CatHouse Chat

The Totally Awesome Beef and Black Bean Soup from Hell (in the good, spicy sense) Recipe

Yesterday, my Beloved Husband and I swung by our new farmer's market on the way to picking up the Darling Munchkin from school (she'd been on an overnight "bonding" trip with her class). Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on your viewpoint), the only person there was a local beef farmer (Gregory's Boxwood Farm - and on Facebook as well). We had a great chat, and I purchased about 2 pounds of "beef soup bones" from him. Usually, you'd expect, well... bones, right? However, these were more like cross-cuts about 1/2 inch thick, with a good cross section of bone in them (he thought they were a bit odd, too, but he'd used a different butchering company than his usual). There was quite a bit of meat attached, and I immediately decided - since the day was a classic cloudy and damp fall day - that soup was on the menu!

Having the beef in hand, and some black beans (dried) in the pantry, I was a good little girl and googled around to look for a beef and black bean soup recipe - and this is the one I came across. I didn't have everything on THAT list, but I decided to use it as a jumping off point.

This is what I came up with, and it's had my Beloved and our Darling greedily slurping it down since it finished cooking! FAIR WARNING: if y'all don't like spicy food, you WILL have to make adjustments to tone it down - and this makes quite a bit, so feel free to cut it in half if necessary.

• 1.5 to 2 pounds of beef for soup, cut into a small dice (half- to quarter-inch cubes)
• 1.5 C. diced carrots
• 1.5 C. diced celery
• 2-3 C. diced onion
• 2 TB minced garlic
• 2 TB Emeril's Southwest Seasoning (from here - and I make it without the salt)
• 2-4 TB bacon fat (or olive oil, but I really wanted a rich, lucious flavor)

Sprinkle the Southwest Seasoning over the diced meat and mix to coat.

Heat up a large Dutch Oven - 6 quart size - over medium high heat and use about 1 TB of the bacon fat to brown the beef. Remember, don't crowd the meat! As these cubes are small, this will go very quickly, so keep an eye on things. Remove the beef to a bowl and set to one side.

Add in the rest of the bacon fat, and then the onions. Saute on medium high heat until softened, and then add in the garlic, celery, and carrots. Continue to saute for another 5-6 minutes, stirring frequently.

Now add:

• 1 14oz. can of diced tomatoes
• 1 can of RoTel Hot Diced Tomatoes (this would be a good place to bump the spice level down if you want)
• 1 4.5oz can of chopped green chiles (I used Old El Paso)
• 4 14oz cans of beef stock (Swanson's fat-free works great!)
• 6 C cooked black beans
• 1-3 TB more of Southwest Seasoning, depending on your tastebuds

You could, if you want, also add lots of generous grinds of pepper to this! (Mmmmmm, PEPPER!)

Dump all those in, stir really well, and bring it up to a boil over high heat. Once it's boiling, drop the heat down to a simmer, cover it up, and let her bubble quietly away for about an hour and a half to two hours. After about an hour, test the seasoning level and add additional Seasoning if needed. This would also be the time to add a little bit of salt if you want to, but I find that if you get enough flavor in via the Hot Tomatoes, the Chiles, and the Seasoning, you will need very little salt. In any case, use a light hand with the salt: it's better for people to add to personal taste than for something to be too salty (and, yes, things CAN be too salty!)

You can serve this over rice, which the Beloved Husband likes, or with a yummy, crusty piece of fresh-baked bread (or cornbread!) alongside.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to go do some greedy slurping of my own... ;-)

 

Beef Enchilada Casserole - stolen from my Baby Sister

Of course, she's only 18 months younger than I am, so she's not a baby... But she's MY little sister, so she's always gonna be my "baby sister." **grinz** Well, I only saw her make this once, so I don't remember all the stuff she put in (and had to wing it, once I got home) , but it's easy, it's delicious, and it fills up tummies in a VERY happy way!

Oh, yeah, and I try to bunch processes and their ingredients. I suggest that you read through the recipe and make your shopping list, and when you start making the meal, you can also cook things concurrently (like the rice and the beef mixture). It's ALWAYS a great idea to read through a new recipe carefully FIRST so you don't have any surprises.

Here we go:

• 1 package Zatarain's Spanish Rice Mix, cooked to package instructions *BUT* using 1 can of Ro-Tel HOT tomatoes (if you don't like spicy, just follow the regular directions with canned chpooed tomatoes)

Next:

• 1-2 lb LEAN ground beef
• 2 packets taco seasoning (if you have your own mix, use... mmmm... 1/2 - 2/3 cup, or more to taste)
• 1/2 cup (or more) sliced fresh banana peppers
• 1 can, about 7 oz., of grilled/smoked Mexican peppers
• 3 cups diced onions
• 3 TB minced fresh garlic
• 1 14oz. can black beans (or more), drained and rinsed
• 2 cups frozen corn

If you have good lean beef, you will NOT have to drain away fat. If you can only get 80% lean or less, make sure you brown the beef FIRST and then DRAIN OFF the fat, then continue with the recipe.

Anyway.... Brown the ground beef in a large skillet on medium heat. As it browns, add the onion, garlic, and all peppers. Make sure that, as the beef cooks, you keep an eye on it, break it up, and keep stirring... When the beef is mostly cooked, add the seasoning and keep stirring and breaking up the beef as the spices brown and get mixed in with the beef and onions. Frankly, I would say that at this stage, it is better to OVER season a bit.

Add the black beans and corn, and mix well, making sure everything is warmed through.

NOTE: I use 1 packet of Taco Bell seasoning, and a SALTLESS mix from Emeril Legasse, mixed haphazardly from this recipe (which is VERY worth your while... YUUUUUUMMMY!), and use it very generously.

OK, the rice is done, the beef is done... Now it's time to assemble the casserole. You will need a 13x9 pan, but it's going to be pretty full!

• about 18-20 corn tortillas, cut in half
• 1 19oz can enchilada sauce, with one smaller can in reserve, just in case (some people like more enchilada sauce, and I always think, better safe than sorry!)
• 4-6 cups shredded low-fat Mexican cheese mix, divided (reserve about 1 cup to top off the casserole)

Put about 1/2 cup of the enchilada sauce on the bottom of your casserole, and spread it to coat the bottom. Dip about 10 tortilla halves in enchilada sauce and layer them evenly on the bottom of the pan. Add the rice and spread it out evenly (you could mix the rice and beef and just split that mixture in half, if you want) over the tortillas, then sprinkle about half of the cheese over it (MINUS the 1 cup reserve, of course).

Use about HALF of the remaining tortillas (coated in enchilada sauce) to cover the rice, then spread the beef mixture evenly over that layer and sprinkle the other half (MINUS that reserve) over it.

Finish with the last set of tortilla halves (again, coated in enchilada sauce), and then pour the remaining enchilada sauce over the casserole (I would say that you shouldn't use more than, oh, 1 cup, to top things off), cover with foil, and place it in a 350F oven for about 30 minutes.

Now, actually, at this point (before oven cooking), you could stuff it in the fridge or freezer to hold for later. If you choose to do so, make sure you defrost it and bring it to room temp (-ish...). You will have to add time to baking (hm.... thawed casserole MAY take an hour???), so start checking at about 40 minutes.

