What's Cooking (Take Four)

Za'atar makes a wonderful rub for grilled chicken thighs.

-Paul W.

In the meantime, still on the subject of Jewish food, I tried Whole Foods yesterday. They had Yehuda whole wheat organic, but not the basic unsalted white. I was amused though, that our WF had a fairly small selection of Jewish products. Just two shelves maybe 30 inches wide, which included of all things: Bosco chocolate syrup. I thought this was a mistake until I found another shelf devoted to Passover specifically on an end cap--and there, again, Bosco. What's with the Bosco?

No idea. I would have thought Fox's U-Bet was a more sentimental choice.

...reads internet...

It appears that all Bosco products are kosher (and gluten-free and vegan), while Fox's U-Bet is only Kosher for Passover and only certain flavors. That makes Bosco a safer choice for your holiday egg cream.

[Jenise]

Ah the old egg cream trick. I haven't seen Bosco since I was a kid--honestly had no idea it's still around. And of course, I never go anywhere near the places sweet sauces are kept in grocery stores.

Tonight we're having a roasted lemon-rosemary chicken purchased pre-seasoned from Trader Joe's. Got my right hand and arm pretty badly sliced up stopping a cat fight on Sunday, which I don't think I've mentioned (and if I did, forgive me). Was so bad I had to go to the ER. Due to the bandages I'm pretty much one-handed right now, and the available hand is the wrong hand so we've been lunching out and making lazy dinners.

Ah the old egg cream trick. I haven't seen Bosco since I was a kid--honestly had no idea it's still around.

Well that's just it: unless you make a lot of egg creams, you've already got a bottle of chocolate syrup in a cupboard somewhere. And if you're going to pull that out during Passover, it needs to be a kosher model. Bosco guarantees that, no matter how old that bottle is.

And of course, I'm never go anywhere near the places sweet sauces are kept in grocery stores.

Oh, you.

Tonight we're having a roasted lemon-rosemary chicken purchased pre-seasoned from Trader Joe's. Got my right hand and arm pretty badly sliced up stopping a cat fight on Sunday, which I don't think I've mentioned (and if I did, forgive me). Was so bad I had to go to the ER. Due to the bandages I'm pretty much one-handed right now, and the available hand is the wrong hand so we've been lunching out and making lazy dinners.

Ouch, no, you have not mentioned it here. Wouldn't a bucket of water or a couple thrown shoes have done the job?

I learned a related lesson long, long ago: One of my first intern jobs out of high school was at an automobile parts factory, filling in for a guy who got his nose and his arm broken trying to break up a fight.

Ouch Jenise, sorry to hear about that. New kitty not getting along with family member's kitty?

For breakfast today, I toasted an English muffin, then slathered it with organic savory golden tomato sauce, a Lucini product imported from Italy and darn good. Has chucks of golden tomatoes in it. Topped with thin slices of pepper jack cheese, topped with roasted Roma tomato slices drizzled with chile-lime olive oil, and fresh cilantro, then put into a small pan to brown the muffins a little more, and melt the cheese. I served with mandarin wedges.

[Jenise]

First, about food: that pre-marinated whole but spatchcocked chicken from TJ's was very good. Expensive but for me, wanting homemade food but unable to make it myself, something I could cut out of a package and pop into a 375 F oven for 35 minutes and there's dinner (with some steamed broccolini on the side), it was pretty close to scratch cooking without the effort.

And speaking of scratches: I have nine bandages covering about 17 wounds on one hand/arm and two on the other. The worst are where one bite punctured a vein in the top of my hand and where a claw ripped a 10 inch long gash from palm to elbow. And no, no time to throw shoes. Had to save Tarzan. HAD to, and I'd do it again despite the discomfort I'm in now. Jane, unbeknownst to us, besides noting what it's clear she'd like to do to the bunnies and birds that ply our deck, has a very strong kill instinct. Have never seen anything like it in a cat. Tarzan's a big mellow sweetheart who came from a family of three cats suddenly made homeless by the accidental death of their human mom during surgery. He knows how to get along and wants to. Jane, who came to us from a shelter where she shared a colony room with other cats could be expected to be at least amenable, and in combining cats that is sometimes the best you can hope for, at least the first year. Well, she's not. And it's painfully clear, she won't be.

Owtch. From the way you are speaking, I gather Jane is going back to wherever she came from. Sorry about that, too.

