Food Hunter's Guide to Cuisine

World Nutella Day

2010-02-05T05:30:00.001-07:00

February 5th, 2010 has been designated World Nutella Day by Sara from Ms. Adventures in Italy and Michelle from Bleeding Espresso.

You may recall a few months back my "affair" with Nutella...well I'm happy to report it's still going strong. We're continuing to meet every night after dinner for a little pick me up and sometimes even in the mornings. So in honor of World Nutella Day I thought I'd do something special with my beloved Nutlella.

I grated some orange zest over him and wrapped him in some sweet pastry dough. I warmed him up for about 10 minutes at 350 degrees and he was better than ever!

Warm, thick and rich on the inside and crispy on the outside...the affair continues. Please don't tell my husband.

Silly Conversations That Come Up When You Decide to Cook a Goat....

2010-01-28T20:11:00.006-07:00

Conversation #1
Me: Do you sell goat shoulder?
Butcher: We have a bunch of goat; you come in; take a look around; pick out the goat you like, I cut you the shoulder.

Conversation #2
Uncle: We’re having goat for dinner.
Young Niece: No, you can’t!
Uncle: Why not?
Young Niece: You just can’t! I read somewhere it’s not good for you.

Conversation #3
Me: We’re cooking goat tonight.
Mother: What sound does a goat make?
Me: I don’t know. Can’t wait to try it.
Mother: What sound does a goat make?

Conversation #4Me: If I can find a goat can you take me to the butcher to pick it up?
Carpooler: Please tell me I’m misunderstanding this. I assume you mean the butcher is going to do what he has to do with it and that you aren’t asking me to have a live goat in my car??

Conversation #5
Husband: I’m going out early tomorrow.
Me (1/2 asleep): Whatever floats your goat.

Conversation #6
Crazy girl in Pilates class: Are you have a bahhhd day?

__________________________________________________________
If you haven't figured it out by now....yes, we cooked our first goat this past weekend. It was delicious; very tender and tasty. I loved the cinnamon in this recipe. I can't wait to eat it again...which will probably be real soon. A 51/2 lb goat shoulder for 2 people yields lots of leftovers. I'm looking forward to goat sandwiches.

Braised Goat with Tomatoes, Rosemary, Cinnamon and White Wine (adapted from A16 Food +Wine)

51/2 pounds bone-in goat shoulder cut into 4-8 ounce pieces
2 tablespoons kosher salt
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, smashed with the side of a knife
2 cups dry white wine
2 sprigs rosemary
1 (28 ounce) can San Marzano tomatoes with juice
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Season the goat with salt. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Preheat oven to 275.

In a heavy bottomed pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 3 minutes, or until softens and starts to turn golden. Add the wine and rosemary and boil for about 8 minutes, or until the wine has almost fully evaporated.

Meanwhile, place the tomatoes and their juice in a bowl and crush with your hands or the back of a wooden spoon. Once the wine has reduced, stir in the tomatoes with their juice and the cinnamon. Bring the sauce to a boil, then remove from the heat.

In a large roasting pan, evenly distribute the goat pieces. Carefully pour the sauce over the goat. Cover the roasting pan with aluminum foil and transfer to the oven.

Braise the goat for about 31/2 hours or until the meat pulls away from the bone.

Remove the pot from the oven when done and let the meat cool in the braising liquid. Lift out the goat from the sauce and pull the meat from the bones, removing it in large chunks if possible. It should come away easily from the bone and the connective tissue. Skim off most of the fat from the sauce, remove and discard the rosemary, taste for seasoning and add more salt if needed.

To serve, return the meat to the sauce and bring to a simmer. Ladle the meat with some of the sauce into warm bowls and finish with a drizzle of olive oil. Serve immediately.

Tim Tam Winner

2010-01-28T05:46:00.002-07:00

Ok, this it the moment you've all been waiting for. The winner of the Tim Tam cookies is:

Velva from Tomatoes on the Vine.

Congratulations Velva and thanks to everyone that participated...especially my taste testers!

Tim Tam Review & Giveaway

2010-01-22T19:10:00.002-07:00

I have a great group of friends at work that I rely on a lot. They’ve been there for me through all of my food adventures; good and bad. They trust in me and are available whenever I need taste testers…no matter what the product might be. So when I found myself having to review Tim Tam cookies for the 2nd time I knew I could count on this group to help me out. (you can read my first review here)

I explained to them the requirements. It wasn’t going to be easy but they were up for the challenge. Some were going to have to break their diets; some would be required to eat chocolate and others caramel; and I needed all of them to tell me their inner most thoughts. I knew I was asking a lot but that’s what friends are for right?

The cookies were passed out and the tasting began almost immediately. Initially there was some bickering over who liked which flavor better (chocolate vs caramel). I even witnessed a small scuffle when a Tim Tam was grabbed from the hands of one friend and eaten by another. Helping to preserve your diet was the “grabbers” excuse.

In the end everyone agreed that both flavors of Tim Tam’s were delicious; though most favored the chocolate over the caramel. Words such as crunchy and crisp were used to describe the cookie; creamy and not too tough the filling. They tasted so good in fact one taster offered to run out and get more.

As you can see I am lucky to have such a great group of friends; willing to sacrifice everything for me. In honor of them I’m going to give away a package of Tim Tam’s to one lucky blog reader. Just leave a comment by midnight Wednesday, January 27th, telling me who you turn to in these sticky situations…cause let’s face it we’ve all been there. I will randomly pick one winner. Follow me on twitter www.twitter.com/foodhunterguide for an extra chance to win.

A Message From Our Sponsor:
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My One and Only Craft Services Job

2010-01-19T18:26:00.002-07:00

If you’re a regular reader of this blog you know that my husband does video production for a living. Most of his shoots are done out of town but this past weekend he shot a short film in our house; our guest bedroom to be exact.

Over the past several weeks our spare room was slowly transformed into an extremely messy teenage boy’s room. Complete with dirty clothes in the corner; an unmade bed and posters along the walls; it's no longer my guest room. But I’m digressing; this is a post about my role in this production; as Head of Craft Services.

