Apple-Oat Scones

I've got a little thing for scones.  Ever since the first time I experienced them on a British Airways flight, complete with clotted cream and strawberry preserves, I've had a particular fondness for them.  They're also one of those baked items that look like they were more work than they actually were, which seems to impress people.  Last weekend I gave this Martha Stewart recipe a try with okay results.  I was originally attracted to the recipe because it used buttermilk, which means fried chicken in my house, and because they were promoted as fairly healthy.

I didn't follow the recipe exactly, opting to make the dough Saturday and baking the scones Sunday, which made the dough a little wet because the apples released some juice overnight. The scones definitely weren't dry.  They also weren't particularly sweet, which I appreciated, but I still might add a little more sugar and cinnamon to them next time.  And, there will be a next time.

(Un)Chain My Heart

I'm all about independence. Looking in my pantry and seeing shelves filled with good food that I selected, purchased and carried home in my reusable bags gives me pleasure. Writing that check the other day for the property taxes on my home gave me a twinge of happiness that originated in the realization that I can make this thing called life work. This penchant for independence carries over into many areas of my life and influences my decisions on a regular basis. For instance, if there is a choice between two items, one made by an individual and the other mass produced, well, it's a no brainer. My optician is a real person in an office that bears his name. And no, his name isn't America's Best or Lens Crafters. I can't imagine ordering pizza from Papa John or Domino's or choosing cheesecake from a Factory when we are blessed with Cheesecake Machismo.

Once in a great while, however, an exception presents itself. As in Mr. Fussy's predilection for Chipotle or the love I have for a perfectly prepared Caramel Machiatto from Starbuck's. Rules are made to be broken, no? Which brings me to the fondness I have for a chain (gasp!) restaurant I was turned on to in Boston. It all began a couple of years ago on Labor Day weekend. I had arrived in Boston hungry - and clueless about where to go to rectify the situation. If you've traveled with me before you know I refuse to go to chain restaurants preferring to find something representative of my location. I'm also kind of particular about what I eat. I just don't feel good about eating poorly prepared or overly processed foods, so I avoid them. Walking down Newbury Street seemed my best route to find something good and my obsessiveness patience was rewarded when I encountered a couple exiting a place that looked promising - The Capital Grille. In my defense, I had no idea this place had multiple locations. The menu looked good, the departing diners were very enthusiastic about their experience and the bar was inviting. I was in.

Everything about my meal was enjoyable - the carpaccio, oysters and salad, the wine selection by the glass, the nice folks I talked to throughout my meal. Not a single bump in the road. Then dessert came along...

I was in Boston last weekend - eating this was my motivation for a run!

Holy coconut cream pie!! Have you ever seen such a gorgeous hunk of creamy, toasted coconut goodness in your life? The pie is served in an individual shortbread-ish and coconut shell that could easily serve three polite sharers. The filling is creamy with a hint of rum and the topping is miraculously light, even with that drizzle of caramel sauce. Unfrigging believable. I tracked down a recipe that looks promising and may attempt it this weekend. I make no promises other than if I do, I will visually share my results. 

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!

Long and low short ribs

When I placed my order at Falvo's for my Christmas Eve ham, I decided to add another something special for the boys' dining pleasure - and my convenience, beef short ribs. I don't know much about these succulent hunks of tender beef other than I prefer them when they are on the bone and that, until recent years when they became kind of trendy, they were always a bargain cut of meat. I paid $5.19 a pound and bought "8 bones" to feed three boys and myself, with leftovers.

The natural method of cooking these beauties is braising or in the slow cooker. I began by dredging them in flour and browning on each side in a splash of olive oil.

I did this in small batches and placed them in the crockpot as they finished. When all of the meat was browned, I deglazed the pan with a combination of red wine and beef stock, allowing it to reduce slightly.

I added some baby carrots and onions to the crockpot along with fresh rosemary and some small whole garlic cloves. I turned the crockpot to low and cooked them all night, waking intermittently and thinking to myself "Oh my goodness! What is that delicious aroma?"

In the morning I removed the meat and vegetables with a slotted spoon and placed them in my Le Creuset in the fridge for the day. I wanted a chance to skim off the substantial fat the ribs had released, so the "gravy" went into the fridge as well. An hour before dinner, I poured the de-fatted gravy over the ribs, covered the Le Creuset and placed them in the oven at 325.

Dinner is served! Aren't they gorgeous? This is winter cooking at its finest - hearty, fragrant and reminiscent of simpler times. Try this and thank me later.

