Picky eater

When you've had a crazy day, when you've been to ten stores and still can't find sneakers for your kids' first day back to school, and when these same kids somehow - really, it's beyond me - picked a rather large tear into a second leather dining chair, and the doors you've painted twice need an unfortunate third coat, I'd say it's a good time to recharge with a plate of homemade food.

Funny thing, the other day I made meatballs and decided to use up a gravy powder mix uselessly sitting around my spice rack, to accompany these little organic meaty morsels. One by one we took our first bites. We went back for a second. We couldn't place it right away... it just tasted so, fake. Needless to say, I threw out the rest of that powdery yuck, and will stick to homemade. Always. Period.

Who needs packaged food when basic steak, grilled chicken, or even sausage can be enjoyed with super fast, amazingly scrumptious mushrooms. Don't even try to make these low fat, diet, or whatever makes you feel good about eating. Packaged food is far worse nutrition than a little bacon fat.




Bacon Mushroom Saute

1 lb Cremini Mushrooms, sliced
8 slices Bacon, roughly chopped
1 medium Onion, finely chopped
2 tbsp Olive Oil
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh Chives

Heat the olive oil in a skillet on medium - high heat. Add the chopped bacon, saute until about half cooked.
Add the finely chopped onions, continue to cook on medium - high heat, stirring, until bacon is crisp and onions soft.
Toss in the sliced mushrooms. Give it a good stir, cook until the mushrooms are nicely browned. Remove from heat.
Stir in the chopped chives. Season with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste.

Now, enjoy!

Simple satisfaction

There is certain beauty in perfectly sculptured cakes, in cotton candy and foods made to look like another. Stunning in a much grander way, I often think, is nature put on a plate, with all it's colors and textures. It makes my mouth water and my tummy growl... roasting veggies either in the oven, or if you are much smarter than I this time of year, on the barbecue. I love getting a veggie craving, as it is easily satisfied, not only to the palate, but also to the eye.





Allow me to bring my kids into this once again - subject: Brussel Sprouts.

In a somewhat odd way I enjoyed the comments they were giving me at the grocery store as I picked out a few handfuls of what should be cute to most girls, as Brussel Sprouts are mini cabbages, after all. "Noooo, mom, you can't buy those!" (They have figured out that whatever lands in the cart, will also be a must try on their plates.) "Gross! Yuck!" It's a mystery to me why most of us shudder at the thought of these cute little green guys. That's me included: in 10 years of marriage, I've only cooked them twice. Not very often for a dedicated veggie lover. It's the color that draws me in, as it brings balance to my other red, brown and purple veggies. Yes, I do pick my veg according to color. It's a thing of beauty, one we can all achieve even if we're not talented cake designers.

If you love your slow cooker, you're going to love this: Veggies and sausage roast at the same temperature, for the same amount of time. And dinner is ready in 30 minutes, not 4 - 8 hours.





Start with 5 - 7 different vegetables, including mini potatoes, chopping each individual kind into 20-minute-cook-sizes. That's 1.5 cm thickness for potatoes, quarters for mushrooms, and chunky slivers of red onion. You get the idea. Grab some trusty olive oil, drizzle to lightly coat. Kosher salt, fresh black pepper. You can't beat flavour like this. Spread in a glass baking dish, bake at 425 F for 20 - 25 minutes, along side a baking dish with sausage in single file (uncovered). After roasting, drizzle the medley with just a little more olive oil. Yup, that's right, it's amazing! I do love to add a little coarse salt here, too, as it brings out especially the potato just that little bit more.

Now before I get any of this in motion, I always run out to my herb garden, to do a little snipping and chopping. Parsley can be super underrated, but I love adding it right at the end of cooking, as parsley adds a layer freshness like none other. I also love my chives, as you know, onions are near and dear to my heart. I save some of these herbs to stir into the roasted vegetables, but most of them I use for this yummy accompaniment:

1/4 cup real mayonnaise
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
2 tbsp horseradish
salt & pepper
few tablespoons of fresh chopped herbs

There's just more love on the plate with a sauce like this.


PS: The children ate all of the Brussel Sprouts, um, may I add, with no complaints (ok, not until after much convincing the first bite). You just never know until you try. My biggest surprise, was, my enjoyment of them... as roasting them with other vegetables creates a rather lovely Sprout.

