A New Venture

For the past couple of years I have been trying to 'find myself' and figure out what path I'd like to wander around on during the next phase of my life. I've considered many options, from accounting (my college degree - hated it) to working in a restaurant (too physical for me at this point). Some of the in-between options I've considered range from copy-writing to opening a new-age exercise studio to creating a website. I have even thought about a business grocery shopping for others...there is a real need here, and who is pickier than I am when it comes to food??? I did sign up for a local photography class which begins in about a week. Perhaps Foodography is in my future? All I know is that I need a much better answer to the question "And what do you do?" It is a bit awkward telling others I am a stay-at-home mom when my boys are 19 (and not even home) and 16. Basically, I have now become a 'stay-at-home-wife'. This is not so glamorous as one might imagine. One, I am not popping bon-bons one after the other all day long with my soaps running in the background. And two, I do still have a 16 year old at home...'nough said!!

Yes, I know how fortunate I am to be able to stay home, especially in these times of a possible double dip recession. But the grass is always greener...so I've heard it said. And what does any of this have to do with a food blog? Well, I suppose it has to do with the hunger of wanting more out of life, of wanting to make one's life the best it can possibly be. Sure I have a terrific life. I am most thankful for that. Truly! But that doesn't mean I can't want to enrich it further. I want to know that I have made a difference in this world, that I have helped in some small (or large) manner to make the universe a better place.

So my question remains: How??? I welcome your answers.....

And until next time....Namaste!

Food = Peace??

There is something so special about food. We all must eat, breath and sleep (oh ok...and pay taxes and die). Breathing is involuntary, and sleeping - well, that's a whole other can of worms for me! But eating, even though we all must do it, is done in so many ways. We have a choice in how and what to eat...well, in many cases we do. I believe that when you understand what and how a person eats you have a much better sense of who the person is. One of the first things one is faced with when traveling to another country is eating: where to eat, what to eat, when to eat (we discovered it's very important to know when to eat in Europe).

There are so many aspects to food. It can be sensual and romantic, fast and processed, wholesome and comforting - or any combination of these. A shared table is often the place of many heated discussions, proposals, intimate conversation and family updates. A table for one can be lonely, or it can mean finally having a relaxing moment to oneself. It really all depends on the day and the person. I love a family meal when the television is turned off and everyone is seated around the table enjoying not only the food but also one another's company. This is unfortunately a rare occurrence for us these days. During the week my 'family' often consists of only my younger son and me...on weekends my husband is present, and during the summer my eldest returns home to join our feasts.

What I wish is that you all take the time to learn how others eat. Perhaps this will lead to a deeper understanding and acceptance of one another's cultures and differences, which could even lead to world peace! (I can dream, right?) I raise my glass to good food, and more importantly, great family time. Bon Appetit...and Peace Out!

Happy Birthday, Julia! Would you like some gelato with your birthday cake??

Wow, it has been over a month since I last blogged...I missed the entire month of July!! But how appropriate that I chose today - August 15th - to re-emerge on the blogging scene. Happy Birthday, Julia Child!

Lately, I have been experimenting with gelato and ice-cream recipes. I have always wanted to perfect homemade ice-cream, but found the recipes tended to be less creamy and dense than I prefer, and often the final product was a bit grainy. I came across a recipe for a classic gelato on Epicurious.com and it was the base I have been searching for! My first go at the recipe I added a vanilla bean and cherries to the base. The cherries were fresh organic cherries which I pitted and chopped. I added a touch of Grand Marnier, nutmeg and a spicy syrup (simple syrup infused with red pepper flakes, cardamom, star anise, cinnamon and nutmeg). The end result was a delicious creation of creamy icy goodness!

Yesterday I made a different gelato. My son requested a coconut-banana-rum ice-cream, so I added shredded unsweetened coconut and about one tablespoon of dark rum to the base. I left the coconut in because I like the texture it creates, but if you want a completely smooth base you can strain out the coconut when it is ready to go in the ice-cream maker. I pureed two frozen bananas and when they were completely smooth and creamy I added a scant tablespoon of dark rum and 1 tablespoon of brown sugar. I had planned to swirl this into the coconut base when it was almost frozen, but it ended up getting completely mixed in. No matter...on bite and I was transported to a tropical paradise! Next time I will top it with a caramel sauce.

I have some other flavor combinations to try. I'm planning to make a strawberry gelato with black pepper and possibly anise. I have had the strawberry-black pepper combo in the past and want to recreate it at home. I think the anise would add another dimension, but I am not sure if it would be a good dimension. I also have plans for a peach-chipotle-honey combination. When peaches are at the peak of their season I love to slice them on top of a healthy scoop of vanilla ice-cream. I pour a little brandy over the ice-cream (to taste), and follow it up with honey, chopped pecans and a touch of chipotle powder. As a side note: perfectly ripe peaches are also delicious halved,a little goat cheese added to the center, and drizzled with honey (and maybe a chiffonade of mint)...makes a wonderful appetizer and pairs well with a crisp white wine or glass of champagne.

Bon Appetit!

The Irish Heather/Salty Tongue Cafe

I have been in Vancouver for several days with my family and the food has been incredible! Today we found a real gem: The Irish Heather. This is a gastro pub here in Vancouver's Gastown area, and the food is said to be truly authentic. I stumbled upon it quite by accident while searching for restaurants online. The reviews were so wonderful and it was so close (about a 10 minute walk from our hotel) that it was as if "Karma" herself was insisting we go.

We were not able to get into the pub side due to one underage son...but they have an attached restaurant (The Salty Tongue Cafe) serving the same food and drink, and it was here that we had quite the feast. In the cafe there is a 40 foot communal table which seats 48 people...and this table becomes the dining section of the gastropub at 5pm. We began with a few appetizers: a cheese plate, which included a cranberry chutney, gherkins, honey and toasted bread along with several Irish cheese selections; a sausage plate served with whole-grain mustard; and potato wedges served with a coconut chutney dip. For entrees we ordered several to try: one fish and chips, a 'heather pot pie' - which was a steak and guiness pot pie served on mashed potatoes with gravy, and one order of their macaroni and cheese with beef short ribs and a grainy mustard (my choice...excellent!!). We were happy with all of our selections...and ate til our stomaches were ready to burst with joy!

So if you find yourself in Vancouver one day, and I sure hope you do, please check out The Irish Heather and/or The Salty Tongue Cafe.

Mango Panna Cotta

I am not cooking this week. My downstairs AC unit has not been working since last week, and it is not due to be fixed until Friday...and with temps in the upper 90's it is just too hot to heat up the kitchen any more than absolutely necessary. So tonight I took a little field trip to my local Whole Foods and let my boys pick their dinner from the pre-made section. I chose smoked chicken, cornbread, potato salad and cole slaw. And then I saw it....the dessert section. Usually I pass on this section, but today I felt drawn to the counter with the colorful layouts of individual cheesecakes, tiramisu, fruit-laden florentine cups, and finally the mango panna cotta (my choice).

I love a good panna cotta, and often choose this when it's an option. Today's panna cotta had a wonderful cookie-like crust and was topped with a gelatenous mango layer. The flavors mingled with one another to create a luxuriously creamy taste sensation. For anyone wondering what panna cotta is, in its most basic form it is a creamy Italian dessert made by heating cream with sugar and adding gelatin to help it set up. To this other flavors may be added, vanilla being a popular choice. I have had some wonderful panna cottas in my travels, and this one ranks right up there. Somehow the mango and cream combo just works for me. Of course, I also love mango with coconut rice as a dessert. Hmmm, I bet a coconut panna cotta with mango would taste divine. I will have to give that one a try and report on it at a later date. In the meantime I will savor the remainder of my dessert...Bon Appetit!

