So here's where i've been and here's what I've been doing....stories to follow. Stay tuned.
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
What is the origin of Easter ham?
Well! Some pretty interesting responses to the "sermon" on Easter, pigs, and ham that I originally had posted here. If you need to read more here's the site: ( www.allaboutjesuschrist.org) I think from now on I'll just stick to things I know...like food.
Easter Dinner Menu
Spinach Salad with toasted almonds, blueberries, and Maytag bleu.
Baby Lamb Chops w/roasted shallot gravy
Crispy Polenta with wild mushroom ragout
Pan roasted Zucchini
Lemon Pound Cake, mixed berries, fresh whipped cream
CRISPY POLENTA w/ WILD MUSHROOM RAGOUT
Serves 8
Ragout
½ pound each Shitake, crimini, white button, oyster
2 cloves garlic, diced
1 Leek, minced
Flat leaf parsley, chopped
In a skillet sauté, all the mushrooms, garlic, and leeks in olive oil over medium/low heat until soft. Toss in parsley, salt & pepper to taste. Keep pan to deglaze for gravy.
Crispy Polenta
Fine Cornmeal
3/4 lb. Asiago Cheese, grated
3 cups water
1 cup milk
½ stick butter
2 cups veg or chicken stock, heated
Salt to taste
Blended oil for frying
Polenta is a funny thing. I never have an exact measure for cornmeal to liquid. I just wing it and stop adding cornmeal when it becomes the desired consistency. The key to perfect polenta with no lumps is to add the cornmeal at an even pace. Don’t stop and start. Keep whisking and let it thicken to a creamy, slightly stiff, batter. It sets up quickly so watch the heat. Lower it if it’s thickening too fast. And have a cookie sheet close and a rubber spatula handy. Avoid getting on your skin! It’s like hot, hot, glue!
Heat stock. In a separate deep saucepan, bring water, milk, and butter to a boil. Add warm stock. Slowly add cornmeal while quickly whisking. Reduce heat as it starts to thicken. While still whisking, add cheese until completely blended and creamy, salt to taste.
Pour polenta onto cookie sheet, spreading evenly, filling tray, (½” deep). Pop into fridge or freezer to stop cooking. When it is completely cooled, cut into desired shape with cookie cutter or knife.
Heat oil in skillet. Take piece of polenta, dust lightly in cornmeal. Fry in oil. 2-3 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Top with ragout, drizzle with gravy.
Roasted Shallot and Chive Gravy
¾ cup olive oil
4-5 shallots peeled
2 Tbsp. chives, diced
3 bsp.Balsamic vinegar
Pan drippings
3 Tbsp Flour mixed in ½ cup water
Salt & pepper
Place shallots in a glass baking dish with oil. Bake at 400◦ until shallots are soft. Cool.
Remove from oil, but keep oil, dice shallots. In mushroom pan, place over medium heat and deglaze with balsamic vinegar, whisking constantly. Add drippings from lamb if any. Add 1 Tbsp of shallot oil. Add shallots and chives. Still whisking, mix in flour water until it makes a thin gravy. Salt & pepper to taste.
Easter Dinner Menu
Spinach Salad with toasted almonds, blueberries, and Maytag bleu.
Baby Lamb Chops w/roasted shallot gravy
Crispy Polenta with wild mushroom ragout
Pan roasted Zucchini
Lemon Pound Cake, mixed berries, fresh whipped cream
CRISPY POLENTA w/ WILD MUSHROOM RAGOUT
Serves 8
Ragout
½ pound each Shitake, crimini, white button, oyster
2 cloves garlic, diced
1 Leek, minced
Flat leaf parsley, chopped
In a skillet sauté, all the mushrooms, garlic, and leeks in olive oil over medium/low heat until soft. Toss in parsley, salt & pepper to taste. Keep pan to deglaze for gravy.
Crispy Polenta
Fine Cornmeal
3/4 lb. Asiago Cheese, grated
3 cups water
1 cup milk
½ stick butter
2 cups veg or chicken stock, heated
Salt to taste
Blended oil for frying
Polenta is a funny thing. I never have an exact measure for cornmeal to liquid. I just wing it and stop adding cornmeal when it becomes the desired consistency. The key to perfect polenta with no lumps is to add the cornmeal at an even pace. Don’t stop and start. Keep whisking and let it thicken to a creamy, slightly stiff, batter. It sets up quickly so watch the heat. Lower it if it’s thickening too fast. And have a cookie sheet close and a rubber spatula handy. Avoid getting on your skin! It’s like hot, hot, glue!
Heat stock. In a separate deep saucepan, bring water, milk, and butter to a boil. Add warm stock. Slowly add cornmeal while quickly whisking. Reduce heat as it starts to thicken. While still whisking, add cheese until completely blended and creamy, salt to taste.
Pour polenta onto cookie sheet, spreading evenly, filling tray, (½” deep). Pop into fridge or freezer to stop cooking. When it is completely cooled, cut into desired shape with cookie cutter or knife.
Heat oil in skillet. Take piece of polenta, dust lightly in cornmeal. Fry in oil. 2-3 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Top with ragout, drizzle with gravy.
Roasted Shallot and Chive Gravy
¾ cup olive oil
4-5 shallots peeled
2 Tbsp. chives, diced
3 bsp.Balsamic vinegar
Pan drippings
3 Tbsp Flour mixed in ½ cup water
Salt & pepper
Place shallots in a glass baking dish with oil. Bake at 400◦ until shallots are soft. Cool.