Once the casserole is hot throughout, uncover it, sprinkle the last bit of cheese over the top, and finish baking for 10-15 minutes.

Take it out of the oven and let it rest for about 10 minutes (if you can - but it's easier to cut if you are patient) and serve! You can add some sour cream if you like, or pout a little bit of good salsa on the top.

MMMMMMMMMM!

Roy's Restaurant in Orlando still continues to deliver a FANTASTIC dining experience

Since my Mom lives in Orlando, we're down here frequently to visit and we usually go out for dinner almost every night. One of our favorite restaurants has always been Roy's, but - for one reason or another - we haven't been there for two or three years.

Well, last night, we took Mom out to Roy's - and I confess I was a little worried. Sometimes it happens that a favorite restaurant decides to rest on its laurels or management lets things slide or some other thing happens and you just don't enjoy eating there any more. It is sad, but it's true - and I am so glad that it hasn't happened with Roy's Orlando!

We have always loved all the Roy's we've visited for the superior service and the excellent food, a combination I've long considered to be a very good bang for the buck. No, they're not cheap, but I believe that Roy's really gives excellent value every single time. Of course, they're not quiet, intimate restaurants with classical music playing subtly in the background and waiters smoothly catfooting around your table, but Roy's are always full of boisterous energy, cheerfulness and good humor - exactly my style!

Last night we were served by two lovely and attentive young ladies: Carolyn, our server, and Elizabeth, who bussed the table. They were both very focused on providing an excellent dining experience, and they did wonderful credit to the Roy's reputation. Carolyn took care of any needs we had and struck the perfect balance between hovering and ignoring us; she never interrupted conversation, but it seemed we only had to glance up for her to be there, ready to bring us what we wanted. Elizabeth whisked away dirty dishes, filled water and iced tea glasses and kept everything running smoothly with a smile. Her friendliness and hospitality would grace any fine establishment!

There was only one bobble the entire evening (and it was only a mere bobble) - Carolyn misheard me and thought I'd ordered the signature blackened ahi appetizer instead of the dinner. However, with the typical "can-do" attitude I've encountered at each and every Roy's, she took care of the mistake quickly, courteously and very professionally - I had the proper order in front of me in about five minutes! That attitude is one of the best things about eating at Roy's: if you have a request, they can accommodate you; if there's a problem, they will fix it to your satisfaction with speed and grace - Roy's loves their customers, and makes sure they know it.

Finally, of course, my daughter and I finished with Roy's signature flourless chocolate soufflé, served with a drizzle of raspberry coulis and a scoop of vanilla ice cream; no trip to Roy's, as far as I'm concerned, is complete without this deliciously decadent flourish! Mom is a bit sensitive to chocolate (although she loves it - drat those allergies!) and truly enjoyed her vanilla crême brulée. And you can imagine our surprise and delight when the manager, Sid, came over to make sure everything went well and comped us our desserts! He was very gracious and wanted to welcome us back after our long absence - now, isn't that the aloha spirit taken to the max?!

So, if you're going to be in Orlando and want a wonderful, fun, and top-notch dining experience, I earnestly urge you to go visit Roy's - and tell 'em the kooky ol' Kat sent you!

 

A welcome and surprise late birthday present

.... which provides still more proof that I am, officially, married to the Most Awesome and Wonderful Husband in the Universe™. (Just so y'all know, y'know?)

In January of 1987, just about 6 months after we were married in Corpus Christi, TX, we arrived at our very first duty station in Rota, Spain - VQ-2 (Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron 2, which is now based out of Whidbey Island, WA)). Thus began what was kind of a three year honeymoon; we both loved our time in Spain and had lots of fun during those three years. We met lots of fun people, ate lots of excellent food (it's stayed with me - but I can't regret it!), traveled, and basically had the time of our life for the Beloved husband's first tour in the US Navy.

One of the things I loved about Spain was a drink called ponche ("pohn-CHAY"), more specifically, Ponche Caballero. I've always called it "Spain's answer to Gran Marnier," but it's not quite that - it's unique to Spain. Ponche is a much "softer" spirit than Gran Marnier; they both have that intense orange aroma, but Ponche is a sweeter liquor. We'd have it in our cafe con leche, we'd drizzle it over a little vanilla ice cream, we'd sip it neat - we'd enjoy it just about any way we could get it!

Well, we left Spain in January of 1990 to begin our journey to two tours in Hawaii (join the Navy and see the world, folks - we lived it!), and I haven't had ponche since. I've often searched for it in liquor stores and asked them to check their distribution lists, to no avail. Once the Internet got up and running and Google really came online (yes, I AM old enough to remember that - I was one of Google's first search customers, LOL), I'd do the occasional search to try and find an outlet for ponche. I did find one about 10 years ago in Miami, but had no way to get it across state lines via a mail service (I didn't think of having it sent to my parents' and picking it up from them [headsmack]), but that one dropped off the results in a couple of years. About a year ago, I did find one source, but didn't think my Beloved would appreciate me spending over $300 to buy six bottles and have them delivered. The price for the ponche wasn't so bad, it was the shipping that cost a fortune! Plus, considering we used to pay about $8 a bottle in Spain, I really couldn't justify such an extravagance.

Well. Enter the Most Awesome and Wonderful Husband in the Universe™! 

SIX BOTTLES!!! Six bottles full of yummy deliciousness...!

I think, after I've put five of the bottles under lock and key (LOL), that I'm going to have to start plotting a Spanish dinner night. *grinz*

THANK YOU to my mostest awesomest wonderfulest Beloved Husband!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Homemade Mayonnaise

via Cooking for Engineers

This recipe (linked above) by Michael Chu is fast, simple, and makes a delicious mayonnaise! (and the comments are very informative, too!)

Normally, I just crack open a jar of Hellmans/Best Foods mayo and use it, but since I'm going to be using a lot of egg whites to make meringue and some Chocolate Chiffon Cupcakes, I thought it would be a good way to use the extra yolks.

Plus, it's going to make the googly-eye deviled eggs I'm making for Halloween really yummy! ;-)

My first try at Pfeffernusse cookies

And OH GOOD GRACIOUS they're goooooood! !!!!!!

Here's the recipe I used, and I made a couple of changes. First, since I couldn't find anise extract, I used 1 tsp ground anise. Maybe next time, I might add 1/4 tsp to that, but since I'm not an anise fan... *shrug*

The second change I made was to use 1 1/2 tsp of freshly ground Tellicherry pepper, plus 1/2 tsp of ground white pepper. I'm told that these cookies get better as they age, but I'm going to consider trying to use 1 3/4 tsp of the Tellicherry and 3/4 tsp of the white pepper - but then, I'm a pepper ADDICT! LOL

Tonight's yummy dinner - and it was vegan!!!11!!!!

Whoa. Normally, I've gotta get a bit of animal protein somewhere in my food, but tonight's dinner just worked out to be a very granola-Birkenstock-earther sort of thing. But, it was very good (for a first try), and that's all that really matters to me.

