Okay, here's the big, exhausted sigh. Siiiigggggghhhhhh. Or however you spell the sound that basically captures the "I'm so pooped I can't bring myself to stand up and I can't believe we actually made it to the summer and before I know it I'll have to start making lunches and badgering kids about homework so I'd better make the most of this supposed summer break."
Maybe you don't even feel that way. But if you've got kids in the house--and haven't been able to con them into spending 8 weeks at summer camp like my parents did with me and my sibs--I'll bet you're looking for things to do with them over the coming steamy weeks.
This is just my friendly little reminder for you to CHECK OUT THE SERIES I WROTE LAST SUMMER. There are numerous blog entries covering everything from hikes in NJ to bike rides on the West Side to evening outings in the Meat Packing District. And all suggestions are all affordable and kid friendly. I'll be making more entries as I go this season. But for now, check out what I already have--you'll see a full listing on my home page on the right side, somewhere below my profile picture and the email subscription box. And please, please feel free to post any suggestions that you might have. I'm always eager to discover new adventures in the area.
P.S. I don't quite know how to correct it now, but Buddahbar, which is mentioned in "To Hell With the Hard Rock: Take the Kiddies to Buddah Bar" blog, is now a similar spot but with a new name. It's called Ajna Bar.
Simple Pleasures.
Irish soda bread on its way up North with Noah.
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Need Party Food? Be a Genius. Make This.
It’s that time of year. School is winding down, graduation parties are kicking in, bbq’s are getting into gear. And we all stand in our kitchens, scratching our heads about what to contribute to all those potluck parties etched in our calendars. Right here is a recipe that you’ll kiss me for. This cilantro shrimp appy from some old issue of Gourmet (may she RIP) is not only super delicious and makes everyone believe you’re a genius cook. It’s got all the right elements that make it perfect for a party bring with. It’s a snap to make (so you can devote more time to putting on your false eyelashes). It feels a little special, since pink little crustaceans are in the picture. It’s waistline friendly, since it doesn’t have all the mayo, sour cream and other artery busters that plague most party appetizer platters. And it can be served warm or at room temp, so you can make it at home, dump it onto a pretty dish when you arrive, and let it sit out on the table ‘til the last little shrimp vanishes. Don’t count on that taking too long, mind you. I don’t call this dish Gone Light Lightning Cilantro Shrimp for nothing. For the first dozen times I made this, I think I got to taste about three. Most of the time, they disappeared before I got my coat off. My kids actually love these shrimp so much that I am perpetually slapping their hands while I’m cooking to stop them from snitching. I stave off a full fledged mutiny by making this dish even when there isn’t a party. To stretch it from appy to main course, I whip up the recipe, then pour out the shrimp and some sauce onto a pile of angel hair pasta or thin rice noodles, toss it all up and holler “dinner!” Problem solved. Note: The original recipe calls for 1 pound of shrimp but that is a lot of work for such a skimpy output of food. I’ve found that the marinade can easily accommodate two pounds of shrimp or perhaps a bit more. You can also use half the marinade for one pound of shrimp. Then make it again a few days later with another pound of shrimp for your next shindig.
3 large garlic cloves
1 1/8 tsp. salt
½ cup fresh lime juice
¼ cup sweet orange marmalade
¼ cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
4 tbsps. Olive oil
1 tbsp. Soy sauce
½ tsp. red pepper flakes
½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 lb. or more large shrimp in shells (21-25 per pound), peeled, tail and first segment of shell left intact, and deveined
optional garnish: fresh cilantro sprigs
Using a large knife, mince and mash garlic to a paste, with 1 tsp. salt. Whisk together garlic paste, lime juice, marmalade, cilantro, 3 tablespoons oil, soy sauce, red pepper flakes, remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Transfer 1/3 cup mixture to another small bowl or ramekin and reserve for dipping sauce. Combine shrimp with remaining mixture in a large sealable plastic bag and seal bag, pressing out excess air. Marinate shrimp, refrigerated, turning bag once, for 15 minutes.
Drain shrimp and gently pat dry. Heat 1 ½ teaspoons oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over moderately high heat. Add half of shrimp and cook, turning occasionally, until golden brown and just cooked through, about 3 minutes. (It’s tempting to cook all the shrimp at once, but try to resist. It cools down the pan and the shrimp will sort of steam instead of brown.) Transfer shrimp to a platter and cook remaining shrimp in remaining 1 ½ teaspoons of oil in the same manner. Garnish shrimp with cilantro, if desired, and serve with dipping sauce.