Remove from oil, but keep oil, dice shallots. In mushroom pan, place over medium heat and deglaze with balsamic vinegar, whisking constantly. Add drippings from lamb if any. Add 1 Tbsp of shallot oil. Add shallots and chives. Still whisking, mix in flour water until it makes a thin gravy. Salt & pepper to taste.
A Cooking by Mistake Moment!
I recently ran into a friend of mine who is a great chef here in Cleveland. He used to own his own restaurant but sold it to go to culinary school so he could travel. He took a job after school with the Ritz-Carlton Hotel chain. He moved to the Cayman Islands to work as a chef in one of their top resorts.
After a couple of years he returned to Cleveland with a lot more experience and several additional pounds! Deciding he needed to cut back on drinking and work off some weight he went on a total Vegan diet. When I saw him last week he pretty much looked the same. I asked how the Vegan diet was going. He said he never lost any weight, but by doing it he inadvertently became a better cook. I love that!
Thanks Kev!
After a couple of years he returned to Cleveland with a lot more experience and several additional pounds! Deciding he needed to cut back on drinking and work off some weight he went on a total Vegan diet. When I saw him last week he pretty much looked the same. I asked how the Vegan diet was going. He said he never lost any weight, but by doing it he inadvertently became a better cook. I love that!
Thanks Kev!
POTATOES ALA CAPE CORAL
I know. I know. I haven’t written for awhile, but hey! I’ve been busy!! Had a short little trip to Cape Coral to visit friends and escape the frigid Cleveland weather. It wasn’t long enough but it was truly quite lovely. It’s amazing what a little sun and vodka will do for the spirit!
My friend Alice has a sweet place right on the canal, sprinkled with hibiscus and orange trees, crazy jumping fish, and a really fast boat. (Mama likes speed!) The trip was perfectly timed to be there when our other friends D & K, were there with their adorable one year old son, S. We spent the days on the beach and the nights cooking together like we used to when everyone lived in Cleveland. We grilled steaks, crab legs, potatoes, veggies, and just hung around like we do so well.
Since being home I’ve been trying some new recipes and tweaking some old. Here’s a fun one!
These potatoes can be made in a 400◦ oven but I think they are best cooked on the grill. I suggest Yukon Gold potatoes for the best flavor. You can use redskin potatoes, but keep an eye on them. They cook much faster and burn easily. I suggest against Russets, they are just too dry and flavorless for this recipe. These potatoes are also awesome the next day with a poached or fried egg.
Serves 8-10
3-5lb Yukon Gold potatoes rough cut chopped
1 bunch asparagus cut into 1” pieces
1 red pepper diced
2 leeks cut in half and sliced
4 cloves garlic slivered
3 ears of corn cut off the cob
¼ cup fresh cilantro
1 Tbsp. red pepper flakes (optional)
olive oil
salt & pepper to taste
½ stick butter
In a large bowl toss all the ingredients in enough olive oil to coat. Salt and pepper.
Dump the entire bowl of ingredients onto doubled tin foil. Cut butter into small pieces and sprinkle over potato mixture. Fold up all the edges and seal shut. Make certain the seals are strong enough so it doesn’t open when you pull it off the grill. Cook on the grill about 30 to 40 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Using a cookie sheet or platter, carefully remove the foil package from the grill.
I usually just open the foil like Jiffy Pop and let guests serve themselves, but if you want to get fancy, flip the potatoes over onto a platter and pull away foil. The bottom potatoes will be crispy and yummy.
My friend Alice has a sweet place right on the canal, sprinkled with hibiscus and orange trees, crazy jumping fish, and a really fast boat. (Mama likes speed!) The trip was perfectly timed to be there when our other friends D & K, were there with their adorable one year old son, S. We spent the days on the beach and the nights cooking together like we used to when everyone lived in Cleveland. We grilled steaks, crab legs, potatoes, veggies, and just hung around like we do so well.
Since being home I’ve been trying some new recipes and tweaking some old. Here’s a fun one!
These potatoes can be made in a 400◦ oven but I think they are best cooked on the grill. I suggest Yukon Gold potatoes for the best flavor. You can use redskin potatoes, but keep an eye on them. They cook much faster and burn easily. I suggest against Russets, they are just too dry and flavorless for this recipe. These potatoes are also awesome the next day with a poached or fried egg.
Serves 8-10
3-5lb Yukon Gold potatoes rough cut chopped
1 bunch asparagus cut into 1” pieces
1 red pepper diced
2 leeks cut in half and sliced
4 cloves garlic slivered
3 ears of corn cut off the cob
¼ cup fresh cilantro
1 Tbsp. red pepper flakes (optional)
olive oil
salt & pepper to taste
½ stick butter
In a large bowl toss all the ingredients in enough olive oil to coat. Salt and pepper.
Dump the entire bowl of ingredients onto doubled tin foil. Cut butter into small pieces and sprinkle over potato mixture. Fold up all the edges and seal shut. Make certain the seals are strong enough so it doesn’t open when you pull it off the grill. Cook on the grill about 30 to 40 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Using a cookie sheet or platter, carefully remove the foil package from the grill.
I usually just open the foil like Jiffy Pop and let guests serve themselves, but if you want to get fancy, flip the potatoes over onto a platter and pull away foil. The bottom potatoes will be crispy and yummy.