I don't know what I'm going to call this... Spaghetti Squash with Marinera? ... Yeah, it's descriptive, but hardly exciting, LOL

Anyway:

• 1 spaghetti squash, about 4 pounds
• 2 TB olive oil
• 1 onion, diced (about 1 cup)
• 1 TB chopped garlic
• 1 TB minced jalepeño
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 5 roma tomatoes, cubed
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1-2 tsp sugar
• salt, to taste
• pepper, to taste (freshly ground, of course)
• 2 TB chiffonade of fresh basil

First of all, heat your oven to 350°F. While it's heating, split the squash in half along the long side, and scoop out the seeds. Place the two halves on a baking sheet, flesh side up, and season with some salt and pepper and a light mist of olive oil. Bake for 30 minutes, then flip them "face down" (skin side up) and add about 1 cup of water. Bake for an additional 15-20 minutes.

While the squash is cooking for the last 15 minutes, assemble the sauce: heat the olive oil over medium heat, and then add the onion, garlic and jalapeño (mine was mild, so it didn't "punch" much, but the flavor was lovely). Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring, and then add the canned tomatoes, oregano, salt and pepper (if you want to add salt right before serving, that's cool, too). Cook for another 5 minutes.

Add the chopped, fresh tomatoes and sugar, stir well and warm through. You want to make sure that everything is hot, but you don't want to really cook the fresh tomatoes much.

Take the sauce off the heat, and then add the fresh basil.

Shred the spaghetti squash, spoon the sauce over, and enjoy! This serves four, if you're not ravenous ;-)

You could add some Parmesan cheese, and pretend it's pasta, if you like. But the squash has a lovely crunch if it's not over cooked, and it needs only subtle additions. I still need to play with this and adjust the seasonings (although the Beloved Husband loved it as-is), because I want to see if I can come up with a recipe that's sort of like a Japanese sunomono.

When we were at Sansei (OK, that was a review of the first time - we went back a week later) in Waikoloa, my nephew had an entree that had some spaghetti squash on the side, and our server said it was an experiment that the staff wasn't quite happy with yet. Maybe, if I'm lucky, I can come up with something, send it in to them and they'll like it! O_o

Sansei at Waikoloa, redux

Well, now that I've had a night's sleep and digested some of that delicious sushi from last night, I can post some pictures for you.

I cannot say how yummy it was! Sansei did a wonderful job, and my only quibble (and only a quibble) was that the fit was rather tight at the sushi bar. However, the place was packed - and was the whole time we were there, with people waiting when we left at about 8p - and I do need to lose some weight, so... ;-)

 

This restaurant is located in the Queen's Market, which opened last year (2008). I was delighted that almost all of the storefronts were occupied when wee returned this year, and that the Market was bustling with activity.

We went in and were seated, as I said, at the sushi bar...

And we ordered Agedashi tofu...

 

... the hamachi kama (which is the "collar" of a yellowtail fish - the area around the front fins and gills)...

 

... and the Kohala Crunch roll...

 

It was all absolutely delicious, and you can go read my full write-up at Yelp...

More food-from-Hawaii blogging....

Well, I took pictures from Merriman's Cafe yesterday, so I really ought to post them, don't you think?

First of all, the delicious white wine sangria -

 

While the Beloved and I were sipping our sangria, the Munchkin enjoyed her virgin lava flow and messed around with her cell phone. You know, the one that's never charged - or, if it is, isn't turned ON...!

When it came time to order, the Munchkin decided to go traditional and get the French fries. But, Merriman's makes their own ketchup and also serves a tasty mustardy mayonnaise on the side...

 

My Beloved and I, however, decided to indulge our love of Mediterranean food and got some olives and some grilled flatbread with onions and tzatziki sauce

   

But the soups special also caught our attention, so we ordered a cup of the curried broccoli soup

 

Everything was delicious, which is why we keep coming back year after year!

Sansei at the Queen's Marketplace Waikoloa

... gotta feed my addiction! We've ordered a hamachi kama, which is the "collar" from a yellowtail. Also some agedashi tofu, and a Kohala Krunch roll which is a house specialty. I've got pix, so I'll post 'em when I get back to the room! Mmmmmmmmmmmm!

Merriman's Market Cafe

... at the King's Shopping Center here in Waikoloa. We stop by here regularly for the cheerful service and yummy Mediterranean-style food. Today with our pupus (that's Hawaiian for appetizers), we're going to have some white sangria. The Munchkin, of course, will be having a virgin Lava Flow ;-)

It may be Paradise but it ain't perfect...

... Milk at $7+ a gallon. SKIM milk, at that. I pay something like $3 a gallon at home.

So Hawaii may be Paradise, but even Paradise can be terribly expensive!

The remains of a Thai dinner

Just waiting for my mango sticky rice for dessert... Yummmmmm!

Ahi poke - mmmmmmmm!

I'm not certain that marlin is a type of tuna, but I'm pretty sure... This is a dish that's a standard in Hawaii, and it's simply delicious! Everyone has their own mix, but it always starts with the freshest of fish - uncooked. Um, well, unless it's tako poke (octopus)...

Oh, and it's pronounced "poh-kay" or "poh-keh."

Aloha from the beautiful Kona coast of Hawaii!

And, really, what better way to start a day in Paradise than with Mimosas on the lanai?

Pesto Potato salad from SmittenKitchen: EIGHT thumbs up!

I gave a taste of this wonderful potato salad from Smitten Kitchen to my Munchkin... She was initially skeptical, but indulged her ol' Mommy and took a taste. The eyes lit up, and she put down her laptop and charged over to the kitchen to gobble up some more!

The Beloved Husband and our Wonderful Guest (and me - that makes a total of 8 thumbs) all have echoed her opinion....

And for my readers who enjoy cooking? You really ought to add Smitten Kitchen to your reading list, 'cause she's quite scary with all the yummy recipes she posts! ;-)

PESTO! Homemade even!

Made with basil from my very own garden! This is my very first-ever pesto, and it's very very easy - odd, though, that the recipe I used (loosely) didn't call for toasted pine nuts. I try to always toast any nuts I use in recipes because it really helps bring out their flavor.

On Wednesday night, I'm going to do grilled chicken thighs with Emeril's Southwest Seasoning (at the bottom of the Turkey and White Bean Chili recipe). The mix is very easy to make up, and it's also great to sprinkle on chicken before you roast it. I'm going to mix it with some oil and then coat the chicken thighs and marinate them for about 6-8 hours before I grill them. YUMMY!

Anyway, along with the chicken thighs, I'm going to use the pesto in this recipe for a pesto potato and green bean salad... Mmmmmm!

Oh, and I've got to take out the swordfish steaks from the freezer for tomorrow!

How does your garden grow?

This growing season has, so far, been wonderful! In the past, it's been difficult to deal with our veggie garden - it was too big, we were traveling, the weather was too dry, it was too hot... This year, however, the Beloved Husband and I seem to have gotten our part right, and God has been very gracious and given us beautiful weather.

