CoMFoRT FooD LiKe MaMa uSeD To MaKe...

A very sweet friend 'eLLe' has reminded me of a dish I grew up with as a child and I never knew the 'proper name' for it. I always called it that 'chicken and rice soup' when all along it had a perfectly good name :o) Arroz Caldo...

Recipe courtesy of eLLe! Hopefully she will be blogging soon *hint hint!* and then I can point you out to her blog so she can wow you with her gastronomical knowledge ;o) In the meantime, she has prompted me to post her recipe with pictures so she could see how I fared :o) I hope she is not disappointed in my attempt. There are many recipes for this on the net. I'm already partial to hers and if you try it, you'll see why :o) Just like mom used to make! I'm not one for listing ingredients and then relisting them in the process so I will give you the recipe the way that I take it down. You can make a separate shopping list based on whatever ingredients you might still need.

Arroz Caldo 'eLLe STYLe'

In a preheated pot with heat set to medium, (I used my risotto pot from Le Creuset *LOVE IT*), add a couple of tablespoons of oil.

To the preheated pan add:

about 3" of peeled fresh ginger root, sliced thinly

about 1/2 cup of onion, chopped

and 4 cloves of garlic, chopped.

Saute onions, garlic and ginger for 2-3 min. and add chicken drummettes or chicken thighs (I used drummettes, approx. 3lbs.) and lightly brown.

Add 2 cups of Calrose rice *eLLe's recommendation :o)* and stir another minute or so. Add approximately 8 cups of water or chicken broth (I always opt for broth for the maximum flavor) and cover. Allow to simmer for about 2 hours. Be sure to keep stirring so the rice doesn't stick. To finish, a pinch of azafran for color. You can find this at most hispanic /asian grocery stores :o) http://www.gourmetsleuth.com/equivalents_substitutions.asp?index=A&tid=1950 . It's not the same as saffron, but well worth having in your pantry.

For the salt in this recipe, you can use kosher salt (my family's preference) or patis (a fish sauce). I would add approximately 2 teaspoons to start of either one, your choice. Don't be nervous about the 2 teaspoons, this recipe makes a lot! At least 9-10 cups of soup. You can half it if you like.

Depending on your preference for a thicker, heartier soup or a brothy soup, you may or may not decide to add more liquid(water or broth) as you are cooking along. Either way, I promise you will end up with something that will keep them coming back for more. All that ginger can't be bad :o) Ginger is so good for the digestive system. Today wasn't a cold day here yet the soup was very refreshing and made the whole house smell heavenly :o)

There are many variations for this, from adding a hard cooked egg, green onions or a squeeze of fresh lime juice (which I really did want to try, forgot the lime :o( ) Not to worry, I'll be making it again REALLY SOON!

This was one recipe that made me pick up the phone and call my mom and sister for a trip down memory lane and to thank my mom yet again for such a great childhood memory! Thanks to eLLe for bringing this memory back to my table to share with my family.

a SPeCiaL LuNCH DeLiVeRY

and dinner inspiration...

Today my very sweet hubby surprised me with lunch from the Cheesecake Factory Bakery Cafe from MacArthur Center. He brought me the Asian Chicken Flatbread Salad *my favorite*... just when I thought I was over my obsession of learning how to make that dough! So delicious :o)

He got the Sante Fe Chick-en(hyphenation intentional ;o) ) Flatbread Salad for himself. Apparently it was the salad 'du jour' because three other people behind him were ordering the exact same salad. I'm including photos of both salads as a tribute to his thoughtfulness :o) I *think* there might be something there! Flatbread, romaine lettuce, black beans, corn, tomatoes, jalapeños, a special blend of spices and cheese and *wait for it*...corn tortilla strips :o) Sound yummy? I think so and so did he :o) Poor MiLou, no scraps for him :o(





After such a large lunch, I was not very hungry come dinner time. I did have some heavy whipping cream left *thanks leene* from the strawberry waffle breakfast. I also had a steak in the freezer that needed to be used along with some mushrooms. Are you following me so far???