“What exactly is craft services?” I asked. “You’re in charge of food,” was my husband’s reply. Ok, I thought, I can do that…no problem. And so it began; my first and last catering/craft services gig.

Of course, like everything else, I dived into this head first. I made a plan; started browsing recipes; created menus and formulated shopping lists. I was so excited. On Monday I was squeezing lemons for lemonade. Tuesday I made ricotta muffins. Thursday I did the food shopping and Friday I was putting on the finishing touches. By the time the crew arrived 7am on Saturday I was ready; or so I thought.

I had a pot of coffee brewing by 6:30 on Saturday morning; this I soon found out was my first mistake. "Why is the coffee on already?" my husband barked. “In case someone shows up early,” was my reply. Little did I know several of them would be late. This left the crew that did show up on time with nothing to do but wait and eat. No big deal really except for what they decided to eat.

I had made homemade lemon ricotta muffins and had bought some doughnut holes just in case we ran out of muffins. By the time the late comers arrived the complete opposite had happened; we were almost out of doughnuts and only a few muffins had been touched. This should’ve been my first clue. Seriously, when given the choice of eating a home baked muffin vs a store bought doughnut...would you really choose the prepackaged food? I just don't understand; but I took a deep breath and put on another pot of coffee.

Did I mention how much coffee they drank? I assume it’s a habit that comes with the job…working long crazy hours… the coffee is needed to keep you going. I have to admit that even I found myself drinking more coffee than usual just to keep up my stamina.

For lunch I made Italian hoagies. Ham, provolone cheese, salami, lettuce, tomatoes and a drizzle of olive oil on loaves of Italian bread. Within minutes of serving the sandwiches I was asked: "Do you have yellow mustard?" I thought to myself: "yellow mustard??? Are you serious? Who puts yellow mustard on an Italian hoagie." Of course, I didn't actually voice this; I just went and got some yellow mustard. Cringing as I watched him destroy my lunch I worked so hard on. Ugh!

It wasn’t long before I realized that craft services/catering was not my thing. Between running up and down the stairs all day stocking water and refilling coffee; prepping food that pretty much got eaten thoughtlessly (again I think this comes with the territory) and having to do everything in complete silence I was frustrated.

By Sunday I had definitely had enough and was happy to find out that they would be shooting outside for several hours. This gave me some time to cook that evenings meal without worrying about the noise I was making. Trust me you don’t realize how loud chopping garlic is until you’re trying to do it on a movie set. The minute they left I turned up the radio and started cooking. My final meal, as head of craft services, was baked pasta with sausage, spinach and fontina cheese.

All in all this weekend was good experience for me and I have a whole new appreciation for people in the craft services/catering business. And although I like to cook I know that I will not be leaving my day job anytime soon.

Heirloom Restaurant Scottsdale

2010-01-11T17:26:00.000-07:00

"One restaurant; 12 menus," that is how Chef Michael DeMaris describes his nearly year old restaurant in North Scottsdale. The concept behind Heirloom is the use of farm fresh ingredients; which means the menu changes monthly depending on what's available at the local markets. The Heirloom menu is broken into 5 "courses." The theory behind this is that you can order several small plates from various "courses" mixing and matching to build your own meal depending on how hungry you are. Being a "foodie" there are often several things on a menu that I want to try. But some restaurants would frown on you ordering all appetizers...with no designation on the Heirloom menu it’s perfectly ok if you want several items say all from course one

This past Saturday night my husband and I made the 40 minute trek out to Heirloom. I know that to most of you it might seem ridiculous to travel so far for food; but living here you get use to it. The place was packed when we arrived and we ended up having to take a table right inside the door. At first I'll admit I was a bit disappointed by this but it turned out to be a rather pleasant experience. Feeling our initial discomfort, the hostess, who I later found out was Mrs. DeMaris, made every effort to make our night memorable. In the end our location turned out to be the prime spot for seeing Michael in action and provided us the opportunity to talk with him and Chef Taylor personally.

On to dinner. Like I said, there were so many things I wanted on the menu, so my husband and I decided we would split several courses in order to try as much as possible. We started with the Heirloom tomato soup. The waiter brought us out a small croc of chicken stock based tomato soup. At first glance you might think it was your typical tomato soup; but upon proper inspection you soon realized that it was anything but. Anointed with fresh pesto and tiny pasta balls I thought it was stellar.

Next up we shared the warm rabbit terrine topped with whole grain mustard. Accompanying the terrine were some honey roasted carrots; two slivers or grilled bread and some perfectly dressed baby lettuce with a single slice of Maui onion. Put together this was an amazing course...probably my favorite of the evening.

Course #3 consisted of a scoop of risotto swimming with whole roasted garlic cloves, sun-dried tomatoes and sautéed calamari. The flavors of this dish blended nicely; especially when you smashed the garlic and incorporated it into the risotto. (note to self...don't eat so much of the garlic if you don't want garlic breath the next day). The one disappointment came with the calamari; being such tiny pieces some tended to be on the tough side. However, having made calamari at home and knowing that this happens to the best of us I did sympathize.

A 5 ounce lamb T-bone was next. Cooked rare; just the way I like it, the T-bone was amazing. It came with a small side of eggplant and olive caponata that complimented it well. We also ordered a side of the bacon and thyme baby potatoes which are a must try. Heirloom potatoes sprinkled with sea salt and mixed with small chunks of bacon; how could you go wrong.

Our last course was dessert. Since they were out of their famous custard filled doughnuts (yes, it was a huge disappointment) we decided to try the coffee cake bread pudding with caramel gelato. Although, it wasn't custard filled doughnuts it was really good.

I love everything about Heirloom; the farm fresh food; the small plate multiple courses and the friendly owners and staff. I can't wait to see what's on next month's menu.