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
SEE I TOLD YOU!
Last week the AMA released a statement stating that dieting doesn’t work. They said that staying on a regime, any regime, does work. Now duh, this is no major news flash, but they state that diets are a temporary fix and your weight will return as soon as you stop the diet. Their point was that changing your eating habits/lifestyle permanently will result in natural weight loss, and you will keep weight off. Your body will adjust itself in time, level out, you won’t keep losing weight, (except of course you’re on the crazy “ONLY PEAS” diet), but you won’t gain weight either. How you eat is just as important as what you eat, and if you’re looking to lose weight, that is what you should consider first.
http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=1200010
"YOU STUPID SKINNY BITCH…!"
So this week I’m going on vacation and have to buy a new bathing suit. I’m out with the girls last night having a spot of dinner and wine, and I say, “Ugh! I have to stop eating, I have to get into a bathing suit this weekend.” Oh my God, you would have thought I said I was having a baby, (which is a very funny if you know me)!
Anyways, I know I’m thin. But I’m also small. Small frame (5’3”), small boobs (##@@**&!), small feet (size 6). Five February pounds on my body may not seem alot to someone taller, but none the less, it’s there! Because I’m small 5lbs.on me are like 10lbs. on someone else. Just because I like being thin, doesn’t qualify me for Dr. Phil. We all have our weight comfort zone. Ok, you'll never be 106 lbs, but I’m never going to have double D's...maybe.
Now here's the stinker, I know exactly where it came from. The bags of potato chips, the beer I’ve learned to love this winter, the 20 degree weather that has kept me inside, and oh yeah, did I mention I adore ice cream? With potato chips?
So I gained a few pounds that I’m not comfortable with. And there's no one to blame. It’s my own fault. I went outside my “normal” eating habits. My winter lifestyle needed different food. At different times, with different sauces. So time to switch up! Get back to my eating lifestyle. Several meals a day, smaller portions, martini instead of beer, and ok, I’ll go outside. And the fat won’t come back. Until next February.
In the meantime, stop calling me a stupid! (Skinny bitch works just fine)
http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=1200010
"YOU STUPID SKINNY BITCH…!"
So this week I’m going on vacation and have to buy a new bathing suit. I’m out with the girls last night having a spot of dinner and wine, and I say, “Ugh! I have to stop eating, I have to get into a bathing suit this weekend.” Oh my God, you would have thought I said I was having a baby, (which is a very funny if you know me)!
Anyways, I know I’m thin. But I’m also small. Small frame (5’3”), small boobs (##@@**&!), small feet (size 6). Five February pounds on my body may not seem alot to someone taller, but none the less, it’s there! Because I’m small 5lbs.on me are like 10lbs. on someone else. Just because I like being thin, doesn’t qualify me for Dr. Phil. We all have our weight comfort zone. Ok, you'll never be 106 lbs, but I’m never going to have double D's...maybe.
Now here's the stinker, I know exactly where it came from. The bags of potato chips, the beer I’ve learned to love this winter, the 20 degree weather that has kept me inside, and oh yeah, did I mention I adore ice cream? With potato chips?
So I gained a few pounds that I’m not comfortable with. And there's no one to blame. It’s my own fault. I went outside my “normal” eating habits. My winter lifestyle needed different food. At different times, with different sauces. So time to switch up! Get back to my eating lifestyle. Several meals a day, smaller portions, martini instead of beer, and ok, I’ll go outside. And the fat won’t come back. Until next February.
In the meantime, stop calling me a stupid! (Skinny bitch works just fine)
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
MOROCCAN HARIRA SOUP
Our signature soup at KeKA was an earthy, vegetarian, Moroccan soup called Harira. It is a layered soup that takes a little while to make but it so well worth every minute. It is not by nature a spicy soup, although you could easily add red pepper flakes or cayenne, and the balance of the many spices are complicated and delicate at the same time.
I prefer to make my own veg stock, (see recipe at side of page) but store bought will work fine, too. Make sure when buying veg stock you get a low sodium product. This soup is so savory you don’t want to mess it up with salt. Because it is a peasant soup, the vegetables can be rough chopped and don’t really need to be uniform. I also make my rice ahead of time and add it to the soup at service. Layer the chic peas and lentils over the rice then pour the broth over it.
As a special treat, I make an airy semolina bread, with a soft crust and cumin seeds to dunk and absorb all the yummy broth. Don’t hurry this soup. It gets better the longer it stews.
HARIRA
Makes 1 gal.
Basmati Rice (cook and set aside)
2 cups rice, 3 cups water, tsp. celery seed, pinch of salt
Saute in deep saucepan, over medium heat, 4-5 minutes;
1 med red onion small dice
3-4 tomatoes medium dice
3-20oz cans chick peas with juice
Add:
2 cups domestic lentils
Big pinch of saffron threads
2-bay leaves
12 cups veg stock
Bring to boil then simmer about 30 minutes or until lentils are just al dente.
