Category Archives: Recipe

Chewing (and a recipe link)

Posted on by RedFlair14

I have a little Cannoli – she is a 6 month old Boston Terrier and she is a chewer. Anyone who has ever housebroken a puppy KNOWS that there will be chewing going on. They chew on everything. I am sure the Dog Whisperer could tell you the real reason why, but I think they chew just because it is fun and pleasurable. All I know is that in an effort to protect my belongings I have at least a dozen doggie toys laying around the house. If you come over and aren’t careful, you could trip and break a hip – you have been given fair warning.

This is Cannoli at 4 months. Did you notice that the white mark on her forehead looks like a knife?

As someone who loves food, loves cooking, works in the culinary arena and writes about food, I can imagine three things that would really put a damper on my life in food:
1. Loss of smell – think about when you have a really bad cold. NOTHING tastes right because after seeing how beautiful the food looks, your pleasure and enjoyment of food increases with the smell of whatever is going into your mouth.
2. Loss of taste buds. No explanation necessary
3. Loss of ability to chew, or pain when chewing.

While number three may be a great way to lose weight (just ask friend Laurie who had to have her jaw wired shut after she broke her jaw), the simple act of mastication makes me feel good. I love chewy candies, peppermint gum and toothsome food. Unfortunately for me, I have TMJ. Yes, really. In 1986 I dislocated my jaw, and since then it acts up from time to time and causes me pain when I bite anything or open my mouth too wide (like yawning or taking a bite of a burger or sandwish). Currently, I am in so much pain that eating pasta is a challenge. Choosing to avoid pain, instead of plowing through and chewing anyway is certainly changing what, how much and how often I eat. Drinking through a straw is painful, smoking is a challenge (don’t judge) and foods I love are now my enemies. Maybe this is a weight loss and health plan after all?

So yesterday I went to the doc and he said “soft foods only” until this straightens itself out. And he prescribed a new med that makes me freaking loopy as hell. Soft foods? Oatmeal, fruit smoothies, soup, scrambled eggs, mac & cheese, ice cream. Doesn’t sound all that bad, right? But what about fried chicken, burgers, cookies, sandwishes, bacon and mixed nuts? Last night we went to Culinary Dropout to a viewing party for friend Christian Dolias’ performance on Chopped (unfortunately he didn’t win and was “chopped” early). I love the pretzels and provolone fondue there and normally dig into it with gusto. Yeah. That didn’t happen last night. I had to tear the pretzels into tiny pieces and chew VERY carefully. And my entrée? I ate less than half of my stroganoff and gave the rest to Jack. The housemade noodles were delish, but the beef was nearly impossible for me to enjoy. Maybe I will lose a few pounds with this out of whack jaw sitch! More importantly, we all had a great time cheering Christian on and socializing.

The Cutthroat Culinary Black & White Knife Club boyz (L to R – Crockett, Jesse Moreno and Christian Dolias) with Rick Moonen and Al Mancini

Al Mancini with son Jack

And remember I have to cook for my family. They can’t/won’t be satisfied with a soft food diet. What to do? FML! Well, in an effort to make something we ALL can eat and we will all enjoy, tonight I am making pho and I will worry about tomorrow when I get there. This is the recipe I use. It is pretty easy and it is from Food & Wine mag from back in 2005. Maybe later this week, braised beef shanks and polenta?

I am hoping I will go to sleep one night and wake up magically healed and able to eat whatever I please. Until then I will continue drinking my beer, taking the loopy pain meds and eating soft food. Maybe even losing a little weight in the process. I know, you feel sorry for me.

My Own Worst Enemy – and there is a recipe

Posted on by RedFlair14

I am baking…again. At this point I am not sure why I do it. It makes me a little crazy. It all started as a small thank you for John’s co-workers and has grown from there. It takes me literally HOURS across several days to get it all accomplished. I make tons of dough and freeze it. I make even more dough and refrigerate it (mostly slice and bake cookies). Then of course there is the ACTUAL baking and assembling of the platters. This year I am making 15 platters with 16 varieties of cookies for neighbors, friends and John’s coworkers.

Why do I do it? I am not sure any more. When I was young Mom used to make the ever popular “thumbprint” cookies and we all chipped in and loved it. Then of course there were the “candy cane” cookies (twisted ropes of 2 colored dough that look like candy canes when baked that are a pain in the ass to make) and a few others. We all ate them. It was fun. Now in my house I bake and no one is allowed to eat any of them, unless they break and then they can be eaten for quality control.

Why do I do it if it makes me so crazy? I start out saying, “Oh, it won’t be so bad.” “I can get it done quickly this year.” “It’ll be fun, Jack will be home and he can help.” Then I start looking thru my numerous books for “easy” recipes. The ones that will revolutionize the baking process, saving me time and frustration. Before you know it, I have added three new varieties to the ones I was already planning on making. Most people only bake one or two types and that’s it. By the time the actual baking starts I am frazzled and wondering, “What the hell was I thinking?” And if I get invited to a cookie exchange I make even more (Moment of Truth – I almost NEVER bring cookies HOME from the exchange)! The question remains, “Why do I do this to myself?” And another question, “Do Hispanic families that make their holiday tamales feel the same way?”

I COULD say that I do it because it brings a lot of joy to me. I could say that I love to see the looks on people’s faces when they see my handiwork. I could say that I am the best baker in the world and that my cookies are the best ever (choke, cough…). The real reason I do it is because other people look forward to it. People start talking to me about the cookies as soon as the weather starts to change to cooler temps. I know I look forward to the home made tamales that magically appear in my freezer from John’s co-workers, so I can only hope they are as excited about the cookies that I bring in.

