Chicken Quesadilla!

Tomorrow's lunch - I couldn't resist.

Roasted Butternut Squash Risotto

Recipe here

I was not thrilled with the result. I enjoyed the squash more than the risotto. I think the cumin was too much for the sweetness of the squash. The rice wasn't toasted or absorbed properly (interruptions!) so it made for a bad result.

Mushroom risotto still number one on my list.

Sushi Quicki

I like the fact that Wegman's puts a little extra umph into their sushi quality and creations. They even offer a healthier brown rice version of sushi. Whole Foods does, too. They are the only sushi-in-plastic that I will consider eating.

Easy like Sunday mornin...

That's what this morning felt like. Daughter gave me such a hard time getting out the door to school, that by the time I walked her there - then back - I wanted to relax and treat myself to a homemade breakfast. Today, work could wait.

Croissants were already on hand, since I baked them a day or so ago. Ever try Trader Joe's mini croissants? They are in the frozen aisle, and you'd never expect to get this result from a frozen product. They are fabulous! While frozen, set out on a sheet before bedtime. By morning, they will have risen, tripling in size! Brush with egg (if you care to) then bake 15 mins! They are flaky and buttery, and better than any bakery I know in these parts.

They come 8 to a pack, but I don't make all 8 at once.

They are dee-lish with some raspberry preserves, and I've heard Nutella is the bomb too. But I needed a self-soothing mechanism this morning in the form of...le egg croissant!

Taco Tuesday (a day early)

Tonight I had a nice tomato leftover in the fridge, so I made my own pico de gallo.  Grilled up the tequila-lime chicken and made a slammin taco with queso fresco, sliced avocado, pico de gallo, and double roasted salsa (Thanks TJ's!), all wrapped in a warm flour tortilla.

Low fat and you'd never miss it. Honest! Anticipation got the best of me.

When life gives you apples...

Lilly and I picked a 1/2 peck of apples last week. There's no way we'd eat them all, so I decided to bake...YES BAKE!...an apple cake. Full recipe here.

Anticipation...

I'm marinating some chix tenders for tacos. Every time I open the fridge, I see the glorious concoction of lime, cilantro, tequila, salt and EVOO soaking into the chicken. Taco Tuesday just might have to be pushed up to Monday.

An Ode to Scrapple

Up until about 5 years ago, I thought everyone knew what scrapple was. I had no idea its legend was confined to our tri-state area. Was it on purpose? Is this grayish matter not worth telling your friends about, or is there some secret scrapple society?

Anyway, I discovered its exclusivity during a conversation I had with my good friend from Wisconsin. We were discussing food, and I had mentioned having scrapple and eggs for breakfast. "What is scrapple?", he asked. I probably responded with something like, "What, do you live under a rock?"

The joke was on me. I began to realize that this was a North/East coast thing. It's not even on the menus as you travel south, like say, to NC, SC, Georgia, Florida...not to mention West Coast.

So if you're wondering what scrapple is, and you're not of the faint of heart, stick with me here. It goes against the grain of everything I stand for, but I simply cannot part with it. "Scrapple", derived from the word "scrap", is exactly what it sounds like. It's what's leftover after all the good parts of the pig are removed. These "parts" consist of the head, and everything it contains, including eyes and brains at times. The liver, heart, tongue and other fun things are thrown into the mix too. All of this is boiled and ground up, then mixed with cornmeal, spices, and herbs. The mixture is formed into loafs and while it edible in this grey form, it is always sliced and fried (or grilled) to a golden brown.

It's the creation of the frugal Pennsylvania Dutch (see soul-stealing post here). I am part Pennsylvania Dutch (thanks Mom!) but oddly enough, I don't mind my picture being taken, in fact, I'm kind of a ham (no pun). Maybe I get that from my dad's side. American Indians are pretty photogenic. I digress...

So you see, it's in my blood. I have to like the stuff. As vile and offending as it may seem to some, no one should ever pass up the chance to at least taste it. If made the right way, it's scrumptious. Crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Some like theirs with ketchup...but I prefer maple syrup on mine.

I hope scrapple gets the recognition it deserves someday, making it onto the menus of more than 3 states (that I know of).

Prosciutto and Goat Cheese Frittata with Asparagus

I could barely get out of bed today, but my grumbling stomach made me. Without moving my ass, I tried to picture what was in the fridge and this is what I envisioned....

