Mia Cucina da Texas

2009-06-24T19:11:00.000-07:00

EMERALD SOUP

I couldn't call this "Summer Squash Bisque with Basil" because no one would have even tried it. BUT since my kids are reading these books about fairies named after gem stones, Emerald Soup is the ticket. Der Junger tried a big bite, made a face that showed candidly how much he disliked it, and that was it. Das Elder said, "It really does look like bits of emeralds in there!" and enthusiastically downed her entire bowl. Das Herren said, "For what it is, it is a very good soup. I ate half; do you want the rest?"

Emerald Soup

2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 onion, sliced
5 cloves garlic, sliced
5 small to med summer squashed, sliced
3 c. chicken stock
1 large handful basil, julienned
1/3 c. cream
1 tsp rice wine vinegar
S&P to taste, as always

Sweat the onions and garlic in olive oil for 3-5 minutes, then add squash and continue for another 5 minutes. Add stock, bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for 10 minutes or until squash is tender. Add basil, then immediately puree with hand blender. Add cream, vinegar, and seasoning. Good served warm or cold. Don't tell them what's in it.

PS Steph feel free to leave out the garlic on this one!

2009-05-04T18:59:00.000-07:00

Pasta Yia Yia
a la Cafe Lula, Chicago

This was one of those simple humble dishes where the sum of the ingredients rises up to create an elegant, superior dish. Also, simple enough I knew I could recreate it at home. Use a good quality pasta since it is so simply adorned. They used perciatelli, I used an organic casarecce from Italia. Also I picked up some local goat/sheep feta at the FM that morning.

8 oz buona pasta
1 stick butter
5 cloves garlic, sliced
6 oz feta (preferably creamy and local), finely cubed
Approx. 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
Salt to taste

While the pasta is boiling, gently cook the sliced garlic in half of the butter over med-low heat until nicely caramelized. Add the rest of the butter to melt before the pasta is done. When the pasta is al dente, drain then immediately toss with the butter, garlic, and feta. Sprinkle generously with salt and judiciously with cinnamon.

Very kid friendly, if your kid likes cheese. If not, be sure to leave a cheeseless portion out!

2009-04-14T19:02:00.001-07:00

Lamb Chops alla griglia

I love lamb, especially for Easter. I've made a lot of leg o' lamb for Easter and Christmas, but this year went for chops. Under the right circumstances, I could totally turn into a vegetarian... but lamb chops bring out the carnivore in me. I usually end up eating it with my hands, right off the bone.

Disclaimer: that's not my picture, we forgot to take one, so I stole one off the web. That is approximately what my chops looked like, maybe a little more carmelized, with a lot of green rosemary bits attatched. Also, the measurements below are approximate, as I did not measure anything.

Marinade:

1/8 cup chopped fresh rosemary
4 cloves crushed garlic
4 tbsp honey
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup soy sauce
Juice of 1/4 lemon
Lots o' pepper

Mix together in a large ziplock bag with 3-4 lbs lamb chops. I trim my chops minimally. Leave a nice rim of fat around the meat, but cut off the really excess chunks, otherwise you'll have flare-ups on the grill.

Cook over med-high heat for 5-8 minutes per side. Baste occassionally with any leftover marinade. Serve medium. So tender, you're guaranteed to find your inner T.Rex.

2008-12-16T19:23:00.001-08:00

Anthony's Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:
● 1 1/2 cups all-purpose ﬂour
● 1 tsp. salt
● 1 tsp. baking soda
● 1/2 cup shortening, SmartBalance or other non-transfat veggy shortening
● 1/2 cup butter
● 1 cup packed brown sugar
● 1/2 cup white sugar
● 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
● 2 eggs
● 2 cups rolled oats, Old-Fashioned - NOT INSTANT!
● 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips, 12 ounce bag of chocolate chips

Description:
This recipe is VERY close to the original Hillary Clinton Cookie Recipe. The slight changes are my take - my improvements - on the recipe.

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). It's best to use a silpat on a cookie sheet.

Combine ﬂour, salt and baking soda.

Beat together shortening, sugars and vanilla in large bowl with electric mixer until creamy. Add eggs and beat until light and ﬂuffy.

Gradually beat in ﬂour mixture. Stir in rolled oats until mixed well, but careful not to macerate the oats. Hand stir in the chocolate chips.

Drop batter by rounded teaspoons onto baking sheets. Bake for 8-10 minutes or till golden. Cool cookies on sheets for 2 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Tip: To make them chewy - even when they are refrigerated - Cook until edges are slightly brown and remove from oven. They may look a little underdone in the very center. Leaving them on the cookie sheet for the required two minutes will further cook them just the right amount.

2008-11-10T18:09:00.000-08:00

Our poblano pepper plant is still producing (and obviously one yellow bell). The late season peppers are smokin' hot, so I make some salsa. Three batches, because Anthony loves it so much.

5 picante poblano peppers
1/2 small yellow onion
28 oz can fire roasted tomatoes (I like Muir Glen)
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/4 cup fresh cilantro
Approx 1 tsp salt (to taste)

Roast the poblanos over a grill or under the broiler until the skin is all black. I use the grill, and also throw the onion on there for some nice flavor. After the peppers are charred, peel the skins off and remove the seeds and stems.

Put the peppers, onion, tomatoes, garlic, cilantro, and salt in the food processor, and whirl until you get the desired consistency. Taste test with a chip, and adjust as needed.

Sorry it's so blurry. Just pretend your eyes are watering from the hot salsa...

2008-10-27T18:26:00.000-07:00

One of the best things to make with the cage-free Berkshire pork I buy from the farmers' market is potstickers.

1 lbs ground pork
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tsp grated fresh ginger
2 green onions, minced
1/4 julienned greens (this was basil, sometimes its kale or cabbage)
2 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
1 package won ton wrappers

Combine all the ingredients except the wrappers in a bowl, mixing well by hand. Place 1 tsp in the middle of one wonton wrapper. Paint the four edges of the wrapper with water. Fold the wrapper over the meat, forming a triangle. Squeeze out any excess air and press edges together.

Heat 1 tsp oil (I like peanut; canola will do) in a nonstick skillet. Place a few finished potstickers into the pan so they are not touching (about 6 fit in mine). Cook until slightly browned (around 3-5 minutes). Then flip the potstickers, fill the pan with about 1/8 cup of water, and quickly place a lid over the pan. Cook until all the water is steamed away (about 3 minutes). Keep potstickers covered and warm, and repeat.

Here the picture I almost forgot to take. Nearly all the potstickers were already consumed by this point! We like ours with edamame, and a fresh sweet red bell pepper from the garden is nice, too.

Dipping Sauce

2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp water
Pinch brown sugar
Drop of sesame oil
Dash of Sriracha (optional)

2008-10-01T18:18:00.001-07:00

I was inspired tonight by a recipe in one of my cooking mags, but as usual, changed it a lot on the maiden voyage. Four thumbs up, though!

Indian Spiced Chicken Burgers

1 lbs ground chicken breast
1 (homegrown) scallion, chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tsp sesame oil
2 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/8 tsp ground red pepper
1/2 tsp salt
Cracked pepper, to taste

Mush it all together with your hands, then form into 4 sticky little patties. Grill and serve on whole wheat buns and my custom condimenti.

Curry Ketchup

1/4 cup ketchup
1 tsp curry powder
1 tsp shriracha (garlic chili paste)

Cool Raita Spread

1/4 cup plain yogurt
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp sesame oil
Chopped herbs (I used cilantro and basil, but mint and oregano would be good, too)

Hopefully I will post more frequently here. I know its been a 4 month drought. At least I know I have one demanding fan!

2008-06-21T20:22:00.000-07:00

Arrivederci, miei pomodori!

Oh, how sad I am to leave our tomato plants one week before the expected peak. Not that we won't get great tomatoes in Europe, but still, these are miei bambini, I watched them grow up, and I hate to leave them to the mockingbirds.

Tonight Anthony and I dined on a mongo Insalata Caprese, some good bread, and some good vino. The kids ate a huge cucumber salad with some cherry tomatoes. Even after we made all that, we still had this bounty today:

Those aren't fancy big yellow cukes, those are ones that were hidden and left too long on the vine. We'll cut them in half and serve them to the chickens tomorrow. The kids were SO EXCITED to go out and harvest all this stuff today, and very enthusiastic about eating it. It "tickles me innards" as my dad would say to see them enjoying and understanding local produce.

