Kat's International Plate

Goodbye Blogger, Hello WordPress!

2011-06-11T17:20:00.001-04:00

I’ve officially moved! This is a test – hopefully all of you that follow me on my RSS feed will see this and follow my new feed.

My new address here is cook.onthis.net

Stay tuned…

lunch @ work, and hot vs. cold

2011-04-29T14:15:00.004-04:00

As a teacher, I find it difficult to find snack breaks, so by the time I get to my lunch time, I'm starving! But what can I bring for lunch that won't weigh me down after snarfing it down in under 20 minutes? That's exactly what I was thinking about when I saw this post last week from The Kitchn. I liked reading the ideas from The Kitchn's readers, but to be honest, most of them didn't seem all that new to me. One thing, however, caught my attention - the post from Our Semi Organic Life - she had posted something mysterious, just interesting enough that I had to check it out... It's something called "disappearing zucchini orzo" and the recipe comes from Animal, Vegetable, Miracle.

I appreciate the value of recipes, but sometimes, they're just SO hard to follow! I don't measure, and then I don't have one ingredient so I add something new, and then I get a bright idea about making it a hybrid with some other recipe, and pretty soon, it's no longer the food the author had intended.

Anyway, I loved the idea about grating the zucchini and making that the sauce for the pasta, so off I went... I roasted some chopped garlic in olive oil with Adobo and Vegeta, then grated in the zucchini. I cooked it really slowly and then the zucchini seemed to melt away - what was left was a silky green/yellow sauce with tiny strips of dark green. I cooked the pasta (not orzo - I was trying a low-carb pasta) and tossed it all together.

Ok..... I'll admit it. I added feta.

...and lemon juice.

The result? REALLY zesty pasta salad... OR really zesty hot pasta.

... which brings me to my next topic. I have been making cold salad leftovers into hot food! We had a really (and I mean really) limited supply of foods that we could mix together last week, and so we started this mystery dish with chicken chorizo... At this point, I began walking around the kitchen asking myself what on earth I could add to it. My other half grabbed the leftover bulgar salad with feta and asparagus and asked if it was "still good" - smelled good, so I tossed it in! It had a light vinaigrette on it, so it stayed moist in the pan and made a little tiny bit of sauce, and then a wonderful thing happened...

...the feta melted. What a great accidental "we have almost no food to work with" dish. =)

I feel I will be doing something like that again soon. That is, if I can remember how I did it in the first place.

shrimp summer rolls

2011-04-27T11:12:00.004-04:00

What do I crave when the weather gets warm? Food that doesn't weigh me down! I convinced my man to try summer rolls from a store a few weeks back, and my obsession with these rolls became contagious... I don't know which he likes more - the crisp, refreshing veggies inside (which I love), the succulent shrimp (which I also love), or the fact that he gets to dip them into sweet chili sauce.

It doesn't really matter which he likes more, because it means I get to eat these delicious rolls more often now! After a few searches at local stores, I found the rice paper wraps, and made the rolls as an appetizer for a recent dinner. I put lettuce, ribbons of cucumber, skinny carrot sticks, and sweet shrimp. Delicious!
P.S. Now I know what I need to have for an appetizer tonight. =)

Stir-fried Chicken Paprikash

2011-02-23T13:41:00.004-05:00

Steamed the chicken with salt, pepper, and sherry vinegar, then combined it with sauteed peppers and onions, sour cream and chopped flatleaf parsley. It's our new chicken obsession!
We served it over couscous here, but it wasn't a great compliment to the chicken, so maybe rice next time...

Two years ago today: beef stew over mashed potatoes

Giouvesti with Keftedes (from Kalofagas)

2011-01-16T09:00:00.004-05:00

While going through my Google Reader entries recently, I was stopped in my tracks by this recipe by Peter Minakis on his blog Kalofagas. The most appealing part of this recipe is that we only had to buy 3 ingredients (orzo, tomato sauce, and chicken stock) in order to make it - we had the rest!!

I followed the recipe almost to a T, but I couldn't help myself - I added some feta to the meatball mixture before frying them up. The recipe was really easy to follow (and easy for someone like me to stick to) - you cook the meatballs, then saute the veggies and the paprika for the pasta in the leftover oil and meaty bits in the pan. Then you add the orzo and toss it with the oil and veggies. When everything's coated, add the tomato sauce and the stock, then pour it into a casserole dish (or two, if you're me), add the meatballs, and let the oven do the rest.

Here's what it looks like when it comes out of the oven...
The result? The pasta is incredibly creamy and flavorful. The meatballs are savory and are delicious with that little bit of feta added in. The dish is like a big hug in a bowl - comfort food at its best.

my love's birthday dinner

2011-01-01T16:03:00.006-05:00

First, we made a culinary stop-off in India for some chicken tikka masala, spiced pulao (rice), potato and pea vadi (vegetable patties), cucumber raita, and naan bread.
My love does not enjoy Indian desserts as I do, so we made a quick detour to France for a crepe cake - 20 crepes layered with vanilla pastry cream and fresh raspberry sauce.

homemade mini-bagels and lox =)

2010-12-09T19:14:00.004-05:00

The other day, I got it in my head that I wanted to make bagels and lox. So... on Monday, I started the salmon cold cure (gravlox style - coated it with half sea salt, half sugar, then added cracked pepper) and wrapped it up in many layers of plastic wrap. I flipped it a few times over the course of three days, and today I unveiled it! Check it out... The texture was so lox-y, the taste was just what I was looking for!Now, just have to make the bagels. No recipe for those, but I just used honey, yeast, warm water, flour and salt for the dough. I let the dough rise twice, then formed my mini-bagels. I then boiled them in honey water for a few minutes, added some toppings, and baked! The result? Montreal bagel taste, super soft in the middle, slightly crispy crust - the bagel of my dreams! What's next? I must combine them! I sliced them down the middle, add cream cheese (not homemade - I don't know how to make that... yet.) and top with my gravlox. What's the verdict? Wait - let me take a bite.... Delicious. And SO worth the effort.

falafel pitas

2010-11-22T13:33:00.003-05:00

I wish I was eating this right now...

Souza's Brazilian Steakhouse

2010-11-01T10:48:00.003-04:00

Type of establishment? restaurant
Location: 131 Main St, Burlington, VT

Pros: they have 40+ items on the salad bar, great selection of grilled meats, everything is seasoned well, fresh fruit juices are delicious and refreshing, there is also a dessert bar, they were offering a special on Vermontopia ($80 of food for only $30)
Cons: we were freezing the entire time we were there - the thermostat was at 59 and we couldn't take off our coats - i also had to order a hot tea

Things to Try: roasted mushrooms, grilled lamb, turkey wrapped in bacon, coconut custard, flan, trifle
Things to Avoid: pork ribs

Random fact: the waiters are dressed as gauchos and they serve the meat using skewers and swords

Verdict: 6.5 - would have been 9.5 if it had not been so cold!

pre-Halloween midnight snack

2010-10-30T10:47:00.004-04:00

Organic (Dr. Oetker) chocolate cupcakes with orange-oil spiked frosting and Halloween non-pareils. Tested the idea last night and left a midnight (or 2-3 am) snack out for my guy.

the year of the tomato

2010-10-14T10:42:00.008-04:00

I grew almost all of our tomatoes from seed this year -- some from heirloom seeds that I saved from last year's tomatoes, and some from heirloom seeds that I bought. Some were mystery varieties, like a small plum tomato that is pale red and pointy on the end.

Tomatoes are easily my favorite ingredient - fresh they are delicious, they meld well with herbs to make sauces and creamy soups, and are a salad staple. One of my favorite meals is a caprese salad made with colorful heirlooms and local mozzarella (but only if the basil is fresh!).

Here are some heirlooms dressed with just cracked pepper and smoked chardonnay salt:All sorts of tomatoes heading to the oven to roast for tomato bisque:Tomatoes, beans, and husk cherries heading to a friend's house (note one of those mystery tomatoes in the box on the right):
My most recent harvest -- note the white tomato (it's a Fantôme du Laos and very rare):
Also, check out these pole beans from seeds I saved last year (and Ukrainian yellow mushroom beans on the bottom) - I know it's not the year of the bean, but look how long they grew!
Here are some of the beans I will save for next year - valentine black bush beans, yellow mushroom beans, and some heirloom pole and bush beans from last year's crop:

little bites

2010-10-12T08:44:00.006-04:00

A few weeks ago, we had a friend over for dinner -- there was only one problem. We don't have enough chairs to all sit at the dining room table, nor did we have a coffee table (we do now!), so any food that required big plates was out of the question.
The solution? Small bites.
Tapas.... =)
So, here they are on our dining room table, from left to right (and sort of squiggly in order):

homemade sangria on ice (we made it with lemon, oranges, lime, and apples - and strawberries? I can't remember.)
tortilla de patatas (we only have one non-stick fry pan, and it's a big pan, so our tortillas come out super-skinny, but still delicious)
manchego, feta, and chorizo (sweet, not spicy)
mixed olives from the Healthy Living olive bar (my favorite are the bright green Catalán olives that are hot-pickled with chiles and celery)
salted peanuts
assorted Spanish sweets - candied fruits "bathed" in chocolate, and pine nut toffees
smoked almonds
fresh strawberries
sweet yellow pear tomatoes and red cherry tomatoes
zesty gazpacho
pastelitos de gambas (shrimp pastries - Spanish-style egg rolls made with sauteed vegetables and two shrimps apiece - I learned how to make these when I worked for Paulino in Madrid)
delicious soft rolls from A Taste of Europe

In the top of the photo you can just barely see a near-black sunflower peeking out -- these were supposed to be crimson-colored and only 12" tall, so I planted them in the front of the garden. This did not work out - they are taller than me.

