A Return to Hilton Head...

Once upon a time there was a Princess who decided, oh let's say around 1994 or so, that she needed to leave the comfort of her home town and embark upon a new land.  A land filled with new people, new sights and sounds and new adventures!  So, she packed up and left for this new land.  Where did she go?  Hilton Head, South Carolina:)


Yea - ok so it didn't go exactly like that.  It went more like this...I had a friend who moved to Hilton Head, I went to see her and decided this place is pretty cool!  Got home, found a job in Hilton Head and packed up and left.  Not quite as story-book, but oh my time in Hilton Head had many a story. *as she looks every so innocently into the heavens* Stories, that should probably forever remain in the "vault".  :)


So, as luck would have it - I had a friend that wanted to sell a week of her timeshare, I bought it and ended up in Hilton Head.  I knew it would be quiet this time of year - cold even.  But oddly enough, that sounded heavenly to me.  So off I went!

I stayed at the Marriott Grande Ocean which I HIGHLY recommend. It was a fabulous property and the villas were huge!  This property had several pools, nice courtyards and a great piece of real estate on the beach.  Although there were other guests staying at the property, you certainly wouldn't know it.  It was so quiet - something I desperately needed.

My favorite ATL gal-pal accompanied me for the first two nights while I was there and like always, we had a great time.  Now to us, a great time doesn't mean two days packed full of activities.  It means jammies, sleeping late, coffee, maybe a little shopping and for this trip one purpose....one activity that was a must.  Lady and Sons in Savannah:)  Now, said friend is quite the wimp when it comes to cold weather so she wasn't for exploring much of anything on the island -- so our Saturday started with a 10-minute trip to the beach primarily so we could say that we saw the beach.  Then a few turns around the shopping area and then off to Savannah to experience Paula Dean.


We were both expecting Lady and Sons to be packed and had prepared ourselves for a good wait.  But the January vacation gods were smiling down on us and we walked right in!  Interesting place Lady and Sons.  It has three floors and for lunch it's a buffet.  Now, this princess generally doesn't do buffets but I thought I would give a pass to Paula Dean:)  The lunch menu is pretty limited....you can get the buffet or 2 other entrees.  That's it - which I found interesting.  I ended up with the buffet and it was pretty darn good.  Especially if you're in the mood for home cooking.  Definitely worth a go - especially if you don't have to wait in a line!  :)  I know, I know, I know.....I'm spoiled and probably a little lazy - but I hate waiting in lines!

So, cut to Sunday - I'm dropping my friend off at the Savannah airport and decide I need to take a trip to Beaufort.  I managed a drug store here for a while too, plus I figured heck.....maybe just maybe I'd get a glimpse of a few thousand Marines at Parris Island:)  Actually, Beaufort is a great little town - perfect for leisurely walking around just for the heck of it.


As for my culinary adventures while in Hilton Head, I ventured out a few times, cooked in a few times - but really kept it pretty simple.  The quiche (as mentioned in an earlier post) and then one of my favorite finds a restaurant called "A Lowcountry Backyard".  It was a really cute place which brought a little bit of Charleston to Hilton Head.  Charleston of course being my favorite Southern city:)


I had Lowcountry's shrimp and grits (because you KNOW how I love my shrimp and grits) and their fried green tomatoes.  Of the two - gotta say that the friend green tomatoes were my favorite.  The shrimp and grits were good - but they were in a white gravy and I prefer the other...the red/brown gravy.  But definitely still good:)


All in all a great trip.  Some may not find going to the beach in January at the top of their list, but if you're looking for quiet and relaxing and don't mind it being a little chilly, it's worth a go.  

Presto!!! Pasta and Pesto!

Pasta and pesto is one of my favorite "go to" meals.  Not only does it taste great, it's quick and easy! It's REALLY quick and easy if you have some pesto on hand - which I normally do thanks to my garden:)

The formula?   Cook pasta, add pesto, top with cheese.  

Now because I really can't do anything simple, (story of my life!) I added a little to this one today.  I knew I had some frozen pesto in the freezer, but I also had some spinach I wanted to use up so I knew what I wanted to do.

Let me talk just a minute about the pesto.  Making your own pesto is really easy (I'll save this for another day) but the best thing - it freezes great.  I have my own garden and patio and I always have 2-3 basil plants for this express purpose.  Throughout the summer I pick basil and make small batches of pesto and then freeze them in sandwich bags.  Then whenever I need some pesto, I've got it on hand.

OK back to the pasta.  Provided you have your pesto pre-made, go ahead and get your pasta water going on the stove and cook your pasta.  As with almost all my recipes it seems, I started with diced onion and garlic in some olive oil.  Cook these over a medium low heat until translucent.  I added just a few red pepper flakes. At this point, you could easily skip to adding the pesto but today I decided to add some anchovy paste.  Anchovies add a great saltiness to the dish and unlike what you may think...it doesn't make your dish taste like fish:)  As mentioned, you can easily leave this step out.  I added about 1 tsp of anchovy paste and stirred it about with my onion for a minute or so.  At this point, I would taste it to determine if you need salt and pepper.  The anchovy paste is pretty salty, so I wouldn't add it unless your personal taste requires it:)

Tip:  Anchovy paste may not be the easiest thing to find so 2 small anchovy filets = 1/2 teaspoon.

Once the onion mixture was ready I added my pesto.  Today, it was probably 2/3 cup.  But it again, it's a matter of preference.  Sometimes I want A LOT of pesto...other days I want just enough to lightly coat my pasta.  Today I didn't go with to much because I knew I had a lot of other things going on in the pasta - my onion mixture and my spinach primarily.  Make sure the pesto is incorporated well with the onion mixture and then add the spinach.  I'd start with about 2 cups of coarsely chopped spinach.  Stir this well and cook for about 30 seconds to a minute.  It really depends on how you like your spinach.  In the above recipe, you can see I didn't cook my spinach too long because it's still holding its shape pretty good.  However, if you like more wilted spinach (some days I do!!) cook the pesto/spinach mixture just a bit longer.

