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dinner date
Lucy was so great today that the man and I were able to rekindle an old tradition ~ cooking dinner together.
Yesterday, our neighbor gave us two fresh trout for dinner, but because I was exhausted, hurting and completely unmotivated to do anything, we didn’t end up eating it.
But fresh trout is sort of amazing, so we had a lot of fun ideas to try tonight.
The man is excellent at being creative in the kitchen. Our final plan? Citrus stuffed trout with potato pancakes.
And that is almost what we had!
First, we grated some potatoes and mixed them with grated cheese, bread crumbs, hickory smoked salt and parmesan cheese.
Next, I pressed some garlic cloves, and grated the rind of an orange. I mixed the garlic and the orange rind with some oatmeal (we were out of breadcrumbs!) and stuffed the fish, adding two thin slices of orange to the inside, plus layering orange on the outside.
We cooked the potatoes around 400 degrees on cookie sheets, checking them every so often, and flipping them ~ we discovered that they weren’t really sticking together like potato-cakes, so we just tried to make really yummy potato hash.
When the potatoes looked nearly done, we pulled them and bumped the heat to 425 for the fish. We cooked the fish for a little under ten minutes, while prepping the dishes.
I have to say, the potatoes tasted amazing!
When the fish felt nearly done, we put the broiler on, and slid the fish on the top shelf to “crispen” up the skin.
In the end, I would say we were 80% happy with the results. We felt as though we could have seasoned things more (we used some S & P on the potatoes and on the fish, but not nearly enough in the stuffing).
However, it was our first foray into baking fresh trout (I have previously only sautéed in butter), and when a bite came together … the orange, the garlic, the potato … it was a really good bite.
And it was a really good Monday night. I hope Lucy continues to have great days, because cooking with the man again ~ so very nice.
a little surprise
Yesterday afternoon I received a little surprise gift!
And today, because the day dawned gray, rainy and much colder than my weather app forecast at bedtime last night(!), I decided to break out the new goods.
In general, I can be one of those people who receive nice bath products and then allow them to gather dust in my closet ‘saving’ them for a special occasion. I am SO SO glad I did not do that with these. Instead, I spent the whole day enjoying how great I smelled!
The whole regime began with the lemon-sage body scrub. After reading the directions (yes, I’m one of those people), I spent the specified five minutes scrubbing down prior to jumping in the shower. I have never done that before ~ and it makes a HUGE difference! I followed up my skin polish with lemon-sage body wash, and then, the “cherry on the top”, if you will (aaaaand, I will!), the vanilla+bergamot body butter. Oh. My. Goodness. You know how sometimes moisturizer, despite all the promises on the label, just fails to impress? As in, it’s greasy, it doesn’t spread well … it feels heavy and thick on your skin?
Not. This. Stuff. Seriously. One of the best moisturizers I have ever used. And I’m a bit of a product snob, because I’m a little vain about my skin. AND. To top it all off? I smelled like an elegant vanilla sugar cookie. I can’t even begin to find the words to articulate what a great bath experience.
And on a work day!
It helped keep my spirits up during the incredibly gloomy day.
Even better, Lucy was an absolute peach all day, so there was very little clean up when I got home. Whoo Hoo!!!! It made me get a little experimental with dinner. I’d been craving polenta all day, so I tried to use what we had in the fridge and make a polenta lasagna.
It ended up being a little more like a Polenta Mac & Cheese. But, it was yummy.
What I Used:
1 pkg organic polenta, sliced thin
2 large portobello caps, sliced
1 pkg Italian grated cheese
1/4c. Colby Jack grated cheese
1/4c. heavy cream (optional)
1/4c. dry white wine
S & P
Garlic Powder
EVOO
What I did:
Preheat oven to 350.
1. In a saucepan, combine sliced portobello, a healthy pour of EVOO, salt, pepper and garlic salt to taste. Cook until mushrooms soften.
