Kitchen Conundrum

Welcome to Athens, Or Who’s Arm Is In My Bag?

by

Greece-51Thursday night I boarded an overnight flight on Lufthansa from JFK to Frankfurt where I would be changing planes to begin my Greek adventure. I have flown other foreign airlines and I have to say, they are really a no frills carrier.  The seats are rather cramped, and the food was just not very good at all.  It might come a shock, but yes, I like airline food, well, some of it anyways. The lentil and wheat-berry salad on Air France is divine! But food on my flight was rather disappointing and tiny portions. (Why do I only get a quarter of a brownie and half a strawberry? Such a tease!)  Well, it didn’t matter much, because eating at midnight with your eyes falling shut is not so much fun anyways.

During my rather lengthy lay over, I discovered the most amazing thing at the Frankfurt airport- the SHOWER room. That’s right! For a mere 6 euros you can have an entire hot shower room all to yourself with towels, shampoo, body wash, and even a blow dryer! It was the best 6 euros I have ever spent! Thankfully I had packed a change of clothes in my carry-on so I didn’t even have to put back on the grimy, smelly clothes I took off. They went in the front pocket of my laptop bag to be dealt with later. This, as it turns out, was a saving grace…(more on that in a minute!)

So I boarded my flight to Athens, an hour late, exhausted, unsure of exactly what time or what day it was. I felt completely disheveled, but happy to be clean. And of course, terrified. (I really hate flying and exhaustion just exasperates it to the nth degree!) My seat mates were really awesome though! I always sit on the aisle and in the middle was a delightful Swedish woman and by the window a charming young Canadian man. We spoke the entire way here. It was really great to hit it off and have so much in common with people you just met. But better still, they kept me sane during my silent panic attacks and I owe them a tremendous lot of gratitude!

I left them both at the baggage claim and went in search of the metro. Knowing that I have limited funds, the thought of taking a taxi, although incredibly appealing, was just not in the budget. They are very, very expensive here!  Any cash I have needs to be spent on FOOD! (and snow globes for the kids.) The metro is brand new, clean and gets you everywhere in the city. Plus it’s really cheap!

I figured out how to work the kiosk and got my ticket. It was quite simple. Then I actually saw the young man from the plane and we interpreted the metro map and determined that we were traveling in the same direction for most of the trip. Near the end, we would split off and take the same train line but in opposite directions. It was great to have a travel buddy for my first metro experience. Especially since I had a few large bags with me which screams “tourist”!

The ride on the metro from the airport to the center of Athens is about 25 minutes and costs just 8 euros. Its a real bargain versus the taxi charge.

We changed trains at Syntagma station. It seems this station is the hub for several of the lines. It is also the one to be the most careful and prudent at. No sooner did I leave my new friend, and attempt to board the metro with bags in tow, did I turn to see a man with his arm in the front pocket of my laptop bag that was atop my large duffel bag that I was dragging onto the train! He had a jacket covering his arm, but it was elbow deep in my bag with my dirty clothes beginning to spew out from it! It happened so very, very fast and then he was gone! And sadly, so was my dirty underwear. I am not sure if they fell out or if he took them by mistake thinking they were my wallet. Whatever the case- Welcome to Athens!

 

Today’s travel tip #1– You should learn the language of the airlines you are flying. The attendants will go on for 20 minutes in their native tongues, but when it comes time for the translation to English, it will be all of 2 minutes.  I am missing out on something there! I am sure the native speakers are having warm chocolate chip cookies and milk somewhere in the back, while if I’m lucky, I’ll be told what channel the in-flight entertainment is on.

Today’s travel tip #2– Divide and conquer! Never keep all of your money together. Divide it up into several different spots that are the least likely to be found. Of course, you’ll have to remember that you slid that 20 euro into your toothbrush holder before you put your wet toothbrush back.

 

 

 

 

On a Stick! 80 Party-Perfect Recipes By Matt Armendariz, Cookbook Review

by

On-A-Stick-CoverI seriously did a happy dance in my kitchen the other day when the mail arrived and brought me the new cookbook, On a Stick!, written by one of my favorite bloggers, the esteemed food photographer, Matt Armendariz, of Matt Bites.

I had the pleasure (and honor!) of meeting both Matt and his partner, Adam Pearson (famed food stylist) this past January at Food Blog Camp and have to say that they are even more awesome in real life!  They gave an incredible session on food styling and photography, sharing their immense talents with us.  But besides being generous with their knowledge, they are really super nice people with great sense of humors.  Matt truly has the most infectious smile that lights up the room and instantly improves the moods of all those around him!

His new book, On a Stick, 80 Party Perfect Recipes, was written for Ari and me. Well, not really, but it could have been, since we absolutely love food on a stick! We enjoy taking our family to fairs, and we find fair fare, irresistible!  The sausage pepper hoagies, the cotton candy, corn on the cob, fried turkey legs and of course, our favorite on a stick fair food, Corn Dogs! (Page 48!)