For being half-dead, the final product was quite delectible. The saltiness of the prosciutto di Parma and the goat cheese just wakes up the mouth. Crunchy asparagus and fluffy eggs made for a happy Kimmie this Sunday morning. Full recipe HERE.

Now I just need some coffee....

Pasta Carbonara

Been craving this awhile! Had all the ingredients - had to pick up the pancetta though. Nothing like a quality, creamy, glossy carbonara! The restaurants can't make it this good.

Does it even pay to eat out anymore? I think not. Recipe HERE.

• linguini (1/2 box)
  
• 1/4 lb pancetta, cubed
  
• 1/3 cup light cream
  
• EVOO (1 turn around pan)
  
• 2 egg YOLKS ONLY
  
• pepper (be generous)
  
• salt
  
• pasta water
  
• 1/4 cup parmaseano reggiano cheese, grated fine
  
• fresh parsley (optional)

Boil water for the pasta, salt it generously.
1 turn of EVOO around the pan. Fry the pancetta on med, slowly, allowing the pasta to cook. The pancetta will render some fat, so dont use too much oil. Try to time the cooking so the pancetta and pasta are done simultaneously.
Meanwhile, whisk together the cream, pepper, egg yolks and cheese.
Deglaze the browned bits with a couple spoonfulls of pasta water. When the pasta is "al dente", drain, reserving some pasta water.
Quickly remove the pancetta pan from the heat and add the hot pasta to the pan. Pour over the cream/egg mixture and mix until coated. If it seems a little thick, add a spoonful or so of pasta water for a glossier/creamier texture.
Salt to taste. It may not need salt if you've used a really salty pancetta.
Serve immediately.
YUM!

Nectar!

My favorite restaurant - or one of them - Nectar! Yay for birthday lunches!

Green salad with fried goat cheese atop!

And curried chicken rice!

Oh how I love this joint. I get the same damn thing every time I go, which is unlike me, but the girl can't help it.

My Birfday B-fast

I hadn't had this since I was a kid, but I was feeling nostalgic. So I made...

The Egg in a Nest

I don't dig on runny yolks, so I cooked it thru and thru. Not the way it was meant to be eaten, but whatevs, it's how I like it. Served with Amish-made scrapple.

If you're not from the tri-state area, you probably have no idea what scrapple is, or how it's made. You're better off not knowing, and just eating the stuff. That's a whole separate post, though, scrapple is.

Flank Steak & Portabellos with Wine Reduction

So I guess I made do. The flank was rubbed down with Carlino's steak rub (if you like it spicy, get it!)

I got the portabellos at the Grower's Market and chopped those up and made a balsamic vinegar/wine redux sauce.  Grilled some local asparagus, too.

T'was good! Full recipe here.

Chef's Block

I am stumped for what to make next, without repeating something I've already made. I have a flank in the fridge, so I guess I'll saute the portobellas I bought with some onion and eat it with the flank.

I'm feeling uninspired, despite stalking all my favorite recipe blogs and sites. Bleh. I'm crampy too. 

New Lovely Batch!

Limoncello ready!

Chiles Rellenos

I never cease to amaze myself. I set out to match Don Gabriel's Chiles Rellenos, and while I know it's a bold measure, I think I smell a Throwdown!

All kidding aside, this is as authentic as it gets!




Other pics:

Peeling:


Flouring:


Frying:


Simmering:


EAT!


I ain't playin'.

Recipe:

• 6-8 Poblano peppers
  
• Queso fresco
• 28 oz can while peeled tomatoes
• 1/2 onion
• 2 cloved mashed garlic
• EVOO
• salt
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 cup flour

THIS IS A LABOR OF LOVE! Definitely worth the effort. Cheap meal too!

CHILES:At least two chiles per person should be used. Char the chiles by putting them in a pan under the broiler and turning until skin is black and blistery all over. Remove from oven and place the peppers in a plastic bag of type used for produce in supermarkets. Keep the bag closed and allow the peppers to sweat it out. After 10-20 minutes you can start peeling the peppers.

When the pepper is peeled, make an incision with a sharp paring knife in the side of the pepper, starting at the big end and going down a couple of inches. With the knife, cut the main seed pod just under the inside of the stem and pull it out being careful not to rip the chili. Do not rinse, as this will compromise flavor. Try to get out as many seeds as you can without tearing the pepper. When peeled, roll the chiles in white flour and set aside.

