Oatmeal Toffee Pecan Cookies: The Honor of Preparing Foods for Others

To KS and MKL who trusted me enough to bake for their special days.

The month of February was a very busy month for me - close friend got married and another celebrated her son's first birthday - both friends asked me to prepare some cookies for their celebrations. This is a stressful thing for me - baking for people's celebrations - the wedding required me to bake 250 cookies, two types, package them, and allow them to be scrutinized by other people. The night before the wedding, as I rapidly baked, I went into panic mode as one of the cookie batches seemingly came out "puffier" than normal. I frantically called another friend (not the bride - that would just be too cruel) and she talked me down off the edge of cookie oblivion...calmed me down and told me it would be okay. I presented them at the wedding, they were warmly received and all in all, it was a success. The baby birthday was a lot less stressful as the volume was much smaller (around 100) and the company was a lot less formal and I was able to crank out three types of cookies.

But though the stress of preparing for these special occasions - another emotion, probably more powerful filled me and that was the sense of honor. It is always an honor and privilege to prepare food for those whom you love. To be asked to prepare something, is even a greater honor - for someone to feel that close to you that they can ask, and in conjunction with asking, trusts you enough to prepare for them is a wonderful thing. To experience this requires some sort of mastery and confidence in some recipe - and practicing a recipe always does that.

This cookie recipe is a relatively new one - and I'm still practicing it. I made it once for daughter's birthday, and for friend's son's birthday was my second round. I think the recipe is very good, pretty versatile and a crowd pleaser. I do find that women still prefer the Cranberry Toffee Oatmeal Cookies over this one, but the men seem to find this one pretty darn delicious. The original recipe is Giada De Laurentiss'. I went and made some modifications. (one was an accidental one where I didn't read the recipe properly and forgot to grind the oatmeal.) I changed some proportions but found the results really great. Try mastering one recipe, and soon people will be asking YOU to prepare something for their special gathering. (and it feels great!)

Oatmeal Toffee Pecan Cookies (adapted from a recipe by Giada De Laurentiss)
(approximately 4 dozen)

3/4 cup old-fashioned oats
2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup (packed) light brown sugar
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
4 ounces English toffee candy (recommended: Heath or Skor bar), finely chopped
1 cup pecans, chopped (or your choice of nut)
1 (12-ounce) bag semisweet chocolate chips

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Line 2 heavy large baking sheets with parchment paper. Mix in the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugars in a large bowl until fluffy. Beat in the eggs and vanilla. Add the flour mixture and stir just until blended. Stir in the oatmeal, toffee, pecans (or your choice of nuts), and chocolate chips.

For each cookie, drop 1 rounded tablespoonful of dough onto sheet, spacing 1-inch apart (do not flatten dough). Bake until the cookies are golden (cookies will flatten slightly), about 15 minutes. Cool the cookies on the baking sheets for 5 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack and cool completely. (The cookies can be prepared 1 day ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.)

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Packaged cookies ready to present. I just made my own little labels out of some cardstock and the computer. One side had the "event" and the other, the type of cookie inside.

Hobahk Jook (호박죽) Korean Pumpkin Porridge: Missing Grandmother

While living in Korea, I was extremely fortunate to have the opportunity to spend time with my maternal grandmother and learn some old style cooking techniques from her. She is a formidable cook by her own right (the woman still makes the best dumplings (만두) in the world) and would cook for me special dishes as she felt so sorry for me, living so far away from my mother. (of course what I craved most of the time were tacos and burritos which are not in her repertoire.) One day, I had a beautiful sweet pumpkin (단호박) in my apartment, and I was suddenly inspired to ask her what we could make with it - and she immediately suggested we make this pumpkin porridge. She also wanted to make it the "real way" which meant no short cuts and no conveniences. Needless to say, it was hard work (peeling a pumpkin is no small feat) but the result was a beautiful silky sweet concoction that I will never forget.

This is great thing to master, especially those of you who feel desire to prepare special things for your parents or your in-laws as a sign of love and respect. I enjoy making this for my own mother-in-law, as she loves it so much - she still protests when I make it for her, as she knows how hard it is to peel the darn pumpkin, but she consumes every bit of it. It is especially "restorative" if someone is sick or not feeling well.

