Vanilla Icing

Sun & Scarves

Yarn Along with Ginny...

I must confess I've not done too much knitting this past week.  I've done a little work on last week's project and I'm about halfway through on my Branching Out Scarf.  The rip-back on the scarf disheartened me slightly and slowed me down but I rallied after a few days and 'caught' back up only to be distracted by a painting project and an outdoor project.  The outdoor project consisted of digging up several, large, heavy rotting rail road ties that edged my front walk and then replacing them.  The work left me sore all over--including my hands!  When I tried to knit, my left hand cramped severely and I've not picked up my needles in two days.  

But, I've had an even better 'distraction.'

'The Tuscan Sun Cookbook' by Frances & Edward Mayes was resting innocently enough on a table at the bookstore.  I passed the table twice without looking down but when I finally did and saw this cookbook I knew it had to be mine.  And it was, just mere minutes later!  I snatched it up so quickly you'd have thought it was the last one of a Christmas' toy fad and all but ran for the register.  Never mind that there was a tidy stack of at least ten more on the table, I must confess I behaved a bit like a lunatic.

Frances Mayes is the author of 'Under the Tuscan Sun', 'Bella Tuscany: The Sweet Life in Italy,' and a few others.   She is one of my favorite authors and I adore her writing.   Her words on Italy, travel, art, food, and simply life are beatifully written and I reread her books over and over.  They are literary comfort food to me.

I haven't tried any of the recipes from the cookbook yet; I am still very much in the stages of reading the words and savoring the pictures.  Frances Mayes' other books often contain a few recipes and I've tried many of them.  The recipes are simple, requiring only a few ingredients and a willingness to let the food speak for itself.   The Tuscan Sun Cookbook appears to be following suit and I am very much looking forward to trying many-if not all!-of the recipes.

Game of Thrones Lemon Cakes

It's official; I AM a Game of Thrones geek.  I read the first couple of novels years and years ago and promptly forgot about them until I saw the trailer for the first season of Game of Thrones on HBO.  It's not often that books from the fantasy genre are turned into television shows and when they are they are often full of fail.  (See the Sword of Truth series by Terry Goodkind-the show was full of cheese!)  But, I'm a long time fan of HBO productions and I had faith that they would do it right.

And do it right they did.  Season one of Game of Thrones was fantastic and it even turned Rick into a GoT geek too!  We both read all of the books and have held endless discussions on them and have been known to scare away family members and friends with our geekery.

Needless to say, excitement for season two ran high in our household and we invited a few friends down to watch the premiere with us.

One of them, Cathy of Intentional Stones, is just as geeky about it as us.  She joined me in making snacks appropriate for the Game of Thrones.  She borrowed my book "The Unofficial Game of Thrones Cookbook" and selected a dish to prepare from it and took inspiration from an alcoholic drink recipe to create her own version.  I wanted to make the lemon cakes Sansa & Arya are always mentioning but I wasn't impressed with the recipe in the book and made my own version as well.  By the way?  The Official Game of Thrones cookbook comes out May 29, 2012.  Of course, I intend on owning both.  Don't judge.  I'm holding back on the GoT coffee mug, tshirt, playing cards, board game, and journal.  For now.

Lemon cakes.  Sweet and tart all at once.

Wildfire.  Cathy put the drinks in cunning little flasks and then packed them appropriately in a wooden crate surrounded by straw.  It was a fantastic idea!

Cheesemonger's Caramelized Onions.  Heavily aromatic with an earthy sweetness.

Return to Veggies

                                                                Veggie Pizza

In August, I challenged myself to eat vegetarian  and I went two entire weeks which isn't really that long but it was enough time to realize that eating vegetarian made me feel very different.  Different, in a very good way.  I felt lighter, which might sound a little silly, but I mean I felt like I had more bounce in my step and more energy.  I didn't feel weighed down, not even after eating a big meal. Gone was the heavy, slightly bloated feeling that I often experienced eating something as simple as a hamburger on the grill and corn on the cob.  And the oddest thing?  I didn't even realize I was feeling like that until I wasn't feeling it anymore.

                                               Pistachio Stuffed Mushrooms

Then, just two weeks after eating vegetarian, I abruptly stopped and returned to my former ways.  I told myself it that it was necessary because I was going to Columbus in a few weeks for a food blogger tour.  It seemed a good idea to be 'used' to consuming meat before embarking on a culinary tour where there would be many delicious things to eat.  I'm glad that I decided to eat meat while in Columbus because there were so many wonderful things to try like Thurn's Meats, tacos and pork belly.

However, back at home, I started to notice that after certain meals that 'heavy, bloated feeling' was present again and it began to bother me.  I tried to ignore it but it persisted in nagging me.  After much thought, I've decided to pick back up with my 'Vegetarian Challenge' and see where it takes me.

