Penne for Your Thoughts...

I have some amazing family and friends. Hopefully my previous posts have given you insight to some of those people. But I have been a bad "work-spouse" and not introduced you to the person that influenced me to blog in the first place.

Erin Baggerly was one of the first people I met at Bonefish Grill. She would open the bar on days that I opened the restaurant. We would put the wine order away, and grab a quick bite before a manager unlocked the doors. And some nights, I would catch a ride home from her so that Suzy wouldn't have to pick me up late at night. We soon realized how much we had in common, and how open we could be with one another.

We discussed our lives in so much detail, it seemed like we were friends for years. Erin told me so much about her fiance Darick, and I vice-versa about Suzy. It was obvious that they would click as well as we did. Despite only knowing each other for less than 18 months, we both wanted the other couple to be involved in our weddings. They truly are lifelong friends.

A few months back, Suzy and I wanted to show our appreciation to Erin and Darick by having them over for dinner. I remembered from one of our previous conversations that Darick loves the Penne Rustica from Macaroni Grill so I found a recipe for it.
This dish is easy to make, very flavorful, and is impossible not stuff your face with.

The first step is to make the Gratinata sauce.
2 teaspoons butter
2 teaspoons chopped garlic
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon dill
1 teaspoon chopped rosemary
1 cup marsala wine
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
8 cups heavy cream

For the Penne Rustica you need:
1 ounce pancetta or 1 ounce bacon
18 shrimp, peeled and deveined
12 ounces chicken breasts, sliced
16 -24 ounces penne pasta, cooked
3 teaspoons chopped pimiento
6 ounces butter
1 teaspoon chopped shallot
1 pinch salt and pepper
1 cup parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon paprika
6 sprigs fresh rosemary

For Gratinata Sauce: Saute butter, garlic, and rosemary until garlic begins to brown. Add Marsala wine and reduce by one-third. Add remaining ingredients, reduce by half of the original volume. Set aside. For Penne Rustica: Saute pancetta until it begins to brown. Add butter, shallots, and chicken. Cook until chicken is seared but not fully cooked. Add shrimp, salt, pepper, and mix thoroughly. Make sure the shrimp is pink but still translusent. Add gratinata sauce and 1/2 cup parmesan cheese. Simmer until sauce thickens. In a large bowl, combine shrimp& chicken mixture with the cooked pasta. Pour into a large casserole dish or roaster. Top with remaining cheese, pimientos and sprinkle with paprika. Bake at 475 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes. Remove and garnish with fresh rosemary sprig.

I have made this twice for Erin and Darick, and it was a hit both times. I made a joke on their wedding website about bringing 30 pans. Judging by the responses, others didn't take it as such. They are such special people and good friends that I wouldn't hesitate to do it.

Because she is brutally honest with me, she gets the benefit of being my taste tester. Erin always enjoys my dishes. Whenever I try something new I make sure she has a sample. We work together tonight so I hope she is in the mood for chicken piccata pasta.

The gift that keeps on giving...

As you already know, Suzy and I are getting married in July. We have gotten so much love and support from our family and friends. It means a lot to us and we appreciate it dearly.

We recently started our wedding registry at Bed, Bath, and Beyond. I never realized how many gadget and nick-knacks they have to make cooking simple. Also I realized how many things we were lacking in everyday cooking. Since the kitchen is my area, Suzy let me go to town in the cookware section. The price gun was happy to see me leave!

One of the things I registered for was a dutch oven from Emeril Lagasse. I love cooking with the crock pot but a dutch oven is better for stews, casseroles, etc. I almost bought it as opposed to registering for it because I wanted it that bad. Good thing I didn't.

Two weeks after registering, a heavy package came from Bed, Bath, and Beyond. It was addressed to Suzy and I so waited for her to come home to open it. When Suzy got home, she opened the box and removed the card inside. It was an engagement present for us from her Aunt Rosemary, the Dutch Oven!!

Immediately, the possibilities jumped in my head. Gumbo, chili, stew, chowder, and all the other cold weather meals I can make with winter fast approaching. The first thing I made was gumbo. I can't share the recipe yet because a co-worker and I are set for a gumbo cook-off. But I will say that it was worthy of a first meal...