Add:
2 teaspoons each: Spanish paprika, Hungarian paprika, tumeric, & ground ginger
3 teaspoons: Cinnamon
¼ cup honey
Simmer until all dried spices have completely incorporated, at least another 30 minutes
Add:
½ cup each: fine chopped fresh parsley & fine chopped cilantro
Juice from 2 lemons
Salt & pepper to taste
Serve with Basmati rice, lemon wedges and fresh mint leaves
I prefer to make my own veg stock, (see recipe at side of page) but store bought will work fine, too. Make sure when buying veg stock you get a low sodium product. This soup is so savory you don’t want to mess it up with salt. Because it is a peasant soup, the vegetables can be rough chopped and don’t really need to be uniform. I also make my rice ahead of time and add it to the soup at service. Layer the chic peas and lentils over the rice then pour the broth over it.
As a special treat, I make an airy semolina bread, with a soft crust and cumin seeds to dunk and absorb all the yummy broth. Don’t hurry this soup. It gets better the longer it stews.
HARIRA
Makes 1 gal.
Basmati Rice (cook and set aside)
2 cups rice, 3 cups water, tsp. celery seed, pinch of salt
Saute in deep saucepan, over medium heat, 4-5 minutes;
1 med red onion small dice
3-4 tomatoes medium dice
3-20oz cans chick peas with juice
Add:
2 cups domestic lentils
Big pinch of saffron threads
2-bay leaves
12 cups veg stock
Bring to boil then simmer about 30 minutes or until lentils are just al dente.
Add:
2 teaspoons each: Spanish paprika, Hungarian paprika, tumeric, & ground ginger
3 teaspoons: Cinnamon
¼ cup honey
Simmer until all dried spices have completely incorporated, at least another 30 minutes
Add:
½ cup each: fine chopped fresh parsley & fine chopped cilantro
Juice from 2 lemons
Salt & pepper to taste
Serve with Basmati rice, lemon wedges and fresh mint leaves
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
The Organic Myth
Organic foods are popping up everywhere, not just farmers markets and road side stands. Whole Foods Market and Trader Joes are great sources for shopping organic, and most grocery stores have aisles and cases designated for organic herbs, veggies and juices. The philosophy behind growing organic, sustainability, recycling, etc., is not only responsible, but is one that is hard to dispute. Ultimately, we want to live better and contribute more. But to what degree are we willing to give up the creature comforts we have learned to live with? How far out of our way will we travel to “save the world”? How much time will we take out of our already exhausting days to cook better for ourselves and our kids?
I’m all about growing organic and supporting local farmers. But I get crazed about the contradiction and hypocrisy of the fashion of eating and buying organic. I’ve never been a hippy, or a “down with the establishment” kind of girl, but the big business and profitability behind production, not to mention the marketing of organic foods, is hard to ignore. How does eating better translate to living better?
I recently worked for a restaurant that promoted themselves as the sustainability gurus. I spent every morning, picking thru fresh organic herbs and squeezing a case of very expensive, locally grown, organic lemons. We then stored the juice in Styrofoam containers. I easily discarded 40 containers a week. Huh?!
Along with growing better foods, I think it is equally important to treat the earth with respect. As I pay, **$3.00 for a roll of pre-made "organic" polenta, (wrapped in plastic) from the health food store, and leave the farmers market with my melons in a crinkly white ”THANK YOU” bag, I have to ask... as a consumer, how do I keep true to the mission?
I recently read this article published in Business Week about the Organic Myth
www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/06_42/b4005001.htm
I’m all about growing organic and supporting local farmers. But I get crazed about the contradiction and hypocrisy of the fashion of eating and buying organic. I’ve never been a hippy, or a “down with the establishment” kind of girl, but the big business and profitability behind production, not to mention the marketing of organic foods, is hard to ignore. How does eating better translate to living better?
I recently worked for a restaurant that promoted themselves as the sustainability gurus. I spent every morning, picking thru fresh organic herbs and squeezing a case of very expensive, locally grown, organic lemons. We then stored the juice in Styrofoam containers. I easily discarded 40 containers a week. Huh?!
Along with growing better foods, I think it is equally important to treat the earth with respect. As I pay, **$3.00 for a roll of pre-made "organic" polenta, (wrapped in plastic) from the health food store, and leave the farmers market with my melons in a crinkly white ”THANK YOU” bag, I have to ask... as a consumer, how do I keep true to the mission?
