Monday, February 16, 2015

Well I am back in Reno after two restful weeks on Maui.  When I left on Saturday, it was raining quite hard.  Makes it seem not so bad to have to leave, lol.

Sunday I caught up on some rest (it's the time differences that always get to me!) and worked on my book some more-editting.  Jordan and I stopped by Gas Lamp for a drink in the evening, more to see if they needed anything baked this week.  They said they were ok on desserts.

Today I was back at Creme Cafe, baking.  I made English muffins (the recipe on the King Arthur website is the best).  Wolferman's muffins here I come!

Then it was on to slider rolls (which are really dinner rolls but they are just the right size).  Beth says these slider rolls have become so popular that we are going to start marketing them in the near future.  You'll be able to by them by the dozen.  

Next was the no-knead bread I make from Jim Lahey's book "My Bread".  Really the best recipe I have found to date.  And so easy!  Just four ingredients-flour, yeast, salt and water.

Next on the list was Coconut Macaroons.  Always a hit-and they are gluten free!  I drizzled chocolate over the top just to dress them up a bit. 

I had three meetings in the afternoon (Creme related), then it was time to go home.  I am a nurse tomorrow, so I will sign off now so I can get some sleep!

Friday, February 13, 2015

As I went to bed last night, I heard such a ruckus outside.  Turns out the resort across the street decided to have fireworks!  I always enjoy them so got up to watch for a while.  Too noisy to go to bed anyway.

Tomorrow I go back to Reno-which is a good thing-but also said as my time on Maui has been very relaxing and quiet.  No demands.  Ah well.....back to reality, lol.

It was cloudy this morning but cleared enough to go to the beach today (likely my last trip there as it is raining as I write this and that rain is suppose to continue through tomorrow).  You can usually tell when a storm is coming to the islands-the wind picks up quite a bit.  If you happen to be sitting on the beach and the wind is blowing hard-you can get "sandblasted," or as we joke, you can have a microdermabration sesstion at no cost.  Still, a gorgeous day.  Lots more people here because of the long weekend.

Upon returning, it was time for lunch.  Chinese Chicken Salad today.  The recipe is from EatingWell. I've given you the link here so you can check it out if you are interested.  A nice sald for lunch anytime, a nice dinner salad in the summer.  

I spent the afternoon making one last meal for tomorrow (it will be after I leave).  Maple-Chili Pork Tenderloin with mashed potatoes and steamed broccoli.  An I made 2 dozen chocolate chip cookies.  Always good!  Did I take pictures? No, I forgot!  Not much of a food blogger, am I, lol?

I thought you'd like to see where I have been staying and see me working in the kitchen.  It really is a nice condo.  These are shots of the living room, dining area and kitchen.  There is a bedroom upstairs and then another one down on the first floor (where I stayed).  I am very lucky to have been able to come here these last two weeks!

Nice kitchen, aye?  It must have been remodeled because I have been in other kitchens in this complex and most of them are pretty dated.  The buildings are likely 30 years old (give or take).

We went out for dinner for my last day here to Montage, a lovely restaurant.  Everything was delicious!  From the Tempura Goat Cheese Balls to the Poppyseed Pound cake with Baisl Ice Cream. Wow!  Very cool.  I will leave you now as it is time for bed.  Here are some shots from tonight at Montage....

The Kapalua Butterfly

The view from our table looking out toward the ocean.

And of course, the Maui sunset......

Wish me safter journeys back to Reno tomorrow!  Aloha!

Thursday, February 12, 2015

We awoke to a cloudy day-guess you never know what is going to happen.  It's winter and there always seems to be a storm lurcking out there somewhere.  We are, after all, in the middle of the ocean.

After breakfast, we went to the beach (not a hard decision, lol).  I have yet to check out the pool area here.  I decided I was going to try boogie-boarding.  I haven't done it in a long time and although I was scared (have you seen how big some of those waves are?!), I decided I did not want to skip anything just because I was afraid.  So out came the boogie board and I carried it down to the beach.  I sat on the beach a good long while until I realized I shouldn't put it off any longer.  I walked across the beach and into the water....

