20 Questions with Janet

Charleston, West Virginia welcomed me with a first and unforgettable friendship the moment I walked into Cucina Luisa on Bridge Road. Janet Wakefield paused her work at the pastry station to greet me. (Maybe the entrance door had a bell that chimed?), a hungry newcomer temporarily living in a hotel while house hunting. I remember in crisp detail Janet describing every delicious dish in the illuminated takeout case. She helped me load up to feast with my husband when he finished his workday: Luisa’s famous Lasagna Bolognese with her Caesar salad, a crusty baguette, and Janet’s irresistible white chocolate raspberry tart. Taste memories are some of the best! 

Janet changed gears after Luisa closed her shop, returning to the healthcare field as a massage therapist. With gifted heart and hands, she works wonders to heal aching muscles, pinched nerves, you name it! She is an instructor at the Mountain State School of Massage where she blends her talents for massage technique with teaching and is a walking talking encyclopedia of every muscle, bone, and function of the body.

Janet and her husband Jeff love to ski as much as they love the West Virginia Mountaineers and they are quick to travel in search of both. 

What’s your 20 minute recipe? I’m kind of an on the fly cook. Pasta alla vodka - it's so quick and easy and you can put it with anything. Everybody has the ingredients for it, I mean because everyone has the vodka, right? Good vodka. I use the recipe from New York Times Cookbook or Marcella Hazan. I prefer it vegetarian without ham.

And always save room for dessert! I’m here for dessert more than food, but my food is good, too! Espresso tortoni or chocolate mousse.

What’s your favorite city? Rome! The first time I went was after Luisa closed her catering business in 1998 and Jeff and I went to stay with her and her sister. They lived by the Spanish Steps. I could walk out of the apartment and be at the Spanish Steps in 5 minutes. I feel like I’m home when I’m in Italy.

What’s the best meal you’ve ever eaten in an airport? Pastries in Venice. 

Treasured find in the back of your fridge? Limoncello, I brought some back from Val Gardena years ago. I always keep some on hand at my home here and at our house at Snowshoe, it’s delicious! 

Who taught you to cook? My paternal grandmother. She was originally from Alabama. She would come to our house for four days with no recipes and just cook. She loved to cook and feed people! She could feed an army. I really take that from her. She had a teeny tiny little kitchen and could cook large amounts nonstop. She was happiest when she was cooking and so am I! Cooking has saved me during this pandemic.

What’s your go-to dish for company? Anything they want, any kind of pasta! I don’t really have a go-to, I'm used to winging it. I feel like it’s a gift! I keep my pantry stocked so I can make just about anything. Planning too much stresses me out. 

What’s on your cooking playlist? I change a lot, right now I’m trying to be really cheerful and move more! I find myself playing more jazz and hip hop. Lebanese Blonde channel on Pandora. Echophlekz band, Thievery Corporation band. They use a lot of synthesizers, it’s really interesting. You’ll like it! I also like Caro Emerald.

Coffee, tea, or Kombucha? Coffee for sure. Cappuccino! I got familiar with cappuccino when I was in Rome in 1998! Cafe Greco, It’s like a museum! I’ve always chased the perfect cappuccino after that experience. It’s a memory! I get euphoric recall with food.

Date night--at home? or out? Definitely out! We will travel an hour or two for a fine dining meal and turn around and drive home. We are the type of people who will travel  for a meal! Though we do have date nights at home, with candles and everything. 

Most stained cookbook? It’s my own cookbook. When I stopped working at Luisa’s I wrote down every recipe that we had been preparing in her shop. I have notes to serve four or 250. I put it all down, it’s my go-to for everything. Also my Thailand the Beautiful Cookbook, it’s a big beautiful coffee table book and it is stained! 

Surf? or Turf? I’m surf, for sure! I had the BEST langostino risotto in the British Virgin Islands that I dream about. Oh and I had branzino in Rome that was killer! These are things I can’t get here.

Indispensable kitchen tool? Chef’s knife for sure, but can I say convection oven?! Lots of people have a convection oven and don’t know how to use it. Quick tutorial: it’s rare that I don’t use convection, I’ve learned how to modify everything I do and it comes out perfect! It gets rid of the oven’s cold spot and makes it heat evenly.

Staple childhood comfort food? My grandmother’s homemade yeast rolls, her strawberry jam, fried chicken, lemon meringue pie and butterscotch pie. I’ve tried to recreate her fried chicken and it doesn’t come out the same. I think it’s because she’s not here.

Who would you most like to share a meal with? past, present or fictional? Anthony Bourdain for his food experiences and exploration of culture. I would want to eat, talk food and culture with him. It would be fun and spiritual! 

Ideal grilled cheese? OK here’s my grilled cheese. Charleston Bread’s Blue Monday bread with browned butter. I take asparagus spears and saute or roast them with garlic, s&p and olive oil. In the same pan I do my grilled cheese. Freshly grated havarti. Spread dijon on both slices of the bread, sprinkle with havarti on both sides, put the asparagus in the middle and cook it with the browned butter on the outside of the bread. It sounds hard but it’s really simple. Cook it til it’s really brown and gooey. The asparagus spears stick out and so it’s really pretty. I like visuals. I like to sprinkle it with parmesan on top and a balsamic drizzle is really good. You can improvise from here. 

Favorite pizza topping? If I could get some fresh mozzarella di bufala, I’d have to be in Italy, that would be it! 

Where would you want to take a cooking class? I know exactly where. It’s on the Amalfi coast. It’s in a place called Villa Montepertuso. Gastronomic Trekking, it’s all about walking, cooking and eating. You go on tours, find where the food is! Cook with the people and drink and eat and talk! Doesn’t it sound like the BEST?! This is more than doing a class in a restaurant kitchen. It seems like the most fun thing to do! We should do it!!

What’s your Counter Intelligence cooking tip? Here’s my main tip! Read a recipe as a template. It’s only a guide. Go beyond the confines of the recipe and experiment and document so you remember. I do better without a book in front of me trying to follow something to a T. With that, turn your failures into opportunities! If something doesn’t turn out how you expect, you can probably turn it into a success. 

Three things next to your stove? Villa di Trapano olive oil, Maldon and JQD salts and a good balsamic. Can I do four things? I have Kurbiskernol Pure Styrian roasted pumpkin seed oil.

Favorite Sports Team? WVU Mountaineers! For sure! Any sport they play. I’m a sports junkie! I could be a referee!

Can I add one thing? I have a little story. We were skiing in Chamonix and had this pasta e fagioli and it was delicious! After lunch you pass around this tribal bowl with grappa and orange slices and when it’s your turn, you say “sante bonheur! Que grand bien te fasse” and then take a drink. HEALTH AND HAPPINESS, much good may it do you. It’s a universal statement there in Chamonix. You say this when you drink the grappa and then you go back out onto the slopes. 

Janet’s legendary grilled cheese is not her ‘official’ 20 minute recipe but it qualifies and is crazy good!

Janet’s Grilled Havarti Sandwiches with Asparagus

When Janet described her ideal grilled cheese I was prompted to make it straight away. My husband called it legendary, so here goes! Here’s a rough formula for one. Treat your family and make a whole skillet full, and as Janet suggests, improvise at will! Pasta alla Vodka is delicious. Make that, too! 

For this grilled cheese masterpiece you will need 2 slices of good bread (Charleston friends, the Blue Monday from Charleston Bread is the perfect loaf for this sandwich and more! Consider yourself very lucky to have access to this exceptional bread!) some cooked asparagus (steam, saute, or roast and while you’re at it, cook the whole bundle and add to your morning egg scramble), some grated havarti cheese, some Dijon mustard, browned butter (like the asparagus...if you’re making a little browned butter, brown a whole stick and keep it handy for more tasty projects). 

BRUSH the outside of your bread with browned butter. Spread the inside of the bread with some Dijon mustard and top each slice with some grated havarti. The Dijon will help the cheese stick to the bread. Lay a handful of asparagus on top of one bread slice and top with the other slice. Slide this into a skillet heated over medium low. Cook on both sides until deep golden and cheese is melting out a little bit. Go the extra mile and serve your sandwich with reduced balsamic vinegar. Happy cooking!