2. In a greased glass casserole dish, line bottom with a layer of polenta. Sprinkle half the package of Italian cheese. Layer 3/4 of the mushrooms evenly on top of cheese.
3. Use remaining polenta to create a second layer on top of the mushrooms. Sprinkle the remaining half of the cheese, and finish off with the remaining mushrooms, and the 1/4c Colby Jack (I used it because I ran out of Italian cheese, so it’s really all about improvising!)
4. Whisk together the cream and wine and drizzle evenly across the top (I did this to prevent it from drying up and burning, which happened to a dish the man & I made a few weeks ago … I didn’t want to waste good mushrooms by allowing them to shrivel up!).
5. Pop in the oven for about 20 minutes (it should be bubbling!) and then allow to cool for at least five. Enjoy your polenta mac & cheese with a nice glass of vino, and (as I did) some grilled asparagus!
Now, for some HGTV this gloomy Wednesday night. I just love Property Brothers!
to-do lists, and other everyday things
This morning dawned gray and rainy, and after a little bit of a sleep-in, we got up and got to business. Yesterday was jam-packed ~ and pretty awesome. But it left us only today to get everything done.
We went on a ten-mile hike yesterday morning, down through the beautiful greenery of Valley Green and Fairmount Park. Lucy was in doggie-heaven, running here and there, lapping up water from the streams, chasing birds and squirrels, going ‘cracker dog’ in the sandy patches of the trail. By the end, her long pink tongue lolled from the side of her mouth, and when we got back to the truck, she curled up in a ball in the back seat, completely content. If that had been her only treat, it would have been a good Lucy day.
However, we spent part of the afternoon with her doggie boyfriend, and his parents and various friends baking cookies. Extremely fun, and once again, Lucy had a ball.
In the evening, we went to dinner with my oldest friend from high school, and her man. After which, we sipped adult beverages around our fire pit, while Lucy explored the yard (read: tried to dig lots of holes in the ground while her dad wasn’t watching). Eventually, the rain drove us inside, and after our friends were safely on their way back to the city, we watched “Horrible Bosses” and napped on the couch. Hilarious movie, btw ~ & I completely love Jason Bateman.
Today, we decided to be incredibly proactive, and we prepped lunches for the entire week. Mostly, we are trying to be strict with our budget, because we have a couple plans that need financing, so while doing an endless amount of laundry, we made a pitcher of iced coffee for the mornings, hard-boiled eggs for mid-morning snacks and made a base salad to have with slices of pork tenderloin. Because I loved the apricot and pistachio salad from Easter, I made a version of that and some homemade salad dressing.
I’m very much looking forward to lunch this week!
What I used:
1 cup baby spinach (because that’s what I had left in my fridge)
1/2 bag of butter lettuce and red lettuce
1/3 c dried apricots, sliced thinly
1/3 cup shelled and chopped pistachios
fresh parsley leaves, torn
fresh mint leaves, torn
snipped chives
fresh dill
*** I bought small packages of each of the herbs, and used about half each, except for the dill, which I used sparingly.
For the dressing (from Good Housekeeping)
In a jar that seals tightly, combine:
1/3 c EVOO
Finely minced peel of 1 lemon
2 tbsp lemon juice (I find that about 1 tbsp comes from each half of the lemon)
2 tbsp white balsamic vinegar
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
Shake well, and allow to sit for 2 hours, or as long as three days.
And now, it’s Sunday Night and time for “Game of Thrones.” Goodnight!
playoffs
As I may have mentioned, I am originally from the Steel City, otherwise known as Pittsburgh (or as some people have called it recently, the City of Champions). My dad was born there, as was my grandmother (Jennie J). I was also born in Pittsburgh. I’ve moved many times throughout my life, but Pittsburgh always symbolized something to me ~ home, perhaps, when we never really had one.
