A Food Lover's Survival Guide

New Mommy Kitchen Part I- Screaming Baby and All

2012-01-03T19:39:00.000-08:00

A friend of mine who is a new mommy to a beautiful baby boy reached out to me recently asking what she could make with what she had and with 5 to 10 minutes of prep. She had some fresh ingredients and basic pantry items. Before I got back to her she had made a delicious meal that also made for a second dinner the following night. But she still was looking for a little help for future meals.

I had this vision of her just getting home after a long day of work, she is a prenatal nurse, with a baby she is so happy to see that she doesn't want to put him down no matter how much he is screaming at her and she’s starving. Not to mention that the baby needs a diaper change and just wants to be fed himself. This vision inspired me to create a kitchen and recipes that are meant for new parents to be able to prep in minutes and walk away while it cooked.

The obvious challenge, I’m not a mom with the challenge of balancing life, family and a good home cooked meal. I have several friends who have been moms for awhile and have reached out to them about what they wish they knew or had when they were first time moms.

But first I tried to imagine what it would be like to be full-time working new mom and what I would need in my kitchen. This made me think of how well a job my mom did balancing family, work and cooking. No matter how tough things got for my parents or how stressed they were, my sister and I wouldn't know it because we always ate together as a family. However, I imagine this took my parents a few years to figure out through bad meals and possibly some swearing in the kitchen.

So begins my New Mommy Kitchen series dedicated to all new moms and those who simplified the kitchen before them and have figured out the challenge of cooking a delicious meal while holding a screaming baby who needs a diaper change and is hungry too.

My next blog in the series will be about what every new busy mom needs in the kitchen to make fast meals. This includes pantry items, cook books, utensils, tools, fridge and freezer foods. Basically building the perfect no fuss easy to use kitchen

To all the moms and dads- what kitchen trick or tool do you wish you had or knew about when you were a first time mom?

Fresh Fall Dinner

2011-10-05T22:11:00.000-07:00

The Fall weather is here.

Its brought much needed rain, chill in the air and the inspiration for hearty comforting food. Tonight we roasted a turkey breast with fresh herbs and fall apples. Sides were Castroville artichokes and roasted potatoes. But I think my favorite part of the meal was a fresh salad made with Farmer's Market veggies and strawberries.

Ingredients for 2 servings:

2 cups fresh mixed greens

1 tbls minced shallot

8 basil leaves, chopped or sliced into thin pieces

EVOO & aged balsamic vinegar to taste

Salt & pepper to taste

Strawberries, quartered

Crumbled blue cheese or whatever cheese you have in the fridge

Chopped walnuts

Mix the greens, shallot, basil, EVOO, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper in a bowl. Divide among two bowls. Top with strawberries, cheese and nuts.

Thats all there is to a bowl of Fall deliciousness.

You could make a meal out of it by adding chicken or salmon.

What are you going to do with the Fall harvest?

My Favorite Mac and Cheese

2011-09-25T17:12:00.000-07:00

Another Cookbook Addition

My family cookbook would not be complete without the mac and cheese I grew up on. Its perfectly creamy and cheesy. It is always bowl of comfort when needed. My mom would always serve it with a main dish, but I prefer just a bowl of it all by itself.

The first time I made this it took me forever to find Velveeta cheese at the grocery store because it was not in the cheese section where I assumed it would be because it had the word “cheese”in it, right? I called my Mom and she thought it was hilarious I couldn't find it. She explained I would find it in a middle aisle. For a moment I had second thoughts about using a cheese that was in a aisle........ but just for a second. There was nothing that was going to stop me from making the best mac and cheese ever. Fortunately you can find Velveeta in the cheese section which is more comforting to me.

1950s old fashion Mac and Cheese

by Peggy Jones

This is my Mom’s recipe that we grow up on and in turn, Natalie and Michelle grew up on. Michelle has been making this recipe for her friends now.

1 ½ lb. (or more) Velveeta Cheese

½ Cup Whole Milk

16 oz package of Macaroni

Butter for pan

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Boil Macaroni in two quarts of water to desired tenderness.

Place Macaroni in a BUTTERED 9 x 12 inch baking pan. Shake the pan to even the macaroni over the pan surface. Pour milk over the macaroni down the middle of the pan. Using a cheese slicer cut thick pieces of cheese to layer all over the top of the macaroni, making sure that no macaroni shows through the cheese.

Place in oven for about 10 min or so until the cheese has melted but on browned. Remove from oven and take a large serving spoon to stir the mac and cheese making sure that all the macaroni has been coated with cheese.

Serve with an entrée or by itself in your favorite bowl.

