I don't know about you but it isn't a thanksgiving meal without cranberry sauce for the Turkey. This is my quick and simple cranberry recipe that can be made today or tomorrow to save you some time on Thursday. Here is what you need...
1 Orange
1 cup Orange Juice
1 Apple
1 Lemon
1 lbs Fresh Cranberries
1/4 teaspoon Baking Soda
1 tablespoon Honey
Zest the Lemon and Orange (make sure not to get to close to the white part of the skin) into a sauce pan with the Baking Soda, Orange Juice and Honey. Add the Cranberries and cook them just until the Cranberries begin to pop and remove from heat. Allow to cool and then place the cooked cranberry mixture into a blender with the pealed and seeded fruit of the orange and the cored apple. Blend till smooth, taste and add more honey to taste. Store in refrigerator until ready to serve.
I love to dip my turkey into this sauce, it always helps make the dry white meat of a turkey taste better. One sad confession to end this recipe with, I still love to eat Ocean Spray's Jellied Cranberry Sauce straight out of the can and slice into nice little circles.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Thanksgivng - It's All About ME!
Class is done and i have some time to catch up on things other then school. I have been meaning to post some of my favorite Thanksgiving dishes and it looks like I will only end up posting one recipe, for my cranberry relish.
This is seriously one of my favorite times of year and that is because I am a selfish person. Huh? Isn't this the time of year to be thinking about others and giving thanks? Well yeah, and don't get me wrong, I am very thankful for all God has given me and I do care about others but over the years I have had some really crappy Thanksgivings. Since my father's passing we haven't really had a true family Thanksgiving, as a matter of fact more of my Thanksgivings have been spent away from my family then with them.
The point of today's ramblings isn't to give you a sob story because I realize there are many more stories worst then mine. It is because I love this time of year that I am disappointed by it. I want a perfect Thanksgiving and the truth is that will never happen for me. Instead I settle and try to make the best.
This year, I will be gathering with some of my fellow students to enjoy a meal and some fellowship and I will be okay with it when no one remembers it is my birthday (no one remembers when it falls on the last Thursday of November). This week is suppose to be about me isn't it????
I just have to learn to deal with that fact that I won't be with my family, that the turkey won't be cooked the way I like, that something will be wrong with the sides, that the wine won't be up to standard, that I won't see the largest Christmas Tree get lit up on the Circle, and that I am having to organize my own birthday party that looks like will consist of me and 5 friends.
Does anyone even read this?
This is seriously one of my favorite times of year and that is because I am a selfish person. Huh? Isn't this the time of year to be thinking about others and giving thanks? Well yeah, and don't get me wrong, I am very thankful for all God has given me and I do care about others but over the years I have had some really crappy Thanksgivings. Since my father's passing we haven't really had a true family Thanksgiving, as a matter of fact more of my Thanksgivings have been spent away from my family then with them.
The point of today's ramblings isn't to give you a sob story because I realize there are many more stories worst then mine. It is because I love this time of year that I am disappointed by it. I want a perfect Thanksgiving and the truth is that will never happen for me. Instead I settle and try to make the best.
This year, I will be gathering with some of my fellow students to enjoy a meal and some fellowship and I will be okay with it when no one remembers it is my birthday (no one remembers when it falls on the last Thursday of November). This week is suppose to be about me isn't it????
I just have to learn to deal with that fact that I won't be with my family, that the turkey won't be cooked the way I like, that something will be wrong with the sides, that the wine won't be up to standard, that I won't see the largest Christmas Tree get lit up on the Circle, and that I am having to organize my own birthday party that looks like will consist of me and 5 friends.
Does anyone even read this?
Monday, November 16, 2009
Go Colts!
In honor of the Colts spectacular win over Bill Belichick and his Patriots I am going to share my variation of the "Go Horse" cocktail recipe that is one of the specialty cocktails that I use to make at the Champps Americana in the Indianapolis International Airport. I think this is an improvement on the original recipe which was a little too sweet.
1 part Malibu rum
1 part Vodka
1 part Blue Curacao
splash of Pineapple
Shake with ice, strain and serve up.
If you shake it right you should end up with a blue drink and white foam on top. We served this drink as a martini but you can change it up and serve it over ice or use it as a shooter; I wouldn't try it as a frozen drink thought. Serve up a pitcher at your next Colts tailgate! For those of my friends who own places that serve yummy drinks feel free to add this to your menu.
1 part Malibu rum
1 part Vodka
1 part Blue Curacao
splash of Pineapple
Shake with ice, strain and serve up.
If you shake it right you should end up with a blue drink and white foam on top. We served this drink as a martini but you can change it up and serve it over ice or use it as a shooter; I wouldn't try it as a frozen drink thought. Serve up a pitcher at your next Colts tailgate! For those of my friends who own places that serve yummy drinks feel free to add this to your menu.
