COOK WITH SUSAN

Eggplant Pie or Casserole

2013-02-06T20:57:00.002-08:00

I’m calling this dish Eggplant Pie because it cut so nicely and reminded me of a slice of pie.

I impulsively buy eggplant whenever I see it at the grocery store (because I love it) even though I’m the only member of my immediate family that eats eggplant – which means that, most probably… I will have to eat it all myself. That’s really not a problem, because as I mentioned earlier, I love eggplant and I’m always looking for new ways to cook it.

As I state every time I write a post about eggplant, it’s a love it or hate it vegetable, I think it’s a texture thing for most people, because it really doesn’t have much of a flavor.

I decided to layer the eggplant, roma tomatoes, mozzarella, feta and marinara sauce in a spring form pan, which cooked up into a beautiful – sliceable - stack of deliciousness. You could keep it simple, as I did, or you could add extra layers (zucchini, spinach, mushrooms, onions) or even thinly sliced potatoes. As I say with a lot of my recipes, play with your food and make it your own.

The eggplant takes a little bit of effort (because I blanch it, then bake it) but it will be worth the extra effort in the end. The blanching helps to remove the bitterness and the baking helps to dry it out.

EGGPLANT PIE or Casserole

2 large eggplants, sliced thin

6 – 9 whole roma tomatoes, sliced

28 oz.can Marinara sauce (I used trader joe’s)

4 oz. feta, crumbled

8 oz. mozzarella, shredded

1 tsp. oregano or Italian seasoning

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil; add the sliced eggplant; then turn down the heat to a simmer and let the eggplant cook for just about 3 min.

Drain the eggplant in a colander; then place them on a lightly oiled sheet pan in a single layer and bake the eggplant for about 3 - 5 minutes to dry them out. This step will allow the eggplant to hold together better, making it easier to slice after its cooked.

When all the eggplant is cooked; layer in either a 10 in. springform pan or a 9 X 13 casserole dish in this order- starting from the bottom;

1/3 of the eggplant

1/3 of the tomatoes

1/3 of the marinara sauce

1/3 of the oregano or Italian seasoning

1/3 of the feta cheese

1/3 of the mozzarella cheese

Repeat to make 3 layers.

Bake in a 350 degree oven for 45 min.

Let stand for 20 – 30 min. before serving so it can set up.

Kimchi Jjigae (Kimchi Stew)

2013-01-27T12:15:00.002-08:00

The first time I tasted the flavor of cooked kimchi and pork together was at my favorite (hole in the wall) Korean restaurant - almost 20 years ago (they are now closed). The dish was appropriately named Kimchi Pork, which was cooked in thickened spicy gravy - I craved this combination and ate it at least once a week, for 10 years – until they closed.

Since then, I have been searching for this dish and discovered that other Korean restaurants don’t have a dish called “kimchi pork” on their menu. This was baffling to me… How can something so simple, be so unavailable?

Out of curiosity I order a bowl of kimchi jjigae - the description read; pork, kimchi and tofu. When I took my first bite... I realized that this is my beloved kimchi pork in the form of a soup/stew. How could I have missed out on this gem all these years?

It was time to do some research and my first stop was to Hyosun Ro’s blog KoreanBapsang. Once I tried her recipe, I stopped my search. I found exactly what I was looking for - A simple, easy, satisfying – one pot meal.

Tips from Hyosun:

Older (overripe) kimchi will give better flavor
Use the rice water from the 3^rd rinse or use anchovy broth (about 7 or 8 medium dry anchovies and 1 3-inch square dried kelp boiled in 3 cups of water for 10 minutes).
If you don’t have a half cup of kimchi juice available, increase the water to 2 ½ cups.
use pork belly or other pork meat with some fat.

After cooking and eating more bowls of kimchi jjigae than I would like to admit - I discovered…

If you don’t have overripe kimchi – WAIT – the broth will taste flat, the older the better.
If you don’t have enough kimchi juice – add extra Korean red pepper.
If you have a flat flavored broth – add a splash or two of Korean soup soy sauce. Take a peek at Lindsey's Shin Noodle for a description of Korean Soup Soy Sauce.
I have my green onions (scallions) cut small (in the pix) only because I had pre-cut the bunch for another dish - I would usually cut them into 2 inch lengths.
Add more pork if you want it to be meatier
Maangchi is the queen of u-tube Korean cooking and she adds hot pepper paste instead of red pepper flakes. This small difference will make a spicier and more full flavored broth.

Kimchi Jjigae (Kimchi Stew) adapted from Hyosun Ro

This recipe makes enough for two

¼ pound pork, cut into small pieces

1 tsp. garlic, minced

½ tsp. ginger, minced

1 Tbsp. Korean red pepper flakes

2 cups old kimchi

½ cup kimchi juice

2 cups rice water (2 ½ if not using kimchi juice)

Soft “silken”tofu – ½ block or 1 tube “Korean”

2 stalks green onions, sliced in 2” legnths

**Optional (this is what they added at the restaurant)

Mushrooms, sliced

Zucchini, cut into half-moon shapes

Toss pork with minced ginger, garlic and red pepper.Drain kimchi (save juice) and cut into bite sized pieces.

Heat a medium sauce pot over med-high heat. Add 1 Tbsp. oil and brown pork; add kimchi and cook for about 10 minutes or until pork and kimchi are tender.

When the kimchi and pork are tender; add kimchi juice and water; bring to a boil and let cook for another 10 min. **If you are adding zucchini and mushrooms; add it when you are adding the kimchi juice and water.

Add tofu and the green onions on top. Allow the tofu to cook in the broth for about 3 – 5 min. heat the tofu.

Kimchi Jjigae

Balsamic Herb - Flat Iron Steak

2013-01-22T22:17:00.001-08:00

I recently posted about my new favorite cut, the Flat Iron Steak. If you don’t like your steak med-rare, this is not your cut of meat. But if you do, read on…

Tonight’s experiment was to see how well the flat iron absorbed a marinade. The idea of balsamic vinegar and herb de province sounded promising. It works really well with chicken, why not steak?

I proceeded to mix together a simple balsamic vinaigrette with lots of garlic and a good dose of herbs. All it took to put this flavorful marinade together were six pantry ingredients. If you don’t count the salt and pepper, it was really only four ingredients.

Balsamic vinegar has a dark rich color (almost black), making you think that it will overpower anything that it touches. Contrary to its appearance, it has a sweet and mild flavor, making it a great choice for a marinade. What’s nice about balsamic vinegar when roasting, grilling or braising, is that it adds not only flavor, but color to your dish – giving it a rich appearance.

Herb de Province is one of my favorite (all purpose) herb blends; it adds a gentle herby flavor without being overpowering. I buy it in the bulk food section of my grocery store and can fill a whole spice jar for about 30 pennies.

I had only about 2 hours before the meat would hit the grill. So I decided to marinate the steak without the oil for the first hour - to allow the concentrated flavors to absorb into the meat faster, then I added the oil to the marinade for the last hour.