Other tapas posts :
tapas party
bites in San Sebastián - Donostia
tapas at the piso
tapas with Kay & José
tapas in Barcelona
first real tapas in Madrid
little bites in Boston!
Delicious discovery - cured duck! (Madrid)
bites in Granada
back to Dalí!
a few days in the Berwicks

German lunch

2010-10-05T12:01:00.005-04:00

Homemade pork schnitzel, spätzle (spaetzle), and sliced and seasoned heirlooms. Delicious. =)

too poivre-y!

2010-09-20T11:19:00.004-04:00

I bought some delicious-looking steak au poivre seasoning paste from Williams-Sonoma and tried it out... I went overboard. As much as I love pepper, it was too poivre-y for me. I had to scrape off some of the pepper. =)

Here it is next to some tasty seasoned frites and Sticky Fingers bbq sauce.

Sunrise - 9/11/10

2010-09-12T11:49:00.004-04:00

The view from our apartment yesterday morning when I let the dog out.

Flowers from our garden

2010-09-12T11:36:00.003-04:00

Las Dalias hippie market, Ibiza

2010-08-09T09:39:00.002-04:00

Ses Salines salt flats, Ibiza

2010-08-09T09:22:00.002-04:00

Playa Ses Salines, Ibiza

2010-08-09T09:17:00.003-04:00

Zebra art & grill, Ibiza

2010-08-09T08:44:00.008-04:00

Delicious lunch in Ibiza - took us nearly forever to find a place that served non-British food, but it was well worth the search.

Tomates asados con mozzarella di buffala - roasted tomatoes with buffalo mozzarella

Very cool clear balsamic vinegar from Barcelona

Galtas de cerdo - pork cheeks (really!)

Tallerines frutti di mari - seafood noodles

Tarta de queso - cheese cake

Pera al vino tinto - pear poached in red wine

Little kitten that sat near us while we ate

fruit and vegetable market, Ibiza

2010-08-09T08:39:00.003-04:00

Bar Patio, Ibiza

2010-08-09T08:25:00.004-04:00

Slightly British, but still good, meal at Bar Patio in Ibiza - pork chop, sausage, egg, fries, and salad. Liked everything but the sausage.

Delicious discovery - cured duck! (Madrid)

2010-08-08T11:49:00.005-04:00

We found this at Degusto gourmet store one day while shopping - it's incredibly flavorful, rich and perfectly salted. A great find and a beautiful addition to our tapas dinner below:

Olives and cocktail pickles skewers, croquetas, smokey cheese spread, tortilla, bread and breadsticks, mixed cheeses and cured meats, and zesty salads with feta.

Cupcakes from Cosmen & Keiless, Madrid

2010-08-08T11:44:00.003-04:00

After a particularly bad meal out, we decided to redeem the day by stopping by Cosmen & Keiless for some cupcakes. Both are vanilla and delicious!

buy canned tomatoes, get new shoes?

2010-08-08T11:41:00.004-04:00

We were grocery shopping in Corte Inglés last week and saw this deal: buy a few cans of tomate frito (tomato sauce) and get a pair of flip flops - FREE! Only in Spain...

Museo Sorolla

2010-08-04T17:33:00.004-04:00

Nat & I have been to Madrid twice since we lived here, and never went to the house of the artist Sorolla, even though it was very close to our hostparents' piso. We finally got there today and it was fantastic! I didn't take any photos of his work, but here are some images from his house (this is for you, Dad!).

Very interesting window

Alcove on the lower level

Fountain in the garden

Tile detail

Garden view

Embassy, Madrid

2010-08-04T17:30:00.005-04:00

In the median on the Paseo de la Castellana, this bar terraza serves up drinks in HUGE Beefeater glasses. Beefeater & tonic on the left, Jameson & ginger ale on the right.

Wagaboo, Madrid

2010-08-04T17:24:00.005-04:00

tartare de langostas (prawns with avocado) and a selection of dim sum (not pictured)

Japan noodles Tsuyo no moto

Tagine Casablanca

Texas pecan pie & Bomba de chocolate (as suggested by our waiter)

tapas at the piso

2010-08-04T17:16:00.003-04:00

Tapas on Monday night... bread, chorizo, salchichón (cured sausage), goat cheese, lomo (cured pork loin), queso tierno, breadsticks, la salsita deliciosa de José, tortilla, stuffed olives, cherry tomatoes, pickles and cocktail skewers, fried peppers, tuna and marinated sardines. And of course, Sweppes Orange Spirit.

tree blossoms on the street

2010-08-04T17:09:00.003-04:00

Cumbres Ecuatorianos, Madrid

2010-08-04T16:59:00.004-04:00

This is very near the piso we are staying in... The food is delicious and the people there are very sweet! Definitely worth your time and money. Here's what we had...

Ensalada de la casa - house salad

Seco de chivo - goat in an amazing sauce

Pollo asado con menestra y ensalada - roasted chicken with a bean stew and salad

Tarta de queso & tarta de whiskey y helado - cheesecake and whiskey cake with ice cream (in the back)

Gino's, Madrid

2010-08-04T16:54:00.003-04:00

Salad with smoked salmon.

Maccheroni al forno in the front & bolognese in the back.

tapas with Kay & José

2010-08-04T16:44:00.003-04:00

Dinner last Friday with Kay & José, our favorite madrileños... From the back of the table, left to right, marinated sardines, mussels with a delicious sauce, empanadas, potato salad, croquetas (ham), ham & cheese, tortilla, fried peppers, stuffed olives, AMAZING sautéed chicken with mushrooms, croquetas (cod), ham, delicious sauce that went on the mussels, and breadsticks. Delicious!!!

great blog find! :: closet cooking

2010-07-10T23:20:00.000-04:00

I'm liking the Recommendations feature on Google Reader, but I find it is a bit hit-or-miss -- this is definitely a hit! GR recommended the blog Closet Cooking, I'm scrolling and up pops the July 3rd post: Spinach and Feta Fritters. No more investigation needed -- you had me at "feta"! Check out Kevin's blog here.

flashback :: cheesy meat pie

2010-07-09T23:05:00.003-04:00

I made this the night after I made the savory pancetta tart, since I had some pie dough left. I filled this savory pie with sauteed ground beef, onions and garlic, mixed with chopped baked potato, sour cream and a mix of cheeses (cheddar & jack?). I might have enjoyed it better if the potatoes were pureed or in smaller bits, but overall, it was quite tasty!

flashback :: savory pancetta tart

2010-07-08T22:57:00.005-04:00

I made this tart back in January -- I know it's not cold out, but I can reminisce -- peppery sauteed pancetta, caramelized onions, maybe a little thyme, and nutty gruyere, hugged by flaky pie crust. Yumm....

flashback: ricotta muffins

2010-07-07T08:09:00.004-04:00

I think I made these back in January -- on one of my snowy days off. I was inspired by Smitten Kitten's ricotta-stuffed muffins, but kept mine sweet with honey and sugared almonds on the top.

Here are my muffins, all lined up -- I pop them halfway out so that the steam doesn't make the bottoms soggy as they cool.
A lone muffin waiting to be eaten...
While the layers in my muffins were much less defined than those of Smitten Kitten, they were incredibly moist!

fresh tomato bisque

2010-07-06T09:53:00.002-04:00

This is absolutely my favorite soup to make (and eat!). It's delicious hot or cold -- so it's versatile for any season. I can't wait until my heirlooms are ready to pick, and I can make it again. It's a little labor-intensive, but so very worth it. As usual, I don't write official recipes, but will tell you about my method.

I quarter the tomatoes, slice some onions (shallots would be great here, too, but I use sweet onions), add some whole garlic cloves, and throw them into an oven with olive oil, thyme, salt and pepper.
I roast them until the onions are soft...
Then I add chicken stock, puree everything with a stick blender, and strain it twice. The result -- a sweet, savory and silky bisque. Lovely by itself or with bread to sop it up -- you won't want to leave a drop. =)

Shiitake Ravi-bobi

2010-07-05T21:42:00.004-04:00

I made this ravi-bobi (as my niece calls it) a while back with re-hydrated and minced shiitake mushrooms, parsley, garlic and parm. I used wonton wrappers as the dough, and topped each serving with what I call "liquid gold" -- eco olive oil that I carried back from Spain -- grated parm, and cracked peppercorns. It's hearty and light at the same time.

