Menu 47 – Middle East FEAST!

My first favorite entertaining phrase is “make ahead.” My second is “room temperature” especially in summer months. There are few things that make for a relaxed party or dinner than a made ahead meal served room temperature.

This past weekend I had my mother in town AND my mother in law – two women who love me no matter what I serve, but who we also love to cook for. So we did. And boy what a feast it was – the oohing and ahhing – and not just because they are The Moms – they actually liked it!

This menu is Middle East/Jerusalem inspired. Start with almonds – roasted and salted – and olives (the best you can find). Next, a series of salads. Tomatoes and cucumbers; raw squash with a light dressing and feta; burnt eggplant with pomegranate seeds. I also made Green Couscous (for the love of Yotam!) and it’s so easy and different and good.

For the main, we went grilled rack of lamb. You have a lot of leeway here with the main – the salads would go nicely with grilled or roasted chicken, steak, pork or even fish. It’s hard to go wrong so go with what you like best. Since we had the grill going, we toasted up some flatbreads too.

Of course we wanted dessert. We got the most amazing baklava – two kinds – pistachio and walnut. No way was I making baklava. I am not insane. There are certain things one should almost always buy. Support your local businesses – buy baklava.

And that was that. It’s a fair amount of washing and chopping but with a bit of planning (LOVE planning), you can have everything done by 3pm and resting, then just fire up your grill. Put everything on your table on large platters and have at it. One of my favorite menus ever.

Tips and Notes

Tomatoes and Cucumbers – this doesn’t really need a recipe (Kirby cucumbers; colorful tomatoes cut into odd shapes; a little red onion; maybe you grate a garlic clove on it; red wine or sherry vinegar; olive oil; salt/pepper; time to come together). But if you must – this is a good basic version: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/rachael-ray/tomato-onion-and-cucumber-salad-recipe.html

Burnt Eggplant – Oh how I love Yotam. Seriously buy his cookbooks. http://www.athoughtforfood.net/blog/burnt-eggplant-with-lemon-garlic-and-pomegranate-seeds

Raw Squash and Feta – puurrty…http://cookieandkate.com/2013/summer-squash-salad-with-lemon-citronette/

More Yotam, Green Couscous – http://www.marthastewart.com/348890/green-couscous

And the Bakalva – if you don’t have a middle eastern store near you, look here: https://www.amazon.com/Baklawa-Baklava-Walnuts-28-30-Pieces/dp/B0002HDM06

Menu 46 – Life Happens

Sometimes, even with the best of intentions, home cooking just doesn’t happen. Too busy, too hot, too tired. Whatever it is, sometimes it’s just too much.

Our last three weeks have been this way. It hasn’t been abnormally busy – everyone is always busy, la di da. No, it’s not that. But I’ve been distracted and not so high on plan, shop, prep, cook, clean. The kids have eaten a lot of pizza and pasta. And look, they’re still alive 🙂

This coming weekend will be a little different. We will reconnect with the cooking process and having a proper sit down family meal. I snagged this menu from HelloFresh, which I’ve done a couple of times. I won’t review the experience here but I will say that if it makes your life easier to have the planning, shopping and measuring done for you, these services (Blue Apron, HelloFresh, many others) are great so go for it.

They posted a menu HERE that is simple, healthy and good. Pan-Seared Salmon to start with Arugula Mint Pesto – really fresh flavors that don’t require a lot of time – good bang for your buck. A quinoa salad that has almonds and peppery arugula…one of those things you’ll make and say “wouldn’t it be nice to have this around more often?” And last a fun side of broiled snap peas. Honestly, this is the kind of meal you could double and serve to company – it’s pretty, fresh and easy.

It wouldn’t be a family dinner without dessert. But on this night we go no fuss and dish up ice cream. Make sure you get some that everyone loves. Not a bad way to get back in the cooking groove, if I do say so myself.

Tips and Notes

You can download the whole process here: https://ddw4dkk7s1lkt.cloudfront.net/card/55d34f5cf8b25e5a1e8b4567.pdf?t=20160707142638

Menu 45 – 10th Anniversary Feast!!!