Nia

So I know this has nothing to do with food; however, it is, in a sense, a type of cleansing - only it's for the spirit and body rather than the palate. A few months ago I discovered Nia. "Nia?" you ask..."What is Nia??" Nia (pronounced 'Knee-uh') is a form of dance which has been around since the 1980's. It incorporates several different styles of movement including jazz, salsa, martial arts and yoga. What I especially love about it is that while there IS a structural base, there is also freedom within the structure. If one doesn't move exactly as the instructor that is not only okay but often encouraged. In fact, most classes have a 'free dance' element. Nia is for all body types and all ability levels. The classes I attend include several people who I am fairly certain are/were professional dancers. On the other end of the spectrum there are those who have limitations in their mobility. And then there is everyone in between...it is a wonderful mix!

Nia, for me, is joyous and mind-opening. It brings to me a sense of peace, self-awareness and self-confidence...after a class I feel centered and more conscious of my life. And the people I have met are some of the most beautiful I've encountered. It is an ecclectic group for sure, but I believe that is part of what makes it so beautiful and fulfilling. My instructor has an awesome spirit. She expresses joy in every movement. The people in my classes include singles, mothers, grandmothers; a chef, a sex columnist, a lawyer - and then there's everyday little ol' me. Different as our life stories and paths are, we are all looking for something the typical cardio dance class falls short of providing. And I appreciate the fact that there is no one telling me I have to do this or have to move like that...there is no competition over who does Nia 'best' or is the most intense. There really is not a 'wrong' way to move. I consider it my form of 'group therapy'. I am hooked, and this is one habit I don't plan to break! If you haven't given it a try I highly encourage you to get right over to the nearest group...but watch out, you might get hooked, too!

Going Vegetarian...Is this 'The Answer'???

I am considering the concept of vegetarianism...at least when eating out. Well, maybe that is a bit extreme, but my body has gotten used to grass-fed beef and free-range chicken. Tonight I had an appetizer with pork at a nearby restaurant, and as a result my stomach is not very happy. Same thing happened last week with a local restaurant I used to haunt on a weekly basis...they closed down to remodel for a couple of months, and when they re-opened they had changed the supplier of their chicken. I recognized the difference with my first bite. How disappointing!! This had been my back-up on nights when I was short on time and/or energy.

For me eating is as much a spiritual experience as it is a nourishing one. I relish 'the perfect bite'. I take great pleasure in feeding my family and friends and making sure the food I provide is not only full of flavor but also rich with the nourishment that helps our bodies flourish. I know...sappy...but it's how I feel. Which is why getting sub-par meals is so disappointing to me.

I have noticed that, gradually, more restaurants are becoming conscious of what foods they provide to their customers. A new place recently opened in my town - The Grazing Cow - which offers grass-fed beef hamburgers and hot dogs from the same place I order my beef. I have not eaten there myself but have heard wonderful things about it. When I finally get there I will make sure to report back...We recently traveled to Virginia and went to Big Bowl. They use all local produce, free-range chicken, pork from sustainable farms and beef that is hormone/anti-biotic free. Their beef is not grass-fed, but perhaps that will come in the future. The food was delicious! I think that as more people discover how good 'real' food tastes the switch from processed foods will be a bit easier. I pray this time is only right around the corner!

Shepherd's Pie

Tonight I made Shepherd's Pie for dinner. I did not have a recipe, but I have eaten it enough times to have a good idea how to make it. This is yet another instance of having limited ingredients on hand yet finding a creative way to use them.

I browned some of my grass-fed ground beef, then added diced onion, carrots and thyme. This sauteed on the stove top until the vegetables were tender, at which point I added about 1 1/2 tablespoons of tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce and some leftover red wine (about 5oz). Next, I threw in some chopped garlic and mushrooms. This simmered along happily until the mixture thickened, at which point I turned off the heat and poured it into a baking dish. I let this sit while I readied the mashed potatoes (I started them just before I browned the meat).

Mashed Potatoes: I had some Yukon Golds in the pantry, so I peeled and cooked them until tender. Once cooked I drained them and added salt, pepper, butter and horseradish. I mashed all of this together then added in sour cream. The mashed potatoes were spread on top of the meat mixture, dollops of butter were added along with a grating of Parmesano-Reggano cheese. I covered the dish and put it in a 350 degree oven for 20 minutes. I am guessing since all was cooked before going into the dish that I did not need to cook it in the oven; however, my son was not home yet so I decided that would be the best way to keep it warm. At the very end I removed the cover and placed the dish under the broiler until the top of the potatoes browned slightly.

I served this with a green salad and a loaf of daily French bread from Whole Foods...The end result? Delicious!!

Bunco!

Last night was my turn to host Bunco - a group of women in my neighborhood who meet once a month to play this wonderfully mindless dice game and connect with one another. (Shhh, don't tell our husbands...we don't really play anymore; we mainly socialize!)

I really feel the need to pat myself on the back for this one. "Why?" you might ask...well, bunco was Tuesday night, and I had forgotten all about it until late on Monday. I spent Monday night/Tuesday morning cleaning and Tuesday afternoon figuring out what to serve, grocery shopping and assembling food. In the end it all came together quite nicely, and even on time!!

I put together several plates of appetizers. On one I skewered cherry tomatoes, mini mozzerella balls, olives and basil, added a light vinegrette and sprinkled some capers on top. My basil came directly from the garden, so I was able to take a large sprig of it to use as a garnish. Next, I put together a plate of sliced mellon with proscuitto. I rolled the proscuitto into roses and set them next to the mellon, which enabled everyone to decide for themselves if they wanted to combine the two (as I like to do) or eat only one or the other.

A cheese platter with sliced fruit is always a fast choice, and always seems to be welcomed. I placed a few different types of cheese on a platter and set apple slices, grapes and crackers around them. On yet another platter I made a 'deconstructed' appetizer consisting of a calamata olive tapenade, softened goat cheese, baguette slices and strips of roasted red bell peppers. To put it together involves spreading softened goat cheese on a baguette slice, adding a layer of the tapenade, and finishing with a strip of the pepper. I left this as an 'assemble your own' appetizer, mainly due to time constraints.

One final savory plate held endive leaves topped with a smoked trout spread...again, simple yet delicious. And let's not forget everyone's sweet tooth! My dessert plate was made up of a few selections I picked up from Whole Foods: mini brownies bites, coconut macaroons and pizzelle cookies. To round out the menu I made sure there was plenty of wine! But in the end I have to confess that the crowning touch to the evening had nothing to do with the food or drink, but rather the nice evening a fabulous group of women had as they caught up on each other's lives.

Happy Mother's Day!!

I had a beautiful day filled with lots of attention from my boys...and lots of food. My day began with breakfast in bed. I am the first to admit I am not a fan of eating in bed; however, many of my favorite Mother's Day memories revolve around breakfast in bed. The one that stands out most is how when my boys were really little they always brought me breakfast, and then they proceeded to hop in bed with me and eat most of it. It was so darned cute (and admittedly, given my 'slight' OCD tendencies, actually appreciated)!!! So while any other day of the year I will decline breakfast in bed, Mother's Day is the one day I will not. Today's breakfast followed the same trend as many others since my boys achieved teenage status: I woke up and waited....and waited....and waited....not allowed to come out of the room until breakfast was served. Fortunately I have a TV in the room, so I alternated between watching cooking shows and working on my crossword puzzles...not a bad way to spend a Sunday morning. Eventually my boys approached with a breakfast of eggs, toast and coffee (and gifts!!). It was a great morning...I am a lucky mama!!

From there we moved on to a late lunch at Stephen Pyles. Lunch consisted of a three-course meal. I began with a salad of avocado mousse and balsamic mascerated strawberries. I thought the flavor combinations were slightly questionable; however, it was just odd enough - and this was Stephen Pyles after all - that I had to give it a try...and it was absolutely delicious! The avocado mousse was flavored with horseradish and served on a slice of mozzerella cheese. This was served next to the mascerated strawberries and a small mound of dressed 'freckled' lettuce. I was in heaven, and this was only the first course! My husband opted for the bread basket, which had a selection of several muffins, scones, etc. My boys both opted for the scallop appetizer...also wonderful.

