Big Girl Bed!

Hey, here's a non-food post for a change. But I am SO excited, I have to share!

I believe I bought a new mattresses in the year of our Lord two thousand...or perhaps it was even 1999 (sing it!). I could only afford the no-name mattress and box springs at the time (well, not even that--had to pay it off in installments), and I put it on a used set of rails. When I moved into my new house, the first priority was to replace the old, ripped, stained, pet-hairy living room furniture. We just got that paid off last month, so it was finally time to turn attention to a new mattress AND head and footboards!  TWELVE LONG YEARS I slept on that tired old saggy mattress, and I wanted to acquire the best sleep experience that I could afford (ok, on a 12-month-same-as-cash payment plan, tee hee). 

Choosing a mattress is a daunting task. There are so many choices and differences of opinion, and it's practically impossible to compare models because every retailer calls them by different brand names. So what guided me was two hotel experiences that I had. One was in 2004 at a Crowne Plaza where I slept in the most heavenly bed (I think a lot of it had to do with the many layers of luxurious bedclothes and the lovely lavender linen spray), and then just this past April where I had another wonderful few nights' sleep at a Sheraton. Somehow the bed there was both soft and fluffy but firm as well. I made it my business to figure out how they achieved that effect.

Some internet research yielded a Travel and Leisure article from 2005 that revealed that the Crowne Plaza beds were Serta Perfect Sleepers with 800 coils and a foam topper. Hilton and some Marriotts also favor the Serta Perfect Sleeper. Sheratons use Sealy Posturepedic plush tops with 899 coils. I confirmed that the bed I slept on in Charlotte in April was a Sealy Posturepedic by pulling back the covers and inspecting the label. There was also a mattress topper on that bed, hence, the fluffy-yet-firm feeling. Sealy Posturepedic is also used by Four Seasons, Hyatt, and Ritz-Carlton. And as a sidebar, for those folks who swear by the "W Heavenly Bed" (as SO many do!), they use a 900 coil count Simmons. So it would seem that Sealy slightly beat out Serta in this sampling of hotel beds, but that the Westin beds garnered the most religious fervor among travellers.

Armed with this knowledge, I headed to the furniture store to lie on some sample mattresses. As predicted, I liked the higher coil count plush models, and then salesperson told me about the newest addition to the Sealy Posturepedic line (that is, of course, middle of the road between regular Sealy and Stearns and Foster, which Sealy recently bought out). The Ashley Furniture brand name was Britta, but you'll no doubt see it called by other monikers. The new twist is, like Simmons mattresses, this model has the individually-wrapped coils for more support and less transfer of motion. I remembered that the "W Heavenly Bed" that everybody swears by is a Simmons (though I have never slept at that fancy hotel myself!). So that pretty much sealed the deal for me. Of course, there were other choices that friends of mine who have recently purchased mattresses raved about, i.e. the Sleep Number Bed (WAY out of my price range!) and Tempurpedic (also beyond my budget, plus I don't like the feel of it, it sleeps too hot for me, and I've read complaints about mold if you don't wipe it down with a bleach solution every so often--no thanks). So the best plush Sealy Posturepedic on the market was my pick.

With the help of my roommate, I chose a lovely modern headboard and footboard (called "Tasha"), and then I set about acquiring the linens. I actually bought a new comforter, cotton knit blankets, and sheets last summer, but as I was healing from major abdominal surgery and had a huge open wound, I didn't want to mess up the new bedding. Plus, I couldn't climb stairs for awhile, so I just slept on the couch for three months, and the new linens remained unopened in the closet. The sheet sets I bought--one dark purple and one lavender--are 400 thread-count cotton sateen (the Sonoma line from Kohl's--wait for a BOGO sale!), and the comforter is something I have coveted since I saw the first "Twilight" movie. Recognize Bella's bedding? It's available at Target! It was sold out for ages, but it finally came back in stock, and I snapped one up. I love the colors and the pattern. Isn't it gorgeous?? TA-DAH! My new big girl bed!

Of course, I bought a new microfiber/waterproof/antimicrobial mattress pad to protect my investment (and comply with the terms of the warranty), but I wanted some kind of mattress topper that would give that soft, fluffy feeling with the supportive mattress underneath. I considered a featherbed, but not only are the good ones terribly expensive, I was worried that it would be too hot for my preferences, plus, I think my dogs are provoked by the animal scents. (They did unmentionable things once in awhile to my old down duvet which couldn't be washed. Ugh!) Furthermore, I wasn't sure that the mattress pad and fitted sheet would go over it (doesn't that go against the purpose of a featherbed anyway, if you mush it down?), and if it went on top, I'd have to buy yet another duvet cover for it that would match everything else. SHEESH! So I decided to go with a down alternative topper. I didn't choose a mattress with a built-in topper because I read that they eventually smash down and that your body creates valleys that don't fluff back up. So I reasoned that it was better to get a separate topper that could be replaced when necessary. Also, the down alternative (polyfill) can be laundered. I found a great deal on ebay, of all places, from a store called Linensmart--$72 for the king with free shipping--and I kid you not, I ordered it online at 2am one night, and had it the next day (technically, the same day)! It is just perfect--like sleeping on a cloud, but the mattress pad and my new sheets still fit over it. WHEW!

Last but not least, I acquired some new Ralph Lauren pillows from T.J. Maxx, and I was good to go (to sleep). Actually, I'd still like a couple of decorative pillows, maybe some big square ones, and when fall rolls around, I will be looking for a down-alternative blanket or duvet of some sort to amp up the warmth factor (on top of the lightweight woven cotton one that I have on there at present), as I basically live in the arctic tundra. But I'm satisfied for now. So there you have it! Waaaaaayyyy too much information, unless you are in the market for a new bed, too. If so, I hope my journey to a better night's sleep helps you in some way. And on that note, I'm off to Bedfordshire. (Name the movie.) Sleep tight, y'all!

P.S. I found this cute little doggy bed for 17 bucks when I was shopping for pillows at T.J. Maxx, and I couldn't resist. EVERYBODY gets a new bed! ;-)

YEE-HAW for Rancho Gordo and Cowboy Beans!

I received a big shipment from my beloved Rancho Gordo recently (YAY!), and on the very day that the package arrived, Rancho Gordo posted a link on Facebook to a yummy-sounding recipe for "Cowboy Beans" made with their incredibly gorgeous black and white Vaquero beans. Unfortunately, though I seemed to have ordered one of nearly ever other variety that they sell, I forgot to add that one to my purchase. Oh well, next time.

