Dinner tonight...

As the cool weather sets in and the summer warmth leaves the air, I tried to savor the last drops of summer by making a fresh heirloom tomato, basil and garlic sauce with whole wheat pasta. Now, this is a big deal for me because I don't like tomatoes at all but theres something special that happens when you combine fresh ingredients and let them steep in olive oil for a few hours. The heirlooms give off the flavor and infuse the oil with a burst of sweetness. The basil gives a bit of flavor and the garlic gives it a  little bit of complexity. Once tomatoes have been marinating for a while, just boil the pasta until al dente ( 7-10 minutes, a bit longer for whole wheat pasta) then drain leaving a little bit of pasta water and immediately combine with the tomatoes. The warmth from the pasta marries the flavors together and you get a great summer evening dish that will please all ( including my little picky eaters), I look forward to making this again net summer!

If you like, you can add shrimp or eat the steamed shrimp on the side. 

Dinner tonight...

I've been off this past week and have had the chance to remind myself what it feels like to be a full time mommy. From morning to night, from breakfast to dinner and all thats in between. I really kind of miss doing this, seeing all the moments we miss of the kids during the nine or so hours I'm away at work. I know myself though and have learnt over the years that I need to work for my own sanity but I also like to have the option to periodically fall into this role of mommy for a while.

Anyway, while home, the hubby has been able to come home to a freshly cooked or chopped.. rather dinner, clean house, bathed and fed kids etc. and I remembered how much I do sometimes enjoy cooking. Anyway, here is one of the things we had this week, summer rolls (also known as fresh spring rolls). These are healthy, tasty and versatile alternative to the traditionally fried soppy version. They are basically a medley of veggies and/or meat wrapped in a light rice paper and dipped in anything from peanut sauce to sweet chili sauce.

 This time I used shrimp, scallions, cucumber, carrots, mint, noodles and lettuce (really just things we had in the refrigerator). I guess these ingredients I could have also made these but whatever..

You basically have soak the rice paper in water for a few seconds, until its pliable enough to roll but not to soft where it would rip. Then lay out your ingredients onto the sheet and roll. I tend to roll forward and pull towards my sef to get a tight seal but it takes a few times to get a feel for how you roll yours. Remember to tuck the ends in before the final roll and plate with the seam facing down. After a few minutes its ready to be sliced on the diagonal and served.

 Eat as soon as you make these or they start to either get dry or soggy depending on where you store them. I basically cover them with a damp clean cloth for a bit until we were ready tot eat and that worked fairly well.

Nigeria Trip // Sidebar

via

So I have been in a bit of a funk since returning and feeling slightly less than perfect..why? you may ask. Well besides the normal struggle my brain has with change, adjusting to being back has gone fairly well except for the lingering negative feeling I have left over from comments that were made or not made while on the trip. If you've ever had the pleasure of meeting a Nigerian person or more specifically a Mother-figure (Mom, grandma, aunt..older cousin..or really any female who feels like she is in a place to have a say in your life) then you may have experienced the kind of brash, honesty these folks are known for. I try not to get bothered by other peoples comments anymore but because of the condensed schedule and high level of exposure this trip entailed, I felt a bit overwhelmed by the stream of comments about my weight. Its normal for these types of comments to be shared, I've grown up this way, in fact its trickles down from the top to the bottom, no one is spared and its not the kind of gentle, quiet whisper from a friend, its a loud, dramatic, public kind of comment to let let you know you've gone beyond the acceptable size for a woman. Its a cultural thing, here in the States, comments about a persons weight are a very touchy subject but in Nigeria, its just par for the course. 

I know I'm not a supermodel, I'm a mother of two (8 months old and 4 years old) who used to savor my time at the gym but has not had the time to indulge in my 2 hour daily gym sessions since I was in week 34 of my pregnancy. While everyone was happy to see us, the second (sometimes first) comment out of some of my relatives mouths was a gasp about how large I was, alternatively, they would shower my sisters with compliments on how great they looked and just look past me. I mainly shrugged it off but now a week later, I find myself feeling things I haven't felt since I was young and extremely insecure about my looks and endured similar comments from my sister-in-law and her friends (I was much skinnier then too!) It's so bad that I feel like either putting on my sneakers and running for the next week nonstop, Forrest Gump style or going on a serious detox a la celebrity Grammy's preparation neither of which would be very responsible given the circumstances.