Once my pasta was ready I ladled it out of the pasta water and directly into my skillet.  Don't drain it, ladle it into the skillet.  (With a pasta ladle mind, you....not the regular kind...thought I better mention that!! :)The starch from the pasta and the little bit of water will enhance your pasta.  To top if off - I grated some Parmesan cheese and topped it with some lemon zest.  The lemon zest just gives it a little pop of freshness when you take a bite.

The great thing about this recipe is that you can easily tweak it to suit your personal taste preference.  Want more onions?  Add them.  More spinach? Add it! No chili flakes? Fine!  There's no hard line recipe to follow here, which is what I love about it.

And there it is...Presto!  Pasta and Pesto!

...and then the Heavens parted and angels began to sing....

FINALLY!  After much "ado" (and through contributions of family as my Christmas presents) -  I finally got a Kitchenaid stand mixer!   *Jodie doing the happy dance*

After doing my research I landed on the Pro 5 Plus.  5 Quarts, bowl that lifts and three attachments.  (the spiral dough hook, paddle and wisk) But let me tell you..... I love, love, love it!  Of course I had to go with a sassy red:)  I've been using it to work on my perfecting homemade bread and it is so much easier than kneading that stuff by hand.

I'm sure you'll be seeing more posts regarding this baby, but for now.......isn't she pretty????  Maybe I need to find a good name for her.  Hummmmmm....

Quiche

I LOVE quiche...and have for years!  When I was very young....probably early teens, my Grandmother lived in Parkersburg, WV and every Saturday we would go shopping and then have a super fabulous lunch...and then shop some more. :) I guess, looking back, I can blame HER for my obsessive shopping disorder!!  Occasionally we would have lunch at the cafe at Stone and Thomas and I thought I was pretty darn special because of it.  It was there that I first had quiche and it's been a love-affair ever since:)

Quiche is a great thing to have in your cooking repertoire for several reasons:

1) It's Yummy! And what makes it yummy is that you can put pretty much whatever you want in it!  It's a great "clean-out-the-fridge" dish.  That is, whatever you got - is what goes in it.  Veggies, meat --- you name it.  The only must haves in my opinion...Eggs (Duh) - Cheese (Gruyere) - Heavy Cream and half and half - and nutmeg.  (I guess a pie shell) Everything else is up to you. :)

2)  It's Easy!  Mix it up, throw in a frozen pie crust and poof! It's done:)

3)  It Can be Made in Advance!  It can be made ahead of your event, stuck in the fridge and forgot about:)

Now in terms of being a purist......yeeeeeaaaaa - I'm not! --when it comes to the crust:)  Although homemade pie crust is one of those things I'm determined to master one of these days!  But for now, I see no reason not to use the WONDERFUL frozen ones:)

So for this quiche I began by frying up some bacon.  In actuality we could stop here and I'd be a happy girl - but for the sake of this blog I'll keep going.  :)  Fry the bacon on medium heat until nice and crispy - remove and let it drain on a paper towel.  How much....eh - up to you and the type of bacon (whether or not it's really "meaty").  But I'd say pack the bottom of a skillet and go from there.  If you have extra left over.....DANG - I'll guess you'll have to eat it!

In the same skillet, saute up some some onions and garlic (like any good dish!).  I'd go with 1/2 cup diced sweet onions and 1-2 cloves of garlic.  Add a little s/p and saute on medium heat - constantly stirring to get a good carmelization on the the onions.  Dump the entire skillet into a sieve to drain off the bacon grease and set aside.  Save your skillet and all the yummy stuff in the bottom --- you're gonna need it. 

For this quiche I decided to go with the bacon, spinach and cheese -- classic.  So I prepped my cheese (grated) and rinsed my spinach.  Give the spinach a rough chop and throw it in the skillet with the bacon left overs....on very low heat wilt the spinach for about 30 seconds and remove from the heat or dump it onto a plate or something...set it aside.

For the eggs, I use 6 large eggs cracked into a bowl.  I use an electric mixer to whip them up for just about 30 seconds or so on high.  You want them whipped, but not over whipped.  Once the eggs are whipped - throw it all together.  Eggs, cheese, spinach, bacon and onions. (I crunch up the bacon in my hands).  Make sure your onions are drained of a crazy excess of bacon grease...but some is OKEEDOKEE. 

Give everything a good stir and dump it in the pie shell.  I bake it at 425 for about 40-50 minutes..or until a toothpick or inserted knife comes out clean. 

Then you can either eat that sucker, or cover it in saran wrap and stick in the fridge.  It really is easy and will save you valuable cooking time in the morning, especially if you have quests!  Heck I made it and blogged about it and I'm at the beach:)

Happy eatin'

Jodie

One of My New Favorite Things...Electric Teakettle!

This little baby is one of bestest new favorite thingys:)

Considering I have in my opinion a raging case of adult ADD - this electric teakettle is a life saver for me.  OK - so I've burnt up three regular kettles because I put on my tea water in the afternoon (like any good princess) and well....then the ADD kicks in, I'm working in the office - next thing you know I smell burnt metal.

I got this at Costco for $20 and I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it!!  It heats boiling water in about 3 minutes and BONUS for ME...and automatic shut-off:)  SCORE!!

Snowpocalypse 2011 ---- What's left in the cupboard?