Here's what we started with:

 

I ripped off Square Foot Gardening for the basic philosophy of small, raised beds, but I've done it my own way (and I don't think Mel Bartholomew will really mind, LOL). We have hard red clay in our area, but last year we tilled in a LOT of aged manure, which helped immensely. If we can keep our momentum going, in the fall we'll till in a ton more (metaphorically speaking), cover the garden (not sure with what - maybe heavy landscaping fabric), and let it age through the winter.

Here's what we have now:

 

Some of the beds, off to the right of the picture, are either only partially used or empty. I'm going to cover those unused areas with black plastic and killkillkillKILL! the weed and grass seeds in there. The third bed in the front has limas in it, and I'm hoping they'll do well even though they seemed to start late (note for next year: presoak the seeds!).

The lima bed has about half grass there in the front - but the nice thing about this method and the wet weather is that weeding is a breeze! I doubt I spend more than 10 minutes in the garden daily, weeding.

You can see corn in the background on the left. I've got no idea how that's going to do; we've never had much luck before, but we are seeing tassels this year, and very healthy stalks - so I'll keep hoping. The very bushy green in the middle left is my two bush zucchini plants, and I can already tell that we're going to be heartily sick of zucc before the summer ends, LOL! Barely visible in the same bed is a Better Boy (? I think) bush tomato. Maybe next year the zucc will get their own bed so the tomato has more room, but it doesn't look unhappy - just a wee bit crowded.

 

My basil and peppers... The basil is going gangbusters - I even have 4 or 5 little guys coming back from last year, when the basil went to seed. The pepper plants are mixed - 3 are red bell peppers, and the 4th is a jalapeño. I don't think they'll get very hot-spicy  this year; they like it much drier and VERY hot. But I have harvested a couple to use in a pico de gallo, and they had pretty good flavor.

 

These are the last of the first batch of radishes - they were getting very leafy, so I pulled them. Another crop was planted on Sunday (I presoaked the seeds), and they've already sprouted through [happy dance]. Here is also my first cucumber, and I'm very proud of it; the ones we tried to grow in Chesapeake got too big, and were very bitter. And, of course, my first two jalapeños, which I used in the pico de gallo. I also used cilantro from my garden; it's taken off like crazy, but it's also wanting to go to seed, so I have to keep an eye on it. Hm... Or, I could get my own coriander seeds..!

My Beloved says that, since we've actually gotten real FOOD that we've actually EATEN from the garden already, that that qualifies this year's garden as a success. Me, I want to wait to say that until the late fall when we put things to bed. I figure, if we can see it all the way through one growing season, then I'll say it's a success!

I've got a lot more photos, but I'm going to post them as thumbnails; just click to embiggen!

       

 

Spoiling myself for dinner

Broiled asparagus, parsley potatoes (which are EXCELLENT as "hash browns" in the morning - especially with some cheese and ham), and a steak...

Yum, YUM!!!

Mmmmmm! Chile Relleno!

Mmmmmm! Guacamole!

Taking a well-earned break after a stressful day...

Still not tip-top. Solution? CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP!

And for the second day in a row, I'm home early from work. Frankly, I'm sick and tired of being sick and tired!

Anyway, on the way home today, I decided that it's time to bring in the big guns and make a HUGE batch of chicken noodle soup!

Chicken Noodle Soup, a la Kat (or, as best as I remember it)

• 3 lb chicken breast (WITH bone and skin!)
• 3 C diced onion
• 2 C diced celery
• 1/3 C chopped fresh garlic
• 1 TB dried oregano
• 2 C diced carrots
• 4 cans (49 oz each) chicken broth (or use your own - I didn't have any on hand)
• 1 bunch fresh parsley, divided in half - 1/2 chopped, 1/2 left intact
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 pound spiral pasta (or whatever - something that will stay on a spoon, or you could even use broken spaghetti noodles if you like)
• 3 TB olive oil
• freshly ground pepper, to taste

Heat the olive oil in a LARGE stockpot - your 8 qt will be too small! - and add the onions and garlic. Sweat for about five minutes, stirring occasionally, and then add the celery. Continue sweating until veggies are softened, and add oregano, pepper, and carrots.

Give it a good stir and then add the chicken, the broth, half the parsley (the unchopped half) and bay leaves.

I didn't bother to bring it up to a boil, but did make sure it was fairly warm. Then I moved it on to a small burner on low heat; I'm expecting it to cook slowly for a couple hours. Take out the chicken after an hour or so and remove the bones and skin. Chop the meat, and return it to the broth.

About 30 minutes before I want to eat, I'll jack the heat up and add the pasta so it can cook through. Immediately before serving, add the chopped parsley.

You can leave out the noodles and add them later when you reheat to serve the soup; it will prevent them from getting soggy.

Anyway, that's all I have the energy to blog right now. God willing, I'll be in better shape on Monday!

The Chicken Florentine that wasn't... exactly

Well, I left work early today because things were so slow, and when I got home I was faced with the puzzle of what to cook for dinner. I pulled out a couple of frozen chicken breasts, and while they were thawing, I went to Google to see what came up for recipes.

I didn't have all the ingredients for Chicken Florentine, which seemed the best best for the supplies I had on hand, so I just improvised all over the place *grinz*

The Beloved Husband liked it a lot, so I'm going to post the "recipe" now, in case I ever want to make it again.

• 2 large chicken breasts, cut into half serving-size chunks
• 1 can cream of chicken soup
• 1 cup (well, one soup can) milk
• 1 pound frozen chopped spinach, mostly thawed
• 1 TB curry powder (or more, if you want a kick)
• 1-2 cups shredded swiss cheese (I used Emmenthaler, since I had it on hand)
• freshly ground pepper (don't make me swat you because you used that terrible PRE-ground stuff!!!)

Pull out a small casserole, perhaps 1 quart capacity, and dump the chicken in the bottom. Season with the pepper... Hm, and I suppose you could also add some extra curry powder (beyond the amount I gave above) for more depth of flavor.

Mix the soup, milk, curry powder and spinach in a bowl thoroughly, and then ladle over the chicken in the casserole.

Cook at 350°F for about 45 minutes (my chicken was pretty cold), or until bubbly, and then add the shredded swiss over the top in an even layer. Put it back in the oven until the cheese is melted, and perhaps browning a little on top (we were too impatient with hunger).

See? Simple, flavorful, and easy. Everyone should play Iron Chef with what they have in their pantry occasionally. Yeah, you'll get several duds, but sometimes you happen upon a gem that will become a family favorite.

Don't be afraid to experiment! After all, I think we all have a bit of the Mad Scientist within us ;-)

Good for what ails ya...

I've been dealing with what appears to be a sinus infection the last couple of days (yeah, got my antibiotics already - thanks for asking), and it always seems to drip down into my throat and make everything sore. So, I decided to whip up a batch of Ginger Tea, based upon what little I remember of a recipe I found in  Mother Earth News years and years ago:

• 6 cups water
• 2 lemons, sliced
• 1/2 to 1 cup honey (depends on how sweet you like it)
• 1 cup of sliced fresh ginger root
• 1 tsp to 1 TB cayenne pepper

Dump everything into a pot, heat it to a simmer (not a boil) for about half an hour, and then let it steep off heat for another twenty minutes or so. Strain and serve (either hot or cold).

