The Collected Bounty of the Fall (is occupying my freezer)

October and November were  busy months for us, in terms of reaping the rewards of vegetables and fruit not only thriving during the season, but also in gathering the end of summer fruits and veggies that seemed to maintain a little bit of longevity with our warm and mild September and October.


The kitchen has been hopping with zuchinni, apples, and all variets of squash - summer, butternut, and delicata - eggplant, kale, chard, broccoli and cauliflower.

What could be was grated, diced, cooked, baked, and/or frozen to enjoy as we supplement our winter stock of local roots -

beets, golden turnips, parsnips, jerusalem artichokes, potatoes, scallions, onions, garlic,  and even quince.

 Stay tuned for soups, stews, cakes, cookies, loaves of bread, even a jam (right?!) 

and more of the local deliciousness me and My Librarian have been producing.

Greek Chicken & Orzo

This is the perfect dish that knock a powerhouse punch to your taste buds. Not only is it delicious, but it's one of those easy dishes that once served, your guests won't believe it didn't take hours. Well, it did take hours, but the slow cooker takes care of the time; most of the necessary preparation comes in the form of herbs, spices, the orzo, and browning the chicken.

Lightly coat the slow cooker with a non-stick spray; I don't really like to use a lot of this stuff, so I generally spray a paper towel and quickly wipe along the inside - just enough to ensure the food doesn't stick.

Cut 2 medium green bell peppers into thin strips, and along with 1 cup of a chopped onion (I like the sweet vidalia) toss these into the crock pot. Take 8 chicken thighs, and while a bit of olive oil is heating in a large saute pan, give them a good rinse, pat them dry and toss them in the pan, browning on both sides. Remove to a plate and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of oregano, 1/2 teaspoon of rosemary, 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder, and salt and pepper. Transfer the chicken and the juices that collected on the plate into the crock pot and cook on High 3-4 hours or Low 5-6 hours.

When you have about a half hour left, transfer the chicken to a plate, cover, and crank the crock pot to high. Stir in 8 ounces of uncooked dry orzo, 1/2 cup of water, the juice and zest of one medium lemon (not a tiny one, folks, a big one!) and some salt and pepper.  Add the chicken and the collected juices back into the crock pot and cook for approximately 30 minutes, or until the orzo is tender.

Plate. Top with crumbled feta and fresh chopped parsley. Serve. Devour.

Vending Machines

Vending machines have been around since the 1880's when the first coin-operated machine was invented in London to dispense post cards. Since then, they have dispensed everything from cigarettes to candy to ice cream to souvenirs to contraceptives to feminine hygiene products to toiletries to comic books to art and the list only grows longer.

The most common offering  of vending machines is junk food. So when I was killing time in an Atlantic City Casino a few weeks ago waiting for the bus back to Philly after a lovely beach trip, I wasn't surprised by the cookies, cheese doodles, and chips but what did catch my eye was the bottom row. In addition to the usual junk food to fuel their hunger, patrons may also take their pick of Alka-Seltzer, Advil, or Extra Strength Tylenol.

Oh Atlantic City, New Jersey, how I love you so.

Salmon with Cilantro-Yogurt Sauce, Red Pepper Basmati Rice, Summer Squash and Zucchini

We recently subscribed to Cooking Light magazine and when I came across a variation of this dish, I decided to try it out. Am I ever glad I did - it is simple, light, and mouthwatering. The original recipe called for Arctic Char and coconut jasmine rice, but since I'm a real rebel, I used salmon, made some basmati rice and sauteed summer vegetables. 

For the cilantro-yogurt sauce, combine 1/2 cup of 2% Greek Yogurt, 1/4 cup of finely chopped and peeled cucumber, 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, the juice of one lime, and a bit of salt. Chill.

 Bring 1 cup of basmati rice, a dash of salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of crushed red peppers to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cover. Dice one red bell pepper and set aside; once the rice has finished cooking, mix this pepper into the rice and stir before plating.

While the rice cooks, heat a smidge of olive oil in a medium sized frying pan. Add garlic, salt and pepper in a  and toss 1 sliced summer squash and 1 sliced zucchini, stirring  frequently. Heat a large frying pan and add the salmon fillets, seasoned with salt, pepper, and the juice of 1 lime each. I squeezed the remainder of the limes into my vegetables just for fun.

