Awaiting us in suburbia?  A dishwasher that runs on actual electricity and doesn’t muss . . . → Read More: Holidays! (And Red Wine Sauce w/ Truffle Butter!)]]> Santa visited the MHHV Headquarters early this year.  Over the Thanksgiving weekend, while most Americans were feasting and footballing, little elves were hard at work packing up the contents of our Brooklyn headquarters and shipping it off to a shiny new suburban palace.

Awaiting us in suburbia?  A dishwasher that runs on actual electricity and doesn’t muss my manicure.  My very own closet as large as my first Manhattan apartment.  Quiet.

And trees.  Gobs and gobs of trees…

Was it worth a year without Thanksgiving?  You betcha.  Especially when you have a whole week’s worth of holidays to make up for it.  Read on for a few little holiday tid-bits that will have guests ignoring rooms full of unpacked boxes.

As far as gift giving goes, the staff here at My Husband Hates Veggies thinks you can never go wrong with booze.  Our faves this year?  Yours truly is fond of giving and receiving my favorite Chianti, Ruffino Riserva Ducale (around $25), which pairs well with hearty winter fare, and gives gift-receivers the illusion that you know far more about wines than you actually do.

Gifting cookies?  I always go with the one recipe that is almost impossible to F*** Up,  my Pecan Snowball Cookies.

Christmas dinner this year is a splurge…a roasted beef tenderloin that I luxuriantly had the butcher trim and tie for me.  I’ll top the sliced meat with a super simple but decadent gravy…

Red Wine Sauce w/ Black Truffle Butter

one cup red wine
20 ounces or so prepared beef gravy
one tablespoon prepared truffle butter

Just reduce the wine to half, stir in the prepared gravy till warmed, and melt in the butter before serving

Happy Holidays!

xoxo – Kitty

It pains me to say, dear readers, that not all Veggie Fake-Out recipes are destined for greatness.

Take this Butternut Squash Soup for example.  I was just so certain that my husband would not only eat it, but that he would love it.  And why not?  It doesn’t have any flavors that he’s refused before.  It’s lush . . . → Read More: Delicious Defeat…Butternut Squash Soup with Black Bread Croutons]]>

It pains me to say, dear readers, that not all Veggie Fake-Out recipes are destined for greatness.

Take this Butternut Squash Soup for example.  I was just so certain that my husband would not only eat it, but that he would love it.  And why not?  It doesn’t have any flavors that he’s refused before.  It’s lush with butter and a touch of cream, and the spicy/sweet balance achieved with the addition of apples and cumin sent rich and exotic aromas wafting through our Brooklyn brownstone, or so I heard from our neighbors on the third floor.  Yes, my quest to perfect a Butternut Squash, Veggie Fake-Out soup recipe, one that didn’t taste annoyingly like pumpkin pie, had finally been realized.  Until…

“it doesn’t taste like soup….it tastes like mush.”

Urgh.

The good news?  More soup for me!

Kitty’s Butternut Squash Soup

3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, roughly chopped
3 large carrots, peeled and cut in large chunks
1 large golden delicious apple, cored and peeled and cut in chunks
1 20oz package pre-cut & peeled butternut squash
1 cup veggie or chicken stock
1 cup water
1 heaping tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 teaspoon black and red pepper spice blend (or equal parts black pepper and chili flakes)
salt
1/2 cup half & half

1) In a heavy soup pot over medium heat, saute the onion and carrot in the butter and oil, along with a pinch of salt, until they are soft and fragrant, about 5 minutes.  2) Add the squash and apple to the pot, along with the spices, and saute another 5 minutes.  3) Add the stock and water, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer covered for at least 20 minutes and up to 45.  4) Remove the soup from the heat, and carefully blend with an immersion blender, or in a food processor.  5) Stir in the half and half, taste to adjust for seasonings, and serve.

Newsflash:  This soup did not taste like “mush”.  It tasted like Butternut Squash Soup.  A really good Butternut Squash Soup.  Its hearty, its healthy, its yummy…and its Munchkin Approved.

