New Year: New Goals

So yes, I know I have let the blogging world, along with a few others, down with my lack of updating.And as I've said before I always feel too busy & that I have too many other things to take care of before this old thing, but that's not really a fair excuse being that I just had a whole week off. So with this new year starting that is going to be full of new & exciting things (wedding & married life), I'm starting with some new goals, & the most important one for you to know about is the goal to update this blog on a weekly basis. I think it's a fair goal being that I cook at least five nights a week; however, I'm going to relieve a bit of the pressure by telling myself that I can have shorter entries & maybe just post a recipe, some pictures, or some helpful links as an entry. Below you will find one of my favorite recipes for one of my very favorite foods: risotto.


This risotto is great for two reasons though: one, it includes a fried egg (major weak points for both me & the fiance)& two, there is a second recipe for risotto cakes that utilizes the leftovers. Both are adapted from Bon Apetit, which as you all know I'm a HUGE fan of. I definitely recommend a subscription for easy recipes & some more adventurous ones as well as great stories, tips, restaurant info.

Original Recipe

My adaption (no mushrooms but spinach added)

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons of butter, divided
3/4 cup chopped onion
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
3-6 cups chicken broth, divided
3/4 cup 1/3-inch cubes carrots
2 cups diced trimmed asparagus (a little more than a cup)
1 bunch of fresh spinach (chopped)
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese plus additional for serving
1/2 cup shelled fresh peas or thawed frozen peas
a few sprigs of fresh Italian parsley
1 tablespoon olive oil plus additional for drizzling
4 large eggs


Preparation

Melt 3 tablespoons of butter in large pan. Add the onion and sauté until they begin to soften. Then add the garlic and stir for about a minute. Add the rice and stir until it gets just a little translucent at the edges. This takes about 3 minutes. Once the rice has changed, add the wine & stir it until the liquid is absorbed, Add 1 cup broth, and simmer until the broth is absorbed, stirring frequently. Add the carrots, asparagus, spinach and another cup of broth. Again simmer the mixture until the liquid is absorbed while still stirring frequently. Continue adding broth one cup at a time & stirring until risotto is ready.** I also like to add a final splash of the white wine at the end too. Gives it a little bite at the end.

Now add the cheese to the risotto and season to taste with salt and pepper.

**Just as the last bit of liquid is absorbing into the risotto, heat a tablespoon of oil in a pan. Cook eggs, without turning, until whites are cooked through and yolks are to your liking.

Now place a serving of risotto on each place, create a little well in the rice, place the egg sunny side up in the nest & drizzle olive oil, grate a little fresh cheese, & garnish with a sprig of parsley.

ENJOY!

Stew for the Storm

For those of you who live nearby, you know exactly what storm I'm talking about: Snowtober, but for those of you who don't, we had a little bit of a surprise snowstorm the weekend before Halloween which threw most of us for a loop because of experiencing major power outages for the second time in less than two months.

Of course the storm did create for some interesting food stories whether it was having strange combinations of food with the neighbors as your freeze defrosted or cooking by candlelight, it at least helped ease the frustration....sort of.

Anyways, during the most recent power loss my fiance & I packed up some clothes & essentials to head over to my parents because even though they didn't have power, they at least had a gas stove & a gas fireplace. While the sun was still shining my mom browned up some stew meat & I peeled potatoes for one of my childhood favorites: mom's beef stew. Even though I had made the stew less than a week before the storm, I was definitely up for it on this stormy night.



It did get a bit complicated when mom had to thicken the stew & mash the potatoes while I held the flashlight; however, as we spooned it into bowls & poured glasses of red wine in front of the fire, we knew it was warm & well worth it.

Beef Stew
1-1 1/2 lbs of chuck meat (cut into small cubes)
Olive Oil
6 Cups of Water
2 Large Knorr Beef Bouillon Cubes
2-3 Tbs of Flour
1 Tbs. of Butter
Carrots (cut into 1 inch pieces)
Celery (cut into 1 inch pieces)

Cut meat & trim the fat. Heat olive oil in a dutch oven & brown meat. Add water & bouillon & then bring to a boil. Simmer 1 1/2-2 hours. Once broth a reduced, make a paste out of the flour & butter. Turn stew up high, add in paste a little at a time, and whisk vigorously to avoid lumps. When liquid is a good consistency, add vegetables and simmer for approximately 15-20 minutes depending on how crunchy or soft you want your veggies.

