Pseudo Paella/Jambalaya

The age old question, "What's for dinner," has become increasingly difficult for me to answer.  Not because I don't have a plan if it is asked in the morning, and not because something isn't already cooking, it simply may not have a name.

The name of a dish is especially important to my husband as I have discussed in previous posts.  However, it is important to at least be able to describe the meal in question with references all family members or diners will relate.  Sometimes I make, "those Mexican wrap things" and my family will know what I mean.  The contents of the wrap are:  refried beans, peppers, onions, cheese (cheddar or blend of cheddar/jack) and left over steak or chicken.  Neither burrito nor taco nor enchilada, the wraps are baked in the oven until the beans are bubbly and the cheese melted.  They may be topped with taco sauce, salsa or a verde sauce - up to the individual taste. 

Last night, I knew I had shrimp and chorizo so the combinations appeared in my head that included rice, peppers and whatever else I may have on hand that could be deemed appropriate.  Additional options could have included olives or onions, but instead I halved cherry tomatoes.  While my younger son had an idea of what was happening in the kitchen, he was pleasantly surprised when called to put his serving in a dish.

"Oh, you didn't say you were making Jambalaya."

Well, technically, I didn't.

When my husband came to the kitchen he said, "Wow, this looks good."  Perhaps that should be the name of all my future dinners.

Would you? Could you?

The New York Times Dining section this week included the following article:  http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/25/dining/coming-home-to-a-neighbors-treat.html?_r=1&ref=dining
"The Culinary Definition of Neighborly," by Laura M. Holson and I started to really think about food as a gift. 

When my previous neighbors had their first child, I gave them a cold-cut platter on their first day home since I knew not only would the new parents not feel much like cooking, but inevitably family and friends would want to stop by and meet the baby.  Being able to offer guests a bite without any fuss seemed like a great gift to me.  The platter did seem to come in handy for them. 

However, I work with a woman who simply will not eat most food brought in from co-workers.  "I don't know what their kitchen is like, how clean they are, etc."  While I understand and can relate to her concerns, I am usually willing to take the risk for a home baked good and am especially glad I did not miss the recent 4 ingredient cookies.

When I had a surgery a few years ago, wonderful and thoughtful gifts of food from work included a warm and comforting chicken noodle soup and a rice pilaf that went beautifully with anything. 

For my sister's baby shower, her sister-in-law gave her a cooler full of home made frozen meals so the last thing the new mom would have to think about was, "what's for dinner." 

Holiday gift guides often rave about gifts from the kitchen and perhaps putting dry ingredients together in a cute mason jar for hot chocolate or cookie dough.  My thoughtful neighbors this past year gave us a basket loaded with goodies (of course many of them were already eaten before the photo shoot):

Meat also seems a popular choice for gift giving.  I once gave my future brother-in-law a cooler of Filet Mignon and I believe my other brother-in-law received some Omaha steak love at his retirement dinner from a family member. 

Food gifts go well beyond boxed chocolates but the jury seems to be out about giving and receiving home made culinary creations.  What are your thoughts on both giving and receiving food from a friend, neighbor, co-worker?  Will you eat it?  Would you cook for them or only give prepared food as a gift?

Salsa Goodness

I am a lover of salt, salty snacks, chips and dips.  I understand chocoholics and have experienced times when I felt like nothing else will do. 

However, I simply cannot imagine a life without salt.  I have a shaker habit that's hard to kick, and yes, will sometimes reach out for it without tasting my food first.  Horrifying.

I also can't think of a single savory item that I would not enhance with a bit of salt.  From asparagus to zucchini, I simply want it.  It has not been a physical issue, no high blood pressure or other ill effect, but I know my choice must be a bit on the extreme side judging by the reactions of those around me when I sprinkle on a little salt.

So, why should my snack habit not be a prime example of my love?  My pantry may contain both cookies and chips, but I will always go for the chips first.

I have tried to pair my love for crunchy thin snacks with the healthier choices now available and have dabbled in sea salt versions, baked veggies crisps, as well as multi-grain (my current favorite).  To ease my guilty conscience, I create a quick and fresh salsa with minimum ingredients:

Fresh Tomato

Green Bell Pepper

Onion

Salt and Pepper

A dash of olive oil

Sprinkle of garlic powder (or ground fresh if on hand)

All proportions are to your taste and by eye

When preparing, plan ahead for the number of people in the house at the time it will be eaten.  Even if you offer it to everyone before it is assembled, they may say, "no thank you," but once they see it in the bowl they will not be able to help themselves.  And, as the saying goes, no one can eat just one.  No one.

The Incredible, Edible...

When I started my day job four years ago, I was so excited about the on-site cafeteria, especially for breakfast.  We had welcome breakfasts and I thought it was simply fabulous to see platters of fruit, mini-bagels and pitchers of juice.  Soon I was addicted and going through the menu of options:  omelette's with sausage/mushroom, mixed veggies or just tomatoes, over easy eggs, hard boiled egg sandwiches, baked goods, bacon and egg sandwiches, peanut butter and jelly on a toasted english muffin, raisin bread toast, and the classic bacon with scrambled eggs.  Breakfast love.

