We're Back!!!

I am very embarrassed for my long blog absence. I mean, I promised to write even when traveling. Well, I don't have the greatest excuse, but it is true that where we were staying we didn't have an internet connection. That made it tough. Plus, I was really busy chasing a story with Damien and meeting my new nephew (who is super cute, by the way - see photo.) And finally, we didn't really have any culinary excitement on the trip. Damien and I scarfed down way too many Dunkin Donuts (I like jelly, he likes chocolate-glazed) and there were pizza and TGI Friday's potato skins involved. And to top it all off, I got an email from my building asking that we pay $314.58 for the smokin' steaks incident! A bit excessive, no? All this to say, it was not the best food week.

There were a couple of bright spots though. When we visited Worcester, Damien's mom made us a wonderful chicken dish that I'll have to ask her about. And one night my mom made our family favorite Hot Dogs Delicious. It was just the kind of comfort food we needed. My brother and his wife hadn't slept because of their newborn, Damien and I had been betrayed by a source, it was raining like crazy thanks to Hurricane Dani and we had spent a good part of the day watching Ted Kennedy's funeral. This recipe was something simple and delicious (hence the name) that we used to eat as kids. Plus, as we've covered before, I love hot dogs. Throw in a couple of cold beers, and we were all feeling a lot better.

Hot Dogs Delicious
1 large onion
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup ketchup
1 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce (or to taste)
4 hot dogs
4 hot dog buns

Cut the onion into small slices. In a large saute pan, heat up the olive oil over medium high heat. And the onions and saute until soft and caramelized. Add ketchup, smothering the onions and stirring to keep it from burning. Sprinkle the Worcestershire sauce and Tabasco sauce over the onions and ketchup. Cook until nice and bubbly. Add the hot dogs and cook until dogs are heated through (about 8 minutes).

Toast hot dog buns under the broiler. Serve the hot dogs with some of the onions in the toasted buns.

We always seem to pair this with baked beans. It's a very red meal, but it's really tasty too. One other note - if you are sparking up the grill, you might want to grill the dogs before adding to the sauce.

I'm going to the supermarket tomorrow, so we should be back with something a little bit more exciting. And I will do my best to never let the ball drop this badly again.

Traveling to New England

Today I have resorted to some frozen leftovers because it was a busy day of organizing for a trip to Boston tomorrow. So tonight it's Picadillo redux.

Traveling has taken on a whole new life with Baz involved. We used to have it down. Packing took just a few minutes. One small rolling suitcase a piece, check-in online and we were out the door on the plane with little fuss. But, now we have become that annoying family arriving at the check-in counter in utter chaos with to many bags and equipment.

Luckily, Baz has been a tremendous traveler... so far. (I know just writing those words means that tomorrow is likely to be a complete nightmare.) But he really has been so good on the three trips we've taken including one to Hawaii and one to San Francisco. I think he enjoys the adventure. He charms the TSA agents and flirts with the flight attendents. There are lots of new faces to look at and he thinks the overhead lighting is the coolest thing he's ever scene.

And I do think we are adjusting. I realize now that we don't need nearly as much as we thought we did on that first trip, especially when we have access to a washing machine like we will in Boston. Then you buy diapers and food on the other side because what's the sense in packing something that you can easily buy and will use up before you return home.

Plus, now we know, at the airport, bring the car seat and the smallest stroller we have to the gate with us. If we're lucky, there's an extra seat on the plane so that we can use the car seat on the plane without buying a ticket. Damien gets on first with a bag, the car seat and the stroller. I follow at the very end of the boarding process to minimize the time we're stuck to our seats in a crowded row. For 5 of the 8 segments we've flown we've been able to use our car seat. And our stroller has always been returned to us in good condition.

Tomorrow I will report back on how our trip goes and what we did for dinner. I am a little nervous about that, especially for Baz. We are flying at his least agreeable time of day when he usually is power eating and getting ready for bed time. I've got some of those ridiculously expensive, ready-made 8 oz bottles of formula on hand in case we need to act fast.

For tonight, it's Picadillo and some fried plantains.

Salmon and Asparagus Linguini Alfredo (aka Heart Attack in a Bowl)

Having gotten over my cooking fiasco from Friday, I jumped back into the saddle tonight with a new meal. Publix was having a sale on Coho Salmon that looked really good, so since I had to go there to buy some milk, I bought a pound and had to figure out what to do with it.

I was also craving pasta, so I decided to make the linguini I bought at the Argentine pasta shop down the block. And I thought if I could make some sort of alfredo sauce to go with the salmon and some asparagus, well, that just sounded pretty good to me.

So here is my recipe (it looks more complicated than it is; total cooking time is about 30 minutes):

Salmon and Asparagus Linguini Alfredo
2/3 pound fresh linguini
1 pound salmon fillets (although a little less would be fine too)
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic
salt and pepper
1 small onion, diced
10-15 spears of asparagus, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 pint heavy cream
1/2 stick of butter
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup chopped parsley

Boil a large pot of water for pasta. But do not cook pasta until the very end.

Rinse off the salmon fillets and pat dry. Coat with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Press two garlic cloves on the salmon and rub in evenly. Sprinkle with a light coat of salt and pepper.

Heat the other 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a saute pan. Add the onions and asparagus and saute until the onions are translucent and the aspargus is just tender. Put the cooked vegetables in a bowl on the side.

Using the same pan, cook the salmon fillets. Start with the skin side down. When you flip the salmon, peel off the skin and continue to cook until cooked through. This take about 8 minutes depending on the thickness of the salmon. When finished, remove from pan and set aside.

In a clean saute pan, heat up the heavy cream over low to medium heat. When it just starts to bubble, add the butter and whisk together until butter is fully melted. Add the cheese and continue to whisk until cheese is blended in completely. Add in salmon - breaking it up with your fingers as you put it in the pan - and vegetables and coat with cream sauce. Stir in fresh parsley. Sprinkle with black pepper to taste.

Add the pasta to the boiling water. If using fresh pasta, cook for 3 or 4 minutes. Drain and serve in individual bowls.

Serve the salmon and cream sauce over the pasta.

Not to toot my own horn here, but it was pretty freakin' tasty. Okay, so you might have to go straight to the hospital and have your arteries cleaned out after this meal. But, before you go, don't forget to have a glass of wine. We opted for a Sancerre that we've been saving for a special occasion even though tonight wasn't a particular special occasion.

