Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens.

This is the last weekend of summer (so says the calendar), and it’s still pretty hot. At least the days are. The nights have been breezy and temperate – pretty much perfect. Right now a light air is blowing in through my living room window, my dog is snuggled up next to me on the couch, I’m noodling with the crossword and listening to Good Food on the radio. I’m also contemplating what to do with my newest batch of Ryan’s tomatoes. Incidentally, the current topic on Good Food is, literally, what to do with all those tomatoes! It’s one of those cosmic muffin moments.

I love to make lists. I make lists for everything under the sun. I even add things to to-do lists after I’ve accomplished them, just so I can cross them out. So to take advantage of this consummate moment I find myself compelled to make a list of a few (25) of my favorite things (in no particular order).

* Extremely stinky cheeses

* In a Lonely Place

* The Chateau Marmont

* Friend of the Night, by Mogwai

* Vichyssoise

* Oysters, on the half shell

* Raw butter

* Chateau Margaux

* Maldon sea salt

* Chun King Express

* Sea Urchin

* Rueben’s martini at Musso & Frank

* Grilled octopus with potatoes, celery and lemon at Osteria Mozza

* My watch

* The Wire, in marathon-watching mode

* Suzanne Goin’s heirloom tomato salad with torn croutons and opal basil

* Chocolate Haagen Dazs ice cream

* My immersion blender

* Film Noir

* Cadbury Crème eggs

* Lillet

* My mom’s laugh

* Brander Sauvignon Blanc, Santa Ynez Valley

* Movie theater popcorn with an inordinate amount of salt

* Alice Coltrane

I know I have mentioned, previously, my love of soup and my love of tomatoes. I’d say, with the aforementioned radio show topic, my question regarding what to do with my tomato riches has been answered. It’s kismet. It’s a tomato soup.

I have served this soup, both, hot and cold, and I think it works, just as well, either way. It pairs absolutely perfectly with one of my favorite wines, the Brander Sauvignon Blanc, Santa Ynez Valley.

The croutons are a lot of fun and quite good on their own, as an appetizer.

Creamy Tomato Soup

Serves 4

Ingredients:

6 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 small onions, finely chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

½ cup dry white wine

3 pounds ripe summer tomatoes (4 cups chopped)

1 teaspoon coarse salt, plus more to taste

¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper, plus more to taste

1 cup fresh basil leaves, loosely packed

½ cup heavy cream

Directions:

Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onions and garlic, and cook, stirring, until onions are translucent, about 3 minutes. Add wine, tomatoes, salt, and pepper. Cook just until tomatoes are falling apart, about 5 minutes. Stir in basil, and remove from heat.

Let cool slightly. Transfer tomato mixture to a blender. Make sure to really get a good puree. If your blender is not powerful enough you may want to use a food mill to achieve a velvety- smooth texture.

Return soup to saucepan. Add cream, and adjust consistency with water if necessary. Season with salt and pepper.

Basil Croutons with Cherry Tomatoes

Makes 12

½ baguette

2 cups fresh basil leaves, loosely packed, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, or to taste, minced

2 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

½ teaspoon coarse salt, plus more to taste

¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper, plus more to taste

12 -15 cherry tomatoes

Preheat oven to 400°. Slice bread, on a slight diagonal, into 12 slices, about ¼ inch think. Arrange slices on a baking pan, and toast until golden, about 3 minutes per side. Remove from oven, set aside.

Mix together basil, garlic, and Parmesan in a small bowl. Pour in oil; mix to combine. Add salt and pepper; mix to combine.

Spoon a small amount of basil mixture onto each crouton, using the back of the spoon to spread slightly. Slice cherry tomatoes in half, and place halves facedown on croutons. Season with salt and pepper.

Printable Recipe

Morton's The Steakhouse @ Mandarin Oriental

We have been pushing Morton's down the list of food places to visit and when we wanted to make a reservation it was full house. After 6 months, since we last talked about visiting Morton's, we finally got a table and really step into the place. It was a first time for me but not the virgin trip for many on the table.

Morton's ambience was casual. One can make it into the restaurant in jeans and polo T-shirt. I saw flashlights went off as the servers were busy singing birthday songs and taking photos while they were serving the guests. It looked like my kind of restaurant, casual, cosy and comfortable. Apart from that, Morton's must have been the favourite birthday restaurant. I counted about 8 times that the birthday song were belted out by the group of servers who should have already perfected the song. The following were our indulgence at Morton's .......