So a huge thanks goes to Aunt Rosemary for giving us the gift that keeps on giving!!!

Sunday Funday!!

With Suzy and I having opposite schedules, Sunday is the only day that we have no work to worry about. The day is centered around football during the NFL season. Suzy has adopted the Chicago Bears as her team to support me.(True love!) My favorite thing to do is make dishes that are popular in Chicago while watching the games. The list includes BBQ ribs, deep dish pizza, bratwursts, chili, etc... One week I will surprise Suzy with Chicago dogs, but I gotta find the right recipe for piccadilli.

But the best time for me to cook a on Sunday is when the Bears don't play. Anyone that has ever watched a sporting event with me knows how passionate I am about my team. Concentrating on the stove is not easy when you are glued to the flat screen for 3+ hours. Plus, it is tough to get excited to do anything with the way the Bears have played in recent years.

The Bears played on Monday Night Football a couple weeks ago. We had a free day with no 3 hour obligation so I decided to make a traditional Sunday dinner. I remember coming home from church as a kid to the most incredible meals made by my Grandmother. When she was no longer able to cook for the family, the transition was seamless since my Mom is the best cook I know. Now it's my turn to promote Sunday dinner to my family.

After some deliberation in Harris Teeter, I decided to make pot roast. They had a great selection on their cuts of beef. I grabbed a bag of fingerling potatoes, baby carrots, shallots, and headed home to start dinner because any good pot roast should slow cook for a minimum of 4 hours! (thanks Mom)


I seasoned the meat with a dry rub I made with herbs, cumin, paprika, dry mustard, chili powder, and garlic powder. Next I seared the roast on all side for a couple minutes just to lock in the flavor of the rub. I put the potatoes, shallots, and carrots in the roasting pan. I put just enough beef stock in the pan to keep the meat moist through the cooking process. I set the oven to 200 degrees and sealed the roast with aluminum foil. I trusted my Mom's advice and didn't even touch the oven door for 3 hours. I poked a fork into the meat. It was tender but I knew an extra hour would make it perfect!

After about four hours of cooking, I let the meat rest(still in the foil) out of the oven for 30 minute. During this time I used the drippings from the pan to make a gravy. The meal turned out better than expected. Not quite as good as Mom used to make... but pretty darn close!!!

We Be Jammin!

Bonefish Grill is not the extent of Suzy's restaurant experience. She worked in the kitchen at Chesapeake Bay Seafood House during high school. Yes, the place with the hush puppies. I remember many a Friday night when Suzy would come by after slinging pounds of seafood. That should be proof of how much we loved each other then. I'm sure she just wanted to go home, shower(no objection there) and go to bed. A foundation was being built, so neither of us would do it any differently.

During college, Suzy worked as a hostess at Cheesecake Factory. That was a definite upgrade! I didn't eat much seafood in high school and I don't see the fascination with hush puppies. And although I don't eat dessert, cheesecake is a weakness of mine. The first place I go to is the cheesecake section of their menu to see what I'm having AFTER dinner. But do not kid yourself, the food at cheesecake factory is every bit as good as the sweets!

Suzy and I are both huge fans of their Cajun Jambalaya Pasta. I don't know if this beats Fatz Cafe's Baja Chicken Pasta, but it's close. The best recipe I found was on Food.com but of course I did not follow it to spec. I change the spices to get the right amount of heat, and we both prefer stewed tomato over chopped. However, I will post the original recipe and let you put your own signature on it.