Now, my grandma doesn't believe in the fast method - so when I make it, I find myself peeling a kabocha squash (readily available at Asian supermarkets-choose one that seems heavy for its size) and this can be time consuming. I have experimented with using butternut squash in lieu of the kabocha, as it is possible to find pre-cut, pre-cubed butternut squash at both Whole Foods and Trader Joe's. My mother-in-law has taste tested the pre-cut butternut squash version, and while it doesn't have the full depth of sweetness that a kabocha had, she did say that if it were much easier, she would prefer that I make that version over the kabocha squash version, if only to prevent me from slaving over a pumpkin.

Pumpkin Porridge (호박죽)
1 lb peeled pumpkin, cut into small chunks (kabocha which you will have to peel yourself, or try the pre-peeled, pre-cut butternut squash from Whole Foods or Trader Joe's.)
5 cups water
1/3 cup sweet rice (찹쌀) OR sweet rice flour (mochiko is a brand that comes to mind - my grandmother would disapprove but she's not eating yours)
1-2 tablespoons soft brown sugar (more or less depending on the sweetness of the pumpkin itself)
1/2 teaspoon of salt
2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts (optional)

These directions are for using sweet rice.
1. Wash and rinse the sweet rice well. Soak in 1 cup of water. (the longer you soak is better - overnight in the fridge is great. Otherwise a good two hours can be sufficient.)
2. Place the pumpkin in a pot with 4 cups of water. Bring to a boil, cover, then reduce the heat and simmer for 25 minutes until the pumpkin is very soft and breaks up completely when stirred with a wooden spoon. (This may take longer than 25 minutes, but eventually it will happen.)
3. Blend the water and the sweet rice together - you can use an immersion blender (my choice of utensil) or a regular blender. Add rice water mixture to the pot of softened pumpkin which is simmering. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. You will notice the mixture go from cloudy to a slightly translucent orange. (warning you can EASILY scorch this so do NOT be tempted to leave this alone, or to turn up the heat to speed this up.)
4. Reduce the heat and simmer for 2 minutes, then add the sugar and salt. Serve garnished with pine nuts (as above).

These directions are for using sweet rice flour.
1. Place the pumpkin in a pot with 4 cups of water. Bring to a boil, cover, then reduce the heat and simmer for 25 minutes until the pumpkin is very soft and breaks up completely when stirred with a wooden spoon. (This may take longer than 25 minutes, but eventually it will happen.)
2. Mix the rice flour with remaining cup of water, then add the mixture into the pot of softened pumpkin. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. (don't BURN IT!!!)
3. Reduce the heat and simmer for 2 minutes, then add the sugar and salt. Serve in individual bowls, topped with pine nuts.

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For the Love of Yellow: A Yellow Birthday Party

When I asked daughter #2 what sort of birthday party she wanted for her third birthday, she turned to me with a big smile, eyes wide, and said "A YELLOW PARTY!" I looked blankly back because I had no idea what it meant, but she kept on insisting it was going to be a "Yellow Party" and I figured that I would know what to do.

Along with CD favors of "yellow songs," a yellow treasure hunt, and a few yellow games we didn't get to play, I decided to prepare all manner of "yellow" foods if possible. (Thankfully she didn't want a blue birthday party...we'd be eating some strange stuff for sure.) I was unable to get a single shot of the food for it was devoured even before I could get a camera near. It was a mixed party of adults and 3 year olds, so I tried to make food appealing to both. Most of the kids, truthfully only liked the bagels, which I did not make, fruit salad, and yellow cupcakes. The adults, on the other hand devoured the food and I was actually fearful for a few moments that I would run out. Thankfully I did not. But the amount of food consumed exceeded my wildest expectations.

A Yellow Menu
Macaroni and Cheese
Curried Chicken Salad
Tuna Nicoise Salad (yellow from egg yolks)
Yellow Vanilla Cupcakes
Chocolate Chip Cookies (okay not yellow, but the mommies always expect these from me.)
Cranberry Oatmeal Toffee Cookies (again not yellow - but same reason as above.)
Oatmeal Toffee Pecan Cookies (still not yellow but what can you do)
Fruit salad (Yellow fruits of mango and pineapple, topped with non yellow fruits of strawberries and blueberries.)
Bagels and cream cheese (not yellow, but easy for kids to eat.)

