Mangia! Mangia!

After my sad little post earlier this week where I fessed up to using tomato sauce from a jar (horror of horrors!) the lovely and amazing Ahna sent me the link to Orangette's tomato sauce recipe. She is one of our favorite food bloggers (Remember these muffins? They are definitely next on my list.) and Ahna has impeccable taste, so I decided it was time to step up my game!

I'd been thinking about going on an Italian kick for a while now. There's a real shortage of good Italian places in Phoenix. Peter and I ventured to Aiello's, henceforth to be referred to as The World's Most Expensive Italian Restaurant, this fall and it was good, but even before the imposition of austerity measures, it wasn't going to be a regular thing. There are plenty of great pizza places - most notably LGO, Parlor, and Cibo - but sometimes nothing but a plate of pasta will do. For my dad, eating Italian 5 nights out of 7 would be 2 nights too few. Family history-wise, we hail from Northern Europe and Germany, but we are closet Italians. Nana makes spaghetti and meatballs for Christmas eve every year, and rigatoni and lasagna are our go-to meals the rest of the year. I'm headed back to Bar La Grassa when I'm in Minneapolis for Labor Day (Isaac Becker AND Italian? There is no better combination) but until then, it's pasta night at Amy's until further notice.

Criminally Good, Never Going Back to Jars Again Tomato Sauce
 I based this off of the Orangette recipe, but tweaked it a bit.

2 28 oz cans of whole plum tomatoes
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 onion, halved (one half kept whole, the other half diced)
1 stick of butter
A handful of basil leaves

In a large pot (I bought a super jank metal stock pot at Fry's during Katie and my grocery shopping bonanza/blackout, pretty proud of myself for slowly restocking our kitchen...) sauté the minced garlic and the diced half of the onion in a tablespoon of butter until the onion starts to become translucent. Add the rest of the stick of butter, the 2 cans of tomatoes (liquid and all), the unchopped half of the onion, and the basil leaves. Simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally,  for about an hour. Mash up any large chunks of tomato left with the spoon, fish out the onion half, add salt to taste, and serve with pasta.

Peter also made a tomato bread salad, which was outrageously good. We're obsessed with Martha's Great Food Fast cookbook, and her version of a panzanella is really good. We had some rosemary and olive oil bread from the earlier Fry's blackout shopping trip (I always seem to walk out having spent $200, even if I initially just wanted to grab, say, a can of tomatoes, and Katie only exacerbates the problem!) that got cut into cubes. Technically it should have been grilled but since we don't have one yet at the house (WE WILL TONIGHT!) it got doused with a bit of olive oil and went into a pan to crisp up. Toss it with a sliced up cucumber, 2 diced tomatoes, chopped basil, and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar, and you've got a knockout summer meal!

 

 

 

We're pretty much amazing, as Chiddy Bang would say...

We finished it off with some strawberries and angel food cake, accusations of ringworm from petting cats outside Rose and Crown (cough JILL cough), sifting through teaching resources, discount wine from Target, and jimmying off my fake nails with a deck of cards (austerity measures!). It's a generally agreed upon fact that summer should just never end.

Love, Amy

Good morning, Phoenix!

Breakfast has always been THE meal, as far as I'm concerned, which is what makes it so tragic I never get to eat it. During college I was always sleeping until the last second and then making the mad pell-mell dash to class, except for that one semester when Grace would knock at my door until I'd get up to go to Cafe Mac with her before 8:30 Spanish lab. That's love, Grace. Now that I teach, I'm always up way too late fine tuning my plans for the next day and then run around like a crazy person in the morning trying to print out worksheets and get my objectives posted for the day. That means that unless there is something particularly appetizing as part of the breakfast in the classroom program (Smuckers blueberry waffles, I'm looking at you! Even my kids knew to leave at least one for me, which is serious.) it goes by the wayside. During the summer, I've been spending pretty much every night on my friends Jill and Meredith's couch since they are so close to downtown, and then just skip breakfast in favor of running to the pool. Not today, though. I'm bringing breakfast back!

