This Thanksgiving: Big Jet, Goose, Trah-gie and other Finn-isms

This Thanksgiving Finn entertained the family with a compilation of words that either meant nothing, or that he used to express something having nothing to do with the actual word (i.e. “Trah-gie,” a word made up by Finn which we have decided to shout back at him when he is acting tragic, and “goose,” a word that Finn exclaims when he is feeling silly, but that Jacob and I have decided to use instead of Finn’s name.)

No recipes today, but I offer you something much better: following is a story re-told by Cousin Bret about my mother-in-law’s twin younger brothers, Danny and David. This is a story that came out last Thanksgiving, but after reading this on Bret’s blog I can say with enthusiasm that this year was just more of the same. Enjoy this look into our family…

http://bretisadrag.blogspot.com/2008/11/happy-thank-you-day.html

Steak Sandwiches.

I am back from ten days with my in-laws in Newbury Park, and issue one: none of my pants fit. Issue two: I have until Wednesday when we leave again, this time to Escalante, to loose enough to get me back into said pants. Issue three: I am pretty sure I will not loose enough because Wednesday is the day after tomorrow, and I don’t really care enough to try anyway… So, look out for muffin-top in the extreme coming your way if you live in or around Escalante.

My sister in law’s wedding was beautiful! They did so much themselves, including making hundreds of these delicious little cheesecakes (with the help of many of their friends):

I will have to post the recipe if I can get my hands on it…

Jacob and I flew in on Sunday afternoon and of course the first thing I wanted to do was make something to eat. When you haven’t been in your house for a while nothing warms it up like getting something cooking on the stove. Anyway, while I was throwing some pasta together, putting away dishes, unpacking, getting Finn settled, lamenting the newly fallen snow, etc. I happened to drop some garlic on the kitchen floor. Here is the scenario:

The garlic fell underneath the dishwasher, so of course on my way up my head connected at top speed with the open cupboard. It seriously looked like I had a bullet graze to the head, and if it hadn’t hurt so bad, and I hadn’t been preoccupied inventing new swear words and swear word combos, I might have thought it looked pretty cool. Today, it hurts if a breeze brushes the right side of my head. Huge goose egg. Moral of the story, don't forget to look around before you attempt your next Legally Blonde style "bend and snap."

P.S. The Webster’s definition for lament: to feel deep sorrow or express it as by weeping or wailing.
There was much to lament that Sunday night…

P.S.S. I would like to thank you Jon and Jason for calling me on Thursday night while you were all hanging out, and making me feel totally sad and left out. Here is the thing; the day I convince Jacob to move to San Diego will undoubtedly be the day that you all pack up and decide to follow Jack back to Utah. But I suppose a phone call is better than being completely cast aside and forgotten.

P.S.S.S. Obama called me. I couldn’t get to the phone, so he left a voicemail.

Today Ina Garden was making steak sandwiches, and I decided that sounded like a good idea. Here is how she did it, and how I improvised (because who really keeps three different kinds of mustard on hand…Ina.)

Cook time: 40 minutes-ish, Serves: 2
You will need:

- 1 (12-ounce) 1-inch thick New York strip boneless beef top loin steak
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Olive oil
- 2 yellow onions, sliced in rings
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
- 1 recipe Mustard Mayo, recipe follows
- 2 mini focaccia buns, sliced in 1/2
- 1/2 cup baby arugula

Season the steak liberally with salt and pepper on both sides. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a medium sauté pan over high heat until it's almost smoking, then sear the steak on each side for 1 minute. Reduce the heat to low and cook the steak for about 7 to 10 minutes, turning once, until very rare in the middle. Remove to a plate, cover tightly with aluminum foil, and allow to sit for 10 minutes. Slice the steak into strips.
Using the same sauté pan, heat 1 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and thyme and sauté for 10 minutes, until the onions are brown and caramelized, stirring occasionally.
To assemble the sandwiches, spread a tablespoon of Mustard Mayo on the bottom half of each bun. Place a layer the steak strips on top of the mayo, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and top with the caramelized onion rings. Place the baby arugula on top of the onion rings, and cover the sandwiches with the top half of the buns.

( I used dried thyme because I couldn’t find fresh at my grocery store, and Instead of focaccia bread I used a ciabatta loaf, because it looked right and I’m not really sure what the difference is anyway. My ciabatta loaf was only $1.92, and I could easily have made 4 huge sandwiches out of it! I am always surprised when the yummy bread is less expensive than the regular bread.)