Macaroni and Cheese - Not from the box

For JEL - who loves this so much she actually takes it home when I offer it.

My daughters have had the neon orange mac and cheese a couple of times in their life - and they LOVE the stuff. I've never prepared it for them directly, but here and there they've sampled it and they love it. Truthfully, they prefer that one to this mac and cheese, but I am not of that opinion. This mac and cheese is creamy, sophisticated, and truly delicious, and it's not hard to make. It is HARDER than the mac and cheese from a box of course, but not so monumentally hard that you couldn't make this as a special treat for your family.

I found my recipe on marthastewart.com and she offers many tips on how to perfect your macaroni and cheese. My problem up to this point has been finding a mac and cheese that doesn't come out grainy - and there are two pointers which I found most helpful.

1. Rinse well the macaroni after partial cooking - the extra starch in the pasta will only make the sauce grainy and not smooth, so a good rinse of the extra starch is important.
2. Sharp white cheddar provides the best texture. DO not be tempted to buy pre shredded cheese as they all have cornstarch in them, and again the extra starch makes the sauce grainy. I cheat a bit by using tillamook SLICED cheddar from costco, but it's not white cheddar and I wonder if I wouldn't get an even smoother sauce from trying the white cheddar, freshly grated by me.

I made slight alterations to the topping as I am in love with panko and I think it makes a tremendous crust on many baked casseroles. Martha asks for white bread shredded - I just didn't want to do that.

Macaroni and Cheese

Serves 12
1 cup panko breadcrumbs (or you can just use regular.)
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, plus more for dish (this will be split - 2 tablespoons for your breadcrumbs, 6 tablespoons for the cheese sauce - I made the mistake of dumping a whole stick of butter into my sauce)
5 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
4 1/2 cups (about 18 ounces) grated sharp white cheddar
2 cups (about 8 ounces) grated Gruyere (found mine at costco and used a box grater to grate it.)
1 pound elbow macaroni

1. Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Butter a 3-quart casserole dish; set aside. Place panko breadcrumbs in a medium bowl. In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons butter. Pour butter into the bowl with bread, and toss. Set the breadcrumbs aside. In a medium saucepan set over medium heat, heat milk. Melt remaining 6 tablespoons butter in a high-sided skillet over medium heat. When butter bubbles, add flour. Cook, stirring, 1 minute.

2. Slowly pour hot milk into flour-butter mixture while whisking. Continue cooking, whisking constantly, until the mixture bubbles and becomes thick.
3. Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in salt, nutmeg, black pepper, cayenne pepper, 3 cups cheddar, and 1 1/2 cups Gruyere. Set cheese sauce aside.

4. Fill a large saucepan with water. Bring to a boil. Add macaroni; cook 2 to 3 fewer minutes than manufacturer's directions, until outside of pasta is cooked and inside is underdone. (Different brands of macaroni cook at different rates; be sure to read the instructions.) Transfer the macaroni to a colander, rinse under cold running water, and drain well. Stir macaroni into the reserved cheese sauce.

5. Pour the mixture into the prepared casserole dish. Sprinkle remaining 1 1/2 cups cheddar and 1/2 cup Gruyere or 1/4 cup pecorino Romano; scatter breadcrumbs over the top. Bake until browned on top, about 30 minutes. Transfer dish to a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes; serve.

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Devil's Food Cupcakes - When You Just CANNOT Resist

To SB who started my frenzy in the first place.

It was on a late night when a friend mentioned she was enjoying a piece of chocolate cake - and for WHATEVER reason, I got completely fixated on it. I felt like nothing would taste good except a piece of chocolate cake and for a full 24 hours I tortured myself with the vision of chocolate cake. Finally, after getting some encouragement from friends, I decided to sit down and make myself some chocolate cupcakes, only I didn't have the one single recipe I thought was a winner. After a bit of research, that all changed.

