My Saturday night!

My latest SEEN gallery over at the TU. Check out all the smiling happy people.

DelSo Cookies!

Did you see this over on All Over Albany?  Geesh - leave town for a week and miss all kinds of exciting stuff!  You get excited about cookies, right?  There's a contest to come up with the perfect cookie to celebrate All Good Bakers' impending arrival in the DelSo.  I've been thinking about what would be the perfect representation of our neighborhood in a cookie form, and I've got some ideas...

Although the Wine n Diner didn't survive, something Mikey, the owner, said stuck with me.  I agree with his (co-opted) statement that Delaware Avenue is where Lark Street goes to grow up and believe the DelSo cookie needs to have some adult qualities...dark chocolate chunks,  Really dark chocolate with a bitter note. I'd say.  There's also the fact that Delaware Avenue was known as an Italian enclave so maybe toss in some toasted pignoli nuts to show proper respect to the family.  And then we'd need something to sweeten them up a bit - maybe some dark brown sugar?  Lastly - a little spiciness is present in our 'hood and I think a little ginger would add just the right touch.  

What do you think?  Get to Facebook and share your thoughts asap.  Contest is open until Monday only!!

Roast Beast

While I wouldn't consider myself to be overly impressed by beefcake, I do enjoy a good piece of meat.  Last night I treated the Lilly boys/princes to a beautiful roast beef dinner.  Or roast beast, as I said to Quinn.

I prepared the beef simply,  with salt and pepper, and placed the roast on a meat rack in my magic roasting pan.  Below the beef in the pan was a combination of red wine, beef stock and sliced onions adding some steamy richness to the oven.  Confession: I don't know what I do wrong, but I struggle to slice roast beef as thinly as I would like.  Yes, my knife is sharp.  Any hints?

After spending the day in the crockpot

Dinner was tasty and there were unsliced leftovers of the 2.5 lb roast despite Griffin's best efforts. I only had to threaten Quinn with discipline twice, both times related to the mashed yellow and sweet orange potatoes.  As if beef and mashed potatoes aren't the ultimate pairing! 

This morning I placed the beef, the au jus/onion liquid and a couple of canned chipotles in adobo, into the crock pot and let things simmer all day.  Tonight, I removed the meat and shredded/sliced it, adding my leftover mashed potatoes from the previous night to the juices in the pot.  This step worked to both thicken things up a bit and to take the edge off my enthusiasm with the chilis. Delicious.  Like a spicy beef stew that would only have been more wonderful with some sliced avocado and a cheese quesadilla.  Maybe tomorrow. 

Savory Bread Pudding

I'm not a vegetarian, but every once in a while I have a dish that tells me I could be without missing meat at all.  Like this fabulous mushroom dish prepared by Jason Baker, the chef at the Wine Bar and Bistro on Lark - where I am lucky enough to work a couple of nights a week. Damn, that was tasty!

King Oyster Mushroom small plate - by Jason Baker

Thanks to another guy, Jonathan, at the bistro, I experienced my first savory bread pudding recently.  It isn't often that I request a recipe from someone, but this bread pudding was unlike anything I've ever eaten - earthy, cheesy, and a touch squashy sweet - delicious comfort food perfect for a potluck, brunch or Super Bowl party.  I made mine with a molasses sweetened multi-grain bread, which I think added a nice dark richness to the finished product.  Next time I make it (and there most certainly will be a next time), I will be a bit less enthusiastic about the amount of bread I use.  It was a tad drier than I would have liked.  Nonetheless, the kale released a bit of juice which prevented things from being too dry and the 5th period lunch crew really seemed to enjoy my Monday offering.

Bubbly, hot veggies, cheese and bread - oh, my!

There were some leftovers to contend with and, in my opinion, this dish screamed for a fried egg or two to take it to a whole 'nother time of the day - breakfast.  I'm a big fan of getting some fruit and/or veggies servings in early in the day and this recipe does the trick.  Don't be shy - add some ham or smoked salmon, maybe mix things up with spinach or a variety of squashes.  Remember - it's your meal!  Or meals, as the case may be.

The breakfast version.  You know I like me a fried egg.  Or two.