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Gray's Papaya
(212) 799-0243
2090 Broadway (72nd Street)
New York, NY 10023
Recently I visited an old favorite, Gray's Papaya. A friend from north of the border was visiting and he wanted a New York hot dog and so my friend Jenna suggested Gray's Papaya's Recession Buster. For $4.45 (tax included) you get two dogs and a drink. My dogs are always plain here, they are so good they don't need any toppings. Nice natural skin that snaps, all beef quality that are made fresh and grilled on a flat top to perfection. The buns are also toasted so there is no sogginess here. My juice tonight was Papaya. Did you know that papaya is natures TUMS? Hot dogs and fresh squeezed fruit juice is just a special combination. There are several locations in the New York area but I have only been to the one on Broadway and 72nd. I make it a stop after any trip to Lincoln Center.
2090 Broadway (72nd Street)
New York, NY 10023
Recently I visited an old favorite, Gray's Papaya. A friend from north of the border was visiting and he wanted a New York hot dog and so my friend Jenna suggested Gray's Papaya's Recession Buster. For $4.45 (tax included) you get two dogs and a drink. My dogs are always plain here, they are so good they don't need any toppings. Nice natural skin that snaps, all beef quality that are made fresh and grilled on a flat top to perfection. The buns are also toasted so there is no sogginess here. My juice tonight was Papaya. Did you know that papaya is natures TUMS? Hot dogs and fresh squeezed fruit juice is just a special combination. There are several locations in the New York area but I have only been to the one on Broadway and 72nd. I make it a stop after any trip to Lincoln Center.
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Legal Sea Foods - White Plains, NY
Thanks to some very generous people I was part of a group taken up to the Legal Sea Foods location in White Plains, NY. The company was great so the meal was enjoyable but you can't get passed the fact the Legal is a chain restaurant. The sad truth is that while I enjoy sea food I am often stuck eating it at chain restaurants so I will be comparing Legal to the chains out there. Decor wise I would put it inline with Oceanaire. 
The blues, metal and woods give it a sophisticated feel but the details really make the decor no better then a fancy Red Lobster.
The evening started off with cocktails and a bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon from Chile. Every year that I try the wines from Chile I am seeing a maturity developing and this bottle was a great example. The single estate Medalla Real is a 2007 from the D.O. Maipo Valley in Chile. It presents with the classic deep ruby of a Cab and has hints of oak and currant. Very yummy wine that even had the wine novices gushing over it at the table.
Our table started of with appetizers and we choose the special for the evening the Ceviche, and the waiters recommendation of the Legal Sampler. First the Ceviche, a disappointment for me. While the tropical fruit flavors with onion and citrus were there the star of the dish, the seafood, was lacking. Instead of dicing up and using a variety of fish and shellfish, petite salad shrimp were used. It felt as if the shrimp were cooked then added to the ceviche mixture rather then allowing the ceviche to do the cooking.
One last note about the ceviche was that there were not enough tortilla chips to completely finish the meal. More concern was given to being cute in presentation that practicality and that made this dish a fail. We also were served the Legal Sampler which consisted of Seared Tuna, a couple of wantons, Shrimp Cocktail, and a crab cake. Let's get the ugly out of the way, the wantons just plain sucked. Over cooked, so much ginger in the mixture that I could not identify the protein and then drenched in a soy sauce. The shrimp cocktail consisted of two giant prawns served over ice with an ok cocktail sauce. As a disclaimer, I use the Indianapolis favorite of St. Elmo's Steakhouse's cocktail sauce as a barometer for all other cocktail sauces and this one was not even close. It tasted more ketchup then horseradish and there was no kick, if Elmo's is a 10 then this one scores a 2. The seared tuna was great, a little sesame seed and not over cooked, just like I make it. The crab cake is the real star of the plate. Lots of crab and little bread crumbs make sure that it falls apart with ease. It is served with a seasoned mayonnaise drizzled on top that adds just enough to moisten the dish. What the appetizers have taught us that Legal should stick to the classic New England cuisine and leave the international flair to others who do it well. 
This missteps of the first course were replaced by my favorite dish at Legal, the Lobster Bisque. One of our host recommended the Clam Chowder as being great, and I don't doubt it, everyone who had it at our table loved it, but there is just something special about the Lobster Bisque. The presentation is very simple when served in a cup but all the flavor and tastes are there. Not too much sherry and decent size chunks of lobster make this a favorite. I don't find it as creamy as the Capital Grille version but that is not a bad thing. This dish is a balance of richness and simpleness that remind me why I can eat bowls of it.
Now for the main course, back to disappointment. The menu offered swordfish in several locations and when it came time for me to order their house preparation I was very sad to learn that they were out of swordfish that evening. My debate had been what preparation of swordfish to order so I had not back up plan and thinking quick on my feet I ordered what my cohort Anthony order across from me, crab legs.
Normally I don't do crab legs when I am wearing a suit or when I am with classy company. I do love to eat crab legs and have been known to eat 2-3 buckets of them in one sitting. My next recipe I will share with you all is how I make my crab legs at home. To me crab legs are bar food and something I eat with beer and my sleeves rolled up. It is hard to mess crab legs up and these were fine, just fine and that was disappointing. I really was hoping for something spectacular, but besides the size these tasted just like the crab legs I would get at Hooters or Joe's Crab Shack. What was shocking was that I was served a black leg which was uneatable. Normally I would have brought this to the attention of the staff but because of our group size I did not want to be that guy this night. 