I found my recipe on this cupcake blogger (unfortunately she no longer just blogs cupcakes -she blogs DESSERT now) and it was one of her simpler recipes. She has a lot of really exotic and innovative ideas behind cupcakes (white chocolate wasabi anyone?) but I went straight for the Devil's Food Cake with Chocolate Buttercream. The great thing? It mixes up SO easy - her recipe is so simple (dump all things into a bowl and mix.) I did modify slightly the technique and the ingredients (only because I wanted to make sure I got something super chocolately) and the changes have been noted in my version of the recipe. I also adapted the recipe for only 12 cupcakes because having 24 around is DANGEROUS. I was forced to call a friend (who said they tasted much better than Sprinkles) to take away 3, because in a moment of complete lack of will power, I consumed THREE in one sitting. Then add one more for breakfast less than 12 hours later. This is an amazing recipe, and so easy, you'll wonder why you aren't having chocolate cupcakes every day. (I can tell you why - because they are SOOO DANGEROUS!)

Devil’s Food Chocolate Cake
makes 12 cupcakes

1 cup flour
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (I used Ghiradellis, the blogger recommended Valrohna which is not easily available at my local supermarket.)
3/4 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 cups milk
1/4 cup butter
1 teaspoons vanilla
1 eggs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

1. Measure out everything but the eggs and milk directly into your mixer bowl.
2. Mix on low speed just until incorporated. (it will look sort of crumbly.) Add milk.
3. Beat on high speed for 2 minutes.
4. Add egg, beat on high speed again for 2 minutes.

Measure out into cupcake pan lined with cupcake papers. A 2″ ice cream scoop works great for this. Bake for about 15-20 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool slightly in the pan then transfer to a rack to cool completely before frosting. (I had to bake mine for 25 minutes to get them fully cooked, and am going to try raising the oven temp next time to see if I can't get the baking time reduced.)

Chocolate Buttercream
enough to lightly frost 12 cupcakes

1/2 stick butter
1/4 cup cocoa
2 cups confectioner’s sugar
2 tablepoons (slightly more or less) milk

1. Beat butter on high for about 30 seconds until soft.
2. Add cocoa and 1 cup of sugar and beat until incorporated
3. Add half of the milk and the remainder of sugar and beat until incorporated.
4. Continue to add milk until you get to the consistency you want.

Salmon Agrodolce - Super in a Flash and a Dash

This is one of my original finds for recipes back when I used to email recipe ideas to a few select friends. It is another great recipe with a short ingredient list but stellar results. For the few families where sauce is all important, you may want to consider doubling the sauce portion of the recipe, as I do know of one family where after the meal was over, the mom turned to see her son with his face in his plate licking the sauce off completely clean. Now I would say that is high praise when your child can't get enough and is licking the plate cleaner than a dishwasher. My photo, unfortunately doesn't do it justice, but what you are seeing are red onions that have been cooked in a balsamic reduction under some pan cooked salmon. The sauce is tart and sweet, the onions a perfect foil to the sweetness of the fish, and just a delicious meal. Serve with green beans or a green salad.

Salmon with Agrodolce Sauce Gourmet | April 2008
Serves 4

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
4 (6-ounce) salmon fillets (1 inch thick) with skin
2 medium red onions (about 1 pound total), each cut into 8 wedges
2/3 cup balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon unsalted butter (I leave this out more often than not...it will enrich your sauce if you do leave it in.)

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until hot. Pat salmon dry and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper, then cook, skin side up, until undersides form a golden crust, 12 to 15 minutes. Turn fish over and cook until just cooked through, about 3 minutes more.

Meanwhile, heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers, then sauté onions until golden brown and crisp-tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in vinegar, sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook until sauce is syrupy, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in butter.
Spoon onions with sauce onto plates and top with salmon, skin side down.

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Zucchini Feta Patties - Delicious Side Dish or Appetizer

I saw this recipe on epicurious.com last year - and was very excited about making them but couldn't because of my dietary restrictions at the time. When I finally went to make it I was completely not disappointed as it is savory, delicious, and totally satisfying.

I did make some alterations to the original recipe as I don't LOVE dill and I didn't even have any on hand, so I substituted tarragon instead. I also think the word "patties" in the recipe make it sound like a not so delectable thing - but for lack of a better word, that's what they are called. This would be a great side dish for roast chicken or even just as a starter to a regular weekday meal. The only minorly tricky part is the grating and salting of the zucchini, but that will take just 10 minutes of your prep time and then you're off and frying your patties. ENJOY!

