What did you do during Tropical storm Irene or Hurricane Sandy? If your like us, price you trekked to Chinatown and played the theme song to Gilligan’s Island at Dub Pies or trekked to Chinatown and performed at a un-ukuklele cabaret as Rocky Horror Picture Show and made kimchi. Chances are your not, story but lucky for you we actually braved both storms to make this fermented gold. Here are some pictures of our crazy adventures.
Author: Shannon Zeta-Jonez (Page 9 of 10)
I'm a California native living in the concrete jungle of the Big Apple.
What did you do during Tropical storm Irene or Hurricane Sandy? If your like us, price you trekked to Chinatown and played the theme song to Gilligan’s Island at Dub Pies or trekked to Chinatown and performed at a un-ukuklele cabaret as Rocky Horror Picture Show and made kimchi. Chances are your not, story but lucky for you we actually braved both storms to make this fermented gold. Here are some pictures of our crazy adventures.
BEER Update. Second batch of beer for the season is fermenting as we all go about our business. This one is an IPA. this weekend we will do two more, healing
another Christmas one and the second is unknown at this time. Will keep you posted.
Look what you can get for $3 at the farmers market! We got 2 bags!! We made a cucumber salad, try added the carrots, treatment celery and some onion to our roast chicken, advice then with the leftover chicken, the veggies and drippings from the pan we made Chicken Pot Pies! The potato’s will go great in the morning with eggs and bacon. The parsnips and yellow beets we will roast with other root veggies later this week and the peppers we will probably stuff and make an appetizer out of them. So the next time you stop by your local farmer’s market and see a grab bag don’t walk away. With a little imagination you can make some really amazing dishes, and you’ll be supporting local businesses.
Here at houseofzeta.com we are often asked to cook a meal or make a dish for a party and we are always happy to oblige. This was the case a couple Sundays ago when I went to a friends house to watch the Emmy’s. O.K. so it was my idea, approved I had some new recipes and wanted to try them out. Also, order it’s a great excuse to see friends and dish about celebrities. Sounds like a win, win situation to me! I went shopping for the final ingredients, prepped what I could and made the trek to Williamsburg. As I unpacked the bags my friends were like, “did you bring the whole kitchen?” And on closer inspection, I kinda did! I hadn’t realized it till I started to pull everything out of the bags. I brought ingredients to make pork and kimchi dumplings, chicken satay, a cabbage and snap pea salad and beef with onion soup. Oops my bad! Like I said it was my idea so why not feed everyone, right?! As I got to work on the feast a friend brought some multicolored baby potato’s to add the the meal. It was perfect addition, we just boiled them and plated the with the rest of the meal. The unintentional star of the night was the Beef and Onion soup. It was hearty, rich and just the right dish to end our culinary trip around the world. Everyone was so pleased with the soup that they were like we need this recipe, put it on the blog! I was taken back a little, I was really proud of the satay and sauces, of course our dumplings are always a hit. But if the crowd wants beef and onion soup you give them beef and onion soup. So without further ado, here is the recipe enjoy!!!
Beef and Onion Soup
Author: Shannon
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 6
Ingredients
- 6 quart pot
- 1 Lb of boneless round steak or chuck steak
- 2 tablespoons of butter, divided
- 3 large onions
- 8 ounces of mushrooms
- 6 cups beef broth
- ¼ cup of dry red wine, plus a little more.
- 1 table spoon of worcestershire sauce, divided.
- Salt and pepper to taste.
Instructions
- Cut steak into 3 inch strips
- Cut onions into ¼ inch rings
- slice mushrooms
- Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in the pot
- Add meat, cook for about 10 minutes on medium heat or till done.
- When done set aside.
- Melt second tablespoon of butter.
- Add onion and mushrooms.
- Cook till onions are translucent, about 10-15 minutes.
- Add stock and meat, red wine, salt and peeper.
- Cook for 30-45 minutes.
- The last 15 minutes add half of worcestershire.
- Add the rest if you want more.