Here's a salad I made last week to take to friends:

Ciao, tutti!

2008-06-18T18:57:00.000-07:00

Lisa and Sinda convinced me to try St. Germaine, this French liqueur made from elderberry flowers. I like the "St. Germargarita" -- the perfect Tex-Mex-Franco blend.

1.5 parts St. Germaine
1.5 parts premium tequila
1/2 part lime juice

Shake over ice and strain into chilled martini glass. I actually liked it with diluted lime juice better.

Oops, is my glass half empty or half full?

2008-06-09T18:49:00.000-07:00

Frittata

Last week I bought some lovely fingerling potatoes from the farmers' market and roasted them. Today I sliced them up and put them into a yummy frittata, an Italian style omellette.

1/2 cup minced onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup sliced roasted potatoes
4 oz. turkey deli meat
1/2 cup shredded gruyere
1 bunch basil, julienned
9 eggs, scrambled

Saute the onion and garlic in olive oil for about 5 minutes. Add the turkey and potatoes, saute about 3 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese and basil, then immediately pour scrambled eggs over the entire mixture. Stir gently for the first minute - basically just moving the stuff around enough to let the eggs get in all the in-between spaces. Cover and cook on low heat for about 5 minutes. When eggs are mostly set, except for the top, place under broiler for 3-5 minutes to finish it off. You could also add more cheese to the top, if desired.

Unfortunately I only took a picture of my frittata's underbelly; the top looked much nicer. You can adapt this recipe to whatever you have on hand - leftover boiled potatoes or hashbrowns are nice, and other good filling ingredients include asparagus, mushrooms, zucchini, grilled peppers, and tomatoes. You can also use leftover pasta as your starch. I can never decide which I like more, the potatoes or the pasta.

It's great with a salad, hunk of crusty bread, and bottle of wine. Tonight I had a little insalata di pomodoro: just sliced tomatoes from the garden, garnished simply with basil, sea salt, and olive oil.

Sure way to tell that its officially summer.

2008-05-21T18:35:00.000-07:00

MOJITO!

Such a cool refreshing drink. The Cubano julep. The reason everyone should grow mint, even if it's just in a pot.

For each drink:

Muddle 10-15 fresh mint leaves with about 1/2 tsp granulated sugar (and a microscopic pinch of salt). I use my mortar and pestle.

Fill a glass with crushed ice, the crushed mint, a shot of good rum, juice of 1/2 a lime, 1 tbsp simple syrup if you're Jennifer, 2 tbsp simple syrup if you're Anthony, then top off with sparkling water.

Sip and chill out.

2008-05-14T18:56:00.000-07:00

I honestly had no idea what to make for dinner tonight. With the way food prices are soaring, I found inspiration in turkey breast medallions, "reduced for quick sale."

Aha, kebabs! I thought. Grilling = less cleanup. I marinated the meat with garlic, lime juice, olive oil, S&P. I skewered it with select vegetables, depending on the tastes of my different family members. Colin saw me assembling and insisted that his have a dried cranberry on the skewer. He really threaded a craisin onto the skewer. Here he is checking out the results.

He ate it all.

2008-05-12T19:16:00.000-07:00

I called my friend Romina in Milan today, and she couldn't believe we already had enough basil growing to make pesto for Mother's Day dinner. Not just enough - I made a double batch.

You know how to make this, right?

Fresh basil leaves, at least a cuisinart bowl full
3 cloves garlic
Handful of nuts (pine, walnut, even almonds in a pinch)
Sale e pepe, to taste

Hit the food processor button, and add enough lube (EVOO) until you have a nice verde paste. Fold in freshly grated parmegiano reggiano. Toss with fine pasta, drizzle on pizza, spread on sandwiches. Swoon.

2008-05-06T19:31:00.001-07:00

I have been cooking while Anthony's out of town (breakfast bars, grilled tuna, etc) but tonight I just presented. He's not a big fan of smoked salmon but the kids and I LOVE it. The chopped scallions are from the garden, and Anna and I love capers. This plus some fresh bread and a salad, and we'll call it a meal!

2008-04-20T18:04:00.000-07:00

Camarones al ajillo

My friend Luis had a dinner party featuring foods from his native land, Puerto Rico. He let me bring the Shrimp with Garlic. It was all very tasty! Thanks to Stacy for snapping the photo for me.

1 tsp Olive Oil
1 Large Onion, chopped
1 Large Bell Pepper, chopped (I like red)
4 Minced Cloves of Garlic
Adobo to taste (Puerto Rican seasoned salt)
1 lb of peeled deveined shrimp - tail on
1 Stick of Butter
Black Pepper to taste
Red Pepper to taste
1 package Sazon Achiote (Luis insists on the Goya brand)

In a large sautée pan, heat olive oil to medium heat. Add onions, bell peppers, garlic. Cook for 3 minutes or until onions and bell peppers are soft.

Add butter and shrimp to pan. Sprinkle with Adobo, pepper, and Sazon. Cook shrimp until pink.

Serve with Tostones, Mofongo, or Arañas (these are all differently prepared plantains). Luis fried us up some tostones - que bueno!

I also brought a ensalada of our lettuces and the lone red cabbage that we got to grow - it was about the size of a baseball. The dressing was mostly homegrown (except for the olive oil, salt and pepper) - the lemon juice, herbs, scallions were all from our yard. People jokingly asked if I had harvested the shrimp from our own aquaculture pond in the backyard. Ha ha! Maybe someday...

2008-04-07T18:17:00.000-07:00

Amanda's Decadent Crab Dip

I've been looking for an excuse to make this dip ever since I read it on this blog, but I knew I needed a crowd since my family wouldn't eat enough to put a dent in it. Fran's party was just the ticket.

It starts out with crab and lemon juice (one of our homegrown Meyer Lemons, of course). Amanda calls for 3 cloves of garlic and 1/2 finely chopped white onion, but I have these huge beautiful spring onions growing in the garden, so I thought why not?
Then you add all the yummy white dairy products:
Cream cheese, mayonnaise, and sour cream. Oops, I didn't have sour cream, so I used plain yogurt and butter instead.
You need a little bit of white wine and a dab of good mustard, then a whole bunch of really good cheese.
Even Colin has learned to say "Parmeggiano reggiano!"
That's it. Well, I added some asiago I had, too.
And I have fresh parsely and thyme growing, so I threw some in as well.
Here is it, all warm melty and delicious. It perfectly fit in my crock pot -ito, a small crock pot I have that keeps things warm (like queso). Serve with toasts or big potato chips. I'll definitely repeat this one, especially for the right crowd, and maybe next time I'll try it as a mushroom stuffing....

2008-03-23T18:52:00.000-07:00

Easter Feast Bread

There is nothing redeemable about maraschino cherries in my book. Pickled in sugar and food coloring, nothing remains in them to even resemble a fruit that grew on an actual tree. But I love this recipe. My mom clipped from the newspaper one spring decades ago and it quickly became an annual Easter tradition in my family. The chopped maraschino cherries sweeten the bread and add a nice pink color.

Easter Feast Bread

1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup water
2 tbsp butter
2 cups sifted flour (plus about 1.5 cups additional, plus some for kneading)
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp salt
1 pkg yeast
1 egg
1 tsp lemon rind
8 oz maraschino cherries, drained and chopped
Juice of 1 lemon
1 cup or more powdered sugar

Measure milk, water, and butter into a saucepan and heat briefly until blended (I did it in the microwave). In a large bowl, stir together 2 cups sifted flour, sugar, salt, and yeast.

With a wooden spoon, blend in the milk mixture, beating well. Beat in egg, lemon rind, and chopped cherries. Beat in enough additional flour to create a dough that can be handled easily. Bowl will tend to clean itself as you stir when sufficient flour has been added.

Turn dough out on a floured surface. Flour hands and knead dough, adding flour as needed until dough is smooth and elastic. Place dough in a greased bowl, turning dough over once to grease the surface. Cover bowl with a clean cloth and place in a warm spot.

