The Summer in Winter

I had the most delicious pasta last night. I must confess, I didn't make it. It was pre-made from the gourmet market near our apt. But the label lists all the ingredients so I know what I'm getting. 

Bow tie pasta - tomato sauce - carrots - onions - garlic - olive oil - basil - salt & pepper

They called it Summertime Pasta in Tomato Sauce. It was SO good. It had only just enough sauce, which I like and it tasted SO sweet! I think the carrots helped bring a natural sweetener to it. I had thought I would warm up half for dinner and take the other half for lunch today but it was so good I ate the whole thing! And forgot to take any pics. Now that we got our microwave, I can heat up food quick - yay!!! 

I really love to make my own pasta dinners - with jar sauce jazzed up - but it's just too time consuming during the work week. This will have to do - which is OK by me! 

Bottle Build Up

Stacking wine bottles, or any bottle for that matter, can sometimes be difficult & leading to a disaster. This product, the wedge, looks so so so simple. I'm having a why didn't I think of that moment! 

Available, here!

Hungry-Girl

Perhaps this could have been the title of my last post. HAHA

All kidding aside, I love Hungry Girl. I think I found the site thru another blog. (psst..she's a foodie too, formerly from NY)

Hungry Girl is all things food, but with a healthy spin. They'll tell you what to order at Starbucks if you're watching calories or carbs. What snacks to buy from the market if you're avoiding trans fats. Recipes to replace an unhealthy food. And give honest opinions about how healthy foods taste. And let's face it, some of those healthy foods taste awful! She's done the taste testing for us, thankfully!

Lisa Lillien , the brains behind HG, is just your average chicky, who likes eating and is trying to help us all do it right. Snaps to Lisa! She's not a nutritionist or doctor. It doesn't really matter to me, I like her down to earth, no-nonsene attitude. 

I'm rambling. I subscribe to the daily newsletter and always look forward to reading and learning something new. You should too. 

Where's dinner?

Aside from some breakfasts, I don't know when the last time I cooked a real meal. I made couscous from a BOX last week. A BOX. As in boil water & mix in awful dehydrated stuff. The only fresh addition I made was some halved grape tomatoes. It was not that good. Does anyone else still remember Richard Scarry and his story CousCous the Algerian Detective?? Great children's storybook!! 

I had reason for my culinary insanity. 5 nights of a 5pm - 7:30 class down in the city. So I grabbed quick sandwiches before class, along with a tall skinny Starbucks treat and that was that. I've missed my kitchen.

Oddly enough, I think our fridge has the most stuff in it I've ever seen. The door is full of juices & condiments. And I think a half consumed bottle of champagne. The drawer has veggies and fruits. The shelves are stacked as well. Still, I need a few things if I'm going to start cooking dinner again a few nights a week. For starters, some kinda meat. Recipe searching soon is a must. 

Oh...and there's a new addition to our kitchen! A post & pics to follow later this week. After I cook something! 

(pic credit - amazon.com)

NY Baking

If the New York Social Diary went here, NY Cake & Baking Dist., I shall go too!

I think I solved my desire for more cookie cutters. I've been thinking of following in my mother's creative abilities and taking a Wilton class for cake decorating too...we shall see.

The Sugar Room, in Queens, looks interesting too...

Lovin' Honey

Wrapables has some really cute baking goods for Valentine's Day. Sweets for the sweet day! 

What exactly is a Lingonberry?

aka: Swedish Pancakes

We were in the West Side Market last week and I saw lingonberries on the shelf in the jam section. Oh yumma. I knew what I had to make: Swedish Pancakes!

This recipe is from, of all places, the cookbook for Kirsten one of the American Girls. I never had a doll. My sisters did. My friends did. No I'm not bitter. LOL. I went to the opening day of the store here in NYC - so there!

Moving on to the cooking. My grandpa loved his Swedish heritage and really loved this pancake recipe. They are very thin & cook quickly. This is not a recipe you can make and multi task with, at least I couldn't. They are really thin, just like a French Crepe. But instead of the sweet fillings, I leave them flat and top with a scoop of the tart Lingonberries and sprinkle some powdered sugar on top. 

