Monday, February 28, 2011

Silence About the Lambs

I'll never forget one night when the Kid was about 4 and we were having Tilapia for dinner. She loved the stuff and we grilled it quite a bit that summer along with some roasted veggies. One of these nights, while we were eating it out on the patio, husband said, "Can you pass the fish?" She said, "Daddy, its not fish, its tilapia." It was also the summer that she loved the movies Finding Nemo and Cars and I guess we had just never really had that talk with her that "tilapia" was Nemo's cousin and as they say, "what you don't know, can't hurt you" (or create drama that your mama has to deal with.)

Remembering this story last week, I was feeling a bit nervous about how I was going to tell her what was for dinner that night, Roast Lamb (pg. 200). Now we've had a few other lamb recipes but somehow the fact that lamb was in it just never came up. I guess I also hesitate a little at the thought of eating the cute little fuzzy baby sheep and maybe a bit of this thinking that she'll "freak out" is really just me projecting some of my own feelings onto her.

What happened next is quite surprising. I have this cool cookbook stand and I've gotten in the habit of opening the Food Revolution book to the page of the next recipe and sitting it on the counter. The Kid spotted what we were having and kept saying it over and over again. "Mom, when will the lamb be ready?" "Mom, what does lamb taste like?" Each time she did I corrected her and said, "Let's just call it roast, please?" So maybe she doesn't have as much trouble with this as I do. The "Roast" was prepared like all of the others in this chapter and it turned out so, so good. Kid LOVED it (shocking right?), she even had a second helping. Husband loved it too. To go with it, I made Mint Sauce (pg.210) and Baked French Potatoes (pg. 224). The Mint Sauce was fine but mine seemed to turn out a bit more watery than Jamie's. The Baked French Potatoes were surprisingly tasty and reminded us of french onion soup.

I'm shocked at how much my family loved this dinner. I definitely underestimated the Roast Lamb. I think I was also reminded of an important parenting lesson, don't make your "stuff" into their "stuff."

Recipes cooked: 146
Recipes left: 27
Days left: 13

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Curry by a Klutz

Haven't we all had one of those days where you feel like the biggest klutz in the world? One of those days where everything you touch drops to the floor and every time you lift your foot to take a step you trip? I have a lot of these days. I imagine my mother could see that being a klutz was going to be a problem so when I was 4 years old she put me in dance class. But, after 24 years of ballet and then 10 years of yoga I still have some pretty rough days in the klutz department. The day I made Jamie's Thai Green Curry (pg. 91) was one of those days. Everything I touched I dropped, every time I stirred the curry there was a spatter. It's amazing I sat down to the dinner table with all fingers and toes intact. The shame of it is that this is a really easy recipe and the fact that it is loaded with green stuff made the mom in me feel extra happy. Of course that was a bit overshadowed by the fact that I made such a huge mess making it and that I had made a really easy recipe rather difficult.

Even the grocery shopping seemed easy. I bought asparagus, a pound of frozen shrimp, a can of coconut milk, scallions and some lemongrass. The only spice I didn't have on hand was coriander seeds so I bought those too. The other ingredients: peanut oil, sesame oil, soy sauce, snow peas, a lime, garlic, a piece of ginger and cilantro I seem to usually have in my kitchen now. This would not have been the case a year ago but my grocery shopping seems to have gotten to the point now where I always have certain things on hand or at least seem to know when I need them even when they are not in a recipe.

To make the curry paste you combine the peeled and crushed lemongrass stalks, trimmed scallions, garlic, ginger, seeds and cilantro in a food processor until it is finely chopped. (Jamie also calls for green chile but I omitted this in hopes that the kids would eat it if it wasn't too spicy. When I make it again, I will add the chile). It smells so good! That lemongrass is really cool stuff! While chopping, add the soy sauce and fish sauce and keep mixing until it becomes a smooth paste.
After your paste is made, snap the ends off the asparagus and slice lengthwise. I would cut them in half too. In a pan on high heat add the oils and when they are hot add the shrimp and then the asparagus and paste. Pour in the coconut milk and snow peas and bring to a boil. Squeeze in the lime juice and you're done.

