and very good friend, to Monticello for one of the best tours we've had, and then spent much of the rest of the day visiting and putting our feet up. The turkey went in the oven at 1:15 and was out by 4, perfectly roasted. And we sat down to eat at 5:30.

It was a lovely meal with good company, good food, good wine, and good conversation. Afterwards everyone helped in the kitchen then we watched The Santa Clause and ate pie. It was the perfect holiday.

Veal -- The 10 Minute Dish

I know there has been some controversy surrounding veal, but it seems it has passed, especially now that you can find naturally raised organic veal (always my preference). If you're looking for a quick and easy dinner veal scallops with a quick pan sauce is a good choice.

Tonight I fixed veal scallops with mushrooms and rosemary, a simple dish consisting of sauteed mushrooms and rosemary, seared veal and finished with a light cream sauce. All together it took me about 20 minutes to put the meal together (this doesn't include the 60 minutes for the wild rice, but there's not much hands-on time involved with that).

A quick search on Epicurious will lead you to delicious and easy combinations. But if you have some fresh herbs on hand or your own herb garden all the better. Sautee your salt and peppered veal scallops in about a tablespoon of olive oil over high heat for about a minute per side. Then just step out the door and grab a handful of herbs, any combination will do, that you can toss in with some minced garlic after you deglaze the pan with a little red or white wine. Finish off heat with a bit of unsalted butter and you're ready for the table.

Marrow Fascination

A few months back we had dinner at a new-ish restaurant, The Local. They had marrow on the menu and being the foodie that I am I absolutely had to try it. I have to admit, it was slightly disappointing, as was the entire dinner, but I could see how it could have been fantastic.

And today comes a posting from Michael Ruhlman on how to prepare crispy bone marrow. Now, I just need to find a source.

We have a local organic butcher that we go to from time to time. The last time I was there I asked about beef cheeks and while they didn't have any on hand they said it was something that they could get. Therefore, I surmise they could acquire the "pipe cut bone marrow" that Ruhlman suggests.

So this along with the veal stock are on my list of cooking projects in the coming month. But first I have to contend with about 15 more pounds of apples -- perhaps more sauce this afternoon.

12 Pounds of Apples

How disappointing that 12 pounds of apples only got me 3 quarts of applesauce. But it is good, vintage Virginia applesauce. About a week ago we made our annual trek to the Virginia Vintage Apple Fest. This is our fifth year going and each year it has gotten bigger. I think five years ago there weren't more than 50 people. This year there must have been ten times that.

But one thing hasn't changed: lots of delicious vintage apples and the best hayride.

We bought almost 40 pounds of apples -- Albemarle Pippin, Black Twig, Winesap, Virginia Gold, and Granny Smith. Tonight I randomly picked apples to make 12 pounds and washed them in water with a little white vinegar. Big J and little j used the apple peeler-corer to prep the apples then I put them on the stove to cook until soft.

After the apples softened up I ran them through the Kitchen Aid food mill attachment (a wonderful invention, by the way) and ended up with a pot full of perfectly textured applesauce.

I added 4 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice, 1 cup of natural unrefined sugar, and a couple tablespoons of cinnamon. I ladled the sauce into jars and processed them for 20 minutes.

And there you have it, 3 quarts of vintage applesauce. Delicious! Next up: apple butter.

Don't Fear the Souffle

It's hard to come up with a catchy title when talking about souffle. What I really want to express is that souffle is a very simple dish. I think many people are scared of souffles, but honestly they are very forgiving.

The other thing about a souffle is that it can be a very appealing way to cook foods that some in the family may not care for. For example, Big J really does not like sweet potatoes; that is, he didn't like sweet potatoes until I made sweet potato souffle.

One of the great things about this particular dish is that it is light -- it's not a heavy casserole weighted down with a gooey sweet topping of marshmallows. Although, frankly, I like that dish mostly because I love the toasting brown marshmallows. Traditionally sweet potato dishes are served at Thanksgiving, and who can stomach a really heavy casserole amidst the turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, and homemade rolls? The souffle is a lighter addition to the meal.

In any case, a couple years ago I came across a recipe for Sweet Potato and Gruyere Souffle. As is, it is delicious. But little j didn't care for the onions; actually neither did I. Plus, I have this whole sweet vs. savory thing which I just can't get over, so I switched it up a little bit.

Should you be looking for a new 'show-off' dish for Thanksgiving, this might be it. I know it will be on That Girl's Thanksgiving table.

Sweet Potato Souffle

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for the souffle dish
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 cup whole milk
2 cups cooked, mashed sweet potatoes
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated
4 large eggs, separated

Butter a 1 1/2-quart souffle dish and set aside.

Mash sweet potatoes and mix in maple syrup, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

In a large heavy saucepan melt butter over medium low heat until just beginning to brown. Add the flour and whisk to form a roux. Stir for three minutes. Add the milk in a slow, steady stream whisking continuously. Simmer the mixture, whisking, until thickened.

Off heat, whisk in sweet potato mixture. Whisk in egg yolks one at a time.

In a bowl with an electric mixer beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until they just hold stiff peaks, whisk one fourth of them into the sweet potato mixture to lighten it, and fold in the remaining whites gently but thoroughly.

Pour the mixture into the prepared soufflé dish.

Bake the soufflé in the middle of a preheated 375°F. oven for 45 to 50 minutes, or until it is puffed and golden. Serve the soufflé immediately.

Book Recommendation

It's not exactly a novel, but Michael Ruhlman's Elements of Cooking has me riveted! I just started it yesterday and I'm already inspired to get into the kitchen and make things happen. Veal stock here I come!

Switching Up Sunday Dinner

We generally have the simply roast chicken on Sundays, but for some reason today I was craving pot roast. I never crave pot roast. In fact, I can't remember the last time I made pot roast, although I do remember when I did make it it was dry.

Not so this time. I've really come to appreciate the benefits of braising and pot roast, made with a chuck roast, is an exceptional piece of beef to braise. The recipe I used, Red Wine Pot Roast with Porcini, was very well done, balanced and flavorful. I think I would have done something a little different with the sauce, but for a first time recipe it was a hit. I served it with mashed potatoes and roasted asparagus.

