Search Results for "mise en place"

Today, as promised, the compote. Tomorrow, some awesome sour cream pancakes that Dave and I enjoyed on Labor Day evening (yes, breakfast for dinner – nothing better than that!) which we slathered the compote all over. Sorry to break it up into two posts, but I’m doing my best to stretch this sucker out while I’m on jury duty… I really don’t want to break my streak, which as of today, stands at 78 days of continuous posts.

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This in another recipe I’m recreating from that restaurant we love in San Francisco, Gitane Restaurant and Bar. It is one their Catalan Flatbreads.

Merguez is a fresh sausage made with lamb, beef, pork, or a mixture of two or all three. It is heavily spiced with harissa, garlic, peppercorns, cumin, fennel, and more. You can buy it online from several sources or make the homemade version, provided here.

For some insane reason, I forgot to sprinkle my finished flatbread with the fresh cilantro. It could have had something to do with all the martinis I was making (and enjoying) all night! Don’t follow my lead, it is the cilantro that truly makes this flatbread exceptional. Oh, and no worries, I promise that the martini recipes using my infused vodkas will be posted on Sunday.

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I honestly don’t know how some people do it. How they are able to eat out more than once or twice a week. Sure, we all love to eat from somewhere like SOFIA RESTAURANT every now and again, but I cannot make eating out such a regular occurrence. When I come home from vacation, the first thing I crave is a home-cooked meal and the absolute last thing I want for a week or two is to go out to eat. I know of people who dine in restaurants, carry out, or have delivery more than 7 or 8 times a week. 

That said, the three restaurants we dined at in San Francisco were amazing! But I did say “San Francisco”, so what else would you expect… but amazing? I am no restaurant critic. I don’t critique the decor, the location, or even the wait staff. I just know if I am “comfortable” in a space, I’m with people I want to be with, and if I have delicious food – well, then I‘m happy and I’ve had a good dining experience. 

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My son is an artist. My daughter is a writer. I am a cook. And my husband…. well, he is really super-duper good at math. Three out of four creative people in the same family is not bad!  But when it comes to crafts, we are all worthless.

Here is a little example story I will share with you. Many years ago my friend Lorie and I were shopping and saw these gorgeous votive holders covered in glass stones… you know, the little glass stones that look like marbles, but with a flat side. They were expensive, and we said to each other, “We can make those ourselves!” Don’t you say that all the time too – when you see something you like but can’t afford?  I do, and then I never end up doing it or forget about it by the time I get home.  Anyhow, we bought all the supplies to make the glass-covered glasses. Did you know that it is very difficult to glue glass to glass! You need really heavy-duty epoxy and a ton of patience.

We invited our friends, Peggy and Anne, to make the jars with us (because misery loves company!) and we all gathered at Lorie’s house. We sat around Lorie’s kitchen table making our little glass-covered glasses and we laughed and cursed and talked, and cursed and laughed some more.  The little glass pieces would look like they were sticking just fine, and then suddenly they’d begin to slide down the glass jar all at once! Aggravating, to say the least, but we prevailed and each ended up with pretty little jars.  We cleaned up and piled into my car, jars in tow, and headed home.  About three-quarters of the way, I came to the realization that I was high, high as a kite!  Stupidly, I went on, dropped off Peggy and Anne, and by “the grace of God” made it home in one piece. High? How did that happen? I was drug-free – seriously! I honestly didn’t know the answer until the next morning with a clearer head … it was the really heavy-duty epoxy and no ventilation!  Did I mention this was in chilly December or how I (we, in this case) have a tendency to not read warning labels, and that we laughed and laughed?  I have no idea where my little jars are today, somewhere in this house, I’m sure. Point of this little story? I am not a craft person.

But this time is different! This time I easily prevailed in a craft project and I am sharing my victory with you, because if I can do it – anyone can do it! Guaranteed!

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Today is Phase 2 of Marissa moving away from me! Don’t get me wrong, I am so happy for her, so thrilled for this new and exciting chapter in her life!  This is what you wish for; for your children to be independent, on their own, living their lives, chasing their dreams! But I’m going to miss her! She is a perfect daughter and a gorgeous, caring, smart, and amazing woman and I am proud.  I shall be putting her on a plane to San Francisco today at 3:30.  When she arrives there, she has a place to stay for the next three nights, and then… not 100% sure. On Sunday she has an appointment to go see an apartment that hopefully (more like praying to God!) she will be able to sublease, beginning on the forth day.  If that doesn’t go through, oh I can’t even begin to think about that! And on Monday morning, she starts her new job.

