Wednesday, February 5, 2014

Well, I must confess I was expecting the worst when I woke up this morning as the weather forcast said rain, rain, rain over the next five days. I was pleasantly surprised to find the sun shining!! Yay!



It was breakfast on the lanai once again-I don't think I would ever get tired of doing that nor tired of the view. This morning we were greatly entertained by whales jumping out of the water and splashing down. You can barely see them in the middle of the photo. They looked like they were having great fun! Such magnificant creatures. I feel like you see them come up for air and as soon as you get your camera out, they are gone. Ah, well.

Lots of reading again today and working on menus for Gas Lamp dessert and a catering job I have when I get back to Reno. Lunch today was a "Stuffed Sandwich to Go". Simple but it looks impressive when sliced.



The sandwiches are made out of an artisan boule-type bread that is hollowed out so you can layer ham, Swiss cheese, spinach, flavored cream cheese, repeating these layers twice total. Nice flavor as well!

After lunch, it was off to the pool. Maybe I'll get my tan after all, lol. It stayed sunny until about 4pm, then started to cloud up. It never did rain, though, so maybe my last days on Maui will be full of sun and not rain. A girl can hope!

Dinner was Pasta with a cheesey Asiago sauce, a kind of Italian mac'n'cheese. Very yummy! Dessert was a Chocolate Peanut Butter parfait, again improvising and building it in a martini glass. Really rich tasting!



We sat out and watched the sunset-just beautiful!!

Tuesday, February 4, 2014

I awoke to another cloudy day. There have been spots of clear skies and sun, but I don't think I'm going to get the great tan I was hoping for! It is still possible to have breakfast out on the lanai, even with rain showers. Can't beat the view!


Yesterday was much the same. Not a lot of excitement (I really am NOT on vacation here, no matter what you think). Breakfast and coffee on the lanai. Walk to the store, then make lunch.

Monday's lunch was Green Goddess Salad with Shrimp.


Pretty simple. Green leafy lettuce, sliced cucumber, cherry tomatoes, marinated artichoke hearts, chopped celery and, of course, cooked shrimp. The Green Goddess dressing is made from avocado, buttermilk, a mix of fresh herbs (your choice of mixed herbs), white wine vinegar, anchovy paste, all of which gets blended together in the blender. This recipe is from www.eatingwell.com, so is a lower calorie salad than the original recipe. Just trying to eat healthier!

I did lots of reading yesterday, which is something I have not had time for in Reno. Although it was cloudy, we sat outside in the occasional sun-still trying to get that great tan, lol.

Monday dinner was Beef Kabobs a-top Autumn Vegetable Pilaf.


No skewers to be had, so maybe I shouldn't call these beef kabobs, but they still turned out well under the broiler. Usually I leave the oven door ajar to let out some of the heat, but last night I forgot. It started to get smoky so turned on the vent fan after my friend asked if something was burning. Said friend looked quite worried we would not get dinner! I guess I didn't think anything of it because at Gas Lamp, when we are busy and there is a lot of grilling, etc, it can get smoky and a vent in the roof needs to be opened. You get used to it, or maybe I don't think a little smoke is abnormal. :-)

Dessert was a Strawberry Parfait.


When going to a place, other than your home, to cook for others, you quickly learn to adapt and use whatever is available. It has been a good lesson in improvising and not being dependent on working with a lot of pots, pans, baking sheets, mixers and many of the other equipment I am used to using. I built the parfait in a wine glass using cubed pound cake, sliced strawberries and whipped cream. It's so pretty to see all the layers through the clear glass. Easy peasy as they say!

This morning when I got up, I baked more scones. This time using dried tart cherries and chopped dark chocolate. Oh, my, very yummy!


This time around, I cut them into wedges, a slightly more classic shape for scones, but you are certainly free to bake them up however you like. If you like scones, give these a try. The dough is light and moist, not dry at all. And freshly baked scones out of the oven? Doesn't get much better!