Allow dough to rise until doubled in bulk. Punch dough down, turn onto floured surface and shape into 3 round loaves. Place these on a lightly greased baking sheet about a half an inch apart to form a 3-leaf clover. Cover and allow to rise until doubled. (I covered with plastic wrap and left it overnight at this point).

Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and cool. Frost with a glaze made from lemon juice and powdered sugar.

2008-03-02T17:56:00.000-08:00

I bought some beautiful T-bone chops from my friendly pork farmers, and cooked 'em up for the family tonight. I had 4 of them, and decided to brine them in this:

4 cups water
1/4 cup sea salt
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tbsp chili powder

Here they are after their 6 hour bath, with some contorni prepped for the grill...

Here they are after the grill...

Look nice, huh? Well, I overcooked them a little. The tenderloin side was tender, the other, not so much. At least the brine kept them moist. They were perfectly salty, and not at all sweet.

Besides, Anthony had made this yummy vintage cake, his Aunt Mildred's recipe from 1958. We used our Meyer Lemons, of course.

Lemon Buttermilk Pound Cake

1 cup vegetable shortening
1 stick butter
2.5 cups sugar
4 eggs
3 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup buttermilk
1 tsp lemon extract
1/2 tsp baking soda, dissolved in 1 tbsp hot water

Lemon Sauce

1/4 cup hot water
Juice and rind of 2 lemons
1 cup sugar

Directions:
Cream shortening, butter, and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Sift flour and salt together, then add alternately with buttermilk, mixing well. Add lemon extract and beat at low speed, then add soda dissolved in hot water. Pour batter into angel food pan and bake at 325 for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes.

Mix lemon sauce ingredients in small saucepan and bring to a boil. When the cake is done baking, immediately remove from pan. Poke holes all over with a skewer and slowly pour the lemon sauce over the hot cake, letting it slowly soak in.

Sweet, tart, and tender....

2008-02-25T18:27:00.000-08:00

Sorry I've been neglecting this blog. I really do love it, but it is the neglected second bloggy child. I recently reread all my posts when I realized it was the blogiversary of Mia Cucina. It was great to see the best of last year's meals in review, but I did realize how much better the posts were with pictures. No time to post a photo since then, so no posts until now.

Colin and I recently made a yummy gooey Cinnamon Struesel cake. It comes out of the oven quite underdone in the middle, but that is was makes it irresistable. After a few days, though, it wanted eating, so being in the coffee cake family I served it for breakfast.

The kids could not believe their luck. "We can eat cake!?! For breakfast?!?" Sure, just this once. I'll have a piece, too, not knowing the incredible sugar headache I will get two hours later, followed by lethargy and crankiness.

1 cup butter

2 cups sugar

2 eggs

1/2 cup vanilla yogurt

1/2 cup sour cream

2 cups cake flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup sugar

1 cup chopped pecans

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9- or 10-inch cake pan.

Cream butter and sugar with an electric mixer. Add eggs one at a time and blend. Add yogurt, then sour cream. Blend some more until smooth.

Sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Add gradually to batter.

Mix sugar, pecans and cinnamon and set aside. This is the topping.

Pour half the batter into cake pan and sprinkle with half the topping mix. Pour in rest of batter. Sprinkle rest of topping mix over batter.

Bake for 1 hour. That should get it gooey-to-slightly baked.

***********************

Today Anna wanted to get in on the cake-baking action, too. So both of them helped me make this, Nigella's Cupboard Chocolate Cake. Very dense, and since we made it with berry jam, reminiscent of Sudie's cupcakes.

1/2 cup unsalted butter

4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, broken into pieces

1 1/3 cups good, thin-cut marmalade (or other jam as you desire)

1/2 cup sugar

pinch of salt

2 large eggs, beaten

1 cup self-rising flour

8 inch springform pan, buttered and floured

Preheat the oven to 350F.

Put the butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over a low heat to melt. When it's nearly completely melted, stir in the chocolate. Leave for a moment to begin softening, then take the pan off the heat and stir with a wooden spoon until the butter and chocolate are smooth and melted. Now add the marmalade, sugar, salt and eggs. Stir with your wooden spoon and when all is pretty well amalgamated, beat in the flour bit by bit. Put into your prepared pan and bake for about 50 minutes or until a cake tester or skewer comes out clean. Cool in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes before turning out.

*********************

I'm not much of a baker, so what inspired me to try these desserts? They are both dead easy (no frosting, etc) and are dense, gooey, rich... just like I like dessert. Without the sugar headache, thankyouverymuch.

2008-01-21T18:55:00.000-08:00

I turned to this great recipe from Nigella Lawson for my contribution to my aunt's 93rd birthday party. However, she called for cherry preserves, which I didn't have, but I did have some excellent organic blueberry jam, as well as some dried blues to garnish the tops. So here's my Chocolate Blueberry Cupcakes, with cheers to Nigella.

125g soft unsalted butter

100g Ghirardelli double chocolate chips

300g blueberry jam

150g caster sugar

pinch of salt

2 large eggs, beaten

150g self-raising flour

for the icing:

100g Ghirardelli double chocolate chips

100ml whipping cream

36 plump dried blueberries

Preheat the oven to 350.

Put the butter in a heavy-bottomed pan on the heat to melt. When nearly completely melted, stir in the chocolate. Leave for a moment to begin softening, then take the pan off the heat and stir with a wooden spoon until the butter and chocolate are smooth and melted. Now add the blueberry jam, sugar, salt and eggs. Stir with a wooden spoon and when all is pretty well amalgamated stir in the flour.

Scrape and pour into silicon muffin liners in a tin and bake for 25 minutes. Cool in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes before turning out.

When the cupcakes are cool, put the chocolate chips and the cream in a saucepan. Bring to the boil, remove from the heat and then whisk by hand till thick and smooth. Ice the cupcakes, smoothing the tops with the back of a spoon, and place 3 dried blueberries in the center of each.

Makes 12. Garnish with birthday candles and Bluebell ice cream, if desired!

2008-01-16T12:04:00.000-08:00

My MIL gave me this great cast iron dutch oven for Christmas. It weighs a ton! I christened it by making one of our favorites, French Onion Soup. Nothing caramelizes an onion like cast iron!

French Onion Soup

6-8 large onions, cut horizontally (I used a mix of yellow and red)
2 tbsp olive oil
1 qt good beef broth
1/4 cup white wine or 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar (I've used both; good b. vinegar is better)
2 tbsp (total) chopped fresh thyme/oregano/italian parsley
S & P to taste (lots of P!)

Crusty whole grain bread
Sliced swiss or havarti

Heat olive oil in your cast iron pan of choice, then slowly roast the onions over med heat, stirring only occasionally. When those babies are nice and caramelly brown, deglaze your pan with a little of the broth, scraping the bottom to get all the good bits. Add the rest of the broth and wine/vinegar, bring to a boil, then simmer until you can't stand to wait anymore (10 min to 1 hour, depending on the hour and your appetite).

To serve, place a slice of crusty bread in the bottom of an oven-proof bowl and ladle the thick soup on top. I like to go ahead and cube the bread to make it easier to spoon it out, but a single slice is more traditional. Cover with a slice of cheese, then broil for 3-5 minutes. Serve piping hot!

More bread, a salad on the side with local cauliflower and pecans, and red wine makes a meal!

2008-01-13T19:31:00.000-08:00

Here's Sunday's harvest from our garden. I made potstickers/Asian pork dumplings with ground pork from my favorite pork farmers, seasoned with the homegrown scallion, cilantro, garlic chives, and a little bit of cabbage. Most of the cabbage became a slaw, seasoned with an Asian vinaigrette (sesame oil, rice wine vinegar, and soy sauce). Man, it's great eating locally!

The cauliflower and egg will get used later this week...

2008-01-09T10:09:00.000-08:00

For years my mother has made these awesome cranberry muffins during the holidays. The batter is really excellent, and the tart berries explode when they are baking. Anna loves them, and will lobby to buy fresh cranberries at the store just to get these muffins. Colin likes the batter but tries to pick out the sour fruit (impossible). Anthony is not a big fan, but I am!

