Dinner

Cucumber Roll Sushi

Soundtrack

Kiss -- Calling Dr. Love

Lunch

Barbequed Eggplant

Lo Mein Noodles

Deep Fried Tofu

Garlic Green Beans

Steamed Rice

Club Soda

* Liz brought home takeout from Evergreen Buffet

Breakfast

Coffee Cake*

Coffee

* Liz made a killer coffee cake this morning...

Dinner

Baked Ziti with Portobello Mushrooms, Soy Cheese and Red and Yellow Tomatoes

Braised Red Chard

Italian Bread

Soundtrack

Mix Tape (Heatwave, Silver Convention, Taste Of Honey)

Lunch

Macadamia Crusted Tofu Sandwich w/ Spicy Mango Salsa

Club Soda

Dinner

Macadamia Crusted Tofu [Halibut]*

Grilled Asparagus w/ Citrus Vinaigrette

Spicy Mango Salsa

Basmati Rice

Soundtrack

Barry White


* Cooking tip: when crushing/grinding frozen Macadamia nuts, let them warm up, perhaps even place them in a low temp oven for few minutes before you try to whack them -- they get a little mushy...

Having said that, they stuck to the Tofu nicely and sauteed up beautifully -- the Spicy Mango Salsa was the kicker, really elevating it from a typical dredged Tofu dish.

Lunch

8 Spiced Pot Roast with Roasted Vegetables

Gemelli Pasta

Club Soda

Breakfast

Soy Boy Breakfast Links

Brownberry Wheat Toast

Club Soda

Dinner

8 Spiced Pot Roast with Roasted Vegetables*

Roasted Garlic Yukon and Sweet Potatoes

Wine

Markko Reserve Pinot Noir (Ohio/1998)

Sountrack

WKHR / Bainbridge, OH

* More Ming Tsai tonight, I do love his combination Chinese/French dishes...

Lunch

Quesadillas w/ Guacamole and Salsa

Club Soda

Dinner

Tostones (Plantains) with Cilantro Garlic Sauce

Grilled Seitan [Lamb] w/ Asian Ratatouille and Roasted Garlic Infused Jus*

Soundtrack

Re/Search Incredibly Strange Music Vol. 2

* Another late night viewing menu -- this time from Ming Tsai's "East Meets West," substituting the "pommes plantains" for frites...

Breakfast

Yves Breakfast Patties
(w/ Cholula hot sauce)

Brownberry Wheat Toast

Club Soda

Dinner

Potato Salad

Soy Dogs

Soy Boy Courage Burgers (x2)

Soundtrack

Laika and The Cosmonauts

Lunch

Vegetable Sushi

Pumpkin Seed Crusted Tofu

Iced Tea

Dinner

Saffron and Yellow Tomato Soup

Roasted Vegetables In Banana Leaf

Braised Collard Greens

Pumpkin Seed Crusted Tofu [Chicken]*
(Wrapped in Phyllo, and stuffed w/ Soy Cheese]

* If you watched "Melting Pot" on Food Network, you might recognize part of this menu from the "Nuevo Latino" show.

Lunch

Vegetable Sushi

Ice Tea

Breakfast

Soy Boy Breakfast Links (x4)

Brownberry Wheat Toast

Water

Dinner

Zucchini, Porcini, Olive and Soy Cheese Phyllo Roll

Glazed Broad Beans In Porcini Broth

Italian Bread

Lunch

Capelini Pomodoro (without the cheese)*

Salad (just oil and vinegar dressing -- the house dressing has egg whites in it)

Iced Tea


* went out shopping today, and went to Olive Garden for lunch...

Breakfast

Soy Boy Breakfast Links (x4)
(w/ Cholula hot sauce)

Water

Dinner

Stir Fry
(Tofu, Carrots, Celery, Red Pepper, Scallions, Hoisin Sauce)

Basmati Rice
(w/ Wilted Kale in Sesame Oil)

Lunch

Spicy Stir-Fried Cauliflower

Rogan Josh

Basmati Rice

Water

Dinner

Spicy Stir-Fried Cauliflower

Turmeric Potatoes

Rogan Josh

Basmati Rice

Wine

Markko Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon

Lunch

Butternut Squash Veloute

Curried Tofu w/ Shallot and Pear Sauce over Fafale Pasta

Water

Breakfast

Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich*

Water

* had breakfast with my daughter ;)

Dinner

Curried Tofu [Veal] with Shallot and Pear Sauce over wilted Kale*

Butternut Squash Veloute with Ginger and Mustard Seeds

Wine

(Bonny Doon) Le Cigare Volant Red Table Wine (Califonia)

* both recipes came from those Bon Appetite "best of" harcover books (1996 and 1997). The Shallot and Pear sauce rocked. And the soup had a hit of Cayenne that made it quite spicy but very tasty...

Lunch

Seitan Sandwiches*

Water

* The last bit of the roll-style seitan made over the weekend, fried in a non-stick pan, a little soy sauce, and then some Cholula hot sauce and lettuce to top it off...

