Teacher Snack

One of my favorite traditions at my school is our daily "Teacher Snack." By grade level, we trade off providing a "snack" for all of the other Lower School teachers and faculty every day. Some of us take this task very seriously. Fortunately for me, my classroom is right next door to the Faculty Room, so I always get a good sneak peek at what is going to be served starting at 8 am. It is pretty amazing what one can eat that early- if Donna is providing shrimp cocktail, you'd better get there early!

Being teachers, aka perfectionists, we seem to want to outdo each other. A simple plate of cheese and crackers will do, but the chocolate molten cake (made in the microwave so the smell of melted chocolate emanates the entire school) wows the crowd. Quiche is always appreciated, Janet's homemade apple pie disappears quickly, veggies and hummus makes us feel less guilty, while the box of Munchkins is usually met with a moan. When it is my turn to serve "Teacher Snack" I like to serve a savory and a sweet, and I always like some sort of protein. Tomorrow, for example, I will be serving a spinach and red pepper quiche with feta cheese and a zucchini bread with chocolate chips. I hope they like it- I've been cooking all afternoon. I'd love to hear your suggestions for teacher snack ideas- just remember, it has to be nut free.

-Natasha

Brown Sugar Cafe

My favorite Thai restaurant in the area is Brown Sugar Cafe at 1033 Comm Ave in Allston. Their menu is huge. You can get the tried and true or venture out with one of their more exotic dishes that you may not find elsewhere. For years, its been the place to go for Thai, so be prepared to wait. They also deliver, good for those cold 7 degree Boston days!


Last weekend, I went there with a group of friends before heading to a benefit in the city. It felt a little like prom, sitting there in a Vera Wang dress eating a $15 a person meal (including tip and tax) but it was delicious as always. To start, you can't go wrong with any their appetizers or soups. If you like cilantro, their Tom Yum Goong has a good kick to it. The pan fried Thai ravioli and Tofu Triangles are always a hit. I personally love their Pad Thai which is light and flavorful, a must order in my book. However, going with a with a group allows me to sample different options. Over the years, I have enjoyed their yellow curry dishes, their Sweet and Sour chicken and shrimp, their Mango Fried Rice, and the Pad See Ew, to name a few. With the menu as expansive as it is, one could never get bored.

So next time you are craving Thai, head to Allston.
http://www.brownsugarcafe.com/index.html

-Natasha

Gluten-free review of Burton's Grill by Guest Blogger- Lisa

I am proud to be a gluten-intolerant guest columnist on Natasha's blog! I had the pleasure of spending an evening for dinner at Burton's Grill http://www.burtonsgrill.com/ near Fenway with Natasha, Kim, and Ruthie. Burton's has a lovely gluten-free menu available upon request. It highlights the regular menu items that are already gluten-free and it offers several adapted dishes that are prepared with gluten-free substitutes.

My first delightful gluten-free experience was their home-made (I think?) dinner roll! It was light, sweet, a little crumbly, but delicious. It's tough to succeed with gluten-free bread, but Burton's passed the test. For the entree, I ordered the Pan-seared Chicken and Mushroom Ravioli with Asparagus in a Sherry Cream Sauce. While they didn't bring me ravioli (it was over gluten-free penne pasta instead), it was very tasty! The sherry cream sauce was smooth and flavorful. The entire dish had no sign of gluten-free taste or texture to it. I would order it again in a heartbeat. For some reason, the charge on the check was $2 more than the menu claimed, and their typo of "ravioli" was pretty misleading ("I'm gluten intolerant, but I'm not an idiot." -NR). Good thing I was happy with the dish anyway! I suspect that they cut and pasted the dish name from the main menu and forgot to edit the details on the hard copy because the website is correct.

Natasha, it's been a pleasure! Till next time... Lisa :-)

Cooking for a picky crowd

A few months ago I was presented with a challenge- to make dinner for a group of people with different dietary restrictions. I needed to come up with a vegetarian, gluten free, nut free, raw vegetable free, kosher style, and dairy free dish that actually tasted good. I was cooking for about 10 people, so it needed to be cheap and easy to produce in mass quantities. My answer was black bean vegetarian chili. It fit all the requirements, is simple to make and can easily be doubled.

