Life's a beach!

If I could take only one vacation per year (or per decade, for that matter), off to the beach in late winter I would go. While so far it has happily worked out that lots of overtime, extra jobs and plenty of scrimping allow for more trips than that, there is no vacation I anticipate more than our annual winter pilgrimage to somewhere that's warm and on the water. Spending a week or so at a sunny beach spot is definitely the highlight of the season, and a sure cure for any doldrums brought on by a long Ohio winter.

Over the last few years, I have been lucky enough to stick my toes in the sand of some world-class beaches, such as the Pacific coast of Costa Rica, those in Aruba and, just last year, fabulous Maui. All were terrific trips and I would highly recommend any of those locations to anyone interested in a great beach vacation.

This year we opted for another one of our favorite vacation spots, which is Naples, Florida. A gorgeous place in southwest Florida, Naples is easy to get to, easy to get around and, if one needs or wants it to be, very affordable. Naples offers sandy white beaches, generally reliable weather, a long list of great places to stay and to eat, and all types of fun things to do. Last, but far from least, my mother spends her winters in Naples (lucky lady!) and she happens to be turning 80 this coming week...a birthday that definitely calls for an extra special celebration.

And so it came to be that we packed our bags last week, jumped on a plane Thursday morning and were enjoying the Florida sunshine by early afternoon. Like magic, the little strains and stresses of everyday life melted away, and a feeling of complete relaxation set in almost immediately. That was three days ago, and our stay extends for another seven. Winter? What winter? Worries? What worries? Life is definitely good right now...behold the amazing power of warmer weather, blue skies and beautiful beaches!

The time has come, the walrus said, to talk of many things...

and while I do have some opinions on shoes, ships, and kings (although not so much on sealing wax), for the moment we just need to talk about cabbage. Specifically, a totally easy but amazingly tasty way to prepare this completely underrated vegetable.

About six weeks ago, I found myself grimacing at the quality (or lack thereof) of the green veggies for sale at my local market...the broccoli looked a bit tired, the asparagus was far from spring-fresh, and the green beans appeared limp. And, of course, the prices on all of the above had doubled since summer. Not to be deterred by this seasonal setback, I grabbed a giant head of cabbage for inclusion in that week's eats.

Almost immediately, half of that cabbage was cut into wedges that were gently simmered in chicken stock and served alongside a spicy roast of pork. A few days later, I was toying with the idea of slicing and somehow sauteing the leftover raw cabbage when, fortuitously, I came across a year-old post featuring cabbage in Molly Wizenberg's blog, Orangette. I was already familiar with this gal's recipes through her monthly column in Bon Appetit and, after just a quick glance at her "Cabbage With Hot Sauce" recipe, it was apparent that this was something we definitely needed to try.

Molly described her cabbage dish as "more of a method than a recipe", which suited me just fine, as I immediately realized that I would need to make a few adjustments to both the method and recipe. Molly's version calls for using a wok to stir-fry thinly sliced cabbage and fennel in super hot canola oil, then tossing the cooked veggies with sambal oelek and soy sauce to complete the dish. However, as my kitchen inventory did not include a wok, or fennel, or canola oil, much less a hot sauce I had never heard of, I went to work on making a similar dish using the ingredients and a cooking vessel that I had on hand. It took less than ten minutes, and we were rewarded with some totally awesome cabbage, prepared (or at least flavored) in a way that I'm quite sure I would have never thought of myself. Thanks, Molly.

This recipe, which I made again last night to serve with baked tilapia, simply involves sauteing chunky slices of cabbage in a little hot oil until the cabbage is steaming hot and starting to wilt, but yet with plenty of crunch left. While the cabbage quickly cooks, stirring in soy sauce and hot sauce adds a remarkable combination of flavors that blends perfectly with the cabbage, resulting in a dish that we will happily eat all year round.

Cabbage With Hot Sauce (adapted from Orangette)

1/2 head green cabbage, quartered and sliced into (approx.) 1/2 inch wide pieces

1 tablespoon of olive oil

soy sauce, to taste (I use Kikkoman Lite soy sauce)

hot sauce, to taste (I use Frank's Red Hot)

In a large pot, heat oil until very hot (but not smoking). Add cabbage, and stir to lightly coat with oil. Add a couple of glugs of soy sauce, and stir again to coat cabbage. Let cabbage cook for a couple of minutes, stirring another time or two, until cabbage is heated through and is slightly tender and beginning to wilt. Add a dash or two of hot sauce (or to taste), stir again, and cook (if needed) for another minute or so. Serve hot.

