Fish Stew with Fennel, Potatoes, and Olives

If I am honest, the name of this dish alone conjures up images of some stinky, inedible mess that might have been served to the inmates at Shawshank Prison. Stick with me to the end of this post and you will hopefully discover that your family will not shank the cook that puts this on the table.

Here is what you will need on your cutting board (makes 2, 565 calorie ~ 20 Weight Watcher points per serving. Plan on around a half hour for prep/cooking time).

• 2 Cod Fillets (or some other white fish)
• 1 Small Baguette
• 15 Ounce can of Crushed Tomatoes
• 3 Ounces of Fingerling Potatoes
• 1 Bunch of Kale
• 1 Fennel Bulb with Fronds
• 1 Red Onion
• 4 or 5 Cloves of Garlic
• 1 Tangerine
• Half Ounce of Castelvetrano Olives
• 2 Teaspoons of Spice Blend Consisting of: Herbs de Provence (satureja, marjoram, rosemary, thyme, oregano), Dried Orange Peel, Ground Turmeric, Ground Bay Leaf, Cayenne Pepper
• Olive Oil, Salt, and Pepper

1. PREP WORK: Start by preheating the oven to 400 degrees, removing the fish from the refrigerator to bring to room temperature, and slicing the baguette in half lengthwise. Next, cut the potatoes into thin rounds. Peel the garlic and thinly slice the onion and just two of the cloves (you will need to leave the remaining clove whole). Prep the kale for removing the stems and roughly chopping the leaves. Pick off a few of the fennel fronds (thready part at the top of the bulb) and place into a bowl. Remove the core of the fennel bulb and thinly slice the bulb and stems. Cut the tangerine in half and squeeze the juice into a small bowl. Carefully smash the olives with the flat side of your knife and discard the pits, roughly chopping the olive meat.

2. COOK THE POTATOES and AROMATICS: In a saute pan, heat two tablespoons of oil on medium-high heat until hot. Add the potatoes, sliced garlic, onion, fennel (stems & bulb), and the blended spices. Season with salt and pepper (to taste) and cook, stirring occasionally, 6-7 minutes or until softened. 

3. START THE STEW: Add the crushed tomatoes, kale, tangerine juice, olives, and three cups of water. Cook, stirring occasionally, 8-10 minutes or until slightly reduced in volume.

4. COOK THE FISH: Pat the cod fillets dry with paper towel and season both sides with salt and pepper. Use a spoon to create two 'wells' in the stew, placing the seasoned fish into each. Cook 5-7 minutes, of until the fish is cooked through (opaque). Turn off the heat and use two forks to break the fish into bite sized pieces.

5. MAKE THE GARLIC TOAST: While the fish is cooking, place the sliced baguette halves on a sheet pan, cut sides up. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Toast in the oven 5-7 minutes or until golden brown/warmed through. Remove from the oven and rub the cut sides with the whole garlic clove. I get that rubbing the clove on the bread sounds pretty crazy (if you know me, then maybe it is not so nutty) but, it worked surprisingly well.  

For plating, I cubed the bread and divided between the two bowls, then poured ladles of the stew over the top. Finish by garnishing with the reserved fennel fronds. 

The flavors all marry pretty decently and the dish is damn near lick the bottom of the bowl good. Next time, I might throw in some sauteed shrimp or substitute yellow onions for the red. If you are the kind that wants a bit more heat, adding a pinch of red pepper flakes while you are simmering the stew would likely do that. This goes into the rotation for cold, night winter dishes that can fill the stomach and warm the soul.

Eat well my friends...

Roasted Chicken Breast with Zucchini Noodles and Garlic Asparagus

Last night, I had 20 minutes, zero desire to cook, and stuff (12 ounce chicken breast, 1/3 jar of tomato sauces, two zucchinis, and a bundle of asparagus) that needed to be cooked or tossed. 

