Beat by the Clock

Meals in Minutes is suppose to be filled with menus that can be executed in "minutes." Jamie even has an accompanying television series where he cooks these recipes with what appears to be minimal editing in under 30 minutes. However, he still gets a bit of flack from all over the blogosphere that these are not thirty minute meals. I have yet to complete a menu in under thirty minutes but I like to give the guy a little slack. I know from experience that if I were to practice the recipe a few times I most likely could get it down to thirty minutes. A lot of the extra time is reading and rereading the recipe and fumbling about the kitchen. I would say, for the most part, cooking the entire meal takes me about an hour. Last Wednesday, though, I had more that one clock I was trying to beat. The Kid had her Winter Strings Concert and she needed to be back to school by 5:45. It was now 4 p.m. That sounds doable doesn't it? 

Here's our menu:

Cauliflower Macaroni

Belgian Endive Salad with Insane Dressing

Lovely Stewed Fruit

I had it all planned out. I decided to get my grocery shopping done first thing that morning. I feel like there is always one ingredient that throws a kink in my shopping plans and I end up going to several stores to get my ingredients. Usually though its my own fault and its just because I prefer an ingredient from one store to another. However, every now and then there is something that just can't be found. During the Food Revolution Cookbook, it was a Panettone for a cake recipe in August, of course Panettone is usually only found during the holidays and I couldn't find it anywhere. I thought the ingredients in this recipe were super easy and I wouldn't have any trouble but stone fruit, you know plums, peaches, nectarines, apricots, could not be found. I called stores, I visited stores in person. Everywhere I went people looked at me like I was a complete idiot and told me that they weren't in season. Well, of course not! But there are a million other things in the produce aisle that aren't technically in season but somehow they are there all year around anyway. When I finally surrendered, I decided to substitute a few pears and a bag of frozen peaches. And what was on display near the check out? A big huge pyramid of Panettone. No joking! I shook my head and hurried home to start cooking.  Still, despite the snafu, I was ready to start cooking at 4 p.m. I had all of my gadgets ready: food processor, blender, garlic press, knives, colander, cutting board out, ingredients out. I had one hour and forty-five minutes and I had every confidence that I HAD my thirty minute head on. I wish I could tell you what happened next. I really do try to concentrate when I'm cooking because I know I will need to write about it later. I can confirm a few things. The recipes were easy. The phone rang a couple of times. I loved the trick that I learned watching the TV episode where you put the wooden spoon on top of the pot before the lid so it doesn't boil over. The kitchen smelled great. The Kid wandered in and out and helped a bit. The littlest and pickiest eater asked if he could play outside. Next thing I knew, there was a large pile of dishes in the sink and Husband was asking, "what time do you have to be at school?" As I answered his question, "5:45," I looked up at the clock and it was 5:20! Are you kidding me!?!?!?! How did that happen??? I rushed the last few bits, sacrificed the toasted capers that were suppose to go on top of the salad and quickly served the piping hot Mac and Cheese to a table full of hungry family members before rushing out the door twenty minutes later.

I was beat.

http://www.ivillage.com/cauliflower-macaroni-belgian-endive-salad-insane-dressing-and-lovely-stewed-fruit/3-r-390236

Meals cooked: 14

Meals left: 36

Weeks left: 14

The Comfort in Comfort Food

Old Man Winter made a very early and surprise appearance on the east coast of the U.S. One day we found ourselves in the path of Hurricane Sandy and a week later it was 30 degrees and felt like it could snow any minute. I had been eyeing this Chicken Pie menu for awhile and when the forecast presented itself, I knew just what I was going to make. 

Here's our menu:

Chicken Pie

French Style Peas

Sweet Carrot Smash

Berries, Shortbread & Chantilly Cream

After making this meal a few extraordinary things happened and I think I've had an ah-ha moment when it comes to comfort food. Comfort food is a process. I know that if my family had ordered this dish off a restaurant menu, it would not have had the same impact as sitting inside on a cold day, smelling and hearing this dish being cooked. Once the aroma of scallions and thyme floated through the air and they could hear the sizzling in the kitchen I got "MMMmmm" and "What smells so good, Mom?" And when I served this beautiful Chicken Pie and its side dishes they were all oozing love and good old-fashion warm-your-belly comfort!

Days later, on my way to the grocery store to pick up ingredients for another dinner, the littlest and pickiest eater says, "Hey, can you make that chicken thing again? Oh, and don't forget the mashy carrots and those peas like you made them." A lasting impression.

Success, Jamie Oliver. Success.

If you haven't tried a Meals in Minutes recipe yet, this is a good place to start. As Jamie says, "Get your 30 minute head on and get to work."

The Menu:

Chicken Pie

French Style Peas

Sweet Carrot Smash

Berries, Shortbread & Chantilly Cream

From Meals in Minutes by Jamie Oliver page 92

Ingredients

For chicken pie:
4 6-ounce boneless, skinless chicken breasts
A pat of butter
A bunch of scallions
6 ounces button mushrooms
1 heaping tablespoon all purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
2 teaspoons English mustard
1 generous tablespoon heavy cream
1-1/4 cups organic chicken broth
A few sprigs of fresh thyme
1/3 of a nutmeg for grating
1 large sheet of all-butter puff pastry
1 egg

For carrot smash:
1 1/2 pounds carrots
few sprigs of fresh thyme

For French-style peas:
1 heart of romaine lettuce
A pat of butter
1 tablespoon flour
1-1/4 cups organic chicken broth
A few sprigs of fresh mint
4 cups of frozen peas
1/2 lemon

