Preparedness

Everyone is thinking and talking about Japan and I am no exception.  I can’t even wrap my brain around the nuclear plant and the radiation exposure.  Simply put, my heart literally aches for the people of Japan.  Here’s a link with a list of relief agencies and ways to help………Waking up in the middle of the night to a tsunami warning, when it was still a warning, was terrifying, to say the least.  Even though Livermore is a good 45 miles from the coast and up in the hills, my husband and I were still concerned about the aftermath effects (lack of power, water, goods, etc…)  He got out of bed at 1:00am to put gas in the car and head to the grocery store for a few goods.  Becoming parents have turned us into paranoid freaks.  Hailing from the East, I was always terrified of earthquakes and vowed I’d never move to California because of it.  Give me a hurricane any day over an earthquake.  I’ve been through a few storms, even been to some hurricane parties (holla!).   It’s all what you’re used to, I suppose.  My husband (born and raised in Northern California) grew up with the threat of earthquakes, doing earthquake drills in school and actually feeling the quake that hit San Francisco in ’89.  That was only a 6.9, by the way. 

I’ve never been a preparer, until I had my daughter.  Preparing for an earthquake was totally foreign to me,   but you prepare for those like any type of disaster really, keeping water, canned goods, flashlights, batteries, etc… A few months ago, my husband and I started an emergency cabinet in the garage by purchasing these kinds of items a little at a time on our trips to Costco and the grocery store.  We also have other items like heavy blankets and our camping gear in case we ever had to run.  Seriously!  We call it “the Zombies are Coming” cabinet.  With small children, the Zombie cabinet also has things like diapers and powdered milk (and will soon include formula).  Click here for a list of items for your very own Zombie Cabinet.  But I never thought about keeping an emergency kit in my car.  Isn’t that stupid?  It truly never occurred to me to keep my car stocked with emergency items.  The link I provided is specifically for an earthquake emergency car kit, however, I think it can and should be used anywhere for any disaster.  I started my kit last week with a quilt, baby wipes, tampons (yup ladies, you may need ‘em and don’t forget to add them to your Zombie kit), a large jug of drinking water and an old change of clothes I dug out of the Goodwill pile (remember this next time you go to give an old pair of jeans/sweats away!).  I don’t have everything yet, but I plan on purchasing food, like those Nature’s Own bars, a flashlight, batteries, first aid kit, and formula.  Even though I plan on breastfeeding with baby girl (due in June), it’s good to have back up.  What if I can’t produce?!  How do I save my babies?!  I have to be able to save my babies.

Whether you live with the threat of earthquakes, tornadoes, hurricanes, blizzards or zombies, the links I provided give a basic level of preparedness……..and please don’t forget about your car! 

A special thanks to the crew of the USS Ronald Reagan with our friend CWO2 Ron Morris and everyone else who is providing aid in Japan.

Gestation, Cross-Country Moving and a promising Christmas feast

In the time between my last post and now, I have conceived another child and moved 2,600 miles away from my home, to Northern California.   Needless to say, I’ve been a little busy. 

May I suggest not getting pregnant and moving across the damn country at the same time?  It’s a little much. 

My husband was offered a killer job in Silicon Valley doing techy, engineering stuff.  It was an offer we couldn’t refuse.  Since he hails from that area, it was a no brainer for us and we decided to make the jump, but not without great sadness.  It happened so fast, I have yet to process it.  About 2 weeks before the offer was made, we were discussing the possibility of another child (the last child, I might add). I have always told my husband that when we were ready for baby #2, I was NOT working.  SO, since I was laid off in September, the husband and I decided “we might as well go and ahead and get it over with!”  I was pregnant on the first try.  I knew I was knocked up the minute I missed my period.  My boobs felt slightly sore and I thought “I know what the hell this is.  I’m fucking pregnant”.  Sounds harsh, I know, you would think I’d be excited considering we did plan this.  But, unfortunately for me, around 6 weeks of gestation, I become viciously ill, and I mean viciously.  And it usually lasts until about 13 weeks.  That’s right, for 2 MONTHS, I am an ever nauseous, puking, crying shell of the woman I once was who can eat nothing but bread only to throw it back up 20 minutes later.   It is most truly the worst I have ever felt in my entire life.  The site, smell and even mere thought of food ignites a gag reflex that may or may not result in vomit.  I had to beg my doctor for meds, so she put me on Zofran, the anti-nausea medication given to chemo patients.  It’s extremely expensive and to be quite honest, it works only about half the time.  When I was pregnant with my daughter, it didn’t work at all.  This time it has taken the edge off just enough so that I can keep food down, for the most part.  I barely have the energy to get out of bed, much less blog……about food.  I can’t even read the blogs I follow.  Why?  Reading actually makes me nauseous.  READING!  It’s a miracle my daughter is dressed and fed every day, but somehow I muster the energy to keep her safe and clean. 