This was also my second chance to play with my Spiral Slicer ($15 - $30, depending on where you buy), which was an opportunity to learn from the total failure earlier in the week - where I boiled the zucchini 'noodles' - trust Uncle Tim, this will not work, unless you really wanted a paste-like substance).  In addition to the above, here is what else you will need on your cutting board;

• 4 cloves of garlic
• Flavor God 'Garlic Lovers' seasoning (seriously, just go buy this...like right now).
• Flavor God 'Everything' seasoning
• Pepper
• Smoked Paprika 
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Large and small pan
• Sheet pan with rack

While you preheating your oven to 400 degrees, go ahead and mince the garlic and set aside. Spiral slice the zucchini into noodles, making sure to cut the pile in half after completing each one (makes the end product much more manageable for you to enjoy) and place in a large bowl. Season the noodles with the 'Garlic Lovers' season, tossing to evenly coat. Cut asparagus down to tips that will fit into the small pan.

Add 1 tablespoon oil in a pan on medium heat. Place chicken on a new cutting board (cross contamination is not fun) and pat the breast dry with a paper towel. Season both sides with 'Everything Seasoning', pepper and paprika to taste. Place seasoned meat in skillet and sear each side roughly two minutes. Once seared, transfer the meat to the racked sheet pan and place in the oven and cook to an internal temperature of 160 degrees. Lightly wipe the skillet out.

While the chicken cooks, 1 tablespoon of oil to medium heat. Once heated add the minced garlic and saute until they start to brown. Add the asparagus tips and continue to saute, tossing frequently until the garlic is golden brown and the tips are bright green (heated through), plate the asparagus. In the larger pan, heat 1 tablespoon of oil to medium and then add the zucchini and saute for 1-1/2 to 2 minutes, tossing frequently. Plate the zucchini and turn your heat to low. Add the sauce to your large pan to heat, making sure to stir regularly. Remove the chicken from the oven and allow to rest until the internal temperature rises to 165 degrees. Once rested, slice into medallions and plate on top of the noodles. Add the heated sauce and enjoy.

At just 13 Weight Watchers points, there was zero concern about impacting our Saturday morning weigh-in (yes, we both posted losses this week) by eating a carb-laced, heavy dinner. I am not saying that this replaces pasta but, it was a damn good substitute and is going to be one of my go to meals for times that I don't really feel like cooking. The fact that we split a chicken breast (where we previously would have had one this size on our own) and felt totally full was just plain bonus.

Eat well my friends...

Flavor God Roasted Brussel Sprouts

In the #notfauxfood kitchen,  we like roasted brussel sprouts. Tonight, they went to 'love' status and we just added one new component, #flavorgod lemon and garlic.

* Preheat oven to 400 degrees, lightly spray baking sheet with olive oil cooking spray
* Cut stem ends off the approximately 1.5 pounds of sprouts, remove tough outer leaves, cut in half, place in bowl
* Mince three cloves garlic, place in bowl
* Drizzle two tablespoons of olive oil over the sprouts/garlic
* Add generous amount of #flavorgod lemon and garlic seasoning, mix contents of the bowl
* Spread across baking sheet in a single layer. Sprinkle pinch of salt over the top.
* Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, turning occasionally to evenly roast all sides

If you do not have #flavorgod in your kitchen, then you are missing out. It made a huge difference on one of the most simple dishes, just imagine what it can do on something complex.

Pistachio-Crusted Catfish with Clementine Salad, Israeli Couscous & Roasted Fennel

Just over 14 years after first throwing itself off Chuck Nolan's raft in Castaway, 'Wilson' arrived in my home and we ate him.  True confession time ~ I have never cooked with fennel before. Prior to tonight my experience with this culinary enigma was limited to the shriveled up, horrid, seeds encased in a little glass bottle. Maybe, like me, you see this in the store and scramble to the plump comfort of vine-ripened tomatoes ~ if so, then you are making a mistake; one that I hope you will feel compelled to address soon.

Here is what you will need on your cutting board (makes 2, 600 calorie servings ~ 26 Weight Watchers points per serving and will take you about 30-35 minutes to prepare);

• Catfish Fillets (I used two 5 ounce portions)
• 3/4 Cup Whole Wheat Israeli Couscous
• 1 Cara Cara Orange
• 1 Clementine
• 1 Fennel Bulb with Fronds
• 1 Red Onion
• 1 Bunch Arugula
• 1 Bunch Mint
• 2 Tablespoons Panko Breadcrumbs
• 1/4 Cup Pistachios

You can find the full recipe over at Blue Apron, you do not need to be a subscriber to access the link. A few things that might help your experience;

• To egg wash, or not to egg wash...I will confess that I was thrown off by how I was instructed to 'crust' the fish (and based on the message boards, I wasn't the only one). Throwing caution to the wind, we ignored this 'suggestion' and ran the catfish through an egg wash, crusted them up, and allow them to rest in a Ziploc bag beforehand.
• Zester - after the experience trying to 'mince' lemon zest last night, I bought one on the way tonight ~ best $15 I have ever spent.
• For reference, we found that the fennel had the most flavor at the top, in the fronds, and it mellowed as you went down into the bulb.

