tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56794125977430715402024-03-13T06:11:48.493-07:00Chicken & DumplingBenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04791013889042122288noreply@blogger.comBlogger38125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5679412597743071540.post-39028475848688039232014-11-03T19:12:00.002-08:002014-11-03T19:12:40.705-08:00Katsudon: Easy Japanese<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RPxvr39acZ0/VFhDFShaerI/AAAAAAAAC4A/4J40qVpfpkM/s1600/IMG_3230.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RPxvr39acZ0/VFhDFShaerI/AAAAAAAAC4A/4J40qVpfpkM/s1600/IMG_3230.JPG" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
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Here's the <a href="http://justhungry.com/recipe-katsudon-plus-tonkatsu-and-pork-japan-times">recipe</a> but it's basically (for 2)</div>
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1. Start rice.</div>
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2. Debone pork chops and cut fat.</div>
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3. Start oil in small pot - wait for it to get to approximately 340 degrees F.</div>
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4. Meanwhile, flour, egg and panko pork chops.</div>
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5. Put thinly sliced onion and 1/2 cup dashi broth in pan until it boils. Add some soy sauce and mirin (I didn't use sake because I didn't want to have to buy it).</div>
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6. Crack 4 eggs and whisk so that you get a loose scramble. </div>
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7. Rice, then add pork, then add egg scrample and top with green onions. </div>
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Enjoy!</div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5679412597743071540.post-24827127686088171172014-09-22T18:35:00.001-07:002014-09-22T18:35:19.811-07:00Bacon & Guac Grilled Cheese<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_d5BjZ4Vdac/T76UwraZzBI/AAAAAAAACwE/10HP-2JL3m4/s1600/IMG_1649.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_d5BjZ4Vdac/T76UwraZzBI/AAAAAAAACwE/10HP-2JL3m4/s320/IMG_1649.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5679412597743071540.post-74530806136247747842014-09-22T18:35:00.000-07:002014-09-22T18:35:03.719-07:00French Onion Soup Grilled Cheese<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EqOyEAoL3XI/T3M70a_UnEI/AAAAAAAACsI/0R3_PeWviRY/s1600/IMG_1611.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EqOyEAoL3XI/T3M70a_UnEI/AAAAAAAACsI/0R3_PeWviRY/s320/IMG_1611.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5724985323102182466" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 240px; margin: 0 10px 10px 0; width: 320px;" /></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5679412597743071540.post-91850109034856914402014-09-22T18:34:00.002-07:002014-09-22T18:34:31.732-07:00Capellino's Cupcakes!<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gLiZEfrtfo4/T76UN2FrpVI/AAAAAAAACv8/24n3j_tChpg/s1600/IMG_1640.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gLiZEfrtfo4/T76UN2FrpVI/AAAAAAAACv8/24n3j_tChpg/s320/IMG_1640.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5679412597743071540.post-25632537009298838412014-09-22T18:34:00.001-07:002014-09-22T18:34:25.285-07:00Pork Loin Lasagna and Healthy Creamed Spinach<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Uie7O29mCOk/T76UMs2PlII/AAAAAAAACv0/Xj-HZmL6oIo/s1600/IMG_1639.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Uie7O29mCOk/T76UMs2PlII/AAAAAAAACv0/Xj-HZmL6oIo/s320/IMG_1639.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5679412597743071540.post-55966617575368791942014-09-22T18:34:00.000-07:002014-09-22T18:34:02.375-07:00Beet and fennel salad<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-F02u3pATVjM/T76SwSkI9dI/AAAAAAAACvM/g6MqJCWBzW4/s1600/IMG_1623.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-F02u3pATVjM/T76SwSkI9dI/AAAAAAAACvM/g6MqJCWBzW4/s320/IMG_1623.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a><br />
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How did we ever make this - it has beets and it came after the cleanse!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5679412597743071540.post-55133183505244840272014-09-22T18:33:00.001-07:002014-09-22T18:33:31.300-07:00Salmon, butternut squash and dill mac&cheese<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-n2nNknBDq3k/T76SrpMQzgI/AAAAAAAACu8/WKxzxs6VwDg/s1600/IMG_1619.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-n2nNknBDq3k/T76SrpMQzgI/AAAAAAAACu8/WKxzxs6VwDg/s320/IMG_1619.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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Part of the mac and cheese month! Mmm why don't we make this more often?</div>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5679412597743071540.post-69437424801368467742014-09-22T18:33:00.000-07:002014-09-22T18:33:09.253-07:00Hot Chocolate!<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-F-GTRUWqP-Q/T3M8N8MsS2I/AAAAAAAACsg/RI5ehurxzIE/s1600/IMG_1604.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-F-GTRUWqP-Q/T3M8N8MsS2I/AAAAAAAACsg/RI5ehurxzIE/s320/IMG_1604.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5724985761513360226" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 240px; margin: 0 10px 10px 0; width: 320px;" /></a><br />
This post would make a lot more sense in the fall or winter instead of the spring, especially since both this winter and this spring have been unseasonably warm. But it doesn't matter: on a <strike>cold</strike> warm, <strike>snowy</strike> <strike>rainy</strike> drizzly day, a nice mug of hot cocoa can be just what the doctor ordered.<br />
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We had some extra dulce de leche from <a href="http://chickenanddumpling.blogspot.com/2012/03/adventures-with-empanadas.html" target="_blank">when we made empanadas</a>. And when life gives you dulce de leche, you make <strike>lemonade</strike> hot chocolate!<br />
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This recipe was pretty rich - it was almost like a drinking chocolate - so you might consider adding more milk. Or just some churros...<br />
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<br />Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04791013889042122288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5679412597743071540.post-26870588003600622622014-09-22T17:44:00.001-07:002014-09-22T17:44:22.143-07:00Pickles!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cVBVTED6IrI/VCDCM_vfOAI/AAAAAAAAC3g/JKOoo9CV95g/s1600/IMG_2955.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cVBVTED6IrI/VCDCM_vfOAI/AAAAAAAAC3g/JKOoo9CV95g/s1600/IMG_2955.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<a href="http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/bread_and_butter_pickles/">This</a> is the recipe I used and the result. I used whatever spices I had. Lay loose on the cardamom.<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5679412597743071540.post-66442732510091730092012-04-13T12:00:00.000-07:002012-04-14T09:15:52.103-07:00Fish Friday: Deconstructed Sushi<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-T5hwsQnzsCg/T3M7s-wNf3I/AAAAAAAACr8/9OO95mXBzgE/s1600/IMG_1613.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5724985195263524722" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-T5hwsQnzsCg/T3M7s-wNf3I/AAAAAAAACr8/9OO95mXBzgE/s320/IMG_1613.JPG" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 240px; margin: 0 10px 10px 0; width: 320px;" /></a>A typical fast Fish Friday: fresh salmon, served raw, pan fried salmon skin, a ripe avocado, and some brown rice. We serve it with soy sauce with a dangerous helping of wasabi. Easy, fast, healthy, and delicious! <br />
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Even though we occasionally (and with some success) try more complicated dishes and meals, sometimes simple is best. Like this blog post, for example.<br />