Beef Stir-fry

Do you ever buy those really thin cuts of beef at the grocery store?  They're done in minutes and the boys love them - and there are never any leftovers when I cook with these inexpensive pieces of beef.  I think some folks may use them for steak sandwiches or something along those lines, but at my house they scream "stir-fry!"  So that's what we did...

I sliced the "steaks" into thin strips and tossed them into a mixture of kecap menis, soy sauce and freshly squeezed orange juice.  Into the wok they went with a little sesame oil and chopped scallions.  This dish lends itself to your creativity - maybe add some matchstick carrots or sugar snap peas.  How about some par-cooked sweet potato rounds or water chestnuts?  A quick minute or 3 and they're done.  On this particular evening, I served them with some sesame ginger rice, and sliced orange peppers and avocado - making an appealing, colorful meal in less than 30 minutes.  Take that, Racheal Ray!

Turkey Pot Pie, sort of

While my appreciation for Thanksgiving is boundless, I was at the end of the line with bountiful leftovers. Inventorying my fridge, I came up with a few chunks of sweet potatoes, some mashed potatoes, a small amount of sautéed mushrooms from Saturday's strip steak meal and some gravy. I thought I had some turkey, but other than a lonely drumstick, that had all been consumed by my "good eater" friend, Peter. Since I was mentally committed to preparing some comfort food, and I am master of the creative use of leftovers, I decided to make use of a couple of chicken breasts instead. The end result of my ridiculously easy efforts may have been the best pot pie ever!

Here's my technique: Unroll a crust and place it into a deep pie dish - or be all overachieving and make your own dough for a two-crust pie. Combine an assortment of vegetables, meat and liquid (more about this in a minute) and place in pie crust. The amount of liquid varies and unfortunately, I didn't make any attempt at measuring. I generally try to balance the liquid (gravy or broth) with the mashed potatoes to create a balance between moist, yet able to retain its form when cut into. In addition to using my gravy for inside the pot pie, I made use of it as a kind of "poaching" liquid, cooking a couple of chicken breasts in it due to my lack of turkey. I can't say how long I let them simmer in the gravy...maybe 20 minutes or so? Once they cooled off a little, I cut them up into bite-sized pieces and added them to the vegetables already in the crust, along with some par cooked some baby carrots. I checked my ratio of solid to liquid, thinking that the gravy should reach about the halfway point in the pie dish to ensure a steamy deliciousness when cut into. Check.

At this point, I showed my oldest son what I was making and he immediately dubbed it "Thanksgiving Pie." Fine. If that's what you want to call it, go right ahead. I topped the gorgeousness with the second crust and rolled the edges together and did my best to make it look presentable. I've mentioned before that crust is not my thing, right? I cut a couple of slits in the top to allow some steam to release during baking, and placed my pie in the oven at 375 degrees. I again remembered to place a baking sheet on the rack below my pie to catch any errant drips - yeah, me! After about 30 minutes, I increased the temperature to 400 and gave the pie another 15 or 20 minutes to finish getting all brown and pretty. I then called my neighbors and asked if they were hungry...

While I took a quick shower, I let the pot pie cool a bit and settle. Freshly washed, I grabbed my pie, some arugula and a lemon, and headed next door for an impromptu Sunday DelSo dinner with Ken and Lori. Their wine, my pot pie and salad, and another satisfying weekend drew to a close. Life, my friends, is good. Get some!

Warning! Birthday week has officially begun...

Yasmine and I slapped hands in the corner tonight and, as a tag team of birthday celebrants, officially transitioned (in my mind, at least) from her birthday to mine.  Or, at a minimum, we agreed to share the next few days as mutual birthday space or something like that.  Bottom line: this entire week will be spent acknowledging birthdays (mostly mine) and milestones and transitions, some things I've learned in my most recent year of living, and what the next year may bring.

Suffice it to say, this evening was lovely.  Dinner at Capriccio, as always, was dynamite (such a Jim Rua word!) and I only wish for more hours in the day to spend with those I love.  And, how has Franco's incredible pizza not garnered a nomination in AOA's Tournament of Pizza 2011?  People, really?  Get there!

Pizza with mission figs and house made prosciutto 

Stay tuned for epic self-indulgence this week as I intend to celebrate my mid-40's marker with enthusiasm and good humor. And a smile.

