tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-39956786581259459872024-03-14T04:46:17.442-04:00Mise en place - (A good place to start)I don't claim to be a master chef, and everything I've learned I've either picked up from somewhere, or taught myself. I believe that anyone can eat gourmet meals at home, it just takes a little effort. I want to help you through the process. I'm going to talk food, on a daily basis. Cooking, techniques, ingredients, restaurants...you name it, you'll get it here!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04591419969055053027noreply@blogger.comBlogger265125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3995678658125945987.post-17633553203040274522012-12-31T10:47:00.000-05:002012-12-31T10:47:07.675-05:00The Sinclair (and I'm back from hiatus!)It's the last day of 2012, and I know that I have been on quite a hiatus these last few months. My resolution for the new year is to get back into the swing of things here, because I miss it. Sometimes it's easier to drop something you love doing, rather than having to fit everything into those 24 hours we have each day, but I need to make time for this, thus my resolution. My inspiration was easy! We have a friend who has had an integral part in opening a new restaurant/music venue in the Harvard Square area, called <a href="http://www.sinclaircambridge.com/kitchen/">The Sinclair</a>. Not yet open to the public, they invited friends and family to join them this weekend for a delicious meal, on them! We couldn't pass up an invitation like that, and I'll tell you one thing - it may be my new go-to place in Cambridge!<br />
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I'm not sure of the opening date yet, but I do know that the first concert they will host is taking place on January 12th, and it's a big name! Howie Day will be in Cambridge! I haven't gotten to see the space for concerts yet, but I'm sure I will soon! For this post, I'd like to tell you about the delicious food we ate, and the wonderful cocktails we imbibed! Michael Schlow, of Via Matta and Radius fame, had a hand in the menu collaboration and back-of-house set up, and he was even there, overseeing the Friends and Family event. It's a plus to have such a big name behind them, and the menu does not disappoint. I immediately realized that I wanted one of everything! </div>
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We started by looking at the drinks menus (there were several), and both of us decided on cocktails for the occasion. I opted for the Whiskey Smash, which is made with George Dickel Tennessee Whiskey, muddled mint, lemon, sugar and Angostura Bitters. It was the perfect drink for the cold and cough I've been nursing for the past few days. Matt decided on the North X South, with Mezcal Vida, Hellfire Honey Sassafras Syrup, Carpano Antica and lime. We both really enjoyed the flavors, but also the creativity of the drinks menu. It was a pleasure to read, and choose from!<br />
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Our lovely waitress, Carla, came over to take our appetizer order so we asked for the Local Crab, the Steak Tartare, and the Grilled Artichoke Salad. They all came out within minutes of each other but we dug into the Artichoke Salad first. The bitter greens atop the tender, grilled artichoke hearts were balanced really nicely, and the topping of crispy onions added some great flavor. The dressing of an herb emulsion was quite satisfying, and there was just enough to add flavor, without over dressing the greens. It really was a delicious salad!<br />
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As for the Steak Tartare, and the Local Crab - both were yummy! It was a bit of the same type of consistency in both dishes, but with very different tastes. The Local Crab came with some chopped green apple and celery, along with a little gelee, and purple potato chips! When I had a bite of every flavor together, the result was fantastic! Separately, the flavors were just kind of there, but together, they just popped! It was a wonderful pairing! The steak was delicious, mixed with cornichons and accompanied by these tiny little baby mushrooms (adorable!) and truffle aioli. My only complaint - I needed more crostinis so that I could eat more of it!!</div>
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Before the entrees arrived, it was time for a second round of cocktails, and we both decided on drinks that would follow well from our first choices, but also allow us to try something new! I opted for a Sazerac (I love the oldies!), with Rye Whiskey, Sugar, Angostura Peychaud's Bitters, and an Absinthe rinse. It was straight-up, and delicious! :) Matt decided to move from Mezcal to Tequila, with the Bull Fight, which used el Jimador Reposada Tequila, House Falernum, Drambuie, lime and ginger beer. Again, the creativity of these drinks is really appealing, and the concoctions work!</div>
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Okay, second round of drinks - check! The entrees arrived and the award for Prettiest Plating of the night goes to, ding ding ding, the Grilled Prawns, with Tasso Ham, Spinach and Creamy Grits. It was such a beautiful plate that I almost didn't want to eat it, but wait, yes I did! It looked SO delicious! The grits were creamy and flavorful, the spinach was resting atop a delicious tomato sauce, and the prawns, well, they were cooked perfectly! All the flavors were so interesting separately, but then melded so well together without overpowering each other. It was a very balanced dish, and really a plate full of southern hospitality! It was so comforting! </div>
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Matt opted for the Branzino (my second choice), which is a delicious fish, served with the skin, cooked until crispy, atop white beans, smoked bacon and a shellfish broth. It was a hearty dish with great flavors. He cleaned that plate!</div>
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This was a fantastic meal, and the space is very cool. Dark woods, caged lighting, and a relaxed atmosphere made it a really attractive place to hang out! And the fact that there's a music venue in the space as well - amazing! This is exactly what Harvard Square was missing, and I can't wait to go back! I think those Prawns and Grits just became by go-to cold weather comfort meal! Keep an eye out for it's opening dates, because this is one you'll want to check out!</div>
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I'm back, baby! :)</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04591419969055053027noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3995678658125945987.post-22005539202267353892012-08-20T20:52:00.001-04:002012-08-20T20:52:38.974-04:00My Go-To BreakfastHave you ever had guests come to visit, and been at a loss for what to make them for breakfast the next morning? This recipe will bring you out of that slump, I promise you that. It's delicious <i>every</i> time, it's easy, fast, and showcases your culinary expertise, even if you may think it's limited! This is something I found in the back section of my <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0696237075/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0696237075&linkCode=as2&tag=misenplaagoop-20">Food Network Favorites: Recipes from Our All-Star Chefs</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=misenplaagoop-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0696237075" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> cookbook. I've used this book so much that all the pages have come away from the spine, and I'm about ready to hole-punch the pages and make a binder out of it!<br />
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It's called <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/baked-eggs-with-farmhouse-cheddar-and-potatoes-recipe/index.html">Baked Eggs with Farmhouse Cheddar and Potatoes</a>, it uses a minimal amount of ingredients, and is a one-pot wonder! Less dishes = happy hostess, right? The majority of the prep time is taken up dicing the potatoes into pretty little squares. The recipe calls for red-skinned potatoes, and that makes for a very pretty dish, but I usually use whatever I have on hand, and everyone has potatoes on hand. This time around, I had some Yukon Golds to use up! If the potatoes are larger, I usually do 1 - 1 1/2 potatoes per person, if they are small, then I go with the weight measurement of about 1 1/2 pounds. I was feeding three of us this weekend, so I used about 5 medium-sized potatoes, and I've got a good trick for dicing them into lovely little squares! Cut the potato into thick slices and then split it in half and stack them with flat side down. Now you can cross-cut, horizontally and vertically, making beautiful, mostly symmetrical squares when the pieces fall apart!<br />
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Once the potatoes are prepped, you can start cooking, and then prep the rest of the ingredients while the potatoes cook. It's best to use a cast iron skillet for this recipe as it gives nice color to the potatoes, and can also transfer to the oven when you're ready to use it. I melted some butter into the pan first, and foremost.</div>
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Once the butter had melted, and I had spread it around the pan, I added the potatoes and left them to sizzle and brown, while I turned my attention back to my cutting board, where I had a few more things to chop. I chopped some parsley and a couple of garlic cloves, amidst intermittent potato-stirring. </div>
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I got the eggs out of the fridge, in preparation for the next stage in the process:</div>
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...and shredded some sharp cheddar for the <i>last</i> step in the process.</div>
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Now, let's check on those potatoes, shall we!? Once they were tender and cooked through, I stirred in the parsley and garlic, along with some salt and pepper and let everything meld together for another minute or two. Now, it's time to make the wells for the eggs. The amount of people you are feeding will determinehow many areas you need to clear. For three people, I made a kind of peace sign out of my cast iron skillet, with the potatoes. If you had four people, you could move things around a bit to accommodate that. More than four people, and I'd say it's time to use two pans. Once you have your wells made, you can break two eggs into each of them.</div>
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At this point, the whole thing gets to go in the oven to bake! The recipe quotes times but I usually eyeball it, and move on to the next step once the whites of the eggs are stiff. That's the part that NEEDS to be cooked through. This time, I think I left them in a minute too long, and the yolks got a little overdone, but usually, they stay a little runny and ooze out into the potatoes when you cut into the whole thing!</div>
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Once the whites are stiff, it's time for that last step! Sprinkle the shredded cheddar all over the top, and stick back in the oven for 2 or 3 minutes, giving it time to get ooey, gooey and cheesy! It's a crowd-pleaser...every time, I guarantee it!</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04591419969055053027noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3995678658125945987.post-20520180504225103892012-08-15T21:05:00.000-04:002012-08-15T21:05:10.713-04:00An Ode to Julia!Happy 100th birthday to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julia_Child">Julia Child</a>! I remember watching her when I was a little girl. She would greet me with her unique "helloooooo" and then teach me something I didn't even know existed about cooking. I especially remember one episode, where Julia made a recipe that used raw eggs, but she wasn't planning on cooking those eggs at any point. My mom had always drilled into me that I shouldn't eat anything with raw eggs in it - no licking the bowl of cookie dough for me - and I just freaked out. "Julia's eating raw eggs," I yelled as I ran into the other room to find my mom and "tattle" on her. Little did I know that many things that are totally delicious are made with raw eggs - as long as they are fresh, you're probably good to go! Yea...probably, but usually, it's worth the risk!<br />
