If I have learned one thing while helping my husband try to lose weight, if the meal doesn't taste good, then he loses interest in dieting. "You are what you eat" is very true. But what I wish some could learn is that great food doesn't have to be sauce laden or hard to make. It can be as basic as adding a new spice to chicken and throwing it on the grill.
Recently a friend of mine was over for dinner and she commented on my green beans. "These are fantastic Mary, what did you do to them?" She laughed when I said that I just squeezed lime juice on them after I steamed them. No butter, no oil is necessary.
Today I contemplated this and decided that most people don't know what to do with herbs and spices. Ask yourself do you know when to use cumin? Do you know what Cilantro can do to rice or quacamole. Have you ever considered using Taragon on chicken?. So we decided to spend sometime this year, sharing what we know ( and don't know) about herbs and how I use them to make my dinners different and lower in fat and calories.
Each Week we will share with you what we know about certain herbs and spices and how we use them at home. If you have ideas or comments, please send them our way as I am always looking for new things to try. This week we will look at Taragon, Flat Leaf Parsley and Cumin.
Taragon - For me, Taragon tastes alot like licorice or anise. It is actually in the Sunflower family which I did not know until recently. Taragon's flavor gets stronger when it is heated so you really don't want to use to much. I love it with Chicken. I takes some fresh lemon juice, some taragon and salt and pepper and marinate the chicken. Throw it on the grill and you have a new meal to try out on your kids. If you want to add some color tomatoes actually go very nicely with taragon so chop some up and put on top of the chicken after it is grilled or put into the marinade.
At Thanksgiving and Easter my family always loves my green beans with taragon, shallots and white wine. I steam the vegetables and then throw them in an ice bath to stop them from cooking. When it is close to dinner I saute 1 large chopped shallot in a bit of olive oil with a 1/2 tsp or so of chopped taragon ( add more if you need it) and a 1/4 cup of white wine. I then add the cooked green beans and serve.
Flat Leaf Parsley - I always have Parsley on hand. It is easy to grow and it is nice fresh or dried. It is an extremely versatile herb. It will help freshen up your boiled potatoes, You can add it to plain white or brown rice for a little kick. I think Flat Leaf Parsley has a stronger taste than Curly but that's my opinion. This is one herb that I can say is hard to describe the taste. It is a little bitter. It can garnish the top of any dish and adds something nice to Pesto as well. And did you know it is high in Folic Acid???
We add it to white rice to give it that "not so white feeling". We sprinkle it on meat. And it add that extra "something, something" to Pesto!
Cumin: I love Mexican food so this spice is a staple in our house. It is also used in Indian style dished but it adds a completely different take on steak, chicken, pork, or shrimp!! It is a nice spicy flavor with a hint of nuts. It is essential in curry and most mexican meals have it has an ingredient. I found a pork taco recipe from Cooking Light Magazine that made me fall in love with the spice.
The other night I took left over chicken, shredded it. Sprinkled it with Cumin, Paprika, Garlic Powder, salt and Pepper. Sauteed it in the pan and VOILA - chicken tacos! Of course I addded lettuce, tomatoes and some salsa... But YUM!
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Saturday, April 2, 2011
Cauliflower- they will love!!
There is something to be said for Martha Stewart. When I follow her advice, things just turn out better. For example, one recent Thanksgiving when we were have 25+ people for dinner, I followed her entire "getting ready" guide from the magazine...and you know what, it was the best Thanksgiving that I have ever had... and our guests felt the same way.
So tonight when I had a head of cauliflower and some steak and tomatoes left in the refrigerator, I called on Martha for help. I have Martha's Cooking School cookbook which is fabulous and a must have in your library of cook books. I have always steamed Cauliflower and it never has any taste. Her suggestion was so easy - roast it. I cut the cauliflower in flowerettes, added some olive oil, salt and pepper and roasted it at 400 degrees for 25 minutes. After about 15 minutes, I tasted it and although it tasted good, it still needed something. I grabbed a shallot, which I always have on hand, and cut it up and threw it in and cooked it until both the cauliflower and shallot were golden brown. The shallot gave it that added flavor. I served it with grilled steak and tomatoes broiled with parmesan cheese, breadcrumbs and basil.