Serve with mashed potatoes or egg noodles & warm up while the snow falls outside :)

Chicken Cordon Bleu for the College Roomies

I made this last night & if I had time, I would have sat down while eating & written my post because it instantaneously reminded me of why I love food. Well one of the many reasons I love food: the memories it so often creates. Chicken Cordon Bleu was one of my favorite meals that my mom made, and when I headed off to college, she sent me, along with my millions of other things, with four already made frozen pieces in a little aluminum tray.

Shortly after making friends with the girls next door & returning from my first visit home in early October, I decided to share. Well, let me tell you, after eating my mom's chicken cordon bleu, those girls next door became friends for life. In fact, I pretty much brought them back a whole meal of it every time I came back from home. When we moved off campus together as juniors, this meal was obviously a popular request. So I soon learned how to make it, and was preparing it quite often at 395 South College Ave.

Now, every time I make it, I find my mind wandering back to the college years and my friends Ash & Laurie (aka Tort), and most times end up calling them shortly after I make it. It's the perfect go to for a delicious meal that impresses everyone & could possibly make you a few friends. Enjoy!

Ingredients
6 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Thighs
6 Slices of Ham & 6 Slices of Cheese (I use American because I don't like Swiss)
1 Cup of Italian Bread Crumbs
1/2 Cup of Parmesan Cheese
1/2 Cup of Butter
2 tbs. of Dijon Mustard
1 tbs. of Worcestershire Sauce

"Stuff" chicken w/ one slice of ham & one slice of cheese & hold together with two toothpicks.
Melt butter & mix with mustard, & Worcestershire sauce.
Mix Parmesan cheese & bread crumbs.
Dip chicken in dijon sauce & role in bread crumb/cheese mixture.
Place chicken in baking dish & pour and leftover dijon sauce on top of chicken before baking.

Bake at 350 for 45-60 minutes

Aaaahhhhh Avocado

For those of you who don't know me, I have a serious love affair with avocado. I love it...anytime anywhere. I can be considered a guacamole snob because of this (i.e. I want nothing to do with it if there aren't chunks of real avocado happening), and many have suggested I move to California where apparently they put it on everything. However, that won't be happening any time soon.




Anyways, a few years ago I fell in love with an omelet at a restaurant in LBI...you know the famous Uncle Will's. There is ALWAYS a line at this place, and believe me if everyone knew about this omelet, the line would be even worse. Because of this though my visits to Uncle Will's are not particularly frequent and must be timed appropriately.

Yesterday though, I came up with a BRILLIANT idea...hello make the omelet at home, and being that I had leftovers from a Cobb Salad I made the night before, it was a fantastic plan. So below follows the ingredients & recipe for the MOST delicious omelet you will ever eat!

Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper
3 Egg Whites
Freshly shredded cheddar cheese (none of that bagged stuff)
Chunks of Chicken (Uncle Will's uses grilled...I pulled chunks from oven roasted chicken & thought it was better because the chicken was juicier)
Diced Avocado (a little less than what you would garner from a 1/2 an avocado)

In a small bowl combine, diced avocado, chicken , and shredded cheddar cheese. Add salt & pepper to this mixture & set aside.

Now separate the yolks of three eggs & lightly coat a pan with olive oil. Pour in your three egg whites & cook over medium heat. Once the omelet is firm, put your ingredients in the center & fold over the edges. Turn down the heat & cover until the cheese melts.

I'm telling you, you won't regret it!

Cheddar & Pepper

This is a delicious, fresh, easy appetizer to make any time of year, but particularly for a summer bbq or when you return from a day at the beach. A summer favorite of my family & friends we've had this three times in the past two weeks, the most recent being yesterday.

After scooping up every last morsel, I asked my mom, "Where did this come from?" And she told me it was my Aunt Louise's recipe. I was shocked. I didn't know my Aunt Louise could cook, let alone come up with a delicious recipe like this one. My Aunt Louise (actually my great aunt) was a character & never in my wildest imagination did my thoughts of her involve cooking. She was a drinking, swearing, cigarette smoking card player who stole our pennies at poker & our candy at Halloween.

