Casserole?

Before I knew any better, you couldn't tell me I wasn't doing something with the chicken, condensed soup, and stuffing casseroles that you find in those church cooking books. 

I bought a whole chicken cut up from Whole Foods earlier this week and was seriously considering a casserole.  Tonight, after tubing, we went to Wegman's in Collegeville (the one in Cherry Hill is better, the construction at Town Center made me realize that Wegman's is a big box shopping center anchor store and I'm not sure how I feel about that).  I picked up my staples and then made my way to the other side of the market and had the nerve to pick up a can of condensed soup - the ingredients were scary. 

We got home around 930pm; I needed to make the chicken for tomorrow's dinner because it's back to the Bronx for me.  I decided to make a pseudo-cream of chicken/celery soup.  I sauteed garlic, onions, celery, then added the chicken spine, gizzards, etc (when Whole Foods gives you a whole chicken cut up, that's exactly what they mean); brought that to a boil with the celery leaves (per my daughter who thinks she's a chef), and then added a half-can of evaporated milk (it's all I had). 

I soaked whole wheat breadcrumbs in a can of tomatoes, put broccoli florets in a baking dish, topped that with the chicken (I marinated it before we left), poured the soup over it and topped it with the breadcrumb mixture.  That's when I realized that I probably should've layered it differently so that the chicken could brown...it smells really good, we'll see how it tastes tomorrow. 

Buon appetite!

As I mentioned before, I love the sandwiches at Chickies, they seem so authentically Italian (or at lease Philly style Italian).  Of course I don't plan to continue spending $8 for a tuna hoagie so I've been looking for the Italian style tuna that they use on their tuna supremes and found quite a range at Wegmans...I was being frugal so I went with the Bumble Bee Tonno in Olive Oil.  This morning I made another omelet and decided on the tuna supreme for lunch.  First problem I had no Sarcone's rolls or any rolls for that matter; then I thought I'd do a carb-free version (my aunt used to make 'hoagie without the roll' back in 1995, and they were very tasty) but was still lacking other ingredients, so I had to improvise.

I quickly made an olive oil concoction of herbs and garlic, and roasted a long hot pepper. I sauteed a bunch of broccoli rabe (rapini) with a head of garlic, the other long hot, and sun-dried tomatoes.  I topped this with sharp provolone, added the tuna, a few sun-dried tomatoes, and a piece of the roasted long hot. I finished it with cracked pepper and a drizzling of the infused olive oil.  It was delizioso!

The only thing I would do differently is use one can of tonno and one bunch of rapini per person.  Thanks Chickies for the inspiration. 

Liver and onions

Veal has been publicized as the evil offspring of the dairy industry - baby male cattle ripped from their mothers and forced to live a caged, malnourished existence before being slaughtered.  The meat is tender and seems to be a staple of Italian and French cooking; veal is a delicacy.  For some reason, perhaps the pink flesh, I've never been a fan of veal.

I've always loved calf liver and onions - fresh, not frozen, sliced relatively thin served with gravy, rice, and spinach - then I went to Betty's in Chippewa, they're famous for their fish and chips but their liver and onions were excellent - served with potatoes and veggies.  Something was different about the liver, no gravy, but it was also the seasoning - I couldn't figure out what it was, worcestershire sauce perhaps...it was tender and delicious and I've been wanting liver ever since.

Today I was in Whole Foods and noticed pasture-raised veal, complete with a bulleted disclaimer - this peaked my interest.  That's when I saw the veal liver for $5.99/lb and thought about how tender it must be and then recalled the delicious liver I had at  Betty's. (BTW - I'm not sure if I've mentioned this previously, but Betty's is located one town over from Niagara Falls - if you want to get away from the "strip", then Betty's is a must visit for some good home cookin').  I asked the butcher to cut me some more and then asked for a 50 cent per pound discount - he obliged.

I cooked it the way I normally do, only I used butter instead of oil and I added worcestershire sauce, it was very tender.  We had it with basmati rice and asparagus sauteed in butter and garlic.  It wasn't quite Betty's but it was good nonetheless.

