Mrs. Weeks went to Key West Florida

Man! I LOVE the warmer weather! When you live in Maryland you have winters but sometimes they're crappy winters. Some years there's actual snow. Some years it's the ice storm from hell. Other years we're blessed with a nice icy cold rain and mushy mud with a touch of salt spray to nicely coat the bottom of your car. Beautiful.

My point. The hubby and I just got back from Southern Florida and the weather caused us actual physical pain when we exited the plane in Baltimore on Monday. Our bodies seized into a crouch-like stance like we had cramps when walking the jet-way and it only got worse when we got to baggage claim where the doors leading outside were in a constant open position. Now that I'm back in the cold on a regular basis my body has tempered and it doesn't bother me as much but the memory of Florida still pervades.

What sticks out the most, besides the weather, was the food. Let me begin with it being fresh. To be able to eat that fresh on a daily basis would curl my toes. I have few pictures of the food that I ate because I was too wrapped up in eating it. From fresh sardines, ceviche, stone crab, conch salad, my husbands surf and turf eggs benedict (great choice honey), to my grouper from Louie's (happy birthday Jonathan!) I was in heaven. Our dear friends told me they visit the farmers market whenever they want. Mine closed in October. I'm so jealous.

The following are snaps from our recent most favorite vacation with great friends, awesome music, and heavenly food.

I have to back track a wincey bit and say that the Chesapeake bay area in the Spring, Summer, and Fall is one of my favorite places too. I have too much nostaglia tied up in this area to not love it. Bob and I have raised our son here and we have dear friends as well with whom we've shared many memories. There are awesome restaurants and bars with people who work in them that have become our friends too and we would miss them very much should we move on. I think my problem is the intoxicating warmth, sunshine, and overall great food that is a constant year round in the great state of Florida that has me currently smitten. Smitten like a kitten.

(One more thing: If you get a chance to watch Jonathan Birchfield play you had better go)

Catching up

I wanted to post some snaps of this past summer (miss you so much) and other events. I've been a very lucky lucky girl these past months.


From top to bottom: Flowering thyme, rubber ducky cupcake platter with cake pops, Ghetto Labor Day cookout, fried green tomatoes, penguin cupcake platter, sailing on the Chesapeake, steamed crabs.

Mrs. Weeks goes to Chestertown

Today was my very first time I ordered anything from Rita's and I saved myself for the first day of Spring. I felt like a bride on her wedding day. Lisa, my sister-in-law, convinced me early this morning that today was the day to finally order from Rita's because they were giving away free Italian Ice in honor of the first day of Spring. So, we made plans to meet and travel to Chestertown to experience my unflowering together. It was more chilly outside than what I would've liked but taking advantage of something free amongst other like-minded people who were there for the same purpose made me feel very Patriotic in a weird way.

Going back home along Rt. 213 towards Centreville is a new curiosity which strikingly looks like, dare I say it, a baby vineyard. Now that Spring has arrived, it has given me new energy about food, gardening, and meeting new people so visiting the "baby vineyard" is definitely marked on my Spring "to do" list. In the meanwhile, I'll just park on the side of the road and take a few pictures of it until I finally gather the courage to drive down to lane and say hi.

Grillen and chillen: (LIME, BUTTER, & OLIVE OIL SAUCE)

Hurry Spring! The warm weather can't arrive fast enough for me. Last night I fired up the grill for the asparagus and London Broil I had bought at Safeway for dinner. Sure, grill your food but how do you "kick it up a notch", so to speak? Then I remembered a lunch I had with Bob at Applebee's (yes Applebee's) that served broccoli with a lime olive oil-ish sauce. I loved the taste of the lime with the olive oil and thought it tasted really light and fresh. I would have licked the plate if it was socially acceptable. So, last night, instead of just plating the asparagus I thought that maybe it would be tasty with my version of the lime sauce I had with the broccoli earlier. I just plunked my imagined Applebee's ingredients in an aluminum pan and parked it over a low flame. I added the grilled asparagus after everything in the pan melted down and swooshed everything together for a minute or two until it was all warmed. If I may say so myself......well, it was pretty darned good.

