Tag Archives: Dad

30 Days of Truth, Day 17

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Day 17 → A book you’ve read that changed your views on something.

<stepping up to tie my cherry apron on> I must admit… The book that most shaped me- or my life… is The Joy of Cooking, by By Irma von Starkloff Rombauer. I was 9 when my dad gave me my first copy. I started playing with him in the kitchen and he was painfully honest. I learned to follow a recipe exactly, and how to create my own. I learned to have confidence in myself, but also how to be humbly hopeful someone will like what you make. I learned how to bake myself happy :) Thankfully Weight Watchers taught me how to bake myself thin because I come from generations of comfort eaters.Food-Is-Love-Is-Food in my family. I knew from an early age I couldn’t out cook my Dad… but I knew I could out-bake him. He was mercilessly critical when I deserved it- and praised me by putting things I’d made on the menu. My Dad is the definition of go big or go home.

So armed with my Joy of Cooking- I learned to bake.

My first pie was the plain old Apple pie recipe on page 651. It’s the same recipe I still use. It’s wonderful. The secret is to use Jonagold apples.

I learned how to can with this cookbook- and I learned how to debone a fish. I still pretty much suck at tying a roast. I make a mean chocolate eclair.

All thanks to the Joy of Cooking.

30 Days of Truth, Day 14

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30 Days of Truth, Day 14 – A hero that has let you down.

Dear Dad,

When I was little, the first thing you taught me to make was pie crust. I spent hours trying to get you to like it. You never did. The first time I made you pie as an adult- I made 4 batches of crust before I chose the one to use. You loved it- raved about it like you always had. I couldn’t even eat the rest of the chicken pot pie. I let it mold in the fridge because I was so overwhelmed by how much you’d loved it. You never understood how much we wanted to make you proud- knowing it wasn’t easy only made us all try harder to outdo one another.

You broke our mom’s heart every chance you got. Cheating on her with our best friends’ mothers even. You blew it on a personal level so many times it was hard to fathom you could look us in the face. You never failed to swoop in on birthdays and wow us. You always gave wonderful gifts- not that we’d ever asked for any of the things you gave us. You loved to spoil us- you just couldn’t be bothered to get to know what we loved. Unintentional- definitely. You were driven to work and cook- not to love and parent. Its simply a fact of life. You still owe mom a huge apology.

You’re the very shittiest Grandfather you could possibly be. You haven’t seen Alex since he was 6- and Issy was 1. She gets a confused look on her face when I mention Grandpa Greg. That’s really sad- Dad. You may not be my birth-father, but you’ve always been my Dad- and you sort of suck at it the older we get. Thanks for the online gift certificates to Victoria’s Secret- but really? You could just pick up the phone and call. Remember how much your girls love you- its what you owe all of us.

You were my hero when I was a little girl- and I thought you were the most amazing dad ever. Seeing how much less you cared the older we got was just sad, and really? I wish you’d remember that the restaurant wont take care of you when you’re old, or hold your hand when you’re dying. Be a real hero and be a father. Be a good husband- be an honest friend.

At the very least, be worthy of us calling you our Hero.

Mmm… the real reason I plant an acre garden…

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I’m a food snob.

My Dad’s a chef and my mom is an amazing every-day-kind-of-food cook too. We grew up eating excellent food- with most of it grown by our mom. My dad taught us to love filet mignon and poached pears… and my mom taught us how to cook spaghetti…soup…rice… and so on. We’re all able to survive thanks to mom… and we’re all a bunch of food snobs thanks to Dad.

My mom planted a huge garden every year and I hated it. I wore rubber gloves to weed and occasionally I could see the frustration on her face… but she never said a word. I swore I’d never have a garden….and I held out for a long time… but now I have a freaking acre. LOL. I spend an unbelievable amount of time out there right now but it’s really starting to look beautiful… and the more I take care of it now means the less I’ll have to later. I’m overwhelmed as hell- but it all seems to be working again, and as always I’m amazed I decided to do this again. I never make my kids help in the garden- which is kicking my ass and finally- I understand why my mother was happy to see my thankless ass come stomping out in rubber gloves. Any help is welcome.

There was only one rule: No fighting in the garden. If you broke the rule, you had to leave. A loophole my sister Megan figured out and manipulated to her advantage early on. I was too much of a good girl, and I knew my mom would be doing it alone if I didn’t help. Oh but I hated every single second. Pure Purgatory.

But…

Nothing on earth makes me happier or more ridiculously satisfied than digging potatoes, picking tomatoes… picking peas… and on… I’m a domesticated princess- and I love to spoil the people I love with food. So I decided… what the hell… a garden would be nice… and the fence was already there… so it was easy to just expand… and…

Oh like it comes as a huge surprise, it’s classic “Bite-Off-More-Than-I-Can-Chew-Jenni”.

I have 23 varieties of heirloom tomatoes in my garden… 12 varieties of potatoes… 4 different peppers… and on… It’s classic food snob planting. I admit it. I had to laugh at myself this morning when I realized it.

My mom gushes over it, and I love to hear it because there’s nothing like the approval of the parent who taught you what you’re sort of faking like you know how to do…

But realistically- it’s because I love good food- and in these shark infested days of mine- I’m inspired to break out my A-game in the kitchen. Something I’m damn good at.

Thanks Mom & Dad :)

I’m making these for dinner… and they are oh my goodness fabulous.

Grilled Pancetta & Basil-Wrapped Shrimp

Ingredients

  • 24 fresh basil leaves
  • 12 thin slices pancetta, each cut in half lengthwise
  • 24 extra-large shrimp, peeled and deveined, or large sea scallops
  • 24 bamboo skewers, soaked in water for at least 30 minutes before grilling
  • Garlic Dipping Sauce:
  • 1/3 C. red wine vinegar
  • 2 Tbs. Dijon mustard
  • 1 large clove garlic, chopped
  • 1 C. olive oil

Directions

Place 1 basil leaf at the short end of a slice of pancetta and a shrimp on top of the basil. Roll the shrimp in the pancetta, then thread lengthwise onto a skewer. Repeat with the remaining basil, pancetta, and shrimp. Place the skewers on a baking sheet and refrigerate until ready to cook.

To make the sauce, combine the vinegar, mustard and garlic in a food processor or blender. With the machine running, add the olive oil in a slow, steady stream. Process until combined. 10-15 minutes before you are ready to grill, spoon about 1/3 of the sauce over the shrimp skewers to marinate. Transfer the rest of the dipping sauce to a small bowl. Prepare a medium-hot fire in a grill. Grill the shrimp, turning often, until opaque, about 6 minutes. Arrange the cooked skewers on a platter and serve with the dipping sauce.