Stir-fry: a working parent's best friend

Sometimes we just don't have a lot of time to cook. We had one of those days recently. Jeff was working a bit later than usual and John had to be at the school by 6:30 to help out in the concession stand.

I knew we were having stir-fry, so I wasn't worried. Stir-fry is so versatile -- you can use chicken, beef, pork or seafood. You could even make an all-veggie version (but why would you?).

I used "a working parent's best friend" in the title instead of "a working Mom's best friend" because in this house, Jeffrey is always the stir-fry cook. Except for the other night. I had bought beef already cut into strips, an absolute time saver, thank you very much grocery store butcher. I got the rice going and turned my attention to the veggies.

It was very simple. I had a red bell pepper, an orange bell pepper and half an onion. I cut the peppers into strips and the onion into chunks. Just some salt and pepper for the beef, a little canola oil in a pre-heated electric wok and I was ready to cook. John wanted to help, so he took some of the pictures and then he added the soy sauce when everything was almost finished. All told, it took 26 minutes from start to finish.

I am trying to eat better, to use more fresh and fewer processed ingredients. I am trying to replace not-so-good-for-you foods with healthier choices. Instead of chips with sandwiches, we might have fruit or baked crackers and hummus, for example. This week I've been having yogurt with homemade granola (yep - I'll be writing about that soon too) for breakfast. So this meal is a no brainer.

It's fast, it's tasty and it is so easy to fill it with vegetables. I would have put broccoli or snow peas or something green in it too, but I didn't have time to stop at the store. I love pineapples in stir-fry too, but sadly, we didn't have any of those either. It's been a pretty busy week, so a full trip to the grocery store has just not happened. Instead, it's been one of those weeks when I stop and get a few things here and there.

So working parents and everyone who is busy -- if stir-fry is not already one of you go-to meals, I highly recommend making it. John loved it, and we made up a plate for Jeffrey to have when he got home. A few minutes to relax, and then we were out the door.

Best. Seafood. Ever

When my in-laws were down last weekend, they made an incredible seafood dinner.

We had boiled shrimp and steamed crab legs (which were on sale at Lowes Foods). They had rented an oceanfront condo for the weekend and the weather was lousy, so we spent a bit of time indoors. And if you're stuck inside, you might as well have an ocean view.

The condo had your basic menagerie of cast off cookery. But my father-in-law was not to be deterred. He found something small enough to fit inside the biggest pot there and presto -- instant steamer. They had thought ahead and cooked the shrimp before we went bowling, so it was ready when we got back. All we had to do was steam the crab legs, get the salad ready, slice the bread, get out the condiments, set the table (complete with bowls for shrimp peelings and crab shells) and eat. John and I tossed the bag salad and poured the dressing. It was tough, but we managed.

We sat down to quite a spread and immediately dug in. It was way better than something we would have been served in a restaurant. Nothing against the local establishments, but this food was so good. We had drawn butter for the crab, of course, but it really didn't even need it. The crab meat was delectable -- sweet and salty, flaky and light. This is one meal we will repeat...at least when the crab legs are on sale.

Pavlova (just a fancy name for meringues)

I didn't want a really heavy meal for Easter dinner. Fancy, yes, but not heavy. We planned on a beef roast and green bean casserole, but just simple parsley red potatoes and plain crusty bread to round out the meal. And for dessert, I made individual Pavlovas with a strawberry compote and whipped cream. 

I first learned of pavlova from the Barefoot Contessa. I absolutely love her show. She thinks along the same lines as I do in the kitchen. We don't mind spending some time on our meals to let the people we are cooking for know they're worth the effort. But we don't want to spend all day chained to the stove. That's where the pavlova comes in. 

It has everything I want in a dessert. It's sweet, but not a sugar bomb. It's a mixture of textures -- a crispy shell filled with gooey deliciousness. And strawberries and whipped cream top them off perfectly.