Instead, I have decided to re-program my body by changing it's energy supply to mainly plant-based items (but not solely..who are we kidding here!) rather than anything I can get my hands on each day. I'm also going to be more responsible about eating regularly because I actually skip breakfast and lunch most days as well. I am also going to get up earlier to jog before the troops arise, I hope to lose the final 10 pounds that just won't come off post pregnancy without extreme measures, in 10 weeks. I think if I can at least start that, wean my little pumpkin in a few months and get back into the gym, then I will hopefully feel better about myself.

I found a few fun salads that I'm going to prepare this week..baby steps..if all works then I will continue this and eventually make it part of our normal diet. It shouldn't be too hard for me but with a picky 4 year old whose favorite meal is plain white rice, chicken nuggets or noodles, dinner could get more  complicated.

Some salads...

Kitchen Sink Chopped Salad with Creamy Balsamic Dressing
Colorful Lentil Salad with Walnuts & Herbs

Apple Chip, Gorgonzola & Pecan Salad with Apple Cider Vinaigrette

White Bean and Kale

Arugula with Radishes and Min

Herbed Quinoa and Red Rice with Kale and Cranberries

As I continue to try to cook new and healthy meals for my kids, I have found that they like quinoa which is a grain ( really a seed) which is high in protein and can be used in place of rice in most dishes. Since Arielle will select plain white rice on almost every given chance, I was desperate to find something she will eat that has a higher nutritional value. I have only served it this way twice and although she will eat it, the vegetable seem to drive her way. Maybe I'll serve it plain and see what she thinks because of all the grains, its one that actually tastes great on its own.

Ingredients:

2 cups quinoa

2 cups red rice (I used Texmati rice)

1 packet dried cranberries

1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted

1 large yellow onion, diced

2 celery stalks, diced

1 bunch kale (about 8 oz., stems removed and leaves thinly sliced)

1 Tbs. chopped fresh oregano

1 cup chicken stock, warmed (I used vegetable stock instead)

3 1/4 cups water

Kosher salt, to taste

Pepper

Unsalted butter for baking dish, plus 3 Tbs.

Spices to taste..I used a bit of garlic, oregano..

Zest of 1 lemon

Shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese for serving (optional)

Directions:

In a saucepan, combine the quinoa and red rice with the water and salt lightly. Set over high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer until most of the water is absorbed and the grains are tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Set aside. Preheat an oven to 375°F. Butter a 13-by-9-inch baking dish. In a large sauté pan over medium heat, melt the 3 Tbs. butter. Add the onion and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 6 to 8 minutes, adding the kale during the last 2 minutes of cooking. Add the oregano and spices and season with salt. Cook, stirring, until the mixture is fragrant, about 1 minute. Transfer the onion mixture to a large bowl. Add the quinoa and red rice, cranberries, pine nuts, lemon zest and stock and stir until well combined. Transfer mix to the prepared baking dish and bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Let rest for 10 minutes, then garnish with cheese and serve. Serves 8 to10.

and if you bake it..it looks like this. Enjoy

adapted from William Sonoma recipe.