Doesn't it sound easy? Now insert into the above paragraph several splatters, a dropped knife that missed my toes by an inch, an emergency trip to the store because my cilantro was yucky, a near boil over and you'd see how I made this easy recipe way too difficult.

Recipes cooked: 143
Recipes left: 30
Days left: 16

Monday, February 21, 2011

Valentine's Day Part 2

About a week before Valentine's Day I was at the pharmacy with the Baby waiting for a passport picture to be ready. I was really frustrated and not having a good day. It was our second (of three) attempts to get passport pictures and I was tired of dealing with incompetent high-school drop-out teens who were wasting my time and money. This guy was better than the first but he was understaffed and I was starting to lose my patience with him too. Baby had earlier in the week started this thing where he wants to do everything "I myself." I was getting a lot of "You stay her mommy, I do it I myself." This is fine except when we're in a store. Since we had some time to kill I thought I'd give him a bit of space and see where he thought he wanted to go. He wandered down an aisle and again said, "I be right back mommy, I do it I myself." "What are you doing, honey?" "I getting Mommy present." He came back with a little box of Whitman's chocolate with a football on the front of it. I practically started bawling right there and of course I bought him, I mean me, the very special present. I was still gushing at what my little romantic had done that day when Husband came home. "Hummphf!" he grumbled. I think he felt like this 2 year old was showing him up a bit. You could tell he was feeling a bit of pressure for the upcoming holiday and the next day I had a "First Day of Valentine's" note and 1 cookie. This went on all week: two movie tickets, three chocolate hearts, 4 Shakespeare sonnets, 5 StarBUCKS, 6 roses and 7 love songs. It was so sweet but by the end of the week, as February 14 drew closer, I was now the one feeling some pressure. So, Valentine's morning I gave husband an invite to dinner. When he brought the kid home from dance class that night, the baby was in bed and the kid turned into a hostess and seated him at our dining room table. She gave him the evening's menu and served him water and a bread basket while I finished preparing Spanish-Style Steak (pg. 235) and Posh Chopped Salad (pg. 122). Then, I plated the dinner, took off my apron and snuck around to the front door so Kid could seat me too. While we ate the yummy steak and salad, Kid serenaded us on her violin and then put herself to bed. She loved helping and later told us it was the best night ever.
So, what started with a little box of chocolates ended up being a very fun and romantic week in our house.

Recipes cooked: 142
Recipes left: 31
Days left: 19

Valentine's Day Part 1

Valentine's Day Part 1
My mom started a tradition with the Kid of celebrating her half-birthday which falls on Valentine's Day. When she was small we'd order half a cake from the bakery. For the last three years, we've had a Valentine's Day Tea Party for her and her friends. They dress up and I serve a traditional English Tea. I love tea. I love scones and tea sandwiches and little sugar cubes (those cool little pincher things are always the hit of the party). I knew when I bought Jamie's book 11 months ago that the Fruit Scone recipe (pg.331)would be saved until Valentine's Day and the 3rd annual Tea Party for Kid. Scones are so easy to make. Before my cooking adventure they were the only thing I could make and not screw up. This recipe was nice, easy, and made delicious scones. I made them that morning and cooked them just before the guests arrived. We topped them with Jam and Whipped Cream and of course served with tea and some fresh fruit. Here's a link to the recipe I used. Give it a try…

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1076329/Fruit-scones.html

Recipes cooked: 140
Recipes left: 33
Days left: 20

Friday, February 18, 2011

Trial by Fire

I suppose it was bound to happen. There was a fire in my kitchen. I am usually a person that is good in tense or emergency situations but to say I lost my cool on this one would be an understatement. Let me start from the beginning…

