Settling in

It's September 6 and the high today is supposed to be 85 degrees. But I still got myself my first pumpkin spice latte on the season. Mmm-mmm, bring on fall.

When Jeremy and I were house-hunting in the spring, I reflected that there is only so much research you can do on an area - the schools, amenities and property taxes. But your neighbors - well, only time will tell.

Blessedly, we landed in a very warm, community-oriented neighborhood, anchored by a one-lot playground. On school mornings, the kids parade down the streets, walking to the elementary school. Friday evenings, there are pizza parties on the playground. We had our block party last weekend, where Jeremy and I got to meet more people. One woman noted that the house really becomes your own when you start cooking and baking your favorite recipes, perfuming your house with those wonderfully comforting, familiar smells.

I thought of her as I prepared our Rosh Hashanah dinner this week. We had what are becoming our traditional dishes for this holiday - Italian-style brisket and apple cake; I had my little baker at my side.

And we added some new side dishes; all from Barefoot Contessa Foolproof: Recipes You Can Trust:

Provencal cherry tomato gratin

3 pints cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
1 1/2 tablespoons plus 3/4 cup good olive oil
1 teaspoon dried thyme
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 large garlic cloves, peeled
1⁄3 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 cups coarse bread cubes from a country bread (crusts removed)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Place the tomatoes in a 9x13-inch ceramic dish. Add the 1 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil, thyme, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and toss together. Spread the tomatoes evenly in the pan.

Place the garlic, parsley, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade and process until the garlic is finely chopped. Add the bread cubes and process until the bread is in crumbs. Add the ¼ cup of olive oil and pulse a few times to blend. Sprinkle the crumbs evenly over the tomatoes.

Bake the gratin for 40 to 45 minutes, until the crumbs are golden and the tomato juices are bubbling. Serve hot or warm.

Potato celery root puree

5 tablespoons unsalted butter
6 cups chopped leeks, white and light green parts (4 leeks)
4 cups (1½ pounds) Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and diced into ¾" cubes
4 cups (2 pounds) celery root, peeled and diced into ¾" cubes
3 cups heavy cream
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Melt butter over medium heat in a large (8" to 10") saucepan or Dutch oven. Rinse leeks well in a colander, spin dry in a salad spinner, and add to pot. Sauté over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, 8 to 10 minutes, until tender but not browned. Add potatoes, celery root, cream, 1 tablespoon salt, and 2 teaspoons pepper to the pot, stir, and bring to a boil. Lower heat to very low, cover pot, and simmer gently 25 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender. Be careful—don't let the vegetables scorch on the bottom of the pan! In batches, pour mixture into the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade and pulse until coarsely pureed. Taste for seasonings, return to saucepan, and keep warm over very low heat. If mixture gets too thick, add a little more cream.

Green beans gremolata

1 pound French green beans, trimmed
2 teaspoons minced garlic (2 cloves)
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest (2 lemons)
3 tablespoons minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
2 1/2 tablespoons good olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper


Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the green beans and blanch them for 2 to 3 minutes, until tender but still crisp. Drain the beans in a colander and immediately put them into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking and preserve their bright green color.

For the gremolata, toss the garlic, lemon zest, parsley, parmesan, and pine nuts in a small bowl and set aside.

When ready to serve, heat the olive oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Drain the beans and pat them dry. Add the beans to the pan and saute, turning frequently, for 2 minutes, until coated with olive oil and heated through. Off the heat, add the gremolata and toss well. Sprinkle with 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and serve hot.

Happy weekend!

Nourished

It has been a long - some points challenging and some points productive - week. Jack was acting out this week, so I begged off a work event this morning to be at home with my family. Turns out, I was the one who needed the TLC. I woke up at 2 a.m. this morning and never really got back to sleep. I was a grump.

