My Day in Food

Since I'm still at a loss for words, I'll show you.

Breakfast of Greek yogurt, a ripe pear, some walnuts with a sprinkling of cinnamon.

Lunch of peanut butter on whole grain.

Dinner of grilled pork chop, roasted chili sweet potatoes, and cole slaw.

And coffee.

Argh!!

Spring has sprung, as they say; and I have a terrible case of blog block. I am enjoying reading prolific posts by my favorite bloggers, but I'm not able to put pen to paper.

Is it lack of inspiration? How could it be? Spring is bursting forth all around me--warm sun, trees in bloom, birds splashing in the birdbath, vibrant green herbs peeking through the soil, and spring produce starting to appear in the market. Is it just that I don't have anything to say? That never stopped me before.

Is it lack of confidence in my writing skills? Definitely, as the entertaining prose of my favorite bloggers puts mine to shame. Or is it distraction? Could be. Easter and the planning, cooking, serving and cleaning that came with it is now over. The first of several out-of-town weddings is over. Showers, more travel for weddings, a weekend trip for my birthday, and a much looked-forward-to  week on our favorite beach in St. Thomas all taking place within the month.

So much has to be accomplished and planned for before we can collapse on that beach. But I will hold onto the promise of soothing turquoise water, gentle breezes, and warm sand--and maybe blog block will become a thing of the past.

Still Crazy After All These Years

One of the definitions of crazy is someone who repeats the same task over and over expecting a different outcome.

After another failed attempt at an olive oil cake on Friday, I vowed that I was done with this elusive task. But while browsing through dessert recipes in my to-be-tried file over the weekend, I came across--you guessed it--a recipe for this Walnut-Orange Cake made with olive oil. Now I don't know if it was crazy, obsession or just tenacity that made me do it--but I had to try this cake.  It was worth the wait.

It was sweet, light, tender, and--best of all--delicious. "Are you done now?'" asked my friend, L, in her inimitable style.  Yes, I'm done now.

For dinner we had Jacques Pepin's Crusty Chicken.

These chicken thighs are started to cook in a cold non-stick pan, then when sizzling, covered until done. While the chicken is kept warm, a quick sauce of diced onions, garlic and mushrooms is made in a small amount of the chicken fat and finished with white wine.  The ubiquitous, but refreshing, green salad rounded out the meal. Topped off by, of course, Walnut-Orange Cake.

Tomorrow marks one year since I began writing this blog. It has taken a different turn from what I set out to do, but I think I am starting to find my voice and having fun along the way.

We are having a crowd for Easter dinner, and I still must decide on the desserts. Other than Aunt Louise's Cheesecake, I can't make up my mind.

Whether you are celebrating Passover, Easter or the coming of Spring, I hope that it is joyous.

A Rainy Weekend

Another weekend of terrible weather in the northeast. Torrential rains and high winds wreaked havoc on the area with fallen trees and downed power lines making travel difficult at best. We were lucky to never have lost our lights or our heat, so it was a good time to at stay home and catch up on a few things that had gotten away from us.

Sunday afternoon J and L stopped by and decided to stay for a while to watch a movie with us.

When it became evident that we all wanted to eat, ingredients were easy to gather, and water was put on to boil.

Broccoli florets were tossed with some olive oil, garlic, red pepper flakes and salt then put to roast in a hot oven. I soaked some very thinly sliced red onion in ice water while I made a salad of escarole and baby spinach, then I dropped the orecchiette into the waiting pot of boiling water. I drained and dried the onions, tossed them into the greens and then dressed them with a lemon mustard vinaigrette.

The cooked pasta was quickly dumped into the waiting bowl and tossed with 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter, the roasted broccoli, a couple of handfuls of toasted walnuts and enough hot pasta water to marry everything. While John poured the red wine, I tasted for seasoning and sprinkled the pasta with freshly grated Parmagiano. Dinner!

I have had some unsuccessful baking projects lately, but this almond torte was a hit.

Kath of The Ordinary Cook was hoping I would post the recipe. Here it is.

Almond Torte from Everyday Food, March 2010

1 1/4 cups (6 ounces) whole natural almonds, toasted

1 teaspoon cornstarch

4 large eggs, separated

3/4 cup sugar

2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest (from 1 lemon)

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a food processor, blend almonds and cornstarch until finely ground, about 15-20 seconds,

In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat egg yolks, sugar, lemon zest, vanilla and salt until light and fluffy, 4 to 5 minutes. Gently fold in almond mixture.

In another bowl, whisk egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold one-third of whites into almond mixture; then fold almond mixture into remaining whites just until combined.

Pour batter into a 9-inch springform pan. Bake until toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool in pan.

Note: There is no mention of greasing the pan in the recipe. Make sure that the cake is thoroughly

cooled before removing springform pan. Next time I would consider using buttered parchment

on bottom of pan to make removing cake from bottom a bit easier.

Thinking of Spring

"A kitchen without a lemon is like a song without a tune." David Wheeler, writer


While I was reading a post last week at racheleats about making crackers, Rachel mentioned that Rome was experiencing spring-like weather and that she was going to be picking lemons later in the day.
We were in the middle of another snow storm with 12 inches already dumped on us. With another full day of snow expected, I thought that making these gorgeous crackers was a great way to spend the afternoon. I was prepared to do just that. But somehow I just could not get the thought of spring time in Rome or the beautiful scent of lemons out of my head.