After dishing the fish, vegetables, and rice with diced bell pepper, spoon the cilantro-yogurt sauce on the fish and rice. Serve and devour.

An Ode to New Orleans: BBQ Shrimp

No, I didn't make BBQ Shrimp, but since I have been so insanely busy with an upcoming art exhibit whose central theme is New Orleans, I thought it would be lovely to put up a tale about my experience with the quintessential plate of New Orleans, BBQ Shrimp.

In March of 2007 I spent almost two weeks in New Orleans, living and working in the Lower Ninth Ward at Common Ground headquarters, St Mary's School of the Angels, tearing down and rebuilding the lower nine that had been absolutely ravaged by Hurricane Katrina in August 2005. Much of the lower nine was a ghost town resembling a war torn country in a time capsule that took you back to August 29, 2005 and I was there to offer myself to assist in the rebuilding. My camera came along for the ride and as a means of honoring the recently passed 5 Anniversary of Katrina, some of the black and white photographs will be on display until the end of October.

One evening, a friend of mine who lives in New Orleans took me out for a hearty, traditional, New Orleans dinner. The drinks were flowing, the conversation was loud and bawdy and full of laughter, and my dinner arrived with their faces still on. Yes, you heard me correctly - the shrimp were staring up at me out of a mouthwatering sauce of garlic, butter, lemon, herbs, and spices, spices, spices! Served alongside crusty french bread for dipping, this hands-on creole dish is said to have been created by Pascale Manale in 1913, and contrary to its name, contains no BBQ sauce. Why it's called BBQ shrimp, this Yankee will never know, but I do know that it was absolutely delicious - that is of course, after one of my dinner companions seated to my immediate left very kindly offered to peel my shrimp for me :)

Apple and Sage Pork Chops

This photo and recipe come from McCormick, the American food company specializing in spices. My Librarian and I stumbled upon a few of these pre-packaged meal spice packs while cruising through the supermarket one night. Generally the spices we use are fresh, save for a few dry spices we buy at one of the markets, but this recipe card really intrigued us, not least of all because the pork looked absolutely divine. These things come with a recipe card that you can keep handy for future dishes and the pre-measured spices necessary for the dish on said card. We figured what the hell, right?

The package included 1 1/2 teaspoons of Rubbed Sage, 1 teaspoon of Minced Garlic, 1 teaspoon of Thyme, 1/2 teaspoon of ground All-Spice, and 1/2 teaspoon of paprika. There were a few things we would need to add so we made a note of the things we had at home, that which we would need to grab, and headed over to the meat section to select our boneless pork chops.

Later that week, we were ready. Per the instructions, we mixed 1 tablespoon of flour with the entire spice packet and 1 teaspoon of salt in a bowl. The recipe asks you to sprinkle - honey, I don't really sprinkle - so I took each of my 4 pork chops and lightly dredged into the mixture.

In a large skillet, I cooked the pork chops on medium heat until browned on both sides and promptly removed and put them on a plate tented with foil. Next, 1 medium thinly sliced onion was cooked for about 3 minutes (or until tender), followed by 2 thinly sliced red apples. Cook for a few more minutes, stirring occasionally.

Finally, stir in 1/2 cup of apple juice, 1 tablespoon of brown sugar, and the rest of the seasoned flour until well mixed. Return the pork chops and any collected juices to the pan and bring it all to a boil. Reduce to low, and simmer for about 5 minutes or until done.

We served with a side of apple mashed potatoes and it was delightful.

Happy Birthday, Julia!

I adore this photo of Julia Child - I picked it because I feel it really sums up the chef and the woman behind the apron. Julia died two days shy of her 90th birthday in 2004, but is far from forgotten. A revolutionary force in the field of cooking and in American culture, Julia published a shit ton of cookbooks, conquered the world of PBS with more than 20 years of her own cooking show, loved to eat, loved to cook, loved her husband Paul dearly, and even worked as a spy for the CIA (then the OSS) after graduating from Smith. Never one to shun butter, Julia lives on in our arteries and our kitchens.To Julia!

"Lipstic on my belly-button and music in the air - thaat's Paris, son.


