A day of goods and bads

The good: I got to sleep in this morning all the way till 9. I never get to do that.

The bad: Because I slept in, I didn't have time for a run or the farmer's market before my lunch date with H.

The good: Lunch with H. One of my favorite people. And the perfect day to split a grilled cheese and tomato soup.

The bad: It started raining again, which meant my outside run was canceled and I had to run on the treadmill at the gym.

The good: At least I got a run in. And I got to watch Spongebob while I ran. Interesting fact, for some reason, Spongebob is always on when I'm on the treadmill. It's like, fate.

Also good is that I was able to get a lot accomplished today, including picking up an anniversary gift for TFIL and TMIL and I'm warming up our whole place with some heavy duty oven work. I started with dessert, because - well, a nice warm dessert is always nice on a rainy weekend evening. And then I moved on to dinner. Something warm and baked was definitely in order.

Usually this would be a mac and cheese kind of night. But we wanted something a little bit different. That, and I was all out of elbow macaroni. And Thatboy gets weird when I try to throw in a different noodle. Of course, I can do anything I want if I don't bother telling him he's getting mac and cheese. "Just wait till you try this new dish!" I tell him. "Cheesy rice! It's got rice, it's got cheese, it's baked and warm, you're going to love it!" He didn't even know what hit him. And neither will you!

Rice and Cheese
2 cups cooked rice
1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese
cayenne pepper
2 Tbsp butter
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup crackers, crushed

1. Preheat oven to 350. Spray a baking dish with baking spray. Spread half of the rice in the dish and sprinkle with half of the cheese.
2. Sprinkle a little cayenne pepper on top and a pinch of salt. Dot with 1 Tbsp butter.
3. Create another layer of rice, cheese, cayenne, salt, and butter.
4. Pour milk over all, and sprinkle with crushed crackers. Bake for 30 minutes.

Oh I love a rainy night

The rain has returned to Southern California. Oh sure, we had a break for a couple of weeks - but only enough to act as a tease.

It snuck in on Wednesday night, pattering and tapping on our roof and windows. But by Wednesday afternoon, it was gone. Was it just my imagination? My wet boots told me it wasn't. Thursday held the threat of rain all day, just waiting for an errant move. We held our breath. But nothing.

So today, I shouldn't have been disappointed when I looked out my window to see the umbrellas, scurrying beneath me. But I was. Except, then I realized. It was Friday. As long as I could make it home okay, it could rain rain away. There's something I love about curling up on the couch on a rainy night, fire roaring, tv blaring, and it's even better knowing I don't have to get up and go out in it tomorrow morning.

Rainy winter weather makes me crave polar opposites. On the one hand, I want warm dishes like soups, stews, and chilis. But somehow, all that wet cold weather also makes me want fruit. I know, crazy, right? Maybe it's wishful thinking, wanting sun ripened fruit when the outside is so very un-sun-ripened.

But as I said earlier this week, fruit is something I never feel guilty indulging in. Bring it on! Big beautiful, highly unseasonable berries, except, berries are a plenty at the farmer's market. I can't fully explain it, but they are. So at least Southern California produce is as crazy as I am.

Berry Yogurt Parfait
1 cup blackberries
1 cup blueberries
1 cup raspberries
2 6 oz containers strawberry yogurt
your favorite granola

1. Divide berries between 2 glasses, layering them on top of each other.
2. Top each glass of berries with one of the strawberry yogurts.
3. Sprinkle granola on top.

Please Sir, May I have some Moor

I’ve always been a strange reader – strange in that I never read what most of my peers were reading. I had read the entire Shakespearean Comedy Canon by the time I was in 6^th grade, at which point I decided I should challenge myself by reading the Illiad and the Oddessy.

I was never into Sweet Valley High, although I had an unnatural love for anything R.L.Stine or what we called the “Point Books” – some sub-publication which specialized in pre-teen horror, which quickly led to my obsession with nonfiction reports of psychology and serial killers. (It wasn’t until I met Magski that I realized this might be a phase many young girls go through)

And then I got to high school, where all of a sudden, I was reading what everyone else was – even though they were reading it because it was assigned. This was my English Lit phase. Bronte, Austen, Bronte, Hardy, Donne. I much preferred the pastoral setting to the city life portrayed by Dickens and Shelley. I pictured myself out on the moors, my hair flowing behind me in the wind as the tall grass swayed. (This is probably about as romantic as I get)

And then, in 11^th grade, I actually got to go! To the moors! And they were fantastic – everything I had dreamed about. Complete with frolicking sheep. Which led to my first real issue – how on earth was I going to enjoy that lamb dinner after I had just watched those sweet guileless sheep make their way along the moors, their sheep hair flowing in the wind as the tall grass swayed. The second issue? That tall grass, is actually a plant known as rape. And how not-poetic does that sound? “Their sheep hair flowing in the wind as the rape swayed.” I guess it still is poetic if you’re some sort of sheep fetishist.

York was my absolute favorite part of England. I loved the moors, and I loved the city so much more than London. I loved the walls, I loved the Viking Museum – complete with authentic smells, I loved the church that allowed you to peer down and see ancient Roman ruins beneath Norman ruins.

And Yorkshire food is exactly what you would expect, hearty and warm. Focusing on rich, flavorful meats that are sure to keep you happy through a long Yorkshire winter. In fact, many of you may be familiar with one of the most famous of Yorkshire dishes – Yorkshire pudding.

