Monthly Archives: July 2012

My Brady Fantasy Vacation Coming True After 35 Years of Dreaming

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Now before y’all start throwing rotten tomatoes at me, I fully realize it should be against the law to go to Paris and Hawaii in the same summer. Let me assure you that this is due to an unusual amount of star alignment in my life, and only a fool would pass up the opportunity, even though I do feel slightly Oprahesque in my level of self indulgence. But as Ed’s farmer ancestors would say, “Make hay while the sun shines.”

I am curious to try the food in Hawaii, but I’ll admit my expectations are low. It seems like all of the fresh fruit and seafood would make for wonderful dining, but I am still traumatized and slightly insulted by the notion of Hawaiian pizza. I truly can’t imagine anything more disgusting to do to pizza than top it with ham and pineapple. What’s up with that, Hawaii?

I have been fortunate to travel a bit in my life, but I have never set foot in the Pacific Ocean. We briefly considered Tahiti for our honeymoon, but settled on the much more “sensible” for east coasters St. Barth’s. And somehow I knew that if I didn’t make it to the Pacific on my honeymoon, I wouldn’t get there until I was much, much older. Even as a starry eyed soon-to-be newlywed, I knew how life worked. Flights are long and expensive, vacation days are limited. I was hopeful that eventually my day would come.

I still remember being in second grade, watching the Brady Bunch gleefully hit Hawaii on our crappy old staticky TV. It was my very first Liz Lemon “I want to go to there” moment; I didn’t even care that all kinds of horrible things happened to them there. Hawaii was propelled to the top of my list of places to visit, where it remained for the rest of my life (unlike Disney World, which was removed from the list by age ten). Alas, going to Hawaii was about as feasible as owning my own horse, which is to say only slightly more feasible than my anti-gambling mother hitting the lottery. When I tell you this is my dream, I am not being melodramatic. This really is my lifelong dream. And here it is! I don’t even mind that I’m closer in age to Alice than I am to Marcia.

Aloha, friends!

Asian Citrus Ginger Sesame Marinade

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This is a great little marinade which is so easy to whip up and contains many of my favorite ingredients. I had my heart set on trying this on scallops, but our store did not have them available. Tonight we used it on salmon and swordfish, and it was the perfect compliment to fish on a hot summer night — bright and light, with a tiny touch of zing.

Asian Citrus Ginger Sesame Marinade by Elizabeth Karmel, Fine Cooking July 2012

Ingredients:

1 medium orange, finely grated to yield 1/2 tsp. zest, squeezed to yield 1/3 cup juice
2 medium limes, finely grated to yield 1 tsp. zest, squeezed to yield 1/4 cup juice
2 Tbs. Asian sesame oil
2 Tbs. canola oil
2 Tbs. lower-sodium soy sauce
5 medium cloves garlic, grated on a rasp (I just minced in a press)
2 Tbs. finely grated fresh ginger (from a 2- to 3-inch piece)
1 Tbs. Sriracha or Asian chili garlic sauce
1 Tbs. confectioners’ sugar
Fine sea salt

Combine the orange zest and juice, lime zest and juice, sesame and canola oils, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, Sriracha, confectioners’ sugar, and 1/2 tsp. salt in a medium bowl.

Happy First Birthday, Mom Mom’s Apron!

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When my first son was born in 1996, scrapbooking was all the rage. Ambitious moms everywhere made gorgeous die-cut pages of everything from their baby’s first tooth to their baby’s first head injury. Typical of so many interests in my life (exercise, needlepoint, a raw food diet, etc.), I liked the idea of it so much more than actually doing it. That is why there are probably $500 worth of scrapbooking supplies spread throughout the house, and only two completed scrapbook pages.

Like many other endeavors I’ve quit/failed, I rationalized why it was so stupid and I really didn’t want to do it anyway. My favorite criticism is that scrapbooking is inauthentic and designed to make mothers feel like they’re so perfect with their themed birthday parties and coordinated first day of school outfits and exotic vacations. That isn’t real life, I said. That is only the highlight reel. Where is the blow-out diaper page? Where is the bad report card page? Where is the speech therapy page?