Vermont-y Dinner & Visitors from the North

2010-06-14T22:38:00.006-04:00

Super Vermont-y dinner tonight -- delicious chorizo sausage from Jericho Settler's Farm, a new kind of spinach from Half Pint, and a Revolution flatbread pizza (on the grill!) from American Flatbread.
Some Canada geese we saw on the way out to see our new apartment. The little guys were making quite a racket!

The Firebird Cafe

2010-05-18T18:49:00.003-04:00

I've been to The Firebird Cafe a few times - most recently last Saturday. They have a great selection of breakfast fare, paninis & wraps, salads, and daily specials. The prices are very reasonable and the food (and coffee!) is always good. I usually get the C.A.B. - a panini filled with juicy chicken, creamy avocado, bacon & garlic mayo -- it's the perfect size for lunch and it's always delicious. If you're looking for breakfast food, they always have a special burrito or omelette. On Saturday, I stepped out of my C.A.B. box and ordered the special omelette - a pesto and mozzarella omelette with fresh tomato salsa. It came with homefries and was especially satisfying. Just what I needed after a long workweek...

Here's my omelette (my mom's choice, "The Traditional," is in the background):
...and now the homefries join the party!

a-MAZING food at Five-O

2010-03-02T11:02:00.005-05:00

On Saturday, a good friend and I had dinner at Five-O on Shore Road in Ogunquit, Maine. They are closing for the next month or so, so they hosted a special dinner on the 23rd -- come in for dinner and get 50% off your entree. That meant that we had a $60 bill instead of a $90 bill, but let me tell you, I'd pay more than that for such deliciousness.
We started with the Beef Brochette -- skewered strips of melt-in-your-mouth fillet mignon served over a cool and refreshing artichoke salad. For our main dishes, we both had the Veal Cheeks over creamy polenta with rosemary gremolata and mushroom confit. The veal cut like butter, and was possibly the most succulent and tender dish I have ever eaten (it's rivaled only by the secreto de cerdo at Paulino's). For dessert, I had the vanilla bean Panna Cotta with strawberries and balsamic. My only regret is that I was so distracted by the food that I didn't take any pictures!
I'd recommend this place any day.

Naru Asian Cuisine

2010-02-24T15:47:00.008-05:00

Yesterday, my fiance and I made our first trip to Naru Asian Cuisine in Williston. Before we went, we read a few reviews online, just to get an idea of what to order.

The dining room is pretty small, and seems a bit more like a tiki bar than a restaurant, but I've learned not to judge a restaurant only by what you see when you walk in.

The menu has lots of pictures, which are especially helpful when you can't read the Korean names. For appetizers, we ordered the shumai (steamed shrimp dumplings) and the scallion pancake, of which we had read great things.

After you order, they bring you three small sample appetizers - we got broccoli with a sesame type marinade, spicy kimchi, and pickled daikon (I think). The kimchi was my favorite.

The shumai came out in a cute little steamer -- it was tasty but super hot.

The scallion pancake was bigger than expected, and in my fiance's words, was "amazing." I could only respond with the word "mmm."
I ordered the hot stone bowl bibimbop as my meal. It's made of seasoned beef, a variety of veggies, and a sunnyside-up egg -- all over rice. It comes with a spicy and yummy sauce. The whole dish was pretty delicious overall...... except for the mushrooms. I had read Alice Levitt's post about them, so I waited until I was almost full before trying them. She was right -- we should ask for the dish without the mushrooms.
My fiance ordered the orange (or was it lemon?) sesame chicken. Or was it General Tso's chicken? I can't remember. I didn't eat it... But I heard it was good. And it looks great!
Overall, the experience was good. I'd repeat it -- just without the mushrooms. Even if you think you like mushrooms (like me), you might not like these. Just take my word for it...

Williams Sonoma pumpkin bread pan!

2010-01-05T20:11:00.002-05:00

I love when things come out like they are in the picture! I used the recipe on the back of the label, and it was fantastic.

chorizo and potato tortilla

2010-01-04T20:04:00.004-05:00

steamed napa cabbage with sauteed bacon

2010-01-03T19:53:00.003-05:00

This is a simple and easy way to enjoy cabbage. Simply steam the cabbage until it's crisp-tender, saute the bacon in a separate pan, and toss the two together right before eating. This way, each of the two have different textures instead of cooking together and meeting somewhere in the middle. =)

Moroccan-style slow-cooked beef stew

2010-01-01T16:06:00.005-05:00

For New Year's Eve, my fiance and I made a delicious Moroccan-style beef stew inspired by the lamb stew made by Michael Chiarello on a recent episode of Easy Entertaining. We started by searing the beef (we used boneless chuck) on the stove with a little flour, salt and pepper. We pulled the beef off and stuck it in the crock pot. In the same pan, we sauteed a mix of cippolini/yellow onions and carrots (both from my family's Pete's Greens Good Eats Localvore CSA) with gourmet baby yukon golds. We threw in paprika, chili powder, cumin, coriander, parsley, and cinnamon. We tossed the veggies in with the beef and deglazed the pan with some delicious cabernet sauvignon. We added the wine to the beef and veggies along with some chicken stock, a giant rosemary sprig and a few tablespoons of thick pomegranate sauce (Narsharab from Azerbaijan), and let it go for the rest of the day (maybe 6 hours?). The result was a deliciously fragrant stew -- perfectly tender veggies and melt-in-your-mouth beef.
We served the stew alongside an Israeli couscous salad with chickpeas, celery, and quick-preserved lemons, dressed with extra virgin olive oil and fresh-squeezed tangerine juice. We mixed the salad in as we ate and the combination was fabulous. The only pitfall here was that our crockpot is small. =)

homemade rice-a-roni

2009-10-04T22:02:00.003-04:00

I love Rice-a-roni, but there's so much sodium per serving... I was looking for another way to get the same flavor with things that I already have around the house. Big thanks to chaos in the kitchen for the recipe, which you can find here. Love it!

Oven-dried Cherry/Grape Tomatoes

2009-09-08T20:18:00.007-04:00

A few weeks ago, we found ourselves with an abundance of tomatoes -- a mix of salad tomatoes, sauce tomatoes, heirlooms, cherry and grape tomatoes. I had been wanting to test this whole oven-dried tomato idea -- which was an ideal option given that the sun hadn't shown its face for days.

I sliced the tomatoes in half -- I only used the cherries and the grapes -- and laid them cut-side up on a baking sheet (with the help of my 3-year-old niece).
I drizzled the whole thing with extra virgin olive oil, and seasoned the 'maters with salt and pepper.
I put them in a 250 degree oven, and let them hang out for a few hours. The length of time really depends on size and thickness of the tomatoes.
I packed them in jars with extra virgin olive oil, and stuck 'em in the fridge. Some recipes claim that they stay good for only two weeks, but mine are still going strong. My hope is that the olive oil will take on the essence/deliciousness of the sweet tomatoes, and I'll be able to dress salads with it or drizzle it over focaccia dough before baking.

dinner party apps

2009-08-23T22:25:00.006-04:00

I know... I haven't blogged in a long time. It's been (yikes!) over a month. I've been making/eating good food in the meantime but haven't had time to write so much as a paragraph about what I've been cooking. In fact, I've barely had time to enjoy a meal sitting down. I've started a new job, and technically am working three jobs right now. One will end this week just in time for another to start. Luckily I'm good at time-management and am great at multi-tasking. Yay for being type-A!

Anyway, these are some tasty apps that I whipped up for a dinner party last night. I carved out some squarish pieces of puff pastry, carved out a smaller square (halfway through the dough) to make a raised edge, pressed in some feta cheese, added a tomato slice (1 slice of San Marzano plum tomato or a quarter slice of a larger tomato), and drizzled with herby oil (1 cup extra virgin olive oil and mixed garden herbs, along with some salt and pepper -- whipped into happiness with an immersion blender). Just a few minutes in the oven and we were ready for the party!

Portuguese sweets in an unlikely location

2009-07-21T15:45:00.005-04:00

Last month, I met a friend in Boston and we spent a few hours wandering around. We were in Chinatown, and on a mission to find an Asian market called Super 88, but we had no luck. We saw the parking area, and a sign with an arrow that said "Welcome" but we could not, for the life of us, find the door. Anyway, we set off to find an Asian bakery instead, and stumbled upon a place called Great Taste Bakery (63 Beach St). We found lots of the expected, and a bit of the unexpected. There were tons of yummy-looking pastries screaming our names, but the thing that jumped out at me the most were the Portuguese pastries (!!!!). They looked exactly like the Pastéis de Nata or Pastéis de Belém that we ate on our weekend trip the Portugal last year. They're made of delicious custard, surrounded by flaky pastry, and bruléed on the top. Of course, we grabbed a few for the road, and they the taste was quite authentic. What a find!

New Blog :: Kat's Paws

2009-07-19T21:04:00.003-04:00

Hey everyone!
I've just launched a new blog. I've been wanting to do some posts about crafts and other non-food things, and I've been afraid of getting too far from the kitchen on some posts. So I've started another blog, migrated a couple entries from this blog, and there's more to come!

A few things to look forward to...

batik-making
painted tiles
mosaics
knitting the "prime rib"
Hawaiian quilting

You can visit the new blog by finding it in my blog list (on the right side of the browser) or by clicking the link here.

