The Last Snowman in Maine

At least I effin hope so!

We've been in a bit of a dinner rut of late so we decided to shake things up a bit.

The boys helped me make these the other night:

Mini burgers topped with mashed potatoes with corn and strawberry embelishments.


They thought it was pretty cool.

Craving

After college, I was extremely fortunate to travel around South East Asia for several months. I started out in Bangkok and saw a bit of Thailand before heading south to Malaysia, Singapore and finally Indonesia.

All of these countries were amazingly beautiful. The people were so kind and generous. And the food! Oh. My. The food was so incredible.

On a small island off the coast of Lombok, Indonesia I was first introduced to Black Rice Pudding. Often served as breakfast with strong sweet tea, Burbur Injin with coconut cream became and instant favorite. I haven't had it since and there is a craving I can't shake - even more than 20 years later.

I am now officially on a quest to find a source for black glutinous rice and to perfect a recipe. My soul needs it.

Burbur Injin
• 1 cup black glutinous rice
• 3/4 cup white glutinous rice
• 2 pandan leaves (found at Asian markets)
• ¼ tsp sea salt
• 6 cups water
• ¼ cup palm or brown sugar
• 400ml tin coconut cream

Wash the rice thoroughly and soak it in cold water several hours or overnight.

Drain rice and combine with the water in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil stirring occasionally.

Reduce heat to a simmer. Add pandan leaf and cook, partially covered, about 30 minutes or until rice is very tender stirring occasionally.

Add sugar and stir until it dissolves into the rice. Remove pandanus leaf.

Rice may be eaten warm, but is preferable at room temperature or cold.

Serve rice drizzled with coconut cream

Mmm, mmm, good!

The beginning of what would become an absolutely wonderful turkey stew. Yum.

Traditions

My grandmother bought a house on Nantucket before it was cool and expensive. Summer was amazing out there - especially as children with nothing better to do - but the best time to go was Thanksgiving. The weather was usually still mild and the throngs of tourists had long since gone. It was something I looked forward to for most of the year. Sometimes I would fly out - it's a hop, skip and a jump from Boston - but other times I'd take the ferry and soak in the salt air.

When Gaga passed away, we had to sell the house. It was a very, very sad day. Thankfully, the neighbors bought the property and for a few years would rent it to my father for the Thanksgiving holiday. Even though the house was no longer "ours", it remained exactly the same - furnishings and all. It was good to have the family all together at Gaga's.

Of all the usual Thanksgiving traditions - Turkey and all the fixings, Graber Olives, Cribbage tournaments and endless walks on the beach - we usually had a full on lobster feed. When Gaga was still with us, we'd get 3 Lb'ers and split the pieces between us while my grandmother feasted on the bodies alone, quite contented. It was always a happy time.

It's been several years since we've been to Nantucket. It's been harder for us all to get together for the holidays. But my father has a new home this year and new traditions have begun. We were all together this year and it was something quite wonderful. I look forward to making new memories again - as long as some tradtitions never change.

Thanksgiving Redux

The thing that sucks about going away for Thanksgiving?

No leftovers.

Big suck-a-roonie. I miss me some leftovers.

So, thanks to the Post Holiday Wicked Good Sale, I got a 14 pound bird for mere pennies.

We'll be creating our own leftovers this weekend.

14 pound bird + two adults + two kiddos under 5 = Boat load of leftovers!!

Yippee!!!

Harvest Time

Sprouts!!

Mama loves her some fresh sprouts!
You can't make us eat them!!

Cupcakes for Dinner!

Mama, what’s for dinner?

Cupcakes!

Huh?!? We get cupcakes for dinner??!?? We get cupcakes for dinner!!!!


Cupcakes for Dinner

1 lb Ground Beef
½ cup Seasoned Bread Crumbs
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack
3 Tbsp Ketchup
1 Egg
½ Tsp Celery Salt
Pepper

3 Cups Mashed Potatoes
Food Coloring

Heat the oven to 375 degrees.

Line 12 small (or 6 large) muffin tin cups with foil bake cups.

In a large bowl, mix together all of the meat loaf ingredients until well combined. Divide the mixture evenly among the lined cups (the liners should be about three quarters full). Place the filled muffin tins on cookie sheets and bake the cupcakes for about 15 minutes or until cooked through.

If you want to make more than one color of frosting, divide the mashed potatoes among small bowls and stir a few drops of food coloring into each batch. Mix together until it's as smooth as you like. (We like our frosting a bit lumpy!) Spread a generous dollop on each cupcake and serve!

Best Evah Marinade

Now I ain't no Taste and Tell or Pioneer Woman, and I'm definitely not a Noble Pig and I'd never compare to Smitten Kitchen (to name just a few of my favorite food blogs), but I've got a seriously good marinade that's worth sharing.

I use this with sliced flank steak (when I can get it. I couldn't. so I used a sirloin and it was just as good.) on skewers and it's a guaranteed hit at our Thursday BBQ's.

Cast of Characters:

(and of course, the meat...which I forgot to put in the picture. I told you I'm not a pro here!!)

Coat the meat with the cumin and coriander and salt and pepper - Either in a large zip-lock bag or baking dish. Normally I would slice my steak first, but this time I tried it in one piece. Rub the spices in to the meat and set aside.

Now put the remaining ingredients into a food processor

and pulse until combined.
Pour mixture over meat and let marinate for at least an hour. Grill to perfection (you'll have to ask Daddy-O for details there, I'm notorious for over cooking on the grill.)

This is a simple crowd pleaser and even my kids will eat it! (BONUS!!)

I hope you enjoy!

Ingredients:
1 lb. Flank steak
1/2 tsp. cumin
1 tsp coriander
1 medium onion
1 clove garlic (or more if you're like me)
2 Tbsp. tamarind paste
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
2 Tbsp. brown sugar