Healing from the Soup Pot

My summer break from my awesome gig as piano teacher extraordinaire is under way. We often embark on our home-improvement shenanigans during this time since the lady boss of the house, aka moi, can focus on things. Kind of.

This year is MEGA, in the words of my mom: The basement is getting finished. Holla!

As I explained to The Husband, this - THIS - this is going to change our WHOLE entire life.

But alas, in my effort to be the mac-daddy-planner that takes over my entire being when tackling a task, God, or I guess germs, decided to throw a twist and turn in my itinerary: The kid gets a cold.

In the grand scheme of things, a cold is not a huge ordeal, but as you mommas know, a sick toddler usually wants a whole lotta love and snuggles and kisses and huggies no matter how many boxes and hefty bags of old stuff need to be hauled out of the confines of the cellar into the empty corners of our house. Or onto the curb. Or to the Goodwill pile.

So, to help my baby feel more like his rockin' healthy self, I whipped up some Stracciatella Soup, which is code for Italian egg drop soup. The soup takes no more than 10 minutes. I also cooked some teeny tiny ditalina in a small pot on the side, drained them and added them to the soup at the end. I used Anna brand #63. They are more substantial than straight up baby pastina but smaller than regular ditalini. Any tiny pasta will do. My boy grooves on pasta stars, too. Really, he hasn't met a pasta he doesn't like. That's the Eye-tal-iano in him.

I made Giada's recipe from"Giada's Family Dinners." Make sure you use the fresh herbs in your egg mixture. They make all the difference!

This is a great soup to have on hand in the summer, because really, who wants to make a cauldron of hot stuff in the summer. But sometimes, you gots to do what you gots to do.

Stracciatella Soup
4 to 6 servings
From "Giada's Family Dinners"
By Giada De Laurentiis

6 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 large eggs
2 Tbsp. freshly grated parmesan cheese
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil
1 cup lightly packed spinach leaves, cut in thin strips
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Bring the broth to a boil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. In a bowl, whisk the eggs, cheese, parsley and basil to blend. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Stir the broth in a circular motion. Gradually drizzle the egg mixture into the moving broth, stirring gently with a fork to form thin strands of egg, about 1 minute. Stir in the spinach, then season the soup to taste with salt and pepper.

Ladle the soup into bowls and serve.

Please note: To add pasta to your soup, bring a small pot of salted water to a boil. Add 1/2 cup of your favorite pastina. Cook according to package instructions. Drain and stir into pot of soup.

I'll Take the Caviar

Since my life is one of glamour, intrigue, mystery and drama, my 12 blog readers should know that the Jersey Girl loves me some caviar. And what better way to devour some then with the Barefoot Contessa's potato pancakes.

If you have a food processor and the patience to make some clarified butter, this recipe is really not all that high-falutin.

Now, getting your hands on some affordable caviar. Well, that's a different story. Fortunately in this age of the internets, it wasn't as challenging as you think. The word "caviar" always gives me flashbacks of Frasier and Niles having secret meetings with a Russian syndicate on an underground boat in the wee hours of the night so that they could score the most expensive, snootiest and tastiest fish eggs found that side of Seattle for a steal.

The Jersey Girl just logged on to Amazon and ordered this. It arrived two days later at my door step in perfect order.

Now in case you're all like, "Dang, girl. I ain't rollin' in dough."  I assure you, neither is The Jersey Girl. But special times call for special celebrations, and I hooked up The Husband with the gift of caviar for Valentine's Day 2014. My purchase included five types of caviar, and was about $60. Shipping was pricey, but my Main Man is worth it. I also picked up a tub of creme fraiche, which is French sour cream. Amazon also sells the cute caviar spoons. I did not buy these.

So, right. Valentine's Day. Yeah, this post has been collecting some dust. But it's here now!

If you have a food processor with a shredding attachment, prepping the potatoes really ain't no big thang. You need to drain the bejesus out of them in a colander with a kitchen towel. It's not pretty, but you have to get the moisture out of the potatoes so that your pancakes are crispy delicious.

To get your clarified butter on, you melt a stick of butter slowly in a small saucepan. Let it chill out for a bit. The milk solids congeal at the top. You scrape that off and the golden stuff left behind is your clarified butter. A stick makes waaaaay too much for this recipe cut in half, which is what I cooked for The Husband and moi. So, like a good responsible homemaker I stored the leftovers in the fridge, where they went to die a slow and moldy death. Rest in peace, left-over clarified butter.