My Mom's Ribs- our favorite

2011-09-22T20:10:00.000-07:00

Another Cookbook Addition

There is one dish that my sister, brother-in-law, my dad and I always ask for a special occasion at home- My Mom’s Ribs. This is a day long process that starts early in the morning. This of course makes for fall-off-the-bone ribs. These are the ribs my sister and I grew up on. I have no idea what style they would be considered, I’d like to think California style because thats where I grew up eating them.

She found the recipe in “the Complete Family Cookbook” printed in 1970. This is what you would envision an old family cookbook to look like (okay, it may not be that old, but it looks like it)- it no longer has the cover, falling apart from years of use in the kitchen and is kept in a giant zip lock bag. It has food stains, torn and missing pages. Its seen its fair share of cooking successes and of course culinary disasters.

But the ribs have been the favorite of everything she has made from the cookbook. The following recipe is form the cookbook with some changes. Of course there has been experiments and variations over the years. So feel free to add other herbs, lavender or chili flakes for example.

Basic BBQ Spareribs

Serves 6

5 lb pork spareribs

1 cup or more of brown sugar

1 1/2 tbls of dry mustard

2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

1 tsp dry ginger

1 8-ounce can tomato sauce

1 cup orange juice

2 tbls minced onion

2 garlic cloves, minced

4 tbls fresh chopped parsley

2 tbls Worcestershire Sauce

Trim some fat from the ribs, you want to keep some for flavor and moisture. Boil ribs in a large pot with salted water that covers the ribs. You may have to cut the rack in half to fit. Then simmer them covered for 45 to 60 minutes or until a grey color. Flip the ribs occasionally to ensure even cooking.

While the ribs boil, mix all the sauce ingredients. Let stand for at least 15 minutes. Place boiled ribs in a large deep dish or zip lock bags. Place the sauce all over the ribs. Place ribs in fridge for one and half hours, turning occasionally to ensure even coverage. Remove ribs from fridge and bring to room temperature, about a 30 minutes. This will help grill the ribs evenly.

Remove ribs and pour sauce in a bowl. Reserve 1 cup of the sauce. Cook ribs on a heated outdoor grill. Cook until ribs are heated and have a nice caramelization or slightly crunchy. Baste frequently with the rib marinade. When finished remove and let rest for 10 minutes then slice into individual ribs.

While ribs are cooking heat the reserved cup of sauce until it is evaporated to about 3/4 cup. Serve with ribs as extra sauce.

Celebrating Family With Love and Food

2011-09-20T22:46:00.000-07:00

Like a lot of families mine gets together over food for all celebrations. If its a birthday, you bet that birthday boy or girl is getting a feast to remember. Thanksgiving is always the tradition of turkey and all of the fixings. We like to save Christmas for indulgences. So naturally for my Grandmother's 90th it needs to be a huge celebration with food, we're still working out exactly what we are going to make. Any excuse to spoiler her we will.

But what to do for a birthday gift that will honor a woman who has been an inspiration, supporter and brought so much to others. I decided that I would do something that combined two things that are very important to me- family and cooking.

So I have decided to put together a book of our family recipes. Everyone in our family has a signature dish (or two or three...) that has a story. I have asked everyone in my family and extended family to send a recipe with a story to match.

I started with my Grandmother. I gave her a red note book to write what she could remember. I never asked her to include stories because deep down I know she would.

This is what she wrote on the first page:

"I am writing down my personal recipes for my beloved Granddaughter, Michelle Marie Jones. She is a very giving and thoughtful young lady who loves the work she does for the Cancer Society (American Cancer Society). She also volunteers for other good causes because her heart is so big"

This is such a perfect example of how supporting she is. She has always put those she loves ahead of her and has always made sure we felt loved. She has seen struggles (grew up during the Depression), raised three amazing women, still gives back to the community and of course inspired all of us to cook with love.

I can only hope that I can inspire, nurture and support those I love the way my Grandmother has. Wether its through words, a hug or my cooking.

Natalie (my sister), Geri (my Grandmother and me

A Bowl Full of Love

2011-06-04T12:54:00.000-07:00

I know it is cliche to write about mac n cheese, but I cant help it. We all have a favorite version of it and most of us grew up on it in some form or another. From a box to a béchamel sauce, we enjoy it anytime of the day on its own or as a side dish.

It always makes me happy, especially when my mom makes it. She has never ever altered her simple recipe- elbow macaroni, Velveeta cheese and milk. Its always perfectly creamy and cheesy.

The first time I made my Mom's version was when Velveeta was still on a shelf. Of course I went to the cheese section to find it, but to my horror it wasn't there. My Mom laughed when I called her from the store asking where it was. When I found it, I stood there, stared at it wondering what it was made of and why it wasn't with the cheese. I used better judgment and chose not to read the ingredients and grabbed it.......I never looked back. Of course you can find it in the cheese section now and that makes me feel a little better in some silly way.

