I really wanted to try Nigella Lawson's recipe for Cheesy Pea Puree. I always have frozen peas on hand. Same for Parmesan. That is the cheesy part of the recipe. So I decided to make two other Nigella recipes to accompany it. Garlic Roasted potatoes. Which I could always eat. Ok any potato recipe I would eat.
And also Chicken and Sausage bake. Two of Niel's favorite meats. Everything turned out well. Next time I would have put the sausage a bit later than the chicken because the sausage cooked faster.

For a few years now, NYC along with a number of other cities has hosted Restaurant Week. For ten days twice a year diners can choose a three course lunch or dinner at a prix fixe rate. It's a good way to try a new place on a budget. For the first time Friday evening Niel and I decided to participate. We chose Nick and Stef's, a steak house by Madison Square Garden. My coworker raved about it. We opted for an early meal since apparently the place becomes very crowded after 8. The food was pretty good but I have to agree with my coworker that the service was great. The waiters didn't hover over you. They only brought water and came over if you called them. It does after all get annoying when servers are trying to hurry me out. Below are the pics of the dishes we wouldn't normally eat. My favorite was Niel's dry fruit bread pudding. More info at my flickr account.



Majority of photos by Niel.

I must admit to something I used to watch A Cook's Tour when it was on the Food Network. It was hosted by Anthony Bourdain. I'm admitting to this because I don't like Anthony Bourdain much. Find him obnoxious. But it was interesting watching the show. I think he has a neat job. Getting to visit different countries and try "exotic" cuisine. It was a unique show and the Food Network really doesn't have shows where they focus on traveling and trying foods from different countries anymore. So I was happy to see that the Travel Network had hired Anthony Bourdain, to host a very similar show to A Cook's Tour. The new show is called No Reservations. I was surprised to find out the show is in it's third season. How come I hadn't heard of it till now. Where had I been? Anyway if you liked Anthony Bourdain's old show watch this one. The third season airs Monday night.

I so don't need this but I really would like one.

Niel and I really enjoy sausage and peppers. The peppers and onions pair so well with the sausage. As I was flipping through Best Ever Three & Four Ingredient Cookbook when I came upon a recipe for caramelized onion and sausage tart tatin. I thought it was a good variation for sausage and peppers. Something to serve as appetizers or part of a light lunch accompanied with a salad. Next time I think I will add some caramelized peppers and some cheese to it.

Caramelized Onion and Sausage Tart Tatin
Adapted from Best Ever Three & Four Ingredient Cookbook



1lb Toulose Sausage(any will do really)

2 large onions sliced

9 ozs. ready made puff pastry, thaw if frozen

3 Table Spoons Sunflower oil

Salt & Pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375. Heat oil. Add sausages. Cook over gentle heat. Turning occasionally for 7 to 10 minutes or until cooked through. Remove from pan and set aside.

Pour remaining oil in frying pan. Add onions. Season with salt & pepper. Cook over gentle heat also. Turning occasionally for 10 minutes.

Slice sausage and stir into the onion mixture.

Remove from heat and set aside.

Roll out puff pastry. Cut into larger circle than pan. Lay pastry over sausage and onions. Tuck in the edges and bake for 20 minutes or until dough has risen. Serve.

I altered the recipe by baking the sausage and onions on top of the puff pastry. Still tasty.

I have yet another food blog that I stumbled upon. It's called Lunch In A Box and is all about packing lunches in a bento box. The site has wonderful photos, recipe options, tips on where to finx Bentos, how to pack them and all sorts of things. Hope you get to check it out.

I've finally decided this site is going to be all about food and food products only. Afterall the name of the blog is Foodie Chickie. I won't delete any old non food posts. Atleast not right away. I have however moved all non food posts to another blog. I've sent people who are on my normal email list a link to the blog. I doubt I will be posting everyday like I did when I just had "one". If you didn't get the email I don't have everyone's email's like I would like to or wasn't sure if you wanted to know about the other blog. So if you didn't get the email and are curious please let me know. Hope my blogger friends will visit both sites. Now onto food.

On Not Martha I saw a link to The New York Times article about 101 easy meals you can prepare. I thought it would be good thing to share, so here are the recipes:

1 Make six-minute eggs: simmer gently, run under cold water until cool,
then peel. Serve over steamed asparagus.

2 Toss a cup of chopped mixed herbs with a few tablespoons of olive oil in
a hot pan. Serve over angel-hair pasta, diluting the sauce if necessary with
pasta cooking water.

3 Cut eight sea scallops into four horizontal slices each. Arrange on
plates. Sprinkle with lime juice, salt and crushed chilies; serve after five
minutes.

4 Open a can of white beans and combine with olive oil, salt, small or
chopped shrimp, minced garlic and thyme leaves in a pan. Cook, stirring,
until the shrimp are done; garnish with more olive oil.

