Mystery Trip!

Mystery Trip!

We trust our friend, JoAnn Carr, implicitly when it comes to arranging mystery trips.  This time she said there’d be great food and wonderful gardens and several other surprises.  We were in!

On Tuesday morning we met the bus at 8:30 am on the north side of Indy.  Before we left the parking lot JoAnn had us all guess where we were going to go.  I guessed Petoskey, MI and Connie guessed Saugatuck, MI.  We were basing our guesses on the fact that the first stop for the bus was the south side of Indy AND the weather forecast JoAnn had provided.  We were right about north but wrong about Michigan.  Out of the St. Luke’s parking lot and east toward Meridian.  North on Meridian.  Then, WEST on 465.  Obviously it wasn’t the east or middle of Michigan.  North on 65.  It wasn’t until we went west on the Toll Road that we knew we were both wrong.  At that point everyone started speculating about where in Wisconsin we might be going. 

First stop.  Chicago Botanical Gardens.  Talk about stunning!  This was our lunch break and it was perfect.  In fact, it was Connie’s favorite stop of the trip.  He loved the bonsai exhibit.  I loved the English walled garden.  And, we both loved our lunch.  We split a veggie sandwich and a honey roasted barbecue brisket sandwich. 

Back on the bus and northward.  JoAnn tells us it’s time for dessert but we’re going to have to work for it.  We wend our way through a little commercial area and get off the bus at a candy store and factory in Graysline, IL.  There each of us gets a slab of toffee.  We’re going to get dark or milk chocolate and toppings and get to adorn our toffee.  That was LOADS of fun.  And, a great dessert too!!  Next door was a winery.  A herd of siblings own it and each has their own wine.  I chose a Vigonier and the gal helping us was so excited because it’s HER wine.  LOL. 

Our sugar fix taken care of, we meandered back to the bus.  From there we headed to Lincolnshire and the Marriott resort.  Connie and I got a lovely room on the third floor.  We had a view of the lake that was lovely.  About an hour later it was time to head to dinner.  A place called Dover Straights.  Dinner was quite nice.  A roasted pepper soup, salad, then your choice of steak, chicken marsala, salmon or fried shrimp.  Then, a choice of desserts.  The twice baked potato was every bit as good as Mom’s.  And, Connie’s fried shrimp were amazing.  After dinner one of the owners sang.  He was pretty darned good!

Back to the hotel and just enough time to try and sleep.   Except I’d forgotten to ask housekeeping for a blanket and was stuck with the puff.  I hate those things.  They’re just way too warm.  Particularly since I have my own personal heating unit sleeping next to me!

After a quick breakfast at the hotel – and a yummy omelet – we were back in the bus.  Trekking across all kinds of country roads to the San Filippo estate.  They’re the folks who own Fisher Nuts.  Jasper and Marian and the original couple.  He collects just about anything that makes music.  There’s an organ with 5000 pipes.  Gramophones  You name it, he’s got it.  We got a glimpse into the lower floor too.  Loads of gambling equipment.  I have no clue whose collection that is!  Then, eldest son Jeffrey and his family have moved in.  And, Jeffrey collects items related to perfume.  So, now there’s a gallery about perfume.  And, another entire building with a carousel, three train cars and more musical items. 

Three hours later our brains were stuffed with information and our eyes had soaked in so much beauty that it became clear that stop was the highlight of the trip.  On to lunch.  At a place called Chessies.  Connie had fabulous tilapia.  I had chicken parmesan that was just ok.  The peppercorn ranch dressing was some of the best I’d ever had!  And, the service was stellar. 

From lunch we headed to a place called Wandering Tree.  Lovely gardens and a fun miniature railroad set up.  The Japanese garden had a couple of great water features.  As did the rest of the gardens.  Connie loves to have his photo taken with his hand in water.  Needless to say we got a lot of photos of him! 