10 years ago on this day, June 24^th, we got married. What a day – what a weekend that was! There was canoeing and fishing; golfing and bird watching. There were golf carts and big hats; peonies and a string quartet. We had a backdrop of mountains and brilliant blue sky. We had a moose head! There were friends and family from far and wide. We had very few slow songs and a LOT of dancing. It was one of the best weekends of our lives, and thinking about it this week has been a fabulous walk down memory lane.

Planning our wedding was a great experience for us as a couple – we absolutely loved it. We started by listing things that we like and then tried to incorporate as many of those things as we could into the weekend. Ten years later, we still like planning and as such, tonight we are reliving part of that glorious day with a menu inspired by what we served that night. I’ve posted a very simple written menu of what we actually ate that night – you will see that tonight’s menu is clearly inspired by the same.

Tonight we will have a salad with shaved zucchini in a lemon dressing – lots of shaved parmesan gets tossed in as well. Then ribeye straight from the grill (my husband is the BEST grill master) and béarnaise. We will also have grilled asparagus because – you know – béarnaise. Ten years ago we served gratin dauphinoise – tonight we will make due with baked potatoes with sour cream and chives (so good). For dessert rather than cake at our wedding we had pies – LOTS of pies – five kinds to be exact (strawberry rhubarb, wild main blueberry, apple raspberry, maple pecan and peach). Tonight we have friends coming over who offered to bring a sweet and that makes me so happy.

Rather than a drawing this week I added a few shots from our wedding. They are pictures of pictures because – old school – I don’t have digital versions at the moment (SO old fashioned, I know). We’ve had a really amazing decade and I feel so blessed to have the husband and family I have…I hope you enjoy this little walk down memory lane with me.

dad pic — I love this picture – my dad’s hand on Alexander’s arm…

Photographer “walk away! walk away right now!”

Tips and notes

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/champagne-vinaigrette-353469

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/tyler-florence/filet-mignon-with-blender-bearnaise-recipe2.html

http://gratineeblog.com/2009/10/julia-childs-gratin-dauphinois/

Menu 43 – TACOS

In general, you will be happy if you eat tacos. Have you noticed that? Who doesn’t like tacos? I wouldn’t hang out with people who don’t like tacos. The best tacos I ever had (other than my mom’s) were at Rockaway Taco. A couple of years ago, we had a family beach morning, jumping in waves and building castles with the kids. Around 11:30, we skedaddled our way to Rockaway Taco, ordered a bunch and ate them while sitting in the back end of our car. Then we went home, the kids took naps and we lounged the rest of the day. It was great.

Rockaway Taco itself is now gone – sort of – it reemerged here: http://www.rockawaybeachsurfclub.com/food-menu. Go if you can!

Because of Rockaway Taco, I associate tacos with surfing. No, I don’t surf. But apparently people who surf like tacos, so, you know, it all comes back to tacos in the end. Oh and June is International Surfing Month (because I bet you didn’t know that).

This week re-create that taco surf moment and make a bunch of amazing tacos. Play surfer music if you want. Mix a big batch of margaritas. Whip up fried fish tacos topped with cabbage and spicy mayo. Serve with roasted corn salad – equites. Finish with a big dish of ice cream – ideally with your feet still in the sand.

Tips and notes

Start with a pitcher of margaritas: http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/article/4-steps-to-the-best-ever-margarita

Next, roasted corn salad: http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2012/07/esquites-mexican-street-corn-salad-recipe.html

And the main event, ROCKAWAY TACOS: http://abc7ny.com/archive/6999337/

Menu 42 – Memorial Day PICNIC

Memorial Day – about so much more than burgers on the grill. It’s about honoring all Americans who died while in military service, and their families who by extension, gave so much. It began as Decoration Day when family members visited cemeteries and decorated gravesites of the war dead with flowers. This traditional of having Decoration Days still remains today and often involves many family members meeting at a cemetery, decorating together and then having a picnic-like “dinner on the ground” (at least according to Wikipedia).