I must give a shout-out to my sister Michele who rocks these out during the holidays when the crowd is small. You have to make the pancakes right before you serve, so it could be a pain-in-the-bootie for the non-hostess with mostess or if your party is bumping with lots of revelers. They are fab for the New Year. My sis makes them super fly.

Anywho, ain't no shame in getting your fancy on no matter what the occasion:

Potato Pancakes with Caviar
Serves 6 to 8
From "Barefoot Contessa Parties!"
By Ina Garten

4 large baking potatoes
2 extra large eggs, whisked
6 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
2 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
6 Tbsp. clarified butter
1/2 cup creme fraiche or sour cream
About 3 1/4 ounces (100 grams) good caviar or salmon roe

Peel the potatoes and grate them lengthwise. Place them in a colander or kitchen towel and squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Combine the potatoes in a bowl with the eggs, flour, salt and pepper. Mix well.

Melt 2 Tbsp. of the clarified butter in a skillet over medium heat. Drop a tablespoon of the potato mixture into the sizzling butter. Flatten with a spatula and cook for 2 minutes. Turn, flatten again, and cook for another 2 minutes or until crisp on the outside and golden brown. Serve the pancakes hot from the skillet with a dollop of creme fraiche and a teaspoon of caviar.

Clarified butter instructions: To make 6 Tbsp., clarified butter, slowly melt 8 Tbsp. butter in a small saucepan. Set it aside until the milk solids settle. Spoon off any solids that rise, then carefully pour of the golden liquid, discarding the milk part in the bottom of the pan.

Grilled Artichokes

Artichokes.

Love, love, love. But, girl. I NEVER make them.

For one thing my sheltered husband thought he didn't like them. That is until I bestowed upon him this loveliness:

Super big yum-yums.

Back in the day, my Ma and Aunt Lorraine would rock out some delish artichokes all stuffed with breadcrumb buttery deliciousness. For reals, they were a meal unto themselves and most likely super duper fattening.

These are wonderful if you're kickin' it vegetarian style. They also work great as an appie.

I had to give The Husband a tutorial on how to eat an artichoke. But, in the end it all worked out. He even asked for seconds. And I got a laugh.

Artichokes are a bit high-maintenance I suppose. You should trim the stem and discard the dodgy outer leaves. Cut them in half. Submerge in a pot of cold lemony water. Boil on the stove for a good 20 minutes. Cool. Remove the hairy nastiness from inside - unless you want to gag up a lung. Brush with marinade; cook; make a dipping sauce. Eat!

Good things come to those with patience, my friends. Plus word on the street - from all those health-nuts on the Internets - is that artichokes are chockful of health benefits: They have mad antioxidants, help your tummy feel good, lower cholesterol, blah, blah, blah.

KIDDING!

I'm chanting as I write this: I will be more healthy; I will be more healthy; I will have another glass of wine.

Grilled Artichokes
Makes 6 appetizer servings

The prep work:

Cut three artichokes in half. Place in a large bowl of cold water with the juice of one lemon. This process prevents browning.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil on your stove. Once the water is boiling, place the artichoke halves into the pot. Boil for 20 minutes.

Remove to a colander. Run under cold water for a minute. Place artichoke halves on a baking sheet to cool.

When artichokes are cool enough to handle, remove the fuzzy choke with a spoon super duper carefully. Be sure to keep the heart intact. You can eat that goodness!

Marinade:
3 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
Salt and pepper to taste

Whisk all the ingredients in a small bowl.

Brush over prepared artichokes.

Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Once nice and hot, place six artichokes cut-side down on the grill pan for about 12 to 15  minutes. Halfway through, rotate the pan.

Serve with spicy aioli. Recipe is below.

Spicy Aioli

1/2 cup mayo
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 fat clove garlic, minced
Habanera pepper sauce to taste
Salt and pepper to taste

In a small bowl, whisk together all ingredients. Refrigerate until ready to use. Yes. It's really that easy.

The Cookie of All Cookies

It's not easy staying so svelte and glamorous. Obviously, the Jersey Girl is THE expert on the matter.

Six months since my last hair appointment. Oh yeah.

Five YEARS since I've strutted my stuff in a gym. Who's counting?

And my last full night of beauty sleep uninterrupted by a screaming toddler. Um, I'll get back to you. Ever since the daylight savings switch my day-to-day is hazy.

Truth be told, people REALLY do want to know how the Jersey Girl is able to kick it being extra small what with my love of food, booze and sarcasm. Not to mention my proximity to age 40. I'm not there yet, world. Hold your damn horses!