2 tablespoons Vegetable Oil

1 onion

1 red pepper

1 orange or yellow pepper

2 fresh jalapeno peppers, seeded (optional)

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons Paprika

1 teaspoon Oregano

1/2 teaspoon Cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon Salt

1/2 teaspoon Cumin

1 14 ounce can diced tomatoes

1 can black beans, drained

1 can corn, drained

sour cream

grated cheddar cheese

avocado on the side.

1. Dice onions, seed and chop peppers, and mince garlic. (A food processor does this very quickly and easily, but you do lose some consistency.)

2. Mix spices together in a small prep bowl .

3. Heat pot at medium high heat. Saute onion , garlic and peppers until onions are clear.

4. Add tomatoes, black beans and spices. Turn down heat to low and simmer slowly for about 30-40 minutes. Stir occasionally.

5. Add in drained corn and continue to cook slowly for another 20 minutes.

If too thick, add water for desired consistency.

Top with sour cream, cheddar cheese and a slice of avocado.

Next time you are cooking for a crowd, consider making vegetarian chili. It satisfies everyone's needs and tastes good too.

-Natasha

Devil's Food Cupcakes with Chocolate Ganache Frosting

I decided for New Year's Eve, I'd break out the family cupcake recipe- Devil's Food Cupcakes with Chocolate Ganache. While not too difficult to make, it does require several ingredients and specific steps. It is handy to have a very helpful friend who also owns a Kitchen Aid. Thanks Julie!

The first step is making sure you have all the key ingredients:

32 baking cups (maybe 27)
3 ounces good-quality unsweetened chocolate
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 1/2 cups packed dark brown sugar
3 eggs
2 1/4 cups cake flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water

1. Preheat oven to 375. Place baking cups in muffin pans.

2. Place chocolate in a small heavy saucepan, and melt over low heat stirring occasionally. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside.

3. Cream the butter and brown sugar together.

4. With the mixer on low speed, add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

5. Stir in melted chocolate.

6. Combine cake flour, baking soda, and salt. Alternating between the two, add the flour mixture and buttermilk to chocolate mixture in three stages, ending with the flour.

7. Slowly stir in one cup of boiling water and the vanilla. Be careful, the boiling water may splatter!

8. Pour the batter 3/4 full into the baking cups. (Do not under fill! See below: they are too hard to frost-though they make a tasty sample for the chef.)

9. Bake until toothpick inserted comes out clean, about 15 minutes. Let cool for about 5 minutes before removing from muffin pans. Let them cool completely before frosting.

For icing: The chocolate ganache is the best part! The cupcakes themselves are not super sweet, so the frosting adds just the right amount of chocolaty goodness.

6 ounces (6 squares) semisweet chocolate
1/3 cup heavy cream
1 Tablespoon sugar
1 1/2 Tablespoons butter

1. Place all ingredients into a small, heavy saucepan over moderate heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate is almost melted.

2. Remove from heat. Continue to stir until chocolate is completely melted. Transfer to a shallow bowl. Let cool slightly. It easier to dip if still warm.

3. Hold cupcakes upside down and dip the tops into the icing. Twirl slightly and then hold upside down for a few seconds for the excess to drip off. After dipping them all, dip each one a second time.

After all the hard work, the cupcakes were placed in lined shirt boxes to be transported home.

Note: These freeze very well and are great if microwaved for about 30 seconds and served warm with vanilla ice cream.

Happy baking!

-Natasha

Shopping for New Year's Eve

I've decided this year to do away with the expensive prix fixed menus on New Year's Eve and make it myself. While I am planning on attending a party later in the evening (one that starts closer to the midnight hour), I still want to have a decent meal. As much as I like to dine out, I love to cook. And even more than cooking, I love to plan the menu and shop for the meal.

Around this area, the best place to go grocery shopping is Russo's in Watertown, MA. http://www.russos.com/index.html Some friends of mine introduced me to their amazingly fresh yet inexpensive produce, their six shelves of olives, their pastries and the freshest herbs in the area. Hidden underneath their produce, tucked away on barely seen shelves, are imported jams, sauces, pastas, etc. Who knew the artichokes are stored under the green grapes? It would probably take at least an hour to navigate this small store to seek out all of their treasures.

