Recently...

Happy Bull Pizza is a pop-up operation run by one guy named Felix who comes to 2 of our favorite breweries: Finback Queens and Grimm.  He has a varied menu, and can make something not on this menu if he has the time, and the inclination LOL.  This is the margherita, and if you are trying ANY pizza ANYWHERE for the first time, please get the simplest.  That way you can truly judge the smell, flavor and texture.  If you like it, move on to variations.  This margherita is wonderfully crispy, yet perfectly chewy.  The sauce and cheese are mildly salty and just right.  The bottom is always cooked through. No weak spots.  Dough is hand-thrown for each pie you order!

Michael's favorite bake of mine are chocolate chip cookies (sometimes with other chips ie; espresso, white, Heath). This week I decided to make my favorite (which I make and eat less than once a year) shortbread.  I added espresso chips for an interesting change.  

Grilled chicken marinated in olive oil, rosemary and thyme (both growing in pots on our terrace).  I roast cherry/grape tomatoes in the oven with a head of garlic covered in olive oil, salt, pepper and pepper flake from our friend Steve (who grows his own, then dries them and crushes them). You cannot compare this to dried packaged hot pepper.

Pork stir-fry with julienned veggies and couscous.  Marinated-thinly sliced pork, carrots, bean sprouts, scallions.

Everyone's favorite, pappardelle with mushrooms and onions in cream sauce.  I think there's a video on here somewhere of us making ravioli with the mushrooms and onions inside...

Chicken cacciatore. Needs no explanation :)

YES, I am retired and I spend my time MY WAY, which includes cooking whatever and whenever I want.  It's dreamy!!!

Ithaca, Oneonta, Sandy and Dee's

A lot has been going on in the past few weeks:

Michael and I went to Ithaca to bring Kaa to his new home.  Very successful endeavor. He's already shed and eaten in his new home!

While visiting with Margo and Mike we went to an Oktoberfest of sorts on the Commons.  There were vendors with local beer and wine and food.  We drank a bit from here and there, then walked over to the Bangwagon Pub (http://www.bandwagonbeer.com/index.html) for a late lunch/early dinner.  Their friend Doug joined us too.  We had:  Spanakopita, Ginger-scallion-pork dumplings, Shrimp bisque, Chipotle chicken sandwich and Beer battered catfish.  Two flights of beer and a raspberry-jalapeno beer too.  All was good and company better!

We strolled the Commons afterwards and found a new store:  F. Oliver's (http://folivers.com/). They sell oils and vinegars and none of the stuff that detracts from their products like soap and candles.  Wow!  The people that work there were wonderful.  Helpful, friendly, funny and kind.  They have more than 40 kinds of oils and vinegars and we tried many.  You can sample whatever you like.  We especially loved the Sweet Rich Cherry dark balsamic vinegar and the Fresh Pressed Meyer Lemon extra virgin olive oil.  Most bottles are $15 and there are also gift packages of 4 small bottles for $20.  We will be back!

We left Ithaca after a quick visit from Jesse :) and headed out early Sunday morning to Oneonta to visit with Sarah, Glenn, Eileen, Emily and Rich.  We had brunch at the Autumn Cafe (http://www.autumncafe.com/).  They have a great specials menu on a large blackboard.  We had:  Eggs Benedict, one with spinach and one with Canadian bacon; Blueberry pancakes; Challah french toast; tons of bacon, coffee and hot chocolate.  We had a great time with our closest friends!  We left soon afterwards hoping to avoid the beginning of Hurricane Sandy, and we were successful.

While we were home for the following week during and after Sandy, I cooked:  Chicken Cacciatore and turkey chili on Monday and Tuesday which we shared with Jill and Lenny.  Lamb chops on Wednesday and cutlets on Thursday.  We went out to dinner on Friday with Jill, Lenny and her sister Karen, who Michael referred to as "our sister in law" during introductions to Dee and Arman (very sweet).  We had brick oven pizza (yum), salad, fried calamari and artichoke-spinach dip, rosemary turkey burger, wine and cocktails and a big ass margarita for Michael.  So fun!

