Asparagus Fritata

In my quest to use what foods I already have I found eggs and asparagus that I needed to use soon. So I decided to whip up some simple fritatas.

Beaten eggs, steamed asparagus pieces, Parmesan Cheese and black pepper was all I used, along with a touch of olive oil in the bottom of the skillet.

Cooked slowly in a skillet over a low heat on the stove and placed under the broiler for 30 to 60 seconds once the bottom was set.

Tomorrow we are going to Lancaster Winery in the Alexander Valley with a group of friends for their club member tasting and luncheon. I sliced the fritatas and packed in small containers, one for each of the 2 cars for a healthy morning snack on the 3 hour drive to get there.

Okay, and I did try a slice this afternoon to make sure they tasted good. (Yes they do.)

Wowza!

First off David wants to share with you that today he was able to wear a pair of shoes. Yep, both feet! This is the first time he has had a pair of shoes on his feet in 15 weeks. YAY!!!!! He also went out this morning with me to run errands and he used cructches and not a wheelchair! He did real well and both of us are very excited with the progress.

Shortcakes, Scruffy, Riley and Meiling want to show you their new water bowl. Shortcakes (aka Poopie) is most excited with it. For those of you who don't know Poopie he l;oved drinking from our fountains in the garden when he was an indoor-outdoor cat.

In fact he used to think the Rebecca by the Well fountain was his drinking bowl! We even had (actually they arew still there even though he doesn;t go outside anynmore) little cat size paths on four sides of the fountian between the miniature roses that are planted around it for him to walk on and stand to drink. He heard the sound of the water flowing into the bowl of this and he started drinking. He thinks this is the best thing. Little Riley is scared to death of it at this point. The others haven't seen it yet. We shall see how they do with it.

The Wine Cellar

Did you know that drinking red wine may help men prevent prostrate cancer? That's what researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham say. More specifically, their studies show that mice fed resveratrol, a compound prominent in red wine, were 87 percent less likely to develop prostrate cancer. I don;t know about you, byut I love when researchers make this kind of find. Men fill that wine glass each night!

Now here's good news for each of us. Scientists at Italy's University of Pavia say that daily wine consumption helps prevent tooth decay, gum disease and sore throats. Or as one researcher put it, "Our findings indicate that wine can act as an effective antimicrobial agent agaisnt the tested pathogenic oral streptococci and might be active in caries and upper respiatory tract pathologies prevention." Love these researchers. I will have a glass of VJB Barbera please............

In case you've wondered what gives Shiraz/Syrah based wines that unique peppery quality it's a compound called rotundone, say Australian wine Research Institute scientist, who discovered the ingredient in 2006 but kept it secret until they could secure a patent. They say this discovery promises to revolutionize the way wine is made -- that "producers who previously relied on luck and traditional frementing techniques will be able to manipulate environmental conditions such as shade and moisture levels to control the pepper flavors in Shiraz/Syrah." Love that peppery taste myself.

I didn't know this one, did you? In January E&J Gallo launched a line of $15-per-bottle "Martha Stewart Vintage" wines. They released a 2006 Sonoma County Chardonnay, a 2005 Sonoma County Cabernet Sauvignon and a 2006 Sonoma County Merlot. They went on sale in Atlanta, Boston, Charlotte, North Carolina, Denver, Phonenix and Portland, Oregon. Anyone ever seen or tasted any? Martha has her name on just about everything to do with household and kitchen items and food and wine. What next? I think I shouldn't have asked that..........

Wow. Last month Buena Vista Winery celebrated 151 years. It was founded California wine pioneer Agoston Haraszthy and now part of Beam Estates, Buena Vista is my Golden State's oldest continuously operating winery. Happy Anniversray. Wow!

Following are some wines that are my favorites and others I have enjoyed so I thought I would hare them with you:
While on a get-a-way trip to Truckee we stopped into a wine bar and gallery called Bacchus & Venus to do some tasting. This Pinto Grigio was a favorite of mine and my daughter Jen's; 2007 Cold Crteek Pinot Grigio $19-per-bottle. Very clean, smooth and delightful in the mouth. A perfect sipping wine for the summer or anytime of the year.

Raymond 2005 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Price $35.00 a bottle

91% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Cabernet Franc, 3% Merlot with rich aromas of blackberry, black plum, black cherry, currant and chocolate followed by ripe cherry, raspberry, dark chocolate, currant and pepper spice flavors. This is a complex, well structured wine highlighted by lush fruit, concentrated flavors and a long, smooth finish.

