Moving on

Hi there!

I've moved on to http://lightly-sweetened.blogspot.com/  Come on over!

On the wagon (no not that wagon.)

I don't know if you know this, but I like to eat.  Preferably things that have the following words in their title:  battered, fried, breaded, cheesy...you get the idea.

So this weekend, inspired by two great friends, I decided to re-re-re-re-re join the Weight Watchers party.

I successfully lost over 20 lbs. the last time I successfully worked the WW program.  I didn't like that I was eating a lot of processed food in order to do it, though.  This was also about 5 years ago, so things have changed with me, and the WW program.

This time, I am aiming to lose the weight, but in a way that appeals to me- fresh, local ingredients.  Unfortunately, that means lots of salads (I really have a disdain for lettuce.)

Tonight, Eric made a great salad that even I liked!  Here's the recipe:

1/4 c chopped kalamata olives
1/2 c chopped scallions
1/2 c chopped parsley
1 can petite diced tomatoes (much better with fresh...but it's April.)
1 seedless cucumber, chopped (holy cow, $2.50 for a cuke.  Not pleased.  Any suggestions for this frugal blogger?)
Squeeze of lemon juice
Salt & pepper to taste, we also added garlic salt (Isn't it cute how I say 'we?'  I didn't do any of this)
EDIT:  Also, white wine vinegar, oregano, and olive oil to taste.

So basically you chop everything up, mix it, let it marinate, squeeze on some lemon.  We let it sit for about 20 minutes

Then we added grilled tofu.  Hear me out- tofu is low fat, and full of protein. AKA low points.

Eric marinates his tofu slices (extra firm) in lemon juice and olive oil, salt & pepper.  Throw it on the grill and flip after 5 or so minutes.  Zest a little lemon on it, and serve.

Here's some crappy phone photos! Right after this I shattered my phone screen. Maybe it was mad at me for mocking it's 3.2 mp camera.

Yum, yum, yum.

Total points?  About 4 for the tofu, and 3 or so for the salad.  Not too shabby- hello leftover lunch!

Other fun facts include: my Stonyfield Farms smoothie is now 4 points.  I may need to try my hand at homemade smoothies in my Magic Bullet.  Any recipes out there?  I'm really not a yogurt fan so concocting this may be tough!

Chicken Soup for the...body

Hi all,

I have been so. sick.  lately.  It sucks!  I can't even enjoy being out of work, I'm going stir crazy!

Anyway,  I thought I'd take this opportunity to write about a theory many share.  Food can heal.  I started off taking lots of OTC medicines to mask my varying symptoms.  But nothing really worked.

Finally, I took some time off to rest (the best medicine) and had some of nature's own medicine: Chicken soup.  Made with love from my hubby (as I laid on the couch and watched Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince, again.)  

I find the power of food to heal and comfort compelling.  After all, herbs and spices were the first medicines we used, and many are still used today.  Here are some of the food remedies I've employed this week (or were recommended to me:)

1. Chicken Noodle soup

2. Ginger Ale

3. Gatorade (OK so not exactly new-agey, but my doctor DID recommend it)

4. Hot tea

5.  Peppermint tea or peppermint oil rubbed on the gums

6. A mixture of hot water, tea, and vinegar (I couldn't bring myself to try this but I'm told it's a miracle cure)

Clearly we all have comforting remedies that make us feel better in times of need.  

What are some of yours?

I promise, my posts will involve some actual recipes soon...once I'm feeling better and I can find my camera!

<3

Punjab Paddy

Anyone know that song by Gaelic Storm?  Google it, it's hilarious.

Saturday Eric and I had some dear friends over for an adventuresome little meal.  We decided to make Indian food.  I have a real love of Indian food (my few months as a vegetarian introduced me to this amazing cuisine) but I know it's not for everyone, so we were a little nervous.

El and Mark jumped in with both feet, supplying a great chickpea salad (Recipe, El?)

Eric did not disappoint, making an amazing fried fish with curried red lentils.  YUM.  I declared it my favorite dish he has ever made (and that is saying something.)

We served it with basmati rice and Naan.  I wanted to make the naan but didn't have time.  The store bought was delicious anyway.

