The Lunch List

Posted on by LeAnne Notabartolo

It’s no secret that I like to go out for lunch.  I enjoy it almost more than I enjoy going out for dinner. Before I go to a place for dinner, if they have a lunch menu I will often eat lunch there first.  The lunch menu is usually cheaper, and it will give you a good idea of what the quality of the food is like and you’ll also get a feel for the service and atmosphere.  Beyond that, I really like to chat with people over lunch and what’s more, it’s fast.  If needed, you can be in and out in an hour and a half – TOPS! So, it’s perfect when you don’t know someone that well, but want to get to know them (like a first date). It’s great when you know someone is a pain in the ass know it all (with the wine list, the menu, the area, etc.) but you like them otherwise and they keep trying to orchestrate a dinner outing with you.  Meeting someone for lunch doesn’t trap you into a whole day of activities with them; however, if you decide to extend and visit more, it’s not a big deal.

Here’s a little secret – I have a Lunch List.  It’s an ever evolving list of people with whom I would like to have lunch.  A quick afternoon to talk with them and learn a about them and see what they choose from the menu (Moment of Truth – I can tell a lot about someone by what they order and how they do it.  For example: in general, the more words it takes you to order your coffee, the bigger an asshole you are.  People who order “coffee, black” are usually the coolest).  When I see someone interesting in any media I say, “I’d like to have lunch with them.”  As I put this list out there for you, I notice that it is mostly men…weird. Most of the pics here are not mine. I borrowed from the internet via Google Images.  So here, in almost no order is the current lunch list:

Robert Downey Jr. – He’s my not so secret celeb crush and he’s Ironman.  Do I need another reason? I fell in love with him in Less Than Zero.

600full-robert-downey-jr.

Jeff Goldblum – Smart, funny and I like almost all of his movies – even the dreaded Earth Girls Are Easy

jeff-goldblum

Dave Grohl – the only musician on the list.  I loved the way he played drums for Nirvana and everything he does is riveting to watch.  I liked him before I went to the EMP in Seattle, but all that did was whet my appetite for more in depth info.  The fact that he isn’t in the tabloids means he either has a GREAT publicist, or he is THAT decent a person.

Dave Grohl

Stephen Colbert – the man makes me laugh my ass off on a near daily basis. I really want to know how much is the show and how much is him. Is he truly a liberal posing as a conservative, or is he somewhere in the middle?

838-495_StephenColbertGloria Steinem – I have always looked up to her, even at her most extreme. I’d really like to see what she eats. I want to ask her how far she thinks the women’s rights movement has actually come.  What does she think of the celebutants? Who is the most aggravating woman on the planet (other than me)?

51789943MM032_msmagazine

Joss Whedon and Nathan Fillion TOGETHER  – so I can ask them about superheroes, Castle, Firefly and the next person on the list.

JW and NF2

Christina Hendricks  – HELLO!  Joan from Mad Men and Our Mrs. Reynolds?  Yeah, she’s that fucking cool and I could be like her cooler, older sister on Mad Men.  I once bought a dress because a complete stranger said, “You look like Joan from Mad Men in that dress.”

Christina Hendricks Workout

Thomas Keller – the man is a genius and the only chef on the list – and when I did get to see him work he ushered a level of quiet into a kitchen that I have never seen before.  He is revered by Chefs and Foodies alike.  Catch here?  I’d like to COOK my lunch WITH him and get some tips!

028-IMG_0832Derek Jeter – I NEED to know if when he shattered his ankle he KNEW it was a career ending injury.  I want to talk with him about his plans after this season and ask him why he is still single.  Is he that difficult or do potential partners expect too much from him?  And again: The fact that he isn’t in the tabloids means he either has a GREAT publicist, or he is THAT decent a person.

derek-jeter1

Neil Degrasse Tyson – the man is brilliant with a good sense of humor.  I am sure he’d be a fascinating lunch companion!  I am quite certain that he would talk over my head, but he has a great voice that I could listen to all day.