3 large garlic cloves
1 1/8 tsp. salt
½ cup fresh lime juice
¼ cup sweet orange marmalade
¼ cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
4 tbsps. Olive oil
1 tbsp. Soy sauce
½ tsp. red pepper flakes
½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 lb. or more large shrimp in shells (21-25 per pound), peeled, tail and first segment of shell left intact, and deveined
optional garnish: fresh cilantro sprigs
Using a large knife, mince and mash garlic to a paste, with 1 tsp. salt. Whisk together garlic paste, lime juice, marmalade, cilantro, 3 tablespoons oil, soy sauce, red pepper flakes, remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Transfer 1/3 cup mixture to another small bowl or ramekin and reserve for dipping sauce. Combine shrimp with remaining mixture in a large sealable plastic bag and seal bag, pressing out excess air. Marinate shrimp, refrigerated, turning bag once, for 15 minutes.
Drain shrimp and gently pat dry. Heat 1 ½ teaspoons oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over moderately high heat. Add half of shrimp and cook, turning occasionally, until golden brown and just cooked through, about 3 minutes. (It’s tempting to cook all the shrimp at once, but try to resist. It cools down the pan and the shrimp will sort of steam instead of brown.) Transfer shrimp to a platter and cook remaining shrimp in remaining 1 ½ teaspoons of oil in the same manner. Garnish shrimp with cilantro, if desired, and serve with dipping sauce.
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
The Benefits of Braless Spinning
I was on my cell this morning, explaining to my friend Gail that I did actually intend to go to some work-related event tonight, but that I'd forgotten to RSVP. "I've been dropping balls everywhere," were my last words before I hung up the phone and ran into my local spin studio for my 9:30 class. Only when I warmed up a little and--like always--tore off my sweatshirt, did I realize what other balls I'd dropped this morning: I was still in my pajamas. And as if that wasn't bad enough, I had no bra on. I thought about getting off the bike and sparing everyone in class a rather scary show, but decided to stick it out. Having survived, I share here the hidden benefits of bouncing around a spin class without any support whatsoever:
1) I squeezed some extra mileage out of my tad-too-small pajama top, which is now two sizes larger.
2) I have a renewed appreciation for my humbly endowed chest. If I were built like my sister, I might have blinded myself or even been liable for inflicting grave (and embarrassing) harm on the biker next to me.
3) My erratically bouncing torso was so distracting, no one noticed the cellulite on my ass.
4) I was so busy laughing at my goof, drumming up fodder for this list,and trying to keep my chest under control that my torturous hour of hamster spinning passed like lightning.
5) This whole incident gave me the perfect opportunity to touch base and apologize for not posting this past month. As mentioned, I've been a little busy. And now that I might have to schedule a surgical lift, you might not hear from me until August!
In all seriousness, keep your eyes posted for a great appetizer recipe that will be your new "go to" for all those upcoming, end-of-year pot luck events. I just have to find time to make the darned dish and take pictures. Oh, and to fix my camera, which fell in a river. But that's a whole 'nother story....
1) I squeezed some extra mileage out of my tad-too-small pajama top, which is now two sizes larger.
2) I have a renewed appreciation for my humbly endowed chest. If I were built like my sister, I might have blinded myself or even been liable for inflicting grave (and embarrassing) harm on the biker next to me.
3) My erratically bouncing torso was so distracting, no one noticed the cellulite on my ass.
4) I was so busy laughing at my goof, drumming up fodder for this list,and trying to keep my chest under control that my torturous hour of hamster spinning passed like lightning.
5) This whole incident gave me the perfect opportunity to touch base and apologize for not posting this past month. As mentioned, I've been a little busy. And now that I might have to schedule a surgical lift, you might not hear from me until August!
In all seriousness, keep your eyes posted for a great appetizer recipe that will be your new "go to" for all those upcoming, end-of-year pot luck events. I just have to find time to make the darned dish and take pictures. Oh, and to fix my camera, which fell in a river. But that's a whole 'nother story....
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Forget Spring Training. Hit the Bronx!
Got Yankee fans in the house? Can't think of what to do while the snow melts and spring sports haven't yet monopolized your weekends? Here's an awesome idea: Pack up the family and head to the Bronx for a behind-the-scenes tour of Yankee Stadium. Maybe you're saying, "Well duh, Peg, we did that when the kids were still growing baby teeth." But maybe, just maybe, you're as clueless as I and the rest of my family was and you have no idea that this opportunity even exists.
We discovered the Yankee Stadium tour back in December while trying to figure out what to do for my older son Ben's family birthday outing. On a whim, I logged on to the Yankees web site--looking for I don't know what. Divine inspiration, maybe. But I noticed a little line on a pull-down menu about "stadium tours." Further reading revealed that the Yanks offer these one-hour adventures through the stadium several times a day, seven days a week during the off season. Tours are also offered during baseball season, but only when the team is on the road. At $20 a head, we figured what the heck. If it turned out to be a real bomb, we'd just head straight for lunch or dinner at Arthur Avenue.
