Energized and Excited

I recently made Hungarian Meatballs from Food52. Mouthwatering is pretty much the best adjective that describes this dish. After you make about 3 dozen meatballs and brown them, you immediately start on a flavorful and rich sauce. The meatballs then braise low and slow in the oven until juicy and the sauce is injected with as much flavor as possible. Stirring in some sour cream at the end doesn't hurt either. I served them over egg noodles with some chopped parsley on top. And then for dessert, we dived into a sticky-sweet strawberry and rhubarb crisp with vanilla ice cream. Really a perfect meal.

I remember making this dish after cooking for both of my private chef clients. When I got home, I was tired and not particularly in the mood. But I had bought all the ingredients on the way home and it was either cook or settle in on the couch, so I thought why not... And wow! I was glad I mustered up the energy. Cooking for my husband (and myself) makes me happy.

Several people have been asking what I've been up to recently. It's been an incredibly exciting past couple of months! I think about where I was at this time last year - working in a completely different job, yet with a wonderful mentor and colleagues. However, after 6 1/2 years, I knew I had to create a different tact for myself. And a health scare certainly pushed me over the ledge.

My life has changed so dramatically since July of last year. You can check out my online bio which pretty much sums up what I've been up to (bottom of the page). I feel healthy and fit and active. Sitting all day at desk is not for me. Instead I spend the day walking from place to place and try to avoid the subway when I can. While each week brings a different element or schedule, my week is traditionally as follows:

Monday: I cook for my both of my private chef clients and help teach a children's farm-to-table class in Brooklyn.

Tuesday: Again, I cook for both clients.

Wednesday: I usually volunteer with Wellness in the Schools in a public school and then help teach another children's farm-to-table class and teens' class in Brooklyn.

Thursday: I teach afterschool Young Chefs classes at a public school nearby.

Friday: I teach Kindergartners for a non-profit at a public school and then more afterschool Young Chefs classes.

I remember taking a character development course as part of my major in college (ah, senior spring...). At the end of the course, we had to write a long paper on our goals in life and proposed careers. All this has to include what we wanted out of our relationships in life as well and where we wanted to live.

I remember struggling whether to chose fundraising as the focus of my paper (I had completed a really wonderful summer internship in this field), social work or teaching. I made up my mind to pursue fundraising after interviewing for a juvenile lock-down facility position, and being subsequently terrified (and ended up shortly thereafter being accepted in the performing arts administration master's program at NYU), much to the disappointment of my teacher. I remember his voice as he sighed, "Ah, the world could really use you."

What a grandiose statement, I remember thinking. And the world needs fundraisers, too.

It's interesting how your work can affect or enhance your health and vice versa. Every day is challenging and teaching is the ultimate test of creativity, patience and endurance. It's a performance and one woman I've worked with put it so aptly: No matter your mood or how you feel, the show must go on! It's the most cause and effect type of work I've ever taken on. You design an average lesson and it bombs. You design an excellent lesson and it soars. You arrive tired - the students sense it. You arrive energized - the students really sense it.

Before, I always liked (extremely so) what I did. Now, I love it. I can't imagine not teaching students about cooking, and it's still been less than a year. Last week, I taught a class on kale (bitter greens) and quinoa (healthy grains). The class was barely controlled chaos, but I (hopefully) managed to get a couple of points across. In the end, the students agreed that they didn't think they'd like kale or quinoa, but most did - so it's important to try new things.

While the world may not need me, I do need teaching and cooking. I wake up feeling energized and excited - and that's a total thrill.

A German Dinner: Warm Potato and Leek Salad

I usually ask my husband what he wants to eat on Sunday and I get the same request: Pesto Pasta. But he must have felt inspired, because he asked me to make wiener schnitzel, potato salad and a vegetable side. All served with lingonberry jam. I was so excited to have a new request that I rushed to the store. While I couldn't find lingonberry jam, the staple condiment for schnitzel, I was able to find black cherry jam. Tart and sweet, it provided a similar effect.