But did that deter me from making the Cowboy Beans? Of course not! I just swapped out some Good Mother Stallards instead. Then I served them over cornbread with a side of smoked sausage. DELISH! Seriously, dear readers, if you have yet to get on board with the Rancho Gordo heirloom beans, you are truly missing out!













Cowgirl Beans
(Source: Adapted from ReadyMade.com)

1 lb. Rancho Gordo Heirloom Beans (the recipe calls for Vaqueros, but I used Good Mother Stallards, soaked for a couple/few hours)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 lb. bacon, diced (the smokier the better)
2 medium onions, diced
2 long hot peppers, seeded and diced (or a couple/few jalapenos)
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon dark chile powder (ancho would be good, too)
1 tablespoon paprika
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons beef base (I like Better Than Bouillon)
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 cup strong brewed coffee

You probably don't need to soak the beans ahead of time, but I did for awhile. I like to do it for a few hours (covered by an inch of water) if I think of it, but if not, I just cook them longer. No biggie.

In a large Dutch oven over medium heat, heat the olive oil, and cook the bacon until crispy. Add the onions and peppers and cook until tender. Stir in the garlic, bay leaves, cumin, chile, paprika, oregano, and black pepper, and cook for another minute or two. Add the beans and their soaking liquid, then stir in the beef bouillon, brown sugar, and the coffee.

Bring to a boil, and boil for ten minutes, then cover and put in the oven on 200 degrees for eight hours or until tender. (Of course, you could also do this in a crockpot on low.) I like to put them back on the stove when they are done cooking and simmer with the lid off to reduce the pot liquor a little. (I just let it gently do its thing while I'm getting on with the rest of dinner.) Check to see if the beans need a bit of salt, and then devour in the manner of your choosing. Good stuff!

P.S. The cornbread was a mix (Martha White) and the smoked sausage was Hillshire Farms. I also added a little homemade corn relish (not pictured) on top of the beans before serving to make a very satisfying supper!
P.P.S. Leftover beans and cornbread are GREAT for breakfast with a fried egg on top!

Some Quick Fix Ideas with an Asian Flair

Since our Champlain Valley Voices spring Mozart concert was over this past weekend, I have a Monday night free for the first time all semester! And as luck would have it, I didn't have a final scheduled today, so I got to stay home all day. Still, I didn't feel like making anything elaborate for dinner. What I had on hand was a TON of overgrown chives from my herb garden, so I was surfing the 'net for something delicious to do with them, when I ran across several recipes for savory Korean pancakes called Pa Jun. That sounded like just the ticket. I amalgamated several different recipes, and here's what I came up with:

I whisked together two cups of flour (one was white whole wheat) with two cups of ice water, four eggs, and one tablespoon of sugar. Then I seasoned the batter with maybe a teaspoon of salt, a 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper, and about a 1/2 teaspoon of granulated garlic. Finally, I stirred in about a cup of sliced chives (they were as big as scallions!) and a cup of chopped smoked chicken, because I also had that on hand.

I let the batter rest in the fridge for a half hour. Then I heated a nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat, added a little more than a teaspoon of vegetable oil for each pancake and a generous half cup of batter, cooking the first side for about two minutes, and the other side for about a minute. I held them in a warm oven until they were all cooked. Then I sliced each pancake into six wedges and served them with a dipping sauce made of 1/4 cup soy sauce, 1/4 cup rice vinegar, 1 teaspoon of minced ginger, 1 teaspoon of minced garlic, 1/2 teaspoon sriracha, and a scant tablespoon of water.

I made six (6-inch) pancakes, but there's enough batter there for about two more. So this recipe probably makes eight pancakes.

Scallions are usually the main ingredient of Pa Jun, but you can add whatever sliced/shredded veggies you like and also various meaty bits, if you so choose. Quick, easy, yummy. This would make a great party appetizer, too.
 

***While we are on the topic of Asian quick fixes, this idea is probably not substantive enough to warrant its own post, but it's an excellent tip nevertheless. It's a trick I learned from my friend, Janice Padula: Use the leftover bits of last night's Chinese food to make an unusually delicious omelette. Fried rice, vegetable lo mein, Szechuan beef, what have you--throw it in there and scramble it up! YUM! You're welcome.

What's better than brunch? Nuthin.

Here's a great recipe that you can set up the night before and bake off right before you're ready to chow down on a lazy weekend morning:

Baked Almond French Toast
(Source: Kitchen Daily)

1 14- to 16-inch long soft Italian loaf
3 large eggs
2 cups milk
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
4 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pure almond extract

Topping:
1 large egg white
3 tablespoons sugar
3/4 cup sliced almonds

Accompaniment: fresh raspberries and vanilla ice cream

Make French toast: Cut loaf crosswise into 1-inch thick slices and gently squeeze as many as possible, a cut side up, into a buttered 13- by 9-inch pan. Whisk together eggs, milk, butter, sugar, salt, and extract and pour evenly over bread. Chill, covered, until bread has absorbed custard, about 1 hour or overnight.

Assemble topping: Preheat oven to 375 F. with rack in middle.

Lightly whisk egg white with sugar and a generous pinch of salt and stir in almonds until well combined. Spread mixture over bread and bake until bread is puffed and golden, 25 to 35 minutes. Serve warm.

Notes and Tips:
Custards combine well if you begin by whisking the eggs first, then add the milk. When you add the butter, do it in a slow stream, whisking all the while.
Use a long serrated knife to cut the bread.
Use a rubber spatula to spread the almond mixture over the bread.
French toast is delicious on it's own or with maple syrup but it's particularly nice with fresh berries.
In addition to being a great brunch main, French toast is an excellent dessert.

Game Plan:
1 1/2 hours Ahead and Up to 1 Day Ahead:
Butter pan, then slice bread and fit it into pan.
Make custard and pour over bread, then chill, covered.
45 Minutes Ahead:
Assemble almond topping while oven is preheating.

Happy Easter...Italian Style

At Easter, one of my PBGV/Facebook friends made an amazing-looking Italian Creme Cake. She kindly shared the recipe with me, and I thought I might try to make them into cupcakes instead of a layer cake. EPIC FAIL! To be sure, this recipe is decadent and DELISH! The little cakes flavored with the coconut and pecans don't really even need frosting. However, the batter is so light that it makes cupcakes that are TOO tender and not structurally sound. They bake up with flat tops, and as they cool, they sink in and break away from the edges. So it was a tasty experiment, but lesson learned--stick with baking this cake in layers. Therefore, I only have the picture of the cake that my friend Beth made to give you an idea of what it looks like:

Beth's Italian Creme Layer Cake

1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon soda
2 cups white sugar
1/2 cup softened butter
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup shortening
4 egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 egg whites
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup coconut*
1 cup finely chopped pecans*

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour two 9 inch round cake pans.