In general, pudding in England doesn’t refer to the J-E-L-L-O type of dessert, but any dessert. However, Yorkshire pudding is a doughy lovechild of a pancake and a popover. Traditionally the batter was placed under a roasting lamb, so that the fat from the meat would drip in as the lamb cooked. The airfilled dough was often served as a course on its own.

Yorkshire pudding has a way of working with almost any cut of lamb or beef. It’s light enough to complement the meal without stealing the show, although you may be tempted to forgo the meat entirely after a couple bites. And without worrying about yeast, it’s also one of the easiest starchy sides to make.

Yorkshire Pudding (from the Fannie Farmer Cookbook)

• 4 Tbsp pan drippings from beef or lamb
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup flour
• 3/4 tsp salt

1. Turn up oven to 450. Pour the pan drippings into a 9x9 pan. Put the pan in the oven to keep sizzling while you prepare the batter.
2. Combine the eggs, milk, flour, and salt and beat until well blended.
3. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake 25-30 minutes.

Standing Rib Roast
1 standing rib roast
3/4 cup red wine
salt and pepper

1. Preheat oven to 325. Place the meat, fat side up in a shallow pan and allow to come to room temperature while the oven preheats.
2. Roast for 20 minutes per pound. Remove roast from the oven and set on the carving board.
3. Drain off the fat and put the roasting pan on a burner, stovetop over low heat.
4. Add the wine and stir, scraping the meaty pieces off the bottom of the pan. Salt and pepper to taste and cook for about 2 minutes. Spoon this sauce over the carved meat.

Something About Ranch

Growing up, we never had ranch dressing in the house. Lots of vinaigrettes, some lowfat/nofat Caesar, and sometimes blue cheese, but not ranch.

When I got to college, it was like a whole world opened up to me. I know, it sounds silly to rave about a dressing, but that's what it felt like. I think it began with french fries. Have you dipped french fries in ranch? It's almost as delicious as dipping them in soft serve - another trick I picked up in college.

And then of course, came the discovery of ranch and bbq sauce. Used to top several salads in the area, it wasn't long before we began doing it ourselves at the cafeteria dining hall.

And from salads it was easy to transition to bbq ranch chicken pizza, or even just bbq ranch chicken on its own. But I'm a grownup, and it's time to branch out a little from bbq and ranch. So I veered to ranch's natural buddy in the "dipping" department - honey mustard.

Honey mustard and ranch, why have I never thought of this before? They natural complement each other in the same way that bbq sauce works. Both add a sweetness to the tangy ranch like they were meant to be together. You do know I love contrast, right?

Honey Mustard Ranch Chicken
1/3 cup ranch dressing
2.5 Tbsp honey mustard
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1. Mix dressing and honey mustard.
2. Heat oil in pan. Saute chicken about 5 minutes per side, until browned.
3. Stir in the ranch/mustard mix. Cook an additional 3 minutes until the sauce is warmed through.

A return to normal

Did y'all have a wonderful Valentine's Day? We did here in Thathouse. I know many people write off going out to dinner for Valentine's Day, but it's a tradition here. Mostly because I cook almost every other night of the year. And we've never run into issues eating out. I've heard complaints about expensive fixed menus, poor service, awful food - but it all boils down to research.

Nine times out of ten Thatboy and I will venture to a place that doesn't accept reservations. Places people avoid because they fear they will never be sat (there's safety in reservations.) Thatboy and I were immediately sat last night. Otherwise, we make reservations well in advance, and make sure the place isn't doing a fixed menu. Eating out on Valentine's Day is like everything else - you have to set yourself up for success.

Now that Valentine's Day is over, we're back to our old traditions of quick weeknight dinners. Especially because there's another trial this week, throwing my office into all kinds of tizzy.

Which also means I'm using shrimp whenever I can, because those little suckers cook really quickly. We had Italian last night, and this little sucker loves the garlicky goodness of Italian food. So cooking the shrimp with garlic and olive oil just seemed like a really good decision. I served this shrimp with some leftover salad, but serving it over pasta or rice can help trap some of that delicious garlicky sauce. The same effect could be had by serving it over some warm crusty bread.

Broiled Shrimp
1 lb shrimp
1/4 cup olive oil
juice of 1/2 lemon
salt and pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp oregano
1 Tbsp parsley, chopped

1. Remove shell from shrimp, leaving the tail on. Devein the shrimp.
2. Mix the olive oil, lemon, salt, pepper, garlic, oregano, and parsley in a large bowl.
3. Add the shrimp and marinate at least an hour.
4. Preheat the broiler. Place the shrimp in broiler pan with the marinade. Broil 3-4 minutes each side.

Tips from a Pro

Yesterday Thatmom gave a lecture at the synagogue. The topic was "Heart Health" something that holds special meaning both because of Valentine's Day, but also because this week marks the anniversary of my father's death.

As Thatmom explained, she approached the topic from two separate angles: the first, as a health care professional, and the second as the wife of a cardiac patient. She noted the interplay between what the professionals say, and finding balance between what you are physically able to accomplish given your own lifestyle.

Since this week's topic of Eat.Live.Be. is tips from the experts, I thought I would include some of Thatmom's lecture. While Thatmom specifically spoke about guidelines from the American Heart Association, most of these tips really apply to living a healthy lifestyle in general. The American Heart Association calls these factors "Life's Simple 7" and Thatmom added a bonus tip.