We love wiener schnitzel and one of our favorite upscale versions is served at Wallse, a formal Austrian restaurant in the West Village. Highbrow or lowbrow, it has become comfort food for us. It was a treat to be able to make the dish at home versus eating it out.

Instead of the typical veal, I used chicken cutlets which I then dipped in seasoned flour along with a dash of baking powder. I then dipped each cutlet in a mixture of  and egg and heavy cream (again seasoned) and then dipped the cutlets back into the flour. This three-step breading method creates a nice crust. The cutlets went into the fridge to firm up.

I roasted some asparagus (my go-to) and then set to work on the potato salad. I decided to make a warm potato salad instead of my mom's recipe and began parboiling three medium-sized Yukon Gold potatoes. I sauteed about 4 oz of chopped pancetta in a pan and removed the pancetta to crisp up on a paper towel. In went 1 sliced leek to caramelize and soften. Once meltingly tender and a little golden on the edges, I added 1 cup of white wine and 1 tablespoon of whole grain mustard. Both got whisked together with the leeks and some salt and pepper. I also added about 1/4 teaspoon of dried thyme leaves.

I let this mixture simmer and thinly sliced my potatoes. I tossed them in the warm dressing and placed a lid on the pan. I let the potatoes cook and soak up most of the dressing for about 30 minutes. Make sure you cut the slices evenly and continue to check on the potatoes - some slices may cook faster than others, so you need to check a couple for doneness. And if the dressing looks as if it's drying up too fast, add more white wine or some warm water.

While the potato salad was going, I began to pan fry the schnitzel two at a time in a large pan with 1 tablespoon melted butter and 1 tablespoon vegetable oil. Shake the pan a couple of times and use a large spoon to pour some of the oil and butter over the tops of the schnitzels. Flip after 2 - 3 minutes, depending on the size of the cutlets. Continue to fry until the meat is cooked through and the crust is golden brown and crispy. I then lined a sheet tray with paper towels for the finished cutlets and wiped out the pan in between batches for new butter and new oil.

The cutlets stayed warm in a 250 degree oven and I finished the potato salad with the pancetta crumblings. The schnitzel were delicious with the black cherry jam and a spritz of lemon. However, the potato salad was the real star of the show. The salad (probably a misnomer) would be delicious with another type of meat or even served cold.

Kitchen Utensils and More

I love the podcast Spilled Milk. It's produced by Molly Wizenberg of Orangette fame and Matthew Amster-Burton. They're witty and hilarious and even though the 18-minute podcast is about food, it's not really - it's like listening to a very comical and sparing talk show with two very vibrant hosts; except you don't have to watch the television and can do other things (like answer e-mail or clean your apartment) while listening.

They recently released an episode on utensils. Both hosts had to show each other their three favorite kitchen utensils and it became a show-down. I originally thought: "SNOOZE. I can skip this one..." But in an apartment-cleaning moment, I pressed play and actually enjoyed the episode. And it made think that I should share some of my favorite kitchen utensils here. Some may not be so necessary - but they do make cooking more enjoyable, which helps get you into the kitchen more often.

Utensil #1: Mini Food Processor. Big Girls Small Kitchen has been exaulting this kitchen appliance for a long time. When I began testing for their cookbook, they made sure I had one on-hand. It really does do everything. You can use it to make bread crumbs, pesto, hummus, honey butter. The bonus is that it's so small that it stores easily and lightly on a shelf or in a cabinet.

Utensil #2: Flat-edged wooden spoon. I bought mine on a whim in order to give my basic wooden spoon a rest. It's incredible. My round spoon sits in the drawer and this flat-edged spoon/spatula has become a real work horse. It's perfect for scrambling eggs, sauting onions or veggies, even smoothing the tops of quiches.

Utensil #3: I know, I'm spoon-crazy. But my chef's spoon is very handy. I use it to ladle out soup and stir sauces. It's a handy tasting spoon as well. In cooking school, it was recommended that we each buy one. I thought it unnecessary. Why not just use a regular spoon?! But I'm a convert and this, next to my flat-edged wooden spoon, may be my most used kitchen accessory. Interesting... seems as if I'm not the only spoon fanatic.

