My boy is sick, again. This is now Izzy's fourth illness in the past five weeks. I took him to the doctor only to discover that he has what she called, "early pneumonia". This was clearly not a day for cooking, at least not for me. Besides, Izzy didn't seem to have much of an appetite, even though he kept claiming to be hungry.
It was well past lunchtime when we left the doctor's office, although Izzy didn't seem especially ravenous. On our way home from the appointment we had to pass Rickshaw Dumpling Bar on 23rd Street so I suggested a stop there. Decent, wholesome and fast food. These are my favorite type of dumpling, in that they have translucent wrappers. We had the vegetarian option (seasonal greens with a kick of wasabi) and the Peking duck with scallions. Izzy had a couple of bites of each, leaving me with far too many dumplings to consume. At least I completely forgot to order the chocolate dessert dumplings, which I definitely recommend.
Back at home, he took an ultra-late nap, waking at seven. He said he was hungry and wanted pierogi for snack. He usually snacks after nap and was confused because it was actually nearly time for dinner. I made him a plate of both cheese and potato pierogi. Once again, he ate a few bites and that was all. I took a bite of a cheese one and wondered how many dumpling-like foods could I eat in a day. Apparently many more.
At around 8:30, A. and I decided to order some Chinese food. I shared a wonton soup with Izzy, who once again, had only about two bites before announcing he was full. Wontons are in the dumpling family..I only ate two of those but did manage to eat some pea shoot/shrimp shumai, which fall into the dumpling category too.
I shouldn't have allowed it to happen and on any other day I wouldn't have. So for now let's just say, I'm temporarily done doing dumplings..I wonder how Izzy feels?
Friday, March 30, 2007
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
Apres Park Polenta
I love the warmer weather and the longer days but they usually mean less time cooking and more time playing. On most days we are out in Hamilton Park from late afternoon until seven and when I get home I have to come up with dinner in under an hour. On some occasions I am organized and I prep dinner pre-park. This past Monday I had only given dinner a passing thought.
On my way home my thoughts turned to other food-blogs for inspiration. Once in my kitchen, I had something new in mind. Inspired by the Head Hen, I invented my own creamy polenta concoction, using instant polenta, an extremely useful and delectable invention.
I enlisted Izzy as my sous-chef. He washed and chopped some broccoli rabe while I chopped garlic, "hen of the woods" mushrooms, shitaakes and parsley. This prep work enabled us to make the following dish:
Broccoli Rabe with Creamy Mushroom Polenta
Ingredients
(For broccoli rabe)
1 bunch broccoli rabe, cut and boiled about 5 minutes or until just tender
4 cloves garlic, minced
olive oil
1. Saute garlic in oil on low heat for a minute or 2..
2. Add broccoli rabe and stir.
(For Polenta)
1 cup or so of mushrooms (hen of the woods or other), cleaned and chopped 4 cloves garlic, minced
3-4 tablespoons of finely chopped parsley
1.Saute garlic a minute or two on low heat.
2. Add mushrooms and cook about 5-10 minutes
3. Stir in parsley and set aside.
1 cup polenta
3 cups of water
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1.Bring water and salt to boil, add polenta and stir continually about 5 minutes.
2. Add milk and continue stirring until creamy.
3. Remove from heat and stir in cheese and mushrooms.
4. Serve with broccoli rabe.
Makes 3 large servings. Perfect with a salad on the side.
l
On my way home my thoughts turned to other food-blogs for inspiration. Once in my kitchen, I had something new in mind. Inspired by the Head Hen, I invented my own creamy polenta concoction, using instant polenta, an extremely useful and delectable invention.
I enlisted Izzy as my sous-chef. He washed and chopped some broccoli rabe while I chopped garlic, "hen of the woods" mushrooms, shitaakes and parsley. This prep work enabled us to make the following dish:
Broccoli Rabe with Creamy Mushroom Polenta
Ingredients
(For broccoli rabe)
1 bunch broccoli rabe, cut and boiled about 5 minutes or until just tender
4 cloves garlic, minced
olive oil
1. Saute garlic in oil on low heat for a minute or 2..
2. Add broccoli rabe and stir.
(For Polenta)
1 cup or so of mushrooms (hen of the woods or other), cleaned and chopped 4 cloves garlic, minced
3-4 tablespoons of finely chopped parsley
1.Saute garlic a minute or two on low heat.
