Chez LaFleur in Manhattan

... you will be happy forever

2011-08-09T00:00:00.246-04:00

"If you wait to be happy, you will wait forever.
If you are happy now, you will be happy forever."
- Sally Huss (c) 1990

Dear reader,

Suzette Anna (King) LaFleur, author of this blog and my loving wife, unexpectedly passed away on May 9th, 2011. Words cannot begin to describe my overwhelming sense of loss over the last three months. Instead, in this venue, I would write a few words about this blog and what it meant to her.

Suzee created this blog as a way to share our grand adventure of moving to Manhattan. If you have read through the entries, you have had a taste of her passion for fine food, good music, and a love of life. In the city, where every street held something to see or do - a new restaurant, shoe store, or street fair - she was truly in her element. Life was good and that is what she wrote about.

She was not immune to the hardships of the world around us, rather it was Suzee’s decision that this blog would be focused on the positive. It would be her affirmation to the world. There was just so much to be thankful for.

Suzee also found a new joy in describing for others those things that made her happy. People from around the world were reading her posts and cheering her on. It is true that a joy shared is a joy multiplied many times over.

I know that it would be Suzee's deepest wish that you would, in turn, celebrate your life and your love for each other. Take the time to find the magic in the day to day. When you find some joy, smile wide, laugh loud, and share it - be the messenger of joy that others can look to.

Wishing you well,

Rick LaFleur

p.s. Some links of interest for family and friends:

Mike's Amazing Humus!

2011-03-27T09:13:00.014-04:00

I asked my friend Mike to send me more recipes, and he quickly obliged. I was looking for something quick and healthy tonight, so I made this one - oh so delicious!

I have to say, my friend Ann has been a humus fan for a while - she'd buy those tubs from the deli section of the grocery store, and she really enjoyed them as a dip for veggies, or a spread for her sandwich. I'd come over and try a bite, and bleck. It seemed too stiff, kind of chalky, and incredibly bland. Plus the prepared stuff seemed to be just as high in calories as dips I really liked, so I never really got into humus. I just figured I didn't like it.

Then, while I was out a party at the South City Grill with Mike, Jessie and a number of other fun folks, we ordered a few appetizers, some of which included humus. Others were calamari, and fried zucchini and eggplant served with tzatziki (love love love this stuff!!) Oh and this amazing feta - just sliced with oregano and olive oil on it - so good! And it was an awesome party! Anyway - the humus was lovely and I enjoyed it. I also found enjoyable humus at The Silver Leaf Tavern - served with freshly baked flatbread. For a $2 nibble at happy hour, it's tasty with pinot grigio if they have any to pour. Oh and another fabulous place is Barbounia - the freshly baked just out of the oven flat bread served with the humus and other mediterranian dips is superb!!

So now I know - humus is like a chocolate chip cookie - you can have chips ahoy, but why waste the calories - go for the home made version, and you will be so much happier!

Here are Mike's thoughts on humus, and the fabulous recipe!

Humus in 5 minutes

History:

If you ask 100 people where the origin of Humus came from you, you’ll get 100 different answers. The Israeli’s lay claim that they invented it while the Turks, Greek, Egyptians and every other country in the middle east will do the same. Who originally invented? Since no one truly knows, I’ll speak out and say I did. Why not? Everyone else is claiming ownership, I might as well throw my name into the hat. In the end, regardless of who invented it, it’s a quick an easy vegetarian appetizer that can be made in literally minutes and is very healthy for you.

The traditional way of making involved taking dry chick peas, soaking them overnight in warm water, and then boiling them down for 2 hours to thoroughly cook them. With modern technologies, food manufacturers do the work for you and the canned stuff is just as good.

Ingredients:

One 16 oz can of chick peas (also known as Garbonzo beans). *
2 cloves of large garlic chopped down to small pieces
2 table spoons of Tahini (Sesame paste)
3 tablespoons of lemon juice (1 large lemon)
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon crushed black pepper
3-4 tablespoons of milk

* Brand choice for chick peas is Progresso. I’ve tried dozens of other brands such Bush, Goya and other brands but the best flavor seems to come from Progresso.

Add all of your ingredients into a food processor and puree until creamy. This may take 2-3 minutes. If your mixture is lumpy, add more olive oil as needed. There is no such thing as too much olive oil.

For the Vegans of the world, take the milk out and substitute with more oil.

Serve with toasted pita bread chips or veggie sticks.

So, I served this lucious dip with roasted carrots and roasted red and yellow bell peppers as well as some little crostini toasts I had left over. Yummy!!!

Note: the recipe's typo has been updated. 1 16oz can is correct. Initially I mis-read the recipe - I thought it was 2 cans of 16 oz garbanzos, but no, 2 cans of 8 oz, so my 1 can of 16 oz was just fine :) I had specially purchased the tahini, and will keep my eyes open for more recipes to use this delicious seseme seed puree. And I had lemons, and milk, etc. on hand. I hadn't heard of adding milk until Mike had it in his recipe, and I like it - it's not so heavy this way - very nice. Then I realized I didn't have any garlic - I know, how could that be? But it was. So I subbed some dried. It worked out pretty good! I'm sure the fresh garlic would have been even better. I will note that I used a nice extra virgin finishing oil in this - you know - that special oil you keep for salads, etc. Oh yes - so delicious!

This keeps great in the fridge too - whip up a batch - and share it with friends. Oh and while you buy the tahini, get some nice flatbread or pita too. Fresh though - not that stuff you find at the deli section with Ann's humus (LOL). If there isn't any fresh, you could perhaps try some naan - the Indian flat bread. I've seen that in the grocery, and it looks softer than the packaged pita. Unless of course you go the toasted route Mike suggests, then by all means, the deli pita is fine :) My favorite accompaniment continues to be the roasted carrots :)

Rick's Pineapple and Ham Appetizer

2011-03-23T03:37:00.001-04:00

Rick had the idea the other night to have pineapple wrapped in ham - sweet and salty - one of my favorite combinations. I was shopping on the Fresh Direct web site (oh grocery delivery is a true gift of living in NYC) and I saw that capicola and thought, what the heck? I'd never tasted hot capicola ham before, so for that reason alone I had to order a bit.

Now, if you haven't had hot capicola ham either, it is SPICY! :) Luckily, my other favorite flavor combination is sweet and spicy!

I peeled and cored the pineapple, taking care to remove all the eyes - it gave me a good 4 cups of spears for it's $3.99 price. We'll enjoy it without the ham as well!

Just wrap the spear with a small piece of ham, and secure with a pick. I got these bamboo picks from Pearl River Mart if you find yourself in town :)

I wanted a dipping sauce as well, so I took 1T of sour cream and added a couple shakes of cumin and a couple shakes of coriander, and mixed it up. Very nice :)

I know this is a crazy combination of foods - ham from Italy, fruit from the Pacific Islands, and spices used in Spanish and Turkish cooking, but somehow it works :)

What are your "strange and flavorful" combinations???

Amaretto Pear Crisp

2011-03-21T02:25:00.002-04:00

Doesn't that close up look so delicious? The caramelization on the side of the baking dish, the whole rolled oats, and the peary sweet juice between the lumps of fruit.

OK - yeah, I'm tooting my own horn, but I was feeling extra inspiration today - not allowing Rick's software implementation get in my way - haha!

I took my very very ripe bartlett pears (my absolute favorite variety) and I cored and cut them in pretty large chunks, with the skin on. They were so ripe, the skin was as tender as the flesh, so I wanted that extra fiber.

Here are the ingredients:
4 incredibly ripe bartlett pears, cored, chopped with skin on
2T amaretto
1/2 a stick of salted butter (1/4 C)
1/3 C light brown sugar
1/3 C flour
1/3 C old fashioned rolled oats
1/2 t cinnamon
1/4 t freshly ground nutmeg
1/4 t all spice

I combined the chopped pears and amaretto and placed them in the bottom of a baking dish - maybe a 7x9".

I combined and cut the cold butter with the brown sugar until the butter is the size of peas. Then I stirred in the remaining ingredients, and spooned it over the pear amaretto mixture.

Pop it in the oven for an hour at 350. Try to let it cool before you jump in there. To guild the lily, add a small scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Enjoy! We sure are!

Tequila Suzee

2011-03-19T14:25:00.000-04:00

I'm always looking for a new cocktail that uses ingredients that I like to keep at home, and the Tequila Suzee is right up my alley :)

Add 1 part white tequila (I like Hornitos)

1/2 part Cointreau

2 parts fresh grapefruit juice (or the Tropicana with pulp)

a teaspoon of sugar

and a grapefruit twist

Shake it all with ice and serve in 2 pretty glasses. I like to add the ice I had in the shaker too!

What are your favorite flavors to add to tequila?

Preserving Herbs

2011-03-16T12:00:00.001-04:00

I ordered some rosemary and thyme and garlic this week from Fresh Direct. They always give a nice bunch, but they use these crappy vented bags which essentially render the herbs useless within a day or 2. Less than a day for delicate herbs.

I wanted to use these on a roast beef, and maybe the rest later in a white bean dip. I plucked the leaves from the rosemary and the thyme stems, and washed them. I popped them in my mini chopper with a head of peeled garlic and probably about a 1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil.

I took half and spread it on my roast beef and set it to marinate. The remaining half I spooned in 2T portions in ziplock sandwich bags, which I then popped in a freezer bag. I seriously hope these frozen bits work well in the future. I really hate throwing away food.

Have you done anything to preserve cut herbs for use in the future?

Suzee's Cucumber Martini

2011-03-14T05:41:00.002-04:00

I've written at length about my love of the cucumber martini. My favorite is at the Banc Cafe - they make their own cucumber vodka with Ketel One and yes, cucumbers. A kind of mascerated love juice that is so delicious.

I don't think I can maintain a supply of cucumber vodka like the Banc Cafe, and I don't get to go very often, so I'm looking for ways to introduce a cucumber martini more frequently than 2 or 3 times a year. This isn't quite it - perhaps you all have some ideas to make it better.

I made a cucumber juice to create the martini - I blended a whole english cucumber (but I recommend you peel yours) with about a half cup of water. I strained it and used it in this drink. I think next time I would puree the cucumber without the water.

3 parts Belvedere Pink Grapefruit vodka (this is what I have!)

1 part St Germain liquor

4 parts cucumber juice

juice from a wedge of lemon

Shake with all your might with ice cubes!

Then ENJOY!

Rick's Favorite Fish

2011-03-12T20:06:00.001-05:00

I've written about my desire to "get" Rick to like seafood because it is so good for you. I've been sticking mostly to delicate fishes with consistent textures, and according to Rick, this recipe is quite a success.

1 lb cod or other delicate white fish
2 - 3 T olive oil mayonaise
2-3 t dijon mustard
freshly grated parmesan cheese

Mix the mayo and mustard, and spread over the fish filets. Grate a nice layer of shredded parmesen over the mayo mixture - think of this as your flavored salt layer.

Bake the fish for 15 minutes at 350, or until opaque.

It's quite nice with roasted asparagus as well :)

Enjoy!

Financier Patisserie - pure heaven!

2011-03-10T20:27:00.000-05:00

I tried the Financier Patisserie this past week. My diet would be happier if I had not. The coffee is rich, and the rich cocoa powder available to add must come directly from Belgium as it is so amazing.

After passing the incredible pastries show cased as you wait in line many times without considering ordering one ( you know, 'cause Mom says they never taste as good as they look, and frankly usually she is right), one day I was having a craving. And they had chocolate eclairs. So I ordered one. Wow - the pastry was fresh and light, the filling was a rich thick chocolaty pudding rivaling my chocolate cream pie filling, and the icing was glossy and sweet. Normally I'm expecting bavarian cream in an eclair, and normally the chocolate filling would have been a huge disappointment. This was not a normal pastry from a normal bakery. This was a freshly made eclair - same day I swear - with a balance of flavors and textures that were exquisite.

Now I have to seriously force myself to walk on by that case. But, if I am going to purchase a treat, it will be at Financier Patisserie!

French Food At Home

2011-02-26T10:15:00.000-05:00

I've been watching a new cooking show lately - French Food at Home with Laura Calder. Really fun soundtrack - a jazzy background with what could be French vocalizing or it could just be someone scatting gently. Her kitchen is so homey - big windows with rustic panes, bright blue tile for her back counter top, a big farmhouse sink, and with all these rustic touches, she has juxtaposed state of the art appliances and a contemporary kitchen island. I know - it sounds awful, but somehow it really works!

Laura is a unique host as well - her show is from Canada, and perhaps there food hosts don't feel the need to over sell each dish - she is very low key. The food she makes looks simple, and you are encouraged to try things you never have before. No "watch out for this" or "if you don't do this, xyz will happen", and there is an assumption you know cooking terms like "bain marie". Frankly I find her so refreshing!

I'm looking forward to trying this recipe very soon - Easy Pastry Shop Apple Tart.

If you like food TV - you can find Laura Calder on Cooking Channel :) Enjoy!

Suzee's Broccoli Cheddar Soup

2011-02-24T19:29:00.000-05:00

Last Monday was President's day - I woke up late and lazy - isn't that what holidays are for??

Fresh Direct had broccoli on sale - 1 bunch for $1.99 and 2 bunches for $3. And it was time to do something with it! I love broccoli cheese soup, and lately I've been avoiding prepared soups as they have WAY too much salt for me. I've been looking forward to this soup for a while :)

I took all the broccoli, and peeled the stems (peel them well to get down to the soft inner core), and chopped them up. I added them to a dutch oven.

I had 2 quart containers of homemade chicken stock (read - no salt at all), and I added that frozen, along with one can of fat free low salt chicken broth, and cooked the broccoli very very well done.

Of course the frozen stock melted and I took a stick blender to all that broccoli. It took a little time, but I managed to get all those pieces blended up :)

I added a t onion poweder, 1 t garlic powder, 2 t sea salt and 1 t of fresh ground pepper. I also added a cup of shredded cheddar, and mixed it all up.

I served it in mugs with a dollop of low fat sour cream - and it was delicious!!

Looking back, I think I would serve the cheese as a garnish rather than stirring it in - one cup compared to all that broccoli and stock meant you couldn't taste it as clearly as you'd like. I don't want to add more, I want to taste more :)

Let me know how it goes for you! Enjoy!

Leftovers are my favorite!

2011-02-21T10:37:00.000-05:00

I love leftovers. I think they are the key to getting a meal on the table during the week. Not having to prepare more than one special dish, or sometimes anything at all feels pretty good after walking back from the train.

Brunch is a traditional time to use leftovers. Rick loves steak and eggs, and I love potatoes. So this morning we had a nice holiday treat!

I thinly sliced left over baby red potatoes, and sauteed them in a nonstick pan with a little butter.

When they were done, I added some thinly sliced steak to the pan. I had undercooked this steak for planned leftovers, so the heating didn't over cook this NY strip. That would have been a sin!

After the steak was heated, I added eggs to the pan with a scosh more butter. This is one time where Rick and I agree - over easy is the way to go!

Sprinkle it all with a bit of sea salt, and it's perfect. For some reason Rick feels the need to add ketchup, but that is his plate.

Enjoy!

