A Frankfurter in Frankfurt and a Frozen Veggie Review

I don't have much to proclaim today. No earth shattering dish or life changing recipe. The fella and I spent the day shoveling more than a foot of snow that got dumped on us overnight. Ok, he shoveled way more than I did but, I helped. I do have a broken ankle let us not forget! So tonight he gets a tasty dinner he loves to eat, I'm in the middle of making garlic mashed potatoes, barbecue broiled chicken, and sweet corn. Yes I know corn is not in season but I must say those lovely steam bags are a wonderful thing. We can all enjoy the the tastes of summer in the dead of winter. I don't mind buying frozen veggies. Some are really quite tasty when what you want is out of season. Though some can be down right waterlogged, mushy, and totally unpleasant. Through trial and error I've picked the right brand and the right frozen vegetables. But, I will share a meal I had in Frankfurt Germany with my wonderful aunt. We were in the midst of a layover on our way back to Italy from Norway and I wanted nothing more than to have a hot dog from where they originated. Hence, a frankfurter in Frankfurt!

A Lovely Night Out in LA LA Land

A couple of years ago the fella and I were lucky enough to take a trip to Los Angeles before he had to go to Iraq. On this particular night I convinced him to go to one of the best sushi restaurants ever. I had heard this news from my best friend Gwyneth Paltrow in an email she sent me. Ok, I don't really know Gwyneth and the email was just her most recent newsletter from her website GOOP. But, for those of you who know me, know that I wish Gwyneth was my bff and that in my mind we are on a first name basis, and I will absolutely eat anywhere she suggests. Even if I have to travel across the country to go to said restaurant.  Below is the documentation of some of the best sushi I have ever had thank you Gwyneth for suggesting the place. Love you BFF! (just kidding, not really.) 

The fella and me during the 60 minute wait to get inside Katsu-Ya. Little did we know a few minutes later Dax Shepard would show up! Even the famous people have to wait ( sitting next to me!) We got a seat at the sushi bar right next to Dax, the fella chatted him up all through dinner! Oh the magic of L.A.  p.s. not my best photograph. 

You would never think that sushi heaven would be located in the corner of a strip mall.  But, this heaven does exist  and those delectable sushi bites are waiting. 

Mmmmm, edamame and the perfect sushi accompaniment Kirin Ichiban beer. 

And here it is, the dish Gwyneth says is worth traveling to L.A. for , spicy tuna on crispy rice! She was right! Don't think my opinion is biased because I love her. This was one of the most spectacular things I have ever eaten. At a time like this  I was glad the fella won't eat sushi because I got to eat every delicious morsel. 

The magic makers in action!

Here you have the spicy tuna roll its something I always order.  No,  I didn't get enough of it on top of the crispy rice. It was awesome. And that little gem on the left I ordered for the fella, it was cooked shrimp and rice wrapped in egg skin (I didn't tell him that part, even though he loves eggs.) It was his first taste of sushi I'm glad it was at such an unbelievable place because he might never try it again. I think it was the thrill of being on vacation because, in fact, he has never tried sushi again. But, I love him for trying. I'm hoping to break the resistance! 

Some people might disagree with its beginner status and boring simplicity but, I always order it as my sort of palate cleanser, like ginger. Yes, it isn't adventurous but the california roll is the bite I take in between my spicy tuna roll and whatever new roll I decide to try. Call it boring or plain. Or call me lame, the california roll, for me, always gets a lead scribble mark on the sushi order worksheet.

Happy February, and a Sweet for Your Sweet

I found this Martha Stewart recipe for a cookie exchange around Christmas that my lovely friend Hilary got me invited to. I am proud to say that I won first place at that cookie exchange. Any person I came across after that party was offered a cookie and the pleasure of knowing that I was a first place cookie maker, (I'm sure they were all thrilled.) Why not make that special someone ( or any one you like enough to give a cookie to) a tasty treat and celebrate valentines day a bit early. 

My first batch didn't come out so great. All of the powdered sugar had melted off. So make sure to really get a good coating of sugar on your little cookie balls, the more you use the better they will look when you pull them out of the oven. 

