tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-60404167815162548652024-03-13T11:58:51.182-07:00 FĕDishMandihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00600591267572134893noreply@blogger.comBlogger19125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6040416781516254865.post-12281209394290343962012-10-27T16:44:00.001-07:002012-10-27T16:44:25.875-07:00Cabin Fever<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
A few weekends ago, I took a long weekend and met up with some old friends in the Smoky Mountains just outside of Asheville, Tennessee. After a few insanely insane weeks of school, it was just what I needed. Plus, I hadn't seen most of them in 4+ years, which is just ridiculous.</div>
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We all came from different states (Florida, Georgia, and Virginia), which made it even more special. And, it being the beginning/middle of October, the weather was perfect.<br />
This trip did not revolve around food, which is unusual for me. But that didn't mean that we didn't eat well...<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">shopping trip no.1</td></tr>
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We started with a college favorite, baked ziti and salad. Budget friendly and delicious.<br />
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Sarah's parents' cabin is on the side of the mountain, with beautiful trails and an incredible view.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">our view from the cabin</td></tr>
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We spent one day in Asheville, and had lunch at the Early Girl Eatery. The wait was long, but it was worth it... the food was so good. Everything is served with grits.<br />
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Fried green tomatoes with goat cheese and grits...<br />
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fried cat fish with pear chutney, broccoli salad and grits...<br />
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Josh ordered some barbecue pork scrambled eggs with gravy. Sorry, I lied. No grits on this one.<br />
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Afterward we went to Double D's coffee bus for some joe.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">seriously</td></tr>
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And it wouldn't be a weekend in the mountains without a hike.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">waterfall</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">and foliage</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">the boys</td></tr>
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On our last day, we went up to Cataloochi, an old settlement which has since been turned into an elk refuge. The original house, school, church, cemetery and barn are still standing, along with a bunch of wild elk. The guy in the front was 17 years old. The ranger said they didn't think he would last through the winter.<br />
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Also, the ranger pointed out a squirrel whom she said had been scurrying across a fence all day long. It was kind of funny that she noticed this. She said that when they start collecting food this early, we're in for a bad winter. Just a head's up...<br />
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It was the perfect weekend for my <a href="http://fedish.blogspot.com/2011/01/labor-chili-and-sexy-cornbread.html">vegetarian chili</a>...<br />
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I have a couple more trips to see some cooler weather before I settle in for a real Florida winter. I can honestly say that I'm not going to miss the snow this year. I might even get one more beach day in before it starts to "cool off" here. And I'm not mad at that.<br />
mMandihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00600591267572134893noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6040416781516254865.post-12280904987372415922012-10-20T13:48:00.000-07:002012-10-20T13:48:50.891-07:00Return of the Spicy Sausage<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Hey, how's it going? Where've you been and whatcha been eatin? I've missed sharing my cooking adventures with you, but to be honest, there haven't been too many of them lately. You know... life. But I'm here now, and I have a really delicious recipe to share, so don't be mad!</div>
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This is another recipe from that <a href="http://fedish.blogspot.com/2011/04/on-top-of-spaghetti.html">BU sausage class</a> I took a while back that I've always wanted to try. Well, I finally did try it out a couple weeks ago. It was a great success, so I thought I'd share it. </div>
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Caution: raw meat photos ahead.</div>
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I used the same hot italian sausage from Publix that I used for the <a href="http://fedish2.blogspot.com/2012/08/unlikeliest-pair.html">last recipe</a>. I opened the casings and crumbled the sausage into a bowl with some ice water. I also chopped up some onion (maybe 1/4c) and fennel seeds (a tablespoon or two...). I mixed all of that together, covered and chilled it for about half an hour.</div>
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After the sausage chilled, and all those flavors mixed together, I sauteed it in some oil, until about half of the liquid cooked out, and the sausage started to brown.<br />
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Then, I added some sauce. Normally, I would try to make my own sauce from scratch, but I had a jar in the cabinet, and honestly, I was feeling a bit lazy/hungry. You understand.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I believe this one was a Publix brand spinach and parmesan</td></tr>
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We also wanted to get rid of the rest of the sausage before it went bad, so I added the rest of them to the sauce, whole.<br />
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Whenever I use jar sauces, I'll still doctor them up with some herbs and a splash of whatever wine we're drinking with dinner. Tonight it was this cab sav from Naked wines. I got a case of assorted wines with a groupon a month or so ago.<br />
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The recipe called for small shells, which I cooked until al dente and then finished off on the sauce, with a spoonful of pasta water. I love this because its so unexpected. The sausage incorporated in the sauce is a nice, spicy alternative to regular old fashioned meat sauce. And the spicy sausage has such a nice kick to it, which I love.<br />
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Happy fall, y'all! What kinds of autumnal recipes would you like to see?<br />
mMandihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00600591267572134893noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6040416781516254865.post-62036023362906223592012-10-01T16:35:00.000-07:002012-10-01T16:36:02.002-07:00dirty thirty<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Every birthday growing up, my mom would cook whatever we wanted for dinner. Every year, I chose the same meal: steaks on the grill and baked potato, with homemade chocolate cake for dessert. Clearly, I've always been a traditionalist. This year, I decided to go back to my roots for my Big Birthday. That's Big with a capital '30'.</div>
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I knew I wanted to have a few non-traditional dishes to go along with these awesome steaks, and after a little research, found the perfect recipes.</div>
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The first was something that I saw on Take Home Chef. Curtis Stone made steaks for a fellow Aussie, topped with this chipotle cilantro butter. I finely chopped 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, a bunch of cilantro, and mixed it with a stick of room temperature butter.</div>
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Once everything was well incorporated with the butter, I rolled it in some parchment paper and set it in the refrigerator overnight.<br />
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I also chopped and marinated some veggies in olive oil, s+p, and rosemary sprigs.<br />
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The following day, the boys fired up the grill while I started on dish number two: grilled feta! I finally made a trip to Hala, the mediterranean store for some Bulgarian feta. I sliced it up, drizzled some olive oil, cracked a little pepper and wrapped it in foil with a few tomatoes and a sprig or two. I found this recipe in Real Simple, where it said to grill the packets over medium-low heat until they are tender in the center.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">regular veggie kabobs</td></tr>
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Once the steaks were ready, I topped each one with a slice of the chipotle butter. It melted beautifully, and now I don't think I will have steaks on the grill without it.<br />
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I put a little of that amazing butter in my potato, too. And it was good.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">cheese + grilled bread = nothing better</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-b5byUU_yHW0/UGoeV-Wd67I/AAAAAAAAAlg/cMSyzj442wY/s1600/IMG_2133.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-b5byUU_yHW0/UGoeV-Wd67I/AAAAAAAAAlg/cMSyzj442wY/s640/IMG_2133.jpg" width="478" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">carnage</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-V6bbkpbWLhA/UGoeXop0-LI/AAAAAAAAAlo/SY15NJ1ZXGg/s1600/IMG_2137.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-V6bbkpbWLhA/UGoeXop0-LI/AAAAAAAAAlo/SY15NJ1ZXGg/s640/IMG_2137.jpg" width="478" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">the best cake you will ever put in your mouth</td></tr>
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The following day was my actual birthday, and I walked into work to find a beautiful bouquet from my co-teacher, a ton of cards from my students, and a variety of sweets.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kgt-tg_pXe8/UGoefPxVJhI/AAAAAAAAAmM/UBq7a8XZ--I/s1600/IMG_2163.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kgt-tg_pXe8/UGoefPxVJhI/AAAAAAAAAmM/UBq7a8XZ--I/s640/IMG_2163.jpg" width="478" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">edible arrangement from my mom, and my student Maurice</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-A-s0of-kusw/UGoehwR4JLI/AAAAAAAAAmU/HUiTV2flWiE/s1600/IMG_2164.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-A-s0of-kusw/UGoehwR4JLI/AAAAAAAAAmU/HUiTV2flWiE/s640/IMG_2164.jpg" width="478" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">love, Colby</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-V7IpgsTSEGY/UGoej-l_1YI/AAAAAAAAAmc/CD-aDtJelLI/s1600/IMG_2200.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="478" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-V7IpgsTSEGY/UGoej-l_1YI/AAAAAAAAAmc/CD-aDtJelLI/s640/IMG_2200.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">red velvet cupcakes from my sister</td></tr>
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The weekend before, I had a fun night out with some friends. We had an amazing dinner at Orsay, and then headed downtown...<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-D6oRhTnQdSg/UGokAGsxcAI/AAAAAAAAAnU/TjNfOX-j54s/s1600/IMG_2074.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="478" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-D6oRhTnQdSg/UGokAGsxcAI/AAAAAAAAAnU/TjNfOX-j54s/s640/IMG_2074.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">lobster pot pie</td></tr>
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<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://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8w4wdF4-Dqw/UGokBZuhvsI/AAAAAAAAAnc/aaAaajmksw4/s1600/IMG_2075.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="478" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8w4wdF4-Dqw/UGokBZuhvsI/AAAAAAAAAnc/aaAaajmksw4/s640/IMG_2075.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">mussels and frites</td></tr>
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Thanks to everyone who made my day(s) so special! Here's to the best year ever!!<br />
mMandihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00600591267572134893noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6040416781516254865.post-70690086183137655632012-09-19T19:14:00.000-07:002012-09-19T19:14:25.091-07:00dinner with friends with kids<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
This past Monday, I went over to cook for some friends. It was the only cooking I did all week.</div>
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Madaline suggested pizza. Knowing her kitchen, I figured I would have some feta and greek olives to work with, so I decided to grab some artichokes, tomato and red onion and put together a mediterranean pizza.</div>
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She also had some pesto, so after I sauteed the chicken in some oil, I added the rest of the ingredients and baked the pizzas on my favorite flatbread (found in the Publix bakery) for about 20 minutes in a 350 degree oven.<br />
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It was probably one of my favorite homemade pizzas to date.<br />
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Dimo is not so sure...<br />
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And with my leftover feta, I toasted some italian bread and topped it with the cheese, tomato, a little cracked pepper and olive oil.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">delicious</td></tr>
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That's pretty much it. I also made some brownies from a box. Most of my pictures are of kids doing school-ish things. Maybe I should make a blog about that?<br />