Mushrooms and a little bread

There's no doubt about it - weeknight meals need to be made in a flash. Being a stay-at-home mom, however, not only is my world quite different from working moms, but so is my weeknight cooking. I can enjoy the luxury of spending 4 hours on a meal, if I so desire. Did I mention I love being a stay-at-home mom? Sure, there are sacrifices to be made. But so far I don't seem to be missing anything, so at home I will stay. It's the weekends which seem to require quick meals. Yet another luxury we enjoy is a husband, or daddy, who has every weekend off. We don't get much time with him during the week, but Saturday and Sunday is family time (when, of course, there isn't something in need of fixing in our semi-old home). We spent most of the day out, and when late afternoon rolled around, the inevitable question loomed: what should we make for dinner? To which hubby replies, let's order pizza! (GASP) Order pizza?! Not when there is fresh sage and thyme in the fridge, not to mention delicious mushrooms, mixed greens and homemade bread!

Dinner in 15 minutes:

Grab 2- 3 cups of mushrooms, wipe them with a damp cloth. Go to town and tear them up a little, no need to chop! Heat a large skillet on high, swirl in some olive oil. Add the mushrooms, cook for 2 - 3 minutes. Now grab a few red chili flakes, a sliced clove of garlic, a couple of sprigs fresh thyme and a handful fresh sage leaves. Salt, pepper, a knob of butter. Oh, yum! Slide the mushrooms into a bowl, add some more olive oil to the hot skillet. Plenty would be great. Slice up baguette style bread, place in the skillet. Flip after a couple of minutes, then toss shredded Jack cheese on the slices. Remove from pan when cheese has melted. Now to the completion of this meal: Half a cup of plain yogurt, a good swirl of olive oil, a couple of teaspoons cider vinegar, salt, pepper and a crushed clove of garlic = healthy, creamy, low sodium, no ingredients we can't pronounce salad dressing. Slice some tomatoes, add to mixed baby greens. Toss with a little, or a lot if you like - it's healthy after all - salad dressing. Oh, and there's always the option of delegating a significant other a couple of steaks which have been sprinkled with salt and fresh pepper, and sending him/her out for a visit with the barbecue.

Kraft dinner, what? Pizza, huh?! I bet I can make this meal faster than anyone can order and bring home pizza. Or cook out of a box.

Soups on, again!

Yes, I am about to do it again... get excited about soup, that is. I think my soup thing started as my babies grew to be toddlers and I was introduced to the world of picky eaters. Thankfully, I discovered early on that soups are an amazing opportunity to introduce veggies and even meat to kids who's taste buds are hyper sensitive and would rather not chew on something for hours. Sure it's messy for them to attempt to eat on their own, but who cares if you have to help feed them for just a little longer. Don't worry, this won't turn into a habit, as I don't know of any teenager or adult that would like their mommy to spoon feed them still! Every time a mom asks me what they should feed their finicky eater, without hesitation, I proclaim, Soup! Who doesn't love Cream of Broccoli? Or soft cooked carrots who's nutrients have made their way into a beautiful broth? Soup can be a balanced meal, too - protein can be delivered in so many different ways. Think beans, meat, poultry and dairy.

As the kids grow older, we can make soups a little more sophisticated, check out this Wild Rice and Mushroom Soup. We enjoy it quite often at our house. The wild rice is a little time consuming, however the rest is very simple to put together. Round this out with good bread and butter - stunning!

A gentle reminder to get your recipe entries in - just 5 more days to go until deadline!

Wild Rice and Mushroom Soup
Serves 6

1/2 cup wild rice, washed and drained - use a fine mesh sieve to drain the rice, if you have one

3 cups water

90g butter

100g Onion, chopped fine

150g carrot, cut into small cubes

70g flour

900ml chicken stock

30g butter

200g mushrooms, sliced

300ml milk, hot

to taste salt and white pepper
150ml heavy cream hot - optional

handful of finely chopped parsley

Place the washed rice with the 3 cups of water in a small saucepan. Bring to a rapid boil, then reduce heat to a low simmer and cook for 30 minutes. Take off the heat and let stand for another 20 - 30 minutes, until rice is tender. Drain and set aside.

Once you have boiled the rice, and it is now sitting off the burner, heat the butter in a large stock pot over low - medium heat.

Add the onion and carrot and saute for about 5 minutes, until just starting to become tender.
(Do not brown.)

Add the flour. Stir to combine (this is called a roux) and cook for about 2 - 3 minutes, stirring, but do not allow to get brown.

Gradually add the chicken stock, whisking to blend into the roux. Bring to a boil, continually whisking until thickened.