We've spent the last week or so moving. I may have made my life harder than I had to - a recurring theme - by deciding to go to Vegas with my friend Peter for 18 hours to visit another friend who had a paid room for a conference the night before the movers came (That's a story for another time, though. The moving hangover was well worth it!). I'm not going to say this was the smoothest moving process anyone has ever had, but Katie and I got through it! We've been setting up social occasions for ourselves as motivation to unpack, since otherwise it's not going to happen until our other roommate, Alicia (much more capable and responsible than we are!), comes home. For example, having Meredith and Peter over for dinner made us unpack the kitchen. A housewarming party sometime next week might just get us to get our act together for the rest of the house, who knows!

Anyways, dinner was nothing fancy, but that was actually pretty perfect. We started to polish off the thousands of boxes of pasta I had squirreled away over the year (I also have a magazine hoarding problem... This is a whole big thing.) I love Giada's Creamy Tomato Sauce - I know, I know, I will eventually make my own, but for now this does the job quite nicely. We also threw together a spinach and mushroom salad, and the combination of good food, good people, a bottle of wine, and a balmy 90-something degree night on the patio by the pool (Yes, we have a pool at the house! Love zona.) was a pretty great one! And the leftover spinach and mushrooms were perfect for the greatest of all breakfast options, the scramble! Postino's, you've got nothin' on me.

I'm a real sucker for a scramble. Postino's version has sliced potatoes, onions, herbs, egg, and gruyere and white cheddar. Everytime I drag myself to Matt's for a hangover breakfast, I'm completely incapable of ordering anything other than the scramble special they've concocted that day, usually involving jalapeños and cheddar and other delicious things. I just can't say no. But the time has come to take things into my own hands. Mostly because my car is still jammed full of stuff from moving and I refuse to go anywhere. Whatever does the trick.

Amy's I Don't Care It's 1:30 PM And I'm Just Getting Home, I Refuse To Order Thai Rama And I'm Making Breakfast Scramble


2 Eggs
Bacon
A handful of spinach, chopped
2 slices of bacon, chopped
A handful of sliced mushrooms
A handful of some sort of cheese - I'm a big fan of 3 cheese Italian blend, especially since it's all I've got!

Throw the bacon in a pan and let it start to fry. Toss in the mushrooms and let them start to get golden. Then add in the chopped spinach. After a minute, pour in the beaten eggs and let set. If you're more talented than I am, you'd make an omelet, but since I always mess them up, I just lie and say that I meant to make a scramble since that's what happens anyways. Throw some cheese on once the egg is cooked, and you've got yourself a pretty tasty breakfast, whatever time of the day! I tried to make some toast, but we can't find the toaster (#whitegirlproblems) so I held some bread over the burner and not only didn't burn the house down, but got some ok toast out of is. Super jank? Yes. Super delish? Yes.

Happy Tuesday, everyone! Thankfully, Trendy Tuesday is immune from austerity measures, so it looks like tonight's agenda is TMI and a second game in a row watching Los Dbacks beat the Brewers (SOMOS LOS MEJORES!), not too shabby! Hope everyone's having a good Tuesday, may the haboob be with you.

Besos, Amy

Instead of updating my blog, I taught middle school...

A typical grocery store run this year...

I would imagine that for most people, the first year out of college is a pretty big one. I hit most of the normal rites of passage - moving to a new city, finding a job, making friends, getting a first real place of my own (college rentals do not count, I've decided), all the cliched things one does when taking the first steps out into the real world. Except my job is teaching middle school English, and it completely consumed my life since I first set foot in Phoenix last June. I can count on one hand the number of times I actually cooked anything last year. And by cook, I mean made anything more complicated than easy mac or guacamole. What a difference a year makes!