We went to one of the last outdoor markets of the season at the Green City Market. The sky was an overcast gray; the trees were beautiful autumnal hues. I did not take any pictures; I just tried to breathe in the nature of Lincoln Park, with Chicago as our backdrop. The Market was very quiet, and it was one of our best trips. We savored hot apple cider from Seedling; apple cider doughnuts from Zullo's; a ciabatta and a loaf of pumpkin sourdough bread from Bennison's Bakery; a fistful of herbs from Smits Farm; and end-of-the-season tomatoes. I also discovered Italian sweet peppers from a vendor, whom I'm regrettably forgetting the name. They look like large chile peppers but are not spicy and quite sweet. The farmer told me that they are sugar-sweet in the summer but have a mild flavor right now.

I tried two new recipes today. After the fact, I realized they probably shouldn't be served together because the quinoa recipe is served cold, but it was still good. Northwestern lost in bittersweet fashion, so we needed an end-of-the-day soul-soothing meal and this delivered.

Roman-style chicken
Adapted from Giada De Laurentiis

2 skinless chicken breast halves, with ribs
6 skinless chicken thighs, with bones
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus 1 teaspoon
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus 1 teaspoon
1/4 cup olive oil
1 red bell pepper, sliced (I substituted two orange Italian sweet peppers)
1 yellow bell pepper, sliced (I substituted two yellow Italian sweet peppers)
3 ounces prosciutto, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1/2 cup white wine
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
1/3 teaspoon dried oregano or Italian herbs
1/2 cup chicken stock (low-sodium, preferred)
2 tablespoons capers
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

Season the chicken with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. In a heavy, large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. When the oil is hot, cook the chicken until browned on both sides (about five minutes on each side). Remove from the pan and set aside.

Keeping the same pan over medium heat, add the peppers and prosciutto and cook until the peppers have browned and the prosciutto is crisp, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, wine, and herbs. Using a wooden spoon, scrape the browned bits off the bottom of the pan. Return the chicken to the pan, add the stock, and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the chicken is cooked through, about 20 to 30 minutes.

If serving immediately, add the capers and the parsley. Stir to combine and serve. If making ahead of time, transfer the chicken and sauce to a storage container, cool, and refrigerate. The next day, reheat the chicken to a simmer over medium heat. Stir in the capers and the parsley and serve.

Tomato basil quinoa salad
3 cups prepared quinoa
2 cups diced fresh tomatoes (removing seeds) - approximately 4 medium-sized tomatoes
2 cups spinach
1 cup packed basil

Dressing:
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
zest of one lemon
salt and pepper to taste

To prepare the quinoa: Rinse 1 cup of dried quinoa using a fine-mesh sieve for two minutes under running water. Stir the quinoa with your hand. Shake off excess water. In a saucepan with a tight-fitting lid, warm a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil. Toast quinoa in the oil for one minute.  Add 2 cups of cooking liquid (water, chicken broth or vegetable broth) and bring to a rolling boil. Turn the burner down to low, cover and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove lid and stand 5 minutes.

Whisk the dressing ingredients together and set aside.

In a food processor, finely chop basil leaves and spinach. Set aside.

In a large bowl add prepared quinoa, tomatoes, chopped greens, and dressing. Mix until combined, and add more salt and pepper to taste.

Chill for at least four hours. Top with parmesan cheese (optional) before serving.

It was a satisfying end to a hectic week. I leave you with this pretty picture of Jossie that Jack took; she looks 12 years old.

Food-rific weekend

I love that food is always more than just food. It's friends and family coming together for a shared experience.

Friday, Jack, Jossie and I dropped off a meal to a new friend, who is a beautiful person inside and out, and mom to a 2-year-old daughter and newborn twin boys. Oy! You can check out her blog here. I love bringing new parents brunch (because, honey, you ain't going out to brunch anytime soon with a newborn), and this dish is over-the-top in every way:

Savory breakfast bread and sausage strata
Adapted from Fresh Every Day: More Great Recipes from Foster's Market by Sara Foster
Serves 8 to 10

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, plus more for buttering the baking dish
1/2 yellow onion, diced
1/2 lb breakfast sausage, de-cased (your butcher can do this for you)
1 5 oz bag of pre-washed baby spinach leaves
2 1/2 cups milk
8 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoons sea salt
1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
6 cups 1 1/2-inch cubes day-old French bread
1 1/2 cups shredded Swiss cheese (about 6 oz)
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese (about 3 oz)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
1 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary

1. Butter a 9x13 baking dish. Melt the 1 tablespoon of butter in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add the onion and cook until translucent, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add the sausage and cook for 4 minutes or so, breaking into pieces as it cooks.  Stir in the spinach and saute until it is just wilted, about two minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat, and drain off any liquid.

