Oven Project

This summer in addition to having a great garden which will provide food for lots of winter dishes, we built a clay, wood fired oven. The project took most of the summer. In addition to preparing the site to make the oven frost proof, Subduck built a shelter to protect the clay (and the cooks) from inclement weather. The preparations were done by mid August. A group of interested friends and neighbors then stopped by to help shape the actual oven. We made a pile of dampened sand into the shape and size of the oven interior. This sand was then covered with a 4" layer of a clay/sand mix. In a couple of days, Subduck could scoop out the sand and build a drying fire in the oven. Once the first layer was dry, we added a second 4" of clay and sand, this time with wood shavings added for insulation. Another drying fire was used for this layer.

A week or so later, we fired the oven in earnest to cook Pizza. It takes about three hours of a constant hot burn to get to cooking temp. (in this case 7-800 degrees) We cooked the crust a bit before adding the toppings. The crust took about 45 sec to brown, the pizza another minute to minuet and a half. The Pizzas were great. We have since done bread and focaccia with similar success. To do bread, the oven is cooled to temps in the 4-500 degree range.

The oven really holds the heat once you get the mass warmed up. We baked in it at 450 for a party at 6 PM. At 9:30 PM it was still 400 degrees. At 8AM next morning it was 150 degrees.

This project was a lot of fun and we look forward to sharing what we do with it in future posts. And,yes, we will be cooking out there through the winter!

Plumble

This year, the plum tree in our backyard has hundreds of plums.  When my sister came to visit, we decided we had to use some plums in our dinner.  We found a recipe for pork loin with poached plums (from Walla Walla!).  Somehow this recipe calls for 6 plums (for a total weight of 2 pounds.)  If any of you have seen such large plums, I'd like to know what they look like.  We had to use at least 20 plums to make 2 pounds - and that was a lot (see exhibit A.)  We served the pork with brown rice and green beans - as shown in Exhibit B. 

Exhibit A

Exhibit B

This recipe resulted in lots of yummy leftovers, which we enjoyed for several days.  This would be a great meal to make for 8 people.

For dessert, we made a plum crumble (we called it plumble) that also called for 2 pounds of plums.  It was tart and delicious with vanilla ice cream.

Hot Summer Supper

With the heat wave all over the east this week we,too are doing what we can to keep the house cool. One easy solution is to cook outside. The grill can handle all aspects of a meal so no heat is added to the kitchen. If you then eat outside a well you, hopefully, enjoy a breeze as you watch the sun set. for this meal a couple of days ago we grilled local lamb chunks with red peppers, zuccini and onions. We also grilled a couple of red potatoes coated in olive oil and chipotle chili powder. We made a salad from our garden greens, radishes and snow peas.For dessert, sub duck made raspberry ice cream to use up berries we froze last year. Tomorrow we'll meet here again for chicken salad with green grapes and toasted almonds. Summer enjoyment with cooks to spare.

Comfort Food

Besides the pizza and sushi kick we have been on lately the one dish that is always a huge hit in our house is macaroni and cheese.  I think this was one of the first dishes that I learned to cook as a child (using the Betty Crocker recipe.)  What is it about mac and cheese that all children love?

We have found a healthier version in the Eating Well recipe for Baked Mac and Cheese and we make this at least twice a month.  Recently I started added some sauteed onions to the milk sauce and it adds a little bit more complexity to the flavor.  We generally use sauteed fresh spinach rather than frozen.  On this occasion - we used whole wheat shells and they work well.

 

Morels

Many of the Cooks to Spare were in the state of Washington -- Walla Walla and Yakima -- in June. The weather was cool and rainy which meant the local strawberries were late, but the asparagus was excellent. Blonde Girls father found morels at Klicker's Berry Farm. Big morels!!! Well the cooks went to work and created a wonderful dinner. They took the morels and made a morel risotto with asparagus. What a treat!!

These are five members of the Cooks to Spare team. The sixth cook took the picture.

Then my husband and I went to Yakima to visit family and friends. My brother and his wife invited my husband to go morel hunting in the Cascades where they had a successful hunt -- 1 1/2 pounds of morels. My sister-in-law sauteed them with shallots and added a little cream at the end --that with salmon and asparagus made for a perfect meal.

Back in Baltimore, there were no morels, but there were peaches and apricots at the Farmers' Market.

Silly Snake Dogs

No, I'm not just gunning for the most ridiculous post title. This is the name of an actual recipe out of the Pillsbury Kids Cookbook. Blonde Girl's Son received it as a gift last Christmas (or maybe the one before?) and we have already made the Monster Burger recipe, so Silly Snake Dogs was the logical next step. There are fairly reasonable recipes (most involving some Pillsbury product), but of course Monster Burgers and Silly Snake Dogs are WAY more fun!

There isn't much of a recipe, besides wrapping your dogs in a tube of your favorite prepackage breadstick dough and crafting snake tongues from red bell peppers. Also, some melted cheese product is required for attaching the currants used for eyes. What we are going to do with the remaining block of Velveeta, I have no idea. I'm imagining some green chile queso dip?
Blonde Girl's Son definitely enjoyed them. We substituted grass fed all beef dogs for the specified "cheese filled hot dogs" and the end product was pretty tasty.