The wine was actually part of my fabulous anniversary gift from Damien (which was at the end of May.) He bought me several bottles of wine that commemorate special moments in our marriage. So, there was a pinot noir from the Anderson Valley from a weekend we spent near there when I first moved out to San Francisco. There was a Provence rose because I started drinking rose after a great night we spent out at Pearl Oyster Bar where we saw Jodi Foster drinking it and decided to try it ourselves. There was a trebbiano like the cheap, but good wine we used to get at our favorite Italian restaurant in Brooklyn, Noodle Pudding. And the sancerre, which... well, we just like Sancerre and order it on special occasions.

I guess the special occasion tonight was that Damien proclaimed the alfredo sauce the best he ever had. I'll drink to that!

Costco Hot Dogs Are Really Good

After my adventure in the kitchen on Friday (with my Smokin' Steaks) I decided maybe I should take a break from cooking for a couple of days. So Saturday, Damien, Baz and I ate out for both lunch and dinner.

For lunch, I was craving the crepes I get at one of my favorite little places in the unlikely Espanola Way section of South Beach. It's a French place called A La Folie Cafe and I just love it. Espanola Way is a pretty touristy part of town, but if you go past the pedestrian-only zone, A La Folie Cafe is a little gem slightly off the beaten path. They have their semi-rude French wait staff (although our waitress this weekend was very sweet) and serve French rose by the glass (although I couldn't really justify getting one at noon on Saturday) so it feels pretty authentic. We sit out on the sidewalk especially with Baz and greatly appreciate the fans they have set up to try and help us fight off the oppressive Miami summer heat.

Every time I go, I really just want the nutella and banana crepe, but I feel sort of guilty just eating that alone. So Damien and I split a "totale" crepe first which includes ham, swiss cheese, egg and mushroom and then we split the nutella/banana crepe afterward. Tres magnifique!

Then for dinner we ordered some sushi from Sushi Republic in Surfside. It's fine. We haven't really been able to find a great sushi place here in Miami. I have to try that Japanese Market I mentioned before. But, I didn't think of it in time last night.

Then today we had one of my favorites - Costco hot dogs! I swear they are the best. Well, that's if you like hot dogs. I happen to love them! Costco's are delicious - 1/4 pound, all beef, big and juicy. And they are a total bargain. Damien and I had two dogs, two drinks, and a chocolate frozen yogurt for less than $5 total. Of course, you can't walk out of the rest of Costco without spending at least $50. So keep your eye on the ball. Also, Costco is a zoo on the weekends, but it was worth the wait for the dogs. And I have to say, Costco is the only place in Miami with a really superb work staff. Well, maybe Publix, too. At Costco, the staff is efficient and gracious even when dealing with the worst of the worst Miami customers.

Their pizza looks pretty good, too. But, besides loving hot dogs, Damien and I are ordering pizza tonight so I didn't want to double up.

Other than that it was a great weekend. No movies. We spent most of our time trying to organize our mess of an apartment. We did squeeze in a couple of trips to the beach though. Today was a bit stormy but that just alleviated the heat a bit and made from some beautiful, dramatic skies.

Tomorrow I'll jump right back on that horse. Not sure what I'll make just yet, but I am sure it will not need to be cooked on cast iron.

Smokin' Steaks

When Damien and I were in Baghdad, our security advisor would secure us all some t-bone steaks at the PX and on Saturdays we'd have steak night. We'd set the table outside (despite the crazy temperatures) and the cooks would light up the grill and we'd all sit around enjoying our red meat along with some bad red wine and assorted side dishes like potato salad and tabouli. Dinners at the bureau were always pretty entertaining, but steak nights were fun and something I fondly remember.

It's a tradition that Damien and I brought back with us (along with the need for the Gaggia espresso maker we purchased after becoming addicted to it in Baggers.) Especially since we've had Balthazar, we've been recreating steak night mostly on Friday evenings after a long week of work. Some nights we make t-bones, other nights, filet mignon. Whatever cut we make, we pair it with a much nicer bottle of wine than we had at the bureau. This time I bought us some nice looking New York strip steaks and a bottle of Chilean cabarnet sauvignon.

Well, things turned out a little bit more like Baghdad than I had hoped. See, I decided to try and cook our New York strip steaks on our cast iron pan. Not recommended in an apartment with a bad ventilation system and sensitive smoke alarms.

I usually use our double-sided teflon coated grill, but I noticed when I made those banana pancakes last week that it was in pretty bad shape. So after I seasoned my steaks and made my wasabi mashed potatoes, I heated her up over high heat. I put a little bit of olive oil on there just to ensure the steaks wouldn't stick.

I had seasoned the steaks by coating them with a thin coat of olive oil. Then I pressed two garlic cloves on them and rub it into the meat. Then I sprinkled a good coat of salt, pepper and a lighter coat of cumin on each side and rub them all in.

The key to a good steak is a really hot grill or pan. To test the heat, I sprinkled a little bit of water on the pan and watched it immediately sizzle away. I turned on our sucky stove ventilation system. I thought I was ready to go.

But, as soon as I put the steaks on the cast iron, the pan started to smoke...and I mean a lot. I quickly opened the sliding glass door and then opened our front door into our apartment building hallway to get some cross-ventilation. Damien had just put Baz to sleep so I really didn't want our smoke alarm to go off. Phew. I thought I was in the clear.

Then I flipped the steaks over after 5 minutes. (I am very disciplined about how I cook my steaks. 5 minutes each side, one flip.) And there was some more smoke. I went out to the hallway and opened the sliding glass door out there. I really thought that would take care of it. I mean there was some smoke, but it wasn't that bad.

But just a minute or two later, the fire alarm for the whole building went off. There were sirens and a computerized voice exclaiming, "There is a fire in the building. Please evacuate the building. There is a fire in the building. Please evacuate the building." Oh no!! It totally reminded me of the warnings we used to hear across the Tigris in the Green Zone when a mortar attack was imminent!!!

Damien rushed down to the lobby to alert the doorman that it was a false alarm. I ran out onto the balcony to tell my panicked neighbors that it was just me cooking steak. I was probably more panicked than most of them. In fact, one guy even said, "That just means you did a good job!"