One note about this recipe: it's not a weeknight dinner, unless you happen to be home during the weekday. It took four hours from start to finish, including side dishes. You could, however, make it in a slow cooker. If you choose that method I would follow the recipe as written until it says to put it in the oven, at that point put every thing in the slow cooker and cook on low for 6 hours.

Birthday for little j's Class

A plethora of birthday bugs!

The birthday girl's cupcake!

WOOHOO!

It's that time of year again -- the time when the holiday cooking magazine issues arrive. Last week we received Cook's Illustrated and today, my favorite, Bon Appetit arrived. And a bonus when I opened it up: I'm published! Okay, not really. But a couple years ago Big J and I had dinner at Southpark Seafood Grill and Wine Bar in Portland and I had the most amazing martini I had to write into RSVP to get the recipe. They finally put it in the magazine and I can't wait to try it out, perhaps with oysters on the half shell for a Thanksgiving appetizer.

So no the fun begins -- planning Thanksgiving dinner. It's a little over a month away and I have a lot of work to do! Stay tuned.

Dreaming of Cold Weather Cooking

We're in that weird weather time where the days are too warm to think about long days spent in the kitchen warmed by the oven, but the evenings have a chill that begs for something more robust and comforting than the BLT of just a couple weeks ago.

It's no secret among those who know me that I love fall and the promise of cold weather, as well as the actual cold weather. One of the things I like best about fall is the change in cooking. Yesterday I picked up one of my favorite fall vegetables: Red Kuri Squash. If you haven't had the opportunity to try this squash and you like squash, especially butternut, I highly recommend Red Kuri.

But I have also started to think about, among other things, Mario Batali's Wild Boar Ragu with Tagliatelle, braised short ribs, sweet potato souffle, jars and jars of homemade apple sauce and apple butter, fresh pumpkin pie, and of course our Thanksgiving menu. It's never too early to start planning.

Finishing the dissertation has opened up quite a chunk of time and this fall I plan on using a good bit of the time trying new recipes, canning, and planning our holiday cookies and gifts. I've been dying to make veal stock and to try a beef cheek recipe or two. And since I missed the cookies and baking last Christmas I plan to completely make up for it this year, including building an amazing gingerbread house with little j. Stay tuned for photos and bring on the cold weather!

Sometimes Simplicity is Best

I have been wanting to make scallops at home for some time and I've had my eye on a recipe for Sea Scallops with Corn Coulis and Tomatoes, however I am remembering that when you work until 5 p.m. and you want to have dinner on the table by 6:30 gourmet meals are not always an option. Even though the recipe isn't that difficult, I like to take my time when making a new recipe.

Regardless, I was really craving scallops so I stopped by the store on the way home and bought six beautiful sea scallops. I already had risotto, cauliflower and asparagus at home, so I thought it would all make for a fresh and easy meal.

I started with the risotto and prepped the asparagus for roasting, while sous chef Big J did the same with the cauliflower.

When the risotto, cauliflower and asparagus were nearly finished I patted the scallops dry, sprinkled both sides with salt and pepper and seared them on each side then lowered the heat to let them finish cooking.

Big J opened one of our "nice" bottles of wine -- a Cline Mouvedre -- and we sat down to a fresh and easy fall dinner.

I Did Not Cook This Dinner

I've been craving something spicy lately, something like hot wing spicy, not Mexican food spicy. And then this afternoon I had the great idea for Big J to go to one of our local barbecue places and pick up some pulled pork. He readily agreed because seriously no once can say no to pulled pork from Belmont BBQ.

I told him to be sure to get the Carolina Sauce.

I didn't learn to appreciate really good 'cue until we moved to Virginia, which is, apparently, the South. And one thing that I love with pulled pork is the deceptively simple vinegary and spicy Carolina sauce. It's not thick like sauce you would generally find, and it has a slight sweetness at the front that tempers the vinegar, but there is a spicy kick at the end that makes you want more.

And of course topping the pulled pork sandwich with coleslaw is an absolute must.

Here's my recipe:

Carolina Barbecue Sauce

1 cup white vinegar
1 cup cider vinegar
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon hot pepper sauce
Kosher salt and ground black pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients in a jar and shake until mixed well. Pour over pulled pork.

Mid-September and Way Too Hot for Cooking

I thought that we had survived summer without a major hot spell. Apparently the weather was just waiting until we were ready for fall to give us two days of high temperatures and oppressive humidity (the heat index was 105 today...not good). In planning our weekly meals I considered a roast chicken, but I just didn't want to have the oven on that long. Then I remembered the amazing (and I am not exaggerating in the least) tomatoes that Big J's co-worker brought over from the valley.

So what could be more perfect on a sweltering day than BLTs? Not much. Think lightly toasted whole wheat bread, Hellman's Mayonnaise (I'm just now remembering to call it that instead of Best Foods), crisp iceberg lettuce, Neiman's Ranch Applewood Smoked Bacon, and tomatoes so deep red and juicy that your place looks like a tomato lake before you finish your sandwich.

I rounded out the meal with a fresh romaine salad with scallions and blue cheese dressed with a lemon and shallot vinaigrette. Big J had an IPA and I enjoyed a wheat beer from our local brewery, Star Hill, little j stuck with milk.

Our evening ended with each of us teaching a short lesson: Big J taught little j and I why the wind blows; little j demonstrated her newfound understanding of cycles complete with a diagram; and I drew an illustration of how to make hard boiled eggs. Dinner theatre!

Healthy and Inspired

Last night I wasn't quite sure what I wanted to do for dinner. little j wanted eggs, I wanted wild rice. I needed a vegetable. I was thinking about the Spinach Rice Gratin I made a while back, but I didn't want to turn on the oven, so as I was skimming through other recipes over at 101 Cookbooks, I came across Heidi's Poached Eggs Over Rice -- inspired! I had some leftover wild rice that I mixed with dried cranberries and ate for lunch...yummy!