NDT-scienceSo my charge to you is this: If you know any of these people and can hook me up with a lunch date, I’ll be forever in your debt and I will share my Secret Lemon Bars or Nettie’s Legendary Chicken Salad recipe with you.  At a bare minimum I will make you a batch of both.  Also, I’d like to know who you would like to have lunch with.  Comment!

 

 

Unexpected Side Effects and Pimento Cheese

Posted on by LeAnne Notabartolo

Everything you do has consequences and sometimes side effects.  Many times those consequences and side effects are completely unexpected.  I am living that right now.

When I launched the new website 1 January I THOUGHT I would be doing more work at trade shows and culinary events because, well…I am, after all, a culinary event coordinator.  However my business has taken an S curve!  New and different people started reading my blog and I am now one of the contributing writers to Las Vegas Food & Beverage Professional.  I am primarily covering openings and events and I LOVE it.  My first item will debut in the April issue and of course I will post it here.  I have also been approached by a local concern about writing for them on one of my fave topics – BEER!  Unexpected side effect!

I have been offered several catering jobs (only one of which I accepted) and I am glad to do it.  It’s a rehearsal dinner for a wedding in August.  Relaxed, family style food that I excel at.  Then I got a call from our local nature park, Springs Preserve, to work with them on a series of three live cooking classes.  With over 1000 demos under my belt I jumped at the chance!  I have been teaching people to have fun in the kitchen for more than 15 years, so it’s a seamless progression for me (Moment of Truth – I am a little nervous about no one showing up, so you can buy your tickets here.  It is reservations only and there is a fee, but you get to eat!).  Unexpected side effect!

Lastly, to round out the picture, I have been working with Texas Pete Hot Sauce for four years now.   It was Chef Michael O’Donnell’s glowing praise that made me pause and consider that MAYBE I could do for other people what I do for them.  Until four years ago I had used hot sauce only as a condiment, rarely as an ingredient.  Boy how things have changed!  I have been more deeply exposed to the wonderful world of Southern Cooking and I am forever grateful.  On a recent trip to Atlanta for a trade show I ate my weight in pimento cheese.  I enjoyed it so much that I had to make my own version.  Needless to say, as a Yankee, I am sure mine is not traditional, but my friends and I like it and I am sharing it with you here.  It’s all a guideline, like most recipes are, so tweak it (not twerk it) to your individual taste and may I suggest having it on a cheeseburger instead of other cheese…yes, really.  Enjoy this Unexpected Side Effect.

Pimento Cheese

Active time – 15 minutes

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½ C Mayo

8 oz Cream Cheese – softened

1 C coarsely grated sharp cheddar

1 C finely grated sharp cheddar

1 ½ tsp Texas Pete® Original or Garlic Hot Sauce

¼ tsp onion powder

1 jalapeño, seeded, inner ribs removed and finely diced (or more to taste)

1 4 oz jar chopped or diced pimentos, drained

Combine all ingredients except the pimentos and coarse cheddar in a bowl.  Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat until well combined and fluffy.  Fold the remaining ingredients by hand so they don’t get too mashed up.

Refrigerate to allow flavors to meld (overnight is best).  Serve with crackers.  Makes about 3 cups.

Beer-centric Dinners

Posted on by LeAnne Notabartolo

As per usual, I have been dining out A LOT.  In case you didn’t know, while I love wine, it hates me, so going to a wine pairing dinner is nearly anathema for me.  To that end, John and I seek out beer paired dinners and recently attended three.  Since all featured local breweries, with Joseph James at two of them, at vastly different dining venues, I thought I would pair two of them together for you.  Read about the third one here.

At the end of February John and I, together with Friend Erroin, attended a Joseph James Brewery dinner at The Pub inside the Monte Carlo.  If you haven’t been there, you should go for the beer selection alone!  They have a wide selection of several styles of beer on tap and even more in bottles.  The room is huge and there is a private event space with a bar upstairs, which is where we were for this event.