Road Trip!

With cabin fever beginning to set in here recently, it seemed that a weekend out of town may just be the cure. As my job already dictated that I be in Cincinnati this past Friday for a few hours, the Mr. and I decided that mixing business with pleasure sounded like a fine plan. So after work on Thursday, we packed our bags, jumped in the car and headed two hours south to the Queen City.

We rolled into Cincinnati around seven-thirty that evening, and settled in happily at the Hyatt Regency downtown. A prior visit had convinced us that this hotel was a great lodging choice. The Cincinnati Hyatt offers comfortable accomodations in an upscale, contemporary setting, along with a uber-friendly staff and a fantastic city location. (And, for this visit, a pricetag of just over a hundred bucks a night, which certainly clinched the deal for us).

We grabbed a late dinner at the hotel restaurant, Champs, which connects to a terrific sports bar by the same name. While the menu offered a handful of entrees that sounded tempting, we settled on sandwiches and were not disappointed. My reuben was loaded with tender corned beef and cheese on nicely grilled marbled rye but, instead of the standard sauerkraut, the sandwich featured a creamy but slightly spicy coleslaw, which totally made the meal. Scott contentedly chowed down on an English style club sandwich, which arrived piled with shaved turkey, smoked bacon, but with the twist of a fried egg and Dijon spread. Both of us also loved the crispy fries that were served alongside in a cool little cone of paper nestled in twisty, vertical metal holder. With our bellies full, sleep came easily and early that evening.

Friday morning, I raced off to a hearing that lasted till just after noon. Once done with my work obligation, we turned to the pleasure portion of the trip. While Cincinnati certainly has a wealth of attractions to choose from, both downtown and further afield, we opted to simply spend a few hours checking out the downtown retail scene. We browsed through the luxuries offered for sale at Saks Fifth Avenue, and then hit Macy's to look at products we could perhaps actually afford. At Macy's, we found a gorgous Ralph Lauren lambswool sweater for my husband, which we snapped up for a ridiculously cheap forty-two dollars. We ended our shopping excursion at T.J. Maxx, where my husband scored again, picking up a Columbia down vest for fifteen bucks. In addition to the bargains we found, we also loved the fact that all of these stores are connected by an enclosed "skywalk", meaning we did not even need to venture outside into the cold weather to do our downtown shopping.

Back at the hotel, we hit happy hour at Champs, restoring ourselves with super-cold beers after our retail excursion. (I spent the bulk of this time trying to convince my husband that a Louis Vuitton purse we had seen at Saks would be a better expenditure than, say, the insulation we need for our home.)

Once happy hour concluded, we threw on some dressier clothes and headed down the street to Morton's steakhouse for dinner. And, oh my goodness, what a dinner it was. While it had been years since life had landed me at Morton's for a meal, I was promptly reminded as to why I consider it one of the best restaurants at which I've ever dined. (On the other hand, the prices quickly reminded me as to why, in fact, it has been a decade since I was last there.)

Our meal at Morton's started with a beautiful round loaf of warm bread, the cripsy crust covered in tiny slivers of flavorful roasted onion. We tore the loaf into chunks of the softest, freshest bread that either one of us had ever tasted and we promptly agreed we could happily dine on nothing but that bread alone.

Fortunately, we did not have to test our premise, as a serving of Oysters Rockefeller soon arrived. We practically swooned over these oysters on the half-shell, topped with (I'm thinking) spinach, parsley, cheese, a rich sauce and bread crumbs, then baked or broiled to a perfect finish. (Our only regret was that we neglected to try same dish in New Orleans at Antoine's a few months back, as that famous restaurant invented and - they claim - perfected the dish. Definitely our mistake...but Morton's has seriously got to be giving Antoine's a run for their money on this!)

Back at Morton's, huge salads and steaks shortly arrived at the table. The salads were delicious, but so gigantic that we regretted ordering them (because it turned out we certainly did not need the extra food). My doublecut filet mignon was predictably excellent, and Scott's face literally lit up with the first taste of his porterhouse, which cut like butter. We also foolishly split one of Morton's famous baked potatoes. (I say foolishly because, again, we certainly did not require the additional food, particularly as the potatoes are famous - or, perhaps, infamous - for being the approximate size of small footballs.)

Aside from the fact that our eyes were far bigger than our stomachs, the meal was absolutely, completely, incredibly fabulous. There may somewhere be a few equal steaks out there, but there are none better. Assuming we make it through the second mortgage and the triple-bypasses necessitated by this last visit, we shall definitely return to Morton's.

