Sawta Tawta - The Weekend in Food

Yes, that is how I measure my weekend. In food.

Saturday night, the husband and I stayed in. After our wine and food binge on Friday night, we figured it was for the best. I did decide to make something "nicer" and opted for shrimp from Whole Foods.

Now, I don't normally shop at Whole Foods. Definitely not on a regular basis. But I have found that if I do it right, it isn't much more than I normally spend and I get the high quality ingredients. I also really pay attention to specials, Whole Foods coupons, and manufacturers' coupons. Did you know you can stack manufacturers' coupons with the Whole Food coupons? It's pretty great.

The shrimp was on sale, already peeled and deveined. Now, many of you know me and know that I'm not a seafood person. But I've slowly gotten better and have been forcing myself to enjoy seafood. Saturday night was a prime example. So how do I get over it? I just douse the shrimp in a bourbon glaze:

It came out really good considering I rarely ever cook or eat shrimp. I cut the original recipe in half. I had 1 serving. My husband had 3. In fairness, I made him eat the rest of it. I served the shrimp with polenta (latest obsession) and an arugula salad with orange and fennel. 

We spent the remainder of the night playing Mario Kart and drinking mutant Moscow Mules.

As you can see in my copper mug, those are not limes. I had started to make Moscow Mules and realized I had no lime. Really sad. I tried a lemon, a orange, and added pomegranate liquor just because. It was an OK substitute but not the same.

Good thing we did this Sunday morning:

'

Because we had plans to go to Chomp in Warren, RI with my parents Sunday night. Chomp is this amazing bar that serves burgers and sandwiches. It is really small and even though we arrived at 4:40 (when it opened at 4:30) we still had nearly an hour wait. Have no fear, we found a couple of seats at the bar and enjoyed their awesome cocktails and frickles (fried pickles)

My drink was called a Burley Template, basically a Shirley Temple with bourbon. They also have a good selection of craft beers and with dinner I had an Old Rasputin Imperial Stout. I'm proud of my dad, he actually had Downeast Cider. But switched to Bud Light and got Bud Light-shamed big time

Once we sat down, we ordered these ooey, gooey maplely, pecany chicken wings. Sticky but amazing.

I have failed as a food blogger once again as I did not take a picture of my burger. At a burger joint. I know, ugh. I ordered the French Onion burger with French Onion aioli, onion chips, and cheddar cheese. They also make their own homemade ketchup for the fries that tastes like star anise. My dad ordered the "Sorta Torta" but with his Boston accent, it came out like "Sawta Tawta." Haha. Sorry dad, I don't mean to pick on you. 

Last night (Monday night) wasn't anything blog worthy for dinner. But tonight I made stuffed peppers with my own made up recipe. I decided to do a meat-free version with quinoa, jalapeno, grape tomatoes, and pinto beans inside of the red peppers. I also made a homemade enchilada sauce to mix all of the ingredients in. I topped with cheddar cheese and avocado. As you can see, one of my peppers would not stand up.

Oh well, they tasted good! And I have leftovers for lunch for work. 

Boston Wine School

My mother gave me the best birthday present everrr (and I guess my husband benefitted from it too). 

Last night we went to the Boston Wine School in Allston. The "school" was started by Jonathan Alsop to teach people about the art of drinking wine in a far less snobby way. The classes originated in his cellar but have moved to an actual location next to a liquor store (convenient). The classes have 15 people max and sell out quickly. They have a calendar with multiple classes each week at different prices. My mother got me a gift certificate for any class that included a dinner (some do, some don't) for the two of us. We decided to go with Wine, Cheese, and the Pursuit of Happiness. I mean, how perfect is that? 

It took 45 minutes to get there thanks to Friday traffic but we were happy to see that despite all the snow, there was actually parking. I know that is hard to come by in Allston. 

The "classroom" is in this cool room with exposed brick and a chalkboard that ran along the brick wall. The chalkboard had all kinds of interesting information about wine. There were tables set up into a U shape facing the chalkboard.

It was an intimate setting but didn't feel pretentious at all. The instructor was very inviting. Upon arrival, they were serving Spanish Cava (a sparkling wine much like Prosecco and Champagne made with different grapes and a different process. Ok so maybe it isn't too much alike compared to those two except that it is bubbly). We also had an appetizer with two types of bruschetta and fresh ricotta cheese. One had a rose jam and the other had a balsamic glaze with thyme. There was also soppressata which is basically an Italian salami. But much better than American salami. 

