Ketchup, Part Deux

My First Meatloaf Sandwich

 As promised, I made myself a meatloaf sandwich for lunch the day after our Sunday meatloaf dinner.

It was the first meatloaf sandwich I have ever eaten in my enitre life, which really surprises me because I love meat, I love sandwiches, and I'm from the Midwest.

Needless to say, I enjoyed every last bite. So much so, I didn't even give Bleu his normal lunchtime crumb or two.

I toasted a white bun, added cold meatloaf and ketchup, sliced some mozz cheese thinly, and plopped some thick slices of an heirloom Green Zebra tomato on top. Served with some re-heated ex-wife potatoes with Mayo and Fairy Dust dip, and I had myself quite a delightful lunch.  Midwestern style.

Of course, I sneak kale in my meatloaf!

Meal For One

When I sit down to a meal by myself, I always think of my Grandpa Prieur and Grandma Rita, both of whose spouses have passed and who often eat alone.

~

I've always been a loner. Back in my undergrad days I went to Country Kitchen in Ravenna, Ohio by myself at 3:00 a.m. I would order grilled cheese and hot tea. I would write until the sun peeked over the horizon through those commercial windows. I tipped well. The waitresses fought over me when I walked through the heavy glass doors.

~

Recently, my mum-in-law Sally told me a story about how her mom used to cook her dad his pork, eggs and toast in a mini cast iron pan. A meal for one.

The minute I logged in after talking with Sally I added a 5" Lodge cast iron skillet to my Amazon Wish List.

What a perfect little skillet for FD's GF Grilled Cheese.

Or for a meal for one.

~

My Grandma Rita is pushing 90, but everyday the woman makes three meals for herself.

Amen.

That's an amazing feat considering over 50,000,000 millon people eat fast food on a daily basis.

~

Tonight I cooked three boneless, skinless chicken breasts with a tomato and squash sauce, infamous ex-wife potatoes and roasted broccoli. Even though I made a meal for one, it was one that honored my food ethics and politics. I felt proud.

Most times when left my own devices, I order out.

I have an El Zarape addiction.

I often regret that decision.

~

What's funny is one of my all-time favorite people was supposed to join me for dinner tonight. But she bailed. I don't blame her. In fact, between you and me, I was happy. Bailing is under-rated. Sometimes we don't realize we will need that exact moment to be alone until that moment. Bailing is just the  ultimate self indulgence, with the best of intentions. All day I wanted to be alone. I love others, but also I just wanted to close the door, knowing it was just me--here--alone.

Just a moment to breathe out.

Just a moment to blare Tori Amos' _Boys for Pele_, to make an all girl music mix, and to sing higher and louder than usual, in celebration of finishing grading one of five sections of papers.

~

As a treat for tonight I saved the pumpkin cupcake Sarah Cohen gave me for "writing such a beautiful article about them." I like to snack while watching _Dateline_.

But what's compelling is I can't turn off my Girl-Grading-Weekend Mix. Lykke Li's "Possbillity reminds me I'm alone. And not alone.

Maybe I should've taken a picture of my meal, but I didn't. Quite frankly, I just unrolled an Orla Kiely floral-print placemat on top a wooden tv tray seconds before I placed the plate on top, sat down, and ate. I didn't think it was special. I was alone.

(My boys are gone for opening weekend. My hope: they will return with food for all of us. Food we earned. Food politics in action.)

~

I poured my last glass of wine as I turned on the bath's faucet. I have Nigel Slater's _Toast_ on the edge of the tub.

But I miss my boys.

They will be home soon. And by Sunday night my grading will be done.

In the meantime I have food to get me through the next four sections of papers.

Cooking for one is worth it.

Goodbye Summer & Picnics at the Quarry

Tomorrow  the semester starts and summer ends.

While I really excited to get back in the classroom with my students, I'm a little sad too. It means I'm going to have a lot less time to cook.

One of my favorite summer activities has been going to the Portage Quarry with our friends N & I. They are as food obsessed as me.

So really, while swimming was totally fun, what was even more fun were our picnics. All of us brought A game to every meal. We're talking spreads that would shame wedding buffets. And what a better way to use up all that fresh produce that was overtaking our refrigerators' crisper drawers?

Also, what picnic days taught me was how to think outside the box of what was picnic food, and they forced me to experiment more with grains, chilled salads, and sides, most of which could easily become main dishes.

I had a blast spending the whole day before our outings scouring through online and magazine and cookbook recipes, creating various flavor simple syrups, testing adult lemonades, finding plastic containers with tight fitting lids, and cooking.

Thanks to our picnics I've learned to love lentils even more, and I feel much closer to N & I (and our friend J who joined us once too!), who were rad to begin with but who are even more rad after I got a chance to chill, swim, and eat with them.