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Now I have a question for you-- If you were celebrating a big birthday next week, what kind of dinner would you want?<br />
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Just wondering. :)<br />
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mMandihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00600591267572134893noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6040416781516254865.post-44233370874907710822012-09-11T14:36:00.002-07:002012-09-11T14:46:21.496-07:00back in session<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
School is back in session, which means two things: 1. The longest summer of my life is officially over, and I am finally back at a job that I don't dread going to each morning. And, 2. Most nights, I am too busy/tired to cook.</div>
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This meant lots of repeats, large batches that made leftovers, and (gasp!) a dinner cooked (mostly) by my sister.</div>
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I finally made a trip to one of my favorite breakfast spots, the Cool Moose Cafe for some eggs benedict and the most delicious coffee (Green Mountain Hazelnut, my fave). </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">new morning routine</td></tr>
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I did find time to cook a thank you dinner for my friends, for welcoming me in Greece this summer. I doctored up the <a href="http://fedish.blogspot.com/2011/05/pablano-peppers-take-2.html">stuffed peppers</a> from last year by adding ground turkey and making a homemade sauce by mixing canned enchilada with fire roasted tomatoes and some spices. Big hit!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunday morning scramble</td></tr>
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I repeated my <a href="http://fedish2.blogspot.com/2012/08/mambo-italiano.html">meatballs</a> from a few weeks ago, this time using ground beef. I made a red sauce and spaghetti as well as an <a href="http://www.food.com/recipe/cream-sauce-for-swedish-meatballs-97674">IKEA inspired sauce</a> that I found online. It turned out to be pretty good. The only addition I made to that recipe was adding some fresh parsley at the end. Also, I used the same pan that I used to make the meatballs. So in the first step, when it says to swirl the beef stock, I also scraped up the bits in the pan, which made the sauce a little richer and more flavorful.<br />
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And finally, last night I came home to none other than Little Sister in the kitchen, marinating a couple of pork tenderloins and mixing up a from-scratch batch of cornbread. Score!<br />
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I helped a little, tossing some potatoes in dijon mustard, s+p and olive oil to bake, and sautéing some fresh green beans in white truffle oil and fresh ground pepper.<br />
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The tenderloin was definitely the star of the show.</div>
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That's a brief recap of the past few weeks, sans funny kid stories. And I have plenty.<br />
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Also, if you are finding this site lacking in the baked goods department, a friend of mine is now happy to oblige. Head over to <a href="http://dcsugar.wordpress.com/">DC Sugar</a> for red velvet brownies, white chocolate macadamia nut cookies, cream cheese frosting, and much more to come!<br />
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Now that I'm settling in to a routine, I would like to make more time for cooking. I'm hoping to make a trip to the Mediterranean and Indian markets soon. I still have some real Greek olives to use...<br />
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What have you been cooking? What would you like to see more of on this site?<br />
Hope you are having a great week!<br />
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mMandihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00600591267572134893noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6040416781516254865.post-77289861658827110352012-08-25T10:52:00.002-07:002012-08-25T10:52:52.434-07:00Greece is the word<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
How can I even put into words how amazing my two weeks in Greece were? I can't. In fact, this post has been sitting in my drafts folder for almost a month, pictures without words. I hesitate to even share these pictures, because my trip was so special and amazing, that I sort of want to keep them for myself. Does that make any sense?</div>
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But, I have an obligation to show you some food. So here it is: What I Ate for Two Weeks in July in Greece.</div>
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There is a reason certain foods are considered Greek foods. Lemons, feta, eggplant, watermelon, tomatoes... they are all better -- fresher, plumper, more flavorful -- in Greece. And, as in other Mediterranean cultures, the Greeks don't over-season in the kitchen. Just a squeeze of lemon juice or a drizzle of olive oil is all you need.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">grilled pepers made a regular appearance on my plate</td></tr>
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When we ate at home or at a relative's house, it was lots of meats and veggies on the grill, doused with lemon juice and paired with a big hunk of bread to sop of the juices.<br />
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Trips to the fresh market were so much fun. Besides having the freshest ingredients for that night's dinner, there was excellent people watching, and really cool handmade needlework, hand-woven rugs, jewelry, etc. All of which I brought home with me. :)<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">you better believe I brought home some olives...</td></tr>
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When we went out to eat, it was for the freshest seafood I've ever tasted. Octopus, calamari, sardines, fried to perfection. Restaurants along the river served river trout so fresh, it tasted as if they caught it when they saw us walking up to the door. Which may have been the case, actually.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dimitri enjoyed the food, too, albeit second-hand (or second-boob)</td></tr>
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Of course, there were the staples: traditional Greek salad with every meal, greasy gyros stuffed with fries, lemons by the dozens that were always squeezed dry at the table, and the richest, most delicious feta I had ever tasted.<br />
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But I'd have to say, my favorite meals were always the ones cooked by friends and family. Yiayia's papoutsakia, Cousin Laki's souvlaki, Chris's grilled sausage, Aprodite's mussels in dill orzo and homemade ice cream sandwiches with homemade peach ice cream, to name a few.<br />