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Tonight, we visited <a href="http://harvestcambridge.com/">Harvest</a>, located in Harvard Square, for a delicious set menu honoring Julia Child's 100th birthday. I had purchased a <a href="http://www.giltcity.com/invite/meredith53">Gilt City</a> voucher a few months back for a great deal on a set three-course menu with wine pairings, and it just so happened that we hit the restaurant when they were offering a special menu. This was a three-course menu, plus an <i>amuse</i>, along with wine pairings and every bite/sip of it was absolutely delicious. First things first - the menu:<br />
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An <i>amuse bouche</i> is a small plate, consisting of a few bites, meant to "tickle" the palate before starting a meal. Today, we were offered a take on a <i>Salade Nicoise</i>, with a bite of tune conserve, a hard-boiled quail egg, a bit of anchovy, haricots verts, and some lovely heirloom potatoes. It was a very refreshing beginning to the meal, and I will definitely look for it as a dish on the menu next time I visit.</div>
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For the appetizer, we received a delicious <i>Sauvignon Blanc</i> from Loire Valley, in France, which was paired with a yellow heirloom tomato, stuffed with bread crumbs, and floating atop a beautifully seasoned tomato water with sea beans and fine herbs. I don't think I've ever had sea beans before, but I know I've seen them on cooking shows, as one of those challenging ingredients that chefs don't know how to incorporate into the dish. I have to say, they added a wonderful crunchy texture to an otherwise soft consistency, and the tomato water was seasoned absolutely perfectly. The herbs added wonderful flavor to the dish, and it was really pretty to look at, as well!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I love the flowers that garnish the plate!</td></tr>
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For our main course, our fabulous server brought us a beautiful plate, with four slices of duck breast, in a peach glaze. The duck was resting atop a potato gratin terrine with carrots, which was gorgeous to look at, but even more delicious to eat! Roasted root vegetables completed the dish, and every bite was as wonderful as the last! With the main course, we enjoyed a <i>Grenache/Syrah</i> from the Cote-de-Rhone, in France.<br />
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As if I could eat anymore, there was still a dessert course to come, along with my favorite of the three wine pairings, a <i>Semillon</i> from Bordeaux. The richness of the cake was balanced by the fluffy lightness of the mascarpone, and complemented perfectly by the salted Dulce de Leche and the almonds. I love a little salt in my dessert and I couldn't have asked for a more perfect end to this fabulous meal!</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That looks like ice cream, but it's really mascarpone! yum!</td></tr>
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I've been to Harvest a handful of times aside from this visit. Before my parents moved here, they would come to visit me while I was at Boston University, and this was one of our go-to places. The food is always beautifully presented and delicious, and the service is impeccable! We will definitely be adding this one back into our repertoire after such a delicious meal tonight! Bravo to Harvest!</div>
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Harvest can be found at 44 Brattle Street, in Harvard Square. Call 617-868-2255, or go to <a href="http://www.opentable.com/boston-restaurants">OpenTable</a> for reservations.</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04591419969055053027noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3995678658125945987.post-59366129816715277192012-08-09T10:49:00.000-04:002012-08-09T10:49:08.272-04:00Food Truck NationEating at a food truck makes me want to own one. I have ideas for them, and I get really excited until I realize that I'll need a lot of backing to actually start it up. (<em>Insert donation plea here - ha!</em>) Yesterday, I had a delicious lunch at a truck that my husband has been raving about for months, and I finally made it over there. It was definitely worth the walk!<br />
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The truck is called <a href="http://www.staffmealboston.com/">Staff Meal</a>, and they have truck-made chorizo. Yup, they had me at "truck-made chorizo!" The menu selection consists of four basic choices, with the option of having each as tacos, or as a burrito, as well as a few specials - one of which is Matt's favorite. The line was long, people were excited to eat the food, and the employees are friendly and helpful! <br />
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I finally got my turn at the window, and ordered for both me and Matt. A "Steinberg" for him (half chorizo, half barbacoa, rice n' beans, "guac" and Alex's Ugly Sauce) and the Truck-Made Chorizo, Lime Crema, Radish and Lettuce burrito for me. I added a couple of Judge Smails' Half & Halfs (half lemonade, half iced tea blasted together) and pulled up the coupon I got on <a href="http://www.yelp.com/">Yelp</a> for checking in! After saving the dollar, I pulled up <a href="https://www.thelevelup.com/">LevelUp</a> to pay! I love how convenient they make this! <br />
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After toting my purchases over to a lovely bench down the way a bit, I took a sip of the refreshing beverage. It was a great concoction of iced tea and lemonade, not too much of either, but just right. It was just sweet enough, and just tart enough to be the perfect drink for a hot day in Boston!<br />
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Once properly refreshed by "Judge Smails," we both unwrapped our burritos and took a few bites! The chorizo is so fresh, the rice is perfectly cooked, and the sauces are interesting and flavorful. I thoroughly enjoyed mine, but the "Steinberg" was amazing. The combination of flavors made each bite really pop, and the mixture of barbacoa <em>and</em> chorizo was very complimentary! I think it was the guacamole that pulled it all together - that or the red cabbage they threw in there for some crunch - so good!) </div>
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I found Staff Meal's truck in City Hall Plaza, by Government Center, but you can check their website daily, or follow them on Twitter for alternate locations. I definitely recommend checking them out when you are in the mood for tacos or a burrito, because the food is delicious and really satisfies the craving. With fresh ingredients, and friendly faces, how can you go wrong!?!?</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04591419969055053027noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3995678658125945987.post-83068621850740064862012-08-06T14:29:00.002-04:002012-08-06T14:36:37.199-04:00Days Fly ByAmidst the recuperating from my foot surgery, BBQs on hot summer nights, weekends away, and Groupons that are going to expire, I haven't done much cooking in the past few weeks. For this, I apologize, because when I don't cook, I don't really think to write - unless I visit a new and exciting place, but I haven't done that. I've been frequenting the many favorites (ones I've already written about) or hanging out with friends at home, grilling up simple steak tips, and trying to beat the humidity by not rushing around my kitchen in a frenzy. <br />
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As the days begin to get shorter, and the weather starts to get cooler, I definitely start to "nest," doing larger food shopping trips, and stocking the shelves for the comfort foods of cold weather. In preparation for this "nesting," I've been trying to organize my kitchen (as well as the rest of our apartment), and the first task on the list was the pantry. I have <em>TOO MANY</em> spices, oils, vinegars and other assorted ingredients. I realized that I have duplicate bottles of many things, as well as items in containers that aren't labeled and difficult to find in the back of these deep shelves. <br />
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So, I got out the label maker, I bought some little bottles for consolidating duplicates, and even got some adorable polka-dotted contact paper to pull it all together! I'm almost done with the first shelf! Yes, I've only done one shelf. It's a lot of work - it was the spice shelf! Once it's finished, I'll have an accurate account of the things I need to use up before going on anymore ingredient binges. I've got plenty to last me awhile, and all I need to supplement are fresh fruits and veggies, and proteins. I probably won't be making a set menu for a few weeks as I make my best effort to clear some things that need to be used up. I think I'll use farmers' markets and local stores to supplement what I've got in small amounts, since we still have a bunch of Groupon vouchers that expire at the end of the month, as well as lots of plans to take advantage of outdoor dining before the summer's up. <br />
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Thankfully, I'm getting around better now, and can take advantage of all that Boston has to offer in the summertime, while the weather's nice and the college kids are still on vacation! Once September hits, it's a mad house up in here! :)<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04591419969055053027noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3995678658125945987.post-85011553874133203712012-07-20T09:02:00.000-04:002012-07-20T09:02:29.617-04:00Lasagna on the Fly!"On the fly," is a term used in restaurant kitchens, when something needs to be cooked and delivered to a customer ASAP! That's exactly what happened last night! We got home a bit later than usual, and my husband needed to get to a softball game. He also needed to eat before he went, so I flew into the kitchen and whipped up a little something! This was the planned meal of the evening, but I thought I would have more time to prepare it, so I definitely pulled this out of somewhere! <br />
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Three things needed to happen before I could assemble the <a href="http://www.marthastewart.com/354941/sausage-chard-and-lemon-lasagna"><em>Sausage, Chard, and Lemon Lasagna</em></a><em>. </em>I had to simmer some lemon slices to soften them, cook the sausage until it was no longer pink, and create a delicious Bechamel sauce. I whizzed around the kitchen (well, as fast as my limping foot could take me) gathering my ingredients in my arms. I was able to do it one or two trips! I got three pots set on the stove and started preheating the oven too! <br />
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The first pot held a thinly sliced lemon, along with some water that I brought to a boil, and simmered for 7 minutes. This softened the lemons, bringing out the flavor and also making the entire thing (including the rind) edible and flavorful. Once the 7 minutes had passed, I took them out of the water and left them to dry on a paper towel. We'll be using those later!<br />
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Meanwhile, I also placed some sweet Italian sausages into a non-stick skillet, peeled of their casings. I used a wooden spoon to break up the sausages, letting them crumble and brown in the pan. I was able to let that sit and cook, while I worked on the Bechamel sauce, which required a lot of stirring and attention.</div>