Also, in the interest of equal coverage, Monster Burger pic as well.

Maize from Heaven

Corn on the cob has returned in full-force to the farmers markets, supermarkets and roadside stands around Baltimore. Yesterday, I saw a man selling it out of the back of his van for $2 a dozen. It's everywhere.

With inspiration from a dish at Woodberry Kitchen, which in my opinion is the best restaurant in the city, Other Blonde Girl and I have been gobbling up this summertime staple grilled with mayonnaise and feta cheese. It is so good you'll crave it every day.

No recipe to follow here. Just drop husked ears of corn directly onto your grill. Cook, turning every couple of minutes until the ears are slightly charred. Remove and slather immediately with your favor mayo and feta cheese crumbles.

Be warned, this corn is addictive! You will want to make meals of nothing but this corn. Plan on at least two ears each.

Strange Dreams

Last night I dreamed that Eric Ripert served me dinner.  I was eating alone (don't know why or where...)  I don't remember most of the food, however he served an amazing clam chowder.  The clams were still in their shells and it was the most delicious soup I remember ever eating. 

What does all this mean?  Well apparently (according to various web sources on the Internet) to see a chef in a dream represents transformation and changes.  Consider what is "cooking" in your life.  Eating alone signifies sadness or loneliness and the clams?  Well to eat them, foretells you will enjoy anothers prosperity.

Good and Quick

Tonight we had a simple and tasty combination. Sub Duck cooked lamb patties (vermont raised lamb with garlic,rosemary and lemon zest) on the grill. He also grilled Zuccini and corn on the cob which we mingled in a bowl to serve. Couscous provided the starch. Not at all complex but very tasty.We then had a salad entirely of greens from our garden including arugala, two kinds of lettuce, spinich, sorell, mint and sage. It is so great to be eating from the garden again. Good memorial day weekend to all !

Inspiration from the Market

We have now enjoyed 3 Sundays shopping at the Farmers' Market. There have been strawberries, green onions, lettuce, and asparagus. I think I could eat asparagus every day if I had an unlimited supply. Today the market inspired our menu planning. We came home with sorrel which became sorrel soup -- via the recipe from Mastering the Art of French Cooking by Julia Child - for our starter. Shrimp with Mango and Basil from Eating Well magazine followed the soup. The recipe called for a large amount of basil and scallions which we had bought at the market. Needless to say the mango and shrimp were not local. For dessert we ate stewed rhubarb topped with cut-up strawberries. Tomorrow night I will fix spinach salad - baby spinach -- another market inspiration.

As a side note, last week I made the Chinese noodle dish that several of Cooks to Spare have prepared. I used ground pork instead of turkey. It is easy to make and so delicious! We highly recommend it.

Fiddleheads !

Yesterday afternoon we saw a couple selling fiddleheads by the roadside. This is the top of fern plant, which, before it unrolls to open looks like the scroll t the top of a violin's neck. Only one or two varieties of fern produce a truly edible "head". We haven't seen the right type in our own woods so we stopped to buy these. This is truly a short time treat because the season is less than a month long. We boiled the ferns in plain water for ten minutes to remove any toxins. Though not deadly they can cause some distress eaten raw. We then sauteed them in olive oil with a bit of garlic. As you can see , they stay a lovely color green and the flavor was very nice. We had planned to have Salmon and Basmati Rice for supper and the fiddleheads went very well. This is a real sign of spring here in the northeast.

Our fist crop of salad greens is about a half inch tall and I just planted peas. Some of the local farms with greenhouses are offering spinach and soon will have lettuce as well. The whole "local" food scene is starting to get more interesting.

Corn Salsa

Life has been busy in April for us and from the look of our blog posts (or lack there of), for everyone else as well.  My husband's sister sent us a recipe for a simple corn salsa and we tried it this week.  We used it on steak and tortillas along with avocado as an added garnish.  It was delicious and very refreshing.  On lettuce the next day, it made a great vegetarian salad for me to take to work.

We did alter the recipe a bit by slightly cooking the red peppers with some garlic, and then adding the beans and the corn.  Here is the recipe.  I think it would go well with other meats or on it's own.

1 15oz caned black beans rinsed

1 c thawed or fresh corn, sweet is best

1/2 c each chopped red pepper and cilantro
3 TB lime juice
Red onion to taste
2 TB balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cumin

Pizza Night

So Fridays at our house are pizza night. There is pizza and sometimes a nature show on TV. This week we watched the Tivo'd episode of Life about birds. Sometimes it's good pizza, sometimes it's less than good (yes, Dominos, once, and no, don't believe the commercials, their pizza is still horrible). Depending on how the week went, sometimes it's made all or mostly by us.

This week, Blonde Girl's Son was on a school holiday, so there was some actual time for planning. Thanks to Trader Joe's for some pre-made dough (whole wheat and herb varieties) and also for the Thai Chicken Pizza recipe. I found a recipe for Cherry Tomato Pizza Margherita on Epicurious and we were ready for pizza night.

