What's That You Say, Mrs. Robinson?

The Art and The Joy

Although it has been brewing for quite a while, I have recently felt a resurgence for wanting to do more cooking. Not just the regular stuff. New stuff. Trying new recipes and techniques and actually picking up some skills is what is really appealing to me right now.

It is highly likely that this cooking bug has been fueled by my recent trip to Italy and France. The food in both places was TO DIE FOR and I haven't stopped thinking about it since. I also feel the need to get into the classics rather than just looking for fun recipes on-line the way I usually do. There is something about working from a good cookbook that just feels right.

I have a copy of The Joy of Cooking written by Irma Rombauer (her family also makes my favorite chardonnay). Actually, I have two copies. One that my Mom gave me in 2006 (the 75th anniversary edition) and the copy she got when she was married back in 1970. Sadly, I must admit that other than looking to it for a few basic technique questions, I haven't used either much. Today, however, I can't pull myself away from it as I'm discovering all of the treasures inside. From 'Sweet Potato and Peanut Stew' to 'Skillet Corn Bread' to 'Spicy Chinese Slaw', there seems to be an endless suply of delicious things to work on.

What I don't yet have is the quintisential Mastering the Art of French Cooking by the immortal Julia Child. Have no fear, I bought a copy yesterday on eBay that was printed in 1967 which is also the year I was born. I should have it in my hot little hands in the coming week. I wanted a used copy instead of a new one. I think, perhaps, they have more soul.

I aspire to get straight to work on that one by attempting the crown jewel, boeuf bourguignon. Julia's boef bourguignon. Yes, I saw the movie. Several times. J'adore. I figure, why not? If I can do that, I can do a lot of things. I will NOT however be trying an aspic or boiling lobster any time soon. I wouldn't want to eat either once cooked, so why waste my time? I'm sure there are plenty of other treats between the covers.

And yes, this indulgence is enabled in large part by my continued sabbatical. It's October 9th and I'm still taking time off.

Bon appétit!

A little time for me

 

Carpe diem....had to drop a co-worker off to pick up her car at 4pm and rather than go back to the office, I decided to take some time to sit with myself and just be. I took myself to my favorite wine bar, found a table outside and ordered a delicious flatbread and some chardonnay. I opened my journal and did some writing and enjoyed the afternoon. The whole exercise took exactly one hour and I felt very refreshed and relaxed. How often do we take these opportunities to pull back and just spend time with ourselves? Not often enough.

Quietly giving thanks

This Thanksgiving Dan and I are at home with Payton. Darren is up at my Mom's and I'll join him there tomorrow (after we do some black Friday shopping that is). It is a very different kind of Thanksgiving these days. We used to go to Dan's Mom's house with about 20 other family members. It was crazy in many ways, but it was great.

Now it is very quiet. Dan and I watching football, Payton in and out of the house. Ronaldo likes that we are here on the couch for sure. I'm still cooking only instead of the whole shabang, our menu looks like this:

• Roasted chicken with potatoes and carrots
• Sausage stuffing
• Garlic mashed potatoes
• Swiss corn bake
• Garlic and butter green beans

We just finished a yummy appetizer of bacon wrapped water chestnuts (pictured here). YUM!

And this year I'm more thankful than ever for my family. We may not be a perfect family, but we love each other very much and everyone is healthy.

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!

Food for the soul

I've spent the last several days up in Gig Harbor, WA with my husband's family. The occasion is a sad one; my father-in-law passed away a couple of weeks ago. So many people came to Gig Harbor for his memorial service and we have had a brilliant time together sharing memories and making new ones.

We have done a lot of eating and I'd like to share the recipes that I especially liked, both cooked by one of my favorite people, Sharron M. This food did, indeed, feed my soul while my heart was breaking.

Chili Blanco
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4 cups cooked and shredded chicken
6 cups broth
2 cans white beans, drained
2 onions, chopped
7 oz green chilis, diced
2 cups Monterey Jack cheese
1 cup sour cream
Garlic to taste
2-3 t cumin
1 t cayenne pepper
2 t oregano

In a large pot, add chicken, beans and broth. In sauté pan, sauté onions and garlic until translucent, then add to pot and add chilis and spices. Heat ans simmer for about 30 minutes, then add cheese and sour cream and continue to simmer on low heat.