The second course was equally delicious. I chose the chicken-fried beef short ribs, which was served with a mashed sweet potato hash and green beans. It was a tough decision between that and the beef tenderloin enchilladas, but my husband and older son ordered that dish, so I was able to experience the best of both.

Dessert was the only semi disappointment. We had a late reservation, and by the time we got to dessert only two choices remained: the renouned 'Heaven and Hell' cake, which has followed Chef Pyles through several restaurants, and a chocolate dessert that was described as more fudge-like. Three of us opted for the Heaven and Hell cake (devil's food and angel food cakes layered with peanut butter mousse and covered in a chocolate ganache); the fourth ordered a fruit bowl, so none of us sampled the other chocolate option.

Finally, we had a late dinner at Roy's. Did I mention my boys took great care of me?? I really was not hungry at this point; however, I managed to eat their Beet Salad (delicious!), choke down a Hawaiian Martini and roll myself out to the car. :-)

All in all, a very successful day and, as stated earlier, I am one lucky mom! To all of you mothers out there: Happy Mother's Day!

To Be or Not to Be (Healthy)???

Lately, I find myself struggling with a few food and health questions. At the end of March I had a physical and decided to send my bloodwork to Berkeley Labs in CA to have a more thorough analysis of both my cholesterol and overall risk of heart disease. The results came back pretty much as I suspected: my LDL was high, but my HDL levels were also high, leading to a good overall ratio. Everything else was fairly uneventful - good triglycerides level, particle sizes were the way they needed to be, etc. However, my doctor would like to put me on medicine to bring down my LDL level, and I am admittedly confused and uncertain as to what I should do. One, I am fairly young (42) and am left wondering why my doctor did not suggest other non-medicinal methods to try first...I am assuming my genetic factor is the main reason for this. Two, this is my primary care doctor, not a cardiologist. I would like to consult a heart specialist before making a decision to embark on such a long-term commitment with medicine (and I have already been informed this would be long-term). I also worry what reaction my body will have to the medicine. I typically do not tolerate drugs all that well. Even something as simple as Motrin caused havoc in my intestines a couple of years back - ultimately resulting in 2 weeks of severe stomach pain, an endoscopy and an ultrasound - all to find nothing wrong (no ulcer, no gallbladder problems, no odd intestinal cancers) - and ultimately blamed on the Motrin. So I feel fairly justified in my concern as to what side-effects these pills would inflict in my body.

This raises another issue for me...namely, what price am I willing to pay for a longer life? Do I want to take a pill which may prolong my life in the long run, yet may necessitate changing my eating habits and perhaps lower the quality of my life? I already feel I do a great job of eating and living my life with moderation. I don't deny myself good foods, but I do make sure I don't overindulge. I'd rather have a small scoop of real, fat laden ice-cream than a bowlful of a reduced calorie, ice-cream-like substitute. I like cream in my coffee - my at most one cup of coffee a day - that I drink. I barely use refined sugars (again, in that same cup of coffee as the cream). We generally eat whole grains and fresh produce. Our meats are from sustainable, 100% grass-fed farms. I don't use trans-fats or HFCS when I cook. I know that those times we go out it is generally unavoidable, but we don't even eat out all that much anymore. I don't want to give up the way I eat because I truly believe it is healthy.

What I have decided for now is to not take the meds. Instead, I will continue my research and also plan to meet with a true heart specialist to assess my risk factors and options, both medicinal and otherwise. In the meantime I have finally gotten back into exercise. I have not regularly exercised for the past 2 years. This is, I am sure, a large part of why my LDL levels shot up. So I have been power walking several times a week, taking Pilates classes, and trying out other classes such as yoga, Nia, Zumba, and even belly-dancing. I found a fabulous studio not far from where we live that offers a wonderful variety to keep up my level of interest. My life has generally been balanced with the exception of exercise, and I am hopeful this new phase of my life will add that missing level of balance, thus bringing my health concerns into balance as well.

~~Namaste~~

Funny thing happened on the way back from Europe...

Well, not so funny and not to me. My husband has been stuck in London since Friday due to a certain 'not-to-be-named' volcano in Iceland. (The not-to-be-named part has nothing to do with it being evil...it has everything to do with me not being able to spell or pronounce it.)This has been quite the adventure - a real European version of 'Planes, Trains, and Automobiles' with a ferry trip thrown in for good measure! In the end we have resigned ourselved to the fact that he most likely will not be home anytime sooner than Wednesday, so he should relax a bit and enjoy the country. I am planning to get the scoop on his food adventures - among other things - upon his return. I know he has made sure to enjoy the occassional pint or two for good measure. Poor guy!!

Tonight's dinner was something I decided to call 'Surprise Soup'. Part of the 'surprise' was finding out whether or not it passed the taste test. I was pleasantly surprised to find out that yes, it did indeed pass the taste test. This soup was made up of anything leftover in my refrigerator that needed to be used up. If I thought the the senses would be delighted by adding any ingredient in question, in it went! My list of ingredients included carrots, celery, onion and garlic as the base flavors. I added two potatoes whose lives were nearing an end, a can of black beans, diced tomatoes, white wine, a splash of balsamic vinegar and chicken stock. For spices I used salt, pepper, thyme, and a dash of red pepper flakes. There was some brown rice and pork chops leftover from last night's dinner, so I diced the pork and threw it in alongside the rice, added a little water to round it all out, and let it simmer away. When I dished it up I squeezed some fresh lemon juice over each serving and grated a little parmesano-reggiano cheese on top for good measure. Most delicious! The only thing missing was a crusty loaf of bread to dip into the soup juices...And a benefit I had not considered was my fridge gaining a bit of breathing room inside. Nice, very nice!!

So here's to my husband and everyone else stuck due to a certain Icelandic volcano...Cheers and Godspeed!

Easter!!

Wow, the days are flying by at warp speed! I cannot believe Easter has come and gone. Growing up, I remember having either turkey or ham (canned of course!) for Easter Dinner. We hunted for Easter eggs first thing in the morning, and spent the day eating from our baskets, which were filled with all sorts of candy: jellybeans, chocolate bunnies, malted milk balls, and - of course - marshmallow peeps...I think our sugar high probably lasted for at least a week. Looking back, it makes complete sense that we had Spring Break the week after Easter. Can you imagine the teachers having to deal with a classroom full of students coming down from a sugar high? My kids have always had Spring Break prior to Easter...bad idea for the teachers, fabulous idea for parents!!!

Fast forward to present day: I have changed up our Easter dinner. I love traditions, all sorts of traditions, and one year I researched how others celebrate Easter. I came across many feasts featuring lamb as the meat of choice. I had not ever cooked lamb, and being ever curious I sought out information on how it should be prepared, traditional Easter recipes and dishes to serve with it. I ended up serving more of a Mediterranean-type feast: Leg of lamb roasted with garlic and herbs; roasted potatoes with onions and peppers, Greek salad (admittedly American-style Greek salad which includes lettuce); hummus and tzitziki with pita.


So leg of lamb it was for many years. My husband does not prefer lamb, but he has tolerated it over the years for this one day...I have since switched to rack of lamb, which is not as gamey as leg of lamb and therefore, a little easier for my husband to 'digest'. This year we had a domestic rack of lamb which was 100% grass-fed. Delicious! And the entire meal was finished off with our traditional coconut cake for dessert.

Oh, and by the way, the new dishwasher did FABULOUS with the clean-up!! ;-)

Love the new dishwasher!!!

The new dishwasher arrived on Tuesday, and I ran my first load today. Can you say 'clean dishes'??? I have always been one to rinse before loading but as an experiment I did not for this first run. Squeaky clean, from my lean mean dishwash machine!! Plus, it looks beautiful and fits in flush with my cabinets...more updates to come! :-)

Update: No Dishwasher today after all :-(

Got the call late afternoon yesterday: my Asko did not make it in, and as a result I will not have the new dishwasher installed today. Oh well...

Homemade Pizza!