If you want to get all crazy and make your own Naan, here's a great recipe: http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/naan/Detail.aspx

The curried lentils were another AllRecipes recipe, found here: http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/red-lentil-curry/Detail.aspx

Next time we'll make the lentils in the Crock Pot to save on time.

Since I don't know where the camera is, here's a stock image of our dish:

Ours looked just that good, I promise.

Now for a fun extra, the lyrics to Punjab Paddy.  The story of an Irishman who makes his way to India.  Seriously google this song, it's so cute!
I said farewell to Erin, only seven years ago,
When asked where I was headed, I said: “Jaysus, I dunno!?”
I stepped ashore near Bangalore, not a tosser in me hand,
By the time I hit Darjeeling, I was feeling mighty grand!

Refrão:
You can keep your forty shades of green, they only make me blue,
You can stick your eggs and bacon, boys, I’ll have a Vindaloo,
I found a place in India, so far across the foam,
You can call me Punjab Paddy, boys, I’m never comin’ home.
I dreamed I got a letter from me darling Josephine,
She asked me would I marry her, back home in Skibbereen,
But the girls out here have almond eyes and jasmine-scented hair,
And there’s things in the Kama Sutra that they never do in Clare!
So I’ll spend me days relaxing in me Punjab paradise,
No more I’ll dig the praties, I’ll stick to tea and rice.
I’ll be sippin’ mango lassi with the lassies in the shade,
While yer man called Ravi Shankar plays “The Boys of the Oul’ Brigade!”

Refrão:
You can keep your Miltown Malbay, you can chuck yer Galway Bay,
You’ll never see the sun go down on Delhi or Bombay,
I found a place in India, so far across the foam,
You can call me Punjab Paddy, boys, I’m never comin’ home.
From Bohola to Benares, Inchigeela to Lahore
Kamakura, Siliguri, Peshawar, Sahrunapore
Amritsar to Sanawar, Simla, and Pinjore
I got trolleyed on Dewali, and I'm going back for more!
Someday I’ll be a holy man with saffron on me nose,
I’ll shave my head like Gandhi and I’ll never wear no clothes,
To see the Irish Guru, they’ll come from near and far,
Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Whiskey in the Jar!

Refrão:
You can keep your Michael Flatley with his tattoos on his chest,
Fare thee well, Sweet Anna Liffey, it’s the Ganges I love best, 
I found a place in India so far across the foam,
You can call me Punjab Paddy, boys, I’m never comin’ home, 
I’m never comin’ home!
I’m never comin’ home!

What we've been eating

Oh, hi there.  I've missed you!

Tonight we had the most delicious, simple meal that inspired me to jump back on the blogging bandwagon.  It was just a simple, wholesome, delish meal:

Homemade bread (from my bread maker- bday gift!)
B, L, and T (and a little mayo)

Plus a bonus Caesar salad to boot with legit Caesar dressing from the hub.  I'm always amazed at his ability to make a recipe the first time, and really make it his own.  Very lucky girl.

Eric's Caesar Dressing
3-4 roasted garlic cloves
2 egg yolks
1/3 c olive oil
dash of Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
Salt and pepper to taste


The only weird thing is, the bread maker bread is huge.  Like, huge.  Almost too big for a sandwich.  Almost.  Luckily, this girl has a healthy appetite, especially when it comes to a BLT.

Hopefully pics to come- can't find my camera AND my phone is broken.

See ya!

Hello again!

Well, I've learned that you can burn out on blogging!  From now on, I'll be posting on a variety of food-related topics as I fnd the time.  I hope I'll find some readers out there to stick with me!

I've been exploring a lot on where my food comes from lately.  It is something I often have thought about, and I go through phases of focusing on it a lot.  The last time I chose to live on a vegetarian diet for about 5 months.  This time, I'm focusing on finding locally grown meat, and dairy that I feel is raised in the best way possible. 

Eric and I are not big meat eaters anyway, but I'm consciously looking at reducing the amount of meat I eat in order to buy better quality meat on our budget.

