Nurturing my inner... fruit bowl

There were two things going on in my head that morning (besides "I'm not really awake yet."): 1.) I have some organic fruit left from the Green Grocer delivery a couple weeks ago that I need to do something with before it goes bad. 2.) I need to jazz up breakfast so it's not blah.  This is what you get as a result of my early day, still half asleep, pondering and cooking adventure.

Fruit Chutney

2 d'anjou pears, peeled & diced
1 fuji apple, peeled & diced
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1 tbsp Lyle's Godlen Syrup
1/4 cup orange juice
1/2 fresh squeezed lemon juice
1/4 cup Craisins
1/4 cup golden raisins
1 cinnamon stick
1/3 cup pecans, toasted & chopped
1 tsp corn starch
Pinch of salt

I like this recipe because it's got lots of good stuff in it, but it's simple.  A two pot wonder.  In the first pot goes the pears, apple, brown sugar, syrup, OJ, lemon juice, Craisins, raisins, salt and cinnamon stick.  Partially covered on a medium, low simmer setting for about 15 minutes.  Stir from time to time and to check on the liquid content so it doesn't burn.

Can use any combo of fresh and dried fruit.
Apricots would be another good option.

It always seems to be a challenge to me to find new ways to have a breakfast that isn't loaded with fat and doesn't use eggs.  (Because you shouldn't eat them every day.) This curious set of challenges was a motivator for this recipe.  It was also pantry cooking.

Oats with Milk

1/2 cup steel cut oats
1 1/2 cups water
1/4 cup nonfat powdered milk

And for the second pot... Oatmeal is a good for you food, but you have to do the real oats, not the packaged, nutritionless junk. I like steel cut for this.  But instead of making them with just water, I added some powdered milk I happened to have around.  Because I don't drink much milk, I have the powdered version handy for last minute guests to have coffee.  (I drink my coffee black with sugar most days.  But why should they suffer?)  It worked out great!

 

Very low simmer. Just bubbly edges.

The time on the container said 5-7 minutes, but it didn't seem done to me until about 8 minutes when it looked like rich, creamy oatmeal.  (Yet made with non fat milk, if you recall.  Boo ya!)  You won't need to add any sugar to this because you'll be combining with the sweet fruit mixture later on.


Sort of looks like extra thick cream of wheat.


Back to pot number one... In the last couple/few minutes of cook time, add the pecans and then the corn starch to thicken the remaining juice.  (Note: You don't want to cook the fresh fruit for too long so that the pears and apples break down so much and become pear and apple sauce.)

Smells warm and fallish. Bet this would also
make a great turnover mixture.

Time to create your breakfast bowl.  Add a nice scoop of the oats to a dish and another scoop of the warm fruit chutney on top.

That looks farm table ready to me.

Mmmm.  Sweet and full of wholesome grains.  I loved how chewy it was.  Full of good-sized chunks of fruit and crispy nuts.  The Craisins and raisins got all plumped up and soft.  The texture of all the items together, in each spoonful, was a real fruit symphony.  Music for your tastebuds!  That should surely wake you up in the morning.

Nurturing my inner... double dessert

While on the treadmill at the gym this morning for four, long, boring and more boring miles, my mind began to wander.  (Well, they only seem to show guy-oriented sports and news programs.  *Yawnfest.*  Not what I'd be watching at home!  Um, not that I don't watch the news.  I'm intelligent, relevant and informed.  Some days.)  So, my thoughts turned to food.  As it mostly does.

What would happen if you took two desserts you loved and morphed them into one?  Pure awesomeness, that's what.  Julia's Bakery, Orange, CT.  Place of fine baked goods fusion.  (And why has my family not taken me to this place sooner?)

What color is that brick? Mauve?

One small set of doors opened up quite a good-sized bakery.  There were a dozen glass-covered cabinets full of sweet treats.  Sugar shock!  I didn't know where to look first.

Cake slices of all kinds.

I looked over the Italian cookie trays, that went on for miles, and then saw these magic words: Fun Filled Cupcakes.  Who doesn't like the promise of fun in a single-sized, self indulgent serving?

I wanted to taste test the entire cabinet.

I could tell you right off which cupcake I decided on, but then how else would I build the sugary tension?  So here is the box first.

Old fashioned bakery style box.