My thoughts started to drift  towards all the wonderful food I could make with a few lemons.  Citrus is always plentiful in the winter, and the bright color and intoxicating aroma of a bowl of lemons was enticing. Because of the severe weather this winter on the East Coast, the cost of these beauties has skyrocketed. I've  seen the cost of one lemon as high as 80 cents this season. But a trip to the local vegetable market after the roads were cleared scored me eight lemons for $2.

Lemons are so versatile for use in both sweet and savory dishes that my options were vast--Marcella Hazan's fettucine with lemon cream sauce; risotto with lemon zest; Neiman Marcus' Zodiac Room's famous lemon bars; lemon ice cream; lemon martinis. This was going to be tough. Sweet won out though.

I have been experimenting of late with using olive oil in baked goods.  It seems to be the it thing among pastry chefs, and many recipes have been showing up on various sites online.  I have been baking pastry chef, Gina DePalma's,  Cinnamon Breakfast Toasts , which include olive oil, for quite some time with great success.  Also, I love her Torta di Mandorla.  But this was to be all about the citrus.

I came across a recipe for Lemon Olive Oil cake posted here which sounded great.

The cake went together quickly, and the batter smelled delicious.  Forty minutes later the cake was out of the oven and cooling.

Finally, the cake was ready for a taste test.

Unfortunately, the cake was not what I expected.  It was drier than I had anticipated and not as tender as it should have been. Perhaps I left it in the oven a couple of minutes too long or used an olive oil that was too heavy.

 I guess I'll just have to try again.  I know it's a tough job, but somebody has to do it.                              

The Lamplight Inn Bed and Breakfast

"Old friendships are like jewels, polished over time to become beautiful and enduring."

Celia Brayfield

I can't believe that The Lamplight Inn Bed and Breakfast is celebrating its 25th anniversary! It seems like yesterday that my best friend from high school and her husband took on this labor of love.

It was 1984 when Linda and her soon-to-be-husband, Gene Merlino, bought the 1890 Victorian home overlooking Lake Luzerne in New York's Adirondacks. They had a wonderful vision of turning this run-down home into a thriving bed and breakfast. Sounds romantic--but they had no illusions. They embarked on this adventure with eyes wide open and were ready for the work that lay ahead.

It wasn't long before each weekend they would leave their jobs in the textile industry to go to work on the house. Most weekends a group of friends and family accompanied them, and soon the renovation began to take shape. Sometime in October that year they found the time for a wedding, and they got married on our front porch surrounded by the people who loved them. Our old house was undergoing a renovation of sorts, too. So we were just glad that no one fell through the porch! The inn was opened for guests in September, 1985.

The Lamplight Inn is a beautifully restored home on ten acres of hills, white pines, and trails. The large wrap-around porch greets you before you walk into the great room which is divided into three seating areas. The sunporch dining room beckons you to sit awhile. There is a renovated caretaker's cottage on the grounds as well as a newly built carriage house. There is a room for everyone's taste here.

Linda and Gene quickly won over the community with their friendly manner and their genuine hospitality. They have became a mainstay of the community that they love. Gene is even the town supervisor. And let's not forget Valentino, the Inn's dog.

The inn is known far and wide for the wonderful breakfasts that Gene and Linda cook up. Each morning guests are greeted in the dining room with Linda's home made granola, muffins or coffee cakes and fresh fruit. These can be enjoyed along with your coffee while deciding what to order from the menu.

Every day besides eggs any-style and a variety of omelets, Gene offers a Special of the Day. There are often Belgian Waffles, Pancakes, Peach Crepes or Croissant French Toast--my favorite. After a breakfast like this you will be ready for hiking or biking or enjoying the lakes and beautiful views.

The Lamplight Inn is well-known for bridal and baby showers as well as their New Year's Eve Dessert Buffet and the very popular Mother's Day Breakfast Buffet.

This month in celebration of their 25th Anniversary, The Lamplight Inn is hosting "Evening In Tuscany" dinner on Saturday nights March 13, 20th and 27th. In a addition to soup, salad and dessert, Gene will create a pasta entree right in front of you in the dining room. Sounds like fun!

So to my dear friends, Linda and Gene--you did good! Happy Anniversary!

These muffins have been on the menu from the beginning. Enjoy.

Healthy Bran Muffins

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon cloves

1 cup low-fat milk

1 1/4 cups 100% bran cereal

1 egg

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 cup raisins, optional

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a 12-cup muffin tin with vegetable oil.

Combine bran cereal and milk, and let sit for 5 minutes. Blend together dry ingredients.

Add egg and oil to bran mixture. Stir until well blended. Add dry ingredients, stirring until just combined. Stir in raisins, if using. Full muffin tins about 2/3 full. Bake 15 minutes until done.

Makes 12

Biscotti Anytime

Biscotti are my favorite cookies to bake. These Italian twice-baked cookies are as versatile as they are easy to make. They go perfectly with a cup of cappucino for breakfast or a mid-morning snack. They are a tasty complement to afternoon coffee, and they are perfect with dessert.

Many years back, when my son was young and we were experiencing a long snowy winter, I began my search for the perfect biscotti recipe. Through trial and error--and eating a lot of cookies--I came upon what I believe to be the perfect formula for me.

