The Bird's the Word Part II

So, finally all Turkey day leftovers are gone. I thought I would be eating them forever! I made entirely too much for my four guests, but really how often do I get the chance to really go all out? 

I really wanted to blog the entire time I cooked, but I had my hands full. One appetizer, one turkey, five sides, two Mothers, and a partridge in a pear tree. It was no joke. I shot for a 5pm serve time so I got the turkey started at 11:30am. 

Luckily for me I have a roasting oven, which in my opinion, if you plan on cooking Thanksgiving dinners going forward is the best possible thing you can get for yourself. It makes the Turkey as succulent as possible and frees up your oven. I got mine last year at Target and it hasn't failed me yet. This is the finished bird. The pic is not so hot, but everyone is dying to eat so not too much time for a better view, but let me tell you the meat just fell off the bone. Check out that wing!

Once I got the Turkey in the roaster, I made my homemade cranberry sauce. Although I must admit that the canned kind has its appeal, it really so easy to make homemade. Just get a bag of cranberries, a cup of sugar, and cup of apple cider and boil until cranberrries burst. It takes a maximum of ten minutes and its is really so yum.

Then I prepped my stuffing. I use wheat bread instead of white bread because a little bit healthy helps every step of the way during this all out eat fest.

I also made green bean casserole. I played a new this year, I have never made this. But since it got 260 five star reviews on FoodNetwork.com, who was I to doubt its tastiness? It was a Paula Deen masterpiece. I feared all of that butter, so I mixed it half of the butter with faux butter. Like I said every bit helps!

The casserole ended up being super yummy. Even my Mom liked it, and if it isn't Filipino food she doesn't like anything. Go Paula Deen! Go! Since I was trying to be somewhat healthy I made honey mashed sweet potatoes. I adore the marshmallow sweet potato casseroles, but my hips says no. My sweet potatoes were easy as pie. Bake sweet potatoes until soft. Scoop potato out, mix honey and faux butter, add a dash of salt and let that Kitchenaid mixer go to work!

I also made a random Mac and Cheese because why not?

While all the above was cooking, I treated my guests to a cook app. Baked Feta Marina. This beyond easy. Get some feta and place at the bottom of small baking dish lined with cooking spray add can of diced tomatoes complete with Italian herbs add a touch of garlic and lemon and bake until hot. Serve with cut French bread. So easy and so good!

After all that eating we worked some of it off playing Kinect sports. Who would have thought these two ladies would whoop us so bad at bowling and they got cocky too! They actually called for champagne to celebrate! xoxo happy nibbling!

 

The Bird's the Word Part I

So luckily or unluckily, for the second year in a row, I have a freshly slaughtered turkey. My turkey was alive this morning and tonight it's not. My friend works right next door to a slaughter house and every Thanksgiving his company gives him a locally slaughtered turkey. Last year we spent Thanksgiving with his family, and his wife, a former vegetarian and my very good friend, basically said, "hell no, I'm not touching that bird!" I was given the honors to take care of it and who better to do it, but me, a girl who spent the first six years of her life on a pig farm. Okay, pig farm sounds too grand. We had about half a dozen pigs and they got slaughtered one every now and again. I told you pork was big in the Philippines. I figured I could handle  it the bird. 

My friend dropped off the bird after work, remarking that he was actually given the option of picking out his turkey of choice. I didn't care for that. I liked the idea of an anonymous bird kind of like the ones you get at the supermarket. When he left, I got a chance to work on the bird and work on it I did. It still had some feathers on it that I had to pull out and when I cleaned its cavity it was still warm inside. Needless to say, despite my farm background, I got the willies! It was just so intimate!  It all turned out well though. The bird ended up being so tender that the meat actually fell off the breast bone, and I may be biased, but I think it was the best turkey I ever had. When my friend told me that they were going out of town for the holiday this year, but that I was free to keep the bird, I was incredibly pleased. I offered to pick it up from my friend's job. It was really unfair to have him lug a bird on the subway again for a bird he wasn't even going to eat.