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Now, for the Bechamel sauce, which I have to say, came out <em>really</em> well! I melted three tablespoons of butter in a pan, and added a quarter of a cup of flour. This combination creates a roux, which thickens liquids over heat. After cooking the butter and flour mixture for a minute or two, I added the three cups of whole milk and brought it all to a boil. As it began to boil, it began to thicken, which meant it was time to remove it from the heat, and add the Parmensan cheese. As the cheese melted into the roux and milk, the sauce became silky and thick, and delicious! I seasoned it with some salt and pepper, and stirred in my chopped Swiss Chard that I got at a local farmer's market this past weekend. <br />
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Now, it was time to assemble the lasagna and put it in the oven. Where are the noodles, you ask? Well, this recipe called for <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0029JTZ7Y/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=misenplaagoop-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B0029JTZ7Y">Barilla's No-Bake Lasagna Noodles</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=misenplaagoop-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B0029JTZ7Y" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0px;" width="1" />, so I decided to go with that direction, rather than making my own this time around. I spread some sauce on the bottom of the pan, added two noodles, half of the sausage and a cup of sauce. I repeated the procedure and then finished it off with two noodles, the rest of the sauce and the lemon slices. I have to say that this is the first lasagna recipe that has made the perfect amount of sauce. I usually double the sauce portion of any recipe because I never seem to have enough, but this was perfect! <br />
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After 27 minutes in the oven, at 350 degrees, the lasagna was ready! And I was just under the gun, too! We finished eating and then, Matt was off to his softball game! Clean-up wasn't too bad either! Since there were so few ingredients, the majority of the clean-up were the three pots I used to prep everything. The lasagna pan went straight into the fridge - I'm looking forward to those leftovers!</div>
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/53467737@N05/7608995682/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Untitled by MereBear53, on Flickr"><img alt="Untitled" height="375" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8160/7608995682_3cf9ae8765.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04591419969055053027noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3995678658125945987.post-33910281885186887462012-07-18T10:33:00.002-04:002012-07-18T10:33:52.299-04:00Poached Eggs and PlaydatesWe had some friends over last night...Baxter the Pit/Boxer mix, along with his human, Josh! Oia and Baxter had a field day playing and running around while I made sure the humans were fed some yummy dinner, and we all had a lovely evening! While they chowed down on treats for tricks, we dove into bowls of gooey risotto loaded with crispy pieces of bacon, and silky, sauteed leeks. The best part though? The poached egg broken over the top of each mound of risotto, dripping and oozing into the dish, adding that much more texture to an already flavorful dish! <br />
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I got a later start than I had originally planned, but the bacon was crisping when Baxter and Josh walked in the door! I was moving along in my creation of <em><a href="http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/2011/04/bacon_and_leek_risotto_with_poached_egg">Bacon and Leek Risotto with Poached Egg</a></em>. After the bacon was done, I sauteed the leeks in the drippings and eventually added the rice as well as the wine. I've explained the risotto-making procedure over and over, so I won't bore you with the chicken-stock-ladling and stirring process, but I did happen to have two more containers of homemade stock so that added to the flavors! Once the risotto was ready, I stirred in the bacon, some fresh parsley, and some grated Parmesan, and then seasoned it all up with some salt and black pepper. <br />
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While the risotto was cooking, I sliced a bunch of ingredients for an <em><a href="http://www.tastingtable.com/entry_detail/chefs_recipes/7450/A_colorful_winter_salad.htm">Escarole, Apple and Raw Golden-Beet Salad</a></em>. I used my <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0000DAQ8B/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=misenplaagoop-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B0000DAQ8B">mandoline</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=misenplaagoop-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B0000DAQ8B" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0px;" width="1" /> to thinly slice some raw golden beets and radishes. I was a bit skeptical about eating beets raw, but the freshness combined with the really bright flavor of the golden beets worked really well. I paired the radishes and beets with some escarole, Granny Smith apple, olive oil, apple cider vinegar and hazelnut oil. I topped it all off with some <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0006FS4TI/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=misenplaagoop-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B0006FS4TI">sea salt flakes</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=misenplaagoop-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B0006FS4TI" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0px;" width="1" />. This salt adds a mild saltiness to salads, but with a really interesting texture. They are very fine flakes, so you don't get that crunch that you would get with other types of salt. I like to use it instead of Kosher salt when I'm adding it to salads. I decided not to roast the hazelnuts and sprinkle them over the top, and the salad really worked without them. It was a very bright dish, for one described as a winter salad in the recipe. It was much lighter than what I would imagine a winter salad to be. <br />
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The final step was to poach those eggs for the top of the risotto, and by a stroke of luck, I managed to get all three of them perfect on the first try! I usually spend time screaming and yelling at a pot of boiling water when my eggs break, or don't cook correctly, but these three...they went in perfectly, they cooked perfectly, and then, they oozed gooily over that mound of risotto! Score! <br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/53467737@N05/7597290802/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Untitled by MereBear53, on Flickr"><img alt="Untitled" height="375" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8288/7597290802_f152527846.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04591419969055053027noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3995678658125945987.post-63191736836628715252012-07-17T09:49:00.000-04:002012-07-17T09:49:26.212-04:00The Swing of ThingsI've been at home, recuperating from my foot surgery, and I've really missed writing this blog, and most of all, cooking! We were down to a little bit of nothing in the fridge, in the way of proteins, and have been subsisting on take-out. My husband doesn't cook very often, and it's been quite an effort to stand in the kitchen and prep ingredients, so take-out was the solution. I think we exhausted about all of our options by the time I was ready to pull a list together and get some food in the house! Finally, last night, <a href="http://peapod.tellapal.com/a/clk/3fTG5f">Peapod</a> delivered, and our fridge is again stocked with delicious, fresh ingredients, and there's a menu hanging on the door. Ah, getting back into the swing of things now! <br />
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I decided to start off simple, with meals that don't take a ton of time, or prep...and best of all, clean up easily. I still have to take it easy on my foot, although I can walk on it, so short stints in the kitchen are best. For my first trick, <em><a href="http://www.tastingtable.com/entry_detail/chefs_recipes/8581/Ken_Tominaga_shares_a_new_use_for_sake.htm">Asari Sakamushi</a> </em>(Steamed Clams with Soy, Butter and Garlic) with a side of <a href="http://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-pan-roas-162067"><em>Thai-Style Brussels Sprouts</em></a><em>. </em>This meal took a total of about 20 minutes, with only about 8 minutes of actual cooking time, between the two dishes. It was so simple to pull together, totally delicious, and great for a hot summer's evening.<br />
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Between the two recipes, there were a total of 11 ingredients, which is great because I could pull everything out without too many trips to the pantry and fridge from my workspace near the stove. I gathered my bottles of olive oil, fish sauce, sake, and soy sauce, and then grabbed some roasted peanuts, garlic cloves, butter, scallions and a lemon. I had unpacked the groceries and left my Brussels sprouts and clams on the counter already so now I was ready to start! Instead of the Manila clams suggested in the recipe, I purchased about 3 pounds of steamers - they were on sale, and they are my <em>favorite</em>! I washed them in some cold water to remove a lot of the grit and set them aside. I trimmed, groomed, and halved my Brussels sprouts too, placing them in a bowl with the olive oil and fish sauce to marinate for a few minutes. That was the extent of the prep, aside from a little chopped garlic! <br />
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At the same time, I heated a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat, and also brought the sake and garlic to a boil in a separate deep-walled pan. I definitely had more than 30 clams so I wanted to make sure there was a lot of room for them to open. I placed the Brussels sprouts halved-side down into the cast iron skillet, and left them to caramelize while I tended to my clams. Once the sake was simmering, I poured those clams into the pan and covered them, leaving them to steam for the next 5 minutes. I don't think I've ever steamed clams in a pot with a clear cover before, and I have to stay that it was very cool to actually watch them cooking, and slowly opening. Maybe it's just been too long since I cooked a meal...but I was intrigued!<br />
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As the clams finished cooking, it was also time to stir the brussels sprouts and get the other side a bit more browned. I stirred them up, and then removed the clams from the pan with a slotted spoon. In place of the clams, I added some soy sauce, lemon juice, and butter to the pan, allowing it all to meld and get deliciously luxurious and silky, just two or three minutes longer. I poured it all over the clams, sprinkled some sliced scallions on top, and voila...dinner is served!<br />
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We ended up baking a loaf of frozen bread towards the end of our dinner, because there was so much delicious broth left over that we couldn't waste! I didn't think we'd need it with all the clams, but, it was too good to just pour down the drain. YUM!!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04591419969055053027noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3995678658125945987.post-88202618720518266402012-06-28T08:19:00.000-04:002012-06-28T08:19:51.476-04:00Dwindling SuppliesApologies to everyone for being a bit M.I.A. for the last few weeks. I'm having surgery next week and I've been trying to get lots of things done before I'm on crutches for a few weeks. Don't worry, I'm going to be fine, and this is going to fix what has been causing me pain for months so...I'm actually looking forward to it, as much as one can look forward to extra pain. Knowing that the pain will subside is what is keeping me going right now!<br />