My son is back at college with homemade pizza memories floating around his head! In November I treated myself to a new Cuisinart food processor, and the pizza dough recipe that came with it is wonderful. On Saturday I made a homemade tomato sauce, we shredded several cheeses (mozzarella, goat and feta), and I set out the fixings for make-your-own pizza. This included spicy sausage, smoked chicken, spinach, arugula, mushrooms, caramelized onions, roasted garlic, and kalamata olives. The pizza was enjoyed with a nice Malbec picked out by my husband...all in all, not a bad send off.

I am still working this week's menu...I have a recipe for a Guinness Beef Stew that I'd like to sample, and tomorrow looks as if it will be the perfect day to try it out. Wednesday - St. Patrick's Day - will be a repeat of the meal I did last week (corned beef with Guinness mustard, horseradish cream, potatoes and glazed carrots). I will also bake my Cheddar Cheese-Stout Cheesecake I make every year for the festivities, and I am sure we will enjoy a black and tan (or two) that evening! I tried a Chocolate Stout Custard this weekend, but I wasn't totally 'wowed' by it. I can't decide if it needs tweaking, or if I need to drop it altogether. The verdict is still out on that one...

I am so excited - my new dishwasher is due to be installed tomorrow!! I have been researching and asking around for several months, and finally decided on the Asko 5893 model. I currently have 2 dishwashers, one of which needs to be replaced. The other one will need replacing soon as well, but I will try out this Asko model first. The next model down from this is the 5253 and doesn't have quite as many bells and whistles. I want to see if I will actually use the extra features (and how well they work) before paying the extra money for them when I replace my second dishwasher. The outside of both models is identical; the difference is in the configuration of the baskets, number of programming options and drying cycle options.

I have a suspicion my wall ovens will need replacing within the next year. The cleaning cycle on my top oven gives me an error code whenever I use it, and the light doesn't work (yes, I have replaced the bulb). In addition to that I have had it serviced twice over the course of its life, both times were electrical issues and expensive fixes. I would love to replace it with a Wolf double wall oven, but the price is steep...I have to wait a bit on that upgrade. To put it in perspective, it would take about seven month's worth of savings on my Jewelry Diet to pay for it...so unless my oven actually goes kaput it is off limits for now. But a girl can dream!

Beef Short Ribs

I am extremely happy with the beef short ribs I made tonight. I ordered them from Burgundy Pasture Beef and was able to get the slab-style ribs normally reserved for restaurants. They happened to have extras the day I ordered....Hooray for me!! They were phenomenal!!

I braised them as I usually do - in a porter ale (I used a Kona Pipeline Porter, which I also drank with my meal) - and finished with a maple-horseradish glaze. I drizzled the reduced juices over creamy golden mashed potatoes, and served a salad made up of heirloom lettuces, roasted beets, cucumber, radishes and shavings of Parmesano-Reggiano - topped with a homemade mustard-maple dressing.


I think I have mentioned Burgundy Pasture Beef in a prior post. I first ordered from them in January. The quality of their meats has been incredible! They raise 100% grass fed cattle and even process their own meats. Lamb, Pork and Poultry are also processed there, brought in from sustainable nearby farms. The lamb I made on Monday was delivered from Burgundy Beef, and it was the best lamb I have had the pleasure to serve to my family. So far I have tried pork chops, ground pork sausage, lean hamburger, lamb and short ribs. The sausage had a bit more fat than I am used to, so I may stick with the Whole Foods mild Italian, but since I have extra I will certainly give it another chance. In my freezer there are more meats to sample, including a couple of roasts, some tri-tip, tenderloin tails, and a whole chicken. I look forward to each and every future bite!

Burgundy Pasture Beef offers tours from time to time, and I would love to get a group together to visit and witness first-hand a sustainable farm in action. They have a boucherie on site where their meats can be bought in person. They even offer hamburgers made-to-order from their own grass fed beef! I have a feeling the long drive down there will be well worth the effort.

A Lamb with Purpose!

Such a wonderful week!!! My son is home from college on Spring Break, and I am making sure to fit in all of his favorite meals. Last night we had a rack of lamb, roasted in the oven with garlic and onions, rosemary, thyme and oregano...I coated the outside with mustard and horseradish, then added a breadcrumb mixture containing garlic and herbs. On the side I served mashed sweet potatoes - mixed with butter, a little brown sugar, chipotle powder and salt - a green salad, bread (leftover rolls I found in the freezer from Thanksgiving - yum) and a sour cherry sauce to go over the lamb. As I told my boys last night: "That lamb died with purpose!" My whole house smelled delicious, and when I woke up this morning I could still smell the aroma from last night's dinner. It made me hungry all over again!

Tonight I will be making another favorite I am sure I have mentioned on here in the past: Beef Short Ribs Braised in Porter - topped with a maple syrup-horseradish glaze. I will serve that with mashed golden potatoes and salad. He has requested Corned Beef for tomorrow night since he will not be here for St. Patrick's Day. I anticipate serving that with mashed potatoes and glazed carrots. I make an Irish Soda Bread that I serve with 'Irish Whiskey Butter' every year on St. Pat's, and I plan to make that to go with it as well. It's the butter that makes the bread special...it is softened butter mixed with Irish Whiskey and brown sugar. Any leftover corned beef makes a delicious hash for breakfast the morning after. When served with a fried egg on top it is raised to a new level, and served with leftover Irish Soda Bread (including that yummy butter) it is just so very over-the-top!

To end I leave you with this Irish quote I found: "•A boy’s best friend is his mother and there's no spancel stronger than her apron string." It somehow seemed appropriate....

An emotional 'palate cleansing'...

Last week was a devastating week for several friends and family members. One friend experienced a fire whereby the house they had grown up in was completely burned to the ground; another family member had a huge tree fall on her house, which destroyed the house, but fortunately no one inside was hurt; and the most devastating: a friend lost her husband, who she has been with for more than 25 years, in an automobile accident. Just tragic. This has left me in a state of shock, yet also has given me a renewed sense of gratitude for my family and friends, and a fresher outlook on what truly matters in my life. It is so easy to get bogged down with everyday life and get caught up in life's trivial dramas. It is so easy to let the little problems of life take over and become large 'mountains'. It is so easy to forget to say 'I love you' to our loved ones. And it is so easy to hide behind a computer instead of actually spending time with one another...

If you are reading this, please take a moment to acknowledge those in your life who mean so much to you - give them a hug, write a note, pick up the phone...anything. Just let them know how important they are to you. I hope that at the very least something good can come from all of last week's tragedy...and I am pulling for a much brighter week this week.

Light at the end of the tunnel...

This is the final week of the "Jewelry Diet". I have not tallied all of the grocery receipts, but the last notes I made showed me coming in around $7 per person, per day. Definitely not my goal of $5, but also a pretty decent savings over what I typically spend per month. I briefly considered including my dogs - 2 chocolate labs - in on the total daily allotments when they ate a wedge of Parmesano-reggiano. I had briefly set it on my kitchen counter so I could answer the phone...that lovely bit of cheese was one of my indulgences, carefully budgetted into my menu, so I was not so happy with them that day!!

What have I learned from this experiment? First and foremost I have learned that with a little planning and some flexibility it is NOT difficult to eat good, wholesome food on a budget. We ate well. I know that if we were in dire need of saving I could have cut back even further...it would have taken a bit more creativity, but it could have been done.

Second, I have learned that when unnecessarily putting your family on a budget - especially when they are not used to being on one - DO NOT TELL THEM!! If I had said not one word to my family (one member in particular) they would never have known. I did well keeping the foods and portions the same...

Third: We did eat well; however, I discovered that despite the fact the foods I eat are 'pure' and wholesome and un-processed, I don't eat enough vegetables. I do well with everything else. We eat whole grains (breads, brown rice, whole wheat pasta, quinoa, etc.) and plenty of fruit; the meats we consume are from grass-fed, humanely raised animals. We may possibly eat the minimum daily recommended amount of vegetables, but I'd say it's borderline...this is something for me to work on.

