It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas

Everywhere you go...

And we did go everywhere, or at least it felt like it.

After spending a couple hours on the phone with Delta over Sunday and Monday getting my cancelled flight rebooked we were finally off to Michigan on leg one of our three leg Christmas journey.  Ben arrived in Michigan on his original flight on Monday morning around 11:30.  My rebooked flight landed me in Michigan at about 10:00 pm on Monday night.  First stop? Pizza House of course (Ben had already hit Panchero's for lunch).  It's probably ridiculous, but our first stop everytime we make it to Ann Arbor is to indulge in some of the college comfort foods we know and love. 

Finished up some Christmas shopping on Tuesday before we packed up and headed to the west side of the state to visit with Ben's dad and his wife.  We had a lovely dinner, complete with a yummy salad weighted down with goat cheese and a bottle of cab. Having spent the evening chatting and catching up we decided we needed more time and came back the next morning for breakfast.  Ben's dad's wife is a great cook and served up perfect, flaky biscuits with homemade jams and sugared bacon.  I really didn't know you could make bacon better, but you can, you really, really can!

The rest of Wednesday was spent wrapping presents back at my parents house, hanging out and playing games with my brother and his friends.  Thursday, Christmas Eve day, dawned early as we piled in the car again, this time to drive to Sarnia to pick up two of our favorite people, Alyce and Dave.  We didn't get a lot of time with them, but an hour in the car and the same over lunch were happy times.  These are some of our dearest friends and it was so good to see them, even if it was a short visit.

The rest of our day was spent with me doing deep breathing exercises in an effort not to beat my father, who refuses, no matter how easy I make it for him, to do his Christmas shopping for my mom until Christmas Eve.  After late afternoon stops at Best Buy, Target, and Bed, Bath and Beyond we finally finished and headed home to prepare for the onslaught of greek relatives.  Fast forward three hours and Ben is in the basement drinking whiskey with my godfather while good-naturedly tolerating the kooky ramblings of my aging uncles, my brother is trying to shelter his new girlfriend from the same and I'm running around plying everyone with booze to ensure the evening doesn't devolve into an opportunity for "the airing of grievances."  All in all, it was a nice night filled with family, food and lots of laughter.  Here are a few highlights.

My parents' god-daughter Sara ripping into the Hannah Montana Movie Ben and I got her (save your comments Hannah Montana haters, I don't like it either, but when that's the only affordable item on the Christmas list, you've got to run with it)

(My Aunt Voula, Dad and Tom - you can NEVER get everyone looking at the camera.  Oh and Tom's face is priceless, I think he's laughing at some less than helpful suggestion offered by my godfather)

(Helping Tom refresh his swing dancing skills)

Christmas morning came VERY early.  Like 515AM.  This was my mom's request to ensure we had a chance to do Christmas morning together before Ben and I jetted off to South Carolina to spend Christmas with his mom, uncle and siblings.  Still bleary eyed opening our gifts from my parents, Ben and I received two kitchen items we've had our eyes on for some time, a KitchenAid Blender and a KitchenAid ProLine 6-Quart Stand Mixer.  Being the huge cooking dorks that we are, we were thrilled with these incredibly generous gifts and can't wait to test them out (product reviews promised!).  But better than getting gifts at Christmas to me, is giving them.  So while we opened ours, we also got to see my parents and brother opening the things I had so much fun selecting!  I was really glad to see my brother liked the watch we'd picked out as this kid has EVERYTHING and we were really at a loss as to what to get him.  Fast forward 30 minutes and, unlike when we were kids, the wrapping paper is all bagged up and, much like when we were kids, Tom is taking inventory of his haul for the year and both he and my dad are decked out in their new MSU (Sorry Wolverines!) snuggies.  All in all, a really nice (and very early) Christmas morning had by all.

While it would have been lovely to stay put and not have to brave the icy roads of the morning, we wanted to make sure we spent some time with Ben's mom and siblings too.  So we packed everything up that would fit into our bags and headed out to the airport with my dad as our chaffeur.  After more hang ups with Delta we were able to flout our miles and get into the preferred security line allowing us to make our 9AM flight to Charleston.  The rest of our Christmas tale in Charleston will have to wait for another post as the pics from Ben's uncle have not arrived yet!

Dear Delta, Do You Think Playing "Let It Snow" As Your Hold Music Is Funny?

About 10PM on Friday as we were all laying around our living room in a food coma from delicious duck, I flipped open the computer to check what time the snow might start.  Weather.com claimed it already had.  We looked out the window and lo and behold we'd somehow missed the first inch or so to fall.  But not to worry, we didn't miss the remaining 18 inches.  In fact, they're all still here.

Now as my previous post indicates, I love snow.  However, today I found another caveat to that love.  This is in addition to loathing those who can't drive in it.  I don't love snow when it disrupts my travel plans.  I was scheduled to depart DC this morning at 930AM.  Alas, my flight was cancelled.  Not because it was still snowing, it had stopped by the early hours of this morning.  But because DC was so unprepared for the dumping of white (and to the city's credit, 20 inches, even by Michigan standards is A LOT) that as they cleared the runways at Reagan they ran out of places to put the snow and had to truck it offsite.  That left the airport closed into the early afternoon and then only running on some of the runways.

The silver lining you ask?  I noticed early enough on Saturday that my flight had been cancelled that I was able to call Delta and, after a mere 55 minutes on hold, get rebooked out Monday at 730 PM.  And the gold lining?  The only remaining seat was in FIRST CLASS!! And since I have oodles of Delta/Northwest miles they were willing to give it to me without asking for the extra fee! There's always an upside.

Take a look at the pretty, pretty mess all the snow made!

(the first 9 inches had fallen by 10AM on Saturday, ten more fell before it was over!)

(The view from our porch about 7PM on Saturday.  There's roughly 15 inches on the ground at this point)

(Hard to snap good pics when the snow is still coming down in buckets!!)

