I have been meaning to sit down and write about this for some time, and just haven't gotten around to it.  (I was also hoping that my husband would send me some of the pictures he snapped, but oh well.)  Anyway, several weeks ago I cooked a meal for 37 people in the church kitchen.  It was to kick off this new program we are starting called Dinner for 8.  Once a month during the summer, everyone will get together and have dinner together.  For the first dinner, we would be all together with hosts for each table of eight.  For the later ones, hosts would volunteer to have people in their homes. 

My husband had asked me to make dinner for a large group at the church in the spring, but we couldn't coordinate it, so nothing happened.  This time around, I said I would.  But then of course, the dilemma of what to make.  These are mostly older couples used to good food.  My usual standbys for these situations are lasagna or beef enchiladas.  Lasagna doesn't seem very spring like, and while I had made enchiladas for 90 people before, I wasn't sure that would work either, because it involved too many extras and side dishes to worry about.  

Anyone who reads my blog (not that I think anyone does much) might remember that I have been trying out new dishes and recipes since we have been here.  That is part of the reason that I got subscriptions to Everyday Food Magazine and Cooking Light.  I had several ideas about what to make, Soy Glazed Pork with Asian Vegetables, Orange Chicken, Baked Penne with Chicken and Sun Dried Tomatoes...

We decided that the orange chicken might not appeal to everyone, and the baked penne dish was too casserole and not fancy enough.  So that left the pork, which was nice because with the vegetables that cook with it, you really just need a salad and some rice to round out the meal.  The original recipe is here, but now that I have made it several times, last time (one that counted the most) being the best, let me tell you how I made it. 

First, although it is best with pork tenderloin, I have made this with regular pork loin, which is cheaper and just as good.  Be sure you cut it in small enough pieces though.  Secondly, I have never been able to find snow peas at the store here and have used snap peas instead, and might even like them better anyway.  Third, I am cheap, and have a hard time paying the $1 or so a pound more that red or orange bell peppers cost, so I usually mix in half green bell peppers.  Finally, and this is perhaps the most important change, DON'T broil this, I never could get it to work.  The vegetables were burnt, the pork not done yet.  Instead, use 2 different baking/roasting pans, and put the pork on one and the vegetables on the other.  Preheat your oven to 500 degrees, and roast the pork for about 10-15 minutes and then add the pan of vegetables and roast together for about 10 minutes more.  

This was great for the dinner because all the prep can be done ahead.  I did take me about 3 hours to prepare the vegetables, but into ziploc bags they went, ready for transporting to the church.  I worried about making rice for a crowd, and ended up bringing 2 pots from home and using one from the church kitchen.  The one from the church had no lid!  (Thanks to Dave Lieberman, I knew to fashion one out of foil.)  I measured out the water and rice for each, and put them on to heat.  Then I made the salads, which were plated on huge platters.  I combined romine and icegerg lettuce mix, and added cucumbers and carrots and grape tomatoes.  Inspired by an extra bag of snap peas, I sliced them in half on the diagonal and added them also.  Really, this was all abou the presentation, a mound of lettuce encircled by perfect cucumber slices with a pile of tomatoes in the middle and carrots and peas sprinkled overall.  It would have been even better with almonds, but I hadn't thought about that when I was at the store.  It was served with Wishbone Asian Sesame and Ginger salad dressing.  So sue me, I didn't make my own dressing.  I did make the honey-soy sauce sauce for the pork and veggies. 

My husband, logical and rational being that he is, helped me figure out the timing of cooking everything.  (If we are going to eat at this time, the food has to be out at this time, and if the meat takes this many minutes and the veggies and rice that many minutes...)  Everything was going well exept the rice.  The water wasn't boiling on time, not even in the smallest pot with the flame turned up.  For just a minute, I started to worry.  Finally one pot boiled, and then the next.  The last pot took forever, but in the end, we had more rice than we needed.  Turns out that making a lot of rice is just like making a small amount. 