Using my tried and true method of digging around in the refrigerator and pantry, here's my version:

Wild Rice with Spinach, Mushrooms, Avocado, and Poached Egg

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 shallot, minced
12 (or so) mushrooms, stemmed and sliced
2 cups steamed spinach
2 cups cooked wild rice
2 poached eggs
1 avocado sliced thin

Heat saute pan with olive oil over medium heat. Add minced shallot and saute until softened and beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and saute 5 - 7 minutes, until mushrooms are just beginning to give up their juices. Add spinach and wild rice, mix and heat until warmed through.

Meanwhile, poach 2 eggs to desired consistency.

Divide the rice, mushroom, and spinach mixture between two bowls, top each with an egg and sliced avocado.

Serves 2.

Another Great Pasta Dish

I suspect that there are lots of 5-year olds like little j who would like to eat pasta every day. Big J left for Texas on Friday to help out with the hurricane and we've had pasta twice in three days. Tonight I decided that I had to come up with something other than my standard tuna, garlic, and caper pasta dish.

This was perfect, especially if, like me, you love garlic.

Pasta with Broccoli and Garlic

4 oz dried pasta (any shape you like)
2 cups fresh or frozen broccoli
2 tablespoons olive oil
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon anchovy paste
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste
Parmesan

As pasta cooks, steam broccoli until tender crisp.

In the meantime, heat olive oil in saute pan over medium heat. Add garlic, anchovy paste, and red pepper flakes. Saute until garlic is golden, about 2 minutes. Add steamed broccoli and heat through.

Toss cooked pasta with broccoli and garlic mixture. Top with fresh grated Parmesan. A delicious variation would be to add fresh toasted breadcrumbs to the completed dish.

Serves 2.

Peach Overload

A couple weeks ago little j's summer camp went peach picking. Like I imagine most 5-year olds do, she has a fascination with all things small, as in, "Can you make me little baby pancakes?" So of course her bag was filled with peaches the size of plums. We don't seem to eat a lot of stone fruits in our house, for whatever reason, so they'd been around a while when I cleaned out the fridge today. I knew I had to do something with them.

Last summer little j fell in love with apple butter and I thought that she would love peach butter even more. Okay, that turned out to be the understatement of the canning season. She LOVED it. After her first taste she said, "Could I have a bowl of that?"

Ordinarily I would have canned, but because I only had a little over 3 pounds of fruit I ended up with about 12 ounces which will definitely keep in the fridge until little j eats it up.

Spiced Peach Butter

4 pound of peaches, peeled, pits removed and cut into chunks
1/2 cup water
Juice and zest of one lemon
2 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon allspice

Put peaches, water, and lemon juice and zest in large pot over medium high heat. Bring to a boil stirring frequently. Lower the heat to medium low and simmer for about 20 minutes or until peaches are soft.

Run peaches through a food mill or in a food processor until smooth and consistent in texture (about 10 one second pulses in a processor).

Put puree into clean pan. Add sugar, cinnamon and allspice. Set over medium high heat stirring constantly until sugar has melted and puree begins to simmer. Lower heat to medium low and allow to simmer for up to 60 minutes, until desired consistency is achieved.

Place into jars. Process for canning if desired.

Camp Cooking

When it comes to camp cooking I am not an expert, although there are a few things that I do well: paper bag fried eggs, banana boats, campfire stew, and, of course, s'mores.

To my way of thinking, roasting marshmallows is an art form. It takes patience to hold a blob of sugar on a stick and roast it to ooey, gooey, toasted perfection. You have to find the right place over the coals and you can't let it roast too quickly or else it won't warm all the way through. Ideally, you want it nearly falling off the stick but not so much you lose it in the fire or in the dirt before you put it on the chocolate and graham cracker.

I am very picky when it comes to s'more ingredients. Jet Puffed marshmallows are far superior to any other brand. They puff up better and roast more evenly. Honey Maid graham crackers have just the right thickness and crunch. Only Hershey's Milk Chocolate bars in the 1.55 oz size will do.

And the correct proportions are as follows: two graham cracker squares, two squares of chocolate, and one perfectly toasted marshmallow. The chocolate should be melty and the marshmallow should squish out the edge and get all over your face and hands. Yum!

Pizza at Home

Making your own pizza can be a great family dinner activity. Tonight, however, it was just me making the pizza. little j was busy riding her bike and Big J was getting things ready for our camping trip tomorrow.

The September/October 2008 issue of Cook's Illustrated arrived about a week ago and, after skimming all the recipes, I immediately knew I wanted to make pizza bianca. This week turned out to be a little crazy and, because the dough has to rise at least two hours, I was never home in time to make it during the week. So today it was and before we headed out to to get our food supplies for camping I mixed up the dough and set it to rise.

This is an interesting recipe because the dough is incredibly soft and you don't knead it and shape it by hand as you would a typical pizza dough. Rather, after the dough rises you turn the dough out directly onto a rimmed baking sheet and stretch it to the edges of the pan.

The basic recipe calls for a simply topping of olive oil and rosemary, but variations with tomatoes and mozzarella as well as tomatoes, sausage and fontina were also included. I decided to split the pizza in half between the two variations.

Let me tell you that this is quite possibly the best pizza we've made at home. The crust was tender and chewy with crisp edges. The toppings were simply and flavorful. I am looking forward to trying the pizza with the simple topping of olive oil and rosemary, but I am also looking forward to experimenting with other toppings.

Eggplant Even That Girl Can Love

I've had eggplant rolls on our weekly menu for about three weeks now but didn't get around to making it until this past Thursday because, as I mentioned in the previous post, I haven't fully embraced eggplant. However, this recipe (gleaned from several to make my own) made me, in not an eggplant lover, an eggplant convert. Here's my recipe:

Grilled Eggplant Rolls

1 large eggplant (about 1 - 1/2 lbs.)
Kosher salt
8 oz ricotta
1/2 cup finely grated parmesan
1/4 cup shredded basil
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (more if desired)
salt
pepper
tomato-based pasta sauce -- whatever kind you prefer

Peel a two-inch strip from opposite sides of the eggplant, then make 1/4 inch (or less) slices. (I actually used the tines of a fork to make the marks where I cut and came out with 8 slices.) Sprinkle both sides of each slice with kosher salt and lay in a colander for 30 minutes.

