Grocery Shopping

Recently my mom came to Wisconsin for a visit.  I have received many wonderful things from my mom through the years: intangibles, like the wisdom that "your home is a haven," and many tangibles, too.  99% of my wardrobe arrives in care packages from Buffalo, courtesy of her fashion sense and bargain-hunting abilities.  One of the finest traits she nurtured in me, though, is a love for grocery shopping.

On my 16th birthday, I got my driver's permit.  Understandably, my mom was terrified to get in a car with her daughter behind the wheel.  She played it pretty cool, but I could tell by the her white-knuckled grasp on the armrest and constant slamming on the imaginary passenger-side brake pedal that she was uncomfortable.  So, Mom came up with a plan that benefited both of us.

Saturday mornings became our driving time.  She would haul my sorry rear-end out of bed at 7:00 AM, when no right-minded person was on the road, with the promise of car keys and breakfast.  I'd take the wheel and chauffeur Mom to The Original Pancake House.  After nursing stacks of Swedish pancakes (for Mom) and pecan pancakes (for me), we'd swing over to Wegmans, our local grocery store.  If it meant more time driving, I certainly wasn't about to complain!  And she was happy to have someone to push the cart.

What I didn't realize at the time was that my mother had a much more important plan for our mornings.  While instilling in me the love for pancakes, fresh produce, and waking up early on Saturdays, she was able to share precious moments with her oldest daughter before I flew the coop and moved to the middle west for college.  We'd talk about school stress and choir practice while we maneuvered our cart through the aisles.  Boyfriends as we weighed our options in frozen foods.  Forget teaching me how to drive...she taught me how to live on those Saturday mornings!

During her latest visit, I still noticed her clutching the armrest when I drove, and we made a special visit to my local grocery store.  Slowly meandering the aisles, we picked out ingredients for dinner* and other foodstuffs that caught our fancy.  And we talked.  About the price of apples, yes, but mostly about family, jobs, life.

Sometimes you learn more in the aisles of the grocery store than unit pricing.

*Come back tomorrow to see what Mom and I made for dinner!  I promise it won't be so sappy.

Organizing Your Recipes

If you're anything like me, you have recipes coming out your eyeballs.  Stuffings from sweet to savory printed from the internet.  Newspaper clippings of fab summer salads.  Treasured family secrets in dear ol' grandmom's scrawl.  Not to mention the cookbooks.  Oh, the cookbooks!

How's an aspiring culinary mastermind supposed to keep track of all this good food?  And just as importantly, how are you supposed to keep a modicum of cleanliness in your kitchen when it's covered in recipe cards??

Well, I haven't exactly figured it out, but this is how I attempt to organize my (ever-growing) recipe collection.  There are two parts:

1. File Folders - I keep a stack of file folders on the shelf with my cookbooks.  Each folder is labeled with a course or type of food (main course: meat, main course: vegetarian, dessert, etc.).  When I read a recipe that I just must attempt, I print it from the internet or cut it from the newspaper/magazine I'm reading, and I shove it in the appropriate file folder.  Then, it's easy to find what I'm looking for when I'm planning our meals. 
2. Recipe Box - After I've tried a recipe from the file folder, and the husband and I have declared it delicious, I copy it onto a recipe card, and it's stored in my recipe box (also on the shelf with my cookbooks).  That way I know all the recipes in my gorgeous green box are tried-and-true.  

That's how I manage my recipes, but I'm wondering, what do you do to keep your recipes organized?

Fine and Dandy by Lady of the House

I registered for China when I was engaged, high on the fantasy of chic dinner parties as I zapped tea cups and gravy boats at Bloomingdale's. I am sad to report that the dear old Royal Doulton has never seen the light of day. In fact, it all sits snugly zipped in compartmentalized bags way up high in the kitchen cupboard I never open. I didn't even haul it out for Thanksgiving last year.

Which begs the question...do we really need this stuff? Lately I've been thinking, yes, absolutely--it's the "everyday" category I'm ready to do away with. What if the fine china was practical, usable, dishwasher safe? So I set out to find a few options that make sense now that I don't have one of those bar code guns at the ready and the ring on my finger isn't the first thing on my mind.

