June 2008 Archives

This was VERY easy, quick and tasty and was a big hit with both Boy and Girl.
This dish has definitely earned a spot in our permanent rotation. It's not an "authentic" curry, but it super kid-friendly. I actually have a wonderful curry recipe from an Indian co-worker of Hubby's. It has just the right amount of spice and is delicious, but more labor-intensive and much less kid-friendly than this version. I should have made that while the kids were at camp - DRAT.

It's not a terribly picturesque dish, but it was delicious.

I started out with this recipe from Family Fun magazine, but adapted it a little.

NB: About 2 cups of rice (uncooked) is the right amount to prepare to go with this.

- I used fresh, seeded and chopped tomato (1 cup) instead of canned and added them after cooking the onions, but before adding the other ingredients, so that they could soften a little.
- I added some chicken stock to the sauce (I had some left over from what I used to cook the accompanying rice).
- I pureed the sauce before adding the chicken because I knew that Boy would not be a fan of visible chunks of tomato.
- I browned the pieces of chicken separately a little bit before adding them to the sauce.

The next time that I make this, I will add a little bit more curry powder and will add more spinach.

Sorry, we're having issues getting Girl's video posted to YouTube and getting the link to work. Hubby and I are trying to fix it right now and will get it back up as soon as we can. Boy was in the show, too, but had a duet with another boy. I need to speak to that boy's parents to get permission before I post the video of their duet. As soon as I am able to get in touch with them, I will, hopefully, be able to post Boy's video, too.

UPDATE:
Girl's video appears to be working now. Keep an eye out for Boy's video soon. If you are not "allowed" to see the video on YouTube, but would like to be added to the list, please email me and I'll add you. As of right now, I have most family members added, plus Alan & Eileen, Jennifer M., Trish S. and Staci B.

UPDATE....again....Urgh....it's still not working, after all....
Apparently, in order to do a "private" video, someone has to be my "friend" on YouTube. If you'd like to be a YouTube "friend" and see the videos (as well as some stellar videos of my cats using the toilet), please send me an email and I'll add you. I don't want to send out a million friends requests and make you all have to go through that sign-up rigamarole if you haven't "opted in".

Barbecue (BBQ) Seasoning Spice Blend

2 Tbsp chili powder
1 Tbsp lapsang souchong smoky salt
(or pre-made smoked salt or hickory salt, if you can find it at your grocery store)
2 tsp onion powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp granulated sugar ("raw" or organic sugar, if possible)
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/8 tsp dry mustard
1/8 tsp dried lemon peel
1/4 tsp celery seed
1/4 tsp dried thyme
grind of two fresh black pepper

optional: 1/4 tsp amchoor powder (available from Kalustyan's)

The amchoor (dried green mango powder) is completely optional, but it does give a sour, tangy flavor and will also help tenderize meats.

Mix all ingredients and store in an airtight container. This seasoning is delicious as a rub for grilling meats or as a sprinkle on french fries or corn on the cob. It's also great when mixed into dips or added to sour cream that will be used to top quesadillas or tacos.

"The Boy Next Door" from "Meet Me in St. Louis", originally sung by Judy Garland

This video has been labeled "private" on YouTube and is only available to people that I know are regular readers of the blog and/or friends and family. Most of you should already be on the list of people that are "allowed" to see the video automatically. If you are NOT on the list, but would like to be, please send me a quick email (address in the top R corner of this blog) and, if I know you, I'll be happy to add your name to the list.

Boy had a duet in the show and I will post his video as soon as I get permission from his duet partner's parents to post the video.

Anthony Bourdain's autograph, that my parents got for me at a benefit in New York. This is SO getting framed to hang in my kitchen.

Autograph, with the full event program, including the delicious-sounding menu.

Hubby and I would love to attend this event next year. My parents "won" a New York package that includes hotel, tix to see the Conan O'Brien show and a dinner at Le Bernardin with Jill Eikenberry and Michael Tucker (my mom says that his new book is really good) and also a separate Puerto Rico tour/food package. I'm only a little jealous.

All week (since the kids were gone), I've been astounded at how little laundry there was to be done. Well, I've found it all! In case you're wondering what I'll be doing today....

Of course, Boy did me a favor by only actually wearing about 1/3 of the clothes that he packed for camp, so a lot of what he brought home was clean. He packed one outfit per day, so it doesn't take a lot of imagination to be glad that we weren't sharing space with him this week. Peee-yew.

We had a fun dinner last night to celebrate the kids coming home. I tried 2 different taco seasoning mix recipes to see which I liked better - I don't like the pre-mixed seasoning "packets" because they have too much salt for my taste and also sometimes have MSG. I prefer to mix my own seasonings, anyway, since I usually have all of the individual ingredients on hand, anyway...

So, we tried these two recipes:

Taco Seasoning Mix from Cooks.com

Lawry's Taco Seasonings Clone from TopSecretRecipes.com

On balance, we liked the Top Secret Recipes version better; it was moister and had better flavor. All of us except Boy found the Cooks.com version WAY too salty.

I also would probably prefer to use my own fresh onion and garlic, since I always have those on hand, instead of garlic powder and dried minced onion.

Here's my suggestion, untested as of yet, but I'll give it a try the next time that I make tacos. I think that it will take the best qualities of each recipe.

Homemade Taco Seasoning Mix

1 Tbsp. flour
1 1/2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp ground cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp dried oregano leaves

1 large clove garlic, minced or pressed
2 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh white onion

1 pound ground beef
2/3 cup water

Combine all of the dried spices in a small bowl (can be placed in a tightly sealed plastic container or zipper bag until needed).