Okay, enough wait.  I love cupcakes and I love canoli, so I got the canoli cupcake!  Obvious choice.  Plus, I have never seen a canoli cupcake anywhere else.  Must be the Italian influence up North.  (I love those New England bakers who bring my heritage into all things edible.)

Yes, I do realize you see that mini canoli in
there as well. I can't help myself!

So, you know what a canoli is, right, but what is a canoli cupcake?  It is a golden, moist cupcake with a Marachino cherry juice and traditional creamy, canoli-filled cavern, topped with light and airy whipped cream and sprinkled with chocolate chips.  Topped with a cherry too!  Scrumptious.

Nope, not sharing. Get your own!

Might I recommend the banana chocolate chip cupcake... and the red velvet cupcake... and the carrot cake cupcake... and the chocolate canoli cupcake.... okay, just get them all.  And promise yourself you'll only eat one a day and then run on the treadmill for half an hour.  Or just eat one while running on the treadmill.  (Now there is some fusion for you!)  Gives you incentive and makes the round and round, yet going nowhere, less boring.

Nurturing my inner... tea with mum

Almost every morning I go into the office, I have a cup of tea.  Nothing fancy.  Just a French Vanilla tea bag with a Demera raw sugar cube.  It's warm, reliable and often the calm before the day's storm.  In the end, it's just a beverage though.  And I prefer a lasting experience.

In the couple of months before my holiday trip home, mom kept talking about a tea shop she heard about on the small main street on the way to the bank.  The bank that the tellers used to give us lollipops with my parents' paycheck deposits in the tube shootie-uppie vacuum thingie.  (Is there a real name for that?)  I was able to take her when I was home last month.  (Really, when do I ever say no when food is involved.)  Tea with Tracy, in Seymour, CT.

A shot down main street around noon.

The varieties of teas available is like nothing else I've ever seen.  Dozens.  Caf, decaf and cocoas.  How can one decide?  (Pressure from your mother, that's how.)

Unparalleled options.

The menu was on the table with a little holiday decor.  Tea for whatever number in your party included, for each patron, your choice of scone, sandwich and dessert.

Evergreens and sparkles always say holidays.

The owners worked there with their daughters and all came to greet us throughout the time we spent there.  Everyone was so friendly in this family affair.  In that light, I too was there with some of my family - mom and my cousin.  We all ordered different teas as expected.  You get your very own little teapot of brew for yourself.  As we waited for our tea, I looked around.

View back toward the kitchen and the shelves
that hold all the teapots and cups.

They had about six cloth covered tables that fit 3-4 people each, but can be put together in arrangements to fit larger parties.  Which is what happened shortly after we arrived, so I'm glad we got a table when we did.  The whole place was full soon enough.  And after devouring the food, I could see why.

Nice windows with sunlight. Christmas tree!

At the entrance, they have shelves stocked with imported, top quality English teas and cocoas for purchase.  How great to know that the tea you had there is likely available to take home with you!  I've never seen a bigger, better selection at any other tea shop I've ever been to.

Almost impossible to choose less than three.
This was only one well-stocked case. They
had more in another cabinet and on a shelf.

In just a wee bit of time passing, our hot teapots were set before us with the instructions that they needed to steep for another few minutes to be of optimum perfection.  Good tea brewing is no careless task.  I think that's why so many Americans don't love tea.  They make low quality tea way too weak and flat.  It's meant to be deep and smooth, which you can only get out of higher quality teas.

Mismatched cups and pots. Love it! Adds to
the "tea at a friend's house" cozy ambiance.

You should take your time when you are enjoying afternoon tea, yet it wasn't but a quick spell of chatting later that out came our three-tiered dispenser of treats.  Both savory and sweet.

Look at my gorgeous pumpkin tea in its cup.

The top plate had scones and clotted cream.  Mom got cranberry orange and my cousin and I chose chocolate chip.  They told us these were Australian style scones because that's the kind the owner's mother used to make.  They are a little more like an Irish soda bread and flatter than what I've experienced as English scones.  Bumpy and chewy.

The middle plate had sandwiches on our choice of white or wheat.  Egg salad, chicken salad and cranberry brie were our choices.  These sandwiches were delish.  Fresh bread, cold ingredients.  No crusts!  Such pampering.  I felt like the Queen.  (For an hour.)



Could you ask for more? Sure,
some dessert!

