one bourbon

Derby day is fast approaching. This means women in Kentucky will start looking for silly hats, horse gamblers will start speculating on their bets, and the rest of us will celebrate by finding a reason to kick back a few bourbon drinks. (Well, maybe not this pregnant lady, but some people will.) And sure you can have your traditional mint julep while you admire the bluegrass and thoroughbreds, but may I make a suggestion for you meat eaters out there - have your whiskey and eat it too.

Sound too good to be true? Well, I marinated a super sized steak for the carnivore recently with a recipe I found (and tweaked a bit) in Weber's Real Grilling , also known as my husband's favorite cookbook, called Bourbon-Barbecued Rib-Eye. He happily grilled and devoured it once I had it prepped. Here is what you will need for your own whiskey soaked slab of meat:

for the marinade:                                                   the rest:
1/4 cup of bourbon                                                1 thick bone-in rib-eye
2 tblsp of ketchup                                                  1 tblsp of olive oil
1 tblsp olive oil                                                       1 tsp of paprika
1 tblsp of soy sauce                                                salt and pepper
2 minced garlic cloves                                          chopped parsley
several dashes of tabasco sauce
a bit of salt and pepper

Simply mix the marinade in a medium sized bowl then pour it in a resealable bag. Place the steak in the same bag. Remove any air and toss it around until well coated. Place the bag on a plate and refrigerate for about two hours, turning every now and again. Allow the steak to stand at room temperature for about 20 minutes while you heat up grill. Remove the meat from the bag and discard the marinade. Pat the steak dry. Brush it with oil on both sides. In small bowl mix together the paprika, salt and pepper. Press the seasonings into both sides of meat. Then give the steak to your carnivore to grill over direct high heat until desired doneness, 8-10 minutes for medium rare, turning only once. Transfer it to plate and let it rest for about 5 minutes before cutting. Garnish with parsley and serve while warm.

Hey, it might not be your traditional way to enjoy the derby, but I guarantee your carnivore will enjoy it more than a sweet drink from a silver cup or a silly hat.

stove top

I used to have this awful stove. It had one big burner, one small burner, and a grill on the other half. People who saw it would say, "Oh that's so great - you can grill indoors." That's not great. That's the only cooking I get my carnivore to do. And it gets him out of the kitchen too. Plus, whenever I wanted to cook more than two things at once, I had to heat up an entire side of the stove. This meant I could put two things on that side, but they had to be cooked at the same temperature or I could put one thing on that side and let the flames heat up the house. It was terrible. Then one year, after much complaining on my part, my loving carnivore caved and upgraded me to a brand new stove. I love it! Its not anything super fancy, but it has four burners. And, when I cook up a recipe like this one, I delight in lighting each one up!

I start by boiling a big pot of salted water on my largest burner. Once it is ready I add in a box of whole wheat penne. On another, I saute some thickly sliced baby bella mushrooms and broccoli crowns over medium low heat in olive oil. On a back burner I put diced ham and 1/2 cup of peas on low. Then I take out a small sauce pan and make a light alfredo from a mix according to the directions. When everything is done, I drain the pasta and toss it with the sauce. I then divide the creamy coated tubes into two large bowls. In one bowl I mix in the veggies, then the ham and peas in another. When everything is well coated I add some salt and pepper to each. Usually the carnivore and I top our dishes with grated parmesan too.

It may sound like I have a lot going on, or look like it if you ever saw my stove in action on a night like this, but I assure you - there is nothing I love more than having a stove that can make it happen.

impatient

Its almost that time of year when tomatoes are at their peak. But, since I am not the most patient person, I had to have my favorite summer staple a bit early. Besides, these vine ripened beauties I found at my local produce market didn't look too shabby even if it is still spring. But, just to be safe I decided to make my own stuffed tomatoes. I mean everything is good when stuffed with cheese, right?