Utensil #4: Small sauce pan. I use mine to reheat leftovers in a flash (good tip: you should never store a big pot of soup or stew in the fridge. Make sure you place it into small - medium storage counters. This way it will cool MUCH more quickly and keep better. It will also make the leftovers look more manageable). I also use it to make oatmeal in the mornings or sugar syrup for lemonade. Speaking of lemonade, I recently used this hefty hand-held tool instead of my usual method of just halving and then squeezing lemons by hand. I was able to extract more juice and it was a lot quicker.

Utensil #5: Nice table linens. We don't use paper napkins and although keeping up with the laundry can be annoying, it makes a table look so pretty. We use linen napkins typically, but they do have to be ironed or using my method: once washed, fold neatly and place under a heavy coffee table book. Voila! Pressed napkins without breaking out the ironing board. I also love place mats. We have so many, but they really look lovely on a table. Kitchen towels (versus paper towels) are also a must have. I use mine as pot holders in addition to wiping up spills or drying my knifes and cutting board after washing.

Utensil #6: I'm bad. I'll admit it. I often use this cheapo knife sharpener when I'm low on time and don't feel like using my wet stone. It's quick and although I'm sure it's not great for your knife, better to have a sharp knife versus dull one. Is it bad that I could only find it on camping and hunting websites?!

Utensil #7: You can't go wrong with a sturdy and classic Dutch oven. I use it for everything from boiling pasta to making soups/stews or braising meat in the oven. It doesn't have to be a Le Creuset, but should be high quality so that it lasts for a lifetime (literally). The 5 1/2 qt. size is an excellent place to start. I have a 4 1/2 qt. and 7 qt. - both too big and too small. Pick one in the middle.

Any kitchen favorites that I forgot? Please leave a comment.  

Recent Cooking Adventures

This weekend, I decided to make some Irish fare to celebrate St. Patty's Day, knowing we wouldn't be out in full regalia drinking green beer. So I decided on Ina Garten's Irish Soda Bread recipe and we enjoyed the bread with breakfast on Saturday. The currants give it a nice tartness and the orange zest and buttermilk adds a needed tang. However, this bread is similar to scones in that it's best enjoyed right after baking (tastes very dry the next day). It's a beautiful addition to any breakfast or brunch and very quick to prepare.

On Sunday night, I decided to make a recipe from the new Pioneer Woman cookbook. Her first cookbook has provided me with many favorites, such as an often-requested recipe for chicken potpie and Yankee pot roast. She does comfort food really, really well and is usually my first stop when looking for a homey Sunday-type of dinner recipe.

I ended up making her White Chicken Enchiladas. Whoa, they were spicy (2 jalapenos!) but delicious. As it often goes, one element of the recipe didn't work perfectly (sorry to say) so you do need to rely upon your own cooking skills to make adjustments or changes. The chicken and roasted pepper filling ended up being a bit of a bust, as I needed to strain out most of the braising liquid before filling the tortillas, but the flavors were delicious and each bite satisfied that cheesy craving for Mexican food.

Yesterday, I made the Pioneer Woman's Honey-Plum-Soy Chicken for a client. The recipe called for 20 oz of soy sauce (2 bottles!), which was quickly cited as a red flag. I brought it down to 5 oz (or half a bottle) of low-sodium soy sauce. And instead of 8 bone in-skin on chicken thighs, I used 4 thighs and 4 breasts, peeling off the skin after browning and before braising. Just a couple of simple things that ended up saving the recipe from disaster. The sauce was delectable - rich in flavor and sweet and salty, but not overally so. The chicken was moist and stained red from the wine, but not fatty from the excess skin. All in all a win! I served it over jasmine rice, topped with scallions, instead of egg noodles, in order to soak up more the sauce. Another tip: there's a lot of sauce in this recipe, so if you make it, you may want to remove the chicken after an hour and a half, and reduce down the sauce before serving.

