Key lime pie, spearmint leaves, pistachio ice cream and lime jello. NO!! Veggies. Are you eating more veggies Vinny? Are you juicing again Vinny? Add some salad Vinny. Brussel sprouts are great Vinny.....Slowly, my ears tuned it out. This was how the appointment with my nutritionist went. Is it real hunger? Do you think it is psychological? We can try kabbalistic healing. Drink herbal tea. Try some sour powers. Xylitol is good for you. You will find the right balance. Keep track of what foods satisfy you for a long period of time. My response... NEVER did I feel full after a meal unless I are a LOT of food at one sitting! It will come. You will get there. WHEN?? I'm HUNGRY! What a journey this is going to be............ Let's make a veggie dish. Nobody said it had to be healthy. Everything in moderation.. Thanks to the Neely's for this one!
Neely's Zucchini Gratin
4 to 6 servings
2 tablespoons butter
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
6 zucchini, sliced into half moons 1/4-inch thick
2 plum tomatoes, chopped and seeded
1 tablespoon freshly chopped thyme leaves
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup half-and-half
1/4 cup grated sharp white Cheddar
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F.
Butter an 8 by 8-inch casserole dish.
In a large heavy bottomed saute pan over medium heat, melt butter.
Saute onion and garlic until translucent.
Add zucchini and tomatoes, cook about 7 minutes
Add thyme, and flour.
Season with salt and pepper.
Add mixture to the buttered casserole dish.
In a medium size bowl, add brown sugar, eggs, and half-and-half.
Season with salt and pepper.
Pour the milk mixture over the zucchini and sprinkle with both of the cheeses.
Bake for 30 minutes.
Monday, January 12, 2009
Sunday, January 11, 2009
The calm after the storm
I love the peace and quiet after a snowstorm. All sounds seem to be deadened by the layer of crisp white snow. The layer of snow today, however, was covered by a slick and shiny coat of ice. What to cook today? Slow cooked, warm, spicy and hearty. SOUP!! Split pea? No ham bone. Chicken soup? Boring. Tomato? Eh, too run of the mill. I know! Red lentil soup! I have consumed this soup from a local Turkish restaurant, Istanbul Cafe in Centereach.
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/476126 Not too spicy, but just hits the spot. It is simmering on the cooktop as we speak. My only addition to this recipe was a cup of uncooked bulgur. I also used homemade beef stock instead of vegetable stock.
Spicy Rustic Red Lentil Soup with Thick Yoghurt
250g red lentils
2Tblspn olive oil
2Tblspn olive oil
2 carrots, diced finely
1 onion, diced finely
2 cloves garlic, chopped finely
1 tspn cumin
1 tspn cumin
2.5 tspn sweet paprika
2 Tblspn tomato paste.
1.5l vegetable stock
finely grated rind of half a lemon
sea salt
freshly ground pepper
cayenne to taste
thick yoghurt (or use Greek yoghurt, creme fraiche, cream or feta)herbs of choice, chopped finely or Feta cheese
Sauté the carrot, onion and garlic in the oil over a low heat for 3 or 4 minutes.
Add the paprika and cumin, and continue to cook over low heat for 6 - 8 minutes or until the vegetables begin to soften.
Stir in the tomato paste and cook for another minute or two.
Add the lentils and stock and bring to the boil.
Cook for 20 - 30 minutes, until the lentils are mushy and the vegetables cooked.
Stir from time to time.
Beat the yoghurt with the herbs, or cut the feta into cubes and roll in the herbs.
Serve the soup with feta cubes or a large dollop of thick thick yoghurt.
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Everything White
Bright white. Blinding light. Cold white flakes. Piled up like confectioner's sugar. Anyone have a spoon? Today is the perfect day to have something white to eat. Match the landscape here in the Northeast. Potatoes, flour, sugar, salt, asparagus, cheddar cheese, milk...all come in white. My favorite of all though? COCONUT!! Pure white, sweet and juicy. Just so happens, I saw a recipe for Coconut Panna Cotta....rich, creamy, not overly sweet. I will probably leave out the fruit.. Who needs fiber anyway?