If I had it to do over again...

--The creamy hand-worked creations of Heath Ceramics would cradle both pasta and dinner for the in-laws with understated grace that'll have 'em flipping the saucers for the company name. ( I so do that!)

--I fell in love with this pattern by Burleigh when I visited Liberty of London for the first time. It's like a fairytale painted in blue, a very sensible fairytale. (We'll talk about Liberty's some other time. Swoon.)

--This Deshoulieres design is so detailed and giving, I could foresee a sip of tea from one of these other-worldly cups may be as helpful as a savasana or two.

So is the band of gold, the faint flower, the hand-painted feather really best kept tucked away, or would your toast be that much better on bone china? What are we waiting for?

xoxo

Lady of the House

Simple Salad with Celery and Mandarin Oranges

Recently I returned from a weekend away with the husband in Austin, Texas.  Here are a few things to summarize our trip:

1. We ate a lot of food.
2. We drank a lot of margaritas.  
3. We bought cowboy boots.

So, when we got back to the frozen tundra of Wisconsin, I was hankerin' after some fresh veggies.  (I told myself that plenty of greens would negate the effects of the margaritas and Tex-Mex.  Riiiiiight.)  The only issue was an empty refrigerator.  And since I splurged on those cowboy boots (glorious, gorgeous cowboy boots), my pocketbook was empty, too.  Sigh. 

A thorough review of the fridge and cupboards uncovered all of the ingredients for a refreshing salad that reminds me of my childhood.  Now, this isn't a classy salad, per se, but it's green and, most importantly, all of the ingredients survived while we were in out of town.  Paired with some soup (yes, it was from a can.  I just got back from vacation, people!), it made a perfect hot dinner.

Simple Salad with Celery and Mandarin Oranges
Serves: 4

1 large head of Romain lettuce, chopped into bite-sized pieces
2 ribs celery, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
3/4 cup mandarin orange segments
1/3 cup croutons
2 tablespoons bacon bits
Your favorite Ranch dressing (homemade or bottled*)
Freshly ground black pepper

Layer lettuce, celery, oranges, croutons, and bacon bits.  Top with ranch dressing and lots of freshly ground black pepper.

*If you're going to buy bottled dressing, my favorite ranch dressing is Bolthouse Farms Classic Ranch.  The husband, however, is a Hidden Valley man.   

Cheap, Healthy, Good!

Last week, I was lucky enough to showcase one of my favorite hot dinners on a fabulous site called Cheap, Healthy, Good.  Sweet Potato Soup with Chipotle is the perfect dish to warm you up as winter drags on.  And on.  And on.

Hope you enjoy it!  The Sweet Potato Soup with Chipotle, that is.  Not winter.

Quinoa Pilaf

You may have noticed that I post quite a few quinoa recipes.  This is why:

I bought a 95,000 pound bag of quinoa at Costco.  So, you can look forward to many, many more recipes featuring this fabulous ingredient.  (I can hear your cheers of enthusiasm!)

My friend, Niki, (who also purchased the 95,000 pound bag of quinoa at Costco) and I made a super simple quinoa pilaf recently to enjoy with Salmon en Cocotte.  It was both delicious and easy, making it a perfect versatile side dish. 

Today I'll share the basic recipe for quinoa pilaf, but look forward to variations on this theme in the weeks ahead.  (You can thank Costco for that.) 

Simple Quinoa Pilaf
Serves: 4

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, diced
Salt and pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup quinoa
2 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth

Heat olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat.  Add onion, season with salt and pepper, and saute until it begins to soften, about 4 minutes.  Add garlic and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds.  Stir in quinoa and allow it to toast for about 2 minutes.  Add broth and stir, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.  Bring liquid to a boil.  Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until quinoa has absorbed the liquid and is tender, about 15 minutes.  Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve.

