exceeding the speed limit

Cheese Fondue, and a giveaway, too.

As I sit here in my kitchen, it's a nippy 47 degrees outside (that's 8 c for all you international folk). The inside of my house, not much warmer.  I think I may need some gloves to finish this post.  Anywhoo, fall is finally here!  How better to spend a chilly night than sharing a warm cheese fondue?  It's quite social.  My family loves fondue of all kinds - it's an appi, dinner or dessert.  No better way to get kids to eat broccoli than by covering it with a good, smelly cheese sauce!

Fondue, by origin, is a Swiss dish, it's name derived from the French verb "fondre" meaning "to melt".  Sometimes I just grab some from Trader Joe's and add a little garlic and beer, but for a really big indulgence I go to Left Bank where they offer an over the top brie, goat and blue cheese fondue.  I'm salivating just thinking of it - only ever had one other entree on their menu!  While toasty little slices of bread offer enough satisfaction for me, we serve anything from sliced green and red apples, to sauteed mushrooms, portobellos, or blanched cauliflower, asparagus and broccoli.

For dessert?  Try dipping a rice krispy treat in a warmed pot of dark chocolate and cream.  Bananas, strawberries or shortbread.  Are you picking up what I'm laying down?  The options are only limited to that of your imagination!

So here is where it get's really exciting.  I have a fabulous, brand spanking new Rachael Ray Cookware fondue pot from Cookware.com.  For your chance to win do the following:  Leave a comment on this page and check out my link to the Rachael Ray collection.  If you have a blog, link this post on your blog.  If you don't have a blog, share this with a friend and let me know via email.  The winner will be notified on October 20th!  Winner will get to choose one fondue pot from from the three colors above and prize can be shipped to any US or Canadian address.

How's that to pick you up on a Monday?

Brie, Goat and Gorgonzola Cheese Fondue

1 6-8 oz wedge brie, rind removed (triple cream is best)

6 oz. mild Chevre (goat cheese), cut into small cubes

6 oz. crumbled Gorgonzola

1/2 c. heavy cream

1 clove garlic, cut in half

In heavy saucepan, rub all sides with garlic halves.  Over very low heat, melt all cheeses.  When cheese is thoroughly melted, add cream.  Season with salt and pepper.  Add to fondue pot.   Serve with toasted bread or bread cubes.

The Big Reveal....

You MUST check back tomorrow for my big announcement.  I'll give you a hint.  It's a give-away.  I love free!  So excited.  Details to come!

xx

All the juicy details

You know how I say that I don't really have a favorite anything?  Mostly true, petite lie, but when it comes to beef I LOVE filet mignon.  True favorite.  Since we don't consume large quantities of red meat, every once in a while I crave a big burger, or a juicy steak.

All I have to say about steak is that really, when you get a good cut of meat you don't need anything but that well seasoned cut of meat.  A little beef lesson here...the highest grade of beef you can buy is "Prime".  There are also "Choice" and "Select".  There are also a couple of grades that are such crap that they use it n stuff like pot pies and frozen dinners, etc. Basically the USDA grades beef by a very complicated set of guidelines.  The higher the marbling in younger beef produces better quality meat.  Pretty much everyone in the US has a Costco, and although it may seem like you have to buy nearly a side of beef, it is the best meat around and a heck of a lot cheaper than any grocery.  The best part is that it is USDA Prime, baby!

Cooking lesson deux...when thickening a sauce with butter and flour there are two ways to do so.  The first is a roux.  Roux is an equal parts mixture of butter and all-purpose flour that is cooked to let the gluten expand and liquids are added/whisked into it to create sauce or a thickened soup, etc.  Beurre manié is also made of softened butter and flour, but you add it to your liquid.  It gives you more control over how thick you want your sauce.  The butter keeps the flour evenly distributed and prevents little white clumps of flour.  Plus, butter is just so good and finishes sauces in a tasty round way.

