It’s been pretty warm during the day over the last few days. Still, I am holding vigilantly to my vow of no air conditioning this summer. And really, when it comes down to it and you just accept that this is what summer feels like, it’s not that bad. Really. I am used to it.

So, despite the heat I just couldn’t resist making one more risotto dish. The creaminess! The fresh herbs! The sweet, tender peas (because fresh English peas are the only peas to eat … seriously)! It was worth every second of slaving over a hot stove.

A girl’s gotta do what a girl’s gotta do …

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The other evening was one of those nights. You know the ones: where you just don’t feel much like cooking and really aren’t sure what to make anyway. At first, I was going to do something with chicken and serve it over rice, but midway through the rice cooking process, I realized that I really had zero desire to trim the chicken and pound it into an even cutlet. None whatsoever, in fact.

Then, my thoughts turned to the rice, and a package of cubed ham steak in my fridge (freshly cut and packed at my local grocery store, thankyouverymuch!). Perhaps fried rice with ham? I could just see my husband’s skeptical face through the phone when I told him what I was making … I am sure he was thinking Who puts ham in fried rice?

As I was cooking up the rice, I realized the shredded swiss in my fridge would be a perfect finisher to this obviously Americanized dish. I was so right. Every last morsel of it was devoured.

Serve this up with a fresh chopped salad and perhaps some crusty bread for a wonderful, hearty, comforting meal.

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Before I tell you about this delish Garlic Scape Risotto recipe, I want to stop for a moment and say something …

I’ve avoided the coverage that’s been everywhere about Michael Jackson’s death. Frankly, I found it pathetic that the same media outlets that have made him out to be a bizarre individual for the past decade and a half are now exulting his contributions to music and humanity. He was never allowed in the media to forget his past mistakes. Ever. And that, my dear readers, is very, very sad.

But today, the kids and I watched much of the memorial service for Michael Jackson. It was touching to see his family come together in such solidarity and to hear the sincere remembrances of the King of Pop. Michael Jackson had a wonderful gift and he willingly shared it with all of us for so many years. It is absolutely tragic that he has died at such a young age.

Furthermore, if you watched today, then you saw his young daughter Paris speak very briefly about her father, saying that to her, he was simply the best daddy in the whole world. Michael Jackson, the man who wasn’t allowed to forget his past or live a normal life, was a father, a brother, a friend and a son. He was a person who will be greatly missed by the people who loved him and knew him best. Those people are the ones who stood by him all the while … Rest in Peace, Michael.

Take a lesson from this: Michael Jackson was an amazing, talented, generous individual all along … He should have been shown the love and respect that he’s been afforded since his death while he was alive. Next time you read an allegation in a tabloid, stop for a minute. Does that person deserve the ridicule? Is the allegation even true or just a tidbit from “a source?” Do you really know the facts?

As a member of the mainstream media, I am the first to say that many reporters do their best to provide only the true, verified facts. But, that said, you also cannot believe everything you see in print. Some publications have no scruples. Some reporters aren’t honest … So, when you see allegations – whether it’s of child abuse, infidelity, drug abuse or whatever – read with a grain of salt, and give people the benefit of the doubt.

Now, about the recipe. A friend saw the above picture of Garlic Scape Risotto on my Flickr feed and sent me a note saying that I am torturing her with risotto since she ate the Creamy Artichoke and Herb Risotto recipe one I wrote about recently and loved it. Honestly, I have been a little obsessed with risotto lately. With the cool start to summer, this creamy, magnificent comfort food just warms you from the inside out with rich, bone-coating goodness. So, when I noticed that I had some garlic scapes begging to be used, I wanted to try them in a risotto recipe.

The result is a heavenly, hearty dish with a mild garlicky-ness to it. It won’t overpower your senses, but rather tickle them just a bit … Will, Paige, Shawn and I all ate it with gusto. Mmm. As far as garlic scapes recipes go, this is a must-make.

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Somehow, photos of risotto just never do it justice.

The other evening, after strawberry picking, my friends gathered in the kitchen while I cooked dinner: a salad with fresh strawberries, feta and Candied Almonds, steak and Artichoke and Herb Risotto. For the risotto, I was running a little behind and asked my friends to retrieve some fresh herbs from the garden.

I continue to relish in the fact that I can serve garden to table food in my own kitchen. Fresh spinach was mixed in the salad with romaine and lettuce grown at the organic farm next door. The herbs grew just feet from my front and back door. I know every thing about these foods since I have been so involved in their growing … or, in the case of the organic lettuce, know the people who have that knowledge. It’s taking my close relationship with food and making it more intimate than I ever imagined it could be.

As for the risotto, it’s creamy as can be. The artichokes add a richness to the rich that just fills your mouth. The onions bring a tinge of sweetness. And the fresh herbs bring a bright freshness to it . . . oh, it’s just so good. Try it.

I think I have found cooking bliss …

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Mmm . . . from garden to table. Or more accurately, from our garden to our table.

This is the dish I made with our harvested broccoli recently. The flavor of the broccoli was delicate and mild, more gentle than usual … and totally enhanced by the dressing. Shawn and I have agreed that broccoli will be a repeat in our garden beds next year … hopefully with even more success than this year.

