Jerry's Thoughts, Musings, and Rants!

Garlicky Tortellni, Spinach, and Tomato Soup

Now that we have some winter weather (finally!!!) we've been busy with the soup pot. Paul made this recipe from the folks at Fine Cooking last week and we were both impressed with the results. It’s a great soup when you feel like you need to boost your immunity with a ton of green veggies and garlic.

I bet that this would be a favorite of kids & grown-ups! What is not to love? Fresh cheese tortellini floating in a garlicy tomato broth, laced with ribbons of fresh spinach & basil. YUM!

Garlicky Tortellni, Spinach, and Tomato Soup

1 tbsp. butter
6-8 cloves of garlic (use it all!)
4 cups of chicken broth
6 oz. cheese tortellini (3/4 cup)
14 oz. can diced tomatoes with liquid or 2 1/2 cups of skinned, chopped fresh ripe tomatoes
10 oz. bag of spinach, stems removed (1 and 1/4 cups)
8-10 fresh basil leaves, coarsely chopped
parmesan cheese, grated

melt butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. add garlic and saute about two minutes. add broth and bring to a boil. add tortellini and cook halfway (about 5 minutes if frozen, less if using fresh). add tomatoes and their liquid; reduce heat to simmer and cook just until pasta is tender. stir in spinach and basil and cook until wilted, 1-2 minutes. to serve, sprinkle with parmesan cheese. serves four.

Photo Hunt - Fluffy

This week's Photo Hunt theme is 'fluffy'. Both of these pictures were taken a year ago . . .

There is NONE of this fluffy snow on the ground a year later.

When Paul and I got back home from our hike in the snow this fluffy guy was sound asleep on the fluffy blanket - you'd think he had been out in the snow all afternoon!

Farrotto with Butternut, Gruyère, and Hazelnuts

Farro is one of my favorite grains that I think about making a lot more often than I really do. Its firm, chewy texture and earthy, nutty flavors are perfect seasonal complements to the dark leafy greens and winter squash that are abundant right now. While I was de-hoarding the pantry I found a couple of bags of farro that I had brought home from Italy and then this recipe appeared in the January Cooking Light - fate some would say.

Being a big fan of risotto, I was drawn to the notion of making a dish using farro instead of arborio, which is apparently, now commonly referred to as “farrotto.” While the traditionalist in me kind of balks at this manipulation of the classic Italian dish everything I read about it seemed too good to be true. Farro is also much less persnickety about how much stirring attention it gets (cue the never-ending 'stir or not stir' the risotto debate . . .).

We both LOVED this. Actually, Paul liked it so much that he insisted (yes, INSISTED) on bringing the leftovers for lunch the next day. This is a high compliment since he generally refuses to eat the same thing two days in a row.

Farrotto with Butternut, Gruyère, and Hazelnuts

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 cups thinly sliced leek (about 1 large)1 cup uncooked farro
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 cup white wine
4 cups water, divided
4 cups (1/2-inch) cubed peeled butternut squash
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 ounces Gruyere cheese, grated (about 1/2 cup packed)1/2 cup chopped hazelnuts, toasted

Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add leek; sauté 5 minutes or until tender, stirring frequently. Add farro and garlic; cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in wine; cook 1 minute or until wine evaporates. Add 1 cup water; cook 8 minutes or until liquid is nearly absorbed, stirring frequently. Add 2 more cups water, 1 cup at a time, stirring until each portion is absorbed before adding the next (about 30 minutes total). Stir in remaining 1 cup water, squash, sage, salt, and pepper. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes or until squash is just tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in cheese; sprinkle with nuts. Serve immediately

De-Hoarding is Challenging With Cats!

The other day Paul was working at de-hoarding his dressers and closet - about time since they were all about ready to explode. It was a challenge though because of Dante who decided that the de-hoarding must be just for him to enjoy a cozy spot . . .

Our Italian Pottery Arrives From Positano

So after all of the crap with UPS yesterday I was wondering if I'd come home to a nice case of pottery from Italy or if I'd need another rant at UPS.

Happily UPS came through and there was a great big box from Positano. It seemed bigger than was necessary for the two pieces that Paul and I had ordered.

It turns out that our two pieces were in there as well as the two pieces that mom had ordered.

Everything was very well packed.

The first piece was a wall plaque that I had made. While we were at the pottery shop they had a number of fine plaques for the various professions that someone could mount on the wall of their office. I decided I needed a teacher. This was a problem since that had professor but not teacher.

Happily they agreed to make one for me.

I'm really happy with how it turned out!

The other piece that we ordered was a large pedestal bowl. I saw one like this high on a shelf of the shop and decided I couldn't life without it. I'm not sure what we're going to do with it but we're very happy with it!

We really liked the colours and detail in the pattern.

There are Times I Wish Y2K Had Worked.