Duck Confit - Day 3 - The Day the Duck is Done and Other Gastronamic Delights

Our "Christmas Dinner" arrived Friday without any major snags.  The expected snag was that no matter how hard I tried to leave the office early, I would get trapped.  I got a little trapped and left at 4 instead of 3, but that's still very early, so I can't complain!

Made it home in time to give the house a once over with the vacuum (I love my cats, but wow, it's like they shoot out hair when they know you're having company) and get right into the cooking.

First course, Asparagus with Poached Egg, Parmagiano and Arugula! Inspired by an item I had in Rennes, France with Al and Dave. Sorry the pic is a little fuzzy.

This dish is pretty easy to make and a delicious way to showcase fresh, high quality ingredients.  You do need to pay close attention to the timing though, so nothing gets overdone.

Ingredients:

1 bunch asparagus
High quality extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
3 tablespoons white vinegar
4 large organic eggs
2 cups baby washed arugula
1 to 2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
1 lemon, zested

Holding the tip and stem of each asparagus spear snap the asparagus where it will naturally break. Discard the ends. Toss the asparagus with oil and salt, to taste. Steam the asparagus just until its pliable. Remove to a platter and reserve at room temperature.

Fill a medium saucepan 2/3 of the way with water. Add the white vinegar and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat on the burner until the bubbles in the water have subsided. Gently crack and drop each egg into the water. Cook the eggs for 3 to 4 minutes. When done the whites will be cooked through and the yolks will be warm but still liquid.

While the eggs are poaching assemble the salad. Toss the arugula with half of the lemon juice, a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt. Gently toss the salad until coated with the lemon and olive oil. Add more lemon juice and oil if needed. TASTE IT! The salad should be dressed and flavorful but not soggy. Divide the arugula between 4 individual plates. Arrange the asparagus on top of the arugula on each plate.

When the eggs are done, remove them from the pan with a slotted spoon and gently blot on a tea towel to remove any excess water. Immediately place 1 egg on top of the asparagus on each plate. Sprinkle each with salt, Parmigiano and lemon zest.

Second course, Duck Confit with Whipped Yukon Gold Potatoes and Haricots Verts! 


Installment Three - Finishing the Duck

Preheat the oven to 375°.  While the oven is preheating break the duck out of the hardended duck fat.  (I tried several different methods for this and in the end, my hands worked the best). Arrange the duck in a roasting pan skin side up. Pour about a cup of chicken stock in the bottom of the roasting pan to keep the duck from drying out. Cover and roast until hot, 30 minutes. Preheat the broiler. Transfer the duck to a large rimmed baking sheet. Broil the duck, rotating the pan, until the skin is crisp, 4 minutes.

When it's finished it should look like this (ignore the side dish, I stole this pic because I forgot to take one of my own)

While the duck is roasting:

Peel 2 lbs of yukon gold potatoes, rinse and place in a large pot with just enough cold water to cover the potatoes.  Bring to boil and allow to continue boiling until the potatoes are completely soft, but not mushy (about 15 minutes, give or take). 

and

Clean 12 ounces of french green beans by snapping the end(s) off.  Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and blanch the beans for 2-3 minutes until beans are just SLIGHTLY soft. Immerse in an ice water bath to arrest cooking of the beans.

While the duck is broiling:

Drain the cooked potatoes.  Add 4-8 tablespoons of butter, 2 teaspoons of salt, 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper (all these ingredients are to taste), 3/4 cup sour cream and 1/2 cup low fat milk.  Whip with a hand mixer until smooth.  As you whip you may discover you need more milk to get the consistency right as some potatoes are starchier than others.  Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary. 

and

Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet.  Toss the beans in the skillet until warmed through and covered in butter.  Salt as needed.

Plate by adding a generous dollop of whipped potatoes to the center of the plate.  Nestle the duck on the potatoes so its juices run down into them.  Lay the green beans on the plate as well.  Serve!

Third and final course, Chocolate Souffles!

Probably the best part of this recipe is that you can make it ahead and freeze them and they'll still be delicious and light when you bake them! No, I lied, the best part of this recipe is that Ben makes it, not me.  I love making a great meal and then getting to sit with our company while he makes dessert.  Can't beat it!

Souffle:
Cooking spray
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, divided
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups fat-free milk
3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg yolk
6 large egg whites

Sauce:
1 tablespoon butter
1/3 cup sugar
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/2 cup fat-free milk
1/2 ounce bittersweet chocolate, chopped

Position oven rack to the lowest setting, and remove middle rack. Preheat oven to 425°.
To prepare the soufflés, lightly coat 6 (8-ounce) soufflé dishes with cooking spray. Sprinkle evenly with 2 tablespoons sugar. Set aside.

Combine remaining 1/2 cup sugar, 3 tablespoons flour, 3 tablespoons cocoa, and salt in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring with a whisk. Gradually add 1 1/4 cups milk, stirring constantly with a whisk; bring to a boil. Cook 2 minutes or until slightly thick, stirring constantly with a whisk; remove from heat. Add 3 ounces chocolate; stir until smooth. Transfer mixture to a large bowl; cool to room temperature. Stir in vanilla and egg yolk.

Place egg whites in a large mixing bowl; beat at high speed with a mixer until stiff peaks form (do not overbeat). Gently fold one-fourth of egg whites into chocolate mixture; gently fold in remaining egg white mixture. Gently spoon mixture into prepared dishes. Sharply tap dishes 2 or 3 times on counter to level. Place dishes on a baking sheet; place baking sheet on the bottom rack of 425° oven. Immediately reduce oven temperature to 350° (do not remove soufflés from oven). Bake 40 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the side of soufflé comes out clean.

