No pictures. In an effort to utilize my produce before it begins sprouting in my fridge, I decided to use my extremely old bulb of fennel and a zucchini that'd been hanging around a bit too long to add to my pasta. I dribbled in some jammy beaujolais nouveau into my tomato sauce to give the sauce more depth and flavor, but I think I could have added more. I like drinking fruity soft wines like b.n. as an everyday wine. I recenltly bought a $6.50 pinot noir from this wine shop near my apt, so we'll see how that pans out. I've been reading from the bible lately...the wine bible, that is. I really want to try more Italian wines and compare notes on them (chianti, lambrusco, barolo, nebbiolo). Also, interested in learning more about French wines. Had a delicious Chateuneuf-du-Pape at Pigalle when I went there for restaurant week with my Mom, Jess and Steph. C-d-P had a distinct raspberry flavor, not sweet though, and a bit herbal and acidic.
Tonight, I'm going to make egg noodles with goat cheese cream sauce, basil and walnuts.
3.02.2007
The Orange Diet.
I've been subsisting on a strange diet of bananas, coffee yogurt, whole wheat pita + hummus, hot salsa + Lays chips, cranberry juice, grapefruit, lemon and various other yellow/orange/blush colored foods (butternut squash, orange bell peppers).
my favorite snack: (too bad freaking Shaw's @ Porter Sq charges $4.99/lb for orange bellpeppers! I am outraged! I paid $2.99/lb for 4 peppers last week and that was a SALE...I need to hit up MarketBasket)
On deck: yams, cantaloupe, pummelo. Last night I cooked up some rainbow chard (same as swiss chard but with vari-colored stems instead of just the usual scarlet) a dark leafy green whose magenta, bright fuschia, and yellow stems have enchanted me since I first spotted them on lexculinaria's blog.
I sauted the greens in olive oil, garlic, a squeeze of lemon juice, salt. They tasted good, except next time, I'll probably chop off more of the stems which I neglected to do since I was completely seduced by their color.
Although none of these foods are unhealthy in and of themselves (except the chips), as a whole, I think they are wreaking havoc with my digestive system. Too acidic or something. I woke up at 5:30 am with an aching stomach. (Then again, could be the fact that after dinner I decided to eat a huge bowl of noodles tossed with sesame oil, soy sauce, and scallions right before going to bed.)
---
Wednesday Night Cocktails: Coconut Rum Sunrises (OJ+cranberry juice+cocorum+a lil bubbly; the drink was much prettier in person! rosy and misty)
---
Curious about making chocolate pudding:
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/recipe_views/views/230485
http://www.browniepointsblog.com/2006/12/10/the-often-maligned-chocolate-pudding/
http://orangette.blogspot.com/2005_07_01_archive.html
Damn the weekly archiving of NYTimes articles (which includes recipes..specifically Mark Bittman's minimalist chocolate pudding recipe I'd been meaning to cut and paste onto a document for myself)
2.22.2007
This is America...so SPEAK ENGLISH: "I'd like a...
...Wiz Wit', please."
You stand in a long line that wraps around the building. When it's your turn, you step up humbly to the window and order the cheesecake of your preference. To speed the order process up, you must use a sort of vernacular shorthand, aka you must "speak English." If you mess up, they get annoyed. (If this sounds familiar, you might be recalling the famous Soup Nazi episode on Seinfeld.)
...Wiz Wit', please."
You stand in a long line that wraps around the building. When it's your turn, you step up humbly to the window and order the cheesecake of your preference. To speed the order process up, you must use a sort of vernacular shorthand, aka you must "speak English." If you mess up, they get annoyed. (If this sounds familiar, you might be recalling the famous Soup Nazi episode on Seinfeld.)
BEAST.
That's me (see above), one happy camper enjoying my wiz wit' in all its gooey orange synthetic cheese splattered glory.
2.21.2007
2.16.2007
Lemon Cream Pasta w/ Broccoli and Kielbasa
1/2 box of bowtie pasta
1 crown broccoli cut into florets
1 cup chicken stock
1 1/4 cup light cream
the zest of 2 lemons (I used juice of 1/2 of a lemon)
2 small yellow onions diced
1 rice bowlful of diced kielbasa
2 stalks scallions diced
2 cloves garlic minced finely
1/4 tsp (a little less actually) dijon mustard
1 cup grated parmesiano reggiano
salt, pepper to taste
I had been craving a rich creamy lemony white pasta dotted with bright green bites of broccoli and salty smokey tidbits of pink sausage.