Garnish with more cheese, a dollop (isn't that a great word) of sour cream and green onions.

Spicy 3 Cheese Cornbread Egg Bake
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1 8x8 pan of cornbread
1 small loaf of homemade bakery white bread, crusts removed
1 (4-7 oz) can mild green chili peppers
1 1/2 cups grated Cheddar cheese
1 (8 oz) package of cream cheese
1 ripe tomato
1 1/2 cups grated Monterey Jack and Cheddar cheese mix
7 - 9 eggs
1 1/2 cups 2% milk
1 1/2 cups half and half
1 1/2 teaspoons dry mustard
Cooking spray

Bake the cornbread in an 8x8 pan. Set aside to cool.

Spray a 9 x 13 inch pan with cooking spray or wipe with butter. Cut the white bread without the crust into crouton size cubes and place them in the 9 x 13 inch pan. Drain green chili peppers and spread over the bread. Sprinkle 1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese over green chili peppers. Cut the cream cheese into cubes and place over the cheddar cheese. Cut cooled cornbread into chunks and sprinkle over cheese. Dice the tomato and sprinkle over the cornbread. Spread the 1 1/2 cups of mixed cheese over the bread. Beat the eggs with milk, half & half, and dry mustard. Pour over the egg mixture over the entire pan as evenly as possible. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

The next morning, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Bake, covered with tinfoil, for 35 minutes. Uncover and bake another 20 minutes. After you take the egg bake from the ove, let it rest 10 - 15 minutes before serving.

Ode to the Onion

I have, for the last several months, had an insatiable craving for onions.

I can't get enough. In fact, the other day I honestly thought about sauteing up some onions with a yummy sauce. Not onions and something else. Just onions.

I started to become suspicious because historically when my body needed something in particular, I would start craving it. Particularly when I was pregnant, but also at other times (don't freak out...I know for a fact that I'm not pregnant). 

Usually I crave either red meat (need protein or iron) or just veggies in general.

But now, it is most definitely onions. What does that mean? I am not versed on the nutrients that my flavorful friend the onion provides, so I looked it up:

Yes, onions are very healthy.

• Contain vitamin C and quercetin which are antioxidants. Quercetin reduces the incidence of precancerous lesions in the GIT and therefore has some anti-cancer properties
• Contain chromium, a trace metal which improves the cells reponse to insulin and therefore increases insulin's sensitivity, increases HDL-cholesterol levels (good cholesterol) and lowers the total cholesterol and triglyceride levels.
• It also inhibits the breakdown (resorption) of bones and therefore is useful for people with osteoporosis.
• Contain vitamins B1, B2, B3, B6, B9, B12, E & K. Vitamin B6 helps reduce the risk for heart disease by lowering homocysteine levels in the body (which result from eating meat)
  
• It also possesses anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties

In case you wanted to know!

Bird ready for the oven

I wrestled my first bird today. Only dropped in on the floor once! Woo hoo!

I'm taking a break between dressing the bird and the rest of the stuff. Now I need to peel potatoes and prepare the Swiss Corn Bake.

Packer's game on TV. Hubby limping around after his football game this morning. Christmas decorations going up (I know, don't puke or yell at me, here's why): Our big Christmas party is next Saturday, Dec 1 at which we have between 70-80 people help us welcome the holiday season. Since we are going to my Mom's tomorrow and won't be back until Sunday, we need to get some stuff done now.

I'm thinking it's about time to break out the cocktails...????

Swiss Corn Bake

For years, one of our favorites at Thanksgiving is a side dish called Swiss Corn Bake. It came from my in-laws and my husband used to be the king of the bake but over the years, somehow, it has become mine (at least outside of my in-laws). This year I made it several times just for the family with ham. It will, of course make an appearance as we host our first Thanksgiving. Here is the recipe (I usually double it):

6 cups corn (about 2 of the 9 oz frozen bags)
1 (6 oz.) can evaporated milk
2 beaten eggs
2 tbsp. finely chopped onions (I usually use more, almost double)
Dash of pepper
1 c. shredded process Swiss cheese (I usually use more)
1 c. soft bread crumbs
2 tbsp. butter, melted

Drain corn. Combine corn, milk, eggs, onions, pepper and 3/4 cup cheese. Mix well. Turn into 10 x 6 x 2 inch baking dish. Toss bread crumbs with butter and the remaining cheese. Sprinkle over corn mixture. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes in a 350 degree oven.

