The Amateur Epicure

Giving Thanks

2006-11-24T12:13:00.000-06:00

We had a pretty low key Thanksgiving even by my standards. My mom left for Georgia, Dad was in Indy and brothers went to in-laws. Max commented several times how it was weird that we weren't with our own family - which I found sweet and a bit sad.

We scored no less than 3 invites for dinner. (It is amazing the graciousness of people toward single mothers). We took Shawn up on hers - mainly because her son is Max's friend. We had a nice time with her family. Ate a big meal, played cards, drank cheap wine.

I made broccoli salad, cheese grits, and made a sweet potato pie!

Shawn's husband underwent surgery to remove a brain tumor earlier this year. He is doing great now but we were touched to be with a family that has so many reasons to give thanks. Then again, don't we all?

I hope your day was peaceful and happy.

You Win Some, You Lose Some

2006-11-19T18:50:00.000-06:00

Chicken Pot Pie with Homemade Herb Biscuits

I made two pot pies tonight. I made one with onions and herbs for me and a sans onions and herbs for Max. Recently,I have started sneaking in onions into Max's food and even the occasional herbs. "What is that GREEN in there?" Just eat it Max.....I am hoping to give him an unaware acquired taste.

The pot pie was good, not great. I used Ina Garten's recipe for herb biscuits but forgot to put on the egg wash even though it was ready and right in front of my face. So the biscuits did not brown. I also overworked the dough so they were too heavy. Ina would be pissed at me no doubt. Although in a nice way I bet. She seems very nice.....

A few days ago, I came across a stuffed mushroom recipe on Epicurious I wanted to try. The ingredients all sounded good: Italian sausage, Parmesan, oregano, dash of Worcestershire and garlic, cream cheese and an egg.

Moldy mushrooms prevented me from making these last week but after a trip to the grocery store today, I was ready. Here they are right out of the oven.

Here they are in the trash can. Bad. Just bad. I have never written a review on Epicurious although the reviews of other users greatly influences me. I believe this will be my first review.....Blechhhkkkk!

Oh! The vegetable soup was great. I will post the entire recipe later.

Another Saturday Night and I Ain't Got Nobody...

2006-11-18T17:49:00.000-06:00

I've got some veggies so I'll just make soup. Details to come!

Cool Gadgets - part I

2006-11-16T15:33:00.000-06:00

Shish-k-boom Shish-k-boom,

2006-11-15T20:28:00.000-06:00

Don't ya just love it?

First Time EVER!

2006-11-14T20:49:00.000-06:00

I am getting ready to go to bed and just thought to myself, "Myself? I think we forgot to eat supper tonight!"

The potato gratin was very good last night (and today for lunch). The rosemary and bleu cheese were a bit much together however. Either one separately would be divine!

Pajama Food

2006-11-13T18:25:00.000-06:00

We are having a bad day. Max and I yelled at each other, me with particular force. I have not yelled in ages. I have not yelled at him in forever. I didn't like it. He didn't like it more.

Most obvious statement of the day....Being a single mom is tough.

My friend H is having a shitty day too. Since I am going to bust her out, I am not going to link to her blog here. She had a Taco Bell binge for lunch. I couldn't stand to hear the details, although I can totally relate to the feeling out of control, being out of sorts, wanting things to turn back around on the right track but not being able to move them there. Fuck these days.

So it is 6 p.m. and I am in my pj's. I am going to curl up on the couch and watch bad TV. What's for supper? I still have some bleu cheese left and filet. There is the first course.

Potato Gratin with Bleu Cheese and Rosemary

It sounds comforting and I hope to hell it works. I'll let you know.

Lazy Sunday Lunch

2006-11-12T11:35:00.000-06:00

Roasted Acorn Squash and Garlic Soup with Fried Sage

A acorn squash - halved
A head garlic - top 1/3 cut off
1/2 onion - diced
A couple cuts of fresh sage
A couple sprigs of fresh thyme
Chicken stock - about 2 Cups
Half and Half - 1/4, more or less to taste
Butter
Salt, pepper, and sugar

Place squash halves and garlic on baking sheet lined with foil. Add a bit of olive oil on garlic. Roast in 375 degree oven until garlic is soft - about 40 - 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, saute onion until soft. (or roast the onion instead). Add a few leaves of chopped sage and thyme. Saute one minute.

Add chopped, peeled squash and half of the roasted garlic. Save the rest of the garlic for another use.

Add enough stock to cover - about 2 cups. Bring to boil, continue to cook until all pieces of squash are soft. Add 1/4 C (to taste) half and half. Using submersion blender, puree. Add salt, pepper, and sugar to taste.

Take remaining sage leaves and fry in butter for about two minutes. The leaves will brown and become mellow and crispy. Garnish on soup with additional thyme.

Serves 2 as a meal.

I cannot stress enough how delightful the fried sage is in this soup. I am lucky enough to still have some in my garden despite three hard freezes. I hope it makes it till Thanksgiving!

I totally got "the Look"

2006-11-11T16:46:00.000-06:00

The "look" from the butcher tonight when I ordered ONE filet. ONE. Head tilt, nod, head tilt, eyes of pity.

Bleu cheese crusted filet with red wine reduction. I ate half of the bleu cheese before it made it onto the steak, but otherwise, a delicious meal.

Sometimes "In Theory" Just Sucks

2006-11-10T18:51:00.000-06:00

In "theory", this should have been delightful. Prosciutto wrapped crostini with Parmesan and garlic.
YUM!
YUM?
Uh.....Yuck?
YUCK!

So what exactly went wrong? Perhaps the extremely dry crostini. Maybe the extremely dry and salty prosciutto. Could it be the hard dry cheese? Probably all of the above.

Next time, better crostini. Softer cheese. Higher quality prosciutto. Basil. Tomatoes. And, of course, bacon.