This is a perfect match for grilled filet mignon, garlic marinated prime rib, braised beef short ribs, lamb chops, wild game, roast pork tenderloin, hearty pasta dishes, rich stews such as duck and sausage gumbo or dark, bittersweet chocolate desserts like flourless chocolate cake or souffle.
2004 Lancaster Estate Nicole's, Alexander Valley, $100-per-bottle. This one needs time. If you opne it in the immediate future decant. Patience is rewarded because when the wine starts to yield, it offers enormous black cherry flavors, with spice ( oh yum!), oak, cigar tones, and medium chewy tanins. On the palate, the flavors ate soft, juicy, rich, complex and deep, in keeping with superior red blends. Given still more time, a complexity of layered flavors emerge with rich chocolate/mocha notes, followed by a terrific texture offering more spice, oak and richness, with a long finish. This ones for the wine cellar. Age until 2010 and beyond.

VJB VINEYARD AND CELLARS is my favorite winery located in Kenwood, California. On the scale of low, medium and high priced wines, they are medium priced. This is one of those rare wineries where everything they bottle is worth purchasing. This charming Italian family has remained consistent and are truly the most gracious people I have yet to meet. Their Pledge: "Our family is dedicated to a meritage of two passions; the making of extraordinary wines and unforgettable memories." Though all their wines are exceptional, be sure to try the Barbara. It is their most awarded wine to date. Past vintages have been recognized in the Wall Street Journal and Wine Enthusiast Their latest vintage is full of boysenberry, blackberry and cherry flavor. It's intense and lush! Priced at $34.00. Their annual case production of just 4,000 cases is sold exclusively at their winery and or through membership of Club Enoteca. You can also shop online.

Barefoot Sauvignon Blanc. This wine is both consistent in quality and value. The wine has aromas of nectarines and honeydew; flavors of pear and lime compliment the soft, smokey finish. It has won many gold medals at Wine and State Fairs. Barefoot recommends you serve this wine with mild cheeses, poultry, seafood, white sauce pastas, and fresh vegetables. It's plain good every day sipping wine. I even enjoy a glass over ice in the summertime. I purchase it at Trader Joe's for $3.99 a bottle. You can't beat the value.

Jordan 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon 750ml $50.00-per-bottle.The fruit of the Jordan estate hillside adds concentration and complexity to this Cab. A combination of Merlot (18%), Cabernet Franc (2%), Petit Verdot (4%), and Cabernet Sauvignon(76%) creates well-integrated flavors, deep color and balance. The bouquet offers distinct notes of cassis, black cherry, and cocoa. The aromatic qualities of the Petit Verdot marry well with the soft, alluring flavors of Merlot and compliment the masculine tannins of the Cabernet Sauvignon. This Cab has a rich texture and opulent flavors, complimented by a restrained framework of oak that leads to a lingering finish of violet, earth, smoke, and cola. The ideal serving temperature for this wine is 60 to 65 degrees F.

While I am speaking of Jordan I want to mention their stellar Olive Oil! Some 26 acres of hillside have ben planted with four different varieties of olive trees; Frantoio,Pendolino,Leccino and Cipressino. About 3 or 4 years must elapse before olive trees start producing enough fruit to press; they reach full maturity at eight years. These varieties are the main source of fine Tuscan oils. Their first harvest was in November 1999. The olives were hand picked and cold pressed the same day, using a stone mill and three-phase centrifuge separator. The extra-virgin olive oil is of very high quality, with good fruit and pungency. This is the EVOO choice in my kitchen. It is excellent as a dip with crusty bread, with pasta dishes, brushed over grilled foods, sprinkled on Caprese salad, and as a spicy accent note for lightly cooked vegetables.

Put Yourself On A Pleasure Diet

We eat to celebrate, commererate and to nourish our bodies, but most of all we eat for pleasure. A German survey rated 'a real fine meal at home' as one of the major pleasures in life It actually rated higher than parties, movies, sleeping, hobbies and TV. However, I think for many people their enjoyment of food is diminishing in modern times.

On one hand. we often short-circuit the enjoyment by gulping down our meal without really tasting it (how many times have you finished some delicous treat only to realize you hardly even tasted it?). Everyone seems to be on the run with never enough time so we eat on the fly, in our cars, at our desks, or standing at our kitchen counters.

On the other hand, we sacrifice flavor in the name of low-fat, high fiber fare and weight-loss diets. Can you still eat a piece of chocolate, or a high-fat ice cream cone without guilt undermining your enjoyment? I say when you decide to indulge, at least enjoy it!

Eating involves more than taste. When you eat, use all your senses. Eat slowly, savor the food, and pay attention to the different tastes, textures and aromas.

The many different qualities of food are amazing: the crisp sweetness or tartness of an apple, the startling visual beauty of a kiwi, the sensual ruby-like seeds of a pomegranate, the crunch of a carrot, the flavor explosion of a single sac in a section of orange.