]]> http://myhusbandhatesveggies.com/2010/11/delicious-defeat-butternut-squash-soup-with-black-bread-croutons/feed/ 4 http://myhusbandhatesveggies.com/2010/10/a-reverse-veggie-fake-out-pasta-with-mushroom-meat-sauce/ http://myhusbandhatesveggies.com/2010/10/a-reverse-veggie-fake-out-pasta-with-mushroom-meat-sauce/#comments Tue, 26 Oct 2010 19:10:55 +0000 Kitty http://myhusbandhatesveggies.com/?p=686

I hate mushrooms.

Well, perhaps hate is too strong of a word.  If you have me over for a dinner party, and have painstakingly worked on, say, a chicken marsala, or a beef wellington, its not like I am going to sit there and pick the offending morsels out of my meal.  I’ll eat them, and the . . . → Read More: A Reverse Veggie Fake-Out! Pasta with Mushroom Meat Sauce]]>

I hate mushrooms.

Well, perhaps hate is too strong of a word.  If you have me over for a dinner party, and have painstakingly worked on, say, a chicken marsala, or a beef wellington, its not like I am going to sit there and pick the offending morsels out of my meal.  I’ll eat them, and the mushrooms won’t really taste terrible, just kind of bleh, and I will smile, but secretly be wondering to myself what all the lustful sighs elsewhere at the table are about.  Just like I wondered what the frenzy was about when I was shopping for this very recipe, and the crowd at the Park Slope Food Coop descended upon the poor woman stocking the shelves with the last crate of Criminis like she was the shrimp cocktail server at a wedding.  I mean, do people actually get cravings for mushrooms?

According to my beloved Dr. Weill, my Mushroom Malevolence is robbing yours truly of all sorts of healthy things that do a body good.  To name but a few – copious amounts of selenium (which aids the body in proper use of antioxidants), blood-health superstars like copper and iron, zinc (BFF of your immune system), and loads of niacin (which protects against age-related cognitive decline).  Did you know that people with a diet rich in niacin have a 70% reduced risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease?

Its time for a Reverse Veggie Fake-Out!

Kitty’s Mushroom Meat Sauce
makes a huge pot (halve the recipe for 4 hearty servings, or freeze half for later)

1 large onion, chopped
3 or 4 carrots, diced
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon dried oregano
2 pounds ground grass-fed* beef
1 pound Crimini mushrooms, chopped
6 cloves fresh garlic, chopped
2 – 28oz cans chopped tomatoes (I used 2 – 26 oz boxes of Pomi)
2 handfuls swiss chard leaves, roughly chopped
olive oil
salt and pepper

*Grass-fed beef is naturally extremely low in fat.  If you are making this recipe with traditional ground beef, its important to buy the lowest fat beef available to you, or the sauce will become very greasy.*

1) In a large 5 quart+ pot set over medium heat, saute the onion and carrot with a pinch of salt in olive oil.  After 5 or 6 minutes, add the oregano, and follow with the balsamic vinegar.  Allow the vinegar to cook down till syrupy (a minute or so).

2) Add the ground beef to the pot, and break up until its thoroughly cooked and no longer pink, about 5 minutes, adding another pinch of salt and some black pepper.

3) Add the mushrooms, garlic, and tomatoes to the pot.  Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer for at least 15 minutes.  Taste to adjust seasonings.  5 minutes or so before serving, stir in the swiss chard until it just wilts.

4) Serve over your favorite pasta with plenty of grated cheese and some fresh basil.  I used a lasagnotti cut, which was perfect for this thick sauce, but a ridged tube pasta would work well also.

It seems only fitting that after years of subjecting my husband to foods that would normally make his skin crawl, that I should treat myself to a dose of my own medicine, and I am happy to say, this medicine went down really easily.  The mushrooms’ meaty texture was a perfect blend with the ground beef, and the addition of carrot and swiss chard made for a hearty and decidedly autumnal meal. Even Husband had to agree that this was one tasty dish, polishing off a generously mushroom-filled portion.  I am thrilled to report that this recipe also earned the coveted My Husband Hates Veggies Munchkin Seal of Approval, with confused but elated cries of “eeeetball! eeetball!” shouted for all of Brooklyn to hear.

