Sunday, December 13, 2009

Fondue Date Night


Hubby and I stayed in last night with homemade broccoli cheese fondue and a great movie by the fire. I can't remember the last time we had such a relaxing night in. Lily is finally starting to display less and less constant puppiness, requiring less and less non-stop supervision. And thus, husband and I can enjoy more and more cuddle (and meal) time. Ahhhhhhhh :)




 Broccoli Cheese Fondue with carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, and bread to dip


Today has been an ACTIVE day, to say the least. I started my day with hockey game #1. Husband and I cleaned ALL afternoon, and then it was off to hockey game #2 for the day (scored a goal, woot!). I'ddddd say it's about time for a shower, wouldn't you? Eeeewww.



How cute is this...
My hubby's family enjoys reading my blog and his aunt even reads it to his grandma. Grandma says that my husband is "spoiled" with my "gourmet" cooking. While flattering, Grandma H, I think any cooking going down in this kitchen is a long shot from gourmet. Palatable and balanced is probably more like it!



I have received LOTS of delicious-looking recipes to my inbox since yesterday. I am so excited about the "Prevention Cookbook" and I'm so happy to hear that you are, too! Don't forget to submit your recipe(s) by January 1, 2010! Mrs.RD44@gmail.com
For more information, go here!
The more the merrier for us all...and then you get a copy, too!


Question: What are you asking for from Santa for Christmas?



Here's to a relaxing evening and some Elf viewing. Best. Movie. Everrrr. Ciao!

Latkes and Bones

December 13

[update June 2, 2011: a new latke recipe can be found at the bottom of this entry]

I’m sort of on vacation in Denver (sort of, because I’m also working on stories on chili and on likely food trends in 2010, and keeping my blog up to date).

I like to travel between Thanksgiving and Christmas, because it’s a lot easier than traveling during those holidays. Technically, I’m also here, visiting family, during Chanukah, so I made latkes for the first time in about 15 years.

Latkes are the traditional Chanukah food of East European Jews. They're potato pancakes, preferably fried in a lot of oil.

Because Chanukah is the celebration of the Jews’ successful guerrilla war against the forces of the Seleucids, who inherited a big chunk of the Middle East from Alexander the Great. A military victory is not considered a suitable reason for a religious holiday, so instead we celebrate what seems to me to be a very minor miracle involving oil (sanctified oil used to fuel the eternal flame in the Temple) that lasted a lot longer than expected.

Chanukah is often called the festival of lights, but as a food person I like to think of it as the festival of oil.

The best latkes I’ve ever had were technically platski, which is what Poles call them. I had them at Lomzynianka in the Brooklyn neighborhood of Greenpoint.

I e-mailed the restaurant, asking how they made them, but I didn’t hear back, so I used the recipe I’ve been using since I was probably 12 years old, which I learned from Bobbie Towbin around then.

It’s very simple.

In a food processor, purée together one peeled white or yellow onion for every two large potatoes. Season with salt. Spoon into hot oil and fry. Serve with applesauce and sour cream.

This time I drained the mixture first. The latkes were nice and crispy, but they weren’t fantastic. I think they need work.

I think next time I might spread the purée on wax paper or parchment paper, freeze it in sheets and then slice it into latke-sized pieces for better consistency in shape and thickness, and ease in dropping them into hot oil.

I haven’t eaten out much on this trip, although I did go to Bones with my old friend Ben Weinberg. Bones is the nickname of chef Frank Bonanno, who also owns Mizuna, Luca D’Itlaia and Osteria Marco.

Bones is an Asian-ish place, focusing on noodles. I think I’d place it in that not-yet-defined restaurant category of fast-fine: Top-notch food, reasonably priced in a setting that lets you get in and out quickly. Some trend spotters see that type of dining as the future of fine dining in America (not that white tablecloth restaurants will go away, but there will be fewer of them).

What we ate and drank:

black cod tempura
steamed pork belly buns
udon with slow-cooked pork shoulder from Salmon Creek Farms, topped with a poached egg
ba mee with roasted spaghetti squash, mustard greens and horseradish mascarpone cream
2008 Infinite Monkey Riesling (Denver)
I also got an order of escargot pot stickers to take home to Mom.

[update, June 2, 2011, below]:

I got an e-mail from Bobbie Towbin awhile back, who said my recipe was incomplete and inaccurate.
I have finally pasted her full recipe below.
I have no recollection of ever following this recipe as a kid when we made latkes with Bobbie in Hebrew school, but maybe she secretly slipped in some of the ingredients. More likely, I wasn't paying attention:


2 very large potatoes
1/3 medium yellow onion
2 eggs
salt and pepper to taste (be generous)
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp sugar

Chop 1 potato in Cuisinart medium fine with 1 egg and onion.
Put second potato through Cuisinart grater
Mix all together with seasoning
Heat oil and drop mixture from mixing spoon into frying pan.
Fry until brown and crisp.
Don't drain the potatoes until they become too watery at the  

end, you lose too much of the potato starch if you drain them initially.

too little, too wrong




i'm feelin' sorry, to myself. for being such a loser in the middle of the night. dear heart, u're done with it. enough crying for that stupid silly reason that no one knows - except this one gf. and, to this one person - the one i'd never give up on, i guess i've to really3 let u go. so i wouldn't cry a tear for u anymore. not even a single tear.


