hi everyone!
we were supposed to have a snow day here in long island so yesterday i went to whole foods etc. in preparation for the big snow (always a panic day before a "supposed" storm it’s so ridiculous!
OFCOURSE wake up this morning to find NO SNOW!
ugh. i love a good snow day and rousing the kids this morning when they expected no school was completely irritating.
yesterday i cooked a cioppino… it is a classic shellfish stew- made with onions, dry vermouth, garlic, thyme, oregano, chopped tomatoes, olive oil, little butter, clam juice, red pepper flakes, and hot sauce. oh and of course shellfish- clams, mussels, shrimp, scallops. i used a recipe from cook’s illustrated soups and stews magazine– it’s on stands now.
chopped garlic.
chopped onion.
cleaned clams.
cleaned mussels.
steaming clams with garlic, olive oil and vermouth.
steaming mussels with garlic, olive oil and vermouth.
onion, garlic, red pepper flakes, olive oil.
clam juice, chopped tomatoes, thyme, oregano and hot sauce mixed with what’s above.
shrimp and scallops and clams and mussels all together left with lid on to cook through.
almost all gone!
shockingly- the whole thing got devoured within 2 hours of making it- between my family, my sister’s family, my daughter’s friend’s family…all tht’s left is some broth…which is good because keithy (my husband) has a nasty chest/cough ick and anything souplike is good for him (plus he enjoys dunking the crusty bread in the broth- ugh that sound dirty.)
i also baked chocolate chip cookies (all gone) and some almond cantucci.
i also gave a bag of cantucci to my daughter’s playdate- i tried to get "creative" with the packaging.. i really am a big dork!
today i am going to try to make black and white cookies…. i think.
and lucky us… looks like alexis is bringing in mushroom barley soup….YUMM!
xoxo
jennifer
aim:whateverradio
Way to go Jen! That looks amazing and must taste wonderful too. Thanks for sharing.
you could send me almond cookies just that way and I would be very proud to eat them!
Jennifer, that looks fab! The best thing you’ve shown us. I live in the southwest so the idea of using clams/mussels (fresh seafood) just isn’t going to happen for us. Loved seeing it, though! Sorry for the no-snow day!
Hi, how old are your kids, and is that all you do is cook and bake? Love the blog, Liz
I’d love to know how to make a good black/white cookie. If you find a good recipe, please post!
Ohh! Can’t wait for the black and white cookie post. Never had one so very curious to see how it’s made. Do post the recipe!
Jen, You have just raised the bar on the play date snack! This cioppino looks so good and simple that I am may even spring for the latest issue of CI.
I’d love to know what you served with it. Pasta? Crusty bread? Gotta have good bread to sop up the broth. Tossed salad?
Hi,
I don’t have satellite radio, but I’ve been reading Alexis’s blog and now yours. I admire your honesty and I especially like today’s post about learning to cook and bake. I think it’s wonderful that a friend (like Alexis, or someone else) can inspire us to try things in a whole, new way. Thanks for sharing. 🙂
Hi Jennifer, I made the buttermilk cookies (biscuits in Ausralia) for my guests yesterday, very well recieved by kids and adults, thanks. I also find surfing the net soothing. Never heard of blogs though until a year ago and keep up with three, yours, Alexis and Rosie. Looking forward to black/white bikkies.
This looks great. I’ve never had a bad recipe from Cook’s. My brother use to be one of the test cooks there, so I may be biased.
Are you using Martha’s black and white cookie recipe? Let us know how it goes. I’ve got her baking handbook and the picture of those cookies has been calling me!!! Although the frosting part looks a little tricky. Please include tips when you post pics. Great post Jennifer! Love you guys!
Jennifer, how do you do it all? I am so impressed with people like you who have kids and juggle everything. I have a husband, 4 cats, and 2 bulldogs (high maintenance). I’m not working right now, but have returned to college full-time. I LOVE to cook and bake and try to do so every chance I get, which isn’t often during the Semester. I also keep all our household business current and on track. If I had kids I wouldn’t be able to handle everything I do now. Pat yourself on the back. Great Job!
It snowed plenty up here. BTW Jennifer the Mercury lounge gig Josh did went well. Lots a music biz folks there. The funny comment was from one who said “at first I thought you guys were lip syncing, I never heard sound that good. We watched and realized it was really live. Great sound”. Paul always does a good job. That is why he is doing major studio work and touring for the last few years with the GG Dolls, Avril Lavign, Life House and even did a Hanna Montana gig up here. He can make a band sound better than there record at a live event. Anyway I spent the day digging out from a foot of snow. Now I remember why I liked LI better than Boston – less snow.
Jennifer, that looks delish! I wish I could have eaten some. Yummy stuff! Good job.
Those clams remind me of a story my mom recently told me… My 5 year old nephew went out to dinner with my parents… They ordered some clams as an appetizer… My nephew was so taken by the look of those shiny clams that he grabbed a handful and sneaked (correct word?) them into my mom’s purse… Three days later, my mom went into her purse and discovered the clams… The stench so unbearable she nearly vomited! p.s. The purse was ruined when spot-cleaned with bleach…
sorry but I have to notice, you must chop onion more fine or maybe you can use a food procesor