I think I was waiting for the most opportune time (which was not going to happen, lol, as the waves just kept coming), but eventually got the courage to put the board into the water and get on it.

After several attempts to balance myself on the board, I finally got out a little ways into the water.  It's a little frightening when one second you are in ankle deep water and the next the water is up to your waist because a wave rolled in!  I let the water carry me out but I was tossed around a lot and ended up scraping my toes on the rocks that run in ribbons in the sand under water.  I can't imagine walking on those volcanic rocks.  I was finally out deep enough that I could turn around and glide back to shore.  The undertow here is SO strong.  There are no lifeguards on any of the beaches here so you enter at your own risk.  

So in I rode.  I tried boogie boarding and lived to tell about it (she says very dramatically).  Don't have to do it again.  The beach in this section is very wild, not calm like the beach in Ka'anapali, which is why it is lovely to come and sit on the beach but never really get in the water.  Still, I was quite pleased with myself that I hadn't chickened out!

Back to the condo and time for a shower and lunch.  Lunch today was a Shrimp and Cucumber Salad.  Boil some shrimp (3-4 jumbo shrimp per person) and let it cool.  Dice 1/2 a peeled, seeded cucumber.  Toss both the shrimp and the cucumber with a lemon vinaigrette (very simple: lemon juice, olive oil, salt, pepper), place it on salad and serve.  What could be easier?  I was feeling particularly artistic today and so made a flower out of my spinach before loading up the plate with shrimp and cucumber.

I spent the afternoon chosing photos and wording for the back of my print cookie cookbook.  I chose a saying from the Cookie Monster from Sesame Street.  I thought a little humor might be appropriate, lol.  A monster after my own heart!  :)

I also looked at recipes and otherwise just put my feet up.  I was looking for a dessert recipe using coconut milk.  I found one for Coconut Chocolate Mousse.  I had all the ingredients and beat the coconut milk the appropriate time, but it never really whipped.  The author said that might happen and to just try another brand.  Maybe I will try again, maybe not.  Like I said yesterday, I am not sure why I have this facination with alternative milks, etc.  The mix still tasted really good, so I decided to put it in the freezer and call it a frozen dessert.  Sounds good, doesn't it?

Dinner was Caramelized Wild Mushrooms Ragu with Pecorino Polenta and Truffled Mascarpone.  OMG good, guys!

For the Polenta:

4 cups chicken stock

1 cup dried polenta

1/3 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Bring the stock to a simmer in a heavy 6 quart pot.  Slowly whisk in the polenta.  Cook on low. stirring frequently, for approximately 25-30 minutes.  Remove from heat and stir in the cheese and olive oil.  Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper if desired.

For the Mushroom Ragu:

 3 cups of assorted fresh while mushrooms

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 medium shallot, minced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup dry white wine, such as an extra dry Prosecco

1 cup chicken stock

2 tbsp minced flat leaf parsley

1/3 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano

Salt and pepper to taste

While the polenta is cooking, heat the extra virgin olive oil over medium high in a large 12 inch saute pan.  Add the cleaned, dry mushrooms to the pan.  Cook until the mushrooms caramelize and become crusty golden brown.  Add the shallot and salute for 2 minutes.  Add the garlic and saute for 1 minute.  Add the wine and deglaze the pan of any brown bits and reduce by half.  Add the stock and simmer until the stock is reduced by half.  Taste and adjust with salt and pepper if desired.

For the Truffled Mascarpone:

1/2 cup mascarpone cheese

1 tsp white truffle oil

Stir the truffle oil into the mascarpone.  Serve the wild mushroom ragu over the hot polenta.  Add a dollop of the truffled mascarpone, a sprinkle of pecorino cheese and a pinch of minced parsley.

I cannot tell you have good this is!  I am planning on making this the vegetarian dish for the next Farm-to-Table dinner!  Mmmm, mmmmm, good!

Before you know it, the sun goes down and another is ending in paradise......