All I could say when I tasted the first slice is… “This is Fantastic”. The flavors were perfectly balanced. The balsamic gave it a hint of sweet, the garlic gave it punch and the herbs gave it character.

Two hours was plenty of time for the meat to pick up the flavors of the marinade. I would suggest marinating this cut of meat for at least an hour – two would be better and up to overnight.

You might be thinking… do I leave the oil out or can I mix it with the rest of the ingredients? Good question…

If you have only an hour or two to marinate the meat, marinate the meat without the oil for half the time and add the oil in the second half.

If you have lots of time 4 hrs. or overnight, mix the oil into the marinade and let it do its thing.

I ate this steak over a bed of spring mix, drizzled with ranch dressing and topped with orange and yellow tomatoes, cucumber and avocado. Delish! The leftovers were equally delicious cold, sliced thin.

Balsamic Herb Flat Iron Steak

1 ½ pound flat iron steak

Marinade

1 tsp. Herb de Province

½ tsp. kosher salt

¼ tsp. black pepper

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar

¼ cup olive oil

Place the steak in a gallon sized zip top bag. Mix ingredients together and pour over meat; squish it around in the bag to distribute the marinade. Turn the bag over every once in a while so the steak will marinate evenly.

Cook on an open bbq for about 5 - 8 minutes per side (med-rare), depending on how thick it is. Baste with the marinade as it is grilling. Let rest (tented with foil) for 5 - 10 minutes and slice against the grain into thin strips.

Low Carb - Beef Vegetable Soup

2013-01-15T20:09:00.001-08:00

I just got back from walking the dog and all I can say is...“It’s freaking cold outside”. My face and hands are frozen through to the bone - Burrrrrrrrrrrrr. I needed something to warm me up from the inside out.

I had planned on making a Pot Roast with the chuck that I had in the fridge, but when I got back from my walk, soup sounded a lot better. So the pot roast got the axe and a big pot of beef vegetable soup moved in.

Why low carb…
because I have been eating a high carb/low carb rotation for the last couple of months and I figured that if I made a low carb soup, I could add carbs if I wanted too, but I couldn’t take them out - once I put them in. My usual carb add-ins are barley, beans, potatoes, pasta or rice and sometimes corn.

Tonight I decided to simply bump up the veggies, making it hearty without being heavy. This was a delicious decision. I seasoned the soup with herbs de province, which I would highly recommend, but if you don’t have any, you can sub thyme. It won’t be the same – but it will still be yummy.

When I make a beef soup, I always add a combination of beef and chicken broth. It creates a nice balance of flavor that doesn’t lean one way or the other. I learned this a long time ago when I discovered… that’s what makes French Onion Soup taste so good.

I think it’s important to mention, that my favorite canned broth is Swanson (no, I don’t get paid to say that, but I should). When making soup with canned broth, remember, the quality of your soup will be determined by the quality of your broth.

Like with any soup, you can add or subtract any vegetable that you like. Tonight's soup came about with ingredients that I had in my fridge. The only thing that needs to be consistent is how much liquid to seasoning (the base broth). After that... everything but the kitchen sink can make its way into the soup.

Low Carb Beef Vegetable Soup

2 pounds beef chuck, cut into small cubes

1 large onion, chopped small

2 large stalks celery, chopped small

2 large carrots, cubed small

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 ½ tsp. kosher salt (plus more for meat)

¼ tsp. black pepper (plus more for meat)

14 oz. can Italian stewed tomatoes

14 oz. can beef broth

14 oz. can chicken broth

8 oz. tray mushrooms, sliced

½ head cabbage, cut into bite sized pieces

8 oz. frozen or fresh green beans (1/2 pound)

¼ - ½ tsp. herbs de province

Season beef with salt and pepper; heat a large soup pot over med high heat and add about - 1 Tbsp. oil to the pot and brown meat.
When the meat is browned add onions, celery, carrots and garlic; let cook until onions are soft.
Add salt, pepper, tomatoes, beef broth, chicken broth and water.
Cover and let cook over med heat for about 40 min. or until beef is tender.
When the beef is tender; uncover; add mushrooms, cabbage, green beans and herbs.
Cook for an additional 15 – 20 min. over med heat or until cabbage and green beans are cooked.

How long do you steam broccoli or cauliflower?

2013-01-13T09:11:00.003-08:00

5 – 6 min.

Make sure you bring the water in the bottom pot to a full boil before starting the timer.

This may sound like a ridiculous question to those of you whom are seasoned cooks, but I started thinking about how the basics sometimes get overlooked. Truth is that we all started out as new cooks and someone had to teach us the little things.

So, I decided to post individual estimated times for a few basic vegetables to use as a reference.

Sweet Potatoes and Yams ~ Asparagus ~ Green Beans ~

It seems as if everyone is fancying up their vegetables. I'm equally guilty of that too. However, simple steamed vegetables, when cooked properly - are delicious and when served as a side dish to an already flavorful main dish, it compliments rather than competes.

Over the past few months I have been steaming almost all my vegetables. In my favorite and probably oldest pot that I own. If this pot could talk, it would have many stories to tell...

3 quart Revere Ware

The beauty of steamed vegetables is that they cook up quick and retain almost all of their nutrients. I love the convenience of perfectly cooked leftover veggies, so I always cook more than I think I will need just for leftovers. All it takes is 30 seconds in the microwave and they taste as if they were just cooked.

I do enjoy raw vegetables, but I love leftover steamed fresh veggies. They make for a great snack - cold straight out of the fridge, tossed into salads, pasta or rice, as well as, a quick stir fry, soups, omelets, stews... the list goes on and on.

I'm really not trying to be a vegetable snob, but... The only frozen vegetables that I like are peas, spinach and some green beans. All other frozen vegetables that I have tried tend to be mushy and watery. Making me feel as I eat them... what's the point?

One of my tricks to bring out the natural flavor of each vegetable is to; soak them in lightly salted water for about 15 min. before I steam them. This gentle salting allows the flavor of the vegetable to wake up, needing very little else after its cooked.

How long do you cook sweet potatoes and yams?

2013-01-13T09:09:00.000-08:00

5 – 6 min.

Yams and sweet potatoes, as well as regular potatoes take about 20 - 30 minutes to steam (when using whole potatoes) . When I say steam, I'm referring to the potatoes being over boiling water versus in the water itself.

This was a really good question and I thought I should share it because even though it seems simple - which it is, it needed an answer.

This is my favorite pot. It was one of the first pots I ever owned. It's the perfect size, versatile and came with a steamer insert, that I use all the time.

3 quart Revere Ware

When I cook yams or sweet potatoes I prefer to steam them, because in my opinion, they get too watery when boiled.

Make sure you have plenty of water in the bottom pot and check it to make sure it doesn't dry out. Set your timer for 20 minutes and poke it with a knife or skewer. If the knife goes in easily it's done. If it doesn't, cook it for 5 - 10 more minutes or until you can pierce it all the way through.

Another option is to bake them in a 350 degree oven for 45 min. to an hour, but steaming is faster.

