Last Night's Dinner #124: Seafood Stew

Hillsy and I were walking around the Farmer's Market this morning and we saw these lovelies, which inspired last night's dinner.


We've been wanting to try out the fish from the market and everything looked so good - so what better way to test out a couple of different things that with a seafood soup stew?

This is an easier version of the Fish Soup I made a while ago.


You'll need:
5 plum tomatoes coarsely chopped (not necessary but they looked so good, I couldn't resist)
one white onion coarsely chopped (big pieces)
2 cloves of garlic, remove skin & leave whole
1/2 big can of Italian tomatoes
2 lbs of your favorite seafood (I used 1/2 lb scallops & mussels, small piece of tuna and flounder)
handful of fresh parsley coarsely chopped
a couple of sprigs of oregano and thyme, leaves only *optional
2 cups of water
splash of wine (white or red) *optional
pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
salt & pepper to taste

Cover the bottom of deep pot (cast iron if you have one) with olive oil. Add garlic and onion, season with salt. Add 1/2 of parsley, oregano, thyme and pinch of crushed red pepper flakes. Cook for 3-5 minutes then add tomatoes. Season again with salt.

Cook until the tomatoes soften, about 10 minutes. Be careful not to burn. Optional - add a splash of wine. Mix and cook for a minute or two.

Add canned tomatoes and juice (crush tomatoes). Cook for about 15 - 20 minutes, lower heat if necessary.

In the meantime, cut fish into big chunks. I'd have to say that the tuna worked really well in this dish, the flounder - not as much. I thought it was a little fishy and too flaky. Next time, I'll probably give swordfish a try or maybe even squid. The scallops were the best - nice and sweet! Season fish with salt.

Taste the soup base and make sure that you've added enough salt. Transfer seafood into the pot and cover with lid.

Be careful not to overcook. It took me about 3 to 4 minutes. As soon as the mussel shells opened, everything else was ready. You might have to mix it midway to turn the fish pieces.

Serve with hunks of bread and top with hand torn fresh basil and parsley!

ps. one of my pet peeves is overcooked seafood, so once the fire goes out I immediately fish out the fish so they don't cook any further from the heat of the soup.

It was really good!

Last Night's Dinner #123: Eggs & Tomatoes

I saw this on a blog two weeks ago and of course I can't figure out which one! Anyway, I love eggs and tomatoes, add some onions and yumm! I'm guessing all cultures have some sort of egg+tomato dish - here's a really easy one (not really sure what cuisine this falls into).

Slice up 2 riped tomatoes.
Beat 6 eggs.


Cover the bottom of a pan with olive oil and heat up oil. Cook tomatoes until tender (I like it when the sides darken up). Make sure you sear both sides and be sure to season well with salt. Most Filipinos will add fish sauce at this point. Pour in the eggs once you're happy with the tomatoes.


With a spatula, mix the egg and tomatoes (before the egg cooks) so that you end up with chunky scrambled eggs. Don't overcook the eggs. I can eat this for breakfast, lunch and dinner.


I also make a version with sunny side up eggs. Instead of beating the eggs first, make some space in between the tomatoes and drop in the eggs. Lower the flame so the egg cooks without burning the bottoms. You can also finish the dish in the oven. Fresh parsley goes really well with this version of the dish.

You can also add onions to the tomatoes... endless possibilities :)

Last Night's Dinner #122: Tangy Potatoes

Sorry for the pork chop repeat but we're testing out a couple of different pork suppliers so I have to cook the chops the same exact way!! However, I did whip up a new side dish inspired by a recent Lidia's Italy episode.

It's actually pretty easy - if you love Diner homefries then you'll love this...

Chop up potatoes into small cubes (you can remove the skin if you prefer it that way). I used (5) new potatoes, but I'm sure it'll work with any kind of potato. Chop up white onions (about 3/4 the amount of potatoes).

Cover the bottom of the pan with olive oil and start browning the onions and potatoes. Season well with salt. You want to keep an eye on this one and stir often so it doesn't burn and stick to the bottom of the pan.