20 Questions with Natalia

My daughter Reilly has an amazing group of friends from the different chapters of her life. I include Natalia Ghorbani in the ‘college friends’ category since they met while studying abroad in Spain their junior year. After a fun-filled semester in Valencia with extended European excursions, their farewell was not good-bye forever, but a see you again soon. Who knew they would actually live in the same city?!

We met Natalia when we visited Reilly in Valencia and reunited with her again last spring when we were in New York to see Reilly. Two weeks later, Natalia witnessed Reilly’s accident and has been by her side through this ongoing recovery (physically, virtually, the thick and the thin!) Their plans to be roommates hasn’t come to fruition just yet.

Natalia is from San Francisco and stayed close to home for college. Ready for something completely new, she moved to New York City after some post-graduation travel. She works for Yelp as a bilingual account executive. We love it when she comes here as a ‘work from home’ option and celebrate her success with her career.

What’s your 20 minute recipe? A Mediterranean salad bowl with Persian cucumbers, tomato, pickled onions, arugula, a dollop of hummus. I kind of throw it together with what I have on hand. I love to throw some nuts or seeds on top for a little crunch. I have a super quick way to add protein with frozen falafels from Trader Joe’s. I drizzle hot chile oil for some spice and a simple olive oil vinaigrette. 

What’s your favorite city? That’s such a hard question, can I come back to it? I’m the type of person who goes to a city and says I’m gonna live here! I say that everywhere I go. The answer changes. At the moment the one that’s coming up is Tel Aviv. I went last year for Thanksgiving, that was my last big trip before Covid. 

What’s your Favorite restaurant in your current city? DOMODOMO, a Japanese restaurant in Soho is my current favorite. They make amazing omakase. I even get their takeout. It’s super fresh fish with a modern twist. My favorite is their scallop nigiri. 

Treasured find in the back of your fridge? Pickled onions, I put them on everything! I eat them right out of the jar, even in the morning. I love pickled anything and I love onions! 

Who taught you to cook? Can I cook is the question! Where I’ve gained the most knowledge of cooking is from my roommates over the years. I’ve lived with a lot of different people. In college we would go to the Asian market May-Wah in San Francisico and get everything to make Summer rolls. Those are so fun! We would cut up all the ingredients and I was in charge of making the sauce. We’d have a DIY bar to make the rolls. 

What’s your go-to dish for company? The last time I had friends over, it was sushi. I like to get the ingredients and make it a DIY dining experience. I got the fish from a Japanese supermarket in East Village.

What’s on your cooking playlist? The Bee Gees. They are my first memories of music. That’s what shaped my music influence. I love 70’s and 80’s music! It’s the most feel good, I turn up the music really loud and do a little dance.

Coffee, tea, or Kombucha? Coffee! Coffee every day! Now that I’m working from home, I knew I couldn’t spend $8 on an iced oat latte, that wasn’t sustainable for every day. So I bought a Nespresso machine and it changed my life! I’m not kidding! I make myself an iced coffee with hemp milk. It feels like I’m treating myself!

Date night--at home? or out? Out. 100%. There are too many good places to try in New York CIty.

Most stained cookbook? Yours! 

Surf? or Turf? I’m for sure more surf.

Indispensable kitchen tool? My wine opener. Pour myself a glass of red. I’m gifting myself a glass of wine at the end of the workday.

Staple childhood comfort food? Beans, refried pinto beans. Honestly my favorite childhood dish is a simple tostada smeared with refried beans, Mexican crema, cotija cheese and sliced avocado. I will eat 10 of those in one day! It’s so simple but so delicious. There was always a big tub of refried beans in our fridge!

Who would you most like to share a meal with? past, present or fictional? My grandmother from Mexico. The older I get the more I appreciate our culture and wish I could learn more from her. 

Ideal grilled cheese? Sourdough with three cheeses and I don’t want to sound too California, but throw some avocado in there!

Favorite pizza topping? Onions. All onions!

Where would you want to take a cooking class? Mexico City. Or maybe South Korea in Seoul. I think those two are good examples of the foods that I love! My favorite cuisines are Mexican and a variety of Asian cuisines.

What’s your Counter Intelligence cooking tip? Take pictures of your food, of the things you randomly concoct, so you can remember how to recreate a dish.

Three things next to your stove? My Nespresso machine, my whole kitchen and my living room. 

Favorite Sports Team? If I had to answer I would say Golden State Warriors.

A bed of greens is the canvas for Natalia’s edible masterpiece.

Natalia’s Favorite Salad with Falafel

Natalia discovered a treasure in the freezer case at Trader Joe’s: frozen falafel. She heats them in the oven to get them crispy and crowns a bed of greens and veggies with them. Follow along for her favorite combo and tweak with your preferences or what you have on hand. 

Put a handful of washed salad greens in a pretty serving bowl. Arrange cucumber slices, halved grape tomatoes, pickled onions, sliced carrots, dollop of hummus, toasted sunflower seeds or pine nuts. Top with a some toasted falafel patties and drizzle with olive oil, a sprinkle of salt and pepper and a squeeze of lemon. Spice it up with a few drops of chile oil if you like. Concoct a masterpiece of your own! Happy Cooking!

20 Questions with Luisa

Luisa DiTrapano came back to her hometown of Charleston, West Virginia after college and adventure and opened her catering and gourmet take out business, Cucina Luisa, in the popular Bridge Road shopping district. Twenty-eight years ago, I was the new girl in town and wandered into her shop, first meeting her pastry chef Janet Wakefield. The rest is history and when I described how I met my dear friend Luisa to my daughter’s boyfriend he said, ‘ah, that sounds like a fairytale!’

Luisa and Janet created gourmet spreads for events all around Charleston and I eventually  joined them for catering fun. About 10 years later when Luisa started teaching cooking classes in a kitchen design showroom, I enlisted as her assistant, then added my own teaching topics into the mix. Such was the launch of our hundreds of cooking classes in three different showrooms and in home kitchens in Charleston.

Luisa hung up her chef’s coat a couple of years ago for a career change. Now she works at the Charleston law firm Calwell  Luce di Trapano as the facilities and events manager and says, “Everything I’ve done my whole life has all come together. I manage the building, plan all the events, book all the travel and do all the cheffing. I love it!” Booking travel is as natural to her as cooking Italian food. She has combed the globe and is eager to book a table on another continent the moment the current situation allows.

What’s your 20 minute recipe? Probably Amatriciana sauce because I usually have all the ingredients. I alway have guanciale or pancetta in the freezer, Pomi tomatoes, onion, Italian crushed pepper flakes. I hit it with a little wine before adding the tomatoes. Fresh parmigiano reggiano. I never do the right pastas with the right sauce. I use what I have in the pantry. My grandmother used the classic pairing with bucatini but I prefer other shapes. Spaghetti or linguine is a good substitute. 

What’s your favorite city? Roma! Certo! I was 18 when I first went and have possibly been every year since then. I lived there for a year after I sold my first catering business in 1998. It was wonderful.

What’s the best meal you’ve ever eaten in an airport? I would have to say it was sushi in Tokyo. 

Treasured find in the back of your fridge? My cooking wines, marsala. It’s not in the fridge, it’s in the pantry. My italian grandmother put marsala on everything! When she made peas or sauteed green beans, or cooking a steak. Everything! A nice dry one. You use the sweet ones for zabaglione and I love to make that to put over fresh fruit for dessert. I really love that. Florio from Sicily makes a really nice marsala.

Who taught you to cook? My love of food started in both my grandmother’s kitchens. I was fortunate to have two grandmothers who were fantastic cooks, one from England and one from Italy. My English grandmother taught me to bake. Roast beef and Yorkshire pudding.  We had dinner every Sunday at my Italian grandmother’s house. She made a ciabatta style bread every Saturday. She made enough for her children and all their families for the week. With the same dough she would make the best pizza I’ve ever had in my life. She squished San Marzano tomatoes over the dough, put Italian sausage, fresh basil and mozzarella. My father’s friends used to beg him to take them over for Saturday pizza. It was an event!! Also, my mother is a fabulous cook! She can cook as good as any Italian.

I had some really good friends at college in Miami who were from Italy and relocated to Caracas, Venezuela. She’s from Florence and her mother taught me her amazing sauces. That’s when I really started loving to cook.

What’s your go-to dish for company? You know how organized I am, it’s not like anyone just shows up here on the fly! Everything is planned. I do love to make Thai food! Beef panang is always a favorite with lime leaves that I always keep in the freezer.

What’s on your cooking playlist? Sade

What’s your go-to olive oil? Villa Di Trapano made from the olives at my family’s property in Sezze.

Coffee, tea, or Kombucha? Coffee! I froth skim milk with my mocha crem, a little frother device and put in some sweetener. I pour in very strong coffee.

Date night--at home? or out? Out, especially when traveling.

Most stained cookbook? My Marcella Hazan The Classic Italian Cookbook. It’s my only cookbook that the cover is torn to shreds. Janet Wakefield and I call it the Bible. It is the best, most complete Italian cookbook ever written. She is the queen, in my mind anyway.

Surf? or Turf? Turf! You know, I really like T-bones, preferably in Florence, Italy. Bistecca alla Fiorentina. I’ve always loved T-bones, best of both worlds. You get the New York strip side and a bit of the filet.

Indispensable kitchen tool? Besides my chef’s knife, I use my kitchen shears a lot. I replace them regularly because they are hard to sharpen. 

Staple childhood comfort food? My mom is such a fabulous cook, I loved her leg of lamb with our family’s Veazey sauce. It’s a family recipe from when my mom’s father was growing up. Stick of butter, jar of apple jelly, ketchup and whole cloves. You know how delicious it is! I’m talking a long time ago, probably 100 years. Oh and her mashed potatoes which are phenomenal! I think I’ll call Luisa's mother to score her secret to phenomenal mashed potatoes!

Who would you most like to share a meal with? past, present or fictional? That’s a hard question! Maybe my grandmothers. They used to go on vacation together. They never knew I learned how to cook,  didn't know I became a chef. I would like to cook dinner for my grandmothers since they never had a chance to eat my food after I became a chef. She got emotional 

Ideal grilled cheese? I make them all the time especially since I don’t have a lot of time to cook right now. Ezekiel bread, lots of butter, Swiss, honey mustard and hot sweet jalapenos. Made it for dinner last Thursday night. I may not have much in the fridge but I always have all those things!

Favorite pizza topping? When I'm in Sezze I get a pizza margherita. The best mozzarella di bufala is made right there. 

Where would you want to take a cooking class? Bangkok!

What’s your Counter Intelligence cooking tip? One thing I always said in my cooking classes, everything needs salt & pepper. There’s not a lot of things that don’t. With salad, kosher salt. For finishing, JQD salt,  and always fresh ground pepper from my favorite pepper mill

Three things next to your stove? Villa DiTrapano olive oil, JQD salt and my favorite pepper mill. And a bottle of good balsamic from Modena.

Favorite Sports Team? When I lived in Miami I loved the Dolphins and Hurricanes. And because my dad was a Notre Dame Double Domer, the Fighting Irish. 

Flecked with tomato and pancetta, Amatriciana sauce with pasta is a weeknight winner.

Amatriciana Tomato Sauce with Pancetta and Chili Pepper

Through her extensive cookbooks, Marcella Hazan brings classic Italian food into our kitchens and I will forever cherish making many of these recipes with Luisa! Guided by her ‘queen’ Marcella, Luisa has served delicious Italian dishes at hundreds of catered parties and has taught these recipes in her celebrated series of cooking classes. This one is close to 20 minutes. Marcella suggests simmering the sauce for 25 minutes. I used a deep pot so it could simmer with some vigor for 15 minutes and called it done. And delicious! Buon Appetito! 

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

• 1 tablespoon butter

• 1 medium onion, finely chopped

• A ¼-inch thick slice of pancetta, cut into strips ½-inch wide and 1 inch long (I used a 4 ounce package of diced pancetta)

• ⅓ cup wine, optional (I splashed some Sauvignon Blanc into my pot to deglaze, Luisa uses red wine)

• 1 ½ cups canned imported Italian plum tomatoes, drained and cut up (I followed Luisa’s lead and used half a box of Pomi chopped tomatoes with their puree)

• Chopped hot red chili pepper, to taste

• Salt

• 3 tablespoons freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese

• 2 tablespoons freshly grated romano cheese

• 1 pound pasta

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil for pasta. Time the cooking of the pasta to correspond with the sauce being finished. It is most important not to leave the cooked pasta waiting...so if the sauce is done, it can wait a few minutes for the pasta to finish. 

HEAT the oil and butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion when the butter has melted and saute until it becomes pale gold, about 7 minutes. Add the pancetta and cook a few minutes to render its fat. Add the wine, if using, and stir to deglaze the pan. Stir in the tomatoes, chili pepper and salt and cook in the uncovered pan at a steady simmer for 25 gentle minutes, or 15 vigorous minutes. Taste and add chili pepper or salt if needed.

DRAIN the pasta and toss with the sauce. Add both cheeses and toss thoroughly before serving in heated bowls. 

20 Questions with Doctor Amy

Doctor Amy Rabalais relaxes at home (perhaps the crockpot is cooking her kids’ favorite feast while she takes 5 listening to Amy 2020 or Christmas carols??)

Doctor Amy Rabalais is my hero. She’s mom to two grade school children, an ear, nose and throat doctor with a director’s role at Ochsner, a kitchen designer and more, all wrapped up into an energetic and energizing woman. She has been on the front lines of the Coronavirus pandemic and, eyes wide, sums it up in a simple sentence: “This has been wild!” Adding, “homeschooling was not for us. I’m just so glad to have grass, we haven’t had grass since August,” referring to their backyard pandemic project.

Amy and I met two years ago, almost to the date. I worked with her mom Margie Gaudet and sister Sara MacDowell at an event at Thrive Academy and Sara had a thought: ‘could you do a surprise birthday cooking class for my mom at my sister’s house? It’s her birthday, too.’ And so I did! We made a warm cheese dip, French onion soup with homemade stock, a seasonal salad with local greens and chocolate soufflés for dessert. It was a delicious evening of new friendships for me and we long to recreate the occasion when life allows.

Amy’s kitchen is a showstopper and when she told me she designed it, I suggested she consider that as a profession. The doctor detail hadn’t been disclosed until dessert. When I visited on her day off for this interview, she was unloading groceries that had been delivered while she was out to assist with a surgery. Do doctors really get a day off? Not this doctor! When she’s not in her scrubs, she is managing her household with finesse and loves traveling with her husband Mike and their two young kids. She is also an accomplished cook and participates in a supper swap co-op with two of her friends.

What’s your 20 minute recipe? I feel like everything I do takes more than 20 minutes. Crockpot turkey meatballs. You make the meatballs with egg, breadcrumbs, parmesan and herbs from the garden. Put them in sauce raw and cook them in the crockpot. They’re done in four hours on low and IT WORKS!! They stay in little balls and it makes the whole house smell good!! My kids LOVE it, it’s their favorite! Its’ my embarrassingly easy go-to. It doesn’t make sense that they hold together but they do! I make the meatballs a little smaller. 

What’s your favorite city? Taos, New Mexico. That’s my place. Four or five years ago we got a house there. My son had a writing prompt at school, ‘describe a place that makes you feel comfortable’ and he wrote about being in the hammock and reading his book in the mountains. 