"The Horror! The Horror!" So night when I went to pick up the bird, I completely forgot that his job was right next door to the slaughterhouse. Or maybe I didn't realize it was so close. They had a huge window right in front where one could see all the live turkeys. There weren't very many, but they all seemed like such nice birds. Not nice as in meaty, but in nice as in nice to be an animal friend. The thing is, despite being a meat eater, I really love animals. I tend to eat meat and try to keep the Lion King's "Circle of Life" song in mind. I also make an effort to eat humanely treated meat. The turkeys all looked like they were having a good and comfortable time, but when my friend came to the car window to give me the slaughtered turkey I couldn't help but flinch. This use to be an animal friend and now I have to dress it! I was very sad and mumbled about it all the way home to my husband who thought it was all so hysterical. 

After picking up some steak tacos (you see my hypocrisy right?), I had to get the party started. I started off by making something sweet and comforting and not birdlike. Homemade, pumpkin pie anyone?

Then I got my Pomegranate Sangria going. Mamas are coming over and I got to get them to relax. What's more relaxing than sangria? I like to make my sangria the night before so that all of the fixings really get a chance to meld together. This what I get together for my sangria. If you try this you will never buy that random jug of generic sangria again!

• 1 bottle fruity red wine
• 2 cups pomegranate juice
• 1/2 cup brandy
• 1/2 cup Triple Sec
• 1/4 cup simple syrup (equal amounts sugar and water, heated until sugar dissolves, cooled)
• 1/4 cup pomegranate seeds
• 1 large orange, halved and thinly sliced
• 1 green apple, cored, halved and thinly sliced
• 1 cup red grapes, sliced in 1/2

Mix all those ingredients up, cover, and chill overnight to get this amazingness. Serve over ice.

Despite all distractions I knew I had to work that bird. I really wished that I could get down with that sangria sooner or at the very least a nice apple cider with brandy. I uncovered it...

and it wasn't that bad. Of course, because it looked nothing like the birds I saw in the window and because I knew I had a job to do. This is Thanksgiving baby and I had to man it up. Kind of hard to do being a woman, but you know what I mean. With cleaver in hand, I cut off the neck, cleaned its interior,  wrapped it up in saran wrap, and threw it in fridge. Out of sight out of mind. 


I then got going on my homemade turkey stock. I really do it all homemade, that's how I roll. I took the neck and gizzard chopped it up and threw it into my good friend the dutch oven to brown over oil. I added chopped onion, celery, and carrot and cooked until soft. Then I placed two cans of chicken broth, eight cups of water, some dried thyme, fresh, parsley, and black pepper in and got ready to simmer for two hours.

With half an hour left, It is smelling up a storm and making me look so much forward to tomorrow's meal. It is going to be amazing. I am so tired though. I just need to strain the liquid, let it cool, and throw in the fridge overnight to really flavor it up. I am going to try to blog on and off tomorrow so that I can share the process with you. It 's going to be a huge day of cooking. Wish me luck. xoxo happy nibbling!



 

On the Light Side: Bulgur, Chickpea, Feta Salad

Of course, for reasons I can't fathom, I weigh myself before Thanksgiving. This is never a good idea. The scale tells me bad things. I have a lot of food enjoyment plans ahead of me. Why did I do this to myself?

Obviously, I am not changing my Thanksgiving menu and no way am I going to watch what I eat on my honeymoon. Yet, that number that I saw on the scale rings in front of me.  I can only think to eat light before the big day and work out like nobody's business. 


I decide to make a Bulgur Chickpea salad. Whole grains and lean protein. I also decide to add a bit of cheese. Cheese never hurts and feta is suppose to be a somewhat good for you cheese. This is what I got together:


1 1/2 cups boiling water
1 cup uncooked bulgur
4 1/2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice (more of you choose)
1 can of chickpea/garbanzo beans
1 cucumber
2 celery stalks (chopped)
1/2 cup red onion (chopped)
1/4 pound of crumbled feta cheese (more if you choose)
3 teaspoons fresh dill (chopped fine)
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper (as much as you desire)


So, this recipe is ridiculously easy.  You actually  don't cook anything at all if you discount the boiling water.


First, you combine the water, bulgur, and half of the lemon juice in a bowl. Let it sit for about 15-20 minutes until the bulger soaks up all the liquid.