To make matters worse, or more challenging, depending on how you look at it, I am also in the crunch time of planning our 25th wedding anniversary party (I was a child bride) for 100 of our dearest friends. Including goodies bags, thank you gifts, charter buses, and a gazillion other little details. Thank goodness for friends & family who take direction well and want to chip in!

So here I am, hair in a chef’s skull cap, in my pajamas, dipping cookies into chocolate and nuts and getting ready to bake the premade dough I have prepped. Tomorrow will be assembly and deliveries Thursday and Friday. I know everyone will enjoy them – everything tastes better when someone else makes it. But next year, maybe I will have lunch catered for John’s office and everyone will get See’s Candy instead? Nah…not gonna happen.

This week’s Food Memories involve baking, The Vertical Epic Dinner at Aces & Ales, volunteering for Three Square with KXTE, cooking for my college student and finding a decent pizza (and no, they won’t deliver to my house…)

These pics are from the Vertical Epic Dinner

Until next time – go out and make your OWN Food Memories. Happy Holidays – no posting next week unless I get really ambitious. Enjoy the time with your families and friends.

Enjoy this chocolatey goodness – it’s a bar cookie, so it’s easy!

Triple Chocolate Brownie Cookie Bars

2-1/4 C All purpose flour
¼ C Dutch process cocoa
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt

1 C + 2 T unsalted butter at room temp
1 C packed brown sugar
½ C granulated sugar
½ cup melted bittersweet chocolate
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 large eggs

2 C chocolate chips (semi-sweet, bittersweet or white)

Preheat oven to 350

Combine dry ingredients, whisk together and set aside.

On medium high speed, cream butter with the sugars until light and fluffy; add all remaining ingredients, in order, except the chocolate chips. Reduce speed on mixer and add flour mixture JUST until combined. Add chips.

Spread batter evenly into a bar pan or sheet cake pan (about 15 x 8 inches). Bake about 22 minutes until set.

Cool completely and cut into bars.

This is the mixer that makes my life a whole lot easier!
Makes about 36, depending on how you cut it.

Comfort – Tomato Soup

Posted on by LeAnne Notabartolo

It was my intention to write about my weekend in SoCal, but in light of Sandy and all the people I know affected, I thought I would change tactics. All my good thoughts to those of you affected by Sandy.

“Music hath charms to soothe a savage breast, to soften rocks, or bend a knotted oak.” William Congreve.

If that is true, what calms a quaking soul? When we are sick, afraid, nervous, depressed, or stressed, we often turn to “comfort food” because we are trying to calm ourselves in one fashion or another. When a situation has you locked in or hunkered down, what makes you feel safe? What constitutes “comfort” is different for everyone, but for me it depends on the emotions or situations. When I feel under the weather (no pun intended, re: Sandy), I want soup. If I am down in the dumps or stressed out, I want a carb load (can you say pasta?) which usually leads to a nap. Friend Dani turns to pot pies or scrambled eggs and tortillas. Friend Lynn wants grilled cheese and soup. Weekly Reader (thanks!) Clarica wants pot roast. I have never heard anyone say that a salad was comforting to them.

I have heard everything from mac & cheese, to pancakes to chocolate as a “comfort food”. But why is it that those foods actually COMFORT you? Is it the sense of well being from eating something hearty? Does it cause memories of Mom (or Grandma) to come flooding back? Is it the chemical euphoria from carb overload? Are all of your “comforts” high calorie? Things you don’t normally eat? Are these foods saved only for just such an occasion and only enjoyed when “needed”?

I want the warm cozy feeling

I can only speak for myself, but when I think of “comfort food” I want the warm cozy feeling I get when I am eating said food.  As if I have been hugged from the inside and I always want something warm, but Friend Lynn says when she is down in the dumps she wants ice cream. I think the one thing in common for all of these foods is a particular “mouth feel”. Smooth, creamy, succulent, etc. And almost all of them are RICH in one fashion or another.

I know you want to know how to make tomato soup, so here is an EASY recipe for my Cheater Tomato Basil Soup. It’s called “cheater” because you start with canned goods and it’s perfect for those weathering the storm.

Cheater Tomato Basil Soup

I have updated this recipe to include Vegan substitutions. They are listed in parentheses in green for those who choose plant based options.

1 stick of butter (1/4 C Olive Oil)
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 cans – 28 oz each – crushed tomatoes
1 can – 46 oz vegetable juice (like V8)
2 Cups Chicken stock (vegetable stock)
3 Tbsp dried basil
1 Cup fresh Basil leaves cut chiffonade –divided
Heavy cream or ½ & ½ (Your favorite non-dairy milk substitute – coconut or oat milks work well here. Thickness is key here to create the right mouth feel.)
Parmesan Cheese and/or pesto for garnish (optional)

Special equipment needed: hand or stick blender. This is the one I use: Cuisinart Smart Stick

In a large heavy stockpot, melt butter over medium heat. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, stirring frequently. Do not let garlic brown, about 1 minute.

Add tomatoes, vegetable juice, dried basil and chicken stock. Heat to a slow boil and reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer for 30 minutes.

Using a hand blender, puree the soup until very smooth. It could take several minutes depending on the blender and the brand of tomatoes you used.

Stir in most of the chiffonade basil and reserve some for a garnish.

Immediately before serving, mix in the cream to desired consistency. Do not boil the soup or

Other comfort foods:

Mac & Cheese – or as Sister Nancy likes to call it, Crack & Cheese

Potato Leek Soup

I want to thank all of you for reading and SHARING this blog. Each week I am astounded at the ever growing readership and that is mostly thanks to all of you!

