Reading Terminal Market

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Wednesday was Victor's birthday. We decided to take a trek into the city and play. We just don't get down there enough - and there really is so much to do! One of our most favorite places in the city is Reading Terminal Market. The market has been there since well before the turn of the LAST century. The place is great! And huge! 78,000 square feet of food! Definitely my kind of place!

From its inception, it has been a mecca for Philadelphians and tourists alike. It has survived depressions and redevelopment. It stays on top of food trends, yet stays loyal to fresh, honest food.

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It is a maze of aisles and stands, food stallls where freshly prepared foods compete with produce, cheeses and fresh meats, poultry and seafood. It's a gastronomic delight. A feast for the senses. I rather like the place a lot!

It's a place where every conceivable food is available in one place, from Asian to Middle Eastern, local Amish to Imported Italian. Coffee roasted on premise. The scents overwhelm the senses. The colors, the sounds. The crowds... Yes, it is a busy place!

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We resisted the urge to just buy everything in sight! Having just stocked the larder, we weren't in dire need of anything, but I did want coffee. A pound of Vienna roast Sumatra (fabulous!!) and a pound of "San Francisco Blend" (so-so) were the first purchases.

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We meandered through the cavernous hall, looking at this, commenting on that. It was a great way to while away the afternoon...

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We then headed to the back of the hall where there's a seating area and an old upright piano. A woman was playing a pretty rough rendition of "The Blue Danube." Okay... REALLY rough! It only added to the charm.

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Methinks my Wednesday shopping trip is going to be back into the city. And I can take the train right in!


Clogged Drain

Yesterday, Victor's mom noticed some water on the floor by the 'fridge. I brushed it aside, saying it was probably just an ice cube. Today, the water was back - and we hadn't gotten any ice cubes! Oh no. A clogged drain!

I took off the grill at the bottom of the 'fridge, and noticed it hadn't been cleaned very well, lately. Let's see... We moved in here 5 years ago, the 'fridge was delivered May 6, 2001... Okay, I haven't cleaned the grill since - never.

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Out came the vaccuum cleaner to start the process... And then out came the repair manual to see what and where things were located. (Okay, I may not clean under my 'fridge very often, but I have EVERY repair manual for every product I have ever bought. Neatly organized and categorized.) I mean, I can't be a fanatic about everything!

The manual was extremely helpful! The first thing it did was tell me where the drain was located. And then it gave the most marvelous tip! Hot water - not boiling - mixed with some baking soda, and a turkey baster! Yes, boys and girls, a turkey baster! Fill it with the water, put it in the drain hole, and squirt!

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VOILA! In mere seconds, the drain was running clear! There was ice build-up on the very bottom, so a bit of the same water and baking soda cleared that up, as well. Then, as long as I was in there, I pulled out ALL the baskets, cleaned them, the runners, the walls... and put everything neatly back. Surprisingly, there weren't any freezer-burned-science-experiments in there! I do work the food in-and-out pretty well, and about once a month, I don't buy any groceries and just work out of the freezer for a few days. (See?!? I really can utilize systems!)

What was interesting, was the manual stated you should do this during your "yearly cleaning." Yearly cleaning..... Riiiiiiiiight.....

I suppose at some point I'm going to have to get on a schedule.

In the meantime, the freezer and fridge are all cleaned out - top to bottom, inside and out. I have a year to think about this.....


Grilled Fish

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It's Spring, it's warm outside, it's time for eating a bit lighter! With temps hitting the high 70's yesterday, it was obviously another "grill dinner." I love grilled foods - and one can grill just about anything! The grill is still looking good from the major cleaning I gave it the other day, too! (Who knows, if I play my cards right and actually CLEAN it on a regular basis... well... no promises...)

ANYWAY..... Into the freezer I went to see what delectable delights awaited me. I was greeted with the usual array of chicken, beef, pork - and a great-looking piece of red snapper. Dinner solved.

I did a 'counter-thaw.' You know, the kind everyone warns against. (I am such a rebel!) and then squeezed a lemon on top and sprinkled with a bit of dill. Onto the hot grill, skin side down. It cooked fairly quick for a fairly thick piece of fish. During the last few seconds, I flipped it over to get a bit of grill marking on the flesh.

