"What Can You Make from the Dregs of Your Fridge?" Round Two (Double Jeopardy)

Friday night, and I just couldn't face another delivery of pizza. So once again, I found myself peering into the fridge, wondering what gourmet meal might be hidden in there, disguised in plastic containers and half-empty jars of God-knows-what. I had bought a large package of fresh chicken and rosemary tortellini (Buitoni--I had only tried the three cheese before this) that had been in the fridge for a few days and needed to be cooked--or frozen. But what to put on it? Alfredo sounded perfect, especially since I had several cheeses on hand (cream cheese, parmesan and sharp provolone). Here's my favorite Alfredo recipe, tweaked a bit:

Alfredo Sauce

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter
1 tablespoon cream cheese (I used two this time!)
1 cup half-and-half (I probably used 1 1/4 cups to thin out this extra cheesy sauce)
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, freshly-grated
1 teaspoon granulated garlic
*I also added a half cup of finely-shredded aged provolone, a good bit of black pepper, and a generous tablespoon of chopped parsley.

In a saucepan, melt butter. When butter is melted, add the cream cheese. When the cream cheese is softened, add half-and-half and the parmesan (and provolone) cheese(s). Add garlic powder (and black pepper) and stir well. Simmer this for 15-20 minutes on low. Then stir in the chopped fresh parsley before serving.

Since the tortellini already had chicken in it, I forewent any additional protein(s), but I did want something "meaty" on top. In the fridge, I found an eight-ounce package of sliced baby bella mushrooms that was slightly past its prime, along with half a jar of roasted red peppers that I chopped up (probably should have sliced them instead...oh well). I sauteed the mushrooms in a large frying pan in a little butter and olive oil, a pinch of red pepper flakes, some black pepper, and then added the red peppers and a couple of cloves' worth of minced garlic. When the mushrooms were tender, I finished them off with a generous tablespoon of balsamic vinegar, and then let it all reduce a bit while I prepared the pasta according to the package directions.

I must say, this hodge-podge dish was so easy and SO TASTY and certainly ran circles around our typical Friday night pizza delivery!

Another rainy day? MAKE COOKIES!

The weather this year has been unbelievable! After all of my posts this winter about the overwhelming amount of snow, I bet you can guess what the spring brought: RECORD FLOODS! Lake Champlain hasn't been this high in a century or something, and many people I know in the area have been bailing out their basements or worse, filling sandbags by night to keep the rising waters (literally) at bay. You would think since the calendar says "summer," that we would finally get a break from all the rain, but nooooooo. We have had but a handful of days in May and June when the shiny disk in the sky managed to break through the nimbus clouds and let us bask in its warmth. Annnnnd....back to the rain.

However, as I grew up in Washington and Oregon, AND as I am still trying to fill up a swimming pool, I say, BRING IT! Plus, when it rains, you have an excuse to ignore the yard work and other outdoor projects, and you can stay inside and bake cookies. Tee hee. I find myself becoming rather domestic on Fridays in the summer, as I don't have classes to teach. Since my poor roomie does have to work, when she requested that I make her some homemade peanut butter cookies, I couldn't help but oblige. And I think I made some DARN GOOD ONES, too! I found the recipe on Smitten Kitchen (as I often do), and she adapted the recipe from The Magnolia Bakery Cookbook. The next rainy day--or even for the next sunny picnic--you should make these easy and luscious cookies.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
(Adapted from The Magnolia Bakery Cookbook)

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup peanut butter at room temperature (smooth or chunky)
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar (I used dark)
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup peanut butter chips (I swapped out chopped peanuts as I hate PB--and butterscotch--chips, GACK!)
1/2 cup chocolate chips

For sprinkling: 1/4 cup sugar, regular or superfine

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine the flour, the baking soda, the baking powder, and the salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, beat the butter and the peanut butter together until fluffy. Add the sugars and beat until smooth. Add the egg and mix well. Add the milk and the vanilla extract. Add the flour mixture and beat thoroughly. Stir in the peanut butter chips (or peanuts) and chocolate chips. Place sprinkling sugar — the remaining tablespoon — on a plate. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls into the sugar, then onto ungreased cookie sheets, leaving several inches between for expansion. Using a fork, lightly indent with a crisss-cross pattern, but do not overly flatten cookies.