Fourth: As much of a Whole Foods advocate as I am, they are not perfect. I was disappointed to find out much of their '365' brand of frozen vegetables, which are labeled organic, come from China. I did a little research and discovered there really are farms in China classified as organic; however, I worry that with all of the pollution in China the acid rain negates a lot of the organic effects. I have not delved deeply into the matter, but I plan to spend more time researching and sorting fact from fiction. It is so convenient to stock up on frozen vegetables for those times I don't have a lot of time to spare, and their brand was an inexpensive and good-tasting choice...

The big question: Will I continue my 'Jewelry Diet' in the months to come? This experiment highlighted the fact that we spend a lot of money on food. Being on a budget this month, I did not waste much food at all. And I ended up going to the store only once, at most twice, per week...this forced me to plan my meals, which is often the most difficult part of making dinner in the first place. My goal is to keep this going; however, I am not going to be quite so restrictive if I want to make a particular meal that happens to cost more.

We are past the halfway mark!

With slightly less than half of February to go, I came really close to caving in to temptation tonight and ordering take-out for dinner. But then I considered what my choices were, which were even fewer once I limited myself to places that delivered. As we leaned closer to ordering Italian I thought of the whole wheat penne pasta in my pantry, the can of diced tomatoes - also in my pantry, and the chicken which I had defrosted and which was ready to be cooked into some delicious creation of my choosing. Then I looked in my refrigerator...I noticed the spinach which would soon expire...Dinner was suddenly and enthusiastically back ON!!!

The menu I concocted consisted of breaded and baked boneless chicken breasts (breaded with whole grain bread ground together with garlic, salt and pepper), whole wheat pasta tossed with a tomato sauce made of diced tomatoes, onions, red wine and garlic, and finally, the spinach sauteed with garlic and the few mushrooms remaining in my fridge. You know what? It was all ready within 45 minutes, start to finish...including most of the clean-up. The take-out place we would have ordered from would have taken about that long from the time we called in the order. Once the time to figure out what everyone wants to order is taken into account, it would be closer to an hour. The best part is that the meal I made was healthy and nutritious and delicious, and everyone left the table feeling sated and happy...and just in time to watch the day's Olympic events coverage...

It just doesn't get any better than that!

Happy Valentine's Day!!!

Every year for Valentine's Day I make heart-shaped sugar cookie 'valentines' for my boys. I have done this for them since they were in pre-school.

Evolution - it's making me change (my experiment)!

The experiment is evolving. Due to teenagers - I mean circumstances - beyond my control I am going to track my dinner expenses only. Certainly I can keep within the $5/per person/per day limit if only dinner is taken into consideration. Actually, I know that over time (as I build up reserves of my main staples) I can keep within that limit for the entire day. However, I have one person in my house convinced he is not getting the same amount of food as he was prior to the experiment, and I am now taking breakfast and lunch out of the equation to keep the peace, or at least try to regain it. Even adding a little extra to the budget to make sure lunch is hearty will keep me well below what I had been spending each month. Dinner was the meal I had been spending the most on. I refuse to give up now that I am halfway through.

Tonight's meal was pork chops (from a sustainable farm in TX), creamy mashed potatoes, green beans and a hearty salad. I was FULL at the end of the meal...did not feel deprived one bit. And I got a bonus today: my husband came in a couple of days early (okay, two bonuses...), and that means ten extra dollars to add to the $15 I have yet to spend for the week to stay in budget!

Jewelry Diet: Week Two...

Jewelry Diet, you wonder? What? Where did that come from??? Okay, okay...I have dubbed this the 'Jewelry Diet' because I realized that if it works I will save enough money each month to invest in a nice piece of jewelry!! So if I follow this 'diet' I will not only be eating healthy, I can look like a million bucks, too! More incentive to stick with it!

Details: I am into the second week of my experiment. The end of the first week found me about $40 over budget. Although I did not go to the store and spend more than the initial $71, I did supplement with items already on hand in my pantry and refrigerator. In accounting for their costs I used the price I would have paid for them in full even if I only used a fraction of the quantity, and anything I was not sure of price-wise I erred on the high side. Among the supplemented items were some fresh salad ingredients I had leftover prior to my experiment's onset. I certainly did not want to waste anything soley to prove a budgetary point. This week I should be using only things I have bought (or accounted for) since the experiment began...any perishibles should now be used up. I will get a slight amount of help this week from the fact that the dried fruit I bought for my son's lunch last week should last this week (and possibly into next), and I have some rice and a small stock of pasta still left from last week.

One advantage to this experiment besides the obvious one of saving money while eating healthy? My refrigerator is staying much cleaner because I have not overbought items which will be only partially used up before eventually getting thrown out...

UPDATE:
I have returned from Whole Foods with my total expenditures at $75.53. This includes fresh vegetables: lettuce, radishes, mushrooms, cucumber, onions (red and yellow), potatoes (sweet and golden), carrots, garlic and even a slaw mix; fruits: bananas, apples, lemons (Yay!!), 1 lime, 1 pear; fish: frozen mahi-mahi and ahi tuna; whole wheat penne pasta; apple juice; cranberry juice; frozen vegetables: broccoli, green beans and peas; and a few other odds and ends. I still need meat for a few dinners, but the meat specials weren't as good this week. I think the new specials come out on either Tuesday or Wednesday, so I will re-check later. I do have meat in the freezer I can use, and it has the prices on it so it will be easy enough to add into the budget if needed. I regret not taking advantage of the chicken and pork specials last week...oh well! By the way, my husband will be here for 4 days this week, so this week's budget is $90...woohoo, almost $15 more dollars to spend!!

Decisions, decisions.....

After much consideration - and lack of time - I opted to bring a selection of cookies from Whole Foods to the Super Bowl party. I chose a variety of cookies: Chocolate Chip, Oatmeal with Chocolate Chip, Snickerdoodles, Double Fudge, Brownie Bites, and Coconut Macaroons. It is quite possibly the next best thing to homemade, and certainly the time-friendly (though pocket-book unfriendly) choice. And just to be clear, I am classifying the cookies under "Entertainment Expenses" rather than have them count toward my food budget for the week.

On a side note, I have not decided which team I'll be cheering for; however, I generally tend to support the underdog, and since the Saints have never been to the Super Bowl there is a high likelihood I will root for them.

The Curve-ball called 'Life'

Funny how you try to plan things out, but life often has a different idea, throwing a curve ball at you when you least expect it...to make a very long story very short: we had an interesting day (won't go into details, but we spent some time at the ER today), and as a result I did not make it to the grocery store for the dessert ingredients I need. I am going to play tomorrow (Super Bowl Sunday) by ear as far as what desserts I end up bringing. At this point I may (gulp) buy some brownies or cookies instead of actually making some from scratch...and anyone who knows me knows how much I love to bake - and how resistant I am to buying pre-made!! But, as I said, it was a crazy day. I will keep you all posted!

Day 5: Goulash

I am at day 5 of my food experiment, and I have a few observations to comment on so far. One, I am NOT surprised at how much I have been spending on food. Two, I have not kept within my allotted budget of $85 for the week. However, I am very surprised by observation number three: how easy it has been to eat healthy, wholesome food on just slightly over my budgeted amount. I have not spent more money than the initial $71; however, I have used ingredients from my pantry to finish off a couple of the meals, namely olive oil and Kashi bars (for my son's lunch). I also accounted for the full cost of the salad ingredients I had leftover in my fridge since I would have had to buy the larger quantity if I'd had to buy them from the start. In all I went approximately $30 over budget. Okay, so maybe that is not just 'slightly' over my budget...but it is great that I only spent around $100 for us to eat so well this week. I did this mainly from Whole Foods (often referred to as 'Whole Paycheck'). The bread I used for sandwiches was the only thing not from Whole Foods...it is the Orowheat Whole Wheat Bread, which Whole Foods does not sell.