Combine soda and buttermilk and let stand while you work on the rest of the cake. In large bowl cream sugar, butter, oil and shortening. Add egg yolks one at a time, beating after each addition. Alternate buttermilk and flour into mixture. Stir in vanilla.

In mixing bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold 1/3 of the whites into the batter. Gently fold in the remaining whites until there are no streaks. Gently fold in pecans and coconut. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until done. Cool completely.

Cream Cheese Frosting

1 8oz pkg cream cheese- softened
1/2 cup softened butter
4 cups sifted powered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Beat cream cheese and butter together add in vanilla and the powdered sugar. You can add nuts and coconut to the icing, or use to decorate the top.

*Because I hate coconut (mostly a textural thing), I decided to toast it first and then chop it up in the food processor. This yielded some extra coconut flavor, but the texture was similar to the nuts (oh, and I toasted those, too).

Feeling a little krabby these days?

I recently made one of my signature dishes for dinner: krab linguine with peppers and mushrooms in a lemon-butter sauce. YUM! It's one of my very favorite meals, but I don't make it very often, and I always have to eat it alone, as my roommate Cyd hates it. Oh well...it makes great leftovers to take to work for lunch.

I can't imagine how anyone could dislike this dish, but if the krab offends you, you could easily swap out shrimp or scallops or, if you can afford it, real crab. Still, I love the sweetness and tenderness of the white fish in this saute along with the spicy peppers, savory onions and garlic, and tangy lemon finish. And the best part is, it's done in less than a half hour--definitely a weeknight go-to meal!

Krab Linguine with Peppers and Mushrooms in Lemon-Butter Sauce

1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 large onion, diced
2 long hot peppers, seeded and chopped
8 oz. sliced mushrooms
4 cloves garlic, minced
one tablespoon Italian seasoning (or one teaspoon each dried parsley, basil, and oregano)
1 lb. surimi (imitation crab)
salt and pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons butter
juice of one large lemon (or white wine)
1/4 cup shredded parmesan, divided

1 lb. linguine, prepared according to package instructions

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the olive oil, onion and peppers. Cook for a few minutes until the onion starts to turn translucent, then add the sliced mushrooms, garlic, and dried herbs, and cook until the mushrooms are tender. Add the krab to the pan and break up the pieces a bit with your spoon as you mix everything together. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper, and cook until the fish is heated through. Melt the butter in the center of the pan, squeeze in the lemon juice and toss in a couple of tablespoons of parmesan. Stir everything together, adding 1/4 to 1/2 cup pasta water to make it saucier, then serve over prepared linguine garnished with more shredded parmesan.

I got your proteins right here!

I have not been a great fan of the pork chop in the past, as I always end up overcooking them and drying them out. But in last month's Bon Appetit, there was a recipe from Mario Batali's restaurant, Babbo, that looked very appealing. The secret is to brine the chops overnight before grilling them. This is a great summer recipe to showcase those fresh veggies from the farmer's market. (In addition to the peppers and onions, I also brought some mushrooms to the party.)

Along with the Babbo pork chops, I made a quick side dish from my local co-op's newsletter. I have had quinoa in dishes here and there, but I had never cooked it on its own. Besides being nutty and yummy, it's SO good for you--a complete protein by itself. With the addition of garbanzo beans, I have a suspicion that this would be an excellent dish either hot or cold as a salad with a vinaigrette dressing. Tonight, I prepared it as my friend Melissa suggested in the co-op's newsletter, so the spice palette was Middle Eastern. With the Italian entree, we ended up with a bit of a fusion meal, but it was delicious blending of cuisines!

Babbo's Grilled Pork Chops with Cherry Peppers, Cipolline Onions and Balsamic Vinegar
(Source, Mario Batali, Bon Appetit, April 2011)

1/2 cup kosher salt
1/4 cup sugar
(4) 8-oz pork chops with rib bone
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 bell peppers, one red, one yellow
1 small red onion, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper (I would omit this--the cherry peppers are enough for me!)
8 pickled cherry peppers, sliced thin
Aged balsamic vinegar

Brine pork chops overnight in 1/4 cup sugar and 1/2 cup kosher salt. Grill chops till done throughout.

Blanch cipolline onions in large saucepan of boiling water, then peel. Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in large heavy skillet, brown cipolline onions, 8-10 minutes. Remove.

Add bell peppers and red onion, saute till softened, about 5 minutes. Add crushed red pepper. Reduce to low and simmer til vegetables are softened. Stir in cipolline onions and sliced cherry peppers.

Place grilled pork chop on plate and top with vegetables. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar.

Quinoa and Chickpeas
(Source: Melissa Hartness, North Country Co-Op Newsletter)

Cook about a cup of chopped onion in two tablespoons of olive oil until the onion just starts to brown, then add two cloves of minced garlic and cook for another minute or so. Next add one tablespoon tomato paste (I used about half of a small can), one tablespoon crushed coriander seeds, 1/2 teaspoon cumin, black pepper and salt to taste.

Saute for a minute and then add one cup of quinoa and saute another two minutes. Add one can of drained chickpeas (or 2 cups cooked if using dried, which is far tastier--but you might need extra stock) and two cups of broth/stock. Cover the pot, bring it to a boil then lower heat. Simmer covered for about 20 minutes or until quinoa absorbs all the water.

Additional items: Add chopped up pieces of roasted red peppers, and/or sauted mushrooms to this. You could add some seasonal greens as well.

Gina's note: This came out with a texture like soft polenta, but the next night, when I reheated the leftovers in the oven, it became fluffy and a bit crispy on the top and edges, and was SO much better! So I highly recommend finishing it in the oven. I think next time, I will do it in my Dutch oven, bringing it to a boil on the stovetop, then popping it in the oven for 20 minutes with the lid on, then a little while longer with the lid off until it fluffs up.

Hitting the Brickyard....

After our Spring Break adventure in the Big City, we turned right around and went back the following month. I know, I know! I must think I'm made of money, right? But I had always wanted to see the finals of the ICCA acapella finals at Lincoln Center (think real-life "Glee!"), plus, I wasn't unable to secure tickets for the irreverent and hilarious "Book of Mormon" tickets the first time around. So my roommate and I made a second quickie trip to the Big Apple, arriving late Friday night, going to both shows back-to-back on Saturday, and departing Sunday by noon. That wasn't a lot of time, but we still managed to squeeze in some good eats!