To prepare sauce, melt butter in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add 1/3 cup sugar, 2 tablespoons cocoa, and 1 tablespoon flour; stir well with a whisk. Gradually add 1/2 cup milk, stirring well with a whisk; bring to a boil. Cook 1 minute or until slightly thick, stirring constantly with a whisk. Remove from heat; add 1/2 ounce chocolate, stirring until smooth. Serve warm with soufflés.

Duck Confit - Day 2

Also known as Installment Two - Poaching the Duck

This was an interesting process because the healthy part of me was having serious freak outs about cooking anything I was going to put into my body in 6, count 'em, 6, cups of duck fat.  But I survived the process by reminding myself that this is a once a year treat for two reasons - one, SO DELICIOUS BUT SO BAD FOR YOU and two, it's time consuming to make and I just don't have that kind of time.  Here are the instructions for installment two!
 
Preheat the oven to 225°F. Melt the duck fat in a small saucepan. Rinse the salt and seasonings off the duck and pat the duck dry with paper towels. Arrange the duck pieces in a single snug layer in a high-sided baking dish or ovenproof saucepan. Pour the melted fat over the duck (the duck pieces should be covered by fat) and place the confit in the oven. Cook the confit slowly at a very slow simmer — just an occasional bubble — until the duck is tender and can be easily pulled from the bone, 2-3 hours. Remove the confit from the oven. Cool and store the duck in the fat. (The confit will keep in the refrigerator for several weeks.)

Duck Confit - Day 1

Friday night Nicole and her mom (my second mom!) are coming over for "Christmas" dinner at our house.  True to form, Ben and I are taking the opportunity to cook up a feast because that's what we LOVE to do.  But the cooking begins today.

Since our protein for the meal will be duck confit, we've decided that to maximize the flavor we want it to sit for at least two days before serving.  That means I actually have to poach the duck tomorrow so I had to cure the duck tonight.  So consider this an entry in installments - Installment One - The Curing Process for Duck Confit - (a.k.a. - the easiest part!).

Ingredients

3 tablespoons salt
4 cloves garlic, smashed
1 shallot, peeled and sliced
6 sprigs thyme
Coarsely ground black pepper
4 duck legs with thighs (the leg bone should be left in, the thigh bone should be removed*)

Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of salt in the bottom of a dish large enough to contain the duck legs in a single layer. Evenly scatter half the garlic, shallots, and thyme in the dish. Arrange the duck, skin-side up, over the salt mixture, then sprinkle with the remaining salt, garlic, shallots, and thyme and a little pepper. Cover and refrigerate for approximately 24 hours.

When it's ready for the refrigerator it looks like this...

*I have to plug The Organic Butcher of McLean.   They were the only shop in the area that a) carried duck, b) was willing to de-bone the thighs for me (de-boning a duck is hard and intimidates the hell out of me, I don't even like de-boning chicken) and c) carried and sold duck fat so that I could make true confit instead of having to poach the duck in olive oil.  Hooray!

Coming Soon - Installment Two - Poaching the Duck

Chicken Bouillabase

Ina Garten, some days, you're my hero and today is one of those days!  I made her chicken bouillabasse and it was a great rainy day dinner!  I've included the recipe here but I'll note my modifications.  Of particular note, if you look at this recipe on Food Network you will find that it is accompanied by a rouille recipe.  DO NOT MAKE IT! It changes the flavor of the dish in a very unpleasant way, but without it, this meal is delicious!  As you can see that I have strong opinions about the rouille, therefore, I've omitted it from this post!!

Ingredients

1 (4 to 5-pound) chicken, cut into 10 pieces
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary leaves
Good olive oil
1 large head garlic, separated into cloves and peeled
1 teaspoon saffron threads
1 teaspoon whole fennel seeds
1 (15 ounce) can tomato puree (If you can't easily find tomato puree in your grocery store, just throw a can of any cooked tomato into a food processor with a couple tablespoons of tomato paste)
1 1/2 cups good chicken stock, preferably homemade
1 cup dry white wine
3 tablespoons Pernod (I only use 1 tablespoon because I like a less pronounced anise flavor)
1 pound baby Yukon gold potatoes, halved
Rouille, for serving, recipe follows (NO! NO! NO!)
Crusty French bread, for serving

Directions

Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and season it generously with salt, pepper, and the rosemary. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat in a large Dutch oven and brown the chicken pieces in batches until nicely browned all over, about 5 to 7 minutes per batch. Transfer the browned chicken pieces to a plate and set aside.

Lower the heat to medium-low and add the garlic, saffron, fennel seeds, tomato puree, chicken stock, white wine, Pernod, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon of pepper to the pot. Stir and scrape up any browned bits on the bottom, and simmer for 30 to 40 minutes, until the garlic is very tender, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 300 degrees F (As you can see the recipe calls for 300 degrees F, for my oven, 325 gives better results).

Carefully pour the sauce into the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Puree until smooth. Return the sauce to the Dutch oven and add the sliced potatoes and browned chicken pieces with their juices. Stir carefully.

Cover the pot and bake for 45 to 55 minutes, until the potatoes are tender and the chicken is done. Check the seasonings and serve hot in shallow bowls with big dollops of Rouille and slices of crusty bread.

Weekend Wonderland

Probably because I spend so much time closeted inside the confines of an office, I cherish my weekends.  Even if I am working at home, at least I'm home, comfy with Ben and my kitties.  And best of all, I can break up work work with house work and fun things too. Here's a little peek at my crafty project from this weekend, channeling my holiday spirit!

This is my wreath.  I am too cheap and like doing crafty things too much to spend a lot of money on a fancy wreath.  So bought a cheapy for $2.99 and added the rest of the accessories myself.  What I didn't realize when I was placing all the pretty blue ribbon is that I inadvertently made a Chanukah wreath.  I love that without meaning too, my wreath is representing more than one holiday tradition (even if only in color!). 

Safe from the hog but not the clog

The clog I'm referring to here is the clogged hallway of people standing in line to get the 2009 H1N1 vaccine.  I stood with them on Thursday to get my very own shot.  But I still have mixed feelings about this.