For lunch today, I am serving Pan Bagnat. I bought a baguette, cut it in half, then sliced open one half and pulled out some of the bread to make a hollow space in the baguette. Brush with a little olive oil with garlic, put down a layer of tomatoes, basil and onion that has been marinated in either red wine vinegar or balsamic vinegar, then a layer of sliced black olives and a layer of sliced hard boiled eggs. The French also serve this with a layer of tuna. It seems, as with many popular dishes, everyone has their own version of it. This recipe is from Laura Caulder of the Cooking Channel. As I said before, the French sure have a way with food!



And now that I am done with lunch, I am headed out-I see sun!!!

Monday, February 3, 2014

Yep, woke up to rain again yesterday morning. Still warm weather, though, and still beautiful scenery. I can't complain too much about that!



I made blueberry pancakes for breakfast. Sunday just seems like a good time for a leisurely breakfast. A substantial kind of breakfast. I was lucky to have all the ingredients on-hand.



It's nice to sit out on the lanai to eat at least breakfast, but it was raining so hard the entire lanai got wet, even though it is covered. I love listening to the sound of the waves pounding on the sandy shore.

Lots of reading during the day as well as working on a new dessert menu for Gas Lamp. We will be offering ice cream sandwiches when the weather warms, so I have been practicing (research I like to call it). I recently made Ginger cookies with Lemon ice cream-a great combination!
Don't they look yummy?

Lunch was a Croque-Madame, the French version of a grilled ham and cheese sandwich. The recipe is from "Tasting Table", an e-letter sponsored in part by Williams Sonoma. A great way to get new ideas as the editors look a new trends, new restaurant, new chefs and offer some great recipes.


Ingredients:

2 1/4-inch slices of artisan bread
2 slices of ham
2 Tbsp butter, softened, divided
Dijon mustard
1/2 cup shredded Gruyere chese
2 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
1 Tbsp all-purpose flour
3/4 cup of milk
Salt, pepper and nutmeg to taste
1 egg

Directions:
1. Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Butter both sides of your bread then place them on a foil lined baking sheet. Bake in the oven until lightly browned, about 5-8 minutes.
3. Melt 1 Tbsp butter in a small sauce pan. Add 1 Tbsp of flour and whisk for one minute until flour and butter are incorporated, then whisk in the milk. Heat, stirring constantly, until the sauce is thickened. Remove from heat and add 2 Tbsp Gruyere and 2 Tbsp Parmesan cheese. Season with salt, pepper and a dash nutmeg. Set aside.
4. Spread a scant amount of Dijon mustard on one side of each bread slice. Layer two slices of ham on one slice of bread. Top with 2 Tbsp shredded Gruyere cheese, then place the second slice of bread on top of the cheese, mustard side down. Place your sandwich back on the baking sheet.
5. Top your sandwich with the cheesy béchamel, sprinkle the remaining cheese over the sandwich and place back in the oven for 5 minutes. Turn on your broiler and broil the sandwich until the cheese on top begins to brown.
6. While your sandwich is baking, melt a scant amount of butter in a small frying pan. Crack your egg into the hot frying pan and cook, removing the egg from the pan before the yolk hardens. You do want the yolk to be runny. Place the egg on top of your sandwich after you remove it from the oven. Serve warm.

You have to hand it to the French, they do have a way with cooking!

The sun did come out for a while so we went grocery shopping for the coming week. I also managed to get some time sitting outside in the sun. The weather cleared for at least part of the afternoon-no complaints there!

Dinner was Prosciutto-Provolone Stuffed Chicken Breast with a Mushroom Sauce, mashed potatoes and mixed vegetables (baby carrots, broccoli and cauliflower) tossed with some balsamic vinegar and olive oil. You slice the cooked chicken breast at an angle, so that you can see the inside swirl of prosciutto and provolone-it makes for a lovely presentation!