Next week, drinking my way through breweries is SoCal. Until next time, go out and make your OWN Food Memories.

In Queso of Emergency, I Pray to Cheeses – Blue Cheese Walnut Spread

Posted on by RedFlair14

We are getting to the time of year where entertaining is a MUST and for some people it is a chore. Frankly, I enjoy it. Nothing, well almost nothing, makes me happier than having a group of my peeps hanging out at the house, eating, drinking, playing games or just chatting. And then of course there are the invitations you receive throughout the holiday season. As soon as you make or accept an invitation, the thought creeps into your head, “What will I make?” Don’t worry, Aunt LeAnne has an answer for you and it will only take a few minutes. Cheese!

Unless you are lactose intolerant or you are a vegan, chances are you like cheese. I have known only two people in my whole life that didn’t like cheese, and even then they liked melted mozzarella on pizza or a parmigiana dish. We have all been to parties where the host puts out a “cheese plate” and more often than not it is crappy little cubes or slices of yellow cheddar, white cheese and maybe some pepper Jack. But there is SOOO much more out there! There are literally hundreds of different kinds of cheese from all corners of the world. Nearly every culture has some sort of cheese. And you are in luck because October is American Cheese Month! (Meaning cheese made in America – not Kraft singles.)

For years, most Americans had only mass produced cheeses to choose from, but that is changing all over the country. You can find artisanal (small farms, small batches, crafted by hand) cheese in a myriad of shops in just about every city, and definitely in the country areas. Go to a large farmer’s market and if you are lucky you will find a good cheese monger hawking wares generally from their own farm. Here in the USA we can find cheese made from cow, goat, buffalo, or sheep milk, but there are also horse and camel cheeses (I have never had any of those to the best of my knowledge).

Here are some cheese facts and tips on serving:
• Nearly all cheeses taste better at room temp. When purchasing, ask the seller about the ideal serving temp.
• Blue cheeses (Bleu, Roquefort, etc.) really do have a live mold in them. Because of this, make sure you wrap them completely in waxed paper, or formaticum. The mold spores can and will spread onto anything they come in contact with. (Moment of Truth – I LOVE Bleu Cheese and I am allergic to mold so I have to take an antihistamine before I eat it.)
• Cheese is a living thing. Much like yogurt, it has active cultures and bacteria in it to help give it the special cheesy taste we all love. Make sure you don’t cut off its oxygen. Wrap it in waxed paper or formaticum and place it in a zip lock bag, partially sealed. This will keep it breathing AND prevent it from drying out. Because tape won’t stick to either type of paper, I use a rubber band to keep the paper closed.
• As much as some cheeses have strong odors, cheese, especially milder flavored ones, can also absorb other odors, so don’t store them with onions or anything strong smelling.
• Semi soft cheeses (like mozzarella and Monterey Jack) grate better when chilled. Hard cheeses (like Parm, Romano and Grana Padana) grate more easily when room temp.
• To create a nice offering, mix up the cheeses. Choose one soft (Brie, Camembert, Cambazola), one sharp cheese, one semi soft and a “variety” cheese (one with fruit or herbs in it or something completely different you have never had before). Of course the more people in attendance the more varieties you want to have on the board. Bring crackers, bread or crostini along and don’t forget fruit! Dried fruit and nuts are great with cheese as well as fresh apples, pears, grapes and some stone fruits. Also consider some low sugar fruit preserves – apricot, raspberry and plum are fab choices as long as they aren’t too sweet and the fruit flavors really shine thru.
• Never “cut the cheese” on a cheese board, let the guests do it themselves.
• Wine isn’t the only beverage that goes great with cheese; some beers are MADE for the pairing. Experiment on your own.
• When dining out, some places offer cheese plates. Be like the French and try it for dessert instead of that ice cream sundae. If you are lucky, you can find a place that offers locally made cheeses, or groups them by type of milk used. Have fun and be fearless!

Here are some great online resources to help you expand your love of cheese:
Cheese.com
I Love Cheese
American Cheese Society
American Cheese Month

And here is the recipe I promised. This should only take you about 20 minutes to put together, including the prepping of the fruit. It’s not fancy, but it tastes great and it is a nice change from the ever present Velveeta with tomatoes and green chiles.

Aunt LeAnne’s Bleu Cheese Spread

1 – 8oz brick cream cheese, softened to room temp
4 oz bleu cheese crumbles – choose the one you would like melted on a burger. For this recipe, the stronger the better in my opinion.
4 oz shredded mozzarella – about 1 cup
Freshly ground black pepper
½ – ¾ C coarsely chopped walnuts

Combine all ingredients except nuts. Mix well. Put into a 3 cup cocotte, casserole dish or ramekin. Bake in oven at 350 until cheese is melted and starts to bubble around edges about 10 minutes (or pop into the microwave for 4 minutes). In a small dry skillet or sauté pan, toast nuts JUST until fragrant and beginning to change color. Remove cheese from oven and top with the nuts.

Serve with sliced apples and/or pears. It’s fine with crackers, but best with fruit. Tip: to keep fruit from browning after being cut, dunk it in Sprite, 7-up or other citrus soda and pat dry with paper towels.

Cheese plate of locally produced cheeses at Pike brewing in Seattle

The display case at Beecher’s in Seattle

This week’s Food Memories are a lovely braised lamb dish that tasted even better the 2nd day, an eggplant recipe that I actually LOVE (again, it tasted better the 2nd day), food truck shenanigans with Lynn and Chris, and delicious pozole made by my main squeeze with me as the prep monkey.

Until next week, go out and make your OWN Food Memories.

Bakers…Start Your Ovens! And yes, there is a recipe.