During my research I found  that most recipes I tried had about the same amounts of flour and sugar. But what seemed to vary the most was the amount of fat. The amount or lack of fat in a recipe seemed to considerably affect the texture, taste and the shelf life of the biscotti. Shelf-life was not something I needed to worry about because having an adolescent boy and his friends in the house rendered that concern moot. Of course, there are many traditional recipes for biscotti that do not use any fat. But the possibility of cracking a tooth on a too hard cookie did not appeal to me.

So I started to experiment. The amount of flour, sugar, baking powder and salt were pretty much a constant. I always used eggs but varied the amount of unsalted butter I used until the recipe produced a crisp but tender crumb. I have even made biscotti with olive oil with success; and with agave nectar with a little less success.

 

One of the fun things about making biscotti is that the variations and flavors are endless.  By changing a few ingredients--type of nuts, dried fruits, extracts, citrus zests, spices-- you can make an infinite variety of cookies. Don't be afraid to try savory ingredients, too. The biscotti take well to spicy and cheesy. And like making a risotto, once you learn the process, the sky's the limit.

The basic formula that continues to work for me for most of my recipes is 2 cups of flour, 3/4 cups sugar, 2 eggs, 1 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 6 tablespoons unsalted butter.

After the dough is made and patted into logs, it goes into the oven for its first baking.

After approximately 30 minutes, the dough is removed from the oven and cooled on the baking sheet for about 15 minutes.

 The logs are cut on the diagonal with a sharp knife and returned to the oven for 10-15 minutes for the second baking to ensure crispness.

Cool biscotti completely on racks before storing.


 Why not try a batch of these delicious twice-baked cookies. You are sure to love them.

Spicy Orange Walnut Biscotti

Adapted from a recipe by EvanKleiman @kcrwevan

2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons citrus zest of your choice
2 eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1 cup walnuts, lightly toasted and chopped


Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and black pepper.

With an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Add vanilla and citrus zest.

 Blend in the dry ingredients with the mixer on low speed, then stir in the nuts and mix until the dough just comes together. Do not over mix.

Halve dough, and with floured hands, form dough into two 12 inch by 2 inch logs.This dough is a bit sticky, so you may want to wet your hands instead of flouring them. Place logs about 3 inches apart on parchment or silpat lined baking sheet.  Place sheet on rack in middle of oven.  Bake for 30-35 minutes until firm to touch.

Remove from oven and let logs cool on baking sheet for 10-15 minutes. Slice each log slightly on the diagonal into approximately 12  3/4 inch pieces.  Place cut side down on baking sheet and return to oven for 10-15 minutes turning over once.

 Cool completely before storing in an airtight container or in the freezer.

It is easy to grab as few or as many as you need, and they are ready to eat by the time the coffee is poured.  Makes about 2 dozen.


Note: I have edited the original post for updating and clarity 2/6/2016

Cooking Under Pressure

Last weekend on the east coast we were awaiting the arrival of a Nor'easter to dump buckets of snow on us; so we prudently put our dinner with friends on hold until later in the weekend. Towards the end of rush hour, with still no snow in the offing, I received a call from our friends asking me what I was cooking for dinner. By now you know that is code for, "We're coming over to eat." Without skipping a beat I answered, "Shrimp risotto."

 Actually, this was not entirely true. I was going to amuse myself by experimenting with pressure cooking risotto. Now, now, calm down. I know--this isn't right--turning that slow, rhythmic process of a time-honored tradition into fast food. Well not so. I pressure cooked a butternut squash risotto just last month. It was surprisingly good, but the timing was off, and I just wanted to fine tune it.

No time for that now. I removed the rest of the shrimp from the freezer and put them to defrost under running water. While that was going on, I heated up the pizza stone and started to pat out the pizza dough. By now you know, too, that I usually have pizza dough on hand on the weekend.  Defrosted, the shrimp were patted dry and cut into thirds. The arborio rice was poured out; the shallots minced; the garlic pressed; the white wine measured.

I poured some olive oil into a skillet and began to saute the shrimp. I added the garlic and salt and pepper and cooked until the shrimp just turned pink, then set them aside for later. I took my favorite copper sauteuse from its shelf, filmed the bottom with some olive oil and a pat of butter. In went the shallots until fragrant and translucent followed by the arborio rice which was stirred until it was coated with the olive oil and butter. Heat off and set aside.

 Risotto, made the traditional way, is really all about the technique. There is always a flavor base such as onions or shallots sauteed in butter or oil.  Then the medium-grain rice with just the right amount of starch, in this case Arborio, is coated well with butter and oil.  It is then cooked, uncovered, while gradually adding small quantities of liquid for the rice to absorb.

 I just had time to change my clothes as John came in through the garage and our friends through the front door.  As John took care if their libations, I thinly sliced two red potatoes, arranged them over the pizza dough, sprinkled them with rosemary, olive oil , salt and some grated Parmesan cheese, then slid the dough onto the screaming hot stone.  Within 10 minutes we were enjoying the pizza with our drinks.

As they sipped I heated the skillet containing the rice.  When it was hot again, I splashed in some white wine and let it reduce for about 30 seconds. Then I began the process of adding the hot broth--two ladles at first--until absorbed. Then I added one ladle at a time, stirring until it was absorbed before adding the next. The rice needs to be tender but still al dente. Just before the rice was done, approximately, 15 minutes,  I added the sauteed shrimp, some salt and pepper and stirred until heated through.  Off the heat, I stirred in a tablespoon or so of unsalted butter and some chopped parsley.  I added a tossed green salad and called it dinner. I thought the Pinot Grigio went well with the dish.