It's pretty much a failproof five-day-a-week formula: Infrequent eating and never sitting. Add in a bunch of chasing a toddler, cleaning a sizeable house and pretty much being a maniac during all working and non-working hours, and you have yourself down to your fighting weight circa high school junior year.

Look, my job keeps me on my toes: both the paying one and the mom one. And being a one-woman show means that my food intake is usually the lowest priority of my day. Is this wise, healthy or advised? Hell to the no. But, it's the Jersey Girl's reality.

On the plus side, I can totally rock a bikini while kickin' it at the Jersey shore. Yay!

And, if I want a cookie, a cookie I shall have.

But not just ANY morsel of chocolatey goodness will do. No, sir. If you're going to indulge, INDULGE with the best: Nigella!

These are THE best chocolate chip cookies in the whole entire land. 

The recipe claims that this makes 12 monster cookies, but I always get at least 18 monster cookies. I use three lined baking sheets. And I eat one of these with a big glass of red wine and no guilt. Cheers!

Totally Chocolately Chocolate Chip Cookies
From "Nigella Express"
By Nigella Lawson

4 oz semisweet chocolate
1 cup flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa, sifted
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 egg, cold from the fridge
2 cups semisweet chocolate morsels or dark chocolate chips

(Makes 12)

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Melt the 4 ounces of chocolate.

Measure the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt into a bowl.

Cream the butter and two sugars in another bowl with a mixer. Add the melted chocolate and mix together.

Beat in the vanilla extract and a cold egg, and then mix in the dry ingredients. Finally, stir in the chocolate chips.

Scoop out 1/4 cup sized mounds - an ice cream scoop and a palette knife are the best tools for the job - and place on a lined baking sheet about 2 1/2 inches apart. Do not flatten them.

Bake for 18 minutes, testing with a cake tester to make sure they come out semi-clean and not wet with the cake batter. If you pierce a chocolate chip, try again.

Leave to cool on the baking sheet for 4-5 minutes, then transfer them to a cooling rack.

The Seven Emotions of Wasting Food

Throwing out uneaten food prompts waves of emotions for The Jersey Girl.

Guilt: Well, with the Italian-Catholic thing I have going on, that's a given. Let's be real, I feel guilty about everything, including that package of mushrooms dying in my refrigerator. But I'm not feeling too bad about my next glass of wine.

Denial: These four quarts of decaying strawberries, 3 gallons of expired milk and disgusting package of Perdue chicken nuggets that I would only feed my kid if hell froze over are not really here. 

Stress: The starving kids in the world, the waste of money. God, how did I let this happen?!?

Buyer's Remorse: I am never ever ever getting suckered into buying this much shredded cheese on sale ever again. Ever. Ever.

Anger: I cooked this slop, and no one ate it. Damn you, people. I'm so moving to Paris and NEVER coming back. See who feeds you ungrateful fools then.

Relief: I mean, honestly. I've been looking at this Tupperware container of uneaten soup for a week now. Good riddance.

Joy: Yay! My refrigerator is all clean and there's open space for my culinary delights.

The End.

Until it happens again next week.

A drama queen I am not, but am I the only gal out there who vows each week to stop wasting food? Between feeding a bottomless pit of a toddler and a very hungry husband, let's just say the Jersey Girl can be a bit overzealous when food shopping. But sometimes all the planning in the world just leads to more food getting ditched. Especially when your kid ate a banana every day last week, but is now currently practicing a banana hunger strike.

That's why a recipe like Greek Panzanella is SUCH a keeper. For one thing it's a Barefoot Contessa number, so you know it's good. And it lets me use up the stale bread cluttering up my cupboard, which is pretty much a given in mia cucina. The veggies are staples in my produce bin: Cucumbers, bell peppers, grape tomatoes. The rest of the ingredients are always on hand except olives because The Husband does not dig olives. Eyeroll.

But the moral of the story is: It's a grand plan to have some recipes that use up the goods you got when you got em so that you're not chucking decaying matter from your refrigerator or pantry while going through the wasting-food-spiral-of-emotions. It's a preventative measure if you will.

The flavors of this dish are a great reminder that spring and summer are just around the corner.

Yay!

