Family Time . . .

This past weekend was all about family time. Thursday we went to dinner at Mon Ami Gabi in Reston Town Center for my husband's birthday dinner. We were a group of 11 (8 adults and 3 kids). Here’s my review of the restaurant that I posted on opentable.com.

By an OpenTable.com user-->
who dined on 03/19/2009 (review submitted 03/21/2009)
Overall Rating - Very Good
Food - Very Good
Ambiance - Very Good
Service - Outstanding

Special Features: good for groups, special occasion, kid-friendly

"Went here with a group of 8 adults, a 3 year old, 1 1/2 year old, and a 7 month old for my husband's birthday. Typical Reston Town Center kid friendly upscale restaurant. The server was very attentive and patient with the group. The majority of the group had steak and frites. They were very tasty and large portions. I also had the french onion soup - very yummy. For dessert, we had Grand Marnier Souffle. Great way to end the meal. The wine list is pricey (no bottles under $50) but the bottles we had were good. Had a french martini too but have had better although the bar area is a nice place to hang out."

Sunday we were pleasantly surprised by a visit from my cousins. We convinced them to stay until the afternoon and so we had Pho for lunch, went shopping at BCBG, and then watched the boys play in a co-ed flag football league. The Pho restaurant was more expensive then others, but Mike thinks it is his new favorite in the area so we’ll definitely be back. Apparently Muri and Paul are regulars. The summer rolls were very good. BCBG was having a blowout sale and I had to refrain from overspending but I did score a cute summer top that was marked down $29 from $118! Gotta love living by the outlets. Lor and Muri also bought a couple of cute dresses. The football game was a slaughter, but Noah enjoyed watching his daddy and uncles. They didn’t do THAT bad though considering the team met for the first time less than an hour before the kick off! Oh well, more family fun planned for next weekend. Stay tuned.

Salt and Pepper Salmon and Dill Creme Fraiche with Smashed New Potatoes with Peas, Lemon, and Pearl Onions

Salt and Pepper Salmon

1 salmon fillet (about 2 pounds), skin on, 1 1/2 to 2 inches thick
Kosher salt
Extra-virgin olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

Directions
Run your finger up and down the center of the salmon feeling for any pin bones. Remove any that you find with a needle-nosed pliers or tweezers. With a sharp knife cutting across the width of the salmon, divide it into 4 equal portions. Lightly salt the salmon and let sit a couple minutes; this will help you get crispy skin.

Heat a 2-count, about 2 tablespoons, of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until the oil is almost smoking. Season the salmon with pepper, and rub about 1 1/2 tablespoons butter on the skin side of each fillet. Add the salmon to the pan, skin-side down. To get super crispy skin, cook the salmon almost to completion, about 6 minutes. Flip the salmon and cook until flesh side is nicely seared, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer the salmon to a platter and top with a dollop of dill creme fraiche. Serve with the Smashed Potatoes.

Dill Creme Fraiche

1/2 cup creme fraiche
1/2 bunch fresh dill, coarsely chopped
1/2 lemon, juiced
1 tablespoon roughly chopped capers
4 cornichons, finely chopped

Directions
Mix all ingredients together in a bowl until combined.

Smashed New Potatoes with Peas, Lemon, and Pearl Onions

1 1/2 to 2 pounds red bliss potatoes
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 (10-ounce) box frozen pearl onions, defrosted
Pinch sugar
Splash freshly squeezed lemon juice
5 slices lemon
2 (10-ounce) boxes frozen peas, defrosted
1 lemon, zested
Kosher salt and freshly-ground black pepper
1/4 cup roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley
2 heaping tablespoons roughly chopped fresh dill
1 bunch watercress, stems trimmed just above the rubber band

Directions

Put the potatoes into a large pot, cover them with cold water, and add a large pinch of salt. If they're large, cut them in half. Bring to a boil and simmer until the potatoes are fork tender, 20 to 30 minutes. Drain. Stick a fork into the potatoes, 1 at a time, lift them out of the colander and peel with a paring knife. Toss the potatoes into a bowl and roughly crush them. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil with the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat until the butter melts. Add the pearl onions, sugar, and lemon juice and cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are browned, 5 to 6 minutes. Add the lemon slices, peas, and lemon zest and continue cooking until the peas are hot. Season with salt and pepper. Dump the vegetables over the potatoes in the bowl, drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil add the parsley and dill and taste for salt and pepper. Scatter the watercress over the top, fold it in just until it wilts and call it a day.