For berries and cream:
1 pound mixed berries such as blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, or figs
Elderflower cordial (optional)
1/2 lemon
2 sprigs of fresh mint
A few Scottish shortbread biscuits
2/3 cup heavy cream
1 heaped tablespoon confectioner's sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla paste or vanilla extract

Seasonings:
Olive oil
Extra-virgin olive oil
Sea salt
Black pepper

Directions

1. Get all of your ingredients and equipment ready: Turn the oven on to 400ºF. Fill and boil the kettle. Put a large wide frying pan on medium heat and large saucepan with a lid on a low heat. Put the thick slicer disc attachment into the food processor.
2. Start chicken pie: Put the chicken breasts on a plastic board and slice into 1/2 inch strips. Put a lug of olive and a pat of butter into the hot large, wide pan. Add the chicken and cook for 3 minutes or so. Meanwhile, quickly trim the scallions and wash the mushrooms then slice together in a food processor. Add to the pan with 1 heaping tablespoon of flour and stir. Add 2 tablespoons of mustard, a generous tablespoon of heavy cream and 1-1/4 cups chicken broth. Stir well. Pick the thyme leaves and stir into the pan with a few fine gratings of nutmeg and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Leave to simmer.
3. Start carrot smash: Trim the carrots, and then quickly slice in the food processor. Add to the saucepan with a lug of extra-virgin olive oil, a good pinch of salt and pepper, and a few thyme tips. Just cover with boiled water, then cover with a lid and tun the heat to high. Cook for 15 minutes until tender.
4. Finish chicken pie: Lightly dust a clean surface with flour and unroll the sheet of puff pastry. Use a small kitchen knife to lightly crisscross and score it. Take the pan of chicken off the heat. Tip the filling into an ovenproof baking dish slightly smaller than the sheet of pastry (approximately 9x13 inches). Cover the filing with pastry sheet, tucking in at the edges. Quickly beat the egg then brush it over the top of the pie. Put into the oven and cook on the top shelf for around 15 minutes or until golden and gorgeous. Fill and reboil the kettle.
5. Start French peas: Return the empty chicken pan to a high heat. Quickly wash the lettuce and the slice it in the food processor. Add a pat of butter and 1 tablespoon of flour to the pan, then pour in 1 1/4 cups chicken broth, tear in the mint leaves and use a balloon whisk to mix to a smooth and bubbling sauce. Add the peas and the slice lettuce. Squeeze over the juice if 1/2 lemon, pour in a splash of boiled water, season with salt and pepper, stir, then put the lid on it.
6. Make berries and cream: Slice any larger strawberries, if using then put all of the fruit into a large serving dish. Add a little slug of elderflower cordial, if using and squeeze over the juice of 1/2 lemon. Mix to coat the fruit then pick the mint leaves and tear over. Take to the table with the cookies. Using an electric whisk, mix the heavy cream with the confectioners' sugar and vanilla pasta until thick. Put next to the berries on the table.
7. Finish carrot smash: Check the carrots are cooked through, then drain and return to the pan. Taste, correct the seasonings and leave as they are or smashed up. Take to the table.
8. To serve: Take the peas to the table, then get the pie out of the oven and tuck in.

Serves 4.

Meals cooked: 13

Meals left: 37

Weeks left: 18

The White House

We interrupt this Food Revolution to bring you news of the most incredible full circle moment….

Getting the courage to start my blog began in a beautiful garden in Washington, DC and on October 19, 2012--almost three years later-- I was completely blown away to find myself in another beautiful DC garden, this time at the White House, all because of this blog. 

Almost three years ago, on a sunny day in late February 2010, I met my friend and colleague for lunch in the Enid A. Haupt garden behind the Smithsonian Castle. I've had many lunches in this garden with my friends at the Castle but who knew this one in particular would create such a ripple effect in my life. My lunch buddy on this day is a foodie, movie lover, fabulous amateur photographer and knew just what to say to give me a push to start my Food Revolution. I bounced the idea off of him but I was a bit afraid. His enthusiasm was contagious, and I had no idea about the journey it would take me on.  From writing a blog that I never expected would be read, to teaching cooking classes, to becoming one of Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution Heroes, and finally being invited to tour the White House Gardens.  Amazing.

I didn't set out to do any of these things and I never thought I would be influencing others to get back into their kitchens.  One of the biggest lessons I've learned is sometimes you need to sit back and see where life takes you.

Now, fast forward three years and I’m a social media guest at the White House's Fall Garden Tour. I had submitted an application for why I should be chosen to participate and I was so surprised to get picked. I had been watching the weather all week and they were calling for rain. Sure enough, while we were waiting outside to get through security, the skies opened up and the small group of us waiting to get in shared our umbrellas and huddled together to try and keep dry. I've been thinking back and now I think that maybe the rain was a blessing in disguise. Standing under those umbrellas, we bonded and got to know one another maybe a bit better and a bit faster than if the sun had been shining. After getting through security, we were led down the driveway into the White House and through a short hallway. The next thing I knew, I was on the South Lawn of the White House overlooking the Washington Monument and Jefferson Memorial. Our tour guides were gracious hosts, especially Dale Haney, the Supervisor of the grounds. He has been working there since 1972 and he was a wealth of information. I learned so much and took some great pictures too! Here are some of the great fun facts and some photos from my tour….
The White House Grounds are the oldest maintained landscape in the US. 

These Magnolia trees were planted by Andrew Jackson.

The Jacqueline Kennedy Garden….



The White House Kitchen Garden. In addition to being beautiful and functional at the same time it also has its own compost and beehive! 