More Steamed Veggies

BROCCOLI and CAULIFLOWER

ASPARAGUS

GREEN BEANS

How long do you steam asparagus?

2013-01-13T09:01:00.000-08:00

Thin: 3 – 5 min.

Thick: 6 – 8 min.

Bend and break ends off each asparagus to remove the tough stringy part.

My thin asparagus took 4 min. on high for a cooked but crisp asparagus.

The best way to know where the tough part ends and the tender begins is to; place the bottom of the asparagus and just about the middle of the asparagus between your thumb and index fingers, then bend it till it breaks. Do this with a couple more; then measure the rest of the asparagus to those pieces and slice off the bottoms of the rest of them with a knife.

More Steamed Vegetables

BROCCOLI and CAULIFLOWER

SWEET POTATOES and YAMS

GREEN BEANS

How long do you steam green beans?

2013-01-13T08:59:00.000-08:00

6 – 8 min.

I steamed these on high for 7 min.

I am probably splitting hairs, but 6 ½ min. would have been optimum.

More Steamed Vegetables
BROCCOLI and CAULIFLOWER
SWEET POTATOES and YAMS
ASPARAGUS

Baked Coconut Custard Mochi

2012-12-31T08:29:00.001-08:00

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Mochi is a sweet Japanese rice cake that is served traditionally for the Japanese New Year. It’s laborious to make and almost an art form when done properly. This recipe is not that kind of mochi. It is a one pan mochi that mixes up quickly and gets baked in the oven. So if you need a mochi fix, this recipe will do the trick.

The texture of this easy one pan mochi is dense, soft and chewy. The coconut, butter and vanilla are well balanced without any one ingredient taking center stage.

Don’t attempt to substitute the sweet rice flour with all-purpose flour or cornstarch – it will not turn out well. Stick with the original ingredients and you will be delighted at the results. This recipe is difficult to cut in half and it makes a lot, so plan on sharing.

Baked Coconut Custard Mochi

4 cups mochiko sweet rice flour

3 Tbs. baking powder

½ cup butter, softened (1 stick)

4 large eggs

3 cups sugar

1 13oz. coconut milk

1 12oz. evaporated milk

3/4 cup water

2 tsp. vanilla

1-2 Tbs. sesame seeds

Mix mochiko flour with baking powder and set aside.

Cream butter, eggs and sugar together.

Add coconut milk, evaporated milk, water and vanilla; mix well.

Add flour mixture; mix well.

Pour into a 9” X 13” pan that has been sprayed with pan coating.

Sprinkle sesame seeds over the batter

Bake in a 350 degree oven for 1 hour or until a cake tester comes out clean.

Cool; cut into 6 rectangles and slice.

Wrap leftovers in plastic and store in the refrigerator.

Porchetta or Porketta?

2012-12-19T17:46:00.000-08:00

If I was going to make this dish for dinner I needed some answers - it was time to do my homework.

Porchetta a.k.a. Porketta -is an Italian style pork roast,

traditionally cooked as a whole pig (in Italy).

For all practical reasons, that won’t be happening in my kitchen.

I scanned through what seemed like hundreds of recipes and I wasn't getting the answers that I needed. Everyone and their “nonna” has a different version - there were no clear patterns or hard rules as to what might be the proper way to make this dish. I felt like I was lost in the woods. Some used fresh herbs, some used dried. Some used the crock pot, some used the oven. Some added wine, some did not. It was all over the board.

Fortunately, there were two things that I found consistent in almost every recipe - use lots of garlic and a fatty cut of pork, such as a butt or shoulder that had a nice layer of fat on top.

That was a start...

My mission was to make a flavorful pork roast, using an inexpensive cut that could come together with pantry ingredients.

I love to use fresh herbs when I know that I’m going to use them up, but I hate wasting. So I decided to go the dried herb route. The most common herbs used were sage, rosemary and thyme.

I read the ingredients list on my jar of Italian seasoning and said to myself; this has everything I need and a little bit more. I was set in the herb department. Now I had to decide what else was going to go into the rub. I chose paprika for color, red and black pepper for a more balanced heat (see my pepper post), garlic and olive oil. That’s it, just a handful of ingredients.

I was on my way to making my version of Porchetta/Porketta.

For those of you who have had the pleasure of indulging in an authentic version. I will recant my naming of this dish and simply call it “Garlic and Herb Roasted Pork”. No matter how you slice it - or name it – it's delicious.

My husband asked me at dinner, a bit bewildered – because he has never had this dish either; “When did you eat a porketta”? I smiled and said; I never have, but if I were to imagine what it tasted like – it would taste just like this, isn't it delicious?

Note: I marinated the roast for 3 ½ hours (because that’s all the time I had) but next time I would let it marinate overnight.

Porchetta (Italian Style Pork Roast)

3 pound pork shoulder, with a layer of fat

Seasoning

1 ½ tsp. Italian Seasoning

1 tsp. Paprika

1 tsp. Kosher Salt

½ tsp. Crushed Red Pepper Flakes

½ tsp. Black Pepper

3 cloves Garlic, minced

2 Tbls. Olive oil

Place seasoning in a small bowl

Mash together with the back of a spoon to make a paste.

Rub the seasonings all over the entire roast and reshape roast with the skin side up.

Tie together with kitchen twine. To measure the twine, I stretch my arms out with the twine in each hand twice - that is usually enough for a roast this size. You could also tie the roast up in sections with short strings and not do the looping method.

Wrap string around one end of the roast and tie a tight knot. leaving one end long.

Extend the long end of the string and wrap it under and around the roast.

Thread twine under the loop and pull tight. repeat until you get to the other end.

When you get to the end, place the twine under the roast lengthwise to the other end and tie it to the short piece of twine securely.

Wrap and place in the fridge overnight.

Place on a roasting rack that has been sprayed with pan coasting (for easy clean up)

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Put roast in the oven and drop temperature to 325 degrees and roast for 2 hours or until the internal temperature reaches 155 degrees. Let stand loosely tented with foil for 10 - 15 min. before slicing.

***For a leaner version, you could make this with a pork loin instead - and if you do, shorten the cooking time to an hour and a half or until the internal temp. is at 150 degrees.

Flat Iron Steak

2012-12-16T11:34:00.000-08:00

I can’t be the only one who has this question.

What the heck is flat iron steak and how do you cook it? That’s what I asked myself the first time I saw it at the meat counter, which made me wonder… Why didn’t the cows have this part when I was growing up? It was time to find out more about this new found cut.

Well, here’s the skinny on the flat iron steak…

Up until 2002 flat iron steak was a throwaway piece of meat cut from the shoulder, full of connective tissue right through the center (lengthwise), making it undesirable and tough.

Interesting - so, my childhood cows did have this cut…

A study by the University of Florida and the University of Nebraska figured out how to efficiently remove that tough strip of connective tissue that ran through the steak, which resulted in a new cut of meat.

In my opinion, Flat Iron steak is as lean and tender as a filet and as flavorful as a New York, but here's the best part. Flat Iron steak is about half the price of a Filet or New York. I know it must sound like it’s too good to be true, but it’s not. I’m pretty surprised myself. I only wish that it didn’t take me 10 years to notice it.