As homage to the last of our picnic days (and summer, in general), here are photos from our summer of good eating, good swimming, and good friends.

Homemade grape leaves, homemade hummus, egg salad, chicken salad, coleslaw with beets, beet salad, etc.

N & I made their own pickles. True love at first bite.

A lot of our produce came from the community garden and farmers markets.

N's baking is divine. This is her cupcake with mint (or basil?) frosting. It's hard to remember everything...

Lentil wraps, fried chicken, bbq chicken & tofu, pasta salad, kale salad, roasted potatoes, peach crisp, etc.

Green bean and cherry tomato salad with onion--produce from my friend Sarah's garden.

Avocado Kick

I love avocados. Their shape. Their color. Their creamy texture. Their light fruity flavor.

Everything about them makes me happy.

And when I eat them, I'm even happier.

After having a raw kale salad with avocados at a dinner party, I had to make it at home so I could eat the whole thing myself. (Okay, I did share with FD, but I finished the salad the next day by myself.) And I'm thinking I might make it again for dinner tonight. It's my new fav, as if you couldn't tell.

While reading Local Flavors by Deborah Madison I found yet another recipe with my silky green addition. The Tomato and Avocado Salad with Lime-Herb Dressing is one of the best summer salads I've made this year. Probably because I used my first batch of the heirloom tomatoes I've waited all year to taste again. (I just can't bring myself to buy fresh grocery store tomatoes, so when summer comes I overeat real fresh tomatoes.)

Bleu begging for the Tomato and Avocado Salad

This Tomato and Avocado Salad has crunch from the lettuce and peppers, creaminess from the avocados, juiciness from the plump tomatoes, and heat and spice from the dressing. I adore it. What follows is an adaptation from Madison's recipe:

Lime-Herb Dressing
1 T chopped mint
1 T chopped basil
1/2 c chopped cilantro
4 T olive oil
1 jalapeno chile, finely diced
3 T fresh lime juice
1/4 t sea salt

The Salad
1 1/2 lbs tomatoes (use a variety of cherry, slicers, or paste tomatoes), cubed into bite size pieces
1 large avocado, peeled and cubed
1 cucumber, peeled and cubed
1 sweet pepper, cubed
1 small red candy onion, finely diced
2 cups lettuce, shredded (I used a mix of Red Amaranth, tri-color Amaranth, Oracle, Wild Spinach, Malabar Spinach, and Romaine.)
sea salt
2 oz feta cheese, crumbled

1.) Combine all the dressing ingredients in a bowl. Taste to make sure there is enough acid.

2.) Put bite size pieces of tomatoes, avocado, cucumber, and pepper into a large bowl with the onion. Add the lettuce and a few pinches of salt. Toss, add the dressing, toss again. Add feta cheese before serving.

For any salad with avocado, I usually add it individually to bowls. This way if any salad is left over, the avocado won't brown in the salad. If I have any avocado left over, I wrap it tightly in cling wrap and keep it in the fridge. It usually lasts one day. I cut away any brown spots before eating.

What are your favorite avocado recipes? I need more!

A Whole Lotta Heat

All winter I did hot yoga (yoga in a room that's 90+ degrees). I loved it. It made me sweat. It made me cheerful. It helped me lose weight. But what I loved most was leaving class, going outside into the crisp 30 degree night, and feeling as though I lived in Florida, not Ohio.

Today it is 90+ degrees outside and I can't fathom doing hot yoga. This Ohio wet, breeze-less heat makes me feel dizzy and nauseous. And even a little irritable, especially because no matter what I cook it makes the house even hotter.

Bleu and I have taken to standing in front of the open fridge, acting like we're looking for something. It feels good for about a minute, but then I get nervous seeing the mustard bottles sweating and I close the door.

Today during our fridge cool-off time, Bleu and I spotted a bag of 7 small zucchinis that needed cooked. Being that it was early in the morning, it was the perfect time to cook.

Of course, I turned to Alice Waters and found her Spicy Summer Squash Soup with Yogurt and Mint.

Sure, let's add even more heat to an already hot summer day.

This soup is one of the easiest ones I've made, and it's awesome. But you need to like heat. I added the 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper it calls for and the first bite opened my throat and nostrils. After the second bite my brow began to perspire. Luckily, the yogurt and mint dressing begins to kick in and cool down the soup after about the fourth slurp.

The heat from this soup reminded me of hot yoga. It was cleansing and fresh. And there was a bit of struggle with sticking with such a spicy soup, especially on a day when it seems even the A/C unit is too hot to work, but the struggle turned into joy, which turned into a slightly religious, euphoric experience.

It was actually the perfect dish for today and made me appreciate "heat."

But I don't see myself doing hot yoga until at least November...