Well, what a great surprise the whole day turned out to be. Without the usual baseball crowds clogging the area, we zipped up to the House that Ruth Didn't Build in just about an hour and parked right next to the stadium. We checked in about 20 minutes in advance and joined a group of about 15 others (ranging from Korean tourists to local fans). There was something eerily wonderful about wandering around that massive new stadium--utterly empty save for some isolated foot steps. We checked out the Yankee Museum first for about 20 minutes and then walked over to Monument Park, a collection of big plaques honoring the most illustrious Yanks. All of that was interesting enough. But then things really got juicy. Our Yankaholic guide (a retired cop)marched us down to the dugout and invited us all to sit right in it (!). We then meandered over to the batting cages and practice rooms, which was way cool. Best of all--we were waltzed right into the Yankee locker room. And let me tell you--that place ain't no tile and metal athlete's foot hatchery. It was so cushy, so fancy, so over the top, it looked more like a high-end gentlemen's club than a place where sweaty athletes have towel fights. Ben was swooning at the very idea of being so close to greatness. I was nearly faint knowing that I was mere feet from where Derek Jeter has actually stood naked. We even got to see what was in Johnny Damon's locker (I assume he's since packed up those cleats and Yankee jerseys).
The tour wound up just around 4, perfect timing for us to get down to Arthur Avenue (Bronx's Littly Italy), park on the street, and snag a table at Roberto's newish pizza trattoria, Zero Otto Nove, which doesn't usually take rezzies and opens for dinner at 5. What a great spot--really pretty, really cozy, with a huge wood-burning pizza oven right in the middle of the dining room. There are lots of great options other than pizza on the menu but the pies really were to die for. I devoured La Riccardo, a crispy crusted beauty topped with butternut squash puree, smoke mozzarella, pancetta, and basil. Noah was in utter bliss over his Patate Salsiccia e Provola, a tasty tangle of sliced potatoes, sausage, and smoked mozzarella. Glance at the menu and you will start salivating. Promise. And dinner won't put a huge dent in your wallet. Really.
And that was the day. Perfect. Weather friendly. Pretty affordable. And truly, truly a hoot. The only downside? I can't imagine doing the tour more than once every many years. So now I'll have to find some other excuse to get up to Zero Otto Nove for that butternut squash pizza.
Wanna Go? Need to Know.
Getting There: It's a snap getting up to Yankee Stadium when no games are on. Go to www.yankees.com, click on the Stadium pull-down menu and you'll see an option for "Getting to the Stadium," which includes public/private transporation info and parking details. There are a couple of parking garages right on River Avenue, as well as some nonmetered street parking.
When to Go: You can reserve spots on the Yankees site through Ticketmaster--seems like openings are pretty scarce at this point, probably because all those baseball fanatacs are getting pumped for the season. If you can't get tickets for now, keep this trip in mind for next winter when you've all got cabin fever and can't figure out what to do with yourselves. We were able to get tickets just a day ahead of time, no problem. As for timing, try, if possible, to get a 3 PM tour time. That will get you out at just the right time to have dinner at Arthur Avenue, which is about a five or ten minute drive away. If you get out earlier, I guess you could also go for lunch or wander around and shop for cheese.
Services/Costs: Each ticket is $20. There might be a surcharge if you use Ticketmaster. There's also a kids price of $15, but it never seems to be available. I noticed that you can also bring a group of kids for a tour of the stadium--that brings the per kid price down to $8. What a concept for a birthday. You could also book an actual birthday package for $40 a head for kids 14 and under, which includes lunch, etc. at the on-premises Hard Rock Cafe, but that might be a little steep if you're bringing more than just a handful of buds.
What to Bring: If you come when it's cold out, dress warmly. If it's damp, you might even want to pack an umbrella. There's coverage from the elements for the most part, but the place is, well, an outdoor stadium.
Fear Factor: None, unless you get caught in rush hour traffic. But I'm assuming you'd be coming on a weekend, so that shouldn't be a huge problem.
In the Area: Arthur Avenue is a natural landing place after a Yankee tour--much better, I think, than overpaying for a meal at one of the chain places on premises. (www.arthuravenuebronx.com). The Arthur Avenue Market (www.arthuravenue.com for hours, info), if it's open, is a great place to kill time if you have it before or after your meal--it's sort of a covered bazaar with a million cheese, meat, veggie, olive oil, and god-knows-what other types of Italian vendors. There are even guys handrolling cigars in there. There are also about a zillion bakeries, cheese shops, ravioli shops, and more lining Arthur Avenue and the streets that radiate from it. Roberto's, probably the finest restaurant in the area, is a great bet--but snagging a table can be tricky and it's not exactly a cheap family dinner. There are other popular spots--Emilia's and Dominick's come to mind--but they are more along the lines of the red-sauce-and-melted cheese tourist traps you find in Manhattan's Little Italy. I think Zero Otto Novo--an offshoot of Roberto's--is a terrific option. It's less expensive and not quite as crowded as Roberto's, but the food is quite yummy. Do get there at 5 PM if you come on a Saturday and don't want to languish on a line. Line ups, after all, are for baseball teams (and criminals, I guess). For info on both restaurants: www.roberto089.com.