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"This is souvlaki country" -Cousin Laki</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">my only complaint: the plates weren't big enough.</td></tr>
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And all of this framed by the Aegean Sea on one side...<br />
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...and Mt. Olympus on the other.<br />
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Magic.<br />
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So there you have it. One of the most delicious parts of the most incredible trip ever. Maybe one day I'll share the other parts, too. But you might have to request those in person. :)<br />
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<br />Mandihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00600591267572134893noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6040416781516254865.post-25415717945873035472012-08-20T20:01:00.000-07:002012-09-08T09:29:13.811-07:00unlikeliest pairRemember the <a href="http://fedish.blogspot.com/2011/04/on-top-of-spaghetti.html">sausage class</a> I took at BU a while back? Well, I fiiiiiiinally decided to have a go at the roasted sausage recipe, and boy am I glad I did. Holy crow. So glad.<br />
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I started by melting a little butter, about 1T, over medium heat in a dutch oven. Then, I tossed in a couple cups of grapes, let them heat for a few minutes and making sure they coated with butter. I only had green grapes on hand, but red would work as well. In fact, next time I make this I plan on using both. Oh yeah, while all this is happening, the oven is preheating to 400 degrees.<br />
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After a couple of minutes, I added three hot italian sausages to the grapes. I didn't leave them on the stove for very long, maybe 5-7 minutes.<br />
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** I should clarify: Be sure to position the sausage<i> on top of</i> the grapes. Otherwise, your sausages will cook too quickly. Plus, you want them to help weigh down those grapes and squeeze the juices out!<br />
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When the oven is preheated, I added some balsamic, covered the pot and stuck them in for about 15-20 minutes. Then this happened, and I was very happy:<br />
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Everything should be nicely browned when it's finished. Once I was satisfied with the color, I transferred the sausage and grapes to a serving dish, and returned the pot to the stove. Over med-high heat, I added a high quality balsamic vinegar to the crusty bits in the pot, stirring them up and scraping the bottom until everything reduced and turned thick and syrup-y.<br />
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Finally, I poured my beautiful balsamic reduction over my beautiful sausage. Beautiful!<br />
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I served this with a super simple bowl of mashed red potatoes and some asparagus. Please, do yourself a favor and make this. It's so, so easy to make. But it looks so impressive and fancy. I would definitely make this for a special occasion and it would knock everyone's socks off. Then they would lift me over their heads and sing "For she's a jolly good fellow!" and I'd be the hero of the day. All because I cooked sausage with grapes.<br />
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Sausage with grapes, y'all. Do it.<br />
m<br />
<br />Mandihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00600591267572134893noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6040416781516254865.post-10874481676155523512012-08-20T17:40:00.000-07:002012-08-20T17:41:36.501-07:00Mambo ItalianoI came home from Greece to a broken refrigerator, and ended up not eating in my house all week. When we finally got a new one, we needed something cheap to offset our restaurant expenses, and decided on spaghetti and meatballs.<br />
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I don't think I've ever made meatballs myself before, but how hard can it be? We decided to make a healthy version, and picked up some ground lean turkey from Publix. I remembered the sage growing in my yard, and realized this would be the perfect dish for it.<br />
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I mixed 1lb. turkey with:<br />
about 3 sprigs sage, finely chopped (probably came to a couple tablespoons)<br />
fresh parsley, finely chopped<br />
salt and pepper<br />
~1tsp red pepper flakes<br />
splash worcestershire<br />
1 egg<br />
any other herbs you like... I added a little dried oregano<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">garden herbs</td></tr>
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I rolled them into about 1" balls, rolled them in breadcrumbs and fried them in a little olive oil for a few minutes, and then finished them off in the oven.<br />
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We used whole wheat angel hair pasta, and doctored up a Publix-brand sauce with some fresh garlic, herbs and parmesan reggiano. This time, I remembered to add a few spoonfuls of the pasta water to the sauce, which made a big difference. When the meatballs were done, I threw those in...<br />
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Not to toot my own horn, but these were some pretty awesome meatballs. Cheap and healthy too. I'm looking forward to playing around with this recipe.<br />
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Have you ever made homemade meatballs? Any secrets you want to share?<br />
m<br />
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p.s. The Greece post has been pending for a while now. I'm honestly having trouble putting my experience into words. Maybe I'll just post food pictures? I'm not sure. Thanks for being patient while I figure it out :)Mandihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00600591267572134893noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6040416781516254865.post-51810849077021926502012-08-05T06:39:00.000-07:002012-08-05T06:39:02.449-07:00PFW: Market FreshBefore I left for Greece, my mom, sisters and I enjoyed another Party Food Wednesday/Downton Abbey night.<br />
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My mom and I decided on a menu while perusing the farmer's market a few days earlier. We picked up some local orange blossom honey, a few pears, leeks, asparagus, and green tomatoes. I decided to repeat the <a href="http://fedish.blogspot.com/2012/04/belated-pfw.html">leek toasts with bleu cheese</a> that I got from Smitten Kitchen, and try out a few new recipes.<br />
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The first crostini recipe I found in a Weight Watcher's cookbook. I sauteed sliced pears in a little drizzle of olive oil. Then I topped them with a crumble of bleu cheese, prosciutto and a drizzle of honey. Delicious!<br />
