Black and White Wednesday and One Year Blogiversary!

Little Pots of Olive Oil

It is hard to believe, or maybe not, that on August 31, 2010 I published my first blog post.  I started this blog as a creative outlet, a way to share recipes with family and friends, to share vacation food experiences, and as an impetus to work on my photography skills.


During this year I've published 263 posts; tried a bunch of new recipes from other bloggers, cookbooks, recipe sites, and magazines; improved the quality of the photos somewhat  (but not as I had hoped); and met (either on line or in person) some great people who are also interested in food, recipes, and blogging.  I've entered and won some contests, placed in the finals of others, published a recipe in a magazine, attended a blogging conference, joined Twitter, created a Facebook page for Eat Little, Eat Big, written a couple of cookbook reviews, participated in new product marketing and blogged about the products, and created some of my own new recipes.  


Starting with my hubby, Mom and kids as my followers, the blog now has 62 followers via Google, 110 via Facebook, and 417 via Foodbuzz-with some duplication between the groups.  I have a "blogging buddy"-mutual online support and encouragement-thanks Steph!

I've participated in a few blog hops and on line culinary photography events.  I've submitted images to some "food porn" sites-and yet to have any accepted!  Oh, not true.  The site that takes all the rejected stuff from the other sites accepts everything I send!

I've tried publishing Monday through Thursday, Monday-Wednesday-Friday, and various other permutations.  I've done photo Friday-my "Picture This" postings where I had planned to really work on the photography skills, but didn't!  Right now I'm enjoying these Black and White Wednesdays postings.

For a while I was sharing what I was finding on other blogs and on the internet once a week with you but haven't done that lately.  I do enjoy that feature on other people's sites-I mean the internet is sooooo big, we can't find all the good stuff on our own, right?  So look for that feature to return this fall.

It's been a fun year.  I'm still enjoying blogging.  I like the progress I've made this year with Eat Little, Eat Big and hope to progress further in the upcoming year.  Thanks for tuning in!  If you have suggestions, constructive criticism, or ideas for this year feel free to share them in the comments.


Submitted to Black and White Wednesdays

Recipe for Orzo with Broccoli, Red Pepper, and Olives

Here’s a quick, easy, and tasty side dish for those dog days of summer.  It goes great with grilled fish or pork chops.

Yield:  4 servings

Time:  15 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 cups cooked orzo,  cooled to room temperature


• 1 cup chopped red bell pepper


• 2 cups cooked, chopped broccoli


• 1 cup chopped kalamata olives


• ¾ cup plain, non-fat Greek yogurt


• 2 TBSP fresh lemon juice


• 1 tsp dried oregano


• Salt and pepper

Method:

• Combine orzo, bell pepper, broccoli and olives.


• Combine yogurt, lemon juice, and oregano.  Mix gently into orzo/veggie mixture.


• Add salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.

What are you serving with your grill food these days?

Printable Recipe

A Trip to Eataly

We were very fortunate earlier this year to take a trip to San Francisco, New York and Atlanta.  San Francisco to see friends and visit some of the old 'hood, New York to explore with friends from Maui who were also in the city, and Atlanta to see family and attend a blogging conference.  We had some amazing food experiences along the way, one of which I want to share with you today.  A trip to Eataly.

Although Mario Batalli and Joe and Lydia Bastianich are the names most closely linked with Eataly, the creator was Mr. Oscar Farinetti.  Located on 5th Avenue in New York, Eataly is a "must do" for any foodie, whether to shop 'til you drop, eat 'til you can eat no more, or just wander around and enjoy the scenery.  We did all three.


There is every kind of foodstuff imaginable-fresh produce, pastries, meat, seafood, cheese, olive oils, jams and honeys, bread, pasta-both fresh and dried, and on and on and on!  There are cookbooks, beer and wine, coffees, and housewares. You can get take out for today's lunch, eat in one of the many restaurants, or shop for home cooking.  There is truly something for everyone and every event!  Mrs. Bastianich conducts cooking lessons at the on-site cooking school.


Words cannot do this place justice so I'll be quiet now and share some of my photos from our visit.  And, if you are in the area, really you must go.   Note to my blogger friend who lives in the area and hasn't gone yet-"really, you  must go!"

Fresh fish.

Looked amazing!

Don't feel like fish, how about some meat?

Beautiful fresh produce.

Fresh pasta.

Italian Ham.

More pork!

Take home chicken.  I wish this was scratch and sniff-the aroma was delightful!

Or perhaps scratch and sniff here?

More cheese!  Yes, please.

Beautiful breads.

One of my take home items, perhaps the best bread I ever ate or a tie with
Tartine's bread (San Francisco)

Lunch-mint and pea ravioli with fava beans. Incredibly simple and tasty.

Another lunch item-vegetarian lasagna.

Something sweet perhaps?

Oh my!

Would you like a closer look at that?

Walls of olive oil.

Shelves of jam, honey, curd.

Dried pasta, every variety.

Retail therapy.

Our post shopping dessert-tiramisu for Mr. ELEB, cannoli for me.