Wednesday, February 11, 2015

Today was a surprise field trip (as I call it-restaurant research!).  We had breakfast out at the Westin Hotel in Ka'anapoli.  Stunning views, and really, pretty good food.  They have renamed the restaurant since I was there last.  It is now the Relish Burger.  Hmmm....  Anyway, we had Eggs Benedict-very, very nice!  There was even talk about a road trip to one of the local wineries.  Imagine-wine making on Maui!  What a surprise!  All in the name of research, I say.  :)

I was trying to buy new Crocs but apparently the Crocs store at Whaler's Village has closed.  Too bad.  I did not realize this, but the main business on Maui used to be whaling.  And Lahaina on Maui was the state capital.  The royal family used to come on a regular basis to Maui because it was such an important source of local income.  It was in the late 1800s however, when the capital of the Hawaii was changed to Honolulu.  Lots of history here!  Whaler's village has a lot of information on whales as well as a whale skeleton on display.  The size of the vertebrae are astounding!

Then back to Kapalua. Time for a trip to the beach!  After all the rain and clouds yesterday, the sun shone brightly today.  About six surfers in the water as far as I could tell.  The waves were not all that large, still a great time to practice, I suppose.  I was nosing around the condo this morning and found beach chairs, umbrellas and boogie boards. I am thinking I will try to boogie board before I leave this lovely place.  My friends think I am crazy!  Still, I do not like the thought of getting to the end of my life, feeling like there were things I didn't do just because I was afraid.  Life is too short.  

Lunch today was Lentil and Couscous Salad.  Very nice.  Two salads in one really.  A tossed green salad with tomatoes and cucumbers tossed with a vinaigrette.  The lentils and couscous (same amount of each) are both cooked separately, cooled, then tossed with the same vinaigrette as the green salad.  The lentil and couscous salad are then placed on top of the greens, then topped with feta cheese.

The afternoon was filled with editing my cookbook and dealing with finalizing a wedding we are doing in October.  The couple are friends of mine so I really want to cater the reception and having Creme Cafe behind me will make the job much easier.  And so it is settled for now.  It's a nice feeling to have friends who want you to be a part of their wedding because they love the way you cook.  :)

Dinner tonight was Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Apricot Salad.  Both lunch and dinner were fairly light meals.  The pork tenerloin was browned on top of the stove (just salt and pepper) in an oven-proof frying pan (you could grill this as well), then finished off in the oven.  About 5 minutes before the pork was done, I brushed the pork tenderloin with apricot jam.  The salad is either arugula (which I could not find at the grocery store), watercress or spinach.  In my case, spinach was the easiest thing to find.  The dressing: equal parts olive oil and white wine vinegar, apricot jam (a tbsp or so), finely diced shallots (1-2 tbsp), then salt and pepper.  It makes an unbelievably good vinaigrette.  Toss the salad with the dressing, plate it, top with sliced pork tenderloin and top with roasted apricots.  Now there are no fresh apricots available, which is what should be used in this recipe, so I used dried apricots and just plumped them up with hot water.  I roasted them in the oven as well.  A rather tasty dish, if I do say so myself.  It would be a great summer evening dish.  

Another recipe from the EatingWell.com files.  

Dessert was rice pudding made with Almond Milk.  Don't ask me why almond milk, but I have experimented with using almond milk and coconut milk off and on for the last year.  I do like the way it tastes in some things, although I would not want to drink it by the glass neccesarily.  Still, it was tasty!  No dessert picture tonight.

After dinner we watched "The Mind of a Chef" on PBS with David Chang, narrated by Anthony Bourdain.  What a pair!  Still, it was better than I thought.  David Chang, though extremely talented as a chef, can be annoying cocky at times.  

After that-blogging, then reading a bit, then bed.  Another gorgeous day in paradise.....

Tuesday, February 10, 2015

It was cloudy and rainy today. Guess that happens even in paradise!

I did end up making Cream Scones this morning. They turned out lovely! The recipe is one a friend gave me from the NY Times. I am even considering making it for Creme Cafe when I get back! I could not find currants so used golden raisins instead. You could use any dried fruit and they would taste just as good! Here it is:

Currant Cream Scones

Yield: 20 servings

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup sugar, plus 2-3 tablespoons for sprinkling
1 1/3 cup dried currants, or any other dried fruit
1 cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Preparation:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and 1/3 cup sugar. Stir in the currants or whatever dried fruit you decide to use. Mix together by hand until the ingredients are just blended.