First attempt: Milk and eggs.
Went to a local ice cream store that is known for raising their own dairy.  My mom grew up near there, and I had been before.  They have a small dairy store on site so I figured I could get milk there.  To my surprise I also was able to eggs from a farm down the street.  The prices were about 20% more than the grocery store, so again, I was pleasantly surprised. 

I went home, fried up an egg, enjoyed a glass of milk. and generally patted myself on the back for being so socially conscious.

Then Monday came.  I called the farm that the eggs were raised on, just to get some info.  The eggs weren't organic or anything but they were very local, from a neighboring town.  I'm not a big subscriber to the labels that regulate food- certified humane, certified organic, etc. Overall I'd rather make the judgement myself on how the food and animals were treated. 

So anyway, I got the farm phone number, and called.  The very nice woman who answered the phone informed me that this was a "contract farm" (I have not been able to figure out what that means) and the eggs were raised in Amish Country.  Pennsylvania. 

So... I thought about driving to the farm, but realized that it wouldn't make sense to bother, and chalked it up to experience.

But now my "local, farm fresh eggs" mock me whenever I look in the fridge. 
 (from http://www.etsy.com/shop/asherjasper)

Have I ever mentioned that eggs are just about my favorite food?  I never get sick of the incredible, edible egg. 

So anyway, I'm still working on sourcing local, farm fresh eggs from happy chickens. 


Coming up:
Sourcing local ingredients
My foray into the CSA (yes that rhymed)
New recipes we've been working on
Books, blogs and podcasts that inspire my food journey

Best. Cookies. Of. All. Time.

OK, I found it!

The BEST COOKIES EVER!  (If you like peanut butter)

I love this recipe for a few reasons.
1. It's gluten free, which is great for some of my friends
2. It's ridiculously easy
3. It tastes amazing!
4. Freezes beautifully ;)

The cookies this recipe makes are golden brown on the bottom, uniform, crispy on the edge and soft in the middle.  So pretty much the greatest thing ever.

Here it is:

2 c peanut butter
1 1/2 c white sugar

Combine these until smooth (I stirred for about 5 minutes)

Beat in 2 eggs (one at a time)

Add 1 tsp of vanilla extract, 1 tsp of baking soda, a pinch of salt

Mix well

Form into 1 inch diameter balls.  Do that cute crisscross thing with the fork.

Bake 10 or so min in a 350 degree oven.

Seriously, try this one.  I froze the batter for Christmas baking, and I plan on doing plenty as gifts because they are definitely impressive!

More adventures with the slow cooker

Well, we had an excellent two meals in one from our faithful slow cooker last week.

First, "roast" chicken.   I love a good roast chicken, but unless it's the weekend, it's not possible to cook it up during the week.

I did a little research and found that some people will throw a roaster right into their CP and it cooks up deliciously.

Here was our variation:

1 5 lb roaster
3 white potatoes, cubed
1 yellow onion, chopped
a bit of rosemary
salt and pepper

We literally threw all this in the CP, put it on, and 12 hours later, the miracle happened again!  We pulled out the chicken, it fell off the bone, and we served it (the potatoes were yucky so we tossed them) with broccoli and brown rice.

Then, we had so much meat left that I pulled it aside and made 2 different soups- Tortilla soup (see earlier post) and good old fashioned chicken noodle.

Now my freezer is totally stocked with soups, and they are DELISH!

This week I'll be performing my CP roast chicken trick again...but I think I'll make up a chicken pot pie with the leftovers.

Have a great day!

How we avoided polygamy, or, our discovery of the Crock Pot!

Hi all!

I will have to push blogging higher up on the task list- sorry for the delay!

I have been busy getting ready for the holidays, and experimenting in the kitchen.

Eric and I have discovered that we need a wife.  Not in a 'Big Love' kind of a way.  We need someone to cook, clean, manage the household, make martinis, etc.

We came one step closer these past weeks in discovering an unused indentured servant.  The CROCK POT!

We have had a slow cooker since we bought our first apartment.  Other than a failed soup attempt on my part, it had never been used.  

I guess we both felt about the CP like we felt about the microwave- so seventies, lazy...the kind of thing we didn't want in OUR kitchen.   (We do have a microwave but we never use it.)

Well.

The first experiment was on a pork sirloin roast I bought at a local butcher (love Hilltop in Weymouth!)