[Jenise]

Other way around. Jane, who we've had for a year and a half, stays. We adore her and she adores us. This kill instinct, something that's a fierce desire to protect her turf--and us--isn't something we've seen before and is something we won't see again as long a there's nothing around she has to protect us from. I've arranged for Tarzan, who we've only had for a few weeks, to be taken in by a local rescue next week for rehoming, and we'll be a one-cat family again. (Not an unusual need for female cat families, btw.)

[Jenise]

Last night for dinner we had burnt ends BBQ brisket from Costco (plus roasted potatoes and a salad). Too salty for me so I had just a few bites but Bob ate everything else as it was decently flavored for most palates. I found the texture strange. Sponge-y, like corned beef, not the texture I want from true BBQ brisket.

Those are serious injuries Jenise Hopefully the kitty had was well-vetted. I admire folks who rescue animals. Having grown up on a small farm, we always had a litter of something to care for. I like being able to raise my critters and being able to train them. Your story is only one of the many I have heard from folks who rescue animals. I have also heard as many stories about rescue animals being grateful to their rescuers and turning out to be a total delight. I enjoy the babies' training and socialization and like to raise them to suit my situation. Especially, being able to take my dogs into other people's homes and know they will be well received.
Hope you heal fast and that the next rescue is better.

Going to a wine dinner tomorrow. The host is making a ramp risotto and has asked for sides, starters, and desserts from the rest of us. I have made a Belgian endive tart, with walnuts and blue cheese (St. Agur). As part of my process, I consulted Jenise's recipe for the same: http://forums.wineloverspage.com/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=2655&p=289394

...which has been tried before: http://forums.wineloverspage.com/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=34903&p=293229

I also did mine in a 3 qt pan (approx. 9") with straight sides; sorta like a really heavy springform. The tart more or less released and is cooling on a platter as I write this. It is not the world's loveliest thing but it does smell really good.

The menu today is a pork tenderloin, marinated with soy sauce, sherry wine vinegar, garlic, dried mustard, and thyme, It will be oven-roasted. A pot of Royal Carona Beans cooked in the slow cooker, with roasted Roma and cherry tomatoes, leeks, garlic, and oregano. Asparagus and bell pepper will be grilled, and dressed with yet-to-be-determined dressing. I'm off to Farmer's Market to see what kind of trouble I can get into. I also have fresh frozen applesauce.

[Jenise]

Those are serious injuries Jenise Hopefully the kitty had was well-vetted. I admire folks who rescue animals. Having grown up on a small farm, we always had a litter of something to care for. I like being able to raise my critters and being able to train them. Your story is only one of the many I have heard from folks who rescue animals. I have also heard as many stories about rescue animals being grateful to their rescuers and turning out to be a total delight. I enjoy the babies' training and socialization and like to raise them to suit my situation. Especially, being able to take my dogs into other people's homes and know they will be well received.
Hope you heal fast and that the next rescue is better.

Most of the injuries came from Jane when I was trying to pull her away and the few from Tarzan (the new cat) were the second episode when I was trying to save him from the next attack. None of what happened has anything to do with their being badly raised. Both were clearly handled and loved as kittens, they were just unlucky in what happened after that and the rest is personality. Tarzan's very laid-back and thrilled to be a pampered indoor cat. And Jane is just fiercely possessive and aggressive about showing it. According to the rescuer who's going to take Tarzan next week, this is less-than-usual but not exactly rare, especially in females. If you scroll thru ads from local rescues you'll see a lot of girl cats with the extra notation "needs to be an only cat". Obviously this is true of Jane also, though it wasn't obvious when we got her. A happy year and a half of having us all to herself seems to have brought it out in her.

[Jenise]

Going to a wine dinner tomorrow. The host is making a ramp risotto and has asked for sides, starters, and desserts from the rest of us. I have made a Belgian endive tart, with walnuts and blue cheese (St. Agur). As part of my process, I consulted Jenise's recipe for the same: http://forums.wineloverspage.com/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=2655&p=289394

...which has been tried before: http://forums.wineloverspage.com/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=34903&p=293229

I also did mine in a 3 qt pan (approx. 9") with straight sides; sorta like a really heavy springform. The tart more or less released and is cooling on a platter as I write this. It is not the world's loveliest thing but it does smell really good.

I've always done it in a 12" skillet. But depending on the size of your endives, anything will work. Was it received well?