• Get Active - The AHA recommends at least 30 minutes of exercise each day.
  
• Eat Better
  

- Eat a lot of fruits and vegetables, they have a higher water content, filling you up and they're low in calories and relatively low in sugar.
- avoid foods with high fat contents
- eat whole grain carbohydrates, they take your body longer to break down, giving more sustained energy AND they have more nutrients! Win/win!
- eat mindfully: choose carefully when eating out and watch your portion size.

• Lose Weight - The AHA goes by the calories in/calories out philosophy. But if you're eating better and getting active, this should naturally follow.
  
• Stop Smoking - I don't think I need to explain this one at all.
  
• Control Cholesterol - You can control your cholesterol with diet and exercise. Being overweight can increase your LDLs (the bad cholesterol) and exercise can lower these LDLs.
  
• Manage Blood Pressure - Know your numbers and keep them under control with diet and exercise. Watch both your salt and alcohol intake.
  
• Reduce Blood Sugar- Be aware of hidden sugar in foods!
  
• Reduce Stress - build in "me time," understand your priorities, and practice some stress reducing activities.

When Thatmom began talking about diet and blood sugar, the audience seemed floored. People had a million questions, and frankly, I thought her points were fairly obvious. But people really don't understand the difference between produce and processed foods. There were questions about eating too much fruit, because, you know, fruit has sugar.

Let me break this down a little. Yes - fruit does have sugar. But fruit has less sugar than fruit juice. And fruit has less sugar than cookies. The point is, no matter how much fruit you're eating, if you're choosing it instead of cookies, you probably don't need to worry too much about sugars.

There were also concerns about veggies. And yes, believe it or not, some veggies are higher in sugar than others. Think about how sweet summer corn is. Someone in the audience asked about sweet potatoes. And sweet potatoes DO have more sugar in them than dark leafy spinach or kale. But again, if these are your only sources of sugar, it's really not something you need to worry about. Watching your sugar intake and diet is much more about reading the nutritional ingredients on packaged foods.

Thatmom and I were talking. She noted that she used to be doubtful when she heard the phrase "No one ever got fat from eating fruits and vegetables." But we discussed that the fact that the people who eat a ton of fruits and vegetables tend to be people who aren't eating the other crap. And you really can indulge in fruits and veggies without feeling guilty after. So go ahead and make yourself a giant salad. Throw as many veggies as you can handle on top. Be mindful of your dressing choice, because that's one of those processed foods you DO need to be concerned with. You can of course pick something terrible for you - like blue cheese dressing, just make sure to watch how much you use! See people, it's always about choices.

Heart Healthy Salad
1 large carrot
1 head of Bibb lettuce
1/2 cup frisee lettuce
2 cups romaine lettuce
6 radishes, sliced thin
2 oz blue cheese crumbles

1. Divide salad greens between two plates.
2. Use a veggie peeler to peel carrots into strips and place on top of greens with sliced radishes.
3. Sprinkle salad with blue cheese crumbles and top with dressing of choice.

Next week's topic is all about healthy snacks you can grab on your way out the door.

And here are a list of the other bloggers participating:

• Sarah - www.sarahscucinabella.com
• Cate - www.sweetnicks.com
  
• Maris - www.ingoodtasteblog.net
• Chris - www.melecotte.com
• Faith - www.clickblogappetit.com/
• Kristen - www.dineanddish.net
• Emily - http://andersonfamilycrew.blogspot.com/
• Jenna - http://stopdropandblog.com/
• Joanne - http://www.joanne-eatswellwithothers.com/,
• Casey - http://www.thestarnesfam.com
• Patsy - http://familyfriendsandfood.blogspot.com/
• Tri-Fit Mom - http://trifitmom.blogspot.com/
• Claire - http://cookiedoc.blogspot.com/
• Allison - http://sweetflours.blogspot.com/
• Jen - http://njepicurean.blogspot.com/
• Leslie - www.thehungryhousewife.com
• Rivki - http://www.healthyeatingforordinarypeople.com/
  
• Claudia from Journey of an Italian Cook
• Jennifer - http://lick-a-plate.blogspot.com/

Spicing up your morning

Earlier this month, my friend Kira posted some amazing looking Jalapeno Cheese Bread. I haven't made it yet, but I really should. Because we certainly do love our Jalapeno Cheese Bread around here.

For some reason, I especially love using it for breakfast. I love my spicy breakfasts. I think that's my main reason for seeking out chorizo in omelets, or salsa topped huevos rancheros. There's no better way to get the day started. (And I have no information about this, but I'd like to believe it jumpstarts your metabolism.)

I haven't tried the jalapeno cheese bread as a french toast, although I love it as regular toast with some apple garlic jelly. My favorite breakfast use of jalapeno cheese bread is in a strata - layers of cheese, egg, bread, spicy sausage, and some extra jalapenos, just because.

Jalapeno Strata
8 oz crumbled spicy sausage (chorizo or hot Italian)
6 eggs
1/4 cup heavy cream
salt and pepper
1/4 cup diced jalapeno pepper
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 Tbsp minced garlic
1 tsp cumin
3 slices of jalapeno cheddar bread

1. Preheat oven to 350. Brown sausage and drain. Add jalapeno, cheese, garlic, and cumin.
2. Beat eggs and cream in a bowl and add salt and pepper.
3. Place 1/3 of the egg into an 8x8 baking dish. Place a slice of bread on top of the egg.
4. Place 1/3 of the sausage mixture on the bread. Pour another 1/3 of the egg over the sausage.
5. Top with another slice of bread, another 1/3 of the sausage mixture and and the last 1/3 of the egg.
6. Place last slice of bread over the egg and top with the remaining sausage mixture. Bake for 15 minutes.