Spicy Summer Squash Soup with Yogurt and Mint
adapted from Alice Waters, The Art of Simple Food

1/4 cup olive oil
3 medium new onions, sliced fine
1 tsp cumin

1 tsp coriander
1/4 tsp turmeric
1 tsp sweet paprika
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
2 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced
5-7 medium green or yellow summer squash, sliced
2 cups veggie broth
4 cups water
garnish:
4 mint sprigs, leaves only
2 T olive oil
2/3 cup low-fat plain yogurt
salt
lime wedges

Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy bottomed pot. Add the onion, garlic, and spices. Stir often, and cook until the onions are soft and not brown. Add the squash to the pot, then the salt. Cook for 2 minutes, then add the chicken broth and water. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook until the squash is tender, about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, make the garnish: Cut the mint into julienne. Pound half of it in a mortar and pestle. Transfer to a bowl, add the rest of the mint, and stir in the yogurt, olive oil, and some salt. When the squash is tender, let it cool for a few minutes, then puree until smooth. Serve topped with mint yogurt and with lime wedges on the side.

For the Love of Kale

The Kale Fairy (Homestead Gardens) has blessed me with the beginnings of a very tasty growing season.

And though I'm drowning in a sea of student essays, rubrics, and portfolio comments, I always find time to cook up some divine greens.

Enjoy my tribute to kale and the other spring greens. It's celebration of local produce! Yay!

A British Kind of Day

Today began with Jamie Oliver's crumpets for breakfast.

For lunch JB's Sarnies Shoppe. (Thanks, Jen!)

And dinner: Jamie Oliver's Wild Mushroom & Venison Stroganoff for Two Lucky People.

And we were lucky. Totally.

Even though I used lime peel instead of lemon, whiskey instead of brandy, and dried parsley instead of fresh.

Our recipe doesn't look as good as Jamie's but it sure tasted stupid good.

Another keeper recipe in terms of game. Another notch for Jamie.

I sooooo can't wait for Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution on ABC.

wild mushroom and venison stroganoff for two lucky people

main courses | serves 2
This venison stroganoff is absolutely fantastic – of course, you can use more traditional beef fillet instead of venison, and any mushrooms you like, but there’s something about venison and wild mushrooms that works so well together. Have a go at this and you’ll know what I mean!

The whole point of this dish is that by the time you start cooking the meat, it will all come together quickly. The meat will be quite pink – cook it for longer if you want but it will go slightly tougher.

Cook the rice according to the packet instructions until it’s just undercooked and drain in a colander. Put the rice back in the pan, cover with tinfoil and leave to steam – this will give you incredibly light and fluffy rice.

Heat a large frying pan on a medium heat and pour in a glug of extra virgin olive oil. Add the onions and garlic and cook for about 10 minutes until softened and golden. Remove from the heat and spoon the onions and garlic out of the pan on to a plate. Keep to one side.

Season the meat well with salt, pepper and paprika. Rub and massage these flavourings into the meat. Place the frying pan back on a high heat and pour in some more olive oil. Add the mushrooms and fry for a few minutes until they start to brown. Then add the meat and fry for a minute or two before adding the parsley stalks (you can do this in two pans or in batches if your pan is not big enough) and the cooked onion and garlic. Toss and add the butter and brandy.

You don’t have to set light to the hot brandy, but flaming does give an interesting flavour so I always like to do this. Once the flames die down, or after a couple of minutes of simmering, stir in the lemon zest and all but 1 tablespoon of the crème fraîche and season to taste. Continue simmering for a few minutes. Any longer than this and the meat will toughen up – it doesn’t need long as it’s been cut up so small.

Serve your fluffy rice on one big plate and your stroganoff on another. Simply spoon the remaining crème fraîche over the stroganoff, then sprinkle over the sliced gherkins and parsley leaves. Eat at once!

JB's Sarnie Shoppe

Think New York deli.

No think Levis Commons.

Belinda Carlise, you were right; "Heaven is a place on earth."

Welcome to JB's Sarnie Shoppe.

Located on the cul-de-sac in Levis Commons, JB's is the go-to shoppe for thick, fresh, ultra-tasty deli sandwiches (aka sarnie to the Brits. Imagine Jamie Oliver talking to you about sandwhiches.) JB's use only the best ingredients: fresh baked bread (including a Gluten-Free one!), crisp veggies, and my fav, Boar's Head lunch meat.

The Shoppe offers their own favorites that range from the Traditional Reuben to the vegetarian friendly Veggie Sarnie as well as Build-Your-Own sandwiches with an array of meats (oven roasted chicken to mortadella), cheeses (cheddar to goat), veggies (lettuce to portabella caps), and sauces (mustard to tapanade).

During my visit with FD and Babs I was drawn to the daily special board. For one reason and one reason only: The Amanda Sandwich. Roasted Beef, Brie, Tomato, Asparagus, and low fat herb mayo on 7 Grain & Grilled. Yes, if I was a sandwich, this just might be me. (Honestly, I'm not that much of an ego-maniac; I just should resist ordering myself.)