We discovered the Yankee Stadium tour back in December while trying to figure out what to do for my older son Ben's family birthday outing. On a whim, I logged on to the Yankees web site--looking for I don't know what. Divine inspiration, maybe. But I noticed a little line on a pull-down menu about "stadium tours." Further reading revealed that the Yanks offer these one-hour adventures through the stadium several times a day, seven days a week during the off season. Tours are also offered during baseball season, but only when the team is on the road. At $20 a head, we figured what the heck. If it turned out to be a real bomb, we'd just head straight for lunch or dinner at Arthur Avenue.
Well, what a great surprise the whole day turned out to be. Without the usual baseball crowds clogging the area, we zipped up to the House that Ruth Didn't Build in just about an hour and parked right next to the stadium. We checked in about 20 minutes in advance and joined a group of about 15 others (ranging from Korean tourists to local fans). There was something eerily wonderful about wandering around that massive new stadium--utterly empty save for some isolated foot steps. We checked out the Yankee Museum first for about 20 minutes and then walked over to Monument Park, a collection of big plaques honoring the most illustrious Yanks. All of that was interesting enough. But then things really got juicy. Our Yankaholic guide (a retired cop)marched us down to the dugout and invited us all to sit right in it (!). We then meandered over to the batting cages and practice rooms, which was way cool. Best of all--we were waltzed right into the Yankee locker room. And let me tell you--that place ain't no tile and metal athlete's foot hatchery. It was so cushy, so fancy, so over the top, it looked more like a high-end gentlemen's club than a place where sweaty athletes have towel fights. Ben was swooning at the very idea of being so close to greatness. I was nearly faint knowing that I was mere feet from where Derek Jeter has actually stood naked. We even got to see what was in Johnny Damon's locker (I assume he's since packed up those cleats and Yankee jerseys).
The tour wound up just around 4, perfect timing for us to get down to Arthur Avenue (Bronx's Littly Italy), park on the street, and snag a table at Roberto's newish pizza trattoria, Zero Otto Nove, which doesn't usually take rezzies and opens for dinner at 5. What a great spot--really pretty, really cozy, with a huge wood-burning pizza oven right in the middle of the dining room. There are lots of great options other than pizza on the menu but the pies really were to die for. I devoured La Riccardo, a crispy crusted beauty topped with butternut squash puree, smoke mozzarella, pancetta, and basil. Noah was in utter bliss over his Patate Salsiccia e Provola, a tasty tangle of sliced potatoes, sausage, and smoked mozzarella. Glance at the menu and you will start salivating. Promise. And dinner won't put a huge dent in your wallet. Really.
And that was the day. Perfect. Weather friendly. Pretty affordable. And truly, truly a hoot. The only downside? I can't imagine doing the tour more than once every many years. So now I'll have to find some other excuse to get up to Zero Otto Nove for that butternut squash pizza.
Wanna Go? Need to Know.
Getting There: It's a snap getting up to Yankee Stadium when no games are on. Go to www.yankees.com, click on the Stadium pull-down menu and you'll see an option for "Getting to the Stadium," which includes public/private transporation info and parking details. There are a couple of parking garages right on River Avenue, as well as some nonmetered street parking.
When to Go: You can reserve spots on the Yankees site through Ticketmaster--seems like openings are pretty scarce at this point, probably because all those baseball fanatacs are getting pumped for the season. If you can't get tickets for now, keep this trip in mind for next winter when you've all got cabin fever and can't figure out what to do with yourselves. We were able to get tickets just a day ahead of time, no problem. As for timing, try, if possible, to get a 3 PM tour time. That will get you out at just the right time to have dinner at Arthur Avenue, which is about a five or ten minute drive away. If you get out earlier, I guess you could also go for lunch or wander around and shop for cheese.
Services/Costs: Each ticket is $20. There might be a surcharge if you use Ticketmaster. There's also a kids price of $15, but it never seems to be available. I noticed that you can also bring a group of kids for a tour of the stadium--that brings the per kid price down to $8. What a concept for a birthday. You could also book an actual birthday package for $40 a head for kids 14 and under, which includes lunch, etc. at the on-premises Hard Rock Cafe, but that might be a little steep if you're bringing more than just a handful of buds.
What to Bring: If you come when it's cold out, dress warmly. If it's damp, you might even want to pack an umbrella. There's coverage from the elements for the most part, but the place is, well, an outdoor stadium.
Fear Factor: None, unless you get caught in rush hour traffic. But I'm assuming you'd be coming on a weekend, so that shouldn't be a huge problem.
