On The Move Again

Life has its bittersweet moments, eh folks? *dramatic sigh*

Wow. That was a bit of a downer sentiment. Not the ideal way I like to start my blog posts. Ok, let's try again ...

Life sure knows how to keep me on my toes! I've never been more exhausted from having so much summer fun! (that's better; a little fake, but I'll make it work)

Before you think I've gone off the deep end, let me explain dear readers. See, I'm moving. Again. Yup, just one year in our little Connecticut town, and it's time to pack up and move - to Michigan, this time! So the last couple of weeks have been all about meeting up with local friends and family for one last time before the big move. All this socializing has been wonderful - certainly the most action I've had in a while (DH is going to take that the wrong way). But I'm no celebrity, used to partying it up till the wee hours of the morning. I'm a new Mama, who is barely functioning on minimal sleep. So while it's been wonderful and fun, and I've thoroughly enjoyed getting dressed up and mingling with like-minded adults, I'm now officially knackered!

So please be patient with me, dear readers. I know I have a lot of catching up to do with your blogs - and I intend to do them justice when I do get to them - but please allow me to be a little more scatter-brained than usual for the next few weeks. The movers will be coming sooner than I'd like, and I haven't done a thing!

But let's stick with what I can do. I most certainly can tell you how much I loved working with key limes for the first time. And how adorable I think Pat and Gina Neely are on the Food Network. I got a big bag of these tart-sweet little darlings from my grocery store, and used them two different ways. Here's the recipe that was super easy to make, and perfect for bake sales and potlucks.

Key Lime Bars (recipe adapted from Pat and Gina Neely)
12-16 bars

Click here for printable recipe

For cookie crust:
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temp
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
pinch of salt

For lime filling:
2 large eggs, beaten
1 cup sugar
3 tbsp all-purpose flour
1/4 cup fresh key lime juice
1 tsp grated key lime zest
Confectioners' sugar for garnish

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Spray bottom and sides of an 8" x 8" pan with non-stick spray.

2. For the crust: combine soft butter and sugar in an electric mixer till light and fluffy. Add the flour and salt, then mix another minute till well-combined. Transfer dough to the prepared pan, and pat out to an even thickness all over the bottom of the pan. Bake the crust for 15-20 mins till lightly golden. Remove from oven and cool on baking rack.

3. For the topping: whisk together the eggs and sugar in a mixing bowl. Add the flour and whisk until combined. Then whisk in the lime juice and zest.

4. Pour the lime topping over the cooled crust, then bake for an additional 20-25 mins, until the filling is set.
5. Allow bars to cool completely. Then cut into squares and dust generously with confectioners' sugar. Luxuriate in the fresh lime fragrance wafting through your house.

Verdict: I've always been curious about key limes. Turns out there isn't a huge taste difference between them and regular limes, at least to my novice palette. Yes, they are a wee bit sweeter, and a whole lot smaller - which just makes them that much harder to zest and juice! But I'm glad I gave in to my once-in-a-blue-moon citrus craving. Crisp on the top and bottom, and oozing in the center, these key lime bars were fresh, tart and puck(er)ing good! (oh har dee har har). I was a good girl this time, and gave most of them away to DH's colleagues, who thought they were "sublime" - their words, I swear!

Doing Good, Feeling Good

I'm feeling rather proud of myself today, dear readers. Not only did I successfully cook a fish dish, I also turned it into a perfectly healthy meal. I almost gave in to the temptation to fry up the fish, but instead I seared and baked it. Good grief, my arteries are un-clogging as we speak! My skin is clearing up! I feel smarter and thinner already! It's almost like I'm cheating on myself - the part of myself that craves cheesy, carby, decadent goodness. Will I be able to keep this up? I'll let my evil weighing scale decide. Let's see if all this healthy, good-for-me food actually lives up to its promise.

Speaking of things that are good for you, folks, let me take you down to the Sony Club in Manhattan. What's going on there, you ask? Something grand. A spectacular gourmet celebration. All in the name of charity and making this world a better place. The T. J. Martell Foundation is having their 3rd Annual Gourmet Dinner on June 10th at 6:30pm. The foundation raises funds for leukemia, cancer and AIDS research. I'm helping out a friend and spreading the good word about this event.
Belgian master chef, Daniel Joly, is the owner and executive chef of Mirabelle at Beaver Creek in Colorado, and will be the foundation's guest chef for their gourmet dinner. Guests will also enjoy a performance by Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Rosanne Cash, as they enjoy the sunset from 35 stories above midtown NYC. Apart from the four-course seated dinner, there will also be live and silent auctions full of exotic travel experiences and autographed music memorabilia.

Now back to the menu. Dear readers, I'm salivating as I read it. I can't list all the items for you, but here's a teaser. Just the hors d'oeuvres are sublime enough to drive me insane. Oysters and caviar and lobster, oh my! Then begins the culinary onslaught of some amazing courses - first course features crusty langoustine; second course is a black truffle risotto ...

*swoons and falls off her chair*

... Wha?! What happened? I blacked out in a state of bliss. Seriously, the night would end on a high for me right there after the second course. But NO, the indulgence continues with a third course of grilled dover sole with citrus jam, and finally a roasted Colorado lamb with pomme bouchon and fava beans casserole. Of course, there is dessert too. A symphony (how appropriate) of apple - caramelized apple tartelette, milk mousse and lemongrass apple jelly, diced apples and apple sorbet. To buy the $350 per person tickets for this event, you can contact Kate Fitzpatrick, Communications Manager for the T. J. Martell Foundation, at 212-833-5444.

After that extravaganza, my little feat with this fish seems minuscule. But this simple dish packs a lot of flavor, and I'm just happy that I didn't burn it to a crisp or leave it raw in the center!

Citrus Glazed Trout (inspired by Kerstin's recipe, of Cake, Batter and Bowl)
Serves 2

Click here for printable recipe

Ingredients:
1 lb steelhead trout, cut into 4 fillets (but you can probably use any firm-flesh fish)
1/4 cup orange juice
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup soy sauce (I used less, because I'm not a huge fan)
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 tbsp honey
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp canola oil, for searing

Method:
1. Whisk together all the above ingredients, except for the oil, and marinate the fish in it for about 30 mins in the fridge.
2. Preheat the oven to 350 F.

3. Heat up the oil in a large skillet. Sear your trout fillets on both sides. Then place the fillets on a baking sheet and put in the oven for 10-12 mins.

4. Meanwhile, add the marinade to the skillet in which the fish was seared. Bring to a boil and reduce to desired consistency. Brush the fillets with this sauce when they come out of the oven. Serve with your choice of veggies on the side; I liked combining it with Ree's Green Beans and some creamy parmesan mashed potatoes.
Verdict: Although I was jumping up and down because the fish was perfectly cooked and tasted good, it's not like I'll ever swoon over a dish like this. This is health food after all. And I'm still me. So while I'm happy to be giving my jelly belly and thunder thighs a break once in a while with dishes like this, I won't be begging for seconds and thirds. You'll be happy to know though, that DH loves fish, and after having this, insisted that I make this at least once a month. Huh. Whaddaya know. The man never ceases to surprise me.