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I've been cleaning the house, doing all the laundry, changing the sheets, and preparing for a week on the couch...but I've also been trying to use up what I've got in the kitchen. I haven't gone food shopping in a few weeks, trying to clean the freezer out of all the collected meats, and pairing that with randomness found in the pantry! There's too much stuff in there! I've actually purchased some cute little glass bottles, which should arrive in the next few days, in order to combine duplicates of spice jars in the hopes of making more space in there! I've got bottles and bags, jars and cans...and I need to use this stuff up. Otherwise, there's no room for new and exciting ingredients that I find in the future! <br />
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Last night, for instance, I made a risotto using things I had on hand. Like I've said in the past, risotto can be a great catch-all for leftover ingredients, and this was no exception. I even had some homemade chicken stock left over that I defrosted for the occasion. I'm not going to share the intricacies of my creation, because I'm thinking that this is one for the books - and a cookbook, I will write, one day. I'm taking notes, and collecting pictures. This one was an interesting pairing of ingredients that turned out <em>really well</em> so I was very excited! <br />
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What types of ingredients do <em>you</em> have lying around in <em>your</em> pantry? We've all gotten that jar of seasoned salt, that bottle of tarragon vinegar, that container of homemade jam that sits around, waiting for the perfect recipe. They take a long time to use up, but taste so good - we need to utilize these wonderful ingredients more often! That's the my goal!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04591419969055053027noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3995678658125945987.post-83013951939461909942012-06-20T19:58:00.000-04:002012-06-20T19:59:28.060-04:00Record TimeLast night, I cranked out dinner in record time! We had somewhere to go, and we weren't going to eat until late if I didn't get something on the table before we had to go. I had defrosted burgers, but a plain burger on a plain bun wasn't all that appealing to me at the time...so I worked somethin' <i>out</i>!!<br />
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I started by throwing some bacon slices into a cast iron pan, allowing them to start cooking while I gathered some other ingredients from around my kitchen! I pulled out a bag of chopped cabbage slaw mix, some very ripe (over-ripe? maybe.) avocados, a shallot, and two rogue slices of provolone cheese that I had left over from the Cubano I made last week. While I was gathering these things, my husband went outside and harvested some arugula from our garden! Okay, that's what I've got. Here's what I made:<br />
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I crumbled some of the bacon into the mixture of cabbage slaw and tossed it with a light ranch dressing - instant side dish of flavorful cole slaw! I put the burgers in the pan that I cooked the bacon in, allowing the meat to soak up some of that bacon flavor while it cooked. Meanwhile, I placed the buns under the broiler to toast, and mashed up those "very ripe" avocados with a minced shallot. I used the avocado mixture on each side of the bun, topping it with the burger (topped with melted Provolone), bacon slices and arugula leaves. </div>
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The prep was minimal, the idea was simple, and the outcome was delicious! There's always something to be made with what you've got lying around the house, so put your thinkin' caps on and get cookin'! Dinner was literally on the table in under 15 minutes, and I have to say, I think I even impressed my husband. "Dinner's ready...<i>already</i>???" he yelled from the garden in our backyard. Haha, yup!</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04591419969055053027noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3995678658125945987.post-84111464345963740112012-06-15T18:00:00.000-04:002012-06-15T18:00:00.776-04:00Getting Back to Basics<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The other night, I finally had a little bit of time to breathe, so I decided to re-crack open my "textbook," <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0031569VA/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=misenplaagoop-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B0031569VA">The Professional Chef</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=misenplaagoop-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B0031569VA" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0px;" width="1" />. Of course, it's been awhile since I've had time to dedicate to broadening my knowledge in the culinary field, so I'm still on that pesky soup section. Lucky thing...I love soup! The first recipe in this section of the text book is a traditional Chicken Rice soup (Canja). A few weeks ago, I made a giant batch of homemade chicken stock, so a few days before making this recipe, I defrosted quite a few small plastic containers for use in the soup. <br />
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To start the process, the first thing I had to do was brown up some chicken pieces. The recipe calls for a "stewing hen" cut into 6 pieces, but guess what I found on my <a href="http://peapod.com/">Peapod.com</a> expedition this week? I found a whole chicken, already cut into pieces, bones, skin, gizzards and all. Perfect, I still got fresh food, but I took a tiny bit of work out of it...that's what I like to find! So, in batches, I browned up my chicken pieces in one pot, and then placed them in another, larger, stock pot. I think the recipe means to use the same pot all the way through, but since I don't have restaurant-size stock pots, or giant areas of stove top, I actually used a lobster pot to make this soup. I knew I was going to need depth, and that's the deepest I've got! <br />
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Once I had browned all of the pieces of chicken (this was done in a few batches so as not to crowd them), and they had all been tossed into the lobster/stock pot, I added a bunch of other things! A nice, rough cut of <em>mirepoix </em>(carrots, onions and celery) got thrown in, along with minced jalapeno, chopped ginger, and a couple of bay leaves. The knife cuts on these things don't need to be precise since the soup gets strained at the end, and all this stuff gets tossed anyway. I sauteed this mixture for about 5 minutes to bring out the flavors before adding them to the pot.</div>
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After chopping and adding all of these delicious, fresh ingredients to the pot, I poured in my GALLON of chicken stock, and seasoned it all up with some rosemary, and salt and pepper. <br />
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An hour and a half later, I took a leisurely stroll back into the kitchen to find wonderful aromas, and some very tender chicken pieces. I pulled them all out of the broth mixture, and pulled all of the meat from the bones, chopping it all into bite-sized pieces as I went. The soup continued to simmer while I did this.</div>
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Once the chicken was all chopped up, and ready for the final product, I strained my soup through a sieve, removing all of the chopped veggies and seasonings. I allowed the broth to sit for a few minutes so that the fat could kind of coagulate on top. I know, gross, but hey - it happens - and you don't want to EAT it, do you? Once a few minutes had passed, I was able to skim the oils and fattiness off the top, leaving a lovely, clear broth that smelled <em>delicious</em>! I sweated some garlic in a pot with some canola oil (the recipe calls for palm oil, but that is expensive and hard to find) before adding it to the broth, re-seasoned it, and since I'd just pulled out all the flavorful bits, allowed it to simmer for a few more minutes. After adding the chicken back to the pot, along with a bag of corn kernels, and some long-grained rice that I had cooked separately and allowed to air-dry for a bit, it was ready to serve! All it needed was a slight garnish of chopped cilantro!<br />
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While the soup simmered for the last few minutes, I pulled together a couple of traditional Cubano sandwiches, chock-ful of roast pork, black forest ham, provolone cheese, cilantro, pickles and dijon mustard. I set them on the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005DDB9S6/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=misenplaagoop-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B005DDB9S6">Panini Grill</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=misenplaagoop-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B005DDB9S6" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0px;" width="1" /> while I dished out the soup. This was a really festive and delicious meal. The soup was fulfilling without being heavy (although my husband and I both felt like it was missing something - a spice maybe, but something - it was almost like I should have left the ginger and jalapeno <em>IN</em> the soup), and the Cubano - mmm, <em>delicioso</em>! <br />
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There was no way we would make it to every cart, based on the serving sizes that we started with, but I tried to take pictures and notes on my favorites from the day. By far, my favorite bite was from <a href="http://meimeiboston.com/">Mei Mei Street Kitchen</a>. There were quite a few options at this truck but I decided to go for the Green Monster ball, a deep-fried spinach and cheddar rice ball, along the lines of the Italian version - <i>arancini</i>. This was a delicious ball of goodness - It was warm and gooey on the inside, and crispy and crunchy on the outside. The best of all worlds, if you ask me, and I now have to find a way to get to their truck in Back Bay, from my office in the Financial District, on a regular basis for lunch. I wonder if they deliver!?</div>
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The <a href="http://www.lobstalove.net/">Lobsta Love Truck</a> was gaining quite a following, and at a rapid rate, so we decided to hop in line before it got ridiculous. There were only three options at this location, so my husband and I decided to each get one thing and share. We opted for the lobster mac n' cheese, which came with giant chunks of lobster claw, as well as the lobster quesadilla, a tortilla stuffed with succulent lobster meat and a biting sauce to top it all off!</div>
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There's a couple glimpses of the puppy in these pics - haha! She was looking on with her tongue out, wishing she could have some delicious lobster too! Over at <a href="http://www.staffmealboston.com/">Staff Meal</a>, I had noticed a "truck-made" chorizo on the menu, and that grabbed my attention, so we went over there next. The chorizo was served in a taco, with lime crema, radish and lettuce, and it was delicious!</div>
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The <a href="http://diningcar.net/">Dining Car</a> offered the choice between a Pulled Pork Slider, and Crispy Cauliflower. I don't normally find myself being drawn to anything involving cauliflower, but this was just calling my name for some reason. It definitely did <i>not</i> disappoint. The florets are tossed with their special corn flour coating and then lightly fried. They are then topped with some curry aioli that adds a hint of spice to the dish! Yum!</div>