We really enjoyed cooking and eating this dish. Don't know if it was the fact that we cooked it together or if it was all the flavors but, we thought that 'Wilson' was pretty damn tasty.

Whole Wheat Linguine with Kale, Red Walnuts, & Pecorino Cheese

My name is Tim and I have a serious pasta addiction. That which was once a staple of my diet, has all but been banished from the kitchen.  So, if I am going to take on the points to have the pasta, I am not going to have egg noodles and ketchup.

Here is what you will need on your cutting board (makes 2, 700 calorie servings ~ 17 Weight Watchers points per serving ~ expect to take 35 minutes to make);

• 8 Ounces Whole Wheat Linguine Pasta
• 3 Cloves Garlic
• 1 Bunch Dinosaur Kale
• 1 Lemon
• 1 Yellow Onion
• 3 Tablespoons Butter
• 2 Tablespoons Red Walnuts
• 1/4 Cup Grated Pecorino Cheese
• 1/4 Cup Panko Breadcrumbs
• 1/4 Teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper Flakes

You can find the full recipe over at Blue Apron, you do not need to be a subscriber to access the link. A few things that might help your experience;

• Prep as much as you can beforehand. I didn't and felt 'rushed' nearly the entire time I was cooking. The next time, I will give myself more of a breather after toasting the walnuts/breadcrumbs.
• When making your garlic paste, sprinkle the minced garlic with a couple pinches of kosher (not table) salt. This will act like a grinder and make the process easier.
• We wanted some more protein in the meal so I cooked up some  Alder Plank Salmon to go with this (not included in the prep time, calorie, or point information above). As a note for future consideration, this would also work with a grilled chicken or a garlic lemon shrimp. 
• I would up combining everything in the pot I cooked the pasta. I thought it gave more real estate than if I tried to combine it in the pan I made the sauce (if I used my wok, I might have felt differently). Once I portioned everything out, I added the breadcrumbs, remaining cheese, and toasted walnuts.

This was a lot lighter than I expected.  While I was thinking that I might use a bit less lemon zest, Rose really liked it. I also would use a bit more garlic but, I will confess that we really like the savory end of the scale - so tread carefully if you decide to add more than what is called for. The best part, I think this will become our once-a-month, 'home-pasta' offering.

Stuffed Pork Loin with Blue Cheese Broccoli and Red Pepper Lentils

Sometimes I am just stupid lucky and this dinner represents one of those times. Truth be told; I didn't even remember that I had the broccoli in the freezer, I bought the lentils not knowing when I would use them, and the pork was the deal of the day that had me feeling like I stole it from the butcher (promise we didn't). I award bonus status to myself for coming up with a dinner that was just 15 Weight Watchers points...

While shopping, I picked up some Italian parsley, green onions, and lentils.  The first two I figured I would use at some point during the week but, the lentils were more of an impulse purchase once I figured out that  1/4 cup is only 4 points in the Weight Watchers world. They were pretty easy to fix - just rinse (be sure to remove any non-food debris, cook, and serve.  Though I added some red pepper to the water while it was cooking, I think I will cook in vegetable stock and salt more the next time.  Start to finish I was in for around 25 minutes for the lentils.

For tonight's pork, I cut one pound section into two 8 ounce thick cut chops. Start by placing the chops on a flat work surface. Cut a horizontal slit roughly 3/4 of the way through the meat and open the chop up like a book. You can stuff with just about anything, tonight I opted to small chop the parsley and green onions and place in a bowl. Next I thinly sliced some fresh garlic and that got tossed into the bowl.  I added some of the Flavor God "Everything" seasoning (in fact, be sure to buy some for yourself, well worth the money and definitely something that should be a staple of your kitchen), salt, and pepper. Mix everything together completely and then spread across the open face of the chop (some folks add a bit of olive oil, I didn't). Close the 'book' on the chops and season both sides with some more salt, pepper, and Flavor God. Place into a pan with a couple of tablespoons of olive oil and sear both sides for a couple of minutes, until browned. Move the chops to a baking dish and place in a 375 degree oven for 15 minutes (or until the internal temperature reaches 155 degrees. Pull from the oven, cover with foil, and let them rest for 10 minutes prior to serving.