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With the rest of the prosciutto, we wrapped some asparagus and tossed them into a grill pan for a few minutes. I hadn't had any sushi since moving home, so mom picked up a few rolls to lighten our cooking load. Then she started on the fried green tomatoes.<br />
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Her recipe has a little kick to it, which I love. </div>
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Our next PFW will come from my Grandmother's house. Get ready for that craziness.</div>
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m</div>
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p.s. Meet the newest member of my household. Amos! I named him after a character from one of my favorite children's books.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I hope he never stops sitting like this</td></tr>
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<br />Mandihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00600591267572134893noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6040416781516254865.post-91577936095942518842012-08-04T06:33:00.001-07:002012-08-04T06:33:31.859-07:00"A" for effort?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I started having Indian withdrawals about a month ago, and so decided it was time to attempt something on my own, without Susie ji. I looked to old FeDish posts to make <a href="http://fedish.blogspot.com/2012/04/flavors-of-india.html">dal</a> and <a href="http://fedish.blogspot.com/2012/04/southernsouthern-indian-party.html">potato cutlets</a>, and had a pretty much all-day textversation with Susie. </div>
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For the dal (which is lentils), I needed the following:</div>
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cumin seeds</div>
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chopped garlic</div>
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chopped jalapenos</div>
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salt</div>
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chili powder</div>
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turmeric</div>
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chopped tomatoes</div>
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I started by sautéing the tomatoes, ever so slightly, along with the cumin seeds. By the way, Publix had about 4 different brands of ground cumin, but no cumin seeds. I'm pretty sure I've seen them at other locations, but it might be something you would need to go to a specialty store for. Susie recommended lightly toasted the lentils in oil before adding water, so I did that too. Then, I added a healthy dash of salt, a TON of turmeric and chili powder for kick. I let that simmer for a while.<br />
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In a separate pan, I sautéed the garlic and jalapenos in a little oil, and added them to the dal. I left it simmer for a while longer, tasted it, and ended up adding more salt, turmeric and chili powder.<br />
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While the dal simmered and tried to become Indian despite me, I started on the potato cutlets. For this, I needed:</div>
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red potatoes, quartered and boiled</div>
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coriander powder</div>
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cilantro</div>
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red chili powder</div>
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garam masala</div>
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jalapenos</div>
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onions, finely chopped</div>
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Now, I couldn't find garam masala without making a special trip. So I googled it, and found that with a mortar and pestle, I could easily make this myself. I ground together: </div>
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<li class="plaincharacterwrap ingredient" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander</span></li>
<li class="plaincharacterwrap ingredient" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">1 1/2 teaspoons ground cardamom</span></li>
<li class="plaincharacterwrap ingredient" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">1 1/2 teaspoons ground pepper</span></li>
<li class="plaincharacterwrap ingredient" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">1 teaspoon ground cinnamon</span></li>
<li class="plaincharacterwrap ingredient" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">1/2 teaspoon ground cloves</span></li>
<li class="plaincharacterwrap ingredient" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg</span></li>
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Then I just mashed the potatoes and mixed in all the spices. Dip them in egg, breadcrumbs, and then fry in a little oil. Don't forget salt! I think that the spicier these are, the better.<br />
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I tested these out on my sisters and our friend Lauren. Luckily for me, they don't know what real Indian food tastes like, and so they liked mine. My kitchen smelled like old times, and my pots and pans were very happy to have Indian food in them again, as was I.<br />
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It wasn't the best, by far. But it did taste 100x better the following day, which was encouraging. I won't give up easily!<br />
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I have a few exciting foodie things on the horizon that I can't wait to share!</div>
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Also... I just got back from Greece this past week, and I have to say, the food was probably the best I've ever had. I'll be sharing those pictures with you soon, so stay tuned!</div>
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m</div>Mandihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00600591267572134893noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6040416781516254865.post-1616174329602513242012-07-02T08:47:00.001-07:002012-07-02T08:47:59.334-07:00fancy-pantsWe've started a tradition in my house. Once a week or so, my mom comes over and we cook dinner and watch Downton Abbey. The first week, I wasn't really on the mood to cook anything, so we ordered a pizza. But this time around, I was feeling very festive. Even though it was a Monday, I decided it was time to <a href="http://fedish.blogspot.com/search/label/party%20food%20wednesday">Party Food Wednesday</a>-it.<br />
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I saw this shrimp recipe on pinterest recently, and it reminded me of an amazing dish that my friend Shannon once made. I remember it being super easy and major delicious, which was what I was going for. Actually, this Party Food Wednesday Monday turned out to be a combination of some of my favorite girls' nights in recent history...<br />