The bottom plate held all the desserts.  It was so difficult to decide on the sweets, but we finally went with the things everyone could share - apple torte, banana bread and this absolutely over the top, incredible, wish I had some right now, Swedish white brownie made with almonds.  It was a crusty, chewy, light, amaretto-flavored dream.  (Secret family recipe.)

Swedish almond brownie on the right.

They also had some cupcakes and cookies made with flavors of the season that they change up every few months.  For a small place, they really offered variety and quality befitting of a much larger restaurant.

I'm glad to see more small businesses open and rejuvenate main streets of small towns.  I'll be going back to support them and see what delicious things they come up with next!  If you're going to the bank in Seymour, you should definitely stop in and have some tea and that amazing almond cake.

Nurturing my inner... roadside shack

Are you ready for this?  No you are not.  You have no idea what I'm going to do.  I'm going to bend the time space continuum and take you back, way, way back... to November.  Of 2011.  Times were busy then and I have some real catching up to do with you.

I went to Orlando, FL with my mom in early November and one thing that was on our list was perhaps a lesser known sea delicacy to most: stone crab claws.  Their season is only from Oct to May.  We had arrived just in time for them, yet still a little early in the season start.  So it took some doing to find a restaurant that had them that day.  Lucky for us, we asked the guys who ran the airboat ride we had just gone on where to find them and they had just the "restaurant" for us.  (After calling three places.)  Ms. Apple's Crab Shack.

Yes, that is a retail fish market.

At this moment you may be noticing this wasn't exactly a restaurant.  (The word shack should have given that away.)  It was a roadside fish market, just over the bridge.  When we first walked in there were lots of tanks holding all kinds of live Maryland blue crabs in different sizes and price points.  Which you could get steamed right there for lunch or dinner.  As we worked our way to the back, I found the treasure for which we had traversed so far for.  (I think it was 12 miles from the St. John's River.)

There they are!

The price was amazing!  They were $11.99 per pound.  Oh yes!  When I got back to Virginia I checked out the grocery stores that carried them and they were $24.99 a pound!  So don't knock the shacks.  Plus, when you get in season local specialties, you can really get a great deal.

The stone crab claws were already cooked.  Another little known fact about stone crab is that any reputable place doesn't freeze them because they don't hold up well.  So cooked up fresh is what you get, settled in on a cool bed of ice and sold super fast.  We got a bit over a pound.  As an added convenience, they asked us if we wanted them to par crack the claws for us.  If you ever saw a stone crab claw, they are like Teflon-coated, cast iron super hero crustaceans with a thick shell.  Let your fish mongers do the work for you.  While wearing proper eye gear.  Then grab your plastic bag and garlic butter sauce and saunter your way out back to the picnic tables with the hammers bolted to the tables.  High class.  (That sign in the back is for the restrooms.)

Casual dining. But there were palm trees.

Once we disinfected our hands and prepped the table with proper germ barriers, we were ready to relax and eat.

Never has such great food been delivered in
such a low cost plastic baggie.

Let me show you the view from our picnic tables, to upclass the whole outdoor experience.

Puffy clouds. Rippling water.

Back to eating.  Claw and garlic butter sauce.  You may be thinking what's the big deal?  Crab is crab and it all tastes the same.  Tut tut, not so.  Stone crab claws are big and the meat is so sweet.  Truly incomparable to any other sea creature.

This wasn't even the largest size claw available.
Some were ginormous!

They were delicious and gone all too fast.  I could have eaten twice as much.  But then how would I fit in ice cream?

Now, two more random Florida things.  1.) I had my first churro at Disney outside of my first in person Cirque du Soleil show "La Nouba."  (Absolutely amazing show if you ever get to see it.  Those people defy all laws of physics.)  A churro, by the way, is a Mexican fried dough stick and the one I chose had Bavarian cream inside.  Oooh.  Double treat.  ('Cause in America, we crank it up a level.  Keeps the insurance companies in business.)

Covered in cinnamon & sugar.

2.) After our airboat ride, I held a 15 lb alligator.  Why you ask?  Because it was there.  And the slightly crazy airboat driver offered it up to me.  Who can say no to the chance to hold an amphibian that normally you can't in the wild because it will snap your arm in half with its jaws of death.  (Thank goodness for that sturdy rubber band and the fact that it was only a toddler.)

Take that other boat patrons who
didn't have the guts to hold
Hollywood. Wimps!