You ever forget that you had something in the freezer? Well that was the case with the blue cheese broccoli - which I happened to find while stowing the extra 3 pounds of pork that we weren't going to cook tonight.  On that note, let this be a good reminder to us all to rotate stock in there (freezer burned food is not good eats).

Not too bad for a punt...

Paella Style Rice with Shrimp

When you insert the word 'Paella' into a meal that I get to eat, I tend to get excited.  I also tend to smell-o-vision of saffron/rosemary/lemon scents wafting from the pan. This was our second meal from Blue Apron and it left us with mixed reviews. Here is what you will need on your cutting board (makes 2, 545 calorie servings ~ 21 Weight Watchers points per serving ~ expect to take 45 minutes to make);

• 8 Ounces of Shrimp
• 3/4 cup Bombay rice
• 1-15 Ounce can of Diced Tomatoes
• 5 Ounces Brussels Sprouts
• 2 Carrots
• 2 Cloves Garlic
• 2 Parsnips
• 2 Scallions
• 1 Spanish Onion
• Spices (smoked paprika, ground turmeric, dried oregano, saffron powder, ground bay leaf, and dried orange peel).
• Salt
• Pepper
• Olive Oil

You can find the full recipe over at Blue Apron, you do not need to be a subscriber to access the link. Couple of things that might help your experience;

• Though not specifically suggested, I used a stainless steel wok to cook this. You will be grateful for extra real estate that can be used to combine everything.
• I doubled the amount of garlic (4 cloves instead of 2) and thought that worked well.
• Prepping the sprout leaves felt overly complicated.  If I make this again, I am just going to them through the food processor.
• Salt and pepper aggressively when prompted to do so. This helps things taste better and this recipe has a lot of bulk ~ so you are going to need more than what you feel is natural.
• I saw a tip online about cutting up one of the seasoned shrimp and cooking with the aromatics for an additional layer of flavor (I will definitely give this a try the next time).

Individually, we like each of these ingredients well enough but, I think it was a mistake to have called this a Paella when it really came across as more of a Goulash. Though filling, we have mixed reviews...I didn't think that the flavors married very well and Rose loved it.  I suspect that I was expecting 'Paella' and this did not measure up to that experience in my head.  Likely, I will like it better the next time but, I am filing this under 'Goulash' just to be sure.

 

Southern Beef & Collard Green Stew with Cheddar Grits

It has been a cold day here in the Southwest and that calls for something that can warm the soul. Apparently, there is a southern tradition that, to assure prosperity and happiness in the new year, one needs to consume collard greens early and often.  Here is what you will need on your cutting board (makes 2, 605 calorie servings ~ 20 Weight Watchers points per serving ~ expect to take 35 minutes to make);

• 8 Ounces ground short rib
• 3/4 Cup grits
• 1 Carrot
• 1 Yellow onion
• 1 Bunch of fresh parsley
• 3 Tablespoons beef demi-glace
• 2 Ounces Sharp Cheddar Cheese
• 1 Serrano Pepper
• Spices (smoked paprika, molasses powder, apple cider vinegar powder, ground mustard powder, and garlic powder) ~ enough to make roughly 2 Tablespoons total.
• Olive Oil
• Salt
• Pepper

You can find the full recipe over at Blue Apron (this is from the box this week), you do not need to be a subscriber to access the link.  Couple of call outs that might make your experience easier...

• Do not forget that you are using a Serrano pepper in here. I am not saying that it has happened to me but, I Serrano pepper juice in one's eyes can be a less than optimal experience. I didn't use gloves but, it was the last thing I prepped and I immediately washed my knife, cutting sheet, and hands once I had finished dicing them.  If you want a suggestion on how to cut these to minimize the ribs/seeds, here is a great YouTube Video that you can watch. 

