This blog was fun, but ill timed. It was the last holiday my dear husband and I spent at home together. I'm so happy it was fun and happy.
Please follow me on my next adventure:
SOLA GINA nella CUCINA: Cooking on my own
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Sunday, April 24, 2011
EASTER 2011: a new beginning for a new way to cook and eat
What better day than Easter to begin anew? I love food, eating and cooking, and for years it's all been grand. Then something happened. I couldn't finish dinner!
For years all I could think about was what culinary delight was coming to tempt me next. Now I have leftovers!! My freezer and the back shelves of my refrigerator are full of dribs and drabs of stuff I could not bear to toss out, most of them currently in an unrecognizable state. They will ultimately be tossed unless a great inspiration hits soon.
What to do? It is difficult to purchase food for one or two people, eat well and not repeat items. Many of my friends and customers have complained about the same issues. "I throw out so much food." "We eat the same thing for 4 nights in a row." It's time to tackle this problem. America may be aging, but we're still fighting and wanting food and fun.
So my new blog will be about ways I am discovering to make healthy (for the most part), delicious, simple and portion appropriate meals without emptying your wallet (again, for the most part; occasionally you have to spend a lot to get a little something fabulous which makes life a lot better). We face many problems relating to food, and I hope to address the ones I encounter and offer my personal solutions.
I will offer recipes, but the point is that every one of us faces a unique issue, and methods of dealing with problems may be more helpful than specific recipes for specific foods. Let's go!
Easter used to be a big meal holiday for us. It started in the morning with the girls raiding their Easter Baskets and taking a bath in chocolate. Then the egg hunt and the eggs, bagels, pastries, etc. for breakfast, and finally drinks, hors d'oeuvres, dinner and dessert with our guests and family. I always loved planning the menus with brightly colored spring foods, decorating the table and cooking and feasting with everyone. I still want to do that even though I can't share it as before.
Today, for the two of us, I planned a simple meal with all the components I would have used for a family feast: salmon, eggs, hollandaise sauce, sausages, little canapes with brie, pear and walnuts, some glazed ham, sweet potatoes, pineapple casserole and asparagus. The difference is that I spread the meal out throughout the day using small portions. We had the Salmon as Salmon Eggs Benedict in the morning with fruit and juice and coffee. The Sausages in BBQ Sauce with the Brie canapes made a light luncheon and the rest of the menu was dinner including a special dessert.
The leftovers will be few, and their use planned in advance.
The cost and labor kept to a minimum.
I split a large sweet potato for 2 of us, sauteed a pound of the asparagus (we need our greens!) and made only half the pineapple casserole recipe. What is left will make a good breakfast another day. The cheese and extra crackers will serve as a snack or lunch one day this week, or cheese and toast for breakfast and cracker crumbs for fish some night. It is all under control!
The Pineapple Casserole recipe can be found on Publix.com/aprons.
I even made a special dessert. Strawberries are in season, ripe and reasonable, so I did not mind splurging on Mascarpone Cheese and Lemon Curd. The little of each remaining can easily be used on veggies, fruit or toast. Whipping cream comes in small 1/2 pints, and you can purchase just a few cookies from a bakery; the makings of a fabulous dessert with little or no waste.
2 large shortbread cookies
Whip the cream with the sugar.
Stir the lemon curd into the mascarpone (you can add a pinch of zest)
Fold 1/4 cup whipped cream into mascarpone mixture
Crush the berries with a fork and fold them into the mixture
Crumble 1/2 cookie each into 2 parfait glasses
Cover with 1/2 berry mascarpone mixture
Top with some thinly sliced berries
Add other half mascarpone mixture
Top with whipped cream, garnish with sliced berry and top with some crumbled cookie. Chill before serving.
Good eating, time to relax, no pressure to use leftovers and extra money for a good wine or a movie!
