I'm Eating a Souffle

Phyllo Cups with Cream & Berries

2011-04-12T09:20:00.001-04:00

I recently hosted a baby shower for a close friend, and it was very rewarding. Thankfully I had a lot of friends willing to help out with the food, but I still made quite a bit of it: mini chocolate cupcakes with ganache, rosemary skewers, and phyllo cups filled with delicious tangy cream and topped with a variety of fresh berries. I was so busy the morning of the shower, that I completely forgot to take photos of all the tasty edibles, so this is the best I could find. The phyllo cups are on the left, and I've been making them for baby showers since 2007. (Ok, so this is only the second shower I've made them for, but "since 2007" just sounds so cool, doesn't it?) Also, I multiplied the recipe by 4 so it made about 48 cups.

Phyllo Cups with Cream Filling
makes 12
4 TB butter, melted
4 sheets phyllo dough
1/4 cup sugar

filling*:
1/3 cup whipping cream
1/3 cup sour cream
2 T sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla

Place oven rack in lower third of oven and preheat to 350. Butter insides and rims of muffin tin. Place 1 sheet of phyllo on a clean surface. Brush with butter. Sprinkle with 1 Tb of sugar. Cover with a second sheet of phyllo. Brush with butter and sprinkle with sugar. Repeat with 2 more sheets of phyllo, ending the layer with butter and sugar.

Cut the stack of phyllo sheets into twelve squares. Place one square stack into each muffin cup. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden. Remove from oven and gently loosen. Cool completely. (Cups may be stored airtight at room temperature up to 2 days.)

Beat filling ingredients until almost stiff. Spoon into cooled phyllo cups, and top with anything you want! I used a mixture of sliced strawberries, blueberries & raspberries.

*I'm sure you could also fill these cups with ice cream, sorbet, mousse, custard, or just fruit.

Kale Chips

2011-04-08T09:52:00.018-04:00

(photo from smitten kitchen)

Green Veggies. Eat more green vegetables, is what I hear the little nutritionist say in my head on a regular basis. But besides the usual spinach in salad, omelettes & green smoothies, as well as a smattering of others (asparagus, broccoli, green beans, yummy lettuces) I feel like I'm pretty boring in the choice of greens that I eat. What about collard greens, or even kale? I think, as I peruse the leafy greens at the grocery store. But usually I take the familiar road, and resist the siren call of the swiss chard.

I encountered a recipe on smitten kitchen, my most-read food blog, for baked kale chips, and I was intrigued, but didn't think much of it (probably because it was posted a couple weeks after I delivered a baby!) until yesterday, when I bought some kale, intending to puree it up for said baby. Then I remembered the kale chip recipe, and whipped up a batch before I knew it. They were light. And oh so crispy. And surprisingly...tasty (despite how kale tastes raw, which isn't so delicious).
So go make some of these lovelies!

KALE CHIPS

1/2 bunch kale
drizzle of olive oil
sprinkling of salt

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Wash kale & pat dry, then remove stems and center ribs. Cut or break into chip-sized pieces, then toss with olive oil on the pan. Be sure to place the pieces in a single layer to ensure crisping. Sprinkle lightly with salt, but don't overdo it! Bake until crisp, about 20 minutes. Eat as soon as possible.

Carrot, Apple, Zucchini & Walnut Bread

2011-03-10T12:20:00.009-05:00

Ok, so this recipe was originally titled "Garden Harvest Bread" in a Cooking Light magazine called quick baking, but I decided I liked my version better, with all those healthy ingredients listed out. Not because I'm a health nut, but beacuse I'm a mom now, and I'm supposed to be feeding my little one-year-old the good stuff. No seriously; since James stopped eating purees, I have been stumped as to how I can quickly and easily feed him 4-5 times per day without boring him with the same old fruits, vegetables and grains. Once I found this recipe, though, I knew it was perfect. He loved it!

Carrot, Apple, Zucchini & Walnut Bread

1 cup flour (I used all-purpose, but you could definitely substiute some whole wheat here)

3/4 cup sugar

2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup grated peeled apple (I used Granny Smith)

1/2 cup grated carrot

1/2 cup grated zucchini

1/4 cup chopped walnuts (toasted optional)

1/4 cup canola oil

1/4 cup buttermilk or whole milk

2 large eggs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine flour, sugar, cinnamon, soda & salt in large bowl. Stir in apple, carrot, zucchini & walnuts; make a well in center of mixture. Combine canola oil, buttermilk & eggs in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add egg mixture to four mixture, stirring just until combined. Spoon batter into a greased and floured 8 x 4-inch loaf pan. Bake at 350 for 50 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pan on a wire rack; remove bread from pan. Cool completely on wire rack before slicing.

Orange Sweet Rolls

2011-02-07T12:29:00.011-05:00

This recipe is actually one that I tweaked from Our Best Bites, a lovely food blog. You could say that it would have to take a recipe this tasty to bring me back from the blogging dead. Not that I haven't made anything worth posting about in the past seven months, but this is different. It's a yeast bread, and really, what could be more warm, soft and comforting? Pasta? A close second.

So here's the recipe:

2 cups whole milk
½ c. + 1 Tbsp. sugar, divided
1/3 c. butter
2 tsp. Kosher salt
2 pkgs. active dry yeast (or 4 1/2 tsp.)
2/3 c. warm (105-115-degree) water
8-9 c. all-purpose flour (I only used 7.5 cups)
3 beaten eggs

orange roll filling:
8 T butter, softened
2/3 c. sugar
zest of an orange

orange roll glaze:
1 1/3 cup powdered sugar
4 T melted butter
1/2 cup orange juice

Combine milk, 1/2 c. sugar, butter, and salt in a medium saucepan. Heat over medium heat until butter melts. Remove from heat. Allow to cool to lukewarm. While the milk mixture is cooling, dissolve the yeast and 1 Tbsp. sugar in warm water. Let stand about 10 minutes.

In a large mixing bowl, combine 3 c. flour and milk mixture. Beat on low for 30 seconds, scraping sides of bowl constantly. Add yeast mixture and beat on high for 3 minutes. Add beaten eggs.

Stir in as much remaining flour as needed to make a soft dough. This dough should be very soft--it will be coming away from the sides of the bowl, but it will still stick to your finger when you touch it. Place the bowl in a warm place and cover with a clean towel; allow to rise 1 hour (I actually didn't think the dough had risen enough at this point, so I let it go another 30 minutes).

Punch down dough. Lightly flour your work surface and turn dough out onto surface. Divide in half. Roll out one part of the dough into a rectangle about 1/3" thick. Spread half (4 T) of the softened butter evenly over the dough, and then sprinkle half of the sugar-zest mixture over the dough. Roll up, jelly-roll style, and cut (I used floss for this) into 12-16 rolls. Place in a greased 9 x 13 pan; cover with a cloth and let rise in a ward place for 30 minutes. (Repeat with second half of dough).

Here are the little cuties, rising before being baked.

Bake at 375 for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. When rolls are slightly cooled, drizzle glaze mixture on top.

And if your name is Miguel or Bready, you were the lucky ones who enjoyed a fresh plate of these guys the night I baked them. And I enjoyed six of them the following day.

Carrot Cake

2010-07-08T13:51:00.013-04:00

Last June, my dad had a birthday, so I decided to make him a cake. I chose a carrot cake, in memory of a carrot cake he made once, over twenty years ago when I was in kindergarten. He made it with cream cheese frosting that was almost as thick as the cake, and brought it to my kindergarten class for the snack that day. Imagine what parents today would say if he tried to bring something so "unhealthy" to feed little 5-year-olds! Ha!

Once again, this recipe is from "Baking" by Dorie Greenspan. Already I've made these cookies and numerous other tasty items from its pages (you don't know about them becuase I haven't blogged about them!) and I've enjoyed most of what I've tried. But if you ask my husband, he'd tell you that this cake is the best so far.

Carrot Cake

for the cake:

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

2 tsp baking soda

2 tsp ground cinnamon

3/4 tsp salt

3 cups grated carrot

1 cup chopped walnuts

1 cup shredded coconut

1/2 cup raisins or dried cranberries

2 cups sugar

1 cup canola oil

4 large eggs

for the frosting:

8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

1 stick (8 Tb) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 pound (3 3/4 cups) confectioners' sugar, sifted

1 Tb fresh lemon juice

1/2 cup shredded coconut (optional)

finely chopped toasted nuts and toasted shredded coconut, for topping (optional)

Position the racks to divide the oven into thirds and preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Butter & flour three 9"x2" round cake pans. Place two pans on one baking sheet, and one on another.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. In another bowl, stir together the carrots, chopped nuts, coconut & raisins.