The Rose Garden was the best part!  It was where I most felt like I was seeing a place where history is made. Also from the Rose Garden, we were able to see into the Oval Office which on this dark, rainy morning had its lights on and you could see the bustle of activity inside. Democracy at work. Standing there I was in awe of the history that surrounded me.  






The next thing we knew, President Obama was walking down the outdoor hallway on his "commute" from the residence to the Oval Office. It was an unexpected treat to get to see him! 

Photo credit: Deborah Fenelon
Next we headed over to the Old Executive Office Building for our briefing. One of my favorite parts of the day was hearing the stories and passions of the people I was with that day. Many were gardeners, beekeepers, foodies, activists, and expert twitterers, but what we all had in common was that we were wildly excited to be there. We came from all parts of the U.S., some from as far away as Hawaii, California, Missouri, Massachusetts, Florida as well as a few of us locals. 
After we introduced ourselves, we were treated to more than an hour of briefing and Q&A from White House staff. Our speakers included White House Pastry Chef Bill Yosses, White House Photographer Sonya Hebert and Jon Carson, Director of the Office of Public Engagement. They were candid and fascinating to listen to and so generous with their time. I loved hearing Chef Yosses' take on Pastry in a healthy White House. He believes (and so do I) that if you use good whole ingredients (like honey from those garden beehives in place of some sugar) and control the portions there is always room for a little dessert. I love that! Photographer Sonya had some great tips on taking photos and watching for the emotion in the moment to capture on film. Jon Carson encouraged us to keep reaching out into our communities and told us more about his growing office and their role now that social media has come onto the scene.
The small group of us who had been invited on the Social Media tour didn't find out until the final minutes of our amazing morning that we had been chosen out of about 1,000 applicants. I think I can speak for most of us that we were shocked at the odds and despite rain and bad-hair days, we had just had the most incredible morning. 
And that's my full circle moment…garden to garden.

Under the Tuscan Tomato

On the menu:

Summer Veggies Lasagne

Tuscan Tomato Salad

Quick Mango Frozen Yogurt

page 50 of Jamie Oliver's Meals in Minutes

This meal has been on my to-do list all summer. I kept thinking that I better get this one done before all of the summer veggies are out of season. I was a bit wrong. This is a light and delicious lasagna and its easy to make but the veggies in it are frozen peas and edamame and fresh asparagus. I would definitely make this again but it is great for anytime of year. There is no seasonal pressure at all! The lasagna doesn't have a red sauce but layers of the veggies and get this…cottage cheese! Yes! So interesting! I took some leftovers down to my neighbor and it was a big hit in her house too. The side dish for this is Tuscan Tomato Salad. I'll come back to that in a second. For dessert, Quick Mango Frozen Yogurt was just that…quick! Even though everyone saw how easy it was to make (frozen mango chunks, honey, lime juice, cup of plain yogurt and whiz it up in the food processor), the kids thought it was cool that we had made frozen yogurt for dessert in a matter of minutes. Now, back to the Tuscan Tomato Salad. It was so awesome, I've made it again already! Fabulous! I can't say this enough but I love, love, love the side dishes in this book. The Tuscan Tomato Salad is made up of a yummy salsa like dressing that includes capers, anchovies (you can't taste them at all), basil, garlic, olive oil and roasted red peppers, finely chopped. I actually stuck mine in the mini food processor and it made a delicious salsa. Put the salsa-like-dressing in the bottom of a bowl, add some cut tomatoes of all shapes, colors and sizes and top with your homemade croutons. You then can take it to the table and just toss before serving. The croutons did give me a bit of a scare though because it involved, you guessed it, my arch enemy…the broiler. I really want to know if other people have as many problems with their broiler as I do. Despite the broiler trouble, I pick this as one of the must try recipes and I hope everyone will give it a go. Now, I know you are all getting quite tired of this broiler battle, I am too and so I set my timer for 1/2 the time it should have been and put it on the middle rack. The first night (my official cooking time) went fine. Things were a bit crispy but it was edible. My family loved it so much they wanted to have it again the next night with the lasagna leftovers. The second night, even though I did exactly the same thing, I had black smoke billowing out of the top of the stove with all hands on deck to keep the alarm from going off. I took my tray of charred croutons out the back door into the light drizzly rain and threw it onto the outdoor table in frustration. Its moments like this that I say to myself, "You still have a long way to go, baby." But, then I say, "But look how far you've come." Then I scraped off the burny parts,  mixed up another beautiful Tuscan salad and got rave reviews from my family.

Meals cooked: 12

Meals left: 38

Weeks left: 23

(Oh! This is bad folks. This is pretty bad. I really need to kick it into high gear if I'm going to finish on time.)

If you haven't already, buy the book. If you aren't ready to commit to the book, treat yourself to a TV episode on iTunes and check it out. I also try to check my local listings as often as possible, reruns will often run on BBC America. 

Below, the beautiful Tuscan Tomato Salad. A new house favorite

!

Wonky Pasta

Oh, its that time of year again, Back to School. Even though the beginning of the school year brings back early mornings, busy schedules, homework, it also means the return of MY Thursday nights. The Kid spends the evening at dance class and I hide away in the corner of a local restaurant, typing away or planning my next meal. I've missed this over the summer. Since school let out, this blog has suffered. Nothing got done. Summer meals in my house have always come about very last minute and usually consist of throwing summer veggies  on the table and meat on the grill. Its my idea of a perfect summer dinner but not very conducive to my project.  I don't have my act together to plan things out during the hot months of summer and while that's nice for awhile, I'm very frustrated by the time August comes along. So, for my birthday a few weeks ago, all I wanted was a day to watch a Meals in Minutes episode with my family, and then do the shopping and cooking together. I even let the Kid pick out the meal, she picked Wonky Summer Pasta. 