Once you notice that it's starting to get some color, lower your heat and sprinkle in some sugar (not too much), mix and cover with a lid. Wait about a minute or so (be careful, sugar will caramelize quite quickly) and add about 2-3 tbs of water to the pan to add some steam and to help along the cooking process.

Once it dries up again, drizzle in some balsamic vinegar and mix it all in. You might have to add more water - if it looks like it's getting too dark and the potatoes aren't cooked yet, just sprinkle in some more water and cover with a lid. Make sure you put enough salt - potatoes are salt-guzzlers and you might think it's too much but go ahead and taste them as you go.

The balsamic vinegar + sugar + salt is a great combo! This would be great with your morning eggs or add some sausage meat and serve with a simple salad for lunch.

I'm Late!

Hey gang! Sorry for the super late post today... just got back from a busy morning/afternoon!

This weekend was a busy one - my friend Zandra got hitched and the day was perfect as can be. The forecast called for late showers but luckily it never happened. The bride was flawlessly beautiful and the groom was dashing (but then again, we wouldn't we expect anything less from Doppler Dash)!

I loved the huppah - if West Elm ever decided to go into the huppah business, I imagine that this is what it would look like :)

Happy Friday

Friday thoughts and to-do's

:: the coffee I just made was disgusting - spilled it down the drain
:: meeting Z (she's getting married tomorrow!) to get nails done and other girly duties :)
:: need to find fashion tape... maybe at RICKY's?
:: remind Hillsy to pick up his Tux, can't wait to see him in a tux!
:: return this "body shaper" thing I bought from Victoria's Secret for the wedding, not sure about its "shaping" efforts - more like suffocating
:: need to somehow motivate myself to get back into the groove (I feel like I'm starting to lose my mojo again over at Heart Handmade)
:: remind Hillsy to make a hair appointment
:: thinking about taking a jewelry class in August
:: this weekend is going to be FUN (I wonder if I'll cry at the wedding?)

Off to my spinning class...

Oh and here's what I ate last night - leftovers again. Just added lumps of ricotta cheese and fresh basil from the Aero Garden to spice it up a bit :)

Happy Friday!!

Hillsy's TV Dinner

I went out to dinner with the girls last night (so much fun!) so I set up a little Do-It-Yourself dinner for Hillsy...

Facebook

Just a completely random thought about Facebook - not sure how many of you are in Facebook but I was uploading pictures from Z's bachelorette party and it got me thinking about how bizarre the Facebook world was. I have to admit that I was sort of addicted to it when I first signed up and it was exhilarating to add friends and watch your numbers go up - but at the same time... who the hell has 458 friends out there? Call me crazy but my REAL social network consists of a pretty close-knit group, a pretty low number that I can easily count on my hands and toes (at best). Or is someone's definition of a friend looser on Facebook than in real life? I'd be first to admit that I have a couple of people in there that probably should've stayed as LinkedIn connections.

Another thing that I find amusing is how it enables you to connect to people that you were pretty close to - whether it was back in college or a partner in crime at a prior job. You send each other a couple of private messages, write on their wall ... "we should definitely hang out" type of messages... multiple times but somehow it just never works out. It's pretty funny, I'm definitely guilty of this one. To me, Facebook is this virtual world that seems harmless enough - so yes, sometimes you go on it to spy on THE ex-boyfriend to see who he finally married but I guess at the end of the day, it's just another way for us to communicate in this crazy not-enough-time for anything world we live in. Does it replace a nice long drink with a long lost pal? No not really, but the fact that I'm able to see pictures of the kids of a guy that I used to sit next to in 7th grade Chemistry back in the day when I had teenage acne and red-rimmed wire glasses is pretty cool!

Hobby #5

Anyone who knows me well, knows that I often get into new "hobbies" that can last anywhere from a week to sometimes even a year. The guitar was something that came into the picture about 3 to 4 years ago. What usually happens is that I hear a song that inspires me to pick it up again and I start learning/playing - then eventually I get frustrated and stop.


