I’ve Got It All Wrong

I try the best I can to adopt a healthy lifestyle. I do fall off the wagon and I have to pull myself back up again. Speaking of which, I haven’t done any cardio in two weeks. Hello belly.

I’m sitting here, minding my own business, and mending my body when I received a funny email from a friend which tells me that I’m doing it all wrong.

Or as she puts it, “I knew all that exercise and eating right stuff was crap - now there’s proof from a real doctor!!!”

The Japanese eat very little fat and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.

The Mexicans eat a lot of fat and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.

The Chinese drink very little red wine and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.

The Italians drink a lot of red wine and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans

The Germans drink a lot of beer and eat lots of sausages and fats and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.

CONCLUSION: Eat and drink what you like. Speaking English is apparently what kills you.

Photos are mine. The words are not. I don’t even know if it’s true but it’s funny all the same.

Still resting…

Sopapilla Cheesecake Recipe

I made this dessert twice last weekend. I did it once to practice before I felt I was ready for primetime. We got to eat it twice! This is the most yummy-licious and easy desserts – ever.

I got the recipe from Miss Tracy who made it for an office party. She’s a mother of twin one-year-old boys, works full-time and is training for a half-marathon. Can you say super woman? I don’t know she found the time to cook but here it is. And it’s wonderful.

I had to ask her permission before I posted it in case it was an ancient Chinese secret. Enjoy!

Ingredients

* 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
* 1 cup white sugar
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 2 (8 ounce) packages refrigerated crescent rolls
* 1/2 cup melted butter
* 1/2 cup white sugar
* 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions

1. Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Prepare a
9×13 inch baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Beat the cream cheese with 1 cup of sugar and the vanilla extract in a bowl until smooth; set aside.
3. Unroll the cans of crescent roll dough, and use a rolling pin to shape each sheet into 9×13 inch rectangles. Press one sheet into the bottom of a 9×13 inch baking dish. Evenly spread the cream cheese mixture into the baking dish, then cover with the remaining piece of crescent dough, and brush with melted butter. Stir together 1/2 cup of sugar with the cinnamon in a small bowl, and sprinkle evenly over the top of the cheesecake.
4. Bake in the preheated oven until the crescent dough has puffed and turned golden brown, about 30 minutes. Allow to cool 10 minutes before serving.

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I had every intention of posting more photos but I find it hard to cook and photograph at the same time…I need a sous chef, and a photographer, and a maid…

It looks really good in my Polish Pottery dish doesn’t it? Try it! You’ll love it!

Thou Shalt Eat At The Blueplate Diner, Newport RI

I get very excited when I find a great eating establishment. It’s just one of those things that blows my skirt up.

This diner in Middleton, RI was a great find. The art deco design of the building made Neighbors Susan, Beth and I exclaim, “How cute! We have to eat there!” as we drove by.

Service was fast and friendly and the food was wonderful. I had the Blueplate pancakes, bacon, hashbrowns, juice, and about twelve cups of coffee.

I’m still working it off as of this week…

As you eat you can read the commands as laid out for you by the owners.

“Thou Shalt Eat A Hearty Breakfast At Any Hour Of The Day.” – I agree.

“Thou Shalt Tip Thy Waitress Generously.” – Here here.

“Thou Shalt Not Hang Out And Order Nothing But Coffee.” – and we didn’t.

“Thou Shalt Not Eat At Fast Food Restaurants.” – I’ve been telling the kids this for years.

“Thou Shalt Sit At The Counter.” – had to disobey this one.

“Thou Shalt Eat Facing The Capital Of Providence.” – I would if I knew which way it was.

and my favorite.

“Thou Shalt Not Worship Golden Arches.” – Amen.

I wanted to purchase my coffee cup but I was told that they didn’t have any left. I think they said it was made of pewter. The handles weren’t hot so it must have some kind of insulation in the handle.

Anyway, everything was tickling me about this place.

Thank you for the service. I hope we weren’t this hard on you!

The Great Mesa Grill in Las Vegas

If you’ve been following my ramblings over the last year or more (and thank you if you are), then you will know that the husband and I are foodies at heart. We will take vacations just to eat at some of the restaurants owned by celebrity chefs.

Because that’s the way we are. Bobby Flay (no introduction necessary) has a restaurant in Las Vegas (what celebrity chef doesn’t), (there’s a lot of parentheses in this post already isn’t there?)

Where was I?

Bobby Flay has a restaurant in Las Vegas called the Mesa Grill in the very fabulous Ceasar’s Palace on the strip. It did not disappoint.

What a gorgeous place. The ceiling was a fiery mural (can murals go on ceilings?) Bobby Flay has a reputation for spicy food, another reason for us to try his restaurant.

The waiter however, was a hoot. He knew a ton of trivia about Maryland. Did you know that Edgar Allen Poe and John Lennon both died at the age of 40? And that the Baltimore Ravens were named after Poe’s famous poem? I didn’t, and I live in this state.