2. Add mushrooms and cook about 5-10 minutes
3. Stir in parsley and set aside.
1 cup polenta
3 cups of water
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1.Bring water and salt to boil, add polenta and stir continually about 5 minutes.
2. Add milk and continue stirring until creamy.
3. Remove from heat and stir in cheese and mushrooms.
4. Serve with broccoli rabe.
Makes 3 large servings. Perfect with a salad on the side.
l
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
Jersey City: A Culinary Destination?
Jersey City has been our home for almost three and a half years. We have watched sadly, as Izzy's first friends have come and gone. Some have moved so far away we have yet to see them again. Others, however, have found new homes in nearby suburbs. They are so close in fact, that the magnetic pull and allure of Jersey City's own local cuisine, lures them back, time and time again.
One friend, A., rhapsodizes over the fish tacos from Taqueria, while another, J., heeds the call of 2nd Street Deli, an old-time Italian joint serving mammoth sandwiches at tiny prices. Whatever it is they may crave, we rejoice for two reasons: 1. We get to see them more frequently than we might have imagined. 2. We still live here, amidst these culinary treasures.
One friend, A., rhapsodizes over the fish tacos from Taqueria, while another, J., heeds the call of 2nd Street Deli, an old-time Italian joint serving mammoth sandwiches at tiny prices. Whatever it is they may crave, we rejoice for two reasons: 1. We get to see them more frequently than we might have imagined. 2. We still live here, amidst these culinary treasures.
Sunday, March 25, 2007
Waffle Memories
The frozen waffle, more specifically the Eggo Waffle, played a starring role in my childhood culinary experiences. Waffles were one of the first foods I could prepare myself. I could pop one into the toaster oven, put it on a plate and pour Log Cabin syrup on it. Voila, a meal. I thought they were delightful.
My older brother E. relished them too and there was nothing I liked more than to prepare a plate of them for him when he arrived home with the late-night munchies. I ate them most often as an after school snack and sometimes for breakfast. Stepmother #1 always made sure to keep several boxes of them in the freezer.
I don't think that I tried any other waffle until the age of 17 when, on a trip to Hawaii I encountered a Belgian waffle in some small restaurant in Maui. It was an unforgettable revelation. It was so unlike the Eggo. It was high and light, rather than flat and crunchy. And it exuded a vanilla aroma that made it all the more tempting. I ate it along with a glass of guava juice. That one waffle spoiled me for most others and I remember afterwards being disappointed when I tried to order waffles elsewhere and they simple couldn't measure up. Once home, it was back to Eggos. But not for long.
Stepmother #1 and her cache of Eggos were gone by the time I turned 18 and as it turned out, L., on the road to becoming Stepmother #2, had her very own electric waffle iron. She had been raised on homemade waffles and made them on a regular basis. At the time, this seemed very exotic. I thank her heartily for introducing me to the joys of the homemade waffle and I haven't bitten into an Eggo since.
The recipe she uses was handed down from a friend of her mother's, F. I used it for many years, occasionally trying a new one, but usually going back to the tried and true. When I lived with L., she made them all of the time for my little sister, C. who is also a huge fan of them.
I couldn't wait until it was my turn to make them for Izzy, whose introduction to the waffle was far different from my own. Before I knew it, he was in charge of watching the egg whites whip up in the Kitchen Aid mixer. For him, making them seemed almost as much fun as eating them.
In the past year though, I discovered a waffle recipe in the New York Times that is not only easier to make than my standard one but may even rival it. The problem was, it had far too much butter and oil. I modified it and now make this recipe quite frequently.
Try both and decide for yourself.