 During that 15-20 minutes, I take the opportunity to chop all the veggies that need to be chopped and chop the cheese too. I got a block of feta (you can also buy it precrumbled) so I had to crumble it myself.

Then I mix the bulgur, veggies, and cheese in a large bowl throwing in the chickepeas, olive oil, the rest of the lemon juice, and salt and pepper.

Then I chill for an hour. Then I serve. It is that easy.

It is light and tangy and oh so good. Luckily good for me too! Let that waist line whittle a little until Turkey day. I'm ready to fill her up. Are you? xoxo happy nibbling!

 

Chili Too Spicy a Facebook Biproduct

So, the worst thing happened. I was have a fine chat with my best friend from forever while trying a complicated new recipe. It doesn't sound that bad right? Well, not when you are terrible about doing two things at once. I can't even tap my head and rub my belly at the same time. I can't even dance or swim which for your information, all you natural effortless dancers and swimmers out there, takes the concentration of doing two things at once. I can simply say, I am just a very focused person--focused on doing one thing at a time.

So I'm about to get down with a Tyler Florence Texas Chili Con Carne recipe when my best friend calls, from work no less. She still lives in Chicago and of course I'm in New York. She has a child and husband. I have a man child. We both live busy lives and are constantly just missing each other's calls or just too tired from life and maybe just want to relax with an episode of the Office (my case) or Jersey Shore (her case). Don't judge,  it is just what happens when you become a grown up. Besides when we were teenagers, we got a lot of conversation in. We went to school together where we wrote notes to each other. Hung out after school and weekends together and still managed to get a minimum of 2-3 hours of phone time together. I think we have racked up plenty chats together to last a lifetime. Anyway she finally calls when I could talk, kind of. Like I said, I was just about to cook.  However, she had Facebook findings (let's face it, stalking) gossip and that was a conversation I could not step away from. In the meantime, I had the following ingredients set out in front of me:

• 3 dried ancho peppers, stemmed and seeded
• 2 tablespoons dried oregano
• 2 tablespoons sweet paprika
• 2 tablespoons whole coriander
• 1 tablespoon cumin seed
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 onions, chopped
• 3 pounds beef chuck, cut into bite size cubes
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 6 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 canned chipotle chile, chopped
• 1/2 jalapeno pepper, chopped
• 2 (28-ounce) cans whole tomatoes, hand crushed
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 2 tablespoons masa harina
• Grated queso fresco, for garnish
• Cilantro leaves, for garnish
• Lime wedges, for garnish

While she is chatting with me, I get to cooking the ancho peppers, oregano, paprika, coriander, cumin, and chili powder in a small dry skillet. 

The gossip isn't really about anything good just about some guy we knew from nine years past and all of our findings taken from this person's Facebook page and our readings behind the lines and what we gathered from the photographs. Yes, you know that if you have a Facebook page you have done this too. Fortunately, I have someone that I have no shame to do it with. So, I cook until the spices begin to smell, about 2 minutes. Then I put the spices into my handy dandy always useful food processor and grind until they are powdered. So far so good. I set aside.

As the conversation progresses we are sending each other pictures and are having a really great giggle. I heat my beloved dutch oven up over medium heat; add 3 tablespoons olive oil and then the onions. Still chatting, I cook until the onions are soft and begin to caramelize, (about 10 minutes). I pat the beef dry and season it with salt and pepper. Add it to the pot and cook, stirring frequently, until it has browned on all sides, about 10 minutes. I  also throw in a random green and green peppers that I had in the fridge, because why not? I like to shake things up when I follow someone else's recipe. Shake thinks up I did, though.

I was suppose to just add 2 tablespoons of the toasted spice mix, the garlic, chipotle, jalapeno, tomatoes, cinnamon stick, and sugar. So preoccupied and laughing away, I threw the whole spice thing in which had to be at least a cup and half.  This was going to be one spicy chili. The laughter stops at my end. I then say, as we all at one time or the other in the kitchen, "oh sh!t!" This is what I get for having a nice Facebook gossip. I lean in to smell and my eyes tear. We like the spice in my house, but this was going to be inedible. I say to my BFF "I gotta go!". I immediately try damage control. I add some hot water until the meat is just covered with liquid. After ten minutes I remove two cups of liquid and add new liquid trying to dilute. I am so afraid that I am taking away the tomato flavor. Why did I talk on the phone? Dinner was going to be ruined! I try the same diluting method two more times. I return to the boil, reduce to a simmer, cover, and prepare to have it cook for 1 1/2 hours. 