What’s your Favorite restaurant in your current city? I do love so many restaurants! Going out to eat in the pandemic has been a nice change of scenery. We have only done outdoor dining. I’d say we have blown up Curbside! We can ride bikes there. My overall favorite in Baton Rouge is BLDG 5. We got our Thanksgiving dinner from Rocca. It was awesome! I had two days off at Thanksgiving and I really wanted to have some time to relax with my kids. We put the silver and china on our porch table and it was really great, Rocca cooked! We even ordered a cocktail mixer and it was delicious! 

Treasured find in the back of your fridge? I always keep pecans in the freezer. Bergeron pecans. Katey Bergeron is my PA. Her husband’s family has the pecan business. She gives me a box of them every year. We toast them to put on salads or top our desserts. I love having my big box of go-to pecans. 

Who taught you to cook? My Mom, definitely my mom! Big smile

What’s your go-to dish for company? It’s gonna sound weird, shrimp and grits. I do the grits ahead of time. The grits casserole from the old River Roads cookbook. I do a vodka cream sauce for the shrimp and you can do that ahead, just add the shrimp at the end. Grits souffle. I keep that cookbook with no cover just to get to that recipe. It feels fancy for a dinner party but the components don’t have to be timed. It works for company-- gluten free, pescaterian. It’s just easy and feels festive, I also deliver this meal to someone who’s had a baby. Deliver the grits, the sauce and the shrimp.They can add the shrimp when they heat everything up. 

What’s on your cooking playlist? Kind of a long story. Mike is so into music. That’s how he communicates. He spends hours making playlists. He makes me a playlist every year and the theme is that he takes songs from the the previous decade. So the 2016 playlist had songs from 2016, 2006, 1996 and so on. He spends months on these. His family is so music oriented. Right now we are playing the Amy 2020 playlist. It has all the songs he thinks will make me happy. We are listening to the 2020 mix right now. Very eclectic mix. It lost the theme, just happy songs. And right now we are listening to Christmas carols. Have you listened to the She and Him mix? They have two Christmas albums. 

OH the sun is out

Coffee, tea, or Kombucha? Coffee. 100% coffee! I’m obsessed with the Trader Joe’s almond peppermint mocha creamer. I haven’t been able to find it recently.

Date night--at home? or out? Right now I’m thankful for date nights at home. I don’t know if it’s happened here, but it would be awesome to have date night at home while the kids are away, when things get back to normal.

Most stained cookbook? It’s the River Roads, one two or three. It doesn’t have a cover.

Surf? or Turf? Surf. I enjoy having other people cook me seafood. My mom is really good at cooking seafood. My parents have a home in Gulf Shores and we can get really great seafood there. I love the red shrimp in a boil, they are huge and taste amazing! 

Indispensable kitchen tool? Chef’s knife. 

Staple childhood comfort food? Pita bread, my granddaddy made it every week and we ate it with butter. I still make it and have been making it more during pandemic. My brother John who is in his residency in Boston makes bread all the time. When he was in town before Thanksgiving he made crawfish bread! it was divine! I remember grandpa’s pita bread and my kid’s love Uncle John’s bread, they talk about it all the time. Do you know about the yeast podcast? It is soooo good! Gastro Egyptology. Talk about going down a rabbit hole! 

Who would you most like to share a meal with? past, present or fictional? Right now, Anthony Fauci!! I just want to tell him thank you!! He has done so much for this country that people don’t even understand! I’d like to know what has gone on behind the scenes. I would like to cook him dinner, now I’m super intimidated. I think I would be too nervous! I think we would end up ordering pizza. 

Ideal grilled cheese? My favorite grilled cheese to buy is at BLDG 5. It’s a mixture of different cheeses on really good bread. In pandemic we have had some Rabalais bootcamp classes! The best grilled cheese is the one I don’t have to make. My son got a mild burn on his arm, it was a teaching moment. Use kitchen safety and plow ahead! It’s a big milestone. It’s whatever cheese we have, whole wheat bread and butter. 

Favorite pizza topping? I like the salty ones. Prosciutto, capers, dressed arugula. 

Where would you want to take a cooking class? MMMMM Napa. That is on our list! There are two places. In Bhutan they make these dumplings. We were there last year, in retrospect I wish I had taken a class to learn to make those dumplings. Bhutan is a vegetarian country. It’s an amazing country to learn about! They are the only carbon-neutral country in the world. Actually carbon negative! It’s an incredible place. They do a happiness survey: gross domestic happiness. It is beautiful!!

What’s your Counter Intelligence cooking tip? Like a secret cooking tip? Everything is better with cheese! You know, if something isn’t working out so great, just put some cheese on it!

Three things next to your stove? Olive oil always, salt and pepper.

Favorite Sports Team? LSU!

just add garlic bread and Amy’s turkey meatballs are a meal in a bowl

Amy’s Crockpot Turkey Meatballs

Embarrassingly easy is right and equally delicious! Combine ground turkey with breadcrumbs, egg and cheese, season to your preference and shape them into petite meatballs. Drop these into some red sauce in the crockpot and put your feet up while dinner cooks itself. Amy shares ‘my crockpot liner can go on the stove, so I sizzle some crushed garlic in a little olive oil, add crushed canned tomatoes for sauce. Then the liner with sauce goes into the crockpot cooking element, I put the meatballs in and dinner is done.’ When I recreated her recipe in my kitchen, I went with a jar of good marinara that began heating right in the crockpot while I mixed and shaped the meatballs. Since I was trying to beat sunset for the photo, I rushed things and turned my crockpot to high. Two hours, done and so delicious!

Whisk 1 egg in a mixing bowl, add 1 teaspoon garlic salt, ½ teaspoon pepper and a tablespoon or two of chopped fresh herbs basil or oregano or Italian parsley, or even a combo, or even dried (reduce amount to 2 teaspoons) Crumble in a pound of raw ground turkey (I used the breast meat). Sprinkle with ¼ cup each of breadcrumbs and grated parmesan. Gently mix together and form into small balls (you should get about 24 one-inch balls, and a cookie dough scoop makes it easy!) Place the balls into 3 cups of your sauce of choice that’s waiting in your crockpot. Cook at low for 4 hours or high for 2, checking to see that the meatballs are cooked through. Your house will smell so good! Serve with your choice of pasta or some garlic breadsticks for dipping. Add a salad for balance. Happy Cooking!

20 Questions with Katie

Katie McKenna makes me laugh. Sometimes I make her cry. We met literally by accident, our paths crossing in the post-trauma arena. Her book, How to Get Run Over By A Truck, which she reads on Audible, is a MUST. Somehow, the softcover edition landed in my daughter’s ICU room in Manhattan last May. I could only glance at the book’s colorful cover and imposing title and slide it back into my tote bag for later. 

By late January, a mutual friend implored us to meet Katie, “a woman who got run over by a truck wrote a book about it. You should read it.” In the throes of trauma timeout, I finally screwed up the courage to give the Audible version a listen and here is where the laughter comes in. Katie’s story as she reads it grips you like a nightmare then shifts you into knee slapping. She has a rare gift.

We started with a phone call in February when the world was mostly right. My daughter Sara met Katie for coffee in New York and then...Quarantine. Or as Katie calls it: Quaran-TINE (like Valentine). She’s been married for a year and a half and says “yep, half of our marriage we’ve been living with my parents, our Quaran-Team!” 

She’s a fifth generation New Yorker and when she’s talking tough, calls herself McKenna. Her friends call her Katie Mac and her dad describes her as “this is my daughter Katie. She will bust your balls like a Wall Street Trader in the 80’s, but she will hug you so hard you can feel her heart beat.”

Thriving as a trauma survivor, Katie is a life coach and professional speaker who can cheerlead anyone away from the blues.

What’s your 20 minute recipe? My favorite thing to make is a pasta dish with julienne carrots, red onion and red bell pepper sautéed with garlic and olive oil, s&p. Turn it all into the pasta pot with some soft goat cheese and some of the pasta water. Minimal dishes is my goal in life. My older brother’s girlfriend introduced this to us. It’s a fridge cleaner and the goat cheese makes a nice silky sauce.