But, I was horrified. Some of the neighbors on my floor were rushing around trying to determine what was going on. I kept apologizing. And the alarm continued to go off for at least another 20 minutes.

Despite the loud sound, we did sit down and eat our beautiful steaks. And I have to say, the cast iron really made them turn out perfectly. A little charred on the outside and pink on the inside.

Too bad I can't do that again.

Kita's Tortilla Soup Recipe

I have some reader input! Kita Murdock, who was part of my inspiration for starting a blog because of her awesome chronicles of moving her young family out west (threegirlsmovewest.blogspot.com), has shared one of her favorite recipes and I think I'll give it a shot tonight. Sounds delish!

Tortilla Soup
Saute in 2 T. olive oil:
1 1/2 cups onion, diced
2 tablespoons fresh garlic
1 cup poblano chiles charred (I put them right over my burner for a minute or two) seeded, and chopped
1 cup frozen corn kernels
1 teaspoon each of oregano, coriander and cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne

ADD:
4 cups chicken broth
1 15 ounce can diced tomatoes in juice
1 15 ounce can black beans drained
2 soft corn tortillas diced
1 cup to 1 1/2 cups diced cooked chicken ( I cook it chopped in olive oil on the stove)
or you can add some peeled shrimp at the end instead
MMMMMMM........

I am excited to try this recipe especially since it is not something I would likely have found or sought out on my own. It sounds terrific! We might add a bit more cayenne or something else to make it a little more spicy. And I think we'll give the shrimp a try since I have a bag of Publix frozen shrimp in my freezer.

Thank you, Kita. She just moved the whole family to Boulder, CO in a whirlwind trip. They were settled in Los Angeles one day, back east for a family gathering the next and moved into their new home and starting school in Boulder all in less than one month. Amazing!

So a special good luck to her girls who are starting at their new school this week. As someone who was the new kid a whopping 6 or 7 times, I feel for them. But I also know that I wouldn't be who I am today without the experiences. I think that our moving so often made me adventurous, flexible and well rounded having been exposed to some many new people and places. And I think the humbling experience of being new in town made me more compassionate, too.

Fresh Pesto

Last night I didn't make dinner because we went to a concert. I know! Totally crazy not just because we have a baby and all late night activities have taken a big hit, but also because we live in Miami and there are not that many concerts rolling into our adopted hometown. But, Damien heard that the Counting Crows were coming to the newly renovated Amphitheater in downtown and thought enough ahead to get us lawn seats.

Well, it turned out to be a great night! We are not like these huge Counting Crow fans or anything, but who didn't listen to them in college? Everyone did. They were total crowd pleasers. And they still are. The audience was filled with everyone from young pot smoking college kids to people just like us who brought their kids with them to see their old college favorites. Plus, we were supposed to get drenched by the remnants of Tropical Storm Ana, but it was a beautiful, only slightly stiffling hot night. Baz fell asleep despite the loud music and we had a couple of beers under the stars. It was great.

Tonight it was back to usual though. And I was having a craving for pesto. So, I made it from scratch. I still have to work on my recipe. I feel like it was good, but really how can a combination of fresh basil, Parmesan cheese, and olive oil not be good. I just think it could be better. I'll keep you posted as I refine my recipe.

For now though, this is how I made it and like I said, it was still pretty good.

Fresh Pesto
2 oz. fresh basil (about 2 packed cups of just leaves - remove stems)
1/2 cup of freshly grated Parmesan cheese
3 cloves of garlic
1 tablespoon pine nuts
1/3 cup olive oil

In a food processor, finely chop the basil. Add the Parmesan cheese, garlic and pine nuts and mix until well blended. Drizzle in the olive oil to create pesto paste.

We have an Argentianian style pasta shop nearby that makes wonderful fresh pastas, including tasty ravioli and gnocchi. So, I paired my pesto with a goat cheese ravioli. I don't know. Maybe that was a mistake. It was fine, but I don't know. I think pesto is a strong flavor that might have gone better with plain pasta or gnocchi.

Now I have to go and watch America's Got Talent... (I know, I can't believe I watch that show either.)

Tzatziki... or Cucumber Yogurt Sauce

When we were in Turkey in 2007, not only did I fall in love with Istanbul, but I also couldn't get enough of the cucumber yogurt meze they served everywhere. It was so refreshing and delicious.

Now that my crazy life of traveling the world is on hiatus, I miss the wonderful food I was being exposed to all the time. Then one day I was looking at the New York Times Web site and there was a recipe for tzatziki - the Greek name for the cucumber yogurt dip I loved so much. So, I made it. And it was delicious and completely satisfied the craving I'd been having for it.

Then yesterday, there it was again - that craving. The only problem: I can't seem to find that recipe anymore, so I decided to just wing it. It turned out just as well.

The hardest parts of the recipe are finding the right yogurt and making sure that your cucumbers are dried out enough. Not paying enough attention to either of these details makes for a watery, gross mess.

Make sure you find a Greek style yogurt. I can't stress that enough. Dannon will not do. If you can take the full fat kind, go for it. But, if you want a low fat or non-fat yogurt, that's alright as long as you choose properly. Let me say it again - it must have the word Greek on the container. And, of course, I am talking plain yogurt here. (Baz is modeling a container of my favorite non-fat kind - Stonyfield Farms Oikos Organic Greek Yogurt. In fact, a clean, empty container makes an excellent toy.)

As for the cucumbers, after chopping them pretty finely, put them in a colander in the sink and let them sit there for a while until most of the water has drained out of them. I mean, like an hour if you can handle that. Then I scoop them out of the colander with a paper towel to get some more of the moisture out of them.

Once you've got your yogurt and cucumbers set, it's very easy to make.

Tzatziki
1 large cucumber, finely chopped
1 teaspoon salt
2 cloves garlic
16 oz. Greek style yogurt
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
salt and pepper, to taste

Chop the cucumbers into small pieces. Some people even grate them. Then sprinkle them with salt and drain them in a colander until most of the water has drained out of them.

Using a paper towel to remove more moisture, scoop the cucumbers out of the colander and move them into a bowl. Press the garlic cloves over the cucumbers. Stir in the yogurt until well mixed. Drizzle in the olive oil and continue mixing. Fold in the mint leaves. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve the sauce as an appetizer with pita bread or a nice crusty french baguette. You can also serve it on the side of a main course like grilled beef.