I was making Broiled Trout Topped with Mustard and Oats (pg. 253) and Kid was helping me. We were doing great and it was a very easy prep. After drizzling a pan with olive oil you lay the trout fillets skin side down on the pan and season them with salt and pepper. Next, you smear a spoonful of Dijon mustard over each fillet. In a bowl you put a couple of handfuls of old-fashioned oats, drizzle with olive oil and toss, coating the oats in the oil. Sprinkle the coated oats over the fillets, give a pat and a last drizzle of olive oil. After this, we put our pan of trout in the oven under the broiler. Then next thing I knew something didn't seem right and I opened the oven door to check on the fish. Flames spewed out. And that's when I lost it. I won't embarrass myself anymore than that. I really, really lost my cool and everything that I knew I should do went out of my head. Husband came in, turned everything off and we waited for the fire to lose its oxygen supply and go out. When he finally took the pan out, I was still shaking.
"So, I guess we're ordering pizza?"
Husband scraped off the charred oats, checked the fish to make sure it was done and said, "No, it will be great!"
And it was!

Recipes cooked: 139
Recipes left: 34
Days left: 22

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

"Faked" Potato Soup

So, you know the trick where you mash up cauliflower to trick your family into thinking its mashed potatoes? I felt like this recipe accomplished the same thing. Cauliflower and Cheese Soup (pg. 136), once blended, makes a very close cousin to Potato Soup, add some crumbled bacon on top and they are almost like twins. My sister and I put this simple recipe together during their visit last week. It should have taken a short 20-30 minutes but with the two babies running around it took us double that to get it on the table. The good news was that we ate in peace and quiet while they were napping and had a nice sister chat…that never happens!

Recipes cooked: 138
Recipes left: 35
Days left: 23

Sunday, February 13, 2011

My Last 20-minute Meal

Well, not really but I did make the last one in that chapter, Spicy Moroccan Stewed Fish with Couscous (pg. 26). I was intrigued by this one because Jamie writes, "…a good thing to give the kids for dinner" and lets be honest, don't we all want to know what Jamie Oliver feeds his kids?
During my search to find the recipe online I found out that it was featured in Cooking Light this time last year, along with a story about Food Revolution. I need to go check it out!

Recipes cooked: 137
Recipes left: 36
Days left: 25

Spicy Moroccan Stewed Fish with Couscous pg. 26
Food Revolution by: Jamie Oliver

1 c uncooked couscous (I used whole wheat couscous)
3 T olive oil, divided
3 T fresh lemon juice, divided
3/4 t salt, divided
1/4 t freshly ground black pepper, divided
1 c boiling water
12 oz halibut (or another white fish or salmon), cut into large chunks
3/4 lb raw large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 t cumin seeds
3/4 t ground cinnamon
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 fresh hot red chili pepper, thinly sliced
1/2 c clam juice
1 14/5 oz can diced tomatoes, drained
1/2 c frozen green peas
First, prepare the couscous: Place couscous in a medium bowl; add 1 T oil, 2 T lemon juice, 1/4 t salt, and 1/8 t pepper. Pour boiling water over couscous; cover and let stand for 10 minutes. Fluff with fork before serving.
Next, prepare the seafood: Sprinkle 1/4 t salt and 1/8 t pepper over fish. Toss shrimp with 1/4 t salt.
Then, prepare the stew: In a large skillet, warm 3 T oil over medium heat. Add cumin seeds, cinnamon, garlic, and chili pepper. Cook for 2 minutes, then layer the following ingredients: fish, shrimp, and tomatoes. Cook for 5 min. Add peas and cook for 5 more min.
Serve the stew over couscous and enjoy!

Friday, February 11, 2011

30 days hath September…

You know the rest. April, June and November. All the rest have 31 except February. Right. Except February! Why does the last month in my journey have to be the shortest? That being said, I need to be in the kitchen, people! No time for typing today so let's get on with it….

