Use it or Lose it

There are times when my freezers (2) and my refrigerators (equal to 3) are so full of food and ingredients that extreme measures must be taken. Last week was one of those times. I told the Mister, "I have so much food available that I am not even going to the grocery store. You may need to stop by for cold cuts for your lunch and we may need a milk, but I even have fruits and vegetables." Stored or hoarded food ingredients are just like other stuff. As they accumulate needlessly they sap our energy and it gets easier and easier to lose focus of what is really available just in front of our noses. So, we just go out and buy more. The problem with food is that it rots and that's very wasteful, which really grates me. So, when the time comes that we need a flac jacket to open refrigerator doors, here's what I do. I either pick ingredients that I can identify or choose a whole shelf and see what I can come up with. If the packages are mysterious and unidentifiable I select about 4 or 5 and hope for the best. Last nights UILI meal (my dad joined us) was Beef Tenderloin for 3, Chicken Parm for the kids, sauteed yellow squash and zucchini (fresh-I do not freeze summer squash because it gets too watery), bruschetta and crackers and fresh strawberries and cream for dessert. Tonight's meal looks like it's going to be Tilapia topped with creamy spinach and Green Beans with Thyme, Bacon, Shallots and onions. I even have some fresh rolls to go with it. At first I was concerned that my family would whine about UILI meals. The reality is that they kind of dig it. It's gotten to be an adventure we all embark on together and the meals usually turn out well. And there was even the one night we thought we were going to be eating Black Bean Soup and it turned out to be Chocolate Icing. What kid complains about THAT?! What great meals have you created from surprises?

Going Green

I had to train myself to eat vegetables in the first place. I have a well-trained sweet tooth, which often does not lend itself well to vegetable consumption since many vegetable have a complex flavor profile with clear bitterness. But for the sake of raising children with well-rounded palates and for the countless health benefits vegetables offer, I did it. I bought the veggies, I prepared them and I ate them. The best news is that I really got to love them. Not in a "Boy, I'm craving some lima beans right now" kind of way, but I love their flavors and textures and the way they make my body feel after I eat them. Plus, they look really pretty on a plate. As winter moved into spring, I felt it was time to get back on the semi-abandoned vegetable wagon and I chose to embark on an adventure with baby bok choy. Bok choy (in this case I have chosen mini-size so an entire head is as long as an extended hand) is a mild flavored Chinese cabbage with ever-so-slightly better leaves and crunchy, ever-so-slightly sweet stalks. It's an ideal flavor profile for someone like me whose grown up tastebuds do not need anymore sweet encouragement and are not quite bitter lovers. Bok choy always makes me think of hydration since the stalks and leaves are full of moisture that just seems to drench my tongue. I slice the entire vegetable in stir-fry. It can also be used in soups or simply steamed. You can also braise it in broth and it will neither lose its shape or flavor nor lend any harsh flavors to the broth you're preparing. This is a dish I threw together for dinner last night using bits and pieces of food from my freezer and refrigerator: Shrimp stir fried with bok choy, snow peas and mushrooms. It was satisfying and delicious. What vegetable please your palate?

Pasta Stay-Cation Last year, AngelFood donated a gift certificate to the United Way of Warren County. The gift certificate was used at a silent auction in a combined package that added up to a Stay-Cation; things to be enjoyed at home instead of away. The winner of the package recently called to redeem her gift certificate and we decided that her Gourmet Meal for Two would be delivered the day she and her husband returned from their real vacation of scuba diving in Belize. (Talk about a hard act to follow!) The menu: Baby Spinach with Hearts of Palm and Toasted Pine Nuts with Citrus Vinaigrette, Fresh Rolls and Butter, and Lobster Ravioli with an Americaine-style sauce, Fresh Lemon Asparagus. All topped off with Strawberry Frangipane Tart drizzled with Chocolate Ganache. Taking time out of an otherwise non-cooking Saturday to cook an elaborate meal for two persons does have its downside. There are a bunch of dishes to do and there's a bunch of food prep to do. The upside is that it is a chance to slow down and create some beautiful food and the leftovers allowed my family to enjoy a stay-cation of their very own. You see, lately I have had a hard time with food. I feel weary of thinking of it, shopping for it, smelling it, eating it and dealing with using up what's left over. I don't even find myself hungry most days and that can lead to poor nutritional choices. The end of winter has seemed like an uphill food struggle. But, I persevered and got to making pasta! I almost always ONLY use semolina flour. I have, in emergencies, used all-purpose flour, but have found A.P. flour to produce a dough that is too soft. The key to pasta flour is having the correct moisture level. The flour must have enough moisture to allow the gluten (protein) to develop and that's what give it its stretch. Not enough moisture equals tough, crumbly dough. Too much makes a sticky mess that is unmanageable. I use the recipe on the bag of semolina from Bob's Red Mill. Here it is (the instructions are mine): Basic Pasta Recipe: 1 1/2 cups Semolina Flour 1/2 tsp. salt, optional (I think not optional. I always use it.) 2 eggs or 3 egg whites, beaten (I always use whole eggs for the fat and protein in the yolk) 2 Tbsp. water 2 Tbsp. olive oil Combine semolina and salt. Beat the eggs with the water and oil. Either in a mixing bowl or on a clean, dry table, make a well in the center of the flour. Add the wet ingredients and mix to make a stiff dough. Knead about 10 minutes or until dough is elastic. If after 10 minutes, the dough still has a lot of flour grains and is not elastic, you probably need to add a bit more water, in DROPS. Wrap dough in a towel or plastic wrap and let rest 20 minutes. On a lightly floured surface (I don't usually need extra semolina for this step), roll out to desired thickness and cut as desired. For the ravioli, I end up rolling to a thickness of 5 on the Atlas Machine (by hand-crank). This is a tough call. I would like to EAT ravioli rolled all the way to 6, but getting the ravioli to survive the process with that thin of a skin might not happen.