But this book isn’t just about all the cool foods on a stick you’ll find at your local fair, you’ll find those recipes too, like Spaghetti and Meatballs On a Stick and Fried Candy Bars On a Stick (HELLO!), it’s also about taking everyday foods and upping their fun factor by stabbing, skewering and piercing them with a stick. There is something for everyone in On a Stick!; sophisticated Stuffed Olives, Grilled Fruit Skewers, Caprese Sticks; Fun Fried Mozzarella, Pizza Skewers, Fudge Pops and Worldly Dak Sanjuk, Scotch Eggs and Lamb Souvlaki. But it’s tons more fun when presented On A Stick!

In the first section, Matt introduces readers to all kinds of things that can be used as the “stick”, from sugarcane and rosemary to cocktail picks and traditional wood skewers. He encourages you to “think off the plate” and employ a more portable, hand hold-able, convenient utensil that can be thrown away to make clean up a breeze!

If you are looking for the perfect dipping sauce to accompany your hand held treat, Matt includes several pages of recommendations and recipes to tantalize your taste buds including one for a Latin Green Goddess Dressing, a Mango Salsa and a Sweet and Sour Chili Sauce.

On a Stick! is divided into sections for both Savory and Sweet dishes, with each of the 80 recipes personally introduced and brought to life by Matt’s beautiful photography. (See more of his stunning portfolio here.)

While I am dying to test out every recipe in this entertaining book, here’s a list of my Top 5 to try right away:

1. Breakfast Pancake Dogs

2. Chicken and Waffles

3. Chinese Five-Spice Skewers

4. Deep Fried Mac ‘n’ Cheese

5. Molotes with Fresh Tomato Salsa (An Oaxacan street food of masa crusted potato and sausage filling)

6. Pizza Skewers with Garlic Butter Dipping Sauce (the kids and the child within will love these!)

7. Son-in Law Eggs  with Tamarind Sauce (Thai fried egg salad)

8. Suppli (Italian Rice Balls)

9. Chinese Meatballs with Sweet and Sour Chili Sauce

10. Tofu Tod (who’s Todd?) with Sweet Chili Sauce

Did I say 5? I really meant Top 10! This short list is only from the Savory recipe section! (There really are so many fabulous sounding recipes to choose from! How could I possibly just pick 5?!)

The Sweet recipe section should be recreated page by page as each recipe could only bring more and more joy!  There’s Deep-Fried Candy Bars, Chocolate Covered Cheesecake, Cinnamon Rolls with Creamy Vanilla Frosting, Frozen Elvis and even Margarita Jello- Shots. And yes, they are all On a Stick!

So if you are looking for incredible ideas for a party, or if you just want to bring out more fun in food, be sure to grab a copy of On A Stick! I guarantee you will have a blast with these and will definitely be a hit at your next gathering!

Last year, we saw this at a fair upstate and were mesmerized by this food on a stick and wondered how it could possibly be made (as well as eaten, but that’s another story!). Well, we were so happy to see this recipe in On a Stick! and wanted to share it with you:

 

Spaghetti and Meatballs

by Matt Armendariz

I know what you’re thinking: Spaghetti and meatballs on a stick? What was wrong with them on a plate? Well, you can relax. This recipe takes everyone’s favorite, pops it on a stick, fries it, and increases the fun factor by about a million. Seriously.

Serves 4

8 Popsicle sticks

Homemade Meatballs

Ingredients

1/2 lb lean ground beef
2 tbs minced yellow onion
1 garlic clove, minced
1 egg white
2 tbs seasoned bread crumbs
Salt and pepper, to taste

5 cups plus 3 tbs vegetable oil, divided
1/2 lb cooked spaghetti
2 cups marinara sauce
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Salt and pepper

Method

1. Line a baking sheet and a shallow baking dish with parchment paper.

2. Make the Meatballs: Place all meatball ingredients in a medium bowl and mix until well combined. Shape into 1-inch balls and place on the prepared baking sheet.

3. Warm 3 tablespoons of the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add meatballs and cook, turning to brown all sides, until just cooked through. Remove from heat and let cool.

4. Gently toss meatballs, spaghetti, marinara sauce, and Parmesan in a large bowl until thoroughly combined. Place mixture in the prepared baking dish, cover, and refrigerate at least 12 hours and up to overnight.

5. Preheat the remaining 5 cups of oil to 350 degrees F. Cut chilled pasta mixture into 8 equal squares. Remove squares from baking dish and insert a pop stick into each. Carefully place spaghetti sticks in pot, one at a time, and fry about 6 to 8 minutes, or until golden and crispy. Drain on paper towels, season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve warm.

 

To find out more about Matt and this book, be sure to check out his blog, Matt Bites. You can also find Matt on Twitter.