5 Put three pounds of washed mussels in a pot with half a cup of white
wine, garlic cloves, basil leaves and chopped tomatoes. Steam until mussels
open. Serve with bread.

6 Heat a quarter-inch of olive oil in a skillet. Dredge flounder or sole
fillets in flour and fry until crisp, about two minutes a side. Serve on
sliced bread with tartar sauce.

7 Make pesto: put a couple of cups of basil leaves, a garlic clove, salt,
pepper and olive oil as necessary in a blender (walnuts and Parmesan are
optional). Serve over pasta (dilute with oil or water as necessary) or
grilled fish or meat.

8 Put a few dozen washed littlenecks in a large, hot skillet with olive
oil. When clams begin to open, add a tablespoon or two of chopped garlic. When
most or all are opened, add parsley. Serve alone, with bread or over
angel-hair pasta.

9 Pan-grill a skirt steak for three or four minutes a side. Sprinkle with
salt and pepper, slice and serve over romaine or any other green salad,
drizzled with olive oil and lemon.

10 Smear mackerel fillets with mustard, then sprinkle with chopped herbs
(fresh tarragon is good), salt, pepper and bread crumbs. Bake in a
425-degree oven for about eight minutes.

11 Warm olive oil in a skillet with at least three cloves sliced garlic.
When the garlic colors, add at least a teaspoon each of cumin and
pimentón. A minute later, add a dozen or so shrimp, salt and pepper. Garnish with
parsley, serve with lemon and bread.

12 Boil a lobster. Serve with lemon or melted butter.

13 Gazpacho: Combine one pound tomatoes cut into chunks, a cucumber peeled
and cut into chunks, two or three slices stale bread torn into pieces, a
quarter-cup olive oil, two tablespoons sherry vinegar and a clove of garlic
in a blender with one cup water and a couple of ice cubes. Process until
smooth, adding water if necessary. Season with salt and pepper, then
serve or refrigerate, garnished with anchovies if you like, and a little more
olive oil.

14 Put a few slices of chopped prosciutto in a skillet with olive oil, a
couple of cloves of crushed garlic and a bit of butter; a minute later, toss
in about half a cup bread crumbs and red chili flakes to taste. Serve over
pasta with chopped parsley.

15 Call it panini: Grilled cheese with prosciutto, tomatoes, thyme or basil
leaves.

16 Slice or chop salami, corned beef or kielbasa and warm in a little oil;
stir in eggs and scramble. Serve with mustard and rye bread.

17 Soak couscous in boiling water to cover until tender; top with sardines,
tomatoes, parsley, olive oil and black pepper.

18 Stir-fry a pound or so of ground meat or chopped fish mixed with
chopped onions and seasoned with cumin or chili powder. Pile into taco shells or
soft tacos, along with tomato, lettuce, canned beans, onion, cilantro and
sour cream.

19 Chinese tomato and eggs: Cook minced garlic in peanut oil until blond;
add chopped tomatoes then, a minute later, beaten eggs, along with salt
and pepper. Scramble with a little soy sauce.

20 Cut eggplant into half-inch slices. Broil with lots of olive oil, turning
once, until tender and browned. Top with crumbled goat or feta cheese
and broil another 20 seconds.

21 While pasta cooks, combine a couple cups chopped tomatoes, a teaspoon
or more minced garlic, olive oil and 20 to 30 basil leaves. Toss with pasta,
salt, pepper and Parmesan.

22 Make wraps of tuna, warm white beans, a drizzle of olive oil and lettuce
and tomato.

23 The New York supper: Bagels, cream cheese, smoked salmon. Serve
with tomatoes, watercress or arugula, and sliced red onion or shallot.

24 Dredge thinly sliced chicken breasts in flour or cornmeal; cook about
two minutes a side in hot olive oil. Place on bread with lettuce, tomato and
mayonnaise.

25 Upscale tuna salad: good canned tuna (packed in olive oil), capers, dill
or parsley, lemon juice but no mayo. Use to stuff a tomato or two.

26 Cut Italian sausage into chunks and brown in a little olive oil; chop
onions and bell peppers and add them to the pan. Cook until sausage is
browned and peppers and onions tender. Serve in sandwiches.

27 Egg in a hole, glorified: Tear a hole in a piece of bread and fry in
butter. Crack an egg into the hole. Deglaze pan with a little sherry vinegar
mixed with water, and more butter; pour over egg.

28 New Joe¹s Special, from San Francisco: Brown ground meat with
minced garlic and chopped onion. When just about cooked, add chopped spinach
and cook, stirring, until wilted. At the last minute, stir in two eggs, along
with grated Parmesan and salt and pepper.

29 Chop prosciutto and crisp it in a skillet with olive oil; add chopped
not-too-ripe figs. Serve over greens dressed with oil and vinegar; top all
with crumbled blue cheese.