           

• I loathe matchstick cutting carrots but, in this instance, I did so.  Pre-shredded carrots are too finely cut for this meal but, I suspect that you can use them to get the taste (with a sacrifice to texture).
• Use a whisk to stir your grits. Blue Apron didn't mention it but, that will help them from being clumpy. An extra set of hands to whisk the grits was very much appreciated when I was working on the beef. If I had it to do again, I would have staggered them a bit more.
• Season every-time you are prompted to do so in the recipe. You are going to feel like you are over seasoning, trust me you are not. Trust me, it will all work in the end.

I suspect that Google has it in development but, it is a damn shame that you cannot smell this cooking right now. Coupled with some George Mraz playing in the background, our home feels warm and cozy...

This was the first thing we cooked from our Blue Apron box and I will say that I was impressed with the products provided, the instructions that I needed to follow, and the end result of the meal. The fact that we loved this so much we wanted to lick our bowls clean is surprising since this meal contained products I would not normally buy (grits/collard greens) and combined them in ways I wouldn't not have thought of...

First Glance || Flavor God Seasonings

Just ordered a Combo pack to do a product review on @flavorgod seasonings. Have had some friends rave about this stuff and I look forward to trying it out.

・・・

#flavorgod Combo pack ( 4 flavors) shipped FREE in $27.99 no tax

Everything seasoning

Spicy seasoning

Garlic seasoning

Lemon and garlic seasoning

First Glance || Blue Apron Box

I have not been so excited to see the UPS guy as I was today. 

After seeing a bunch of ads, I decided to give Blue Apron a try.  Blue Apron is a delivery service that sends you a box of pre-portioned meal ingredients, with recipes (including step-by-step photos), to make three dinners for two people (there are also plans to feed four or six people and you can opt for vegetarian meal only plan). You also have line-of-sight to the expected delivery day/time frame ~ so you can pick a window that fits your schedule. You have access to the following week's menu a week in advance so that you can decide if what is being offered looked appealing before ordering.

Our meals arrived neatly packaged in a cardboard box lined with ice packs to keep the contents fresh (pictured above) for a few hours. The veggies are individually bagged, meats are vacuum sealed, spices are portioned out, and everything is clearly labeled to avoid any confusion. Packing the contents away in the fridge, I was impressed with the quality of what was sent (in some instances better than what I can find readily in my local store). Each recipe was well documented and every single ingredient (except for olive oil, salt, and pepper) is included in the box.

Couple of cautions ~ 

1. Currently there are no meal plans past 'meat and fish' or 'vegetarian'. Watch the menu carefully for any food allergies or preferences before letting your order drop.
2. Price point...this works out to $10 per serving per person. I suspect that I could source some of this locally cheaper but, you are paying for the convenience factor. As I reviewed the recipes and compared to the contents of the box I got, the portions seem to be reasonable and I doubt there will be any leftovers.

While the dishes don't seem to be overly original, there are some ingredients and combinations here that I might not normally bring into the house. Additionally, this is a great opportunity for me to hone some of my culinary design skills (my knife work sucks for example).  Expect to see updates here on the dinners we create.

Product Review || Chef’n Looseleaf Kale and Herb Stripper

Confession time ~ I am something of a 'gadget guy'; so it should not surprise anyone that this little tool caught my eye when I was in Sur La Table the other day.

When using fresh herbs (think rosemary, thyme, etc) part of the prep work involves removing the leaves (which have the flavor) from the steams (which are not good eats).  Enter the Chef’n Looseleaf Kale and Herb Stripper (roughly $8), which promises to "speed up time-consuming prep tasks".

Does it work? Yes. Does it save me a whole lot of time? Not enough to make me feel like I got my bang-for-the-buck with this purchase ~ I might feel differently if I had spent half the money. Gets three out of five stars in my kitchen.

The Spice of Life...

Variety might be the spice of life but, there are a few, basic spices that I like to use on a regular basis.  Excluding specialty spices that you might need for a certain dish, these will cover most of your bases and are pretty shelf stable (yes, that jar of oregano you have had since 2002 should probably be replaced)...

Salt - you might not think it is a big deal but, you are missing a bit of the boat if you are using standard table salt in your cooking. Go and get a decent sea or kosher salt.  I like flakes but, I do not do a lot of baking. If you are a baker, then you will need a finer grain rather than rougher cut version.