I recently read this article published in Business Week about the Organic Myth
www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/06_42/b4005001.htm
Here's some links for local farmers and markets: www.northunionfarmersmarket.org www.OEFFA.org www.earthwatchohio.org www.morganfarmsstudio.com
(** actual cost/ .35cents of corn meal and 15 minutes to make fresh at home)
EXCERPT from swchacha blog (click to enlarge image)
THE TIPS:Here's the only way one loses weight. You can't take in 1300 calories and burn off 1100. You can't take in 1300 and work off 1300. You get nowhere. If you take in 1300 calories, you have to burn 1500. You need to create a deficit.Sweating, working out? Ick. (I'm kidding.) Sorry, you gotta exercise. Ya gotta sweat. It's good for you. All of you. Even if raise your blood pressure for only 15 minutes a day, aka: the time it takes to finish off a box of hoho's, you'll feel empowered. Take a walk, jump rope, dance, just do something. It gets everything moving to the right place on your butt and your heart.I should tell you to stop caffiene, but I don't want to live in a world without it, so just stay hydrated. Drink water and drink it often. Lose pop, including diet pop, and any other sugar based drinks. There's nothing good about them.Where most mothers said finish everything on your plate, my grandmother said " If you leave one bite on your plate you won't be an old maid" I don't know why being an old maid was incentive for not overeating but, well, it kinda worked. Although not married, I'm thin! I didn't realize it when I was 10, but that is when my eating habits were developed. I still leave something on my plate. Usually my date finishes it, but at least I'm in control. This is important! You are in control. Not the food. Leave a bite. After awhile you'll leave two.Eat often. I think of this type of "grazing" as a way of feeding your body. Not feeding you. The plan is to start early and end late. You eat smaller portions, several times a day. Your blood sugars stay constant, your energy is better, you'll sleep better, and you're not as hungry so you naturally eat less. Hooey on not eating after 8pm. First I'm not 90 and eat at 4:30, but I am old enough to stay up after the streetlights go on, so I can eat when I want! The schedule and plan will be posted in the next day or two.Cook more. Put aside one day a week to cook the basics, stock, sauce, dressings, so you can make great quick meals all week. This'll cut down on the processed sugars, chemicals, and additives in your meals. I'm by no means a treehugging, bee-shunning, food geek, but fresh and organic is good for everyone, not to mention it reduces the "slug affect".So what did we learn here today?Clean out the fridge and pantry. Get the junk out of your house.Exercise & create a calorie deficit. Get the junk out of your trunk.Stay hydrated. Drink more!Control the food. Get married.Eat less more often. YAHOO!COOK! It's fun!So all you need to do to succeed at this is to stop dieting and rethink your eating habits. It's easy! Now go have a martini.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
MY VALENTINES DINNER TO YOU!
So what if you don’t have a date?! Who cares if your only Valentines Day card came from your mother? What’s the difference if the only kiss you received was chocolate and the only diamond was an almond? Here’s my recipe for the perfect sad-free Valentines Party. Start with a perfect ruby red martini (thanks Tony!), grab your pals, your favorite bottle of wine, turn-up the Motown, eat, dance, and laugh ‘til you cry (good tears!)
Ruby Red Martini
3oz. Ruby Red Vodka
2 oz. fresh squeezed ruby red grapefruit juice
1 oz. Cointreau
Splash cranberry
Splash soda
Raw Sugar rim
StartingTapas
Mushroom Ceviche w/Fois Gras
Marinated Manchego Cheese
Sizzling Garlic Shrimp & Cactus with sweet and hot pepper oils
Entrée
Leg of Lamb with garlic and kalamata olive rub, drizzled with a Tempranillo reduction
Grilled Zucchini with sweet four onion marmalade
Roast Gold Potatoes, artichokes, and mint
Greens (optional)
Mesclin Greens, sherry vinaigrette, toasted pepitas
Dessert
Semolina Cake with orange flower syrup, fresh whipped cream, and berries
Wine Suggestions
Sherries are always a treat, and a better Fino would be perfect with these tapas, but a creamy Spanish Cava, citrusy Verdejo, or a crisp Sauv Blanc would be lovely as well. With the entree, a bold Tempanillo, earthy Malbec, or a jammy Syrah, would soften and compliment the salty kalamatas and gamey lamb. I would wrap up dessert with a tawny Port or possibly a lighter bodied Moscato, dark, rich coffee, and chocolate cigarettes.
Let me know if you'd like recipes!
So what if you don’t have a date?! Who cares if your only Valentines Day card came from your mother? What’s the difference if the only kiss you received was chocolate and the only diamond was an almond? Here’s my recipe for the perfect sad-free Valentines Party. Start with a perfect ruby red martini (thanks Tony!), grab your pals, your favorite bottle of wine, turn-up the Motown, eat, dance, and laugh ‘til you cry (good tears!)
Ruby Red Martini
3oz. Ruby Red Vodka
2 oz. fresh squeezed ruby red grapefruit juice
1 oz. Cointreau
Splash cranberry
Splash soda
Raw Sugar rim
StartingTapas
Mushroom Ceviche w/Fois Gras
Marinated Manchego Cheese
Sizzling Garlic Shrimp & Cactus with sweet and hot pepper oils
Entrée
Leg of Lamb with garlic and kalamata olive rub, drizzled with a Tempranillo reduction
Grilled Zucchini with sweet four onion marmalade
Roast Gold Potatoes, artichokes, and mint
Greens (optional)
Mesclin Greens, sherry vinaigrette, toasted pepitas
Dessert
Semolina Cake with orange flower syrup, fresh whipped cream, and berries
Wine Suggestions
Sherries are always a treat, and a better Fino would be perfect with these tapas, but a creamy Spanish Cava, citrusy Verdejo, or a crisp Sauv Blanc would be lovely as well. With the entree, a bold Tempanillo, earthy Malbec, or a jammy Syrah, would soften and compliment the salty kalamatas and gamey lamb. I would wrap up dessert with a tawny Port or possibly a lighter bodied Moscato, dark, rich coffee, and chocolate cigarettes.
Let me know if you'd like recipes!
Friday, January 30, 2009
WHERE IT ALL BEGAN
Many people have asked me about the “by mistake” concept for this blog and my books. It’s simple actually. I never “planned” on cooking, or being in the food industry, or really ever thought I cared about food enough to make a living at it. I just fell into it. I don’t know when exactly I realized I was pretty good at it and that I actually had cooking skills, but I think it was there all along. What I know about scents and flavor, and the chemistry of the two, I learned from my grandmother who seasoned by the scent of the steam. The courage to try new things, I inherited from my parents. Who knew?!