Suzee's Roasted Asparagus

2011-02-16T13:33:00.001-05:00

These lovely roasted spears are enhanced by a sprinkling of sharp cheddar cheese. My friend Suzanne used to roast asparagus in a little oil with freshly grated parmesan cheese grated over the tips. She has many wonderful dishes, and if you get the opportunity to partake in a dinner she has made, don't miss it!

I make her version frequently, but decided the other day to shake it up a bit and see how this might taste.

Wash and snap the ends off a bunch of asparagus, and roll them in some olive oil. Lay them in a sheet pan in a single layer, and roast for 15 minutes or so at 350. Pull them from the oven, and add shredded sharp cheddar cheese to cover the tips. Continue roasting for another 15 minutes. Delicious! The cheddar is surprisingly a more flavorful cheese in this preparation - perhaps because the shreds are larger, so more cheese is used overall. Whatever the reason, it is a heartier flavor, and quite tasty. I think Suzanne would approve.

Suzee's White Bean Puree

2011-02-13T23:39:00.001-05:00

I was reading facebook entries, and since I "like" Food and Wine, I saw the entry about "What's for dinner tonight" referencing baked chicken, roasted brussel sprouts and white bean puree. It reminds me of my own 30 minute meal entry, as I cook the meat and veg this way frequently. So what I honed in on was the white bean puree.

I recently started cooking with cannellini beans. They are smooth, and delicate, and delicious. What drew me into this recipe as well was the use of dried rosemary. Every time I use dried rosemary, I'm never pleased. The flavor is flat, the needles are hard, and I find it interrupts my enjoyment of whatever I'm making. So, you think, why would you want to make this recipe? The method used to freshen the rosemary - you simmer the needles in olive oil for 3 minutes prior to mixing into the beans. Hmmm...maybe that could work.

Nope.

That doesn't mean this recipe is a failure. Just that I'd recommend minced fresh rosemary instead. Rick really liked it, and it is really nice hot, warm or room temp, so a great appetizer or snick snack with raw or roasted veggies, or crackers.

Here is my version:

1 T fresh minced rosemary
1 T fresh minced thyme
4 or 5 fat garlic cloves, minced
2T olive oil

In a saucepan on low heat, combine these ingredients, and let simmer for 5 minutes.

2 cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 C white wine
1/2 C water
1/4 t salt
1/4 t freshly ground pepper

Add these ingredients to the saucepan, and start mashing with a potato masher to create a smooth combined dip. If your beans are resistant, feel free to pull out your food processor or mini food chopper to make your puree. Also a stick blender would work.

Once the mixture is hot, and smooth, move to a serving dish, and pour a tablespoon or so of the most flavorful finishing olive oil you own. It is quite amazing how the fruitiest of olive oils makes such a difference in this dish.

I had some long thin organic carrots I roasted peeled but whole, and they were just fabulous dippers for this nutritious dish. I recommend trying the roasted carrots as your dipper - they too are great hot, warm or room temp, so it would be a great finger food dish to serve with cocktails.

Enjoy!

Romantic Days

2011-02-11T22:52:00.000-05:00

Man of my dreams

Love shared, love created

A new chance

A family joined

Seven years ago

A realization

Thoughts and dreams

A life of possibilities

Preparations and travel

Lent is an issue?

Quick and dirty

Time to start a family

Friends come together

A party of joy

White dress and tux

Swish and dancing

Life shared, life anew

Grand happiness, deep sorrow

Shared emotion, and quiet comtemplation

What next?

Love alive.

SD26 at Madison Sq Park

2011-02-01T20:01:00.000-05:00

Monday night we took advantage of Restaurant week at SD26. It has a contemporary decor, with a fun looking cocktail lounge as you enter. Walking past the bar, the dining room opens up with a cathedral ceiling, and open kitchens. There is actually a salumi and artisan cheese station as well - I think if I find myself here again, I may have to take advantage of that!

When we sat, we ordered cocktails from the specialty menu. Our server had an iPad which showed the cocktails and wines. It was a novelty, and perhaps they do have a direct link to inventory, but really kind of kludgy in practice.

I ordered the SD26 Negroni cocktail - a vodka martini with Aperol (what is that??) cucumber and lemon. Well - you know how I love me a good cucumber martini :) The first sip was acidic, sour and cucumbery, which I didn't care for. The second sip, the flavors seemed to meld together nicely. It was an enjoyable cocktail, garnished with a lemon slice attached to a cucumber slice with a toothpick - the 2 wheels looked like a double button as the toothpick threaded the wheels. Rick ordered La Verita, a rye whiskey with maple syrup, bitters and black pepper. It was fabulous! Garnished with a lemon wheel, it had a light fragrance, and a smooth finish.

When we sat at our 2 top table in the middle of the room, long home made grissini were laid in a silver basket. They were at least 18" long, and delicious! Nice breads were served, including a fresh focaccia, and a light poufy roll. This beautiful bottle of olive oil was seriously the best olive oil I've ever tasted. Beyond fruity, beyond peppery...I hope sometime I find a bottle of this lovely stuff to take home!

My appetizer was the Uovo Raviolo with truffle butter. As I sliced into the beautiful pillow of pasta, the lovely yolk ran, and the warm cheese oozed...Happy sigh! So delicious!

Rick ordered the spinach and pear salad. It was light and fresh, just what he was looking for.

My entree was the guinea hen - it is boneless, with a rich sauce including chestnuts and the poultry rested on a bed of julienned brussel sprouts. It was savory, tender and very filling! I took home about half for later.

Rick ordered the beef cheeks for dinner, and I did get a taste! Rich, thick sauce derived from the borolo broth, tender beef - it just melted in my mouth. Divine!

For dessert, I had the tiramisu - it was the classic, and very tasty. Rick had the panacotta, and it was light, fresh, and a wonderful ending to the meal.

Overall, SD26 has fabulous food. The flavors are fantastic, preparation perfect, and service efficient. The only thing that would keep me away from SD26 is the loud atmosphere. With the hard contemporary decor, there is nothing to prevent you from having your thoughts interrupted by the conversation a few tables away. Well, and the tables right next to you as well. There were lots of business deals "going down" and after work cocktails and dinner while debriefing the day. I am glad we got a chance to try the excellent cuisine, but I'm not sure we'll be back.

Suzee's BLT Dip

2011-01-31T12:40:00.000-05:00

My sweet friend Amber asked me for this dip today. I haven't gotten around to blogging about it yet, but figure now is a great time with the super bowl coming up!

1 lb bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
1 pint grape tomatoes cut in quarters. If they are large, cut in 6ths or 8ths.
1 bunch arugula (yes, it matters. I've tried other greens, and this really is the best), chopped
16 oz light sour cream
1 packet ranch dressing mix

mix it all up and enjoy!

Sunday Mary Afternoon

2011-01-30T14:52:00.000-05:00

Brunch is a religion here in NYC. Restaurants have special menus and cocktail specials, some even offer "all you can drink" options. We like to go to Brunch because it's better than a blue hair special, and if you go late, around 3 or 4, there is plenty of elbow room :) Sometimes, though, we like to laze around in our pajamas for the day, and if we want a brunch like experience, this is one cocktail we enjoy!

The secret is to use Mr. & Mrs T's Bold and Spicy bloody mary mix. It is the only ingredient I use that still contains high fructose corn syrup, but I don't think anyone thinks a bloody mary is health food. It's a treat, so I don't feel too bad about that.

A simple vodka is fine - no need for martini worthy spirits. Add in 3 good shakes of tobasco sauce, and a few grinds of pepper. And one of the most important things is the fresh garnishes. Today I added a couple celery stalks and a couple cucumber spears - the fragrance as you sip the cocktail just puts it up over the top. Seriously.

Mix, enjoy the fragrance, and sip. You won't have any choice but to enjoy :)

Spice Market - Wowie Kazowie!

2011-01-29T14:33:00.000-05:00

Last Thursday night we went to Spice Market for dinner - it's Restaurant week :) And Spice Market is a TREAT! We started by sitting with a cocktail - I tried the Peach Saketini - made with my current absolute favorite spirit, Belvedere Pink Grapefruit vodka and then plum saki and blended peach. It was lovely. Rick had the Whiskey Fizz - whisky with stuff I can't remember now, but was really tasty :) I think his was better :)

We were brought a gorgeous dish of lentil chips (so delicate and gorgeously flavored) and a tomato relish as described by our server - it was absolutely delish! A sweet and very spicy dip.

We so enjoyed our appetizers - first was the salmon tartar with avocado. Is there any way to serve fresh avocado and not have it be amazing?? I don't think so. Rick even liked this one. I was surprised and amazed. Next were chicken samosas with a cilantro yogurt sauce - the samosas were made with dark meat chicken - moist and flavorful, and the sauce started with a fresh hit of parsley and cilantro on the tongue, and exploded with spice. Simply fabulous!

I asked for beer recommendations at this point - something to go with all this spicey deliciousness. The waitress made pointed out a couple of white ales. Rick had the Coney Island Albino, and I had the Hitachino from Japan. It was the first time I paid $12 for a bottle of beer. But, it was tasty :)

This was the spicy thai slaw with asian pear, crispy shallots and mint. Sweet and spicy, a large serving of freshness, reminiscent of my Thai Chicken Salad, but much much spicier! And the sweet asian pear was just enough to put the fire out :)

The beef skewers were interesting - a mixture of ground beef and spices formed over the bamboo stick, and cooked. The cumin and chili was interesting, and there was definitely something in there that made us go "hmmmmmmm....what is that?".

This is an extra order of fried rice, suggested as an addition to the restaurant week menu. I was glad to try it, though the egg was a little over done, it was a tasty addition. In retrospect, it was gilding the lily, and we already had too much food,

The Vietnamese Chicken Curry was my favorite dish. It was creamy, crispy, tender, spicy and smooth. 2 well cooked chicken drumsticks with the favorful sauce - so nice.

The roasted cod was my least favorite - the fish was fresh, but the spicy lentils really overpowered the dish - We didn't finish it.

The 2 desserts for restaurant week were lovely. The kulfa was a lightly chocolatey caramelly candy. The caramelized banana rested on top with whipped cream and caramel popcorn. Sweet, an occasional spark of salt, and the perfectly ripe banana were a nice treat at the end of a yummy meal.

The ginger ice cream was also very tasty - uniquely flavored, but I won't be leaving my favorite chocolate behind :)

Everything at Spice Market is served family style, so I'd imagine it's a great place to take friends or visitors. The restaurant is very large for NYC standards - 2 very large floors of happy satisfied diners, and many well trained servers. The waitress uniforms are quite unique as well - entirely backless. Any where else it would be incredibly cheezy, but here it adds to the mystery of the decor and of course the lovely food.

I am looking forward to going again soon, so hopefully I will have a visitor sometime soon so I can have an excuse :)

Kellari Parea NYC

2011-01-27T19:57:00.001-05:00

I wanted to get out of the recent round of the same-o same-o rounds of restaurants we have been making this winter. I went on to Open Table, and found the cute local place not too far from the apartment. Kellari Parea is a very beautiful restaurant at 36 E 20th St. Rustic but romantic, quiet but not desolate.

Our waiter told us of the fresh fishes available, and there is a display case of fresh whole fishes to admire on your way to your table. We were a bit early, but decided to sit at the table for a pre-dinner cocktail. I tried the Ginger Sun, a vodka cocktail with a topping of prosecco. It was nice. Rick ordered a Figs n Kisses cocktail - a vodka cocktail with some sweet midori like liquor - his was a a sweet kiss - I liked it a lot.

Rick was pretty hungry, and wanted to order an app early, so we chose the Saganaki, described as Flamed kefalograviera cheese. It is a definite show stopper - the cheese is fried in the kitchen, and then some kind of liquor is poured over it, and set a light. Very fun! Be sure though, to eat your Saganaki as soon as it comes. It cools quickly, and it's not nearly as nice once it's cold.

I ordered the tzatziki, and it was a nice started - a nice amount of dip with freshly baked flat bread. And our waiter happily brought more fresh flat bread when we needed it.

For dinner, Rick ordered the filet mignon medium rare. Unfortunately it came well done. I ordered Yesterday's Lamb - a specialty of the house I thought. I was expecting a nice braised meat from the description, but it was tough and grey.

Although Kellari Parea offers meat, I think really it's a seafood restaurant, and that was not clear from the website unfortunately. I was hoping to have a few tapas, and share, but Rick was up for dinner. He chalked it up to: "You don't order coffee in a Chinese restaurant." and obviously you do not order meat here.

After dinner the waiter brought some complimentary cookies with the check, and they were nice.

I think I would go back, but I would plan on a seafood extravaganza :)

Ai Fiori

2011-01-25T12:38:00.001-05:00

After a meeting in midtown, I decided to stop here for lunch. Ai Fiori was written up in a few publications, and I've been wanting to stop in. I had thought the restaurant was on the first floor, but no, it's on the second. The dining room is beautiful, and each table was graced with a fresh arrangement of exquisite flowers.

I looked at the cocktail list, and selected the only vodka specialty cocktail offered. It was a little sour with the juice they used. It was not my thing. The lunch menu is available a la carte, or as a prix fixe where you select an appetizer and entree.

I selected the fresh sardine appetizer. I've been seeing more and more about fresh sardines in the foodie world and wanted to try them. As I waited, I wondered if they would like anything like the smelts we used to catch ice fishing. Welp - I don't know what sardines taste like if they were caught the same day as you eat them (like the smelts) but these were pretty fishy. The tomato relish on the plate would cover the fishyness, but I would not order these again.

As I waited for my entree, I looked around the room - the room was pretty, but the view, not so much. Those flowers add a lot.

When my entree came, it looked quite nice. It's a veal agnolotti. When I cut one of those fluffy pillows in half, and tried that bite. And it was heavenly. I called over a bus boy and asked him to send someone to recommend a wine to go with this work of art. By my 5th bite or so, my wine had arrived, and I had the pleasure of enjoying the obviously homemade pasta filled with savory minced veal. This I would order again :)

Ai Fiori is a business lunch locale - not a ladies who lunch locale. The dining room has a nice light during the day, but I don't think this section of 5th Ave would be too pretty at night. Despite the amazing service at this restaurant, for the money there are many other places I'd rather go.

Bar Basque

2011-01-25T07:38:00.000-05:00

Tonight we had a fabulous meal at Bar Basque, on 6th Ave between 29th and 30th streets. It's restaurant week (yipppeeee!!!!!) and I love getting out of our own way to try new places in new parts of the city. After the 4/5 train had delays of an undetermined timeframe, I jumped on the A train to Penn station. I was trying to get off at 23rd street, but accidentally ended up on an express train to Penn Station. Not so far really, but I had it in my head that this place was on 6th between 19th and 20th, so I walked all the way down there, and realized....hmmmm....I am in the wrong place, and Rick is already there. I hopped in a cab and scurried back up to 29th street, just in time for our reservation.

Bar Basque is on the second floor, and because it was frigidly cold, the Matre 'd was also on the second floor. It was a little confusing as there are no signs. Just a big staircase and a hall. I almost walked into the windowed elevator door as it looked like just a hall way. I was really batting 1000 tonight :)

I had thought this was a different place when I made the reservation, so I was surprised by the second floor local, and the contemporary disco interior. Rick was waiting at the bar, so I took it upon myself to order a specialty cocktail. Perusing the menu, I selected a Kiwi Elderflower martini, made with tequila as the base. It was simply outstanding. I never would have thought the Elderflower liquor would have stood up to the tequila, but it did, and I really enjoyed it a lot :) If you come, don't miss it!