What a lovely city! What grenouilles a la provencale. What Chateauneuf-du-Pape, what white poodles and white chimneys, what charming waiters, and poules de luxe, and maitres d'hotel, what gardens and bridges and streets! How fascinating the crowds before one's cafe table, how quaint and charming and hidden the little courtyards with they wells and statues. Those garlic-filled belches! Those silk-stockinged legs! Those mascara's eyelashes! Those electric switches and toilet chains that never work! Hola! Dites donc! Bouillbase! Au revoir!"
-from My Life in France

The Pennsylvania Dutch Festival: Donuts!

 So clearly it's not all about donuts, but I found they are by far the tastiest part of the whole festival. Starting today and running through the 14th, The Pennsylvania Dutch Festival takes center court at the Reading Terminal Market with handmade quilts, woodwork, and other goods right alongside the food. Oh and the food: Delicious fresh sausage grilled alongside fresh peppers, homemade ice cream, brittle and fudge and what seems to be the main attraction - the donuts. How can you resist these freshly made baked goods? At 85 cents a pop, you simply can't. At least I couldn't and upon arriving this am, I snagged a tasty powdery treat to accompany my coffee.

Fond Summer Memories: Peaches on the Beach

One of my fondest summer memories involve fresh Jersey peaches and the beach. My grandmother had a house in Ocean City, NJ and during the summer, my father would often spend his weekend visits with my brother and I 'down the shore.'

New Jersey is ripe with farms that offer mouth-watering goods in the warmer months - driving south on the Garden State Parkway you couldn't go more than 1 mile marker without passing homemade signs advertising fresh Jersey corn, peaches, tomatoes, peppers, alongside other varieties of locally grown fruit and vegetables. We would stop at any one (at least one - more often than not we would stop at multiple) of these stands and purchase enough fruit and vegetables to feed a tiny army. My favorite were the peaches. Soft and juicy treasures, warmed by the sun, these gems made my mouth water.  The best way to savor these is on the beach, fresh from a cool dip in the Atlantic.

We'd arrive in Ocean City and bustle into my grandmother's, a whirlwind of hugs, kisses, bags, and groceries. In a few hours time we'd be off the beach a few blocks away, a cooler always alongside the towels and chairs. The peaches would have been sitting in a brown paper bag, warmed by the sun and ripened in the farmer's orchard. Reaching in, you'd pull one of these deliciously plump fruits out of the bag. The warm sweet juice would mix with the salt on your face from the ocean and it would be pure heaven.

About a week ago, I took a day trip to the beach and packed along a few peaches from Kauffman's, a farmer we patronize fairly often. The sun was hot, the water was cold, and when I bit into that peach I smiled.

So dear readers pray tell, what are your fondest summer food memories?

Flounder, Asparagus & Vidalia Onions Roasted in an Herb Butter Rub Served with Orzo, Dressed in a Lemon Butter Sauce

Clearly Summer is the time for fresh, light, and citrus. This dish requires a bit more preparation and can get complicated, in part due to my making two separate sauces - the herb butter which the fish, onions and asparagus cooked in and the lemon-butter sauce which I made to serve over the fish, veggies, and pasta.

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees and start with the herb butter. In a bowl, beat 4 tablespoons of softened butter with a fork. Add 2 teaspoons of minced fresh flat leaf Italian parsley, 1 tablespoon of fresh minced thyme, 1 teaspoon of fresh minced chives, the zest from 1 lemon, the juice from two lemons, and a pinch of salt and pepper.

Using a dab of extra virgin olive oil, I oiled a 9x13 cooking dish and layered the bottom with 2 or 3 thinly sliced vidalia onions, then the asparagus. Generously rub down the flounder fillets with the herb butter and lay on top of the onions and asparagus.

The flounder will cook pretty quickly depending on thickness; to avoid overcooking I generally go with 10 minutes per inch of thickness. Toss it in the oven. Put on the water to boil for the orzo.

Once your fish is nearly finished, move on to the lemon butter sauce. Melt 1 tablespoon of butter over low heat in a small saucepan with the zest from 1 lemon. Whisk in 1 tablespoon of flour and cook, stirring until the mixture just begins to color. Add 1 cup of chicken broth and the juice from 1 lemon, wisking vigorously to smooth out any lumps or chunks. Cook, stirring occasionally, until thick. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Once the fish, onions and asparagus, and orzo have been plated, pour the sauce over and serve.