In a small bowl mix ricotta, parmesan, basil, cayenne, salt and pepper. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Heat grill on high. Rinse eggplant slices and pat dry. Brush olive oil on both sides of eggplant. Grill until slightly softened, turning once, about 5 minutes total.

Place a heaping tablespoon of cheese mixture on the small end of the eggplant and roll up. Place eggplant in an 8"x8" baking pan. Spoon enough sauce to cover eggplant, making sure edges are covered. Cover pan with foil and place in oven for about 20 minutes or until bubbling.

Serves 3 - 4.

Eggplant, Still Not Feeling It

I want to like eggplant. I feel like I should like eggplant. But I'm just not feeling it. There are only a few eggplant recipes that really appeal to me (I'll be sharing one that I truly like very soon). Fortunately I heard a piece on Morning Edition today that made me feel better about my ambivalence and sometimes dislike of eggplant -- apparently Nigella Lawson doesn't particularly care for eggplant either, nor, for that matter, does host Renee Montagne. Apparently I'm not alone.

In my quest to find a delicious and non-slimy eggplant recipe I like I decided to do a grilled vegetable and pesto pasta dish. While the dish as a whole was good, I still didn't care for the eggplant. In fact, on my second helping I picked through so I wouldn't get any eggplant. I'm so mature.

Despite the fact that I didn't care for the eggplant, the dish was good as a whole, and so I am happy to share the recipe.

Pasta with Grilled Vegetables and Cilantro Pecan Pesto

1/4 cup pine nuts
1/4 cup pecans
2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
3/4 cup fresh packed cilantro
1 tablespoon ume plum vinegar
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Assorted vegetables (seeded roma tomatoes, onions, eggplant, summer squash)

Shelled edamame (if frozen, boiled for 5 minutes and drained)

8 oz dried pasta (a short noodle such as penne works best)

For pesto: Lightly toast pine nuts and pecans and cool. Place nuts, garlic, cilantro and ume plum vinegar into the bowl of a food processor, and pulse until fine and well mixed. With processor running, slowly add oil. Set aside.

While pasta is cooking, heat grill. Slice vegetables (halve tomatoes) and toss with olive oil. If using eggplant, slice and sprinkle with kosher salt and set in a colander for half an hour, then rinse before roasting. Roast on grill until grill marks appear and vegetables are beginning to soften.

Roughly chop vegetables. Drain pasta reserving some pasta water. Mix vegetables and edamame with pasta. Add pesto, more or less to taste. If too thick, add a bit of pasta water.

Serves 4 - 6

Perfect Warm Weather Dinner

We went to the county fair today, and let me tell you it was HOT! After looking at the animals and fruits and vegetables, including an amazing look inside a beehive, we made our way to the carnival where it was even hotter. I think we drank a gallon of lemonade and two gallons of water. By the time we got home we were wiped out, so a complicated dinner was the first on our to-do list for the evening.

Big J said he wanted shrimp salad. Of course we had neither shrimp nor salad in the house. I went down to Main Street Market which is a great collection of shops including Seafood @ West Main and Feast!. I got some really nice shrimp at the seafood place then walked over to Feast! for a baguette, bottle of wine, local greens, and a pound of local white peaches that smelled so amazing I couldn't pass them up.

On the way home I thought about how to combine everything and decided on peel and eat shrimp with the family cocktail sauce and a grilled peach and arugula salad.

For the salad, I cleaned and placed arugula in a salad bowl, mixed up a vinaigrette of fresh squeezed grapefruit juice, honey and olive oil. I cut the peached into 8ths and spooned a little vinaigrette over the fruit (acid to keep it from browning, olive oil to prevent sticking, and honey to caramelize the sugars) and cooked them on the grill for about 3 minutes per side. The warm peaches mixed with the peppery arugula and acidic dressing was delicious.

We had our shrimp with my family's cocktail sauce recipe. The secret is . . . celery! Here it is:

Cocktail Sauce

1 cup ketchup (I like Whole Foods 365 Organic)
3 tablespoons grated onion
3 tablespoons prepared horseradish
juice of one lemon
1 stalk finely minced celery
2 tablespoons minced parsley

Mix all ingredients. Refrigerate, covered, for at least one hour.

Cucumber and Melon Salad

When I first read this recipe over a year ago I thought that the ingredients just didn't sound like they belonged together. But then I made it, and I am so glad I did. I've been thinking about this recipe quite a bit lately and almost craving it. I knew, however, that little j wouldn't like it and I didn't want to make it just for myself. Since Big J came home last night and tonight was a welcome home dinner and it was over 90 degrees with ungodly humidity, it seemed like the perfect time for this refreshing salad. I can't recommend this dish more highly. As a side note: little j had this salad deconstructed; that is: cucumbers in one bowl, honeydew in another, hold the dressing.

Honeydew and Cucumber Salad
(adapted from Epicurious)

1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons rice-wine vinegar
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoons minced peeled fresh ginger root
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1/4 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes, or to taste
2 tbs vegetable oil
1 cucumber, peeled and seeds removed, halved lengthwise and slice thin
2 cups 1-inch cubes of honeydew melon
2 scallions, minced
1 tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted lightly and cooled

In a bowl whisk together the vinegar, the ginger root, the soy sauce, the sugar, the sesame oil, the red pepper flakes, and the vegetable oil until the dressing is combined well. Add the cucumber, the melon, and the scallions, toss the salad until it is combined well. Chill for 30 minutes. Sprinkle with sesame seeds before serving.

Kitchen Confidential

Perhaps this post should actually be titled, "That Girl cooks but she doesn't clean!" I think I've mentioned that Big J is one amazing sous chef and kitchen cleaner. Of course he's been away for two weeks, so his services have been sorely missed. But this post is actually about our oven.