I’m exactly 12 weeks pregnant today.  The pain has started to ease a bit, hence my blogging.  I was able to enjoy Thanksgiving with some food and the company of great friends.  Moving to California has brought us only 3 driving hours from our dear friends Ron and Theresa and we couldn’t be happier about it.  My energy is still really low, but some days are better than others and I have even managed to do a little Christmas shopping and some shopping for myself .  Cooking is still completely out of the question and that really grinds my gears.  Like all domestic goddesses, this is my favorite time of the year for cooking and baking. I’m a freak about the holidays.  I love the decorations and the lights, the food and the parties, the movies on TV and the radio stations that play nothing but Christmas music, the over-indulgence and the spirit of giving.  I love it all.  Since we’ve moved and I had to give up my plans for Thanksgiving at my house (in Virginia), it has been decided that Christmas 2010 will take place in our new abode in Livermore, CA.  This is the first time I’ve ever hosted Christmas Day and I better get my ass together quick, or it will be a culinary disaster.  It will be an all day affair beginning in the morning with my daughter opening gifts from Santa and Grandma and Grandpa and continuing into the afternoon with adult gift time and dinner.  I have begun to formulate a menu (thank you FoodNetwork.com).  It’s ambitious, to say the least, but I’m counting on my second trimester burst of energy, and my husband, who has 2 weeks off for the holidays!  Here it is ………….  What do you think?

Christmas morning:

Sourdough Strata with tomatoes and greens with bacon and assorted fruit

Hot Chocolate (sans the homemade whipped cream, I don’t have time for that!)

Snacks throughout the day

Chex Mix, an ode to my Grandmother.  2 kinds: A traditional, salty mix AND a sweet and sugary mix <– Any suggestions?

Brown Butter Fig Tartlets

Assorted Christmas Cookies

Spicy Sausage Dip

Grilled bacon wrapped jalapeno poppers made by my brother-in-law.  They’re amazing.

Christmas Dinner

London Broil

Pear and Blue Cheese Salad

Spicy Mac & Cheese (because I didn’t get to make it at Thanksgiving and it’s just so damn good!)

Some sort of veggie

Dark Chocolate-Hazelnut truffles

Lara’s Pound Cake (thanks friend!)

I am SO open to suggestions and recipes since food still freaks me out a bit.  Email me!

Here is a scene from my all-time favorite Christmas movie.  Since my time working in a retirement community, it’s even funnier than ever.  Happy Holidays!

More goat cheese and other things

It’s been just shy of a month since I’ve posted. My reason for this is just life, I suppose. I was very recently laid off and am now adjusting to being a full-time, stay-at-home mom, something I really love, although find it surprisingly challenging. This video shared with me by my bff is hilarious.  Competitive parenting is frightening. 

Mompetition

My husband and I are also preparing for another huge change in our lives and as soon as the details are written in stone, I’ll be sharing the big news. AND, I’m fighting a nasty cold after just returning yesterday from an entire week in Corolla, North Carolina where we stayed in the largest house in Currituck County on the 4X4 beaches (that’s right! There are no roads, only beach driving). We ate a TON, saw wild horses almost everyday and celebrated the marital union of our friends, Richard and Abigail (CONGRATS YOU GUYS!). This place is simply beautiful. I’ll be doing a huge post on this adventure very soon. But for now, I’m going to share with you a meal I crave at the moment.  A meal I made for my sick husband a few weeks ago.  A meal that I can only hope he will make for me and nourish my sick, sniffling, NyQuil addicted ass.