Even in my mid 30's there is nothing more comforting than my Mom's mac n cheese. I've tried the box stuff, several restaurant's versions and I even tried to make my own fancy version. Of course nothing comes close what I grew up on.

A Bowl of Love

I sarted to think of my mac n cheese guidelines:

First there are no rules- when it comes to certain foods you should do whatever you want
Cheesier the better- lots of one kind of cheese or a mixture of several
There should be no such thing as "healthy" mac n cheese- that just doesn't make any sense
Endless toppings- bread crumbs, crumbled bacon, tater tots, chicken, etc.
Eat it whenever- I will eat it for breakfast or for a snack.
Have fun with it- I've been know to re-heat mine in a pan of butter to get it crispy. Once I even made a seafood version with crab and shrimp.
Be proud of your favorite version! If you like the box kind who cares, if you like to get fancy with it have fun and if you're like me don't be afraid of the mystery cheese on the shelf.

Wow, I guess that is my celebration of mac n cheese, my Bowl of Love.

Feeling Saucy

2011-04-16T20:42:00.000-07:00

I’ve realized recently that store bought BBQ sauce is just not as good as fresh BBQ sauce you can make on your stove top. Sometimes the same can be said of BBQ sauces that your favorite restaurant sell, the bottle version just doesn't taste as good as when it is served in the restaurant. As always, fresh made food is always better.

I've been having fun creating and experimenting with different ingredients. This is a basic tomato based BBQ sauce that you can add too with whatever fresh herbs or spices you have around. Of course you can add anything from fresh thyme to ginger to red wine. Have fun with it, just remember to taste as you go along and you can add to it but not take away.

2 tablespoon of olive oil

1/2 medium size onion, minced

3 garlic gloves, minced

1 cup of ketchup

3 tablespoon of cider vinegar, add more if needed

3 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce

Juice of one lemon

3 tablespoon of brown sugar

4 tablespoon of honey, add more if needed

2 tablespoon of yellow mustard

1 teaspoon of dried mustard

Pepper to taste

Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a medium saucepan. Add the onion and garlic, saute until soft.

Stir in the rest of the ingredients and 1 cup of water. Bring to a boil and then simmer at low heat uncovered until thickened, about 10 minutes. Stirring often to prevent burning.

Taste the sauce when finished for seasoning- you may want to add more pepper, cider, honey or any extra seasoning.

This is enough to baste a whole cut up chicken with extra for serving. I recommend doubling the recipe so you have extra. It stores for several weeks in an airtight container in the fridge.

Room temperature chicken seasoned with salt & pepper

Can you smell it?

Extra sauce is a must, its that good

How easy is that?!?!

Now time to own it and make it yours:

add fresh herbs like rosemary, thyme or lavender. This is a great time to use up any extra herbs you might have in the fridge.
add your favorite hot sauce. Start off with a teaspoon then add to taste
substitute the cider vinegar with another flavored vinegar such as champagne vinegar
add red wine, bourbon or whatever you think would add another depth of flavor
what else do you have in your fridge or pantry? Chutney? soy sauce? flavored honey? Molasses?

The homemaker in me thinks this would make a delicious housewarming gift or party favor in a small jar.

As you can see the possibilities are endless. What will you put in your sauce?

Chocolate Covered Strawberries Reinvented

2011-02-11T10:47:00.000-08:00

Chocolate covered strawberries seems so cliche for Valentine's Day, but we all love them and use this day as excuse to enjoy them with someone we love.

So last year I decided to reinvent the chocolate covered strawberry for breakfast:

From scratch pancakes covered in fresh chopped strawberries, drizzled with homemade chocolate ganache, finished with fresh made vanilla whip cream and topped with crushed hazelnuts.

And what is breakfast without bacon???? Need to add a few slices for the perfect combo of sweet and savory. And don't forget the fresh pot of French Press coffee.

Of course this is not the romantic version of chocolate strawberries to shared in bed, but it is the perfect special breakfast for families(it has been kid tested and approved) or for the one you love.

Enjoy!

My New Kitchen is my Current Blank Canvas

2011-02-09T15:51:00.000-08:00

The past year I made a few life changes and one of the being is buying my very first home. I must admit there are a lot of mix emotions that come with buying a home- anxiety, fear, excitement, frustration, patience and of course the pride of owning your own home.

But one of the most exciting aspects of my new home is that I am starting from scratch. I moved on from a relationship last year (also another BIG life change) and left everything behind except for my clothes and two dogs. I was told that is a typical female thing to do, where as men don’t care and will use whatever they have been left with. Whether that is true or not, I love the idea of making everything my own by starting fresh.