On to tonight's meal: Goulash. Now this is not goulash in the traditional Hungarian sense of goulash. This version is the American comfort food my mom used to make, and the only thing Hungarian about it is the paprika. My mom's version included ground beef, paprika, elbow macaroni, green bell peppers, onion, and a tomato sauce. My college roommate said her mom made the same thing but called it 'American Chop Suey'. My version is somewhat evolved from my mom's. My kids don't really care for bell peppers (and by 'don't care for' I mean really dislike), red or green, so they have been eliminated from the 'original' recipe. I do add the paprika, but I use hot paprika rather than mild. Also, I use whole wheat elbow macaroni...a healthier option. With the tomato sauce you really cannot tell it is whole wheat. Plus, whole wheat pasta tastes much better than the whole wheat pasta of only a few years back. The best part? I have enough for both tonight's dinner and tomorrow night's...and possibly a lunch or two. Not too shabby!!!!

A Super Bowl Dessert Throwdown: Bananas Foster vs Hoosier Sugar Cream Pie!

So here's the deal: We are going to a Superbowl party on Sunday (The Saints vs. The Colts) and I am bringing dessert. I originally planned to bring something easy to eat, something which does not require anything fancier than one's own two hands - and perhaps a napkin. But then I thought, "What desserts are associated with these two areas?" Well, you know me - Google Goddess - I did a little research. As you might well expect, it was MUCH easier to find desserts for which New Orleans is known. And, surprise, surprise - Bananas Foster popped up everywhere. Not such an easy dessert to bring to a party, but I'm looking into it...

Indiana has proven to be a tad more challenging. While known more for farming and corn and livestock, Indiana doesn't actually have a 'state food' as do many other states. (I did, however, come across an interesting tradition they have of spooning chicken and noodles over mashed potatoes...and to someone who has yet to eat breakfast that sounds mighty good! Aaaahhh, but I digress...) I delved deeper into the history of Indiana food traditions and eventually came across a dessert called "Sugar Cream Pie". Actually, it is a well-known dessert in Indiana. So...I figure a pie is pretty easy to transport, and since the only other Indiana dessert I came across was Persimmon Pudding, I zeroed in on the pie. Upon perusing the various recipes I came across, I eventually homed in on one for "Hoosier Sugar Cream Pie". This incorporates a mixture of both granulated and brown sugars, heavy cream, a little flour, and a touch of vanilla. After mixing it is poured into a pre-baked pie shell and baked for about 40 minutes. How can a pie go wrong with sugar and cream as the main ingredients??? This pie sounds simple and delicious, and I am eagerly anticipating my first bite of this pie!!!

Day 4...

Tonight's dinner: Mahi-Mahi (seasoned with salt and pepper and olive oil then baked at 350 for 12 minutes), pasta salad (leftover), and peas...Filling, delicious and nutritious! By the way, the meal was cooked and ready in about 20 minutes...

Day 3: Food Experiment

As I sit here, blog-blog-blogging away, there is the wonderful aroma of breaded pork chops baking in the oven, and my whole wheat-pasta is bubbling away on the stove. I have my broccoli ready to cook - with dried cranberries to be mixed in (leftover dried fruit from what I bought for my son's lunch...). I'm not sure what to expect taste-wise with the broccoli/cranberry mix, but the green bean/raisin combo turned out delicious yesterday. And again I lament the lack of lemon, but I must work with what I have...and now that I think of it, I may just mix the broccoli and cranberries in with the pasta so the pasta isn't quite so bland...

Later: Dinner was ready within 35 minutes, including clean-up on anything that did not go into the dishwasher (so take that Rachel Ray!!). And the dishwasher stuff...well, isn't that what kids are for??? ;-)

Day 2: So far, so good...

I'll admit last night's dinner (and tonight's as well) wasn't anything fancy, but it was delicious. The chicken was cooked perfectly and emerged from the oven very moist...by the time the brown rice was finished cooking (just under an hour), the chicken was piping hot from the oven, and the roasted garlic and juices from the chicken added some neccessary flavor to the otherwise bland rice. I served broccoli and a salad with the meal to round it out nutritionally. Also, I put aside half of the rice to use with tonight's meal. So far I haven't decided if I am going to leave it plain (not really my choice) or see if I can dress it up out of the ingredients I have on hand from my shopping trip yesterday. I will admit, it sure would be wonderful to have something as simple as a lemon on hand about now!

Tonight's after dinner results: Wild-caught Sockeye Salmon (thawed from frozen) - delicious and so much cheaper than getting it 'fresh' from the fish counter; Brown rice: I added some salt, pepper, mustard (okay, I cheated here and used some I had on hand) and olive oil; Green beans: I cooked them in the microwave and added raisins for the last 30 seconds of cooking time, then I added a touch of salt and olive oil. Surprisingly delicious!!! I gave my son some grapes (leftover from the chicken salad I made for his lunch), and I had a salad of lettuce and radishes...

So...I am guessing that I will end up going over a little for this week's budget to account for stocking up on a few staples and things I bought which will last longer than this week. Already I have a couple of areas I could cut back on if I was in dire straights. I made a chicken salad for my son's lunches this week, and to save money I could have done peanut butter sandwiches instead (and saved around $6-8). But he didn't ask to be a part of this experiment, so I am trying to make it as painless as possible for him...Also, I bought the frozen sockeye salmon, which was $2 higher than other frozen fish, and there was some that was even less expensive...So there is around $10 right there which could be used for fresh salad ingredients and/or items to make fish tacos (corn tortillas and a slaw mix).

And there it is in a nutshell (ooooh, nuts....yum...wish I had some of those!!) for your reading enjoyment...

The Food Blogger's Dilemma

So what is my food focus? What is it that I really want this website to convey? I am all about authenticity. I don't want substitutions for the real thing...I want the real deal. Yes, I believe in good nutrition...but I also believe that it's okay to have a little fun with your food, too. I have always described myself as 'traditional with a twist'...a bit ecclectic. Well, the same holds true with food for me. I love to put a spin on my recipes and do so using real food, not artificial food colorings, HFCS, trans fats, etc. I don't want genetically modified this or that, or meat that has been unnaturally raised to yield more muscle/fat/etc...those things ultimately detract from the true flavors of the food at hand. I don't need to reinvent the wheel, but it's okay to add some extra traction or fancy hubcaps to dress it up a bit. But at what point does a dressed up meal become a modified meal? Where does that line fall? When does the line get crossed into not being authentic anymore?

Thoughts, anyone??

Day 1: First Meal

I only plan to list my dinner menus for the month on the blog. Our breakfast generally consists of either cereal or eggs/toast...nothing too exciting or costly. And lunch usually includes some sort of sandwich or perhaps leftovers from dinner the previous evening.

Tonight's menu is comprised of chicken breast (skin on/bone in) which I will bake in the oven after sprinkling each breast with garlic, olive oil and salt and pepper. I will serve brown rice with it, and plan to pour any pan juices over the rice for flavoring. To round out the meal I will cook some frozen broccoli and will use up some salad ingredients I have in my refrigerator. I have not accounted for the salad items in my budget yet, but it will deduct approximately $3-4.00 from this week's remaining budget dollars.

As far as drinks are concerned, I am not including any alcoholic beverages, coffee or tea...I often have water with my meals, and if I were truly in need I would be more diligent about that. I will, however, include milk, juice and any alcohol I might cook with (as if!).

Finally, in an effort to make my meals as user-friendly as possible (for the time-crunched) I will record my cooking times. Tonight I began cooking at 5:40 PM. The brown rice will take the longest. To help out time-wise, I made enough to serve with my meal tomorrow night. If I truly wanted to help out for future meals I could make a large batch and freeze it in portion sizes. Cooked rice freezes very well, and since brown rice takes longer to cook than white rice (about 1 hour all said and done for brown vs about 20-30 minutes for white) this could be a huge time-savings that would also help with keeping meals healthy...

More to come....

Aaaaaand - We're off.....Let the Challenge Begin!!!

I have returned from Whole Foods...My total expenditure for this visit was just shy of $71. Of that amount I have a few foods which will carry over into next week (some dried friuts, rice and pasta). However, I do not have much in the way of fresh produce, and this week we will be relying on frozen vegetables to round out our nutrition. I am going to work on my menu a bit more diligently for next week to see if I can remedy that situation. Today I went online and discovered that the maximum amount of food stamps for a family of 4 in TX is $668/month, which works out to just shy of $6/per person, per day for food.