Into the CP it went.  We looked doubtfully into the pot numerous times on that Saturday.  Could it really work?  Could it really taste that good?

Sunday morning I awoke to a smell.  It wasn't exactly the kind of smell Yankee Candle would emulate, but it smelled...good.   I checked on my little piggy, and there she was,  cooked to perfection, falling off the bone, and simmering in it's own juices.

I drained the pot, took the meat off the bones with 2 sets of tongs, and put it back in the CP with a bottle of hickory smoke BBQ sauce.

That was it!  It cooked for about 8 more hours on low, and Sunday night, we had pulled pork.  Real live pulled pork (Not actually live, that would be gross.)  I bought some Portuguese rolls, toasted them up, and we had pulled pork sandwiches.

AND, I brought some into work and got rave reviews, even from my friend Mark who is a BBQ aficionado!  Easiest thing ever.

So we were converted into Crockpot lovers.  We even upgraded to the larger model that has clips for travel.   What an awesome tool for those of us that work and want a wife at home to cook dinner!

Here's some cool info on the slow cooker:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slow_cooker

More slow cooker recipes coming up: "roast" chicken, and pot roast.

You may all go to hell and I will go to Texas

OK that was the last cute Texas pun I had up my sleeve.  
Last and final review (at least for now.)
Our FAVORITE can't-miss best thing ever spot in San Antonio is....

The Friendly Spot Ice House


As we ate and drank our way through San Antonio, we heard about a brewery called Blue Star about 1.5 miles out of the tourist area we stayed in.  Being health-conscious (ha) young folk, we thought a pleasurable stroll would be the way to go.  We walked, through the late afternoon sun, down S. Alamo Blvd.  Suddenly, in the distance, something appeared.  (OK not really but I'm building dramatic tension here.)  It was a playground.  And a bar.  In fact, it was three open-air bars!  It looked like the family-friendly center of a neighborhood, and so it is.  
And then, Eric's heart skipped a beat.  The specials board listed Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA for $4 a bottle.  $4! (That's about what we pay at the packie  here in MA)
We fell. in. love.  
Cold beers (over 140!) many of them microbrews from around the world, a cool hip-but-not-pretentious vibe, little kids playing...this is exactly the kind of place I'd love to own.
We didn't eat there, but we did go back for a total of 3 visits, about 15 different beers (Eric promised me he'd write a guest post running down all the IPAs we tried.) 


Only downside? I lost my glasses there.  Or I think it was there.  


BTW, Blue Star Brewery was boss.  I had beef brisket, mac and cheese, and it was perfect.  Along with some excellent beers.  And an awesome bartender named Mary, who rocked.  
  

There's no basement in the Alamo!

No, I'm not out of cute references to Texas, or Pee-Wee's Big Adventure.  Soon, I promise.


Second little review is of the queen of the Riverwalk- Casa Rio.  This was the first restaurant to open up to the Riverwalk and offer patio seating. They also offered the first river cruises. (Now run by an outside company, I definitely recommend the boat tour.)

Casa Rio (literally River House) is a Mexican restaurant that offers an unpretentious atmosphere and good Tex-Mex cuisine.  I got a tip from a local that it was the best chili in San Antonio.  With the history of this dish in San Antonio, that was a tall order! 


As you can see, it was served with onions, cheese, and the traditional Saltine. 


I can't say it was the ephemeral, blissed-out experience I was hoping for as I dreamed of chili in San Antonio.  But for $4.95, it was fantastic. 

Eric ordered a mixed plate that offered a small taste of numerous dishes: Chili con carne, tamales, tacos, refried beans, and I think an enchilada. I think it was about $12.  


Again, like at Achiote, we could have split that dish. But it was the cheapest, and loveliest meal we had.  We sat, drank sweet tea, and watched the river (and the cute ducks, and the not-so-cute pigeons.)  


Adorable-ness abounded.  






Casa Rio = best buy on the Riverwalk.  Huge props for great atmosphere, great service, live music (kind of cliche but whatever.) 

The stars at night are big and bright...

Deep in heart of Texas!