Cranberry Muffins

Ingredients:

● 2 cups flour (I often substitute 1/2 cup with whole wheat)
● 1 cup sugar
● 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
● 1/2 tsp baking soda
● 1 tsp nutmeg (freshly grated!)
● 1 tsp cinnamon
● 1/2 tsp ginger
● zest of one orange
● 1/2 cup shortening (non-hydrogenated!)
● 3/4 cup orange juice
● 1 tbsp vanilla
● 2 eggs, beaten
● 1 1/2 cup cranberries (aw, go ahead and add the whole bag!)

Directions:

In a medium bowl, mix dry ingredients and orange zest. Cut in shortening with pastry blender (you can use two knives). Stir in juice, vanilla and eggs. Fold in cranberries. Spoon into 18-24 foil muffin cups in the tin. (I recently got some silicone muffin liners and I LOVE them! Nothing ever sticks, and they are reusable!)

Bake at 350℉ for 25 minutes or until golden.

2007-12-26T18:39:00.000-08:00

For Christmas Dinner, we got a big tenderloin from Costco. I trimmed it and carved it up, a la Alton Brown, and roasted the center cut.

I have a huge butt end roast left over, 3 nice petit filet mignons, and some tenderloin tips that will make great kebabs or stirfry some day. I made it Alton's method, except I rolled mine in Montreal Steak Seasoning, fresh chopped thyme and oregano, and extra pepper. He has you sear it, then rest 10 minutes, then bake at a mild 250 until it reaches 135 in the middle. Then it rests 30 minutes, great for letting it get nice and juicy, and plenty of time for me to make a sauce and do last minute prep on the meal.

For my sauce, I sauteed about 1/4 cup finely chopped onion and 1 minced garlic clove in some butter in the same cast iron pan I seared and roasted the meat in. Then, I deglazed the pan with 1 cup red wine and 1/2 cup super concentrated stock (from the Greenburg turkey). I let this reduce by about 75%, thickened w/ a little cornstarch, then added a few tablespoons of cream and some cracks of black pepper.

I actually took my roast to 138, but next time I'll go to 140, since my audience prefers medium-well more than medium. (Not Colin! "I like the red part!" he says.) The beef was SO tender and buttery, and the sauce put it over the top. I can't wait to eat the rest of it!

2007-12-12T18:45:00.000-08:00

When life gives you lemons, make lemon curd! OK, we made lemonade, too, at Colin's request. Lemon curd is a traditional English spread, used like jam on toast or scones. I found my Auntie Olive's handwritten recipe, and made this today.

Auntie Olive's Lemon Curd

Grated zest and juice of 4-6 large lemons
6 Eggs
1 lb sugar (2 cups)
2 sticks butter

Beat the lemon zest and juice with the eggs and sugar. Put into the top of a double boiler, and stir continuously over simmering water until curd thickens (at about 160 degrees). Be careful not to let mixture get too hot or eggs will curdle! Once thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, remove from heat and add butter, one pat at a time until incorporated. Store in jars in refrigerator, lasts at least 2 weeks.

Makes 4-5 cups.

2007-10-15T18:47:00.000-07:00

Colin was with me while I was grocery shopping today. The site of all that raw meat made him hungry. I kept trying to get me to buy huge economy packages of meats. "I like this!" he said, showing me 3 lbs of ground hamburger. "What would you do with it?" I asked him. "Take it home, and cook it in a pan, and eat it!" he said. "With sauce."

"Like sloppy joes?" I asked him. "Yes, cook and eat it!" he said. He's never had sloppy joes before, but that's what his description reminded me of. What the heck, I thought, it's definitely kid-friendly. I finally convinced him we only needed to buy 1 lb of meat, then went over to buy buns.

"I want THIS!" he said, holding up a box of macaroni and cheese. It's, again, something my kids have never had, but they've heard a lot about it. I told Colin if he helped me make it, we could have it.

Instead of lobbying for computer or TV time (and me redirecting him to trains or legos), Colin helped make the entire meal with me! He wanted to taste the raw meat, but I convinced him otherwise. He really enjoyed the process, once the water was finally boiling. "Mommy, its like our own restaurant. You and me are the cookers!" He did wonder where the cheese was when we mixed the powder with the milk and butter, but he liked the results. He also helped me make everyone's salads, and insisted on setting the table and serving everything himself. I've never seen him so interested in making a meal.

And did he enjoy it? Did he ever! Here's the photo finish...

2007-09-23T07:16:00.000-07:00

I went to the farmer's market yesterday. Here in Texas its slim pickens, especially compared to the market in Colorado. I did buy some local apples, some humanely raised pork chops, and zucchini. I used one of them to make this, one of our family favorites:

Zucchini Muffins

Heat oven to 350. Line 12 cup muffin pan w/ paper liners. In large bowl, combine 1 c. all-purp flour, 3/4 c whole wheat flour, 3/4 c sugar, 1 tsp cinnamon and 1/2 tsp each baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add 1/3 c. milk, 1/3 c. veg oil, 2 large eggs, 1 tsp vanilla, and 1 1/2 c. shredded zucchini. Stir to combine and divide among muffin cups. Combine 1/2 tsp cinnamon and 1 tsp sugar and sprinkle over muffins. Bake 25-30 min.

2007-09-19T18:12:00.000-07:00

Tonight I made a pretty fancy meal - lamb kabobs and from scratch leek-potato soup. The lamb I meticulously trimmed and marinated in lemon zest and juice, garlic, fresh chopped rosemary, soy sauce, and EVO. We had some old leeks that we pulled out of the garden Sunday, and they were chopped, sweated, simmered, and blitzed with my immersion blender in vegetable stock, potatoes, cream, and buttermilk.

Unfortunately, my family was not impressed. I think each of them ate one piece of lamb, to be polite. They really liked the bread I bought ready made and crisped up in the convection oven. Anthony said the soup was just OK, Colin didn't really like it, and Anna asked for soup in her school lunch tomorrow.

Oh well, I love lamb. Leftovers for my lunch tomorrow, too.

2007-09-16T18:48:00.000-07:00

Anna, my little foodie, wrote down a "new" recipe for me to try. She wrote:

1. Ketchup

2. Mustard

3. Pepper

4. Cream

She said, "I want you to take a little bowl, and put some mustard and ketchup in," demonstrating with her hands, "then mix it all up. Add some spice, ya know, pepper, and cream, and I will try it."

I am hoping she'll forget it.

2007-09-10T19:21:00.000-07:00

I wish I had pictures of my latest cooking adventure: on Saturday night we made our own gyro meat, on the maiden voyage of my rotisserie. I've had my beloved gas grill for about 2 years now and never used the rotisserie feature.

After watching Alton Brown's gyro adventure on foodtv, we've been wanting to give it a go. With my MIL in town, I knew we'd have the right audience. We picked up 1 lb of ground lamb and 1 lb of ground grass fed beef at Whole Foods, assembled, and roasted the spit. It smelled SO GOOD! That rotisserie feature is awesome!

I was thrilled with the gyro results, served on Phoenicia pita bread with homemade Tzaziki sauce. Anthony said it tasted like gilled meatloaf. Not much of a compliment when you consider HOW MUCH he loathes meatloaf. I also made a greek style salad and dressed it with the Tzatziki and EVO. I guess I'd make it again, but not just for Anthony. He apparently likes the mass processed gyro meat better.

2007-09-03T18:02:00.001-07:00

These are green pears! Green in color, and also because I spied an old neighbor selling them while I was jogging Saturday morning, and returned with Anna on the bicycle to purchase them. No carbons were emitted in the procurement of these pears!

I got about twice this many for $4. The old guy kept slipping more into my backpack. Fortunately the trip from his house to mine is downhill.

These pears are ugly but delicious. They are crunchy and juicy like Asian pears. The kids will eat them out of the hand, but sometimes I peel and slice them like Uncle Buck.

Tonight I made Pear and Maple Crumble. It was good, but next time I think I'd add some bourbon or at least vanilla to the fruit mix. Could stand to have more ginger. I had to sub almonds for the walnuts, because that's what I had. Also, I did NOT top with sour cream (?!?). Anthony made some whipped cream for me.

The pears were still crisp and al dente. Not the best dessert ever, but it was pretty easy, and the bowls were empty.