Remember how technology was supposed to make life easier for us? We'd all have oodles of free time to lounge about the beach sipping a drink and enjoying the sun.

How is that working out for you?

There are times technology makes me so wildly angry that I want to practice primal scream therapy.

Today was a fine example of this.

I arrived home to a notice from UPS on my door, informing me that they had tried to deliver a package but I wasn't home - funny that someone might actually be at work during the day trying to make a living. The note also informed me that I owed $ 86 in brokerage fees.

This got my blood boiling.

I called the number on the back of the notice. Alovely, calm electronic voice answered and asked me for the 9 digit number on the form. I said the number. I was asked to repeat the number since the voice activated PC didn't quite get the number. I repeated the number F.I.V.E. times before the PC got it.

The next menu offered 6 lengthy choices to select. I wanted none of those choices. I started mumbling about how I wanted to speak to a human.

The PC picked up the mumbling and took it as a request to go through all six options again.

Rage started bubbling within.

I tried pushing 0. The computer hung up on me.

I want through the whole process again. This time I kept yelling 'human. I want to talk to a human' into the phone.

After 2 minutes of this the PC apparenly got tired of it and said 'I'll connect you with an operator'.

I thought there'd be a person right away.

Noooooooooo.

I had to listen to a long story about what I could do to try and solve the issue myself. I like solving problems myself. I don't call unless I need help. Having tried all of those things suggested I was calling as a last resort. Calling was filling me with rage.

By now I was mumbling 'operator' over and over again.

Finally I got put through to a person who was clearly not employed in North America. I'm not racist, really I am not, but if you are assisting folks in English is it too much to expect that you can actually speak the language?

In the end the person at the other end of the phone told me what I already knew - they had tried to deliver and there was a brokerage fee. This is where I snapped a titch. You see, last week I had called the UPS brokerage and provided them with my Credit Card information, they were to calculate whatever duty was owed and just charge it. I also made arrangements to just have the package delivered - no signature, no notices, no fuss.

The person at the other end said 'I'll check your file.'

Sure enough all of that was on record. So UPS clearly screwed up and was causing me grief.

What was the solution proposed? Let me transfer you to the brokerage compay and they can help you.

I was trying hard not to be enraged. It wasn't this person's fault that I was angry; they hadn't caused the screw up. It was so hard not to throw the phone. I think if it hadn't been for the 15 minutes of frustration trying to actually get to a person I might have been able to hold out for that transfer.

As it was I barked into the phone and hung up.

Remember when you used to call someone in your community and they could actually assist you? Now we get computers with a limited ability to think on their feet - being a hunk of electronics. We get long lists of options and frustration when what we need fitsnone of them. Perhaps there are millions of folks out there who call with trivial things and it makes perfect sense for the company to have a computer force the calling customer to do everything that they can to solve their own problem. I don't buy that.

Not at all.

We have companies making millions of dollars. Actually, UPS made $ 1.06 billion US last year - I know because in my enraged state I checked. They make this profit by getting rid of as many people as possible and then outsourcing jobs to lower earning countries. The result is a decidedly unsatisfactory experience for ME!

Bring back the people UPS! I want a person and I want to reach them quickly so I can get help with a limited number of clicks, transfers, and garbled computers.

Garlicky Shrimp and Asparagus with Lemon

It's Chinese New Year today - welcoming the year of the dragon. Often regarded as one of the most important signs in the zodiac, Chinese tradition dictates that those born in Dragon years tend to be brave, innovative and highly driven, regularly making it to the top of their profession. Yes, I was born in 1964 - a year of the dragon.

In honour of a new year we whipped up this super fast stir fry tonight. It was a delicious (and light) way to celebrate the new year. I followed the recipe as printed but cut back on the oil. I was worried about the lemon zest since the pieces carved off using the peeler were large. I needn't have worried - they softened up and definitely didn't overpower the dish.

Garlicky Shrimp and Asparagus with Lemon

1 lb. shrimp (21 to 25 per lb.), peeled, deveined, rinsed, and patted dry
3/4 tsp. kosher salt; more as needed
Freshly ground black pepper
1 lemon
6 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
4 medium cloves garlic, thinly sliced
3/4 lb. asparagus, bottoms snapped off, halved lengthwise if thick, and cut into 2-inch lengths (2 cups)
1/8 to 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
2/3 cup low-salt chicken broth
1/2 tsp. cornstarch

Sprinkle the shrimp with a scant 1/4 tsp. salt and a few generous grinds of black pepper. Using a peeler, gently shave the zest in strips from the lemon, taking care not to get any of the bitter white pith. Squeeze the lemon to get 1 Tbs. juice.

