Tag: cooking

What’s Cooking

A few weeks ago, I came across several blogs that decided to participate in the Pinterest Challenge.  Basically, instead of spending copious amounts of time virtually pinboarding crafts, outfits and books, people were getting off their butts and actually making the crafts, coordinating the outfits and reading the books.  
What a great idea, right? My boards are bursting with cool stuff, hence the reason I pinned them.  So I went back over to Pinterest to pull out some of the ideas that I’d been really wanting to try.  Several hours and few dozen pins later, I had to pick the kids up from school.
Yeah, that idea went out the window.  My resolve, however, did not.  I figured I’d start small. I don’t have a sewing machine, so some of the more fashion forward ideas got back burnered.  I don’t have saw-horses, a jig-saw, spray adhesive or 7 yards of fabric, so some other DIY projects got tabled.  What I do have, though, is a pretty decent kitchen, a working knowledge of most herbs and spices, and access to a Whole Food AND a Fresh Market.  My recipe board, a.k.a. Munch, Munch, Much, was about to be brought to life. 
Recipe One:
Wacky Wonton Soup

I’m not a big soup eater by any means, but when it comes to Hot and Sour Soup or Wonton Soup, I’ve got my spoon at the ready.  I’ve had this recipe around for a while; I ripped it out of a magazine a few years ago,  but never made it.  The ingredients are pretty straightforward, enough that I was sure the kids would eat it.   They both love Chinese food anyway, so if I dish it up right, they might never guess it’s home made. 
I got out my pots, my cutting boards, and my spices. Ginger, garlic, shredded spinach, scallions and frozen wontons (thank you, Trader Joe).  It seemed daunting at first, but now that I know what I’m doing? I can make it in minutes.  The kids loved it. Craig loved it.  He took his first slurp and gave me this “Oh, is that right?” kind of look.  Yeah, I put my foot all up in it. 
Look at me, setting the bar all high for this project. Are we surprised? 
Munch, munch, munch: 1-0
Recipe Two:
Grilled Halibut with Salt and Vinegar Potatoes

Me and fish? Eh, not so much. I’m more of a shellfish kind of girl if I’m going to eat it at all.  Anything else, it’s gotta be fried within an inch of it’s life or else it came it a can with a mermaid on the side.  Still, with all the emphasis on good and bad cholesterol, omega 3 fatty acids and so forth, a little fish once or twice a week couldn’t hurt.  
This was actually less involved than the soup because after seasoning the fish and potatoes with some pantry staples, I just threw it on the grill.  I wish my presentation had looked like the above photo; I had a little trouble with the grill marks on the fish.  Who knew halibut was so soft?  Even though I sprayed the grill plates, the fillets stuck fast like castaways to a life raft.  The greenery on top of the fish is arugula, which I knew Morgan and Coever would have no parts of, so they had broccoli.  
Morgan said, “This is the best chicken I’ve ever tasted!” and I just let her roll with that.  Coever and her super finicky palate? She choked down a few bites of everything, dessert being the brass ring dangling in front of her.   I’ll give her that the potatoes could have been more crispy, but everything else was pretty good.   I may have to consider this a loss, because while Craig did eat it, he wasn’t trying to box up the leftovers for lunch the way he did with the soup.
Munch, munch, munch: 1-1

Recipe 3
Roasted Chicken with Cipollini

Last month, I was talking about how Chicken Piccata was my signature dish for when we had company come over.  I was all set to make it last week-end when Andy Dawg’s Mom and her hubby came over for dinner.  Then, I remembered my challenge and pulled out this William Sonoma recipe I’d been carting around.  I hope our guests didn’t have their mouths set on Chicken Piccata. They’re expecting a wee one any day now; maybe I’ll bring it on by when they get home from the hospital. 
Anyway, this recipe I can’t really claim to have completed on my own because Craig did the bulk of the work.  Our day was jam packed with running around, so I did all of the prep early in the morning.  Thankfully, the butcher had removed the backbone from the chicken, per the recipes instructions, so that was one thing we didn’t have to do.  The seasoning, marinating and so forth? That was all me.  The  roasting, basting, and general chicken maintenance? That was all Craig.  When it was all said and done, it was pretty tasty.  We served it up with some Rosemary Beer Bread, Onion Potatoes, and Roasted Carrots and Brussel Sprouts (I know, I know, I took a chance on the sprouts, but I think they’re tasty).  Suffice it to say, everyone cleaned their plates at dinner.  Well, Coever decided to eat the crackers, cheese and salami from the appetizer tray, but her plate was clean in the end. 
Munch, munch, munch: 2-1
What’s next on the menu? 