Sweets for my sweets

There's something about February that gets the sweet tooth going. Maybe it's all the candy and chocolate we've sworn off since January 1. Whatever the reason, I'm sure you've noticed that in terms of Valentine's Day, most of the recipes tend to feature dessert.

And why not? I mean it is a day celebrating love - something very sweet. And if you're like me, you're much more apt to share a dessert with your loved one than you are a nice bowl of pasta.

Then again, maybe you're not a good dessert sharer. I know Thatboy is lucky to be with someone who usually only wants a bite of whatever we share. Thatdad on the other hand, was known to tell Thatmom that she should get her own. He didn't share nicely with others.

If you're not a good sharer, this dessert is for you. Also, inevitably after next week, you're going to wish you hadn't eaten quite so much candy and chocolate because it won't be long before bathing suits start popping up in stores. You're not going to want a giant cheesecake sitting in your fridge. These little cheesecake tarts are great for a single serving. Sweet, small, and gone in an instant. Tell your loved one how important they are to you. Then tell them to get their own.

Cheesecake Tartlettes

• 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 16 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1 dash salt
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1. Mix graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, and 1/4 cup sugar in a bowl. Press into the bottom of tartlette pans. Refrigerate.

2. Combine the cream cheese, remaining sugar, salt, eggs, and vanilla in a bowl of an electric mixture and mix for 5 minutes. Pour into tartlette pans.

3. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes. Refrigerate overnight before serving.

Dressing up the Basics

I go through phases with both yogurt and cottage cheese. Phases where I just can't get enough of them, and phases where they are the last thing I want to eat. It always boils down to texture. During my no-cottage-cheese-phases I also have a hard time stomaching oatmeal.

Right now, I'm not so in to yogurt. Which is a shame, because our fridge is usually nice and stocked. It makes a fabulous breakfast whether eaten at home, in the car, or at my desk.

So what's a girl to do with a fridge full of perishable dairy? Dress it up enough so that it's virtually unrecognizable as yogurt. Chocolate? Fruit? Why, this isn't yogurt - it's a DESSERT!

Layers of chocolate and strawberries (a great way to use up some leftover strawberries from yesterday's salad) sound so decadent, but when it's really **sshhhhhhh**** whispers "yogurt" then you don't have to feel guilty about it. (But of course, if you want to feel guilty, you can always use the leftover wafer cookies to make ice cream sandwiches. Which is obviously what I'm going to do)

Chocolate Strawberry Not-Yogurt
1 cup sliced strawberries
1 chopped banana
crumbled chocolate wafer cookies
2 6 oz cups of strawberry yogurt

1. Place half of yogurt on bottom of each cup.
2. Top yogurt with half of strawberries and all of the bananas.
3. Top with a layer of crumbled cookie.
4. Place remaining yogurt on top of crumbled cookie.
5. Top with remaining strawberries.

Garden of Love

On past Valentines Days I have blogged about creating meals with aphrodisiac ingredients. It seems fitting, right? Well it turns out I'm not the only one. Mele Cotte has been hosting the "Kitchen of Love" for the past 3 years on Valentine's Day, highlighting aphrodisiac foods.

Some foods are just given aphrodisiacs, Melle Cotte lists many of them on her blog. And then there are some foods that are aphrodisiacs particular to a specific person. In the middle of winter, there is something about crisp greens that turns me on like nothing else. Lettuce can have that effect on some people. It has also been known to cause uncontrollable laughter attacks in my family, which is usually a far cry from sexy, so proceed with caution.

There have been some gorgeous salads on the interwebs this past week, and I had to join in. I picked up a bag of mixed greens from the farmers' market. And this is a good time of year for greens. I couldn't find any other colors this week other than some beautiful oranges, which as usual, I am going through in mass quantities. So let's throw some of them on there too. And of course, nothing says Valentine's Day to me quite like lush strawberries. I can't think of a sexier fruit.

Topped with a creamy dressing, could this salad get any more seductive? Yes, just toss some almonds on top. Almonds have been considered a fertility symbol throughout the ages, purported to arouse passion in females.

I know most of you don't consider salad to be your ultimate turn on food, but trust me on this one - a bite of this and you'll never think of salad the same way again!

Valentine's Salad

• 1 1/2 Tbsp sugar
• 2 1/2 Tbsp white vinegar
  
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon dijon mustard
  
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 3/4 tsp poppy seeds
• 1 boneless, skinless, chicken breast
• Mixed greens
• 1 orange, sliced (if you don't know how to cut an orange, check out branny's tutorial)
• 1 cup sliced strawberries
• 1/4 cup toasted slivered almonds
  

1. Make the dressing. Combine sugar, vinegar, salt, and mustard. Gradually and slowly, pour in the canola oil, whisking to emulsify. Add in the poppy seeds.
2. Grill the chicken, occasionally brushing with a little of the dressing. Slice chicken.
3. Place greens on plate and top with chicken, orange slices, and strawberries.
4. Sprinkle with almonds and top with dressing.

An advertiser's dream

I'll admit it. Every now and then I get sucked in to television commercials. I don't mean the ones offering pet hair clean up, or egg separators, but the ones for the latest and greatest fast-food item.