Black Garlic Review & Recipe

2010-01-07T20:20:00.001-07:00

One of the blogs I monitor on a regular basis is Marxfoods.com. Purveyors of fine bulk foods for home chefs and restaurants, their blog offers quality information on their products along with tips and recipes for use. Right before the holidays Marxfoods.com was featuring black garlic and offered to send me some to review. I had never had black garlic; nor did I have any idea how to use it in recipes but I was up for the challenge.

For those of you that aren’t familiar with black garlic it’s basically regular garlic that has gone through an intense fermentation process which mellows the flavor and changes the color. Hence the black sticky sweet cloves.

Black garlic is said to be loaded with antioxidants; nearly 2x more than regular garlic. It also lacks the bite and after taste of regular garlic. By that I mean no garlic breath even when you eat a raw clove. And yes, you can eat them raw. The taste is similar to balsamic vinegar; slightly sweet and savory all at once.

The first recipe I tried was for a black garlic tapenade; smeared on some crusty Italian bread this was a big hit at a dinner party I hosted.

After that I just started experimenting. I used it as a substitute in recipes that called for regular garlic and even added it to recipes that didn’t have any garlic. It went really well in a balsamic vinaigrette I made and added a delightful sweetness to a warm lentil salad. I also sautéed it with mushrooms and used it as a topping for grilled chicken. I even mixed it into my scrambled eggs. Yes, that's right I put it in my eggs and I loved it.

I know it’s somewhat hard to find, although I’ve seen it recently at Whole Foods, but I would definitely recommend trying it if you ever have the chance. I think you will be pleasantly surprised. I know I was.

Julia Child's Beef Bourguignon

2010-01-02T11:56:00.005-07:00

In between courses on Christmas day we decided to watch Julie and Julia. Being a food blogger, I have to admit that I found this movie somewhat inspirational. And except for a few slow moments in the middle I thought it was done well.

I've never really been a follower of Julia Child but I actually do have one of her cookbooks. Awhile back I had come across "The Way To Cook" at a used bookstore for $10.00 and figured why not. I've glanced through it over the years but nothing ever jumped out at me. I definitely don't get the same feelings going through her book as I do going through let's say a Mario Batali book. But I've kept it in my collection anyway.

As I mention above Julie and Julia really inspired me. I wanted to cook a Julie Child recipe bad. So I dusted off my cookbook; started browsing and there on page 237 I found the recipe for beef bourguignon; the main dish in the movie. And although, our family tradition is pork on New Years; as it's believed to bring good luck I decided to tempt fate and make beef bourguignon.

Three pounds of top round is simmered in a bottle of red wine with bits of bacon and chopped vegetables for about 3 hours. Combine this with browned braised white onions and mushrooms sauteed in butter; how could it not taste delicious.

The aroma throughout the house had us salivating by dinner time. Served with garlic roasted potatoes glazed carrots and popovers this was a meal that I will remember forever.

Thanks Julia.

Our Christmas Goose Adventure

2009-12-27T14:10:00.001-07:00

Every meal seems to be an adventure in our house and our Christmas dinner was no exception. I was determined to have Goose this year; and so we did. Right after Thanksgiving we started our "hunt" for the perfect frozen (because let's face it the only bird you can find fresh here in Phoenix is a chicken) goose. Believe it or not we actually found several stores that sold the frozen bird. Prices and sizes varied among them. We ended up purchasing ours from our favorite butcher shop Hobe Meats. There was only going to be 4 of us this year for dinner and they were able to offer us the smallest bird; a 10 pounder.

"Hunting" the bird turned out to be the easy part. It was less than a week before Christmas and we still needed to find a recipe. There were several recipes available online but having never cooked goose before we wanted to make sure we got a good one. Since Lidia Bastianich had never let us down before we decided to go with her recipe for Roast Goose with Mlinzi.

Mlinzi is basically fresh pasta that has been rolled into thin sheets and baked in the oven until crisp and then broken into pieces before being boiled like ordinary pasta. This method brings a nutty flavor to the pasta which compliments the dark meat of the goose. It also makes the pasta more porous which allows it to soak in all of the pan juices from the cooked bird.

Prepping the goose begins the night before you're going to roast it. The bird must be cleaned, fat removed, and salted. It must then sit uncovered, in the refrigerator, until the next morning. This didn't bother my husband or I in the least bit but it sure did put my mother in a tizzy. "Shouldn't that bird be covered" is what we heard every time she caught a glimpse of it. Her real panic set in the next morning when the goose needed to be brought to room temperature for about 2 hours before roasting. I found my mother frantically closing the kitchen blinds and moving the bird around the room to make sure it wasn't anywhere near the sun. (Ahh... if she would've only done that to me years ago...)

Finally the goose went into the oven and my mom was able to relax. That is until she heard all the noise coming from the kitchen. "I think the goose is trying to get out" "No mom I think that would be the grease splattering" We had read in advance that there would be a lot of grease but I don't think it was as bad as some people made it out to be.

About 3 hours and 170 degrees later and the goose was ready. It was time to carve the bird. This proved to be the real challenge. The joints were extremely difficult to find. So instead of breaking off the wing/leg and serving them whole we had to cut the meat off the bones. The breast was only slightly easier to carve. After what seemed like a long battle; that I'm still not sure who won; my husband finally got the carved bird to the table.

The mlinzi were mixed with the thickened pan juices and used as a bed for the goose meat. Although we had plenty, I was amazed at how little meat a 10lb goose yields. The meat was delicious and went extremely well with the nuttiness of the mlinzi, (Lidia sure knows her stuff).

All in all we were pleased with the dinner but my husband and I both agree that we will reserve goose for a very special occasion. The amount of work and money (did I tell you it was $51) we put into it didn't compare to the amount of meat or stress we got from it.

Twas The Weekend Before Christmas

2009-12-21T20:13:00.013-07:00

Twas the weekend before Christmas, and all through the house everyone was going crazy, even the damn mouse!

People were gathering in the dining room with care, in hopes that dinner would soon be served there.

