Monday, June 29, 2009

Food June '09: The Egg Part 2: Lunch

Could be lunch, could be dinner, but sometimes you have a hankering for salad. Not the salad that you get at the local pizza place, but the kind of salad you would have if you were fancy enough to eat lunch at a Bistro with your girlfriends during the week. While I love the Greek, the Caesar and the Nicoise, sometimes you don't need to be European to be "dressed up" and delicious. I have long been a fan of the Cobb salad, but always feel five pounds heavier after eating it - this delectable lighter version is inspired by my friend Barbara who always dresses her salads with avocado, lemon juice, Parmesan cheese and olive oil and so in our house we call it...

The California Cobb with Truckee Dressing
Serves two as a light dinner or heavier lunch.

2 jumbo eggs - Pete and Gerry's are the BEST!
4 strips bacon ( I love Applegate Farms "Sunday Bacon")
1 cup grape tomatoes
8 stalks asparagus, trimmed bottoms
1 avocado
4 tablespoons grated Parmesan
1/2 cup shaved Parmesan packed lightly
4 cups of baby romaine (in huge supply at farmer's markets or CFA's this time of year)
1 cup arugula
1/4 lemon
4-5 tablespoons olive oil
salt
pepper

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Wash one cup of grape tomatoes and dry with a paper towel. Add one tablespoon olive oil and dust with sea salt. Roast for 5 minutes or until the tomatoes have popped, take out and place on the stove to cool. Place two eggs in a small pot and fill with cold water until it covers the eggs. Place on high heat, watching until it comes to a boil. While you are waiting for the eggs to boil, wash 8 stalks of asparagus and place in a steaming pan with 1/2 inch of water, cover and steam for approximately 5-6 minutes until you can pierce them with a fork and they are bright green. Place in a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. When the eggs come to a boil, turn your timer on ten minutes and reduce to a bubbling simmer, removing them into a bowl of ice water when the timer beeps.

Meanwhile, microwave 4 strips of bacon to a dark crispy brown (different on each micro, mine takes 4 minutes), drain fat and let cool. Wash 4 cups of baby romaine and one cup of arugula packed lightly. Place greens in a salad bowl and add 1 avocado sliced thinly, 4 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. Juice 1/4 of a lemon over the greens and add 4 tablespoons olive oil and toss. Plate out into two bowls and then top with roasted tomatoes, asparagus spears cut in half, hard boiled eggs peeled and sliced, bacon slices hand crushed and finally, 1/4 cup each salad with shaved Parmesan. If you cannot buy the shaved Parmesan, use a potato peeler on a block of cheese to create the shavings.


Serving Suggestion: Meal with the kids
When I am making this as a dinner or a lunch, I turn the prep work into a meal for the kids as well. When boiling the eggs, place in an egg for each child while the water is cold. When the water has boiled for three minutes "soft boiled", take the kid's eggs out and chill in an ice bath for one minute, allowing the eggs for the salad to boil for an additional 7 minutes to come to "hard boiled." Meanwhile, steam the asparagus to al dente (when you stick a fork in, it feels penetrable but not soggy and is still bright green and not yellowing) and place it in an ice bath as well. Take the eggs out of the water and slice off the very top, placing them in a egg caddy. Take four of the spears and place them around the egg leaning on the caddy. Salt lightly. Let your kids play with their food and dip the "trees" into the "pot of gold."

Thursday, June 18, 2009

Toy: Mid-June '09: Lunchbox




Though the school year is coming to a close, the summer camp, beach and pool time life has just begun.  The summer is the most important time for keeping milk, juice-boxes and -frankly- a beer, cold.  My wonder-woman lunchbox circa 1983 was the bomb at the time, but in hindsight, maybe not so hip.  So if you can't find a cooler for yourself or a lunchbox for the kids that doesn't have a superhero, Dora and Diego or Scooby-Do on it - chill out - BUILT will save the day. With many "lunchtote" options, baby bottle coolers and wine and beer holders, the whole family will keep cool this summer.  While I have loved all of their cooler options, I don't recommend the bib for babies as I found repeated wash and scrubbing (required of the OCD mamma) caused pilling. Check it out at www.builtny.com.

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Mamma Like: Summer Fashion at Any Price


A girl needs to know in life what she is great at and what she should outsource.  When I need fashion advice, I call Jennifer Hudner, a former beauty editor at a fashion magazine and now Direct of Merchandising for a fashion company.  

