Bluebird

Whole Lotta Scampi Going On

Mmmm, scampi...let me revel in the countless ways you make me happy at the table, especially on an ordinary Thursday such as this.

http://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes/Feast-of-Seven-Fishes-Shrimp-Scampi

a most un-typical-like day...

On Sunday, she took up boxing. On Monday, she got a pedicure. On Tuesday, she had a guy named Joe dip her hair in turquoise blue. I do believe she's found her mojo...

 

Sunday Fish and Chips

Spent the late afternoon prepping and frying a batch of fish and chips. I double-fried the chips, it makes them better. Used petrale sole, as the fishmonger had run out of rock cod. It wasn't too hard since the frites and fish are fried in the same pot/oil. India Jane made a Lego centerpiece. So good, this was....

http://food52.com/recipes/18493_ipabattered_fish_and_chips?utm_source=FOOD52+Subscribers+List&utm_campaign=8465dcdfcf-Digest8_26_128_24_2012&utm_medium=email

 

got those middle school blues...

T’was the night before middle school and all thru the shack

Not a person was stirring ‘cept  for mom gone all whack.

The backpacks were weighted, and all primed to go

In hopes they’d be loaded with lunches just so.

 

The kids were akimbo, all tousled in bed

As visions of terror unleashed in their heads.

As Papa in pj’s spotted my panic

while wobbling there on the threshhold of manic.

 

While searching the web, an idea she sought

And found one, behold, oh wow, what a thought!

just let her be, and surely somehow

she’ll work it all out, so sleep well for now.

Short Rib Burgers and Z-Stix

Because it's Friday, that's all...

just keep cooking, cooking...

Ever since that crazy ass August Saveur issue arrived, I've been craving good Mexican food. But as anyone who's dipped a toe in attempting such, it's a commitment of a day or more to do it justice. So I punted with an easier approach to enchiladas. The recipe is messily composed, but hopefully worthy in its results. No canned enchilada sauce required either, which finally taught me how it's the cumin and chile powder that add that intensely orange tinge you don't want anywhere near your white Levi's.

Chicken Enchiladas with Red Chile Sauce
adapted from Tide and Thyme, orginally from America's Test Kitchen

• 1 medium onion, chopped fine
• 2 jalapenos, seeded and chopped fine
• 1 teaspoon canola oil
• 3 medim cloves garlic, minced
• 3 Tablespoons chili powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 3 teaspoons sugar
• 1 15-oz can tomato sauce
• 1 cup water
• 1 large beefsteak tomato, seeded and chopped
• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts (2 large breasts)
• 1 cup extra sharp white cheddar, shredded
• 1 cup monterey jack cheese, shredded
• 1/2 cup minced fresh cilantro
• 12 (6-inch) soft corn tortillas
• cooking spray
• salt and ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 425.

Combine the onion, jalapeno, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and oil in a large saucepan. cover and cook over medium-low heat, stirring often, until the onions and peppers have softened, 8-10 minutes. Stir in the garlic, chili powder, cumin, and sugar, and cook until fragrant, less than 30 seconds. Stir in the tomato sauce, water, and chopped tomato. Bring to a simmer, and cook until slightly thickened, 5 minutes.

Nestle the chicken into the sauce. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook until chicken is cooked through (thickest part reaches 160 degrees), about 12-20 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate, and set aside to cool.

Strain the sauce through a strainer into a medium bowl, pressing the onion mixture to extract as much liquid as possible. Transfer the onions to a large bowl and set aside. Season sauce with additional salt and pepper to taste.

Shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Add to the onin mixture, and add 1/4 cup of the enchilada sauce, 1 cup cheese, and the cilantro. Toss to combine.

Stack the tortillas on a plate and cover with plastic wrap; Microwave on high until warm and pliable, 40-60 seconds. Spread the tortillas on a clean work surface, and spoon 1/3 cup of the chicken mixture evenly down the center of each. Tightly roll each tortilla and lay seam-side down in a greased 9x13 inch baking dish.

Lightly spray the tops of the enchiladas with cooking spray. Place in the oven, uncovered, for about 7 minutes, or until the tortillas start to brown slightly (skip this step if you don't like the crunch).

Reduce heat to 400. Remove enchiladas and pour sauce evenly on top. Top with the remaining cheese. Cover dish with foil, and bake an additional 20 minutes, or until heated through.

Remove foil and bake another 5 minutes, until cheese browns. Remove from oven and let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Serve with sour cream, guacamole, salsa, additional cilantro, etc.

 

because dead flowers are so beautiful

Yes, he'd been laid off, completely unexpectedly.

Yes, they'd immediately reined in excess expenditures while she applied for a multitude of jobs, six on Wednesday, four more on Friday. As many as she could find, but there were only so many in less than a week.

Still, she had to have Chinese for dinner that Sunday night. Not take-out either because her favorite dish of salt and pepper prawns didn’t hold up too well when transported home in a carton. And no cheap-o fake-o joint even if it was close to home, with its just okay pot stickers, spring rolls, and chow Mein for the kids. It had to be their new favorite—that place in Alameda they’d gone to on his birthday, where they’d been the only non-Asians. Less than ten days ago, just before the fallout. It seemed like ages.

Catching her reflection in the side mirror as they sped through the Webster tunnel she noticed that with her hair pinned back and her lips painted she bore an uncomfortable resemblance to Wallis Simpson.

“Well why not,” she thought lifting her chin. “Wouldn’t Wallis assume a confidently serene disposition no matter the forecast?”

They couldn’t just cower in the house, they had to rally. Appearances matter almost as much as faith, all the more so when circumstances conspire against you. They had to go on, best face forward and all that, because anything was possible—bad, good, maybe it’d work out even better than before.

The point being, it was so much easier to be positive if she got her prawns.

what I ate for lunch...

'tis the season for exceptional tomatoes...

Please don't fail me now, buttercream

Oona made me make a cake today, so we stirred up our old fave from our Portland hood bakery, Baker and Spice.

Here be the results, our own Pink Cake. It actually turned out pretty well. Now I've got to get the leftovers out of the house...STAT!

 

http://www.oregonlive.com/foodday/index.ssf/2008/06/recipe_detail.html?id=8354

my frozen salvage

Yes, times seem a bit quavery at the moment, hence my opening up the treasure box.

Because nothing pays comfort forward like our freezer drawer, stocked with leftovers from happy days of previous excessiveness.

The noodles were organic, and from Italy--freshly boiled and drifted with a reggiano snowfall.

The beef stew remained intactly robust, the exuberance of newness was tamed just right. (nothing improves more from freeze-aging except maybe chili.)

With the addition of Trader Joe biscuits the meal was preordained to succeed, at least on such an imperfect Monday night as this. 

Here's the link to the original inception...recipe link follows foto.

http://bluebird.typepad.com/my_weblog/2012/01/mise-en-scene-and-more.html

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/46027029/ns/today-food/t/giadas-winter-comfort-foods-baked-gnocchi-beef-stew/#.UDLxet2PWSo