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C & DUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5679412597743071540.post-40340007499360481062012-04-09T10:00:00.000-07:002012-04-09T10:02:29.878-07:00Pizza Pizza!<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2i9_aKk8oZA/T2tTmJjEAnI/AAAAAAAACrg/Cpc_TDTlyKo/s1600/IMG_1590.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" height="240" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5722759666367464050" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2i9_aKk8oZA/T2tTmJjEAnI/AAAAAAAACrg/Cpc_TDTlyKo/s320/IMG_1590.JPG" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; height: 240px; line-height: 18px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left; width: 320px;" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sausage and peppers pizza: see below for our recipe</td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Elizabeth has weird eating tastes. She doesn't eat corn (really?) and she doesn't like pizza as much as most Americans do. The problem isn't that she's not American (she is), but rather that a lot of pizza just isn't that good. (We're looking at you, Pizza Hut and Domino's.) </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;">Enter our completely homemade pizza. Well, kinda - the sauce on our first pizza came from a jar, and the cheese and sausage on the 3rd pizza were store bought, but everything else, from scratch. We promise! And also, how could you expect us to package our own sausage? We're still full-time students! And we don't want to know how the sausage is made!</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;"></span>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: inherit; line-height: 18px;"><br />A little while ago, we bought one of those kits where you can make your own fresh mozzarella cheese. It's a close call whether it ends up being cheaper to make it ourselves than to buy it from the store, but perhaps we had a stronger sense of ownership in the cheese, making it taste better (maybe the love made it better... wait, of course the love made it better). </span><strike style="color: #333333; line-height: 18px;">For more on the labor theory of value and its applicability to the culinary arts, please see our forthcoming economics blog.</strike><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;">In any case, we decided to take our cheese and make some pizza. Our <a href="http://www.browneyedbaker.com/2008/06/24/basic-pizza-dough/" target="_blank">favorite pizza dough recipe</a> actually makes enough dough for three pizzas, so we made three different pizzas (over the course of several days).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=5679412597743071540&postID=4034000749936048106" name="more" style="background-color: white; color: #3366cc; font-weight: bold; line-height: 18px; text-align: -webkit-auto;"></a></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">We started with a mushroom and roasted red pepper pizza:</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">Mushroom and Roasted Pepper Pizza</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">1/3 recipe <a href="http://www.browneyedbaker.com/2008/06/24/basic-pizza-dough/" target="_blank">basic pizza dough</a></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">Olive oil</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">1 red bell pepper</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">1 lb. mushrooms, sliced</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">Salt and pepper</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">1/2 - 1 cup tomato sauce (any basic marinara sauce will do here - season to your liking)</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">8 oz. fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">1. (Note: this step will be the same for each pizza.) After following the instructions for the <a href="http://www.browneyedbaker.com/2008/06/24/basic-pizza-dough/" target="_blank">basic pizza dough</a>, preheat the oven to 500º F. Roll the dough out into your desired shape (we just used a long rectangle), brush with olive oil, and place on a lightly oiled baking sheet. Bake for 5-10 minutes - not done, but starting to get there.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">2. Turn broiler on to high. Place red bell pepper underneath the broiler and cook until the skin chars on all sides (you will have to turn the pepper every few minutes). Keep the oven door open so that the broiler stays on. When the pepper is charred, remove from the oven and place in a sealed plastic bag for about 15 minutes. Remove the pepper, peel off the skin, remove the seeds and stem, and slice into strips. Set aside.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">3. In a pan over medium heat, add the olive oil and mushrooms. Season with salt. Sauté for about 10 minutes, or until tender. Remove from heat.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">4. Spread the tomato sauce evenly on the pizza dough, leaving about an inch of space for the border. Add the mozzarella slices, followed by the mushrooms, followed by the bell pepper strips.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">5. Place back in the oven for 10-15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: inherit; line-height: 18px;">Next up, a margherita pizza:</span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ocQUY80w2vY/T2tTdq7mP8I/AAAAAAAACrA/ybq9mNrWMw8/s1600/IMG_1577.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="300" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5722759520709918658" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ocQUY80w2vY/T2tTdq7mP8I/AAAAAAAACrA/ybq9mNrWMw8/s400/IMG_1577.JPG" style="margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">Margherita Pizza</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">1<span style="font-family: inherit;">/3 </span></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #333333; line-height: 18px;">recipe </span><a href="http://www.browneyedbaker.com/2008/06/24/basic-pizza-dough/" style="line-height: 18px;" target="_blank">basic pizza dough</a><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"> </span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">Olive oil</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">2-3 roma tomatoes, sliced</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">Fresh basil leaves</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; line-height: 18px;">8 oz. fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: inherit; line-height: 18px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">1. </span><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 100%; line-height: 18px;">(Note: this step will be the same for each pizza.) After following the instructions for the </span><a href="http://www.browneyedbaker.com/2008/06/24/basic-pizza-dough/" style="font-size: 100%; line-height: 18px;" target="_blank">basic pizza dough</a><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 100%; line-height: 18px;">, preheat the oven to 500º F. Roll the dough out into your desired shape (we just used a long rectangle), brush with olive oil, and place on a lightly oiled baking sheet. Bake for 5-10 minutes - not done, but starting to get there.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-size: 100%; line-height: 18px;">2. Arrange the basil leaves around the pizza crust. Then layer the tomatoes on top, and finally, layer the cheese.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">3. </span></span><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 100%; line-height: 18px;">Place back in the oven for 10-15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit; font-size: 100%; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit; font-size: 100%; line-height: 18px;">Finally, we </span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #333333; line-height: 18px;">made a sausage and peppers pizza (this is the top picture). The mozzarella kit only made 2 8-oz. cheese balls per batch, and since we used those for the first two pizzas, we used some Jarlsberg since it was on sale and is one of our favorites (also shown above)</span><span style="color: #333333; line-height: 18px;">.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit; line-height: 18px;">Sausage and Peppers Pizza (hat tip: <a href="http://www.winespectator.com/webfeature/show/id/46316" target="_blank">Mario Batali</a>)</span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">1<span style="font-family: inherit;">/3 </span></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #333333; line-height: 18px;">recipe </span><a href="http://www.browneyedbaker.com/2008/06/24/basic-pizza-dough/" style="line-height: 18px;" target="_blank">basic pizza dough</a><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"> </span></span></span></div>
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<div style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit; line-height: 18px;">Olive oil</span></div>