 Okay, the dinner came together quickly and was delicious (although heavy on the carbs)--so I guess I don't need to perfect that pressure cooker risotto after all.

Marcella's Noci in Camicia

I've just finished reading a post by Rachel Roddy of rachel eats in which she recounts her discovery of walnut pesto. She describes it as "...a soft delicate nutty paste of walnuts, olive oil, butter and aged parmesan..." How delicious does that sound? I was surprised I'd never heard of this, but I could literally taste this combination in my head. Rachel paints a beautiful picture with her words, but it was more than that.

I realized that I have been using this combination for years. In Marcella's Italian Kitchen, the authority on Italian cooking, Marcella Hazan, recalls the platter of walnuts with slivers of tender, young Parmesan being passed around the table while waiting for the first course to arrive. This combination, she says, never seems to pall especially with a glass of crisp white wine.

It occurred to her to bind the two ingredients, butter and Parmesan, sheathing the walnut halves with the mixture. Brilliant. The perfect bite with an apertif before dinner. I like Prosecco with these.

Noci in Camicia   by Marcella Hazan

1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1 tablespoon butter, softened to room temperature
1 teaspoon chopped fresh basil
1/4 pound shelled walnut halves

In a bowl combine all the ingredients, except for the walnuts, until they are thoroughly amalgamated into a smooth paste.

Scoop up some of the cheese and butter mixture with your fingertips and apply it to the walnuts, sheathing each half only partially, leaving about one-third exposed.  Place on a dish without overlapping them and refrigerate until ready to serve--1-2hours.

Serves 6

N.B.  If you don't have fresh basil, don't let that stop you from making these.  They are fine without it.  Also, I have sandwiched some of the butter mixture between two walnut halves if I could not find decent sized halves.

2010 So Far

I can't say that I was unhappy to see 2009 ride off into the sunset. Gone are the days when we spent the week between Christmas  and the new year on a hot sunny beach.  In my opinion the view from a beach chair is the ultimate way to celebrate the new year.  That being said, now we get to celebrate with our friends-- it may be cold, but it is always fun.

Remnants of New Year's Eve:

John was working on New Year's Day, so a Law and Order SVU marathon while taking down the Christmas decorations was just fine with me.

By the next day, though,  we were ready for some company.  J and L were coming for dinner.

We had peppadews stuffed with garlic herb cheese:

And bar nuts:

Both perfect with a martini.

We then had roasted chicken with olives and lemons followed by a salad of chicory and romaine lettuce tossed with Parmesan and walnuts.

As we were finishing our pinot noir, our friends called from the road to say that they were coming for dessert. We cleared the dishes then added two more places. When they arrived they were toting a bottle of grappa.  All was well.

We had some creamy coffee ice cream splashed with Patron XO Cafe and topped with crunchy Holy Mole Pecans and espressos all around.

The holidays are finally just a memory, and last weekend the usual suspects showed up for politics and pizza.  The only thing was, T asked for guacamole--so I swapped the pizza for roasted pork tenderloin with a mole Poblano sauce,  Mexican rice and roasted grape tomatoes.  A Penfold's Bin 28 Shiraz complemented the spiciness of the pork beautifully.

The next night J and L came for dinner and a movie.  We had various antipasti including these salami crisps with sour cream:

Then I made one of L's favorite pizzas--thinly sliced new potatoes sprinkled with salt, rosemary, extra virgin olive oil, then topped with Parmesan:

And the wine was a smooth blend of cabernet, syrah and merlot:

The movie was good, too.  So far 2010 is shaping up just fine.

Going Nuts

No matter how much I plan--and I do plan--there are always a million things to do on the last days before Christmas. Is there enough food, enough snacks, enough cookies, enough wine, enough gifts? Although none of the above has ever occurred, I live in fear. Each year I seem to get sucked into the last minute frenzy.

So what am I doing? I'm going nuts--party nuts, that is. Party nuts are wonderful snacks to accompany a drink, a dessert or a cup of coffee. They could be savory, sweet or spicy. They are generally easy and quick to make, and they give you a big bang for your buck. They are great to have on hand during the holidays for last minute hostess gifts or to serve to drop-in guests. Just pop a batch into the freezer, and you will be good to go.

This is Wine Bar Nut Mix ready for the oven





Wine Bar Nut Mix from The Casual Vineyard Table by Carolyn Wente and Kimball Jones

2 cups pecans
2 cups almonds
2 cups walnuts
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
2 tablespoons extra- virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons finely chopped mixed fresh rosemary, sage, savory and thyme (or dried equivalent of whatever you have)
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (I use 1/2 teaspoon)
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350F. In a bowl, toss the nuts with the maple syrup, olive oil, herbs and cayenne. Spread nuts on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until browned. Season with salt and pepper and toss frequently until cool. Makes 6 cups. Can be stored in an airtight container for 2 weeks.

My favorite recipe for party nuts has to be Holy Mole Pecans that was posted on the now defunct PersonalChefsNetwork.org. Although they are simple to make, they take about 1 1/2 hours to roast in a slow oven. This is not a problem if you are at home anyway doing other things. They are perfect served as is or as a great crunchy topping for ice cream topped with Tia Maria, or my favorite, Patron XO Cafe.

Holy Mole Pecans before entering oven



Holy Mole Pecans

1 large egg white (2 tablespoons)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (Mexican if you can get it)
2 cups raw pecan halves
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
Pinch habanero powder, or cayenne if you want a touch of heat

Preheat oven to 225F. Line baking sheet with parchment or non-stick foil.