Lime, butter, and olive oil sauce for the grill

Ingredients:

1 large aluminum pan
1/4 cup real unsalted butter
1/4 cup olive oil
zest of 1 lime, lightly chopped
juice of 1 lime
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Pre-grill or blanch asparagus or broccoli

2. Place all the above ingredients in the aluminum pan.

3. Warm the pan over a light fire until the butter is melted.

4. Place the vegetables in the pan and warm through.

5. Eat and enjoy!

It isn't any easier for a quick grilled meal with veggies.  Now onto another idea for dinner that I have to try.  Check out this recipe from David Lebovitz. It's going to be on my table very soon.

Not your regular St. Patrick's Day meal: (AVOCADO & SHRIMP SUSHI SALAD)

It's been nearly a month since I last posted anything and I'm feeling pretty lousy about it. It's not as though I haven't traveled anywhere, eaten anything, or fixed a meal because I'm guilty of all those things. I've been to Mexico, eaten at a GREAT restaurant with AWESOME hamburgers, and fixed a few meals that I'm proud of. Since I'm still lucky enough (haha) to still have a souvenir from Mexico, namely some gastro-enteritis, I didn't feel any love for corned beef and cabbage yesterday to "celebrate" St. Patrick's Day. It's not that true Irish folks really eat that anyway. I hear lamb stews are pretty popular instead but I'm detouring a little.

I was messing around with some recipe ideas from various cookbooks in storage that I pilfered from the attic. I had forgotten that I had Moosewood restaurant new classics and what a great resource it was for "different" recipes. One recipe had everything, almost, that I had in stock at the house without running out to the store. Sushi salad on an Irish holiday? What the hell!

Due to supplies on hand I substituted grated zucchini for the radish/daikon, omitted the scallions, and used chopped romaine lettuce for the salad greens that were called for in the original recipe. I also only used one half of a toasted nori sheet due to personal taste. In my opinion that's an ingredient that can be completely omitted if desired. I also added a dash of dark sesame oil to the wasabi dressing too for added flavor.

Avocado & shrimp sushi salad (based on the Moosewood restaurant new classics cookbook)

Ingredients:

Wasabi dressing:

1 Tbsp. wasabi powder

2 Tbsp. water

1/4 cup rice vinegar or lime juice (I used the vinegar)

Salad:

2-3 cups cooked white rice, preferably sushi rice

1 pound peeled and deveined shrimp

1/4 cup rice vinegar

2 tsp. sugar (I used 1 packet of Splenda)

3/4 tsp. salt

2/3 cup peeled and grated carrots

1/4 cup minced scallions

1/4 cup grated radish or daikon

1 Tbsp. toasted sesame seeds

1 sheet nori, toasted and crumbled

1 ripe avocado, preferably Hass

4-5 cups mixed salad greens or spinach leaves

lemon or lime wedges

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, whisk together all of the wasabi dressing ingredients until smooth, and set aside.

2. Cook the shrimp as desired either by boiling for 2 minutes until pink and firm OR grill, after tossing with a little vegetable oil, over a hot fire.

3. In a small bowl, whisk together the rice vinegar, sugar or Splenda, and salt until the sugar dissolves. Add the mixture to the cooked rice and combine.

4. Add the carrots, scallions, radish or diakon, sesame seeds, and 1/2 of the crumbled nori to the cool rice mixture and toss well. Peel, pit, and slice the avocado but do not add.

5. To assemble the salad, line a large platter with the greens. Mound the rice mixture in the middle and arrange the shrimp and avocado slices around the perimeter. Drizzle the wasabi dressing over the entire platter and sprinkle the rest of the crumbled nori, if desired. Garnish with the citrus wedges.

