Category Archives: Food

Eggs Benedict with Meyer lemon dressing.

One of my goals for 2012 is to cook more at home, with fresh ingredients, using what’s on hand with less waste. I love to cook, I love cookbooks, so this year I’m making it more of a priority. This past weekend our close family friend, Britt, spent the night on New Year’s Day. We had made Grilled Salmon and a Fennel salad with Meyer Lemon Dressing from my new X-mas gift cookbook, Big Sur Bakery Cookbook, (I highly recommend by the way). I was so excited to make this at home. PFMan and I spent a few days in Big Sur in July and fell in love with the Bakery. Though all the food we had in our 9-day trip to Northern California, my absolute favorite meal was the simple salad of fennel, greens, herbs and Meyer lemon dressing at the Bakery! So I’ve been itching to get the cookbook and PFMan didn’t let me down for the holiday!

Anyway, we had plenty of dressing leftover, as well as a French Baguette, some greens and a hunk of ham in the freezer so I whipped up a beautiful new recipe for Eggs Benedict on Monday morning.

Believe it or not, I’d never poached an egg before. So I got on-line, of course, and had that figured out in under five minutes.  I have to say I was very pleased with my first try at poaching.  Anyway, the Benedict went like this. Cut baguette into slices, lay on cookie sheet, brush with olive oil, toast in oven.  We plated four slices per plate as the base of our Benedict. Then we placed the ham, which had been previously cut into thick slices and heated in a skillet, on top of baguette slices and then a dollop of salad greens. Next came the poached egg, a drizzle of Meyer lemon dressing and some chopped fennel tops to garnish.  It was a crowd pleaser.

On a cookbook note, I’m also really enjoying Jamie Oliver’s At Home Cookbook.  It’s about his garden and the recipes inspired from the beautiful bounty that grows there.  Very inspiring to eat healthy, fresh and sustainably.

Salute!

Galway City

The Luck of the Irish that is.  We just returned home from our family trip to Ireland, kinda piggy-backed on PFMan’s yearly trek out there to broadcast live for St. Patty’s Day.  This would have been his third year in a row and I was not letting him go without us this time!

We flew out several days prior to the broadcast, finding our way by car to Galway City where we called home for our first four nights.  We stayed at the Kilcullen House B&B which is about a 10 minute walk outside of the City Centre, close enough to enjoy the city, but a distance from the noise.  Many times while walking in Galway I felt as if I were a character in a Dickens novel or a miniature in a Christmas Village scene.  I love that, the old worldliness of it. 

Our favorite food in Galway was hands down found at Ard Bia in the Spanish Arch.  It’s located in the Arch which is very medieval in style, but once you walk inside, it’s the small, cozy and very eclectic eatery.  It was love at first site.  The menu is so creative, using local and sustainable produce and meat sources, which I love!  My favorite entree was the St. Tola goats cheese & pistachio cracked wheat cake with wilted greens, garlic yogurt & muhumara.  I will crave this until I return! Honestly we couldn’t decide what to order so we had them bring us the two most popular starters and mains.  We were NOT disappointed.

Other places we enjoyed eating: McDonagh’s, O’Grady’s on the Pier (actually in Barna on the coast near Galway), and Griffin’s Bakery! McDonagh’s is THE place to go for your required Fish n’ Chips, with many different fish types to choose from you can’t go wrong here. O’Grady’s was recommended to us by Emer and Russel, the Inn keepers at Kilcullen House. It’s located in the tiny coastal village named Barna, just outside of Galway. Located on the pier, great views and the BEST chowder I’ve ever had in my life, no kidding! Griffin’s Bakery, originally founded in 1876 also recommended by Emer & Russell. OMG, we each picked a pastry and thank goodness we got four, they were all DELICIOUS. Again, the BEST scone ever. I could have died happy.

I have to stop here, with the food, I haven’t yet mentioned the PUBS, or the Irish Countryside or our time in Dublin or…. So, you’ll have to stay tuned and for now, enjoy the pictures.

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Merry Christmas!  This is a cherished ornament that has been passed down in my family!

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This is our Kahlua Cake.  It’s a Trifle and is sooo easy and delicious!!