Zucchini Feta Patties (from epicurious.com)
Makes 18 patties

2 1/2 cups coarsely grated zucchini (from about 3 medium)
1 teaspoon salt, divided
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1/2 cup (or more) all purpose flour
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
1 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped tarragon

1/2 cup (about) olive oil
1/2 cup (about) corn oil

Plain Greek yogurt

Toss zucchini and 1/2 teaspoon salt in large bowl. Let stand 5 minutes. Transfer to sieve. Press out excess liquid; place zucchini in dry bowl. Mix in egg, yolk, 1/2 cup flour, cheese, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Mix in parsley, onions, and tarragon. If batter is very wet, add more flour by spoonfuls.

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil and 2 tablespoons corn oil in large skillet over medium heat. Working in batches, drop batter by rounded tablespoonfuls into skillet. Fry patties until golden, 5 minutes per side, adding more olive oil and corn oil as needed. Transfer to paper towels. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead. Place on baking sheet, cover, and chill. Rewarm uncovered in 350°F oven 12 minutes. Serve with yogurt.

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Mini-Lesson: Korean BBQ Beef Flank Steak - Delicious Make Ahead

For JY who asked all the right questions.

I really like to remind my readers that sometimes a bit of planning ahead makes for a much easier meal a few nights later. I've said it before, that having pre-marinated meat frozen makes cooking on more than a few nights easier. I thought I'd focus on the beef flank steak recipe, only because it is so good, easier than kalbi and bulgogi (in terms of marination and cooking) and can easily be made in bulk for a BBQ or a party, as I did for my son's birthday. After you cook it, it is easily cut into small chunks that can go in bibimbap or you can serve it with steamed cabbage or lettuce as you would bulgogi.

My marinade is pretty traditional, with no sriracha, kiwi or pear - I think the marinade does a great enough job on its own. In Korea they do put in grated pear in a lot of the marinades these days, but I find the fruit additions overly tenderize the meat, and husband really hates mushy meat.

Marinade (for about 3-4lbs of meat - use on bulgogi, kalbi or flank steak) easily doubled

3-4 lbs flank steak (I usually buy a package of two flanks at Costco - which is between 3-4.5 lbs this is enough marinade for that.)

1/2 cup soy
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup sesame oil
1/4 cup sake
2 tablespoons chopped garlic (or more if you like it more garlicky)
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
1 teaspoon black pepper

1 bunch of scallions, washed and rinsed well. (This will be simply added in between the beef later for the final layer of flavor. I used to chop scallions into the marinade, but would end up with too many charred bits of scallion which just wasn't that appetizing. If you have no scallion, feel free to throw in some white onion wedges in with the beef after marinating.)

Set aside scallions and meat. Mix everything else together in a large bowl (marinade ingredients.)

Quickly rinse the meat (this is a Korean thing as my mother always insist that it all needs to be rinsed JUST IN CASE...of what I'm unclear - I do believe in rinsing kalbi for sure because shards of bone often end up on the meat and washing that away is a good thing.)

Lay the flank down on a cutting board. It is a pretty wide flap of meat, and it will be hard to maneuver on the bbq in this form.

Cut in half ALONG the grain - down the center.


TA-DA! Two halves.


Dunk each piece of steak into the marinade, making sure to submerge it and coat all sides of it. (I wear a disposable glove because sesame oil and soy sauce makes your hand smell forever.)


Remove from marinade and place into storage container.


Layer in green onions as you place in the flank. Continue until all flank is marinated. Pour remaining marinade on top.

Marinate at least 8 hours or overnight if possible. I personally have found that a 24 hour soak yields the best flavor. If you are planning to freeze, you can allow it to soak and then portion off what you want into ziploc bags OR immediately put into bags and freeze. Try and put a bit of marinade into each bag when freezing. I generally freeze after I've cooked a batch 0nly because people eat more than I expect them to - and I always end up freezing less than I would have.

You can grill it in the bbq (our family favorite) or broil it in the oven for about 12-15 minutes, depending on your preference for rare, medium or well.