Yesterday I made the last stew recipe. I really loved these recipes and making them in the winter was super special. I know that I will make these again and again. Hot, yummy stew warms you up like no other. This one was Pork & Cider (pg. 180) and I made the Pastry Lid (pg. 184) as a topping. I really liked this one. I used Woodchuck Pear Cider and it was so mild and went perfectly with the pork. The pastry lid took a bit of extra work but it was worth it. It turned out great.
The original recipe is on Jamie's website. To make the pork & cider variety replace the beef with 1 pound of diced stewing pork, use 3 sprigs of sage as your spice and 2 cups of medium-dry hard cider in place of the ale. Cooking time is 2 1/2 hours.

http://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/beef-recipes/beef-and-ale-stew-1

Recipes cooked: 136
Recipes left: 37
Days left: 26

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Amy Had a Little Lamb

This is about my first time cooking grilled lamb chops, specifically Jamie Oliver's Grilled Lamb Chops with Chunky Salsa on page 244 of Food Revolution. I hope it won't be my last but it was a bit stressful. The key, I am told, is to buy very good quality meat. I got mine at Whole Foods. Make sure it is a payday as it will be sure to put a dent in your wallet. I'm really not sure what made it so stressful because it really couldn't have been any easier, maybe it was the fact that I had invested so much money in these four chops! First you heat your grill pan until it is "screaming hot." Cut in half a red chile and two tomatoes and quarter a red bell pepper. Drizzle the lamb chops with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Next you put everything on the grill pan. Start the chops upright with the fatty edges down and start the veggies out on the perimeter with the cut side down. Jamie says that the chops should cook for about 4-5 minutes in total, turning every minute or so and giving them a good press each time you turn them. Here's where I got a bit nervous and wondered what I was doing wrong. My chops took 20 minutes to cook all the way through. I don't know if it was the cut of meat or my pan wasn't hot enough or both but in the meantime the rest of my dinner got cold. Now, the best part was this hot chunky salsa. After the chile, pepper and tomatoes have grilled and charred a bit take them off the grill pan and chop them all up (I did mine in a food processor to save time). Add a bit of olive oil and some basil to your hot salsa and serve on top of the lamb chops. It was delicious!

Recipes cooked: 134
Recipes left: 39
Days left: 30

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Brilliant Fish and Overconfident Rice

Pan-Fried Curried Cod on page 258.
This is a brilliant idea! Its quick, easy and would be a great thing to put on the table during a busy weeknight. Here's how easy:
Sprinkle about 3 Tablespoons of curry powder on a cutting board along with a good pinch of salt and pepper.
Roll 2 chunky cod fillets around in the mixture until they are coated.
Put a pan on high heat and add a pat of butter and a "lug" of olive oil.
Lay the fillets in the pan skin side down. Cook a few minutes on each side, spooning the hot oil on top as you go.
Serve over rice with a spoonful of plain yogurt and some cilantro leaves sprinkled on top. Mmm! Good!

Now, to knock out another recipe I decided to make the garlic and nutmeg rice (pg. 96) to go with the curried cod. Well, it was a bit much. At first I thought that maybe the powerful flavors of the garlic and nutmeg were just the wrong pairing with the curried cod. But, the more I thought about it, I couldn't think of anything that would go well with it. It was like the rice, who should have been a "wingman," was too confident and overpowering for its own good and couldn't get along nicely with others. You know the type…wink. wink.

Recipes cooked: 133
Recipes left: 40
Days left: 32

Monday, February 7, 2011

Saucy with a Chance of Meatballs

My mother-in-law makes the best meatballs and pasta dinners. Its delicious and you can feel the excitement as we sit down around the big table to one of her famous pasta dinners. I have been putting off making Jamie's Meatballs and Pasta on page 151 because 1. it looked like a lot of work and 2. there's no way they could be better than hers. Well, I was right, on both counts. They did feel like a lot of work and they were good but not as good as my mother-in-laws.
1. My mom was visiting the afternoon I made the meatballs. It took three of us to make these probably because I wasn't prepared, got my hands messy and then needed to keep asking husband and my mom for help. I imagine that next time I'd be a bit better at it. Also, mine stuck really bad to the bottom of the pan. Jamie says put a pan on medium heat and maybe mine got too hot. In the beginning, I also had a really hard time maneuvering them around the pan without breaking them into pieces. Again, I should have looked at the pictures. Halfway through I noticed that Jamie moved them around the pan with a fork. I tried this and it worked so much better. So, if you try this, learn from my mistakes, lower the heat and use a fork as you move the meatballs around.
2. I have no idea how my mother-in-law does it but hers are much better. I imagine its a lot of practice, a bit of genetics (her mother was from Sicily) and a lot of love.