This time, it was the latest Coldplay's latest (Viva La Vida) that inspired the return. Oddly enough, I decided to start with something easy - one of their older songs - The Scientist. It's a pretty easy song to play. I figure - build up my confidence, then try something harder. True to form, I haven't finished learning the song yet and I've already started trying to play other ones (e.g. The Kooks - Naive). What can I say? I get bored easy! I think that's it... maybe I'm a bit ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder) when it comes to life.

Hillsy and I have a total of 4 guitars - 3 acoustics and one electric. Not really sure why we have so many!

Off to Bloomies

I'm off to Bloomies with Z today... the bride-to-be is on the hunt for some new make-up. Sorry, still no camera :(

Recuperating

Hi everyone! I'm slowly recuperating from my BFF Zandra's (a.k.a "Z") bachelorette/hen party. I promised myself that I wouldn't drink over my own limit (I'm a super light weight when it comes to drinking) and thought I did a pretty good job... until Sunday morning.

I had THE WORST morning after experience (ok maybe the 2nd worst). Let's just say I managed to eat eggs in the morning and the taste revisited my mouth for a second AND a third time shortly after the first :)

Overall it was a great time. Girls: fun times or as Lyn would say "Radiohead... Creep...Good times!" We kicked it off at Cafe Wha?, which turned out to be a little more subdued than usual. As we were trying to figure out our next stop... one of the guys from the show suggested a club in the west side. A "club"? Yes a "club", something we all haven't done in eons! He supposedly could get us in for free and hook us up with a table and drinks! We were given "Dino's" number and were instructed to text Dino upon arrival. As promised, Dino was waiting for us in the front and got us inside swiftly as promised. Passing the large clusters of eager clubgoers standing on line was kind of funny - it was definitely one of those Carrie Bradshaw + gang moments (high heels included!)

I eventually stumbled into a cab and got home in one piece, where Hillsy was waiting up with a large glass of water and 2 ibuprofens - yes, he IS THE BEST.

Unfortunately by the end of the night things got a bit hazy and I completely forgot my camera in a friend's bag. So I'm not really sure how interesting it's going to be around here this week.

Hmmm, does that mean I don't have to cook this week?? Just kidding baby ;)

Before & After

Sometimes the unexpected happens in the kitchen...

It's nice to know some things can be fixed (with a little scraping)...

... he didn't suspect a thing (hee hee hee)

Happy Friday!!

Last Night's Dinner Repeat

Succulent Chicken in a Pot

I love dishes that sort of cook themselves. There's nothing worse than dry overcooked chicken... so if you haven't yet, give this recipe a shot. An oldie but a goodie.

Shhh, this time I added a tbs of butter to finish the sauce... so good over the potatoes!!

Last Night's Dinner #121: Sausage Frittata

Simple. Light (depending on how much you eat). Perfect for a summer evening.

I first roasted my potatoes and then added the peppers mid-way through (so the peppers don't overcook) until fork tender. I also added 1 garlic clove finely minced + olive oil + salt/pepper.

6 eggs + heavy cream (just a little bit) + salt + pepper

Cooked sausages until lightly pink, add roasted veggies + a tiny bit more salt (depending on the seasoning of your sausages). Just taste it before adding the eggs.

Pour in eggs, shake a bit to spread everything out. Lower your heat so the bottom doesn't burn.

Once you feel confident enough to turn (you can put a large plate on top of your pan then flip the pan - then slide the frittata back into the pan. Be careful please.), add some ricotta on top and turn.

Alternatively, you can shove the whole pan (if you have an oven-friendly pan) in the oven and bake to finish the rest of the frittata - if you don't want to worry about flipping.


Tomato salad is simply tomatoes, olive oil, fresh basil and oregano + salt + pepper.

Last Night's Dinner #120: Pork Chops!