It's not all bad. I've been lucky enough to have a job, if not a high paying one, as well as some wonderful friends who are pretty much always up for epicurean adventures. This adds up to a year of subsisting on school cafeteria breakfasts and lunches and a lot of dinners out. Professionally, this year can only be described as a whole big thing. Personally, though, I couldn't be happier. Phoenix is a great city, I love everyone I've met here, and I can't imagine wanting to leave at the end of my two year commitment next May. I figure, if after the year I've had I still like it here, there must be something to it!

Heading into year two, with all the perspective 3 weeks of summer vacation has given me (thank god there's a least a few perks to teaching!) I've realized several things:

1. I really do miss cooking and want to do more this year.
2. Even in Phoenix, leading the trendy life requires more money than a new teacher makes, so as my friend and I have declared for the last several days, we are Greece. And yes, we are referring to austerity measures, not the musical.
3. I want to settle into my new house more than I did with my apartment this past year. I think that means playing hostess to dinner parties and drinks, something that I'm more than happy to do!
4. I miss writing a lot. Running the Food and Drank section of The Mac Weekly was by far the best job I've ever had, and being a casual critic of the PHX food scene isn't filling that void.


Basically, this is all an elaborate set up to something pretty simple: I'M BACK! Well, that's the plan. I'm sure I'll get sucked right back into the grind come August, but for now, I'm coasting on the bliss that is summer break and am full of good intentions. So we'll see.

__________________________
Tonight's entry should have been called "Instead of packing to move to my new house, I organized a cook out." Grilling has always been a favorite pastime of mine. The prepwork isn't bad, it goes so quickly, and clean up is minimal. What's not to love? After a morning wandering around the farmer's market, I came home intending to start packing up my apartment so I can have the movers come early next week and start getting settled in. Instead, I got super domestic and pulled together a barbecue. My friends Peter and Meredith came over and we had a bit of everything: (turkey) hot dogs, (veggie) burgers, and kabobs with chicken, pineapple, and onion. I've become obsessed with Rocco's Dinner Party on Bravo, and the last episode I watched was all about doing healthier versions of summer food. Mer and Peter hadn't watched it, but apparently we were all on the same wavelength. It all turned out pretty well, despite the mini dust storm that kicked up while I tried to wrestle the grill into cooperating. We were all concerned it was going to turn into another haboob situation, but luck was on our side and there was no giant dust storm tonight.

I also made triple berry pie, one of my favorites from the summer before senior year. We used to make berry and apple pies and give them to our neighbors after they a) helped us with household or furniture assembly issues or b) didn't call the cops on us after a party. I'm not usually much of a baker, but this is so easy, and even if you mess up, as I invariably do, it still tastes good!

New city, new job, new everything!

So I graduated from college and moved out to Phoenix to teach language arts for the next couple years. I'm in the midst of some intense training, probably working harder than I have ever before in my entire life. I mean wake up at 5:30 am, on the bus at 6:15, sessions til 10, teach til noon, more session til 4, bus home, eat a quick dinner, then go to the 24 printing room and work until 1 am hard. It's a lot, I don't know that I've ever been this tired before, but then again I also don't know that I've ever enjoyed anything as much before. I'm teaching summer school and I've come to love my class in just the week we've been together. It's hard staying up late, but having them in my head when I'm planning lessons and making guided note sheets and things like that makes it a tiny bit easier to be so crazed.

Since I've embarked on my new venture this summer, I haven't had any time to cook (downside to working like a crazy person and living in the dorms.) These days, I crave the hummus at the dining hall, look forward to tater tots at breakfast, and sadly ponder who came up with peanut butter, apple slices and honey sandwiches as a lunch item. On the weekend, though, I make it a point to go out with my friends, to start bonding with Phoenix. We've been to some cool places, and I'm starting to find some favorites. Verde was a new find this weekend, and I'm in love with Frank & Lupe's in Old Town Scottsdale. The chicken enchiladas with poblano cream sauce? Unbelievably good. I'm a huge fan of Mexican food, so I could really just eat Mexican all the time... Which is pretty much what's been going on.