One fun thing about the dinner is that each table host had decorated their table and brought special centerpieces and even their own dishes and glasses to use for the meal.  So once everything came together, the three of us stood in the back, slicing pork and dishing up rice and vegetables on plates.  The sauce was passed at the table.  Everything came out perfectly, even the rice in the end.  Many people told me how much they enjoyed the meal, and that was nice.  I even got to eat a little, and then had waaaaaay too much spinach and artichoke dip that was left over from the appetitizers along with a piece of key lime pie.  (Someone else had brought both, so it was good just to eat.)  

So now that I have survived cooking in the church kitchen, I am sure I won't get out of cooking for COW (Church on Wednesday) next time around...but I am lookign forward to the next Dinner for Eight.  Maybe I'll bring a desert this time.

Must be a calzone thing, after making one Friday, here is another one from a recent issue of Cooking Light. Of course, I can almost never make something exactly as written, although in many cases it is a use what I have situation.

Tex-Mex Calzones

I used ground meat instead of turkey, so I cooked it completely and drained off the fat before adding the vegetables and spices. It looked like a LOT of bell pepper. I added a couple shakes of cayenne/ red pepper, and I also used a red (tomato/chipotle) salsa instead of salsa verde. Finally, because I was making these with my husband in mind, he who doesn't like bread as much as some, I made 2 big ones instead of 4 small ones with the idea that there would be less edges without filling...I know, not really, but perception is everything. I ws tempted to add more cheese, but didn't because it seemed like enough.

I forgot to take a picture of the final product this time.  (Oops!)  Anyway, I thought it was good, although it only needs about 10 minutes of baking time.  Husband thought it was okay but tasted a lot like a soft taco.  I think if I make it again I will change some bell pepper for jalapenos.  My verdict is that as is, it is very kid friendly, especially if you don't add any red pepper.

I was born in Georgia and lived in South Carolina until 8th grade.  So although I lived longer in Texas than I had anywhere else, I felt that coming to Florida was like coming back to the South.  (People, Texas is way more Southwest than Southern...)  I love Southern cooking, especially biscuits and things like that.  One thing I consider truly Southern are deviled eggs.  The church staff is having another party, and I wanted to bring something different, so I decided on stuffed mushrooms (my own recipe) and deviled eggs.  

But then I thought, what about different kinds of deviled eggs?  So I went searching online and found many different kinds.  So I made four different kinds.

Traditional Southern Deviled Eggs--this recipe from Paula Deen is like the ones that people used to bring to potluck dinners and picnics.  My mother never used relish in hers though, perhaps because we kids wouldn't eat it.  I did use spicy mustard and more than it called for, because like my eggs mustardy.

Spicy Southwestern Deviled Eggs--this recipe from Southern Living appealed to me because of the jalapenos.  I also like cumin.  I garnished with a slice of pickled jalapeno instead of cilantro.

Smoked-Salmon Deviled Eggs--This recipe from Martha Stewart appealed to me because I think eggs and salmon go together, and the addition of dill and sour cream seemed to be a great mix of flavors.  I did not use the food processor because I didn't want the filling to be that smooth.

Roasted-Red-Pepper Deviled Eggs--Another recipe from Martha.  In this case, I bought a jar of roasted red peppers to make this, and again skipped the food processor.  I also skipped the blotting step, which may have been a mistake, as the filling was a bit loose. 

For all the kinds, except the red pepper, I used a decorating bag with a large star tip to fill the eggs, so they look extremely fancy. 

I did try one of each (except for the traditional) and here's my thoughts.  I think I liked the spicy southewestern the best, the cumin was nice.  They tasted the most like extra special regular deviled eggs.  The roasted red pepper was very mild, but very pretty with the reddish filling and the red pepper strip garnish.  The salmon eggs tasted like salmon and dill.  They also look the fanciest with the two part garnish.  I'll have to wait till tomorrow night to see which the party guest prefer.  