On the MHHV official broccoli head rating scale, I give this Veggie Fake-Out! Recipe 7 out of 10 heads of broccoli.

When it comes to creating a dynamite Veggie Fake-Out, you really need look no further than your blender or food processor.  Case in point:  Unless you were planning to dip it in chocolate and deep fry it in KFC Original Recipe batter, there is nothing short of a Blender Miracle that could . . . → Read More: Kitty’s Miraculous Braised Chicken and Tomatillo Stew]]>

When it comes to creating a dynamite Veggie Fake-Out, you really need look no further than your blender or food processor.  Case in point:  Unless you were planning to dip it in chocolate and deep fry it in KFC Original Recipe batter, there is nothing short of a Blender Miracle that could make a Green Food Hating, White Castle Cravin’ Husband like mine eat something that looks like this:

But eat it he does!  Wrapped in charred flour tortillas or spooned over yellow rice, this zingy and healthy soup/chili/stew has become one of the bestest new Veggie Fake-Outs created at the My Husband Hates Veggies Headquarters.

Kitty’s Chicken and Tomatillo Stew
Makes 4 servings

6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
3/4 cup carrot, diced
3/4 cup onion, chopped
5 cloves garlic, chopped
1 fresh jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced
1 pound fresh tomatillos, papery skins removed, pureed in a blender or food processor
1 cup chicken stock or broth*
1 cup prepared salsa verde (I use Goya)
1 can small white beans
Adobo seasoning blend
fresh ground black pepper
olive oil
canola oil

1) In your favorite deep, 5 -6 quart pot, heat a couple tablespoons each of oil over medium heat until hot.  Season the chicken well with the Adobo seasoning and pepper, and lay the pieces skin-side down in the hot oil.

2) Let the chicken sizzle for a few minutes, and don’t turn until they easily can be moved.  Once they are nicely golden on each side, remove the chicken from the pan and keep aside on a plate.

3) Add the carrot, onion, garlic and jalapeno to the pot, and saute a few minutes until soft and fragrant.  Add the chicken stock, salsa verde and tomatillo puree to the pot, scraping the brown yummy bits off the bottom of the pot as you stir, and allowing the mixture to begin to bubble.

4) Nestle the chicken thighs back into the pot, (pouring any chicken juices into the pot that have escaped onto the plate), cover the pot tightly, and set the temperature to low.

5) Allow to simmer for at least 45 minutes, and check the chicken.  You want it to be fall off the bone tender.  When it is, remove it again from the pot, and allow the stew to simmer uncovered and thicken while you work on the chicken.  Discard the skin and bones from the chicken thighs, and with 2 forks, shred the chicken meat and add it back to the pot.

6) Stir in the small white beans, and taste to adjust seasonings.  When you are ready to serve, garnish with fresh cilantro.  The stew will be deliciously soupy if served immediately.

*If refrigerated overnight, the natural pectins in the tomatillos will thicken the stew, so adjust your liquids according to how hearty of a stew you desire.

Behold the power of the mighty tomatillo – packed with potassium, folic acid and vitamins A & C, as well as a whole bunch of little things called withanolides, which are known for their anti-cancer properties.  (Going gluten-free?  The naturally occurring pectin in tomatillos thickens recipes that are allowed to chill after cooking.)  Technically a fruit, and cousin of the tomato, their flavor is lemony and lightly tart, and pairs well with chicken, fish and pork, as well as a variety of beans and veggies.  Canned purees can be found in Mexican specialty markets.

The other veggies thrown into this stew certainly up the health-factor, not to mention the fiber-rich little white beans and topping of fresh herbs.  But what makes this recipe a truly awe-inspiring Veggie Fake-Out?  The fact that my Husband asks for seconds, and doesn’t have room for dessert.  It’s a Veggie Fake-Out Miracle!

On the My Husband Hates Veggies Official Veggie Fake-Out Broccoli Head Rating Scale, I give this recipe 9 out of 10 heads of broccoli.