Dump the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead very briefly. Roll the dough out to a one inch thickness. Using a 1 1/2 inch cookie or biscuit cutter, cut out the scones, rerolling the dough as needed. Place the scones one inch apart on a baking sheet coverd with parchment.

Use a pastry brush to paint the tops of the scones with meltd butter, then sprinkle with sugar. Bake until the scones are golden, about 12-15 minutes. Let the scones cool on a baking rach. Serve warm or at room temperature with butter and jam.





This was a lazy kind of day so I worked mostly on the computer, did some more editing on my book. No beach today!

Lunch was a Croque Madame, the French version of a grilled ham and cheese. Only most of the cheese is on the outside of the sandwich. Top it with a fried egg and you are set!

The afternoon was spent trying to find a picture for the cover of my cookie book, at least until I got a call from my boss at Creme to discuss a wedding we are suppose to cater in October. Sometimes it is difficult to get people to understand how much it really costs to cater an event-any event. One thing to do it yourself, another to ask someone to do all the work for you. Anyway, we'll see what happens.

When it was near time for dinner, I made rice pudding (in anticipation for a dessert for tomorrow evening). Then started in on dinner, which was Bell Peppers Stuffed with Coconut Rice and Shrimp. SO good!

Dessert was Pineapple Foster over ice cream. Yum!

So other than eating good food, not much happened in paradise today so I will leave you with another Maui sunset picture...

Monday, February 9, 2015

I was all set to make Cream Scones this morning but we decided to wait until tomorrow morning instead. Tomorrow is suppose to be a rainy day--a good day to bake!

Breakfast on the veranda, Greek Yogurt with fresh pineapple and 9-grain bread toasted and served with Guava Jelly. Great stuff, Guava Jelly!

Next, time for the beach. You do get into a routine here, once you've been for a while. No rush, nothing really to do. No worries. Today at the beach, however, the wind kicked up and started blowing sand. A little like being sand-blasted or having your own micro-dermabrasion, lol. Time to leave as sand gets everywhere! I did take a few pictures though. Today the waves were pretty small. There was only one surfer out there and he didn't stay out long.

I did not add this picture yesterday, but it is remarkable because it shows how small the surfer is compared to the waves. Amazing no one drowns!

After the beach, you need a shower, just to get all the sand off! Then it was time to fix lunch. Chicken Caesar Salad, dressing from scratch! I have the original recipe from Harrah's Steakhouse in Reno.

Harrah's Caesar Salad

Ingredients:
2 cloves garlic
1-2 anchovies
1/2 lemon, juiced
6-8 shots Worchestershire sauce
1-2 shots Tobasco
1 large tsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
2-3 tbsp olive oil
1 egg yolk
1 head Romaine lettuce
2 large tbsp Parmesan cheese
1 cup croutons

Preparation:
In a large wodden bowl, grind the garlic with 2 forks. Add the anchovies and continue to grind the two until smooth. Add the lemon juice and grind until well mixed. Add the remaining dressing ingredients and mix well. Add the Romain and toss, then add the Parmesan cheese and homemade croutons. Plate and serve.

Still the best recipe I have come across for Caesar Salad!

I spent the afternoon reading, texting my boss at Creme Cafe (I had to tease her about Pigs in a Blanket. Did you know they sell Pigs in the Blanket at the Maui Market? Who would have thought?) and researching recipes. I did do a little editing of my cookie cookbook. I am waiting to hear back about getting a cover design. I am pleased I am finally finished! I had wanted to publish before Christmas but that did not happen.

By the time dinner rolled around, it was too windy to eat on the veranda so we had our Turkey Meatloaf, mashed potatoes and Sautéed Zucchini with Cherry Tomatoes indoors. Ellie Krieger's recipe.
Dessert was Blueberry Crumble with Whipped Cream. I had leftover crumble topping to use. Only blueberries looked good at the market so that is what we got!

