Another trip to the market

even though it was a gloomy, rainy day. The market was still full of people and foods.



Fresh Brussels Sprouts for 3.00 lb.

a 3lb bag of apples for $1.oo!



here is the delicious danish, that I enjoyed with some coffee from Porto Rico Imports. This place is right on my block, and the smell of coffee wafts down the street. I want to clear up a misquote from monday's blog.


The danish is from Baker's Bounty and not Our Daily Bread. And I have to say, it was worth the wait/walk in the rain/money/guilt/calories. This yeasty dough is sprinkled with cinnamon, rolled into a ring and stuffed with cheesecake caliber filling. I have to have another piece right now that I'm writing about it.

My Bounty...
Fresh Tuscano Kale 2.00
Baby Fennel 1.75
Brussels Sprouts 2.50
3lb bag of apples 1.00
"Baker's Bounty" cheese danish 6.00 (splurge)
Total:12.25 not bad!

Recipes are soon to follow, so keep checking in.

A warm hug for Breakfast

I'm from the South, and one thing I love most any time of day is a nice big steaming hot bowl of grits. Yes, grits. I usually take them simply with butter, salt and pepper. Or sometimes I like to eat them with a bacon spoon (it's exactly what it sounds like). I like simple foods. Though sometimes Shrimp and Grits is the way to go, but today that just seems like way to much work. Especially when I'm just feeding myself, I'll save my culinary tricks for a real audience (sorry reader).
Today I want to try something I have never tried, and put broccoli in my grits. I have some of the huge head (that i bought on Monday) left over, and will even after this dish. I love broccoli cheese soup, and just last night bought a delicious raw milk cheddar. I figure why not make broccoli cheddar grits? They're creamy and have the right amount of body to stand up to the broccoli. Patience is the key to making perfect grits, it takes about 20-30 min.

Broccoli Cheddar Grits:
1/4 cup old fashioned yellow grits (not quick)
1/2 Tb butter
1/2 cup chicken or vegetable stock
1 cup water
1/3 cup chopped broccoli
1/2 Tb half and half
1/4 cup grated cheddar

Start by putting the dry grits into a pan on med-high heat
add the butter and stir until the grits have absorbed all of the butter and deepen in color
continue to cook the grits (stirring continuously) until they are a deep golden color
slowly add the stock(whisking) and bring to a boil
add 1/2 of the water (whisking) and reduce to low heat
add broccoli (stir) and continue to cook (and stir) adding water when the grits thicken, until all of the water is used
when grits are thickened, stir in the half & half, salt and pepper, and cheese.
Once the cheese is completely melted, remove from heat and pour into a serving dish (I prefer a dish to a plate so that the grits don't run everywhere and they cool faster than in a bowl)
If done properly, the grits are as creamy as soup, with only a subtle "grit" to them. But they have more body once they set up. This dish could be served any time of the day as a side or main dish. It's going to be a new staple in the coming months.
This basic grit recipe can be altered to anyone's liking. Try bacon, peas, or even honey and cinnamon. Enjoy!

Spooky Treats

If you haven't already noticed, you'll soon figure out my love for all things sweet. This is something I found at Trader Joe's the other day (you'll also figure out my love for this store). Halloween themed "gummy tummy" pumpkins and spiders.
"What?" you say...
Trader Joe's carry's these gummy penguins that have fruit juice in their bellies. What I am talking about now is the seasonal variety, orange filled jack-o-lanterns, and blackberry filled tarantulas. These things are so good I'm eating them as if I have just gotten home from a neighborhood candy raid. I highly recommend trying them, but I won't share mine with you

Gourmet Hot Chocolate

Growing up I used to love making Hot Chocolate from the recipe on the Hershey box. My taste in chocolate has since changed, but i do still love a great cup of hot cocoa. This is one of the true comfort foods that reminds me of cozying up beside a crackling fire, a luxury I've long forgotten since moving to the big city. Most of the fireplaces here are strictly decorative.
I've brought the hot chocolate mix along with a tub of mini marshmallows (from Whole Foods) to work with me to warm up some people's day. My friend Colby bought all kinds of great snacks, so it's the perfect compliment. This makes a wonderful gift for the holidays...and there will be more of those coming soon.
Use whatever unsweetened baking chocolate you prefer. I bought Scharffen Berger.