As of 730p EST tonight I have not left my apartment in 4 1/2 days and like most Atlantans I'm down to the dry goods and frozen goods;) Solitude doesn't really bother me - I enjoy my "space" and I work from anyway so quite frankly it's not a stretch for me.  That being said, I might....MIGHT be feeling the little tingles of what to some may be cabin fever'ish...maybe. Maybe.  We'll see what the daylight brings;)

As mentioned, getting down to the dry goods and what's left in the freezer so I decided in the midst of Snowpocalypse 2011 I'll just have a little taste of summer! So after a survey of the freezer and pantry I decide on Turkey Burgers and Bulgar Wheat salad.  Why you say?  Why not meesa say!  (For my Star Wars people)

I have to attribute the rise of the turkey burger in my house to Bobby Flay.  OK he's a bit of an arrogant somebody - but grill boy can cook --- so I deal, and I support him by buying his cookbooks.  (All of which I highly recommend!)  I have Boy Meets Grill, Boy Gets Grill, Grilling for Life and Bobby Flay cooks American.  (The latter is eh....)  Bobby flay has a thing for poblanos and those flavors that compliment it so well...cilantro, lime, cumin ---- AND all his stuff is easy to make.  Anyone can do it --- so give him a chance and overlook the attitude;)

OK - so turkey burgers.  After I started making these turkey burgers, believe it or not I rarely have a big urge for beef burgers.  RARELY I said...not ever:)  These turkey burgers are great.  I end up tweaking it a bit based on what I have in the frig, but definitely give his turkey burgers a shot - especially the one in Grilling for Life....delicious!

I generally start by dicing up a small onion, garlic and any chili pepper I happen to have laying around and I ALWAYS have a chili pepper - even if it's in the freezer from the garden:) Add s/p of course and saute those in a little olive oil..just for about 2-3 min to help along in the cooking process and then mix them in with some ground turkey.  Depending on how much oil was in my skillet I may also drizzle about 1-2 tablespoons of oil into the ground turkey.  Turkey as you know has very little fat and these burgers will dry out on you fast so a little oil helps....doesn't prevent...but helps:) Throw in some cumin and today I chopped up some cilantro and squeezed a little lime into the ground turkey as well.  Patty them up and fry them in a skillet with some olive oil on med low heat.  VERY IMPORTANT ---- if the heat is to high the inside of your burger will be rare and with turkey...that's not a good thing;)  Next, I prepped my toppings...little onion, tomato and a "lettuce" of cilantro.  I also took a little cilantro and onion, lime juice and mayo and spun it in the food processor for a couple minutes to make me a cilantro-lime mayonnaise:)

Because I'm on the summer thing and knew I'd have some bulgar wheat in my cupboard I thought I'd make my favorite summer salad.  Once again, this salad can have many variations - but today I used cucumber, red onion, fresh parsley, feta and cranberries...topped with a citrus vinaigrette.  The bulgar salad recipe is in my blog for 2010, so I'll not repeat the recipe here - as for the vinaigrette...lemon juice, lime juice, honey, olive oil and a smidgen of Dijon.....wisked all together and then poured over the salad.  Eeeezy peezy:)

So it's not summer, but my lunch sure made me think about it and BONUS it's pretty darn healthy too:)

A Tip:  Bulgar wheat may not be the easiest thing to find; some substitute couscous or orzo (but they're pastas) - some may even use brown rice.  If you find the bulgar...use it:)

Not Your Everyday Pasta....

Being that I find myself in a position to consider all carbs to be evil pound-inducing tools of the devil (is that too harsh?? :) I try - mind you I don't always succeed - but I do try to avoid them.  However...and a very big however we do find ourselves in the midst of the 2011 Atlanta winter storm --- so guess what?  We eat what we got and today....it's pasta!

I decided an everyday run-of-the-mill pasta wasn't going to cut it, so the fridge comes open and I go on a hunt.  What rabbit can I pull out of my hat on this one?  What ingredients do I have that would produce this super-fantastic winter pasta?  The result:  Butternut squash, onions, swiss chard.  Done!

Pasta truly has endless possibilities, but you really have to get out of the "marinara" state of mind to really get that.  Gone are the days are canned pasta sauces; here are the days of well...pretty much what you want.

So while we're on pasta - let's chat about actually cooking it.  Here are some guidelines when actually cooking your pasta:

• Water to Pasta Ratio.  The rule of thumb is 5-6 quarts of water for each pound of pasta.  Bottom line: think lots of water.  Not having enough water will cause the pasta to stick and uneven cooking. 

• To Add Oil or Not to Add Oil?  NO!!  If you've got plenty of water, you don't need oil.  

• To Add Salt or Not to Add Salt?  YES!!  I generally throw a small handful in; but the rule is 1 TBSP for every quart.  Seems a bit much to me; but you're not consuming the stock so don't worry about the sodium content.  

• To Rinse or not to Rinse?  NO!!  I never, ever rinse my pasta.  The starch that attaches itself to the pasta helps make a great sauce!  I don't even DRAIN my pasta....I use a pasta ladle to fetch it out to retain as much of the starch as possible.  

•  When is it done?  How do you know how long to cook it?  Well - matter of choice here really.  I like my pasta just past the al dente (firm but not hard) stage.  The best thing I've heard about testing the pasta - throw it against a pan, a wall - whatever - is to simply taste it:)  Know that even once you remove the pasta from the water, it will continue to cook slightly.  To me - overcooked pasta is a mushy, horrible mess.  So I'd be safe, not sorry:)

• Add the Sauce to the Pasta or the Pasta to the Sauce?  My choice here is to add the pasta to the sauce.  The extra heat from the sauce in the pan will help infuse the flavors throughout the pasta and help coat the pasta - especially if you're using pasta shapes that "hold" sauce.  (shells, etc) 

OK - on to our creation...