It's got a lovely scratchy-soothing kick that seems to really make my poor throat happy!

Ah BEEF! It's what's for dinner... YUM!

... And, yep - I like it RARE!! Broiled asparagus and a simple salad complete tonight's menu... Too bad y'all aren't here to enjoy it with me ;-)

Bruscetta a la Kat

I had a hankering for some bruscetta yesterday, and was lucky that my local grocery store had some acceptable tomatoes in.

When you make this dish, it is CRITICAL that you have good tomatoes! If they're store-bought "good," then use the seasoning amounts I give here, but if you're fortunate to get really, truly good tomatoes (like some you've grown yourself, for instance), back off on the seasonings and let the tomatoes really shine through. I got about 3 pounds of the vine on "cluster" tomatoes from the store for this dish, and they did pretty well.

Secondly, remember that I post recipes with MY seasoning preferences; others may find them too vibrant. So, if you know your way around the kitchen, you know how to make adjustments to suit your taste buds. For any novice cooks, this is a very easy recipe to prepare, but - unless you really love garlic - I'd suggest that you start with half the garlic and slowly add more until you find the right level of garlicy goodness to suit you.

• 3 pounds GOOD tomatoes, seeded and chopped
• 1 cup onion, finely diced
• 2 tablespoons freshly minced garlic (do NOT use the pre-chopped garlic for this dish) (and, yes, I LOVE garlic!)
• 1 16 ounce package kalamata olives, pitted and chopped (do NOT use canned - go to the deli section, and pick up one of those plastic bins)
• 1/2 cup fresh basil, in a chiffonade
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (remember my feelings about pre-ground pepper... grr)
• 1 to 2 teaspoons dried oregano (I think I used 1 1/2)
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup of nice olive oil

I mixed the onion, garlic, pepper, oregano and tomatoes together first, and let them sit for about 20 minutes before I added everything else so that these flavors could get a good start at blending together. Then add everything else and mix to combine. Be careful with the vinegar and oil; add about 80% the vinegar first and check for flavor, since you may not need it all. The oil is mainly (for me) to help give a good, round mouthfeel and to make the "tang" of the vinegar and garlic smooth out a little and carry throughout the dish.

Now comes the hard part. WAIT.

Leave your bowl out on the counter and DO NOT TOUCH THIS for about an hour; believe me, your patience will be well rewarded. If you have home-grown tomatoes and have eased up on the herbs and seasonings a little, you could probably get away with only 3 minutes. However, the flavors really need to come together, get to know each other, and then get married to make this dish the taste sensation it is.

Serving? Well, get a loaf of good french bread and make a sandwich. Slice the loaf,toast the slices and rub with garlic, and then dip them in the bruscetta. For the milder version with really fresh tomatoes, serve it over a freshly grilled swordfish or chicken breast... Mmmm!

Bloggers Community Photo Challenge: FOOD!

Thai Duck Curry, from Lemongrass in Annapolis, MD... Although the restaurant has changed a LOT since I was there last!

I saw this post by my dear blog brother, Scott, and had to participate in this Bloggers Community Photo Challenge, although it's not nearly as technically perfect as I'd like ;-)

Uh-oh! She's cooking again!

I've had Alton Brown's Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe open in a FireFox browser tab for a week, now, and finally I got around to making them...

Nom, nom, nom! Got milk? ;-)

Post- Christmas Ham and bean soup

The Beloved Husband's family always has a lovely ham for Christmas Eve dinner, so when they came over for Christmas dinner at the CatHouse, they brought along that GLORIOUS ham bone that was left over:

Trust me, that's a LOT - I'm going to use TWO stockpots, which is a good thing, because I've got at least three families who wouldn't mind an extra vacation meal, LOL!

The Darling Munchkin was very eager to help chop ingredients:

The Munchkin divides the meat and ham bones between the two pots -

And we had so much, I had to use BOTH my large (er, "large") stockpots:

I'm going to have enough for us, our extended family, our best friends, AND the lady whose stable I ride at! **big grinz**

Post-Christmas breakfast

I wanted something quick and easy this morning, to celebrate the fact that my dose of happy insanity is done for the year. Of course, I wanted a little eggnog, too, LOL!

Election Day Liveblog: Butternut Squash and Parsnip soup... with CURRY

Gotta work the curry in there somewhere... Anyway, today I'm doing my avoiding-all-election-returns-coverage, so I thought I'd blog about making soup.

I googled for some recipes that included butternut squash and parsnips, and came up with these two recipes, which I'll kind of use for a guideline, but I didn't find any (in my brief search) which included all three ingredients, s you see why I'm winging it here.

Oh, and Mom? Just so you know, I'm using the beautiful camera you gave me!

Plus, I'm going to put the rest of this under the fold, so I don't murder anyone's bandwidth too terribly...

Need help finding some inexpensive stemware!

And by "inexpensive," I don't mean "cheap." Really. I dislike the thick, can-get-thru-a-bombing "wine glasses" that look like the clunky shoes a babushka in the Soviet Union would have worn in the dead of winter. No. Ew!

Here's what I have for everyday sipping of wine:

On the right is a simple 4.5 oz. when full to the brim glass that I've got, mmm, nine of(grammar police: Go. Away!). I bought them very inexpensively when the Beloved Husband was stationed in Spain. They were very cheap, but they don't feel that way; they simply feel like "everyday, inexpensive" glasses. If I break one, I say, "Oh, drat!" and move on.

These guys have been hanging in the wine rack for ages, and I hardly use them because they're a little small for my preferences. They seem a bit like "wine shots," and it's too easy to simply swill them - not a good thing for waking up the next morning!

The one on the right was part of a set of a dozen. It used to have a "gold" rim, but that's worn away with washing (in the dishwasher, of course - I do want something that can go in there without shattering). It's about 8 inches tall (as tall as I can go and still shove it in my d/w top rack) and holds about 8.5 oz when full to the brim. I think I got the set for about $35 on sale...?

Anyway, of the dozen, I only have about 5 left, and they're disappearing rather quickly. But I like the amount of wine they hold - not too much, not too little. The twisted stem is a lovely little detail, and provides a nice grip for my fingers. They're cheap enough for everyday, but I don't feel embarrassed serving friends and guests with these glasses.

When I search on stemware, I always seem to get large, clunky glasses that just look... cheap.  The glasses I find to buy in bulk (I'd like to get at least a dozen) always seem to be of the quality that the pizzeria downtown (you know, the one that got cited last week for health violations?) would serve wine in.

*BLECH!*

So. Can anyone find a link for me for something nice-but-not-too-and-if-I-break-it-it's-not-the-end-of-the-world-'cause-I-already-HAVE-some-of-that?

Another satisfied customer

My Munchkin loves her Momma's bread! That loaf was barely cooled enough to cut, and she was pouncing on it! *big grin*

And now the second wave is rising in their loaf pans:

Life is good - and thank God for it!

The first batch is out of the oven!

(I'm beginning to think that I should just change my whole format and become a bread-blogger! *snicker*)

The bread goes in:

And the bread comes out!