We made our way to the Matre 'd, and were shown to a 2 top in the atrium. It's an interesting room, and they show silent black and white short movies against the wall across the street - not long enough to take your attention away from the conversation, but a little light and motion :)

This is my post martini smile :)

We ordered from the Restaurant Week menu and elected to have the wine taste pairings as well. Rick started with the Crispy Farm Egg, nestled in a bed of potato and cheese sauce, and the yolk still warm dribbled over the serrano ham. Sigh ... this was amazing. It was paired with a light white wine with a light sparkle to it, Oloroso Faraon. 2 of these and you would have an amazing brunch.

I had the roasted beet salad. It arrived chilled, which surprised me, but it was very delicious. The caramelized goat cheese had a crispy topping of baked sugar, which I actually could have done with out, but over all the flavors really enhanced eachother nicely. The wine served with this, Txakoli Ametzoi, was akin perhaps to a cogniac - smokey, smooth and a little warm going down. I never would have selected it on my own, but it went really well with this salad. Nicely done!

For dinner, Rick selected the Paella. The presentation left something to be desired, but the bite I enjoyed was surprisingly flavorful with a nice spice to it. The small sausages and dark meat chicken were perhaps a bit over cooked for my taste, but Rick enjoyed it, and I encouraged him to scrape up the toasty rice bits from the pan, as this is a key part of the dish. His wine was a red - Tempranillo Montebuena unoaked - simple on it's own, but very complimentary to the dish.

Rick's happy sigh knowing I'm having fun, and we'll be home soon so he can play video games :)

My entree was the grilled snapper. It was nicely cooked - not over done, but lacked any kind of seasoning. I was looking for the salt shaker. The wine, also simple, light, and added flavor to the fish.

In retrospect, one of the specialties of the house is the crispy suckling pig. I would love to try that :)

For dessert, I had the chocolate flan. Oh. my.

Yummmmmmmmmmmmmm.

It was rich and not too sweet. There was a sugary candy topping, but I pushed that aside to enjoy the richness of the dark chocolate. I used some to fill the little cookie there. I was planning to try the dried cherries, but I didn't. I'm not really a dried fruit gal. The wine with this dish was also another deep dark one - dark amber in color, and tasted very high in alcohol. I'm not a dessert wine person, and this was not your usual dessert wine - it tasted of chocolate and cherries, but alas, my palete must not be too good at this point because it seems that Nyquill may aspire to be this wine. Ah well - we all have what we like, right?

Rick had the Torta wth the honey iced cream - this was light, lovely, and nice end to a meal. The wine, a late harvest Moscatel, was not syrupy sweet. Just nicely sweet, and it was nice with the torta especially.

On the way out, I had to take a photo of the studio 54 look of the lounge - LOVE IT :) You just don't see places like this anywhere but NYC, so you have to enjoy the over-the-top-ness of it :)

I hope you try Bar Basque - it's normally a Tapas joint - and I'm looking forward to trying some of the Tapas next time. But go during restaurant week - they really have done a nice job with it.

Enjoy!

Suzee's Crab Stuffed Mushrooms

2011-01-23T17:15:00.000-05:00

It's not often I make these mushrooms. I came up with the recipe back in college, when I started cooking because I LOVE LOVE LOVE to eat - good food, not yukky food. I used this stuffing for both mushroom and baked stuffed shrimp (which were all the rage back in the day). As a college chick, I could make dinner for 6, with cocktails and wine, for less than the cost of 2 entrees at a reasonable restaurant. And I admit - mine was better! Hehehehe :) Well, I thought so, and that meant I enjoyed cooking for my friends, and they didn't seem to mind eating what I made :)

For these stuffed crabs, you need:

A can of crab, drained and squeezed well - get that juice out of there, and discard (the 6 oz size is good for 2 lbs of mushrooms)

A stick of salted butter

A sleeve of saltines (this time I used stone ground crackers)

2 lbs of mushrooms

Since I was the only one eating these cutie patooties, I only made a few, but these are the proportions.

Mince the garlic.

Melt the butter over low, and add the garlic.

Crush the crackers - not with a rolling pin so they are too fine, but just with your hands. If you only use your hands, you won't have to worry about crushing them too finely, and they should be very, very small pieces.

Mix the crab, crackers and butter mixture.

Brush the mushrooms so they are free of dirt, and pop the mushroom stems from the mushroom cups. You can save the stems for anything calling for sliced or minced mushrooms, or if you are feeling exeedingly ambitious, make some duxelles and freeze it for later. Its an ingredient that will add richness to almost any meal including beef.

You can, at this point, pre-bake the cups for 20 minutes or so. Some people do this so that the stuffing doesn't easily fall out of the mushroom, but after trying it, I don't think it's really worth the trouble. You can decide for yourself - if you do pre-bake, you can cut the total baking time.

At this point, whether you have pre-baked or not, it's time to stuff the cups. Honestly, I always have extra stuffing left over, so pile it high :)

Snuggle all the mushrooms in a single layer in a baking dish, and bake at 350 until you smell the mushrooms, and then add 0 or 15 minutes more. This will be about 25 minutes or so for pre-baked mushrooms and about 45 for raw.

Now, if you have other things baking at 400 or 325 or whatever, this recipe is very forgiving. Adjust the cooking time and be sure to cook them until the mushrooms are fully cooked. Then enjoy!

Suzee's Huevos Rancheros

2011-01-22T10:24:00.001-05:00

I had some tasty leftovers in the fridge, and they inspired this weekend brunch dish.

Fresh Direct started carrying La Tortilla Factory brand tortillas - they are low carb, 50 calories a piece and really tasty. I just warmed them up on the serving plate for 30 seconds in the microwave. I topped each tortilla with about a 1/2 cup of heated refried beans (120 cal), 1/4 cup shredded cheese (100 cal), 2 eggs over easy (140 cal), 2T of my homemade salsa (maybe 10 calories?) and 2 sausage links (140 cal).

So this tasty dish, filled with protien, fiber and calcium was 560 calories. Not a diet dish but a satisfying dish filled with nutrients.

And once you break open those gorgeous over easy eggs, it's a work of art!

Suzee's Inside Out Chicken Pot Pie

2011-01-18T21:01:00.000-05:00

Took today off, so this evening I didn't mind making a hearty dinner. I had chicken left over from the weekend, and I was ready for some kinda yummy warm something.

I started with 2 - 3 T of butter, and melted it over medium heat in a dutch oven. I sprinkled 2 T of flour over the butter and made a roux, stirring and letting the flour cook for a minute or 2.

Next I added 3 cups of broth (homemade even) and a cup of white wine (Cavit Pinot Grigio). I whisked it all together and brought it to a bubble. I added 1/2 t garlic powder, 1t onion powder, 1t tarragon, 1T dijon mustard, and 2 packets of splenda. I tasted and added a little salt and a little freshly ground pepper.

Next I added a 16 oz bag of frozen mixed veggies, and a 16 oz bag of broccoli cuts. I stirred it up, and put a cover on it. While that was heating, I pulled out my chicken, and chopped about 4 cups of chicken.

Meanwhile, I stared water boiling, and cooked about 4 oz of elbow macaroni a minute or 2 shy of al dente.

I mixed the chicken and the pasta into the veggie mixture. I decided at the last minute to add some cheese, so I stirred in 2 cups of shredded cheddar.

I covered it, popped it into a 350 degree oven, and let it bake for about 30 minutes.

Even though I didn't take a photo, I had to capture what I did. Rick loved it! I bet adding more stock would make it into a great stew.

If you try it, let me know how it goes! You could cut the ingredients in half too, but we are looking forward to leftovers :)

Suzee's Amaretto Blueberries

2011-01-17T19:51:00.000-05:00

Tonight I made a last minute dessert for dinner. We rarely have dessert these days, and I was in the mood. I thought up this quicky little ditty :)

2 4 oz packets of fresh blueberries
2 oz cream cheese
1/2 a nip of amaretto liquor
1 t white sugar

Mix the cream cheese with the amaretto. Split the mixture into 2 small bakeproof ramekins. Layer the 2 packets of blueberries over the mixture - one packet for each ramekin.

Sprinkle the sugar over the blueberries.

Bake at 350 degrees while you are eating dinner.

Once dinner is over, pop the ramekins on a bread dish, and stir up the blueberries, and cream cheese.

The sauce is sweet and the amaretto complements the blueberries so nicely.

Enjoy!

Annie's Most Amazing Ribs Ever

2011-01-10T04:24:00.002-05:00

I've had the pleasure to eat Ann's most amazing ribs ever a couple of times. I failed making them once, but I'm ready to try again. My biggest mistake was that I didn't cover them in foil :(

I just prepped a rack of ribs with the spices below - you are supposed to use this amount for 3 racks, but I just dumped it all on. Could that be how I get into trouble? We will see :)

Here is the spice rub recipe:

2 tablespoons ground cumin

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 tablespoon dry mustard

1 tablespoon coarse salt

1 1/2 teaspoons cayenne pepper

2 teaspoons ground cardamom

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Rather than put it in the oven for some ungodly amount of time (I forget how long she bakes them, but it's low and slow, and I thought it was like 6 hours), I'm going to try the crockpot and see how that goes :)

I'll let you know :)

Hairy Monk - Great Boston Pub in NYC

2011-01-09T15:18:00.004-05:00

We have finally found a place to watch the Patriots when they are not on TV! The Hairy Monk is a Boston Pub - they play all Boston teams with the sound! It's an oasis in the city of Jets and Giants :)

The first trip for us was the day after Christmas. After we left NH early to get home prior to the big snow storm, we walked down to 25th and 3rd to see the 1:00 Patriots style football. It was snowing sideways, and that storm actually dumped 20" of snow.

I got excited because the menu indicated they had Redhook ESB on tap, and it's one of my faves. But no, you can't trust the menu, or the beer list on the wall. The waitress suggested the Harpoon Winter Warmer. We tried it, but it was just a little too much like pumpkin beer to me...That's ok though, because they have a nice selection of 8 or 10 on tap.

While enjoying the pre-game we ordered some nachos to start. This is a huge and delicious tower of power! The chili is not in any way wimpy - put on your big girl panties because it is SPICY! Delicious spicy not crazy spicy, and the flavor is really great. Usually these Irish Pubs are more mild even if you ask for spice, so it was a pleasant surprise! The table behind us ordered buffalo wings, and wow, they smelled so good. That is on my list for next time :)

Mussels in a White Wine Cream Sauce

2011-01-03T20:24:00.007-05:00

My friend Amber was looking for a recipe for mussels that had a nice sauce with it. This is my basic mussel recipe, and many have asked for it.

A pinot grigio you would drink - say Cavit, inexpensive but still tasty 1/2 bottle

2 or 3 tomatoes, chopped

a softball sized onion chopped

3 or 4 fat cloves of garlic minced or grated on a microplane

2 T olive oil

2 T butter

5lbs mussels, cleaned, debearded and checked to be sure they are alive (toss any with open shells)

A splash of cream or 1/2 & 1/2

juice of 1 lemon

Saute the onion in the olive oil and butter until translucent

Add the garlic and sautee for a minute or 2 more

Add the wine, cover and bring to a simmer

Add lemon juice and tomatoes, bring back to a simmer

Add in the cleaned mussels, steam with the top on until they boil over 3x

Take the pot off the heat, stir in the cream, and serve with crusty bread to sop up the juices!!

Divine!

Christmas Day at Jim & Jilly's

2010-12-31T12:29:00.000-05:00

Christmas Eve At Michele and Dave's

2010-12-30T20:33:00.000-05:00

Scrappy Gen and Ben's Deli

2010-12-21T12:32:00.001-05:00

My good friend Jennifer prepared this fabulous post for your reading pleasure - Enjoy!

Two visits two New York City in less than two months is a record for me. We had lunch with Suzee on October 23 and last Saturday I was back again, but I didn’t have time to see my old (as in long time, not age) friend.

Promises, Promises, playing at the Broadway Theatre, was the destination for my parents, my aunt, my sister and me. My Aunt is a big fan of Burt Bacharach, the music composer, and this was her last chance to see the musical, which closes on January 2. Sean Hayes was hysterical in the leading role and Kristin Chenoweth has a beautiful voice. The original movie, The Apartment, was a fairly serious one, but this show is fun and highly enjoyable.

We took the train to Grand Central Station from New Haven and arrived with a couple of hours during which to eat lunch. My Aunt’s friend had recommended that we try Ben’s Kosher Deli on 38th Street, a short ten or fifteen minute walk from the train station.

We were there early for lunch at 11:45 and quickly got a table. Before we had our coats off, we had been served big bowls of coleslaw and pickles, both dill and half sour. All three were crunchy and delicious.

The menu has a very large selection, but a couple of items appealed to our whole group; the famous Ben’s stuffed cabbage, the matzah ball soup, the hot pastrami on rye and the potato pancakes.

We all declared the stuffed cabbage a winner. The sauce tasted slightly sweet. The appetizer serving of one cabbage is enough for a lunch meal. Of course, we didn’t stop there and also had a half a pastrami on rye. The pastrami was tasty, but could have been better with a little less fat. My Dad had the matzah ball soup. I tasted the matzah ball and it was light and well peppered. The only item none of us loved was the potato pancake. Maybe it was New York style. We were hoping for a lighter, crisper pancake.

The service was good and quick, particularly considering it was the height of the shopping season. Would we make a return trip to Ben’s? Yes. In fact, I don’t have a choice as my husband, MJ, is not very happy that he missed out on the meal and has vowed that we will return. Perhaps to attend Boychick’s Bar Mitzvah.

Before we left New York to return to New Haven, my Mom and Aunt wanted to see the tree at Rockefeller Center. Doing this on a Saturday evening in late December is not something that I recommend, unless you are really good with crowds. It was absolutely crazy, but we did glimpse the tree.

My favorite part of our trip though was seeing these talented fellows:

The Salvation Army employees were singing and dancing their hearts out with microphones and karaoke. They gathered big crowds as they worked their magic and people dusted off their hearts and dug deep into their pockets to show their appreciation. It was a neat thing to see.

All in all, we had a great trip to New York and loved Ben’s Kosher Deli. The only thing missing from the trip was seeing Suzee.

Suzee,

How about Ben’s and shopping in January?

Love,

Scrappy Gen

Rick's Favorite Oatmeal

2010-12-18T10:23:00.000-05:00

Oatmeal is one of those incredibly low calorie breakfasts that is so satisfying. I think oatmeal is really my favorite "whole grain" and definitely my favorite baking ingredient. All that extra fiber along with the chewy texture and homey flavor is something of which we should take advantage, in my opinion.

Rick loves this preparation, and so do I. Unlike baked goods, I can just make enough for right now, and I have some tricks to make it just a little more decadent, without totally ruining the benefits of this tasty ingredient.

I make the oatmeal leveraging the directions on the package - a 2:1 ratio of water to grain. So 2 cups of water to 1 cup of old fashioned oats for the two of us. Then I start my tricks! I add about a 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon to the pan, and I core and chop a ripe pear (leave the peel on). Then I turn on the stove to start the cooking process. Bring to a simmer and cook for a few minutes until the oatmeal is the consistency you like.

