Who else was a bit disappointed in the Emmys last night? I definitely think that Breaking Bad deserved all of the recognition that it received, but as much as I love Mad Men, I think that it was horribly over hyped last night. Outstanding drama series? Please! Lost deserved that much more than Mad Men, without a doubt. Mad Men is a beautiful show that does a great job recreating the time period in which it is set, but I do not think that the plot offers much to its audience and the acting isn’t anything that special. I love watching it, but it wasn’t anywhere near as interesting or original as Lost was. They also most certainly did not deserve to win best writing in a drama series; the writers for Lost were absolutely incredible! Every episode blew me away, and most importantly, it was completely unique. Mad Men is a great show, but I feel that it’s really only come into its own in the most recent season. Nobody has ever done what Lost did, and Mad Men is a show that isn’t nearly as compelling. In my opinion, anyway. Kramer and I were pretty surprised by how badly Lost was snubbed, but, on the other hand, the Emmys themselves were fantastic. The opening was maybe the best I’ve ever seen on television, and Jimmy Fallon really did a fantastic job. Anyway, on to the food!
I was asked by Lisa Gnat and Julie Albert to review their new cookbook, Bite Me. The Canadian sisters really made a spectacular book! I usually don’t use cookbooks in the kitchen, but this is one after my own heart. The recipes are straight forward and easy enough for almost anyone to attempt, and the results are delicious. I decided to cook something from the book to see for myself how their recipes fared, and it was really a fantastic, easy-to-follow recipe with lots of tips on how to make my meal better. The book is filled with fun quotes and interesting tid-bits that any at-home cook would find useful. I especially liked the colorful pictures and the way in which the book incorporates fresh ingredients with family-friendly recipes. The recipe that I tried was one that I had to tweak a bit, as I didn’t have quite the same ingredients as the recipe called for, but that’s what is great about a versatile recipe like this one: you can adjust it to fit your needs! The recipe originally used lamb, but I had veal, so that’s what I cooked. The crust on this was absolutely mouth-watering. It had so much flavor and best of all, it was something that anyone would enjoy. The crusty bread is adhered to the meat with a mayonnaise-mustard combination, which added so much moisture as well as texture. I loved the colors and the way that the meat was perfectly cooked, thanks to the perfect step-by-step directions in the cookbook; allowing the meat to rest for a full 8 minutes really sealed in the juices, as well as finished cooking the veal without overcooking it. Kramer even commented on how wonderfully tender and perfectly medium-rare the veal was. I wanted to serve something light and simple alongside the chops, since they were so large and heavy, so I decided on a spicy green bean side dish. I loved how fresh the beans tasted; they were tender while still retaining a bit of a crunch to them, and the garlic, onion, and habanero peppers added an extra welcome kick.
As you might be able to tell, I liked the book so much that I am happy to be giving away a copy in this post! There are two ways to win the book:
1. Comment below and tell me about a dish that you love to cook with your family, be it a sibling, parent, grandparent, cousin…whoever!
2. Re-tweet the following phrase: “Win the Bite Me Cookbook from @crepesofwrath!”
I will announce the winner next week, so spread the word!
Your ingredients for the veal and the green beans.
Combine your thyme, parsley, cayenne pepper, salt, and breadcrumbs.
Pulse your bread in a food processor until it forms crumbs, then place in a dry skillet and toast over medium heat for a few minutes, until golden.
Combine the thyme mixture with the breadcrumbs in a pie dish and set aside.
Combine the mayonnaise and mustard in a small bowl and set aside.
Heat some olive oil in a large skillet over high heat and sear the veal chops on each side for 3 minutes or so, until nicely browned.
Remove the chops from the skillet and set aside for a few minutes to cool. Smother the veal with the mustard mixture.
Coat the veal in the bread mixture and place on a baking sheet or, as I did, on a baking rack on top of the baking sheet. Bake at 450 degrees F for 20 minutes or so, until the internal temperature is about 140 degrees F.
Dice your onion for both the balsamic reduction and the green beans.
Mince your garlic for the green beans.