6. Enjoy St. Patrick's day!

Note to self

Do not. I repeat, do not put food on the stove before you get "distracted" with your significant other. In my defense I wasn't planning on getting distracted but it just sorta happened and as a result my WHOLE house stinks like burnt food now. I had an AWESOME skillet of lime butter green beans, broccoli, and mushrooms but it all was sacrificed to Vulcan the fire god during my inattentiveness. I'm sure that nobody really cares about my "private life" but it's my version of a public service announcement and I thought it was important.

NO FOOD ON THE STOVE WHILE YOU'RE NOT WATCHING...EVER!

Speaking of food it makes me drift to wine (natural progression) and I've been looking at the same, empty, bottle of wine on my kitchen table for almost a week now and I feel utterly compelled to say something about it. I'm not trying to blow smoke up any one's keister and pretend I'm a wine connoisseur but I do like wine and I know what I enjoy drinking. So, to continue, I've been gazing at that empty bottle and it has been reminding me of when Bob and I drank it on Valentine's Day evening. What a great dinner. What a great wine. Bob and I had bought wines on our Fall field trip to Virginia last year and was pleasantly surprised when he spotted two bottles that we had miraculously saved all this time in the wine fridge. We started with the one bottle we had, from the two, and eagerly opened the second bottle we had when we finished the first. We couldn't help it. Bob and I were even reminiscing this morning about our prized Three Fox Vineyards 2006 Appassionata Vidal that we had that Valentine's evening. Well the TWO we had that evening. The Appassionata Vidal was a buttery white wine that was utterly delicious and became our instant favorite from all the wines we bought, from the past till present. Bar none. We're big fans of the Northern Virginia-area wine country and make a field trip out of visiting them. Oasis, Rappahanock, and Pearmund have always been our "go to" places where we enjoy ourselves for the atmosphere and the great tasting wines but we ventured to a new location and hadn't regretted a single mile to get there. Three Foxes Vineyard is a small newer vineyard, for us, and their wines are just outstanding. When Bob and I walked towards the entrance to the tasting room we were greeted by one of the friendly owners who was fighting a battle with the firewood trying to get a fire started in an outdoor chiminea. We didn't realize that he was one of the owners because he was so unassuming, and well, was pretty determined and occupied to getting that fire started too. He stopped momentarily to greet us and pointed the way towards the tasting room. Later, we realized who he was after we had met the other half of the partnership, his wife, who was just as unassuming and was talking with us about joining their Vinter's Circle. Apparently there was a Christmas event they were planning for their members and it sounded like it was going to be great fun. She was very excited about the preparations for it and had spoke of a prior event that was a resounding success as well. Regretfully we didn't join due to distance but definitely plan on a field trip in the future re-stock our supply of their delicious wines. I'm looking at their brochure right now and dreaming of the trip.

So that's my day so far. Burnt food and delicious wine. There's not enough incense to get the lousy burn smell out of the house right now. If there's any ideas out there I'll take them because, well, because literally it's starting to give me a headache from the smell. Well, it could be because Bob and I were at No Place last night but that's another story.

No Place

Bob and I discovered too late into the Winter season this unassuming local bar and eatery. Usually I've been cawing about Big Owls as a great place where Bob and I mingle and drink but No Place is our newest favorite place to wander to. No Place is a die-hard Steelers hive where the wonderful local gentry come to hang their hats and hide from the Winter cold and is located in historic old Stevensville. Lori is the consumate bar maiden who is attentive to all the customers seasoned and new (like we were) and Bob and I really feel welcomed and taken care of every time we sit down at the bar. Lori really is the hidden Patron Saint of the Eastern Shore. Sexy, kind, great sense of humor, and honestly loves her family above all else. We met her daughter and her grandson yesterday and really felt the love and pride ooze from every pour in her body and she couldn't wait to introduce her beautiful family to us newbies or anyone else for that matter.