What is the Purpose?

2006-11-09T14:31:00.000-06:00

I am sure I am not the only blogger who is struggling with NoBloPoMo, although there are those whose creativity is spewing out of them like bad oysters. But me? I feel pressured by the post a day and find myself completely blank......And yet, still competitive.

So here is yet another, Get-Me-Through-One-More-Day post. Tomorrow I will have a completely brilliant entry.

In the meantime, please do check out my FAVORITE food blogger The Amateur Gourmet. Adam is a cook, writer and food adventurer who lives in Brooklyn and leads a fabulous, glamorous life

I want to marry Adam. Well, no, I don't think that would work. I want to adopt Adam. Hmmmm, his parents seem great. Maybe the could adopt me!

The Red in Betty

2006-11-08T19:25:00.000-06:00

I love red! Here's a new purchase....

2006-11-07T10:34:00.000-06:00

The following from gawker.com

We've always been unimpressed with the people who trumpet their participation in NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month), which as far as we can tell involves telling everyone you know (usually via your blog) that you're writing a novel in a month, woohoo, way to go you. Seriously, it's almost as tiresome as people who think they're all special for sprinting through five boroughs. Color us not impressed.
But you know what IS impressive? NaDruWriNi -- National Drunken Writing Night -- which we had no idea was this past Saturday. (Even so, we may have inadvertently participated). The concept is wonderful, but the results are even better. Some of the drunkest are collected here. To whet your whistle, here's an excerpt from one of our favorites from last year:

observation #5

i was going to write about
an old man i saw
but am now so drunk
that i cannot concentrate enough
do do so
or remember him
h9old on
giveme a sec.

Trust us, it's funnier in context. Start getting excited for next year.

Oh! And I also saw a blog doing NaBloSHOEMo, National Blogging about Shoes everyday Month - or something like that! I'll try to find her link.

Cute AND Talented

2006-11-06T20:36:00.000-06:00

My teenage son made this apron in home living class. Although my hand looks like it is there to catch crumbs, it was my attempt at the "Janice Hand" from the Price Is Right. I'll work on it.

(not to be hating but here are) Ten Things I Hate

2006-11-05T13:33:00.000-06:00

1. Jello
2. Coconut
3. McDonald's
4. Artificially flavored stuff (grape, peach, strawberry and watermelon flavored anything, hazelnut coffee, banana popsicles)
4. Canned soup
5. Sourkraut
6. Kraft Macaroni and "cheese"
7. Brussel Sprouts
8. Tarragon
9. Canned Tuna (throw in canned fruit, canned peas, canned asparagus, canned potatoes, canned mushrooms, blech!)
10.Hamburger

That was pretty easy. Now here are foods I would eat only if given a choice between eating them and fucking Fabio where death is not an option....

1. Grape jelly
2. Broccoli
3. Kidney
4. Grocery store purchased birthday cakes
5. Honey mustard
6. Black licorice
7. Jelly-filled doughnuts
8. Pickle relish
9. Potato Buds
10.Rice-a-Roni

Was that EVERYDAY?

2006-11-04T20:05:00.000-06:00

Sitting here tonight, working on the laptop, and watching of all the random things, Sarah, Plain and Tall (don't ask).....I have cruised some of the blogs that Mrs. Kennedy has listed in the NoBloPoMo page.

I can rest assured that I am not the only blogger in a panic with having to come up with a post everyday. Well, an interesting post at the least.....

I hit on a site that did not even put any words on her last two posts, just a title like "blog post #3". Believe me when I say, I am totally not criticizing you sister, that will be me next week and I probably won't even bother with the title the week after!

But today, I am in a bit of a panic of sorts. The PRESSURE of a month's worth of posts. Because ultimately, I am a wee bit competitive. (eye rolls from everyone I have ever met....)

So in a flurry of photos I am taking as I am making supper tonight (JUST WAIT! It will be such exciting reading!), I actually took a picture of the contents of my refrigerator. I was thinking of calling it "A Day in Life of the Fridge." The series could run all month. You've been warned.......

Birthday Boy

2006-11-04T14:31:00.000-06:00

Did I mention I have a 13-year-old? 13!!!

My dad, who lives in Indy, decided to meet us for lunch in Bloomington - only an hour and a half drive for us but closer to two and a half for him. We met up at the TGI Friday's - Max's choice for the birthday lunch.

I ordered shrimp. (In fact, it was the second time in one week where I ordered shrimp at a restaurant). And I have discovered that I don't really like shrimp all that much. But yet I still order it almost everything I see it on a menu. Isn't that odd?

Max, who bounces between being a picky eater and an adventurous eater, wants desperately to like shrimp. I think this stems from his cool cousin's love of the little fish. Once, at a Christmas party at our house, his cousin literally ate the entire plate of shrimp cocktail to the tune of 3 pounds worth, in one sitting. Max was amazed and still is trying to figure out what he is missing.

So every time I order shrimp, he wants to try a bite. So far, he just doesn't like it. Oh the things I could learn from a teenager!

13 years ago today, I was in a whole lot of pain

2006-11-03T05:42:00.000-06:00

Happy 13th Birthday to my son Max! He does not have school today so we are headed to Peoria for lunch and blowing his birthday wad. His restaurant of choice today? TGIF Friday's. Could be worse, could be a whole lot better.

Damn, I love that kid!

Post a Day Numero Uno

2006-11-01T15:31:00.000-06:00

Thanks to Hilarie, Ain't No Answer, who in turn would like to thank Mrs. Kennedy, www.fussy.org, we are both participating in the NaBloPloMo challenge. That challenging challenge is challenging us to blog everyday in November. Yes, it will be a challenge for me at least.

If you are a gambler, put your money and Hilarie to win!