Place egg white in bowl and whip until frothy. Whip in vanilla, then gently add pecans and toss until completely coated with mixture.

Sift remaining ingredients into a medium-sized bowl. Add sugar-cocoa mixture to pecans one quarter at a time, and very gently toss until well coated. I use my hands. Transfer pecans to prepared sheet and arrange in a single layer. Try not to let pecans touch each other.

Bake 30 minutes. Gently turn over nuts and continue to bake, stirring every 15 minutes until coating is lightly colored and dried out, about 1 hour and 15 minutes total. Remove from oven an immediately loosen nuts with metal spatula. Cool completely before serving.

Holy Mole Pecans out of oven



So, during this holiday season, don't go nuts--get into the kitchen and make some party nuts.

Merry Christmas to all!

More Than Just Turkey

Although the turkey is often the centerpiece around which Thanksgiving dinner is made, there is more to Thanksgiving than the turkey. At many tables it is the side dishes that star. What side dishes make their way to the table is often a combination of tradition, ethnicity and innovation--but not too much innovation.

One of my earliest memories of Thanksgiving is being part of a group of female cousins whose job it was to place handwritten slips of paper naming each side dish in the serving dishes on the dining room table. Of course, that was a ploy to keep us from being underfoot; but we took our job seriously while jostling for prime position for our personal favorites.

When I was growing up there were basically two ethnic groups that mattered. You were either Italian or you were not. My mother was the only one of her siblings to marry an Italian, so Thanksgiving was somewhat of a mixture of Italian and American dishes. My mother always made her stuffing with sausage, garlic, parsley, raisins and pine nuts. But her sister made an American version. No matter. We loved just about everything--except the turnips.

Later on when my mother relinquished her cooking duties to me, we shared Thanksgiving dinner with my father's brother and his family. My Aunt Helen and I divided the cooking each year. There was always a large platter of antipasto, a large tray of lasagna, a succulent turkey with all of the trimmings and the desserts.

Now a days the group is smaller and blood relatives few. The antipasto and the lasagna have been eliminated, but we still celebrate with family every year--our best friends. L and I have been sharing Thanksgiving dinner for the past six years. It's a routine that is anticipated, comfortable and fun. We share the cooking and each prepares family favorites. I make L's cream of mushroom soup, roast the turkey, make the cranberry sauce, make my family's stuffing and the corn muffins. L makes the mashed potatoes rich with cream cheese and heavy cream, candied yams, her mother-in-law's carrot souffle, her family's stuffing--and the only wiggle room here--some type of green vegetable.For dessert I always bake an apple crostata, a pumpkin pie and something extra. Sometimes pumpkin cheese cake bars; sometimes cranberry upside down cake; and this year pecan bars.

This year there will be ten of us. Besides L & J and one of their daughters, each of their mothers will be here along with my mother and our son and his girlfriend. We will toast to our good fortune to have one another and enjoy our feast. Cennt'anni!

Kitchen Gods

I don't know what I did to anger the kitchen gods, but it must have been impressive since it has adversely affected my kitchen karma since last Friday.

It began when I decided to make some pumpkin gnocchi for dinner. I had all of the ingredients in the house; and, after all, I had made many batches of fluffy and delicious potato gnocchi in the past. Easy? Not so fast. I ended up with a lump of leaden orange-hued dough. There was no saving it.

I decided to think about dinner later and went on to candying a batch of nuts for a treat with drinks or dessert. Easy? Not so fast. Crystallized, stringy and rock hard--there was no saving them.

The next day T & G were expected for dinner. After burning a batch of crostini, I decided to make of batch of savory biscotti to have with drinks. Need I say more? The dough was tough and far from malleable. There was no saving them.

Thankfully, the rest of the dinner went off without a hitch. We had crostini (a new batch) topped with goat cheese and fig preserves. A lovely chicken roasted with carrots, lemons and olives followed. This was accompanied by a winter salad of escarole, red onion, walnuts and shards of Parmesan tossed with a mustard vinaigrette. There was apple cake topped with whipped cream for dessert. Redeemed! Or so I thought.

This is the chicken ready for the oven.



Dinners on Sunday and Monday were simple and uneventful. But yesterday when I tried to get a jump on my Thanksgiving baking--well. I had some time before dinner, so I decided to make the pastry dough and park it in the freezer until next week. The buttery dough for the apple crostata came together perfectly. On to the pastry for the pumpkin pie. A pastry dough, I might add, I have made hundreds of times. Not so fast. Right before my eyes it dissolved into a sticky mess. There was no saving it.

All I know is that I need to get my head into the game before Thanksgiving is upon us. L and I have been jointly hosting Thanksgiving for at least the last six years. I make a few appetizers, roast the turkey, and bake the desserts. She brings all of the side dishes. The number of people around the table varies from year to year, and we all look forward to it.

So I vow to banish distractions, and hopefully with the help of the kitchen gods, get on with the show.

Entertaining In An Instant

My husband was home this week recovering from back surgery. Believe me, this type of surgery has changed remarkably over the years, and recovery is somewhat easy. Last Saturday afternoon J and L called to see if they could visit the patient. John, of course, said yes and made plans for later in the day.

Earlier that day I had made a mushroom spread fragrant with lemon zest, thyme leaves and Pecorino cheese to have on hand during the weekend. When J and L arrived bearing gifts and good cheer, it was easy to slice up some dry Italian sausage and top some crostini with the mushroom spread as J opened a bottle of wine.