Greek Panzanella
From "Barefoot Contessa How Easy is That?"
By Ina Garten
Serves 6

3/4 cup good olive oil, divided
6 cups (1-inch) diced rustic bread
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 hothouse cucumber, unpeeled, halved lengthwise, seeded and sliced 1/2 inch thick
1 red bell pepper, seeded and large-diced
1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and large-diced
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup good red wine vinegar
2 tsp. minced garlic (2 cloves)
1 tsp. dried oregano, crushed
1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard
1/2 pound good feta cheese, 3/4-inch-diced
1/2 cup kalamata olives, pitted

Heat 1/4 cup of the olive oil in a large (12-inch) saute pan until hot. Add the bread and sprinkle with salt and pepper; cook over low to medium heat, tossing frequently, for 5 to 10 minutes, until nicely browned. Set aside.

Place the cucumbers, bell peppers, tomatoes and red onion in a large bowl and toss together.

For the vinaigrette, place the vinegar, garlic, oregano, mustard, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a small bowl and whisk together. Whisking constantly, slowly add the remaining 1/2 cup of olive oil to make an emulsion.

Add the feta, olives, and bread to the vegetables in the bowl, add the vinaigrette and toss lightly. Set aside for 30 minutes for the flavors to develop. Season to taste and serve at room temperature.

Please note: The Jersey Girl used red pepper only and she omitted the olives.

Move Over Takeout

I live in Hammonton, New Jersey. And that pretty much means you can't turn a corner without running into a relative, a blueberry or a pizza shop. Oh, and salons (nail, hair and tanning, natch.)

That's because in this town we're all cousins, we rock the moniker "Blueberry Capital of the World," and there's a whole lot of Italians up in here - who really need to have their nail, hair and tans did at all times.

Despite these cold hard facts, The Jersey Girl loves - and I do mean LOVE LOVES - making homemade pizza. And I've never donned an acrylic nail, (SHUDDERS), or a fake tan (SUPER DUPER SHUDDERS) or dyed my hair. OK. That one's just luck. I'm enjoying these last few months of 37 without ONE gray hair on my head. Thank you, Jesus.

For my last pizza go-around, I pulled a Giada: Arugula Pesto, Ricotta and Smoked Mozzarella Pizza. Not only does it taste magnificent, it looks quite pretty, too. The arugula cheesy topping is a vibrant shade of green while fresh plump tomato slices provide bursts of glorious red. It is the color I SO need during these winter months of cold snowy grayness. Eeck!

The Husband devoured my pizza. And he even ate the leftovers, too. That's when you know you gotta keeper.

My little guy, well he'll take a slice from down the street. Whaddayagonnado?

Arugula Pesto, Ricotta and Smoked Mozzarella Pizza
From "Weeknights with Giada"
By Giada De Laurentiis
Serves 4 to 6

Cornmeal, for dusting
1/2 cup whole-milk ricotta cheese
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded smoked mozzarella cheese
1 packed cup (1 ounce) arugula
Flour, for dusting
1 (1-pound) ball store-bought pizza dough
Olive oil, for drizzling
2 plum tomatoes, sliced 1/4 inch thick

Place and oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 475 degrees Fahrenheit. Sprinkle a heavy baking sheet (without sides) with cornmeal.

In a food processor, blend the ricotta, garlic, salt and pepper until smooth. Add the smoked mozzarella and arugula. Pulse until just combined but still chunky.

On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the dough into a 14-inch circle, 1/4 to 1/8 inch thick. Transfer the dough to the prepared baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Spread the ricotta mixture on top, leaving a 1-inch border. Arrange the tomato slices on top and drizzle with olive oil.

Bake for 15 to 16 minutes, until the crust is golden. Cut into wedges and serve.

Please note: The Jersey Girl shaped her pizza dough into a a rectangle instead of a circle. In addition, she prepared her baking sheet with a light coating of olive oil instead of cornmeal to prevent sticking. She also used a 1/2 tsp. salt when making the arugula cheese mixture. An extra tomato or two may be needed to accommodate the rectangular shape of the pizza.

Pepper Steak Shenanigans

January is totally the month during which I go into hibernation and try to make sense of my clutter. The Husband visits Goodwill on a weekly basis in the hopes that our collection of castoffs, retail mistakes, and gifts of yesteryear collecting dust in the basement will do somebody good somewhere all while giving me fresh open space for my new sparkly treasures.

In the meantime, I love busting out all of my Christmas gifts of kitchen gadgetry and cooking up a storm. Of course this is only AFTER finding the rightful place to store my glistening fresh wares in my comfortable kitchen. (Please note that the adjective for my cucina is "comfortable" as opposed to much more desirable describers such as luxurious, spacious, state-of-the-art, deluxe and/or designer.) But, if there's one thing the Jersey Girl can do it is make do.