The Complimentary Onion Bread Loaf

Feeling starved? The super size onion bread loaf was big enough to fill

everyone up making sure we all had enough energy from making

stomach space the whole day in anticipation for this meal.

Prime Ocean Platter (Portion for 2) - (S$88)

M and C ordered this chilled version to share. Morton's offered the oven

baked version too. M loved his Alaskan crab legs especially.

Lobster Bisque (S$30)

About half the table have the lobster bisque. The bisque taste good but

HY commented that the one that we did with Chef Lino at Palate

Sensations tasted better with the grapefruit added into the bisque.

Our order being plated at the counter

The strip steak, the ribeye and the fillet mignon ....

We were seated near to the counter which we had the

full view of the cooking that was going on. Only one steak

chef dealt with our steaks. Chef Corwin Leong was the man behind

our steak. He carried a straight "non nonsense" face when

he was focussed on trying to get our steaks done to his best.

But I noticed he broke into an occasional smile when a server

carried a caucasian baby boy to looking at him cook over the counter.

New York Strip Steak, Signature Cut, USDA Prime (S$115)

S ordered this, the 20 ounce Signature cut, the biggest on our table.

I didn't try this as he was at the far end of the long table. This cut

looked double the thickness of the ribeye.

Ribeye Steak, USDA Prime (S$87)

M ordered the Prime rib that was only available on Friday

and Saturday but was told that they ran out of that cut. The ribeye

was the same cut but just a smaller sized Prime rib. This was grilled

to a medium plus. Although, I felt that it was a bit tough, it

tasted better than the fillet mignon probably due to more interlaced fats.

Single Cut Fillet Mignon, Bearnaise Sauce (S$79)

This was the smallest cut on the table. HY ordered a medium rare.

Sectioned Medium Rare Fillet Mignon

Sectioning the fillet mignon revealed the pinkish raw meat that was

tender and juicy but I thought was still not as tasty as the ribeye.

Jumbo Lobster Tail, Western Australia (S$110)

Everyone wanted big lobster portion but big lobster usually

come with tougher flesh like what I had. The taste was good

with the lemon and butter sauce. But the moral of the story,

"Eat Steak in a Steakhouse don't try your luck with

something that is not their speciality".

Sides : Sauteed Fresh Mushrooms and Spinach (S$16),

Potato Skins (S$16) and Macaroni & Cheese (S$22)

Potato Skins

Macaroni & Cheese

Morton's Legendary Hot Chocolate Cake

The hot chocolate cake was good. I thought the standard

was on par with the one we had at Laurent's Cafe.

Creme Brulee

The creme brulee here was very sweet and the caramelized layer

was pretty hard too. The raspberry became too sour relative

to the sweetness of the creme brulee.

Double Chocolate Mousse

S&J ordered this double chocolate mousse. I didn't get to eat

it. Just to let folks know it's available and how it looked like.

Service was good, not as prompt as I had expected it to be, but excusable as the steakhouse was packed. Overall, everyone enjoyed the dinner especially those that have been craving for good steak for a long time (I'm winking at W&J as I say this). Morton's is no doubt one of the best place to have steak in Singapore.

Address : Mandarin Oriental Singapore, 4th storey, 5 Raffles Avenue, Marina Square

Tel : +65 6339 3740

Country : Singapore

Morton's The Steakhouse Singapore Website

Budget Grocery Shopping Tips

Just yesterday the San Francisco Chronicle reported that unemployment has reached 12.2% in California, that's the highest it's been since 1976. That means more and more people are struggling to make ends meet. More and more people are facing hunger.

I'm lucky, I've never faced hunger. I've never used food stamps or gotten food from a food bank, but for the second year in a row, I'll be participating in the Hunger Challenge sponsored by the San Francisco Food Bank. It's an opportunity to try to gain a better understanding of the challenges that come with trying to eat 3 meals a day for only $4, the typical food budget of a food stamp recipient.

I've already gone shopping twice at Whole Foods, once for my own cooking and a second time with Sue Kwon of KPIX to help her as she takes on the challenge. This week I'll be sharing my experiences, tips and recipes. To kick things off, here are some of suggestions for how to save on groceries at Whole Foods:

+ Buy bulk, that way you can get as little as you need for recipes using ingredients such as nuts, legumes or grains.

