Food Glorious Food

At Home:

Sundried tomato chicken sausage with sauteed Brussels Sprouts made with mirepoix, garlic and oil!

Dry rubbed chicken drumsticks (salt, pepper, garlic, smoked Spanish paprika) finished with jerk sauce and broccoli with garlic and oil on the side!

Pork tenderloin with salad:  Mesclun greens with goat cheese, beets, bacon and homemade Dijon vinaigrette!

Chicken Marsala with a wedge salad:  Iceberg, cut cherry tomatoes, bacon and homemade blue cheese dressing (blue cheese, buttermilk, sour cream, mayo, salt, pepper and a splash of vinegar!

Out:

We went to Cafe Mogador in Williamsburg (http://www.cafemogador.com/williamsburgh.html) with Joe and Denise.  We had:  Sauteed shrimp with garlic; falafel; cheese with hummus; Arabic salad (same as Israeli salad). Then:  Moroccan fish tagine (sea bass in spicy tomato broth with veggies); chicken tagine; mixed grill; they all came with basmati rice or cous cous.  Turkish coffee too!

The service was very good, they offered us our choice of tables, filled our water glasses, cleared dishes, offered desert, etc...Space is lovely both inside and out.  A few items we wanted were no longer available, and on a Saturday night at 7pm, that shouldn't have been the case. However, a repeat visit is worth the trip, especially with the company :)

Afterwards, we stopped by The Meatball Shop (http://www.themeatballshop.com/), not for meatballs but for dessert.  Michael wanted to try their Ice Cream Sandwich:  Freshly baked chocolate chip cookies with espresso ice cream.  Yum at $5 each.  The place was packed.  Maybe we'll try the meatballs next time.

Another Week of Jury Duty and Dinners

Today was my twelfth day of jury duty at Queens criminal court in Kew Gardens.  The other jurors and I have become friends. We play crosswords and other games while we wait (and wait (and wait) (and wait) (and wait) for court time to catch up with reality time.

Dinners this week have been:  Turkey burgers and Greek salad; chicken sausage, penne  and broccoli with garlic and oil; chicken marsala with sauteed spinach; and leftovers.  Tonight is undecided as are Saturday and Sunday.
Monday is back to jury duty.  Have a good weekend :)

Christmas is Coming!

We were able to spend another great few days with our family after Thanksgiving. Margo, Mike and Chrysalis came down from Ithaca last weekend so we could all go see Ryan perform in the Purchase Dance Company's Nutcracker. It was wonderful to see Ryan dance on a big stage. He is dancing again in February and also in April, so we will have more chances to see him and be proud!

Friday I went to see the tree at Rockefeller Center, the Christmas shops at Bryant Park, the Christmas shops at Grand Central and watched the skaters. Ate at Two Boots Pizza (not bad, first time there). Got into the Christmas spirit. The city always looks so beautiful when it's dressed up for the holidays!

Saturday afternoon we saw Ryan's performance. In the evening we went to Katz' Deli for way yummy pastrami, corned beef, hot dogs, pickles...and to The Mercury Lounge to see Sim Redmond. The band is great and Margo and Mike dancing are fun to watch too.

Family left Sunday after Michael and I made challah French toast. Last night we had a big salad with grilled chicken (shared with Jill too). Tomorrow I am making chicken marsala. Friday is up in the air. I am thinking about going to Barosa. We also need to get our Christmas tree from Joe and Denise's basement sometime this weekend.

Saturday night is Glenn and Eileen's annual Christmas ornament party. I am making Old Bay wings. It will be a fun night! Friends, food, wine, ornament exchange and laughter.

Next week I will officially go Christmas shopping (began on line already) in the stores. And Friday, December 17 our baby boy comes home from college for winter break for five weeks. I get all the hugs I want :)

Then we will continue the pleasure of our closest friends for dinners, conversation and holiday cheer!

Spanakopita

Chicken Marsala on Monday was good.

Spanakopita on Tuesday was better.

First I sauteed onions in olive oil.

Then I mixed the onions with spinach, eggs, feta cheese, salt and pepper.








Then I layered and buttered and layered and buttered 8 sheets of phyllo (or filo, if you prefer) dough in the bottom of a lasagna pan, added the spinach mixture, then layered and buttered and layered and buttered 8 more sheets of phyllo on top.

Then baked and ate and shared with Jill too :)

Last night we went to Dee's with Denise and shared an Aphrodite pizza (mozzarella, feta, tomato sauce, spinach and calamata olives).

Tonight Barbara and Jennie are taking me to Sato for my birthday!

Friday night we are eating at My Moon with Joe and Denise!