The Thai Chicken Pizza was good, forgoing the precooked chicken suggested, I marinated in satay sauce and cooked in a hot cast iron skillet. It made for the grilled texture and flavor you are supposed to have with satay chicken. We didn't have green onions, so substituted mandolined leeks. The mandoline also makes nice julienned carrots (thanks Other Blonde Girl, btw, great gift which sees tons of use).


The Cherry Tomato Pizza Margherita was also good. The whole wheat crust was surprisingly tasty. We didn't put pepper flakes in and put more garlic in than called for, also grated some Parmigiano-Reggiano on top after it came out of the oven.

On another (vaguely food related) note, there are theories that bad and good things, depending on what theory you prescribe to, happen in threes.

Our triumvirate appears to be brushes with somewhat famous people in restaurants. First it was Scott Simon commenting on Blonde Girl's Sons behavior (in a good way) in a Tucson restaurant. Then it was getting scanned by Janet Napolitano's security detail as she ate in our favorite French bistro. Tonight, it was giving up our table at the local sushi joint so Virginia Madsen could have a street view. Reminds of the old Letterman skit titled "Brushes with Greatness", when Dave would mock people for this very thing. Ah well, at least we got free gyoza and tempura out of the move to the sushi bar. And Blonde Girl's Son prefers the location, because he gets to watch the boats go by, that and some fish eggs and he's happy.

Hello Spring

We know it is spring when we start to get strawberries in our weekly box.

I couldn't resist taking this picture after I came home from our CSA last night.  The beets were giant and were topped with a huge amount of greens (which we sauteed and ate last night.)  Doesn't looking at this make you hungry?
 

Simple Soup

When my parents were visiting us last week, I decided to prepare a Tortilla Soup for them.  This soup recipe came from a supper club that we were a part of a couple years ago.  It is simple and delicious.

Tortilla Soup
1 yellow onion
6 cloves of garlic
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp oregano
Salt, Pepper
Olive oil
2 16 oz cans tomatos (diced in juice)
3 qts chicken stock
12 corn tortilla shells

 

- Bake corn tort shells in oven @ 350deg until golden brown
- Sauté onions and garlic in olive oil
- Add dry herbs and simmer chicken stock, tomatoes, onions, and garlic ~30 min
- Add tortillas after 30min and cook for another 30min
- Puree all ingredients in soup in blender until smooth

- Garnish w/ sour cream, cilantro, etc, if desired

I used an immersion blender rather than moving everything to our blender (which barely works anyway) to puree the soup.  I have made this with prepared taco shells and with corn tortillas.  It works either way.  If you use fresh corn tortillas, you need to brown them a bit longer in the oven than you do the taco shells.

The Wine Hunt

As I said before, Blonde Girl's father is always looking for wine that has a great taste but not a big price tag, and he has found another one that he wants to share. It is Marquis/Philips, which is a collaboration between American Dan Phillips and Australian wine makers. This big red wine contains shiraz, cabernet sauvignon, merlot, and cabernet franc grapes. It is a full bodied fruit bomb with a long, long finish. It received a 91 from Parker's. The only negative is the high alcohol content of 16 per cent. The retail price is $17 a bottle, and in Baltimore, we have found it for $13.

Quesadilla means "quick and tasty"

It's been a while since this blog has seen a post. Sub Duck and I made a really tasty supper with Quesadillas and a green salad featuring oranges and pineapple. The Qs were a departure from some of the classic Mexican recipes. They featured mushrooms, onion, garlic, arugula and prosciutto with Gruyere cheese. (Swiss Miss Quesadillas ?)

The photo shows Duck 1 at the table. We had a bottle of Las Rocas Garnacha to accompany the meal. (thanks to the Baltimore cooks for the introduction to this tasty and inexpensive wine)

The Q's were from Everyday Food. This is yet another source of good quick meals. Even those of us who have time to spend in the kitchen appreciate quick, tasty and healthy options.

Here is how we did them:

We used 1/2 a cup of red onion, 2 cloves of garlic and a package (10 oz) of white mushrooms sliced. These were sauteed in olive oil till tender and staring to brown. This mixture was put aside in a bowel and tossed with a teaspoon of lemon juice.

We grated 1/4 pound of Gruyere and sliced 1/4 pound of the Prosciutto into thin strips.

We then put the ingredients on one half of a ten inch flour tortilla. in layers with the mix then the ham and then the cheese and topped each with the arugula leaves. The tortilla is then folded over and cooked in a fry pan with a bit of olive oil. Turn them with the sealed side down and you wont lose any of the filling.

Cut the resulting half circle into two quarter circles and serve pronto.

We dressed the salad with mint vinegar.

Week Three of our Kitchen Renovation

If you do not have the cookbook "Let the Flames Begin," run to your computer or local bookstore and buy it. Chris Schlesinger and John Willoughby have the most interesting recipes, many of which are quite easy to prepare. A good example is this recipe for hoisin-glazed grilled thin pork chops with thai-style power pack. (Page 168, if you have the book.)

For the vegetarians or non pork eaters in our family or followers, shrimp is also delicious. In fact if you do not have a grill, the pork or shrimp can be sauteed with the sauce added at the end.