Num-NUM! It's going to be hard to wait until these are cool enough to cut...

In the meantime, the second batch is currently on its second post-kneading rise, but I thought I'd post a picture  to show you how the sponge bubbles up from underneath the dry ingredients:

And yes: that's real butter. I don't cook with anything else (margarine - EEEEWWWW!).

It's a homework-doing, laundry-washing, kitchen-cleaning, bread-baking sort of day

Gotta get all of Chapter Six done in my Basic Tax Preparation text. I aced the second quiz yesterday (that's TWO 100%! Woo-hoo!), but the mid-term is next Wednesday, so I want to get it all done NOW. That way, on Tuesday of next week, I can concentrate on studying for it.

Oh, and pay no attention to that glass of wine. It's from last weekend. Honest! ;-)

Yep, a smallish (for me) pile of laundry, and I may actually get this folded and put away today. That does depend on whether Pixel will insist on keeping her spot in the warm-snugglies - which she often does by simply being too cute and adorable for me to disturb!

And then there's those heavy grates from the KitchenAid cooktop. They're wonderful, but kind of a pain to clean because of their size and weight. They don't really fit in the dishwasher, and they don't really fit in the sink, so I can never give them a really long, sudsy soak to get all the grime off. Fortunately, their "cure" (they're cast-iron, I think) is very good, and nasty scrubbing is pretty much not needed. The "floor" of the cooktop really needed a good cleaning, too, but now it's all sparkly - and ready to get dirty again!

Here's the first batch (although, I ought to say "first TWO batches") of bread, just starting its second rise. I was feeling quite ambitious today, and so I started the sponge stage for these four loaves at about 730am, right before I took the Munchkin to school. It's now about 1pm, so in a little while I'll shape them and put them into loaf pans, let them rise a third time, and then pop them in the oven. They ought to be done at around 3pm-ish.

(OOPSIE UPDATE: I say "first TWO batches," because I do two two-loaf batches at a time from the recipe I have. I'm using The Bread Bible, by Rose Levy Beranbaum, and think it's a GREAT resource! The recipe is for the "basic white sandwich bread," and she describes it as "the bread that WonderBread wishes it was." I replace about 1/4 of the white, all-purpose four with whole wheat, and it still comes out absolutely soft and delicious!).

I told you I was feeling ambitious: this is the second batch - another four loaves! Right now, it's in the "sponge" stage, which means I've taken part of the flour and yeast, and mixed them with the honey and the water in the recipe. They get a good rise started, which adds yumminess and texture to the bread. Since space and bowls are at a bit of a premium at the moment, I just put in the rest of the flour and yeast along with the salt, powdered milk, and butter right on top. The sponge underneath will actually bubble up through the dry layer as that yeast really gets cranking. I'll probably start kneading it at around 230pm, which means I'll be pulling another four loaves of freshly baked bread out of the oven at about 7pm tonight.

And, if I may, the aroma of fresh bread permeating the house definitely balances out the irritation of cleaning, laundry, and homework!

Hey! I also got Bible study done, AND wrote a pretty good post this morning (if I may say so), too! I guess this goes down as a very productive day *grinz!*

The remains of yumminess

OH Yeah! Life really *is* good, LOL This is the remains of an excellent pizza Margharita and some delicious calamari from the Catch31 beach bar at the Hilton Virginia Beach Oceanfront (yes, we like this place!)

(UPDATE: and somehow I was too impatient and missed sending the photo with the post [headdesk] Phone is charging, so I *may* get to it later...)

(UPDATE 2.0: Ah, here it is!)

This is a 'flirtini'

Ah, drinks at the beach again... Yep, life is tough, but I guess that SOMEONE has to live it ;-)

(UPDATE: the Catch31 version of the "Flirtini" uses Absolut Melon [?] for the vodka and so on, and it was quite nice. My taste buds might have preferred a wee bit more sweetness, but it was light and refreshing, and two flirtinis didn't make me stagger [always a good thing]. Of course, any excuse to have some bubbly makes me a happy camper! LOL)

Gordon Biersch restaurant Virginia Beach

Ah, back in civilization - in other words an area with GOOD food and GOOD beer! (Sorry the pic is dim - no flash on the LG Voyager mobile. Ah, well...)

(UPDATE: Um, yeah... OK, I can see the drawbacks to NOT having a "flash" on my cell phone...)

"What the heck can I cook for dinner?!" Episode... um... Five hundred?

Last night at 6:45, my husband looked up at me and asked, "So, what are we going to do for dinner?" (And for those of you feminazis who are about to hit the roof, he was perfectly willing to go nuke a potato for himself, so there!)

I looked up from my mad quilting frenzy (I got EIGHT more tops for baby quilts done last night!), and started pondering what I had available - and what I came up with got RAVE reviews! I don't know what to call it; the spices are inspired by Indian (that's India-Indian) cuisine, so I suppose I can call this a curry... And it does have curry powder in it... Ah, well, maybe it'll just be referred to as "That thing you did the other night with the chicken and the spices..." LOL

Ingredients:

• 4 chicken thighs
• 1 14oz can of diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 TB, heaping, of minced or grated ginger
• 1 TB, heaping, of minced or pressed garlic
• 1 TB, heaping (gosh, this is getting to be a habit!), of hot curry powder (preferably from Penzey's)
• 1 tsp each: ground cardamom, ground cumin, and ground white pepper
• about 10-12 coriander seeds
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
• salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Rinse the thighs, pat dry and season with the salt and black pepper (both sides).

Heat about 2 TB of oil (vegetable or peanut) in a saute pan, and then brown the chicken on both sides. When done, move the thighs to a plate, and add the coriander seeds to the pan. Stir for about 10 seconds while seeds brown, and then add the ground spices, stirring constantly. When all the spices are fragrant (about another 10-15 seconds), add the ginger and garlic and keep stirring for about 1 minute. Add in the tomatoes and bring to a boil.

Turn the heat down and add the chicken back to the pot, spooning the tomato mixture over to cover the thighs. Cover and cook on low heat fr about 30 minutes, or until the thighs are cooked through.

That's it! Nice and easy, huh? I'm assuming that this would double and triple easily, just make sure your saute pan is large enough. I was quesstimating on the amounts of the ground spices, so you can adjust the level of flavor and heat to your particular taste.

Oh, and I'm sorry that there's no picture: it got gobbled up too quickly! ;-)

(And I'll try to have pictures of the new quilt tops up ASAP...)

May I just say...

Image via Wikipedia

That I LOVE Whole Foods Markets? I do... I'm totally ready to play Evil Mastermind of the Universe™ and transport one right into my local area...

I stopped by one today - the newly opened store in Orlando at the corner of Sand Lake Blvd., and Turkey Lake Dr. I had Daddy with me, and Mavis, the lady who watches over him during the week, and they were completely blown away by the awesomeness that is Whole Foods Market.

I got bonito flakes and konbu so I can make my own dashi stock, I got a pound and a half of absolutely DIVINE swordfish steak, I got some really superior olives (some stuffed with feta and some with jalapenos) from the olive bar, and basically wandered around the whole store wiping drool off my chin.