We lived there from my sixth grade year until after I finished tenth grade. It was right after the Penguins won their first two Stanley Cups, and the Steelers weren’t that good. Everyone had a Penguins jersey, and we all wore them to school ad nauseum. I even owned Penguin earrings. I was lucky enough to attend my fair share of games, and when I was about fourteen, I attended a fundraiser called “Penguins at Your Service,” where each Penguin served as a waiter at a table, and the event raised money for Cystic Fibrosis (the Penguins goaltender at the time, Tom Barrasso, had a daughter with cystic fibrosis, and he was an integral part of the event). The year I went, Luc Robitaille was our server (the year before, when my dad took my mum, it was Mario Lemieux!) and I met most of the players, and very shyly got their autographs.
BUT, as I am sure you also know, I have resided in Philadelphia for the past eight years, and most of my Philly friends are diehard Flyers fans.
Tonight, we hosted WeHangsDay on Friday (FriENdSday) and (un)fortunately, game 5 of the playoffs started at 7.30p. Now, I will admit that in the years since we left Pittsburgh, my interest in hockey has waned. I still ‘support’ Pittsburgh’s teams, but I’m only truly a Steelers fan. I have my fingers crossed that no one is super upset at the end of the night. And by that, I mean no one in our apartment.
For the evening, I decided to re-create my favorite sandwich from DiBruno Brothers, a high-end deli/grocery in downtown Philadelphia. Since my offices are no longer downtown, I was seriously hankering for a Mamma Mia today, and couldn’t have one.
Luckily, we own a sammie press.
A Twist on the Mamma Mia
Here’s what you need to make 4:
8 slices bread (we used 3 cheese semolina)
pesto (20-25 basil leaves, 2 tbsp pine nuts, 2 tbsp EVOO, 2 tbsp grated parmesan, S & P to taste, 2 garlic cloves blended together in a food processor)
1 juicy red tomato, sliced and halved
8 slices of prosciutto
a lil bit of butter
4 thin slices of mozzarella cheese
What you want to do:
1. Heat up your sammie press at medium. Lower it to low right before you put the sammies on.
2. Spread pesto on one four pieces of bread.
3. Place a slice of mozzarella on top of the pesto.
4. Put 2 half moons of tomato on top of the mozzarella.
5. Lay prosciutto on top of tomato. Smear a smidge of butter on each of the 4 naked pieces of bread. Put sammies together.
6. Smear a little bit of butter on the outside of both pieces of bread. Place sammie in the center of the press. Cook until you have defined grill marks (not charcoaled, but a good, toasty brown) and the mozzarella has melted.
7. I half the sammies because it is easier to eat. Tonight we enjoyed them with homemade guacamole and doritos (orange chips for Flyers fans 😉 ) and great company.
Cheers to Fridays, Friends and playoff FUN.
honesty is the best policy
When I started this blog last June, I wanted it to be a celebration of things I cared about ~ not so much a ponderous wander into the dark, twisty parts of my subconscious.
Unfortunately, sometimes those dark parts are a little hard to avoid.
My first piece of advice to myself, as I grabbed myself by the metaphorical bootstraps and ordered myself to pick myself up, dust myself off, and tidy myself up, was that any extended time on Facebook reminiscing about past mistakes is time NOT well spent. I gave up Facebook for Lent this year (and for about eight months last year after realizing that I wasted far too much time reading other people’s inner monologues versus listening to my own) and when I finally got back on after Lent ended, it was like an addict faced with a box of their favorite vice.
I began to systematically revisit each part of my life that ended badly, times I behaved badly … you name it, if it was negative and regrets could exist, I found it, and wallowed in it. Clearly, incredible for my mental health.
April is an interesting month for me. Other than the man, who is the most important person in my life, every other man of any significance (past and present, and including my father and brother) has a birthday in April. Not only that, but I have a quirky memory for birthdays, so even if I wanted to forget the dates, I can’t. Hello, bad version of Memory Lane.
I found myself of late full of lethargy, and not very interested in training for the 10 mile run I registered for (a little silly, considering it is two weeks and two days away), blogging, cooking … or doing very much of anything. I think the best word for it = apathy. I wasn’t crying, or overtly depressed. I just didn’t.care.about.anything.