The next morning, on Saturday, we were out of the hotel and on the road back north before noon. The plan was to meet my sister in Dayton (an hour up the interstate) by midafternoon, and so we had a few hours to kill. We stopped at a new and highly touted outlet mall just north of Cincinnati, not-so-originally named the Cincinnati Premium Outlets. While the place was impressively large, most of the stores - as is usually the case with outlets - offered prices no better than their full-retail counterparts. However, two happy exceptions turned out to be The North Face and Columbia stores, both of which were full of winter stock at amazing prices. We snagged up bargains at both that were close to seventy-five percent off of original retail prices.

At the same highway exit, we also decided to visit Trader's World, billed as Ohio's largest flea market. (And I say "we", although the blame for this one definitely falls squarely on my husband's broad shoulders.) Before I totally rip on this place, let me just say that I absolutely love true flea markets...give me a bunch of booths or dirty old shelves full of discarded junk, no matter what its vintage, and I am in hog heaven. Trader's World, on the other hand, was all "new" items that simply defy adequate description as to how trashy, tacky, nasty and totally useless they were. We spent two bucks to get in, and even that was a colossal waste. So enough said about that.

Having thankfully escaped Trader's World with our lives, on to Dayton we drove. My sister, Nancy, was running late, so Scott and I enjoyed a midafternoon lunch at the Dublin Pub in the Dayton's funky, historic Oregon District. Scott's Sheppard's Pie was awesome and my romaine salad topped with spicy, blackened-sirloin was equally so. The Dub Pub also offers live music most nights, and we were a bit disappointed that our plans didn't allow time to stay and tip a few while listening to that evening's band. (Although we decided that we will definitely be back.)

We drove down the block and met Nancy at the apartment into which she was just moving...a very cool loft in an urban setting that seems to be enjoying an ongoing rejuvenation and repopulation. While I love my rambling and renovated ranch on its suburban half-acre outside of our large town, I am totally envious of the new bigger city life that is now at Nancy's doorstep and the loft-living that she will now enjoy. (Unfortunately, my camera was having battery issues and so I have no photos of the loft to post.)

After the rendevous at my sister's new place, we drove the last hour back to Lima. It felt good to be home and the cabin fever seemed to be gone, thanks to a weekend that included great company, great fun, great food, at a great price (not counting that meal at Morton's). All in all, couldn't ask for anything more.

The weather outside is frightful...

but, taking the obvious cue from the song, I say let it snow! We have a pile of firewood at the ready and, to enjoy along with the blaze, I'm stirring together some hot spiced wine.

This mulled wine drink is a cold-weather classic. It should perhaps be noted, for the benefit of anyone similarly situated, that I am not a fan of red wine in its pure state. However, once flavored with fruit and spices and sweetened slightly, red wine miraculously transforms into a cocktail of choice. In the summer, we raise glasses of sangria. In winter, the addition of heat to the beverage results in mugs full of steaming, fruity goodness.

My favorite version of hot spiced wine is one copied years ago from Bon Appetit. The use of apple cider perks up any basic red wine, and the citrus and spice flavors finish it off beautifully. I have always heated it in, and served it directly from, a pot on the stovetop, but a crockpot would also be a fine way to keep the beverage warm for several hours for entertaining purposes.

So while the snow outside shows no signs of stopping, no matter. Indoors, we shall be toasty - and toasting! - in front of the fire. And that truly is delightful.

Hot Spiced Wine (adapted from Bon Appetit)

1 bottle (750 ml) red wine (approx. 3 1/4 cups)

3 cups apple cider

1/4 cup sugar

1 orange, thinly sliced

1 lemon, thinly sliced

1 lime, thinly sliced

3 2-inch cinnamon sticks

8 whole cloves

8 allspice berries

8 whole black peppercorns

Combine all ingredients in a large pot. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally until heated through (but do not boil). Ladle (strained) liquid into mugs and serve hot.

Oh my gosh, what a crock!

A crock-pot, I'm talking about. It turns out that one of the best gifts under our Christmas tree six weeks ago was this stainless steel beauty purchased for me by my sister. My former slow cooker had certainly seen better days...the lid was chipped in several places and the hunter green color and ivy motif were embarrassingly eighties in style. Thus, I was quite happy to be given this sleekly updated version. (This also happens to be my very first stainless steel appliance...now if only I could replace my fridge, oven and dishwasher as well!)