2. Whisk together the milk, eggs, mustard, salt and pepper. Add the bread and stir to coat. Stir in the sausage mixture, cheeses, thyme and rosemary and pour into prepared dish.  Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour or, preferably, overnight.

3. Twenty minutes before you're ready to serve, remove from fridge.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees and bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until it is puffy and golden brown.  Remove the bread pudding from the oven and let it sit for about 5 minutes before serving. Serve warm and enjoy.

Saturday, we headed to the Green City Market with our friends Emily and Steve. On his own, Jack discovered pickling cucumbers at Genesis Growers, and Auntie Em encouraged him to make pickles. So we bought four, and Jack and I made a batch of these yesterday afternoon. This is an easy recipe for kids, and Jack proudly peeks in the fridge from time to time to see how his pickles are doing:

Jack's superhero "get you out of a pickle" fridge pickles

Adapted from The Foster's Market Cookbook by Sara Foster

Makes about 1 quart

2 cups white vinegar
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoon sea salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon pickling spice

4 to 5 small pickling cucumbers, sliced in quarters

1/4 small white onion, thinly sliced into rounds

1. Combine the vinegar, sugar, salt, black pepper and pickling spices in a quart jar. Place the lid on the jar and shake until the sugar has dissolved.

2. Layer the cucumbers and onion in the jar using a wooden spoon to press them tightly into the jar. Place the lid on the jar, shake it well, and refrigerate at least 4 hours, shaking the jar occasionally to keep the ingredients mixed. These pickles will keep in the refrigerator for at least 1 month.

Last night, we met friends Scott and Sarah for dinner out at Nightwood in Chicago's Pilsen neighborhood. It's been a long time since the four of us have been out sans kids, and this place was perfect. They used locally sourced organic ingredients, integrated into wonderfully creative dishes with Latin and Asian influences. 

And now it's Sunday. I had high hopes of going to church by myself but it's raining and we're all tired and hanging out in our pjs. As you can see, I'm on a Foster's Market kick - Sara Foster worked with Martha Stewart before opening this market in Durham, NC in 1990. We had the opportunity to visit when my cousin got married in Raleigh in 2007. I love all of her cookbooks. Here's another favorite recipe, which we made this morning:

Buttermilk pancakes 

Adapted from The Foster's Market Cookbook by Sara Foster

Makes about 20 (4-inch) pancakes.

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons light brown sugar, lightly packed
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 eggs, separated
2 cups buttermilk
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 teaspoons vanilla

Mix the flour, both sugars, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl and set aside.

Whisk egg yolks, buttermilk, 6 tablespoons of the butter and vanilla in a separate bowl and set aside. Beat the egg whites in a separate bowl until soft peaks form.

Meanwhile, heat a griddle over medium-high heat until a drop of water dances on the surface. Add flour mixture to liquids and stir just until well blended. Gently fold in the whites; do not overmix.

Scoop about 1/4 cup batter to make each pancake, spreading it or allowing it to settle. Space pancakes 2 inches apart. Cook until batter forms bubbles. Flip the cakes and cook about 2 minutes more. Top with berries, bananas and/or syrup. Enjoy!

A good mix

It's Sunday night, and I'm tired.

Friday brought great news for my mom's health - she had her heart checked out and there are no blockages and to quote the doctor, she'll never have a heart attack, which was joyous to hear.

On a much-lesser note, I also enjoyed having a work meeting at the Chicago Botanic Garden, one of my most favorite places on earth. I met a friend for lunch, and it was just a splendid day out.