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The final highlight of delicious food at the festival came from <a href="http://www.roxysgrilledcheese.com/">Roxy's Grilled Cheese</a>, which despite being famous from The Great Food Truck Race on the Food Network, I have had yet to try. They don't show up in the area that I work very often, and when they do, I've usually already eaten lunch once I find them. I was excited to try their food and so I opted for the The Green Muenster Melt, which contains applewood-smoked bacon, guacamole, and muenster cheese. </div>
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Before we left the festival, but after we decided we were sufficiently full, we had to visit <a href="http://www.dels.com/">Del's Frozen Lemonade</a> for a refreshing cup of, you guessed it, <i>frozen lemonade!</i> In this heat, that really hit the spot!</div>
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This was a really quick one to pull together, and that was a good thing, because I was pretty tired by the time I got home this evening. I peeled my shrimp and de-veined them quickly. The best part about buying frozen shrimp is that they are usually "e-z peel" which means it does not take a ton of work to clean them up. It's a wonder those are the ones that are usually on sale too - less work, less cost - it makes no sense but I'm not complaining.<br />
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I placed some dried mushrooms into a bowl of warm water, allowing them to reconstitute while I brought together the rest of my ingredients. I also put a pot of water on to boil for my noodles. I couldn't find cellophane noodles at my regular grocery store this week, and didn't have a chance to get to my favorite Asian market, so I made do with some Chinese noodles instead. It worked out just fine, although I think the cellophane noodles may have absorbed a bit more of the sauce...we'll just have to try it again!<br />
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While my noodles cooked, I heated some peanut oil in wok, sweated some onions and then added those reconstituted mushrooms, chopped, along with some garlic. Thirty seconds later, I added the shrimp to the wok with a mixture of Chinese Five Spice, cayenne pepper, and sugar. As the shrimp began to turn pink, I seasoned the mixture with a generous amount of white pepper and salt, and then poured in some tomato puree. I know, weird, right? There's all these Asian influences, and then...tomato puree!? That was left to simmer for about two minutes, while the shrimp finished cooking.<br />
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Meanwhile, I pulled those noodles out of the boiling water and doused them with a splash of sesame oil. After splitting the noodles up between the bowls, I topped them with the shrimp and tomato mixture, with a cilantro garnish. The pop of spice that the cayenne pepper brings, and the notably Asian flavor of the Chinese Five Spice really makes this an intriguing dish. As I worked, I wondered if it would be any good - it seemed so simple, but all over the place - but everything came together so nicely, and made for a really delicious one-dish meal! Yum!!</div>
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There's no new menu this week because I realized that we've got a bunch of things in the freezer that I need to use before adding more things to my collection...so we're gettin' creative this week!</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04591419969055053027noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3995678658125945987.post-54822000792584798052012-05-29T18:27:00.000-04:002012-05-29T18:28:22.738-04:00Bonne Idee<br />
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Reporting back...yes, <i>Piperade and Eggs</i> is more than just a good idea, it's a brilliant one! I simply heated up the pepper mixture in a sauce pan while I scrambled some eggs. I toasted up a couple of slices of Sourdough bread (homemade, last night) under the broiler and rubbed them with some butter and garlic. To serve, I simply made a well in the middle of the <i>piperade</i> and scooped in some eggs. Top it all off with some ribbons of basil and voila, a <i>tres bonne idee</i>, and breakfast in under 15 minutes!</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04591419969055053027noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3995678658125945987.post-5855878626625232632012-05-28T19:57:00.000-04:002012-05-28T19:57:36.601-04:00A Peppery PiperadePhew, it's been almost a month since my last post - it's a jungle out there! Not only have I been very busy at work, but I've had to deal with a couple of medical issues, as well as planning a vacation for my husband, my puppy and myself! While I work on a compilation post of all the wonderful foods I encountered on our road trip to the great state of Virginia, I thought I'd get back into the swing of things with a simple, but time-consuming, dish that works great if you need leftovers for another night of the week! Because today is a holiday, and I have ONE more vacation day tomorrow, I planned a menu for the week that included a couple of large quantity meals that will feed us through the days that are going to be busy later in the week! The recipe for <i>Chicken Basquaise</i> comes from a cookbook that I got from my neighbor as a lovely birthday present. The book is called <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007F7PHQI/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=misenplaagoop-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B007F7PHQI">Around My French Table by Dorie Greenspan</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=misenplaagoop-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B007F7PHQI" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> and I've based this week's menu around recipes from this book.<br />
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<i>Basquaise</i>, or "in the Basque style," usually means that the dish will have a ragout of peppers, onions, tomatoes and punch of spice. For this dish, I had to start off by making a <i>piperade</i>, which is another name for the aforementioned ragout. I prepped my <i>mise en place</i> first, and then started the cooking process. There's a lot of small batches of cooking times, that add up to quite a bit of hands-on time in the kitchen, but I decided to throw a pot on the stove to make some chicken stock, and also started a loaf of bread in the bread maker while I was waiting for each step. All the laundry from vacation even got accomplished while I was running around. It was a pretty productive afternoon.<br />
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The first step is to sweat some sliced Vidalia onions with some olive oil for about 10 minutes. You want them softened, but not colored.<br />
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Once the timer beeped, I added sliced green peppers, red peppers, and jalapenos. I added another tablespoon of oil to the onions and peppers, and then covered the mixture, allowing it to cook for the next 20 minutes, getting all soft and delicious in there. I could have peeled the peppers if I wanted to, but the rustic-ness of a few pepper skins was a more attractive option than slowly charring pepper after pepper over an open flame until I was able to peel them.</div>
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Twenty minutes passed, another load of laundry folded, a loaf of bread baking, and it was time to add some peeled and chopped tomatoes, sea salt, sugar, garlic, black pepper, thyme sprigs, bay leaf and some ground chipotle pepper to the mix. The recipe called for something called <i>piment d'Espelette, </i>which is a dried concoction of spicy chiles which is available in specialty stores for a pretty penny. Because it was possible to substitute a spice I already had, I went with that option to save a little money. I would have splurged had I thought I would use the ingredient on a regular basis, but I had a feeling it might just sit in the pantry for a year...so I didn't spend the money.</div>
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For 10 more minutes, the <i>piperade</i> simmered, covered, and then for another 15 minutes, uncovered. I made sure to stir the mixture every few minutes. Once the <i>piperade </i>was completed, I reserved about two cups of it for eggs tomorrow morning. A cool thing about this cookbook is that there are small suggestions on the sides of the pages, called <i>Bonne Idees</i> (good ideas), where they suggest other ways to use leftovers, and <i>Piperade and Eggs</i> sounds like a really good idea, so I will report back on that!</div>
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Now I could prepare my chicken thighs. I patted them until they were dry, using a paper towel, and then added them to heated oil (in batches), skin side down. After about 5 minutes, I flipped them and cooked them for another 3 minutes before transferring them to a bowl and seasoning them with salt and pepper. I repeated the process until all of my chicken thighs had been browned.</div>
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Once all the chicken had been par-cooked, I poured the oil out of the pan, and replaced it with some white wine, scraping up the brown bits and crunchy skin pieces that had been left in the pan, as the wine reduced. I returned the chicken to the pan, and covered it with the <i>piperade</i>. After bringing it to a boil, I reduced the pot to a simmer, and allowed it all to cook together for another 40 minutes. When I told you I was in the kitchen for awhile today, I meant it! At least this 40-minute interval gave me time to enjoy a chapter of my book on my new <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0051VVOB2/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=misenplaagoop-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B0051VVOB2">Kindle Fire</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=misenplaagoop-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B0051VVOB2" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />, an awesome birthday gift from my husband.<br />
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While the chicken cooked, I also made some brown rice in my rice cooker. They ended up finishing up around the same time, and I plated the meal. This was a really great dish, cozy and comforting but also refreshing and light. We ate four of the eight thighs in the pan, leaving us dinner for Wednesday night, since we will most likely be getting home late, after Yappy Hour (yup, we can bring the dog and enjoy drinks outside while she plays). This was definitely worth the time, and we've even got something interesting for breakfast tomorrow as well!</div>
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I'm back! :)</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04591419969055053027noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3995678658125945987.post-22519616372132604822012-05-07T10:28:00.000-04:002012-05-07T10:28:33.708-04:00The Taste of the North EndThe <a href="http://www.northendboston.com/">North End</a>, located in Downtown Boston, is like a little piece of Italy. When I heard that there would be an event where I had the opportunity to taste something from each of the restaurants located in the North End, all in one evening, for the price of an entry ticket, I said "Sign me up!" Better yet, all the proceeds went to charity so I felt good about stuffing my face with Italian delicacies. <br />
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When we walked into the arena that usually holds a skating rink, I first thought of the episodes of Top Chef, where each chef has a table, with a hot plate, and is serving their creation to the judges and guests of whatever event for which they were challenged to cook. There were SO many tables, each with a sign stating what restaurant they represented. There were appetizers and cheese platters, raw bars and pastas, entrees and desserts! It was a virtual SMORGASBORD! I was in heaven!<br />