A little more than one year ago, I was enjoying my first day here in Naples. After a long drive from Texas, I was busy, getting my driver's license, car registration and then finding the Walmart for a huge trip to buy cleaning supplies and food. I was marveling at our huge condo on the beach, the beautiful sunny weather, and glad to be home. I was looking forward to my first visit to the church, to meeting the pastor. I was excited about my first day at a new job, an meeting everyone there as well. I also still had to really finish my dissertation, and unpack and find a place for all the things I had brought with me from Texas. ( Read more... )

I am a good cook and baker.  I'm not bragging--ask just about anyone who knows me.  I enjoy it, and I always have.  I remember making scrambled eggs on the stove when I was little.  I remember baking chocolate pound cake and taking to the state fair in South Carolina and winning blue ribbons.  One Christmas, my mom got my sister and me both cookbooks, and we each took turns making dinner using recipes from the book.  My sister and I cooked together often, dinner and cookies and cakes, even when we got older and moved away from each other.  It is something we do when we visit each other.  I cook from recipes and also have some dishes I make without a recipe, just by taste or look.  Not long ago, I was reading an article that had a quiz about food addiction--and, it looks like I might be addicted to food.  It seems like I am always cooking, eating, shopping for, or planning meals.

The one dish or recipe I had never conquered was risen or yeast bread.  I had tried several times over the years.  I remember another kid's cookbook that featured bread shaped like teddy bears.  Very cute!  When I was in middle school, for a home ec class final project, we had to plan and make a meal.  Turns out I am a whiz at making chocolate pudding from scratch, but my pull apart bread was a real dud.  I still got an A, but that was enough failure to keep me from trying again.  There was something so defeating, this great anticipation that was never fulfilled.  All I ever ended up with was lumps of dough.

Recently, I had several friends mention a book called Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day.  A baker and a scientist got together and created an almost fool proof recipe for making artisan bread in your home oven.  There is a lot of information about this on the web, including the master recipe, videos, blogs, discussion boards and more.  Still, I was gun shy, and got the book from the library.  I read the whole thing, paying special attention to the sections that talked about the chemistry of baking and trouble shooting the recipe.  I was interested to note that the recipe didn't require warm water to rise, that if the water were a little cool, it would just take longer to rise.  I really wanted to try it.  I asked my friend though, because I didn't have the special equipment--a baking stone and pizza peel.  She suggested baking on a cast iron skillet and using parchment paper for shaping and resting the loaf. 

I mixed up my first batch of master dough, and it did exactly like it should, rising on the counter, increasing in volume and flattening out.  Several days later I baked the first loaf, a free form boule.  It was PERFECT!  It had 'oven spring.'  It had crispy crust and wet crumb, even when hot from the oven.  It was a dark caramel color.  I couldn't believe it, but I was able to replciate the same thing 5 times now, with the only problem being a loaf that I undercooked slightly, which I think is due to the fact that each loaf has not been uniform in size.  Some loaves have been bigger, so I have added a few minutes when I thought it was needed.  I am now seriously considering the purchase of a bkaing stone, because I want to try different shapes and sizes and recipes.  And maybe I'll try traditional bread again.  A little success goes a long way!

I keep thinking I am going to sit down and write a post about this or that topic, and then I don't, and another day goes by where all that gets posted are my tweets from twitter, and some days, not many of those. I was thinking about it, and my online activities seem to go in cycles where I am glued to the computer, constantly checking e-mail, facebook, twittering, and blogging, and then something comes up and I stop or scale back. I wonder if it is a difference between my generation, where computers and technology were part of our lives, for sure, but nowhere near as ubquituous as they are in the generations that followed. And then I think, maybe it isn't even that complicated, maybe it's just that I figured out from an early age how to entertain myself, and no technology was involved in reading, doing arts and crafts, and playing outside. (It makes my heart feel good when I walk around our complex and see kids playing outside, especailly when I see them being creatvie and using their imaginations...)