Brown ground beef with onions until no more pink is visible and meat is crumbly. Add garlic and cook about 1 more minute. Drain fat (I usually also pour very hot water over it in the colander, to remove residual grease). Return meat to pan. Add spices and water and cook, stirring occasionally, until water is almost all absorbed and a thick "sauce" has formed.

If you prefer to use dried onion and garlic, you may use 1 tsp dried minced onion and 1/4 tsp garlic powder, instead of the fresh.

Well...we've had some schedule changes this week. Our dinner plans for tonight were postponed because my grandfather wasn't feeling well (I hope you are better soon, Pappaw - I love you!) and so I decided to go ahead and cook Sunday's menu for us tonight, since I already had all of the ingredients on hand. I'm glad that I did, because the sausage was a little spicier than I thought it would be and I think it might have been a little bit much for Girl and Boy. Also, the matinee show that we were going to see on Sunday is sold out, so we're going to see it Monday night, instead, which probably means that I won't cook Monday night, so we'll be shifting a bit this week, anyway.

So, this recipe was my "inspiration", but I adapted it A LOT.

Here's my version:

Sausage and Peppers with Polenta

NOTE: Advance preparation (one day ahead) required.

3 1/3 cups polenta
1 box chicken stock (4 1/2 cups?)
1/4 tsp salt
about 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided
2 packages chicken sausage (I used one Chicken-Mushroom and one Chicken-Spinach-Feta), sliced on a slight diagonal, into "rounds"
2 red bell peppers, sliced into medium strips (1/2 inch thick?)
1/2 red onion, very thinly sliced
3 - 4 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
approximately 1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 tsp dried thyme leaves
olive oil

Pour 2/3 cup of the chicken stock into a small container and set aside. Lightly grease a bread pan (I think mine is 9 X 5?). Bring the rest of the stock to a simmer in a medium-sized saucepan. Add the salt and then pour in the polenta, in a slow, steady stream, stirring constantly. Lower the heat and cook until the polenta is thickened and is pulling away from the sides of the pan. Gently stir in 3 Tbsp of the Parmesan cheese and then pour the polenta into the bread pan. Refrigerate until solid (overnight?).

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Remove the polenta from the refrigerator and unmold it onto a cutting board. Cut the polenta crosswise into slices about 3/4 inch thick and then cut each slice in half from top to bottom, forming small "planks".

Saute the sausage coins in a large saute pan with a little olive oil, turning once to brown evenly on both sides. When all of the sausage slices are lightly browned, remove them from the pan (reserving the oil in the pan) and place them in a large ovenproof dish (something that would hold about the same amount as a 9 X 13 pan - shape doesn't matter - whatever you've got that's about that size is fine) and set aside. Saute the onions over medium-low heat in the same pan that you cooked the sausage in until they're thoroughly softened and started to lightly brown/caramelize. Pour them in the baking dish over the sausage, still reserving the oil in the saute pan and adding more olive oil, if necessary. Saute the peppers in the pan until they're lightly softened (cook them to your desired doneness - some people like them to still be a little crunchy, but some people like them completely soft and starting to brown) and then add the garlic and cook for about 1 minute, until the garlic is softened but not browning. Add the peppers and garlic to the baking dish. Sprinkle the sausage mixture with the thyme and then pour over the reserved chicken stock. Season with salt and pepper, if necessary (the sausage that I used had a LOT of both salt and pepper, so it didn't need any additional seasoning). Place in the oven to re-warm/meld.

While the sausage mixture bakes, heat some more olive oil (just enough to coat the bottom of the pan) to medium-high heat and saute the polenta planks, turning once, until they are warmed through and lightly browned on both sides.

When the polenta is all cooked, remove the sausage from the oven and serve in wide, shallow bowls. Spoon a bit of the pan drippings over each serving and add a few polenta planks to the size. Sprinkle each portion with some of the reserved Parmesan cheese.

This is definitely "make your guy happy" food.

Photos of my VERY handsome (and talented) nephew (in the black shirt), playing guitar at a concert last night:
http://picasaweb.google.com/jebmershon/2008_06_26?authkey=ld4zakSc50s

Grilled Rotisserie Chicken and Horseradish Cheddar Sandwich with Zucchini Sticks and ranch dip

I'm not always organized enough to have a week's worth of menus planned out in advance, but after going through my recipes yesterday, I came across so many that I wanted to try (or try AGAIN), that I've had to put them down on a schedule. If you want to play along at home, here's what we'll be up to this week (I'm not cooking tonight or tomorrow, because we have plans with other folks to eat out):

Saturday
(the first night that Boy and Girl will be home from camp, so I wanted something fun and kid-friendly):
Make-Your-Own-Taco Night
I will be trying out 2 different homemade taco seasoning versions and will let the family taste test to see which one is best. The winner will be blogged at a later date. We'll have all the accompanying "fixins": cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion, cilantro, beans, etc. Maybe even guacamole, if I get inspired. We prefer soft tacos around here, but sometimes I'll fry up some corn tortillas for make-your-own tostadas. Since I'll be preparing 2 pounds of ground beef, I'll freeze the leftovers for a silly taco "ring" that the kids saw in one of my old cookbooks recently and asked me to make. Refrigerated crescent roll dough? ....(shudder)... I was the one that had to ask them to help plan the menus, right?

