The Dinner Not Eaten-3/21/10

In all the days I've blogged about my cooking, I've never had a day like today. A friend invited us last night to come play tennis in their neighborhood at 7:00 tonight. The invitation did not mention a cookout. As I was finishing dinner around 6:15 tonight, the same friend called and asked where we were. The plan had changed and a group of our friends had begun grilling out at the tennis courts around 6:00 and they wanted us to join them. She'd forgotten to call me back and let me know of the change. Richard heard about the cookout and immediately asked if dinner could wait a night. I'd finished making it already but we hadn't sat down to eat so I agreed. Here are my pictures of the dinner not eaten. I did take a few bites to review the recipes but most of this meal will be eaten tomorrow from leftover dishes. I took the brownies to the tennis cookout as our last minute contribution.

The main dish I made tonight, the Chicken Cutlets with Asparagus, Capers, and Shallots on page 49 of this month's Bon Appetit, was pretty ho hum. It was put up against some pretty tough competition. Our friend, Cody, spent the day smoking ribs. Arlene and Matt visited a local independent butcher for some amazing hamburgers. In its defense, the chicken was moist and the light lemony sauce was good on the vegetables. It was just not fair to put this weeknight dish against some really great barbecue classics on the first really warm weekend of the year.

The Vegetable Slaw on page 22 was worthy of bringing to the cookout. (In retrospect, why didn't I?) The mix of greens had good variety of flavor and good crunch. The sweet-sour dressing was light and coated the colorful slaw well. The different flavors of the sesame and safflower oil prevented the dressing from just tasting "oily".

I was not as impressed by the Chocolate-Orange Brownies on page 21. I like my brownies gooey and these brownies were very dry, almost cake like. The orange flavor was a bit strange and didn't really complement the chocolate. They also didn't seem to bake well. The middle collapsed and the edges were too crispy in the time given.

Chicken Cutlets with Asparagus, Capers, and Shallots-B

Vegetable Slaw-A-

Chocolate-Orange Brownies-D

Ekalaka, Montana-3/19/10

I've only been to the state of Idaho for about 6 hours. So I can't speak much to the beauty of the state but the pictures from the article "Backcountry Bolognese" in this month's Bon Appetit reminded me of the summer I was a camp activities director in Ekalaka, Montana. This tiny town in southeastern Montana epitomizes the vastness of the West. We drove for several hours on a dirt road just to get to the camp. The quiet that was broken only by the whistle of the wind was starkly beautiful. The pictures of this article reminded me of that summer and the special energy that fills this amazing part of the world.

The menu began with a Smoked Trout Crostini with Grilled Fennel and Red Onions. I couldn't find smoked trout at the local grocery store so I asked a smoked tuna to stand in. It worked in my opinion. Richard is less of a fish fan but I did notice he reached for another helping after his "sample". The fennel and onion were muted in the roasting and didn't overpower the more mild smoked fish.

Last year Richard gave me a pasta maker and I don't get to play with it quite as much as I would like. I got to play with it today. The Pappardelle was fun to make because of the more free form of the noodles. This kept the noodles from sticking together, a problem I haven't quite figured out how to avoid. The Bolognese Sauce was very meaty and a bit salty but very good. It coated the noodles well and stood up to the extra richness of the homemade pasta. I made the full recipe and was able to freeze quite a bit for later.

The Arugula Salad with Caramelized Onions, Goat Cheese, and Candied Walnuts is a salad with all kinds of things going for it. I loved every component of this salad and could have eaten lots more. It was a bit of a chore to make each component and took a bit longer than the average salad but it was worth it. The croutons weren't any better than store-bought and could have saved a few minutes and a few dishes.

The dessert with this menu was a bit simplistic and though easy, anticlimactic. Basically, ice cream with a coffee-chocolate sauce, there isn't much else to say. It was good but a bit too basic for gourmet. After a long day of backcountry skiing, I'd like to reward myself with a few more calories.

Smoked Trout Crostini with Grilled Fennel and Red Onions-B

Homemade Pappardelle with Bolognese Sauce-A-

Arugula Salad with Caramelized Onions, Goat Cheese, and Candied Walnuts-A

Ice Cream Sundaes with Chocolate-Coffee Sauce-B-

The Leprechaun Did It-3/17/10

Seriously, I did not just make an entire St. Patrick's Day meal and forget to take pictures. Blame it on the leprechaun. He stole my before shots. If nothing else, these pictures prove the meal was edible. There is a handy little menu guide at the back of each Bon Appetit magazine that gives suggestions for menus that do not appear as a set in the magazine. There was not an article about St. Patrick's Day but there was a nostalgic article about the food of Ireland written by Andrew McCarthy of '80's movie fame. Guess the guy can act and write. In my own three trips to Ireland, I cannot wax nostalgic about brown bread or the pounds of potatoes I ate, served in many forms. As I sit here, I remember the scenery and very little about the food (other than the copious amount of potato dishes and excellent beer). Maybe I'll have to plan my next trip to be a bit more gourmet.