We spent the weekend in San Antonio, TX (and 1 day in Austin.)  What a wonderful place to visit! We saw the Alamo.  It was more moving than I thought it would be.  Pretty amazing to see the real place where 189 people fought and died for their independence.  

On a lighter note, we ate.  A lot.  And drank a lot of great beers.  I threw caution to the wind and ate whatever wonderful, down-home cooking I saw.  (Sorry WW, I'm back on plan today!)

Up first on the review train is Achiote River Cafe and Bar.  We stopped here on our first full morning in San Antonio.  We were looking for a relaxed breakfast, to linger over coffee, and start our mini-vaca off right.  Achiote provided a beautiful patio off the river where we could do just that.  

Here's the meal breakdown:


Eric, in typical Eric-like fashion, ordered smoked salmon on a bagel.  It wouldn't have been anything special, but the salmon was absolutely perfect. Also, it was huge.  


Not much to say- it was fresh, the bagel was very good, and it was exactly what it should be.  Good choice if you're a lox 'n' bagels kind of person. 

Here's what I ordered: chilaquiles (chee-lah-KEE-lehs). I wasn't hungover, but I was interested to learn that this dish is a traditional Mexican hangover cure!

It is also sometimes called a poor man's dish because it is a great way to use up leftovers.

This was probably my favorite meal of the weekend.  What's not to like?  It's a bed of tortilla chips, topped with a mixture of tomatoes, cilantro, onions, peppers, garlic, refried beans, chiles, and scrambled (or fried eggs.)  AND it's served with sour cream.  

I'm not sure how authentic the recipe is, but it was absolutely delicious.   I can't say enough about it.  This may be a poor man's breakfast food, but we'll be making it for diinner for sure! 

Here's a recipe from a fellow blogger: My Sister's Kitchen 

OK so Achiote was fabulous.  Here's what was less than fabulous- the price.

$4 EACH for coffee (the coffee was Starbucks, and it was unlimited, but still.)

$16 for the smoked salmon, $15 for the chilaquiles,

Obviously on the Riverwalk you are really paying for the view/atmosphere.  The food was really impressive, but the prices were a little out of whack, even compared to other restaurants on the walk.

That being said, the portions were out-of-control big.  So my recommend is, definitely GO!  But share a breakfast entree.  The other option they had was a buffet for $18 that looked awesome.  I never find buffets to be that great of a deal- I guess I just don't eat enough (surprising) to make it worth the $$. 

How about you? Do you like gourmet buffets? Any hidden hot spots in San Antonio?

More to come...See ya!  

Quick post! Yummy fall recipe

Hey y'all (I'm from Massachusetts so I can't pull y'all off in real life.  But on the blog, fair game.  It makes me feel all Paula Deen-eqsue.)

So anyway.

Hey y'all!

I'm short on time this week but I wanted to share an awesome recipe with you.

It's a hearty vegetable stew.  Inspired by my good friends El and Mark (they made me some for lunch today, albeit a different recipe.  I love free lunch! Thanks guys!)

I love soups and stews in the fall.  And this one satisfies that craving without being too high in fat or calories.

Sweet potatoes; peeled and diced (I use 2)
1 cup of white potato, peeled and diced
Turnips;peeled and diced
Carrots; sliced
Shallots; 4-6 halved (yum!)
Vidalia onion; 1, quartered, chunky
Roasted garlic 4 cloves
Kale; torn leaves
Olive oil; 2 tbs
Red wine; 1 cup
Whole wheat flour; enough to coat vegetables
Rosemary; fresh or a few pinches
Thyme; fresh or a few pinches
Bay leaf; 1
Cayenne pepper; few dashes
Fresh ground pepper

Vegetable stock (you can use beef stock for a richer taste if you aren't serving vegetarians.)  I always use the lower sodium stock or sometimes make my own.

So basically what you do is saute the shallots and onion in the bottom of the soup pot until caramelized. Add the garlic.

Meanwhile, mix all the veggies (except the kale!) in a large bowl and coat in flour.  Add the vegetables and the wine to the pot and cook through (about 10 min.) 

Add the stock, and seasonings.  Cook until consistency is similar to stew (about 20 min on low-med)Then stir in kale, and remove bay leaf. 