This includes my kitchen. It may be small, but it has brand new appliances, blank walls, empty drawers and cupboards. Meaning I need everything:

• plates

• silverware

• glasses

• coffee cups

• pans

• knives

• spices

• most importantly, wine opener and French Press

Those who know me well have already given me a wine glasses, wine opener and a French Press. I have purchased the knives after long consideration of what I need most on a small budget. The same will go for my pots and pans.

This has been my biggest challange what must haves that are quailty but in my small budget.

Then there is decorating! I have choosen my paint colors and a few ideas for the walls:

http://www.marthastewart.com/good-things/making-a-pot-rack

http://www.sunset.com/home/decorating/great-ideas-for-home-shelves-00400000039111/page17.html

Once I am finished with my kitchen I will post what I put in as my must haves and how I made a small space fun.

Now all I need is to figure out which wall to paint Veuve Cliquet orange....

Junk Food, Beer and Funny Commercials....It Must Be Super Bowl Sunday!

2011-02-04T13:35:00.000-08:00

First off, I must admit I am more of Boys of Summer fan than a football fan. I do have a favorite team, no matter how bad they are, but you wont find me sitting on a couch on Sunday with a beer watching football. Actually, that sentence almost doesn’t make sense because I could easily spend a Sunday afternoon on the couch with a beer.

Anyways, there are a few reasons I do enjoy Super Bowl Sunday and I think the biggest reason is that all gourmet, healthy and not-sure-if-that-is-food rules go out the door. It is the one day of the year I indulge in all of my favorite junk food- hot dogs, nachos, Twinkies (that’s right I said Twinkies), full sugar soda, chicken wings, just to name a few.

There is something comforting about big bowls of potato chips and popcorn that never goes empty no matter how much you eat. Or the never ending supply of bright orange nacho cheese for your chips or whatever you like to put it on...I'll admit I have drowned a few hot dogs in it.

Usually by half time, I am in a nacho cheese induced haze. Which is the perfect time for a break, especially since that is when the best commercials come on.

I have my sister and brother-in-law to thank for this tradition of junk food indulgence while enjoying a great time with family and friends. They started the tradition for us several years ago and still goes on today even it is just a few of us or full blown Super Bowl party.

So this Sunday enjoy your favorite junk foods reckless abandonment!

What is your dream junk food table for the Big Game?

Grilling Like Its Summer Time

2011-02-02T12:13:00.000-08:00

Firing up the grill and enjoying a cold beer, love Spring weather. No, wait.... it's Winter in sunny California!

There are so many reasons I could never live outside of California and one of them is the weather. We have been so fortunate to have such amazing Spring like weather the past month (sorry East Coast).

While 1/3 of the Country is covered in snow and dealing with unbearable weather, we are basking in the sun. So why not fire up the grill and enjoy it!

Last week before I left for work I trimmed two pounds of skirt steak (be sure not to trim all of the fat) and created the following marinade for it bathe in while I was at work:

3/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1/2 a large or whole medium onion, chopped
2 large garlic cloves, smashed
2 rosemary sprigs
2 teaspoons of kosher salt
2 teaspoons of pepper

Simply mix all of the ingredients in a bowl except for rosemary. Place the steak, marinade and rosemary in large ziplock bag, remove as much air as possible, seal the bag and place in the fridge.

If you can, rotate the bag through out the day.

When you get home, remove the steak from the fridge an hour before you are ready to grill (this insures an evenly cooked steak).

What I love about this marinade is that you can make it your own. Add whatever fresh herbs you have on hand or add pepper flakes for heat or extra garlic if you don't have a date.

So simple! You will have an amazing marinated steak waiting for you to grill when you get home from a long day. Enjoy any leftovers the following day in a sandwich or salad.

I like to take advantage of a hot grill for my veggies too. There are a lot of great winter veggies for the grill: squash, leeks, endive, just to name a few.

So get out there and grill!

P.S.- in honor of the 1/3 of the country stuck in the snow, I will post a yummy & easy chicken potpie recipe soon.

For The Second Day of Holiday Treats- Baking Fail.....

2010-12-06T22:08:00.000-08:00

I had high hopes for my Second Day of Holiday Treats.....

I was inspired to bake, which is rare because honestly I'm not very good at it and tend to fail... a lot. It was a rainy Sunday so it was a perfect day to stay home and bake. I had a vision of making mini Mexican Hot Chocolate inspired cakes with a cream filling and covered in chocolate ganache. I reached out asking what was the secret to moist cakes, researched all kinds of cake recipes, and found a yummy whip cream filling recipe. I was determined not fail....