The dessert du jour, was Coconut rice pudding with a spinkle of pumpkin spice mix. Nice and creamy and easy to make!


Ah, the versatility of a martini glass-not just for martinis any more!

More sitting out on the lanai after dinner. The ocean is very soothing.


It is now early Monday morning and still dark outside. We'll see if it rains today as it was forecasted to do. Otherwise, I think today will be a pool day!

Saturday, February 1, 2014

The 1st of February! Hard to believe we were just engolfed in the Christmas-New Year's holidays!

When I woke up, it was raining. Actually a very nice sound, as far as background noise, for sleeping or being lulled to sleep. We went out for breakfast this morning at The Westin. Eggs Benedict!


A cup of coffee, some hash browns, and you're set for a filling breakfast. And you can't beat the setting: Ka'anapoli Beach. You can see Lanai across the channel to your left, and Molokai in the distance off to your right. Moored boats are scattered offshore. Birds flitting here and there looking for crumbs you may have dropped-very peaceful. Jordan asked me last night if I would want to live here year 'round. I told him no. Eventually I always feel "stuck" on an island. There are only so many places to go and if you want to go any distance, you have to take a plane or a boat to get there. No road trips here!

Not sure what we are doing for lunch today. We thought perhaps that after such a large breakfast we would not want lunch. I am getting off easy today, she says with a smile.



Just sitting here enjoying the scenery…..

Friday, January 31, 2014

Another sunny day! More rain on the way, least you get too depressed about not being in Hawaii yourself.

The sun comes up behind our hotel but mornings on the lanai (for breakfast) are still gorgeous. I am truly blessed!

We went to see another condo my friend is considering and indeed turns out to have stayed in. It is located in Kapalua. Fantastic views of the ocean! We spent some time on the beach there, watching young (and not so young) men try their hand a surfing. The waves are not too rough so the practice they get is good. However, I can see that after a while, you can be beaten down by the surf only so long. Several people had their dogs there as well. Such joy at running free on the beach and running in and out of the water! You can't help but smile.





Lunch was Garden Pasta salad. Easy but tasty and it looks great too.

After lunch, more time in the sun-just taking advantage of another sunny day! All too soon it will be back to reality and the cold. I'm getting some color, which is always what you want when you come here then go back to your normal home winter weather. :-)

I made Chocolate Chunk Cookies afterwards. I find it very calming to bake and usually (I say usually because baked goods do not always turn out like you think they will) you are left with a wonderful treat for yourself, even if you give some away.

Dinner was simple, as was dessert.


Chicken Caesar Salad with the leftover cheesecake and a cookie (or two!). We sat out on the lanai again-it's so beautiful and so peaceful. Just what I needed.

Thursday, January 30, 2014

I woke up to a sunny day, after all that rain! I can certainly understand why they call Hawaii, the paradise state.
We walked up the road along the coastline in Ka'anapoli. After all the clouds and rain, it seemed down right hot!

I guess I did not cover meals from yesterday (Wednesday) and after all, I am here to cook! We did need to go back to the grocery store-we (me, I guess, lol) forgot a couple of things.


Lunch yesterday was Almond Crusted Chicken Tenders with Mango Salad. The dressing was Buttermilk-Chive. Really a nice, easy salad. We were talking about what a great salad this would be for Gas Lamp.

After lunch, there was some down-time. Time for reading, looking for new health insurance, figuring out some menus for a luncheon for my sister and going over menu items for a bride. The wedding is in June, on the 21st so there is a little time. She is getting married at The River School, which is pretty much an outdoor venue. We'll see if that works out.


For dinner, I used leftover scallops from dinner the night I arrived. Last day to do something with them. I put them in pasta with brown butter and peas. The sauce that came with the scallops had bacon in it (what's not to like about bacon?) as well as a few other things and really enhanced my new sauce. Yummy! Dessert was mini-Classic Cheesecake. Just enough of a dessert! I baked the cheesecakes in a muffin tin, which let me keep the size small.