When I get home from the airport I think I’ll just get on the internet and start planning my trip to visit her, to see her in her new wonderful home by the bay.  Either that or sit down and have a good cry!  Honestly, I am so excited. I am so very proud. And mostly, I am exceedingly blessed! Blessed and honored to be her mom.  Marissa, I love you!

I promised you a recipe today and a great recipe you shall get … not only am I a proud mom, I am also a carnivore.  I am not a vegetarian, vegan, raw vegan, or any other such noble person.  I am more of a Big Night,  Like Water For Chocolate, Babette’s Feast, or Mostly Martha sort of movie girl rather than a Food, Inc., Fast Food Nation, Forks Over Knives, or Earthlings movie girl.  I like to live with my head buried deeply in the carnivore sand.

That said, I don’t think I’ll ever make beef, chicken, or pork taco again!  Obviously, not because I have anything against beef, chicken, or pork… but because these red lentil tacos are so much better.  Really they are!  If you make them and you don’t agree, I’ll give you your money back.  Honestly, every penny you’ve ever spent coming to my free blog, I shall refund to you, in full, if you don’t think these are the best tacos ever!!!  Now that’s a money-back guarantee if ever there was one. xoxo

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I was surfing around the net yesterday between blogs I follow, Twitter, and Facebook and I came across a Top 10 list I can truly relate to – The Top Ten Signs of a Bad Cook posted by Chow. Check it out and let me know what you think.  Number three had me laughing out loud, I know people like that!

I promise, if you have this wonderful strawberry jam in your refrigerator, you will show the world that you are not “one of those people”!  And although it takes hours to make, it doesn’t take much effort, if you are planning on being home, just set a timer to go off every 15 minutes, stir, and there isn’t much more to it than that!

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Easter is a week away, so to help get you in the spirit and begin planning your Easter dinner menu… how about a little cocktail!?  I’m not fond of Peeps, but this is too cute to not do. Vanilla, coconut, and raspberry jelly beans, that is. If it’s a bit too sweet for your taste, use half as much cream of coconut and add a splash of fresh lemon juice.

Tip: When you want to try a new variety or brand of liqueur or alcohol, an inexpensive way to go is to buy the sample or “airplane” size bottles. That’s what I did with the coconut rum I used here. Total Wine has a great selection to choose from.

And although this recipe is vegetarian… it hardly counts as the Meatless Monday Meal I promised to begin posting on weekends. For that, you’ll need to go back to Friday’s post, and instead of cutting the baguette into slices to make crostini, cut it into four equal portions, cut open each of those pieces horizontally, almost through, as though you’re opening a book and make Grilled Vegetable Sandwiches with the toasted bread, herbed goat cheese, and veggies.  Super-Duper Yummy!

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In February, Marissa was in London and when she returned home she raved about a dessert she had there, Banoffee Pie, aka Banoffi Pie. Banoffee is a banana and toffee pie that was invented in 1972 at The Hungry Monk restaurant. I promised to make it for her and today I am fulfilling that promise.  Her friend, and former college roommate, Petra, has been in town the last couple of weeks and she is leaving tomorrow, so I made the pie for them to share.  It was Petra who Marissa was visiting in the UK and Petra who introduced her to the dessert.

I found the original Hungry Monk recipe online and that is what I am posting here.  That was all good until I was ready to put the whipped cream on top and decided to go look at Marissa’s picture of the pie to see if the topping was spread or piped on.  The picture of her slice of pie looks nothing like what I’ve made, as you can see below!

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As promised, here is the fantastic recipe for a traditional Irish Soda Bread, given to me from Sharon Cereska. The recipe writer in me couldn’t help but rewrite it a little bit, but I only changed one actual ingredient from the original recipe, and that was using unsalted butter instead of margarine. I don’t use or buy margarine, sorry, can’t help being a foodie snob about that one!

My reworded recipe is first and Sharon’s original family recipe is below. But first, here is what Sharon wrote to me when she sent the recipe, accompanied by a lovely treasured family photo of hers.  Thank you Sharon for sharing with me and everyone out there in the blog-a-sphere.

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APPETIZERS/HOR D’OEUVRES

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