My sister emailed me the recipe since the book is at home. So here it is (along with her comical comments...)

Swedish Pancakes

6T Butter - 3 Eggs - 2C Milk - 1C Flour - 1/4 tsp Salt - 1tsp Cinnamon - 1Tbl oil 

Jam & Powered sugar (never just optional)

(about 6 servings)

1. Melt butter in the skillet. Turn off the heat

2. Crack the eggs into the mixing bowl. Use the wire whisk to beat the eggs together...while singing the 'shake it' part of Outkast's Hey Ya

3. Add the 1/2 cup of the milk to the eggs and use the wire whisk to beat the mixture for 2 minutes. 

4. Add the flour to the egg mixture all at once, using a wooden spoon to beat the mixture until it is smooth. 

5. Beat in the remaining the 1 1/2 C of milk. Then add the melted butter, salt & cinnamon. 

6. Add the oil to the skillet. Ask an adult to help heat up the skillet until it is very hot (not 'ice cold' like Outkast)

7. Drop about a tablespoon of the thin batter into the skillet for each pancake. 

8. After about 1. minute, the edges of the pancake will brown lightly. Have an adult help you turn the pancakes. Cook the other side for about another minute.  (this is probably a good time to think about all those ancestors of your who came to America from the homelands...)

9. Plate and top with Jam & a sprinkle of Powdered Sugar. 

Pics here on Flickr. 

Family Cookie Recipe

My kitchen is in NO WAY ready to take on this recipe equipment wise. But I've been thinking about the little Lithuanian grandma who gave this recipe to my not so little Polish grandma. They loved to cook together, have adventures, sew quilts, and swim. Note to self, find a pic of them next time I'm at my parents. They cooked for a crowd always....and if it really wasn't a crowd, well they were cooking for a few very hungry people. I think this is one of my first 'food memories'. Being about 3yrs old, standing on a kitchen chair, helping her add ingredients to the KitchenAid mixer. Sigh. And the other grandma, wow she could do amazing things with food. Braid bread, peach cobbler AND she knew how to fold a cloth napkin into a little doll!! Amazing. 

So...here's Monster Cookies - grandma style. I have my grandma's recipe card of this, in her handwriting on my fridge. I look at the large amounts of ingredients and laugh! It's one of those things I hold SO dear to my heart, I'd take it with me if there was a fire!! Anyway....

Monster Cookies  ~*~  serves 'a lot' 

2lbs sugar    ~*~   1doz eggs

1lb Oleo   ~*~    3lb Crunchy Peanut Butter

8tsp Baking Soda    ~*~     1tsp Vanilla

18C Oatmeal (1large box +)

1lb Choc. Chips   ~*~   1lb M&Ms  ~*~  1lb Raisins

Mix in Order. Grease Cookie Sheet. Bake 12min @ 300. Let sit before removing from cookie sheet. 

There are a ton of scaled down recipes online, I looked. But....well it just wouldn't be the same!

Gift Card Decisions

We have a gift card ($50) at Neiman Marcus that Dear Husband says I can spend. Yippies. 

I'm thinking about this, The Cuisinart Popcorn Maker. 

We have no microwave & I really love popcorn.

Maybe the Mini-Prep Plus Processor?

All I have in terms of food prep is one of those power stick hand blenders. nothing for chopping up food. I'm sick of chopping. 

Cheesy personalized napkins, coasters or cups? Nah. 

Digital Fork Thermometer??

Decisions decisions. Any suggestions?? 

Food Goals in 2008

• Eat more fruit & veggies
• East less junk - I'm such a sweets girl!
• Cook at home at least 3x a week - anything from a full dinner to just a fun dessert
• Try the following

1. Swedish Pancakes
   
2. Enchiladas
3. Beef stew
4. More Grilled veggies
5. French Toast
6. Something from Deceptively Delicious, despite the current drama
7. Homemade Meatballs
8. Homemade Tomato Sauce for said meatballs
9. Fish - never have I ever made it here...that has to change
10. Steak - sadly another never have I ever. 
11. Fudge. Tho I think that may be a high goal
12. Some fun cocktails. That counts right?
13. A soup. Homemade.

