tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-85702981384313258322024-03-21T13:17:10.748-05:00My Eats and BeatsJulia Darlinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07773443333049275966noreply@blogger.comBlogger83125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8570298138431325832.post-45148105205247103442013-01-29T09:05:00.001-06:002013-01-29T09:05:10.832-06:00Thanks for visiting my blog. My Eats and Beats is now at <a href="http://www.myeatsandbeats.wordpress.com/">www.myeatsandbeats.wordpress.com</a>. Come check it out! Julia Darlinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07773443333049275966noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8570298138431325832.post-22993075252906362642012-11-05T19:21:00.001-06:002012-11-05T19:21:26.667-06:00Cranberry and Walnut Zucchini Bread
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbWEH5faxjBTNBpsfxqS2eRkEhNPZs_ddVBfVxnsjwCweitkFCRAjiQa5J7OkHUw7zfzFjaFzr2B-9u-GXlEpgaUZP-x3nJSMvTm8qspKctIYfA9GHDMaRbwoXPQ2gyrtGErgU7iSktrg/s1600/photo%252838%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbWEH5faxjBTNBpsfxqS2eRkEhNPZs_ddVBfVxnsjwCweitkFCRAjiQa5J7OkHUw7zfzFjaFzr2B-9u-GXlEpgaUZP-x3nJSMvTm8qspKctIYfA9GHDMaRbwoXPQ2gyrtGErgU7iSktrg/s320/photo%252838%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a>Hold the phone, shut the front door and get out of town. I
never thought I’d use this word in my blog. But I suppose there is a first time
for everything. Here it goes. The word is…vegan. I am not a vegan, nor do I
intend to adopt a vegan diet. Sorry vegans; it’s mainly the whole idea of
giving up dairy – not even the meat so much. But a lifetime without goat
cheese, parmesan, and mozzarella seems deprived of joy.<span> </span>However, I am now a believer that vegan recipes can be delicious! Let’s take that a step further.<span> </span>I am now a believer that vegan recipes can actually taste better than their non-vegan counterpart.<span> </span>I feel a little lash of Southern
sacrilege saying that. But let’s say a Hail Mary and move on. All things in
moderation, right? If there’s a recipe that can effectively cut down my
daily consumption of animal byproducts and dairy, without sacrificing taste, I’m all
for it! <br />
<br />
Feast your stomachs on this recipe for cranberry and walnut zucchini bread. It
is perfection. I never knew a baked good could taste so flavorful and moist
without eggs and butter. Oh, that’s another word I don’t like. The word moist
gives me the heebie jeebies. I made four loaves of this zucchini bread.<span> </span>So far, I’ve managed to only eat one.
The rest are in my freezer, waiting to be consumed with family over
Thanksgiving and Christmas.<span> </span><br />
<br />
I found this recipe on a food blog called <a href="http://hellyeahitsvegan.com/vegan-zucchini-bread/">Hell Yeah It’s Vegan</a>, and used the
base of it for my own.<span> </span>I used dark
brown sugar vs light brown sugar, and added in the dried cranberries and walnuts.
Voila! Make these loaves ahead of time, put them in your freezer, and bring
them out when you have guests during the holidays. They will thank you for it. <br />
<br />
On the music side, I’m in love with this duet from the show Nashville. It's a cover of the Civil Wars' song "If I Didn't Know Better". I think Sam Palladio and Clare Bowen (actors) should
just cut a record together because I would have it on repeat 24/7. This song is
soulful and sultry. And with a haunting melody, you can appreciate the
lyrics as well. <br />
<br />
Furthermore, I see a strong parallel between this song and my feelings towards the zucchini
bread. “If I
didn’t know better”, I’d believe that because this is a vegan recipe it must be extra healthy. “If I didn’t know better”, I’d say that because there are
vegetables in this bread, it cancels out all the sugar. “If I didn’t know
better, I wouldn't have eaten an entire load by myself. "If I didn't know better...but, damn it, I do.”<span> </span></div>
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Julia Darlinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07773443333049275966noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8570298138431325832.post-69104942474351260392012-09-30T17:08:00.002-05:002012-09-30T17:08:48.702-05:00Skakin' It Up with Tomato and Squash Casserole<link href="file://localhost/Users/erinkarre/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems/msoclip1/01/clip_filelist.xml" rel="File-List"></link>
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Curse you autumn. You seduce my American Express card each
season with chic accessories, and you know darn well no one loves to cover up
their body more than I do in scarves, hats and jackets. We have to put an end
to this dysfunctional relationship. It’s not you. It’s me. Hopefully when I
learn some self control, we can be friends again.<br />
<br />
Autumn is the one time of year where I’m just as captivated by its fashions as
I am by its foods. Judging by my wardrobe and my pantry this season, I
apparently want to be something in between a hipster and a hippie. For example,
I have 20/20 vision. I wore glasses for a year in the 3<sup>rd</sup> grade and
haven’t needed them since. So explain to me why I just ordered a pair of black,
thick-rimmed frames by the name of “Sinclair”. I also have my eye on a cable
knit beret from Urban Outfitters, a rucksack backpack and a graphic t-shirt of
Brooklyn, NY. It’s a good thing
I’m not prone to facial hair, otherwise I might try to grow a handle bar
mustache. <br />
<br />
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On the flip side, I have become fixated on eating local, organic produce and
meats as much as I can. It all started when I friend of mine told me about two
classes on <a href="https://www.coursera.org/">Coursera</a> through John’s Hopkins’ Bloomberg School of Public Health
that offered an introduction to the US food system and obesity economics. Since
registering for these classes, I have read <span class="st1"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Eric Schlosser’s <i>Fast
Food Nation</i></span></span><span class="st1"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;"> and David Kessler’s <i>The End of Overeating</i></span></span><span class="st1"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">. I’ve
also watched several documentaries including: </span></span> <i>Food, Inc.</i><span style="font-style: normal;">, </span><i>Forks Over Knives</i><span style="font-style: normal;">, and </span><i>Food
Matters</i><span style="font-style: normal;">. And now I’ve hopped on board the
local food movement bandwagon. <br />
<br />
Let me keep this short and sweet, because I could easily preach you a sermon on
this topic. Know what you’re
eating folks. I won’t go into the disturbing details of what happens in meat
packing plants, how chickens are genetically altered to grow fatter in shorter
periods of time and never see the sunlight, or how our typical supermarket
produce is loaded with pesticides, fungicides and insecticides. Let’s get back to the basics. Let’s
support our local farmers and ranchers. Let’s be conscious of what we’re
feeding our bodies. You know it’s coming…I have to say it…you are what you eat!<br />
<br />
I’m stepping down from the pulpit now. Yesterday I went to Nashville’s farmers
market where the baskets were overflowing with tomatoes, squash, zucchini,
peppers, and apples…not to mention the crowds of people. I tend to get sensory
overload in situations like this where I’m in the thick of mounds of fresh
produce. It’s kind of like being in my favorite clothing store on the day where
everything is an additional 40% off. My hands can’t grab things fast enough.
Did you just say five pounds of zucchini and squash for $5? Yes, please! I
probably spent about $30 and walked away with enough meat and produce to feed
my face for a solid week. <br />
<br />
So for dinner last night, I made one of my favorite recipes from my mom’s
kitchen. It’s a tomato, squash and zucchini casserole. Served over a small bed
of pasta, tossed in a little olive oil and basil, this meal is veggie-tastic.
The caramelized yellow onions give it a hint of sweetness, and the
squash/zucchini have a great crisp texture to them. Forget the pasta. Just hand
me a fork, and I’ll eat it right out of the casserole dish. I made enough for
two people last night, and there were no leftovers. So, I’ll give you the
recipe that will feed 4-5. You can always cut back on the size if needed. <br />
<br />
On the music scene, my latest love is <a href="http://www.alabamashakes.com/about/">Alabama Shakes</a>. Brittany Howard, the band’s lead singer and
guitarist, is the coolest chick in music right now - not to mention her voice
is incredible. I love their sound. </span></div>
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<br />
<b>Tomato and Squash Casserole Recipe:</b><br />
NOTE: After you chop the tomatoes, squash and zucchini, leave them out to dry on paper towels for a few hours. Sprinkle a little salt over them and let it suck all the water out. This will help ensure that your vegetables are crisp and the casserole is not watery when you cook it. I left mine out to dry for about 2-3 hours. Just keep drying them off with paper towels and adding a little more salt as needed. <br />
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<br />
Ingredients: <br />
1/4 Cup of EVOO<br />
3 cups chopped yellow onions (about 3 medium onions)<br />
2 medium garlic cloves, minced (about 2 tsp)<br />
1 lb yellow squash, sliced<br />
1 lb zucchini, sliced<br />
1 lb plum tomatoes, sliced<br />
teaspoon fresh basil and/or thyme <br />
ground salt and pepper<br />
1/2-1 Cup of Gruyere or Parmesan cheese <br />
<br />
Directions:<br />
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Pour the olive oil in a pan over medium heat, and add the chopped onions. Let the onions caramelize until they start to turn brown (12-15 min). Within the last minute, add the minced garlic. <br />
- Lay the onions and garlic on the bottom of a 9x13 casserole dish. Top your dried vegetables with fresh cracked pepper. Layer the sliced vegetables in the dish, overlapping each other a bit. Cover the dish with tinfoil and bake for 30 minutes. <br />
- After 30 minutes, remove the tinfoil. Sprinkle on the fresh basil/thyme and continue to bake (uncovered) for another 30 minutes. Within the last 10 minutes, add your freshly grated cheese so it can melt. Julia Darlinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07773443333049275966noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8570298138431325832.post-86730253920806825212012-09-10T21:48:00.000-05:002012-09-10T21:48:12.406-05:00On Fire with Pappa al Pomodoro
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My kitchen adventures this past weekend were far from
ordinary. There were extreme highs and extreme lows of emotion, coupled with
cooking success and failure. Riding the wave of my stellar shrimp and grits
earlier that week, I decided to stick with the "southern" genre of
foods and set my appetite on frying catfish. This is one of my favorite meals,
and I was eager to make it on my own. <br />
<br />
After a trip to Whole Foods, I came home to unwrap 3 beautiful catfish fillets
on my spotless granite counter top. Fast forward an hour later, and there is a
huge puddle of splattered hot oil dripping from the stove down to the floor. My
first two attempts at deep-fried catfish have turned into deep-fried crap fish.