Put a 12-inch skillet (not nonstick) over medium-high heat for 1-1/2 minutes. Add 2 Tbs. of the oil and once it’s shimmering hot, add the shrimp in a single layer. Cook undisturbed until the shrimp browns nicely, about 2 minutes. Flip the shrimp and brown the second side, about 1-1/2 minutes. Transfer to a large plate. The shrimp should be a little undercooked.

Reduce the heat to medium, add the remaining 4 Tbs. oil and the garlic and cook, tossing, until the garlic starts to sizzle steadily, about 30 seconds. Add the asparagus, lemon zest, and red pepper flakes, sprinkle with 1/2 tsp. salt and cook, tossing often, until the garlic is golden brown and the asparagus looks blistery in places, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the chicken broth, cover, with the lid ajar, and cook until the asparagus is just tender, 1 to 2 minutes.

In a small dish, whisk together the cornstarch with 1 Tbs. water, stir into the asparagus mixture, and bring to a boil. Stir in the shrimp, reduce the heat to low, and cook, tossing, until the shrimp is opaque throughout (cut one in half to check), 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the 1 Tbs. lemon juice and then add salt, pepper, and additional lemon juice to taste. Serve immediately.

Salmon in Tomato-Olive Sauce

The de-hoarding continues here. Yesterday I cleaned out kitchen cupboards and Paul cleaned out another bathroom. We can see the end in sight. Sort of.

The latest de-hoarded recipe goes back to February 2010 when the folks at Food and Wine magazine published an online photo album of healthy Mexican recipes. I thought this pan-roasted salmon recipe looked interesting, printed the recipe off, and put it in the pile to try. The pile that grew . . . and grew. Now, almost two years later, we finally tried it as a part of our de-hoarding flurry.

As with all of the recipes we've tried from our hoarded stash - we were amazed with how much we liked it and a bit disappointed that we hadn't made it sooner. I'm not one to deny myself anything and the thought that I could have made this dish a few years ago and loved it then is annoying.

By finally making this recipe it also allowed me to accomplish some other things. One of our goals this year is to be more in-tune with our health. We all know that a good way to do that is by eating more fish. We have a freezer shelf full of salmon. In-tune with health and de-hoarding all in one day.

As I type this I realize that I ate fish three times last week. I've come a long way from the lad who cried at the appearance of a fish stick on my plate.

This recipe is by chef Dionicio Jimenez who serves his pan-roasted salmon in a tomato sauce spiked with olives, capers and pickled jalapeños. The accompaniment at his restaurant is Mexican rice flavored with carrots, green beans and corn. The folks at Food and Wine suggested that you could skip the Mexican rice and serve a simple yellow rice instead - score, we've had a package of yello rice in the cupboard since I went on the Spanish paella kick two years ago!

There aren't many fishes that could stand up to this full-flavoured sauce and not be overwhelmed - salmon is a natural. I bet it'd be great with halibut or mahi mahi. Since I had lots of sauce left over and I have both mahi mahi and halibut in the freezer I could experiment, although hanging on to the sauce would mean hoarding it in the freezer. Oh, what to do . . . what to do?

This dish comes together in about 30 minutes (I used canned no-sodium chopped tomatoes instead of fresh ones) making it a perfect healthy option for week-night dining. The pickled jalapenos add some heat, you may wish to lower the amount of you're serving this to someone who has a sensitivity to food with flavour. We thought it was perfect. :-)

Salmon in Tomato-Olive Sauce

5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 pounds plum tomatoes, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon chopped oregano
2 bay leaves
1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives, sliced
1/3 cup drained capers
1/3 cup sliced pickled jalapeños
Four center-cut salmon fillets with skin (about 7 ounces each)
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Preheat the oven to 375°. In a large saucepan, heat 1/4 cup of the olive oil until shimmering. Add the onion and garlic and cook over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, oregano and bay leaves and cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes are just beginning to break down, about 5 minutes. Stir in the olives, capers and jalapeños and simmer for 2 minutes longer. Discard the bay leaves.

In a large ovenproof skillet, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil until shimmering. Season the salmon with salt and pepper and add to the skillet, skin side down. Cook over high heat until the skin begins to brown, about 4 minutes. Transfer the skillet to the oven and roast the fish for about 10 minutes, until slightly rare on the inside. Transfer the fish to plates, spoon the sauce all around and serve

As I was writing this post I realized that chef Jimenez owns a well-known Pueblo Mexican restaurant in Philly where I'll be for a conference in a few months. YUM! That will be a great meal even if I have to leave my colleagues behind. :-)

Photo Hunt - Bliss

This week's Photo Hunt theme is 'bliss'. Funny how with some hunts it's a challenge to find a single picture to fit the theme. With this one it was a challenge to narrow it down! Presumably we take photos of blissful things so there was so many to choose from - finally I narrowed it down to pics taken at the lake last summer.

I could use some of this bliss right now . . .

RIP Etta James