The problem is, once one place comes up with an idea, every other fast food franchise comes up with something similar and so you get bombarded with the same idea over and over again.

Right now? Fried chicken. Everyone has a chicken sandwich right now, and they are also advertising their chicken tenders. And while normally I could give or take fried chicken, seeing it on television every 15 minutes and hearing it on every other commercial on the radio makes me think maybe perhaps fried chicken should be put on the menu.

But fried chicken can be a little tricky and time consuming. Definitely a weekend meal. On a weeknight like tonight, especially one in which I am running a gazillion errands after work, I need something quicker - but still fried, obviously.

Nothing cooks as quickly as shrimp, and even though some of you may be sick of shrimp recipes, I had to give in again. Because fried shrimp is JUST as good as fried chicken, and so much easier.

Fried Shrimp
1/2 cup flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp sugar
1 egg white
canola oil
1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined

1. Combine flour, salt, egg white, sugar, 1 Tbsp canola oil and 1/2 cup ice water in a bowl.
2. Heat 3 inches of canola oil in heavy pot or skillet.
3. Dip each shrimp into the batter and drop into the hot oil. Fry for about 1 minute or until golden.

Switch It Up

My anxiety disorder THRIVES on routine. Same thing day in and day out. In the same order. But I know that's unusual. Most people need a change. Routines get old, and it's easy to get bored. And when you're bored, the natural tendency is to quit doing whatever the thing is that is getting so old so fast. Things like healthy eating, working out, and doing things that are good for you.

Being healthy is not a sprint, it's a marathon. Which means you don't always see results as quickly as you would like. Which is disheartening. And makes it even easier to fall back into old patterns.

This week's topic for Eat.Live.Be. is tips to help get you out of a rut.

Honestly, I can't imagine that there will be much variety in the response. The best way to get out of a rut, is to change things up a bit. Shake it up and break it down. It's the reason why I choose different running routes, so I don't get sick of seeing the same thing mile after mile.

It's also why I'm a huge fan of meal planning, so you don't end up eating pasta with marinara every night.

And if you're trying to up your water? There's a ton of things you can do to add some flavor. For the longest time I always kept a pitcher of water in the fridge, and when it emptied, I'd fill it up with a different "flavor." Sliced cucumbers, lemons, limes, oranges, even pineapple. They don't add calories, but they do add a little something to keep it interesting.

Next week's topic is all tips from the experts. And frankly, I'm not sure how to handle this so I am MORE than open to suggestions.

And here are a list of the other bloggers participating:

• Sarah - www.sarahscucinabella.com
• Cate - www.sweetnicks.com
  
• Maris - www.ingoodtasteblog.net
• Chris - www.melecotte.com
• Faith - www.clickblogappetit.com/
• Kristen - www.dineanddish.net
• Emily - http://andersonfamilycrew.blogspot.com/
• Jenna - http://stopdropandblog.com/
• Joanne - http://www.joanne-eatswellwithothers.com/,
• Casey - http://www.thestarnesfam.com
• Patsy - http://familyfriendsandfood.blogspot.com/
• Tri-Fit Mom - http://trifitmom.blogspot.com/
• Claire - http://cookiedoc.blogspot.com/
• Allison - http://sweetflours.blogspot.com/
• Jen - http://njepicurean.blogspot.com/
• Leslie - www.thehungryhousewife.com
• Rivki - http://www.healthyeatingforordinarypeople.com/
  
• Claudia from Journey of an Italian Cook
• Jennifer - http://lick-a-plate.blogspot.com/

Another way to switch things up is to make things that are typically heavy, a little lighter. I can pretend that I made these red velvet cupcakes to be more health conscious, but the real reason? I had no butter in the house. No really, none. I was surprised too. Who doesn't have butter? No butter means I had to improvise a new red velvet recipe, one without a heavy cream cheese frosting. (Did I mention I was out of cream cheese too?) BUT these cupcakes work perfectly with today's post because they are a complete switch up of your traditional red velvet cupcakes. I've never had cupcakes so airy. I especially loved using a royal frosting which gave them a real meringue-y spring. See? Switch Ups are SO 2011.

No-Butter Red Velvet Cupcakes
2 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 Tbsp cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 1/4 cup Canola oil
1 cup buttermilk (the beauty of powdered buttermilk, even when you don't have butter in the house you still have buttermilk)
2 eggs
1 bottle red food coloring
1 tsp white vinegar
2 tsp vanilla

1. Preheat oven to 350. Mix flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, salt in a bowl. (If you're using powdered buttermilk like me, put that in this bowl too)
2. Whisk together oil, eggs, food coloring, vinegar, and vanilla in a separate bowl. (Again, if you're using the powdered buttermilk you can put the water portion in this bowl)
3. Add the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients in several additions, mixing with an electric mixer until smooth and combined.
4. Fill muffin tins 2/3 full with the batter and bake 20-25 minutes. Cool before frosting with your favorite frosting.

A slight detour

I spent much of the morning lying on the couch, watching Thatboy do errands. At some point I stretched myself out and told him I should probably start thinking about going on my run. He mentioned that he would probably go surfing while I ran, so I decided to take my run to the beach with him.

My typical beach run starts in the parking lot, where there is a protected trail that runs under the super busy roadway and up alongside the cliffs beside the beach. I like the trail because I get to run beside the ocean, but without worry about getting run over by cars, blind turns, or even bikers looking to share the narrow bike line.