Summer Chic in 5 by Jennifer Hudner

1.    WHITE JEANS: Even though the old school rule of “wear white only after Memorial Day” does not apply anymore, nothing says summer like a new pair of white jeans.  If you haven’t updated your supply in a while, it’s time.  A Slim Leg Five Pocket style is a no-brainer staple that will go with most any summer top hanging in your closet.  Try a skinnier leg with a fun tunic top for a long and lean look.  If slim is not your thing, go for a Flare Leg with a pair of espadrille wedges (or a shoe with height) so your hem doesn’t drag and become very “un-white.”
Try: J. Brand, Hudson, Gap, Madewell, J.Crew, Citizen's for Humanity

2.    THE KNIT DRESS:  The dress trend isn’t going anywhere for now, and nothing is as easy or refreshing as getting dressed in one step  (especially when the end result gives off the “yes, I’m put together" vibe).  Try a slouchy tee shirt tunic dress, a tank style or, for a dressier look, a maxi knit print dress.
Try: J. Crew, Target, Ella Moss, Splendid, Old Navy

3.    A BOYFRIEND CARDIGAN: The “borrowed from him” style will be strong for Fall, so get a jump on it now with an easy, relaxed cardigan that will go with your (1) white jeans and (2) over your t-shirt dress.  Summer can often feel frigid inside with the AC pumping, so an extra layer always comes in handy.  There are plenty boyfriend styles to be found in solids, prints and stripes.  Cotton or Cashmere is a good summer and year-round choice.  Make sure you layer over a somewhat more structured top or dress, so the overall look is proportional, not shapeless.
Try: Vince, Theory, Gap, Madewell

4.   A STATEMENT NECKLACE:  Nothing pulls together an outfit like a bold piece of jewelry.  Add new life to your favorite top and jeans by investing in a new necklace that becomes the outfit more than the clothes. Instead of going dressy on dressy, try a whimsical necklace with a simple tee, slim capris and thongs.  Going bold with both your accessories and clothing looks like you're trying too hard.  The good news, you don't have to spend a lot.  Costume jewelry is just as good as the real thing, and there are a lot of options, from wood links, glass beads or colored semi-precious stones.
Try: Anthropologie, Forever 21 (aka Foverever 30...), Boden, Department Store jewelry counter, Small Boutiques

5.  THE SANDAL:  If you want to be "au courant," the Gladiator sandal is the way to go.  The key here is picking a more paired-down version, without too many straps or studs, for a cleaner, more sophisticated version. A timeless option is a T-Strap thong that will take you anywhere.  Go for a versatile metallic silver or gold.
Try: Zappos.com and Piperlime.com (search for Thong or Gladiator), Nordstrom, Bloomingdales, J.Crew

Extra Points:  To give your skin that summer glow without the damage, Clarins Self-Tanner for Face is worth the investment (and no one will ever know that you didn't just get back from that beach vacation)!

Wednesday, June 3, 2009

Food June '09: The Egg



By starting my blog with chicken, clearly I have weighed in on the "which came first" debate.  That said, the egg is still (beyond incredible and edible) one of my favorite go-tos for all three meals of the day.  This month will feature fantastic breakfast, lunch, and dinner egg recipes. The first of these installments is the strata: an Italian egg dish traditionally made with egg and meat and served for breakfast or brunch.  Finally, later in the month, a few friends with family egg allergies will weigh in on great egg free recipes for the kids.  

Strata
The strata is divine not just in its taste but in its accessibility to the host.  Made the night before a large brunch for family or friends, you can feed large numbers of people a decadent meal without having to cook the day of the event; allowing you to enjoy the people that you invited over.  Think of it as the lasagna of breakfast with stale bread used in place of pasta.  While traditionally it is made with meat and eggs, there are many great vegetarian versions.  First introduced to strata's through my Aunt who is a big fan of the Union Square Cafe recipe, I have monkeyed with it over the years and created two different size templates that I fill with different flavors based on what's fresh, in season or simply in my fridge.   Here are my two favorites - make it your favorite by cutting and pasting the vegetables, the type of bread, the cheeses, or even switching sausage for bacon.  While you will see some options for making each of the recipes more healthy, truthfully, they are much better when cooked richly and enjoyed rarely.  

NOTE: if you live in the NY area, Union Square Cafe and its affiliate restaurants, Gramercy Tavern, Table, Eleven Madison Park, Blue Smoke and the Modern will be donating $2 for every egg dish ordered towards City Harvest, an organization that feeds fresh food to New York City's hungry.  

Yellow Pepper Goat Cheese Strata 
This recipe is cooked in a 9"x 11" dish serves 6 alone or 8 when served with a fruit salad and a muffin.  Also served for brunch with spring greens tossed in a vinaigrette.    

3 yellow peppers chopped finely
1 vidala onion chopped finely
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon canola oil or olive oil
1 tablespoon herbes de provence
5 oz. goat cheese, crumbled
8 extra large or 10 medium eggs
3/4 cup cream (can be substituted for half and half or whole milk)
1 cup shredded mozzarella
1/4 lb. fresh mozzarella sliced length wise as thin as possible
1/2 rustic sized french loaf or 2 french baguettes (buy day old, stale, or buy in advance, slice and leave out for a day)
teaspoon salt
pepper to taste

