Comfort Foods and Indulgences

jacketpotatomediterreanWith our 12th wedding anniversary right around the corner, I thought I’d look up 12th year wedding gifts. The traditional gifts are silks and linens. Who came up with those? Does that mean I should expect a linen table cloth? Should Jeff expect silk pajamas? I think not.

In fact, after 12 years together, I want to give Jeff something memorable, something unique. So, I was thinking a potato. Not any potato. (What kind of wife do you think I am?) A jacket potato, as they call it in England, or as we Yanks call it, a stuffed potato. Now, before you consider me the most un-romantic person you’ve ever met, read on.

 Our honeymoon had an inauspicious start. Our scheduled non-stop flight from Boston to London was cancelled due to thunderstorms, and consequently our luggage was “misplaced” (the Brits’ genteel word for “lost”). In part due to a choppy ride and part due to just-married-bliss, we did not sleep on the flight over and landed in London late and red-eyed.

When we arrived, we discovered that our inn was just as we anticipated: a Victorian brownstone on a tree lined, thoroughly British street. There was even a consummate Brit, heels clicking on the pavement, with his walking stick swinging in one hand and the Sunday Times in the other.

The woman at the inn greeted us warmly then asked for our name. After Jeff told her, she looked at him, then at me, then back at him and back to me. She said, “Uncanny how much you two look alike. Are you brother and sister?”

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pie smores slicesSummer has officially arrived in Los Angeles. It’s hot. My oven hasn’t been turned on for days. Dinners are all about the BBQ, my saute pan, and lots and lot of fresh veggies and salads.

Not using my oven is a big problem for the dessert loving boys that I happen to live with. There is only so much ice cream one can make and berries dipped in homemade chocolate sauce doesn’t always satisfy the sweet tooth. The question is; what can I make for dinner, including dessert that didn’t require me turning on my oven.

I am not fond of a no bake pie. I like most desserts cooked and sometimes, the more well done the better. So, in order to beat the heat, give my family the dessert they deserve, I have whipped up a sweet treat that both young and old will devour.

Grabbing a bag of gluten free graham cracker crumbs from the freezer, and a block of Scharffen Berger chocolate, I got to work before the mid morning sun heated up my kitchen. If you want something quick, easy, using only pantry staples, this is the dessert for you.

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grilledhamcheeseWith the weather being so indecisive here on the East coast—one minute it's hot and humid, the next it's cold and rainy—it's been difficult to fully fall into the pleasures of autumn. But with October just a day away, I've been starting to crave comfort foods, like soups, stews, and hot sandwiches. Lunches for me have been a mixed bag of sorts, I'm never sure what to eat, and I'm not always satisfied with what I get. But the sandwich shop near my workplace always seems to have the right sandwich for me. It's my standby.

'Wichcraft, pretty much a chain restaurant in New York City, in my opinion, has the best pressed sandwiches, among them the grilled Gruyère and caramelized onions. It is just mouthwateringly good with its oozy cheese and sweet caramelized onions. Whenever I need a comfort food fix, I always seem to gravitate toward this sandwich. It's simple and it always hits the spot. I've decided to come up with my own personalized version.

My version of this popular sandwich includes ham, for extra flavor. I use a panini press to make the sandwich, but you can also use a regular skillet, and just simply weight the sandwich with a foil-wrapped brick between flips. The caramelized onions can be prepared a day in advance, making this lunch come together even faster. Use either Gruyère or Emmental cheese for the best results in both flavor and texture.

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creamy-gnoochi-with-walnut-and-sage-classic-flavorsIs there a dish you make that gets your family a little excited for mealtime? At my house, it's gnocchi. When word gets out gnocchi is showing up for dinner, everyone starts milling around the kitchen...just waiting. Thank goodness this pasta only take a few minutes to boil.  

Gnocchi is a wonderful comfort food, and a blank canvas to shape into any combination of flavors. We recently had some amazing homemade mushroom gnocchi while in Hawaii, and still haven't stopped talking about that meal. Making homemade gnocchi is definitely on my culinary bucket list...I will get to it. Sooner than later I hope.

Making a bechamel sauce for this dish is also really easy. If you have never made this creamy sauce before, don't worry. The great thing about a bechamel sauce is once you know how to execute it, you'll be able to whip one up for a variety of dishes. It's simple to change the flavor to go with almost anything. You will never be at a loss when it comes to needing something creamy for one of your recipe creations.

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marshmellowshake.jpgLast night I made one of the most requested meals at my house, Sliders. However, I was in the mood for the whole burger and a milkshake experience.

I recently saw this recipe for Toasted Marshmallow Milkshakes and I knew I had to try it.  Let's not mention there was a bag of marshmallows burning a whole in my pantry. 

And honestly, I think this was the best milkshake I've ever had. It's very sweet but the flavor is incredible and authentically toasted marshmallow. The family could not believe I was serving dessert with dinner. Hey, it was one of those kind of nights.

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