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Scampi Fra Diavolo - Conquering the Fear of Shellfish

I personally have never been all that comfortable cooking shrimp. I always worry about overcooking it, overwhelming the flavor, or just plain overdoing it. Therefore, I've always shied away from doing it. But I did see this recipe in my November 2008 issue of Bon Appetit magazine, and have been intrigued by the idea of it for a while. As daughter #2 is completely in LOVE with shrimp, I also thought it fitting to give it a whirl since I have never made her shrimp at home.

What I discovered is this - shrimp should be on any busy cook's rotation - only because it takes minutes to prepare, it tastes great and just cooks up easily and beautifully. One shouldn't fear it for with a bit of practice, it does come together really easily. This particular shrimp dish is sort of a spicy version of scampi, but it also comes with a delicious shrimpy broth that is great soaked up with crusty bread or served on top of orzo or rice. I tried this as a first course and it was wonderfully filling to the point that no one had room for the second course. (oops.) The red onions, garlic and buttery breadcrumbs all complement the shrimp and make for a really lovely meal.

Scampi Fra Diavolo

3 tablespoons butter, divided
1/3 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
1/2 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley, divided
1 1/4 pounds uncooked large shrimp, peeled, deveined, tails left intact (Costco has, during the "Seafood Road Show" which is usually on the weekends, great non peeled but deveined shrimp which is what I used for this dish.)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 cups thinly sliced red onion
5 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
2/3 cup dry white wine (preferably Sauvignon Blanc)
Lemon wedges

Melt 1 tablespoon butter in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add panko and stir until golden and crisp, about 2 minutes. Transfer to small bowl; mix in 2 tablespoons parsley. Wipe out skillet. Sprinkle shrimp with salt and pepper. Melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter with olive oil in same skillet over high heat. Add red onion and sauté until beginning to soften, about 3 minutes. Stir in garlic and crushed red pepper and sauté 1 minute. Add shrimp and sauté until barely opaque in center, about 1 minute per side. Add white wine and simmer until liquid is slightly thickened and reduced, 2 to 3 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in remaining 6 tablespoons parsley. Transfer to shallow bowl. Sprinkle sautéed panko over and serve with lemon wedge

Serve with crusty bread to soak up juices or over orzo or rice.

Party Food - How to Cook for a Crowd

The tragic hero, by definition, is the hero who essentially is ruined by his own character and therefore suffers a horrible fate. Every tragic hero has that one fatal character flaw which eventually leads to his or her demise.

I know what my fatal character flaw is - and I know that it will eventually lead to my demise, but for whatever reason I can't seem to let go of it and it haunts me and torments me to this day.

My flaw? My close friends and family know this -

I am absolutely obsessed with people liking my cooking and thinking it is the best. If someone eats at someone else's house, I'll ask "Oh - what did you eat? How was it?" I remember the first time husband, back then boyfriend, ate at his friend's girlfriend's house. He came home talking about HER food. I remember seething with jealousy and sheer competitiveness as he described foods which I never made (cocktail links in bbq sauce, phyllo triangles stuffed with feta and basil, stuffed mushrooms with crab - I still remember and it's been almost 15 years) and I kept asking, "Was it good?" to which he unwittingly replied, "Oh my gosh, it was soooo good." Thankfully the chef is now one of my best friends and so the jealousy and competitiveness with her has died as she is a supremely good cook and forever generous with her food. (JEL - love you.) I've definitely mellowed as the years have gone on. I can appreciate other people's food, I enjoy being cooked for, but I still very much worry about how people perceive my food.

That's why planning any major food party for me is a slow torture. It's a chance to showcase what I love to do, but at the same time, in the back of my mind, I relentlessly mull over all the things that could go wrong and how it could damage other people's experience of my food. So the decision to host son's 1st birthday party at home was a very deliberate one, and one that took a lot of careful thought and planning. It also ruled my thoughts for over a month as I thought and worried over the details and the execution of the food.