]]> http://myhusbandhatesveggies.com/2010/10/kittys-miraculous-braised-chicken-and-tomatillo-stew/feed/ 5 http://myhusbandhatesveggies.com/2010/09/kittys-purr-fect-products-maya-kaimals-indian-simmer-sauces/ http://myhusbandhatesveggies.com/2010/09/kittys-purr-fect-products-maya-kaimals-indian-simmer-sauces/#comments Mon, 20 Sep 2010 13:17:29 +0000 Kitty http://myhusbandhatesveggies.wordpress.com/?p=591 My husband doesn’t like Indian food.  C’mon…did you really think he would?  It’s a cuisine I enjoy on precious nights out with girlfriends or those occasional evenings when work keeps my husband out past dinner time and I think to myself “What can I order in that he would never ever want to eat?”

So the first . . . → Read More: *Kitty’s Purr-fect Products* – Maya Kaimal’s Indian Simmer Sauces]]> My husband doesn’t like Indian food.  C’mon…did you really think he would?  It’s a cuisine I enjoy on precious nights out with girlfriends or those occasional evenings when work keeps my husband out past dinner time and I think to myself “What can I order in that he would never ever want to eat?”

So the first time I made one of Maya Kaimal’s Indian Simmer Sauces, I didn’t tell him what it was.  I think I said something along the lines of “Oh, you know, its just chicken with a tomatoey spicy kinda sauce.  You’ll like it.” And you know what?  He did.

These Indian Simmer Sauces are chock full of nutritious vegetables and antioxidant-filled spices, and provide an AMAZING base for a full-blown Veggie Fake-Out.  Our favorites are the Vindaloo and Tikka Masala, and here’s what I do with them…

Small dice a pound of boneless chicken, season with salt and pepper, and cover with the sauce in a large bowl.  Store in the fridge for a few hours or overnight.  In a large saute pan, heat 2 tablespoons of oil and soften some sliced onion, chopped garlic, and diced sweet bell pepper.  Add the chicken and sauce mixture, and simmer over low heat for 30 minutes, until the chicken is completely cooked through.  Add a cup of frozen green peas in the last few minutes, and serve over steamed rice or couscous.  A little chopped cilantro and a dollop of plain yogurt wouldn’t hurt either.  Voila!  Veggie Nirvana!

*What are Kitty’s Purr-fect Products??*

Pizza is a near religious experience in our household.  Before we’d even cemented our then-future daughter’s name, or color of her nursery, it had already been decided that Friday night would be family pizza night.  Living in brownstone . . . → Read More: Last Night, I Grilled Pizza…]]> …and it was so much easier than I had ever imagined.  Like, seriously, what was I waiting for?

Pizza is a near religious experience in our household.  Before we’d even cemented our then-future daughter’s name, or color of her nursery, it had already been decided that Friday night would be family pizza night.  Living in brownstone Brooklyn, the pick of pizza places can seem pretty luxurious.  Want it delivered?  There are no fewer than 25 places that are willing to deliver, half of which will serve you a pie worthy of a true pizza connossieur.  Willing to get in the car?  We’ve got the original Totonno’s in Coney Island, Jay Z-hangout Lucali, Man Vs. Food endorsed L & B Spumoni Gardens, NY Times 2 star rated Franny’s, and, of course, the pizza mecca itself, DiFara’s.

So why would I ever make one?

But then, this new pizza place opened in our ‘hood, Fornino, (which had garnered accolades for their original location in Williamsburg).  Fornino’s pizza is grilled to a cracker-crisp perfection, and the lower heat on the grill allows them to top the pies with cheeses and vegetables that normally wouldn’t survive the heat of, say, an 800 degree coal burning oven.  We’ve enjoyed their pizza on a few occasions, (and not just because of the offspring-friendly widely spaced tables or the fact that they are happy to store your folding stroller in a back room).  On our last visit, however, an idea sprang forth into my sippy cup-addled brain.

“Why, I could grill a pizza at home!”  So, I did.

Here’s what I did…

I strolled into my favorite local pizza by the slice kinda place, and for $4, walked out with a large ball of pizza dough.  Could you make your own?  Of course you could, and while you are at it, could you please change that diaper, and pick up all those cheerios off the floor, and replace all of my socks back into their drawer for the third time today?  Thanks.

