Hello…just a quick post for you today! I have Three Simple Things To Upgrade Your Cooking. Like a healthy frying pan, my favorite knife that I use almost every day (both on major sale) and a wonderful, fresh fish stew…impressive but not difficult (perhaps for your Valentine or lucky guests).
Three Simple Things To Upgrade Your Cooking
Green Craft Skillet
I just made healthier fried eggs for my mom and sister this morning using this ceramic non-stick Green Craft Skillet with a little cooking spray. And it’s 50% off right now. It handles everything such as searing and deglazing—and it’s safe for metal utensils.
6″ Wusthof Classic Chef’s Knife
This smaller Wusthof chef’s knife makes chopping up a salad a breeze…and it’s on sale, too.
You can use your new favorite knife to make…
Cioppino – San Francisco Fresh Seafood Stew
This is my husband, Howard’s perfected recipe adapted from Bon Appetit and Allrecipes. He serves it with a light green salad and French or sourdough bread slices that are brushed with olive oil, a dusting of salt and pepper and toasted in the oven. The broth is really tasty.
We are having a really good Dungeness crab season this year in San Francisco. Howard uses whatever seafood that looks best to him (and is recommended by the fishmonger) the morning he shops.
But for the crab, he loves to run down to Fisherman’s Wharf early in the morning to buy fresh cracked and cleaned Dungeness crab from the “Alioto-Lazio Ladies.” Then he hops on the cable car to ride back up the hill!
This is my husband, Howard's delicious San Francisco style seafood stew. You can change the seafood quantities according to what is fresh.
- 3/4 cup butter
- 2 onions chopped
- 2 cloves garlic chopped
- 1 bunch fresh parsley chopped
- 2 14.5 oz cans stewed tomatoes
- 2 14.5 oz cans chicken broth
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tbsp dried basil
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1.5 cups good white wine
- 1 cup water
- 1.5 cups crab meat
- 1.5 lbs large shrimp de-shelled and cleaned
- 1.5 lbs bay scallops
- 1.5 lbs cod fillets cubed
- 24 small clams
- 1/4 cup Pernod Liqueur
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Over medium-low heat melt butter in a large stockpot, add onions and garlic. Cook slowly, stirring occasionally until onions are soft.
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Add tomatoes to the pot (break them into chunks as you add them). Add chicken broth, bay leaves, basil, thyme, oregano, water, and wine. Mix well. Cover and simmer 30 minutes
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Stir in the shrimp, scallops, clams, fish, and crabmeat. Pour in Pernod. Bring to boil. Lower heat, cover and simmer 5 to 7 minutes until clams open. Ladle soup into bowls. Sprinkle with chopped parsley. Serve with warm, crusty bread!
And those are guaranteed Three Simple Things To Upgrade Your Cooking!!
I’m in San Diego to celebrate my mom’s 95th birthday. I took her shopping at Talbots and there is a sale…an extra 70% off!
She looks good in pink and we scored a bunch of things, including cashmere and a sparkly necklace (all this for less than $100).
I hope you didn’t miss Ten Quick Ways To Refresh Your Living Room!
I’m going to show you how we overhauled my San Diego client’s powder room and family room fireplace/mantel in my next post.
Have a wonderful day!
Mary Ann,
Happy Birthday to you mom. Wow, that’s great, 95 years old.
The seafood cioppino sounds delicious, can’t wait to try the recipe.
xo,
Karen
I don’t think that cioppino will laste as good without Fisherman’s Wharf and a cable car, but i’ll try. I remember my first Cioppino on the Wharf. So good.
You are so funny, Sandra!
Happy Birthday to your mom, 95 is a huge milestone. My dad will be 93 in April. It’s so nice to have our parents around this long, isn’t it? Your recipe looks delicious, as all your recipes always do. Happy Valentine’s Day. XOX
Thank you so much for sharing the Cioppino recipe. I have been trying to find a good one, and it looks like this one may fit my needs. Also, thank you for all that you share. I look forward to each post.
Thanks, Lois!
Happy Birthday greetings to your mama! Mary Ann, you are so fortunate to be able to celebrate her long life. I have to try Howard’s Cioppino recipe. It looks delish! We have been using green pans for a year and love them!
Happy birthday to your mom, hope her special day is filled with lots of fun and love. I love my Green Pan but another great pan is the Scan Pan also at Sur La Table. I used one at a friends house and loved it. The cioppino recipe made my mouth water and reminded me of my late Italian mother-in-laws cioppino that she made every Christmas. Now I can make my own. Thank you for sharing!
XO
Thanks, Gail, I’ll check it out!
We flew down this time….but I’m due for a drive down and a stop to see you!