Make two boxes chocolate pudding, one box chocolate cake.  Bake and cool cake, cut into squares, this is the first layer.  Sprinkle some Kahlua over cake pieces.  Mix Kahlua, to your liking, into pudding and spoon over cake.  Repeat layers, top with large container Cool Whip and sprinkles….  HELLO~!!  YUM & HAPPINESS!!:-).

These beauties found at the new Fresh Market in St. Petersburg, FL.

I grew up eating these nutty buds stuffed with seasoned bread and dipping the leaves in butter sauce.  I haven’t yet been able to convince my own family of their yumminess. I just figure they’re missing out, the sense of satisfaction one receives upon reaching the heart, their loss. But artichokes are more than fun to eat they are a healthy choice as well.  They are rich in fiber, and one medium artichoke can provide us with 3.5 grams of vegetable-based protein, a boost of Vitamin C, folate and potassium. Only 60 calories and zero fat, yee haw!

Scared to choose them and cook them? Their is a really great article on how to choose, prepare and cook artichokes in the current Clean Eating Magazine.  It makes these prickly little critters a breeze to work with.  You can also find a nice guide here at Simply Recipes.

Guide to choosing:

1) Choose one that’s heavy for it’s size, no wrinkles running from the inside tip of the petals to the base.

2) Look at the stem. A blackened cut could mean it has been stored too long.

3) Avoid those with spongy brown patches.

Mangia!

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I took several handfuls of pictures of lemons on our recent trip to Italy this past April. Lemon trees, lemons in bowls, lemons on vines. They were plentiful and beautiful. You see, I love lemons. I love a wedge squeezed in my sweet tea, I love the look of a bowl of lemons to brighten a room, I love the zest, the juice, the color, the smell….

So when I came across this article about 22 uses for lemon peels, I was immediately intrigued. Now, I already do several things on this list, but I have to share a few new things I found that I can’t wait to try out! Like making lemon extract powder which you can then use to make lemon sugar and lemon pepper or making a sugar scrub! Soften your elbows and lighten age spots too! Sounds good to me.

The Sugar Scrub

Cannellini Bean Salad with Arugula.

I’m forever trying to come up with side dishes, searching all the cookbooks, food magazines and websites. Well, I have a standby ready at all times that is quick, healthy and so yummy. Oh, and versatile too!! It’s the Bean Salad. I make sure that I always have a variety of canned beans, olive oils and flavored vinegars in the pantry. Then all you need is a fresh herb and some salt and pepper and you’ve got your side dish!!

Bean options:
Cannellini
Garbanzo (Chick Peas)
Pinto
Kidney
Any small white or red beans
Black beans

As far as Olive Oil goes, I do buy good stuff for these salads, as it’s not being heated. Highly aromatic and flavorful. There are so many varieties and countries to choose from, just have fun with it. If you’re in St. Petersburg, FL, a good place to start is Kalamazoo Olive Company Downtown!

Vinegar:
I love the Nakano Brand rice vinegars. They have a great Balsamic blend and I’ve currently been using the Roasted Garlic as well.

Ok, to make this salad, grab a can or two of the beans (don’t be afraid to mix them if all you have is one garbanzo and one kidney bean can), rinse and strain them. Then chop up some tomatoes or not, then whatever herb you have on hand, cilantro and parsley are my favorites, but I’ve used Arugula (not technically an herb) and basil as well. I do love the peppery note the Arugula adds. You could use chives too! I then pour on my choice of vinegar and oil and some fresh ground pepper and sea salt, stir and viola! Side Dish!!

You can serve immediately or place in fridge until later. You may need to add a bit more vinegar just before serving.

As a shopper who supports buying locally, look for those independently owned specialty shops in your area.  If in the Tampa Bay area here are a few:

Rollin Oats Market & Cafe’
Kalamazoo Olive Company
V Spicery
Mazzaro’s Italian Market
Messineo’s Gourmet Market

Andare mangiare!

Tri-color cheese & sausage tortellini.