After talking with my doc she recommended that since I am a public transit rider (READ - since I am surrounded by people at least twice a day who lack manners and are incapable of covering their mouths/noses when they cough/sneeze) that I should consider getting the vaccine when it became available to me.  Not because she thought I was going to die from it (knock on wood!).  In fact, she pointedly told me that my age group was one seeing few complications (it's the youngins this one's gunning for!), but that it would likley take me down for four or five days if I got it.  For those of you who know my work schedule, you know I can't afford that!

My mixed feelings come in because I really don't like the idea of shooting myself full of vaccines that are good for a year or so when if I just got the damn thing I'd be all set on immunity for a good long while.  In fact, that's part of the reason I have NEVER gotten a seasonal flu shot.  I'm young and healthy (again, knock on wood!) and my body should be able to deal with the flu.  And the doc keeps reminding me that since every year's seasonal flu vaccine cocktail only contains a few strains, I'll probably get it in some form anyway, so why build immunity through a vaccine when I can do it myself.  This all seemed sensible until the government doc jabbed in my H1N1 vaccine and then made me wait in the lobby for 20 minutes because, since I'd never had a seasonal flu shot, he had no way to judge whether I might react badly to the H1N1 shot.  Thankfully, no reactions.  And now I am safe from the hog..flu...for a year.

Aunt Leona's Sugar Cookies

My childhood memories don't come any more treasured than standing on a chair at the counter in my grandma's kitchen stirring up a batch of my Aunt Leona's (my grandma's sister's) sugar cookies.  This was usually followed by my grandma's reminder that we had to wait for them to sit in the refrigerator overnight before we could bake them.  Alas, they aren't for the child who loves instantaneous gratification (who me?!?) but they were always so good that I forgot to be bothered about it most of the time.  If you'd like to make a memory of your own with these, here's the recipe!

1 cup butter (room temperature)
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2+ cups of flour (recipe actually called for 2 and 1/4 cups, but typically I don't need all of it and usually leave the last 1/4 cup out)

Mix it all together. Seriously, just throw it in a bowl and mix.  No order, no wet then dry, just dump and mix.  Refrigerate overnight.  Preheat over to 350 degrees.  Make into 1" diameter balls, roll in sugar and drop of cookie sheet.  Press with a fork to flatten slightly.   Bake for approximately 8 minutes until golden! Enjoy!!

Seared Petite Lamb Chops with Rosemary Balsamic Reduction

Sunday night was all about relaxation - I did, well, nothing, and it was great!  Being the master chef he is, Ben was happy to take the cooking reigns and make us a delicious dinner.  What follows is the recipe for the protein portion of our meal that, thanks to Ben's care and attention, was fantastic!!

Ingredients
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley leaves
1 tablespoon finely chopped rosemary leaves
1 teaspoon minced garlic
Kosher salt
6 (4-ounce) double lamb rib chops (2 ribs) with bones attached, ribs frenched
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons minced shallots
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 cup balsamic vinegar
1 large or 2 small rosemary sprigs
2 tablespoons butter

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

In a small bowl, combine olive oil, parsley, rosemary, and garlic. Season with salt, to taste. Set aside.
Set a 12-inch oven-safe saute pan over medium-high heat. Season the lamb with 1 tablespoon of salt and 1 1/2 teaspoons of the black pepper. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons of the oil to the saute pan and place the lamb, fat side down, in the pan. Sear the lamb until the fat has rendered and the skin is golden brown, about 3 minutes. Continue to cook the lamb, turning to cook evenly on each side, about 2 minutes each side. Baste them with the herb and oil mixture. Transfer the pan to the oven and cook until the lamb is rare, about 5 minutes. Alternatively, you can grill the lamb chops.

Make the balsamic drizzle while the lamb is cooking: Set a 1-quart saucepan over medium heat and add the remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons of olive oil. Once the oil is hot, add the shallots to the pan and sweat until translucent, about 1 minute. Add the garlic to the pan and sweat for 30 seconds. Pour the balsamic vinegar into the pan and bring to a boil. Add the rosemary and allow the balsamic to gently boil and reduce until only about 1/4 cup of balsamic remains, about 10 minutes. Season with 1 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper. Remove from the heat and swirl the butter into the pan. Remove the rosemary sprigs before using.

When the lamb is rare, remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes before serving. To serve, slice each double chop in half, and drizzle with the balsamic reduction.

Oh the weather outside is frightful...

But yummy comfort foods are so delightful.

The DC area got dumped on today with its first snow of the winter. I think all of an inch stuck when the snowing stopped and gave the melting a chance to catch up.  For those of you who aren't familiar with what happens in DC when it snows, let me boil it down for you - PEOPLE FREAK OUT.  I have never encountered a place with a higher concentration of educated, capable people who dissolve into frightened children at the mere mention of our flaky friend Mr. Snowflake.  Seriously, people, it's snow, not a nuclear meltdown.  Allegedly the panic is a result of the melting pot of people we have here.  Diplomats and their staffs from across the globe, many from countries that rarely if ever see snow, west coast and southern transplants who suffer the same inexperience with the blanket of white, etc, etc, etc.  Growing up in Michigan and spending my grad school years in Chicago, however, have made me intolerant of those who can't handle snow in a way I can scarcely describe.  But it boils down to this - if you're afraid to drive in the snow or just don't know how, that's okay - STAY HOME!!! and out of my way!

But all my harping and whining about people who can't drive in the snow aside, I'm a Michigan kid and the sight of snow makes me happy. Even for the two and a half hours it took Ben and I to negotiate our way to the post office, Safeway and Whole Foods (a trip that normally would take an hour and a half tops!), I was giddy like a kid on Christmas morning.  He has other, less happy feelings about snow, most of which begin and end with "I hate it!" but that's his perogative.  I was blissed out.  Here's a pic of what our street looked like when I woke up yesterday morning.
 

To combat the snowy weather, I opted to make an adult twist on a childhood comfort food favorite and tried out Ina Garten's Grown Up Mac anc Cheese.  Totally delicious.  Only change I made to the recipe was to use about a half cup store bought breadcrumbs instead of making my own with white bread and a food processor like she does.

Ingredients

4 ounces thick-sliced bacon
Vegetable oil
Kosher salt
2 cups elbow macaroni or cavatappi
1 1/2 cups milk
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 ounces Gruyere cheese, grated
3 ounces extra-sharp Cheddar, grated
2 ounces blue cheese, such as Roquefort, crumbled
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Pinch nutmeg
2 slices white sandwich bread, crusts removed (sub 1/2 cup store bought bread crumbs)
2 tablespoons freshly chopped basil leaves

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Place a baking rack on a sheet pan and arrange the bacon in 1 layer on the baking rack. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the bacon is crisp. Remove the pan carefully from the oven - there will be hot grease in the pan! Transfer the bacon to a plate lined with paper towels and crumble when it is cool enough to handle.

Drizzle oil into a large pot of boiling salted water. Add the macaroni and cook according to the directions on the package, 6 to 8 minutes. Drain well.

Meanwhile, heat the milk in a small saucepan, but don't boil it. Melt the butter in a medium pot and add the flour. Cook over low heat for 2 minutes, stirring with a whisk. While whisking, add the hot milk and cook for a minute or 2 more, until thickened and smooth. Off the heat, add the Gruyere, Cheddar, blue cheese, 1 teaspoon salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Add the cooked macaroni and crumbled bacon and stir well. Pour into 2 individual size gratin dishes.

Place the bread slices in a food processor fitted with a steel blade and pulse until you have coarse crumbs. Add the basil and pulse to combine. Sprinkle the bread crumb mixture over the top of the pasta. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly and the macaroni is browned on the top.

Fringe Benefits

As part of my office's reorganization we planned a three-day offsite meeting in San Diego to bring together all of our staff from across the country, our Border Patrol and Army Corps partners.  But between meetings and dinners and getting-to-know-yous with our staff, some of my favorite coworkers and I were able to squeeze in some fun including walks along the marina, a trip to the USS Midway, seeing New Moon and dinner at a great little artisan restaurant just outside the Gaslamp District.

Before I started this job I had never been to California, this was my sixth trip overall and my second to San Diego.  And just like last time the weather was gorgeous, perfect for walking the marina and enjoying the sun!

San Diego Marina and Marina Walk

My pelican friend at the Marina

After our walk on the Marina we stopped in at the USS Midway for a tour of the incredible ship. Decommissioned and made into a museum in the San Diego harbor, the aircraft carrier is a really interesting place to visit, made more so by the accompaniment of a coworker who had flown helicopters in the Navy off similar ships (although he mostly flew off cruisers and destroyers).  Walking through the various decks we were able to see living quarters, ready rooms for pilots, boilers, engineering, you name it.  Within minutes of exiting the main entry area I was wondering how anyone could find their way around the floating city we were visiting.  With no windows or contact with the ship's outside, I couldn't tell where I was or even on what deck.  Thankfully there were lots of signs to help out me and I'm sure the countless others who came before with the same concern.

(The USS Midway on approach from the Harbor)

(Entering the Midway)

(Bunks for the enlisted men.  This is only worse on a submarine)

(One of the many fighter planes on the deck)

(A coworker inside a Sea King helicopter on the deck of the Midway)

After our trip the the Midway, two coworkers and I saw New Moon in the most perfect way.  It was just the three of us in the theater.  Meaning we could ridicule the teenage angst without bothering anyone else.  I think the low point of the film was, "i'm sorry you hit your head on that rock, let me take my shirt off in full view of the camera to blot your head."  All that said, how does a 17 year old get a body like that? And where is his neck? Yikes.

After the movie we hit Cafe Chloe, just a few blocks out of the Gaslamp and Amy's find on Chowhound.  Deliciousness! This artisan restaurant prints their menus daily to keep up with what's new and fresh and delivers a delicious combination of American comforts with Friench inspiration.  My mac and cheese made with pancetta and blue cheese brought exactly that.  Try it out the next time you're in San Diego!

And lastly, I leave you with the funny sign we saw at The Field, a Gaslamp pub known for wonderful live Irish music.

Christmas Cookies Episode 1 - Snowstorms

Beat 1 1/4 cups packed dark brown sugar and 1 stick butter until fluffy, then beat in 1 egg and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Whisk 1/2 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder, 3/4 teaspoon salt and 3/4 teaspoon baking soda; stir into the butter mixture. Slowly add 1 1/2 cups flour, I recommend you add this last ingredient slowly because you may not need all the flour.  My first batch I only used 1 cup and they were perfect.  Chill 30 minutes, then roll into balls and bake 12 minutes at 350 degrees.

It's Beginning to Look at Lot Like Christmas!

Since we generally travel for the holidays and our week away from home this Christmas grants no exception, I waste no time getting the tree up for maximum enjoyment and, as Ben points out, maximizing our holiday carbon footprint.  My environmentally conscious friends forgive me, but I love our tree.  Really, I love any tree.

Our Thanksgiving meal went off without a hitch, including the best free-range, locally raised (for you Al!) little bird ever to cross my oven (it's all in the brine!). Nicole, Ben and I feasted on all the trimmings including yukon gold potatoes, homemade cranberry sauce and my family's bread stuffing cooked both inside the bird (my fav!!) and in a dish for those of you who don't like to think about your stuffing having been in the turkey's behind (we'll add a shout out to Boxy here!). Ended our delicious day with homemade pumpkin pie and hand whipped cream. Yum!

