I'm thinking braciole for Saturday. Chili for Friday night..and lots of cookie baking with my PreciousDaughter and her friends.

I'm a bit sad because I wanted to have a big Chinese New Year's dinner but I can't get to the good Asian market before the snow...
Next week...

Amazingly BigMan bought me the SmittenKitchen cookbook--I can't wait to make ALL of the recipes. Some cool tongs that are spatulas, some bamboo tongs, a new steamer (whoops on burning the last one!) and new wooden spoons (SOMEONE likes to put them in the dishwasher).
I bought him a deep fryer using some hotel points...I thought if I was going to clog my arteries to death at least I didn't pay cash for it!!!!
Santa bring you some good stuff??

(Yes second post in a short bit trying to distract myself from eating before prime rib comes out of oven!)

So EldestSon is visting a friend's mother this week. She is incredibly ill with pancreatic cancer. She is from Colombia (EldestSon has been to their home there) and I was hoping to make and send some comfort food from there. It probably should not be too spicy and be easy to transport. Any suggestions?
Thanks for your help.

On Christmas eve day we always go out for a huge lunch of appetizers, after we stop by the Asian market and stock up for the evening meal. We then settle down for an afternoon nap.

We have Chinese hot pot for a late dinner that lasts hours! It's only the five of us and we have the best time. Dessert is assorted Pocky and every little bit of candy (even durian candy) that we think looks interesting.
So fun but not very Xmas-y but I think there would be a revolt if I tried anything else! So what are you doing?

Yup second posting today. Trying to avoid paper/presentation due Monday--supermassive black holes.
BigMan wants a deep fryer for xmas. I have a feeling he is trying to kill me with clogged arteries. Do anyone have one they love? Do you use it enough? What size? Those small ones are cute but do they work or does one have to toil over the hot oil too long?
Thanks!

I saw a beautiful package of Meyer lemons yesterday at Costco and HAD to have them but now what?
I've made the Shaker lemon pie but I was the only one who liked it....
Any other suggestions? They are simply perfect!

I'm not so good with leftovers. I have a crappy fridge that I don't always trust and a slight aversion to leftovers (prep school teacher much--being fed all the time?).

But I EXCELLED this year in this department. We had two 14 pound turkeys for 6 people. Yup, ridiculous. So this is what we did for leftovers:

1. Next morning I had another full plate of food..regular style.
2. Yummy sandwiches on a hike.
3. Husband made turkey potato pancakes.
4. Red turkey spicy chili.
5. Turkey salad-Bigman style.
6. And the best of the best Turkey Pot Pie.

I must admit the dog eats the dark meat but he's terribly thin so all is forgiven....and now it is ALL GONE! Success!

We were gluttons and grilled one turkey and roasted one turkey. Both were beautiful--the most lovely mahogany color! And tasted even better. Stuffing was a tad dry but besides that it was a truly lovely time!

So it is our long weekend and we have plenty of time for cooking. I am making a huge fresh salad with peas, slivered almonds and all kind of good stuff, roasted purple and white potatoes, broccoli with cheese sauce, steak tips and a lovely caramel apple pie with vanilla ice cream for dessert. LOVE to be home and have time to cook. We haven't eaten like this in a while...how about you? What are you cooking??

Had some fabulous looking dried borlotti beans from Rancho Gordo (I put them in BigMan's xmas stocking!) and decided to make cowboy beans. I soaked those bad boys overnight and then put them in the crockpot for about 8 hours with all the cowboy fixings.

Hard as a rock--and they had been bubbling for ages in the liquid. Put them back in the crockpot overnight and still not so great.

Are they just terrifically meaty beans or should I have boiled the stuffing out of them before putting them in the crockpot?

BTW nasty, ickylooking and ruined today. Suggestions for next time as we just love cowboy beans from a restaurant we visit every year in CA....

So a few weeks ago I needed help for a relative and her rehearsal dinner. Now I find out she is having a hard time finding someone to bake a wedding cake. The wedding takes place September 1st in Berkeley. Anyone know of any small bakeries or private bakers who may take on this situation?
There will be about 125 people at the wedding....

Small back yard-paths, garden,Berkeley. Guest list just went from 40 to 80. Old idea was passed hors'doerves---new ideas?
Can't be food trucks because they are doing that for wedding the next day. I'm afraid with that many people small space passed food won't get to everybody. Thoughts? Inexpensive thoughts?

Going to a BBQ and must bring a sugar-free, egg-free, dairy free dessert. Any ideas besides cut up, boring old my mil's favorite dessert --pieces of fruit?

How's about that stevia business or agave?
Thanks people.

A friend has been raving about this "secret recipe" drink served in Lyford Cay in the Bahamas. I know it has both light and dark rum, frothy egg whites and some kind of citrus. I have scoured the world wide web to no avail....anyone have the "secret"??

I know I could make them from scratch but....any trick to get tortillas apart when you buy them in a big package. Costco had some good looking ones (with bits of char and everything) but when I tried to pry them apart they ripped like crazy and because dinner was on the table I ended up, unsuccessfully, trying to slice them apart.
(BTW they were not nearly as good as the TJ tortillas)...