I wanted to write about things, mull things over somehow, but I vowed not to be depressed or overly introspective here. This was about new discoveries, delicious recipes, thoughtful discourse. Not sadness. But it began to feel like a facade, as though my words on my blog weren’t honest anymore, because I was trying so hard to be happy. It felt insincere.
So the truth in a nutshell is this ~ I am most definitely not happy and full of sunshine and light all the time. Some days I am ~ some days I’m bouncing off the walls with excitement about life. But in March and April … usually I’m giving myself lectures as I lie in bed, avoiding the inevitable (aka, getting up and being productive). I don’t know why those months seem the hardest … but they always do.
Last night the man and I spent a looooong time talking (we like to talk, which I think is a good sign that we actually like each other). We committed to the idea of trying to plan vacations in March from now on ~ to try to give me something to look forward to, and also to have a little change of pace to help combat my doldrums. Sidenote: I realize with full clarity the greatness of my man. We talked about a lot of things ~ our schedules, our future, our goals. It was a good talk. It put my mind at ease. It gave me a sense of peace.
And then, for the first time since Easter, I made dinner. We happen to be big fans of breakfast, and often have breakfast as dinner. It didn’t hurt that our landlords gave us farm fresh eggs (in an assortment of colors, which tickled me pink!). So I made something I have been perfecting for a few years. It’s pretty versatile, but always delicious.
Naan Breakfast Bread
What you need:
1 pkg Whole Wheat Naan (each package has two pieces of bread)
2 eggs
1 small pkg Low-Fat Grated Italian Cheese Blend
1 pkg sliced baby bella mushrooms
10 thick asparagus spears
butter
Canola oil
EVOO
S & P
Garlic powder
What to do:
This dish depends on timing. You want everything to come together and be ready at the same time. The following is how it works best for me. My advice ~ read through all the steps, and then go back and start at the beginning. 🙂
Preheat oven to 325.
1. Rinse mushrooms. Add to small saucepan with a generous drizzle of olive oil, several twists of fresh pepper and salt, and a good shake of garlic powder. Cook on medium heat until mushrooms soften.
2. While the mushrooms are reducing, trim bottoms of asparagus (I cut off at least 1 1/2 inches to avoid any stringy-ness) and then cut into bite-size pieces. Lower the heat under the mushrooms, and stir in asparagus.
3. Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil. Place naan on sheet. Spread about a half tablespoon of butter on each piece, leaving an edge of about 1/2 inch around the outside of the bread. Spread a decent about of cheese on each piece, but leave some cheese for the end. Put the cookie sheet in the oven to melt the cheese.
4. In a small saucepan, heat 2 tbsps canola oil. Cook eggs in oil over medium heat. Use a spoon to scoop the oil over the yolks to cook them, but leave the insides warm and runny.
5. Pull naan bread from oven when cheese is mostly melted. Spoon mushrooms and asparagus onto cheese. Put one egg on each piece of bread. Sprinkle a little more cheese. Put back in oven for another 1-2 minutes (I use this time to clean up the kitchen, because I hate a dirty kitchen with used plates and pans everywhere).
6. Serve. Voila, dinner!
The man and I have contemplated other ingredients, and I recently changed the cheese we use, because we had been using cheddar but it was just too oily. Our next incarnation will include salsa, because the man thinks the dish needs the acidity of the tomatoes to cut the heaviness. He may be right. 🙂 Either way, Bon Appetit!
Easter lunch
roses from my mama bear
Last year, the man and I hosted Easter luncheon for the first time. I used left-over tissue paper to line the plates and separate the soup bowls. I had a crazy notion to make a chilled soup to start (I found an excellent recipe in Delia Smith’s cookbook for avocado gazpacho, and it was pretty successful, if I do say so myself!).
We sat outside with my parents for most of the afternoon, drank a lot of white wine and ate delicious snacks from Trader Joes. My mother and I filled our entire apartment with smoke from the leg of lamb, and the man managed to break not one, but three wine glasses.