I have a confession. We have lived in this house for nearly 5 years and I have not once cleaned the oven. Now, before you totally freak out I should tell you that about a year ago we purchased a new stove. I believe that Big J cleaned our old oven a few times, and it is quite possible that he's cleaned our current oven as well. But I have never cleaned the oven. In fact, I've only cleaned an oven once in my lifetime.

So it was with some trepidation that I cleaned the oven today. And here's my issue: I really try to use "green" cleaning products, but in all honesty they don't work as well on grease. So I broke out the Easy Off oven cleaner and sprayed the oven this morning with the intent to clean it this afternoon. Did that happen? Of course not. So when I decided sort of last minute to make cornbread to go with the barbecued chicken, I realized that I'd totally forgotten.

That Girl is not getting a gold medal in house keeping. But at least I got the oven clean after dinner.

Recreating a Favorite, With Some Success

I really did not want to cook tonight. little j suggested we go out and then said she wanted to go somewhere to have noodles. Yeah, I don't think so. Thinking about what we had in the house and how to combine that into a pasta dish I decided to try to put together one of my favorite dishes from Foley Station in La Grande, Oregon. The dish, Smoked Salmon Gemelli, was always one of my top choices with its rich sauce of salmon, tomatoes, and probably something else that I don't remember. Here's my recreation which turned out pretty good, if I do say so myself.

Cavatappi with Salmon, Tomatoes, & Capers
(serves 2)

1 tbs. olive oil
1/2 onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup half & half
2 Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
1 tbs. drained capers
1/4 lb. salmon (smoked or not, your preference)
4 oz. Cavatappi (weigh before cooking)
Parsley for garnish

Heat oil in medium sautee pan over medium heat. Add onions and sautee until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and sautee an additional 30 seconds.

Add half and half to onions and garlic and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low and continue to simmer until sauce is reduced and thickened.

When pasta is nearly done (about 2 minutes remaining) add tomatoes, salmon, and capers to the sauce.

Drain pasta and add to sauce, toss to coat. Place in a large, prewarmed bowl, sprinkle with minced parsley.

Try This Recipe

I had two bunches of chard that I needed to use and recently saw a recipe for Spinach Rice Gratin on one of my favorite cooking blogs, 101 Cookbooks. I didn't follow the recipe exactly because 1) I'm not a fan of tofu and I didn't have any in the house, and 2) I didn't have any olives; otherwise I stuck pretty close to the original recipe. And I have to say . . . YUM! Of course little j didn't eat any since she still has issues with mixed foods, but that just means I have enough left over for tomorrow's lunch.

In Search Of the Best Coffee for One

When Big J is out of town I don't even think about using our drip coffee maker except to give it a good cleaning. But that doesn't mean I don't have coffee in the morning . . . it's hard enough being a single parent, let alone doing it without coffee!

I have three methods of making coffee for myself (not including buying it after dropping little j off at summer camp): french press (or press pot), Bialetti Moka Express, and a single cup filter. In the week Big J has been gone I've used all three.

Generally I prefer using the french press, but it is an 8-cup press and, while a cup of coffee is only 6 ounces, 8 cups is just too much, I almost always leave at least a cup. Additionally, I have a hard time getting the grind just right. It needs to be fairly coarse, but with a blade grinder it is hard to get it uniformly coarse.

The single cup filter, which I often take when I travel, works okay. But it's only one cup at a time and I have to boil water at least twice. Seems a little wasteful. Also, when I used it this weekend I, again, had trouble with the grind and it was way too weak.

So today I broke out the Bialetti. We first had coffee made with the Bialetti when we were in Belgium, and I must say it makes a damn good cup of coffee. The only drawback, and it's pretty minor, is that after it cools down I have a hard time opening it up to clean it because of the vacuum seal. Again, pretty minor. But as I sit here this morning, I have to say that this is probably the best coffee I've had since Big J has been gone. It's strong, not bitter, and gives me about two 10 ounce cups without having to reheat. That sounds about right.

Oh, and my coffee of choice? Shenandoah Joe's West Coast French.

A Flutter of Butterflies

Saturday little j picked our activity so Sunday was my turn and I chose cupcake making. It was way too hot to be outside so an afternoon of cupcaking (oh yeah, I just turned a noun into a verb) seemed like a good choice. A while ago I bought Hello, Cupcake: Irresistibly Playful Creations Anyone Can Make, and even though both little j and I have looked at it numerous times we really haven't had a chance to make a batch.

And last night I knew why -- we started the cupcakes at about 1:00 in the afternoon. By 4:00 we had the cupcakes baked and frosted and the decorations complete but not on the cupcakes. We went out to grab a slice of pizza at 5:30 then came back and finished up the cupcakes which took another 45 minutes. That's a lot of time for a 5-year old to stay focused. But little j is a trooper.

Here's our process, complete with photos!

We began by making chocolate cupcakes using a recipe from Gourmet, sans the butterscotch icing. And just a note on this recipe: it calls for baking the cupcakes for 20 - 25 minutes. Way too long! Ours were baked through at 12. I am not sure if I would use this recipe again, it was a little dry, but not bad.

Here are the cooled cupcakes:


After making the cupcakes we started making the wings. We made 27 sets (15 large and 12 small) as well as antennae.


The wings were much easier than I anticipated. I piped the candy and little j made the designs with a toothpick and then added the sprinkles. (Clearly we need more kitchen space since we stored the completed wings on the piano!)

Then we made the frosting: butter cream with yellow coloring. I generally use gel food coloring because it is easier to control.


After frosting the cupcakes it was finally time to put the butterflies on. This turned out to be a lot easier than I anticipated. little j separated all the yellow M&Ms out of a big bag of the candy and I pushed two into each cupcake to support the wings. Then I set the wings on, pushing them slightly into the frosting. I added the antenna and piped chocolate frosting down the center of the wings for the body.


This morning little j and I took the cupcakes in to share with her friends at Summer Camp. She was incredibly excited and I'm really happy that we did this together. What a great mother-daughter Sunday activity!

Food Science

The true measure of someone who is totally geeked about food and cooking is how excited they are to learn about the science behind the process. I confess, that is me. So imagine my excitement when I saw that the Food Network is going to have a new show: Food Detectives with Ted Allen. The first episode, "The 5-Second Rule," airs July 27.