The Perfect Caesar Salad and Why I Cannot Eat Caesar Salad Anymore

2006-08-21T18:56:00.000-05:00

I have about 50 photos and future posts and the more I have that sits in the queue, the longer I procrastinate posting! I have made some wonderful and some truly shit-filled meals over the past few months. I need to get off my butt and post already!

C and I watch the HBO shows Deadwood, the Sopranos, and Rome on Sunday nights. We call it Sunday night date night. We really aren't dating, we are just two middle aged single women who prefer cooking and eating. In honor of Rome, we made a wonderful grilled steak Caesar salad using a combination of an Emeril and a Martha recipe. I doubt I need to use last names.

I bought anchovies and even though C hates anything fish related - I smashed them to a paste with garlic and salt. In went raw eggs. I know. Parmesan, olive oil, and pepper. It just gets better and better! The dressing turned out marvelous, very garlicky and rich.

We made homemade croutons, grilled the steak and viola - a perfect theme night meal.

It was so good in fact, we decided to make it only three weeks later. Repeating recipes is rarely a habit we indulge. But it seemed like a good idea at the time. That is, until the dreaded lunch.......

I went with Max and my brother's family for lunch that Sunday. We all ate buffalo chicken and, gulp, onion, riiiiinnnnnngggggggs. We weren't home two hours before it hit Max. Hard. Violent. I thought, foolishly, it could be the flu. That is until another couple hours later, after I had made the Caesar dressing, that it hit me. Hard. Violent. It was, It WAS, Soap poisoning! No, I mean Food poisoning. I won't go into details because I believe it is self-explanatory. Believe it or not, I won't go into the details! I know!

So not only can I not eat onion rings or buffalo chicken but I crossed Caesar salad off the list as well. I couldn't even eat STEAK for months and I LOVE steak. But I did get over that one. Pure will power.

C, who did not go with us for lunch, took a big bite out of an anchovy that did not get mashed to a paste and that was the end for her too. So while this recipe is wonderful, it is also SO off our list. Feel free to ask for the recipe!

The Morel of the Story

2006-05-12T18:11:00.000-05:00

Do you ever read the ending of a book before getting to Chapter 2? Yeah, me too. So here is the moral of this post, this post you haven't even read yet. EAT the Morel! Eat em while you got em because they may not be around next year.

The beautiful, alien, elusive Morel. In the Midwest, morel hunting is more than just a hobby. It is like a springtime sport, an event shared with family and friends. It is also one of those things that you can't really learn on your own. You have to be initiated by the ProShroomer. The Shroommaster. The Shroomer Guru. The Shroomer Groomer. Not only because the experienced Shroomer knows where to look for the morel, but also knows the difference between a good one and a poisonous one.

Just a little background on the morel. The hunting season generally starts in April and runs just a few weeks. Those little fungi are fussy little beasts, growing next to dead elm and sycamore trees. The ground temperature and rainfall can make or break a mushroom season. Some years are bountiful, others barren.

My friend C's brother hit the bounty. He gave us a huge bowl full - and he even cleaned and soaked them! (Unlike many mushrooms, the morels need to be soaked in salt water to kill any critters that may be residing inside). Just put that part out of your mind.

C and I breaded the morels in Saltine crackers and fried them in butter. We made a salad to accompany the mushrooms, but really, it wouldn't have mattered. We ate them all!

Back to the moral of the morel. We at this feast as if it would be our last time with the morel, because you just never know. This feast? It was in 2005. A bounty year for the morel. 2006? Not so good. But we always have the memories!

The picky eater vs. the seefood eater

2006-04-02T18:46:00.000-05:00

Who knew one of the toughest parts of being a single mom comes every night at dinner time? Max has become decidedly uninterested in most good food. This from the child that would request his FLAY (filet) to be cooked rare, whose favorite meal was blackened grilled chicken over fettucine with
Beuchamel sauce, and who would at least sample EVERYTHING that was put in front of him. What happened to THAT kid?

I find myself cooking for him more and more. I tried for several months making meals for myself AND another meal for picky pants. That got incredibly OLD as you can imagine. Thankfully, he is not a big fast food junkie (he marvels at those kids who actually want to eat at McDonald's by choice) although he eats his share of crap. But is it just laziness that I succumb to his wishes for supper and don't enforce what should be a dictatorship and not some lameass democracy that we seem to be living?

I am sure it is scars from my childhood that makes me do it. As kids, Trent and I were forced to eat whatever was put on our plates for supper. And let me reiterate, that was NEVER a good thing. We had to clean our plates or we could not be excused from the table (What happened to THAT ritual? "May I please be excused?" I must reinstate that - mental note). Trent and I both have horror stories, both from sitting at the table in protest for 7 hours to the classic Trent eating some disgusting! meal where he proceeded to vomit all over the table (Feel free to expand on this story Trent!) We NEVER had a choice, we were never consulted, we were never part of the supper decision making.

But I find myself now, choosing meals solely based on Max's tastes. It often seems too much work to make a labor intensive and expensive meal for just myself. I always marveled at people who would eat just cereal or chips or popcorn for supper. I always thought it was such a waste. How can that be a meal? How can that satisfy? What is the point? Well, I have discovered the point is this......It is one dish washing, it is one dinner and it is one meal we can eat together. And that is precisely what we are doing tonight.

I am still cooking, only a couple times a week now. I have a few dozen posts to catch up on those meals. And I am definitely not saying I always eat what he wants. Case in point: The classic turkey, Miracle Whip and Cheetos on Wonder Bread.

Feel free to ask Max for the recipe.

Nostalgia

2006-02-01T18:04:00.000-06:00

Lately I have been craving food from my childhood. That would be 70's crap. I have made bacon wrapped water chestnuts (with a ketchup sugar sauce) about a half dozen times already this year. And creamy dips - I just can't seem to get enough!