Edible Eggs

Although I love quiche, eggs are probably my least favorite food. Eggs are unattractive and I don't care for the smell.  It's kind of creepy when you consider that eggs are part of the chicken's reproductive system.

Because I don't eat pork, I have limited options when we go out for breakfast such that I end up with a plate full of starch. Eggs are chock full of protein and lots of other good stuff, so I started eating omelettes at the Marriott - a veggie omelet with just enough egg to hold it together (not every chef can pull this off). 

Obviously, I'm preaching to the choir - everyone knows the benefits of consuming eggs thus egg production is yet another segment of factory farming practices - hens spend their lives in cages in a constant state of reproduction - laying egg after egg.

I started making omelets at home a couple of years ago, as an alternative breakfast protein source (sausages and bacon get boring, so I'll often do seafood); I found that while fasting, eggs can sustain the body for an entire day.  Back in September, I was on an omelet spree that ended abruptly because of the egginess. Last night, while at Wegmans, I bought stuff for an omelet (bulk spinach, baby bellas, and tomatoes - I already had scallions at home)...this morning I made a 4-egg veggie omelet that was just right.  

Blah

My creative cooking has flown out of the window...now we are just eating to survive...the most creativity I get these days is from California Pizza Kitchen...a friend took me on my birthday and I went again today - I eat Miso Salad and recommend the Moroccan Chicken Salad (I keep saying that I can recreate that but have yet to do it).  In my kitchen, the biggest issue is cookies - I just don't have the time to plan, but the other problem is that my body has been very sore (I think that accident is rearing its ugly head), hence it's a physical challenge.

Yesterday it was burgers, potatoes au gratin, and kale; today it was catfish, homefries, and cabbage (I put a half of a long hot pepper in the pot and boy did it give it a kick). I have to admit I was hoodwinked by Acme...after the cookie booth on Sunday, I stopped in the market and noticed frozen catfish fillets $9.99 for 2.5lb; I thought that's not a bad deal - they're farm raised but that's just how it goes with catfish these days.  I think I previously mentioned my apprehension about farm raised fish - it is similar to feedlot cattle and chicken - lots of animals in a small space on a diet of corn and antibiotics.  I picked them up, against my better judgment, thinking they'd come in handy, and they did.

Here's the kicker...the packaging is all stars and stripes and the brand is Great American Seafood.  Once you turn the package over you learn that it's "a US owned and operated company importing the finest seafood from around the world" and the source of this fish is China - we all know that China is an environmental disaster waiting to happen and probably not the best country to source food; in addition, there is sodium tripolyphosphate added to these fillets (to retain moisture). 

The lesson learned is to verify the source of the food prior to purchasing and cooking...while aquaculture can ease the burden on global fisheries, there are many issues to consider.  Technology has propelled us so far beyond hunter gatherer societies that we are outsourcing food halfway around the world.

Coconut curry

 I have been zooming around all day like I'm on speed.  I woke up this morning and started with cookies - money and inventory...I've become obsessed with dotting my I's and crossing my T's...it's crazy because the majority of the money will be turned over to GSEP, but we are looking forward to doing wonderful things with our troop with the proceeds that we get to keep. 

Then it was off to the troop meeting, then cookie booth detail.  I hadn't even thought about dinner...we had Bertucci's pizza at the troop meeting for those girls who stayed to complete a special badge.  I love Bertucci's pizza - the crust and sauce are just right...the girls loved it too.  Around 4pm, I thought I would do something with the chicken thighs I had in the freezer, so I put the packages in water for a quick defrost (I am totally opposed to defrosting in the microwave...the fridge is my preferred method).  I asked my husband to cut up some onions and potatoes while I ran back to cookie booth, but still I didn't know what I was making.