Served with a HUGE dill pickle, my sandwich was rich, velvety, crunchy, chewy, and just plain good. That's sounds about what someone who took a bite out of me might get.

I scarfed mine down. Against my better judgment and all my Weight Watchers practice. The sandwich was New York size. (Pictured with a few bites taken out of it; I just couldn't wait!) Thick with meat, slathered in low fat mayo, oozing with Brie, and brimming with asparagus. Inventive and flavorful, the Amanda stood out, but near the end it was a bit overwhelming. (Again, that's pretty accurate in terms of me.)

I'm still not sure how felt about the asparagus. Some bites were full of love; others not so much. But I did like its flavor with the Brie.

FD had #5 Cuban. He reported that he liked it and would get it again (JB's orders the ciabatta from a bakery in Miami), but he wished he had stuck to a classic like the Reuben or Italian. This is a place where it's hard not to have sandwich-envy or regret for not getting something...

Babs had #3 Turkey Avocado. She said it was good, but it tasted like a good sandwich. I'm thinking JB's is a place where you want to go big. Get a classic or get a unique flavor profile. Babs and I decided if you want healthy, buy the lunch meat from them and make your own at home.

All regular Sarnies are $6.99 with a pickle or a side of chips.

Besides Boar's Head lunch meat and condiments, JB's serves salads, soups, and smoothies. Kids meals are available.

Open for lunch and dinner (Monday-Saturday 9-9 and Sundays 11-7), this is a great stop after a movie or some shopping. And I plan to make visits from BG just to eat there. It's a much shorter wait then Biaggi's and a bit more fun. They also offer catering services for all those events that need good eats, such as the Superbowl.

The only drawback: pop and smoothies are the only beverage choices. FD kept raving that his sandwich would have been so much better with a microbrew. But bars are located with Levis Commons if you need to wet your whistle after your sarnie.

JB's Sarnie Shoppe is the perfect solution to your New York deli cravings. And, if you're lucky during your visit, maybe you'll even be able to eat a sandwich bearing your name.

In-N-Out Burger

This past week I was invited to be a table leader for a study regarding portfolio assessment that was being conducted by Ed White and funded by McGraw-Hill.

Part of the invitation was to go to Phoenix, Arizona where the study was conducted and where McGraw-Hill had their January Sales Meeting.

I said yes for several reasons: 1.) I'm genuinely interested in the study and its results; 2.) I knew it would look good on my resume; 3.) The day I left it was 11 degrees in Ohio and 77 in Phoenix; 4.) It's been my lifelong dream to eat at In-N-Out Burger.

Like most Midwestern families, I grew up eating Happy Meals. Fast Food was a just part of my culinary experience as as kid, and I embrace it. I'm positive the McDonald's hamburger was responsible for addiction to my all-time favorite comfort food: a burger and fries. I probably would have continued to embrace fast food if not for two things: reading Fast Food Nation and becoming extremely ill after eating some bad Taco Bell.

Since both of those experiences, I haven't eaten fast food--McDonald's, Burger King, Wendy's, or Taco Bell. (I do eat Chipotle and will eat Subway if it's the only option.) And I haven't really craved fast food either. But I think about it. And wonder. Especially about Taco Bell.

I still have a soft spot for Taco Bell in my heart.

When I learned from my friend Jen that there was an In-N-Out Burger by the hotel in Phoenix, I knew I had to eat it. No choice.

Back in my grad school days, when some days I ate three or meals of fast food alone, my buddy Ken told me about In-N-Out Burger. He's from Cali. I trust the palates of peeps from Cali. His descriptions of the juicy burger, the tangy fancy sauce, the crisp onion has stuck with me for almost ten years.

To get a taste of that burger I was willing to renounce my no-fast-food pledge.

Because there aren't many cabs--supposedly--I was forced into taking a hotel town car to In-N-Out. I should have walked it because it probably only two miles, but each way in the town car cost me $5. But I didn't care. That's how badly I wanted In-N-Out. I made the driver go through the drive-thru because I wanted to photo document the experience in private. What if eating fast food made me violently sick? I couldn't risk any public accidents.

A Double-Double meal with onion, fries, and coke was $6.04. I gave exact change.

I carried the sweet smelling bag up to my fourth floor room, locked the door behind and went out on the patio to enjoy my guilty pleasure under the clear, sunny sky.

I nibbled on a few fries first to get ready for the first big bite of the burger. The fries I could take or leave. I'm guessing I should have gotten them "animal style" but wasn't prepared for that. I didn't think the fries were salty enough and they had a bit of a cardboard taste. Could it be that my taste for fries has gotten snobby? Possibly, maybe, yes.