I started by washing the red ladies and then removing the stems. Next I carved out their insides and used a small spoon to scoop out any remaining seeds and juice. I then diced up some fresh mozzarella. I place one small piece in the center of each. Next I created the stuffing by mixing together about 1/2 cup of seasoned bread crumbs, an egg, a tablespoon basil from a tube, and kosher salt and ground pepper until I had a gooey but firm consistency. I then spoon a bit of the stuffing into each tomato. Finally, I topped them with a bit more fresh cheese, salt and pepper.

I then bake these guys uncovered in an oven at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes. I watched for the cheese to get browned and bubbly and the tomatoes to wilt a bit. That way I knew they were cooked all the way through. If your cheese isn't browning, remember you can always turn on the broiler for a few minutes at the end.


The result was mouthwatering. The sweet tomatoes contrasted nicely with the mild cheese and strong basil. It was like a warmed inslata caprese in an adorable package. As the tomatoes I got were fairly small, I got to indulge in two. Besides, I am too impatient to wait on leftovers too.

menu ideas:

When I had these for my main course, the carnivore had beer soaked chicken thighs. We each also had fried okra and grilled corn. This means I cooked half (tomatoes and okra), while he cooked the rest (chicken and corn). A perfect meal for sitting on the patio!

afternoon delight

With baby number two on the way, I have been snacking more than I am used to. I am also having to come up with new snacks to satisfy my ever changing cravings that inevitably pop up mid-afternoon. My most recent creation was this sinful strawberry toast.

Simply toast a piece of dark pumpernickel bread and smear it with creamy goat cheese. Clean, hull and dice a couple of juicy red strawberries and add them on top. Next chop a handful of pecans and sprinkle them over the toast. Then squeeze organic honey back and forth across the toast like syrup. Finally, tear a few mint leaves up and toss them in the sticky honey.

You may need a fork for this one. The tart berries and bright mint mix well with the smooth cheese and sweet honey. The nuts and dark bread ground the whole concoction. Plus, I got lots of good vitamin C, omega-3s, calcium, and fiber for me and baby. It really is was a delight.

the deep end

I'll be honest, until I was with the carnivore my idea of deep dish pizza was thick crust delivery from a national chain that rhymes with Lizza Slut. He, however, being from fine Chicago stock was well versed in the pizza world's bulkiest family member. We actually still have pizzas from his favorite place in the Windy City shipped south to us every now and again. And while this recipe cannot come close to the magical mouthwatering mega pizza that Lou Malnati produces, it will do in a pinch. I happened across a similar recipe in a recent Real Simple and adjusted it for me and my guy.

 

To make one meateater and one vegetarian pizza you will need:

2 Pillsbury pizza dough tubes

A dusting of cornmeal

4 cups of mozzarella, shredded

2 14.5oz cans of diced tomatoes, drained

fresh Italian herbs (oregano, basil, etc.)

A drizzle of olive oil

1 package of thinly slice pepperoni

1/2 cup of mixed pitted olives

Start by preheating your oven to 400 degrees. Coat two 9 inch cake pans with non-stick spray. (I haven't tried this yet, but spring form pans might make removal at the end even easier.) Dust each with cornmeal. Press one tube of dough into each pan. Make sure to cover both the bottom and sides. Also, make sure the center isn't too thick. Top each with 2 cups of mozzarella. On the meaty one add a layer of pepperoni. Then on both add the tomatoes, herbs, and oil. Add the rest of the cheese to each. Then top again with pepperoni on one and olives on the other. Bake until the cheese is bubbly and golden brown, about 35 minutes. (You may want to put the cake pans on a baking sheet lined with foil just to make sure there is no cheese bubbling over in your oven.)

The carnivore and I ate on these hefty babies for days. And, they were really easy to prepare. I have other ideas for toppings on deck - sweet Italian sausage for him and spinach and feta for me. What toppings will you try when you go off the deep end?

hooked

I married a good Catholic boy...well, I married a Catholic boy...okay, I married a guy who was raised Catholic when he was a boy. You get the idea. Anyway, there are some things he still holds onto from his youth - like fish on Fridays during Lent. As a girl who was raised Southern Baptist, let's just say for the first several years of our marriage I forgot this rule over and over again. I have gotten much better this year. It helps that the carnivore occasionally goes to the grocery store with me and makes suggestions, like "How bout I have fish burgers on Friday?" Umm, okay by me, I nod/shrug. He tosses the frozen patties into the cart and I start to think, "Now, what am I gonna eat?"