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">3 oz. Italian sausage (or any sausage you prefer), crumbled</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">1 garlic clove, chopped</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">1 tsp. capers, rinsed</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">1 tsp. balsamic vinegar</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">Salt</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">Red pepper flakes</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 18px;">3 medium piquillo peppers, drained and quartered</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 18px;">1/4 cup strained tomatoes or tomato sauce</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 18px;">1/2 - 3/4 cup Jarlsberg cheese, shredded</span></span>
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px;">1. </span><span style="color: #333333; line-height: 18px;">(Note: this step will be the same for each pizza.) After following the instructions for the </span><a href="http://www.browneyedbaker.com/2008/06/24/basic-pizza-dough/" style="line-height: 18px;" target="_blank">basic pizza dough</a><span style="color: #333333; line-height: 18px;">, preheat the oven to 500º F. Roll the dough out into your desired shape (we just used a long rectangle), brush with olive oil, and place on a lightly oiled baking sheet. Bake for 5-10 minutes - not done, but starting to get there.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit; line-height: 18px;">2. Heat a pan over medium heat. Add the sausage and cook, stirring occasionally and breaking up the lumps, until the sausage is cooked. Drain of excess oil and set aside. Wipe the pan down of any excess oil.</span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit; line-height: 18px;">3. Heat 1 tbsp. olive oil in the same pan and add the garlic. Cook for maybe 1-2 minutes (or less), until the garlic is golden brown. Set aside.</span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit; line-height: 18px;">4. Combine the capers and balsamic vinegar in a small bowl. Whisk in the garlic and oil combination. Season with salt and red pepper flakes. Add the piquillo peppers, stirring to coat.</span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit; line-height: 18px;">5. Take the pizza crust and add the strained tomatoes to it, leaving a border. Spread the sausage over the sauce, and arrange the piquillo peppers over the sausage. Sprinkle the cheese on top of this.</span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #333333; line-height: 18px;">6. Bake for 10-15 minutes</span><span style="color: #333333; line-height: 18px;">, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 18px;">---</span></span>
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 18px;">That's it for the pizzas. Each one had something special about it, but all three were delicious.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit; line-height: 18px;">C & D</span></div>
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5679412597743071540.post-49663663815596399942012-03-25T21:42:00.000-07:002012-03-25T21:42:21.009-07:00I Scream, You Scream: Ice Cream<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PklSdY9CVBk/T2tWPE52kKI/AAAAAAAACrw/5tm5P_zq-T8/s1600/IMG_1595.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5722762568518766754" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PklSdY9CVBk/T2tWPE52kKI/AAAAAAAACrw/5tm5P_zq-T8/s320/IMG_1595.JPG" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 240px; margin: 0 10px 10px 0; width: 320px;" /></a>For Ben's birthday last year, Elizabeth got him an ice cream maker. We had been talking about getting an ice cream maker for a while, so we were excited to get <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0041A3KPC/sr=1-1/qid=1332715001/ref=pop?ie=UTF8&s=kitchen&qid=1332715001&sr=1-1" target="_blank">this bad boy</a>.<br />
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We had a somewhat disastrous first foray into ice cream with an <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/avocado-ice-cream-recipe/index.html" target="_blank">avocado ice cream</a> that didn't initially set (possibly because the core was not fully frozen - yay impatience!) and then froze like a solid block in the freezer. Also, it tasted kinda bland.<br />
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<a href="http://www.joyofbaking.com/VanillaIceCream.html">This</a> vanilla ice cream we made, though, was SO rich and creamy, Elizabeth could feel the fat being added onto her Insanity abs.<br />
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Vanilla Ice Cream (thank you <a href="http://www.joyofbaking.com/VanillaIceCream.html" target="_blank">Joy of Baking</a>)<br />
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2 cups half and half<br />
1/2 vanilla bean<br />
5 large egg yolks<br />
2/3 cup sugar<br />
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1. Add the half and half and vanilla bean to a small saucepan over medium-high heat. When the half and half begins to boil and foam, remove from heat. Remove the vanilla bean from the half and half, and scrape the inside of the bean out and add this back to the half and half.<br />
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2. In a stainless steel bowl, beat the egg yolks and sugar (we used a hand mixer) for about 2 minutes, or until light and fluffy. Gradually add the half and half mixture to the egg yolk mixture (keep mixing and add slowly so the eggs don't curdle).<br />
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3. Place the bowl over a saucepan with simmering water, and heat, stirring constantly, to 170ºF, or until the custard has thickened to the point where it coats the back of a spoon.<br />
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4. Remove the bowl from the heat and keep stirring for a couple of minutes. Let cool to room temperature, and then refrigerate overnight.<br />
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5. The next day, add the custard to your ice cream maker according to its instructions.<br />
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The ice cream is very rich and pretty awesome - better than anything we've bought at the store. Obviously vanilla ice cream is pretty basic, but now that we have it under our belts, we can move onto bigger and better recipes. And perhaps we'll return to avocado ice cream in the future.<br />
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C & DUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5679412597743071540.post-71733894297584634962012-03-17T18:20:00.000-07:002012-03-17T18:23:15.392-07:00Fish Friday: Salmon with Lemon Caper Butter, Garlic Asparagus and Basil Couscous<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sHO4o41D0pM/T2PlsTsHWCI/AAAAAAAACqM/oi4DEWnFKUY/s1600/IMG_1571.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sHO4o41D0pM/T2PlsTsHWCI/AAAAAAAACqM/oi4DEWnFKUY/s320/IMG_1571.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Some point last semester, we decided to eat more fish. For one, we found that we were eating a ton of beef and chicken, which was getting a little boring. But also, fish is healthier, and if you saw our earlier <a href="http://chickenanddumpling.blogspot.com/search/label/Cleanse" target="_blank">series on the cleanse</a>, we <strike>begrudgingly</strike> care about this. So we decided, completely coincidentally with Roman Catholic tradition (both of us are Protestants), to make our Friday dinner a fish dish. It was actually the alliteration that berthed Fish Friday; Fish Tuesday just isn't that much fun.<br />
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So it's our tradition to go to Whole Foods on Friday afternoons (we're high rollers) to get fresh fish - whatever's on sale - and whip up a new, relatively healthy fish dish. We've had <a href="http://chickenanddumpling.blogspot.com/2012/03/fish-friday-cod-fish-chips.html" target="_blank">fish and chips</a>, which we pictured earlier, and a whole variet of steamed, grilled, fried, deep-fried fishes, including tilapia, cod, branzini, salmon, tuna and chilean sea bass (for you old timers, the Patagonian toothfish).<br />
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This Friday we decided to make some salmon with lemon caper butter, garlic asparagus, and basil couscous.<br />
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We bought the couscous in a box and just followed the recipe. But here's what we did for everything else, starting with the salmon:<br />