This simple meal earned me rave reviews from my 3 toughest critics!! For me, the fact that they ate every bit on their plate and all of it was healthy, is what makes cooking so worth every minute for me!
Enjoy.
So tonight when I had a head of cauliflower and some steak and tomatoes left in the refrigerator, I called on Martha for help. I have Martha's Cooking School cookbook which is fabulous and a must have in your library of cook books. I have always steamed Cauliflower and it never has any taste. Her suggestion was so easy - roast it. I cut the cauliflower in flowerettes, added some olive oil, salt and pepper and roasted it at 400 degrees for 25 minutes. After about 15 minutes, I tasted it and although it tasted good, it still needed something. I grabbed a shallot, which I always have on hand, and cut it up and threw it in and cooked it until both the cauliflower and shallot were golden brown. The shallot gave it that added flavor. I served it with grilled steak and tomatoes broiled with parmesan cheese, breadcrumbs and basil.
This simple meal earned me rave reviews from my 3 toughest critics!! For me, the fact that they ate every bit on their plate and all of it was healthy, is what makes cooking so worth every minute for me!
Enjoy.
Fish friday at Coastal Flats
Last night my parents and sister and I spent our dinner at Coastal Flats in the Tysons mall.
We chose Coastal Flats because my parents wanted fish as it is Lent and it was recommended by our friend Laura who loves it.
When we got there the whole bar was full and there was a 20 minute wait. There was one more table available in the back corner of the bar so we took it. We were welcomed by a waiter who
was funny, very happy and willing to help. She ask us what we wanted to drink and she fed us to some nice hot bread with a honey butter that was delicious. We found the service to be the best in tysons yet.
We all ordered what we thought we would likeon the menu. My mom ordered the medeteranian shrimp with couscous. She stated it was really good bar food. My dad ordered the thai chicken salad
which he thought was quite good but had a bit too much garlic. My sister had a beef tenderloin with mashed potatoes. She thought the mashed potatoes were like pieces of cotton candy melting on her tongue, and the steak was as tasty and chew as gum. I had a cheeseburger that was phenomenal. It was served with french fries that tasted like they were direct from Brussels. The portions were all perfectly sized and delicious. When the entrees came to the table they were steaming and all the food looked very fresh.
The overall experience was very good. Service was excellent, the food was good and for a chain, it was well worth it. It was kid friendly and the prices were right. You should try it soon!
We chose Coastal Flats because my parents wanted fish as it is Lent and it was recommended by our friend Laura who loves it.
When we got there the whole bar was full and there was a 20 minute wait. There was one more table available in the back corner of the bar so we took it. We were welcomed by a waiter who
was funny, very happy and willing to help. She ask us what we wanted to drink and she fed us to some nice hot bread with a honey butter that was delicious. We found the service to be the best in tysons yet.
We all ordered what we thought we would likeon the menu. My mom ordered the medeteranian shrimp with couscous. She stated it was really good bar food. My dad ordered the thai chicken salad
which he thought was quite good but had a bit too much garlic. My sister had a beef tenderloin with mashed potatoes. She thought the mashed potatoes were like pieces of cotton candy melting on her tongue, and the steak was as tasty and chew as gum. I had a cheeseburger that was phenomenal. It was served with french fries that tasted like they were direct from Brussels. The portions were all perfectly sized and delicious. When the entrees came to the table they were steaming and all the food looked very fresh.
The overall experience was very good. Service was excellent, the food was good and for a chain, it was well worth it. It was kid friendly and the prices were right. You should try it soon!
Friday, April 1, 2011
A night out with the Farmer and his wife and son!!
Last night we went to Pizza Paradisio on M street in Georgetown with the farmer, his wife and child. We chose Pizza Paradisio because the farmer's little boy Brock loves pizza and cupcakes; Georgetown Cupcake is around the corner.
When we walked into the resturaunt there was a glow of light over a bar and a huge brick oven. The restaurant was packed and all you saw was the delicious mouthwatering pizzas. The wait time was about 10 minutes and we were entertained while we were waiting by the amazing brock!. We were brought to our table within 5 minutes. We ordered our appetizers of fresh mozzarella and tomato salad, the bread pane and we had bruschetta. When they came to the table the smell was so good you could taste it the price was very reasonable according to my mom. They tomatos were the best I have tasted all winter. Cherry tomatoes that were crunchy and flavorful. And the Bread was perfectly toasted and soft inside.