Spicy Soy-Marinated Flanken

I didn’t even know what flanken was when I first looked at this recipe. I saw meat with grill marks and that was good enough for me.  I went to the butcher at the Whole Foods, showed him the picture and he was like, “Oh yeah, we can cut that right up.” He even suggested some marinades and side dishes that would go well with the meat.  So, I’ve got some ideas for what it about to be tomorrow night’s dinner. 
As for tonight? It’s looking like we’re going back to basics.  
Hello, tacos. . .

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IN: ON: September 19, 2011 TAGS: , BY: Hilary
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Pumpkin

You know how I love the fall. I really do enjoy fall.

Labor Day has come and gone.  School has started.  September has effectively put the boots to summer, arriving with swollen clouds and breezes that make you think twice about sticking a cardigan into your bag.

Coever’s birthday was last Thursday and I thought that I would make a little treat for her classmates.  I’m trying to sneak a little bit of healthy less sugary snacks into the mix. Instead of bringing in cupcakes, donut holes or popsicles (all of which were suggested by the teacher, incredibly), I opted for muffins.  My first thought was banana nut muffins with some cream cheese frosting, but that might as well be a cupcake.  Then I remembered the potential for nut allergies in the class.

What to do? What to do? I seemed to remember that I had another muffin mix of some kind tucked away in the pantry. So, I started digging and I found this:

(source)
Trader Joe’s Pumpkin Bread and Muffin Mix!

How did I not bake this the minute I brought it home? I got to measuring and mixing, prepping and pouring.  I lined the two muffin pans for an even 24, enough for each kid in the class.  I broke out my awesome-sauce batter dispenser and got to filling.  And then. . .there was only enough batter for 19 muffins.  C’mon, Trader Joe!

I suppose in a way that was a saving grace.  When I flipped the box over to find out what the yield is supposed to be, I saw where it said “This product was made on equipment with milk, whey and treenuts.”

Great.

Well, the 19 muffins that did get made came out great. Craig and the girls will definitely attest to that.

Let me rewind for a second.  When I thought about making the muffins in the first place, I did a mental recall to see if I had enough milk, butter, eggs, or whatever to get the job done.  I was a few sticks short on butter, so I rolled over to the grocery store and what did I spy?

Pumpkin Spice K Cups!

Shut the front door! Now, I don’t have to become a seasonal Starbucks junkie. Well, maybe just one every now and again. It’s not like I can put the Keurig in my car or something. I’m just sayin’. . .

 Temperatures are dropping. Appearances of all things pumpkin are rising.  How sweet it is.

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IN: ON: September 14, 2011 TAGS: , BY: Hilary
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Going to Pieces

I know I haven’t posted in a while; life outside the blogosphere has really been slapping me around.  As some of you may know, we’re in the process of moving from our little slice of Hampton Roads back to the capital of the Commwealth.  Not too far, but there’s a lot that goes into a relocation.  Once we decided on a home, we’ve been attending to all the minutiae that comes along with it.  DH is as smooth as freshly laid cement; he’s totally unfazed at the prospect of packing up our 5 years here.  Me, on the other hand, I’ve purchased a one-way ticket to Crazy-Town.

We’ve gotta pack! We’ve gotta throw stuff out! We’ve gotta get change of address forms!  So, the posts have been few and far between as I’ve been trying to sort stuff out, clean stuff up, and prepare for what I hope to be, a relatively easy move.

If that weren’t enough, my knee started giving me problems.  A dull, persistent ache has been radiating from my knee-cap for the past two weeks.  My mother, who’s scheduled for her own knee surgery next month, says it’s sympathy pains. I say it’s damn inconvenient. I’m walking around waiting for my leg to give out, that’s how achy and uncomfortable I am.  I went to the orthopedist, who diagnosed me as having Runner’s Knee.  Translation: you run a lot, your joints are going to get angry. Thankfully, no surgery required, but I’ve been fitted with brace that makes the Bionic Woman look like the Tin Man.

Now, as we all know, I like to eat.  Thankfully, I like to cook.  I’m not really a kitchen gadget person, but I had been wanting to get a few things to help my prep work move a little faster. I had been going back and forth about getting a mandoline.  You know, one of these things. . .

It slices. It juliennes.  It comes with a finger guard that I am always in too much of rush to use until I get to the nub of whatever I’m slicing.  Then I think, “Hmm, I should really get that guard out before I [insert expletive].” Because, of course, my finger tip as come flying off.

