Helena Handbasket: November 2010

Sauce-less Spaghetti

This impromptu meal turned out very tasty so I had to share it with you (plus, I had to write it down so I don't forget)!

*Wine was not used in the recipe but I sure did enjoy a glass as I cooked and ate.

Ingredients:

olive oil
3 large cloves of garlic, minced
1 T red pepper flakes (omit if you don't like heat)
2 bags of baby spinach
1 pack/box of whole wheat spaghetti (or regular)
1 T butter
kosher salt
ground pepper
fresh parmesan/romano/asiago cheese (shredded or grated)

Preparation:

Chop the garlic and sprinkle some salt & pepper over it.
Cook the spaghetti until it is al dente. Drain the pasta (do not run cold water over it) and remove the pot from the burner.
Add the bag of spinach to the pot you used to cook the spaghetti.
Empty the hot spaghetti back into the pot, on top of the raw spinach and put a lid on it. The heat from the freshly cooked pasta will cause the spinach to wilt to perfection!
In a frying pan over medium heat, drizzle some olive oil (maybe 2-3 T - I just eyeballed it).
Right before the oil starts smoking, add the garlic, butter, and red pepper flakes. Sauté until the garlic is light brown (careful not to burn it).
Pour the sauce into the big pot of spaghetti and spinach and stir baby stir!
Add more salt & pepper to taste along with however much grated or shredded cheese floats your boat.

Enjoy:

Chicken would have been a nice addition to this recipe but I didn't have any in my freezer.

Now about that bottle of wine...

Susan

I'm A Firestarter

So yeah... my hair caught on fire yesterday.

One minute I was taking pictures of my homegirl Nancy:

Next thing I knew, I heard a faint sizzling sound: "Hisssssssssssssssss!!!" Leapin' lizards, I backed into a lit candle! My hand flew to the back of my head but it was too late. As I glanced down, I saw a layer of charred hair at my feet. It looked like a bunch of spiders having a meeting on a bed of black moss. The room smelled like roasted ASS - I was mortified! Thank GOD my entire head and/or body didn't ignite into flames.

Yvette snapped this pic right after I set myself on fiya. You can't really see the destruction which is a very good thing indeed:

This isn't the first time I set my hair on fire (I think I scorched my bangs off when I was 10 or 11) but hopefully, it will be the last.

Flames on the side of my face (literally),

Susan

Caramelized Onions and Potato Pancakes

I had some leftover mashed potatoes from Thanksgiving so I decided to make potato pancakes and top them off with one of my favorite things: caramelized onions. I used to hate onions - someone must have dropped me on my gigantic head when I was a child. Caramelizing onions is relatively easy but it takes a while. Plan on hovering over your stove for 30-45 minutes.

Onions:

Butter & olive oil:

Coat them:

Watch as they start to get happy:

And happier:

And finally, happiest:

For the potatoes, all I did was add some flour:

Into the buttery pan they went:

...until they were golden:

Yum!

I should have fried them in bacon grease.

Ciao,

Susan

Black Hog

Last night, Yvette and Rob asked "Wanna get some BBQ on Saturday?" Um... does Kim Jong Il need his ass beat? HELL YEAH! We met up with Mike and Jackie at Black Hog in Frederick - it's a charming little spot.

Pork Mondays, Rib & Wing Tuesdays, Beef Wednesdays... yes, please.

I had BBQ beef brisket (so tender), potato salad, baked beans, and corn bread:

Oink.

Susan

A Thanksgiving Lesson

Tequila

+ chopping vegetables

= band-aids.

The End.

I don't consider myself a good cook but I can follow a recipe like a Martha Focker.

(Can you tell my favorite part of a cheesecake is the crust?)

Peace,

Susan

Vegetable Curry Win

I stumbled across this recipe via Eat, Live, Run. It was involved but worth all of the chopping, measuring, and simmering. It is a phenomenal dish and my house smells like heaven right now.

After the gazillion vegetables were chopped, it was spicy time:

Onion, carrot, sweet potato, fennel, garlic:

Blanched broc:

Tomatoes, chicken stock, ginger, and spice mixture getting very happy:

After the addition of coconut milk... mmmm:

Veggie soiree:

Jasmati rice (hybrid of Jasmine and Basmati = fluffy and oh so tender):

Garlic bread that knocked our socks off:

Beaulieu's Rutherford Cabernet, Napa Valley, 2006. I repeat... Rutherford 2006!!!

Just in case you weren't listening:

It was delicious and will only taste better tomorrow and the next day after next (after all those gorgeous spices permeate the fresh veggies):

Vegetarian Yellow Curry

serves 6

1 15-oz can diced tomatoes

1 1/2 cups water (I used fat-free chicken stock)

1 15-oz can coconut milk (light or regular)

1 15-oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1 fennel, sliced into 1/4th inch thick slices

2 large carrots, peeled and chopped

1 large garnet yam, peeled and chopped

1 yellow onion, chopped

3 T fresh ginger, chopped

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 red bell pepper, chopped

2 cups broccoli florets

2 tsp ground coriander

2 tsp cumin seeds

2 tsp mustard seeds

1 tsp turmeric

1/4 tsp cayenne

1 tsp salt

1 T canola oil

Prepare all vegetables and set aside.

In a small saucepan over medium/low heat, toast the coriander, cumin seeds and mustard seeds gently for about four minutes to release maximum flavor. After toasting, add the cayenne, salt and turmeric and set aside.

In a large saucepot, combine the diced tomatoes, water, fresh ginger and spice mixture. Simmer for twenty minutes while you saute the vegetables.

Heat the canola oil over medium heat in a large skillet, add the onion and saute for about six minutes, or until the onion is soft and translucent. Add the garlic, fennel, carrot and sweet potato and cook for another five minutes, stirring often.

Blanch the broccoli florets in boiling water for thirty seconds (they will turn bright green). Drain and rinse under cold water. Set aside.

Add the coconut milk to the tomato mixture and then stir in the sauteed veggies, broccoli and bell pepper. Raise heat to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for thirty minutes, or until the carrots and sweet potato are tender. Stir in the chickpeas.

Serve curry on it’s own or with brown or jasmine rice. Cilantro is delicious on top!

Adding lamb next time,

Susan

Ray's The Steaks

Ruth's Chris used to be my favorite steakhouse; however on Friday, Ray's the Steaks gave ole Ruthie a run for her money. Adrian has been raving about this place for months and I finally got to see what the hype was all about. It was well-worth the 1.5 hour commute (the American Legion Bridge hates us all). This place is awesome and not nearly as pricey as most of the popular steakhouses. As one Urban Spoon reviewer so eloquently stated when comparing Morton's to Ray's: "Eat here. Or you're an idiot."

Spicy cashews and peppery bread: