Bread, bread...

It’s no big secret that I love bread.. I tend to tear into a loaf of fresh Italian bread as soon as I walk out of the bakery.. Or even worse, when I pop it right out of the oven I’m cutting slices off and either slathering it in butter or dipping it into the tomato sauce that finds itself simmering on my stove nearly every Sunday. I love baking my own bread and absolutely can not stand ‘white bread’ or pretty much any bread that comes pre-sliced in the supermarket. There is a grocery store by work that bakes bread all day, all kinds of bread, so whenever I get a chance I grab some rolls or a few loaves of bread.. But they never last long in my house.. And if they do start to get a little stale.. French toast, bread pudding, panzanela.. You name it..

One bread that has always caught my attention is Amish Friendship Bread.... my mom bought me a cookbook when I was about 14 and it had the recipe in it, I remember earmarking the page and then I never got around to it and God only knows where that book is now. I guess it’s somewhere along the lines of sourdough bread, but a sweet version.. I would love to try a recipe (although I’m not so sure if I have the attention span to nourish this starter every day.. Sometimes I’m lucky I remember to feed my turtles) I would still like to give it a go.. Maybe a ‘quick starter’ if there even is a thing.. Like for beginners, lol...

Local restaurant with New, Gluten Free dishes!

I am a big fan of Flour Arrangements, I love her stories and her recipes are always exciting and reading about her new gluten free diet has me thinking that my cousin is also suffering from this same allergy.. so I will be using some of her recipes for my cousin to try. Today I got an email from a restaurant that isn't so much local to me, but sort of in the area by work, and it really intrigued me.
(ROFL, I love their name..)

Dear Café Formaggio patrons,

Thank you for your emails regarding Gluten Free items at Café Formaggio. As many of you may have noticed, Café Formmaggio’s gluten free items have recently been featured in the September 9th issue of Newsday. Just to clarify any confusion, here is some information on our featured GF items.Although Café Formaggio does not have a separate GF menu, we have a large number of GF items featured in our regular our menu.

*We offer GF penne, which can be cooked in almost any of the sauces offered on our regular menu including marinara, ala vodka, garlic and oil, pesto, ECT. All gluten free pasta is boiled in separate, sterile pots, in a section of out kitchen where only GF entrees are prepared.

*GF personal, 14 inch margarita pizzas served plain or with your choice of GF toppings. GF pizzas are cooked in a separate pizza oven exclusively for GF pizza.

*We offer a large variety of GF salads, as well as GF grilled entrees.

* For dessert we offer delicious GF brownies and Gluten Free Nutella Pizza.

* Wash your GF meal down with Red Bridge GF beer

*Our wait staff is well informed about all of our Gluten Free menu items, so be sure to ask for their guidance when ordering your next GF meal.

For those of you that did not see our article in Newsday, please click on this link to view it: http://www.exploreli.com/entertainment/localguide/dining/ny-xli-dining-vegetarian0908,0,1512198.story



For more information, please feel free to contact Café Formaggio at 516-333-1718

We look forward to seeing you soon!

While many restaurants realize that many people suffer from many allergies, not many do much to serve those customers or make it a 'pleasant dining experience' I suffer from a seafood allergy (brought on by the birth of my darling son.) I once loved shrimp and lobster but now I can't even touch the stuff.. so I have to be very careful (especially at Chinese restaurants) I once had an incident where the stuffed mushrooms were not just stuffed with breadcrumbs as they were labeled, but also shrimp and had a not too fun 'benadryl moment' and I try to void that as much as possible, your throat swelling up is never a fun thing to experience. But this made me happy, at least some places are trying and letting us all know in one big mass email.

Crash Hot Potatoes...

Tonight I really didn't know what I was going to make for dinner.. It's been a hell of a week, I can tell y'all.. judging from Tuesday's post and the fact that there hasn't been one since.. it just goes to show.. between leaving work at 2, leaving at 3:30 in a panic because the kid had a ride home and then his 'friend' left without him.. and then a minor meltdown yesterday when he was sure he had a ride and then didn't.. then finally got one.. it was just really something that I didn't think I was going to have to deal with.. and my car search isn't going so well.. because all I seem to find in my price range are junkers and this damn rainstorm isn't helping me today either (yea, thanks Hanna)

Anyway.. This is supposed to be about dinner..
Well.. the Kid and I made it to the supermarket (By Bus mind you, since the BF is working today and peapod totally pissed me off now that they raised their 'minimum delivery' to $60 from $50.. along with the $9.95 delivery charge, tax and the almost $2 fuel surcharge and coupon codes for peapod are almost nonexistent..) I figured we'd just go to Pathmark (since a friend sent me 3 coupons for Free blue bunny ice cream and I had one myself and Pathmark, waldbaums and A&P are the only stores that honor that coupon and I don't have the other two near me.. and the coupons expire on the 15th.. I just went ahead and did it.. so I picked up 4 -1.75Qt (seriously, I don't understand why it just can't be a half gallon anymore, it's so annoying.. but I digress) Hey, any ice cream for free is good in my book, lol.. so we got those (and hey, at $5.99 each I got $24 worth of ice cream for free.. Nice!)

So I still wasn't really certain what I was going to make tonight.. at first I thought pizza.. but then I remembered something I saw the other day while I was looking around and I found this: Crash Hot Potatoes by the Pioneer woman posted on tastefix by Grumpy's Honeybunch and for days I've been wanting to try them.. so I made Roasted Lemon Rosemary chicken and what I call Smashed Potatoes.. they're insanely good, perfectly seasoned, crispy skin on the bottom, just all around yummy!

Ok, ok, the pictures aren't great.. I was going to go camera shopping today.. but apparently Hanna had other plans (Damn hurricane!) The camera on my cell phone is fine for now though


These Smashed potatoes.. yea, they're definitely a keeper.. wow.. next time they're going with Roast beef or something Beefy, lol... Mmmmm.. Meat & Potatoes.. you just can't go wrong.

Today was one of those days when I needed a little extra love.. and some really good comfort food.. Maybe it's the 2 miles I walked before 8am.. maybe it was because my baby boy started 7th grade in the most enormous school that I've ever been to in my life (Grades 7-12 under one roof) Seriously this school is 3 floors and spans across 4 blocks.. it's HUGE! He had to be at school by 7:45.. (daily.. this is going to be a trip People..a mile and a half each way? Every morning? Mind you, around here you have to live 1.5 miles or more to get a school bus around here, and I am 1.4, I need to get a car really soon!) alright.. so I'm up at 6:20 and majorly tweaking my morning routine now, because I'm so used to not having to leave until 8, we were out of the house by 7:15... Ugh, seriously? This is not fun... it's going to take a while to get used to.. So I get him to school and I have to walk back to the bus stop to get to work.. no big shocker here, I made it to work on time...anyway.. it was all fine and dandy until P. called me at 1:30 to let me know that he can't get a ride home with his friend and he's got no last period so he's going to be done at 2.. WTF?? you couldn't tell me this earlier?!?!? Craaaaaaaaaaaaaaap!! Okay, fine, I let my boss know that I've gotta go because the kid has no way home, I jump on the bus to the terminal.. then wait.. anxiously for my connecting bus and finally arrive at the end of the block where the school is located.. (Oy Vey.. More walking) 15 more blocks and I'm there and he's out front waiting for me.. Okay.. Now I need a break.. but first.. Oh God.. we have to go in and get the supplies from the student store.. Where is the student store? Oh.. it's on the 3rd floor.. Wonderful.. More walking and stairs.. woo hoo.. Ok, ok.. $35.50 later for books (they have to buy their own workbooks now.. this is all news to me) color coded binders and dividers for each one.. a school planner.. Jeez.. New York schools have sure changed since I graduated. So we get the books (and all this stuff is so much, 6 binders, 2 fat workbooks and a yearly planner) it doesn't all fit in his backpack.. so I'm stuck carrying about 1/3 of this pile.. and then we have to walk back home.. I feel like I'm going to pass out! *Not to self, don't wear flip flops during the week anymore, not as long as we're walking to school* I finally walked in the door at 4:30 after stopping to pick up some more school supplies and I practically crash on my bed.. ok, just 5 minutes my feet were killing me.. then it came.. the words I knew I was going to hear just about as soon as we walked through the door... "Mom, what's for dinner?" Ha! Leftovers Kiddo.. I made more than enough last night because I had no idea what was in store for me today.. so he had sauteed chicken with tomatoes and herbs over rice.. as for me.. I needed something more, um.. comforting.. like Mozzarella en Carrozza.. yummy battered and fried sort of grilled cheese (but with Mozzarella instead of American cheese), a little bowl of Tomato sauce and a big glass of milk.. Mmmmmm..