My self-esteem sinks lower by the minute as my blood pressure rises by the
second. I’m about ready to throw in the towel when my husband walks over to the
stove, begins cutting the catfish into smaller pieces, dredging them in batter,
and delicately laying them into the cast iron skillet. He’s the best. Whether dinner
that night was a disaster or triumph, it matters not. I’m lucky enough to have
someone whisper in my ear, “what matters is that you tried something new”. You
win some you loose some. C’est la vie, non?<span> </span></div>
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But let’s be honest. No one wants to end the weekend on a loss. So, Sunday
afternoon, I break out the big guns: the barefoot contessa’s “Back to Basics”
cookbook. I knew Ina Garten had a recipe that would put me back in business. I
chose her recipe for pappa al pomodoro – a rustic Italian tomato soup that’s
thickened with ciabatta bread and garnished with home made croutons and
pancetta. It was perfection. The flavors were so hearty, and this soup is even
better the second day. Sautéed onions, carrots and garlic lay the foundation
for this recipe. Whisking the ciabatta into the soup of plum tomatoes and
chicken stock give it a real creamy flavor and chunky texture. Definitely add
this to your list of soups to make this fall. <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/pappa-al-pomidoro-recipe/index.html">Click here</a> for the recipe.<br />
<br />
Alicia Key's new single "Girl on Fire" is the tune to my culinary
victory dance. From a fried fish job gone wrong to a heart-warming soup, I
turned that frown upside down with this recipe for pappa al pomodoro. </div>
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Julia Darlinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07773443333049275966noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8570298138431325832.post-91182524454553296082012-09-04T20:39:00.000-05:002012-09-04T20:39:06.553-05:00Shrimp and Grits<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixXSkkPB2lcFnNBp6-JMX3ClAnJaEuExf7SIZHOfDhZMUXrYewmIL8PnBToEA2VMBsCEST3iahkFXuPOmKNeLNM1F9ibjTzgW9wHQFpAq3akR0G2U7tkrMTM89NybUj0xbMqXgUaxIEDY/s1600/photo%252827%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixXSkkPB2lcFnNBp6-JMX3ClAnJaEuExf7SIZHOfDhZMUXrYewmIL8PnBToEA2VMBsCEST3iahkFXuPOmKNeLNM1F9ibjTzgW9wHQFpAq3akR0G2U7tkrMTM89NybUj0xbMqXgUaxIEDY/s320/photo%252827%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a>Tuesday marked my first day back at work after a leisurely 4 day weekend. And, as most working folk know, the first day back after a holiday weekend means you hit the ground running to catch up from days off. As soon as I got home, I turned on the lights, dropped my bags on the floor and went straight to the refrigerator for a Corona. Hmmm. We must have finished the Corona the night before. No worries; I'll have a glass of wine. Except there is no wine. Looks like I'll make a gin and tonic. However there are no limes! What will I do?<br /><br />You might read this and wonder if these are signs of a drinking problem. False. Or you might read this and completely relate to the fact that one of the best ways to take the edge off of a busy day at work is a little alcohol (not exercise). Just enough to take the tension off your shoulders and put work behind you. So, I grab my reusable Target tote (trying be green) and head to the local liquor store where I choose a fine $12 bottle of cabernet sauvignon and head home. Crisis averted, dear friends.<br /><br />Now let's get down to the real reason why I'm writing this post: last night's dinner. I am crazy about shrimp and grits, as any true South Carolinian would be. If it's on the menu, I order it. I'm also quite particular on the taste. I like the roux to be simple in ingredients and packed with flavor. And I hate when it's served as more of a soup instead of with a spoonful of grits in each bite. The grits should also be thick and creamy. My theory in why most people do not like grits is because they've not been properly prepared. Any who is any Southerner's authority on cooking grits? Their mama (or grand mama). As mine put it, the 5-minute quick Quaker grits actually take 30 minutes. Stir frequently and add water as needed. Grits are corn; you can watch the pot of grits rise and pop as they cook. When the popping rhythm and frequency subside, it's a good indication that the grits are done cooking. <br /><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMQhTc4-6Q52qlDMlXFpJOIWipf9Qk-rIJgydLJn_RJQ1cA2FoYjWkoYNmM28VkTBJJTkcHIlYlcQ3xqBkURFw8QIOWF-HHAqucY7mk_sIvbaN5pQU34yg8BNzLG4LGt52Fl2m2LvrTCA/s1600/photo%252825%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMQhTc4-6Q52qlDMlXFpJOIWipf9Qk-rIJgydLJn_RJQ1cA2FoYjWkoYNmM28VkTBJJTkcHIlYlcQ3xqBkURFw8QIOWF-HHAqucY7mk_sIvbaN5pQU34yg8BNzLG4LGt52Fl2m2LvrTCA/s320/photo%252825%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />I've actually never made shrimp and grits at home, and this holiday weekend presented the perfect opportunity to get back in the kitchen and expand my portfolio of recipes. As if the 5 star rating and 146 rave reviews on Tyler Florence's "ultimate shrimp and grits" weren't convincing enough, Mr. Florence can do not wrong in my book. And he did not disappoint. Last night's shrimp and grits was hands down as good (if not better) than any I've had in a restaurant. And it was easier to make than the grits! The inclusion of andouille sausage, cayenne pepper and hot sauce bring the heat and Cajun spice into the mix. The roux keeps it classy with minced onion, garlic, chicken stalk and bay leaves. <br /><br />I just want to take this dish to all my neighbors and say, "Here you go. You're welcome." Making this recipe last night was just what I needed to kick my cooking confidence up a notch (or ten)! If you're feeling a little adventurous or want to experience a true southern meal, make this version of shrimp and grits. You won't be sorry. My only variation was making Quaker grits (see above) versus Tyler's directions. <br /><br />Shrimp and grits is a low country dish that, when mixed with The Drifter's "Under the Boardwalk", brings about memories of coastal Carolina summers and easy living...with a hint of sophistication. <br /><br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/EPEqRMVnZNU" width="420"></iframe><br /><br />Tyler Florence's Ultimate Shrimp and Grits - <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/tyler-florence/ultimate-shrimp-and-grits-recipe/index.html">click here</a> for the recipe. Julia Darlinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07773443333049275966noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8570298138431325832.post-7801970127298227252012-08-28T21:38:00.000-05:002012-08-28T21:38:06.728-05:00I'm Home<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="huge">The ache for home lives in all of us, the safe place where we can go as we are and not be questioned.</span><i><span class="bodybold"> </span></i></div>
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<i><span class="bodybold">Maya Angelou</span></i></div>
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<span class="bodybold">I haven't been home in nine days. Unfortunately it's not because I've been sunbathing on a beach somewhere or traipsing through Europe. Nope. I spent this past week in a little town (emphasis on little) called Bristol, TN. My job brings me to Bristol twice a year for the NASCAR races where my neck gets a little red and my southern drawl becomes more of a twang. Let's put it this way. Bristol's population is somewhere around 50,000. During race week, it's 150,000. I've never quite experienced the spectacle that is NASCAR. But that's another story for another day. Let me just say this: only at a race track would you find Aqua Net in the ladies' bathroom. Queue Jeff Foxworthy's "you might be a red neck if..."<br /><br />The earlier part of this week was spent in Memphis for meetings. Fortunately, I get to see my family when I'm there and can sleep in my old room; no hotel! Tuesday afternoon, I drove three hours up Music Highway, between Memphis and Nashville - breathing deep as I walked through my front door and was greeted with the familiar scent of home. <br /><br />About 20 miles outside of Nashville, Phillip Phillips' serenaded me through the rolling hills of Middle Tennessee as I made my way back home. </span><i><span class="bodybold"> </span></i><span class="bodybold">After nine consecutive days of dining at restaurants, race tracks and fast food joints (one moment of McDonalds weakness), I think it's safe to say I have some serious cooking to tend to!</span><i><span class="bodybold"><br /></span></i></div>
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Julia Darlinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07773443333049275966noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8570298138431325832.post-45655090074667264162012-08-14T22:12:00.001-05:002012-08-15T07:09:48.763-05:00Happy 100th Birthday Julia Child<link href="file://localhost/Users/erinkarre/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems/msoclip1/01/clip_filelist.xml" rel="File-List"></link><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 16pt;">Wednesday marks the 100th birthday of
Julia Child, the woman lovingly known to Americans as "The French
Chef". I was just 19 when this culinary icon passed away, yet her spirit
is ever eternal with each toast of “bon appétit”! <br />
<br />
For starters, Julia and I have a few things in common: a first name, a love
affair with France, and all the pleasures of cooking. But what was it about
Madame Child that made her so enchanting to millions? Inspired to learn more
about the person before the celebrity, I’m reading Child’s autobiography “My
Life In France”. Julia and her husband’s grandnephew, Alex Prud’homme, compiled
the book during the last 8 months of her life. It primarily focuses on the
years between 1948 and 1954 while she and Paul lived in Paris, Marseilles and
Provence. <br />
<br />
What I have come to know of Child thus far is a contagious joie de vivre. She
has a certain je ne sais quoi that puts a smile on your face and makes you want
to carry that 6'2'' bundle of joy around in your pocket all day. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 16pt;">Thus on the eve of her 100th birthday, I opened my copy of "Mastering
the Art of French Cooking" and took to the kitchen with Julia. In less than 20 minutes, I made 2 beautiful servings of bifteck saute au beurre served with a simple green salad and sauce vinaigrette. Thanks to the detailed instructions from Julia, the steaks were cooked properly and perfectly. There wasn't a leaf of lettuce left in the salad bowl as we used slices of baguette to soak up the last drop of vinaigrette. Julia doesn't just supply you with a list of ingredients and a recipe; she gives you the culinary lesson.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 16pt;">Bon appétit!</span>
Julia Darlinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07773443333049275966noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8570298138431325832.post-75826731083440800832012-08-13T20:00:00.000-05:002012-08-13T20:00:52.529-05:00Our House is City House<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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north of downtown, is City House.</div>
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Over the past 3 years City House, a converted sculptor’s studio, has been
featured in publications such as the <i>New York Times Style Magazine</i>, <i>Food and
Wine</i>, <i>bon appétit</i>, <i>Garden & Gun</i>, and <i>Nashville Scene</i>. Each story about Chef
Tandy Wilson’s rustic Italian restaurant is rightfully as praiseworthy as the
last. So, it should be no surprise that I had to taste what is becoming my
favorite restaurant in Nashville. <br />
<br />
I have since dined at City House three times in the past 7 weeks. One of my
favorite things about City House is that amid all of its popularity, it is one
of the most unassuming and charming restaurants in town. Simply put, this house
is grounded on the principles of good food, good service and good company. <br />
<br />
I was as giddy as a school girl the first evening Stewart and I walked through
the front door of City House. In addition to the friendly hostess, you are
greeted by the boisterous chatter among the restaurant’s clientele. Without a
reservation Stewart and I sat up at the kitchen bar, overlooking the chefs
preparing brick oven pizzas, pastas and desserts. It was the best seat in the
house! A bowl of tomatoes and a fresh basil plant sat on the counter to my
right. I watched as servers came up to the bar to take food to the other
tables, and my appetite went wild with hunger. Before I knew it, Stewart and I
practically licked our plates clean of 2 appetizers, 2 pizzas, and 2 desserts
while washing it down with artisan cocktails and espresso. If gluttony is a
sin, I bought a one-way ticket to hell with that meal. And I’m clearly not
feeling that bad about it, since it’s been a repeat occurrence ever since. <br />
<br />
A word to the wise: Do not make plans to go anywhere but home after you leave here.