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes* (until just a pale golden color). Do not overbake. Cookies may appear to be underdone, but they are not. Cool the cookies on the sheets for one minute, then remove to a rack to cool completely.

Gina's Note: I found that they took 9-10 minutes if the dough was room temperature and 11-12 if the dough was chilled. Using a standard cookie scoop, I got 35 cookies out of this one batch!

Let's play, "What Can You Make with the Dregs of Your Fridge?"

So...we have a problem in my household. My poor roommate has a job that requires her to get up at a truly ungodly hour of the morning, which consequently compels her to go to bed somewhat early (by 10pm). But as I have shared many times, I am totally nocturnal, and it only gets worse when I have a relaxed work schedule during the summer. The other factor is the long days; I don't really even think about cooking dinner until the sun has gone down, and that's not until after 9pm these days! So my roommate tends to make a sandwich and then shuffle up the stairs just about the time I begin cooking up a storm in the kitchen.

Last night, we had spent all evening working outside--Cyd mowed the back forty while I cleaned the pool. (Yeah, yeah, I know! It should have been opened a month ago. But it's still in the 60's and rainy, so what's the rush?) We were so pooped by the time we came inside, that Cyd went to bed without supper, and I considered doing the same. But around 10pm, I found myself staring into the fridge, trying to conceive of what I could make without too much actual cooking. I found greens (a tiny head of leaf lettuce and some baby spinach), some leftover bacon, several slices of multigrain bread that had become a bit dry, and a dozen farm-fresh eggs. So I snipped a handful of thyme from the herb garden, whisked up a dijon vinaigrette, toasted some croutons, basted a couple of eggs, and ended up with a salad that nearly brought me to tears of joy! I thought myself a genius for inventing such a deliciously savory salad, but as it turns out, this a classic combination of flavors that the Frenchies call Salade Lyonnaise. Of course, it's usually made with frisee or other such bitter greens, but I am a mild, buttery lettuce type of gal.

The croutons were fashioned from four pieces of stale Milton's multigrain bread cut into chunks and tossed with a couple of tablespoons of melted butter, salt, pepper, and granulated garlic, then toasted in the oven at 400 degrees until deep golden brown. Sidebar: I got a Facebook response from Milton's, and they apparently had a recent crouton-off in their office, and the winning combination was triangle-shaped croutons with thyme, olive oil, garlic and parmesan. So next time, I'll have to try cutting them into that shape (for even toasting and maximum crunchiness) and adding parmesan! But I was pleased to read that my instincts were confirmed at the source, "The flavors of the thyme and the subtle sweetness of Milton’s bread really worked well together to make a truly delicious crouton."

For the vinaigrette, I whisked together two shallots and two cloves of garlic (finely minced), a generous tablespoon of whole-grain Dijon mustard, a scant tablespoon of honey, a pinch of salt, a good bit of black pepper, maybe 1/4 to 1/3 cup of white wine vinegar and perhaps 1/3 to 1/2 cup of olive oil, and a couple of teaspoons of fresh thyme leaves, roughly chopped.

Then you wash up some greens of your choice, fry up a few pieces of bacon, poach or baste a couple of eggs (try to keep the yolks a little runny so that they mix with the dressing and sumptuously coat the lettuce leaves), assemble, and DEVOUR!

Strawberry Social

I have a friend at work who is retiring this year, and she threw a HUGE backyard bash yesterday to celebrate! And--miracle of miracles--the rain let up for a few hours, and it was a truly GORGEOUS day for a garden party! There were tents and tables set up, two bands that took turns playing (she has a very musical family!), and all the bottled beverages the revelers could consume! For the food, the hostess made Italian beef sandwiches and meatballs and a three-bean salad, and of course, there was a big congratulatory cake. The rest of us were encouraged to bring either a salad or other side dish OR a dessert. But my friend, June, goaded me by reporting that she would be bringing both a pasta salad AND some delectable brownies a la Alton Brown (Alton Brownies?) So I felt like an underachiever if I didn't prepare one savory and one sweet item, too. But what to bring?

I always like to be inspired by local, fresh, seasonal food, so my first thought was: STRAWBERRIES! But it's been so cool and wet this year, our local u-picks weren't officially open for business yet. Therefore, as has become my custom, I made my way to Quebec to acquire THESE beauties! They are somewhat smaller, but sweeter and gorgeously red all the way through. Now...what to do with them?

