TLC and Me June 2, 2010

Ok, so my back yard is a work in progress.  When I first moved in, it was all overgrown and in severe need of some TLC.  For the past 6 years, I have been working to get it cleaned up, but the weeds have a mind of their own.  Three summers ago, my brother Kevin and parents took a stab at clearing it.  Poison Oak ensued.  Sometimes, I look forward to that first frost, just so I don’t have to look at them.  When I had a corporate job, I was able to control them.  Now that I work for myself, I’m afraid I can’t contain them.  Once I make my first million, I am hiring a gardener….

I love to entertain and have parties for my friends.  6 years ago, embarrassed of my back yard, I moved the party to the driveway.  Then I thought, “wow, this is really ghetto.”  (you know those houses where everyone hangs out in front with old ratty couches and armchairs? This is the vision I got.  I mean, what’s the deal with hanging out in the front of the house? I’ll tell you what the deal is- its fun!)  And so, the driveway parties began…and they were a hit!  They are affectionately called GDPs now and all my friends look forward to them.  We sample new creations, eat chips out of the bag, drink copious amounts of wine and have a camp fire.  I even have a plastic half mannequin (used to sell clothes on eBay) named Mona and sometimes she makes an appearance. It’s cheesy fun all in my driveway. Truly a site to behold.

The driveway parties usually start in April and yet we have not had one  in 2010!  Like my weeds, my new “portfolio career” has taken on a mind of its own.  I am always doing some sort of work, if it’s not for me, then for someone else.   And what I realized this weekend, is that I rarely take time for me…sharpen the saw, if you will.  I find strength and peace from having driveway parties or hiking and kayaking.   The things we do to sharpen the saw have a positive impact on other areas of our lives and if we don’t take time to do the things we like to do, then other parts of our lives suffer.

Dag Hammarskjold, past Secretary-General of the United Nations, said, “He who wants to keep his garden tidy doesn’t reserve a plot for weeds.”  In other words, we reap what we sow…no more, no less.  So, be proactive and take some time to participate in activities that renew your spirit.  Your work and weeds will be there tomorrow!  I know that mine will be!  :)

If you haven’t sprayed your weeds yet, specifically your dandelions, try this yummy dandelion salad.  It has lots of vitamins and minerals and the leaves are a great source of calcium.  Who knew?  Plus my salad has pancetta and gorgonzola giving you some of that TLC that you deserve.

Mangia!

Nina

Dandelion Green Salad with Pancetta

Salad:
* 4 thin slices of pancetta
* 6 cups chopped dandelion greens
* 1 cup chopped basil
* ¼ c  crumbled gorgonzola

Heat oven to 350.  Bake the pancetta until crisp- about 10 minutes (make sure to start checking after 5). Remove to a paper towel to drain and cool.   Crumble the pancetta and mix in a medium bowl with the greens and basil. Set aside while you make the dressing.

Dressing:

* 1/2 fresh lemon, juiced
* 1/4 cup olive oil
* 1/2 teaspoon dijon mustard
* pinch of sea salt

Mix all dressing ingredients in a small bowl and then pour over the salad. Top salad with gorgonzola and serve!

M. Nina Piccini is the owner of Dinner Bella, Personal Chef Service and Catering in Rochester, NY.

www.dinnerbella.com

http://thedinnerbella.wordpress.com

What Not to Wear…Part 1 January 3, 2010

My dear friend Alice is the earthy, crunchy type who loves good beer and her basset hounds.  We were introduced by Neighbor Paul two years ago and have been fast friends ever since.  (Thanks, Paul!) Guess he knew our unique personalities would mesh…

Alice and I have been known to break out in song at a moments notice; she is the only one who appreciates when I sing show tunes.   She is always the first one to sign up for my game nights and has a competitive edge that I admire. Alice is also one of my biking, hiking, camping and kayaking buddies and whenever we go out, Alice is the “mother hen” of our group (which can be over the top, but we love her anyway).  Alice is a special ed. teacher and is a member of the ABC Basset Hound Rescue of NY…she is always taking care of someone.  Now I think that it’s time for someone to take care of her!!  (drumroll, please…) Nina to the rescue.  Alice needs a little wardrobe update to show off her spunky personality and I am just the person to do it.

Before everyone gets upset , she is completely aware of my 4 part series: What Not to Wear, starring Alice.   In fact, we have been talking about it for over a year.   And now, I have the creative means to share her transformation with you!  While over beers at McGregors last night, Gretchen and I started mapping our plan…

What not to wear…  Part I:  Alice goes under the bus.  I am showing you pictures of her so you can see how cute she is and her “wardrobe choices”. 

Part II: Gretchen and I remove as many items from her closet as possible.

Part III: Alice goes shopping.  (oh… this will be a good one)

Part IV: Alice is transformed to a stylish beauty that matches her awesome personality!

Stay tuned for the next installment of What Not to Wear… In the mean time, go and have a beer.