The photo you see is the first bite. I took it myself. I think it's repulsive. I have three chins. My jaw is unhinged. I look dazed. There's no good side when you're stuffing your face with 2 patties of meat, fancy sauce, some random veggies from God-knows-where, and two buns.

Eating fast food isn't pretty.

However, the first bite was actually wonderful: perfectly salty, tangy, moist, crisp, chewy. It was everything I imagined. Every bite after, though, declined in pleasure until there was half left and the fumes from it all made me a little nauseous. Don't get me wrong. I loved every single bite, and it was a joy to be eating something I have sworn off for so long. But I hated how my stomach felt bloated, how my cheeks felt swollen, how my mind felt dulled after half the burger. It's nothing like the high, the lightness, the energy I get from eating pan-seared kale.

The whole time I was eating my fast food meal on the patio, alone I kept thinking, I have passed the test. I will diminish, and go into the West, and remain Galadriel. (Yes, often when I am alone I think of things in terms Lord of the Rings.) I came, I ate, I conquered. Now I will abstain from fast food for the rest of my life. Yes, that moment was worth it. But not. I felt gross all day in a way that eating 8 courses of local, fresh food at Revolver never has made me feel. I felt tired and groggy in a way that a simple pb&j sandwich and apple has never has made me feel. I felt sick to my stomach in a way a simple bowl of soup never has made me feel.

I firmly believe giving up fast food has helped me maintain my goal weight, has given me more energy, and has guided me to the splendors of the freshest fast foods--veggies and fruits--that I wouldn't try in the past.

To all those In-N-Out Burger fans out there, I'm not knocking the joint. In fact, I proudly live vicariously through you as you eat your way through your next Double-Double. I'm just saying that for me it was awesome but not awesome enough for me to eat it ever again, let alone every day. There's just so many other dishes and foods I must try that I know will stay with me just a bit longer, that won't be so in-n-out.

Ben's Table, Bowling Green, Ohio: Restaurant Review

Thankfully, it's the end of fall semester. Time to catch up with all my loved ones while there are NO essays to grade.

This past Saturday morning Bowling Green was graced by a blanket of snow. (I'm a snow person, so "graced" is the right word choice for me.) My friend Sarah and I were going to go to the Toledo's Farmers Market, but the roads weren't quite clean enough yet. So I suggested breakfast, and she suggested Ben's Table.

I'm happy to report it was the best breakfast I've had in BG--sans hangover.

Ben's Table is located on South Main and seats about 50 guests. Their menu is breakfast and lunch ONLY. A godsend for a place like BG where it seems lunch out never really is worth it.

As I said, though, I started with breakfast at Ben's Table. I ordered the spinach, bacon, and Monterey Jack cheese omelet with a side of Ben's potatoes. This 3-egg omelet was delicious without being greasy and filling without being overwhelming. And being that I am a sucker for potatoes, Ben's potatoes did not disappoint. I finished every last one.

What's really refreshing about Ben's Table is their interest in serving quality food. I found the eggs to be really tasty and fresh. The bacon was crunchy, flavorful, and not fatty. The spinach was perfectly wilted, and the red potatoes were absolutely delightful. It's reassuring to eat at a local joint whose motto is "Eat Local. Eat Healthy. Be Happy."

And I was so happy I bragged to FD about my breakfast, and we had to go there for lunch today--"to keep things fair."

Their homemade soups are just what I expected--delectable. I had the black bean and ham; it was wonderful. But I had horrible food envy for FD's turkey, bacon, tomato melt and french fries. Ahhhh, more potatoes. We both played it a little safe on our orders. I didn't want a big lunch, and FD didn't want to have beef twice in one day. (We're having burgers tonight.) If we had been more adventurous, FD would have ordered Grandma's Recipe, a meatloaf sandwich, and I would have ordered the Salmon burger.

No fear: we're back Tuesday for lunch. We can try different menu items then.

The service was friendly and the atmosphere is comfortable with live plants and warm colors.

Ben's Table is open Tuesday-Saturday 7 a.m.-3 p.m., Sunday 8 a.m.-3 p.m., and closed Mondays. They offer carryout.
Ben's Table
1021 South Main Street
Bowling Green, OH 43402-4720
(419) 352-1060

Tis the Season of Potlucks

This week we had our office potluck.

I brought a new chili recipe that I found on epicurious. But I doctored it up quite a bit. See below for my take.

My co-workers went all out too; they made sausage won tons, homemade apple pie, better brushetta, and spinach dip. Plus we had a great assortment of fruit and veggies with hummus and other dipping sauces.

I was quite happy and full. A good time was had by all.