So you can imagine my disappointment when I saw that my trail was all closed off with orange tape and chicken-wire. "Don't worry," Thatboy told me - "There's a detour on the other side of the parking lot." And sure, enough -there was.

And so I started running up that hill. But I didn't get very far. Because basically, this hill, takes you RIGHT up to that busy road I was telling you about. And then stops. Where you are greeted with another helpful sign.

I'm sorry, is this sign telling me to turn around and run back down the 20 steps to the beach? Because I'm certainly not supposed to go forward, where the sidewalk is closed and there are cars racing towards me at 65 mph.

So I must be supposed to walk around the protective barrier onto the sidewalk that ends 50 ft. from where I stand at the other parking lot. I mean, I guess I could continue past that on the road - where there isn't even a bike path.......

I decided to go with the "sidewalk closed ahead" option, figuring at least it might take me farther and I'd be running against traffic, which is the safe way to do it. And maybe I could get back down to my trail. Except as I reached the top of the hill, I looked down and realized something.

I know I have very few reasons to complain when I'm out running at the beach the first week of February, but seriously, SERIOUSLY this is NOT a detour. It made what should have been an enjoyable run into a nightmare of weaving through traffic and trying to climb over fences and construction trying to figure out how to get on a trail where I could actually run. Meh.

My second detour comes in the form of food. Because as I type this, I am full to bursting from our annual Super Bowl Pizza extravaganza. It goes a little something like: Hey, we should EACH get our own pizza. And breadsticks. And chicken wings. And of course there is beer and soda involved, and usually chips - though this year we slacked a bit. I know we're not the only ones who over indulge during the big game. Nachos, potato skins, chili, beer, beer, dips, chips, beer. For many of us who have sworn to eat better in 2011, Superbowl Sunday is just a blimp, a little detour before we return to our healthier eating habits. And after overindulging, I'm usually in the mood for something lighter for a good long time. Lighter like salads, bursting with fresh crispness. Lighter like soups lacking in meat. I'm a huge fan of lentil soup after a night of over-indulging. It makes me feel like I'm cleaning house. Lentils are high in both protein and fiber and while there are a million ways to prepare them, I am always partial to soup. Add some tofu in here for extra protein and heft, and I promise you won't even feel the need to overindulge.

Lentil Soup with Tofu
1 1/2 lbs tomatoes
1 cup celery, chopped
1 carrot, sliced
1 onion, chopped
1/2 green pepper, chopped
1 whole clove
1/2 lemon
7 oz tofu, drained, pressed, diced
1/2 lb lentils
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1 bay leaf
salt
pepper

1. Take 1 of the tomatoes, chop and set aside.
2. Cut the rest of the tomatoes and put them with 1/2 cup water in a soup pot.
3. Add the green pepper, clove, and half of the celery, carrot, and onion. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes.
4. Strain, season with juice from 1/2 the lemon, and return to pot.
5. Add all the remaining ingredients (except tofu), along with 1 qt. of water to the pot. Return to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer 40 minutes, until lentils are tender.

An Alternative to Cornbread

One of the reasons I love going to the Farmer's Market every week is because of the great local vendors. I love supporting them, and it's easy to do when they have such an amazing selection. In general, I get all my preserves from Jackie's Jams, but the past couple weeks another stand has drawn my attention. It's probably the hot pink banner that draws me in, but it could very well be the name that attracts me to Rockstar Preserves.

What I really liked about Rockstar Preserves is that they have more than just preserves (so I can stay loyal to Jackie's Jams too). They also have some really delicious sauces. As I was tasting the Ancho Chili Sauce, I was informed that this was a key ingredient in their amazing chili recipe. Well you don't have to say "chili" to me twice! I was given the recipe and sworn to secrecy. Although, if you haven't picked a good chili for the Superbowl, it seems that the secret recipe might also be available on their website.

My favorite chili side is cornbread, but I was also making turkey and hominy soup this weekend and had some hominy to use up. Tossing the hominy into a spoon bread makes for an excellent substitution to a buttery cornbread. Spoonbread is typically a bit lighter, so it won't steal the attention from your favorite dark and flavorful chili. I like to think of it as a cross between cornbread and Yorkshire pudding - light, airy, and deliciously corny! It has the same golden color as cornbread which is perfectly complementary to most soups, stews, and of course, chili!

Alsace's Spoon Bread (From the Fannie Farmer Cookbook)
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup milk
1/2 cup grits
1/2 cup canned hominy
1 tsp baking powder
3 Tbsp butter
1/2 tsp salt

1. Preheat oven to 375. Butter a baking dish.
2. Combine all ingredients and beat until well blended.
3. Pour into the baking dish and bake 50-60 minutes or until a straw inserted into the center comes out clean.

The Things We Do For Love

Thatboy rarely makes meal requests. Usually when I make the meal plan for the week and ask if there's anything he wants on it, he replies with "whatever you make sounds good." Helpful.

So I really take it to heart when he makes a request. Last year I was making a special meal for Thatboy and asked him if there was anything he wanted. He was very specific:

Rack of Lamb
Polenta
Ratatouille

Apparently this was a "I feel homesick" meal, but I didn't know that at the time. It frequently is a holiday meal prepared by his parents (TFIL makes the lamb, TMIL does the polenta and ratatouille.) As is typical for me, I made everything completely different than his family does. And as per usual, he was bowled over. It's nice to be appreciated.