Notes
The wine and worcestershire are approximates because everyone's tastes are different. I put between ¼ and half a cup of wine and the whole tablespoon of worcestershire, but I like really bold flavors. Remember these ingredients can make or break a dish. They are very strong flavors so you don't want to go overboard cause there is no coming back if you do.
What is this gadget? When was it made? What is it used for? If you know what it is then you could win a special prize from us!!! You have until Midnight tonight 9/27/2012 to answer. The first person to answer correctly will get a special prize. Good luck and good cooking!!
Breakfast Potato's
Author: Shannon
Recipe type: Side Dish
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 4-5
Ingredients
- 4-5 Medium Potato's
- ½ An Onion
- 1 Small Red Bell Pepper
- 2 Garlic cloves
- Salt and Pepper
- Sprinkle of Smoked Paprika
- Olive Oil
Instructions
- Rinse and cut Potato's with skin on into small chunks
- Chop onion and Bell Pepper
- Chop Garlic and set aside
- Heat pan, prescription add Olive Oil, health enough to lightly cover bottom of frying pan
- When hot add Onion and Peppers
- Salt and pepper and saute till onions are translucent, rx about 5 minutes
- Add Potato's and garlic, mix and turn down heat to very low temp
- Salt and pepper again and add more oil if needed
- Put lid on pan and let cook stirring occasionally till done about 20 minutes
- Remove lid and turn up heat for 3-5 minutes to get crispy, but don't burn
- Sprinkle Paprika on on potato's and serve
Breakfast. The word alone is vast. It conjures up so many memories and the varieties are endless. Growing up I had no use for it. I felt I had no time to eat. I also didn’t like our options, cereal or Cream of Wheat. Eggs and such were for the weekend when there was time . That’s when I really liked breakfast and still do. I love going out, it feels so luxurious or taking the time to make something decedent. Weekends are the perfect time to stop and enjoy the first meal of the day. Whether it’s a toasted bagel with schmear, or the full on spread, it’s all about taking the time you don’t have during the week. While I change what I make every time, I have a couple staples that seem to always make it to the table. Potato’s and of course eggs, the rest changes, sometimes it’s bacon, sometimes sausage, spinach, fruit, avocado, etc.. It’s become such an open field that you can really do anything you want. Which is why I finally fell in love with breakfast. So when you’re getting up on Saturday or Sunday, take some time and really indulge in some good hearty food. As my friend Mary sings, “Breakfast. One of the most important meals of the day. Gonna get some right away.”
On our trip to P-town we had a couple things on our minds, mind Lobster Rolls and Mystic Pizza. While we played our ukulele gig at WOMR and ate Wellfleet oysters, which are amazing and if and when you make your trek to P-Town we highly recommend getting a half dozen or two. The Squealing Pig http://www.squealingpigptown.com/ is our top choice, make sure to pair it with their Smoky Seafood Chowder. Our quest for a great place to get our lobster on, came in the form of The Red Shack. With big chunks of lobster, avocado, tomato, a leaf of lettuce and simple seasonings, it was the clear winner, hands down. The second place price went to a little unassuming place called The Fish Market that was recommended to us. There are many places along the Cape to get one but these were the ones that really made us want more. Special mention goes out to the Box Lunch, http://www.boxlunch.com/.
Our next obsession led us to the famed Mystic Pizza http://www.mysticpizza.com/ in Mystic Connecticut. Julia Roberts may have made it famous, but the proof of why this place is so popular is in the sauce and the care they take in making a great pie. We went with the house special which had sausage, pepperoni, meatballs, green bell pepper, onion and mushrooms and a classic Hawaiian pie. They were perfectly cooked, the crust was buttery with just the right crunch and the sauce was worth all the hoopla, sweet with just a hint of spice. The portions and flavors worked well together, you weren’t left with too much or too little of anything. If you opt out of the dining room or take out counter, make sure you take your pie or slice to the Mystic River Bascule Bridge, built in 1920 and enjoy a gorgeous view of the harbor. And for special treat be kind to the bridge captain and they may let you up in the tower to see and amazing view and a little history lesson. The bridge tower will be replaced by a new one next year so get there and see it while you can. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mystic_River_Bascule_Bridge With our bellies full, the warm Mystic hospitality and memories we got back in our car and happily made our way back to the great big city.