Beef and Lentil Curry

INGREDIENTS
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 Tbs ground coriander
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 teaspoon peppercorns
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
2-3 bay leaves
1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbs. freshly grated ginger
1 1/2 pound top sirloin, trimmed of excess fat and cut into bite-sized chunks
1 medium tomatoes, chopped
2-4 cups water
1 cup dry lentils
kosher salt to taste
freshly ground pepper to taste
2 cups cooked jasmine rice

1. Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium-high. Add the cumin seeds, mustard seeds and peppercorn and bloom for 20 seconds. 
2. Toss in the onions and bay leaves to saute until soft, 4 minutes 
3. Crush the garlic with the grated ginger, along with a pinch of salt, to form a paste 
4. Add beef and brown, 4 minutes each side 
5. Add garlic-ginger mixture , turmeric and cinnamon stick to skillet 
6. Add chopped tomatoes and a good pinch of salt. Cook 8 minutes, until spices start to become fragrant. 
7. Add the water to cover beef and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until beef is tender, about 30 minutes. 
8. Add lentils and simmer until they are cooked through about 20 minutes. 
9. Serve with cooked rice.

Potato Latkes

So this year, Arielle is 4 years old and very aware of the differences and similarities in life and more specifically her family. She has in the past addressed color.. skin color that is and now has expressed an interest in learning about religion, in this case Catholicism and Judaism. Since she had been attending the Montessori school in our town, she has become more curious and very  opinionated about issues, it kind of scares me sometimes when I see how thorough her thought process is and the way she qualifies and differentiates things, its quite sophisticated. Anyway, we decide that's its no longer acceptable to be "nothing" and have decided to instead teach her background, her black, white, Judaism and Catholicism. She was Baptized over a year ago at the age of 2 1/2 but she really just thought it was like a birthday party! This year we included Santa, the Reindeer's and his counterpart Rosie the elf, lit a Menorah,  ate Latkes, baked holiday cookies, stayed up past midnight to open gift (tradition from my childhood) and had a big Christmas dinner. Although it has been a whirlwind its been good and I love it. I wish we could have included more of the husbands family for Arielle's sake but I have no control over what others chose to do. All in all, I think everyone came out happier and a few pounds heavier! The recipe is from the husband so please reserve your comments..they were good though!

Ingredients
1-1/2 pounds russet potatoes peeled
1/4 cup finely chopped shallots ( or yellow onion)
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons flour (or more) or matzo meal (during Passover)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt and freshly ground black pepper
Vegetable oil for frying

1. Grate the potatoes in a food processor or using a manual grater.
2.  Line a sieve with cheesecloth and transfer potatoes to the sieve. Set sieve over a bowl, twist cheesecloth into a pouch, squeezing out some moisture. 
3. Add shallots (or onion), eggs, flour, 1-1/2 teaspoons of salt and freshly ground pepper. 
4. Return drained potatoes to this mixture and toss to combine.
5. Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Line a baking pan with paper towels. 
6. In a large skillet heat 1/4 inch of oil over medium high heat until hot. 
7. Drop heaping tablespoonfuls of potato mixture and cook for 3 to 4 minutes a side; latkes should be golden and crisp on both sides. 
8. Eat right away or keep warm in oven. 
9. Serve with applesauce.

Holiday Cheer

Since moving to our current home, we have joined in the tradition of holiday gift giving to the neighbors (some of which have become our friends) but last year I didn't give anything because I was tired and in a funk (and 3 months pregnant). This year, I decided to do the customary cookie gift but thought I would try to make it an elegant cookie gift. I fell for these birch wood boxes at Crate and Barrel and immediately ordered a few of them to hold the cookies. We spent half the day on Christmas eve making four kinds of cookies to put into theses gift boxes. After a few tries and some burning, tossing batter out and buying new ingredients, they came out quite well. Actually even after burning a few batches and some very flat chocolate cookies as well I was happy with the outcome and my baking skills. I had originally planned to make sugar cookies (easy) and Almond chocolate cookies (because I don't really fancy chocolate chip) but after four failed tries at the Almond chocolate, I got nervous. They were too chocolatey and melting into chewy pancakes in my oven. I realized after a few tries that I really needed more flour to give some substance and once I added an additional cup of flour they began to come out better.