Toasting Nuts

I have read (and posted, for that matter!) many recipes that call for toasted nuts.  Pecans, pinenuts, walnuts, any nuts.  When I first started cooking, I would see "toasted ___nuts" in a recipe, and blatantly ignore it.  Why in the world would I take the time to toast nuts when I had perfectly good non-toasted nuts at the ready?  I couldn't be bothered.

Until I tried the nuts toasted.

Next time you're thinking about skipping the toasting step, I challenge you to try it.  First, try the nuts raw.  Try them again them once they're toasted.  And then let me know if you'll ever ignore the "toasted ___nuts" part of a recipe.

Toasted Nuts: Two Ways
Whichever method you choose, make sure the nuts are the same size so they cook evenly.  And when it comes to determining if the nuts are ready, use your nose and your tastebuds to make sure they're toasted.  

The Dry Skillet Technique
*Note: Use the dry skillet technique at your own risk.  It requires diligence.  I burned pecans three times in one night using this method. Not kidding.
Place nuts in a single layer in a skillet over medium-high heat.  Shaking incredibly frequently, toast for 5-7 minutes until nuts are fragrant and golden brown.

The Oven Technique
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Place nuts in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet.  Roast for 8-12 minutes until nuts are fragrant and golden brown, shaking halfway through.

Like a Good Neighbor by Lady of the House

As an adult, certain inevitable situations still seem to strike me with all the horror and wonder of an anxious 8 year-old. The bus commute demands that we must cuddle up with and smell people we wouldn't otherwise encounter. Travel beckons our manners, even if Mr. Elbows with the wet cough isn't planning on sharing the armrest on your six hour flight to Cleveland. And living somewhere, anywhere, forces us into relationships with our neighbors, for better or for worse. These are all the things that no matter how many times I go through, I seem to cowar in temporary fear. Oh come on, you remember getting paired up with the smelly kid for gym class sit-ups. It's that same thing.

This first week in our new flat has brought about more than a few strange and uncomfortable encounters with the neighbors. In fact, we've started the search for another apartment. Gasp! Yes, it's as bad as the gym class fart.

And while I doubt any of you dear readers has behaved so poorly as to stir your own neighbors to up and leave a week after moving in, I will say it's never a bad thing to remember that we do live near people and our actions absolutely affect them.

I'll just maybe step up a rung or two higher on the ol' soapbox and encourage you with the following neighborly tips.

1) Welcome your new neighbors with a knock at their door, a brief introduction and oh, a pan of something yummy. You set the tone.

2) Okay so nobody knocked your door and welcomed you to the 'hood? Go say 'hello.' Be the neighborly person. You set the tone here, too.

3) It's time to sleep train your bundle of joy? Drop off a pack of ear plugs and some chamomile tea. Explain your phase, and your neighbors will nod their heads in sympathy as little Henry belts out another round of "waaaaaaaa!"

4) Party time? Hello! Invite your neighbors, or at least drop by with a bottle of bubbly to apologize in advance for the raucous evening about to unfold. (You ARE raucous, oh yes, I've heard about you!)

5) If you're in an apartment setting, where walls and floors may do little to dampen your noise, function with mindfulness. I suppose that means, step lightly, close--don't slam cupboard doors, and be sensitive to your neighbor's bedtime.

6) And I'll end here because this is turning into a sermon. Be GOOD to each other. Yes, I'm realizing I could have just written that and been done in one point, but it wouldn't have been as therapeutic for me.

How are you amazingly neighborly? Leave a comment. I'm dying to add to my repertoire.

xoxo

Lady of the House

Prosciutto and Mozzarella Sandwiches with Fig Jam

Recently, I read a recipe for pizza that called for prosciutto, cheese, and fig jam.  It sounded, in a word, unbelievable.  Feeling a little lazy, I decided to turn it into a sandwich.  It was, in a word, unbelievable.

Prosciutto and Mozzarella Sandwiches with Fig Jam
Serves: 2

2 ciabatta rolls, sliced in half lengthwise
3 tablespoons fig jam
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (you could use sliced cheese, but I usually shred it so the cheese melts quickly and evenly)
6 very thin slices of prosciutto

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Spread fig jam on the cut sides of both rolls.  Sprinkle a quarter of the cheese on the bottom slice of each roll.  Top the cheese with prosciutto, and then sprinkle the rest of the cheese on top of the prosciutto.  (Having cheese on the top and bottom of your sandwich will help "glue" it together.) Close up each sandwich with the top half of the rolls.