Hot Cocoa:
1/4 cup unsweetened baking chocolate
1/3 cup sugar (I use organic)
1 tsp vanilla
2 Tb chopped dark chocolate
4 cups milk
1/4 cup half and half or cream

Combine the first 4 ingredients in a small pot over medium heat, and stir in half & half. Mix ingredients until chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth. Fill the pot with the milk while stirring and simmer until hot. Pour into coffee mugs and top with marshmallows, whipped cream, or shaved chocolate. Makes 4-6 servings
Hint: add a shot of espresso or some really strong coffee and you'll have a Mocha

Early morning pick-me-up

One of my favorite things to do is wake up early to exercise. However, one of the only ways I'll do that is if I am required to be somewhere. I was up at 7:45 this morning for a dance rehearsal in Midtown. I can't even think about eating that early, much less before rehearsal. So I take the dog out get my gear on and head to The Broadway Dance Center.
Let me also make note of the 54 degree rainy day we are having. And the fact that i left my only umbrella at a West Village restaurant this weekend on a wine fueled Saturday night outing. Anyway, rehearsal was great. I never dance anymore, but grew up dancing for 13 years. I love it.
My typical notion on a dreary day is to make a comfy breakfast of bacon, eggs, and potatoes. And I have all of those things. But today I pull some other standards from my kitchen to make a lighter, equally sunny, yogurt parfait.
I use non-fat Greek yogurt and decide to mix in a seasonal ingredient, pumpkin butter. This makes it a rich golden color and sweetens the tart yogurt. I top it off with a handful of some home made granola (recipe below) and enjoy it with a piping hot cup of "Holiday" coffee from Porto Rico Imports. I make my coffee in a french press and use 3 level tbls of freshly ground coffee and 16oz of water. Make sure you keep the grind coarse so that you don't get muddy coffee.
I hope you enjoy this quick and simple breakfast idea. Here's a hint:top the hot from-the-oven granola onto your favorite ice cream or frozen yogurt. You'll be hooked.

Granola:
2 cups rolled oat and grain mix (oats, barley, rye, etc)
1/2 cup chopped raw walnuts
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup chopped almonds
1/2 cup dried fruit ( i use cherries, blueberries, cranberries, and raisins)
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/2 tsp Chinese 5 spice
1/4 tsp vanilla
salt
Honey

Mix all dry ingredients leaving 1/2 of the fruit aside and drizzle with honey, coating oats evenly but not too thick. spread evenly onto a aluminum foil lined and greased cookie sheet. sprinkle with salt and bake at 350 turning after 10 min. At this point add the remaining fruit and drizzle with a little more honey. continue baking until golden, about 10 more min.

My Lucky Lobster Lunch

This is my last week at my current job, and for that reason I feel the need to feed everyone on my last few days. It's just how I cope with things. So I'm headed in late due to a lack of early afternoon clients, but it's a beautiful day so i don't mind. I decided to head to the Farmer's Market in Union Square to pick up the most delectable cheese danish that i saw last week. I was up at a time when I'm usually still dreaming headed to get some actresses ready for film re-shoots, when I walked by the tent of Our Daily Bread Bakery and saw a cheese danish wheel fit for a king. However, i decided not to buy it since I'm trying to talk myself into dieting. I went to work all the while wondering why i hadn't just bought the thing and deciding that i would get one as soon as i was finished. I went back later and they were sold out. No Surprise really.
So I'm in the market and the produce all looks so fresh and bright, and i think it's because the sky has softened for the season. I see sweet potatoes for $1.00 a pound and can't pass that up. I grab 4 small ones (because they'll roast faster) and overhear an 81 year old woman telling a couple to enjoy every minute of their lives because time flies so fast. I thought to myself that in New York it sure does, and smiled knowing that being there picking out potatoes was me enjoying my life. I grabbed a beautiful hunter green head of broccoli (1.95 lb) and all together it came to $3.90. You can't beat that.
I wandered down through the rest of the tents in the market. There's eucalyptus and wildflowers, the place smells divine. Hot apple cider and a doughnut is my usual market treat, but I'm still in search of this danish. I reach the end of the food vendors, I've passed 3 bakeries at this point but decide the one I want must only sell there on Wednesdays. That's a risk you take. But I never need a reason to come back.
I turn around planning to now spend my danish money on some Brussels Sprouts, when I see the sign they usually have in the market telling you what the specials of the day/week are and displaying food demonstration news. At the top of the list I see the word Lobster, and I don't know about you, but lobster is one of my favorite things in the world. I walk right over to the fish dealers and check out the sign, Lobster $9.00 each. I check my pocket, I have $9.00 exactly. Is it fate? I have just enough for my lobster, and broccoli and sweet potatoes are perfect side dishes to compliment the sweet delicacy of the lobster. I buy one and put it in my bag and walk with my smiling dog through the park thinking about my soon-to-be gourmet lunch.
So now I 'm home. I have the potatoes roasting at 350. I'm going to pan roast the broccoli with garlic in olive oil, and then top it with some shaved Parmesan. Melt some butter for my already cooked lobster (no need to boil it live if they do it for you). And I'm going to have my lunch overlooking the city on my roof. An afternoon lobster lunch for around $11.00? (I'm not eating all of the broccoli and potatoes) What a way to start the week! And I can look forward to getting that danish on Wednesday...