+ Frozen vegetables are often a better value than fresh, especially when it comes to green peas, spinach and broccoli.

+ Use flavor boosters to help make bland foods taste better--try a little garlic, lemon zest or chili flakes.

+ It's perfectly ok to buy one stick of butter, even if you have to open a package to get it.

+ Look to the Whole Foods 365 brand for tremendous values. Best bets include peanut butter, pasta, and oatmeal.

+ Protein is expensive, but eggs are still a good bargain and can be purchased for under $3 a dozen.

+ Lentils are another cheap source of protein and cook quicker than other types of beans. Dry beans are always cheaper than canned beans.

+ One of the best bargains in the produce section is carrots at 99 cents per pound. Eat them raw in salad, cooked as a side dish, or add them to soups and stews.

Here is a great list of 50 Items Under $1.50 at Whole Foods compiled by Stephanie at Noshotopia. Not all the prices are still the same, but they are pretty close.

Blue Mountain Cafe @ Illuma ........ got a good deal for blue mountain coffee

I found myself some alone time between visiting my parents and fetching HY from keyboard lessons and decided to walk into Illuma at Bugis. Blue Mountain Cafe is one of the shop flanking the entrance from Queen street. I didn't want any lunch, so a coffee and cake would suffice. "A cup of Jamaican blue mountain coffee at S$5.90++ for Saturdays and Sundays" says the promotional sign boards outside the cafe. I'm a coffee lover, so how could I not like blue mountain at this price.

My cup of Blue Mountain S$5.90++

Usual price for a cup is S$9.90++. The blue mountain

was siphon brewed and took about 10 minutes before it was served.

This coffee is balanced in acidity and aroma. In order to savour the taste

with every sip, I'll cleansed my mouth with a gulp of ice water. At this

price the cup of blue mountain is really worth while. A must try!

The Apple Crumble (S$5.20)

The apple crumble was my choice to compliment

my blue mountain as I didn't want the other

sweet cheese cakes to affect my enjoyment.

The apple crumble was baked to a slight crunch on the

outside, with a rich buttery flavor. Apple

slices on the inside were not to sweet and a bit sour.

Just as I want it to be to go with the coffee.

*photos taken with Samsung Omnia Phone Camera

The Blue Mountain cafe also served savoury food. There weren't many people during lunch time today. I can't comment about food there, but the S$5.90++ per cup of blue mountain coffee is a must try!

Address : 201 Victoria Street Illuma #01-01/02

Tel : +65 6509 9318

Country : Singapore

Why do YOU cook, Carol Blymire?

Carol Blymire brings a new level of commitment to food blogging. You think cooking through Mastering the Art of French Cooking was impressive? That's nothing. Carol cooked her way through the French Laundry cookbook and documented it on her blog, French Laundry at Home, and is now cooking her way through Alinea at her follow-up blog, Alinea at Home.

Carol shares her adventures and her food and reading how friends and neighbors react to her creations makes me feel like I'm right there with them. There's a good chance I may never cook from either of those books, but I am a vicarious observer and long-distance appreciator of every dish and every post.

"I cook because I'm adopted. Stay with me; I know it might sound weird, but trust me, it's true.

Study after study shows that when babies who were adopted reach adolescence and adulthood, they have greater difficulty connecting with others on an intimate, trusting level.

When I was born in the late 1960s, newborns were placed into foster care or in an orphanage for a few months before being placed with their family. That means newborns who were put up for adoption at that time were separated from the only human being they've ever known moments after being born, then again, months later, from their foster mother or caregiver at the orphanage. So, while most babies spend their first three months developing their sense of trust by merely being able to stare into the same parents' eyes from the moment they were born, people like me have stared into many eyes, heard many voices, and had some fractures in learning how to build trust and intimacy. It can be done -- and my relationship with my family is incredibly loving and close -- but, we have to work harder at it.

The one constant in all that change among all those different people who loved me before my parents got the chance to, is nourishment. No matter who cared for me, no matter whose eyes I stared into, those people fed me. And, I don't think it's merely a coincidence that when I was three months old, my parents brought me into their home for the first time on the night before Thanksgiving, so that my first meal with my new family took place on a day when food is celebrated and honored the most.