Despite the average nature of my cooking space, some majorly delish eats can always be concocted and devoured. (No joke, I threw cooking parties back in college with a plug-in burner. Granted, I was also drinking Vladimir vodka with a splash of pink lemonade Snapple, so perhaps, my level of taste WAS a bit skewed. Gag.)

Anyways, ain't nothin' like kicking off the new year with some wild and crazy new recipes, so I present you with ....... pepper steak.

Right. You were TOTALLY expecting some trendy rigmarole such as sesame tofu with cauliflower or stir-fried gluten-free whole-grain noodles on a bed of shaved brussels sprouts topped with an egg, but I'm kickin' it so OLD SCHOOL with a straight-up, no surprise pepper steak. And the recipe comes from Rachael Ray. I mean, could I be any more avant garde?

While food trends - and shoe trends - come and go, the classics stand the test of time. Wholeheartedly, I must admit I am no expert in Asian cuisine,but it does seem like pepper steak stir fries or some variation of them have been a staple on Asian menus in America for ages. It's got staying power, right? So, after wracking my brain and scouring Pinterest, and cookbooks and various cookery Web sites for a fru-fru stir-fry recipe, I decided to just stick with the one stir-fry I had been making for 10 years from my good old Rachel Ray 30-Minute Meals 2 cookbook: Five Spice Beef and Pepper Stir-Fry.

The new angle is that I rocked it out in my shiny new wok, courtesy of my mother-in-law, who quite awesomely feeds my J. Crew, shoe and cookware addictions. Honestly, when I unwrapped the gift with my 3-year-old helper, I was taken aback. (Perhaps, I should have written my Christmas gift list BEFORE drinking a bottle of wine.) The Jersey Girl kinda forgot that she requested a wok from the North Pole. But, when I realized what was before me, I was PUMPED!!

My sweetie Evan helps me open my gift. Yay!

For my review of the wok, please click here.

If you do not have a wok - or the space for it - have no worries. This dish works just as well in a large pan. Make sure you have some high sides going on so that the sauce isn't spilling out, mucking up your stove.

I make my stir fry with red and green peppers. The red peps add a bit of sweetness. And, I omit the almonds from the recipe so that The Husband does not need to haul my bootie to the ER. I also did not use any sherry because that is an ingredient that I NEVER have. Sorry!

My 3-year-old culinary counterpart LOVED my pepper steak. In fact, he asked for more steak for three days after. Be sure to add the chopped scallions at the end. Gives the whole thing a nice freshness.

This could not be any easier. Honest to goodness.

Five Spice Beef and Pepper Stir-Fry
From 30 Minute Meals 2 by Rachael Ray

Makes 4 servings
Jasmine rice or short grain wite rice, 1 to 1 and 1/2 cups, prepared to package directions

2 cups beef broth or stock
2 Tbsp. wok or clear oil (twice around the pan)
1 and 1/2 pounds beef sirloin or beef tenderloin tips, trimmed, sliced and cut into bite-size pieces
2 green bell peppers, seeded and diced (1-inch pieces)
1 medium onion, coarsely diced
1/2 cup dry cooking sherry
2 Tbsp. Tamari dark soy sauce
2 Tbsp. corn starch
1 tsp. Chinese five-spice powder (1/2 palmful, found on Asian foods aisle of market)
Cracked freshly ground black pepper, to taste

3 scallions, thinly sliced on an angle, for garnish
1/2 cup smoked whole almonds (available on snack aisle), for garnish

Boil water for rice and prepare to package directions.

Place beef broth in a small pot over low heat to warm the broth.

Heat a wok-shaped skillet or pan over high heat. Add oil (it will smoke) and beef bits, stir-fry for 3 minutes then remove meat from pan or move off to the side. Return pan to heat and add peppers and onions. Stir fry, 2 minutes, and stir the meat back in. Add sherry and stir-fry until liquid almost evaporates, about 1 minute. Add soy sauce. Dissolve cornstarch with a ladle of warm beef broth. Add beef broth to the pan, then the cornstarch with a ladle of warm broth, the five-spice powder and the black pepper. Stir until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Adjust seasonings. Add more soy sauce or salt if necessary. Remove from heat.

Fill dinner bowls with beef stir-fry and with an ice cream scoop, place a nicely rounded scoop of rice on top of beef. Garnish with chopped scallions and smoked almonds.

Please note: The Jersey Girl omitted the cooking sherry and almonds. She used 1 green and 1 red bell pepper. Also, her wok did not smoke when cooking. She used low-sodium broth and low-sodium soy sauce.