What's Barbarone???

Full disclosure: I work at the Wine Bar & Bistro on Lark Street

There are two questions I  can always count on being asked when I'm serving at the Wine Bar:  Can I get your number?  What is Poussin and what is Barbarone?  Poussin, frequently misread for poisson, is a young chicken, not fish.  And Barbarone?  Well, that's a slice of heaven on a plate.  

For my first meal back in town, sans children, I headed down to Lark Street with a craving for a thoughtfully selected glass of wine, or three, and something tasty to eat.  My dog's sitter was preparing to relinquish her back to the DelSo and I knew a good meal would make their parting easier, so I invited him to join me.  Addison is an excellent dining companion and I didn't regret extending an invitation to him until that damned Barbarone hit the table.  I did not want to share.  Oh, I'm sorry, I haven't yet described what this delectable dessert is...

As a coworker perfectly stated, Barbarone is French Toast that has had a million dollars thrown at it.  Or, more specifically, Barbarone is a wedge of challah bread which has been soaked in cream, coated with sugar, baked and then bruleed (apologies for the lack of punctuation here).  At the WBB on Lark it is finished with a simple citrus syrup of sorts and, if you really want to bang it out of the park, a glass of the La Spinetta Moscato di Asti on the side.  Oh my goodness, it may just be my new favorite dessert.  Next time, though, I'm getting my own.

Sunday dinner - ravioli!

5 minutes to make

Unlike some other folks, I've never made ravioli myself.  Or any other kind of pasta, to be honest.  I'm not saying I'm opposed to the idea, but I think it is an activity which would be more fun with friends, or a real pasta making person to show me the ropes.  Or the linguini, so to speak.  Instead I rely on Pede Brothers, a family owned place in Schenectady that distributes their products in both of the big grocery store chains in the area.  And, you know what?  I like their ravioli and am happy to buy something good made locally.

Last night I realized that my veggie drawer was looking a little sad - not much in there other than "baby" carrots and some roasted red peppers.  Fortunately, my little herb garden on the deck has proven bountiful and I was inspired to make a really quick little pasta for dinner, leaving plenty of London broil for the carnivorous Lilly boys. 

I started with a tablespoon or 2 of olive oil in a pan and then added an equal amount of unsalted butter.  Double the fat means double the taste, yes?  I had a half bag of frozen peas that I tossed in with the full awareness that using frozen product when local fresh product is available, is a sin.  Add it to the list.  Anyway - I sauteed the peas for a couple of minutes, threw in my chopped red peppers (at least I roasted those myself, right?) and finished the "sauce" with a generous amount of chopped flat leaf parsley and basil.  A bit of grated aged Asiago and voila - pasta with 4 veggies!  Not too bad for an empty crisper drawer and delicious, too.

Sunday dinner

Seems like a long time since I've done a Sunday dinner post.  Last week's dilemma was my indecision about whether I should run or eat.  Because I sometimes have an issue with making choices, I went with all three.  "Three?" you say,  "Weren't there only 2 options?"  Perhaps to those who think in a much more linear fashion than I do. there were only 2 choices.  I went with a light pre-run snack of a fantastically delicious peach and then ran. I followed my run with 2 black bean burritos with cheddar, salsa and Arugula.  Perfect.  The beans are kind of a joke (at the least my former roommate, Rachel would laugh) because they came from a can and I didn't let them cook for days and days until they were so incredibly flavorful one could enjoy them at any and every meal of the day.  Nope, not like Rachel's beans, but these were ok after I doctored them up with cumin, red pepper flakes, a touch of cinnamon and salt. And, following my four mile run they were damned tasty on a warm flour tortilla.  Sunday dinners may not be what they once were, but they still are a great way to wrap up a weekend.

Falvo's Meats

If neither time nor money were obstacles, there are a few things I would do differently in terms of indulgence.  I would insist upon having fresh flowers in my home - always.  Nothing fancy, not necessarily a fresh bouquet every day, but I would like there to be flowers in my dining room, bedroom and bathroom.  I also have a thing for clean sheets and would love for my bedding to be laundered daily - heck, I'd settle for just having a clothesline to hang the stuff out on to freshen it up. 