Pepper - Buy whole pepper and a pepper grinder. The stuff that is pre-ground has actually lost much of the flavor profile. Grind what you need, when you need it, to get the most bang in your cooking.

Finishing Salt - Much different from your standard salt we shared above, this favored version comes in many varieties and can add a depth of flavor that you might not otherwise find.  Try one out and see how you like it - the Smoked Paprika version I use a lot on chicken, turkey burgers, and on couscous.

Cavender's Greek Seasoning - If I could only use one product to flavor my food, this would be it. I use it on everything from salads, to cottage cheese, to steaks, and beyond. Made in Arkansas, you can get it in a Wal-Mart near you or order directly from the family online.

Zatarain's  Creole Seasoning - For times when you want a bit more kick than what Cavender's will provide, this is a great stand in for rice, shrimp, chicken, and chili.

Old Bay Seasoning - If you cook fish, then you need this in the cabinet. Other stuff can come close but, there is no replacing what this can do to add flavor to that Tilapia fillet. I recently discovered their garlic and herb version (which I happen to like a lot) - there are a couple of other iterations but, the standard will never do you wrong.

Garlic & Herb Dry Rub - We eat a lot of chicken and pork, this is excellent to add flavor prior to grilling.  Not as messy as a wet sauce, this also helps to lock in flavor/juices during cooking.

Texas Barbecue Chicken with Couscous Stuffed Red Peppers and Basil Garlic Crostinis

A colleague that I assigned to an implementation in Ennis, Texas brought me back some really nice sauce that we decided to try tonight. The finished product was pretty awesome - if I say so myself.


Texas Barbecue Chicken - what you need...

• Boneless skinless chicken breast
• Bottle of barbecue sauce. This was from Texas  so I dropped that in the name but, really you can use any dang sauce you like.
• Ziploc bag

Place chicken breast in Ziploc bag and pour sauce into it. Place sealed bag in fridge for a few hours (I did this early in the morning and let it marinate the whole day). I skipped a step this morning and didn't flatten the chicken breasts - so I strongly suggest that you do this before bagging and tagging (doing this helps the chicken cook evenly).

Image Courtesy of seriouseats.com

When ready preheat grill and place marinated chicken breasts on the upper grill grate.  It only takes a few minutes per side, so keep an eye on it or you will wind up with dry chicken. Cook to an internal temperature of 165 degrees. Give it a couple of minutes to rest before plating.

Couscous Stuffed Red Peppers

Swung by the local fresh & easy and grabbed a prepackaged offering that comes in a ready to use grilling pan.  Unwrap and put on the grill - that is it, nothing complicated.  If you are in a time crunch but, want a filling side dish then this is the way to go.  While there is some great layering of flavor in this, I have to believe that if you spent a few more minutes you can get a customized result that blends the flavors your want (garlic, basil, parmesan, feta, whatever).  Next time I am going to give fixing this myself a whirl and I will let you know how it goes.

Basil Garlic Crostinis - what you need...

• Fresh baguette
• Butter
• Garlic
• Basil
• Seasoning of Choice - mine is Cavender's

The method that I am sharing works for me.  I like the texture of the finished result but, crostini snobs out there will tell you that this isn't a "true crostini. Personally, I am not wanting something that will disintegrate the first time you bite into it (plus, this is my blog). You have been warned - read on if you want a soft crispy product. If not, then there are a zillion other recipes out there for you.  I will leave you to decide now...

Thanks for sticking with me - it really means a lot that you have bought into my vision.  Move oven rack to near the top of the oven and pre-heat broiler to 275 degrees. Melt butter over medium heat in sauce pan. Add garlic and basil to taste.  Once all ingredients are combined/melted, add seasoning to taste.  While the butter is melting, slice the baguette into 1/4" portions. Place on ceramic baking sheet. Brush/spoon/pour melted butter mix over the baguette slices.  Place on top rack of oven and cook for five minutes. If yours isn't a light golden brown, then leave it there for another minute but, keep an eye on it. There is a fine line between yummy bread product and burnt toast.

 

Product Review | Wild Oats - Smoked Bacon Spinach Salad

My workday started from home but, shifted to needing to be in the office for a couple of meetings. I dashed out of the house before packing a lunch for myself so a stop to fresh and easy was in order.