Sunday:
Sausage and Peppers with Crispy Polenta
I'll start out with this recipe from February's Real Simple magazine, but I already know that I'm going to adapt it significantly, using some chicken sausage that I have in the freezer and probably making homemade polenta.

Monday:
Make-Your-Own-Pizza/Calzones/Stromboli
We're even going to make our own dough, using a hybrid of this recipe from Family Fun magazine from a million years ago and a version from the April/May Fine Cooking magazine that I can't link to for you, because Fine Cooking makes you pay for their website. Grrrr.... Actually, if anyone is pondering subscribing, I will begrudgingly admit that it's worth it. If you subscribe to the magazine, the website only costs an additional $10 per year and has much more, additional content that is not in the magazine. The Grilled Tandoori-style Chicken thighs and Corn Saute with Ginger, Garlic and & Fresh Cilantro recipes ALONE are worth 10 bucks! Anyway, the dough can be made ahead of time and chilled until ready to use and I'll have lots of different topping options so that everyone can make their own dough into whatever configuration they choose.

Tuesday:
Creamy Chicken Curry in a Hurry, also from Family Fun magazine. Speaking of Family Fun - look at these cute cookies that they have on their main page - too cute and perfect for the 4th. Of course, they might stain your tongue blue...

Wednesday:
Marinated London Broil from Cooking Light magazine. Not sure what I'll serve with this, but I'll try to keep it on the "light" side, because we're already having more beef this week than we usually do. Also, my in-laws' farm is open on Wednesdays, so I may truck on over there to pick up some fresh veggies to accompany this (and round out the rest of this week's meals).

Thursday:
Pork Loin Roast.
Not sure which recipe I'm going to use, either Garlic-and-Spice-Rubbed Pork Loin Roast from January 2008 Food & Wine or Roasted Pork Loin with Maple-Mustard Crust from January 2008 Fine Cooking (which I can't show you, of course....grrrr), but I know, for sure, that I will freeze the leftovers to use to make Cubano sandwiches at another time. There is a great recipe for them in the May 2008 Food & Wine (can't find the link - may not be on their website yet), but there's also another great one over at, you guessed it, Fine Cooking. I SWEAR they're not paying me...it is a great site, though.

Friday:
Not sure exactly what Friday will hold for us - our families tend to announce get-togethers at the last moment, so we don't have extended family plans yet. If the day finds us at home, just with our immediate family, we will certainly be grilling burgers and/or dogs. We used to have a MAMMOTH (seriously - with rented tents, tables and commercial grills and 150 - 200 people) party every year on the 4th when we lived in the Washington D.C. area (you could see our city's fireworks display from our back yard), but have adjusted nicely to a more toned-down, quiet patriotic celebration. I do have an easy and phenomenal potato salad recipe, though - start with deli potato salad (when we lived in Virginia, I would buy it at Red, Hot and Blue) and add prepared pesto, toasted pine nuts and chopped fresh red bell pepper. Too delicious for words. It was an absolute MUST at our party. Anyway, Friday is relatively unscripted - maybe some star-shaped cookies?

Now for the disclaimers...plans subject to change. I am frequently guilty of planning a week's worth of menus and then finding that we're inundated with leftovers and I'll decide not to cook on one or two nights. Or something, like maybe a car wreck, will get in my way and we'll end up getting take out on a night when I had planned to cook. So, if I don't end up blogging every single one of these meals next week - don't hold it against me!

So, have fun with "Feed Your Kids", the home game...

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What does it mean, you ask? What is it? It's this. I don't know why I think that's so cool, but I do. On a related note, I'm also always noticing geeky things like when a product label has been blanked out on a TV show: changing a "Tide" label, for example, to "Tie", when the production team hasn't gotten the proper legal clearances. I also noticed last night, for the first time (while watching some REALLY old episodes from the DVR) that lots of episodes of "Desperate Housewives" are named after Stephen Sondheim songs.

Another cool thing from the internet today:

The 50 best cookie recipes on the Internet
(I will be trying the Sweet Ravioli cookies VERY soon.)

And a bonus story about Boy:

The kids are at a Drama/Theatre (sleepaway, but local) camp this week, but Girl needs medicine that must be administered by us, nightly, so we are stopping by the camp every night at bedtime, to give Girl her medicine. I know, it's not exactly "sleepaway" camp that way, but I'm OK with that...

Anyway, every year (Girl went to this camp last year), this camp packs up the kids and takes them to see a show on one of the camp evenings. Last night, they went to see a dress rehearsal for "Beauty and the Beast" that will be playing at Zilker Park this weekend (usually, the camp "packing list" says to pack one "dressy" outfit, but they didn't this year, because the show was outdoors and only a dress rehearsal). So, we had to go give Girl her medicine a bit early (before the show) and we caught the kids at dinner. While Hubby gave Girl the medicine, I went to say hello to Boy. The first thing that Boy said to me was that he was dressed up and ready for the show (and I did notice notice that his roommate, J., was wearing a collared shirt and khakis). I thought this was odd, since I knew that Boy hadn't packed any "dress" clothes, so I decided to take a better look at what he had on. That's when I noticed: brown Gap T-shirt (rapidly becoming covered with drips from the beans that boy was eating with gusto), olive green cargo shorts, paired with.....black socks and his black "dress" tennis shoes.

Well, at least we can give him credit for trying, right?

OK....I know that I said I wasn't going to be cooking this week, but I was craaaaaaaving this....

Adapted from this recipe in Food & Wine magazine.