Flat Iron Steak is perfect for grilling, pan frying and stir frying.
There are a few things to consider when choosing and cooking flat iron steak…

Choose a piece that has an even thickness; if possible, for even cooking.
This cut is optimum when cooked to a med-rare. I would not choose this cut if wanting to cook it to any more than med.
Make sure you cut it across the grain to achieve its optimum tenderness.
Flat iron has lots of flavor and is delicious seasoned with just salt and pepper, but it would also take to a marinade well.

Kono’s cooking, which means that there’s no recipe,

so this is what I got…

He started with a steak that was about 1 ¼ pounds and about an inch in thickness.
He seasoned it with kosher salt, black pepper, garlic, Italian seasoning and lemon juice.
Then he let it sit at room temp for about 30 min.
Just before placing it on the grill he drizzled the steak with olive oil and cooked it for about 4 – 5 minutes per side (for a beautifully cooked med-rare center) and let it rest for about 10 min. before slicing.
Then he topped the sliced steak with a Tomato Avocado Concasse (below)

Ingredients for STEAK

Kosher salt

Black pepper

Garlic

Italian seasonings

Lemon juice (half of a large)

Sit for 30 minutes.

Olive oil

Grill to med-rare (about 4 -5 minutes per side depending on how thick it is)

Ingredients for TOMATO AVOCADO CONCASSE

1 large tomato, skin & seeds removed

Balsamic vinegar

Kosher salt

2 slices sweet onion, thinly sliced

1 clove garlic, minced

1 small avocado, diced

To skin a tomato - cut a shallow X with a sharp knife on the bottom of the tomato and drop it in a pot of boiling water for 20-30 seconds or until you see the skin at the cut start to peel away. Place tomatoes in an ice water bath and let them cool completely (about 2 min.) to stop the cooking. The skin will slide right off.

Skin tomato; gently squeeze out seeds and dice. Drizzle tomatoes with balsamic vinegar and kosher salt; set aside.

Sauté onions and garlic in a little olive oil until soft; season with a little kosher salt.

Toss onions (cooled to room temp.) with tomatoes and avocado. Place a spoonful over the steak.

White Beans and Beef Smoked Sausage Stew

2012-12-14T19:47:00.001-08:00

I haven’t had beans in a while and I do like beans. So tonight I went in search for something new, but not too difficult or exotic. I wanted something comforting.

I saw this recipe on the Real Simple web site and I liked the idea of sausage, beans and spinach with a tomato broth. The problem was that the recipe was written for the slow cooker, using dried beans and rosemary. I didn’t have either of those items in my pantry and I needed something that would come together quickly - so that wasn’t going to make the cut tonight. What I did have were a couple of cans of beans and a beef smoked sausage in my freezer, as well as, that giant bag of spinach that I get from Costco. The one that takes up an entire section of my fridge, yet cooks down to about 2 cups. Ok, that might be a bit of an exaggeration, but it is truly just a bunch of fluff.

I started to visualized this one pot meal in my head and the next thing I knew. I was on my way to making a quick and easy sausage and bean stew. Whenever I add sausage, either whole or ground. There is very little need for extra seasoning. Sometimes I don't even add salt or pepper, like with this recipe. Sausage has so much flavor and when cooked with anything, it renders its flavor throughout with very little effort from the cook. This dish is called a stew, but it truly is more like a hearty soup - either way it's delicious!

I’m not a big fan of rosemary as a seasoning for stews or soup because it can easily overpower the dish. When I feel the need to add a dried herb to a stew or soup, I almost always choose thyme and sometime oregano or both - for my palate it works the best.

If you don’t have fresh spinach, use a box of frozen leaf spinach. I always have a box or two in my freezer, just in case. Remember, a well stocked pantry and freezer will allow you to pull together many delicious meals in a pinch.

WHITE BEANS and BEEF SMOKED SAUSAGE STEW

13 oz. beef smoked sausage, sliced

1 large onion, chopped small

3 large cloves garlic, minced

½ tsp. thyme

14 oz.can chicken broth

14 oz.can Italian stewed tomatoes

15 oz.can white kidney beans – cannellini, drained

5 oz. spinach

Heat a skillet over med-high heat; add sausage lightly brown; add onions and garlic and let cook until onions are soft.

Add chicken broth and stewed tomatoes (break up large pieces) and bring to a boil.

Add beans and bring back to a boil.

Add spinach and toss to wilt.

Let simmer for about 10 minutes.

Buttermilk Chocolate Cake

2012-12-12T20:44:00.001-08:00

My daughter Cecily called and said; Mom, I can’t find the buttermilk chocolate cake recipe on your blog. I said; you are absolutely correct. I haven’t put it up yet.

Whenever one of my children request a recipe. I feel the need to get it posted a.s.a.p. Truth is, if it wasn't for them, I probably wouldn't have started this blog in the first place.

I never truly know what recipe they want until I get the request. I just checked and discovered that I presently have 283 recipes on this blog and I have been blogging for 3 years. That's almost 100 recipes a year. Yet, I still don't have all of the kids favorites posted yet. I wonder if I ever will...

It seems like there are a lot of recipes that fall in to that category. They get made - but are not documented. So many recipes - so little time.

My friend Bonnie shared this recipe with me years ago and it’s one of my family’s favorites. I made it a lot when the kids were growing up, but now that they have grown and moved out. I don't make it very often. Well, it was time to dust off the recipe and whip up a buttermilk chocolate cake.

Even though this cake is delicious when it’s fresh – it’s better after it's chilled and at its optimum - eaten straight out of the freezer, at least that’s what my family thinks.

When I make this cake I always take the leftovers, cut them into individual squares and freeze them in a zip lock bag. I do this with bars and cheesecake too. That way there is always a variety of fresh baked goodies to choose from.

CHOCOLATE BUTTERMILK CAKE

CAKE

1 cup butter -- 2 cubes

4 Tablespoons cocoa

1 cup water

2 cups flour

2 cups sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup buttermilk

Spray pan coating on a 9 X 13 baking pan.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Place butter, cocoa and water in a small pot and bring to a gentle boil over med-low heat.
Put flour, sugar, baking soda and salt in a large bowl; stir to mix; set aside.
Mix eggs, vanilla and buttermilk in a small bowl; set aside.
When the cocoa mixture comes to a boil; add egg mixture to the flour and pour hot cocoa mixture over the eggs; mix well with a wire whisk.
Pour into a 9 X 13 pan and bake in a 400 degree oven for 20 – 25 min. or until cake tester comes out clean.
Cool for 30 minutes then frost.

FROSTING

1/2 cup butter - 1 cube

2 Tablespoons cocoa

3 Tablespoons buttermilk

16 oz. box powdered sugar – 1 box

1 tsp. vanilla

Place butter, cocoa and buttermilk in a small pot and bring to a gentle boil over med-low heat.
When the cocoa mixture comes to a boil; pour over powdered sugar; add vanilla and mix vigorously with a wire whisk till smooth. Pour over cake and spread to even out.