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2 salmon filets (we used sockeye salmon)<br />
Kosher salt<br />
Black pepper<br />
Olive oil<br />
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1. Sprinkle both sides of the salmon filets with salt, pepper, and olive oil.<br />
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2. Place a skillet over high heat. Place the salmon filets skin side down in the skillets and cook until the skin is crispy and golden brown, 3-4 minutes.<br />
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3. Flip the filets and cook another 1-2 minutes, until the salmon is cooked to your preference (we prefer our salmon on the rare side).<br />
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Next up, the garlic asparagus:<br />
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3 tbsp. unsalted butter<br />
3-4 cloves garlic, minced<br />
1 bunch asparagus, ends trimmed<br />
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4. Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the butter is melted, add the garlic and asparagus.<br />
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5. Cook asparagus, stirring occasionally, for 5-7 minutes, or until the asparagus is cooked but still crisp. Season with salt and pepper to taste.<br />
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Finally, the lemon caper butter:<br />
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4 tbsp. unsalted butter<br />
3 cloves garlic, minced<br />
1 tbsp. capers<br />
Juice of 1 lemon<br />
1/4 tsp. lemon zest<br />
2 tbsp. parsley<br />
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6. Melt the butter over medium-low heat in a small pan. When the butter is melted, add the garlic and cook about 2 minutes.<br />
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7. Add the capers, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Bring the sauce to a quick boil and cook for maybe 30 seconds.<br />
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8. Stir in the parsley and take the sauce off the heat. Serve immediately.<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5679412597743071540.post-22127557856662361502012-03-16T19:10:00.000-07:002012-03-17T18:24:29.480-07:00Chicken Tabaka with Green Bean Borani<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uS4dN1-wUig/T2UGD1cYgpI/AAAAAAAACq0/v2Pgtm1DQuc/s1600/IMG_1546.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uS4dN1-wUig/T2UGD1cYgpI/AAAAAAAACq0/v2Pgtm1DQuc/s1600/IMG_1546.JPG" /></a></div>
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Elizabeth found <a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203753704577257401006898254.html" target="_blank">this recipe</a> for chicken tabaka in the Wall Street Journal, so we decided to try it. We wish we had a more compelling backstory - kinda like the backstory in the actual article involving bribery and dining behind the Iron Curtain - but we don't. We needed something to eat for Tuesday dinner, and this dish seemed like a winner without too many new ingredients.<br />
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Of course, we could lie to you - after weeks of hiking through the thick jungles of Costa Rica, foraging on berries and tree bark, we finally reached our destination: the long-lost Temple of Viastu. When we arrived, we walked in the foyer and saw a copy of the weekend edition of the Wall Street Journal. In it, we saw the recipe for chicken tabaka and decided to make it when we got home. Better?</div>
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We had never made or even eaten Cornish game hen before, so this was a learning experience for us. For your convenience, we'll reprint the recipe here (with some modifications) and give our thoughts on the dish afterwards - thanks Wall Street Journal! (Note: we only used two hens, but we'll post the full recipe that uses 4.)<br />
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Chicken Tabaka with Green Bean Borani (adapted from the <a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203753704577257401006898254.html" target="_blank">Wall Street Journal</a>)<br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;">First, the Cornish game hens:</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;">4 Cornish game hens</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;">4 garlic cloves, crushed</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;">Salt</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;">Cayenne pepper</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;">4 tbsp. unsalted butter</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;">1. Rinse hens and pat dry. Place each hen breast-side up on a cutting board. With a sharp knife, slice down the middle of the breastbone to separate the rib cage. Flatten hen gently with a meat pounder.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">2. With a knife, make a small slit at the lower edge of each breast half. Push tips of the drumsticks down through slits, one on each side, so knobby ends of drumsticks protrude on hen's underside. Make similar slits on upper edge of each breast half. Push wingtips through to other side. Flatten hen once more. Repeat with remaining hens.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">3. Rub hens with crushed garlic. Salt hens liberally and dust with cayenne.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">4. Heat two 12-inch skillets, preferably cast iron. Add 2 tablespoons butter to each skillet. When butter melts, place 2 hens in each skillet, turning them to coat both sides with butter. Cook hens skin-side up over medium-high heat for 5 minutes, then turn skin-side down.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">5. Place a plate or another, slightly smaller skillet over each pair of hens. Weight it down with a heavy can or a bowl filled with water. Cook hens over medium heat until skin is brown and slightly crusty, 18-20 minutes. Turn birds, replace the weight and cook 5 more minutes.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">While the hens are cooking, make the garlic sauce:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div>
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</div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">1/2 cup chicken broth</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">4 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">1/4 tsp. salt</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">1/8 tsp. paprika</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">Cayenne pepper</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">1 tbsp. chopped cilantro</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">6. Heat chicken broth in a small saucepan. With a mortar and pestle, mash garlic with salt into a creamy paste. Whisk garlic into chicken broth along with paprika and a dash of cayenne pepper. Set aside. Just before serving, stir in cilantro.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;">Finally, it's time for the green bean borani:</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;">1 lb. green beans, trimmed</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">1 medium onion, minced</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">4 tbsp. butter</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">1/4 tsp. cinnamon</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">Freshly ground black pepper</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">1 small garlic clove, coarsely chopped</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">1/2 tsp. salt</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">1/2 cup chopped mixed fresh herbs (basil, tarragon, cilantro, parsley, dill, summer savory)</span></div>
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</div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">7. Parboil beans until crisp-tender, 4-5 minutes.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">8. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, sauté onion in 3 tbsp. butter until soft but not brown, 5-8 minutes. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">9. Drain beans and chop coarsely (each bean should be in 2 to 3 pieces). Add beans to onion, along with remaining butter. Stir in cinnamon and pepper. Cook, covered, until beans are soft, about 10 minutes.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">10. With a mortar and pestle, pound garlic with salt into a paste. Whip yogurt with 1/4 cup ice water and add it to pounded garlic. Stir herbs into beans and cook 1 minute more.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span style="background-color: white;">11. To serve, turn green bean borani out onto a large platter. Pour yogurt over beans. Place hens on platter and drizzle lightly with garlic sauce. Pass remaining sauce in a pitcher.</span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JeTM7YP43T8/T2PjVhZ1oeI/AAAAAAAACqE/PRgIzpf6dSM/s1600/IMG_1548.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JeTM7YP43T8/T2PjVhZ1oeI/AAAAAAAACqE/PRgIzpf6dSM/s320/IMG_1548.JPG" width="320" /></a>Conclusion: Though the whole dish was delicious, the preparation was too time-consuming for a weekday, though we'd be happy to have those green beans at any time.<br />