After that we headed to a chocolate factory.  Except the factory was shut down for the day and we were only going to get to hit the discount store.  Which was less than exciting.  Particularly since there was no winery next door!  Back on the bus to the hotel.  We had about half an hour before it was time to get back on the bus for dinner.  And, then, I got the text.  The text that said there was once again water in our basement.  I looked on the radar and there was lots more rain heading toward Indy.  We had a choice.  Risk more flooding or take a taxi to O’Hare, rent a car and drive back a day early.  We chose to not take a risk with the house.  About midnight we got to the house and Connie headed to the basement.  DRY!  We decompressed with a glass of wine and headed to bed about 2am.  With the alarm set for 3am to check yet again.  DRY!  We were in the clear!  Obviously, what the landscaping guy had done with the grade in the back had stopped a good part of the flooding.  Now, we needed the fellow working on the downspouts to finish his thing.  Which he has now done.  WHEW!

Eggplant Happiness

Eggplant.  Hmmm.  I wanted nice crispy, crunchy fried eggplant.  I also wanted the warm, flavorful bowl of ratatouille.  Or, maybe I’d do some mushroom pesto with the fried eggplant.  We have oodles of basil so pesto was a great option.  On to eatyourbooks to no avail.  You know what comes next…  I made up a recipe.  Not quite sure what to call it because it had so many pieces and parts! 

Here’s what I did:  I peeled the eggplant and sliced it into four planks.  Then, I put a couple of eggs in a bowl and whisked them with a fork.  Into another bowl I put a big handful of panko and a big handful of coarsely grated asiago cheese.

Then, I picked a big handful of basil.  Half of it got julienned and half went into the bullet. 

A big handful of pine nuts went into a dry skillet to brown.

A big skillet went on the stove with a good glug of olive oil.  Into that went two portobello mushroom caps, half a big zucchini, half a big yellow squash, half a red onion, one of the end pieces of eggplant and about 10 cherry tomatoes.  Everything got diced about ¼” to ½”.  When it got too dry, I poured in some water.  The julienned basil went in too along with a handful of capers and a couple of cloves of garlic finely minced.

Half the pine nuts went into the bullet along with an equal measure of coarsely grated asiago, a small pour of olive oil and a tablespoon of melted butter.  That all became pesto. 

The eggplant planks got dunked in the egg wash then the panko/cheese mixture and plopped into a skillet with sizzling olive oil.  Those got sautéed until the exteriors were golden and crunchy and the interiors were creamy.  If you stick a fork into uncooked eggplant it’ll resist.  When it’s done it’s like putting a fork into custard.  No resistance.  Now, as I cooked the eggplant some of the panko/cheese mixture fell off and became a lovely crunchie.  I scarfed it up and had an ah-ha moment.  Pour the rest into the skillet!  I did and drizzled it with olive oil.  Those became lovely golden crunchies!

Time to put the dish together.  Eggplant plank on the plate.  Topped with the ratatouille.  Then, the rest of the toasted pine nuts, the crunchies, the pesto and finally some more coarsely shredded asiago.   (Can't get this one rightside up!)

We rated this a five out of five. It does use up pretty much every dish and skillet in the kitchen and isn’t a quick dish.  But, it’s SO worth it!

Rum Pineapple Bombs

We just escaped the cold and attended a conference in Orlando.  Not only was it wonderful to see my oldest brother, John, and his wife, Linda, but we got to enjoy some great meals with them and even escaped the hotel for a fabulous hour out on the pool desk.  The conference wasn't what we'd hoped it would be, there were a TON of tired kids traveling back with us who'd been to see THE Mouse, and worst of all I came home with a head cold.  Initially I thought it might be allergies acting up but, no, this is a real for sure humdinger of a head cold.  I was telling my friend Sarah how disappointed we were in the conference and how bummed I am to have gotten a cold.  She fired back with a recipe.  Two recipes to be exact.  One for a pineapple bomb and another for a pineapple bomb with a kick.  My brain immediately went to a slushie cocktail with all the ingredients plus rum.  What could go wrong?  We'd toss it down the drain is the worst that could happen, right?  Well, let me tell you this is almost worth getting a cold to have.  It's going on the list with bone broth, salt water gargle and hot toddies.  And, it just might show up when I'm good and healthy.  For preventative purposes.  You agree? 