Our Dish:  Penne with Butternut Squash and Swiss Chard

1. Preheat the oven to 350'ish.
2. Food Prep.  Squash, Onions, Garlic, Swiss Chard (see below) 
3. Peel a butternut squash; cut in half and then cut it into 1/2 inch cubes.
4. Put the squash into a large bowl; drizzle with olive oil; add s/p, 1/2 tsp of freshly grated nutmeg; 1/2 tsp of cinnamon.  (Vary these amounts if you have a large squash.) Toss the squash to ensure all cubes are well coated. Spread the squash on a cookie sheet and roast until a fork pierces the squash easily, but not mushy.  Do NOT overcook it - err to the side of a little undercooked than overcooked here.  Remove the squash when finished; set aside.
5. Start your pasta.
6. Saute some finely sliced onions and garlic in a mixture of olive oil and butter.  Add s/p. Key here is to do this on medium-low heat.  If the heat is to high your onions will not caramelize; they'll burn.  Constantly stir the onions to ensure even browning.  
7. Remove the stems from the swiss chard, finely dice and add to your onion mixture.  Coarsely chop the green leaves of the chard and set aside.
8. Once you can see your pasta is about 5min from being done; toss your squash in with your onion mixture and stir to incorporate; add the green leaves of the chard and cook for about 1 min or so -- just enough to wilt it.
9. Add about 1/4 to 1/2 cup of chicken stock to get all your ingredients incorporated and reduced down nicely.  Ladle in your pasta to the vegetables and toss.  Top with Parmesan :)

Keep in mind, this ain't no marinara pasta:)  This dish is savory and the nutmeg and cinnamon just make it.  (Another alternative here is fresh sage)  Allow this dish to sit overnight and it's even better the next day.  Keep in mind when re-heating you may need to add some chicken stock to it just to give it a little more "sauce".

So there ya go ---- enjoy:)  I am!

Indian Food. Yea Riiiigggghhhhttt!

Had you asked me a couple years ago if I liked Indian food I would definitely have given you the "crinkled-nose ewwwwwww" response.  However, today I MAY be changing my tune:)  Mind you, I haven't bought a sari and haven't quite booked the family vacation to New Delhi...but I'm definitely tearing down the walls and opening the windows to completely new way of cooking....well at least for me. 

There were a couple a things that "threw" me when it came to Indian food.  One - a lot of it didn't even LOOK good.  Mushy gravy all over rice was pretty much what I thought.  Second it was spicy and by spicy I mean HOT spicy - and as you may have guessed from previous posts Princess here does NOT do spicy.  However, time passes, things change and all of a sudden I'm willing to give it a go.  OK - not the spicy part.  I still don't do overly spicy food - it just seems senseless to me.  (remind me sometime to go into my diatribe on why I think crazy spicy is ridiculous)  

If you've not been, Dekalb Farmer's Market has a ridiculous selection of spices and even more ridiculous low prices.  Seriously people - what will cost you $4 at a grocery store will cost you $.62 at the Farmer's Market.  It is this selection of spices that I will partly attribute my willingness to give Indian food a go.  Well that, and a somewhat compulsive shopping "thing" I have going on.  I mean, if I can get 20 tubs of spices for less than $10 - I'm so there.  Which, is how I ended up with curries, masala, cardamom and array of other spices which lend their flavors to Indian cuisine.  And finally, all my beloved Indian friends of which are now a part of my life and forever will I attribute exposing me to at least some of this cuisine.

Chicken Masala

So of course my next stop is my library of cookbooks.  I ended up with what looked to be a decent dish - Chicken Masala. (recipe link) "Masala" basically means "mixture".  So chicken masala is made from chicken (thighs) and a great mixture of spices including garam masala. Garam masala refers to the intensity of the mixture of the herbs - in it's case very pungent.  To all my Indian friends...keep me honest here!  --- and if I'm wrong, blame Wikipedia!

After looking at this recipe I realized I liked everything in the recipe...just never tried them together....so why not?

I've added the link above to the details of this recipe so I'll not go into major description here other than to offer a few tips on variations.

I served this with rice - brown rice to make it a little healthier.  However, I gotta tell you it was screaming for some white rice:)  The spices in this recipe can be adjusted to your liking for the most part.  I'm not big on lots of heat, so I really reduced the cayenne down, but added some curry powder.  I also think a great yogurt sauce lightly drizzled on the top of this would be great.  Another thing I did to top this off was once I plated the dish I squeezed lime juice over the top --- this really gave the dish a nice, fresh finish.  Not to mention cilantro and lime, well heck they just go together;)

So here's the thing - OK this particular dish still isn't the prettiest dish -- but I gotta tell you ...it's pretty darn tasty.  It's definitely a different flavor combination and like most things, it takes getting used to.  "It's an acquired taste" is not a BS phrase...it's really true with a lot of things.  Try it...and then try it again....go to a GOOD Indian restaurant and I'll be you'll find a few things that will make you nod the head and say...."yea....I can do Indian food".  

Brussels Sprouts, Brussels Sprouts, Brussels Sprouts!

As I have been looking through my deluge of cooking magazines this month, it appears that if the beloved Brussels sprouts are making a comeback! They're everywhere!  Regular, grated, as a side dish, as a salad.....everywhere!  So I thought, being that it's a winter vegetable why not give them a go!

So off to the Dekalb Farmer's Market I went ---- man do I love that place.  It's  pain to get to, but oh so worth it:)  Beyond the selection, I also walk away absolutely amazed at what I've saved.  If you haven't been.....GO!

OK - so unlike most people.....brace yourself.....I've always like Brussels Sprouts.  Call me a freak...(shocker)...but they've never been on the turn up nose list even if prepared with salt/pepper and butter.  However for this version I did a little searching and decided to spruce them up a bit.

I started by cleaning and prepping my Brussels sprouts.  For this dish, I pulled off the few outside leaves to clean them up and then cut off the bottom, then cut them in half.  (I stayed with pretty small Brussels sprouts as they're generally sweeter.) Next, I fried up 3-4 slices of bacon (pretty crispy) and then set them aside.  I poured most of the bacon grease out of the pan and added a tablespoon of butter (why not?? :)  Dice up a few shallots and some garlic, add s/p and saute just about a minute or two on medium heat.  Throw in the Brussels sprouts and a few red pepper flakes (optional) - cook them on medium heat until you can stick a fork in them fairly easily.  (I needed to add a little liquid a couple times for them to cook properly --- so I used chicken stock. )While the sprouts are cooking I diced up about a 1/2 of red pear....when the sprouts where about done I threw in the pears for about a minute to let everyone get to know each other for a minute and onto my plate it went!