Wrap sandwiches in foil and place them in the preheated oven.  Bake for about 15 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the bread is crusty.  Unwrap the sandwiches and serve them while they're nice and hot.

Happy Valentine's Day!

How Do I Love Thee? (Sonnet 43)

By Elizabeth Barrett Browning

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
For the ends of being and ideal grace.
I love thee to the level of every day's
Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light.
I love thee freely, as men strive for right.
I love thee purely, as they turn from praise.
I love thee with the passion put to use
In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith.
I love thee with a love I seemed to lose
With my lost saints. I love thee with the breath,
Smiles, tears, of all my life; and, if God choose,
I shall but love thee better after death.

It's Valentine's Day, folks! Give your sweetie a smooch. That's all I have to say about that. 

Mashed Sweet Potato

I love sweet potatoes.  Fry 'em.  Bake 'em.  Roast 'em.  It's all good, if you ask me.  But when I was making my fast and easy dinner for one, I couldn't pass up my trusty microwave for its convenient and quick cooking.

Even though this mashed sweet potato recipe is super simple, it's still special because of a few extra ingredients that you probably have on hand.  Orange zest adds a floral fragrance and nutmeg gives depth.  Toasted pecans provide crunch to this creamy dish.

Next time you're making dinner for one, two, or twenty, give these mashed sweet potatoes a whirl.   

Mashed Sweet Potato

Serves: 1

1 sweet potato

Salt and pepper

1 teaspoon butter

1/2 teaspoon orange zest

Pinch nutmeg

2 tablespoons chopped toasted pecans

Poke the sweet potato with a knife in several places.  Microwave for 6-8 minutes until softened, flipping the potato over halfway through.  Allow the sweet potato to cool until you can handle it, then remove the peel and place the potato in a small bowl.  Use a fork to mash the sweet potato.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Stir in the butter, orange zest, and nutmeg.  Top with pecans.

Pan Seared Tilapia

When the husband isn't home for dinner, I often succumb to laziness in the kitchen.  I'll make a PB&J sandwich, heat up some soup, or pour myself a bowl of cereal.  But recently, when I was dining alone at Chez Happy Home, I decided to actually cook something.

Still, I was feeling a little lazy.  So my hot dinner had to be easy.  Like REALLY easy.  And it was.  From start to finish, it took me 35 minutes.  During that time I made dinner, unloaded the dishwasher, puttered around the kitchen, took some photos, and talked to myself like I was on a cooking show.  (The husband was lucky he missed that last part.)

My main course was pan seared tilapia.  You can see a sneak peak of my side dish in the photo of the tilapia.  But you'll have to come back tomorrow to find out what it was.  For now, enjoy the first installment of dinner for one.

Pan Seared Tilapia
Serves: 1

1 tilapia fillet (6 ounces)
Salt and pepper and your favorite seasoning, if desired
2 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
Lemon wedges, if desired, for serving

Pat tilapia fillet dry.  Season with salt and pepper and, if desired, your favorite seasoning.  (I decided to add a bit of spice to my dinner by sprinkling my tilapia with Penzeys Chili 9000.)  Place flour in a shallow bowl or plate, and add salt, pepper, and seasoning to the flour.  Stir to combine.  Dredge tilapia in the flour to coat, then pat off excess.

Heat oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.  Add tilapia and cook for about 4 minutes, until you can see the opaque color come about halfway up the side of the fish.  Flip tilapia over and allow it to cook for about 1-2 minutes.  Add butter and tilt the pan so it melts under the fish.  Then, tilt the pan again so the butter pools along the edge of the pan.  Use a spoon to scoop up the butter and pour it over the top of the tilapia.  This will help flavor the top of the fish.  Plate the fish and pour any extra butter over the top of the tilapia.  If desired, serve with lemon wedges and a sprig of parsley for garnish.