The local's we meet every time Bob and I go in there are very friendly and welcoming. Never once have we felt out of place or snubbed because we were the new kids hanging at their place at the bar. Space is always made for new arrivals with a friendly smile or a "hi, how you doing?". Bob and I met "Pepper" as I noticed him slurping down a shot of xtra-hot wing sauce. He just smiled when I questioned him with an astounded "what did you just do?". "Pepper" obviously got his nick-name honestly but his real name is Chad Marshall and is a local DJ who seems to be well known and liked. He was immmediately nice to us and wasn't hestitant to introduce himself to Bob and I even after I seemed a little shocked from his hot sauce slurping habit. As for the saloon patrons though just leave any attitude or "airs" outside or, better yet, locked in your car. This isn't a space for golf pants or bragging about your wine collection. To be clear though, I definately get the impression if your kid is doing well in the military or was lucky enough to get accepted into an Ivy League school no one could be happier for you and geniunely so. Humbly brag all you want and they will lend you an ear.

Since I'm always intrigued by food, any food, I "borrowed" into a conversation with a gentleman about cooking wild game. ANY wild game. Muskrat, goose, venision, and any other Eastern Shore game I've failed to name. Apparently Bob and I just missed out on a pretty big event in which many wild games are prepared and eaten. Being that I grew up on the Shore with a daddy who hunted I can say I miss a dinner table with goose or venision as the main course. My daddy has since retired to Florida and no longer hunts but my fascination has always remained and I will always feel a certain affinity towards anyone who can bring an Eastern Shore classic to the table. I love the whole process from the field to the table and will definately not miss the wild game bonanza that happens every February next year. I'm just glad that the wonderful saloon patrons are patient eneough to put up with my incessant questioning and evesdropping!

I tried to find a link on the Internet that could make it easy to locate this new favorite of ours but it seems there is no website for this wonderful local haven. I'm assuming that perhaps there's a reason for this and decided that, maybe, the charm of it is that, number one, it isn't a chain and number two, advertising the hell out of it isn't necessary. If you're lucky enough to know where it is then you have found a true treasure indeed.

Up waaaaay too early

I can picture Bob and I "later in life". Two old birds strolling the beach in the pre-dawn hours because they can't sleep. I was thinking "beach" and "warm" while sitting inside my cozy house and it's 19 degrees outside. The picture above is from our last trip to Hilton Head South Carolina, in the pre-dawn hours.

So what to do early in the morning when there's no beach or warm temperatures to occupy the sleepless? Browse the internet of course. I brewed a pot of coffee (NOT condusive to going back to sleep) and reviewed my Yahoo page. I subscribe to a web page called The Consumerist and it had a great link to a coupon web site that I thought was pretty informative. Since I'm trying to be a more conservative home cook and housewife I was pretty excited....I guess it doesn't take much to get my engines fired up.

I went to Brooks Tavern yesterday afternoon (whoops that doesn't sound like I'm being economical does it?) and had lunch. I can say that I was intrigued by my experience and that I liked the environment. The menu was varied and interesting and it was hard to pick from the fresh salad selections or the local beef burger (which is obtained via St. Brigid's Farm). The rustic place wasn't a bad experience but it wasn't the speediest either. The poor server tried his best and Barb (I think?) hurried around making sure the gradually filling tables were satisfied. I got the impression there were some "regular's" there as she appeared familiar with a few diners. She definately lightened the load a bit as it appeared there was only one waitstaff for the cozy room. The spinach salad I ordered was satisfying and was served in a quantity that was plentiful and pretty to look at. The fact that this restaurant participates with local venders and growers appeals to me in a very "colonial" sense. I love the idea of knowing where your food comes from, establishing a relationship with local food artisans, and making all of it work together in a thriving business for the public.

So there you have it. I forgot my camera in my haste to get out the door but I won't make that mistake again. I definately wanted to have a field trip (it was partially accomplished) but didn't get to visit the fledgling vineyard that is located in between Centreville and Church Hill while on my way home. I wanted to stop yesterday but the lane looked a little too muddy for me and, well, nature was calling.