To fill the ravioli, I took two small lobster tails, removed from the shells-SAVED the shells, and made a forcemeat by pureeing in the food processor with seasoning and heavy cream until it was paste. I could have added a bit of white bread crumbs to lighten the texture and maybe an egg or even ricotta cheese. In this case, I did not. I take the pasta sheet and gently fold it in half. I then cut it. You'll see why. I then mark the first sheet with one of my many ravioli cutters. The pasta sheet needs to be very lightly brushed with egg wash so the pockets seal properly. GREAT TIP: Fill a pastry or plastic bag with the filling (cut corner off of plastic bag) and squeeze out the filling where needed. I put a dollop of filling on the marked areas of the pasta sheet. Don't overfill or the ravioli will burst when they are being simmered. Lay the other pasta sheet over (See, isn't that a nice fit?) and cut out. While the pasta was resting, I created the sauce. I took the lobster shells (I also save shrimp shells for this same type of sauce) and sauteed with butter, olive oil, shallots or onions, garlic and tomato paste.

I deglazed with Madeira wine. Cognac, brandy or even white wine would be fine. I add about 1/4 cup and scrape up all the tasty, colorful bits for intense flavor. The ingredients then got covered with water, I threw in some parsley stems and dill stems. After about 45 minutes of gentle simmering, I tasted the stock and finding it substantially flavored, I strained it. In the empty pot, I made a roux with butter and flour and returned the stock to the pot. I tasted the thickened sauce for seasoning. I adjusted the salt and pepper and hit it with a bit of lemon juice, a tablespoon or so of fresh lemon zest and a few fresh fronds of dill. A splash or two of heavy cream rounded out the sauce. Upon completion, I realized that my long-absent hunger had returned with a vengeance. The act of cooking a meal using classic, age-old techniques, no matter how detailed and intense those techniques are or how many dishes they create, transports my spirit to a comfortable, invigorated, excited place. A place my soul likes to call home. A perfect place for a Pasta Stay-Cation.

Knights to Remember

It took me about 15 years to proudly make the statement, "I am a graduate of a Vo-Tech." My graduation occurred almost 25 years ago, but when I was a student, going to Tech was mainly for Stoners wearing Army jackets and kids who wouldn't survive college prep classes. It was considered an insult to education. Few people saw it as a brilliant strategic move in the development of a lifelong career. A few of us did, however.

Now, Middle Schoolers have to interview to be selected for a few coveted classroom spots (the Tech in Warren County is an all-day program, half is academics). Who knew it would become the cool place to be?

I am beginning to forge a friendly relationship with Warren County Technical School's Culinary/Hospitality Program students and instructor, Mr. Fortun. I have been fortunate to employ, Erin, a Culinary Goddess (who still comes to visit but currently works elsewhere) and now, Karl, Man about Town and Steward Extraordinaire. It's Karl's job to get me prepped up and then clean up after me. He's new, but we really like him around here.

Upon Karl's suggestion, I invited my friend Anna H. from the United Way of Warren County to lunch at the technical school's restaurant, Knights Cafe. The reviews are in: We were both very impressed. Karl (on the right in his blue coat) was our server and he was attentive and polite.