Moving On by Lady of the House

I'm up to my ears in boxes after the move, but I'm thinking of you and hoping you'll check back next week for more Lady of the House fun. It's been an exciting few days of "oh that chandelier has GOT to go," "where the hell will this chair fit?" and "do we have a dishwasher?"

Lots of love,

Lady of the House xoxo

p.s. I just proof read this, and I think it's much better read aloud with a thick Jersey accent.

Penne with Tomatoes and Goat Cheese

In case you're wondering who's lucky enough to have the best husband in the world, it's me.  In addition to being kind, witty, and incredibly handsome, he puts up with my culinary shenanigans and even enjoys most of the crazy meals I cobble together.  Every once in a while, though, when I ask him what he thought of dinner, he pauses for a bit too long.  This is invariably followed with, "Well, Erin, I can appreciate that this meal is technically good, but it's just not my preference."

Well said, husband.  He gets his point across honestly, but in a way that doesn't hurt my feelings.  Did I mention that he was smart?

99% of the time, these "technically good" dinners involve tomatoes.  The husband just doesn't like them.  Maybe I'm delusional, but I'm convinced there is some magic tomato recipe he'll enjoy.  So I keep forcing him to eat doggone tomatoes.  He hasn't liked any of them.  I should really just give it up.

Anyway, Therese, of dinner co-op fame, has the same tomato issue with her husband.  He doesn't like them either!  Recently, when both of our hubbies were otherwise engaged, we got together to make a dinner filled to bursting with these glorious, savory fruits.

We thoroughly enjoyed the easy and delicious pasta dish below, and I think it benefited our husbands, too.  Since we got our fix, we won't be pestering them with tomatoes for at least a few more weeks.  Although, you never know.  Maybe this is the magic tomato recipe the husband will enjoy!

Penne with Tomatoes and Goat Cheese
Serves: 4-6

1 medium shallot, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons plus 1/2 teaspoon olive oil, divided
2 pounds cherry tomatoes, halved
Salt and pepper
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
3 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
1 teaspoon sugar (optional; use if your tomatoes are tart)
1 pound whole wheat penne pasta
4 cups baby spinach or arugula (or a combination)
6 ounces goat cheese, crumbled

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a small bowl, combine 1/2 teaspoon olive oil and shallot.  In a separate bowl, combine tomatoes with remaining 3 tablespoons oil, salt and pepper to taste, red pepper flakes, vinegar, garlic cloves, and (if your tomatoes are tart) sugar.  Place tomatoes in a single layer on a large rimmed baking sheet, and spread shallots over tomatoes.  Roast for 35 minutes without stirring.

Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions.  Drain pasta and return to pot.  Stir in spinach and/or arugula until it's wilted by the hot pasta.  Pour the tomatoes and any accumulated juices from roasting into the pasta; stir gently to combine.  Serve with goat cheese sprinkled on top.    

Hot Dinner Gets Haute

Recently, I hit the kitchen with my friend, Stef, from Haute Apple Pie.  Our mission: whip up a souffle.  

I know what you're thinking, "Souffle?!?!  Sounds scary."  But it's not.  Trust me.  And if you want proof, click here to find out what happens when hot dinner gets haute. 

Meanwhile, enjoy this sneak peak:

HDHH hits the history books

For those of you who don’t know, I grew up in Buffalo, home of the chicken wing.  And with the Superbowl fast approaching, it seemed appropriate to give you a bit of the history behind this deep-fried delicacy. 

My pal, Therese, of dinner co-op fame, gave me an intriguing little book called "Chicken a la King & the Buffalo Wing" that delves into the background of some of our favorite foods.  According to the author, Steven Gilbar, as well as my favorite chicken wing purveyor, The Anchor Bar, this is the story of the chicken wing.

Photo courtesy of anchorbar.com

Frank and Teressa Bellissimo owned a restaurant in Buffalo, NY called the Anchor Bar. Their son, Dominic, was tending bar at the restaurant on a fateful Friday night in 1964. Late that evening, a bunch of Dominic's pals arrived at the bar ready for some grub. Teressa came to the rescue when she decided to deep fry some chicken wings, normally relegated to the stock pot for soup.  After tossing them with her secret sauce, she served the fried chicken wings to Dominic's friends to rave reviews.  The rest, as they say, is history.    


