Take Out: Mid Winter Comfort Meal

What I took to 2 families tonight:

*Smothered Macaroni (Deborah Madison-macaroni, potatoes, gruyere, parsley, carmelized onions)
*Chicken Cutlets (thinly sliced chicken, sourdough bread crumbs, pecorino romano)
*Tossed Salad Greens (spring mix tossed with my bff's new dressing, which is now our official house dressing)
*Chocolate Chip Cookies (Thomas Keller's version...more on that later)

Cookbook: Keller Kills Me

Oh boy. It came in the mail last week. The truth is, it was on back order for several weeks. D tried to get it for me for Christmas. I tried to get it for myself for my birthday(that was in January). No matter. It is here now. The first recipe I will try are his Chocolate Chip Cookies. After that I'm going to throw all care to the wind and attempt the Fried Chicken. I'm inviting Lindy (my mentor) over for that one. I'll let you know how it goes. Now I'm off to clean an incredibly dirty kitchen.

Dinner: You'll Never Guess

You will never guess what I ate last night. Check out my bff's blog.

Breakfast: The Egg Sandwich

Have you seen the movie Spanglish? There is one scene where Adam Sandler is making the most beautiful sandwich you have ever seen. Well, it turns out that Sandler apprenticed under Thomas Keller in preparation for his role as a chef in this movie. Watch the video I just linked. You will die.

At home, I've turned the sandwich inside out, simplified it, and made it one of my ladies' favorite breakfasts. And you know how I feel about hot breakfasts.

The simplified versions of Thomas Keller's bachelor sandwich.

1. Fry an egg.
2. Toast a good piece of bread.
3. Spread butter and a little bit of cheese on the bread, then slice in half.
4. Place hot fried egg on top of toasted bread (preferably on top of the cheese half so the cheese will start to melt).
5. Place other half of bread on top. Wha-la--a fried egg sandwich for breakfast.

The ladies love biting into the sandwich while simultaneously trying to figure out who to manage the flowing yolk. And finally they like a dab of rasberry jam for dipping.

Dinner: Chana Masala

I am addicted to Chana Masala. Our local mall's food court has a hidden treasure--some of the Boston area's best Indian food. Everytime I am at the mall, I treat myself to some Chana Masala (which are chick peas that have been simmering in a spicy tomato sauce for 24 hours). Because it's a new year and my trips to the mall will be far less than they were last year, I figured out how to make my own version of Chana Masala. I threw a few key ingredients today and was so pleased with my lunch that I served it again for dinner. Try it and let me know what you think.

Becca's Made Up version of Chana Masala
2 Tbs. good olive oil
1 12 oz. can chick peas (garbanzo beans)
1 12 oz. can crushed tomatoes
1/2 Tbs. of Garam Masala*
2 Tbs. brown sugar
2 cloves garlic, minced

Place olive oil in medium sized saucepan on medium heat. Drain chick peas and add to olive oil. Add crushed tomatoes, Garam Masala, brown sugar, and garlic. Simmer for a few hours or for as long as you can (30 minutes would even do the trick). Serve over basmati or brown rice.

*Garam Masala is a particular blend of Indian spices. You can find it at any Indian food store or order it through Penzey's spices.

Lunch: Ham Sandwich

I just finished reading the authorized biography of Alice Waters ("Alice Waters and Chez Panisse" by Thomas McNamee). It was a great read and the ideas behind Waters' food revolution are nutty and inspiring. In between the stories that comprise Waters' life are narrative recipes. One in particular has beckoned me back into the kitchen. Waters explains that whenever she makes a ham sandwich she goes into her garden and picks "whatever herbs" she has. She then chops "them up fine and mix them...with a little garlic...a little vinegar and oil, into a sort of savory herb paste." She then toasts day old french bread and spreads on the "herb paste." She serves the sandwich open topped with a bit of sweet onion marmalade.

Need I write more? Tonight at my friend's New Year's Eve party, I am going to make bit size ham and herb sandwiches. Here is what I am going to do:
1. Fire up my portable grill pan.
2. Place buttered, thinly sliced good bread on the grill.
3. While the bread is on the grill, I'll shmear it with the savory herb paste, then add a thin slice of fancy pants ham, carmelized onions, and a bit of gruyere cheese.
4. I'll put the sandwiches together and cut them into small squares.
5. I'll serve them and everyone will tell me how amazing I am. But I'll give all the credit to Alice. Promise.

Side: Sage Stuffing

Thanksgiving was long ago and Christmas looms ahead. Somehow Christmas magically appeared this year. It did not come in its usual saunter. It is here and I did not see it coming. But, no matter. I found a stuffing recipe that will be my forever stuffing recipe. It is not fancy and does not involve various dried fruits and nuts. It is simple, straightforward, and too yummy. If you do another turkey for Christmas, here you go.