Split the oatmeal into 2 bowls, and sprinkle about a tablespoon of brown sugar in each bowl, and add about a 1/2 cup of milk as well. Then, crumble 2 or 3 walnut halves into each bowl as well. Don't mix it all up - that way the little bit of sugar will dance directly on your tongue! And the nuts add this crunchy dimension, and the fruit adds sweetness too.

Every time I eat it, it reminds me of a cross between oatmeal cookies and apple crisp. What a way to start the day, huh? Yum!

Murray Hill Haunt - The Wharf

2010-12-16T20:07:00.001-05:00

I think I have found another good pub in Murray Hill! Yay! I stopped at The Wharf after doing power Christmas shopping. The best time to find a cool pub - when your feet hurt from walking all over town, and your packages are getting heavy. Trudge in the door, plop all your bags on the seat next to you at the bar, and gratefully sit down. If you are lucky, they will have Blue Point Toasted Lager on tap!

I saw on the specials board that the soup of the day was potato cheddar with bacon. Oh my. It warms the soul and dances on your tongue. It really should be on the regular menu, it's so fabulous!

I admit, in addition to the food, the other thing a cool pub requires are chairs with backs. Now these are the tables in the bar area - note there are not any backs to these chairs. The bar chairs have backs though :) I think it's important to have full disclosure.

After a cup of that incredible soup, I enjoyed the lobster macaroni and cheese. I told the bar tender - I'm a lobster snob. Is it really good? And she assured me she'd just had some last week, and she was pleasantly surprised how good it was. So was I! Yum!!!

The dish was appropriately cheesey with a decidedly cheddar slant. The pasta was cooked well - nothing mushy about it. Since the lobster consisted of claws and knuckles, I'd assume this was frozen fare, but in combination with the cheddar flavor, it really tasted fresh! There was a smattering of crunchy breadcrumbs on top - if you are into that you will be pleased. I'm not, but I still liked them.

If you find yourself in the Murray Hill area, ignore all the other pubs on Frat Row (aka 3rd Avenue in this area), and head straight to The Wharf. Good stuff there!

Cirque Du Soliel - Wintuk

2010-12-03T14:16:00.000-05:00

Last night went to see Wintuk - I got a comp ticket, and this was the last year they were going to offer it in NYC. I walked over to Madison Square Garden, and after getting lost in the Andrea Boccelli line, I now realize that MSG has 2 venues - the arena (where I saw Lady Gaga earlier this year) and the WaMu Theater (where Wintuk was held). The arena has great seats all around. The WaMu Theater was so poorly designed, I'll bet 50% of the seats had an obstructed view (the head in front of them). And the seats are very uncomfortable.

The show started on time, but surprisingly, people kept arriving and were seated during the show. It was very distracting. I'm not sure if it's true of all Cirq shows (though it was for Banana Schpeel) that there is really no story. And this show had even less dialog. In the first 45 minutes, there might have been 20 spoken words.

The show was filled with physical comedy, and I'll bet that children would really enjoy it. Unfortunately, I didn't.

It seemed unprofessional. Given that some paid more that $200 per ticket, that was surprising. In addition to seating people while the show was in progress, Cirq was not even able to maintain a playbill for this show to let you know who the performers were.

So, if you are in the mood for a child like show sans the adult jokes, or perhaps you want to expose your children to theater as a way to ease them into something where appropriate behavior is required, perhaps this is for you.

For me, I'm not sure I'd actually pay for a Cirq show given my experiences so far.

Thanksgiving on Indian Lake

2010-11-27T06:25:00.001-05:00

Sunrise Thanksgiving morning - lots to be thankful and grateful for...

Rick believes there is a Turkey Protection Program here in South Padre - these Turkeys are in costume.

Mushrooms - just out of the oven. Pretty gosh darn tasty!

This is a random Indian Lake bean bag game with variable rules. Tom and Aggie seem to like it though :D

Dinner with a whole lotta Indian Lakers. Some really amazing dishes at this pot luck!

Suzee's Peas and Onions with Champagne Cream Sauce

2010-11-26T09:01:00.000-05:00

We went to the Indian Lake Potluck Thanksgiving this year, and Rick was hoping for some peas and onions. Usually we just buy them frozen, but here in South TX there was not even a package of frozen onions to be had.

I did find some raw pearl onions and figured, what the heck - lets try and make some from scratch.

I blanched the onions for 3 - 4 minutes to get the skins off (3 ten ounce packages). I figured out early on that if you leave the root end attached, and slice off the other end, you can pretty easily peel off the outter layer and slice it off the onion. I tried the "slip the skins off" method, but my onions were not cooperating.

In a stock pot I added about a 1/2 cup of flour and 3 or 4 T of butter. I stirred them together to make a roux and continued stirring as they cooked on medium for 2 - 3 minutes. I added a can of low sodium chicken broth, and whisked this together until smooth. Next I added 1/2 bottle of Asti Spumanti (Mom's fave for a holiday). Once it stopped bubbling from the carbination, I simmered it a bit to allow it to thicken. Maybe 5 or 10 minutes. I added some salt and freshly ground pepper, and I'll tell you the sauce tasted pretty gosh darn good at this point, so I added back the onions and also added 2 lbs of frozen peas. I let the the veggies simmer for about 10 minutes. After that I added about 1/2 - 3/4 cup half and half, and heated it through. I added more salt and pepper at this point as after the cream addition, it definitely needed some adjustments.

I consider this recipe a success - the 25 or so folks at the pot luck enjoyed them, as did Rick. Next time though I think I would make these adjustments.

Add the peas at the end, so they stay a nice bright green.
Consider going without the cream at all - the sauce was really nice even without it.
Add some tarragon to the mix - I think that would really make it special.

If you try this recipe, let me know how it goes! Enjoy!

A perfect day on the Island!

2010-11-23T15:31:00.000-05:00

We had a belated birthday celebration for my father's 21st celebration of his 50th birthday. I thought he would like an apron for making his famous black bean soup!

I was able to finagle a trip to the Palm Street Pier for our celebraton - I'm sure glad my father likes it too!

Last night we also had a great swim in the pool and I got to see the sunset over at Coconuts. Every sunset on South Padre Island is a good one :D

A Long Plane Ride

2010-11-22T13:03:00.000-05:00

We took our Dial 7 car to the airport, and went through all the airport hassles. Then we waited for our plane like good doobies, and once we got seated, Rick's Kindle died. Seriously. We were about to spend 7 hours in a cramped airplane cabin, and he didn't have any reading material. Thankfully mine still worked, and I had a couple magazines with me. At the next stop (they stopped 2ce, but we were not to deboard) I used the wifi to download a couple books to my kindle phone app. Course my phone is not designed to be on all the time, and the battery died with about 45 minutes left of the flight.

We did call Amazon customer service at the first stop to get some help. They had no idea what was happening, and suggested they would send a new one to us, and we could return the dead one. We were able, after some negotiation, to get the new Kindle sent to my parent's place, and for them to get it to us for tomorrow. So half the vacation without the numerous books we downloaded specifically for this trip :( One day at a time, right?

Yesterday we got some fish tacos at the Palm Street Pier (my favorite spot), and watched the Patriots spank the Colts. Good day :)

Share Our Strength Party Pack

2010-11-18T10:50:00.001-05:00

Hickory Farms is offering a Party Planning gift pack for $40 where they donate $5 for each package to Share Our Strength. SOS fights hunger in America. As a part of the Foodbuzz Tastemakers program, I received my Party Planning gift pack today, and I must say - the presentation is really top notch. The package arrived in great shape, and I looked forward to opening it up to see what was inside!

I like to give food gifts - things that people don't buy themselves. Hickory Farms isn't what I would usually choose, but I must say, it's an afforable option which can be easily shipped. The added feature of supporting a great organization is a bonus in my book.

Creamy Champagne Chicken Soup

2010-11-16T15:16:00.000-05:00

My friends Jennifer and MJ came to visit not too long ago, and I think that's why I've been reminiscing about them lately. We went to UNH together, played and danced and did all that college stuff. After college, I was a bridesmaid at their wedding, visited when babies were born, and shared lots of dinner parties at their house and mine.

MJ is one of the pickiest eaters I've ever met (well, perhaps Rick is that picky too). At any rate, during the dinner parties, we tried new dishes and socialized at home where we could be comfortable and spend a few less dollars. MJ was always a wonderful guest, and we always had fun, but it was tradition that he would stop on the way home from dinner at McDonalds - I think he used to get a quarter pounder with cheese because he was hungry. I served a lot of fish because I loved it, but he did not. Thanks MJ for coming despite the menus I subjected to you :) You are my favorite non-eating dinner guest :)

Now Jen would make delicious meals (which yes, MJ liked haha!) and this one dish she made was called Champagne Chicken. It has been too long to remember any specifics except that it had champagne and chicken in it, and was a great use for left over champagne. I remember I really liked it.

So, for some reason the other day I was thinking about all of this as I was making chicken noodle soup. Interestingly I had a heavy 1/2 bottle of left over champagne. Thanks Jen for inspiring this yummy dish!

Ingredients:
12 C Home made chicken stock
1 lb raw boneless chicken, in a small dice ( use cooked chicken and add at the end)
1+ lb carrots, peeled and diced (be sure it's pretty small to get a few things on your spoon and to ensure they cook)
1/2 lb egg noodles
1t dried thyme
1t dried tarragon
1t onion powder
1t garlic powder
1/2+ bottle left over champagne
water

sour cream for finishing

Method:
Heat the chicken stock with the carrots.
When it starts to simmer, add the chicken and the spices.
After 10 - 15 minutes, add the champagne and the noodles. Stir to ensure all the noodles get wet, and let simmer for 10 minutes or so. Add the chicken now if you used cooked chicken. Don't mix it for these 10 minutes so the noodles don't get gummy.
After 10 minutes, it may seem a little stiff. Add water, 1 cup at a time, until it's the soup consistency you like.
Heat through.

Serve in a bowl or a mug, and stir in a spoonful of sour cream

This is a really tasty option, and you feel good for using up that champagne!

Rain on Broadway

2010-11-15T11:33:00.000-05:00

Last night I had the opportunity to see Rain on Broadway, a tribute to the Beatles. I let my friends know I was going, and I was surprised to hear the multiple view point comments. It seems there is a love/hate relationship with the public, which I would not have guessed. This show is all about the music, and I have to say I'm not a huge Beatle fan - I don't own any of their recordings, but I don't turn off the radio if one of their songs comes on. Honestly, I wanted to learn more about the history of the Beatles and consider how they influenced music of their time and mine. The bonus was it was a very entertaining history lesson!

With the multimedia insertion to the show, I was very impressed with how the show reminded you really how different life was in the these decades, especially when the Beatles first burst on the scene. Hindsight is 20/20, and it looked to me that the Beatles were just as influenced by America, as America was influenced by the Beatles. I prefer the pop-like music from the early Beatle sounds. The sound and video were very cool - and it felt authentic. The songs were raw without any electronic smoothing, and I loved how each vocalist was really such a fabulous musician!

The actor playing the Paul McCartney character was simply amazing. He didn't look like Paul per se, but his gestures, dancing, awesome hair and interacting with the band - after a few minutes, you knew exactly who he is portraying. It seems he was also in Beatlemania (the previous Beatles Tribute, which I did not see), so I can only imagine how much time he spent capturing these physical nuances.

Rain is only on Broadway until January 9th - it is a great show for young and old alike - it is fun and you can't help but smile.

Lincoln Center in the Evening

2010-11-14T12:00:00.002-05:00

Just outside Lincoln Center is the infamous Empire Hotel. If you are in the area, I encourage you to go so you can say "I've been there!"

Suzee's Grapefruit Glazed Layer Cake

2010-11-13T05:27:00.002-05:00

I was feeling a little restless today. There weren't any jobs posted that sounded interesting, the one contact I was able to connect with didn't have any time to chat today. Perhaps tomorrow.

I started browsing through the Foodbuzz Top 9, and came upon the number one today and it inspired me to make a cake. This is really not anything fancy - I had a cake mix in the cupboard for French Vanilla cake. I made it according to the directions (but if I do it again I would add a cup of sour cream like my MIL does - that adds a great crumb and moisture) in 2 eight inch round pans. I let it cool, and flipped one layer and placed it on the plate top side down. I added about a cup or so of Stonewall Kitchen's Mimosa Jam (oh my so delicious!) and spread it over the top of the lower layer. I put the next layer on top. Then I mixed about a cup and a half of confectioners sugar with about 2T of grapefruit juice, and mixed them together - it took some time, but don't add more liquid - it will come together. I tasted it and it needed something to cut the sweetness so I added a couple of scrapes of orange zest. That did the trick!

I drizzled the glaze over the top, and licked the spoon (yum!)

I hope you enjoy pairing these flavors - I'm in a big grapefruit phase - expect more :) xo

Suzee's Beef Stroganoff Soup

2010-11-12T10:00:00.006-05:00

As a part of the Tastemakers Program with Foodbuzz, I was able to replentish my supplies of Lea and Perron's Worcestershire Sauce. I got my coupons for freebies, and shared them with my family.

My cousins, Denise and Ginny, always have great beef recipes using this really uniquely flavored condiment, and I think their mom, my Aunt Beth, would use this a lot too. It's that little something that makes you go hmmm.... yum! What is that??

I also like to make soups of the flavor of things that may be too rich to eat as just a dish. Adding water gives me more bites of delicious flavor :) So this experiment came out pretty good :)

Ingredients:
1 32 oz carton of Rachael Ray Beef Stock
1/2 lb browned ground beef
1 1/2 minced onion
10 oz package of button mushrooms, minced and sauteed
8 hefty shakes of Lea and Perron's Worcestershire sauce
1/2 C red wine
1/2 C brown rice (uncooked)
2 C water

sour cream to stir in at serving time.

Add all together and allow to cook for a few hours on low. It worked best for me to pop the pan in the oven on 300 and let it go :)

I read an interesting article from the magazine which is associated with America's Test Kitchen. They tested a number of beef broths, and the Rachael Ray Beef Stock In A Box won by a mile - she actually uses 2x the beef products to make the stock. I think it also really made a difference in this dish.

I like to leave the sour cream out until you serve it as then you can determine how much you want to add, and then of course it's easier to reheat as well :)

Enjoy!!

The Empire Hotel - Papparazzi Heaven

2010-11-11T12:00:00.002-05:00

I went to the Empire Hotel rooftop bar to get this shot of the iconic sign. I reference the papparazzi because I think it is impossible to pick up a rag and not read about some big star partying there the week before. I went at around 7 pm, and I'm here to tell you, this is before blue hair time for the hip and happening for NYC :) Still, I enjoyed my cocktail, and the view :)

Here is my cocktail at the Empire Hotel Rooftop Lounge :)

STRAWBERRY FIELDS - Grey Goose Citron Vodka, fresh strawberries, lemon juice and simple syrup, topped with prosecco

I highly recommend it!

Dogfish Head Raison D'Etre

2010-11-10T16:58:00.000-05:00

I was just at the store because I needed some sour cream for my soup, and I walked by the beer aisle and this beer called me. "Suzee, Suzee - I am delicious and I won't be here when you come back later. Buy me! Buy me!" So, as you can imagine, I did.