Orlando was a fun trip!  Nice weather.  Great attractions.  Good food.  Weird places to eat.  Strange exotic animals to hold.  Just when you think you know a place, it's so much more.  Ask the locals.  Visit the real Florida.

Nurturing my inner... dinner and a movie

Friends.  You just never know where you may find them.  In fact, sometimes they are hiding, lurking even, in the darndest of all places.  Like running class.  What can go from 25 complete strangers can dwindle down in two months to the dedicated (or codependent) 10.  Much like war buddies, we have been deeply bonded by hard times.  Running eight miles in the heat trying not to throw up, getting lost on the Glade Loop when our coach calls every run (no matter which direction we go in) "The Glade Loop," spitting in public which is not exactly becoming for any girl.  Oh yes, the dark side of the sport is now exposed.  So to show some love to my buddies, both male and female, who keep me from seeming like an awkward social outcast (as best they can), I asked them to come over for some grub and a film.  (A running film.  Note the theme.)  We had met early on our day off this morning (now that is dedication... or foolishness - who can say) to run a few in the 25 degree morning chill, so they earned this meal.

(Special note: I'd also like to take a moment to say never undervalue the gift of friends who are available.  It is a great display of care and importance to give your time to someone.)

But what to make?  As to not let you think we're super human health nuts, you'll recall the burger place we went to yesterday, this was my attempt at doing something a little on the lighter side.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

1 regular-sized rotisserie chicken, picked
1 onion, diced
1 can diced tomatoes, with juice
1 can tomato paste
1 can corn, drained
1 can cannellini beans, rinsed & drained
1 can tiny white beans, rinsed & drained
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp cumin powder
1 tbsp chili seasoning
2 carrots, diced
2 small zucchini, diced
2 dried bay leaves
1/4 tsp salt
6 cups chicken broth
6 corn tortillas, cut into 1 inch pieces

Toppings

Shredded Mexican cheese blend
Sour cream (I used light)
Avocado, chopped
Fresh cilantro, chopped
Fresh lime, wedged

Don't be frightened by that list of ingredients.  You'll throw it all in the pot together and leave it for four and a half hours.  Or more.

Start by pulling out that trusty slow cooker or a dutch oven.  Throw in the zucchini, carrots, onion, diced tomatoes, beans, corn, garlic, cumin, chili powder, salt and bay leaves.  Pour the broth on top of it all.

Gotta love just tossing everything in one
pot at the same time! Looks like
food confetti!

Next add the rotisserie chicken.  (I get every bit.  Put in the time when removing the meat and you'll find you get a lot of chicken from one little bird.)

Perfectly picked. Dark and light. Good flavor.

I decided to add in a some tomato paste to make the flavor richer.

Just keep adding what you like. Other veggies.
Different kinds of beans.

And lastly, five corn tortillas cut into 1 inch squares.  Mix it all up and turn on your slow cooker for 4 - 6 hours.  Stir every 30 minutes or so.  Just to make sure nothing is stuck or burning on the bottom.

Make sure they are corn tortillas. Flour
ones no good in here.

It smelled SO good.  But I had to wait until 5:45 pm when everyone arrived.  Good thing my friends show up on time.  (My stomach is an impatient dinner hostess.)  I let each ladel out some generous bowls and sprinkle on whatever toppings they wanted.  Make sure you have large spoons as your tools of choice.  No room for dainty utensils at this party.  Get comfy on the sofa and press play on Netflix streaming video.

We watched "The Spirit of the Marathon," remained in awe of the one girl in the group who has actually run that daunting 26.2 miles, and dreamed of being one of the people to cross that finish line in victory!  Yes, dreamed.  A dream never meant to be actualized by me.  As there is NO blooming way on earth I'm running that far, ever, without someone blackmailing me or chasing me with a taser.

So perfect on a cold, cold, mighty cold day.

The movie was inspiring (with witty commentary courtesy of my buddies) and the soup was substantial and oh so good for us.  Nice combo.  What moved me the most was that some of the people featured in the documentary were just regular folks like us.  Trying, failing, trying again.  Some were also world class athletes.  Trying, failing, trying again.  Perhaps the elite athletes were in a different class than Joe Average, but in the end, they all were not so different in some ways.  And while most of us may never run a full marathon, some people in my class have run half marathons, 10 milers, trail runs, crazy mud obstacle courses and other long distance variations.  Every mile counts - that's my motto!  So cheers to my pals!  For their dedication in logging all those miles on ordinary, subzero, windy Saturdays and making me do it with them... even though I whine every time I have to get out of bed before 8:00 am on my day off.  Hope you enjoyed some comfort food and watching other people run for a change.