Breakfast

Soy Boy Breakfast Links (x4)
(w/ Cholula hot suace)

Brownberry Wheat Toast (x4)

Water

Dinner

Ratatouille w/ Fusilli Pasta

Broad Beans
(w/ herbs de provence)

Baguette

Lunch

Hoisin Barbequed Seitan Sandwiches*

Club Soda


* this batch of Seitan came from the roll we made at the same time as the sheets. It fried up rather nicely and matched well with the Hoisin sauce...

Dinner

Garlic Noodle Soup w/ Stir-Fried Tofu in Sesame Oil

Lunch

Pizza
(Onions, Green and Black Olives, Tomato, Soy Cheese)

Club Soda

Breakfast

Yves Breakfast Patties
(w/ Cholula hot sauce)

Brownberry Wheat Toast

Club Soda

Dinner

Seitan Rolls*
(stuffed with Mushrooms, Green and Black Olives, Sage, Thyme and Maderia)

Braised Fennel w/ Pine Nuts


* We made our own Seitan today with the packaged Wheat Gluten, rather than from Bread Flour, which eliminated the constatnt soaking in cold water, but made for a different texture to the finished product. We made 1/4" sheets about 4" x 7" then rolled them like a jelly-roll, tied them in string, seared the outside pretty well, and then baked in a 350° oven for 30 minutes (it probably could have been 45, but we were hungry at that point). The outside was done perfectly, but the inside could have used the extra 15 minutes.

The texture, as I mentioned, was different. It wasn't chewy like the commercial seitan, but with a rather delicate mouth-feel. It fried up beautifully, handled well and didn't break when handled, but definately a more "bready" flavor.

We're going to try it again next weekend with the traditional method to see how it works out...

Breakfast

English Muffin

Yves Breakfast Patties
(w/Cholula hot sauce)

Apple and Currant Pancakes
(w/ Ohio maple syrup)

Club Soda

After School Function Late Night Snack

Stir-Fried Rice and Tofu in Sesame Oil

Dinner

Sushi*

Club Soda

* more of that store bought stuff -- good when you don't have the time to make food before having to suffer through one of those interminable school functions

Lunch

Falafel Sandwich*

Club Soda

*Liz took our daughter up to Cleveland today and stopped by the cool Middle Eastern joint on Cedar...

Breafast

Soy Boy Breakfast Links
(w/ Cholula hot sauce)

Brownberry Wheat Toast

Club Soda

* ahh, back to reality -- the patties and english muffins were too much a shock for my body to take ;)

Dinner

Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Yukon Gold Potatoes

Cavolfiore Soffocato
(Saffron "Smothered" Cauliflower, Saveur)

Stir-Fried Seitan [Chicken] with Tamarind Glaze*
(Jean-Georges Vongerichten "Cooking at Home..." p.95)


*usually when it calls for Chicken, I use Tofu, but Seitan works better here with the tamarind glaze...

Breakfast

Yves Breakfast Patties
(w/ Cholula hot sauce)

English Muffin

Club Soda

Dinner

Ratatouille
(from Saveur #29, Sep/Oct 1998)

Gratin D'epinards Aux Oignons
(Braised Swiss Chard [Spinach] and Onions in Cream Sauce from Julia Child "Mastering The Art Of French Cooking" Vol. 2, p. 360)

French Bread

Dinner

Tofu [Chicken] Marsala
(from Cook's Illustrated)

Grilled Radicchio
(Marinated in Olive Oil )

Grilled Artichoke
(Marinated in Lemon and Olive Oil )

Italian Bread

One of the perks of my job as webmaster for the cooking school is that I get to meet some interesting folks that I might not normally, holed-up here in my little webmaster bunker, errr office. Case in point, last night I got meet and hang out a little with Alton Brown as he dutifully signed a giant merchandise pile of his signature salt-cellars. The school apparently got some of the last originals in the warehouse, and he signed most of them under the lid in record time ("So, when do these show up on eBay again?" I joked). He also signed copies of his new book "I'm Just Here For The Food" Alton said, "I don't like the dust jacket much, but the hardcover looks good, more like a textbook"

His publishers (Stewart Tabori & Chang) set up a little book tour between the shooting his show "Good Eats". Alton says they shoot three times a year and that they just finished season 6.1 and will start on 6.2 when he gets back.

He graciously signed all the books and salt-cellars proffered to him and took pictures with the class after his demonstration on how to make souffles.

And little known fact about Alton -- he's a blogger too.

Dinner

Grilled Soy Cheese Sandwich

Potato Chips

Rice and Beans


* went to cooking class tonight with Alton Brown, more details later...

Lunch

Pizza Munchees

Club Soda

* we had to run to the grocery store at lunch today,so it was a quick meal. Picked up some interesting stuff today, which you'll see this week...

Dinner

Gemelli Pasta
(w/ Coppola's Puttenesca Sauce)

Italian Bread

* after a Chinese food inducing nap (see lunch) -- it was all I could do (to keep waiting for you) to make dinner before watching the X-Files.