Here's the menu….

Wonky Summer Pasta

Herby Salad

Pear Drop Tartlets

The Wonky Summer Pasta reminded me of Spring Break during my semester abroad in London. My roomies and I headed to Rome for spring break and we ate a ton of Carbonara, mainly because it was the only thing on the menu we could pronounce without sounding like complete idiots. Wonky Pasta is a nice, light summery version of carbonara.  I tried to not let the thought of raw eggs make me nervous and followed Jamie's directions very carefully. This really is the perfect summer pasta, light, refreshingly lemony and (most importantly) very easy to make on a lazy summer night. 

Along with the pasta, our menu includes Herby Salad. Now the herby salad has tarragon in it and while I love, love, love fresh herbs, tarragon is probably my least favorite herb. I was very tempted to leave it out but since I always tell my kids (and husband), you never know when those taste buds are going to change I put the tarragon in. I am sorry to report that I still don't like it but my kids saw me try and eat something that I'm not crazy about, showing that even if something isn't your favorite, eating it once isn't going to kill you. Practicing what I preach felt really good.  

Pear Drop Tartlets. Once again, those individual pie shells have me stumped. I'm dying to find them. So, after dragging the entire family to three grocery stores with no luck, I decided to make do with Jamie's suggestion for an alternative, a regular size pie shell. I was really excited to try making meringue and really love the fact that no part of the egg goes to waste in this meal! The yokes go in a bowl for the pasta and the whites are used to make the meringue. Brilliant! The pie was beautiful! I was so proud of myself. It tasted great too and even though it was a little soupy in the middle, there were no leftovers.

So, while the kids are heading back to school to learn about planets and Julius Caesar, I'm hitting the books as well. Its time for my Food Revolution class to get back in session. And even though my teacher is an ocean away, my self inflicted deadline is looming and I'm a bit behind. Visions of my last go-around where I got caught up over the holidays are beginning to scare me back on track. So, here's to a new school year and a fresh re-start on my Food Revolution. I hope during these last few hot nights of summer you'll give Wonky Pasta a try.

For this recipe, I'm including the link from the website, epicurious. If you haven't discovered it already, take a minute to poke around. I think you might like the "shopping list" feature as much as I do.

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Wonky-Summer-Pasta-Herby-Salad-Pear-Drop-Tartlets-368809

Meals cooked: 11

Meals left: 39

Weeks left: 30

Stupid Broiler

Have I mentioned before how much I hate my broiler? It is what caused my first and only kitchen fire during Revolution #1. It wasn't my fault, of course. So when I saw that I'd be using the broiler for meal #10 I rolled my eyes and thought, "Well, here we go."

Here's the menu:

Chicken Skewers

Amazing Satay Sauce

Fiery Noodle Salad

Fruit & Mint Sugar

I've never had much success at kebobs or skewers, I can never get all of the pieces cut so everything cooks evenly, it just never works out for me. But, when I saw how Jamie prepares them my grumpy thoughts about broilers and skewers floated away and I was super excited about this one! 

Now, I don't think I mentioned yet that throughout Meals in Minutes there are little icons scattered about that tell you when a useful "how to" video is on his website to help with certain techniques. There is one of these for the chicken skewers under the "how to" section on the bottom right at:

http://www.jamieoliver.com/tv-books/jamies-30-minute-meals/

Be sure to check it out and you'll get just as excited as I did! After lining the chicken breasts up on a cutting board he puts the skewers through and THEN cuts. Brilliant! No more chopping and trying to get all the bits just right so they cook evenly. This was so incredibly simple. Now, before hand I had soaked the wooden sticks for about an hour and now, with just a couple minutes of work, I had my chicken skewers. 

Now, before getting the skewers together I had made the super easy satay sauce in the food processor so it was all ready to coat the skewers and then they just went right into the oven. At this point I'm feeling rather confident and while they cook I move on to the noodles and getting all of the garnishes ready. Now, at the end of this, you will have some yummy noodles, a super easy satay sauce and the chicken. The garnishes include some more toppings and leaves of lettuce so that everyone at the table will be assembling their own lettuce wraps. So next time you are craving those restaurant lettuce wraps try making this instead, it will cure that craving and you won't believe how much better it tastes.

The noodles are medium chinese egg noodles (chow mein noodles). I cannot even tell you how much this amazed me too. I boiled water in the electric kettle while I was working on the chicken. I put a pot on the stove, put the noodles in and then just poured the boiling water over the noodles and covered them for 6 minutes. No cooking, no heat, nothing. So simple! I felt like I had just done some real magic.

About this time is when I started to notice the smoke billowing out of my oven and faster than I could open the back door the smoke alarms were going off. Now, we renovated our house a few years back and that required the installation of eight smoke detectors and they are all wired together so that when one goes off, they all go off. Safe and appreciated, yes. Loud as hell, double yes. Husband is not happy. And he's hungry. He's trying to get the things to shut up while I go around and open windows and fan the back door. Not my finest moment. I'm sure that the fire department is on their way because despite the fact that they are over a mile away, I'm sure they can hear my house beeping and are going to pull into the driveway at any minute.

Now I have uncooked chicken and charred skewers. I needed to finish cooking the chicken but there was no way I was going to try the oven again. With the sweetest, most angelic look I could pull off I asked husband, "Could you go outside and start the grill for me, please? Pretty please?"

And the next day, I went out and got myself some metal skewers.