Ingredients

Makes about 4 dozen

• 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup Dutch cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 1/3 cups light-brown sugar, firmly packed
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1 cup confectioners' sugar, plus more for rolling

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Chop bittersweet chocolate into small bits, and melt over medium heat in a heat-proof bowl or the top of a double boiler set over a pan of simmering water. Set aside to cool. Sift together flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt.
2. In the bowl of a heavy-duty electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and light-brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla, and beat until well combined. Add melted chocolate. With mixer on low speed, alternate adding dry ingredients and milk until just combined. Divide the dough into quarters, wrap with plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator until firm, about 2 hours.
3. On a clean countertop, roll each portion of dough into a log approximately 16 inches long and 1 inch in diameter, using confectioners’ sugar to prevent sticking. Wrap logs in plastic wrap, and transfer to a baking sheet. Chill for 30 minutes. Cut each log into 1-inch pieces, and toss in confectioners’ sugar, a few at a time. Using your hands, roll the pieces into a ball shape. If any of the cocoa-colored dough is visible, roll dough in confectioners’ sugar again to coat completely. Place the cookies 2 inches apart on a Silpat-lined baking sheet. Bake until cookies have flattened and the sugar splits, 12 to15 minutes.
4. Transfer from oven to a wire rack to let cool completely. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

Read more at Marthastewart.com: Chocolate Crackle Cookies - Martha Stewart Recipes 

Mmmmmmm! Cookie heaven.  

Roasted Chicken

I'm sure we all have seen the ridiculous Perdue commercial regarding "roaster phobia." Where the house wife is just too terrified to cook her family a whole chicken. Oh my! Whatever will she do?! Certainly not buy a Perdue roaster in that weird plastic bag you are supposed to cook it in no, no, no.  People may have their theories on organic chicken, and say what you will, but I don't think anyone in their right mind could deny the difference in taste. The happier, well treated bird is tender, sweet, and not pumped so full of hormones that it looks like the Arnold Schwarzenegger of the poultry world. And yes I know, pay checks are tight, but I fully believe the few extra dollars are worth it.  For everyones sake (ours and the chicken's).  A whole chicken is a blank canvas just waiting for you to paint it with your favorite flavors. My go-to favorite is garlic, rosemary, and lemon.  You could use any combo of spices or herbs that suit your fancy.  In this recipe I just went with what I had on hand, garlic and lemon. This dinner is gonna taste like your grannie was slaving away all day to give you a tasty home cooked meal. Really it will only take about 2 1/2 hours. 2 hours and 15 minutes of that unattended. Lets make some magic!

There she is. I removed the pop up timer because I find they tend to be useless and unreliable.

Slide your fingers up under the skin, being very careful not to tear it. Get all of your seasonings under there salt, pepper, olive oil, garlic. Its important to flavor the actual breasts themselves not just the skin on top. Here I put thin lemon slices under the skin also. It adds great flavor and makes the bird look great when you pull it out of the oven.  Sage leaves work wonderfully for this also. 

Next you'll want to get the legs tucked in so they don't dry out. You could tie them with kitchen string or just cut holes in the big chunk of extra fat by the cavity and push the leg from the opposite side through.  

See? It works very well. Tuck the wings under the breasts so they don't burn. 

Ok, she's all tucked in and ready to go. Next just slather it with extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper.   Add a bit more salt than you would think to. It helps make the skin crispy and delicious.  Pour a cup of water into the pan, it pushes the pan juices along into a tasty gravy. Pop her in a 350 oven, and go enjoy a beverage (or three) and maybe your favorite tv show. 

And there you have it, 2 1/2 hours later you have dinner (depending on the size of the bird, this one was 6 1/2 lbs.) Make sure you let the bird rest for at least 15 minutes so all of the juices stay in the meat, and not all over your cutting board. Resist the urge to cut at all costs and you will be handsomely rewarded with a tender, juicy chicken. 

After the torture of waiting or preparing your side dishes, grab a knife ( a sharp one) find the back bone with  your finger and cut along side of it to remove the breast. 

Cut the skin between the leg and breast, cutting downwards to remove the leg.  The thigh is right below the leg and you might have to flip the bird over to cut out that section. 

Bada bing, bada boom roasted chicken. 

Back Peddling with Cauliflower

Yes its cauliflower

Ok so I am feeling bad about the cake. The fella is on a strict diet to make weight for work. So, he definitely isn't eating any of the cake which means I ate his portion for him. This is usually the case when he has to go on diets like this. I pick up his slack in the eating category. Alas, there is always cauliflower and a Mark Bittman recipe to help you back peddle into your Seven jeans. 

In Bittman's book How to Cook Everything he has a lovely recipe, cauliflower roman style. Its simple, its delicious, and totally satisfying. I'll be the first to admit cauliflower is not on my food shopping radar, and certainly not my go to vegetable for dinner. And I would really rather not eat it raw. I just feel better about eating green veggies. That being said this is really good (and good for you) and you all should give it a try. 