30 Quesadilla: Use a combination of cheeses, like Fontina mixed with
grated pecorino. Put on half of a large flour tortilla with pickled jalapenos,
chopped onion, shallot or scallion, chopped tomatoes and grated radish.
Fold tortilla over and brown on both sides in butter or oil, until cheese is
melted.

31 Fast chile rellenos: Drain canned whole green chilies. Make a slit in
each and insert a piece of cheese. Dredge in flour and fry in a skillet,
slit side up, until cheese melts.

32 Cobb-ish salad: Chop bacon and begin to brown it; cut boneless
chicken into strips and cook it with bacon. Toss romaine and watercress or
arugula with chopped tomatoes, avocado, onion and crumbled blue cheese. Add
bacon and chicken. Dress with oil and vinegar.

33 Sauté 10 whole peeled garlic cloves in olive oil. Meanwhile, grate
Pecorino, grind lots of black pepper, chop parsley and cook pasta. Toss all
together, along with crushed dried chili flakes and salt.

34 Niçoise salad: Lightly steam haricot verts, green beans or asparagus.
Arrange on a plate with chickpeas, good canned tuna, hard-cooked eggs, a
green salad, sliced cucumber and tomato. Dress with oil and vinegar.

35 Cold soba with dipping sauce: Cook soba noodles, then rinse in cold
water until cool. Serve with a sauce of soy sauce and minced ginger diluted
with mirin and/or dry sake.

36 Fried egg ³saltimbocca²: Lay slices of prosciutto or ham in a buttered
skillet. Fry eggs on top of ham; top with grated Parmesan.

37 Frisée aux lardons: Cook chunks of bacon in a skillet. Meanwhile, make
six-minute or poached eggs and a frisée salad. Put eggs on top of salad
along with bacon; deglaze pan with sherry vinegar and pour pan juices
over all.

38 Fried rice: Soften vegetables with oil in a skillet. Add cold takeout
rice, chopped onion, garlic, ginger, peas and two beaten eggs. Toss until
hot and cooked through. Season with soy sauce and sesame oil.

39 Taco salad: Toss together greens, chopped tomato, chopped red onion,
sliced avocado, a small can of black beans and kernels from a couple of
ears of corn. Toss with crumbled tortilla chips and grated cheese. Dress
with olive oil, lime and chopped cilantro leaves.

40 Put a large can of chickpeas and their liquid in a medium saucepan.
Add some sherry, along with olive oil, plenty of minced garlic, smoked
pimentón and chopped Spanish chorizo. Heat through.

41 Raita to the rescue: Broil any fish. Serve with a sauce of drained yogurt
mixed with chopped cucumber, minced onion and cayenne.

42 Season boneless lamb steaks cut from the leg with sweet curry powder.
Sear on both sides. Serve over greens, with lemon wedges.

43 Migas, with egg: Sauté chopped stale bread with olive oil, mushrooms,
onions and spinach. Stir in a couple of eggs.

44 Migas, without egg: Sauté chopped stale bread with chopped Spanish
chorizo, plenty of garlic and lots of olive oil. Finish with chopped
parsley.

45 Sauté shredded zucchini in olive oil, adding garlic and chopped herbs.
Serve over pasta.

46 Broil a few slices prosciutto until crisp; crumble and toss with parsley,
Parmesan, olive oil and pasta.

47 Not exactly banh mi, but... Make sandwiches on crisp bread with
liverwurst, ham, sliced half-sours, shredded carrots, cilantro sprigs and
Vietnamese chili-garlic paste.

48 Not takeout: Stir-fry onions with cut-up broccoli. Add cubed tofu,
chicken or shrimp, or sliced beef or pork, along with a tablespoon each
minced garlic and ginger. When almost done, add half cup of water, two
tablespoons soy sauce and plenty of black pepper. Heat through and serve
over fresh Chinese noodles.

49 Sprinkle sole fillets with chopped parsley, garlic, salt and pepper; roll
up, dip in flour, then beaten egg, then bread crumbs; cook in hot olive oil
about three minutes a side. Serve with lemon wedges.

50 The Waldorf: Toast a handful of walnuts in a skillet. Chop an apple or
pear; toss with greens, walnuts and a dressing made with olive oil, sherry
vinegar, Dijon mustard and shallot. Top, if you like, with crumbled goat or
blue cheese.

51 Put a stick of butter and a handful of pine nuts in a skillet. Cook over
medium heat until both are brown. Toss with cooked pasta, grated
Parmesan and black pepper.

52 Grill or sauté Italian sausage and serve over store-bought hummus,
with lemon wedges.

53 Put a tablespoon of cream and a slice of tomato in each of several
small ramekins. Top with an egg, then salt, pepper and grated Parmesan.
Bake at 350 degrees until the eggs set. Serve with toast.