I've made this before, but wanted to try to make a smaller version, since it will just be the two of us eating it this week. When I've made the full 9 X 13 pan version of this before, it was delicious, but it took 5 kids and 4 adults 3 breakfasts to polish it off. I also felt that the original recipe was a bit too rich and could use some more spice flavor, in addition to the cardamom, so I used skim milk and added a few more spices. The next time that I make this, I may try to incorporate a cinnamon "swirl" layer into the cake itself. That could be really good. This might also be good baked as muffins, instead of as a cake. Drat - just might have to test this recipe some more. Mmmm....

Chai-Spiced Crumb Coffeecake

Crumb topping:
1 cup pecans
1 stick unsalted butter, melted
6 Tbsp light brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 tsp Chai Spice Seasoning Blend
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/3 cup all-purpose flour

Cake:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp sugar
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 large egg
1/2 cup skim milk
6 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/4 tsp Chai Spice Seasoning Blend

Glaze:
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
1 to 5 tsp skim milk
1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract
small sprinkle of Chai Spice Seasoning Blend

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Position a rack in the center of the oven. Butter an 8 X 8 inch baking pan.

Make the crumb topping:
Spread the pecans on a rimmed baking sheet and toast for about 8 minutes, or until fragrant and lightly browned. Let coat, then coarsely chop the nuts. In a medium bowl, stir the melted butter with both sugars, the spice blend and salt. Add the flour and stir until clumpy. Stir in the chopped nuts.

Make the cake:
In a large bowl, whisk the flour with the sugar, baking powder, spice blend and salt. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs with the milk, melted butter and vanilla. Add the egg mixture to the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Scrape the batter into the prepared baking pan, smoothing the surface (the batter will be very thick). Scatter the crumbs in large clumps over the cake; the crumb layer will be quite deep. Bake for about 45 minutes, until the crumbs are golden and firm and a tester inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. If the crumbs brown before the cake is done, cover the cake loosely with foil. Transfer to a rack to cool before pouring glaze.

Make the glaze:
In a small bowl, whisk together the butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, spice blend and 2 tsp. of the milk until smooth. Add more milk, if necessary, to reach desired "drizzling" consistency. Drizzle the glaze over the cake; let cool slightly. Serve warm or at room temperature. Can be kept, covered, at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Serves 9.

NB: You can use Cinnamon Spice Blend, instead of the Chai Spice Seasoning Blend, if you're not a big fan of cardamom, or if you just want a simpler flavor.

OK, so I lied. In the course of going through all of my cooking magazines and recipes, I got inspired and made dinner tonight, after all. It was simple, though, and super fast. We will definitely have this again, when the kids are home. I didn't do a great job of tossing the pasta quickly enough when I added the eggs, so I did get a little bit of egg "curdling", but this was still quite a success.

Pasta Carbonara with Peas
adapted from a recipe in Fine Cooking magazine

2 very generous servings

1 Tbsp. olive oil
4 slices bacon, cut into small shreds
1/2 cup minced red onion
1 garlic clove, minced or pressed
2 large eggs
8 ounces (1/2 lb) spaghetti noodles, uncooked
1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp. fresh grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup frozen green peas
small pinch of dried oregano leaves, optional
Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Cook peas in a small microwaveable container, covered with water, in the microwave, for about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes, or until completely thawed but not hot. Drain and set aside.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook, stirring frequently, until bacon is golden and starting to crispen (about 5 minutes). Lower the heat slightly, if necessary. While the bacon is cooking, add the spaghetti to the boiling water and cook until just barely underdone. Add the onion and cook about 5 more minutes, until the onion is softened and the bacon is starting to crisp. Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds more, stirring frequently and scraping up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Remove pan from heat and set aside until spaghetti is done.

When spaghetti is almost al dente, drain it, reserving at least 1 cup of the cooking water. Do not rinse it. Add the spaghetti to the onion/bacon mixture in the skillet. Cook pasta mixture over medium heat, tossing with tons to coat the pasta with the bacon fat and finish cooking the pasta, adding a little of the cooking liquid, if necessary, to keep the pasta from sticking to the bottom of the pan. After cooking for about 1 minute, remove the pan from heat. Add a little more cooking water and then add the eggs to the pan, tossing immediately and frequently to coat the hot pasta with the eggs. It's really important to move FAST here, or you will end up with scrambled eggs in your pasta. Toss for about 1 minute, until the eggs have thickened and coated the pasta. Add a little more pasta water, if necessary. Toss in 1/2 cup of the cheese, oregano and peas. Season generously with pepper to taste. Season with salt, if necessary (it may not be, depending upon how salty your bacon is). Serve immediately, sprinkling each portion with 1 Tbsp. of the remaining Parmesan.

Boy and Girl, with all of their camp gear (pillows, towels, swimsuits, yoga mats, and of course, teen magazines and M & Ms), when we dropped them off Sunday.

Hey, guys -

There will be very light posting this week, if any at all. Boy and Girl are both at sleepaway camp this week and I'm taking some time for myself. I am going to try to catch up on watching TV shows that I've recorded to DVR; I'm going to clean off my desk and clear out my email InBox. I'm going to read the food magazines that I have stacked around in piles and I'm going to try to even clean out the garage. We'll see how much I actually get accomplished, but the one thing that I will likely not being doing much of this week is cooking. My dishwasher will be happy: I'd made so many spicy Mexican and Middle-Easterny-type things lately that the inside of my dishwasher was starting to smell like cumin, from all of the spicy dishes that were being washed in it. Weird.