Your bellies will be aching (with pleasure) over the best meal you’ve ever eaten,
and your brain will be on the verge of a food coma. I am 3 for 3 in going
straight to bed after a night at City House. <br />
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How is that possible? Let’s examine the evidence from my visit last weekend. <br />
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We start off with the house cured salami, parm. </div>
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Followed by their brick oven pizzas…<br />
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Margherita Pizza (House Made Mozzarella)</div>
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House Made Belly Ham, Mozzarella, Grana Padano, Oregano, Chilies<br />
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Moving on to the pastas… <br />
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Linguini, Tomatoes, Anchovy, Chilies, Garlic, Olives, Bread Crumbs</div>
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Bread Gnocchi, Pork, Peppers, Cider Vinegar, Pecorino </div>
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And for dessert…<br />
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Espresso </div>
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And vanilla-almond pound cake with lemon-ricotta gelato </div>
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End Scene. </div>
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Queue music with Madness' "Our House"<br /><br />
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Julia Darlinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07773443333049275966noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8570298138431325832.post-46788579386144446232012-04-17T20:54:00.001-05:002012-04-17T20:55:43.197-05:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i><b>Introducing: my first homemade loaf of bread</b></i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigRqU2coWSJjdO6-wkb0oSsIRBiDmoBQCbhEIBRqRENwo0ivf7_iQsglwR4pwK3gtJ6i3TUe-YCssa3n2EE9Wzsy8MPRXOj1lmsRBg8AaivThI064PiZpMKf2NjVu5mUSZVa5P4QUDEcM/s1600/Bread+loaf.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigRqU2coWSJjdO6-wkb0oSsIRBiDmoBQCbhEIBRqRENwo0ivf7_iQsglwR4pwK3gtJ6i3TUe-YCssa3n2EE9Wzsy8MPRXOj1lmsRBg8AaivThI064PiZpMKf2NjVu5mUSZVa5P4QUDEcM/s320/Bread+loaf.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-size: large;"><b>THIS</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>+</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3wb8TsNdgZ9Z20RACQkP54Cg63oOTj1-YrM56Hepm7TKBZUBpB4_2PiVICN-K3X6C508yANnz1UNstnQLu8Ki_KLOSRbl5lmSzcNzqoff1F46rIrB9WTwENCtEN6QKgat7poNofTxYcU/s1600/open+bread.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3wb8TsNdgZ9Z20RACQkP54Cg63oOTj1-YrM56Hepm7TKBZUBpB4_2PiVICN-K3X6C508yANnz1UNstnQLu8Ki_KLOSRbl5lmSzcNzqoff1F46rIrB9WTwENCtEN6QKgat7poNofTxYcU/s320/open+bread.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>THIS<br />
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= <br />
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THIS</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><b>Mission accomplished my friends. </b></div>Julia Darlinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07773443333049275966noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8570298138431325832.post-72653485205178961442012-04-16T20:26:00.001-05:002012-04-16T20:32:05.835-05:00Zou Bisou BisouI'm back in the bread baking business...thus far! Given my few hiccups in the beginning of this process, I proceed with with both caution and optimism. Yesterday I turned my starter into a leaven. And this evening, I look lovingly upon my first batch of dough, as it completes the first rise (also known as the bulk rise or bulk fermentation). Depending on the temperature in my apartment, this stage of the process can take as little as 4 hours or as long as overnight. Because of my work schedule, I chose to complete the first rise overnight. Hopefully this time tomorrow night I will be feasting on my first loaf of bread!<br />
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</div>I paired this post with another source of happiness in my life: Mad Men. This past weekend I caught up on the new season. And, to no surprise of my own, I am obsessed with the song Megan Draper sang to Don at his 40th birthday party. Zou Bisou Bisou has been stuck in my head for the past 3 days. I thought it only fair that I put the tune in your head as well : )<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/2vFOzG3GYqo" width="420"></iframe>Julia Darlinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07773443333049275966noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8570298138431325832.post-26480314685916938062012-03-12T22:23:00.002-05:002012-03-12T22:32:58.100-05:00Bread Bakin' Blues<link href="file://localhost/Users/erinkarre/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems/msoclip1/01/clip_filelist.xml" rel="File-List"></link> <style>
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Julia’s Basic Country Loaf Take 2. </span></div><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">You guessed it. The bread is dead. I killed it, unintentionally of course, last weekend. My poor starter didn't even get to live to its fullest potential before my impatience got the best of me and spoiled the process of creating a leaven. This lack of patience has burned me before. And this time it washed a week's worth of flour and water down the drain...literally. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">Allow me to set the stage.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">It was 10pm on Friday night. The hubs and I were in for a big weekend with family and friends in town, so we decided to lay low that evening in preparation. With my Tartine Bread book in hand, I curled up in bed and began reading about the next step in making bread: creating the leaven. My starter was rising and falling predictably over the course of three days, so I figured it was time to proceed that weekend. However, the book instructs you to create your leaven the night before you plan to make your dough. “Oh s$%&” I thought. “That’s tonight!”<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">The night before you're ready to make the dough, you are supposed to take 1 tablespoon of your starter, discarding the rest, and mix cette tablespoon with 200 grams of flour mixture and 200 grams of water at 78 degrees Fahrenheit. I can do this with no problem, right? Should be done in 5 minutes and back in bed. No sweat. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">Wrong. Loads of sweat and on the verge of tears, I startled my husband with an echoing “Gosh damn it!” coming from the kitchen. Apparently what my hand thought was 1-tablespoon alas was a <u>½</u> tablespoon. Therefore, it was only <u>half</u> of the amount of starter I needed to create my leaven. So just add another ½ tablespoon of starter, right? Wrong again. Because after measuring what I thought to be 1 tablespoon of dough, I proceeded to wash the rest of the starter down the drain and clean the bowl. And to top it all off, I don’t know how to use my scale because the weight of water and flour mixture was all wrong and proceeded to clump into dry balls of dough. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">If I would have just waited until the next evening, and not acted with such haste, I probably would be enjoying the fruit of my bread baking labor right now. Reminder to self: take your time. Don't rush.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">So this weekend I start over. I’m either really committed to making my own bread or really crazy. But I should not forget the first lesson that bread has taught me thus far: never give up. Farewell starter #1. Let’s hope starter #2 has better luck.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">I don't think there's another woman's voice who can expresses the soul behind blues quite like the great Etta James. And she sings my bread bakin' blues away with "I'd Rather Go Blind". </span><br />
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</span>Julia Darlinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07773443333049275966noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8570298138431325832.post-7031345650264012072012-03-06T18:50:00.002-06:002012-03-06T18:53:25.836-06:00Step Two: Training the StarterI never thought I'd be excited about the smell of "stinky cheese". Never say never. Because last night my culture was perfectly ripe. There were three signs that the culture was ready: the sharp smell (stinky cheese), the taste (slightly acidic) and the look (dark layer of crust over the top).<br />
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Here's what that crust looked like.<br />
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And here is what was underneath the crust when I peeled it back. Note the bubbles that surfaced. That's a good sign!<br />
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So, this morning I began the next phase of making bread: training the culture into a lively and predictable starter. At this stage in the process I discard 80% of the starter every 24 hours (before work) and mix the remaining 20% with new flour and water. Nothing to report thus far, but I imagine it will take a few days to see the effects of training. I have a slight suspicion that this starter and I will form a special bond. Next to my husband, it's the thing I look forward to seeing the most in the morning, when I get home from work, and before I go to bed.<br />
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Here's what the starter looked like after the first feeding today. I noted that the temperature in the apartment was 69 degrees; ideally it should be between 65 and 75 degrees. The book also advises you to use equal parts flour and water. So, I used about 1/4 Cup of each and stored the container in a shaded spot on the counter (uncovered). Now it's time to wait... <br />
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I also wanted to give my starter a little "training" theme song. Something to get it motivated and active. Let's see if it works.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/btPJPFnesV4" width="480"></iframe>Julia Darlinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07773443333049275966noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8570298138431325832.post-32707863899109980012012-03-04T19:53:00.004-06:002012-03-04T19:57:47.466-06:00Bread Lesson #1: Don't Give Up<div style="text-align: center;"><b> <span style="font-size: small;"> </span><span class="ssens" style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times;">Bread: a usually baked and leavened food made of a mixture whose basic constituent is flour or meal </span></span></b> <style>