Lately, with my ever shifting priorities, I’ve had good intentions to cook more. I’m a good cook, who learned the art from a great cook, my Mom. It would be a shame to let this talent go to waste. Sometimes it’s difficult, I’m easily swayed by all the amazing local eating establishments we have here in St. Petersburg, but the effort is being made. With that said, I do need inspiration and ideas, as I tend to get bored easily, so I thought I’d share with you a few of my favorite blogs and websites that I turn to in my time of need. Enjoy!

Simply Recipes – My current favorite place to find new recipes.

101 Cookbooks – Interesting finds, not your everyday, at least not things I think of naturally, oh and beautiful food photography as well.

Tasty Kitchen – Have you been introduced to The Pioneer Woman yet? Well, this is her food site!

The Nourished Kitchen – Not only great recipes and beautiful photography, but really useful information for just about everything in the kitchen.

Tortellini Recipe.

1/2 pound fresh tri-color cheese tortellini
1/2 pound fresh sausage tortellini (Both purchased at Messineo’s Gourmet Market)
1/4 cup chopped Arugula
parmigiano-reggiano to taste – I use a lot!
extra virgin olive oil
salt
fresh ground pepper

Bring water to boil, toss in fresh torts, about 2-3 minutes until they float to top.
Pull out of water and toss with all ingredients.
Enjoy!

Italy has always been the most important European country for me to visit and my wish came true this April. My husband and I brought Mema and Pop Pop to Florida to watch the kiddos while we whisked ourselves away for two weeks. We focused on Liguria, home of Le Cinque Terre, the five villages. They are Monterosso al Mare, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, and Riomaggiore. This region is rich with culinary splendors and the local wine called Sciacchetrà, a straw wine, typically drank with cheese or desserts. They are fisherman villages, and wine villages, known for the best pesto and focaccia in Italy. As well, you must have the acciuga, anchovies, a specialty of Monterosso.

This region is also a part of the Cinque Terre National Park. There are walking trails connecting the five towns and the difficulty levels range from an easy stroll to a rough and physically challenging hike. The segment of the hike between Riomaggiore and Manarola is called the Via Dell’Amore (“Love Walk”). We enjoyed bringing along a little nosh to sit and enjoy during our hike. The towns are each unique in there own way, our favorite was Monterosso al Mare, it has two distinct sides, the new and old. We spent most of our time in Old Town at the Enoteca’ de Eliseo a beautiful little wine bar run by husband and wife, Eliseo and Mary. They serve bottomless bowls of the most amazing capers, they are huge in size and flavor.

This is where you can buy jars of the best pesto to take home and the little pasta called Trofie, Combine them to make Trofie al Pesto!

Trofie al Pesto

We also loved Corniglia. Unlike the other towns of the Cinque Terre, Corniglia is not located on the sea. Instead, it is on the top of the mountain, surrounded on three sides by vineyards and terraces and the fourth side descends steeply on the sea. We found a lovely place to stop for vino named Il Pirun, run by Mario. After you finish up with a drink downstairs, wind your way up the spiral staircase to the second floor for a wonderful meal.

Whatever you do, DO NOT leave here without buying several bags of the olive oil crackers they serve with the wine. These are addicting.

For now, Ciao!  I’ll be back with Venice on our next tour of our trip to Italy.

So, I’m sitting here with my friend Britt, we’ve met here at Emilio’s for what’s supposed to be a working breakfast, ha.  Had a yummy Egg, Cheese with Tomato on Crossiant and a decaf, because lord knows I only need ONE cup of caffeine which I already had at home!!  We both have our computers and she is being very disciplined and is working on her lesson plans.  She says I’m more easily distracted then her.  YEP!  We started talking about Adult ADD and how we both have self diagnosed ourselves as having it.  I laughed and blamed it on being an Aquarius, a dreamer, a butterfly…   Meanwhile, we come here often, so we know the employees and the owner which leads to conversations about the new movie Inception and how Emilio would like to be able to sit here, like I’m currently doing, on his couch and work without being distracted, ha.  Wow, and I just realized that it’s 11:15 already and I have to leave to pick up my son at camp in 30 min.  Ok… so what picture do I have on file to represent distraction. Let me see….

Britt at the Emilio's Bar.