Lunch today was Crab Salad Melts.


Lump crabmeat, mayonaisse, lemon juice, diced celery, diced red pepper, thinly sliced scallions, thinly sliced asparagus and the secret flavoring-Old Bay. I spread the crab salad on a toasted English muffin then topped it with gruyere cheese and placed them under the broiler. Even I was impressed, lol. Is it bad to say that about your own cooking? Ah, well.

A little time at the pool this afternoon to top off the afternoon. It will soon be time to start tonight's dinner: Seared Filet Mignon with a Red Wine Pan Sauce, Roasted Balsamic Potato Wedges and Roasted Carrots and Parsnips. Pretty straight forward. For dessert tonight, Individual Microwave Chocolate Cake. I made them last year, and for what they are, they are pretty good. Chocolate DOES make everything better!

I'll leave you with a few pictures from last night's sunset. Apparently since there are no clouds today, the sunset is not going to be as nice as last night. Here you go……

January 29, 2014

Where do I begin? I looked at my last blog entry only to find I have not written since the end of November!! Oh, my!

I have been working two jobs since the beginning of November (more really if I think about it), one nursing, one in a restaurant. That's a lot of hours!

I have also been running an online bakeshop (shop.aprilcookstonight.com), which was mildly successful over this past holiday season. Jordan thinks that if people could only taste the things I bake, I would be wildly successful. So, the task at hand is to give people the opportunity to to taste things from the bakeshop. Do I offer to send out samples at little or no cost? Hand out samples locally in some venue? There is a cheese shop here in Reno called Wedge, A Cheese Shop (no surprise there!), that carried some of my cookies and candies. Laura, one of the co-owners, has offered to continue to carry my products in their shop. Laura came to the Farm-To-Table dinner last September and was amazed at my cooking and flavor-pairings. She is now a firm believer in my and in my baking and cooking abilities AND willing to carry my products no matter how long it may take for them to take off. I will also try taking those same products and selling them through Gas Lamp, the restaurant I am now working at. So maybe Jordan is right-if people can only taste my products, they would sell (or if you build it they will come as the Keven Costner movie stated).

January 23 was my last day as a part time-full time employee at GIC. I did go per diem (which means working when they need me or I am available, with no set schedule)-don't want to burn any bridges in nursing, which is not my style anyway. Currently I am on Maui working my private chef gig for the next two weeks. If it makes all of you feel better (and less sorry for yourselves, especially if you live in the frozen areas of the USA), it has basically rained since I got here! I woke up this morning to thunder and a downpour of rain. I don't mind so much as this is not technically a vacation. It does, however, take away the decision of "do I go to the pool today or the beach?". Bummer. I would at least like to come home with a little tan and have people ask me where I've been. :-)

When I get back to Reno in February, I'll be full time at Gas Lamp. Quite a change! Gas Lamp will also be opening for lunch starting the end of February. It will be my job to get lunches up and going. Danny (the owner) and I will be hammering out a lunch menu. "Keep it simple at the beginning" is Danny's mantra. As the third or fourth most popular restaurant in Reno (according to Yelp), I guess he knows what he's talking about.

It has also been my job to do desserts at Gas Lamp, although Debra still makes all the ice creams. She does a great job! Currently on the dessert menu is Berry Crisp (soon to be replaced), Almond Roca Torte (Deb's creation), Brownie Sundae, White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake, Apple Galettes, Bourbon Pecan Tart and Coconut Creme Brûlée. I will be working on a new dessert menu while I am here on Maui to start when I return. We will probably switch to a rotating/changing Creme Brûlée (changing weekly, not daily). Danny would also like to replace the brownie, so I'll see what I can come up with. I am excited to finally be cooking full time!