Easy Slow-Cooker Pulled Pork

2009-07-19T17:37:00.004-04:00

I've had such success lately with slow-cooker pulled chicken that I decided to delve into trying slow-cooker pulled pork. We had a whey-fed pork shoulder (from Willow Hill Farm) in the freezer, so I threw it into the slow-cooker, topped it with lots of delicious ingredients, and let it hang out for 10 hours. It was frozen, so I started the slow-cooker on high, let it go for about 4 hours, then turned it down to low for the rest of the day. The result was a tender and delicious mound of sweet pulled pork. If you start with a thawed pork shoulder, low for 8 hours should do just fine.

I was inspired by the pulled pork on Baking Bites, and tweaked the recipe to accommodate what I had in the kitchen. I served the pork on crusty rolls with slaw and sharp cheddar.

Easy Slow-Cooker Pulled Pork
3.5# pork shoulder roast
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, sliced or chopped (it will melt into the sauce)
1/3 cup ketchup
1/3 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup brown sugar (light or dark)
1/3 cup fire-roasted tomato sauce
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp grainy mustard
2 tsp paprika (I used sweet, not hot)
pinch cayenne pepper
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
3/4 cup water
3 tbsp maple syrup

1. Place pork shoulder in slow-cooker
2. Add all remaining ingredients
3. You may want to move some things around so that the pork is covered by the sauce
4. Set the slow-cooker to low
5. Cover, and let cook for 8 hours (If pork is frozen, try doing what I did!)

Hail Storm!

2009-07-16T19:59:00.002-04:00

Lots of damage. One side of house (siding) ruined, broken gutters, ripped screens, flattened garden, shredded plants, dimpled car....... Ouch. =(

Restaurant Week

2009-07-14T15:40:00.014-04:00

On our mutual vacation week, my guy and I visited a number of local restaurants. We tried to target places we hadn't been yet, and the places featured in this write-up were the results of a bizarre selection system that I'm pretty sure we couldn't repeat if we tried. These reviews are a combination of both of our thoughts.

Two Thumbs Up

The best meal we ate that week was, without a doubt, at Kong Chow in Shelburne. We were greeted enthusiastically by our awesome server Josh and the owner. We chose a table in the dining room (there's outdoor seating on the patio, too), and were presented with a dish of housemade fried noodles (Josh informed us that nearly everything -- sans soy sauce -- is housemade at Kong Chow), a sweet dipping sauce (similar to duck sauce), a pot of delicious tea, and of course, ice water. We started with an order of the Hot Oil Wontons, which are not fried, but steamed, and come drizzled with chili oil. My guy ordered the Tangerine Chicken, which was spicy, sweet, and perfectly cooked, and I ordered the Black Forest Shrimp. The shrimp was also perfectly cooked, came with a delicious array of veggies, and was covered in a fantastic black bean - based sauce. The portions were great -- the perfect amount for my guy, and just enough so that I could enjoy my shrimp for lunch the next day (when I asked for a box to take home my leftovers, Josh said "Actually, we try not to let the food leave the building..."). We were visited multiple times during the meal, both by Josh and the owner, both of whom contributed greatly to our enjoyable experience. The delicious food, comfortable atmosphere, and great service (not to mention the added entertainment -- both Josh and the owner are pretty funny) combined to create an overall positive feeling about Kong Chow. We highly recommend it (and wish we lived closer to it)!

We enjoyed another great meal at Papa Nick's Family Restaurant in Hinesburg. Their menu includes a mix of American, Greek, and Italian specialties, and they serve Greek dinner specials every Thursday night. We sampled quite a bit of food at Papa Nick's -- my guy was dying to try the wings, so we got an order of hots, and they were delicious! My guy got fried clams, which came with delicious fries and a house salad. I ordered the Broiled Stuffed Halibut special, which was perfectly cooked, stuffed with spinach (and artichokes?) and topped with a delicious Newburg sauce. Since it was a Greek special, it came with an assortment of Greek appetizers, a Greek salad, and rice pilaf. Both of our meals came with freshly-baked rolls. The servings are generous, and we had no complaints (while the place was packed, we waited only about a minute to be seated). It was a meal to remember!

Two Thumbs Down

The positive reviews on Seven Nights drew us to Rozzi's Lakeshore Tavern in Colchester. In hopes of finding delicious burgers, we entered Rozzis... It was a bit confusing at first, since we seemed to enter a bar, rather than a restaurant. The restaurant seating area was separated from the bar with a handful of stairs, and no wall, which we found a bit strange. The tables were very close to each other, which led to feeling crowded, even though there weren't many other customers in the dining area. We started with mozzarella sticks, which were pretty standard (aka tasty) and came with plenty of marinara sauce. My guy ordered the Western Burger -- well done, which came with bacon, cheese, and BBQ sauce. I ordered the Jamaican Jerk Burger -- medium well, which I expected to be spicy. My burger was decidedly un-Jerk-like, and overcooked to the point where it had an outer layer of charcoal. Our burgers were very similar in taste and texture, regardless of toppings. Our fries, unfortunately, were a bigger disappointment. They were salt-less, and only partially cooked. We could not finish either of our meals. My guy suggested we give them the benefit of a doubt and try dessert -- after all, we were already there -- so we ordered the "strawberry shortcake with local strawberries," the dessert special. My guy and I were joking about what would be on the plate... He guessed that it would be a storebought shortcake sponge base (the kind you can find at the grocery store -- pack of 6 for $1.99), frozen strawberries, and whipped cream from a can. Unfortunately, he was not far-off in his guess. Storebought sponge, un-fresh strawberries (and I'd wager they weren't local unless Price Chopper counts), and canned whipped cream. Pretty unimpressive when you're being charged $4.99 for each serving. Good thing we shared dessert. I have to add that the crowding issue reappeared when we were leaving -- we nearly had to climb over a couple to get out of the place.

We consumed another disappointing meal at The Rotisserie in South Burlington, which also got decent ratings on Seven Nights. They're famous for their prime rib, so we both ordered a dish that included it. My guy ordered the Prime Rib with a side of fries, which was tender, but unseasoned, and I ordered the French Dip Sandwich. Although the meat was sliced quite thinly on the sandwich, it tasted like the color grey. The "au jus" portion of the meal was beefy, but like a liquid salt lick. The fries here were better than those of Rozzi's, but not fantastic. Our service was less-than-stellar (we tried multiple times to get our server's attention, and were not the only ones waiting for our check), and the tablecloth (which was under glass) was dirty, which was a turn-off. We will not be patronizing this establishment again.

2009-07-14T15:40:00.013-04:00

New Restaurant Adventures

On our mutual vacation week, my guy and I visited a number of local restaurants. We tried to target places we hadn't been yet, and the places featured in this write-up were the results of a bizarre selection system that I'm pretty sure we couldn't repeat if we tried. These reviews are a combination of both of our thoughts.

Two Thumbs Up

The best meal we ate that week was, without a doubt, at Kong Chow in Shelburne. We were greeted enthusiastically by our awesome server (Josh) and the owner. We chose a table, and were presented with a dish of housemade fried noodles (Josh informed us that nearly everything -- sans soy sauce -- is housemade at Kong Chow), a sweet dipping sauce (similar to duck sauce), a pot of delicious tea, and of course, ice water. We started with an order of the Hot Oil Wontons, which are not fried, but steamed, and come drizzled with chili oil. My guy ordered the Tangerine Chicken, which was spicy, sweet, and perfectly cooked, and I ordered the Black Forest Shrimp. The shrimp was also perfectly cooked, came with a delicious array of veggies, and was covered in a fantastic black bean - based sauce. The portions were great -- the perfect amount for my guy, and just enough so that I could enjoy my shrimp for lunch the next day (when I asked for a box to take home my leftovers, Josh said "Actually, we try not to let the food leave the building..."). We were visited multiple times during the meal, both by our server and the owner, both of whom contributed greatly to our enjoyable experience. The delicious food and great service combined to create an overall positive feeling about Kong Chow. We highly recommend it!

We enjoyed another great meal at Papa Nick's Family Restaurant in Hinesburg. Their menu includes a mix of American, Greek, and Italian specialties, and they serve Greek dinner specials every Thursday night. We sampled quite a bit of food at Papa Nick's -- my guy was dying to try the wings, so we got an order of hots, and they were delicious! My guy got fried clams, which came with delicious fries and a house salad. I ordered the Broiled Stuffed Halibut special, which was perfectly cooked, stuffed with spinach (and artichokes?) and topped with a delicious Newburg sauce. Since it was a Greek special, it came with an assortment of Greek appetizers, a Greek salad, and rice pilaf. Both of our meals came with freshly-baked rolls. The servings are generous, and we had no complaints. It was a meal to remember!