This event began well and ended well with local brewery, Joseph James, clearly the star of this five act show.  The apps were really good, especially the Curry Chicken Cucumber Cups and the dessert was fantastic, even though I didn’t taste any of the advertised raspberries.  Everything in the middle was hit or miss.  The choices of beers per course were great, it was the food that missed the mark.  The lone standout in the three central courses was the Mac & Cheese Fritter which was a side for the St. Louis Ribs.  Because I try to write more positive than negative, let’s focus on the beers!  They were alternately spicy, malty, yeasty or smoky and each one had a specific note that worked really well for the dish with which it was paired.  Our Joseph James beer expert, Matt Marino, did a great job working with Chef Damis Irizarry and the beer matched the food beautifully for each course, but the beer was the CLEAR star each time.

Friend Erroin Martin - he's the genius behind my site being so awesome!

Friend Erroin Martin – he’s the genius behind my site being so awesome!

 

Grilled Caesar Salad served with Weize Guy Hefeweizen

Grilled Caesar Salad served with Weize Guy Hefeweizen

Honey Spiced Chicken served with Magic Stick Brown Ale

Honey Spiced Chicken served with Magic Stick Brown Ale

 

Mesquite Smoked St. Louis Ribs served with Smokin' Poles Gratzer

Mesquite Smoked St. Louis Ribs served with Smokin’ Poles Gratzer (see that Mac & Cheese Fritter?)

Bourbon Barrel Chocolate Mousse served with Bourbon Barrel Russian Imperial Stout

Bourbon Barrel Chocolate Mousse served with Bourbon Barrel Russian Imperial Stout

 

Last night John and I, together with son Jack went to a Local “Brewsy” Dinner at Naked City on Paradise. Each of four courses was paired with a locally produced beer. (Moment of Truth – Jack did not drink, he isn’t 21 yet, but we asked if we could bring him to enjoy the food and Chris Palmeri said he was more than welcome.)  Featured breweries included Joseph James (with my fave, Hop Box), Tenaya Creek and Ellis Island.  Once again, each course was perfectly paired with a fab beer.  John and Jack loved the baby back ribs, paired with Tenaya Creek’s Calico Brown Ale.  For me the winner of the night was the butter poached shrimp.  Interestingly enough, it was paired with my least favorite style of beer, a Weiss beer from Ellis Island, but the beer was the PERFECT choice for the lushness of the shrimp and the woodiness of the mushrooms beneath it.  Of course, because neither Naked City location is close to the house, we got a pie to go and I am eating that for breakfast as I write – not cold!

Braised Pork Belly Ravioli with Arugula Parmesan Pesto served with Joseph James Hop Box IPA

Braised Pork Belly Ravioli with Arugula Parmesan Pesto served with Joseph James Hop Box IPA

Baby Back Ribs braised with Tenaya Creek Calico Brown and served with the same

Baby Back Ribs braised with Tenaya Creek Calico Brown and served with the same

Butter Poached Shrimp with Weiss braised Mushrooms and Baby Spinach served with Ellis Island Weiss

Butter Poached Shrimp with Weiss braised Mushrooms and Baby Spinach served with Ellis Island Weiss

Oatmeal Cookie Ice Cream Sandwish served with Tenaya Creek Hauling Oats Stout

Oatmeal Cookie Ice Cream Sandwish served with Tenaya Creek Hauling Oats Stout

Tonight’s shenanigans?  Grand Opening party for Sprinkles Cupcakes in The Linq.

And just a quick note to give props to food stylists everywhere, making white food look great in a pic is TOUGH!