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I threw together an antipasto salad of fresh mozzarella, basil, cherry tomatoes, salami, oil and balsamic vinegar over a slice of grilled italian bread.</div>
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Publix has just started carrying their own gourmet cheeses, which makes me very happy. I put together a quick cheese board with cranberry cheddar, honey goat, pecorino, and strawberries. I toasted sliced baguette and put out some white truffle oil and balsamic vinegar for drizzling.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Bl-_ovb-a_A/T-9A82BDy7I/AAAAAAAAAP0/5KKNCC9JdFI/s1600/IMG_0826.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="478" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Bl-_ovb-a_A/T-9A82BDy7I/AAAAAAAAAP0/5KKNCC9JdFI/s640/IMG_0826.JPG" width="640" /></a>I sautéed a few scallops in butter, then made a glaze with a splash of the Spanish white wine that I picked up. <a href="http://fedish.blogspot.com/2012/03/undead-inspiration.html">Remember?</a><br />
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The shrimp with just tossed in a baking dish with a little cubed butter, a sliced lemon, and italian seasoning. I baked it for about 15 minutes at 350.<br />
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The wines we enjoyed were a Spanish white and a Rioja. I'm no wine connoisseur by any means, but I know that I like Spanish wines, and that these claimed to be perfect with small bites, seafood, and cheeses. That's all I need to know.<br />
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Actually, for all you Jacksonvillians, The Grotto in San Marco does a really fun wine tasting on Thursday evenings. I'm thinking I might become a regular. Stop by and see us, have some delicious wines and tapas, and check out this painting:<br />
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What about you guys... Is there a wine and cheese combination that I must try? Are there any food/wine-related local events that you enjoy? Who is your favorite Downton Abbey resident? Will that rascal Thomas ever get what's coming to him?<br />
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m<br />
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<br />Mandihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00600591267572134893noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6040416781516254865.post-81367916479964379362012-06-30T11:41:00.002-07:002012-06-30T11:41:30.486-07:00post scriptI instagramed this the other day and got a few comments on it, so I wanted to share...<br />
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It's just a little snack I threw together in no time and very little effort. All it is is italian bread grilled on a cast-iron grill pan. I tossed a handful of cherry tomatoes in the pan until they got juicy and were about to burst. Then I topped them with sea salt and olive oil.<br />
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Ta-da!<br />
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</tbody></table>Mandihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00600591267572134893noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6040416781516254865.post-89131512450643620142012-06-30T10:51:00.002-07:002012-06-30T10:51:32.404-07:00roots and gills<div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;">
One thing I could never quite figure out in Boston (and I have to admit, I didn't try as hard as I could've...) is gardening. I had a little herb garden in my apartment that didn't last very long. I'm used to twice as much sunshine, ergo, about double the possibilities as far as produce. </div>
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In addition to my mom's tomatoes and peppers, I've started growing my own cherry tomatoes, sage, parsley, cilantro and rosemary.</div>
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Last week, I took some things over to Madaline's so I could cook while she <strike>rested</strike> took care of her twins. I tried the recipe featured on this month's <a href="http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/2012/06/slow-roasted-salmon-with-cherry-tomatoes-and-couscous">bon appetit</a>. It turned out so good, that I decided to make it again for my family, with a couple of additions.</div>
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I made the yogurt sauce earlier in the day. With that out of the way, I started by boiling the beets. I've never cooked beets myself, but I'm told that they bleed if you don't prepare them before cutting into them.</div>
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As for the cauliflower, I decided to keep it simple. I sliced them very thin, sprinkled them with some olive oil, sea salt, and a few springs of thyme, and roasted them with the sliced beets.</div>
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I also added some shredded carrot and halved cherry tomatoes to a cup of whole wheat cous cous, for another quick and easy side dish.</div>
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Usually when I make salmon, I use a different sauce made with sour cream. This yogurt sauce (almost exactly like <a href="http://fedish.blogspot.com/2011/08/greek-weekend.html">tzaziki</a>) is just as delicious and much better for you. But the big surprise was the roasted veggies. I honestly can't remember the last time I ate cauliflower, but I know I was young and I didn't like it. Roasted with salt and thyme was pretty tasty! This is my new favorite dinner, hands-down. It's shout-your-lungs-out good.<br />
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Be honest. The second you hear the word "beets", this cartoon band comes to mind...</div>
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You're welcome.<br />
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Now that I'm a beet and cauliflower convert, what are your favorite ways to prepare them? What are you taking to the Fourth of July cookout?<br />
mMandihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00600591267572134893noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6040416781516254865.post-9687269245764021872012-06-19T11:41:00.000-07:002012-06-19T11:41:58.657-07:00a very lovely engagement [& dinner]<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
We got the head's-up from Kelly's boyfriend Kyle that Saturday was The Day. As soon as they left the house for their day-date, Katie, Blair and I threw together the fastest Congrats Party you've ever seen. With a handful of close friends and family on stand-by, Katie ran to Publix to get a cake, Blair made house calls tracking down a couple guests we couldn't reach by phone, and I set up the house.</div>