It was really quick and easy! I grilled up some red potateoes in the grill basket (added olive oil, garlic, S&P) and had steamed broccoli on the side. Added a piece of grilled garlic bread, and voila! Dinner!

Simplicity of flavors, here. Nothing over-powering, nothing complicated. No 450 ingredients/exotic herbs and spices only available by special order from Madagascar..... Simple additions to let the natural flavors of the food come through.

That's not to say that I don't or won't do those 450 ingredient dishes - I definitely do! But ofttimes the best cooking is simple cooking. And simple cooking doesn't have to equate boring cooking.

Tonight is chicken breast of some sort. (Thawing properly in the fridge, 'cuz I thought about it yesterday!) Hmmm... maybe Mexican.....


Egg Coloring 101

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Egg coloring is fun. And while you may not need a couple of kids in the house to color eggs... It helps!

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Tradition since we moved back east is to have the kids over to color eggs the night before Easter. We get a few pizzas and settle in for a couple of hours of mess-making. Egg kits have changed little over the years... Oh... there's Star Wars kits, car-making kits, and every other theme one can imagine, but the basic is still there - color disks, the smell of vinegar, and the box that has the punch-out back to hold the eggs. I feel like Tevye singing "Tradition."

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'Tis the Season to Eat Eggs...

Tonight is our annual 'Easter Egg Coloring' gala. Okay, 'gala' may be too strong of a word, but the Saturday before Easter, Victor's family comes over and we all color eggs, eat pizza, and generally make a mess and have fun. In theory, it's for the little kids. In reality, the adults enjoy it even more.

There's 40 hard cooked eggs in the 'fridge, and a couple dozen more uncooked. Easter Pies are made, so what to do with all those extra eggs? A breakfast frittata, of course!

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We usually just have our cereal in the mornings, so a hot, cooked, Saturday breakfast is always a treat.

I crumbled up some Italian sausage and cooked it with some asparagus and a small onion. Mixed up the eggs with a bit of S&P and garlic powder. Into the pan, topped with cheese, and into a hot oven. Minutes later we were sitting down to a great breakfast - with toast and jelly on the side.

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Now... what to do with 40 hard cooked eggs.....


Easter Pie

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It ain't Easter without Uncle Rudy's Easter Pie! While I was slaving away at work today, Victor was busy making these! They are the best!!!

Here's the recipe.

Uncle Rudy's Easter Pie

Rudy Rinaldi

This makes 2 pies.

    • 3 Lb Ricotta
    • 8 eggs
    • 1/2 c. grated cheese - whatever your favorite is.
    • Note: All meat should be DICED/CUBED - small
  • 1/2 lb Ham - sliced about 1/4 inch thick
  • 1/4 lb prosciutto - sliced thin
  • 1/4 lb pepperoni - sliced thin

To Taste:

  • Garlic Powder
  • Pepper
  • Italian Seasoning
  • Parsley

Place pie crust in plate - fill with the mixture and cover with second crust
Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes to 1 hour - the crust should be nice and golden.


Spring Cleaning

I cleaned the grill today. It's not as if it really needed it, or anything. I mean, we only bought it 4 years ago... I always clean the grills, but I haven't ventured inside since I put it together. It was pretty skanky in there. Out came the shop vac, which captured most of the crud. I soaked the grills and the briquettes, cleaned the burners... Put it all back together and it's almost like brand-new! I then got industrious and washed the truck. It had probably been a year since that was cleaned, too. Something about a beautiful Spring day that had me yearning to be outdoors, instead of in front of the computer where I can usually be found...

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Before starting my cleaning chores, though, I started marinating tonight's dinner. Another salad, of course. This time, with grilled chicken and grilled vegetables.

I cut up 2 chicken breasts, and put them in a ziplock with chopped lemongrass, basil, cilantro, rice wine, soy sauce, garlic, green onion, a splash of grapeseed oil, chili paste (sambal oelek) and black pepper. Into the 'fridge it went. I turned it a couple of times - whenever I went to get a seltzer water. (No coca-cola for this kid!)

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With a clean grill awaitin' me, I chopped up some celery, carrots, broccoli, red pepper, mushrooms, cilantro, and basil and did a quick marinade of rice wine, soy sauce, grapeseed oil, and garlic.

