Food

Unexpected Benefits
Teriyaki-glazed mushrooms aren't just for nibbling with drinks ...

I went to make a Daube Provencale the other night and discovered I'd forgotten to get mushrooms for it.  Then I remembered we had a container of teriyaki-marinated mushrooms (olive bar, Ralph's Supermarket.)  I studied them carefully, then rinsed off a handful, chopped them and threw them in.  Viola - I had the texture and a modified taste.

Since I had them, I made Spaghetti Bolognese (or as the Brits genially call this dish "spag bog") the next night and I didn't rinse them off.  Teriyaki blends beautifully with mushrooms; it seems to emphasize their earthy (but good) taste. 

A Husband's Surprise
I'd heard about Italian gigante beans, but never eaten one.  When I ran across them at the olive bar, I bought some.  Richie tasted one, chewed and said, "They're like lima beans, aren't they?" and I thought "Well, so much for gigante beans; he hates limas."

But wait!  Because they are seasoned with olive oil and Italian seasonings, he likes them!  It must be the New Yorker in him - the love of Italian food.

Hop, Hop - Here Comes Easter
Easter is in March this year - 3/ 27 to be specific - and my thoughts instantly turned gladly toward HAM.  I love ham and the only time we have a sizeable amount of it IS Easter.  And that only because we usually have company.

Having assured myself that the main ingredient was coming soon, my thoughts turned to the traditional dishes, such as candied yams.  Bon Appetit plopped into our mailbox about then and this intrigued me.

TWICE ROASTED YAMS WITH HOT HONEY
Bake the number of yams you need, skin on. 
Let them cool
Smash them with a hand (or rolling  pin or empty wine bottle) and put them skin down on a baking sheet.

HOT HONEY
1 Fresno chili (or jalapeno) thin sliced
1/4 cup honey
4 T sweet butter in a sauce pan and bring to a simmer - splash it over the yams and bake until the tops are browned and crisp around the edges.