1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts (halved)
1/2 lb large shrimp (peeled and deveined)
5 quarts water
6 ounces fettuccine
6 ounces spinach fettuccine
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium chopped tomatoes
1 sliced green bell pepper
1 sliced red bell pepper
1 sliced yellow bell pepper
1 medium onion, sliced
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons white wine
2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley

Make a cajun seasoning blend by combining the white pepper, cayenne pepper, paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder in a small bowl. Cut the chicken breasts into bite-size pieces. Use about one- third of the seasoning blend to coat the chicken pieces. In another bowl, sprinkle another one-third of the spice blend over the shrimp. Start your pasta cooking by bringing 5 quarts of water to a boil over high heat. Add both fettuccine to the hot water, reduce the heat to medium, and simmer for 12 to 14 minutes or until the pasta is tender. While the pasta cooks, heat 1 Tablespoon of the olive oil in a large frying pan or skillet over high heat. When the oil is hot, saute' the chicken in the pan for about 2 minutes per side or until the surface of the chicken starts to turn brown. Add the shrimp to the pan with the chicken and cook another 2 minutes, stirring occasionally to keep the shrimp from sticking. When the chicken and shrimp have been seared, pour the contents of the pan onto a plate or into a bowl. Do not rinse the pan! Put the pan back over high heat and add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the pan. Add the tomatoes, peppers and onions to the oil. Sprinkle the vegetables with the remaining spice blend and saute' for about 10 minutes or until the vegetables begin to turn dark brown or black. Add the chicken and shrimp to the vegetables and pour 3/4 cup of the chicken stock in the pan. Cook over high heat until the stock has been reduced to just about nothing. Add the remaining 3/4 cup of stock to the pan. The liquid should become dark as it deglazes the pan of the dark film left by the spices and cooking food. Stir constantly, scraping the blackened stuff on the bottom of the pan. Reduce the broth a bit more, then turn the heat down to low. Combine the cornstarch with the wine in a small bowl. Stir until it is dissolved. Add this to the pan and simmer over low heat until the sauce thickens slightly. When the pasta is done, drain it and spoon half onto a plate. Spoon half of the jambalaya over the pasta. Sprinkle half the parsley over the top. Repeat for the second serving.

This is truly a great jambalaya recipe! This pairs well with a good Pinot Noir. Stay tuned for more updates and recipes of our favorite meals, but don't hold your breath waiting for one on hush puppies!

That's what friends are for!

With our wedding coming up in 10 months, Suzy and I have been overwhelmed with all the planning involved. Since she is a teacher, it is important we get as much accomplished as possible before she goes back to teaching. It is also important that we take a opportunity to relax an unwind.

That's where our friends come into play. We recently were fortunate enough to have one of our dearest friends over for dinner. Toni Gilbert is one of Suzy's sorority sisters from UMCP. She immediately showed me how much she cared about Suzy. Toni and I had a few talks in her room at AOPI that showed she cared about me too.

When Suzy and I got back together last year, Toni was one of the first people she told. Toni tried to help get me a job at Congressional Country Club when she found out I was returning to Maryland. Although it didn't work out because they were fully staffed, I truly appreciate the efforts she made. Toni thought enough of us to invite us to her graduation party for her masters program and to a brunch she recently hosted. So we were more than happy to have her over for dinner.

It took me some time to figure out what to make. Toni wouldn't give me any suggestions, giving the customary "I eat anything response." Since I know that Toni likes Bonefish Grill I decided on seafood. The Harris Teeter near us had a great sale going on so I decided on a Pecan Parmesan Crusted Grouper with a Lobster Thermidor Sauce. I wish I could share the recipe with you but I got a lot of the "secret" ingredients from one of my managers at Bonefish Grill. All I can tell you is there are similar recipes on the Internet for thermidor sauce and the grouper was coated buttermilk, crusted and baked @ 375 for 30-40 minutes.

The meal was completed with mashed potatoes and a strawberry, caramelized pecans, and spinach salad. The three of us stuffed ourselves into a food coma, while enjoying a bottle of wine that Suzy and I were saving for a special occasion. And there isn't too many things more special than Toni Gilbert!!

What A Week!!!

Suzy and I have been planning this week for a few months now. The 3rd week in July we traveled a total of 900 miles. Thankfully a friend drove 600 of those miles, but that's still 15 hours spent in the car. It was worth every second!

The first part of our journey took us to Suzy's parent's house in Ocean Pines. We were there with all of her immediate family. Her brother Rob was there with his wife Kristin, and their two kids, Chloe and Trevor. Also Suzy's sister Lyn, her husband Dennis Franks, and their 4 kids were there. Andrew is their oldest son. Followed by twin girls Ashley and Riley. And last but CERTAINLY not least is their youngest son Caleb. So that's 12 people that Suzy's parent's, Paul and Joan had to entertain.

