Back from a long break, again.

So, it’s been four plus months since my last post. I admit I get bored posting about the food I cook and feel a bit overwhelmed by the process when there are so many food blogs out there that are so much more interesting than mine. Also, we are remodeling our entire home and my kitchen has been half way disassembled with the bulk of my cooking tools packed away which makes cooking difficult and not too inspired.

We have remodeled our master bath and bedroom. I am so blessed to be in a position to do all that we have. I look at our new rooms and just swell with amazement that I live in such a lovely home. It took us four long months to remodel these two rooms. I thought we’d never get it done and honestly there have been only one or two times I’ve wanted to hit my husband with a hammer. Seriously!

So, here is the new bath…

We added a frameless glass shower and a freestanding tub.

We added a frameless glass shower and a freestanding tub.

vanity

I can’t believe we have a vanity and armoire from Restoration Hardware. It’s simply gorgeous!

My brilliant husband built a frame for the mirror to match our vanity/armoire. There are definitely perks to marrying a mechanical engineer. He can build anything. He installed the tile floors and the engineered hardwood floors. His back is killing him but our home is going to be beautiful when it’s all said in done.

I am in charge of the walls. I do the drywall mudding, the painting and the trim work. I managed to talk him into painting the walls an actual color. It’s called Mousse Moose. It’s light brown or latte colored. It’s neutral and hopefully will make the house sellable.

We also finally got our king size bed set up and I am actually able to sleep for more than two hours uninterrupted. It’s amazing! I still have to pee two or three times every night but I can actually go back to sleep now as opposed to lying awake trying to create a space in the bed for myself.

Here is the finished bedroom:

bedroom We’re working on the living room now. This weekend we will finish laying the hardwood floors, put up the crown molding, trim the windows and put the baseboards back in place. Yippee! I have new living room furniture that should finish being delivered in a few weeks. I’ve never had anything but hand-me-down furniture before. It was really nice to go to a store and pick out a new sofa and chairs. As soon as we’re finished I’ll upload pictures of it.

In the meantime … I fight the Robin’s. By which I mean they keep trying to build a nest on our porch light which is next to our front door. I take it down and five minutes late she’s back with the grass, twigs, paper and mud to put it back. Tomorrow I’ll get a rubber snake and see if that will deter her.

The Robin’s have also built a nest in the wheel base of our Ford F150. I keep telling D we can go without driving the truck for a couple months, right? Silly birds.

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Adventures with braces in adulthood . . . bring me the meatballs!

. . .  First, let me just say that I am thankful to have the means to even have braces as an adult. Lord knows insurance doesn’t pay a dime for them (they’d rather I be toothless). Second, braces at any age, I’m certain, sucks but there is something truly unglamorous about having a metal smile as a 44 year old woman.

All of that being said, braces are awful. Yes they hurt but that’s ancillary to the aggravation of having to eat soft foods and constantly picking at them to make sure nothing is in them. For a foodie, being restricted to soft, malleable foods is endlessly annoying. Eating chicken or steak is out of the question. Shrimp is too chewy too. I find myself eating a lot of potatoes, ground meat and soup; endless amounts of soup. It’s a good thing I enjoy them. Raw vegetables are out of the question too. Basically, anything that is too crunchy, firm, sticky or chewy is out. I have never brushed my teeth so much in my life. We’re talking five or six times a day.

Here’s something no one told me … they put them on the INSIDE of your teeth too. I have sharp wires with what feels like a rope tethered between to prongs. My tongue is even raw. I don’t guess I have to mention how bad that is for my love life. Shit.

So, I suppose I should use this “challenge” as an opportunity to be creative in the kitchen and find tasty foods that don’t require endless amounts of chewing but are still healthy. I did manage to choke down a salad today. Salads are not good without something crunchy in them. I miss carrots and croutons. Eggs, cheese and lettuce are lovely but so boring and bland.

Okay so I’m being creative. Tonight I made turkey meatballs with Kalamata olives, red peppers and onions, coated in Italian breadcrumbs browned and  then baked. I made a red sauce with onions, mushrooms and served on buccatini pasta. It was very, very, tasty.

I’d post a picture but who needs to see another picture of meatballs. It’s not rocket science or in any way interesting. So, here’s a picture of something much more interesting from my honeymoon. Since it’s so icy and cold outside this image reminds me of warmer days. Wish I could be there now.

The view from our balcony in Amalfi.

The view from our balcony in Amalfi.

Missing in Action

Well, the holidays were consuming, huh? Consuming in time, food, ambition and energy. My hubby had H1N1 and I was busy caring for him, worrying that I wouldn’t get to see my family, and furiously working on our remodeling plans that my husband dreamed up one week before Christmas. Not much cooking going on in my house the last few months; which, of course, is counter intuitive to the holiday season. When you have no network or friends to socialize with cooking seems rather pointless. My Mr. loves my food but he would happily eat the same thing every single meal (and does so for breakfast and lunch).