I'll post a photo when we make this.  It's even better as leftovers!

Have a fabulous and yummy weekend!

Freezer Chili- another recipe from the "Freezes Beautifully" category

Right now on my counter is a Crock Pot (seldom used device in this house) that is simmering some Chili Con Carne.




Chili is a dish that originated in Texas. Since Eric and I are planning a trip to San Antonio, I thought this chili would be a perfect meal. See here for the original San Antonio Chili recipe: http://www.chilicookoff.com/history/history_of_chili.asp along with a ton of other fun facts about chili.

But onto our chili. Eric took a little freezer inventory recently and found some pork and sirloin. Just odds and ends that we had frozen after a meal (lots of leftovers when you cook for two.) So he threw them into the Rachel Ray dutch oven, seared them, and cooked them for approximately eleventy-million hours (a technical term meaning a long time- but really about 20 minutes.)

Here's the chili recipe he uses:

3 pounds stew meat (beef, pork, and/or lamb)
2 teaspoons peanut oil
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 (12-ounce) bottle of beer, preferably a medium ale
1 (16-ounce) container salsa
30 tortilla chips (crushed)
2 chipotle peppers canned in adobo sauce, chopped
1 tablespoon adobo sauce (from the chipotle peppers in adobo)
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
He cooked the meats in the oil for about 20 minutes, deglazed the pan with the beer, and basically threw it all into the crockpot. It's been cooking for about 12 hours on low.


Top with sour cream, some yummy cheese (we like Monterey Jack) and some fresh chives or cilantro.


Added bonus: The house smells lovely!


Every cook (I think) has an awesome, unique chili recipe. What's your secret??

Recipe: Sausage and Kale Lasagna

I love this recipe! Kale (or couve in Portuguese) is a great leafy green that holds up well despite the high heat and long baking time. You could probably experiment with spinach if you don't like kale, or can't find it.

The sausage adds some amazing flavor and texture. We used spicy Italian, but I think that chorizo or linguica might have been nice, too. (Eric and I disagree on this point. Since I write the blog though.... (evil laugh here))

We baked for 45 minutes at 400 degrees, then broiled it for 2-3 minutes.

The other thing I love about this recipe is that it "Freezes Beautifully" (Steel Magnolias reference....anyone? anyone?) so Eric whipped up two and froze one for later use.

We enjoyed this once with our friends Josh and Jess, and then Friday night with our friend Pat. Good reviews all around.


Here's the only bad thing. It serves 8, and 1 serving (not that big) is TEN Weight watcher points. Not exactly light fare. As Michael Pollan says, "Treat treats as treats." In other words, don't have Eric's lasagna every night. Or for lunch the next day. Because I definitely didn't do that. (OK I did but I didn't calculate the points until much, much later. And I repented.)

Martha Stewart recipe via delish.com (the only adaptation we made was more cheese- always a good call.)

12 ounce(s) spicy Italian sausage, removed from casings and crumbled
2 large onions, halved and thinly sliced (4 cups)
1 bunch(es) (1 1/2 pounds) kale, thick stems removed
4 clove(s) garlic, minced
Coarse salt and ground pepper
8 ounce(s) (about 9 noodles) lasagna noodles , each broken crosswise into 4 to 6 pieces
1 pint(s) cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
3 cup(s) part-skim ricotta cheese
1/2 cup(s) finely grated Parmesan cheese

Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a 5-quart pot, cook sausage over medium heat, stirring often, until browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in onions; cover, and cook until softened, 5 minutes. Uncover; cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes. Add garlic; cook 2 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl.
Add kale and 1/2 cup water to pot; season with salt and pepper. Cover; cook over medium-low heat, tossing occasionally, until tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Drain; coarsely chop. Transfer to bowl with onions.
Meanwhile, cook noodles 2 minutes less than package instructions. Drain; rinse under cold water.
Add noodles, tomatoes, and ricotta to the bowl; season with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Toss well. Pour into a 9-by-13-inch baking dish; smooth top with a spatula. Sprinkle with Parmesan. Bake until golden brown, about 40 minutes. Cool 10 minutes before serving.

Lazy Man's Dinner!

