Paris Perfect

We arrived in Paris on the same day, Nina from Germany, me from the U.S.

Nina came with her mom, me with my wonderful fellow yoga & art retreaters. Yes. A yoga retreat in Paris -- perfect!

 

I snapped this on our first night.  The cool, cloudy weather made for beautifully moody shots.  This was my favorite because the clouds thinned in a small halo around the beautiful structure.  As we said through most of the trip:  *le sigh*

Baked Peas? Yes, Seriously. So. So. Good. Another Recipe I Found on Pinterest: Baked Peas with Tarragon, Yogurt and Pistachios

From the wonderful blog 101 Cookbooks. Heidi, the wonderful chef-photographer of 101cookbooks credits this recipe to chef Eric Gower and his newest book, The Breakaway Cook.

I served this (to myself) with a simple soy sauce salmon.  It is now in my rotation of favorites -- bake a batch and have great leftovers for a day or two. Most excellent straight outta the fridge, too. The Pinterest picture was pretty (don't even try to tell me you don't pick a recipe by its yummy looking photo) and then I looked at the ingredients -- all things I liked, and actually usually have on hand.  And I was intrigued by the whole baking-peas-at-500-degrees-thing. 

Pistachios were unsalted, shelled meats from MOM's Organic Market's spectacular bulk bins.

Heidi Swanson writes: "[Eric Gower's] baked pea recipe (Baked Peas with Tarragon, Yogurt, and Pistachios to be exact) immediately caught my eye. Creamy tarragon spiked yogurt pistachio sauce combined with sweet green peas. No disappointment here - it was easy, delicious, and you could use any leftover pistachio dressing in a hundred different ways (salads, sandwich spread, dip, etc). I suggest you make double the dressing.

"Thank you for the fantastic book Eric! I hope everyone else enjoys it as much as I'm sure I will."

Thank you, Heidi, Eric and the random pinner from whom I got this!

I used frozen peas from Trader Joes.  I always have a bag or two for soups and to ice my right knee after working out.

Ok, this is a crappy photo but I wanted you to see what it looks like baked -- browning on the the top.  And next time I will wipe the yogurt mixture off the sides of the pan so it takes a prettier picture.

Voila!  So, so yummy. That's one of my favorite dishes.  I only have one of them.  Bought it in Tokyo in the restaurant supply district.  Where I also purchased a serious quantity of plastic food.  Because it cracks me up. 

The recipe as it appears on Heidi Swanson's 101cookbooks.com blog.

Baked Peas with Tarragon, Yogurt, and Pistachios

Heidi's tip:  If you can't find Greek yogurt, strain some plain yogurt through cheesecloth over a bowl for an hour to thicken it up - delicious.

1 pound frozen baby peas
1/2 cup loosely packed fresh tarragon leaves (I used thyme)
2 scallions, white and green parts, chopped
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup Greek yogurt
1/2 cup chopped pistachios
sea salt to taste


Preheat the oven to 500F. Put the peas in a clay pot or a small Dutch oven and gently heat them on the stove until they thaw, stirring occasionally.
Meanwhile, put the tarragon, scallions, olive oil, yogurt, and 1/4 cup of the pistachios into a blender and puree. Gently mix into the peas, sprinkle the top with extra chopped pistachios (Heidi note: season with a pinch of salt, or to taste). Bake for about 15 minutes - about the time the top will begin to brown. Remove and serve in your best serving bowl.
Serves 4 or 5.

RESOURCES:

Heidi Swanson's blog:  101 Cookbooks

Eric Gower's blog:  The Breakaway Cook

Eric Gower's vook: The Breakaway Japanese Kitchen (4.99 -- I just downloaded it)

My Pinterest recipes board: The Yum Board(s)

MOM's Organic Market (aka My Organic Market) Local in MD, VA & DC

Trader Joe's 

My main board of recipes on Pinterest

Happy Day, friends!