Try a Belgian Witbier, an ale with orange, citrus and coriander aromas.   To enjoy this fully, make Grilled Zucchini and Summer Squash Salad with a Citrus Dressing.  This recipe is my “go-to” salad and everyone loves it!  It also reminds me of Alice, who is always grilling up veggies from her garden.  This recipe is worth grilling outside for, but if you want you can use a large indoor grill.

Mangia!

Nina

Grilled Zucchini-and-Summer Squash Salad with Citrus Splash Dressing

Ingredients

2  tablespoons  grated orange rind

3/4  cup  fresh orange juice (about 3 oranges)

1/2  cup  fresh lime juice (about 3 limes)

3  tablespoons  honey

2  teaspoons  olive oil

1/2  teaspoon  salt

1/4  teaspoon  crushed red pepper

2  red onions

4  zucchini, each halved lengthwise (about 1 1/4 pounds)

4  yellow squash, each halved lengthwise (about 1 pound)

Cooking spray

3  tablespoons  thinly sliced fresh basil

Preparation

Combine first 7 ingredients in a large zip-top plastic bag. Peel onions, leaving root intact; cut each onion into 4 wedges. Add onion, zucchini, and yellow squash to bag. Seal and marinate in refrigerator 1 hour, turning bag occasionally.

Prepare grill.

Drain vegetables in a colander over a bowl, reserving marinade. Place vegetables on a grill rack coated with cooking spray, and grill for 8 minutes or until tender; turn and baste occasionally with 3/4 cup of the marinade. Place the vegetables on a serving platter; sprinkle with the basil. Serve the vegetables with the remaining marinade.

M. Nina Piccini is the owner of Dinner Bella, Personal Chef Service in Rochester, NY.  Visit her website at www.dinnerbella.com.

Kickin’ Korean December 31, 2009

I look pretty good for my age, so I don’t mind telling you that my friends and I are turning 40 this year.  Joanne (one of my 25 + club) has already crossed over.  I don’t know.  It seemed relatively painless.  A party, presents, friends, family, food and time to reflect on what it all means…

I’ll tell you what it means!  It means we are middle age!  (Longevity runs in my family so I actually won’t hit middle age for another 10 years or so.  But for most people, 40 is the middle age mark.  I have a friend, “Richard”, who is certain he is going to die at 65.  If you think about it that way, he has one foot in the grave already!)  Honestly, I don’t care that I am turning 40 this year.  Another day, another wrinkle, right? The key is to think and be young!

One way to be young is to have kids!  While over at Staci’s house the other night, I was entertained by 10 yr old dinner theater.  They had made up a dance to some Selena Gomez song and were dancing around the living room.  I had no idea who Selena Gomez was mainly because I don’t have much access to little people since my nieces have grown.  So it’s safe to say that kids will keep you on top of the latest trends: Disney music artists, Edward Cullen, Zhu Zhu pets, Sports Resort Wii, etc….

Since I don’t have kids, I have to find other means of staying hip, trendy and young.  And for this, Google is my best friend.  My life revolves around food, so I need to be informed about food trends.  2010’s food trend is Korean food…Who knew?  Apparently, it’s the new Thai!  Korean hit the west coast of the US in the early 2000′s and it seems to be a fading trend there (except for trucks) while just picking up steam on the east coast.  My experienced foodie friends tell me that Bing Soo, a Korean dessert with shaved ice in a bowl (sometimes with paht -red bean paste) sweetened condensed milk and cut-up fruit is sublime.

I hereby declare 2010 the year of the painless birthday and young thinking.  Let’s be hip and trendy by making some Korean food!  Give Pa Jun, Korean Scallion Pancakes, a whirl.  These pancakes make an extraordinary side dish or crowd-pleasing appetizer.  I put baby bella mushrooms in mine for a meaty, heartier flavor.  You can also try filling with kimchi, which you should be able to find at most grocery stores.

May you have a happy, healthy, and successful 2010!

Mangia!

Nina

Pa Jun

Ingredients:

• 2 cups flour
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1.5 cups water
• 1 bunch of scallions, halved and cut into 2-3 inch lengths
• ¼ cup chopped baby bella mushrooms
• 1 tsp salt
• vegetable oil for cooking

Preparation:

1. Mix all ingredients together and let sit for about 10 minutes. So that the Pa Jun cooks quickly and evenly, check batter consistency before cooking – batter should be more fluid than traditional pancake batter. Heat a saute pan over medium heat and coat with a thin layer of vegetable oil (not olive oil).
2. Pour batter to fill pan in a thin layer (about 1/3 of your batter should fill a regular saute pan).
3. Cook for 3-4 minutes until set and golden brown on bottom.
4. Turn over with help of spatula or plate (or flip it in the air if you are good at that) and finish by cooking 1-2 more minutes, adding more oil if necessary.
5. Serve with soy sauce!

M. Nina Piccini is the owner of Dinner Bella, Personal Chef Service, in Rochester, NY.

website: http://www.dinnerbella.com