This frosting hardens up really quick! Work FAST once you add the hot cocoa mixture to the sugar, as well as, when spreading over the cake.

Cauliflower with Avocado Mash

2012-12-05T09:05:00.000-08:00

It’s hard to find different things to eat when you are eating low carb. Everything starts to look and taste the same. I love steamed cauliflower plain with just a sprinkling of salt and pepper, but I was in a been there, had that mood. I needed a change.

When I was growing up avocados were abundant and my mom used to mash them up with a little bit of mayonnaise and use it as filling for a sandwich. Just two slices of white bread and avocado mash, nothing else. I craved them as a child – but I have to admit – I haven’t eaten once since. That’s where I got this idea.

The end result tasted kind of like potato salad – I said kind of… and as the avocado sat on the warm cauliflower it started to brown making it look like curry, which still looked delicious but was deceiving. Actually, curry would be a good add in next time. When I think of avocados, I think of guacamole, which makes me think of salsa – salsa would also be a good mix in or topper.

This is something that you want to make and eat right away, it won't hold well. If you prefer this to be cold instead of hot - chill your cauliflower before mixing and mashing your avocados.

This is what I did - placed half a small avocado in a bowl with about ½ Tbsp. mayonnaise and mashed it together and seasoned it with salt and pepper. A squeeze of lemon or lime will add flavor and prevent the avocado from browning too quickly.

Steam the cauliflower for 4 - 5 min. and toss it with the avocado mash and serve.

Miso Soup with Tofu and Wakame

2012-12-02T19:03:00.000-08:00

Miso soup is so exotically delicious that you might assume that it's difficult to make. The truth is- it's not, miso soup is one of the easiest things to make and only takes about 10 min. to cook.

The hardest part about making miso soup is acquiring the ingredients. Once you have them you can make several pots - especially if you start with instant hondashi (soup base) which is available at most Asian grocery stores or well stocked markets.

Shopping List

Hondashi - soup stock

Miso paste - any white miso paste will work

Wakame - dried seaweed. Soak in cold tap water to re-hydrate before adding to the soup.

Tofu - I prefer soft tofu in my miso soup, but you can use firm or regular.

MISO SOUP with TOFU and WAKAME

6 cups water

2 ½ tsp. instant hondashi granules

¼ cup white miso

¼ cup wakame (soaked)

½ block regular or soft tofu, cubed small

Green onions, sliced small for garnish

Pour water in a pot and bring to a boil. Add hondashi and mix to stir. Lower heat to a simmer; when the broth stops boiling; whisk in miso paste. (Don’t boil the miso or it will get grainy). When the miso has dissolved; add tofu and seaweed; let simmer for about 5 minutes. Serve garnished with green onions.

Quick Sautéed Spinach and Mushrooms

2012-11-30T08:25:00.000-08:00

Spinach and mushrooms go so well together. They are quick to prepare and satisfying.

It’s important to brown the mushrooms to bring out their flavor. The mushrooms will cook up beautifully without any butter or oil in a non-stick pan. My husband taught me this, but sometimes I add butter - just for the flavor. I do love butter.

I always buy the gigantic bag of spinach even though it that takes up half a shelf in my fridge, which surprisingly only weighs 1 ½# - it’s all fluff. I use it for cooking and salads - and find that it's easier to say a handful instead of a measurement - when it comes to buying bulk spinach. I'm guessing that a couple of handfuls would be equal to a bunch or about 4 cups.

When you add the spinach to the pan it will look like a lot, but it will shrink down to almost nothing. The recipe below is a generous portion for one or two small portions, as a side.

I have fresh lemon juice listed as an option because I think that lemon really brings out the flavor of spinach. It just all depends on my mood - sometimes I do and sometimes I don’t add it.

Quick Sautéed Spinach and Mushrooms

4 large mushrooms, sliced

2 large handfuls spinach

¼ cup chicken broth or water

¼ of a lemon, juiced (optional)

kosher salt and black pepper - to taste

Heat a non stick pan over med heat and add the mushrooms.
Allow the mushrooms to lightly brown on both sides.

When the mushrooms are brown add the spinach and chicken broth.

Toss to wilt the spinach; season with salt and pepper; and lemon juice (if using).

Chicken Breast Stir Fry

2012-11-29T13:23:00.002-08:00

Stir frys are quick and easy. The hardest part is cutting up the ingredients. The good news is that these days, you can buy pre-cut vegetables for just about anything and when it comes to stir fry, there are no hard rules as to what goes in the wok. So pick and use as little or as many vegetables as you desire.

The most important part of making any stir fry is a good marinade and sauce. Once you have one that you like, you will become the ruler of the wok - and even though you might use the same sauce, your stir fry will taste different (unless you stick to the same vegetables) because each vegetable contributes its own individual flavor - making it different every-time.

You can add oyster sauce, more sesame, more red pepper flakes, shitake mushrooms, bamboo shoots, baby corn, bok choi, gai lan... the list is endless.

You could also leave out the chicken and make this a straight vegetable stir fry.

Chicken Breast Stir Fry

MARINADE

1 pound chicken breast, sliced thin or cubed small

1 tsp. soy sauce

¼ tsp. red pepper flakes

¼ tsp. kosher salt

½ tsp. sesame oil

1 tsp. ginger, minced

1 clove garlic, minced

SAUCE

*this recipe makes enough sauce to coat well, but not saucy. If you prefer yours more saucy – double this part of the recipe.

½ cup chicken broth

2 tsp. soy sauce

½ tsp. sesame oil

1 Tbsp. cornstarch

VEGETABLES

¼ cup water
1 small onion, sliced thin

1 med red pepper, sliced

6 large mushrooms, sliced

1 head broccoli, cut into florets (2 cups)

¼ head cauliflower, cut into florets (1 cup)

12 whole snow peas
1 Tbsp. green onions, sliced small

Mix the marinade ingredients with the chicken and set aside for 15 – 20 min.

Mix chicken broth with cornstarch and soy sauce; set aside.

Heat a wok or large skillet over high heat and get it nice and HOT. Add about 1 Tbsp. canola oil and brown chicken. When the chicken is browned; remove it from the wok and set aside.

Return wok to the stove and add about 1 Tbsp. canola oil. Onions, red peppers and mushrooms; cook for about 1 min.

Add broccoli, cauliflower and ¼ cup of water; cover for about 30 seconds to a min. to cook the broccoli and cauliflower.

Remove the cover and add back the chicken, sauce, snow peas and green onions; stir to mix and continue cooking until sauce thickens – about 1 min.

Add the snow peas and green onions and cook for another 20 - 30 seconds. Serve with rice.

Vemma Bode Journey

2012-11-27T21:35:00.001-08:00

There really is no good way to lead into this. So I’m going straight to the point.

I’m doing something new and I’m pretty excited about my results. It started out as an experiment and ended up being a new way to think about food. I wanted to wait at least a week before I shared and now that I have 8 days under my belt - I’m letting the cat out of the bag.