After the requisite 45 minutes of laying around complaining about just how full we were and whether we might be stretching the limits of the human stomach, we cleaned up the kitchen, packed up the leftovers and commenced with Operation Christmas Tree!  With such a small condo we had to give up the 8' wonder that once adorned our Lincoln Park apartment in Chicago and settle for a smaller six footer.  But with all the loving holiday touches it still warms my heart as much as its grander cousin did.  And the bonus? Two less feet of tree to reassemble when the cat inevitably knocks it over.

Sin City Spectacular - Part 2

Tuesday was my dad's last day in Vegas and we spent a good chunk of time with him in the sports book or playing craps.  For dinner we took off to Bally's Steakhouse, his favorite Vegas spot, for a nice meal before he headed for his red-eye back to Michigan.  The food was good.  I have a hard time with steakhouses because Ben makes such incredible steaks.  I find it hard to justify paying such high prices for something we can do as well at home for far less.  But my dad seemed to enjoy his meal and it was nice to take him out for once rather than the other way around.

(Ben and I on the bridge between NYNY and MGM with the Strip behind us)

(Ben and my dad, same locale)

After dinner he headed to the airport and we hit the monorail for the Flamingo to see our second show of the trip, X Burlesque.  Short review - this show is for people who are too chicken to go to a strip club and want to fool themselves into thinking that they are somehow more virtuous than people walking the streets of Vegas, wallets weighted down with singles.  Fun show, decent music, six women with bodies I would pay to have.  But there was still a pole and a lot of boobs, let's not fool ourselves here people.  Just go to a strip club.  After the show we hit the craps table again for a great night, which made up for a whole lot of less than great play we'd done the preceding days.

Wednesday dawned later than our usual early rising time, certainly the result of a late night.  But it turned out to be great.  We headed to the Paris for breakfast, played craps fairly successfully there for a while and then headed back to the NYNY.  More craps, a little more success.  I know it doesn't sound very exciting, but Ben and I were having fun standing next to each other watching the dice get thrown.  Laughing and winning!

For our last night in Vegas we had tickets to the Lion King at the Mandalay Bay.  An amazing show! Preceded by the best meal I have EVER had on this continent (I am therefore discounting some of the incredible deliciousness we encountered in France and Italy this year, etc.).  We enjoyed three courses and wine pairing at Fleur de Lys, Chef Hubert Keller's Las Vegas branch of his renowned San Francisco restaurant.

(Courtesy of their website - the inside of Fleur de Lys)

We began with a champagne aperitif.  The perfect thing for me - I LOVE BUBBLES!  Our first course included Ben's trio of foie gras that included a foie gras cappucino and my braised veal cheek and yukon gold potato ravioli, paired with Sauternes and Italian Rosé, respectively.  Our mains included Ben's halibut with chorizo oil paired with a sauvignon blanc and my roasted guinea hen with asparagus risotto paired with a buttery chardonnay.  Our last and final perfect, incredible course was a shared chocolate souffle with sweet glasses of raspberry liqueour.  I have never, even been so blissfully happy after a meal in my life.


We ended up our trip quietly, with a little more gambling and lot of ambling around the city just enjoying being together and away from work.  It will be a while before we get another vacation, so we tried to soak up every last minute of relaxation before we boarded our crowded Southwest flight home.

Sin City Spectacular - Part 1

We arrived in Las Vegas after a long but uneventful flight and met up with my Dad at the New York New York.  Now yes, Ben and I like to gamble.  But as growing foodies we were as excited about the food as any of the rest of the Sin City experience.  And we wasted no time getting into it.  First night, dinner at Aureole, a Charlie Palmer restaurant located in the Mandalay Bay.  Any Top Chef fans out there may recognize the restaurant as one this season's chef cooked in, complete with the most incredible wine cellar run by "wine angels" who rise through its vertical construction in harnesses.

Our meals were fantastic - burrata and heirloom tomato caprese, grilled salmon with corn succotash and crispy potato, perfectly frenched and prepared rack of lamb, even my dad's chicken was exceptional.  But the highlight of the evening was the wine. It stands out as perhaps the best Pinot Noir I've ever tasted.  2006 Talbot Sleepy Hollow Vineyard Pinot Noir.  It retails for about $30 a bottle (with nauseating markup at any restaurant) and is worth every penny.  We capped our night off with some roulette and for the first and last time that weekend Ben walked away from the roulette table a winner.

Monday morning started with a trip to the spa.  Massages and facials! The perfect way to start a vacation.  After, we enjoyed lunch at Caesar's Palace at Bobby's Flay's Mesa Grill.   Not as upscale a selection and we were worried that my very picky dad would struggle with the Southwestern food, but he hung in with us, enjoying what he called, "the best burger he'd ever had."  Highlights of this meal include Goat Cheese Queso Fundido with a myriad of peppers and a blue corn pancake filled with barbequed duck.  Again - YUM!

Interior of the Mesa Grill, complete with open kitchen

Goat Cheese Queso Fundido and Blue Corn Pancake filled with BBQ Duck

We spent the afternoon at Caesar's playing roulette and then the sports book with my dad at Mandalay Bay betting on dog racing.  Part of me struggles with the playing the puppies because I know they often aren't well treated, but my dad consoled me by pointing out that there was nothing I could do for those dogs in that moment so I might as well put down my dollars in hopes that a bigger purse would keep the winning, showing and placing dogs well kept and cared for another day.  I realize this is a rationalization if I've ever heard one, but someday I'll rescue a greyhound and balance my puppy karma again.