Posted on by RedFlair14

It all starts with the apples. As soon as the harvest begins, people (and I mean me) start thinking about baking. Why? Is it nostalgia since I grew up in the country near an orchard? Is it the cooler temps? Is it some primitive need making me feel like I have to warm the house with the oven running? I don’t know. All I know right now is that I am trying to drop a few pounds and all I want to do is bake. And after the apples will come the pumpkins and all the holiday baking to follow that. At least with the apples and pumpkins I can pretend it is healthy because there is fruit in it…yeah…riiiight!

As I have mentioned before growing up in the country was both a blessing and a curse. A blessing since we had plenty of fresh produce and I learned to do a lot of things I wouldn’t have had we lived in a city. However, for a person destined to live in a city, surrounded by concrete, it was a curse of boredom and ennui, poison ivy and bug bites, isolation from things I loved and desired. Being in the “wilds” is relaxing for some people (and you know who you are), but all I can think about when I am there is, “Why won’t my phone work?” “What is there to do?” “Is there any civilization?” “Is that another F-ing mosquito drinking my blood?!” I feel disconnected from myself. Isolated. I am happy for those folks who love the country and find it peaceful, but I am edgy and uncomfortable whenever I happen to end up there, unless I am cooking. Friends Bobby & Chris have a magnificent country retreat in upstate NY and when I visited they put me to work in the kitchen so I would feel more at home. That trip in 2010 was the first time I EVER felt sane in the country. (Moment of Truth – I miss October in NY for the leaves and the fall smells. It is the only time I really miss the east coast.) Perhaps it was the company. Perhaps the well mixed cocktails. Perhaps it was that I NEEDED to be disconnected. I don’t know, but I plan to go back there and figure it out, as soon as I can manage it. And of course I will cook with my friends.

In the meantime, I am preparing to bake. I think I will start with this coffee cake. It’s not REALLY a coffee cake (we all know those come from Entenmann’s in a white box with blue lettering and have delish brown sugar crumb on top), but it is a good substitute and it has fruit, so it is healthy…yeah…riiiight! I included the notes I plan to use whenever I get around to writing the dreaded cookbook.

Food Memories this week are a wild bunch – I was delighted to have my first ever dinner with food writer Al Mancini at B&B (delish and fun – more on that another time), cooking for charity, my semi-annual business (yes, I have a job) Open House, and a belated lunch for Friend Lynn’s birthday at Public House.

Lucy Zannon’s Apple Cake

As I’m sure you know, there are hundreds of ways to cook and serve apples, especially in baked goods. My Uncle Nick’s wife Lucy made this for my folks and then shared the recipe with my mom. During apple harvest time in upstate New York the air is scented with the aroma of everyone baking some kind of treat or other.

Mom shared this with me after I went apple picking and realized that I refused to make a dozen apple pies. Once again, my over zealous picking procedures left me with an overabundance of produce. While this is baking it makes the whole house smell great and it is a complete breeze to make.

3 eggs
1 c sugar
1 c oil
2 c flour
1 t baking soda
1 t vanilla
1/2 t salt
1 t cinnamon
2 c sliced, peeled apples – about 2 or 3 medium apples (I like Granny Smith)

Preheat oven to 350. Combine the first 3 ingredients and mix well. Stir together all your dry ingredients and mix into egg mixture. Beat until uniform in color. Stir in apples.

Spray a 13” x 9” baking pan with vegetable spray. Pour batter into pan and bake for 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Baking time can vary depending on how juicy the apples are. Be sure when you test that you don’t hit the apples, or the pick will always come back wet (I did that the first time and over cooked the cake).

Served warm or at room temperature this is wonderful as an accompaniment for coffee, a breakfast treat or a snack. I don’t ice or frost it, but I have decorated it with 10X sugar with the following method. Take a pretty paper doily or paper snowflake, or silicone template you buy and lay it on top of the cake. Place 10X sugar in a sifter and gently sift over the top of the doily. Carefully remove the doily trying not to spill any extra sugar on the cake. The pattern of the doily looks like lace on the cake. You may notice that the sugar is absorbed into the cake after a few hours, so if you are planning to decorate this for a pot luck, do it right before you leave the house, or bring the doily and sugar with you and do the decorating at the party.

And for your viewing pleasure – baked goods

Xmas Cookies

Cinnamon Roll – and yes, there are chocolate chips in there

Uncle Phil’s Cheesecake

Pumpkin Pie

Well Aren’t You a Peach?! And yes, there’s a recipe.

Posted on by RedFlair14

When you are a gardener, of any kind, you run the risk of everything becoming ripe at the same time. If you have ever grown zucchini you know what I mean. After a while you are trying ANYTHING to get rid of your crop before it rots. This is how I am with peaches.

For those of you who don’t know, there are two basic types of peaches – free stone and cling stone. Cling stone peaches are the ones where the flesh clings to the pit. Free stone peaches are the ones where the flesh breaks free of the stone easily. I prefer free stone peaches because the fibrous cling peach’s flesh gets stuck in my teeth. Free stone peaches tend to have more reddish tones close to the pit as well.

We have a lovely drought tolerant dwarf peach tree in our yard, and yes it is a free stone tree. Our whole family loves them and we especially love to eat them super ripe so the juice drips down your arm and off your elbow. I find myself standing over the sink to eat a peach from our tree. This is the third year of production. The first year I managed really well. The second year I canned (Moment of Truth: while I loved the procedure of canning, I didn’t like the results on the peaches, maybe because they get SO ripe SO quickly and they were a little mushy). This year, after deciding NOT to can the peaches I was left with a PILE of peaches. I had so many peaches that I wasn’t even pissed off at the birds for getting at some of them.