Something for you all to think about during my "absence", however:
I am going to start taking "suggestions". If you're looking for a good recipe for a certain dish, shoot me an email or comment and let me know, and I'll post what I've got. Also, please feel free to submit any cooking or ingredient questions. I'll do my best to tackle them. If I get enough, I may even add a cooking FAQ.

Anyway, have a great week and I'll see you all soon.

XO,
Lara

My parents are at this fundraiser tonight and got Anthony Bourdain's autograph for me! I can't wait until they get home and I get to hear all about the evening. The food, the people, and most of all, the Tony! I think that they bid on some fun silent auction items, too, so I can't wait to hear what they "won".

I want everyone that I know to read this:
http://www.vanityfair.com/politics/features/2008/05/monsanto200805

I like to make my own Greek Seasoning, because the grocery store brand has MSG in it, which I am VERY sensitive to. This seasoning is great for grilling, adding to marinades or any kind of rice or pasta dishes. Delicious on steamed or grilled vegetables. Add some to whatever recipe you use to make garlic bread.

Greek Seasoning

2 tsp. basil
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. cornstarch
1 tsp. dill
2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. marjoram
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. onion powder
2 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. dried parsley flakes
1 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. rosemary
2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. thyme

Mix all ingredients together and store in airtight container. This recipe can easily be cut in half if you don't think that you'll use the full amount before it goes bad.

I thought that this recipe, from May 2008 Southern Living, looked intriguing, but I must admit that I was a little apprehensive - chicken meat loaf?

The recipe was really easy. I did use fresh onion/celery/pepper instead of frozen and I like to use my own Greek Seasoning blend, but other than that, I was pretty true to the recipe instructions.

We ate this on top of pitas, with tzatziki, grilled halloumi and a variety of fresh veggies and caramelized onions to "customize" with. I bought some weird pitas this time, that wouldn't "open", so we couldn't stuff them, but they were good this way.

Overall, I wouldn't give the meatloaf rave reviews. It tasted OK, but it was just a bit unappetizing. I think that boneless, skinless chicken thighs sprinkled with the same Greek seasoning and then grilled would be good and if you served it with some grilled onions and peppers, it would taste very similar. I wasn't crazy about the mayonnaise flavor in this recipe - it was almost like chicken salad that had been baked. Not awful, but not a home run, either.

You're not going to believe this, Internet, but I VERY narrowly escaped having yet another car accident today. The main thoroughfare in my part of town is a nasty, congested, winding road with not enough traffic signals or turn lanes. It is a VERY dangerous road with lots of accidents and casualties every year. I hate driving on it, but I really don't have any choice, as it's the main road in and out of everyplace I go: the grocery store, the piano studio, the kids' school, the dry cleaners, hair salon...you get the idea. I can't even leave my neighborhood without driving on it. This is also the road where I had my accident yesterday.

Well, today, I was on this road again (in Hubby's MONGO truck, since my baby is out of commission), making a quick grocery run between dropping Boy off at a piano lesson and picking Girl up from volleyball camp, when I had my close call. This road is lined with businesses and also many residential areas, so there are lots of places where people would like to turn OFF this road and onto a side street or into a parking lot, etc. Not unusual, really, but the issue is that the traffic has increased on this road exponentially in recent years (I've lived in this area, off and on, for 30 years) so that making a LEFT turn off this road has become increasingly difficult, due to the increased traffic coming the other direction (not being able to find a break in traffic, etc.). Lots of folks will block up traffic for over a mile because they're trying to turn left from this road where there is no signal. Obviously, turning RIGHT is no problem (assuming that you're in the correct lane, but that's a whole other topic of discussion for another day). I will frequently plan my trip, even if it means a more circuitous route, so that I am able to make a right turn rather than a left off of this darned road. Anyway, some jerk was turning left; the car behind him was frustrated at being stuck behind him and tried to pull into the right lane to avoid a delay. Small problem: I happened to be in the right lane at the time. This JACKA$$ pulled right in front of me without even looking! I was able to stop (just barely!), thank God, and all is well (after the tire squealing, horn honking and I'll admit to a few words and gestures that I would have felt bad about had there been children in the car), but it has me rattled beyond belief. I am terrified of living in this area when Boy and Girl are old enough to drive.

So, then, later, I'm recounting this story to my mother when some jerk does something unbelievably rude to her AT THAT VERY MOMENT (while I'm on the phone with her). She was waiting for a break in traffic to leave my grandparents' new home (trying to turn right onto this same accursed road), when this idiot pulled out in front of her (by going into the oncoming lane) and turned right onto THE BAD ROAD in front of her.

So, I'm not a suspicious person, but I must admit that I find it intriguing that there just HAPPENS to be a full moon today. Bee Cave-ful out there, kiddies. Ooops, I meant be careful...

I was involved in a car accident today. Nothing awful, but probably will be lots of $$$ to fix. A guy rear-ended me at a stoplight. It was totally his fault and he was given a ticket, but he was super gracious and apologetic about it and seemed like a nice guy. Hopefully, he's a nice guy with good insurance. He was in a dualie (did I spell that right?) pickup truck with a big trailer attached, so it felt like I was being hit by a Mack truck. Luckily, I totally didn't see it coming, so didn't have time to "tense up" beforehand. Hopefully that will mean I won't be as sore tomorrow, but I already have a sore, stiff neck and a bad headache in my forehead area. I am trying very hard to NOT think about the fact that my forehead probably hurts because my brain slammed against the front of my skull upon impact. I am VERY happy that I didn't have the kids in the car with me (I was on my way to pick up Girl from volleyball camp).