Planning an adventure

Oh my gosh I'm dreaming of Spring. I love everything about Spring: hikes, planting new vegetables, sitting on my patio enjoying a glass of wine, wandering with my camera, the smell of farmer's plowing their fields....etc. These poor tomatoes above were from last season and I have a new lofty goal of having the BEST tomatoes this year. This includes really preparing the soil properly and having a more established plan of plant locations in my little space. I recently saw an advertisement that really piqued my interest with experimenting with new products. Part of me, the pessimistic side which I try to hide, thinks that the product is a bunch of horse-wash but the other more "optimistic" side thinks I'd really like to order it and give it try. The Topsy-Turvy upside down hanging planter has been on my mind since I saw it yesterday which then gave me, almost, instantaneous Spring fever. Bob gave me the "ok" when I brought it up last night so I've been squirming about it ever since.

I'm traveling to Chestertown today for an appointment and thought I would explore a restaurant that has also piqued my interest as well. Brooks Tavern popped when I was exploring the Slow Foods Baltimore website. At least that's where I think I found it. So anyway, I'm off to Chestertown after I finish here (and fix the mop-head) with my camera in tow for a fun field trip.

One of Laura's many favorites: (GARLIC AND OREGANO POTATO CHIPS)

I suppose the term "favorite" implies preferring one thing above all other items. I suppose, again, I have slaughtered the true meaning of yet another word. Well, I love a lot of things: potato chips, garlic, fresh herbs, tator tots (I'm starchy ehh?), Bearnaise sauce, most anything grilled, huge green salads (whew, there's something healthy), balsamic vinegar, chocolate, herbal teas, kittens, warm weather, the smell of a fresh plowed field, sunrises, sunsets.....I could go on forever and it's probably very boring to anyone else. So to get back on track, and while I was thinking of Superbowl Sunday, I had remembered my garlic and herb potato chips that I had made a while back for my son's Birthday. They're so easy it's illegal and everyone will scarf them up to be sure. Well, we did anyway.

I can't remember where I had originally seen this idea but I took the premise and ran with it. It's unhealthy but out-of-this-world addictive to eat.

You can use any herb you prefer or have on hand. I used fresh chopped oregano from my garden. The potato chips are also a preference but I ALWAYS use kettle chips.

Garlic and oregano potato chips:

Ingredients:

1 regular sized bag of potato chips (kettle chips are the best)
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 to 1/3 cup fresh garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh herbs, chopped
Sea salt
Fresh cracked pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

2. Empty the bag of chips into a large sized bowl big enough to be able to stir all the ingredients together without overflow.

3. In a medium-sized saucepan heat the olive oil and the garlic together and bring both up to a medium heat without sizzling the garlic but enough to season the oil. Heat for 2-3 minutes watching constantly.

4. Remove the oil and garlic from the heat and allow to cool slightly. You're only shooting for a garlic seasoned oil. Add your herbs.

5. Keeping a wooden spoon ready, add the garlic-oil-herbs to the chips and stir to evenly distribute.

6. Pour the chips onto a large flat pan and make sure the chips are all evenly placed and not laying on top of each other. Place the pan of chips in the oven and bake for no longer than 5-6 minutes, watching carefully.

7. After removing the chips from the oven add the sea salt and the pepper, to taste.

8. Let cool (the chips will firm up more as they sit) and pour into a serving vessel.

9. Pig out with a great semi-dry rose wine.

Sunken eyeballs: (JALAPENO CHEDDAR PRETZELS FOR THE BREAD MACHINE)

Soft doughy formed pretzels out of the proofer

My poor buddy Kevin arrived home from school today looking like all the cold viruses in the world had settled in his eyes. I couldn't believe the difference in him from this morning till he got home at 3 o'clock. Alright, he looked like shit to be honest. Both eyes were red and sunken and he sounded like he was speaking with his nose pinched. I was already in the process of making pretzels which I had thought would be fun and cheery after his first day back to school since the snowy-icy weather had begun. I didn't realize that I would be saddled with eight warm pretzels and no one to eat them ravenously like I had planned. He had plunked himself in bed not to emerge yet and it's already been four hours. So much for plans.


