heaven in a pasta bowl

Butternut squash, pancetta, and cheese. How bad can this be, I thought. Seven or so ingredients, simple enough for a weekday meal. Sold! I shall make this tomorrow.

Those were just some of the thoughts going through my head last night as I watched the "Martha Stewart Show". I know, I know. But I was intrigued by all the NYC chefs she was featuring. I'm happy I stuck around. The first chef, Scott Conant, owner of Scarpetta, made this little, tantalizing concoction that I just had to tell you about, because I just ate it. Perhaps the perfect fall dish, but trust me, you can make it now and be oh-so-happy that you did. Pair with a nice bottle of, oh, I don't know...maybe Martin Ray Chardonnay and you'll be all set.

Penne with roasted butternut squash pancetta, and sage

loosely adapted from Scott Conant

1 medium (appx 2-1/4 lbs.) butternut squash - peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/2 inch pieces

2 to 4 tbsp olive oil

Coarse salt (kosher will work)

3/4 lb penne pasta (a box of whole grain fits the bill)

1/4 - 1/2 lb pancetta, sliced 1/4 inch thick and finely chopped

2 shallots, thinly sliced crosswise (I didn't have shallots and so used 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced and 1 small onion, halved and thinly sliced)

1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

10 fresh sage leaves, coarsely chopped or torn

1/2 cup finely grated pecorino Romano cheese, plus more for serving (a MUST!)

1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place squash on a baking sheet and toss with 1 to 2 tbsp of olive oil and season with kosher salt. Roast in oven until squash is browned and tender - between 15 and 30 minutes depending on your oven.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Generously salt water and add pasta. Cook until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water and drain. Set aside.

Meanwhile, heat 1 to 2 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low. Add pancetta and cook until just crisp, 4 to 5 minutes. Add shallots (or my substitute), crushed red pepper, and sage. Cook until shallots are soft, 4 to 5 minutes. Add squash and penne and toss gently. Add reserved pasta cooking liquid a little at a time until moistened to your liking.

Toss in cheese and black pepper and mix gently. Serve immediately with more grated Pecorino - YUM!

salad please

The gluttony must come to an end. I have consumed more sweets, snacks, and mashed potatoes than any one person should. I'm actually looking forward to salads, brown rice and fish!

One more party to go tonight, and then I swear, I'll stop. Really.

Plus, the mid-winter vacation is looming and I simply must trim up!

coconut macaroons

Such a festive cookie, and so easy!

adapted from Ina Garten

14 ounces sweetened, flaked coconut

14 ounces sweetened condensed milk

1 tsp vanilla (the good stuff)

2 extra large egg whites, at room temp

1/4 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 325.

Using the whisk attachment for your stand mixer, whip the egg whites and salt at high speed until they make medium-firm peaks.

Meantime, combine the coconut, sweetened condensed milk and vanilla in medium bowl. Gently fold in egg whites. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment or a Silpat. Bake for 25-30 minutes - with a nice golden tinge on the edge of the coconut flakes. Cool and enjoy.

*Note: These would also be delish with the bottoms dipped in melted chocolate

my long lost blog!

How I have missed thee! The spirit of the season has caught up with me, and kept my from my blogging world. 

But a few things have been on my mind. I'm thinking about changing the blog up a bit. Perhaps much more of a food focus. You may know that I just love Sunday dinner. As a matter of fact, the past few have been quite something! So I'm considering reinventing Lipstick & Chardonnay. Problem is, my first choice for a new name - Sunday Dinner - is already taken! Aargh! What do you think about "Sunday's Dinner"?

Well, I have to make a decision. I mean, I've got rotisserie leg of lamb waiting in the wings!

Next item. I just received a "friend request" on Facebook that kind of freaked me out. Someone I met about 22 years ago on high school spring break. Nothing naughty happened, mind you! But after 22 years, really? Is it bad I didn't recoginze this persons name at first? Yikes. Not sure I want to accept this request.