Rum Pineapple Bomb with a KICK!

6 oz pineapple juice
2" peeled and chopped fresh ginger
1 1/2 T honey
1/4 c lemon juice
pinch salt
pinch freshly ground pepper
pinch cayenne pepper
3 oz white rum

Mix all the ingredients in the bowl of a blender.  Add ice cubes to taste and whir away.

Keke's where the pancakes were the size of manhole covers.  YUM!

 Linda and John

 John's Chicken Marsala at Armando's.  What a fabulous meal!!!!

 Connie's Seafood Risotto

 My Sunday Gravy, Meatball, Sausage and Braciole

 Linda's Baked Eggplant with Pasta and Red Sauce

 Relaxing on the pool deck

 Columbia Restaurant.  Be still my heart.  Chickpea and potato soup with 1905 Salad

 And, last but certainly not least, the world's best Cuban Sandwich!

Crabmeat Wraps and Peanut Butter Noodles

Half a can's worth of frozen crabmeat.  And then there was a head of Bibb lettuce.  Some wobbly celery.  Some wobbly cucumber.  A carrot or two.  This is what the produce drawer looked like after being gone.  My brain went to Friday Night Sandwiches.  But, that didn't use up the cucumber or the carrot.  I suppose I could've made a ginger salad and used them up.  But, then I looked in the pantry and we had no bread.  Friday Night Sandwiches were out.  How about the lettuce wraps like they make at PF Changs with ground pork?  Made with crabmeat instead.  And, how about peanut butter noodles to use up the cucumber and carrot?  And, to get rid of one of the three boxes of rice noodles in my pantry. 

With many thanks to Leite's Culinaria for the dressing recipe, we thoroughly enjoyed the crabmeat wraps.  The balance of the dressing got tossed with peanut butter to make the noodles.  So, mission accomplished.  Clean up the kitchen for two!

Crabmeat Lettuce Wraps

1 large can crabmeat (20 oz?)
1/2 - 1 c slivered almonds, toasted
4 ribs celery, diced
1 can diced waterchestnuts
1 head Bibb lettuce

N.B. - I only used half a can of crabmeat so adjusted the recipe accordingly

dressing:
1/4 c soy sauce
1/4 c rice wine vinegar
1/4 c sake
1 T sesame oil
2 T lemon juice
1 t crushed ginger
1/4 c sugar
1/4 - 1/2 t hot chili oil

Mix the dressing and toss it with the crabmeat, celery, waterchestnuts and almonds.  Wrap in lettuce leaves to serve.

Peanut Butter Noodles

1 8.8oz box rice noodles, prepared as per directions
2/3 c crunchy peanut butter mixed with half a recipe of above dressing
1/2 cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced
1 carrot, diced
1/2 can diced waterchestnuts

Toss the noodles with the vegetables and dressing. 

Mexican Sausage Soup

Back from a week and a half on the road.  Business trip to Atlanta and Florida.  Funny how those work best in winter.  Connie came back coughing and hacking.  He spent a good part of the day on the couch in the office.  My mission was to get him to eat some relatively healthy food for dinner - including what we call Jewish penicillin - chicken broth.  The problem is that he doesn't like soup.  Particularly brothy soups.  Lobster bisque?  Clam chowder?  Both are just fine with him.  Chicken noodle?  Um, no thanks.  So, I thought I'd make chicken and noodles.  Then, when I opened the freezer and saw the solid block of four chicken thighs I decided to come up with plan B.  There were three sausages in the freezer.  They'd thaw a LOT more quickly.  They went into a soup pot along with onion and green pepper.  Then, I headed toward the pantry to gather ingredients that'd work.  One of the recipes I'd read on eatyourbooks.com suggested using hash brown potatoes in a sausage soup.  That sounded good but rice sounded better.  Then, once everything was in the pot and simmering away, I made some sour cream with lime juice and cumin.  And, I grated some extra sharp cheddar.  A quick salad with bibb lettuce, sliced banana, mandarin orange segments and a jam dressing topped with toasted pecans and we were good to go.  This is a soup that'll freeze really well.  And, since Connie actually liked it, I'll be able to make it a few times a year!