Once we had that, we dove into the wine and cheese world. The instructor paired the wines to go with the cheeses. We would try the wines without the cheese and then with the cheese. It was amazing to see the taste of the wine change. If you don't know what cheese to pick to go with your wine, go for a cheese that is made in the same general area as the wine. For example, choose a French wine to pair with a brie.

We tried a Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand with a Chevre (goat cheese) from France. The Sauvignon Blanc was more on the tart side but with the strong cheese pairing, the wine became almost sweet. Next was a Beaujolais from eastern France with a Brie. Beaujolais (which I don't think I've had before) is made with Gamay grapes. Did you know that Europeans tend to name their wines after the region and Americans tend to name their wines after the grape varietal? That's why it can be confusing walking into a wine shop. A kind of Beaujolais, the Beaujolais Nouveau, has been heavily marketed in the US as a Thanksgiving wine even though the French don't celebrate Thanksgiving. Interesting, right?

We then went to Italy with a Tuscan Blend with Sangiovese, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon grapes. Italy and most of Europe has really strict rules on the names of wines and how they are made. For example, a Chianti must be made a very specific way with specific grapes. Any wines that don't go by the "Chianti rules" but are made in Tuscany are often called Super Tuscan wines. This wine was an example. We paired this with a Robiola Due Latti cheese which was made with both sheep's and cow's milks. 

Our next pairing was Spanish with a Tempranillo wine and a Manchego cheese. I love Manchego and also loved this wine. This was our favorite wine of the night and it only sells for $11!!  Spanish wines are gaining popularity but weren't as well known as Italian or French wines because the Spanish tended to not export their wines. They would just drink them. Smart move. The last set was a French wine made from the Muscat grape so it was definitely sweet. It was paired with a Fourme d'Ambert which is a French blue cheese. This wine was made sweeter due to the stopping of fermentation with brandy when it was made.

While drinking wine and eating cheese, we learned the 7 "S's" of wine tasting which are See, Sniff, Swirl, Smell, Sip, Swish, and Spit. It was interesting to go through the process and talk about what we smelled in the wine and if we tasted anything in particular. I did not spit. I drank. Obviously.

After that, it was onto our dinner. I know, dinner after all of that wine and cheese? We were ready! The dinner was a "Night in Italy" as you can see on the menu. It was paired white and red Italian wines

The dinner was really good and not huge which was welcomed. Dessert is cut off at the bottom but it was a Strawberry Gateau. 

Overall we learned a lot and it was a welcoming environment. We were told to make it interactive which it was and we also got to know the couple sitting next to us. I definitely recommend it for a new kind of night out (or a grown-up night out). It is on the pricier side at $115 per person but you are getting a lot of wine and food. It would probably cost the same as going out to dinner at a nice restaurant then going out for drinks after. It was fun! 

Brinner....or Dunch? Breakfast for Dinner

Finally the end of the week! I am in pain due to workouts I found on Pinterest. They seem so innocent when pinned with their pretty graphics. But they are killer. Needless to say, I'm hobbling around.

I was super pumped for last night's dinner because it was breakfast at dinner! Brinner? Dunch? Doesn't matter! I could eat breakfast for any meal of the day. So many breakfast foods are absolutely amazing. I was going to make this meal last week but it didn't work out so I (and the hubby) were looking forward to it. I guess we have nothing else exciting going on in our lives.

I got this recipe from Cooking Light and it was Biscuits and Gravy with Maple Apples and Eggs. It came together very quickly. I used two different pans (my cast iron skillet for the gravy and a non-stick for my apples and egg). I made the apples and cleaned it out for the fried eggs while the gravy simmered. For the sausage, I used Al Fresco Breakfast Chicken Sausage which was randomly on sale for a dollar at Target. Impulse buy. 

Pacman?

Perfecto.

Green Chutney and Chicken

No, this is not mold on my chicken.

This was a Middle-Eastern/Indian meal I guess you could say. 

The green stuff is actually a recipe taken from Carla Hall's Carla's Comfort Foods: Favorite Dishes From Around the World (thanks Sarah!). I am obsessed with The Chew and everyone on the show. I actually don't even know what time it is on every weekday (4pm?) but I DVR it so I can watch episodes when I have nothing else to watch. Carla is one of the five hosts on The Chew.