The Rookie Turkey Cook

My first stop on the road to giving thanks this holiday is at the place where I realize the abundance of meaningful relationships in my life. This Thanksgiving, we will be sharing a meal with Payton's best friend Zack and his Mom and sister, and then leaving the next day to spend the rest of the weekend with my Mom, stepfather, nephew and grandparents.

We are hosting on Thanksgiving Day, a relative first for us. We did this only one other time. About 15 years ago we had my Mother-in-law and her sister for dinner. The two of them being expert turkey cookers and overall Thanksgiving hosts really made that a piece of cake as they did all of the heavy lifting.

This year, we're on our own.

Of course the first thing I did when I realized that this was actually happening was to Google "how to cook a turkey." I founds several helpful sites, one of which was the Better Homes and Gardens site where they have  a place to enter what time you want to serve dinner and how much your turkey weighs, and then they tell you exactly when to put the turkey in and when to take it out to let it stand before serving.

That was a good start. But then I found myself wondering if I should be buying a frozen turkey and letting it thaw, or am I better off buying a fresh one (which sounds better all the way around). But if it is fresh, how long will it keep? There are 3 full days before cooking day; is that too much?

So I then Googled "fresh or frozen turkey" and found this really great site, The Perfect Turkey Handbook. It answered all of the questions that I had as a rookie turkey cooker. Stuffing inside or out? Fresh or frozen? How to tell when it's done, making gravy, carving methods...it's all there! I'm sure that there are other opinions, other great sites, other methods.

But for me, it's all I need to jump in my car and get my rookie ass to Whole Foods. I'm sure the folks at Whole Foods will also be very helpful, however I anticipate that this Sunday before Thanksgiving I will be fighting my way through the isles with all of the other Silicon Valley yuppies who are spending their "Whole Paycheck" on dinner for Thursday night!

This'll make you hurl

This is apparently a dish served in Korea somewhere...NO THANK YOU! What you are seeing is octopus being served while the tentacles are still moving. Ummmmm I think I'll start fasting now...

More bang for your buck

If you're going to eat it, make it count.

In my quest to loose weight, I am not just concerned with the pounds. As a long-term strategy, I am also looking at my overall health. I come from a family full of diabetics (did you know that Halle Berry is diabetic?) and folks who have suffered from heart issues. My Mother-in-Law (who used to live in Berkeley AND Santa Cruz) is, by comparison to most people I know, a health food nut. I mean this in the most endearing way. She is a wealth of knowledge when it comes to what is good for your body and what is not. I learn a lot from her, and from other people in my life who are also on the quest for a healthier way of being.

What's Cookin'? 12/3 - 12/7

I seem to be falling off the wagon here with the holiday season in full gear. Haven't done real meal planning in weeks. This week is no different. Darren has a basketball game or practice EVERY night this week and we are trying to recover from our party while also getting caught up on stuff we have neglected over the past week.

So here is what we have going this week:

Sunday 12/3:   fried eggs, cheese and bacon on croissants (left over from party)
Monday 12/4:  Party leftovers (falafel, pizza, taquitos, lasagna etc.)
Tuesday 12/5: Take out...El Matate taquaria
Wednesday 12/6: Butter Nut Squash Ravioli and bread
Thursday: I have no idea

So much for planning...you know how it is...getting through the week.

This ain't a bad place to work

The assortment..., originally uploaded by KRob2005.

I must say that the company I work for (which shall remain nameless, although some of you know, or are stealthy enough to figure it out) is a really great place to be. We have monthly (sort of) wine tasting events complete with food and drink and great company. Today was really just a party rather than an official wine tasting. We had just finished a 2 hour staff meeting and then gathered in the reception area for some really great wines ( I don't know exactly what they were, or else I'd share them with you).

And we don't just put out the bottles and glasses and food. It is done up nicely and in season. It is a great way to round out the week and start winding down. Check out the deserts and the rest of the food that was served.

It is one of the benefits of working for a small company (we have about 40 people total). There are many other benefits. I'm really a small company gal. Never worked for a company of more than 300 people and even then it was just a temporary 300 (right before the bubble burst).

I love knowing everyone, and knowing most of them really well. I like the feel of the family (and everything that comes with that, both good and bad).