Let me start by saying that I don't like diets and never will. They always give results, but almost always backfire - putting you right back where to you started. That is not what I’m trying to accomplish. Truth is that we all need a kick start when it comes to making changes no matter what we are doing. The Vemma Bode Program is giving me that kick start - a healthy push in the right direction.

So here’s the skinny (pun intended)…
I lost 7.6 pounds in 8 days while eating a ridiculous amount of delicious foods –

My goal is to drop to my perfect weight – then keep it off. I say perfect because I've never been a fan of skinny and to me my perfect weight is the weight that makes me feel comfortable in my skin. So when someone asks me, How much are you planning to lose? I say; when I reach my perfect weight. My goal is a feeling, not a size or a number.

This is what Iv'e been doing...

I drink one can of the bode burn when I wake up and one more if I need it in the late afternoon (that’s the easy part). All I do is pop the top on the can and drink, that’s it. Then the bode goes to work - speeding up my metabolism and curbing my appetite while providing my body with an abundance of plant sourced vitamins and minerals. All resulting in great energy without a jittery feeling.

The hard part is the food because a lot of us know what we should stay away from, but not what we should be eating instead. This program allows us to eat differently throughout the week, keeping it interesting.

Day 1

LOW

CARB

Day 2

LOW

CARB

Day3

HIGH

CARB

Day 4

LOW

CARB

Day 5

LOW

CARB

Day 6

HIGH

CARB

Day 7

GUILT

FREE

So here's the deal…

I will be adding new recipes that will help me and you eat our way to our perfect weight learning along the way what to eat and how to make foods that satisfy.

When I first looked at the recommended SMART FOOD guide - I immediately saw recipes jump off the page and come to life. That was me and I’m a food crazed foodie, but I know that others might only see a boring list of groceries. So I decided to do a couple of things, first document my journey using the Vemma Bode and at the same time create new fast and easy recipes that everyone can make and enjoy.

I love good food and a lot of it - this will never change. What is changing is the way I think about food. In my opinion, the bode burn is not a diet as much as a way to give myself a kick start, so I can stay motivated. We live in a result oriented society and this product will get you results.

Join me on this journey and lets do this together! Think about it... if you start now - you won’t have to make losing weight your New Year’s resolution or feel guilty about eating those gut busting holiday meals.

This program is working for me and the further along I get, the more excited I get. As an experiment - I deliberately started on this program the Monday before Thanksgiving just to see how effective the Bode Burn was – and it past the test! After a day of being in a turkey coma (4 days into the program) I weighed in the next day 4.8 pounds lighter than I was when I began. That was enough proof for me. It kept me motivated and on track.

To learn more about Vemma Bode and see my progress visit me at my new blog.

UPDATE - WEEK #9 = 13 POUND LOSS!!!

Quick Roast Chicken with Mustard & Garlic

2012-11-24T12:30:00.000-08:00

My husband said to me after he took his first bite; I think this is my new favorite roast chicken! I have to admit that it’s mine too.

I love simple recipes that get their flavor from their cooking method (roasting) and a few basic ingredients that can come together as an amazing meal in no time at all. This recipe met all the requirements.

This is one of those “I LOOKED then COOKED” recipes that I found while surfing the internet. It was one of Jacques Pepin’s, so how could it be anything less than awesome. I quickly read through the ingredients list and was happy to discover that I had everything I needed to put this together.

Usually I can’t leave well enough alone and almost always feel the need to tweak recipes, but not with this recipe. This mustard marinade has the perfect balance of flavor – I wouldn't change a thing (at least for the marinade).

What caught my attention with this recipe was how the chicken was prepped and cooked. Instructing me to - cut partially through the joints on both sides between the thigh and drumstick as well as between the breast and wing allowing the chicken to cook quickly and evenly, leaving the chicken intact for a nicer presentation. I also liked the idea of placing the chicken in a cold pan to smear the marinade, then placing the skillet over high heat before popping it into the oven. I knew that those simple steps would shorten the cooking time, so I had to try it.

Side Note… I only cooked half a chicken when I made this dish.

I am notorious for buying big chickens, which explains the 5 ½ pounder that I had in the fridge which is pretty ridiculous considering my family has dramatically shrunken down to two. When I look at a 3 pounder (which is what I should be buying) it seems so small… So I continue to buy fat chickens that I cut in half so that I can cook them differently – allowing me to have more variety instead of a ton of leftovers of the same thing. I also think that the larger chickens are meatier.

When I made the half chicken, I did as instructed and put the marinade on the chicken just before cooking (without marinating).

Whereas, when I made the breasts - I marinated the chicken overnight. Both cooking styles were delicious in their own way.

When I cooked the breast, these were very large pieces and took 35 min. to cook. I marinated them in a zip lock bag overnight in the fridge. Then place them on a foil lined sheet pan and cooked them in a hot 450 degree preheated oven. This was the easiest and tidiest way to cook the chicken (just roll up the foil and toss it). The breast meat was moist and picked up the marinade, but the flavor was not as pronounced as with the skillet method.

The skillet method was surprisingly tastier; I think it was due to the cooking method of heating the pan on the stove, then into a hot oven keeping the heat constant, allowing the marinade to caramelize. The other difference was the variety of white and dark meat – giving you a whole roasted chicken experience.

The problem with the skillet method is that not everyone has an oven proof skillet that is large enough to cook it this way or is comfortable to spatchcock a whole bird. If that is your situation and you plan to cook with parts - use my cooking chart below. Remember that cooking times vary with ovens and size.

This is my general rule for oven roasting chicken breast. If you choose to cook both white and dark meat – cook the dark meat for 10 min. then add the breast for the time listed.

BONELESS and SKINLESS BREAST
Large - 20 min.
Med - 15 min.
Small - 10 min

.
BONE IN with SKIN BREAST
Large - 35 min.
Med - 25 min.
Small - 20 min.

Quick Roast Chicken with Mustard and Garlic (adapted from Jacques Pepin)

· One 4-pound chicken

· 4 large garlic cloves, minced

· 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

· 2 tablespoons dry white wine

· 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

· 1 tablespoon soy sauce

· 1 teaspoon Tabasco

· 1 teaspoon herbs de Provence

· 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Using poultry shears, cut along each side of the chicken backbone and remove it.

See video on how to spatchcock a chicken

Turn the chicken breast side up and press on the breast bone to flatten the chicken. Using a sharp knife, cut partway through both sides of the joint between the thighs and the drumsticks. Cut partway through the joint between the wings and breast also.

In a bowl, mix all of the remaining ingredients. Turn the chicken breast side down and spread it with half the mustard mixture. Set the chicken in a large skillet skin side up; spread with the remaining mixture.

Set the skillet over high heat and cook the chicken until it starts to brown, 5 min. Transfer the skillet to the oven and roast chicken for 30 - 35 minutes or until the skin is browned and the chicken is cooked through. Let the chicken rest for 5 min. before serving.

