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.

Wo Hop Upstairs not Down

Downstairs at Wo Hop is for tourists and high school kids.  I should know, that's where we went at all hours of the evening and wee hours of the morning for Chinese food when we were in high school.  Now you see the tourists lining up on the stairs and on the sidewalk.

So we go to Wo Hop upstairs just a few doors down.  They have separate kitchens and their food is not the same in both locations.

Last night Michael and I drove into Chinatown, parked on Bayard Street and walked up Mosco Street (they film here often) to Mott Street.  We had:  Hot and sour soup for two (with tomatoes and peas-odd I know, but really good) however, sweeter than usual; fried vegetable dumplings; roast pork fried rice (that is brown, not yellow as it is in Forest Hills); eggplant in garlic sauce and clams with black bean sauce. All was yummy!

Tonight I am making chicken sausage (on the stove) and roasting Brussels sprouts with mirepoix and bacon ends (from Trader Joe's) in the oven.

I will probably cook Wednesday and Thursday as well, but Friday night we are going to my favorite "restaurant" in Forest Hills: Denise and Joe's!

Have a good week.

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 :)

Last Week

Jerk Chicken

Monday was chicken cutlets with panko breading, baby spring mix with goat cheese, beets and dijon vinaigrette.

Tuesday was chicken sausage, peppers, onions and a wedge salad on the side.

Wednesday was a flat iron steak with carrots, butter and rosemary and portobello mushroom caps.

Thursday was Jerk chicken with sauteed broccoli and cauliflower with garlic, oil, red pepper and bread crumbs.

Friday night Michael went to see the Jerry Garcia band at Brooklyn Bowl and I went out to Leslie's for pizza, and to see her dad, Bruce, since he just had a stint put in and he's doing very well!

Saturday night...how can I explain this without peeing in my pants?  Michael and I had a coupon for Piccolo Italia on Metropolitan Avenue.  It's the only reason we went and we'd never go again.  Picture walking in to an Italian restaurant and the only Italians there are Michael and possibly myself :)  The host was Indian (possibly), the servers are Indian and Russian (maybe), the tablecloths are green (yes, it was St. Patrick's Day but still), the guy singing, yes singing with a microphone no less, is Indian with a screaming Kelly green sequined vest--and he's singing--wait for it--Frank Sinatra.  Can you believe we actually witnessed all this and still sat down?  Anyway, cold antipasto was iceberg lettuce topped with sliced salami and ham, cold tomatoes with mozzarella cheese and a handful of jalapenos (seriously).  I ordered a pizza because I was afraid of everything else and it was just as good as Stoufer's frozen.  Michael had chicken cardenalle (some made up name) with red peppers in a cream sauce that was not too bad.

We did leave immediately after we ate.  The singer was killing us, we couldn't stop laughing.  Needless to say, just walk on by.  We did note, however, that a few doors down, a Turkish places will be opening soon and that we will definitely try.

Have a good week!

Kinda Slow

It's quiet, that's for sure! No job yet, but I will send out another batch of resumes this week. I am branching out from 11374 and 11375 schools. We'll see what happens.

Kinda slow in the food department. Last night I made Michael chicken sausage over spinach and I ate vegetable soup.

I may go food shopping later so I'll see what I can get for tonight's dinner.

I have planned a few dinners: Chicken Riggies (from Rachel Ray), Chicken Marsala, Shrimp and Chorizo, Spanakopita, Leslie's Roasted Chicken, Balsamic Chicken and Arroz con Pollo. You know how those plans go :) Eventually they will all come to fruition, but who knows when...

Friday night we are going to Dumont in Brooklyn with Joe and Denise and Tom and Monica. We are hoping to be able to sit outside, depends upon the weather.

This weekend is the last beach club weekend. They turn off the electricity on Sunday. So that means we will clean out and be gone Sunday afternoon until next May 1 :(

Have a nice day!

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!

Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday

All week cooking. Well almost. Monday night Michael and I went suit shopping and to Vincent's!!

Tuesday night I made chicken sausage with broccoli rabe. Usually I take the sausage out of it's casing, but this time I did not. I browned them, added the veggies, garlic, olive oil and red pepper (from Steve Shapiro's garden), then covered the pan and let it steam.

Wednesday night I tried my hand at homemade pizza dough (flour, oil, salt, yeast, water) and made pizza (with fresh mozzarella) and pizza knots.

Tonight I made rosemary-garlic turkey burgers with Greek salad and Greek lemon potatoes.
All very yummy and Michael takes great photos of our dinners!!

Tomorrow night we're going to Citi Field (the new Shea Stadium). I've never been, but heard they have great new food options! I am obviously not going for the game (Let's Go Mets, anyway).

Saturday we will be at our friend Leslie's in Huntington for her son Louis' 18th birthday. Fun with friends! Always a great time!

Oh My God!

I have to stop! Tonight's dinner was great (if I do say so myself).

Risotto Bianco with onion, garlic, white wine, butter and parm-regg. Near Heaven!

Then, chicken sausage with broccoli rabe. A family favorite.

We finished off with apple tart. The crust was very similar to shortbread, and I simmered the apple slices before baking with butter, sugar and raisins soaked in amaretto.

We almost never have dessert and I rarely bake (only at Thanksgiving, when Chrysalis and I go crazy).

Friday night, Barbara and I are taking Jennie out to dinner for her birthday. Jennie is choosing the restaurant, Tapas in Astoria I believe. I will let you know.

Saturday night is Brooklyn Bowl. I have no idea where we're eating, but rest assured, you will find out!

Have a nice weekend!