Anyway, I'm OK and so were the three guys in the other car (a remodeling crew). Everyone had on seatbelts, so it will likely (hopefully) just be a matter of fixing the cars. His truck was pretty smashed: the hood was crumpled up and the brushguard on the front was pretty damaged. The frame is bent on my car and the bumper is hosed, so I'm sure that it will be quite costly to fix. I've been toying with the idea of a new car, anyway, so I may just get it fixed and then start looking for other options.

Thank goodness I had already prepared tonight's dinner - it just needs to bake for 45 minutes while I sit on the couch and let my Aleve kick in. Be careful out there, kids.

PS - Today's good news? My favorite shampoo that I LOVE more than anything but just can't stomach buying unless it's on sale? It's on sale!

This recipe is from Whole Foods Market (it was published in the Austin American-Statesman years ago, but I can't find a link online anywhere). It is much less complicated than it looks. It does, however, take some planning and preparation. I usually soak the beans and ancho chiles overnight. The next day, I make the Adobo Sauce and prepare the Black Bean Salad. The next day, I cook the chicken and assemble and bake the casserole. It sounds like a lot, but it actually doesn't take too long. If you have the time, it can definitely be done all on one day, but I just find it easier to do a little at a time, when I'm in the kitchen working on something else, already. If you're from Texas and are familiar with "King Ranch Casserole", this is a sort of gourmet version. It's kind of like a Mexican lasagna: tortillas instead of noodles, cheddar/jack instead of ricotta, black beans instead of spinach and smoky adobo-tomato sauce instead of herby tomato sauce. Whether or not this is a kid-friendly recipe will depend upon the kids, but if they like black beans and don't balk at tomato sauce, it's worth a try. If you're concerned about the level of "heat", (which actually isn't too hot), you could leave out the jalapeno. This is great served with a cool, crisp salad. Hubby, Boy and I liked it a lot (Girl was away from home at dinnertime last night for a birthday party). Very yummy and the leftovers freeze well, too.

Adobo Casserole

1 recipe Adobo sauce
1 recipe Chicken Mixture
2 dozen corn tortillas
2 1/4 cup grated Cheddar cheese
2 1/4 cup grated Jack cheese
1 recipe Black Bean Salad

Adobo Sauce:
2 ancho chiles, soaked to soften, seeded, sliced
6 cups tomato sauce
1 cup diced yellow onion
2 Tbsp. canola oil
1 Tbsp. chili powder
1 1/2 tsp. cumin
1 1/2 tsp. oregano
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/8 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. black pepper

Chicken Mixture:
2 pounds cooked chicken, finely chopped
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. minced garlic
1/2 tsp. black pepper
2 Tbsp. chopped cilantro

Black Bean Salad:
2 cups cooked black beans
(I cook mine with a little epazote, to help with digestion. 2 cups dried beans will yield about 5 cups cooked beans.)
1/2 cup diced green bell pepper
1/2 cup corn kernels
1 1/2 tsp. chopped cilantro
1/2 cup diced fresh tomato
1 jalapeno, minced
2 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon (or lime) juice

Prepare Adobo Sauce:
Heat oil in large skillet or pot over medium heat. Add ancho chiles and onion and saute until tender. Add tomato sauce, chili powder, cumin, oregano, cayenne pepper, salt and black pepper and simmer 10 - 15 minutes. Set aside.

Prepare Chicken Mixture:
In mixing bowl, combine cooked chicken, paprika, cumin, garlic, black pepper and cilantro. Stir to mix well and set aside.

Prepare Black Bean Salad:
In large mixing bowl, combine black beans, green bell pepper, corn, cilantro, tomato, jalapeno and lemon or lime juice. Stir to blend and set aside.

Assembled casserole, ready to be baked. It can be refrigerated, at this point, until you're ready to bake it, for up to 24 hours. Cover with plastic wrap or foil to refrigerate, but remove it before baking.

Assembling Adobo Casserole:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread 1/3 of the Adobo Sauce over the bottom of a 9 X 12 inch casserole dish. Cover with 8 tortillas, 1/2 of the Chicken Mixture, 3/4 cup cheddar cheese and 3/4 cup jack cheese. Spread another 1/3 of the Adobo Sauce over the cheese, cover with 8 tortillas, the Black Bean Salad and 3/4 cup cheddar and 3/4 cup jack cheese. Finish with remaining tortillas, Chicken Mixture, Adobo Sauce and cheeses. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 45 - 55 minutes. Let sit for a few minutes before cutting.

Makes 10 - 12 servings.

Finished casserole, before being cut.

My new favorite photo of Boy and Girl.

I've just finished reading this book and cannot adequately put into words the impact that it has had on me. It is the autobiography of a woman who is now a gossip columnist for MSNBC, but survived a nomadic childhood of extreme poverty with parents that were neglectful, alcoholic, and likely mentally ill. The depths of dysfunction and denial that her parents were able to achieve is absolutely shocking. They could also be strangely loving and encouraging, in a sick, twisted and self-serving kind of way.

The most thought-provoking part of this book, for me, was the idea that these kids can grow up not knowing what "normal" is, or rather, that there can be very many different versions of what "normal" is, based upon what you grew up with. It made me think about how many people might have survived childhoods like this and how different childhoods can impact who we are, who we become, what our expectations are.

