A Celebration and What's for Dinner Tonight

In two weeks, it will be the blog-iversary of Mignardise.
What? You never heard that word before?

It means I'll have been writing this lovely little blog for a whole year.
What should we do to celebrate?
I have a few ideas...

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Cake!
What's a blog-iversary without cake? Haven't decided on which one, but I promise to challenge myself in the baking department. This shouldn't be too hard.

While you wait for the big day, here's a recipe you've got to try. I've made it twice and both times I've been amazed at not only how easy it is, but how good. It's  been a big hit with the kids, but it's nice enough for company.

Chinese Glazed Pork Tenderloin
adapted from Cook's Country


Serves 4-6


2 pork tenderloins, 1 1/2 to 2 lbs. total

1 tsp. Chinese five-spice powder

salt and pepper

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup ketchup

1/4 cup dry sherry

3 Tbsps. Hoisin sauce (find it in the Asian section)

2 Tbsp. light brown sugar

1 Tbsp. grated fresh ginger

1 Tbsp. vegetable oil

Pat pork tenderloins dry with paper towels. Season with five-spice powder, salt and pepper.
Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until it just starts to smoke. Cook tenderloins until well-browned all over, 5-7 minutes.

Whisk together water, ketchup, sherry, hoisin, sugar and ginger in a medium bowl. When pork is browned, reduce heat to medium and add sauce mixture. Cover and cook, rolling tenderloins occasionally, until meat registers 145 degrees, about 10-12 minutes. Transfer pork to a cutting board, tent with foil and let rest 5 minutes.

Simmer sauce and any accumulated pork juices until thickened, about 3 minutes. Slice pork and transfer to a serving platter. Pour sauce over pork and serve.

School Lunch Ain't What It Used to Be

I joined my 4th grader for lunch at the elementary school, one day last week. The school lunch menu said it was "Maine Local Harvest Week" and on the schedule that day was "School Garden Pasta". 
How could I resist?

What was served was nothing like the school lunches I received as a child. And I mean that in the most positive way.


We had whole wheat penne with a sauce of tomatoes, celery, peppers, onions and white beans. While I found it a bit bland (nothing some fresh basil and oregano couldn't fix), I can't argue with its wholesomeness and kid-appeal.

What I really loved was the salad bar. Freshly picked lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers and carrots. Topped off with an edible flower!

Did you ever get that in your school cafeteria?
Me neither.
Most of the kids were open to taking a little nibble, just for the novelty of it. They found it surprisingly spicy. Few asked for seconds.
So what? It's all about the exposure to new foods that can be found in their own backyard.

Literally.
 The vegetables all came from the Yarmouth School Garden, a 60' x 100' plot behind the elementary school. The garden grows organic produce for use in the Yarmouth school system's nutrition program.
Now in it's second year, the garden is a community project that not only feeds the school kids but also provides valuable lessons in nutrition, biology and the environment. High schoolers volunteer their time and receive community service credit.

Other meals throughout the week included Wolfe's Neck Farm hamburgers and pesto crostini.

What's next? Lobster rolls?

Maybe.

Maine Harvest Week hopes to promote relationships not only with farmers, but with the fishermen who are an important part of the community.

Dessert that day was a delicious, fresh blueberry crisp.

I have a feeling if the Nutrition Program keeps this up, they'll have to start taking lunch reservations from parents.

Cinnamon- Apple Cake

I hate to admit it, but I'm feeling a bit stressed about the over-abundance of wonderful produce this time of year. My head is swimming with dishes to make and treats to bake with all the seasonal goodness. And I want to get it to you before the best stuff is gone.

Apples are here to stay. But Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year and Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, are coming up soon. Like this weekend.

So in the interest of timeliness, I really want to share this apple cake now. It's something I've been making for years, either for the Jewish holidays or just because it's so good.

It's rich with cream cheese, but rustic and craggy with apples and cinnamon. Love it for dessert, but I have also been known to have a slice (or two) after breakfast.

It's a lovely alternative to the traditional honey cake at Rosh Hashanah, which I never really liked (it's true, Mom). And it's perfect with the break fast meal after Yom Kippur.

I can also assure you that this cake makes a welcome addition to any fall meal, regardless of your religious beliefs.

Cinnamon-Apple Cake

adapted from Cooking Light

1 3/4 cups sugar, divided

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 tsp. vanilla extract

6 oz. block-style cream cheese, softened (it's ok to use reduced fat or fat-free)

2 large eggs

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup whole-wheat pastry flour

(if you don't have this, you can use more all-purpose flour)

1 1/2 tsps. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

2 tsps. ground cinnamon

3 cups peeled and chopped apple, Rome, Golden Delicious or a variety you like

Preheat oven to 350.

Coat an 8" springform pan with cooking spray or butter generously.

Beat 1 1/2 cups sugar, butter, vanilla and cream cheese in a mixer, at medium speed until well blended. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Combine flour, baking powder and salt in a small bowl. Whisk to mix thoroughly.

Add flour mixture to creamed mixture, beating at low speed until well blended.

Combine 1/4 cup sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Add 2 Tbsps. of this mixture to the chopped apples, then stir apple mixture into batter.

Pour better into prepared pan, then sprinkle with remaining cinnamon mixture.