First, we got brunch at the famous chocolatier, Max Brenner's with friends (note Cyd's wonderful attitude on the subway with Jaymie and Tony!). Then between the matinee and the acapella competition that evening, we ducked out of the pouring rain and into a cute little gastropub called The Brickyard that our friends, Jaymie and Audrey, recommended.

Sidebar: What in the world did I ever do without my iPhone? Jaymie showed me how to use the maps feature over brunch, and I used it to navigate my way around the City all day (buh-bye laminated folding FastMap!) and back to New Jersey where we were staying that night. And I used it to make reservations at the pub via Open Table as we were waiting for the curtain to go up at "Book of Mormon." It's all sort of incredible in a space age-y way!

Anyway, our dinner at The Brickyard was excellent. I had a lovely herby chicken pot pie, and Cyd had hangar steak in a wine reduction with garlic mash and roasted Brussels sprouts. And as a starter, we shared their wonderful signature salad that included Bibb lettuce, goat cheese, apple wood smoked bacon, avocado, sliced turkey, tear drop tomatoes, red onion and housemade roasted tomato vinaigrette. As is my way, I had to try and recreate this salad at home. The hard part was figuring out the roasted tomato vinaigrette, but I think I've done it--or something close to it!

Here is a picture of the salad at the restaurant (all piled up in that artful way that they do):


















And here is my home version:
Roasted Tomato Vinaigrette

1 pound (6) Roma/plum tomatoes, halved, cored, and seeded
6 large cloves of garlic, peeled
1/2 large white onion, peeled and sliced
2 tablespoons olive oil
generous sprinkling of salt and pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon sugar (or to taste)

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees, and mix the tomato halves, garlic cloves, onion slices, 2 tablespoons olive oil, salt, pepper, and herbs. Place in a glass baking dish and bake for about an hour and a half until everything is soft and juicy.

Add vegetable mixture to a blender along with the vinegars and mix until smooth. Stream in the olive oil and blend until emulsified. Add sugar to taste (depending on the ripeness of the tomatoes) and pulse a few more times. You could strain the vinaigrette at this point, but I prefer to leave mine a little chunky. After chilling in the fridge, it may end up being too thick, but you can always thin it with more oil and red wine vinegar or just a bit of water,

P.S. I think this will be a fabulous recipe come summertime when we have real tomatoes and fresh herbs! Okay, so it's not the gorgeous skyscraper of a salad as I had at the restaurant in NYC, but my home version tasted just as delicious!

P.P.S. We had this dressing on a number of salads, but I still had a lot left over. So I made a very tasty pasta salad with campanelle pasta, two cans of tuna, sliced black olives, red onion, parmesan, and fresh parsley. Mmm!

Welcoming a New Baby with a Sad Cake

I attended a baby shower on Sunday, and I was asked to bring a dessert for brunch. I felt like baking my famous pound cake which I haven't made for a long time (I got sick of it after making hundreds of them for the local farmer's market). So I tried a new twist on an old fave: Lemon Buttermilk Blueberry Pound Cake with Lemon Glaze. I just hoped that it would turn out nicely for the party.
‎
Hoping that it "turned out" ended up being tragically prophetic! I either didn't let it cool down enough, or I should have floured the bundt pan, but pieces of it stuck when I flipped it out, and I nearly bawled. My next thought (since I made it Friday night) was, oh well, at least I have time to make something else before Sunday. But the bits I tasted were so yummy, that I wondered if I might salvage it.

I carefully stuck the pieces back on and gently pressed them in (the cake was VERY moist). And then I made the glaze a little thicker than usual and applied it very liberally to cover the multitude of sins. I put it in the fridge overnight to firm up (and so, hopefully, it would hold together when sliced). But the icing just seemed to emphasize the unsightly fault lines on the cake. So my friend, Jan, offered a brilliant solution--to hide the structural flaws with fresh spring flowers! It ended up looking lovely on the brunch table, and no one was the wiser. And it was tasty to boot! Whew--catastrophe averted!

Lemon Buttermilk Blueberry Pound Cake with Lemon Glaze

2 sticks butter, softened
1/3 cup shortening
5 large whole eggs
3 cups sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 cups all-purpose white flour (measure on the 3rd and last sift)
zest of 2 lemons, very finely grated (preferably, with a Microplane/wood rasp)
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon lemon oil
2 cups frozen blueberries

Preheat oven to 325. Spray or grease bundt pan and lightly flour entire surface. (Or the Pam with flour for baking makes it even easier!) Cream butter and shortening together at slow mixer speed. Add sugar and eggs, one at a time, alternating with the sugar. Begin and end with sugar. Scrape bowl often. When all added, set mixer on high speed for exactly four minutes. Sift flour three times, adding baking powder, soda and salt on last sift, then measure three cups. Whisk the lemon zest into the flour mixture and set aside. Add the vanilla and the lemon oil to the buttermilk and stir. Add the buttermilk and the flour mixtures to the bowl, alternating ingredients, beginning and ending with flour. Gently fold in the frozen blueberries. Spoon batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula.

The cake will take about 1 hour and 15 minutes to cook depending on your altitude, humidity and oven calibration. Test by inserting a knife or tester. It's done when it comes out a little oily but no batter. Cool on rack until the bottom of bundt pan is warm but not hot, then turn out on a plate. Let it cool a bit, and then glaze with the recipe below.

Lemon Glaze

3 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup freshly-squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon butter
splash of vanilla

Whisk the powdered sugar and lemon juice together until smooth. Add the butter and microwave on high for 30 seconds to one minute (until butter is melted). Add a splash of vanilla, and whisk again until smooth. Coat pound cake with every last bit of the glaze (using a pastry brush is very helpful here), then let cool until set before serving.

Need a quick fix idea? I gotchyo back!

I made a yummy "quick fix" dinner tonight: Fresh Fettucine with Chicken and Tomato Cream Sauce. This may be a new weeknight go-to "recipe!" Ready for a real "cheater" meal? Here we go...

Start with a deli chicken that you break down (remove the skin and bones and inedible bits) and shred. In a large skillet over medium heat, saute a chopped onion and a couple/few cloves of minced garlic until softened (you might also throw in some sliced mushrooms if you have them on hand). When the veggies are tender, toss in the shredded chicken, a jar of your favorite pasta sauce (I used a three cheese blend from Sam's Club), and some fresh black pepper (1/2 teaspoon?). Cook for a couple of minutes until heated through, then stir in about a cup of half and half.