54 Brown small pork (or hot dog) chunks in a skillet. Add white beans,
garlic, thyme and olive oil. Or add white beans and ketchup.

55 Dredge skate or flounder in flour and brown quickly in butter or oil.
Deglaze pan with a couple of spoonfuls of capers and a lot of lemon juice
or a little vinegar.

56 Make a fast tomato sauce of olive oil, chopped tomatoes and garlic.
Poach eggs in the sauce, then top with Parmesan.

57 Dip pork cutlets in egg, then dredge heavily in panko; brown quickly on
both sides. Serve over lettuce, with fresh lemon, or bottled Japanese curry
sauce.

58 Cook chicken livers in butter or oil with garlic; do not overcook. Finish
with parsley, lemon juice and coarse salt; serve over toast.

59 Brown bratwursts with cut-up apples. Serve with coleslaw.

60 Peel and thinly slice raw beets; cook in butter until soft. Take out of
pan and quickly cook some shrimp in same pan. Deglaze pan with sherry
vinegar, adding sauce to beets and shrimp. Garnish with dill.

61 Poach shrimp and plunge into ice water. Serve with cocktail sauce: one
cup ketchup, one tablespoon vinegar, three tablespoons melted butter and
lots of horseradish.

62 Southeast Asia steak salad: Pan- or oven-grill skirt or flank steak.
Slice and serve on a pile of greens with a sauce of one tablespoon each of
nam pla and lime juice, black pepper, a teaspoon each of sugar and garlic,
crushed red chili flakes and Thai basil.

63 Miso steak: Coat beef tenderloin steaks (filet mignon) with a blend of
miso and chili paste thinned with sake or white wine. Grill or broil about
five minutes.

64 Pasta with fresh tomatoes: Cook chopped fresh tomatoes in butter or
oil with garlic until tender, while pasta cooks. Combine and serve with
grated Parmesan.

65 Sauté squid rings and tentacles in olive oil with salt and pepper and
garlic; add chopped tomatoes. Cook until the tomatoes break down. Serve
over pasta.

66 Salmon (or just about anything else) teriyaki: Sear salmon steaks on both
sides for a couple of minutes; remove. To skillet, add a splash of water,
sake, a little sugar and soy sauce; when mixture is thick, return steaks to
pan and turn in sauce until done. Serve hot or at room temperature.

67 Rich vegetable soup: Cook asparagus tips and peeled stalks or most any
other green vegetable in chicken stock with a little tarragon until tender;
reserve a few tips and purée the rest with a little butter (cream or yogurt,
too, if you like) adding enough stock to thin the purée. Garnish with the
reserved tips. Serve hot or cold.

68 Brush portobello caps with olive oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper and
broil until tender. Briefly sweat chopped onions, then scramble eggs with
them. Put eggs in mushrooms.

69 Buy good blintzes. Brown them on both sides in butter. Serve with sour
cream, apple sauce or both.

70 Sauté squid rings and tentacles in olive oil with salt and pepper. Make a
sauce of minced garlic, smoked pimentón, mayo, lots of lemon juice and
fresh parsley. Serve with a chopped salad of cucumber, tomato, lettuce, grated
carrot and scallion, lightly dressed.

71 Press a lot of coarsely ground black pepper onto both sides of filet
mignon or other steaks or chopped meat patties. Brown in butter in a
skillet for two minutes a side. Remove steaks and add a splash of red wine,
chopped shallots and a bit of tarragon to skillet. Reduce, then return steaks
to pan, turning in the sauce for a minute or two.

72 World¹s leading sandwich: prosciutto, tomato, butter or olive oil and a
baguette.

73 Near instant mezze: Combine hummus on a plate with yogurt laced with
chopped cucumbers and a bit of garlic, plus tomato, feta, white beans
with olive oil and pita bread.

74 Canned sardines packed in olive oil on Triscuits, with mustard and
Tabasco.

75 Boil-and-eat shrimp, cooked in water with Old Bay seasoning or a
mixture of thyme, garlic, paprika, chopped onion, celery, chili, salt
and pepper.

76 Make a thin plain omelet with two or three eggs. Sauté cubes of bacon
or pancetta or strips of prosciutto until crisp. Cut up the omelet and use
it and the meat to garnish a green salad dressed with olive oil and balsamic
vinegar.

77 Sear corn kernels in olive oil with minced jalapeños and chopped
onions; toss with cilantro, black beans, chopped tomatoes, chopped bell
pepper and lime.

78 Cook shrimp in a skillet slowly (five minutes or so) to preserve their
juices, with plenty of garlic and olive oil, until done; pour over
watercress or arugula, with lemon, pepper and salt.

79 Liverwurst on good sourdough rye with scallions, tomato and
wholegrain mustard.

80 Not-quite merguez: Ground lamb burgers seasoned with cumin, garlic,
onion, salt and cayenne. Serve with couscous and green salad, along with
bottled harissa.