Add, getting braces to the list and cooking just gets pushed further and further down in priority. Yes, I am 44 years old and just now getting my teeth fixed. When I think of braces I recall that scene in Casablanca, you remember the one . . .

“Ilsa: [laughs ironically] With the whole world crumbling, we pick this time to fall in love.
Rick: Yeah, it’s pretty bad timing. Where were you, say, ten years ago?
Ilsa: [trying to be cheerful] Ten years ago? Well, let’s see…
[remembers, smiles]
Ilsa: Oh, yes, I was having a brace put on my teeth. Where were you?”

Let me tell you, for those who don’t already know, it is not that glamorous. It hurts like a booger and eating becomes a real chore. I find myself searching for soft, malleable foods I can macerate with my tongue and the roof of my mouth. Today, since I’m back in KC for a few days, the first place I went to eat was Chipotle. Stupid Louisville/Elizabethtown doesn’t have a single Chipotle restaurant. Let’s just say that rice is really, really hard to eat with braces and it took nearly an hour to nibble down even half of the bowl. It was tasty but frustrating.

On a positive note … this may lead to some weight loss which is really necessary according to my Dr.. Not because I’m grossly overweight but my cholesterol is elevated and I was told to lose 20 pounds to fix it. Braces will certainly provide the impetus to find creative ways to eat greens. Let me also tell you, spinach is not a pretty sight in the grill, which is where most of it ends up.

This week I’m in my home town of Kansas City, Missouri. I’ve been so homesick it’s been nearly dibilitating and finally I’m here, sans husband who had two business trips and ducks to try to shoot. I’m composing this at my favorite coffee shop, The Roasterie. Soaking it up and looking forward to going to the movies to see Life of Pi (no longer being shown in Louisville theaters – don’t even get me started about the movie/film scene in that town).

It’s been a good day and I hope to follow it up with a great week!

Breaking out the birthday present from THE best mother-in-law . . . ever and Experimenting with Curry …

. . .  can be dangerous. I love the complexity of curry. It seems counter intuitive that so many spices put together into one mixture could produce such amazing flavors. It works thankfully. Curry is definitely a divisive spice. You either love it or hate it. My hubby likes curry, thankfully. My hubby is also patient with my experiments. I have made my own curries in the past but it’s time consuming and I didn’t have that kind of ambition or time last night so I broke out my favorite, “Sun Brand” Madras Curry Powder. This is my favorite blend.It’s layered with heat and sweetness.

This is my favorite blend. It's layered with heat and sweetness.

I rubbed in over my chicken breast and let it marinate like that for an hour or so. I put a tablespoon of it and a tablespoon of mango chutney into goat cheese to use as a spread on the chicken. I wish I’d had some dates to stuff it in but that’s a thought for the future, huh? I also made some whole grain Jasmine rice (my favorite) which I browned with shallots and garlic then cooked in chicken stock and low-fat coconut milk along with raisins and okra and yep … curry powder. The end result was quite tasty but my fella did not like the raisins (or now grapes as he called them). Hindsight is 20/20 right? I should have added them at the end of the cooking process. Oh well, LESSON learned.

My fantastic Mother-in-Law, Sue, sent me a Cuisinart Griddler for my birthday. I used it to make banana/whole wheat pancakes this weekend. It worked pretty well for pancakes but it didn’t seem to heat to evenly on the flat side. I gave it another try last night to grill the chicken.  I have to say, it worked pretty good. The chicken was scallopini’d so it only took a minute to cook it and since it’s non-stick there was no fat to speak of. I’m not sure how well it will work with a fat burger patty, guess I’ll have to try that out too sometime.  

cuisinart-griddler

So, the end result was very tasty. Simple too.

Curried chicken & rice with okra and raisins. Mmmm

Curried chicken & rice with okra and raisins. Mmmm

It was a dessert heavy holiday.

I don’t know about you but my holiday was very sweet. I baked a red velvet cake for my birthday . . .

IMPORTANT reminder … do not use low-fat cream cheese. Full fat is the only thing that will work. I learned that the hard way.

I used Martha Stewarts recipe. It uses more chocolate than most other recipes so really the result is a nicely chocolaty cake. The recipe also uses and INSANE amount of red food coloring. FOUR bottles (ounces). Seriously. I only used three and the cake was dark, dark red. Two would have been sufficient I suppose. It was one amazing cake.

The other dessert we made was Lemon Meringue Pie. WOWee! We (my sister and I) used America’s Test Kitchen’s recipe. We used Meyer Lemons (see previous post) because they’re juicier than regular lemons, two gave us a half cup of juice. I made the crust by hand with butter, Crisco, vodka and water. It was perfect. The filling was so good it has converted me to actual fandom of meringue pies. The one problem with the pie was the weeping. We did exactly what the recipe said. Cornstarch paste added to the egg whites. Meringue placed on piping hot filling. It was a mile high and beautiful. But it still weeped. I’m thinking that weeping is a natural by-product of meringue pies. Have you ever made one? Did it weep?