I used to be afraid to make rack of lamb, because of constant comparison to TFIL. Except, TFIL's kitchen skills are deteriorating with age, and I make a mean rack of lamb. Despite my trepidations, Thatboy has never once compared my rack of lamb to his father's. Then again, he could just be smart. I make mine with rosemary and garlic, because it couldn't be easier and I love rosemary with lamb. Served with some mushroom stuffing, this becomes a meal fit for royalty. Or my husband. Same difference.

Rack of Lamb
1 rack of lamb (2-3 ribs per person)
olive oil
1 sprig of rosemary, chopped
1 clove garlic, cut into slivers
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp chopped onion
2 Tbsp chopped celery
2 cups of breadcrumbs.
1/4 cup chopped mushrooms

1. Preheat oven to 350. Place lamb in pan and rub with olive oil to coat.
2. Rub rosemary into the lamb. Make 4-5 slits in the rack and stick the slivers of garlic in the slits.
3. Melt butter in saucepan and cook onion and celery until tender. Toss with breadcrumbs and mushrooms.
4. Circle the rack of lamb and fill the middle of the circle with stuffing. Cook 1 hour 15 minutes, or until meat is desired doneness.

I love a good polenta. Grits, polenta - I've never met a corn grain I didn't like. TMIL apparently prepares it with water and no other seasoning. Sounds yummy, right? I like mine in a super Italian style, covered in a thick ragu. And by ragu I mean a meat sauce, not the brand of pasta sauce. And just like everything else, cheese is sure to make it even more delicious. This is my favorite way to eat polenta and can very well be a meal in itself.

Cheesy Polenta with Meat Sauce
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 Tbsp olive oil
4 Tbsp tomato paste
1 1/4 cups chopped tomatoes
1/2 carrot, grated
pepper
1/2 cup basil, chopped
3 Tbsp butter
salt
1 cup coarse cornmeal
1 Italian sausage, sliced
1/4 cup sliced mushrooms
1/4 lb cheddar cheese, cubed

1. Heat 1 Tbsp oil in large saucepan and cook 1/2 of the chopped onion and the garlic for 2 minutes.
2. Stir in the tomato paste, tomatoes, carrot, pepper, and half of the basil. Simmer for 30 minutes, adding water to get desired consistency. Stir in 2 Tbsp butter.
3. Boil 3.5 cups of water and add 1/2 Tbsp salt. Slowly stir in the cornmeal in a thin steady stream. Cook for 20 minutes.
4. Spread polenta into a baking dish and keep warm.
5. Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in a saucepan and cook remaining onions until soft. Add sausage and cook another couple of minutes.
6. Add mushrooms and cook another couple minutes. Add sauce, remaining basil and simmer for 30 minutes, adding water to reach desired consistency.
7. Add last Tbsp of olive oil to sauce.
8. Preheat oven to 350. Dot polenta with cubes of cheese and bake until cheese is melted. Spoon sauce overtop.

My mom used to make ratatouille...I think. Honestly I can't remember, but it sounds like something she would do. I've never been a huge fan which is why I don't remember. And I've never made it before, so I had nothing to base it on. I turned to the pro - Julia Child. This was a little labor intensive, but Thatboy said it was excellent. It was a little oily, and made a ton, so I would probably use as little oil as possible if I made it again.


Ratatouille(From Mastering the Art of French Cooking by Julia Child)
½ lb eggplant
½ lb zucchini
1 tsp salt
4 Tbsp olive oil, more if needed
½ lb thinly sliced yellow onions
2 sliced green bell peppers
2-3 Tbsp olive oil
2 cloves mashed garlic
1 lb firm, ripe, red tomatoes, peeled, seeded and sliced
3 Tbsp minced parsley
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Peel the eggplant and cut into slices 3/8 inch thick, about 3 inches long, and 1 inch wide.
2. Cut the zucchini like the eggplant. Place both in a bowl and toss with the salt. Let stand for 30 minutes.
3. Drain your eggplant and zucchini slices.
4. Heat the olive oil in a pan and sautée the eggplant and zucchini until browned on both sides. Remove from the pan and set aside.
5. Cook the onions and the peppers in olive oil for about 10 minutes, or until tender. Stir in the garlic.
6. Layer the sliced tomatoes over the onions and peppers. Season with salt and pepper. Cover the skillet and cook over low heat for 5 minutes.
7. Uncover, baste with the juices, raise heat and boil for several minutes, until juice has almost evaporated.
8. Place a third of the tomato mixture in the bottom of a heavy pot and sprinkle 1 Tbsp parsley over.
9. Arrange half of the eggplant and zucchini on top, then half the remaining tomatoes and parsley.
10. Put in the rest of the eggplant and zucchini, and finish with the remaining tomatoes and parsley.
11. Cover the pot and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes.
12. Uncover, tip pot and baste with the juices. Cook 15 minutes more, basting several times.

Baby, Baby, Baby

Last year was a little slow on the baby front. I mean sure, I had a couple here and there, but spread through the year - not like in years past. 2008, 2009, there were babies babies everywhere. It seemed like every time I turned around, another friend was pregnant. But in 2010, it seems like most people took a break from making dem babes.

It looks like 2011 we're up and breeding again! I don't want to give out too much information, because after all, it's not my news to share, but starting in July I'm going to be inundated with wiggly little fingers and toes. And (I'm not fabulous at pregnancy math) but I think the year is not over yet! Some of my friends are expecting their first, some their second, and some have come a really long road to get to where they are. I'm so happy for all my expectant mamas!!!!!!