All lathered in egg wash and Kosher salt ready for the oven

My poor buddy. Having a cold is a drag and I'm unsure of what tomorrow morning will hold for him. Until then it's just me. And my blog. And my camera.

The finished product!

Jalapeno Cheddar pretzels for the bread machine

Ingredients:

7 ozs. warm water

1 tablespoon softened butter

1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

1/4 cup jalapeno peppers, chopped

2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons sugar

1 1/4 cups white bread flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

2 tablespoons sesame seeds

1 tablespoon wheat germ

2 teaspoons active dry yeast

Directions:

1. Place ingredients in your bread machine in the order listed above OR as recommended by your machine's manufacturer.

2. Select the DOUGH cycle and press start.

3. Let the dough run through it's cycle and watch for excessive dryness or wetness depending on the conditions in your kitchen. Correct accordingly with water or flour.

4. After the cycle is finished (usually 90 minutes or so) pull the dough onto a lightly floured board/surface and, without too much manhandling, cut into eight even balls.

5. Roll the balls into long logs and twist into pretzel shapes. Place on lightly greased pan and cover lightly with greased plastic wrap to prevent sticking.

6. Let rise (I sometimes use the dryer...no laughing, or the oven with a steaming pan of water underneath the tray) for approximately 30-40 minutes. Not too long or they'll get overswollen.

7. After the rise, lightly brush with an egg wash, cover with pretzel salt (all I had was Kosher) and bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for approximately 15-16 minutes and no longer than 20 minutes.

Curry in the afternoon

It's cold here. VERY cold. We here in Maryland got some freezing rain last night on top of the snow we received the day before. I prefer the snow and can do without the frozen crust on top. I crunched through the front yard to get some pictures of our poor pine trees and froze my behind (ass) off. Kevin's restless and wants to break free from our comfy warm home to hang out with some friends and I myself feel the urge to do something as well. My cure from restlessness was answered in the form of Cathy who suggested we make a yummy curry for lunch today at her house. I've got the list made, need to brush the fangs, and out the door I go, with camera in hand!

Snowy day fun: (CHICKPEA FLOUR PIZZA)

For some reason unknown to me I purchased chickpea flour in the organic section of the grocery store recently. I had no clue what to do with it until I started messing around on Recipezaar. I found a recipe for chickpea flour pizza and decided to monkey around with the ingredients. Chickpea flour on it's own tastes like crap. I seriously thought I had made a major mistake buying it. After it was mixed with other ingredients and cooked it redeems itself though. With this recipe you will definately need an ovenworthy skillet/pan to finish the pizza under the broiler. I used my cast iron skillet which worked wonderfully. I didn't stick to the original recipe and forged one on my own with ingredients that I had on hand. The chickpea batter is fodder for whatever you may want to put into it. I don't think you can make any mistakes with it. This recipe is for 2 pizza's which was certainly needed for a young hungry boy sitting inside on a snow day.

Chickpea flour pizza:

Ingredients:

1 1/3 cup chickpea flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup water
1/2 tablespoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon garlic powder
olive oil

Directions:

1. Sift chickpea flour and salt together over a medium bowl.

2. Add the water and stir with a whisk to prevent clumps.

3. Let the batter rest for 30 minutes and preheat your oven's broiler; set the rack on the lower third of the oven.

4. After 30 minutes stir in the oregano and garlic powder into batter.

5. Heat your oven-worthy pan on medium-high on the stove and cover the bottom well with the olive oil.

6. Ladle some batter into the pan and swirl to cover all sides evenly.

7. Let cook until the batter bubbles and the sides are beginning to brown. At this point I swirl some hoagie oil over the top and crack some fresh pepper over the oil.

8. Using whatever topping you desire place these on top of the cooked batter but don't overcrowd. I used blue cheese, genoa salami, and thin sliced red onion.

9. Place the "pizza" under the broiler and cook until the toppings are bubbly.