They look like something you'd get from a bakery, but they are not hard to make. I have to admit though, I have carpal tunnel in both my hands, and I have never been so pleased with my decision to get a Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer as I was when I made these. 

If you can use a mixer, stand or hand, you can make pavlovas. I think any berry combination would be good, and you don't have to make a
compote; fresh berries would work great on these too. As I usually do, I used a few recipes as guides, and I've managed to get it down in written form.

Pavlova:

• 8 large egg whites
• 2 cups superfine/castor sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons white vinegar
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch

Strawberry Compote:

• 2 pints fresh strawberries
• 4 tablespoons sugar
• 6 tablespoons water
• Juice of 2 lemon

For the Pavlova:

1. Preheat oven to 250 F.
2. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and draw six evenly spaced, 4½-inch circles on each piece of paper (I used the top of a pint glass as a mold). Turn the parchment paper over.
3. Beat the egg whites until they hold soft peaks (using an electric whisk will make easy work of this).
4. While mixing, add the sugar, a little bit at a time, and beat vigorously until the meringue holds very stiff and shiny peaks and the sugar is completely dissolved.
5. Beat in the vanilla extract.
6. Drizzle the vinegar and cornstarch over the top of the meringue and gently fold in with a rubber spatula or spoon.
7. Use the spatula or a spoon to spread the meringue inside the circles on the parchment paper. (You can make the edges of the meringue slightly higher so there is a small indentation or well to hold the whipped cream and fruit - I didn't because I wanted the cream and fruit to run down the sides a little).
8. Bake for an hour to 75 minutes, or until the outside is dry and very light pink in color.
9. Turn off the oven and open the door slightly. Cool the meringue to completely in the oven. As it cools, it may start to crack slightly - this is normal.
10. Serve when cooled, or if making ahead, store in an airtight container in a cool place. 

For the Strawberry Compote:

1. Put the strawberries, sugar, water, and lemon juice in a medium pot over medium-high heat.
2. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to reduce to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until strawberries are soft (approximately five minutes).
3. Remove from heat and set aside. Cool completely and either serve with pavlovas or store in refrigerator until ready to serve. (Because I made this a day ahead of time, I put it in the microwave two minutes just to get the chill off before serving.)

The Best Recipe I Ever Got

This recipe is the best one anyone ever gave me. It's a recipe for cocktail meatballs. The meatballs are delicious, but I think it's the extra commentary that makes this recipe fabulous. My friend Chris gave it to me. He made these when we had a potluck meal a couple of times, and when I asked him how to make them, this is what I got. I laughed so hard I cried. 

1. Go to Wal-Mart.

2. In the frozen section you will find bags of pre-made meatballs. They are in 2lb/32oz bags. Put a bag in your cart. 

3. Go to the aisle that has barbeque sauce. Find a really large bottle of KC Masterpiece and put it in your cart.

4. In the same aisle you will find spicy brown mustard (1 cup), Honey (1 Cup) and Worcestershire Sauce (small bottle-enough for a few splashes). Put that stuff in your cart too.

5. Go to the checkout, pay for these items and leave Wal-Mart.

6. Go to ABC Store. (Lisa's note: In North Carolina, alcohol is sold at ABC Stores). Purchase a bottle of Jack Daniels. You can purchase anything else you want while you’re there but you only need the Jack Daniels for the Meatballs. May I suggest a nice bottle of Crown Royal?

7. Leave the ABC Store now … before you spend all of your money. Go home.

8. In the kitchen, you will find a pot in the lower cabinet to the left of the stove … wait a minute, that’s my kitchen. Ok well find your own pot in your own kitchen and put it on your own stove.