I cracked it when I got home, and wow - it was so delicious! I looked on the Dogfish Head web site, and they suggested to drink it from a goblet or snifter, so I poured it into a wine glass. I was really surprised difference in flavor between a swig from the bottle and a sip from a glass! The ale beery bitterness cut through the lager like initial taste in the bottle. While I was on the web, I found that each bottle has 9% alcohol, and 220 calories (wow!), so take this in to consideration if you decide to have a second one :)

Really, this is a delightful beer - if you see it in the store, fork over that $14.00. You won't be sorry!

Suzee's New England Shepard's Pie

2010-11-09T15:07:00.000-05:00

There is no lack of Irish Pubs serving Shepard's Pie in NYC, but none are the same dish Rick and I ate in the school cafeteria or that our mom's made when we were kids. Out and about this classic is made with carrots and peas (hello? where is the corn?), but perhaps that is because corn was a North American thing?

At any rate, if we want some of that original deliciousness, we gotta make it at home. And that's ok, because it is a homey meal :) This recipe serves 2, but you can easily make a larger portion and reheat for leftovers. Our problem would be we would eat it all if I made more than 2 servings!

Ingredients:
1/2 lb low fat hamburger
1 small or 1/2 large onion
1 can cream style corn
2 large or 3 small potatoes (I like yukon gold best for this)
1t olive oil
1T butter (salted please)
1/4 C milk or whatever you put in your coffee
1/2t garlic powder, divided

Method:
Peel the potatoes, and cut into similar sized pieces. Put them in a pot with water covering them, and boil while you prepare the rest of the dish.

Mince the onion small - you want a few onion pieces to be in every bite

Sautee the onion over low heat in the olive oil - allow it to go for a 1/2 hour or so, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned and sweet

Move the onions into a bowl, and start browning the ground beef. Add almost all the garlic powder to the meat as it is browning. Once the meat is cooked through, add back the onions, mix and put the mixture in the bottom of the casserole (I use a 2 quart dish).

Check your potatoes - if they are cooked, turn off the stove, drain, and add the butter and milk to the pan along with the cooked potatoes. Put the top on the pan to keep warm.

Add the creamed corn over the beef mixture in the baking dish.

Mash the potatoes in the pan, and top the casserole with the potatoes.

I actually put the casserole in the fridge at this point, but you could pop it in the oven for 20 minutes and serve.

Since I took it out of a cold fridge, I baked for 50 min, covered at 350. It was really tasty :)

If I were to make any changes, it would be to add more corn to the mix - it adds this sweetness to the savory beef - really good!

Latest Family Shots

2010-11-01T10:00:00.008-04:00

We got a family stop at Petey's. The softshell twins were down to $14.59! Everyone but Jill partook in these delicious crustacians. They were so sweet and delicious - don't miss them this season.

Jilly was excited and happy when I got to NH - she came with Grammy and Grampa to pick me up at the bus station. And that night we played, Jilly showed us her Tinkerbell pajamas and her favorite toys.

Jilly found some princess dresses in storage in the basement - always a good thing to shop in your own closet I say!

We went shopping at the mall to get a new winter coat - after a few days with no naps, it was a challenging trip, but I love this photo of Grammy and Jilly on their way to the store, hand in hand :)

One day it was rainy and not very nice out. Jilly and I went to Rumble Tumble, and she is big enough now that she can run around on her own. I was especially touched to see her helping a younger girl throught the big rumble tumble maze.

Suzee's Sweet and Salty Broccoli Salad

2010-10-31T18:42:00.001-04:00

I went to the store to get some crudite for the game. I was feeling low on veggies, and I thought that would fit the bill. I walked to D'Agastino's and was absolutely disgusted by the offerings. Every colored pepper was shriveled (and $7.99/lb), and the celery was brown with rot (and $3.99/lb). Heavy Sigh... I moved to the bagged salads - the delicate lettuces were also rotting, despite the fact the use by date was 6 days in the future.

Then I saw the last bag of broccoli slaw, and it was in good shape! OK - I can work with this. Here is what I did:

1 12 oz package of broccoli slaw shreds
1 crisp red apple
a big handful of grapes (a heavy cup)

1/2 cup olive oil mayonaise
1/3 cup (or so) apple cider vinegar
2 packets of splenda (or a few spoons of sugar)

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 T salty sunflower seeds

In a big bowl, dump the package of broccoli slaw in.
Chop the apple in julienne slices, and add to the bowl.
Cut the grapes in quarters, and add to the bowl.

In a small bowl, add the mayo, vinegar and sweetener. Mix with a fork or whisk. Initially it will look lumpy or perhaps curdled, but keep stirring - it will become smooth. Add this dressing to the broccoli mixture. Season with salt and pepper, and toss the salad well. It will seem like there is not enough dressing, but keep tossing, and it will be enough to coat everything lightly.

Serve on 4 plates, and sprinkle 1T of sunflower seeds on each serving.

Enjoy!

Tastemakers for Nature's Pride

2010-10-28T11:56:00.001-04:00

The other day Rick and I came home from playing in the city, and a big brown box was sitting at the door. "What did I get you?" he asked. I replied "Hmmm...really not sure. Oh, it's from Foodbuzz. See you didn't have to pay a thing!"

I opened the box and found 2 loaves of Nature's Pride bread - one Honey Wheat and the other was Oatmeal. A carb conscious girl, the first thing I did was to look at the nutritional information. I just won't buy any pre-sliced bread that is more than 70 calories and that doesn't have at least 2 grams of fiber. Unless I am considering it a replacement for chocolate cake. So both loaves have 90 calories per slice. The honey wheat has "added fiber" (so they tossed some extra not naturally occurring stuff in to make it look good), and a total of 2 grams of fiber per slice. The oatmeal was only 1 gram of fiber per slice. So, without this program I would have never, ever purchased this bread.

We've now tried both flavors. They are both nice in texture, and not too heavy. The honey wheat has a light sweet flavor - I'm not sure I've ever purchased a honey sandwich bread before, but it was almost as sweet as a portuguese sweet white bread. The Oatmeal was decidedly sweet, half way between bread and dessert.

I'm sorry that I can't recommend this bread on any level, as Nature's Pride does work closely with Foodbuzz, and I do appreciate that. But I'm sure they can do better.

My favorite bread now is the Vermont Bread Company Soft Whole Wheat Bread. With 70 calories/slice, 3 grams of fiber and 4 grams of protien, it's a good one to try. I keep buying it because I like the flavor too!

My Favorite New Gadget!

2010-10-27T06:09:00.005-04:00

In my very small kitchen, I have to find space where ever I can. And that damn salad spinner was taking A LOT of space! I did use it very frequently. Here in the city I can get really good looking herbs, so I use them a lot. After a nice bath, I'd spin them up for use in some experiment.

I think it was Jamie Oliver in his Cooking At Home series where I realized, hey! I can spin them in a clean kitchen towel! And that takes so much less space! That means I can add 2 martini glasses to my cabinet's easy to reach storage! Woo!

Just place the herbs/lettuce/greens in the center, draw up the 4 corners, and hold on to those corners while you whip that towel around like a Solid Gold Dancer! The centrifugal force spreads the clean water all around the kitchen (which surprisingly doesn't bother me as it isn't much), and any remaining dirt stays in the bottom of the towel. The herbs lift out, gorgeous and ready for consumption.

I'm always looking for more space saving ideas - what do you do to limit your kitchen clutter?

Love Loss and What I Wore

2010-10-26T01:37:00.000-04:00

You know that amazing outfit you had your senior year in high school? The one that made the guy you liked smile a little wider, and perhaps pause a little longer?

That's what this show is about.

Clothes that we loved, what was happening when we wore them, and how we moved on.

Love, Loss and What I Wore is really hillarious - I got tickets from my favorite purveyer, sat in my seat with a full house, and laughed, and laughted, and cried, and laughed and laughed.

Get some girls together and go see this one - you will have quite a conversation after, and leave with a smile :)

Jen and MJ visit NYC!

2010-10-23T15:42:00.000-04:00

Jen and MJ planned a whirl wind trip to NYC for their 22nd wedding anniversary, and their 2 youngest luckily got to join as well. The only unfortunate part (well besides MJ being drenched in 3 belini's) was that it was a short visit. I met the clan outside Macy's and well all walked a few blocks to Legend's outside the Empire State Building.

We chatted and ate, and ate and chatted. Noah and MJ enjoyed 3 TVs worth of sports, with the occasional joke to share with the table. Jen, Molly and I talked fashion, college and girl talk, along with possible tentative plans to make another trip for Molly's 16th birthday in a little over a year.

Jen reminded me I hadn't seen her in over 6 years :( I sure hope the next visit doesn't take that long because this was a fun one :)

Suzee's Roasted Coleslaw

2010-10-22T10:35:00.000-04:00

You all know my desire for quick and painless weeknight meals, and in my opinion, a meal doesn't count unless veggies are included. This is one of our favorite sides. Easy to make, and cabbage has a nice full life in the fridge :) This dish will surprise you with it's fresh sweet taste - be sure to try these ribbons of love!

Ingredients:

1/2 head of green cabbage

1 large sweet onion

1.5T olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

Heat the oven - this dish is so forgiving you can do it on many heats, just change the timing.

If at 450, roast for 15 minutes

If at 400, roast for 25 minutes

If at 350, roast for 45 minutes

Core and slice the cabbage in to strips, separating them in to ribbons

Peel and thinly slice the onion from root to tip so they also resemble ribbons.

Roll the cabbage and onions on a sheet pan in the olive oil. Top with salt and pepper.

You don't have to line with foil, but I do to limit clean up needed.

Once you taste this side dish, you will appreciate the beauty of this photo! Enjoy!

Suzee's Cheesy Chicken Casserole

2010-10-20T13:27:00.001-04:00

I was looking for a chicken casserole to make today. Rick's always up for the chicken and rice, but I wanted something different. I was cruising around the web looking for something, and found nothing, so started cruising around my fridge.

I'd bought some of that Kraft melty cheese shreds, and they have a recipe for macaroni and cheese on the back. Hmmm....I could beef that up. Or chicken it up! (hehehe - couldn't help it!)

Here it is:

3 Boneless, Skinless chicken breasts (about 1.5 lbs)
3 cups melting cheese, 4 cheese blend
1 cup milk
1 sweet onion
1 10oz package frozen spinach
2 cups dried pasta - a small shape which will still catch the sauce like Lumachine or small shells.
1/2 t onion powder
1/2 t garlic powder
1/4c white wine
1T butter

Heat water to boiling for the pasta.

Heat the butter in a pan, and chop the onion in a med dice. Add the onion to the pan, and sautee.

Heat the spinach in the microwave until defrosted. Squeeze out the water.

Cut the chicken in to bite sized pieces and brown. Remove the chicken, and deglaze the pan with the wine. Reduce the liquid to half.

Add the onion, spinach, chicken, milk, wine mixture, and spices to a bowl.

Add the pasta to the boiling water, and cook to package instructions. Drain and add to the bowl.

Add the cheese to the bowl, and mix all well until cheese melts.

Serve or move the mixture to a casserole. To reheat cover with foil and pop in the oven at 325 for 20 min or so.

I really liked this casserole (cheese? hello?) Hope you do too!

Pepperoni Pizza Soup

2010-10-16T17:42:00.001-04:00

Finally - it's getting cooler out!!! I have a thin cotton cardigan on and it makes me very very happy :) I wanted to use some left over roasted chicken (Isn't simple roasted chicken just the best thing ever?), and I was considering a casserole. I'm just in the mood for something warm and comforting you know? Then I was thinking about the poblano peppers I got from Fresh Direct. But as I went through the pantry for something or other, I came across the pizza sauce! Oh yes! We love Rick's Pizza Chicken recipe, and haven't had those flavors in a while! Here they are in a really tasty and hearty soup :)

1 lb mixed dried beans - I used a 16 bean mix prepared in water according to package directions with 3 small bay leaves (remove after cooking)
1 quart of low sodium chicken stock
1 14oz can of pizza sauce
3 T McCormick's Spicy Pizza Spice
1 5 oz pkg hormel pepperoni bites (these little circles are so adorable!!)
2 C cooked chicken, shredded
1 10oz pkg frozen chopped spinach
1 cup shredded cheese blend

After you prepare the beans, drain the old water, add all other ingredients and heat through.

Delish!

Cumin Scented Carrot Salad

2010-10-11T18:57:00.000-04:00

My sweety Rick asked me to make a slaw this week. Then he clarified he wanted a carrot slaw. With raisins (eeuuww!). I looked at about a dozen recipes on line, and considered my girlfriend Ann's Mom's fruit cole slaw (haven't got that recipe yet). I thought about using my regular slaw dressing, but I was kind of in the mood for something else. So I mixed and tasted and added stuff until I had something I liked - raisins and all! Give this one a try - quite tasty and low calorie.

2 lbs carrots, peeled and grated
a few handfuls of raisins - about a cup
a 6 oz can of pineapple tidbits
juice of 2 lemons
1/2 t cumin
1/2 t ground coriander
1/2 t freshly ground black pepper
3 T good olive oil

Add the carrot shreds and raisins to the bowl - try to separate the raisins so you don't have big raisin clumps.

Pour the juice from the pineapple in a bowl to make the dressing. Add the spices, lemon juice and olive oil.

Dice the pineapple bits and add to the carrot mixture.

Pour the dressing in to the salad and toss.

Enjoy!

Slattery's Mid Town Pub

2010-10-09T07:25:00.002-04:00

I love coming to this pub - it is my local, sit down and grab something to eat or to drink kind of place. One of the first times I went there was with Ann - we stopped on a pub crawl - thank goodness we had a burger. One of the best burgers in Mid Town!! No crumbly brioche buns here - wonderful medium rare beef with cheese in a roll that holds together with lettuce tomato and half sour pickles (my fave).

I also frequent the buffalo wings here - the hot are really medium and the deep fried skin is to die for. The home made bleu cheese dressing is amazing and the celery/carrot accountrements are tasty too!

If you get happy hour, you can get 2 for 1 drinks and/or shot of the day comps which could be the orange kamakazis that Ann and I had or perhaps Apple shots like an apple martini. They are very creative!!

If you find yourself between 5th and Madison, or across the street from the Gingerman, this place is a whole lot less snobby, and so much more welcoming. I love stopping here. Hope you decide to try it too!

Blue Water Grill, a dream table

2010-10-08T18:24:00.001-04:00

The Blue Water Grill has been on my list of restaurants to try since we moved to the city. It's a seafood focused restaurant, but there are a couple of chicken options. I didn't realize it initially, but Blue Water Grill is a part of the B. R. Guest Restaurant conglomerate. I've had good luck with restaurants associated with BRG in the past, but none were as formal as this.

I was lucky when I arrived that around 1:30 there was plenty of space inside and the patio outside was also available. I got a great table outdoors and enjoyed the view of the Union Square Park. I felt like I was celebrating the good interview I had the other day, so I ordered a Yello Bello. It has Ketel One Vodka, Lillet, Crème de Cacoa, Ginger and Lemon. It tasted a lot like a generic lemon lime soda - kind of syrupy and lacking finesse. I would not suggest it, as there are lots of other options. I enjoyed the sunshine and contemplated the menu as I sipped my cocktail.

I decided to start with the Marinated Yellowtail Sashimi with Avocado, Ruby Red Grapefruit and Spicy Mango Dressing. I would describe this dish as more of a ceviche, as the tuna was heavily marinated in citrus - lemon, lime and perhaps grapefruit. I ordered it because there are a significant number of sushi and sashimi options on the menu, and I thought it would be especially fresh. But the citrus made me think, as it usually does, that perhaps the fish isn't as fresh as it should be. I did enjoy the caviar sprinkled over the top, and the thinly sliced fennel. The gentle little pops of the caviar were fabulous.

My entree was the seared scallops - they were different than the description on the web site - mine were with brussel sprouts, panchetta and carbonara sauce. As you can see from the photo, the sprouts were separated leaves and there was pasta involved as well - quite a nice entree :) I was glad I'd had an appetizer as 3 scallops do not an entree make, but it was delicious :)

Overall, Blue Water Grill would be a place for a business lunch, but not for a foodie extravaganza. It's a pretty expensive option, and frankly I expect much more for the money. I would put the food here on the same par as other B.R. Guest restaurants I've visited, where the bill was about half compared to the bill here.

As I looked over the menu, I couldn't help but think to myself, this is where Jumpin' Jay's Fish Cafe obtained some of it's ideas. More moderately priced, it is one of my favorite places in Portsmouth :) I love how the foodie world finds inspiration everywhere, and that it is shared all over. Very nice.

Am I Being Punked? Pumpkin Soup

2010-10-06T10:31:00.000-04:00

I really liked this soup - I like the sweet/spicy flavor combination, and it's a great multi nighter with easy reheating. Rick on the other hand said to me "Am I being Punked?" :D I don't think he cared for the fruit in it :) Ah well - he ate it 2 nights in a row. I love that about him :)

1 lb roasted pork tenderloin, sliced thinly and cut in bite sized pieces
1 c short grain brown rice
2 c water
1 incredibly large apple or 2 normal sized apples, peeled and chopped (don't leave these too large - you want them to cook and soften)
1 softball sized onion, chopped
1 T olive oil
1 can pumpkin puree
2 cans low sodium/low fat chicken broth
1/2t garlic powder
1 t cumin
1/2 smoked chipotle

Cook the rice with the water according to the package directions.

Sautee the onion in the oil on low - caramelize the onions low and slow. Stir occasionally, and don't let them burn.

Heat the pumpkin and broth, and whisk them together to make a smooth soup. Add spices and apple, and simmer 15 minutes or so. When the rice and onions are done, add them to the pot. At the end, add the pork, and heat through.

Enjoy!

Suzee's Blonde Whisper Martini

2010-10-02T01:08:00.001-04:00

OK boys and girls, seriously, this is my best recipe ever. If you ever partake, this is the one to try. Way better than a cosmo!

1.5 shots Belvedere Pink Grapefruit Vodka (yes it matters)
.5 shot of St Germain liquor
squeeze 1/6th of a lemon into the shaker

Shake it like you mean it, and pour into a martini glass.

Voila!

Remember what my friend Darryl says - here he is in his natural habitat (blue shirt in the front)

I prefer to think of him like this when I quote him though :)

Just because he looks like this does not mean you should not listen - definitely listen!

Martini's are like boobies - one is not enough, but 3 are too many.

Enjoy!

Afternoon Snick Snacks

2010-10-01T17:10:00.000-04:00

I've been thinking more and more about that fabulous antipasto we got at Puglia last weekend! I found myself at the Grand Central Market at the Murray's salume counter....I think it took me 30 minutes to select my purchases because there were so many options! I ended up with the Tarufo Creminelli (the browner of the 2 in the photo which includes black truffles - oh yes!) and Columbus Felino (the redder one in the photo, considered the "King of Italian Salame"). I also spread some boursin on crackers to complete my snack!

I have to admit, today I feel like a princess with meat bon bons! Looks I will be working soon, so I'm enjoying my last few days of freedom. I wish the world was such that both Rick and I could have these mini breaks.

Suzee's Sausage Cassoulet

2010-09-30T01:46:00.003-04:00

I was perusing food blogs today, loving all the "classics" on the project food blog, and I came upon a blog which posted about Pam Anderson's Perfect One-Dish Dinners. That post inspired this post - I haven't read the book, but wanted to mention it because it was so highly recommended.

This delectible dish was conceived when it was reasonably cool out (this morning), but whew, the oven just heated the apartment to almost unbearable. This would be fabulous in a crock pot too, though not an all day affair.

Here are the ingredients:
1 lb sausage (I used chicken sausage here, but I would definitely change to sweet italian sausage next time)

4 plum tomatoes chopped (or a pint of grape tomatoes - today I only had 2 plum tomatoes, so I added 8 oz of tomato sauce)

1 large onion cut in 1 - 1.5" chunks

4 large garlic cloves, sliced (not too thinly)

3 T olive oil

1.5 T balsamic vinegar - if you have the good stuff, don't hesitate to use it - it's only a small amount and it makes a huge difference!

2 t dried thyme

3 small bay leaves

s&p

1 can cannellini beans drained and rinsed

1 10 oz pkg frozen spinach

1/2 C water

Adjust oven rack to lowest position, and heat to 350. Mix all ingredients up to and including the salt and pepper in a dutch oven. Roast about an hour, until the tomatoes break down and make a nice sauce.

Remove from the oven, add the beans, spinach and water, and simmer on the stove top for 5 minutes or until heated through.

Serve in a bowl or on a plate - your choice, but add a light drizzle of fruity olive oil over the top - it makes the beans sing :) Enjoy with crusty bread and a nice Rioja :)

Mikey's Izmir Kofte

2010-09-29T01:32:00.001-04:00

I met my friend Mike back at my first job in NYC. See him above? He's the one in the middle of Damian and Jocy. He's a project manager, and a fabulous story teller. Although I haven't had the pleasure of partaking in his cooking, I hear via the grapevine it's amazing :) When I was working on the Project Food Blog, and before I got axed, I asked Mike for some tips and perhaps a recipe for something Turkish, which is his background. He sent me this recipe, and it sounded so fabulous I needed to make it :)

1 lb ground beef

1/2 lb ground lamb
1 cup large onion, minced as tiny as you can (I actually grated the onion - seemed easier)
1/4 bread crumbs (I use Panko) (me too!)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander seeds
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 bunch italian parsely - minced (you need about a handful, not more)

Mix all of the ingredients lightly in a large bowl.

Make thin eggshaped meatballs (2 inches long, 1/2-3/4 inch wide) - Form a normal meatball, then Roll it in the palm of your hands to get the shape.

2 lbs of russet potatos (sliced into steak fry shapes - 1/2 inch think, 1 inch wide)
8-9 plum tomatoes (quarters, length wise)

Sauce

8 oz crushed tomato
medium sized shallot minced
4 large cloves of garlic minced
1/2 teaspoon oregano (dried)
1/4 teaspoon basil (dried) - double it if you use fresh
2 tblspoons butter
2 - 3 T olive oil

In a small sauce pan, melt butter and 2-3 tblspoons olive oil on high heat

Add garlic and shallots, cook for 1 minute

add crush tomatoes and seasonings

Let cook on medium heat for 10 minutes.

In a medium to large size square pyrex dish (lasagna tray is a good substitute), place alternating meat, potato, tomato pieces the length of the tray (direction of line not important)

Once you fill the tray out, pour your sauce over it

Cover dish with tin foil

Cook in pre-heated 350 degree oven for 45 minutes (it's done when the potatoes are tender). (I cooked for 55 minutes, but my potatoes didn't soften - I'll cook the left overs for a while to get them soft)(plus my oven is a million years old)

Can be served with white rice or as is.

The flavor was amazing! Do try this dish - it has a pleasing flavor - I'm looking forward to the leftovers!

Suzee's Maple Apple Crisp

2010-09-28T02:23:00.001-04:00

To earn my keep when I went for a quick trip to NH, I made Ann a big 'ole apple crisp! We stopped at a farm stand for some apples and I got a 1/2 peck of courtlands. She was a little short on brown sugar for my regular recipe, so I had to improvise a bit. So, I used brown sugar and white sugar to make up the sugar component of the crumble topping. And, as there was no molasses, I added a few tablespoons of maple syrup to the apples instead of sugar. Oh yeah - that's a keeper!!!

The Feast of San Gennaro

2010-09-27T11:22:00.000-04:00

Rick and I made our way down to the Feast of San Gennaro in Little Italy this past weekend. I was really pleased that despite fabulous weather, it was relatively quiet. I say relatively because last time we went, it was so jammed I was seriously concerned that if anything happened, we would not be able to get off Mott Street. People were shoulder to shoulder and belly to bum that day. This day you could see sunlight between you and the people around you :) We walked from the Canal Street station over to Mott Street and started north searching for a nice place to eat. There are more than 30 restaurants which open sidewalk seating for this event, and I can't say as I've ever had anything but amazing Italian food in Little Italy. So we stopped at the first locale which had open seating, Puglia, and ordered a nice bottle of chianti. We had a few sips and fresh Italian bread appeared - warm and inviting. Not too crusty, and perfectly poofy! The waiter came by, and we ordered dinner. He asked us if we wanted an appetizer, and I asked him how the antipasto was. Very good he said - and seriously, this was the best antipasto I've ever had. There were rolled meats like capicola ham, salami and some other kind of mild ham. Then slices of pepperoni, pieces of fresh mozzerella and imported provalone which was almost the texture of aged cheddar (so amazingly delicious)! This all laid on a bed of fresh lettuces, cucumbers, tomatoes and roasted red peppers dressed in a fabulous fruity olive oil and a smooth sweet balsamic vinegar. Sprinkled on top were black olives and pepperoncini and a stuffed cherry pepper. You all know I don't love all this stuff, but all together, in the beautiful weather, with the gorgeous wine, and fresh bread, it was heaven!

Rick's chicken parmesean roll was really good - they used fresh mozzerella, and the marinara sauce was to die for - simply fabulous! I had the lobster ravioli with vodka sauce - it was very good, but that marinara out shown everything during the entrees! Next time I'll be diving into the spaghetti and meatballs!!

Jackie Warners's Protein Shake

2010-09-26T08:10:00.009-04:00

Did you ever watch that show on Bravo - "Workout"? What do you think - do you like Jackie better with short hair or long hair? I say she looked fabulous in short hair, and she just looks contrived in long hair :(

Anyway - here is the protein shake Jackie uses for pre or post work out as she describes in her new show Thintervention.

1 scoop protein powder
1t Glutamine Powder (amino acid which breaches blood brain barior according to Jackie)
1t BCAA Powder (branch chain amino acid)
1T L Carnitine (fat burner)
1/2 T Flax Seed Oil (be sure to shake the oil first)
1 C frozen spinach
1 C frozen berries

Blend!

Football Snacks with Apple and Prociutto

2010-09-25T06:57:00.001-04:00

I love pork products. I was reading a note from my friend Jenny, and she commented how they ate a lot of pig when she was a kid. I love that. None of that "the other white meat" crap. Just "I like me some pig!" Please - I love bacon, ham, sausage, pepperoni, and sweet sopressata.

But for some reason, I really struggle with prociutto. Perhaps it's because I'm in the USA and not in Italy? I have yet to taste some that doesn't have a rank flavor and a texture so delicate that it's impossible to keep it in one slice. Am I just buying the wrong brand???

I came upon an idea to have pear with prociutto, and I thought, hmmm... A nice twist away from the usual melon/prociutto combo (which I've tried before, and don't care for).

Well, I didn't have pear, but I did have honey crisp apples, and a sweet onion that needed some cooking love. I used one of those apple slicers - the round one that cores it too, and then I took each slice and cut it in half again for a thinner slice. Then I combined slices of apple wth slices of smoked gouda, and topped that with a little swath of procuitto. I think I would like this better if there was a bit of ham on it instead of the procuitto - something saltier to go with the sweet apple and rich smokey cheese. But if you are a procuitto lover, perhaps this is for you.

Next I caramelized some sweet onion - sautee on low with a little butter and a cover and keep tossing around for a bit. Perhaps for 20 - 30 minutes to really get them rich and sweet. Add a little water if the pan happens to get dry. Don't let them burn.

Then I layered the onion slices on the apple, and wrapped with procuitto. I baked them in a snuggly dish for about 25 minutes on 350. I thought perhaps if the procuitto was crispy, that I'd like it better. The answer was no. This time I was craving a bit of bacon, and perhaps a few crumbles of bleu cheese.

At any rate, there some football snacking ideas here - options, options, options....
What sounds good to you???

Today Is Voting for Challenge 1!

2010-09-20T12:00:00.002-04:00

OK - Voting is OPEN for the first challenge for the Project Food Blog!! Please vote for me! My post can be found here.

Voting Opens 6AM Pacific Time September 20th through 6PM Pacific Time September 23rd - Just click that cute little widget with my picture on the left hand side. Thanks for your support!!

Project Food Blog - Challenge 1

2010-09-19T14:23:00.001-04:00

I'm really pleased to be invited to participate in Project Food Blog with Foodbuzz! This is a Food Blogging contest - if I win, then you'll be able to read about my adventures in a weekly feature column on Foodbuzz. This initial entry is to introduce myself to a number of new readers, and let you know why my blog might be a fun one to visit regularly over the next year. I hope you will log in to their site and vote for me :)

My cooking inspiration, like many people, comes from my Mom. Whatever my father brings home from fishing or hunting, she cooks. It doesn't matter if she's never cooked it before - she'll ask someone who has, and just does it. Cooking wasn't my Mom's favorite thing by any means. She just doesn't like it. But it's her fearlessness that inspires me. So I almost always subject my family and friends to new experimental recipes - who has time to do a "practice run"? This is life, and I don't want to practice it. I want to live it! And if it falls apart, I’m sure I have something in the pantry. Perhaps crackers with cream cheese and roasted onion jam? Or a bowl of cashews while I whip up some pasta?

I especially enjoy seasonal, local food. I spent most of my life in the seacoast area of NH. My family home is next door to where my grandfather lived, and my aunt and uncle live kitty corner across the street. Both of my grandfathers were farmers, and we always had a huge garden. I never remember tiring of freshly picked corn and summer squash, or tomato sandwiches and cucumbers every day in the summer. I also find delight in fresh seafood! We'd eat steamed little neck clams my father dug by the peck full, and lobsters we’d caught in our traps. And the flounder, cod or pollock whitefishes we'd catch from the ocean. The smelts we caught ice fishing were cleaned and fried up. We’d lift the bones out of the cooked fish by the tail, and eat them like French fries. All these things were essentially free to us, as we had the adventure of catching or growing them. We ate seasonally because it was affordable.