Pasta Prosciutto

Why don't I eat pasta more often? I mean, it comes in about a million different shapes, is inexpensive, incredibly versatile and quick.  What is the matter with me? Last night I was inspired and freezing! after a rainy run and came up with a delicious, easy dinner that (finally) used up the prosciutto left over from Thanksgiving weekend. Behold - Pasta with Prosciutto!

To begin, I sautéed a few chopped cloves of garlic and about half of a large, sweet onion in olive oil. I really took my time with this to allow the sweetness of the vegetables to come out and to give the water time to get to a rolling boil. To keep myself busy, I cut my prosciutto into small bites and rinsed my broccoli rabe. Once the water was ready to be introduced to the pasta (I went with Campanelle or "church bells" on a friend's recommendation. Good call, my Italian friend.), I added the prosciutto to the sauté pan along with some crushed red pepper flakes. I had some walnuts on hand so I gave them a light toasting (with me, it's either a light toasting or blackened) and coarse chopping.

About 2 minutes before the pasta was ready, I added the broccoli rabe to the pasta pot to soften it a bit. Then it was just a simple matter of draining the pasta/broccoli and tossing it around the pot with the yummy olive oil concoction. I finished things up with a little salt, the walnuts and some fantastic grated aged Parmesan.

Welcome home, pasta.  I've missed you and promise to give you much more attention in the future.

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!

As easy as...

Apple pie! There was a pattern to my cooking in recent days, a sort of pre-Thanksgiving emptying of the refrigerator to make room for the groceries necessary to prepare a holiday meal. I had some buttermilk I needed to use up, so fried chicken and pancakes made the weekend menu. My cheese drawer was crammed with odd bits of Gorgonzola, ricotta salada and sharp cheddar, a situation which begged for mac n cheese. And there was a collection of miscellaneous apples becoming sadder looking by the moment - perfect apple pie fodder.

I've stocked up recently on chocolate chips and pie crusts, two items that allow me to easily put together a quick dessert be it cookies, brownies, a tart or pie. I know that making pie crust (like pizza dough) is more time consuming than difficult, but I find myself much more willing to take on the task of baking with a little head start.

For Saturday's pie, I laid the bottom crust into a deep pie dish and got busy peeling and slicing a variety of apples - Empires, Macintosh, and Delicious, primarily. I was feeling kind of cocky (that's how I get after a long run. Blame it on the endorphins.) and didn't measure anything, there were about 8 apples, perhaps a 1/3 cup of brown sugar, a 1/4 cup of white sugar, a 1/4 cup of unbleached flour, and a 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg and a shake or two of ginger powder. I tossed all that together and then rather unceremoniously dumped it into the crust. The top crust was added and I did my best to seal the edges and crimp in a modestly decorative manner. I sliced a coupe of slits in the top to release steam and placed my rustic, beautiful pie in a 375 degree oven, placing a baking sheet on the rack below the pie's rack. I've finally learned my lesson about things bubbling over and making an awful mess (and smoke) when the drips hit the bottom of the oven. The pie took longer to bake than I expected, maybe 65-70 minutes. Maybe next time I'll use the super cool convection feature which I know nothing about.

The pie cooled a bit while we feasted on fried chicken and mac n cheese. Topped with French vanilla ice cream it was a tasty way to get both a fruit serving and a dairy serving into dessert. Wait - I'm not the only one who considers pie to be a fruit serving, am I? If that thought process is wrong...well, I simply don't care to be right.

Crazy good cookies

I realized recently that I have a glut in my quick oats. What is that, you ask? It means I really didn't need to buy those 2 canisters of oats seeing as how I already had a nearly full canister. Must be time to bake cookies!

There is a recipe under the lid of the Quaker quick oats called "Disappearing Vanishing Oatmeal Cookies." It is a simple recipe and goes together quickly leaving plenty of time for creative embellishments. Yesterday I opted to toss in about a cup of butterscotch chips along with a mixture of craisins and yellow raisins, probably about a generous cup. I make big cookies (hey, if you're only having 2...) and I baked these about 12 or 13 minutes. The last batch I left in a little longer and they turned out more crunchy, not a compliment or a criticism, just an observation. Bottom line - easy, delicious and fairly low fat, I imagine. There's only a single stick of butter used, which seems reasonably healthy, to me, especially when you factor in the three cups of oats. You should make these.

