Spaghetti Squash

While leaf peeping in Vermont this past weekend, I made a killer Spaghetti Squash dish that it's  predators raved about, as if they could not believe it was a vegetable. Inspired by Melissa's request for spaghetti Squash, the Epicurious app's walnut pesto recipe, and Ariel's parents' fridge, I concocted Rosemary Asiago Spaghetti Squash. It was super simple and delicious. 

Rosemary Asiago Spaghetti Squash

One spaghetti squash, halved and seeded

a handful of olive oil

1 clove garlic, grated/pressed

1-2 tbsp. fresh rosemary, chopped

1/2 cup asiago cheese, grated 

salt and pepper to taste

a splash of olive oil

Preheat oven to 375. Lube up the squash with your olive oil. Place face down on a baking sheet and bake for an hour. 

Take the squash out, let it cool for a few minutes. When you can handle it, scrape the flesh with a fork to make spaghetti looking squash. Dump it all in a bowl. 

Add everything else. Stir it up. Eat. 

Eating

I'm currently reading Omnivore's Dilemma, a book about the nature of our eating habits, how food is produced on a large scale (the industrial food complex) and a small scale (sustainable farming), and how we (USA) have developed such a twisted notion of what food is. It is awesome. I can't put it down. I like reading a book that causes a reaction in me. Some of the reactions that have come up while reading are curiosity (wait, what do you mean free range doesn't really mean that chickens run around in grassy yards?), resentment (how effing rediculous is the pharma/agribusiness/policy makers relationship that is once again screwing the people) and inspiration (to support sustainable, local farmers who grow real food.) I highly recommend it and would lend it to you, except that Clare has dibs on it next.

What it is not is a ranting, stomach churning description of a filthy, inhumane Tyson's chicken factory. It is also not a soapbox for going vegetarian or vegan. Skinny Bitch covered that. The Omnivore's Dilemma raises questions and provides informed answers, but is not a doctrine for how to eat.

Inspired by the Omnivore's Dilemma, Food Inc., and people who work hard to make good food, Zach and I have joined our local Community Supported Agriculture (CSA). You pay upfront for a share of veggies, which provides the farmer with some security for the season (and keep your fingers crossed that it will be a good season.) Writing a check in February sucks, but it all pays off when you receive a box of veggies each week from June through October, based on what the farmer chooses. We participated in a CSA when we lived in the Bronx and loved the element of surprise (like when a kohlrabi showed up for the first time). It is also a challenge to figure out what to do with some of the veggies (WTF do you do with 16 jalapeno peppers? Make poppers, obviously!) The farm is different than the one that we worked with in the Bronx and I'm looking forward to seeing what shows up. Marthastewart.com will definitely be of help.

While also on the topic of food, I am SUPER EXCITED for the Brooklyn Flea and Hester Street Fair to open. Both awesome street fairs that show off hand crafted, high quality jewelry, clothing, wares and antiques and creative, delicious food. Brooklyn Flea opened this weekend and Hester Street opens May 7. I'm sure the Flea was a mob scene, considering it was beautiful out and everyone is happy to be strolling the streets. I'm going to give it a few weeks and hit it up when my friend Maureen comes to visit in mid April.

I could eat my whole salary

So many items on the restaurant To Do list! I keep it in my phone so I don't forget the places I want to try when the opportunity arises. The list is a little Lower East Side heavy, but why not start with what's in your back yard? Pretty crazy that having too many restaurants to try is a problem. Thank you, NYC/Will you pay me more money? 

Stina's Restaurant To Do list:
Falai
wd-50
Dressler
Char no. 4
Shopsins
Colicchio & Sons
Peels
Izakaya ten
Golden Unicorn
Mas (farmhouse)
Bibim-bar
Rayuela
Giardini's Pizza

All Time Favorites:
Blue Ribbon, new american Parke Slope
Landmarc, amazing TRIBECA
Roberto's, italian Bronx
Les Enfants Terribles, N. African, LES
Momofuku, ramen E. Village
Poke, sushi UES
Frankie's, italian LES
P.J. Clarke's, burgers Midtown


Fave Cheap Eats:
Gruppo Pizza
Prosperity Dumpling
Baohaus, pork buns
Caracas Arepas
Moustache, mediterranean (slammin' falafel)

Whats on your list? I could use some W. Village and uptown recs

Notable Not NYC:
Alto Cinco, Syracuse
Wine Market, Baltimore
Brewer's Art, Baltimore

Granola

Zach and I started making granola while living in the Bronx a few years ago. This is because one could not find granola in the South Bronx. Since moving to the LES, where granola is bountiful, we have been pretty lazy about making our own. Until tonight, that is. Our go to recipe is from Bon Appetite, but calls for corn syrup (sub honey) and uses lots of maple syrup. Maple syrup is insanely expensive. Especially when you triple the recipe.