Heat olive oil in two separate pots, one larger for the green beans and one smaller for the balsamic reduction. Add 1/2 a red onion, diced, into the pot for the reduction and 1 whole diced red onion into the pot for the green beans. Cook both over medium-high heat until the onions are translucent.
Dice your habanero peppers.
When your onions are translucent, add the garlic and cook for a minute or two, then add in the green beans and chile peppers.
Add 1/4 cup of wine and 1/4 cup of water to the green beans and stir to combine. Add a pinch of salt and pepper, or more to taste.
Cover and cook for 10 minutes or so, over medium heat, until the green beans are tender but not soggy.
Remove the chops from the oven when they are ready.
Cover and allow to rest for at least 5-8 minutes (I let mine sit for 8 minutes while I finished up the reduction and green beans).
Add the balsamic vinegar to the onions and cook over high heat for a minute or two.
Add the chicken broth to the reduction and cook over medium-high heat for 5 minutes or so, until reduced by half, stirring frequently.
Remove the reduction from the heat and whisk in the tablespoon of butter.
Serve with the green beans and pour a bit of the reduction over the top. Enjoy!
- 2 veal chops, trimmed of excess fat
- 2 teaspoons dried parsley
- 1½ teaspoons dried thyme
- 2 large garlic cloves, minced
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 slices bread, pulsed in a food processor into coarse crumbs
- 1 tablespoon low-fat mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 shallot or ½ a red onion, diced
- ⅓ cup balsamic vinegar
- ¾ cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 red onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 pound green beans, cleaned
- 1 or 2 habanero chile peppers, minced (I used 2, but those of you who don't love heat so much can use 1 pepper)
- pinch salt and pepper (about ⅛ teaspoon each)
- ¼ cup white wine
- 2 tablespoons water
- Preheat your oven to 450 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and coat with non-stick cooking spray (if you have a baking rack, place that on top of the baking sheet and spray that with non-stick spray, as seen above. This will allow your chops to have a nicer crust on them).
- Combine the parsley, thyme, garlic, and salt in a pie dish. Set aside. Pulse your bread in a food processor until crumbs form, then toast them in a dry, large skillet until lightly golden and crusty. Add to the pie dish and mix to combine. In another small bowl, mix together the mayo and mustard and set aside.
- In the same large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over high heat. Season the veal chops with salt and pepper on both sides, then place in the heated olive oil. Cook on each side for 2-3 minutes, until a nice brown crust forms. Remove to the rack and allow to cool a bit before smothering with the mustard and mayonnaise combination, then coating in the breadcrumb mixture. Press the chops down into the bread to make sure that everything sticks.
- Place the chops on your prepared baking sheet and cook for 15-20 minutes, until cooked through and a meat thermometer reads 140 degrees F. Cover and allow the chops to rest for 5-8 minutes (I let mine rest for 8 minutes while I finished with the reduction and the green beans). The temperature will rise about 5 degrees as the chops rest.
- For the balsamic reduction, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a small sauce pan over medium heat. Add the shallots or onion and cook for a minute or so, until soft. Stir in the balsamic vinegar, turn the heat to high, and cook for 1 minute. Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to medium-high and reduce by half, about 5-6 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in the tablespoon of butter. To serve, spoon a bit of the reduction over the chops and serve with the green beans (recipe follows). Serves 2.
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat and add in the diced onion. Saute for 5 minutes or so, until softened, then add in the garlic and saute for another minute or so, until fragrant. Add in the green beans, habanero peppers, salt, pepper, white wine, and water. Stir to combine, cover, and cook over medium heat for 10-12 minutes, until the beans are tender but still slightly crunchy. Serves 4 as a side.
The crust really looks lovely!
Mom: Thank you!
I love to do Chinese hotpot with my family.
Carmen: I’ve never had a Chinese hotpot but I’ve heard and read a lot about them and they sound delicious!
I love making homemade chicken and matzoh ball soup with my mom.