For the Mustard Mayo you will need:

- 3/4 cup good mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard
- 2 tablespoons sour cream
- 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

Whisk the ingredients together in a small bowl. Serve at room temperature.
Yield: 1 cup

(As I said before, multiple kinds of mustard?! Comon. I happened to have Dijon so I kept all the measurements the same except I omitted the salt, and instead of whole grain mustard I added some yummy spices as follows:

- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ¼ teaspoon lemon pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
- ¼ teaspoon Italian seasoning

You could also add garlic powder…)

May I conclude while I am thinking of it, by telling everyone how much I love (or rather hate to love…) the new grocery store that just popped up in my neighborhood, Winco. It’s exactly like Food4less in San Diego, except I never shopped at Food4less. I can go in with 30 bucks and get everything I need for a weeks worth of dinners. The bummers include out-of-it, unknowledgeable workers (the woman at the meat counter didn’t know what prosciutto was), you have to bag your own stuff after they ring you up, and you have to shop around all the other poor people. Yes, I am totally prejudiced against my own kind and prefer to associate as little as possible with other “needies.” Winco, I hate to love you, but I do.

Cranberry Sunshine

I flew into L.A.X. yesterday and so far so good. When I am here I don't have an opportunity to do much cooking, and I do even fewer dishes, but I did want to bring something to every body's attention...
Last trip down Wayne had bought the most delicious soda, and the only time I ever drink soda anymore is when I am visiting the fam, so I was excited to find that Wayne had kept some of this soda on stock! It's nothing crazy, not some off the wall brand or anything, but I had never heard of this flavor before: Sierra Mist Cranberry Splash. It's like drinking cranberry sunshine, and I am keeping my fingers crossed that they don't discontinue it after x-mas.

I was downtown today with Jacob's entire family (minus Jacob and Grayson because they couldn't miss class) and after having lunch at BJ's we walked across the street and got cookie ice cream sandwiches from a place called Diddy Riese.



I LOVE a cookie ice cream sandwich, most nights it is my go-to dessert. Diddy Riese was so good, but I think that my favorite thing about it is that it reminded me of my college room-roommate Leigh-Diddy (I lived with 5 other girls total, but she and I actually shared a room). She has the swagger of P-Diddy wrapped up in the body of a sassy white woman.

While we were downtown I saw someone famous! I have only seen three famous people in my life including this guy (the first was Regis Philbin, the second was Stevie Wonder). My sister in law spotted him first, and told me that he is "Mc Steamy" from Grey's Anatomy, but I know him from The Wedding Planner (he plays J'Lo's Italian semi-love interest). I have never been a fan of Grey's Anatomy, the one time I tried to watch an episode I got too annoyed with the main character and had to turn it off. But this guy was pretty hot, so maybe I'll have to give it a try again... (This picture is from google, he was with his kids so I felt weird asking for a picture. But I really did see him, really...)

If he looks like a girl, then I am the biggest lesbian on the block.

Mmmm Bop me away...

Tomato Soup and Parmesan Bruschetta.

For the past few nights Jacob has totally commanded the computer because he has been finishing up a power point presentation on an anthropologist named Edward Sapir. He wasn’t that excited about his report at first, but for the past few days it has been all he has talked about. I think Edward Sapir is amazing for two reasons: first, he is a linguist who worked primarily with North American Indians, and I think linguists are the smartest people on earth. Second, not only did he publish his linguistic findings, but he also published a collection of poetry. I love me a smarty with a sensitive side!

I found an awesome tomato soup recipe on the food network site that you should ALL try! (–Jon, this could easily be vegan-ified.) It is hearty and bright, and I had two bowls of it this afternoon when I wasn't eating ice cream-nutella-chocolate chip cookie sandwiches!

Cook time: 50 min (including prep.), Serves: about 6 people
You will need:

- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 onion, peeled and chopped
- 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 15-ounce can cannellini (white) beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 sprig of fresh rosemary, plus 1 teaspoon, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2/3 cup creme fraiche
- Zest of one lemon

In a large soup pot melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrots, and garlic and cook until the vegetables are tender (about 4 minutes). Add the beans, tomatoes, broth, bay leaf, 1 teaspoon rosemary, and red pepper flakes. Bring the soup to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes, covered.

Puree the soup in a blender in batches, and be careful to remove the bay leaf before hand. Return the soup to a soup pot and keep warm over low heat. Season with salt and pepper.

In a medium bowl fold in the lemon zest and the remaining teaspoon of rosemary to 2/3 cup creme fraiche. To serve, ladle the soup into bowls and dollop each bowl with the lemon rosemary creme fraiche. Serve immediately. Note: Crème fraiche costs about eight dollars per container and can be very hard to find. Instead of using crème fraiche I combined about 4 ounces of cream cheese with about a half cup of heavy cream, then added the lemon zest, and just stirred that mixture right into my soup. I thought it came out wonderful, so you can try it that way if you like!