2007-08-22T17:54:00.000-07:00

My little Anna is quite the budding foodie. She will tilt her head back, roll her eyes, and moan if she puts something especially delicious in her mouth. I can always count on her for a good dinner suggestion if I don't know what to fix. Recently she made the leap to creating recipes in her head.

While we were on vacation, she started dreaming up a dessert. "We could take peaches, and apples, and chop them up, and bake them..." I could see the wheels turning! We couldn't make the dessert at that time, but I told her to remember it and we'd try it when we were camping.

At the grocery store two days later, Anna still remembered her inspired dish. "We need an apple and a peach." She picked two big beauties. What are you putting on top? "You know, some flour, and eggs. Oh, and cinnamon." I got a small box of cake mix for the batter she was dreaming up.

Here she is, chopping all the fruit herself. She mixed the cake mix, and egg, and slightly less water than called for, then folded in the fruit.

Anna couldn't resist adding a large amount of these gaudy sprinkles on top.

It was a good learning experience, since she ended up not liking the sprinkles and asked me to cut them off her piece. The cake was delicious! Fruity and moist! We all loved it. I can't wait for a repeat.

Here are the chicken breasts I grilled over our campfire. In the RV, you're a little limited for ingredients. The night before I wanted to saute some chicken in flour, but the flour I had was old and spoiled. Instead, I put some fresh cheerios in a ziplock bag and charged the kids with crushing them. After the chicken bits rolled around in the cheerio crumbs, I cooked them until golden brown and they were terrific! These grilled breasts are rubbed with garlic salt, pepper, lemon juice, and canola oil. They came out so smokey and moist! We had plenty leftover, which we turned into quesadillas al fuego.

2007-08-20T18:44:00.000-07:00

Our garden still had plenty of oomph when we left for Dallas, so I took with us 2 huge bags of produce - tomatoes, eggplants, and peppers. We also had a bag of basil and a bag of cucumbers. It was so wonderful to eat in season, and to eat so much that we had grown ourselves. My MIL is gracious enough to let me operate in her kitchen, and we are a pretty good team when we divide and conquer (Anth does a bang-up job with clean up, too). Anyway, the first night she made grilled salmon and I made a ratatouille with all our veggies. What a combo - yum! The second night was after our hot trip to the zoo, so we tried a new Thai restaurant I had spied (in order to avoid eating at a chain restaurant) and again - yum! On the third night, my MIL asked me, "What are we going to make for dinner tonight?!?" and I swear, I'd had an inspiration in my sleep! "Let's make pasta with a fresh pomodoro sauce - we need to use up all these tomatoes!" Marion grilled some delicious chicken breasts, and we boiled some of the excellent organic Garofalo pasta she had. I made a sauce with EVO, tomatoes, lots of garlic, and our basil julienned. We tossed it all together with parmegiano reggiano and some asiago. It smelled and tasted great. I also had an impromptu insalata of cucumbers, peppers, and herbs that she grows (thyme, mint, and parsley). We washed it all down with the excellent and very limited Cameron Hughes 16. Mangiamo bene!

Keep watching this spot for campfire cooking.

2007-07-30T19:15:00.000-07:00

We had a lot of good things to eat and drink in Cozumel, but the coffee totally sucked. It was awful. Also bad were the dairy products: everything comes UHT in a juice box. Some was descremada (skim) with vegetable oil added. I guess they did that so it was healthier, with less saturated fat? I didn't try it. The only cream available is condensed in a can, the color of caramel. Blech.

We did manage to eat mangoes EVERYDAY in one form or another. I have loved mangoes ever since my dad pinched them from a tree overhanging a sidewalk to have for breakfast in Maui. Unfortunately, I am allergic to the skin, so someone else has to prepare them for me. Lots of cheap labor in Mexico! We had mango margaritas, mango slices, mango custard pie... Here, Anthony is amazed by the sabor of mango yogurt. The ingredients are, "Leche, mangos, azucar." That's it!

Everyone knows I love to take pictures of food (right, Emily and Lindsey?). Here is some of our resort food: turkey in mole, and grilled seafood (calamari, shrimps, and grouper). There were lots of good drinks at the resort (this one looks better than it tasted). We especially enjoyed the orange margaritas and pina coladas (not too sweet!). Oh, and I had about a dozen Mojitos a day. They are that refreshing.

See the empty mojito in the background?

We came home to a garden mostly done with tomatoes (sniff...) but full of eggplants, cucumbers, and pepppers! I made a ratatouille (at the request of the kids, for the movie) that was surprisingly good. Tonight we had eggplant parmeggiano. We've got basil coming out our ears, too. Maybe we'll have pesto tomorrow.

2007-07-10T18:13:00.000-07:00

What we're eating tonight: salad with nasturtium leaves and blossom from our friends' garden!

2007-07-09T18:01:00.001-07:00

Our little cucumber plant finally came through and produced 5 cukes all at once. Of course I had just bought 3 more at the Farmer's Market. So, Anna and I made Quick Refrigerator Pickles.

About 3 big cucumbers, thinly sliced (or chunkily sliced, if you're Anna)
1/2 onion, sliced
2 cloves garlic, sliced
1 cup vinegar (we used apple cider)
1 cup water
2 tsp salt
1/4 cup brown sugar

Generously salt the cucumbers after slicing and let rest for 20 minutes. Rinse then drain cukes. Put some onion slices in the bottom of the jar(s), then layer with the cuke slices until full. (We used 3 little jelly jars.)

Bring vinegar, water, garlic, salt, and sugar to a boil on the stove, then pour over the cucumbers until they are covered. Chill in the refrigerator. They are better after 3-5 days, but we usually can't wait that long! Will keep 1 month in the fridge.

You can eat the onion and garlic, too. Crunch and delish!

2007-07-05T18:34:00.000-07:00

Hello. I am Sam. Sam I am. Do you like green eggs and ham? Would you eat them in a boat? Would you eat them with a goat?

On a rainy 4th of July morning, I finally made my kids green eggs. They've only been reading about them for years! I told them the ham, however, would not be green. It's Morningstar Farms Bacon, made from soy and egg whites. OK, I know it looks like plastic playdoh bacon - it's almost grosser to look at than the green eggs. But it tastes pretty authentic, and doesn't make a mess of your kitchen or stink up your house when you cook it (2 min. in the microwave). Bonus! Cruelty-free bacon!

My kids devoured their green eggs. Anna was a little worried that we didn't leave any for slumbering Daddy. We did, however, show him the pictures after he awoke, and that was almost enough to send him over the edge! He said they looked like snot!

Note Anna's cuppa tea.

2007-07-02T17:57:00.001-07:00

I am not tired of the caprese insalata - I made one with my largest platter for guests who really appreciated it Saturday night. I also made what my dad calls "Jennifer Shrimp." (I didn't invent it, but I introduced him to it) It is so simple, so scrumptious. I don't have any pictures of it, cuz we scarfed it all down. Here's the ingredient list:

Shrimp (we had Texas Gulf shrimp - yum!)
Fresh Basil Leaves
Prosciutto
Olive Oil
Cracked black pepper

Wrap each shrimp with 1 leaf of basil and about 1/4 slice of prosciutto. Skewer the shrimp, brush generously with olive oil, and sprinkle with pepper. Grill until shrimp are no longer opaque (do not overcook). Now devour.

2007-06-27T18:46:00.000-07:00

Last week we drove to my Aunt Cinda's house and picked the last of the June peaches and some of her amazing Brazos Blackberries. We ate most of the blackberries already, but the generous amount of peaches she gave us are hanging on in the fridge. Today we made a superb peach/berry cobbler crisp, one I'll definitely repeat! (from the Austin Chronicle).

The 1.5 lbs peaches, pitted and cut into chunks (notice: no peeling necessary!)
2 cups blackberries or blueberries (since we ate most of the Brazos Blacks, I added some blues)
1 tbsp cornstarch
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/3 c. granulated sugar

In a large bowl, toss the peaches and berries gently with the cornstarch, lemon, and granulated sugar, until combined well. Spread in a 13"X9" baking dish.

2/3 c. all-purpose flour
3/4 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. old fashioned rolled oats
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
6 tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut into bits
3/4 c. chopped pecans

In another bowl combine the flour, brown sugar, oats, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Add the butter, blending until it resembles coarse meal, and stir in the pecans. Sprinkle the pecan-oat mixture evenly over the peaches.