Continuing the trendlast Sunday, C came over and we made FONDUE! I was given 2 fondue pots from my friend Diana after she threw a fondue party that I loved and talked about for years. I made pomegranate martinis (not with a real pom like C made - I used just juice). C brought and bought nearly everything we needed but my kitchen still saw some action!

We made a classic cheese fondue - Gruyere and Emmenthal cheeses. We had trouble with consistency but the flavor was good. To dip, we had bread, herbed red potatoes, and assorted veggies. I also made a beef broth but we both agreed the best was the hot oil! C soaked chicken breasts in buttermilk then breaded the pieces in panko. We also cubed a filet. I made 6 assorted dipping sauces and in the end, we were totally stuffed. Even Max loved it and he hates just about everything these days.

And here is a fondue factoid: Ideally, when the fondue is finished, there will be a thin crust of toasted (but not burnt) cheese in the bottom of the fondue pot. In French, this is commonly referred to as 'la religieuse' ("the nun"). I washed the nun down the drain. After an overnight soaking.

Most Unique Christmas Present!

2006-01-01T19:51:00.000-06:00

A set of 4 linen kitchen towels from Hil:

The best towel however is "Does this saddle make me look fat?" Now THESE are great towels!

Christmas Eve

2005-12-29T09:58:00.000-06:00

Max and I were invited to my friend C's house for Christmas Eve dinner. (Max was also invited to a few other festivities but his heart, like mine, tends to go with good food.)It is always great to have someone else cook for you, but this supper was so far beyond great that is makes great seem bland.

We arrived at C's house around 5:30 pm. To my delight, I was greeted at the door with a pomegranate martini. (Max got a diet Coke) C used a fresh pomegranate to infuse vodka earlier in the week. The martini was 2 parts pomegranate vodka, 1 part Grand Marnier and 1 part cranberry juice. Beautiful AND DELIGHTFUL!

I brought a 3 cheese dip and she had Maytag bleu cheese we ate as appetizers. My 3 cheese dip was a hit and so easy. It can be made ahead and even frozen. It will definitely be a party staple at my house. It contained Feta, Monterey Jack, Parmesan, green onion, mayonnaise and butter. I baked it on baguette slices until bubbly and slightly browned. Yum!

I lent a few cloches to C in the fall so she could attempt to preserve some of the fresh herbs from her garden. To wit:

Her centerpeice of fresh thyme! Amazing.

The rest of her menu included: mixed green salad with mustard vinaigrette, wild rice stuffed red onions, cheesy creamed cauliflower, mashed potatoes, sugared yeast rolls (Max's favorite), and bacon wrapped filet mignon with green peppercorn cream sauce. I also made a Grand Marnier creme brulee we ate for dessert. Hard to imagine we could have squeezed anymore calories in there, but it was worth every single one I assure you.

Here we are digging in. To the lower right is Sophie the Beagle, strategically positioned to catch some crumbs.

We had a wonderful evening. Great food, great drinks, and great company. It just doesn't get any better than that!

Finished

2005-12-23T08:54:00.000-06:00

I just finished off the rest of the quiche. I ate the entire quiche. By myself. 3/4 pounds of bacon. 1 cup heavy cream. 2 cups cheese. 6 eggs. All me. At least I did not do it in one sitting. But STILL.

It's just Quiche - sheeesh...

2005-12-20T12:07:00.000-06:00

Quiche is one of those things I don't often make and then when I do, I wonder why I don't make it more. I made a delicious one last night for supper with cottage bacon, carmalized onions, and Cheddar. (I am sure "cottage bacon" has other names in different areas - it is more ham like than regular bacon). I had a slice for breakfast and lunch already today. It is great cold and extremely versatile as well. You can add almost anything (ham and Swiss, bacon and Cheddar, goat cheese and fresh herbs, spinach and feta) and it makes a great meal anytime. I have also used this recipe for hors d'oeuvres, making individual quiches in mini muffin tins. Always a hit!

This is the basic recipe.

1 Pillsbury refridgerated pie crust
6 large eggs
2/3 cup heavy cream or creme fraiche
1 cup milk (preferably whole)
8 ounces gruyere, emmenthal, or other Swiss-type cheese
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg - optional

Roll out the pastry to fit a 10-1/2 inch glass or tart pan. Crimp the edges, poke the bottom with a fork or the tip of a sharp knife. Pre-cook according to pie crust directions.

In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the eggs, cream, and the milk until thoroughly blended. Season with the salt and pepper, then add the cheese and stir until it is blended, Turn the mixture into the pre-baked pastry, and spread out the cheese evenly over the bottom of the pastry. Sprinkle the top with nutmeg if you've used a Swiss-type cheese, and bake in the center of the oven until the filling is golden and puffed, and is completely baked through, about 30 minutes.

Caramel recipe

2005-12-15T18:45:00.000-06:00

I am going to post this before I pitch the recipe. Seriously, these are the best caramels I have ever had. The recipe comes from Martha Stewart, so there you go. I made this recipe a few years ago and found it incredibly labor intensive. Two years ago I asked my friend Carrie to help, so we doubled the recipe and made them again. Have you heard women talk about how after a time, they forget about the pain of childbirth? Well, that must have been what happened here, because I asked Carrie to help with caramels this year and for some reason we both are still wondering about, she agreed. (Come to think of it, I think I drank heavily last time we made them. That could explain it....)

This year, we decided to triple the recipe which, while it gave us 3 times the caramels, it was more like 9 times the work and time. It took over 3 hours to make which was bad enough. But the cutting was just horrible! I am still sore today and literally have caramel all over my ass and socks and carpet and hair and chairs and....What a mess. By the last half of the last cookie sheet of caramel, Carrie asked for a hammer. And although the pieces weren't pretty PERFECT little rectangles, it did break up easily with much less man power. So if you should decide to make these - the wonderful, chewy, perfect caramels, just whack away. Your back will thank you.