I think we never really look at ourselves closely enough to realize what we know. What’s instinct, how everyday things we do teach us something else without us really knowing it. So we learned it by mistake! It’s all linked. Once I started to think about it, so many things I know are connected to cooking. Once I started cooking, math didn’t scare me anymore. It all made sense! All that time, sitting in class with that big wooden pencil, fretting over fractions! Had they had me bake a pie in the 3rd grade I might be working for NASA now!
I’ve learned languages through cooking, socializing through cooking, balance, business, fashion, art. I just never connected the dots. It’s all about food. All of it.
Stay Tuned for excerpts from the Vodka Cigarette Diet Cookbook!
I think we never really look at ourselves closely enough to realize what we know. What’s instinct, how everyday things we do teach us something else without us really knowing it. So we learned it by mistake! It’s all linked. Once I started to think about it, so many things I know are connected to cooking. Once I started cooking, math didn’t scare me anymore. It all made sense! All that time, sitting in class with that big wooden pencil, fretting over fractions! Had they had me bake a pie in the 3rd grade I might be working for NASA now!
I’ve learned languages through cooking, socializing through cooking, balance, business, fashion, art. I just never connected the dots. It’s all about food. All of it.
Stay Tuned for excerpts from the Vodka Cigarette Diet Cookbook!
Thursday, January 22, 2009
THE VODKA CIGARETTE DIET- or how i got healthy by mistake
You need to help me test my book. It requires that you have some interest in cooking and eating better, you are willing to try new things, you love great food, you have a sense of humor, and you share my perverse desire to see your name in print! It also requires a bit of a lifestyle commitment on your part. By commitment I mean you make time to PREP once a week.
My commitment to you is a healthier eating lifestyle, the opportunity to lose a few pounds, a cut in your grocery budget, fun cooking tricks, and a whole lot of great recipes that will impress your friends.
The most important point of this book is to learn to eat differently. There’s a million diets out there, 3 meals, 8 meals, every twelve minutes, never sit down, never stand up, never eat after 8:00, the cauliflower diet, the cheese diet, fast, don’t fast, blah, blah, blah. Eat. Take a walk. Have a martini. (Preferably not at the same time.) Eat well and have fun doing it. You may realize you knew how to do it all along.
Along with sharing company secrets, I’m going to show you how to make smarter choices when you shop, how to stretch your food dollars by using every last ingredient, how to create awesome healthful preservative free dishes, how to stock your freezer, and most importantly, how to store weekly meals and plan meals months in advance. This ain’t no 30 minute Rachel Ray tuna casserole with pretzels. This is Grandma’s lamb stuffed squash and cumin roasted tomatoes. Oh yeah, in 30 minutes.
The secret to great food is in the PREP. Once you develop the stocks, bases, sauces, oils, and techniques, cooking is (heh heh) a cake-walk. Most restaurants have stocks, basic sauces, infused oils, roasted and toasted herbs and spices on hand at all times. Think about it. Who would wait 4 hours for a bowl of spaghetti while they make marinara?!
You also can’t deny the difference in the texture and essence of homemade stocks rather than the salty, chemical, flavor of canned stock. Don’t get me wrong, bouillon has its place (um…somewhere), but given the opportunity to use fresh rich stock, why wouldn’t you?
I’m also going to try to take the fright out of shopping. Whole foods, organic, farm raised, free- range, free-trade, vegan, macrobiotic, steroids, sulfites, eat green; avoid chemicals, sodium, preservatives, and anything with eyes. AHHHHHH!
As you have probably figured out by the name of this cookbook, I’m not so concerned with being politically correct. I am concerned about your health, the environment, flavor, fun, and making cooking work with your lifestyle. Do you really need another book scolding you? How about a book that shows you that what you’re doing is probably ok, just do it better and a little less of it. It’s all moderation guys.
Sorry. You gotta’ move. I hate exercise too, but you have to do it. Hate the gym? Play with your kids. Don’t have kids? Take the stairs. Broke up with your boyfriend? Have a quart of ice cream. (KIDDING!) Have a cookie; take a walk, is it possible you should have dumped him long ago anyways? Can’t fight exercise guys. Ya’ gotta do it. Ya’ gotta move. No matter what I feed you it’ll go to your butt if you don’t or for you men, your gut.
SO LET’S GET STARTED!!!
There are certain food items and equipment every kitchen should and shouldn’t have. Let start with the “shouldn’t haves”.
I have a vegetarian friend who is easily 20lbs overweight and although insists he eats healthy, has the worst diet in the world. Raman noodles, canned soups, sugar in his tea, in his juice,in his cereal, (go to www.caloriecount.com/sugarfacts) energy drinks loaded with caffeine. His justification? “It’s my only meal of the day…” WHAT???!!!
Go through your fridge and pantry and clear out the things you haven’t used in the past 3 months. I know that many of those soups, cereals, salt substitutes, frozen pizzas, diet dinners and waffles, have shelf lives of 22 years. But lose them! Take them to a food bank, feed the birds, just get them out of your cupboards. (You have to wonder, if they stay so long in your closet how long do they stay in your body?!) Besides sticking to your butt, these things can kill you. Read the package. Check the sodium, sugar, and preservative content. Don’t panic, i’ll replace them with new fun, tasty, stuff.