Bake in the middle of at 350 degree oven for 45-50 minutes, until the top is golden. Serve with ice cream (or whip cream, as preferred at our house):

2007-06-19T19:16:00.000-07:00

These are the custom salads I made for dinner tonight. I do not cook individual meals for dinner; if they don't like what I cook they don't have to eat, or they can always have a banana. This is America: no one is going to starve. However, I will make individual insalate, to increase vegetable consumption. Colin's is without leaves. He insists this is not his salad, he does not like salad, this is his dinner. Anna is having spinach leaves with tomatoes she picked from the Farmers' Market and cucumbers. Anthony is having spinach and cukes with no tomatoes. I am having a little spinach and a bunch of spicy arugula and tomatoes.

The dressings are all different, too -- Anna likes Ranch, Anthony likes Paul Newman's, and I dress my own with EVO, sea salt, pepper, and a splash of red wine vinegar. Colin eats his crudites naked.

Laura, the dish in the last post was Insalata Caprese. It is a traditional Italian salad from Capri, near Naples and Pompeii. It is so simple, but only worth eating in the height of summer ripeness. Here's the ingredient list (I can't really call it a recipe):

Sliced vine-ripe tomatoes
Sliced mozzarella (preferably fresh or bufalo, NOT Kraft)
Julienned fresh basil

Arrange prettily, then drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil (EVO), salt and pepper.

2007-06-16T19:02:00.000-07:00

So, my deal with pork, Steph, is this: commercially raised pork is pretty horrendous. The females who have litters of piglets have to be in these tiny farrowing crates. They are iron cages no bigger than their bodies on top of concrete. The mothers cannot turn around, can't get any exercise other than stand-up-lay-down, and can't even really see their piglets. The supposed reason for this is so that the mothers don't accidentally squish the piglets (in the farrowing crates the babies can move about and out of the way, even if the mommies can't). However, anyone can see that keeping an animal in such captive confinement is cruel.

There is quite a bit of debate about this issue, not just in the PETA-type circles, but also in the American Veterinary Medical Association, whether we should come out as a profession against the crates or turn a blind eye. I can't justify it anymore with my personal dollars (just like I'll never buy eggs that aren't at least nominally free range anymore).

I'll still eat prosciutto (because most European farmers don't use such mass-production oriented methods, and certainly not for the pigs destined to be prosciutto!), and I will eat Berkshire pork from Peach Creek Farms. They get to run around and root in the mud all day, and farrow in hay-lined stalls - a veritable maternity suite compared to the crates. I also ordered the carnitas from Chipotle because they only buy from farms with these kinder, saner methods. But no more bacon, chops, or tenderloin from HEB or Costco. The tenderloin I felt guilty about last week was from the freezer, bought before my self-imposed boycott.

So, here is the guilt-free meal we had tonight, thanks to the Austin Farmers Market and Peach Creek Farms!

2007-06-12T19:14:00.000-07:00

Tonight I made panzanella, or Italian Bread Salad, one of my favorite summertime meals (mostly because there is no pan to clean up, just a cutting board). Toasted rustic bread cubes, tomatoes, cucumber, pepper, feta, and white beans tossed with a garlicky vinagrette. This time I added prosciutto, which put it over the top. Prosciutto makes everything heavenly - cantaloupe, pizza, shrimp, panini. Those must be some happy hogs over there in Emilia-Romana, eating the whey from the parmegiano reggiano! Ah, but I forgot the fresh chopped basil. I'll have to try again...

(PS Note topless boy in the background, fresh from the post-swim bath!)

2007-06-11T20:23:00.000-07:00

I am still cooking, just not blogging much these days. Here is the meal I made after the triathlon and after the nap that followed it! Emily and I were the only ones who ate the squash and the eggplant - the first from our garden. I feel guilty about eating pork tenderloin, but it is always SO GOOD. Rounded out with crusty bread and homemade hummus, it was a great summer meal.

2007-05-24T18:52:00.000-07:00

I actually fixed an entire meal and didn't eat any of it, didn't even snitch. I was supposed to go to a drug company dinner at the fancy Truluck's. I felt bad leaving Anthony out, and I didn't want him to have to fix dinner for everyone again since he'd been doing double duty while I was out with a migraine.

I marinated chicken breasts in thyme, balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper, and pan seared in olive oil. I toasted a baguette, then made sandwiches with mashed avocado, butter, shredded lettuce, sliced home-grown tomato, and swiss cheese. I also assembled a raw veggie plate with Ranch dip. I got protests about my leaving, but not about the food!

2007-05-15T19:09:00.000-07:00

Look at my beautiful birthday cake, I mean tort:

Can I just say how much more I enjoyed this than an icing coated confection? Anthony's iced cakes are beautiful, but taste like nothing but sweet. Not my cuppa tea. Artfully arranged, seasonally fresh berries, however, on a whole wheat pastry with scant refined sugar, and REAL whipped cream (why have any other?!?) - that really gets me going.

Plus, I got TWO of these beauties; one to share at work, one for the family. A new coworker, who doesn't know my husband yet said, "Who is Anthony? Is he a chef?"

Ha ha. Only when it comes to select baking items (and coffee!), then he is a master...

2007-05-09T19:25:00.000-07:00

Sorry, illness again has derailed my attention to this blog. I've eaten popcorn and yogurt frequently - don't question it! When I was getting over being queasy I could get those down.

I also made Eating Well's Crispy Tacos, and we loved them. Basically, wrap your corn tortillas in a damp cloth and heat in the microwave, then spray with cooking spray and drape over the oven rack (in a taco-ish shape). Bake at 375 for 7-9 minutes. Then stuff with Morningstar Farms burger crumbles, cheddar, shredded homegrown lettuce, and guacamole. They taste like home fried tacos. We ate them so fast we didn't even remember to get out the salsa.

Have you guys seen any of the previews for Ratatouille? It's the new Pixar movie coming out this summer. Colin discovered their promo site this weekend, and we've been mesmorized. It's about a rat with gourmand tastes who lives in Paris, France, and aspires to be a chef. The kitchen sequences are exquisitely rendered. We are big Pixar fans at my house, and Foodies, too - we can't wait for this movie to come out. Anyone know how to make a rat costume for Halloween?

2007-05-01T18:11:00.000-07:00

I had other mental plans for dinner, but when Anth brought home some sushi-grade frozen Ahi tuna from Costco, I could not get it out of my head. So I made up a new menu.

I seared the tuna, and made this dipping sauce (trying to approximate that sushi experience):

2 tbsp butter
1 tsp minced ginger
2 tbsp chicken broth
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp horseradish (wasabi is better, if you've got it)

Melt the butter and gently cook the ginger in it; do not brown. Add the liquid ingredients; bring to a boil then take off the heat. Serve in a little cup and dip bites of the tuna in it.

I also fixed the last of the sugar snap peas I got at the Farmer's Market, sauteed in sesame oil and garlic. Salad fresh from the garden. And a loaf of ciabatta from CM that I could not resist (although rice may have been a better starch-side, I couldn't let that fresh bread go to waste).

2007-04-29T18:27:00.000-07:00

We went to a great wedding on Saturday. A classmate of mine was marrying her partner. It was a lesbian wedding. It was one of the most beautiful and touching ceremonies I had been to. It was held on the grounds of a 19th century mansion not far from our house. The gardens were lovely, and the weather was so kind - we sat in white chairs at sunset, not too hot or humid, light breeze, no bugs.

After the ceremony, we walked to the big party room, and were each handed a Mojito (just like your wedding, Steph!). Appetizers were offered like stuffed grilled shrimp. Then there was the cheese.

I have to stop here and tell you my surgeon friend was marrying an executive for Whole Foods. The cheese buyer for all of Whole Foods asked if she could bring a cheese tray, and they said yes. She brought a cheese table, then graciously stood by it, telling all of us what was on it, and cutting big chunks. There were rounds of double cream brie, then the triple cream brie, and a sheep's milk brie that was so sweet and creamy. Manchego from Spain, Amadeus from Holland, etc etc. But the best was this brick of wonderful French Bleu which was drizzled with a blood orange-balsamic reduction vinaigrette. MMMmmm...