Layered Pumpkin Custard Pie 2012

2012-11-22T19:21:00.001-08:00

Putting these two pies together in layers is genius. It's hard to explain what goes on in your mouth when you bite into this pie. It's completely different than taking a bite of a pumpkin pie and then a bite of custard pie at the same time. Layering changes things, the custard gives the pie a light mouth feel and the pumpkin is where the flavor is.

This pie is my nemesis. I have mastered the pumpkin and the custard pie, so that’s not the issue. It’s the layering that’s challenging me. It took me 3 years to get it right, not because it’s rocket science. It’s because I only make pumpkin pie once a year. So I guess I should say it took me 3 tries instead of years…

This is the run down;

Last years attempt.

The first year - when I added the custard over the pumpkin it just blended into the pumpkin, creating a light and custardy pumpkin pie without any separation. Tasty, but not what I was shooting for.
Last year I made mini pies thinking that if I mess it up, it would only be a mini pie. I was premature when adding the custard and ended up with a bit of separation that looked more like a marbled pie rather than layered.
This year I nailed it! After reading my notes from the years before - I realized that all I was missing was patience. The pumpkin layer needed an extra 5 minutes to set before adding the custard. Dang, I guess the rushed holiday season is not the best time to test a recipe. Oh well, next year I can do it with ease.

I made a shopping list because I split the recipe which gets confusing but is the perfect amount to make one pie.

SHOPPING LIST/what you will need for both layers

3 large eggs

½ cup sugar

½ tsp. salt (you will need less)

1 12oz. can Carnation evaporated milk

½ cup milk

1 15oz. can pumpkin puree

½ tsp. vanilla

½ tsp. cinnamon

¼ tsp. ginger

1/8 tsp. cloves

Pinch nutmeg

LAYERED PUMPKIN CUSTARD PIE
Make one 9” pie crust.

PUMPKIN LAYER CUSTARD LAYER

1	large	egg	2	large	eggs
¼	cup	sugar	¼	cup	sugar
¼	tsp.	salt	1/8	tsp.	salt
¾	cup	Carnation evaporated milk	¾	cup	Carnation evaporated milk
½	tsp	cinnamon	½	cup	milk
¼	tsp.	ginger	½	tsp.	vanilla
1/8	tsp.	cloves	Pinch		nutmeg
1	cup	pumpkin puree

Preheat oven to 425 degrees and set the rack in the center.

Place two bowl side by side with the recipe. Add the listed ingredients into each bowl and mix.

Pour the pumpkin layer into the pie shell and bake for 20 minutes.

Gently pour custard over pumpkin and lower heat to 350 degrees. Bake for another 30 minutes or until a small knife or wooden skewer comes out clean.

Let cool to room temperature before cutting. I like my pie cold, so after it gets to room temp. place it in the fridge until ready to serve.

Happy Thanksgiving 2012

2012-11-22T13:37:00.001-08:00

I had to share this with you!

My friend Bonnie shared these adorable turkeys with us to place at our Thanksgiving table. She made them out of oreo cookies, baby peanut butter cups, malted milk balls and candy corns.

Her is the link if you want to make them too. OREO TURKEYS

The Greek Scramble

2012-11-07T20:14:00.003-08:00

Scrambles have endless possibilities. They can be basic or elaborate or somewhere in between. There are no hard rules about scrambles or when they have to be eaten,
so think beyond breakfast - because scrambles are equally delicious for lunch or dinner.

The reason for this post is to inspire you to make different kinds of scrambles. Ones that go beyond the ham & cheese.

My all time favorite scramble is what I refer to as, The Greek. It’s always satisfying, visually colorful and packed with fresh healthy ingredients. The feta cheese is what makes it Greek and the mushrooms give it a savory meaty bite, whereas the spinach and tomatoes scream - freshness. As you can see from the photo, I like to pack my scrambles with lots of ingredients, but it's not a requirement. It's just the way I like it...

The Greek

· 2 – 3 large eggs, lightly beaten

· a couple of large mushrooms

· a handful of spinach

· about ¼ of a large tomato

· a couple Tbsp. feta cheese

· a dash or two of black pepper

· garlic (optional)

You don’t really need to add the garlic (sometimes I do, sometimes I don’t) because the feta cheese adds a lot of punch, all by itself.

There are just a few basic steps to make a delicious

Greek Scramble.

Lightly brown the mushrooms in a little bit of oil to bring out their flavor.

When the mushrooms are golden, add the tomatoes and a handful of spinach, then pour the eggs over the spinach; mix it to blend and cook the eggs about 2/3 way through. Place the feta cheese over the top, but instead of just scrambling it…

Start folding in the outer edges of the scramble over the top of the cheese so the cheese stays more in the middle of the scramble and not just melt and stick to the pan.

I add pepper to this scramble, but I don’t add salt because feta is salty.

Pumpkin Squares or Cupcakes

2012-11-05T07:41:00.000-08:00

Pumpkin squares are a special fall treat that I only bake once or twice a year.

I usually bake one cake in a 9” X 13” rectangular pan, slather it with cream cheese frosting, cut them into squares, dress them up with a cupcake liner and top them with a candy corn. At least that's how I've made them for the last 25 years... this year, the squares will be taking on a new shape.

Yesterday my daughter Lindsey came home for the weekend and asked if we could make them into cupcakes. I said, sure, I can’t see why not. Cupcakes are the latest rage - so it seemed appropriate to keep up with the times and change things up.

The main purpose for this experiment was because Lindsey volunteered at her co-op house where she lives with 37 other college girls to be one of the birthday celebrators. Little did she know when she took on this task, that she would be baking a boat load of cakes? So… she got this idea to make cupcakes which would not only be less time consuming than cakes, but fun and cost effective. One cake cuts into about (stretching it out) 24 pieces, whereas one batch of cake batter can easily make an assortment of 12 regular and 24 mini cupcakes. With 37 girls in the house this was the perfect fix if she didn’t make one for herself. Brilliant! The birthday committee will be pleased as well as the birthday girls.

PUMPKIN SQUARES or Cupcakes

DRY MIX

2 cups flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

2 tsp. cinnamon

1/8 tsp. nutmeg

1 tsp. table salt

WET MIX

4 large eggs

1 2/3 cup sugar

1 cup oil

1 16oz.can pumpkin puree (2 cups)

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

4 oz. cream cheese, at room temp.

1 stick butter, at room temp. (½ cup)

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 ¾ cup powdered sugar

Sift flour, baking powder, soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt together in a bowl; set aside.

Beat eggs, sugar, oil and pumpkin together with an electric mixer; mix until blended and a little fluffy.

Add flour mixture one third at a time until well blended.

Pour into a 9” X 13” rectangle baking pan that has been sprayed with pan coating.

Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 25 – 30 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean.

FOR CUPCAKES – bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for…

Regular size – 20 – 25 min. (ours took 23 min.)

Mini size – 9 – 14 min. (ours took 10 min.)

or until a cake tester comes out clean.

Paris "Cassoulet" Chez Gladines

2012-11-01T05:38:00.001-07:00

I admit it, I have a cassoulet obsession. It started just about six years ago when I took my first bite in Nice-France. I desperately wanted to go back to that restaurant for a repeat, but time didn't allow, so I left France with cassoulet on my mind.

