Monday, December 17, 2007

Blog-Worthy Roast Chicken

In the midst of all of this inevitable Holiday chaos, I yearn for comfort food. One of my favorites is Roast Chicken. Emma's Fourth grade teacher (last year), visits family in Greece every summer. When she got back back this Fall, she brought me Greek Oregano & Bay Leaves from her Mother's garden & a beautiful wooden Mortar & Pestle (which I look forward to christening as soon as the kitchen renovation is complete!). Along with the oregano came a recipe for her famous Roast Chicken. I thought I would share it with you. Be forewarned: if there is any leftover, you will find yourself tearing off bite-size pieces and dipping them into the juice! Yummmmmm....................

Holly's Greek Chicken
Wash and dry a whole chicken. Place it in a baking pan and generously lather it with olive oil. completely cover the chicken with oregano. Mix half a cup of water, half a cup of olive oil and the juice of two fresh lemons. Pour the mixture around the chicken in the baking pan. You may add peeled and quartered potatoes around the chicken for a real treat. Bake at 425 degrees for about 1 1/2 hours or until the juices from the thigh run clear!
NOTE: I served my chicken this evening with steamed broccoli and mashed potatoes I made with local potatoes purchased from the Winter Farmers Market in downtown Providence.
ENJOY!!!

Monday, November 26, 2007

How 'bout them Apples?


A few weeks ago, I purchased a bushel of apples at a Farm that was closing for the season that week. We ate some of the Apples, but seeing as most of them were a bit blemished, I decided the rest were going to be "saved" for cooking. Well, they sat and sat, till one day My husband said, "Honey you need to do something with those apples, they are getting mushy!!!" "I know I know, don't worry I'll be using them soon...." I was keeping them in a bag at the top of the cellar stairs where it was nice and chilly. Figuring of course that they would, oh I don't know, keep through the winter?! The smell was just too much. Jim and Zoe picked a bunch out and pulled out the Apple- Peeler-Corer-Slicer I had purchased last year (and hadn't even used yet!). While Emma and I were at rehearsal for the play we are in together, they baked a yummy apple pie! Jim said Zoe went to town with the contraption. Peeling and coring those apples in 5 minutes. Truth be told I had avoided the Apple Peeler-Corer-Slicer. I am just not that technically inclined. Oh I love appliances like my Kitchen-aid Mixer, but sometimes I would just as soon peel and core things like apples by hand!
Even after they baked the pie, I still had a ton of apples left, and I did NOT want them going bad! I made a pie to take to NH for Thanksgiving, but peeled and cored the apples by hand!
"Honey, just use it, it will take 5 minutes! Heck, even a 3 year old can do it!"
So,,, today Zoe and I put on our aprons and got busy. I set up the Apple Peeler-Corer-Slicer, and put Zoe to work! You should have seen her, grunting as she cranked the handle round and round. I'll be darn, it WAS easy. I plopped the Apple slices (about15 apples in all) in a big pot, added 1/2 cup sugar, 1/4 cup brown sugar, dash of cinnamon and 1 cup of water. There you have it, easy yummy Applesauce!

Tuesday, October 16, 2007

DYNAMITES!










The beauty of having a radio show all about Food is, the food! Sometimes it's guests bringing breakfast, like Maria from El Rancho Grande in Providence. Last Wednesday she brought me the most amazing Tamales! Perfect with my morning cup of coffee. Other perks of the job? Getting to judge, emcee and attend Cook-Offs & Galas! This Fall has proven to be especially busy! I used to think I couldn't wait to start judging cook-offs, but it is so hard!

At the Dynamite (a spicy Sloppy Joe) Cook-Off held recently in Woonsocket, RI, there were 50 competitors vying for the top prize of King or Queen of the Dynamite. Luckily, I was an emcee and didn't have to try and judge 50 different Dynamite Sandwiches. It was great fun getting to know the contestants and hearing their stories about the origins of their secret Dynamite recipes that have been passed down through the generations. The youngest competitor was just 4 years old. The oldest was 83!
Third place winners were Lynne Leroux And Michelle Marcotte of The Friendly Home, Second Place was GiGi Therien. Michelle Shiavo took top honors, winning Queen of the Dynamite! She got to ride in the coolest car in the Autumnfest Parade held this past Columbus Day. Her winning recipe will be mass-produced and sold on supermarket shelves, with Michelle being credited by name on every label! The proceeds from the sale of what will be called "Dynamite Sauce" will serve as a permanent fundraiser for the nonprofit Blackstone Valley Tourism Council. For more pictures and information about the cook-off and the history of Dynamites, go to www.tourblackstone.com and click on Dynamite Highlights.