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By 3pm, we were all sitting around, waiting for a call. Finally, Kelly's friends' phones started ringing, and we knew they were headed home...</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Katie and Max, excited</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bruce, notsomuch</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">champagne wishes</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-19wXPZQQSCk/T93ieWqr63I/AAAAAAAAALk/ndJr7vxtVQM/s1600/IMG_0745.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="478" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-19wXPZQQSCk/T93ieWqr63I/AAAAAAAAALk/ndJr7vxtVQM/s640/IMG_0745.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">telling the story</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sJ4pbj2WeBc/T93ifvo9s0I/AAAAAAAAALs/bit3Ua6QqC8/s1600/IMG_0752.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sJ4pbj2WeBc/T93ifvo9s0I/AAAAAAAAALs/bit3Ua6QqC8/s640/IMG_0752.jpg" width="478" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">showing off the ring</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-i53rp428w2E/T93igd3V-_I/AAAAAAAAAL0/4a7qnonZHR0/s1600/IMG_0756.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-i53rp428w2E/T93igd3V-_I/AAAAAAAAAL0/4a7qnonZHR0/s640/IMG_0756.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Congrats Kelly and Kyle!</td></tr>
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My dad was working while all this was going on, so we had him over for dinner a little while later. On the menu were celebratory mussels in tomato sauce, and spinach artichoke dip. THIS was everyone's favorite dinner so far. I wish I could tell you what I did differently to make this my best red sauce to date, but I just kept tasting and tweaking. I used red pepper flakes, fresh basil, two cans of tomato sauce and one can of whole stewed tomatoes. When everything was almost ready, I tossed in the mussels and put the lid on.</div>
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The artichoke dip is my mom's recipe:<br />
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1c mayo (or greek yogurt)<br />
1c garlic parmesan cheese<br />
1 can artichoke hearts<br />
bake for 20 minutes at 375<br />
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I didn't have garlic parmesan, so I added a spoonful or so of minced garlic. I also added a handful of spinach, which turned out to be a good call.<br />
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<br />Mandihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00600591267572134893noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6040416781516254865.post-71629566976552770842012-06-17T06:54:00.004-07:002012-06-17T06:54:54.828-07:00dinner in a jarEven though I haven't been writing much lately, I have been cooking more than ever. I've made pizza from scratch several times, pastas, and salads.<br />
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And a couple weeks ago, I finally got around to making <a href="http://smittenkitchen.com/2008/08/crisp-rosemary-flatbread/">these</a>. They were not only delicious, but so fun to make. I'm thinking about all the different flavors I can experiment with next time.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EA5I9S3IgX0/T93gX4EI1eI/AAAAAAAAAJU/Oy0IuFBcdx0/s1600/IMG_0649.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="478" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EA5I9S3IgX0/T93gX4EI1eI/AAAAAAAAAJU/Oy0IuFBcdx0/s640/IMG_0649.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Oh, and remember these?<br />
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I mixed the lemon artichoke pesto with a little mayo and some parmesan cheese, baked it and out came the perfect dip for my rosemary flatbread.<br />
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For dinner, I used the sweet pepper sauce on some amazing pasta from my favorite Italian grocery in Boston, <a href="http://salumeriaitaliana.com/">Salumeria</a>. I mixed it with some red wine and added some fresh zucchini. Kelly said it was her favorite meal so far... and I might have to agree. We used the jar of olive pesto on some toasted italian bread.<br />
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And that is how I used those three jars to feed the masses.<br />
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In other news, we had a very exciting event yesterday. Stay tuned and Ill try to update you sooner rather than later.<br />
mMandihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00600591267572134893noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6040416781516254865.post-86304471734818685412012-05-29T11:31:00.000-07:002012-05-29T11:31:04.740-07:00more of the same, and cook's block<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
My mom has been giving me quite a bit of produce from her garden lately. The other day, I received all the ingredients for a delicious Greek salad (minus the olives-- but does an authentic Greek salad have olives?). </div>
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I topped it off with some olive oil and balsamic vinegar, some salt and pepper.<br />
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My dad called to chat and I ended up inviting him over for dinner. In less than 40 minutes, we were sitting at the table to a complete dinner, whipped up in a flash!<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--Nl0f7O_lu0/T8T9Wke96qI/AAAAAAAAAHQ/FpWyd0ZK8Cw/s1600/IMG_0628.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="478" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--Nl0f7O_lu0/T8T9Wke96qI/AAAAAAAAAHQ/FpWyd0ZK8Cw/s640/IMG_0628.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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I sauteed some broccoli in a little butter, and made some mashed potatoes, which turned out awesome.<br />
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Of course, we had to have some dinner music. I listened to this record 24/7 when I was younger, and lately, my dad puts it on every time he comes over. On the Radio was always my favorite, but MacAurther Park is a close second.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">isn't she lovely?<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></td></tr>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wABOKADOwC4/T8T9hmN9F8I/AAAAAAAAAHw/C9a6bb54wD0/s1600/IMG_0632.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="478" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wABOKADOwC4/T8T9hmN9F8I/AAAAAAAAAHw/C9a6bb54wD0/s640/IMG_0632.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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The chicken is from Publix. Now that I'm back in Florida, I don't really feel the need to fry it up myself. I will, however, be making my own mashed potatoes again. Next time I think I'll make them a little fancier.<br />