Some people like to add a little lemon juice as well. You can experiment to find a mixture that's right for you.

Julie & Julia...and lots of cake

I am still plowing through my chocolate coconut cake and enjoying every gluttonous bite. And no, I don't think there are really any glass or plastic shards in it. It has been carefully inspected after Damien's accident yesterday.

And I was able to redeem my horrible movie-going experience from the other day by seeing a much better movie. Go see Julie & Julia. It was just....delightful. I don't know how else to describe it. I just loved seeing two loving marriages portrayed in such a fun, light way. Meryl Streep is just amazing as Julia Child. I was giddy every time one of her scenes would start. And even the Julie part with Amy Adams was better than I thought it would be. I'm sure it doesn't hurt that it was partly about a woman who decides to start a blog about cooking. It's not exactly why I decided to start this blog, but I am sure that it subconsciously had something to do with it. So, for me in particular, it was an inspiring happy movie that I thoroughly enjoyed. Go see it!

Even though I was inspired by the delicious looking food in the film, we still had our usual Sunday night pizza. And tonight, I think I should just make one of the many meals I have saved in my freezer. Maybe meatloaf tonight. We'll see though since I am inspired and since I do have to go to the store to by milk - God knows I could die tomorrow morning if I can't have my latte.

Turning 35 Sucks...but Shrimp Creole Doesn't

My birthday was yesterday and I wasn't particularly happy about it. To make matters worse, the weather was absolute shit. It was super rainy and just when the sun managed to peak out, another storm rolled in. Plus, I was awoken by some text messages that my father was sending to my brother. Somehow, he accidentally wrote them to me. So much for sleeping in.

Then to make matters worse, I paid good money and took time away from my son to go see a crappy movie. Don't even bother going to see The Time Traveler's Wife. The book was pretty good, but the movie sucked big time even with Rachel McAdams in it.

But, the good news in all of this is that Damien did indeed make me my favorite kind of birthday cake - boxed chocolate cake with vanilla frosting and coconut. And he made me my favorite meal that my mom used to make me for my birthday growing up - Shrimp Creole. I think it is fairly easy to make, but you really need to have a food processor for it to have the right consistency.

And the cake was totally delicious...even though today he dropped it on the floor and smashed a full bottle of Simi Chardonnay on top of it. Luckily the cake was covered in plastic wrap so we could salvage most of it. And it was the morning after anyway, so I had already had a good two or three pieces by then. (Besides, the chance of a few plastic and glass shards aren't going to keep me for devouring a couple more.)

My mother is going to send me a more precise recipe for her shrimp creole, but this is what she sent to Damien so he could make it for me:

Shrimp Creole
1 Green Peppers
1 or 2 Onions depending on size
3 cloves of Garlic
One small can tomato sauce
A jar of Goya pimentos
Tablespoon of vinegar
Teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce (my husband from Worcester had to tell me how to spell this)
Teaspoon salt and pepper
Teaspoon Tabasco sauce (or to taste)
1/4 cup olive oil in pan

In a food processor, combine all of the ingredients except for the olive oil. Blend until finely chopped.

Heat up the olive oil in a pan. Pour the mixture in and cook for 15 minutes over medium heat.

Meanwhile, clean shrimp by deveining and removing the tails. Then add to sauce about 5 minutes before wanting to serve. Serve over white rice.

It was perfect. Not only was the meal great, but the fact that Damien pushed me out the door to go see a movie (even if it sucked) and then went out of his way to make this for me made turning 35 a little less painful.

Pork Chops with Mango Chutney...delicious!

Tonight I made use of those pork chops I took out last night. And boy, did they turn out to be delicious! In a nod to my new half-Indian nephew, I made a mango chutney to go with the chops. It is fantastic. Spicy, but the perfect compliment to the pork.

For the mango chutney, I pretty much followed a recipe I found on the Food Network's web site by Alton Brown. Now, I am not a big Food Network watchers, but I really like Tyler Florence's Ultimate Chili recipe so I thought I'd give this a try. I made couple of adjustments and I didn't really measure my ingredients too perfectly, but it turned out great. Very spicy, but great!

Check out the Alton Brown recipe here. (Not sure if there are copyright issues for reprinting so just follow the link.)

Some of the thing I changed:

1. I probably used less mango than it called for, but it was fine. I only had one mango.

2. I didn't use macadamia nuts because I just didn't have any and I didn't really want nuts.

Once I was finished cooking, I did to the ice water bath to cool it and I put it in the refrigerator for a few hours.

Then I made the pork chops themselves. I hate how pork chops sometimes end up so dry, so I tried to use a brine to tenderize them. So, I used this:

Pork Chops in Orange Brine

4 cups orange juice

1 cup apple cider vinegar

1 cup brown sugar

2 tablespoons salt

1 tablespoon pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil

I combined all the ingredients in a gallon-sized ziplock freezer bag. Add the pork chops and make sure that they are coated with the brine. Put in the refrigerator for 2 hours.

When you are ready to cook them, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Remove the chops from the brine and pat dry. Sprinkle a little more salt and pepper on each side of the chops. Heat up olive oil in an oven proof frying pan. When the oil is nice and hot, place the chops in the oil. Brown both sides well, only flipping them once. (This should be about 2 or 3 minutes per side.)

Once the chops are browned, place the pan in the oven to roast the chops for about 15 minutes. If your chops are pretty thin, you might want to check them sooner. If they are thick, it might take up to 30 minutes to cook through. They should be very slightly pink inside.

I served the chops with a side of whole wheat cous cous that I made out of a box. I love this side dish since it is super easy and fast. After you boil the water, it only takes five minutes for the cous cous to be ready. I also served a side of asparagus. I probably could have found a more Indian vegetable, but oh well. Asparagus is just so tasty.

And I have to say, the brine worked. Even though my pork chops were slightly more cooked than I had hoped, they were tender and juicy. Not the cardboard I usually make.

Anyway, it turned out terrifically and I highly recommend the mango chutney. It made the whole meal more exotic and exciting.

Today is my birthday, so I don't think I am going to cook for myself. And if Damien doesn't make me my favorite birthday cake - chocolate cake with vanilla frosting covered in coconut - then I just might have to make it myself : )

Banana Pancakes and Espresso

I needed some pancakes this morning. In Baghdad, one of the photographers, Scott Nelson, used to host Friday Pancakes* in our kitchen and it was one of those things that made me happy over there. So I decided that I needed to make Friday Pancakes for myself. It's been a rough couple of days and I just wanted something sweet and delicious to start off my new day.