Two Thumbs Down

The positive reviews on Seven Nights drew us to Rozzi's Lakeshore Tavern in Colchester. In hopes of finding delicious burgers, we entered Rozzis... It was a bit confusing at first, since we seemed to enter a bar, rather than a restaurant. The restaurant seating area is separated from the bar with a handful of stairs, and no wall, which we found a bit strange. We started with mozzarella sticks, which were pretty standard (aka tasty) and came with plenty of marinara sauce. My guy ordered the Cowboy (or was it Western?) Burger -- well done, which came with bacon, cheese, and bbq sauce. I ordered the Jamaican Jerk Burger -- medium well, which I expected to be spicy. My burger was decidedly un-Jerk-like, and overcooked to the point where it had an outer layer of charcoal. Our burgers were very similar in taste and texture, regardless of toppings. Our fries, unfortunately, were a bigger disappointment. They were salt-less, and only partially cooked. We could not finish either of our meals. My guy suggested we give them the benefit of a doubt and try dessert -- after all, we were already there -- so we ordered the "strawberry shortcake with local strawberries," the dessert special. My guy and I were joking about what would be on the plate... He guessed that it would be a storebought shortcake sponge base (the kind you can find at the grocery store -- pack of 6 for $1.99), frozen strawberries, and whipped cream from a can. Unfortunately, he was not far-off in his guess. Storebought sponge, un-fresh strawberries (and I'd wager they weren't local unless Price Chopper counts), and canned whipped cream. Pretty unimpressive when you're being charged $4.99 for each serving. Good thing we shared dessert.

We consumed another disappointing meal at The Rotisserie in South Burlington, which also got nice ratings on Seven Nights. They're famous for their prime rib, so we both ordered a dish that included it. My guy ordered the Prime Rib with a side of fries, which was tender, but unseasoned, and I ordered the French Dip Sandwich. Although the meat was sliced quite thinly on the sandwich, it tasted like the color grey. The "au jus" portion of the meal was beefy, but like a liquid salt lick. The fries here were better than those of Rozzi's, but not fantastic. Our service was less-than-stellar (we tried multiple times to get our server's attention, and were not the only ones waiting for our check), and the tablecloth (which was under glass) was dirty, which was a turn-off. We will not be patronizing this establishment again.

Indian-spiced chicken pitas

2009-06-22T10:17:00.004-04:00

My boyfriend and I made these delicious chicken pitas a while back... We found a recipe for Indian-spiced chicken burgers in Martha Stewart Living's Everyday Food - Great Food Fast cookbook, and made slider-sized patties. We topped the patties with a savory yogurt sauce and tossed in some cucumber slices. We served each pita with spicy potato wedges and an orzo salad with asparagus and feta cheese. We will definitely be repeating this!

You can find a similar recipe at Bakin' and Eggs, a fantastic food blog.

Housemade gifts :: #2 Grow your own African violets

2009-06-12T11:03:00.003-04:00

Sometime last year (during the summer, maybe) my mom and I decided to grow our own African violets. We removed some of the leaves of my one African violet, dipped the bottom of each stem in water, then in rooting hormone, and stuck them each in a mug (since we always have too many mugs!). By last month, they each had about twenty leaves. For graduation gifts, I re-potted four of them in small colorful pots, and one in this teacup. It just happened to bloom on the day of my friend's graduation party... =)

stale pita crisis averted!

2009-06-11T08:18:00.002-04:00

A while back, I was in the mood for a pita sandwich (I absolutely love a good turkey pita with lettuce, tomato, cheddar, and a little ranch) and I picked up some pocketless pitas at the grocery store. I immediately made a sandwich when I got back home, and was disappointed to find that they were a little bit stale. But, don't worry, it wasn't a complete loss. With the remainder of the package, I made personal pizzas throughout the week for my lunches. It's a great base for a variety of toppings -- you could add roni, go veggie, use pesto instead of tomato sauce -- I even made one with vodka sauce! It's a quick option, and I didn't even miss regular pizza crust. Crisis averted. =)

lightly-curried potatoes and spinach

2009-06-10T13:51:00.006-04:00

When I want a quick go-to warm dish, I often turn to a plate of lightly-curried potatoes and spinach. It's not too spicy, but has a hint of Indian flair, and costs much less than heading to the nearest Indian restaurant for take-out.

I start by sauteing cubed potatoes in a little butter, a little oil, a liberal sprinkling of curry powder, and salt.

Once the potatoes are fork-tender and getting crispy, I add a few turns around the pan of cream, and toss a handful of fresh spinach on top.

The spinach wilts quite quickly, so be ready to eat!

Once the spinach is wilted, I check for seasonings and add salt (or pepper) if necessary.

Bavarian-style Soft Pretzels

2009-06-09T09:18:00.006-04:00

The other night, after watching Throwdown! with Bobby Flay (the episode where he challenges the Pretzel Boys of Philly), my friend and I were inspired to make our own soft pretzels. The next morning, we found a simple Bavarian-style soft pretzel recipe on the BeerSmith blog -- it's the type of pretzel that Bobby made during the Throwdown.

The pretzel dough-making was easy. Just follow the directions in the recipe to mix and knead the dough, let it rise until doubled, then shape. The pretzels take a quick bath (15-20 seconds) in boiling baking soda-water solution and are ready to be sprinkled with delicious toppings -- we did some with salt only, some with poppy seeds, sesame seeds, or Parmesan cheese, and one or two with a combo of everything.

Here's what they looked like after the water bath and the addition of the toppings.

They spent about 8 minutes in a 475 degree (F) oven and were ready to be ripped apart. We ate them plain, but you could dip them in mustard or a cheesy sauce. I would definitely repeat this recipe again. They were fantastic!

ajvar burgers

2009-06-05T10:35:00.008-04:00

Yesterday, while exploring the aisles of Taste of Europe (European grocery that stocks Russian, Bosnian, Polish, Macedonian, and German foods -- next to the YMCA on 34D Mallets Bay Ave. in Winooski), my favorite Ukrainian found quite the selection of ajvar. Ajvar is a Balkan condiment that is made from red peppers, eggplant, garlic and chili peppers. It can be either mild or hot, and was the perfect addition (along with some Bulgarian sheep's milk cheese) to our burgers last night. You can order ajvar online from Taste of Europe at Eurofoodmart.com.

Mo-chimi or churri-jo?

2009-06-04T10:32:00.008-04:00

A friend was staying at our house last weekend, and I whipped up a dinner in celebration of her moving back to VT. It was the first grilling of the season for me (at least on our grill), and here's what I made: whey-fed pork (loin chops and country-style ribs) from Willow Hill Farm marinated, basted and served with a hybrid chimichurri-mojo sauce (super herby + citrus + garlic); grilled summer squash, zucchini, and scallions with a warm grilled tomato vinaigrette; savory tomato wedges and a guacamole salad (chunky tomatoes, cukes, and avocado, dressed in a zesty cilantro vinaigrette).

Rainy day food

2009-05-31T09:26:00.005-04:00

With all this rain lately, I'm trying not to jinx myself by thinking about *cringe* last summer (I remember in June & July there were only 7 dry days... total! I can't remember specifics about August, but I know I didn't get a tan...). I'm trying to focus instead on the positive... comfort food!

When its cold and rainy outside, all I want to do is curl up inside with a blanket, a bowl of warm comfort food, and a good book (or a movie). In thinking about my favorite comfort foods, I came across these lasagna photos from a few months back. I made a big dish of lasagna bolognese...

I started with a rich bolognese sauce, sweet with carrots and onions. I layered the sauce with a mixture of ricotta, egg, and mozzarella cheese, no-boil lasagna noodles (we didn't have a pan big enough in our townhouse to boil lasagna noodles), and freshly grated parmesan cheese. I served the lasagna with a house favorite -- no-knead rolls. Delicious!

Veal Saltimboca @ Three Tomatoes Trattoria

2009-05-23T18:41:00.007-04:00

Post-grad dinner at Three Tomatoes Trattoria in Williston, VT. Delicious!

sweet sushi :: sushi que hice completamente de dulces

2009-05-19T21:31:00.014-04:00

I made this for my roomie, who also graduated last week from college.

Lo hice para mi compañera de casa quien acabó su carera al mismo tiempo que yo (la semana pasada).

Grad party!

2009-05-18T18:51:00.007-04:00

We had a party with friends and family at our house yesterday to celebrate my graduation from college. It's unbelievable how fast the past four years have flown by. As usual, it was my goal to fill everyone's tummy with good food. Here's what was on the menu:

On the Spanish app table:

Tortilla (Spanish potato omelette)
Manchego (traditional sheep cheese from La Mancha)
Membrillo (quince paste -- traditionally paired with manchego)
Spicy Catalan olives
Bread, of course
Pastelitos de gambas (shrimp egg-roll style bites -- learned how to make these in Madrid) *

On the veg app table:

Fresh fruit
Veggies & dip (we found the cutest little yellow baby carrots!)