Meals cooked: 10

Meals left: 40

Weeks left: 35

To try this menu, check out Nate Burkus' website:

http://www.thenateshow.com/howto/detail/meals-in-minutes-with-jamie-oliver

“My name is Amy. I’m a blogger and its been 45 days since my last post.”

I had lunch with a good friend from college a few weeks ago. We hadn't seen each other in over a decade and it was great to catch up. I was telling him about my blogging adventures and the journey this little project has taken me. Come to find out the cooking bug has bitten him since we last lived across the hall from each other in the dorm. Those were the days when we ate every meal in the campus dining room and I imagine cooking on our own was the farthest thing from our minds. He was super excited for me. Our conversation lead to my recent struggles with writers block. "Is it the pressure that has gotten to you this time?" he asked. I hadn't really thought of that before. I assumed that it was just that I didn't have a good story to tell about the meals I had made. But, he could be right. After our lunch, as I made my way out of the city, I sent him the link to my blog. While the train traveled to the 'burbs I had some time to reread some of my first blog posts. Boy, are they a bit rough! I thought back to when I started and at the time I really just thought close friends and family would be reading it. There was very little pressure and the stories just flowed out of me. Many of the initial posts were first drafts or written quickly with many distractions. Maybe he is right. Maybe this unshakeable writer’s block is pressure on myself. But, how to shake it?

I also told him about my newest Twitter follower, Jamie Oliver. "I really haven't figured out that twitter stuff," my friend said. I told him the funny story that when I wrote my first article for Jamie's Food Revolution team they asked as a side note in one email for my Twitter account so Jamie could send me a shout out. Uhhhh. Of course, I didn't have a twitter account and quickly made one up. On that train ride out of the city after our lunch I realized that my tweets needed some attention too. I have a hard time with brevity and the confines of 140 characters really gets to me.

And from all of that, I had an idea that I hope is going to cure my writer's block and give me some twitter practice. To catch up on my blog and to add some oomph to my writing here are my last 3 meals, in 140 characters or less, as tweets....

#Meal5. Thai Red Shrimp Curry, jasmine rice, cucumber salad & papaya platter. Curry is fast & tasty. Family not huge papaya fans but proud of them for trying!

http://www.channel4.com/4food/recipes/chefs/jamie-oliver/thai-red-prawn-curry-and-papaya-platter-meal

#Meal6. Curry Rogan Josh, fluffy rice, carrot salad, pappadams, chapattis, beer. Husband loves curry! Add beer to menu & its really a winner. The veg curry is a new fav!

#Meal7. Steak Sarnie, Crispy baby potatoes, cheesy mushrooms, beet salad. Awesome! Made the beet salad every night for a week. Topping on the sarnie is also a keeper! 

Here's the Beet Salad Recipe but be sure to check the book for the full meal:

Jamie's Beet Salad, Meals in Minutes, pg. 202

1 8 oz. package cooked vacuum-packed beets (I couldn't find these and used a can of beets, they worked fine)

balsamic vinegar

1/2 lemon

bunch fresh Italian parsley

2 oz. feta cheese

Grate the beets in the food processor. Remove the bowl from the processor, take out the grater attachment and pour in a couple of lugs of balsamic vinegar and a few lugs of extra virgin olive oil. Squeeze in the juice of 1/2 a lemon. Finely chop the parsley and add most of it. Stir to dress, then tip into a nice serving bowl. Scatter over the rest of the parsley. Crumple over the feta. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and take to the table.

#Meal8. Spinach & Feta Filo Pie, cucumber salad, tomato salad, coated ice cream. Great for company! Easy pie feeds many. Great sides! Tasty dessert!

Here's how to assemble the pie on Jamie's website:

http://www.jamieoliver.com/videos/how_to's/30-minute_meals_-_meals_in_minutes/BvaDAxMzrJxLc_3BzZqk8cHxYbe0AAFz/v

#Meal9. Killer Jerk Chicken, rice & beans, chopped salad, chargrilled corn. Good menu for cookouts.Chicken is a huge hit! Its Killer!

Meals cooked: 9

Meals left: 41

Weeks left: 37

Nostalgic

On this Food Revolution Day I'm feeling all nostalgic about my journey and looking back on some of my favorite blog posts. Boy, have I come a long way.

Enjoy! And I hope today you'll decide to start a Food Revolution in your own kitchen.

My first post….

The Missing Ingredient

And some other favorites…

Pain in the Mac

The Manicure and the Fishmonger

The Tale of the Dictator's Lamb Stew

I was a Roast Chicken Virgin

Granola Night Marathon

Silence About the Lambs

Trial By Fire

My Final Exam

Strawberries at My House

Hello! Happy Food Revolution Day Eve! Here's another great idea for tomorrow night. 

Here's our menu:

Tray Baked Chicken

Squashed Potatoes

Creamed Spinach

Strawberry Slushie

So, how about a trip to your local farmer's market tomorrow morning for some fresh ingredients including yummy local strawberries and make this for your family and friends tomorrow night? We have big strawberry news at my house! The strawberry plant that we planted in a pot and neglected all winter has come back and has lots of berries. The Kid squealed with delight last night when she tried the first red one! Happy cooking!

from Jamie Oliver's Meal in Minutes page 102

Ingredients:

Potatoes:
1 1/2 pounds small red-skinned potatoes or baby white potatoes
A few sprigs of fresh rosemary
A couple of fresh bay leaves
6 cloves garlic

Spinach:
A bunch of scallions
3 cloves garlic
A few fresh thyme tips
1 whole nutmeg, for grating
A large pat of butter
1 pound prewashed baby spinach
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 ounce Parmesan cheese

Chicken:
Dried oregano
Sweet paprika
A pat of butter
4 (6-ounce) skinless chicken breasts
1 lemon
2 ounces cherry tomatoes
4 slices smoked bacon
A couple of sprigs of fresh rosemary

Seasonings:
Olive oil
Extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt & black pepper

Drink:
1 pound strawberries, fresh or frozen
A few sprigs of fresh mint
1/2 lemon ice cubes
Sugar, to taste

Directions:

TO START: Get all your ingredients and equipment ready. Fill and boil the kettle. Put a medium saucepan on a medium heat, a large frying pan on a low heat, and a large shallow pan on a medium heat. Turn the broiler to full blast.