Soon we received a phone call from T and J asking if they could come to see John. Of course they could. When they arrived they joined us in another bottle of wine and some crostini.

As late afternoon turned into evening, it became apparent that we needed to think about dinner. Fortunately, I had made a large pot of chili that was sitting in the refrigerator. I pulled it out and began to heat it up. As I heated it, I searched the fridge to see what else could round out this meal. There were tortillas to heat up and cheddar cheese to grate. There were even some cinnamon biscotti in the freezer for dessert.

There is a lot to be said for having a well-stocked pantry--but there is more to be said about having good friends that feel comfortable enough to show up and go with the flow.

This recipe for Pumpkin Turkey Chili was posted on seriouseats.com by Kristen Swensson. This is my variation. Perfect for a chilly fall day.

Pumpkin Turkey Chili
Serves 4-6

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 red or yellow pepper, chopped
1 4-oz. can chopped green chiles
1 clove garlic, minced
1 pound ground turkey
2 cups (1 14.5 oz can) diced tomatoes, roughly pureed
1 19 oz. can cannellini beans
2 cups (1 14.5 oz can) pumpkin puree
1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Salt
Ground black pepper
Cayenne pepper to taste (do not skip this)
Pinch cinnamon

Saute the onion, bell pepper, green chiles and garlic in oil until tender--about 10 minutes. Add ground turkey and brown about 10 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, beans and pumpkin. Season with chili powder, cumin, salt, pepper, cayenne and pinch of cinnamon.

Reduce heat and simmer at least 20 minutes. As with all chilis, this is even better after it sits for awhile.Thin with a little water if it becomes too thick. Top with cilantro, sour cream, or grated cheddar cheese, if desired.

A Clean Sweep

On my way home one day this month I heard on the car radio that it was National Clean Out Your Refrigerator Day. That's all the inspiration I needed to nudge me toward the job I have been meaning to get to for some time.

The day was gray and drizzly as I put on some coffee and my favorite news channel and got to it. I emptied the refrigerator shelf by shelf and began the task of cleaning everything while sorting through the odd bits one inevitably finds in even the cleanest refrigerator.

Maybe because of the down economy, I have been reading and hearing a lot lately of using up and finishing the leftover bits in the refrigerator and pantry at weeks' end.

I don't know about you, but I was brought up in a blue collar Italian-American family. Every bit of food was used all the time. In our house it was tantamount to a sin to throw away food. We ate mostly delicious peasant dishes containing very little meat. My mother always said my father did not like leftovers, so she did not serve them. Perhaps she misunderstood the meaning of the word.

Every Thursday--and I mean EVERY--my mother made a large batch of tomato sauce with meatballs and sausage. We would eat it that evening with pasta, called macaroni back then. Then EVERY Sunday we would eat it again. If rarely she would cook an eye round roast, it would appear a couple of days later under hot gravy alongside fried potatoes and peppers. A pot roast and potatoes would reappear as hash. To her these were not leftovers. I guess now one would say "cook once, eat twice."

As I cleaned out my refrigerator I was intent on using what I could. A half cup of white beans was mashed with some garlic and olive oil and added to some ground turkey along with an egg, some breadcrumbs, a half red pepper diced, and some seasonings to make turkey burgers. Various odd greens--endive, red leaf lettuce and some chicory along with some kalamata olives became the evening's salad.

And my favorite--one lonely tablespoon of marmeleda de jalapeno, carried back from Mexico City, topped the last bit of goat cheese on top of a piece of crostini. Along with one lone glass of sauvignon blanc this became my reward for a job well done.

Soup Days

It's been awhile since I've posted; and it's time to get back to writing.

The summer was busy visiting friends on Nantucket, Cape Cod and Long Beach Island; cooking for and eating with friends; and five beautiful days in Mexico City for a fabulous family wedding.

But now fall has arrived in the northeast, and schedules are beginning to get back to normal. This past Sunday was rainy and dismal--the perfect kind of day to make soup.

I love making soup. The possiblilites are endless, and it is great to know that there is a nutritious meal or two tucked away in the freezer for nights when there is no time to cook.

Beef barley soup is a great one to start with.


Beef Barley Soup
Serves 4-6

1 lb. beef chuck (or round) cut into 1/2 inch pieces
3 carrots cut into large dice
3 celery stalks cut into large dice
1 onion, minced
1/2 cup pearled barley
1 14 oz. can chopped tomatoes, roughly pureed
4 cups lower-sodium beef broth
4 cups water
Salt and pepper to taste



Brown beef cubes in hot oil.Season with salt and pepper. Add carrots, celery and onion and saute for 1-2 minutes. Season with salt.



Add barley to pot and saute for about 1 minute. Add broth and water and bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover pot and simmer for 30 minutes.

Add tomatoes to pot and continue to cook for about 30 minutes, until meat is tender and barley is cooked through. Season to taste.


Serve this with a loaf of crusty whole grain bread and sweet butter along with a salad of mixed greens tossed with a vinaigrette--and you'll be good to go.

Testing 1-2-3

Since my personal cheffing days, I have been on the list of home recipe testers for a national food magazine. You know the one that deconstructs all of the recipes in order to reproduce them in painstaking detail. Sometimes helpful, other times boring.