For the glaze:

1/2 cup hoisin sauce

1/4 cup fresh lime juice (about 2 limes)

For the power pack:

1/2 cup coarsely chopped roasted, unsalted peanuts

1/4 cup roughly chopped fresh mint

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

2 jalapenos or other chile peppers, minced

3 Tablespoons peel and minced fresh ginger

1/4 cup scallions, white and green, chopped

Kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste

8 thin (1/2 inch or less) loin pork chops

1. Mix hoisin sauce and lime juice in bowl and set aside.

2. Mix power pack ingredients in a bowl and set aside.

3. Put chops on the grill and cook 3 to 4 minutes per side.

4. Brush the chops with the hoisin mixture during the last 30 seconds of cooking each side.

5. Arrange the glazed chops on a platter, sprinkle the power pack over them and serve -- pass the remaining glaze on the side.

The prep time is minimal and the cooking time is very short. Perfect when one is kitchenless!

We ate the dish on Monday night and then tried it with shrimp on Tuesday. Serve with it rice, vegetable, and salad. A delicious dinner.

Ohhhhh I love dinner!

Since I have had the whole week off (thank you to my employer and a train load of snow) I have had lots of time to do whatever I want! Today I deep cleaned the kitchen and spent the day crating things out of items I already had. I made Granola, some chocolate cookies and the most tasty dinner! We had Coconut Shrimp with Fiery Mango Sauce (Cooking Light), Green Rice (Simple Suppers) and Roasted Cauliflower with Blue Cheese Vinaigrette (Eating Well). If you have not roasted cauliflower before it is super easy and it my new favorite way to eat cauliflower- YOU MUST TRY THIS! I was skeptical if all the flavors would meld together but the vinaigrette tied the whole dish together. Leafy Greens loved the mango sauce on the rice. The recipe called for a scotch bonnet pepper- I did not have one so had to use a jalapeno (worked in a pinch but needed more heat) . So very tasty I was literally sad when dinner was over!

Chili for a very chilly day!

Last night we had a few neighbors over to help us enjoy a big pot of veggie chili! It was the perfect night for it- with feet of snow outside we were looking for something to warm our tummies. I used a recipe from Cooking Light but made some many changes that I think I can now take credit for this one. I also made jalapeno cornmeal pancakes (Joy of Cooking) to dip in our chili. I suggest making this a night ahead or make it first thing in the morning so the flavors have time to meld. Our friends loved it and we all topped it with our favorite things: sharp cheddar, scallions, sour cream, and Walla Walla Sweet Onion Sausage (for the meat eaters). Sorry about the photo- it smelled so good that we ate it all before i could take a photo! Below is the chili recipe- enjoy!

Yummy Veggie Chili!
2 red bell peppers
3 TBSP olive oil
1 large onion chopped
2 TBSP ground cumin
2 tsp chili powder (I like ancho)
1 tsp paprika
1 TBSP oregano
1 Chili in Adobo sauce- finely chopped (if you are afraid of the heat do not add this)
4 cloves garlic thinly sliced
3 cups veg broth
1 can tomato paste
2 cups cubed peeled butternut squash
1 (28 oz) can tomatoes- undrained and chopped
1 can pinto beans- rinsed
1 can kidney beans-rinsed
1 can black beans-rinsed
1 can cannelloni beans-rinsed
Toppings of your choice!

1) Preheat Broiler
2) Cut peppers in half remove seeds and membranes and place cut side down on a oiled baking sheet and roast until blackened. Remove from oven and place in sealed paper-bag for 15 minutes. Remove from bag and peel away skin. Chop peppers.
3) Heat in a large pot over medium heat oil add onion and cook for 15 minutes until wilted. Stir in spices and garlic and cook 1 minute to combine. Add peppers, squash, broth, tomato paste, and chopped tomatoes and bring to a simmer. Cook 20 minutes. Add beans cook another 25 minutes until slightly thickened.

And Another Storm

As you can see we will not be using our deck for any purpose in the near future. Today the Mayor declared the city under a Snow III condition, which means only emergency vehicles can drive in the city. Both our universities have been closed since Monday and will be tomorrow. We have plenty of food but our mixed nuts and pistachios are gone. There is plenty of food in the freezer but we are beginning to miss fresh vegetables and a variety of fruit. We are down to two apples and a few clementines. On the plus side, between the two storms our kitchen cabinets and appliances were delivered on Tuesday. Tonight we will eat beef stew with baked potatoes. Last night I tried cooking green beans in the microwave with negative results. Tonight I will do them in a pot on our nifty hot plate.

P.S. My husband and I have been playing a daily scrabble game; the score is 3 games to 3.

Sausage Experience

The slow food group we belong to was invited to help make Venison Sausage this weekend. Subduck and I have made quite a bit of sausage with friends but never using venison. We were also attracted to the chance to spend some time in a commercial kitchen with a real chef and some foodie friends.

Chef Paula Snow at Homehill Inn in Plainfield N.H. was making the sausage for a special dinner later in the week which would feature all local and artisanal products.