Our soup was hot and delicious, our salads were fresh and prepared in front of our eyes by Erin, Culinary Goddess!

Mr. Fortun strolled the dining room making friends and he reminded us to save room for dessert. Anna is displaying the fried apple pies that both of us chose. Tasty!

Am I a tough customer when it comes to dining out? I sure am, but not in this restaurant. Before I would expect these culinarians to pump out 5-star cuisine, I want them to know basic sanitaion, beginning food preparation and good customer service and it looks like they are well on their way.

Oh, Those Jazzy Apples

I never thought the day would come when my children would complain that our household was out of fruits and vegetables. Sure, I knew that the supply was dwindling, but when 14-yr. old Boy laments, "There is NOTHING to eat in this houuussseee" because he's out of apples, it's time to get myself to the market. Apples are not in season. That season would be late summer into Autumn. To begin with, I am not a big apple fan. When in season, I like MacIntosh apples because, when picked or purchased fresh, and refrigerated, their flesh is not mealy and they taste tangy, not overly sweet. Boy loves Red Delicious. Recently I was in the market with 6-yr. old Girl. We stumbled upon a new appled called Jazz. Because she takes Jazz dancing lessons, I offered to buy her some and they turned out to be fantastic. Even better than my favorite Macs. First of all, they are a perfect size. I don't need two and I can easily finish one. The flesh is denser than a Mac, closer to a Red Delicious, but the flavor is sweet and so less tanic than a Red Delish. Tanin is the acid (also in walnuts and many other foods) that gives it color but also draws your mouth astringently. I keep my Jazzy apples in the refrigerator in order to retain their crispness and keep them juicy. They don't last long. Which apple is your favorite?

Some Things I could do without in my Food-Centric Life

Yesterday we hosted our second Warren County Lunch'n Learn. I've been blessed with an invitation to partner with the area's topmost computer experts, Andrea Kirchuk of Computer Images Web and Jeff Jewell of Computing Solutions to present hour-long lunch and information seminars geared towards businesses. Our first series of seminars focus on dipping your toes in the Social Media waters and protecting your computer as you go. Molly McGrath of CIWeb also joined us. These folks really know their stuff and for as much as I invest in marketing AngelFood via the web, I have a lot to learn. Lunch'n Learns are one of my favorite types of catered meals to prepare. The menu is fresh and simple, easy to execute and low stress. It's during these times that my mind wanders. It was also during this preparation that I remembered a thorn in my paw. I can't stand the twist ties the produce people put around a head of lettuce. Sometimes they are wrapped too tight and invariably the silvery tie strangles and mangles the lettuce. I could also do without styrofoam egg boxes. While I don't know all the environmental/financial facts regarding packaging, I do know that styrofoam is often a less expensive way to package foods plus, it gives the eggs a tiny more bit of bounce while they're man-handled during shipping. My town has made it possible for me to recycle almost every bit of non-food trash in my house but not the styrofoam egg cartons. I could do without cellophane snack bags. At least the ones that tear as soon as I try to wrestle them open in my desparate attempt to get to the pretzels that will accompany my Cheddar and Barefoot Merlot. Why do some snack bags "work" better than others? I find this quite mysterious. And those "recloseable" bags that tear in the wrong place as you're wrestling open the package? Yeah, you can keep those, too. What things could you live without in your Food-Centric life?

That First Blank Page

Facing that first blank page of any writing project can be daunting, as any writer will tell you. Even those of us who are accustomed to laying ourselves wide open for public scrutiny still cower when there's writing to be done and you're just not in the mood. But, here I am. Molly of Computer Images Web has set up the blog area of my website and removed my excuses. What's funny is that on any given day I have a constant stream of thoughts, many related to food, running through my head. It's time to stick my toes in the water. Today's projects include attending my favorite monthly networking meeting, AM Biz. This month the group is celebrating their 7th Anniversary and AngelFood supplied cake and fruit salad. We're also getting ready for the Warren County Regional Chamber of Commerce's Business Expo held tomorrow at the Warren County Vo-Tech. I prepared some display cakes and will be offering samples of Asian Pasta. On the right is a one of tomorrow's display cakes featuring an Edible Image of a sweet, little girl. We can put any photograph or logo on a cake or cookie. My biggest news is that tomorrow, after the Expo, I am going to pick up my new 20-quart mixer! I've waited a long time to make this major purchase and I'm so excited I think I'll knock on all the neighbors' doors asking if they have anything BIG they want mixed.