81 Combine crab meat with mayo, Dijon mustard, chives and tarragon.
Serve in a sandwich, with potato chips.

82 Combine canned tuna in olive oil, halved grape tomatoes, black olives,
mint, lemon zest and red pepper flakes. Serve with pasta, thinning with
olive oil or pasta cooking water as needed.

83 Pit and chop a cup or more of mixed olives. Combine with olive oil, a
little minced garlic, red pepper flakes and chopped basil or parsley. Serve
over pasta.

84 Cook chopped tomatillos with a little water or stock, cilantro and a
little minced fresh chili; serve over grilled, broiled or sautéed chicken
breasts, with corn tortillas.

85 A winning sandwich: bresaola or prosciutto, arugula, Parmesan,
marinated artichoke hearts, tomato.

86 Smoked trout fillets served with lightly toasted almonds, shredded
fennel, a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of lemon.

87 Grated carrots topped with six-minute eggs (run under cold water until
cool before peeling), olive oil and lemon juice.

88 Cut the top off four big tomatoes; scoop out the interiors and mix them
with toasted stale baguette or pita, olive oil, salt, pepper and herbs
(basil, tarragon, and/or parsley). Stuff into tomatoes and serve with salad.

89 Pasta frittata: Turn cooked pasta and a little garlic into an oiled or
buttered skillet. Brown, pressing to create a cake. Flip, then top with
three or four beaten eggs and loads of Parmesan. Brown other side and serve.

90 Thai-style beef: Thinly slice one and a half pounds of flank steak, pork
shoulder or boneless chicken; heat peanut oil in a skillet, add meat and
stir. A minute later, add a tablespoon minced garlic and some red chili
flakes. Add 30 clean basil leaves, a quarter cup of water and a tablespoon
or two of soy sauce or nam pla. Serve with lime juice and more chili
flakes, over rice or salad.

91 Dredge calf¹s liver in flour. Sear in olive oil or butter or a
combination until crisp on both sides, adding salt and pepper as it cooks;
it should be medium-rare. Garnish with parsley and lemon juice.

92 Rub not-too-thick pork or lamb chops with olive oil; sprinkle with salt
and pepper plus sage or thyme. Broil about three minutes a side and
drizzle with good balsamic vinegar.

93 Cut up Italian sausage into chunks and brown in a little olive oil until
just about done. Dump in a lot of seedless grapes and, if you like, a little
slivered garlic and chopped rosemary. Cook, stirring, until the grapes are
hot. Serve with bread.

94 Ketchup-braised tofu: Dredge large tofu cubes in flour. Brown in oil;
remove from skillet and wipe skillet clean. Add a little more oil, then a
tablespoon minced garlic; 30 seconds later, add one and a half cups
ketchup and the tofu. Cook until sauce bubbles and tofu is hot.

95 Veggie burger: Drain and pour a 14-ounce can of beans into a food
processor with an onion, half a cup rolled oats, a tablespoon chili powder
or other spice mix, an egg, salt and pepper. Process until mushy, then
shape into burgers, adding a little liquid or oats as necessary. Cook in oil about
three minutes a side and serve.

96 A Roman classic: In lots of olive oil, lightly cook lots of slivered
garlic, with six or so anchovy fillets and a dried hot chili or two. Dress
pasta with this.

97 So-called Fettuccine Alfredo: Heat several tablespoons of butter and
about half a cup of cream in a large skillet just until the cream starts to
simmer. Add slightly undercooked fresh pasta to the skillet, along with
plenty of grated Parmesan. Cook over low heat, tossing, until pasta is
tender and hot.

98 Rub flank steak or chuck with curry or chili powder before broiling or
grilling, then slice thin across the grain.

99 Cook a couple of pounds of shrimp, shell on or off, in oil, with lots of
chopped garlic. When they turn pink, remove; deglaze the pan with a
half-cupor so of beer, along with a splash of Worcestershire sauce, cayenne,
rosemary and a lump of butter. Serve with bread.

100 Cook red lentils in water with a little cumin and chopped bacon until
soft. Top with poached or six-minute eggs (run under cold water until cool
before peeling) and a little sherry vinegar.

101 Hot dogs on buns ‹ with beans!

Since The Office is on hiatus for the Summer I have to get my fix somehow. I guess other people do as well because You Tube has thousands of little clips from The Office put to music. This is one Niel shared with me. Can't wait for Sept. 28 when it returns with a few hour long episodes. Have a good weekend all.

I have another noodle post for you. It's my submission for Presto Pasta Nights. I purchased a box of Spaetzle recently and man oh man was it very delicious. But I guess anything with such minimal ingredients is tasty. The basic ingredients are flour, egg and salt. After the Spaetzle was done boiling I added lots of butter and Parmesan for flavor. That is my favorite way to eat any kind of pasta. With lots of butter and Parmesan. The noodles were tender!

