Sleeping With The Dishes

      Being the new girl is something that I am no stranger to. In fact, I do and can play the role very well. Funny when you become an adult, people rarely shed their defense mechanisms, those barriers that protect the real person that you are. We all could learn valuable lessons from going back to kindergarten.

     Walking into a new kitchen always has its pros and cons and this past week, I remained grateful to have a job and tried to only focus on that aspect. I am not going to say that it was all wine and roses and I am not going to say it was all a bad dream. It is a new chapter in my book and I welcome the blessings and challenges that it may bring.

     Change is scary, but fear is just that energy in motion, don't give it the fuel to move. Sometimes it is easier said than done. My fortitude has been tested these past two months, and at times it has been hard to see the silver lining. I knew going into a new kitchen, I would be on the outside looking in. It kind of feels like you are the last person being picked for a game of kickball. Been there, done that. Being a military brat I stood alone many times. It will just take some time.

     So now on to more exciting news than my popularity.  The Putney Co op is like a chef's Disney World, like Christmas everyday from a gastronomic standpoint. Sometimes, I can hardly contain my need to giggle and clap my hands like a hyper four year old on a sugar bender. I walked by a case of Maytag blue cheese and I just wanted to hug it.That is only the cheese. The possibilities are endless, and it seems my silver lining has just passed over like Haley's Comet.

     So I did tell you that is was not all wine and roses right? Here is the part that was like the customer that doesn't get the hint that it is time to go home. Gluten free!!! Many patrons of the Co op are, 1. very food conscious, 2. very food conscious and finally 3. don't mess with it. Lots of gluten free, and vegans. Yikes I feel that fear in motion. I have been working with all fat, added fat and a side of fat for so many years that gluten free never passed my lips.

     It will be a humbling learning experience. That being said, this is not the challenging part, the challenging part is baking a good product, in a wildly erratic oven, that only has one shelf reserved for you, and throw in a couple of people continuously opening and closing the said oven and right there folks is the "recipe for disaster". Yes ma'am that stings like salt in a wound. This little dynamic only gives those that are further up on the food chain than myself, fodder to run with. Murphy's Law should have been overruled.

Farewell to Fat Pepperoni Rolls

2 cups King Arthur All Purpose Flour
1 tablespoon Fleischmann's Dry Active Yeast
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp sugar
1 cup warm water(110F to 115F)
1/4 to 1/3 cup olive oil
1 pound pepperoni, sliced or unsliced
1 cup mozzarella or parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon EVOO (like Rachel Ray says)

In a mixing bowl fashioned with a dough hook, add all the dry ingredients, including the yeast. Combine the warm water and olive oil and pour into mixing bowl.  Turn the machine on low and mix until the dough pulls cleanly from the sides.  At this point you might have to add more flour, just add a little at a time, like 1 or 2 tbs at a time. When the dough is elastic and no longer is sticky to the touch, oil the same bowl that you mixed the dough in, cover with a towel and set in a warm place, until doubled in size.  Punch down and your ready for cheese and your favorite toppings.  Good hot oven is the key to getting a good rise and browning, anything over 400F is a good starting point.

Now portion the dough into the size pepperoni rolls that suit you. Roll out your dough and brush with the olive oil lightly and sprinkle with cheese, layer with pepperoni. Wrap like a burrito and seal edges, and place on a cookie sheet seam side down. Repeat until all dough and ingredients are used up. Bake in a 400F oven until golden brown and serve with your favorite marinara sauce .

A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort.  ~Herm Albright, quoted in Reader's Digest, June 1995
    

Red Hot Relaxation

     Random acts of kindness is just the medicine the world needs. During Christmas, we can lose sight of the real reason for the season. Only having the last 6 years worth of Christmases off, I can relate with the sentiment. This weekend, I visited my sister and parents in Maine. I make the annual trek, over the White Mountains, the first weekend in December. My niece was born on Christmas day, so not to crowd and already crowded holiday, we celebrate her birthday on the first weekend in December. I can relate to sharing your birthday with Christmas. I was born December 19th, and my parties usually were small, because well it is the busiest time of the year. My mother makes my favorite cake. I am one of those chefs that adore cakes with jello in it and covered in Cool Whip. Yum, yum.

    I am a neurotic driver, I can torment myself, with no help from other drivers. The drive to my sister's is not that bad now, because my car is smaller. When you are short and you are driving a big ginormous vehicle, you feel just a bit out of control. Last year, in St. Johnsbury, Vermont I just about took out my undercarriage trying to play frogger with the entrance ramp. But that is all behind me now, with my new smaller car. My 6'1" hubby is not too keen on the idea, he says it is a "chic car", I think it is because we no longer have a 4.2 liter Vortex engine.