Judging the event were: State Sen. Marc Cote of Woonsocket; GianCarlo Iannuccilli, of GianCarlo’s Ristorante in Woonsocket; Larry Lovejoy, of Vintage restaurant in Woonsocket; local entertainer Noel Pincince; Ron St. Pierre, host of WPRO radio talk show; Sue Tessier-McKenzie, of The Call in Woonsocket; and Tom Ward, publisher of The Valley Breeze.

Sponsors besides the tourism council were: Narragansett Beer, Northern Rhode Island Council for the Arts, Jen’s Dish, Calise Bakery, Li’l General Stores, The Woonsocket Call, City of Woonsocket, Lions Club of Woonsocket, Government of Canada, Blackstone River Valley National Corridor Commission.

Tuesday, May 8, 2007

Organizing your Kitchen!

Ever try to produce a favorite recipe, only to find halfway thru you didn’t have the next ingredient on the list? Or perhaps you thought you did have the ingredient, but items in your fridge were jam-packed and pantry staples were hidden behind big boxes of cereal, so you ended up repurchasing the ingredients? That happened to me recently while attempting to make skillet lasagna! I decided to: Become more organized in the kitchen! So to start, I enlisted the help of a professional: Kathleen Madden of “Get Organized, LLC”.

We started off with the Pantry:









1.1.) Create a Space

2.) Purge: We pulled everything out of the Pantry. Gave it a fresh coat of paint, and threw away any expired items. I then donated canned & dry goods I knew I wasn’t going to consume.

3.) Reinstall: Kathleen went to The Container Store and purchased bins, shelving, liners & the like, to see which items would best maximize the space. Kathleen recommends purchasing more than you think you are going to need. You can always return what you don’t use. If you stick with the same brands the bins and what not will nestle together and stack easier. Plus, it looks neater and more streamlined. After spending an hour or so with various configurations, we settled on the following:

· Clear plastic shoe bins: used to gather snacks, pastas, beans & sauce packets.

· Large plastic bin: used to corralle extra juice, soda water & paper towels on the bottom of the pantry.

· Expand-A-Shelf: terrific for organizing your canned goods! It has an expanding tiered design, which elevates contents exposing items and labels.

· Stackable shelving: to maximize space towards the ceiling.

· Three-drawer organizer: for breads & baking ingredients.

Some excellent tips when reinstalling: clean & wipe down items before putting them back. Group like items together (i.e.; spices, canned goods, snacks). Have what you access the most, where you can reach it the easiest. Kathleen says, “The pantry system should be family friendly & SIMPLE. If you don’t make the system simple, it won’t be maintained.”

After Kathleen left I was inspired to tackle the Fridge & Freezer!

When organizing your refrigerator & freezer, apply the same organizational steps that you used with your pantry:

· Purge & clean! Throw any “science experiments” or items you can’t identify. If you aren’t sure when you first stored that leftover “Chicken ala King”, it’s probably best to throw it away!

· Wipe down all of the shelves and wash the fruit and vegetable drawers with hot soapy water.

· Purchase a refrigerator thermometer (available for about $2) & place in the middle of the unit. The temperature should be around 38 degrees and never over 40 degrees. Check it at least once a week.

· Don’t cram items in your freezer and fridge. Make sure there are spaces between products.

· Label your leftovers so you know how long to keep them before tossing.

· Don’t keep perishable foods on the door shelves. That is the warmest area of your fridge. The shelves are designed for dressings & condiments.

· Keep eggs in their original container on the main shelf.

· Use clips and zip lock bags to keep items like frozen vegetables sealed and fresh.

· Use a Sharpie to label frozen items so they will be easy to identify.

Now that I have an organized & clean freezer, refrigerator & pantry, I am a happy, inspired and stress-free cook!