Sauteed the onions (in butter), added garlic and ginger, then tomatoes...decided to make a mock garam masala by grinding cinnamon sticks, cardamon pods, coriander seeds, black jeera...then I added lime, cilantro, chili peppers, and then turmeric and cayenne pepper to the mix...I let that concoction simmer.  Seasoned the chicken then added that and the potatoes to the pot.  Then I decided to pour coconut milk into the pot (I had soaked saffron threads in it) and simmered that, I steamed broccoli on the side...the result was a curry that was a cross between Thai and Indian...my husband said it was so good that it made him want to keep eating more. 

Boeuf

This morning we were running behind schedule; since it was clear that the kids would not make the school bus, I decided to make steak and homefries.  My father-in-law just sent us a shipment of Omaha Steaks (for the life of me, I can't find any information about how they raise their cattle, if you know, please post a comment), for the potatoes I sauteed garlic and onions and sliced up the remaining steamed potatoes from Sunday's dinner. 

Of course I went heavy on the butter and used my satin black enamel Le Creuset skillet for impeccable results.  I rubbed the steaks with crushed garlic and after they were seared, sprinkled them with Kosher salt (mimicking the churrasco method) and seared them again.  Lip smacking good. 

My husband and I started reminiscing about Restaurant du Vieux-Port, a steakhouse in Old Montreal.  This summer we had the early bird special, a steak cooked to perfection, an excellent ending to our quick trip through Canada.  I would love to return to Old Montreal, it was truly like being in Paris again.  Perhaps, my Parisian cooking excursion can be downsized to Quebec?

For the love of butter

I am sitting here eating fish n grits and am thinking about the rich creaminess of butter...today I went heavy on the butter (I use unsalted) as I was reminiscing about the Farm Show (my baked potato was served with a large slice of creamy, fresh butter)...butter is made from churning cream (this can also be accomplished by using a hand mixer)...I think I want to step up to either "homemade" butter (using a high fat heavy cream) or European butter (85% vs 81% fat)...I have fully embraced butter and all of it's luciousness. 

Butter often gets a bad rap.  Cholesterol and all of these other heart-disease related issues came to be associated with fat - fat is what makes butter so delicious.  But it has become increasingly clear that butter is not the culprit...lifestyle is the problem - poor food choices and sedentary behavior are equally accountable.  Have the French's affair with butter produced as many health problems as American's affair with processed foods?

Enter margarine (or oleo as my grandmother used to call it - essentially invented by the French)...chemically processed fat (or a water in oil emulsion) dyed to look like butter (undyed is shortening) and promoted as an healthy alternative. We are discovering that food science is not always the best alternative to food that comes out of the ground, especially when it comes to fat. As I'm imagining putting Crisco on my grits, I'm thinking I'd rather have butter.

As I indulge myself in butter, I think a French cooking course is in order.  I'm not talking about the courses offered by Viking (I did a Spanish one once and was underimpressed) but a French cooking class in France...there are tons of culinary tours and cooking school vacations available...if you're interested, let me know and let's plan something for June. 

Sunday with family

Dinner was interesting tonight.  Our theme was seafood - fried whiting, steamed crab legs (the aluminum pan is a result of someone putting the overflow instead of the dish on the table), sauteed shrimp; didn't want to do mussels again, and somehow the stuffed mushrooms and ravioli never surfaced - with steamed broccoli, red potatoes, and corn-on-the-cob on the side, and cheesecake for dessert (too bad I made bread pudding last week, it would've been great tonight). 

Folks started arriving with the food around 430pm...my aunt rinsed and seasoned the fish, I battered and started frying.  Neicy peeled and deveined the shrimp, I seasoned them and got my butter started and sauteed the garlic (for both the shrimp and the veggies).  My sister's friend invited herself but came with a pan of seafood salad.  My cousin called and I told her to stop and get catfish nuggets because it seemed like there wasn't going to be enough food.  It actually turned out to be plenty.

But, I think it was crowded - the guest list has expanded...I looked up and there was a line (like a restaurant buffet) and I thought, oh my.  Of course we had a blast, but I am tired...I told them we will need a bigger house if we keep this up and suggested that they all chip in and in exchange they can come over once a month...surprisingly noone seemed to think that was a fair deal.