I was desirous of Bittman's balsamic strawberry with arugula salad. Much to my joy I entered my grocery store and the first summer strawberries were on display. They smelled good even with a bit of plastic on them. I made the checkout girl and bagger boy smell them.
I made the salad and some rhubarb crumble. But the joy was each strawberry looked so pretty and smelled so luscious. They were so real!
Ok so maybe it's because all my students are gone and I am one meeting away from summer but does real produce make anyone else feel joyous? I swear I wanted to take pictures of each berry. I drew the line at texting the pics to people..But I am holding back.

So last night I hustled up some grub and got a very mediocre response from BigMan---"Mmmm I'm not such a fan of sweet and sour stuff."

Mmmm my butt. I left some serious TV watching to go to the grocery store. Had to deal with the fact I left my wallet in my briefcase but luckily the local store knows me and gave me an IOU. Defrosted the shrimp and you know how exhausting that can be...Steamed some broccoli, cooked the rice -not even in a rice cooker -again exhausting. Made PreciousDaughter a different meal since she doesn't eat shrimp. I also cleaned up along the way which means I am a goddess.
Perhaps it's because I have not been cooking much at all but really? The rotisserie chicken with the bag o'salad got a better response the night before!

At least all the boys in the dorm were salivating from the good smells wafting throughout the place...

So I am Paleo diet girl along with my BigMan and I do cheat. Everyday I eat some kind of candy-not a lot but a little bit...It's just the kind of girl I am. I'm completely fine without the dairy, rice, grains and even bread.

Well last night EldestSon and I are on a revisit to a college and we had pizza. Such a paleo-nono. I was SOOOO excited. When it came I bit into it I almost called the waiter back. So disappointing...no flavor, goopy cheese, icky crust. Ugh...a cheat not worth it.

So when you cheat on your diet what is the main thing you just can't live without?

I am hosting a large engagement party Friday night but will be swamped in meetings and other assorted "fun stuff" till only about an hour before the party.

I have stalked the bride's Pinterest board and am making recipes off of it. One of them involves fruit on sticks to make a cute rainbow on the plate...Is this something I could do Thursday night wrap tightly and put in fridge without consequences? Or do I have to bribe Precious Daughter to do it for me after school on Friday?
Same with antipasto sticks (bride has a thing for food on sticks and mini food). This involves olives, tortellini, salami and fresh mozzarella balls.
Thoughts?

I'm asking this because we took a vote and are having a giant taco festival with nachos.

We are not religious, no one likes ham, and the serious grownups are still snow birding. I think we will dress it up by eating on the good china with silver...that will be fun!

Still thinking of some good dessert--maybe one of those cute lamb cakes or key lime pie!
Anyone else taco festing?

Please give me some food porn and describe all the yummy grains and breads you will be eating...I'm dying caveman style. Oh, I lie. It's not been too bad.

Roasted chicken with lots of lemons inside and out....artichokes, asparagus and a ginormous salad with the most delicious looking tomatoes from Stew Leonard's. Not a damn thing for dessert.

And you???

So my foot is still broken and not good for skiing. One son in the Bahamas, one son in Florida so its just the three of us in NH...but it's mud season (wicked) here so my people have been skiing in VT...particularly in Queechee, Woodstock and Killington.

So I'm only living for eating--and would love to meet them apres ski and have something good to eat. I checked roadfood.com but I have eaten at all of those places...

BigMan said, "Are there any Serious restaurants out that way?" Thanks!!!

February is the longest, cruelest month at boarding school. Cabin fever x41 boys along with my broken foot has me wanting yummy food to cheer me up.

Lettuce cups with hoisin sauce, sautéed asian vegetables and I am on my 4th TJ truffle...and plan on about 10 more since I am on duty till midnight!!!

Chocolate always cheers me up! Champagne too but I am in charge of the teens and can't imbibe!
What about you--what are you cooking to make February move along??

My father in law broke my car and the oven--not in one incident luckily. My foot is still in the boot--luckily not from any of those situations either! So BigMan was in charge.

He was a deep fryer/grill guy. We had brie and crackers. Fresh onion rings. Wonderful chicken fingers and buffalo chicken fingers. Salad (I think he put that in because we caught father inlaw eating romaine like a corn dog the other night). And mexican burgers (salsa + guac), french (brie) and american (american and cheddar cheese). Ice cream and sherbet for dessert.
I'm still full.

Ok don't be wicked haters. The trainer here at school suggested it for BigMan and me. I am 20 pounds too big from taking steroids for a medical problem. While on steroids I eat everything I see. I have high blood pressure and high cholesterol-wicked bad genetics so I will always take meds but try to watch my diet.
To complicate things I have a lot of food intolerances that I mostly ignore (rice, wheat, gluten, beets, corn, milk)....

So has anyone tried it? Easy or hard to follow? Feel any healthier? (And yes I know eating less and moving more would be the best bet). Be kind-I also have a broken foot.