For my savory side, I made a ginormous salad with mixed greens, sliced strawberries, crumbled blue cheese, slivered red onions, and my new favorite crouton substitute--pepitas! And I found the perfect bottled dressing to accompany a strawberry salad, Brianna's Blush Wine Vinaigrette. SO YUMMY!

That just left dessert. The most obvious strawberry dessert is shortcake, but I didn't think that it would hold up well at an outdoor potluck. I also considered strawberry cheesecake, but again, I thought it might melt in the sun. So I settled on strawberry pie. Everyone loves strawberry pie, but no one (with a shred of taste or dignity) enjoys that nasty red goo that you buy in the produce department--the one that's corn syrup-based and of a hue not occuring in nature. So I went trolling for a recipe where you make a homemade glaze for the berries. In doing so, I ran across a pie that had a cream cheese layer, and that settled that! It's like strawberry pie and cheesecake put together! YUM!

I made a couple of substantive changes, of course. The main ones were that the glaze recipe calls for grenadine syrup, and the store that I stopped at was out, so I used Pom Wonderful's fresh pomegranate juice (which worked great, and I would always make this swap in the future--it just tastes better and without the added corn syrup in grenadine). And since my herb garden is overrun with thyme right now, I decided to infuse the glaze with a bundle of the fragrant stuff. I thought it turned out delicious, cutting the fruity sweetness with those fresh, herbal notes. I would do that again, too. I was a little worried about the cream cheese layer sitting around outside, so I brought a bag of ice to sit the pie on (clever, non?), and knowing how the strawberries would start to make everything runny in short order, I waited until I got to the party to add the strawberry topping to the pie. I am pleased to report that I took home a clean pie plate!

If strawberries have started (or are still going) where you live, you should try making this lovely pie. And if you're preparing it to take to an event, you will be pleased to know that you can bake the crust and fill it with the cream cheese layer ahead of time. Wrap it with plastic, and just let it chill overnight. You may also make the glaze the day before, and let that chill, too. Before you head to your party, slice your berries and toss with the glaze. Then take the pie and the berry mixture separately, and combine immediately before serving. (This is not a pie that holds over well, so be prepared to eat the whole thing in one sitting; it's a great way to make new friends!)

Strawberry Cheesecake Pie with Pomegranate-Thyme Glaze
(adapted from Allrecipes)

1 deep-dish pie shell, baked and thoroughly cooled

1 cup heavy cream
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2/3 cup Pom Wonderful pomegranate juice
1 tablespoon lemon juice
bundle of fresh thyme (tied with string), optional
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

4 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and halved

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, whip the heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Transfer to another bowl. Then mix together cream cheese, confectioners’ sugar and vanilla until smooth and creamy. Fold whipped cream (by hand) into cream cheese mixture. Spread over bottom of baked and cooled pie shell. Chill. (You can do all of this the day before.)

2. In a saucepan, mix together sugar and cornstarch. Whisk in the pomegranate and lemon juices. Toss in the thyme bundle (if using). Bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook five minutes, stirring constantly, or until thickened. Remove thyme bundle. Allow glaze to cool, then chill. (This can also be done a day ahead.)

3. Just before serving, stir together strawberries and cooled cornstarch mixture until evenly coated. Spread over cream cheese layer.

God loves Mormons and He wants some more!

Other than a large population of New York City dwellers, I know I'm pretty much the only other (heterosexual) person who so eagerly anticipates the Tony Award telecast each year. And this time around, I was particularly excited to see how my new FAVORITE musical, the profane and hilarious, "Book of Mormon" would fare. As anticipated, the irreverent gem from the guys who brought us "South Park" (and the other guy who brought us "Avenue Q") won a bunch of the awards given out tonight (eight altogether), including Best Musical. (Shocker. As Chris Rock said before opening the envelope, "We know that the best musical is. This is such a waste of time--like taking a hooker to dinner." LOL!)