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</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="ssens" style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times;">Merriam-Webster's definition of bread sounds simple, yes? Think again. What began as a fun "weekend project" has turned into weeks of preparation, determination, and lessons learned. I thought this blog would be the perfect place to capture it all. So follow me on this journey to experience what it is to be a baker of bread. I can promise it won't be perfect. But it won't be a failure either. My goal is simply to learn...and make a damn good loaf of bread. </span></span><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="ssens" style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times;">So how did this adventure begin? Much to my enthusiasm for all things bread, my husband gave me Chad Robertson's cookbook "Tartine Bread" for Christmas this past year. Chad Robertson is the baker and owner of Tartine Bakery in San Francisco, which reportedly sells 200 loaves of bread a day within the first hour (according to Bon Appetit's article on the 2012 Tastemaker). I've wanted to make by own bread for quite some time, so who better to teach me than the master himself. Thus, I embarked on the process that’s to become my first “basic country bread”. </span></span><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="ssens" style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times;">I technically began last Sunday when I developed my starter, which begins with making a culture. After mixing the flour and water to form a thick batter, I covered the container with a kitchen towel and stored it in a cool, shaded spot for 2-3 days. By the evening of the second day, the culture had bubbles forming around the sides of the container, and the smell (to my knowledge) was acidic. So, the next morning I began "training" my culture into a predictable starter by feeding it with fresh flour and water every 24 hours. In doing this, your starter will begin to rise and fall predictably around the same times each day. But over the coarse of 3 days, I noticed that my started wasn't rising or falling at all. Was it because I stored it in the cabinet with no light or air circulation? Did I use too much water and flour? What went wrong? Enter my first lesson in baking bread: don't give up. <o:p></o:p>Actually, that’s what my husband told me when I became frustrated by my inactive starter. And he was right. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span class="ssens" style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times;"><b>Tis a lesson you should heed try, try again. If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.</b><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="ssens" style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times;">So, this past Friday night, I rolled up my sleeves and started over with a new culture. This time, I used a smaller amount of water and flour to start. Then I stored the covered container on the counter in a shaded spot. It’s nearly 48 hours later, and things are looking (and smelling) right! </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnsNo_Q1VZeBf_ehLWbr56x6-JgtRJ29OjY09S0bJinlSZpzTzGa-MAugczMrhQw1GNzwafBJ_iX-8X-K1blwb5AaE-Yt137ZK3vGxiG0cR3pTTBMOiNhyphenhyphen0YEikhx_aRPhZyIsVQYML1A/s1600/Culture.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnsNo_Q1VZeBf_ehLWbr56x6-JgtRJ29OjY09S0bJinlSZpzTzGa-MAugczMrhQw1GNzwafBJ_iX-8X-K1blwb5AaE-Yt137ZK3vGxiG0cR3pTTBMOiNhyphenhyphen0YEikhx_aRPhZyIsVQYML1A/s320/Culture.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">There’s also something in my kitchen now that's tasting right: linzer cookies! I made my second batch this weekend. And they are delicious. Now I just need to make sure I don't eat them all myself. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRsqCj-TxnLcHN1sRtkMDubX2Tu2MYyIjW5ZD6m68pjNT6NPATFFNG0b4rx95pcLQkvUnSuGGdh_mVmSO6XDCYNW9IbbXhn-JmMIvw3es1pX8r1vJlfYmgkeKmlI5l7woTCRGtQrQS4-M/s1600/linzer+cookies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRsqCj-TxnLcHN1sRtkMDubX2Tu2MYyIjW5ZD6m68pjNT6NPATFFNG0b4rx95pcLQkvUnSuGGdh_mVmSO6XDCYNW9IbbXhn-JmMIvw3es1pX8r1vJlfYmgkeKmlI5l7woTCRGtQrQS4-M/s320/linzer+cookies.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: small;"> And the music that sounds just right is Amy LaVere’s “Nightingale”. </span> <br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/-9N-kqLRjCU" width="640"></iframe>Julia Darlinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07773443333049275966noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8570298138431325832.post-50039083220981659382012-01-02T21:04:00.000-06:002012-01-02T21:04:33.824-06:00Stagger Lee and The Lee Bros. Red Rice<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>"For last year's words belong to last year's language and next year's words</b><b> await another voice."</b><br />
<b> - T.S. Eliot</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b> </b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FQw1o5aiWM0/TwJpifQlPGI/AAAAAAAAAl8/yPEcE2LGVio/s1600/-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FQw1o5aiWM0/TwJpifQlPGI/AAAAAAAAAl8/yPEcE2LGVio/s320/-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b> </b></div><table cellspacing="0" style="margin-top: 5px;"><tbody>
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</tbody></table></div>Sunday ushered in the new year, and my 2012 is looking most promising right out of the gate. <br />
<ul><li>I joined a gym</li>
<ul><li>We'll see how long that lasts </li>
</ul><li>My darling sister-in-law is moving to Nashville this week to attend pastry school here! </li>
<ul><li>I can't wait to have her in town...did I mention she's going to pastry school? It's not like I plan to live vicariously through her schooling or anything. Right? </li>
</ul><li>I made a most delicious meal - my first for 2012</li>
<ul><li>See most delicious meal and recipe below </li>
</ul><li>And WE'RE GOING TO EUROPE in a month!</li>
<ul><li>Vienna and Prague for a week. Must remember not to spend all my money on fashion statements <b><u>before</u></b> the trip to Europe, where I will inevitably spend more money once I get there.</li>
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I had a wonderful holiday. Thanksgiving, my birthday, Christmas and the new year could not have been more perfect. All were spent with family and closest friends. There were many fond memories to treasure this season, not to mention the food was great (see reference to gym membership above). Needless to say I was the one doing all of the eating, not the cooking, this year. Which consequently means I have but one gem of a recipe in my back pocket to show for this holiday season. But oh what a gem it is. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EvMRCVyexUc/TwJoKlqicMI/AAAAAAAAAlk/2u4rqXWJ-N8/s1600/-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EvMRCVyexUc/TwJoKlqicMI/AAAAAAAAAlk/2u4rqXWJ-N8/s1600/-2.jpg" /></a></div>I revisited the Lee Brother's cookbook tonight to make their red rice recipe. Red rice is a childhood favorite of mine, and the Lee Bros. recipe did not disappoint. In fact, I had a mother moment. You know how people will often say that you can tell what a girl will look/act like when she's older by looking at her mother? Well, it happened to me. After taking my first bite of this red rice, I turned to my husband, chuckled and complimented myself on what a good cook I was! Granted my mother has reason to boast about her cooking; she's the best cook I know. But my goodness was this rice not amazing.<br />
It will give any home cook major bragging rights.<br />
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Matt and Ted Lee are originally from Charleston, SC. And myself, born in Georgetown, SC, thought it only appropriate to feature "Stagger Lee" as the beat to this eat. It's one of my favorite beach music tunes and reminds me of summers on the Carolina coast. <br />
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Here's to a most prosperous and healthy new year!<br />
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<b style="color: purple; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i>Julia</i></b><br />
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<a href="http://mattleeandtedlee.com/lee-bros/">Lee Bros. Red Rice</a><br />
Makes 5 Cups; enough for 4 people<br />
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3 oz. slab bacon or 2 slices thick-cut bacon cut into small dice<br />
1 1/2 Cups diced yellow onion (about 1 large onion)<br />
3 cloves garlic, crushed<br />
1 1/2 Cups long-grain rice<br />
2-2 1/2 Cups chicken broth <br />
One 28 oz. can whole Italian tomatoes, drained<br />
1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes<br />
1 tsp. Spanish smoked paprika<br />
1 tsp. salt <br />
1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper<br />
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1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees<br />
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2. In a 12 inch ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat, fry the bacon until firm and barely crisp, about 4 min. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a smaJulia Darlinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07773443333049275966noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8570298138431325832.post-75541351898024740572011-12-09T14:56:00.000-06:002011-12-09T14:56:27.941-06:00Happy Birthday to MeThis time tomorrow, I will officially be in my late 20’s. Therefore I bid farewell to my mid-twenties and hold my head up high with a healthy mix of enthusiasm and trepidation upon the anniversary of my birth. I love birthdays. It’s a day all about you! However, turning 27 proves to be a sign of my ever evolving maturity because I’m excited to be celebrating alongside my darling brother in-law who will graduate from college tomorrow! So I’m happy to say December 10, 2011, is all about me AND Taylor ; ) We’ll be in Michigan this weekend for the festivities. <br />
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And the new digital camera I got for my birthday will capture all of the happy faces this weekend and over the holidays! <br />
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I’m going to pull a birthday girl “get out of jail free” card right now as I don’t have a new recipe to post. BUT with all the traveling I’ve been doing over the past month, I was bound to come across a new favorite place to eat! <br />
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Feast your eyes and stomachs on Hendrickx in downtown Chicago. This brings me back to younger days growing up in Belgium. And who better to tell me about this place than one of my best friends, whom I met in Belgium when I was 7. She now lives in Chicago and knows a good Belgian bakery when she tastes one. You could get anything here, and I bet it will be amazing. But my personal favorite is the Belgian liege waffle. I saw a recipe for liege waffles in a recent issue of Food & Wine magazine, and I need to try it out soon! <br />
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http://www.yelp.com/biz/hendrickx-belgian-bread-crafter-chicago <br />