Summer Bounty: Tomatoes

This tomato plant is a wonderful addition to our garden this summer. As with our edibles, we have it on our roof to keep neighbors from picking it at street-level. Given that it's a bit unsteady and a little over 3 feet tall, after bringing it home, I tethered the plant base to a very convenient satellite dish protruding from the side of the building, left by a former tenant. Further reinforcing it are bricks stacked three high surrounding the four sides of the base. The plant has remained despite crazy monsoon-like storms.

Speaking of undesirable weather, the plant has taken a bit of a beating from our unusually steamy summer; with temperatures hovering in the high 90s for pretty much all of July, the leaves did wither a bit, but as you can see the plant is still happily producing fruit, which we have been able to add to salads, salsas, and sauces.

Trout Amandine

Instead of fillets of fish I asked my fish poacher for two trout, gutted, de-boned, and beheaded. Laying each fish flat, skin side down on the pan, I seasoned each with salt, pepper, and a bit of fresh lemon zest before I set them in the oven at about 350 degrees.

Turning my attention to the almonds, I chopped about 1/4 cup and added them to an already heated frying pan. You'll want to stir them frequently so they toast rather than cook and burn, for approximately 5 minutes. Transfer the nuts to a plate.

Wipe out the frying pan and add 4 tablespoons of butter, the juice from one lemon, and about a quarter cup of minced fresh flat leaf Italian parsley. Stir in the almonds and season with a bit of salt and pepper.

At this point the fish should be thoroughly cooked, tender, and moist. Once the fish have been plated, spoon the sauce over. I served it alongside fresh orzo that boiled with a bit of butter and lemon in the water and fresh brussel sprouts.

The Cooking Channel's Ice Cream Truck Tour Has Taken Philadelphia

A little while ago, my coworkers and I took a wee walk from our offices to the corner of 12th & Arch where The Cooking Channel's Ice Cream Truck has been parked all day.

To celebrate the launch of The Cooking Channel, they have been traveling the country in their ice cream truck handing out sweet treats from the area's tastiest vendor to heatstroke induced pedestrians. Bassets Ice Cream, located in The Reading Terminal Market, was handing out a delicious confection called Guatemalan Ripple Fudge, a blend of coffee ice cream, coffee filled chocolate peanut butter cups, and chocolate sauce. Yum. My personal perk was a free American Apparel t-shirt that says "Food Person" on the front, courtesy of being so damn happy and nerdy about food that I have a food blog. Love it!

The next and final stop of the Ice Cream Tour is this Saturday in Atlantic City for the Atlantic City Food & Wine Festival.

Nada to Gourmet Basil-Lemon Butter Chicken

Okay, so it wasn't actually gourmet, but it was pretty impressive given that I wanted to cook something tasty and flavorful but had neglected to grab anything. This happens a lot, I would imagine and what I can advise is to scrounge around in your cabinets and garden, maybe even your freezer, for easily paired components for your plate. In this case, I had hastily taken the chicken breasts out to thaw before leaving for work and confronted the question mark when I got home. I attacked our wilting basil plant and finely chopped what was left. We had two lemons sitting in the basket with a few potatoes. I squeezed the juice of both, added some zest to the basil, and two tablespoons of butter to a saute pan. Once the 'sauce' was viscous, I tossed in a handful of the end of some Parmesan cheese and a pinch of salt and pepper. A few leftover baby red potatoes diced also went into the pan.

While the main course was simmering under a lid, I pulled the rest of a bag of frozen green beans and cooked, drained, and tossed with a bit of butter, salt and pepper, serving alongside some leftover bread I warmed in the oven to soften, and Voila! The sauce was absolutely divine, just the perfect amount of tangy which was great on the potatoes and chicken as well as a dipping sauce for our bread.

Chicken, Spinach & Mushroom Quesadillas

I know what you're thinking - why, during this, the sixth heatwave of the summer for those of us on the East Coast - are you even suggesting cooking? The truth is that even as the mercury climbs, we still need to eat AND since this is a stovetop dish, it won't even heat up your kitchen more than maybe two or three degrees.

I took two chicken breasts and diced them into bite size pieces and sauted them in a wee bit of olive oil. This is pretty flexible - you can add some cumin, cayenne, garlic, salt, and chili powder to give it a kick, leave the chicken out altogether for a veggie dish, or just keep the chicken in its natural juices.