Anyone who knows me, knows when it comes to dessert, I am a chocoholic. I don’t really care for fruit desserts, unless it is ice cream. I love Cherry Vanilla, Raspberry Ripple and Peach. If you are not a fruit dessert person, there are only so many cobblers and pies one can make and enjoy. Only so many smoothies one can drink. So what to do with the rest of them?

Well, some peaches were frozen for use later in the year. I gave some away. We eat them. I recreated the long since discontinued Schwann’s Peach Ice Cream that I ate gallons of when I was pregnant. A pie was made with a screwed up crust – I never mess up pie crust, but this time I did. A cobbler was taken to a pot luck and yet I still have more. What to do?

Recipe hunt on the internet. Here are some tasty ideas I found:

Peach Cobbler by the Neelys – I cut the 2C (yes 2 CUPS) of Brown sugar out and I a sub raw sugar for the white
Stone Fruit Sangria
Peach Crisp
Individual Peach Upside Down cakes

And here is how to make Peach Ice Cream that tastes like Schwann’s used to make:

• 1 pt heavy whipping cream
• 1 C whole milk
• ¾ C sugar
• 1 t vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt
• 1 C Pureed peaches
• ¾ C Diced peeled peaches – frozen

Combine cream, milk and sugar with a wire whip. Gradually add pureed peaches to the cream mixture and set into the fridge to cool for at least 1 hour. Put mixture into an ice cream machine, and according to MFR directions mix. Half way thru add the vanilla. When the mixture is almost ready, add in the frozen diced peaches. Continue with the mfr instructions for the ice cream machine. Place finished product in the freezer. Depending on the size of your machine, you may need to do this in 2 batches.

This is the model I use

This week’s Food Memories include meeting another food blogger at a pot luck (more on that soon), cooking for friends and family, making the deposit on our 25th Anniversary party and a dinner out with my main squeeze.

Until next week, go out and make your OWN Food Memories.

The Basic Food Groups – Triple Chocolate Brownie Cookie Bars

Posted on by LeAnne Notabartolo

When I was a little girl (a looooong time ago) in grade school, we learned the “four basic food groups”: fruits & veggies, meats & proteins, breads & starches, and dairy. As a kid it was a little confusing that a potato went in the bread category and eggs, which you buy in the dairy aisle, were actually proteins. But it all started to make a lot of sense when I took Home Economics and began to learn to cook a little more. (Moment of Truth – I failed the sewing portion – it was my first failing grade ever and I STILL can’t even put a button on my clothes!)

As I grew up and got married and started cooking less frequently, the “four basic food groups” became Caffeine, Nicotine, Pizza and Beer. No, I am not kidding. John and I decided that as long as we had those 4 things we’d never starve or be unhappy. Then along came pregnancy and the groups changed again. They now became Cookies, Cakes, Candies and Pies. And of course being a good parent, I reverted back to the ORIGINAL four groups when Jack was born.

Well then things got confusing! The USDA decided we needed to eat in a pyramid and all the stuff I liked was in a TINY triangle at the top and the things I eat because I am supposed to eat them were the biggest block at the bottom. I guess so many people complained that they made a NEW pyramid that was supposedly easier to understand and customize…..yeah right! Well, as we all know our government is fond of wasting money on BS, they further changed it to 5 groups and now it’s a PLATE! Confused yet? Ok, I am about to simplify things for you.

I have made a Food Rectangle. It is short across the top and longer top to bottom. On the left is “food that goes better with Garlic” and on the right is “food that goes better with Chocolate”. See how easy that is? Of course there are some foods that fit into both categories and I call them “super foods”. A short list would include the following:
• Popcorn
• Pretzels
• Sour cream (for chocolate – in baked goods)
• Mayo (see Sour Cream)
• Nuts
• Chicken (see Mole)
Now don’t you feel relieved that FINALLY there is a breakdown you can understand and implement in YOUR daily life? I know I am so much happier with my choices now. (Another Moment of Truth – on most days I won’t waste my time eating desserts that aren’t chocolate based. I figure, “Why bother?”). I’m only partially kidding.

On a more serious note, I am about to get on my soapbox. There are thousands of people every day that don’t know where their next meal is coming from and they frankly don’t care about a pyramid or a balanced plate. What they care about is, “Will I be able to eat today?” Many of you reading this are REALLY blessed to be able to feed yourselves and your families, regularly and on time. I encourage you to get active with your food bank. To find YOUR food bank, go to Feeding America, type in your zip code and voila! My local is Three Square and I volunteer with them as often as humanly possible, including this past week during Restaurant Week. The Culinary Community came together to help raise funds and awareness by creating special menus at special prices and part of the purchase price of each menu sold was donated to Three Square. I volunteered as an Ambassador to brief restaurant partners, and as a diner (tough duty for me). If you missed this first ever Spring Restaurant Week, don’t worry! You’ll have another opportunity to “help out – dine out” in the fall! Can’t afford to participate in that fashion? Don’t worry! Click HERE to sign up to be a volunteer. Your TIME is priceless and worth more than your weight in gold. They need all skill sets, so KNOW that you will find something to do of value for YOUR community! And FYI – even on my darkest day, knowing I am doing something to help someone else makes me feel better. It’s purely selfish on my part. I want to feel good, so I volunteer. Special mention for Sister Nancy who delivers for Meals on Wheels every Monday – another great way to help the food insecure!

This week’s Food Memories are dining out for a cause with The Posse and My Beloved. Places visited? Via Brazil, American Fish, Bar + Bistro, Fleur by Hubert Keller and rm Seafood (and yes they were all awesome and yes, I am still full!). Also, I finally made the PERFECT poached eggs (it’s the small victories people!).