Recipe #1
F.'s Waffles
2 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons. sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoons salt
2 eggs separated
1 3/4 cup milk
3-4 Tablespoons. melted butter
1. Mix together dry ingredients.
2. Whip egg whites until stiff
3. Combine milk, yolks and butter
4. Add milk mixture to dry ingredients.
5. Fold in egg whites.
6. Pour batter by 1/4-1/3 cup in to waffle iron.
Recipe #2
Buttermilk and Brown Sugar Waffles
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup wheat germ
2 tablespoons. brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 3/4 cup butter milk
3 tablespoons. regular milk
4 tablespoons. melted butter
1. Whisk eggs until foamy and then add other wet ingredients.
2. Mix dry ingredients together.
3. Stir dry ingredients into wet ingredients.
4. Pour batter (about 1/4-1/3 cup) into hot waffle iron. Do not overcook.
Note: You can add blueberries to either one of these recipes.
Serve with REAL maple syrup, not Log Cabin!
Snack tip: Not only are they good for breakfast but they also make a great snack. I take the leftovers and put them in a waxed paper bag to carry around. I can't say that I prefer soggy cold waffles but kids seem to thoroughly enjoy them.
My older brother E. relished them too and there was nothing I liked more than to prepare a plate of them for him when he arrived home with the late-night munchies. I ate them most often as an after school snack and sometimes for breakfast. Stepmother #1 always made sure to keep several boxes of them in the freezer.
I don't think that I tried any other waffle until the age of 17 when, on a trip to Hawaii I encountered a Belgian waffle in some small restaurant in Maui. It was an unforgettable revelation. It was so unlike the Eggo. It was high and light, rather than flat and crunchy. And it exuded a vanilla aroma that made it all the more tempting. I ate it along with a glass of guava juice. That one waffle spoiled me for most others and I remember afterwards being disappointed when I tried to order waffles elsewhere and they simple couldn't measure up. Once home, it was back to Eggos. But not for long.
Stepmother #1 and her cache of Eggos were gone by the time I turned 18 and as it turned out, L., on the road to becoming Stepmother #2, had her very own electric waffle iron. She had been raised on homemade waffles and made them on a regular basis. At the time, this seemed very exotic. I thank her heartily for introducing me to the joys of the homemade waffle and I haven't bitten into an Eggo since.
The recipe she uses was handed down from a friend of her mother's, F. I used it for many years, occasionally trying a new one, but usually going back to the tried and true. When I lived with L., she made them all of the time for my little sister, C. who is also a huge fan of them.
I couldn't wait until it was my turn to make them for Izzy, whose introduction to the waffle was far different from my own. Before I knew it, he was in charge of watching the egg whites whip up in the Kitchen Aid mixer. For him, making them seemed almost as much fun as eating them.
In the past year though, I discovered a waffle recipe in the New York Times that is not only easier to make than my standard one but may even rival it. The problem was, it had far too much butter and oil. I modified it and now make this recipe quite frequently.
Try both and decide for yourself.
Recipe #1
F.'s Waffles
2 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons. sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoons salt
2 eggs separated
1 3/4 cup milk
3-4 Tablespoons. melted butter
1. Mix together dry ingredients.
2. Whip egg whites until stiff
3. Combine milk, yolks and butter
4. Add milk mixture to dry ingredients.
5. Fold in egg whites.
6. Pour batter by 1/4-1/3 cup in to waffle iron.
Recipe #2
Buttermilk and Brown Sugar Waffles
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup wheat germ
2 tablespoons. brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 3/4 cup butter milk
3 tablespoons. regular milk
4 tablespoons. melted butter
1. Whisk eggs until foamy and then add other wet ingredients.
2. Mix dry ingredients together.
3. Stir dry ingredients into wet ingredients.
4. Pour batter (about 1/4-1/3 cup) into hot waffle iron. Do not overcook.
Note: You can add blueberries to either one of these recipes.
Serve with REAL maple syrup, not Log Cabin!
Snack tip: Not only are they good for breakfast but they also make a great snack. I take the leftovers and put them in a waxed paper bag to carry around. I can't say that I prefer soggy cold waffles but kids seem to thoroughly enjoy them.