PA Farm Show

Part of the 6th grade curriculum at my children's school is culture.  In Pennsylvania, there's Philadelphia, Pennsyltucky, and Pittsburgh; the 6th grade takes an annual trip to the Farm Show to learn about PA's agricultural culture and the source of food (as opposed to the grocery store).  I was initially apprehensive about the trip, fearing that it would glorify industrialized agriculture, but I truly had a good time.

There was livestock, produce, environmental education, shopping, and most importantly, lots of food.  I ran my hand through the plush fur of an alpaca, watched sheep get sheared, saw a 1600 pound bison, and ate - I also saw first hand, the many products we get from animals (I'm so excited about the alpaca yarn I bought for myself) and found some good sources of meat.

The only thing that was troubling was the cows.  There were lots of cute cows, but their udders were engorged; they kept them full until after the competition and then walked them to a pumping station to relieve them (milk leaking from the nipple), after which their udders were as flat as pancakes...it truly does suck to be a cow. 

  

The party's over

It's Girl Scout cookie time and we plan to hit the ground running; not to mention the semester is rapidly approaching - this is my last week of "freedom".

Today I had lunch guests in the midst of cookie prep.  I made pancit for my sister and a pseudo-escabeche for my Ethiopian friend (we previously discussed Asian food and she said she liked sweet-and-sour). 

I only had snapper, so I used that - the skin is thinner than the tilapia, so the presentation was not as attractive.  They loved every bit of it and we had a great time, too bad the party's over.

Birthdays

My sister-in-law invited us down because of the proximity of my dad, Ms Nong, and my birthdays. We put together a nice menu: pancit, fish, beef; we asked Ms. Nong to make a dish and my dad asked my nephew's girlfriend to make something as well.

The food Ms. Nong brought was fragrant and delicious - nhuem, a salad made with finely sliced (almost shredded) vegetables (carrots, cucumber - seeded, peppers), rice sticks, and what they referred to as skinny/old chicken (essentially a lean, dark-meat chicken that is too old to lay eggs aka stewing hen), topped with cilantro and a pleasant vinaigrette. She also made plea (the Thai's call it laab) - a salad with beef (Cambodian's do not cook the meat, they simply soak it in lemon and lime to remove the blood, but she cooked it for us).  She served the chili peppers on the side.  Both dishes were attractive as well as delicious.  

When we arrived, the pancit and afritada was already made.  We decided to make the tilapia as escabeche (Ms. Nong said if we add pineapple to the sauce it would be just like the Cambodian sweet and sour fish) and also as a baked dish with coconut milk and hot peppers. We cut up two chuck roasts (beef cubes are too lean), pressure cooked and made caldereta - very tasty, I think would be delicious prepared with lamb (my brother says goat is the best)...I'm thinking it's time for me to get a pressure cooker - the meat is tender in a fraction of the time - my Saudi friend uses one and my grandmother suggested one - I think it would be a worthwhile investment.

My nephew's girlfriend brought chicken, well seasoned with peppers and onions and a rice dish.  We rolled the naim (similar to lumpia, egg rolls wrapped in the thin spring roll skin) and they were also very delicious - chicken
breast, onions, garlic, rice stick, cabbage, carrots...my sister-in-law was very impressed with the rolling technique Ms. Nong taught us.  

From the time we walked into the door until the time we left, it seems as if we ate non stop.  Happy birthday to us.

Philly style

I went to Godshall's in Reading Terminal on Tuesday...been wanting to get down there for ages - locally grown poulty....of course I asked how is it grown - apparently most stuff is free range (that's not really saying much), some isn't.  I bought turkey sage sausage and chicken breast cutlets. 

Yesterday I make chicken cheesesteaks - this is a Philadelphia original and you certainly can not have a cheesesteak without an Amoroso roll, so my husband went to Amoroso's and picked up a dozen of the freshest rolls I've had in a long time. 