I’m having visions of doubling or tripling the number of raised beds in our backyard so that we can plant even more next year. More fresh spinach (which I was hesitant to even plant this year!), more broccoli, more peppers, more tomatoes. More, more, more. (No more red cabbage though. I have no idea what we will do with nine heads of it as it is). I love that we’ve all pitched in tending to the gardens — Will and Paige helping to pull weeds, Shawn mulching carefully around each plant . . . It’s been a wonderful family effort to grow. And we are just at the beginning of a season of truly homegrown foods. I love that.

We all really liked this (yes, the kids and the vegetable-phobic husband too!) dish. It went beautifully with pork on the first night and steak tonight … oh yea, we did eat the leftovers tonight. His idea. Love that too. This is versatile but it’s also easy (don’t be fooled by the length of the recipe, it really is easy … and I broke it up into three parts that are done consecutively so there is absolutely no confusion).

Try it, you’ll like it.

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In my single days, a mainstay of my cooking was stir fry. It is just so easy. Chop up a few veggies, toss it in a pan with a little oil and stir, stir, stir until the vegetables are done, then add sauce and serve over rice. If you are feeling particularly ambitious, you might add a hint of meat too, but it’s certainly not required. It’s high on taste, low on fat and calories and just good eating …

However, over the past few years, I have stopped making stir fries as often. Why? I really don’t know. Maybe I’ve been too seduced by other meals I have learned to make or maybe the chop, chop, chop just didn’t seem as fun anymore …

The other day though, when I was considering what I could possibly whip up with the sparse contents of my fridge, I decided to make a stir fry. By cutting all of the veggies into bite-sized portions before cooking, this meal becomes super easy to eat alone or with kids. Once finished, it can be just dished up and served, no further cutting required.

The sauce is a star in this dish. The nuances of cinnamon and allspice give the soy and garlic-based sauce a depth of warm flavor. It reminds me ever so slightly of a Moroccan chicken dish I make about once a year. Ever. So. Slightly.

So how’d the kids like it? Well, when I heated up leftovers the next day, they demanded more … I’d say it was a home run here. Read the rest of this entry…

Bobby Flay? Are you out there? I know you simply must be reading my blog, right? Right?!?

Well, even if Bobby Flay isn’t, I know I have some serious Bobby Flay fans who do read this blog. And I want you all to know that thanks to Bobby Flay, I have finally embraced risotto.

Sure, I’ve made it many times before. But I’ve never been wowed by it … until I had dinner at Bobby Flay’s Mesa Grill in New York last week. Oh. My. God. I had the most wonderful, creamy, delicious risotto ever, and it won me over. So, I had to come home and try making it again.

This isn’t Bobby Flay’s magnificent recipe, but this is delicious nonetheless.The earthy artichoke hearts go so well with the firm turkey bits and salty kalamatas, and it’s all enveloped in the requisite rich and creaminess of risotto.

And the kids? Will and Paige can’t get enough of it, artichoke hearts and all. Seriously. Paige saw Will eating a quick bowl of this better school today and demanded that he share. And that little girl, just a few weeks shy of one year old, knows exactly when to say Mmmmmm!

With Thanksgiving right around the corner, this is a recipe you will want to bookmark for leftovers. Or, make it now (you could probably substitute chicken for the turkey in a pinch).

And as for Bobby Flay, if you are reading, thanks for opening my eyes. I was so wrong about risotto.

(Psst! Bobby Flay’s Mesa Grill Cookbook: Explosive Flavors from the Southwestern Kitchen has loads of great recipes from his restaurant. Just sayin’.)

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I have a confession. Some days, I just don’t feel like cooking. I know, I know, it’s hard to believe. I love to cook, and love to write about cooking. I love feeding people good food and showing others that you needn’t have a degree from a high and mighty culinary school to make a delicious, delightful meal. But after a long day, it can be hard to gather the energy and desire to really cook a full dinner. Sometimes, I just don’t feel like chopping any vegetables or trimming any beef. Sometimes the idea of sifting together dry ingredients is akin to having a cavity filled.

Haven’t we all been there sometime?

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This is, in a word, decadent. I am not a big fan of risotto but this one is awesome. But it’s not for the faint of heart or wallet.

For the lobster meat, I buy cooked and preshelled meat from Stew Leonard’s here in Connecticut. If that is not available in your area, substitute meat from a 1.5 lb lobster or canned lobster meat (though that would be my last choice).

Be sure to use extra light olive oil as it has a lower smoking point that extra virgin or virgin. If you don’t have that, you can substitute something like grapeseed oil or canola (again, last choice).

2 1/2 tbsp butter
1 1/2 cup cooked lobster meat, cut into chunks
2 tbsp extra light olive oil
2 cups arborio rice
1/3 cup white wine
4-6 cups chicken broth or stock, simmering
1/4 cup parsley, chopped
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the lobster and cook for 5 minutes, stirring all the while. Remove from heat and seat aside.

Using a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the rice and cook for 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Pour in white wine and cook until absorbed, still stirring constantly.