I think the new plan for cookingasprocrasination is for it to turn into cookingandeatingoutasprocrastination. That's way too long and ridiculous to put as an address, that stays the same. You all just get to read about my favorite new restaurants along with Amy-I-don't-have-enough-time-so-here's-a-crazy-shortcut cooking. And probably hear ridiculous teaching stories, since anyone (un)fortunate enough to have talked to me over the last few weeks can attest to the fact that those just seem to pop up in any conversation, regardless of relevance. Sorry, can't help it! But there'll be food things too. I miss Food & Drank already, so this is just going to have to fill that twice a month, page long empty space in my heart.

Cacti along the highway. Like I tell my friends here all the time, we really are somewhere different.

Instead of writing a movie review, I made Almost Saag Chicken.

The onslaught of work for the end of the year has sadly begun. With papers and tests and job prep stuff, there's more than enough things to be worrying about and doing. Of course, it's hard to perform mental acrobatics without some fuel, though! Still, as time gets tight, things get a little dicey culinarily. What can you whip up with the stuff on hand?

Last night was a desperation meal that turned out much better than expected. I needed to come up with something to make for dinner last night, but only had odds and ends and no time to head to the grocery store. Between hanging out with Grace (beer and popsicles on the deck!) and having to do a bunch of homework, there wasn't a ton of time left over. I stood in the middle of the kitchen, surveying the contents of our freezer, and amongst the frozen drink mixes, Morning Stars and Kashi meals (both of which I'm sad to say I'm sick of) I spotted a bag of frozen chopped spinach I'd forgotten about (as I do most of the stuff that isn't in eye sight. I look for stuff in the fridge like a dad, it's pretty bad. Just ask poor Cecily.) My friend Katie made a pretty good quick version of Saag Chicken. My repertoire mostly consists of Mexican or Asian (lime, ginger and soy sauce make everything better.) but I've been wanting to branch out into Indian. After a quick gchat consult to make sure I wasn't forgetting anything too important, I was in business. The whole process took maybe a half hour, and made enough that I had some leftover for lunch (well, whatever you call eating a first meal a 2:30 after classes...)

Almost Chicken Saag

Ingredients 

(this is definitely one that you can improvise on, depending on what you have in the fridge/pantry)

-1 small/medium onion

-2 cloves of garlic

-2 decent sized pieces of chicken. I used 2 frozen chicken breasts, but you can use thighs or whatever

-1 bag frozen chopped spinach

-Something creamy to get the texture and hold everything together. I used sour cream, although you could sub in plain yogurt

-Cheese! I used a handful each of some grated swiss and cheddar I had left over from the stratta, but I don't think it's a huge deal what you use, as long as you steer clear of blue cheese or gorgonzola or something like that. This part isn't super legit, but it makes everything come together!

-Cumin

-Ginger. I love it, and had a knob in the fridge, so I grated up a tablespoon or so. You could also used ground ginger, just add a couple shakes at the end

-Rice

Start your rice cooker (my favorite thing in the kitchen, even if it has gotten busted up and is missing the steam vent part!) or do whatever it is you do.

Halve the onion and cut into thin slices. Heat some oil in a medium-large pan over medium heat, mince the garlic, and sauté the two until the onion is soft. I tossed in the grated ginger and sautéed that up at the same time. While that is happening, I defrosted my chicken (good job if you can skip that part) and cut it into slices — you could just cook the chicken whole, but the strips go much faster! Once the onion looks good, add the frozen spinach to the pan and nestle the chicken strips in there. Sprinkle on a couple pinches of cumin and mix in. If you've got a lid, throw it on. I never do, but a sheet of aluminum foil does the trick. Cook covered for a couple minutes, then uncover, flip the chicken slices, and let them finish cooking for another minute or two. Turn down the heat to low, sprinkle on a handful or two of cheese, and mix that in. Add two good spoonfuls of sour cream, mix in, and let simmer for a couple minutes if it looks too wet. It should be creamy, not liquidy. Once the consistency seems right, spoon some on top of rice and get to it! 