My thoughts: To quote my husband, "This is the best dish you have EVER made!" This was the first time I made this recipe and based on his reaction, I would say it was a success. The recipe is from Tyler Florence's Ultimate. I didn't follow the recipe exactly. When cooking the salmon, I melted the butter in the microwave for 30 seconds and used a brush to generously spread evenly on the salmon skin. I substituted sour cream for creme fraiche. Although the recipe calls for 1/2 cup, I used an 8oz. container of sour cream cause I didn't want to waste anything and just added more dill and a drained 3 fl. oz. jar of capers. I couldn't find cornichons so I didn't use them. I plan on using the extra creme fraiche as a dip for pita slices. When I picked up all the ingredients for the potatoes at the grocery, I thought 2 lbs. weren't enough so I used a 3 lb. bag of red potatoes instead. Peeling the potatoes was a pain, literally. I thought I was going to burn my fingers off.

In the end, the salmon was just the right amount of crispy. The dill "creme fraiche" pulled everything together and was delicious. The potatoes were light and lemony and a definite step up from my usual go to betty crocker instant mashed potatoes. Hahaha.

The recipe was pretty easy. So easy I could probably make it on a week night too especially since the creme fraiche can be made ahead of time.

Noah loved cooking with Mommy and Daddy today . . .

Chicken Piccata Pasta Toss

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/3 pounds chicken breast tenders, cut into 1-inch pieces
Salt and pepper
1 1/2 tablespoons butter
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 shallots, chopped
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 cup white wine
1 lemon, juiced
1 cup chicken broth or stock
3 tablespoons capers, drained
1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1 pound penne rigate pasta, cooked to al dente
Chopped or snipped chives, for garnish

Directions
Heat a deep nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add a tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil and the chicken to the pan. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Brown chicken until lightly golden all over, about 5 to 6 minutes. Remove chicken from pan and return the skillet to the heat.

Reduce heat to medium. Add another tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter, the garlic and shallots to the skillet. Saute garlic and shallots 3 minutes. Add flour and cook 2 minutes. Whisk in wine and reduce liquid 1 minute. Whisk lemon juice and broth into sauce. Stir in capers and parsley. When the liquid comes to a bubble, add remaining 1/2 tablespoon butter to the sauce to give it a little shine. Add chicken back to the pan and heat through, 1 to 2 minutes.

Toss hot pasta with chicken and sauce and serve. Adjust salt and pepper, to your taste. Top with fresh snipped chives.

My thoughts: Another great Rachel Ray recipe. I usually make the following substitutions: 1 medium onion instead of shallots, extra chicken broth instead of white wine, and bow tie pasta instead of penne. This recipe is great cause we always have enough leftovers for lunch the next day and it tastes even better!

Spinach and Mushroom Lasagna Roll-ups with Gorgonzola Cream Sauce

16 cremini caps, cleaned with a damp towel and finely chopped in food processor
1 small yellow-skinned onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons (2 turns around the pan) extra-virgin olive oil
1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and squeezed dry
Salt and pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg or the equivalent of freshly grated
2 cups part skim ricotta
8 curly edge lasagna noodles, cooked to al dente (12 to 14 minutes)
1 cup fat free chicken broth
8 ounces Gorgonzola, crumbled
1/2 cup (3 turns around the pan) heavy cream
1 to 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella

Directions
In a medium skillet over moderate heat, saute mushrooms, chopped onions, and garlic in oil until mushrooms give off their juices and darken and onions are tender, about 7 or 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper; the salt will help draw water out of the vegetables as they cook.
Add dry chopped spinach to the pan and heat through for 1 minute. Adjust seasonings with salt, pepper, and a little nutmeg. Add ricotta and stir into mixture to heat cheese through, 1 minute longer. Remove pan from heat but leave in the warm skillet.