Sunday Suppers at MTO

Posted on by LeAnne Notabartolo

This past Sunday I went to the first of the Sunday Suppers series at Johnny Church’s MTO Café.  WHAT FUN!  Hubby John and I were seated at the bar, and while most people might be annoyed by that, I wasn’t at all.  Yes, our backs were to the rest of the room, but we had a bird’s eye view of what was going on in the kitchen!  Johnny, joined by Tim Doolittle, Vincent Pouessel, Marty Lopez and Michael Van Staden and Heidi Koval on desserts put out a fun dining experience.  Pair it with beers from downtown denizens Banger Brewing, and you have a winner!  Each Chef created an appetizer and a main course.  You chose one app and one main and one dessert and there were 4 different styles of beer to choose from, try all or just one!  Of course, John and I chose differently so we could try as many dishes as possible.  My only complaint was that I couldn’t try all of them.

Chef Johnny Church

Chef Johnny Church

When I first read about it, I thought it would be sampling menu of all, not a true supper theme.  Once I wrapped my head around the fact that it was intended to be a supper like you would get at Grandma’s house (not MY Gram’s house – she was a terrible cook.) I was hooked.  I really wanted sample sized portions of everything because the whole menu looked great, but still, I loved it!  The biggest problem was making decisions.  BTW – they offered a supplement if you wanted to try more than one, but with Restaurant Week going on (it ends today), I knew the leftovers wouldn’t get eaten.  A huge Bonus for Hubby was that it started at 5:30 so he wasn’t out too late on a “School Night”.  What was really interesting to me is that I knew almost NO ONE there.  Because I go to a lot of foodie events, I usually run into someone I know, but the only person there I knew at all was Jim Begley.

White oak grilled delta asparagus, poached Pahrump egg, frisee and Parmesan

White oak grilled delta asparagus, poached Pahrump egg, frisee and Parmesan from Chef Johnny Church

The "Covergirl" to quote Bacchanal Chef Michael Van Staden and Assoc. Beet & radish salad with hazelnut bacon vinaigrette

The “Covergirl” to quote Bacchanal Chef Michael Van Staden and Assoc. Beet & radish salad with hazelnut bacon vinaigrette

BBQ braised beef cheeks with polenta

BBQ braised beef cheeks with polenta from Chef Marty Lopez

Grilled Open Blue Cobia, Rustic Ratatouille, Confit Lemon & Capers Gremolata from Chef Vincent Poussel

Grilled Open Blue Cobia, Rustic Ratatouille, Confit Lemon & Capers Gremolata from Chef Vincent Pouessel

Plum Butter Almond Cake with Roasted Plums - from Chef Michael Van Staden

Plum Butter Almond Cake with Roasted Plums – from Chef Michael Van Staden

Berry Cobbler

Berry Cobbler from Heidi Koval

The next one is scheduled for Sunday 27 April and I suggest you make a reservation and get there early – the place was PACKED!  Johnny assures me the events will continue and change and the participating Chefs with be different each time.  Rumor has it that Naked City’s Chris Palmeri and Desnudo’s Christian Dolias are on tap for the next one.  I can’t wait!

FYI – I have been attending a LOT of beer-centric events lately and since Joseph James will be featured in two of them, I will write about those together, even though the first one was last month.

 

Restaurant Week and Being Bald

Posted on by LeAnne Notabartolo

Here’s the thing.  I like to dine out.  A lot.  And many times I can’t justify the expense, especially since I have this new awesome kitchen and I love to cook.  But right now, this week in the Spring, eating out is SOOO much fun and really a community minded thing to do.  It’s Restaurant Week!  Check out the link and see all the great menus and try someplace new you have been dying to (like Hakkasan for me)  or go to a tried and true place (like Rx Boiler Room for me later in the week). 

So, to start off I went to Buddy V’s in the Venetian, the love child of Cake Boss’ Buddy Valastro and Elizabeth Blau.  I was pleasantly surprised and loved the décor (Moment of Truth – had they brought me a bowl of the polenta croutons instead of my Caesar salad I’d have been thrilled!). Sorry for the quality on these pics, they were taken with my phone.