But it got me thinking about why I like cooking and reading about food. I'm one of those people that needs to know "why." I once had a writing professor that assigned a five-page paper and asked for an outline the week before. When I asked if he wrote outlines for short paper and he said no, I refused, telling him that if he didn't do it himself and had no good reason for us to do it then I just wasn't going to either. Take that D.A.! (Wow, serious flashback!)

But back to cooking . . . I subscribe to Cook's Illustrated which, in addition to excellent recipes, gives a detailed accounting of the process of recipe development and, in some cases, the science behind it. Lately, I have been thinking about developing my own recipes and being the researcher that I am I can't even begin to do that unless I have references at my fingertips that tell me why I should choose one ingredient over another and how it will affect the taste and/or texture.

In the spirit of food science, here are a few resources and good reads that I recommend:

• America's Test Kitchen
• News for Curious Cooks (see especially: New York Times articles)
• On food and cooking: The science and lore of the kitchen by Harold McGee
• I'm just here for the food: Food + Heat = Cooking by Alton Brown
• Good Eats with Alton Brown (I am especially enamored with food anthropologist Deborah Duchon)

That's just scratching the surface, but it's a good start if, like me, you are a total food geek.

An Easy Burst of Flavor

For the past couple of days I have had a craving for grilled mushrooms. So last night I put some mushrooms on skewers and grilled them (without oil or seasoning) until they were just a bit soft and beginning to release their juices. I flash cooked some strips of lean beef and made brown rice and steamed green beans. When the mushrooms were done I put them in a bowl and and tossed them with just a smidgen (chef-speak, no really, for a little bit) of olive oil and a sprinkling of kosher salt. They would have also been good with some balsamic as well. As it was, they were deep, earthy, and juicy. They added just the right texture to the meal. Yum!

Re-Disclosure

So two days into my twelve days and I fell off the proverbial wagon. No, I haven't had wine or any other alcohol. I haven't had non-whole grains. In fact, it's been a lot easier than I thought. With the exception of one thing: dairy. In the words of Tim McGraw, I like, I love it, I want some more of it!

And it's really not a major component of the meals, but last night I grilled some chicken and had that with whole wheat pasta, spinach and tomatoes. Not bad. But it would have been so much better with a sprinkling of fresh grated Parmesan.

Today for lunch I had black beans, diced tomatoes, and green onions. A very healthy delicious lunch But how much better would it have been with a touch (say tablespoon) of sour cream or a bit of jack cheese.

I've given this a lot of thought and asked myself why I chose this particular 12-day food thing. It's just not me. I like food. I like bold flavors and dairy is an important part of food life (at least in my world).

So, my revised plan is to go with the exchange program and add dairy products back in. As long I am following the exchanges I've set up and the exercise program then I will feel good about myself. I don't need an "expert" to (in)validate my choices.

Oh, and by the way: tonight I had a salad, lean beef, and broccoli. AND a petite ice cream cone. And guess what? No guilt. Because it all fits into my meal plan.

In the Interest of Full Disclosure

I'm starting a new meal plan tomorrow. You know how women talk about needing to take off baby weight? Well, I need to take off dissertation weight. I've been researching different plans that cover both eating and exercise.

A few years ago Big J and I did the diabetic exchange plan which was perfect. We still got to eat what we wanted, we just had to watch our portion sizes and pay attention to the exchanges. So of course I am following that and combining an exercise plan that is more focused on strength training (as opposed to hours of cardio).

My first twelve days on this plan is a "detox." Don't worry, it's nothing crazy! The plan consists of low fat proteins (chicken, lean beef, fish, etc), fruits and vegetables, complex carbohydrates (whole grains but no bread!), and limited fats (olive oil, unsalted nuts, avocado). So no dairy, bread, or alcohol for 12 days.

After the twelve days it is a twelve week plan that incorporates whole foods and a clear fitness plan. It sounds completely do-able. I found the plan in the book Strength for Life. I combined the author's principals with the exchange program. I think it will work well and I'll keep you, dear readers, apprised of my progress.

Lest you think that the new food plan will affect the food blog -- no worries! I am planning to look at my recipes and think about how I can modify them to fit or experiment with new ideas (the quinoa tabbouleh totally fits into the plan!).

Summertime Quinoa Tabbouleh

To my way of thinking there is nothing better than a fresh tabbouleh salad on a warm summer evening. About a month ago Big J mentioned that he thought it would taste really good with quinoa instead of bulgur. Genius! Here's the recipe!

Quinoa Tabbouleh

1 cup quinoa
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1/3-1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 cup coarsely chopped mint leaves
1 cup coarsely chopped Italian parsley
1/2 cup finely diced red onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 plum (Roma) tomatoes, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 large cucumber, peeled (optional), seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch dice
salt and pepper to taste

Rinse quinoa in a bowl using 5 changes of water, rubbing grains and letting them settle before pouring off water (if quinoa does not settle, drain in a large sieve after each rinsing).

Cook quinoa in a 4- to 5-quart pot of boiling salted water 10 minutes. Drain in a large sieve and rinse under cold running water.

Set sieve with quinoa over a saucepan containing 1 1/2 inches boiling water (sieve should not touch water) and steam quinoa, covered with a kitchen towel and lid, until fluffy and dry, 10 to 12 minutes.

Transfer quinoa to bowl and cool to room temperature.

Whisk the lemon juice, olive oil, and minced garlic together. Toss the mint, parsley, onion, tomatoes, and cucumber with the dressing.

Add vegetables to cooled quinoa. Let rest for 30 minutes at room temperature for flavors to develop. The salad may be refrigerated, but should be takeout at least 30 minutes prior to serving.

Serves 6 - 8.

When All Else Fails . . .

We love eggs in our house. Lately little j has been on a hard boiled egg kick. I would never turn down a well made soft boiled egg. And Big J had a hard time deciding what his favorite was but finally went with an egg fried over easy.