Our friends were chatting amongst themselves, while hubby and I played the cooking elves.

John in his chef coat, and I in my wrap, just wanted to settled down and enjoy a nightcap

Instead we served bowls of Bucatini Americaiana, followed by braised pork belly, and then played Pollyanna.

Bucatini Americaiana
(adapted from Mario Batali)

Braised Pork Belly with Aromatic Spices
(adapted from Scott Conant's, New Italian Cooking)

For the spice mix
2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp whole cloves
1/2 tsp whole black peppercorn
1/2 tsp whole mustard seeds
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp paprika
4 tsp salt

In a small saute pan, heat the whole spices over low heat, occasionally stirring the spices with a wooden spoon, 5-8 minutes. Add the cinnamon and paprika and cook the spices for an additional minute. Allow to cool for a few minutes and then grind them coarsely in a spice grinder. Mix in the salt. The spice mix will keep for at least 1 month.

For the pork

1 5-51/2 pound skin on whole pork belly (bone-in)
5-6 tbs extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 quart chicken broth
1 quart chicken reduction

To marinate the pork: Rub the pork all over with olive oil. Sprinkle the spice mix evenly over it on all sides. Wrap it well in plastic wrap and let it marinate in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours and up to 36 hours.

To cook the pork: Heat the oven to 325. Place the pork, skin side down, in a heavy roasting pan and cook for 1 hour.

Meanwhile, heat a couple tablespoons of oil in a medium saute pan over medium low heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and thoroughly browned, 25 minutes. Turn the pork over and add the onion , chicken broth, and reduction to the pan. Reduce the heat to 300 and cook the pork until it is very very tender, another 6-7 hours. When the pork is fully tender, you will be easily able to pull any bones right out.

Remove the belly to a sided sheet pan and gently pull out any bones and any cartilage, without disturbing the layers of the meat.

Using a ladle or large spoon, spoon off the thick layer of clear liquid fat floating on to of the broth and pan juices. You should be able to remove a few cups of fat easily this way. strain the mostly defatted braising liquid into a large saute pan.

When the meat is cool enough to handle, use a sharp knife to remove the skin, leaving the layer of fat below intact.

Heat the oven to 350. Using a large chef's knife, cut the meat into serving pieces 11/2-2 inches square, between 3-4 ounces each.

Remove any remaining fat from the surface of the braising liquid and pour about 2/3 of the liquid into a roasting pan.

Heat a couple tablespoons of oil in a large saute pan over high heat. Season the fat side of the pork belly with salt and pepper and put the pork pieces in the pan fat side down. Cook them undisturbed until well browned, a few minutes at least. You are not trying to render all of the fat. You are just trying to create a crisp top. Place the pork pieces seared side up in the roasting pan with enough of the strained braising liquid to come 1/2 way up the side of the pieces. Heat the meat and liquid together in the over for 15 minutes. If the pieces of pork have lost some of their crispness due to moisture in the oven, recrisp them in a dry hot saute pan, before serving.

Serve on top of cabbage and spoon sauce around.

Cabbage Braised with Bacon
(adapted from Scott Conant's, New Italian Cooking)

1 head green cabbage
1 tbs olive oil
4 strips bacon
2 cups thinly sliced onion
2 cups dry white wine
1 cup chicken broth
Slice the cabbage thinly to yield about 9-10 cups shredded cabbage. Set your oven racks to accommodate a large pot and heat the oven to 350. In a large ovenproof pot, heat the oil over medium heat and saute the bacon until they render some fat, 5 minutes. Add the onions and cook until tender and beginning to brown. Add the cabbage, increase the heat to medium high and cook tossing the cabbage with tongs until it wilts and begins to take on some brown color, 8-10 minutes. Add the wine and broth and cook uncovered on the stove for 5 minutes. Over the pot and cook the cabbage in the oven stirring it occasionally until very tender about 2 hours. Reserve the bacon and serve.

Happy Holidays To All And To All A Good Night!

I'm Having an Affair...

2009-12-10T17:29:00.003-07:00

Yes, you read right: I'm having an affair; his name is Nutella. I’m not proud of this affair but I really just can’t help myself. Ever since I got back from Italy I have been in love with Nutella. I find myself reaching for him all hours of the day. It seems I just can’t keep my hands off his creamy chocolaty nutty goodness. Is it because he invokes vivid memories of my mornings on the Amalfi coast soaking in the sunshine with him. Or is it just that I find him irresistible.

Whatever the reason…I think my husband is catching on. I’ve started meeting Nutella for breakfast; at least once a week and I’m even bringing him home for dessert. I mean really can you blame me…who doesn’t love Nutella??

Now that the affair is out in the open let me share something special I’ve done with Nutella when I get him alone in the kitchen.

Nutella Swirl Pound Cake
adapted from Food and Wine Magazine

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
4 large eggs, at room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 1/4 cups sugar
One 13-ounce jar Nutella

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325°. Lightly grease and flour a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan, tapping out any excess flour. In a glass measuring cup, lightly beat the eggs with the vanilla. In a medium bowl, whisk the 1 1/2 cups of flour with the baking powder and salt.

In a large bowl, using a handheld mixer, beat the butter with the sugar at medium-high speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes. With the mixer at medium-low speed, gradually beat in the egg mixture until fully incorporated. Add the flour mixture in 3 batches, beating at low speed between additions until just incorporated. Continue to beat for 30 seconds longer.

Spread one-third of the batter in the prepared pan, then spread half of the Nutella on top. Repeat with another third of the batter and the remaining Nutella. Top with the remaining batter. Lightly swirl the Nutella into the batter with a butter knife. Do not overmix.

Bake the cake for about 1 hour and 15 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Invert the cake onto a wire rack, turn it right side up and let cool completely, about 2 hours. Cut the cake into slices and serve.