As summer approaches, and my schedule gets a little lighter, I have the luxury of time, which allows me the opportunity to visit smaller specialty purveyors and markets.  Memorial Day weekend provided the perfect excuse for me to go to both the Troy Farmer's Market and to Falvo's Meats out in Slingerlands - two very satisfying shopping expeditions which I hope to include in my regular summer shopping circuit.  Who says women don't like to hunt and gather? 

yep, 5 lbs o'bacon.

Have you been to Falvo's?  It's a lovely drive out New Scotland Avenue to 85A and you're there.  Not too far, yet beautifully rural at the same time.  They advertise in the Times Union and I think their sales pricing is pretty competitive.  I was on a mission to accumulate sausage and they make their own chorizo, andouille and Italian varieties, in house.  They also have really good bacon and often sell it for less than $4 a lb, if you are willing to buy a minimum of 3 lbs.  A three pound minimum on bacon - uh, yeah, sign me up!  And the best part (aside from the deliciousness that is bacon) is the fact that I was able to get my 5 lbs of bacon wrapped in a way that suited my household's eating habits - four 3/4 lb packages for me and 2 1 lb packages for the boys to eat at their Dad's house.  An argument could be made that Falvo's helps to facilitate shared custody arrangements...

lots of meat

All told, I walked with a hefty bag of bacon, numerous pounds of various sausage and about 3.5 lbs of sirloin steak for grilling for less than $60.  The beef had a lovely color, full flavor and a thick edge of fat that grilled up beautifully.  I found the Italian sausage to be a little dry after grilling, but that may have been more a function of the gwui (grilling while under the influence) than the fault of the sausage.  I tossed some in the freezer and I'll try to remember to cook those with a little more care and perhaps a little less wine. And the bacon?  As always, it broiled up nicely in the oven and there wasn't a speck left. 

Mother's Day

pretty table, pretty plate, pretty tasty

Sunday evening I thanked my boys for a lovely Mother's Day and I wasn't even kidding.  There was nothing I would have changed about the day, other than to have included more guests. There was very little indulgence in the traditional sense, but you folks know how I am -  happy to be productive, and that was what the day was all about.  Despite having a mental list of things to do, I slept in a bit and then forced myself to not get out of bed until 9 a.m.  Just so you know, this is actually harder for me than getting up at the crack of dawn to go to the gym.  Since the boys are not really capable of making breakfast (although making a mess is a skill they have mastered),  I cooked up some waffles and sausage and we enjoyed a delicious breakfast accompanied by the day's editions of the Times-Union and the NY Times, courtesy of Liam.  Very indulgent - I haven't regularly read the Sunday Times since before I became a mother. 

 

pretty special neighbors and friends

Next up was laundry, sweeping the "helicopter" debris from the neighbor's enormous tree off of my deck,organizing flower pots, and planting some herbs and lettuce in a couple of large containers.  I had picked up some flowers on Saturday at the Delaware Avenue Neighborhood Association plant sale and happily got my hands dirty arranging geraniums, pansies, nicotina and a couple of other things in an array of planters.  I also weeded the front yard, planted some morning glories and nasturtium, re-grouted the shower drain upstairs and re-wired the door lock release button - and still had time for a 3 mile run! 

The only way to end a day like this was with an impromptu dinner party.  I already had a mess of pork chops marinating in soy sauce and kecap menis, so I decided to call the neighbors, add some chicken breasts to the grill and make it a party.  Ken and Lori shared their crop of freshly picked spinach so I made a salad of the greens with Gorgonzola, strawberries and a light lemon and olive oil dressing, along with some grilled asparagus and baked sweet potatoes.  The table was lovely, the evening was mild enough for comfort and the wine, a 1997 Petite Syrah from Lava Cap, was fantastic.  Since I hadn't a chance to bake (I know, I'm such a lax hostess!  What the hell was I doing all day instead of sifting and stirring?!), we finished our meal  with leftover Easter candy, including a fresh box of Peeps, and sips of Navan.  Delightful.

