Eat Palm Beach County

Game Day Guacamole

If you'll do anything to stay away from the big screen this Sunday (there's some kind of American Football match happening apparently) then use the opportunity to make some guacamole from scratch.  Its very satisfying to actually know what you're putting into it rather than purchasing one of these Exorcist style green slime concoctions from the market.

Carnie Wilson - Unstapled

Why do I do it to myself? I Tivo these reality shows to watch mindlessly whilst I have my 4pm tea break and before you know it I get sucked in to the tawdry tales and celebrity circus.  The latest desperado to air her grubby laundry in public is that famous pie fan, Carnie Wilson.  This barrel scraping half hour slot features her latest battle to shed the 'baby weight', launch a 'baking business' and plug her presenting skills on the 'Newlywed Game'.  The cast of characters are suitably predictable.  Her very sweet husband Rob, her children, her 'wacky' aunt / assistant (for wacky read 'wears her hat backwards') and assorted other stereotypes.

  Carnie, running all the way to the bank!

Home Baked for Haiti - Cookies & Cream Cupcakes

If you're a busy, frequently shopping Mum like I am, you'll be absolutely sick to the back teeth of being asked the following question, "would you care to donate to ......".  Guess what, I did already, I don't want to, I can't... blah blah blah.  Long and short of it is we are SICK and TIRED of being asked for CASH!!!!  I'm not talking post Haiti, I'm going way way back.  Every time you check out at a store the script is the same....  You squirm, you fidget, you reluctantly give a dollar or two that you worked hard for an really can't afford to hand over or you just say NO and feel like an arse for the rest of the day. 

It's 5 o' clock somewhere.....

5pm on a weeknight is Mummy's special time.... No, I'm not reaching for the martini shaker or uncorking the chablis but settling on my big comfy sofa in front of my big tv (as opposed to my teeny kitchen one) with my cup of tea and my absolute favorite Food Network Star, Ina Garten, Barefoot Contessa; Premier hostess of the Hamptons.

I've yet to see Ina cook anything I didn't want to eat, lay a table I didn't want to copy or cook for anyone I didn't want to meet.  I have a major case of Ina envy. Heck, I'd even iron Jeffrey's shirts she'd throw in some breakfast.

Last night saw the airing of an episode featuring Ina rustling up an outdoor brunch for some rather fabulous Ralph Lauren clad chums.  Mia and I were watching together and she decided that Ina's Corn Muffins were to be on her menu for the following day. 'Oh Mummy, those look really delicious right?' (she knows I can't stand corn!).  Some negotiations were undertaken and Ina's Corn Muffins were promised for a post preschool treat.

 

Ina's Recipe is available in full by clicking here

The smell whilst these are baking is amazing, rich and buttery yet strangely as they're called 'muffin' they really don't seem half as sinful as they actually are. 

Ina says you get 12 from this mix, I got 16 but I was using kid friendly muffin papers. I also baked them on convection and they took about 5-7 minutes less than her recommended 30 minutes.

 

Mimi's Surprise!

I think I've made it plain I'm a fan.  Everyone should own at least one of Ina's books full of failsafe, authentic recipes.  Her latest, 'Back to Basics' is a must have for anyone lacking kitchen confidence or who just wants a 'go to' book for every day.  

 

Do yourself, your kitchen bookshelf
and your family a favor and buy Ina's book HERE

Pick of the Week

I admit I got a bit bored with the pick of the week entry; it became a bit samey and lacking in inspiration BUT consensus is that the readers like it so its back to its bargain busting best this week with the odd pick of the day thrown in for good measure.

The Ultimate Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

Let my morning experience be a lesson to anyone who decides to indulge a selfish whim at a local (unnamed) Tanning Salon in ABACOA!!! Now that my Ceci (2) is in preschool I get 8 hours a week free and rather than scrub stuff at home and wallow in the crushing loneliness of my empty nest I thought I'd get me a little tanning action.  There was I, lotioned up, laid out, zoned out and sporting only a pair of goggles and a smile.  I upped the fan to max and felt a little tickle on my shoulder, *mmm, nice breeze* I thought...zzzz, ooh, another tickle and a little buzz, WTF?...  I removed my goggles to squintily see what can only be described as the Mike Tyson of all hornets crawling across my shoulder.  Aggressive, persistent and facially disturbing. Being somewhat of screamer I did. Loudly! Much squealing, thrashing and disrobed bashing ensued and hornet Mike eventually met his end under the heel of my Tory Burch pump... well if you're going to go....

 

My morning sparring partners....

Totally Tomato Bisque

Back by popular demand is my 'on sale' section. (Apologies to my coupon mavens).  Right now you can find at least one brand of fresh tomatoes on sale be they plum, beefsteak or in Publix case the dinky sweet grape (2 for $4 'til Thursday).  Combine these with some of your BOGO stash of fire roasted canned tomatoes with garlic, chicken stock and other storecupboard goodies and you can put together the best lycopene (still channeling Dr. Oz) packed soup you ever tasted.

Bras, Thongs & Jumby Bay

The dawn of a New Year is the perfect time for a lifestyle overhaul.  Overhaul your diet, your wardrobe, your cupboards and your underwear drawer.  Bye bye Bridget Jones granny pants, hello cheek baring thongalicious.  In the underwear vein, last week on Facebook there was a trend to update your 'status' to your bra color.  I confess I lied.  I put 'leopard' when in reality I should've put 'rather grey with one hole and a bone sticking out under my armpit'.  As for knickers - forget about it... they have all seen better days.  Big mistake putting them in the dryer all those times with Ceci's bibs, all the velcro latched on and it was an ugly scene, one big frayed knicker emerged attached to several very clean bibs....  SO, a trip to the mall was in order.  One trip to Victoria's Secret & Nordstrom later, job done.