While grocery shopping I saw pasta made of tofu. Now I do like tofu, but I wasn't really brave enough to try it. Has anyone out there have?

The second movie on our list was Do The Right Thing. Written and directed by Spike Lee, it focuses on life in New York(most of Lee's movies do). This particular story is set in a Brooklyn neighborhood where it seems like no one can stand one another. Tension is especially high on one particularly hot day. The boiling point is shocking and graphic. The message is violence is never the answer though. Just makes things so much worse. We noticed the movie was done very much like a play. It is very obvious when once scene ended and the other began. A interesting film. Glad I finally saw it fully.

Hope everyone had a lovely weekend. Niel and I were in America's dairy land, Wisconsin, for a wedding from Thursday through Sunday. Never thought I would visit Wisconsin so this was a nice surprise.

LaCrosse, the town we stayed in, seems to be a nice place to have grown up in. The people were friendly. They had the best of both worlds a bit of city mixed with nature. Mountains surrounded the town, there was a beach and water activities also.

Our hotel overlooked the Mississippi River. Something else we never thought we would ever see. It was spectacular both during the day and at night.

The wedding was wonderful. We were excited to have had the chance to experience it with our friends. It got me misty eyed thinking that the couple had their entire lives together in front of them. Made me also think of my wedding. Niel got to be a groomsmen and looked fabulous in his tuxedo. We wish the happy couple a lifetime of happiness!

I would have to agree with Niel that it was a lot of fun being away with our friends. I know how much he enjoys being with them. Since they all live far away from one another now, as it happens when people grow up, but they haven't moved on from their friendships.

This is what we did in a nutshell:

Enjoyed deep fried cheese curd. You have not lived till you have eaten this stuff.

We ate three times at a cool drive in fast food joint where they bring you your food on roller skates.

Drove into Minnesota twice. Another state I thought we wouldn't ever see.

Went to a county fair. Poor Niel got a little sick on one of the rides.

Took hundreds of photos.

Laughed a lot.

Ate a lot of terrific food, and just had a fantastic time.

We're a bit exhausted from the time difference. Had a hard time keeping our heads up after we got home yesterday.

Ahh Pearl is back. But this time she is a bit older and knows how to get answers out of criminals. This will be Pearl's final performances. She has dedicated herself to building sand castles and finger painting. Watch here for Pearl's final performance. I am so sad. Have a good weekend all. I will be eating lots of cheese.

Anytime we visit our parents even though they both live 10 minutes from us both we usually bring back home a care package from them. It's cute. The latest food item was from my parents. They were puffy pita's. I the think the actual name for them are pillowy pitas? Anyway they are big and can hold a lot more than the flat pitas. Which I like only for dipping now. And if you heat up the pillowy pitas (which come in mini and large sizes) on your range they expand a bit more.

With the weather being in the mid nineties I don't feel like eating as much. So I try to find some lighter meals, because we still have to eat. I do like fish and any thing that reminds me of Lake George. So I thought The Fish Point Sandwich would be ideal. It was tender, flavorful and not too fishy.

The Fish Point Sandwich Recipe courtesy Algonquin

Lemon butter:
4 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons white wine
Fish:
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup all-purpose flour
4 (6-ounce) fillets of sole
4 tablespoons butter
4 slices white sandwich bread
Fresh parsley sprigs, for garnish, optional


To make the lemon butter: Melt the butter over low heat in a small saucepan. Add the lemon juice and white wine. Keep the sauce warm on a corner of the stove.
To prepare the fish: Whisk the eggs with the heavy cream in a large bowl. Put the flour in a separate bowl. Dredge the fillets in flour; shake off any excess then put the fillets into the batter.

Heat the butter in large heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat. Lift the sole out of the batter, allow the excess to run off, then gently lay the fillets in the pan. Cook, turning the fish once, until the sole is flaky and the crust is crisp and golden brown, about 3 minutes per side.

While fish is cooking, toast the bread and cut each piece in half diagonally (corner to corner). Arrange the toast points on 4 plates, 2 per plate. Lift the fish from the pan onto the toast points. Drizzle the fish with lemon butter and serve immediately garnished with a sprig of fresh parsley, if desired.


This recipe was provided by professional chefs and has been scaled down from a bulk recipe provided by a restaurant. The Food Network Kitchens chefs have not tested this recipe, in the proportions indicated, and therefore, we cannot make any representation as to the results.

There are a lot of good things about Summer, except the oppressive heat of course, and one of them is watermelon. Niel and I go through so much of it. We eat a big one every other week all by ourselves. Last week Niel found a miniature watermelon. I had seen them a while ago but they were new to my area and still pricey. Niel spotted them on sale and brought one home. It was so tasty. It lasted much shorter than a whole one does but again it was so tasty.

