Street Food

I love street fairs - the food, the people, the art...We live close to New York City and are lucky to have all kinds of street fairs around in the summer and fall. My husband and I can never decide what to eat - Thai food, sausage and peppers, fresh smoothies, the list is practically never ending. I usually try to make healthy food at home, but like anyone else, who can turn down a good spring roll every now and then?

Back to tonight, I was making a pretty regular dinner (turkey meatloaf and roasted zucchini) and decided that we could use a treat to spice it up. I didn't have a lot to work with in the kitchen but I did have some mini-ravioli. My laptop forced me to google fried ravioli and the rest is history -- so so good. They were really easy to make and so fun to eat. No need for a deep fryer either. Give them a try!

Fried ravioli (modified from Giada De Laurentiis)

Ingredients

Olive oil, for frying

~1 cup buttermilk

~2 cups bread crumbs (Italian style is best)

1 bag mini-cheese ravioli

1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Sauce (for dipping; whatever brand/concoction you like)

Steps

1. Pour enough olive oil into a large frying pan (recipe suggested 2 inches; I used about 1 inch)

2. Heat the oil over medium heat
3. While the oil is heating, put the buttermilk and the bread crumbs in separate shallow bowls.

4. Working in batches, dip ravioli in buttermilk to coat completely. Allow the excess buttermilk to drip back into the bowl. Dredge ravioli in the bread crumbs.

5. When the oil is hot, fry the ravioli in batches, turning occasionally, until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the fried ravioli to paper towels to drain.
6. [Optional] Sprinkle the fried ravioli with Parmesan and serve with a bowl of warmed marinara sauce for dipping .

The Glitterati

Glitter pumpkins! I first saw these in Martha Stewart Living magazine last year. They looked awesome and not too difficult to make, so I gave it a try. They turned out great and look really professional (if there is such a thing as professional glitter pumpkins...).

I searched everywhere for the right glitter, but all the flakes were too large and I definitely could not find orange glitter (gold and green pumpkins were not really working for Halloween/Fall/Thanksgiving). Finally, I found what I needed in a small boutique art shop in Manhattan. It cost a little more than regular glitter, but the pumpkins looked amazing! This year, I decided to step it up a notch - I found the right glitter at Michael's (new Martha Craft line - get that 40% off coupon or you can also buy them through Martha Crafts) - I bought three colors - fire opal (orange), carnelian (a red-orange) and brownstone (a reddish-brown color). They look great when you mix the glittered pumpkins and gourds with non-glittered ones and other organic materials (acorns, apples, pinecones, leaves, etc). Here are some before and after pictures:

before

after

The instructions could not be easier -

You will need: Modge podge (or any glue on the thinner side will likely be fine), Fine glitter, Brush (I use those "brushes" that are a wooden dowel attached to a sponge) and any pumpkin or gourd (I try to use smaller ones so they are easy to hold while you are painting them).

Here's what you do: Hold pumpkin firmly by the stem (careful not to break it!). Paint a thin layer of glue on the pumpkin (do not cover the stem or the small round area on the base of the pumpkin). Add glitter. Shake off excess and reapply as needed to cover all areas. Let dry.

Blog Action Day!

Blog Action Day is meant to encourage people to think about the environment - obviously, this is a huge topic and not something that can be changed or turned around in a day, a month or even a year. Changing the outcome of our current projected pathway is difficult, and requires daily lifestyle changes by enough people in order to really begin to crack the surface of the problem. Sounds a bit idealistic, but if you want to be pessimistic, then natural resources are going to be severely reduced, if not gone, as we know them very soon.
In honor of Blog Action Day, I thought I would post some of the ways that our family has been trying to reduce our carbon footprint. Some of these are very easy to input into your daily schedule, but others are more difficult and require a few months to get used to - the changes will help the earth and as well your family (in terms of health and finances too!)

• Recycling - I know this sounds repetitive, but if you really take a look at all the things you throw away, I would bet that at least 50% of the items could be recycled (metal, paper, plastic, glass) in your neighborhood. If you are not sure what recycling services are available, you can contact your Town Hall. Most towns now have recycling pick-up for free (or included with your garbage pick-up fee). We can recycle glass, plastic and metal with our garbage and we just found a 2nd place that will take paper and cardboard for a very small fee ($3/bag).
  
  
• Buy recycled products - Increase the demand for these types of products. Ask for them at your local Staples, Kinko's, OfficeMax, etc. My office only prints their promotional materials on recycled paper. The quality is the same, and many times, it looks better/more stylish on the recycled paper!
  
  
• Reduce/Reuse - I'm guilty of this as well - using paper towels when I could use a dishtowel or leaving the water on too long, turning up the heat when its not really that cold, using the air conditioner when its not really that hot, etc. It is important to become aware of small things that could potentially make a difference if they were all added up! Do you really need all those plastic bags from the grocery store? Grab a reusuable bag instead - not only are they durable and reduce waste, but you get money back! Turn down your heat, get energy-star appliances & energy-saving light bulbs, make sure your windows close tight, unplug appliances (easier if you use a powercord) - all these things will reduce your energy usage and energy bills!
  
  
• Carpool/Walk/Double-duty trips/Gas-guzzlers - This can be difficult at times depending on how far you live from your job, whether you live rural or urban, etc., but its worth becoming conscious about. Is it really necessary to drive your SUV somewhere when you can walk or bike or ride with someone else? Questions like this will reduce the carbon emitted as well as save you gas money. If you can, buy a hybrid - you can still get a tax break on some of the 2007/2008 models.
  