Cannoli - plural

Cannoli – plural

Carbonara

Carbonara

 

 

The most unusual thing happened there.  If you have been following along, you know I shaved my head last week for St. Baldrick’s and I am now nearly bald – watch the video here if you haven’t already.  The consequence of having no hair is that I am always COLD and intermittently wear scarves and hats to combat that.  Well, needless to say, some people mistake my baldness for me being a cancer patient.  While at Buddy V’s a woman walked up to me and in the most glowing tones, but with pity in her eyes, told me how gorgeous I was and that my eyes were stunning.  Of course I was flattered, who wouldn’t be?  I felt I had to explain my hairless state and told her of St. Baldrick’s.  She was really impressed, but it got me to thinking – dangerous…I KNOW.  How do I treat cancer patients?  Do I go out of my way to say something complimentary to them?  Do I smile with pity and look away?  Being bald is an eye opener for me and is really making me more sympathetic and aware of what cancer patients might be feeling in regards to their appearance.

And lastly – I have been dying to get my butt into Hakkasan and Restaurant Week was the perfect excuse.  OMG it was phenomenal.  YOU should go!  Here’s the big bonus – spend $50.14 on dinner, get a fab meal, donate 18 meals to the community AND get a $50 gift certificate for use the next time you dine (before 14 April).  What’s not to love about that?  EVERYTHING we had was exceptional and I can’t wait to go back and eat my way through the entire app menu alone.

Salt & Pepper Squid

Salt & Pepper Squid

 

Crispy Fried Quail with Five Spice

Crispy Fried Quail with Five Spice

Dim Sum

Dim Sum

Stir Fried Scallops

Stir Fried Scallops

Stir fried Spicy Venison

Stir fried Spicy Venison

Bok Choy with fried garlic

Bok Choy with fried garlic

Passionfruit Panna Cotta with Blood Orange Supremes

Passionfruit Panna Cotta with Blood Orange Supremes

 

In addition, I went to the first of the Sunday Suppers series at Johnny Church’s MTO Café.  WHAT FUN! Watch for that post later this week!

Feed the City

Posted on by LeAnne Notabartolo

This is the first time EVER I have asked anyone to be a guest blogger.  I asked my Sister Nancy to write because she is doing really important work on feeding people in her community.  This is a longer than usual blog, but do read through to the end, especially if you live in South Florida.

Also keep in mind for those of you living in Vegas, Restaurant Week begins on Friday!  It’s one of my fave times of the year and I get to feed people by dining out.

And now a word from my Sister:

As some of you may know, I am Good for Spooning’s favorite sister.  I’m sure she has mentioned it to you on several occasions on how much she loves me and wishes that I lived in Las Vegas.  So it is no surprise that I am her first ever Guest Blogger on her new website!

All joking aside — I am very humbled and excited to get this opportunity.  The real reason I am the first Guest Blogger is that LeAnne asked me to write a little something about the an event called Serve the City being coordinated by No Perfect People, Inc., which is the not-for-profit where I work.  This is our third Serve the City, and for this time around, NPPI has partnered with 22 other non-profit organizations to create over 1,100 volunteer opportunities at 30 events — all held on Saturday, March 8, 2014!  It’s like a service project on steroids!  Our partners are international, domestic, and local organizations providing a variety of services which include providing affordable housing to the elderly, a food pantry, a home for teen moms, providing services to the blind, and a day shelter for the homeless.  The program provides an on-ramp for our volunteers to experience the joy of service to others.