I definitely recommend both of her cookbooks, but you do have to have your wits about you when using the recipes. Don't be afraid to trust your judgement and make changes as you see fit.

Last week, I celebrated the launch of The Naptime Chef's cookbook with Kelsey Banfield. I worked with Kelsey to test every single recipe in her cookbook - and am so proud of her and the book! It's an excellent cooking resource filled with so many amazing and inspired recipes (chicken curry, peanut butter pie, eggnog cheesecake, zucchini bites, artichoke lasagna - the list goes on...) and even though the primary audience is families, her message appeals to everyone: no matter how busy you are, there are ways to fit in satisfying, delicious and homecooked meals into your lives. 

Table for One: Steak Dinner

I know... radio silence. It's been a remarkably busy couple of weeks! First, I came down with a case of the flu. Achy, feverish, exhausted, limited appetite - everyone knows the symptoms. I used to think the only downside of being a freelancer was having to manage a complicated and ever-changing schedule. But I quickly learned the other downside: you're sick? You don't work. And there is no such thing as a 'sick day.'

But fortunately I'm feeling like my old self this week (I think these smoky and sweet baby back ribs on Sunday night helped)! And before that, I was working every day for one of my private chef clients, in addition to teaching 6 - 7 children's cooking classes a week and working for another client. It was a runaround pace - but it felt good. 

Now I'm back to more reasonable hours and have a delicious Table for One recipe. On Monday, one of my clients asked for a last-minute outdoor barbecue surprise as a result of the beautiful and unseasonably warm weather. I love all surprises including food and was excited to start cooking. Someone else manned the grill, but I made a homemade chocolate frosted cake, Caprese salad, another one of my favorite salads, baked beans and guacamole - in addition to a hefty fruit platter. It was all so casual, so pleasant and so gorgeous out, that I knew I had to make myself something special once I got home.

On the way, I stopped at Citarella's and was taken in by a big, rosy filet mignon steak. I'll admit - 8 oz is too much for one person, but I wasn't feeling super reasonable and I was so thrilled to have my appetite back! I bought a bunch of crunchy green asparagus (wistfully imagining it was spring) and some baby Yukon gold potatoes.

Once home, I trimmed the asparagus and scrubbed the potatoes. I set the oven to 425 degrees and chopped up the potatoes into small pieces (the only way they'll roast quickly without parboiling). I tossed the asparagus and potatoes with plenty of olive oil, salt and pepper and placed them on a foil-lined baking sheet. The potatoes got a sprinkling of freshly chopped rosemary. In the oven they went for 40 minutes, to be flipped half-way through baking.

I used some briney sea salt to sprinkle on top of my filet and some freshly cracked black pepper - and then let it sit out at room temperature for 20 minutes. I melted 1 tablespoon of unsalted butter with 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil in an oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat. Once melted and very hot, I added the steak (make sure there's a big sizzle - if not, immediately take it out of the skillet and let the oil/butter mixture become hotter). I seared the steak on one side for 4 minutes and then flipped it with tongs for another 4 minutes. I carefully drained out most of the butter/oil mixture into a separate bowl (you don't want the excess fat spraying all over your oven) and placed the skillet and steak in the oven with the potatoes and asparagus. I left the steak in the oven to finish cooking for 10 minutes.

While the steak was roasting, I made a quick steak sauce out of some condiments I had in the fridge. I whisked together 1 T sour cream, 1/2 T Dijon mustard and 1/2 T horseradish with a little pepper. The steak (cooked to medium - roast it longer if you want it more done) and vegetables were ready to come out at the same time. Remember! Don't reach for the skillet with bare hands - make sure you use a pot holder (this comes from someone who has made this mistake before). Let the steak rest 5 minutes and squeeze some lemon on the asparagus.

This meal was reminiscent of a steak house dinner. Juicy, satisfying and (almost) unbelievably easy. It takes a bit of time, but is worth it when you have some time to spare. It felt luxurious to treat myself to something beyond a typical dinner of leftovers or snack food (yogurt, banana). Happily, I created my own barbecue surprise.