Nurturing my inner... adult milkshake

When one of my running pals mentioned on Saturday after our five mile run that he heard of a place with great burgers and adult milkshakes I said, what time can we go?  (Was trying to capitalize on the calorie deficit I had just created.)  Alas, Sunday night worked best for most of us who had Monday off.  Joe's Burgers, McLean, VA.

I forget how close McLean is and that the downtown strip has some great restaurants.  I'll have to make a list for myself so I stop forgetting.  As for Joe's, go early.  Seating is limited.  We met at old people's dinner time... 4:30 pm.  (And did I see a problem with that?  Heck no, you little whipper snapper.  You'll soon see why.)

Good thing about going early is that you get to
park right out front. Take that young people
who think it's hip to eat dinner at 10 pm.

The menu was really quite extensive.  And the burgers were super gourmet.  Some even have truffle oil and pate.  But I had one thing on my mind...

You can also build your own.

If you know me, you'll know this - I love to eat, but I can't always pack away the large portions like The Gilmore Girls.  No way I'll ever win an eating contest.  I am the person who consumes a smaller amount and then wants to eat more again in two hours.  I know people say this is great and better for your metabolism, but for me, it's mostly out of personal comfort.  (My metabolism doesn't find this way of eating engaging at all.)  I do poorly when I overstuff myself, so it's not worth the misery for me.  Thus, I began my dining experience with the Bailey's Irish Creme adult milkshake to give myself some time to digest before course two.

Oh my my.  I don't often get milkshakes, but this was the creamiest one I've ever had.  Liquid velvet.  And the Bailey's was just terrific.  Very noticeable, but appropriate.  I appreciate bold flavor.

Crazy good stuff.

Having started off with my milkshake turned out to work well for me.  That way, I could pace myself over a nice chunk of time.  Here I am looking around the interior.  *slurp*

Small, but cozy.

When dinner arrived, I was about 3/4 of the way through my shake.  I knew there was no way I could pound a burger and a shake in the same sitting (I know - wus!), so I ordered the fontina grilled cheese with caramelized onions and bacon.  A great choice for me!  (I do realize it was a burger joint, but hey, pick your food battles and live to fight another day.)

A quantity of food I could handle. For the
most part.

Some of my friends got burgers and said they were fantastic.  Others got the grilled chicken or the club and liked them equally as much.  If you're looking for a good and unique burger place with killer milkshakes for grown ups (they were also featuring a bananas foster special that I came SO close to choosing instead), then this is your place.  Go early though.  It will be worth it.  And not just for the VIP parking.  (Though it is nice to be 10 feet from the front door.)

Nurturing my inner... go caps

First fresh meal from "the box."  I decided to use the portobello mushrooms and the arugula in some way, somehow.  I didn't have a lot of time today, but I was still able to make a quick and delicious vegetarian meal in 22 minutes.  Two minutes of prep, 20 minutes of cooking.  So don't tell me you don't have time to make something nutritious out of fresh produce, because the only whining around here is gonna be done by me and likely in reference to running in sub freezing temperatures in the snow, uphill, in tights.  Capiche?!  Now on to the cooking.

Today, you're getting one picture and a wordy explanation.  I'm feeling minimalist.  (Well, visually anyway.  I'm seldom at a deficit for words.)

Portobellos With Artichokes, Sundried Tomatoes & Feta

2 portobello caps
2 tsps pesto
2 baby artichoke hearts, chopped
1 tbsp sundried tomatoes in oil, chopped
2 tbsps feta cheese, crumbled
Handful of fresh arugula, torn

Get out a medium-sized stoneware dish.  Something that will fit your two mushrooms flat.  They do shrink up a little when they cook, so if it's a bit tight at first, that's fine.

Place your wiped clean with a damp paper towel and then destemmed mushroom caps gill side up.  Put a tsp of pesto in each and spread it around to cover the inside of each cap.  Add half of the chopped artichoke hearts and sundried tomatoes on top of that and then a tbsp of the crumbled feta on top of each.  Place into a 400 degree oven for 20 minutes.  Bake away!

Remove and serve with fresh arugula scattered on each one.  That simple.

Hearty, flavorful and substantial.