In that this is a food blog, I want to focus on Feeding the People!!  We have a bunch of events scheduled where food is the at the center of the service project:

  • We will be serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner at Broward Partnership for the Homeless (a homeless shelter) and at Ronald McDonald House;
  • Lunches will be served at a low-income assisted living facility, a foster care home, at a respite day for foster kids, and at a shelter for domestic violence victims and their families;
  • Volunteers will sort food at Feeding South Florida (part of the Feeding America network);
  • Dinner and a worship service will be held for women in an in-treatment addiction facility;
  • A busload of folks will be gleaning (a biblical initiative that involves volunteers picking produce from farmers’ fields that have been left from commercial harvesting methods which is then distributed through a food pantry);
  • Families will be planting a vegetable garden for a food pantry; and
  • We will take a collection of items for an emergency food pantry at our night-before Rally from the volunteers.

These events don’t even include the hundreds of volunteers we will feed that day because they are serving where they aren’t feeding the people!

That’s a lot of meals!

On a personal level, food is a big deal.  I never feel right unless I have food in the house.  Those who know me know you can show me you love me by feeding me.  Even when we have been on the tightest budget, food was not something that we trimmed very much, except through coupons or sale shopping.  It is too much of a comfort knowing we will survive another day when all else points to the opposite.  I think that is why I connect with people over food — because to me it has more value than just nourishment.

And I think that is why we learned in planning our previous Serve the City events that  (1) people love to feed people, and (2) we can’t have enough opportunities to provide a meal because as fast as we create the opportunity, it fills.  It could be that people feel the same way I do and they want to share that with others or may it is just a practical way — a visible way — to connect.  And we all know we have to eat.  We all can either remember what true hunger feels like or we are scared to know.

Initially, we underestimated how much people liked to feed people, so this time we tried to find multiple opportunities to provide meals in our community.  The result is that the above events will provide thousands of people with food in our community in some form or fashion not just for that day but for the weeks to come.

A second benefit to serving the hungry in our community is the impact on the volunteer.  Studies have shown that volunteering has surprising benefits, including making new friends, battling depression, and increasing your social skills.  Read more here:  http://www.helpguide.org/life/volunteer_opportunities_benefits_volunteering.htm

Because of these reasons, the impact is HUGE — both for those we service and for the volunteer!!

This is the third Serve the City event I have had the pleasure of working on for NPPI, and each time, I am blessed beyond measure.  One of my favorite things to do is to help people find just the right service project for his/her talents, skills, and experience.

How can you help?  What can you do to help feed a family that might be in a totally different time zone from where you are living?  How can I serve my community?

I’m so glad you asked!!  You can help by donating — either sponsoring a meal (for one of the above listed events or for our volunteers) or just to help out with supplies and equipment or helping us buy an emergency food box for the pantry.  Click here to make a donation!  http://nppinc.org/donation.php

And if you want to serve here in South Florida, click this link (http://cbglades.com/events/servethecity/) to see the available opportunities for Serve the City!!

I have never been so proud to be a part of an organization as I am with NPPI.  The work that I get to do is rewarding on a level that words come short of expressing.  I hope you will join me in Serving the City!

 

Bald is Beautiful

Posted on by LeAnne Notabartolo

Those of you who have been following along know that I was planning to shave my head for St. Baldrick’s and I did!  Together with friends Al Mancini and Rick Moonen and other participants at Ri Ra Las Vegas, we raised nearly $20,000.  My hair will grow back in an unknown color, but I know I have done something amazing to help out kids with cancer.

Enjoy the pics and watch the video!

A dose of liquid courage with my two buddies!

A dose of liquid courage with my two buddies!

Our new look!

Our new look!

Chef Rick Moonen keeping his dome warm

Chef Rick Moonen keeping his dome warm

with friend Julie

with friend Julie

Many thanks to everyone who came out to support and donated.  And special thanks to Friend Lynn Moonen who took all the pics and filmed everything.

 

Mission Accomplished…and a recipe.