Not to shabby!  Granted it's not a big heaping pile of mashed potatoes (but then again NOTHING beats that) but if you're open to trying something new....it was a nice welcomed change.  I can see them going with a great pork tenderloin or pork chop maybe?

So there ya go - Brussels sprouts ala why-the-heck-not:)          

PS:  After 41, oops I mean 28 years of life I had no clue it was "Brussels" sprouts....not "Brussel" (singular) sprouts.  Who knew???                                                                                                                                                        

Grilled Swordfish with Pineapple-Chili Salsa and Cilantro Pesto

Grilled Swordfish with Pineapple-Chili Salsa



 As I continue the quest of amateur cooking, it seems that I don't find awesome recipes......somehow they find me!  Primarily, it's because I look at the fridge and I'm trying to use up ingredients:)  This dish was no different - save the fish mind you.

I knew I had a lovely swordfish steak in the freezer so we had the main ingredient...but where to go from there?  As mentioned, I'm generally on a quest to clean out the fridge so I ended up with pineapple, chili's and cilantro on the counter.  Hummmm ---- I'm thinking we can do something with this!! 

So I start with the salsa knowing the longer it sits, the better it will be.  My mother had sent a grocery bag (literally) full of peppers to me so I grabbed several colors (green, red, orange) and began chopping.  These chili's are very, very mild so I thought they would offer just enough heat to compliment the fish.   Next, chopping up the pineapple and throwing it all together in a bowl and adding a few finely diced red onions.  Next I make a thin vinaigrette to go with it consisting of lime juice (my staple in the summer), honey and a little red wine vinegar.  Taste......yuuuuuuuum.  OK - cover that up, stick in the fridge to allow the flavors to marry.  Now if it was a normal salsa I would have put some cilantro in that, but knowing I was going to make a cilantro pesto I thought I would leave it out.  Cilantro can be very over-powering, so you gotta be careful. 

Next, the pesto.  Ok -- pesto-ish....it didn't have Parmesan or pine nuts.  But what it did have was cilantro, garlic, lime juice, honey and lime infused olive oil.  Throw all that (except the oil) into a food processor and let it go....drizzle in the oil and set it aside. 

Finally --- on to our fish.  Swordfish is really a great fish.  It has a firm/structured texture which makes it perfect for grilling.  Get your grill hot and grill the fish on both sides.  I can't remember the time exactly, but I know this....don't over-cook it or it will get dry on you.  Learn to test it by touching the steak...the firmer it is, the more done it is.  If you like your fish a little rare...leave it a little softer in the center.  Me?  Fish is gotta be done...but I hate it dry and Swordfish will do that easily if you're not careful.

Just about 1-2 min before the fish is done, I'll brush a little of the pesto on it and then plate it and maybe add a little more pesto.  Serve your salsa on the side and there you have it. 

Love this dish....give it a go I think you'll like it!  The great thing is, if you like more heat -- amp it up with some hotter chili's....serrano's would be great in this;)

Jodie

Diggin' on my Garden!

So after waiting a year on the wait list I finally got my urban garden plot!  Unfortunately, I didn't get it in time for the summer season, but I've got a great late summer/fall garden planted.  Quite frankly, at the moment I've got lettuce coming out of my ears --- but it's all good.

Today's harvest is basil, lettuce --- Bib and Romaine, cilantro, peppers and radishes and I'm trying to think what I can whip up.  The first, of course, is a kick-ass salad --- so that'll work.  But then I'm thinking I'll also make a batch of pesto and freeze it because I love me some pesto:)

I grew up with gardens, but never appreciate them really.  They were a chore that I was NOT excited about.  Now, however I actually enjoy working in the garden and get a great sense of satisfaction out of it....go figure.  Being that I live in Atlanta, in the city it really doesn't give to much opportunity for people to have gardens and it really got me thinking how sad it is that so few people know how to grow their own food.  I mean really, if something crazy happened and we were forced to grow our own food...how many people would/could do it??  Interesting thought.

Well --- keeping it short today and fixin' to eat me some salad!

Lovin' Me Some Pig...

In this day and age of everyone eating healthy, say the word "pork" and before the "k" sound leaves your mouth most people say "no thanks".  So today, I felt compelled to give pork some well-deserved, rather late-in-the-game attention.

Ahh my love-hate relationship with the pig....where shall I begin??  Being that I grew up in Appalachia, where it was not uncommon that animals were specifically raised for food, one of my chores at my grandparents was to "slop the pigs".  OK people -- this is not fun.  Basically it's feeding the pigs...but pigs are aggressive and scary if you're a kid.  If you've got food and they see you......move out 'da way!!  In my mind, pigs were nasty, vile creatures that required me to carry buckets of "slop" (buckets of leftover food) down to their pin where I was overtaken by a mob of these creatures.  It was primarily for this reason, this country-girl-turned-princess hated the pigs.  (I'll leave out the sordid details of butcher day....another not so fun, but necessary day I had to partake in.)

(I realize there are some of you that are now in shock visualizing your pal Jodie doing such things as I have described above.  Sit down, breathe and realize......Many, many things define THIS princess!!  :))

Enter bacon, BBQ, ham, pork chops and pork tenderloin.  Yum......

You know....pigs aren't so bad after all!!  Today I thought I would focus on the fabulous pork tenderloin.  But trust me when I say all of the above deserve their own dedicated entry:)

Ask me what my favorite meal or food is and without hesitation I will respond - "A perfectly prepared steak".    (I can't even get into that right now as my mouth at 830am starts to water).  But a very close second is pork tenderloin.