In the meantime, boil a one pound package of fresh fettucine for about four minutes until al dente (or whatever the package directions say to do). When cooked, add the drained pasta to the skillet, and add some pasta water to thin the sauce if need be. Taste to see if it needs salt, but as you'll want to top it with some coarsely shredded parmesan, go easy. And that's your dinner! You're welcome.

Bringing a little taste of NYC home...

For today's post, I pay homage to my recent Spring Break NYC trip with a couple of my infamous recipe recreations. First up is my version of Momofuku's Spicy Cold Noodles with baby spinach, Chinese sausage, and honey roasted cashews. SO GOOD--especially when it's NOT 15 bucks a bowl (as the dishes are above)! This was so easy, too--a real weeknight quick fix.

Momofuku's Spicy Cold Noodles (Copycat Version)

I started by preparing 8 oz. of soba noodles (boiled for 4-5 minutes in salted water, then cooled thoroughly under cold water and drained).

Then I made a vinaigrette from the following ingredients and poured it over the noodles:

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 teaspoon Thai fish sauce (optional)
1 tablespoon teriyaki sauce
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon grated ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons sriracha
1 tablespoon miso (you could use another tablespoon of teriyaki)
1 teaspoon hoisin sauce
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

I put the noodles in the fridge while I browned three large links of Chinese sausage (removed from the casing and crumbled in the pan). Then to assemble, I placed a large handful of baby spinach on the plate, half of the dressed noodles, half of the cooked sausage, and a handful of honey roasted cashews to garnish. That's it! Easy, fresh, and yummy!

Though my dessert at Momfuku was SUBLIME (pineapple and brown butter cake soft serve swirled together to make pineapple upside-down cake ice cream!), the other NYC-inspired knockoff that I want to share is hazelnut chocolate bear hug rice pudding, a la Rice to Riches--the amazing rice pudding shop in Soho--with amazingly high prices for a dish consisting mainly of rice, milk and sugar. I am VERY pleased at how my inexpensive rendition turned out.

Rice to Riches' Hazelnut Chocolate Bear Hug Rice Pudding (Copycat Version)

1 cup arborio rice
1 quart whole milk
1 cup cream
1/2 cup sugar
pinch of salt
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup Nutella (chocolate hazelnut spread)

Put everything except the vanilla and Nutella into a heavy-bottomed saucepan and bring to boil, stirring frequently. Simmer for 45 minutes to an hour until rice is tender and mixture is thick and creamy.

Remove from heat and add vanilla and Nutella. Stir until Nutella is fully melted and mixed in. Serve warm or cold.

Food from Friends

I have some fabulous foodie friends, Jaymie and Audrey, and we like to swap recipes on occasion...or at least food ideas or inspirations. One of their favorite fun dinners that they are often Facebooking about is cheeseburger pizza. I'm not sure if they've ever made it the same way twice, and when I tried it, I didn't make it exactly as they do (they like American cheese on theirs--BLECH!). But man, is it YUMMY! And you can be so creative when you make it--just think about all the things that you like on your hamburger, and incorporate those things as pizza toppings. I think this would be a very fun meal to get kids involved in, too...if'n I had any. ;-) Here's how I went about making my my version:

Bacon Double Cheeseburger Pizza with Mushrooms and Onions

I cheated and started with a thin crust Boboli. I spread about a half cup of ketchup on it (you might also consider Thousand Island dressing for that Big Mac appeal), then about a cup of a pizza blend cheese (mozzarella and cheddar), then a layer of cooked ground turkey and/or beef (about a half pound) that had been seasoned with a little BBQ rub, then another cup of cheese. I put that in the oven at 450 degrees for eight minutes while I got on with frying and crumbling up four pieces of bacon, sauteeing six sliced baby bella mushrooms, and chopping some white onion (1/4 cup or so). When the timer rang, I topped the pizza with the cooked mushrooms and bacon and put it back in for another four minutes. When it was done, I sprinkled it with the (raw) onions, sliced it up, and served it.

Jaymie and Audrey also turned me on to this delicious Peruvian pepper sauce that's kind of a cross between salsa verde and chimichurri called Aji Sauce (Salsa de Aji Amarillo). There are too many recipes to determine which is the definitive version--apparently, folks keep their secret recipes close to their vests--but I loosely followed a template provided by Serious Eats blogger, Andrea Lynn, who attempted to clone the sauce at a well-known Peruvian restaurant in NYC, Pio Pio.

Aji Sauce

2 Cubanelle peppers, seeded and roughly chopped (what I had on hand, but I would normally use four large jalapenos)
2 tablespoons aji amarillo paste (check the Latin foods aisle for this)
1/2 onion, roughly chopped
8 cloves of garlic, peeled (normal people might use 4!)
bunch of cilantro (mostly leaves)
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
juice of one large lime (or two small ones)
1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese (cojita cheese would be more authentic--again, it's what I had on hand)
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup mayonnaise

Throw everything except the mayo in the food processor and blend it all until it is as smooth as it's going to get. Then add the mayo and pulse a few more times until it's all mixed together. DELISH! You'll want to put it on EVERYTHING: grilled steak, pork chops, fish, hamburgers, nachos, burritos, Mexican omelettes, you name it. This would be welcome anywhere you would normally use a tomato salsa. Throw in a couple of avocados, and you'd have a kickin' guacamole, too!

Happy weekend! Make yourself a lovely omelette to celebrate it...

Sometimes, the best dishes are "use what you have" melanges from the veggie and deli drawers in your fridge. I made a faaaaabulous omelette for brunch today, and I just thought I would share the (admittedly slapdash) methodology.

Melt a bit of butter in a nonstick saute pan over medium-low heat. Toss in a couple of tablespoons of finely-chopped onion, one very small clove of minced garlic, and a couple/few baby bella mushrooms, sliced somewhat thinly. Cook for a few minutes until the mushrooms have become tender, then throw in a big handful of baby spinach that you have sliced into a chiffonade. Wilt that for another minute, then pour in a splash of balsamic vinegar and a generous sprinkling of black pepper. Swiss chard is good in place of the spinach, too. I like the tanginess of the balsamic with the greens. But only use a little bit, or it will overpower your eggs!

Crack three eggs on top of the vegetable saute, sprinkle with a tiny bit of salt, then kind of jostle everything together (so that the yellow and white is not homogenously mixed), and toss on a handful of the shredded cheese of your choice. Turn the pan to lowest setting and cover with a lid. Leave the pan go while you get on with making some toast. But the time your bread or bagel has been toasted and buttered, it will be time to remove the lid from the pan, flip the omelette over on to itself and serve. YUM!