As expected the sugar cookies came out great but I felt we had wasted so much of the chocolate batter that we wouldn't have enough cookies to fill the six boxes. Since I had way too many chocolate chips, I decided to add brown sugar chocolate chip cookies to the boxes, figured the kids would like them. As I was skimming through the Food Network 12 days of Cookies recipes, I saw a Shortbread recipe with 4 variations, one of which was the Chai tea shortbread and since I love Shortbread and I had tons of butter, I decided to attempt making them too. I have made shortbread before using a different recipe but they came out horribly but I really wanted to try again.
I actually think what really happened was I got so delirious I just couldn't stop myself from making more and more cookies...I lined the gift boxes with a Mara-mi specialty tissue I found which coincidentally had a red wood grain pattern printed on it, call me crazy but I thought it was very cool..wood box..wood grain tissue..get it?..No..ok!
Anyway, I was a bit surprised when I started putting them together, because I ended having more than enough cookies. All the chaos turned into what I really wanted which was a nice sampler of homemade cookies.
Don't get me wrong, it was fun but this isn't going to become an everyday occurrence because baking is a crazy sport..you can't become distracted for one minute or else something burns and you must be extremely precise while simultaneously being able to improvise and having enough knowledge about your ovens nuances to keep things under control. Between rotating the pan, watching for the slight browning of the edges to develop and taking them out immediately, you must be on top of it. One thing I found though was how inaccurate the cooking times were on the food network recipes, for example, I had to cut the cooking time in half for the brown sugar chocolate chip cooies because they kept burning! 

Pork and Shrimp Shumai

If I discovered I was half Asian, I wouldn't be surprised solely based on my love for their cuisine. I can always go for good fresh Chinese, Korean or Indian food but since its not always as accessible as I'd like, I try to make the things I like to eat. The husband and my daughter also really enjoy this kind of food so much so that we started to frequent a Dim Sum place on Sunday afternoons to have the full experience of the hot and cold carts being pulled around and picking things on the fly. One thing we always get when we are there is dumplings. We love the shrimp dumplings but I cannot replicate them authentically to save my life! We decided to try to make these the other day when my cravings hit and they actually came out pretty good. Obviously the wrapping could be better but they tasted pretty good to me, especially for a first attempt. I find the images are always better than just words.Here goes..

For the filling:

1 lb. boneless pork, ground
1/2 cup minced raw shrimp ( I added a bit more because I like shrimp!)
2 oz. fresh shiitake mushrooms, brushed clean and tough stems removed, minced
1 Tbs. peeled and finely grated fresh ginger

3 green onions (white parts only), finely chopped

1 1/2 Tbs. cornstarch

1 Tbs. rice wine, sake or dry sherry
2 tsp. Asian sesame oil
3/4 tsp. fine sea salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper, to taste

30 dumpling wrappers (I assume its easier with round ones but I used square)
Napa cabbage leaves for lining steamer

Directions:

1. Combine the pork, shrimp, mushrooms, bamboo shoot, green onion and ginger and stir briefly to combine. 
2. Add the cornstarch, rice wine, sesame oil, salt and pepper and stir until the mixture has a smooth, even consistency.
3. Place a heaping 1 Tbs. of filling in the center of the wrapper. Cup it in your hand and, with the index finger and thumb of your other hand, pleat the top edge. 
4. Squeeze the dumpling gently in the center to indent slightly and tap the bottom to flatten. 
5. Using the back of a teaspoon dipped in water, pack the filling gently and smooth the top.
6.  Repeat with the remaining filling and wrappers to make 24 dumplings. (The extra dumpling wrappers allow you to lose a few while practicing.)
7. In a saucepan, pour in water to a depth of 2 inches and bring to a boil over high heat. 
8. Line a bamboo steamer basket or a plate with a single layer of cabbage leaves and top with half of the dumplings, spacing them about 1/2 inch apart. 
9. Place the basket in the wok or on top of the pan, or place the plate on a steamer rack in the wok or pan. Make sure the steaming water does not touch the basket or plate. 
10. Cover tightly and steam until the wrappers are translucent and the visible filling is opaque, about 6 minutes. 
11. Transfer the dumplings to a large, wide, shallow platter and keep warm in a 200°F oven while you steam the remaining dumplings.
12. Serve the dumplings immediately.