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the sugar and oil together on medium speed until smooth. Add the eggs one by one, and continue to beat until the batter is even smoother. Reduce speed to low and add the flour mixture, mixing only until the dry ingredients disappear. Gently mix in the chunky ingredients. Divide the batter among the baking pans.

Bake for 40-50 minutes, rotating the pans from top to bottom and front to back at the midway point, until a thin knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Transfer cakes to cooling racks and cool for 10 minutes, then unmold them, and cool to room temperature.

Make the frosting: Working with a stand mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter together until smooth and creamy. Gradually add the sugar and continue to beat until the frosting is velvety smooth. Beat in lemon juice.

Assemble the cake: Put one layer top side up on a cardboard cake round or a cake plate protected by strips of wax paper. Cover the layer generously with frosting, using an offset spatula to smooth it all the way to the edges of the layer. Top with the second layer, this time placing the cake top side down, and frost with more frosting. Top with the last layer, right side up, and frost the top (and the sides, if you want) of the cake. Sprinkle with nuts or coconut, if desired. Refrigerate 30 minutes to set the frosting, before serving.

Cookies and Cream (mini!) Cheesecakes

2010-06-27T15:06:00.006-04:00

For the past twenty years or so, my mother has made a divine chocolate-chip cheesecake which most of my siblings and I requested on a regular basis for our birthday celebrations throughout our childhood/teenage years. I thought that someday I would make tasty cheesecakes, and have the skills of my mom in the cheesecake-baking department. Fast-forward to today. Five years after moving out of my parents' house to live on my own, I still enjoy a good piece of cheesecake every now and then (mostly at the exorbitantly priced Cheesecake Factory), but I've never attempted to make one at home, mostly because I don't own a springform pan.

Finally, a couple weeks ago I found a cheesecake recipe I wanted to try--and could try, since all it required was a muffin tin and some paper liners. Well, it turned out even better than I imagined it would. I loved these little guys. And that is saying something, since usually I have at least a few critical remarks about new recipes I try.

If that's not enough reason for you to go home and make these right away, here are a few more reasons that these are incredible:

1. There is no need for cutting these babies. No complicated fancy slicing techniques you need to master. Just pop 'em out of their muffin papers, and voila! Dessert.

2. You don't have to eat this with a fork. You can, of course, if you'd like to be a little more civilized. But, if you want to pack these for a picnic or a sack lunch, you're good to go without any fork at all. How awesome is that? When was the last time you pulled out a cheesecake for dessert after your turkey sandwich at work?

Mini Cookies & Cream Cheesecakes
adapted from Martha Stewart's Cupcakes
Makes 12

18 Oreos, 12 left whole and 6 coarsely chopped
1 lb cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 large eggs, room temperature, lightly beaten
1/2 cup sour cream
pinch of salt

1. Preheat oven to 275. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Place one whole cookie in the bottom of each lined cup.

2. With an electric mixer, beat cream cheese until smooth. Gradually add sugar, and beat until combined. Beat in vanilla.

3. Drizzle in eggs, a bit at a time, beating to combine. Beat in sour cream and salt. Stir in chopped cookies by hand.

4. Divide batter evenly among cookie-filled cups, filling each (pretty much) to the top. Bake, rotating pan halfway through, until filling is set, about 24 minutes. Transfer tin to a wire rack to cool completely. Refrigerate at least 4 hours (or up to overnight). Remove from tins just before serving.

fish tacos

2010-06-02T20:44:00.004-04:00

If you've never had a fish taco before, as I hadn't, I highly recommend these. They're really, really good.

Fish Tacos

from Everyday Food (May 2010)

1 pound tilapia filets, cut into pieces

2 Tb olive oil

1/4 c sour cream

1 lime

hot sauce (I used Cholula)

12 corn tortillas

1/4 head red cabbage, thinly sliced

1 cup fresh cilantro

1 small white onion, finely diced

Heat broiler with the rack in the highest position. Pat fish dry and lightly coat with oil and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Broil until opaque throughout, about 5 minutes.

In a small bowl combine sour cream with zest and juice of the lime, and add a few dashes of hot sauce. Season with salt and pepper. Lightly brown tortillas in a pan over medium heat.

Assemble tacos with all ingredients, and prepare for tasty deliciousness!

Souffle has a Baby!

2010-05-04T10:33:00.008-04:00

At 3 weeks old during a fun-filled photo shoot courtesy of Shayla

The day he was born: 6 lbs 10 ounces and 20 inches long

Here he is at 7 weeks old in his sweet kicks from Corinne

He arrived March 11th, 2010 at 2:10 am. We love him!

Excess Monterey Jack

2009-10-12T21:21:00.003-04:00

What do you make with Monterey Jack cheese? I inherited 2 pounds of it, and I never cook with monterey jack; I usually go with pepper jack cheese because it has more flavor.

Anyone have any favorite recipes that use it?

Salt & Pepper Cocoa Shortbreads

2009-04-27T20:25:00.011-04:00

Baking by Dorie Greenspan is a marvelous cookbook I stumbled upon at Half Price Books in January. Without a job at the time and a fair(okay, large) amount of spare time on my hands, I knew I could make some seriously delicious things with this book, having experienced a few of its recipes at the hand of my talented friend Tori (rugelach, anyone?) while we still lived in Virginia. I didn't bake much during our 3 years away from Texas; a 45-minute commute meant long 12-hour days, and one school year of teaching seminary at 6 am meant we were lucky to make dinner a few times a week let alone create desserts.
-

I've only made three confections from this book so far, but two of the three have been divine. Including this one. A few notes: feel free to skip the fleur de sel and replace it with regular old salt. I did, and they tasted fine. However, now that I live 3 minutes from Central Market, I have some of the called-for stuff, and plan to use it next time I make these cookies. Which will be soon, because they are tasty. And addictive--they're so dainty, that eating 3 or even 8 doesn't seem like overdoing it.

Salt & Pepper Cocoa Shortbreads

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature

2/3 cup confectioners' sugar

1 large egg yolk
3/4 teaspoon fleur de sel or 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

1/2 teaspoon coarsley ground black pepper

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Sift the flour and cocoa together. Working with a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium-low speed until soft and smooth. Add the confectioners' sugar and continue to beat until the butter is satiny. Add the yolk, salt, pepper and vanilla and beat until the mixture is once again smooth. Add the flour-cocoa mixture in 3 additions, beating on low speed only until each addition is incorporated.

Turn the dough out onto a work surface and gather it together. Divide it in half and roll each half into a log that is 1 to 11/4 inches thick and about 6 inches long. Once the logs are formed, wrap them in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

Position the racks in the oven to divide it into thirds and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats. Using a thin-bladed knife, cut the logs into 1/2-inch thick rounds and place the rounds on the baking sheets, leaving at least 1 inch between the rounds.

Bake for 14-16 minutes, rotating the baking sheets from top to bottom and front to back at the 7-minute mark; the cookies should feel reasonably firm to the touch. Remove the baking sheets from the oven and transfer the cookies to a rack to cool to room temperature.

I'm a white girl; what can I say?

2009-04-26T17:44:00.006-04:00

This evening for dinner I made a very tasty recipe for pulled-pork tacos. No, this wasn't your classic cider vineager and brown sugar flavored pork, or the coke-doused version of sweet Cafe Rio pulled pork. It was different than any I'd ever had before, and I liked it a lot more than I expected. The cocoa gives it a distinct and earthy flavor, and the chili powder is really the star of the whole flavor-show, I thought (unless you pour BBQ sauce on your taco, like Ezra did, and "change" (I won't say "ruin") the whole experience). So, my advice to you is: try and find the best chili powder you can. I don't say "most expensive" for a reason. Recenty I discovered the beauty of bulk spices at my local Central Market. Not only are they more fresh and (I think) better tasting than the ones you buy in jars, they are 10 times cheaper (literally. I did the math). It is incredible, and I love it.

The recipe also called for a slow-cooker, and as one who grudgingly pulls out the crock-pot maybe 3-4 times a year, it reminded me of what an awesome kitchen tool it is, and how forgotten it is in my cooking repetoire. Hello 5-minute prep time!

And now, to explain the title of this post. We ate our tacos this evening, as directed, with corn tortillas. I am generally not a huge fan of corn tortillas unless I'm deep frying them in strips and serving them on top of tortilla soup. So, while I did enjoy this recipe with corn tortillas, I think it might be improved upon if you used flour tortillas instead. I just can't help my affinity for flour tortillas because that's what I grew up eating. However, I think I might be able to develop a taste for them in time. My next test will be to make this pork again and eat it with flour tortillas and see which I prefer.