POTATOES: Wash the potatoes, then halve lengthways (or leave whole if using baby white potatoes), and add to the saucepan with a pinch of salt. Cover with boiled water, put the lid on, and boil hard for around 12 to 14 minutes, or until cooked through.

SPINACH: Trim and thinly slice the scallions. Add to the large shallow pan with a splash of olive oil. Crush in 3 cloves of unpeeled garlic and add a slug of boiled water. Pick in the leaves from a few sprigs of thyme, finely grate in 1/4 of a nutmeg, and add the pat of butter. Leave to tick away for around 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.

CHICKEN: Turn the heat under the empty frying pan to high. Get out a large sheet of parchment paper. Sprinkle over a good pinch of dried oregano, salt & pepper, and paprika, then drizzle over some olive oil and add a lug to the hot frying pan now too, along with the pat of butter. Lay the chicken breasts on top of the parchment paper and roll them in the flavors. Add to the hot pan and fry for 4 to 5 minutes, or until golden on both sides. While this is happening, clear away the parchment paper and wash your hands.

SPINACH: Pile the spinach into the pan with the scallions and leave to wilt. You may need to do this in batches, but it will wilt quickly. Keep stirring so nothing sticks.

CHICKEN: Get out a nice roasting pan, then quarter the lemon and chuck it in the pan along with the tomatoes. Tip in the chicken breasts and any juices from the pan. Use tongs to arrange everything nicely, then lay the bacon on top of the breasts. Put the frying pan back on a medium heat, add the sprigs of rosemary to the pan, and move them around so that they get coated in the juices. Pop them into the pan, then put the pan under the broiler for at least 14 minutes.

POTATOES: Check the potatoes are cooked, then drain and let them steam dry for a minute or two. Add a couple of lugs of olive oil, leaves from a few sprigs of rosemary, and the bay leaves to the empty frying pan. Put the potatoes on top of the herbs in a flat layer, drizzle over some olive oil, and sprinkle over some salt. Crush in 6 unpeeled cloves of garlic, then turn the heat up to high. Get a flat lid from a smaller pan and really press down so you burst and squash the potatoes. Leave to color, then toss after about 3 minutes and squash down again.

SPINACH: Stir to help it along. Pour in the cream. Turn down the heat to low. Finely grate in the Parmesan and stir well.

POTATOES: Keep checking, squashing, and turning so the potatoes get golden all over.

DRINK: Hull the strawberries and add them to the blender with a handful of ice cubes, a few mint leaves, and the juice of 1/2 lemon. Add enough water to cover and whiz. Meanwhile, half fill a large pitcher with ice. Taste the mixture in the blender and sweeten if necessary. Pour into the pitcher and stir with a wooden spoon. Take to the table.

POTATOES: Check and squash down again.

TO SERVE: Take the pan of chicken out from under the broiler. Check the breasts are cooked through, then take straight to the table with the pan of spinach. Tip the potatoes onto a platter, take to the table, and tuck in!

Serves 4

Meals cooked: 4

Meals left: 46

Weeks left: 48

Pregnant Jools' Pasta

Our next menu:

Pregnant Jools' Pasta

Crunchy Red Endive & Watercress Salad

Little Frangipane Tarts

I can totally relate to this one! My pregnancies brought strange cravings of marinara sauce and pasta, not something you think of wanting when you are feeling nauseous 24-7. On days when I could barely think about even walking into a grocery store, I wanted pasta with marinara sauce. I think Jools and I would be great friends!

My mom is visiting for this one and I'm super excited that she gets to eat with us, not to mention having two extra hands in the kitchen. Sometimes my Meals in Minutes cookbook makes me wish I had eight arms.

This would be a great one to try on Saturday, May 19 for Food Revolution Day!

I think this sauce is going to be a forever favorite:

Pregnant Jools's Pasta

4 spring onions

1 carrot

1 stick celery

1-2 fresh red chillies

1 x 6 pack good quality sausages 

1 heaped teaspoonful fennel seeds

1 teaspoon dried oregano

500g Penne

4 cloves of garlic

4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 x 400g tin of chopped tomatoes

a few sprigs of Greek basil, or regular basil

Put a large frying pan on a high heat.  Trim the spring onions, carrot and celery.  Roughly chop all the vegetables, then blitz in the food processor with the chillies (stalks removed).  Add the sausages, 1 heaped teaspoon of fennel seeds and 1 teaspoon Oregano.  Keep pulsing until well mixed, then spoon mixture into the hot frying pan with a lug of olive oil, breaking it up and stirring as you go.

Fill and boil the kettle.  Cook the pasta according to packet instructions.

While the pasta is cooking, crush 4 unpeeled cloves of garlic into the sausage mixture and stir in 4 tbsp of balsamic vinegar and the tinned tomatoes. (I'd make sure your sausage mixture was nicely cooked and golden brown before adding the tomatoes).  Add a little of the starchy water from the pasta to loosen it if needed.