Tonight when little j and I got home I suggested scrambled eggs and tortillas and she immediately agreed that sounded good. So I scrambled up the remaining eggs that we had from the farmers' market. little j likes hers "fresh" with salt and a tortilla on the side. I like mine on the tortilla with grated cheese, salsa, and a bit of sour cream.

We have eggs about once a week, or perhaps once every other week. I really like eggs as the main component of a dinner. In the summer eggs are particularly great because they are so quick and allow you to get in and out of the kitchen. I thought this would be a good opportunity to share one of our favorite egg dinners. I generally serve with local bread and a simple salad. Also, if you haven't had the pleasure of farm fresh organic eggs I highly recommend them. But be forewarned: Once you taste those farm fresh eggs you'll never be able to go back.

Poached Eggs with Tomatoes and Portabellas

2 Portabella mushrooms, stemmed and cleaned
1 Ripe tomato
2 Eggs
2 Slices fontina cheese
4 - 6 Basil leaves, chopped
Olive oil
Balsamic Vinegar

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Slice tomato creating two thick slices. Brush mushrooms and tomato slices with olive oil and sprinkle lightly with salt. Place on a baking sheet and bake about 10 minutes.

In the meantime, poach the eggs.

Sprinkle the mushrooms with balsamic vinegar. Place the tomato slices on the mushrooms and top with eggs, then fontina slices. Place under the broiler until cheese melts, about 2 minutes. Top with basil.

Serves 2.

A Welcome Gift

Shortly after we returned home from vacation Big J mentioned that there was a package on the front porch from Amazon. He asked me what I had ordered and I honestly didn't remember ordering anything. I opened the box and to my surprise I found the most perfect graduation gift from Sherri: Pure Dessert by Alice Medrich.

I had been coveting this cookbook since I read about it on 101 Cookbooks which highlighted the recipe for Nibby Buckwheat Butter Cookies. I had evened bookmarked that particular entry with the plan to venture into some new tastes. Not incidentally, Pure Dessert was a James Beard Award finalist.

I devoured the cookbook for nearly an hour and on my next trip to the grocery store I added buckwheat and cocoa nibs to my shopping list. Sadly there were no cocoa nibs to be found, so I did a quick internet search and found them at Sur La Table. As much as I wanted to put a rush on the shipping I held back and waited patiently. Fortunately living on the East coast means that much of what we order on-line comes more quickly. So by the end of the week I had the cocoa nibs in hand.

Cocoa nibs are roasted cocoa beans separated from their husks and broken into small pieces. Who can't resist trying out a taste of pure roasted cocoa beans? Not me! So I opened up the package and tried a nibble. Okay -- bitter! Sort of like eating coffee beans. I was now officially worried how little j would react.

Sadly at this point in the week I was feeling like crap and I knew the cookies would have to wait. I just didn't have the energy to make them. The Js came to the rescue and mixed up the cookies Friday evening. They need to be refrigerated before baking, so baking didn't happen until the next evening. But when little j and I baked them up . . . oh what heaven!

They are crisp, nutty, and buttery with a hint of chocolate. While they are delicious right out of the oven (with the appropriate cooling off), they are even better after a couple hours and even the next day.

What I like most about recipes like this is that you can keep the "cookie log" in the refrigerator and bake up a few at a time. And that's just what we have done. And honestly I can't recommend this recipe more highly.

This morning I am making a new grocery list and slowly making my way through the cookbook (again!) dreaming of tangy lemon bars, black-berry-buttermilk sherbet, rustic plum tarts, and quark souffles (among many, many other recipes). I think my next recipe may be lemon bars (or perhaps lime). This is a favorite dessert of both little j and I. I let you know how they turn out.

An Unwanted Break

For the last five days I have only wanted to eat bland foods. I had some sort of virus that not only completely drained my energy, but also took away almost all interest in food. This morning, however, I woke up feeling 100 percent better. And my first thought was that I wanted a good dinner and a nice glass of wine. And that's just what I got.

Big J and little j stopped by the store this afternoon and picked up a couple Delmonico cut steaks (or boneless rib eye). This isn't a cut that we have very often, but it turned out to be delicious with exceptional marbling that cooked up perfectly on the grill. We also had red flannel mashed potatoes, zucchini, and cantaloupe. Big J and I opened a nice bottle of Barbera and we celebrated all being back at the table together.

By Request: Margaritas

Recently Sherri asked me for my margarita recipe, and I am happy to oblige (now that I have found it!). It takes a little more work than opening a bottle of margarita mix, but I assure you it is completely worth it!

Margaritas
Makes about 1 quart, serving 4 to 6

Note: The longer the zest and juice mixture is allowed to steep, the more developed the citrus flavors in the finished margaritas. Steep a minimum of four hours, although a full 24 hours is recommended.

4 teaspoons grated zest plus 1/2 cup juice from 2-3 medium limes
4 teaspoons grated zest plus 1/2 cup juice from 2-3 medium lemons
1/4 cup superfine sugar
Pinch salt
2 cups crushed ice
1 cup 100 percent agave tequila, preferably reposado
1 cup Triple Sec

Combine lime zest and juice, lemon zest and juice, sugar, and salt in a large liquid measuring cup; cover and refrigerate 4 to 24 hours.

Divide 1 cup crushed ice between 4 - 6 margarita glasses rimmed with salt. Strain juice mixture into 1-quart pitcher. Add tequila, Triple Sec, and remaining crushed ice. Stir until thoroughly combined and chilled, 20 to 60 seconds. Strain into ice-filled glasses; serve immediately.

Satisfaction Guaranteed

I don't have a lot of room to complain since I have mastered, even remotely, fried chicken. However, when you buy something that clearly states, "Satisfaction guaranteed or double your money back, " well, you have to hold that to a certain standard.

Last night I was seriously afflicted by an allergy attack, so Big J left work earlier than planned with the idea that he would go to our favorite chicken place Wayside Takeout Ole Virginia Fried Chicken. Sadly, they aren't open on Sunday. So no yummy fried chicken, no creamy mashed potatoes, no warm white rolls, no green beans cooked with bacon.