A long long time ago... (back you sci fi fans!) I tried a recipe from one of those recipe cards (Great American Recipes) you get in the mail. (They were actually my first cookbook, collectively) LOL. I found a recipe for CReaMY MuSHRooM STeaKS and have repeated it several times since, always with great results. Now I realize that some of you DON'T. DO. FUNGUS! Please bear with me :o) and believe me, it pains me more that you DON'T eat 'shrooms :o)

The sauce is very delicious and MAKE the steak. I love this with a creamy buttered noodle. Tonight I used Farafalle. You can prepare the steaks any way you like then you can simmer them in the sauce briefly just before serving. The recipe calls for sirloin steaks and a bit of butter to pan fry them. Be sure to allow the steaks to come to room temperature before cooking.

For the sauce:

1/2 lb fresh mushrooms, sliced or quartered
1 T butter
2 T chopped onion
2 T flour
1 1/2 c. half and half or mix whipping cream with whole milk, equal portions of each
1 t soy sauce
1 t grated onion
salt and pepper to taste.

First, saute mushrooms in the tablespoon of butter until they are lightly brown. Second, add onions and saute until translucent and sprinkle with flour stirring to blend well. Add half and half, stirring a little here and there and simmer until it thickens slightly. Third, add soy sauce, grated onions and s&p to taste.

You have options at this point. You can grill the steaks, pan fry them or broil (watch carefully) and then very briefly introduce them into the lightly simmering sauce. Do not boil them in the sauce. You can use excess sauce over your noodles too, if you so chose.

We divided this plate three ways and everyone was satisfied :o) Once you make this, maybe you'll get a little twinkle in YOUR eye when you see steak, mushrooms and cream :o)

SuNDaY WaFFLeS WiTH STRaWBeRRieS N CReaM

and my Cuisinart Smart Stick with mini prep :o)

This morning I made waffles with my Waring Pro waffle iron. I love this waffler because the pockets are deep and it makes a beautifully crisp waffle with a soft chewy interior. I would highly recommend this waffle maker :o) I have had mine for well over two years and it's such a treat to make my own waffles and so much more cost effective than going out for waffles for breakfast. I purchased my waffler at Bed Bath & Beyond with the 20% off coupon and it was worth every single penny! I definitely recommend shopping at these type stores for your small appliances, with the coupon the price is usually the best around! The coupons also don't expire (even though the show an expiration date) and are able to be used beyond expiration.

In addition to my waffler (which we couldn't have waffles without), I love my Cuisinart Smart Stick with the mini prep. I'm including a photo of this kitchen tool that shows what was included with mine. I use this for whipping my heavy cream. It does a wonderful job of whipping cream in a much shorter time. You must watch it though so that the cream doesn't begin to separate and make butter(not that that's a bad thing, mind you.) This tool is not only great for making whipped cream but also for chopping small amounts of things in the mini prep, like nuts or a little onion. I love this smart stick for pureeing my soups while they are cooking. I usually use this and submerse it into the soup mixture and puree to the desired consistency. I tend to leave some chunks for texture but it works great for butternut squash soup, cream of broccoli or potato soup. There are many stick blenders but I love the versatility of this one. I have had mine for several years and would feel lost without it. I wouldn't want to have to try to manage pouring hot liquids into my blender to do the same job, not to mention my Le Creuset pots that I generally use are quite heavy (but cook beautifully). Just a recommendation. I love to cook and anyone that has seen my kitchen knows it is a passion of mine.


I'm including a photograph of our strawberry waffles with whipped cream. I lightly sweeten the whipped cream after I have already started to whip it with the frothing attachment (the little white one in the picture) with confectioner's sugar. I also macerated the strawberries with a little bit of sugar sprinkled on the layers as I was slicing them the night before. I dusted the waffles before serving with some confectioner's sugar flavored with a hint of vanilla powder.


