Archive for February, 2008

February 26, 2008 | Filed under: Grrr...arrgh., NYC, city mouse, misadventures

If you own a car in New York City, you know all about alternate side of the street parking and how it can take over your life.

If you don’t, then here’s a quick lesson!

“Fortune” by Great Big Sea

courtesy of the Podsafe Music Network 

February 20, 2008 | Filed under: NYC, city mouse, misadventures

Hey, I didn’t make the rules. But someone has to maintain order.

Follow the rules.

February 11, 2008 | Filed under: good eatin'

I love food. I love eating. I love cooking. I hate eggplant.

While in Istanbul I discovered something extraordinary: I love eggplant.

I’ve been testing several different eggplant recipes over the last couple of weeks and last night realized that I had forgotten the most obvious one, eggplant parmagiana. I love chicken parmagiana, so I figured I’d love the eggplant version, too.

But it just didn’t seem like enough; just eggplant tomato sauce and cheese? That’s it? Seemed sort of boring. Seemed like there wasn’t enough food in that food. I wanted to add another layer, but what? I have to admit that ‘chicken’ came to mind.

Then it hit me like a ton of bricks. What’s that other vegetable that’s fabulous breaded and fried? Oh, yes.

Talk about obvious.

SOUTHERN FRIED PARM

1 medium sized eggplant, partially peeled in wide stripes, sliced 1/2″ thick

1 big green tomato sliced the same size as the eggplant

2 or 3 eggs well mixed in a bowl

flour with a little black pepper

bread crumbs + crushed Pepperidge Farm Stuffing + some parmesan cheese, too

oil for frying (or, a cookie sheet for baking if you’re not into frying, which is crazy, by the way)

the tomato sauce of your choice. I used a whole large jar of Classico Caramelized Onion & Roasted Garlic flavored sauce

more parmesan cheese — grate it fresh if you’ve got it

mozz

1. sprinkle eggplant slices very lightly with salt and set in a colander for 15 minutes.

2. to spare yourself more dirty dishes and, roll down the sides of a clean plastic grocery bag till it lays reasonably flat. Put the flour on the left and the breadcrumb mixture on the right. I like panko, but it really doesn’t hold up to all that time under sauce in the oven. I use Italian seasoned breadcrumbs mixed with some stuffing mix for extra crunch. The cheese is a bonus. Flour both sides of the slices, shake ‘em, then dip in egg, let the excess drip off, then dip it in the crumbs. Set aside on waxed paper or a rack. This process takes longer than you think. Mid-way through, heat up your frying oil.

3. Repeat with the tomato slices.

4. Test the oil with a small eggy bread crumb ball. If it sizzles in a lively happy way, then fry your eggplant slices in batches, followed by your tomato slices, about 3 minutes on a side for each. Don’t crowd them or the temperature of your oil will drop too far. Set slices aside on a rack as you go (NOT a paper towel! It’ll get all greasy, soggy and steamed!). Halfway through the frying, pre-heat your oven to 400F.

4. Put a little sauce in the bottom of a glass baking dish big enough to hold all the slices. I used a 3″ deep round one. Add a layer of eggplant, a sprinkle of parm and then a more sauce. Top with a layer of fried tomato, parm and sauce etc, till you end up with one last layer of eggplant. Top with remaining sauce and top THAT with shredded mozz. Use good mozz, if you can. I used lame generic shredded 2% mozz, which was fine, but the dish would have really benefited from decent cheese.

5. Bake till cheese is bubbly and lightly browned.

6. Let stand a couple of minutes, then serve with pasta tossed lightly with olive oil, or rice, or orzo, or whatever you want!

Serves 2 with seconds and leftovers for lunch, or four with no seconds and no leftovers.

February 4, 2008 | Filed under: misadventures

I was one of those lucky ducks who grew up with none of her wisdom teeth impacted. Nope, not me! Four perfectly formed 3rd molars popped up by the time I was 22, plenty of room for everybody, no pain, no shifting. Two years ago, though, I got a cavity in one of those chompers and my dentist recommended that he pull it, but having somewhat lame dental coverage for extractions I begged him to fill it instead. He agreed, but warned me that since it was difficult to reach back there with a toothbrush the day would surely come where I’d get another cavity eventually and then only pulling would do.

Today was that day.

And since the troubled tooth was on the bottom, it’s upper twin would have to go, as well.

I’m almost ridiculously healthy. I realized that this was pretty much the most surgical thing that’s ever happened to me. I’ve never been one to fear the dentist (I’ve had 12 fillings in my lifetime, not that I’m proud of it, just to say that I’ve spent considerable time at the dentist) but I was overwhelmed once I got in that chair. Totally overwhelmed. I kind of freaked out.

The dentist was very kind and totally patient with me.

I’m glad it’s over, and I promise to brush extra, extra carefully on the other side so I don’t have to go through this again.

This post is brought to you by the makers of Valium, Motrin, and Tylenol + Codeine, and Frozfruit.