The main dish recommended for the St. Patrick's menu, the Braised Pork Shoulder with Potato-Fennel Puree on page 68 of this month's Bon Appetit was part of another menu in the magazine but worked well because of the addition of a potato based side. I don't remember seeing very many pigs in Ireland but I sure ate a lot of sausages so they must have hidden them somewhere. I rarely roast whole sides of pork and always worry about under cooking them but the pork was perfectly cooked in the time given. It was moist and flavorful and looked much better than my picture. The Potato-Fennel Puree looked a bit odd if you are expecting mashed potatoes. The fennel had roasted to a dark brown but the result was a much deeper flavor than mashed potatoes. I really enjoyed the puree, though a little creamy Irish butter would have perfected it.

Mrs. O'Callaghan's Soda Bread was the object of Mr. McCarthy's deep affection but I was not as well... affectionate. I found the bread dry and would have liked even a simple caraway sprinkling on the crust or a raisin or two to add interest. My other frustration was that the center looked undercooked even after the called for cooking time. I've made better soda breads (see last year's St. Patrick's post).

The dessert choice for this menu was a refreshingly different but very appropriate choice. The Meyer Lemon Shortcakes with Meyer Lemon Curd and Mixed Citrus "Marmalade" was the British Isles personified. The combination of shortcakes, lemon curd, and marmalade was delightful. I'd never made marmalade and was pretty pleased with my results. The lemon curd was simple to made and had that sour-sweet combination that perks up a heavy dessert. The best part of the dessert though was the shortcakes. These mildly sweet biscuits with a wonderfully light texture were so good I've had one by itself as writing this blog post. Thankfully, the leprechauns didn't steal my leftovers.

Braised Pork Shoulder with Potato-Fennel Puree-A

Mrs. O'Callaghan's Soda Bread-C-

Meyer Lemon Shortcakes with Meyer Lemon Curd and Mixed Citrus "Marmalade"-A

Martha Stewart Does NOT Do Baseboards-3/16/10

In the doctor's office yesterday, I randomly picked up an old copy of some Martha Stewart magazine. Suffice it to say, it was from September so it had been sitting in that office for awhile. At the beginning of the magazine was a short column that ostensibly was Martha's actual calendar for the month. Out of curiosity I read the entries. Yoga with Michael, I could believe. Laundering and storing away the summer weight blankets sounded like a totally Martha thing to do. But wipe down trim and baseboards, I ain't buying! There is no way Martha Stewart actually wipes down the trim and baseboards in her numerous homes. Pays someone else to do it, maybe, but Martha hasn't done that in years, if ever. Believe me, I like looking through cooking, gardening, and home design magazines as much as the next girl but not one of the meals, gardens, or homes featured in these magazines are the product of one very creative and extremely neat person. It's just not realistic. Martha Stewart has a team of people that do this stuff for her. So please, don't try to deceive the hard working average woman who by herself is trying to feed her family, take care of her yard, and clean her house into thinking Martha Stewart or any other icon of domesticity is some isolated Superwoman. That's just cruel.
I'm just amazed I finished dinner and a film crew visiting my house would have been vastly disappointed. I watched my friend's daughter, Joanie, and added a cute picture of her enjoying dinner. Let's just not guess what it looked like under her chair when she was done. Martha would not have approved.
Tonight's dinner was a big hit with the under-3 set but the adults really like it too. I made the Eggplant Parmesan Rolls with Swiss Chard and Fresh Mint on page 73 of this month's Bon Appetit. The best part of this dish was that it was totally vegetarian but you didn't even notice. The eggplant was meaty and the robust tomato sauce gave you flavor galour. I was a bit nervous that the chard would be to gritty for the girls but baked up in creamy ricotta, you hardly noticed the rougher texture of the chard. This was a great dish.
Dessert was actually more popular with the little ones than the adults. The Chocolate, Almond, and Banana Parfaits were a bit too rich for my style. I got through the first layer but had no desire to eat the second. The chocolate sauce was the kicker. I'd made the angel food cake from a mix and it was good but just too much. Eyrleigh and Joanie didn't get through their desserts either but they sure loved every bite.