Once the chicken is cooked through, add about 6 ounces of sliced button mushrooms (I went with brown baby bella mushrooms). Once tender, add about 2 packed cups of fresh baby spinach until the spinach is wilted. Generally I warm my tortillas in the toaster oven while the mushrooms and spinach are cooking so when everything is finished, the monterey jack cheese that you will sprinkle on the bottom half of each, melts quicker. Layer your chicken-mushroom-spinach mix on top of the cheese and fold the tortilla in half to enclose the filling, pressing closed firmly.

Wipe out your frying pan with a paper towel and add each quesadilla to the pan one at a time, cooking until each is golden brown on each side. You can brush each with some oil, but I've found it isn't necessary. Plate, top with some sour cream and salsa fresca, and serve.

When you have a garden full of pretty flowers, you don't demand of them, "What do you mean? What is your significance?" - Balanchine

Sorry fellow readers; I understand it has been a very long time since my last post - almost three months in fact, but in addition to the general insanity of life, I was felled by a Teratoma. I forewarn however, that you do not look at pictures of said benign tumor that was removed along with a ladypart UNLESS you have a strong stomach. It is NOT delicious nor appetizing. Apparently, 1 in 1,000,000,000 people get these so I can officially say I am 1 in a million.

Now that I have returned, fully recovered, from my "sick leave" I wanted to share the status of our garden this year. We tilled and soiled and mulched in the beginning and discovered the gladiola bulbs that were the size of maybe two walnuts had grown to the size of our palms! So far, we have two that have shot up and more on the way, as you can see by the images. Additionally, some wildflowers, a tiny cherry tree, a rhododendron, and two rose bushes. If you have been following since last year, you can see we have reused the same storage bins for our two large containers of green goodness. The cherry tree and the rhododendron are in containers we found in the alley running behind the houses on our block AND we decided that a $4 pink "beer bucket" was good enough for our roses :) Happy End-of-June-almost-July.

Homemade Pizza

Who loves a good pizza? Everyone! It's the perfect bang for your buck, great for lunch, dinner, a midnight snack, the morning after, AND believe it or not, if you make it yourself I think it tastes better than when ordered in, is far less greasy, and can arguably be healthier.

Let's say you're in a rush and/or you either don't want to deal with or don't have time to make the dough and allow it to rise. No sweat. Most grocery stores sell pizza dough balls. We get ours from Trader Joe's and I always go with two, not only because the leftovers are tasty but because two pizza dough balls are the perfect size to make a Sicilian pie on one of our 9x13 baking sheets.

Let the dough sit at room temperature for about twenty minutes before spreading it out and attacking it with your ingredients. This is a great time to preheat your oven to 400 degrees and get your toppings ready. Before rolling out your dough, toss a loose handful of flour across your workspace and spread it about. I like my dough a little thick so I don't use a rolling pin but rather stretch, toss, and spread it out with my hands (Don't get too excited; I look nothing like people in Italian commercials working with dough). I work each ball separately, pinching them together in the middle of the baking sheet and pinching a good size crust around the edges of what will be the pie.

Sauce. Any Marinara will do - homemade or otherwise. I use about 13 ounces, spread out not too thickly, not too thinly, but just right across the dough with the back of a spoon. Cheese. Mozzarella. Grated and sprinkled across the top. I use about 1 pound. Parmesan. Grated. Sprinkled around the edges and on the crust. Herbs. Oregano. A definite must have.

At this point you can add any other toppings you wish - fresh veggies, sausage, pepperoni, anchovies, whatever - and then pop it in the oven. Give it about 15-20 minutes, depending on how you like your crust. We like ours crispy, so I'll generally lower the oven to 350 degrees and cook it for about 20-25 minutes to ensure the crust is the way we like it and the pizza doesn't burn (Very Important. Burnt pizza is such a disappointment).

Let it sit for about 5-7 minutes before cutting it, either with a pizza slicer, medium sized non-serrated knife, or a good pair of kitchen scissors (I do not jest - scissors are great for pizza), serve, and buono apetite!

Gathering, Sowing, and Waiting

It's that time of year again and My Librarian and I commenced our spring time gardening by starting with our two large containers in the front of our building a couple of weeks ago. We tilled and enriched the soil with some mulched organic plant material that we have been adding to before checking on our gladiola bulbs from last season. No worries there as they have more than doubled in size with multiple baby bulbs, which is really exciting. Since we had such an overwhelming number of gladiolas in one container, we decided to move one of the bulbs - as carefully and delicately as a surgeon mind you - into the second to reduce crowding once they come up. In picture on the left you can see the rhinoculous flowers we found at a local market for a steal AND a very happy, thriving aloe plant. There are three in each container for now, though since they don't last through very warm weather, they'll be short lived but very easy on the eye until then. The aloe is flourishing indoors under our skylight.