And finally, I found THE cutest handbag today and wanted to share. Now, I don't think I'm a very good shopper. As a matter of fact, I'd like a personal shopper. But, one of my girlfriends had this bag - in the most beautiful blue if you can imagine...

It's from a company called Big Buddha. Ever heard of it? Darling, yes?!?

giving thanks - day three

One of my nephew's had emergency appendectomy surgery late last night. So today, I am thankful that he is alright and on the road to recovery.

giving thanks - day two

Today I am thankful for this guy...

My Choppers. He does right by me (brought home a bottle of you-know-what to have with dinner tonight!), his friends, his family, and anyone fortunate enough to know him. I am incredibly blessed to have him in my life. He is, as they say, a good one. A very good one!

giving thanks - day one

Since the holiday is fast-approaching, it feels like a good time to start giving thanks. So that is what I will do this week. Every day, actually. Just one thing, (okay, maybe two, if it's a really good day) I'm thankful for on a daily basis. Fun!

And today...it's not chardonnay (horrors!), it's not food (though it could be, given the pecan pie leftovers). It's something that comes to me from the "lipstick" portion of my world. As half of the name of this site, you would think I would talk more about. Ah, well. 

So, here goes. Today I am thankful for spouses and/or significant others that pay attention, take notice, and compliment my clients (a.k.a. their wives and/or significant others)!! Is this goofy? To me, it is a sound that is as sweet as sweet can be (to borrow from my lovely Annapolis friend). And it makes my work wonderful!

Some of you lovely readers may know that I rep a specialty skin care line. Tonight, one of my new clients shared with me that not only has she noticed a difference in her skin since her new goodies arrived last Thursday. But her husband said he saw a difference too. Super sweet, no?! I mean, are men supposed to notice these things?

So to all you spouses and/or significant others out there (men especially) - check us out! Speak up! You never know how many people will be grateful for your kind words. Including me.

sunday dinner - rotisserie chicken with fingerling potatoes

There's something so relaxing and routine about Sunday. Lattes and Sunday Morning in the a.m.; maybe a few errands in the afternoon; a good long walk with the dog; and most every Sunday, Choppers and I make a deliberate choice to have a fantastic "Sunday Dinner".  

Today I got a new cookbook - Dinner at My Place, by Tyler Florence. How I love his recipes! Most often scrumptious, and very user-friendly. He's easy on the eyes, and I'm getting the impression there aren't enough "o's" in smooth to describe this chef. The show is cool, the website is cool, and even the music on his web site is cool. Rock on Tyler. Rock. On.

Anyway, back to the cookbook. I am already half-way through reading this one, and there are a stack of drool-inducing recipes and beautiful photos. Tonight it's the rotisserie chicken with lemon, garlic and fresh bay leaves. We are serving this with his lemon roasted fingerling potatoes (and Chardonnay!). Definitely Sunday Dinner worthy.

And the icing on the proverbial cake is dessert - which I am "rehearsing" for Thanksgiving. Chocolate Pecan Pie. God help me.

cold weather and warm meals

Our pre-Thanksgiving Thanksgiving was a wild success! We had 14 for dinner and fit everyone comfortably. Whew! I set two tables-one for six with black and white transfer ware atop plain white Crate & Barrel plates, accented with chocolate brown and silver; and one for eight with crystal candlewick atop deep red and white transfer ware, also with chocolate brown and silver. Glimmering and gorgeous! But no pictures. So sad.

But the stars of the evening were all the lovely and delicious dishes our friends brought. Highlights include homemade (a la Alton Brown) Green Bean Casserole. Which, in my humble opinion, is the only GBC anyone should ever eat! A dee-lish mushroom-infused dressing to accommodate our vegetarian friend, and the best damn gravy you can imagine. Choppers deep fried two turkeys. Wonderful. Oh, did I mention the pumpkin cheesecake with homemade whipped cream? Heaven.