Eggplant Parmesan Rolls with Swiss Chard and Fresh Mint-A-
Chocolate, Almond, and Banana Parfaits-B-

Define an Amateur-3/15/10

When I began to blog about my cooking, I was a bit naive. I thought my blog would eventually serve the same purpose as my husband Richard's triathlon blog, to get to know an online community of people interested in the same things as I was. That hasn't really happened and I long ago gave up being frustrated about it. You see, cooking blogs aren't really for amateurs. An amateur is defined as a person who does something as a pastime or hobby, not for income. Every cooking blog I've come across is not amateur, that's for sure. Check out any blog list online at Bon Appetit or Food and Wine. The blogs connected to these sites are hard-core and designed to sell. The authors of these blogs have careers and/or educations as writers, chefs, photographers, and many even work in the web design arena. That's tough to compete with when you are a stay-at-home mom who got her degrees in education. Having a super cheap digital camera probably doesn't help either. I'm sure there are some other true amateurs out there, people like me who love food and use writing about it as a creative outlet. If you are out there, and ever read this blog, give me a shout. I'd love to hear from you but until then, I'll just keep writing to Stacy and hoping I can convince her to come to Georgia to have dinner soon. (Love you, Stac!)

Tonight's dinner did not rank in the annals of blogging fame for difficulty. I made the Pineapple-Glazed Chicken with Jalapeno Salsa from page 34 of this month's Bon Appetit. I'd originally planned to make this meal over at my friend Devi's house but I forgot I had to watch Dylan (see the 8/26 post where Dylan and Eyrleigh helped make ice cream) and wouldn't get to her house in time. That said, this dish was super easy and super fast and I feel bad for canceling. I totally could have pulled it off. The chicken was simply baked in the pineapple juice and came out moist and beautifully browned. The salsa was excellent and not too sweet or spicy. Richard and I finished it off, though it was meant to serve 4. It took no time to put together and the flavors blended well immediately without chilling.

For dessert, I made the Coconut Creme Brulee on page 22 of this month's Bon Appetit. The coconut flavor was distinctive even though the solid coconut had been strained out. My only complaint was that the custard was a bit lumpy. As always, this could have been an error on my end but I really followed the directions quite closely so I don't know what happened. I did mess up on the top. I don't have a kitchen torch that works so I used the broiler. My rack was too low and so it took much longer to heat the sugar and in fact, I didn't get it hot enough. The top didn't have that distinctive crack, more like a crumble. Oh well, guess that's what you get for being amateur.

Pineapple Glazed Chicken with Jalapeno Salsa-B+

Coconut Creme Brulee-B-

South of the Border-3/12/10

I love Mexican food. How can you go wrong with lots of cheese, avocados, and slow cooked meat? My mom credits me with introducing our family to Mexican food. There were no Mexican restaurants in our part of New Hampshire when I was a kid. One night, I used the kid's cookbook "Meals from Many Lands" and made tacos. The local grocery store had an Old El Paso kit. That may not have been all that authentic but we were introduced to some basic components of a cuisine I now eat often several times a week. Tonight, I made a Tex-Mex dinner that combines Mexican flavors with an American classic, cornbread. The Pork and Poblano Tamale Pie in this month's Bon Appetit was a slow roasted pork-filled flavorful version of this classic. This recipe took a lot of dishes and took almost 3 hours so I wouldn't say it was quick or easy, but it was very good. I was a bit worried about the jalapeno pepper but it mellowed out in baking. It was a bit too spicy for Eyrleigh but certainly not too spicy for Richard and I. The only complaint Richard and I had was that the cornbread layer was too thick and there was not enough yummy filling.

Pork and Poblano Tamale Pie-A-

Kids Aplenty (and why did I not photograph them?)-3/11/10

Most of the cooking I have done for this blog has been eaten by 3 people. That's Richard, Eyrleigh, and me. I would love to have people over more often but there are a few things that give me pause. First, I'm never 100% sure how each meal will taste. I'm usually very impressed with most things I make from Bon Appetit magazine but every once in a while, I get a dud. I'd hate to make a dud for guests.

Next, I make a huge mess when I cook. I can't help it. I use too many dishes, don't clean as I go, and often spill something while trying to go quickly. It's very embarrassing to have guests see my really messy kitchen.