Coconut Panna Cotta with Tropical Fruit (courtesy of Viva Daisy)
6 servings
1 tablespoon powdered gelatin
1 (15-ounce) can coconut cream (recommended: Coco Loco)
1 (13.5-ounce) can coconut milk
2 cups chilled heavy cream
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
Assorted tropical fruits, such as: kiwi, mango, and papaya, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice, for garnish (about 1 1/2 cups total)
Sprinkle the gelatin evenly over 3 tablespoons of cool water in a small bowl. Set aside to soften.
In a medium saucepan, heat the coconut cream and coconut milk over medium heat until the sides begin to bubble. Lower the heat and whisk in the softened gelatin, stirring to make sure it is completely dissolved.
Fill a large bowl with cold water. Strain the coconut mixture into a bowl that will fit easily into the bowl of water. Set into the bowl of water to cool, stirring every few minutes with a rubber spatula until the mixture starts to thicken. If the mixture starts to set, remove it immediately.
Remove the bowl of coconut mixture from the bowl of water. Empty out the water and wipe the bowl dry.
In the dry bowl, stir the cream and confectioners' sugar together until the sugar is dissolved.
Stir into the coconut mixture.
Divide the coconut mixture evenly among 6 (7 to 8-ounce) custard cups or ramekins.
Chill until firm, at least 4 hours.
To serve, run a knife around the inside edge of the molds and invert each panna cotta onto a serving plate. Spoon some of the diced fruit over each, allowing the fruit to spill onto the plate.
Coconut Panna Cotta with Tropical Fruit (courtesy of Viva Daisy)
6 servings
1 tablespoon powdered gelatin
1 (15-ounce) can coconut cream (recommended: Coco Loco)
1 (13.5-ounce) can coconut milk
2 cups chilled heavy cream
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
Assorted tropical fruits, such as: kiwi, mango, and papaya, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice, for garnish (about 1 1/2 cups total)
Sprinkle the gelatin evenly over 3 tablespoons of cool water in a small bowl. Set aside to soften.
In a medium saucepan, heat the coconut cream and coconut milk over medium heat until the sides begin to bubble. Lower the heat and whisk in the softened gelatin, stirring to make sure it is completely dissolved.
Fill a large bowl with cold water. Strain the coconut mixture into a bowl that will fit easily into the bowl of water. Set into the bowl of water to cool, stirring every few minutes with a rubber spatula until the mixture starts to thicken. If the mixture starts to set, remove it immediately.
Remove the bowl of coconut mixture from the bowl of water. Empty out the water and wipe the bowl dry.
In the dry bowl, stir the cream and confectioners' sugar together until the sugar is dissolved.
Stir into the coconut mixture.
Divide the coconut mixture evenly among 6 (7 to 8-ounce) custard cups or ramekins.
Chill until firm, at least 4 hours.
To serve, run a knife around the inside edge of the molds and invert each panna cotta onto a serving plate. Spoon some of the diced fruit over each, allowing the fruit to spill onto the plate.
Friday, January 9, 2009
Always on my Mind
All day long, one thing kept popping into my mind. Bolognese sauce!! How weird is that? Some people pronounce this boh-luh-neez. However, any real Italian knows it is boh-luh-nays. Ann Burell, from foodtv, demonstrated making an awesome version of this sauce. I can imagine the taste of it in my mouth right now. Here comes the mouth watering again. Ann is so full of life and energy. She is best known as one of Iron Chef Mario Batali's sous chefs in the American television spin-off series Iron Chef America. Ann is my new favorite foodtv chef.
What I consumed today was far from gourmet. Lunch was chinese hot and sour soup, chicken egg foo young and brown rice. Dinner consisted of Organic beef roast (from Trader Joes), Garlic mashed potatoes and roasted asparagus. It was pretty tasty and I guess more healthy than not. I am not a big fan of beef unless it is ground or cubed such as in beef stew and beef paprika. Once in awhile, I crave beef stew. I always follow my intuition and believe your body knows best. Sometime in the future, I will post my favorite Beef Paprika recipe, courtesy of my friend Martha Harvie.