It took some time and perspective to understand it, but I now know and cherish that, for me, food is the singularly constant language of love and caring I know. It's why I sometimes get teary at restaurants -- when chefs and cooks share their craft, their passion, their hands, and their work with me, it speaks to me in a way that it might not with others. Especially having recently been diagnosed with celiac and not being able to eat gluten -- having someone cook something for me that won't make me sick has taken my gratefulness for nourishment to a level that is nearly indescribable.

But the question was not "why do you eat" or "why do you write about food," it's "why do you cook?" I cook because, for me, it's the most honest way for me to show my love. I don't throw big dinner parties and invite people I barely know; in fact, I'm actually pretty selective about who sits at my table, and why. Whether it's new friends I want to get to know better, old friends I've known my whole life, or having my family come for a Sunday dinner, the best and most trusting, honest way I show my love and affection is to have you eat something I've made. It might be something it took me all day to make, or it might be something I threw together at the last minute -- the how is not important, but the why is. The people with whom I share the food I make should be able to hear, feel, smell, touch, and taste my care, my respect, and my love of not just the food, but of them. That's why I cook -- not just because I know how to, but because I love to feed the people I love having in my life."

BBQ TURKEY TAILS...i'm not kidding

this is just one of those things i absolutely could not pass up...and kinda glad i didn't.

TURKEY TAILS...

i mean, have you ever?!

would you ever?

could you ever?

I DID ! and i'd do it again. problem is, i have never, and might not ever, see these for sale again. i just couldn't pass them up. something so odd and so ugly will always catch my attention. lately i've been scaring myself (and others) with my quest for the odd, the ugly, the out of the ordinary...the..."are you REALLY gonna eat that?" type of foods.

let's just talk about these two nuggets of pure turkey goodness...

these two bites could possibly be the best bites of the whole turkey, could be because they are such a rare find and hard to obtain, but what ever, i found them delicious.

also, check out this funny little skeleton of the tail.

i find it so strange to think that ol' Tom's big huge turkey pride plume comes from this little fat nub. well, actually i have never thought about it at all.

just to clarify...i didn't set out to BBQ turkey tails. i was fixin' to grill up some legs and wings when i came across the tails. here's a great way to BBQ some turkey and keep it really moist, cooked all the way through, without charing the outside.

MOIST BBQ TURKEY(works really well w/BEEF RIBS too)

nothin' fancy, nothin' to it

you'll need a pretty big pot

i usually throw in 1 large onion

4 smashed cloves garlic

2 cut stalks celery

2 carrots cut

(the following is approx., i never measure)

1 T. tarragon

1 T. oregano

1 T. thyme

1 tsp. chili powder

1 tsp. cumin

some cayenne

garlic salt

kosher salt

bring everything (meat included) to a boil, then turn down to a simmer.

turkey is about 1 - 1 1/2 hrs

beef ribs about 2 hrs.

basically season as you would some yummy broth, because after i remove the meat i like to reduce the liquid and use as a base to many other things. this last batch i had some beef ribs in as well and the broth reduced down to LIQUID GOLD.

when the meat is done (fork tender-not falling off the bone) remove from broth

i like to let it cool just a bit, then apply your favorite BBQ sauce (while warm) and let rest for a bit...i'm usually lighting the grill and preparing sides...

when the grill is very hot put meat on, close lid to infuse smokey-ness..continue to grill all sides of meat with good grill marks while closing lid between turns...might sound like intro to grilling 101, but that's how my grilling goes. you're not actually cooking the meat any more, you're just getting that grill flavor going. (hopefully your grill is well seasoned)

it ends up tasting like you grilled the meat through the whole cooking process, but it turns out really moist and you're insured it is cooked all the way through.

i know it's not rocket science, but the meat turns out perfect every time.

Fruit Pizza

This was another treat we got at my mom's house. She has been making these as long as I can remember, and as far as I know, no one makes them as pretty and as delicious as she does. Her cookie base is more then just a sugar cookie, it is a chewy, but crispy, oatmeal cookie, that could easily stand alone on it's own. The "sauce" for the pizza is so sweet and creamy, a perfect blank palate for any fruit that is in season. I took this over the summer time, so obviously berries were an appropriate choice. Right now, peaches and pears would be wonderful, or even apples, cut up in chunks and sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar.

You can arrange the fruit on the pizza and then serve, or you could leave it empty with just the sauce and allow people to pile on the fruit of their choice. Either way, this pizza will be an absolute hit!