We were both feeling lazy-city tonight, and it's my TV night (holla at Project Runway!)

So Eric whipped up this <--- bruschetta with a few ciabatta rolls sliced, brushed with olive oil. He threw on some yummy tomatoes, garlic, fresh basil from the waning herb garden, and some onions.**   We hung on the couch munched, drank some wine (Valley of the Moon Pinot Blanc) and were generally adorable. Another favorite lazy night meal of mine is omelets. I adore the incredible, edible egg. What's your favorite lazy day dinner?


Edit ** I forgot the best part! Shredded mozzarella and some peccarino romano melted on top.

Rainy Tuesday: Great Movie Meals

Here I am, home sick on a rainy Tuesday afternoon, and watching Julie and Julia. Literally one of my favorite movies, even before the whole food-blog 'thing.' It's such a great story, and I just adore Meryl Streep and Stanley Tucci. Can't beat 'em.

My favorite scene (in case you were wondering) is the scene where she makes bruschetta. I literally want to jump through the TV for some of those beautiful tomatoes.

So without much ado, my off-the-cuff list of great movie meals:

1. Julie and Julia- the bruschetta scene not withstanding, there are (obviously) a lot of great meals here. My second favorite is when Amy Adams eat her poached egg. "It tastes like cheese sauce. Yum."

2. Lady and the Tramp- Lamest girl ever? Yes. Still a great scene though, with the iconic red checked table cloth. Plus I love pasta, so this is a win for me.

3. Spanglish- (Ok this might just be a list of my favorite movies) Adam Sandler + Paz Vega = so romantic. But Adam Sandler + that egg sandwich = well...let's just say it looks pretty awesome.

4. Goodfellas- Prison meals with the mafia? Yes , please! This movie made my 13 year old self want to be a Mafia wife, if nothing else so I could eat that food. (Clearly, strong priorities.)

5. Eat, Pray, Love- I loved this scene before I saw it. I heard that Julia Roberts ate like, 5 bowls of pasta in the, well, eating pasta scene. Props for many other movie moments in this one, including the Italian thanksgiving.

But, what I really want to know- what scenes have I missed?

Restaurant Love 2: Rosinha's Pawtucket RI

Ok, ok. I don't live in Pawtucket. I don't even spend a lot of time there. But my second restaurant post is ANOTHER Pawtucket find. Seriously, if you live in SE Mass or Rhode Island, you are missing out if you don't check out some of the awesome eating in Pawtucket.

Portuguese food. Oh, wow. Lucky for me Eric is Portuguese (I'm Irish) so I get a lot of Portuguese fare from him and Grandma.

I won't digress too much about Portuguese-American food today (although my mouth is watering thinking about some kale soup.)

Rosinha's Restaurant is owned by Rosinha (imagine that.) She is a lovely Cape Verdean woman, and the restaurant serves both Portuguese and Cape Verdean food.

It's in a large building called the Hope Artist Village which is an old mill. It's in kind of a seedy area, so beware of that when you arrive. The building itself is pretty awesome.

Rosinha's itself has atmosphere for days. High ceiling, beautifully appointed furniture, candle light, and a wood floor to die for. It is truly beautiful, and the perfect setting for an intimate dinner.

Most importantly: the food!

(Photo from Rosinha's website)

I almost always order the paelha (same as paella, I believe) which runs you $22.95. This picture does not do it justice. I think it could literally feed 4 people (if I didn't stab them with

my fork for trying to get near it.)

It's the best paelha I've ever had, and that is saying something.

Another excellent, and less decadent choice, is Eric's favorite: Bitoque, or steak and eggs. No, it isn't breakfast. Portuguese-American restaurants will almost always offer this selection, and I'm told it's pretty popular in good ol' Portugal itself.

I didn't get a picture of the bitoque, so here's the idea:

It's a slice of fried beef (flank steak??) served in a wine sauce, with an abundance of what I call (to Eric's chagrin) vovo fries- grandma fries. They are a thick cut, not deep fried like a fast food restaurant but pan fried (I think) and they are the perfect accessory to sop up all that wine sauce.