Pulled-Pork tacos

Real Simple, feb 2009

2 cups salsa, plus more for serving

2 tablespoons chili powder

2 tablespoons dried oregano

2 tablespoons cocoa powder (unsweetened)

kosher salt

2 1/2 lb boneless pork butt or shoulder

corn tortillas

cilantro

sour cream

limes, cut in wedges

Trim pork of excess fat. In a 4-6 quart slow cooker, combine the salsa, chili powder, oregano, cocoa, and 1 teaspoon salt. Add the pork and turn to coat.

Cook, covered, until the meat is tenderand pulls apart easily, on high for 4-5 hours or on low for 7-8 hours.

Once finished, shred the pork and stir into the cooking liquid. Serve with remaining ingredients.

A note: we only had a cup of salsa, so I halved all the spices as well, and I thought it was plenty of sauce. Edit as you see fit!

Another note: Ezra thinks this dish should be called "Southwestern Pulled Pork Tacos".

Another Tasty Recipe from Real Simple

2009-03-04T10:50:00.006-05:00

This recipe is very simple, relatively fast, and delicious. Since none of my photos turned out, here's the one RS posted on their website.

Marinara Sauce with Olives, Basil & Feta

1 Tb olive oil

4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

1 1/2 tsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

1 tsp sugar

16 ounces penne

1/2 cup pitted & halved kalamata olives

1/2 cup torn fresh basil leaves

3/4 c (3 ounces) crumbled feta

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until golden but not browned, about 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and their juices, red pepper, oregano, salt, and sugar. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until the sauce thickens slightly, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat. Add olives, basil & feta and toss.

Cook the penne according to the package directions. Drain and divide among individual places. Spoon the sauce over the top.

Easy Chocolate Sauce

2009-03-02T22:16:00.009-05:00

Recently after dinner I was craving something sweet, and all we had was some vanilla ice cream lurking in the freezer. I'm not one to eat vanilla ice cream without accoutrements of some sort, so I looked up a chocolate sauce recipe that I knew I'd had for years, but had never attempted for whatever reason. It is shamefully easy, but sinfully chocolate-y. It's not a thick, fudgy chocolate sauce, but the taste really packs a punch--as long as you use a really flavorful cocoa. I used Ghirardelli instead of Hershey's because the former just smelled richer.

Chocolate Sauce

1/2 c butter

2/3 c sugar

1/2 c cocoa

1/2 c water

1 tsp vanilla

Melt butter in saucepan; in separate bowl, stir together sugar and cocoa. Blend sugar/cocoa mixture into melted butter. Add water and vanilla.

Note: I didn't use the full 1/2 cup of water the recipe calls for; but I used almost a half cup. I would add and taste until it suits you.

Gnocchi!

2009-02-17T18:34:00.005-05:00

In our transition from living in Virginia to living in Texas again, we elected to stay with my parents for a time. It turned out to be a short time, only about 5 weeks, and now we are on our own again, in The Village apartments in Dallas.

When we left my parents house about 2 weeks ago, my mother showered us with all sorts of food—mostly of the food-storage variety--and this bounty included about 5 bags of potato pearls. I’m not the biggest fan of potato pearls, and although they store forever (or so I’m told), I actually wanted to eat them—but not in the usual eat-potatoes-with-roast or whatever you eat mashed potatoes with way.

So I’ve been researching recipes of all kinds that used mashed potatoes in them: pierogis, potato dumplings, samosas, potato croquettes, and, of course, gnocchi. If you haven’t heard of gnocchi before, you’re in for a treat. It’s a simple potato-based pasta, and the little doughy tidbits look like cute little pillows of yum.

Gnocchi (adapted from Joy of Cooking)

2 2/3 cups cooked potato pearls
1 1/3 cups all purpose flour*
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3 tablespoons butter, melted, or olive oil

Combine the potatoes in a bowl with the flour, salt and nutmeg. Stir vigorously, then turn onto a well-floured work surface and knead until smooth and combined. (Note: although the recipe only calls for 1 1/3 cups flour, I had to use quite a bit more, so don't be shy about sprinkling more flour onto your dough and kneading it in if it feels quite sticky). Bring 3-4 inches of salted water to a simmer in a large pot.

Roll about 2 tablespoons of the dough into a cylinder 3/4 inch wide. Cut it into pieces 3/4 inch long. Drop gnocchi pillows into simmering water and cook until they float, about 2 minutes. They should hold a firm shape and be chewy to the bite. If they turn out slimy and soft, knead in a few more tablespoons of flour and test the dough again.

When the dough is right, separate the dough into ropes, and cut as directed above, and then cook the rest of the gnocchi in 2-3 batches. Once cooked, remove to a wide bowl and drizzle some of the melted butter over the gnocchi. Toss to coat.

Serve at once with:
-additional melted butter and grated parmesan (the real stuff!)
-a tomato sauce
-pesto sauce

Pita Chips

2008-12-07T10:37:00.003-05:00

So this post has been delayed for...a long time. I've been making pita chips for a few years now, and they are usually eaten with our kabobs in the summertime--but they're great to eat with anything! They're so easy to make, and tasty to eat. Here's the recipe:

Homemade Pita Chips

pita bread
olive oil
garlic salt

Cut pita rounds into wedges; we like to cut each into 6 pieces, but if you prefer wider or narrower chips, experiment and find what you like. (Note: using a (sharp) pizza cutter is the most efficient way to cut the pitas).

Place the wedges on a baking sheet in a single layer. Brush one side lightly with olive oil, then sprinkle lightly with garlic salt. At this point, you can add any other spices of your choosing if you so desire.

Bake the pita wedges in the oven until a light golden brown color. The temperature of the oven can vary from 450 to broil; just make sure you watch them carefully to prevent burning. You don't need to turn them, and they only take about 5 minutes or so to bake.

Restaurant Week

2008-08-19T11:27:00.005-04:00

So I went to two DC restaurants during restaurant week (last week) for lunches. I was only planning to eat at one (due to budget constraints) but ended up at both, and I'm very glad I did!

The first was Olives and I was a little disappointed by the restaurant week menu (the selection was less than tasty-looking) compared with their regular menu that I read online. However, as soon as I got into my first course, a lovely melon and prosciutto salad, I quickly changed my mind. I'm not usually a fan of the traditional pairing, but this was amazing. A thin layer of salty prosciutto followed by wispy slices of both honeydew and cantalope was finished with pine nuts, pomagranete molasses, and a little mint. Yum! My main dish was a breezy zucchini squash hollowed out and filled with creamy rock shrimp risotto-wow. Exquisite. I am now in a love affair with risotto, and I want to make it at home right away!

The second was a major disappointment, although I had heard rave reviews about it. Teatro Goldoni, an Italian restaurant, failed to deliver with their gorgonzola penne. It was boring. And the miniature scoop of green apple sorbet to finish wasn't great either. So I doubt I'd return to Teatro for another meal.

Two Zucchini Dishes

2008-08-16T09:12:00.003-04:00

These two recipes are both favorites...I use them regularly. One is healthy, and the other is definitely not.

Zucchini, Bacon & Gruyere Quiche

Gourmet, Dec 2005

6-8 servings

1 9" pie dough round

1/4 lb sliced bacon, coarsely chopped

2 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise, then cut crosswise into 1/8" slices

1/2 tsp salt

3/4 c. heavy cream

3/4 c. whole milk

1/4 tsp. black pepper

3 large eggs

2 oz. Gruyere, coarsely grated (1 cup)

Preheat oven to 450 with rack in middle of oven.

Fit pie dough into pie plate and lightly prick all over. Bake according to package instructions, then transfer crust (in plate) to a rack.

Reduce temperature to 350.

While crust bakes, cook bacon in skillet over moderately-high heat until just crisp. Transfer to paper towel, reserving fat in skillet.

Add zucchini and 1/4 tsp salt to fat in skillet and saute over moderately high heat, stirring frequently, until zucchini is tender and starting to brown, about 5 minutes; then transfer to a plate.

Heat cream, milk, pepper and remaining 1/4 tsp salt in saucepan until mixture reaches a bare simmer, then remove from heat.

Whisk together eggs in a large heatproof bowl then gradually whisk in hot cream mixture until combined. Stir in bacon, zucchini, and cheese and pour into piecrust. Bake until filling is just set, 25-30 minutes.

Notes: 1) recipe fills a 9" deep dish pie plate. Reduce total liquid to one cup if using a regular pie dish (and other ingredients if necessary).

Chicken, zucchini & prosciutto
Real Simple, Jan 2007

serves 4

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

2 Tb olive oil

1/4 lb (about 8 slices) prosciutto

3 small zucchini, thinly sliced into half moons

1 clove garlic, thinly sliced

1 lemon

Heat oven to 400 F. Rinse the chicken and pat it dry with paper towels. Season the chicken with 1/4 tsp each of the salt and pepper. Heat 1 Tb of the oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken for 2 minutes per side. Transfer to oven and roast for 8 minutes. Meanwhile, in a second skillet, over medium heat, heat the remaining oil. Cook the prosciutto until crisp, 1 to 2 minutes per side, Transfer to a plate. Add the zucchini, garlic, and the remaining salt and pepper and cook until tender, about 3 minutes. Transfer the prosciutto, zucchini, and garlic to the skillet with the chicken, squeeze the lemon over the top, and toss. Divide among plates.