Kathleen & I did consult with the folks at Closet & Storage Concepts in Franklin, MA. After taking measurements they came up with a plan that includes the installation of all new adjustable shelves. The cost starts with a base price and goes up depending on any components you might want to add on. You certainly could spend thousands for a custom-made deluxe pantry. Perhaps the next house!

To have a professional organizer such as Kathleen, come to your house: preview, assess, shop and install an organized pantry, can cost anywhere from a few hundred dollars to thousands. Depending on the size and scope of the project.

Kathleen is a member of NAPO (National Association of Professional Organizers). To find a member near you or for more information, go to:

www.napo.net

Many thanks to my sources: Closet & Storage Concepts

(508) 553-3550

1-800-THE-CLOSET

http://www.closetandstorageconcepts.com/

Get Organized, LLC

Kathleen Madden

(508) 528-6158

GetOrganzd@aol.com

Happy Organizing!


Monday, March 19, 2007

March 7th's show

Pictured at left is my guest from March 7th, Sanjiv Dhar, the owner and Executive Chef of Rasoi. A terrific new restaurant in Pawtucket, RI. Rasoi, Hindi for kitchen is the fruition of a dream by Chef Sanjiv Dhar and his team to balance healthy food, personalized service and Indian culture. The menu is traditional and creative and features diverse regions of India.
For example:
Rasoi features coastal cuisine of India where boiling and steaming are preferred to frying and where people can specify just how spicy their meals are to be.
In the west of India, fish is considered to be an essential component of every meal so get ready for plenty of seafood choices you have probably never tried before.
In nearby Gujrat, most of the population is Vegetarian so dishes are simpler, healthier and nutritional, accompanied by a range of breads.
In Northern India meat is popular and the Kashmiri and Punjabi cuisine features hearty and wholesome meat dishes.
He brought a trio of dishes for me to try; Chicken Tikka Lababdar, which my 9 year old devoured and now asks for every night! Lamb Saag, cubes of lamb cooked in a Punjabi style spinach puree (smooth and heavenly), and Gujarati Mango Curry, fresh vegetables stewed in a mango curry infused with jaggery and gujarati garam masala, a delicious combination of sweet and spicy! All were served with a light basmati rice.
If you would like to know more about Indian Cuisine and you live in the Rhode Island area, you can take a cooking class at Rasoi! The next class will be held on March 31st and will feature regional cuisines of the Northern and Southern parts of India. If I have wetted your appetite for Indian Food and you would like more information about Rasoi, check out their website:
www.rasoi-restaurant.com

Tuesday, March 6, 2007


Last week's Encore Awards were so much fun! I got to meet some folks I have always wanted to, and say hi to some friends and former guests. The food was fabulous as was the entertainment.


Tina Wright of Wright Martini Media








Heather and Tom Toupin of White Electric Coffee in Providence.
Terrific Coffee!!!!!!







Gail Hulbert, Marketing Director, Gamm Theatre and Jan Faust, writer of eat. shop. rhode island.











Maria Evans, Executive Sous Chef, Castle Hill Inn & Resort, Newport.
She made some amazing scallops!










Joe Hafner, Executive Chef, GRACIE'S, Providence.


Looking forward to tomorrow's show. Sanjiv Dhar, Executive Chef & Owner of Rasoi Restaurant in Pawtucket, RI will be my guest. We will learn all about Indian Cuisine & how varied it can be. I'll be sipping some hot chai and hoping for a yummy samosa to eat!

Saturday, March 3, 2007

Encore Awards

On Thursday March 1, 2007, a newly refurbished factory space in Olneyville sang with a fusion of art, music, food and dance as The Arts and Business Council of RI presented the 17th annual Encore Awards. 10 area chefs from celebrated restaurants around the state, prepared special menus for the night in original spaces created by different area designers using elements as diverse as neon, paintings and floral displays.







Special Guest Ruth Reichl, Editor-in-Chief, Gourmet Magazine








Arts and Business Council of Rhode Island Executive Director Peter Bramante and Jessica Wall










Chocolatier Extraordinaire, Andrew Schotts, of Garrison Confections










Matt Foley, Sous-Chef, Citron, making delightful hand-rolled Purple Peruvian Potato Gnocchi.









Brian Counihan, Executive Chef, Vintage Restaurant, Woonsocket