We ended our evening with Phantom of the Opera: The Vegas Spectacular! at the Venician.  For all of you classic Phantom lovers, you wouldn't object to this show.  Essentially, it's the same Phantom less one or two of the more boring songs but including all the favorites, "Think of Me", "Angel of Music", "Masquerade", "All I Ask of You" and "Music of the Night."  And true to its billing, we didn't have to wait long for the "spectacular."  Every performance of Phantom begins with the auctioneer introducing the chandelier and its history and offering the bidders some "illumination" at which time the chandelier rises from its covered home on the stage to hang in its original place.  This is standard.  What this production added however, was a sight to behold.  Rather than just raising the original chandelier to the ceiling they assembled a FOUR TIERED chandelier (the additional three tiers had been suspended in various places across the theater's ceiling) over our watching heads.  By the time our eyes had returned to the stage, all the coverings had been removed and we were seated again in the Paris Opera House waiting to hear Carlotta sing "Think of Me." 

Thinking of thanking...

The run up to Thanksgiving has had me doing a lot of thinking, as cliche as it is, about what I'm thankful for and it's no short list.  I thought I'd share some of my thankful thoughts here.  Forgive me if I get a little sappy.

1.  I'm thankful for my health and fitness.  While I've been on a mission to lose the pounds over the past few years with some success, the thing my little weight loss adventure has given me most is a healthier, more fit body.  While I still can't just get up and run a 10K without a little training, at least not well, I feel great most of the time and am happy that I can be active and healthy (knock on wood!).  Now if I could just lose that last 10 pounds!

Call this my "before" photo, taken Christmas 2005

And my "after" photo, taken on by 27th birthday

2.  I'm thankful for stable employment.  I say that with no smugness or superiority.  It has broken my heart to watch so many of the people I love wonder where the next paycheck will come from.  I am thankful that as a government employee I don't have to worry about the ups and downs of employment in the private sector.  That's not to say I'm immune, but I have a bit more security.  And it makes me all the luckier and more grateful for stability in a job that, most days, I love.  I'm also thankful for my family's stable employment.  As a govie, Ben enjoys a similar stability.  My parents jobs also have unique elements that have protected them.

3.  I'm thankful for the memories.  I know it's sounds campy, but one of the things I am most glad of is that I've been able to travel to be part of all the special moments in the lives of the people I love.  Weddings, new babies, visits just for fun.  I'm so glad I've (we've) been able to do these things and I have the pics to prove it! (Pics below, just a handful of the memories I'm so thankful I was able to share in!)

Alyce and Dave's Wedding (Clarkston, MI, May 2005)

Scott and Shannon's Wedding (Pinckney, MI, July 2007)

Teresa and Nick's Wedding (Chicago, Oct 2007)

Most of the gang at G and Chuck's Wedding (Farmington Hills, MI, July 2008)

The ladies at Boxy's bach party (Detroit, MI, June 2009)

Missy and Bowers Wedding (West Bloomfield, MI, July 2009)

Boxy and Nick's Wedding (Ann Arbor, MI, Aug 2008)

 

And Dan and Erin and Jen and James, I didn't forget your wonderful weddings, I just don't have pics!

4.  I'm thankful for Ben.  Even after six years he still makes me laugh every day and even surprises me from time to time.  He's the first person I want to tell...everything.  He's always the brightest spot in my day.  I could go on, but we'd be risking some serious sappiness.

5.  And last, but certainly not least, I'm thankful for family and friends.  I am blessed with a wonderful family that even across the miles is there for me unconditionally and with friends of whom I can say the same.  As we get older and we spread further and further from one another, yet we still make time to be together, I realize how lucky I am to have incredible friends and now the incredible husbands, wives and children that come with them.  I can't wait to see how our friendships grow and change as the years pass.

My wee baby brother and me

Alyce, Dave, Ben and I in Avranches, France

The college gang meets Michelle and Gustavo!

Cole and I at Caribbean Breeze

Lots of DC friends all together to celebrate Nicole's birthday

At Teresa's Bachelorette Party

In VA Beach with some of my favorite people

And finally, an oldie but a goodie...if only Jomo were in this pic it would be perfect

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

Whistful Shopping...

Knowing that I'll have to ship most of our Christmas gifts to Michigan every year, I take advantage of many of the pre-black Friday shipping deals that start hitting my inbox sometime around November 1st. In debating what to get my parents god-daughter this year, I stumbled on perler beads.  Remember these?  You assemble them on a pegboard, lay a piece of ironing paper over them and melt them together into your very own, handmade mosaic of choice.  Want to make the perfect kitty?  No problem, there's a pegboard for that.  Or a fishy? Yep, that one's there too.  I feel like this was an "art and craft" from our childhoods and I love to see those happy little inexpensive past times making a resurrgence! Now the only proble is deciding if I'm more excited to watch Sara's face when she opens her gift or to "help" her play with them!

Italian Paninis

This is the tasty sandwich I made to go with the butternut squash soup. I was hoping the saltiness of the prosciutto would balance the sweetness of the soup and viola! it worked quite well.

Ingredients (per panini):

Two slices good, dense bakery bread (I opted for whole foods pan de levain)
2 sprays of canola or olive oil cooking spray
1 Tbsp aged balsamic vinegar
3-4 1/4" think slices of fresh mozzarella
3 basil leaves
1 oz very thinly sliced prosciutto
4 thin slices of tomato

Spray the outside of both slices of bread with cooking spray and flip to build your sandwich. Brush the inside of both slides with the aged balsamic. Be conservative here so your sandwich doesn't get soggy. Lay the mozzarella on one side of the bread. On top of it lay your basil leaves, then the prosciutto, then the tomatoes. Top it off with the other slice of bread. Grill on a panini press or grill pan until the cheese is melty and the bread has toasted and you can see grill lines. NOTE: If you're using a grill pan, you'll need to put something heavy on top of your sandwich to simulate a panini press. I recommend an 8"x8" casserole dish.

One sandwich is probably enough for two people if you're enjoying something else with it like soup or a salad.

Butternut Squash Soup

Can you tell the theme for this weekend is butternut squash?  It's funny because I'm so excited to eat all these squashy delights yet as a kid my mother couldn't force it down my throat.  I hated the taste, the texture, everything about it!  But I guess I should say thanks, mom, I know you tried and finally I've learned to love it.