And when he’s not around…because let’s face it I can’t be with him all the time…I've found something so similar in likeness:

Bittersweet Chocolate and Hazelnut Cookies Adapted from Dolce Italiano by Gina DePalma

Ingredients
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/3 cup unsweetened Dutch-processed cocoa
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup whole hazelnuts, skinned or unskinned
1 cup (2 sticks/8 ounces) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
5 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar, for dusting

Procedure
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Place the hazelnuts in the bowl of a food processor and pulse them 2 or 3 times to chop them medium-fine. Add the hazelnuts to the bowl with the dry ingredients and stir to combine them.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and granulated sugar on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the egg and vanilla extract and scrape down the sides of the bowl. On low speed, beat in the dry ingredients, followed by the chocolate, and beat just until combined. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill the dough until firm, about 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Lightly grease two baking sheets with nonstick cooking spray or butter or line them with parchment.

Place the confectioners' sugar in a shallow bowl. To form the cookies, roll 1 scant tablespoon of dough into a 1-inch ball, then flatten it slightly with your fingertips to form a small disk. Roll the cookie in the confectioners' sugar to coat it evenly and place it on the baking sheet. Repeat until all of the dough is used, spacing the cookies 1 inch apart on the baking sheets.

Bake the cookies until they are puffed and cracking, 8 to 10 minutes. Rotate the baking sheets 180 degrees halfway through the baking time to ensure that the cookies bake evenly. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheets for 1 to 2 minutes, then use a spatula to transfer them gently to a wire rack to cool completely. If desired, dust them with additional confectioners' sugar.

The cookies can be stored in an airtight container, layered between sheets of parchment paper, and kept in a cool, dry place for up to 1 week.

I'm submitting this to Susan over at Food Blogga for her Eat Christmas Cookies Event

And The Winner Is...

2009-12-07T17:49:00.002-07:00

As you know the people over at CSNStores.com are graciously providing an 8” Classic Clad fry pan by Henckels for one lucky blog reader. And the winner of that fry pan is:

Random Integer Generator

Here are your random numbers:

12

Timestamp: 2009-12-07 21:06:38 UTC

Joanne from Eats Well With Others. Congratulations Joanne!

Thanks to everyone that participated!

Product Review & Giveaway

2009-12-02T17:41:00.004-07:00

I’ve been given the opportunity to review a product of my choice from CSNStores.com; and too offer a similar product to one lucky reader of this blog.

Commercial Break:

CSNStores.com, is an online retailer of both home furnishing and house wares. They sell a variety of products including: Rachel Ray Cookware, pub tables, and counter stools. With the holidays right around the corner now is the perfect time to check out CSNStores.com.

Back to the Review:

I’ve wanted a small fry pan for a long time; but never really got around to getting one. We have several large pans, which are great for family meals, but nothing small. So when the CSNStore.com approached me about doing a product review I decided to try out the 8” Classic Clad fry pan by Henckels.

My pan arrived last Friday and since then I’ve used the heck out of it. It's the perfect size when cooking up meals for one. I've heated up thanksgiving leftovers; sauteed a small amount of veggies for my lunch and made myself a delicious breakfast omelet. Obviously it won't be my primary pan when cooking for my family but it is perfect when cooking for myself. I’m not sure how I managed without a pan of this size before now.

I mentioned above that I made an omelet using this pan. Normally I would cook eggs on non-stick; but for personal reasons I'm really trying to move away from using non-stick surfaces. With just a minimal amount of butter I was able to cook my egg on this stainless pan and didn't have any issues with sticking.

Commercial Break:

Henckels Classic Clad 8” fry pan is designed with ergonomic handles that are riveted for a secure fit and are hollow cast to stay cooler to the touch. Clad construction of heavy gauge aluminum and stainless steel layers for maximum heat conductivity and quick response to temperature adjustment. It’s also oven safe.

Giveaway:

I'm really happy with my new 8" pan and hope one of you will be too

Leave a comment on this post telling me what your favorite piece of cookware is. The giveaway will end on December 6th at midnight. The winner will be chosen randomly on December 7th and contacted by email.

The Night Before Thanksgiving..Oh How Things Have Changed!

2009-11-25T17:18:00.004-07:00

When I was in my 20’s the night before Thanksgiving was a late night of dancing and drinking (I don’t know why but we always went out dancing on that night).

I’m way into my 30’s now (ok, closer to 40); and boy how things have changed. We won’t stay up nearly as late as we used to; and instead of dancing we’ll be cooking; prepping for the huge meal we’re going to have tomorrow.

But as they say some things never change; there will still be drinking involved tonight!

Happy Thanksgiving!

John's "World Famous" Burgers

2009-11-19T18:45:00.006-07:00

So maybe they’re not “world famous” but they sure were a big hit at our house this past weekend. We don’t eat burgers often so when we do we try to come up with something just a little different. Click here and here to see two of our past burger ideas.

Normally we’d come up with these recipes together but this one my husband came up with on his own. He’s very proud of it, which he should be, because it was delicious. He made fresh grass fed beef patties and grilled them on our outdoor grill. Each burger was topped with melted cheddar cheese and fresh baby spinach. There were also some crimini mushrooms that had been sautéed in equal parts butter and oil and oven roasted tomatoes slightly sweetened with sugar. All of this delicious goodness was piled onto a toasted focaccia roll spread with homemade garlic mayo.

It was seriously one of the best burgers I’ve ever had…and I’m not just saying that because he's my husband. (although I hope it wins me some brownie points) If you’re ever in the market for a burger that’s just a little different you should give John’s “world famous” burger a try. And who knows someday they might really be “world famous”

POM Wonderful Pomegranate Juice...Review

2009-11-16T17:40:00.001-07:00

Believe it or not but I’ve never had pomegranate juice. I do however remember eating and liking pomegranates as a kid. So when the people at POM Wonderful offered to send me some 100% pure pomegranate juice I thought why not…I’ll give it a try.

I normally don’t drink a lot of juice; mainly because I find most of them to be too sweet and loaded with crap. POM Wonderful pomegranate juice is different. It's somewhat sweet and tart and has no added sugars, preservatives or fillers.