It's not often you hear people talk about how great their companies are. This is one of those times. And I'm not just saying that because the wine was really good today.

Getting ready for turkey day!

my plate of food, originally uploaded by strph.

One week and counting! I'm thinking about all of that yummy stuffing and mashed potatoes and swiss corn bake (recipe to come), and rolls. One more week until family, football, endless movie watching, cutting veggies, burning the pumpkin pie and too much wine.

This year our Thanksgiving will be very different than in recent years past. For the last 10 years or so we have spent Thanksgiving at Dan's Mom's house with all of Dan's family. Usually at least 20 people with a LOT of different kinds of veggies (salad, creamed onions, green beans, sweet potatoes, asparagus, cranberries) and a LOT of men piled into one tiny room watching football on a  tiny TV.

This year we'll be at my Mom's house with about 9 people total including the 4 of us. We'll have stuffing from the bird, one veggie and everyone in one big room watching football on a great big TV.

I'll miss all of the people, I'll miss the creamed onions (but my digestive system won't). I'm looking forward to the "new" people and the new stuffing and the bigger TV.

What's Cookin'? 11/12 - 11/16

The most excellent Becky beat me to it this week! I'm such a slacker and she caught me! I can't believe it is the week before Thanksgiving. My thoughts are fast forwarded to next week and I just got caught slacking. I even thought tonight (while I was sitting in the hot tub in the rain with my 2 boys) that I REALLY need to get this post out. Then I come in and start reading some blogs, and damn it if Bec didn't beat me to it. I love it though! Cooking loves company. Here's What's Cookin' (Props to Hubby who planned the menu and did the shopping for the week):

Sunday - Mexican Macaroni
Monday - Spicy Honey Glazed Chicken with Rice and Green Beans
Tuesday - Baked Rigatoni w/Italian Sausage & Garlic Bread (mom out for the evening)
Wednesday - Taco Quiche
Thursday - Crock Nutty Chicken (because we never had it last week, we had to substitute for something quick and easy, I think it was a basketball practice night).

I find myself thinking about the butter nut squash raviolis I saw at Costco...does anyone know what kind of sauce to use with that? Maybe just a little olive oil and some pine nuts or something? I MUST HAVE SOME.

What's Cookin'? 11/5 - 11/9

A busy weekend at the "Mission" house. We've done lots of chores:

• picked out a new color for the outside of our house ("Cargo")
• bought a big shed (the second one down with a window added) to be installed in a couple of weeks
• bought a new mantle for our soon to be re-faced fireplace
• went shopping for tiles for the fireplace (no decision yet)
• painted some of our sort-of recently installed crown molding
• took Payton to his baseball game in South City
• took Darren to lunch at Speederia Pizzeria
• went on a search and rescue mission for Ronaldo at 11:00 pm, finding him at the park several blocks away
• made home-made snicker-doodles
• had a fabulous dinner Saturday night; a scramble-style mixture of potatoes, corn, eggs, onions and turkey bacon
• went shopping for something to wear to next week's Night at the Oscars fund-raising auction at Serra (and was VERY successful)
• pulled out some major shrubbery in preparation for the house painters (see the before photo)
• stained the inside of the front door

WOW! I'm exhausted just reading it! And to top it all off, just got back from grocery shopping for this week's meals....which are:

Sunday:          Tortilla Soup (home-made) and corn bread (not home-made)
Monday:         Terriaki Chicken & rice
Tuesday:        Corn Chowder (home-made) and grilled cheese on sourdough
Wednesday:    Spaghetti and garlic bread
Thursday:       Crock Nutty Chicken   

Continue for recipes:

What's Cookin'? 10/29 - 11/2

Although the calendar shows fall, the weather here lately has been more spring-like. We have had 75-80 degree weather for the last couple of weeks. A nice final hurra for summer. It does get pretty cool at night, into the high 40's. We start this week's menu off with some fall-type comfort food:

Sunday  10/29 - Grilled Cheese on sourdough, corn chowder, garlic fries
Monday 10/30 - Swedish Meatballs (from IKEA, believe it or not) and green beans
Tuesday 10/31 - Pizza probably, who wants to cook on Halloween! My Mom will be joining us.
Wednesday 11/1 - Fajitas (details to be decided)
Thursday 11/2 - Orange Chicken and rice (from TJ's, we have 2 meetings tonight)

The corn chowder that we had tonight was just a Cambell's Chunky Chicken and Corn Chowder. Everyone loved it. It MOST chunky! Looking at the week's menu it is not full of homemade delights. It's getting to be that time of year when schedules get out of hand. We are preparing for a big auction at Serra in a couple of weeks. Both Dan and I are volunteering our services in one way or another. Also, Payton's baseball game today turned into a double-header with no notice. Thank goodness we had an extra hour today!