We then ordered our pizzas, a pepperon thei, a margarita and one with onions, sopresseta, red peppers and olives. They sounded fantastic. When they came to the table, they look cheesy, juicy and crusty. It tasted like were having a piece of heaven in your mouth. There is nothing better than perfectly cooked brick oven pizza. This restauraut was the bomb.
And the best part....after a yummy dinner.. head across the street and finish it off with my favorite cupcake from Georgetown cupcake!! The only tough part is the parking so don't get frustrated.
When we walked into the resturaunt there was a glow of light over a bar and a huge brick oven. The restaurant was packed and all you saw was the delicious mouthwatering pizzas. The wait time was about 10 minutes and we were entertained while we were waiting by the amazing brock!. We were brought to our table within 5 minutes. We ordered our appetizers of fresh mozzarella and tomato salad, the bread pane and we had bruschetta. When they came to the table the smell was so good you could taste it the price was very reasonable according to my mom. They tomatos were the best I have tasted all winter. Cherry tomatoes that were crunchy and flavorful. And the Bread was perfectly toasted and soft inside.
We then ordered our pizzas, a pepperon thei, a margarita and one with onions, sopresseta, red peppers and olives. They sounded fantastic. When they came to the table, they look cheesy, juicy and crusty. It tasted like were having a piece of heaven in your mouth. There is nothing better than perfectly cooked brick oven pizza. This restauraut was the bomb.
And the best part....after a yummy dinner.. head across the street and finish it off with my favorite cupcake from Georgetown cupcake!! The only tough part is the parking so don't get frustrated.
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Brasserie Beck - Washington, DC, A kids review
Tonight we went to Brasserie Beck for my moms B-Day. When we first walked in, all I saw was a huge open kitchen and what seemed like 50 foot ceilings. There were 10 chef's cooking in the kitchen. We were walked to our table by a pretty hostess lady and the waiter welcomed us and gave us the specials. The waiter was very nice and came to get our food and to give us our food in reasonable times. He brought us french bread which came right out of the oven and there was a creamy soft butter to go with it. My mom said the wine was amazing and her salad that was mixed greens, eggs, bacon, walnuts and blue cheese was excellent.. I let my family rate the appetizzers on a scale of 1 -10 with 10 being the best. My mom said 8, My dad said 9 and my sister said 7 on the salad so I give this appetizers a B+.
Then the dinner came and our mouths watered as it looked so good. I ordered Mussels in a white wine and lemon herb sauce. My sister ordered Beat salad with goat cheese. My dad ordered a cassolet which is a traditional french stew with duck and beans. My mom ordered the bar steak with frites and vegetables.
All the plates looked very nice. Mussels are my favorite and they came in a big steaming pot. Watch the hands though as it is very hot.
We ate our delicious meals and rated them 1 by 1.
The mussels was a 10 for sure but not as good at the ones at Balthazer in NYC. .My sister liked her salad but said it has a bit too much goat cheese but she gave it a 9. My dad was a 7 and my mom was a 7. it was good and my mom said that for the price it was a nice meal. Meaning that the prices didn't break the bank.
What was really worth the trip was the desserts. They really gave me a good impression of the resturant. I ordered a chocolate cake with a fruit syrup I gave it a 10. My mom and dad shared a creme brule that was rich creamy and tasteful. They gave it a 10. My sister ordered raspberry filled doughnuts with a mocha mouse and she gave it a 10. So desserts got an A++++++++++++++++.
Overall it was nice restaurant that I think most kids and adults would like. The atmosphere was noisy and fun and the food was very good.
Then the dinner came and our mouths watered as it looked so good. I ordered Mussels in a white wine and lemon herb sauce. My sister ordered Beat salad with goat cheese. My dad ordered a cassolet which is a traditional french stew with duck and beans. My mom ordered the bar steak with frites and vegetables.
All the plates looked very nice. Mussels are my favorite and they came in a big steaming pot. Watch the hands though as it is very hot.