So tell me now who doesn't have 20 minutes to whip up something this tasty and reasonable in calories?  Make the time.  (Or bathing suit season is going to kick you square in the cellulite six months from now.  Trust me on this.)

Wonder what excitement the box holds for tomorrow...

Nuturing my inner... cardboard box

I was so happy when I got home tonight.  Partly because I was no longer at work.  But mostly because I had a special delivery waiting in the alcove.

Okay, so this may look like an ordinary cardboard box to you.  One with LifeSavers inside as per the label.  But in reality, it is but a repurposed container for the unexpected.  That's not actually for candy.  (I know, this is confusing.  Read on.)

Don't be fooled by the outside.

It's here, it's here!  My first delivery ever from Washington's Green Grocer.  You may be wondering what WGG is.  Well I'll tell ya.  (Or you can read about it on their website.  That would save me a lot of time.)  It's a local couple who gets in a bunch of produce from nearby, and a little less nearby, consolidates it and dispenses the fruit and veggie love to those in DC, MD and VA.  Seeing as one of my goals (I prefer to not think of it as a "resolution" as most are abandoned by last Tuesday) for 2012 is to eat more veggies, I thought this would help me out.

When I opened the box! Joy! Christmas
in January! (For a vegetarian, that is.)

Oh yeah.  All that is mine!  Delivered right to my door.  Well, to the alcove outside my building's front door where I picked it up and carried it up a flight of stairs to my front door and then inside.  (We have security you know, so they can't get to my actual front door without a hammer and a bad attitude.)  But WGG will deliver to condos just as easily as single family homes or townhouses because it's not their fault you live in one of the most expensive zip codes in the US and can't afford anything bigger than a shoe box.  Plus, if someone really wants to steal a heavy box of vegetables from my place, seriously, what can I do about that?  Would you actually call the police about a scary arugula thief?  I didn't think so.  (Though I might...)

Before I tell you what was in there, I'll tell you why I picked this place over some other local agriculture places for my first try.  1.) They do this year round by getting produce from here and there.  I live in VA where winter isn't really farming season.  So if you go with just one farm in driving distance, you can only get things that grow in your backyard right at that moment from about May to October.  Not a bad thing, but hey, it's January.  2.) Some of those farms also make you buy a share or half share and you get deliveries every single week.  If I had a family of four, well sure, I could maybe go through all those carrots, turnips and squash I'd get.  But my family is of one.  Me.  WGG will do on demand.  You can order a box to be delivered every week, every other week or whenever you feel like it.  Can even mix it up like two weeks in a row and then not for two weeks.  You just add the dates into your queue.  I wanted to see how much produce came in a box and how long it would take me to go through it.  I can cook and freeze some of it, so I'm guessing I may get a couple/few weeks from this.  So with WGG, if I want another box in two weeks, I can do it.  Or three weeks, that might be perfect.  Guess time will tell.

Here's the read down of what was in the small organic box for this week:

5 Yukon Gold potatoes (PA)
1 container of grape tomatoes (FL)
2 stalks of broccoli (CA)
5 beets (PA)
3 Cara Cara oranges (FL)
3 D'Anjou pears (WA)
3 Fuji apples (WA)
4 bananas (SA)
3 kiwi (CA)
2 portobello mushrooms (PA)
1 large bunch of arugula (CA)
1 bunch of romaine (CA)

(Note: They will send you a tentative list a few days before so you can decide if you're on demand like me and then you get a firmed up list a day or two before, so you can get really excited and start dreaming up dishes.  They also have a never list with your account.  So if there is something you really hate, you can check it on the list and they will make sure not to have that in your delivery.  Ever.  Also, they have other various items like eggs and cheeses, meats and breads that you can add in for additional charges.  It's insane, this variety!  I'm so happy.)

Second layer. So much stuff in there!

I don't know about you, but $37.00 for that entire box of all organic produce seemed like a really good deal to me.  And I didn't even have to leave the house for it.  (I know, minus carrying it up from the entry way.  Do you have to be so literal?)  So now I'm trying to think of what to make with all these beautiful, nutrition-packed, pesticide-free food items.  How I can combine a couple of the ingredients into one dish - like the beets and arugula.  Oranges and banana.  Broccoli and kiwi.  (Just checking to see if you were really reading this carefully.)

I'll let you know what I come up with.  Don't change that dial!  (If you're too young to know what that means, it's okay, you're probably not my target audience.)