This is the original recipe for a single batch. It makes one cookie sheet or about 90 caramels. We tried some with pecans the first year and both felt they did not hold up over time.

8 T butter (1 stick cut into pieces)
2 C heavy cream
1/2 C sweetened condensed milk
2 C light corn syrup
1/2 C water
2 C sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 T vanilla or bourbon
cooking spray

Spray cookie sheet that is at least 1" deep.
In small sauce pan, combine heavy cream and sweetened condensed milk. Set aside.

In heavy 3 or 4 quart sauce pan, combine corn syrup, water, sugar and salt. Cook on high heat until sugar is dissolved, about 5 minutes. Bring to boil. Use pastry brush dipped in water on sides to brush away sugar crystals.

Cook, without moving pan, until 260 about 20 minutes. Meanwhile warm cream mixture over low until warm - NOT boiling. When sugar mix. reaches 260, slowly add butter and warmed cream mixture boiling at all times. Stirring constantly, cook on medium heat until firm ball stage 248, about 15 minutes. Stir in vanilla. Immediately pour into prepared sheet. Let sit uncovered for 24 hours at room temp without moving pan.

Use hammer to break into pieces. Wrap in wax paper. Tell all Susan is a genius.

These really make a great gift. People we know BEG us for them. We are both very selective however on which people are actually "caramel worthy" particularly on this, the last year of the caramel.....

A Stretch.....

2005-12-15T18:06:00.000-06:00

I love Christmas in theory. Birthdays always should be fun (you know? The REASON for the SEASON - DAMN! I hate that phrase). I generally like the decorating, the baking, the entertaining and the shopping for the perfect gifts. I probably should say the perfect decorating, perfect baking and perfect entertaining. Yes, that evil perfectionism is a curse this time of year. I inevitably put way too much pressure on myself to have 'the best Christmas EVER.' But every year, without exception, it ends up being complete drudgery and a major disappoint in so many ways. I think I have ended up in tears almost every Christmas night. BAH!

This year seems so different. I have BAKED cookies, made carmels (note to self -NEVER make again!), dipped pretzels in that grody white waxy stuff. I have set MAJOR spending limits and have managed to find some pretty good, thoughtful gifts for those I love. I have decorated my tiny house with only the really good decorations I saved from the move. For the first holiday season probably since I was I child, I feel hopeful, happy and at (semi) peace. I cannot begin to express how wonderful that feels.

Which brings me to the topic of this post. In the new Bon Appetit, (See? There is a food reference!) there is a dining room makeover section. This was the new chandelier...............

I found it online and ordered it yesterday. My mom is going to LOVE this light from Dutch designer Tord Boontje. His works are amazing. And it was in Bon Appetit so it is sort of food related.

Spammin Salmon

2005-11-08T18:50:00.000-06:00

Well, well, well. It only took a few random comments from my first blog spammer! to get off my bum and get posting. Spam or not, "Michael" mentions salmon so here I go with SALMON on my mind.

I have a love/hate relationship with salmon (much like my feelings about Oprah and snow). You see, here in the Midwest, it is terribly difficult to get fresh salmon or any fresh fish for that matter - catfish being the exception. Even the flash frozen cuts have much to be desired. Our local paper publishes local cook stories on each Wednesday and there was a guy who actually had a recipe to get the stank out of the salmon. I just think if you've got fish stank and skank, better off to walk away. Or better yet, run. Holding your nose.

Occasionally, I get in the mood for some and attempt it again. The last time, I opted to grill and the smell was so rank and fishy - fishy in that bad way - I didn't try salmon again for over a year. Even the grill held that smell for most of the summer and roasted pork tenderloin with the essence of pond scum? - uh - not so good.

There are those rare treats like when my mom went "deep sea fishing" (can you call it that in Lake Michigan?) and brought home a big salmon she caught herself. Of course, she cooked it in beef broth but that is a story for the food crimes thread. My new neighbor, Pat, recently returned from a week of fishing in Alaska and I was delighted when he shared a bit of grilled halibut. So I know what good fish tastes like and I enjoy it. But here? Fuhgitabowtit.

And then there is SUSHI! I spent this last weekend with my old friend Hil in Chicago where I was treated a second time this year to a wonderful meal at Katsu. Hil and her husband are regulars and swear that it is the best sushi around. Considering that I have only been to 3 sushi restaurants (all with Hil come to think of it), I will take their word on that but it most certainly is wonderful. Fabulous. Orgasmic. I had 2 pieces of tuna and the Philadelphia roll which is fresh salmon with cream cheese and asparagus. The salmon and tuna were amazing.

So as I am sitting here tonight, contemplating what to make for supper, I am longing for some nice grilled white fish filets but will probably settle for hamburger. Maybe with tarter sauce.

Heirloom Tomato from Trent's Garden

2005-09-17T11:13:00.000-05:00

The Glorious Look of Summer

2005-09-17T11:01:00.000-05:00

fresh fruit and veggie salsa

It's hard to cook without a kitchen, but not impossible!

2005-08-25T16:21:00.000-05:00

Last Saturday, I decided to cook a "real" meal in the kitchen that has no counters. Menu:
Fresh greens with red onions from C's garden, bleu cheese and a roasted tomato garlic vinaigrette (the garlic was a little too heavy but the tomatoes were divine).

Garlic bread - no photo - it was just bread afterall

Goat cheese and herb ravioli with fresh tomato sauce - absofuckinglutely delicious

Peach Cream Tart with Ice Cream - not too sweet and the crust was perfect!

All total it took about 4 hours to make and about 20 minutes to eat!