When prepared properly, Pork tenderloin will simply just melt in your mouth.  Once sliced, it will not even require a knife.  The other white meat?  I would wager and say it's in line for the ONLY white meat:)

The other great thing?  It's easy to prepare.  Salt/Pepper/Olive Oil and a thermometer and you're good to go! (except of course for the times I decide to stuff it, which I will save for another post:).  I'll start off by trimming any extra fat from the outside of a piece of tenderloin...salt and pepper both sides, throw some olive oil on it, stick a thermometer in it and in the oven it can go.  Now, of COURSE there are a multitude of things you can do with a pork tenderloin - but for today's purpose we're going to go stripped down, un-adulterated pork.

After prepping it (above) - I'll stick a thermometer in it and in the oven it goes. I generally try and cook a tenderloin on low heat for longer periods of time.  It's a very tender piece of pork, but the slow cooking will help ensure it stays that way:)  I generally set the oven to around 275 or 300 and let it go until the thermometer reads around 160 degrees.  Here's the thing folks, after you pull it out of the oven LET IT REST.  This is soooo important.  If you cut into it, all the yummy juices will run right out and it will produce a drier tenderloin.  So pull it out of the oven and let it sit a good 6-8 minutes.

Trust me, you'll only need a knife to slice it onto your place - after that melts in your mouth!

Time to Catch Up...Part I

Spaghetti Squash w/Marinara

Admittedly it's been awhile so I thought I'd just post several yummies over the past few months....so here we go!

So I got on the spaghetti squash again.  I'm telling you people - I love this vegetable as a substitute for pasta!!  It really is amazing!

The sauce can, for the most part, be as versatile as you wish - although I have found I tend to like it with marinara the best.  I  used pesto and a generic butter/cream sauce (so far!!) as well.....but it really does goes best with the marinara.

Black-eyed Pea Salad

Next, I found this great cold Black-eyed Pea Salad recipe.....VERY tasty.  Like most cold salads you really can play with this one too.  My brother ate the entire bowl!!

And since we're on the cold salads.....Bulgar (Cracked Wheat) salads are some of my very favorites.  This one is no exception.....thanks to Bobby Flay!  You know, I was never really a Bobby Flay Fan until recently.  Now it seems I can't get enough of him....that'll learn me:) This salad is just incredibly yummy.  I may have taken a few liberties here and there, but for the most part it's straight out of his Grilling for Life cookbook.

Bulgar Salad with Green Onion Vinaigrette

So there's a few to get us going.  There's more to come, just need to gather all the pics!  Sorry this post is dry on the personality part, but hey...at least I'm here!!

"What is it Picasso that compels you to create? The Sun in My Belly!", he replied....

Say the words "Sun in My Belly" around a group of people and you'll likely get two responses:  The first will be more of a look than a response, likely characterized by a crinkling of the forehead, a head-tilt to the side and the word "huh?" uttered out of their mouth.  The second, will be something along the lines of  "Oh my gosh I LOVE that place".  I,  my dear friends, fall into the latter category.

Sun in My Belly is a gem of a restaurant near Decatur in the neighborhood of Kirkwood.  Like most, you hear the name and like I described above, you get the "I just don't know about that" feeling.  But trust me when I say..... Go!...Go....Go!  I promise, you'll not be disappointed!

As luck would have it, I've been having this battle with my work husband.  His excuse for not wanting to go was primarily centered around the name......me on the other hand telling him....."I'm gonna do the "I told you so" dance after you go".  Well, yesterday --- I did just that;)  ***giggles and shrugs her shoulders***

Sun in My Belly states on their website that......It has been said when Picasso was asked what it was that compelled him to create, his response was 'the sun in my belly'".  After you hear this, instead of conjuring up concern and trepidation about going to this place.......all of sudden inspires you to go and go quickly!

Simple in nature and located off the beaten path, neither the location or facade of this restaurant would fall into the conspicuous category.  But take the first bite and everything comes into the light.  The eyes brighten, the smile appears, the "Hummm" inevitably utters its way out of your mouth and coming full circle - the eyes close as you take it all in.  Seem a bit over the top you say?  Who cares it's my dang blog and I love this place!! :))

The menu is one of those that you start at the top and by the time you reach the bottom you've discovered 15 things that all look good.  My solution to that problem?  Go with friends and share:)

Yesterday the work husband and me got the chicken salad sandwich and roast beef sandwich and went halfsies!  Chicken salad ---- heavenly.  Roast beef.......OMG (I know, I know I couldn't resist) --- pure unadulterated carnivorous joy.

So go - enjoy the food, the atmosphere and then lean back to feel the sun in your belly:)

~ Jodie

Juicing, Juicing, Juicing....

Well - I bought a juicer! 

This things are pretty darn neat!  (and pretty darn expensive I might add) But you know, I've always wanted one and figured it will be a step in the right direction toward eating right and being healthy. 

I'm definitely still in the learning phase, so not much to chat on there --- but I have learned a few very valuable things........of which I will now relate:)

1) It takes a ton of food to juice!  So be prepared, it's not a cheap thing to do:)  Example:  1lb of carrots = 8 oz of juice.  Learn to love the farmers market....much cheaper:)

2) I went in thinking the juices would taste nasty....not so much really!  Pretty good -- especially if you learn to add things like sweet fruits, ginger, etc.

3) --- Yes only three rules for now.  (And I now digress on any previous mentioning of me trying to be healthy......) Add a little vodka and you have a little heaven.  Is that wrong?????  :)) hehehe....sorry had to do it! 

JoJo Surprise

• Juice of 1 apple
• Juice of 1 pear
• Juice of 1 Kiwi
• Vodka

OK - so vodka may not be a wise choice, but it's definitely the most fun:)

Diet - Year 30 and Counting.....