Destination: Provincetown, approved Mass
Occasion: FUBAR Annual Ukulele Bash
I love a road trip. There’s something very exhilarating about getting in a car and just driving for hours to your destination, prostate whether it be a camping trip, a cross country trek, or staying at the fabulous White Horse Inn in Provincetown. For me the journey is as important as the destination. I spend hours, even days prepping. I start by mapping out the destination and where possible rest stops could be, pre planning the music, even what I will wear on said trip. Needless to say it should be functional and fashionable. Comfort and ease are the secrets to a great road trip. I’ve been on many road trips and have learned a thing or two on how to get from point A to point B, all while keeping peace, stopping for food and the occasional emergency bathroom break.
Probably the one thing I like more then being on the open road is making play lists for the trip. this is where I spend a good portion of my planning. Now if you have multiple travelers always give everyone equal time to play what they like. Figure out how much time you will be traveling and divide the music up that way. I love hearing what my friends listen to on road trips. You want to mix it up, so that you don’t get bored, also you don’t want the 3 am party happening all the way there. Who ever said “variety is the spice of life”, must have been on a road trip. I always have a little bit of everything, from rock to country, dance, pop , songs everyone can sing to some mellow music. As a long distance driver(my maximum is somewhere around 10 or 11 hours), I can attest to a little mellow goes a long way. This is where a good co-pilot is helpful and essential. You may need them to get you out from being lost or turning the music down so you can think. They should be someone who can read a map, give good direction with some authority and be able to calm you down if you get stressed out from traffic. They should also be able to spot a gas station, rest stop or food. All very important jobs and a good co-pilot can make or break a trip.
Another of my favorite things to have is snacks!!! I’ll admit I don’t always have time to make food, but if you can, it is a wonderful slice of home away from home. I m a huge fan of crostini with some hummus, hard boiled eggs, finger sandwiches, grapes, bananas, dried fruit or beef jerky, vegetables, like carrots, celery, grape tomato’s. You want “no muss no fuss” food. A good wrap can be easy to make and eat, like a chicken and muenster cheese with sriracha mayo, baby greens and sliced granny smith apples. Whatever you choose, try and keep it simple and leave some wiggle room for a random food stop. You or someone else may have a favorite place to stop along the way and don’t want to fill up on snacks before you get there.
If you follow these simple guidelines you should have a great fun trip. don’t forget to get gas and take lots of pictures!!!
A sample of what is on my playlist for this road trip:
The Delays, Dolly Parton, Ella Fitzgerald, Dinah Washington, Kylie Minogue, George Michael, Culture Club, Loretta Lynn, Kirsty Maccoll, Roisin Murphy, Rilo Kiley, Joe Blossom, Amanda Blank, Cazwell.
Sriracha Chicken Wrap
Author: Shannon
Recipe type: Lunch, Road food
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 4
Ingredients
- 2 Chicken breasts
- 1 medium onion
- 4 tablespoons of Mayo
- ½ teaspoon of Sriracha(less if you don't want it spicy)
- salt and pepper
- Romaine or Butter lettuce(your choice)
- 4 slices of Muenster cheese
- 1 Granny smith apple
- 4 large tortillas
- 2 tablespoons olive oil divided(more if needed)
Instructions
- Chop up onion
- Chop up chicken
- Add onion to medium heat frying pan with pinch of salt & pepper
- Cook onion till translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Add chicken with another pinch salt and pepper.
- Cook chicken for 10 to 15 minutes, or till done.
- Set aside to cool a little
- Core and quarter apple
- Slice into ⅛ in slices or thinner if you like and set aside
- Tear up lettuce in to pieces
- When chicken has cooled a little, add Sriracha and Mayo
- Warm tortillas slightly so they are pliable.
- Assemble wraps, sauce, chicken, lettuce, cheese, apples & roll in tortilla.
Notes
The amount of Mayo and Sriracha can very, it all depend on your tastes. Some like more, some like less. Use your best judgement and keep in mind your fellow travelers tastes as well.
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