In the Area: Arthur Avenue is a natural landing place after a Yankee tour--much better, I think, than overpaying for a meal at one of the chain places on premises. (www.arthuravenuebronx.com). The Arthur Avenue Market (www.arthuravenue.com for hours, info), if it's open, is a great place to kill time if you have it before or after your meal--it's sort of a covered bazaar with a million cheese, meat, veggie, olive oil, and god-knows-what other types of Italian vendors. There are even guys handrolling cigars in there. There are also about a zillion bakeries, cheese shops, ravioli shops, and more lining Arthur Avenue and the streets that radiate from it. Roberto's, probably the finest restaurant in the area, is a great bet--but snagging a table can be tricky and it's not exactly a cheap family dinner. There are other popular spots--Emilia's and Dominick's come to mind--but they are more along the lines of the red-sauce-and-melted cheese tourist traps you find in Manhattan's Little Italy. I think Zero Otto Novo--an offshoot of Roberto's--is a terrific option. It's less expensive and not quite as crowded as Roberto's, but the food is quite yummy. Do get there at 5 PM if you come on a Saturday and don't want to languish on a line. Line ups, after all, are for baseball teams (and criminals, I guess). For info on both restaurants: www.roberto089.com.
Monday, February 8, 2010
Frozen Solid? Don't Be a Fool............................ Make This Pasta Fazool.
A good six or seven years ago, my friend Pat raved to me about an amazing version of pasta e fagioli she had come upon in her latest issue of Cook’s Illustrated. She loved Cook’s take on the classic Italian pasta and bean soup, she said, because it was thick, chunky, and absolutely bursting with Parmesan flavor. It didn’t hurt either that the whole hearty shebang could be whipped up in just about an hour’s time.
A couple of days later, Pat appeared in my third-floor office waving a copy of the recipe and urged me to have a go at it. Of course, I was game but when I glanced at the recipe I noticed that it called for a large rind of Parmesan to be tossed in with the other ingredients. That was a bit of a problem, since—I’m semi-ashamed to admit it—I don’t tend to use chunk Parmesan as my everyday Parmesan. And the Parmigiano Reggiano chunks I do keep in the house are treated like a controlled substance: Seldom is there more than a tiny nubbin of rind left when I am through with it. So did I simply blow off the recipe? Did I take a stab and ignore that cheese rind demand? Not bloody likely. Instead, geek that I am, I taped the recipe over my computer and proceeded to squirrel away parmesan rinds one tiny nub at a time.
Finally, one September my little bag in the freezer boasted what I though would equal the 5 inch by 2 inch rind the recipe called for. I could barely contain myself with excitement as I assembled my other ingredients. I followed the recipe to the letter and you know what? It didn’t just rock, it ROARED. My family, which will never recognize soup as a meal, went for it that night like wolves. Even Noah . . . who doesn’t eat anything that has even a blush of tomato. The entire batch was polished off by the next night’s dinner.
Like a good apostle, I reported back to Pat. I raved. I swooned. I lamented the fact I would have to wait another three years until I had enough Parmesan rind to make her amazing Pasta Fazool. Which is when Pat said . . . “What are you talking about? You can get Parmesan rinds at just about any good deli or Italian food store. And sometimes the even give it to you for free.” Do I need to say more? Other than the fact that what Pat says is true and I’m grateful she didn’t tape a “kick me” sign on my back. And, oh--you don’t even need to use Parmigiano Reggiano rinds. Any rind from a nice Parmesan will do just fine. Enjoy.
1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
3 ounces pancetta, chopped (Supermarkets usually sell it at the deli counter where the slice meats are. Ask them to just cut you a chunk.)
1 medium onion, chopped fine (about 1 cup)
1 celery rib, chopped fine (about 2/3 of a cup)
4 medium garlic cloves, minced (about 1 heaping Tbsp.)
1 tsp. dried oregano
¼ tsp. red pepper flakes
3 anchovy fillets, minced to a paste (about 1 tsp.)
1 can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes, with their liquid
1 piece Parmesan cheese rind, about 5 inches by 2 inches
2 cans (15.5 ounces each) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
3 ½ cups canned low-sodium chicken broth
Salt
5-6 ounces small pasta shapes (Ditalini and Tubetini are both great, orzo will do, as well)
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
Ground black pepper
2 ounces grated Parmesan cheese (about 1 cup)
1. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until it is shimmering but not smoking, about 2 minutes. Add pancetta and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Add onion and celery; cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Add garlic, oregano, red pepper flakes, and anchovies; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minutes. Add tomatoes, scraping up any browned bits from bottom of pan. Add cheese rind and beans; bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer to blend flavors, 10 minutes. Add chicken broth, 2 ½ cups water, and 1 tsp. salt; increase heat to high and bring to a boil. Add pasta and cook until tender, about 10 minutes (refer to package instructions for a better estimate of the pasta’s cooking time.)
2. Discard cheese rind. Off heat, stir in 3 Tbsps. of the parsley; adjust seasoning with salt and pepper (taste before you sprinkle—the pancetta already packs a salty punch). Ladle soup into individual bowls; drizzle each serving with olive oil and sprinkle with a portion of the remaining parsley. Serve immediately, passing the grated Parmesan separately. Makes about 3 quarts.