And God bless them for it. We had a great time in Ocean Pines. Daily trips to the beach, cruising the bay in Paul and Joan's boat, trips to Lighthouse Sound (back to that in a minute), Saturday night on the boardwalk, and dinner at Hooper's were just some of the highlights. No child in the house was over ten years of age so clearly there was never a dull moment.

Kristin came up with the idea of showing appreciation and helping out Joan by each taking a night to cook. On Friday, we ate a vegetable lasagne that Joan made. Unfortunately I ruined my appetite to chow down because I love lasagne. But we met Lyn, Dennis, and the kids at Panera in Easton on the way in. The Italian sandwich at Panera is huge, I should know better!

Saturday, Kristin had marinaded two different types of pork tenderloin. One in a Honey-mustard bourbon something-or-other, and one in teriyaki. They were both delicious. Rice and salad completed meal. It was impossible for people at the table to stop picking at the tenderloin. So much so Rob had to stop in the middle of eating to carve more.

Sunday was my time to shine. And I say that because I had my hand full. Suzy is constantly telling everyone I am a good cook. I just think she will eat anything!:-)
It wasn't until we were leaving Food Lion with the ingredients until I realized what was at stake. What if no one likes it? What if people get sick? What if I set Joan's kitchen on fire? What if...?

We decided it was best to do something simple and fool proof that I made a few weeks back. I made it with shrimp but Kristin doesn't like seafood, so I made a version with chicken also. Suzy and I got 3 lbs of shrimp BEFORE we found out that the Franks' children love shrimp. So I had to run back and get another 2 lbs.

For the children I just sauteed the shrimp in olive oil and let them have at it. For the adults I started with garlic, onion, oregano, and fresh basil from Joan's garden, sauteed in 2 skillets. After a few minutes I added the chicken to one pan since it takes longer to cook. Add the diced tomato after browning the chicken. With the shrimp, I sauteed it first and set it aside.

The chicken dish was tossed in the skillet it was prepared in. I let the tomato, onion, garlic, and spices simmer then added the shrimp I cooked earlier and tossed it so the shrimp wouldn't be over-cooked. Suzy made a big bowl of rice.

Thankfully everything went over very well. The kids devoured their shrimp, and the adults did even better. There were no leftovers and Suzy's family complimented me on how good it was. The next day, there were no complaints of tummy aches!!

We spent two more days in Ocean Pines, most of it at the aforementioned Lighthouse Sound. Suzy wanted to take a look at it as a possible wedding venue. Even though we are not engaged at this point, we both fell in love with the location. With Paul and Joan's blessings we decided to put a deposit down. We lost our first choice for a date but secured July 8, 2011.

We left OC Tuesday afternoon and the whole ride home I was thinking we have a wedding date so we better get engaged. It happened that night very quick and simple over Chipotle burritos. The excitement spread quickly via Facebook. We only had a couple days to enjoy it because starting Friday the celebration shifted to Mark Carothers birthday.

We carpooled with 4 friends of ours to Lynn's Pond House near Fayetteville, WVA. The ride was easy since Brandi did all the driving. We listened to music, watched the wire, and sang John Denver songs to pass the time on the 5+ hour ride.

Mark's wife Sarah did all the planning and gets all the credit. The cabin was beautiful! We met some of Mark and Sarah's childhood friends from Pennsylvania. Stocked with all the amenities and then some, it was impossible not to enjoy yourself. We ate like kings and queens and acted like court jesters! The beds were 5-star hotel quality.

Suzy and I did not go whitewater rafting with everyone on Saturday, but we managed to get a lot of wedding planning done. I made us lunch on the grill, and then we played pool and chilled on the dual porch swings drinking cocktails until the others got back. We did manage to do some site-seeing and take pictures of the scenic views that West Virginia has to offer.