Also according to Wikipedia, “On Memorial Day, the flag of the United States is raised briskly to the top of the staff and then solemnly lowered to the half-staff position, where it remains only until noon. It is then raised to full-staff for the remainder of the day. The half-staff position remembers the more than one million men and women who gave their lives in service of their country. At noon, their memory is raised by the living, who resolve not to let their sacrifice be in vain, but to rise up in their stead and continue the fight for liberty and justice for all.”

So on this day, remember with your own family and friends how grateful we need to be for all who’ve sacrificed their lives. Attend a parade. Say thank you. Prepare a meal that you mindfully share with those family and friends.

I’m sticking with Decoration Day here and suggesting a picnic. Nobody will be mad if you pour them a Back Nine to start – you know, a spiked Arnold Palmer. Next, everyone seems to like cold fried chicken – how about turning that into a sandwich on this day. Make a spicy slaw too, and slice pickles – people can top their chicken sandwich as they wish. Alongside, a fresh couscous salad (keeps well outside – a little fancier than baby carrots and hummus…not that there’s anything wrong with that). I always want potato chips at picnics, so find the best you can and snag a few bags. And last, it’s not a picnic without dessert…at a picnic cherry pie might be messy, so go with bars – cherry pie bars.

Have a happy, healthy, grateful and mindful Memorial Day.

Tips and Notes

A refreshing drink: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/nancy-fuller/back-nine-spiked-arnold-palmer.html

The chicken from this sandwich, make ahead, grab some buns, make the slaw, have people assemble on their own: http://www.saveur.com/article/recipes/buttermilk-fried-chicken-sandwich

Buy the best pickles you can find: http://www.seriouseats.com/2011/07/taste-test-what-are-the-best-pickles.html

THIS couscous salad! http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/couscous-salad-zucchini-and-roasted-almonds

Also smart to buy the best potato chips you can find: http://www.seriouseats.com/2013/05/taste-test-potato-chips.html

And last but not least, a not messy “cherry pie” http://joythebaker.com/2014/05/cherry-pie-bars/

Menu 9 – End of Summer Deck Dinner, for Two

Deck eating really is the best. We especially love it after the kids are asleep – a peaceful evening for 2. Fall is coming but there is still time to enjoy eating outside. We are dreaming of Tulum this week and are inspired by Mexican cuisine. Tuck those kids in and get going…

A michelada is the perfect start. This is not a drink for the faint of heart. If you like bloody marys, you will love this…if you don’t like bloody marys, well then can’t be friends. Tomatoes are still glorious so start with chili spiked crab salad stacked on an heirloom slice. The asparagus dish has a “put hair on your chest” chili topper, so let’s keep the lamb chops simple with salt and pepper. Now that the sun has set and the grill is cooling, finish the evening with Mexican chocolate pot de crème and a nice big spoon.

Tips and Notes

The Michelada! There are a lot of recipes out there. I like THIS one. This is not a Corona drink – use Negra Modela, Bohemia, Pacifico, Dos Equis, or Tecate.

Asparagus. A little involved but the pasilla cream can be made ahead. Oh and where to get the chilies? Amazon of course.

Pots de Crème, oh my.

Menu 3 – Beach Day Picnic!

Who says a day at the beach has to mean basic (sandy) sandwiches? Take a real picnic. You will be happy. You will be fed. Your food won’t be filled with sand. Lots of ice in the cooler. It’s summer. Make it happen.

Tips and other notes:

Bring small plastic cups for the soup.

Aqua Fresca: http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1012543-watermelon-or-cantaloupe-agua-fresca

Orzo http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/roasted-shrimp-and-orzo-recipe.html

Tomatoes – use red onions. I would toss with extra virgin olive oil, oregano, a little red wine vinegar and salt and pepper.

Bring plastic bowls for the orzo. Bowls trump plates on a beach!

Remember forks and spoons!