You can adapt it a little... Katie tossed in a can of chick peas and some diced tomato, and I think I'd do something to add a little heat next time.

This weekend we're planning on attempting Eggs Benedict, one of those foods that I love getting at restaurants but have no idea how to make on my own. Wish us luck getting the hang of poaching... and Hollandaise...

Instead of sleeping, I linked to my articles.

Review of Rooster's BBQ (along with some musings on missing Southern food!) and another look at the finest — or really any — vino $4 can buy in this week's Food & Drank section.

p.s. - The title for this post is something I think I'm going to run with. My friend Grace suggested I detail what exactly I'm procrastinating doing, so we'll see how long I can go before I start repeating myself. Stupid? We'll see.

I know, I know

I've been shamefully neglecting my blogging responsibilities, it seems like it takes ridiculous amounts of work looming (like the two papers and a presentation I'm working on today!) to get me to post.  I keep meaning to do better and have even taken pictures of meals, only to forget about writing them up, or rather decide that Hulu or going out are better uses of my time. I've also been shockingly busy (for a second semester senior, that it. It's a different criteria), but as the weather finally improves and we start to grill more, I hope to be all over that, if only so I can one day remember what I've been doing and can possibly recreate them in Arizona (!) or wherever I end up after that. If Grace can get her act together to keep hers going, so can I!

I haven't completely forsaken the whole foodie thing in my absence, though! The Food & Drank page is alive and well (reviews, reviews, and more reviews!) I've also started trying to get better about understanding what it is we drink. Getting into wine seemed like a logical next step in our foodie development, so my housemates and I have taken to performing very rudimentary wine (and occasionally beer) tastings - see one of our early forays here.

Holidays, though, are always worth documenting. I'm always sad to miss Easter at home (fully documented in Food & Drank! I told you I've been writing!) so we decided to do it up right. I made my mom's Ham Stratta, one of my friends made Grand Marnier French Toast, another brought her excellent Breakfast Potatoes, and we rounded it out with ambrosia (old school!), fruit, and mimosas.

My mom's stratta is really good, always one of the highlights of Easter at home. I altered the recipe a bit from the one I put in the paper, and clarified a few things (she was nice enough to dash it off in an email to me when I was trying to shop and get ready!) Honestly, though, I'm not really sure how you could go wrong with this one. Eggs and cheese? What's not to love?

Ingredients:
-A loaf of white bread (you'll need pretty much the whole thing)
-4 cups cubed ham (I bought a 1 lb pack of pre-cooked ham steaks in the meat/deli section and chopped it up myself)
-2 cups grated sharp cheddar
-2 cups grated swiss cheese
-6 eggs
-3 cups milk
-dry mustard (My mom uses Colman's, but I couldn't find it so I used dijon with no problems)
-Crushed Ritz crackers for topping

Beat the milk and eggs together, adding in a little (tsp?) mustard. Cut the crusts off the bread, spread a thin layer of mustard on each, and lay half of the slices down in the bottom of a 9x13 pan. Spread half of the cubed ham and half of each of the cheeses over the bread. Repeat for a second layer. Pour the egg mixture over everything.

Cover it and let it sit for the egg to soak in. My mom and I are usually not very patient, and you can let it hang out in the fridge for just an hour or so, but I made mine the day before and left it in the fridge overnight (all the better to party on a Saturday night and avoid getting up any earlier than necessary!)

When you're ready to cook it, preheat the oven to 375. Sprinkle the top with crushed Ritz (I added a little more cheese too). Bake for 45 minutes to an hour, until it's puffed up.

Easy and delicious, plus it can feed a ton of people, pretty much the perfect brunch item!