I think their website says it best:

“A little bit sweet, a little bit tart, a whole lotta wonderful”

And how could you not love anything that comes in these cute little 8 oz bottles!

How To Decide Where to Eat When Traveling

2009-11-05T19:07:00.003-07:00

We travel a lot; both for business and vacation, and it’s my job to seek out where we’re going to eat on these trips. So, I’m always on the look-out for that perfect place; be it for a quick breakfast or a fancy dinner.

What is my method for picking restaurants?

Let’s take our most recent trip as an example. Last week we spent a few days in Chicago. Having been to Chicago several times before I have a few favorites that I like to re-visit.

1. Return to old favorites

We always seem to have brunch at Gage; which I love for its eccentric menu and good food.

Another staple is L’Appetito for their Italian sandwiches. On this visit we shared a “La Bomba”.

Tomato focaccia filled with Italian meats and cheeses; it’s easy to see where this one got its name.

Of course we had to have dinner at our favorite Chicago restaurant Café Spiaggia. We had an amazing meal of homemade gnocchi with wild boar followed by crispy balsamic glazed pork belly and italian doughnuts for dessert.

Ok, that’s the easy part. Choosing the remainder of the restaurants took a bit more planning.

2. Decide on the type of food.

We knew we wanted to have pizza one night; Cuban and maybe Tapas/small plates another night.

3. Narrow by location.

I always try to stay within a short walk or a quick cab ride from our hotel. This isn’t always easy but I try.

4. Research

By this time I will usually have a nice list of potentials and it’s time to check reviews on sites like Chow or Yelp.

We ended up at Quartino for Italian style tapas. So many things on the menu sounded good; it was hard to choose. This is why I like small plates; you can have a little taste of everything. We had some fried calamari,

veal meatball sliders,

an assortment of olives and a plate of orecchiette with duck ragu.

La Madia for pizza and appetizers turned out to be an excellent choice. The wild mushroom and ricotta bruschetta was delicious. As was the fresh buffalo mozzarella and basil pizza.

Carnivale was our Cubon/Fusion choice and it was also very good. The highlight of the meal was the Ropa Vieja.

Shredded beef piled on top of sweet plantains and drizzled with a spicy mayo. This ropa vieja was like no other I've ever had.

So there you go...that is how I go about picking restaurants in new places. How about you...got any tips or tricks you'd like to share?

My Version of a New York Times Recipe for Ratatouille

2009-10-27T17:30:00.006-07:00

Back in September the New York Times published a recipe which immediately caught my eye; Ratatouille and Sausage Potpie with Cornmeal Biscuits. Except for the biscuits, which I really don’t care for, it sounded delicious. So I decided to put my own spin on the recipe and substitute homemade focaccia for the biscuits.

I sandwiched the ratatouille between two thin slices of focaccia; one to soak up the juices from the bottom and the other to scoop up the hunks of veggies and sausage. It was perfect.

The recipe is enough for 6 servings so needless to say with just the two of us there was a lot leftover. That’s ok I tossed the leftovers with some pasta and got another great meal out of it.

FOR THE RATATOUILLE (NY Times recipe)

1 large eggplant (1 1/2 pounds) cut into 1-inch chunks
3 small zucchini ( 3/4 pound), cut into 1-inch chunks
7 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3/4 pound Italian sausage, casings removed
1 large onion, cut into 1-inch chunks
1 red pepper, cored and cut into 1-inch chunks
3 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 1/2 pounds plum tomatoes
4 sprigs fresh thyme
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley or basil.

1. For the biscuits: In a bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Using a pastry cutter or fork, cut in the butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Fold in the sour cream. Gently knead mixture until it comes together in a ball, adding a drop or two of milk if necessary. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

2. For the ratatouille: In a bowl, toss eggplant and zucchini with 5 tablespoons oil; season with 3/4 teaspoon salt and 3/4 teaspoon pepper. Spread vegetables in a single layer on one or two large baking sheets (do not crowd vegetables). Transfer to oven and roast, tossing occasionally, until golden, about 20 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, in a large, deep, preferably oven-proof sauté pan, heat 1 tablespoon oil. Crumble sausage into pan and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 7 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer sausage to a paper towel-lined plate.

4. Return pan to medium heat and add remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Stir in the onion, pepper, garlic and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cook until softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and thyme sprigs; simmer gently until tomatoes are cooked and mixture is stew-like, about 10 minutes. Stir in the sausage, roasted vegetables and parsley.

Let cool 10 minutes before serving.<

Yield: 6 servings.

Coming Soon a Product Review and A Chance For You to Win:
I’ve been asked by the people at CSN Stores to review one of their cookware products. In return I will be able to offer a similar product to one lucky reader of this blog. In case you don’t know CSN Stores, is an online retailer of both home furnishing and house wares. they sell a variety of products including: Rachel Ray Cookware, pub tables, and counter stools.

Fall Recipes and a New Cooking Video

2009-10-19T17:43:00.005-07:00

We don't get much of a fall season here in Arizona. Last week temperatures were in the high 80's and I was hopeful. But this past weekend we hit the 100 mark once again. Such crazy weather makes it very hard to enjoy the traditional comfort foods of the season like soups and stews.

I've decided to ignore the rising temperatures outside and create my own fall food season with some Merlot-Braised Chicken Thighs. I saw this recipe in a Lidia Bastianich cookbook and thought it would be perfect. Chicken thighs are stuffed with a mixture of carrots, celery and onion; a combo that reminds me so much this time of year. Add some sprigs of fresh rosemary and sage and this dish is screaming fall. On the side I served Green Beans and Mashed Potatoes, also from Lidia. (see below for recipes)

Lucky for us my husband decided this recipe was worthy of a video.

Hope you enjoy it!