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My beat for today is one I’ve been listening to ALL week! I love Florence and the Machine's "Shake it Out". Brilliant. <br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/WbN0nX61rIs" width="560"></iframe>Julia Darlinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07773443333049275966noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8570298138431325832.post-33846729057274213512011-11-03T20:00:00.000-05:002011-11-03T20:00:49.950-05:00<div style="color: blue; text-align: center;"><b>One rainy Sunday when I was in the third grade, I picked up a book to look at the pictures and discovered that even though I did not want to, I was reading. I have been a reader ever since. </b></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="color: blue;">- Beverly Cleary</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div></div>I love this quote. I love Beverly Cleary, and I love an occasional rainy day in the fall. It puts a slight chill in your bones as your body craves the warmth of a crackling fire and your mind relishes in the delight of reading a good book. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-LT9Nq9xCh9vnsF26OIgCUPVJnUKbEuLjHiZHG2tX0adWlL0LRu646-2F5msHLTEy9bVZKszQts-_IpW8lwqhYxqTz9nhe0UGvRuc_8IvSDyoAmiQ4JF2jvZWODFcTA75J2usc3FHVZk/s1600/ramona-quimby-age-8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-LT9Nq9xCh9vnsF26OIgCUPVJnUKbEuLjHiZHG2tX0adWlL0LRu646-2F5msHLTEy9bVZKszQts-_IpW8lwqhYxqTz9nhe0UGvRuc_8IvSDyoAmiQ4JF2jvZWODFcTA75J2usc3FHVZk/s200/ramona-quimby-age-8.jpg" width="137" /></a></div>I chose a quote from Beverly Cleary because National Write a Novel in a Month as well as Blogher’s National Blog Posting Month take place in November. And Beverly Cleary, alongside Judy Blume, was one of my favorite authors growing up. Did anyone else adore Ramona Quimby as much as I did? “Beezus and Ramona” and “Ramona Quimby, Age 8” were two of my beloved books as a kid. <br />
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A more than eventful traveling schedule in November created too big a barrier for me to participate in either one of these writing exercises this month. Memphis, South Bend, Chicago and Kentwood, MI, will occupy my time over the next three weeks. And I knew the likelihood of writing a 50,000 word novel or posting to my blog every day for a month was doomed to fail. So, I’ve added this to my list of goals in 2012. If I were to write a novel, as terrible as it might turn out, what would my story line be? Who would be my main character? Kind of fun to think about.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsmBqyVTRS8YEWo8as2p905Q2efUbX1DjX4eFfN4xt8p8QejoHKLJ3KsyUIWF2fQrkcc09wTsG2zQm1hTyVVS_6pR89BbhDHkfVnjUwssvem7UA-iE7tIkJvYhBck1MAtGbzT2-SnJRGo/s1600/SP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsmBqyVTRS8YEWo8as2p905Q2efUbX1DjX4eFfN4xt8p8QejoHKLJ3KsyUIWF2fQrkcc09wTsG2zQm1hTyVVS_6pR89BbhDHkfVnjUwssvem7UA-iE7tIkJvYhBck1MAtGbzT2-SnJRGo/s320/SP.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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But while I’m still at home, I continue to cook. And this time I’m letting the side dishes bask in the blog limelight. Here are two simple and tasty recipes for roasted honey sweet potatoes and squash casserole. Both dishes require very little time or talent to produce, and they’re both rich in flavor. The sweet potato recipe comes from Ellie Krieger. And the squash casserole is how my mom used to make it during the holidays when I was growing up. It’s cheesy, creamy goodness.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiosIhrg4HuFQZ-BKdT0yweCNFLdd0zqantuOrcyLKS-9TUj9YvOnaZmuCcX8VBI3pb6ejrcgTGQsXgpOb63D-NpgmlsmD9lOlB7XuCt_gXJvzLcbiadNwbIRUkv_RiuPj2k2KemapGheA/s1600/SP+and+Squash+.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiosIhrg4HuFQZ-BKdT0yweCNFLdd0zqantuOrcyLKS-9TUj9YvOnaZmuCcX8VBI3pb6ejrcgTGQsXgpOb63D-NpgmlsmD9lOlB7XuCt_gXJvzLcbiadNwbIRUkv_RiuPj2k2KemapGheA/s320/SP+and+Squash+.png" width="213" /></a></div><br />
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Honey roasted sweet potatoes and melted cheddar cheese over squash casserole need an equally sweet, soulful and charismatic voice. Enter Cee Lo Green’s “Fool for You”, featuring Melanie Fiona. <br />
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Enjoy! <br />
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Julia </span></i><br />
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_1715209582"><br />
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<div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ellie-krieger/honey-roasted-sweet-potatoes-recipe/index.html">Click here for Ellie's Honey Roasted Sweet Potatoes recipe. </a><br />
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Mama's Squash Casserole<br />
Ingredients:<br />
2 lbs squash, chopped<br />
1 onion, chopped<br />
1 can of cream of chicken soup<br />
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese<br />
salt and pepper<br />
<br />
Recipe: <br />
Preheat oven to 350 degrees <br />
Combine chopped onion and squash into a bowl, and season with salt and pepper. <br />
Steam squash and onion mixture for about 10 minutes.<br />
Drain the mixture and transfer into baking dish.<br />
Mix the cream of chicken soup in with the vegetables and bake for about 20 minutes, until bubbly<br />
Top casserole with cheddar cheese and continue to bake for another 10-15 minutes.<br />
Serve hot and enjoy!</div>Julia Darlinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07773443333049275966noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8570298138431325832.post-17263044767650284672011-10-30T15:51:00.015-05:002011-10-30T16:09:14.028-05:00Fall Put A Spell On Me<div style="text-align: center;"><b>"Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns."</b><br />
<b>- George Eliot</b><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyj1K3-TFCMNaifBAzRp-M0RRJlKnY9ZUKwDjscKPPbfpx2HOg7g5nGNDFPedwI6rxPaJzfJjtID7RbYkjQpDgIoCopAFfxTg-t1HNkJJxscRUi8kkM80R7fBSl9yybWBcsSBR4q_cLhc/s1600/Pot+Roast+in+Pot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyj1K3-TFCMNaifBAzRp-M0RRJlKnY9ZUKwDjscKPPbfpx2HOg7g5nGNDFPedwI6rxPaJzfJjtID7RbYkjQpDgIoCopAFfxTg-t1HNkJJxscRUi8kkM80R7fBSl9yybWBcsSBR4q_cLhc/s320/Pot+Roast+in+Pot.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
The fall season is finally upon us in Nashville, and it is bewitching. The bright leaves of red and orange, the bountiful pumpkin displays, the smell of apple cider lingering in the crisp autumn air, candy corn, and the excitement around Halloween costumes and Thanksgiving pies make me euphoric. Even the opportunity to wear scarves and boots again tickles my fashionable fancy. This is my happy place. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">This past weekend was the first in three weeks that I have been home. And I've never been more content to answer "absolutely nothing" when asked if I had any plans for the last two days. But I did know of one familiar place where I wanted to spend some time this weekend: my kitchen. I've had it in my head to make a pot roast for about a week. And Saturday presented the perfect opportunity to do so. Because this recipe called for a good 5 hours of my time, I needed a lazy weekend to enjoy the process from shopping for the ingredients to serving it on the plate. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">From our apartment, you can see a snippet of the downtown skyline. So I opened the door to our balcony, letting the brisk air fill the room, and began to prepare a traditional Yankee pot roast. About an hour into cooking, Nina Simone's "I Put a Spell on You" started to play on Pandora. And I thought<br />
this song was the perfect compliment to my dish.<br />
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</div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilWQyhBmByj5sA8zvqIBGXEZj6YRM5OC7tH32fyFn0iESIe0OvwfPPBIWcjIWeQnEN9fBqA_55WQdo-Dg6v31kd04H7PDiYFwmFZhCpPWEymnRp43wcA5meS2NM36iz6Bo_3Ch3l_oaok/s1600/Pot+Roast+with+Bread.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilWQyhBmByj5sA8zvqIBGXEZj6YRM5OC7tH32fyFn0iESIe0OvwfPPBIWcjIWeQnEN9fBqA_55WQdo-Dg6v31kd04H7PDiYFwmFZhCpPWEymnRp43wcA5meS2NM36iz6Bo_3Ch3l_oaok/s320/Pot+Roast+with+Bread.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">A hearty meal that could leave you with a week's worth of leftovers is a great choice for the fall. The flavor is good. The level of difficulty in making this dish is easy. And the pot roast comes out wonderfully tender. You could serve it over brown rice, or we chose to simply eat it as is - soaking up any leftover broth with a crusty fresh loaf of bread.<br />
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</div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><i>Bon Appétit!</i><br />
<div style="text-align: left;"><i style="color: purple; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Julia </i></div><br />
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<a href="http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/traditional-yankee-pot-roast-10000000334275/"><b>Traditional Yankee Pot Roast</b></a><br />
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Ingredients<br />
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2 teaspoons olive oil<br />
1 (4-pound) boneless chuck roast, trimmed <br />
1 tablespoon kosher salt<br />
1 tablespoon cracked black pepper<br />
2 cups coarsely chopped onion <br />
2 cups low-salt beef broth <br />
1/4 cup ketchup <br />
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce<br />
1 cup chopped plum tomato <br />
1 1/4 pounds small red potatoes <br />
1 pound carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces <br />
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice <br />
Chopped fresh parsley (optional)<br />
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Preparation<br />
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* Preheat oven to 300°.<br />
* Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sprinkle roast with salt and pepper. Add roast to pan, browning on all sides (about 8 minutes). Remove from pan. Add onion to pan; sauté 8 minutes or until browned. Return roast to pan. Combine broth, ketchup, and Worcestershire; pour over roast. Add tomato; bring to a simmer.<br />
* Cover and bake at 300° for 2 1/2 hours or until tender. Add potatoes and carrots; cover and bake an additional 30 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Stir in lemon juice. Garnish with parsley, if desired.Julia Darlinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07773443333049275966noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8570298138431325832.post-59742336874238159872011-10-24T22:19:00.000-05:002011-10-24T22:19:33.921-05:00A Texas Sized Appetite<div style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Quand l'appetit va, tout va.</i> <br />