Garlic Lovers, UNITE!

OUCH! Eyes were burning and noses were running when I made Susan Spicer's (of Bayona, New Orleans) Cream of Garlic Soup. It calls for six cups of chopped onions and two cups of garlic cloves! But it was the perfect excuse to try out my new purple stick blender that I bought at Sur la Table over Spring Break in the Big City! I had a boring white one that I liked very much, but I accidentally melted its cord (draping it across a hot burner--oops!). So now that they make a purple one, I thought it was a sign that it was time to replace my old damaged one.

Now I know that TWO CUPS of garlic and all those onions sounds scary, but you first caramelize the onions and garlic until they are golden brown and sweet (like roasted garlic). The soup is DELICIOUS, silky smooth and with a wonderful depth of flavor. This is a must-make for garlic lovers!

Bayona's Cream of Garlic Soup
(8 servings)

2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
6 cups peeled and sliced onions (about 2 pounds)
2 cups peeled but not chopped garlic cloves (save yourself and buy a big jug of peeled cloves at Sam's Club!)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried
6-7 cups chicken stock
1 bouquet garni* made with parsley stems, thyme sprigs and bay leaf
half a loaf stale French bread, cut into cubes
1 cup (up to a pint) half-and-half or heavy cream
salt and pepper, to taste

Blend the butter and oil in a heavy-bottomed 2-quart saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-low heat. Add the onions and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until they turn a deep golden brown,30 to 40 minutes (up to an hour). Add the thyme, 6 cups chicken stock and bouquet garni and bring to a boil. Stir in the bread cubes and let simmer for 10 minutes, until the bread is soft. Remove the soup from heat and cool for 10 minutes. (If you use a stick blender, you can skip the cooling step.)

Remove the bouquet garni and puree the soup in a blender ( in batches, if necessary), until completely smooth. Return the soup to the pot and heat to the desired temperature. Whisk in more chicken stock if the mixture is too thick. Add half-and-half or cream until the soup reaches the texture of a classic cream soup. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

*I didn't have fresh herbs on hand, so I just used dried thyme (one teaspoon), parsley (one tablespoon) and two bay leaves. I fished the bay leaves out before pureeing the soup.

(Susan Spicer, Crescent City Cooking. New York: Alfred A Knopf, 2007)

Like an insensitive houseguest, winter will not take the hint and LEAVE already!

I am off to the Southlands to find me some spring, but as it was EIGHT degrees when I left Burlington yesterday, I thought I might share this easy casserole--a hearty and warming favorite, in case springtime hasn't found you where you live either!

Simple Shepherd's Pie

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 lb. ground meat (beef, turkey, lamb or a combo)
1 large onion, diced
1 bag frozen mixed vegetables
1 cup frozen peas (I like lots of peas in my shepherd's pie!)
1 tablespoon beef or vegetable bouillon (I like Better Than Bouillon)
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon granulated garlic
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 stick butter, divided
1/4 cup flour
1 cup water
6 cups prepared mashed potatoes

In a large Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium heat and cook the meat and the onions until the meat is no longer pink and the onions are translucent (sliced mushrooms would have been good here, too, but I didn't have any on hand). Add the frozen vegetables and cook for a minute or two until thawed. Add the bouillon, Worcestershire sauce, balsamic vinegar, granulated garlic, and pepper and stir to combine.

Make a well in the middle of the meat and vegetable mixture, and melt four tablespoons of butter. When the butter is melted, toss the flour over the mixture and cook everything together for a couple of minutes, stirring the whole time. Pour the water over the mixture and cook for another couple of minutes until the gravy thickens, stirring constantly.

Pour the meat and vegetable mixture into a 9x13 baking dish and top with the mashed potatoes. Top the potatoes with bits of the remaining four tablespoons of butter, and bake at 400 degrees for about 30 minutes until browned on top and bubbly.

*If the potatoes are not crispy enough to suit you, run the pan under the broiler for a minute or two.

A tasty shot of fiber for ya...

I don't even have a picture for you today, but I have a great recipe. One of my college friends started a group on Facebook called Healthy Cooking on a Budget, and another college friend posted a bran muffin recipe that is very yummy and quite easy. In fact, I had a batch whipped up and out the door to take to a meeting at work before I remembered to take a picture! They aren't much to look at anyway, but they are delish, and full of nutritious ingredients.

Of course, I made a few tweaks to the original recipe below. The first change was a mistake. When I was at the store, I remembered that I needed some kind of bran cereal, but I bought All-Bran instead of oat bran. Oops. But I just stirred the cereal in with the wet stuff and let it soften while I got on with the rest of the batter. I also used whole wheat white flour, because that's what I had on hand. It made the texture very light. And instead of chopped dates, I used date crystals, so they ended up dissolving into the muffins like sugar. I upped the vanilla to one full teaspoon, and I added an extra couple of tablespoons of oil, too, but the batter still looked a bit heavy to me. So I ended up stirring in a scant 1/4 cup of buttermilk. I baked them in cupcake liners, and they came out just beautifully. Using a regular muffin scoop, I got 14 muffins. They took 20 minutes to bake, and I let them cool in the pans for 10 minutes before turning them out. YUM!

Mimi’s Muffins

3/4 cup whole wheat flour (I used white whole wheat)
3/4 cup oat bran cereal (I accidentally used All-Bran*...and would do it again)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Mix all dry ingredients in a small bowl. Set aside.  Then mix the following in a larger bowl:

1/3 cup mashed banana (=one banana)
1/2 cup yogurt or sour cream
2 egg whites or 1 egg
2 tablespoons oil or applesauce (I increased this to 1/4 cup)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla (I increased this to one teaspoon)
1/2 cup brown sugar
*I stirred the All-Bran cereal into the wet ingredients to let it soften while I mashed the banana and grated carrots and chopped nuts.
**I also added about 1/4 cup buttermilk to the wet mixture.

Combine the dry ingredients with the wet mix, then fold in:

1/2 cup carrots, shredded
1/2 cup dates, chopped (I used date crystals)
1/2 cup nuts, chopped (I used walnuts)

Bake in muffin tins at 400* for 18-20 mins. Makes about 10-12 muffins. (I got 14 using a regular muffin scoop.)

It's just not funny anymore.