Merlot-Braised Chicken Thighs
adapted from Lidia Bastianich

2 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 cup onion, chopped
1 cup leek, chopped
1 cup carrot, chopped
1 cup celery, finely chopped
salt and pepper
1 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano
1/4 can Italian parsley, chopped
12 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
12 sprigs rosemary
12 sage leaves
6 cloves garlic, crushed
1 cup Merlot
1 cup chicken stock

In a medium size skillet, heat the butter and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil together over medium heat until the butter is foaming.

Add onions and leeks and cook, stirring occasionally, until wilted, about 5 minutes. Add the carrots and celery and season lightly with salt and pepper.

Reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes.

Transfer the vegetables to a large bowl and cool completely. Stir in the grated cheese and parsley.

Cut twenty-four 4 inch lengths of kitchen twine. Place a chicken thigh on a work surface. Spread about 1/4 cup of the vegetable mixture in an even layer over the chicken thigh. Roll the thigh around the filling into a tight cylinder. Place the stuffed thigh, seam side down and tie it securely with two pieces of twine.

Tuck a rosemary sprig under the twine on one side of the thigh and a sage leaf on the other side. Set aside and repeat with the remaining thighs.

In a nonreactive skillet large enough to hold the thighs in a single layer, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat, than add the chicken bundles and garlic. Cook, turning the chicken thighs often and rotating them in the skillet so they cook evenly, until golden brown on all sides, 7 to 10 minutes.

Season the chicken with salt and pepper, add the wine and bring it to a boil. Add the stock and bring to a boil, then adjust the level of heat down to a lively simmer.

Cook, uncovered, turning the chicken pieces occasionally, until the chicken is cooked and the sauce is reduced to a syrupy consistency, about 20 minutes.

Cut and remove the strings and discard the herbs. Spoon the sauce over the chicken and serve immediately.

String Beans and Potaotes
adapted from Lidia Bastianich

1 large Idaho or Yukon Gold potato, about 8 ounces
1 pounds fresh string beans, cleaned
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
4 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Peel the potato and cut crosswise into 11/2 inch pieces. Pour enough cold water over the potato in a large pot to cover by 3 inches. Bring to a boil. Cook about 8 minutes. Add the string beans, and cook until tender; about 7 minutes. Drain the beans and potatoes.

Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook just until it begins to brown, about 1 minute. Add the string beans and potatoes, and season lightly with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring and mashing the potatoes roughly. Add the remaining olive oil, and season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper.

Easy Weeknight Dinner Tips

2009-10-12T19:15:00.012-07:00

People are always asking my husband and I how we work all day and still find time to enjoy a fresh home cooked meal together each night. Honestly, it’s not that hard. Although, it might take a little effort we both feel it’s worth it.

Here’s how we manage to make it work night after night:

1. Plan, plan, plan. We spend a few minutes on Saturday mornings hashing out what to make during the upcoming week. We put together a list and we shop for what we need.
2. Make the meals simple. Not every meal has to be 5 courses or take 3 hours to prepare. We are always looking for recipes that cook quick and don’t require much prep time.
3. Keep your pantry stocked with essentials. I always have things like chicken stock or canned tomatoes on hand.
4. Prep ingredients in advance. I try and do whatever I can the night before.
5. Be flexible and open to new ideas and ingredients. Don't be afraid to experiment.
6. Keep a list of your “favorites” to fall back on.

Below are two recipes we found that make perfect weeknight meals. I hope you enjoy them.

Rigatoni with Pancetta and Peas
adapted from Italian Cooking and Living magazine

2 tablespoons olive oil
6 thin slices pancetta, diced
1 small onion, diced
1 ½ cups frozen green peas
¾ cup chicken stock
1 cup tomato puree
Salt and pepper
1 pound rigatoni (we substituted spaghetti)
¼ cup freshly grated Grana Padano

In a large skillet with high sides, warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add the pancetta, and sauté until golden brown. Add the onion, and cook until translucent. Stir in the peas, and cook for 2 minutes. Add the chicken stock, and bring to a boil. Mix in the tomato puree, and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 10 minutes or until it reduces to a sauce consistency.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain the pasta and add it to the skillet with the sauce. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper and transfer to a serving platter. Sprinkle with Grana and serve.

Chicken with Fennel
adapted from Italian Cooking and Living magazine

3 tablespoons olive oil
4 chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch strips
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
1 fennel bulb, cut into wedges, fronds reserved
½ cup kalamata olives, pitted
In a large nonstick skillet, warm the olive oil over medium-high heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper, add it to the skillet and sauté until golden on all sides. Add 2 tablespoons of water, the rosemary and fennel, and cook for another 10 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. Add the olives, and cook for 1 minute. Serve drizzled with olive oil and garnish with the fennel fronds.

The Case of the Lost Calamari Salad Recipe

2009-10-04T17:18:00.011-07:00

Have you ever spent hours; maybe even days, looking for a particular recipe that you made and loved but can't seem to remember where it came from. Well that's exactly how I spent my day today.

I woke up this morning thinking about a calamari salad I made at the end of July for my uncle's birthday. I remembered it being really good and I thought I should make it again soon. But for some reason I just couldn't remember where I got the recipe from.

The search began right after breakfast. I scoured through cookbooks, magazines and newspaper clippings. I searched the web and checked all my favorite blogs. Do you know how many calamari salad recipes are out there. Well there's lots; but not the one I was looking for.

I called my mother for moral support. "Yes, I remember that," she said. "You should make it again." Well I'm sure trying. She did remember that it had pine nuts. Ahh...another word to add to my search.

Finally, after hours of driving him crazy, my husband chimed in and said, "Didn't you take a photo for your blog?" He's always full of good ideas. Although, I had never gotten around to blogging about it I knew I had taken a picture. So we went to look at the photo. "What are those big reddish brown things?" he said. They almost looked like bacon but I didn't think so. Then it dawned on me...they're sun dried tomatoes.

My search began again. This time I went through everything looking for recipes with sun dried tomatoes; and right there on page 26 of Nick Stellino's Family Kitchen cookbook I found it!