*Scott has trademarked that name so I hope he doesn't sue me for using it : )

I just use the Aunt Jemima Buttermilk Complete 'Just Add Water' Mix. I used to make pancakes from scratch which is really pretty easy, but why bother when the mix is so good and inexpensive.

So really not too much of a recipe needed. Just follow the instructions on the back of the box depending on how many you want to make. However, I do mash up a fairly ripe banana (like when they have those brown spots on them) with a fork and add it to the batter before I cook them which I think makes them a little special.

I use a 1/4 cup measuring cup to try and get my pancakes to be the same size. I also think it's important to have a good non-stick griddle and a stove that heats pretty evenly - both of which I do not have. I try to only flip the pancakes once so I wait until they are nice and bubbly on top and cooked on the edges before I flip them.

These were not my best effort, but with some real maple syrup, they sure were tasty.

Add to that an almost perfect cup of espresso for my morning latte, and I am feeling a little better already.

Pork Chops with Mango Chutney...will have to wait

Damien was supposed to be home in time for dinner so I took some pork chops out of the freezer and planned on making a nice dinner for him. But, at about 4pm he called to let me know that his flight was delayed and he'd likely miss his connection to MIA.

Also, I found out tonight that a friend of mine from film school, Michael McLaughlin, passed away this past weekend. He died while on vacation in Mexico with his family. He was snorkeling by himself and something happened to him out in the water. I'm not really clear exactly what happened. So sudden and so sad. Michael was a genuine, funny, sweet man who was always very generous and friendly to me. He was one of the few people who actually wrote to me while I was in Baghdad and we used to send editing jobs each others' way. He was married to an equally sweet woman, Lauren, who I only met once while on a long subway ride up to our Columbia apartments. It hurts to imagine what she must be going through.

So, it's been a rough couple of days and I don't really feel much like cooking. Instead I'll leave the pork chops til tomorrow and tonight I'll just have some canned lentil soup and a half of a whole wheat bagel with cream cheese.

Tomorrow, I need to collect some of the ingredients I'll need for the pork chops. For the mango chutney, I'll need some curry powder, ginger, red onions, cider vinegar, yellow raisins and some red pepper flakes.

I'll get into the recipe tomorrow. For now, just remember to hug your loved ones and to tell them that you love them.

Ladies Night

Tonight, Damien is away still and I have to go to a Ladies Night/Birthday Drinks thing for my friend, Laura. I love Laura and am excited to help her celebrate since she had her son not to long before I had Balthazar and she has been super helpful to me with lots of advice and baby items that I never would have known I needed. But, I am not in the greatest of moods today and I don't feel so hot.

Poor Baz has been under the weather too and it might be his fault that I am coming down with something - what, with his love of putting his hands in my mouth so I'll pretend like I'm eating them : )

Plus with Damien away it means I have to have a babysitter so that I can go which makes it sort of a splurge and I am a little hesitant to add another splurge to our life. I mean we already added big steak dinners and nicer bottles of wines. Plus there are the baby things and childcare when I'm working and the fact that I have to pay someone $200 on Friday to wall mount our LCD television so that Baz won't accidentally pull the thing on to himself. See, I'm just cranky today.

The point of my bitching is that I don't really have a recipe for today. I might enjoy a peanut butter and jelly sandwich when I get home. Or I might be terrible and stop at Taco Bell. Who's gonna stop me?

Damien will be back tomorrow and I will definitely cook something then.

Vegetable Frittata

Damien had to rush up to Pensacola for a story so it looks like I am on my own again for dinner. In fact, Bazzy will likely go to bed a little early since he had a little bit of a rough day. Aside from missing his Daddy, he had his 6-month immunizations today. While it certainly was no repeat of the first immunizations (when he freaked out a few hours after the shots from the throbbing pain in his leg), he definitely got a little sore late in the day and needed a lot of comforting, in addition to a dose of Tylenol. Poor baby.

So, since I am by myself and since I have a nice crusty french baguette as inspiration, I am going to make a frittata with some of the fresh veggies I have in the fridge. What's nice about it is that I can make enough for just one person but it's still nutritious and tasty.

This is what I'll do:

Vegetable Frittata
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 yellow or red pepper
3 or 4 chopped asparagus spears
2 tablespoons diced onion
1/4 cup cauliflower florets
(Really any vegetables you have in the fridge will do. These are just the ones I have and like)
salt and pepper
3 eggs
1 tablespoon milk or cream
3 tablespoons shredded or soft cheese (I'm using Gouda, but I wish I had some Chevre.)

Preheat the broiler or the oven at 425 degrees.

Heat up the oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the vegetables and saute until they soften a bit. It takes about 5 to 7 minutes. Season the veggies with a little bit of salt and pepper to taste. Lower the heat to a low setting.

In a bowl, use a fork to whisk the eggs with the milk. Pour egg mixture into the skillet. Use a wooden spoon or spatula to scrape the bottom of the pan and cook the eggs. Sprinkle the cheese on the eggs. When there are lumps of cooked egg, but they are still very wet on top (after about 2 minutes), move the entire skillet to the oven. Broil or bake for about 5 minutes.

I also put a big old chunk of that baguette I mentioned in the oven with the eggs. This makes it nice and crispy and warm.

Remove the eggs and bread from the oven and let it sit for a minute or two. And voila! An easy dinner for one. Of course, just add a few more eggs and you've got dinner for two or three or four too.

**Be super careful with the handle of the skillet. It's probably very hot and once when I was very sleep deprived I frickin' burned the hell out of my hand by forgetting and grabbing it (on the stove, not from the oven. I wasn't that tired.)

Honey Soy Glazed Salmon

Tonight is very special. For one thing Damien is cooking for me. He is making his famous Honey Soy Glazed Salmon which is really spectacular.

And then, the other more exciting news is that I became an aunt today for the very first time. My brother, Raul and his beautiful wife, Meera welcomed their first son this afternoon and the whole family could not be prouder. I'll leave the details for later, but mom and baby (and dad, of course) are doing great.

Let's get back to the recipe now. Damien found this recipe on epicurious and adapted it to suit our taste.