Mandoline: 2
Fingertips: 0

And for the record, it’s really hard to type with only nine, intact digits.  The pain, however, has been dwarfed by my need to share about my reckless cooking skills.  Learn from my mistakes; buy pre-chopped.

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IN: ON: May 19, 2011 TAGS: , BY: Hilary
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Dream Kitchen

As the holiday baking season truly gets underway, I am wishing for more workable (granite) counter space, a double convection oven, a center island with spacious seating, and that Samsung 28 cu. ft. French Door refrigerator. Throw in a Viking range with a pot filler faucet?  *le sigh* I love Country French with neutral granite counter-tops, brushed steel fixtures, and creamy, blond cabinets.  I guess I can make do with cherry cabinets if I have to.  I mean, I’m not totally inflexible.

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IN: ON: December 7, 2010 TAGS: , , BY: Hilary
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The Student Becomes the Master

6-8 Braeburn apples, peeled and sliced.
3/4 c sugar
2 tbs flour
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp nutmeg
2 pie shells

Bake at 350 degrees F for 40 minutes.

Cool completely before slicing.
Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream,
or a dollop of Cool “huh-whip”,
or just eat it “nekkid”.

 
Give your dad a slice to take home.

When he says, “It tastes so good, I thought I’d made it myself,” just smile and tell him you had a really good teacher.








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IN: ON: November 8, 2010 TAGS: , BY: Hilary
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Du Fromage

I really wish I liked cheese.

I feel like there is an entire gastronomic universe out there that I am unable to reach, constrained by the persnickety-ness of my own taste buds.

If anything, I’m a finicky cheese eater. I’ll eat lasagna and pizza, but wrinkle my nose in distaste at the thought of a cheeseburger (What? Sully the taste of hormone enhanced ground beef?!).  A grilled cheese sandwich?  No, thanks.  A cheddar topped Triscuit?   Pass.  And to all the holiday hostesses out there, I’m truly sorry that I can’t get behind the softened cream cheese with the red pepper jelly.

I can only barely trick myself into slathering a cracker with some pecan and Kahlua topped brie.

I could eat this with a ladle AND slap my mama
. . . if it weren’t for the brie.

I doubt that Robert Frost and his “should I” or “shouldn’t I” food choices were the source of inspiration  when he wrote “The Road Not Taken,” but I see myself as that traveler, standing at the fork in the road, deciding, deciding, deciding.  Ultimately, I take the non cheese path and indeed, that has made all the difference.

One of my dreams is to live abroad.  While I have had the chance to visit several foreign countries, I’d really like the opportunity to make some European city or town my home address.  And yet, who can truly live in Europe and not eat cheese?  It’s everywhere! In France, I was forever ordering things sans fromage or pas du fromage. The waiter’s looked at me like, “Mon Dieu! Zut Alors! Nous sommes en France! Il ya un millier de types du fromage ici!“

No need to get snooty! Or is it snotty?

Anyway, the point is I love food. I enjoy cooking, I enjoy baking. I like the satisfaction that comes with a well executed recipe and the thrill that follows a well consumed meal.  I made that pesto and spinach stuffed flank steak for DH a few weeks ago and seeing his surprise at a new dish, the pleasure of his first bite — it was like getting the high score in skee-ball.

I’ve been keeping up with a former college pal who is now a sous chef in DC.  His posts are like transcripts from Top Chef, without Padma Lakshmi and her inanity.  He was talking about a birthday dinner he treated himself to at the Ritz.  His description of Humboldt fog goat cheese and its subsequent photo has me wiping drool from the corners of my mouth. See for yourself here.  Yet and still, for as luscious as that cheese looks, for all of his exquisite descriptions, I just can’t do it. 

I keep egging myself on, encouraging myself to be brave and slide a piece of cheese into my omelet.  What’s a few grates of Parmesan atop some spaghetti?  Some blue cheese crumbles holding hands with pecans and craisins in a salad?  Ugh. I just can’t.

Oh, cheese, how I’d love to love you.

But alas, I cannot.

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IN: ON: November 2, 2010 TAGS: , , BY: Hilary
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Falling into Fall

The oven is on, the cookie sheet is out, so as far as I’m concerned, fall has fallen.  Truthfully, the temperatures are starting to dip, albeit very slightly, but fall is right around the corner.  I absolutely love fall.