I may not have been the recipient of a spa gift certificate as I have been past years, but the gifts bestowed upon me were sincerely simple; the newspapers and the chance to read them somewhat leisurely, breakfast with my boys, the opportunity to accomplish many tasks which will give me pleasure for months to come, and a couple of  handmade coupon booklets good for shoulder rubs, garbage removal and vacuuming.  And who needs commercial flowers anyway when you have a  house filled with fresh lilacs?  Being a mother isn't always easy, but a day like this one reminds me what the real gifts of being a mom are, and, just like that handmade card proudly mounted on my refrigerator, I will cherish them forever.

Food Porn - California style

Traveling with an almost-twelve-year-old has many advantages when it comes to dining, or should I say, eating.  For instance, breakfast is really easy - bagels for him and yogurt, fruit and granola for me.  Simple, easy to find and substantial enough to hold us over until later in the day.  Another great thing about traveling with a kid is that they're more than happy to substitute ice cream for either lunch or dinner, something we did perhaps three of our vacation days.  And, with pride, I have to acknowledge that my pre-teen is really starting to branch out in what he orders when we're at a restaurant.  Gone forever are the days of chicken fingers and meat products always sold as "bacon" in an attempt to entice him to eat.  There's still some work to be done, believe me, like why ordering a NY Strip Steak at TGIFs at the Atlanta airport is not a good idea, but he is coming along.  Here's a sampling of a few of our favorite things...

Griffin's new favorite - fried ice cream



Roberta's matzoh ball soup



Amazing ceviche - Mariscos Chente, L.A.

Fish tacos - Mariscos Chente



Peking duck - Ocean Seafood, Chinatown, L.A.

Chinese feast - duck and Chinese broccoli

The BEST cinnamon roll - Rick's, Palm Springs

Breakfast

My first In-n-Out Burger

Potent margarita

Roll with softshell crab, crabmeat and tuna from Fugu's - La Jolla

Mole and fish tacos Alfonso's of La Jolla



Perfect Spring Lunch

So the girls came up Saturday to reassure themselves that I was in fact fine, post-op.  We had a wonderful visit and a lovely light lunch consisting of steamed artichokes with hollandaise. home baked bread with fresh rosemary and spectacular macaroons made my DelSo neighbor, Lori.  As you can see, Lori's artistry exceeds mere graphic design.

Steam artichokes in a couple of inches of water with some fresh lemon squeezed in.  This Hollandaise was made from 4 egg yolks, about 2/3 a stick of butter, a generous squeeze of lemon and a touch of water, salt and pepper.

I used the basic No-Knead Bread recipe and then added between and 1/8 and a 1/4 cup of rosemary from my nearly dead rosemary plant.  During the second rise, when the bread is wrapped in a cotton cloth for 2 hours, I used coarse corn meal, a bit of sea salt and an additional 1/8 cup of rosemary.  Delicious!

I have no clue what kind of magic Lori used to make these beauties, but I can assure you I never expected  to find anything more welcome in my milk box than my Meadowbrook Farms delivery.  I was wrong.

Two dear friends + one fabulous neighbor = an ideal afternoon.  How could a girl feel anything but fabulous with so many blessings in her life?  Life is sweet, people, enjoy it.

Soup Swap - Sea Shanty Spicy Clam Chowder

clam chowder with a twist

Prior to moving to Albany, I worked in a fantastic little restaurant in Washingtonville, N.Y. called the Sea Shanty. The chef-owner, Len Holl, was truly the man who inspired me to view food in a completely different light; no longer was it something on a plate that I was serving merely to make a living.  Instead, it was something in which to take pride and to deliver to my guests with a pleasure previously not experienced. The restaurant was small, ok, it was tiny - 10 tables with a total of 30 seats.  The entire menu was on a large chalk board, generally 4-6 appetizer choices and perhaps 12 or 14 entree options - and was exclusively fish and seafood.  If someone in your party wanted something other than fish, Len would send the dishwasher to Grand Union to pick up a steak or some chicken.  The aroma of meat being broiled always seemed out of place to me, while the fish stink that we all wore upon leaving after a busy night was as familiar as a baby's blanket.  It was a special little place and I still miss it.