Here we go.
Fill a large pot with water and salt generously. Boil pasta according to direcitons on box. (about 10-13 minutes) Keep an eye on your pasta while you prep everything else. When pasta is al dente, drain water reserving some of the starchy pasta water in case your cream pasta needs something to moisten it up later.
1) Fill small sauce pan with water and salt. Meanwhile, wash broccoli, cut into florets and set aside. When water starts boiling, add broccoli. Blanch for 1-2 minutes:broccoli should be brighti green and still a bit al dente. Drain water thoroughly from pot. Drizzle a little olive oil into pot, turn on high heat and throw in half of the minced scallions. Cook for 1 minute with scallions, turn off heat and set aside.
2) Dice onions, mince garlic, scallions.
4) Saute diced kielbasa on high heat til slightly burnished and set aside. Add additional olive oil to pork fat in saute pan. When pan is hot, throw in onions and saute til translucent, add garlic and saute til golden.
5) Pour in 1 cup chicken stock + 1.25 cup cream + lemon zest. Allow to bubble and reduce to low heat. Simmer cream sauce. Stir in 1 cup of grated parm.
6) Stir in kielbasa + broccoli + dijon mustard. Add salt and pepper. Start by adding 1/8 tsp salt and adjust to taste.
7) Pour cream sauce into pot of al dente pasta. Stir to coat pasta with sauce. (Cook for a little bit to reheat the pasta and combine all the flavors.) Grate additional parmesan on top.
Eat.
1/2 box of bowtie pasta
1 crown broccoli cut into florets
1 cup chicken stock
1 1/4 cup light cream
the zest of 2 lemons (I used juice of 1/2 of a lemon)
2 small yellow onions diced
1 rice bowlful of diced kielbasa
2 stalks scallions diced
2 cloves garlic minced finely
1/4 tsp (a little less actually) dijon mustard
1 cup grated parmesiano reggiano
salt, pepper to taste
I had been craving a rich creamy lemony white pasta dotted with bright green bites of broccoli and salty smokey tidbits of pink sausage.
Here we go.
Fill a large pot with water and salt generously. Boil pasta according to direcitons on box. (about 10-13 minutes) Keep an eye on your pasta while you prep everything else. When pasta is al dente, drain water reserving some of the starchy pasta water in case your cream pasta needs something to moisten it up later.
1) Fill small sauce pan with water and salt. Meanwhile, wash broccoli, cut into florets and set aside. When water starts boiling, add broccoli. Blanch for 1-2 minutes:broccoli should be brighti green and still a bit al dente. Drain water thoroughly from pot. Drizzle a little olive oil into pot, turn on high heat and throw in half of the minced scallions. Cook for 1 minute with scallions, turn off heat and set aside.
2) Dice onions, mince garlic, scallions.
4) Saute diced kielbasa on high heat til slightly burnished and set aside. Add additional olive oil to pork fat in saute pan. When pan is hot, throw in onions and saute til translucent, add garlic and saute til golden.
5) Pour in 1 cup chicken stock + 1.25 cup cream + lemon zest. Allow to bubble and reduce to low heat. Simmer cream sauce. Stir in 1 cup of grated parm.
6) Stir in kielbasa + broccoli + dijon mustard. Add salt and pepper. Start by adding 1/8 tsp salt and adjust to taste.
7) Pour cream sauce into pot of al dente pasta. Stir to coat pasta with sauce. (Cook for a little bit to reheat the pasta and combine all the flavors.) Grate additional parmesan on top.
Eat.
2.13.2007
Lemon Yogurt Cake (courtesy of Ina Garten)
Here is the recipe w/ some slight modifications:
(1) Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease and flour a loaf pan. Set aside.
(2) Sift and whisk together into a medium sized bowl:
1 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp kosher salt
(3) Whisk wet ingredients in large mixing bowl:
1 cup sugar
1 cup whole milk plain yogurt (or low fat if you so desire)
3 extra large eggs
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 tsp lemon zest (2 lemon's worth)
1 generous squeeze of a lemon half (to make batter even more lemony)
(4) Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients in increments and whisk slowly to combine. Do not overmix. Little lumps are fine.