Honey Soy Glazed Salmon
3 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons soy sauce
fresh lime juice of one lime (should be about 2 tablespoons)
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon water
dusting of flour
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 pound salmon fillets

Put honey, soy sauce, lime juice, dijon mustard and water in a plastic container with lid. Shake the container to mix well.

Remove the skin from the salmon and dust both sides of the fish with a little bit of flour.

Heat up the vegetable oil in a skillet big enough to fit the salmon. Heat the oil on high heat until the oil is hot but not smoking. Place the salmon fillets in the skillet and cook until they are golden brown and cooked through which should take about two or three minutes on each side. Remove the fillets from the skillet and put aside.

Pour the honey soy glaze mixture into the skillet and simmer for one minute. Pour the glaze over the salmon.

Tonight Damien served with a side of string beans (I know, we eat a lot of string beans) and some coconut rice which was a bit of an experiment that generally worked.

Here is how we made it:

Coconut Rice
1 cup water
1 cup coconut milk
1 cup rice
2 tablespoons shredded coconut

Bring the water and coconut milk to a boil. Stir in the rice and shredded coconut and return to a boil. Lower heat to low setting and cook for 20 minutes.

Next time I think we will use coconut water instead of coconut milk. I also think we will try and toast the coconut in a bit of butter in the pot before we add the water and coconut water. And we should maybe try using jasmine rice next time, too.

We also drank a glass or two of Verdejo, a white Spanish wine, that went perfectly with the sweet dish.

It was a delicious dinner and I thank Damien for making it. I also thank him for cleaning up after himself.

(500) Days of Summer

It's Sunday which means that Damien and I have ordered our usual Sunday night pizza from Pizzafiore.

We also have a new Sunday tradition: We go to the movies! See, before Baz was born, we used to go to the movies all of the time. I mean, we'd see at least one movie a week. We vowed that when Baz was born, we wouldn't give it up. Somehow we'd need to get Baz used to the movie theater because we were taking him with us.

We did try. During those first couple of months we took him to see a couple of films. We figured that going to the first showing on a Monday morning would be safe. The theater would be e

mpty. That and pick a not so popular movie - I am ashamed to admit that his first film was He's Just Not That Into You. And he did pretty well. I only had to leave the theater once when he started crying and when I got him securely fastened to my boob out in the hallway, I was able to get back into the theater and finish the movie. (It's not like the plot was so hard to follow.)

But, then Damien had to go back to work so the Monday morning matinee was out. And we could never muster the courage to try at another, potentially busier time of day. It seemed like our movie-going life was gone forever - or at least until we could hire a dependable babysitter.

After a few months, we decided to give something else a try - One of us would go see the movie while the other watched the boy and then we'd switch places. That way we could both see the movie and then talk about it after we both had a chance to see it. Well, two weeks later, it totally works!

Last week we saw The Hurt Locker (which was actually really good) and this week we saw a much lighter movie - (500) Days of Summer. Maybe it's just because I love going to the movie so much and I am so happy to be back at them, but I really enjoyed it.

That Joseph Gordon-Levitt is way more charming and adorable than I ever thought he could be when he was on that stupid 3rd Rock show. And it was so refreshing to see a romantic comedy that was in any way surprising. So, I highly recommend it. Not just the movie. Splitting up the childcare duties and discussing over dinner once baby is asleep has turned out to be a perfect way to get back in the movie saddle.

Tomorrow: We're cooking something. Not sure what yet, but I am sure I'll come up with something.

Chicken Cordon Bleu - Diana Style

First of all, I need to take two boneless, skinless chicken breasts out of the freezer right now before I forget. They're defrosting in the refrigerator. Now I can relax.

Damien is coming home tonight which makes me happy. I had a busy couple of days so it wasn't too bad, but I miss him and wouldn't mind having a little back-up for the boy. Baz slept great the first night Damien was gone, but last night he woke up at about 1am. I tried to let him fall back to sleep on his own, but after about 10 minutes I went in there and discovered he had peed through his diaper and pajamas and was really in a state. So, I cleaned him and cuddled with him for a few minutes before putting him back to bed. He was alright after that. Well, until about 7:10am.

In honor of Damien's return, I thought I'd make one of his favorite old stand-bys. I like to call it Chicken Cordon Bleu, but since I use prosciutto and fresh mozzarella instead of regular ham and swiss cheese, I guess it's not really chicken cordon bleu.

Regardless (or irregardless, as they say in Massachusetts) it's simple to make and sort of impressive looking. Here's how I do it:

Chicken Cordon Bleu - Diana Style

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1/4 cup of flour

1 egg

2 tablespoons of milk

1 cup Italian breadcrumbs

4 slices of thinly sliced prosciutto

2 - 1/4 inch slices of fresh mozzarella

1 tablespoon butter

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cut the chicken breasts lengthwise so that you can fold them open to stuff. Beat the egg with milk until frothy. Coat the chicken breasts with a light layer of the flour. Then dip the floured chicken breasts in the egg mixture. Fully coat the egged chicken breasts in the Italian breadcrumbs both on the outside and inside the split.

Lay the chicken so that they are butterflied. Place two slices of prosciutto inside the fold of the chicken breasts. Then place one slice of cheese on each breast. Fold the chicken breasts so that they are now stuffed with the prosciutto and cheese.

Place the two chicken breasts in a baking dish small enough to keep them assembled. Cut a pat of butter for each breast and place it on the top center of the breasts.

Cover the chicken with aluminum foil, loose enough so that it does not touch the top of the breasts. Cook in the oven for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and cook for 5 more minutes. (The cooking time can vary a bit depending on the thickness and defrosting status of your chicken. You might need a few more minutes than this. I did tonight.)

While the chicken is cooking, I make the Chicken Seasoned Rice that I also made to go with the Chicken with Mango and Peach Salsa. And I also make a steamed vegetable - Tonight I think I'll make steamed string beans sauteed with a little bit of garlic.

It's really simple and delicious. Damien's gonna love it especially if I follow it up with some Haagen Dazs Dulce de Leche and Caramel Cone ice cream.

Update - Peanut Butter and Jelly

Okay, so I didn't have pesto for dinner tonight. I had a peanut butter and jelly sandwich with half of a baked sweet potato and some broccoli. It's the kind of dinner Damien absolutely hates. It makes him sick just hearing about it. But, I liked it. It's just what I wanted.