When I started working, and had a little disposable income, I started hanging out at cooking stores. Have you ever considered that you would just be a better cook if only you had the gadget of the day? I’ve had those thoughts, and made quite a few purchases. Before moving to Manhattan, I lived in Portsmouth NH for a number of years, and this home was a perfect entertaining home! It was a pretty suburban locale, and a far cry from the rural life I’d had as a child. You can see me here with 4 of my friends all converged in the kitchen! Ha - those were the days :)

Here is a shot of our current apartment. See that little doorway in the left of this picture? It's my kitchen. As you can see, I've had to make a few tweaks in how I cook, what tools I use, and how I pull it all together. I now realize that I don’t need the latest gadgets, thankfully, because there is no room for them! My most important tools are a couple of very sharp knives, cutting boards, and a few pans. Now I chuckle every time some friend or family member bemoans the size of their kitchen, and deems it too small.

So my blog is really about enjoying where you are, and finding ideas all around you. Here I am, in the middle of the city that doesn't sleep! Every week there is a new take out menu for some variety of Asian food slipped under our door, and I can't count the mélange of restaurants just outside! There is so much inspiration which help me to create new culinary delights. I write to keep in touch with many family and friends, and to capture fun times we have here. Sharing successful recipes is so easy when it's all posted online. My eyes are seeing this city in a way locals can’t imagine. These new experiences enliven me, and encourage me to create new, healthy, affordable, local, fresh and flavorful dishes. This is why I would make a fabulous Food Blog Star! We'll be cooking, eating, drinking and otherwise, and I hope you will go to the Foodbuzz site and vote for me! Voting Opens 6AM Pacific Time September 20th through 6PM Pacific Time September 23rd - Just click that cute little widget with my picture on the left hand side. Thanks for your support!!

3 Mo Divas - OUTSTANDING!

2010-09-18T18:33:00.001-04:00

I just got back from the 3 Mo Divas show at the legendary Apollo Theater. I printed a few alternate ways to get to the theater at 253 W 125th St on the brail.org web site. It worked out well, because I left an hour before the show, and I found just before that they estimated it would take an hour to get there. I was able to see a few ways to shave a few minutes off thankfully, and the subway gods were on my side, so I arrived from Grand Central via the 5 train to 125th Street and walked over to the theater.

The people at the Apollo immediately make you feel welcome, and I was ushered to the intimate theater on the 3rd floor. My seat was in the last row, but at the last moment the house manager invited folks to sit closer, so I ended up in the 4th row. And from this perspective, I could hear each intake of breath, each step on the stage, and each moment when someone started a new song and that gentle or forceful initiation of sound from deep in the gut. This show was designed as one with "living room intimacy", and wow - it you get the chance, you must, must, must go to this show.

3 Mo Divas sing through their show illustrating 10 different types of music. As classically trained vocalists, 2 sopranos and a contralto, it was just simply amazing to see the range of opera to disco, and broadway to gospel done fabulously. The show is so tight, that it is even better in person than on the CD (which I am playing right this very minute!). And just so you know, the CD is pretty damn good.

The Quantum Eye : Magic Deceptions

2010-09-15T08:18:00.001-04:00

Rick and I took the 6 train downtown on Saturday to the Bleecker Street station. It drops you off less than a block from the Bleecker Street Theater! How fortuitous! We went to The Quantum Eye : Magic Deceptions with Sam Eaton. Neither of us had ever really attended a magic/mentalist show and since the tickets came from my favorite purveyer, we figured we'd give it a try.

It was a very interesting show - about an hour and 15 minutes. Not that I will be running out to the nearest magic shop, or replicating these tricks at home, but something different for 5:00 on a Saturday afternoon. Lots of kids in the audience and the teens especially seemed to like it. There was a group of about 8 girls in front of us who all came together - perhaps to celebrate a 13th birthday?

If you are in town and looking for a family friendly show in the East Village, this could be for you!

Suzee's Tortelini Salad

2010-09-14T07:36:00.001-04:00

I don't often make pasta salad. It's one of those white things "they" say you should stay away from. I was thinking about my cousin Ginny's Tortelini salad that she used to make for family picnics, and figured I'd whip it up. I was even going to call it Ginny's salad, but then I started adding things, and before I knew it, I'd lost the simplicity I'd been craving.
I wasn't going to post this one, but surprisingly enough, Rick really liked it. So, here you go.

1 lb frozen tortelini, cooked to package directions
1 European cucumber, diced
1 pint grape tomatos, diced
1 bulb fennel, diced
1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced
1 orange bell pepper, diced
1 T good olive oil
1/4 c light newman's own balsamic vinegrette

Dice all the veggies while the tortelini is cooking. Once you drain the pasta, toss it in the olive oil to prevent it from getting gummy and sticking together while you finish chopping.

Dump all the veggies in the bowl with the pasta and dress with Newman's Own dressing, and toss.

Voila - chopped veggie pasta salad!

Sunday Funday II

2010-09-13T03:30:00.001-04:00

For our football snacks today, I wanted some buffalo chicken, but nothing too heavy. I love the buffalo chicken dip I made in South Padre, but even cutting it in 1/2 or a 1/4, just makes too much for the 2 of us.

This something I've made a couple times - Rick ate the whole thing last time (kind of mindlessly) and he was in pain that night from just eating too much. So this time I only put out 1/2 the chicken or so to create some portion control! I found these cute little appetizer picks at Pearl River Mart. I don't know if you can buy them online, but this store is a fun one for dishes and kitchen stuff.
The dish goes a little something like this:

4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves, cut into largish bite sized pieces. I usually get 6 - 8 bites per breast.
8 oz Frank's Hot Sauce
1 oz light cream cheese
2T Ranch dressing of your choice

Marinate the chicken breast bites in the hot sauce in your oven proof pan. I let it hang out on the counter for about an hour. Pop it into the oven at 350 for about a half hour, so your chicken is completely cooked.

Meanwhile, make your dipping sauce by melting the cream cheese and dressing together in the microwave. Try 30 seconds at 50% and go from there. You want the two ingredients to mix well to make the dip.

And serve! Go Patriots!

Sunday Funday!

2010-09-12T14:16:00.000-04:00

Today I made brownies and buffalo chicken bites for Footballing snacks:)

The brownies were the recipe I posted here, but I didn't have the ingredients for the icing :\
I got a little creative and did this instead.

2T butter
1 oz square of unsweetened chocolate
1/3 C confectioners sugar
1T half and half

Melt together 2T butter and a 1 ounce square of unsweetened chocolate (such as Baker's). I did this in the microwave at 25% for 1 minute with just the butter. Then I added the chocolate, which was warm and soft to the touch because my pantry is over the fridge, and they melted together easily. If your chocolate isn't soft, then you should chop it up and add it to the butter - it might take another turn in the microwave for another 15 seconds.

Once it's combined and smooth, add the confectioners sugar, vanilla and half and half. Mix until smooth.

Voila - a nice chocolatey option :) By the way, Rick just pronounced them better than his birthday brownies, so I guess this new icing recipe is keeper!

Lunch in Grand Central

2010-09-11T19:40:00.000-04:00

I met Rick for lunch at Grand Central this week. I haven't been here since working at the Palace, and it was funny how I saw it with fresh eyes. The windows are so beautiful, allowing a lot of natural light into the main hall. The architecture is amazing - I don't know of any other place like it.

We ate at Michael Jordan's Steakhouse - at the bar, and enjoyed some burgers and fries. We ordered our meat medium rare, and it definitely arrived medium well unfortunately. The draw here of course is being in the great hall, watching the world go by.

Blue Smoke Goodbye Lunch

2010-09-05T07:33:00.001-04:00

My project came to an end at the palace this week, and for a second good bye lunch, my boss Andy took me out. We decided to hit Blue Smoke. I haven't been here since Rick and I went and tried a few samplers, but I remembered spying the Banana Cream pie on the way out thinking - I MUST try that next time!
I started with the Yellowfin Tuna Tacos - you know my penchant for fresh fish tacos! I was a little leary about ordering fish at a BBQ place, but I figured, what the heck? The menu didn't say anything about it being raw, and when the waitress mentioned sushi, I was a bit puzzled. When they came, I was shocked to see raw tuna in a small dice loaded into 3 small hard taco shells. I took a taste, and it was nicely flavored with cilantro and something fresh like perhaps tomatillos. One taco was really enough - this is a very substantial appetizer, but it would have been divine had the tuna been grilled.
Andy had the Shrimp Corndogs - very nice presentation. Long wooden skewers topped with fried shimp coated in cornbread. Andy let me have one, and the coating was crisp, light and corny - yeah that sounds corny, but really it was a great way to serve them. There was a light sauce they came with that I liked a lot as well - it had a fresh cilantro lift to it as well.
We moved on to the entrees and we both ordered the pulled pork - and it was really good! You can see Andy's dish above - the pulled pork platter. I had the sandwich - and I would definitely order it again!
And you would think after all that food, we'd be done, but no. That banana cream pie was calling my name, and I ordered it.

It. Was. To. Die. For.

And it was even better than mine!! I do see a return visit in the future :)

Amber's Hurricane

2010-09-04T19:47:00.001-04:00

In celebration of Friday's Hurricane (Earl):
1 oz vodka,
1/4 oz grenadine syrup,
1 oz gin,
1 oz light rum,
1/2 oz Bacardi® 151 rum,
1 oz amaretto almond liqueur,
1 oz triple sec,
grapefruit & pineapple juice.

Pour all but the juices into a hurricane glass 3/4 filled with ice. Fill with equal parts of grapefruit & pineapple juice.

Crispo and Comix

2010-09-03T23:10:00.000-04:00

I got tickets from Theater Extras to see the writers from SNL, HBO and the Comedy Channel at Comix - we hadn't been to a comedy show in forever, and I was looking forward to it :)

I got a res at Crispo - yes another Italian place :D It looked very rustic and cool, and it was just down the street from the club. The reviews were fabulous, and the house specialty is carbonara!

We got there around 6 as the show was at 7:30. I started with a lemoncello martini rimmed with a sweet sanding sugar, and Rick had the reliable grey goose on the rocks. We sipped and enjoyed the locale - it very much reminded us of Portsmouth with the long thin dining room, the brick walls and hewn beams. Our server was fabulous and personable. In a place that is so casual in appearance, you don't expect this professionalism, and it's such a treat! We started with the Fontina & Prosciutto Crostini - oh the little toasts of heaven! I need to make these oh so much more often!

For dinner there was a spaghetti and meatballs special - this isn't usually on the menu. Rick had been craving just this dish! I ordered the carbonara - it is the house specialty of course. The server tipped me off to expect it to come with a very soft poached egg and cheese which I would mix in at the table. It came as described and I mixed the strands of spaghetti with the cheese and egg, and voila! I see exactly how easily carbonara is made, and damn, it's really not that bad for you! One small egg and a handful of cheese with the bacon and pasta. I always thought they also put in butter and cream. A pleasant surprise! And of course it was magic in my mouth.

We made our way over to Comix, and it's really a nice little club! A word of advice though. Do not trust their servers when they say the strawberry daiquiris are good. They are not! Comics were funny though :)

Pig Roast at the King Farm

2010-08-29T14:14:00.000-04:00

This weekend was the pig roast at the King Farm, and most unfortunately, I missed it :( My mom took these photos as she knows I'm interested in learning how all this is done.

A 132 lb pig was roasted starting at 4:00 AM on Friday, and served on Saturday afternoon with a few kegs of beer, and a plethora of side dishes and desserts brought by guests who live and work in the area. Now to give you an idea of the number of people, my father thought there were no leftovers from the pig. At all. My mom squirelled away 4 portions as I asked her to so we could taste it when we visit in October. I'm planning to pop it out of the freezer to make a mexican pork stew.

At any rate, I am going to guess that means there were at least 75 people there - so at least 25 of the best local side dishes. My mom made her potato salad, which everyone always loves. My father said that he tried everything on the buffet and then went back for seconds because it was all so good. He can't do that too often these days as his diabetes doesn't allow for it, but he's back on the wagon today.

After visiting and playing yesterday, and not going to bed until after 1:00 AM, they both sounded a little tired today, but I have a feeling it's a happy tired.

I need to plan to make it out there for next year's party so I can watch the entire pig roast process! Sounds like FUN! And maybe I'll be able to get some of those prize winning side dish recipes too!

Suzee's Birthday Evening!

2010-08-29T01:00:00.001-04:00

After work on Thursday, we had reservations for a recommended restaurant on Open Table at 7:30 - just enough time to stop sweating, freshen up on put on some special duds! We strolled down the street to Marcony. Now I've passed this unassuming entrance many times, but my goodness, I had no idea what magic happens beyond those front doors!

We were offered our option of tables, and we selected the back balcony for our meal. We were able to look at the entire dining room, and enjoy the gorgeous handmade chandelier. And amuse busche was brought out immediately - homemade cheese ravioli which had been toasted and dressed with a light marinara. Oh my - nice bites :)

We ordered cocktails to start, and I have to tell you, these are truely works of art. I selected the TRE VOLTE – It was described in the menu as a lovely blend of Ketel Citroen, falanghina bianco, limoncello and muddled basil. It was very lovely, and and such a wonderful melange of flavors. Rick selected the Elana Cocktail – a combination of Grey Goose Poire, a touch of elderflower and a topping of prosecco. It was lovely as well - I thought it might be overly pear like, but no, subtle hints of flavors - nothing hitting you over your head. The person who created these cocktails is a true mixologist in my opinion.

For appetizers, I selected the grilled shrimp and avocado special. The shrimp was fresh and perfectly cooked, and the avocado was a beautiful pale green, nary a blemish, and smooth and savory.

Rick selected the beet salad - it was very fresh, and he enjoyed the golden and red beets.

Now, there were a number of specials this evening - a list so long that I could not remember them. If I were to give any feedback at all to this lovely restaurant, it would be to leave a hard copy of the specials after they are verbally delivered.

At any rate I asked the server for help deciding between the branzino special and the chilean sea bass which is on the regular menu. The branzino it was, and the fish was perfectly cooked, and fabulously fresh. You all know how hard I look for fresh seafood, and how I'm not easily pleased in the city that doesn't sleep. I was very pleased this evening! The branzino was fresh fresh fresh and perfectly cooked :)

Rick ordered the black angus sirloin steak, medium rare. The steak was very flavorful, but definitely more on the medium side, which is great for Rick. It's just always good to know how the chef views medium rare vs medium or rare. The dish came with a light mushroom gravy that he did not care for at all. I thought it was tasty, but I do like my mushrooms.

With our meals, a trio of complementary tastes were brought - roasted new potatoes which were very hot, and then cool sauteed zucchini and a cool eggplant dip. Very tasty!

I wore this ring and bracelet set with my birthday dress - I bought these when we were at York Beach, Maine at the Daisy Trading Company. I've gotten so many complements, and the bracelet is a nice size so it's nice and loose :)

After Marcony, we decided to go out and party a little more - it was a celebration after all :) We ordered some wine at the Banc Cafe and chit chatted about love and life. When the wine was gone we were ready for dessert, and ordered this apple torte. It was not as good as mom makes, but it was nice to have a little something sweet to share.

And, on the way home, we saw the Empire State Building was lit up for a celebration. Looks like many people were having a good time in the city.

Suzee's Cheese Danish Wannabe

2010-08-20T08:13:00.004-04:00

This easy breakfast really satisfies! Toast a slice of whole grain bread, and spread it with a couple tablespoons of low fat cottage cheese. Then place whole or sliced berries on top. How easy is that?