This weekend I was testing a recipe for Cacio e Pepe, that quintessential Roman pasta dish. The problem for me in testing recipes is that one must make recipes exactly as written for obvious reasons--even if you don't agree with the methods or ingredients. But I do it for fun. I certainly don't receive any remuneration--not even a subscription to the magazine or website.

So I called L and J, with whom we have shared two trips to Rome and countless bowls of pasta, and asked them to come for dinner to help me test this recipe. I prepared the recipe as written, even though the method was awkward and additional ingredients were unnecessary. But all in all the taste was good and the Frascati served with it complementary.

In my humble opinion there are only four ingredients needed to make an outstanding Cacio e Pepe. They are authentic aged pecorino romano sheep's milk cheese; fresh, coarsely ground black pepper; good quality spaghetti; and pasta water.


My Recipe for Cacio e Pepe

While bringing a large pot of salted water to a boil, crush or coarsely grind 2 tablespoons fresh black peppercorns.

Ladle some hot water into your mixing/serving bowl to warm it, drain.

Cook 1 pound spaghetti until it is al dente. Lift the spaghetti from the pot with tongs or strainer and drop into the warm serving dish.

Quickly scatter about 1 cup of grated pecorino cheese over the pasta and most of the ground pepper, and toss quickly. As you toss, sprinkle in a ladle or two of hot pasta water to moisten and amalgamate all of the ingredients. You may need more water to make this happen. Add more cheese or pepper to taste.

Note: Some like to put about 1 cup of hot water in the serving dish whisking in the cheese and pepper then adding the hot pasta and tossing to coat thoroughly. Add more cheese and pepper to taste.

Serves 4 as a main dish

The Rantings of a Mad Woman

When our friend G was here for dinner the other night, he casually mentioned that he was trying to look up the grammatical rule for using a singular or plural verb with the word none. Now that may sound very boring to most--but I perked up. Unbeknownst to G is that I have an odd interest in grammar. He knows now. His research left him confused and with no real answer.

What I had learned, and always abided by, is that a singular noun takes a singular verb. A plural noun takes a plural verb. So far so good. I had also learned that the word none is singular. Not so fast. Evidently the rules have changed. What?

According to Jane Ruby at iconlogic.com ,the writers of grammar books have finally decided to change the rule to match the way most writers and speakers use the word. They actually decided that the word none can be plural or singular in a sentence depending on the word it refers to. She says, "The way to correctly use none in a sentence today is to determine what word it is referring to, determine whether that word is plural or singular, and then make the verb plural or singular to match, like this:

None of the apples are ripe.
None of this apple is edible."

Oh no! Another example of the dumbing down of America. Look, I don't claim to have perfect grammar, but I strive to write and speak correctly. So, if I've got this right, because writers and speakers don't feel they need to follow the rule, let's change it! Makes perfect sense to me.

Well, in case all of your apples are ripe, try this wonderful recipe for Apple Crostata.


Apple Crostata adapted from a recipe by Ina Garten


For The Pastry:

1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 pound very cold unsalted butter, diced
2-4 tablespoons ice water

For the Filling:

1 1/2 pounds apples for baking
1/4 teaspon grated orange zest
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, diced

For the pastry, place the flour, sugar and salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Pulse a few times to combine. Add the butter and pulse 12-15 times, or until the butter is the size of peas. With the motor running, add 2 tablespoons ice water--adding more if needed-- until dough just begins to come together. Turn dough out on floured board and form a disk. Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour while you prepare filling

Preheat oven to 450.

When ready to make tart, roll pastry into an 11-inch circle on a lightly floured surface. Transfer it to a baking sheet lined with parchment.

For filling, peel, core and quarter the apples. Cut each quarter into 3 chunks. Toss the chunks with the orange zest. Cover the tart dough with the apple chunks, leaving a 1 1/2 inch border.

Combine the flour, sugar, salt, cinnamon and allspice in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Add the butter and pulse until mixture is crumbly. Pour mixture into a bowl and rub it with your fingers until it starts holding together. Sprinkle evenly over apples. Gently fold the border over the apples, pleating it to make a circle. (Center of tart will not be covered with dough.)

Bake the crostata for 20-25 minutes, or until the crust is golden and the apples are tender. Let the tart cool for 5 minutes, then use 2 large spatulas to transfer to wire rack to cool.

Makes 1 tart

My Day In Food

My usual breakfast of Greek yogurt, fruit, toasted walnuts and a sprinkling of cinnamon.


My lunch of sorts.


Dinner of roasted shrimp with red peppers and lemon.


And a salad.












ROASTED SHRIMP WITH PEPPERS AND LEMON Adapted from Real Simple Magazine

1 large red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 lemon, thinly sliced
Fresh thyme, to taste
4 scallions, halved lengthwise and sliced into 1-inch pieces
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and black pepper to taste
1 pound peeled large shrimp
1/2 teaspoon paprika

Heat oven to 450 degrees.

In large bowl, toss the bell pepper, lemon, thyme, scallions, crushed red pepper, 1 tablespoon olive oil and salt. Spread on a rimmed baking sheet, reserving the bowl.

Add shrimp to bowl and toss with paprika and remaining tablespoon of olive oil and salt and black pepper to taste. Nestle the shrimp in the bell pepper mixture on baking sheet. Roast until shrimp are cooked through and bell peppers are tender, approximately 10 minutes. May be served over rice.
Serves 4

A Day At Home

It was a busy weekend, so today it's nice to have a day at home to play catch up.

