Cooking Ahead for an After Ski Feast

Nine of us sat around the table Sunday night, tired and hungry, as the husbands heaped generous portions of chicken parmesan and sausage lasagna onto their plates and thanked cooking with friends. It was two days of fantastic skiing in the Catskills, as we relaxed around the table, filling our bellies with a scrumptious homemade meal before our two and a half hour drive home.

Suzy and I knew that our ski weekend would be action packed and we were fully aware we’d have to take care of some exhausted and hungry children at the end-of-the day. So, we planned our breakfasts and dinners ahead of time, but still allowed for chili dogs, Belgian waffles and French fries on the mountain and a first night of pizza at a local parlor.

For breakfast, we enjoyed an assorted bread basket (in Suzy’s words)-- featuring cranberry and banana breads that I had previously made with friends and frozen and sweet cinnamon topped, pumpkin muffins specially made by Suzy. Knowing that our 5 kids (ages 4-12) wouldn’t be able to sit through an après-ski meal in a restaurant without falling asleep at the table, Suzy and I planned a cooking date the week before our getaway, specifically to make our end-of-day dinners. This turned out to be a real luxury, which saved us aggravation, money and time.

I made my slow simmered tomato sauce and breaded chicken cutlets ahead of time to use for the Chicken Parmesan and Suzy gathered all of the ingredients for the lasagna. In only an hour’s time one afternoon, we assembled a tray of lasagna and two dishes of chicken parmesan and froze them until our weekend away. The only thing we had to do for dinner this past weekend was to remember to bring it with us!

We even had the side dishes covered. The day before we left, I washed and cut romaine lettuce and stored it in a zip loc bag. I also made two loaves of No Knead bread to go with the meals. Suzy was in charge of the salad veggies that we’d toss in later.

I have to say, after a phenomenal day of skiing, it was incredible to return to the condo, with the heat on, fireplace roaring (ok, so it was gas) and only need to pre-heat the oven and pop in our dinners. There’s nothing like the aroma of a minimal effort, home cooked meal to make you feel like you’ve got everything under control!

You see, Lynn and I have known each other for years and I’ve always thought she had the best hair! We’ve grown quite close, chit chatting together in the gym, watching our sons compete in gymnastics, carpooling together and doing a lot of talking on the phone throughout the many challenging years of being gymnastic moms. Our relationship has centered on our sons and their favorite sport, as we’ve supported one another through coach changes, competition debacles and new gyms. To put it simply, we’ve been gym friends.

Lynn however, has always known about my other life, the one that takes place in the kitchen. She’s seen me, sauce-splattered and frazzled, swing by to pick her son up for our drive down the Garden State Parkway. And she’s commented more than a few times that she’d like to try cooking with me.

So, when she was about to bring her 4-year old son over to play with my little one, I went out on a limb and sent her a last minute text: “Want to cook?” (Thinking, why should our play date be any different than with any of my other friends, I thought I’d give it a try.) She responded with an enthusiastic “yes” and we decided to make some Sunday gravy. (She may call it gravy and I call it sauce, but they both start with tomatoes in a pot.)

But how did I get in those silly looking hot rollers you may wonder? Well, when we were planning our ingredient list and discussing what Lynn should bring with her for her maiden cooking date, I was reminded of a scene in the book I had just read, Cherries in Winter, where Nana traded beauty secrets for kitchen tips. I guess the idea was in the back of my mind.
I asked Lynn to bring her rollers to divulge her beauty secret of perfectly thick, wavy and gorgeous hair. She laughed and couldn’t believe my request, but when she was unloading her canned tomatoes onto my kitchen table, out came her hot rollers, which she later plugged in and placed in my hair.

After two hours, we each had a delicious pot of homemade tomato sauce, Lynn got to sample what cooking with friends was like and I had a gorgeous hairstyle for the afternoon. As I walked Lynn to her car, I could tell that Lynn felt accomplished as she realized that now her Sunday wouldn’t need to be spent making gravy. Our boys, who gave each other big departing hugs, also had a great time together. As for me, with my expertly styled hair blowing in the breeze, I felt like a glamour girl, more than ready to pick my 4th grade daughter up at the corner bus stop.

