Day 210: An Early Happy Bday to ME!!

My birthday is on Sunday.  Normally, my husband would treat me to a big, fancy dinner out but we'll actually be on a plane all day (more on that later) so we celebrated tonight instead.

In recent years, my birthday has been celebrated at some freaking amazing places:  Chez Panisse, Gary Danko, Babbo!!  This year I wasn't sure what to choose and so I asked for a recommendation from a colleague who is also a big foodie.  He suggested Range.  I had never heard of it, but based on his high praise and a yummy sounding menu, I went for it.  And it was GOOD.

I started with "artichoke stuffed pasta".  Okay - that was ravioli - and I have no idea why they didn't just call it ravioli - but it really doesn't matter.  It was to die for.  Chopped almonds and fried sage leaves were sprinkled on top of the pasta and addeda ton of additional and amazing flavor.  Seriously - I could eat this dish every day.  Twice.

My entree was slow cooked pork loin with white beans, fennel, and kale.  This dish was simple, yet flavorful and delicious.

My colleague had insisted that we order dessert - and who am I to argue with advice like that?  I ordered the pink lady apple & huckleberry tarte tatin and my husband had the chocolate and espresso souffle.  I loved mine.  It came with a scoop of creme fraiche ice cream which was perfect because it wasn't too sweet while the tart itself was quite sweet.  A perfect balance.

This was a wonderful meal.  And so the birthday week begins!  We fly to Costa Rica on my actual birthday and will spend a week and a half there and in Panama.  365daysofdinner.com will go on hiatus, but check back mid next week.  I'm sure I'll have LOTS of rice and beans to tell you about!

Day 200: Bi-Centennial Entry

I guess I should have done more tonight to celebrate day #200, but I was on my own and it's hard to get motivated to cook something ornate for yourself.  So, I had a salad.

I love loading my salads with lots of different things - it makes every bite interesting.  My salad tonight included:

Baby romaine

A carrot

2 small beets

2 artichoke hearts

1/2 a yellow bell pepper

2 T sliced almonds

1 can of tuna in water

1/2 an apple

Newman's Own Sesame Soy Dressing

I love salads so even though this wasn't a fancy dinner, it made me happy.  I'll try to kick it up a notch on day #300, though!

Day 180: A New Year - A New Cuisinart

Happy New Year!!

We spent the last night of 2008 at a dinner party at our friend Julie's house.  She made a delicious lasagna with ground pork and lots of creamy ricotta.  It really was fab.

To accompany the main dish, I made a spinach salad with tiny tomatoes, orange bell pepper, raw mushrooms, toasted pine nuts, and sliced apple.

I also made cheesy garlic bread which, to be honest, was too garlicky.  Next time I'll roast the garlic first to cut down on its sharpness.

Cheesy Garlic Bread:

French baguette, sliced in half lengthwise

1/2 stick of butter, softened

1 T chopped fresh oregano

Several cloves of roasted garlic

1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella

Combine the oregano and butter and mix.  You may find it helpful to do this with a fork.

Fold the bread back to expose the inside.  Be careful not to tear the top from the bottom.  Spread herbed butter liberally on the top and the bottom the inside of the bread.

Add a thin layer of mashed roasted garlic (or finely minced/pressed raw garlic, if you prefer) on top of the buttered bottom of the bread.  Sprinkle a layer of parmesan cheese over the garlic.  Add the shredded mozzarella, fold the bread back over, and wrap tightly in foil.  

Bake bread for 15-20 minutes on 375 degrees.

The last dish I made was chocolate mousse.  Eventually it was tasty, but the preparation was fraught with disaster.  

The recipe called for 12 oz. of imported milk chocolate but I decided to get fancy and use chocolate with hazelnuts.  I broke up the bars into my Cuisinart to chop the chocolate but either I overloaded it, or the nuts were too hard for the machine, or perhaps there was another reason but next thing I knew, the processor was making a strange sound.  I stopped it, opened it up, and realized that the blade had broken in half and the loose piece was sticking into the side of the bowl of the processor!!  I didn't know something like that was even possible!  Guess I'll be welcoming a new Cuisinart to our household in 2009!

My milk was already simmering, but I needed to go to the store for new chocolate, so essentially, I needed to start from scratch.  Once all of the ingredients had been replaced, I still found the mousse somewhat difficult to make.  It's very delicate and there are several opportunity to screw it up by overcooking the milk or overmixing.  It wasn't easy, but it turned out very good.  We served in small dark chocolate cups - bit sized luxury!

I hope you all enjoyed your New Year celebration and wish you all lots of good food and tasty treats in 2009!!

Day 168: Desperately Seeking Vegetables

Today was our annual holiday potluck lunch at the office and boy did I cram a LOT of stuff into my pie hole.  If you've been reading this blog for awhile, you know my eating style by now and may be surprised to hear that no veggies passed my lips throughout the entire party.  So, by dinner time, my body was in shock and begging for the vitamins, minerals, and nutrition that only vegetables can provide.

Actually, I wasn't very hungry at all at dinner time, but my husband hadn't been lucky enough to eat all afternoon long at his office, so we went to the Balboa Cafe for some grub.  To appease my veggie cravings, I had a cup of tomato basil soup and a field green salad.  My hubby and I also shared a side order of brussels sprouts.

The field green salad is my usual appetizer at The Bal, but tonight it served as my entree.  Baby greens are tossed with raisins, candied pecans (which I don't care for and so pick out and give to my husband), and a delicious vinaigrette.  Slices of apple surround the salad and a crostini smothered in smooth goat cheese accompanies the dish.

I can't say that this meal made me feel any better about all of the junk I'd consumed earlier in the day.  But perhaps it sets me up to get back on track tomorrow.  Dare to dream!

Day 114: Got Apples?

It seems that everyone I know has been apple picking in the past couple of weeks.  A trip to Masker's Orchards was an annual trek that my parents, sister, and I took every year so I totally understand the appeal.  But what do you do with all of those damn apples afterwards?

You may recall Peter Brady's pork chops and applesauce catch phrase.  The kid knew what he was talking about - pork and apples are a delish pairing!

Tonight's dinner was coriander crusted roasted pork tenderloin with sauteed apples.  Our side dish was sauteed fresh sugar snap peas.

To make the apples, I peeled and then chopped a Rome apple.  You could use other kinds of apples - you want to choose one that's more on the firm side so it doesn't turn to complete mush.

In a non-stick pan I heat up a tablespoon or two of olive oil and a cinnamon stick on medium heat.  Once hot, I added the chopped apple, sprinkled a little bit of cinnamon and salt, and stirred.  After a couple of minutes (stirring from time to time), I add about 1/4 cup of apple cider, cover the pan, and turn the heat down to low.

I allow the mixture to cook and soften up for awhile - 15 minutes or so - until the apples are softened but still maintain their shape.  It's important to check on it from time to time to make sure all of the liquid hasn't evaporated.  If it has, add a touch more cider.

I recommend one apple per pound of pork tenderloin.  That will ensure that you get a bit of apple with each bite of pork.  Of course, you could do two apples - even two different kinds - and double your pleasure.

Have another idea about how to use all of those fresh picked apples?  Do tell!