Carla's cookbook is unique in that she breaks down categories of meals/foods (soups, rice, potatoes, peas etc.) and within those categories are different recipes from around the world. She also notes what part of the world the recipe is influenced by. Pretty cool.

Anyways, the chutney had a really interesting combination of ingredients that attracted me to it. It contained peas, coconut, lime juice, garlic, mustard seeds, serrano pepper (I used jalapeno), and I think that is it. The mustard seeds were toasted then all ingredients went into the Ninja for a somewhat coarse texture. I grilled chicken and put it on top and voila, instant meal! Very easy.

On the side, I roasted a pound of carrots. I then made a mix of pomegranate molasses and honey to toss them in once they were out of the oven. I like when I can find uses for the bottle of pomegranate molasses that I have. You can make your own by boiling down pomegranate juice but the molasses have been pretty easy to find in grocery stores I've noticed.

Do you have any unusual or fun ingredients you like to use?

Test Kitchen

As I mentioned, I do love experimenting when it comes to cooking. I have made a lot of different things over the years. Some utter fails (re: tries 1 and 2 of the homemade pasta) and some great successes.

These are just a few of the things on my "cooking wish list":

Cinnamon Raisin Bagels - imagine? homemade bagels! No random ingredients with names I can't pronounce. Definitely want to do these soon. 

Pita Bread: It would be amazing warm

Ketchup: Since I don't go through this as much as I used to, it would be feasible 

Kahlua: Every year I have intentions of making this to give out as gifts and every year I never seem to get around to it. Hm. 

Ravioli: Now that I have mastered the pasta roller, I am onto trying to make raviolis which seem simple. I just need a ravioli cutter thing like this:

http://www.amazon.com/Better-Houseware-Pastry-Ravioli-Wheel/dp/B0012YEY1O/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1425437297&sr=8-2&keywords=ravioli+cutter

Here are some things that I have made in the past:

Marshmallows: For reals I have done these multiple times. They are actually really easy. You do need a candy thermometer and a stand mixer to fully succeed but they are amazing in comparison to regular marshmallows. You can even dip them in chocolate and sprinkles. Or make cool flavors. 

Caramels: I have attempted these. They tasted fine but weren't the right texture and were strangely oily. I would like to re-attempt.

Almond Milk: Made this the other day! Sorry, forgot to blog about it. I used the Oh She Glows recipe without any sweetener since I wasn't sure what I'd use it for. It was so creamy and almondy, I would definitely make it again.

Mozzarella: A dear friend of mine, Mandy, gave me a cheese-making kit. I made homemade mozzarella and would totally do it again. The first batch I forgot something (oops) so it didn't work but the second batch came out great.

Pretzel Bites: I made a regular and a cinnamon sugar. The cinnamon sugar ones were a hit. I do wish the bites had browned a bit more like real soft pretzels.

Does anyone out there have something on their list that they have been dying to make but haven't gotten around to it? Or have been too intimidated to do so?

Taco Monday

In college, Taco Tuesdays were definitely one of the highlights of my week. Only next to the Crispy Chicken Wrap with ranch dressing. Oh college.

I like to have tacos on a regular basis. They have a lot of parts but come together pretty easily. So tonight was Taco Monday. It doesn't have quite the same ring as Taco Tuesday and its alliteration. Sad. 

I used this Beef Chorizo Tacos with Cabbage Slaw recipe from Cooking Light, by far my favorite magazine. I love that they have healthy recipes that taste great while using whole ingredients.

I made a few substitutions in this recipe based on, well, how I felt. Instead of cabbage, I used a broccoli slaw mix and used apple cider vinegar and coconut oil because it was the first two things I grabbed. Yes, I'm THAT creative. I did stick to the beef recipe though.

My husband claims my Jalapeno Lime Sweet Potatoes is one of his absolute favorite things that I make. They are really simple too! I just mix 1 lb diced sweet potatoes with 1 tbsp coconut oil. I put them into a 425 degree oven and roast for about 20-30 minutes (depending on how patient I am). Then, I toss them in the juice from a half lime, a chopped jalapeno (as many or as little seeds as you want. Also, I wore gloves this time. No pepper tears today), cilantro, salt, and pepper. The potatoes are slightly sweet and have a fresh taste thanks to the cilantro and jalapeno. 