First, let me give you a brief history of my baking skills. It started when I was 17 and I wanted to bake a flourless chocolate cake for my friend's birthday. Being that this was long before the access we have to the internet and I could not find a cook book with a recipe. Sooooo I thought why not get a box of cake mix and not add flour. Needless to say I was not allowed to use the oven for awhile after my cake "exploded" in it.

From there on I stuck to box mixes and the occasional simple from scratch recipe. I find the challenge of not being able to "fix" a baking disaster intimidating.

With all the research for my creation I thought I found the perfect cake recipe and combined with the great tips I got I thought I was set. I double checked my measurements at least three times, but I had a feeling something was wrong when the batter was almost like dough. So instead of cake I ended up with a very dense bread like brick.....

I was sad, but I had hope that it would still taste good. I brushed it with Tuaca hoping it would give it some life. If all else fails add alcohol right? That of course did nothing but soak right into the brick.

It actually tasted really good. Perfect combination of chocolate and cinnamon with a little heat from cayenne. I decided to not give up and made a whip cream frosting. The frosting recipe called for gelatin which also proved to be challenging for me. As I spread the frosting on the cake I kept finding snot like pieces of gelatin. But the frosting made it look much better:

I cut the cake into bite size pieces and dusted them with cinnamon:

As yummy as they tasted they still were a fail, I'm not sure how to describe the texture. I was not about to make chocolate ganache either. I figured two fails in one day was enough.

Now I'm not giving up, I will try again. I just may cheat and use a box mix.

The good news is that the kitchen was not a disaster and I am allowed to use it again.

For The First Day of Holiday Treats- Giving To The Troops

2010-12-04T17:31:00.000-08:00

There is so much to love about the holidays....... family, decorating, eating, giving and of course a week off for Christmas just to name a few.

I have a list of things to do this Holiday Season and a lot of it involves food and giving, so I thought I would share it by writing about the

The Twelve Days of Holiday Treats

I know.... its cheestastic......

I began with December 1st by donating items for our troops overseas. The list they made was humbling. They asked for everyday items such as deodorant, tooth brushes, gum, cookies, pillows and snacks just to name a few. All items that we take for granted.

My Mom donated a lot of the non-food items and donated food items. I didn't want to just send whatever was on sale, I tried to pick things that I would want away from home.......

I think coffee was on the top of the list along with some favorite candies.

Always remember how easy it is to give back to others...... it could be something as simple as a pack of gum.

Now for the next Eleven Days of Holiday Treats I have a few ideas:

Sharing various recipes
A special Holiday Champagne Sunday
Making edible gifts

The days will be sporadic, just like me, through out the month. It will end of course with our Christmas menu, which is coming together nicely....

Cant wait to share!

Still Going Through The Leftovers.....

2010-11-28T16:03:00.000-08:00

I think like most people I have had nothing but leftovers for the past few days.....

Don't get me wrong, I do love the leftovers. Its the only time of the year to enjoy such a great feast that keeps on giving and giving and giving. I think what I enjoy most is how it lends itself to creativity, although my favorite standby is just putting everything in a bowl and covering it with gravy.

The Thanksgiving Leftover Pie only lasted two days, so it was time for something new today. Ill be honest this could be the last day of leftovers because it is time to stop eating with abandonment and eat healthy, maybe salad or something.....

So with that in mind I went overboard with today's creation:

Pan Fried Stuffed Potato Pancakes:

As always it was simple.

I took two handful of mash potatoes and made them into separate "patties".
I placed a little turkey and stuffing on one half, placed the other half on top and sealed the edges.
In a small dish I combined bread crumbs, salt and pepper. I covered both sides of the pancake with the bread crumb mixture.
I heated about two tablespoons of olive oil and half a tablespoon of butter over high heat. Its important that the heat is high in order to sear the potato so it doesn't fall apart.
Cooked the first side on high then turned the heat down to ensure the middle was hot and did the same with the other side.
Be careful when flipping the pancakes because they are very soft and delicate.

I served it with gravy and cranberry sauce:

For me it is time to say farewell to the leftovers and I think I honored them well.

Now time to start talking about the month of December and what to bring to parties and Christmas dinner.......

Turkey, Turkey and More Turkey... What to do With it???

2010-11-27T18:55:00.000-08:00

Second day of turkey and all the fixing, now its time to get creative.

I realize the possibilities are endless....

Turkey sandwiches
Turkey potpie
Turkey casserole
Turkey soup
A great treat for the dogs
And so on....

So my sister and I decided to get creative and play with our leftovers.

Of course we had everything- turkey, stuffing, mash potatoes, gravy, cranberry sauce, potato chips and of course pate brisee.

What doesn't everyone have leftover pate brisee??? What is it? Its a simple pie dough that can be made any time with basic ingredients. My sister always uses Martha Stewart's recipe, its a staple for her to always use.