Yours, in Saturday sunshine,

JPV

Is There A Better Job in the World Than Cookbook Recipe Tester? Besides Professional Pinner?

I think not.  

I love steamykitchen.com.  and so do thousands of other people.  Do you already follow it? I love Jaden's recipes as well as reading about her family life, particularly their adventures in raising their own chickens.

When I read that Jaden's compensation for testers is she will "forever owe you my eternal love and gratitude," I was so in.  Put it on my card: Will work for eternal love and gratitude.  

Really, it is easy Asian cooking and if you know me, or you are my husband, you know I love Asian food.  And if you are, indeed, my husband, you only like Chinese, but I love Japanese, Thai, Korean, and Vietnamese, too.  Oh, and I drive you crazy because I like to go for foodtainment (teppanyaki) -- the hibachi style Japanese where the chef prepares the food right in front of you. And throws shrimp in your mouth and makes a volcano of fire with the concentric rings of a halved onion. 

Back to recipe testing.  The other night I made this. Note that it was night, therefore the picture has terrible color, but the soup in real life was much prettier -- filled with healthy fresh veggies.

In my favorite blue dish that I carried back from Japan.

I made this dish, too, another soup, in a miso based broth -- Loved this one! (below)

Gratuitous cat shot.  One of my useless feline assistants.  They provide entertainment. When they aren't sleeping.

Back to food.  Dish number three, eggs with oyster sauce -- holy moly, it was delicious.  Proving that it doesn't have to look perfect be super tasty.

These first two photos (above and below), the eggs look a bit mangled, but they are the better photos.

Oh, yummy.

Here the eggs are prettier but the photo isn't as good.  Take your pick and start fantasizing about Jaden's new cookbook!

In the meantime you can check out her other recipes and if you don't already read her blog, you definitely should add it to your rotation -- her photography is beautiful and writing is just right and very accessible.

Off to meet one of my blogger-girl-crushes this afternoon.  More on that later, taters. (Edit note:  We missed each other today, bummer but I look forward to us stalking each other another time)

Yours, in blogger bliss,

JPV

It is SO Springtime -- Eye Candy From Today's Trip to Merrifield Garden Center!

Even the pots look all shiny and happy and excited about EOS (Early On-set Spring). (Below)

What a glorious day, and I can't wait to come back to Merrifield later in the week sans HoneyHusband so I can lollygag for hours.  The place is huge and has everything, and best of all, the people are fantastic.  Barry helped us first with choosing our new shade loving bush for in front of the house, and he handed me off to the woman who knew everything about the early salad greens to plant, and she handed me off to the soil guy who showed me what I needed to put them in pots rather than the garden proper.

Rosebushes, waiting to go to their forever homes.

I loved this plant/flower.  Helleborus.  I know I have seen them in a million beautiful colors before, but had never seen this gorgeous pale sage tipped in pink with yellow centers.  When I got home I discovered they are the "plant of the week" at Merrified with specific information on their website here.

And back at home:

Hubby planting the new bush between the two laurels.  It was tragic to take up the hydrangea, but it just got no sun in front of, and right up against, the house, which faces North.  Don't get me started on stupid design and planning.  No excuse for it being built 80 years ago.

Pear tree starting to bloom in the backyard!  So pretty.

Honey Husband had to trample a few daffodils putting in the new bush.  I salvaged a few -- I think these mostly white ones look perfect in that little blue vase I bought in Morocco.  Yellow and blue dish behind it I bought in the restaurant district in Tokyo.  In it are tomatoes from the Schlagel Farms greenhouse -- they come to the Delray Farmers Market year round, thank goodness.  I asked why he had green tomatoes this time of year and he said he broke a stem while he was picking some red ones and voila, I will have fried green tomatoes this week!

One last shot from the garden center.  Om Garden Frog says: Namaste!