It's been 15 years since Len prematurely died, but the lessons I learned from him are deeply ingrained in my food sensibilities and my perspective of hospitality. I will always think of him when I pick up a knife to chop or cut, since he taught me the correct means of performing these tasks. The names Larry Forgione and Paul Prudhomme were the first celebrity chef names I learned, because Len worked with both of them and my understanding about how to treat delivery people and purveyors came directly from Len. Namely, when it is hot outside offer them something cold to drink and when it is cold outside give them something to warm them up. Nothing was more welcomed in winter by our linen delivery man or by Joe, our fish guy (Joe Fish, get it?) than a steaming bowl of Len's Spicy Clam Chowder. For my first appearance at a Soup Swap, naturally I chose Len's chowder as my contribution. So, here's the recipe for you and most especially for Len. I still miss you, my friend, but would like to think you'd be pleased with my attempt at your recipe.  And, thanks Almost Foodies for letting me join the party - I can't wait to eat homemade soup that I didn't make!

Len's Spicy Clam Chowder (makes 8 quarts)

1 gallon of clam juice
2 lbs chopped clams (I used frozen)
1 lb of hot Italian sausage (loose or removed from casings)
3 cans of tomatoes - 2 diced, 1 crushed
3 10 oz boxes of fresh sliced mushrooms (sliced as a time saver)
2 chopped red onions
5 or 6 red potatoes, cubed
1 bunch of parsley coarsely chopped

Crushed red pepper to taste
Chili garlic sauce to taste
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

mushrooms and onions softening in pork fat

In a deep saute pan, break up and brown sausage.  While sausage is cooking, warm clam juice in a very large stock pot over low to medium heat.  Use a slotted spoon to transfer sausage to stock pot, retaining the glistening pork fat in the saute pan.  Working in batches, soften the onions and mushrooms in the saute pan, adding them to the stock pot as they finish cooking.  Toss clams and potatoes into stock pot.  Stir in tomatoes (with can juices) and parsley.  Simmer on low heat for an hour or so and then season with salt, pepper, red pepper and chili garlic sauce.  Serve with oyster crackers and a tasty beer.  Toast Len.  Enjoy.

Breakfast @Quintessence

looking a little skeptical

You know the phrase "there's no such thing as a free lunch?" Well, I couldn't buy breakfast in this town on New Year's Eve morning.  Our original plan was to walk around the corner and get some grub at the Wine n Diner, but, alas, they weren't open when we approached their door sometime between 9 and 10 a.m.  Plan B was the Miss Albany Diner...also closed.  What's up with that, Albany??  You know I'm not a chain restaurant girl, so that eliminated a number of "options" which may have been acceptable to other folks seeking some breakfast grub, but I was on a mission.  You see, I was entertaining an out-of-town friend and wanted to give her a true Albany experience, not just a driving tour of the south east side of my fair city. I wish I could say that Quintessence was indeed my third choice, but it wasn't actually - it was more a happenstance occurrence as we drove through the park, heading towards Madison's End Cafe, and I realized that there was another ultimate Albany joint to show off.  And, bonus, there was even parking available!



hesitation becomes enthusiasm

Now, I know that Quintessence has always been known as a silver beacon to gloppy green noodles, and I say this with affection, but I was feeling like something a little less dense carbohydrate based for my last breakfast of 2010.  The item which called my name was the smoked salmon and eggs combo - the sister dish to Lisa's smoked trout and eggs.  I went with poached eggs, while she had her usual over easy, and since the fryer wasn't yet up and running, we settled for home fries rather than the crispy fries we both typically gravitate towards.  A note: Lisa is always game for wherever I want to eat and credits me with exposing her to numerous terrific restaurants, particularly in NYC.  The truth of the matter is, I consider myself indebted to her for showing me the way when it comes to home fries and french fries - well done is absolutely the way to go.  Do you see the crispy little fried bits on her plate?  That, my friends, is what it is all about when it comes to potatoes for me.  The home fries were definitely the highlight of the meal for me - not because there was anything wrong with my breakfast, it was simply the potatoes were so damn right. 

My poached eggs were fine - soft the way I like them and hot.  The salmon was a bit dry and kind of salty, but not in a completely off-putting way, just in a way that made conscious of pounding extra water.  The service was friendly, the coffee flowed and the experience was generally positive.  Although I really need to get to the Wine n Diner, Quintessence will not again be lower on my short list of breakfast spots than position #2.  Or, as I like to think of it, the slot I reserve for Daniel Craig on a different, but similar list.  ;)

Scone call - for you.

yeah - i made these.