The days here are definitely quiet. I must be getting older because that doesn't bother me as much as it did 5 years ago when I was so busy I didn't know how to be still. Two weeks in Hawaii, spent cooking and reading and sunning is not a bad gig to have, aye?

I'll leave you with more Maui sunsets. They are SO gorgeous, with every day a little different. It is clouding up, getting ready to storm....

Sunday, February 8, 2015

Woke up to cloudy skies this morning which caused us to shop in the morning for this next week rather than the afternoon. There is, after all, another week of cooking left to do!

By the time we returned to the condo, the skies had cleared. It was time for lunch and so I worked at getting out today's menu of Chicken and White Bean Salad. This recipe is from EatingWell.com. Easy but filling! Again, I have attached a link for anytone interested in checking out the recipe. Always nice to have a salad recipe that works both for lunch and dinner. I like all the colors in the salad as well.

Being Sunday, I decided not to do any real work today. We went to the beach after lunch (I guess no beach vs pool-they're all beach days!). I still love watching the waves roll in and watching the surfers as they try to ride the waves.

My friends (as a belated Christmas present) got me Dorie Greenspan's new cookbook "Baking Chez Moi", an all dessert cookbook. I spent most of the afternoon reading this (much like other people read novels, lol) and have decided I want to make everything in the book! Shades of "Julie and Julia"! Can't wait to get home to try some of these recipes!

Dinner tonight was Ratatouille Over Pasta. This turned out much better than I thought! Ratatouille recipes differ slightly, some say saute the vegetables separately and then combine them, other recipes say throw them all together and let them simmer. This particular recipe called for cooking each component separately, then combining them to simmer on the stove for about an hour. The flavors were amazing. Guess I'll need to start making Ratatouille this way all the time!

Dessert was a repeat-Banana Cream Delight. Remember that? Banana cream pie without the crust? Still good, lol. After dinner, we watched PBS's series on a baking competition in the UK, much like the American "Chopped" show, only much nicer! The British are so polite!

Hard to believe I have less than a week left before it will be time to go home! I will leave you with a lovely Maui sunset...

Saturday, February 7, 2015

I've been here a week already. Hard to believe!

It started off as a cloudy day but soon cleared by 9am. It was a beach day today. I have always joked to my friends-do I go to the beach today or the pool? While the weather is nice-the beach. Only two surfers today. Does that mean too much partying on Friday night or not as many people here? It's interesting to people watch at the beach. I have seen two women over the last several days put up umbrellas to shade themselves, only to have it turned inside out by the wind! It is an interesting site. Lots of kids out here and there is much to be seen about parenting by watching all the couples with their children. As I have none, I guess I cannot be too critical, but nonetheless, the difference in parenting in the world today is very interesting.....

Lunch today was Egg Salad-tastey, a blast from the past, an old-fahioned meal. I had mine on toast, the others had theirs on lettuce leaves. Sitting out on the veranda, I feel very lucky to be able to come here and enjoy the warm weather in the middle of a Nevada winter!

I spent the afternoon (after catching up with Jordan) working on my cookie cookbook. I finished it!!!!! Title: 25 Days of Home Made Cookies. I am waiting on a book cover design and I still need to go through and edit it, but it is all written. I am excited to publish again. I enjoy writing. And when you enjoy writing you hope that other enjoy reading it. Time will tell!

Dinner was Chicken Saltimbocca. Actually pretty easy to put together. Served over pasta with a side of asparagus. This is the skiniest asparagus I have ever seen!

My friend insisted on taking a picture of me-evidence that I am indeed, in Hawaii, lol. First thing I did was check my hair, but alas, not much to be done...

And here is dinner--it turned out well!

Dessert was a repeat, Strawberry Shortcake. The last of the shortcake so we will not be repeating this one!

The longer I am here, the easier it is to just sit and not do anything. But I would like to use my time wisely and get a few things done. Like finishing my cookbook. Writing about what you are passionate about makes a difference!

So not much else to tell...another day in paradise..... BUT I will leave you with more beautiful Maui sunset pictures!