Nurturing my inner... macdaddy

Well, there's just no hiding it - I don't eat the most wholesome food exactly all the time.  But, when I do go off the calorie deep end with a flying bungee-like leap, I try to make it worthwhile.

Pasta doesn't get to be on my list as often as it did when I was 10 and could burn off the calories during one spirited game of "kick the ball over the roof of the house to my brother 100 times."  I try to save it for nights before long runs, vacation meals, or restaurants I may never get back to.  Lucky for me, I went to one that is close enough I can get back to it some day, but far enough away that it won't be for another six months or so.  (Thank goodness, said my weight loss goal.)  Macdaddy in Monroe, CT. (It would be good for my waistline if I could move all ice cream places that far from me as well.)

I present to you... yet another boring strip mall.  Eh, who cares where a great place is, as long as you can get some terrific grub once inside.  Enter into the bland box.

I think they should paint the outside orange.
They probably aren't allowed to.

Welcome to mac & cheese heaven!  (Well, actually in heaven it would be calorie free!  Sadly, that's not where we are.)  This was definitely a low key, casual place.  Cement floors, plastic orange chairs and a targeted menu of over 20 variations of our fav comfort food and a couple daily special flavors.  You can get a salad, but really, why would you bother?  The most challenging thing about the entire experience was choosing which ones to try.  Should I go more old school and do the version with sliced hot dogs?  Or upscale with lobster?  Oh, this was going to be tougher than I thought.  Glad my cousin was willing to split two with me, two snack portions mind you, so at least I could try a couple flavors on my first visit.  (Oh yes, there will be future returns.)

Yep, I'll take the entire right side of the
board, please.

We ordered and sat ourselves at a table.  While I'm making you wait for my lunch to arrive, I know, I am cruel, here is some wall art to enjoy.

Considering my mom's was from a box, I'd
definitely have to agree with the wall.

There are three sizes you can choose from. Snack, Mac and Macdaddy. As mentioned earlier, we went with the smallest skillet.  Snack size.  I saw some hungry younger guys unable to finish off the Mac size. And I'm sure the Macdaddy could feed a family of four.  Once my cast iron skillet was delivered to my table all hot and gooey, I knew I made the right choice.

We decided, after much deliberation, on the Mac Popeye (spinach, garlic & goat cheese) for our first choice.  It was OUT OF THIS WORLD!  Right, so you're wondering how so.  It's just lactose and semolina, you say to yourself loud enough for me to hear you.  Well, could it have been the perfect ratio of cheese to spinach to noodles?  Perhaps it was the perfect tanginess of the goat cheese mixed with other cheeses.  Maybe the crusty, buttery topping was what put it over the top.  Or, quite possibly, it was ALL of that together in one delightfully, crusty-edged, bubbling, personal-sized cauldron!

Comfort food beyond compare.

Oh my gosh, that was nearly too wonderful for words!  But I did my best.  The other one we got was the Mac Mushroom (crimini & shitake mushrooms, porcini emulsion, manchego & truffle oil).  Delightfully rich and earthy.  Dense, intense flavor.  Different from the first, yet another great choice.

Skillets so hot they come with a silicone handle
cover so you don't hurt yourself.

Admittedly, I couldn't even finish half of the two with my cousin's help.  There was a quarter of each one left.  (Food 1, Karen 0.)  The good news about that?  Leftovers!!

Inspired by my trip to Mac Daddy, I'm excited to take my own basic mac & cheese recipe and start switching out some cheeses and adding veggies, meats and other flavors.  I may even whip up a full batch and break it out into four separate dishes to try several new combinations in one day.  Pretty sure I could wrestle up some local taste testers to give me a hand with those.

Nurturing my inner... restaurant quality

I've been focused on being back to my proper eating habits since my return from visiting family in New England for the holidays.  While I was in Connecticut, and a couple days in Pennsylvania, I ate what I pleased and indulged in local items I can't get here.  (Look for blog posts to come.)  I don't regret it because I enjoy all kinds of treats every now and then.  However, I would not want to eat those things every day.  In fact, I just can't.  Not only because I like to maintain a healthy heart and weight, but also because it makes me feel ill after a short while.  I just can't stomach fried foods or lack of veggies for long.  So when my friend wanted to get together and have a movie and appetizers night, I asked her if we could make some smarter choices with the food we planned.  It's so nice to have a friend support you when you are readapting to wise behaviors.  It's much more challenging to be around the folks who are quick to send you back into the fatal direction from whence you just began to extract your slightly fluffy self from.