Buttermilk Fried Chicken

I may not look like I've got soul, but believe me, I am an appreciative fan of both the music and the cuisine. I particularly love the side dishes - okra and greens and beans, all cooked in a fryer or with a generous hunk of pork fat, naturally. Of course, eating this kind of heart challenging diet isn't something I often do, but, my boys are young and healthy and I believe in indulging children in cleanly made treats on occasion. Things like home baked cookies, Meadowbrook Farms eggnog and bacon from my favorite butcher shop, Falvo's.

Making this boy favorite meal is so easy that the most effective way to maintain its status as "special" is to make it with great infrequency. 2 or 3 times a year - tops. I cluster the occasions so I can reuse the oil and I try to coincide the festivities with an event that gets me out of the house for a day after the extended frying frenzy. I have convinced myself that the smell of fried foods nauseates me.

I initially made fried chicken when I found myself with leftover buttermilk after some baking adventure. Maybe scones? When I googled to get some ideas as to how to use the remainder of the .5 quart of buttermilk, my results leaned heavily to fried chicken. What follows is not a recipe, just what I do. Adapt to your own tastes, or like me, be a slave to your children's palates and go simple. Place chicken pieces (I like bone-in thighs) in a bowl and cover with buttermilk. Allow to soak in fridge for 12 hours to two days. Remove chicken from milk and drain on a baking rack over a baking sheet for 10 minutes or so. Heat up vegetable oil in a deep pot. Put some flour, salt, pepper and a couple of sprinkles of corn meal to add some crunch, together on a plate. White pepper and some paprika would be nice here, but the boys are still in a muted stage flavor-wise. It's ok, they're a bit of a longterm project.

Dredge the drained chicken in the flour mixture, taking your time to make sure the chicken is evenly and thoroughly coated. Test temperature of oil. I usually drip a drop or two of water in. You don't want spatter, just sizzle. Scientific, right? I cook the chicken, a few pieces at a time. Don't crowd the chicken! TUrn the chicken after about 10 minutes and cook for an additional 10 or 15 minutes. Since I'm cooking in batches, I usually place the chicken, on a baking sheet layered with a brown paper bag topped by paper towels, in a 200 degree oven to keep warm. Once that chicken comes out of the oven, beautifully brown, crunchy and glistening lips inducing, believe me, keeping it warm isn't an issue.

Burrito!

I had my first taste of Mexican style cuisine at a sleep over birthday party in 6th grade. I can still remember how taken I was with those tacos - crunchy, meaty, cheesy tacos so delicious that the shredded iceberg lettuce and insipid tomatoes couldn't get in the way of my enjoyment. I swear I ate 4 tacos that night and my culinary world was never the same. Since that time, I've both expanded (Fish tacos! Nachos for dinner!) and honed (chiles in adobo make almost everything better) my palate and continue to be smitten by the flavors of Mexican food, authentic or not. The other day as I cut trail through 14+ inches of snow, I was inspired by thoughts of a quiet solo dinner at home - chicken burritos, specifically. Here's what I did:

I had two baked chicken thighs (bone in) hanging out in the fridge. I took the meat off the bone and basically ripped it into shreds and tossed it into a can of semi-drained black beans. I added some cumin, salt and two chopped chipotle chiles along with about a teaspoon of the adobo sauce the chipotles were packed in. As this heated through, I warmed two tortillas and gathered some vegetables in the form of a half avocado, sliced, and some baby spinach. I built a gorgeous mound of the green veggies, the beans and chicken and then finished with a dollop of salsa and a bit of shredded cheese. My plan was to eat two of these bad boys, but when I paused after wolfing one down, I realized I was quite full already. I was a little bummed that my capacity was so limited, but since I'm not a fan of that over-stuffed feeling, I was pleased that I knew when to stop and that there would be another yummy burrito meal to look forward to.

Banana-chocolate chunk muffins

In my continuing quest to avoid turning on the heat, I become a prolific baker.  There's nothing, other than a fired up furnace, that warms up a home faster than the smell of baked goods or roasting meats or veggies.  Since my children are dismal failures when it comes to eating the bananas I buy with such optimism, I generally end up tossing them into the freezer for later use in baked goods or indulging them with fruit smoothies.  Drink that banana, suckers. 

image from: eftekasat.net

This morning I was looking to cozy up the house and lift the gray cloud that has taken up residence over my head in recent days.  Between the fragrant aroma wafting throughout my home and the happiness with which the boys greeted the fruits of my labors, I'd say mission accomplished. 

image from: centsncentsibility.com

I have a couple of different recipes I depend upon to use up bananas seeing as how "I'm not your little monkey anymore," Quinn Lilly, is no longer a reliable source for banana consumption.  Today's came from Epicurious and was easy as...muffins.  I've been using Nestle's dark chocolate chunks recently and I love the larger, darker hunks of chocolate in pretty much everything I bake.  I've not seen them at Price Chopper but Hannaford in Delmar has them. They taste pretty good right out of the bag.