Drain the pasta, reserving about a wineglass worth of water.  Tip the pasta into the pan of sauce and give it a gentle stir, adding enough of the cooking water to bring it to a silky consistency.  Taste, correct the seasoning, then tip into a large serving bowl and take straight to the table.

For how to make the whole yummy menu:

http://www.foodnetwork.ca/ontv/shows/jamies-meals-in-minutes/recipe.html?dishid=11980&titleid=270194

Meals cooked: 3 

Meals left: 47 

Weeks left: 49

Food Revolution Day

Amy's Food Revolution part 2 is going extremely well. I'm on target (Just finished meal 7), I'm learning a lot but you wouldn't know that from my blog, would you? When I decided to take this project on for Round 2 I had a lot of doubts. Most of those doubts were in the cooking department. Even though I am more confident in the kitchen than when I started in March 2010, cooking through a cookbook is still a huge commitment. So, I was surprised when the cooking seemed to be the easy part and writer's block set in. I have two and a half unpublished blog posts because they are just not up to snuff. Why can't I translate to my computer screen this time around? Even though I am learning a lot about a new way of cooking, I just feel uninspired when it comes time to sit down in front of my computer. I know that inspiration is the cure for my writer's block. Who would have thought that the inspiration would come from Jamie Oliver and the Food Revolution team themselves on the other side of the Atlantic?

May 19, 2012

Food Revolution Day!

Jamie Oliver has declared this Saturday, May 19, Food Revolution Day! And his team has asked me to be one of its ambassadors!

Food Revolution Day is a day where people who love food can share their knowledge and pass it on to inspire others and educate their communities about good food habits and support the mission for better food and education for everyone, everywhere.

How can you participate? That's the easy part! This week, in my effort to cure myself of writer's block (and catch up on my blog) I'm going to give you some ideas and recipes. Maybe you can plan a trip to a local farmer's market next Saturday with some friends? Or plan a dinner party but invite the guests to come and help you make a new recipe (check back this week for some menu ideas). Most of all, I really hope you'll make a pledge to start a Food Revolution in your kitchen, just like I did two years ago.

If you do decide to host an event, the amazing Food Revolution Team has created a Food Revolution Day website where you can register an event you are hosting or where you can look for events in your area. 

As our area's ambassador, its my job to encourage participation in Food Revolution Day. Check back regularly this week for some great ideas and also information about some folks in our community that are already working on their events. I'm on Facebook too, so "like" Amy's Food Revolution page for updates on when I've posted something new.

Thanks for reading and happy planning!

"This is Not a Democracy"

I love this quote from Jamie Oliver's introduction video on "Meals in Minutes." He tells the viewer, just do as you’re told and you will have a brilliant dinner on the table in no time. His instructions have you jumping around the kitchen so that your timing is perfect and everything is beautifully plated and on the table making you feel like quite the proud peacock. It does keep you on your toes though and I know I need more practice at this way of cooking and being able to juggle several things at once. To help this cooking project I have just purchased Season 1 of his show, 30 Minute Meals. This first one I watch is on tap for tonight's dinner….

Piri Piri Chicken 
Dressed Potatoes 
Arugula Salad 
Quick Portuguese Tarts

I had watched the video on the plane on the way back from my glorious girl weekend in sunny Florida and I had the family watch the video again just as I was about to make dinner. The kid got very excited and decided she was going to help me and I was giddy. What's great about having a nine year old help you cook with this "This is not a democracy" way of cooking is that is kind of how they think anyway. She read and reread parts of the recipe and was quite insistent about not letting me go off course.

The Chicken…. Oh! Amazing! First of all, how impressed will your friends be when you tell them that you are making exotic Piri Piri Chicken? This couldn't be simpler. After adding the ingredients for the sauce (red onion, garlic, peppers, paprika, lemons, white wine vinegar, Worcestershire sauce and basil) into a food processor and giving it a quick spin, you pop it in the oven with chicken thighs and red peppers that you've just browned in a grill pan on top of the stove. So easy, delicious and like I said, totally impressive. I will be making this again and again. (To tone down the heat, substitute one or more mini red bell peppers.)

Dressed Potatoes… What sold me on doing this particular menu next were the amazing potatoes. I LOVE sweet potatoes, they are my favorite food and this recipe is amazing. Even though I am the only one in the house that usually eats sweet potatoes, everyone ate them in this dish and liked them so much I've already remade this recipe. And I got my sister to try it too!  So, give it a go… Put two sweet potatoes and one regular white potato, cut lengthwise in a microwavable bowl, cut ends up. Cut a lemon in half and put it in the middle of the potatoes. Cover with plastic wrap and put in the microwave (yes, the microwave!) for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, take a baking stone or cutting board and chop up some cilantro and feta cheese in the middle. When the potatoes are done make sure they are cooked through, squeeze the hot lemon over top of them (use tongs so you don't get burnt) and add them to the cilantro mixture on the chopping board. Mash and chop until you have a beautiful dish. Season to taste (because of the feta you won't need a lot of salt) and take it to the table. LOVE! LOVE! LOVE THIS!! So, go on, buy some potatoes and give it a try.

Salad… Even Jamie buys bags of salads on busy nights! In the video he actually just opens the bag, drizzles in some olive oil, salt, pepper and juice from 1/2 a lemon and gives it a shake. Kid loved helping with this part and I was shocked that I had never thought of this before.