The Ice Cream Alternative

2010-08-19T07:59:00.001-04:00

I really don't like Mr Softee - his ice cream is slimy. And based on the reports and videos on MidTown Lunch, he is also mean. So when I was able to get real ice cream on the street, I was pretty happy!

I tried the Van Leeuwan truck - with devine flavors like cinnamon, ginger, chocolate and vanilla it was hard to choose! I went with pistachio - and wow was it delish! No scary green food coloring, just creamy pistachio goodness.

2 Thumbs up for Van Leeuwan - try it if you get a chance! It was at the corner of 23rd and 5th next to the mango ladies :)

Corner Mangos

2010-08-18T07:51:00.000-04:00

While out getting some iced coffee yesterday, I came upon these women selling sliced mangos on the corner in sandwich sized ziplocks. Now what was really interesting was the condiments for adding to your mangos - these included salt, lemon juice and hot sauce! If my hands hadn't already been full, I thing I would have had to try this! I love sweet and spicy!

Summer Breakfast

2010-08-17T08:00:00.001-04:00

There is something magical about tomatoes vine ripened in summer. I never tire of ways to use up those gorgeous red gems, and this is my absolute favorite. It's a bonus that you can make it in less time than it takes to eat :)
Toast some bread - pick something lovely and mild. This is to add just a base to transport the other flavors. Don't use "diet" bread. It's only 1 slice. You can do it! Sourdough is my favorite.
Spread with olive oil mayo - no chintzing here - a good layer is important. Sprinkle with a light bit of sea salt.
Add a thick slice of fresh tomato.
Top with 2 eggs over easy, and serve with a knife and fork, and perhaps another sprinkling of salt.
Life is good!

Rick Made It to the Brooklyn Bridge!

2010-08-16T20:45:00.000-04:00

Rick has been meaning to make it to the Brooklyn Bridge. It's one of those modern marvels that continues to be classic and beautiful.

After the bridge we stopped down at Pier 17, sniffing around for a late lunch and something cold to drink. We stopped at Sequoia. Now, the seaport in Manhattan is not known for culinary delights, so my expectations were low. Unfortunately they were not low enough.

After some soup, we moved over to the Water Taxi Beach. I've written about the beach before, but they have actually added more sand, and this really was a huge improvement. We took off our sandals and stretched out with our toes in the sand. It was very quiet - just a couple of families with small children there. And no cover. We had a couple of 6 Points made by the Brooklyn Brewery - and I have to say, I think this is my favorite one from the Brooklyn Brewery! After enjoying the breeze on the water, and good conversation, we made our way back home.

Jimmy Juice - Beloved Ferry Landing Fave!

2010-08-14T13:10:00.001-04:00

Grab a delicious Jimmy Juice and enjoy the sun at The Old Ferry Landing in Portsmouth, NH or make it yourself at home!

3 oz Captain Morgan's Rum

3 oz Mount Gay Barbados Rum

5 oz pineapple juice

3 oz orange juice

1 oz cranberry juice

1 oz floater of Goslings Black Seal Rum

Lime garnish

Combine all ingredients in a 16 oz pint glass with ice. Garnish with a slice of lime.

Rick's Favorite Cole Slaw

2010-08-12T08:00:00.001-04:00

Rick loves my cole slaw. I will make a huge bowl of it, and it is one of the things he will actually get out of the refrigerator for himself as a snack (versus me getting it out for dinner). I base this cole slaw on my mom's version, just substituting splenda for sugar. Because Rick is so fond of it, I did try making it with lots of different types of vinegars, sweetners and ingredients. This is his favorite, and I'm glad it is one of those things you can keep in the fridge for a few days - easily - although he does tend to make it disappear pretty quickly :)

Here is how to obtain the perfect final result.

For the salad part:

1 small green cabbage, or half a big one (I used half of a 6 lb cabbage - I know, who knew they grew that big?)

3 medium carrots (about a 1/2 lb)

1/2 a baseball sized vidalia onion

Peel the outter limp leaves from the cabbage and toss. Cut the cabbage in to 8ths (or 4th's if using a half cabbage - you know what I mean - something so the strips are bite sized), and slice it as thinly as you can across the grain, to make thin ribbons.

Peel and nip the top and tails of the carrots, and grate them on the large holes of a box grater.

Chop the onion fairly finely, but don't go crazy over it.

Toss everything in to an extra large bowl. I have a big stainless steel one for making big salads like this - I'll guess it's 24 quarts - I like to have some room to toss everything around.

Dressing:

3 glops of mayo - I use the helmann's olive oil mayo (which in addition to tasting good, is almost 1/2 the calories). Each glop is about 1/4 cup.

3 glugs of apple cider vinegar - about 3 T

3 packets of splenda (or 3 T of sugar, or 2 T of honey or 1.5 packets of sweet 'n low)

Mix well with a fork - if you see what looks like curdles, don't be afraid - just keep mixing and they will go away :)

Toss the salad with the dressing - I use 2 forks - it moves all that stuff around and distributes the ingredients.

Then bring the first bowl to Rick - he is always up for some good slaw!

Suzee's Leftover Casserole

2010-08-11T08:00:00.002-04:00

Last week I made a casserole based on a recipe I got from a magazine - Cooking Light I believe. The original recipe was in a huge 9x13 pan, and contained low fat everything. I'm pretty sure it was less than 150/calories per slice. Feel free to go that route if you so desire - sub egg whites for some whole eggs. I figure those yolks have lots of good folate, and I am old enough to have seen eggs go from nutritional "perfect" food (seriously yes, they called them that in the 70's) to cholesterol craziness where everyone avoided them, to now, where if you want some eggs, great they are cheap and a great source of protien.

This is kind of like a crustless quiche, and the addition of the cottage cheese makes the end result so creamy, that it doesn't feel like left overs to me. Try it out :) Re-heats well too.

6 jumbo eggs
1 cup low fat cottage cheese
1.5 cups of shredded cheese (pick your flavor)
1/4 - 1/2 finely minced herbs (again pick your flavor - optional)
4 cups left over or pre-cooked veggies and meats

Mix the eggs in a big bowl.
Once they are scrambled well, add both cheeses and herbs and spices if using.
Fold in the left overs

Pour into a 2 qt casserole dish sprayed with Pam or the like.

Bake at 350 for an hour. If the egg is not set after an hour, add 10 more minutes.

Serves 6 at around 250 cal/slice

My flavors were sauteed vidalia onion, canadian bacon and american cheese blend. I didn't have quite 4 cups of the filling (more like 2.5) but it still worked fine.

My next one might be onion, spinach, zucchini, feta, mint...

Or perhaps onion, garlic, mushroom, crab and dill havarti.....

I know Rick will be looking for the sausage, pepperoni, meatball, mozzerella topped with pizza sauce before long....that will be more than 250 calories each though :)

Suzee's Afternoon Tea

2010-08-10T08:00:00.000-04:00

Grey Goose L'orange with iced tea (yeah, diet.) Need to account for those darn vodka calories! This is a little bit of citrus tea heaven :) Serve with an orange slice or lemon wedge if you have it!

By the way - do you notice the size of my counter? Ah well - If there is not too much space, I tend to keep it clean :)

My all time Favorite - Petey's!!!

2010-08-09T01:00:00.002-04:00

Petey's is my favorite place to stop at the beach. Between July 4th and Labor Day you are almost guaranteed to have the deck open where you can smell the salt air, and watch the ocean in a huge screened in porch. It could be that I've had many happy memories here - we used to live less than 3 miles away and had fun stopping by on the motorcycle. Or it could be that when Rick ate here, he noted that they had the best fried chicken sandwich anywhere. He'd order it with lettuce, tomato and mayo. Rick doesn't care for seafood. But as you know, reading my blog, I LOVE SEAFOOD! And this place would cater to everyone in a wonderfully relaxed way that always made me feeli like I was on vacation, even if I was only out for a weeknight nosh. That is truly a gift for a restaurant - in my humble opinion.

Note - soft shell twins were $17.99 at our first trip. With a huge scoop of cole slaw and choice of starch, it was quite a deal! Then, when we went with my family, soft shell twins were $15.99!! Incredible!!

This last vacation, we stopped in to Petey's on the way to York Beach, and sat at the bar where Rick didn't have to watch me dismember a couple of bugs (aka lobsters). We had a great lunch.

After Water Country, we stopped here as well - just a hop skip to route 1A from there. And the cool thing is that we had just as much fun with my parents and my niece as we did on our own. Because everyone gets what they like here :) Life is good at Petey's!

Rickshaw Dumplings - Yum Yum!!

2010-08-08T11:52:00.000-04:00

After perusing the Home Depot and P.C Richards for ideas and thoughts about updating the kitchen and bath, we went next door to Rickshaw Dumplings. Rick loves dumplings. He loves to tell you about how every culture has a "dumpling like" comfort food. Some kind of deliciousness wrapped in a few carbs :) So this place has been on my list for a long time.

We decided we'd each get the sampler - one of each of the seven cool looking offerings complete with the appropriate dipping sauce :) This is the way to go as a first timer!!

As you can see, it is important to have the menu along side because you can't really tell what is inside these little love pillows! As I look at the To Go menu, it is in a different order than the one on the chalk board in the store. Still, I think we can tell which is which :) Rick's fave was the traditional Pork, and I would totally order either the Chicken and Thai Basil with spicy peanut dip or the Peking Duck with hoisin dip. Who am I kidding? I would order both. Yummmmmm!!!!

Tastemakers! Kellogg's FiberPlus

2010-08-07T21:29:00.001-04:00

We got a cool looking box in the mail when we got back from vacation, and I took out these 2 boxes of cereal from the Foodbuzz Tastemakers program. Interesting - high fiber cereal with interesting and yummy sounding names! Frankly I have to tell you that Rick tore through both boxes in less than a week. I got a nibble of both, but I will tell you that he would not have eaten them if they were not tasty. The bonus was that the high fiber cereal did what you buy high fiber cereal for! My favorite was the cinnamon flavor - very nice :)

Home Sweet Home

2010-08-02T21:42:00.000-04:00

Water Country, hmmm hmmm have some fun!

2010-08-02T01:00:00.002-04:00

After York Beach, we met my parents and Jillian at Water Country! Jillian was SO EXCITED to go! Jilly's Papa had to work, unfortunately, but we went all around the park :)

Jilly quickly understood the relationship of the park to the map we got at the front office, and pointed out the places she wanted to try, starting with the Pirate Ship!Rick and Pa mostly watched. I think my father was trying to prove me wrong because I had told him he would be sorry if he didn't have a swim suit. He borrowed my brothers, but he didn't put it on. He went into the Pirate ship area with Jilly, and didn't need to get wet. Rick went down the big slide with me - Wild Canyon - so much fun! Jilly and I went 4 or 5 times together :)

We stopped for lunch - Fresh Moe's Italian Subs!! Woo hoo!

By the way, I'm still using aloe for my sunburn...

Union Bluff Hotel, Short Sands

2010-08-01T13:59:00.001-04:00

Morning at the beach - the sand is empty of all the beach goers (they are still drinking coffee like we are) and the air is salty and fresh. After enjoying quiet time on the balcony, we made our way to the Union Grill for breakfast. Be sure you are ready to relax when you come here in the morning - it's all about relaxation, and a slooooowwww experience. The lobster benedict was divine!

I made plans to hook up with Isabel for lunch at Inn on the Blues. We had the fish burrito - so delish!! The Mojito was pretty awesome too!

We spent lots of time at the Union Bluff patio as in the afternoon there was some shade and a gentle breeze - perfect for a snack and a good book! If you have steamers, be sure you wipe your fingers before you turn the page :)

I also got to meet Kathleen for cocktails and snacks. We started at the Blue Sky - she had the cosmo, and I had the Mai Tai - they have a Mai Tai to die for! We also had mussels - they were really fabulous! Cooked in wine, with a very mild and sweet maple sausage, caramelized onions and pieces of brie, we were seriously considering having a second order! We ended up moving to the aforementioned Union Grill for Lobster Flat bread and Edemame. I'd never had Edemame, and these are really good! They were seasoned with garlic, chives and sea salt. You open the pods, and eat the pea sized soy beans inside. The pods pile up like little carcasses, but you do feel a bit virtuous for such a healthy snack!

Our time at York Beach was full of smiles, good books, good friends and good food! A significant amount of sun too!

Suzee's Crunchy Watermelon Cucumber Salad

2010-07-27T06:00:00.003-04:00

For Michele and Dave's party, I made this fresh salad inspired by Tyler Florence. It came out even better than I thought it would. But darn - no photo. Guess I'll have to make it again sometime :)

1 roll of paper towels - you won't use them all, but you'll need them!
2 Cups cucumber, peeled, deseeded, chopped and dried on paper towels
4 Cups watermelon, cubed, and dried on paper towels
1/2 C thinly sliced sweet red onion, set in water for 10 mins or so to cut the bite, and dried on paper towels
1/2 C packed mint leaves, chopped
1 cup goat cheese crumbles
1/2 cup salty cashews
Juice of 1 lemon - if you have a microplane, grate the zest in too
2 or 3 T of really good olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Put everything in a big bowl from the cucumber to the mint, and give it a gentle toss. Add the cashews, lemon juice and zest, olive oil and s&p, and toss again. Top with the cheese. I tried tossing the cheese in, but it was too hot out and it just melted into the dressing. You will be surprised and pleased with this fresh side dish. Don't make it way ahead unless you keep it all separate and then combine at the end.

Enjoy!

Vacation - Michele and Dave's Party

2010-07-26T18:00:00.001-04:00

We were too busy having fun, chatting, and catching up, and we realized at the end of the day we didn't take any photos! I stole these from Michele's facebook page :)

It's been one year since Deanna passed away, and we had a short memorial - a poem, a song and then we wrote wishes and prayers to Deanna on the beautiful mylar balloons. We cut off the string and watched them float up to heaven one by one. Laura got a great video of it with little Jayda in the background happily chatting as 2 year olds do. I'm glad we were able to take that time together.

After we ate, and swam, and went for boat rides, and enjoyed the day. It was beautful :)

Vacation - ManchVegas!

2010-07-26T11:36:00.001-04:00

I made reservations via Open Table for Cotton - I think it's becoming our "go to" place in ManchVegas, also known as Manchester :D

We got a booth at the end where we could laugh and be obnoxious without interferring with all the folks there for a regular dinner. We started with a cocktail, and then ordered lots of good food. I have pictures on my camera phone that are struggling to upload, so perhaps I'll add them later if I feel particularly energenic. The highlights included Ann's crab cakes - she had these burger sized cakes (2 of them) as dinner. They are actually an appetizer, but my goodness, I'd be shocked if someone ate all that and then had dinner afterward. Rick started with a cool blueberry soup - a nice unique starter. Then he had the meatloaf. He wasn't feeling well later so something didn't agree with him, but he liked it while he was eating it! Kathy had the Turkey Schnitzel Ann had last time - that bourbon applesauce will get me everytime. I had the lamb sirloin - cooked so fabulously with some bitter greens. It was excellent.

Our server was right on top of things, bringing everthing we could possibly need (and perhaps a few things we didn't need but really wanted - hahaha!). A great meal.

We moved on from there to Strange Brew - Ann set that up, and they had a great blues band playing. Mike and Rick ended up going back early, and the rest of us stayed out too late, but had so much fun. It's so great to see everyone again :D