Food Crimes - 4

2005-08-09T18:48:00.000-05:00

New blogger Trent mentioned in a comment one of our mothers most horrendous crime against children. Depression salad. Never has a name been more true. The "recipe" as it was, consisted of stale bread (or Wonder BREAD!), a can of stewed tomatos and suger. Cook until it resembles blood clots. Force children to sit at table until said clots were consumed.

I remember Grandpa Shenk telling me it was one of his favorite meals. It goes back to the nostalgia thing I suppose. I even made it for him once. He told me I didn't put in enough sugar. Pretty much will never make it again.

The new Blogger is HERE! The New Blogger is HERE!

2005-08-05T19:36:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the world of blog Trent. Everyone say Hi to my brother Trent! He has lived through some of the most horrendous food in the world and lived to tell about it. Trent is a chemist, the father of Katie and a good cook. I would say he is an experimental cook who has had much better results than my mom! So please share, you can create your own posts at anytime. Hope you brought the bacon!

Ketchup Catch Up

2005-07-11T19:27:00.000-05:00

You know how I say everything is better with bacon? In college, it was all about the ketchup. I KNOW! This was back in the days (heh - like walking 2 miles uphill barefoot to school) when dorm food totally sucked. (I have heard it has much improved these days with salad bars, ala carte items and -gasp -even fresh fruit!) Turkey tettrazini, Salisbury steak, ham loaf! and miscellaneous mystery meat casseroles were the menu in my dorm. I once saw the box that the Saturday night "gourmet" steaks came in: "Grade D But Edible." The edible part - eh, not so much. I discovered early on that dousing ketchup on hamburger gravy with faux potatoes made it so you couldn't actually taste the hamburger gravy and potato flakes. And that was a good thing. So I started putting ketchup on nearly everything. Cheese colored soup with ketchup, ham and cheese sandwich with ketchup, eggs and ketchup, and my favorite, pizza with ketchup. Even the pizza sucked. Once, basically to show off, I put ketchup on ice cream and ate it, but that was more for the story than the taste.....

After college, it took some time to break the ketchup habit. It was then that I discovered that if you have good food, you don't need ketchup! But there are those meals I still love with that sweet red condiment ("cats-up" as Grandma Betty used to call it). Grilled cheese dipped in ketchup. Yummmm. Eggs with ketchup. Yummy! But my favorite? Macaroni and cheese with ketchup! Delish!

Here is a photo of the best macaroni and cheese in the world - and YES! - it has bacon!

Not the best photo, but a comfort meal to bring you out of the bluest of blues or dramatically help you with your PMS. It is like a drug, I'm telling you.
Here is the recipe - ketchup optional......

TOPPING
2 T butter, melted
2 Cups Panko bread crumbs
1 C coarsely grated extra sharp cheddar

CHEESE SAUCE AND MACARONI
1 pound good quality bacon, cooked
3 T butter
3 T flour
1/2 tsp (0r more) red pepper flakes
2 3/4 C whole milk
3/4 C heavy cream
4 C coarsely grated extra sharp cheddar
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground pepper
3/4 pound macaroni

Preheat oven to 400. Butter 3 quart shallow baking dish. Cook bacon. Cool then crumble.
Stir topping ingredients together in bowl. Set aside
To make sauce, melt butter, whisk in flour and red pepper to make roux. Whisk milk slowly, bring sauce to boil, Simmer, whisking for 3 minutes. Stir in cream, cheddar, mustard, salt and pepper.
Cook macaroni in salted water to al dente. Reserve 1 Cup past water then drain. Stir macaroni, water, crumbled bacon and sauce in bowl then transfer to baking dish. Add toppings. Bake until golden and bubbling, 25 to 35 minutes.

Eat a plate, go back for two more claiming you just need one more bite.

The Big D

2005-07-07T17:27:00.000-05:00

It is quite difficult to get back into blogging after being gone for so long. To quote Ani DiFranco, "I got distracted." Of course she was answering her outraged lesbian fans who were questioning her choice of a man. For me, it was all about the divorce. Although it is most surely not a topic for a food blog, the divorce hit home how much food, food preparation and eating ties into my emotions, happiness and well-being.

When I was in the depths of the divorce, in misery and barely able to function on a basic level, I could hardly eat - let alone cook. Even if I could have mustered up some surge of energy, my kitchen was packed with only a few paper plates and plastic forks left. It was not necessarily a conscious choice that I gave up cooking for this time. But I needed every ounce of energy to just survive, to make through another day, to mother my son, to move and to move on. It just became a low priority for the first time since I picked up a spatula.

There were some breaks in this fast food HELL. And let me just say, I HATE fast food. I HATE McDonalds. I HATE Taco Bell. Burger King? VOMIT! I would rather eat a shoe. Convenience is no excuse to eat that crap. But it was those very shitholes from where I consumed most of my food during the "transition." Some days though, I didn't eat at all. And believe me when I say I am not one to miss a meal. But then my friend C would call to invite me over for pasta and salad. Or my mom would take me out for MEAT. Ah, meat. Even my friend Susan, who doesn't cook and has an aluminum palate, fed me chicken and noodles.

I knew it would come back, the desire to prepare, the hunger for something delicious, the clanking of the brain wondering what pairs well with a basil tomato tart. Last week I bought two new cookbooks (up to 110!) and my Bon Appetit found me at my new home. Yes, I am coming around to the old me. Although it is less of the old me - 20 pounds lighter, wiser and ready to get my hands dirty again. Or at the least sticky with some lovely batter.....

Cast iron skillet

2005-02-10T10:10:00.000-06:00

Growing up, my brother and I had alternating nights of dish washing duty. Much despised and dreaded, I remember feeling the sole purpose of my mother giving birth to us was so we could clean up after some lame-ass meal. Mom would often use the cast-iron skillet (a favorite for the ramen noodle omelet)and it was the absolute WORST thing to clean. We would end up soaking it for hours and using and SOS pad to scrub it.