On the un-named app table:

Chips & 2 salsas
Cinnamon chips & fruit salsa (by Jane)
Boucher Blue Cheese (by Green Mountain Blue Cheese @ Boucher Family Farm)
Vermont Butter & Cheese Chevre
Bread & crispy bagel chips
More fresh fruit

On the kitchen island:

Maple Whiskey Pulled Chicken from Picante Dulce *
Zesty coleslaw
Cabot Hunter's Cheddar & rolls for making chicken sandwiches
Dakin Farm maple glazed ham
Grape tomato, fresh mozzarella, and basil salad
Spinach, red cabbage, and cilantro salad (thanks to an SMC Spanish prof for that idea!)
Southwest black bean, corn, and red pepper salad
Potato salad (by my great aunt)
Roasted veggie, orzo, and feta salad

For dessert:

Strawberry trifle!
Oatmeal & cinnamon chip cookies

* MMcC -- I saved you some in the freezy!

tomatoes & mozz :: tomates y queso mozzarella

2009-05-02T13:14:00.005-04:00

a few days in the Berwicks

2009-04-30T10:15:00.010-04:00

I spent a few days last week in the Berwicks (in Southern Maine) with a good friend. It was a welcome vacation from the work involved in completing my final college semester. We spent our time doing some outlet shopping in Kittery, walking along the Marginal Way in Ogunquit, picking up some salt water taffy at Perkins Cove Candies, and of course -- enjoying delicious food!

The first night I was there, she took me to a place called Tapas & Tini's, which was quite fitting since I'm completely in a Spanish food deficit. While the tortilla (Spanish potato omelette) was not quite what I'm used to, I must remember what a friend told me last year. ("It doesn't matter how you make it, because everyone makes it differently. There's at least one person out there who has made it the same way.") The empanadas were quite delicious, filled with tender chicken and potatoes, and wrapped in a flaky and brightly colored (sweet potato?) dough. We also enjoyed the tomates adobados, or marinated tomatoes, which were served on zesty slices of toast. Of course, I felt compelled to order a martini, so I chose the Hendrick's Cucumbertini (pictured here), which reminded me sharply that I have not had gin in quite some time. Overall, it was a meal to be repeated!

The next night, she took me to Tío Juan's Margaritas Mexican Restaurant, where I was finally able to sample the infamous Heavens to Margatroid margarita, which is made with 7 liquors and promises to be "an out of world experience". Whether you choose to have it frozen or on-the-rocks, it's delicious! And if you're looking for a light dinner (or one that's light on the wallet), consider splitting the steak and chicken combo fajitas. It's the perfect amount of food for two, and it's delicious!

While I was in the Berwicks, I also visited Dairy Queen for the first time EVER, and my friend introduced me to a delicious chips & dip combo. It's somewhat of a local product combo, as both the artichoke dip (not your typical artichoke dip!) and the tortilla strips are made in Concord, NH. They're made by Mitchell's, and the artichoke dip is to-die-for! It's not as heavy as traditional spinach & artichoke dip but is just as addicting. The tortilla strips are perfectly seasoned, slightly nutty, and a welcome break from mass-produced supermarket tortilla chip. Mitchell's claim to fame is their Fresh Salsa, but they offer 10 fresh sauces/dips/salsas in total, along with their tortilla strips. Of course, I had to take some strips and dip back to VT with me. =)

On the way out of town, I stopped off at Duston's Bakery and Deli in Dover, NH to pick up a few treats for my friends. They make the best whoopie pies around, and actually make pumpkin whoopie pies! They're AMAZING.

All in all, it was a fantastic trip!

sweet & spicy broiled salmon :: salmón dulce y picante

2009-04-29T15:39:00.017-04:00

Whenever I think of salmon, I think of the way my mom makes it. When salmon's on sale, she buys a fillet or two, presses a delicious dry rub into the top and broils it until the salmon is flaky and tender.

She usually puts maple sugar into the rub, but at school, I don't have any, so I use brown sugar in place of it. I mix a dry rub of dark brown sugar, paprika, chili powder, salt and pepper, and press it into a few fresh salmon steaks. Just about 10 minutes under the broiler and you've got a tasty main dish. I usually serve it with rice and roasted or sauteed vegetables.

**

Cuando pienso en salmón, siempre pienso en la manera que mi madre lo hace. Cuando está rebajado, compra un filete o dos, pone una mezcla de especias encima y lo gratina hasta que esté cocido muy bien y tierno.

Normalmente pone azúcar de arce en la mezcla de especias, pero como no lo tengo en mi residencia (que está situada en la universidad), puso azúcar moreno. Mezclo el azúcar moreno, paprika (pimentón), chile en polvo, sal y pimienta, y puse la mezcla encima de tres o cuatro filetes. Solamente unos diez minutos debajo del gratinador y ya está. Normalmente lo sirvo con arroz sazonado y verduras (asadas o salteadas).

GSC-Style Samoas Bars

2009-04-19T23:05:00.005-04:00

Earlier today, I was looking through the hundreds of recent posts on my Google Reader (I subscribe to some 60 different blogs -- almost all are food-related) and this one thing caught my eye: a post about Samoas bars from the kitchn. Their inspiration comes from The Crepes of Wrath, who adapted the recipe from Baking Bites. The recipe is ingenious! It's based on the Girl Scout Cookies called Samoas (although I always knew them as Caramel deLites) and it brings all the major players to the table: the cookie base, slightly salty caramel, crunchy coconut, and chocolate. I whipped up a batch and was completely satisfied with the result. It was so much easier than the alternative Samoas procedure -- cutting out rings of cookie dough would have taken me much longer. All in all, it was a big hit among the roommates, and I'll probably make them again. In fact, as soon as my guy sees this, he'll probably make me sign a contract to that effect. =)

Spanish Sweets :: Dulces españoles

2009-04-16T09:34:00.005-04:00

These are two of my favorite Spanish sweets... First, turrón is a nougat candy. It can be either soft (blando) or hard (duro), and can be made with different nuts or have added flavors (or may even be dipped in chocolate!). The one in this picture is hard and is made with almonds (and happens to be my favorite kind!). The second is polvorones -- crumbly cookies that can be sweet or not-sweet, and are delicious with a cup of coffee. They're both traditional eats for the holidays, but I'd eat them any day... =)

***

Estos son dos tipos de mis dulces españoles favoritos. Primero, el turrón. El turrón puede ser de tipo blando o duro, puede ser hecho de muchos tipos de frutos secos y puede incluir otros sabores o chocolate. El turrón en esta foto es de tipo duro y tiene almendras (y da la casualidad que es mi tipo favorito). Segundo, los polvorones. Son galletas migajosas que puede ser dulces o salados y llevan muy bien con un café con leche. Los dos tipos son dulces tradicionales para navidad, pero me encantaría comerlos en cualquier día. =)

Easter Brunch

2009-04-13T15:53:00.005-04:00

My family and I had Easter Brunch together yesterday. Here's what was on the menu (my mom's ideas!):

panzanella-stuffed cherry tomatoes
three grain rye bread squares with salmon and dill cream cheese

breakfast casserole adapted from this Eating Well recipe
sage breakfast sausages
roasted asparagus with herbed yogurt sauce
minted orzo with feta

hot cross buns from Red Hen
blueberry cake
fresh cantaloupe and oranges

No-Knead Sweet Rolls

2009-04-01T10:55:00.005-04:00

Have you ever had a craving for sweet dinner rolls, but don't have hours to work with a labor-intensive dough? I found a recipe for Blue Ribbon Overnight Rolls, and they've become a favorite among my roommates. I've made a few changes to the recipe, so here it is!

No-Knead Sweet Rolls

Ingredients:

2 1/4 teaspoons of active dry yeast (or one packet)
1 cup warm whole milk
1/3 cup white sugar
1/3 cup light brown sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 cups all-purpose flour

Mix together yeast, warm milk and sugars. Set aside for 30 minutes.
Add eggs, melted butter, and salt.
Mix in the flour, one cup at a time, until dough is well combined.
Cover bowl with plastic wrap or a damp towel for at least 3 hours. (You can even let it stand overnight.)
Divide the dough into 16-24 even pieces. (You can either divide the dough in half and follow the steps illustrated below, or divide the dough into 16-24 pieces and roll each into a ball.)
Bake at 375 for 10-15 minutes, until golden brown.

return of the raw apple cake :: reaparición de la tarta de manzanas "crudas"

2009-03-31T12:54:00.005-04:00

One of my favorite easy cakes... Check out the recipe here.
***
Una de mis tartas favoritas y fáciles. Haz clic aquí para ver la receta en inglés.

apple dutch baby :: crep horneado de manzana

2009-03-29T00:03:00.005-04:00

adventures in Ukrainian cuisine :: aventuras de la cocina ucraniana

2009-03-28T21:45:00.006-04:00

When I studied last year in Madrid, I lived with a Ukrainian/Long Island girl. Since Nat and I lived with a family, we weren't able to cook our own food. Therefore, I heard a lot about Ukrainian food, but wasn't able to taste a bite! Over winter break, we headed back to Spain for a few weeks. Since we were flying out of JFK, I spent a few days at her house on either of the trip. These few days were my introduction to (and the source of a budding obsession with) Ukrainian food.

While I was staying at my roommate's house, I enjoyed muliple bowls of borscht, delicious sauteed mushrooms in a silky sour cream sauce, and many servings of "Russian" salad (or Ukrainian salad, if you prefer).

The week after we returned from Spain, I embarked on my own adventures, creating pot after pot of borscht (although my version is quite a bit darker than that of Nat's mom), and numerous bowls of Russian salad. My biggest obsession, however, is the mushroom dish. I cannot get enough of them!