Notes: Do not substitue bacon for the prosciutto! It's a critical ingredient, and the saltiness and thin crispy-ness needs to be there.

Book Four

2008-08-05T15:43:00.002-04:00

I finished Breaking Dawn yesterday. I'm not going to post a word about it here, though, in case you guys haven't read it yet. But once you do, let's talk about it.

Wedding Photos: Day 4

2008-07-29T14:39:00.019-04:00

By Sunday we were exhausted. We had stayed up way too late the evening before at the reception, but still had to be up early for hair and makeup the next morning. There were so many women getting hair and makeup done that it took from 6 am until almost noon to finish everyone up. Lots of photos followed. Then we had a light reception with some amazing tropical fruit punch with little pieces of pineapple in it. Down time followed...and then, at long last, the FINAL EVENT!

The venue

Admiring herself (at the request of our photographer)

More pretty bouquets. I can't help but include the photos of the flowers!
The lobby of the hotel was perfect for photos
Not the most flattering photo...
These two were probably sick of photos by this point, but they still look great!
Aren't we a colorful group?

Bridal party, having a laugh

Another beautiful cake Maid of Honor enjoying herself

Jess peeking around a column, thinking "Can we just get to Hawaii already?!?"

One of the groomsmen asked me to dance, so we gave it a shot
Watching the classic slideshow of photos of the B & G

Wedding: Day Three

2008-07-22T13:57:00.014-04:00

Saturday morning began with a traditional Vietnamese Tea Ceremony at Jessica's parents' house, followed by a large reception in the evening which began about two hours late. Photos below:

Bridesmaid's bouquets. So beautiful!

Like the previous two days, I had absolutely no idea what was going on at this Tea Ceremony. So I just smiled a lot.

There was a huge mean-looking dragon sprawled accross the dress/robe she had on that morning.

More at the ceremony. The room was absolutely jam-packed, and man was it hot! Nobody has air conditioning in LA apparently.

Looks like he was bored

After a lunch buffet of Vietnamese food, a hot afternoon of reading and naps (for me at least) and a makeup touch-up, we arrived at the evening's festivities: a large reception Vietnamese-style. Jessica had three outfits for Saturday night alone (!)--a large ballgown for photos at the beginning, a pink Vietnamese outfit for going from table to table collecting cash (they don't give presents; just money) and a more wearable white gown for dancing in afterwards.

Prior to the dinner, just getting the bride-picture perfect

The cake was awesome. I think I had two pieces...each layer was a different flavor.

The bridesmaids...including one honorary bridesmaid

Smashing (in gown #1)

Our table. The groomsmen didn't really want to talk to us, which I thought was weird.

I really liked the fuscia color of her lipstick.

In their getaway car. The next morning Jess claimed that it took forever to get to the hotel that night since the car could only go about 10 miles an hour.

Wedding Photos: Day 2 (continued)

2008-07-11T09:13:00.009-04:00

After the civil ceremony the Maid of Honor took me to In & Out for lunch, where I enjoyed a tasty hamburger and fries before heading back to the in-law's house for a hair and makeup touchup and the muslim ceremony Friday evening. Here are the photos:

The lineup of gorgeous saris for the bride was never-ending! This was one of my favorites. She looks like royalty. These photos were taken on the porch off the room where we all got ready.

Showing off our bright fresh henna from the night before. The blue saris that we wore were my favorite.

The bride and bridal party.

Jess and her maga-watt smile!

All the bridesmaids had to pose this way, which is hilarious becuase if you look closely you can see red marks on the knuckles of my pointer and pinky fingers where the bangles rubbed while trying to put them on. They were way too small so I had to use soap and water to get them on. Ouch.

The final touches before processing downstairs, again.

After the ceremony that evening, there were still two full days to go.

Wedding photos: Day 2

2008-07-10T09:47:00.011-04:00

Here we go again! The second day, Friday July 4, was a more traditional day which began with a civil ceremony at (approx.) 10 am. Below are the beautiful highlights captured by Jessica's wonderful photographer.

Jessica's painted hands, after the paste was removed. She wore plastic wrap on her hands to bed the night before in order to ensure the deepest stain possible.

Waiting for the ceremony to start. There was a lot of waiting.

Although these kids look fine in this photo, what you don't see is how fussy they were all the other times that morning. My little ringbearer was not happy about holding my hand, but he finally gave in.

Walking (finally!) down the aisle. My heels kept sinking into the soft ground, so I'm glad I'm standing up in this photo!

Exchanging vows. Apparently on their marriage liscence it doesn't say "husband" and "wife", but "partner A" and "partner B". Jessica was not happy about that.

The bridesmaids (most of them). Sheree on the left, a wound care nurse, Janet (the maid of honor and recent high school graduate), Jessica, and me.

Happy couple

My hair was super crunchy. Yuck. We had to be up before 6 am every morning I was there for hair and makeup, which was not fun.

Wedding photos: day 1

2008-07-10T09:12:00.012-04:00

I'm back from Jessica's wedding in LA and her photographer has already starting posting photos from the 4-day event, so I'll begin posting a few from each day here on my blog for all of you to see, starting with Day 1: the Henna party. All the women on Thursday evening got together at Jessica's in-law's house and had henna tatoos painted on their hands and/or feet. I opted for a subtle design on my left palm. Traditionally the bride has intricate and extensive designs on both hands and feet, as you'll see in the photos below.

The beautiful bride-to-be, in the chair where she would sit for several hours while the henna was painted on

The beginning of her design on the feet

The bridesmaids (I definitely got the ugliest outfit that night!)
Continuting henna painting on Jessica's feet

The final product

Can you guess which hand(s) belong to me?

Martha in ****

2008-06-16T06:55:00.012-04:00

At our local library's book sale recently I found an old book of Martha Stewart recipes for only $4! What a treasure, I thought. The photo of Martha on the front was pretty funny as well, so I bought it. This easy chocolate sauce is the first recipe I've tried from it, but I also learned (from the introduction) that Martha used to be a stock-broker--on Wall Street! I had no idea...

A few tips when trying this recipe: You may have to pop your sauce in the microwave on very low heat for short bursts of time in order to get a smooth and evenly melted consistency; I found that merely adding the boiling cream to the chocolate just wasn't enough to do the trick. My sauce kept for weeks in the fridge; you can either microwave on low for a minute or two to soften, or put in a bowl over simmering water. Just don't overheat it!

Vanilla Ice Cream with Hot Chocolate Ganache

3/4 pound semisweet chocolate
3/4 cup heavy cream
1 pint vanilla ice cream

Chop the chocolate into chip-sized pieces and put in a medium-size heatproof bowl

Bring the cream to a full boil in a small saucepan. Pour immediately over the chocolate and stir until the chocolate is melted and smooth

Spoon warm mixture over ice cream & serve

Chicken Tagine with Chickpeas

2008-06-12T06:38:00.005-04:00

Several weeks ago I had a few pounds of chicken (drumsticks, wings, thighs) that I needed to use, but didn't have any great recipe ideas since I don't cook with dark meat very often. I found this one in my beloved "Joy of Cooking" and Ezra loved it. I enjoyed it as well.

Afterwards, I wanted to find out what a tagine really was, so I looked it up. Not only does it refer to the dish I had just made, it also describes the cooking vessel traditional Moroccan chefs make their tagines in! Here is a photo of one:

I wanted to buy one right away so I could use a really exotic looking clay dish to cook my tagines in, but unless I planned on making a lot of tagines, it wasn't worth the expense. Maybe someday!

The recipe:

Remove the skin from, rinse, and pat dry:
3 1/2-4 lbs chicken parts
Heat in a large, heavy pan over medium-high heat until fragrant and golden:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Lightly brown the chicken in 2 batches in the hot butter and remove to a plate. Add to the pan:
2 cups chopped onions
1/2 cup chopped scallions
Cook, stirring often, until the onions are tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in:
One 19-ounce can chickpeas, drained and lightly rinsed
1 cup water
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon ground ginger
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cinammon
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
Return the chicken pieces with all accumulated juices to the pan and gently turn to coat.
Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat so that the liquid just simmers. Cover tightly and cook, turning the chicken once or twice, until the dark meat releases clear juices when pierced with a fork, 35-45 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in:
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley and/or cilantro
Season with:
Salt and ground black pepper to taste

We served our tagine with couscous, which was great for soaking up all the yummy juices and flavors. My only complaint about this dish is that it was a little too greasy with all the fat from the dark chicken meat. Any tips on how to eilminate/reduce the amount of fat?