We left Sunday, stopping at a winery/distillery in Summersville. After a brief stop in Cumberland for CiCi's pizza, we were on our way back to Germantown. There were storms all around but we avoided any serious weather. Germantown wasn't so lucky. Strong winds had knocked out the power in our area, and we arrived home to spend the next two days in the dark. It was a bummer to deal with that upon coming home, but NOTHING can ruin the week we just had.

Summer!!!

Sorry I have neglected posting the last month or so but it's SUMMERTIME!!! That has extra meaning now that Suzy isn't leaving at the crack of dawn. We get to spend a lot more time together which means I have less time to blog.

This summer has been filled with time at the pool, hanging out with friends, and the traditional 4th of July at the Heckert Family Bay House. The words are all capitalized because like all historical places, it is a proper noun. I have only been going there with Suzy for the past year, but through stories and pictures I feel like I've been hanging out there for years.

Unfortunately, it has lost it's appeal to the powers that be and was recently put on the market for sale. If I had the means, I would buy the property and make sure it stayed in "the family". It would be tragic if this was our last gathering there.

Some things can be replaced. Who knows, maybe one day an affordable property may come available and we can reinvent a Chesapeake Bay get-a-way. But will there be a family like the Brickers living next door? (Hope not) Or an Archers clan next to them? (Hope so) What about Gil? The spectacular view? Will there be a Beach House Wine and Spirits in the vacinity or a Rednors Employee Owned store on the way?

My guess is no.

But all is not lost. The memories will live forever. Anyone who is blessed enough to have spent a weekend there is better for it... but it probably didn't feel that way the morning after! And besides, isn't it more about the people you create those memories with and less about where they are made? Spring Break is coming fast and while one tradition may end, I feel another has been born. Wish it, dream it, do it!

Sorry again about the time between my last post and sorry I didnt include any recipes. A new blog will be posted with some very soon. But as I said this blog is as much about our life as it is our meals. And the Bay House is a part of our lives!

"I can always add my own spice..."

As I have stated in previous posts, Suzy LOVES spicy food. I'm ok with it but sometimes my stomach is just not having it. I have made Penne alla Vodka for her twice. Once using the preferred crushed red pepper, and once using cayenne pepper. Unless you like your mouth(and other orifices) on fire, stick with the crushed red pepper!

This is a very easy dish to make. Most of the ingredients are similar to the Baja Chicken pasta so we usually enjoy these wonderful dishes in the same week. Suzy gets all the leftovers so that keeps her happy for days!

The ingredients for the Penne alla Vodka are as follows:

1/2 lb andouille sausage
1 (16 ounce) package dry penne pasta
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
2 tablespoons vodka
2/3 cup heavy cream (you can you half & half for less fat)
crushed red pepper to taste


Directions

1. Saute the garlic and sausage(casing removed) in a large skillet with a tablespoon of evoo.
2. Boil water for the pasta, adding evoo and salt(optional)
3. Pour in the crushed tomato and simmer for 20 mins. Stir in the cream, vodka, and red pepper and cook for another ten minutes.
4. Cook pasta for 8-10 minutes until al dente. Drain and shock with cold water.
5. Add the pasta to the skillet and toss.

Serve with fresh basil and parmesan cheese sprinkled on top.

This goes well with one of Suzy's favorite cocktails, Spiked Raspberry Lemonade
1.5 oz Raspberry Vodka
.5 oz Razzmatazz
Fill a 12 oz glass with ice. Add vodka, Razzmatazz, and Minute Maid Lemonade.
Shake, serve, and enjoy.

Quick and Easy!

There are many days that Suzy and I don't see each other for more than 10 minutes. If I know I am not going to have dinner with Suzy, I still want to make sure something is available to eat. Some of the time there are leftovers. When there are no leftovers, I have a few recipes that I can whip up for her, leave in the fridge for her to enjoy later. My favorite is a shrimp pasta salad.

This is sooo super simple that I usually prepare this while I'm playing my XBOX 360.
Any pasta will do although rotini, macaroni, or bow-tie pasta are the easiest to blend. You can use a variety of meats or no meat at all. We always have shrimp in house so I generally go that route. The ingredients I use are as follows...