As I have said before, cooking was not something I was taught as a child. So even some obvious things I just had to figure out on my own. A few years ago, I rediscovered the cast iron skillet. Beautiful, old, black and SEASONED. Yes, SEASONED. Apparently, that was the key Mom never tried. It is not that much effort to wipe it down with olive oil after every use. It cleans up beautifully and browns like a dream.

Cast Iron skillet

Food Crimes -3

2005-01-27T08:23:00.000-06:00

Kraft Easy-Mac "Macaroni and Cheese." Those without kids listen up. This is a microwavable meal-in-minutes. Not only does it have Kraft's powdered faux cheese, but in this one, you don't even have to bother with that pesky milk and butter. It mixes with just the water the noodles cook in. Water and powdered "cheese". Just wrong.

Easy Mac

This is WHY I need caffeine

2005-01-07T07:33:00.000-06:00

7:30 am. I just filled my entire coffee mug with non-dairy fat free creamer, sat down on the couch for some Matt Lauer lovin, and took a drink. SURPRISE! I don't even really remember doing it. It seems I need the coffee before I can even make the coffee now......

Anything come to mind?

2004-12-16T12:46:00.000-06:00

Just got back from Cozumel where we had the most unremarkable tasting food. This photo of breakfast sums it all up.......

Breakfast of turds

Fuck Me, I am TRENDY

2004-12-16T12:36:00.000-06:00

In the January edition of Bon Appetit, the magazine devotes the entire issue to "What is Hot and What is NOT." Food blogs are now, NOW, h.o.t. I HATE being trendy and it really pisses me off that I am HOT! Mind you, if being a bitch were suddenly "HOT" I wouldn't mind a bit. In light of this "revelation" I shall devote the rest of the month to eating all the foods that the divine Bon Appetit deems "Not" just out of spite. Fuck you Bon Appetit and now where in the hell can I get Columbian tamales stuffed with lamb and lingonberries?

A side note if ick

2004-11-23T15:56:00.000-06:00

Tina's last comment about the layer of mayonnaise in the seven layer salad got me thinking about something. I used to LOVE mayonnaise. I would eat it on potato chips, crackers, and would sometimes just eat a spoonful of it! (That even makes me want to gag just thinking about it!) I have since given up that horrid practice but was wondering what, if anything, YOU would eat right from the spoon? Most of us probably would take a lick or more of brownie batter and sweet things, but anything else? Come clean ladies.....

Count Down to T-Day

2004-11-23T08:50:00.000-06:00

87 hours and counting. Last year at this time, I had already spent at least 16 hours and $600 on my Thanksgiving meal. (22 hours and $350 still to go) I hosted 26 people in what then seemed like a very, very small house. I set the tables with china and silver and made MADE table cloths for the six tables I set up to accomadate my entire ENTIRE family (divorced, remarried, divorced again, ex's, new spouses, steps, halfs) and friends, and a couple strangers. I used my antique etched water glasses and sterling silver individual salt and pepper shakers. I set out all the finer frivolous things that are never used such as my silver tea set, glass silverware caddys, silver cocktail forks. I made all the traditional dishes and special ones that were tradition for each of my guests (boiled onions and roasted beets were 2 of them). Although it mostly went off without a hitch (the herb roasted chickens did not get done in time and had to be served for dessert...), I vowed never, ever to have that kind of Thanksgiving again. I did not even eat.

So this year, my family and my dad and brother are going to my friend C's house for Thanksgiving Day. She is a wonderful WONDERFUL cook and I only have to bring cheese grits and broccoli salad. But.........

On Friday, I am having Thanksgiving-The Day After at my my house. Only 16 people at the most! Wahoo!!! I started yesterday with another, but not last, trip to the store ($100) followed by food preparation. I made my cranberry relish (yum),

Cranberry relish
2 batches of cheese grits, (I'll explain the history of those later),

Cheese grits (before baking)

fried up 3 pounds of bacon, 2 pounds of sausage, diced 6 onions, celery, and broccoli. I still have fresh sage growing in the garden so picked that.

fresh sage
Also set the 20 pound turkey in the fridge to thaw. A nice start!

My menu:
Brined Herb stuffed Turkey
Ham
Gravy
Stuffing (truly one of my favorites)
Mashed Potatoes (that too)
Cheese Grits (ok - also a favorite)
Sweet Potatoes
Glazed Carrots
Baked Beans
Sauted Green Beans
Broccoli Salad
Cranberry Relish
Rolls
Dips, crackers, veggies, etc
chocolate torte
Wine, lots and lots of wine

My brother is bringing 7 layer salad and corn casserole (note to self - remember to ask him!) and my friend Susan is bringing PIES.

Today, I am going to wash and set out all my platters and serving dishes I will need, iron table cloths, and not set the table since I am using paper plates (gasp - Paper Plates!) this year. I don't have dishwasher and it was still a tough decision to go that route even though my husband and I spent around 7 hours washing dishes last year.

I read in the paper yesterday that the average cost of a family for Thanksgiving dinner is $36.78. WTF?!?!?!?!? I spend more than that on just BUTTER!

Food Crimes - 2

2004-11-20T16:17:00.000-06:00

2. Easter Dinner many many years ago. Dinty Moore Beef Stew Omelet. As in whip up a few eggs, open a can of soup, mix all together and cook. For Easter Dinner. I know.....

"I like eggs"

2004-11-19T13:07:00.000-06:00

Max would say this in answer to nearly every question during a period of about one year. "How was school today Max?" "I like eggs." "Do you want to go to a movie Max?" "I like eggs." "I'm going to count to three then pull out some whoop ass on you." (ok - not a question and I am sure I didn't say ass, but you get the drift) "I like eggs." I could only imagine it was some punch line from a long forgotten joke on a cartoon. So then SpongeBob says "I like eggs." BWAH!!!!!