For some reason I've been craving peanut butter and jelly lately. This was my third sandwich this week. But I was afraid it wouldn't be enough, because I was also starving. (I fit in a short run before the babysitter finished her shift.) So I threw in the sweet potato and broccoli because they also offered some nutrition. Plus now I have the other half of the sweet potato for Bazzy. He loves sweet potatoes.

On another note, John Hughes died today. I'm so sad. His movies had a huge impact on my adolescence and he is even the reason I ended up working the film business. See John Hughes went to my high school in Chicago and he liked to shoot his high school movies there. During recess one day while I was at Maple Junior High School (which was right across the street), we all got to watch as Mr. Hughes directed a scene for Ferris Bueller's Day Off involving that beautiful red Ferarri. At one point, a production assistant came over and told us that when we went to the theater to watch the movie, we should remember that the scene had to be re-shot because of us - a bunch of excited 12 year olds who couldn't be quiet. We did remember. When what seemed like the whole town of Northbrook went to a screening of the movie, we all clapped and cheered throughout as our town, school and even our friends showed up on screen during the now classic film. I thought, wow, one day I want to be a part of this. Not to mention that Sixteen Candles was and still is one of my favorite movies ever!

He was only 59 which is not really helping this heightened sense of mortality I've been feeling since Baz was born.

RIP John Hughes.

Pasta with Ready-Made Pesto

Since Damien is still away, I'm gonna keep it simple tonight and just make some pasta and toss it in a ready-made pesto sauce that we always keep in the refrigerator for just such nights.

I like to use the Contadina Buitoni brand pesto that you find in the refrigerator section of the supermarket rather than the ones you can find in jars in the pasta section. It just tastes better.

But, I also should say that making your own pesto is really easy and delicious. You just need to have a bunch of fresh basil. Unfortunately, our beautiful basil did not survive our trip to New York. A few scorching Miami days and it was fried. And I'm feeling too damn lazy to run out and buy some at the supermarket.

So there.

Home Game

Yesterday I sat down and read a book! I know, it's crazy. But, Baz decided to take a really long nap, like 2 hours, and so I read. And I want to recommend the book.

Michael Lewis' Home Game was just what the doctor ordered. Damien bought it awhile back (since he is addicted to ordering books from Amazon) and then my friend, Annie was talking about seeing Michael Lewis on some television talk show and how interesting the book looked. (I think at the time we were also talking about how her 2 year old daughter, Rosie, was on a strictly french fry and gummy vitamin diet.)

The book was funny and honest and inspiring. We're all idiots when it comes to parenting, yet most of us will raise pretty good kids. It's nice to be reminded of that every once in a while especially when it's in a well-written and entertaining form by a guy who is definitely a lot smarter than I am. Not to mention it's also short enough to read in a sitting or two.

So, check it out if you get a chance.

Leftover - Hearts of Palm

As I mentioned earlier, we had the fabulous Miso Glazed Chilean Sea Bass last night. I would have let it sit another day, but Damien is going on a reporting trip to St. Louis today, so I wanted to make sure he got to enjoy one of our favorite meals.

Since he's gone today, Baz and I are suffering from withdrawal and uninspired to cook. So I think I am going to make use of some of our leftovers. We have some chicken left and I think I'll remove the fried skin part, shred the chicken and make a chicken salad out of it by adding some mayonnaise, onion, mustard and maybe some cut up grapes or raisins. Then I'll cut up some lettuce and other salad fixings like avocado and top it with the chicken salad.

One salad ingredient that I love and is not as common up north as it is here in Florida is Hearts of Palm. Yummy. They come in a can packed in water. (Baz is holding a can in the picture above.) I prefer to buy them uncut and slice them before adding to my salads. They really make a salad special.

Publix Fried Chicken and Wasabi Mashed Potatoes

I know, I know, I didn't write a post yesterday which goes against everything I wanted this to be.

I'll just quickly fill you in on what we did for dinner. See I was waiting for my miso glaze to really soak in to my Chilean sea bass fillets. So, on Monday night I did something a little bad, but so good. I went and picked up an 8 piece fried chicken box from our local Publix.

This is a really delicious quick dinner fix. Damien and I do it every so often, usually on days that I hit the supermarket anyway. They have both rotisserie and fried chicken, but since the fried was on sale I went with that one. The rotisserie is wonderful though and I imagine a wee bit healthier.

Then I pick up a side of cole slaw, macaroni and cheese and I'll steam a vegetable. This time I made broccoli. And that's it. Dinner in a few minutes.

Then last night I was ready to make my favorite meal. The miso glaze was soking in to the fish for two days. It was time!

I also was able to make the wasabi mashed potatoes because of my Japanese market find.

Wasabi Mashed Potatoes
8-10 small red creamer potatoes
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 clove of garlic
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup milk
2 tablespoons sour cream
salt and pepper
1 teaspoon wasabi paster or 1 tablespoon wasabi powder

Boil the little red creamer potatoes (I peel them half way so there is not too much skin when I mash them) for about 15 minutes. After pouring them into the colander, use the same pot to saute some garlic in a little bit of olive oil. When the garlic is just browning, return the potatoes to the pot and add some milk, butter and a tablespoon or two of sour cream. Mash the potatoes with a potato masher until smooth. Sprinkle some salt and a little bit of pepper on the potatoes. Then squeezed about a teaspoon of wasabi into the potatoes and mix.


They were delicious and the perfect compliment to the Miso Glazed Chilean Sea Bass along with some steamed aspargus. I think next time I'll try a little bit more wasabi, but it definitely had the flavor I was looking for. And Damien loved it!

Japanese Market

I got a bunch of work done this morning so when the babysitter came today at 3pm, I took the opportunity to run out to this Japanese Market that I had heard about. I needed some more miso paste (since I forgot to take a photo of it before I threw out the package) and knew they would have it. Besides, I've been wanting to see what this place was all about.

For those of us who live in Miami, WHAT A FIND!!! I loved this place. It is literally just a Japanese market that seems to stock anything you could possibly need for Japanese cooking. But, it is located in this weird little mall next door to a beauty and massage school. Only in Miami. I never would have found it without Google Maps.

They also have a wonderful little sushi bar there that I have to go back and try out. I've heard good things about it, and I am sure it is the most authentic you can find here.