For my part, I made my soon-to-be famous Spicy/Sweet mixed nuts (thank you Nigella!) and to-die-for caramelized onion chip dip (thank you Ina Garten!).

Last weekend was a perfect kick-off to our cold weather entertaining. There's something about a little chill in the air, just enough to warrant a cozy fire; big snowflakes lazily falling outside; a good meal (like the one in the oven right now), and of course...a bottle of Chardonnay!

Tonight's feature is a yummy Gallo Sonoma Reserve Chardonnay. Make no mistake, this is not your mother's "gallon of Gallo", or "jug of joy". It's quite nice. A good value. And it has all my favorites - oak, vanilla, butter.

The only problem is that we're having a Mexican fiesta tonight. Slow roasted pork studded with garlic and semi-spicy seasonings. I'm sure this is not the "proper" bottle of wine to serve with this meal. But I love it nevertheless.

I am open to suggestions though. Please, do tell...what would you pair with Mexican fiesta?

big meal in a small space

Every Thanksgiving Choppers and I spend a wonderful, gluttonous holiday with our friends. A tradition that good friends began many, many years ago for those of us not originally from our fine city and thus, no family nearby. This year, sadly, things have changed. So many of us will be celebrating in different homes and communities.

And even though we often get together for dinner with friends, it just didn't seem right that we weren't together for THIS dinner. So, in an effort to keep tradition alive, we are hosting a pre-Thanksgiving feast for our friends this weekend. It will be fabulous!

My dilemma. A small-ish house, a table that seats six (with the leaf in), and 14 guests. What to do? I don't need to create a formal, Martha Stewart perfect setting here. But, I would like everyone to be comfortable and able to eat a fantastic meal without spilling gravy in their lap.

Any suggestions, clever ideas, or strokes of pure genius would be greatly appreciated.

Sunday Dinner

Sunday is one of my favorite days. Mainly because it includes Sunday Dinner! And with snowflakes in the air, today is the perfect day for a cozy fire and some comfort food. Tonight it's Fettuccini with Bolognese.

I have to tell you, my house smells scrumptious! A heady mix of garlic, pancetta, and onion simmering away in tomatoes and red wine. Heaven.

If you've ever tried a Bolognese and have been less-than-impressed, give this one a try. It's a keeper. My husband has ordered many a Bolognese at various restaurants just to compare, and has not yet found one as good.

I suppose I should pour a complimentary red tonight...but I'll have to sneak a little oak and vanilla in before we sit down!

Fettuccini Bolognese

Loosely adapted from Tyler Florence

2 ounces dried porcini mushrooms

1/3 pound Pancetta, chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

2 celery stalks, chopped

2 carrots, peeled and chopped

5 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 Tbsp olive oil

2 bay leaves

2 sprigs rosemary

1 pound ground pork

1 pound ground beef

1-1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

1 28-once can whole tomatoes, crushed by hand

2 cups dry red wine

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

1 pound fettuccini

Freshly grated Parmesan-Reggiano, for serving

Reconstitute the mushrooms in boiling water for 20 minutes until tender. Drain and coarsely chop.

Puree the mushrooms, pancetta, onion, celery stalks, carrots, and garlic in a food processor.

In a heavy bottom pot add the olive oil, bay leaves, and rosemary. Cook gently until fragrant. Remove herbs then add vegetable puree. Continue to cook for about 10 minutes.

Raise the heat a bit and add the ground beef and ground pork. You may need to add it in small batches to ensure you can nicely brown the meat. Brown until the meat is no longer pink, breaking up large clumps with a wooden spoon. Add the milk and simmer until the liquid is mostly evaporated, about 10 minutes. Carefully pour in the tomatoes and wine, and season with salt and pepper. Bring the sauce to a boil, then lower the heat and cover. Slowly simmer for 1-1/2 to 2 hours, stirring every now and then until the sauce is thick. Taste again for salt and pepper. When you are ready to serve, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook your pasta until al dente. Drain well and either toss with the Bolognese or add sauce to individual serving bowls.