The most beautiful cappuccino!

Amen to that!  (Eataly tee shirt)

Hope you enjoyed that little tour.  I barely scratched the surface so like I said earlier, if you are in the area you should stop by!

Read more about Eataly!

Black and White Wednesdays

Busy Hands Making Bread

Submitted to Black and White Wednesdays

Recipe for Slow Cooker Steak Sammies

Here's another good recipe from A Year of Slow Cooking.  I'm all in to quick and easy these days and this recipe hits all its marks.  Two ingredients in the slow cooker (plus salt and pepper); seven hours later-a flavorful, aromatic, tender pile of beef and peppers just waiting to be plopped on some healthy whole wheat buns with some provolone or pepper Jack cheese.  Yummy!

Time: 5 minutes prep; 7 hours on low in slow cooker
Yield: 8 servings


Ingredients:

• 2 pound chuck roast


• 1 jar (16 ounces) sliced peperoncini


• Salt and pepper


• Pepper Jack and provolone cheese slices


• Whole wheat buns

Method:

• Trim all visible fat from chuck roast.


• Liberally salt and pepper the roast.


• Place roast in slow cooker.


• Pour peperoncini (including liquid) over roast.


• Cook on low for 7 hours.


• Remove and shred meat and then stir back into liquid.


• Toast buns under broiler with a slice of cheese on one half of bun.


• Using a slotted spoon so most of the liquid drains off, place meat on toasted bun and serve.

Are you cooking anything fun in the slow cooker?


Printable Recipe


From A Year of Slow Cooking

Recipe for Godiva Chocolatier French Vanilla Coffee Adult Milkshake

How about a frosty, creamy adult beverage to cool you down?  Thanks to the kind folks at Godiva Coffee and the Foodbuzz Tastemaker program, we were treated to two bags of Godiva Chocolatier Coffee.  These coffees are inspired by Godiva's most popular truffles and make a lovely cup of coffee.  In our care package was a bag of French Vanilla Coffee and one of Chocolate Truffle Coffee-the kitchen smelled amazing when making morning coffee!  This recipe is for a poolside creamy iced drink or an after dinner drink in lieu of dessert.  It's decadent!

Yield: 1 drink
Time: 5 minutes plus time for coffee to cool

Ingredients:

·    8 oz strong brewed Godiva Chocolatier Coffee, French Vanilla, cooled to room temperature

·    Ice

·    ½ cup vanilla gelato

·    Drizzle of coffee hazelnut liqueur (more or less depending on your preference)

·    Dollop of whipped cream

Method:

·    Pour coffee over ice and drain once coffee has chilled.

·    Add chilled coffee and gelato to blender and blend until smooth.

·    Pour into a glass and top with drizzle of liqueur and dollop of whipped cream.

·    Alternatively, include the ice for a more slushy drink.

Printable recipe

I received the two bags of coffee and coupons from Godiva as part of the Tastemaker program.  The opinions and recipe are my own.

Black and White Wednesdays

Pasta Counter at Eataly, NYC

Submitted to Black and White Wednesdays

Recipe for Indian Spiced Beans

A few months ago I saw a couple of mentions of the Secret Recipe Club but didn’t really have time to look into exactly what it was all about.  Until now.  How it works in a nutshell is you sign up to join and are assigned a different blog each month (from another participating blogger).  Once you receive your assignment, you choose any recipe to make from that blog.  The secret part is that participating bloggers don’t know who is cooking from their blog or what is being made until the assigned day. 

Today is the day, and I am featuring a recipe from the blog Beantown Baker.  Jen is the author and lives in Boston with her hubby and two cats.  She loves to bake as you could probably guess but also features other recipes on her blog.  Since Mr. ELEB and I are still trying to recover (ie lose the weight we gained) from our (not so) recent SF/NY/Atlanta trip, and because I’m trying to cook more Indian food, I chose this interesting bean recipe rather than one of her delicious sounding desserts.  However, I’d encourage you to check out Jen’s blog for some decadent cupcakes!

Yield: 3 servings

Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 large onion, minced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon garam masala
• 1 can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 can diced tomatoes, drained
• 1 inch fresh ginger, grated
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup light coconut milk
• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro leaves

Method:

• Heat oil in a medium skillet over med-high heat.
• Add onion and sauté until translucent.
• Stir in the minced garlic and garam masala.
• Cook for one minute. 
• Stir in the beans, tomatoes, ginger, and salt.
• Simmer for fifteen minutes. 
• Pour in coconut milk.
• Heat until warmed.
• Sprinkle with cilantro and serve.

This is a great, quick recipe for when you want something flavorful but easy to put together, especially if you are on an Indian food kick like I am!  I stayed pretty true to the original recipe.  I used cannellini rather than pinto beans but as Jen noted, any bean will work.  I also omitted the small amount of sugar in the original recipe, used fresh instead of ground ginger, and used light instead of regular coconut milk. 

Check out all the other recipes that were made as part of the Secret Recipe Club.  I can’t wait to see what someone picked to make from Eat Little, Eat Big!  