One other tip worth mentioning, I used butter instead of oil in my KRUSTEAZ mix (that's right :o) even I like to take a break now and then) and I also use a dash of mexican vanilla for additional flavor. If you buy mexican vanilla, make sure there is no coumarin in it. They don't have regulations like we do in the United States and it is a known toxin, can cause liver damage and is a carcinogen. Best rule of thumb, if it says 'coumarin free' feel free to enjoy and use in all of your baking needs :o)

QuiLTiNG FoR a CuRe :o)

What's Your Stitch'n Stuff (the link to their website can be found here: http://www.whatsyourstitchnstuff.com/ ) hosted it's 2nd Annual Quilt Pink weekend! The quilts that are being put together this weekend are phenomenal and I can't wait to see the finished products :o) I just love the fabric and block selections! These quilts, beautifully constructed, will be given to be sold at auction with proceeds going towards breast cancer research. Some of these quilts from the previous year can be found here http://www.ebay.com/quiltpink

I'm including some photographs that I took of the quilting in progress. The block today was a 'Friendship Star' and the colors remind me of cotton candy and candy apples :o) It is such a beautiful quilt top, it's hard to believe that it will be even more beautiful once it is complete with backing and binding!

All throughout Hampton Roads various shops, such as scrapbooking and quilting shops, are hosting similar 'Pink' weekends. Check out Beach Scrapbooks http://www.beachscrapbooks.com/ . Whether you are scrapbooking or quilting or using any other craft medium, you will find yourself in good company! I have always noticed that people that create from the heart naturally give of the heart and I am very thankful for that :o) Over the steady hum of the sewing machine motors, the conversations reflect the genuine thoughtfulness and caring that you would expect of such a wonderful group of people.

Friday's fabric combination:



Photographs from today's session:




'Survivor Sunday' fabric selections:


(A special visitor is scheduled to stop by! This day is for survivors of breast cancer! Congratulations to you all!)

As you know, with good company inevitably comes good food and these ladies did not disappoint me :o) I took a couple of photographs of some of the dishes on the menu today. Absolutely delicious! Now I just need some of the recipes and my 'Quilt Pink' experience will be complete :o) Everything was so delicious! I wish I could include photos of everything but I would then be here all night and into the next day :o).





What a great cause to support! If you love to quilt or would like to learn, those are two of the very best reasons to visit this store (located in the heart of Kempsville in the Kemps River Crossing shopping center). There are also walks/runs benefitting various worthy causes and my hat's off to you for any and all efforts towards that end.

aMeRiCaN / aSiaN FuSioN...

I am going to attempt to entice you to try something and let's not laugh, shall we?

My mom is filipina and for as long as I can remember, she used to make aMeRiCaN FRieD RiCe :o) Sound a little strange? It is so delicious and you can do anything you want when it comes to this, swap ingredients in and out, your choice.

My mothers' recipe called for bacon, hot dogs, eggs, rice and soy sauce. I added minced garlic, onions(sometimes green, mostly your everyday variety of yellow). You can change it to suit your tastes. Feel free to experiment with the meats, use ham if you like!

The only trick to fried rice is you have to use rice that has been sitting in the refrigerator for at least a day. The rice tends to separate faster (because the rice kernels have crystallized a bit) when you pre-separate it in preparation for the stir fry. If you try to use freshly cooked rice then it will definitely clump up and gunk up and YUCK! I also use jasmine rice for all my asian meals. I just love the way it smells and tastes. I have several different rice varieties in my pantry at any given time and jasmine is definitely my most consumed.

First you saute the bacon until it is done and then crumble it. Most of the time I precut the bacon, I find it cooks a bit faster and then the pieces are more uniform. Then I remove the bacon, set aside, along with most of the bacon grease in a separate bowl for disposal but I do leave a little grease to fry the hot dogs in. The hot dogs I precut into half and then quarters lengthwise and then cubes and toss in and fry till slightly crispy. I then remove that and take a couple of beaten eggs and add it to the skillet and I start moving the spatula around right away. It makes the eggs stay a little more separate so you don't have such large chunks of eggs. Once the eggs have just set, I add the chopped onions to the skillet and then the reserved hot dogs and bacon and some freshly minced garlic. Lastly I add the rice and lightly add a little soy sauce to season. I am not one for dousing rice with soy sauce and I always use lower sodium.

Here is a photo for your viewing pleasure! It does sound a bit strange but it's a great way to use up leftover rice. I hope you give it a try sometime, see if you like it!



(btw, my favorite fried rice is garlic fried rice and I get it from one of the local filipino restaurants in the area! I love it! The secret...use LOTS OF MINCED GARLIC!)