Tyler Florence suggests also topping with a dollop of fresh ricotta cheese, shredded fresh basil and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil in addition to the grated Parmigiano. Delicious! But if you don't have all of those things, you're good to go with just the Parm.

What would you do?

One of my dear friends was, for lack of a better word, mugged the other night. She was leaving her condo (a converted schoolhouse, very cool), walking toward her car AT 7:30 P.M. and as she passed by a regular-looking guy leaning on a BMW he lunged at her and ripped her purse from her arm! Is this a "mugging"? Perhaps a purse snatching. No mind. She, thankfully, was unharmed. Pretty rattled, of course.

What was surprising to us both was her reaction. Her first thought was that he was going to grab HER and throw her in the car. She didn't use any profanity, she didn't chase after him. As he grabbed the purse, she yelled, "What are you doing?". Then she watched her beautiful, fabulously metallic purse shimmer in the street lights as the perp ran down the street. :(

Thankfully, she had her keys in her other hand.

Have you ever rehearsed a similar scenario in your head? Where you use your best kung-fu moves, or a swift kick to the you-know-what to ward off anyone with bad intentions. What do you think you would have done?

I hope to never have to learn what I would have done in such a situation.

Maybe you've had a similar experience though. Did your reaction surprise you? Do tell.

The good news? The purse was found the next day with everything intact - except for the digital camera!

Nice Matters

Have you ever received bad customer service, a bad meal, purchased a bum product, or just been treated badly in general by someone who was taking (or supposed to be) care of you? How many people did you then share your experience with?

What about when you received great service, a great meal or product, or the like? Were you as apt to share you good experience as you were your bad?

I have a business that allows me to help my clients, to provide a solution - be it product or otherwise. It's not rocket science, but to them I know it's important. I do my best at every given moment because I know how I like to be treated. So I must say when clients share their success stories with me, as one just recently did, it makes me all giddy inside! 

And it serves as a reminder to me to be sure to let people know when I appreciate their help, their great service, their perfect recommendation. I don't think we do that enough.

A whole lot of nuthin'

Oh boy, have I been neglecting my blog. Funny thing though, some of what has been keeping me away has shown up on other blogs. Project Runway, Rachel Zoe, and dare I admit...last night...The Real Atlanta Housewives. Lordy.

In my defense...I am not, by nature, a trashy reality-TV watching kind of gal. Unless it's Food Network or Discovery, I'm not really a TV watching gal these days. But, the husband (aka Choppers) has been out of town since last week and well, I've just kind of been LAZY. It's been a nice little break.

I must know...has anyone else seen this Atlanta Housewives thing? Thoughts? Rants? Is it me, or is this absurd????

Procrastination

I have 30 minutes to get dressed, dry my hair, put on my face and get to an appointment. And instead, I am here. Coming off of vacation is hard! I just can't want to do one damn thing today. I miss the beach, miss the dolphins, and miss my quickly-fading tan! If you are going on vacation, please let me know so I can live vicariously through you.

Catch of the day

Dinner...and yes, I caught it!

Wish you were here!

This is my view for the next week...

Ahhh...a week of doing nothing

I'm so excited! We're leaving for a week's vacation to the beaches of North Carolina. It's our annual trip with Choppers' family. Lots of good southern cookin'. I'm sure by this time next week I'll be completely sick of biscuits with sausage gravy and fried fish. But I never tire of real sweet tea.

I'm bringing my Emeril Essence just to be safe. Choppers won't let me bring my favorite chef's knife. He's afraid someone will use it to fillet a fish. I guess I'll make do. Or maybe I won't cook! Ha!

Process? What Process?!?

Have you ever thought you were following a process, a defined way of doing things, using a system and then just like that (insert snapping sound) your whole understanding of how to get the job done is obliterated?