 

bye bye big bum, big bum bye bye...

Next, the diet.  The weather is warming up in South Florida, today we saw the temperature go about 70 degrees for the first time since Christmas and with that comes the promise of the sleeveless, strapless, shorts, swimsuits and other such unforgiving attire.  I'd rather not inflict the sight of any more jiggling flesh than absolutely necessary on my good neighbors in Jupiter so I am currently on a salad quest.  My 5 year old loves to play waitress (hopefully not a permanent career choice) and will bring over her little pad & pen to 'take an order'.  As soon as I open my mouth to speak she says, 'oh no mummy, you're having salad and diet coke'.  Perhaps comedienne would be a better path for her.

 
  Les Comediennes Rubin

If one is looking for a varied menu, consistent quality and buzzy atmosphere then Jumby Bay Island Grill is a great spot that checks all the boxes.  Abacoa has proven to be a tricky spot for restaurants.  The mainstays are JJ Muggs, Costellos & Jumby Bay.  Others have come and gone but these three flagships remain constant.  JJ Muggs will give you a decent burger and enough big screens that your entire family need never converse; Costellos does a mean Monday night pizza special but Jumby Bay has the elusive X factor.  It manages to combine great quality ingredients, slick execution, warm and friendly servers and a permanent happy hour!  They have recognized that simplicity is the key to success.  Great products, well priced served in a buzzy, Jimmy Buffet style Island vibe setting.  Lots of choices for kids, grilled cheese for Mia, chicken fingers for Cecile both at $4.95 including soda.  I had my current favorite salad, the Peanut Island Salad $12 which features a chargrilled chicken breast, bacon, peanuts and leaves with a spicy dressing served on the side.  Hint for you: dip your fork in the dressing rather than tipping the lot over the top; you'll get the flavor in every bite yet save a ton of calories.

Dr. Dave had the Philly Cheesesteak with sweet potato fries $9.  It was made with prime rib and sweet sauteed onions; a combination which had me quite yearning for a dog burger from Romford Market (translated as high praise indeed).

 
Peanut Island Salad & Philly Cheesesteak

If you haven't been to Jumby Bay then you should go; you'll find yourself returning over and over again.  Its a great weeknight standby or weekend treat. Restaurants in Abacoa or anywhere for that matter simply don't stand the test of time unless they're fab. This is Fab.

click here to view the menu for the sublime Jumby Bay, Abaoca

Oatmeal Craisin Cookies

Got many craisins and other cranberry related products left lingering in your pantry?  I have a whole kilner jar packed with craisins from a recent buy one get one at Publix and after having them staring at me for several months I was low on inspiration, however a lightbulb went off when I reached for the oatmeal.  The jar of Dr. Oz favorite ground flax seed was adjacent so in a rather genius move in my part I 'healthied up' an oatmeal raisin cookie.

Now, there aren't many cookies these days you can feel good about. The minute I see that 'high fructose corn syrup' ingredient I try to put it back.  I say 'try' because its in such an array of products in the regular supermarket isles that your trolley would be bare if you attempted to banish it completely.

Take your favorite recipe for oatmeal raisin cookies (even the one from the top of the lid on the rolled oats) and substitute the raisins for craisins and add 1/4 cup of ground flax seeds.  I hope I'm not insulting anyone's intelligence here, but it really worked well and gave a much more flapjacky result then regular cookies.  Pat on the back for supersmart Mummy.

Chewy, flapjacky end product; they won't stay on the plate for long! 

Braised Short Ribs, Ripailles Style

Regular stalkers of my blog will know that I'm a megawatt Francophile.  I've been plugging 'Ripailles' by Stephane Reynaud for months now (a.k.a. 'French Feasts).  Its a true French home style cookery bible, a celebration of all those animal bits that only the French can make palatable; no entrail, trotter or dangly part is overlooked in this 299 recipe tome.

Try as I might, I just can't follow a recipe to the letter.  Rules, regulations, ounces, tsps, tbss, ugh, sometimes you've got to be creative; in this instance I took inspiration from the Bourguignon de joues de boeuf and the Boeuf braise aux carrots and produced some delectable, slow braised short ribs.

Here's a guideline to produce a similar ripaille.

 

Brown first, color = flavor

For 4-6 people you'll need:  6 boneless beef short ribs, (costco has great ones) 1/4 cup each of diced onion, carrot & celery. 1 cup red wine (something half decent) 1 clove garlic grated, 3 tbs olive oil, 2 tbs flour, 1 carton of beef stock, 1/4 tomato puree.

Firstly, heat the oil in a heavy based pan (I love le Creuset) and brown the ribs, in batches if necessary, don't crowd the pan.  Season.  Remove and add the carrots, celery, garlic & onion and saute until softened but not brown.  Add back the ribs, sprinkle over the flour and deglaze with the wine.  Reduce then add the stock, bring to the boil and place in a 325 degree oven for at least 2 hours or until meltingly tender.

Mimi was a fan of the 'chicken'!

Serve with pappardelle or any wide noodle.  If you've never slow cooked this way before you'll be amazed at the intensity of flavor you can achieve by merely adding a little wine & using those magic mirapoix!

Click here to treat yourself to a copy of Stephane Reynaud's formidable 'French Feasts'.