The rest of this weekend was a mix of work and fun. Fun was had at our first visit to the Green City Market for the season.

And a pirate party at a nearby park.

We also had a playdate with good friends to round out the weekend. And Jeremy grilled steaks for us Saturday night.

Work was had organizing everyone's closets. Now that it's June, we think we can finally put away our winter clothes and bring out the summer ones. And Miss Jossie has graduated to 3-6 month clothes.

My yard work for the season consisted of me washing down our 4th floor porch table and chairs and planting my flower boxes with Jack today. One neighbor gave us three small cherry tomato plants, so we're going to give those a whirl too.

We also washed our windows, giving us a clear view of the Chicago skyline - at least, until it rains again.

For Sunday night dinner, Jeremy grilled chicken with a marinade of vegetable oil, lime juice and The Spice House's fajita seasoning.  I made my own Spanish rice (rather than from a box) - it was from one of my toddler food cookbooks, with a few of my own variations:

Spanish rice

2 t. olive oil
1 large shallot, chopped (about 1/4 cup)
1/4 cup carrot, chopped
1/2 cup fresh tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1/8 or 1/4 t. cayenne pepper (depending on your tolerance for spice)
1 1/2 t. ground cumin
1 cup uncooked white rice
2 cups vegetable or chicken broth
1/2 t. salt

Heat olive oil in large stockpot over low heat. Add shallot, carrot and tomatoes and saute until shallot is translucent, for 3 minutes. Add spices, rice, broth and salt. Cover and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until rice is tender, about 25 or so minutes. Check every 10 minutes to be sure the broth has not all been absorbed too quickly; add more liquid if needed.

And Jeremy found a winner at Costco this weekend for the perfect summer wine. If you're a member at Costco and like light summery wines, try out:

2010 Despagne Eclat de Sauvignon - it's a white bordeaux for $6.99, and it fabulous pairs with warm breezes and bright sunshine.

One last discovery - I love this new lipstick: Clinique Chubby Stick in Mega Melon. You are welcome.

Happy Sunday night - go take a bath and relax a little. And go get 'em tomorrow!

Get the soup pot out

It was a beautiful, crisp fall day. Inspired by the Green City Market and craving soup as the temperatures get chillier, I made leek and potato soup tonight. This recipe is adapted from Alice Waters' The Art of Simple Food:

Leek and Potato Soup

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 pounds leeks

2 thyme sprigs

1 bay leaf

salt to taste

1 pound yellow potatoes, peeled, halved or quartered, and sliced

6 cups of water, chicken broth or vegetable broth

1/3 cup heavy (or light) cream

Trim the root end and the tough upper greens from the leeks.  Cut the trimmed leeks in half lengthwise. Rinse well. Slice leeks.  Melt butter over medium heat in a heavy-bottomed pot.  Add leeks, thyme, bay leaf and salt.  Cook until soft, about 10 minutes.  Add the potatoes and cook for 4 minutes.  Then add water or broth. Bring to a boil and turn down to summer.  Cook until vegetables are tender, about 30-35 minutes. 

Remove the bay leaf and the thyme sprigs and puree the soup (I use an immersion blender for this step). Stir in cream and enjoy with some crusty bread.

We also bought some baking apples today, so I made a small batch of homemade applesauce for our breakfast tomorrow. 

Homemade applesauce

4 medium cooking apples, peeled and quartered

1/2 cup water

2 or 3 tablespoons sugar

scant 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Heat apples and water to boiling in a 2-quart saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally; reduce heat to low.  Simmer uncovered 10 minutes or so, until tender. You may need to pour off some of the water (depending on the consistency you like). Bust out the immersion blender again or a good old-fashioned potato masher, and mash up the apples and mix in the remaining ingredients. Heat to boiling and boil for 1 minute.