I don’t have a picture of the soup because I was too hungry to set one up, but perhaps I will post one later. I do have a picture of the bread I made to go with it.

This bread is easy, fast and delicious! It is a Guy Fieri recipe he calls “Pomodoro Fresco Sourdough Bread.”



You will need:

- 1 (12 to 16-inch) sourdough baguette
- 2 garlic cloves, halved plus 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- about 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus more for garnish
- 2 cups diced Roma tomatoes
- 1/3 cup thinly sliced fresh basil leaves, plus more for garnish
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- sea salt
- freshly ground black pepper

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
Cut the bread in half lengthwise, and place it on a sheet tray. Drizzle a little olive oil on top of the halves and season with salt and pepper. Bake in the oven until lightly brown (about ten minutes). Rub the crusty bread with the garlic cloves. Drizzle with more of the olive oil and sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese. Return to oven to melt cheese.

In a medium mixing bowl combine the tomatoes, minced garlic, basil, vinegar, remaining olive oil, salt and pepper, and let sit for 5 minutes at room temperature.
Remove baguette from oven and top with the tomato mixture. Garnish with basil and extra Parmesan cheese.

Cheddar Muffins and Home made Chicken Noodle Soup (...great for those of you battling swine flu! Be strong out there!)

I have one week before I’m off with Finn to my in-law’s in California. I have nine dollars for one week of groceries. We have stuff in the freezer, but I may have to be a tad more creative. When Jacob offered to go to the grocery store for me today I only requested two things: nutella and chocolate chips. At least we won’t have to go without our chocolate chip nutella ice cream sandwiches for this last week… few!

Yesterday I set myself up for some baking. I made some basic dinner rolls, and while those were rising I made some cheddar muffins.

I have never made these particular muffins before; I got the recipe from the Better Homes and Gardens Cook Book. The recipe yields 12 muffins. There are only 2 left. Jacob has only had one, and he had to fight for it… I ate a few with chicken salad, I had some with chicken noodle soup (recipe included below), and I had one for breakfast with sugared strawberries and raspberries. These muffins are definitely going on my regular rotation.

P.S.- I have this cool pan, anyone know what I should be using it for? Because I don’t…

For the Cheddar Muffins:
Cook time: about 25 minutes, Yield: 12 muffins

(This happens to be the first recipe in the “Breads” section of my Homes and Gardens Cook Book.)
- 1 and ¾ cup All-Purpose flour
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 beaten egg
- ¾ cup milk
- ¼ cup cooking oil
- ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese

Grease your muffin tins, or line with paper cups and set aside. In one of two bowls combine first 4 dry ingredients and set aside. In second bowl combine egg, milk and oil. Add egg mixture all at once to flour mixture and stir until just moistened. Add cheese and stir until just combined. Be careful not to over mix, as this will make your muffins dense and tough. Spoon batter into muffin tin, and bake at 400 degrees for 18-20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, you know the drill. Allow them to cool for a few minutes, but they are the best warm, when you pull them apart and see the melty strings of gooey cheddar…yummmmm.

For the Chicken Noodle Soup:

Cook time and servings unknown. I have never measured it out, but I would guess this recipe -as is- gave me about 8 hearty servings when I made it the other night. My vegetable portions very based on what is in my fridge the day I make it, so it is always a little different, but the recipe is pretty fool proof. Just make sure you have yummy chicken!

- 3-4 tablespoons butter
- Kosher salt, fresh ground pepper (and I use a clove of fresh garlic, mashed in a garlic press) to season.
- 2 cups chopped celery
- ¾ cup chopped Leek
- ½ onion chopped
- 2 carrots chopped
- 4 small potatoes, chopped
-6-8 chicken, vegetable, or beef (or a combination of) bouillon cubes to yield 8 cups liquid to start (I always end up needing to add more broth as it is absorbed by the veggies and noodles.)
- 2-3 large, 4 small chicken breasts cooked and cubed, or if you wanna be a big fat cheater you can buy a rotisserie chicken from your grocery store.
- 2 cups small shell pasta, or your preference

Melt the butter in the bottom of a large soup pot and add the vegetables as well as salt and pepper (and garlic, optional). Allow them to soften a bit. You may need to add more butter to keep them from burning, you can also add olive oil. Once the veggies have had a chance to get tender, add your liquid. Allow vegetables to cook in liquid until almost completely tender before you add your chicken and uncooked noodles. –Be careful because you don’t want your vegetables to become mushy, especially the potatoes. Cook until pasta is done, and serve!