Here's the recipe for the chili with my revisions:

1/2 pound bacon, coarsely chopped
2 pounds lean ground beef
1 28-ounce can Italian-style tomatoes, tomatoes chopped, juices reserved
2 15 1/2-ounce cans black beans

1 medium onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced
2 fresh hot chilies

3 T Cumin

2 T Chili Powder

pinch of cinnamon

1 bottle beer

Preparation:

Sauté bacon in heavy large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat until brown, about 4 minutes. Drain off fat and discard. Add beef to pot and sauté,. with onion and garlic, until brown, breaking up clumps with back of spoon, about 7 minutes. Drain beef. Add tomatoes with juices, beans and spices. Bring chili to boil. Add beer. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook until thickened to desired consistency, stirring occasionally, about 3 hours. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle chili into bowls. Serve, passing cheese, onions and sour cream separately.

(Make ahead: pour chili into crock pot. Refridgerate overnight. Reheat in crock pot for 3-4 hours on low.)

DHS' Flaxseed Crusted Mushrooms

One of my very dear friends/colleagues invited me to try the flaxseed crusted mushrooms she had made last night and packed in her lunch today.

And I gladly accepted. I waited until her class started their in-class writing, and I went on down to taste these little goodies.

I'm running out to buy flaxseed today. On my lunch break.

All DHS did was dress some exotic mushrooms in olive oil, sprinkle crushed flaxseed over them and bake them. Who knew incredibly healthy veggies were so very tasty? And her olive oil and garlic green beans were just as crack-a-lious.

Thanks, DHS, for sharing your lunch with me. I do have to admit, though, I had a moment of "You know you're addicted to food when..." I walked in your class to eat your lunch.

A Weekend of Cooking, Eating, and Grading

This weekend almost all of my dreams came true.

My all-time favorite poet joined FD and I for brunch at our house. We had bacon, goose, radishes, tomato salad, kale chips, and roasted potatoes. Everything we ate came from Ohio. It was a fantastic little meal, but what made it so fantastic was sharing it with Rachel Zucker. (Thanks, Rachel! I hope we can share another meal together soon!) My only regret: I didn't take any pictures.

[After brunch and before dinner I graded essays.]

For dinner that night, we invited friends over for homemade pizzas: one game pizza and one

pepperoni-onion-mushroom pizza. I served a side salad of bibb lettuce, radishes (clearly, I'm addicted to them), and red onion with the Everyday Food garlic and herb vinaigrette. Again,

great company. My only regret: I didn't take any pictures.

[After dinner I tried grading essays, but that was a futile cause.]

For lunch the next day, my foodie friend Lenz made me Chicken Liver Pate with wine soaked figs, as she promised. I was happy. And I finally remembered to take pictures.

What I loved about the pate was whatever condiment/garnish we added changed the flavor. On its own, the pate was rich, salty, and metallic-y (in a good way). Paired with a radish, the pate took on some heat and the pepperiness of the dish came alive. With yellow mustard, the sweetness moved to the forefront. With a fig, the earthy, gaminess came alive. I loved every bite. And if we hadn't decided to have a 3-course lunch, I would have eaten half the mold pictured above.

Our second course was artichokes with white wine reduction, butter, and Canal Junction's Burr Oak cheese dipping sauce. Lenz boiled the artichokes in salted water for about 45 minutes. In the meantime she made the sauce. We sat down to a feast of leaves and hearts. I was impatient for the third course, so quite frankly, all the peeling wasn't worth it to me. Lenz helped me get the heart, and after that I waited for the main course of game and polenta--my new food addiction.

As a token of appreciation, I'll let Lenz post her own polenta recipe. It's one I'm going to use again and again. As she says, polenta is the grown-up version of Mac 'n' Cheese. I adore it. And this course's was no exception. My only regret was that we didn't bake it right away after serving it. It got hard. I attempted reheating it on the stove later that day with more water and bouillon cubes. It just wasn't the same. Next time I'm baking it right away. Definitely.

Confession: Lenz and I cooked and ate from 11-3. That's food dedication.

[I graded later in the evening--after my wine buzz wore off...]

[The next morning and afternoon I graded like a fiend.]

Sunday was our dear friend Babs' birthday, and I wanted to give her something special. Of course, that gift would be a meal. But not just any meal. A Jamie Oliver meal. If I can't give her the man, I can, at least, give her his food.

For our first course, I served a simple garden salad with mushrooms, radishes, and red onion. Then for dinner I made her the Steak, Guinness and Cheese Pie with Puff Pastry Lid with a side of peas with the artichokes' wine, butter, and cheese dipping sauce. I was quite proud of how

everything turned out. (Though, I'm not sure why my pie filling was lighter and less liquidy than Jamie's...I will need to explore this more...) The taste, though, was spot on. It was the perfect birthday/comfort food I could have made for Babs' October birthday, and I think she was quite happy. My only regret: Babs made her own dessert because I suck at baking. And her cream cheese pound cake with pomegranate and cranberry sauce was a perfect ending to a spectacular meal.