In reality, the food itself was not difficult - I chose to prepare my winners, thought carefully about how I could do things ahead, had my mother here for extra help, and all in all planned well. We were able to serve 60 people a nice meal, and I did it all for under $500. It is completely manageable to serve for a large crowd if you remember a few key things -

1. Allow yourself two spaces for food preparation - ideally one is the BBQ so it is outside, away from the kitchen and something your husband or friend can do
2. Anything that can be prepared ahead of time and gets better over time is the ideal dish to prepare (marinated meats and potato salad)
3. Chopping vegetables takes up more time that you would expect - so chopping a day in advance before you need them breaks up the labor significantly - and makes the actual cooking the day before and the day of much easier.
4. Do not be afraid to ask for help.

Menu (unfortunately photograph above does not reflect everything as no one remembered to take a picture of the food after it was ALL out...sigh...)

Ginger Soy Barbecue Chicken Thighs
Barbecued Flank Steak
Potato Salad
Asian Salad (recipe below)
Chapchae (will post)
Kimchee - two kinds (no need to make this)
Billy's Vanilla Cupcakes
Chocolate Chip Cookies
Cranberry Oatmeal Toffee Cookies

The moral of all of this is this - anyone can have a nice dinner party at home - you just plan a bit more than you would like - but with some wininng recipes you can certainly do it. You also shouldn't worry about what people are going to think, because generally most folks are just grateful and appreciative that someone has thought to cook for them. (I am still learning this - give me a bit more time.)

Asian Salad

1 (1-lb) head of romaine, torn into bite-size pieces (about 8 cups) (you can also try other lettuces, spring mix, or a mix of romaine and other lettuce)

Dressing
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon Asian sesame oil
1/4 cup vegetable oil

6 cups coarsely shredded cooked chicken (from a 2 1/2-lb rotisserie chicken) (OPTIONAL)
1/2 cup chopped scallions
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted
2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted

Mix all dressing ingredients together. (I like to put it in a jar and shake it up.) Top romaine with chicken (optional). Add scallions, cilantor, almonds and sesame to the top of the salad. Pour dressing over and toss.

Pasta alla Norma (Eggplant Pasta): Easy and Delicious

Some dishes just are complicated for complication sake. Others are complicated because there seems to be too many steps -but can be simplified if you break the components down. One such dish is Pasta Norma, which is essentially a baked pasta dish that uses eggplants, marinara sauce you have around, and delicious mozzarella cheese. Daughters love eggplant and anything with melted cheese and they especially love it when I do my goofy Italian accented "Pasta alla Norma" cry. It's a great dish, all in one, and it is so comforting and satisfying on these cold days.

I read through quite a few recipes, before sort of combining Jamie Oliver's concept with one I found on epicurious.com. Many of the recipes want breading, and a complicated eggplant preparation technique - I decided to favor the simplest preparation of eggplant -cubing, salting, frying, and sprinkling with oregano, a quick toss of cooked with my homemade marinara (which I always have extra frozen in the fridge) and then layering of really delicious burrata (fresh mozarella with a cream center...YUM) on top. The result was magnificent and not that hard to make.

Pasta alla Norma
Serves 6-8

2 pounds eggplant, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 cup olive oil
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 medium onion, chopped
2 1/2 cups marinara sauce (homemade or use 24 to 26 ounce bottled sauce)
1 pound dried rigatoni or penne pasta
1 pound fresh mozzarella, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

Toss eggplant with 2 teaspoon salt in a colander. Drain 30 minutes. Rinse, then squeeze out excess liquid and pat dry.

Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle.

Heat oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Fry eggplant in 3 batches, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 5 minutes per batch. Transfer with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain. Spinkle and toss warm eggplant with dried oregano.

Discard all but 2 tablespoons oil from skillet, then sauté onion with 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper until golden, about 8 minutes. Stir in sauce and eggplant and simmer 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook rigatoni in a pasta pot of boiling salted water (2 tablespoons salt for 6 quart water) until al dente, then drain. (basically cook pasta for 1 minute less than you would normally in order that it doesn't turn into total mush during baking.) Stir together pasta, sauce, and half of mozzarella in pot. Transfer to a 3-quart baking dish and sprinkle with remaining mozzarella. Bake until cheese is melted and golden in spots, about 45 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

**An additional note for those whose family are "sauce lovers" - the tomato sauce does get absorbed into the pasta, so those who like things saucy may complain about the lack of sauce - just have on the side extra marinara sauce.

