Friday

FORTY-FIVE & FORTY-SIX : EGGPLANT CROSTINI & MEATBALLS

SEPTEMBER 30 2011


FORTY-FIVE : ROASTED EGGPLANT CROSTINI
FORTY-SIX : MEATBALLS (!!)

Oh meatballs, how I love thee. I want to eat you every day. Except that making Frankies meatballs requires a whole batch of tomato sauce, which has to simmer for hours. I had already made the sauce on the stovetop as the recipe directs, so I decided to make it a little easier on myself and used the crockpot this time. That way, I could go run errands as it bubbled away. It took a little longer, but was totally worth it.

This making of the Frankies meatballs, a momentus milestone in my journey, required a gathering to commemorate. So I took this opportunity to whip up the roasted eggplant crostini as well to feed our hungry guests.

Wednesday

FORTY-FOUR : FRANKIES GREENS

SEPTEMBER 28 2011

There are two ingredients in this dish... mixed greens and cipollini onion vinaigrette. Really? This requires an actual recipe? But, I pledged to do every recipes in this book, so here we go.

I had already made the vinaigrette for the watercress and fig salad and found it lacking. So this time I reduced the amount of olive oil (despite my previous pledge to try it again exactly as the recipe says) and it was much better. More tang and a nice onion-y flavor. This dressing was then tossed with mixed greens. Done. At least some of the greens were from the garden...

frankies greens
T'was a fine salad. I really can't complain.

This does mark the halfway point! Looking forward to all the braising and simmering and warm wintery dishes ahead :)

Monday

FORTY-THREE : OLIVE OIL CAKE


SEPTEMBER 26 2011

I'm not sure why baking gets me so flustered. Maybe it's the clouds of flour covering the kitchen or knowing it's actually important to measure out the ingredients correctly. Of course, it doesn't help that I knocked over a full glass of water just as I was supposed to add the dry ingredients, in three additions, making sure each is fully incorporated. Panic!!

Truthfully, if I remove my baking phobia from the equation, this is a very easy recipe. Once I found cake flour (thanks Mom!), it was just a matter of whisking everything together in the correct order. First up are eggs, sugar and orange zest. Into this mix goes 2 cups (!) of olive oil.


adding 2 cups olive oil to the batter



Wednesday

FORTY-TWO : GRILLED SQUID

SEPTEMBER 21 2011

I love squid. My usual approach is to stuff their little bodies with sausage and simmer in tomato sauce for an hour or so until tender and luscious. Yum! This is a new one for me, flash grilling them until just cooked. The recipe had one problem. It is intended to feed "about a dozen".  I had hoped to save it for a party or gathering, but it had basically come down to now-or-never as it's in the Summertime Grilling section and I want to avoid standing over the BBQ in the dark and rain.

And today was the day... no plans after work and it's a hot, sunny afternoon. I did my best to cut all the ingredients by about 1/3, giving us each a healthy portion. Luckily our neighborhood New Seasons cleans their squid so I didn't have to "Pull off the head, squeezing it just above the eyes... Cut off the eyes and discard. Squeeze out the beak... just like you pop the head off a dandelion." Blech!


Saturday

FORTY-ONE : SAUSAGE WITH PEPPERS & ONIONS

SEPTEMBER 10 2011

These are the best sloppy joes you have ever had. Sweet italian sausage simmered in THE tomato sauce, tossed with roasted bell peppers and sauteed onion and served with grilled bread. So, so good!

First, flame-broil™ a couple red and yellow bell peppers until blackened, let cool then peel and thickly slice.

flame-broiled™ bell peppers

Meanwhile, saute white onion until softened and lightly brown. Really, there can be no doubt that the aroma of sauteing onion is the best thing ever!

Monday

FORTY : SICILIAN TUNA

SEPTEMBER 5 2011

The high quality ingredients really make this sandwich something special. My usual reaction to tuna sounds something like "meh", but this tuna sandwich was actually quite delicious. The only deviation I made from the recipe was to use a lovely local Albacore tuna instead of Sicilian tuna (I just couldn't resist!). I am confident that it was still just as good :)

local tuna for the TLT sandwiches


Web Analytics