CHEESE:Cut the queso fresco with a knife into long strips that will fit inside the chiles. about 2 strips per pepper. Stuff the chiles with the cheese. Roll into flour again.

SAUCE:In a dutch oven, saute the garlic and onion in the EVOO. Crush the tomatoes in your hands and add to the pan. Add the juice from the can as well. This sauce should be watery. Salt to taste. Add oil if necessary for flavor. Simmer on low, you do not want the watery texture to evaporate.

BATTER:Separate one egg for every two chiles. Beat the whites until stiff. Beat the yolk a little and fold into the beaten whites.

FRYING:Heat EVOO about a 1/4 deep in the pan over med/high heat. Coat each chile in the batter until well-coated. Add to pan, frying on both sides and turning using 2 spoons for dexterity. As each chili is browned, add to the sauce pan and cover with the sauce. Heat the chiles in the sauce at least long enough to soak in the flavor. 15 minutes minimum.

Serve with spanish rice, and sliced avocado. ENJOY!

Limoncello Cheesecake Squares

Awww snap. A wonderful alternative use for my homemade hooch. Cheesecake!



Served it up with a shot of my own Limoncello.


Recipe:

• 8 oz biscotti (I used vanilla)
  
• 6 tablespoons melted butter
  
• 2-3 tablespoons grated lemon zest
  
• 1 (12-ounce) container whole milk ricotta (at room temperature)
  
• 2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese (at room temperature)
  
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
  
• 1/2 cup limoncello liqueur*, store bought or homemade, recipe here
  
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  
• 4 large eggs, at room temperature

Preheat the oven to 350F. Spray the bottom of a 9 x 9 by 2-inch pan with nonstick cooking spray. Grind the biscotti in a food processor. Add the melted butter and 1 tablespoon of lemon zest, and process until the crumbs are moistened. Press the crumb mixture over the bottom (not the sides) of the pan. Bake til the crust is golden, approx 15 minutes. Cool.

Blend the ricotta in a mixing bowl with a hand mixer. Add cream cheese and sugar and mix well. Mix in the limoncello, vanilla, and 2 tablespoons of lemon zest. Add the eggs one at a time, and mix just until blended.

Pour the cheese mixture over the crust in the pan. Place the baking pan in a larger glass pan. Add enough hot water into the larger pan to come halfway up the sides of the baking pan. Bake until the cheesecake is golden and the center of the cake moves slightly when the pan is gently shaken, about 1 hour (the cake will become firmer when it is cold).

Cool 1 hour. Refrigerate until the cheesecake is cold, at least 8 hours and up to 2 days. Cut the cake into squares and serve! YUM!

Serve with a chilled glass of limoncello after a nice Italian meal.

Limoncello

Homemade hooch. Can you think of anything better?

I make these as gifts and grab one out of the freezer on the way to a friend's house. Always a huge hit.

Stay tuned for a better photo. I'm making a batch now. This photo was taken last year with my phone, before I got obsessed with taking pics of my food.

• 10 lemons
• 1 750 ml bottle of Smirnoff Vodka (red label)
• 3 1/2 cups water
• 2 1/2 cups sugar
  

1. Scrub the lemons to remove any wax or pesticides. Remove the zest from the lemons using a vegetable peeler. Take care not to include any of the bitter white pith.
   
   
2. Place the lemon zest in a 2 qt pitcher. Pour the bottle of vodka over the zest, seal tightly, and set in a cool, dark place to steep for 4 days, shaking occasionally.
   
   
3. On the 4th day, mix the sugar and water in a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Let boil until the syrup starts to form, 5-10 minutes. Let cool completely. Add to the lemon zest mixture and let stand overnight.
   
   
4. The next day, strain over cheesecloth or a metal strainer and pour into decorative bottles and store in the freezer.
   
   
5. Serve over crushed ice.

Don't even bother getting all fancy-schmancy with your vodka. Save your money. In the end, it tastes just the same.

I get my bottles at a Wine and Beer Homebrewing supplier. Or you can order them online. They are called "Bellissima".

I make these and stock up in the freezer. Whenever I'm off to visit a friend or go to a party, I grab on out of the freezer to bring. These are always such a hit!