We sure did love her though. She was wild & a great partner for my grandmother. My brother and I were always thrilled to be picked up for an evening with the two ladies or babysat by them while my parents went out, because after all, according to my grandmother & Aunt Louise, my dad was simply an old fart.

So thanks for the memories & now, the delicious recipe too Aunt Louise!

Two Green Bell Peppers
One Block of Sharp Cheddar Cheese
Mayonaise

Dice the peppers into small cubes & shred the cheese. Combine in a bowl with enough mayo to hold. Serve with triscuits & watch it be devoured :)!

Sweet Summer Side

The summer job is almost over, so it's time to get in the saddle & get the recipes going. Here is a family favorite that my mom came up with a few years ago after having soft shell crabs served over it at a local restaurant (now closed). She came home raving about it & then did her very best to imitate it. I never tasted the original, but man is this version delicious!!



http://www.flickr.com/photos/jdickert/852904568/

1/2 a stick of butter
Four Ears of Corn
3 Zucchini
1/2 Cup of Light Cream
3-4 Cloves of Garlic
Freshly grated Parmesan

Slice zucchini in thin rounds. Melt butter in large saute pan and add zucchini along with some salt & pepper. Stir occasionally until zucchini softens. In the meantime, cut corn off the cob. Throw into pan & heat through. Mince and add the garlic & stir for a few minutes (until garlic aroma begins). Add cream & let warm until ingredients become "stewy". Grate cheese over & serve. Sometimes I also add a shake or two of nutmeg; either way, this is a great side for seafood or beef. Enjoy it all summer long :)!

Simple Summer Fish

In the spirit of summer & another season at LBI, I must discuss the easiest most delicious fish recipe ever. Talk about quintessential summer baby....this is IT! I do make this all year round, but the first time I ever threw it all together was a couple years ago when I was living by myself in LBI for the summer, and I do make it more frequently in the summer months because it's one of those oven options that you can also wrap in foil & throw on the grill.

In case you aren't familiar with Long Beach Island & my love affair with it. Here's a quick little explanation of how it all came to be: LBI is located about 25-30 miles north of Atlantic City off the coast of the great old state of New Jersey. The island is 18 miles and long and at most, if not all points, it's less than a 1/2 mile wide (ocean on one side & bay on the other). It's separated into a bunch of quaint little towns that all pretty much possess a local sandwich/bagel shop, a pizzeria, and of course ice cream in walking distance.

I would imagine my affinity for LBI started in the womb, since my grandfather tended to a church in Harvey Cedars (one of the small towns on the island) long before I was born. However, the pre-birth crush turned into a long standing love affair as my family returned here summer after summer. My family still rents the very same house on 42nd St., right next to the OH Fudge candy store, that they have been renting since I was born. However, once I graduated from college I began summering down here with my friends. I taught & coached swimming at a local yacht club & fell head over heels in love with every inch of the island as I spent much of my time here alone when my friends returned north for their jobs. I sipped coffee on the deck, threw fish on the grill, and strolled to the ice cream store more often alone than with friends or loved ones, so I found a friend in the quiet mornings & the crashing waves that would so often whisper me to sleep. There is a magic here that somehow always makes me whole again, and each time I make a simple summer fish dish it brings a little glimmer of that magic to wherever I am & whoever I'm with.

Enjoy...

Fish (Tilapia, Flounder, Cod, Halibut)
White Wine (I use Sauvignon Blanc b/c that's what I drink so there's always some in the fridge)
Two Lemons
Two Garlic Cloves (minced)
Parsley
Salt & Pepper
Butter
Capers (If you have them...sometimes I feel like them, sometimes I don't)

Season fish on both sides with Kosher salt & fresh ground pepper
Place fish in baking clear baking dish
Pour 1/2 cup-1 cup of wine into dish (fish shouldn't float, but good amount of wine)
Squeeze the juice of an entire lemon into dish
Add garlic to liquid/fish
Cut 1 tbs. of butter for each piece of fish & put on top
Slice 1/2 of second lemon & put slice of lemon on top of each pat of butter
Put remainder of lemon around dish
Sprinkle w/ parsley

Bake in oven @ 350 for about 20 minutes. The broth is to die for so you can put over pasta, quinoa, or spinach. I like all of them.