Posted on by LeAnne Notabartolo

It’s done!  WAHOO!  I have the kitchen of my dreams.  It’s absolutely beautiful and I am thrilled.  I have always been one of those people that wants ALL the tools on the counter within easy reach, but my new counters and backsplash are so gorgeous that I don’t want to cover them up.  Yes, I am hiding my toys. Well, not all of them.  I don’t have enough cabinets and drawers for that, and no, I am not kidding.  All of the cabinets you see are filled with lovely pretty things and MOST of the drawers are full too.  And now the painting begins, so if you are good with a brush, c’mon over – I have work for you to do!

Ta DA!

Ta DA!

After 3 weeks of non-stop dining out and take out, I have gained 10 lbs.  No, I am not kidding.  And as if I haven’t eaten out enough lately I have 3 events this week that will take me from my kitchen.  A Birthday Dinner for a dear friend.  A Brewer’s Dinner featuring local brewery Joseph James. A fundraiser for MSA.  And Friday?  I am having a Girlz Night IN!  John is out of town, so the gals are coming over to see the new kitchen, have a few cocktails and eat some snacks.  We are doing a Pajama Party theme and I am taste testing boozy punches now.

Yes, I have been cooking!  FINALLY!  I made a commitment to myself to empty out the freezers.  I am working with what I have on hand and adding fresh produce to make it great.  The thing is…I shoved some stuff in there and didn’t label it.  Yeah, I know.  Forty lashes with a wet noodle.  I KNOW better.  That is the first thing they teach you in culinary school.  LABEL AND DATE everything.  Nearly everything was labeled and all were properly wrapped, but the surprises are nearly as exciting as unwrapping a known item.

I’ve even been baking, in the middle of Girl Scout cookie season even!  And I am sending it out to Jack at college.  I can whip out double loaves of Banana Bread in record time and I am sharing the recipe here with you.  My Step Mom, Nettie, always said my recipe was the best (Moment of Truth – I nearly plotzed when she said that because she was a complete BAD ASS in the kitchen). Nettie also said banana bread tastes best after it has been in foil over night. Dad and I disagree.  It should be eaten before it cools completely!  Mine is nearly identical to hers, so I am not sure where she got the idea that mine was better.  The MAIN difference in our recipes is that I bake mine in Pampered Chef Stoneware Loaf pans.  Yes, it works in other pans, but that’s what I use. This recipe doesn’t call for nuts because Hubby doesn’t like them in his banana bread.  I DO like them!  Use about 1 Cup walnuts or pecans or a little more if you are feeling generous.

Banana Bread

3 ½ C All Purpose Flour

1 Tbsp Baking Powder

2 tsp Baking Soda

1 Tsp salt

5 over ripe bananas

2 C sugar

2 eggs

½ C buttermilk

1 C shortening

Grease 2 standard loaf pans, set aside.  Preheat oven to 350.

Whisk together dry ingredients, set aside.

Using an electric mixer, mash bananas until they are almost liquefied.  Add all ingredients, except dry ingredients, in the order listed.  Once well combined, add dry mixture.  Mix only until combined.  If you mix it too much it bakes up tough.

Pour into the loaf pans and bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour, or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes away clean.

Cool 10 minutes in the pans, and then turn out onto a cooling rack.

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And So It Continues…

Posted on by LeAnne Notabartolo

Here we are, now in week three of the renovations.  Have I mentioned how impatient I am?  The beginning of the process went so quickly that I was irritated when everything came to a grinding halt with the counters.  Counters went in yesterday and backsplash today!

So what’s a cook to do when she can’t cook?  Well, I finally DID get to cook.  In San Francisco.  At my Sister in Laws’ house.  Bonnie and Gretchen hosted us for a getaway weekend and I made breakfast.  Nothing fancy, just a little veggie frittata.  I feel remarkably better with just creating that one simple dish.  Gretchen and I LOVE to cook together and the brother and sister duo (John and Bonnie) reap the benefits of our work.  This trip we ate out for almost every meal and we drank some fab beer during the final days of San Francisco Beer Week.