In my humble opinion, a perfectly cooked filet is the ultimate dinner.  No sides or sauce needed, but last night I made a sauce very similar to one I do for a roasted beef tenderloin.  So yummy.  Wanna bite?

Filet Mignon with Port, Wine and Roasted Shallot Sauce

4 slices center cut bacon

4 shallots, sliced thin

2 cups good quality red wine (I used Pilar Box Red, which is a really nice shiraz/cab/merlot blend, 90 pts Wine Spectator and is 8.99!)

1 cup Ruby Port

1 cup beef broth

3 TBSP softened butter

3 TBSP all-purpose flour

salt

white pepper

In small bowl mix flour and butter until completely mixed.  Set aside.

In large saute pan, cook bacon over medium high heat until crispy. Remove and set aside.  Add shallots to hot bacon drippings and cook until tender, about 3 minutes.  Add wine and port and reduce to about 1 cup.  Add warmed beef broth to wine/shallot mixture.  Whisk in beurre manie 1 TBSP at a time, increasing heat and bringing liquid to a low boil after each addition.  Keep adding buerre manie until sauce coats the back of a wooden spoon, or until desired thickness is reached.  Crumble cooked bacon and add to sauce.  Add salt and white pepper to taste.  Ladle over grilled filets just before serving.  Serves 6.

Oh don't stop reading....please!  I have some exciting news.  I have been offered a giveaway!  Yeah, me.  They asked me!  Crazy, but on Monday I will reveal the details.  Stay tuned this weekend for a few more tasty bites.

On this day....

Oh snap!  Just when I need my scanner it doesn't work....so no wedding pic today!

October 1, 1994 Corona Del Mar, California

My first summer in D.C., I met a guy at a bar called the Summer House.  It was in Dewey Beach, DE, where everyone goes for the summer.  His name was Doug.  I thought he was the only guy in the bar that looked like a boy from Cali - ala Jason Priestly from 90210.  Most guys on the east coast looked a little pasty and brunette for my liking - no offense to east coast guys.  Four years later I married him

It's been a year of big events - I turned 40 and have been married 15 years!   Holy canoli I don't feel that old. 

D-You are my rock.  You are my balance.  You are an amazing dad, friend and husband more than you know.  Your enthusiasm and humor inspire. Your faithfulness steadfast. Somehow the last 19 years together have flown by.  I'm more than blessed to be married to you!  As Frankie sings..."The Best is Yet to Come!" 

All my love,

D

Tonight we are going to have a big, yummy dinner with the kids.  I'm making Fillet with a Port-Shallot reduction.  Stay tuned tomorrow for a juicy post and a BIG announcement. (no, I'm not pregnant)

plain and simple

I love contrast.  It's so happy. 

Sometimes I just crack myself up...

We live in a cheery little town called Willow Glen.  Nice little downtown with cute shops, a Jamba Juice, a Starbuck's, Peet's and a Noah's bagel.  People keep their yards manicured and at Christmastime everyone puts up a tree with the same lights in their front yard exactly 13 feet from the curb.

One thing bugs me, tho.  Sometimes people put unwanted furniture, etc with a sign that says free on it on their curb.  In most cases the unwanted items become treasures to lord knows who and they are gone pretty quickly...but not always.

Enter my friend, Gil.  She had two well used and weathered, slightly broken director's chairs on her curb.  FOR LIKE 3 WEEKS!  I had to tell her that she should throw them in the trash.  They continued to sit out in the rain, wind and blistering sun.

On Mother's Day this year I found this on my front porch

with a huge sign that read "Happy Mother's Day!"

SO i kept it.  And guess who's birthday is today?  Yup.  There is nothing wood glue, tape and spray paint can't fix!

The best part is that she had no idea why I would give her a directors chair with a bad paint job!  Tee hee.  Happy Birthday Gillian!