I have decided that as far as my budget is concerned I will allow $5 per person per day. I have decided to break it down per person because for 4 days of most weeks I only have to provide food for 2 people: me and my youngest son (a teenager, so no break in the amount consumed...). The other 3 days my husband is also here. My total budget for most weeks will be $85. Therefore, I have approximately $15 left to spend for this week. I have bought my meats/fish, breakfast and lunch foods and most, if not all, of my dinner ingredients. That $15 will be used for fresh fruits/vegetables if needed. I did buy some staples even though I already had them on hand so I could properly allow for them in the budget, but there may be a few items from my pantry which I end up using. In those cases I will approximate their value and add that amount to what I have already spent. So while my total cost may not be exact each week, it should be within a few dollars.

There were some specials this week which I am contemplating going back to take advantage of...mainly on the bone-in/skin-on chicken breasts (organic) for $3.49/lb. I can buy some to freeze, making sure I allow for that cost in my future weekly budgets. I also discovered their frozen fish. I bought 12 ounces of frozen wild Sockeye salmon for $8.99 and 12 ounces of frozen Mahi-mahi for $6.99. If the flavor is good that will be a substantial savings over buying fresh, and the quality should be equal to or better than fresh since the fish is flash frozen when caught. This will be a wonderful way to economically add fish to my diet.

Wish me luck!!

Drive-Thru Diets and Experiments

I am working on refining my experiment, and trying to resolve a few details. One, I have not found a consistent measurement of the average American family's monthly food budget. I have seen various numbers ranging from $550/month to over $750/month. Therefore, I have decided to set my budget at $600/month, which gives me $150/week for a family of four (still working on this since we are usually only a family of 2 or 3 most days). I do not plan to post my breakfast or lunch menus since they stay fairly consistent, but those meals will come out of my weekly allotted budget. Eating out has provided another area of thought...what if we are invited to dine at a friend's house or go out to eat? I don't plan on this happening with any frequency, but I will make note of any of those occassions when/if they arise.

In a mildly related subject, Taco Bell is testing their new 'Drive-Thru Diet'. Apparently 70% of Americans believe that if fast food restaurants offered healthier food options in their drive-thru menus they would feel encouraged to eat healthier...Really? I mean...REALLY??? Am I missing something? How sad is it that our society has become so dependent on fast food that it NEEDS the fast food industry to influence its eating habits? Haven't we been influenced enough by the industry? Even more mind-boggling to me is the fact that these choices are touted as 'healthier' choices, which does not mean they are actually 'healthy'. Fast food has gone from the occassional treat to a several-times-a-week reality for many. We ALL need to take responsibility...Yes, we are inundated with fast food establishments - they are everywhere. However, they wouldn't be everywhere if they were not supported. Our lives have become so chaotic and filled with stress that we look for ways to make life easier. In many cases these solutions are fine, but food nourishes our bodies, our souls...family dinners keep us connected...is this the sacrifice we are willing to pay for these time-saving short-cuts???

And that's my rant for today...what do YOU think???

My Whole Foods Healthy Food Challenge for February...

I often hear Whole Foods referred to as 'Whole Paycheck'. Are their prices higher than the average grocery store? Yes. In my opinion it is a small price to pay to get good food which nourishes one's body...they research all of the products they choose to carry in their stores, and I feel good about the food they offer. I am in the fortunate position to not have to worry about the amount I spend on food, so if I am in the mood for something in particular I can usually buy it, no matter the cost. I know I am blessed in that respect.

HOWEVER, I have decided to set out on an experiment to prove that one does not have to pay a lot of money to eat delicious yet healthy meals. For each week in February I will develop a menu plan which makes use of in-season, healthy foods at a reasonable price. I will not use any processed foods/ingredients (this ain't no 'Semi-Homemade with Sandra Lee!!), and I will NOT cut out meats/fish/poultry; however, I may include vegetarian meals in my plans and my portions will be reasonable. In other words I don't plan to skimp on the food - we will not go hungry to prove a point. In the spirit of the average cook with time constraints I plan to design meals which are time-sensitive. I will set a budget - a budget the typical American family usually spends on food per month for a family of four. I am researching what that amount is and will post the results before the onset of my experiment. February 1, 2010 is the start date and the experiment will last the entire month.

I welcome any budget suggestions or ideas to incorporate into the experiment...

Awesome ice-cream sundae....

Short, simple and to the point: Vanilla and chocolate ice-cream topped with chocolate sauce, brandy, chopped pecans, and chipotle powder...delicious!

Where to begin???

Wow! I have been feeling rather overwhelmed at designing a website and have had difficulty deciding where to begin my quest for knowledge. My mind is finally envisioning how it will look - I now have to figure out how to get it out of my head and online. In the meantime I have been checking out other blogs (not only food ones) to see what I like, how easy they are to maneuver, and what I don't like...It is going to be a longer process than I realized, but I know the final result will be well worth the effort. And I have stumbled upon some fabulous websites - "Livefire" being my favorite so far!

Stay tuned...I'm going as fast as I can (but remember I support the slow-food movement, so 'fast' is all in the eye of the beholder!!)

Websites....

I recently read that one of the top five New Year's resolutions is to blog/start a website, so I suppose I am one of many thousands of newbies out here in cyberworld trying to make a go of my new passion. I have been giving a lot of thought to what I want to do with my website - design, content, etc. I knew there were tons of foodie websites floating around before I set out on this journey, but I did not realize how many truly *fabulous* sites there are. I am feeling quite a bit humbled at my meager attempts to record my food adventures, but I keep reminding myself that everyone started somewhere. Perhaps some waited until they had laid out a precise plan...I, on the other hand, am flying by the seat of my pants (or would that be apron?) and am letting my blog take me where it will. I believe whatever plan is out there for me, my blog and my website will unveil itself when the time is right. So if you are out there paying attention - and I suspect you are *not* - keep up the faith! Evolution may prove to be a slow process, but progress is coming!!!

Back to college...with beef short ribs sticking to his ribs!

Today my son returned to college - amid a lot of drama! Cleveland Airport had a power outage and all flights were cancelled...we had to re-route him through Pittsburg and arrange a car service to take him the remainder of the way to school. But it appears all is back on track and taken care of. The visit seemed so short! I know he is happy to get back to his independence and friends and snow, but he will be missed. I prepared one of his favorite meals last night: Beef Short Ribs braised in porter and finished with a maple-horseradish glaze. It is a recipe from Molly Steven's 'Braising' cookbook. As usual, it turned out delicious! I served creamy mashed potatoes on the side and left it at that...no healthy green vegetables to take away from all that guilty pleasure! :) For the final send-off I served homemade pancakes with maple syrup and sausage for breakfast. He may not miss us, but I bet he will miss the good food!

Tonight we will be eating leftovers. There are tidbits from several meals stored in the fridge, so this will be more of a 'clean-out-the-fridge' night. It's a wonderful way to reward myself after a week of heavy cooking!

Update: the college boy has safely arrived!!

Birthday Dinner (long over-due...)

Tonight I am preparing a birthday dinner for my husband....whose birthday was in December. Yes, I am a little behind the times, but in my defense he was traveling during his birthday, and we left town a few short days after he returned (meeting other pre-planned obligations during the time he was home). So rather than rush to have a birthday dinner at the appropriate time, I suggested we hold off and have one when we returned from our holiday travels. And this brings us to today...

First of all, it is frigid here in TX, perhaps the coldest I have seen it here in my 19+ years. I rather enjoy this weather as it results in a wood fire, sending the aroma of mesquite wafting throughout the house. It's rather festive if I do say so myself! Here I sit, blogging away, in front of this hypnotic wood fire while drinking my Manhattan (a must if you are sitting by a cozy hearth)...we have finished the pre-meal appetizers, consisting of a smoked trout spread on endive leaves with a tropical salsa on the side. Oh, yes, and a cheese and cracker platter. I have prepped for dinner, so I can sit for a time before I commence cooking the birthday meal.