- Obelix</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfy4ct743Tchld3loGi_WhfrhDmypaWhq8iwZWz-9GvBrHxPnDyFCih6BMn5I0lZt8pFJc-GkMkHSvtQR0beXcC1ByG_Fo17y2Ymtva_Xf6SeMr4F7Wjzj70aV-rIaQmPhN9Ytf5_syDg/s1600/Souffle+" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfy4ct743Tchld3loGi_WhfrhDmypaWhq8iwZWz-9GvBrHxPnDyFCih6BMn5I0lZt8pFJc-GkMkHSvtQR0beXcC1ByG_Fo17y2Ymtva_Xf6SeMr4F7Wjzj70aV-rIaQmPhN9Ytf5_syDg/s320/Souffle+" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Upon leaving rise, a quaint French restaurant in Dallas, the hostess hands you a small piece of paper with a unique quote printed on the inside. Written in French, my quote read: "When the appetite goes, everything goes." And here I am, writing this post 5 months after my last entry. It's funny how a seemingly insignificant piece of paper, a random luck of the draw, spoke straight to the core of me. <br />
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This past week, I had random encounters with three of my lifelong loves: French food, the French language, and friends (best friends). And so my appetite kicked in to reconnect with each. This past weekend marked the third annual girls' weekend. Each fall, my closest girl friends from college get together for a long weekend. And this year we traveled to my girlfriend's hometown of Dallas, TX. The Big D was awesome! I would also like to take this opportunity to thank her boyfriend who endured sharing one bathroom with 4 women as we paraded and primped in front of the mirror for hours before going out each night. <br />
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Girls' weekend is similar to the holidays for me. You're surrounded by people you love; there's always a lot of commotion, and I indefinitely gain a few lbs from the amount of food and alcohol I consume. And so the word appetite takes on a more literal tone as it relates to how much I managed to eat and drink in one weekend. And it was all worth it. But you better believe it's gonna be soup and salads for the remainder of the week.<br />
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Of all the wonderful restaurants we sampled this past weekend in Tejas, my favorite was <a href="http://www.risesouffle.com/">rise</a>. Hedda Gioia Dowd, a Memphis native (my home girl!), is co-owner and creative genius behind this charming salon de souffle. Known for their souffles, rise specializes in both the savory and sweet versions of this classic French food. I had the ever so scrumptious raspberry souffle. French music softly plays in the background. Fresh coffee is served in a French Press. All the dishware is unique pieces of pottery. And your water for the table is contained in recycled wine bottles - great idea for the home might I add. It just doesn't get cuter than this place.<br />
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Of course rise has a cookbook (<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Rise-Occasion-French-Food-Experience/dp/1589808568"><i>Rise to the Occasion</i></a>). And, of course, I had to have it. I feel the need to make a souffle of my very own in the near future! My copy was signed by the Chef and co-owner, Cherif Brahmi. He writes: "Le bonheur est dans la cuisine..." Happiness is in the kitchen. Well said monsieur. <br />
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Keeping in theme with all things French, I had to choose a song from Edith Piaf. I love her. And if you ever have any interest in learning more about this cultural icon, I highly recommend the film "La Vie en Rose" with Marion Cotillard. Excellent. Quite a depressing life Edith lived. But it's an amazing one at that. <br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small;"><i><span style="color: purple;">Julia</span></i></span>Julia Darlinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07773443333049275966noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8570298138431325832.post-59098863395725168092011-05-20T15:51:00.000-05:002011-05-20T15:51:36.939-05:00Tyler Florence is Walkin' in MemphisThere's no profound way to lead into this post, other than to say: <span style="color: #cc0000;"><strong>I MET TYLER FLORENCE!</strong></span> My day, my weekend, and my month of May are complete. I’d like to thank Twitter, Nicole, and Kim for a terrific team effort in making this moment happen. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBddtEZTc9taouUkJ0BewFHYN77DEkt39OVfJEtBaA5xiMbfT15rQpM5_fsFp2C-ysPn-x859KtJNeJ69BSPzXDVZO3V3GSMfwk_-xVBBEsWcZ8ACjCv2sqrgjSN44JC-tvK2JEKEo4eQ/s1600/T+and+me+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="237px" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBddtEZTc9taouUkJ0BewFHYN77DEkt39OVfJEtBaA5xiMbfT15rQpM5_fsFp2C-ysPn-x859KtJNeJ69BSPzXDVZO3V3GSMfwk_-xVBBEsWcZ8ACjCv2sqrgjSN44JC-tvK2JEKEo4eQ/s400/T+and+me+1.jpg" width="400px" /></a></div>I’m so happy for the city of Memphis. This weekend we are hosting Food Network’s The Great Food Truck Race as they film the upcoming season – which airs this August. And you know yours truly was on the case to find out exactly where to get in on the action. <br />
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Around 11:30 this morning, Tyler Florence tweeted “Charcoal Smoked Ribs at Rendezvous in #Memphis #AmericanTreasure”. Done. Within two minutes I was out the door and on my way to Rendezvous for lunch. Good thing it’s just down the alley from work. Once our group was seated and ordered drinks, our waiter informed us that Tyler was there but already left. He just picked up large orders of ribs as part of the show’s competition. I was defeated and my bank account was now short $12. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqzVExXugUvtfRpk5KIQaP3Xpw5hO8Vla8K_2F_x9Zhz6QlXJQS5FitpqdJceWPjL0pzc1NeotxNoQbBEz7dXR6otfEYYRl0QW40SmkWUfYmyHscgN-rK03GaIMpQ4KhmcyH21GUJysYc/s1600/T+and+me+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400px" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqzVExXugUvtfRpk5KIQaP3Xpw5hO8Vla8K_2F_x9Zhz6QlXJQS5FitpqdJceWPjL0pzc1NeotxNoQbBEz7dXR6otfEYYRl0QW40SmkWUfYmyHscgN-rK03GaIMpQ4KhmcyH21GUJysYc/s400/T+and+me+2.jpg" width="295px" /></a></div>But we weren’t throwing in the towel just yet. After lunch, the ladies and I walked up the street to Court Square where the food trucks were stationed and Food Network was filming. The trucks were not serving food until Saturday. Friday was for filming only, so there was a glimmer of hope that Chef Florence would appear. <br />
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And appear he did within fifteen minutes of patiently waiting. My co-worker, quite arguably the biggest Tyler Florence fan aside from my mother, was determined to meet him. She ever so boldly called out his name and waved for him to come over; and he did! The nicest (and only) celebrity chef I have met to date, Tyler Florence was most gracious in shaking our hands, having a little sideline conversation, and posing for photos with us. <br />
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To Tyler Florence: thank you for making our day! And to the competitors on this season’s The Great Food Truck Race: GOOD LUCK! I leave you with a musical tribute to this city and my memorable day of walkin' in Memphis. <br />
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I’m off to Florida for a family wedding! Have a great weekend everyone!<br />
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><em>Julia </em></span><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/hqEASYwINsU" width="425"></iframe>Julia Darlinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07773443333049275966noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8570298138431325832.post-19514995083152661162011-04-14T09:32:00.000-05:002011-04-14T09:32:29.768-05:00My Kind of TownI'm off to Chicago for the weekend! Will have lots to report upon my return - including new eats and beats! And so I will leave you with none other than Ole Blue Eyes paying tribute to my favorite city. <br />
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Have a great weekend!<br />
<span style="color: purple; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><em>Julia</em></span>Julia Darlinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07773443333049275966noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8570298138431325832.post-34991834323958527452011-04-11T22:33:00.000-05:002011-04-11T22:33:17.124-05:00This Rice Would Be So Nice<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiowkhVWjbBD6eJ-bsOgydcxb6vQNEWxLzrNZzvBkt3nzX4ujYNjmk0Mw2_ImGSU_wEipUBttz4Gr8PzNCKWEs44thpSRjRT9-gTJCVBA9LDG56xEOrhS2_Q6mdNyhqpR-zTBwzf91CaIU/s1600/rice+salad+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiowkhVWjbBD6eJ-bsOgydcxb6vQNEWxLzrNZzvBkt3nzX4ujYNjmk0Mw2_ImGSU_wEipUBttz4Gr8PzNCKWEs44thpSRjRT9-gTJCVBA9LDG56xEOrhS2_Q6mdNyhqpR-zTBwzf91CaIU/s400/rice+salad+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Somebody stop me! Or just feed me...until I'm full. My stomach has been a bottomless pit the past two days, neither craving a particular food nor satisfied by anything I feed it. I refer to my stomach as its own being in times like these because I can't control its insatiable appetite. The food cravings run rampant from the moment I wake up until the time I go to bed just (just to stay out of the kitchen). <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipAPeVUmBSI_v9wSrUEpAOofIR6WrwNJDJ_hdFa-jy9N0iAceT1ZDOrwjQbz18vccquMu9RQ6LJH_FspUhREpGZnkyKQDYsq8PkrSOZNeXN6vQ5e2isLHM9wnhVBSgSo565roqBaH7Gz0/s1600/rice+salad+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipAPeVUmBSI_v9wSrUEpAOofIR6WrwNJDJ_hdFa-jy9N0iAceT1ZDOrwjQbz18vccquMu9RQ6LJH_FspUhREpGZnkyKQDYsq8PkrSOZNeXN6vQ5e2isLHM9wnhVBSgSo565roqBaH7Gz0/s200/rice+salad+3.jpg" width="150" /></a></div>The tragedy in this situation is two-fold. First, I have no food in my kitchen. I've stalled on a visit to the grocery store and consequently have a random assortment of food in my pantry that doesn't add up to a single meal. Second, my hungry hippo self is attending a formal on Friday night...in Chicago...with college students! Stewart's fraternity chapter at our Alma Mater is having their 55th annual formal, and a lot of the alumni decided to use this opportunity for a reunion. And while we're at it, I might as well tell you that I'm sporting a lobster red farmer's tan. And my dress is red! Don't get me wrong. I'm so excited for this weekend. I love getting glammed up and going out for a night on the town; and this night involves an open bar. Woop woop! But me, green tea, and a spray tan are going to rendezvous asap. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCiPFrihZmDX7Eh0alEC7qH4Npepg36T9c6GEf2K2as7XBb7DJwmdl7ErQ9z2xoLsfSDyGmUB_gBhJJ2BRqihU1zu-UEtRUxpfIpVdNcRdRIzi096PwGGX4UB6mDQKvGUAE1KQ8YdX0Mo/s1600/rice+salad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCiPFrihZmDX7Eh0alEC7qH4Npepg36T9c6GEf2K2as7XBb7DJwmdl7ErQ9z2xoLsfSDyGmUB_gBhJJ2BRqihU1zu-UEtRUxpfIpVdNcRdRIzi096PwGGX4UB6mDQKvGUAE1KQ8YdX0Mo/s320/rice+salad.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