I'd also love to cook a few fun items - appetizers and such just so I can be more confident in making them for not just us someday. 

How do you spell disaster?

P-I-Z-Z-A    D-O-U-G-H

Seriously? What was I thinking? 

Reasons why homemade pizza was not a good idea...

1. Deciding at 4:30pm on a Saturday that making anything that involves yeast = not eating till at least 8pm

2. Aside from English Muffin Pizza & Pre-Made Crusts, I've never made this before

3. Apparently I can't read a recipe, and put in 3C of water not 1C (helloo cake batter!)

4. Dough can rise during cooking. News flash to me...

Darling Husband swears it came out ok, tho he did say it was more like a calzone than a pizza. Oh well. When I realized what I had done with the water, I added more flour so now I have enough pizza dough to start my own restaurant. My second and third tries have been better, so I can't beat myself up about it too much but still. LOL

The recipe I used is from here, Fabulous Food Finds. Why? BC I got this brilliant idea to make pizza while on the subway, used my phone to google & this is what came up first. 

Pizza Pics are here, on Flickr. 

Cold Weather Food

Yesterday's high temp was 22. As I left work around 4pm, I'm sure it was closer to the low of 15. I could feel the chill in the air thru my multi-layer coat (outer shell, down, fleece layers). I knew I needed something quick & easy but warm and yummy for dinner. So off to Stop & Shop I went. 

My favorite cold weather warm me up meal - tomato soup & a grilled cheese sandwich. 

Tomato Soup

I'm a die hard Campbell's Soup fan. It's the only soup in my kitchen. I get Tomato Bisque, with a few chunks of tomato in it. It's condensed - but I don't use a full can of water. Instead I use half water, half milk to make it a little thicker. I add a few small pieces of cheddar cheese as well. 

Grilled Cheese

Kraft Singles, White Wonder Bread. Again, all about the name brands. Which I usually don't care about but with some things, ehhh it's ok. 

How to Grill

I use my beloved George Foreman Grill, sprayed lightly with some PAM. And after a few minutes....YUM. My parents sent me the GFG soon after I moved to NYC. That was about 5 years ago, and he's still 'knocking out the fat". 

We got a slow cooker as a wedding gift...so I think some other warm foods for the cold weather will have to be investigated!! What do you like to eat when the temps go down? 

PB&J

My favorite comfort food. So delicious. So easy to make. In fact, it was my dinner tonight! Hey, going back to work after over a week off is hard! 

So many different combinations! First the peanut butter. "regular" or organic. Crunchy or smooth. Sugar added or sugar free. 

Then the jelly. Strawberry or grape? Or already pre-mixed PB&J in one jar.  The combinations are endless.

And can't forget the bread. I try to eat healthy now - a multi-grain or wheat bread but really nothing brings me back to being 5 years old sitting at the kitchen table eating PB&J than white bread! 

Me? I go for crunchy & strawberry. I can eat smooth PB but almost never deviate from srawberry jelly. I'm a big fan too of the squeezable containers by Smuckers. 

Smucker's has an online store.  And PB&Co is a fun local NYC company that also ships anywhere. (right little sister??)

Some other PB&J related sites

National Peanut Board

Peanut Butter Lovers

International Jelly & Preserve Association

How do you eat a PB&J? 

Yelp

My new favorite site for all things local & reviews. www.yelp.com It's not just food - which adds a multitasking factor that I enjoy. Once you have a few reviews you can get some 'bling' for your own blog, myspace, etc - a small map (using google maps, how much do we LOVE google maps?!?!)with your reviews flagged. I've added it to the side of TUW for the time being. I love that someone's reviewed our local Target LOL. Anyway, I think it's a great site & love the idea of being able to share up to the minute reviews this way. 

Recent reviews by Michelle G.

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