My sides chosen were the the mashed potatoes and the spinach and nothing special here either. The potatoes were plain and unimaginative and quickly formed the glossy coating that tends to occur in lower end establishment. The spinach was over cooked, it developed the bitter taste that occurs when you over kill the leaves. 
While I may have been negative about most of the meal I still think Legal is the best place to get seafood in Westchester County. The lessons learned are to stick with the soups, and the crab cakes and other New England specialties. I would still like to try the swordfish but I heard from those who ordered the Salmon and Mahi Mahi that their fish was overcooked. So with all that said if anyone has a suggestion for a great seafood place in Westchester County let me know so I can cross Legal off my list.
The blues, metal and woods give it a sophisticated feel but the details really make the decor no better then a fancy Red Lobster.The evening started off with cocktails and a bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon from Chile. Every year that I try the wines from Chile I am seeing a maturity developing and this bottle was a great example. The single estate Medalla Real is a 2007 from the D.O. Maipo Valley in Chile. It presents with the classic deep ruby of a Cab and has hints of oak and currant. Very yummy wine that even had the wine novices gushing over it at the table.
Our table started of with appetizers and we choose the special for the evening the Ceviche, and the waiters recommendation of the Legal Sampler. First the Ceviche, a disappointment for me. While the tropical fruit flavors with onion and citrus were there the star of the dish, the seafood, was lacking. Instead of dicing up and using a variety of fish and shellfish, petite salad shrimp were used. It felt as if the shrimp were cooked then added to the ceviche mixture rather then allowing the ceviche to do the cooking.
One last note about the ceviche was that there were not enough tortilla chips to completely finish the meal. More concern was given to being cute in presentation that practicality and that made this dish a fail. We also were served the Legal Sampler which consisted of Seared Tuna, a couple of wantons, Shrimp Cocktail, and a crab cake. Let's get the ugly out of the way, the wantons just plain sucked. Over cooked, so much ginger in the mixture that I could not identify the protein and then drenched in a soy sauce. The shrimp cocktail consisted of two giant prawns served over ice with an ok cocktail sauce. As a disclaimer, I use the Indianapolis favorite of St. Elmo's Steakhouse's cocktail sauce as a barometer for all other cocktail sauces and this one was not even close. It tasted more ketchup then horseradish and there was no kick, if Elmo's is a 10 then this one scores a 2. The seared tuna was great, a little sesame seed and not over cooked, just like I make it. The crab cake is the real star of the plate. Lots of crab and little bread crumbs make sure that it falls apart with ease. It is served with a seasoned mayonnaise drizzled on top that adds just enough to moisten the dish. What the appetizers have taught us that Legal should stick to the classic New England cuisine and leave the international flair to others who do it well. This missteps of the first course were replaced by my favorite dish at Legal, the Lobster Bisque. One of our host recommended the Clam Chowder as being great, and I don't doubt it, everyone who had it at our table loved it, but there is just something special about the Lobster Bisque. The presentation is very simple when served in a cup but all the flavor and tastes are there. Not too much sherry and decent size chunks of lobster make this a favorite. I don't find it as creamy as the Capital Grille version but that is not a bad thing. This dish is a balance of richness and simpleness that remind me why I can eat bowls of it.
Now for the main course, back to disappointment. The menu offered swordfish in several locations and when it came time for me to order their house preparation I was very sad to learn that they were out of swordfish that evening. My debate had been what preparation of swordfish to order so I had not back up plan and thinking quick on my feet I ordered what my cohort Anthony order across from me, crab legs.
Normally I don't do crab legs when I am wearing a suit or when I am with classy company. I do love to eat crab legs and have been known to eat 2-3 buckets of them in one sitting. My next recipe I will share with you all is how I make my crab legs at home. To me crab legs are bar food and something I eat with beer and my sleeves rolled up. It is hard to mess crab legs up and these were fine, just fine and that was disappointing. I really was hoping for something spectacular, but besides the size these tasted just like the crab legs I would get at Hooters or Joe's Crab Shack. What was shocking was that I was served a black leg which was uneatable. Normally I would have brought this to the attention of the staff but because of our group size I did not want to be that guy this night. My sides chosen were the the mashed potatoes and the spinach and nothing special here either. The potatoes were plain and unimaginative and quickly formed the glossy coating that tends to occur in lower end establishment. The spinach was over cooked, it developed the bitter taste that occurs when you over kill the leaves. While I may have been negative about most of the meal I still think Legal is the best place to get seafood in Westchester County. The lessons learned are to stick with the soups, and the crab cakes and other New England specialties. I would still like to try the swordfish but I heard from those who ordered the Salmon and Mahi Mahi that their fish was overcooked. So with all that said if anyone has a suggestion for a great seafood place in Westchester County let me know so I can cross Legal off my list.
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