Triple Grilled Cheese on Sourdough with Creamy Tomato Basil Soup

I halved this Tomato Basil Soup recipe.  Soups make me nervous, but this was incredibly easy. I forgot to purchase tomato juice, but made some with left over tomato paste.  I simply added 1 can (minus 1 tablespoon) of the tomato paste to 2 cups of water and mixed in the  food processor.  I added a dash or two of onion powder for extra flavor.   It’s also nice to add a little shredded basil for garnish.   AWESOME!

Triple Grilled Cheese on Sourdough:

Sourdough bread slices

Fresh mozzarella, sliced

Fontina cheese, sliced

Goat cheese, softened

Olive Oil for brushing bread

Brush one side of each slice of sourdough for grilling.  On the other side, spread desired amount of goat cheese and add the sliced mozzarella and fontina.  Place the sandwiches on a heated panini maker until golden brown or on a heated pan and grill on both sides.  Gooey, crunchy goodness.  Serve with your soup!

Here’s a few more things on my mind……

Like any woman with even a shred of domesticity, the minute a leaf changes color signifying the onset of fall, I begin to bake.  I also cannot resist a pumpkin, especially at the Culpeper Farmer’s Market.  Try this killer pumpkin bread recipe with your fresh pumpkin!  Making pumpkin puree is really simple. 

Ahhh…… the beach in the fall.  Wild horses and 4×4 beaches rule. Happy Autumn!!!!!

A Buffett worthy menu

September 3, 2010

As I lay here, nursing my hangover, I reflect on its cause, the event known only as the Jimmy Buffett tailgate party.  This tradition, going on for 20+ years with those wacky fans known as Parrotheads, make it the most fun and entertaining tailgate party ever.  There are many who do not care for Buffet tunes, yet purchase tickets to his show just for the parking lot party itself.  I am not one of those, an acoustic version of Stars on the Water was played after I said “I Do” and walked back down the aisle at my beach wedding.   Anyway, my point is, Parrotheads certainly know how it’s done.

I was first introduced to this Buffett way of life by an ex-boyfriend whose parents were Parrotheads and strapped a large grey fin to the top of their van for every show. My first concert, I marveled at the bed of a pick up truck that had been turned into an erupting volcano and a mini-van transformed into a pirate ship complete with sails and girls flashing party-goers as they stumbled by. Portable bars and inflatable palm trees were at every turn and just about every other person was dressed in some sort of ridiculous costume.  Men wore coconut bras and women wore hats topped with margarita glasses.  It was wonderous…..(Yup, that chick’s boobs are definitely on the internet somewhere.) 

And the booze……. oh how it flowed.(Buffett, circa 2000.  Notice the Abercrombie gym shorts.  How cool was I?) 

I’ve often considered Jimmy Buffett a kindred spirit and feel that his concerts attract the same (for the most part, of course there is always that asshole who can’t hold his booze).  The shows I have seen in my time have been some of the most fun I’ve had in my life.  And last night, was no exception.

My cousin Stephanie  invited my husband and I to the Bristow, VA show.  My husband was a Buffett virgin and it had been in years for me, so I jumped at the chance to go.  Tony and I wanted to be in complete charge of the tailgate party, the least we could do for the free tix.  I came up with a menu that was simple, traveled well and that was suited to the setting.  I thought to myself  “What an awesome blogging opportunity!” It’s always an awesome blogging opportunity except that I get drunk too early and forget that it’s an awesome blogging opportunity.   

