Four Girls... Frozen

Today I ate lunch from Week 3! Jess's Penne Pumpkin Pasta and Jo's Tomato Basil Soup. I let them thaw in the fridge, microwaved them covered, and both were marvelous. The pasta consistency had changed a little but it was still delicious and the soup was as good as the day we ate it hot! This made me excited about freezing meals as a way to save money and time. Then I found this photo on pinterest that is making me want to spend money and time organizing my freezer. oops!

Thanks for lunch FGFS!

Better Date Than Never

      With every recipe there is a lesson learned, the fun comes when you learn a lesson that is unexpected...
      I chose my recipe for last week's dinner based on simplicity (rule #1-as few ingredients/steps as possible).  Of course it did require ingredients that are NOT naturally found in my pantry (Note: things commonly found in my pantry include black beans, power bars, instant oatmeal and york peppermint patties).  So off I went in search of my 3 ingredients to Whole Foods on a SATURDAY!!!  OMG! HUGE MISTAKE!!!
     Now I know what the rest of Memphis does on Saturday-they go to Whole Foods.  It was so crowded, the check out lines trailed down the shopping aisles and threatened to reach the back of the store.   For a minute I was tempted to throw down my list of 3 ingredients and stomp back out cursing my beloved city for not having a properly sized Whole Foods (but that is another blog post for another day).  Alas, I could not claim defeat, because I had invited Lana to come with me. We'd come all this way for the promise of organic produce and a greener life.  So we were committed to seeing this project through. (At least I wasn't going to be the one to say "uncle").  So we decided to ease into the organic madness by starting at the smoothie counter.  I got the Green Genie. Wow.  Empowered by wheat grass and other green genie stuff, we accepted our fate and settled into the bustle and flow of Whole Foods. And so it went.  I bought my three ingredients among many other things.

      I will say that if you are making a recipe that only requires a few ingredients, then it is important to make sure that those few ingredients are high quality ingredients...

So here it is the recipe for Bacon Wrapped Dates with Parmesan a la Perfect Party Food by Diane Phillips:




1) Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until it has rendered some fat and begins to turn translucent; don't let it brown at all.  Remove from the pan and drain thoroughly on paper towels.

Exhibit A

2.) Make a slit in each date and stuff with a small piece of cheese. (I'm going to add here to take out the pit--for those other novices out there, who like me may not have inferred that right away).  Wrap in a piece of bacon and secure with a toothpick if needed.  (Haven't found organic toothpicks yet.  Am I the first person to think of this?) Place the wrapped dates in a baking dish.

Exhibit B

3.)  Preheat the oven to 375 F and bake the dates until the bacon is crisp, 10 to 12 minutes.  Remove from the oven, drain the dates on paper towels and set on a platter for serving.  Thin shreds of any leftover Parmesan make an awesome garnish.

I realize that my photog skills need work.  Next!

Again for the novice cook who needs explicit directions (me), I would like to add for the record that once the bacon has crisped up you should take the toothpicks out before serving them.

Ta Da!!--No these are not pigs in a blanket!

SEE!  They're dates in a blanket!  Oh la la!

I thought the dates were deliciously sweet and almost could have been a desert!  But the real moral of this story is:

Don't go to Whole Foods on a SATURDAY!  Never again!

Quin-wha??

This week for a side dish I made quinoa, which was uncharted territory for me. Quinoa is a "Power Food" and has twice the protein of rice and is rich in vitamins such as B6 and E, and immune boosters zinc and iron.

I didn't know what to expect and picked a recipe that seemed easy from wholeliving.com:

Quinoa-Spinach Bake

I read the reviews and doctored it up accordingly with extra cheese and an extra egg. It didn't turn out as exciting as I'd hoped, but I enjoyed the texture and consistency of the baked quinoa and thought of it as a great base for many variations. This dish with a few different veggies and herbs could make a good substitute for cornbread dressing. I could see this as part of a healthier approach to Thanksgiving. I would also like it in a Greek version with more spinach, kalamata olives, feta cheese and roasted tomatoes!

A little research turned up a New York Times article about quinoa and lists some delicious sounding recipes to try. Definitely worth a look!

Recipes for Health: Quinoa

Eating in Season

My friend Olivia gave me this great letter press calendar which profiles fruits and veggies in season by month, so you'll know what to look for at the market and in the grocery. Especially helpful during the winter months when tomatoes are stocked next to the watercress and endive - how do you know what is in season and what is not? Here you go... all wrapped up in a stylish and handmade package!