In addition, there is a sunny side egg fried on top of the steak, which just adds to the yummy comfort factor of bitoque. AND it's only $10.95!

OH but that's not all. You also are served bread and marinated olives before your meal, which is just about enough of a meal on it's own.

Rosinha's has a solid wine selection. Usually we get Vinho Verde, but it really bothers me to pay $15 for a bottle I can buy at the store for $5. Just me? No? I'll typically have a glass and switch to water.

The only downside to Rosinha is the service can be a bit slow. I've been three times recently. Once was just Eric and I, the second was with another couple, and the third was for my birthday (about 20 people.) If you don't mind lingering over your meal, this is the perfect spot for a 2-6 person meal. The food is always delicious, freshly cooked, and authentic.

DIY Delish! And Frugal too! Creme Fraiche

Here is a great DIY that I have not tried yet, because I'm not sure what to have it with! (I'm not a berry gal and that's the best recommend I've gotten)

It's ripped out of my Good Housekeeping (Sept 2010)

Creme Fraiche

Cost: About $1

1 c heavy cream

2 tbsp low fat buttermilk (I like Kate's Homemade Butter)

1. Stir together in large clean glass jar or bowl

2. Cover tightly with lid or plastic wrap and let stand overnight, or until it's the consistency of sour cream

3. Refrigerate 5 hours

Keep in the fridge, will keep for a week.

You're saving yourself about $6.50 off the supermarket price!

What recipes/dishes do you use creme fraiche in?

Restaurant Love 1: Rasoi, Pawtucket RI.

Hey all,

I want to throw some love at a few local restaurants that we've tried and were worth shouting about. I think it's important to support local business, and I also think these restaurants are worth the trip!

Disclaimer: I am NOT a reviewer, nor am I any kind of authority. I just want to share the good experiences I have had.

Ok, here goes:

Rasoi, 727 East Ave, Pawtucket, RI. (Yes, it's the one in the Rite Aid parking lot.)

www.rasoi-restaurant.com

http://twitter.com/rasoirestaurant

We ended up here for my good friend Julie's birthday recently. Eric makes Indian food at home, but we rarely get to go out for it. Funnily enough, I thought I had been to this place before but it was a totally different location. A happy accident, as they say.

We arrive, slightly intimidated, but excited to try some new dishes.

First off, it's pretty small. About the size of a large coffee shop. They've done a great job with separating the tables so you don't feel as though you are in a small restaurant once you are seated.

We started with drinks- I split the sangria with Kevin (a friend) and Eric and Julie ordered beers.

Appetizers: We got the Cauliflower, which was marinated and then fried. It was delicious. We also tried the Samosas, which were made with potato and homemade cheese. These were OK. The cheese was good, but the rest was a little bland. I would have like to have this during my entree (you'll see why!)

Entrees

I ordered the Chana Masala, and Eric got the Lamb Vindaloo. (Side note, whenever I hear the word Vindaloo, all I can think of is the song "Punjab Paddy" by Gaelic Storm. It's a riot. You shoud download it. Now. :)

Being the adventurous eater that I am, I mentioned to the waiter that I liked spicy food. Oh what an error in judgement that was. The Chana Masala was ALREADY spicy, and they pumped up the volume for mine. It was extraordinary, but I did feel as though I would start to have blisters if I continued to eat the entire thing.

However the waiter was so incredibly gracious, he offered to replace my meal. I refused because, after all, it wasn't HIS fault that I so brazenly declared my love for spicy food in an INDIAN restaurant. And I did eat some of the leftovers with a lot of rice later that week.

So I recommend the Chana Masala, but not extra spicy. In my mind, for a first time Indian food eater, vegetarian is the way to go. Rasoi offers a very large list of vegetarian entrees, which I loved.

Eric's Lamb Vindaloo was awesome. Seriously. I couldn't recommend a dish more highly. It was tender, spicy, and sweet, and just lovely.

We finished off the meal with some homemade vanilla ice cream that had a touch of what I think was ginger. Perfect!

Rasoi is extremely accommodating, offering gluten free, dairy free, and vegan options.

They also have an all-you-can eat gluten free vegan buffet on Saturdays.

I can truly recommend this restaurant- it was a wonderful experience.