This Sunday, as you’re cheering on the Packers or that other team, stuffing your face, and enjoying the best commercials of the year, regale your fellow fans with the tale of the Anchor Bar.  I’m sure they’ll appreciate your foodie insight. 


And now (I’m sorry, but this must be done since I live in Wisconsin now), please CLICK HERE to enjoy a little jam about my new hometown team, the Green Bay Packers.  This Buffalo gal is certainly feeling so fly like a cheesehead.  Go, Pack, Go! 

Oreo Truffles

Although I never need an excuse to make something chocolate-y, delicious, and easy, I'll give you a few reasons to make these glorious Oreo Truffles:

1. You are snowed in and need to keep your kids, or yourself, occupied.  (Am I the only one stuck in the house thanks to "Snowpocalypse 2011"?)
2. They are chocolate-y, delicious, and easy.
3. Valentine's Day is less than two weeks away, and you need a treat for your honey.
4. They are chocolate-y, delicious, and easy.
5. The Superbowl is on Sunday (Go, Pack, Go!) and you want something sweet to chase the pizza, wings, beer, nachos, more beer...
6. Did I mention they are chocolate-y, delicious, and easy?

Oreo Truffles

1 18-ounce bag of Oreos, crushed
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips

Stir together the crushed Oreos and cream cheese until the Oreos are evenly distributed.  When you start stirring, you'll think it's impossible.  But don't give up!  Just keep stirring until it looks like this:

Pop the Oreo mixture in the fridge to chill for an hour or until you get bored of waiting.  Allowing the mixture to firm up will make the next step easier.  Meanwhile, line a baking sheet with parchment paper or waxed paper.

When your Oreo mixture has chilled, use a teaspoon to scoop out a small amount and roll it into a 1" ball.  Place it on the lined baking sheet, and repeat until you've used up all of the mixture.  Refrigerate the Oreo balls for 30 minutes to 1 hour.

Meanwhile, melt the chocolate chips over low heat, stirring very often.  Using two forks, dip the Oreo balls into the melted chocolate.  Allow the excess to drip off, then place the truffles back on the lined baking sheets.    Refrigerate until the chocolate is set, and then enjoy!

A little somethin' extra: If you want, you can decorate these truffles with cocoa powder, more chopped oreos, candy crunch...whatever fun and delicious items you have on hand!

Blackberry Turkey Sandwich

Soooo, did you all have an extra delicious lunch yesterday?  Maybe you discovered a new condiment that took your tuna melt from blah to beautiful.  Or something special to replace the kleenex-y white bread on your ham sandwich.  If so, do tell me about it.  I'm always looking for inspiration.

Also, pretty please e-mail me pictures of the lunch bags your kids decorated to hotdinnerhappyhome@gmail.com.  I'll post them here at Hot Dinner Happy Home, and we'll all enjoy them.  It will be like a virtual refrigerator.

The following is a sandwich I've had nearly everyday recently.  Excessive?  Maybe.  But give it a whirl, and you'll be eating it everyday, too.  It's easy, delicious, and travels well.  Feel free to adjust amounts based on your preference.  

Blackberry Turkey Sandwich
Serves: 1

1 whole wheat bagel, halved, or your favorite bread or roll
1 tablespoon cream cheese
1 tablespoon blackberry jam
3-4 slices turkey

Spread cream cheese on one cut side of your bagel and jam on the other cut side.  Pile the turkey onto the bagel, and close it up.  Slice in half, and stuff your face!  Then thank me for such a fast and delicious sandwich idea.

Since lunchtime will come around again tomorrow, you might want to check out these simple sandwiches, too:
Chicken and Salsa Wrap
Cuban Sandwich
French Dip Sandwich
Goat Cheese and Tomato Sandwich
Pear and Brie Panini
Turkey Sandwich with Cream Cheese and Cranberry Sauce