boy. u're wrong. i'm not that bitchy bitch.
i'm not that cheap chick, the one u can find across the street.
i gave & give u the very best of me, but, u gave me nothing.
u flirt around with a lot of girls, when u know, i flirt with no one.
u said u love me, but u said 'i love u' to them too.
well. one conclusion - guys. they're a good friend. and a bad sweetheart.


i wonder. all the sweet things u did. all the tears, when i left u b4.
i just don't know, which are true and which are, fake. cuz u're just so fake.
when i asked u bout this, u said i don't believe u. how can i?
go find someone else. in letting u go, i'm loving myself.
because to u, it just a game. i'm starting to move on. u know all d right things to say.
i can love with all my heart. i know i've so much to give. but.
it just too little too late.


boy, i know i'm ur sweet lil girl. i know that i was a good girl to u.
but, enough with that. u didn't appreciate it. u took a chance.
made up a plan. take advantage of me.


so stop blaming me when i just dont trust boys. i mean.
when it comes to more than a friend. i just, don't. but i know.
and i have a bunch of. good bf - good boy friend ok.
they spice up my life with their craziness + high sense of humor.






aiman - don't worry. i'm good. i'm not sad. not anymore.
finaz - i've been keeping a lot of things. that i'll tell u 1 fine day. so that u know, what happened these few years. can't wait 2 c u again.
nabil - get well soon! take care.
kacak - sy ok. no worries. best of luck ya!

and to u, miss listener, tqvm =]



i'm good. we're all good. =D





Hungry Jack's Melbourne

Me at Hungry Jack's Flinders Station, Melbourne - Victoria, Australia

Howdy me mates? :(

If you guys would ask me the same question, I am not fine. I am chilling and the muscles in my entire body are aching. Seems like I am getting a fever. Hope not. Maybe I was too tired for cooking last Saturday evening and this Sunday lunch. I cooked Chicken Curry Rice Ala Paella. I also shopped the whole afternoon amidst the tremendous heat of the sun. I had the ultimate shopping of The North Face Jacket and Crumpler Bags. I also got the best deals from Ben Thanh Market. My luggage is filled with items to be given away as my Chrissy presents to dear family and friends back home. But as I chill after recounting the good food I cooked, all I want is My HUNGRY JACKS.

What is HUNGRY JACKS? Why their logo is so similar to BURGER KING? Yes you are right! Hungry Jacks is the Burger King in Australia. Only in OZ! Just a short trivia how I found out the reason why they can't use the name Burger King in Oz. I was sitting on the tram on my way to Flinders station when I heard a young couple talking about the story behind it. It's quite simple. When Burger King opened its franchise in Oz on 1971 they found that its business name was already trademarked by a takeaway food shop in Adelaide. The franchisee Jack Cowin used Hungry Jack's instead. It was established in Innaloo, Perth on 18 April 1971, under the auspices of Cowin's new company Hungry Jack's Pty, Limited. That's the story behind it. That's very trivial for me to have found out. And that led me and my mate to dine at the nearest Hungry Jack's in Flinders street.

I miss my Hungry Jack's :(

hug the sickie girl...
joanie xxx

Please Vote my film, fellas!

Hi, Fellas!!!!
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Beef Meatballs Poached in Tomato Sauce with Onion Ciabatta Roll

Although meatballs and tomato sauce are more popularly used to accompany a pasta such as spaghetti rather than served alone in this fashion, I decided one night recently to have them accompanied instead by a fresh, onion ciabatta roll. I was delighted with the results - and even found that I had sufficient tomato sauce left over to cool, refrigerate and re-heat to have with some pasta shells for the following day's lunch!

This recipe is for one person.

Ingredients

1/2lb minced/ground beef
1 garlic clove (crushed or grated)
Generous pinch of dried oregano
2 14oz tins of chopped tomatoes in tomato juice
Olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 onion ciabatta roll

Method

Put the beef, garlic and oregano in to a large bowl or basin and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Mix very thoroughly by hand before taking parts of the mixture to shape it in to meatballs, each about the size of a golfball. The quantities given here should make seven or eight meatballs.

Add enough olive oil to a pot to cover the base of it and bring it up to a medium heat. Carefully place the meatballs in the pot and gently stir them around with a wooden spoon until they are browned, as shown in the photographs to the left. This process should take no longer than two to three minutes.

When the meatballs are evenly browned in this way, add the chopped tomatoes and turn the heat up until they begin to simmer. Reduce the heat to keep them at a gentle simmer and cook in this way for half an hour, stirring gently and occasionally.

The meatballs should then be added to a serving plate and the desired amount of tomato sauce spooned over the top. The onion ciabatta roll should be served on the side.

Remember to allow the remaining tomato sauce to cool before refrigerating and to use it up the following day.

Useful Associated Links

Meatballs with Tomato Sauce from the BBC

Spanish Meatballs in Tomato Sauce

Pasta with Meatballs in Tomato Sauce

Meatballs with Tomato Sauce and Spaghetti

Organic Meatballs in Fennel and Tomato Sauce