Acorn squash

Why, oh, why did I not eat beautiful orange vegetables (other than carrots) when I was a child?  These days not much makes me happier than a pan of sweet potatoes, butternut squash and my favorite, acorn squash, roasting together in the oven and so I say, "Welcome back squash!  I've missed you."

I'm sure there are a million ways to cook these hard shelled squashes but I usually do the a variation on the same theme: squash + something sweet + fat + spice.  My something sweet is generally either brown sugar or maple syrup, but this batch ended up with something a little different.  See that picture of the amber-colored rock candy-ish stuff?  Well that's what you may find, if you're lucky, at the bottom of your maple syrup container.  I knew there would be a use for it one day and this was its day to shine!  If you aren't fortunate enough  to have maple "glass,"  I'm positive that  maple syrup would work just as well, it just wouldn't add moisture and flavor simultaneously. 

Cut the squash through the middle and scoop out seeds and gook. (Compost!) Trim the top/bottom of your halves in necessary to allow them to "sit" without wobbling.  Add some maple syrup or brown sugar, maybe 1.5 T per side, a dab of butter and some nutmeg, clove or cinnamon - or all  of the above.  Bake at 375 degrees until the squash is soft but not caving in on itself.  Maybe 35-45 minutes depending on size - size can be a real factor sometimes.  If you're in a rush, place squash, cut side down in a shallow glass plan with about an inch of water and place in the microwave on high for about 10 minutes.  Finish in the oven for another 10 to 15 minutes.  Cut into wedges and serve, or eat the whole thing yourself. 

An aside: when Liam was a baby his nose was orange because of all of the yellow/orange vegetables he ate.  Does Mayor Jennings perhaps eat a lot of squash?!?

                                 

Obviously, this shouldn't be considered a recipe so much as a reminder that the seasons are changing and so should your meals.  Although the transition from bright red tomatoes  to orange squash and darker greens comes with some regrets (I should have eaten more blts!), it is inevitable and should be embraced. And, bonus - oven roasting also serves as the perfect delaying tactic to turning on the furnace for the season!  Delicious  + money-saving = winner.                             

Tomato Pie

Ah, late August, the season for earthquakes, hurricanes and tomatoes in upstate New York.  For the record, of the three, I prefer a glut of tomatoes over an excess of seismic activity or a deluge of rain accompanied by ridiculous winds.  

I took a bike ride Saturday to the Troy Farmer's Market to pick up a gallon (What? You don't buy your maple syrup by the gallon?!) of maple syrup.  Naturally, when you're riding a bike with saddlebags, as is true with many of life's experiences,  balance is important.  So, I picked up some gorgeous tomatoes, beautiful peaches and peppery arugula, in my quest to keep on an even keel as I rode back to the DelSo.  The maple syrup is for the impressive number of pancakes and/or waffles the Lilly boys can put away, as well as for adding a touch of sweetness to roasted squash and root vegetables as the season changes and I begin cooking autumnal style.  But, let's not rush things because there are still plenty of tomatoes to be eaten and I'm suggesting you enjoy some of them in a tomato pie.

Before baking

After

The basis of the recipe came from the August 2011 issue of Bon Appetit. Of course, I didn't really measure closely and I ignored the dill called for in the recipe and substituted basil and flat leaf parsley instead, with great results.  I also did not have Parmesan so I used some Asiago instead.  I found the buttermilk dough to be a bit onerous to work with.  Maybe I needed it to be colder to successfully roll it out?  A wider plastic wrap would probably have been helpful as the circumference of the dough exceeded the width of the plastic wrap making things challenging.  Or perhaps, I just suck at dealing with dough.  Anyway - it may not have been beautiful, but, it sure was tasty.  And, unlike Hurricane Tropical Storm Irene, this dish lived up to the hype.   

PS - I sincerely hope you all made it through the storm safely with minimal damage. 