The smell starts to waft through the kitchen and into the living room. I am wringing my hands, it smells so spicy! I have ruined other chilis and a curry with my heavy handed spicing and have forced myself to eat those because I can not let food go to waste. Those were very very sad experiences.  I did not want to be sad again.

The easiest solution would have been to throw 8 oz of sour cream or plain yogurt in. Dairy always kills the spice, but too much dairy is not good for the hubby's stomach. So going against traditional Texas style chili, I threw a can of kidney beans in. To soak up the acid and spice, I cut a lemon and two potatoes in half and threw those in too. Weird, I know, I got these tips online and I was desperate. I then proceeded to wait it out with the utmost focus on my chili. No phone calls. No TV. Just a little Facebook news feed action--that's it. Honestly.

An hour and a half later. I check the chili and its looking good. Tyler's recipes directs that you remove the meat and shred it with a fork,  but I have been through enough. I taste the a piece of meat and it is perfect. It is fall apart beef. I ignore Tyler.  I stir in the masa harina, and cook for another 10 minutes, uncovered, to thicken. Taste and adjust seasoning adding lots of salt. I know its bad for you, but it makes things taste good. I serve with the queso fresco, cilantro, and lime for garnish. I cross my fingers.

It is delicious. It was basically a Tex-Mex beef stew. It was divine. Just the right amount of spice. A miracle. All was not lost. And queso fresco? A rediscovery. It is possibly the most perfect cheese. Thank goodness. I decline to post it on my Facebook status--and my BFF? She got a text during the meal telling her while stuffing my face "All good. So yum!" xoxo happy nibbling!

Why Fresh Direct Why???????

If you are not a New Yorker, you may not know of the amazingness that is Fresh Direct. It is an online grocery store that carries everything that your heart could want with a great variety of organic and local selections. It delivers when you want it to and even offers recipes that allows you to place all the ingredients in your cart. It has saved my life. 

In New York, if you want to go grocery shopping, you basically have to go to three different stores and you still may not find everything you need which can be insanely frustrating when you have a recipe you want to follow. Even worse, if you live borough and you want to eat organic, you end up being overcharged in the most ridiculous way. These little organic bottegas, are more expensive than Whole Foods at least in Bushwick. Sometimes you have to get real serious and do a Manhattan grocery shopping run which leads to lugging bags through crowded subways and you are really limited to what you can carry. One year I was buying the fixings for Thanksgiving and ended up with ten grocery bags. Luckily, I had Mark but he was not happy shlepping all those grocery bags for blocks and blocks. Sometimes you just have to chip in for the extra expense of a taxi which is another $25 on top of your bill. 

A good amount of people roll with the granny cart. It is rocked by many young and old throughout NYC.  I'll bet you won't find one of these in an episode of Sex and the City.

 When I lived in Queens, we purchased a granny cart, but excepting strenuous occasions it rarely made an appearance. I guess I'm still too much of a Chicago girl to roll like that. Only old ladies do that in Chicago. I may have been getting grays, but I wasn't old yet. Instead, I suffered and tried not to complain because Mark could not understand my vanity over the granny cart. Call me suburban, but there is nothing like driving to the grocery store, placing your goods in your trunk, and unloading from your trunk into your house with a parking spot right in front. If this is your situation, enjoy it. You are blessed!

When we moved to Brooklyn, I kicked that granny cart to the curb. We were finally living in an area that Fresh Direct delivered to which was strange, because we had only lived one neighborhood over from its distribution center in Queens. But I wasn't about to look that gift horse in the mouth, I just enjoyed the ease of ordering doubles of orange juice, milk, quarts of chicken broth, and other heavy things that previously made grocery shopping a day's mission.