I sliced the giant ball into two even pieces, and on a floured cutting board, pounded them flat with my fists, and proceeded to stretch and pull them into asymmetrical long oval shapes.  I brushed the tops with olive oil, sprinkled them with just a touch of kosher salt, and plopped them oil side down onto my gas grill, at medium heat.  Online recipes for grilled pizza instructed me to get the dough onto the grill by flipping it from a baking sheet, but I had no problem getting it on with a quick move of my hands, saving a few creased areas with my kitchen tongs.

The dough pretty quickly started to bubble up, and I turned the heat down to low.  I brushed the exposed side with more oil, checked the bottom every minute or so using my tongs, and flipped the dough over after 4 or 5 minutes.

Noting how quickly the dough was progressing, I immediately began to add my toppings.  Each pizza was first covered with a layer of shredded part-skim mozzarella, which began to melt right away.  I then topped mine with some pesto sauce I had made with basil from our yard and some walnuts I luckily discovered in the back of the cupboard, along with some grape tomatoes I had caramelized earlier with just a pinch of salt and sugar.  The husband’s pie got the leftover turkey sausage meat sauce from the previous evening’s dinner (made in true veggie fake-out style with yellow and orange bell pepper, onion, garlic, and loads of fresh basil and parsley), as well as a coating of freshly grated pecorino romano.

Whichever toppings you choose, I would recommend making sure they are all at room temperature before you use them, and having them all at hand’s reach before you begin.  They won’t be on the grill long enough to really pick up too much heat, and your pizzas will be done in less than 10 minutes.

My ever-skeptical husband put away a good half of this turkey sausage pie, commenting only that he’d like a little more cheese the next time I make it.  I am thinking little dollops of good ricotta would have made his perfect.

This large ball of dough would have been plenty to serve 3 – 4 people dinner, and slicing the pies straight down the middle and then into smaller cross cut slices would make excellent appetizer-sized servings.  The pizza reheated nicely in a 350F oven for lunch, at which time it earned The Munchkin Seal of Approval.

The Munchkin being, at a mere 17 months old, well-qualified to judge a pizza’s tastiness, as seen below in your  My Husband Hates Veggies Moment of Cuteness, documenting her first ever trip to Totonno’s.

We start ‘em young in these parts.

Hey Gang,

I promise some new posts soon, but in the meantime, here’s a few suggestions from the archives that would be simply smashing to serve during whichever Bowl you happen to be viewing this weekend (yes, Puppy Bowl, I have not forgotten you, you adorable flea-bitten show of absurd cuteness).

Crockpot Pulled Pork – super budget-friendly, . . . → Read More: Superbowl Sunday – MHHV Style!]]>

Hey Gang,

I promise some new posts soon, but in the meantime, here’s a few suggestions from the archives that would be simply smashing to serve during whichever Bowl you happen to be viewing this weekend (yes, Puppy Bowl, I have not forgotten you, you adorable flea-bitten show of absurd cuteness).

Crockpot Pulled Pork – super budget-friendly, easy to serve, and feeds an army

Truly Great Guacamole – only tackle this one if you can find good and ripe avocados

Lower-Fat Guacamole – tantalize your guests who are foolishly still sticking to their New Year’s resolutions….this one is also great in stretching your avocado dollar

Kick-Ass Refried Bean Dip – this recipe for refried beans is made superbowl worthy when you stir in a few dollops of sour cream, cover with shredded cheddar, and bake for about 15 minutes.  Chipotle Madness!

I had high baking aspirations this Holiday season….

There were to be all sorts of delectable goodies created in my Brooklyn kitchen.  Linzer Cookies stuffed with Nutella, a Chocolate and Fruit Tarte I found in my new subscription to Bon Appetit,  Shortbread Pretzel Twists, and, last but not least, our household’s favorite – Pecan Snowball Cookies.  . . . → Read More: Bake Me! Pecan Snowball Cookies]]>

I had high baking aspirations this Holiday season….