With all of those ingredients we decided to make a Thanksgiving leftover pie. So simple and so good. We laid the dough in a pie pan, then added a layer of stuffing, then turkey, and then potatoes. And to give it added texture we finished with crunched up potato chips. Placed it in a 400 degree oven and baked it until the top was golden brown. The layers were beautiful:

We finished it with a gravy and a little cranberry sauce to make it a true leftover meal:

We made this last night and there is non left, thats how yummy it was. If you had leftover veggies you could serve it as a side with a slice of this easy pie.

How creative do you get with your leftovers???

Eeeek.....Brussel Sprouts!

2010-11-09T18:06:00.000-08:00

We all have a food that is just down right gross to us not matter what. For my Mom and many others I know it is the brussel sprout.

For me I love them! I think the flavor is deeeeelicious and there is so much to do with it. So I thought it would be a fun challenge to get my Mom to eat them and I did!

Not only are they yummy, they are also so good for you. Each tiny little sprout contains three times the amount of vitamin C than an orange and a great source of vitamin D.

Always up for a challenge and voila!

Brussel sprouts my Mom will eat! She liked them so much that we are serving them for Christmas dinner and she doesn't care if anyone else likes them.

What made them so good? Simplicity and fresh ingredients of course.

I simply sliced the trimmed brussel sprouts, sauteed them in olive oil and butter with fresh garlic, thyme form the garden, and slivered almonds. I added a little white wine and butter at the end. Seasoned with salt and pepper.

I realize I did not invent this way of cooking brussel sprouts, but who ever did is onto something. The best part is that you can add whatever you have around. It makes a great side dish or salad.

So what food makes you cringe?

Me? Mayonnaise.... it literately will make me gag.... cant even do aioli...

Fortunately I like pretty much anything else.

Finally! Perfect Cold Fall Evening

2010-10-05T19:10:00.000-07:00

There are just certain meals that wait for just the right time of the year, one of those being risotto.....

There are so many great things that make risotto so good:

easy to make
delicious
comforting
so versatile
usually have all the basic ingredients on hand
a great excuse to open a bottle of white wine

All you need is the following.......

2 tbls of butter or olive oil or a combination of both
2 shallots or one medium onion, minced
Fresh or dry herbs to taste
Salt and pepper to taste
1 1/2 cups of Arborio rice
1/2 cup of dry white wine
32 oz of chicken or veggie stock
Parmesan cheese
But here is the best part, adding what ever fresh veggies or meats you have on hand. Last night I added 1 & cups of porcini mushrooms and shredded oven roasted chicken. As for the herbs I did a combination of dried and fresh-from-the-garden thyme.

Heres how to make it.....
-Heat the butter and/or olive oil in a large sauce pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Once heated add the shallots or onions and mushrooms. Cook for about 10 minutes or until the mushrooms are tender. Then add the herbs, salt & pepper to your liking.

-Add the rice and stir until coated with the butter/olive oil. Add the wine, stir and let it bubble away.

-Now comes the patience part- add the stock 1/2 cup at a time. Stir each time it is added and every few minutes. When the stock is just about evaporated, add more. This can take up to 30 minutes. Be sure to stir often, but not constant. Try the rice after about 20 minutes, it needs to be tender with a little crunch.

-As for the constancy of the risotto, you don't want it to be soupy or dry. You'll understand what I mean when it happens....

-When finished add your cheese.

Now how you eat it or what you add to it is up to you. I love just serving it in a bowl, so comforting.

The only thing I was missing was truffle oil...... need to get a new bottle....

Craving Something Exotic and Spicy....

2010-06-10T21:00:00.000-07:00

These items from Trader Joe's became this.....

It was easy, affordable and made with organic chicken.

I seasoned a 1.23 lbs of chicken with salt and pepper.
Then placed the chicken in a pan with olive oil heated over medium heat. Cooked both sides until chicken was cooked through.
Removed the chicken when done and cut into bite size pieces.
Added chicken back to the pan, then added the whole jar of peanut sauce.
To the chicken and sauce I added about 1/2 a cup of half and half & 1/4 cup water to thin the sauce.
I like my peanut sauce spicy so I added chile flakes
I let it all simmer over low heat for 10 minutes to infuse the flavor with the chicken.
When done I served it over rice and finished with chopped green onion and chopped peanuts.

Now what I do need to warn you about this dish is that the sauce is very heavy, so start with a small serving. Because it is heavy, you end up with a lot of leftovers for one or two people. So you may need to freeze leftovers, which is not a bad thing of course!

And not surpiring this was all from what I had in the freezer (chicken), fridge (onion & cream) & pantry (seasoning, nuts & rice).