I started this blog to record my favorite recipes, but I quickly realized it was a vehicle for recording my life. And, like a scrapbooker, I am choosing to record mostly the good parts, with a few mundane parts thrown in. While my life is incredibly blessed, it is far from perfect, and I serve no one by pretending it is. That is one of the dangers of blogging — the sometimes inauthentically perfect picture one paints. As a reader of many blogs, especially lifestyle blogs, I know that sometimes you just want to throw rotten tomatoes at Little Miss Perfect. Sometimes, in your darker moments, you wait for her to fail. And sometimes you flat out hope that she does fail. I hope no one feels that way about me, but I understand. Out of respect for my family and my kids, and out of my own stubborn pride, I am not sharing the difficult parts, the unglamorous parts, the sad parts. But let me assure you, those parts exist, too. Yes, indeedy, they do.

A lot of people have asked me if I’ve reached blogging “success.” I have no idea what that means, really, but I’m pretty sure the answer is no. I’ve yet to earn enough money from this blog to buy even the cheapest cup of coffee from Starbucks, but I’ve earned enough for a box of Altoids. Maybe by this time next year I’ll have earned enough for an entire lunch. However, I have produced a nice record of food I served my family for the last year and archived some recipes and experiences I’m sure would be otherwise forgotten. As I get older and forget more and more little details, it’s nice to go back and see a reference to a birthday or a hurricane or an ordinary day of my life in 2011.

I am so grateful for every single reader, regular or occasional, every single comment, every person who has stumbled across here through a Google search for an easy lasagne. I am honored you took the time to read my recipes and stories, and I’m hoping you’ll stay with me for another year.

To commemorate my blogiversary, I am highlighting my favorite recipes from each category posted the first year of this blog. This was harder than expected, but I’m a sucker for a Best Of list, and I thought it would be a good way to mark my first anniversary and perhaps resurrect some recipes buried in the archives.

Mom Mom’s Apron 1st Anniversary Best Of List, 2011-2012:

Best Appetizer

Best Salad

Best Main Dish

Best Side Dish

Best Sauce

Best Dessert

Walnut Arugula Pesto

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I was so excited to see this recipe in Fine Cooking last month, and when my friends at The Bitten Word gave it the thumbs up today, I just knew I had to try it sooner than later. I have found myself with some sad looking arugula not long for this world, and this recipe looked like the perfect last hurrah.

There are certain foods throughout my life which fall in and out of favor. Yogurt, for example. I literally won’t touch it for years at a time, and then run back to it with open arms. Pesto is also in that category. I loved it, then I didn’t want to look at it for years, and now it’s back again in my good graces.

I love everything about this pesto. The basil and arugula compliment each other surprisingly well, and the walnuts add such richness and body that I didn’t miss the pine nuts at all. Oh, speaking of pine nuts, here’s an interesting pine nut story:

Several years ago, I found myself with a strange metallic aftertaste in my mouth. It was very strong and didn’t go away no matter what I did. Everything tasted awful for almost a whole week. (A smarter girl would have used this as an opportunity to diet, but I just kept right on eating.) Having earned a PhD from University of Google, my exhaustive research narrowed down the culprit to some pine nuts I had put in my salad (after eliminating my initial diagnosis of cancer and mercury poisoning, of course). Apparently, there is a phenomenon known as “pine mouth,” and it’s a taste disturbance caused from certain pine nuts usually originating from China (read this). I have enjoyed pine nuts for years with never a problem, so this syndrome can strike out of the blue. Interesting, eh? The good news is that pine nuts and I are back together after our four year breakup, but they are not needed for this particular pesto.

Walnut Arugula Pesto by David Bonom, featured in Fine Cooking (June/July 2012)

1/4 cup walnut halves
2 cups loosely packed fresh arugula (2-1/2 oz.)
1 cup loosely packed fresh basil (about 1/2 oz.)
3 Tbs. freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
1 medium clove garlic
5 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil

In a small skillet over medium heat, toast the walnuts, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and a shade darker, about 5 minutes. Let cool slightly on a plate, about 3 minutes, and then transfer to a food processor. Add the arugula, basil, Parmigiano, and garlic and process until the mixture is very finely chopped, about 1 minute. With the motor running, slowly add 4 Tbs. of the oil until well combined. If you like, add 1 Tbs. water to thin the pesto. Transfer to a bowl and season to taste with salt.