[After dinner I could not grade. I was too full. But I finished this morning. Go, me!]

All in all, this was the best weekend I've ever had with grading.

Food does make everything better.

Chicken Feet (aka Hobbit Hands)

Let it to Lenz to get me to eat something that looks like Hobbit hands.

After coming home from a chicken slaughtering workshop, Sarah called me in an ecstatic frenzy; she had scored some chicken feet and I was going to come over and try them with her.

I couldn't say no.

I didn't want to say no.

While she parboiled and fried and marinated the chicken feet, I roughly chopped veggies for our stir-fry.

We got our nerve from a couple glasses of sake. And she prepped me by having me read a blog post about eating chicken feet. Honestly, I was more nervous about this food adventure than eating bull testes. Strange, huh?

Sarah's marinade for them was divine. Gooey with lots of heat.

The chicken feet: not so much for me. They're a lot of skin, tendons, and bone with little to no meat. If you love wings, maybe you would like chicken feet.

I'm a breast and thigh girl. And I'll think I'll stick with those.

However, I have a feeling I would love chicken livers...

But I'm thankful that Sarah cooked them and made me try them. I'll try anything once.

I Melt for Melt

Who needs crack* when you can eat at Melt?

Located in Lakewood, Ohio, this bar decorated in kitschy light-up seasonal yard ornaments and stained glass windows with shards of beer bottles and knife blades is heaven to all who love grilled cheese sandwiches--kids and adults.

At least once a week I make myself a grilled cheese sandwich. But mine are no where near as creative and decadent as the ones found on Melt's menu. Take for instance the Big Popper (second photo)--fresh jalapeno peppers, herb cream cheese, cheddar, beer battered and served with a berry preserves dipping sauce. (What the what?!?!?) Like I said, this isn't a grilled cheese I could make at home. It's for big kids who like to eat! It's is the chef-ed-out, grown-up version. While the Big Popper was a bit too rich and spicy for my taste buds, FD polished it off with the happiest of grins.

I had the Hot Italian (third photo)--grilled salami, honey ham, pepperoni, sun-dried tomato pesto, roasted garlic and provolone. I loved this sandwich so much I wanted to make a food baby with it. Seriously, I had it once before during our first visit to Melt, and everyone at the table had food envy. I'm not over-exaggerating when I say it's hands-down the BEST italian sandwich I have ever eaten in my thirty-two years.

But hold up. My mother-in-law had the Chorizo and Potato--spicy Mexican sausage and cheddar--which was divine. The chunks of potatoes and the heat from the sausage were absolutely perfect. So much so I had a moment of food envy. Until I took another bite of my Hot Italian.

Melt has a kid's menu for kids or The Kindergarten--fresh baked bread and your choice of cheese--for those who just want grilled cheese served old school. Or you can go veggie with the Purple Parma--hand breaded eggplant, grilled tomato, sun-dried tomato pesto, and provolone--or vegan. (Yes, they have vegan American cheese!) The choices are endless and inclusive to all dietary lifestyles. I respect that.

Melt is incapable of messing up a grilled cheese. I don't live in the area, but I plan on eating there enough to try every single sandwich on the menu when we come to Cleveland to visit our families. My next trip I'm getting The Lake Erie Monster--beer battered walleye, jalapeno tartar sauce, and American cheese. Oh, and by next time, I'm talking in a matter of weeks, even if it means I have to take a vacation day from work and kennel the dog.

Besides the entertaining, comfortable atmosphere and sandwiches that will leave you craving them them everyday all day, according to FD, "Melt has the best beer menu on the effing planet!" They offer 90% microbrews and have a 100+ beers in bottles. Everything from Bud Light to specialty small batch microbrews, such as a 22 oz Double IPA for $22.50, can be found on their drink menu. It's beer paradise for beer lovers.

If we lived in Cleveland would I eat there every day? Hells yes! Melt is addictive. But unlike crack* I wouldn't ever want to shoot up Melt's food. I want to taste, chew, and swallow every single little morsel on the Fiestaware plate.

5 out of 5 stars.

* Disclaimer: I do not use crack or encourage the use of crack. I use the expression simply as a metaphor.

The Martha's Vineyard Table: A Cookbook Review

When I was a kid, most of my friends played outside, watched cartoons, or read Nancy Drew stories. I devoutly studied fashion magazines.

When I was 10, I remember obsessively

examining a particularly preppy spread of models having fun-in-the-sun in Martha's Vineyard. From that moment, I've wanted nothing more than spend one summer complete where I could stroll the brick sidewalks, sail the beautiful blue waters, ride my bike to a lighthouse, and sip a tasty cocktail from a porch that overlooks the ocean.