Tip: Do not label the bottles before you freeze them. The labels wrinkle during thawing. Instead, before you give as a gift, take out of freezer and allow to thaw and dry. Apply label.

On the Label:

Serving suggestion:
As an after dinner drink, serve one ounce in a small chilled aperitif glass.
As a refreshing dessert, pour an ounce over a large scoop of shaved ice and garnish with a lemon twist.

Limoncello is best when served directly from the freezer.

Ingredients: beverage alcohol; distilled water; pure cane sugar, & lemon oil infused from the peel of fresh lemons.

100 ml -- 45% alcohol by volume
This liqueur is homemade for private use only. Not intended to be sold or served commercially.

Mushroom Risotto and Arugula Salad

Found some pretty mushrooms at the Grower's Market today. When life gives you mushrooms...make...Risotto!

recipe here.

• Risotto (arborio) rice - about 3-4 handfuls
  
• 4-5 Crimini mushrooms (or whatever you like) chopped
  
• 1/2 large onion (or 1 small) chopped
  
• 1/2 fennel bulb (save fronds for garnish!) chopped
  
• 1 clove of garlic chopped or mashed, your preference
  
• 1/4 c of Cognac
  
• 4 cups approx of chicken stock
  
• Juice of half lemon
  
• EVOO
  
• 1 knob of butter
  
• salt
  
• pepper
  
• parmasean cheese
  

Salad:

• Arugula (roquette/rocket)
• Lemon Juice of 1/2 lemon
• EVOO
• salt
• cracked pepper

Over med-high heat:

1. 3-4 turns of EVOO around a deep skillet. Add knob of butter. Add rice and stir until glossy/transluscent. About 4 minutes.

2. Add mushrooms and fennel.

3. Deglaze with 1/2 cup of the stock. Let absorb.

4. Keep adding stock, a little bit at a time and KEEP STIRRING.

5. About 15 minutes in, add cognac.

6. Continue adding stock. You may not use it all. Keep testing the rice for that "al dente" consistency. Total cook time will be about a 1/2 hour.

7. Add lemon juice, salt, pepper to taste.

8. Garnish with parmasean cheese and fronds!

Salad: Mix the EVOO, lemon juice and salt & pepper. Toss with the arugula. Mmm!

My morning.

Yep. That about sums it up.

Taken on the road that leads to my building at work.

West Chester Blogger spots West Chester Blogger

So it turns out Dr. Zibbs saw me in WC last evening! I was having an early dindin at Iron Hill with the girl and floating about town when the bloggerspotting took place...

Oh darn, though. He didn't say hello! Next time, Doc! Always room for new friends. Besides, mine are all in DE.

Cheers, TBY!

Yay!

I love when Sushi Mike comes to my work!
Sent from Blackberry

Issma birfday monff...issma birfday monff...

It's my birthday month! All gifts may be presented in the form of electronics. Especially my most recently stolen:

Zenith DVD player

iPod

Garmin navigation

Coach Sunglasses Case

Well, my Garmin really wasn't stolen. But they tried! And now it's loose and doesn't prop itself up correctly. Plus, the new ones are all flat and pretty, mine is bulky. Kind of a mini-comparison of a flatscreen TV vs. a clunker.

I can justify ANY techie purchase. Just try me.

A fair question.

Is it wrong to crave (or eat) Mexican 3 nights in a row? I mean, the Mexicans do it.

I don't know what has gotten into me. I almost went to Don Gabriel's AGAIN tonight! I was craving some chiles rellenos, or maybe even some barbacoa (mexican barbecue). Alas, another look at my wallet allowed me to make a smart decision and eat leftovers. I had some of my rice instead. I've been nauseous all night and I'm not sure why.

But here are some pics I took of yesterday's trip to DG. I met the "man" Gabriel! He was so nice, and proud of his food creations. He should be, day-yum!

Burrito Barbacoa

The Salsas!

Fun Guava drink

I love food way too much. My ass agrees.

Simply good tacos.

After I was left tacoless yesterday, I was jonesin' for Mexican. With WC having a large hispanic population, the markets have a great international section. So I went to Giant.

It was a quick and simple meal, but SO good! Everything was singing in harmony...