Cooking My Way Through My Pinterest Recipes Board(s): Baked Mushrooms With Parmesan and Rosemary Over Polenta

 Beginning to cook my way through my Pinterest food boards is more like it.  They are labelled:

YUM (everything that looks good to me)

YUM:  Seasonal Eating Winter (squash recipes)

PLAY WITH YOUR FOOD (from my own rice krispie sushi pics to anything else that could pass for both something entertaining as well as yummy)

and

Fungus Love (I love mushrooms)

Yes, I love me the fungus.  Hubby hates it.  As in, he walks into the kitchen and says, "Ew!  Fungus.  I can smell it."  It's a texture thing.  Same as I have heard from other friends-who-are-also-haters.

I pinned this recipe for Baked Mushrooms With Rosemary and Parmesan.  All ingredients I love, and, conveniently, had in the house.  Well, the rosemary is technically outside of the house, on the porch.  Yes, in winter.  Rosemary's second successful winter on the porch.  Bizarre. 

Things I make in batches and keep in the fridge to pick on all week:  brown rice (boil in a bag, 10 min in the microwave, you can do it at work in an emergency), quinoa, polenta, bean and rice patties.  I ate polenta with mushrooms til the mushrooms were gone.  So delicious and so very easy.  

Here's the secret to the polenta: Turn the heat way down as soon as you can.  It bubbles, and when those bubbles burst, they burn you and leave a scar.  Trust me.  

Adapted recipe:

Baked Fungus with Parmesan and Rosemary

• lemon juice (1-2 T squeezed fresh from 1 lemon or the lemon juice from that plastic yellow lemon I keep in my fridge and you should keep in yours for when you have no lemons)
• 3-4 stalks of fresh rosemary, chopped fine, save the naked stalks
• 1 T Olive oil, enough to lightly coat
• 1 lb sliced button mushrooms(pre-sliced and packaged if you are short on time, or buy in bulk and just slice them.  If you have an egg slicer, toss them in there if you are OCD and like nice perfect cuts.)
• 1/4 c Parmesan, grated
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Preheat oven to 400. 
2. Slice mushrooms if you did not buy pre-sliced. 
3. Place the sliced mushrooms on a cookie sheet.  Toss in the olive oil, lemon juice, rosemary, and add the nekkid rosemary stalks, then mix to coat. Season with 1/8 t salt and a few grinds of pepper.
4. Bake in the pre-heated oven for 10 minutes. Then sprinkle the grated Parmesan over the mushrooms and continue to bake for five more minutes until the cheese has browned lightly. 
5. Remove rosemary stalks.  Transfer mushrooms to a serving dish and dig in/serve over polenta or pasta, and save some for lunch tomorrow, too.

Polenta:

Follow the side of the box. Seriously.  So easy.
Water, polenta, bring to a boil. IMMEDIATELY tun heat to lowest simmer.  Stand back if you see bubbles forming, until the heat is low enough to prevent them.  A whisk works best.  Stir frequently.  Do NOT cover (this causes the polenta to steam rather than cook).

If you would like, add a few tablespoons of butter and/or some Parmesan (fontina is also excellent and turns super creamy in polenta).  Add a healthy teaspoon of salt (I use kosher salt), or more, to taste.

I smooth mine into a baking dish and let it cool.  Then I slice it up and put it in containers in the fridge and just pull it out a square or two at a time during the week. 

This is the polenta I used.  It belongs on the counter. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is my kitty.  She does not belong on the counter. But it's better than when she gets on the range hood.

Have a great day, friends and let me know if you have any questions at all about safe polenta preparation and enjoyment or cooking fungus.

Mwah!

JPV

2012: Let's Kick It Off With Breakfast as Seen Through Hipstamatic - My New Love

Missed you all!  Since Christmas I have been on a steep, fast learning curve going from Blackberry to iPhone, Windows to mac, and learning how to use some fun new camera accessories.  It's meant hunting for my photos and figuring out how to, well, do everything differently.  I'm very happy with the "move," though.

iPhone: I am in mad, mad love Hipstamatic. 