Tarts… Okay, I'm not going to kid myself. The technique for making these is really what got my darling daughter into the kitchen. She didn't necessarily want to spend time with me, she wanted to help make these tarts! For this one, I was really glad that I had watched the TV episode. When you get to the caramel part of the recipe, Jamie warns, be sure to be extra careful and make sure kids are not around. But the part before the caramel is great for kids. Using store bought puff pastry, trim to an 8 inch square. Sprinkle over some cinnamon and (here comes the fun part), roll it into a jelly roll shape then cut it into 6 rounds. Put these into 6 cups of a muffin pan and using your thumbs squish it down and around to mold it into little cups. Cool, huh? While it is cooking in the oven, mix up the filling (heavy cream, vanilla extract, sugar, egg, a little orange zest). When the tart shells come out after about 8 minutes, take them out, spoon in the mixture and pop them back in while you make your caramel topping. These tasted yummy. My caramel topping didn't turn out great, I think I put in too much fresh orange juice but I really want to try these again. It was so nice to have a little treat after dinner and the kid was super proud of her creations. She was an excellent helper and I think I've convinced her to help me again in the future.

For the full menu recipe, check out this link on the UK's Daily Mail website…. (Note: rocket=arugula)

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/food/article-1312958/Jamie-Olivers-30-minute-meals-Piri-Piri-chicken-rocket-salad-dressed-potatoes-quick-Portuguese-tarts.html

And if you want the full experience, check out the episode on iTunes
http://itunes.apple.com/us/tv-season/jamies-meals-in-minutes-vol.-1/id470627564

Epilogue: You may be wondering what happens after all of the menu items are made. With smoke coming out of my ears from concentrating so hard, as I carry platters to the table, I turn around to see that it looks like a tazmanian devil has just invaded my kitchen. Staring at the mess that awaits him, my dear, sweet dishwasher looks completely defeated. I think he is wondering if his wife is losing her mind. I think I better work on cleaning up as I go along.


Meals cooked: 2 
Meals left: 48 
Weeks left: 50

The Key to a Family's Heart

I knew when I decided to cook my way through another cookbook that it might be a bit hard on my family. I didn't ask if they wanted to participate last time around and I didn't really ask them this time either. Some would say that they are reaping the benefits of these projects but I know sometimes they are a bit skeptical. (Don't tell them but this next journey involves liver and onions. Yikes!) I knew that the first meal needed to be something that would win them over. Maybe it is no coincidence that the first meal in the book involves pasta and dessert so who can go wrong with that, right? So, there you have it, the key to my families heart is PASTA! 

Here's our first menu:

Broccoli Orecchiette
Zucchini & Bocconcini Salad
Prosciutto & Melon Salad

Now, my family has gotten a bit older since our last revolution. "The Kid," my adorable daughter, is now nine years old. At age nine, she has always been a fabulous and adventurous eater, which is awesome! She is also really starting to like to help out in the kitchen so I'm excited that this next phase of my Food Revolution will include her being by my side in the kitchen quite a bit. She may not always like unique foods but she is always willing to try new things and she still will pick asparagus over a banana any day. Getting green vegetables in this kid is never a problem. I always thought this was the work of good parenting but then the second child came along. Known as "the baby," in Amy's Food Revolution part 1, he is not a baby anymore. When my first Food Revolution started he had only been walking a few months. He is now a strapping young man at the ripe old age of, "Three AND a half, halfway to four" he will tell you. He has given me a run for my money when it has come to food. If I'd let him, he would eat "peanut butter no jelly sandwiches" three times a day, seven days a week. Like "the kid," he must try everything we are trying. Now, they say kids must try things several times before they will accept it. I remind myself of that over and over again, but I swear this little boy is on at least 100 tries with some foods. He has recently decided that he will tolerate broccoli (a victory for mommy) and that maybe peas aren't that bad. He will eat bananas now and freeze dried strawberries (because astronauts eat them) and he will eat grapes only during his sister's horse lessons. Honestly, it makes my head hurt. His doctor laughs at me and tells me she will remind me of this in 10 years when he is a teen and eating me out of house and home. He is like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde when it comes to pasta and I never know if he will eat it or not. Guessing which one will join us at the table makes me go insane so I don't even try to predict it anymore. 

Despite my amazing new mudroom my kitchen counter is not having a good day. Husband takes the two kids outside to play so I can get a jumpstart on dinner and it takes me a good 20 minutes to move the Transformers from under my feet, get the math homework off the table, put away some dishes, set the table so that it is ready for dinner and get out all of the pots, pans, ingredients and gadgets that I need. I'm already feeling good about this new method of cooking and I haven't even gotten started yet! 

As I thought, things move really quickly and you really need to keep all three recipes going in your brain and be able to jump from one to the next, something I am not usually good at. I can tell that there is going to be a learning curve with this way of cooking but I'm already excited about what the next 52 weeks have in store for me! I love how this cookbook is written, Jamie is right, he tells you exactly what to do and when. Everything is on one page, which is handy, and headings tell you which recipe you'll be working on next. The pasta is brilliant. It is like a pesto but instead made with broccoli! The zucchini salad and the melon salad are huge, huge hits. I had never had raw zucchini before and it was delicious and so easy. Using a peeler and doing long peels makes it look like something out of a chef's kitchen and I know I'll be using this to impress guests in the future. The Melon Salad with the prosciutto is a huge hit (except for the picky little boy who I guess has only tried cantaloupe 98 times in his life so I guess isn't ready to "accept" it.) I even go back into the kitchen to scoop out the other half of cantaloupe because they have devoured the first one. I would never have put balsamic vinegar with melon but it’s amazing!

As everyone leans back in their chairs with full bellies (even Dr. Jekyll ate his pasta), I know that I've won them over and that this was a great beginning to Food Revolution Part 2.

Meals cooked: 1
Meals left: 49
Weeks left: 51

Next up…
Piri Piri Chicken