Girl Scout Thin Mint Dessert at rm Seafood

Shrimp & Grits at American Fish

Mixed Grill at American Fish – it was so awesome I started eating before taking this pic. That little ramekin in the middle was filled with creamed mushrooms and those are reason to go back all on their own!

Mocha Pot au Creme at Fleur by Hubert Keller – the cookie was the star for me and the waiter kindly brought me extras!

Cheesecake at American Fish – this was John’s choice – mine was a Valrhona Chocolate dish of fabulous!

Until next week – go out and make your OWN Food Memories!

As promised, here is the recipe:

Triple Chocolate Brownie Cookie Bars

2-1/4 C All purpose flour
¼ C Dutch process cocoa
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt

1 C + 2 T unsalted butter at room temp
1 C packed brown sugar
½ C granulated sugar
½ cup melted bittersweet chocolate
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 large eggs

2 C chocolate chips (semi-sweet, bittersweet or white)

Preheat oven to 350

Combine dry ingredients, whisk together and set aside.

On medium high speed, cream butter with the sugars until light and fluffy; add all remaining ingredients, in order, except the chocolate chips. Reduce speed on mixer and add flour mixture JUST until combined. Add chips.

Spread batter evenly into a bar pan or sheet cake pan (about 15 x 8 inches). Bake about 22 minutes until set.

Cool completely and cut into bars.

Makes about 36, depending on how you cut it.

Superbowl Food – Thai Red Curry Wings

Posted on by LeAnne Notabartolo

This was NOT the original blog I had intended for today, but then I thought, “LeAnne, if you don’t write about S-bowl party food people will think you are not a true Foodie.” Those of you who KNOW me, and know me well, are probably thinking, “WTF? LeAnne despises football.” Alas, it is true. I have never understood why people enjoy f-ball so much. Like everyone else, I cheered for the High School team (Go Bluehawks!), but I knew all the players and it was a more personal thing, about school pride, even though I don’t like the game. Now, BASEBALL? That’s a whole different story and I will wax poetic on that at a more spring like date. (Moment of Truth – I will watch and enjoy ANY sport LIVE, in person. I will watch basketball, hockey, football, even curling.)

I am not sure why this PARTICULAR game day is such a big deal. The teams only have to play something in the neighborhood of 15 games to get to S-bowl, but people talk about it virtually all year long. I don’t understand the mania surrounding the food either. I know people who have special “Superbowl ONLY” recipes. And don’t even get me started on Texas! They take their f-ball and BBQ VERY seriously! Most of the S-bowl parties I have been to involve really fatty food, nothing healthy, except the obligatory veggie tray with Ranch dressing. There is usually nothing original and dessert is almost an afterthought. The day is akin to T-giving where you eat virtually non-stop all day! You would think I would love that, but you’d be wrong! Yes, I love to eat and I have the hips to prove it, but I want the food to be fantastic. Here is an example: I love chicken wings, pretty much anyway you make them, but if you are making them for a PARTY, shouldn’t they be something a little different than the norm? Yet nearly everyone does Buffalo style. Scroll to the bottom for my spin on party wings. I adapted it from a recipe from Bon Appetit.

Several people posted pics of STADIUMS made of food. I am not sure if they were hoping I’d make one or not. Someday maybe I will do a replica of Yankee Stadium in cheese. Perhaps when household fave Derek Jeter is inducted into the Hall of Fame. Here is the Food Stadium that blew me away:

Sister Nancy and her friends in Florida get a little whacked out every year for the BIG game day festivities. They always do a themed meal inspired by the teams that are playing. Here is her FB post from yesterday:
Super Bowl Sunday in full effect! Now onto a power nap and preparations for the game! The menu is New England Clam Chowda, Manhattan Clam Chowder, NY strip steak, clam bake, baked beans, NY style potato salad, NY cheesecake and Boston cream pie. It’s gonna be fun!!!
She also says:
We do it no matter the teams — food from each city. When Pittsburgh played, we even made famous Primanti Bros. sandwiches! Indiana was hard. It’s always about the food!
Now that’s a menu I could get behind!
John and I were invited to 5 parties and because neither of us cares about the game we decided to avoid households where the GAME is the focus (apologies to my Pats Fan and dear Friend Kellylynn) because we’d talk thru the game and watch only the commercials and half time show and that would be disrespectful to the host. We instead opted to go where the FOOD was the focus, hoping that socializing would be more important than the game. FYI – I did TiVo the telecast so I could fast forward thru the game and watch the commercials and half time show in peace and quiet at home. Loved the Matthew Broderick Honda commercial.

I am not sure why, but I always forget to take pics of my food! I photograph the people and I am half way done with my meal before I realize I never took a pic!

I include this photo not because I am a Pats fan, but it involves my OTHER love – shoes! Created by Tina for Laura in Florida, blinged out Team shoes! I may have to call her to do some Yankee ones for me!

The Ovens at Due Forni – the only ones of their kind in the US.

With Dominic Scali (The Vegas Foodie), Al Mancini and his lovely wife Sue at Due Forni

Birthday fun at Tommy Rockers with Laurie and pals!

And for the record, I am a NY fan ALWAYS – first and foremost – no matter the sport.

This week’s Food Memories include buying fresh fish that had worms in it (yes, really), birthday fun with Friend Laurie M, and Superbowl food at Due Forni and Friend Sam’s house (good shredded chicken sliders!).

Until next week, go out and make your OWN Food Memories!