He asked he could take our photo. I obliged and he took my camera and ran off. The husband and I looked at each other inquisitively…hmmm…Then I saw him in one of the balconies. What a hoot! Hey! There we are!

He made his way off the balcony and disappeared for a while again.

When I downloaded the photos I saw that he snapped a few of the kitchen.

I loved it! The guy should be in show business.

Before we ate, the boy called from home and said to me, “Mom, you’re gonna laugh.” Another story for another day.

What did we order?

Wild Mushroom Quesadillas – it was heavenly
Rough Cut Tuna Nachos – we like raw fish, probably from our time in Japan
Sixteen Spiced Chicken Salad – it was very good but I wished I had something more substantial. All that walking made me hungry.
New Mexican Spiced Pork Tenderloin Sandwich – the husband loved this

Someone explain the cut off letters to me please? I thought half the lights weren’t working. In spite of my confusion, it was a fabulous time…and a fabulous lunch.

Pho Pho What Do You Know

It’s cold and it’s snowing and I want some warm soup to warm my chilly bones. Pho is a Vietnamese stable and it’s a favorite of mine. Actually, I’m craving some now.

I start with this…rice noodles. You can actually find rice noodles of various brands in your local market.

And I also start with this…pho broth cubes. You can’t actually find pho broth cubes in your local market. I was torn as to whether or not to post this since it’s not an ingredient that was commonly available. So I do what everyone does, I go to Amazon.com. They have it! I can’t believe the stuff you can get there.

It’s not this kind, but it’s close enough.

I watched the cubes dissolve and I stand over the stove because I’m chilly…and I’m hungry.

I slice some mushrooms and throw them in the bowling pot. It’s the only thing I had in the refridgerator. Some other veggies that will work are – mushrooms. I normally don’t cook the veggies in the broth, but rather, I put them in after the soup is ready. That way they won’t get soggy. Some good veggies to throw in after are sliced cabbage, Thai basil,  and bean sprouts.

Now I put in my noodles. Notice I didn’t soak this particular kind. Or maybe you didn’t. Anyway, follow the directions on the package.

Hmmm…it’s a little plain.

Throw in some green onions.

Now that’s more like it…spicy, spicy, spicy. This is srachi sauce. We have a gallon of it. I also put in fish sauce, limes and a little bit of sugar.

It warms my stomach on this cold winter day.

I’m playing on Foodie Friday…

La Fungus A La Scampi Gozaimasu

I understand that the title is a total bastardization of three great world languages.

Here’s another culinary question. What kind of mushrooms are these?

Hint: They don’t come from the ocean as their name implies.

I made this dish with these little mushrooms. When we lived in Japan, we drove from our little Japanese town to the next big town over for pasta. We loved Japanese food but it was a nice change every once in a while. However, it was Japan and there was an unusual twist to the scampi. I don’t know what really was in it, but below is my take or as close as I can get.

Japanese Style Scampied Scallops with Pasta

2 lb sea scallops (I used frozen)
3 tbs olive oil
4 tbs butter
3 garlic cloves
a handful of fresh mushrooms – the kind above
3 tbs soy sauce
salt
pepper
wheat pasta – it’s my new favorite thing

Slice the mushrooms into medium sized slivers and set aside.

Heat the olive oil and butter over medium heat. Put in the crushed garlic and stir until the butter melts. Put in the scallops. Cook the scallops thoroughly in the scampi sauce. Put in the soy sauce. Stir. Now put in the mushrooms. Stir. Eat. Yum.

It’s umami. And it’s Foodie Friday.

January 29, By Any Other Name

Is still a rose.

So my week?

Recently, I felt I needed a change. The urge was very strong at the begining of the week. I couldn’t articulate it. It was just a nagging feeling, no details, no specifics, no direction.

The middle of the week brought more conversation, more counseling, more discussion.

And ahhh…now the end of the week. Nothing’s changed. At least not yet.

And I’m happy about it. For I wouldn’t be able to hang out here as much if it did.

There is still a nagging in me for change but there’s also peace in knowing that I like where I am.

Except…

Though it wasn’t easy, I was successful in eating only salads on Tuesday. I was starting to get grumpy toward the end of the night. The husband reminded me that I told everyone in blogland my frugal diet plan so I was bound to commit to it.  To which I responded from the open refrigerator door, “So what?” Then I slammed it. Perhaps a little too hard. Hey, I was hungry.

But…

I lost TWO pounds this week. Now there’s a change. So that’s “so what” and it’s so satisfying. Two pounds a week is the recommend weight loss rate according to the AMA, AFAA, Congress and me.

And…

That Mediterranean fare from yesterday? It’s a pickled caperberry. Here’s a not-so-good photo of it after I’ve chomped on it. It was delicious. I don’t know why it’s not more mainstream Jodi, people are missing out!  It is not a caper I’ve ever seen before. I’m only familiar with the small-ish kind. My mother bought these, Lord knows how much they cost.