So try making the effort to prepare foods that are flavorful, aromatic, and colorful. Baking bread smells wonderful. Enjoy selecting, chopping, and serving food.

Do you ever feel stuck in a routine of consuming the same old foods week after week? Make a point of trying a new recipe a week with your family. Or invite friends and family over and try out a new cuisine that you haven't tried before. Try, try, try new things and don't rule out anything until you have tasted it.

Taste with your nose. Remember that flavor comes from your nose. If you bite into an apple ot an onion and pinch your nose closed, you can't tell the apple from the onion. I have found that sometimes smelling the food alone can satisfy my hunger for sensation, providing more pleasure and less calories!

Have you ever noticed that since eating is such an easily available pleasure, that you just reach for food? I have found that if I tune into what I really want to eat and go for it within reason, I end up eating a lot less because I have not tried to fill myself with pounds of other foods trying to satusfy my real craving.

I tried the following exercise in a class once and it really was an enjoyable yet surprising eye opener.

Take a single piece of chocolate and pretend it is the last chocolate on earth. Imagine that you will never again have a chance to experience this food again. To fully enjoy it:

* Concentrate on the beautiful rich brown color before you put it in your mouth

* Feel the weight and texture of the chocolate as you gently toss it from hand to hand

* Slowly inhale the rich chocolate aroma--that complex, earthy smell

*Now take the smallest bite you can, and extrect as much taste as possible from the speck
*Take a larger bite; see how it melts from solid to liquid in your mouth
*Savor the creamy feel of the chocolate as it melts at exactly body temperature

*Then swallow and enjoy the lingering after-taste.

You can do this exercise with any very small piece of food; such as a raisin or a dried cranberry. I can assure you that whatever it is, it will be the most pleasurable piece of food you have eaten.

Roasted Golden and Pencil Thin Orange Carrot Soup with Tangerine

I roasted the carrots with a touch of olive oil, a little fresh thyme, salt and pepper in the oven at 400 degrees for an hour. I scrubbed the carrots clean, I didn't peel them.

I juiced some of the tangerines I have left, and defrosted some chicken stock from the freezer.

Chopped white onion..........

and added it to a pot where I had melted 1 tablespoon butter and put a little chicken stock and ginger. I covered the pot and cooked for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to soften onions and bring out flavor of ginger.

I added the stock, tangerine juice and carrots and let simmer for 15 minutes.

I then added a little 1% milk and used my handy dandy immersion blender to puree soup.....

Until it became very smooth and a nice thick consistency. I seasoned a little with kosher salt and freshly gorund black pepper.

A bowl for my dinner topped with tangerine zest.......

and a jar for a neighbor.

Okay, As to Those Poblano Chiles......

I whipped up the sauce in the blender using crushed tomatoes in puree, chopped white onion, minced garlic and a little ground chipotle pepper, then poured it into a baking dish.

I mixed black beans, corn, some of the roasted peppers from the weekend, chopped onion, minced garlic, Marie Callendar's cornbread mix, water, shredded Mexican Blend cheese and cumin.

Stuffed the halved and seeded poblanos and placed them on the sauce in the baking dish then topped with a little more of the Mexcian Blend cheese.

I covered the dish tightly with foil and baked for 45 minutes at 425 degrees F. Removed the foil, and cooked another 10 minutes to thicken sauce and brown a bit. Here they are hot out fo the oven.
Served with sauce on the plate or not, they were very good, though I was a little heavy handed with the ground chipotle chile in the sauce!

Tonights Dinner - Shrimp & Couscous

I am still having fun (and feeling real good about) using what I have in my freezer and pantry and new fresh produce items each week to make our evening meals. Today it was large shrimp I took from the freezer and a box of whole wheat couscous from the pantry. I used some of the lemons I bought on friday and made a lemon couscous using chicken broth, lemon zest, lemon juice and a little butter. I love that in 5 minutes you have a pot of cooked couscous.

I defrosted the 2 pounds of large shrimp. Put some olive oil and 4 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet and heated and stirred until the butter melted. Can you believe this Italian girl forgot to replace the garlic she used up? Yep. So from the pantry I took Gilroy Garlic Festival dry garlic garni and shook a good amount into the skillet. (This seasoning has garlic and herbs and is very good.) Then I tossed in the shrimp and stirred until they were just barely pink, then added a little white wine and lemon juice and cooked just until the shrimp were done.

I served it on top of the whole wheat lemon couscous. It's a definite keeper and both dishes whipped up within minutes. If you use garlic and not the dried garni I did, I would suggest you add some chopped Italian parsley to both the shrimp and couscous, and if you like heat, some dried red pepper flakes would be nice too.

Hmmmm, now what to stuff the fresh poblano chiles I bought at the Framer's Market friday........