What’s your favorite city? Ummmmmm is it bad to say New York? I guess I’ll say Dublin. It’s a real sweet city.

What’s your Favorite restaurant in your current city? My comfort restaurant is Il Pasatore, a northern italian restaurant in Williamsburg. They have a shaved Brussels sprouts salad with apples, walnuts and parmesan with a lemon vinaigrette that I just love. I love their carbonara with the egg, pancetta and cheese with beautiful homemade spaghetti. 

Treasured find in the back of your fridge? You mean if I found something and was just over the moon?! Some of my mom’s homemade pesto. 

Who taught you to cook? Is it bad to say myself? My mom taught me the beauty of chop a bunch of things up and put it in balsamic vinegar and everything will be fine. 

What’s your go-to dish for company? It is Allison Roman’s garlic braised short ribs with red wine.

What’s on your cooking playlist? I’m a podcast person! I love This American Life while I’m cooking. I listen to Brene Brown’s Unlocking Us, and Hidden Brain or How I Built This

Coffee, tea, or Kombucha? I like to make myself every morning: Coffee, 2 scoops of Bulletproof collagen, unflavored, I put in a glurp/ about ¼ cup coconut eggnog and then i put in a dash of ginger, turmeric cinnamon and ground clove and some oat milk. Yeah, there’s only a little bit of room for coffee. Then I froth it and we are good to go.

Date night--at home? or out? If things are normal, date night out

Most stained cookbook? The New York Times cooking app.

Surf? or Turf? If it’s lobster, SURF!

Indispensable kitchen tool? I do use my frother every single day. 

Staple childhood comfort food? Probably truthfully whole wheat toast with butter and jam. I do bake the no-knead bread from the New York Times.

Who would you most like to share a meal with? past, present or fictional? Right now I would love to share a meal with Elizabeth Gilbert. 

Ideal grilled cheese? Oohhhhh heavily buttered white toast, it would have to be cooked open face so the cheese melts fully, then you put them together. I want straight gooey and this way It’s done faster, I’m a fast kid! I’m a bit of a grilled cheese connoisseur. My brother says I’m the best at grilled cheese, flattery will get you everywhere! White cheddar, Cabot sharp and bacon if I’m allowed.

Favorite pizza topping? Sausage, red peppers and onions is my favorite, I mean if I’m gonna do it. I’d get it at Williamsburg Pizza in Williamsburg. With a side of garlic knots because I’m not an idiot!

Where would you want to take a cooking class? I have actually taken a really great cooking class at Brooklyn Kitchen, they do really great classes. 

What’s your Counter Intelligence cooking tip? Everything will taste good if you chop it up really small. Think of an area of the world, say Mexico: chop up tomatoes, jalapeños, onion, squeeze of lime. Same same, pick a region...all that stuff. Add the appropriate acid.

Three things next to your stove? Olive oil, kosher salt, crushed red pepper and probably like a head of garlic 

Favorite Sports Team? New York Giants. 

Continuing with the sunshine theme, Katie’s pasta dish is so much sunshine in a bowl!

Katie’s (Game Changer) Goat Cheese Pasta

A few ingredients from your produce drawer do a delightful dance with goat cheese and pasta. Prep the veggies while the pasta pot comes to a boil. Sauté them while the pasta cooks. Toss them all together and you have delicious kitchen heroics in honestly 20 minutes.

Get a big pot of salty water going for pasta. I cooked a pound of thin spaghetti and kept about one quarter of the cooked noodles plain to make buttered noodles in case there was a request (and yes of course there was!) While the water comes to a boil (hello turbo burner!), julienne/matchstick cut a big peeled carrot, a red bell pepper and a red onion. Mince or crush a couple cloves of garlic. Take a 4 ounce log of goat cheese out of its wrapper. Timing is kind of key here…My thin spaghetti said ‘al dente in 7 minutes’ and al dente is a good time to drain it since it will cook a bit longer back in the pot with the veg, goat cheese and pasta water.

As you drop your pasta with a good stir into the boiling water, heat a large skillet over medium/almost medium-high heat and drizzle in a tablespoon or two of olive oil. Add the julienned carrot, bell pepper and onion, season well with s&p. Stir your pasta and if you’re feeling cheffy, give the skillet a nice toss with a flick of your strong wrist or stir. When the veg are just softening, add the garlic. When the pasta is done, use a large mug or Pyrex measuring cup to scoop up at least a cup of the hot pasta water (I like to set the heatproof cup in my colander, that way I won’t forget!). Drain the pasta and return it to the pot over the still hot but turned off burner. Add the veg and use about a half cup of the pasta water to ‘deglaze’ the skillet. Swirl the skillet and add this flavorful liquid to the pasta. Crumble in the goat cheese, scattering it around, and stir. Add more pasta water to make a silky sauce that just coats the noodles. Lift into warmed bowls (stack them on the back of the stovetop while you’re cooking = warm:) ) and serve after taking a bow. Happy Cooking!

20 Questions with Tracey

Tracey Scalia has worn a lot of hats since we first met at the beach in Florida when we were teens in bikinis. She went to college for respiratory therapy, worked through the medical field for a bit and traded her Mercedes for a Subaru and left the beach for Boulder. She channeled her love of cheesecake and went to pastry school. Now with two college age kids, she has turned her pastry degree into hospitality management, helping run the family business, The Burns Pub & Restaurant in Broomfield.

Back in the day when our pre-married names were so similar people thought we were sisters, we would hop out of the ocean and race up the steps to her parents’ kitchen for lunch, doctoring up ramen and boxed mac and cheese as teens will do. We were in each others’ weddings in the early 90’s and though we don’t get to see each other as often as we’d like, our shared love of the Florida Gators and our hometown beach finds us reuniting in Florida from time to time. Hoping we can savor her fabulous coffee cake together soon!

What’s your 20 minute recipe? That’s a tough one! Coffee cake, I have one you can whip together really quick. Breakfast is my favorite meal, this one is really easy and it makes the house smell really good.

What’s your favorite city? Rome because of everything it has to offer! I love Rome, I love Italy! I would move there if I could!

What’s your Favorite restaurant in your current city? I eat a ton of Mexican food. I usually go with independent and family-owned restaurants. Tres Margaritas. I go there a lot, they have great Tex-Mex. My go-to is always enchiladas. I just love enchiladas! They have a fish dish I love with mangos and avocados so it’s a little healthier. 

Treasured find in the back of your fridge? I always have a few ziploc bags of homemade sauce. I learned to make Chuck’s grandmother’s sauce, Nana’s sauce. My kids love it. Her secret was making the sauce with some fatty pork shortribs in it. If I can’t find those I use Italian sausage. You get the flavor from the meat and take it out for a smooth sauce. It’s funny because after I was divorced, Chuck called me to ask how to make his own grandmother’s sauce! He said the kids said his didn’t taste right. They still say mine is better.

Who taught you to cook? Mom, my mom was a great cook! I wish I had paid more attention. Because she was European, she knew how to cook a little bit of everything. Then I went to school for pastry and learned baking. Lots of trial and error. 

What’s your go-to dish for company? Typically a dessert, I would say cheesecake. People love my cheesecake! I went to culinary school because people loved my rum cake. I’ve had a lot of people ask me for the rum cake recipe and I haven’t given it out.

What’s on your cooking playlist? Oh you’re gonna laugh at this! I actually listen to country music. Modern country like Rascal Flatts and Carrie Underwood. It’s kind of soothing. I like to concentrate so I don’t like anything too distracting.

Coffee, tea, or Kombucha? KOMBUCHA! I drink Kombucha every day, I believe in its health benefits. I love it, I think it’s great! Some are better than others. I really don’t drink much caffeine because I have terrible insomnia. 

Date night--at home? or out? I’m a single empty nester. I’m married to my work! If I do date, I like to go out and I like to travel just FYI for all those bachelors reading your blog. How are you going to date in COVID anyway?

Most stained cookbook? Sort of my cookbook folder, the collection of recipes that I’ve collected and perfected. My mom gave me my first cookbook in high school The Joy of Cooking and I used it until it fell apart.