The seed packets of veggies and herbs on the right are to be started tomorrow; fortunately we did not put them out for when we had aimed, which was about a week ago when the night time temperatures dipped into what could have a been a dangerous frost for the tender seedlings. As with last year, our herbs and veggies and any other smaller starter plants will take up on the small roof of our downstairs neighbor's bay window, which is about a 5'x4' space. It worked pretty well for strawberries, tomatoes, and assorted herbs and this year we are broadening our selection with carrots, lavender, cucumber, california peppers, green onions, arugula, radishes, and chives. We will most likely get more rosemary and mint, as the former died before I remembered to bring it inside and the latter, as most of you know, will come back as oregano.

After the seeds are on their way we have a few other plants in mind that we wish to add to both the roof and the street level. We're excited and there will be more to come as our garden grows.

Butternut Squash Risotto & Pork Chops with a Rosemary-Vinegar Sauce

This dish is the perfect plate of chilled weather comfort food and the risotto itself will yield enough to feed a small country. The butternut squash risotto can also be served by itself as a yummy vegetarian entree without the pork tenderloin or, if you really want to go all out, with a tofu cutlet drizzled in the rosemary vinegar sauce. The undertaking of this dish is a bit laborious although totally worth the time.

Starting with the risotto, bring 7 cups of chicken or vegetable broth (I prefer the chicken broth) to boil in a large saucepan. Cover. Reduce heat to low. In another large pot, melt 3 tablespoons of butter over medium heat, adding 1 1/4 cup of finely chopped onion, sauteing until tender. Add your 2 pound butternut squash - peeled, halved, seeded, and cut into about 1/2 inch dice - with 1 1/2 teaspoons of chopped fresh rosemary.

Once the squash is coated with butter and rosemary and slightly tender, add 2 cups of arborio rice and stir for about 2 minutes. Add 1/2 cup of dry white wine and simmer until it evaporates. Add your 7 cups of broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered until the risotto is creamy and slightly soupy. If needed you can add more broth by 1/4 cupfuls to maintain the consistency, stirring occasionally.

Once it has the proper consistency, stir in 4 cups packed baby spinach,1/2 cup of heavy cream, and 1/2 cup of freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Season to taste with salt and pepper and transfer to a large bowl, sprinkling 1/2 teaspoon of fresh rosemary on top before serving.

Right about now is when you're probably wondering at which point will you have time to make the pork chops and the rosemary-vinegar sauce. I recommend prepping the pork chops while prepping the squash dish and cooking in a large skillet at the point where you are bringing 7 cups of broth to a boil for the risotto. It seems to work out pretty well, time-wise, and neither dish sits for longer than necessary.

Sprinkle 4 large boneless pork tenderloins on both sides with 3/4 teaspoon of chopped fresh rosemary, salt and pepper. Coat each with flour, shaking off any excess. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat. Add 2 cloves of sliced garlic. Saute. Remove with a slotted spoon.

Add pork to skillet, sauteing until brown and cooked through. Transfer to plate tented with foil.

Add 1 cup chicken broth, 1/4 cup dry white wine, 1/3 cup heavy cream, 4 teaspoons of raspberry or red wine vinegar, and 1/4 teaspoon of chopped fresh rosemary. Bring the sauce to a boil until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, stirring often. Season to taste with salt and pepper, pouring any collected pork juices from plate back into skillet to stir into sauce before serving. Spoon over tenderloin, serving with risotto.

The Case of the Missing Foodie

Like Max, I too have sailed to the Land of the Wild Things. While enjoying the wild rumpus, I have still been cooking and documenting my many culinary adventures, though I'm sure you know that while one is in the Land of the Wild Things one may not have the immediate resources to update one's blog. Fear not, fellow readers; I have not given up, nor have I forgotten my zester. Many delicious meals are soon to follow, and I promise you, that you will once again discover, like Max did upon his return to home that "... it was still hot."

Copyright Maurice Sendak," Where the Wild Things Are"

Chocolate Chip Cookies from Scratch!