A couple of days later, Pat appeared in my third-floor office waving a copy of the recipe and urged me to have a go at it. Of course, I was game but when I glanced at the recipe I noticed that it called for a large rind of Parmesan to be tossed in with the other ingredients. That was a bit of a problem, since—I’m semi-ashamed to admit it—I don’t tend to use chunk Parmesan as my everyday Parmesan. And the Parmigiano Reggiano chunks I do keep in the house are treated like a controlled substance: Seldom is there more than a tiny nubbin of rind left when I am through with it. So did I simply blow off the recipe? Did I take a stab and ignore that cheese rind demand? Not bloody likely. Instead, geek that I am, I taped the recipe over my computer and proceeded to squirrel away parmesan rinds one tiny nub at a time.
Finally, one September my little bag in the freezer boasted what I though would equal the 5 inch by 2 inch rind the recipe called for. I could barely contain myself with excitement as I assembled my other ingredients. I followed the recipe to the letter and you know what? It didn’t just rock, it ROARED. My family, which will never recognize soup as a meal, went for it that night like wolves. Even Noah . . . who doesn’t eat anything that has even a blush of tomato. The entire batch was polished off by the next night’s dinner.
Like a good apostle, I reported back to Pat. I raved. I swooned. I lamented the fact I would have to wait another three years until I had enough Parmesan rind to make her amazing Pasta Fazool. Which is when Pat said . . . “What are you talking about? You can get Parmesan rinds at just about any good deli or Italian food store. And sometimes the even give it to you for free.” Do I need to say more? Other than the fact that what Pat says is true and I’m grateful she didn’t tape a “kick me” sign on my back. And, oh--you don’t even need to use Parmigiano Reggiano rinds. Any rind from a nice Parmesan will do just fine. Enjoy.
1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
3 ounces pancetta, chopped (Supermarkets usually sell it at the deli counter where the slice meats are. Ask them to just cut you a chunk.)
1 medium onion, chopped fine (about 1 cup)
1 celery rib, chopped fine (about 2/3 of a cup)
4 medium garlic cloves, minced (about 1 heaping Tbsp.)
1 tsp. dried oregano
¼ tsp. red pepper flakes
3 anchovy fillets, minced to a paste (about 1 tsp.)
1 can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes, with their liquid
1 piece Parmesan cheese rind, about 5 inches by 2 inches
2 cans (15.5 ounces each) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
3 ½ cups canned low-sodium chicken broth
Salt
5-6 ounces small pasta shapes (Ditalini and Tubetini are both great, orzo will do, as well)
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
Ground black pepper
2 ounces grated Parmesan cheese (about 1 cup)
1. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until it is shimmering but not smoking, about 2 minutes. Add pancetta and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Add onion and celery; cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Add garlic, oregano, red pepper flakes, and anchovies; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minutes. Add tomatoes, scraping up any browned bits from bottom of pan. Add cheese rind and beans; bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer to blend flavors, 10 minutes. Add chicken broth, 2 ½ cups water, and 1 tsp. salt; increase heat to high and bring to a boil. Add pasta and cook until tender, about 10 minutes (refer to package instructions for a better estimate of the pasta’s cooking time.)
2. Discard cheese rind. Off heat, stir in 3 Tbsps. of the parsley; adjust seasoning with salt and pepper (taste before you sprinkle—the pancetta already packs a salty punch). Ladle soup into individual bowls; drizzle each serving with olive oil and sprinkle with a portion of the remaining parsley. Serve immediately, passing the grated Parmesan separately. Makes about 3 quarts.
Monday, January 4, 2010
Get Your Free Cookbook. Yes, It's Free!
No blog this month. I've been busy putting together the ninth edition of my yearly cookbook. Kind of the mother of all my blogs. If you haven't already gotten an email from me, I'm blogging to let you know I'm finally finished and will be happy to email you a free copy. You can either keep it on your computer or upload it to Kinko's or some other copier place, ask them to print it double-sided, coil bind it and give it a clear plastic cover. Should cost about $20, but ask first so you can decide if it's worth it. Just let me know where to send it. And I always welcome your feedback and suggestions. My email is: pegsrosen@gmail.com.
Saturday, November 14, 2009
A Cozy Outing for Cold Days
The grey skies and newly naked trees of late November are a huge relief for my husband and kids. Finally, it's just too darned chilly and wet for all those hikes and bike rides. And we won't be skiing for at least a handful of weeks. They know, though, not to get too comfortable on the couch. Because I'm always drumming up something to get all of us off our asses.
One of my favorites tricks during the late fall--and even during winter before the snows--is a trip up to the Walpack Inn in Sussex County, NJ. Yes, it's a restaurant and I do lure them with the prospect of food. But you probably can guess by now that, in my book, there's gotta be some kind of physical output to merit a meal. Especially because the Walpack Inn is a hefty hour and 15 minutes from my house and I'm not inclined to drive that far for any plate of chow in the Garden State.