Surf? or Turf? Surf of course! Actually I hardly eat any meat outside of seafood. I run a kitchen where I have to taste meat but I almost never cook any meat. I’ve thought about making my sauce vegetarian but I don’t think it would be the same.

Indispensable kitchen tool? Rubber spatula. I can’t imagine a kitchen without one. I have every color shape and size. Even the little teeny baby ones. They are so great!

Staple childhood comfort food? Probably anything custard. That’s why I love cheesecake. My mom made everything with custard. It makes me think of her a lot when I eat custard.

Who would you most like to share a meal with? past, present or fictional? This is kind of random. Because I love Italy and Italian food so much I think It would be Pavarotti! I think he would be really fun to have a meal with. I picture him being boisterous and fun, someone who knows how to enjoy food and drink!

Ideal grilled cheese? Sourdough bread with slices of tomato, I like a really good cheddar. We do Irish cheddar here on our Shepherd’s Pie but it doesn’t really melt well. 

Favorite pizza topping? Sundried tomatoes and anchovies. I love it! I love thin crust pizzas like they make in Italy.

Where would you want to take a cooking class? Oh gee I wonder! I’ve actually looked into taking a cooking class over there. There are cookie shops on every corner in Italy. My daughter is minor-ing in Italian so I’m hoping to go over and visit her if she gets to study abroad. 

What’s your Counter Intelligence cooking tip? Overbeating anything with flour in it is a huge pet peeve. Don’t overbeat a cake! People don’t understand how tough a cake will be if it’s overbeaten. Also make sure you get your ingredients to room temperature when you’re baking. The butter, eggs and milk should all be close to the same temperature when you’re mixing your batter.

Three things next to your stove? My utensils, my Vitamix and my stand mixer. I use them constantly. A Vitamix is awesome! I got it in the divorce. 

Favorite Sports Team? Florida Gators. I bleed orange and blue!! 

Writer’s delight! Tracey’s coffee cake is perfect any time of day

You’ve gotta love a good old fashioned handwritten recipe! Use Tracey’s tip of ‘tempering’ the butter, sour cream and eggs to cool room temp before mixing. I used butter instead of shortening and pecans in the topping. One of my tasters wished it had four times as much apple…Play around and enjoy! Happy Cooking!

20 Questions with Michelle

Dr. Michelle Foster, a native of Guyana, started her career as a chemical engineer which led her to West Virginia where she worked for Union Carbide in the 90’s. She volunteered with Kanawha Institute for Social Research & Action, Inc. (KISRA), a community-based, non-profit that strengthens West Virginia families through health, employment, asset development, and learning initiatives, where she found her true passion for community development. 

Michelle got her PhD in community economic development and became the CEO of KISRA. That’s where we met! I was volunteering with AmeriCorps Farm to School and discovered a treasure of local food in KISRA’s farm and greenhouses. What a feast for the senses and great fresh produce to nourish the families in the area. (A highlight of my Farm to School service was touring the KISRA farm with my fellow Farm to Schoolers and hauling the harvest to an all local cooking event).

Michelle expanded her reach of serving the community when she became the president and CEO of The Greater Kanawha Valley Foundation in 2016. She is a champion for equity and her education credentials are impressive, as are the accolades recognizing her achievements. I imagine she will always continue learning and growing, working to make West Virginia better and better.

What’s your 20 minute recipe? I’m pescaterian. I eat lots of seafood and I love spicy, Salmon is my favorite fish. I do a jerk salmon in the oven with Walkerswood Traditional Jamaican jerk seasoning, hot and spicy version. I used to get it at the International Grocery and now they sell it at Kroger. Growing up we ate a LOT of rice. My cousin turned me onto quinoa. She taught me how to do a fried rice with vegetables and quinoa instead of rice. Lots of colorful bell peppers, scallions, carrots. One of my favorite greens is Swiss chard and I actually get it at KISRA! I have a Szechuan sauce that I love. Once you use that you don’t need a lot of seasonings. I do love Tony Chachere’s!

What’s your favorite city? New York, of course!! My family is there.

What’s your Favorite restaurant in your current city? I like Tidewater.

Treasured find in the back of your fridge? I recently moved, so my fridge is very clean. There’s a delicacy from Guyana, air dried shrimp. It adds so much flavor to foods. Guyanese style dried shrimp

Who taught you to cook? My mom and both my grandmas.

What’s your go-to dish for company? Some kind of fish dish. I ran across this recipe for Tuscan Butter Salmon. It has greens, sliced cherry tomatoes, butter and cream. It’s very very rich. Lots of flavor!

What’s on your cooking playlist? I stream WBLS radio station from New York. I like having that music in the background when I’m cooking. Old and new school R&B.

Coffee, tea, or Kombucha? Tea, I love tea!

Date night--at home? or out? Lately at home. she’s laughing

Most stained cookbook? I’ve been using a lot of Pinterest for new things that I want to try. They even have Guyanese cooks who share things on Pinterest.

Surf? or Turf? Surf surf surf!

Indispensable kitchen tool? Very sharp knife. It’s so annoying when you have a dull knife.

Staple childhood comfort food? Something from my native Guyana, peanut butter fudge.

I remember eating fudge growing up. When I eat it I feel so nostalgic. 

Who would you most like to share a meal with? past, present or fictional? President Obama AND Michelle! 

Favorite pizza topping? Veggies! Bell peppers and hot peppers with extra cheese and lots of veggies.

Where would you want to take a cooking class? Wouldn’t it be nice to have a cooking class in France?! when they ever open things up again!

What’s your Counter Intelligence cooking tip? The spicier the better! Spice it up!

Three things next to your stove? A fruit bowl, i leave out my smoothie blender and a plant.

Favorite Sports Team? I’m not a big sports fan, I like LeBron James.

Favrote thing about Charleston? The people. I think we have the best people who really care! It's great collaborating with Mayor Goodwin, she is so passionate! Now I live in the city limits of Charleston and get to work to help make our city more attractive.

Bathed in Jamaican jerk seasoning and cloaked with lemon slices, Michelle’s salmon is a 20 minute wonder! Served here with a fresh Swiss chard salad with a kick of jalapeño.

Michelle’s Jerk Salmon

There’s a new condiment on my refrigerator door, thanks to Michelle’s recommendation! Walkerswood Traditional Jamaican Jerk Seasoning has the same ingredients I use when I make it myself. It is so delicious and ready the moment you’re craving a getaway to Jamaica! No peppers to puree, it’s all there in the jar. The recipe is super quick, too. For the best flavor, plan a day ahead and marinate your salmon overnight.

Spritz each salmon filet with fresh lemon juice or a little vinegar, then coat the fish with a generous layer of the jerk seasoning paste, maybe a teaspoon or three. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Heat your oven to 400. While the oven heats, place a cast iron skillet* over medium-high heat and when it’s hot, lay in the salmon, skin side down so it quick sears the skin. Place the skillet in the oven and cook the salmon until your desired degree of doneness, about 7 minutes for medium. Serve with lemon wedges and your favorite greens or a nice batch of quinoa ‘fried rice.’

*if you don’t have a cast iron or oven-proof skillet, salmon can be cooked in a baking dish or rimmed baking sheet. Add a few minutes to the cooking time since it will not be pre-seared on the stovetop.

20 Questions with Laura

Laura Securro is a principal at a school in South Florida. Lucky them! She smiles wide at all times and we met when she was a first year teacher in Charleston, West Virginia. I was a volunteer with AmeriCorps Farm to School and she welcomed me into her classroom to do cooking demonstrations and tastings with her students any time, even sharing her cell number. She was new to the classroom and I was just getting started, too. Our passions for kids and food collided and we had the best time catching up recently.

Laura shared her devotion to cooking, a lifelong love her parents cultivated. Cooking is her hobby and a release when she gets home from a busy day at school. First things first, she gets into her comfy clothes, puts on some music and cooks up some fun! Tacos aren’t just for Tuesday, they are a staple for any night of the week when a quick meal is in order.