It was a good Easter.
tulips
This year we were supposed to journey up to the man’s parents, but plans changed at the last minute, so we invited my folks up (and wrangled them into getting lamb from their butcher, who is vastly superior to anyone in our area) and committed to having our first joint family holiday.
I’m not sure I’ve mentioned it before, but I have a deep passion for event planning. I immediately whipped open my April issue of ‘Good Housekeeping’ (I remembered they had an Easter luncheon ‘make-ahead’ meal plan, and I was going to cherry pick that which I liked best). I also went about envisioning my table settings. (There is something supremely satisfying about beautifully setting a table to dine).
"Eastery Centerpiece"
On Thursday, my first scheduled day of prep, I was sidelined fairly effectively with one of the worst migraine headaches I’ve had in a long time. Sidenote: apparently, the pollen count is twice as high as past years due to the incredibly mild winter. Store that knowledge away, because I think it’s pretty beneficial info. I plan on using it to sound really informed at least three or four times this summer.
So after work on Friday, I braved Michaels, Kohls and the grocery store, to get prepped for the man’s parent’s visit and Easter Sunday luncheon. I had such a strong sense of my flower arrangements, centerpiece and place settings (courtesy of Good Housekeeping) that I hemmed and hawed for awhile at Michaels, trying to find just the right supplies. I also ran into Minda’s hubby, who was there to get crafting supplies to make her a surprise Easter gift (how adorable!).
When John’s parents arrived late Friday evening, we were dying Easter eggs. I’d bought tiny galvanized bins and a little watering can, and I filled them with store-bought (aka fake) moss, and tulip buds. For Easter lunch, I added the dyed eggs (housed in the refrigerator until then).
On Saturday (and on very little sleep, thanks to Miss Lucy) I prepped this year’s chilled soup ~ an asparagus bisque. Having never bought (let alone cooked) with leeks, it was a long process – it’s length aided by my inability to focus due to extreme fatigue. Someone (and I won’t name names LUCY) was up all night crying at the incredible injustice that she was in our room in her comfy bed rather than in the living room with her grandma, grandpa and their pups, Sera and Jack. The recipe is here ~ and it’s delish. The man made a great observation, too ~ the soup benefits from time in the fridge cooling down.
For dinner, I made buttermilk roast chicken (from Smitten Kitchen – and a huge success on WeHangsDay earlier in the week), pull-apart bread and a spinach, pear and almond salad. (This was all at the request of the man ~ there’s nothing quite like getting a food request… it makes a girl feel very special!). I’d wanted to prep the rest of Easter dinner, but after a shower and a long nap, it was all I could do to get dinner on the table.
Smitten Kitchen's Buttermilk Chicken
My invented Pear & Toasted Almond Spinach Salad
Today, Lucy and I took a three-mile jog and then set in for full-on Easter lunch prep. The man and I set up two tables, draped them in clothes (which I bought in two contrasting sizes and shapes, because really, why make it easy on myself?), and I began decorating.
Our final menu ~
To start … Deviled eggs a la the man, Chilled Asparagus Bisque
For lunch … Boneless leg of lamb (prepared by my gracious mother, with grainy mustard, rosemary and breadcrumbs), scalloped potatoes (prepared by John’s gracious mother, with cheddar cheese, sour cream, butter, French’s Fried Onions and Campbell’s Cream of Chicken Soup), Apricot & Pistachio Salad (courtesy of Good Housekeeping) and Pillsbury biscuits.
And, something sweet … Cheesecake Stuffed Strawberries, Peanut Butter Eggs, and Coconut Eggs. The man has been waxing lyrical about his mama’s peanut butter eggs forever … and he was right. They were delish!