9. In the pot, add:

2 Cups of KC Masterpiece (set aside the remainder, you may add more later)

1 Cup of Honey (set aside the remainder, you may add more later)

1 Cup of Spicy Brown Mustard (put away the remainder)

1 Cup of Jack Daniels (drink the remainder)

A couple of splashes of Worcestershire Sauce (don’t drink the remainder)

Heat this mixture up for about 10 minutes. It will look funny at first, yellowish from the mustard but that’s ok, it scared me too at first. Keep on stirring and it will clear up. After about 10 minutes of heating add the frozen meatballs, bring to a boil. Once it boils, turn it down and simmer for about 45 minutes. It’s a good idea to taste test the sauce (not the meatballs) while it’s cooking, I sometimes add some more KC Masterpiece or Worcestershire Sauce or honey depending on thickness and taste. I don’t usually add more Jack Daniels because by the time I get to this point in the cooking process, there isn’t any left. If you have some left and want to add it, go right ahead; there are no rules here. Enjoy!!

Dinner on the porch

Sometimes dinner is all about the cooking. It's in the making, taking the time to make something new or something extra special. When I have the time, I like to cook, really cook, because it calms me.

Sometimes dinner is just about having a meal because we need refueling on our way to a meeting, band concert or choir practice. Those meals are usually unimaginative, usually one of our go-to recipes that we can count on to be quick and satisfying. Rotisserie chicken from the store with a Caesar salad. Breakfast for dinner. Tacos.

Sometimes dinner is about relaxing with my family and letting the day go.

Tonight was one of those nights. It was simple fare tonight. Roast beef sandwiches on good rolls heated in the oven. We also had roasted garlic humus with pita chips. All store bought and the only cooking was heating the sammies (we use Provolone cheese and Jeff adds horseradish to his-blech!).

The table on our screened-in porch was slightly damp since I had to soak it down to clean the pollen off it. As we ate, we watched the sun go down and listened to a few birds chattering nearby. Most importantly, we talked and laughed and laughed some more.

I can't even remember now what we talked about. It wasn't important stuff, but the meal was relaxing and comfortable. The only excitement we had was reminding the dog that table manners are expected outside too. Well, to be honest, we usually have to remind her about table manners inside, but she needs extra reminders outside.

Now that it is finally Spring in North Carolina, I am looking forward to many more dinners on the porch.

Pink....not just for princesses anymore

I mentioned in an earlier post that having a Whole Foods store in Wilmington means new ingredients never before available in this part of North Carolina are now mine for the trying. I am probably not the typical customer for this store though, because I want to shop there for the variety of ingredients offered, not because something is organic or fits into a vegan diet. 

One part of the store that fascinates me is the wall o' grains. When I was in college, the cafeterias had large plastic dispensers of cereal so we could help ourselves a bowl at a time. The wall o' grains uses the same mechanism. Grab a bag and fill it up with whatever rice or nut you want to try. They also have bins and scoops, but those aren't as fun. So the last time I was there, I decided to get some pink rice. I had no idea what it was, but c'mon. It was pink. I could figure out what to do with it later.

When I got home I asked Google about it and from the store's website, I learned that that this rice was nearly extinct. One farmer in Madagascar brought it back from just one seed, or so the story goes. The site also said the rice was pink because of the way it is milled, leaving some of the bran layer on the grains. And it said the rice was "elusively aromatic of cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg." Ever the skeptic, I wasn't sure what to think of that fairly pompous description. But when I cooked it the other night, that's exactly what it smelled like.

This rice is amazing and I am so glad I tried it. Cooking it is simple. Just boil a cup and a half of liquid for every cup of rice, bring it down to a simmer, cover, and cook 20 minutes or so until it is done. I added salt and a little butter, just as I would for white rice. I used water, but chicken stock would work too. It's a bit stickier than plain white rice, which I liked. I made too much, but used the leftovers for lunch the next day. I roasted a few baby heirloom tomatoes and red bell pepper strips with olive oil, salt and pepper in the morning and added it to the rice.

My next plan for it is rice cakes. I use this recipe from Barefoot Contessa for risotto cakes, and I think this rice, maybe with some dried cranberries, would be seriously yummy as a rice cake. I'll let you know how they come out.