Printable Recipe

Recipe for Chicken Vindaloo

Indian dishes are something we really enjoy eating.  How about you?  I've been trying to cook more Indian recipes at home and with that in mind, I bought some Vindaloo Spice Mix at Penzey's when I was at their retail location in Menlo Park last month.


This probably wouldn't be considered a traditional dish which most references say includes potatoes, not beans or tomatoes, but I wanted a one-pot dish, didn't want potatoes, and had green beans to use.  I used the directions on the Penzey's package for general guidance and then went my own way!


If you want to mix your own spice from scratch, here is an ingredient list I found on e-How.  In Penzey's mix: coriander, garlic, cumin, ginger, cinnamon, mustard, cayenne pepper, jalapeno, cardamom, turmeric, black pepper, cloves.

Time: 50 minutes

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:

• 2 TBSP canola oil, divided
• 2 cups chopped onion
• 1 ½ lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of visible fat
• 2 TBSP vindaloo spice mix (I used Penzy’s)
• 3 TBSP water
• 2 cups fresh green beans, chopped to bite size
• 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
• ¼ cup vinegar
• 1 TBSP ground cinnamon (optional)
• Salt and pepper
• Dollop of plain non-fat Greek yogurt or sour cream (optional)

Method:

• Season chicken with salt and pepper and brown in 1 TBSP oil. Remove from pan.
• Brown onion in remaining oil.
• Mix vindaloo spice mix and water.
• Add chicken, tomatoes, vinegar, cinnamon, green beans and spice paste to onions.
• Simmer on medium for 30 minutes or until green beans are tender but still slightly crunchy.
• Serve over brown basmati rice (with yogurt or sour cream if desired).

We loved this.  For me, it bordered on my threshold of how much heat I can tolerate and that's why I added the extra cinnamon and served it with a dollop of plain Greek yogurt.  Together, these moderated the heat to an enjoyable level for me.  (I am, however, a bit of a weenie when it comes to spicy heat.) 

I wouldn't hesitate to make it again or use the spices in another recipe.  BTW, Penzy's is not sponsoring this post.

What ethnic dishes are you cooking at home?

Printable Recipe

Black and White Wednesdays

Colchagua Valley Grapevines, Chile (in Sepia tones)

Submitted to Black and White Wednesdays

Recipe for Figs with Spiced Mascarpone Cheese

It's a rare thing, in my experience, to see figs on Maui so when I saw some recently I grabbed a basket.  Now what to do with them?  I wanted something simple and something that would complement the not-too-sweet taste of the figs.  I also wanted a little bit of decadence.  I thought about something with goat cheese and figs, which I've had in restaurants and know is a good combination.  Not really what I was aiming for, though.  I thought of Chef Dennis's mascarpone cheesecake recipe and thought "Brilliant!"

I'm enamored with cardamom lately, using it most recently in a marinade for tuna. The aroma and flavor are very pleasing to my taste buds and nose.  Always looking for a way to use it, I mixed a sample of mascarpone and cardamom.  Loved it.  Given the figs aren't that sweet, the honey adds just the right touch to balance the richness of the cheese and the orange adds one more layer.  Mmmm.

Time: 15 minutes

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients:

• 12 ripe figs
• 3 ounces mascarpone cheese (or cream cheese)
• ½ tsp ground cardamom
• 2 tsp freshly squeezed orange juice
• 2 TBSP honey
• Zest of 1 orange

Method:

• Wash and dry figs.
• Trim stem end off and slice in half.
• Mix cheese, cardamom, and orange juice together.
• Spread cheese mixture over fig halves.
• Drizzle honey over fig halves.
• Garnish with orange zest.
• Serve chilled.

These figs could be an appetizer (I might consider skipping the honey) or dessert, which is how we ate them.  I'm going to be on the look out for more figs (but I'm not holding my breath-I think the season is over?)

What seasonal things have you stumbled over in the store lately?


Printable recipe

PICTURE THIS: Food Display Ikebukura, Tokyo

Hello Kitty!

Recipe for Chai Oat Smoothie

One of my sons gave me a smoothie book last Christmas, "Supercharged Smoothies" by Mary Corpening Barber and Sara Corpening Whiteford, Chronicle Books, 2010. They have a recipe in the book for "Cha Cha Chai" - a chai and fruit blended drink. I thought it was a great idea to use chai in a smoothie so I made a simple one using homemade chai concentrate and oats. If you missed my post about adding oats to smoothies, here it is.

Homemade chai concentrate

Time: 5 minutes
Yield: 2 servings
Ingredients:

• 1 cup light vanilla soy milk
• ½ cup chai concentrate
• ¼ cup old fashioned oats, uncooked
• ¼ cup plain, non-fat Greek yogurt
• Ice for serving (optional)
• Cinnamon stick for serving (optional)

Method:

• Mix all ingredients except ice and cinnamon in a blender until frothy.
• Serve garnished with cinnamon (optional).
• Serve over ice if desired (optional).

If you are a fan of chai, give this a try-I think know you'll love it!

Printable Recipe