We ate our delicious meals and rated them 1 by 1.
The mussels was a 10 for sure but not as good at the ones at Balthazer in NYC. .My sister liked her salad but said it has a bit too much goat cheese but she gave it a 9. My dad was a 7 and my mom was a 7. it was good and my mom said that for the price it was a nice meal. Meaning that the prices didn't break the bank.
What was really worth the trip was the desserts. They really gave me a good impression of the resturant. I ordered a chocolate cake with a fruit syrup I gave it a 10. My mom and dad shared a creme brule that was rich creamy and tasteful. They gave it a 10. My sister ordered raspberry filled doughnuts with a mocha mouse and she gave it a 10. So desserts got an A++++++++++++++++.
Overall it was nice restaurant that I think most kids and adults would like. The atmosphere was noisy and fun and the food was very good.
Side note!! they had very clean, jazzy bathrooms.
The Perfect Roast Chicken and Easy Chicken Stock
"Mommy, that was the best chicken ever!", my daughter raved last night. When you get a response like that, you know it's a recipe for the blog!! I love making and eating a roast chicken. I also know that I have limited time at night so I like it to be easy. Easy to cook and clean in my motto! So I have come up with a roast chicken that is a one pot wonder. The kids love it, it is easy to get them involved in making it, and the best part is that the whole meal is in one pot! If you try, please let us know what you think. My recipe was for a family of 4. And then I will show you how to make a quick stock that you can freeze for another night! Don't skip this part...homemade stock makes everyday meals taste better.
Ingredients:
2-3 lb (larger depending on your family) chicken - I found the best chicken's at Costco, they are organic and yummy!
3 large baking potatoes
5 large carrots
1 stalk of celery
2 large shallots
2/3 cup of white wine
1/4 cup of lemon juice
1 lemon
salt/pepper
Herbes de Provence blend
1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
2. Rinse the chicken and discard any of the inerds. Dry the chicken inside and out!
3. Salt and pepper the inside of the chicken.
4. Cut the lemon into 4 and stuff inside the chicken. I don't worry about trussing the chicken. Put the chicken in a roasting pan and salt and pepper the top and a few shakes of the herbes de provence. Put the chicken in the oven for 10 minutes.
5. While you are dealing with the chicken, have the children peel the carrots, celery and potatoes.
6. Cut the potatoes into cubes and slice the carrots and celery. I let my children cut the carrots and celery and use a duller knife. This is a great way to teach them the proper use of a knife. SAVE ALL THE UNUSED PARTS OF THE CARROTS, CELERY, AND SHALLOTS FOR OUR STOCK!
7. Cut the shallots. I love shallots and in this dish, shallots help to make the sauce very creamy.
8. Place the vegetables in a large bowl. Pour in the wine, lemon juice, shallots, salt and pepper lightly and add a few shakes of the herbes de provence. Mix well.
9. Pull the chicken out of the oven and lower the temperature to 425 degrees. Spread the vegetables in the pan surrounding the chicken.
10. Put the pan back in the oven and cook for 45-55 minutes. Check the chicken and vegetables from time to time and if the vegetables need a stir you can do it once. You don't want to stir too much though or they can get mushy. Check the temperature of the chicken by inserting a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh. You want it to read about 165 degrees.
11. If the chicken is done but the vegetables need a few more minutes (which is rare but not unheard of), take the chicken out and place the pan back in the oven until the vegetables are tender.
12. Cut the chicken and serve with the vegetables. You will notice the vegetables have a yummy creamy lemony flavor that the kids just love.
Enjoy!
Chicken Stock
1. Take the chicken bones and place in a large stock pot. Cover the chicken with water. Add all the left over carrots, celery, shallots.
2. Take a small onion and cut it into 4 chucks. Place in the pot.
3. Add a bay leaf, any of your favorite herbs.. I add parsley and thyme.
4. Add 1/4 of a cut lemon
5. Add 2 boullion cubes.
6. Boil for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Skim any fat off when needed.
7. Let cool to room temperature.
8. Pour the stock through a mesh strainer into a bowl or a very large measuring cup.
9. I then pour the broth into double ziploc bags, date and put in the freezer for another time. You can keep it for almost 3 months!