For the main meal I am preparing linguine tossed with seared scallops and crabmeat. I will mix in sauteed mushrooms and a creamy white wine sauce to finish. With dinner I am serving a salad of arugula, sliced apple, red onion and dried cherries. This will have a mustard vinegrette folded into it, topped with goat cheese. I have some breads from Thanksgiving which were saved in the freezer. I thawed them and will re-heat them to serve with the pasta. And to top it all off, I have a lovely champagne to pair nicely with all of it.

So here's to birthdays, whether celebrated on time or a bit delayed!! Cheers!!!

Shrimp and Pasta!!!

Today finishes up my freezer 'clean-out'. I used up the remainder of my shrimp, which I cooked in a sauce of diced tomatoes, white wine, lemon juice (and zest), sliced kalamata olives, and sauteed onions. I tossed that mixture with whole wheat penne pasta and topped it off with a grating of parmesano-reggiano. Delightful!!! I had enough whole wheat penne pasta left to make a healthy lunch for tomorrow: pasta, broccoli, raisins, and walnuts - all of which I drizzled with olive oil and lemon juice (the other half of the one I used for the shrimp pasta), with a sprinkling of red pepper flakes to finish. I will be a very happy gal at lunchtime tomorrow!!!

Cheers!

Cleaning out the freezer...

For this week's menu I decided that I would use food I have on hand, supplemented with a few items from the grocery store, to find creative ways to use up any food stored in my freezer and pantry. Last night I made lamb, and the night before that: pumpkin soup. Tonight I am thawing some brats, which I will then gently simmer with beer (usually Guinness) and onion. In warmer weather I finish them off with a quick sear on the grill, but it is freezing out, and since I want to wash as few dishes as possible I will leave it at the beer bath tonight. I will serve them in a wheat bun with some mustard and maybe a bit of horseradish, leftover mashed potatoes on the side. Tomorrow I plan to use up some shrimp I have stored in the freezer. I will saute them with diced tomatoes and olives and perhaps spinach, then toss all of that with some whole-wheat penne pasta. It is so much easier to prepare healthy meals when you have a menu planned. For me, much of the battle is deciding what to make, which is harder due to the fact I have such a variety of food preferences under one roof.

Burgundy Pasture Beef

I have placed my first order with Burgundy Pasture Beef, a North Texas meat company whose cattle are 100% grass-fed. They are one of very few companies in the US who both raise and process their cattle, and they also offer selections of pork, poultry and lamb (also processed onsite but brought in from other farms). I learned of them about 2-3 years ago, but I am just now getting around to trying out their products. I am not sure what has taken me so long, especially given how much my neighbor has raved about them. My first delivery will be this coming Saturday...I will keep you posted on my thoughts...

Tonight I am roasting a rack of lamb...I will serve it surrounded by a sour cherry/red wine reduction, with creamy mashed potatoes and glazed carrots on the side. There is a wonderful glass of champagne sitting next to me as I prepare tonight's meal. Believe it or not, it is Costco's Kirkland brand, and I'll admit I am surprised at how wonderful it tastes.

Alas, it is time to enjoy the remaining minutes I have by the fire before the lamb is ready and the last minute dinner frenzy ensues....

...and Pumpkin Soup!

I am in a soup mood these days...tonight I made my pumpkin soup, flavored with Indian spices such as curry and garam masala. I will puree the final results to yield a smooth, thick pool of pumpkin heaven, and then I'll garnish each bowl with goat cheese and a drizzle of honey (tupelo). Whole Foods offered a bleu cheese-walnut bread today which I will serve with the soup. A hard apple cider pairs well and rounds out the meal. If I used vegetable stock insead of chicken stock it would be vegetarian. I usually serve a salad alongside the soup, but I just didn't feel like it tonight! I figure I am getting enough vegetables with the pumpkin, carrots and onion...Right?

Tortilla Soup

The weather has turned cold, and that is not only cold by TX standards, but by most folk's criteria! I made a pot of tortilla soup Saturday night, and for lunch today I finished any remnants still hanging around. Soup is such a cold-weather comfort food...I prefer a thick soup, a soup that sticks with you. My tortilla soup is filled with smoked chicken, brown rice, diced tomatoes, and corn. I top it off at the end with cilantro, fresh lime juice, tortillas, sour cream, cheese and avocado or guacamole. Like I said, I like it thick! There are many versions of tortilla soup floating around...some are creamy, some brothy, others somewhere in-between the two. Some have chicken, others are vegetarian. Mine is a combination of all those aspects of different recipes I liked. I try to keep it healthy, and as long as I watch the amount of cheese and tortillas I add to my bowl it is.

I pondered my menu for the week as I savored the final spoonfuls of my soup. I find it difficult to come up with healthy meals which everyone will happily eat (key words being 'happily eat'). My oldest son, the one in college, has always been a picky eater. He is home for another (oh-so-short) week, and I am trying to include foods he likes. My younger son is much more adventurous and willing to try most anything I make. And my husband wants food that is healthy...which happens to be the exact opposite of the food my eldest finds acceptable...I love my food, and I prefer it to eating out most of the time. But in the end one is only as good a cook as those who eat their food determine. Hence, the dilemma I now face. Had I been a smart mom, I would have established from the very beginning that my kids would eat the meal I cooked - no special offers, short-order cooking, etc...I suppose I could still do that, but I know I won't...so back my planning!

Homemade Eggnog!!!

Last night I FINALLY got my homemade eggnog fix. We usually have it before Christmas at an annual caroling party. My neighbor hosts the gathering, which includes several families - kids and all - and I bring the homemade eggnog. This year, however, the caroling party was the night before we left town, which also happened to be within the same week my husband and I returned from London (to find exploded egg all over my kitchen - another story for another time...), the week my son returned home from college for Winter Break, and the day after we celebrated our family Christmas. In addition to all of this I was not feeling well, and somehow the idea of using raw eggs while sick was unappealing. I certainly did not want to serve it to anyone! So this brings me to last night. We returned to TX on New Year's Eve in time to celebrate the new year with friends. Yesterday I just could not stand the fact that the season was passing without my annual eggnog, so I whipped up a batch. We did have some last night, but it will taste so much better today after the flavors have had a chance to ripen together. Perhaps we will even invite some friends to help us partake of all this goodness...

Our tradition of homemade eggnog goes back many years - even before my husband and I were married. His father made eggnog on Christmas Eve every year. I had never had homemade eggnog until then, but after the first sip I was hooked! I believe his recipe came from the back of a Meyers Dark Rum bottle because it called for an entire bottle of dark rum...lots of nog to go with a little egg! When we moved to TX we really missed the tradition of homemade eggnog, so we began hosting our own eggnog get-together for friends and neighbors. Most had never sampled homemade eggnog, only the falsely-thickened, store-bought, overly sweet variety. Trust me, once you have had the real thing it is difficult to go back to the carton! So over the years this has become our own holiday tradition...a few years back we combined it with our neighbor's caroling party due to time constraints, and the rest is history!

My recipe is a mixture of several recipes, and it does use dark rum like my father-in-law's; however, I also add Maker's Mark Bourbon to mine - generally half rum/half bourbon. I chose to keep with my FIL's tradition of a high ratio of nog to egg...somehow it seems to be the right thing to do! Some recipes add peach brandy or cognac instead of (or in addition to) rum and/or bourbon...it is really a taste preference and what flavor you associate with eggnog. The consistent part includes separated eggs, hard alcohol, sugar, milk, and heavy cream. I also add freshly grated nutmeg, which in my mind is a must-do. I have found that the flavor is best when the egg yolk and sugar mixture is combined with the milk and alcohol and sits for a minimum of several hours, preferably overnight. Just before serving I fold in the whipped egg whites and whipped heavy cream, then grate the nutmeg on top. I even have a special bowl and ladle I purchased about 8 or 9 years ago specifically for eggnog! Is this over the top? Perhaps...but when the neighbors see that bowl heading down the street they know what the night holds in store!!!