     Maine is a great state gastronomically,the most obvious reason is the lobsters. But if you are like me and not into sea bound rats, then lobsters are not the deal maker. Maine however should really work on establishing themselves as the Whoopie Pie Capital of the World. That one, I can certainly vouch for. Every Mom and Pop shop, diner, and gas station has the most exquisite collection of Whoopie pies in the world. Gorgeous pies with fluffly fillings, these are the brain child of bakers in Maine that get little or no exposure for their epiphany. One other food about Maine that my boys adore is the wide availability of Red Hot hotdogs . These hotdogs blindfolded are just like any other hotdog. But, if eaten in Maine on a beautiful hot summer day, with the grill smoke trailing the air, and crisp sweet local corn slathered in fresh creamery butter this otherwise unnoticed hotdog takes on royal status. Maybe that is the secret to the lobster pounds that polka dot the countryside.

     Rumford, Maine needs a culinary 911 to come to town. This is not to say that the places in Rumford like Brian's Bistro , Dick's Restaurant(btw excellent place for breakfast), and the Chicken Coop are not great places to eat. The economy has made it impossible for culinary talent to take root in the area of  Rumford and Mexico, Maine. It is a shame too, because this place is in desperate need of a culinary makeover. A step in the right direction is 49 Franklin. This business is built into a renovated Methodist Church. It basically is a shell, waiting for the oyster. They provide the space, the food, the drinks, you bring the memories. My sister had her daughter's party there. For 19 bouncy children this space is far better than, my sister cleaning and recleaning her home, because she would.

     Bottom line is, I had a super time, with my sons and my family. I am blessed. It is small things that count. The red hot hotdogs landed in Brattleboro, very nicely and I racked my brain for a recipe that would be complimentary and awesome, all at the same time.. So here it goes.

Paige's wrapped stadium dog

12 pre-fried onion rings

1 can Pillsbury pizza crust

4 red hot hotdogs

8 sticks of string cheese

2 green peppers, sliced and sauteed

1 bottle Russian dressing

1/4 cup prepared horseradish

4 healthy shakes hot sauce

Remove the pizza dough, and spread out, roll slightly. Divide into four equal pieces. Cut onion rings in half, we don't want them to tear the dough. Cut the string cheese in half lengthwise. Place hotdog at one end of the dough, top with 1/4 of the sauteed green peppers, 4 cut fried onion rings, and 2 string cheese sticks cut in half. Roll the contents, in the fashion of a burrito sealing the seam by pinching it together. Bake at 425F for 15 to 18 minutes or until crust is golden brown. Mix the russian dressing with the horseradish and hot sauce and use as dipping sauce.

A nickel will get you on the subway, but garlic will get you a seat.~Old New York Proverb

Never say Never

     Well I did it, I went ice skating , definitely wobbly at first. But as I got my sea legs under me, I started to do better, felt a bit more confident, and thus enjoyed myself. There is something about gliding free along the ice, cold air hitting you in the face, that smacks the child awake in you. I felt just like the kids that were enjoying their last hours of Thanksgiving break, I was in the moment, I wasn't dwelling on the past, I wasn't worrying about the future, I was just skating! I think that everyone should reconnect with things that made them happy as children.

     Skating made me happy, I remember figure skating on Lake Minnetonka in the dead of winter, with my sister and having the time of my life. Nobody mentioned that when you become adults, and I mean the kind of adult that has little ones that you are responsible for, that you lose some of the magical pixie dust that allowed you to let your guard down, have fun and laugh. We are so unnecessarily wrapped up into what others think about us, that is paralyzes us from doing what we really want to do.

     I have made a promise to myself today, no more sitting on the sidelines, with the should haves, could haves, and would haves. I am wasting precious time. Time that does not get a "Do Over". Perhaps I might have had an epiphany today. My eyes are open, I am listening, and life has my attention. The secret to happiness, has been right under our noses all along, and that is seeing the world as your child does. With no expectations, just letting life play out as it should.

     I knew at a very young age, that I wanted to be a chef. I can't even really tell you why, it just felt right. It is not most glamourous job, don't let Food Network fool you. Sometimes it is closer to Hell's Kitchen, you never know when you will cross paths with a megalomanical chef, who reaps entertainment  from driving you past your limit.  It is part of the atmosphere, if you are scared and the Executive chef can sense it, he or she will use it to either push you out the door, or push you to do better and grow a backbone. You sweat non-stop in the summer, you smell like a french fry 90% percent of the time, and no one recognizes you in street clothes. But you learn valuable lessons that are very important in life. You form important bonds with people that help you along in your career, and you grow in your craft by the people that you surround yourself with. Don't be afraid to try new things. Remember that it is only food, and fear stops progress. If you have always wanted to cook a huge roast beast, or a spectacular seven course meal, you can, you just have to believe. What follows is my recipe for black bean hummus, which is great with those new artisan roasted garlic and black bean tortilla chips, or if you are comfortable with frying,you can fry some jalapeno cheddar chips using fresh flour tortillas.