Lunch

Vegetable Lo Mein*

Green Bean in Garlic

Barbequed Eggplant

Steamed Rice

Water

* Mother's Day Lunch at the Evergreen Buffet...

Dinner

Stir Fry
(Tofu, Carrots, Celery, Red Pepper, Daikon, Oyster and Portobello Mushrooms, Leeks, Scallions)

Wilted Arugula in Soy Sauce

Basmati Rice

Lunch

Hoisin Barbequed Tofu Sandwiches

Fried Rice and Bean Cakes

Club Soda

Dinner

Papaya Salad

Basmati Rice and Calypso Beans in Coconut Milk

Hoisin Barbequed Seitan

Lunch

Spanish Pardina Lentils

Tofu, Potato, Leek and Parsnip Fry*

Club Soda

*Made this for the kids last night, as I didn't think they would enjoy the curried version of last night's meal.

Breakfast

Soy Boy Breakfast Links (x4)
(w/ Cholula)

Brownberry Wheat Toast (x2)

Club Soda

Dinner

Curry Braised Tofu
(Daniel Orr, "Real Food" p.61)

Spanish Pardina Lentils

Leeks, Parsnips and Potato in Parchment
(from Western Reserve School Of Cooking)

Basmati Rice

Lunch

Roasted Tofu Sandwiches
(w/ olives, onions, garlic and Jerusalem Artichokes)

Roasted Potatoes

Club Soda

Breakfast

Yves Breakfast Patties
(w/ Cholula)

English Muffin

Club Soda

Dinner

Roasted Tofu [Chicken] with Green Olives, Lemon, Garlic and Jerusalem Artichokes
(Martha Stewart April 2002)

Roasted Potatoes

Broad Beans*


* The Broad Beans were abfab, little salt and pepper and good to go.

Lunch

Eggplant Parmesan Sandwiches
(w/ onion, soy cheese and red sauce)

Club Soda

Breakfast

Soy Boy Breakfast Links
(w/ Cholula)

English Muffins (x2)

Club Soda

Dinner

Eggplant Parmesan over Spaghetti

Braised Baby Artichokes and Shiitake Mushrooms

Toasted Bread

Lunch

Enchiladas (the last ones, finally)

Bean Burrito

Corn

Green Rice

Club Soda

Breakfast

Soy Boy Breakfast Links (x4)

English Muffins (x2)*

Club Soda

* Alert the media -- I've had something different for breakfast! ;)

Dinner

Enchiladas (three kinds)

Bean Burrito

Quesadilla

Green Rice

Corn
(w/ Chipotle Butter)

Breakfast

Soy Boy Breakfast Links (x4)

Brownberry Wheat Toast

Club Soda

Cinco de Mayo

A post so large it took a day to upload...

Burrito Station:

Black Beans
Tomato, Lettuce, Scallions
Flour Shells (Manny's)
Soy Sour Cream
Hot Sauce (Cholula, etc)
Rajas

Cold Buffet:

Catcus Salsa
Guacamole
Salsa (Green, Red, Hot)
Chips

Hot Buffet:

Green Rice
Red Enchiladas
Green Enchiladas
Potato & Soyrizo Enchiladas
Tortilla Lasagna
Vegetables in Banana Leaf
Corn in Chipotle Butter Sauce

Dessert

Chocolate Olive Oil Cake
Almond Polenta Cake
Spice Cookies
Watermelon


needless to say, we're just going to eat leftovers for the rest of the day...

Dinner

Garlic Bread*
(from Angie's Bakery at the Westside Market)

Radishes

*not really dinner tonight, sort of noshing while we're prepping and cooking stuff for the party tomorrow...

Lunch

Falafel Sandwich
(w/ hummus and tabouli on a pita)

*went to Judy's Oasis at the Cleveland Westside Market today, while picking up stuff for the big Cinco de Mayo blowout tomorrow...

Breakfast

Soy Boy Breakfast Links (x4)

Brownberry Wheat Toast (x2)

Club Soda

Dinner

Braised Seitan [Lamb Shanks] in Curry Sauce *
(from Ming Tsai)

Smothered Cabbage
(from Julie Sahni)

Mushrooms In Creamy Fennel Sauce

Basmati Rice

Wine

Markko Reserve Pinot Noir (Ohio/1999)


* I had made extra "gravy" when I made this last time, so I saved it for tonight and just dredged the seitan in the spice flour mixture and fried it off. Then, just reheated the gravy for a quick meal...

Lunch

Soy Boy Courage Burgers*

Club Soda


*Same folks who make the breakfast links I like, but the burgers are made with non-GMO soy and okara (a tofu by-product)...

Breakfast

Soy Boy Breakfast Links (x4)
(w/ Cholula hot sauce)

Brownberry Wheat Toast (x2)

Club Soda

Dinner

Portobello Sandwiches
(spinach, white onion, roasted red pepper)

Russian Banana Fingerling Potatoes
(w/ herbs de provence, salt, pepper)

Breakfast

Soy Boy Breakfast Links (x6)

Brownberry Wheat Toast (x3)

Club Soda