Anyway, just wanted to share. I bought some wasabi too so now I can make wasabi mashed potatoes....

Miso Glazed Chilean Sea Bass

Once upon a time, Damien and I were the type of people who would show up at a restaurant like Nobu on a random Wednesday or Thursday night to splurge on a fabulous meal. During one such visit, I discovered Miso Glaze. Wanting to try something besides the wonderful sushi there, we asked the waiter for a suggestion. He highly recommended the Miso Glazed Black Cod. Not being the biggest cod fan, I wasn't so sure about it, but he REALLY loved it. So, we ordered it.

Well, it was just about the best thing I've ever eaten. And it turns out black cod is actually sablefish which is not really a part of the cod family at all -- although I have come to appreciate cod as well. But, that's beside the point.

Now life has changed and I don't get to make last minute decisions like that night not very long ago. Instead I make it myself for a romantic dinner at home or to impress friends. Turns out that if I plan a little ahead and can find the ingredients, it's freakin' easy to make.

Here's how I do it:

Miso Glazed Chilean Sea Bass

1/3 cup saki - or maybe a little more : )

1/3 cup mirin

1 cup miso paste

2/3 cup sugar

1 pound Chilean Sea Bass

The hardest part about this recipe is finding the ingredients. Mirin is a sweet Japanese cooking wine that I have been able to find at regular grocery stores. And sake can be found at most liquor stores. The miso paste can be a little more challenging if you live outside of large metropolitan areas. I buy it at Whole Foods, but when I lived in New York, they carried it at my local bodega and at Fresh Direct. It is often kept in the refrigerator section with other soy products, like tofu.

Once you've found all of your ingredients, it's quite simple. In a medium saucepan, bring the saki and mirin to a boil. Let it boil for 20 seconds to let the alcohol evaporate. Remove from heat and add the miso paste stirring it so that it will dissolve in the liquid. Put it over low heat if the mixture cools too much and the miso stops dissolving. Once it is smooth, put the pot back on the high heat and return it to a boil, stirring it constantly so it won't burn. Slowly add the sugar, stirring well and letting the sugar dissolve. The mixture will start to look a bit shiny, like a glaze. Remove from heat and let the glaze cool to room temperature.

This recipe makes enough miso glaze for about 1 pound of fish.

You can use this with all sorts of different fish but the black cod works particularly well as does regular cod. But, I found some frozen Chilean sea bass at Costco the other day, so I am going to make it with that. It has as similar texture and subtle flavor that's quite good for the glaze.

Pat the fish dry with some paper towels. Place the pieces in a one gallon size, ziplock freezer bag or some other non-reactive container that will fit in your fridge. When the miso glaze has cooled to room temperature, pour the the glaze over the fish in the bag. Make sure the pieces are fully coated. Zip up the bag and put it in the refrigerator to marinate. The longer the better. I'm talking two or three days. But, if you can only do one, well, that's okay. It'll still taste good.

When you are ready to cook it, preheat the oven to 400 degrees and heat up an oven proof pan on your stove top. I use the All-Clad pan I got for our wedding. Heat the pan over high heat until it is very hot. Remove the fish from the bag a let the excessive glaze drip off of it. Place the fish in the pan and sear it for a few minutes on one side only.

Once the fish is seared on one side, put the whole pan in the pre-heated oven. Cook the fish for 10 or 12 minutes.

I like to serve the fish over mashed potatoes with a side of steamed asparagus. Even better, make the mashed potatoes with a little bit of wasabi in them. Yummy.

This is definitely one of my favorite meals. It's totally worth the trip to Whole Foods for the miso paste. Just try not to get suckered into all the other delicious-looking but overpriced items there.

**NOTE: Miso Paste lasts, like, forever. Okay, so really about a year. But, since it is a pain to find this is good because you can buy a big container of it and keep in your fridge for those days when you are craving a little miso.

Sunday Update

It's Sunday and I'm sad that the weekend is coming to a close. It's been a really good weekend mostly because it felt totally normal. Okay, so in the past, pre-baby, we probably would have slept a lot later than 7am. But, getting up early is unexpectedly nice. We've been going to the beach first thing, which is just lovely in the morning. Today we even met up with Laura and her son, Joaquin, for a little while. Of course, Damien had to leave us to go get a facial at the Delano's spa, Aqua. Fancy, right? I had given him a gift certificate for his birthday a couple of months ago so it's about time he took advantage of it. It's something he enjoyed when we were on a break from Iraq. We'd always hit the Dead Sea after a tour and pamper ourselves. So, this facial at the Delano was a way to remember what we were like before the baby.

We braved the unpredictable baby mood swings with an outing to Coconut Grove to meet up with some friends at Scotty's Landing. It's a wonderful dockside spot behind the Grove Harbor Marina. We shared some peel-n-eat shrimp and Damien had a burger. They have Newcastle on tap there, so I like it! And since it is outdoors and casual, it's a great spot for kids.

So, while it is sometime really difficult to get everyone out the door, both outing were well worth the effort. It's great to connect with friends, especially those going through similar things - like dealing with sometimes cranky, unpredictable babies.

I'd also like to update on the Chicken with Mango and Peach Salsa. You know, it was pretty good!! Really tasty. I marinated it for about an hour. When you sear it, or anything for that matter, make sure you get the pan really, really hot. I test it by sprinkling a bit of water on it. If the water immediately sizzles and evaporates, you are good to go. Also, before I put the chicken in the oven, I put a little bit more, spoonfuls of the chunky salsa on it for the texture. I also covered the baking dish with some aluminum foil until the last 5 minutes so that it would stay moist. It worked. The only thing I think I would change next time is to make it with beans and rice rather than the regular chicken flavored that I made. And again, I wonder if it would have been even better with a bone-in piece of chicken.

On Sunday's we have a tradition of ordering pizza. We usually order a half Hawaiian, half peperoni and mushroom large pie (ordered well done because, according to Damien, the pineapple on the Hawaiian half causes the whole pizza to undercook) and a Greek salad from Pizzafiore (on 71st Street in Miami Beach). Since we are from New York, we don't really think the pizza in Miami can compare, but Pizzafiore is not bad.

Tomorrow morning, look for a recipe prep for another dinner this week - Miso Glazed Chilean Sea Bass. Ooooh-la-la!