(5) Pour 1/2 cup of vegetable oil--fold into batter with spatula/giant spoon until incorporated into batter. (I used less than 1/2 of a cup of extra virgin olive oil bc I didn't have veg oil on hand)
(6) Pour batter into loaf pan. Place on baking sheet (in case of spillage) into oven on the middle rack. Bake for 50 minutes (until cake tester comes out clean from middle of loaf).
(7)While cake is baking...make the glaze:
Cut the 2 zested lemons in half, and juice 1/3 cups of lemon juice (approx 3 lemon halves) into a small bowl. Strain out the seeds. Heat lemon juice w/ 1/3 cup sugar over low heat in a small sauce pan til mixture is clear/sugar has dissolved. Set aside
(8)When the cake is done baking:
Allow to cool for 10 minutes. Poke holes all over top of cake and pour the lemon/sugar glaze over the cake and let it soak in.
Enjoy!
(1) Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease and flour a loaf pan. Set aside.
(2) Sift and whisk together into a medium sized bowl:
1 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp kosher salt
(3) Whisk wet ingredients in large mixing bowl:
1 cup sugar
1 cup whole milk plain yogurt (or low fat if you so desire)
3 extra large eggs
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 tsp lemon zest (2 lemon's worth)
1 generous squeeze of a lemon half (to make batter even more lemony)
(4) Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients in increments and whisk slowly to combine. Do not overmix. Little lumps are fine.
(5) Pour 1/2 cup of vegetable oil--fold into batter with spatula/giant spoon until incorporated into batter. (I used less than 1/2 of a cup of extra virgin olive oil bc I didn't have veg oil on hand)
(6) Pour batter into loaf pan. Place on baking sheet (in case of spillage) into oven on the middle rack. Bake for 50 minutes (until cake tester comes out clean from middle of loaf).
(7)While cake is baking...make the glaze:
Cut the 2 zested lemons in half, and juice 1/3 cups of lemon juice (approx 3 lemon halves) into a small bowl. Strain out the seeds. Heat lemon juice w/ 1/3 cup sugar over low heat in a small sauce pan til mixture is clear/sugar has dissolved. Set aside
(8)When the cake is done baking:
Allow to cool for 10 minutes. Poke holes all over top of cake and pour the lemon/sugar glaze over the cake and let it soak in.
Enjoy!
2.08.2007
Keeping It Real Simple (never tasted so good)
Bastardized Bowties a la Vodka
reheat below described fresh tomato sauce and add tablespoons of light cream and vodka til desired level of pink creamy boozy goodness. simmer til reduced a bit. add leftover bowties cooked from last night and reheat.
be good to yourself
Bowties + Tomato Sauce
dice 4 vine-ripened tomatoes
dice 1/2 yellow onion
mince 3 cloves garlic
canned crushed tomatoes (to give it a more sauce-like consistency)
fresh grated parmesan (as much/as little as you want)
Oil in pan, add onions--cook til translucent. Add garlic. Season w/ 1/8 tsp coarse salt, ground black pepper to taste. Continue cooking til lightly golden (be careful not to let garlic burn). Add diced tomatoes. Simmer til tomatoes broken down, liquid slightly reduced. Stir in crushed canned tomatoes til mixture is a good saucelike consistency. Add handfuls of grated parmesan to desired level of cheesiness/saltiness.
Boil water while making sauce and cook pasta according to package instructions til al dente.
Toss bowties w/ sauce.
reheat below described fresh tomato sauce and add tablespoons of light cream and vodka til desired level of pink creamy boozy goodness. simmer til reduced a bit. add leftover bowties cooked from last night and reheat.
be good to yourself
Bowties + Tomato Sauce
dice 4 vine-ripened tomatoes
dice 1/2 yellow onion
mince 3 cloves garlic
canned crushed tomatoes (to give it a more sauce-like consistency)
fresh grated parmesan (as much/as little as you want)
Oil in pan, add onions--cook til translucent. Add garlic. Season w/ 1/8 tsp coarse salt, ground black pepper to taste. Continue cooking til lightly golden (be careful not to let garlic burn). Add diced tomatoes. Simmer til tomatoes broken down, liquid slightly reduced. Stir in crushed canned tomatoes til mixture is a good saucelike consistency. Add handfuls of grated parmesan to desired level of cheesiness/saltiness.
Boil water while making sauce and cook pasta according to package instructions til al dente.
Toss bowties w/ sauce.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)