There are so many variations you can do with this dish based on what you have and preferences:

tofu or veggies instead of chicken
add veggies to the dish
cook the chicken as skewers for a "fancier" presentation if you have guests
If spicy, add a dollop yogurt
Thin the sauce even more with added water, cream, and/or milk.
Add garlic
Leftovers for lunch? When putting away, place a single serving of rice and chicken in a Tupperware container.

I am going to make sure I always have these ingredients on hand for an easy meal or appetizer.

Do you always have on hand for a quick and yummy meal?

Home late, so what's for dinner????

2010-06-08T22:37:00.000-07:00

I got home at about 9 after a great work meeting and couldn't decide if I should be content with a glass of wine for dinner or actually make something.....

After sipping on my liquid appetizer (wine) I decided that I could have a yummy meal in 15 minutes with what I had in the house. I opened the fridge and this is what I saw:

Raviolis (packaged)
Half and Half (cant have my morning coffee with out it)
Green Onion
Bacon crumbles (extra from an app I made the other night)
Shredded asiago
Chopped garlic

So I started the half and half immediately, takes time to cook down. Then started the water for the pasta. In a separate pan I sauteed the garlic, chopped green onion and bacon in olive oil then added to the cream. After the cream cooked for about ten minutes I added the asiago to thicken and add that yummy cheese flavor. The pasta only took 3 minutes. Drained the pasta then added it to the sauce. Seasoned it with sea salt and pepper and voila!

It was so good. And now I'm beginning to realize that some of my best meals are the ones I pull out of the fringe and pantry.

I guess my point is you can have a great meal no matter how late you get home and what you have in the kitchen.

So challenge yourself to creating a great meal with what cha got and tell us about it!

What time is it???? Snack Time!

2010-06-03T22:06:00.000-07:00

Truffle Popcorn...... bowl full of heaven...

So Im sitting here snacking on one of my fave snacks, carrots and blue cheese dip, and started thinking of my other favorites.

To name a few:

Carrots and dip: any dip- hummus, ranch, blue cheese, peanut butter, etc.
Nuts: any, except cashews... yuck. Pistachios are my favorite.
Pickles: I can eat a jar of pickles in two days. I wonder how many I can eat if I am ever pregnant....
Celery and peanut butter: I pretty much can eat peanut butter with anything, chocolate, bread, veggies.
Beef jerky: usually an afternoon work snack or road trip snack.
An occasional chip attack or cheese or tortilla chips and cheese dip, love it...

And my ultimate snack...... truffle popcorn. It is the best thing ever.

And simple:
One Bag of microwave popcorn- full butter of course
Truffle Oil

Simply cook the popcorn and then toss with whatever amount of truffle oil you want.

I hope to open a restaurant just so I can serve truffle popcorn.

And now I am going to make some.

What is your favorite snack? Or even your most unusual?

Impromptu BBQ With Friends- Happy Monday!

2010-05-25T20:31:00.000-07:00

Nice weather- check

Good friends- check

BBQ- check

Great food- check

Two knuckle head dogs- check, check

This all makes for a great impromptu get together. All we did was call our friends let them know when, where and what to bring.

And this was the result......

Everyone brought something they had at home.

The menu:

Bread and dips

Doritos, thats right nacho cheese chips. What would a BBQ be with out them.

Mix greens with roasted beets, dried cranberries, pistachios, goat cheese and an aged balsamic vinaigrette

Oven roasted herb potatoes

Grilled ribeye

Everyone brought a beverage which included homemade beer and mead.

The menu has a little of everything including the chips, because we brought what we had at home.

The thought behind this blog post is that you can have a great affordable meal anytime. Just reach out to friends and family and share what you got!

Whats Cooking For Mother's Day?

2010-05-07T15:39:00.000-07:00

Our family has a tradition of getting together and cooking for all holidays, Mother's Day is no exception. We all love to cook and it affords us an affordable gourmet meal because we can all cook! And we never ever have the same meal twice, except for Thanksgiving. We will always have the traditional turkey with all of the fixings’.

Our menu this weekend is:

Crudités and other appetizers
Green Salad
Rolls
Brown Rice
Gumbo- specifically the one that is served at the Blue Bayou in Disneyland. It is a favorite of my Mom’s and ours. It is also part of a tradition when my mom, sister and I go to Disneyland
Dessert

It is simple, but my family is always creative with what we make.
My aunt loves to find yummy recipes from Emril or Rachel Ray. My Mom will search recipes and the internet to find exactly what she is looking for. Kevin's Mom is an incredible baker. My sister and brother-in-law always create their own master piece. Myself and Kevin, we tend to combine our skills with a favorite dish. Our extended family, Youngs and Flemmings, always bring kid family fair. When Todd (Kevin's brother) and family join us, we are always in for a gourmet treat. As for Grandma, all we ask that she comes and enjoy everything we bring and to reserve the beautiful picnic ground at her housing community.