Normally, I don't care for chicken on the bone. It has to be really exceptional for me to even consider eating it. So you can imagine how good this chicken is when I tell you that I could eat it at least a couple times a week without blinking an eye.

But enough about my food weirdness and back to last night's dinner. Big J decided to go to a local grocery store and I suggested Foods of All Nations. He took my suggestion and stopped by, but in his constant quest for a bargain deemed their fried chicken too expensive. So he went to Harris Teeter and got a bucket of chicken some rolls and came home.

Now, when I open a bucket of chicken I expect that there will be some steamy fried chickeny goodness that wafts into the kitchen. Nope. I also expect to reach into the bucket and feel some heat. Nope. And I expect to pull out a piece of golden crispy chicken. Again, nope.

Instead we pulled out a dark brown, soggy, dry (yes, fried chicken can be sogg and dry simultaneously) chicken pieces. I couldn't even tell what part of the chicken the pieces came from they were so deformed. Most disgusting of all, Big J's piece was this dark brown overcooked mass with a big soggy spot. It looked like gray matter, and I imagine that it felt like gray matter as well. No one wants that.

We all peeled off the skin of our pieces to reveal dried out meat. And you know when you overcook chicken on the bone and the bone starts to cook at little and turns a weird brown color. Oh yeah, we had that too. YUCK!

So of course Big J returned the chicken this morning and stated that it was the worst chicken he'd ever had, opened up the container and the customer service person said, "Oh!" And promptly refunded him twice the purchase price.

Maybe it is time for me to perfect my own fried chicken.

Got Zucchini?

It's the time of year when zucchini starts showing up . . . EVERYWHERE! If you grow your own you might find yourself inundated and wondering what to do with it all. Here's one recipe that is really delicious and versatile. I made it this evening and then sliced it and added it to pasta. I made some for Big J after he came home from work and he ate it right out of the pan. Here's the bonus...it's good for you!

Zucchini with Garlic and Crushed Red Pepper

2 Tbs olive oil
4 medium zucchini
4 cloves minced garlic
1/4 to 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper, or to taste
1 Tbs chopped parsley

Heat olive oil in sauté pan over medium high heat until shimmering. Cut zucchini however you would like (I cut it in quarter spears). Add zucchini to pan and sauté 4 minutes being careful not to overcook (it will become soggy if cooked too long). You should have a nice golden color on all sides. Add minced garlic and crushed red peppers and continue to sauté about 30 seconds more, continually tossing with tongs. (Serves 1 - 4 depending on how you use it and how much you want to eat!)

That Girl is Back in the Kitchen

While I was on vacation I gave some real thought to what I wanted to post on this blog. I think I am going to go with some of my favorite recipes, drinks, new recipes (both successes and failures), and general food discussion. (Note to self: I need to be better about food photos!)

So tonight I want to share a quick summer salad that totally hits the spot. It's a take on the classic nicoise, but something you can whip up in about 10 minutes (or less).

Easy Summer Nicoise

2 hearts of romaine chopped
1 chopped tomato or a dozen (or so) grape tomatoes
1 can tuna packed in water
12 pitted Kalamata olives, quartered
2 hard boiled eggs, quartered
4 Tbs fresh lemon juice
2 Tbs olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced

Toss the first 4 ingredients in a salad bowl. Whisk together lemon juice, olive oil, and minced garlic. Toss dressing with salad. Divide into two bowls and top with eggs. Serve with fresh ground pepper if desired. (Serves 2.)

Some Thoughts on this Blog Concept

Well my friends, I know that I am two weeks behind on the daily dinner blog. To be perfectly honest I think I bit off more than I could chew, so to speak. So I have decided to change the focus of my blog to a more general food/cooking/recipe blog. And I am changing the name to That Girl Cooks.

I think 133 days of dinners is pretty remarkable, but just not something I can keep up with. So, I am going to take a break and think about how I am going to reconceptualize the content and then I will be back!

Friday Night Steak

Big J and I went to the grocery store this afternoon to shop for food for the graduation party on Sunday. little j had asked to have mac and cheese for dinner but Big J and I weren't feeling it. So we walked around the store asking each other what we wanted for dinner. Fish? We could both take it or leave it. Chicken? Nah. Steak? Sounded pretty good. So I chose a steak to grill and Big J got baking potatoes. little j had swimming lessons again today so Big J took charge of dinner. He did a great job on the potatoes and the steak was cooked to perfection. Add to that a side of steamed broccoli and a nice little bottle of red wine and we had ourselves a good Friday night dinner. Dare I say Big J has outdone himself this week.

"Bitten" Recipe

Big J and I were talking about what to make to dinner and I remembered yesterday's post on the Bitten blog for spinach stuffed chicken breasts. Big J agreed to make dinner and said he would be happy to tackle the recipe. Wow! Not that the recipe is difficult, but it takes a little finesse.

So little j and I got home from swimming and the kitchen smelled wonderful! Big J assured me that it probably smelled better than they would look. It's true, they weren't perfectly rolled, but they tasted great! He did a great job and even added to the recipe by squeezing some lemon juice over the spinach. (Genius because on Top Chef they always talk about the importance of adding acid to enhance the flavor.)

He served the chicken with rice, a mixed green salad, and grapes. Good job Big J!

Sausage and Veggies

Big J was in charge of dinner tonight. I went to the store yesterday and bought two proteins: chicken pesto sausage and chicken breasts. So Big J had the run of the kitchen while little j and I were at the pool. He decided to grill the sausages and he made wild rice to go along as well as roasted asparagus, grilled spring onions, and sauteed onion with apples and red peppers. It was a fresh, well-rounded meal. Fortunately our kitchen is nearly done, so we can get back to our regular cooking life!

Big J's Week (Apparently)

I am trying to finish a project so today Big J graciously offered to take little j to her lesson and cook dinner. I'm certainly not going to complain. He made our family stand-by tuna noodles with broccoli.

Kitchen and Swimming Lessons

We are still working on the kitchen and life is slightly more complicated because little j has swimming lessons until 6 p.m. I took little j to her lessons and Big J got pizza from Mellow Mushroom. He also made a great salad. It was simple and delicious for a Monday.