                                                         Fresh fruit & veggies

I don't expect to ever be a hard and fast vegetarian.  The other day, I was at a restaurant where the owner and chef were sending out all manner of things for Rick and I to try.  The one dish had chunks of chicken sprinkled on the top.  I didn't turn away from the dish but I did push the chicken to one side for Rick to eat.    It seems as though a more dedicated vegetarian might not touch any food that meat has touched but that's not me.   Right now, nearly ten days in, what works for me is not eating meat but not becoming obsessive compulsive about it.  If I was eating dinner at a friend's and learned the rice was prepared with chicken broth I would continue to eat it.  And when Thanksgiving comes, there's a fair chance that I will partake of the turkey.  No Tofurkey for this girl!

                                                          Peas & Parmesan

If I were to be invited to another culinary tour or event, I would happily indulge in any meat proffered because I think that's how I shall treat meat: an occasional indulgence.  And let's face it, I've had some of the best meat ever when someone else is preparing it!

                             Homemade Guacamole & Grilled Quesadilla

I still have much to learn about vegetarian cooking and would love to hear any tips, recipes, or websites/blogs.  Please feel free to leave a comment or send me an email with anything you'd like to share.  It would really be appreciated!

                                                      Deconstructed Pesto

Deconstructed Pesto

As a person who loves talking and writing about food, eating food and preparing food, is Italian, it seems wrong to admit that I dislike pesto sauce.  I want to like it and sing its praises but I have found it often to have a subtle bitter taste to it that only occurs when the basil is broken down by any of the various methods people like to use to make pesto.    And, if I am confessing, I must also add that noodles coated in anything that vibrant of a green startles me a little.  My husband and children don't really care for 'green pasta' either.  

After a recent trip to Trader Joe's where I purchased fresh basil to use on pizza margherita, I had a large quantity left and needed to find a way to use it before it went bad.  Try as I might, I could not think of anything to do with it but make pesto.  I didn't want pesto.  My family didn't want pesto.  But pesto, deconstructed is what I gave them.  

It's a very simple dish that comes together quickly and has rapidly become a favorite of my pesto hating family.  I haven't the heart to tell them that essentially they ARE eating pesto.  Deconstructed pesto does not have the staggeringly intense flavor of traditional pesto sauce but what it loses in sheer overwhelming boldness it makes up for in its light, perfect for summer deliciousness.  Each ingredient retains its own identity allowing you to savor the nuances of each before combining them into a delicate pesto flavored mouthful.  

All of the traditional ingredients for pesto were used but I couldn't resist trying this delicious Garlic Olive Oil from The Olive Orchard.  The Olive Orchard does not infuse their olive oils with flavor; they press their olives with the additonal ingredients to create an olive oil that is heavily flavored but still retains the light mouthfeel of olive oil.  

 

Deconstructed Pesto

              by Michelle

1 large bunch of basil, chopped roughly to make 1 cup

2 tablespoons of  pine nuts

1/4 cup grated parmesan reggiano

1-2 ounces of Olive Orchard Garlic Olive Oil (or e.v. olive oil + 1 minced garlic clove or few shakes powdered garlic)

8 ounces of dried pasta

salt and pepper to taste

 

1.  Prepare pasta to personal cooked preferences.  I prefer mine al dente to better combine with the pine nuts.  Drain pasta.

2.  Toss pasta with olive oil.  Do not over do the oil so the pasta is dripping but do have a generous hand.  Gently stir in the parmesan, pine nuts and basil.  Salt and pepper to taste.

3.  Serve immediately.

Make pesto in your mouth.

Pistachio Stuffed Mushrooms

Dear Friends....I just won over a avowed mushroom hater with this recipe.

            Baby Portabella Mushrooms stuffed with Pistachios & Sage

I came to my love of mushrooms late in life and when I say late, I mean it was only about two years ago that I realized what I've been missing out on.  I've been playing catch up ever since to make up for all of the mushrooms I didn't eat.  I've used them on my favorite bread- Carmelized Onion & Mushroom Flatbread, as the star of Mushroom Risotto, numerous stir fries, Arancini, Strata, and I've even gone hunting for them in a top-secret location.

Stuffed mushrooms have a tender place in my heart because it was a crab stuffed mushroom (yum!) that convinced me that my disdain for mushrooms was wrong.  They are easy to make and can be made ahead of time and refrigerated until it's time to put them in the oven which makes them a wonderful appetizer.  The variety of ingredients you can add to the filling make them versatile to accommodate almost anyone who likes mushrooms.  A lot of people think they don't like mushrooms and I've found it's almost universally for the same reason: 

Egg'n'Cheese

On Day 8 of my Vegetarian Challenge, I wasn't feeling very inspired...

but this egg and cheese sandwich was amazing on the rice and onion bread...

Egg'n'cheese sandwich, applesauce, cucumbes & greens with seeds & dried fruits

...even if it was a little large for the bread.  I've decided I won't ever buy four large cucumbers at once.  I'm a little tired of eating them.

Baked potato with toasted tofu, peas, corn, broccoli, onions, peppers & cheddar. Garlic & romano drop biscuit

The baked potatoes I served for dinner were my way of clearing out all of the accumulated odds and ends of produce left in the refrigerator: half of a stalk of broccoli, an ear of corn, third of a pepper, half of a can of peas and a quarter of a large onion.  I'm the only one who piled everything on my potato but even my least adventurous eater put a few peas on hers!