We awoke to almost 13 inches of new snow today, making it the second Monday in a row of no school, and third inclement weather day of the semester. You might think that I would revel in these unexpected days off, but it's wreaking havoc on my academic course schedules, and I fear that my Monday-Wednesday and Monday-Wednesday-Friday classes will NEVER get caught up from missing a whole week of classes! UGH!

However, the crazy, persistent winter has--as you may have noticed in recent posts--inspired a streak of marvelous soups and stews. The most recent of which started with a pound of 32 bean (and 8 vegetable) soup mix that I bought in the bulk food section at the Healthy Living Market in Burlington. The brand name is North Bay Trading Company and you can order online, or they'd probably have something similar at your local co-op. I didn't follow any particular recipe, but here was my general methodology for Ham and 32 Bean Soup:

In my large Dutch oven with some olive oil (two tablespoons or so), I sauteed some diced/sliced veggies--2 medium onions, 3 large stalks celery, 2 large carrots, a few hot peppers, two or three cloves of garlic, and about 8-10 large mushrooms. Then I added the bean mix in its soaking liquid (water to cover, soaked for two hours) and added a tablespoon each of vegetable soup base (Better Than Bouillon) and salted herbs (it's a Canadian thing--feel free to add a total of two tablespoons of soup base instead). I also added a teaspoon of dried oregano, 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper.

I brought this to the boil for five minutes, and turned it to simmer for two hours. I ended up adding two more cans of vegetable broth to the mix, as it thickened during cooking. Then I added a can of fire-roasted diced tomatoes, a tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce, and about a pound of diced ham, and simmered it for almost another hour. Good stuff!

To go with the soup, I made a batch of the most wonderful potato rolls! I ran across the recipe for crusty potato bread on Allrecipes, and I thought I might prefer rolls to bread. Several of the reviewers had reported that they had successful produced rolls with the dough, and also offered helpful recipe amendments which I also adopted. This were so easy and really lovely--they rose high and were airy in texture, despite my using some white whole wheat flour. I don't know why I don't make homemade bread more often, especially when I now have a perfect dough rising spot near the warm fire and no longer have to rely on home-rigged contraptions to get bread to rise! Even if you fear yeast doughs, I urge you to give this one a try...
 
Soft Potato Rolls
(adapted from Allrecipes)

3 cups all-purpose flour (I swapped out one cup white whole wheat)
3/4 cup instant mashed potato flakes
1 tablespoon sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1 1/4 cups warm--not hot!--water (up to 1 1/2 cups)
2 teaspoons instant yeast

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, mix all of the ingredients until they come together, then continue to knead with the hook for five minutes until a smooth ball forms (you may have to add a little extra water, a teaspoon at a time, to get the right consistency--there shouldn't be dry stuff at the bottom of the bowl). Scrape the bowl down with a rubber spatula, cover with plastic wrap and a tea towel, and place in a warm spot until the dough has doubled in size.

Punch down and turn out onto a lightly floured surface, and sprinkle the top of the dough with flour. Divide into 12 equal portions and roll into smooth balls. Place in a 9x13 baking dish that has been coated with nonstick spray. Spray a piece of plastic wrap and cover the dish with that and the tea towel. Put the rolls back in a warm spot to rise until doubled.

Carefully brush the tops of the rolls with melted butter and bake at 375 degrees for about 25 minutes until deep golden brown on top.

Winter's Bitch

"In the spring I have counted one hundred and thirty-six different kinds of weather inside of four and twenty hours." ~ Mark Twain

In the span of less than a week, we've experienced five below zero, then 40 and raining, and then back to the Snowpocalypse. I've given up on trying to understand it or predict it; I'm now just trying to ride it out. So it doesn't look like the winter is going to be through messing with us anytime soon. Thus, we need more hearty, rib-sticking, soul-warming comfort food.

Now I have always been a big fan of a roast chicken, as evidenced many times on this blog. But here's a slightly different approach to the dish that was shared with me by my friend, Heather. She and her husband have two small boys, and it's their family favorite.  I can see why, as it's simple, delicious, and elevates a random Tuesday night to something pretty special.

One Pot Chicken Dinner

1 chicken, cut up -- or 4 chicken breast halves
4-10 red or yellow potatoes, peeled and quartered (depending on how many mouths you're feeding)
4-12 carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inches pieces (again, depending on how many people you're serving)
1/4 onion, diced (I used a whole onion)
1/3 cup butter, room temperature, softened or melted
1 clove garlic, finely chopped (or more, if preferred--LOTS more!)
pepper (to taste)
* I added a pinch of red pepper flakes and a good sprinkling of dried oregano.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees (F).

Place potatoes, carrots, and onions in bottom of large casserole dish or Dutch oven. Rinse chicken thoroughly and pat dry. Place chicken on top, skin-side up. In a small bowl, mash up and mix butter with garlic, salt and pepper. Spread or drizzle butter mixture over the top of the chicken. Cover* and bake (at 450) for 60 minutes, or until chicken reaches internal temperature of 165-170. (Basting a few times, every 20-30 minutes, is a really good idea!)

*OOPS! I missed the part of the instructions where you were supposed to cover the dish, which explains why the garlic on top of my chicken pieces burned. But I just scraped the burned bits off, and the dish was perfect. Next time, I will cover it, but I would think that the foil should come off (or go on) halfway through.

Butter Lane (is in my ears and in my eyes...and in my tum-tum!)

Recently, a friend of mine got in on a Groupon deal to take a cupcake-making class at Butter Lane, my favorite cupcake shop in NYC, for $25! That includes a dozen cupcakes to take home, and they sell those for three bucks apiece in the shop! So it's like they're paying YOU to take the class! Well, as you can imagine, I was very jealous of my friend, especially as I live in a city that's too small to be able to use Groupon! Boo hiss!

So what's a gal to do but to make her own cupcakes? Luckily, I found this blog where the author took the same class as my friend and documented her experience, including sharing their recipes for banana cupcakes and cream cheese frosting. Mind you, this very cupcake was profiled by Ted Allen on Food Network's "The Best Thing I Ever Ate" as the best cupcake in the City.  I don't even like bananas, and I have to concur!

Of course, I can never leave well enough alone, so I made my own way with the frosting. I added some local, Grade B maple syrup and a whole bunch of buttered pecans, and in doing so, I may well have produced one of the best baked goods to ever come out of my kitchen! (This was confirmed by my top three most faithful taste testers.)

If you're in the Big Apple, you have to check out Butter Lane. You have your choice of vanilla, chocolate or banana cupcakes, with a whole menu of different frostings, including both American and French buttercreams. In the meantime, MAKE THESE:

Butter Lane's Banana Cupcakes
(Should make 15 cupcakes...I got 18!)