Saturday we'll be at Glenn and Eileen's for a birthday dinner for me and Leslie!

Sunday we are visiting my brother at his new house.

So busy, so nice!

Rest is for the weary...which I will be next week :)

Friday Night

Friday night we went to Dumont (http://www.dumontrestaurant.com/) with Joe and Denise and Tom and Monica.

Service is friendly, wine list a bit pricey but we found a Cal Siscon 2004 Monstant -Cabernet Sauvignon, Garnacha, Cariñenanice cabernet-for $44 and had 2 bottles.

We had: Marinated beet salad with Greek yogurt, roasted red pepper, feta, arugula and a sherry vinaigrette; Crispy baby artichokes with preserved lemon, herbs, Parmesan, arugula and garlic dressing; DuMont salad with Danish blue, radish, haricots vert, pecans and balsamic vinaigrette; Peekytoe crab cake with tomatillo, avocado salad and cilantro; Smoked barbecued spare ribs St. Louis-style with ginger molasses; Dayboat cod with sweet corn, fava bean, cherry tomato and pancetta; Rock shrimp & cavatelli with stewed heirloom cherry tomato, arugula and aioli; DuMac & cheese made with cheddar, Gruyere, Parmesan, bacon and radiatore pasta; The Dumont burger; and a side of sauteed spinach. Dessert was: Blueberry Crumble made with blueberry compote, streusel topping and mascarpone ice cream and Vanilla Panna Cotta made with rhubarb & strawberry compote and candied pistachios.

The big hits were the Mac & Cheese and the Blueberry Crumble (in my opinion). Every thing was good. There was only one problem and it was very telling (in my opinion): Michael asked for sauteed onions on his Dumont burger and the chef said NO. What the fuck is that about?

Anywho...Saturday was our last beautiful day at the beach :( Later we went to Barosa for one of our favorite meals: First, their bread basket is out of this world, then we shared a chopped salad, a stuffed artichoke and a Barosa calamari. Michael finished with chicken scarpariello. If the 2 women sitting next to us at the bar and (because there's a conspiracy) also sitting behind us at dinner could have shut up for at least five seconds, it would have been a better meal!

Sunday we cleaned out the cabana with Roy and Laurie and came home for all of our leftovers in the fridge for dinner.

Last night I made Michael Chicken Marsala. Photo to come :)

Tonight is Spanakopita, tomorrow Arroz con Pollo. Then cooking is finished until next Monday...

This Week

Monday night Michael brought home Greek salad, gyro, souvlaki, etc. from Fontana Gyros (http://www.fontanagyros.com). One of our favorite places to eat or take out. Absolutely nothing fancy going on here. Just good food.

Tuesday night I made Chicken Marsala, penne with garlic and oil and kale simmered with tomatoes and garlic (kale was amazing). With the leftover kale and tomatoes, I added cannelini beans and a bit of chicken broth. That was lunch for me the next day (super yummy).

Wednesday night, Michael was at a Little League meeting, so Jesse and I ordered in from Taco King on 108th Street. He had four (4) beef and cheese soft tacos and I had a cheese and guacamole quesadilla.

Tonight I will be at a meeting at FHHS to hire a new Assistant Principal, so the boys are on their own.

The weekend evenings are wide open, during both days Michael will be at the fields for Opening Day :)

xo and enjoy the sunshine and warmth while it lasts...

Belated Valentine's Day

Tuesday night was our belated Valentine's Day dinner with Denise and Joe and Penny and Joe. Going out on Valentine's Day is a nightmare no one wanted to endure. We went to FINO in Bayside. Tapas, wine, and good conversation with good friends.

The food was really good. Scallops with mushroom risotto was the best (in my opinion), garlic shrimp, salad, carmelized onion soup, grilled baby octopus, rigatoni with chicken and skirt steak (I may have left something out) were all good. The sea bass left much to be desired and the lemon and chocolate desserts were nothing to talk about.

They also did not have the wine I was looking for. It must be me! Maybe I should BYOB and pay the corkage.......

Tonight I made chicken marsala (Emeril's recipe). It was a big hit with Michael and Jesse (I know it's crazy that I taste the sauce, but won't eat the chicken-maybe not so crazy for me.....). Michael took a picture for my blog, click the image for a larger photo.

Tomorrow is grilled steak with horseradish sauce (made from scratch from the root itself).

The weekend looks bleak food-wise. One of my best friend's dad just passed away, so I will be with her and food will not be on my mind. However, I found myself making escarole and white beans today. One of my absolute favorite foods, and as it turns out, one of Barbara's dads favorites too.

xo,
Jan