Mozzarella en Carrozza

SERVES 4

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Ingredients

• 1 fresh mozzarella cheese, ball
• 4 slices white bread, crusts trimmed
• 2 large eggs, beaten,more as needed
• 1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
• salt and pepper
• plain breadcrumbs, as needed
• olive oil, for frying

Directions

1. Cut the mozzarella into enough 1/4-inch thick slices to cover 2 slices of the bread.

2. Reserve the remaining mozzarella for another use.

3. Top the cheese with the remaining 2 slices of bread, to make 2 sandwiches, and press down to compact.

4. In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, garlic, and parsley and season with salt and pepper.

5. Put the bread crumbs on a plate.

6. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, pour the in oil to a depth of 1/4-inch.

7. When the oil is hot, dip each sandwich into the egg mixture, dredge in the bread crumbs, and fry, turning once, until crisp and the cheese has melted.

8. Cut each sandwich in 1/2 and serve, while still hot, with the marinara sauce on the side for dipping.

Hopefully tomorrow is going to be better.. at least I know he'll be in school until 3..

Accidental Vegan cupcakes..

I was going through my inbox this afternoon when I saw a foodie email featuring Boston cream cupcakes.. Seriously?!? I HAD to have them.. so I started setting up my mis em place.. aww Crap, There wasn't an egg in the fridge, and I needed 2.. what to do.. what do to??? Alright my brain switched into search mode.. Recipezaar was the place to find just about anything and I found This:

Vegan Egg Replacer / Substitute

5 min | 5 min prep

SERVES 1 , 1 "egg"

1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoons flour
3 tablespoons water

1. Whisk ingredients together until foamy.
2. One batch = Equivalent of one egg.

Okay, well.. that was easy.. Now, I had to find the recipe for yellow cake.. alright.. Back to 'Zaar and I found this Gem:

Quick Yellow Cake

42 min | 7 min prep

SERVES 12

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Ingredients

• 2 cups flour
• 1 1/3 cups sugar
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 1 cup milk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 2 eggs

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350*.

2. Mix dry ingredients in lg bowl.

3. Add shortening, milk and vanilla.

4. Beat on med for 2 minutes.

5. Add eggs and beat for 30 seconds more.

6. Bake in greased 13x9 pan for 35 minutes, or until pick comes out clean.

I had those nifty little paper nut cups, so I used them, filled them about 1/3 full and popped them in the oven.. I started them at 15 minutes, but they ended up using about 22.. and they all flopped.. at least the first batch did.. second batch has 5 more minutes in the oven as I'm writing this.. P. say the flopped ones are great.. I can't figure out why the hell they taste like Cornbread.. Ok, ok.. I think I have it.. I used I can't believe it's not butter for the butter (I didn't have quite enough butter either.. I really have to get myself to the supermarket this week!), I didn't have Vanilla extract either.. I guess the half a vanilla bean I scraped into there wasn't enough, and well.. then there's the egg substitute I used..

It didn't go Horribly wrong.. just not like I expected them to go.. I'm still gonna fill those little suckers with vanilla pudding and coat them in Ganache.. I mean come on people.. they're still good :)

In hindsight, maybe I should have just stuck with making chocolate pudding..

Okay, batch 2 just came out of the oven.. they flopped too.. Hmm... next time I'll use everything I'm supposed to... but seriously, they taste just like corn muffins... and there's not one ouce of corn in them! Figure that one out?!?