Thanks for reminding me of this recipe. Bob's son will be a houseguest next week and I have three dinners to make. He's open-minded about food, and I don;t think his wife is an adventurous cook (last time he was here with his daughters, one of the girls pulled me aside to whisper "You are the BEST cook!" when they left.) Something like this that's delicious and a million miles from anything he's ever known (in Texas) would hit a home run.

Thai stir-fried chicken with bird's eye chiles and holy basil (pad prik gai bai krapow) tonight. I'll be cheating a bit by using ordinary Thai basil (bai horapa) with a few pinches of dried holy basil. Fresh holy basil is almost impossible to find.

-Paul W.

Paul, I see Holy Basil plants and seeds for sale on many places, including Amazon....have you purchased a plant or tried seeds? I find the common basil very easy to grow in a pot at my kitchen window which gets a lot of bright light. I also have a Thai Basil growing there permanently, that does fine. I see that Walmart is advertising Holy Basil plants, as well.

Karen, no I haven't attempted to grow holy basil on my own. I live in a condo complex and don't have a garden, and I'm fatal when it comes to potted plants.

Last night's dinner was chicken and tasso jambalaya.

-Paul W.

Was it received well?

Yes! Totally delicious. The vegetarians were happy, of course. (The only thing that made me unhappy is that I attempted to re-heat it at the host's house and the crust became soggy.)

Thanks for reminding me of this recipe. Bob's son will be a houseguest next week and I have three dinners to make. He's open-minded about food, and I don;t think his wife is an adventurous cook (last time he was here with his daughters, one of the girls pulled me aside to whisper "You are the BEST cook!" when they left.) Something like this that's delicious and a million miles from anything he's ever known (in Texas) would hit a home run.

Indeed! I will definitely make this again for us. If it has to travel, I will shift it to a springform so that I can leave it upside down -- a quick re-heat, in that position, shouldn't soak the crust.

Tonight: chicken with tangerines. It's an Asian-inflected prep: juice a few tangerines (stuff the bird with the spent peels) and mix the juice with rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, and brown sugar. Pour over the bird, toss a few cut-up tangerines in the roasting pan, and roast/baste until done. (Yes, reduce the sauce while the bird rests and yes, I threw some Grand Marnier in it....)

Very yummy. Not as sweet as duck a l'orange, a little more tangy and earthy than that sauce.

It had been a number of years since I had a Sloppy Joe sandwich, and I suddenly had a craving for one the last couple of days. Today, I did it at the last moment. First, I had to make the bread though. I rushed my bread, and everything came together in a bit more than three hours. And it was yummy. Accompanied by a Sicilian red wine.

[Jenise]

I love Sloppy Joe's, Larry. I recall well my first one. I was in 5th grade and one of the moms made a bunch for the last day of school. It was a revelation! I still make mine exactly like she did with chewy flecks of dried red and green bell pepper flakes, but it probably only happens about once every five years.

Jeff, your chicken sounds delicious! I absolutely adore tangy sweet-sour Asian anything. And I would add that duck l'orange doesn't have to be as sweet as it's usually made. I like the addition of the grand marnier.

Last night I made steak au poivre with filet mignons. I'd been so hungry for rare beef, but after a few bites I didn't want anymore and gave half my steak to Bob and served myself a plum.

Sloppy Joe sandwiches were a huge hit with our family and were usually served at large family gatherings in the summer months so I could serve a big platter of heirloom tomatoes. The coleslaw was also a must.
Breakfast today was two medium farm fresh eggs fried in a small non-stick pan and surrounded by golden tomato sauce and finished with a drizzle of Hosa Talismanian green sauce. Very yummy.

Tonight I'll be making Sichuan dry-fried beef.

-Paul W.

I'm a big fan of Jenise's steak au poivre and Karen's heirloom tomatoes.

Last week on public radio I heard an interview with the authors of "KoreaWorld", the followup to "Koreatown." Wasn't sure I wanted to buy, but was available at library. Fun book. One section on Buddhist temple cuisine, I made a simple blanched broccoli salad. The sauce may be my new favorite condiment- cup Kewpie, 2 Tb doenjang, 1 Tb gochujang, 1 tsp sesame oil.
When NYCO went to Japan many years ago, I went with Betsy. A big hotel with 2 separate breakfast areas, one Western and one Japanese. I always opted for the Japanese- what could be better for breakfast that fish, pickles, miso soup, etc? Eric Kim just wrote an article praising japanese breakfast (the meal, not the artist) and made me wonder why I never do here. So this morning miso salmon, rice with furikake, 5'10" egg. Yum.