While I have not historically been a super frequent user of crockpots, receiving this new one for Christmas motivated me to pull out some old recipes that put these little cookers to their best use. That is, turning tougher cuts of meat into tender, table-ready meals, by braising the meat in a small amount of liquid over several hours at a very low heat.

This cold and snowy Sunday in February practically dictated that our evening meal involve comfort food. I decided this morning upon Italian beef sandwiches, with macaroni and cheese alongside. The beef recipe was clipped from Taste of Home magazine a few years back and is a definite keeper. (And I love the fact that the gal who submitted it was a firefighter/paramedic from just up the road in Perrysburg, Ohio.) Crockpots have long been my cooking vessel of choice for chuck roast, and this recipe puts a delicious Italian spin on a classic shredded beef sandwich, through cooking the meat with pickled peppers and their liquid, combined with sliced onions and some choice herbs and spices.

The macaroni and cheese is an insanely simple concoction based upon a Southern Living recipe I copied down a decade ago and have since misplaced. However, one of the beauties of idiot-proof recipes being that they are easy to recreate, late this afternoon I threw together what I vaguely recalled the ingredients to be and was rewarded with a creamy casserole full of cheesy goodness.

Ahhh, comfort...

Italian Beef Sandwiches (adapted from Taste of Home)

1 jar (12 to 16 oz.) pepperoncinis

4 lbs. boneless beef chuck roast

1/4 cup water

2 teaspoons dried oregano

1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil

1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 large onion, sliced and quartered

8 to 10 crusty sandwich rolls, split

Drain pepperoncinis, reserving 1/2 cup of the liquid. Remove and discard pepper stems, set whole peppers aside. Trim all excess fat from chuck roast and cut beef into very large chunks, set aside. In a small bowl, combine oregano, basil, garlic powder, salt and pepper.

Place a third of the meat into the bottom of a 4 to 5 quart slow cooker. Sprinkle half the dried herb mixture over the beef. Layer this with another third of the meat, then the sliced onion and whole peppers. Top with remaining meat and herb mixture, then pour reserved pepper-liquid over the top.

Cover and cook on high for 4 to 5 hours or on low for 8 to 9 hours, or until meat is tender. Shred beef with two forks. Using a slotted spoon to drain beef mixture well, serve beef and peppers on sandwich rolls. (We like a light coating of mayo on the rolls before piling on the beef).

Yields 8 to 10 big sandwiches, depending on size of the roll and amount of beef used for each.

Ridiculously Easy Macaroni and Cheese (adapted from Southern Living)

8 to 10 oz. medium sized pasta shells

1 can (10 3/4 oz.) cream of mushroom soup

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup milk

8 oz. (2 cups) shredded sharp cheddar cheese

In boiling water, cook pasta as directed on package until al dente. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine soup, mayonnaise, milk and shredded cheese. Once pasta is done, drain thoroughly. Mix cooked and drained pasta with soup mixture, stirring gently to combine well. Spoon into a lightly greased or sprayed baking dish (approx. 2 quart), bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes, or until casserole is bubbling and nicely browned on top. (This could also be made with large elbow macaroni, but elbows don't quite envelope the creamy, cheesy sauce the way shells do.)

April is the cruelest month?

With all due respect to T.S. Eliot, I have got to say that February has always struck me as the month most brutal.


We awoke early yesterday morning to a foot of snow in the driveway, a temperature of twenty degrees and a howling wind. At least the sun did ultimately appear, and the local landscape now resembles a bright winter wonderland. But picturesque scenery aside, this weather turns most any task or trip outside the home into a hassle that most people could do without.


February is also the third calendar month of a winter season in these parts that, for some reason, always seems to pass at a snail's pace. By February, the holidays are long over, the uplifting promise of a new year's fresh start has for the most part been forgotten, and winter starts to drag on. Personal energy levels begin to sag, fatigue increases, grumpiness sets in more readily and cabin fever starts to rear its ugly head. There are, I'm sure, some perpetually perky people out there whom are bothered not one bit by this month. More power to them, or to their Paxil, whichever the case may be. The rest of us, however, must soldier on through February as best we can.

To that end, I shall make every effort this month to revel in the delights, limited as they seem at first glance, that February has to offer. A hike through the snowy woods. A glass of wine in front of a glowing fire. Clearance sales on cashmere. The Super Bowl this evening. Perhaps a winter weekend out of town. And, definitely, a bit of comfort food.

So before I head outside here shortly to dig out my car, I shall first dig out my crockpot. I'm thinking Italian beef sandwiches, accompanied by macaroni and cheese. I will let you know how it goes...as to both dinner and the month.