A Buffett worthy menu:

Jen’s famous pasta salad

Super cheesy crab dip

Grilled watermelon

Surf & turf kabobs

Drinks: Lime jello shooters, frozen margaritas, madras’, and virgin strawberry daiquiris for the kids

Jen’s famous pasta salad:  I am truly known for this dish.  Honestly, the attention I get for it, although awesome, is undeserving.  It’s the easiest thing to make and I only put the ingredients together because I thought they would look pretty in a bowl.  Little did I know it would become the hit that it is today.  I am requested to bring it to most parties, I have given out the recipe countless times for those needing a dish for a gathering, and I even made 4 batches of it for one of my besties beach wedding in Sandbridge.  And last night at the show, our tailgating neighbor said “Pasta salads are usually so boring, if you’ve had one, you’ve had them all, but this!  I can’t even describe it, it’s just so delicious!”  The secret?  I think it’s the store-bought dressing, but maybe it really is a genius concoction with the perfect pairing of ingredients. Who knows…. 

1 cucumber, sliced and quartered

1 orange or yellow pepper, coarsely chopped

1 pint grape tomatoes, halved

1 bottle Girard’s Italian Dressing

1 6oz container of crumbled feta cheese

Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Fresh or dried dill to taste (dried dill doesn’t really add flavor, it just looks pretty)

Salt and oil the cooking water and cook pasta al dente, according to package.  While your pasta is cooking, chop your vegetables.  Using a peeler, peel the cucumber on 3 sides only, like so.The purpose of this technique is 1) it looks pretty and 2) it provides just the right amount of crunch.  Then, cut the entire cucumber into circular slices and quarter, like this. 

Toss cucumber pieces into a large serving bowl.  Chop the pepper and half the tomatoes and add to the cucumbers.  Drain the cooked pasta in a colander and toss under cold water until cool to the touch.  Add to serving bowl.  Add the entire bottle of dressing and container of feta and stir to mix.  Add salt, pepper and dill to taste.  Can be served immediately, however, it’s best after it’s been refridgerated for bit.  It’s perfect to make the day before. 

Super Cheesy Crab Dip: I came up with this recipe on the fly.  I love a rich, creamy, cheesy crab dip and the recipes I was looking at either did not have enough cheese or just not enough flavor.  So, I got the general idea of how to make a crab dip and put what the hell I wanted to put in it.  Sweet Success!  It was devoured quickly and the kids really loved it.  I have been requested to make it for Thanksgiving, after it was decided that night that I will be hosting Thanksgiving this year.  AH!  You can either make this right before you leave for your party and as long as it’s kept covered, it will be warm for quite some time.  OR, transfer it to a crock pot and set to low and keep it warm before serving.

1 lb backfin crabmeat, picked through for shells (you can certainly use lump, but for a dip, I go the cheaper route)

2 8oz packages cream cheese, softened

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (or mix it up and use 1 cup cheddar and 1 cup pepper jack! yum!)

4 tbsp sour cream

1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire

1/4 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning

1/4 cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

Juice of 1/2 a lemon ( I used a little more)

Crackers or sliced & toasted french bread for dipping

Pre-heat oven to 350.  In a large bowl, mix together all ingredients until well blended.  Put in casserole dish and bake for 30 minutes.  Serve with crackers or bread. 

Surf & Turf Kabobs:  My husband is solely responsible for this AMAZING dish.  These kabobs could not have been more perfect for the occasion.  Unfortunately for you, I was already enjoying jello shooters and margaritas, so taking pictures of these pieces of art were the furthest thing from my mind. 

1 lb raw, fresh, medium-sized shrimp, peeled and de-veined

1 lb scallops (probably u12-u15)

4 filet mignon (yup, we used filet, but feel free to use any cut you like), cut into squares

2 red bell peppers, cut into 1 inch thick slices

2 red onions, cut into 1 inch thick slices

3 pints of button mushrooms

My husband says you have to soak the mushrooms before you skewer them.  Soak them in what, I don’t know.  We soaked them in water one night but they still split.  This time, he brushed them with an olive oil/balsamic vinegar/garlic combo and left them in the fridge over night.  It worked, no splitage!  Other than that, all he did was skewer all the ingredients the morning of the show, kept them chilled and when we were ready, grilled for about 5 minutes on each side.  Perfectly pink steak and grilled shellfish on a stick?  Hell yeah, it was great.

Grilled Watermelon: Actually, I never got around to grilling the watermelon.  But, I do believe that JB would appreciate a melon that was grilled.  Don’t you?