Snowy February Friday

Hi. Jack didn't nap today, and Mommy is tired. Since he wasn't doing the nap and I wasn't getting any work done, I felt like we should be somewhat productive in the late afternoon. So on went the winter coats and out the door we went. On our way to the ATM, we cruised past Snippets, and Jack said, "haircut?" If a two-year-old is asking for a haircut, I thought I should probably take him up on the offer.

Two lollipops later, I had a well-coiffed little boy. And he was a prince during the whole hair-cutting process. We may be on to something! Back into the car with two more errands to run, the last being a stop at Whole Foods. Jeremy and I typically do some sort of take-out on Friday nights, but tonight, it was easiest to pick up a roast chicken and some fresh vegetables. 

So tonight's dinner wasn't a full-fledged home-cooked dinner but that's okay. We made mashed potatoes (the secret is a dollop of sour cream, which I learned at Thanksgiving, courtesy of my mother-in-law) and some yummy roasted maple-mustard green beans (and carrots). This recipe was first made famous by Mark's epic meal and was much appreciated at my family's Christmas table (especially by Uncle Geoff).

Roasted Maple-Mustard Green Beans
Adapted from Cook’s Illustrated

Serves 4.

Ingredients

1 T. maple syrup
1 T. Dijon mustard
1 T. grainy mustard
Pinch cayenne pepper
1 pound green beans, stem ends snapped off
2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into matchsticks about 2 inches long and ¼ inch thick
1 T. olive oil
Salt
1 T. minced fresh parsley

Instructions

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position; heat oven to 450 degrees. Combine maple syrup, mustards, and cayenne in small bowl.

2. Line rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil; arrange beans and carrots on baking sheet. Drizzle with oil; using hands, toss to coat evenly. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt, toss to coat, and distribute in even layer. Roast 10 minutes.

3. Remove baking sheet from oven. Using tongs, coat beans and carrots evenly with maple-mustard mixture; redistribute in even layer. Continue roasting until carrots and beans are dark golden brown in spots and beans are starting to shrivel, 10 to 12 minutes longer.

4. Adjust seasoning with salt and toss well to combine. Transfer to serving dish, sprinkle with parsley, and serve.

Fall Fest 2009

We had our good friends Emily and Steve in town this weekend. They will often have guest appearances in this blog, since they love food as much as Jeremy and I do. Emily and I were roommates for a period after college, and she introduced me to my beloved Barefoot Contessa.

Sunday morning, Jack was up at 6:15 a.m., and since we live in a loft, I got Jack and I dressed and we took a walk in the crisp fall air as our guests (and daddy/hubby Jeremy) snoozed. It's always nice to spend some time with my little guy, particularly when he's being cuddly and adorable. We stopped at Caribou Coffee - I can't recommend their wild pumpkin coffee drink - it was just okay, and the calorie count was out of control. But Jack and I had a good snugfest as we shared a blueberry muffin. He was such a good boy, sitting on my lap, batting those long eyelashes he inherited from Jeremy. It makes up for those times he's terrorizing the cat and making general mayhem.

Emily knows how much I love fall, so later that day, she made quite the feast.The main dish was pork loin with fig and port sauce, which she dressed up further by adding dijon mustard and pancetta. Whoa! She paired it with roasted butternut squash salad with warm cider vinaigrette and pumpkin and pine nut risotto:

Pumpkin and Pine Nut Risotto
1 lb fresh pumpkin, seeded
4 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup pine nuts
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 1/3 cups Italian risotto
2/3 cup white wine
3 3/4 cups hot chicken broth
3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

Clean pumpkin and chunk into 3/4 inch pieces. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in large saucepan with the oil and sauté pumpkin for 3-4 minutes. Add nuts and continue sautéing for 2 minutes longer. Remove from pan with slotted spoon and set aside.
Add onion to drippings in pan. Sauté until tender; add garlic and rice, stirring for about 1 minute. Pour in wine and let boil until evaporated. Add 1/2 cup of the hot broth, stirring until absorbed. Continue cooking and adding broth until the rice is thick and creamy but still has texture. (About 20 minutes). You might not need all the broth.