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C & D</div>
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<br /></div>Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04791013889042122288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5679412597743071540.post-37831382034507234242012-03-14T21:13:00.002-07:002012-03-14T21:14:37.041-07:00Another Blog to Check OutIf you needed more evidence that 3L year of law school should be a time for cooking and blogging, not for reading cases and studying, then check out the blog that one of our classmates recently started called <a href="http://legaltines.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Legal Tines</a>. Coincidentally, she <a href="http://legaltines.blogspot.com/2012/02/lightened-eggplant-parmesan.html" target="_blank">wrote a blog piece</a> taking advantage of the same eggplant sale that we saw and used for <a href="http://chickenanddumpling.blogspot.com/2012/03/eggplant-parmesan.html" target="_blank">our own entry</a>, and both of us made eggplant parmesan.Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04791013889042122288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5679412597743071540.post-3982371278364033742012-03-13T18:53:00.001-07:002012-03-16T21:40:11.033-07:00Annapolis: Lunch at Sam's at the WaterfrontOn our way back from Delaware, we made a stop for lunch in Annapolis. We don't know a ton about the city (probably because it's in stupid Maryland), but using some combination of Yelp, Google Maps, and a bit of chance, we stumbled upon Sam's at the Waterfront. Sam's is randomly located at Chesapeake Harbour Marina. We initially thought it would be in the downtown area of Annapolis (Ben thought of the Georgetown waterfront). Oops. In any case, we had a nice lunch.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is the calamari with sriracha mayo. We always order<br />
calamari as an app, and this mayo was extra special.</td></tr>
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We started with the calamari, as is our habit (see our previous post). We don't really understand why, though. Ben wasn't a particularly adventurous eater growing up, though he wasn't picky - in either case, he steered clear of calamari until sometime after college. Elizabeth was grossed out by squid as a kid, to the dismay of her parents. She remembers one day when she went out to eat with her brother and dad; her dad ordered "onion rings" for the table and Elizabeth loved onion rings. These were chewier than normal but still delicious. When her dad told her that it was actually squid, she didn't believe him. Tricky dads. </div>
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In any case, now it's a staple for us when we go out, and this one was a winner. The calamari itself was light, crispy, and well-seasoned. But the sriracha mayo was the real hero of this dish. It was tangy and sweet, and it had just the right amount of heat. We have not yet attempted to make calamari ourselves (if only because we have it so much when we go out). But when we do, we will definitely be trying to recreate the sriracha mayo. We'll let you know how it turns out.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sEMMKJ24vcw/T1bNrsMRUFI/AAAAAAAACps/BNBApUB8E8Q/s1600/IMG_1495.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sEMMKJ24vcw/T1bNrsMRUFI/AAAAAAAACps/BNBApUB8E8Q/s320/IMG_1495.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Elizabeth's first lobster roll. Glad it wasn't at Quizno's.</td></tr>
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For our entrees, Elizabeth had the lobster roll. This was Elizabeth's first lobster roll, and it won't be her last. Pretty much all of the seafood we had during our stay in the Chesapeake area was incredibly fresh and delicious, and the lobster roll was no exception. We're pretty sure that the lobster didn't exactly come from the harbor, but still. Maybe they just have higher standards since so much good seafood does come from Chesapeake Bay. Either way, it was a pretty good lobster roll. The shoestring french fries were a hit as well.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wu-1VN33TGA/T1bNg-EPE-I/AAAAAAAACpo/oBl1OMAwrrc/s1600/IMG_1496.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wu-1VN33TGA/T1bNg-EPE-I/AAAAAAAACpo/oBl1OMAwrrc/s320/IMG_1496.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This burger is so photogenic. Too bad it was overcooked -<br />
more medium well than medium rare.</td></tr>
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Ben ordered the Kobe beef burger (it was on special) with bacon, blue cheese, and sauteed mushrooms. The flavors were all fine, but sadly, Sam's committed a cardinal sin in Ben's book - though Ben asked for the burger to be cooked to medium rare, they sailed clear past that, almost to well done. Ben hates sending food back unless it's inedible, but his general rule is that he never orders that item from them again. And if the same restaurant overcooks a different meat or other menu item, they are blacklisted. It's a real shame too because, if the burger were cooked to medium rare, it would have had the potential for true greatness.<br />
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C & D</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5679412597743071540.post-71649952439713207242012-03-11T21:30:00.000-07:002012-03-12T10:41:57.526-07:00Rehoboth Beach: Dinner at Lupo di Mare<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9doZ14YX4Fc/T1bMZHMMTWI/AAAAAAAACpQ/1pH3egkV2zw/s1600/IMG_1457.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9doZ14YX4Fc/T1bMZHMMTWI/AAAAAAAACpQ/1pH3egkV2zw/s320/IMG_1457.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cape May - a day trip from Rehoboth Beach. Darn!<br />
Forgot to take pictures of Rehoboth.</td></tr>
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Spring break is upon us! That means sunny beaches, warm temperatures, tropical beverages, and all the rest, right? Well, we decided that, because of the unseasonably warm winter, we didn't have to head south to enjoy the sun, and as a result, we ended up in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. Sadly, the weekend we were there was marred by chilly weather and even some snow flurries. Even so, we had a pretty nice trip. We also had a little day trip to Cape May, New Jersey, which was cute.<br />
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While in Rehoboth Beach, we went to a couple of good restaurants, including <a href="http://www.lupodimarerehoboth.com/" target="_blank">Lupo di Mare</a>, which has a pretty good Sunday dinner deal - 3 courses for $19. We decided to pay them a visit, and we weren't disappointed.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UTcJ0eq545c/T1bLvZxfIpI/AAAAAAAACpA/JhVd8F2xJe8/s1600/IMG_1481.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UTcJ0eq545c/T1bLvZxfIpI/AAAAAAAACpA/JhVd8F2xJe8/s320/IMG_1481.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This was the cauliflower bisque with truffle oil.</td></tr>
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After the customary bread and olive oil, we got our starters. Elizabeth had the salad, and Ben had the cauliflower bisque with truffle oil. We also ordered some fine meats and cheeses to go along with the starters. The cauliflower bisque was pretty yummy, though the truffle oil didn't add a ton to the dish. Elizabeth's salad was not the best or worst salad ever - it lay somewhere in that range otherwise known as "forgettable." The two starters - actually, everything we ordered except the meat and cheese - came from a set menu from which the special deal was available. We probably wouldn't have ordered those two dishes without the special, but hey, it was a good deal, and the starters weren't so bad.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This bread was so yummy, and the olive oil had a<br />