Black Bean Hummus

2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed

1/2 cup tahini paste

1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
2 healthy shakes of hot sauce

1 tsp dark chili powder

1/2 tsp tumeric

1 tsp dried basil

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

juice of one lemon

5 cloves fresh garlic

salt and pepper to taste

1/4 cup extra sharp cheddar

In a food processor, place all ingredients, and blend on medium speed. Might have to stop during the process to redistribute the hummus to get a smooth final product. If it seems dry, add more olive oil and lemon juice to achieve a smoother hummus. Place in a bowl and top with the cheddar and serve.

Good for the body is the work of the body, and good for the soul is the work for the soul, and good for either is the work of the other. ~ Henry David Thoreau



Life's a Witch and then you fly........

Hello Me Pretties, One thing, that you did not know about me was that I was born in Danvers, Massachusetts, which is just a stone's throw from Salem. The Witch City and unofficial Halloween Mecca. The town was made legendary by the Salem Witch Trials, and quite possibly the most remarkable example of injustice, and the infamous case of mass hysteria.

     Salem Village in 1692, was a rather new settlement and there was an abundance of bickering between neighbors over property lines, the livestock grazing problem was widespread, and the church was not fully supported. The tension within the village was unwavering. Salem village was Puritan and extreme in their way of thinking. Life revolved around the meeting house, all roots to Paganism were strictly forbidden. These strict principles added to the community's stresses. Women were considered lustful in nature and believed to enlist the Devil's comfort. Rumors of witchcraft surfaced.

     The terrible events began to manifest. Spiteful little girls afraid of being punished for taking delight in the mesmerizing stories that Tituba the minister's slave from Barbados told. Ultimately it was the fear of being caught "dancing"  that claimed 25 lives. Nineteen were hanged at Gallows Hill, one man Giles Corey was tortured, crushed to death . Because he refused to enter a plea. Five others including a baby, died in prison.

     During Halloween, it is more exciting to scare the pants off yourselves. What better way than traveling to Salem and experiencing the 400 yr old spooky town. The main attraction is Salem Witch Museum where visitors are given a dramatic overview of the Witch Trials of 1692. Come face to face with the characters of The Witch Trials at the Salem Wax Museum, and  Watch Salem's only live 4D witchcraft and ghost performance with spectacular special effects and creatures that cruise the audience, for that up close and personal scare, at  The Witches Cottage at The Griffen Theatre. When you are all scared out and need a bit of refueling ,check out In a Pig's Eye for a hearty slow roasted pork loin sandwich with tangy maple Barbecue sauce.  Come relax, sit back and enjoy the experience of the Witch City.

Country Fair Style Kettle Corn

1/3 cup corn oil

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup popcorn kernels

salt to taste

Over medium heat, heat the oil in a study, heavy bottomed pot with a tight fitting lid. Drop in two or three popcorn kernels to test the oil. When the kernels pop add the sugar and popcorn, add cover and shake until the popping stops. Remove from heat and pour into a large bowl. The popcorn will be very hot and sticky due to the sugar. So chill a few minutes until it is safe to handle.

The cardiologist's diet: If it tastes good, spit it out.~Author Unknown

Carving a niche in History!!!!

     Do you like Pumpkins? In New Hampshire there is a very special Halloween event held late in October. It is held in Keene, New Hampshire on one of the quintessential New England Main Streets, adorned with a nostalgic white clapboard church steeple, maple trees set the landscape ablaze with red,orange and gold.  This is an all day event that starts at 10 am and lasts until after 9pm.  Festivities include music, fireworks, food, competitions and of course, the largest number of jack-o'lanterns assembled in one place.  It truly is an awe inspiring event. Everyone, and I mean everyone is invited to bring carved pumpkins, where they are taken and assembled along the street and placed on large scaffolding.

     Thousands flock to this event, and Main Street is host to people dressed in costumes,children trick or treating, a pumpkin pie eating contest, a pumpkin seed spitting contest, food vendors and a Museum of Pumpkin Oddities, assembled especially for the season's most unique and strangest pumpkins. As the sun begins to set, volunteers begin the monumental task of lighting all the pumpkins.  There are an estimated 30,000 pumpkins to light.   Only to be outdone by the crowds of people,  70,000 fans gather together to be mesmerized by the tiny twinkling tea lights. That is more than the estimated 65,000 baseball fans that filled Fenway Stadium during a Red Sox and Yankees brawl.
     The first festival was held in 1991 and only 600 lonely jack-o'lanterns, stared out into the crowd. However, Keene would not be swayed, the following year in 1992 Keene made the Guinness Book of World Records for 1,628 pumpkins lit at one time.  The years we made the Record were: 1993, 1994, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2000 and 2003 that is an impressive 8 World Records.  Sadly, we were outdone by Boston in 2006 with Boston lighting 30,128 jack-o'lanterns.

     This past Saturday, October 16th was Keene's 20th annual Pumpkin Fest and to every one's dismay the last festival.  The company, Center Stage has bowed out of organizing future festivals, which will infinitely impact merchants and businesses in the years to come, not to mention the end of an event that gave the quintessential New England town with its white clapboard church steeple identity.  Being a military brat and never having a town or area that I could call my own, the year that I attended my first festival, I was hooked and enchanted.  However, crowd control was difficult.  I recommend doing it without wee ones...and definitely, don't forget some french fries from the Hinsdale Fire Department's booth, tell Stephanie, Paige sent you. Their fries are hot, homemade, hand cut ,  and on a cold fall evening, nothing is better than sharing hot fries and ketchup, sipping apple cider and watching the fireworks with someone you "Heart".

Spicy "Hellfire" roasted pumpkin seeds

Extract seeds from pumpkin
Separate the pulp from seeds and wash the seeds thoroughly in warm water
Put seeds in a bowl and add 1/4 cup salt and 6 cups water, let soak overnight
In the morning, drain the seeds and lay out to dry on paper towels
In a bowl combine, 1/4 cup melted butter
                                 1/2 tsp Tabasco brand Chipotle sauce
                                 1 tsp cayenne pepper
                                 1 tsp red pepper flakes
                                 1 tsp Chipotle powder
                                 1/4 tsp or less Tabasco brand Habanero sauce
                                 1/2 tsp ground cumin
                                 1 tablespoon dark chili powder
                                 salt to taste
Place pumpkin seeds in a bowl, combine the melted butter and Tabasco sauces, and drizzle over the seeds and mix well. Combine all spices and sprinkle over seeds and again mix well, tossing to coat seeds evenly. Bake at 300F for 35 to 45 minutes until golden brown and crispy, halfway through you want to stir the seeds through the baking process, for even toasting.

A diet is the penalty we pay for exceeding the feed limit.~Author Unknown.

Hot Diggity Dogs !!!

Hot dogs are synonymous with summer.  What a better way to kick off the first day of summer than with the almighty hot dog.
When we think of hot dogs, we think of baseball, barbecues and summertime. But what are hot dogs?  Simply put hot dogs are cooked sausages made of a combination of beef, pork, turkey, chicken or just all beef, which is cured, smoked and cooked.  Seasonings vary from brand to brand with the majority of them including salt,pepper, garlic , nutmeg and dry mustard.  The seasonings are what sets hot dogs apart from each other.

Coney Island for some,is the home of the hot dog and one man Charles Feltman(1841-1910) a German butcher opened up a hot dog stand in Brooklyn, New York. He sold 3,684 sausages served in his warm rolls in the first year of operation. A employee of  Mr. Feltman , Nathan Handwerker(1892-1974) stepped away from Feltman, and founded with his wife Ida, Nathan's Famous, Inc., home of the World's Greatest Hot Dog.  Nathan sold his hot dogs for 5 cents a piece.  It is said that then is where the line was drawn.  Eddie Cantor(1892-1964)actor and Jimmy Durante(1893-1980)comedian and musician harbored a grudge against the flourishing business of Charles Feltman and suggested to Nathan that he sell his dogs for half of what Feltman sold them for. To add to that Nathan hired a  up and coming redhead Clara Bowtiinelli(1905-1965) who later became Clara Bow a famous silent film actress. So you see there was some ties there.  I'm just saying......... Hot dogs have for Nathans' become a annual Fourth of July rite of passage with their Hot Dog Eating Contest at the original stand since 1916.  The 32nd President Franklin D. Roosevelt was so impressed with hot dogs that he wanted to share this American tradition with visiting King George VI(1895-1952) of England and his queen at a picnic at the President's estate in Hyde Park, New York.  The press was in such a twitter about the event that the menu made the front page of the New York Times: 
Menu for Picnic at Hyde Park
Sunday, June 11, 1939
Virginia Ham
Hot Dogs (if weather permits)
Smoked Turkey
Cranberry Jelly
Green Salad
Rolls
Strawberry Shortcake
Coffee, Beer and Soft Drink.
The First Lady was in such a tizzy about the upcoming picnic and the commonness of the  hot dog and she in fact tried to stop the hot dog from being served.  It is a good thing that she was unsuccessful because the King enjoyed them so much he asked for seconds.

How the hot dog came to America is really a mute point now. It's here and thank goodness it is.  Americans will consume 7 billion hot dogs between Memorial Day and Labor Day and on Fourth of July alone 150 million hot dogs will be consumed that is enough hot dogs to stretch from D.C. to L.A. five times over.
                                                       

My doctor told me stop having intimate dinners for four. Unless there are three other people. ~Orson Welles(1915-1985)