It was an amazing afternoon ~ such a nice and gentle introduction of our families to each other (after nearly four years, it was about time!). In my world, family is one of the most important things. Family helps to mold you, is your safety net when you take leaps of faith into the unknown, lifts you up when you are dragging, and genuinely expresses pleasure when you succeed. Family is priceless and should be treated as such. I felt lucky to have the majority of my family with me (we were minus my little brother, because he marches to his own beat, is turning 30 tomorrow and probably celebrated today, and isn’t one for overly religious celebrations). I feel lucky to be with a man who values the same things I value.
Life is good. Happy Easter peeps. 😉 (Get it? … peeps!!!)
space
For some reason, I have been a little bit preoccupied with space of late.
As in, every feels too small, and too closed in.
This was the majority of the motivating factor of our recent apartment ‘facelift.’ Luckily, the man is very understanding of my need for constant organization (I wouldn’t say I have OCD, but I wouldn’t not say it, either).
We stream-lined the apartment, and we’ve been spending a lot of time with Lucy at the many state parks in our area (we are very fortunate in that) taking long walks and enjoying the peace of nature. It’s not quite the same as actually being in the country and not hearing a highway and the constant noise of traffic ~ but it’s a lot better than the constant crush and rush of inner-city Philadelphia.
My need for space to breath was also a factor in our purchase a few months ago of my new vehicle (or as the man refers to it, my ‘whip’). I loved my Mini with all my heart, but being in a one-bedroom apartment and driving a car with ‘small’ in the name, plus commuting into the claustrophobia of the city every day ~ I felt as though I wanted to stretch and every time I tried, my arms and legs were bumping into something ~ penning me in.
I’ve been lucky that many things have changed recently ~ the new car, the new furniture, and most importantly, the new business offices for my company. Now instead of sitting in an hour’s worth of rush hour traffic, I’m just driving to the next town over. It means less time alone for Lucy, less stress for me … more space.
This weekend we are hosting the man’s family, and we *finally* have a place for them to sleep that isn’t piles of blankets on the floor. Tomorrow, my parents will be here as well, and we will all break bread together (for the first time) over Easter luncheon. Today I prepped my asparagus bisque (which I am serving chilled) and made craft-y DIY centerpieces that I found in “Good Housekeeping.” I’ll share all that tomorrow ~ but for tonight, we’re noshing on Smitten Kitchen’s Buttermilk Roast Chicken with pull apart bread and a baby spinach salad with honey-roasted almonds and pear slices.
Hope you’re enjoying Easter weekend as well.
flash blizzard & strong drink
Yesterday afternoon, after spending the morning at Jefferson Hospital’s Heart Health Day, I packed a bag for Lucy, and the two of us headed south to my parents for a dinner of Haggis and Mashed Neeps.
The haggis had originally been purchased for Rabbie Burns Day a few weeks ago, but I’d finagled my darling parents into coming to my house to visit with my brother and his lady, so the haggis had gone uneaten. (Instead, we’d enjoyed Crab Stuffed Tilapia, boiled baby potatoes and green beans … yummers).
It sounded like a relaxing Saturday night, and as Lucy had never visited her Grandparents before, it was also an excellent socializing opportunity. And if I timed it properly, we’d be home in time for a blog post and a snuggle on the couch before heading to bed.
Into Lucy’s bag went dinner, her Dragon, her antler chew toy, a blanket, her kitchen bed (not to be confused with her bedroom bed), and some water from home. For safe measure, I also brought her big, blue collar (which she should have been wearing to prevent her from licking or scratching her incision, but she hated it so much I took it off). Better safe than sorry.
We hooked up “A Clash of Kings” and settled in for the drive. There were a few flurries in the sky, but all seemed okay. After we turned off the highway, I pulled over to fill up my gas tank (it’s SO much cheaper near my parents house).
And then the weather just … well … completely changed. The wind picked up, and Rooney Cooper was pushed around the road. The big, wet flakes that had earlier been dancing to the ground became an angry squall of blinding white. The temperature dropped nearly eight degrees in less than ten minutes, and we slowed to a crawl as we slid on the curving country roads.