Since I was peeling and roasting squash for my risotto I decided to take on this Food Network soup as well and I'm so glad I did.  It's delicious and will make the perfect pair with my Italian Paninis (next recipe, coming soon!) for lunch tomorrow.  A few notes on the mods I made to this recipe.  It calls for two pounds of squash, pretty sure I used more like three and a half, the squash was huge.  Didn't change anything else though and the soup is perfect!!

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, smashed
2 fresh sage leaves
2 teaspoons kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 medium canned plum tomatoes
1 medium butternut squash (about 2 pounds), peeled, halved, seeded, and diced
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth or water
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan, optional

Heat the olive oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, sage, 1 teaspoon of the salt and season with pepper, to taste. Cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until soft and fragrant, about 15 minutes. Raise heat to medium-high, add the tomatoes, and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, until the tomatoes break up and the onions brown slightly, about 7 minutes. Add the squash and the remaining teaspoon salt, and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the squash is tender, about 12 minutes. Add the broth, bring to a simmer, and cook, uncovered, until the vegetables tender, about 20 minutes. Set aside to cool slightly.

Working in batches, puree the soup in a blender, or with an immersion blender. Return the soup to the pot and reheat over medium heat. Stir in the vinegar. Serve the soup in warm bowls with a touch of parmesan cheese if desired or garnish with sage leaves.

Roasted Butternut Squash Risotto

This is one of those dishes I just make without paying much attention to the ingredients.  But it's a great fall dish so I'm going to do what I can do get the recipe down here.  By the way, I'm using a stock photo because we dug in before remembering to take the picture!

Ingredients:

1 smallish butternut squash
3-4 Tbsp olive oil
48 oz chicken stock
1 large shallot, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, pressed or finely chopped
1 cup risotto
1 Tbsn butter
1/2 cup finely grated Parmesano Reggiano
Fresh sage leaves (optional)

To prepare the squash:  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Peel and dice the squash.  Toss diced squash in 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil.  Spread on a cookie sheet covered with aluminum foil.  Sprinkle with salt and fresh cracked pepper.  Roast the squash in the oven for 30 minutes. Remove from oven, allow to cool slightly and then puree.

To prepare the risotto:  In a large pot, bring the chicken stock to a boil and then reduce to a simmer.  In a separate large skillet over medium heat, drizzle 2 tablespoons of olive oil.  Add the shallot and the garlic, allow to soften, approximately 3 minutes.  Add the risotto.  Toss the rice in the olive oil in the pan and allow to toast for approximately 1 minute.  Add the first ladle of chicken stock to risotto, stirring occassionally.  The risotto will absorb the stock.  Continue adding ladles of chicken stock until the risotto is al dente and all the stcok in the pan has been absorbed, about 20-25 minute.  Turn the heat to low, add pureed squash, parmesan cheese and butter.  Continue stirring the risotto until the whole dish is up to temperature.  Serve immediately.  Garnish with sage leaves.

NOTE: I recommend serving this with seared scallops, but it can be a meal unto itself.  This particular recipe makes four hearty portions.

Lasagna from Scratch!

This recipe started out as Anne Burrell's recipe for lasagna rolls.  But 10 minutes into making her sauce I decided I thought the recipe was too bland and that I'm too lazy to handroll so I changed things up and made normal lasagna.

To make the sauce:

Ingredients:
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 oz. diced pancetta
1 small diced yellow onion
2 cloves of garlic, smashed then minced
2 Tbsp dried basil
1 Tbsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2? cup good red wine
1 Tbsp tomato paste
2 28 oz can San Marzano tomatoes

Pour olive oil into a stock pot over medium high heat.  Add diced pancetta.  Brown pancetta in oil, stirring frequently, about 4 to 5 minutes.  Add diced onion.  Allow the onion to soften and begin to brown, about 4 minutes.  Salt liberally.  Add minced garlic, red pepper flakes, basil and oregano.  Allow the spices to toast, about 1 minute.  Increase the heat to high and add the 1/2 cup good red wine (I don't actually know how much I used, I just eye-balled it). Allow the alchol to cook off, about 1 minute and reduce the heat to medium.  Add the tomato paste and San Marzano tomatoes.  Smush the tomatoes in the pot with a wooden spoon.  Allow the mixture to come to boil.  Reduce the heat to low.  With an immersion blender, blend the mixture until all the large tomatoes are gone and the sauce is homogenous in texture.  Allow the sauce to simmer for 2 hours.

The lasagna:

1 16 oz box lasagna noodles
2 cups ricotta cheese
2 cups shredded mozzarella
2 Tbsp grated pecorino cheese
1/2 cup grated parmesano reggiano cheese
Sauce


When the sauce has 30 minutes left to simmer, fill a large pot with water for the lasagna noodles and bring to boil.  Be sure to liberally salt the water. Add the lasagna noodles when the water is at a rolling boil and cook until al dente, approximately 10 minutes.  While noodles are cooking prepare a bowl with ice water (to submerge noodles in to stop the cooking process).  In a medium bowl mix, the ricotta cheese, 1 cup of the mozzarella, the pecorino cheese and 1/4 cup of the parmesan cheese.  Remove cooked noodles from pot to ice bath.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  To assemble lasagna, ladle one to two ladles full of sauce into the bottom of a 9" x 13" pan.  Layer the lasagna noodles into the pan, slightly overlapping one another (should require approx four noodles).  Spread approximately 1/3 of the cheese mixture on top of the noodles.  On top of the cheese mixture, layer one to two ladles full of sauce and spread evenly. Layer the noodles, cheese and sauce two more times.  On top of the final layer of sauce sprinkle the remaining mozzarella and 1/4 cup of parmesan.

Bake for 45 minutes or until cheese on top is brown and the lasagna is bubbling up at the sides.

Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting and serving.  Enjoy!