Buttermilk Bread

I've been in a baking mood lately, but I've been crunched for time. I had a few hours on my hands, but I'm very type-A so I was doing multiple things at once and needed a quick bread idea. Not really a "quick bread" but more of a "shortcut" yeast bread. I found a recipe for buttermilk loaves-- a blended yeast bread. The beginning of the mixing process is done using a hand mixer. Very interesting process, actually. Before you know it, you have yummy loaves of bread, and your whole house smells like a bakery.

Tandoori Night!!!

My man and I had dinner with some great friends (and their very friendly dogs!) last night... Tandoori chicken (delicious!), fried mixed veggies, perfectly-cooked basmati rice, pappadums, salsas and raita. Everything was tasty, to say the least. To drink -- riesling for the girls and beer for the guys. And for the perfect ending -- Indian-style mango ice cream. The atmosphere was complete with Indian music -- Anoushka Shankar. The best part, though, was cooking the meal together. Good food & great friends... The perfect start to the holiday season.

Big thanks to our host & hostess. :)

Euro!

Last night, my boy and I enjoyed a delicious meal at Euro (the link is for a history of the restaurant, but the website welcomes donations for Dzemila, part of the family that owns the restaurant, who was injured in a terrible accident). Euro serves up (obviously) European delicacies from numerous countries, including dishes made with veal, lamb, seafood, chicken, and pasta. We started with freshly made garlic rolls and a chopped salad. I had the chicken picatta with pine nuts and my boy had the chicken francese. They offer a selection of sides (mashed potatoes, fries, pasta, or veggies) and the salad and rolls come standard with entrees. We ended our meal with dessert: for him, the baklava (the phyllo dough is handmade!) and for me, a slice of good old apple pie. Delicious. The service is friendly, the food is make quickly, and it's an overall pleasant experience!

A soup to combat the cold weather!!

It's cold out... which usually means that I'm cold. Here's a soup that helps to bring back the warmth!

Chicken Sausage & Vegetable Soup
I begin by sauteeing some onion and garlic in olive oil. When the onion is transparent, I add sliced carrots, diced celery, and chicken sausage bits (I quarter each link, then slice before adding to the pot). I saute until the veggies and sausage begin to caramelize. I add a handful of frozen green beans and stir everything together. I then add salt, pepper, and a few herbs (maybe oregano and thyme, or parsley) before adding chicken stock. I simmer the soup for at least 15 minutes (to let the flavors marry!). A few minutes before serving, I add a bit of orzo pasta. When the orzo is al-dente, serve away!

Soup tips!

1. For a richer broth, I often add a chunk of parmesan cheese (after I add the stock) to the pot. Or, if you have the real deal, you can add the parmesan rind. Just make sure you fish it out of the pot before serving!
2. For a flavor booster, add fresh chopped parsley to the pot right before serving.
3. For soups with Italian or Spanish flavors, drizzle a little extra virgin olive oil over each bowl of soup.