I got myself into a bit of a baking frenzy this weekend.  It started Saturday morning at about 5 a.m. with 2 loaves of bread, a mushroom and spinach quiche and a mess of scones. See what happens when I stay in on a Friday night?  Productivity!  This was my first time using this recipe for scones and I was very pleased with the results.  Of course, I didn't exactly stick to the recipe, but I did get inspired by it, which seems close enough.  I made 2 variations - to one batch I added sliced almonds, dried cherries, dried blueberries and almond extract instead of vanilla, the other batch contained craisins, chopped dried apricots and dried blueberries and vanilla extract.  I sprinkled regular granulated white sugar on the tops of the scones instead of oats and raw sugar.  They were straight-up delicious - not too sweet, surprisingly light and not dry at all.  They would be perfect for Christmas morning - hint, hint.

Blueberry Oat Scones

3 cups all purpose flour

1/3 cup (packed) golden brown sugar

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

3/4 teaspoon coarse kosher salt

11 tablespoons (1 stick plus 3T)  chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1 cup plus 3 T old-fashioned oats

1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries (about 5 1/2 ounces)

1 3/4 cups chilled half and half

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

5 teaspoons raw sugar
Preparation

• Position 1 rack in top third and 1 rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 350°F. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Combine flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and coarse salt in processor; blend 5 seconds. Add butter. Using on/off turns, blend until mixture resembles coarse meal. Transfer mixture to large bowl. Add 1 cup oats and blueberries; stir to blend evenly.
• Stir half and half and vanilla in small bowl. Gradually add to flour mixture, tossing until dough just comes together (dough will be very moist).
• Using 1/2-cup measuring cup for each scone, drop dough in mounds onto prepared baking sheets, spacing 3 inches apart. Sprinkle tops with remaining 3 tablespoons oats, then raw sugar.
• Bake 15 minutes. Reverse sheets and continue baking until scones are golden and tester inserted into center from side comes out clean, about 12 minutes longer. Transfer scones to rack and cool slightly. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Olive Greens



so pretty - so delicious



When faced with a freakishly large head of broccoli rabe, and the desire to limit carbohydrate consumption, what would you do?  If carbs were not an issue, I'd be all about making a pot of polenta, Union Square Cafe-style with milk, Gorgonzola and toasted walnuts.  I've been trying to wean my body off carbohydrate satisfaction, though, so this was not an option.  What I did have available, however, was about a third of a pint of fantastic mixed olives that I had picked up last month at Eataly.  Speaking of which, have you been there yet?  Let me tell you, it is off the hook crazy, fantastic.  When you go have lots of time and lots of money - but don't go hungry.  I personally found it a bit overwhelming because there were so many options - options for dining (eat in/take out/full service) options for products (olive oils, cheeses, meats, baked goods, pastas, wines, chocolates, etc) and beverage (vino, vino, vino).  And, my issues with making choices have been repeatedly documented of late.  I walked out with a large bottle of Ligurian olive oil and a pint of olives and made my way down Fifth Avenue to Otto where their comprehensive menu seemed inherently more manageable to me.

But, to return to the simple task at hand - greens and olives.  I heated up some olive oil (not the Ligurian which unfortunately met an untimely demise when it landed on the ceramic tile in our hotel lobby.  A sad story, but easily enough replaceable.) and made a few cloves of minced garlic golden brown.  I then unceremoniously dumped in my olives, along with the orange peel, slivered hot red peppers and unidentifiable (to me) leafy green herb which accompanied them.  Next up was the freshly washed (purposely not spun dry to add a little liquid to steam), coarsely chopped rabe.  The broccoli rabe needed to be added in batches because the head was so humongous that I couldn't have fit it all in the fairly large saute pan at once.  My "technique" was to fill the pan up, put a lid on it and walk away for a couple of minutes - at this point the heat was somewhere between low and medium, perhaps a 3.5 on a scale of 1-10.  As the rabe wilted, I tossed it around a bit and added more, trying to keep the cooked greens on top of the raw.  I repeated this until the greens were cooked al dente.  To finish, I seasoned with salt and crushed red pepper flakes.  Admittedly, these would have been divine served in a bowl crowning a mound of creamy polenta, but, I thoroughly enjoyed them nonetheless.