Still, I felt that I should root for the horse that I was betting on by preparing a proper Mormon dinner to enhance our viewing experience. Now I lived in Salt Lake City, Utah for five years, so I believe that I am quite knowledgeable about LDS culture. Thus, I knew that it had to be a comforting casserole that would feed a small army followed, naturally, by ice cream for dessert (as Utah is the larger consumer per capita of that frozen confection). Below is the entree "recipe" that I came up with, which my roommate promptly dubbed "Spooky Mormon Hot Dish." However, it should be noted that she had seconds! And YES, this is the same sort of dish that you might find at a 70's church potluck of any faith, and/or on the Duggar Family table. ;-)

Spooky Mormon Hot Dish (aka Chicken and Rice Casserole)

2 boxes chicken-flavored Rice-a-Roni
1/2 cup slivered or sliced almonds
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or four thighs=about three cups of chicken), cut into chunks
1 medium onion, chopped
8 oz. sliced mushrooms
1 tablespoon minced garlic (a few cloves)
1 can cream of chicken (or mushroom or celery) soup
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon ground celery (feel free to add fresh celery to the veggie saute instead)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup shredded cheese (cheddar or co-jack)

about a cup of french fried onions

Prepare the rice according to package directions. Toast the almonds in a dry skillet then remove. Add olive oil and cook the chicken pieces until no longer pink. Remove chicken from the pan and set aside. Saute the onions and mushrooms until tender. Add the minced garlic and cook for about another minute.

In a large bowl, combine the rice, chicken, veggie mixture, cream of whatever soup, mayo, spices, and cheese. Dump into a large glass casserole dish that has been sprayed with nonstick cooking spray, even out, and top with french fried onions. Bake at 325 for about 30 minutes or until monochromatically golden brown.

I feel a little CORNY...

...but I am going to post a picture and a recipe for something that many of you have probably made before, whether you call it corn pudding, corn casserole or corn souffle'. I can't believe I've never made this version until now, because it's so easy and so luscious.  But in my (southern) family, our corn pudding recipe is entirely custard (egg)-based.  In any case, if this one is old news to you, it still bears repeating, because it's so yummy alongside soups or stews or chili or what have you. It's also very versatile, because you could include any number of tasty add-ins. Here's the basic "recipe," if you can even call it that:

Mix together a package of cornbread mix (I used Martha White Sweet Yellow), a can of creamed corn, a can of (drained) whole kernel corn, a cup of sour cream, and a stick of melted butter (I cut this to HALF a stick, and that was plenty--though you could probably could skip the butter altogether with all of that sour cream, and especially if you choose to add cheese). You could stop there and proceed to baking, but I added a cup of shredded cheddar, about a half cup of chopped chives (or scallions), and a good pinch of both salt and pepper. Bake in a sprayed 8x8 pan at 325 degrees for 40-45 minutes or until set.

*Another delicious and spicy adaptation would be to add a small can of (drained) mild green chiles, switch out Mexi-corn for the regular kernel corn, and maybe pepper jack in place of the cheddar.

ALOHA!

As has become my custom, during the week between the end of spring semester and the beginning of the first summer session, I attend SUNY's Conference on Instructional Technologies. This year, it was hosted by SUNY Oneonta, a lovely rolling, lush green campus halfway between Schenectady and Binghamton and about a four-hour drive from Plattsburgh. Other than the aptly-named "City of the Hills" almost doing me in--our dorm and the building where the sessions were held were almost a MILE apart!--it was a great conference as always, and it got me excited about trying out some high-tech toys and cutting-edge programs in my classroom. (My summer students should be on notice, as I plan to use them as guinea pigs! Tee hee.)

As for as food goes, it was basic conference/college cafeteria fare, but the last night, they had a luau theme, and a couple of the dinner items were well above par. One was a steamed swordfish with a delicious fresh mango salsa, and the other was part of the dessert bar that was near where we had a fun board game/Wii/karaoke set-up. It was a macadamia nut pie that was SO good, I stole an extra couple of pieces to take home with me and share with my long-suffering housemate who took care of all of the animals while I was away. Also, I wanted to try and replicate the pie at home.

In the end, I decided not to duplicate the standard pecan pie filling, but attempted more of a hybrid buttermilk filling instead. I really liked the tanginess of the buttermilk against the sweet toastiness of the macadamias. The only problem I had was that the bottom crust didn't get cooked through properly, so I would strongly advise blind-baking your crust for 15-20 minutes at 400 degrees covered with parchment and pie weights before continuing on with the following recipe:

Macadamia Nut Pie

1 9-inch refrigerator pie crust (or better yet, homemade!)
3 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 cups macadamia pieces
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup light corn syrup
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons buttermilk
3 eggs

Form the pie shell into a deep dish pan or tin. Crimp or fork the edges. Keep in the refrigerator until ready to fill and bake. (Better yet, blind bake it first!)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a frying pan over medium heat, melt the butter with the macadamia pieces until both are light golden brown. Set aside to cool.