Ingredients:
2-3 lb (larger depending on your family) chicken - I found the best chicken's at Costco, they are organic and yummy!
3 large baking potatoes
5 large carrots
1 stalk of celery
2 large shallots
2/3 cup of white wine
1/4 cup of lemon juice
1 lemon
salt/pepper
Herbes de Provence blend
1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
2. Rinse the chicken and discard any of the inerds. Dry the chicken inside and out!
3. Salt and pepper the inside of the chicken.
4. Cut the lemon into 4 and stuff inside the chicken. I don't worry about trussing the chicken. Put the chicken in a roasting pan and salt and pepper the top and a few shakes of the herbes de provence. Put the chicken in the oven for 10 minutes.
5. While you are dealing with the chicken, have the children peel the carrots, celery and potatoes.
6. Cut the potatoes into cubes and slice the carrots and celery. I let my children cut the carrots and celery and use a duller knife. This is a great way to teach them the proper use of a knife. SAVE ALL THE UNUSED PARTS OF THE CARROTS, CELERY, AND SHALLOTS FOR OUR STOCK!
7. Cut the shallots. I love shallots and in this dish, shallots help to make the sauce very creamy.
8. Place the vegetables in a large bowl. Pour in the wine, lemon juice, shallots, salt and pepper lightly and add a few shakes of the herbes de provence. Mix well.
9. Pull the chicken out of the oven and lower the temperature to 425 degrees. Spread the vegetables in the pan surrounding the chicken.
10. Put the pan back in the oven and cook for 45-55 minutes. Check the chicken and vegetables from time to time and if the vegetables need a stir you can do it once. You don't want to stir too much though or they can get mushy. Check the temperature of the chicken by inserting a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh. You want it to read about 165 degrees.
11. If the chicken is done but the vegetables need a few more minutes (which is rare but not unheard of), take the chicken out and place the pan back in the oven until the vegetables are tender.
12. Cut the chicken and serve with the vegetables. You will notice the vegetables have a yummy creamy lemony flavor that the kids just love.
Enjoy!
Chicken Stock
1. Take the chicken bones and place in a large stock pot. Cover the chicken with water. Add all the left over carrots, celery, shallots.
2. Take a small onion and cut it into 4 chucks. Place in the pot.
3. Add a bay leaf, any of your favorite herbs.. I add parsley and thyme.
4. Add 1/4 of a cut lemon
5. Add 2 boullion cubes.
6. Boil for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Skim any fat off when needed.
7. Let cool to room temperature.
8. Pour the stock through a mesh strainer into a bowl or a very large measuring cup.
9. I then pour the broth into double ziploc bags, date and put in the freezer for another time. You can keep it for almost 3 months!
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Review: Evo Bistro - 1313 Old Chainbridge Road, Mclean VA
We have been to Evo Bistro many times since moving to the area. We have found there are not really many choices for a reasonably priced meal in Mclean, besides Italian. Evo focuses on tapas and wine. The atmosphere is always lively. It's a nice local choice for reasonably priced food and it's very casual so jeans are definitely appropriate. Our kids like it as well.
We have found the food to be extremely consistent, as is the service. We have tried almost all of the tappas but one of my favorites is the salmon served with a tomato, artichoke and black olive ragout. We also love the salads. My children like the mussels in white wine and spices, although the complaint is that sometimes a bit too garlicky. They make a chicken and shrimp and shellfish paella which is an entree and really wonderful. Perfectly spiced and enough for 2! Wednesday nights they offer 1/2 price on ALL of their wine bottles so this is the night to go. They have some nice selections and at half price, you can't go wrong.
We have found the food to be extremely consistent, as is the service. We have tried almost all of the tappas but one of my favorites is the salmon served with a tomato, artichoke and black olive ragout. We also love the salads. My children like the mussels in white wine and spices, although the complaint is that sometimes a bit too garlicky. They make a chicken and shrimp and shellfish paella which is an entree and really wonderful. Perfectly spiced and enough for 2! Wednesday nights they offer 1/2 price on ALL of their wine bottles so this is the night to go. They have some nice selections and at half price, you can't go wrong.
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