*sigh*

I also love Fresh Market, and on my way home this weekend, I'm going to stop in at the Greensboro store (it's the closest to home, and it's on the way back, and it's excellent - but it's not quite Whole Foods). I'll pick up a whole load of sworfish steaks, bring them home, and freeze them. Well, I'll freeze all but the one pound that I'm going to marinate in chili oil, garlic, ginger, cilantro, jalapenos, and Caribbean Jerk seasoning before I do an extremely quick sear on the grill... [photo link]

And yeah, if I remember, I'll blog the whole thing so you can join me in the drool-fest! ;-)

Dinner anyone?

UPDATE: Oh, yeah! Grilled swordfish, brown rice, and a salad (the lime slice - heck, the whole LIME! - was a bust; too dry) paired with a "chillable red" box wine from Franzia.

*sigh*

It's life in Paradise, folks - I'm just here to endure all this on your behalf *snicker*

Grilling swordfish tonight - YUMMAY!

UPDATE: Decided to go simple tonight - the spice is a Caribbean Jerk mix, with some olive oil to help it sink in and to make sure it doesn't stick. We'll have a simple salad and some brown rice with it.

Speaking of brown rice, I got a whole bag of some short-grain brown rice that is just YUMMY!!! I'm going to quit getting the long grain brown rice, I think... But that means more trips to the organic store - oh, darn! [/sarc]

American Express ROCKS!

I don't use my AmEx much - mainly when I'm traveling, and I haven't been on the go that much. However, we're here in Hawaii at the moment, so of course I'm having a bit of fun and using my card. The other day, I charged several items (new earrings for the Munchkin, now that her "training earrings" have done their job), so AmEx notices that "Hm. We know she doesn't live in Hawaii..." and puts a possible fraud caution on my account.

Yesterday, when I was flitting about in ecstacy at Mounatin Thunder Coffee - which is sublime, I tell you! I didn't use cream, and only put in one sugar - AmEx wasn't allowing the charge to go through, because they were concerned someone had grabbed my card. Not a problem; I switched to another card and went away, happy as a clam.

This morning (well, afternoon for y'all on the East Coast), I called them up to let them know that everything was copacetic, and got a lovely lady who took care of everything and went out of her way to wish us a "happy vacation." Very good customer service, and in this day and age of rampant fraud, I am very glad that they're doing their best to protect their customers!

BTW, Mountain Thunder Coffee is Worth. Every. Penny! As I said, I only used one sugar - and normally my coffee is very pale and sweet. It's smooth with no bitterness, and doesn't have that almost-burned aftertaste which so many coffees do. They serve the Kona Private Reserve (Vienna Roast) at their shop, which is what I would reccommend for you to try. They roast their beans very close to their shipping date, and package them in nitrogen (? I think that's what they said) so they stay beautifully fresh.

I'm sure, if you follow Dirty Jobs, that you saw the segment Mike Rowe did on them - and believe me, the coffee is DEFINITELY worth all the work he did!

OK, I don't know what to name this recipe... Potato-Squash Curry?

But it's really good, and VERY, VERY simple!

Ingredients:

• 1 butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cubed (1 inch pieces)
• 2 lb yukon gold (or red) potatoes, scrubbed and cubed (about the same amount as the squash)
• 1 14oz can diced tomatoes
• 1-3 TB minced ginger (to taste - more is spicier)
• 1-3 TB minced garlic (ditto)
• 1-3 TB curry powder (ditto ditto) [just a note: I used hot curry powder, and the full amounts - Mmmmmmm!]
• 2 TB oil

All right, the method: heat the oil over a med-high flame, and add the garlic and ginger. Sauté for about 3 minutes and add the curry powder. Stir well and toast until the curry is fragrant, maybe 1 minute. Add the potatoes and squash and stir to coat with the spices, then add the tomatoes, including any liquid. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and cover.

If it seems too dry when you're bringing it to a boil, add just a little stock or water, but remember that the potatoes and squash will give up a fair amount of liquid. However, if you want this soupier (instead of the almost country-hash-browns texture I got), add all the liquid you want before bringing to a boil. I suspect this would make an excellent creamed soup!

I can also see adding some chopped onions to the sauté, and then garnishing with fresh chopped cilantro, green onions or parsley.

Anyway, cook this covered on low for about 30 minutes, until the potatoes are done. I found that the squash cooked more quickly, so you may want to add them after the potatoes have cooked for 5-10 minutes - but it's your choice. I rather liked the slight firmness of the potatoes surrounded by the falling-apart-squash. It was almost like a sauce...

Anyway, as Alton Brown might say, this is GOOD EATS!!!

Lentil Salad for Mothers' Day

It's quite cool today, and we're expecting more rainy weather to come through, so I was feeling very much like I wanted some hearty comfort food, which felt decadent but was actually pretty healthy. So, I decided to whip up a simple, tasty lentil salad. I'm going to defrost some meatloaf and serve everything up warm with some home made bread - YUMMAY!

This recipe is sort of a spin off of Alton Brown's recipe from his Good Eats episode Pantry Raid 6, but I've modified it significantly, so I'm calling this one my very own ;-)

Ingredients to cook lentils:

• 1 pound bag of lentils, rinsed and picked over
• 32 oz low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 c. water
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/4 to 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper (I love pepper, so I add a lot)
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled and lightly chopped
• 2-3 bay leaves

Stick everything in a 2 quart saucepan and bring to a boil. I went ahead and kept this at a fair boil for the whole cooking time (30 minutes), but you can lower the heat and let it simmer, if you like. Keep an eye on them from 20 minutes onward, checking their texture and doneness.

One thing I have learned about lentils is that they're rather like pasta: they like a lot of cooking liquid (which is why I added so much). Oddly enough, when I add "just enough," the lentils soak up all the liquid and get mushy. When I add extra liquid, however, it seems that the lentils cook through but retain a firmer texture, which is better for this salad.

When the lentils are done, dump them into a strainer to drain, and prepare the dressing:

• 1 c. olive oil - use something nice, but not extraordinary. You may need to add a little more if the salad seems dry.
• 1/4 - 1/2 c. balsamic vinegar - go ahead and use the cheap store brand if it's all you have (but never, ever, EVER use the "cooking wine" of any type - BLECH!)
• 2-4 TB dijon mustard, depending on how much you like the taste
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1/4 tsp dried red pepper flakes
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground (yes, I do harp on that) black pepper
• 2-4 cloves of garlic, minced
• salt to taste, but wait until the salad is relatively cool and has soaked up the dressing; you may not need it

Mix all that together and then dump in the still fairly hot lentils. Stir together gently so you don't crush the lentils. I have the impression that the lentils soak up the dressing better when they're still fairly hot - I have no scientific basis for this, but *shrug* this is how I make this salad.

Now, you need to leave this alone for at least an hour so the flavors can blend. Feel free to stir it once or twice to make sure the dressing keeps everything coated, and you can let it sit in the refrigerator while it's marinating.

