Richmond Retreat

Fun weekend in Richmond with friends.  Dinner at Amuse - who knew that a museum restaurant could be so good???!  (Despite the purple lighting....It definitely was not purple when we were there!).  Lots of yummy food and drink all weekend. Came home to homemade sixteen bean soup.  Great job, sweetie.  How could a girl ask for anything more?!  Time for me to get back in the kitchen.

Sticky Balsamic Ribs

Tonight's fare was balsamic glazed pork ribs from July 2009 Gourmet issue.  Not your typical ribs, but a three part process of long marinating period in an interesting rub of garlic, Rosemary (unusual, but awesome), brown sugar, cayenne pepper and Balsamic vinegar....followed by a leisurely roast in the oven until they are fall-off-the-bone tender.....and a final glazing of brown sugar balsamic glaze with a quick finish on the grill.  The rosemary and balsamic vinegar really amped up the flavor.  I would make this again, for sure.  Served with smashed red potatoes and steamed broccoli.....Wednesday night stick to your ribs good!!!!  Bon appetit!!!!

Broiled Chicken with Bacon over Egg Fried Rice

Disappointing is all I can say about this June 2009 Gourmet magazine recipe.  Bland, boring, uninspiring, blah, blah, blah.  Don't bother!!!

Sunday night debacle

So day three of my cooking adventure started off pretty well as Kevin reminded me that I promised to make him soft cooked eggs and toast.  Not a biggie, but I ate along with him before I remembered that I had plans to go to brunch at one of my favorite farm to table restaurants in town, Local Roots, with the girls, followed by a movie.  NOT a good way to start the day when so many possibilities lie ahead of you.

Brunch, however, was amazing, as usual.  The best part of it (other than the company, of course) was the fortuitous introduction to Anson Mills grits!!!!!!  "What the heck", you ask.  Who really cares?  Well, me, of course!  My post from yesterday was an absolutely delicious recipe for lamb ragu' on top of grits (and the recipe called specifically for Anson Mills grits).  Not having ever had those particular organic grits, I made myself a mental note to track them down.  Who would have thought they would be right around the corner????  Oh my gosh, they were better than any grits I have ever had!!!  Super rich and creamy with just enough bite to make you work and a smooth, but lightly pebbled texture.  I swear I have never eaten any grain so delicious before.  Since I was keeping brunch on the light side (HA! Nothing light about those grits!) I had them with raw oysters and a few Bloody Marys.  YUM YUM YUM is all I can say.  By now I've eaten enough for a whole day!!!

So dinner...surely I'm on top of my game for that since I have been planning the meals all weekend in anticipation of feeding family and friends.  What a fiasco!  I had two options I had prepared for, only to realize that I neglected to precook the rice and chill it for the fried rice dish and that the ribs had to marinate for 24 hours.  Both dishes will have to wait until tomorrow night now.... So salad it was....
Quite frankly, I can't imagine anything else I would have rather had after all the rich food this morning.  Even the best laid plans can go awry when playtime with the girls calls!!!!!!!!  Sorry, Honey....but you will eat like a king tomorrow night!

Day 2...Still snowing...Lamb Shank Ragu' on Cheese Grits

Day 2 and I needed to use up some of the lamb in the freezer.  Opted for this new recipe from Gourmet October 2009 issue.  As usual, there are about 25 ingredients involved!  WHY do I do this to myself?  Fortunately, I had everything I needed....with one exception...BOURBON!  SOMEONE had used up the last drop in the house.  Lucky for us, our neighbors spotted us or else Mr. Reyer would not have gotten this delectable dinner.  That will teach him!!!

So the ingredients are making the house smell awesome while it simmers for three hours on the stove.  The bourbon, honey and garlic in combination with all the chopped vegetables and the tomatoes make for a beautiful bouquet for the nose.  The lamb nestled in the midst of all that yummy goodness is simmering and just soaking up all those yummy flavors. At the end of the day this was an absolutely delicious pairing of cheese grits (a Southern thing) with lamb simmered in a delectable Bourbon sauce.  The two different tastes were awesome together.  This is the kind of recipe you usually only get when you eat out at a really nice restaurant where the chef spends all day nursing his dish.  Thank you, Gourmet!  We loved it!!!

 

Snowy Friday. Day 1, Let the cooking begin...Chicken Piccata

So we are prepared to be snowed in for the next three days and my mind is racing with all the possibilities and creativity that can come from our cozy kitchen. I have been to the store now three times and my pantry is in pretty good shape so I should be able to make most anything happen.  Now to just figure it out...Day 1 did not disappoint.

Breakfast was homemade sausage gravy and biscuits (a dish we affectionately call hog sweat here in the "usually sunny" South).  When I make it I add lots of sage and fennel to the sausage.  I only eat this about once a year.  I may need to rethink that logic.

 For dinner I revisited two recipes.  The first, a grilled Caesar Salad served warm.  The second, an Italian recipe from Cooks Illustrated 2014 All Time Best Recipes...Chicken Piccata.  I had made this for a large dinner party about a year ago and people still talk about it.  At the time I thought it was pretty good, but anyone who knows me knows I am very critical of my own cooking when others are partaking.  I rated it at the time as "pretty good."  For Cooks Illustrated that is a pretty low rating from me.  Christopher Kimball is meticulous in his methods and his assessments and he usually nails it.  With my scientific background I love to read his logic.  Upon revisiting this recipe I must concur with both my friends and the CI team.  I rarely order this dish because it never blows me away when I have eaten it out in restaurants.  I believe CI has hit the nail on the head when they allude to the fact that people try to "overdo" what should be a simple dish.  Or, on the opposite end of the spectrum, it is too floury or too bland.  This version is bright and clear and the lemon and capers just "kiss" the chicken.  Sometimes the simple recipes remind me that all good cooking does not have to be too difficult or too overthought.  I will definitely be making this again.  Bon appetit!

Southern homemeade biscuits and sausage gravy

Italian Chicken Piccata served over pasta

Grilled Caesar Salad

https://www.cooksillustrated.com/videos/3689-chicken-piccata

Snowy night

First snowy winter day.  Homemade black bean soup.  Anyone who knows me knows that I love soup.  Paired with a nice red and corn muffins.  Yum!  Happy tummys here!