Foodie Friends on the Farm

This past Sunday, one of my most favorite foodie friends, Nicole, invited me to her new house located on a farm in Hammonton, NJ for a cooking date. Nicole and I have been long time friends that began when we became coworkers at Underwood Engineering five years ago.

Nicole is a spunky Italian mother of three who loves to eat and cook. She and I have tried so many delicious restaurants all over the tri-state area and one day hope to start an endeavor together that will incorporate our love of food. We were once dubbed by a table neighbor we met at a cozy BYOB as "Partners in Dine" and I must agree that title describes our relationship to a tee.

We spent all week emailing back and forth specific menu ideas for our Sunday feast. We decided on:

Shrimp ceviche with grilled romaine

Homemade cannelloni pasta rolls filled with artichokes, leeks, and mushrooms topped with a truffle cream sauce

Roasted asparagus with lemon and herbs

Banana cream pie and blueberry pie with homemade crust

Nicole also surprised me with a delicious antipasto and homemade rice balls. She spent the night before making the risotto from scratch.  All of the ingredients we used to make our dishes were from Bagliani's, a small family owned Italian market. Even the breadcrumbs we used, which were sold by the bag, were literally made in the back by Grandma Bagliani.

One of our favorite restaurants to lunch at is Sang-kee Peking Duck House in Chinatown. One of the many reasons why we love it there so much is becuase of the Iced Tea. Surprisingly, they make the best Iced Tea we have ever had. It's a sweetened, freshly brewed tea with lots of lemon. The ice - so perfectly crushed - is what really makes the tea sing. Well, leave it to Nicole to try and duplicate it for our special Sunday dinner feast. She came very close, and had she gotten crushed ice, it woudlve been exact!

Needless to say, the meal was absolutely delicious. Thanks again to my devoted foodie friend for allowing me to mess up her kitchen and create another fantastic food memory!

Delicious Antipasto



FFN prepping the pasta dough



Busy at work

Pasta rolling pro





Homemade Pie Crust



Pasta dough all rolled out



Rice balls cooling off



Veggies cooking and sauce simmering



Pasta cooked and rolled

Rice Balls

Truffle Cream Sauce

The feast

The veggies /salad

Veal cutlets and leftover antipasto

Cannelonni



The almost Sang-kee Ice Tea

Monthly Menu - February/March 2011

Remember to post a comment requesting any recipes you want and I will post them!

1. Teppanyaki style filet mignon & Shrimp Ceviche

2. Shrimp & Mushroom Fettucini Alfredo & Lemon Truffle Artichoke Spinach salad

2.1. Lemon Truffle Artichoke Spinach salad



3. Panko & Pistachio crusted Tilapia

3.1. Panko & Pistachio crusted Tilapia over Jasmine Rice & Zesty Green Beans 



4. Not-Your-Grandmom's-Chicken Parm & Pink Spaghetti

 



6. five minute almost - huevos rancheros

7. Pan poached salmon with lemon wine sauce






















Mind over matter can keep you from getting fatter?!

The other day I saw a segment on Good Morning America about positive thinking and how it affects our health. The results of one particular study were pretty amazing and supported the idea that mind really is over matter:

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/video/power-to-heal-in-your-mind-13026870
http://abcnews.go.com/Health/video/optimism-heart-patient-survival-13031192

I have always had this philosophy ESPECIALLY when it comes to food. I firmly believe that when one eats unhealthy food and then feels extreme guilt over it, the pounds will pack on. I am not suggesting that by thinking happy thoughts whilst housing McDonalds and birthday cake will prevent heart disease and obesity, but I do think that those of us who eat the occasional "bad" food and feel good about it will not see or feel the negative results.

It is okay to have a side of bacon, bowl of ice cream, or slice of pizza. Sugar is bad for you. Creamy foods cause high cholesterol. Cheese clogs your arteries. Carbs make you bloated. The list could go on and on. The bottom line is that these foods are delicious. When eaten in moderation, we should not be conditioned to feel such guilt and negativity over them. What is the point of eating foods that make our taste buds dance and sing if after we are just going to obsess over our imminent weight gain?

I also have a theory  that our bodies sometimes get so accustomed to our style of eating that we need to throw in that occasional “bad” food just to keep our metabolism in check. We can’t let our bodies get too used to our routines just as we do with exercise. Moderation is key, and that chocolate cake IS worth it!

One of my foodie idols, Anthony Bourdain,  puts it quite simply:

“You can live to be a hundred if you give up all the things that make you want to live to be a hundred”

So my foodie friends, have that doughnut in the break room and allow yourself that piece of bread at lunch. And tonight, you can try my latest recipe, Fettuccini Alfredo. Enjoy it - I know I did! (2 nights in a row and lunch today.)

Alfredo Sauce

Ingredients:
2 Tbs flour
2 cups milk

1/2 cup heavy cream
half stick of butter
1/2 Tbs sea salt
1 Tbs pepper
1/2 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cup fresh grated parmesan
1/4 cup grated smoked havarti

Directions:
melt butter in large sauce pan over medium heat
whisk in flour
add milk
add sour cream
turn up to medium high and let heat through
add parmesan
add havarti
add pepper
add salt
pour over pasta (I also sauteed shrimp and mushrooms prior to add to this dish)