Here’s the pie.

I should have taken a picture of it sliced. It didn’t last too long in this house. My Mr. loves lemon meringue.

Happy Happy Thanksgiving!

Today I’m thankful my sister has driven 500 miles to spend my birthday (yesterday) and Thanksgiving Day with me. I have a touch of the flu but that’s not gonna spoil my day. I managed to bake up some Pumpkin Bread. It’s delicious. I’m not sure I’ll get much else cooked but no matter. I’m with family. I am blessed.

My beautiful sister, Helen.

Canned tuna . . . should we or shouldn’t we?

ImageI do but not without a tinge of guilt. In fact, it’s difficult to eat any fish from the sea these days without wondering if it’s safe, if some dolphin or other rare splendid creature had to die as well. Was it fished out of a trash heap? I worry about the state of our oceans knowing how much we abuse them. And yet, I continue to purchase “dolphin safe” tuna and serve it several times a month. Life get’s complicated doesn’t it?

Well, setting guilt aside for the moment let’s talk about tuna salad. I love it. Especially traditional tuna salad, you know the one with mayo, mustard, celery, eggs, etc., served with potato chips. Yuh-uuum-me! Nothing tastier or more traditional in my homestead. Except that, as usual, I get bored with that. I want something different. Something non-traditional that kicks it up a notch or too. You name it, I’ve tried it with tuna: cilantro, red bell peppers, curry, raisins, scallions, lemon, lime, dill, wasabi, yogurt, sour cream, even horseradish. Some of these combo’s have worked, some have not. 

Today I tried again to mix it up with unusual ingredients. I happened to have a Jicama which is a root vegetable native to Mexico.

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 It’s like a radish or turnip. It’s mild, crisp, a touch of sweetness and wonderful in fresh salads.  I minced some up and threw that in the bowl along with Chinese mustard from the packets of left overs we had from ordering in the other night. That’s something else I feel guilty about throwing away. We always end up with way too much mustard, duck sauce and soy sauce and I always think, “surely there’s some way I can use these” invariably I have a giant stash that I throw away once a year. Now that is no longer necessary. The mustard is wonderful in tuna salad. It’s spicy and subtle (if that’s even possible) and the perfect touch for canned tuna. 

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I think I’ll actually buy a bottle of it to keep on hand. I’m thinking there are other uses for this stuff too.

The other new ingredient I used was a blend of spices I got from a company called Wildtree. I used to work for them as a sales rep and since I’m awful at sales that didn’t last too long. Their products are wonderful. They’re natural, healthful and preservative free. I happened to have some of their Dill Blend spice hanging around and I thought it would be a nice combination to add with the rest and voila! Tasty goodness was right under my nose. Click on the picture and it will take you to their website. 

Image I also threw in some of the traditional stuff: onions, celery, boiled eggs, mayo … you know the drill but the addition of these three ingredients made for a wonderful change and delicious lunch. Yuh-uuum-me!

Is it sacrilegious . . .

. . . to not serve Green Bean Casserole on Thanksgiving? It is the perennial side dish for the holidays. You don’t eat it any other time of the year and yet it’s kind of old and boring isn’t it? Don’t get me wrong, I love me some green bean casserole, but admit it, what we really love are the French Fried Onions, yum. Green beans don’t get that kind of love on their own. The rest of the year you eat them steamed or sautéed but never swimming in soup and onions.  Green bean casserole, cranberry sauce and sweet potato smothered in marshmallows (eewww… who invented that mess?) those are the dishes that are only served between November and December, I’m not wanting to have them now. I might like to re-invent the soupy mixture from scratch. The thought of buying a can of Cream of Mushroom soup  is gross. It’s so easy to make béchamel sauce and healthier too. Perhaps I’ll tackle that challenge, hmmm . . . perhaps. 

I’ve been searching my Cook’s Illustrated back issues, cookbooks and websites for new and interesting ideas to serve on Thanksgiving. Mine will be small and intimate with just three of us to feed. Since Thanksgiving is an “event” and deserves special attention directed to it. I’m excited about putting together a concerted effort and meal for the day. The question is … what?

The sweet potato has had a renaissance over the last few years. I eat them regularly in a lot of different ways: mashed, french fried, hashed, baked and chips. They’re so healthy and naturally sweet it’s like a tasty treat you don’t have to feel guilty about eating. I found a recipe on Pinterest for Hasselback Sweet Potatoes. Doesn’t this look amazing? Clicking on the picture will take you to the blogger with the recipe for this amazing treat!