Well, let's just say I came up with something much better than a frozen fish patty. I took a large portabella mushroom and scrubbed it clean and removed the gills. I then placed it in a baking dish upside down. I added in a splash of balsamic vinaigrette. I then sliced a few cherry tomatoes thinly and layered them in the cap. Next I generously crumbled herb infused goat cheese over the tomatoes. Finally, I added slices of a crisp red pepper. I placed this masterpiece in the oven on a low broil until the cheese was melted and bubbly and the peppers began to char, about ten minutes. Once the marvelous mushroom was ready I added it to a toasted and buttered whole wheat sesame bun. I topped it with fresh basil leaves torn into large strips.

The result was juicy, filling, and complex. The creamy cheese, the spicy basil, the bright tomatoes, and the crunchy peppers were quite a mouthful. I think I might be hooked on these fish on Fridays thing after all. (Get it? Hooked? Couldn't help it.)

menu ideas:
I served both burgers with slices of watermelon. The carnivore had tots and I had sweet potato fries. He is just like that...what can I say? At least baby omnivore likes orange taters.

hot potato

It is that time of year again - Spring! The dogwood is blooming, the azaleas have just popped with bursts of red and pink, and wisteria is scenting the backyard breezes. The kids next door are alternating playing on their swing set and riding their bikes every afternoon. And baby omnivore and I are taking daily walks around the neighborhood listening to the birds sing to each other. It is such a nice break after winter.

The carnivore has two rituals this time of year too. First, he goes nuts clearing our yard. It must be the male version of spring cleaning. And, secondly, he breaks out the grill - as often as I ask - which is often. I love the charred taste of just about anything. Plus, it helps get me out of the kitchen and onto the back porch where I can get a little sun and properly supervise supper preparations.

Just this weekend I had him cook our entire lunch on the grill. We start with your standard hotdogs. His real, mine not. Then we added something new to our repertoire. Instead of the usual french fries that would require heating up the oven and thus my house - we grilled our potatoes. I just took a couple of large red potatoes, cleaned them and sliced them in half. I then placed them in a large plastic bag with some olive oil, kosher salt, fresh ground pepper, and a few springs of rosemary from our revived herb garden. I swished everything around til all sides were well coated and left them there to soak while the carnivore heated up the grill. The carnivore cooked them on direct heat for about 20 minutes, turning every five, until the skins were crisp and the insides were soft. They were a bit dry and coulda probably been improved upon by a simple drizzle of olive oil at the end, but all in all were quite tasty.

Oh, and to finish things off we had some grilled pineapple for dessert - yum! So celebrate Spring by seeing if you can't con your grillmaster into cooking your entire lunch for you. (P.S. If you are wondering those are the fake dogs in the pic above.)

a couple of cobblers

Well, the carnivore and I have a bit of news... we're going to be adding another baby omnivore to the family! And while, the little guy or girl won't make a debut til late September, the effects are already being seen in our household. See, since I am still nursing baby #1 (just for a few more weeks), I am now eating for three! As such, my doctor's exact orders were "to eat like a trucker." Not a problem! For once in my life, I am actually getting to indulge in heavy caloric foods without any guilt.

This is how cobbler week happened. Since, I am craving spring foods, but they just aren't here yet, this was a good compromise. I just used frozen organic fruit. That way I got the taste of the fresh fruit without having to wait a few more months for my local farmers' markets to have the real thing.

Cobbler always makes me think about my great grandmother. She would give me a little red bucket to fill up with busting blackberries from the side of her small farm. They were right between the plum tree and the crab apples. She always left me with the warning - "Don't pick the red ones, and watch out for snakes!" I think I spent more time looking at my feet worried a cotton mouth might attack at any second than I did at the prickly bushes. When I returned, safe and sound, bucket brimming with sweet berries and purple stained fingers, my reward was a freshly made cobbler. She always told me it was super simple - a cup of this, a cup of that. And you know what? She was right!