Crème Fraîche: Almost As Easy As Boiling Water

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I just love crème fraîche, with its cute little circumflex chapeau above the î that whispers, “I am fancy. Pay lots of money for me!”

Even if you are the kind of person who might want to spend $8.00 for eight ounces of cream, it’s not always easy to find in stores. And even if you find it cheaper online, don’t get too excited — shipping will be at least twenty bucks! Quite a pickle.

I was so surprised to learn that making your own crème fraîche is the easiest thing in the world. With the summer fruit season upon us, a lovely dollop of crème fraîche over fresh fruit or dessert is a simple and elegant touch. I prefer it unsweetened, but you certainly may add some sugar if desired. Crème fraîche also adds richness and panache to everything from sauces to seafood to salad.

Ingredients:

1 cup heavy cream

1 tablespoon plain yogurt or buttermilk

That’s all! Can you believe it?

Place heavy cream in glass container (a measuring cup is fine). Stir in buttermilk or yogurt. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and leave it alone for 24 hours in a room 70 to 75 degrees. Stir it once or twice. If it’s thick like mayonnaise, voila! You are done. If it’s not thick enough, give it another five or six hours, then stir and refrigerate. Store it covered in the refrigerator and use in ten days or less.

Blueberry Crumble

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Even though I’m no stranger in the kitchen, there remain a few areas I’ve yet to conquer. I still cannot bake a respectable pie, and since Ed learned this important life skill in college, I rarely bother to try. How many pie bakers does one family need?

I am a big fan, however, of that show-off Pie’s less glamorous step sisters, Crumble, Cobbler and Crisp. Unlike fussy pie, which can taste so bad when not done properly, crumbles, cobblers and crisps are kind of hard to screw up. I’ve had good ones and I’ve had great ones, but I’ve never had terrible ones. This recipe I’m sharing is a great one.

Nate and I made this lovely blueberry crumble yesterday, and it’s as easy as it is delicious. Sous chef Nate suggested adding some cinnamon to the crumble, and I thought that was a marvelous idea.

Blueberry Crumble adapted from The Farm: Rustic Recipes for a Year of Incredible Food by Ian Knauer, original recipe posted on Leite’s Culinaria here

Filling:

12 ounces (about 1 pint) fresh blueberries
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons flour
1 to 2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Crumble:

3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup quick-cooking oats
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 stick unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375°F. Butter a nine inch pie plate. In a medium bowl, gently combine blueberries, sugar, flour, lemon juice and salt. Set aside.

In another bowl, combine all ingredients in crumble except for butter. Thoroughly wash and dry your hands, even if you just did so recently. This is important! Now, with your clean hands, smoosh the butter pieces into the dry ingredients until well combined but still clumpy.

Pour blueberry mixture into buttered pie pan. Top with crumble mixture. Bake about 30 minutes, and allow to cool slightly before serving. Serve plain (boring!), with whipped cream or with vanilla ice cream. As you can see, our family easily devoured this in one sitting — the true mark of a winner!

Tomato and Sourdough Bread Salad by David Lebovitz

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I just finished reading The Sweet Life in Paris by David Lebovitz, and I highly recommend it. I have found his observations about life in Paris so validating. Apparently it was not just my paranoid imagination — people really were playing chicken with me on the narrow sidewalks while simultaneously judging my wardrobe. In addition to his witty and astute observations, this book contains several wonderful recipes which I can’t wait to try.

Our first three tomatoes of the season just turned red, so any recipe with the word tomato in it immediately catches my eye these days. Believe it or not, I have never made a panzanella (bread salad) before, probably because I’m not that keen on soggy bread. But for some reason, this recipe appealed to me yesterday, and I’m glad I went with my instincts. This salad was so flavorful and light, yet filling enough to stand alone for dinner on a hot summer night.