In a large bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, corn syrup, vanilla, salt, flour, buttermilk, and eggs. Once the butter and nuts have cooled from hot to warm, add them to the sugar mix and blend well. Pour filling into the chilled (or partially pre-baked!) pie crust and bake for about 55 minutes. (You may wish to cover the pie with aluminum foil at about the 40 minute mark.)

*If I were making this pie for a party (especially one with a Hawaiian theme), I might swap out the vanilla for a tablespoon of dark spiced rum, and I would add about a cup of toasted coconut to the filling.

Nigella Feasts...therefore, so do I!

Okay, I am being dead serious when I tell you that I recently made the BEST MEAL, thanks to an old Nigella rerun entitled, "Weekend Wonders." In fact, it was SO good, that I have already made the One-Pan Sage-and-Onion Chicken and Sausage TWICE before I've even had a chance to post about it. Other than the fact that it feeds a small army, I don't really know why Nigella presents it as a weekend meal. If you throw the chicken in the marinade the night before or even in the morning before work, it makes an easy weeknight meal. It does take an hour and fifteen minutes to bake, but it needs little tending. Just pop it in the oven, turn the sausages over halfway through, and that's it! SO GOOD! To take it over the top, make her Garlic Roast Potatoes and Petits Pois a la Francaise. I guarantee you, this menu will become a regular part of your supper repertoire!

One-Pan Sage-and-Onion Chicken and Sausage
(Source: Nigella Feasts)

1 large onion or 2 small onions
1/2 cup olive oil (I would reduce this to 1/3 cup)
2 teaspoons English mustard (I used one tablespoon whole-grain Dijon)
1 tablespoon dried sage
freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 lemon
1 (4-pound) chicken, jointed into 10 pieces (I've also used all thighs)
12 sausages (5 or 6 large sausages, cut in half, I've used both pork and chicken sausages)
1 head garlic, separated into cloves
2 tablespoons fresh sage leaves, chopped

Peel and cut the onion into eighths, and put into a freezer bag with the oil, mustard, dried sage, a good grinding of pepper, and Worcestershire sauce. Cut lemon in half, squeeze juice into bag, and then cut the halves into eighths and add them. Squidge everything around to mix (the mustard needs help to combine) and then add the chicken pieces. Leave to marinade in the refrigerator overnight, or for up to two days.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Allow the chicken to come to room temperature in its marinade.

Arrange the chicken pieces in a roasting tin skin side up with the marinade, including all the bits and pieces, and tuck the sausages and garlic cloves around them. Sprinkle the fresh sage leaves over the chicken and sausages and then put the tin into the oven to cook for one hour and fifteen minutes*. Turn the sausages over half way through to color them evenly.

Arrange the chicken and sausages on a large platter and serve.

*As you can see from my pictures, the chicken got a bit too dark on top. The second time I made this, I covered the pan with foil for the first 40 minutes, then baked it for the rest of the time uncovered. Worked like a charm--food perfectly browned, and breast meat was very moist!

Garlic Roast Potatoes
(Source: Nigella Feasts)

3 pounds maincrop potatoes (I like large whites)
1/3 cup olive oil
1 head garlic
kosher salt

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Wash and dry the potatoes, but don't bother to peel them, and cut them into about 3/4-inch dice. Toss in a large oven tray and pour over the oil, smulching around with your hands to mix well. Separate the head of garlic into cloves adding them to the tray, and roast for about one hour, turning once or twice during that time, until crispy and golden but still soft on the inside. When they're done, remove to a large plate and sprinkle with salt.

Petits Pois a la Francaise
(Source: Nigella Feasts)

3 small or 2 fat scallions, finely sliced
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 drop garlic-infused oil (or any oil really)
1 Little Gem (Butterhead) lettuce, shredded (I omitted this as hot lettuce skeeves me out--added some slivered shallots instead)
2 cups frozen petits pois
1/2 cup hot chicken stock (concentrate or cube and hot water is fine)

Cook the scallions (and shallots, if using) in the butter and oil until soft. Stir in the shredded lettuce, and when it is wilted add the frozen peas and stock.

Cook at a robust simmer, uncovered, until everything is tender and the liquid flavorful and reduced.

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!