delightful saltiness that Elizabeth loves.</td></tr>
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The bread was a nice treat, though. Also, the pecorino and bresaola were pretty fantastic. A little while ago, we bought some pecorino because we thought it was a substitute for parmesan. It was definitely a bit sharper, perhaps since it's made from sheep's milk or some other reason (we admit we don't know a ton about cheese). This one was quite smooth, though, with enough of a bite to make it interesting. The honey and almonds rounded it out quite well.<br />
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We enjoyed making little sandwiches with pieces of bread, pecorino, and bresaola (and a touch of olive oil). We could probably get used to those sandwiches. If there's a picnic post at some point in the near future, look out.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">3-4-year-old bresaola and baked pecorino</td></tr>
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Our entrees were pretty standard and standard-looking - we just had a seafood pasta dish and chicken marsala. Sadly, we didn't take pictures of them. Now it just seems kind of empty not posting our entrees. It's as if we had dessert and snacks for dinner only. You'll have to take our word for it. Speaking of dessert, we both had the tiramisu. We brought it home with us because we were stuffed, but it was a good one. Elizabeth ranks it quite high on her all-time rankings. And this means something because tiramisu is Elizabeth's all-time favorite dessert.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Elizabeth liked the tiramisu - that's high praise, as Nicolas<br />
Cage (via Andy Samberg) might say.</td></tr>
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It was a good meal for the right price. If we come back to Rehoboth Beach (perhaps when it's warmer), we could come back here.</div>
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Though we didn't take pictures, we also went to <a href="http://www.thepigandfish.com/home.php" target="_blank">Pig & Fish</a> for a happy hour that turned into an impressive meal. We started with the andouille mussels and fried green tomatoes, which were both pretty delicious. We've been suckers for mussels for a while - there's about a 50% chance that we'll order either mussels or calamari whenever we order appetizers with dinner. There's were hard to beat. The fried green tomatoes were also pretty good. Elizabeth had never had them before, but she was a fan.</div>
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For our entrees, Elizabeth had the pork belly with white cheddar grits and collard greens. The pork belly was not quite as good as what we had at Orzo in January, but it was crispy and delicious. Ben had a nice salad and one of the specials: a flatbread pizza with speck, ham, smoked mozzarella, and some other goodies. Though Ben can't remember exactly what else was on it (why oh why do we wait a week to post?), it was one of the better pizzas he's had in a while. This place definitely seemed like a dime-a-dozen bar when we walked in (our plan was just to get some drinks and find someplace else for dinner), but it definitely got the job done in the end. We may or may not go back to Lupo di Mare the next time we're in Delaware. But we'll definitely go back to Pig & Fish.</div>
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C & D</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5679412597743071540.post-65770838049886292922012-03-07T10:46:00.000-08:002012-03-12T10:44:04.151-07:00Eggplant Parmesan<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
There's nothing like a good sale to prompt attempting a new dish. We saw eggplant on sale at Kroger at 10 for $10. Thus we decided to try our hands at a classic, eggplant parmesan.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fresh out of the oven.</td></tr>
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We borrowed from <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/eggplant-parmesan-recipe/index.html" target="_blank">this Food Network recipe</a> - primarily the part where you salt the eggplant slices and let them hang out for an hour. Instead of the quick marinara in the recipe, we made our own sauce. We sauteed half an onion, half a yellow bell pepper, celery, and carrots, added it to a couple of cans of diced tomatoes, added some salt, pepper, and olive oil, and simmered it for maybe 20 or 30 minutes. After that, we stuck the sauce in the blender to make it nice and smooth. From there, we assembled the final product, layering the sauce with mozzarella, parmesan, and the eggplant slices (which we, of course, breaded and fried).<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gooey, cheesy, and delicious. The way it should be.</td></tr>
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When Ben has had eggplant parmesan in the past, it's frequently been kinda soggy and sad. This one happily did not fit that description. The cheese was nice and golden brown on the top, and the eggplant was fantastic. This one is definitely making it into our dinner rotation - that is, whenever eggplant goes back on sale.<br />
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C & D</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5679412597743071540.post-7292866757874027052012-03-06T18:35:00.002-08:002012-03-12T10:44:04.152-07:00Adventures with EmpanadasSome of you, <strike>especially in our massive fan base in New York</strike>, may have heard of <a href="http://www.empmamanyc.com/" target="_blank">Empanada Mama</a>. When Ben was last in New York, he went to a party that was catered by them. Most of their food was straightforward, if not tasty, Latino cuisine, but it wasn't until the dessert round that Ben discovered their caramel and cheese empanadas, which were just the best thing ever.* The host of the party refused to allow anyone to leave until all the empanadas were out of her apartment - Ben was happy to oblige and took as many caramel and cheese empanadas as he could fit into a paper bag.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Crispy, delicious empanadas.</td></tr>
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A little while ago, Elizabeth discovered that the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board was celebrating cheese with their <a href="http://www.30days30waysmacandcheese.com/" target="_blank">blog</a>, whose theme this year was 30 different ways to make macaroni and cheese in 30 days. First of all, congratulations to the WMMB for a fabulous idea. Second, there were some pretty awesome recipes featured there (at some point, Ben really wants to try the <a href="http://www.30days30waysmacandcheese.com/?p=1627" target="_blank">breakfast mac and cheese</a>). The recipe that really stuck out, submitted by <a href="http://www.alwaysorderdessert.com/" target="_blank">Always Order Dessert</a>, was the one for <a href="http://www.30days30waysmacandcheese.com/?p=2062" target="_blank">guava mac and cheese empanadas</a>. How could two foods from such different worlds come together in fried doughy goodness?<br />
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Was it coincidence that we discovered empanadas we'd like to try months apart? Ben likes to think it's fate. Either way, we decided to try our hand at some empanadas of our own. We had a recipe for the guava mac and cheese empanadas. We also decided to make some basic shredded beef empanadas, using the filling recipe found <a href="http://simplygoodcooking.com/shredded-beef-empanadas/" target="_blank">here</a>. And finally, we decided to try to recreate the caramel and cheese empanadas as best as we could. (For simplicity's sake, we just used the empanada wrapper recipe for the guava mac and cheese empanadas, tripled.)<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-w7uBQZoQfW4/T1bJKedW0BI/AAAAAAAACnw/TDlliO49Ytg/s1600/IMG_1444.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-w7uBQZoQfW4/T1bJKedW0BI/AAAAAAAACnw/TDlliO49Ytg/s320/IMG_1444.JPG" width="320" /></a>The guava mac and cheese empanadas were a real winner. For one, the mac and cheese, made with gruyere, was pretty spot on. But the combination of guava and mac and cheese worked really well. Ben used to eat guava paste with queso blanco growing up (because his mom, from Puerto Rico, ate it growing up). The total package, reminiscent of that except with a flaky crust to boot, was just sublime.<br />