If I am going to be perfectly honest, and I always try to be, when John booked the trip, we didn’t know it was going to be Valentine’s Day weekend.  We didn’t know it was going to be Beer Week in SF.  All we knew is that we needed to get away from here and the hot mess that is our home right now.  In fact, when I called to make dinner reservations at RN74 for Friday night, the hostess said, “You mean Valentine’s Day?!”  With a slightly panicked sound akin to Jessica Rabbit when she realized there was “Dip” in her future.

I will say the room is lovely and the staff very pleasant at RN74 and I did have THE most perfectly cooked duck I have ever had in my life.  The weekend’s tastings, however, were stolen by Mama Ji’s in the Castro.  HOLY MOLY!  Everything we had was exceptional.  Even the tofu was absolutely phenomenal, as far as tofu goes.  We ordered everything on the appetizer menu, plus a few other things and if you go, and I hope you do, you should order the Spicy Cold Noodles.  The noodles were ice cold, but the toppings and oil on top were not only temperature hot, but spicy hot too.  Ridiculously delicious and the best thing I ate all weekend long.

The most perfectly cooked duck I have ever eaten. RN74

The most perfectly cooked duck I have ever eaten. RN74

 

Cold Spicy Noodles at Mama Ji's

Cold Spicy Noodles at Mama J 

I am back home, without appliances and waiting anxiously for tomorrow when my stove is reconnected.  My counters and my backsplash are amazing! The same awesome crew that did the floors came back at my request to do the backsplash.  I am in the homestretch!  If everything goes according to plan, we are skipping sushi date night tomorrow and I am cooking at home.

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More soon, and if we are all lucky, I will post more recipes as I get creative in my new kitchen!

Hide the Anchovies

Posted on by LeAnne Notabartolo

I love anchovies and I am always trying to find ways to sneak them in without John tasting them.  This one was a WINNER!  I may do a whole series of recipes for you featuring anchovies. This recipe is for a marinade for flank steak or a tri tip.  You could try it on other things, but these are the only cuts I have vetted for this recipe. Trust me.  Really.  John despises anchovies and he LOVES this marinade.

Here is what you need to know.

  • Soy sauce and anchovies are loaded with umami, that magical fifth taste.  When blended together they are a secret weapon.
  • And don’t be afraid of the salt either.  Seriously.
  • If you want to switch it up a little, you can add a tablespoon of good quality tomato paste (the kind in a squeezable metal tube, not from the can) because that is loaded with umami too.
  • Let this marinate at the very minimum 30 minutes, but no longer than 4 hours.  And if I am doing a quick marinade, I let it sit at room temp.
  • I chose grapeseed oil for its neutral flavor and high smoke point. You are tossing this onto a hot grill. You want oil that can stand the heat.
  • Contrary to what the Kraft salad dressing commercials would have you believe, your meat doesn’t need to SWIM in marinade. This is enough for an average sized flank steak.  I increase it by half or double it for a tri tip depending on the size and of course marinate the tri tip longer.
  • And before you go freaking out about the lack of acid, there is a reason for that.    Acid “cooks” the meat and can make it tough if you marinate for a long time. Yes, really.  Did you ever eat ceviche?  Well the fish is “cooked” with an acid like lemon or lime juice.  If you really want that hit of acid, splash on some red wine vinegar after it comes off the grill and has rested, but you won’t need it.

No, there isn’t a pic of the recipe.  Do you really want a pic of dark brown liquid?

 “Hide the Anchovies” Marinade    

4 large cloves garlic

1 ½ tsp Kosher Salt

2 anchovy filets

4 Tbsp Soy Sauce

4 Tbsp Grapeseed Oil

 

Using a mortar and pestle (or a muddler) crush garlic into a paste with the Kosher Salt.  Add anchovies and continue to make a paste.  Whisk in Soy and Oil until a uniform consistency has been reached.

Place beef into marinade and allow to sit for at least ½ hour or up to 4 hours.  Grill beef to desired doneness.