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We started a bit haphazardly, looking for things that looked amazing, but then we realized, everything looked amazing, and we better have a method to our madness! After roaming a bit, grabbing a drink at the center bar, and picking up a few cherrystones on the half shell to start the evening, we started working our way from one end of the loop to the other! Let me tell you, we did not make it all the way around! <br />
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I took pictures of a few of the highlights, although it was quite dark in the arena so the pictures are not fantastic. As the band played, my husband and I commented on each of the items we picked up, making mental notes (and in my case, I actually wrote this stuff down in my iPhone!) of the restaurants that we would definitely be frequenting in the near future! Number One on this list is <a href="http://mammamaria.com/">Mamma Maria</a>. They made a phenomenal rabbit dish, cooked long and slow to a tender, melt-in-your-mouth consistency, served atop polenta so flavorful and smooth, you might have mistaken it for mashed potatoes on a quick glance. On the side was a fresh fava bean salad with an almost Caesar-esque dressing, garlicky and refreshing. It paired so perfectly with the rabbit, and was truly my favorite of all the dishes presented to me that evening.<br />
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A few other highlights for me include the <a href="http://www.massiminosboston.com/">Massimano</a>'s Artichoke Margarita, a deliciously battered and fried artichoke heart, served with antipasto salad, <a href="http://www.artuboston.com/">Artu</a>'s Veal and Beef Slider with gooey mozzarella and a pesto sauce, and <a href="http://www.aragostabistro.com/">Aragosta</a>'s Rigatoni Bolognese, served in an adorable little black plastic dish that definitely stood out in the presentation category! I've realized now that the pictures I took came out terribly, so they definitely don't do the food justice, but still, I needed to include them!</div>
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While the tickets to this event were pricy, they were so worth every penny! In fact, I even went home with a few loaves of freshly baked bread that they were getting rid of at the end of the evening, as well as some delicious cookies! I was stuffed, and so satisfied with every bite that I had there, and walked away with a list of restaurants that I must visit in the near future. This was so much fun, and I will definitely be making a repeat appearance at next year's event!</div>
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</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04591419969055053027noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3995678658125945987.post-50335183560673712292012-04-24T14:20:00.000-04:002012-04-24T14:20:07.013-04:00Classic CookingSometimes a classic is a classic for a reason. That old movie never really gets old, and that song that you've listened to over and over since you were 4 is still your favorite, but what about recipes? There are a lot of recipes that are mentioned, with the connotations of being old-fashioned, or out-dated. They get shoved to the back of our repertoires, and are glanced over on menus, but don't you think recipes can be classics for a reason, too?<br />
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Last night, I made Steak Diane. Yea, old school, right!? I mean, it's an entree that's been on every old-fashioned steakhouse's menu since the 50's, or earlier! It's got it's <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steak_Diane">OWN</a> Wikipedia page, for goodness sake! Well, I don't think I'd ever tried it before, either eaten or cooked, because of it's old-fashioned connotations. Yes, I am one of those always looking for the newest thing out there, the most outrageous techniques and the craziest ingredients. That's just how I roll!<br />
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So, while planning my menu this weekend, I happened upon a recent rendition of the recipe, printed from one of my email newsletters from <a href="http://www.tastingtable.com/entry_detail/chefs_recipes/1542/Mark_Peel_updates_a_supper_club_classic.htm">Tasting Table</a>. I gathered my ingredients, mostly on-hand before the weekly shopping, and got to work. This promised to be a quick dinner, so I looked forward to a bit of Monday evening relaxation after the job was done! There's very little prepwork to be done for this and sometimes that's refreshing. The only knifework necessary involved slicing some crimini mushrooms (my favorite kind of mushroom) and finely chopping some shallots. Done and done. I gathered the rest of the ingredients (Worcestershire sauce, Brandy, butter, parsley, lemon juice, mustard, and green peppercorns) and seasoned my steaks with salt and pepper. <br />
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This recipe definitely goes quickly, and it's totally simple to prepare, as well! The steaks cooked on either side for about 3 minutes each, and then were removed from the pan to rest, while I made the sauce. This was a delicious meal! The steak was a little undercooked when I finally sliced it, but what I loved the most was that as I poured the velvety sauce over the slices of meat, they were brought to the perfect doneness by the heat of the sauce. This recipe is written very well, and quite self-explanatory. Anyone could make this classic dish a meal to remember! <br />
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I decided to pair the heavy entree with a light side dish: <a href="http://www.tastingtable.com/entry_detail/chefs_recipes/1542/Mark_Peel_updates_a_supper_club_classic.htm">Tomato and Haricot Verts Salad</a>. Like our main course, this was a very simple recipe to prepare! I simply had to slice some haricots verts and tomatoes, blanch the beans, and then mix it all up with some sundried tomato slices, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, chopped basil and salt and pepper. What a lovely summer salad! We know what I'll be serving at every party this summer brings my way! It was easy, pleasing to a crowd and would even travel well because it's delicious at room temperature!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04591419969055053027noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3995678658125945987.post-51590941812235582872012-04-23T10:52:00.000-04:002012-04-23T10:52:11.571-04:00The Importance of a Flavorful CocktailYikes, it's been a week since I last wrote, and I apologize for that. There were leftovers to be used up, after-work plans, and just some plain old relaxation this past week, so I got a little lazy. But, I got down to it yesterday, posted a new menu for the coming week, and did the food shopping! We're back on track!<br />
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You may have noticed I've started including a "Cocktail of the Week" on my menus. You may also have thought, that's not food, and there's no cooking involved in drinking, but I don't see it that way. I love a flavorful cocktail, something that pulls together interesting flavors, and pairs nicely with a meal. In a way, it's still cooking, or concocting. You have to get the right flavors, and pair them correctly, in order to have a successful cocktail, and that skill is intricately entwined with all things cooking. So there...it's cooking...sort of!<br />
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I always find myself printing off, or cutting out, recipes for cocktails and have gathered quite the collection...all drinks I've never tried. So, in an attempt to minimize the pile of paper sitting in my kitchen, and continuing in my endeavor to digitize my recipes, I've been trying to make a new cocktail each week. This project has expanded my bar collection, and my taste buds! <br />
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For this week's cocktail, I chose <em>The Limonsecco</em>, one that had been published in a magazine awhile back, from a restaurant, I believe in NYC. I happened to have all the ingredients on hand, so it was a perfect choice since we had pleasantly-unexpected house guests on Saturday night! The drink consists of an ounce of Limoncello (which I LOVE), 2 dashes of orange bitters, a splash of rose water and Prosecco. It was so easy to make because there was no shaking involved - just pour the first three ingredients into a glass, and top with Prosecco...could it be any easier? And tasty too! It was a great way to finish off an evening, but would be an equally good way to start off an evening. It's refreshing, and fancy enough to make for a nice cocktail at the beginning of a dinner party, light enough to move on to wine at dinner. The rose water adds a very interesting tinge to the taste of the concoction, and you all know how I love trying an ingredient in a new way! Cheers!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04591419969055053027noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3995678658125945987.post-80602086793862801292012-04-16T15:10:00.001-04:002012-04-16T15:10:58.517-04:00Bulgogi For The Home GrillerThe other night, I made some lamb bulgogi, a Korean dish that is easy, delicious, and makes for lots of leftovers that can be used in many ways! The night before I planned on making <a href="http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Lamb-Bulgogi-with-Asian-Pear-Dipping-Sauce-359749">Lamb Bulgogi with Asian Pear Dipping Sauce</a>, I prepped my leg of lamb by marinating it in soy sauce and mirin-based marinade which I made according to the linked recipe. It was simple to pull together and as long as you remember to do it the night before, you'll be good to go the next day for a quick and easy dinner. <br />
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When I came home the following day, I turned on the grill in the backyard, and left it to heat while I quickly pulled together the Asian Pear dipping sauce. I cooked the leg of lamb on the grill for about 15 minutes on each side, charring the outsides with some beautiful grill marks. Once the lamb was cooked to my satisfaction, I pulled it off to rest while I grilled up some scallions, jalapenos and garlic cloves to use as garnishes in our lettuce wraps full of bulgogi.<br />
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Look how perfectly that lamb is cooked! Yum! I separated a head of iceberg lettuce to use as wraps, because I couldn't find Butter Lettuce at the store this week. Butter lettuce definitely works better because it's not as crispy but this was alright in a pinch. <br />
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To finish off the meal, and round it out as well, I made some white rice while the lamb was cooking. It adds a little depth to the lettuce wraps and soaks up the delicious dipping sauce really well. Since making the bulgogi, which is a fun little adventure for a week day meal, and wonderful for entertaining, we've had bulgogi hoagies (ha!) with the lamb, and the dipping sauce, and a little chili sauce, all grilled on a panini grill. The lamb is even delicious to munch on cold, straight out of the fridge. Try this one out, you'll have a fun and interesting meal in under an hour!</div>
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While my husband heated the grill on our back patio, I cut a head of cabbage into wedges. Because there were only two of us, I only used half the head, but the plan was to grill these cabbage wedges. Grill...leafy things...do these two things go together, you ask? Well, yes, they do, and they sure are delicious. I had a recipe, from that blog I like, called The Kitchn: <a href="http://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-grilled-cabbage-wedges-157671">Grilled Cabbage Wedges with Spicy Lime Dressing</a>. It looked easy, it looked delicious, and best of all, the flavors sounded like they would pair quite nicely with the marinade I had chosen.<br />