Add pumpkin and pine nuts and 1/2 the parmesan cheese to rice. Serve hot with remaining cheese.

I love fall!

Rosh Hashanah, part one

Weeks ago, I decided I was going to make not one but two Rosh Hashanah dinners for my husband and our friends. As the weekend approached, I got a bit apprehensive. But come last Thursday night, I rolled up my sleeves and got to work.

Do other people drive to four different grocery stores to get all of the ingredients or is it just me? In Chicago, I hit Treasure Island for San Marzano tomatoes; Jewel for my King Arthur all-purpose flour; Whole Foods for my brisket; and Costco for lemons, berries and gallons of extra-virgin olive oil. I spent much of Thursday night after Jack went to sleep and Friday morning, traversing the city in search of all of my ingredients. And then, with a clean house and full kitchen, I was ready.

Friday, the turkey went into the oven mid-afternoon. I'm a white meat gal. I love Ina's herb-roasted turkey breast. It always turns out moist and delicious. My sides included honey glazed carrots and a variation on this cornbread stuffing (I used chicken sausage rather than bacon and added mushrooms). My dear friend Amy made my Mom's sweet potato casserole, which she got from her beloved Aunt Shirley:

Sweet Potato Casserole

4 cups cooked mashed sweet potatoes

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 eggs, beaten

1/4 cup melted butter

1/2 cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

Combine above ingredients throughly making sure to cool potatoes slightly before adding eggs. Place in a greased baking dish and sprinkle with topping. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Topping: (may cut in half depending on size of baking dish)

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

1/2 cup flour

1/4 cup melted butter

And to fully round out the Thanksgiving-like menu, I made Jeremy's grandmother's cranberry compote:

Cranberry Compote

1 can of whole berry cranberry sauce

1 small can of mandarin oranges, drained well

1 can crushed pineapple, drained well

1 bag of frozen strawberries

1 regular-sized jar of applesauce

Stir together and let sit overnight in the fridge.

I cheated on dessert (hey, it was Friday!): pumpkin pie (surprisingly very good and I fancy myself a pumpkin connoisseur) from Costco and cupcakes from Southport Grocery.

Home Cookin' on a Weekday Night

It's been unseasonably cool recently as we near the end of August here in Chicago. I was in the mood for some comfort food this week. The Barefoot Contessa's turkey meatloaf is comforting without being too decadent (and we all know what a bad girl Ina can be...) I made it Sunday night, halving the recipe, and it kept well in the fridge before I baked it Monday after work. And maybe it was the white wine talking, but I really love me a good meatloaf pan. Trust me - I'm not a huge gadget person (I'm serious - my favorite kitchen item is my $5 jelly roll pan from Northwestern Cutlery, the best place in Chicago to sharpen your knives by the way, but I digress) - but I really love this pan. Gets rid of the fat without drying out the meatloaf.

I'm currently auditioning Rosh Hashanah side dishes and was really pleased with Sunny Anderson's honey glazed carrots recipe - the secret ingredient is freshly squeezed lemon juice. Gosh, they were sooo much better than the cooked carrots I remember from the past. The plate had to be rounded out with some carbs, so I went Thanksgiving on my family with a traditional favorite: stuffing and spinach balls. However I have a shocking admission: I, an Italian girl, married a man who DOES NOT EAT CHEESE. This will be the stuff of many a post down the road, but for now, I will let you know I held the Parmesan cheese.

Curry in a hurry

Mr. J and I work full-time, so we are always look for fast weeknight dinners. This is not very kid-friendly, unless you ate a lot of Indian food while you were pregnant and your kid loves all kinds of spices: curry turkey burgers. We ate our burgers with an Asian slaw, recipe courtesy of my old roommate's mom:

Asian Slaw

For the dressing, whisk together:

1/4 c. sugar

1/3 c. vegetable oil

1/4 c. white vinegar

a few drops of dark sesame oil

the seasoning packet from original ramen noodles

Combine dressing with one package of coleslaw mix and toasted slivered almonds. Break up ramen noodles and sprinkle on top.