***

Cuando estudié en Madrid el año pasado, viví con una chica ucraniana que vive en Long Island, en Nueva York. A causa de que vivimos con una familia española, no pudimos cocinarnos ningún tipo de comida. Por eso, supe mucho de comida ucraniana, pero no pude saborear ni un bocadito. Pero... durante las vacaciones de Navidad, nos fuimos otra vez a España para pasar un par de semanas. Esta vez, como viajamos por el aeropuerto JFK en Nueva York, pude pasar un par de días en la casa de mi compañera, ambos antes y después de estar en España. Durante esos días me introducieron a (y fueron la obsesión con) comida ucraniana.

Cuando estuve en su casa, tomé muchos boles de borscht (una sopa famosa de Ucrania y Rusia), un plato delicioso de champiñones (salteados y con una salsa suave de crema agria) y muchos bocados de ensaladilla rusia (o ensaladilla ucraniana, si se quiera).

Durante la semana despues de regresando, empecé con mis propias aventuras en la cocina, cocinando ollas y ollas de borscht (aunque mi versión parece más oscura que la de la madre de Nat) y haciendo boles innumerables de ensaladilla ucraniana. Sin embargo, mi obsesión principal son los champiñones. Parece que no puedo tomar bastante. =)

***

Nat's mom's amazing borscht :: Bol de borscht de la madre de Nat

My own borscht :: Mi propia receta de borscht

My own Russian salad :: Mi propia ensaladilla rusia

a new toy :: un juguete nuevo

2009-03-27T09:23:00.005-04:00

I realize that it's a bit late to be writing about this, but for my birthday last October, my roommates gave me a gift certificate to Williams-Sonoma. I spent part of my gift on a Primo Milk Frother, a handheld tool that runs on batteries and helps create the perfect latte or mochaccino. It also makes a deliciously frothy hot cocoa (as shown in the photo below).

(It's been a while since my last post, and I apologize. This is my first après-wrist-surgery post, and there are many more to come!)

***

Me doy cuenta que está un poco tarde para mencionarlo, pero durante el octubre pasado mis compañeras de casa me dieron un vale-regalo de Williams-Sonoma (una tienda americana de productos de la concina y de la casa). Con mi vale-regalo, compré un Primo Milk Frother, un instrumento de mano que funciona con pillas y se ayuda a crear el café latte o mochaccino perfecto. También se ayuda a crear un chocolate de la taza (de estilo americano) delicioso y espumoso (como se puede ver debajo).

(Siento que hace mucho tiempo desde mi última entrada. Es la primera entrada después de la cirugía de muñeca y hay muchas entradas más que vienen.)

Good Food & Good Talk

2009-03-11T12:51:00.003-04:00

A few weeks back, a friend and I were in serious need of good dishes and good dishing. We were short on time, so I started with storebought pizza dough, layered on slices of juicy plum tomatoes, chopped (canned) artichoke hearts, caramelized onions, slices of creamy smoked mozzarella, and grated parmesan and kasseri cheeses. I topped the whole thing off with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a few cracks of fresh black pepper.

Here's the pizza before finding it's way to the oven...

The pizza after a few minutes of intense heat...

I served it up with a Greek-style salad of mesclun, tomatoes, cukes, and feta, all dressed in extra virgin olive oil, aged balsamic vinegar, smoked salt, cracked black pepper, and a sprinkling of Herbes de Provence.

Going beyond chocolates & flowers...

2009-03-10T12:39:00.004-04:00

Have you ever seen those commercials for Edible Arrangements and wondered if they're really all they're cracked up to be? Let me be the first to tell you, if you're getting one from the Burlington location, they are! I had always wondered what they were like, and I guess at some point I mentioned that while watching their commercial. For Valentine's Day this year, my boy picked me up one of these. The fruit was fresh, perfectly arranged, and overall -- delicious! For a fruithead like me, it really ranks in the top ten gifts.

Where Not to Eat :: Asian Bistro

2009-03-09T23:07:00.002-04:00

I don't often make negative references to places that I've been, but something stuck out the other night when I was eating dinner. My boy and I had decided to go out for a dinner date, and we chose Asian Bistro (121 Connor Way, Williston, VT) since we had been wanting to try it out.

Our dinner started out with mixed shrimp and vegetable tempura for $6 (since we are both nuts about tempura). The batter was nicely done and in general, the appetizer portion of the meal was pretty delicious. However, after tasting the rest of the meal, I was a bit mad about the tempura, as it had given us false hope.

I opted for one of the chef's specialties: Crispy Scallops ($13.50). The menu described it as "scallops with honey glazed walnuts in a crispy crepe w/ spicy onion sauce on the side," but that's not quite what I got. First of all, I think "crispy crepe" is referring to the batter, which was quite raw-tasting and didn't have a hint of salt nor pepper. The spicy onion sauce consisted of about 1.5 cups of sickly-sweet but slightly odd-tasting teriyaki sauce. The scallops did not taste fresh and had an unappetizing mouth feel. After talking with friends and doing a little research, I'm guessing they weren't "scallops" in the first place, but rather some off-tasting shark meat cut into scallop-sized pieces. The honey glazed walnuts were a huge disconnect, and just thrown on top of the "scallops", which were in a greasy taco-salad-type fried tortilla bowl.

My boy also (unfortunately) chose a chef's specialty called Chicken with Honey Walnut ($11.50). It was described as "chicken crisp-sauteed in a tangy white cream sauce and topped with honeyeyed walnuts". Firstly, it was fried, not sauteed, and the batter tasted exactly like every other cheap Chinese restaurant's sweet & sour chicken. This batter was seasoned and without the sauce, the chicken wasn't bad. However, this "cream sauce" was clearly nowhere near cream at any point in it's short life. In the first bite, I was overwhelmed by the taste of mayonaise and my boy pointed out that it also tasted quite a bit like mustard. I don't know what else was in the sauce, but one bite was more than what I needed. Again, there were walnuts on the plate, which made no sense. Maybe they would have been alright with a cream sauce, but there was no cream sauce to be found.

After all, I would rate this meal "pretty terrible". It would have been "awful" were it not for the tempura. And, oddly enough, the honeyed (or "honeyeyed") walnuts, though disconnected from the rest of both plates, were the only enjoyable things on them. However, there are not enough walnuts in the world to make this $40 meal worth it.

As I said before, I don't often write about negative food experiences in detail, but today I spoke with a number of people that had similar experiences. One person visited the restaurant the same night that I did and had both bad food and a rude waitperson. Another person mentioned that they had only eaten there once and would not eat there again, due to the food-borne illness that resulted.

All in all, I will never set food in this establishment again, nor their Winooski location. It ranks in my top five worst Asian food experiences. I would not recommend this restaurant to anyone, friend or foe. Save your money (and your stomach) and go somewhere else.

Oversized Strawberry!

2009-03-09T09:23:00.002-04:00

My favorite homework snack lately has been a bowl of juicy green grapes and strawberries. It's the perfect pick-me-up between hours of productions management math problems and hours of business-plan-planning. All was normal until one day when I stumbled upon this gigantic strawberry! I just had to take some photos. Check it out...

My delicious bowl of fruity goodness!

The gigantic strawberry next to a normal strawberry!

And just for size comparison...

Kat's Kolby

2009-03-02T11:49:00.003-05:00

Back in July of '08, I made a tiny wheel of mixed milk (sheep & cow) colby cheese. It spent from July to mid-October in a cave, aging away with other cheeses. The result was good -- kind of sharp, a little tangy, and awesome for grating over pasta or adding to baked mac & cheese. I should have made more!

beef stew over mashed potatoes

2009-02-23T17:53:00.004-05:00

My mom introduced me to this Cooking Light recipe last month: it's a delicious beef stew, and instead of adding the potatoes to the stew, the stew is served over creamy and slightly smokey mashed potatoes (I added in a bit of Maldon smoked sea salt). The grassfed stew beef is from Willow Hill Farm (my mom said it's the leanest beef she's ever seen) and you can find the recipe for the stew here.

Stuffed Cupcakes for my Valentine

2009-02-18T11:10:00.009-05:00

This year, I made some cupcakes inspired by these, except I made them more Valentine's Day friendly by adding CHOCOLATE!

I stuffed devil's food cupcakes with strawberries, and frosted them with vanilla buttercream.

A new outlook on chocolate-covered strawberries. =)

Cosmen & Keiless' New Location!

2009-02-13T13:20:00.004-05:00

Madrid-based bakery and bread shop Cosmen & Keiless recently opened the doors of their second location (c/ Príncipe de Vergara, 15).

Here are some shots from the new shop:

Check out their flagship store here in English, or here in Spanish.

Pizzería Cervantes (Madrid)

2009-02-12T12:53:00.013-05:00

Located on Calle de León, 8, Pizzería Cervantes serves up a delicious selection of salads, pastas, risottos, meats, savory crepes, and of course, pizza pies! Almost all of the items cost less than 10,00€.

In the foreground, my Pizza Rúcola (tomato, arugula, parmesan and olive oil) and in the background, Nat's Pizza Cervantes (tomato, mozzarella, anchovies, roasted red peppers, ham, olives, and oregano -- but Nat got it sin anchoas).