People that don't share at least somewhat similar backgrounds can almost seem as if they're speaking a different language, especially when it comes to interpersonal relationships. Issues like parenting style, spending priorities, standard of living/home maintenance/cleanliness, how often you should visit the doctor, what level of alcohol/tobacco/drug (including prescriptions, vaccinations, etc.) use is acceptable in your home, what constitutes "appropriate" language and much more can all be shaped (for better or for worse) by our early family life.

I have known two people in my life whose childhoods were shaped by this kind of abuse and dysfunction (at least that I am aware of - there could be more that haven't shared their experience with me). I do have another theory that EVERY family has some kind of dysfunction, but I am talking about profound and abusive dysfunction here, the kind of dysfunction where children could not rely on their parents for their basic needs. There have been times, with both of these people, that I have felt like we were from different planets; I just couldn't understand where they were coming from. Our frame of reference, our expectations of each other's behavior, were just totally different. It finally dawned on me, after reading this book that both of us had grown up with completely different perceptions of "normal" (on the particular issue that was in question at the time) and we both thought that we were "right".

This probably seems totally obvious to most of you, but it was absolutely mind-blowing for me. I think that it will impact my thinking in a very significant way in the future. Having said that, I now have a copy of the book that I am finished with and am willing to share (I will NEVER forget this book, so I don't feel like I need to keep it or re-read it). Send me an email (contact info under my photo at the top right corner of this site) and I'll deliver (if you're local) or mail (if you're not) to the first person that responds to this post. It's an amazing book and uplifting, in a strange sort of way.

PS - Yes, I am even willing to mail it to Korea, so don't be afraid to ask.

We had a big lunch today, so just came home and had some chunks of Tuscan melon, Kaltbach cave-aged Gruyere Swiss cheese and some Archetype Australian Shiraz for a light, "snacky" dinner. The melon was perfectly ripe, the cheese was delectably salty, with those little "crystals" that crunch when you eat aged cheese (like in Parmigiano Reggiano), and the wine was perfectly fruity. Simple, easy and delightful.

Coconut-Crusted Chicken Tenders

adapted from Cooking Light magazine (April 2008)

1 package chicken tenders
(I don't remember how many pounds - maybe a little over 1 pound? - my package was, but it had about 16 tenders in it)
1 1/2 cups fat-free buttermilk
all-purpose flour (about 1 1/2 or 2 cups)
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 cups crushed cornflakes
1 1/2 cups flaked sweetened coconut
2 tsp. garlic powder
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
Cooking spray

Put chicken in a lidded resealable plastic container or plastic bag. Pour buttermilk over the chicken and refrigerate for 1 hour. After 1 hour, pour off the buttermilk and discard it.

Place the flour in a shallow bowl. Place the eggs in another shallow bowl. Combine coconut, cornflakes, garlic powder, salt, curry powder and cayenne and place in another shallow bowl.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a large cookie sheet with cooking spray (olive or canola) and place it in the oven.

Roll all of the chicken tenders in the flour, one at a time, and set them aside on a large plate, platter (or use a second cookie sheet).

One at a time, dip each flour-coated chicken tender into the egg and then into the cornflake/coconut mixture, turning to coat well. As you finish each tender, set it aside on the platter or baking sheet until they are all coated.

Remove the preheated baking sheet from the oven and carefully place the chicken tenders on it. Spray the tenders lightly with cooking spray. Bake for about 20 minutes, turning over halfway through the cooking time.

These were DELICIOUS and a big hit with all of us. Girl said that they were a little bit spicy, but they're really aren't hot so much as flavorful. If you are concerned about the amount of spice for your family, just cut back the cayenne and curry a tiny bit. I am going to try to come up with some sort of dipping sauce for them the next time that I make them. This recipe would be GREAT made with butterflied shrimp, instead of chicken, but shellfish doesn't fly with Hubby. Maybe sometime when Hubby and Girl are both out of the house...

I was exhausted last night and fell asleep before I could finish watching the Top Chef finale, so I've just finished and I'm SO pleased. I never quite got "into" this season as much as I have the others, but by the end, I thought that the finalists were all really qualified to be there. I'm going to do some searching later for the recipe for Lisa's Tom Kha soup recipe. It sounded fabulous.

Can't wait to see what they do next season!

The cats are now toilet trained. Halle-freakin-lujah. Completely trained. No more liners, no more bowls, no more litter. They are using JUST the toilet. We have an automatic flushing device installed that even takes care of the flushing for them. And they're not scared of it....anymore. I am SO proud and pleased, both of myself and of them. I figure, if I can train three cats, with very different habits, personalities and intelligence levels, to use the toilet...AT THE SAME TIME, I can do ANYTHING. It did take about 7 months, in all, due mostly to inconsistent technique on my part. It definitely went slower with 3 cats than it would have with just one, because we had to wait until ALL of them were ready before we could proceed into another "stage." If it had been up to Jack, the training would have been done 6 months ago, but Queenie, on the other hand, probably would not have been trainable at all if it hadn't been for the example that her brothers set. Anyway, we're DONE.

Also, be aware that you should not be afraid to use the toilet at our house: they are only using the toilet in the master bathroom. They may, someday, figure out that all toilets are the same and start using the others, too, but they definitely associate their toileting behavior with our bathroom, so it hasn't happened yet. In any case, the toilet seat stays absolutely clean, anyway, because they are completely indoor cats that no longer scratch around in litter, so their feet are at least as clean as my floors (since that's all they walk on). Disclaimer: some days, my floors are in better shape than others. :-) In any case, they are not using any bathroom that guests are likely to use, ever. I will take some new videos and post them soon, for anyone that is interested.