Saturday night we had Glenn and Eileen over for dinner.  They have been without electricity since Sandy.  They were so sick of pizza and take out so they were happy to eat:  Prime rib roast; rigatoni with pink sauce and peas and mesclun salad with goat cheese, beets and bacon in a Dijon vinaigrette.  More wine, beer and scotch.  Cherry cheesecake and Pizza Crumb for dessert.  It was a great evening.  The 4 of us rarely spend time together. 

Sunday I made Jill's grandma's Jewish wedding soup.  Last night Michael had leftovers and tonight is chicken and string beans sauteed with soy, garlic and ginger.

And that's all folks!!!

Since Monday

Monday night, Jesse ate with us again. We had steak, cous cous and Greek salad. He left Tuesday afternoon after an hour or so of Target shopping for odds and ends that he wanted to take back to school. I miss him and will be very happy to have him home (and the rest of our family) for Thanksgiving!

Tuesday night Michael and I went to Joe's Shanghai in Flushing with Jill, Lenny and Brett. Of course we shared everything: 2 orders of pork and crab soup dumplings, moo shu chicken, shrimp and scallops in garlic sauce, shrimp fried rice and scallion pancakes.

Wednesday night I made chicken cacciatore with broccoli rabe on the side. After dinner we went out to Syms near Roosevelt Field to pick up Michael's suits that were altered so he would have them in time for Sarah's sweet sixteen party Friday night. After Syms, we went to Chili's for Presidente Margaritas (the only margaritas I like). Fun! A mini date night!

Tonight we are eating all the leftovers in the fridge (plus salad).

Friday is Sarah's party, Saturday is The Counting Room in Williamsburg with Dina and Dmitry and Sunday is the new location of Dinosaur BBQ uptown with the Wisners.

Woo Who...

I Know, I Know!

I am slacking off again. Not my usual style I admit, but it seems to be the wave of the summer season.

I am not cooking as much, or hardly ever, I should say. We don't sit down for dinner as a family at 7pm every week night anymore. Things in the kitchen are different.

This week I made chicken cacciatore, chicken sausage with broccoli rabe and turkey burgers with Greek salad. But we ate them at our own pace and not necessarily together. I guess I felt there needed to be food available for my boys.

I even went food shopping last, after we ate Tex-Mex takeout, at 8pm. It's nice when there are very few people in the store! Stop and Shop (or as Jill and I call it: Stop and Steal - because they are so expensive, it feels as if you've been stolen from) is open until midnight. Trader Joe's until 10pm. Who knew?

Last week we went to the Furthur concert at Coney Island with Jill and Lenny. Joe, the B-Man and Jerry showed up too. We even saw Andy Dymond and friends. But the show itself was not the music, it was the parking lot. What a scene! Straight out of a movie. The sixties are alive and well and still following the Dead. Of course, I had to have a Nathan's hot dog (with mustard and sauerkraut). It was just as I remembered from the last time I had one (maybe 2-3 years ago). Crunchy, yummy, greasy...didn't much like it later...but every 3 years it ain't so bad :)

This weekend is beach...beach...beach. It will be hot and maybe we'll stay one night to BBQ. July 4 at the Shapiros!!!! Yummy food, best friends, can't wait!

Saturday Afternoon

Since I last wrote, I made chicken cacciatore for dinner one night and breakfast of eggs, bacon and toast this morning.

Last night we went to dinner with Joe and Denise at El Quijote on 23rd Street. Yummy! garlic soup, clams quijote, manchego cheese with olives, salad, arroz con pollo, lobster paella, cafe con leche and yucky apple pie :(

Company was totally worthwhile!

Today was a wash out of sorts, weather wise. Later this afternoon we are going to Leslie's for a BBQ and bringing wine (what else?). That will be fun!

Tomorrow Barbara and Paul are having a graduation party for Jackie, Joey and Katie at Dee's. I am looking forward to good food, good wine and mostly good friends! Congratulations to all the graduates!