Work is going pretty well I think. It amazes me how I can be working on something and struggle with it and push it to the side only to realize one day exactly what the problem was and then fix it. (Or in the case of RSS feeds from the OPAC, tell the Tech guy at TLC the problem and have him fix it.) I have come so far from the days when I made my own manual online list of new titles from the catalog or from book orders. I can definitely see that the Fall is a busier semester, and there are some days when it seems like everyone who comes into the library is coming because they need help. The Libguides/Research Guides have been a big hit with huge numbers just in the first couple of months of the semester. I have a better grasp on many of the databases and resources, and am working on understanding EZProxy parton authentication as well. Collection development is taking some adjustment still, as it is hard to order for some of the programs when many students are online or distance and have little or no use for physcial hard copies of books. I am hoping soon that we get things straightened out with Netlibrary and can order ebooks through them again. Also always looking for other ebook vendors.

I am LOVING ballet, and completely not regretting choosing Naples Academy of Ballet over Etudes. The Intermediate class is challenging but tons of fun, and when I do get something the first time, it really makes me happy. Konstantin is a great teacher, always giving corrections, even to us adult students, without being mean or degrading, and Toshiko takes class with us every Monday night. I haven't taken class with Liliam yet, but I love to listen to her give direction to the class before ours, "es step, es step, pas de chat..." Hard to communicate her Cuban accent on the written page. The school is moving to a brand new custom designed studio in Janaury, and everyone in the school has been invited to participate in a dance showcase to celebrate, even the adults! Of course I signed up immediately! Konstantin is going to choreograph our piece I believe, and he mentioned wearing long skirts Monday night (us of course, not him!)  Hey, tamrin , I need a ballet/ballerina user pic--maybe I'll get a picture of myself from the showcase...

Still reading and knitting away. ReadSpace is still doing well, and I was thrilled to get the chance to interview Patrick Ness after he won the Guardian for The Knife of Never Letting Go. I guess I need to start looking for books to review in the spring. (I still have a whole row from fall/winter.) It is harder for me now, I think, since I am not a plugged into the public library scene. I finally finished knitting the purple and yellow LSU scraves for my sister and her new husband. I am working on a special gift for my roommate from college and her family, and after a present for another friend. For some reason, I give away almost everything I knit. (Although if I ever knit the sweater I really want, I am keeping it!)

Of course, still cooking up a storm, so to speak :) I have decided to renew my subscription to Everyday Food when it comes due, as almost all the dishes we have tried from there have been good, easy, and healthy. Recently there have been several pork dishes that were excellent. (Saying alot coming from me, because I don't really like pork much.) The first was Broccoli and Pork Stir Fry. I did not use the orange zesy because I didn't have it, and I left out the cornstarch and broccoli stalks as well. (Cornstarch because I didn't want the sauce to get to thick, and broccoli stalks because my husband is not a huge fan of broccoli to start with, and I felt like the florets were enough.) I was pleasantly surprised that such a few choice ingredients melded together so nicely. I might like orange and broccoli together even better than lemon and broccoli. And my husband liked it too--between the two of us, we ate all of it. The second was Broiled Soy Glazed Pork with Rice and Asian Vegetables. This one was even better, the perfect quick cooking healthy meal. The vegetables and pork all go in one pan to broil in the oven and come out delicious browned. The snow peas were a bit expensive, but definitely worth it because they contrasted with the peppers and onions. And the honey on the pork was better than barbecue sauce (my preferred choice with pork.)

Finally, I am very excited to be attending not one, but two conferences this month. This weekend is the LITA Forum in Cincinatti, and I can't wait, as it is a smaller conference focused on libraries and technology. The opening general session is with Tim Spalding, founder of Library Thing, who always has interesting insight into all things library since he has a real outsider's view. I am also looking forward to Michael Porter's Hi Fi Sci Fi Library on Saturday, not the least because the video cracks me up and the song is stuck in my head. (Couldn't get the embed code to cooperate.)  I just know his presentation is going to rock as well. (More on the Chicago conference and trip closer to the trip dates.)