As far as shouldn’t haves in kitchen equipment, I probably wouldn’t own a Acme slicer, dicer, chopper, omelet maker, but I guess if you use it often, keep it. Otherwise, off to Good Will it goes and invest in a good knife, a food processor, a heavy 16 inch sauté pan or skillet, and a wood, not plastic, not rubber, not polypoo-poo-ate cutting board. These items are worth every cent. Here’s some shopping links. http://www.henckel.com/ http://www.restaurantsuppliers.com/
Must have pantry basics:
Non stick cooking spray
Not stick baking Spray
Kosher salt
Whole black peppercorns
White pepper
Extra virgin olive oil
Good blended oil, (canola & olive)
Light vegetable oil
Balsamic Vinegar
Cider Vinegar
Bay Leaves
All-Purpose Flour Cornstarch
Fine Cornmeal
Sugar
Brown Sugar
Baking Soda
Baking Powder
Vanilla
Honey
Must have refrigerator basics:
Eggs
Unsalted butter ( I know margarine is better for you, but ick!)
Plain yogurt
Tofu
Lemons
Limes
Oranges
Good parmesan, asiago, or Romano
A good mustard, a good chili sauce, a good organic mayo
Must have fresh veggies, herbs:
Onions, red, white and yellow
Leeks
Tomatoes, any! They are so so good for you!
Celery
Carrots
Whole Garlic
Parsley, preferably flat leaf
Any fresh herbs, basil, sage, rosemary, tarragon, lavender, thyme, oregano, etc.
Other stuff to have around:
Any kind of fresh fruit or fruit juices, even frozen or canned, just no added sugar
Hot and cold cereals (you don’t need to eat twigs but watch for added sugar and salt)
Natural cheeses, not processed, (3grams or less of fat per serving)
Whole canned tomatoes
Dried beans
Frozen peas or any frozen vegetable without cream or cheese sauce
Lentils, grains,
Rice (various types)
Pasta (various types)
Tortillas, Corn or flour
Peanut butter
Assorted dried herbs and spices including
cinnamon, all-spice, whole nutmeg, turmeric,
coriander,cardomon seed, fennel seed, celery seed,
mustard seed, sweet and hot paprika’s, saffron
Assorted nuts and dried fruit including
Pine nuts, almonds, walnuts, pistachios, brown and golden raisins, cranraisins, apricots
Of course there are a million items that are nice to have at your fingertips, hazelnut oil, walnut oil, champagne vinegar, sherry vinegar, and on and on. Stock up on good stuff, but be careful, watch for preservatives, added sugars, high sodium, and bad fat.
Chocolate. You must have a chunk of chocolate. Good chocolate. Dark, bittersweet, semi-sweet.
I'm going to give you some great sweet and snack ideas, but until then, enjoy your OCCASIONAL ice cream, pudding, cookie or chips. This is what I call the FAKE-OUT. Enjoy your treats this way....
Portion yourself. Put your treats in a small bowl before you sit down in front of the T.V. don't take the bag, the container, the package to the couch with you. You'll eat less and slower.
My weakness? Lays potato chips. I can finish a full bag while watching The Biggest Loser. I opt for homemade popcorn with Parmesean cheese instead of salt and butter. Sometimes melt a 1oz cube of dark chocolate in a small bowl and make my own fondue-ish thing. I dunk a sliced green apple in it. It gives me crunch and sweet, and I stop after one apple. Yum.
If you have a FAKE-OUT, have a 'must have', or if there's anything you can't live without, or would just like to share an eating secret, post a comment and we'll share it!
COMING SOON- Stocking STOCK
My commitment to you is a healthier eating lifestyle, the opportunity to lose a few pounds, a cut in your grocery budget, fun cooking tricks, and a whole lot of great recipes that will impress your friends.
The most important point of this book is to learn to eat differently. There’s a million diets out there, 3 meals, 8 meals, every twelve minutes, never sit down, never stand up, never eat after 8:00, the cauliflower diet, the cheese diet, fast, don’t fast, blah, blah, blah. Eat. Take a walk. Have a martini. (Preferably not at the same time.) Eat well and have fun doing it. You may realize you knew how to do it all along.
Along with sharing company secrets, I’m going to show you how to make smarter choices when you shop, how to stretch your food dollars by using every last ingredient, how to create awesome healthful preservative free dishes, how to stock your freezer, and most importantly, how to store weekly meals and plan meals months in advance. This ain’t no 30 minute Rachel Ray tuna casserole with pretzels. This is Grandma’s lamb stuffed squash and cumin roasted tomatoes. Oh yeah, in 30 minutes.
The secret to great food is in the PREP. Once you develop the stocks, bases, sauces, oils, and techniques, cooking is (heh heh) a cake-walk. Most restaurants have stocks, basic sauces, infused oils, roasted and toasted herbs and spices on hand at all times. Think about it. Who would wait 4 hours for a bowl of spaghetti while they make marinara?!
You also can’t deny the difference in the texture and essence of homemade stocks rather than the salty, chemical, flavor of canned stock. Don’t get me wrong, bouillon has its place (um…somewhere), but given the opportunity to use fresh rich stock, why wouldn’t you?
I’m also going to try to take the fright out of shopping. Whole foods, organic, farm raised, free- range, free-trade, vegan, macrobiotic, steroids, sulfites, eat green; avoid chemicals, sodium, preservatives, and anything with eyes. AHHHHHH!
