Good Things Come to Those Who Wait...

It finally happened. The shirt I've been watching forever at Anthropologie finally went on sale! Eureka!

Doesn't this remind you of eating petit-fours at a lovely afternoon garden tea? Pure bliss...

The Nectar of Life

"What garlic is to food, insanity is to art." - Augustus Saint-Gaudens

The Age

Are You Ready for Some Action?

Bread, Tomatoes, Garlic, Basil, 'Nuff Said

On the newest episode of The Barefoot Contessa this past weekend, Ina cooked up something straight after my own heart. We went out, got the ingredients, and made it that very same evening. I'm talking about Scalloped Tomatoes. Easy to make, and scrumptious to eat. What more could you want?

Unfortunately, the recipe did not appear on The Food Network site until today, but that didn't stop us!! We went off what we could remember from the show. Personally, I don't think you can really ever go wrong in quantities when dealing with bread, tomatoes, garlic, and basil. Those things were made for each other. Our finished product was not quite as beautiful as Ina's version, but the flavor was great.

It's like a caprese salad, or margherita pizza in a casserole. We definitely plan on making this again, and I'm sure it will be even better with the actual recipe in hand. What can I say? I'm an Italian girl, which means I'm a sucker for dishes like this.

Ingredients

Good olive oil

2 cups (1/2-inch diced) bread from a French boule, crusts removed

16 plum tomatoes, cut 1/2-inch dice (about 2 1/2 pounds)

1 tablespoon minced garlic (3 cloves)

2 tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup julienned basil leaves, lightly packed

1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large (12 inch) saute pan over medium heat. Add the bread cubes and stir to coat with the oil. Cook over medium to medium-high heat for 5 minutes, stirring often, until the cubes are evenly browned.

Meanwhile, combine the tomatoes, garlic, sugar, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. When the bread cubes are done, add the tomato mixture and continue to cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes. Off the heat, stir in the basil.

Pour the tomato mixture into a shallow (6 to 8 cup) baking dish. Sprinkle evenly with the Parmesan cheese and drizzle with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until the top is browned and the tomatoes are bubbly. Serve hot or warm.

Culinary Confession

ehow.com

Well, there it is. The object of my desire. My sweet temptation. All that is good and pure in life. I'm talking about garlic.

Because this blog is a journey in growth and self-discovery through food and cooking, I feel I must be honest here, and confront my addiction head-on.

So, let me put myself out there. When I tell people I don't have a garlic press, I usually cite the more socially acceptable reason: "I'm a food purist." Not so. I don't have one because I love touching and peeling garlic by hand. Just the opportunity to hold it makes my day. I could spend hours peeling garlic, and be totally content.

When I read the various home remedies for removing the smell of garlic from hands, I nod along as if I am really quite vexed by the issue. Behind closed doors, though, I ask myself why anyone would be crazy enough to wash away the smell of garlic. The smell of garlic on my hands is like the first day of Spring. I am like the Mary Katherine Gallagher of garlic.

Even cleaning my cutting board is a treat, because the scent of garlic and onions is released from the inner depths of the block.

My devotion to garlic is so deep, I put it in almost everything I cook-even cheese quesadillas. The joy of garlic is endless.

Hopefully I haven't scared anyone too much, but I had to be open and honest about this. It feels good to get it off my chest. Now I feel that I can move forward into the next phase of my garlic-flavored future.

A Classic Comes Home

I posted awhile back about reading the book Julie and Julia. Loved it. Couldn't wait for the movie, and then somehow missed it in the theater. So when it came out on DVD, I had to snatch it up. Loved it also. Like many people, I was hungry and ready to cook after watching it.

I'm kind of ashamed to admit that I didn't own Julia Child's groundbreaking cookbook, Mastering the Art of French Cooking, until a couple weeks ago, but better late than never! The Boeuf Bourguignon in Julie and Julia looked divine (ahhh, movie magic), and is featured in the cookbook. It was also the first dish Julia Child made on her show, The French Chef, as well as the first recipe editor Judith Jones tried from the original manuscript. Not to mention that it is one of the quintessential dishes in French cuisine. Not surprisingly then, I felt it was only right to keep with tradition, and make that the inaugural dish to try.

If I had to pick one word to describe the finished dish: sublime. It was so good, I almost picked up the phone and quit my job, so I could enroll in culinary school, and be surrounded by food for the rest of my life. So good, I almost started collecting boxes to pack up the house we just bought, and move to France so I could eat it everyday (and I hate moving with the fire of a thousand suns!). It's that good! Every ingredient in this stew adds another layer of flavor.

Although this was quite a lengthy production (plan on 5-6 hours in the kitchen), the finale is well worth it. I don't even know what a chic chef would wear to serve this, because nobody's eyes are going to be on the chef. This masterpiece of a dinner is the true eye candy of the evening. Served with some good bread to sop up the juices, it was the perfect meal on a cold, winter day.

Despite the many steps involved, each one was fairly easy, and well described by the authors in the cookbook. I had great results on the first try, and the results will only get better from here. One shudders when imagining what that will be like...

Merry Christmas to Me!

My husband and I have never been all that skilled at giving each other gifts. Either we buy them while we're together, the don't get wrapped, they are given way early, or we guess the gift before we get it. See what I mean?

So it comes as no surprise that I already got my gift this year for Christmas, which I helped pick out (hey, I found a good deal. I had to go with it). I feel it is the final piece of the puzzle for a well-equipped kitchen.

May I proudly introduce you to my new baby...

Bed Bath and Beyond

Ain't she a beauty? Perhaps under this laid-back, creative, fancy-free cooking exterior, there lies the disciplined, exacting, and patient nature of a baker. I can't wait to find out!