Lynn decided my hair looked so good that I should stick rollers in before every cooking date. She thought it was the ideal time to get myself looking fabulous for the day. What’s more, she also said she was looking forward to our next cooking date!

Mission accomplished.


Slow Simmered Tomato Sauce
Makes 2 ½ quarts

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil (preferably mild and not too briny or spicy)
12 large garlic cloves, minced
4 16-ounce cans whole San Marzano tomatoes, tomatoes separated from liquid
2 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
3 or 4 dashes hot sauce (optional)
8 ounces fresh basil (about 2 large bunches) washed, stemmed, and sliced into strips

Heat the olive oil in a 5-quart pot or Dutch oven over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant and golden, about 2 minutes.

Add the reserved tomato juice and bring it to a simmer. While the liquid comes to a simmer, tear the tomatoes into pieces and add them to the pot. Stir in the sugar, salt, red pepper, and hot sauce (if using). Add the basil, stir, and cover the pot.

Reduce the heat to the lowest setting and cook about 2 hours, stirring occasionally. If after 2 hours the sauce looks thin, remove the lid, increase the heat to medium, and let it cook down for a bit. Cool to room temperature and divide into plastic containers or freezer bags.

New Year's Menu 2009

Every year, my husband and I spend our New Year's Eve the same way. Our three kids go to the city to be with my parents and then we come home for our two-part tradition. We think and reflect about the past year and then document the most significant memories in a journal -- all done in between the courses of a gourmet New Year's Eve dinner.

So that I am free to write, talk and reminisce, I try to have most of the meal prepared ahead of time, much of it with friends. This preparation begins long before December and is in the back of my mind throughout the seasons. Each and every course is significant in how it is made, who it was made with and the season it was inspired by (or even made in). Below is my menu with significant notations.

My New Year's Eve Menu 2009

First Course
Shrimp Tempura Bites with a Spicy Soy Glaze -- This course was inspired by Nicholas (from his restaurant in New Jersey). I received his beautiful book from my in-laws and was excited to make something from it.)

Second Course
Lobster and Corn Empanadas with a Smoky Lime Dip -- These sweet and creamy bites of lobster and corn wrapped in puff pastry were made the same day I made dozens of empanadas with Lou and Christina. Lou was with me to taste test them before they got tucked in the freezer.

Third Course
Velvety Smooth Corn Soup with Chantarelle Mushrooms and Charred Corn Kernels -- The stock for this soup was made over the summer with a friend using only the sweetest and most delicious farm-fresh corn. After boiling the corn and cobs, I pureed the kernels and stock in my Vita Mix blender and then froze it for months to come.

Fourth Course that Never Happened
Lamb Bites with a Curry Sauce -- The fourth course was also inspired by Nicholas but since we were too full from all the other courses before, it never happened.

Rustic No Knead Bread
This bread was inspired by several friends: Jackie, Jenn and Lou, who demonstrated the simplicity and reward of a homebaked loaf of bread. Throughout the year, my friends have been making and serving bread to me. No ending to a year could be without an amazing homebaked loaf of bread, especially when it's so simple to accomplish. I served the bread with a whipped garlic parsley butter which is inspired by many sensational meals at El Sitio Do Rio, one of our favorite restuarants in the Algarve.

Dessert -- The Grand Finale
Molten Chocolate Cakes (Jean George) and Creme Brule
Both desserts were made the day before with my friend Debbie. Although we don't spend New Year's together, we try to make our desserts together ahead of time. I made the leftovers for my three kids New Year's Day. They said it would make any other dessert they would ever taste fail in comparison.

So, throughout 2010, I will always have the next New Year's Eve dinner in the back of my head. The menu will vary and so will the significance of each course.

Alison