So while I'm thinking of all the food I want to eat and don't have, this brown rice salad comes to mind. The recipe originally came from my best friends' family. And I can't compare it to any rice dish I've ever had. This is a quintessential summertime dish. There are so many colors, textures and flavors in this rice, it will send your taste buds on a roller coaster ride! You have to try it. I've made this dish before for a group of co-workers and they loved it. Last weekend we had it at my parents' and the leftovers didn't make it past the first night in my house. This rice dish makes a statement, and people will remember you for it...in a good way. <br />
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The perfect beat to pair with this summertime rice salad is Astrud Gilberto's Summer Samba. The song was made to play alongside this dish. It's colorful, happy and exotic. <br />
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I hope you enjoy this eat and beat as much as I do! <br />
<em><span style="color: purple; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Julia</span></em><br />
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<strong>Brown Rice Salad: </strong>1 Cup rice (white or brown) cooked. <br />
1/2 Cup golden raisins<br />
1/4 Cup olive oil <br />
1/4 Cup red wine vinegar<br />
1 small red onion, chopped<br />
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped<br />
2 Tbsp olive oil <br />
1/2 Cup roasted pistachios, roughly choppped (buy them roasted to cut back on time)<br />
1 medium red bell pepper, chopped<br />
1 tsp Kosher salt<br />
1 tsp red pepper flakes<br />
15 oz can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed<br />
1/2 Cup basil leaves (chiffonade)<br />
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1. Cook rice and set aside<br />
2. In a Cuisinart, pulse the golden rasins, 1/4 cup olive oil and red wine vinegar together until blended into a vinegrette. Set aside. <br />
3. In a pan, saute the red onion and garlic in 2 tbsp olive oil. Set aside. <br />
4. Mix the rice, vinegrette, garlic/red onion and all remaining ingredients together in a large bowl. Serve hot or cold. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>*You'll notice in the picture that the chickpeas were substituted for yellow bell peppers. Make it your own. I've made had it both ways, and you can't go wrong.Julia Darlinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07773443333049275966noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8570298138431325832.post-50378335449193927242011-04-08T08:11:00.001-05:002011-04-08T10:43:17.868-05:00Lykke Li and a New Crab Dip<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div>Have I ever mentioned that I love seafood? I do. I LOVE seafood! Born in the coastal town of Georgetown, SC, I spent many a childhood summers between Charleston and Myrtle Beach. Fried shrimp, crab boils, hush puppies and catfish are my idea of home cookin'. <br />
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I can vividly remember my great Aunt Leenie, who at the time was a spring chicken in her 70s, tying raw pieces of steak to a small wood plank in my hand. We then proceeded to wade out into Atlantic Ocean to catch crabs - only knowing you've caught one when there's a slight tug on the strings or your toes become prey to crab claws. Have you ever seen people cast wooden crates off the peer to catch crabs? Amateurs. Leave it to the crazy Carolina women to lure crabs in with raw meet at their feet. They're the best.<br />
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The inspiration begind this appetizer comes from the Lee Brothers' recipe for "A New Crab Dip". Forget warm crab dips that tend to be overloaded with cream and cheese. When it's seventy degrees and sunny outside, the last thing I want to eat is a hot and heavy dip. This one is served cold and ushers in Spring with flavors from fresh tarragon and lime juice. I added paprika and Old Bay seasoning to kick the flavor up a notch, and it was just the right combination of spices to do the trick. Per the Lee Brother's suggestion, you could even serve this dip as tea sandwiches instead. <br />
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Having never bought crab before from a food market, I was somewhat stunned at how expensive it is! We're talking $12 for a small 8 oz container full. Granted, it's the premium picked crab meat. If I was incorporating the crab in a sauce or pasta, I wouldn't worry. But because the meat is featured as a dip, I say you splurge. It makes a difference.<br />
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Both Lykke Li and this crab dip recipe are new finds for me this week. My latest favorite beat, "Dance Dance Dance" comes from this Sweedish native. It's the perfect tune to start my weekend off right. I'd also recommend you listen to "Tonight", "Little Bit" and "Possibility".<br />
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Have a great weekend!<br />
<span style="color: purple; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><em>Julia</em></span><br />
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<strong>Cold Crab Dip:</strong><br />
8 oz picked crab meat (about 1/2 a pint)<br />
3 tbsp high-quality store-bought mayonnaise such as Dukes or Hellmans (Dukes is my all time favorite!)<br />
2 tbsp lime juice<br />
3 tbsp finely diced red onion<br />
1/2 tsp minced terragon <br />
1/4 tsp kosher salt<br />
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper<br />
Paprika and Old Bay seasoning to taste<br />
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In a small bowl, mix all ingredients together until thoroughly blended. Season to taste with salt, pepper, paprika and Old Bay seasoning. Cover tightly with plastic wrap. Store in refrigerator, not more than 24 hours. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Julia Darlinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07773443333049275966noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8570298138431325832.post-80120609753071760272011-04-05T23:24:00.000-05:002011-04-05T23:24:18.863-05:00These Cheese Straws Are Really PinkThings are about to get <strong>big</strong> and <strong>cheesy</strong> on My Eats and Beats. I'm talking about big burritos and cheesy snacks. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_m4hVdB0rRzzFH9y3JWlnRsJke9VZVzGxGC_GvqfNpcuFl-MYPR8weZi8eg44CZqxFEo0xpweHF8TqKZrX5fFOyvqUhPp_lGWrhokI_RJpEbtPa3H1_SJn2IMPJIYfboUlFaYZkdtyVQ/s1600/chipotle1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="145" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_m4hVdB0rRzzFH9y3JWlnRsJke9VZVzGxGC_GvqfNpcuFl-MYPR8weZi8eg44CZqxFEo0xpweHF8TqKZrX5fFOyvqUhPp_lGWrhokI_RJpEbtPa3H1_SJn2IMPJIYfboUlFaYZkdtyVQ/s200/chipotle1.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><strong>Big Eat</strong><br />
Tuesday night my sister and I went to the grand opening of Memphis' first Chiptole Mexican Grill. Not since my days as an undergraduate on the campus of Loyola University Chicago have I lived within 50 miles of a Chipotle. And now memories of my glory days and the feeling of being uncomfortably full after eating a chicken burrito were within my grasp once again. I have been counting down to the grand opening for 3 weeks - since they announced the date. I was ready. I was set. And apparently every Rhodes and University of Memphis student was also going to Chipotle the same night as me. <br />
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</div>Here is the line when we arrived. I waited 40 minutes outside and 20 minutes inside before placing my order at the counter. There were people who grew weary and stepped out of line, deciding to try another day. The older couple in front of me had not been to a Chipotle. Fantastic folks; welcome! And while you take ten minutes to decipher the right way to order from the menu, do you mind if I step in front of you? The best part was the woman's snort everytime she laughed. Hilarious! The Hispanic gentleman behind me kept laughing to himself and making comments to his wife such as "It's just Chipotle!" Well guess what, sir? While I'm sure you could whip up an even more authentic burrito, you're still in line with us! <br />
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Finally, my moment of Mexican grill greatness was upon me. The burrito was stuffed to perfection with chicken, cheese, lettuce, pico de gallo, guacamole and black beans. YUM! After I devoured my meal, I felt what you can only feel after eating a Chipotle burrito - absolute discomfort and a full belly. So worth it. <br />
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Now let's get cheesy. Could you devour an entire bag of Cheetos or a box of Cheez-Its in one sitting? Is there anything better than licking your fingers clean of cheddar? If you answered yes to at least one of these two questions, you're going to love this recipe for cheese straws. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJDH2E_yKqCGzCPKHg7TNQaOtvc-aDcOn0LiBABsRzMSmus5CXAMcLAoZbdFgvCT9Ut-H3tEiayT0UhrQoJxDlEFxQGaO06Diwkfy2Ff-VBj6DuL9aYBhxUYyeIpttuCN4tvN8QGGEAL0/s1600/cheese+straws+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJDH2E_yKqCGzCPKHg7TNQaOtvc-aDcOn0LiBABsRzMSmus5CXAMcLAoZbdFgvCT9Ut-H3tEiayT0UhrQoJxDlEFxQGaO06Diwkfy2Ff-VBj6DuL9aYBhxUYyeIpttuCN4tvN8QGGEAL0/s320/cheese+straws+1.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>These orange stick snacks are perfect to have on hand for your guests. Fill a clear glass with parchment paper and stack the cheese straws inside for presentation points. This snack is such a simple and fun way to entertain from scratch, and it is sure to please everyone's tastebuds. I'd pair these cheese straws with boiled peanuts and ice cold brews. <br />
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This snack is rockin’ and packs a punch of heat at the end, just like Pink. So come on and “Raise Your Glass”. And don’t forget to fill it plenty of cheese straws. I'd recommend doubling the recipe; you'll be glad you did when you see how quickly these disappear!<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><strong>Lee Brothers' Cheese Straws:</strong></div>1 1/2 Cups (about 4 ounces) grated extra-sharp cheddar cheese<br />
4 tbsp (1/2) stick of butter, softened and cut into 4 pieces<br />
3/4 Cup all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting<br />
1/2 tsp salt<br />
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes<br />
1 tbsp half-and-half<br />
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1 - Preheat oven to 350 degrees<br />
2 - In a food processor, combine the cheese, butter, flour, salt and red pepper and process in five 5-second pulses until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the half-and-half and process until the dough forms a ball, about 10 seconds. <br />
3 - On a slightly floured surface, using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll the dough into an 8x10 inch rectangle that is about 1/8 inch thick. With a sharp knife, cut the dough into long, thin strips. Dip the knife into flour after every few inches to ensure a clean cut. Gently transfer the strips to an ungreased cookie sheet, leaving atleast 1/4 inch between them. The dough will sag and may break occasionally in the transfer, but don't be concerned. The straws can be any length from 2 to 10 inches. <br />