Back to Bolognese. When I get something stuck in my head, there is no stopping me from eventually eating it. A few weeks back it was rice balls. I craved my favorite rice balls from T and F Pork Store in Franklin Square, NY. I have yet to taste a better made rice ball! This craving was so intense, I had to drive to Port Jefferson to try a rice ball from Napoli Italian Market. It was good, but still couldn't compare to my T &F. Now, I will be eating pasta with bolognese sauce very soon!! This weekend will be the perfect weekend to make it. What else is there to do when there is a snowstorm? Well...................that won't satisfy my Bolognese craving :-) Now for the recipe!
Pasta Bolognese
Cook Time:
4 hr 30 min
Serves:
6 to 8 servings
1 large onion or 2 small, cut into 1-inch dice
2 large carrots, cut into 1/2-inch dice
3 ribs celery, cut into 1-inch dice
4 cloves garlic
Extra-virgin olive oil, for the pan
Kosher salt
3 pounds ground chuck, brisket or round or combination
2 cups tomato paste
3 cups hearty red wine
Water
3 bay leaves
1 bunch thyme, tied in a bundle
1 pound spaghetti
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
High quality extra-virgin olive oil, for finishing
In a food processor, puree onion, carrots, celery, and garlic into a coarse paste.
In a large pan over medium heat, coat pan with oil. Add the pureed veggies and season generously with salt. Bring the pan to a medium-high heat and cook until all the water has evaporated and they become nice and brown, stirring frequently, about 15 to 20 minutes. Be patient, this is where the big flavors develop.
Add the ground beef and season again generously with salt. BROWN THE BEEF! Brown food tastes good. Don't rush this step. Cook another 15 to 20 minutes.
Add the tomato paste and cook until brown about 4 to 5 minutes.
Add the red wine. Cook until the wine has reduced by half, another 4 to 5 minutes.
Add water to the pan until the water is about 1 inch above the meat.
Toss in the bay leaves and the bundle of thyme and stir to combine everything. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer, stirring occasionally. As the water evaporates you will gradually need to add more, about 2 to 3 cups at a time. Don't be shy about adding water during the cooking process, you can always cook it out. This is a game of reduce and add more water. This is where big rich flavors develop. If you try to add all the water in the beginning you will have boiled meat sauce rather than a rich, thick meaty sauce. Stir and TASTE frequently. Season with salt, if needed (you probably will). Simmer for 3 1/2 to 4 hours.
THANKS ANN!!
What I consumed today was far from gourmet. Lunch was chinese hot and sour soup, chicken egg foo young and brown rice. Dinner consisted of Organic beef roast (from Trader Joes), Garlic mashed potatoes and roasted asparagus. It was pretty tasty and I guess more healthy than not. I am not a big fan of beef unless it is ground or cubed such as in beef stew and beef paprika. Once in awhile, I crave beef stew. I always follow my intuition and believe your body knows best. Sometime in the future, I will post my favorite Beef Paprika recipe, courtesy of my friend Martha Harvie.
Back to Bolognese. When I get something stuck in my head, there is no stopping me from eventually eating it. A few weeks back it was rice balls. I craved my favorite rice balls from T and F Pork Store in Franklin Square, NY. I have yet to taste a better made rice ball! This craving was so intense, I had to drive to Port Jefferson to try a rice ball from Napoli Italian Market. It was good, but still couldn't compare to my T &F. Now, I will be eating pasta with bolognese sauce very soon!! This weekend will be the perfect weekend to make it. What else is there to do when there is a snowstorm? Well...................that won't satisfy my Bolognese craving :-) Now for the recipe!
Pasta Bolognese
Cook Time:
4 hr 30 min
Serves:
6 to 8 servings
1 large onion or 2 small, cut into 1-inch dice
2 large carrots, cut into 1/2-inch dice
3 ribs celery, cut into 1-inch dice
4 cloves garlic
Extra-virgin olive oil, for the pan
Kosher salt
3 pounds ground chuck, brisket or round or combination
2 cups tomato paste
3 cups hearty red wine
Water
3 bay leaves
1 bunch thyme, tied in a bundle
1 pound spaghetti
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
High quality extra-virgin olive oil, for finishing
In a food processor, puree onion, carrots, celery, and garlic into a coarse paste.
In a large pan over medium heat, coat pan with oil. Add the pureed veggies and season generously with salt. Bring the pan to a medium-high heat and cook until all the water has evaporated and they become nice and brown, stirring frequently, about 15 to 20 minutes. Be patient, this is where the big flavors develop.