In this case, the pre-meal prerequisite is a quick romp at nearby Stokes State Forest. Nothing too demanding, mind you. Just enough time out in the open to bring color to our cheeks, rouse our appetites, and make our bods crave some warmth. Most times, we simply turn off Route 206 into Stokes, drive past the park office on up to the lake and--depending upon our mood and the weather--kick a ball around Kittle Field or follow one of the easy trails that radiate from the main picnic area. When the kids were younger, they particularly dug the playground that is also situated in this spot.
When it's just about dark, we pile into the car and point it towards the Inn. It's a beautiful 15-20 minute drive through surprisingly remote countryside, past signs for Peters Valley art colony and the virtual ghost village of historic Walpack Center. At points, you'll wonder if you've taken a wrong turn. But eventually, you'll come upon the smoke puffing chimney and the unexpectedly busy parking lot of the Walpack Inn. You'll tumble out of your car, push open the heavy wooden door of this quasi-log cabin and feel like you've joined a party everyone else has been celebrating forever.
The room is toasty, the air perfumed with a heady mix of wood burning fire and freshly baked bread. Some old guy is usually banging out tunes on a piano and everyone's bellied up to the bar, sipping a scotch or a beer while they wait for their table. The area is big, friendly, and casual enough for kids to wander around freely, checking out historic artifacts on display or sipping a Shirley Temple at one of the big old oak clawfoots scattered about the space. When your dinner table is ready, they'll shout your name. And here's where you'll become even more of a god to your kids than you already are: You'll sit down to see deer happily grazing just inches from your window. It's not some fluke of nature: The Inn puts out food for the animals and has outdoor lighting to make sure guests stay entertained well into the evening. Think of it as Sussex County's finest (only?) dinner theater.
Walpack's food is nothing spectacular, but certainly acceptable and just right for families. There's a Seventies style salad bar, a relatively reasonable menu featuring corny standbys like prime rib, teriyaki chicken breasts and shrimp cocktail. And there's a decent kids' menu, too. Best of all is the crusty, hearty, whole grain bread they serve up in slabs with sweet butter on everyone's table. It's so well loved, the restaurant sells loaves to take home and even prepackaged mixes so you can whip it up yourself. Top it all off with dessert, collapse back into the car, and by the time you arrive home and rouse your sleepy kids, you'll feel you've been away for a week.
Wanna Go? Need to Know:
Getting There: Stokes State Forest is a huge area in northwestern NJ. The spot I'm talking about is called the Stony Lake Day Use Area/Kittle Field. It is a solid hour and fifteen minutes from Montclair, heading out 80 West to Exit 34B and up along Route 15 which turns into 206. For more detailed directions, click here: http://www.nynjtc.org/ and type "kittatinny ridge stokes state forest" into the search function. To get from Stokes to the restaurant DO NOT use your GPS. It may very well take you on a backwoods road toward Tillman Ravine WHICH IS CLOSED during the winter months. You're best off calling the restaurant ahead of time and asking them for directions from the main entrance of Stokes State Forest on Route 206: 973-948-3890.
Trail Tips: The Stony Lake Day area is a fine spot for a romp during cold weather. When it's warm, there are tons of other trails to try out. A good, relatively easy one for agile kids about 8 and up is Tillman Ravine. You can get info by Googling it or going to the aformentioned http://www.nynjtc.org/.
When to Go: The Walpack Inn is generally only open during the winter on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. It may be open an extra night during the summer. Not sure. The restaurant only takes reservations for groups of eight or more and it does tend to get busy. The earlier you go, the better if you don't like waiting. If you want to sit by the window for prime deer watching, you'll wait longer than if you'll take any old seat that comes along. Either way, we've never waited longer than 45 minutes and it's such a fun place, it doesn't really matter. Just build that time into your plans so your kids don't go mad with hunger. This is a great outing all year long, except perhaps in the dead of snowy winter. During cold weather, when it gets dark earlier, we tend to leave Montclair about 2:15, which gets us to Stokes by about 3:30 and gives us about an hour to romp around. We get to the restaurant by about 5:00 and after a wait for a table, sit down around 5:15 to 5:30.
What to Bring: We sometimes bring a change of clothes for dinner but not a must at all. This place is pretty laid back. You might want to bring cards, dominos, Take Two tiles, or whatever to keep the kids and yourselves amused while you wait for a table.
Costs/Services: Off season there is no entry fee at Stokes. Entrees at the Walpack run between about $23 to $29. But servings are generous and come with bread and salad bar. Meals can easily be split. The kids menu is very reasonable. Their web site is: http://www.walpackinn.com/.
Fear Factor: None. Except fear of waiting for a table. But don't fret. Just factor this in as part of the adventure.
One of my favorites tricks during the late fall--and even during winter before the snows--is a trip up to the Walpack Inn in Sussex County, NJ. Yes, it's a restaurant and I do lure them with the prospect of food. But you probably can guess by now that, in my book, there's gotta be some kind of physical output to merit a meal. Especially because the Walpack Inn is a hefty hour and 15 minutes from my house and I'm not inclined to drive that far for any plate of chow in the Garden State.
