just because i'm pretty don't mean i'm deep: menu

Showing posts with label menu. Show all posts

Thursday, August 1, 2013

Nove anni piu'!

greeted him with these and also this and this.

promptly received these and one of these, and of course a few of these.

served a riff on this and this, and threw together some of these (which proved my favorite part).

got a little verklempt rewatching this.

for dessert, made this, which went over like gangbusters. we'll definitely be doing that again.

then cuddled on the sofa and watched this (darling).

i almost forgot to give him two of these and a big one of these.

fell asleep to these.

more, please!!

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

oh my bob, people. dinner tonight. so amazing.

g got home from his work thingy EXHAUSTED and famished, so we yelped for a close restaurant. we were guided to Gilda's, just twoish blocks from our hotel.

people, let me PREACH. it.

the restaurant was smallish with an open view to the kitchen. the lights were low, and the atmosphere cozy and laid back. since we didn't have a reservation, they sat us in siberia, along with a few students who clearly hung out for hours on end milking one espresso drink, but i didn't mind. the wait staff was cheerful and informal and attentive. good times.

the menu was pretty brief, but the pickings were good, and we were happy.

so, the feast:

we started out with an oil dipping sauce mixed with a kalamata olive tapenade, crushed raw garlic, a bit of chopped parsley, excellent olive oil, and freshly ground pepper. it was served with a very tasty bread with an excellent crumb. i am so making this hors d'oeuvre some time for a dinner party. really easy and killer tasty.

next, we shared an order of arancini, and the kitchen KILLED it. the risotto was parmesan-y with a subtle undertone of white wine of quality. the mozarella was not gummy and seemed to only be around the outer edge, holding things together, while adding a fun texture and not going all am'r'ka crazy with cheesiness. they got their oil temps JUST right, because the crumb shell was super crisp and super thin. no greasiness or heaviness. simply the best arancini i've ever had. they were presented on a simple rectangular platter on a small bed of a *wonderful* red sauce—complex without skewing acidic or too reduced. and they were finished with a drizzle of basil-infused olive oil and just the tiniest shreds of fresh basil for a freshening brightness. so delicious.

next we shared a caesar salad, composed of only the crispest, highest-quality hearts of romaine, tossed in a homemade dressing that was surprisingly lemony with a welcome bite of anchovy flavor. the croutons were clearly homemade and though a little dry were in excellent proportion to the rest of the ingredients. all in all a win.

for our entrees, my man got linguine genovese with a slight oil dressing, featuring winter squash, peas, and a sprinkling of parmesan. each bite had the zing of pepperoncino, possibly infusing the oil. i found it underwhelming, but my man was pleased. so, let's call that a win.

i upgraded the tagliatelle to the homemade papardelle, served with a bolognese sauce. pretty much any time a menu offers papardelle, i'm gonna get them. in fact, if i ever overcome my weird phobia about learning how to use my pasta maker, it will probably be mostly because i love papardelle. gilda's were thin and silky and perfectly cooked. i've tasted better and would have liked more of an eggy undertone, but i was still happy. the bolognese was very nicely balanced. my man thought the meat too uniform and finely ground, "like a sloppy joe." i saw what he meant, but i enjoyed the texture. the beef was rich, and the red sauce was balanced and smooth, tempered with a complement of parmesan. i'd definitely order it again.

i would have loved to sample their dessert menu (or, let's face it, chill there for another few hours 'til my stomach was ready to order round 2), but it wasn't in the cards (or our wallets).

but should i ever find myself again super hungry, hankering for italian, and in the neighborhood, i would totes swing by Gilda's for some hot lovin' on a plate.

gilda, mille grazie!

Thursday, August 2, 2012

Teachable moment

dear friends,

madeline, anna, and aunta dj were talking today about superfoods. we saw online that different people consider different foods to be super (for example, a few people tried to convince us that dark chocolate was a superfood; while we think it can have some healthful properties, we think we probably should still eat it in moderation; same goes for honey, eggs, and a few other things). we came up with our own list of superfoods, which is below. then we decided to come up with a few menus using as many superfoods on our list as we could think of.

we decided to share this with you because we want you to be healthy, too. please tell us your ideas for superfoods and super menus in the comments.