We helped with the entire process, starting with the mixture of meat,fat,and spices shown in the photo. After grinding the ingredients and mixing them by hand, we worked in some currents to give a subtle sweetness. The meat was then packed into pig casings with a stuffer, just like we do at home. Since she would be cooking for seventy people on the night of the supper, the Chef had us poach the sausages before plunging them into an ice bath. This helped to firm the texture and also cut the final cooking time. We discovered we were the only folks in the group with experience in sausage making, but,from the comments I think we may have gained some sausage friends.

Here is the recipe:

5 lbs cubed venison (leg shoulder)

1.5 lbs pork butt (cubed)

1.5 lbs Fatback (cubed)

4 oz Diced onion, sauteed and cooled

1 oz fresh ground pepper

2 Tb Kosher salt

2 tsp garlic powder

1/4 cup chopped fresh sage

1 Tb chopped fresh Rosemary

1 cup wine or venison stock

1/2 cup currents

The meat and seasonings were mixed and marinated over night .

Add the liquid and the currents after you grind the meat.

Stuff, poach,chill and store or freeze for future use.

Snowed In - Baltimore

This is our grill with its snow bonnet. My grill chef will not be cooking meat in the near future, especially if we get hit by another storm tomorrow. Fortunately we are well stocked with frozen entrees and vegetables. We ate our first entree on Saturday and will enjoy another tonight. Last night we walked to a Super Bowl party. After shoveling for 3 hours during the day, watching football and eating good finger was a treat. Today was the start of week two of our kitchen rehab. The floors are refinished and look beautiful. The cabinets and appliances arrive tomorrow. I am both nervous and excited.

The Wine Hunter

My husband is always on the hunt for a wine that tastes better than its price. It is another form of collecting; only these collectibles, while they can be saved, do not have to be cleaned or polished. Tres Picos is one of those wines. A perennial favorite -- this wine from the Borsao region of Spain, southeast of Rioja, is made from 100% old vine grenache. A big, big fruity red wine with an excellent long finish, Tres Picos 2008 received a 91 rating from Parker. With a retail price of $16.99, it is a bargain. Our wine seller routinely discounts this wine to $12.99. We have enjoyed Tres Picos over its last four vintages, and it continues to get better and better. Tres Picos is widely distributed so check to see if your local wine store has it.

Do the Can Can

I was very intrigued with a few of this months recipes in Eating Well that involved canned salmon. The first time i read the recipes I scoffed at them thinking what is Eating Well doing? Canned Salmon- EWWWW! I then thought of other foods that I thought I did not like and had tried and thought- what the heck- worst case scenario we will go out! I read the notes that Eating Well so nicely provides on what to look for when buying canned salmon and was off to the supermarket! I decided to not buy the "special" salmon and instead went with the store brand- wild Alaskan. We decided to make the Black Bean and Salmon Tostadas . When I first opened the can I smelled the contents- it smelled kind of like fish- not overpowering. I drained the salmon and dumped the contents in a bowl- the only part I found kind of weird was there was skin wrapped on the outside of the salmon- I removed it and made the recipe as it is written. Fresh Greens helped by making the bean topping which we both stuck our finger in to try and both agreed was good enough to eat on cardboard! The only recipe note I would add is to watch your tortillas- if I had not pulled them out a full 2 minutes before the prescribed time they would have burned! We assembled the meal sat down and both took a bite- YUMMY! If I had not taken the salmon out of the can I would not have known it was not fresh- the flavors were well balanced and with a bit of hot sauce this dish rocked! (Note- when dripping hot sauce on plate to be artistic you might want to make it look less like you bled on the plate!) I know what you are thinking- canned salmon- EWWWW but honestly try it before you know it you will do the can can yourself!

A Meatless Mission

We decided to try eating vegetarian a couple of nights a week.  Tonight we made sweet potatoes with warm black bean salad.  It was incredibly easy and quick to make.  Instead of orange sweet potatoes, we used the potatoes from our CSA which were light yellow in color.  They had a nice smooth flavor and the dish was very filling - I would definately make it again.

Mom - this would be somthing you could make while you and Dad are kitchenless.  It only requires a microwave and minimal prep work.

We Are Ready

This weekend was a flurry of activity - cooking and emptying out the kitchen. Now the cupboards are bare awaiting the construction crew. I spent the weekend cooking for the next few weeks. Again EatingWell provided excellent recipes for such an effort. I made EatingWell's beef and mushroom stew, butternut squash and turkey soup, and pork and chili stew. I also cooked broccoli, eggs and made a lentil salad for our lunches. As my plastic bags filled with homemade entrees, I felt very productive. I counted 3 entrees per week for 4 weeks. The grill chef will do any meat we eat on the grill -- vegetables too. Although this could be our chance to eat out every day this month, our goal is to eat in as much as possible. We will provide weekly updates.

P.S.

Feb 2nd. The crew from Unique Resources came Monday morning right on schedule. The cabinets, counter tops, and stove are now history.

Simple Suppers

I love Moosewood cookbooks! They've been around since our hippie days, their recipes are healthy, well tested, usually easy to prepare, and they taste yummy! For those who haven't yet discovered Moosewood's Simple Suppers try perusing a copy at your favorite bookstore or checking with your local library. We've tried a new soup just about every week from the book. Love their tomato tortilla soup on a blustery, cold New Hampshire day! Their Orange-Almond Polenta Cake took me back to Tuscany. It was superb served with raspberry sauce. When one of the women in my knitting group passed around a copy the other night five women decided to get together on an Amazon order for their own copies. Maybe I should see about a commission!