So, anyway, every time I turn around I've been getting an email from Fresh Direct to buy my Thanksgiving Meal from them (they cater as well) and although I say to them in my head "thank you very much, but no", they have given seed to an idea. For the last five years, I have been making Thanksgiving dinner and every year, at this time of year, I have found madness at the grocery store. Women fighting over pumpkin pie mix, stuffing boxes on the ground, and no cranberries to be found. This year I want no part of that. I thought I could order all of my fixings in advance and beat the crowd. No going to multiple shops for me this year--no way. I spend a good hour filling my cart with everything I need. Staying price conscious as I go, since Mark's Mom and mine are here for the whole weekend and we plan on taking them out. Keeping it economical. At the end though, I find that an economical thanksgiving is still $200 and I can't even arrange for it to be delivered in advance! I am so disappointed although a little voice inside of me is saying "that's what you get for thinking you were so clever!"

I suppose I could get everything delivered this week, but I have a ton of fresh foods that could soil. I have no choice but to fight it out like a maniac. Last year so many things were sold out even on Fresh Direct. So my only plan of action is to leave my items in the online cart and stalk Fresh Direct everyday until I can make a 11/23 or 11/24 delivery. This is how crazy I am. However, any cook would understand that Thanksgiving is my time to throw down. This is my superbowl. I even have a game plan.

Appetizer:
Feta Marina Dip with French Bread

Drinks:
Pomegranate Sangria
Apple Cider with Brandy


Entree:
A Farm Roasted Rosemary Turkey with homemade Gravy
Homemade Herb Stuffing (no box for me!)
Honey Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Green Bean Casserole 
Apple Cranberry Sauce (no can here either)
Warm Rolls with Maple butter

Dessert:
Homemade Pumpkin Pie 

My Mom is also going to add a little Filipino flavor and make her famous Lumpia (Filipino eggrolls).  I can't wait to eat. Cross your fingers that I'll get everything. Drat that Fresh Direct for thwarting my plans! Eight days until Thanksgiving. xoxohappy nibbling!

Pigging Out

I was never a huge fan of pork. Being of some Filipino heritage, I should really be porking out for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Almost every Filipino dish has pork in it even the vegetarian ones. It makes no sense, but its true. I grew up eating the signature dish of Dinuguan, a stew made of pig's blood, entrails, and pork cooked with vinegar and seasoned with chili peppers that's how crazy Filipinos are about pork. It is that serious. For my birthday, every year until I turned 12, there was entire dead pig in our bathtub. It included the head, feet, and everything so that my Mom could make Lechon. Lechon is the traditional celebratory Filipino food. I don't know how she tracked down a whole pig in Chicago, but bless her heart she did. Love you Mom!

Anyway, maybe it was the pigs blood, the pig in the tub (I am really whetting your appetites right?), or the incredibly dry pork chops my Grandpa use to make (he is serious about well done), but pork has never been my fav. Don't get me wrong, I've never had any problem with BBQ pork because BBQ is well BBQ. I think that everything tastes somewhat good with BBQ sauce. No one can ever claim that I have turned down BBQ pork ribs or even a pulled pork sandwich. Ordinarily pork is just not something I cook.




However, on the home front, I felt like I had to shake things up. We have been on a beef binge. You know that song "Pump Pump a Jam"? In my house, instead of "Make my day!"  the line has transformed into "Make my steak!" It has gotten that serious. I needed to change up the program.  So I decided to make Barbequed Pork Chops with Honey Mashed Sweet Potatoes. This is what you need if you want to follow:


Cooking Spray
4 pork bone-in center cut pork chops
2 teaspoons of salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon of dried thyme
1 teaspoon of red pepper
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup ketchup
1 tablespoon of soy sauce
1 tablespoon of worchestire sauce
2 sweet potatoes
3 tablespoons of honey
3 tablespoons of butter


First, I put the oven on 400 degrees and coated a small jelly roll pan with cooking spray. Then I punctured the sweet potatoes four times with a fork. This helps them soften up faster. I place in the oven for 1 hour. 

When the sweet potatoes are 30 minutes in I start to get the homemade BBQ sauce going. It is ridiculously easy and I am even considering bottling some of it up for Holiday Gifts. I am doing all kitchen made gifts this year. Can't wait to get started on that project! Anyway, I have to focus, BBQ sauce. I grab a small bowl and mix up the brown sugar, ketchup, soy sauce, and worchestire sauce until well blended. Then viola! Homemade BBQ sauce made. I may never buy from the store again.