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The shredded beef empanadas also turned out well. We enjoyed these with a bit of guacamole (the remainder of which was annihilated by some friends after a night of drinking), which gave some creamy balance to the salty, savory empanadas.<br />
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Sadly, our iteration of the caramel and cheese empanadas was not as successful. Since we did not have a recipe (we emailed Empanada Mama, but they would only tell him that the cheese used was mozzarella), we had to improvise. We used a <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/dulce-de-leche-recipe/index.html" target="_blank">dulce de leche recipe</a> from Alton Brown (Ben's non-mother cooking hero) and added it plus some shredded mozzarella to the empanada shells. Though all the flavors were definitely there, they just didn't seem to come out right. We didn't seem to have added enough dulce de leche, but it was hard to add much more without it all escaping before we could seal the empanada. Maybe it wasn't thick enough. In any case, we'll try them again soon.<br />
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C & D<br />
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*That is, until the next time we say the "best thing ever" on this blog.Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04791013889042122288noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5679412597743071540.post-4357579891463863312012-02-28T20:01:00.000-08:002012-03-12T10:44:50.296-07:00V-day at L'Étoile<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Elizabeth wishes there were 2 more. They were yummy.</td></tr>
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<span style="text-align: left;">Because we're high rollers, we decided to have a fancy prix-fixe Valentine's Day dinner at L'Étoile (you DO pronounce the last 'l' - saying "L'etoi" sounds TOO pretentious). For our first course, Elizabeth had the raw oysters, and Ben had the foie gras au torchon (talk about </span><i style="text-align: left;">pretentious</i><span style="text-align: left;">!) with marmalade. Elizabeth was a little disappointed at the paltry number of oysters she got - probably because, compared with Ben's foie gras, it was puny! But honestly, Ben's appetizer was quite large, particularly by fine dining standards. There was a large slice of foie gras and a bunch of other fun things. Apparently torchon comes from the French for "dish towel" and is made by putting the foie gras in a towel and then poaching it. By the way, Elizabeth bought Ben the</span><a href="http://frenchlaundry.com/" style="text-align: left;"> French Laundry</a><span style="text-align: left;"> </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1579651267/ruhlmancom" style="text-align: left;">Cookbook</a><span style="text-align: left;">, which describes how to serve foie gras au torchon.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">No trip to a nice French restaurant would be complete<br />without a little (or a lot of) foie gras.</td></tr>
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Okay, just look at the pictures. My text description has gotten ridiculously pretentious ridiculously fast. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8O6Anc7XvwU/T0cXyhgTv-I/AAAAAAAAClk/4hNAXqe7SJ8/s1600/IMG_1421.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: left;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8O6Anc7XvwU/T0cXyhgTv-I/AAAAAAAAClk/4hNAXqe7SJ8/s400/IMG_1421.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In the foreground is Elizabeth's filet. Off in the distance is Ben's delicious<br />duck breast. By the end of the night, after foie gras and duck breast,<br />Ben was quacking.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NXIQuR1lBYw/T0cYGrSw_TI/AAAAAAAACl0/-mZbefFnxvY/s1600/IMG_1429.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NXIQuR1lBYw/T0cYGrSw_TI/AAAAAAAACl0/-mZbefFnxvY/s400/IMG_1429.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Crème brûlée. Another classic.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QNLTFboFUeI/T0cYwKEKGyI/AAAAAAAACl8/rjBd-YqHR_M/s1600/IMG_1427.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QNLTFboFUeI/T0cYwKEKGyI/AAAAAAAACl8/rjBd-YqHR_M/s320/IMG_1427.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ben had the cheese plate to mix things up. He'd never done<br />a cheese plate before. Good choice. </td></tr>
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Elizabeth had crème brûlée for dessert (with all the accents, this paragraph might be the most pretentious one in the post). Her words: "Whenever I crack the top, it always reminds me of the movie Amélie. Well, actually I'm not sure I've ever had crème brûlée before. But I've cracked a lot of fictional crème brûlées in my head, and all those fictional crème brûlées remind me of Amélie." It seems reasonable that a dessert as delicious and fun as crème brûlée could inspire dreams and fantasies like these.<br />
<br />
Neither of us really think much about French food, and while L'Étoile is a fantastic restaurant that we planned on visiting eventually, it never really our short list of fancy places to try until recently. (You have to pick and choose when you're on a law student budget - also, ordering that extra glass of wine or dessert can feel a little wrong when we're staring at almost $300,000 in combined law school debt in only a few short months. Can't wait!) But L'Étoile did not disappoint.<br />
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Perhaps, given the cost of dining there (we spent over $200 on this meal), we may not be back before we leave. And it's hard to fathom eating this decadent, rich cuisine more often than just special occasions. But maybe you will see Ben try out a few recipes from the French Laundry cookbook. We will be sure to share our successes (or failures) with you.<br />
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C & DUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5679412597743071540.post-75612279631766631312012-02-28T19:19:00.000-08:002012-03-12T10:44:50.302-07:00Dinner at Brookville<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Honestly, we never thought we would go to <a href="http://www.brookvillerestaurant.com/">Brookville</a> because, well, no one we know has ever gone there, and plus the website looked weird. But the website changed! So anyway, we decided to go, and we are so glad we did because the food and service were great. Here are some pictures (note: not pictured - our appetizer of delicious shrimp and an amuse-bouche that slips our mind - again, the perils of not posting promptly):</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Eze2MzYx-LY/T0cXTg5to3I/AAAAAAAACk0/ZtXWmt-ccrU/s1600/IMG_1393.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Eze2MzYx-LY/T0cXTg5to3I/AAAAAAAACk0/ZtXWmt-ccrU/s400/IMG_1393.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Elizabeth had the fried chicken thigh on a bacon waffle.</td></tr>
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<tr><td><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ve8p-onAK0E/T0cX0ns0QsI/AAAAAAAACls/xnC4rpNvLao/s1600/IMG_1423.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ve8p-onAK0E/T0cX0ns0QsI/AAAAAAAACls/xnC4rpNvLao/s400/IMG_1423.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption">Ben had the lamb dish, which featured lamb shoulder and chops.<br />
Pretty good.</td></tr>
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<tr><td><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-c75Su5BH9C0/T0cXXxAQY9I/AAAAAAAACk8/3jjptwxfdqU/s1600/IMG_1398.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-c75Su5BH9C0/T0cXXxAQY9I/AAAAAAAACk8/3jjptwxfdqU/s400/IMG_1398.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption">We shared the root beer float with bacon ice cream. The menu was a little<br />
bacon-heavy. Nothing wrong with that.</td></tr>
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All in all, it was pretty good meal. Ben thought the chef sounded a little pretentious - we got a speech about local food at the beginning from our waiter that wasn't especially unique (many restaurants in Charlottesville source locally, e.g. The Local), and there were a lot more suggestions on what to order than normal. Even still, the food was pretty good, and we'll probably be back at some point. Where else can you get bacon ice cream?<br />