The Office

Welcome to my new office.  I've always wanted an office with a view.  Ok, so maybe it was Doug's Father's Day gift, but I'm creating a "she space" out of it for 1/2 hour a day.  Even comes with free Wi-fi.  If I had a remote for the washing machine I could go full time...  :)

I've mentioned before that I'm ADD.  I used to say it as a joke to explain my erratic and tangent-y thought process, but then I was actually tested and, presto, part of my brain was explained!  If you've never experienced that feeling you wouldn't understand the idea of sitting alone, with your thoughts, for an entire 1/2 hour.  Oh look, there's a bird.  I should grab my camera.  EASILY distracted.  So, I'm making an effort to sit still (gentle rocking is ok :))  I turn some super mellow music on and then focus on my daydreams.  Focus on my Christmas lists.  Pray.   Mix food flavors.  Pretend I'm travelling in another country.  Create ideas and run with them...all in the comfort of my very own head. 

And the view....

The sky is the limit!  No gray cubicle walls here.

How about you?  Do you ever actually sit and dream?  Sit and meditate or pray?  How the heck do you fit it in?  What do you dream about?

Busted!

This....

plus this....

equals??? 

I really try NOT to complain about Dewey.  He really is doing the best he can, right?   What can I say?  He's a foodie.

Snickerdoodles and a Playdate

We have a little rule around our house.  No playdates during the week.  There's just too much going on.  BUT, on Friday the kiddos are out of school early and everyone gets to hang with who they want.

I have a new friend that has two little ones.  Two years ago I probably would have given her a nice tap on the back, said "Nice to meet you" and sent her on her way.  Well time changes things.  I've always loved kids.  It's kinda fun watching the little ones and not being worn out!  Doug and I used to offer to babysit our friends' kids before we were even married.  Damn, I timed that all wrong, cuz by the time we had kids, they were all in different states!

Along come Jordan and Micah.  Two lovely little ones.  When we went to Bass Lake I got to hold them both and both took a little nap on my lap!  Oh, gosh I forgot how good a babe in arms feels!  I'm gonna love being a grandma!!  Ok, a little premature there, but you get the picture.  Jordan asked her mom for a playdate with ME.  Lucky me.  Of course you can come play with me!

(look at those eyes!  don't be jealous, doug, but he is my new bf!)

While little brother was v. intently playing trains, we made Snickerdoodles.  And, as luck would have it, she said she would come back again! 

Snickerdoodles

(adapted from mom's recipe)

1/2 c. salted butter at room temp

1/2 c. vegetable shortening

1 1/2 c. sugar (reserve 1/4 c. for cinnamon mixture)

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

3 c. flour

2 tsp cream of tarter

1 tsp. soda

1/2 tsp. salt

2 TBSP cinnamon (for cinnamon sugar mixture)

Preheat oven to 350.  Cream together butter, shortening and sugar.  Add eggs one at a time beating well after each addition.  In a separate bowl, mix all dry ingredients (except cinnamon).  Add slowly to butter/sugar mixture.  

Mix together remaining sugar and cinnamon.

Roll into 1' balls.  Cover completely in cinnamon sugar mixture and place on cookie sheet.  Bake for 10-15 minutes until very light golden.

Brainless Dinner

Everyone needs an easy dinner on the run recipe to fall back on...

Confession:  I disdain cookbooks with no pictures.  If I can see what it's supposed to look like, I can make it - even if I don't quite follow the recipe.  Having said that, if you can follow directions with this simple dish, you don't need a picture!  You can pawn this one off on one of your kids to make.  With a few key ingredients you can have dinner in the over in 10 minutes and on your table in 30!

Brainless Lasagna

1 jar marinara sauce

2 packages square raviolis (any flavor)

1 16 oz package shredded mozzarella cheese

preheat oven to 350

Spray a 9x13 glass baking pan with nonstick spray.  Spread thin layer of tomato sauce on bottom of pan.  Make a flat layer of raviolis.  Add another layer of sauce, followed by cheese.  Repeat layers.  Top with cheese and bake at 350 covered for about 35-40 minutes or until bubbling.  Serve with one of those bagged salads that's already made, too!

Variations:  Add a layer of bechamel sauce.  Throw a layer of thinly sliced veggies, ie squash or spinach.