Hannah: My husband’s aunt makes the most delicious matzoh ball soup! It’s so great to have memories like that
Well around the holiday it’s our grandmother’s tradition to make tamales and give them out to her children. When she was younger she used to do it alone, but as she grew older it became more of a family event…at least for mine. Our kitchen is a lot bigger so we all crowd around the table to help. She’ll make the chili from scratch, my mom buys the masa, I get the ohas, my father gets the meat; and we put aside a day for tamale making. While the the younger group clean and soak the ohas, my grandmother mixes the masa, and my mother cooks the meat. Then we get around the table with the tubs of masa and spread them in the ohas for my mother and grandmother to fill and cook.
It’s a long and messy project that I used to loathe as a child, but I really can’t help but look forward to it every year. It’s just nice to cook a meal as a family, even with the small food fights that break out between. Plus, the tamales are TOTALLY worth it. ;]
Cyndi: I *LOVE* tamales! It’s so much harder to find them here in NYC than it was back in Phoenix and I miss them dearly! I know it’s quite the process to make them, so it sounds wonderful to have the whole family help out! I’m jealous of your family tradition!
This recipe looks so delicious! I may have to attempt it in the next week. I found your blog last week and have already tried the pork roast with corn and tomato salsa and I also tried the orange chicken. I love your blog!
My favorite dish to make with my family has to be the one we’ve always cooked together since I was a child. It is chicken, bacon, and onions in mushroom soup poured over white rice. It’s so simple, hence why we always helped when we were younger. Every time I make it it reminds me of my childhood.
Aimee: The best family recipes are, more often than not, the most simple ones that even the youngest children can help in its creation! Thank you for stopping by!
My husband & I love to make risotto–it is such a versatile dish, and we can put in whatever herbs and vegetables are in season. And it is also great leftover!
N. Monnette: That’s such a lovely dish to make as a couple! Romantic, too!
Cutting up various meats, using various vegetables and stir frying them together to put over rice or noodles. Life is good! Comfort.
Lois: Sound delicious!
My favorite meal to make for my parents is a baked spinach, mushroom and chicken marinara pasta dish.
Leli: That sounds so comforting and tasty!
with my dad i love to cook pumpkin laksa soup, and with my mum always lasagne. we made it together on saturday night and it was the best one yet!
Rhiannon: I’ve never heard of pumpkin laksa soup, but after looking it up, it sounds amazing! I’ll have to give it a go when pumpkins are in season!
Lost was snubbed, but Mad Men is a worthy opponent with better performances all around.
Morgan: Better writing? Better overall series? No way.
We love to make our own rich spaghetti sauce..it’s fun to stand around and taste and add and taste and splash something else in their and it makes the house smell amazing!
Beth: I can smell it already! I love a slowly simmering spaghetti sauce!
Usually, I am the cook. The youngest of 3, it somehow ended up being me as the cook for the entire family, which I never had a problem with, but the kitchen can get a bit lonely. The only meal that has ever been a true family production is popovers on Christmas morning (ironic in many ways, most notably being the fact that we are very Jewish). Considering how simple a recipe they are, popovers sure do take forever. But I will admit that aside from the complete feeling of family, it’s also really nice to give the task of sifting flour to my older sisters…let THEM tire out their arm once a year!
Samantha: My family doesn’t have many family-based cooking memories, either, although we used to decorate Christmas cookies when I was a kid! At least you are the one giving them the joy of food! Everyone loves a full belly.
I love making spaghetti w/ my husband. He’s not very *ahem* adept, shall we say, in the kitchen – but he chops up everything for me, which he feels gives him unlimited tasting ability while it simmers. Occasionally he’ll come behind me and put in a dash more herbs or wine. That’s when I know we’ve been watching too much Food Network! Such a fun time!
Kristy: Kramer used to be the chopper man before he became more comfortable in the kitchen, too, but now he’s the bonafide egg man, which is great because I’m not chipper enough to make breakfast on weekend mornings!
I really want to try and make mussels with pomme frites for my boyfriend and roommate. She just started eating fish after being a lifelong vegetarian, and I think it would be something delicious. I love trying to make things I love to eat out at home, it’s always surprisingly delicious
Samantha H: I’m glad your roommate has crossed over to the dark side!