Summer Steak Salad

Arugula, lightly dressed with special Ligurian olive oil and fresh lemon juice, topped with sliced London broil, local beefsteak tomatoes, sliced fresh mozzarella, slivers of red onion and a chiffonade of my own basil.  Who says salad isn't manly?

Mussels!

Last week I picked up 2lbs of live mussels at Price Chopper for the incredible price of $2.99.  Yep - not a typo, less than $1.50 per pound!  This may be the cheapest least expensive meal I've ever cooked, macaroni with butter and onions and Parmesan aside.

Coincidentally, as I flipped around the television on the very same day, there was an episode of Secrets of a Restaurant Chef on and she, too, was cooking mussels.  Weird, huh?

I missed the beginning of her demo, but saw enough to know that I was on the right track with my own sensibilities regarding how to prepare these babies.  What follows is one of the easiest, low budget, delicious recipes eva!  Sweat some chopped onion and minced garlic in a combination of olive oil and butter - just enough fat to coat the pot and the vegetables.  Dump your mussels in the pot and pour in a couple of cups of white wine. Cover and cook over medium high heat for about 3 minutes.  Toss in a coarsely chopped plum tomato or two and a handful of fresh herbs - parsley, basil, rosemary, whatever you've got in any combination which you find pleasing.  Cover and cook 2 more minutes.  Transfer to a bowl and serve with grilled crusty bread.  Done.  My 2 lbs provided me with a satisfying light dinner with enough leftovers to treat my neighbors, recently returned to the DelSo following  some time spent with family, to a surprise appetizer.  Mussels - yummy to eat and fun to share.

Spicy sesame noodles

my parking strip herb garden

Are you growing any herbs this year?  I was on my game early and was able to get some good stuff before everything other than basil and parsley disappeared from the nearby nurseries.  I finally got around to tearing up the parking strip in front of my house and put in a couple of types of lavender, sage (thanks, Wayniac!) and rosemary and they all seem very happy.  On my deck I've got a mess of basil, flat leaf parsley and Thai basil - all doing beautifully in this heat and rain we've been getting here in Albany.  The glut of Thai basil prompted me to seek out a recipe for last week's Independence day festivities, and judging by the compliments I received (and the ease of preparation), I think I came up with a winner...  I present to you (from Epicurious) Spicy Sesame Noodles with Chopped Peanuts and Thai Basil:

so good

The recipe did require a quick trip to the Asian Market.  I went to the one on Colvin Blvd and I must say, it looked like they cleaned the place up a bit - the fish smell wasn't quite as strong as it has been in the past, and things were generally well organized.  I was able to pick up my noodles, peanut oil, ginger, green onions and peanuts there, along with a very tasty $.99 pineapple. The prep was wicked simple and, although I didn't really measure anything, I used a moderate hand with the sambal (in place of the chili oil) and came up with a pretty ideal creeper kind of spiciness.  The noodles definitely absorb the flavors, so make this early in the day to give the ingredients a chance to make friends.  Delicious and refreshing, along with cheap, fast and easy.  It really doesn't get much better.

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 - Father's Day edition

Family dinners remain an important part of life for all of my family so for Dad's Day the plan was a shared meal on the deck.  And what a spectacular day it was!  The menu was cobbed together (with duct tape! Isn't that how Dads do it?) kind of last minute, but I did have the forethought to take some sausages which were leftover from Sausage Fest 2011, out to thaw. I grilled the sausage and then they were cut into rounds, toothpick speared (doesn't everything taste better when eaten off a toothpick?  So festive!) and served with some spicy mustard as an appetizer.

The meal included both a pork tenderloin and this beautiful piece of wild salmon.  Price Chopper had the fish on sale for cheap and I bought 1.5 lbs of it.  I marinated it for a short while in soy sauce with some coarsely chopped thai basil and then grilled it up.  I must say, it was delicious and I'll probably pick up another hunk of it later in the week.  I rounded out the table with the skinniest asparagus I've ever seen and a bowl of yellow and orange lentils which I had cooked in a quart of chicken stock and then seasoned with garam masala and salt.  As a finishing touch, I chopped some flatleaf parsley and tossed that into the lentils as well.  Do you eat lentils?  I suspect they are going to be my next obsession.  All of this delightful food was washed down with a bottle of Gruet and a '99 Chateauneuf du Pape.  Family, friends, food, wine...yet another lovely Sunday evening.  Hope all you other fathers out there were feted as well.

fish after some grillin'

stunningly beautiful asparagus