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Tuna Nicoise Salad Sandwiches: Sophisticated, Substantial and Satisfying

I think sandwiches are a perfect food - and I love eating the wide variety of them in its many shapes and forms - wheat bread, white bread, mayo, no mayo, mustard, relish, garlic sauce, toasted, warm, cold, cheese and turkey. I prefer not all those things at once but the wide range and variety of things that can go in is simply magnificent.

This tuna salad is originally from Martha Stewart and she uses it as a Tuna Nicoise Crostini which is a great appetizer, albeit a bit time consuming. I love the flavors and want to eat them simply for lunch, which is why I transformed it into a sophisticated tuna salad for lunch. The capers, olives, and tarragon simply elevate the dish to an entirely different level.

Tuna Nicoise Salad
(enough for 4-5 sandwiches)

1/2 cup green olives, pitted
4 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and chopped (I put eggs in pot of cold water, bring the pot to a boil, and then remove the pot from heat and let it steep in the hot water for 10 minutes.)
5 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 three-ounce can solid white tuna in oil, drained and broken into small pieces
2 tablespoons capers, drained and chopped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon leaves, plus more for garnish
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Mix mayonnaise, tuna, chopped olives, capers, eggs, and chopped tarragon; stir to combine. Season with pepper. Eat your choice of bread (bagels are also good) and top with arugula, avocado, lettuce, cheese or tomato. Your choice!

Tomato Bell Pepper Corn Sausage Soup: Same Soup, Different Ingredients

I am a huge lover of tomatoes - and my favorite soups are tomato based. You'll notice I've posted four or five soups that are tomato based - and two of my favorites are the Roasted Tomato Soup and the Mexican Roasted Tomato Soup with Corn and Chicken. Both of them start with the same base of oven roasted tomatoes, then end up in a pot with some chicken stock and the correct seasonings.

Being obsessed with tomato soups, I decided to make it again another day, only I didn't have QUITE all the ingredients at my finger tips. Rather than go out and spend money on groceries, I decided to wing the recipe with what I had at home - and came up with the following version - which ended up being pretty tasty. It has a similar flavor profile as the Mexican Tomato Soup, but it is slightly sweeter as the bell peppers play into it. The sausages were a welcome addition for husband and kids who all love sausages, and the garnish of chopped avocado and cilantro was the perfect finish.

The method is similar to what you see in the roasted tomato soup recipe - so the lesson to learn is this - you can take a great recipe as a foundation and then mix things up to make something totally new...and it does taste totally new but still really great.

Tomato Bell Pepper Corn Sausage Soup
1.5 pounds fresh tomatoes (I generally use Roma as I can find them at Costco)
8 cloves garlic, peeled
2 small yellow onions, sliced
2 red or yellow bell peppers, seeded, cored, and cut in half
1 jalapeno, cut in half
1 teaspoon cumin, more if you like that smoky flavor
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 quart chicken stock or turkey stock (again - i use one I find at Costco)
1 16 oz bag of kernel corn
1 cup diced cooked sausage (I used a chicken apple one I found at Costco)
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1 avocado diced
1 lime cut into quarters

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Wash, core and cut the tomatoes into halves. Spread the tomatoes, garlic cloves, onions, bell pepper and jalapeno onto a baking tray. Drizzle with 1/2 cup of olive oil and sprinkle cumin. Season with salt and pepper. Roast for 20 to 30 minutes, or until caramelized.

Remove roasted tomatoes, garlic, onion, bell peppers and jalapeno (CAREFUL this has a lot of spice so add HALF only) from the oven and transfer to a large stock pot. Add 3/4 of the chicken stock. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.

Use an immersion blender to puree the soup until smooth. Return soup to low heat and adjust consistency with remaining chicken stock. (if you like it more watery, add more broth.) Add additional jalapeno if desired and puree if you are adding the extra jalapeno half. (check for the spicy level) Add kernel corn and sausage. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Serve topped with chopped avocados, cilantro, green onions and a lime wedge. Enjoy!

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My first choice in hand blenders - basic, functional and inexpensive.