What’s your 20 minute recipe? Tacos! I use that very broadly. I can literally do anything with that theme! I usually keep everything on hand for it. While you’re  browning your meat whether its beef, chicken, fish or shrimp, you get the rest going. Refried beans, slaw with crema. Taco seasoning goes a long way! If you don’t have a big thing of taco seasoning, I don't know why. Guacamole! I always have ripe avocados. My secret is a little olive oil and a LOT of lime juice! Salt and I’ll add in some chili powder, taco seasoning for a kick and chopped up red onions. I cook a batch of dried black beans for the week and use them. 

What’s your favorite city? My favorite place to go is a place I’ve never been. I love new experiences. Really, I would say Grand Rapids, Michigan where I went to college. They have Art Prize every fall. The whole city gets decorated by art by all the local artists. Great food, great night life. There’s a river that runs through. It gets rated as one of the top cities for young professionals.

What’s your Favorite restaurant in your current city? Oh that’s a really loaded question. We live in Delray Beach. I’ll say Death or Glory, I have to give them a shout out! They go all out for Halloween and have some healthier spins on food. They do Cheeto dusted chickpeas. Fun drinks and good food. I love the Bear Shack, too. When you go out to a restaurant, you’re looking for good atmosphere, good food and drinks and a good time!

Treasured find in the back of your fridge? I’m the lemon queen! My father had this love of lemons. I start to get panicked if I’m down to one or two. I drink my water with lemon and I really think it enhances everything! Carrots are great with lemon.

Who taught you to cook? Both my parents. Not one more than the other. I’m 100% Lebanese. My mom made the best food, even fried chicken! My father made more of the everyday food. He could make even an average meal amazing! I watched them, loved being in the kitchen. I think when your parents enjoy it, it’s automatic for the kids.

What’s your go-to dish for company? A really good charcuterie board! There’s so many good things you can do with that for an appetizer. For the main dish I’ll do a big salad with garlic bread and chicken parmesan. I start with a good jarred sauce that I doctor up. I love mushrooms in my sauce. Lots of fresh parm on top. Makes a really good party night!

What’s on your cooking playlist? My top one is Laid Back Beach Music Radio on Pandora! I literally tell Alexa. Tied with Bob Marley. Makes you feel like you’re on vacation. 

Coffee, tea, or Kombucha? That’s a hard one! I would probably pick kombucha over everything. I love kombucha! You feel healthy after you drink it. 

Date night--at home? or out? Date night in for sure. If my husband takes over he will make tuna tartare and some scallops. If I’m cooking, I make his favorite meal, a turkey meatloaf with cauliflower mashed potatoes. Really the best date night in is homemade pizza! You can go any direction with this, I try to encourage my friends to do this with their kids. 

Most stained cookbook? Probably my Lebanese cookbook. Or Hungry Girl. I used that all through college. Really easy recipes.

Surf? or Turf? Oh you’re killing me! I’ll say surf. I’ll always pick the scallops or crabcakes on the menu. We had a house on Cape Cod and grew up eating a ton of seafood

Indispensable kitchen tool? My lemon juicer, that old school one. Tied with a baking pan, I mean what would you do without a baking pan?!

Staple childhood comfort food? Macaroni and cheese. A good mac and cheese is...and I love making it homemade! I love a good homemade mac and cheese. 

Who would you most like to share a meal with? past, present or fictional? I’m embarrassed to tell you.I watch the Housewives shows to unwind.  Bethany Frankel from the Housewives, she’s the Skinny Girl. She does a lot of giving back and she is really entertaining! 

Ideal grilled cheese? There would be no cheese I would leave out! I would put every cheese in the universe on it, including feta and havarti! Gouda, brie, everything. I would throw in some slices of bacon, too.

Favorite pizza topping? Mushrooms for sure.

Where would you want to take a cooking class? I know this sounds so cliche, I mean Rome, Italy! With a grandma who will show us how it’s done! We had a trip to Italy planned, we’ll have to get there one day. 

What’s your Counter Intelligence cooking tip? Is this my secret power kind of thing? I can make anything out of anything! Give me something random, throw me ingredients and I’m confident I will make something awesome! 

Three things next to your stove? Four things. Olive oil, balsamic vinegar, sea salt and pepper. 

Favorite Sports Team? I would say anything Michigan. Detroit Redwings. I do love going to hockey games! 

What do you miss most about Charleston? The seasons and the leaves changing. Wearing those fall clothes and being outside and enjoying the beautiful mountains! I miss my family and friends, the West Virginia people and PEPPERONI ROLLS! 

What’s the secret to perfect guacamole? Read ahead and cook along! (PS it’s red onion, tons of fresh lime juice, good salt and a drizzle of olive oil. Ohhhhh and of course the best ripe avocados)

Laura’s Guacamole

Laura is on autopilot when it comes to taco night. She varies the fillings but one thing is a constant: homemade guacamole. Keeping avocados on hand makes it an any time staple! As I made a batch per Laura’s instruction, I was reminded of the BEST guacamole ($19! And worth every penny) I’ve ever tasted. It, too, was finished with olive oil and had the dreamy consistency of velvety with perfectly ripe melt in your mouth chunks. The homemade version matches the $19 batch!

For one and a half ripe avocados, you’ll need half of a small red onion, finely chopped, the juice of a lime, more if the lime isn’t super juicy or you like it extra lime-y, about a half teaspoon coarse sea salt and a drizzle of good olive oil. Mash the whole avocado with the remaining ingredients in a medium bowl. Add the remaining half avocado and cut it in leaving soft chunks. Scoop into a serving bowl and drizzle with another splash of olive oil. Serve with your favorite tacos or chips, or straight from a spoon.

20 Questions with Kim

Kim Dolan is a pastry chef and instructor, a home cook who loves feeding family and friends, a food writer and photographer, and an accomplished triathlete who could boast a long list of accolades but she’s much too humble to brag on herself. She unexpectedly became a vocal advocate for organ donation not quite four years ago. (Dear Reader, if you aren’t yet registered to be an organ donor, please do it now. THANK YOU!)

Instead of hitting the slopes with her kids as she had planned at Christmastime 2016, she went to the hospital to find out why she wasn’t feeling right. Fast forward eleven very long months, Kim’s failing heart was replaced at age 57 with one donated by Leanne, a younger woman whose life was cut short. Kim’s focus shifted from teaching to surviving and now volunteers with Donate Life America. She’s a walking talking testimony to the urgency of organ donation. 

We met at Molly O’Neill’s Food Media Bootcamp six years ago and again at Molly’s Longhouse Food Revival. Kim arrived with a windowed bakery box filled with too pretty to eat pastries she had made with her students at Johnson and Wales University. I was lucky to be her roommate! Her pretty pastries tasted even better than they looked.

What’s your 20 minute recipe? Oh blueberry muffins for sure! Easy easy! No mix! 

What’s your favorite city? San Francisco, I just love the views, it’s so beautiful! I just love it there.

What’s your Favorite restaurant in your current city? It’s so hard to say because we haven’t been out! I live in Barrington, Rhode Island, close to Warren. In Warren it would be Eli’s. He actually won Chopped. We used to go there every Friday night. My go-to restaurant for special occasions is Nick’s on Broadway in the west end of Providence.

Treasured find in the back of your fridge? Strawberry rhubarb jam that I make. There’s always a jar of that!

Who taught you to cook? I’d say I had influences with my mom and grandmother, but I pretty much taught myself to cook. When i was a sophomore in high school I wanted to become a vegetarian (lasted 2 years until I craved a sausage sandwich!) and my mom said ok but you need to do the cooking. The Moosewood Cookbook got me through that.

What’s your go-to dish for company? I take bone-in chicken and braise it in the oven with a North Carolina barbecue sauce with cider vinegar and brown sugar, a little ketchup. Cook it until it’s falling off the bone and serve it with coleslaw and mashed potatoes. It’s so easy! Cook it 325 for about 3 hours. 