—from madeline, anna, and aunta dj

SUPERFOODS

blueberries (or other fresh berries)
salmon (or other fatty fishes)
spinach (or other dark leafy greens)
legumes (beans and lentils)
walnuts (or other fresh nuts)
tomatoes
oats (or other whole grains)

MENU:

Breakfast: oatmeal with blueberries and a handful of walnuts
Lunch: whole wheat bread, low-fat turkey, tomatoes, lettuce
Dinner: salmon, lentils, spinach

Breakfast: egg white omelet with broccoli and cheddar cheese
Lunch: whole wheat pasta with fresh tomatoes, chicken, and spinach
Dinner: sweet potato with brown sugar, grilled mackerel, roasted vegetables, and fruit salad with berries

Breakfast: whole wheat blueberry pancakes with a handful of walnuts mixed in
Lunch: whole wheat bread with fresh fruit jam and fresh nut butter and a glass of low-fat milk
Dinner: super salad: tons of greens, chicken, tons of fresh veggies, a little bit of low-fat cheese, some nuts, and a light dressing of olive oil and a teeny bit of vinegar

Breakfast: whole wheat bagel, light cream cheese, tomato slices, smoked salmon, purple onion, capers
Lunch: egg-white frittata with spinach, onions, and red peppers
Dinner: chicken pot pie with chicken breast, whole wheat crust, peas, carrots, low-fat milk, whole-what flour, onions, and a green side salad

HEALTHIER DESSERTS (still to be eaten in moderation):
fresh berries
fruit salad
fruit crisps with oatmeal topping with nuts
fruit pie
fruit sherbet
oatmeal cookies
carrot cake cookies
heated up blueberries (so it's almost like jam, without sugar)

NOT SUPERFOODS (in our opinion):

dark chocolate (this surprisingly showed up on *two* lists!)
honey
eggs (while eggs are awesome, we want to make sure to not have too much cholesterol)

Saturday, June 16, 2012

Tonight, tonight, it all began tonight

our menu:

Honeydew Agua Fresca

Rose Sangria

Stuffed Jalapenos

Fish Tacos with Salsa Verde and Radish Salad

Beer

Tres Leches Cake

Cafe con Leche

http://www.marthastewart.com/313942/honeydew-agua-fresca

http://www.marthastewart.com/316532/rose-sangria

http://www.marthastewart.com/317501/stuffed-jalapenos

http://www.marthastewart.com/312934/fish-tacos-with-salsa-verde-and-radish-s

http://www.marthastewart.com/343437/tres-leches-cake

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/rachael-ray/mexican-coffee-recipe/index.html

Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Plotting

chicken tikka masala, kheer, and naan: a num-fest

from http://rosylittlethings.typepad.com/posie_gets_cozy/2012/04/spring-plans.html

Chicken Tikka Masala

Ingredients:

1 cup yogurt

1 tablespoon lemon juice

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 teaspoons cayenne pepper

2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger

4 teaspoons salt, or to taste

3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces

4 long skewers

1 tablespoon butter

1 clove garlic, minced

1 jalapeno pepper, finely chopped

2 teaspoons ground cumin

2 teaspoons paprika

3 teaspoons salt, or to taste

1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce

1 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Preparation:

In a large bowl, combine yogurt, lemon juice, 2 teaspoons cumin, cinnamon, cayenne, black pepper, ginger, and 4 teaspoons salt. Stir in chicken, cover, and refrigerate for 1 hour.
Preheat a grill for high heat.
Lightly oil the grill grate. Thread chicken onto skewers, and discard marinade. Grill until juices run clear, about 5 minutes on each side.
Melt butter in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Saute garlic and jalapeno for 1 minute. Season with 2 teaspoons cumin, paprika, and 3 teaspoons salt. Stir in tomato sauce and cream. Simmer on low heat until sauce thickens, about 20 minutes. Add grilled chicken, and simmer for 10 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter, and garnish with fresh cilantro.

Alicia's Kheer

Ingredients:

4 c. milk
1/2 cup basmati rice
1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon ground cardamom

(This isn't really a traditional kheer, it's just made with what I happened to have on hand, and I like it.)

Preparation:

Rinse well and then soak basmati rice in cold water for a half an hour.
Combine milk, rice, condensed milk, and sugar in a medium, heavy-bottomed sauce pot, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until milk is reduced by half and pudding is thick.
Add cardamom, stir, and let cool to room temperature before serving.

Naan

14 servings

Ingredients:

1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast

1 cup warm water

1/4 cup white sugar

3 tablespoons milk

1 egg, beaten

2 teaspoons salt

4 1/2 cups bread flour

2 teaspoons minced garlic (optional)

1/4 cup butter, melted

Preparation:

In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Let stand about 10 minutes, until frothy. Stir in sugar, milk, egg, salt, and enough flour to make a soft dough. Knead for 6 to 8 minutes on a lightly floured surface, or until smooth. Place dough in a well oiled bowl, cover with a damp cloth, and set aside to rise. Let it rise 1 hour, until the dough has doubled in volume.
Punch down dough, and knead in garlic. Pinch off small handfuls of dough about the size of a golf ball. Roll into balls, and place on a tray. Cover with a towel, and allow to rise until doubled in size, about 30 minutes.
During the second rising, preheat grill to high heat.
At grill side, roll one ball of dough out into a thin circle. Lightly oil grill. Place dough on grill, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until puffy and lightly browned. Brush uncooked side with butter, and turn over. Brush cooked side with butter, and cook until browned, another 2 to 4 minutes. Remove from grill, and continue the process until all the naan has been prepared.