Marinated Shrimp with Mediterranean Salad

2008-04-07T14:07:00.004-04:00

It's been a long time since I posted, and today's recipe isn't even one I made myself! It's a tribute to my friend Tori who made this quick summer-y shrimp salad one night and man was it tasty! I had even already eaten dinner and I still loved it. It's from the magazine "Real Simple" so unfotunately neither of us can take credit for it. However, those of you who are usually too timid to try shrimp in your coooking, let this be your introduction to the little pink cuties.

1 1/2 pounds cooked shrimp, peeled and deveined

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1/3 cup fresh basil, torn

Kosher salt and pepper

1 bunch radishes, thinly sliced

2 green bell peppers, thinly sliced

1/3 cup (3 ounces) black olives, pitted

3 ounces Feta, sliced

1 5-ounce bag pita chips or cracker bread

In a large bowl, combine the shrimp, lemon juice, oil, basil, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Set aside for 10 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. Add the radishes, bell peppers, olives, and Feta. Gently stir to combine. Divide among individual bowls and spoon any remaining liquid over the tops. Serve with the pita chips or cracker bread.

Tip: Tori substituted fresh parsley for the basil when she made it the night I tried it, and I loved it. She said it was better than the last time she made it with the basil. Feel free to use whichever you think you'd prefer, but the parsley will definitely have a more subtle flavor.

Restaurant Review: Brasserie Beck

2008-02-05T10:17:00.000-05:00

Last Friday night Ezra and I ventured downtown to try a new restaurant, self-described as "A contemperary Belgian Brasserie" for dinner. Unfamiliar with Belgian food, this was en entirely new experience for both of us (unless you count Crêpes, or, more specifically, crêpes Suzette, which are apparently quasi-Belgian) so we indulged with vigor. Here's what we ordered:

Appetizer: Quiche Lorraine
Light yet rich at the same time, this was probably my favorite part of the meal. Over 2" high, It was served with lightly dressed greens (which I was unable to identify) on the side. 4 out of 5 stars

Main dishes: Striped Wild Bass & Duck Congolese Almondine
My bass was a mild, white fish with little flavor. It was on a bed of tasty whipped potatoes, with an uninspiring tomato sauce to finish it. Ezra's Duck was just ok, but I only tasted a bite of it, so perhaps I didn't get a good perspective on it. He didn't seem overly excited about it either though, so perhaps I'm right. Overall, 2.5 stars

Side dishes and starters: Fresh baguette and frites
Ok, so the baguette was amazing. Enough said. The "frites", aka french fries, were very hyped up by others who had been there before and loved them, which is why we ordered some. I enjoyed them, but Ezra thought they were no different than McDonald's deep-fried delights. They were, however, served with three types of mayonnaise: garlic, tomato, and curry-infused. Overall, 3.5 stars.

We'll definitely go back again, but hopefully have better luck with the entrees, or just go and fill up on appetizers, as we hear that their mussels are quite tasty.

Crock Pot Minestrone

2008-02-05T10:05:00.000-05:00

I know it's been a while since I posted a recipe, but finally, here is one we tried last night and enjoyed for a few reasons:

1) it's easy and fast to prepare

2) almost all of the ingredients are the kind of products that you usually have in your kitchen on any given day

3) it actually tasted pretty good

Zesty Minestrone
1/4 cup Zesty Italian Dressing
1 cup chopped onions
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped carrots
1 can (14-1/2 oz.) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can (19 oz.) red kidney beans, drained, rinsed
2 cans (14 oz. each) vegetable broth
2 cups water
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
1-1/2 cups small shell pasta, uncooked
1/2 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese

Heat dressing in large nonstick skillet on medium-high heat. Add onions, celery and carrots; cook 2 min. or until crisp-tender, stirring occasionally. Spoon into slow cooker. Add tomatoes, beans, broth, water and Italian seasoning; stir. Cover with lid.
Cook on Low for 6 hours (or on High for 3 hours).
Stir in pasta; cook 10 to 15 min. or until pasta is tender. Sprinkle with cheese just before serving.

Notes: We didn't have any zesty italian dressing, so we just used a flavorful red pepper vinagrette of some sort. Worked fine. We also substituted mini penne pasta for the shell shaped kind, but I think it would've tasted better with the shells. Just my opinion, though.

Shannon in a Sari?

2008-01-30T15:55:00.000-05:00

Yes, friends, I will be wearing a beautiful sari come the Fourth of July, beacuse I'm going to be in a wedding that day! One of my co-workers is getting married to the love of her life in LA this summer, and she's asked me to be one of her bridesmaids. It's a little ironic because this will be my first time as a bridesmaid, even though I'm already married. I always thought it went the other way around, but I guess life doesn't always follow convention.

So I could look like this:

Or maybe even this:

Her wedding colors are red and brown, so she'll be in a red wedding dress, and her five bridesmaids will all be in brown saris. The actual saris that we'll be wearing haven't been chosen yet, but when they are, I'll be sure to post a pic of the real one. I'm excited!

Merry Christmas to me!

2007-12-18T09:53:00.000-05:00

Christmas came early at the office, and my boss presented me yesterday with...

a KitchenAid standing mixer! I was surprised since he isn't really the sortof person to have time to shop for presents (or do much outside of working, actually) let alone actually select a gift for his assistant. So I was quite grateful, and excited, and a little anxious at the same time. I love to cook, but I have never owned a standing mixer. I currently use a KitchenAid 5-speed hand-held mixer that is quite efficient for a batch of cookies or whipping cream, but not great for large amounts of anything, or really thick dough. It's also not fun for making souffles since you have to beat the eggs for so long.

I'm anxious about owning a standing mixer for a few reasons. First of all, outside of baking, I have no idea what to use it for! Growing up, I used to make things with my mother's (antique!) Sunbeam mixer. I think it was owned by her grandmother or something like that, and I'm surprised it actually worked. But as far as my memory goes, I can't recall ever using a mixer for anything other than baking. So, all you kitchenaid gurus out there (and I know you're out there!), what the heck can I use this new contraption for besides cakes and cookies and bread?

Oh, and I also need to figure out what color I want it in. Yellow? Red? White? Hmmm...

Aroma

2007-12-17T14:04:00.000-05:00

I had my first experience at an Indian restaurant today for lunch and I absolutely loved it! The venue is called "Aroma" and I went to their DC location. We tried chicken tikka masala and classic chicken curry with some nan (also spelled "naan") which is a white flatbread--very soft and warm, and perfect for dipping in all the yummy spicy sauces. If you haven't tried Indian food, do! You'll love it.

Product Review #1

2007-12-16T11:43:00.001-05:00

I splurged yesterday and purchased some Peppermint Hot Chocolate at Willams-Sonoma. Yes, I really did spend $19.50 on an indulgent luxury, but I was buying a few Christmas gifts and I thought, why not?

On any other day, I would have looked at the price tag and scoffed, thinking "I can just make it myself for much cheaper!" and move on to the next expensive but perhaps just a little more justified purchase. One reason I decided to give in is because I need a repertoire of excellent-tasting yet easy foods and beverages for throwing parties. (I plan to host a great many events once I have a better space to do so. My current abode isn't very conducive to mingling, eating in groups larger than four, etc.) So I read the description and thought, hey if it really is good quality chocolate they're using, perhaps it's worth the price. So I brought it home.

Ok. Now to the actual experience. I made a cup of said hot chocolate (this is done by warming a cup of milk on the stove, and then whisking in 5 tablespoons of the perppermint-infused chocolate shavings) and tasted it. Aroma: Great. Texture: Smooth. Flavor: here's where we hit a glitch. While the chocolate was obvioulsy tasty and rich, it was wildy overpowered by a serious hit of minty flavor! I mean, if you want that "just brushed clean" experience the next time you drink some peppermint hot chocolate, this product is for you. If, like me, you prefer just a hint of mint, then look elsewhere!

I'm It!

2007-11-15T18:08:00.000-05:00

Melissa just tagged me...

This is a different tag, so here are the rules:
A. The rules of the game are posted at the beginning.
B. Each player lists 6 little-known facts/habits about themselves.
C. At the end of the post, the player then tags 6 people and posts their names, then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know that they have been tagged and asking them to read your blog.

1) I have a stationary fetish. I love all things paper, and it's very dangerous to take me to a stationary store like Crane's becuase I will want one of each. Luckily I also love to write letters, so I have something to do with all that stationary once I buy it.