1 head cauliflower cut into florets

2 tablespoons chopped parsley 

1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 a lemon
Makes 4 servings

In a sauté pan heat up the olive oil, garlic, and red pepper flakes

Cut up the cauliflower into florets

Chop up some parsley and half a lemon 

After steaming the cauliflower add it to the oil, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Add the lemon juice and top it off with the parsley. 

Give it a stir to make sure every little bit is coated with flavor

Grab a fork and dig in .

This could be used as a side dish or just eaten alone, either way it is incredibly filling. Which is great (no room for dessert). The simple flavor of just the cauliflower and olive oil is absolutely delicious God, I love olive oil! I have also noticed that when it comes to all the entries I've posted it would seem that I am a vegetarian, which is the furthest thing from the truth. Where is the meat? So, for dinner tonight I am making roasted chicken, and I will have that little meat baby posted in two shakes of a lambs tail!

A Tasty Cake, From the Back of a Box

Having a broken ankle and cabin fever I am headed on a downward spiral of packing on the pounds! So why not scour the cupboard to gather the findings to make a cheap, fat filled cake. This morning I woke up with a hankering for something sweet. Unwisely, I decided to pass up the Honey Nut Cheerios and go for an entire cake. After a hunt through my supplies to see if I could whip up something quickly to satisfy my craving, I happened upon this pumpkin spice quick bread with a tasty cake recipe written on the bottom of the box. Pumpkin swirl snack cake. Boo ya! I'm in biz. Though I think it should be called pumpkin swirl fat cake. It took no time at all, one step closer to over eaters anonymous.....

Other than the contents of the box you will need:

3 eggs

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1/2 water 

8oz. cream cheese 

1/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla
Preheat the oven to 350

Combine bread mix, 2 eggs, water and oil mix until just combined. 

In an electric mixer comine the cream cheese, egg, sugar, and vanilla. Mix until combined and creamy.

Place heaping spoonfuls of the cream cheese mixture all over the cake. Then of course lick the beater and the bowl!

Take a knife and make big swirls in the batter 

Bake for 20-25 minutes. Its done when a toothpick comes out clean. 

And there you have it. Cut yourself a nice big slice grab a fork and settle into your extra 5 pounds.  I much prefer this Krusteaz brand over say Pillsbury mixes. Yes, the ingredient list is still long but I think they have far less crap in the mix. That is, when a craving strikes so fast you don't have the time to make it from scratch. Now I have to find somebody to give this to before I eat the whole thing myself!

A Winter Salad.

When I was little I loved brussels sprouts. I would get home from school and devour those mini microwaveable boxes of brussels sprouts coated in butter. Though not my choice method of cooking them now, I still love them and would probably eat them everyday if I could get my picky fella to jump on the bandwagon. So, flipping through Food and Wine magazine I found "The Purist Salad" roasted brussels sprouts with cabbage and pine nuts. I gave it a try with a few substitutions and omissions. I had most things on hand except for Dijon mustard and unfortunately the pine nuts. Since I broke my ankle in october, running to the store to grab a few things isn't so easy on one foot. So I let the pine nuts slide, and substituted the dijon for spicy brown. So here we go!

1/2 cup pine nuts
1 pound brussels sprouts, quartered
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
salt and freshly ground pepper
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon pure chili powder, such as ancho
1 1/2 pounds red cabbage, very thinly sliced (6 cups)
1/2 cup dried cranberries
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 ounce Parmigiano- Reggiano cheese, thinly shaved

1. Preheat the oven to 450. Spread the pine nuts in a pie plate and toast for about 3 minutes, until golden brown. On a large rimmed baking sheet, toss the brussels sprouts with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for about 15 minutes, until the brussels sprouts are lightly caramelized and tender.

2. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk the lemon juice with the honey, mustard, cayenne, and chili powder. Slowly whisk in 1/4 cup of the olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

3. In a large bowl, toss the cabbage with the toasted pine nuts and cranberries. In a small skillet, heat the remaining olive oil. Add the garlic and cook over moderate heat until golden, about 1 minute. Scrape the garlic and hot oil over the cabbage. Add the brussels sprouts and toss, then add the dressing and toss again. Scatter the cheese shavings over the top and serve right away. 

 

This was a tasty change of pace from the typical salads I usually make, and the toasted garlic adds a nice depth of flavor. A nice light lunch to keep those new year resolutions in check, and you could definitely use less oil to drop the calorie count. I had it for dinner too, I think you get way more than 4 servings outta this puppy. Oh, and you all might be pleased to know that according to Food and Wine magazine, cabbage and brussels sprouts are among the top 15 fruits and vegetables with the least pesticide residue. Sounds good to me. Bring on the veggies!