There were to be all sorts of delectable goodies created in my Brooklyn kitchen.  Linzer Cookies stuffed with Nutella, a Chocolate and Fruit Tarte I found in my new subscription to Bon Appetit,  Shortbread Pretzel Twists, and, last but not least, our household’s favorite – Pecan Snowball Cookies.  Why buy gifts this Christmas?  Cookies (made with all organic ingredients, of course) would be wrapped in crinkly paper with shiny bows and bestowed upon the shining faces of friend and neighbor alike.

But, (and sorry to get all cliche and Rachael Ray-ish on you), I am a lousy baker.  I can never seem to remember to leave butter and eggs out to bring them to room temperature.  My measuring cups are for liquids.  I confuse tablespoons with teaspoons.  My baking powder is always past its expiration date.  I detest kneading and rolling.  Let’s face it, if you are coming to my house for a dinner party, you can’t go wrong by bringing dessert.

Still, I did manage to churn out one baked item this Christmas, and in my opinion, if you are only going to do one cookie, nobody is gonna complain if its Pecan Snowball Cookies.

Pecan Snowball Cookies
(aka:  Mexican Wedding Cookies, Russian Teacakes)

1 cup sweet butter (softened)
1 box confectioner’s sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/2 cups all-purpose white flour
1 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup ground pecans (toasted or not – your choice)

1)  Beat together the butter and 1 1/2 cups of the confectioner’s sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer, or with a hand held mixer.  When they are creamed together, add the egg and vanilla and continue beating until good and fluffed.  2)  Slowly add the flour, baking powder, and salt, mixing until incorporated.  Now add the nuts and keep mixing.  You may want to stir with a spoon if your mixer is having a hard time.  3)  Form the dough into a flat circle, and pop in a plastic bag in the fridge until you are ready to use, but at least two hours.  You could even freeze the dough and thaw when ready to complete the cookies.  4)  Break off hunks of dough and form into balls smaller than a golf ball, spacing them out on a cookie sheet lined with a silpat or parchment paper.

5)  Bake on the middle rack of a preheated 375F oven for 10 minutes.  6)  Remove from oven, and immediately toss the cookies into a bowl of the remaining confectioner’s sugar.

Transfer to a cooling rack.  Once cooled, roll the cookies in the sugar once more.

And now for some Holiday cuteness….Merry Christmas!

]]> http://myhusbandhatesveggies.com/2009/12/bake-me-pecan-snowball-cookies/feed/ 2 http://myhusbandhatesveggies.com/2009/11/reunited-jamie-olivers-shell-pasta-with-creamy-smoked-bacon-and-pea-sauce/ http://myhusbandhatesveggies.com/2009/11/reunited-jamie-olivers-shell-pasta-with-creamy-smoked-bacon-and-pea-sauce/#comments Tue, 10 Nov 2009 21:05:43 +0000 Kitty http://myhusbandhatesveggies.wordpress.com/?p=524

Yeah yeah yeah…its been a while.  We cool?  Cool.

For the moment, I am going to spare you all the stories of what kept me from you for so long, and get right to a far more important matter – the slow rekindling of my relationship with Jamie Oliver.

I have always been a bit swoony for Jamie.  . . . → Read More: Reunited – Jamie Oliver’s Shell Pasta with Creamy Smoked Bacon and Pea Sauce]]>

Yeah yeah yeah…its been a while.  We cool?  Cool.

For the moment, I am going to spare you all the stories of what kept me from you for so long, and get right to a far more important matter – the slow rekindling of my relationship with Jamie Oliver.

I have always been a bit swoony for Jamie.  His recipes far outnumber any other celebri-chefs’ on this blog, and his philosophy on food jives right with my own.  Add to that the adorable accent and his being, in my opinion, somewhat easy on the eyes, and he had earned rightful inclusion on my Husband-Approved list of “five celebrities I would be permitted to make out with if the opportunity should arise”.  That was until, however, he stood me up for Thanksgiving dinner.