I apologize for my manicured nails. Or rather, lack of…

Here’s a quick lemon and capers dish.

1 lb thinly sliced pork loin
4 tbs fresh lemon juice
2 tbs capers
1 garlic clove
2 tbs olive oil
2 tbs butter
salt
pepper
your choice cooked pasta

Squeeze lemon over the pork. Add salt and pepper. Set aside. Heat olive oil and crushed garlic clove in a sauce pan. Once it’s hot, place pork into the pan. Put in the butter to melt, add in the capers. Turn over the pork and cook on the second side until done.

Serve over your pasta.

You can certainly use the capers that you are familiar with. These are big and pickled and may not be as accessible.

Bon appetite!

I’ll see ya tomorrow bloggie peeps.

January 28, Mediterranean Fare

Are you ready? Do you have your culinary hats on?

What is this?

Here’s a close up.

No prize or anything…sorry. Just some fun guesses…

Posted on Foodie Friday, when it finally rolls around. Come on Friday!

Cody Cooks, Simple Stir Fry Steak & Peppers

My last post of Cody cooking brought so many nice comments and encouragement for Cody. He’s definitely going to make some girl happy with his cooking prowess. And I’m more than happy to help in that category. But not too soon…he’s only 13 years old ladies.

Today, Cody is making stir fry beef and peppers. I wanted to do a meal that is very easy to prep. I also wanted to teach him a few things, like how to chop meat.

I always learned these things by watching my mother and then by doing. It was a little odd to try to articulate it. It’s a good thing that Cody’s a quick study.

I taught him how to peel and chop garlic. I see this chopping technique used a lot on the food network and though I don’t always chop this way, I showed him how. He’s pretty good that kid.

So here’s the stir fry recipe. It’s vewwwy, vewwwy, easy.

Start with:
2 pounds flank steak
3 large green peppers
2 large garlic cloves
2 tbsp vegetable oil

For steak marinade
2 large garlic cloves
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tbsp corn starch
1 tbsp vegetable oil

For stir fry sauce
1/4 cup oyster sauce
2 tbsp mushroom soy sauce (or any dark soy)
2 tbsp rice wine
2 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp sugar
black pepper to taste

Slice the steak thinly, like Cody did. Poor kid, took him forever but he did it! Once the steak is sliced, put in the steak marinade ingredients and set aside. Slice the green peppers in half and take out the seeds. Slice the peppers into think slivers, but not too thin. This was an art but Cody got the hang of it!

Chop up 2 large garlic cloves and place into a heated pan. But the oil in and heat through, stirring the garlic. It should start smelling grand!

Put in the steak on one side and cook. I like it a little bit rare but not too much. Once it’s cooked to your liking, turn it over to the other side. Now mix the stir fry sauce all together and pour it in slowly which the meat is cooking on the second side. Now this is where you have to watch. If you put too much for the sauce in, it will get soupy and I don’t like soupy stir fry. I like a well coated but dry stir fry.

But that’s just me.

In other words, use your discretion here!

Throw in the peppers. And are you ready? Stir, stir, stir. Don’t over cook. I take out a pepper after about 4 minutes and try it. If it’s done but slightly crunchy then it’s perfect.

What a great job that Little Cody did. He made this same dish a month later for his family and it was a hit. Of course, his mother Miss Karen called me once, or twice, or rather five times to get the directions again. That’s precisely why I’m writing them down…

So enjoy! Get your 13 year old in the kitchen today!

See more food and foodies at Design by Gollum.

La Restaurant Depot

There is no better way to start the year than with a trip to Restaurant Depot.

I was very excited about all the bulk things you can get there, but what I was really looking for were dinner plates. Restaurant style dinner plates. The kind that you can put in the dish washer a thousand times and would still wear well. The kind that you can put into a warming drawer and they would be nice and hot when you serve them to your dinner guests. They would be tough and sturdy. I love fine china too but I wanted an every day plate.

Neighbor Bill is my favorite man who is not my husband. I say that because of this…

Neighbor Bill spent a half an hour searching for plates and soup bowls for me. He dug through piles and piles of boxes.

He patiently waited as I spend ten agonizing minutes on trying to decide between the 11 1/4 plates and the 11 1/2 inch plates. Really, they were a quarter inch apart.

Can you tell which is which?

All the while Neighbor Beth and the husband were looking at food. They were talking chicken breasts.

The husband showed me this huge hunk of cheese. I mean big! I made him put it back.

We brought along a few more neighbors as well. While the rest of the world was quietly sleeping, our neighborhood was hanging out in a warehouse full of food. It’s what we do for fun.

We then brought our loot home and had a great dinner…it IS what we do for fun!

See more food fanatics over at Design by Gollum. I’m glad not I’m not the only one.

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