Food n' Flix, No Reservations

This month's movie for Food N' Flix is No Reservations.
Plot Summary from IMDB.com: Kate is a terrific chef at a Manhattan restaurant, sent to therapy by the restaurant owner because she is cold, unyielding, rule-bound, and a pain in the neck. Kate's world is flipped over when her only sister dies and her ten-year-old niece, Zoe, comes to live with her. As Kate struggles to be a parent to a grief-stricken child, the one world she used to control - the restaurant kitchen - is changed utterly by the restaurant's hiring a second chef, the loose, operatic, Italian-trained Nick, who claims it's an honor to work in Kate's kitchen but who she suspects wants to replace her. Can the music of Puccini and the taste of good pasta soften Kate's heart? Written by jhailey@hotmail.com
I enjoyed the movie but I wished it was more about the chef's kitchen rivalry and less about the niece. In fact, I could have done without the family backstory altogether. My dish was inspired by the pasta dishes Aaron Eckhart's character was always whipping up. There is something so warm and comforting about a big bowl of pasta with crusty garlic bread; how could Kate not fall for him? Delicious.
Debbie from Kahakai Kitchen is hosting this month's posts so please head over to her site and check out all the other amazing dishes inspired by the movie.

Spaghetti Bolognese
Adapted from Emeril Lagasee

Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 ounces bacon or pancetta, diced
1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onions (I used red onion)
3/4 cup diced carrots
3/4 cup diced celery
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 pound ground beef or ground veal
1/2 pound pork sausage, removed from the casings, or ground pork (I used ground turkey instead of sausage)
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 cup red wine
2 (14 1/2-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes and their juice
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can tomato sauce
1 cup beef or chicken stock or broth
2 teaspoons sugar
1/4 cup heavy cream (I used 2% milk)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
1 pound spaghetti
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Directions
In a large pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook, stirring, until browned and the fat is rendered, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the onions, carrots and celery and cook, stirring, until soft, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic, salt, pepper, bay leaves, thyme, oregano, cinnamon, and nutmeg and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Add the beef and sausages, and cook, stirring, until no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the wine and cook, stirring, to deglaze the pan and remove any browned bits sticking to the bottom of the pan, and until half of the liquid is evaporated, about 2 minutes.

Add the tomatoes and their juices, the tomato sauce, beef broth, and sugar and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, to keep the sauce from sticking to the bottom of the pan, until the sauce is thickened and flavorful, about 1 1/2 hours. Add the cream, butter, and parsley, stir well, and simmer for 2 minutes. Discard the bay leaves and adjust the seasoning, to taste. Remove from the heat and cover to keep warm until ready to serve.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and return the water to a low boil. Cook, stirring occasionally to prevent the noodles from sticking, until al dente, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain in a colander.

Add the pasta to the sauce, tossing to coat. Add 1/2 cup of the cheese and toss to blend. Divide among pasta bowls and serve with the cheese passed tableside. (Alternatively, toss only the desired portion of pasta with a bit of the sauce at a time in a serving bowl, reserving the remainder for another meal.)

I made the sauce the night before and then reheated it in my slow cooker the next day for dinner. The flavor is incredible. I've never had a better bolognese. You must try it.
Have you seen No Reservations? What did you think?

Dolmas or Yalanchi, Memories of My Dad

I look forward to the Food section of the LA Times every week. I'm always inspired to make something new and when I saw an article about Armenian/Mexican cuisine I got tears in my eyes. Instantly, I thought of my dad and the times he spent in the kitchen patiently wrapping grape leaf bundles filled with rice. In the article, these are called yalanchi but in my family we called them dolmas.
I hadn't thought about dolmas in years and it was one of the few dishes I can remember my dad making. He was more the grill master than kitchen chef. He passed away when I was junior high and I must admit I can't recall the taste of the dolmas he made. Probably because at that age I refused to eat anything that I perceived as odd. Ask me how his rice pilaf tasted and I can bring that flavor up immediately which will have me racing to the kitchen to saute noodles and rice in way too much butter. Even though I couldn't remember tasting or liking dolmas, the article made me want to make them; if only to have a moment in the kitchen honoring my dad and in my own way connecting with him.
The process is simple but time-consuming so you'll want to block out a couple hours to complete the dish. It can be served at room temperature so it's great to make it ahead which is what I did for a BBQ. I spent most of the prep and cooking thinking of my dad and his family. He came from a large Armenian family that I don't see very often but I have good memories of. Most memories involve the food that we ate and the time spent together during the holidays. My grandmother made the best buttered toast, which seems incidental, but I'll never forget it. I also have them to thank for my plump and perky derriere (and thank you to Kim Kardshian for making it attractive in the media).
I was happy to share the dolmas with my friends and family. Especially with my sister, as she's older and can recall more about my dad's cooking than me. It was a nice meal spent with people I love.
If you're interested in the article and recipe, it's called Marrying Mexican and Armenian Cuisine by Lorenza Munoz.

Mocha Chocolate Icebox Cake

Please tell me I'm not the only one who makes my own birthday cake. Sure, I could ask my husband or have something ordered but it's more special to me if I make it myself. I recently saw this cake made by the Barefoot Contessa (yes, another recipe by her) when I was lounging in bed catching up on the Food Network and I knew that it would be my birthday cake. Who can resist chocolate chip cookies coverd in whipped cream?
Thankfully, I received a gift card to buy the ingredients because it's a little pricey. Mascarpone cheese isn't cheap even at Trader Joes and I now have a huge bottle of Kahula that I'll need to find more uses for. But, it's totally worth it. I made my own cookies rather than buying them, although I've heard good things about Tate's so I may order them next time. Be warned, this cake is super rich so make sure you have lots of people to share it with since a little slice goes a long way.