Now I know Thatmom is getting sick of shrimp recipes, so I promise something COMPLETELY DIFFERENT tomorrow night. But tonight? Well, my friend Branny was asking about sunchokes the other day. I LOVE sunchokes (Jerusalem artichokes) and was surprised that a lot of people had never had them anymore. And if you haven't gotten it by now, I love artichokes and shrimp together. So think of this as a sunchoke/Jerusalem artichoke recipe with a side of shrimp.

If you love artichoke hearts, than there is just no reason why you shouldn't like sunchokes. They're called Jerusalem artichokes for a reason people! It's because they taste just like artichoke hearts! But without the extra work or time. Think of them as "baby chokes" (see how I tied in my baby theme there? I'm just such a genius.)

Jerusalem Artichokes
1 lb Jerusalem artichokes/sunchokes
2 Tbsp finely chopped parsley
3 Tbsp butter
salt and pepper

1. Wash and peel the chokes. Drop them in cold water with just a squeeze of lemon juice. Boil about 15 minutes.
2. Remove from heat, drain (like pasta). Slice in half and toss with parsley and butter. Season with salt and pepper to taste.


Sauteed Shrimp (For that leftover parsley)
1 lb shrimp
2 Tbsp butter
1 tsp parsley, minced

1. Shell shrimp, leaving tail on. Melt the butter in a skillet and add the shrimp.
2. Cook over high heat, turning shrimp until they turn pink (about 5 minutes)
3. Remove from heat and sprinkle with parsley.

Artik Menta Shocolad Banana

I'm going to assume that most of you never went to Jewish Summer Camp.

Which means I'm going to assume that most of you have no idea what the title of the post refers to.

And the three of you who get it are rolling around your room right now all "woooaahhh shocolad banana"ing just as fast as you can.


A little intro for the unfamiliar. The song consists of 4 verses:

Artik Menta Shocolad Banana
Artik Menta Shocolad Limon
Woooaaahh Shocolad Banana
Woooaaah Shocolad Limon

The goal of the song is to repeat it over and over again, getting faster each time. (Because every good camp song involves repetition). Eventually you can't make out any of the words because they're just a buzz of syllables. Inevitably there are crazy hip and arm movements that get thrown in, for good times. It's a sure fire kid pleaser.

I always liked it because although I have NO idea what the words actually mean, to me they always represented food. I mean, Banana and Limon are a given. Shocolad is clearly "chocolate" and Menta could only be "Mint." But where does that leave poor Artik? In my little head (and Thatboy is always pointing out how little my head is) Artik is Artik-choke. One of my all time favorite green vegetables.

We love artichokes so much, that when we got married, Thatboy and I registered for a pressure cooker - JUST for cooking artichokes. Artichokes may be a little time consuming, but they couldn't be easier to make. I think many people are intimidated by those sharp leaves, but they hide such goodness inside! And the hearts themselves don't require any work to get to the meat. A little tip I just learned recently - don't trim the stems!!!! Cook them with the 'chokes and then detach. They taste JUST like artichoke hearts and can be used in much the same fashion.

Thatboy likes them dipped in mayonnaise. I can't think of anything more disgusting. I'm a melted butter girl myself. But I don't think it's a secret that butter is one of my favorite guilty pleasures.

Artichokes
1. I told you not to trim the stems off, but you will want to cut off the leaves on the stem.
2. Remove the thick bottom leaves from the artichoke.
3. Slice off the top inch of the artichoke.
4. Use scissors to trim the pointy owie part off the rest of the leaves.
5. If you don't have a pressure cooker, boil the artichokes in a large pot for 40 minutes, or until the leaves come off easily. Drain upside down.

Celebrate Good Times

The past week and a half has been hard core "trial time" at my firm. I feel really thankful that I'm at a place where we're encouraged to head down to the court and watch a master in action. Because the trial attorney? Man he is GOOD. He is so good in fact, that we won our case today! The jury deliberated for an hour and came back with a unanimous vote in our favor. Which is very rare.

I remember the first time the trial attorney started focusing on this case and had me break it down for him. He asked for my opinion on the case and I told him I thought we had a solid case, but it was going to be a hard sell to the jury. We all thought it was going to be a much closer case than it was.

After the verdict came down, we closed up the office and headed out to celebrate with the client. Which is the best part about having a small office and winning a trial. So it was a late night at the bar. I was planning on just doing a quick blog write-up with another quick shrimp dish, but check it out - it's already become a full fledged story with picture. You lucky people you!!!!

For those of you who are bored by boiling shrimp in plain old water, this is a very easy twist. Basically you cook the shrimp in a shrimp broth. You can also save the broth and turn it into a sauce or a "fish stock."

Shrimp in Court Bouillon (From the Fannie Farmer Cookbook)
4 Tbsp butter
1/3 cup chopped carrot
1/3 cup chopped onion
1/3 cup chopped celery
4 sprigs parsley
pepper
2 cloves
1/2 bay leaf
2 Tbsp vinegar
1 Tbsp salt
2 lbs raw unshelled shrimp

1. Melt the butter in a saucepan and cook carrots, celery, and onion for 3 minutes.
2. Add parsley, pepper, cloves, bay leaf, vinegar, salt, and 2 quarts of water. Bring to a boil.
3. Add the shrimp and cook for about 4 minutes. Drain, cool, and shell.