What’s on your cooking playlist? I listen to Pandora, the playlist is Hipster Cocktail Party

Coffee, tea, or Kombucha? Coffee, lots of milk, no sugar.

Date night--at home? or out? Out. When the bans are lifted we will go to Nick’s on Broadway.

Most stained cookbook? That is a really hard one! I still go back to the Silver Palate cookbooks. I find those really great to get ideas from that one and take off from there. I also like Ina Garten’s books. These have simple recipes that can be adjusted to what we like. I love my French Laundry cookbook from Thomas Keller, but it stays on my coffee table.

Surf? or Turf? Turf. I love a filet! Just with olive oil, salt, and LOTS of cracked pepper, grilled medium rare. Makes my mouth water just talking about it.

Indispensable kitchen tool? Rubber spatula. I have about 4.

Staple childhood comfort food? Campbell’s tomato soup with shell pasta. Cook the shells separately and put them in the tomato soup.

Who would you most like to share a meal with? past, present or fictional? Julia Child.

Ideal grilled cheese? White Wonder bread with American cheese. That’s why I don’t eat them very often. Sautéed in butter. I first melt the butter and brush it on the bread and cook it with another skillet on top.

Favorite pizza topping? I like just plain ol’ cheese and pepperoni. 

Where would you want to take a cooking class? Tuscany. Mark and I were supposed to go to Italy and then this happened. That’s ok, we’ll get there.

What’s your Counter Intelligence cooking tip? Always use butter! In your icing, puff pastry, pie dough, cookies. It has to be butter.

Go to butter? I use Land O Lakes and I prefer the salted butter, even for buttercream.

Three things next to your stove? KitchenAid mixer, Kinfolk Table Cookbook and a Pennsylvania Dutch crock filled with my utensils. My cucumbers are on deck because I’m making pickles tomorrow. I also have my jars of tomato sauce and raspberry jam that I just made. 

Favorite Sports Team? The Patriots. My husband’s a real good football fan!

Kim’s blueberry muffins, always featured at girlfriends’ weekends. Kim awakes just a little earlier than everyone else so there are warm muffins ready. Photo credit Kim Dolan

Kim’s Blueberry Muffins

No weekend getaway is complete without a batch of warm muffins! Kim’s version is adapted from the New York Cookbook by Molly O’Neill.

WHISK all together in a large mixing bowl:

• 4 ounces melted butter

• 1 cup sugar

• 2 eggs

• ½ cup plain yogurt

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

COMBINE in a medium bowl and add to the butter-sugar-egg mixture:

• 2 cups flour

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

FOLD IN:

• 1 cup blueberries

LINE a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners and divide batter among the cups.

BAKE at 350 until muffins are golden and a toothpick inserted in the center of one comes out with moist crumbs, about 18-20 minutes. Let cool briefly on a wire rack before removing from the pan. Enjoy warm. Happy Cooking!

20 Questions with Lisa

The Red Stick Farmer’s Market hums with activity every Saturday, rain or shine, in downtown Baton Rouge. I discovered this unique farmer’s market on a pre-move visit and was captivated by the brass band and strawberry perfume. After the big move I met Lisa Gray, the manager of Red Stick Mobile Farmers Market and coordinator of school garden projects. 

At the market, seasonal selections and friendly farmers lure locavores from nearby parishes. Behind the scenes, Lisa hauls local produce in a jazzed up trailer to sell in the far reaches of the community. She also plants and tends school gardens where the students learn the essentials from seeds and soil to flowers and harvest. I’ve had the honor of working alongside her and it’s incredible to witness the joy the kids get in their outdoor classroom.

Lisa has called Baton Rouge home for all but one year of her life. During her year away, she worked with the CDC in Atlanta. In her words, “the experience was great but I wanted to get back home to farm life. I gotta get back home and work with farm animals.” She took a job with the Ag Center at Southern University as a research associate before her now seven year tenure with Red Stick Market.

What’s your 20 minute recipe? Shrimp fried rice. I get the shrimp peeled and deveined from Anna Marie’s and use brown rice that’s leftover from another meal. I get as much from Red Stick Market as I can. Carrots from Fekete Farms, onions and green onions, orange or red bell pepper, pasture raised farm eggs and frozen peas that I buy. I use sesame oil and soy sauce while I’m cooking. I use the whole pound of shrimp! I call it the Real Shrimp Fried Rice. 

What’s your favorite city? I would love to travel to Washington, DC now. I’ve been there a lot in the past, it’s one of my favorites. People are really nice there.

What’s your Favorite restaurant in your current city? I like Pimanyoli’s on Airline. They specialize in smoked meats and classic American dishes, and they have hot tamales, a recipe from their family that’s like 100 years old. The owner’s father was a sergeant on the police force at Southern University.

Treasured find in the back of your fridge? Maybe some pickled okra

Who taught you to cook? My grandmother. She raised me, I was always in the kitchen with her. One of her specialties, my favorite, was her peach cobbler. My uncles always request it. 

What’s your go-to dish for company? I would do some beef and shrimp kabobs or an okra, shrimp, tomato and smoked sausage stew served over rice.

What’s on your cooking playlist? Lauren Hill, Erykah Badu.

Coffee, tea, or Kombucha? Tea. 

Date night--at home? or out? Right now?! At home.

Most stained cookbook? River Road. My grandmother used to use it. I still have hers and just got a new one from the Junior League. My uncle in Texas is holding on to my grandmother’s.

Surf? or Turf? Surf.

Indispensable kitchen tool? My whisk.

Staple childhood comfort food? Chicken and dumplings. That was easy!

Who would you most like to share a meal with? past, present or fictional? My grandmother.

Ideal grilled cheese? I’m pretty plain when it comes to grilled cheese. I like it with cheddar.

Favorite pizza topping? One of my favorites is pickled banana pepper

Where would you want to take a cooking class? Italy and learn how to make a classic red sauce, the type that takes hours.

What’s your Counter Intelligence cooking tip? I don’t like to overcomplicate with a lot of ingredients. I like to keep it simple. If I can wing it without a lot of ingredients, that’s what I prefer.

Three things next to your stove? A trivet, canisters with flour and sugar, tool caddy.

Favorite Sports Team? Of course The Saints!! 

A trip to the Red Stick Farmer’s Market transforms yesterday’s extra rice into a gourmet meal in minutes!

Lisa’s Real Shrimp Fried Rice

A trip to the Red Stick Market will elevate your next batch of fried rice to the next level of delicious! Gather your ingredients and your fried rice masterpiece is ready in minutes.

• 1 pound medium sized peeled and deveined shrimp, drained and patted dry

• Salt and pepper

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided use

• 1 small onion, chopped

• 1 sweet bell pepper, chopped

• 1 large carrot, grated

• 2 eggs, whisked to blend in a small bowl

• 3 cups cooked rice

• ½ cup frozen peas

• 2 tablespoons soy sauce

• 2 teaspoons sesame oil

• 3 green onions, thinly sliced

TOSS the shrimp with a sprinkle of salt and pepper.

HEAT 1 tablespoon oil in a large heavy skillet or wok over medium-high heat. 

ADD the shrimp and cook, turning once, just until they turn opaque, about a minute or two per side. Remove with a slotted spoon to a plate.

ADD the onion and bell pepper to the skillet and cook until just tender, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the grated carrot, toss to combine, then push the vegetables to the perimeter of the skillet to make room for cooking the ‘egg pancake.’

POUR the remaining 1 tablespoon oil into the bottom of the skillet and add the whisked egg. Let it sizzle and cook in one layer, just until it is cooked through, about 2 minutes. Chop the cooked egg into small pieces in the skillet with a spatula and push it out to the perimeter with the vegetables.

ADD the rice to the center of the skillet and cook a minute or two to heat the rice through. Stir in the peas, soy sauce and sesame oil and toss it all together in the skillet incorporating the vegetables and egg from the perimeter. Stir in the cooked shrimp and green onions and serve. Happy Cooking!