A great Valentine's date!

There are few better ways to celebrate Valentine's Day (week) than with close girlfriends, and I did just that last night at our weekly dinner. Forget the Hallmark cards, heart-shaped boxes of empty calories, and waiting for the florist's delivery truck...

Give me instead wild Atlantic salmon with a simple lemon dill sauce, arugula, radish and red onion salad, and quinoa laced with spinach and topped with parmesan and bread crumbs. Ahhh, my sweethearts.

But the winner of the evening, drum roll, please -- parmesan-stuffed dates, wrapped in hickory smoked bacon. Yes, bacon. Who needs chocolate hearts?

It was a great Valentine's date. And a perfect kick off to a chilly February week in Memphis.

Pecorino Cayenne Crackers

'Keep that Cayenne Pepper Around'

I've got a an old jar of cayenne pepper that my aunt gave me. I keep it with my other seasonings as a reminder of how my family used it...in almost everything. And talk about good for you!  Now, in this recipe for Pecorino Crackers, the amount of cayenne called for was just right...remember a little bit goes a long way!

                                          

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 cups grated pecorino Romano
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne
• 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup all-pourpose flour

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine the cheese, salt, pepper, and cayenne in a medium bowl and stir to combine. Add the butter. Using a hand mixer, beat the cheese mixture and butter until combined. Add the flour 1/4 cup at a time, mixing only until incorporated and the mixture holds together.

Place tablespoon-sized balls of the dough on 1 or 2 parchment paper-lined baking sheets, tapping the dough down gently with your fingertips. Bake until just beginning to brown at the edges, about 15 minutes. Let cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes. Transfer to a serving plate. 

Recipe From: Giada De Laurentiis

My New Favorite Restaurant

Week Five! I'm so impressed with us. Four Girls Four Seasons Night is my new favorite restaurant. The menu is seasonal and always changing, the atmosphere is always inviting and three of my favorite ladies are always there! I'll gladly go there once a week. Tonight's menu:

Parmesan Cayenne Cookies by Joanna for appetizer, Endive Watercress and Almond Salad by Beth, Butternut Squash Apple Soup with Crostini and Beet Chips by me, and a side of melt in your mouth Sesame Green Beans by Jessica. I feel so proud of us and very satisfied by the healthy dinner we just ate.

Cooking this weekend was so much fun and I learned how to tackle a giant squash. I made Ina Garten's Butternut Squash and Apple Soup recipe a day ahead and had to use the last squash in Whole Foods, which was surely some farmer's prize specimen. At 5 lbs it was nearly the size of my cat! I followed the recipe closely (which thankfully required 5 lbs of squash) and my only comment is that I'll make sure to always make it one day ahead because it improved spending the night in the fridge and being reheated today. Yesterday the curry and apples seemed like two different flavor experiences in one bite, and today they worked together to make something greater than the sum of its parts!

I made the Beet Chips from the Power Foods book a day ahead as well, which also benefited from being reheated. Last night fresh out of the 350 degree oven, they were crispy but when I went back to them today they were chewy. About 30 minutes in the oven at 250 degrees to re-crisp made them crispier and lighter than yesterday. So a two step baking process is best for these in my opinion. I also couldn't understand the directions about stacking racks, so I just watched the chips closely and took them out of the oven as they were ready, sometimes individually.

Here are the recipes for the soup and the chips! Looking forward to the other recipe posts and comments on our dinner, Week Five!

Butternut Squash and Apple Soup by Ina Garten

• Ingredients
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons good olive oil
• 4 cups chopped yellow onions (3 large)
• 2 tablespoons mild curry powder
• 5 pounds butternut squash (2 large)
• 1 1/2 pounds sweet apples, such as McIntosh (4 apples)
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups water
• 2 cups good apple cider or juice

Directions

Warm the butter, olive oil, onions, and curry powder in a large stockpot uncovered over low heat for 15 to 20 minutes, until the onions are tender. Stir occasionally, scraping the bottom of the pot.

Peel the squash, cut in half, and remove the seeds. Cut the squash into chunks. Peel, quarter, and core the apples. Cut into chunks.

Add the squash, apples, salt, pepper, and 2 cups of water to the pot. Bring to a boil, cover, and cook over low heat for 30 to 40 minutes, until the squash and apples are very soft. Process the soup through a food mill fitted with a large blade, or puree it coarsely in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade.