Maybe not Thanksgiving but soon!

What I’m wanting to do is make something memorable. My family has never been one with long-standing traditions. Growing up Thanksgiving was always at Granny’s. Now that she’s gone, I’ve moved away and my sister is now single we have to start new traditions. I’m sad not to see my parents and it’s hard to make it feel like a holiday when all the things I’m used to are no where to be found. It’s a new day though and D and I must forge new family traditions. Thankfully, my sister will be here and we can share time down our mutually changed lives. We are blessed.

There are a few things that will happen. My birthday is November 21, the day before Thanksgiving. I want cake. Red Velvet Cake to be exact. I haven’t made one in years and think it will be the dessert of the weekend. Derek wants Lemon Meringue Pie so that will be on the menu too. Sweets are easy.

D loves onion rolls so I’ll make those. The recipe I use was found in an issue of Real Simple magazine a year or so ago. I’ve made them several times and they are light, airy, packed with flavor and simply . . . DELICIOUS! Click on the picture for the recipe.

So, we have the unhealthy choices nailed down. The big question is what’s for dinner? I’m thinking Gumbo sounds good. It’s hearty, earthy and packed with goodies and flavor. If not gumbo then perhaps Surf and Turf. I kind of think a Chicken Pot Pie with phyllo pastry crust sounds pretty amazing too. There are so many choices and ways to go. That’s what I love about cooking and food. A thousand variations and combinations to meet all culinary dreams. What will you serve?

A new look … anyone notice?

I changed the layout and design of my blog and wonder if anyone will notice. My “brand” isn’t exactly established so I’m pretty sure it won’t be too much of a shock. I like this more clean look anyway. If I get to the point where I have more than 10 followers I may set up my own site with an actual design sense.

I’m also thinking about Thanksgiving dinner. My sister is coming, possibly with her fella. I’m not keen to making a big turkey for four. I’m actually considering Lasagna. D want’s a lemon meringue pie I want red velvet cake. Maybe we’ll just have sweets. I want to do something very non-traditional. Perhaps Pinterest should dictate the meal. There are always so many pretty foods on display. In fact, I block most food pages because all that food drives me to distraction. I’m hungry enough on my own, looking at all those tasty dishes it simply too much.

I miss spring, flowers, Kansas City and friends. Here’s a picture to cheer.

Black-eyed Susan’s cheer me up!

When the husband is away …

… I eat soup. He doesn’t understand soup. To him it’s just broth with too many vegetables and not enough meat. For me, soup is warmth, comfort and a healthy way to eat. Oh sure, there are unhealthy soups but I tend to make broth-based soups not creamy ones. Yesterday it was raining and cold so I broke out the stock left over from the baked chicken from last week. It took all day to make, which wasn’t exactly necessary but I wasn’t in a hurry and it seemed the prudent way to do it. The end result was a spicy Chicken Chili. Mmmm.

Spicy Chicken Chili

I’m excited about this particular batch of soup because I grew the tomatoes that went into it and I finally figured out how to use dried beans instead of canned. In fact, all of the ingredients were fresh in this and it is so very good!  The other tasty treat I made yesterday was a cheese crisp. I have been searching for a cracker recipe and finally found a cheesy recipe that sounded good. I used whole wheat flour and two different cheeses for a salty and crunchy cracker. Yum!

Here’s how I did the soup. First the ingredients:

2 tbs olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 red bell pepper (roasted and diced)
2 carrots, chopped
14 oz diced tomatoes
2 medium jalapeño peppers, minced
2 large stalks of celery, chopped
6 cups chicken stock
1 cup dried white beans
1 bone in chicken breast
4-5 bone in chicken drumsticks (legs)
2 tbsp taco seasoning
2 tsp chipotle chili pepper
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp paprika
salt and pepper to taste

First things first: get your beans soaking. (see instructions above or read package instructions) OR use canned, there’s no rule here. Except remember the best rule of cooking: FRESH IS BEST!

1. In a large dutch oven (or soup pot) heat olive oil on medium.
2. Add chopped onions, carrots, celery, jalapeño peppers and cook until translucent.(apps. 10 min)
3. Add minced garlic and roasted bell pepper, cook until fragrant (appx. 30 seconds)
4. Add tomatoes, spices (cumin, chili, taco seasoning, paprika) and chicken stock stirring until spices are well mixed.
5. Add chicken pieces, cover and cook for 30-40 minutes. Remove chicken and set aside to cool.
6. By now your beans should be par-cooked so throw them into the soup and cover. Let cook at a rolling simmer for another hour. Taste to see if you need salt and the “doneness” of the beans.
7. Once the beans are done, shred your chicken and add back to the soup and let simmer on low for another 30 minutes to hour.
8. Taste. Season accordingly.

Serve with Avocado, fresh cilantro and a dollop of sour cream.