Add the ground beef and season again generously with salt. BROWN THE BEEF! Brown food tastes good. Don't rush this step. Cook another 15 to 20 minutes.
Add the tomato paste and cook until brown about 4 to 5 minutes.
Add the red wine. Cook until the wine has reduced by half, another 4 to 5 minutes.
Add water to the pan until the water is about 1 inch above the meat.
Toss in the bay leaves and the bundle of thyme and stir to combine everything. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer, stirring occasionally. As the water evaporates you will gradually need to add more, about 2 to 3 cups at a time. Don't be shy about adding water during the cooking process, you can always cook it out. This is a game of reduce and add more water. This is where big rich flavors develop. If you try to add all the water in the beginning you will have boiled meat sauce rather than a rich, thick meaty sauce. Stir and TASTE frequently. Season with salt, if needed (you probably will). Simmer for 3 1/2 to 4 hours.
THANKS ANN!!
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Beginnings......
After reading numerous blogs online, I felt drawn to start my own blog. I would like to focus my blog on baking and cooking, my passsions. Hopefully, this will turn into something unexpected!
Today is a pretty boring food day. Trying to lose more weight, so I didnt indulge in our weekly "free" pizza lunch at work. The Grandma pizza looked and smelled amazing. My mouth is watering while I think about it now. For some reason I keep thinking about Martha Stewart's latest TV demo on scones. I would love to have one right now. I thought about baking some for my co-workers, but I know if I did, I would eat too many of them. Hmmm...maybe in a few weeks. Since I have scones on my mind, I will post the recipe, courtesy of Martha Stewart. Hope some of you get to enjoy these.
Mummy's Sweet White Scones
This mouthwatering recipe for scones is courtesy of Petersham Nursery.
Ingredients
Makes about 18 scones.
6 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for work surface
Pinch of salt
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons superfine sugar
1 heaping tablespoon baking powder
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into pieces
4 large eggs
1 3/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons milk
Granulated sugar, for sprinkling
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, salt, superfine sugar, and baking powder. Make a well in the center and add butter. Using your fingers, work butter into flour mixture until a crumbly mixture is formed.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together 3 eggs and milk. Add milk mixture to flour mixture and stir to combine.
4. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured work surface; knead lightly and shape into a round. Roll dough out until it is 1 inch thick. Using a 3-inch biscuit cutter, cut out scones and transfer to prepared baking sheets.
5. In a small bowl, beat remaining egg and brush the top of each scone; sprinkle each with granulated sugar. Transfer baking sheets to oven and bake until golden brown and cooked through, 12 to 14 minutes. Transfer scones to a wire rack and let cool slightly before serving.
Today is a pretty boring food day. Trying to lose more weight, so I didnt indulge in our weekly "free" pizza lunch at work. The Grandma pizza looked and smelled amazing. My mouth is watering while I think about it now. For some reason I keep thinking about Martha Stewart's latest TV demo on scones. I would love to have one right now. I thought about baking some for my co-workers, but I know if I did, I would eat too many of them. Hmmm...maybe in a few weeks. Since I have scones on my mind, I will post the recipe, courtesy of Martha Stewart. Hope some of you get to enjoy these.
Mummy's Sweet White Scones
This mouthwatering recipe for scones is courtesy of Petersham Nursery.
Ingredients
Makes about 18 scones.
6 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for work surface
Pinch of salt
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons superfine sugar
1 heaping tablespoon baking powder
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into pieces
4 large eggs
1 3/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons milk
Granulated sugar, for sprinkling
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, salt, superfine sugar, and baking powder. Make a well in the center and add butter. Using your fingers, work butter into flour mixture until a crumbly mixture is formed.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together 3 eggs and milk. Add milk mixture to flour mixture and stir to combine.
4. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured work surface; knead lightly and shape into a round. Roll dough out until it is 1 inch thick. Using a 3-inch biscuit cutter, cut out scones and transfer to prepared baking sheets.
5. In a small bowl, beat remaining egg and brush the top of each scone; sprinkle each with granulated sugar. Transfer baking sheets to oven and bake until golden brown and cooked through, 12 to 14 minutes. Transfer scones to a wire rack and let cool slightly before serving.
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