I was quite surprised how much I loved this dish. A friend once said to me, What's the big deal? It's only a pot of beans. I suppose one could look it that way, but for me it was the perfect blend of flavors and textures.

The memory of this dish has been haunting me ever since, so as crazy as it may sound... it topped my list of "things to do" when I got to Paris.

To my delight it was the first place Cecily took us to.

The restaurant of choice was Chez Gladines, a well reviewed cramped and crowded bistro style eatery, with outdoor seating that poured on to the sidewalk. Their ambiance was shabby but lively and the crowd was young and hip, giving the restaurant a friendly happening feeling. The only thing that separated us from our neighbor was a scant 3 inches of space between the tables, but nobody seemed to mind. In fact it seemed to be the norm to chat with your neighbor.

The food and atmosphere at Chez Gladines made me feel very Parisian, but being that I am neither young or hip, I may not have felt as comfortable if I wasn't with my daughter.

The menu was all in French and the waiters didn't speak English. Luckily we had just enough French amongst us to order. It was fortunate that the restaurant was crowded allowing me (no French spoken) to use the look and point technique. The portions were generous and the prices were reasonable (at least by Paris standards).

There is nothing fancy about Chez Gladines. It’s simply the place to go if you want a true home cooked French meal.

This is what we ordered and shared…

TWO Cassoulettes – the truth is that I couldn't bring myself to share my long awaited cassoulet with more than one person even though I could see from the order at the next table that it was huge. My mouth was watering just thinking about the lusciously rich duck confit, creamy beans and sausage. Nope, I really didn’t want to share.

Poulet de Basquaise - which translates into a Basque style chicken stew cooked with tomatoes and peppers. This simple dish hit the spot without the presence of frills. Truly who needs frills when we are talking about comfort? I loved the simplicity of this dish in an oooh sooooo...satisfying way. I plan on attempting a version of it soon.

Magret Duck Breast – I almost always order duck when I see it on a menu-because it's not something that I cook at home. Surprisingly, it didn't work out quite as well this time around. The duck was cooked perfectly, yet we found it to be a bit too chewy for our taste (it was one of my look and point choices). Take a close look at the Margret Duck...doesn't it look delicious? That's what I thought when I spotted it at the table next to us.

Salade Complete – A meal sized salad topped with fried potatoes and other choices depending on your mood, but what caught my attention was the fried egg on the top. This salad was served in a big stainless steel bowl and every other person in the restaurant seemed to be eating one. I think I would rename this "Salade Extraordinaire". It was a crazy kind of harmony of hot and cold coming together to make a meal...

If you are squirmish about close quarters this is not the place for you. But if you want a home-cooked French meal (without the frills) and don’t mind the cramped quarters, don’t miss this restaurant.

On the flip side... Testing... 1,2,3...

I couldn't resist bringing home a can of cassoulet (the picture on the can looked delicious). I was pretty excited about this magical mix and thought as I looked over the vast selection, canned cassoulet must be pretty good because there were so many choices. I finally settled on a can from the Toulouse region of France (known for its cassoulet) and according to the can-has been in business since 1876.

I didn't expect much but I also didn't expect so little. I'm sad to report that canned cassoulet was a great disappointment. It looked like slop (sorry) and tasted like mushy pork and beans with an herby background flavor. The meat tasted fake and the sausage was like a soggy hot dog. Yet… oddly enough… after taking my first disappointing bite, I surprised myself when I went back to the bowl for another bite (subconsciously hoping it would get better) but it didn't... With a heavy heart I have to say that canned cassoulet doesn't look anything like the photo on the can and in my opinion is closer to a can of beanie wienies rather than a cassoulet.

So stay away from the can. It is no where close

to the real thing.

In the mean time...

I will cook up a batch of Quick Cassoulet...

and dream of the one I had in Paris.

This is not a review, it is simply a written memory.

The journey continues, my next memory will be posted soon...

Paris "La Baguette"

2012-10-30T07:15:00.000-07:00

The French and their French bread.........................truly inseparable?

I was fascinated with the number of baguettes’ strolling down the streets of Paris. It was common place and there was no prejudice as to who was indulging in this practice. It seemed as though everyone had one, was eating one or buying one.

I found this so interesting that I turned it into a game, keeping all of us on the lookout for the next iconic loaf to be snapped and captured on our journey.

The bakeries were abundantly scattered all around the city and everywhere I turned there was another and another. So many bakeries... so little time...

Most days I could walk right up to the counter, but on one occasion I got caught in what seemed to be the daily bread rush - a long line of people snaking out the door and around the corner. Apparently this happens twice a day at any good bakery, during lunch hour and after work.

The bread I ate in Paris was the best that I have ever had, with a soft interior and a perfect crumb crust. I think the people below would agree. The French clearly love their bread and I do too.

The Contemplatior's...

The Hurried...

The Family Excursion...

The Volume Shoppers...

The Dog Walkers...

The Playful...

and finally...

The Forgotten...

I have misplaced may things in my life but never a baguette!

The journey continues, my next memory will be posted soon...

COOK WITH SUSAN

Eggplant Pie or Casserole

Kimchi Jjigae (Kimchi Stew)

Balsamic Herb - Flat Iron Steak

Low Carb - Beef Vegetable Soup

How long do you steam broccoli or cauliflower?

How long do you cook sweet potatoes and yams?

How long do you steam asparagus?

How long do you steam green beans?

Baked Coconut Custard Mochi

Porchetta or Porketta?

Flat Iron Steak

White Beans and Beef Smoked Sausage Stew

Buttermilk Chocolate Cake

Cauliflower with Avocado Mash

Miso Soup with Tofu and Wakame

Quick Sautéed Spinach and Mushrooms

Chicken Breast Stir Fry

Vemma Bode Journey

Quick Roast Chicken with Mustard & Garlic

Layered Pumpkin Custard Pie 2012

Happy Thanksgiving 2012

The Greek Scramble

The Greek

There are just a few basic steps to make a delicious Greek Scramble.

Lightly brown the mushrooms in a little bit of oil to bring out their flavor.

When the mushrooms are golden, add the tomatoes and a handful of spinach, then pour the eggs over the spinach; mix it to blend and cook the eggs about 2/3 way through. Place the feta cheese over the top, but instead of just scrambling it…

Start folding in the outer edges of the scramble over the top of the cheese so the cheese stays more in the middle of the scramble and not just melt and stick to the pan.

I add pepper to this scramble, but I don’t add salt because feta is salty.

Pumpkin Squares or Cupcakes

Paris "Cassoulet" Chez Gladines

to the real thing.

In the mean time...

I will cook up a batch of Quick Cassoulet...

and dream of the one I had in Paris.

Paris "La Baguette"

The French and their French bread.........................truly inseparable?

The Contemplatior's...

The Hurried...

The Family Excursion...

The Volume Shoppers...

The Dog Walkers...

The Playful...

and finally...

The Forgotten...

There are just a few basic steps to make a delicious

Greek Scramble.