Friday, March 23, 2007
Can We Still Be Friends? Eating Chez Nos Amis
Izzy and I were on our own this week so we were invited over to dine with various friends on three occasions. There was lunch with H., dinner with R. and M. and dinner at P. and T.'s house. Now mind you, these are all wonderful people but they don't necessarily eat the way I do. After all, not everyone is gastronomically obsessed, no matter how much I would like them to be. So I tried my best to keep that in mind throughout the week.
First there was lunch with H. and the butter incident, along with some frozen soup from the supermarket. But hey, she has two young children and very high organizational standards .. So I ate what she offered and was grateful to be invited.
Then there was dinner at R. and M's house. This was a different story because R. is well-aware of my standards. She served us Farfalle with Vegetables and Feta, with a side of Greens and Goat Cheese Salad. These dishes were followed by my favorite cannoli for dessert. All of these dishes were fine. My main gripe is that R. only seems to eat specific types of food. This in part because she is semi-vegetarian and hasn't eaten butter in years. This must explain the triple dose of cheese in one meal. I appreciated the effort she put into the meal and ate everything. Izzy loved the pasta, though he wisely kept away from the mysterious chunks of eggplant ( I can't say I was too fond of them myself but ate them to set a good example).
Lastly, we were invited for a playdate at P. and T.'s house. When we arrived T. was finishing up a bowl of dreaded Doritos, a word that is not yet a part of Izzy's vocabulary and hopefully will not become one. Thankfully, P. was kind enough not to refill his bowl in our presence, as she surely realized I would have recoiled in horror.
As the late afternoon turned to evening, P. invited us for some impromptu Chinese food. Chinese food delivery on Friday night is always a good thing. Not much can go wrong with that. We were just happy to eat with friends and not be home alone. Perhaps one day we will rate a homemade meal from P., I have a sneaking suspicion that despite the fact that she serves Doritos, she is a mean cook.
So I suppose what this all means is that friends are friends no matter what they feed us. As my friend D. put it so succinctly, "If you hold all of your friends to your high culinary standards, you won't have any." I think she may have a point.
First there was lunch with H. and the butter incident, along with some frozen soup from the supermarket. But hey, she has two young children and very high organizational standards .. So I ate what she offered and was grateful to be invited.
Then there was dinner at R. and M's house. This was a different story because R. is well-aware of my standards. She served us Farfalle with Vegetables and Feta, with a side of Greens and Goat Cheese Salad. These dishes were followed by my favorite cannoli for dessert. All of these dishes were fine. My main gripe is that R. only seems to eat specific types of food. This in part because she is semi-vegetarian and hasn't eaten butter in years. This must explain the triple dose of cheese in one meal. I appreciated the effort she put into the meal and ate everything. Izzy loved the pasta, though he wisely kept away from the mysterious chunks of eggplant ( I can't say I was too fond of them myself but ate them to set a good example).
Lastly, we were invited for a playdate at P. and T.'s house. When we arrived T. was finishing up a bowl of dreaded Doritos, a word that is not yet a part of Izzy's vocabulary and hopefully will not become one. Thankfully, P. was kind enough not to refill his bowl in our presence, as she surely realized I would have recoiled in horror.
As the late afternoon turned to evening, P. invited us for some impromptu Chinese food. Chinese food delivery on Friday night is always a good thing. Not much can go wrong with that. We were just happy to eat with friends and not be home alone. Perhaps one day we will rate a homemade meal from P., I have a sneaking suspicion that despite the fact that she serves Doritos, she is a mean cook.
So I suppose what this all means is that friends are friends no matter what they feed us. As my friend D. put it so succinctly, "If you hold all of your friends to your high culinary standards, you won't have any." I think she may have a point.
Picky Tales: I Don't Want A Pear...
Izzy's friend E. was visiting for lunch today. I was planning on making something but at the last moment, E.'s mom, A., decided to bring us a pizza from Franks (Mamma Mia), the best five dollar pizza around. Tastier than most of the local pizzas that are more than twice the price. But that is another story.
Izzy was so pleased with his pizza he ate two and a half slices, minus crust. E., on the other hand, only wanted the crust. In fact, at first she refused the pizza altogether. Yet A. did not suggest I offer anything else, nor did I plan to. She and I know that when children are hungry they will eat. Eventually E. wandered into the kitchen and had some crust and maybe a bit of the pizza.