Mexican Sausage Soup

3 sausages (mild or spicy Italian)
1 medium onion, diced
1 medium green bell pepper, diced
1 T olive oil or vegetable oil
1 quart chicken bone broth
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can gold and white corn, drained
1 can stewed tomatoes, chopped (regular diced tomatoes or Rotel will work)
1 16 oz jar salsa
1/2 c Uncle Bens converted white rice
2 t cumin

Slice and brown the sausages, onion and green pepper in the olive oil.  Add the rest of the ingredients and simmer for about 15 minutes - or until the rice is tender. You can top this with sour cream and/or grated cheese.

Here's the salad too:

Cod Milanese with Chickpea and Artichoke Heart Salad

I bought Ina Garten's new cookbook the day it came out.  While I frequently buy used cookbooks for pennies on the dollar, I'm fine with buying Ina's cookbooks new.  Why?  They're so well done.  She obviously tests and retests her recipes because they just work.  And, they're so often relatively quick and easy.  Perfect for work nights.  That's how I felt about her Flounder Milanese.  After reading the book cover to cover and making a list of recipes to try, this one came to the top of the list.  I stopped at our favorite fishmongers and picked up some cod instead of the flounder. 

We left the office about 7:00 and headed home.  I still needed a salad.  My idea was celery.  A great recipe from the New York Times was on my radar.  But, it required a two hour marination.  Not happening at 7:00 in the evening!  So, on to eatyourbooks.com.  I typed in celery, pine nuts, feta, thinking I'd get a bunch of salad ideas.  Nope.  Just one, from Food 52.  So, I used the basic ingredients and made up my own salad dressing. 

What did we think?  Both recipes were fives.  They were SO easy to make.  And, SO very good.  This is exactly what we like on a late evening.  Quick, flavorful and pretty darned good for us. 

Cod Milanese

Ingredients:

1 pound cod fillet
1 c all purpose flour
salt and pepper
1 extra large egg
1 c seasoned dry bread crumbs
unsalted butter
good olive oil
1 T drained capers
lime juice

Directions:

Put the flour in a shallow bowl.  Beat the egg with a tablespoon of water in another shallow bowl.  And, the seasoned bread crumbs in another.  Since I didn't have seasoned bread crumbs, I put in a good bit of Italian seasoning.  Cut the fish into pieces.  I cut it based on the thickness of the fish.  Pat the fish pieces dry.  Melt a tablespoon of butter in a large skillet.  Add a tablespoon of olive oil.  Dip the fillets first in flour, then the egg, then the bread crumbs.  When the butter is sizzling, put the thicker fillets in.  When they are brown on the first side, flip them and add the balance of the fillets to the skillet.  You may need to add more butter and/or oil.  The thick fillets (1") took about 8 minutes and the thinner ones took about 4 minutes.  Serve topped with capers and a squeeze of lime or lemon.  Ina also added salad greens with a lemon vinaigrette.

adapted from Cook Like a Pro by Ina Garten



Celery, Artichoke and Chickpea Salad

Ingredients:

3 celery ribs with leaves, finely diced
1 can artichoke hearts, drained and diced
1 jar hearts of palm, drained and sliced thinly
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/4 c crumbled feta cheese
2 T toasted pine nuts
mustard vinaigrette

Directions:

Mix the celery, artichoke hearts, hearts of palm, chickpeas and vinaigrette together and allow them to marinate while you prep the fish.  For the vinaigrette, I had about 3 T of Dijon mustard left in a jar.  I added some red wine vinegar, a pinch of sugar, about 2 t of Italian seasoning and then a good bit of EVOO.  Serve the salad topped with crumbled feta and toasted pine nuts. 

adapted from Food 52