Fruit Pizza
Recipe provided by my amazing mom!

Ingredients

COOKIE:
3/4 c soft margarine
1/2 c sugar
1/2 c brown sugar
1 egg
1 t vanilla
1 2/3 c flour
1 t soda
1 1/3 c quick oats
dash salt
SAUCE:
1 small pkg instant vanilla pudding
2 c milk
8 oz softened cream cheese
Stir in
1 c Cool Whip
1 c powdered sugar

Directions

COOKIE:
Beat margarine. Beat in sugars, egg & vanilla. Beat well. Sift flour, salt & soda and add to creamed mixture. Mix well. Stir in oats. Chill 1-2 hours or overnight. Roll (pat) evenly onto hot pizza stone. Bake 350 for about 15 minutes. Loosen from pizza stone and cool.

"SAUCE:"
Mix and beat well:
Spread over cooled crust and top with a variety of colorful fruits! I macerate all the fruit I top the pizza with. I think pizza is best after sitting for awhile, allowing topping to integrate with cookie crust.

The Visual Food Lover's Guide

The Visual Food Lover's Guide is a terrific resource that I can't stop leafing through. In fact, it has taken up residence next to my bed along with a few other treasured tomes. It has the basic information on how to buy, prepare, cook, serve and store over 1,000 types of food. It also gives you the rundown on nutritional information. It's nowhere near as personal or opinionated as Jane Grigon's Vegetable Book, but with hundreds of entries it is much more comprehensive.

I really like that there's a color illustration of each item and some photos for techniques like how to make bread or pry open oyster shells. The entry for anise has an illustration of the flowering plant, star anise seeds and pods. That level of detail is what makes it so worthwhile. They've also done a great job making sure that produce and seafood from different geographic locations are included. My only complaint is that the mushroom section is a bit thin. I would have loved to have seen mushrooms such as hedgehog, lobster and lion's mane included.

The book is in a very convenient small paperback format. I do wish there was an iPhone app so I could it take it with me everywhere! There are still plenty of ingredients that I have yet to explore, and this reference book is a great way to familiarize myself with them before I buy or cook. In fact, I think I could use a copy in my car for my excursions to ethnic markets.

Another must have book for the curious and creative cook is The Flavor Bible. A big congratulations to Karen Page and Andrew Dornenburg on the one year anniversary of this landmark book. It has thousands of combinations of ingredients that are tried and true. It actually pairs well with the Visual Food Lover's Guide. It has gotten me out of a rut many times and opened my eyes to some new ways of thinking about ingredients. Like The Visual Food Lover's Guide, it belongs on the shelf of anyone looking to learn more about ingredients and create their own recipes.

But is it art?

 

Guerrilla art is the surreptitious, and often sudden, creation or installation of unauthorized public art, often with the purpose of making an overt political statement. It is also about reclaiming space, access and non-permanence. Graffiti, sticker art, wheat pasting, street installations, video projections or even guerrilla theater are all examples of guerrilla art. Heck, Lil’ J put on a guerrilla fashion show in season 2 of Gossip Girl.  Or how about just 2 names: Shepard Fairey and Barack Obama.

To quote Allan Schwartzman (Street Art, 1985), “Artists have challenged art by situating it in non-art contexts. ‘Street’ artists do not aspire to change the definition of an artwork, but rather to question the existing environment with its own language. They attempt to have their work communicate with everyday people about socially relevant themes in ways that are informed by esthetic values without being imprisoned by them.”

 

Well, food is art and these days food has joined the guerrilla cause. Here in LA we have a long-standing relationship with the taco trucks/stands and the hot dog carts. Food trucks, have been quite the daily dish of late – ever since LA County officials passed a law that makes it a misdemeanor to park a food truck in the same place for more than an hour. Violators face penalties of up to $1,000 in fines or six months in jail. 

In the spirit of art, resilience and, perhaps, resistance, people are finding new, innovative ways to keep their trucks serving food, and their customers are hungrier than ever for the goods. Thanks almost entirely to Twitter, blogging, and even Facebook, the Kogi Truck, Fishlips Sushi Truck, Marked 5, The Buttermilk Truck, The Gastro Bus and Green Truck on the Go, to name but a few, are smack in the middle of their 15 minutes. They have provided LA with a moving party of food. Although it’s exclusive as far as becoming informed, it couldn’t be a more welcoming and inclusive environment. It’s our newest sub-culture. Forget Thursday, food trucks are the new Friday.