Thai Red Curry Wings
Serves 6 as an appetizer

3 -3½ lbs chicken wing segments (or just drumettes if you like) – washed and patted dry. If you want a little more flavor and juicier wings you can brine them over night.
2 Tbsp oil – canola, grape seed, vegetable

Zest and juice of 1 large lime
3 Tbsp softened butter
3 Tbsp Thai red curry paste or Panang curry paste (see note)
1 T dark honey or agave syrup (the honey is thicker and will make a stickier sauce)
Sliced tops of green onions for garnish

Preheat oven to 425.

Toss chicken with oil and spread on a large sheet pan. Bake until the skin is golden and crispy, about 30-45 minutes. (If you like your wings a bit softer, cook for less time.)

Meanwhile, zest and juice the lime into a large mixing bowl. Add remaining ingredients and mix well to create a paste.

Once the wings are done baking place them in the bowl with the seasoning paste and stir to coat. (I use a large plastic bowl with a lid so I can just shake the wings to coat them.)

Dump onto a warmed platter, sprinkle with the green onion and serve immediately.

Note – Curry paste can be found in most Asian markets and there are several varieties. All of them make great tasting wings – experiment with them.

If you like your wings hotter, you can add additional curry paste, less butter and even a dash of Asian style hot sauce.

Part 2 – Oh, SNAP! And a Cheap Recipe

Posted on by LeAnne Notabartolo

If you read my post last Monday, you know that John and I participated, along with several other Las Vegans, in the SNAP Experience to help raise awareness about food insecurity. The reason for this is that the Farm Bill, of which SNAP is a part, is up for a vote. Politicians want to cut that bill in lieu of making other tough choices. Personally, I feel that everyone has the right to EAT and if they are unable to do so, for whatever reason, they need help and education to eat wisely and healthfully.

Because I cook almost everything from scratch and we don’t eat a lot of processed foods, eating the way we normally eat wasn’t TOO big a stretch. I do realize that most people don’t have the time or desire to spend the amount of time I do in the kitchen. And we did run into some personal SNAFU’s – John is a snacker and we just didn’t build money into the budget for that.

The last day was the biggest problem for us. We did fine the first 4 days of the challenge (other than not being able to snack), but the 5th day posed some really tough circumstances that had more to do with our jobs and lives than it did the program. John had a colleague come in to town who wanted to treat him to lunch. John accepted because it was a business lunch and he didn’t pay. I was leaving Friday morning for an out of town business trip (we started the SNAP Experience on Sunday rather than Monday) so I had errands to do. Of course I forgot to pack a lunch and ended up eating out and finding the cheapest option possible (at $8). The lesson here is that if we were SNAP recipients it wouldn’t have mattered that I had a business trip or that I forgot to pack a lunch, I’d still have had to eat and I would still have needed the funds to do it and I maybe wouldn’t have had them.

Here is what I learned this past week on the SNAP Experience:

• John and I are incredibly spoiled and very fortunate to have enough to eat each day
• If it weren’t for store loyalty programs (saved me $16.50) and coupons (saved me $5.00) we wouldn’t have made it thru the week. Smart shopping is not enough
• Planning is key! Even though I didn’t plan for the week, like some participants did, I planned each day because that is the way I shop.
• Protein and Produce are major expenses. We chose protein over produce because for both of us, the protein keeps us fuller longer. Not necessarily the BEST way to eat.
• For 2 adults it was doable, but I can’t imagine having to tell my kid that there was nothing else to eat. Really young kids can’t grasp that if their belly is yelling, “Fill me up!”
• We both lost weight because we weren’t snacking – a good thing.

I received a little grief from someone at the start of this. I was told that participating to raise awareness was noble, but not realistic. Basically this person said that trying to do this for a week was fine and all, but try doing it for a MONTH, or FOREVER. THAT is a real challenge. At the end of the week I was able to go back to my “normal” life. People every day are living with food insecurity and so many people are completely oblivious to the plight. This past week really opened our eyes to things we have begun to take for granted. Yes, our “Experience” ended after 5 days, but I do think I am going to be more aware of what I actually spend on food. And let’s not forget that SNAP monies can’t be used to buy laundry soap, toothpaste, diapers or anything else needed to run a home that is NOT a food product!

Not having to worry about food insecurity is a blessing for my household. I grew up in need and this just reminded me how fortunate I am and strengthened my resolve to keep working with agencies like Three Square and Feeding America to do as much as I can to educate, inspire and motivate people to get involved!

Here is a cheap recipe for you to try. I am quite sure that it isn’t authentic, but it still tastes good and even if you can’t get everything on sale, it’s still “cheap eats”. It serves 4 generously (lots of rice for me thank you very much!) for about $1.25/serving. You can add more veggies if you have them and sub firm tofu for the chicken if you are vegetarian or vegan. You can cook the rice while you are making the curry, and all together it should take you about 30 minutes.

2 cups rice – cooked according to pkg directions ($0.80)
1 small onion – chopped ($0.16)
1 Tbsp vegetable or Olive oil
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast – ($1.99 on sale)
2 Tbsp Thai red curry paste (found in Asian markets – about $0.50) use less if you want mild, this amount is for mild – medium.
1 – 14 oz can coconut milk ($0.89)
1 pkg – 12 oz- fresh mixed veggies – broccoli, snow peas and carrots ($0.75 on sale)

In a non stick skillet, heat oil until it shimmers and add onion. Cook until the onions start to brown, stirring frequently. Add chicken, continue cooking and stirring until chicken is cooked almost all the way thru. Add curry paste and coconut milk, stirring until the sauce is uniform in color. Add water (or chicken stock) if desired to thin the sauce a little. Bring mixture to a boil. Toss in the veggies, reduce heat, cover the skillet and steam the veggies until desired doneness (for me, about 3 minutes).