Sauteed Calamari with Sun Dried Tomatoes

1 pound whole fresh calamari
1/2 cup bread crumbs
6 tablespoons olive oil
6 oil packed sun-dried tomatoes
1/4 cup pine nuts
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
4 cloves garlic, thickly sliced
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups chopped arugula (I used baby spinach)
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

Rinse and clean squid thoroughly. Slice into rings. Toss squid with the bread crumbs. In a large nonstick saute pan, heat olive oil over medium high heat until the oil sizzles.

Pat excess crumbs from the squid and fry until firm and golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Heat remaining olive oil, add sun dried tomatoes, pine nuts, basil, garlic, lemon zest, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Cook about 6-8 minutes.

Return calamari rings to pan and toss until well coated about 2 more minutes.

Toss with the arugula (spinach) and lemon juice until the greens wilt slightly.

Orcchiette for Ovarian Cancer Month

2009-09-25T18:37:00.002-07:00

September is Ovarian Cancer month. Once again Michelle of Bleeding Espresso and Sara of Mrs. Adventures in Italy are hosting an "O Foods" contest to help raise awareness for this silent killer.

There are two ways you can help spread the word and be entered into the contest:

1. Post a recipe to your blog using a food that starts or ends with the letter O (e.g., oatmeal, orange, okra, octopus, olive, onion, potato, tomato); include this entire text box in the post; and send your post url along with a photo (100 x 100) to ofoods[at]gmail[dot]com by 11:59 pm (Italy time) on Monday, September 28, 2009

2. If you’re not into the recipe thing, simply post the entire text box in a post on your blog to help spread the word and send your post url to ofoods[at]gmail[dot]com by 11:59 pm (Italy time) on Monday, September 28, 2009.

This year I'm submitting: Orcchiette with Ragu Alla Bolognese.

This particular bolognese sauce is a new one for me. Adapted from Mary Ann Esposito's Mangia Pasta it cooks a lot quicker than most bolognese recipes I'm used to but is equally delicious.

Ragu Alla Bolognese

2 ounces pancetta
1 small onion, peeled and quartered
1 medium carrot, peeled
1 medium rib celery
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound ground pork
½ cup dry red wine
14 ounces tomatoes, peeled and cut into pieces
½ cup heavy cream
Mince the pancetta, onion, carrot and celery together. Set aside. Heat olive oil. Over low heat, cook the minced vegetable mixture very slowly uncovered for about 30 minutes. Add the ground meat, salt and pepper. Brown completely. Stir in the wine and let it completely evaporate. Stir in the tomatoes, cover the pot and cook the ragu over very low heat for 45 minutes. Stir in the cream and heat through.

You can read about my last year's submission here.

Sorrento Cheese Factory Tour

2009-09-16T17:56:00.005-07:00

During our time on the Amalfi coast my husband and I took a side trip to Sorrento where we signed up for a guided tour and tasting at Caseificio Michelangelo. Dating back to the early 1940’s Caseificio Michelangelo is the oldest cheese factory on the Sorrento peninsula. It produces several different cheeses including mozzarella, caciocavallo, provolone, ricotta and caciotta.

We took the Sita bus from Praiano and were met at the stop by Christopher who escorted us the rest of the way. Upon arrival at the factory we were introduced to our tour guide Sara and given a disposable outfit to wear. Very attractive I might add. The tour begins with the first drop of milk and follows the cheese making process all the way to the drying room.

At the end of the tour we were given the chance to try our hand at braiding our own mozzarella. What a cool experience. It’s not as easy as Sara’s daddy makes it look in this video we shot.

After the tour we were brought into the tasting room where a platter of cheese and wine awaited us.

Sara spent time with us going over each of the different cheeses and answering all our questions…and boy did we have a lot of questions. Most importantly…can we bring some cheese back to the US? (answer below)

Visiting Caseificio Michelangelo was a truly unique experience and I would recommend it to anyone visiting the area.

**As for bringing cheese into the US...customs says you may bring in cheese as long as it’s not the soft spreadable kind. But I can tell you from experience you can NOT bring in salami.

Caseificio MIchelangelo
via delle Rose 91
80063 Piano di Sorrento (NA) Italy

Cooking In Praiano Highlights

2009-09-10T06:03:00.010-07:00

Here is a sampling of the meals we made during our stay in Praiano, Italy.

Chicken Drumsticks with Vegetables and Oregano adapted from La Cucuina Italiana magazine.

On the outdoor grill at our villa

we made Grilled Sausage with a side of Pancetta Wrapped Grilled Asparagus.

A recipe we borrowed from Mario Batali Malloreddus al Pomodoro

Orecchiette with Rabbit Ragu adapted from epicurious.com And our last meal; yes we are leaving paradise tonight.

Cooking and Climbing in Praiano, Italy

2009-09-06T05:43:00.020-07:00

I've been in Praiano for one week and I'm still amazed with this little town. First let me tell you that it's hot here... really hot. Second, the stairs are a killer. I don't care what anyone says climbing 67 steps in hot humid weather is not fun.

Third the food is out of this world... fresher than fresh; if that's even possible.

For example: The rabbit we are cooking tonight was hunted just yesterday, according to the butcher, in the hills above town. And the calamari I made last night was fished from the very waters I can see from my patio. The house we are staying in has a huge garden and our landlord, Antonio, is very generous with his bounty. He's given us, among other things, fresh tomatoes right off the vine and lemons picked from his tree.

We've learned what it truly means to cook local. Instead of ordinary meatballs we made lemon polpette with zest from Antonio's lemons and veal ground as we watched, from the butcher. In place of a traditional meaty tomato sauce to dress our pasta we made a sort of salsa crudo with Antonio's tomatoes and the basil which seems to grow wild on the property.

We've been enjoying the long trek to the market each day; and planning our meals around what looks good.

It's something we don't do back home due to time limitations and the fact that it wouldn't make a difference in freshness anyway. I wouldn't trade these experiences for anything. Praiano has opened my eyes to some new things and has strengthened my calf muscles better than any trainer at the gym.