It pissed me off that I do like eggs! I like them! I really do! And Max likes them! But during his idiot savant egg loving period, I did not buy eggs. I did not cook eggs. I did not eat eggs. Anything to get him to shut the hell up about EGGS!
Thankfully, I am back on the egg wagon now (or is it off?). Bring on the eggs.....

Bring on the Tiara

2004-11-18T09:28:00.000-06:00

Last night I grilled hamburgers for my boys. This in light of the fact that I do not touch hamburger meat and do not eat hamburger meat by choice. A purely, altruistic gesture that I must remember when I apply for sainthood.

Food Crimes - 1

2004-11-17T12:58:00.000-06:00

From time to time, I will add various food crimes - mostly perpetrated by my mother - to give a taste of the culinary hell I was forced to endure.

1. Christmas dinner not so many years ago. A beautiful beef tenderloin boiled in VINEGAR. I can't make this stuff up.

Tuesday night Quickie

2004-11-17T12:33:00.000-06:00

I love a weeknight quickie. Stir fry is one of my favorites both for adaptability and ease. The basic "recipe" is usually the same. Marinate chicken (or beef) with soy sauce, brown sugar, minced garlic, ginger, red pepper (I have been using China Blue red pepper sauce). Any fresh veggies on hand- onion, carrot, zuchinni, red peppers, mushrooms, broccoli, even radishes are good. I finish mine with a cup of fresh cilantro, green onions, and when I am in the mood, peanuts.

Stir fry

Max has become picky about his food - particularly in his contempt for most vegetables so I add peas to the basmati rice and fry up just chicken for him. Everyone is happy!

Max

Notice the soy sauce bottle price tag from Big Lots. I find all sorts of good food items there for next to nothing.

NYC - The Good

2004-11-17T12:12:00.000-06:00

After a few martinis, Hil and I had dinner at a nice Italian Bistro. (Beca, Bocca, Beco?) Irrationally concluding that red wine would go great with vodka martinis, we asked our bartender to recommend a wine. He poured us a lovely red and when he said it was $20 a glass, Hil asked if we could have something less expensive. "We have a bottle of red wine for also $20." Bottle vs. glass.....what to do, what to do...... DUH! So began the dinner I don't really remember all that well.

The Bread

It started with the most delicious bread sticks I have ever tasted. Full of thyme and rosemary - they were amazing. When eating out I NEVER, EVER, EVER, E.V.E.R. order chicken or anything I eat regularly at home (chicken, spaghetti) or make really great (filet, carbonara). Eating out for me is a magical time and I try to order something new or at least a dish I suck at preparing. Enter the fish dish.

The fish dish

I don't even remember what it was and I know it was very very good, but after the Cosmopolitans and red wine, fish was not such a good idea. Hil had seared beef with a creamy risotto that was also delicious. I know because I ate most of that.

Beef

That is where my photo journalism ended. We had two of our best meals, one in Little Italy and one at Sushi Samba the next day but I did not even take a single picture. I must remember to go back to NYC to try again......

NYC - First the Bad

2004-11-17T10:05:00.000-06:00

As my dear friend "Bitch" pointed out, it is time to dig in. Hil and I took a fabulous vacation to NYC in October which was to be the formal launch of my blog. My intention was to take photos of all the fabulous food we ate in the ciy then continue with all the fabulous food I eat at home.

Let me start with what is now referred to as "The Meal We Pretend Wasn't". After walking for a few hours after landing in NYC, we both were overcome with weakness from starvation. It was this completely medically plausible explanation that led us to this extrememly poor choice in dining.

Let me present Monkey Ass Soup

Monkey Ass Soup

Now clearly, I have never tasted Monkey Ass, but when I ordered corn and chicken chowder and was presented with a soup of faux rubber lobster, I am fairly certain Monkey Ass would taste about the same.

This butt soup was accompanied by a tasteless big salad that was just too unremarkable to even comment on.

Big Bland Salad

Lastly, I present "The Parker" - purely dick drink from the illustrious and grand Algonquin Room - former haunt of Dorothy Parker and her round table gang. I managed to gag it down but the horrendous hangover the next morning would have made even Dorothy puke. Cough syrup as a flavor enhancer - not good.

The Parker Barfer

For the Love of the Food

2004-09-27T21:27:00.000-05:00

I grew up with a mother who very well might be the world's worst cook. ever. Her only use for actual cooking was for the sake of survival. Cooking for her was never a joyous experience nor was it something she had any interest in at all with the exception of the aforementioned SURVIVAL. Oh, do I have stories to tell and the scars to prove them.

On the other side of life, there was my Grandmother K on my dad's side. What a joy it was to come into her home, with so many wonderful smells and the excitement of eating. And it was always very exciting. "Oh Dear, you must be hungry. I have chicken and noodles, (ALWAYS chicken and home made noodles) and pasta salad, and beef soup, oh, and I have some hamburgers, and a brocolli salad with grapes! and pie, you must have some pie." The refrigerator was always full of edible things that had color. Food! With COLOR! So even while I only visited Grandma K twice a year, it was the thought of a good meal that kept me going in the dark days Campbell's chicken noodle soup omelets and zuchinni ice cream.

Somewhere in the impossible battle NOT to become my mother, I bought a couple cook books. I remember one of my first "dinner" parties where I tried out a new recipe. It was chicken with cream cheese and green onions wrapped in refrigerated crescent roll dough then baked. UGH. What was I thinking? Eventually, when I lived on my own, I decided it really WAS worth the effort to make something good rather than to just eat something crappy for sustenance. I did not want to sustain - I wanted to thrive and be excited about my food. And so begins the story of my life as a wannabe bon vivant....