1 stick butter, softened
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 1/2 eggs (mix the second egg, and approximate half)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups cake flour (or 1 1/4 cups all-purpose)
3/4 cup buttermilk
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
pinch salt
1 cup pureed bananas (about three)

Cream butter and sugar. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix until light and fluffy. Add half the flour mixture followed by half the buttermilk and repeat. Fold in banana mixture on low speed, finishing folding by hand. Scoop with ice cream dasher into lined muffin tins about 2/3 to 3/4 full. Bake at 300 for 23-28 minutes (until a tester comes out with a few moist crumbs). Cool cupcakes completely before frosting.

Maple Pecan Cream Cheese Frosting

8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 stick of (salted) butter, softened
4 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons maple syrup (preferably, Grade B)
1 cup pecans browned in 2 tablespoons butter, cooled and chopped

In a large saute pan over medium heat, melt two tablespoons of butter. Add one cup of whole pecans and brown them in the pan, stirring frequently. When the nuts have turned a deep golden brown and smell toasty, remove from heat and cool the nuts completely. When cool, chop with a large knife into fairly small pieces.

Beat the cream cheese and butter for five minutes. On low speed, mix in powdered sugar, then add vanilla and maple syrup and mix for another three minutes until very smooth. Finally, add the buttered pecan pieces and mix until thoroughly combined.

In which I am revealed to be a tightwad...

This story begins with my love of all things pickled. Starting around Thanksgiving, I make up a big vat of pickled things, comprised of all the homemade pickles in my pantry, plus some purchased pepperoncini and olives and whatever else I decide to toss into the brine, and keep the bucket in the fridge to munch on when I get the urge. But then tragedy struck, and I ran out of homemade pickled carrots.

I was just going to buy some more, but A) you can't often find carrots by themselves that aren't in giardiniera (and I hate cauliflower), and B) if you do find a jar of just carrots, they are $6 or $7 a jar! Refusing to fork out that kind of dough, I bought a 3 lb. bag of baby carrots at Sam's Club for four bucks, a package of Mrs. Wages kosher pickling mix at Wal-Mart for a dollar-fifty, and with less than an hour's worth of work, I had six pints of pickled carrots cooling on the counter for about $1.33/jar!

Did you know that you can use Mrs. Wages on vegetables other than cucumbers? Me neither! I simply followed the instructions on the package but used (rinsed) baby carrots instead, although I added a peeled and cracked clove of garlic and 1/4 teaspoon of red pepper flakes to each jar. Also, I hot water bathed the jars for ten minutes, as I did not sterilize the jars up front.

It's only been ten days, but I opened a jar and snuck a sample. DELISH, and just the right texture between tender and crunchy (at least, to my tastes). And the flavor will be even better in a couple more weeks. Score one for the cheapskates!

My second miserly tale begins in Burlington, Vermont when my roommate and I took our youngest kitty (Nova aka Itty Bitty or just Bitty) for his big boy surgery. While he was having his, err, bits removed, we took ourselves to brunch. We initially wanted to go to our favorite cafe, Penny Cluse, but the wait was over an hour! So we walked over to Church Street and down to Leunig's Bistro, which I had heard from friends was wonderful, but a bit pricey for dinner. I am pleased to report that brunch was quite reasonable, and SO GOOD!

We started with some piping hot beignets drizzled with real maple syrup. Then Cyd had their signature skillet with local bacon and Cabot cheddar and caramelized onions, and I had this awesome twist on Eggs Benedict. It had a big, fluffy English muffin on the bottom spread with an avocado hummus, then it was supposed to have a tomato slice, but I opted for fresh salsa, then a spicy black bean cake, a perfectly poached egg, and finished with cilantro Hollandaise. Amazing! And everything on the menu looked wonderful--I can't wait to go back!



After brunch, we made our way down to our favorite health food market, the store we affectionately call the Wealthy Living Market or the Healthy Wealthy People Store. They have an incredible deli and salad bar there, and I saw this edamame and corn salad that I wanted to try, but it was $5.50 for a little cup of it! I think you know what I did. I took note of the ingredients of said salad, and I went home and whipped up my own version that turned out very well--so fresh and tasty!--for much, much less.

One of the ingredients in the salad was miso, something I am not that familiar with. Oh, I have enjoyed miso soups and miso dressings in my travels, perhaps even salmon with a miso marinade or glaze, but I have never cooked with it myself. Despite my tightwad ways, I actually splurged and spent twelve bucks on a large jar of sweet white miso that was handcrafted according to ancient Japanese traditions at a small farm in Massachusetts called South River Miso Company. And guess what? I tasted a little from the jar, and I love it! It sort of tastes like something in the soy sauce family, but also kind of nutty.

South River Miso makes at least a half dozen kinds of miso, but I thought I'd start with the mildest variety which would probably be the most versatile. Now I find myself throwing a little into everything! And miso is a fermented product, so it has all of those probiotic benefits like yogurt and such IF you don't cook it. So either use it uncooked or stir it into whatever you're making at the very end over the lowest heat. Good stuff!

Edamame and Corn Salad with Orange-Miso Vinaigrette

1 lb. bag frozen edamame
12 oz. bag frozen corn
1 small red pepper, seeded and diced
2 or 3 hot peppers (jalapeno, serrano, Fresno, cascabella, etc.), seeded and diced
4 large scallions, thinly sliced
1/4 cup cilantro, finely chopped
1/4 cup toasted sesame seeds (preferably, 2T white and 2T black)

Vinaigrette:
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup freshly-squeezed orange juice
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1 teaspoon Thai fish sauce
2 teaspoons miso (I used mild/sweet white)
1 tablespoon honey
2 teaspoons soy sauce or tamari
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil. Add a couple of good pinches of salt, then the edamame and corn. Cook for five minutes, or until the veggies are tender. Drain and run under cold water until completely cool. In a large bowl, combine the cooled edamame and corn, along with the chopped peppers, scallions, cilantro and sesame seeds.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the vegetable oil, orange juice, rice wine vinegar, sesame oil, fish sauce, miso, honey, soy sauce and black pepper until thoroughly combined. Stir 1/2 to 3/4 cup* of the vinaigrette into the vegetable mixture. Refrigerate for at least a couple of hours until the flavors marry.

*Use the leftover dressing to make a tasty salad with mixed greens, shredded carrots, slivered shallots, some cilantro leaves, and sliced almonds. MMM!