I have never been afraid to proudly announce my fear of baking. But, like having to overcome my fears of poultry gizzards in order to make a real gravy, I decided I needed to overcome my fear of making crappy baked goods. Hmm. That was probably a really strange analogy as fowl gizzards have nothing to do with cookies, but I'm sure you get my point, as misguided as it may have been.

Anyway. I was pleasantly surprised to find that baking chocolate chip cookies is not only fairly easy, but also fun in a deliciously messy way. I think most of my reticence is based on a prior baking mistake wherein I mistook baking soda for baking powder when baking a cake. Determined to forge ahead without salty tasting cookies (more on that debacle later), I followed the instructions on the package to semi-sweet chocolate chips to a T.

My Librarian and I prefer chewy to crunchy cookies and I found that the trick to ending up with entirely chewy cookies is to bake them through, closely monitoring the time and to pull them just after the very tops have baked from gooey cookie dough into, well, cookie. The result of my neurotic time keeping and toothpick poking in the end was pure success - we had over two dozen chewy chocolate chip cookies that were neither crunchy, hardened, nor burnt and were baked all the way through.

Herbed Chicken Parmigiana over Spagetti, with Garlic Bread

This is a dish that is simple enough to make and that can result in mouth-watering taste bud satisfying traditional comfort meals, however, it can also go terribly wrong and end up no better than an imposter at highway rest stop buffet table.

Hey, paison! I won't let you down and leave you with a gummy, greasy plate. What follows is my recipe for a great dish that is a delicious, no-fail take on the traditional plate that should immediately take you back to your grandmother's kitchen. You're not Italian, let alone have never had an Italian grandmother? I'm sure you have some sort of imagination; work it out. Just whatever you do, please don't think of those Olive Garden commercials, mmkay?

You'll need:
3-4 chicken breasts
2 eggs, lightly beaten
Salt and Pepper
Panko Bread Crumbs
Fresh Minced Parsley
Fresh Minced Basil
8oz Mozzarella
Grated Parmesan Cheese

There are a few important things to note that will come up as I outline the recipe. The first is that instead of using any old breadcrumb, get yourself Panko Breadcrumbs. These are lighter and airier, generally associated with Japanese cuisine. These are important to use because if you think back to all of the not-so-great chicken parm dishes, I bet you found it to be gummy and chewy. This was probably in part due to the breadcrumb selection. Buy some plain panko and I promise you won't regret it because you won't end up with a gummy cutlet.

In a bowl combine the breadcrumbs ( about 3/4 cup), parsley, basil (about 1 tablespoon of each) salt and pepper (about a 1/4 to 1 teaspoon of each) and about three tablespoons of parmesan cheese. It's all an approximation to what you like. While you're getting this ready and lightly tossing it with your fingers, get a skillet nice and hot on the stove. After dipping each breast in the eggs, dredge them through the breadcrumb mixture. On the skillet, brown each side of each breast, setting aside once done.

This is the second important detail to note. The breadcrumb-herb-parmesan mixture before browning is what I have found to be pretty key in the overall completeness of the dish. The chicken needs to be browned, clearly, but the crispy panko crumbs embedded with fresh herbs are sealed in with a crispy parmesan crust before being baked.

Once your chicken breasts are ready, place them in a dish and cover them with sauce, and the mozzarella and parmesan cheeses. Clearly a homemade Italian Sauce would be eccellente, but sometimes we don't always have the time on hand to create it. I suggest taking your favorite marinara - I actually prefer a Basil Marinara and an Arrabiata Sauce blended 1:1; this gives the dish the smooth marinara with a spicy kick.

Bake the dish uncovered at 375 degrees until the chicken is cooked through and the cheese is bubbling. At this point, get your garlic bread ready. Personally, I like to take two small loaves of baked ficelle and slice them down the middle. Slather on butter, generously sprinkle garlic bread seasoning from The Spice Terminal at Reading Terminal Market and top it with fresh grated parmesan cheese. Toss it in oven alongside your dish.

Allow the dish to sit and cool for about ten minutes before serving it on top of Spagetti along with that delicious fresh garlic bread, and Voila! un pasto perfetto!

A New Year, New Recipes

Some of you may have noticed it's been about a month since my last post. True that, however due to some, well, computer-based viral issues, I am unable to access those mouth-watering photos to accompany recipes and general food adventures. This should be resolved this weekend, however, so stay tuned. Thanks everyone!