I haven't gotten as into Instagram as the rest of the universe. But I am still playing around with it and learning.  Though the thought of joining yet another online community makes me feel overwhelmed.

I also love CameraBag for its simplicity.  

As my friend Ashlee always said, "Wakey, wakey, egg and bakey!" 

This is also now the name of my morning alarm.  The small pleasures of iPhone ... I can name my alarms.  (If only it always meant there were eggs and bacon waiting as soon as it went off *sigh*)

Uber fresh eggs from Tom's Amish Store at the Del Ray Farmer's Market.  His eggs come form an Amish farm a few hours away.  The taste is so rich and amazing.   Tom told me that he bought Eggland's Best and measured them with a loop and they were all exactly the same size ... what happens to the others? Ew.

Baked at 350 for about 15 min.  Came out beautifully! 

 Thomas' English Muffin Light Multigrain

Frozen spinach, thawed in microwave

I keep a hunk or two (or three) of Parmesan in the fridge and grate fresh.  There is no substitute for that taste!

Really, this simple breakfast is made spectacular with the truly fresh, local, organic eggs, tomatoes, Parmesan (not local, but definitely fresh)

All photos below taken with Hipstamatic app 

(except very last one).

This particular lens makes things come out rather yellow, probably not the best for food, but I am still learning how to change the lenses (literally to shake the iPhone ... it's so wild).  But I still love it!

These heirloom cherry tomatoes are shaped a little like hearts.

Below is another photo of the above taken with the normal camera on the iPhone.

The regular picture.

All photos taken with the iPhone 4S with 64GB storage for all my photos!

And, yes, breakfast was not as warm as I would have liked once I finished playing with my my new photo toy!  (Ok, not a toy, but it sure feels like one!)

Happy New Year, hope it is wonderful already.

Yours, in photo-fun,

Julia

It's Been an AWESOME Christmas!

View from the bedroom window of my cousins' beautiful home where we spent Christmas! No wonder everything in their yard is beautiful ... check out their website!

A gorgeous hike.

Me and D in front of the 1844 Meeting House in Eaton, NH.  

What (Else) Has Your Winter Coat Done For You Lately? The Many Uses of My Beloved Cheapo Winter Coat From Target

Introducing the amazing, spectacular, multipurpose, brown quilted puffy coat -- for the low, low price of ... well, I don't remember, but it was definitely cheap, from Target, winter 2008-9.

 Great for:  Keeping me warm. And making me look like Nanook of the North (maybe a slightly cuter version of Nanook).

Photo (2009) by one of my wonderful undergrad students when I was working at American University. 

And, wait, there's more!  My faithful Brown Puffy Winter Coat (BPWC) provided a soft, warm seat for my 8 1/2 months-pregnant friend when I was photographing her last month, having her sit on the cold November ground.  You can see it (BPWC) just below her left forearm.  BPWC blends seamlessly into the mulch at the base of the cherry tree in my friend's front yard.  
(BTW, Doesn't she look amazing? And baby Matty is two weeks old today!)

And wait, there's more!  Brown Puffy Winter Coat, left on a couch, is great for nesting!

And even more!  No other puffy coat can beat this one for performing cat headstands.

Or as a prop for gratuitous cute kitty shots.  This is Junebug, one of our rescue babies.

And more!  Brown Puffy Winter Coat On The Couch is also great for napping, lounging, lollygagging and even more napping.  
This is our other kitty.  He's the big cat.  Well, wide cat, to be more specific.  He is well loved and well fed, as you can see. We adopted him in early 2005 from DC's NY Ave Animal Shelter, part of the wonderful Washington Animal Rescue League.

 Not gonna lie, I have napped under the Brown Puffy Winter Coat the couch when heading upstairs to the bedroom, or finding a blanket did not support my immediate napping needs.

Look at your winter coat ... is ther anything else it could be doing for you right now?  
Like the dishes, maybe?

Yours, in cuddly warmth,

Julia

P.S.  Yes, this coat is totally machine washable.