What plans do you have for Sunday? Are you making Mom’s favorite dish or maybe going to her favorite restaurant.

Sorry, its been awhile...

2010-05-05T21:04:00.000-07:00

I cant believe its been so long since I've posted a blog. There has been sooooo much to write about; cooking with family, Pebble Beach Food & Wine, impromptu beach gathering, great recipes and good times with friends.

I am going to jump right in with an amazing mac & cheese Kevin and I made together last night. I'll admit that I am a "Mom's mac & cheese kinda girl". I don't like the fancy reincarnations of the classic comfort food. But I thought it was time to experiment.

To begin with I looooove my Mom's mac & cheese. It's simple but oh so good. All you do is butter a microwave safe dish, put in cooked elbow noodles, add a little milk, cover the top of the noodles with Velveeta, microwave until cheese is melted, mix and serve. It is the only dish my Mom will make enough of for my sister and I to take home.

Now the first time I made my Mom's mac & cheese I couldn't find the Velveeta because I did not know it was in an isle, not the cheese section. I was a little horrified at the time but got over it pretty quick. I think it is funny that now you find it in the cheese section.

As for my experiment, it was Mac & Cheese heaven......

Cooked 12 ounces of penne noodles for 6 minutes so the noodles were still a little crunchy
Sauteed about a table spoon of chopped garlic in 4 tbls of butter, then mixed in 1/4 cup flour
To the flour we added two cups of half and half, sea salt and pepper to taste and nutmeg
To that mixed in 1 pound of graded aged sharp white cheddar until melted, then stirred in the noodles.
Placed the mixture in a buttered oven safe dish.
Covered the top of the noodles with mixture of four pieces of toasted bread that has been pulsed in a food processor, parmesan cheese and dried rosemary.
Bake in a 350 preheated oven for 40 minutes
Let cool for 20 minutes.

Serve it with a drizzle of truffle oil and you have a bowl of deliciousness.......

What is your favorite Mac & Cheese?

Another Successful Pantry Dinner

2010-03-23T13:54:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite meals to create is using what I have in the pantry and fridge. I find it challenging and fun. Most of the best meals I have created have come from I find in my fridge and pantry. Unfortunately, while digging deep into the back of the fridge I sometimes find a science experiment gone wrong, very wrong....

This time was a little different because I was at my sisters for a weekend visit. I actually brought items from my fridge that I did not want to go to waste while we were away. One of the items was raw chicken tenders. I originally was going to put a breading coating on the chicken, but then I remembered my sister gave up bread for Lent. The first thing I saw in her cupboard was Ritz crackers. Perfect!

I simply finely crushed the crackers and mixed them with finely grated parmesan, pepper and garlic salt. I dipped the chicken in raw egg that I scrambled and then the coated it with the Ritz mixture. I placed the tenders on a wire rack that was on a backing sheet. I baked them 450 for 20 minutes. They were so good!

For another snack, I made a simple bacon and cheese quesadilla using the leftover cooked bacon from our breakfast.

In hindsight, although the quesadillas were delicious, I wish I had put the bacon in the Ritz mixture. Next time......

So I made a bunch of Corned Beef & Cabbage, now what?

2010-03-18T18:59:00.000-07:00

I am proud to say I successfully made my first batch of corned beef and cabbage.

No I did not make green bread too, I bought it.

I never was a fan of boiled anything, let alone beef. But this was so good. Tender slice of beef that had been simmering in a mixture of spices, garlic, thyme and veggies for hours. It was incredible. I made it for my hardworking man (Kevin) who loves corned beef and cabbage. He said it was better than his and he's a chef! Wether he meant it or not, I'll take it.

But I found myself with a pot full of stock and veggies. Not to mention a big chunk of beef. Now what?

Before I went to bed last night I separated the beef, veggies and stock. I figured I would sleep on it.

The obvious thing to make first was a sandwich of corned beef, ground mustard with horseradish, cabbage and swiss cheese. What could make it better? Panini press of course. This was Kevin's lunch and he loved it.

But I still have a lot of veggies and stock. Not too much beef, Kevin had seconds the night before. By chance I found a coupon for Pillsbury Grand Biscuits, you know the kind that is in the tube that pops when you open it. Perfect! I am going to make mini hand pies with cabbage, beef, mustard and cheese. I can freeze them unbaked for a few months. I may have to bake at least one to make sure they taste good, its what I like to call "quality control.

However, I still have the veggies and stock. So I am thinking I might make soup with both or .......

What do you do with your leftovers from St. Patrick's Day?