  
• Buy Local! This one is huge. Take advantage of local farms, farm markets, CSAs, Co-ops, and family owned-local grocery stores. If you are a cook, plan your menus around seasonal fruits and vegetables - not only are you helping your local economy (mom & pop shops!) and likely getting fresher produce and dairy products, but you are also reducing the amount of trucks, planes & trains that need to criss-cross the country by road, air and ocean to bring out-of-season items. Supporting stores that support local farmers will also help preserve your community.
  
  
• Spread the word! Not that your Grandma Millie is going to be able to change her ways, but speak up when you get the chance. A few years ago, the grocery store employees looked at me like I was crazy when I brought my own bags - now they are totally aware, packing them up, giving me money back and asking where I bought the bags. It pays to speak up. My husband and I gave out reusable grocery bags to all of our wedding guests - we have had at least 25 people either ask us for more or tell us how they have incorporated them into their lifestyle. Sometimes, it only takes an explanation or example for someone to change. just a little :)

It is really easy to be discouraged due to the extreme size of the problem, but the solution has got to start somewhere - don't push it away to the next person. Here are some links to interesting products or organizations to help work towards a greener lifestyle:

• Freecycle - Reduce your garbage! Exchange items for free with members - Check it out!
• Carbon calculator - see where you stand!
• Join a CSA! Check out Local Harvest to see what is available in your neighborhood.
• Greening Info - TreeHugger provides a series of very informative (and sometimes amusing) articles on how to "green" your life. Check out this one on greening your car.
• Buy cool green bags - you can get the ones at the market with their logo on them, but you can get logo-less bags - check out the info in my previous post. Then again, you can really use any bag you like!
• City-by-City info - Check out the NYC Plan reduce carbon emissions by 30% by 2030 - GreeNYC. Check out San Francisco's policies here.
• Also, some other bloggers have posted great items about how they green their lifestyle - check out Oh Happy Blog!, Style Me Pretty, and Toasts & Tables

Many other bloggers are taking part in Blog Action Day so check out the website for more information!

Last of the season - Tomatoes

In our area, we are reaching the end of the local tomato season. So, on our way home last weekend from a local festival, we decided to take advantage of some good-lookin' organic vine-ripened tomatoes from one of the road-side farm stands. I've been a fan of the blog 101 Cookbooks for awhile, and Heidi's parmesan tomato tart recipe was calling my name :)

This tart really features the tomatoes, since they are not cooked - so make sure whatever tomatoes you choose are really sweet and perfect (the original recipe uses heirloom tomatoes). The tart crust is totally delicous - this is the perfect choice as a starter for any meal (if you make the individual tarts like I did) or a main course if you make the larger version (like Heidi did).

Tomato Tart with Parmesan Crust

(note: I modified the amount of tomatoes and other ingredients to make four smaller-sized tarts; since there are not many ingredients, it was not difficult. The recipe that follows is the original with very minor ingredient modifications). The directions seem a bit complicated, but actually, it was a very simple dough to make and did not take very long at all!

Ingredients

6 medium-sized heirloom tomatoes - washed and sliced 1/6-inch thick
1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup unsalted butter, well chilled + cut into 1/4-inch cubes
4-ounce chunk of good fresh parmesan, microplane-grated (you should end up with about 2 cups loosely packed grated cheese. Save any leftover grated cheese for sprinkling on the crusts when they come out of the oven.)
2 tablespoons ice cold water

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup silvered basil

Steps

1. Preheat the oven to 350˚F.

2. Prep the tomatoes: To avoid a soggy crust later on, you need to rid the tomatoes of some of their liquid. Clear a space on your counter and put down a double layer of paper towels. Place the tomatoes in a single layer on the paper towels and sprinkle them with about 1 teaspoon of the salt. Top the tomatoes with another layer of paper towels and press gently. Let the tomatoes sit here until you are ready to use them.

3. Make the tart crust(s): Place both flours, butter, and cheese in a food processor and pulse quickly about 25 times. You are looking for a sandy textured blend, punctuated with pea-sized pieces of butter. With a few more pulses, blend in the 2T of ice water. The dough should stick together when your pinch it between two fingers. Pour the dough into the tart pan. Working quickly, press the dough uniformly into the pan by pressing across the bottom and working towards the sides and up to form a rim. Place in the refrigerator and chill for 15 minutes.

4. Bake the tart crust: Pull the tarts out of the refrigerator and poke each a few times with the tongs of a fork. Cover the tart with a square of aluminum foil and fill generously with pie weights (I used dried beans). Place on a baking sheet and slide the tart onto the middle rack in the oven. Bake for 15 minutes, pull the shell out of the oven and very gently peel back and remove the tinfoil containing the pie weights. Place the uncovered tart back in the oven, weight free, and allow to cook for another 10 minutes, or until it is a deep golden brown in color. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with a little shredded parmesan (this will act as another barrier to the tomato liquid). Let cool to room temperature before filling.

5. Assembling the tart: Just before serving, arrange tomato slices inside the tart shell in your desired pattern. Drizzle with your best quality extra-virgin olive oil, and sprinkle with the slivered basil. Serve at room temperature.

Congratulations Al!

Former VP Al Gore and the United Nations' Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change were awarded the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize today for their work in raising global warming awareness. Read the entire story here.

photo courtesy of http://www.cnn.com/

No matter how you feel about Al Gore, his movie or politics in general, you have to commend his efforts to bring the issue of global warming to light - he has brought the topic of global warming the forefront of discussions among world leaders, business owners, teachers, and regular citizens! Now, even my grandparents know and understand the environmental problems that we are facing - the message is so much more far-reaching than ever before.

Sometimes just bringing an issue to light is exactly what is needed to give it a jumpstart.