It was a long twenty minutes to finish the drive. My mother called as we pulled into the driveway. My father had arrived home just a little bit before me (he’d been Lucy-sitting while I worked), and the driveway hadn’t had any snow on it. As I pulled in, and slid sideways a little, it was a slick sheet of ice and snow. As we tumbled inside the house and stamped snow from our feet (well, Lucy was ‘detained’ and politely allowed her Nonna to wipe off her paws), my mother said matter-of-factly, “Well, you’re not driving home tonight!”
We did have a great night. Lucy was very well behaved (despite not sleeping through the night), the Haggis and Mashed Neeps were delicious, and breakfast of fried eggs, sausage and English muffins with Marmalade was scrumptious. It’s always nice to go home and be spoiled a little bit.
The pup and I hit the road shortly after breakfast and were home before 1p, at which point I collapsed on the sofa and we had a nice little afternoon nap. I awoke with a deep craving for Bourbon Balls (a decadent dessert introduced to me by Minda). So I made some. It’s really the only logical thing to do when all the ingredients are in the cupboard. Now it’s time for the penultimate installment Downton Abbey (it’s extended!), some Bourbon Balls, and some cuddling with the pupster.
In case you’d like some Bourbon Balls, too ~ here’s how!
What you Need:
1 box Nilla Wafers (10.75oz)
1 lb shelled Walnuts or Pecans (Minda does half and half and it’s sublime)
1/2 c. Honey
1/2 c. Bourbon
1/4 c. White Rum
1/4 c. Brandy
Powdered Sugar
What to Do:
1. Combine Nilla Wafers and nuts in a food processor.
2. When fully chopped, add honey and alcohol. Mix together.
3. Roll into balls and sprinkle with powdered sugar.
4. Refrigerate. Enjoy at your leisure.
**If you have time, refrigerate the batter after mixing, and about an hour later, roll into balls. It will make the process much easier, and less messy.
healthy hearts
Yesterday, Zavino participated in Jefferson Hospital’s Fourth Annual Heart Health Day. It was our first time as a featured restaurant, and I went with our Executive Chef to help distribute samples of our heart healthy pasta salad (created specifically for the event). The event was held at King of Prussia mall, and Tim Spinner of Cantina Feliz and La Calaca Feliz (translated, it means the Happy Skeleton ~ the skeleton, I learned, is one of several characters in a very popular Mexican card game) did a cooking demonstration with former Eagle linebacker Jeremiah Trotter. (Despite not being an Eagles fan, I am a huge football fan, and Mr. Trotter was really funny, good -natured and generous in his attitude and demeanor thoughout the event). Watching the crowd’s faces as Chef Spinner pulled a huge octopus out of cambro and dropped him into a pot of hot water was priceless, as was watching Jeremiah Trotter’s face as he assisted in making and then tasting each dish.
The entire event reminded me that the food business can be pretty cool.
Since we handed out hundreds of menu cards generously printed by Jefferson Hospital, I thought it would only be fair to share Chef Carlos Aparicio’s Heart Healthy Whole Wheat Pasta with Grilled Veggies on my blog. So, here goes!
For the Pesto:
2 c. fresh basil (picked leaves)
1 c. baby arugula
1/2 c. grated Parmesan-Reggiano
1/2 c. EVOO
1/3 c. Toasted Pine Nuts
3 medium sized Garlic cloves
1/4 tsp fresh black pepper
1. Place all ingredients in blender or food processor.
2. Blend for 2-3 minutes, adding a little extra olive oil if it’s too thick.
For the Pasta:
1 lb dry whole-wheat penne (or other pasta)
1 c. small chunks of sundried tomatoes (keep separate from all othere veggies to incorporate at the end for garnish)
1/2 c. small diced Asparagus
1/2 c. small diced Zucchini
1/2 c. small diced Yellow Squash
1/2 c. small diced Cauliflower
1 bunch Swiss Chard (washed and cut in small pieces)
10 leaves Basil Chiffonade (for garnish)
What to Do:
1. Cook pasta for about 10 minutes in boiling water. Drain & reserve.
2. In a big pot of boiling water, blanch all veggies except Swiss Chard. (Blanching = leaving veggies in water no more than 45 seconds). Remove from water.