Bake for one hour and 15 minutes, or until cake pulls away from the sides of the pan.

Cool completely on a wire rack .

Note: You can also make this in a 9 x 9 square baking pan. Reduce cooking time by 5 minutes.

PS - A dollop of whipped cream, or a scoop of vanilla ice cream, wouldn't hurt.

Off to College and a Salad

I apologize for the recent absence from posting.
It's been a crazy and emotional week (or so) as we took our first born to college for the first time.
Lucky girl - at a beautiful school surrounded by mountains and a huge blue sky in Colorado.

Move-in day, while exhausting for all, could be viewed with humor.
As fresh-faced 18 year olds, glowing with anticipation, hauled boxes and bags, their parents straggled behind, schlepping even more stuff.

Dads, who in their "regular lives" are successful captains of industry, vice presidents of this or that, entrepreneurs, are suddenly superfluous and embarrassing. At least until the tuition bill comes.

 Mothers, stylish and competent at home or in the office, are feeling frumpy and melancholy for their younger selves. How can we possibly be old enough to have a child in college?

Girls, accustomed to private bedrooms and good water pressure, have to get used to shared space and shared bathrooms.

Boys check out the girls, who check out each other. The brave and confident introduce themselves at every opportunity. Life long friends?
Maybe. Maybe not.

The whole scene could be a case study for Anthropology 101.

And the kids who have food bloggers for parents?
Despondent at the thought of cafeteria food.

We treated our girl to a last supper at Osteria Marco.
Delicious chewy-crusted pizza with sausage and house-made ricotta.
Caprese with perfect ripe tomatoes.
And a beet salad, that inspired this recipe.

Like several of my other recipes, this one has easily interchangeable ingredients.
Switch hazelnuts or almonds for the pistachios. Sunflower seeds would be good too.
Use any kinds of greens you like.
Don't care for goat cheese? Try feta or gorgonzola.
And if you shudder at the thought of mixing fruit into your savory salad - just don't do it.
I'm also not going to give you exact measurements, because it's easy to add as much as you need for however many people you're serving.

Roasted Beet, Pistachio and Goat Cheese Salad


Arugula, or other leafy greens, such as a mesclun mix or spinach

Fresh beets, roasted and cut into chunks
To roast, trim off beet green stem. Wrap each beet in foil. Place on a baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes, or until a knife can be easily inserted into the center of the beet. Times may vary according to size of beets.
When the beets are cool, unwrap and peel off skin. Note: Use clean rubber gloves, or put your hands inside plastic sandwich bags to avoid staining your fingers bright pink.

Pistachios, or other nuts.
 If using almonds or hazelnuts, I would lightly toast them first.

Pink grapefruit sections
Do you know how to supreme a grapefruit? Watch this.

A couple of scallions, thinly sliced

A handful of chopped parsley

Goat cheese, whatever type you like

Start with the greens on the bottom of the salad plate or bowl. Add cheese, then beets, grapefruit and nuts. Sprinkle with chopped scallions and parsley.
Just before serving dress with a light vinaigrette, and toss.

You can make individual salads to serve at a dinner party, or layer everything in a large shallow bowl and serve family-style.
Even if your family has suddenly gotten smaller.

Feelin' Groovy: Psychedelic Slaw

Even though I was a mere child in the '60s, I do have some fond memories.

My white go-go boots.

Arguing with my uncle over who was better, the Beatles or the Monkees.

Babysitters who taught me to iron my hair.

And Peter Max. I loved the bright colors and playful designs of his Cosmic 60's period.
The big smile. The iconic Cosmic Star Runner - you know, the guy with the flowing yellow hair wearing bell bottoms and carrying a flower. The stars and planets.
The only way to describe such art was groovy, a new word for a completely new look. It was like waking up from the long black-and-white nap of the '50s to find the world had been given a fresh coat of brilliant color.

Where am I going with this?
Psychedelic Coleslaw, so named for the its mix of flamboyant colors. Pretty to look at and very fresh. So groovy you may experience a flashback.

Psychedelic Coleslaw, adapted from the Surreal Gourmet


1/4 cup rice wine vinegar

2 tsps. toasted sesame oil

1 1/2 Tbsps. fresh lime juice

1 Tbsp. honey

1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper, or hot sauce (more or less, to taste)

2 Tbsps. sesame seeds, lightly toasted

2 carrots, peeled and coarsely grated

1/3 head purple cabbage, cored and sliced into the thinnest ribbons possible and separated

1/3 head green cabbage, cored and sliced as above

1 yellow pepper, seeds and membranes removed, very thinly sliced

1 red pepper, as above

1/2 medium sweet onion, or 1 shallot, finely sliced and separated

2 Tbsps. peeled fresh ginger, finely grated or minced

1 cup cilantro leaves, chopped

Optional:
1/4 daikon (a large white Japanese radish), peeled and coarsely grated

In a small bowl, whisk together rice wine vinegar, sesame oil, lime juice, honey and cayenne. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine all remaining ingredients except sesame seeds and toss well. Then toss with dressing. Just before serving, sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Note: Do not prepare more than a couple of hours in advance because the purple of the cabbage could seep into the other ingredients.
 On the other hand, no one will really mind, they'll be so blown away by the flavor.