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C & DUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5679412597743071540.post-45419244092384873762012-02-27T10:45:00.000-08:002012-03-12T10:44:50.298-07:00Orzo Anniversary Dinner<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Back to <a href="http://www.orzokitchen.com/">Orzo Kitchen and Wine Bar</a>! We really enjoy Orzo every time we come here but for some reason, it hasn't been on the tippy top of favorite places to eat. It probably doesn't help that every time we look at the menu, we can never remember anything that we've ordered before. It's like we have fond feelings but no actual knowledge to prove it. Good but unmemorable food. That feeling changed with this visit. Orzo was on their A-game all night and at the end, we were both ready to put Orzo up there with the Local, Mas, and Fossett's and all the other fabulous fine dining establishments we're lucky to have in our li'l town of Charlottesville.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--rwWZXmuook/T0mdbW9amaI/AAAAAAAACmQ/58jTgb370Ek/s1600/IMG_0016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="138" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--rwWZXmuook/T0mdbW9amaI/AAAAAAAACmQ/58jTgb370Ek/s320/IMG_0016.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ben resisted the urge to dive head-first into the plate<br />
as Elizabeth took this picture.</td></tr>
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Ben ordered the braised Niman Ranch pork belly, Carolina shrimp, creamy polenta, and caramelized Brussels sprouts. This was SO delicious, especially, surprisingly, the Brussels sprouts. I actually love Brussels sprouts but these were outshining the pork belly. (A nod to you vegetarians. See, we like vegetables!) The sprouts were just cooked to absolute perfection all around. The shrimp reminded me of the delicious and popular shrimp at Mas.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eaojIhALXfI/T0mddYG4V1I/AAAAAAAACmY/gm7FM-S_WRo/s1600/IMG_0018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eaojIhALXfI/T0mddYG4V1I/AAAAAAAACmY/gm7FM-S_WRo/s320/IMG_0018.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dear Orzo, Thank you for cooking me perfectly. My<br />
death was not in vain. Sincerely, Salmon</td></tr>
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Elizabeth ordered the herb-dijon crusted salmon, orzo "risotto," truffle butter, toasted almonds and braised leeks. The salmon - just cooked to perfection. We cleaned our plates, the both of us.</div>
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We're pretty sure we ordered the arancini di riso: risotto, ricotta, scallion pistou, remoulade with Italian white anchovies. That app, the one we actually had, was a total winner, and the extra Italian white anchovies - they cost $3, were totally worth it. Look at us, big spenders. A lot of people don't like anchovies (anchovies are another one of our favorite tapas at Mas), but you're definitely missing out (an anti-nod to vegetarians there). More anchovies for us then.</div>
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A good night was had by all. And by all, we mean the two of us. Yay Orzo!</div>
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C & DUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5679412597743071540.post-68660606544314229662012-02-26T21:54:00.000-08:002012-03-12T10:44:50.300-07:00Restaurant Week at Fossett's<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FtwSmDkv_OU/T0mdeSKKkgI/AAAAAAAACmo/boJpoFfUlxc/s1600/IMG_0024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FtwSmDkv_OU/T0mdeSKKkgI/AAAAAAAACmo/boJpoFfUlxc/s320/IMG_0024.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">Charlottesville had Restaurant Week from January 23 - 29, so we decided to take the opportunity to go to Fossett's. Of course, we accidentally wrote the date of our reservation wrong. Elizabeth recorded the dinner as happening on Tuesday, but it turns out our reservation was for Saturday. Luckily, Fossett's had room for us anyway, so we didn't get all dressed up for nothing.</span><br />
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For our appetizers, we had the hand rolled trofie, which was made of braised local lam shoulder, rosemary and stony man cheese. Trofie are gnocchi made with flour, water and a little bran. stony man cheese seems to be local Virginia cheese.<br />
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Everything we had (including the trofie) was just amazing, so we thought we'd share some pictures we took. Enjoy!</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0Z9Ffm_hmMs/T0mdqVhM3wI/AAAAAAAACmw/oCViaNKvb0M/s1600/IMG_0026.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0Z9Ffm_hmMs/T0mdqVhM3wI/AAAAAAAACmw/oCViaNKvb0M/s400/IMG_0026.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From pancetta wrapped monkfish, braised red cabbage, mustard nage,<br />
rye croutons.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5QXHoT0_WHk/T0mdsZSvgfI/AAAAAAAACm4/O7OzOHCLsUE/s1600/IMG_0027.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="285" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5QXHoT0_WHk/T0mdsZSvgfI/AAAAAAAACm4/O7OzOHCLsUE/s400/IMG_0027.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wagyu beef, horseradish beignets, maitre d'butter, crispy garlic,<br />
parsley fonduta. Yum.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2S9p2cbUryY/T0mdeJVLn_I/AAAAAAAACmg/moYxQ1sbXXg/s1600/IMG_0022.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2S9p2cbUryY/T0mdeJVLn_I/AAAAAAAACmg/moYxQ1sbXXg/s400/IMG_0022.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Duck confit with ricotta gnocchi, baby mustard greens, butternut squash<br />
nage and cracklin's. At least, we think this is that...<br />
This is the problem of very late updating.</td></tr>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-r3VCtqM9Ifw/T0mdtbJyLzI/AAAAAAAACnI/OFQ3zhSVH6U/s1600/IMG_0030.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="302" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-r3VCtqM9Ifw/T0mdtbJyLzI/AAAAAAAACnI/OFQ3zhSVH6U/s320/IMG_0030.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Frozen vanilla bean souffle, red wine<br />
poached, spiced Albemarle apples.</td></tr>
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<span style="text-align: left;">Ben had the souffle pictured left, and Elizabeth had the Sticky Toffee Pudding with Medjool Dates and whipped Devonshire Cream but the picture came out fuzzy. This souffle was much better anyway.</span><br />
<span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="text-align: left;">Some of our friends mentioned that Fossett's went with the B menu (i.e. no super fancy ingredients like foie gras) because of Restaurant Week. We don't know if that's true, but we do know that our meal was fantastic. Hopefully we'll have a chance to go one more time before departing to DC. And if not, then maybe we can make the 2.5-hour drive every now and then.</span><br />
<span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="text-align: left;">We're still working on our backlog of pictures and commentary, so hopefully we'll have a few more posts in the coming days.</span><br />
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<span style="text-align: left;">C & D</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5679412597743071540.post-47376377285111795812012-02-26T08:59:00.001-08:002012-03-12T10:44:04.142-07:00Tomato, Burrata, and Spinach Salad<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XfP0ldsuRcE/T0cW8igYMGI/AAAAAAAACks/hTm1bLGBqBE/s1600/IMG_1371.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XfP0ldsuRcE/T0cW8igYMGI/AAAAAAAACks/hTm1bLGBqBE/s320/IMG_1371.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5679412597743071540.post-39772572129324616902012-02-25T18:36:00.000-08:002012-03-16T19:28:24.355-07:00Fish Friday: Cod Fish & Chips<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TKP73G3KgJc/T1bJjpclnNI/AAAAAAAACn4/1J-oRFdop30/s1600/IMG_1434.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TKP73G3KgJc/T1bJjpclnNI/AAAAAAAACn4/1J-oRFdop30/s320/IMG_1434.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sorry this image is so phallic.</td></tr>
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We borrowed the fish recipe from <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/chips-and-fish-recipe/index.html" target="_blank">Alton Brown</a>, using some fresh cod. (Also, we used a Fat Tire from the beer - at some point we'll write an ode to Fat Tire.)<br />
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C & DUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0