No, I can't eat like this, nor do I want to, every day, but every once in awhile I will proclaim, "I need a bad girl breakfast," and when I do, this is what I want.  Most days I enjoy a single hard boiled egg on multi-grain or whole wheat toast, sometimes with a slice of tomato.  I went through a severe oatmeal period with fresh blueberries and a mid-morning banana is almost expected.  


Childhood through early adult-hood, breakfast was either skipped, late or cold cereal.  Now, I simply love breakfast at least 5 days per week.  It has also evolved as a great meal for socializing - not only lingering on the weekends in my kitchen with family, but meeting friends out either for the local fire department pancake breakfast or a local diner's fare.  A greatly underrated meal - breakfast - but when thought of, eggs are always top of mind.


An egg cooking challenge for me has been to mimic the perfect Egg's Benedict.  The problem?  The first time I had this dish it was at a lovely sidewalk cafe not far from New York's Central Park and really, who can replicate the meal without the entire experience?  Why try?  It was a perfectly toasted muffin, Canadian bacon, a slice of tomato, the poached egg and a heavenly Hollandaise sauce.  The soft, pillowy eggs high above the crispy muffin, the salty ham and fresh tomato all brought together under a silky blanket of sauce - oh the memory alone is making me salivate.  


So, instead I continue the culinary journey to instead add to the Egg's Benedict memory list and rather than compare and contrast, simply log on more versions, memories and stories.  A rainy Sunday seems the perfect time to take out the saucepan, the vinegar and give the poaching a whirl.  Literally.  A splash of vinegar in the simmering water, the wooden spoon stirred in a clockwise motion to create the desired whirlpool effect, the egg cracked first into a bowl then slowly lowered into the water for 3 minutes exactly.  


A single slice of double protein toast topped with a few thin slices of tomato and the plate is ready for the set eggs to be plated.  No sauce is fine, a bit of salt and pepper were added after the photo.

Smoothiepolitan

In these times we are very lucky to have a wide assortment of fresh fruits and vegetables at our disposal throughout the year.  Seasonal produce is a more critical factor when buying local, but really, we do have the ability to buy most anything at any time.

Also, we are a bit more discerning about our fresh foods.  We want them to be picture perfect, smell and feel fresh, while we prefer to buy them from a local farmer, some will settle for simply grown in this country and for others, all bets are off if they simply want an exotic hybrid in January.

Unfortunately, we also waste a large amount of food.  Though I have no real statistics handy, I am sure that in my house, we waste enough food to feed another human per year.  This may be a result of over-buying, improper storage or simply poor planning.  Whatever the cause, I am aware and trying to reduce the waste.  I have used a serrated knife to shave away the offending end of bread so that it is so thin, the remaining slice can still be toasted.  I frequently re-purpose cooked left-overs and now, I am policing the produce.

Strawberries were recently on sale and so I bought a full quart.  I love the look, smell, feel, everything about this wonderful fruit.  Though my older son prefers to "doctor" the berries with a Nutella dip, a coating of sugar or a melted chocolate chip sauce, he does eat them as well.  I watched the berries disappear except for maybe a dozen that were starting to lose their luster and worried they would soon be wasted.  What to do?

Smoothies!!

The almost unwanted strawberries, a fistful of blueberries, one banana,  a few ice cubes and a splash of milk... whir, whir, whir

No, no yogurt, no ice cream, nothing but fruit and a splash of milk.

                   

The fun part for me was putting mine in a martini glass.  Smoothies don't have to be boring and no one will ever know what the fruit looked like before it went in.  I've also used the bananas that everyone passes by.  As an extra bonus, hubby with high cholesterol will drink one and I feel good about sneaking some fruit in his diet!  

Restaurant X

A few weeks ago, during Hudson Valley Restaurant Week, I was a guest blogger for Liz Johnson's Small Bites food blog for the Journal News.

http://food.lohudblogs.com/

My reviews can be found here:

http://food.lohudblogs.com/?s=bistro+lilly

and

http://food.lohudblogs.com/?s=il+cena+cola

http://www.hudsonvalleyrestaurantweek.com/home.php

What an absolute treat for me as a food lover and blogger to be able to connect with everyone for such a great event (and for me, this was the second year).  To thank the bloggers (don't tell, but for me the joy of participating is its own reward) Jerry Novesky, Janet Crawshaw and Liz Johnson take us all out for a lovely dining experience and this year, we were hosted by Restaurant X in Congers, NY.

http://www.xaviars.com/restx/index.html

It is my nature to be early, especially when I am looking forward to an event or adventure and so I was 20 minutes ahead of schedule when I arrived.  A perfect opportunity to explore...

Part of the entrance

In the entry

The Bully Boy Bar

Something about the architecture and design...

Who wouldn't want to linger over a wonderful meal?