This dream began when I lived in Florida. And this dream sounds like something that could have happened in Florida, but the Florida fashion scene didn't have what I wanted: polo shirt dresses, patchwork shorts, a gingham print bikini. A linen dinner dress with a cashmere cardigan to keep me warm from a cool evening breeze on my walk home from a friend's cottage dinner party.

I've never been to Martha's Vineyard. Not yet.

But the dream is alive, especially after upon finding at my country library and reading Jessica B. Harris' The Martha's Vineyard Table.

I figured I had the clothes nailed; now I had to see what the Vineyard food was all about.

I found out quickly I am screwed.

In the tenth grade, after I moved back to Ohio from Florida, I developed a shelled-seafood allergy, the bane of my wanna

be-foodie existence.

Yes, I am one of the unlucky many who must always tell the waiter about my allergy, who gets salmon instead of scallops during celebrity chef 5-course meals or New Year's Eve 8-course meals.

So when I discovered what should have been obvious to me--that shelled seafood is a staple in the Vineyard--Harris' cookbook become more about researching Martha's Vineyard than trying to cook Martha's Vineyard foods in my Ohioan home.

One of the most fun aspects of this cookbook is that each section is paired with a Vineyard neighborhood and some interesting facts or reflections on it. For example, Oak Bluffs is the neighbor described in the "Beverages" section, and smartly so because it is one of the two (Edgartown being the other) wet towns on the the island. Obviously, when we visit Martha's Vineyard FD and I must stay in one of those two neighborhoods.

The other neat feature of this book is before every recipe, there's a brief narrative about that specific dish, whether it's about being a dredger when preparing fried chicken or having an overabundance of lavender that comes in handy when making lavender syrup (photo), my favorite recipe from the book.

~

Ingredients:

6 cups of water

1/2 c dried lavender buds (I got mine from Calico, Sage, and Thyme)

3 cups sugar

Directions:

Combine water and lavender flowers in a 3-qt saucepan and place over medium heat. Bring to a boil, lower the heat to simmer and simmer for 3-5 min. Remove from heat and let steep for 5 minutes.

Strain the liquid through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, pressing down on the lavender buds to make sure that all of the liquid is released. Return the liquid to the saucepan, add the sugar, and place over low heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 min. Raise the heat to medium, bring the syrup to a boil and remove from the heat. Let cool, then decant into sterilized bottles.

Syrup will keep for several weeks. Use it to sweeten tea, lemonade, or gin & tonics (photo).

~

There are many recipes from this cookbook I plan to try: Spicy Edamame; Curried Chicken Salad; Lavender, Garlic, and Rosemary Leg of Lamb with Spicy Mint Sauce; and Lavender Cookies.

However, I couldn't justifying owning this book. At least not yet. Because of my shelled-seafood allergy and the abundance of shelled-seafood recipes in Jessica B. Harris' The Martha's Vineyard Table, this cookbook, for me, would be more of a gorgeous display cookbook--with mouthwatering pictures of food and dreamy pictures of Vineyard landmarks--than a practical, which, as a beginner cook, I'm more in need of. For those who eat shelled-food regularly I would definitely recommend this fantastic find!

3 1/2 out of 5 stars.

Recipe: Light Basil Pesto

As a Weight Watcher alum, in order to maintain my goal weight I've been searching for "light" recipes that actually have flavor. Additionally, these "light" recipes give me an excuse to splurge when we go to Revolver or Lola Bistro.

Apart from putting this pesto on Buitoni Tortellini, yesterday for lunch, I made a pesto grilled cheese with about 2T of the pesto, 2 thin slices of Mozzarella cheese from Happy Badger's Food Club, and 2 slices of Canadian bacon. Normally my husband is the gourmet sandwich maker, but yesterday I made him jealous.

I got this "Light Basil Pesto" recipe from Cook's Illustrated The Best Light Recipe cookbook.

4 medium garlic cloves, unpeeled
3 cups basil, stems and buds discarded
1/2 c Parmesan cheese, grated
1/4 c part-skim ricotta cheese
1 shallot, minced (or 2T red onion worked fine too)
2T EVOO (Used the Basil EVOO from Olive Tap)
Salt & Pepper

1.) Toast the garlic in a small skillet over medium heat, shaking the pan occasionally, until the color of the cloves deepens slightly, about 7 minutes. Transfer garlic to a plate to cool, then peel the cloves and press through a garlic press.
2.) Place the basil in a heavy-duty gallon-sized zipper-lock bag. Pound the bag with a rolling pin until all the leaves are lightly bruised.
3.) Process the ingredients in a food processor until smooth, about 30 seconds, stopping to scrape the sides as needed. Transfer mixture to a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste. (The pesto can be covered with a sheet of plastic wrap pressed flush against its surface and refrigerated for up to 3 days.)

2 1/2 T = 80 Cal.