Some interesting Food Blogs, in case you are interested:

Family Food
Zen Foodism
Everybody Likes Sandwiches
The Girl Who Ate Everything

Latin Tuesday

Tonight was Chipolte Chicken and Rice night. We added some rolls and some guacamole to go with the main course. The kids didn't like the chicken, but we did. It was just seasoned with a pre-made chipolte marinade.

The best part was the music. Last time we did an Italian meal I decided that it would be fun to do a little abiance music that was themed with whatever we were having (which is much easier some nights than others). All of the boys kind of gave me a hard time when I put on Dean Martin singing "That's Amore" with the Italian meal, so I kind of stopped doing it. Then tonight, Payton was a little late to the dinner table because he decided we needed some Latin/Spanish music with our dinner. We listened to:

"El Kilo" by Orishas
"Suavemente" by Elvis Crespo
"Bruca Manigua" by Ibrahim Ferrer
"Cielito Lindo" by Los Lobos
"Guateque Campesino" by Ibrahim Ferrer

Cena divertido! Cena delicioso!

Sunday's Dinner

Sunday's dinner proved to be VERY filling...I'm sure it is all of that starch...as you can see it was pretty much all the same color. Photo one is the preparation for the bread, which is a favorite from years past that I resurected. Photo 2 is of the family digging in. With 2 teen boys, a filling dinner is a big hit.

Next time I think I would add some green beans or a salad or something that would break up the mono-chromatic scheme seen here.

I guess the important thing is that we are still eating together 5 nights a week, for about 5 weeks now. It's not fancy, but it is a family deal. That's success in my book.

What's Cookin'? 10/22 - 10/26

After an absolutely GORGEOUS weekend, I'm confused as to whether to do fresh garden summer-type salads or warm comfortable, fall-type comfort foods...Mother Nature is a bitch sometimes, but right now she is just a tease. 80+ degrees all weekend. I'm sitting here watching the hummingbirds feast on what's left of the honeysuckle in the backyard. This is why we pay the big bucks to live in the Bay Area, people. It's all about the weather. My mind wanders...here is our menu for the week (please note that we are attempting to not have to spend more money on groceries this week, we have enough food in the house to feed a freakin' army y'all):

Sunday - Parmesan Chicken, Homemade cheese bread, rice
Monday - Bacon burgers & tater tots (veggie TBD)
Tuesday - Chipolte Chicken & Spanish Rice
Wednesday - Teriyaki Chicken & spring rolls (a la Trader Joe's)
Thursday - Mexican Macaroni

How about photos of the dishes each night? That sure would keep me blogging on a daily basis! And perhaps recipes of the more interesting dishes to accompany the photos?  Do I smell a food blog cookin'?

And speaking of...here are some cooking blog links I found. Can you recommend others?
Gastronome
Simple Recipes (this is where I got the Parmesan Chicken recipe)
Chronicles of a Curious Cook
Cheap Cooking
Cooking for Engineers (seriously)
This Mama Cooks!

 

Designated Emergency Coffee Person

Found this post over at When You Get That Notion (which is a brilliant blog title, I must say), and it got me to thinking...EVERYONE should have an emergency coffee getting person designated to them. A spouse, neighbor, friend, or even kid if they are old enough. They should know exactly what you want and exactly how you take it.

One should only use this person during true emergencies. You don't want the crying wolf syndrome.

My hubby is my emergency go-to-guy for many things, including coffee. I must say, however that I sometimes get the surprise coffee delivery. He must know when I'm stressed or in need of some liquid relief. I would consider this like having an emergency situation plan (like for earthquakes, fires etc.). I'm surprised that the Red Cross doesn't advocate this practice!

I'll take a grande vanilla latte please. Unless it's near Christmas, then I'll take a grande egg nog latte with whip.