Today, I discovered their deli counter with authentic Italian meats and cheeses. My mother insisted I try their Mortadella with Pistachios. I wasn't so sure, but after one bite I was hooked. A few slices is well worth the indulgence.

Their service is also to be noted. A few months back, I was searching for truffle salt to bring to as a hostess gift (I put it on popcorn). I called Russo's. While they didn't have it, the grocer took my name and number, called his distributor in Italy and thanked me for the tip. That's pretty impressive from a small grocery store in Watertown.

So as you plan your next holiday cocktail party, dinner, or dessert, think Russo's.

-Natasha

Best of 2009

As we come to the end of 2009, my mother and I were discussing my top ten food memories of this year. Meals make memories and for me, I seem to remember everything I've ever eaten. An old friend used to make fun of me because he didn't understand how I would be thinking of my next meal before I ended the current one and why food was so important in my life. It just is and I love to eat.

1. The White Tiger Maki at Oishii Chestnut Hill, MA- Fresh tuna, roe, avocado wrapped in cucumber with the "white tiger sauce." This lemony white sauce has an official Japanese name that I can never remember, but I always order extra and eat it on everything.
http://oishiiboston.com/

2. The tomato soup and truffle fries at Garden at the Cellar Cambridge, MA - I am 8 minutes from my favorite soup. Its all organic, creamy and delicious. I could lick the bowl if one was allowed to do this in public.
http://gardenatthecellar.com/home

3. Bobby Flay's Bar Americain's Gala Apple Salad New York, New York - Bite sized crisp apples, walnuts, Gorgonzola, with pomegranate vinaigrette. Simply delicious and filling enough for a meal.
http://www.baramericain.com/newyork.php

4. Falafel in Jerusalem, Israel- Eaten while sitting on a curb in a market in Jerusalem on the eve of Shabbat. Served warm with Israeli salad and a view of an intentional car accident on the side.

5. Supercheesie at Superdawg Chicago, IL. Superdawg is a Chicago institution. A Supercheesie is a cheeseburger in Superdawg lingo- don't try to order in English and be prepared to eat in your car with extra napkins. Their fries are incredible and everything (including the T shirts) come in a box. As a bonus, their pickle relish is neon green and my mother goes just for that.
http://superdawg.com/

6. Cabot's "Fudge Anna" Newtonville, MA For someone who doesn't eat ice cream, (one bite usually is all I can muster) I make one very big exception- the Fudge Anna. Classic vanilla ice cream with banana wheels covered in amazing homemade hot fudge and fresh whipped cream. The ice cream menu alone is four pages long and there is every combination you could think of.
http://www.cabots.com/

7. The "Chicago Mix" of cheese corn and carmel corn from Garrett's Popcorn, O'Hare Airport By far the best airport food and it does travel well if served warm. The combination of salty and sweet can't be beat.
http://www.garrettpopcorn.com/

8. Portillo's Chicago Hot Dog with everything except hot peppers Chicago, IL. Everybody in Chicago has their favorite hot dog and it is open to debate, but for me its Portillo's. They are efficient, consistent and always good. The last time I was there, I beat a marching band from Minnesota in- all 200 of them. If you are looking for an even bigger indulgence, their chocolate cake is a decedent treat. We think is made with mayo which keeps it so moist, but worth every calorie! There are several locations around the area.
http://www.portillos.com/

9. The fresh fig, Gorgonzola, caramelized onions and truffle oil pizza from ZA in Arlington, MA. ZA is not your traditional pizza (especially coming from a deep dish girl) but their fresh organic ingredients from local farms and interesting combinations keep it interesting. Their potato salad with kalamata olives, cucumbers and tomatoes on top is worth mentioning- the creaminess of the potato and the crunch of the Greek salad toppings keeps me coming back as well.
http://www.zarestaurant.com/

10. The Natasha Cucumber Roll (not named after me) from Super Fusion in Brookline, MA Shrimp tempura, tobika, crab stick, avocado, mayo, rolled with cucumber, topped with eel sauce. I eat this probably every week and I have my friends hooked on it too. We like it so much, we all order our own. How do you say yum in Japanese?
http://www.superfusionrestaurant.com/

I would love to know what you think and hear about your favorite meals of 2009.
Happy Holidays! -Natasha