I found this Betty Crocker recipe online (because alas the family recipe has been lost) and adjusted it to make both a triple berry cobbler and a peach one. (You can't have too many cobblers, right?) They might not have been as good as my great-grandmothers, but they were plenty tasty. And, for a few hours I was stuffed, which is no small feat these days I assure you!

can't we all just get along

As I have told you all many times before, when the carnivore and I first started dating a hundred years ago, we did not know how to make dinner work every night. So, our solution - eat out - a lot! Now, as this blog is proof of, you can certainly make meals for both vegetarians and carnivores work without much hassle at home, we do still indulge in the occasional night on the town (that is when we can con the grandparents into watching the baby).

But, as we have navigated the restaurant waters for years there are a few pieces of advice I wanted to share with you on eating together too. These are things that may or may not be obvious. Let's dive in:


1) Mexican and Italian are great, seafood places not so much. Asian is also good. In fact, most ethnic foods are an excellent choice. The carnivore can scarf down carnitas, while the veghead can eat cheese enchiladas. Or he can have spaghetti and meatballs while you get fettucine alfredo. You catch my drift. These places have lots of options for all kinds of diets. However, for some reason seafood places just don't. There are sides for sure - but who wants a dinner of hush puppies and slaw? Just steer clear - trust me.

2) Don't be scared of the steakhouse. I know it sounds nuts, but I love going to steakhouses with the carnivore, and vice versa. He gets his meat on, while I stuff myself with rich sides and huge salads. Oh, and the fancy cocktails are fun too. We actually ring in the new year every year this way. The carnivore also likes that I am a relatively cheap date. (Same holds true at hibachi places by the way.)

3) Ask how they make things / what is in it. Don't assume, especially in the South that your veggies will be meat free. Ask the waiter if the salad comes with bacon bits. Ask if the soup if chicken broth based. Ask is your green beans were sauteed in ham hock. Just ask. It is better to know before the dish arrives at your table and you have to send it back. Or worse - you get a belly ache from unknown meat products.


4) Look at the menu before you go if you can. The carnivore is really good at doing this for me. I actually think its really sweet. And almost everywhere has a menu online these days. You can even find apps on your phone that will let you know if there are a few veg-friendly dishes. So use these tools!


5) Be specific in what you order. My carnivore is always asking for veggies to be left out, while I am always asking for the meat to be removed. We often make a joke with our waitress - "no veggies / all meat for him, please, and all veggies / no meat for me!" Make it as easy on them as you can, but be specific. Tell them you are a vegetarian. Really, they don't want to get your order wrong any more then you want a plate piled with high with meat you can't eat.


6) Go local when you can. They are more likely to accommodate special orders. The carnivore and I love finding new local joints for several reasons. We like supporting our small businesses. We love when they use fresh and local produce. And best of all, they are really wonderful at accommodating diet restrictions. Unlike large chains, even when something isn't on the menu, their chefs are always happy to switch something out or change something around for our tastes.

7) Its okay to just order sides, but don't expect us to live on baked potatoes and salads alone. Look, let's face it, sometimes us vegetarians are going to be stuck ordering sides. Its just a fact of life. And one, we really don't mind most of the time. Just don't take us to several places in a row where we have very few options. Its just not fun - or fair - or even necessary with all the great options out there these days.


8) Finally, don't read every vegetarian thing on the menu aloud. I know you are just trying to be helpful, but the truth is - we can read - and make decisions on what we want to eat. This is a personal pet peeve of mine. It never fails that when I go out with a group someone, usually a well intentioned person, tries to help me scour the menu for things I can eat. Truthfully, I am better at this than most meateters so I don't need the help. Also, we don't read all the meat dishes to you. Its kinda condescending - like how you might mention to a kid that they have hot dogs on a menu. So, just let us figure it out - please!


Hope these tips helps!

P.S. Please forgive the quality of this photo. It was taken with my iPhone on our last date night.