I then take out the pork chops and coat with salt, garlic powder, thyme, and red pepper flakes. I spray the grill pan and throw the chops on the pan cooking on medium high.  6-10 minutes on each side.

While that's going I remove the sweet potatoes from the oven. Then cut in half. They are of course piping hot and of course you have to peel the skin. It truly is playing hot potato. 

The sweet potatoes are then thrown into a mixer along with the honey and butter. Mix until completely mashed. There is nothing worse than lumpy mashed potatoes.

I turn back to the pork chops and baste one side with the BBQ sauce and flip. I allow the sauce to crisp into the chops then baste the other side then turn. This takes about two minutes each side. I would even amp up the heat get this going even faster.  Then I serve.

The meal ends up being magical. The BBQ sauce is huge hit with Mark (he is a BBQ sauce connoisseur) and he is thoroughly impressed that I made it myself. I guess I could of lied and pretended it was as complicated as it one would think, but instead, since I had to tell someone, I told him how incredibly easy it was. I hope that didn't take away too many stars in his book. The potatoes ended up sweet,  but light. I was really glad, because it was a test run for Thanksgiving. I usually do the traditional sweet potato casserole with the marshmallows and such. I wanted something healthier. The pork chops were just as good. Crispy and BBQ sweet on the outside and savory on the inside, with enough juiciness to make them divine. Mom bring on that pork! Lechon anyone? xoxohappy nibbling

Somewhere Beyond the Sea

Growing up with old folks, I have a really healthy love of standards and big band music and I am crazy about Bobby Darin. I think that Kevin Spacey did such an excellent job acting/singing/dancing playing Bobby Darin in his film "Beyond the Sea" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GbcjW9SQabcWhat better way to introduce the amazingness that is is Sea in Williamsburg. I die--it is that good.

Mark and I were sitting around on a Friday night and all I could think of and (at that moment) could ever want was Asian food. I've been doing a lot of new American lately and was feeling so sick of it. No more roasted chicken, no more steak, no more potatoes. Done. Of course, this was 7pm on  Friday night and I wanted to go out. Actually had no choice, but to go out. You how Asian food can be questionable in some places. In Bushwick, Asian food is questionable in all places.  I was thinking Thai. You can never go wrong with Thai. My favorite Thai places in New York are Laut (which is actually Malaysian fusion with tons of Thai offerings) and Sea. Both are so divine and like all Thai--oh so cheap.


Laut was out due to location. It's a New York thing. The location has to be night time subway convenient. It is four stops further than Sea and just got Michelin gold star. Plus I would have to go into Manhattan and it would be packed beyond belief. But it wasn't looking good at Sea either. You may have seen Sea on the big screen. It was on that Sex in the City Episode where Samantha meets Smith Jared. It is portrayed as a raw food place but it has always been Thai. Anyway, the place is huge with a fountain at its center, giant Buddhas, three bars, and always, at anytime of the day, packed with tons of people. It is a place where you go to in the middle of day and wonder "do these people work?" I call to make a reservation. Of course, they don't take reservations! I tentatively ask if its busy. She says "of course!!" and promptly hangs up.






 I don't know if you know, but I am a food brat. If I have my heart set on some type of food and don't get it, I get very very sulky. I start pouting "I don' t want to eat anything else at all!" or if I get some alternative food, I sigh a lot and look very very sad. Immature yes, but I was an only  child and Grandchild for a very long time in family of lots of boys. Mark knows about this. When we go out to eat, he very smartly asks me what I am in the mood to eat.




So despite the impending wait at Sea and the danger of hangar (hunger + anger) we decide to go. 

Amazingly, despite the huge crowd, when we walk in, we are seated immediately in an area I quickly dubbed the date nook. It was an entire area of the restaurant devoted to tables for two. Couples leaned across the tables at one another and it was dark. Very dark with the tiniest of votive candles at each table. A serious make-out session could have happened unbeknown to us.  I felt like we had been together too long to be in this nook. It was definitely for first date material not for lifers like us. But I digress. I am shocked that we got a table so quickly. Although, Sea is known for their yummy drinks, we celebrate with a bottle of white wine because really (I mean really!)  its so much more economical. It's a recession people!