I don’t go to bars all that often, except maybe a wine bar. But last weekend I met my friend Brandon on the East Side for a few cocktails at a couple of bars. We ended up out fairly late and upon stumbling walking out of the last spot - like a lush oasis in the middle of this asphalt jungle - was a bacon-wrapped hot dog cart.  The bacon-wrapped hot dog vendors are brilliant and truly on to something. They are elusive and exclusive. They are only out late at night to catch the horde of the inebriated and hungry, and they do not have a set location. All of this, much like the un-crackable nut, only adds to their allure for me. 

It’s simple. Wrap bacon around a hot dog and grill it. Put it in a bun and add grilled peppers and onions. Top with your choice of mayo, mustard, hot sauce and ketchup. Heaven. And all this for $3. 

Would it be as special if I could set out on a mission for one of these delicious dogs, at any time, and succeed? Maybe, but I think not. Because when you happen upon one of these carts, along with the smattering of other folks, when you're a little tipsy, late at night - you’re in a bubble. This moment, these people, this corner, and this hot dog will not happen again. Not like this. Like a snowflake, or the concept behind a Jackson Pollack painting or a graffiti piece that changes daily, with the weather and time, you can’t predict it and you can’t force it to happen again. Its ephemera and its prohibition are its beauty. It’s also incredibly tasty.



For a list of some great food trucks around town click here.

Why do YOU cook, Garrett McCord?

Photo credit Garrett McCord
Garrett McCord is a fearless cook. He can be wildly creative at times, but mostly I am fascinated by what intrigues him and what challenges he is willing to take like making chocolate truffles with bacon or elderberry syrup. I first got hooked on his writing when he was blogging about his crazy out-of-the-box cupcake creations. His blog is Vanilla Garlic and he is also a contributor at Edible Sacramento and Simply Recipes.

"These days I find my life completely consumed by work and graduate school. More than once have I had to resort shoving fast food down my craw for fuel so I can continue researching or writing. Still I do my best to find time to cook. It's a basic human practice to try and find pleasure in satisfying hunger so cooking acts as a source of joy. Cooking becomes my respite and study break. Brewing up a batch of preserves and making a batch of cookies allows me to work with my hands and exercise a different part of my brain. It's a therapy session, mediation, and play all wrapped into one."

Fresh Tomato, Sausage, and Pecorino Pasta

There are so many good recipes out there, so many things to try, that I rarely make the same dish twice, even when I love it. But I'm making this pasta again tomorrow! It.was.so.good, I just don't know how else to put it. Fresh tomatoes, fresh basil, penne pasta and lots of cheese, I don't think life gets any better.

The only change I made to this recipe was using turkey sausage instead of regular, which only lightened it up and did not compromise the taste at all.

Fresh Tomato, Sausage, and Pecorino Pasta
Found in Cooking Light September 2009

Ingredients

8 ounces uncooked penne
8 ounces sweet Italian sausage
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 cup vertically sliced onion
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 1/4 pounds tomato, chopped
6 tablespoons grated, fresh pecorino Romano cheese, divided
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup torn fresh basil leaves

Directions

1. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain.

2. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Remove casings from sausage. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add sausage and onion to pan; cook four minutes, stirring to crumble sausage. Add garlic; cook 2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes; cook 2 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in pasta, 2 tablespoons cheese, salt and pepper. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup cheese and basil.

Serves 4: 2 cups pasta, 1 tablespoon cheese

Per Serving: 389 cal, 10.7g fat, 21.6g prot, 4.5g fiber, 27mg chol

Points per Serving: 8

Sausage & Vegetable Kebabs

I love kebabs! I don't know why eating food on a stick is so much fun, but it is. The best kebabs I ever had were in Istanbul, the meat sizzled on the outside but was juicy on the inside. Luckily kebabs are easy to make at home even for those like me, without an outdoor grill.

I'm amazed at how versatile kebabs are and how they always manage to stretch whatever I'm cooking. It must have something to do with surface area and spacial relations. When food is served on a stick, it just seems like there is more of it. Two slices of eggplant, two small zucchini and just under two Italian sausages somehow made a huge dinner for two. It also gave me the feeling of Summer, even though it was cooked and eaten indoors.