Pour the soup back into the pot. Add the apple cider or juice and enough water to make the soup the consistency you like; it should be slightly sweet and quite thick. Check the salt and pepper and serve hot.

Beet Chips by Martha Stewart and Power Foods

Ingredients

• 2 medium beets
• 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees, with racks in upper and lower thirds. Peel beets and slice 1/16 inch thick with a mandoline. In a large bowl, toss beets with extra-virgin olive oil.
2. On two rimmed baking sheets (or use one sheet and bake in two batches), arrange beets in a single layer. Stack another rimmed baking sheet on top of each. Bake until edges of beets begin to dry out, about 20 minutes. Uncover and rotate sheets. Bake 10 to 20 minutes, removing chips as they become lightened in color. Transfer to a wire rack; chips will crisp up as they cool.

Armed and Dangerous...

This Monday night is our next Four Girls gathering at my apartment. Leading up to it, this weekend's plans include lots of fun and a few accomplishments. My big brother Chris is riding to Memphis on his Harley, and since he's installed a back seat, I'm going on my first motorcycle ride! I'll admit I'm scared and will be screaming all the way down Poplar no doubt. Then I'm taking Chris to see Armed and Dangerous: The Art of the Arsenal at the Brooks Museum, the perfect art exhibit for a military man like my brother. We'll spend great time together, and I'll trade with him a little bit of culture for a little more of his edge.

After I get off that bike, the next mountain to climb is the entree for our Four Girls gathering, which I'll prepare Sunday. I've decided to conquer a personal culinary flop from the past. If I get it right, I'll feel as proud as riding that motorcycle, except this time the screaming sound will be the puree noise from my brand new food processor! Get your accoutrements and such ready ladies, we're having Butternut Squash and Apple Soup Ina Garten style! The last time I attempted making Butternut Squash Soup took three hours and yielded a lumpy, yellow, slightly sweet, cream of chicken... well...slop. The kind that only a boyfriend who loves you, has a garbage disposal appetite, and has been waiting to eat for 3 hours will eat. Yes, that happened. Don't worry though... new day, new recipe, and no cans of soup allowed. Also, I'm proudly armed with my appliance and I'm getting dangerous with that puree button.

xx

Lana

First four menus...

Since we are playing catch-up in these first few posts, we wanted to share our first attempts at clean, local, seasonal eating. It's a start - some have worked, some not, but we are excited enough to keep at it! Here you go...

(I'll do us all a favor and omit both favor and questions by keeping these first few chefs anonymous. After this, we'll each have to claim our wins and our bombs!)

Week 1:

Appetizer -Brie and crackers (y'all should just get to know us now... we LOVE cheese!)

BONUS Appetizer - crostinis with ricotta and fig preserves

Salad - herb and mixed greens with Shittakes, avacados, grape tomatoes, extra dill, plus lemon and olive oil dressing, topped with parmesan

Accoutrement - baked brussels sprouts with parmesan and herbs

Entree - kale lasagna with grape tomatoes, onions and chicken sausage

Week 2:

Appetizer - Las Delicias guacamole and chips (the best, and not just defined by us -- see Memphis Magazine's February issue, http://www.memphismagazine.com/Memphis-Magazine/Food-Wine/ )

Salad - fresh greens, ginger dressing

Accoutrement - spinach spoon bread

Entree - hearty chicken soup with tomatoes, celery, carrots and brown rice

Week 3:

Appetizer - olive, homemade pesto and grape tomato crostini with local olive oil

Salad - mixed greens with blood orange, pumpkin seeds, blackberries, pomegranate seeds, and olive oil and pomegranate vinegar dressing

Accoutrement - tomato basil soup

Entree - pumpkin and sweet sausage pasta with onion and green peppers

Week 4:

Appetizer - sweet potato hummus with crackers and celery, plus Brie (I told you so) with table crackers

Salad - Arugula with Bartlett pears, red bell pepper, goat cheese and pine nuts, plus lemon and olive oil dressing

Accoutrement - roasted fennel with fresh thyme and parmesan

Entree - shrimp pasta with tomato/herb/parmesan roux

In the beginning, there was food....

In January 2012, four friends with style and taste to spare (so they say) found their cooking skills in short supply.  Fearlessly fueled by the power of New Year Resolutions, they began cooking with things called veggies and reading books called Power Foods. They began using words and phrases like "local", "close to the source" and "slow food".  After lots of wine and enlightening discussion what resulted is featured here in this blog: the good, bad and the unedible...