Let's meet for lunch -

or brunch (booked 3 weeks in advance)

 On to the Blogger Event...

Guests were given a choice of cocktails, I chose the rum punch - refreshing, without being too sweet and a perfect size portion for social sipping.  I was told the libation included a bit of Crown Maple Syrup.  Lovely.



 On the tables, a promise of things to come listed: 

A Selection of Passed Foods

Jumbo Asparagus Points with Prosciutto di Parma

Crown Maple Glazed Rohan Duck Breast

Assorted Asian Dumplings

A Bundle of Casar Salad

Lobster Cappuccino with Mascarpone Foam

Coconut Shrimp with Mustard Sauce

Japanese Crispy Salmon Roll Avocado & Sushi Rice

Spicy Rock Shrimp Ginger & Roquefort

Spring Ramp Risotto with Black Truffle

Braised Short Ribs "Wellington" Foie Gras & Madeira

Apple & Brie Turnover Crisp Phyllo

Coach Farms Goat Cheese & Onion Tartlet

Kumomoto Oyster with Ponzu & Ginger

Spring Lamb Chops with Rosemary Jus

A Spoonful of Lump Crabmeat with Creamed Spinach

Mousse of Foie Gras with Fig Jam

Desserts

Pecan Diamonds

Grand Marnier Truffles

Lemon Panna Cotta

Miniature Creme Brulee

Chocolate Dipped Strawberries

Raspberry Tartlet

Chocolate Dome with Caramel Center

 The creamed spinach with a pillow of lump crab meat was decadence in a spoon.

The oysters were beautiful and the snap of spicy ginger was like a quick wake up spark to the taste buds.

 Under normal circumstances I refrain from ordering lamb or veal, but the elegant tray of perfectly cooked chops were inviting, tender, and simply tasted wonderful.

The ramp risotto may have been one of my favorite dishes of the evening.  Delicately creamy balanced by the ramp's vibrant green onion-like freshness - I confess I had two servings.

Although many of the other wonderful dishes are not featured in photographs, each and every one were outstanding.  My personal favorites not already mentioned, included the Lobster Cappuccino, the spicy Rock Shrimp and the Crown Maple Glazed Rohan Duck.

I then began to worry.  I had sampled so many amazing dishes, I really did not allow room for dessert and soon the service and passing of the sweets began...

I did sample a strawberry as they are a sweet I will never be able to pass up.  I especially enjoyed and appreciated the X formation presentation as well as the varied dots and stripes of white chocolate.  Lovely.

Miniature cones with refreshing sorbet - I tried the Mango and felt refreshed and as if my palette had been spoiled.  Would I ever be able to eat "regular" food again? 

When I met Chef Peter X. Kelly, I had a million questions that went out of my head.  I wanted to ask the obvious, "What was the best part of your experience with Food Network?" and "Where do you find your creativity?" or "What's your favorite meal?"  I also wanted to ask, "What would your Mom be surprised to know you eat?"  Even now as I write, I can think of more I should have tried to discuss, but instead others wanted their turn and so I eased back into the background.  Happy to have had the opportunity.  And, also wiser.

Thank you everyone, to Jerry, Janet, Liz, Chef Peter X. Kelly, those behind the scenes, the participating restaurants, my fellow bloggers and my family (who secretly look forward to tagging along on my culinary adventures) - I had a fabulous time and look forward to the next chapter.

Also, thank you for the Blogger Swag!

Free Eats

I am not sure what to call the phenomen that occurs when free food is placed out for all at work, but it is certainly noteworthy and at times, personality changing.

Today a "Lunch and Learn" was held and so food was provided to attendees.  Sandwiches, bags of chips, canned soda, bottled water, LARGE chocolate chip cookies and brownies were served.  The remaining platters were put in our designated community food area, an email was sent to all of us notfiying us of the available goodies and the nonsensical feeding frenzy began first in stealth mode with a bit of restraint until people were comfortable enough to just enjoy.  The irony is, we'd all either attended the meeting or had eaten our own lunch, but the food slowly diappeared.

We do bring in treats from time to time and they are also placed in this particular area.  This year, we have created a policy, if it is your birthday, you can bring whatever kind of snack to share and most people seem to opt to bring in bagels rather than sweets.  Left overs are rare.

Holiday time becomes ridiculous.  Not only do many of us bring in food before a holiday, some also bring in uneaten desserts because, "we won't eat it at home."  Well, why the are we inhaling it at work????  Simply because it is available?  Because we are bored?  What happens to our brains when food is simply put in front of us?  And just so no one ever thinks this was a preachy post, I was the first one and often am, looking for the large chocolate chip cookie.  I also recently brought in a peanut butter/chocolate cake my family did not want.  On bagel days, I always hope for salt with veggie cream cheese.  Holiday time last year, I brought in fried pumpkin cutlets and fresh Italian bread - delish!  Not sure yet what I will bring in for my birthday, maybe an ice cream sundae bar?  Hope someone brings in a snack tomorrow...