Drinks:  Make it easy on yourself!  I love a “real” margarita, but the mix will do just fine for a tailgate.  For jello shooters, simply follow the directions, except add 3/4 cup of vodka in addition to the cold water, then poor into party cups and chill overnight. If you don’t know what is in a Madras, it’s simply vodka, cranberry and orange juice.  But the most important thing is the umbrella.Notice the table cloth!  I even had themed confetti.  I love confetti. 

I love this guy too.

Fins UP!

Fry-tastic

This post from Whine Me Dine Me got me thinking about my idea of fantastic french fries. I commented on Ukrop’s potato wedges and how during my Richmond residence, these were my hangover cure (with chicken fingers and a large coke). But my all-time favorite fries?  In-n-Out  Burger on the West Coast is the freaking shit. You can actually see the employees take fresh potatoes and put them in a potato slicer then throw them in a fryer and voila! Fabulously fresh fries. Yum!

Fry-tastic!

And sweet potato fries, how I love thee.  Charleston, SC is reigning king of sweet potato fries.  Sermet’s Corner on King Street served me and my friend Sarah a basket of glorious shoestring sweet potato fries topped with parmesan cheese.  Sweet Lord was it good.

Not actual Sermet fries, but you get the picture.

I should be smacked in the mouth for divulging this guilty pleasure, but Chick fil-A fries?  Come on! Who doesn’t love them?!

Waffle Fries Rule

Monterey Bay post coming soon……

Racing and Wine Tasting

Much to my surprise, I’ve become a runner.  It’s a good thing too, considering my love for food, especially southern food.  I’ve successfully finished two short races in my young running career, both 5k’s and both completely different.  My first race was this past March at the Wounded Warrior 5K on the Virginia Beach Oceanfront.  The morning of the race, I was a nervous wreck. I had been training for it, but only ran the distance of the race once before the big day and never thought I would run the way that I did.  I was like Forrest Goddamn Gump out there on the Boardwalk!  I finally felt that runner’s high and just RAN.  I’ve never been an athlete, I didn’t participate in sports in high school or college, so crossing the finish line was the most amazing feeling.  I was hooked.  I immediately started to search for my next race. 

Wounded Warrior 5K <– I’m in there somewhere!

The Three Fox Vineyards 5k Race Through Tuscany was right up my alley.  A sporting event at a winery that includes a free wine tasting?  Absolutely!  Why isn’t every race at a winery!  ”The Race Course Will Take You Through our Gently Rolling Hills, Across our Peaceful (flat!) Meadow and Around Our Picturesque Vineyard” Perfect, I thought.  So, I invited my friend Leah, put my running shoes on and headed to Delaplane, VA for this seemingly perfect race.  Well, let me tell you what “rolling hills” mean.  It means torture, that’s what the eff it means, torture and pain.  It was the workout of my LIFE and four days after that “peaceful” race, I’m  lying in the bed with a heating pad on my calves, for crying out loud. It took me 37 minutes to trudge up those freaking hills.  The things I do for free booze! Geez!

 

Horrible Cliff Power shots….. Gross!

Done!

Northern Virginia is full of wineries.  They’re almost as prevalent as farms around here.  I see a winery sign every few miles it seems. Sorry all you local wine lovers, but I normally don’t like Virginia wines, (eh hem Williamsburg Winery?  Terrible.)  I love California wines and tend to stick with them when shopping for vino. If you ever get the chance to go to Napa Valley, GO and take me with you.  It’s fabulous.  Anyway….. Three Fox is indeed beautiful and just may have changed my mind about VA wines.  The hills are picturesque and a flowing creek runs the length of the property.  There are tables scattered throughout for your drinking pleasure, even between the grapevines, which I think is wicked cool.  The scenery alone would give me the patience for bad wine, that and having just run my 31-year old ass off.  Fortunately, bad wine was surprisingly not the case.   I’m no wine connoisseur but, I found the Three Fox wines to be fantastic!  And, they have quite a few awards to prove it, including a few from the San Francisco International Wine Competition, which apparently, is a big deal.  My favorites:  The Leggero Chardonnay, the La Boheme Voigner and the Il Signor Sangeiovese.  I had never heard of a Sangeiovese before, not that I admitted this to anyone, and will now be on the look out for it wherever I go.  It was delicious!  So light and smooth and easy.  The two whites were crisp and very dry, characteristics that are for me a must when shopping for whites.  Sweet white wine reminds me of Boone’s Farm and makes me want to vomit. If you’re like me in that regard, stay away from the Gatto Bianco, the winery’s most popular white (go figure).  I was so disappointed that it was so sweet because the bottle is labelled with a picture of the owner’s cat and it’s just hysterical.  For complete wine descriptions go here, I was too drunk to take notes.

