I'm baaack!

Wow! Seems like I haven't posted in forever- almost a month! Well, things have been very busy. We went to Philly for a Thurs-Tues trip and had a lot of fun. We saw the WHOLE family, went to a friend's wedding and enjoyed a surprise 6month wedding reception for us! SO sweet!

Things have also been busy around the house and with work. I have two new clients I am consulting for and I'm starting yet another business!! The spa is going great and growing by leaps and bounds! (We were just in Lucky Magazine in OCT, so we got national exposure!) Massasge Therapy Journal is working on a profile of the company and that is due out at the first of the year.

M is feeling quite a bit better, although there is still some swelling in the ankle and knee- we'll probably be going to another orthpaedic surgeon for an MRI. Today is my big day for the endocrinologist and fertility specialist. (Cross your fingers!!) We get to learn about all the fun interventions to get us pregnant- IVF, IUF, hormones and the like. Fun, fun!

I have also been cooking a ton! I have some new recipes to share that are just out of this world!! First is a Vodka Cream Pasta that will knock you over and the other is the most amazing Garlic Tenderloin-yum (and Roasted Garlic Soup!) Enjoy :)

Vodka Cream Pasta

INGREDIENTS
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, once around the pan in a slow stream
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 shallots, minced
• 1 cup vodka (good quality)
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 1 can crushed tomatoes (28-32 ounces)
• Coarse salt and pepper
• 16 ounces pasta, such linguine
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 10-20 leaves fresh basil, shredded or torn
Serve with:
• Crusty bread, for passing

Heat a large skillet over moderate heat. Add oil, butter, garlic and shallots. Gently sauté shallots for 3 to 5 minutes to develop their sweetness. Add vodka to the pan (3 turns around the pan in a steady stream will equal about 1 cup). Reduce vodka by half, this will take 2 or 3 minutes. Add chicken stock, tomatoes. Bring sauce to a bubble and reduce heat to simmer. Season with salt and pepper.

While sauce simmers, cook pasta in salted boiling water until cooked to al dente (with a bite to it). While pasta cooks, prepare your salad or other side dishes.

Stir cream into sauce. When sauce returns to a bubble, remove it from heat. Drain pasta. Toss hot pasta with sauce and basil leaves. Pass pasta with crusty bread.

Now I served this with salad, rosemary ciabatta bread, and an herbed chicken breast.

For the chicken, just cut into strips, sprinkle with salt and pepper, drizzle with olive oil, and then coat with a breadcrumb mixture (store bought breadcrumbs combined with italian herbs, salt, pepper, fresh grated parmesan will work if you dont make your own) Then heat a moderate amount of olive oil in a large skillet with a touch of butter and brown the chicken on both sides. Sprinkle with fresh rosemary and fresh grated parmesan. Serve on top of the pasta!! YUM!

Here are the garlic recipes-WOW!

Rib Eye Steak with Garlic
Ingredients:
Serves 4
2 rib-bone rib eye steaks, (2-3 inches thick)
Gray salt
freshly ground pepper
4 Tbs. olive oil
1/4-cup roasted garlic paste (recipe below)
1/3-cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
2. Season steak all over with salt and pepper.
3. Heat oil in an ovenproof skillet.
4. Sear the steak on all sides until well browned.
5. Spread roasted garlic paste on top of steak.
6. Place in oven, and finish for 20-25 minutes for medium rare.

Roasted Garlic Paste

Ingredients:
Yields 1 cup
1 lb. whole garlic heads
1/2-cup pure olive oil
gray salt
freshly-ground pepper
1/4 -cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 Tbs. fresh rosemary

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Peel the outermost layers of skin off the heads of garlic.
3. Cut off the top third of each head to open the cloves.
4. Put the heads, cut sides up, in a small baking dish and pour the olive oil over them.
5. Season with salt and pepper.
6. Cover tightly, place in the oven and roast until about 3/4 cooked (about 45 minutes).
7. Uncover and return to the oven until the cloves begin to pop out of their skins and brown (about 15 minutes). Let cool.
8. When cool enough to handle easily, squeeze the roasted garlic into a small bowl.
9. Press firmly against the skins to extract all the sweet roasted garlic you can.
10. Add the oil from the baking dish, the Parmesan cheese, rosemary and a pinch of gray salt.
11. Mix well until a paste forms. Store tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.


Poached Garlic Soup
Ingredients: Serves 4-6

2 cups garlic cloves
Gray salt
freshly-ground pepper
2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup diced onion
1 cup finely chopped leek
1/2-cup diced celery
1 bay leaf
4 cups chicken stock
1 cup diced, peeled russet potatoes
1 Tbs. coarsely chopped fresh oregano
4 cups loosely packed spinach leaves
1 cup heavy cream, half-and-half or buttermilk

Directions:
1. Peel the garlic cloves, cut in half lengthwise, and remove the central greenish core.
2. Bring a small pan of salted water to a boil. Add garlic cloves.
3. Drain and repeat twice to remove the garlic’s heat and leave only sweetness behind.
4. Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy pot over medium heat until hot.
5. Add the onion, leek, and a little salt to draw the water out of the onion.
6. Cover and cook until the vegetables are soft but not brown, about 5 minutes.
7. Add the oregano, potatoes, blanched garlic and stock.
8. Season with salt and pepper.
9. Add the bay leaf. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce the heat to a simmer, cover, and cook until the vegetables are very tender (about 15 minutes).
10. Puree the soup in a blender or use an immersion blender.
11. Taste for seasoning. Add in the raw spinach. (The soup can be made ahead to this point, covered, and refrigerated for several days or frozen).
12. Reheat the soup in a large pan over low heat.
13. Whisk in the cream, heat through and taste for seasoning.
14. Ladle into warm bowls and serve.

Chef's note: For added flavor poach whole heads of garlic in stock