So we started an add this, leave out that experimental granola that combines a few recipes, personal preferences, and convenience. Ditch the corn syrup and oil, add egg whites to bind it all together. No vanilla? Let's try almond extract. As it turns out, I think the almond extract is what makes it.

Zach and Stina's Granola

1/2 c. maple syrup or honey

3/4 c. brown sugar

1 egg whites

1 tsp. almond or vanilla extract 

1 tsp. cinnamon

3 c. whole oats

1 c. almonds, roughly chopped

1/2 c. cashews, roughly chopped

1/2 c. pumpkin seeds

2 tbsp. sesame seeds (optional. they went in because they were there)
>1/4 c. wheat germ
1/4 c. ground flax seed
a HEARTY dash of kosher salt, okay like 2 dashes

1/2 c. dried apricots, diced

1/2 c. dried cranberries

Preheat oven to 325. Line a cookie sheet w/ parchment paper. 
Combine the maple syrup or honey and brown sugar in a small sauce pan and heat to dissolve the brown sugar. Cool. Add egg whites, almond extract and cinnamon. Stir.
In a separate bowl, combine oats, nuts, and seeds. Add wet to dry and mix so that everything is evenly coated. 
Bake at 325 for 15 minutes. Stir. Sprinkle in the fruit. Bake for another 15 minutes. Remove. Stir.
Eat. Say yum. Eat more.

Atlas

It took one year, but I just found my go to neighborhood bagel shop. Atlas is a 5-7 minute walk from my apt. Quiet. Cozy. Wood benches. Mismatched mugs sporting airline logos. A mobile made of globes. Friendly people. Just right food. Exactly what the neighborhood coffee shop should be.

Everything bagel (h&H bagel that is) with cream cheese, pesto and tomato. Chai Latte w/ Soymilk. Perfection .

Family Dinner

Wow! Where to start? Last night was our Thanksgiving pot luck dinner with our NYC friends. I am still reeling from how talented all of my friends are in the kitchen. I suppose I'll start with the menu since that was what was so impressive (the clean up crew may have been equally as impressive, though in quite a different way.)

Appetizers:

Baked Brie w/ Pecans and Pears

Feta-Tomato Dip

Creamy Squash Dip

Stuffed Mushrooms

Pumpkin Bread

Main:

Honey Glazed Turkey

Bacon topped Corn Bread

Green Bean Casserole

Ciabatta, Proscuitto & Mushroom stuffing

Corn Pudding

Orange-Cranberry Sauce

Mashed Potatoes

Sauteed Vegetables 

Dessert:

Punkin Pie

Punkin Pie Cheesecake bars

Kahlua Cake

Every person whipped out their culinary A game and brought a dish that complimented the flavors of the season wonderfully- chestnuts, pears, squash, spiced cider, pumpkin, and the list goes on... 

Jeff, where did your face go?

We packed a full house, with 'Cuse folks, VT folks, and folks of folks so it got pretty loud. I was lucky enough to catch a glimpse of Zach with his hands over his ears. Wish I had caught that with my camera.

Chef Meltzer was in charge of preparing Benjamin, the bird.
And what a fine job he did too. Top notch pedophile chef & carver. 

Benjamin from behind

The spread.

The plate.

The joy.

The man.

Kahlua Cake. cool whip, heath bars, cake, pudding. This is my new raison d'etre. 

The question of the evening became, Why spend so much money dining out when we cook insanely good food at home? The answer: Dinner Club. The idea is the host is responsible for an appetizer, entree and dessert for 8-10 people. Host plans the menu. It happens once a month. Everyone helps with clean up. BYOB. Lemme know your input. I'm thinking we start in January (when everything else finishes).