1 small pkg of chicken cutlets

Fresh Cilantro

Lime juice

Olive Oil

Small flour tortillas

Chihuahua cheese or queso fresco

Chopped tomato

1 avocado

Marinade the cutlets in the olive oil, chopped cilantro, and lime juice for 2 hours. Grill. Cut into strips. Assemble tacos & eat!!

Kristy's Spanish Rice and Beans

On Saturdays, I always have the urge to cook and try things I've never made before. Today, it's spanish rice and beans. So much time and effort goes into it, and it's so easy to eff up! It's especially nice to cook today, cuz there's a hurricane a-comin.

First I tried Don Gabriel's for the ingredents, but it seems even this mexican grocer/restaurant/old Wawa didn't have the basics of what I needed to make this authentic dish. Bleh. The restaurant portion was kickin, though...all the local Mexican townies were eating there, so heck, it must be slammin! Lills and I ALMOST ate lunch there but since they only accept CASH, I slunked away in shame, tacoless.

I took this pic so you could get a load of the no-frills feel that doesn't seem to matter to anyone. Hey, as long as the food storage and kitchen is clean, I don't care if I'm eating cafeteria style... in the middle of a tienda...that used to be...Wawa...

CASH ONLY? My mind went to this. Grr.

So as I'm typing this, I did eff up the rice and beans. DANG! I forgot the OIL! It turned out a bit sticky, but it's edible/salvagable. And there is a ton of it. There is something missing, too. Maybe it needs more adobo? More sofrito? This is one of those dishes you don't want to keep making over and over until you perfect it. It's just too frustrating.

Kristy's Spanish Rice and Beans

3 cups of uncooked medium grain Goya rice
2-3 T of Sofrito (jar or frozen)
1 teaspoon or so of garlic salt

1T adobo

black pepper

1-2 packets of sazon.

6 C water

1 can Goya Green Pigeon Peas, undrained (15 oz.)

1 8oz can Goya tomato sauce (only use 6 oz)

1/2 C veg oil

Combine all ingredients except rice and beans in a pot. I used my cast iron enamel pot. Stir, bring to boiling.

Add the 3 cups of rice and the beans. Bring to boil again, turn down to LOW.

Cover with foil, then top with lid.

Let go for 15 minutes. Fluff your rice.

Let go for 15 minutes more.

West Chester: I'm Staying.

Taken at Swingin' Thursday, while enjoying a greek salad
with Lilly at the Mediterranean.

I so love this town. It's different from anything I grew up around, and even more unlike where I pictured myself living as an adult. I pictured a 3-4 BR home on a good amount of acreage, landscaping I'd rather not deal with, in a neighborhood with kids, parents planning block parties, you get the picture.

This was never really my thing, though. Block parties? They are more like awkward meeting places for neighbors who ignore one another every other day of the year. Who talks to their neighbors anymore? It's a sad reality, but it's true.

I never pictured myself living in a city-like environment. But this doesn't feel like that to me. It feels like a town. A neighborly town, that has everything you need within walking distance. Although it's near a university, it's very much a family-friendly place. You get smiles and "hellos" when you walk by. The only other place I've witnessed such a phenomenon is Italy.

West Chester bears every walk of life, so no one really feels out of place here. We walk to Lilly's school. We walk to the parks. We walk to the grocery store. We hang with the neighbors on Hemlock Alley. I'm so "dialed-in" already that I'm aware of every WC event taking place, so there is always something to do! It even made the top 100 best places to raise a family.

Last night was "Swingin' Thursday". Takes place on the first Thursday of each month during the summer, followed by "First Friday".

This homegrown Delaware girl is staying. I guess I'll go back for the tax-free shopping.

Vote for me!

Watch the entire news segment here!

Black and Blue Salad

OK folks, my digicam is on the fritz because Blondie dropped it. Sending it into Canon tomorrow. Sorry for the grainy, washed out photos lately.



Recipe:

• Grilled Flank Steak
  
• Romaine lettuce
• English Cucumber
• Grape tomatoes
• Blue Cheese
• Katamala olives
• A good caesar dressing
• Ground pepper

Mix salad and dressing. Slice flank and arrange atop salad. Cracked pepper on all. Enjoy!

More homemade gnocchi!

Basic Ricotta Gnocchi recipe. I just can't get enough of this stuff. I saved some bolognese sauce and added a can of whole tomatoes (crushed in my hands) to juice it up.