I split, flattened, sliced, and seasoned the cutlets, sauteed onions and red peppers, topped with cooper sharp (no condiments) and had sauteed mixed greens (TJ's Southern Greens Blend) on the side - a healthy, tasty alternative to takeout. 

The cheesiest

A childhood friend posted on Facebook that she had made lobster mac n cheese.  Initially, I thought that was weird, but then I kept thinking I saw that as a menu item at some chain restaurant.  The idea was haunting me...do you use real lobster when you mix with pasta and cheese?  The more I thought about it, the more I wanted to make it...

At first I thought I would avoid lobster...I had been thinking about going to Maine or Rhode Island to get some good lobster - yes I'm out of control - I thought crabmeat and shrimp would be great with cheese.  Then I got to thinking, what kind of cheese?  Nigella Lawson talked about how cheddar was a ooey gooey comfort cheese and unique to the United States...but I didn't want to do cheddar - I rely on a combination of cheddars for my mac and cheese.  I kept thinking about cheese and shellfish...didn't want to do Italian cheese because that would be like alfredo.  So I thought about fondue...I use gruyere and emmental for my fondue, so I started with that. 

I Googled lobster mac and cheese and there were so many different recipes and styles, but none really seemed to hit the spot.  I went to TJs and got gruyere, fontina, asiago, and debated about cheddar...instead I did an aged gouda (I love prima donna) ...TJs is definitely the place to go for reasonably priced cheeses.  I walked down the frozen food aisle and saw langostino tails...they looked like lobster so I Googled that on my cell and learned that they are essentially a shellfish that is often used as a lobster substitute...I bought two packages.  Then I went to Whole Foods and bought two packages of quinoa shells - figured I'd try to make this a balanced meal. 

I sauteed garlic in tons of butter, added heavy cream, then started adding my cheeses...I briefly sauteed the tails in garlic and butter, then mixed it all together, then added some cheddar-jack. I had planned to add a bit of dijon mustard, but forgot.  I steamed broccoli on the side and we sat down and enjoyed our dinner.  The flavor had a slight resemblance to alfredo (perhaps it was the garlic) and it definitely has to be served hot to maintain the consistency of the cheeses.  Next time I may omit the garlic and go with a cheddar.  Thanks RG for the inspiration.

Liberian girl

I talked to my nephew's girlfriend today and as always I asked about food.  This was timely because although I have food stockpiled in the freezer, I had no plan for dinner.

She explained that they were "a coastal people" so they consume a lot of seafood.  She told me about a quick shrimp dish, so I went for it.  No, I didn't have wild caught, I used 16/20 shrimp out of the freezer.  I sauteed onions, peppers (green and chili), tomatoes, and seasonings for the "gravy".  I made basmati rice and then realized that I needed something on the side - the last of the okra out of the freezer, sauteed with onions and garlic.

I have a confession - most of the time I use Betty Crocker's cornbread mix...I searched high and low and not a package to be found...so I had to make the cornbread from scratch - the consistency and color was different, not the pleasant yellow that results from who knows what in the package- but it was appetizing and made with whole grains.

We enjoyed the food, and the shrimp were surprisingly tasty - I steamed them with a pepper as she suggested and the flavor was greatly enhanced.  Liberian peppers are pleasing. 

Nothing to report

2010 has come in with a thud...I haven't cooked anything...I'm actually trying to figure out what I've been eating during this past week.  This has truly been a week of hustle and bustle - handling personal affairs and running around for Girl Scouts...we had a Winter Wonderland party which, based on the girls' reaction, was worth every bit of effort (combining the other troop leader with myself creates a dangerous duo; there is no limit to our madness, no voice of reason - we already have plans for 2 more parties). Aside from the turkey wings, the occasional breakfast, and kale - I only made baked ziti (penne) for the party.

We went to Cracker Barrel for dinner tonight - I think it was a residual effect from the marketing along 95S...there must've been a Cracker Barrel at every rest stop from Virginia to Georgia.  We just finished making the Doubletree cookies and I truly have no idea what's on the menu this week, but I guess I'd better figure it out soon.