For years all I could think about was what culinary delight was coming to tempt me next. Now I have leftovers!! My freezer and the back shelves of my refrigerator are full of dribs and drabs of stuff I could not bear to toss out, most of them currently in an unrecognizable state. They will ultimately be tossed unless a great inspiration hits soon.
What to do? It is difficult to purchase food for one or two people, eat well and not repeat items. Many of my friends and customers have complained about the same issues. "I throw out so much food." "We eat the same thing for 4 nights in a row." It's time to tackle this problem. America may be aging, but we're still fighting and wanting food and fun.
So my new blog will be about ways I am discovering to make healthy (for the most part), delicious, simple and portion appropriate meals without emptying your wallet (again, for the most part; occasionally you have to spend a lot to get a little something fabulous which makes life a lot better). We face many problems relating to food, and I hope to address the ones I encounter and offer my personal solutions.
I will offer recipes, but the point is that every one of us faces a unique issue, and methods of dealing with problems may be more helpful than specific recipes for specific foods. Let's go!
Easter used to be a big meal holiday for us. It started in the morning with the girls raiding their Easter Baskets and taking a bath in chocolate. Then the egg hunt and the eggs, bagels, pastries, etc. for breakfast, and finally drinks, hors d'oeuvres, dinner and dessert with our guests and family. I always loved planning the menus with brightly colored spring foods, decorating the table and cooking and feasting with everyone. I still want to do that even though I can't share it as before.
Today, for the two of us, I planned a simple meal with all the components I would have used for a family feast: salmon, eggs, hollandaise sauce, sausages, little canapes with brie, pear and walnuts, some glazed ham, sweet potatoes, pineapple casserole and asparagus. The difference is that I spread the meal out throughout the day using small portions. We had the Salmon as Salmon Eggs Benedict in the morning with fruit and juice and coffee. The Sausages in BBQ Sauce with the Brie canapes made a light luncheon and the rest of the menu was dinner including a special dessert.
The leftovers will be few, and their use planned in advance.
The cost and labor kept to a minimum.
 | ||||
| Creamy Brie with Pear Preserves and Chopped Walnuts Crostini |
The preserves can be any you have, orange marmalade, raspberry, etc. I happened to have pear. The nuts are your choice as well, almonds, pistachios, etc. The point is to use what you have and enjoy!
I was able to buy a 1 pound spiral sliced ham from Boar's Head and glazed it with ingredients on hand. The little remaining will make a great sandwich.I split a large sweet potato for 2 of us, sauteed a pound of the asparagus (we need our greens!) and made only half the pineapple casserole recipe. What is left will make a good breakfast another day. The cheese and extra crackers will serve as a snack or lunch one day this week, or cheese and toast for breakfast and cracker crumbs for fish some night. It is all under control!
The Pineapple Casserole recipe can be found on Publix.com/aprons.
STRAWBERRY LEMON MASCARPONE PARFAITS
This dessert is my adaptation of Simone from JungleFrog Cooking's adaptation of Jamie's recipe from Life's a Feast. Both of their desserts are gorgeous, very special, but quite time consuming. Both would be wonderful for an impressive guest dinner. My adaptation is simple, pretty and quite effortless, hopefully capturing some of the flavors and texture of the originals.
1/2 cup whipping cream (divided)
1 tablespoon sugar
4 ounces mascarpone cheese
2 tablespoons lemon curd (you can purchase this or make your own)
4-6 large, ripe strawberries (extra for slicing)2 large shortbread cookies
Whip the cream with the sugar.
Stir the lemon curd into the mascarpone (you can add a pinch of zest)
Fold 1/4 cup whipped cream into mascarpone mixture
Crush the berries with a fork and fold them into the mixture
Crumble 1/2 cookie each into 2 parfait glasses
Cover with 1/2 berry mascarpone mixture
Top with some thinly sliced berries
Add other half mascarpone mixture
Top with whipped cream, garnish with sliced berry and top with some crumbled cookie. Chill before serving.
Good eating, time to relax, no pressure to use leftovers and extra money for a good wine or a movie!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)