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I brushed my cabbage wedges with canola oil, and set them to char on the grill, for about 5 minutes on each side. When I checked on them, they were blackening around the edges nicely, and so I went back upstairs to prep the dressing...which is SO easy to make. All you have to do is throw everything in a food processor, and voila, spicy dressing, to be drizzled over deliciously-blackened cabbage wedges. We've got ourselves a side dish, people!<br />
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Not only were the steaks delicious, and the cabbage a perfect accompaniment, but I think I'll add cabbage to my shopping list for our summer camping trip. It made for a great, easy vegetable to add to any meal, and all you need is a grill, and some dressing, any dressing will do!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04591419969055053027noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3995678658125945987.post-45545958952599102482012-04-10T10:17:00.000-04:002012-04-10T10:17:47.500-04:00Monday's Marvelous MealI've recently revealed my blogginess to a few friends I've made on my commute to work. They are very funny, and one of them unknowingly asked me a cooking question, which spurned quite the conversation! Well, since that discussion, she's taken to reading the blog (thank you so much!) and met me at the train stop this morning, asking "How was the steak!?" I laughed, because that meant she'd found the Current Menu, and then hung my head, because I'm a little behind on this week's menu. I know! It's only TUESDAY, you say, but as I said in my weekend post, I didn't get to all the recipes from last week's menu, so on Sunday night, I tackled one of them. This means that Sunday's dinner on the Current Menu became Monday's dinner! There'll be steak tonight, I promise!<br />
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So, I got home last night, preheated the oven to 400 degrees, and set to preparing the <em><a href="http://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-spatchcocked-ricotta-ch-157236#recipe">Spatchcocked Ricotta Chicken</a> </em>recipe that I recently printed from one of the blogs that I read on a regular basis : The Kitchn. I know I've told you all to read your whole recipe before planning to make it, so that you know how much time is needed, and whether there's any prep that should be done hours, or days, before you actually make the dish. I did not take my own advice this time around, so when I pulled out the recipe, the first order of business was to "spatchcock" the chicken. Um...what? Okay, I read further. It's another word for butterfly...but, butterfly a WHOLE chicken? Yes, I had to cut the back bone out of the chicken and flatten the remaining body. All you need is a pair of kitchen shears, or a very sharp chef's knife.<br />
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Once the deed had been done, I was ready to prep the chicken for the oven! The "stuffing" consists of ricotta, grated parmesan, panko bread crumbs, a beaten egg, chopped basil, minced garlic, lemon zest and some salt and pepper. Once it was all incorporated, I used my fingers to loosen the skin from the body of the chicken and spread the ricotta mixture under the skin, pushing it around until it was spread evenly and covered the majority of the chicken, under the skin. I put it in a roasting pan, on a layer of onion slices for flavor, and left it to cook for the next hour. <br />
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Meanwhile, I set a pot of water to boil for our artichokes. Yes folks! It's ARTICHOKE TIME! All the long-time readers will remember my love of artichokes and it is again the beginning of artichoke season. While the two I received in my Peapod order were not of the BEST quality, they were still delicious! I think I'll probably go to the store to pick out my own artichokes from now on, but I digress. I set a pot of water to boil, adding some bay leaves and lemon slices to the water, even though the recipe didn't mention it. That's just how I roll!<br />
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Once the artichokes were in the steaming basket, it was time to make the <em><a href="http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/artichokes-with-smoked-herb-mayonnaise">Smoked Herb Mayonnaise</a></em>. This was totally simple and really only took about 5 minutes to prep. Mayonnaise, chopped dill, chopped capers, lemon zest, lemon juice, paprika, black pepper, hot sauce and some salt were just mixed together...that's it! Now, the recipe called for Smoked Sea Salt, but...I didn't have that. I think that's the ONLY kind of salt I don't have sitting in my pantry, so I decided to use some Saffron and Sea Salt instead. It gave the dip a nice, bright flavor so I'd say it was a success!<br />
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After about 35 minutes, the artichokes were done, so we enjoyed those while the chicken finished cooking. But, let me tell you...the CHICKEN! It was so moist and delicious! The skin was nice and crispy, the "stuffing" stayed in place and really infused the meat with so much flavor. I'm definitely adding this to my repertoire for guests! It was easy to serve, I just quartered it with a sharp chef's knife, and we've got leftovers for another day! Seriously yummy stuff, here! <br />
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<span style="color: #403152; font-family: "Footlight MT Light", "serif";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Last week, I had lunch with our friend over at MonaVie, Dawn McGee. We met to discuss some of the latest news from the company, including a community-driven new program geared towards helping people lose weight…the right way! In fact, on April 21<sup>st</sup>, you can join the RVLution! There is an event being held in Woburn, MA, at 12pm, where you can learn all about the “Body Confidence” Program, participate in a 30-minute Zumba workout, and even win prizes!</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #403152; font-family: "Footlight MT Light", "serif";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you decide to join the RVLution, you’ll be provided with a packet, including directions for your lifestyle changes over the next 90 days. This includes workout regimens, menu-planning, and of course, access to the RVL product, which is “the most nutrient-dense product available on the market today. Packed with macro-, micro-, and phytonutrients, the RVL system provides your body with the elements of health that it needs and craves.” RVL Products are meant to stabilize your blood sugar levels, providing your body with the ingredients necessary to ignite your metabolism!</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #403152; font-family: "Footlight MT Light", "serif";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">MonaVie has teamed up with Mark Macdonald, best-selling author of Body Confidence, for this project. As a RVLutionary, you will commit to numerous promises, based either on a time-period, or until you reach your goals. When I say numerous promises, I mean a PAGE worth! But joining the community will help to keep you on track, and you won’t be alone, because like, I said, you’re joining a COMMUNITY of RVLutionaries that are all going through the same thing! What better way to get yourself on track, make new friends, and look good for summer!</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #403152; font-family: "Footlight MT Light", "serif";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So, join the RVLution! On Saturday, April 21<sup>st</sup>, head on over to Metabolic Designs (186 Cambridge Road, 2<sup>nd</sup> Floor) in Woburn, MA. Show up promptly at noon, dressed for Zumba and success! Say hello to Dawn and tell her that you heard about the event from us! </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #403152; font-family: "Footlight MT Light", "serif";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For more information on this event, check out </span><a href="http://shapeupboston.eventbrite.com/"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">http://shapeupboston.eventbrite.com</span></a>.</span></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04591419969055053027noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3995678658125945987.post-66413722920379056892012-04-08T15:28:00.000-04:002012-04-08T15:29:56.513-04:00A Week's Worth of Dinners...And Then Some!This week, I made an extra effort to get back into the swing of things, cooking dinner each evening. After two weeks of Restaurant Week outings, it was definitely nice to sit down to dinner at home for a change! While I didn't get to the entire menu, and some of the recipes were definitely NOT keepers, we enjoyed some delicious food this week, so I thought I'd share the recipes with you!<br />
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On Sunday night, I decided to make <i><a href="http://www.tastingtable.com/entry_detail/chefs_recipes/5523/A_childhood_standard_revamped.htm">Sweet Onion Mac and Cheese</a></i>, along with a side of <i><a href="http://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-slow-cooked-broccoli-wi-157654">Slow-Cooked Broccoli with Lemon Breadcrumbs</a>. </i>The mac and cheese is delicious (as I still have leftovers to eat!) but the broccoli left a little bit to be desired. In fact, I didn't serve it with dinner! It just seemed overcooked, and tasted limp and lifeless! So, it was mac and cheese for dinner, no veggies, unfortunately. Sometimes things just don't work out! If you try the broccoli recipe and have better results, please share your secrets! I really enjoyed the main course though, and the fried shallots that top the dish really made it extra special!<br />
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The next night, I made <i><a href="http://www.tastingtable.com/entry_detail/chefs_recipes/5507/For_maximum_flavor_fennel_turns_to_itself.htm">Pan Roasted Pork Chops with Olives and Sambuca-Brasied Fennel</a>.</i> While preparing this meal, I was excited about the flavors I was putting together. I love the flavors of fennel, and pork, together, so I thought this was going to be a home-run! However, once the fennel mixture, including the onions and olives, cooked down with the anise-flavored liqueor, I found the flavors to be a bit overwhelming. I would definitely use less anise liqueur if I made this again, and possibly leave out the olives. They seemed to soak up the flavors in a very strange way! Granted, instead of Sambuca, I used Pernod, because I had it on hand, but I don't think it would have made a huge difference, as those two liqueurs are very similar. Sadly, that dinner was not a success for me...but I would give it another shot, with a few tweaks to see if I could make it more to my liking! It sure looked pretty though!</div>
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The next night, I went to the movies with my friend, Sara, to see The Hunger Games. We'd had plans on the books for awhile, so my husband was in charge of food for the evening. He made a delicious pizza of chicken, mozzarella, Arrabiata sauce and bacon! I thought I took a picture of it, but I can't seem to find it now! I just had the last piece for lunch, and it was just as good the second time around!</div>
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I've got a bunch of steaks in my freezer from a great deal I purchased a month or so ago, so I try to plan at least one meal a week around a nice grilled steak! I decided to pair it with an <i><a href="http://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-orzo-wit-158228">Orzo with Caramelized Fall Vegetables and Ginger</a></i> dish this week. This was a nice hearty side for a perfectly grilled steak, which my husband had marinated in a Sriaracha-based marinade that he found the recipe for online. Every ingredient in the orzo dish was cooked and caramelized separately, and when all the flavors melded together, it made for a great bite of food! It was pretty to look at too!</div>