Friday night was typical for us with T&G here for pizza and martinis. We particularly liked the caramelized onion pizza sprinkled with thyme, Kalamata olives and dusted with grated Parmagiana.




On Saturday, after a long week of rain, the sun finally came out and L suggested we have a play date at the Storm King Arts Center. Storm King is a magnificent 500- acre sculpture park located one hour away in the Hudson River Valley of Orange County, NY.

Lest we should go hungry, she and J thoughtfully packed a picnic lunch. After parking near the picnic grove, we unpacked the picnic basket straight away. There were various salumi, an assortment of cheeses, olives, bread, grapes and a hearty Zinfandel. Perfect to sustain us on our way.

Walking through this park was a treat. Storm King houses a permanent collection of sculpture ranging from 1945 to the present. These massive and some not so massive works are set among the rolling hills, fields and woodlands of the Hudson River Valley. The placement of each sculpture takes maximum advantage of this setting and becomes an integral part of the overall effect. We amused ourselves while walking by trying to guess what the artist had named the sculptures. Believe me our imaginations were not challenged. For example, one huge sculptue of steel tubes was named something like Weathered Steel Tubes! You get it. It is impossible to see the entire park in one visit, and we look forward to our return.

Sunday, our son and his girlfiend came for dinner. We enjoyed a dinner of grilled loin lamb chops, roasted asparagus, grilled sweet potatoes and a tossed green salad with a shallot and sherry vinaigrette. For dessert we had a lemon ricotta cream topped with raspberries and blackberries. Nice day.

I Was Much Younger Then

I met a long-time friend for lunch the other day. If you have read this blog, you have figured out that all of my relationships have some connection to food. So it will come as no surprise to learn that I met J at a cooking class in 1977. Thirty-two years ago? My apologies to Bob Dylan, but I was so much younger then; I'm older than that now.

I am not particularly an out-going or friendly person, but J and I had an instant connection. We became fast friends and formed, for lack of a better name, a gourmet group. Four couples would get together about six times a year cooking our way through the cuisines of various countries or themes. Some of our dinners were great successes; and just a few--not so much.

There was the night we celebrated Greek cuisine. Each course incorporated phyllo dough as an ingredient. After that disaster, we began to coordinate our courses more carefully. We cooked, we laughed, we ate. And through the years we became accomplished cooks as well as good friends.

But as usual, life happens and families grow and change; new people come into our lives as others leave. After our gourmet group ended, J and I remained close friends. She even was a guest one evening at my present gourmet group. We don't see each other nearly as much as I would like, but at lunch the other day we did not lack for anything to talk about. And I vow to be better about keeping in touch. But if I'm not, I will think of J every time I make her white pizza recipe. Try it for your friends.

J's PIZZA BIANCA

This makes enough topping for 2 10-12" pizzas

1/4 cup olive oil
1 large shallot
4 garlic cloves
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. dried basil
1/2 tsp. dried parsley
1/2 tsp. dried red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp. dried thyme
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 lb. fontina or gruyere cheese, grated

Process all ingredients except cheese in food processor until paste forms. Spread on pizza dough and sprinkle with cheese. Bake.

Note: I don't usually have dried basil or parsley on hand. Topping is fine without them.

Check out this link http://scribbit.blogspot.com/2009/06/junes-write-away-contest.html

The Orange Squirrel

After a week on the beach with S and A, John and I thought we would eat and drink sparingly this past week. At the beginning of each week in St. Thomas, where we return each year, we walk the hills to begin our day. But by the end of the week, the only time we leave our beach chairs is to return to our apartment to eat lunch. So a large dinner out mid-week was not in our plans.

But when our friends L and J found themselves with time on their hands because of an aborted vacation trip, I knew the perfect thing to do--make dinner reservations at The Orange Squirrel.

Downtown Bloomfield is not the destination one thinks of for quality restaurant dining, but we had been hearing about The Orange Squirrel for a few months now. Hey I grew up there--but who knew that we would find a trendy 40-seat restaurant with amazing food on a main thoroughfare in Bloomfield?

The slight, unassuming chef-owner, Francesco Palmieri, was bussing his own tables that night; and until L told me who he was,I would have never known. But this boy can cook. He graduated from the CIA and did a stint at Windows on the World until September 11.

The food is amazing. We started with an amuse bouche of two tiny bites of a sublime pleated pasta filled with a savory braised lamb. The four of us went on to share an order of gnudi, fluffy pillows of poached ricotta bathed in a wild mushroom broth. Perfect. The salads were great, especially mine, a riff on Ceasar sald with endive and white anchovies--brilliant.

Our entrees included aged rib eye steak, perfectly cooked and served with chipotle butter; roasted halibut; and a veal chop Milanese. All were delicious. There was a wonderful assortment of sides dishes. We so enjoyed the polenta with mascarpone cheese and the roasted brussel sprouts with crispy pancetta. For dessert we tried the blood orange creme brulee. The intense flavor of the blood oranges in the custard as well as in the dollop of sorbet that sat on top blew us away. This was followed by a house-made Bailey's Irish cream.

The best part of the evening was that we got to share time with our best friends as we have many times before--be it in our homes, in a dive bar in Orange, NJ, with the best pizza; in a wine bar on the Piazza Pasquino in Rome; and now on Bloomfield Avenue in Bloomfield, NJ. Who knew?

Today is Mother's Day, and L and I are cooking for our mothers. Happy Mother's Day.