(Turkey) Risotto

A week after our family Thanksgiving, I've finally killed the turkey.  I started, naturally, with turkey sandwiches (both hot and cold), proceeded to turkey noodle soup, dabbled in turkey salad (with almonds, craisins and golden raisins) and wrapped it up tonight with turkey risotto.  I know there are folks out there who don't like risotto (I'm calling you out, Albany Jane!), but other than soup, there's nothing better to empty out a refrigerator filled with leftovers than a big pot of risotto.  I'm sure you've heard it requires endless stirring and all sorts of other tedious attention, but, seriously, it doesn't.  And, even if it did, it would be worth it because risotto is incredibly versatile and potentially so very delicious.

The 2 most important considerations, I think, are using good quality arborio rice and having your stock hot.  The rest of the "details" are completely subjective.  Add whatever ingredients you have on hand - any combination of meat (maybe poultry, fish or sausage), vegetables and/or cheese can be put together to make a satisfying meal, trust me.  What I had readily available tonight was leftover turkey (duh), broccoli, baby peas, bleu cheese and fresh mozzarella, so that's what I used.  

Rice and stock becoming friends

Naturally, I got started by heating up about 2 quarts of turkey stock.  As this was happening, I minced a couple of cloves of garlic and chopped 2 medium onions.  I put the garlic and onions into a a large pot which had about 2 tablespoons of hot bacon fat - yummy, yummy bacon fat.  Once these were softened, I added approximately 2 cups of arborio rice to the pot, stirring to make sure each grain was glistening with bacon fat.  After a couple of minutes (perhaps 2, which seems to be the number of the night), I started adding turkey stock to the pot, ladle by ladle, keeping things a bit soupy to start.  

A bowl of goodness

The rice will absorb the stock gradually (have the heat between high-low to medium) which is your invitation to add more liquid.  Continue stirring (not constantly, just with regular frequency) and adding stock until the rice is just about al dente.  This is the point when I add my stuff - generally leftover (cooked) poultry, vegetables (take into account whether they are fresh , frozen or leftover and adjust cooking time accordingly) and cheese and seasonings.  I detected a bit of blandness in my pot tonight and put in a healthy dollop of hot pepper jelly which added a fantastic flavor to the otherwise mild ingredients.  Don't be afraid - it's just food! When the rice is the tenderness you enjoy - stop adding stock, stop stirring, and serve yourself a bowl of hearty deliciousness. Enjoy.

Thanks(for)giving

Thanksgiving has always been my favorite holiday.  I can't imagine ever growing tired of waking up to the smell of roasting turkey and linen napkins being pressed.  The cranberry sauce with diced orange peel, the mashed potatoes with gravy made rich by drippings and the lemon meringue pie that marked the course between turkey dinner and turkey sandwiches... Despite being a holiday of tradition, over the years our family has stepped away from the expected and celebrated in assorted ways - Peking Duck in Montreal's Chinatown, the Macy's parade followed by a drive upstate with the stuffing on ice to be enjoyed with the family, delivering meals for those who need some assistance... Diverse yet, consistent with the theme of being together with loved ones and sharing.

I was uncertain where I would be this year - emotionally, mentally and physically, so I delayed making any decisions until absolutely necessary.  I cooked a banging dinner on Wednesday and ate turkey with my brother for the first time in many years.  As we finished our dinner, there was a semi-surprise visit from some hungry friends who certainly came to the right place, at the right time, for a bite to eat.  There were festive cocktails out to follow our feast, and Thanksgiving dawned without stress or pressure.  Tom and the boys packed up for Connecticut and I enjoyed some peacefulness alone at home before joining them for a delicious family holiday.  The remainder of the weekend was filled with painting and eating and very much being in the moment - and not angry.

Like opinions and oft-cited body parts, we all have them; choices.  To move forward or continually gaze over our shoulder, to hold onto anger or release it to the universe, to make internal room for resentment and distrust or to simply forgive...  

Right now, choosing to believe is an option made even more appropriate by the next page turn of the calendar.   The meal has been prepared, consumed and thoroughly cleaned up after... 

Now comes the what's next.