When it comes to kebabs, skip the bamboo. The best kind of skewers are metal--I have two sets, flat metal which are particularly good for meat and vegetables and double pronged which are perfect for seafood. With either one you choose, the food won't slip and slide. In my experience food also cooks faster and more evenly on metal skewers than on bamboo. Buy 'em once, use them forever.

The secret to this recipe is the marinade. Most recipes call for putting a sauce on the vegetables after they cook, but this marinade has nothing in it that will burn and the eggplant in particular soaks up lots of flavor. The smoked paprika adds great smoky flavor and color. I also find that the sausage is salty enough that you don't need to add any additional salt. I used spicy sausages, but I think you could use sweet ones if you prefer. Don't be tempted to cut the sausage and vegetables into larger chunks, keeping the vegetables and sausage slices small allows them to cook quickly and evenly.

Sausage & Vegetable Kebabs

Makes 2 servings

Ingredients

3/4 lb mixed eggplant and summer squash
3 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 garlic clove, pressed
1 teaspoon smoked paprika--hot or sweet
2 Italian sausages, about 1/2 pound
Fresh basil or sage leaves, optional

Instructions

Slice the eggplant and squash into small cubes, about 1/2 inch. Make the marinade by combining the lemon juice, olive oil, galic and smoked paprika. Place the marinade and vegetables into a zip top bag and let marinate for up to 3 hours. Most of the marinade will be absorbed by the vegetables.

Preheat broiler then slice the sausage into about 12 - 15 slices. Slide the cubes of squash, eggplant and sausage onto skewers, preferably metal, with sage or basil leaves on top of each piece of sausage. All the meat and vegetables should be touching with no spaces in between.

Place skewers on a foil lined broiler pan and broil about 7 minutes on each side or until meat and vegetables are cooked through. Serve with couscous.

Enjoy!

GRANDMA NONNIE'S ZUCCHINI BREAD

ZUCCHINI BREAD

actually, zucchini, pineapple, walnut, sultana bread.

grandma Nonnie is not my grandma, but i know she was a lovely sweet lady and made some exceptional breads(her banana nut and apple spice cocoa bread coming soon). she was my highschool boyfriends' grandmother, we won't say HOW LONG AGO that was, but let's just say i've kept these handwritten 3x5 cards safe for, oooh...a few decades.
















this recipe comes out perfect everytime and it's always a huge winner, even to those that want to squish up their nose hearing the star of the show is a vegatable named zucchini. it's always moist, but still flakey like a cake. i think it would really lend itself to a 2" cake pan or a bundt with some yummy cream cheese frosting. that would definitely take it from breakfast to a main dessert.

what realy makes this bread/cake is the combo of ingredients. ie. the zucchini, pineapple, the finely chopped walnuts and the sultanas, nonnie recommends currents, but i didn't have any so i opted for sultanas rather than plain ol' raisins. (i think diced apricots would be great too).

nonnie calls for 2 reg. loaf pans. in the past i used 3 med throw-away tin pans, but this time i used 2 throw-aways and 1 mini and i think they came out perfect. i like a bread/cake to be tall and raise a bit above the edge. plump, you might say.

GRANDMA NONNIE'S ZUCCHINI BREAD

as written by Grandma Nonnie

notes: before you begin-flour loaf pans

mix flour , spices, salt, bk. powder, soda

drain pineapple

shred zucchini

chop nuts-

have everthing ready to just add & you can mix it in 5 or 10 minutes

(this is Greg's very favorite bread-the banana is good-the apple sauce is good, the carrot is good-BUT this zucchini is best- (she's not kidding)

3 eggs

1 c. oil (wesson)

2 c. sugar

2 c. raw grated(coarse) zucchini

2 tsp. vanilla

1 (8 oz.) can crushed pineapple (well drained)

with rotary mixer beat 3 eggs to blend-

add 1 c. salad oil, 2 c. sugar & vanilla...beat utill thick and foamy

add zucchini and pineapple

combine 3 c. all purpose flour (unsifted)

2 tsp. soda

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp baking powder

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

mix together

add mixture on front of card (above wet) a little at a time

add 1 c. finely chopped walnuts & 1 c. currents (we can use raisins, but like currents better)

stir gently into zucchini mixture untill well blended

bake in 2 loaf pans @ 325 degrees for 1 hour

(insert toothpick-if it comes out clean-is done

you really should try this bread. i have not found one better. and, as i said, it comes out perfect everytime. her banana bread is fab too so i'll be making that soon. the problem with that is it doesn't excite me too much to bake because i hate bananas. BUT, her banana bread is soooo good even I can eat a slice or two...