The Countdown to noon on January 31st

On January 31st at noon, our current kitchen will close. I have finished washing the tin and copper molds and am contemplating moving things out of the kitchen. But I think I will quit and begin again tomorrow after dinner. Somehow everything will be out of the kitchen by Sunday afternoon.

Brothy Chinese Noodles

Tonight we made a Healthy in a Hurry recipe from the February Eating Well. Brothy Chinese Noodles was the recipe. We lacked "Chinese noodles" but substituted buckwheat Soba noodles. Also, we lacked hot sesame oil but we made up for it by adding some Sriracha Chile Sauce after cooking (and after the picture, oops!) for a little kick. Even Blonde Girl's Son tried a small dollop. Milk was immediately necessary, but there was no other negative reaction. He declined more than the first taste. The NY Times had an article on the folks who make this sauce. It has excellent chile flavor and a great kick, I've used it on everything from eggs to eggplant. It's amazing stuff and deserves a spot in every kitchen.

Countdown to Kitchen Rehab

February 1st our builder begins our Rehab. The cabinets are finished and will be delivered Feb. 9th. This weekend we packed all our cookbooks, except our Born to Grill and a few others. Then we worked on the pantry -- why do we buy so many food stuffs and don't use them? We have avoided cleaning all the copper and tin molds. Tonight I am cooking EatingWell's Pinto Bean & Andouille Sausage Stew for tomorrow night. It serves 8, so I will freeze several portions to eat over the next few weeks. This preparation reminds me of Other Blonde Girl's improvising skills. I had no andouille sausage, and my resident sausage maker said, "I'm not buying sausage, when we have chorizo in the freezer." I also used canned diced tomatoes instead of plum tomatoes. And I had no serrano peppers, but there are chile flakes or cayenne pepper. But it will be good. Tonight we enjoyed EatingWell's Curried Chicken with Mango Salad. If you have not tried this; it is a winner!!!

Two Preparations -- Four Meals

It is such a good feeling to cook twice and make enough for four meals. This week my menu focused on recipes in the February EatingWell. I tried the Inside-Out Lasagna because Other Blonde Girl championed the dish. In keeping with her grandmother's waste-not ethic, I chopped a leftover Sicilian sausage and added it to the sauce. (I know; it was to be our weekly vegetarian dish.) Then with frozen roasted poblanos in the freezer, I knew I had to cook the Quick Pork & Chili Stew. It is easy to make and delicious!!! As we ate, we could close our eyes and pretend we were in Hatch, New Mexico. My sous chef made a simple quesadilla which went well with the chili. All I have left is a little spinach and some leftover ricotta cheese which I must not let go to waste.

Odds and Ends

Yesterday for dinner, I decided to take on Other Blonde Girl's challenge. We had some scallions, half a box of quinoa, half a red onion, chicken broth, lemons and cilantro. We also had a pound of chicken thighs and spinach from our CSA (yum). What did we end up with....?

Lemon chicken with sauteed red onions and cilantro, quinoa tossed with green onions, and sauteed spinach. I cooked the chicken until it was nicely browned and then removed from the pan. I added some dry sherry to deglaze the pan and then my saucier (husband) completed the sauce with lemon juice, chicken broth and a bit of butter and flour. I cooked the onions separately and then tossed back in with the sauce at the end. Finally, we sprinkled the final dish with chopped cilantro.

Weekend Away: 14th – 16th in Washington, D.C.

Willard Hotel: $ This hotel is a special place where we have stayed a few times.

Occidental Grill and Seafood: $ This place has been in operation since 1947 and has its walls covered with autographed photos of the famous and powerful who have eaten there. It is restaurant week in D.C., so Bruce had the 3-course meal of water cress and goat cheese, flat iron steak, and apple tart, which Bruce was kind enough to share with me. I opted for a baby beet salad and the grilled duck breast with gnocchi and cabbage. Bruce ordered a brandy which was served over a glass of hot water. Classy service and delicious food.

Zaytinya: $ This Greek-style restaurant was packed with people eating delicious small plates of food. We ordered stuffed grape leaves, giant beans with kale, fried Maine shrimp with heads, lamb chops, fried mussels, and a wonderful yogurt and apricot desert. We had another dish which I can't remember. For those who watched Top Chef, this is the restaurant where Michael Isabella is executive chef.

Having Michael Isabella come to our table for a chat: PRICELESS!!!

My husband and I have now been to two of the restaurants of Top Chef contestants. Other Blonde Girl and FreshGreens and we are hoping to go to Volt. For the men in our families, don't you think this could be a great combo June birthday present? Is anyone interested in making a reservation at Kevin’s restaurant in Atlanta? Could be another priceless experience.

Besides eating, we also visited the American History Museum and spent time in the Julia Child exhibit. When looking at her kitchen and her accomplishments, I wondered what she would have thought of the program Top Chef. We did not leave a pound of butter.