2) Speaking of stationary, I firmly believe that letter writing is the perfect way to stay in touch with people who live far away from you, as opposed to email. While email has it's benefits, letters are clearly better. Here's why: I get to use all my beautiful paper. More importantly, the ideal amount of time passes in between letters, becuase you assume that it takes the letter a few days to arrive at its destination, the reader takes a few days to actually sit down and respond, and by the time another few days pass for the return letter to arrive, you've already got news to put in your response! With email, you send a message containing all your news, they write back, and you're stuck a few hours later with an email in your inbox that you can't respond to because nothing happened between 9 am and 11 am on a Tuesday morning.

3) My mother is an amazingly talented seamstress/quilter/tailor/everything to do with sewing she excels at, but I can barely sew a tablecloth. When I look at a pattern, I might as well be looking at Farsi.

4) A topic I wish I were more conversant in is politics. I love to listen to others' opinions on the subject, but can't ever add anything informed to the conversation because I have no idea what's going on in that realm. That's why I married Ezra.

5) I have a strange ambition to teach my children french from infancy. This is a lofty goal, as I would have to get Ezra to learn the language, and I would have to re-learn everything I've forgotten since college, but I think it can be done. It helps that my dad and brother and Ezra's mother are all fluent.

6) I love to play any/all sports. I'm good at most of them, too because I grew up with brothers as well as dozens of male cousins. Every time we had a family gathering, all we did was get sweaty playing the sport du jour (see, there's that french coming back already!) and I joined in. So when I beat you at Wii boxing or cream you at the line of scrimmage, don't feel bad. You're not the first.

I tag:

Ezra

Jessica

Denette

Julie

Phil

Heather

Grades of Beef

2007-11-08T08:57:00.000-05:00

Have you ever wondered just how good that steak you're eating really is? I recently learned about the eight grades of beef in one of my favorite cookbooks, The Joy of Cooking, after a trip to Costco (which was amazing, by the way) left me with four pounds of Top Sirloin and only one recipe (which called for only 3/4 of a pound) to use it for!

So I turned to my trustworthy catch-all cookbook, and became quicly engrossed in the section that talks about cuts and grades of beef. In your average supermarket (and as an American consumer) you usually encounter the top three grades of beef:

1. Prime--this very elite grade (about 2% of beef in the US is graded prime) is usually reserved for the best steakhouses, and is extremely pricey due to the "dry-aging" process it often undergoes to give it more flavor. It also has abundant marbling throughout.

2.Choice--also high quality, this cut is often "wet-aged" to increase flavor, but doesn't have quite as much marbling and rich flavor the Prime grade has.

3. Select--less marbled, leaner cuts than the higher grades, this type of beef will lack the tenderness, juiciness and flavor of higher grades

Standard and Commercial, the next two grades of beef, are frequently sold as "ungraded" or store brands, while Utility, Cutter, and Canner are seldom sold at retail but are instead used to make ground beef and other processed products.

After reading about these beef categories, I quickly turned to my package of COSTCO sirloin, expecting to see "Select" stamped on it to designate it's fair quality, but was instead quite pleasantly surprised to see "USDA Choice" on the label! I had purchased the best quality of beef (at a grocery store) possible, so I was pretty excited about my (accidental) cooking victory.

New Winter Coat

2007-10-31T10:12:00.000-04:00

I have wanted a purple coat ever since....well, ever since I knew I was going to be a TCU fan 'til I lay in my grave someday. This winter, I got my chance when I spotted this jacket a few weeks ago, and when I saw it, I knew: This was The Coat for me.

It arrived yesterday (I bought it online) and I didn't love it at first (maybe because I had just gone running and tried it on in my running clothes; not so flattering), but when I put it on this morning, it looked great! It's also not extremely warm, which is a very good thing since I plan to be living in Texas for most of the remaining winters of my life, where a very warm coat just isn't necessary 11 1/2 months out of the year.

In case you're wondering...this coat was definitely a splurge, but it was also worth it. I plan to wear it to every cold TCU football game for as long as I can. What do you plan on splurging for this winter?

Restaurant Review: Whitlow's on Wilson!

2007-10-30T09:59:00.001-04:00

At last! My friend Jessica and I, after many months of talking and planning, went to Whitlow's last night for dinner. We chose to eat there on a Monday to take advantage of half-price burger Monday, and take advantage of it we did!

Whitlow's is a casual sit-down diner/grill/restaurant in Arlington, Virginia, with a typical American-food menu, including their famous (and delicious!) hamburgers. Jessica ordered the Smokehouse burger, which included BBQ sauce, cheddar cheese, and bacon, while I ordered a modified version of the same burger and opted for Monterey Jack cheese & bacon. We tried our very best, but were unable to finish our burgers; they were just too darn big. (Maybe if we had run a marathon the day before like my friend Ellen we would have been able to finish). We didn't even have room to stop by the Cheesecake Factory on the way home for a ridiculously overpriced (but tasty) piece of cheesecake.

Though I was warned at work by my co-workers to watch out for single guys at Whitlow's looking to pick up girls, Jess and I didn't have a problem with that, probably because we both had on wedding rings. We were also pretty engrossed in our burgers to notice much going on around us.

Apparently Whitlow's opened in Washington, DC in 1946, but closed in 1989 for a redevelopment and then re-opened in it's current location in 1995. If you're looking for a large tasty classic burger, try Whitlow's. Remember to go hungry!

The perfect fall event

2007-10-11T10:22:00.000-04:00

Since Mr. Souffle and I had the good fortune to be able to attend a participatory cooking class at L'Academie de Cuisine a few months ago, I've signed up to receive email updates from the academy informing me of future classes and events. There hasn't been much that has caught my attention thus far; I find myself comparing the classes with the one I already went to and nothing seems to measure up.

Until now.

Just a few minutes ago a little email popped into my inbox with the subject "Great Fall Classes from L'Academie". I must mention that not only have none of the recently advertised classes caught my eye, they're also fairly pricey, so it's going to take a real special class to reel me in. And then I saw it.

Sweet & Savory Fall Soufflés.

I'm not making that up; the class really is named as stated above. With dishes like shrimp, ham and gruyere souffle tarts, frozen pumpkin souffles with candied pecans and bourbon cream, and semisweet chocolate souffles with pistachio ice cream...how could I go wrong?

The only problem is that the class is on a Wednesday from 10 am until 1 pm, so I'd have to take the morning off to attend, and I have an appointment with the dentist that morning at 9 am.

But dental appointments are easily rescheduled.

Harry Potter V: I'm Eating a Chocolate Frog

2007-08-24T11:53:00.001-04:00

Years after reading the first four of Rowling's books, I finally picked up book five. Perhaps what inspired me was the whirlwind of attention surrounding the release of the Last Book of The Series, along with the successful adaptation of "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" just a few months ago.

One reason why I stopped reading these books after finishing the first four was becuase my siblings would talk about them, and I had almost zero recollection as to which events happened in which books: the plots ran together in my mind. This, thought I, was a bad sign, and I refused to ingest more reading that would not be retained. But curiousity got the best of me, and the 800-something page tome really didn't take that long to finish.

Another reason why I picked up the fifth book was becuase I read an article (from National Review) about the themes of the final book (and, hence, the themes of the entire series) and found out about a few critical events that really shocked me: for example, Voldemort taking over Hogwarts, and many of the main characters dying. This I had to read for myself.

Unwilling to buy one of these books, I subscribed to my new theory: Everyone knows Somebody who owns the Harry Potter books...so why buy them myself? Turns out I know more than one somebody who owns them, so I finally got my hands on one and will start the sixth book as soon as I can...

A Submission from Souffle Husband...

2007-08-09T10:16:00.000-04:00

I have no idea were this recipe came from, but this looks like a fairly basic cookie recipe to me. He claims they're divine...

Cream sugars and shortening:
1/2 c. Crisco (you can use butter/margarine, but they will be flatter and more crispy)
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. sugar

Add, and stir:
1 egg
1/2 t. vanilla

Add (sifted), and stir:
1 c. flour
1/2 t. baking powder or baking soda

Add, and stir:
1/2 c. oatmeal
1 c. coconut
1/2 c. chocolate chips

Bake at 375 for 8 minutes. Makes 2 dozen.

Blue Crab!

2007-07-23T08:24:00.001-04:00

Ezra and I had our first exposure to real crab last night, and loved it! At around 6 pm yesterday, after we had eaten our dinner of chicken enchiladas (a new recipe--it wasn't very tasty, so if you have a good one, please send it to me!) our landlord invited us up for some steamed crab! Ezra has a slight allergy to shellfish, but since he'd never tried crab, he decided to give it a whirl. We loved it! The meat was sweet, juicy, and tender, and we dipped it in a lemon-salt-pepper mixture, which I thought was much too strong for the crab, but used it anyway. I would love to try this at a huge family party sometime, as it is very conducive to conversation. For those of you readers with an aversion to fish, you should really try crab because it doesn't have a fishy taste at all. At least, not blue crabs.