As you have probably figured out by the name of this cookbook, I’m not so concerned with being politically correct. I am concerned about your health, the environment, flavor, fun, and making cooking work with your lifestyle. Do you really need another book scolding you? How about a book that shows you that what you’re doing is probably ok, just do it better and a little less of it. It’s all moderation guys.
Sorry. You gotta’ move. I hate exercise too, but you have to do it. Hate the gym? Play with your kids. Don’t have kids? Take the stairs. Broke up with your boyfriend? Have a quart of ice cream. (KIDDING!) Have a cookie; take a walk, is it possible you should have dumped him long ago anyways? Can’t fight exercise guys. Ya’ gotta do it. Ya’ gotta move. No matter what I feed you it’ll go to your butt if you don’t or for you men, your gut.
SO LET’S GET STARTED!!!
There are certain food items and equipment every kitchen should and shouldn’t have. Let start with the “shouldn’t haves”.
I have a vegetarian friend who is easily 20lbs overweight and although insists he eats healthy, has the worst diet in the world. Raman noodles, canned soups, sugar in his tea, in his juice,in his cereal, (go to www.caloriecount.com/sugarfacts) energy drinks loaded with caffeine. His justification? “It’s my only meal of the day…” WHAT???!!!
Go through your fridge and pantry and clear out the things you haven’t used in the past 3 months. I know that many of those soups, cereals, salt substitutes, frozen pizzas, diet dinners and waffles, have shelf lives of 22 years. But lose them! Take them to a food bank, feed the birds, just get them out of your cupboards. (You have to wonder, if they stay so long in your closet how long do they stay in your body?!) Besides sticking to your butt, these things can kill you. Read the package. Check the sodium, sugar, and preservative content. Don’t panic, i’ll replace them with new fun, tasty, stuff.
As far as shouldn’t haves in kitchen equipment, I probably wouldn’t own a Acme slicer, dicer, chopper, omelet maker, but I guess if you use it often, keep it. Otherwise, off to Good Will it goes and invest in a good knife, a food processor, a heavy 16 inch sauté pan or skillet, and a wood, not plastic, not rubber, not polypoo-poo-ate cutting board. These items are worth every cent. Here’s some shopping links. http://www.henckel.com/ http://www.restaurantsuppliers.com/
Must have pantry basics:
Non stick cooking spray
Not stick baking Spray
Kosher salt
Whole black peppercorns
White pepper
Extra virgin olive oil
Good blended oil, (canola & olive)
Light vegetable oil
Balsamic Vinegar
Cider Vinegar
Bay Leaves
All-Purpose Flour Cornstarch
Fine Cornmeal
Sugar
Brown Sugar
Baking Soda
Baking Powder
Vanilla
Honey
Must have refrigerator basics:
Eggs
Unsalted butter ( I know margarine is better for you, but ick!)
Plain yogurt
Tofu
Lemons
Limes
Oranges
Good parmesan, asiago, or Romano
A good mustard, a good chili sauce, a good organic mayo
Must have fresh veggies, herbs:
Onions, red, white and yellow
Leeks
Tomatoes, any! They are so so good for you!
Celery
Carrots
Whole Garlic
Parsley, preferably flat leaf
Any fresh herbs, basil, sage, rosemary, tarragon, lavender, thyme, oregano, etc.
Other stuff to have around:
Any kind of fresh fruit or fruit juices, even frozen or canned, just no added sugar
Hot and cold cereals (you don’t need to eat twigs but watch for added sugar and salt)
Natural cheeses, not processed, (3grams or less of fat per serving)
Whole canned tomatoes
Dried beans
Frozen peas or any frozen vegetable without cream or cheese sauce
Lentils, grains,
Rice (various types)
Pasta (various types)
Tortillas, Corn or flour
Peanut butter
Assorted dried herbs and spices including
cinnamon, all-spice, whole nutmeg, turmeric,
coriander,cardomon seed, fennel seed, celery seed,
mustard seed, sweet and hot paprika’s, saffron
Assorted nuts and dried fruit including
Pine nuts, almonds, walnuts, pistachios, brown and golden raisins, cranraisins, apricots
Of course there are a million items that are nice to have at your fingertips, hazelnut oil, walnut oil, champagne vinegar, sherry vinegar, and on and on. Stock up on good stuff, but be careful, watch for preservatives, added sugars, high sodium, and bad fat.
Chocolate. You must have a chunk of chocolate. Good chocolate. Dark, bittersweet, semi-sweet.
I'm going to give you some great sweet and snack ideas, but until then, enjoy your OCCASIONAL ice cream, pudding, cookie or chips. This is what I call the FAKE-OUT. Enjoy your treats this way....
Portion yourself. Put your treats in a small bowl before you sit down in front of the T.V. don't take the bag, the container, the package to the couch with you. You'll eat less and slower.
My weakness? Lays potato chips. I can finish a full bag while watching The Biggest Loser. I opt for homemade popcorn with Parmesean cheese instead of salt and butter. Sometimes melt a 1oz cube of dark chocolate in a small bowl and make my own fondue-ish thing. I dunk a sliced green apple in it. It gives me crunch and sweet, and I stop after one apple. Yum.
If you have a FAKE-OUT, have a 'must have', or if there's anything you can't live without, or would just like to share an eating secret, post a comment and we'll share it!
COMING SOON- Stocking STOCK
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