Heat broth in a small pan over moderate heat. Melt Gorgonzola into broth and bring liquid to a bubble. Stir in cream and thicken sauce 2 minutes.

Place cooked lasagna noodles on a large work surface or cutting board. Spread lasagna noodles with a layer of spinach-mushroom filling. Roll up pasta and arrange the 8 bundles in a shallow casserole dish. Pour warm sauce over roll-ups and top with mozzarella. Place casserole under broiler to melt cheese.

Serve with steamed asparagus and broiled tomatoes.

My thoughts: This is one of my go to non-meat/non-seafood (i.e. vegetarian) recipes. It is very filling and tasty especially the sauce. We had it with roasted chicken, asparagus, and tomatoes.

Sesame Chicken, Shiitake and Bok Choy Pasta

3/4 pound thin-sliced boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
4 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
2-1/2 teaspoons finely chopped garlic
2 teaspoons finely grated peeled fresh gingerroot
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 pound shiitake mushrooms, stems discarded and caps sliced
1/2 cup chicken broth
1-1/2 pounds baby bok choy, ends trimmed, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick pieces
8 ounces dried whole-wheat pasta, such as spaghettini
1-1/2 teaspoons dark sesame oil

Directions
1. Rinse and pat chicken dry. Place in a resealable plastic bag with 2 tablespoons lime juice, soy sauce, 1 teaspoon garlic, and 1 teaspoon gingerroot. Reseal bag and marinate chicken at room temperature for 30 minutes. Remove chicken from marinade to a plate.

2. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over moderately high heat until hot and cook chicken until golden brown on both sides and cooked through, about 4 minutes total. Transfer chicken to a plate and keep covered. In same skillet, cook mushrooms in remaining oil over moderately high heat, stirring, until just tender, about 3 minutes. Transfer mushrooms to a bowl. Add chicken broth and remaining garlic and gingerroot to skillet with bok choy, and simmer until vegetables are crisp tender, about 3 minutes. Keep warm in skillet, covered.

3. Cook pasta in a 4-quart pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until al dente, 5 to 6 minutes. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta cooking water and drain pasta in a colander. Add pasta, mushrooms, and sesame oil to skillet and simmer, gently stirring, for about 2 minutes. Stir in remaining lime juice.

4. Cut chicken crosswise into slices. Transfer pasta to dishes and top with chicken. Makes 4 servings.

My thoughts: The longer you marinate the chicken, the better. The chicken was great and full of flavor. Next time I would use asian noodles instead of whole wheat pasta. The sauce was good, but I felt like it was missing something to give it that extra kick. Definitely something to try again but next time will experiment with the sauce a little more.

Update . . .

Been a busy bee lately. No time to post :( When the weather was nice, we spent a family day in DC. Hit up the Dupont Circle Farmer's Market and then the zoo. From the zoo, we took a nice walk down to 2 Amys for lunch and then headed home . . .

Chowing down on a yummy pumpkin muffin with cream cheese icing at the Dupont Circle Farmer's Market . . .





Watching the mama gorilla and her baby with my little monkey . . .


After seeing the lions, tigers, orangutans, elephants, and hippos, Noah was pooped . . .




After a nice stroll down Macomb, we finally arrived at 2 Amys. Noah wanted to try my pizza! . . .


Noah had a ton of fun with Mommy and Daddy! . . .


Last weekend our friend Wendel from CA came for a visit to meet Noah . . .

Noah is 7 Months Old . . .