How come during the Summer the week drags on and the weekend always goes by too quickly?

Friday my coworker wanted to see some pics from my wedding. I stored them on my old Yahoo pictures account. After I came home I logged in and realized Flickr(which is also owned by Yahoo) replaced the old photo system, so I had to transfer those photos over to Flickr. I would have lost my old pics if Stephanie wasn't curious. So I have everything in one place now. Which I like. At night Niel and I watched Do The Right Thing. Review on that later.

Saturday was a busy but fun day. Niel and I woke up early to go see the Transformers. There was a preview for Across The Universe. I really want to see it. The movie looks cool and its a musical based on the music of The Beatles. Jim Sturgess sort of reminds me of Ewan McGregor. Niel and I hadn't been to the see a movie in a theater since Hot Fuzz. And Transformers did not disappoint! I was worried that the film would be a hokey version of the popular cartoon. Which I watched. I watched all of the 80's cartoon. Didn't care much if it was for boys/girls whatever. They made Transformers in such a way so that you didn't have to be into the cartoon to enjoy the film. In the beginning the film sort of had two different story lines but eventually collided into one. Transformers was exciting, funny and adventure packed. I highly recommend it. Afterwards we went to walk Ripley. Went home, reshowered and changed clothes. It was a bit warm in NYC. Blech. Then Niel found out about a accordion festival that was happening at Riverside Park on the Hudson. We went to check that out, came back home, watched A Night At The Museum(entertaining) and conked out on the couches.

Now that July is here I am happy a few shows are back on TV. Last week DeGrassi the next generation came back, last night Mind of Mencia also returned, tonight is World Series of Pop Culture and Friday is Pysche.

Niel got me turned onto Flight of The Concords. Their a New Zealand comedy folk duo. We saw them on HBO a few years ago but I didn't think much then. But we've seen the first two episodes and their pretty funny. We'll probably end up seeing Eagle Vs. Shark.

Lisa voted me a Rockin Girl Blogger. I'm honored. I think she and the folks on the list I know are pretty cool also. I'd like to nominate Jess, Jessica, Adelaide, Kim and Yvett as Rockin Girl Bloggers as well.

Abby tagged me!

Seven Random Things About Me

1. I use a lot of toilet paper. I always have. My parents complained about it. Niel just deals with it. I like to be clean. So sue me.

2. I had a stuttering problem when I was younger. Finally went to speech therapy in high school. Now my stutter is hardly noticeable. So I feel for anyone that has a speech impediment. I should have majored in speech therapy in school.

3. I almost died as a baby. The hospital I was in wasn't very sterile. I acquired an infection. My parents took me to another hospital where I stayed for a month fighting for my little life.

4. I hate to clean, but I like a clean house. And since I don't have a maid nor would I want a person looking through my things so I clean myself and with Niel's help. But we could be better at it. I will admit to this. We do a big weekly clean:dust, vacuum, sweep and wipe the floors. Clean the counter tops. Range. The wood on the cabinets. The bathroom. Change the sheets and towels. Clean the mirrors. And during the week I upkeep. But we could me more organized. If I am feeling adventurous I wipe down the walls. Since we're getting rid of a lot of stuff I think the closets and bottom cabinets will be more organized. I think a person should take responsibility and have pride for their space. Fantastic with bleach is a fabulous cleaning product.

5. I always forget something when I am leaving the house.

6. I eat egg rolls and pizza strangely. I pick out the filling from the egg roll. I separate the inside of the roll from the outside. I eat one or the other first. Then I eat the filling. With pizza if there is a topping I pick that of, then the cheese then I eat the dough and crust last. I told you it was strange.

7. I like cherries and cherry pie but I can't stand cherry ice cream.

Have a good weekend everyone.

Niel is a big fan of the Simpsons. He noticed on their movie site that you can make yourself into a Simpsons character. The choices were sort of
limiting so he fiddled around in Photoshop for his. But the process was
still fun. I noticed that two (Dooce & LJCFYI) blogs I read also posted
their own Simpson version of themselves. Below is mine.

Red Velvet cupcakes are not my friend. They're my entry for this month's
Weekend Cook Book Challenge: Red & White Foods, hosted by Sara. I thought they were a perfect fit since today is the Fourth of July and red and white foods are popular today. So I that is why made them today instead of on a weekend. The Red Velvet cupcakes were very much of a challenge.