3/4 lb rotini pasta
3 tbsp EVOO
1/2 green pepper
1/3 cup of red onion
1/2 lb of shrimp peeled and deveined
tsp paprika
1 cup of Italian dressing
diced tomato
grated Parmesan cheese
parsley


First boil water with a tbsp of EVOO for the pasta. Generally I coat shrimp in EVOO and cajun seasoning and put it in the fridge for 10 minutes or so. Chop all vegetables. You can add celery and/or cucumber if you have them on hand. Add pasta to boiling water and cook to al dente. While the pasta is cooking, put the other tbsp in a skillet and prepare the shrimp. Drain the pasta and "shock" it with cold water to stop the cooking process. In a large bowl, combine veggies, pasta, shrimp, paprika, and Italian dressing and toss until well blended. At this point it is ready to serve. Sprinkle the parmesan, parsley, and diced tomato on top. But I just throw it in the refrigerator with a little love note for Suzy to enjoy when she is ready.

Carolina on my mind!

When I moved to Charlotte, I had planned to continue my golf maintenance career. Things did not pan out quickly so I got a job waiting tables at Fatz Cafe. The only thing I miss as much as my co-workers is their Baja Chicken Pasta. It is by far the best thing on the menu. Before I could even tell Suzy about it, she was asking about this yummy looking pasta dish she saw on the online menu.

So it was an easy choice to make Baja Chicken Pasta for dinner our first night back together. I asked my manager for the recipe before I left and he wrote it down for me. I lost the recipe somewhere between the Greyhound stations in Charlotte and Richmond, VA. So thus begin my desire to just "wing it" when I cook.

I remembered the main ingredients so I just figured out the process in my head. And like one of my favorite cooks, Rachel Ray, I don't measure anything. Generally there is enough leftover for Suzy to have either lunch or dinner the next day.

Ingredients
Penne Pasta
EVOO
2 chicken breasts(cut in bite size pieces)
andouille sausage
sliced onions
sliced mushrooms
sliced red pepper
butter
garlic clove (minced)
1 cup of salsa
3/4 cup yogurt
1/2 cup sour cream
chipotle seasoning
diced tomato
parmesan cheese
cilantro

Very easy process for this dish. Add the chicken and sausage(casing removed) to a large heated skillet coated in EVOO. While meat is browning, combine yogurt, sour cream, and seasoning in a bowl and blend until smooth. When meat is finished, remove and set aside. Boil the water for the pasta(salt optional) In the same skillet used for the meat, add a 2 tbsp of butter, garlic, and the vegetables. Suzy likes her food extra spicy so I add some of the seasoning to the veggies while they sear. Cook for about 5-7 minutes until the vegetables are browned and tender.
Return the meat to the skillet and add the salsa and sauce mixture. Allow the skillet to simmer for about ten minutes on low heat. Drain the pasta when finished and combine in the skillet. Toss until well mixed and coated. Serve with diced tomato, parmesan cheese, cilantro sprinkled over top.

This is by far one of my favorite pasta dishes to make. Not only is it delicious, but it also reminds me of all the good times I had in Charlotte!

Where do I begin....

I never liked cooking. My mother is amazing in the kitchen, so as a kid I just went about my business until dinner was ready. My college years were like everyone elses..cafeteria junkfood and Ramen noodles. Suzy and I dated for most of that time, and just like me, her mother did all the cooking. We were destined for a life of takeout!

But things happen for a reason. Suzy and I broke up. I met someone. Married with children. Although my ex is a very good cook... it was never meant to be. The final strain on our marriage came during the time I was unemployed. Fortunately for me, that period of being "Mr. Mom" showed me why Beverly Johnson was passionate about putting dinner on our table. Cooking for someone gives you purpose.

Suzy and I never lost touch. We have always been best friends. Having failed at marriage is a tough pill to swallow but we're reunited..AND IT FEELS SO GOOD! She never took up cooking, and lucky for her, she'll never have to.

This blog is about our life, our families, our friends, and yes... our meals! There will be recipes and pictures of what I make for her. So stay tuned for delicious updates!