Long story somewhat shortened, through a series of phone calls with various producers and the approval of my painstakingly created Turkey Day menu, there was, in 2008, a very real I-could-almost-taste-it possibility that Jamie Oliver was going to join me and my family for Thanksgiving dinner in my Brooklyn home.  As you can imagine, this sent the staff at My Husband Hates Veggies Headquarters into something of a tizzy – a tizzy which I fully blame for the lack of cheese in that year’s Pumpkin Cheesecake and the obscene amount of money spent on a certain smart-looking tablecloth.  Husband was also in an entirely different kind of tizzy, with the impending arrival of the virile young celebrity chef that he had consented to allow his wife to snog.  Shakira, apparently, had not answered his invitation.

The heartbreak when Jamie never showed would have been manageable had I been in a sound state of mind.  I was, instead, seven months pregnant at the time, and felt quite sure that Jamie’s snub of my dinner party was directly related to the then gargantuan size of my butt.  The marked hormonal avalanche that followed resulted in an abrupt halt in the preparation of Jamie recipes, and his immediate exclusion from my Celebrity Snog List.

It is only now, nearly a year later, that I find myself letting a little bit of Jamie back into my heart.  There is a shiny new Jamie cookbook to devour, after all, as well as his continued devotion to improving the quality of school lunches and call for a rise in standards in the meat and poultry industries.  Why, I even cooked one of his new recipes today.  Yes, it would seem that Mr. Oliver has wormed his way back into my life, albeit in a now entirely platonic way.  What can I say?  My taste buds are the only body part aching for Jamie at the moment.  Could it be because he left me in my hormonally-heightened child-bearing state?

You can’t argue with pregnancy hormones, folks.  That shit’s primal.

Creamy Shells with Smokey Bacon & Pea Sauce
adapted from Jamie Oliver
serves 2  – 4

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
5 slices bacon, chopped
a large handful of fresh mint, chopped
8 ounces shell pasta
1 cup frozen peas
3 tablespoons creme fraiche
juice of one lemon
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan
salt and fresh pepper to taste

Step 1: Start out cooking your pasta according to package directions in salted boiling water.  Step 2: Place a large saute pan over medium heat, and add the olive oil and butter.  Fry the bacon pieces in the pan until crisp, then add the frozen peas to the pan and stir well.  Step 3: Allow to cook for one minute then add the creme fraiche and chopped mint, stirring until the creme fraiche dissolves into a thick sauce.  Step 4: Drain the pasta and reserve some of the cooking water.  Add the pasta to the saute pan.  Stir into the sauce along with the lemon juice.  If the consistency is too thick, thin out with the pasta water.  Step 5: Cook the mixture together for a minute, then remove from the heat and stir in the parmesan cheese, along with salt and pepper to taste.  Serve.

This recipe actually worked pretty swimmingly as a veggie fake-out.  There was a moment when I thought I would sub the pasta with Husband’s favorite, farfalle, but at the last minute stuck with the shells the original recipe called for when I realized that the shells would cup the green peas like miniature bowls, while the farfalle may have inspired Husband to stab his fork at it and neglect his veggies.

A member of the legume family, green peas are loaded with heart-healthy folic acid, fiber, and good ole Vitamin C.  Husband ended up eating a full half cup of them in this tasty recipe, without even commenting on all the green in his dish.  On our Official Veggie Fake-Out Broccoli Head Rating Scale, I give this recipe six out of ten heads of broccoli.

And the winner is…

SETH!  Who is right now awaiting his jar of Walnut Brown Sugar Body Scrub from The Bubble Roome,  courtesy of Natural Luxe.  Why Seth?  Cause he’s better looking than you, and more fashionable to boot.  LOL, JK! (He just happened to be lucky number 13 in our list of comments).

Hey, I mean, you . . . → Read More: And We Have A Winner!]]>

And the winner is…

SETH!  Who is right now awaiting his jar of Walnut Brown Sugar Body Scrub from The Bubble Roome,  courtesy of Natural Luxe.  Why Seth?  Cause he’s better looking than you, and more fashionable to boot.  LOL, JK! (He just happened to be lucky number 13 in our list of comments).

Hey, I mean, you are all winners to us here at MHHV headquarters.  Some of you just more than others.

Kiss Kiss Hug Hug,

Kitty