Keng Eng Kee Seafood ......... Chi Char powerhouse in Alexandra Village

This was my third visit to Keng Eng Kee and this chi char powerhouse was still as consistent as before. They provide superb food at economical price but slow at serving of the dishes. If you don't mind the wait it will be worth all your penny. This time round, even when I pre-ordered 3 dishes and booked the table, all I got was sitting at the table and drinking tea for 1 hour before the first dish was served. It was my dad's birthday dinner and is not someone with a lot of patience. But he didn't complain as the food was worth the wait.

The restaurant is located inside Alexandra Village near to the food centre. They provide non-air conditioned seats and the air conditioned seats. Please book if you prefer air conditioning. Here's some of the nicer dishes that I would recommend.

Air conditioned tables inside a shop space

right across the coffe shop where the

kitchen is located.

Shark's Fin

The flavour is the typical traditional style that you

can find in established old Chinese restaurants.

Mingzhu Roll and Prawn Roll Mix

Thw Mingzhu roll and the prawn roll is the house speciality,

Mingzhu roll is made of fried tau pok stuffed with salted egg

yolk, prawn, ham, mushrooms and parsley. The prawn roll

is a blend of minced meat, carrot, prawn and water chestnut

wrapped with beancurd skin. the ones shaped like balls are the

prawn rolls and the sectioned ones are Mingzhu rolls.

Close up of the Mingzhu Roll

Deep Fried Sea Bass with Light Soy Sauce

The sea bass was fried to absolute crisp and then

drizzled with light soy sauce. It is one of the speciality.

I did saw many people ordering the steamed version

which looked great as well.

Salted Egg Crab

This dish was the last one on our menu and was an extra wait.

It was probably the best dish. All the crab was swiped out.

At the end of it, I was scraping the salted egg sauce off the plate.

My sister-in-law actually recommended this place which I tried for the first time during our reunion dinner this year. Even though it was Chinese New Year period, the cost of our dinner was about S$188 (for 6 people) when we ordered off the normal menu (not the Chinese New Year Menu which cost more). This time round it cost S$170 (for 6 people), not too much off the price of a Chinese New Year meal. Don't mind waiting for good food? Try Keng Eng Kee.

Address : Blk 124 Bukit Merah Lane 1, #01-136 Alexandra Village

Tel : +65 6272 1038

Opening Hours : Daily 11.30am -2pm, 5pm-11pm

Country : Singapore

Bacon Mac

I am already such a fan of Cooking Light, but just like any magazines, some months are better then others. This months edition was a particular treat with just about every recipe jumping off the page at me, and so far, none of them have been disappointing! When I saw this one, I new for sure I had to make it, if not for me, then for my husband and kids, who love pasta so much, sometimes I don't know why I bother to make anything else!

One thing I've just barely discovered is what a difference salting your boiling water makes when cooking pasta. Your pasta has so much more flavor and I just think the entire dish benefits from it, so if you haven't been seasoning your pasta, give it a try

Bacon Mac
From Cooking Light September 2009 edition

Ingredients

3 1/4 teaspoon salt, divided
12 ounces preferred pasta
4 teaspoons all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups skim milk divided
2 cups shredded extra sharp cheddar, divided
1/4 cup sliced green onions
1 teaspoon hot sauce
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 slices center cut cut bacon, cooked and crumbled
Cooking Spray

Directions

1. Preheat broiler

2. Bring 6 quarts water and 1 tablespoon salt to a boil. Add pasta; cook al dente, drain.

3. Combine flour and 1/2 cup milk in a saucepan over medium heat. Gradually add 1 cup milk, bring to a boil. Cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; let stand 4 minutes, or until it cools to 155. Stir in 1 1/2 cups cheese. Add 1/4 teaspoon salt, onions, hot sauce, pepper, and bacon; stir. Add pasta; toss. Spoon into a 2-quart, broiler safe dish coated with cooking spray; top with 1/2 cup cheese. Broil 7 minutes.

Serves 6: 1 serving is about 1 cup

Per Serving: 399cal, 13.8g fat, 20g prot, 48.7g carb, 2g fiber, 44mg chol.

Points per Serving: 9