Pomme frites are delicious, but I haven’t gotten the courage to attempt them yet. Good luck!
The veal looks wonderful, as do the green beans ! I’m so glad to see a post today ,I’ve been so down ,my best friend of 41 years passed away,and I just cann’t get my grove back. We have been friends since we were 7 ,we would aways bake cookies any chance we could get ,she was a pastry chef .I also love to cook any german food with my dad, he’s from Germany .I trying to learn his recipes ,he’s a great cook even at 81 years old !Have a great day& thanks for the sunshine you add to my day!
Tina: I am so sorry for your loss. It seems that you have some wonderful memories with her and I hope that you will continue making cookies like you did to preserve her memory! Maybe you and your father can do a dinner together to celebrate your friend’s life. Take care and I hope you are doing alright!
My husband and I cook spaghetti together. We haven’t done it in awhile so thanks for the reminder.
JoVonn: Spaghetti is the popular choice! I hope you guys get together in the kitchen to make it soon!
My 16-year old daughter and I can’t wait for the first hint of Fall so that we can test drive a whole new batch of risottos. It’s much more enjoyable to make with two people!
Carri: Sounds like fun! It’s always a good idea to have an extra person around to take turns stirring the risotto!
I actually taught my mom how to make carrot cake for a class assignment last semester, and that was a lot of fun. Really, I find any type of baking to be pretty enjoyable when others are involved.
Emily: Baking is definitely a great way to bond with family members! I think it’s adorable that you taught your mom how to make a carrot cake!
I love to bake cakes and decorate them with my daughter! She calms me down during a big project and we get a wonderful final product that tastes great too!
Jane M: That is something that your daughter will surely remember for the rest of her life!
I don’t get the chance much now that I’m married and moved out, but I love to cook with my mom. We’re so much alike that we’re able to help each other without either one of us having to direct. I don’t know if I could pick a favourite… one we used to cook often, though, was Mom’s Kung Pao Chicken w/ rice and a veggie on the side.
Mrs. Smith: I miss hanging out in the kitchen with my mom, too! Sadly, she’s across the country, and she’s come to visit, but my kitchen is so small in Queens that it can barely fit the two of us in it! I can’t wait to go home to visit to spend some quality time in the kitchen with her!
I love making stir fry with my boyfriend. We like to experiment every once in a while and add a new ingredient or sauce to mix it up =)
Kelsey: That’s definitely the best way to do stir-fry!
I LOVE making the Thompson Turkey for Thanksgiving with my Mom and Step-Dad. It’s quite an ordeal, but well worth it!
Tara: I’ll have to look into the Thompson Turkey!
I love making fajitas or fun stuffed burgers with my family
GYM: Stuffed burgers? I should do those at my house!
I love to make roast dinner with my mom!
Nora B: How classic and comforting!
I still have to try to cook veal…yours look so yummie…so tasty

I rarely cook together with anyone…and my husband is kind of “disaster” in the kitchen
Juliana: Thanks! I generally like to be the only one in the kitchen, too, but I will let Kramer have full control when he’s cooking something on his own!
I love your giveaway idea, reading about everyone’s family cooking traditions is really cool! My dad and I used to make mostaccioli together all the time, and despite (or maybe because of) the fact that it’s so simple we had a ton of fun. Just chatting and mixing and pouring and trying to get most of it into the pan
Now I do most of my cooking alone, starting meals for my mom to finish, or with my boyfriend.
Jen T: Mostaccioli, oh man, I haven’t had that in forever!
We have a family recipe for noodle pudding (noodles, cottage cheese, pineapple, raisins. . . and more) that has been passed down on the same 3 x 5 index card over 4 generations. I love making it and everyone LOVES it. I can’t wait to pass the food-stained card to my daughter!
Dori: Sounds like kugel to me – so tasty!