*IF* you can wait even longer to gobble this salad (my self restraint rarely lasts), when the salad is completely cool, add

• 1/2 c. chopped fresh parsley
• 1/2 c. thinly sliced green onions
• 1/2 c. tomatoes, seeded and diced

This is delicious as a side dish, and I've also found that it goes well on some leftover meatloaf that's been lightly warmed. I'm sure you could add some lettuce and/or sprouts and stuff a pita pocket, too. If you have any Manchego cheese on hand (I know that my local Sam's Club sells it), this salad pairs with it beautifully.

There ya go, some nice, easy and healthy comfort food for Mothers' Day!

By the way,

HAPPY MOTHERS' DAY

to all my fellow Moms out there!

Maybe not a "culinary wasteland" after all!

I love living out in the country. I really do - no matter how much I moan and complain about living in a "culinary wasteland..."

However, thanks to my niece, it may not be such a wasteland after all: today we went down into Danville to run errands (buying nice clothes for DarlinMunchkin - ag! A chore neither of us enjoyed), and decided to see if we could find the sushi restaurant she'd mentioned the other week.

Yené Fusion Café and Sushi Bar

It's a small place, serving out of an old house, and easy to miss even though it's right on main street. Our server, a very nice young man who was enthusiastic and helpful, said that the owner didn't do any advertising other than word of mouth... And I can tell you, that it is HAPPY mouths doing the advertising, if our meal was anything to go by!

We were quite early for dinner; they were just doing the transition from lunch when we came in and were seated, so the dining area was empty. It was a relatively small room, with a bar area near the back, and about eight tables arranged with generous spacing between them.

The tall windows were framed with red velvet drapes, but this didn't give a feel of old Victorian times, but rather a light and airy place. There were several windows letting in light and fresh air, and the walls were painted a very light pastel (green? I didn't look too closely). Combined with the high ceiling and the simplicity of the room, I felt more like I was in a European café, rather than in a small Virginia town. There was also some outside seating, although we were too early in the evening for it to be used.

The servers were young, college-age guys, and they stayed in the background except when you were ordering or needed something. They were very friendly and unobtrusive, and gave cheerful and hospitable service. It's wonderful to encounter excellent service that's not in your face, yet makes you feel like a treasured guest!

I started off with the Dynamite salad, which the menu at Yené's link says is made with baked jalapeños, but which were actually fresh - and HOT! I'm no shrinking violet when it comes to spicy stuff, but this was almost too hot for me...

Absolutely yummy flavor, though, and the cabbage provided a relief from the capseisin in the peppers. I wouldn't have minded some bread or crackers to ease the heat, though... And I bet BelovedHubby would tease me for being a wimp ;-)

I do wonder how it would taste if the peppers were baked... Hm, maybe something I can experiment with in the Café de Kat!

BelovedHubby had the Yené salad, which doesn't appear on the lunch menu posted at the link above; I assume it's only on the dinner menu.

It was delicious! Fresh strawberries, grapes, and mandarin oranges combined with a light coating of poppy seed dressing made this salad very refreshing and tasty. DarlingMunchkin eagerly snarfed down the Romaine lettuce, preferring it even over the strawberries (!!!! one of her favorites!).

I should note that the dinner menu, while simple, has something for everyone. While it is weighted towards sushi rolls and a limited array of nigiri sushi, not all have raw fish ingredients and there was an entree of seared scallops I would have ordered if I hadn't been so desperate for sushi!

Each dinner combo (either the roll, or a sushi/roll or sashimi/roll combo) includes a bowl of miso soup, which was very well done... Of course, miso soup is MY "chicken soup for the soul," but your mileage may vary ;-)

It was hot, but not too hot, and had some lovely nori strips in it that were just chewy enough and had that lovely background sea flavor that's just... sublime! It's not difficult to make miso soup, you know, and it's very kind to upset and tender tummies. Hm - I need to make some for myself, now that I think of it!

Oh, and did I say that I had hot sake? Can't have sushi without hot sake! ;-)

Hehe.... Mmmmmmm!

Now, by this time, I was enjoying the food so much that I couldn't restrain myself and take pictures of pristine, untouched food... So, while DarlingMunchkin devoured her California roll (no avocado [!!!]), BelovedHubby and I gorged on a spicy California Roll, and a Dragon Roll:

 

Oh... My... GOODNESS!!!

Can I say, "YUMMY!"? Or maybe, "DELICIOUS!"? Excellently done - it's probably very good that Yané isn't set up as a traditional sushi bar, because I can tell I would have gorged myself if the menu hadn't impost a bit of restraint on my lustful desire to FEAST on sushi...

The flavors and textures were beautifully balanced, the presentation (and delivery, LOL) simply and elegantly done.

Ahhhh, this is what sushi is supposed to be! Of course, next time, I'm going to have to try some of their nigiri sushi, just to triple check the quality of their work (I lie - I love maguro, tai, hamachi - well, just about ALL sushi!)...

And, although they didn't have a chocolate dessert, they had a lovely lemon bar, which was the perfect and light finish to our dinner

*sigh*

Life... Is GOOD!

Yené Fusion Cafe and Sushi Bar in Danville, Virginia... It should definitely be on your list for a visit - ASAP!!!

And you realize that the Munchkin of Doom will drag you there if  you don't obey our directive...

It is Sunday, therefore we must brew...

The Beloved Husband was home for about three weeks - a pause between travels - and has been brewing up a storm! We have a mead percolating quietly away down in the basement (won't be ready for several months), and three beers now in the keg. Two have been pressurized and tapped and are truly DELICIOUS!

The one on the left is my preferred brew - it beats Guiness Draft over the head with a baseball bat! It's a Honey Brown Ale, and I like the darker, richer beers. The one on the left is an American Amber, to which we added raspberry. It's a bit lighter and less "chewy" but still delicious!

Lots of pictures, so I'm going to put the rest under the fold...

Mmmmm...! Home made really *IS* better!

I offer only this wonderful picture to illustrate my delight and display the joy of my happy taste buds:

Those frozen berries will melt and their juices will combine with the honey and... MMMMMMMMM!!!!

The yogurt came out well, too...

Did I forget to tell y'all that I also made some home-made yogurt today, too? There are directions aplenty, and the Beloved Husband whipped up a quick, down 'n' dirty incubator which didn't cost us an (additional) cent and did a beautiful job.

I used a Greek yogurt with active cultures (gotta have those live critters to make this work) that was available at WalMart, and made up an eight cup batch (most recipes I saw were for a quart - 4 cups - but doubled easily). It came out creamy and tart after about 7 hours. As I understand it, the longer it incubates, the tangier it gets; perhaps I'll want a shorter time in the next batch.

However, I can see this with some honey and berries, or maybe I'll take half of it and make some yogurt cheese...

Hey - no fat, no preservatives! I can use my own yogurt as a starter for three or four batches until I need to get a bit more from the store, but you only need about 2 tablespoons per batch (1 batch = 1 quart). This took 4TB out of a pint tub, so you can see that I'll be able to use just this tub for several batches, especially since you can FREEZE it to use later (!!!).

Next thing you know, I'll be weaving my own fabric for quilts, wearing beads, brewing sassafras tea, and making hemp headbands... ;-)