Finally, I never think to invite people until the last minute. I just don't think that far ahead most of the time. When I do invite people ahead of time, I get nervous about the two other things I just mentioned.

Well, tonight I had my friend, Jenn, over and her kids, Christian and Callie. Jenn's husband, Gregg, has been in New Zealand for work for the last week. On the rare occasions that Richard is out of town, the evenings are the hardest. Eyrleigh's starting to get tired and I'm not as patient as I was earlier in the day. It's a bad combination and I was hoping I could spare Jenn some of the same difficulty. It was great to have her over and I was pretty well prepared for tonight's dinner. The kitchen was reasonably clean and I'd warned Jenn that the risotto would take a bit of stirring.
I had a yummy kid friendly menu planned from the Family Style article in March's Bon Appetit. The menu began with an Edamame Dip with Pita Chips. This is where I wish I'd taken pictures of the kids. Callie was in love with this dip. Her mouth was ringed with green and she sat by the table asking for more. This dip was super simple and very good. The store was out of fresh basil so I just skipped it altogether. I made my own pita chips but there is not a big difference between homemade and store bought. This dip will definitely resurface in my resume.

The Fennel and Celery Salad with Pumpkin Seeds was creative and had great crunch. The kids weren't real fond of it but the adults enjoyed it. The Parmesan cheese was a nice balance for the rather mild flavor of the fennel and celery. The light citrus dressing was easy and allowed the other flavors to balance.

The Primavera Risotto Nests with Fried Eggs were good but a strange main. I could see this meal making a good brunch. The risotto was chock full of vegetables while still having a rich creaminess to attract the kids. The fried egg added protein but as Richard commented, once you ate the egg, you wanted a bit more. Without the egg, the risotto became more a side than a main. The dish was good but something was missing. It sure wasn't the kids!

Edamame Dip with Pita Chips-A

Fennel and Celery Salad with Pumpkin Seeds-B-

Primavera Risotto Nests with Fried Eggs-B

Making Do-3/10/10

When I wrote my last post about what I made for dinner, I fully expected to finish the five recipes I had left from February and write a somewhat clever summary about the month's Bon Appetit recipes. Well, life doesn't always go as I've planned it. On Friday, February 26th, I learned that my only brother, Ben, had taken his life. For the next 10 days, I ate food made by other people who know that, though nothing heals the hurt of death, the gift of food gives those who grieve one less thing to think about. I love my brother and I really miss him. It makes me so sad to think that he ended his life because he loved nothing enough to keep living. Depression is like that. You can't see the great love around you and you no longer feel great love. I have so much in my life I love, my husband, my daughter, my parents, my friends, reading books, waking up late, cooking, and even writing this blog. I could go on.

Tonight, as I was making my first real meal since returning home, I realized something. It began when I carried a whiny Eyrleigh, just up for her nap, toward the car to run to the store. It was almost 5. I thought about the list in my pocket and began to calculate leeks for onions, got that... not enough tuna, but I have crab... no chips, but I have Ritz crackers. I turned around, took Eyrleigh back inside and made dinner with what I had.

That's a bit like life after you lose someone you love. You make do with what you got. The recipe doesn't taste the same. It feels like something is missing. But one day you make a substitution that tastes surprisingly good and though you will always miss the original, you begin to find the recipe is beginning to taste better again.
Tonight's dinner of Tuna Noodle Casserole with Leeks and Fresh Dill from page 77 of March's Bon Appetit was really good with a few substitutions. I had no leeks so I used onions. I had no fresh dill but I did have dried dill. I had only one 3-ounce bag of tuna but I had some canned crab meat to add to make enough meat. The Ritz crackers were whole wheat and were a healthier substitute for potato chips. All the substitutions worked, though the crabmeat was more mild in flavor than the tuna. The roux was a prefect consistency and didn't add a lot of time over the traditional recipe.

My dessert, the Blood Orange Polenta Upside-Down Cake with Whipped Creme Fraiche on page 91, had some substitutions too. Blood oranges are not easy to find. I just used regular navel oranges. I replaced the creme fraiche with sour cream, something I almost always do in cooking magazine recipes. The thing I was most proud of about this recipe is catching the caramelized sugar at just the right point. The color was perfect and though I should have sliced the oranges thinner, the top was perfect when inverted. The cake was good too, not overly sweet or gritty. One warning is to wrap the leftover cake well immediately after eating. It dries out quite quickly.

Tuna Noodle Casserole With Leeks and Fresh Dill-B+

Blood Orange Polenta Upside-Down Cake with Whipped Creme Fraiche-B+