What a difference cooking with a cleaned out grill! If I had half a brain, I'd clean that thing a bit more often! (Don't anyone hold their breath...)

Everything cooked up great. The sun was shining... The smoke and smells were wafting through the neighborhood... A picture-perfect 78 degree day. Everything came off the grill, and back inside to put it all together...

Mixed greens, the aforementioned veggies, a sprinkling of raspberries and blackberries - because I had them - the chicken, and a simple dressing of olive oil, rice wine vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, S&P.

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It just doesn't get any better than this.....


Let the Salads Begin!

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It's that time of year... My body has been screaming for salads for a few weeks, now. The weather starts turning warm, and I start craving fresh produce. LOTS of fresh produce. It's in my genetic code.

When the weather cools (or gets downright freezing!) soups, stews, and casseroles are what I want. Hearty 'stick-to-the-rib' sort of stuff, but when there's sunshine outside?!? Salad. Big, full-of-flavor-and-texture salad.

I made my weekly trek to the produce market yesterday and found lots of fun food. Little min-eggplants that had my name on them. Broccoli rabe, red and green peppers at an incredible (compared to the grocery store) price, asparagus, mushrooms, avocados, tomatoes, several lettuces, lemongrass, basil, raspberries, blackberries, plums.....

When creating a dinner salad, my only rule is that there are no rules! I really do like to mix flavors and textures, sweet with savory. I love the contrast with a sweet, juicy berry and a tangy vinegar. Or the softness of an avocado with the crunch of a carrot. And grilled veggies?!? I'm in gastronomic heaven!

We received a grill basket a few years ago from friends as a Christmas gift, and I've been putting it to use ever since. I chop up any melange of vegetables, coat with a bit of olive oil and 'whatever' - depends on what flavor theme I'm heading for - and onto the barbie...

Since we're also carnivores, flank steak, London broil, chicken breasts, pork tenderloins - all of them are fair game for the grill - and the salad. Sometimes they go on the grill with little more than salt and pepper. More often, it's a marinade of some sort that sets the theme of the salad.

Last night was a London broil with balsamic, olive oil, garlic, and herbs. I repeated the same basic marinade with the veggies. Onto the grill they went.

The final salad consisted of spring mix lettuce, green peppers, avocado, tomato, cute little grilled eggplant, broccoli, asparagus, raspberries and blackberries - and the london broil. The dressing was something Victor whipped up (he is king of salad dressings!) It was balsamic and olive oil based. We never -ever- buy premade salad dressings. I don't care how "natural" the ingredients are on the label. They're just too easy to make. Plus, it leaves room in the 'fridge for all those other fun things we like!

With that lemongrass in the 'fridge and some fresh Murray's chicken, I think I'm going to go "Thai" tonight.....


The Chicken That Keeps On Giving...

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Oh, the weather outside is frightful... heck, it's COLD outside! Cold means casserole. Casserole means using up what's in the house. In the house is half a roasted chicken! Dinner solved.

This really was an easy one tonight. I pulled off all the chicken from the carcass and set it aside. The carcass went into a pot with the leftover gravy, chicken broth, and some water. I let it simmer for a while whilst I got my hair cut. I'm king of multi-tasking!

Hair cut, showered, and ready to head back into the kitchen... ! strained the broth, added the chicken, some frozen mixed vegetables and heated. Cooked a package of Organic Sprouted Wheat Papparrdelle Pasta, drained and added to the pot.

Into the casserole dish, topped with buttered bread crumbs, and into a 375 degree oven. I could have put it into a lower temp oven, but it was cold outside. 30 minutes later it was dinner!

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Rumor has it we're supposed to start getting warmer weather. I sure hope so. In the meantime, though, casseroles are the best way to get through those bone-chilling days!

(I must admit, though, my waistline is looking forward to a few months of salads!)


Open The Windows!

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Do not try this on a cold day - or any day you have to open every window in the house! The final product was soooooo good, but it looked like the house was afire for a while!

What could make the house smoke so much? Well, it certainly wasn't a dirty oven. I cleaned the oven last night - which meant I had to put something in it, today!