I love the leaves starting to blush into shimmering crimsons and startling ochres. I love the slight bite in the air that makes you dig your hands into your pockets on the walk to school.  Soccer games, football games, hearing the ODU marching band practice as the sun dips below the neighboring houses.  Loving it! Crunching fallen leaves underfoot, smelling that woodsy, smoky sky — for many, this signifies the end of things.  No more summer. No more long, languid days under the sun.  The pool has closed, the beach is just a fond memory. For me, though, I’m just getting started.

Even though the days are shorter and the mornings are darker, I love opening the door for an early morning run and stepping fully into the crispness of a cool, calm daybreak. I don’t consider myself a nature girl, or outdoorsy by any stretch, but I really crave being outside.  I’m a New Englander by birth, so I guess it’s in my blood.

This time last fall found me dutifully studying body systems and the like.  I remember taking study breaks at the kitchen table while the girls napped.  The sun was starting to fade, the colors of outdoors were sharp with slight softness around the edges.  The neighborhood kids would be coming down the sidewalk, hooting and calling to each other as school closed up for another day.  I had the windows open, but the slight chill was more like familiar fingers skipping across my arms and back of my neck.  The shadows played tag across the walls, stretched lazily over the floor before disappearing altogether.  I gave myself 20 minutes for throwing myself back into my work, but for those 20 minutes, I lost myself in the Norman Rockwell-esque feeling of it all. 

 I  look forward to packing up the strappy sandals, floaty maxi dresses and piles of shorts.  Opening the closet to pull out stacks of sweaters, unrolling corduroys, and polishing off boots can be a chore.  Still, finding that forgotten about sweater, is like opening that last present tucked way back behind the the tree, the one just peeking out from under the Christmas skirt.  “What’s this? Awww, yeah– cowl neck sweater!



The past few years, the turn of the season has found me in the kitchen, baking and using kitchen tools that I keep forgetting I have (hello, crockpot).  I have a long standing love affair with
pumpkin — bread, cookies, pie — which I plan to rekindle.  I got the ingredients for Rice Krispie Treats and presented those bricks of ooey, gooey goodness to the girls for snack yesterday afternoon. Sidenote: for a long time, I was under the impression that these were really hard to make. I mean, why else would my mom only reserve them for bi-annual bake sales? Surprisingly easily, as delicious as I remember, I will definitely be making these again.

I have been pulling recipes for chili, one-pot suppers, and things that involve butter, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg.  I culled pages out of my recipe stuffed filo-fax and actually went to the grocery store with concrete dinner ideas in mind. We eat a lot of beef, probably more than we should, but I’m finicky and it tastes good.   Real Simple magazine (LOVE IT) has been running a series of recipes called “10 Recipes Ideas for (insert pantry/refrigerator staple)”, which I have dutifully ripped out month after month.  Seriously –who can’t use a new take on chicken cutlets, ground beef, or Italian sausage?

So yesterday, I tackled a major (overdue) grocery shopping, got my supplies and whipped up this:

 (photo credit: www.realsimple.com, but maybe one day, I’ll be a food photog).

Mmmm, spinach stuffed steak roulades.  The recipe is here.  I subbed pesto instead of olive tapenade, but really? I think it was more flavorful.  It was considerably easy and super tasty. I felt very Top Chef as I filled, rolled and tied off my flank steak pinwheels. I was so determined to make this dinner, I did all my prep in the morning, fired them off on the grill before taking the girls to swimming lessons and then finished them with a quick blast in the oven when we got home.  Added a nice salad of mixed field greens and some rice? Delish!  I almost licked the plate.

I will definitely be going back to the well of “10 Recipe Ideas”.  Next up, ravioli with grape tomatoes and wine.

 (photo credit: www.realsimple.com).

Mmmm. . .wine. . . .

Anyway, the Rice Krispie treats weren’t the dessert that I had initially planned to serve up with this meal, but I was pressed for time and these pies-in-a-jar that I read about over at another awesome blogger, Gibson King, required ingredients that (for some reason) my grocer was completely lacking. Who doesn’t have pie filling? But I digress.  How flippin’ cute are these things?

These definitely going into the rotation. I may invest in a special pie-in-a-jar spoon to just eat them with.

So, I am officially declaring the season of fall open to enjoy for all the goodness that it brings.  We’re kicking things off with Morgan’s very first soccer game tomorrow morning — Go Larchmont Mermaids! It may be too soon to break out my Danskos  and my vest– they’re talking temps in the upper 70s after all.  Still, you can bet that when I lace up my sneakers for my miles through the neighborhood, I’ll take a deep breath to absorb the autumn breeze and let it fuel me in the days ahead.









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IN: ON: September 17, 2010 TAGS: , , , BY: Hilary
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