Salade De Tomates Au Pain Au Levain
Tomato and Sourdough Bread Salad
from The Sweet Life in Paris by David Lebovitz

Ingredients:

4 cups roughly torn 1-inch pieces of sourdough bread
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 1/4 tsp coarse salt, plus more to taste
Freshly ground black pepper
2-3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely minced
6 tbsp red wine vinegar, plus more to taste
2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more to taste
8 medium tomatoes
1 large cucumber, peeled, halved lengthwise and seeded (as you can see, I thinly sliced)
3/4 cup pitted black olives (the author prefers kalamata olives)
1 red onion, peeled and diced
1 packed cup mixed coarsely chopped fresh basil, mint and flat-leaf parsley
1/2 pound feta cheese

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Spread the bread pieces on a baking sheet and toast until deep golden brown, about 15 minutes, stirring once or twice as they’re toasting. Set aside to cool.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together the mustard, salt, pepper to taste, garlic, vinegar and olive oil.

3. Remove the stems from the tomatoes, slice in half and squeeze out the juice. Cut them into 1-inch pieces. Cut them into 1-inch pieces. Cut the cucumber into 1/2-inch pieces.

4. Add the tomatoes and cucumber to the bowl with the dressing. Mix in the olives, onion, herbs and bread pieces and toss well. Taste and add more salt, oil and vinegar to your liking.

5. Crumble the feta over the top in large chunks and toss briefly. Let stand 1-2 hours before serving.

My Trashiest Recipe Ever: Cap’n Crunch French Toast

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First, we need to get a few things off my chest. This was ED’S idea, not mine, as if that wouldn’t go without saying. Secondly, one piece of this french toast is 829 calories. One piece. 829 calories. I will let that sink in for a minute. Finally, writing Cap’n (sic) Crunch would just make me look like a pompous ass, but I briefly considered it. I know how to spell captain and feel no need to abbreviate it, but that’s how the marketers of this fine cereal spell it. Considering the fact that the “junkie” cereal I usually buy for the kids is Honey Nut Cheerios, you can imagine my humiliation from the perceived judgement of my fellow shoppers seeing a gigantic red box of Cap’n Crunch atop my quinoa and organic apples. The only thing missing was a big blue bottle of Hi-C juice drink.

I never make french toast myself, but my Mom is famous around here for her french toast and makes it for the kids for breakfast whenever she visits. They love french toast! Not one to be outdone, Ed heard of this recipe from a coworker and decided it would be fun to try one day. He is Mr. Breakfast most Saturday mornings, a tradition the kids and I love, and as any mom knows, you don’t mess with your husband when he’s making breakfast. If Mr. Breakfast wanted Cap’n Crunch, I would bring him Cap’n Crunch, no questions asked (but maybe a little silent eye rolling).

Turns out Cap’n Crunch French Toast is pretty awesome, even though you need to sweat one hour on the treadmill to work off one measly piece. I would definitely categorize this as a special once or twice a year treat, for obvious reasons. The kids loved it, and I concede the texture and flavor was absolutely (and, okay, surprisingly) perfect. Mr. Breakfast never steers us wrong, even if he’s not a real Cap’n.

Cap’n Crunch French Toast by chow n groove, Food.com, printable recipe here

Ingredients

    • 6 large eggs
    • 5 tablespoons sugar
    • 2 cups heavy cream
    • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
    • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
    • 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
    • 1/2 cup butter
    • 1 (16 ounce) boxes Cap’n Crunch cereal ( don’t use the cheaper brands)
    • 1 loaf Texas toast thick bread

Directions

  1. Pour Cap’n Crunch into a gallon-size ziplock bag and crush to a course meal — make sure there are a few good size pieces in the mix. Pour into a 9×13 pan in order to dredge properly.
  2. Combine eggs, sugar, cream, vanilla, and spices in a large bowl. It will have the consistency of custard.
  3. Soak each slice of Texas Toast in wet ingredients, 30 seconds each side. Be sure the edges are moist, too.
  4. Dredge in Cap’n Crunch, lightly press onto each side, and around the crust. Place on parchment paper until all slices are coated.
  5. Heat 2 tbs. butter in large skillet, then gently place slices in pan; two at a time.
  6. Cook three minutes per side. Place on parchment covered baking pan in a warm oven.