In conclusion: I will probably run this race again next year, because I’ll do just about anything for free booze and a t-shirt.  It was fun, the wine was great and they have a refrigerator of cheese!  Yum!

Three 6 Mafia….my new culinary heros

So, I’m in the grocery store last week, trying to find something worth cooking for dinner (our store out here in the sticks makes me angrier each time I go. I have to drive 15 miles just to get a decent cut of meat for crying out loud!) when I came across the magazine isle.  My eyes were immediately drawn to FOOD Magazine with Wolfgang Puck’s Oscar worthy face smiling at me from behind a golden statue topped dessert.  Across the top of the front cover was printed *Katie Lee*Rocco*Three 6 Mafia*Tosca Reno*  Wait, what? THREE 6 MAFIA?! Sold! And I tossed the magazine in my cart.

The short article, Cookin’ Ain’t Easy…..Unless you’re Three 6 Mafia, was most definitely worth my $5. There they are, gold grills and all, cooking with Mr. Puck himself in his renowned Spago restaurant in Beverly Hills, the ultimate in fine dining. Oscar winners themselves, (remember It’s Hard Out There for a Pimp?) DJ Paul and Juicy J are self-proclaimed foodies who are soon starring in a new reality show, appropriately entitled Cookin Ain’t Easy, in which the rap duo prepares dinner parties for celebrities and such in the Three 6 Mafia mansion. AH! What I wouldn’t give to be on that guest list!  Juicy J says “It’s not your everyday cooking show. We set it up like it’s a club–cooking with a disco ball! There’s gonna be girls dancing and maybe a DJ playing some music. It’s gonna be crazy!” Yes, Juicy J, it IS going to be crazy and I can’t fucking wait!  Television genius!

Three 6 Mafia and Wolfgang Puck grilling steaks

Intro

First let me begin by saying that the title of my blog sucks and is totally not creative, as am I.  But I do love food, that much is true. I know, I know, who doesn’t love food? But here’s what I think: I think that some people who claim to love food, really don’t. They love eating. I used to be one of these people. I claimed to love food, but really I just loved the act of eating and the feeling of being satisfied after this act. These are important parts of loving food, yes, however, I don’t feel that I knew enough about food to love it. In fact, I didn’t know shit about food.  I ate what was comfortable for me and I rarely tried anything new. I knew nothing about what a good restaurant was supposed to be and ate where it was convenient and not too weird, and in turn, wasted a lot of money on mediocre meals. Now, I’m not saying that I know a lot about food now, not at all. I have much to learn and the chief reason I began this blog was to push myself to learn more, cook better and try new things. And of course, share successful recipes with my friends. I’d say, I still don’t know shit about food. But, I appreciate it and know now that I truly and passionately love food.  I love different flavors and textures and especially unexpected combinations.  I love using herbs, fresh and dried, and the smell of garlic cooking in oil. I love the way green tomatoes look in my white bowl or cutting open a bell pepper to find that weird pepper baby inside of it. I love to see mounds of fresh fruit and veggies at a local farmer’s market and buying tons of it, knowing some will go to waste, but being positive I can find perfect recipes to use them all. I love the first bite of something new and fabulous I’ve prepared and the feeling of accomplishment that yes, I made that! I love ordering something on the menu that I can’t pronounce and have never heard of, it’s so exciting. And man do I love a good steak, filet, medium rare with the perfect sear. And crab cakes, I love crab cakes, mine especially, because I really do make the best.