Shopping day, yesterday, found me with a couple of my favorite chickens. Murray's. From birth in the scenic Amish countryside, Murray's All Natural Chickens are raised without use of any antibiotics, growth stimulants, pesticides, and hormones. Our chickens are raised over eight weeks in a natural environment that allows our chickens to roam freely in wide open spaces. Murray's Antibiotic Free Chickens are grown in the Blue Mountains in the tranquil Amish countryside of Pennsylvania. Murray's birds eat well, (strictly veggie diet, no antibiotics, no hormones, no growth drugs) and have considerably more space to stretch their wings. In fact their homes are more like avian spas: food and water flow freely and the chickens lounge around as they please. As we say at the farm "the happier the Murray's Chickens are, the better they taste."

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Okay, enough of the advert. They ARE great tasting chickens, though!

At their website, I saw a link for recipes, which led me to tonight's Great American Smoke-Out!

The recipe I found is for Salt Baked Chickens with Spring Vegetable and Mushroom Ragout. Now, I wasn't in the mood for 1) cooking 4 chickens, and 2) having vegetable ragout tonight, but the chicken recipe itself intrigued me. I've done some salt-rubbed dishes in the past, but none with chicken. And I just happened to have the fleur de sel!

Salt Baked Chickens

  • 1/2 cup fleur de sel, to coat
  • 1/4 cup coarse ground black pepper, to coat
  • 4 free range chickens (4 to 6 pounds each)
  • 1 cup canola oil

Preheat oven to 550 degrees. Mix together the salt and pepper. Rub chicken with oil inside and out, then liberally coat with salt mix. Place chicken, breast-side up, in the oven and cook for about 25 minutes, or until golden brown. The chicken may have to be rotated for even coloring. When chicken is fully browned turn the oven down to 300 degrees. Cover with foil to prevent burning. Chicken will take another 35 to 45 minutes. Chicken is done when one can move the wing back and forth with great ease. Another test is piercing between the thigh and breast and the juices should run clear. Allow chicken to rest for 10 minutes before serving.

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The finished product was moist, tender, and perfectly cooked! One of the best roasted chickens I've had in quite a while! Since I eschewed the Vegetable Ragout, I had to have other side dishes, right?!? I mean, chicken is good, but a MEAL requires more! 2 potatoes, boiled and mashed with their skins still on, with butter and sour cream. A simple pan gravy, and steamed broccoli finished it off.

And the great thing about it is - there's leftovers!!!


Baby it's coooold outside!

Okay. Someone tell Mother Nature that the calendar says April, not January! The sight of white stuff falling from the sky this morning made me rethink BBQ. Mere days ago it was salad weather. Today?!? Something more substantial. I'll grill outside in just about any weather, but today made me think I wanted something that would warm up the house, as well as my tummy!

There was beef stew meat in the freezer, so out it came. Stew is a great cold-weather friend!

I've mentioned before that I sometimes have a wee bit of a problem cooking for a mere two people, so today I actually made a concerted effort to keep the volume under control. I staretd out with about a half pound of stew meat and a small pot.

I browned the beef with half an onion, some garlic, and a handful of sliced mushrooms. I then added about a half-cup of red wine, a qt of beef broth, and some tomato powder. I left it to simmer, uncovered..... About an hour later, I had a rich, rich broth, tender meat, and succulent smells wafting through the house! It had cooked down considerably, and the flavors were really concentrated. Yum.

I added one potato, unpeeled and cut, 3 carrots, also unpeeled and cut, and 2 ribs of celery. I needed more broth. There wasn't going to be enough gravy! Another 2 cups of broth into the pot..... My little stew was growing. How, I don't know. I really did try to make "one" meal. I really did!

Shaking my head, I left it to simmer while I made the biscuit topping.....

2 cups of  baking mix, 1 egg, 2 tbsp butter, dill, garlic, and milk. Mixed well.

I thickened the stew with a butter-flour roux and poured it into a casserole. A large casserole. A casserole for a family with teenagers. I scooped the biscuit topping on, and into a 425° oven for about 30 minutes.

The biscuit topping was light as a feather (adding the egg really helps!) and everything else just plain old yummy! We both ate hearty helpings - and resisted going back for seconds!

And... we have a hot lunch for tomorrow!