What a Dal

Tonight while Duck 1 was working on her wrist, (Coming along well by the way), I got to try making Dal for the first time.The recipe I followed is from the current (Feb) Eating Well. Indian Mango Dal. (Other blond girl will like this). Dal is quite easy to make and offers a very tasty addition to a meal. I served the Dal with Trader Joe's Harvest Grains blend and grilled ground turkey patties. We use ground turkey a lot in place of beef.One of the handy things about it is that the flavor reflects what is mixed with it so it is very versatile. For this Indian style meal, I added onion, garlic and curry powder as well as a bit of fresh ginger to the meat. A touch of soy sauce and voila, a taste in keeping with the rest of the plate. We followed up the main course with a composed salad of pears and pecan halves on a bed of lettuce with Balsamic Vinaigrette.
This meal had leftovers too they will become tomorrows lunch. If it's good once you know it will be good again.
I've got to start taking pictures the other food shots look great.

Leftovers...The Challenge!

Last night we made Inside out Lasagna from Eating Well it was delicious and Fresh Greens literally did not speak while eating he liked it so much! While preparing dinner I thought about the leftover ingredients I would have and made a plan for how to use them up. When I speak to my friends who do not feel as comfortable in the kitchen I often hear the complaint that cooking is expansive and you waste so much food. I always laugh when I hear this as it reminds me of my Yankee grandmother who would never let anything go to waste. In her honor I HATE to throw out food and will do anything to use it up. I love to update Fresh Greens on how many items I used up in the preparation of our dinner and get s serious high out of rinsing out a container of something I have creatively used up.

From our dinner last night I have the following leftover ingredients: ricotta cheese (about half a container), spinach (about 5 cups), mushrooms (about 6 oz). My plan for the leftovers is to make vegetarian reubens also from Eating Well using up the spinach, mushrooms, and some swiss cheese. The ricotta will most likely be used in an omelet OR I might even thaw some fresh pasta sheets that I saved from making fresh spaghetti and make ricotta and herb ravioli. That way I could also use up the half and half and make a simple cream sauce. I just love thinking up ways to use up leftovers!

Off to my refrigerator to come up with a plan for my rogue vegetables and half eaten jars of condiments!

Speaking of Time Life Cookbooks, we made several recipes out of the The Cooking of China this past Sunday. They were wonderful - stir-fried french beans and water-chestnuts, steamed sea bass with fermented black beans, and barbecued spareribs (and by the way, if you have ever wondered, you can use a coat hanger to fashion hooks to hang your ribs from the top rack of the oven). We used the wok that we received in the Baltimore potlatch and it worked wonderfully!

Pomegranates

In the 70's when we were collecting Time Life's Foods of the World series, the book on Middle East cooking arrived. An open pomegranate on a silver platter graced the cover. So exotic!!! There were no pomegranates in my grocery store back then. Now my WholeFoods market has pomegranates the size of softballs. EatingWell has a wonderful recipe using this fruit - a barley, wild rice pilaf with pomegranate seeds. In Diana Kennedy's book, The Cuisines of Mexico, there is a salad which consists of small poblano peppers stuffed with avocado and served on a bed of lettuce leaves decorated with pomegranate seeds. It is delicious!

Food for Cold Days

For lunch today Duck 1 and I had a ham soup made with leftovers from our Christmas party which had been in the freezer. Just the thing for a windy 17 degree day.

For supper tonight I made Chicken Thighs with Leeks and Shitakes from Eating Well. This is a real comfort food type meal and the comfort level was raised by the mashed potatoes we had with it. Sauteed Zucchini provided the veg. and we had a green salad to finish up. With all the cold, windy weather right now good hearty food (in moderation of course) is really pleasant.

What's for dinner? Salad!

Yesterday my husband asked "What's for dinner" "Salad" I replied. I could tell from his lack of excitement that he wished I had said anything besides the "S" word. Don't get me wrong he loves salad but sometimes it does not give you that satisfied feeling. That is unless you have tried the Eating Well Cobb Salad. I made this the first time a few years ago on a hot summer night and we literally licked the plate clean. The salad is simple in design but complex in flavor. I substituted sauteed shrimp for chicken and used fake bacon (basically soy the color of bacon). This has become a family favorite for us and after I use the dreaded "S" word to describe dinner the next question is "are we having the really good salad?" I like to serve it with some crusty bread and my fabulous dipping oil. The dipping oil is so simple but guests will think they are being served something very special. Take a shallow plate and crush a clove or two of garlic (depending on your love of garlic), cut up 4 or 5 slices of sun-dried tomatoes- I prefer the ones NOT packed in oil and add whatever green herb you have on hand (my favorites are basil, rosemary or oregano). Fresh herbs are better but in a pinch I have used dried. Pour in enough extra virgin olive oil to cover the bottom of the plate, add a few grinds of fresh black pepper and a pinch of seat salt and you are done! If you have time to let this sit for an hour or so the flavors will meld and will be even better! We also have a tradtion of enjoying the salad with some presecco (a sparkling wine form Italy) we highly recommend this pairing.

Tonight I made a simple but tasty supper featuring Lamb Patties, Shoestring veggies and Saffron rice.