Before I get too far on this, I have something to say about words I hear a lot.  I don't really like when people go on about, "I'm going to eat healthy."  What is "healthy?"  I suppose you could say a rice cake is healthy when compared to French fries, but they are bland and fairly unredeemable.  I don't want to eat healthy, per se.  What I want is to eat delicious and nutritious foods.  Everyone should have that goal.

Back on topic.  I made a delicious and nutritious salad inspired by different combinations I've had at some local restaurants.  Complete with a dressing I whipped up on my very own.  I wasn't sure how it would be, as I tasted and adjusted along the way several times, but it was terrific!  Definitely restaurant quality.  And it started with learning how to make candied pecans.

Candied Pecans

1/3 cup raw pecan halves
2 tbsps water
2 tbsps sugar
1 tsp brown sugar

A tasty little treat I've enjoyed on salads are various kinds of candied nuts.  But didn't want to buy a whole bag for home.  I thought, how hard can it be to just make enough for an evening?  Well, not very hard at all.  Here's what you do:

Add the water, sugars and pecans to a sauce pan.  Stir and turn on high until it boils.

You can toast the pecans first if you like.

Keep careful watch as the mixture boils, for around seven to eight minutes or until the sauce has caramelized and become thick.  If you take it off too soon, the pecans will be more sticky due to more water content.  (They'll still taste okay, even if they aren't exactly perfect.)

It's ready if when you run a spoon through, the
caramel doesn't come right back together.

Have a baking sheet with parchment on it at the ready.  Spread the caramelized pecans out in one layer with space to harden.

Parchment prevents sticking.

Let dry for half an hour, or longer, and then separate them.  If they don't appear as dry as you'd like, I hear you can put them in a 350 degree oven for about 10 minutes to crisp them up more.  (For other variations, try adding some vanilla extract, sweet curry powder, black pepper or rosemary.)

They look good, no?

On to make the dressing.  Vinaigrettes are not a precise science.  You need to adjust to your taste.  I'll show you approximately what I did (because I was paying more attention to taste than exact amounts I was using) and then you can add a pinch more this and that until you get it to please your palate.  My advice to you is to start with the lemon, add a little sugar and vinegar, mix it up well, taste and then go from there.

Lemon Vinaigrette

Juice of one lemon, freshly squeezed
2 1/2 tsps sugar
2 tsps champagne vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
Sprinkle of a salad herbs (or combination of herbs)

What I love about making things like this at home is that you know exactly what's going into your food if you buy pure ingredients.

Penzey's has different spice blends that you just
add oil to and you get instant dressing.

I used a couple shakes of premixed salad herbs, but you also could combine individual flavors you prefer like dried oregano, thyme and Parmesan. Or switch out orange or pomegranate juice.  There are so many ways to tweak the flavor profile of a vinaigrette with different oils and infused vinegars that you can discover exciting new tastes each time you whip up a batch.  (Something I plan on doing more of this coming year.)

This is all I have left, but it made more than
enough for six servings.

Now to compile the restaurant presentation.

Pear, Pecan & Gorgonzola Salad

1 bag of field greens or other dark green salad blend
1 ripe Bartlett pear, cut into cubes
1/3 cup candied pecans
1/4 cup dried cranberries
3 ou Gorgonzola, crumbled

Get a big bowl, throw in the field greens, pears, pecans and cranberries.  Add the dressing right before you serve so the lettuces don't get soggy, toss it about, and then add the crumbled cheese with the last light mix so it stays in chunks.  Serve straight away.

Looks like it came right off a high class menu.

You can switch out the Gorgonzola for feta or goat if you're not a fan, but pear and blue cheese go particularly well together. I happen to love it, but my friend does not. So when I made the salad last night for our moviefest, I tossed all the other ingredients together without the cheese and then let her put feta on hers whilst I put the Gorgonzola on mine.  Everyone was happy.  (Even though I maintain my combo remained the better choice!)

Just because you're settled in front of the tube to watch a film or two for the evening, doesn't mean you need to eat junk.  Quality, tasty, vitamin rich foods can be quick to prepare when you plan for it.  A grocery list is your friend.  Don't knock a bit of forethought.

So what do you think?  Should I open a secret restaurant in my condo?