High-fives and back-slaps all around!

Mmmm....

I have a Williams Sonoma Kids Baking cookbook that I've had set aside for a while now, thinking it would be fun to do some baking with the kids over the summer. Well, now that summer is here, I thought that I would make these for dessert with Boy and Girl last night. Of course, we had them all prepared (no baking!) and ready to go and then saw in the recipe: "Let chill at least 4 hours before serving.". Boo! Hiss!

So, anyway, we didn't get to enjoy them until lunchtime today, but they were scrumptious. I can't find a link to the recipe online and, for legal reasons, don't want to copy/retype the recipe from the cookbook, but the basic gist is:
1) Graham cracker crust (similar to a cheesecake crust, with melted butter mixed in, but no baking). Line the pan with buttered foil.
2) Melt some chocolate chips with a can of Eagle Brand (about a half-and-half ratio, with a little vanilla and a pinch of salt) and spread that over the crust.
3) Sprinkle mini marshmallows and large chunks of graham crackers. Chill for 4 hours. Use the foil to lift the entire (8 X 8) pan of bars out and cut with a sharp knife into 16 pieces.

I would highly recommend this cookbook, for anyone with kids that are burgeoning "foodies". It has lots of fun-looking recipes for things like Chocolate Crinkle Cookies, Homemade Pretzels, Ice Cream Cake and Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake. Keep an eye out for us to try more of these soon.

Occasionally, when I've been cooking a lot and we have a large variety of leftovers around the house, I'll pull everything out of the fridge and set it on our kitchen island, put out plates and let everyone choose what things they want. This is always a big hit, especially with Boy and Girl. Tonight, I did a variation of leftover night: "Stuff-Your-Own-Pita Night". I made some meatballs (spiced with cumin, cinnamon and a bit of cayenne, with some garlic, finely chopped red onion and cottage cheese mixed in) and tzatziki and grilled some halloumi and then pulled out everything else that we had around and let the family dig in.

The options were (from top left, going clockwise):
Israeli Couscous salad, diced zucchini and yellow squash (leftover from making the salad), baby carrots, Parisian carrots, fresh romaine, pitas, diced bell pepper (also leftover from making the salad), leftover grilled romaine, grilled halloumi, leftover grilled chicken, leftover Buttermilk-Chive dressing, "Cherub" tomatoes, tzatziki, leftover grilled onion, spiced beef meatballs.

Here's how I chose, for my dinner:

Yummy!

We (just Boy, Girl and I because Hubby had to stay behind and work) recently went on a trip to Orlando with my mother, her brother and his 3 1/2 year old grandson (who is my 2nd cousin). It was a quick trip, but was a lot of fun. Boy and Girl really enjoyed spending time with Cousin M, since they don't get to see him very often. He is a real charmer and is a beautiful little boy (although he spent much of the trip pretending to be a hippopotamus). It's no wonder that he's cute, though - his dad (my first cousin) used to be a model and his mom is beautiful, too.

I saw this recipe in Southern Living magazine last year and thought that it looked good. We added some Baby Bam croutons and it was pretty yummy, although the photo on Southern Living's site is better than mine. We also sliced up the onions after grilling them, because the kids aren't into big chunks of onion (although cutting them was difficult, because the olive oil made them slippery!).

My brother was the first person to tell me about grilling romaine. He saw Alton Brown make this recipe on his show and said it looked good, so I'm going to give that one a try soon. All in all, this salad was good (the grilled onions were deliciously sweet) and the dressing was yummy, but it would have been equally good with plain, ungrilled romaine. The grilling is just kind of a novelty. The Alton Brown recipe, however, adds a crunchy, grilled parmesan crustiness that might make the grilling worthwhile (and that whole "frozen vinegar crystals" thing sounds really cool).

We served this salad with Sweet and Sour BBQ chicken tenders and some "Parisian" carrots. The carrots are odd and have a long (and a bit embarrassing) explanation. Every year, I make a big lunch for Boy and Girl's teachers. One of the dishes that I make is a green bean and yellow wax bean salad. Fresh green beans and especially the yellow wax beans are hard to come by, so I buy a frozen yellow and green bean blend (HEB's "Prince Edward Medley), which also happens to contain the little, round "Parisian" carrots. So...in order to make the bean dish, I have to sort out the carrots (Girl helped this year) and I save them for future use, like tonight, when I micro-steamed them in some chicken stock and sprinkled them with....you guessed it....Baby Bam.

Israeli Couscous Salad with Summer Vegetables and Lime Vinaigrette

This recipe is from Family Fun magazine. I tore it out a looooooong time ago and have been meaning to try it. We usually do Israeli couscous a little simpler, like this, but this recipe came together really quickly and is pretty tasty. I did make a few modifications:

I toasted the couscous in a pan with a miniscule amount of olive oil before boiling it. Also, I sauteed the squash and zucchini (in the same pan, with a bit of olive oil, just after toasting the couscous), instead of boiling it, because, boiling? Ewww.

Tasty, easy and a hit with all four of us, but it needs something. I will be making it again and I think I'll again some lightly sauteed (with the squashes) garlic and/or onion and maybe some frozen (thawed) baby peas and grated carrot. It would make a really nice main dish (great for a potluck!) with some grilled and chilled, chopped chicken. Maybe a little chopped cucumber and/or tomato (halved grape tomatoes?), too?

Yum....