Duck 1 and I were alone for supper. We sipped some wine (Merlot for me Vionger for her).
The ground lamb was mixed with sauteed onion,garlic and rosemary as well as toasted pine nuts and broiled. The Zucchini and carrots were cut on the finest mandoline blade and sauteed in olive oil and salt and pepper. Basmati rice with saffron and butter rounded out the main course. For the salad we had red leaf lettuce with grapefruit, dried cranberries and pomegranate seeds toped with the shaker mint vinigar mentioned in an earlier blog. A nice supper for a cold winter night in New Hampshire. Duck 1 is feeling a lot less pain from the wrist operation and will be able to be more active in the kitchen soon. Till then we have a cook to spare.

Quick Soup

For dinner tonight I made Chicken & Spinach Soup with Fresh Pesto using our LPO spinach. Instead of chicken breasts, I used thighs. I also used 1 cup less chicken broth and substituted some water and white wine. Using store bought pesto was a time saver. It was easy to make and very tasty.

(Other Blonde Girl - I think this would be really good using vegetable broth and adding more veggies to make up for the lack of chicken).

A yummy vegetarian dish -- two thumbs up!!!

Tonight Blonde Girl's Mom's Husband was on for dinner. He made one of our favorite Eating Well recipes -- Skillet Gnocchi with Chard & White Beans. It is easy to prepare and delicious!!! Perfect for a cold winter night. I think everyone of our households has prepared this dish and given it a two thumbs up. This time we had no mozzarella so BGMH used gruyere -- a nice flavor combination. If you have time, cook the white beans ahead of time; they are tastier than the canned ones. This past year, I have cooked a variety of dried beans and then frozen them. They have better flavor and only little or no salt. The packets are then ready for any recipe that calls for canned beans.

Double(or two) thumbs up vs. five stars

Duck1 asked if a two thumbs up rating was better than a 5 star one. Blonde Girl's Son responds to the question "was that dish or food good," and if he likes it, he puts up a thumb. If he uses two thumbs, it is excellent. For a six-year-old, the system works well, so we have adopted it.

New Year Bounty

After getting back from vacation, one of the first things I did today was go to our CSA, Los Poblanos Organics (LPO), to pick up our box of fruits and vegetables. First box of 2010 - this should be a good year!

Tonight for dinner we made a simple chicken Caesar salad with a Caesar dressing recipe from Eating Well. It tasted fine, although didn't taste at all like a classic Caesar dressing.

Sadly, we have no ice cream maker so we went without dessert tonight.....

January 4, New Hampshire

Tonight Ken is cooking (again) as I still am wearing the battering ram cast on my right arm. It's to be grilled Atlantic salmon with green beans w/ toasted almonds, and one of our favorites - Israeli couscous w/ pine nuts, and a green salad w/ a vinaigrette.

I like to make a couple of dressings to have on hand - a balsamic, a true French vinaigrette, and of course, Shaker mint vinegar. Easier not to have to think about a dressing while getting dinner! I really do not understand why anyone would want to purchase salad dressing as it's so incredibly simple to make!

Shaker Mint Vinegar
1 qt. white vinegar
4 c. sugar
Large bunch of washed mint (stems ok -bugs not)

Make this in the spring or summer when the mint is at its best. Bring vinegar and sugar to a boil in a large pot. Stir until the sugar dissolves. Turn off the heat. Add the mint, stems and all, stirring until it wilts. Cover and let it sit until cool. Strain vinegar into a bowl, wringing the mint with your hands. If there is any sediment, pour cooled vinegar through a coffee filter. Store in glass bottles. This keeps beautifully for a year.

This recipe was given to me by Gary Hamel, an artist from Orange, NH who says it was produced each spring by the Enfield Shakers.

Potlatch in Baltimore

Last night I laid out all my pots and pans to give away. In February, we will be remodeling our kitchen and installing an induction stove top, so my 35-year-old cuisinart cookware will not work. Family members took turns taking what they wanted and by the end all my pans were gone. Indians in the Pacific Northwest used to hold potlatches where they had great feasts and gave away their goods to those who attended. For some reason the British did not approve of this custom and banned it. My cookware was cleaned out and I felt liberated. We are not without pots and pans, since we purchased new ones before Christmas.

For dinner tonight we had five fewer guests. We enjoyed Blond Girl's Father's (BGF) bockwurst sausage which is excellent. In another post, we will describe his sausage making parties. Smashed potatoes, asparagus, and waldorf salad went well with the sausage. The wine we drank was a 2000 Leonetti and a 1999 Northstar merlot. These wines were made in Walla Walla Washington and are wonderful. To finish our meal BGF used his new ice cream maker to make a wonderful chocolate chip ice cream. Blonde Girl's Husband took a picture of this desert. We licked our bowls clean and gave it a 2 thumbs-up.

Happy New Year

Today, the cooks took a rest. Some went off to eat lunch at the Inner Harbor while others stayed home and ate leftovers. For dinner we relaxed and ate take-out from Matsuri's, an excellent sushi restaurant in Baltimore--sushi for 11 is a lot of sushi. We enjoyed every piece. For dessert Blonde Girl had made Craig Claiborne's chocolate mousse--another culinary tradition that we enjoy every Christmas holiday season.