I'm thinking that I might try to make crab on my own next time. I've been told about a very fresh seafood market somewhere downtown...perhaps it's near the L'enfant Plaza metro stop? If any of you know where it is, let me know!

One of my All-Time Favorites

2007-07-17T07:26:00.000-04:00

Of course, my "all-time" isn't exactly a long time since I've only been cooking for a few years, but this remains a recipe that I've reached for several times since I found it in an "Everyday Food" issue late last summer. If you can't find skirt steak in your grocery store, ask your butcher for some. It's very fast to prepare, and it's a fairly nice dish considering the lightning fast prep time. Turn on the fan above your stove when you put the steaks in the oven because things might get a little smokey with the meat sizzling so close to the heat source. Serve with a cool green salad and creamy dressing. Also, feel free to cut the recipe in half as I did when I made this last night. The leftovers make for great fajita meat.

Chili-Rubbed skirt steak
serves 8

4 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons ground coriander
2 teaspoons light brown sugar
1 teaspoon dried oregano
coarse salt and ground pepper
2 1/2 to 3 lb. beef skirt steak, cut into 8 even pieces
1 tablespoon olive oil

Heat broiler with rack 4 inches from heat. In a small bowl, combine chili powder, coriander, sugar, oregano, 1 Tablespoon coarse salt, and 1/2 tsp. pepper. Coat steaks evenly on both sides with oil, then spice mixture, patting to adhere.

Place half the steaks on a rimmed baking sheet or broiler pan. Broil without turning, until medium-rare, 5 to 8 minutes, depending on thickness. Transfer to a large platter, and cover with aluminum foil; let rest 10 minutes. Meanwhile, broil remaining steaks.

Remove foil and divide steaks among serving plates. Drizzle with remaining juices.

Third Course!

2007-07-16T07:23:00.000-04:00

Although I didn't think I could stuff another bite down my throat after the first two courses at our cooking class a few weeks ago, this third course, Mushroom Ravioli with Creamy Tomato Sauce, took long enough to prepare that our tummies were able to settle and make room for this decadent pasta dish. Due to time restraints, our chef had the mushroom filling already made, but it sounds simple enough. You'll notice the term "sweat" in the instructions on how to make the fiilling; this simply means to cook the mixture on a very low heat, bringing the liquid out of the mixture slowly.

The pasta instructions sound easy enough, but you've really got to make sure that your flour well is large enough to handle your egg mixture--it's imperative that it doesn't flow out of the hole in the middle like some junior high science project on volcanoes. Be patient while you're gradually adding flour to the liquid in the center, and start over if you have to--we did! Your ingredients are cheap, so scrap them if you mess up.

The sauce is as rich as it sounds, and made the ravioli taste amazing. This sauce recipe is one I will use for the rest of my life! Feel free to use sundried tomatoes in oil instead of re-hydrating sundried tomatoes.

Basic Pasta

1 cup flour
1 egg
1 Tbl oil
pinch of salt

Make a well in the center of flour.
Put egg, oil and salt in center.
Scramble egg with a fork, gradually incorporating flour.
Continue to incorporate flour, kneading when necessary.
When dough comes together, put through pasta machine.
Toss pasta in cornmeal to keep from sticking.
Place in boiling water for 1-2 minutes; drain.

Mushroom Filling

8 oz. mushrooms (any type)
1 Tbl. butter
salt & pepper

Place mushrooms in a food processor and run until mushrooms are finely chopped.
Heat a skillet over medium heat.
Add butter to pan and melt.
Add mushrooms to pan and sweat until pan is dry.
Season with salt and pepper.

Creamy Tomato Sauce

1 Tb. butter
1 shallot, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 cups heavy cream
1/2-1 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/4 cup sundried tomatoes
salt, pepper

Place tomatoes in a small bowl and cover with water. Set aside for one hour (or overnight in the refrigerator).
Remove tomatoes from water and puree in a small foor processor or blender.
Heat a small saute pan over medium-low heat.
Add butter and shallots and sweat shallots until they are soft, making sure not to brown them.
Add garlic to pan. Stir for 30 seconds.
Add cream, bring to a simmer. Simmer until cream thickens slightly.
Stir in the parmesan cheese and tomato puree.
Season.

Grilled Flank Steak Salad with Blue Cheese Dressing

2007-07-16T07:12:00.000-04:00

Grilled Flank Steak with Blue Cheese Dressing
makes approximately 4 servings

1 marinated, grilled flank steak (see below)
8 cups mixed greens
1 cup grape tomatoes, cut in half
1/2 cup sliced scallions
1 cup sliced cucumbers
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup mayonnaise
1 tsp. Worcestershire
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1 clove garlic, crushed
4 oz + 1 oz blue cheese, crumbled
salt and pepper

Whisk together sour cream, mayo, Worcestershire, mustard and garlic.
Stir in 4 oz. of the blue cheese.
Season to taste.
Place greens, tomatoes, scallions and cucumbers in bowl.
Toss lightly with dressing.
Slice grilled steak and place on top of greens.
Garnish with the remaining blue cheese.

Grilled Flank Steak for Blue Cheese Salad

1 small flank steak
Marinade for steak:
1/2 cup canola oil
1 cup red wine
1 shallot, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 Tb. Dijon mustard
1/4 cup fresh rosemary leaves

Combine marinade ingredients in a small bowl.
Pour over steak and marinate flank steak for at least one hour.
Remove steak from marinade.
Season with salt and pepper.
Grill over high heat until rare-medium rare.
Allow to rest and then slice thinly.

This main (second) course was rich (see dressing ingredients!) and quite filling, yet the amount of greens and veggies made it more health-friendly. In a usual dinner setting, I would not have been able to eat all four courses, as I was extremely full after this salad. But, since we were eating over the course of three hours, I ate every last bite. The next course was my favorite.

Salmon Satay with Red Pepper Coulis

2007-07-16T06:29:00.000-04:00

This elegant and easy first course started off the cooking class:

Salmon Satay

1 lb salmon filet
1 cup vegetable oil
salt and black pepper
wooden skewers, soaked in water for an hour

Cut salmon filet into small 2" strips
Thread salmon onto skewers
Pour oil onto cooking sheet tray
Place salmon skewers on tray and coat with oil
Season with salt and pepper
Grill over high heat until just cooked
Serve with Red Pepper Coulis

Red Pepper Coulis

3 red bell peppers, seeded and cut into large pieces
2 cups chicken stock
salt and pepper

Place bell pepper pieces into a small pot. Add chicken stock.
Simmer until peppers are soft.
Turn off heat.
Remove pepper pieces from pot and place into a blender, reserving liquid from pot.
Puree peppers in the blender, adding liquid to obtain desired consistency.
Pour the remainder of your liquid into another container.
Pour pureed peppers back into the small pot.
Place the pot over low heat.
Season with salt and pepper (add cayenne if desired).
(At this point you can either add more liquid if you would like it thinner or simmer for a while if you would like to thicken it up).

I'm not sure what the "proper" method for eating satay is, but I used my fingers, pulling off pieces of freshly grilled salmon and dipping them in the little dish of bright red coulis. Delicious! Perfect for a party appetizer because it's relatively fast to make.

L'Academie de Cuisine

2007-06-26T09:16:00.000-04:00

Saturday night I went with my husband to a recreational cooking class in Bethesda, Maryland, and it was a memorable and exciting experience. The class was called "Two Cooking," and meant for pairs to attend, whether husband/wife, parent/child, or just two friends out for fun. While the price was steep ($75 per person) it was well worth the cost for the instruction, hands-on experience, and decadent four-course meal that we enjoyed over the span of three hours. Our petite blonde chef, Sandy Patterson, wore a vivid lime-green chef's coat, which I thought was unique; I'd only seen them in classic white. Our menu was as follows:
-

Salmon Satay with Red Pepper Coulis

Grilled Flank Steak Salad with Blue Cheese Dressing

Mushroom Ravioli with Creamy Tomato Sauce

Cream Puffs

My favorite course was the ravioli, which we made (obviously!) from scratch. The pasta dough turned out beautifully, and I wanted to go out immediately and buy a pasta maker of my own!

Stay tuned for the recipes themselves and details of each course.

(lacademie: The link to the recreational cooking school)

Make-your-own-bacon

2007-06-21T15:14:00.000-04:00

While this might sound like somehthing only professional butchers do, it's apparently making a serious come-back among today's chefs across the country. Who would have thought? While I may never "hack apart" a pig and then "let it hang in the cellar until it's covered in mold," I can definitely appreciate the outcome of those that do. Bacon? Salami? Sausage? Bring it on!

Follow the link below to read all about the art of charcuterie.

http://www.chow.com/stories/10131

An Easy Fish Dish

2007-06-19T06:17:00.000-04:00

Baked Salmon

3/4 c. ketchup
1 Tb. worchestershire sauce
2 Tb. lemon juice
1 Tb. mustard
salmon filet

Combine sauce and pour over salmon. Bake covered with foil @ 350 for 1 hour.