Mocha Chocolate Icebox Cake
by Ina Garten, Barefoot Contessa

Ingredients
2 cups cold heavy cream
12 ounces Italian mascarpone cheese
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup coffee liqueur, such as Kahlua
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder, such as Pernigotti
1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 (8-ounce) packages chocolate chip cookies, such as Tate's Bake Shop
Shaved semisweet chocolate, for garnish

Directions
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine the heavy cream, mascarpone, sugar, coffee liqueur, cocoa powder, espresso powder, and vanilla. Mix on low speed to combine and then slowly raise the speed, until it forms firm peaks.

To assemble the cake, arrange chocolate chip cookies flat in an 8-inch springform pan, covering the bottom as much as possible. (I break some cookies to fill in the spaces.) Spread a fifth of the mocha whipped cream evenly over the cookies. Place another layer of cookies on top, lying flat and touching, followed by another fifth of the cream. Continue layering cookies and cream until there are 5 layers of each, ending with a layer of cream. Smooth the top, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight.

Run a small sharp knife around the outside of the cake and remove the sides of the pan. Sprinkle the top with the chocolate, cut in wedges, and serve cold.

What is your favorite birthday cake? Do you make your own?

Barefoot Contessa's Coconut Macaroons

Yesterday I had family and friends over for a BBQ to celebrate my birthday. Another year older, how does time go by so fast? I spent the morning making dolmas (which I'll be sharing in another post) and had very little time to make dessert. I had already had birthday cake during the week and since I was craving coconut I opened my trusty Barefoot Contessa cookbook and found this recipe. You can have these cookies ready in less than an hour. They are sweet, chewy and perfectly coconutty. Delicious. Everyone else must have liked them too since I have only a couple left in this morning. I'm hiding them for a snack later today with my new favorite drink, an Earl Grey tea latte. Has anyone else had one from Starbucks? I ordered one on a whim yesterday morning and it's so yummy. I bought the ingredients (milk, raw sugar, Earl Grey tea bags) at Trader Joes to make them at home since $3 for a tea latte is going to get expensive after a few days.

Coconut Macaroons
By Ina Garten, Barefoot Contessa

Ingredients

14 ounces sweetened shredded coconut
14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 extra-large egg whites, at room temperature
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Combine the coconut, condensed milk, and vanilla in a large bowl. Whip the egg whites and salt on high speed in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment until they make medium-firm peaks. Carefully fold the egg whites into the coconut mixture.

Drop the batter onto sheet pans lined with parchment paper using either a 1 3/4-inch diameter ice cream scoop, or two teaspoons. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until golden brown. Cool and serve.

Nigella Lawson's Croque Monsieur Bake

I was flipping through my cookbooks the other night and I found a sticky on this recipe. I had completely forgotten about it. I used to make it all the time. I love the fact that you can put it together the night before and then pop it in the oven in the morning. It smells delicious while it's baking and tastes even better. You can change up the meat and cheeses as well. Turkey and swiss is also really yummy.
You can find the recipe on Nigella's website.
Do you have a breakfast recipe that can be made the night before? I've seen a lot of overnight oats on blogs lately. I'm thinking of trying it.

Chinese Chicken Salad

We almost ordered take-out Chinese last night but I never feel good afterward so I talked myself into getting up, going to Trader Joes and then making dinner. I already had some leftover bbq chicken from the night before so this salad was super quick to put together.

In a big bowl combine:
(I'm not putting quanities of ingredients since I didn't measure and you can adjust everything to your own taste)
Cooked chicken breast, chopped
Romaine Hearts- I sliced them into thin strips to match the noodles.
Thin egg noodles cooked or you would use spaghetti noddles broken into pieces.
Scallions minced
Mandarin Oranges
Peanuts
Sesame Ginger Dressing (I bought Trader Joes brand)
Salt & Pepper to taste
Toss all ingredients until well combined.
Enjoy!

Do you have a takeout weakness that makes you feel gross once you finish eating? I used to have that problem with Frappucinos from Starbucks. Way too much sugar and caffeine combined but so delicious. I finally had to force myself to stop buying them.

White Wine, Shallots and Vinegar Potato Salad

It's Friday! Yay! Can you tell I'm excited? I have so many recipes planned to make this weekend. I'm baking cupcakes with my niece on Saturday and on Sunday I'm making traditional Armenian food in memory of my dad. I can't wait to get started. Until then, I have the recipe for the potato salad I posted yesterday for my Sunday Southern Supper.

White Wine, Shallots and Vinegar Potato Salad

Ingredients
1-2 pounds red potatoes cut in halves
1 cup dry white wine, I used Chardonnay
2 medium shallots minced
1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 tablepsoon chopped fresh chives
zest of a lemon
1-2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (this depends on how many pounds of potatoes used)
salt & pepper to taste

Directions
Boil potatoes until tender. Drain and set aside.
In a medium saucepan, combine wine, shallots, sugar and salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook until mixture is reduced by half. Remove from heat, stir in vinegar, then whisk in olive oil. Set aside.
In a large bowl combine potatoes, wine mixture, chives and lemon zest. Toss until potatoes are coated with dressing. Season with salt & pepper to taste.
Serve at room temperature.

What do you have planned this weekend?