It's a lot of fun, isn't it? This is the special dilemma I get to deal with today. Working with someone who has explained the process, trained me on the process, and then single-handedly defied the process! Oh, and it just happens to be the president of the company and thus, owner of the process.

Needless to say my business associate and I are left feeling and looking foolish - as though we are incapable of performing our contracted duties and oblivious to the...well, you know.

Sheesh.

Thankfully though, I have in front of me a nifty little recipe for a lovely dinner that will let me forget about all this b.s. for a little while - Chipotle Shrimp Tostadas. Yum. And you can bet your ass that something is already chilling in the fridge!

Summer's end salad

Sunday is my favorite day to cook. It's a bit of a ritual in our home to have "Sunday dinner" - something really yummy, indulgent, and of course, including dessert. But today, I also added "Sunday lunch" after assessing the dwindling bounty in my little garden.

Precious little grape tomatoes, and a lovely bit of basil...
Cute-as-a-button yellow teardrop tomatoes...what shall I do with these?

A simple Panzanella would be the perfect fit. So I also harvested a chubby little cucumber, threw in some red and green peppers, capers, and some red onion - that someone else grew for me. Now for the bread. I had some seeded variety on hand, and that would do. Into the skillet with you!It was delicious. And my summer tomato cravings will soon give way to something less healthy...like mashed potatoes. But until then, here's a peak at the finished product.

Okay, I can't resist sharing these with you too. While they didn't make it into the salad, the color of these habaneros is so beautiful, I felt them deserving of their very own photo!

Am I blushing?

Wow! I received this super-cute award from the lovely, talented, and witty Over My Head. I am so appreciative for this, especially since I am so new to the blog world. Thank you Monica!

I now need to bestow the same love onto seven other bloggers. Which I will as I discover more wonderful blogs just like the "fabulous reads" I've already found! Any recommendations?

Sushi Soiree

We had quite the international dinner party the other night. Friends came over for a hands-on sushi extravaganza! Thankfully a couple couples had working knowledge of the proper assembly techniques, and owned the necessary accoutrement so we could do this for real. Because, even though Choppers and I had purchased the most beautiful salmon and tuna from our favorite sushi restaurant, we really only came to the party with two pair of chopsticks and a 10 pound bag of rice.

Nevertheless! The results were beautiful and delicious...

I'm quite confident we broke all the rules for proper sushi making, but isn't that what's fun about cooking (or in this case not cooking)? Taking something and making it your own. We had a bevy of supporting cast members to the fish—asparagus, scallion, avocado, egg, cream cheese, cucumber, etc. But my favorite was my homemade spicy mayonnaise, because what's better than a spicy tuna hand roll?

1/2 cup good mayo
2 Tbsp Sriracha
1 Tbsp Hot chili sesame oil
Mix together and refrigerate at least two hours to allow everything to meld into spicy deliciousness!

What d'ya think?

How does the new "look", look? I was inspired by the super-cute "Over My Head"...but figured I'd take baby steps before I got really serious!

Just took the scale out of the box...

...and I lost two pounds this week! Woo hoo! Despite sneaking a handful of oh-so-yummy potato chips last night while Choppers was walking the dog. We have been very good about doing our crazy workouts and following the menu all week. Well, with a few exceptions. One can't or really shouldn't, cook without olive oil. I mean, it's a good oil, right? So, a few tweaks here and there. I'll admit, I have had some crabby outbursts in the evening. Either from gastronomic dissatisfaction or Chardonnay withdrawal. But now I am motiavted to continue on! And I even kind of like my new scale. It's sleek and unassuming. And it turns off really fast.

Bonus post!

Monday Night Football AND the Packers! This could only be better if Favre was still in gold and green.

New shoes! New shoes!