La Nicoletta (Madrid)

2009-02-11T12:27:00.012-05:00

Nat and I had lunch one day at La Nicoletta (C/ Orense, 4). It was the fourth or fifth time we had eaten there so we already had a favorite.

We started off with the insalate florentina (mixed lettuce, emmenthaler, edam and ricotta cheeses, walnuts and cherry tomatoes, all dressed with sherry and honey vinaigrette). Delicious!

For our main dishes, we both ordered pasta. At La Nicoletta, you can choose from a list of more than 20 pastas (dry, fresh, or filled) and more than 15 sauces (including amatriciana, carbonara, vongole, provenzal, and pesto).

I ordered orecchiete and Nat ordered gnocchetti di patate, and we both ordered salsa salmone (salmon sauce).

Apple Pie Overseas

2009-02-07T15:55:00.003-05:00

A few days after New Year's (in Madrid), Kay had Nat and I over for her mother-in-law's famous meatballs and gravy.

Kay made an apple pie for dessert, and it was the perfect bit of American cuisine to make us feel at home. The apples were perfectly cooked and the crust was delightfully crispy with cinnamon & sugar.

The Spanish make a dessert (called tarta de manzana) similar to our good ol' fashioned apple pie, but it's not quite the same.

Mughul (Madrid)

2009-02-05T19:53:00.006-05:00

After discovering that Siam (c/ San Bernadino, 6 -- Metro: Plaza de España) had the same menu as Bangkok (c/ Bordadores, 15 -- Metro: Sol or Ópera‎), we set out to look for some different flavors. We decided on Mughul, an Indian restaurant only a few doors down (c/ San Bernadino, 10).

I ordered shrimp korma, and the combination of sweet and savory was perfect! Nat got chicken vindaloo curry (spicy!), and of course, we ordered rice and a selection of breads. We washed it all down with slightly sweet mango lassis.

Bangkok!

2009-02-03T20:30:00.013-05:00

Over break, Natty and I had dinner one night at Bangkok in Madrid (c/ Bordadores, 15 -- Metro: Sol or Ópera‎). (Side note: One night, we decided to visit Siam (c/ San Bernadino, 6 -- Metro: Plaza de España), only to find out that it has the EXACT same menu as Bangkok. Just go to the one closest to where you are!) We'd been to Bangkok a couple of times before (see this post for more info on Bangkok and other Asian food in Madrid).

This time, Natty got the old stand-by:

... sweet pad thai with roasted peanuts.

I got noodles Siam.

And finally, a dream was realized...

...mango with sticky rice!!!
I've been ordering this for YEARS (including a few tries at Bangkok) and NO ONE has ever served me it. They're either "out" of mangoes or they are "not in season". Finally, I got to taste the dessert that has been a mystery for so long! It was well worth the wait. =)

In addition, Bangkok is one of those Asian restaurants that has taken on a Spanish tradition by offering a menu-of-the-day: their's is 11,50€.

Restaurante Taj

2009-02-01T10:57:00.008-05:00

In my recent post about Pep Restaurante (Barcelona), I expressed that my favorite part of Spanish cuisine is the menu-of-the-day. In addition to the places that serve traditional Spanish fare, those that serve international fare have jumped on the bandwagon.

For example, you can even find Asian restaurants that offer a menu-of-the-day.

Restaurante Taj (C/ Cruz, 13 -- Metro Sol or Sevilla) offers more than 40 Indian delicacies, including a set menu-of-the-day for only 11,95€ (Monday-Friday). They also do "take-away" orders, which is Madrid-speak for "take-out".

Your menu of the day will include:

A first course (for example, a few bites of chicken tandoori and a spiced croquette-type patty)

--all the first courses arrive with a trinity of delicious sauces--

A main dish (for example, chicken tikka masala)

+ naan bread, a beverage, and coffee or dessert

Dinner @ Gino's #......4?

2009-01-28T16:56:00.018-05:00

I think this may have been the fourth time eating at GINO'S (click on GINO'S link at top of page). This time we headed to the one near Metro Sevilla (C/ Alcalá, 23).

On the menu...

...a difficult-to-eat caprese salad.

...spaghetti al frutti di mare.

...and delicious maccheroni al forno (studded with chorizo).

Check out my earlier mini-post on GINO'S here.

Noche Vieja in Madrid

2009-01-26T14:35:00.013-05:00

This year, Nat & I spent New Year's in Madrid. For dinner & grapes, we went to a party at a fellow American's house. Her husband, the chef & baker, prepared a delicious feast for all senses.

The theme: Mexican

The drinks: margaritas & sidra (Spanish cider)

On the menu:

zesty shrimp and whitefish ceviche (tons of lime!)
roasted chicken with a delicious mole sauce
spicy bean and jalapeno tamales
saucy ground beef enchiladas
yellow rice
perfect guacamole

The verdict: AMAZING.

Night Lights in Madrid

2009-01-21T15:34:00.005-05:00

In Spain, the Christmas festivities last until January 6th, the Day of the Kings. For the duration of our stay in Madrid, the streets of the center were lit up with lovely white (and sometimes blue) designs.

The first photo is of the Puerta de Alcalá.

This second shot is looking back toward the Puerta de Alcalá (on Calle Alcalá).

This is the Christmas tree in the Puerta del Sol.

And this is a shot of one of the sidestreets that leads to Sol.

Help!

2009-01-20T12:24:00.003-05:00

I need your help! I'm entering a photo contest for shots taken while studying abroad. I've taken all 35 contenders and narrowed them down to only 4. However, I can only submit 3 and I need to eliminate one.

Please take a moment to look them over and comment on which is your favorite. It would be very helpful! Thanks!

Confusion averted!

2009-01-19T10:20:00.005-05:00

I figured out what was going on with my "duck" at MUSSOL Restaurante!

The title of the dish said "magrete de pato" but since the description only said "pechuga de pato" (breast of duck), I brushed aside the word "magrete" because I assumed it was a Catalan word that I did not know. The truth is, I did not know the word, but it's not just a Catalan one.

Thanks to a few sites, I now know that a duck magret is indeed a duck breast, but that of a duck that has been fattened for foie gras. Since the duck is force-fed a diet that is high in corn, the pectoral muscles become stronger and the flesh has a less-tender texture, but the taste as well is decidedly different than traditional duck breast. Hence, the confusion in my taste buds.

Check out my sources here and here.

MUSSOL Restaurante

2009-01-18T10:26:00.007-05:00

On the prowl for Catalán cuisine, we sought out the flagship of MUSSOL Restaurante's four locations: the restaurant on Carrer Casp, 19, in Barcelona's Centro district (Metro: Passeig De Gràcia‎ or Urquinaona‎).

We started out with the traditional Catalán coca (toasted bread with olive oil, garlic, and tomato). For the main dishes, I ordered pato (which means duck in Castellano), but my "duck" was decidedly beefy tasting, so I was a bit confused to say the least. It came paired with some lovely roasted apples.

Overall, MUSSOL has a reputation for serving traditional farmhouse food in a big city setting. Prices per person average 15,00€. It's worth a try!

For more information on MUSSOL, check out their site in English, Castellano or Català...
OR click here for a more thorough description of their menu and decor.

Pep Restaurante

2009-01-17T19:12:00.008-05:00

My favorite part of Spain cuisine is the existence of the "menu of the day". Most places will offer a midday selection of dishes (menu is usually posted outside of the restaurant): you choose a first course (primer plato), and a second course (segundo). Standard menus also include bread (pan), wine (vino) or a soft drink (refresco), and a dessert (postre).

On our second day (I think) in Barcelona, we set out looking for Casa Amalia (Passatge Mercat, 4-6 -- rumored to have a menu of the day for only 7,81€), only to find out that it was closed on Mondays. We went, instead, next door to Pep Restaurante (Passatge Pla, 11) to sample their Catalan cuisine.

The second courses (segundos) we chose were decidedly non-memorable, but the primer plato was to-die-for. Both of us got shellfish soup (sopa de mariscos) -- a tomato-based puree laced with bits of whitefish and tiny prawns. Overall the soup was a perfect balance of savory aromatics and sweet tomatoes and seafood. My only wish was that I had had two bowls. =)

The dessert (postre) we chose was crema catalana (catalan cream), a close relative of France's crème brûlée. Click here for a recipe.

きいりん (Kirin) Barcelona

2009-01-16T16:37:00.007-05:00

If you find yourself in the need of some quick sushi, look no further than Kirin Japanese Restaurant in Barcelona, Spain.

Located on Carrer Aragó, 231, Kirin sells moving sushi -- that is, sushi that comes right to you on a conveyer belt. All you have to do is sit and wait while numerous tiny plates ride by, each holding a few bites of either rolled sushi, panfried noodles, seeweed salad, or even dessert.

It's all-you-can-eat for only 9,90€ mid-day and 14,90€ for nights and holidays.

The buffet even includes a create-your-own-meal option. Go to the raw bar and choose your seafood, meats, and veggies, and they grill it for you hibachi-style. Delicious!

For more information, check out their website here.