We decide to share everything because it so much more fun. Getting just one entree is such a commitment. We decide to do three appetizers and one entree. What? It wasn't too much food! I worked out the next day (I think???). 


The first thing served are the Triangle Curry Puffs. Curry chicken and potato wrapped in pastry. I thought they would taste like a Samosa, but there was nothing Indian about these they were purely Thai. There was a touch of Tamarind to them and the chicken and potato had been so thoroughly mixed in the food processor that there was no telling one from the other in the yummest way possible. Besides, who doesn't like flaky pastry? 

Then the Jade Seafood dumplings arrive. Steamed crab meat and shrimp wrapped in green wonton served with massaman  curry sauce. This sauce was seriously the boss and there were these rice crispies thrown into that I couldn't get enough of. Did I ever tell you how crazy I am about dumplings? I need to go to dim sum again ASAP.

The last appetizer was Sea chicken wings. This is the thing about me and chicken wings. I am rarely, so very rarely, am in the mood for them. I really like them especially when some else orders them, but they are never on my agenda. But I heard they were amazing at Sea, so of course I had to give them a chance. Covered in Tamarind chili they are the reason why I am always in the mood for wings now. Juicy and tangy they are like no wing you can experience. They are not what you imagine when you think of bbq chicken wings. SO  worth the recommendation.

Then we got our entree, Drunk Man noodles. I thought I knew about Thai food, but, never before I moved to New York, have ever seen this dish on a menu. However, I must note that I have only seen it at Laut and Sea  which is a large part why I love those establishments. Broad noodles with chicken, shrimp and squid stir-fried with spicy basil chili and egg. If you try this you will not even think about Pad Thai again. It's is just goodness plain and simple. Do it! Get the drunk man noodles. No regrets. Ever.

We ended the meal by getting a bit of dessert. Dessert is always awkward at Asian restaurants. There is always the mochi ice cream and random desserts that have nothing to do with Asia. Sometimes these random desserts are good sometimes not. We gave the chocolate molten lava cake a chance with a side of pistachio ice cream. The cake was pretty good although it came out in 5 minutes so my brain automatically registered microwave. The pistachio ice cream was too sugary not enough pistachio, but ultimately not bad. You can't really go to far astray with warm chocolate cake and ice cream. mmmhhhmm. Warm chocolate cake. I see a chocolate souffle in my future. Gotta go. It's almost dinner time. BBQ glazed pork chops, mashed sweer potatoes, and green beans. I guess I'm that sick of American! xoxohappy nibbling!

Work Out Chicken Soup Mmmm, Mmmm, Good!

Okay, so its been forever and a day. What are my excuses? Well, last week I was on a crazy cleaning spree. One of those "I am going to clean and organize every nook and cranny" situations. All of those drawers, under the bed, storage box of god-knows-whats that I always try to avoid.  I threw out (no joke!) ten garbage bags and donated a boatload of stuff.  It was really shocking to realize what you don't need. Two spare mixers (do I bake that much?), A six bottle wine rack (when can I keep six bottles in the house?), and a ridiculous amount of clothes that really did not get any play (seriously, I am staying far far away from Forever 21). It really brought my holiday gift list to prospective. I am not going to give anyone any junk and please (even with the best intentions) do not give me any junk. A New York City one bedroom can only take so much. But I still need that mini muffin pan, maybe a larger loaf pan, and possibly these really great Fiesta glasses.

 I kid, I kid. Well, maybe not on the glasses--I love Fiesta!

Anywho, that was last week. For the better part of this week, I was "training". The quotations are accurate. So, inspired by the NYC Marathon, I decided last Sunday to do a 5 mile group run called the Brooklyn Beer Run set for this Saturday with goal of one day doing the NYC Marathon. One can not say that I do not dream big. However, I only had six days to train for this 5 mile run and, to be honest, the most I have ever run was 3 miles. Morever, I had not gone running in any shape or form since early September. I've been an Elliptical machine with a book or magazine girl lately. 