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The last meal I prepared for this past week is the best one, so I saved it for last! Jamie Oliver's <i><a href="http://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/risotto/pea-goat-s-cheese-risotto">Pea and Goat Cheese Risotto</a> </i>is rich and decadent in the best possible way. The goat cheese added at the end really made the risotto creamy and delicious, and my homemade stock really amped up the flavors as I cooked the rice. The bacon added the perfect bite of saltiness, and the peas were cooked just enough to add a bit of pop when you bit into one! This one is definitely a keeper!</div>
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I didn't get to the Cassoulet, or the Kim-Chi Fried Rice, but we'll have those recipes on deck for this week. I've also updated the Current Menu for the coming week! Stay tuned for much more coming soon!</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04591419969055053027noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3995678658125945987.post-8762894723648020932012-04-04T20:08:00.000-04:002012-04-05T11:06:00.638-04:00STOCKin' Up!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0031569VA/ref=as_li_ss_il?ie=UTF8&tag=misenplaagoop-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B0031569VA" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://ws.assoc-amazon.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&Format=_SL160_&ASIN=B0031569VA&MarketPlace=US&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&tag=misenplaagoop-20&ServiceVersion=20070822" /></a></div>
<img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=misenplaagoop-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B0031569VA" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0px;" width="1" /> <br />
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I made my own chicken stock this weekend! We're forging ahead in <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0031569VA/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=misenplaagoop-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B0031569VA">The Professional Chef</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=misenplaagoop-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B0031569VA" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0px;" width="1" />, to the Stocks, Soups and Sauces section of the book. There are plenty of recipes to try, and many lessons to be learned, but I decided to start simple, with chicken stock. Stock is referred to in French <i>fonds de cuisine, </i>or "the foundations of cooking." I use it every week, and I spend lots of money on cartons of it at the store...but this weekend proved one thing to me - I won't be buying pre-packaged stock anymore!<br />
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The recipe called for 8 lbs of chicken bones, but when I went to the store, and asked the meat department for said chicken bones, they said that all of their poultry is packaged already when it is delivered. That's what I get for going to a store without a proper butcher department (next time, I'll try this!). I opted for two packages of bony chicken wings, to substitute as an ingredient for my stock. In the end, I think this made the stock a bit more gelatinous when cooled, but all it needs is a little heat to loosen right back up.<br />
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This was going to be a 4-hour process, so I started as soon as my groceries were delivered on Sunday afternoon! (Yes, thank you <a href="http://www.peapod.com/">Peapod</a>!) I put a gallon of water into a nice, big stock pot, and added the chicken wings, which I rinsed before adding them. I salted the mixture and set it to simmer for the next 3 hours.<br />
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While the stock simmered, I did a few things around the house, started to make dinner, and then set to prepping my mirepoix (onion, carrot and celery). Because of the time that the veggies would be simmering, I cut them to a medium dice, and also pulled together a <i>Sachet d'Epices</i>, a little bouquet of parsley stems, thyme, peppercorns, a bay leaf and a clove of garlic. </div>
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After the three hours had expired, I turned off my timer and checked out the stock, so far. It had evaporated quite a bit, so even though the recipe didn't call for it, I added some more water. I don't know if I was supposed to do that, but it tastes REALLY good, so we'll just go with it. I added the beautiful mixture you see above to the simmering liquid and chicken wings, and allowed it to cook for another hour.</div>
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Once the timer went off a second time, it was time to remove the stock from the heat, and give it a good strain in a fine, mesh sieve. All the impurities are left behind and what you have left is a big bowl of delicious, flavorful, homemade stock. </div>
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I've already used a cup of it in one of my weekly meals, and it's so good. It adds so much authentic flavor to a dish, it's incredible! I will definitely be making stock on weekends for the coming week, according to my needs. </div>
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While there are other recipes for stocks (Brown Veal Stock, Fish Fumet, Vegetable Stock, Court Bouillon, Dashi, and a Poultry and Meat Stock), I'm not going to use these recipes until recipes further on in the book call for them specifically. There's no point in filling my freezer with unneeded stocks. Because the lessons for stocks, soups and sauces come before the recipes, I think I'll do a bit of reading this weekend and try to move ahead to the recipes, where I can share what I've learned while making some delicious recipes at the same time! Now's the perfect time of year for some heartwarming soups, anyway. We're ready for spring, it's not quite here, and we all need something to warm our bellies!</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04591419969055053027noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3995678658125945987.post-90416684981908401962012-04-01T10:31:00.001-04:002012-04-01T10:33:11.519-04:00A Week of Restaurants : Part TwoAnother Restaurant Week has come and gone, and this second week of meals was even better than the first! I went to a few favorites this week, rather than trying new places, and I was so pleased with my choices.<br />
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On Wednesday evening, I met Michele and Heidi for dinner at <a href="http://www.blueincboston.com/">Blue Inc</a>. I've written about this one before, but that was a lunchtime meal that I enjoyed. I was happily surprised to see that the entire menu was featured for Restaurant Week, which meant my decisions became even harder. I wanted one of EVERYTHING! While trying to decide, I opted for a cocktail called <i>The Anorexic Model </i>(cognac, lychee, St. Germaine, Champagne, and garnished with a small branch of grapes)! With a floor to ceiling poster of Twiggy on the wall, I felt like it was a necessity. The drinks at Blue Inc are so cool because they use liquid nitrogen to chill the drinks, and they have a very "cool" (ha, puns!) steaming effect. For my appetizer, I decided to have the <i>Cast Iron Baked Figs</i>. It came to the table, fourme d'abert cheese a-bubblin', with warm, gooey figs, pancetta, aged sherry and chive flowers. It was decadently delicious, and a perfect start to the meal. Moving on to the main course, I opted for the <i>Mussel Frites</i>, a dish that reminds me of our trip this past November to Belgium. Creme Fraiche, lobster broth, fresh herbs and spicy fries rounded out the meal. The mussels were done to perfection, and the bowl was just piled high with them. I couldn't even finish it all! For dessert, I had a <i>Malted Chocolate Cheesecake</i>. It was good, but not the highlight of this delicious meal...and I was too full to finish it anyway!<br />
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The next day, I enjoyed a leisurely lunch with my friend and co-worker at <a href="http://www.seldelaterre.com/">Sel de la Terre</a>. We sat in cozy lounge chairs, enjoyed a hearty French lunch and some wonderful conversation. We have a tradition of always hitting at least one Restaurant Week spot every time it comes around, and this time was no different! I started off with an <i>Asparagus Soup with Potato Croquettes and Tarragon Creme Fraiche</i>. This soup was delicious because the flavor was so vibrant. Now is the perfect time to make things containing asparagus, and this soup really showcased the flavor of this in-season vegetable. The croquettes just melted in my mouth too - I wish there had been more of them! For my main course, I had the House Made Ricotta Gnocchi, served with English Peas, "Hen of the Woods" mushrooms, shallots, baby carrots and beets. This was a hearty dish, and the perfect amount for a lunch time meal. The gnocchi had been sauteed a little on top of boiling, so they were a bit crisp on the outside, and tender in the middle! The surprise in this dish were the beets ... they went really well with everything else, but were an unexpected bite when the fork found a piece! I think the beets might have made that dish! For dessert, my friend decided to go with the cheese course, instead of the dessert course...and that was a GREAT choice. The platter that came out was stacked high with breads, crackers and different kinds of cheese - most impressive! I went with the <i>Vanilla Panna Cotta with Blood Orange, Streusel Crumble and Mint</i>. Because this was the dessert my friend was interested in as well, we shared both the cheese and the Panna Cotta and were both very pleased with our decision!</div>
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For my last Restaurant Week dinner, my group of friends that I went to Asana with, gathered again for a meal at <a href="http://www.restaurantdante.com/">Dante</a>, in Cambridge. Meeting at the bar, we all ordered a drink while we awaited being seated. There was one drink on the menu that stood out to me: the <i>Spezia</i>. Hot orange spiced tea, spiked with rum and apricot, was the perfect drink for a cold Friday evening. It was cozy and comforting after a long week, and I could just picture sitting in front of a fire in a ski lodge, enjoying this cocktail. For my first course, I decided to go with a pasta appetizer. Chef Dante de Magistris makes a killer fresh pasta, and I couldn't visit one of his restaurants without having some. I decided to go with the <i>Tagliatelle</i>, served with rabbit "cacciatore," chanterelles, and green olives. What a way to start a meal! The rabbit was succulent, the pasta was the freshest, and the sauce was so flavorful, a meal in and of itself. For my main course, I chose the <i>Lombo</i> : a stuffed pork loin "involtini," smoked prosciutto, sage and polenta. The pictures are a bit dark but the presentation on this dish was incredible, not to mention how TASTY it was! I didn't think I'd be able to finish both a pasta appetizer, as well as a main course, but somehow I managed quite nicely! That was DELICIOUS! For dessert, I had the <i>Torta </i>: a chocolate hazelnut mousse cake with spiked chocolate sauce, anglaise, and caramelized hazelnuts. </div>
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All in all, I'd say this was a successful Restaurant Week(s)! I had lots of delicious meals, at lots of wonderful places, and enjoyed good times with friends! It's time to get back into the swing of things, cooking at home (and writing more often than once a week!) I've posted a new menu for the coming week, and we're also going to learn how to make our own chicken stock! Stay tuned, and keep on cookin'!</div>
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