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This past weekend, we got our first tropical storm, Beryl. Because of the way we are situated in Florida's little dip, Jacksonville doesn't usually get the worst of Florida's storms. So being prepared meant having plenty of board games and flashlights, in case we lost power. We never did, but the following morning, my mom asked if we wanted to come over for lunch. A friend in the neighborhood had lost power, so about 8 of us gathered at my mom's for what turned out to be a Beryl Party...<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I love this yard</td></tr>
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Finally, last night I took the last of the produce from my mom and made some pizzas for me, my sisters and their boyfriends. I used the homemade <a href="http://fedish.blogspot.com/2011/04/lasagna-mishap-brownie-save-and-baking.html">pizza dough recipe</a> from last year's baking adventure and made a couple different options. I have to say, it turned out much better this time around. I didn't add as much flour, I flavored it with a little garlic salt, and I let it sit a little longer. I rolled it out a bit thinner as well, so I got a thinner, crispier crust. It was delicious.<br />
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The first was a tomato, basil and sliced mozzarella pizza with oil and balsamic vinegar.<br />
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The second had sliced zucchini, onion, garlic tomato sauce, mozzarella and chopped basil.<br />
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After dinner, Katie made a batch of brownies, which we had a la mode, and watched The Bachelorette. So, that's just a glimpse of some of the cooking I've been doing for my household this week. Katie told me that she enjoys having a wife.<br />
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It's almost time for me to shift my attention the the upcoming school year, lesson planning, and classroom arranging.<br />
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Now for a disclaimer: I've only been grocery shopping once since I moved back. Between my mom's garden, my penchant for making do with what's on hand, and my not feeling completely settled yet, my cooking hasn't been incredibly creative. I still want to show you what I'm up to, but with the promise that I will step it up a notch once this little kitchen becomes my own.<br />
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There are a few things I've been meaning to try, actually. Parmesan crisps, homemade flavored water crackers, and something with these:<br />
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Have any of you every done anything fun with these? I'm looking for some interesting ideas, so speak up if you have any!<br />
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What have you been cooking up lately? How did you Floridians weather the storm?<br />
mMandihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00600591267572134893noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6040416781516254865.post-48099678376563876612012-05-22T06:45:00.001-07:002012-05-22T06:45:37.968-07:00lately<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Besides all the unpacking and settling, there has been an awful lot of cooking going on round these parts. Here's a quick recap...</div>
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[greek, broccoli & cheddar quiches]</div>
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[at Intuition Ale Works]</div>
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[fresh market tomato and <a href="http://fedish2.blogspot.com/2012/05/delightful.html">homemade bleu cheese dressing</a>]</div>
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[max's spot while I'm cooking]</div>
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[chicken broccoli bow tie pasta, w homemade white sauce]</div>
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[steaming some oysters]</div>
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[southern style]</div>
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[more southern style]</div>
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[Nathan]</div>
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[stir fry fixins']</div>
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[stir fry chicken & shrimp w fried rice]</div>
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[cherry cheesecake]</div>
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It still hasn't registered in that I'm here indefinitely. I think it still feels like I'm on vacation. Hopefully once I start seeing more friends and family and start working again, it will feel real. In the meantime, I'm working on changing my vampire complexion without bursting into flames. It's a fine line. Wish me luck.<br />
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m<br />
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<br /></div>Mandihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00600591267572134893noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6040416781516254865.post-8773559599276776832012-05-15T11:12:00.001-07:002012-05-15T11:13:22.129-07:00delightful<br />
Today I had lunch at my mom's with her and my Grandmother, whom I call "Grandmother". They have lunch like this a few times a week, with a fully set table, a salad and un-sweet tea. Today my mom made a broccoli chicken casserole and a wedge salad, with homegrown cucumbers and tomatoes and homemade bleu cheese dressing.<br />
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As Phil Dunphy would say, it was "delightful."<br />
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homemade bleu cheese dressing:<br />
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(makes 2 1/2c)<br />
3/4c sour cream<br />
1/2t dry mustard<br />
scant garlic powder<br />
1t Worcestershire sauce<br />
1 1/3c mayo<br />
s+p<br />
blend with mixer and add 4oz crumbled bleu cheese. I would probably make a few substitutions, like greek yogurt for mayo, but this recipe is delicious as is.<br />
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Oh, and don't worry about the layout. I'm going to play around with it some more later, so it won't look like this for long.<br />
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mMandihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00600591267572134893noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6040416781516254865.post-82131174688212317082012-05-14T20:58:00.000-07:002012-05-14T20:58:36.340-07:00Hello from Florida! I made it, and just in time for Hurricane season, too!<br />
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I've decided to make a few changes to the blog, but I've kept the old one in tact, so if you're looking for something specific, or just feeling nostalgic (as I'm sure I will), feel free to visit <a href="http://fedish.blogspot.com/">fedish.blogspot.com</a>.<br />
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I'm hoping to do some more Florida-friendly things, so this should be fun. As always, keep the comments and ideas coming!<br />
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mMandihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00600591267572134893noreply@blogger.com6