GooGLe iS a GiRL'S BeST FRieND...

I love 'googling' things! I 'google' EVERYTHING! Especially recipes :o)

Today I 'google'd' lavash pizzas and PING!!! Up comes Life's a Picnic blog with a great recommendation for Jacques Pépin's 'fast food my way'.

It really got me thinking! So today I made a couple of the lavash flatbread pizzas to go with our salad and gnocchi alla gorgonzola (all effort for the gnocchi compliments of Trader Joe's, my Pampered Chef Microcooker and my advantium microwave).



For the salad I used leftover french bread to make some homemade croutons ( a technique I learned A LONG LONG TIME AGO from watching a show called 'Caprial's Cafe' with Chef Caprial Pence). I would highly recommend making these croutons instead of buying them. Using day old french bread for this is a great way to avoid waste.) Simply cube the bread and heat some extra virgin olive oil in a skillet and drop the bread in, tossing quickly to evenly coat with olive oil. Be sure not to use too much oil, you are lightly coating, not soaking the cubes. I then sprinkle the cubes, once they are coated and starting to toast, with garlic powder and your choice of seasonings. I like basil, dried is absolutely fine in this case. A pinch of sea salt and you are done! Well worth the extra step and I always have to watch that someone is not having salad with their croutons :o) instead of the other way around!

For the dressing, I used the Pampered Chef Mix N Pour thingamabob. The one you use to mix dressing in and it neatly has the measurements on the side with the recipe. I made the Italian dressing using balsamic vinegar from Modena and added a little more garlic... you can never have too much garlic! Mix, mix, mix and you're done!


Back to the lavash pizza, I made a pepperoni one with fresh tomatoes, basil and mozzarella/parmegiano reggiano cheese. I was riveted when I saw Jacques Pépin's recipe for 'pico de gallo'. This is one of my favorite spanish condiments and I thought... if it's good alone as a condiment, then it would be AWESOME as a version of pizza :o) So I made some 'pico de gallo' per Jacques Pépin's website and used that to top the lavash along with some shredded colby jack cheese on one and pepper jack on the other. Can you say FANTASTICO!?!?! It was delicious and hubby was very impressed and it was pretty effortless! Genius! Here is the trio :o) Clockwise: Pico de gallo lavash with colby/jack, pepperoni lavash with fresh tomatoes, basil and mozzarella and pico de gallo lavash with pepper jack.


Here is a picture of the Pico de Gallo lavash pizza with pepper jack cheese.

You can find videos/recipes here http://www.kqed.org/w/jpfastfood/home.html for the lavash pizza and pico de gallo and some really delicious and simple fast food dishes! I have always enjoyed watching Jacques Pépin with Julia Childs but this takes cooking to a whole other level :o) Very delish!

Thanks 'Picnic Guy' (I realize this was a very old blog I stumbled upon but... thanks :o) ) It's people like you that keep the 'what's for dinner' train going :O)

Remember, if you like something a lot then chances are you are going to love it in other ways :o)

oVeR THe BaY aND THRouGH THe TuNNeL...

To NeWPoRT NeWS We Go!

To Trader Joe's and World Market again! I'm seeing a 12 step program in the making :o)

I got a lot of goodies on our ;o) recent trip! What great company, what a fantastic day!

I'm including a few pictures of some of the goodies I got :o) Yes, this is all my stuff! You counted right, 5 PACKAGES OF TORTILLAS! I couldn't resist, they are so delicious...you can't eat just one! (can I say that?)

I also bought some lavash for some flat bread pizzas :o) You can even see the makings of an adult version of spaghetti-o's! Very delish and so merciful on days when you don't. feel. like. cooking. :o) Speaking of pizzas... how about that great pizza dough and garlic herb pizza dough they sell? I'll let you know how it all turns out :o) believe me... I will :o)

I also picked up a couple more boxes of truffles from World Market. I'm so glad they still had these... I was very nervous with heart palpitations and everything! (oh wait... that wasn't me! LOL!)

So here it is, a treasure trove of goodies and I'm already planning my next trip up there! In the meantime, I think I'll indulge in a truffle or two and count my blessings :o)