4 - Bake the straws on the middle rack for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the ends are barely browned. Remove from the oven and set the cookie sheet on a rack to cool. <br />
5 - Serve at room temperature. Cheese straws will keep in the refrigerator, in a sealed container, for 2 days.Julia Darlinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07773443333049275966noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8570298138431325832.post-59910365046935824952011-04-03T22:19:00.000-05:002011-04-03T22:19:59.096-05:00Lola Wants Sour Orange Pie<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: blue;"><strong><em><span style="font-size: large;">"Woman make pie. Man eat pie. <br />
Man love pie. Man love woman." </span></em>- My husband on this sour orange pie (and apparently the secret to a man's heart)</strong></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div>This past weekend was filled with an abundance of good eats and good company – two of my favorite things. Sundays are generally reserved for family dinner at my parents' house. And this Sunday my older sister came home from Chicago for a few weeks! <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Thrilled to have her here, I offered to contribute appetizers and dessert to the menu. What the hell? I was feeling inspired to spend my Saturday in the kitchen! And with family dinner providing a perfect venue to taste test new recipes, I immediately dove into The Lee Brother's Southern Cookbook for ideas. </div><br />
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</div>At 5 pm Saturday evening, I turned on the speakers to my portable music player and began work in the kitchen. At 11 pm, my dessert was stored in the refrigerator with the two appetizers I previously made; and this chica was down for the count. You might as well have called me Maw Maw as I sat straight up in a wing backed chair and began to doze off to sleep. But it was all worth it on Sunday afternoon when my contributed food was met with compliments and devoured by family members. <br />
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I can’t wait to share these recipes with you! You're going to love them. But the spotlight goes first to the Sour Orange Pie. If you enjoy key lime pie, try this recipe. In fact, my sister loved it more! That’s not saying much since she doesn’t like key lime; but I’ll take that as a win none the less! <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCtUZNcqqFmLbA4NNsVrqmv6CesJMlxrT6OHZJpW1qkvig7qJ8SLjvdfi0L-NmuHXbptUuX7-uVLJBCSgJwkYbUPYMSop0UsIHg2fY1px18PlYxqGejZp_PDtD1C82TO_ocGpENdsbEdw/s1600/pie+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCtUZNcqqFmLbA4NNsVrqmv6CesJMlxrT6OHZJpW1qkvig7qJ8SLjvdfi0L-NmuHXbptUuX7-uVLJBCSgJwkYbUPYMSop0UsIHg2fY1px18PlYxqGejZp_PDtD1C82TO_ocGpENdsbEdw/s200/pie+2.jpg" width="133" /></a></div>This orange infused dessert is sure to please any citrus flavor lover. It’s refreshing, cool and ideal for entertaining in the spring or summer. I made my own pie crust and substituted a mixture of orange juice, lemon juice and grapefruit juice to create the sour orange taste since I could not find sour oranges. (See notes below for the recipe and substitutions.) <br />
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After family dinner and with only 2 pieces of pie left in the dish, we found ourselves outside on the patio. A warm 80 degrees and gusts of breeze kept us cool as we conversed until the sun went down, and Stewart and I made our way home with leftovers (including the pie). <br />
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Sarah Vaughan singing "Whatever Lola Wants" pairs well with the sour orange pie. Her sassy lyrics and sultry voice sing "I always get what I aim for". And in aiming to make a delicious citrus pie, my goal was accomplished. <br />
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<strong>Pie Crust</strong><br />
1 1/2 cups of vanilla wafers, pulsed 10 times in a food processor to make fine crumbs. <br />
3 tablespoons sugar<br />
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (warm or cold)<br />
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<strong>Sour Orange Pie (for the filling)</strong><br />
5 large egg yolks<br />
one 14 oz can sweetened condensed whole milk<br />
2 tablespoons heavy cream <br />
1/2 cup sour orange juice <br />
*If you can't find sour oranges use: 1 part grapefruit juice, 1 part lemon juice and 1 part orange juice <br />
1 tablespoon sour orange zest <br />
*I used 1/2 tablespoon navel orange zest and 1/2 tablespoon of lemon zest<br />
4 teaspoons navel orange zest <br />
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<u>Directions: </u>1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees<br />
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2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the vanilla wafer crumbs and the sugar. Add the melted butter and toss thoroughly with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until the butter is evenly incorporated, about 1 minute. Using the bottom of a sturdy juice glass, press the mixture firmly into a 9-inch pie pan, creating an even layer on the bottom and sides. Bake on the middle rack until the crumb mixture has darkened to the brown of a pecan shell and the sugar and butter have fused with the crumbs to form a crust, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool completely on a rack. Reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees. <br />
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3. In a large mixing bowl, beat the egg yolks well with a hand mixer or whisk until they have lightened in color, about 1 minute. Add the condensed milk and 2 tbsp heavy cream and stir with wooden spoon to incorporate. Add the sour orange juice, sour orange zest and 4 tsp navel orange zest and stir until the filling is consistenly creamy and light yellow in color, about 1 minute. <br />
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4. Pour the filling into the crust and bake on the middle rack until the surface is quivery, like gelatin, 14-16 minutes. Transfer to a rack and cool for 30 minutes so the pie can set firmly. Transfer to the refrigerator to cool completely, about 4 hours (cover in plastic if keeping for more than 24 hours).Julia Darlinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07773443333049275966noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8570298138431325832.post-63425909327273267432011-03-30T23:26:00.000-05:002011-03-30T23:26:17.472-05:00Tomato Tart and Winehouse<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3iiyicvrNiDpBotjPxcB7KbtjsFxqyABHwhB_dji1AibAXIsdIZ_i8IjjofKvtYVWeWNDQ7N0f3QYrjKI-X9gKMcnXrQdcv2rCGtxQiEnFK0r2P6q6y7IBJq76HO6fpgL7o5-QhFxpjs/s1600/tart+baked.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3iiyicvrNiDpBotjPxcB7KbtjsFxqyABHwhB_dji1AibAXIsdIZ_i8IjjofKvtYVWeWNDQ7N0f3QYrjKI-X9gKMcnXrQdcv2rCGtxQiEnFK0r2P6q6y7IBJq76HO6fpgL7o5-QhFxpjs/s320/tart+baked.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Do you ever have one of those days where you come home from work mentally spent? And that mental fatigue makes you feel physically exhausted? The couch charms your butt right into its plush cushions. Bed by 9 pm sounds heavenly, and a glass of your favorite wine instantly eases the tension in your shoulders. That was my Wednesday. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">But I couldn’t pass up an opportunity to create a little something special in the kitchen for dinner. My mom used to make this recipe for a tomato tart when I was growing up. Recently I adopted it and have made this dish a few times since then. This recipe has less than five ingredients and is ready in 35 minutes. </div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaAvRllZJpG4KQHQ9y6qV5g6y6SnN-FRThnPhYd4kID9feXcj1KdeMzUaRprZVY_nRvrwYuuWfDWrcBSr3N64tafnVmF7QBiE3ETHuN-tcqA3bHgYjgk2K3qrAopcD-mfJ6uuj0qHzkps/s1600/tart+uncooked.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaAvRllZJpG4KQHQ9y6qV5g6y6SnN-FRThnPhYd4kID9feXcj1KdeMzUaRprZVY_nRvrwYuuWfDWrcBSr3N64tafnVmF7QBiE3ETHuN-tcqA3bHgYjgk2K3qrAopcD-mfJ6uuj0qHzkps/s200/tart+uncooked.jpg" width="150" /></a></div>The tomato and mozzarella tart is perfect to serve as an afternoon treat, an appetizer before dinner or a light main course. It’s very versatile. And depending on what ingredients you have in your kitchen, you can create your own unique tomato tart in no time! One option is to omit the pesto and substitute it with dried basil and top the tomatoes with a little olive oil. You can create multiple variations with this concept. <br />
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The tart is not overly heavy, but the melted mozzarella cheese baked on top of a buttery, flaky pie crust gives it a rich texture. I’ve made this tart using a pre-made frozen pie crust as well as a refrigerated pie crust (like Pillsbury). In my opinion the refrigerated crust had a better crunch – almost like thin crust pizza. However, the pre-made crust version made for a prettier presentation. Either way, you can’t go wrong. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6WVPIZA78kNTD-KluVK0xftxHHnI_EUPucJNIJJ9IhCDosvtvcPWnisGmXfWnxFQJCmwCyLSsG2P8VN0PByqVb6d5h9oA2WWzWop6XVZFdOJNgPdK8TeTXMB4HjZCYBAOI6LIKTJoI5s/s1600/tart+slice.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6WVPIZA78kNTD-KluVK0xftxHHnI_EUPucJNIJJ9IhCDosvtvcPWnisGmXfWnxFQJCmwCyLSsG2P8VN0PByqVb6d5h9oA2WWzWop6XVZFdOJNgPdK8TeTXMB4HjZCYBAOI6LIKTJoI5s/s320/tart+slice.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
Amy Winehouse and her hot mess self are bringing in the beat for today’s post. Forget Snookie’s “poof”. Miss Winehouse brought back the beehive. I’m a big fan and obsessed with her song “Valerie” - both this featured version with Mark Ronson and the acoustic version. I’ve been known to play a song on repeat 50 times over, and Valerie this would be one of them. <br />
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Hope your day is filled with good eats and beats!<br />
<span style="color: purple; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><em>Julia</em></span><br />
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<strong>Tomato Tart:</strong><br />
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Ingredients:<br />
10-inch pie-crust (not cooked)<br />
6-8 oz shredded mozzarella cheese<br />
2-3 tomatoes sliced<br />
pesto<br />
salt and pepper<br />
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Directions: <br />
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Bake the pie crust for 5 minutes and remove from oven. Spread the mozzarella cheese on the bottom of the pie crust. And a few dollops of pesto on top of the cheese. Layer tomatoes on top. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake tart for 35-40 minutes. Keep you eye on the tart. Your oven may cook the tart faster, and you don't want the crust to burn.Julia Darlinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07773443333049275966noreply@blogger.com1