Inside the party room, there were 4 wines also picked by a Whole Foods buyer, and they helpfully had a list with a short description of each. I thought, this is great, we can try several wines with our meal. Anthony stayed at the bar, trying 3 of the wines in succession, then picking our favorite: Ludovicus from Spain. It is from grapes grown on 60 year old vines. Anthony managed to snag a whole bottle and bring it to our table.

The company at our table was divine. There were 2 other classmates and their spouses. We've been friends for over 12 years, and its just stupid how little we get together. We also made 2 new friends - a vet radiologist and her husband from California. She and Alice were roommates when they did their residencies together. We talked and laughed and ate off each other's plates. By the end of the night, there were 3 empty bottles on our table.

Everything I ate was exquisite: Davis Mountains Roast Beef (tender!), Stacks of Grilled Veggies from Boggy Creek (local organic farm), rice pilaf, roasted potatoes, dolmas stuffed with couscous, gouda pizzas with arugula. I ate it all.

Afterwards there was live music and dancing. Anthony and I jitterbugged for the first time in many years. We were laughing so hard. The night was over way too soon, and we sent off the happy couple of under an arch of sparklers.

As we stumbled to our cars, my arm around Regina - we were singing off key - we realized we had overindulged. Ah, but when everything offered was so good, and the company so nice, and the promises of love so pure, it seemed like a worthy splurge.

2007-04-24T17:40:00.000-07:00

Here's a recipe my kids request almost every weekend. We had it Saturday with a gorgeous cantalope and veggie sausages.

Multigrain Pancakes

----

1 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup oats
2 tbsp yellow corn meal
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup milk
1/4 cup yogurt (plain or flavored)
1 tbsp canola oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 large eggs, scrambled
Mix-ins
---

Place all ingredients (except mix-ins) in a large bowl and stir with a
whisk
until smooth. Fold mix-ins into batter. Spoon by the quarter-cup into a
greased non stick pan. Turn when bubbles appear at the edges. Serve warm
with maple syrup or honey.

Mix-in suggestions (use more than one!):
Chopped walnuts or pecans, sunflower seeds, dried blueberries or
cranberries, chopped strawberries, flax seeds, grated apple and cinnamon.

2007-04-23T19:04:00.000-07:00

We FINALLY got together with our friends on Saturday. Since they couldn't come for Easter, I made lamb chops (bought that morning at the Farmer's Market) along with asparagi e fungi alla griglia, and a big salad from our homegrown lettuces. They were very complimentary on the food, but seriously, how can you mess up ingredients like that? I felt like I just bought and presented it, not like I cooked some culinary feat.

I can always count on Lisa to bring a worthy dessert. Sometimes I even go for seconds. How many of you have friends who can take a Martha Stewart recipe and improve upon it? And garnish it with sweet organic strawberries?

2007-04-13T19:48:00.000-07:00

Easter Breakfast:

Easter Dinner:

2007-04-04T17:57:00.000-07:00

Here is the lunch I fixed for Anthony today: a grilled cheese sandwich - 2 kinds of cheese, rustic Italian bread, olive oil. I love the uneven way it browned, with the cheese oozing out! An insalata totally made from homegrown lettuces. And! dessert - sliced strawberries and pears topped with Stonyfield Farms vanilla yogurt.

If I hadn't been home today, do you know what he would have had? Nothing. Then scarfed something because he was starving at 4 o'clock. Don't worry - he lets me know how much he appreciates mia cucina.

2007-04-01T19:01:00.000-07:00

Colin (my 3 yr old son) loves cheese. I mean, he adores it, all kinds. Stinky, blue, goat, dry and crumbly - it's all good. Except queso (too processed and too spicy).

He often has cheese and crackers for breakfast. Hey, it's good protein, and we serve healthy TLC crackers. He also noticed we sometimes serve peanut butter and crackers.

So now he requests crackers with peanut butter and cheese. Yes, crackers with a smear of tan PB and a slice of orange cheese on top. He loves it. I have to look away.

And, Anna can't sit next to him, because she can't bear the smell of his "stinky cheese."

2007-03-26T17:59:00.000-07:00

Fish Tacos - made with excellent mahi mahi from Costco, marinated in lime juice and spicy salt, served with refried black beans, guacamole, and cheese. Topped with slaw made from the last of our cabbages, harvested this weekend, and spicy creamy dressing. Que bonita!

2007-03-24T19:41:00.000-07:00

At my work, we tend to talk about food a lot: what we grilled, what recipe we tried, where to get a good deal. Usually these culinary discussions happen over a surgery or a disgusting dental, but it doesn't deter us.

Recently, someone was telling us about a rich etouffe recipe, "You wouldn't believe it! It calls for lots of butter - REAL butter!"

I had to interrupt. "Real butter is the ONLY butter worth putting in your mouth! You can't eat that margarine crap. You know it turns straight into plaques in your arteries!"

Unfortunately, every time I say this at work, most people look at me puzzled, with only slight recognition of trans fats.

That's when I told them: there are only 3 fats in my house. Butter. Olive Oil. Canola oil. You don't need and shouldn't mess with anything else.

However, I did buy some peanut oil last week, to fry the gorditas in. I used it tonight to make Crescenza in Carrozza - little fried egg-battered cheese sandwiches.

What fats enjoy residence in your Cucina?

2007-03-22T19:00:00.000-07:00

The leftover lamb tasted SO GOOD minced finely, tossed with organic gemelli (twisted "twin" pasta) from Italy, plenty of E.V.O., shredded mozzarella di bufalo, parmegiano reggiano, chopped fresh spinaci, sale e pepe. I had the last of it today for lunch. It looked as good as it tasted.

2007-03-18T19:07:00.000-07:00

The Green Chile Stew was great (but everything I make with that Berkshire pork tastes so good). I added cumin powder, and it really helped. I also served it with Gorditas, which I found at our HEB, parcooked, and delicious once briefly fried at home. Anthony worked outside all day, was very hungry, and LOOOOOOVED it.

2007-03-17T19:02:00.000-07:00

We are hosting Anthony's uncle Volker from Germany this weekend. He is a chef, so we are eating well. Last night Anthony fixed our old stand-by, Peasant Pasta - basically, really good pasta, asiago cheese, white beans, and chopped fresh spinach in a garlicky vinaigrette. MMMmmmm...

Tonight we had a leg o'lamb that they brought with them. "How are we going to fix the lamb?" I asked at breakfast. "You're the lamb expert! You fix it!" they told me. Okey-dokey -- so we went to the farmer's market and purchased asparagus, sweet potatoes, lettuce, and radishes for sides (Volker wisely picked up some bread, too). I butterflied the boneless leg, rubbed it all over with chopped rosemary, garlic, a leedle bit of balsamico and a lotto olive oil. While I prepared the veggies, Volker put the meat on the grill for me. It all turned out fantastico! We opened one of our special bottles of wine from Oregon for that feast.

At the farmer's market, I also bought some free range Berkshire pork to make into some sort of green chile stew. Wish me luck....

2007-03-14T19:49:00.000-07:00

Ever since I got that food poisoning/stomach bug/bad juju, my heart has not been in food writing. So that's my lousy excuse for the lack of posting lately.

Usually I have a robust appetite I wish I could curb. Sometimes I exercise just to keep up with my calories. But lately I've had a lackluster appetite, eating small portions, not interested in much of anything.

At least I'm well enough to drink wine again....

2007-02-25T18:28:00.000-08:00

Having Emily here for 5 days was great -- I haven't eaten out that much since my last business trip! When she first got here, we celebrated with a great sushi lunch. The next day we ate at Hyde Park Grill. Their fries really are all that. Crispy on the outside, and downright creamy on the inside.

Friday evening Anthony was taking the kids to a birthday party, so we girls decided to go out on the town. At first I planned to eat at Sandra Bullock's new restaurant in Austin, Bess. I called ahead, because I knew it was a reservation recommended place and this was last minute Friday night, but I'd also read reviews that said the bar was pretty cool. A hostess assured me that we'd likely get a seat at the bar and we could order dinner there, so I gave Em Em directions, and I valet parked there. However, when I walked into the tiny place, the bar was 2+ bodies thick. The entire restaurant is cozy, and I was getting a bit of a negative vibe for not having a res. I walked a few blocks down to The Roaring Fork. There were still some seats there, so I called Emily and redirected her. We got the last table, and our waittress greeted us at 6:55 and promised to get us happy hour prices (half price food menu - sweet!) if we ordered pronto. Emily let me order, so I got us the green chile pork stew, lamb chops with cheese fondue, and a mixed salad. It was all primo, and the price was right.