I certainly could've grilled, baked or any other healthier alternative... but I thought to myself - WHY? I was craving the juiciness of a tasty pan fried breaded chop (finished in the oven to seal the deal)!

Flour seasoned chops

Dip in egg

Then bread crumbs

Baking Schmaking!

I love the idea of baking...


...and then I actually go and bake something...


...and I instantly remember why I hate the reality of baking!


I tried baking a lemon and blueberry cake inspired by our last trip and my favorite cake at Podunk. I knew right away that the batter was too thick, but since I was following a recipe - and I'm not a baker, I went against my better judgment and ignored the tell tale signs. Lo and behold, instead of a light fluffy cake... I made a dense, flour-tasting heap of mess.

I'm so mad... I just wasted a perfect pint of blueberries!!!!

I HATE BAKING.

Weekend Eats

I finally got to go the beach!!!! I had a sore throat, but I didn't care - sand, ocean, watermelon, magazine, ice-cold water was the best form of medicine!


Chirashi - seasoned rice with various slices of raw fish

I'm addicted to tea at Podunk!

Sunday breakfast: bread + butter + jam + fresh fruit :)

It was a nice weekend.

Life in six words

Happy Friday!

Andrea from a cat of impossible colour tagged me way back in June... and she warned that it was very very hard - it was. And to be quite honest, I sort of forgot :0 too!

1. Write the title to your own memoir using SIX words.
2. Post it on your blog.
3. Link to the person that tagged you.
4. Tag 5 more blogs.

Not the sexiest of titles, but I think it's a pretty good
representation of who I am:
Eating dessert first in house-clothes.

On the cover would be...
Me in my favorite house-clothes sitting in front of a huge long wooden table topped with Thanksgiving-esque foods (e.g., Turkey, Ham, mashed potatoes, veggies) holding a huge already bitten butter frosted cupcake (frost on my nose) with a "just caught on camera" look.

I'm excited to see titles from: RJ, AW, Donal, Luke, Kimmie!

Have a great weekend everybody!!!! Hopefully I'll be going to the beach this weekend. Fingers crossed.

Leftovers & Conveyor Sushi

Nothing too exciting for dinner I'm afraid...

I just had some leftover meat sauce from last week (froze it) and had it with one of my favorite store-bought pastas - Trader Joe's Pappardelle.


One new thing is my obsession with the Whole Foods (Bowery) cafeteria. I love the conveyor belt delivered sushi (I think it's called Sushiya) thing they've got going up there. Such a great concept, the ultimate self-serve idea. The sushi is served on colored plates, each one representing a different price -ranging from 2.75 to 4+. You grab what you want as it comes down the belt, stack up your plates and at the end you get a ticket. OK so the sushi isn't exactly NOBU quality, but personally I can't complain. The rice is seasoned well, I haven't gotten sick, it hits the spot everytime and I always walk away happy... what more can I ask for?

Warning: You can easily stuff yourself AND rack up your bill :) in a DIM SUM kind of way.

e-cleaning

So I started organizing my bookmarks yesterday and wow do I have a ton of them. I have over 50 folders and lord knows how many bookmarks in each. I WILL get through them all by the end of this week!!! I've also backed them up in del.icio.us (please, if you haven't yet - back up your bookmarks now!! You never know when your computer will decide to quit on you and poof all your favorites gone).

You can do two simple things...
1) Export your favorites/bookmarks and email yourself the "bookmark.html" file so you'll have it even if our computer crashes. Note that you won't have bookmarks that you save after you export the file... so your safe bet would be to do ...
2) sign-up for a free account at http://del.icio.us/ (I'm sure there are others but that's the one I use and back up your current favorites there and continue using their service instead of saving your bookmarks on your computer. OH and yes, it is a "social bookmarking" web service, but you don't have to make your faves public. Just make sure you choose the private option.

In the meantime, here are some fun links that I found while cleaning up...

How well do you know your chocolate bars?

Still unsure about who to vote for this fall? Take this choose your candidate quiz...