While I don't consider myself an experienced fish chef, I've prepared the little swimmers enough to know that this is one of the least tasty methods I've ever used. This recipe is from an acquaintance back home in Texas; for privacy reasons I won't reveal her name here. The sauce is rather ketchup-y, and its flavor overwhelms the salmon rather than enhancing it. Perhaps this is a good way to get kids (or Jessica) to eat fish if they don't like it, since there is hardly a fishy flavor to be found.

Calorie Counting!

2007-06-18T16:53:00.000-04:00

Yes, I'm calorie counting. But not in the conventional way. I'm actually trying to gain weight, not lose it. So far, the tip I've received (from Brandon) has been to "eat peanut butter and bananas." We're on day two of my attempt to gain a few pounds, and yesterday I made a list of everything I ate, and it wasn't even 2000 calories! I read that you have to eat 500 extra calories per day for a week to gain one pound. Hmmm. That's a lot of extra food!

I'll make updates as I progress, but in the meantime, give me advice on how you gain weight--healthy weight, not just eating Big Macs and Krispy Kremes.

Virgin Sangria

2007-06-07T16:18:00.000-04:00

We recently went to a housewarming party with a Spanish theme, and this was the drink that was served. I have my hosts, Melissa and Aaron, to thank for this great variation on the delicious-looking traditional alcoholic version. Although I haven't yet made it myself, I plan to. A refreshing summer drink!

Sangria (Non-Alcoholic)

Ingredients
4 Cups Fruit Juice (Cranberry works well)
1 Orange with skin, diced into 1/2" cubes
1 Lemon with skin, diced into 1/2" cubes
2 Peaches, diced into 1/2" cubes
1 Apple, diced into 1/2" cubes
2 cups Soda (Club Soda, sparkling water, or lemon-lime soda)
1 small can frozen lemonade concentrate
1 tablespoon Grenadine or fruit flavored syrup
Sugar to taste
Cubed Ice

Prep Time/ Cook Time
15 minutes preparation, plus 30 minutes to several hours macerating.

Instructions
1) In a large Pitcher add the diced fruit and lemonade concentrate.
2) Add the Fruit Juice and allow the fruit to macerate from 30 minutes to several hours in the refrigerator.
3) Add the Grenadine, soda, and stir gently.
4) Enjoy with ice!

Homemade Pizza

2007-05-21T20:40:00.000-04:00

One of my favorite newfound recipes has been homemade pizza. This particular recipe came from my good friend Jen. (She got it from Betty Crocker I think.)

pizza dough

2 1/2 to 3 cups all purpose flour
1 Tb. sugar
1 tsp salt
1 pkg. yeast (2 1/4 tsp.)
3 Tb. olive or vegetable oil
1 cup very warm water

In large bowl, mix 1 cup of the flour, the sugar, salt and yeast. Add oil and warm water. Beat with electric mixer on medium speed 3 minutes, scraping bowl frequently. Stir in enough remaining flour until dough is soft and leaves side of bowl. Place dough on lightly floured surface. Knead 5 to 8 minutes or until dough is smooth and springy. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rest 30 minutes.

Heat oven to 425 degrees. Grease 2 cookie sheets with oil. Divide dough in half. Pat each half onto cookie sheets. Partially bake 7 to 8 minutes or until crust just begins to brown. Add toppings and bake at 425 for 8 -10 minutes.

So there you have it. Because I'm only cooking for two, I usually just bake one of the pizzas and put the second half of the dough in the fridge for another day. I also recommend using either a pizza stone or a round baking pan made especially for pizza--we use the latter, and it has small holes in the bottom of it--a regular cookie sheet will give you limp soggy crust. We also discovered that rolling the dough into a circle (with a rolling pin) works much better for an attractive, even crust as opposed to "patting" it into place.

As for toppings, I haven't been too adventurous yet, but I plan to try a vegetarian red bell pepper and feta pizza sometime soon. I like pepperoni and green peppers, pineapple and canadian bacon, and I've also made a pizza when my family was in town with sauteed chicken, green onion, fresh tomato, bacon, mozzarella & cheddar cheeses--it was delicious! I've decided that making your own pizza is a great way to use up whatever meat and/or veggies you happen to have in your fridge.

Cupcakes

2007-05-16T07:11:00.000-04:00

Finally, a recipe!

black-bottom cupcakes

6 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 1/3 cups sugar
1 egg
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup water
1/3 cup oil
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup chopped almonds
2 tablespoons sugar

-Heat oven to 350 Line 18 muffin cups with paper baking cups. In small bowl, combine cream cheese, 1/3 cup sugar and egg; mix well. Stir in chocolate chips; set aside.

-In large bowl, combine flour, 1 cup sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt; mix well. Add water, oil, vinegar and vanilla; beat 2 minutes at medium speed. Fill paper-lined muffin cups half full.

-Top each with 1 tablespoon cream cheese mixture. Combine almonds and 2 tablespoons sugar; sprinkle evenly over cream cheese mixture.

-Bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes or until cream cheese mixture is light golden brown. Cool 15 minutes. Remove from pans; cool 30 minutes or until completely cooled. Store in refrigerator.

I made these wonderful cream cheese-topped chocolate cupcakes the other evening, and they were quite the confection!I got the recipe from a Pillsbury cookbook--it's called "The Best of Pillsbury Cookbooks" or something like that. What's important is that this recipe isn't my own; I just tried it out. I generally don't try new desserts on a regular basis--chocolate chip cookies are my standard (but delicious) dessert-item--so this is a big deal for me as a dessert-maker

Be sure to skip the almond topping if you're allergic to nuts...although I made two cupcakes without the sugar/almond topping, and they didn't look half as tasty. The end result is a moist chocolate-cake base with little chocolate chip surprises inside. At first I thought I hadn't cooked them long enough when I bit into one and felt a warm moist sensation--but that was just a melted chocolate chip--yum! The cream cheese topping is subtle. If nothing else, it makes such a delicious flavor-enhancement that you don't have to worry about icing them--which means less time between making and eating!

p.s. the afore-mentioned cookbook generously includes calories per serving (and other nutrition facts) for every recipe...but I figure if you're eating something like these cupcakes, you're not the sort to count calories.

Veggie Tales

2007-05-01T08:55:00.000-04:00

My mother-in-law recently sent over an article called "Cancer-Proof Your Diet." My husband was skeptical when I told him about it, but I have a question for my readers. The article suggests that although we should eat 5-7 servings of vegetables a day, we should actually aim for nine! After evaluating my menus, I realized that I am a far cry from these recommended quantities of veggies, so I need some advice: how do you incorporate more vegetables into your daily caloric intake?

What is a Soufflé?

2007-04-20T09:04:00.000-04:00

I must address this question that was asked by one of my readers after my inagural post. From my own personal experience, soufflés can fall into two categories: breakfast (also referred to as "main dish"), or dessert. My first breakfast soufflé contained the obligatory eggs, as well as cheese and some sort of breakfast meat, such as Canadian bacon. My second soufflé was of the dessert variety, although I did not know at the time that I was making (and eating) a soufflé. The recipe was one I had discovered in the magazine Everyday Food and it was called "Warm Chocolate Puddings." I loved it so much that I made it for dessert two nights in a row! Then, when my family came to visit us a few months later I made it for my parents, and my mother (who is a very knowledgeable cook) saw me preparing this dessert. She wanted to see the recipe, and then informed me that I wasn't making a "pudding" at all! It was a soufflé!

So you see, dear reader, that the soufflé can come in different forms, but don't be fooled; as I discovered in The Joy of Cooking, "A well-made soufflé is a triumph of egg cooking."

Why Soufflé?

2007-04-17T16:46:00.000-04:00

First of all, welcome to my blog!

The title of said blog deserves an anecdote. While traveling with my husband last fall, we were partaking of Panera's newest breakfast offering, a light and delicious soufflé. It was en route to a college football game in New York (which we won easily), and I was rushed by my sweetheart, who no doubt wanted to get on the road asap. In response to this impatience, I responded with an indignant, "I'm eating a soufflé!" (emphasis on eating) as though it was obvious to everyone but him that I could not be rushed through such an experience. I (of course) did not see the humor in the situation until he started laughing at the serious tone I held while pronouncing such a funny statement. So that's where the title of the blog comes from.

As far as content in the future, look for reviews of receipes I've tried recently, comments on ingredients I love (or could live with out), cooking gadgets to try, and general cooking commentary. Come to think of it, I don't try too many new-fangled cooking gadgets, so don't get your hopes up in that category. I would love to have tips on how to improve my cooking skills, so any advice you can give will be welcome here.

Enjoy!