In a large skillet, melt the butter, adding oil and when translucent, reduce the heat to low and add onions.  Let the onions cook on low/ simmer for ten minutes.  When they are beginning to "sweat" and get sweet, add the yellow peppers and herbs and let cook on medium for another 5 minutes until the peppers are getting soft.  Take off heat and cool.  
While the vegetables are cooling, butter or oil the dish.  Slice the bread into 1/2 inch slices, removing the crust.  Create a layer of bread on the bottom of the pan, completely covering the pan (cutting creative shapes where you need to fill in the gaps.)  Spread the cooled vegetables evenly over the bread layer, and the goat cheese crumbles evenly over the vegetables.  Add an additional layer of bread.  
Beat together eggs and cream (or milk) until well combined and pour evenly over the dish making sure that the egg mixture visibly ends just at or under the top layer of soaking bread. If the egg mixture is not enough, beat an additional egg with a couple of tablespoons of milk or cream until it reaches the right level.  Add the shredded mozzarella and finish with slices spaced evenly of the fresh mozzarella.  Cover with tin foil.  Let soak at least 8 hours or overnight.   
The next morning, take the strata out of the fridge at least 30 minute before cooking to bring it to room temperature.  Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Keeping the tin foil on, create a bend in the foil (almost like a tent) so that the foil is not actually touching the cheese at the top of the dish.  Bake for 20 minutes with foil on, take off and bake approximately 12-18 more minutes until the strata starts to rise like a souffle and the cheese slightly browns.   

Bacon Vidala Cheddar Strata
This recipe is cooked in a 13"x 11" lasagna pan or casserole dish and serves 10 as a main course or 12 as a side dish.   

1 (12 oz.) package of bacon
1 vidala onion chopped finely
2 cups spinach or baby spinach, chopped
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon canola oil or olive oil
2 teaspoons freshly grated nutmeg
8 oz. block of sharp cheddar ( I love Cabot Private Stock), shredded
    (or about 2 cups shredded and loosely packed) 
10 extra large or 12 medium eggs
1 cup cream (can be substituted for half and half or whole milk)
1 cup shredded mozzarella
1/3 lb. fresh mozzarella sliced length wise as thin as possible
1 loaf hall ah bread, crust off (buy day old, stale, or buy in advance, slice and leave out for a day)
pepper to taste

In a large skillet, melt the butter, adding oil and when translucent, reduce the heat to low and add onions.  Let the onions cook on low/ simmer for ten minutes.  When they are beginning to "sweat" and get sweet, take the onions out of the pan and set aside, leaving the oil.  Add the chopped bacon and cook on medium stirring frequently until the bacon is starting to brown.  Add the chopped spinach and onions back and stir for about one minute until the spinach begins to wilt.  Turn off heat and strain the fat and bacon oil out of the pan, setting aside the bacon, onions and spinach to cool.  (Note: be careful not to add salt to this strata as the bacon - even low sodium - and cheddar, have enough for an army).
While the vegetable/ bacon mixture is cooling, butter or oil the dish.  Slice the bread into 1/2 inch slices, removing the crust.  Create a layer of bread on the bottom of the pan, completely covering the pan (cutting creative shapes where you need to fill in the gaps.)  Spread the cooled vegetable/ bacon mixture evenly over the bread layer and the shredded cheddar on top.  Add an additional layer of bread.  
Beat together eggs, cream (or milk), and nutmeg until well combined and pour evenly over the dish making sure that the egg mixture visibly ends just at or under the top layer of soaking bread. If the egg mixture is not enough, beat an additional egg with a couple of tablespoons of milk or cream until it reaches the right level.  Add the shredded mozzarella and finish with slices spaced evenly of the fresh mozzarella.  Cover with tin foil.  Let soak at least 8 hours or overnight.   
The next morning, take the strata out of the fridge at least 30 minute before cooking to bring it to room temperature.  Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Keeping the tin foil on, create a bend in the foil (almost like a tent) so that the foil is not actually touching the cheese at the top of the dish.  Bake for 20 minutes with foil on, take off and bake approximately 20 more minutes until the strata starts to rise like a souffle and the cheese slightly browns.   

NOTE: if substituting sausage for bacon, make sure to take it out of the casing.  One of my favorites is Swiss Chard and Sweet Italian sausage with parm and Gouda.  

Monday, June 1, 2009

Toy: June '09: Gifts for One Year Olds

 Bells and Whistles
                Imaginarium Wood Stacking Train With Sound & Lights -  Toys R Us - Toys"R"Us
Many parents of our generation are on the environmental track and searching for wooden toys that can be handed down over the years; while other parents go the fun route and look for toys that light up and entertain their children.  The Imaginarium Wood Stacking Train is the round trip with all the bells and whistles.   A great gift for a newborn, because it looks adorable in the nursery, it also makes a great gift for a first birthday.  We received this as a gift from a toy savvy friend with three kids (and thousands of cousins).  My son started using it at 6 months and it is his favorite toy at 18 months.  The train comes with three connecting cars the first of which is an engine that, with batteries, can make train sounds and has a front light.  All three cars come with interchangeable stacking blocks of all colors.  Babies love the lights and sound, toddlers love the realistic train noise and stacking fun, and parents will love the motor skills development.  All aboard for $17.99 at www.toysrus.com.

iPoo'd


No words required.  Just stinking cute for $22.00.  Check it out at Kitsel - a great online collection for hip parents.