3. In a stir fry pan, add EVOO and garlic (diced) over medium heat.
4. Saute all veggies (after being blanched) for about 2-3 minutes.
5. Add salt & black pepper to taste.
6. In a large bowl, combine pasta and veggies, adding pesto and basil chiffonade.
7. Garnish with small-diced sun-dried tomatoes (add extra pesto and pine nuts for extra creaminess & flavor).
La-sag-na
In first grade, my teacher Mrs. Seibold elected a Student of the Week and every time, a questionnaire about that student’s favorite things hung in the classroom for everyone to read. When your sojourn was done, you were given your list to take home.
In first grade, apparently, my favorite food was lasagna.
This is hilarious, considering that for most of my teenage years and adult life, I firmly stated that I didn’t like lasagna. At all. Even when everyone else told me how fabulous Jennie J’s lasagna was, I didn’t budge.
And then John’s mom made lasagna. And I honestly couldn’t.get.enough. She made it for the weekend we moved into our apartment, and I scarfed it down and had seconds.
But, in my world of cooking, lasagna felt overwhelming. Layers of ingredients that I didn’t know … noodles … other, well, stuff. Despite rekindling my love affair, I didn’t try to make it. I left that to the professionals.
(May I repeat a sentence from an earlier blog?)
Silly girl!
I finally tried it out the weekend before the man jetted off to Costa Rica. And it was a semi-success. (Sidenote: fresh squash doesn’t cook in 25 minutes, even if it’s in a lasagna and those appear to be the directions).
Tonight, for Thangsday (a Thursday version of WeHangs … if you didn’t get it), I decided to make a lasagna based on the earlier recipe, minus the hard as rocks squash, and plus a couple other ingredients.
In general, it was a success. Here’s how it went.
What you need:
9 lasagna noodles
16 oz Ricotta
5 oz (give or take) of fresh spinach
Fresh sage (at least five or six good sized leaves)
2 tbsp minced garlic
8 cups shredded cheese (I use the Italian mix and one bag of shredded cheddar)
Sweet Italian sausage (1/2 package)
EVOO
1 package Exotic Mushrooms (or whatever mushrooms you like, or no mushrooms … it’s completely open to interpretation)
S &P
What you do:
1. Cook lasagna noodles. Once al dente, drain hot water, and re-fill with cold water (this will keep the noodles from sticking together … I learned this little tip tonight, and I say thank you!)
2. In one bowl, combine coarsely chopped spinach and sage (I pop it all in the food processor and chop it until it’s fairly even, and not too fine) minced garlic and ricotta.
3. De-case sausage, pull apart into bite-size pieces, and cook in small saucepan with a dab of oil.
4. In a separate bowl, combine cooked sausage chunks, mushrooms, 6 cups of cheese, and olive oil. Season generously with salt and pepper.
5. In a 9 x 13 greased lasagna pan, lay three lasagna noodles. Use half of the ricotta-spinach mixture and spread across evenly. Use half of cheese/mushroom/sausage mixture and spread evenly. Lay down 3 more lasagna noodles. Use the remaining ricotta-spinach mixture for the next layer, then add the cheese/mushroom/sausage mixture on top. Use the remaining three noodles for the top layer. Use the final 2 cups of cheese as the topping. Sprinkle with parmesan, salt & pepper.
6. Cook in oven at 350 for 20-30 minutes, or until it starts to bubble. (Helpful hint: line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil and cook your lasagna on top of the cookie tray to prevent overflow and having to clean your oven out).
I served it with a little arugula salad tossed with (you guessed it) parmesan, EVOO and lemon juice. Yum yum.
Lasagna, I confess… we’re definitely friends again.
D5 Creation