Gas Lamp Tuna Tartar

What I did not think about when I started working in the Gas Lamp kitchen (I help Deb with the Garde Manger station, or in other words, the salad, cold appetizer and dessert station), was all the drama that takes place behind the scenes. Tempers flare when we are crazy busy, people step on other people's toes, there has been some theft involving employees, any number of things you never see when you go into a restaurant to eat. It has given me a new appreciation for eating out, I have to say. Customers change the type of dressing on a salad, they want the salad dressing on the side (making for a not very pretty presentation, surprisingly enough) and ask for all types of substitutions. I will be more careful about what I ask for eating out from now on!

Back to Maui and the present….. I arrived on Sunday about mid-day and just relaxed during the afternoon. I was taken out to dinner at Merrimans up the road from where we are staying (at Ka'anapoli Shores). What great food they have! Another of my favorite places to eat out, the Banyon tree, at the Ritz Carlton has closed and been re-incarnated as more or less a coffee shop-type restaurant inside the hotel versus outside near the beach. I guess the Ritz was looking to reach a younger generation looking for a more casual setting and cheaper prices (as if anything in Hawaii is cheap!!). Hope they are successful. I don't think we'll be going there anytime soon. More's the pity!

Monday we went shopping for the week at Farmland Foods, a store much like Whole Foods only smaller. Lots of gourmet and organic foods, a deli and meat and fish counters. Lunch on Monday was a Bean, Corn and Tortilla Salad. SO simple! It contains sweet corn, black or pinto beans, diced tomatoes, avocado, salsa, romaine lettuce and baked tortilla chips that make up a wonderfully refreshing salad. Not too heavy--perfect for Hawaii! The recipe is from Martha Stewart's Everyday Foods.

45 minutes at the pool in the afternoon, between rainstorms, and it was time to fix dinner. Dinner was a little more elaborate. Laura Caulder's Beef Bourguinon. Yum!!Here it is paired with a Cabernet Sauvignon. Hmmmm….just as good as eating out! And, the main reason I am here-to cook!

Tuesday morning I made scones. My friend found a recipe in the Wall Street Journal while on the plane coming over to Hawaii and saved the recipe for me. It really is quite good and very easy.

Currant Cream Scones by Gail Monaghan.
This recipe makes 20 scones.
Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup sugar, plus 2-3 Tbsp for sprinkling
1 1/3 cups dried currants
1 cup heavy cream, cold
3 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted

Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Over a large bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, salt and 1/3 cup sugar. Stir in Currants. Add heavy cream to bowl and use an electric mixer to blend on low until ingredients are just combined.
3. Dump dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead very briefly. Roll dough out to a 1-inch thickness. use a 1-1 1/2 inch cookie or biscuit cutter to cut out scones. Place the scones 1 inch apart on a created or parchment lined baking sheet. Reroll dough scraps and repeat process until all the dough has been used.
4. Use a pastry brush to paint tops of scones with melted butter, then sprinkle with sugar. Place baking sheet in center of oven and bake until scones are golden, 12-15 minutes.
5. Let scones cool on a baking rack. Serve warm or at room temperature with butter and jam.

All that being said, I have a few confessions to make… I could not find any currants at the Maui grocery stores so substituted diced candied ginger and chopped pistachios, 2/3 cup of each to equal the amount of 1 1/3 cups the currants. They came out great!! Also, I used white whole wheat flour. We bought this by accident and I was concerned the scones would be too heavy but they tasted just fine. I also did not sift--something I sometimes feel is a waste of time unless you are making a delicate cake. Next time I make these scones-which will be soon--I am going to try dried cherries and dark chocolate. Doesn't that sound yummy?

Lunch yesterday (Tuesday) was Beef Taco Salad with Chunky Tomato Dressing- a healthy recipe from Ellie Krieger.

And dinner? Pasta Puttanesca! This one was another healthy recipe from Ellie Krieger.

I hope to be more regular with this blog. Lots of food things happening and food is what makes my world go round. Wish me luck down this path I am finally committing to as I hope to be here a long time!