Lower the heat, allow the soup to gently simmer until there is no taste of raw flour, about 5 minutes.

If you are using home made chicken stock, you will need to skim the soup at this point - all this means is to skim the white bubbles off the top.

While the soup is simmering, heat the butter in a saute pan on medium heat and and add the mushrooms. Cook for about 5 minutes or until tender, then add them to the soup.

Stir the hot milk into the soup, and add the cooked and drained rice. Simmer for a couple of minutes, to heat through.

Season to taste with salt and white pepper.

Ladle into bowls and top with a swirl of hot cream (if using - I don't always do this) and top with a sprinkling of finely chopped parsley.

Creamy goodness in a bowl.

Risotto. If there something I love about the Italians, it is Risotto. I have made all sorts of these and seem to fall more and more in love with them! This Squash version is inspired by eatingwell.com - it delivers plenty of vitamins A and C along side it's stunning fall flavors. And even though we are headed for spring (what a nice thing to be able to say), I could eat squash in any season. The earthy mushrooms with the creamy rice bring comfort but I think they deliver it in style. Risotto, in my opinion, is simple to prepare and there's no reason to be daunted. After a few tries, I have discovered the right texture for it: lightly al dente, but not crunchy, and creamy but not gluey. Serve with a crisp white wine like a pinot grigio, and you've got yourself a nice meal!

The white wine in this risotto *could be* optional, but, I think it is that little extra something which brings it over the top. I have made it with and without, either way, the risotto received a standing "mmmmmmmmmm"!

Creamy Squash Risotto

Serves 4

5 cups reduced sodium chicken or vegetable broth (if you don't have reduced sodium, use 3 cups broth and 2 cups water)

2 tbsp olive oil

3 medium shallots, minced

3 cups peeled butternut squash, 1 cm pieces

2 cups shitake mushrooms (caps only, so buy more than 2 cups), sliced about 1/4 cm thin

1/2 tsp dried thyme

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

1 cup arborio rice

1/2 cup dry white wine

1/2 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Heat the broth in a saucepan, over medium high heat. Reduce the heat to keep the broth warm but not simmering.

Heat the olive oil in a wide, deep skillet. Add the shallots; cook, stirring, for about 1 minute. Stir in the squash and mushrooms; cook, stirring, for 5 minutes.

Add the thyme, salt and pepper, cook for 30 seconds.

Add the rice; stir until translucent, about 1 minute.

Add the wine and cook, stirring until almost absorbed by the rice, about 1 minute.

Stir in 1/2 cup of the hot broth at a time, cooking over gentle heat (just over low heat), stirring constantly, until all the liquid has been absorbed. Continue adding 1/2 cup of broth at time, stirring at all times, until all the liquid has been absorbed, and the rice is creamy and tender. This will take about 30 - 40 minutes. You may have broth left, or you may run out - if so, use hot water to finish it off.

Remove from heat and stir in the cheese.

Mamma Mia!

I am thrilled to finally be working with my new cook book, David Rocco's Dolce Vita. (I happen to have a pet dog named after this guy...) This does leave me a bit distracted from my pro books, but when is there a better time in the year than the dead of winter to eat healthy comfort food, which is even doable on the weekend?! This menu makes me want to get in the kitchen and COOK, but it's after bed time right now so it will have to wait, at least until tomorrow afternoon. Many of the recipes in this book simply list ingredients - no amounts, hardly any directions. Instead a little blurb explains the desired result, the aura of the dish if you will. And then it's all by feel, by knowing what you want out of your food. Here's what we'll be enjoying this week:

Risotto Spinaci di Orsala (Spinach Risotto)
with Pork Sausages and Salsa di Porcini (Porcini Sauce)



Salsa Bolognese with Spaghetti (Meat Bolognese)
Finocchio al Forno (Caramelized Fennel)



Lenticchie con Pancetta (Sauteed Lentils with Pancetta)
Baby Greens with simple Vinaigrette
Tomato and Basil Bruschetta



Crocchette di Patate (Sesame Crusted Potato Croquettes)
Baby Greens with Mustard Vinaigrette



I am also making a semi-hard Doughnut out of flour, sugar, olive oil, white wine and aniseed, called Ciambelle. A doughnut that just might be good for you...! European desserts in general are a lot less sweet than they are here. In Italy they like to dunk their cookies in coffee or wine, rather than smother them with frosting. Either way, dessert is dessert, it is meant to be an indulgence, and we like what we like.