Now, it’s time to add the stock. It should be in a nearby pan on a burner and be warm. Use a ladle to add about 1/2 cup at a time to the rice. Stir occasionally and let cook until fully absorbed. Continue this process until almost all the broth is used – then check the rice by taste. If it’s still a little undercooked, then add the remainder of the broth as well as the lobster. Cook until liquid is fully absorbed and then remove from heat and pour into a serving dish.

Stir in the Parmesan and parsley. Serve immediately. For a pretty presentation (and added flavor) serve with lemon wedges on top.

Growing up, meals were pretty simple.

My grandmother favored menus with fewer ingredients and less fuss. Pork chops cooked in sauerkraut, or bratwurst, knackwurst or any wurst for that matter, were favorites. Sometimes we’d have lamb chops or a simple beef stroganoff (did I spell that right?).

But if were really lucky, she would spend hours in the kitchen making her wonderful tomato sauce with ground beef and sausage. Yum. That was her go-to dish for special occasions and everyone loved it. (Her lasagna and sausage and peppers were tasty as well.)

And woe was thee to anyone who didn’t just rave over the dish de resistance! Oh, I can still remember the dagger eyes that shot the poor soul who dared to exclaim, “This is really good. You know who makes the best marinara sauce? My brother …” Or something to that effect.

My mother on the other hand favored a different kind of simple – it came in a box and mixed with ground beef. And that is all I am going to say about that.

Anyway, there was definitely a comfort zone – however different for each – that my grandmother and mother would stay in while cooking. These are the foods that I now consider to be “typical” American dinner items – corn, green beans, peas, pasta, etc.

But me? I knew there was a whole world of great foods out there just waiting to be tasted. And I couldn’t wait to try them all. When I got to college in New York, I began sampling all sorts of foods that were exotic to me – fresh mozzarella, smoked mozzarella, couscous, Japanese dishes, Korean food, Ethiopian . . . and eventually, sushi.

Strangely, while I was willing to take leaps with foods I ate, I took baby steps with foods I cooked. Talk about comfort zoning! My staples were stir fry, pasta (in a variety of flavors, really), and . . . toast. No kidding. But over the past few years, those baby steps have turned into leaps and bounds though. Chard, bok choy, kalamata olives and a whole wealth of other things have wound their way into my cooking.

Now the truth? Will isn’t too fond of typical veggies like green beans, peas and carrots. But give him a ton of Brussels sprouts, a pile of chard or a head of broccoli (which is admittedly fairly typical) and he’ll go to town. He’s more likely to munch on a spear of asparagus than a French fry. And believe me, I am not complaining.

The funny thing is, at least to me, this dish, which I am submitting for Presto Pasta Night hosted by Ruth at Once Upon A Kitchen, is somewhat of a stir fry at heart . . . You can take the girl out of the comfort zone, but you can’t take the comfort out of the girl. Or something like that.

Actually, I am not sure I have a comfort zone anymore. I try everything. And the more fearsome, the better. I can’t tell you how nervous I was about strawberry jam before I made it. And guess what? It’s as simple as you can get!

The pasta portion of this dish is a rice noodle – mai fun – which is like an angel hair. Be sure to soak it in cold water to soften before you cook though (as noted). Otherwise it probably won’t cook through in time. And don’t be intimidated by the number of steps. Everything moves quickly.

1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tbsp rice vinegar
1 1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp extra light olive oil, divided
1 onion, finely diced
4 cups mixed veggies (I used chard, sundried tomatoes, carrots and snowpeas)
2 tsp barbecue seasoning
3/4 cup vegetable stock
1/2 cup cold water
1 package (about 6.5 oz) mai fun noodles, soaked in cold water for at least 45 minutes and drained well
1/2 lb stir fry beef, just browned (but still red on the inside and perhaps a bit of the outside)

Gather all your ingredients and have them ready to go. This is a quick moving recipe.

In a small bowl, stir together soy sauce, rice vinegar, sugar and salt. Set aside.

Heat your big ol’ wok over high heat for about 5 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and stir in the onion. Cook until softened, about 3-4 minutes. You want them to be just starting to turn translucent but not cooked through – they have plenty of time to finish cooking through when the other ingredients are cooking.

Stir in the other tablespoon of olive oil along with the vegetables. Cook, tossing or stirring often, for another 3-4 minutes (if using a leafy green like chard, then look for that to just start to wilt). Sprinkle with the barbecue seasoning (it’s a dry spice located in the spice aisle of your grocer). Stir well for about 1 minute.

Now, get that reserved soy sauce mixture and stir again to ensure everything is mixed well. Pour into the wok and stir with the veggies. Add the vegetable broth and water and bring to a boil over high heat. It won’t take too long. Trust me.

Next step: get those well drained mai fun rice noodles and stir them into the wok. Cook for another 3-4 minutes. You want them to be softened and just tender enough to eat. There should still be plenty of liquid in the wok too.

Alright, you are almost there.

Take that just browned stir fry beef you’ve been dying to use and stir it into the wok. Cook for another 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently, until the liquid has been completely absorbed.

Serve immediately.