Saturday Emily called me on my way home from work to take my lunch order, and she brought me Rudy's Barbecue. Mmmm. Then, since no visit to Austin is complete without a visit to Chuy's she mentioned that's where she'd like to go for dinner. However, I had to go work out before we went there! Chuy's was great as always. Anna and Emily split most of a large bowl of queso between them.

This morning, I made Scones and homegrown eggs and Boka sausage links. Emily got up and said she had a funny dream that Anthony brought her breakfast in bed and said, "This was made from the milk from our miniature cow," and she said, "Where have you guys been keeping your cow? I haven't even seen it!"

2007-02-18T18:40:00.000-08:00

Since yesterday it was Chinese New Year's Eve, we decided to have stir-fry for dinner. However, I didn't have any chicken defrosted, and I was craving Tofu. Instead of driving to the grocery store to get it, then fry it myself, I called our local Chinese place and asked if I could just get an order of fried tofu, with no sauce or veggies, to go. After some consultation with the hand over the phone, they decided yes, they could sell me a entree portion of tofu for $6, and it came with a side of rice. I ordered another side of rice, and voila, I didn't have to cook rice either!

Anna and I hopped in the Prius and drove to pick up the tofu. The restaurant owners were very nice but curious about this order. They wanted to show me what they had for me - a large container full of crispy tofu triangles. "Yes, perfect!" I told them. "You don't want any sauce or anything?" they asked, and I told them we were going to cook it ourselves with our homegrown broccoli; I just didn't want the mess of frying it. "Are you vegetarians?" they asked, and I said no, we just really like tofu. Then as I left, I said, "Happy New Year!" and they broke into big smiles and said, "Yes! Tomorrow is the New Year!"

The tofu with broccoli, zucchini, onions, and hoisin sauce was great, and we only had to wash the wok and the cutting board!

2007-02-14T18:36:00.000-08:00

In the beginning of our marriage, for Valentine's Day Anth and I made the rounds at several high end restaurants. This was always a disappointment. IF we were able to get reservations, we always paid way too much for a mediocre meal. Instead, I tried cooking at home, but that was no fun - I put way too much pressure on myself to make a fabulous meal, and then there was always the clean-up.

The year I was pregnant with Anna I got the idea to go out to eat Thai food. These restaurants are always a little more casual, and would not be so crowded on the big night. Plus, spicy food always seemed passionate to me. So now that is our V-day tradition.

Tonight we went to a Thai restauarant near us that is a little bit fancy. We went early, with the kids (so they could get in bed at a reasonable time on a school night and so that we wouldn't disturb too many people). They also serve sushi so we had that for an appetizer - the kids even enjoyed the plain tuna roll. We ordered the kids noodles, and after every order Colin asked us to make sure it wasn't spicy (he is still on that blasted "no spice" kick). He protested when he saw his beautiful noodle dish - it looked spicy to him - but at least we were able to get him to try it, so he could see that it was tasty but mild. He did eat a ton of plain brown rice, too. Anna sweetly offered him a carrot, which he usually loves, but he protested, "It's got stuff all over it!" Overall, the meal was a success, and Anth and I left with tingling tongues.

At home, we had dessert - Chocolate Lava Cakes. Anna and I made the batter earlier in the afternoon (since it has to chill), and then I baked them while the kids bathed. If you make them yourself, DO NOT BAKE any longer than 10 minutes. They will look underdone when they come out of the oven, but that is the idea, so that they are still MOLTEN inside.

2007-02-11T18:27:00.000-08:00

Anthony managed to avoid ordering pizza for dinner last week. Impressive, since I worked an extra day. Therefore, Saturday night we went out to a new pizzeria in town, Salvation Pizza, one that makes thin crust pizza, Neapolitan style. Mmmmm.... You have to wait a long time for them to bring your pie (like 20+ minutes) but it's worth it! We got a specialty pizza w/ chicken, prosciutto, garlic, onion, and sage. The kids got a half pepperoni, half just cheese. Unfortunately, Colin hung his face in his hands and wept at the cheese pizza, insisting we take the nonexistent pepperoni off of it. Finally, we just took the entire cheese layer off, and he ate the naked crust, then later at the cheese layer. Whatever.

Tonight we had one of my standard summer grilling menus, even though it is so cold. Grilled chicken breasts, grilled sweet potatoes, and hummus. Round that out with some pita bread and a salad of sad-looking arugula (but with great taste) from our garden and butter lettuce from the Farmers' Market. And vino.

2007-02-07T18:53:00.000-08:00

I don't cook on Thursdays and Fridays, because I work until 6 and don't get home until close to 7. Anthony cooks those days, usually either pizza, tacos, or something from Costco. He also makes excellent martinis and is handy with the corkscrew.

Last weekend we went to Ft Worth. We grilled at our friends' house - filet mignon for the boys, and salmon for the girls. David did an excellent job on both, but the beef was particularly fine. I encouraged him to make his margaritas with lime juice and simple syrup instead of limeaid, and I think he was impressed with the results. "Smooth!" he said. He doesn't like stuff too sweet.

Last night I made an excellent Enchilada Casserole. "Thank you for making this delicious food!" Anna said. Colin has been on an anti-spicy kick lately and was too suspicious to try it. I had it for lunch today, and it was still yummy. Tonight, we had pasta with pomodoro sauce I'd previously made and frozen, and a salad with arugula from the garden.

2007-01-31T18:31:00.000-08:00

Tonight we had Tostadas, which is like eating a big ol' Nacho! I minced the leftover pork tenderloin and put that on top of the beans with cheese, shredded lettuce, homemade guacamole, and homemade salsa. YUM!

2007-01-30T18:47:00.000-08:00

"What are you making for dinner?" My dad and I almost always ask each other this one our long distance phone calls. He is a great, creative cook, and I learned a lot of cooking from watching him and eating the results.

My mom was always a good cook, but she didn't relish the process, so she gave me the freedom to take charge and experiment in the kitchen. So in that way she also helped me love cooking.

I also have to give a shout-out to my husband, Anthony, who loves to eat my cooking and is an enthusiastic fan - he is a great audience to cook for. He also nearly always cleans up the dishes. Being creative can be quite messy.

Yes, ladies and gentlemen, this is my attempt at a food blog. From my other blog I know that it is as much a personal diary for me as public forum. I do not intend to extensively research or publish recipes, and I do not seek fame or linkage. I hope at least I will have a record of what we ate, even if you don't care what I had for lunch.

BTW, the title means "my cooking from Texas," in Italiano. Buon appetito!

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Sunday we ate Thai-Spiced Pork Tenderloin w/Orange Curry Sauce. It was a great departure from the usual way I cook pork tenderloin. Anthony really liked the rub on the meat, but felt the sauce was too sweet. Why do they ALWAYS pair a sweet sauce with pork? I also didn't cook it until it was 160, grey, dead, and dry in the middle. I just seared it and briefly baked it until it was done to the touch. I served it with jasmine rice and steamed broccoli from the garden.

Monday Anna requested Hamburgers. Since we were at Central Market, I picked up some of their pre-mixed patties. I think they are so tasty, and had a hard time choosing for myself. I ended up with a lamb patty with feta and mint. For the rest of 'em, I got "Cowboy Burgers," beef mixed with sausage, bacon, and spices. Too spicy for the wee ones, in fact. Anthony was nonplussed on his and said he'd prefer and plain beef patty.

Tonight we had Hoisin Noodles with Beef and Edamame. Anthony is very picky about his beef (something about only thinking tenderloin is worth eating?) but was satisfied with the lean flank steak that I sliced thinly across the grain. I thought I had buckwheat soba noodles in the pantry, but they were gone, so I settled for whole wheat spaghetti. I purposefully left out the spicy stuff with the wee ones in mind, and Anna slurped hers down. However, Colin refused to eat any of it, wailing it was too spicy. I refused to cook him more plain noodles, so he had gorgonzola and crackers.