If you haven't been in a while, then the evolution you will see in the store might be a bit jarring.  Personally, I find it handy for quick pit stops like I had this morning (even though I think the beverage cooler at the back of the store makes me think I am in a liquor store).  The grab and go stuff is all upfront, right by the register (exactly where it belongs) and there are a few new additions that you will want to pay attention to.  You will notice several organic offerings branded as "Wild Oats", you can only get the sandwiches, salads, and eggs (product review coming later this month) at your local fresh and easy store.  Each of these offerings is made to be sold within 24 hours. For example, the salad I had today, was made yesterday, delivered last night, and placed on the shelf this morning.  There is a limited supply, so swinging by the store during your morning drive time is perfect.  Right off the bat you will see a couple of differences between the Wild Oats products and the standard sandwiches/salads; the "eco-friendly packages and the slightly higher price. This morning, I picked the Smoked Bacon Spinach Salad for the brown bag lunch meeting I needed to be onsite for.  I will say, this was definitely fresh and and on par with what I would fix for myself at home. Contents were exactly as advertised and I was actually filled by the eight ounces of food.  Was it worth the extra money - in this instance yes. If I was on a restricted diet, had an urge to have organic food, and needed it in a grab and go format (which I have not seen anywhere else); then the slight up-charge is well worth it.

While I am on a product review rant, I am going to get on my soap box and complain about something I did see in the store at Kyrene and Baseline.  Back when the chain launched, they had a "clearance" cooler. You got used to walking in the store and checking the cooler before you started shopping. It was okay, but horribly inefficient for traffic flow.  After the Yucaipa buyout, these stores had switched to keeping clearance items in their original locations and doing away with the separate location.  So, if you were buying steak, you would see the marked down trays in with ones that weren't discounted - and could decide what worked well for you.  Clearly this store didn't get (or care about) that memo and are using a section that is clearly designed for something else (just look at the signage in the photo).  Since this is the store that is the easiest for me to swing into on my way home from the office, I hope it is something they correct in the short term future (especially since this looks like a section that is supposed to help me put together a complete meal quickly).

     

Simply Done | Pork Chops with Caramel Citrus Glaze

This blog is not about travel but, travel figures into the story of this meal. We spent the weekend in California to catch a BNL concert. On the way home, we decided to take the road less traveled and were rewarded with the amazing vista above Palm Springs.  As the miles passed beneath our tires we knew that we were one step closer to the "normality" of home - picking lemons from the tree (the second such harvest, if you want lemons, give me a shout), grocery shopping, laundry, and dinner decisions.  Before we hit the state line, I had already decided that I had hit my limit of dining out so, I would need to cook tonight.

Standing in our local Fresh & Easy store, I pondered our options.  Thanks to whatever unholy winds blew through the Phoenix area while we were gone, grilling was really out of the picture (I would have to clean it before I cooked out there and I just did not feel like it) so, I was gravitating towards doing something in the oven.  We haven't had pork lately so I was leaning that way and then I saw the, "Simple Pork Chops with Caramel Citrus Glaze" in the meat section and we were off to the races.  With an ingredient list that I can actually pronounce and understand, simple oven instructions, we had a foundation of a meal that we served with parmesan roasted potatoes and green beans.  I cannot blame the chefs at the store for their decision (I would rather have under-seasoned than over-seasoned), but I felt this was a little bland and I added some Cavender's to add some depth of flavor.  My only other knock was some that my chop had a lot more fat on it than I would like but, a knife fixed that once it was pulled from the oven.  Though I applied a couple of tweaks, this was a great pick to keep us out of another restaurant.

I have a bonus product review for your consideration. I have said for years to cook meat to temperature and not time.  For years I have used a Polder probe thermometer for bigger items but, it is a pain the butt to use on smaller things (like pork chops).  I found a simple, cost effective solution in the OXO Good Grips Digital Instant Read Thermometer.  Though you should not leave this in the meat while it is on the grill or in the oven (the plastic housing of the digital readout will melt), it is a great tool to quickly check where you are at.  Caution, this is not really an "instant" unit, but you will see the numbers climb and stabilize within about five or so seconds (which should work nicely for what you need it to do).