Well today I started "The Diet".....so ominous sounding isn't it? Sighhhhh --- never-ending saga of my life. I've been on a diet for 30 years....seriously!! Anyho....I now digress. So in light of that, I decided I'd have a salad for dinner tonight. Joy. 

About a year ago, I made a fabulous discovery....how to make my own salad dressing!! Once I figured this out, I haven't bought a bottle of the other stuff since!

I've recently moved and have a much bigger patio, so I decided to grow some veggies, including some Bibb lettuce --- so tonight was the inaugural harvesting of the lettuce. Gotta say it was pretty fun. Now, normally I would use Bibb lettuce if I'm having a wrap, or a tuna or chicken salad, but tonight I just decided to rip it up and use it as my greens. (Primarily out of pure laziness)

Hummmm --- what next?....what next? Well I knew I wanted Balsamic Vinaigrette, so I got that going. Pretty easy really, chop up a little clove of garlic -- throw it in a dressing bottle add 1 part olive oil, 1 part balsamic, 1/2 tsp Dijon, 1/4 tsp soy, salt/pepper.....and then shake it like a Polaroid:)

For the extra ingredients.....I thinly sliced some red onions...put 1/2 of them on the salad raw....threw the other 1/2 in a skillet with a little olive oil and a little butter and started to brown them up. After a few minutes, I threw in some good mushrooms (tonight I used Crimini, but any will do)....let them saute a little. Then I threw caution to the wind...I thinly sliced a red pear....pulled a green onion from my patio garden (sliced in long thin strips) ...threw that in. Added a small handful of cranberries, handful of walnuts..... gave it a good few shakes in the pan -- then on a whim squeezed a little bit of orange juice/zest into the pan to give it some liquid.

Next I crumbled up some blue cheese into the greens, tossed it with the skillet mixture "du jour" and voila - Grilled Pear Bibb Salad!

Here's the goofy thing....with my skillett mixture....didn't need the balsamic. Who'da thunk it? :) It was a great salad!

I'm trying to eat my bigger meal at lunch, and saving a smaller meal for the evening so we'll see how this goes. Right now? I'm so hungry I'm pretty sure my keypad would have a lovely, dark "woodsy" taste.

Signing off.....STARVING....but signing off:)

Back in the Land of Buckeyes...

I've spent the last week in Ohio visiting family and friends and it has been such a nice week here.  Spring in Ohio is about 2 weeks behind Spring in Atlanta, so I got the wonderful pleasure of experiencing it twice:) 

Whenever I come home, (that's right I'm a Buckeye through and through) I always stay with my parents who live in Southeast Ohio.  Unlike most parts of Ohio which for the most part is flat, Southeast Ohio is full of rolling hills.  Growing up here was a true pleasure.  Void of crime and even NOISE for the most part, I always feel at peace when I'm here --- what a pleasure indeed. 

Last summer I introduced my family to a great dip, Summer Bean and Corn Dip, and they just can't get enough!  My brother especially loves this dip and after 5 days of being here, I've made three batches!  OK, it's not exactly Summer yet, but it's pretty darn good anytime. 

The great thing about this dip is it's versatility.  You can tweak it up numerous ways.  If you like a little kick, add some jalepeno's or other spicy peppers.  If not, leave 'em out.  Like more onions?  Add them.  Love cilantro? (ME!ME!ME!) --- add it in!

Another great thing about this dip is that, well -- -you don't necessarily have to use it as a dip.  I often will put it in a wrap of lettuce leaves or tortillas or even just eat it as a salad.  I promise, no matter how you choose to eat it, you'll love it! 

Extra bonus?  You can make it in about 10 minutes, so it's really easy and a crowd favorite I promise!

Procrastination vs. Jodester....and she takes home the....Spaghetti Squash???

Well, to say that I've neglected this blog is ........Oh yea...said that once before in this blog:) Blah, blah, blah. Excuses, excuses. However, I'm happy to report my procrastination project is coming along famously and I'm quite certain I've perfected it. How I can be so incredibly control-freak organized at work and not keep up with this blog? Who knows.

What then, could be the catalyst to my picking up the e-pen and jumping in ? What over-whelming force drove me to do it? My discovery for today? The thing that got me soooo excited I had to resurrect the blog??? Spaghetti Squash.

That's right kids. Spaghetti squash. Oddly enough until now, I've never attempted to eat, not alone make spaghetti squash. But in light of my recent resolution to get back on the diet plan and NOT eat pasta.... Spaghetti squash it was.

So here's the deal with spaghetti squash. Like most squash, uncooked ------ NASTY. But you roast that sucker and voila! It transforms into yummy goodness.

To roast the squash, cut it down the middle long ways. Be prepared to put some muscle into it --- it doesn't like to half easy. Sprinkle it with olive oil, salt & pepper - place the halves cut-side down on a baking sheet. Roast it on 375 for 45 min or so, pull it out....let it cool. Once it's cool, use a fork to shred the squash. Like magic, it rolls up into spaghetti looking strands --- and quite honestly -- doesn't taste to far from the original.

Here's where you can get creative. Pretty much dress it up like you would pasta. Today I made a walnut-parsley-basil-lemon zest pesto/gremolata concoction to dress it....and...... perfection. It was soooooooooooooooooo good! What made it even better? The whole 20 oz of spaghetti squash????? 153 calories....seriously people??? 153 calories! Now, that didn't include my olive oil, etc --- but I'm guessing my huge plate of yumminess didn't top out above 400 calories....and I ate it for dinner too. Here's the link to the recipe I used, but I tweeked it up a bit.

THIS blows my mind. Why? --- not quite sure, but I felt the need to spread the spaghetti squash-gospel to world! So there you have it. What will tomorrow bring?? Who knows. Ok wait I do know...I'll be going out for lunch, but certainly I'll be thinking about my next super-fab spaghetti squash masterpiece;)

Until then...