In this case, the pre-meal prerequisite is a quick romp at nearby Stokes State Forest. Nothing too demanding, mind you. Just enough time out in the open to bring color to our cheeks, rouse our appetites, and make our bods crave some warmth. Most times, we simply turn off Route 206 into Stokes, drive past the park office on up to the lake and--depending upon our mood and the weather--kick a ball around Kittle Field or follow one of the easy trails that radiate from the main picnic area. When the kids were younger, they particularly dug the playground that is also situated in this spot.
When it's just about dark, we pile into the car and point it towards the Inn. It's a beautiful 15-20 minute drive through surprisingly remote countryside, past signs for Peters Valley art colony and the virtual ghost village of historic Walpack Center. At points, you'll wonder if you've taken a wrong turn. But eventually, you'll come upon the smoke puffing chimney and the unexpectedly busy parking lot of the Walpack Inn. You'll tumble out of your car, push open the heavy wooden door of this quasi-log cabin and feel like you've joined a party everyone else has been celebrating forever.
The room is toasty, the air perfumed with a heady mix of wood burning fire and freshly baked bread. Some old guy is usually banging out tunes on a piano and everyone's bellied up to the bar, sipping a scotch or a beer while they wait for their table. The area is big, friendly, and casual enough for kids to wander around freely, checking out historic artifacts on display or sipping a Shirley Temple at one of the big old oak clawfoots scattered about the space. When your dinner table is ready, they'll shout your name. And here's where you'll become even more of a god to your kids than you already are: You'll sit down to see deer happily grazing just inches from your window. It's not some fluke of nature: The Inn puts out food for the animals and has outdoor lighting to make sure guests stay entertained well into the evening. Think of it as Sussex County's finest (only?) dinner theater.
Walpack's food is nothing spectacular, but certainly acceptable and just right for families. There's a Seventies style salad bar, a relatively reasonable menu featuring corny standbys like prime rib, teriyaki chicken breasts and shrimp cocktail. And there's a decent kids' menu, too. Best of all is the crusty, hearty, whole grain bread they serve up in slabs with sweet butter on everyone's table. It's so well loved, the restaurant sells loaves to take home and even prepackaged mixes so you can whip it up yourself. Top it all off with dessert, collapse back into the car, and by the time you arrive home and rouse your sleepy kids, you'll feel you've been away for a week.
Wanna Go? Need to Know:
Getting There: Stokes State Forest is a huge area in northwestern NJ. The spot I'm talking about is called the Stony Lake Day Use Area/Kittle Field. It is a solid hour and fifteen minutes from Montclair, heading out 80 West to Exit 34B and up along Route 15 which turns into 206. For more detailed directions, click here: http://www.nynjtc.org/ and type "kittatinny ridge stokes state forest" into the search function. To get from Stokes to the restaurant DO NOT use your GPS. It may very well take you on a backwoods road toward Tillman Ravine WHICH IS CLOSED during the winter months. You're best off calling the restaurant ahead of time and asking them for directions from the main entrance of Stokes State Forest on Route 206: 973-948-3890.
Trail Tips: The Stony Lake Day area is a fine spot for a romp during cold weather. When it's warm, there are tons of other trails to try out. A good, relatively easy one for agile kids about 8 and up is Tillman Ravine. You can get info by Googling it or going to the aformentioned http://www.nynjtc.org/.
When to Go: The Walpack Inn is generally only open during the winter on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. It may be open an extra night during the summer. Not sure. The restaurant only takes reservations for groups of eight or more and it does tend to get busy. The earlier you go, the better if you don't like waiting. If you want to sit by the window for prime deer watching, you'll wait longer than if you'll take any old seat that comes along. Either way, we've never waited longer than 45 minutes and it's such a fun place, it doesn't really matter. Just build that time into your plans so your kids don't go mad with hunger. This is a great outing all year long, except perhaps in the dead of snowy winter. During cold weather, when it gets dark earlier, we tend to leave Montclair about 2:15, which gets us to Stokes by about 3:30 and gives us about an hour to romp around. We get to the restaurant by about 5:00 and after a wait for a table, sit down around 5:15 to 5:30.
What to Bring: We sometimes bring a change of clothes for dinner but not a must at all. This place is pretty laid back. You might want to bring cards, dominos, Take Two tiles, or whatever to keep the kids and yourselves amused while you wait for a table.
Costs/Services: Off season there is no entry fee at Stokes. Entrees at the Walpack run between about $23 to $29. But servings are generous and come with bread and salad bar. Meals can easily be split. The kids menu is very reasonable. Their web site is: http://www.walpackinn.com/.
Fear Factor: None. Except fear of waiting for a table. But don't fret. Just factor this in as part of the adventure.
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