Monday was my first day of training. It was freezing outside, it was raining, and cold enough that the rain was freezing rain. But I said I was going to do it so I did. Two miles later, I was barely breathing and was spitting up phelm. Gross, right? And this a food blog. But it happened--for real.


Tuesday. Three miles. It was great. Homeless men at the park made fun me. Yelling at me to run faster, but I still did it. I told myself  four miles tomorrow and I can do this.

Wednesday. Two miles and it hurt every step of the way. My body said "I hurt, stop it!".  A random husky puppy ran a lap with me.  It was the only pleasurable thing about that run. Apprehension filled my head. Uncertainty about Saturday. I thought "four miles tomorrow, my body just needs a rest".


Thursday. One lap around the park. My calves said "hell no", my quads said "what were you thinking" and my shoulder blades said "whoa nelly!". Honestly, I think if I would have went on, I would have injured myself.


Today, I did a P90X training video and vowed to run four miles tommorow. Five miles maybe not this Saturday, but there is always the East Village Jack Rabbit 5 mile run next Saturday. 


So those are my excuses for not writing these last couple of weeks, but it didn't mean I didn't eat. I always eat--well at least that's what my scale told me!


So I love Chicken soup. LOVE chicken soup. Every time I make chicken soup I vow to freeze some for when I next get sick, but I can't help it is just too good.


So this what I need to make this yummy for the tummy, oh so hearty, chicken soup. I must warn you cooking this can be a workout.

• 1 (3 to 4-pound) whole chicken
• 1 quart chicken stock or low-sodium chicken broth
• 8 cups of water
• 2 medium onions, quartered
• 3 carrots, roughly chopped
• 3 celery stalks, roughly chopped
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• 5 or 6 parsley stems
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 8 ounces whole button mushrooms, quartered
• 1 cup diced onions
• 2 cup sliced carrots
• 2 cup small-diced celery
• 3 1/4 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 pound dried noodles (I like to use gluten free noodles because they are so soft and have great texture)
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh a parsley leaves

So first I throw first nine ingredients into a large stock pot. And boil partly uncovered for a little over an hour.

 

When that's finished, I brown the mushrooms with butter in my Dutch oven. I really love my Dutch oven. It was the best kitchen purchase ever. One day I will compose a poem about my Dutch oven, I love it that much. Anyway, I add the diced onion, celery, and carrot and cook until soft. Interjection: Oh no I just realized I have no more pics of this chicken soup situation. I think its because it gets so crazy after this point, that in all of the excitement, I forgot. BUT I can tell you about this excitement and you will understand.

So while the veggies are a sauteing, you must turn off the stock pot burner. Then the battle begins. You arm yourself with a kitchen tongs in each hand. This a double kitchen tong situation. You keep a large platter at hand, very close to the pot. As close as you can get. Then you grip the bird with both sets of tongs and you lift. This a 4 pound piping hot chicken coming out of three quarts of liquid. You do not want to drop this bird. You will get burned. You will have a serious mess. Lifting this really hurts because there is only so much room in the pot, the tongs are always on the verge of slipping, and you are lifting this bird slow because you are trying to be as careful as possible. This is a no joke chicken situation. There have been kitchen accidents. 

Once the chicken is on the platter, you have to prove your muscle once again. Remember the dutch oven full of sauteed veggies? You have to place a strainer lightly over it. You will most likely not have a strainer that fits inside and if you do it will float as the liquid enters. You must very carefully hold the strainer with one hand and the stock pot in another. Chances are the stock pot will still be hot so there is an oven mitt involved. The stock pot is way bigger than the dutch oven and with one hand pouring slowly those three quarts of liquid it  gets incredibly heavy. You have to watch out for the steam. It is honestly a dangerous situation.

By the time you are done straining the stock, hopefully the chicken has cooled down. You then shred the chicken trashing the skin. Cookbooks are always advising a two fork technique for shredding, but I don't believe them. I go for the shred with my hands method. It's more effective and I trust my own two hands. 


I then place the shredded chicken, salt and pepper, and the noodles into the Dutch oven and mix. I cook on medium high for about 15 minutes. To be fancy I serve with a little parsley sprinkled on top. I also make sure to have plenty of good bread and butter to go with the soup because after such a a hard workout I deserve a little butter. xoxo happy nibbling!