After lunch, Izzy requested dessert, a pear. So I asked E. if she would like to have some too. She said yes. So I cut it up and gave each one a small plate.
Izzy started to gobble his while E. examined hers disdainfully.
"I don't want a pear. I want an apple."
I replied, "We are not serving apples."
Her mother added, "This pear looks juicy."
She hesitantly took a bite out of one slice, still insisting she didn't want pears. Suddenly, they were all gone and get this..she asked for more!!
What lesson is to be learned from this? Kids will often protest the foods that are offered to them, for a myriad of reasons. If you give in and offer substitutions they will begin to expect something else. They will be less inclined to eat what is put in front of them. And so a cycle begins.
It is best to establish eating rules early on. Children will realize they are not going to get anything else and they learn to eat and ENJOY what is put on the table.
Izzy was so pleased with his pizza he ate two and a half slices, minus crust. E., on the other hand, only wanted the crust. In fact, at first she refused the pizza altogether. Yet A. did not suggest I offer anything else, nor did I plan to. She and I know that when children are hungry they will eat. Eventually E. wandered into the kitchen and had some crust and maybe a bit of the pizza.
After lunch, Izzy requested dessert, a pear. So I asked E. if she would like to have some too. She said yes. So I cut it up and gave each one a small plate.
Izzy started to gobble his while E. examined hers disdainfully.
"I don't want a pear. I want an apple."
I replied, "We are not serving apples."
Her mother added, "This pear looks juicy."
She hesitantly took a bite out of one slice, still insisting she didn't want pears. Suddenly, they were all gone and get this..she asked for more!!
What lesson is to be learned from this? Kids will often protest the foods that are offered to them, for a myriad of reasons. If you give in and offer substitutions they will begin to expect something else. They will be less inclined to eat what is put in front of them. And so a cycle begins.
It is best to establish eating rules early on. Children will realize they are not going to get anything else and they learn to eat and ENJOY what is put on the table.
Thursday, March 22, 2007
Sheep Lady On Hiatus
Last Saturday was the last day to catch Karen, "The Sheep Lady" of 3-Corner Field Farm at the Union Square Market. For the next few months she will be at the farm tending to the newborn lambs. She won't be back at the market until June so it was imperative that we stop by and pick up a good supply of cheese.
I worried that the stormy weather would prevent her from driving all the way into NYC. What would I do all those months without her Brebis Blanche, a slightly tart and creamy cheese? I hoped that I wouldn't have to find out.
We had to go into the city anyway to see the ballet, Carnival of the Animals. Afterwards, we hurried downtown in the slush to the market. It was a long morning for Izzy and by the time we arrived at her stand (Yes! She had indeed made it!) he had fallen asleep in the stroller.
Everyone knew it was her last day so there was a line of sheep fans, stocking up on their favorites. One woman seemed to be purchasing several months worth of lamb bones for her pets and others were buying up whatever they could carry.
I managed to procure several containers of Brebis Blanche and some merguez. I hope those will last until then. Otherwise I may be compelled to drive out and visit the farm. I know Izzy would be delighted to pet the lambs and so would I.
I worried that the stormy weather would prevent her from driving all the way into NYC. What would I do all those months without her Brebis Blanche, a slightly tart and creamy cheese? I hoped that I wouldn't have to find out.
We had to go into the city anyway to see the ballet, Carnival of the Animals. Afterwards, we hurried downtown in the slush to the market. It was a long morning for Izzy and by the time we arrived at her stand (Yes! She had indeed made it!) he had fallen asleep in the stroller.
Everyone knew it was her last day so there was a line of sheep fans, stocking up on their favorites. One woman seemed to be purchasing several months worth of lamb bones for her pets and others were buying up whatever they could carry.
I managed to procure several containers of Brebis Blanche and some merguez. I hope those will last until then. Otherwise I may be compelled to drive out and visit the farm. I know Izzy would be delighted to pet the lambs and so would I.
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