Serve immediately over hot rice.

This week’s Food Memories are eating on the lean side for the SNAP Experience, dinner at Mohawk Bend with Dave T, Laurie M and Jen R and Dave not removing his hat (from a previous blog, you know this is my biggest pet peeve),

A really good, but over priced Italian dinner with Laurie, Jen and Erin,

Lobster Bisque from that dinner

and perfectly cooked eggs at a diner (you have no idea how rare that is!).

Until next week, go out and make your OWN Food Memories.

Talk Soup – and yes there is a recipe

Posted on by LeAnne Notabartolo

Even though the weather here in Vegas is unseasonably warm, for some reason or other the only thing I feel like cooking, or eating is SOUP! I am not sure why. Maybe it is because I am coming down with a cold (first and only of the season if I have my way), maybe it is because this time of year I want comfort food. The Post-Holiday Blahs always set in hard and fast with me and eating comfort food makes everything all better. Like a kiss on a boo-boo.

My friend Deb P and I have a running joke about soup. Whenever we go out to eat she ALWAYS orders the soup. For me, since I like to MAKE soup, I only order it in restaurants when it is something I really love, like cream of mushroom, or when it is something I can’t or won’t make, or any seafood bisque. I am typically a creamy soup person as opposed to a brothy soup person, with the complete exception of hot & sour soup and wonton soup. There was, however, this fantastic “beef tea” I had at a coffee shop in San Antonio with friend Nanette C and I am still not sure what was in it. It was a beef consommé, but flavored with unusual seasonings. They said there was cinnamon of all things in it, but I can’t wrap my head around that!

Once you know how to make a decent stock the possibilities are endless. And as I have mentioned before, my favorite primer for making a good stock is in Anthony Bourdain’s book “The Les Halles Cookbook”. It is simple, to the point and written the way most of us cook. Start there!

Lately I have been playing around with “unusual” soup ingredients. And by “unusual”, I mean things I don’t normally put into a soup. This week it was kale, Italian sausage and beans. (Moment of truth – I really don’t tolerate any colored beans, like pintos and kidneys, well. They disagree with me.) A few weeks ago I was trying my hand at VEGAN “cream” of broccoli, “creamed” with soft tofu – the vegans liked it, I thought it was gross!

So what is YOUR comfort food? I know for many it is a pasta dish of some sort, others meatloaf and mashers, and still others it is chocolate. But what is it about our own individual comfort food that makes us feel comforted? For me it is about warmth. It’s always about warmth. When I eat soup I am warm from the inside out and I stay that way. If soup is your thing, here are a few good ones in Vegas and one in San Antonio to try:
• The Four Mushroom soup at Mon Ami Gabi – it is NOT a regular menu item, so if it is the special of the day, you should have it.
• The New England Clam Chowder at Rick Moonen’s rm Seafood at Mandalay Bay. If you don’t live in Vegas, grab a copy of his book, “Fish Without a Doubt” – the recipe is on page 302.
• The Lobster Bisque at Sammy’s Woodfired Pizza – it is not traditional, it’s a lot thicker than typical bisque, but I like it that way and Sammy’s are scattered around, so they are easy to access.
• The WonTon Soup at New York Chinese – Del Webb and Lake Mead – if you are from NY and are craving soup, theirs is the closest I have found to the ones I like at home. Their wontons are NOT a slimy mushy mess like everyone else’s! And at $4.05 for a quart it’s a great bargain!
• The Tortilla Soup at Mama’s in San Antonio – there are several locations, but I usually go to the one on Pat Booker Rd. For some reason this one is my fave – thanks Deb P for pointing it out!

Enjoy the recipe below.

This week’s Food Memories are all birthday related – trying out the new Public House at the Venetian/Palazzo with friend Lynn, oysters and snacks at PJ Clarke’s with Laurie and Lynn, sushi and cocktails with Super Star bartender JR Starkus at rm Seafood, Chinese food at Joyful House with The Bells!
THe lovely beer menu at the new Public House – check it out! They have CASK beer – yippee!

The Public House pate collection with some cheese

With friends at rm Seafood along with Manager & family friend Chris Moonen (with the beard) and rock star bartender JR Starkus

Sausage and Kale Soup
serves 4 generously – serves 6 regularly!

3-4 links hot Italian sausage
3 qts chicken stock
1 C dried white kidney beans (cannellini) – soaked and cooked OR 1 can cannellini beans drained and rinsed
1 bunch kale – coarsely chopped – tough ribs removed
Crushed red pepper
1 teaspoon – or to taste – Herbs de Provence (or Italian seasoning)
1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes OR 1 can whole tomatoes crushed with your hands
1 ½ C small pasta – ditallini is my fave – but you can use anything small
Salt to taste
Parmesan cheese for garnish if desired.

Poach sausage links in 2 cups of the stock until done. When cool enough to handle, slice into disks. Strain the poaching stock to remove any solid matter and place the sausage back in. You will be adding this stock to the soup along with the sausage. When you do this there will be a thin film of reddish oil on the top of the stock – that is the flavor from the sausage’s fat and peppers leaking out. We want that BACK into the soup.

Heat the remaining stock to boiling. Add everything to the pot except the pasta – cook for 3-4 minutes until the kale is wilted. Add the pasta and cook until al dente. The kale should be done by then too.

Serve immediately topped with cheese if you like. You can also add additional red pepper flakes if you want it a little spicier.

This is basically a free form recipe – add more beans, change the beans, leave out the pasta, 1add other veggies, increase starches to make it more of a stew. It is a GUIDELINE to encourage you to experiment. Have fun with it!

Until next week, go out and make your OWN Food Memories!