Atlanta Shuffle - Part 1

My brother has been hanging with me here in Atlanta for the past 6 months, and sadly today he's leaving to go back to Ohio:( We decided before he left we would go on a tour of some fabulous spots here in Atlanta, and well -- here's the result.

Mind you - we did 2 shuffles, this is just the first. We didn't eat everywhere we went, but we did have some apps and of course some cocktails. Imagine that. :)

Last Saturday we decided to start out at Two Urban Licks, probably one of my favorite Atlanta spots. This restaurant is modern and trendy, but has that laid back atmosphere that I like so much about Atlanta restaurants. You just feel incredibly hip when you go to this place and the food is pretty great to boot. Two Urban Licks is tucked away in an old warehouse area of Atlanta and quite honestly you'd never find it if it were not for the signs. As you wind behind this warehouse the instinct is to immediately lock the doors and go "Where the ____"....but alas, complimentary valet parking makes it much easier. Seriously people, Atlanta has spoiled me on valet. Pretty sure life would suck without it here in the city. Once inside, the wall of gas lamps, awesome view, cool tunes and vats of wine ---- ahhhh I am cool indeed! The restaurant was bustling with the urban dwellers of the city and you just feel well......cool:) I ended up with some calamari which is soooo good and some wine before we started off to the next stop.

Before we left however, one final observation....the bathroom! My mother used to tease me as a child saying I had to inspect the bathrooms of every restaurant we went to.....well times have not changed:) Interesting concept with Concentrics....unisex bathrooms...sort of. At Two there's a series of doors....pick one and go. Each is a like a little bathroom. Takes you a little off guard the first time but you get used to it.

Next, we decided we might as well give Concentrics Hospitality our money for the night....so it was One Midtown Kitchen. One, again in a warehouse facing Piedmont Park is another cool-vibe kinda place. This night, surprisingly it was pretty slow, so we just had some cocktails and off we went. Bathroom update -- another unisex bathroom -- but much cooler than at Two. It's actually includes a lounge with couches and TV:) Love that! I have to mention our bartender here --- wonderful guy. He suggested a wine and then found out he only had about a 1/2 glass, so he gave it to me for free. Bonus!! I love him now:) I did find out something I didn't previously know about One was they have a bottomless glass of wine. SWEET. The rule is you have to buy an entree and the price is per person. So if you're not a wine person, it certainly wouldn't be worth it; but in my case and if you ARE a wine person. Can't beat it starting at $22pp.

Next we hopped across the street to a new restaurant called Amuse! We arrived a little too late for any food, but we did have a seat at the bar and chatted up with the bartender. Amuse has only been open about 2 months and is a french inspired restaurant and lounge with a very welcoming atmosphere. I stopped in for lunch a few days later and quite honestly wasn't all that impressed with the food. However, a great little spot for a cocktail.

Our final stop was Apres Diem, another favorite spot of mine for just about anything. Cocktails, Food, Dessert, Coffee....they got it all. Live music, patio and a very laid back atmosphere is a great way to close out the evening. I had a portobello sandwich that was REALLY yummy.

So - four stops in one night....I think we did pretty good:) And you know, it really was fun...plus great brother/sister bonding time!

Stay tuned for part 2!

BAD JOJO....

Happy Saturday!

Clearly, I have neglected this blog! To say November was a busy month for me, is truly an understatement. I was given a big project at the "day job" and for two solid weeks it was 12+ hours a day on that and come 10p each night, I was BEAT. Then it was off to WV/Ohio for a client visit combined with a few quality days with the parental units....back to Atlanta and as fortune would have it, my favorite pal Bronchitis came for a visit.:) However, short of having a voice that would fit in with any respectable 900-operator I'm good to go:)

Anyhooze - with all of the aforementioned activities, I haven't been able to spend much time cooking or going out lately. But I did have a few glorious moments which I will try and recount here. (Yes, that's sarcasm)

Thanksgiving Week

First it's important to understand unlike most people, I have spent the last 10 Thanksgiving alone for the most part. Save the "AWWWW's" -- it's by choice:) Because my entire family is in Ohio and Christmas is so close to Thanksgiving, I just always end up staying home and as a result, have come up with my own little ritual. I make my turkey, dressing the works; I watch the parade; I put up my tree, watch Christmas movies, play Christmas music --- all of which I love. It's my day:) Well - this year my tradition went on as per usual with one little difference...my brother was here and I had the trip I mentioned above! I returned from my client visit on Wednesday before Thanksgiving, late flight in --- but I made it! I promptly got to the apartment and crashed.

I woke Thursday morning to me flying out of bed realizing I didn't thaw the turkey. Fabulous. I now have a rock-solid frozen 10lb bird sitting in the freezer on Thanksgiving day. Sighhhhhh. OH well ---- so like every good "I gotta figure this out dinner disaster" physician I started the hot 4-hour sink bath for the bird. Gheese - what a nightmare.

But alas -- I kept the faith:) I put on my parade and started the other cooking. For the most all went well -- mind you it took my over 6 hours to put together our dinner, which I always find shocking. The thing about me and cooking is this: I love to cook, I love to eat -- but that's probably where all similarities end to any kind of real chef. How in God's name they can keep their cooking space clean while accomplishing their culinary masterpieces is beyond me. When all is said an done - my kitchen is a disaster. Kids, when I say disaster - I mean DISASTER. Food on the ceiling , food on the floor, flour-soaked hair disaster! It's actually quite comical. Had I only thought to take a picture!!

Well in the end, we had a great meal. Turkey, (slightly under-cooked mind you:), dressing, mashed potatoes, peas with mint and asparagus and a yummy pumpkin dessert. My favorite part this year was the dressing! I used cranberries and figs and it was just great. But the BEST part was a couple days after thanksgiving where I used all my leftovers for the best soup ever......including the dressing! You have to check this recipe out. You make dumplings out of the dressing!

Well - I'm off to enjoy my Saturday and promises to be better about the blog!