The tacos were topped with salsa, avocado, the cabbage slaw, beef, and greek yogurt. 

Now we are watching Saturday Night Live from Saturday with Dakota Johnson (oh and having a glass a wine because it is against the law to waste a half a bottle of wine from the night before). I did enjoy this skit a lot:

http://www.nbc.com/saturday-night-live/video/i-cant/2850283?onid=148621#vc148621=1

I literally can't even.

As Seen on TV

Please yell at me if I ever sound pretentious on here. Although I love reading blogs with beautiful photography and picture-perfect looking meals with no issues, that is not me (not yet anyways). I am nowhere near a perfect cook. I love doing it but I make a mess. I usually can't go without dropping food on the floor when dicing vegetables. I am not allowed to use flour according to my mother and husband. 

Case in point:

There is actually a perfectly good explanation for this which I will talk about later.

Weekend Food Fun

Friday

Friday night was a basic spaghetti and meatballs dinner. Nothing to write home about. Or blog about. My husband and I decided to minimize going out to eat on our own and will only go if someone asks us. So we spent the night in.

Saturday

My mother and I went to Simpson Spring in South Easton. Simpson Spring makes spring water and soda from a natural spring. It has been around for 100+ years and you can go for tours and tastings to see their process. Their claim to fame is that they are the oldest bottling plant in the US. Who knew?? There is an event each Saturday called the Marketplace at Simpson Spring where, in addition to their own company store, they host local vendors can hawk their goods. These goods range from food to up-cycled baby clothes to jewelry. It is always great to support local businesses.

We spent awhile here walking around and sampling.

We obviously had to buy something...

The Marketplace has a lot of events going on in the coming weeks so we hope to make another visit.

At night, I went out to eat with my college friends locally in Quincy. My friend Laura asked for some butter and this what she got:

Sorry, I just had to share that. Isn't that an absurd amount?

Sunday

I was around today so I was able to prep some food for the week. I made these Coconut Berry Muffins from Minimalist Baker. I tried one (quality control) and they were really moist. They were easy to make as they could be made in one bowl but they did require a lot of extra measuring cups, spoons, etc. so there was still a lot to clean. But they were yummy!

Don't you just love the liners?! My friend Kristen gave them to me. They are adorable and make my muffins look almost professional. Almost.

I also made Oil-Free Falafel Bites from the Oh She Glows cookbook for lunches for the week. I baked them and froze them to have on hand. Normally falafel is deep-fried but these are rolled in breadcrumbs and baked to make them crunchy. I added some extra spices and they came out pretty good!

My big project today, that I hinted about above, was to make homemade pasta. That is what the mess is from. See? I promised there was a reasonable explanation.

It took 3 tries but finally got dough that was able to go through my brand new pasta roller. I had originally attempted semolina flour but I had difficulties in kneading it.  My final try was with more eggs (3 instead of 2) and all purpose flour in which I found success! With some practice, it can be as easy as you see on TV. But I think I got a little cocky and it was harder than I thought. You live and learn, right?

The kneading took quite awhile. But the Kitchn (one of my FAVORITE blogs) noted that when you cut the dough in half, it should have minimal air bubbles in it. I used that as my guideline and was able to get smooth, pliable dough.

Once you stretch it out, you also have to let it dry out for about 15 minutes or so before you hand-cut it. I found that out the hard way too. 

I didn't make this pasta just to look at so I made a Charred Cauliflower Carbonara from How Sweet Eats (another favorite blog. I have lots of faves apparently). 

The recipe called for bacon but to be adventurous, I bought pancetta. I didn't have much fat from it so I used olive oil to roast the cauliflower. I also added peas because...just 'cuz. My pasta ended up being between a tagliatelle and a paparedelle in size when I cut it. What? Let me show you what that means.

Tagliatelle is about 0.25 inches wide and originates from Emilia-Romagna and Marche in Italy. I had a lot of it when I studied abroad in Italy. 

Courtesy of Wikipedia

Pappardelle is about 0.75-1 inch wide

Courtesy of Wikipedia

My pasta was probably like 0.5 inches wide. I'm sure there is a name for it. So anywho, this is the final picture of the carbonara which was REALLY good (also served with wine and these biscuits. I know, biscuits and pasta? They are easy so that's why).

Has anyone else out there attempted handmade pasta?