Here's the link on Jamie's website if you'd like to give it a try.

http://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/beef-recipes/meatballs-pasta-usa-version-imperial

Recipes cooked: 131
Recipes left: 42
Days left: 34

Sunday, February 6, 2011

Oscar the Grouch Soup

Remember how I told you that blending the previous soups was key to making them yummy and appetizing? Scratch that for this one. I should have know better and followed Jamie's lead by paying more attention to the pictures but I didn't. I ended up with something that looked the color of Oscar the Grouch and probably something that would have lived in his trash can. Don't get me wrong, Lentil and Spinach Soup (pg. 137) was just as tasty but blending the soup made it a bit of a mental challenge to eat. In Jamie's picture its colorful and looks fabulous, mine did not. It didn't really matter since it was just husband and I that ate it but I definitely made a "note to self" if I ever make this again, especially to give to someone.
Recipes cooked: 130
Recipes left: 43
Days left: 35

Saturday, February 5, 2011

Leftover Overload

You'll notice the two entries about my class doesn't mention any new recipes. The need to make one recipe a day and the amount of leftovers in the fridge is really catching up with me. I tried to come up with a few to check off the list that wouldn't require more tupperware and fridge space while we had a few "leftover" nights. Like the super sauces, the oils on page 276 are a huge life saver for quick dinners that aren't boring during the week when you are short on time. These oils can be put on meat or fish but you can also use them over salads, they're a cross between a flavored oil and a dressing. To help make my recipe quota for the week, most of them I've used as a dressing over salad on the side. The last two I had to make were the Asian oil (fresh ginger, 1 T. soy sauce, 1 lime, a few sprigs of cilantro, 1/2 chile and 6 T. olive oil) and Chile and mint (1 chile, few sprigs mint, 8 T. oil, 1/2 lemon). Since we were playing "empty the fridge" this week I made these to go over my salad at lunch time. Both were quite tasty and easy to whip up. I'll definitely make them both again to try on meat.
Recipes cooked: 129
Recipes left: 44
Days left: 38

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Newspaper Hunt

On the morning after my cooking class I got a message from a friend saying, "Great article in the Capital." What?!?!? I had answered some questions via email from a reporter but I had no idea it was out yet. I looked it up online and it was great! I was determined to find a hard copy. Oh, did I mention it was the day after the article was published? Oh, and did I mention it was a snow day and both kids were home!? Our first stop was the grocery store. No papers to be found. I asked at Customer Service and Marsha said, "Hey! Your picture was on the back of the paper! We thought that's why they went so fast!" Load both kids back in the car and head to the drug store. None. Drive down to the book store….none. Okay, the moms out there know what a huge effort this has been so far. I have gotten two kids in and out of the car, one is in a carseat, and slugged through the slushy ice three times now. Its getting to be lunch time and my brood is losing patience with me but I did buy them a little something at the book store to bribe them for one more stop. 7-Eleven. Oh, thank heaven for 7-Eleven. I pulled right up to the door and ran in. YES!!! 5 copies! I took them to the counter. The clerk asked, "You know those are yesterday's papers?" "Yes, its OK." "You want yesterday's papers?" "Yes, please." The guy behind me gives me a second look, "Hey! You're in the paper! I read that yesterday, great article." I'm so glad someone understands.

Here's the link…

http://www.hometownannapolis.com/news/fnw/2011/01/25-49/Mom-cooks-her-way-through-TV-chefs-cookbook.html