Disclosure: We received a copy of On a Stick! to review. All photos and recipes have been reprinted with permission of Quirk Publishing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Asparagus Tart and Crispy Fried Asparagus Recipes, Spring Has Sprung!

by

AsparagusOne of my favorite vegetables is asparagus and even though you can find them all year round, its Spring and Summer when I purchase them every week for us to enjoy. I prefer the nice plump ones to the thin ones because I feel that the fatter ones have the most delicious flavor. There are so many great recipes for asparagus that I could post about them for a week, but here’s a few ways we like to enjoy them.

First off, there is grilling with just a bit of salt and a squeeze of lemon over top. Simple, easy and perfect for the outdoor dinner.

The most classic way to cook them is to peel them, lop off the extra thick ends and blanch them briefly in boiling salted water. You can serve them immediately or you can refrigerate them and eat them cold with a tangy vinaigrette to dunk the spears in to.

Then of course there is roasting them. Drizzled with a bit of olive oil and salt, roast them on a sheet pan covered with foil in an oven that’s been preheated to 425 degrees for about a half hour or until tender. Roasting the asparagus brings out the sweet essence of the vegetable and is so simple yet so incredibly delightful, you’ll end up eating all of them before they arrive at the table if you are not careful.

Two other ways to enjoy this very versatile vegetable is to encase them in cheese and puff pastry or to batter and fry them. We have enjoyed both ways!

 

Asparagus Tart

Ingredients

Flour, for work surface

1 sheet frozen puff pastry

1 pound asparagus spears, tough ends trimmed

1 egg yolk + 1 tbs water, beaten to blend

1/2 cup whole-milk ricotta cheese

1 cup Gruyere cheese, shredded

1 tsp. nutmeg

Salt and pepper

Method

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. On a floured surface, roll out the puff pastry into a 16-by-10-inch rectangle. Trim uneven edges. Place pastry on a baking sheet. With a sharp knife, lightly score pastry dough 1 inch in from the edges to mark a rectangle being careful to not cut all the way through the dough. Using a fork, pierce the dough inside the markings (called Docking) to prevent air bubbles from forming and puffing up the center too much. Bake until a pale golden, about 10 minutes. Remove pastry shell from oven, and set aside.

In the meantime, mix the ricotta cheese with the Gruyere, nutmeg, salt and pepper to taste.

Spread the cheese mixture over the center of the pastry and arrange the asparagus spears in a single layer over the top alternating the ends and the tips.

Brush the edges of the pastry with the egg wash and bake until spears are tender, 20 to 25 minutes.

 

Crispy Fried Asparagus With Ancho Chili Mayo

 

Ancho Chili Mayo

Ingredients

½ cup mayonnaise *homemade is preferable, but you can use jarred too and not worry about the raw eggs

½ lemon, zested and juiced

1 tsp. Ancho chili powder

½ tsp. turmeric

½ tsp. cumin

½ tsp. hot sauce (Tabasco works nicely)

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 tbs. extra virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Method

In a medium bowl combine all of the ingredients and mix until the spices are blended through.

Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate while you are making the asparagus to let the flavors meld together. Be sure to taste to see if it spicy or tangy enough for your tastes and adjust seasonings as necessary.

 

Crispy Fried Asparagus Spears

Adapted from Fine Cooking Magazine’s  April/May 2011 Asparagus Fries with Smoked Paprika Aioli.

Ingredients

1 lb. asparagus, rough ends trimmed

½ cup all purpose flour

½ tsp. salt

½ tsp. black pepper

2 egg whites

2 tbs. cold water

½ lemon, zested and juiced

1/3 cup Panko bread crumbs

¼ cup plain bread crumbs

3 cups vegetable oil

Method

Cut the asparagus to about 4-5 inches long. (You can save the stalks for another recipe!) If they are very thick you can split them lengthwise.

Create your breading station by laying out three large shallow dishes with rims.

In the first shallow dish, mix the flour, salt and pepper.

In a second shallow dish, combine the egg whites, water, and lemon juice.

In a third shallow dish, mix the Panko bread crumbs, plain bread crumbs, and the lemon zest.

Heat the oil in a large sauce pan over a medium flame. If you have a candy thermometer or deep fryer heat the oil to 375 degrees F. If you don’t have a thermometer, you can tell if the oil is ready by dropping in a few of the Panko crumbs and if they bubble and rise to the top then the oil is ready.

Divide the asparagus into 4 smaller bunches, first toss them into the flour mixture, shake off the extra, and then dip them into the egg whites, and then into the Panko/ bread crumbs.

Carefully place the asparagus into the oil and fry for 3-4 minutes until they are golden brown.

Remove the asparagus from the oil with a slotted spoon or tongs, and drain on a paper towel. Sprinkle with salt.

Repeat the process for the remaining asparagus.

Serve with the Ancho Chili Mayo on the side.

 

Enjoy!