I tried two recipes and definitely liked the second one better. I'm not going to even link the first one. Although the second recipe did have its own challenges. Both recipes had many steps, but there was a procession line ease to them. Once the first batch was put in the oven they collapsed. I have no idea why. The second recipe made it through the baking process a bit better thankfully. I would have posted sooner, but I needed a break in between baking both recipes. Niel and I went to see the Nathan's hot dog eating contest on Coney Island(crowded!) for the first time and then had a BBQ at his mom's house. We had a nice time. Niel made some good bbq! After we came home we watched the Macy's Fireworks from our bedroom window. A yearly tradition we enjoy. I didn't want to take anymore time away from the day's plans because the recipes were a bit of struggle. Have I stated that enough? LOL.

Both recipes tasted fine. The first actually was too chocolaty for me and needed extra food coloring. The second recipe tasted more red velvety to me. It wasn't overwhelming. And I added a lot more food coloring to it. Two different kinds in fact. They were redder although didn't show up too well on film. Then I realized I added pink food coloring paste and not red. Arrgh.

Because both collapsed the first worse than the second the edges became hard. Sort of like a muffin. Niel said he liked the crunchy consistency though. The insides were very moist though. Niel took them too his office and everyone like them very much.

Veda's Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
Adapted from the Rachael Ray show


Ingredients

2 cups vegetable oil
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
4 tablespoons cocoa powder
2 ounces red food coloring
2 1/4 cups flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon white vinegar

For the frosting:
1 8-ounce package cream cheese, room temperature
1 stick butter, softened
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups confectioner’s sugar
1 tablespoon milk

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°F.

In a mixer with a paddle attachment, mix the oil, sugar and eggs until creamy. In a separate small bowl, combine the cocoa powder and food coloring, and stir. Once you have a thick paste, add it to the mixer.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour and salt with a whisk and set aside.

In a liquid measuring cup, combine the vanilla extract and buttermilk. Stir and set aside.

Add half of the buttermilk mixture to the mixer and stir on a low speed. Add half of the flour mixture and combine. Alternate this process with the remaining wet and dry ingredients. When all wet and dry ingredients have been combined in the mixer, fold in the baking soda and vinegar.

Line a mini muffin tray with mini muffin holders. Evenly distribute the batter among the cups. Bake for 30 minutes. Let the cupcakes cool before frosting.

For the frosting:

In a mixer with a whisk attachment, beat together the cream cheese, butter and vanilla extract until light and fluffy. Slowly add in the sugar and continue mixing until there are no lumps. Add milk to thin if necessary.

Yields 96 mini cupcakes or 30 regular size cupcakes


Few photos by Niel

As I've mentioned Niel and I decided to watch the movies on AFI's 100 best movies of all time list, that we have not seen together.

First on the list was Blade Runner. We added more to our Netflix Que but Niel suspects everyone else had the same idea because a lot of the older movies are on back order.

Niel however had Blade Runner on DVD and so we watched that first. It's one of his favorites. He also figured out that Harrison Ford which stars in Blade Runner has also stared in four other movies on AFI's list.

Blade Runner was a bleak movie. Set 12 years into the future, earth is not a great place to live. It's dark, over crowded and there aren't any animals left. And the cyborgs that humans created are rebelling because they have evolved and don't want to be slaves. A reluctant Harrison Ford is "rehired" into hunting down and "retiring" the leaders and remaining members of the cyborg resistance. The film brings up several questions about morality, humanity and what makes a human. Blade Runner is very well made and although it will leave you a bit depressed it is worth watching.

The weekend was a good one. Filled with family, friends, and cooking.

Friday night I made a tasty fish sandwhich and we watched Blade Runner. It's on our list of AFI's 100 great movies of all time. More on both later.

Saturday morning went shopping with my mom. JC Penney's was having a gonzo of a sale, so we went to see what we could find. It was fun. Niel went to see his brother and Kelvin who were both in town. After I came home did some cleaning, the laundry and grocery shopping I remembered I was supposed to give something to my mom so went back to my parents house. Late afternoon Niel got me. Afterwards we came home we watched Reno 911: The Movie. The TV show is better. He brought some meatballs and sauce his mom had given us. We got some garlic knots on the way home. We already had pasta and Parmesan cheese in the house. It was a good dinner.

On Sunday I used up the final batch of Ina Gartens Waffle and Pancake mix to make Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes. Boy was it tasty. Our friends and their cute daughter picked us up to go into the city. We went to the Central Park Zoo, the Tisch Children's Zoo and FAO Schwatz. It was a good weather day. Their little one is so smart and funny. They're good parents. (I'm not going to post any pictures of them here without permission.) Niel and I hadn't been to the Central Park Zoo or FAO Schwartz in a long time and never to the Tisch Children's Zoo which you can get into free with your ticket to the Central Park Zoo. The zoos were just amazing. We all each had favorite animals. At FAO Schwartz you can see me playing on the big piano. I was the only "adult" doing that. Heh heh. Niel and I were dropped off and had the rest of the pasta for lunch. We also watched Ghost Rider. It was craptastical.


Photo of me by Niel.

To my friends in Canada

HAPPY CANADA DAY!!