At Sixes & Sevens

                          Grilled quesadilla and tortilla chips and guacamole

The lone avocado resting on the shelf in my refrigerator was demanding attention on Saturday.  I purchased it with the memory of the guacamole I tried in Asheville a couple of weeks ago.  In the past, I have avoided guacamole because I spent many, many years disliking it every time I attempted a taste.  But for some reason, in a small Pan-Latin restaurant in Asheville I scooped up some and gave guacamole the 119th chance.  It was good.  Damn good.  I ate all of it.  No one elese got any.

I peeled and pitted the avocado and chucked it in the food processor with some onions, garlic, salt and a bit of flat leaf parsley.  (A dog that shall not be named crushed my cilantro.)  A quick splash of lime juice to brighten everything up and it was as simple as that.  Guacamole!  It was pretty darn good too.  Since I knew it was best not to repeat the 'eat all the guacamole' binge again, I tossed the leftover bulgar wheat from the night before with some black beans, corn cut off the cob and some salsa.  I sprinkled a bit of cheddar on a tortilla, spooned the mixture on top, sprinkled a bit more cheddar and topped it with another tortilla and slid it on the grill until it was nice and toasty.  Who needs meat?!  

                        Toasted homemade bread with butter and a banana

Dinner found me on my own; my children were staying at a friend's house and Rick had gone to the Steeler game.  I was attending a Mad Men Party that night at my friend's house where there was sure to be plenty of cocktails and snacks and I thought it best to keep dinner light.  It was also a little boring but to be honest, I was happy to have comforting buttered toast.  Afterwards, I set about getting ready for the party and..... I wore my hair in a beehive!  

Grill Everything!

Well, maybe not lunch.  Lunch was for finishing up the leftover Vegetarian Chili.  I baked fresh pita bread using a white whole wheat flour and stuffed one of them with the leftover chili.

Homemade pita stuffed with vegetarian chili, steamed broccoli & green smoothie with                                                                                   strawberries and bananas.

Bulgar wheat with grilled tomatoes, peppers & onions. Grilled zucchini, squash and corn and                                                     sweet grilled pineapple and cherries.

I should have said grill everything for dinner.  Fruits & veggies: onions, carrots, garlic, tomatoes, broccoli, greens, strawberries, banana, peppers, zucchini, squash, corn, pineapple, cherries, and an orange that was a snack and not pictured.  Fifteen!  

I noticed a new thing that could have been a coincidence.  After I baked cookies to bring to a friend's party and was plating them up I decided to have one.  It was a rich, melt in your mouth peanut butter cookie studded with chopped up Reese's Mini Peanut Butter Cups.  It was also really sweet.  I mean really, really sweet.  I was a little concerned I made an error in measurement and passed out samples.  Everyone else seemed to think they were fine.  I wonder if it has anything to do with all of this 'clean food' I've been eating the past five days?  Or is it merely a coincidence?

Peas & Parmesan

Peas & Parmesan Rice and sliced cucumbers and chipotle hummus  Not pictured-the green                                   smoothie with mixed greens, strawberries and blueberries.

Yesterday, I had a friend over for lunch (who won't eat cucumber skins! what?!) and I was determined to stick to eating vegetarian but yet provide a filling meal for my friend who has to sit at a desk in a office job surrounded by many, non-healthy tempting treats that she prefers to resist.  I decided to make Peas & Parmesan which is a mock 'risotto' dappled with peas and melt in your mouth parmesan.

This dish is amazing versatile in a few ways.  It's light and tastes amazing fresh in spring when tender young peas are available but holds its own even when you must resort to frozen or canned (in this case) peas.  The creamy warmth works wonders on the soul on an overcast or cold day.  It's also perfect as a side dish or a main dish.  It's ready in less than thirty minutes and prepared by only a few simple ingredients.    It has, in fact, only six ingredients, unless you want to count salt.  Then, it's seven. Of course, it could also be the perfect rice dish to experiment with add ins in different combinations; roasted carrots, asparagus so fresh it's practically still growing, cripsy pancetta....you get the idea.

Vegetarian Challenge

Last year, I was terribly disappointed in my choice of farms for my CSA; a great deal of the produce arrived bruised and damaged beyond use.  Oftentimes, half of the contents of the box had to immediately be removed and discarded to avoid ruining the rest of the produce.  Please don't think I mean a few cosmetic blemishes or an occasional bruise--what I mean is it looked like someone slammed the produce into the crate as hard as they could or ran the vegetable up and down a fence rail before putting it in the crate to sit in a dark, dank place over night.  Harsh words, but true nonetheless.   I was so disappointed that I didn't join a CSA this summer.

Lunch: Baked potato with caramelized onions, sauteed crimini mushrooms & steamed broccoli

As a result, the vegetable consumption in our household this summer has been shameful.