Oh! I'm so very excited!! I got my new flip flops today! Two pair! I know, I know, summer's almost over. BUT I am going to the Carolina coast at the end of the month, and I just know I will wear these all the time around the house. They're too fab! Check them out...

I bought them in navy too. Yes, navy! Can you make out the little flower in the middle? Rhinestone! I think I must have been a parrot in a previous life what with my love of shiny and sparkly things! These are a great excuse to throw a dinner party (as if I needed one). Scale be damned! I want to be a sparkly hostess with the mostess!

To scale, or not to scale?

I'm thinking of buying a bathroom scale. And the thought of it makes me cringe.

But, I am embarking on a new "program" that I've been hearing about for months - P90x - and apparently I need to have my before measurements, so I can track all the pounds and inches that are going to be falling off over the next 90 days as I "BRING IT"!

I meant to buy the scale yesterday. I talked myself out of it because I couldn't find a coupon for Bed, Bath, and Beyond. I mean, I shouldn't have to pay full price for something that is going to depress me, should I? I really don't think I want the scale.

However, I am excited to have just received my new body in a box. I'll keep you posted on just how buff I get. But wait, does this mean I have to put my beloved Chardonnay up for 90 days too? Oh boy. I better consult the training manual...and yes, get that scale.

Nebraska rocks!

Home again! We had a great vacation AND lots o' meat! I did have that salad, and have been eating fish and/or some sort of crustacean since our return from the big O yesterday. So here's one of the many, many highlights from our long weekend. Box seats at a Nebraska football game. Ever heard of the "sea of red"? It's nuts. Did they win? You bet. Go big red!

We contributed as much red as we had...

I think I'm going to need a salad...

Off to Omaha, Nebraska, you know, the state where all the cows are corn fed? We're not going to see cows of course. We're going to visit our awesome friends, Mark and Julie, and their three darling kiddies. But as per usual, it's sure to be a meat lovers weekend. Which I must say, I'm semi-excited about now. And I know my hubby - whom I'll lovingly refer to as "Choppers" - is super excited about the Beef Jerky snacks that await him! But I know come Monday I'm going to want to veg out. So in preparation, I laid a solid base tonight with a wonderful salad nicoise (and a might fine KJ Reserve Chard). And upon my return...detox!

I love Rachel Ray

There, I said it. I've fought it for a long time. Especially when one of my nephew's roomates told him I looked like her. Now mind you, this was a few years ago when she was not "daytime talk-show host" polished and always talked out of the side of her mouth, gesturing wildly. I was not happy about this comparison. But now I gaze at her cute short hairstyle on the cover of her very own magazine and think that maybe I should try to look more like Rachel Ray. Will it get me my own cooking show? Adoring fans? Cute dresses?

But I digress. I love RR because once again, her 30 minute recipe did not disappoint. May I be so bold as to say I made a FANTASTIC dinner last night? Hmmm....wish I had leftovers. I'm starving.

do messages matter?

Is it just me or are people NOT returning phone calls these days? Ugh! What's a girl to do??

inspiration

From whom do you draw inspiration? A friend, parent, coworker? In the wake of the Olympics, perhaps an athlete? Someone you know, or even someone you don't know well. Regardless, I truly believe we all need someone to inspire us in some way to continue to work towards our goals - whatever they may be.

Today, I was moved, motivated, and definitely inspired by a professional associate. This woman has accomplished soooo much in her business over the last 17 years. Given her humble beginnings and self-imposed limitations, her success is beyond-inspiring. I hope to be just like her "when I grow up". Knowledgeable but a life-long student, gracious, funny but able to be serious, and charitable...with the ability to inspire the same in others. Who inspires and motivates you?

a very sushi blog...

My friend Kerry suggested I start a blog. So here I am. Blogging. With personal guidance from Madelèn (http://www.the-larvik-way.blogspot.com/). An expert blogger herself and clearly, more "with it" than I when it comes to this kind of thing. I suspect I will want to muse about work, wine, and whatever.