Oh the crust on the chops looks great and the green beans look to die for! 😀
Surprisingly, my mom and I don’t cook together often. She knows how to cook traditional Filipino dishes and relies on me for the American dishes and other cultures like Mexican food and Italian pastas.
When I do cook with other people it’s usually my friends. We get together when someone comes to town and cook big dinners together. Last time it was a makeshift Thanksgiving themed meal with ham, potatoes, corn, and biscuits. They always feel like the big family dinners I used to see on TV and in movies but never experiences because I’m an only child, lol. I love them!
PS: Love that you’re doing this giveaway. Your site is amazing and I always look forward to your updates!
Jennfer: Thank you very much! Cooking with friends is so much fun – we want to do an “orphan” Thanksgiving this year with friends since I have to work the day after Thanksgiving and won’t be going home. Thank you again for stopping by!
I love making a simple salsa chicken with family. Thanks for the giveaway!
Chris M: Salsa chicken sounds right up my alley!
I am sorry, what about Thanksgiving chestnut, sausage stuffing and garlic roasted, parmesan mashed potatoes, that we spend hours making that you love? HUH?
Mom: YOU spend hours making it! I’ve made it, but on my own in my own kitchen, hahah.
I’ve always made curry puffs with my mum. She’ll make the filling and I’ll do the pastry and fill it.
With my dad its stir fries! I love the colours and the large variety of vegies out there!
By the way, great site!
Dilani: Curry puffs are so tasty, what a great thing to make with your mom! Thank you for stopping by
I love making eggrolls with my momma!
Zoe: Who doesn’t love egg rolls?
Fun giveaway! I love to decorate my mom’s famous sugar cookies with my sisters!
Natalie: Famous sugar cookies? Sounds tasty!
Syd, definitely not. But better performances I think, stronger characters really. What I loved about Lost had very little to do with the acting, save for Michael Emerson.
Morgan: I didn’t say anything about the performances. I’m talking about the concept for the show (overall series) and the writing.
I love making chicken and pasta with my boyfriend, who is really my family at present. He’s Puerto Rican and does a special kind of spice for the chicken, and I prep the pasta with olive oil, some garlic salt and onion powder, a little bit of thyme and basil, and lots of pepper. It’s a very simple meal, but it’s fantastically easy and cheap on a budget, and I love nothing more than sitting with him after a long day slurping noodles and watching Arrested Development or Doctor Who together.
Aeva: What special spice does he use? Is it sofrito? Everything’s better with a little Arrested Development!
i love making masala dosa with my mom and grandmother 😀
Nero: Sounds delicious!
i love making masala dosa with my mom and grandmother!!
A few years ago I made my Aunty Julia’s Scottish Shortbread which was a family recipe from, where else, Scotland. When my son, Patrick, took a bite he said it was the best thing he ever tasted. Now I never make it without him by my side.
@Susie: I love shortbread! You have a lucky son!
@Katydid: Simple is good! It ensures that everyone can help out without getting flustered!
@Erica: A family classic!
@Marcia: Homemade pizza does taste better! It’s also always fun to come up with interesting toppings!
@Aubrie: Pie is my favorite dessert, hands down!
@Rachael: I have a sore throat and I could use some of that soup right about now! Thank you for sharing such warm and vivid memories!
It’s simple but I like to cook lasagna with my family.
I love to cook pasta (spaghetti and meatballs) with my mom!
I love to cook pizza with my son he loves to help spread the sauce and put on the toppings,plus homemade pizza tastes soooo much better!
I love making pie with my dad. We’ve been doing it since I was ten and it’s one of the highlights of the holiday season for me.
Even though she is gone now, I loved to cook and bake most with my Grandmother. There we would be in her kitchen – both of us born on the same day of July 17th – stubborn as mules as she would bark old fashioned orders at me using words like “Oleo” and “churn” while I grumbled under my breath about wanting to order in. She taught me how to make lattice pie crust, homemade apple sauce from apples grown from a tree in her backyard, simple egg and flour dumpling-like noodles that when added to chicken stock never failed to soothe a sore throat. I love that woman and I know she would be proud of the amateur cook I am today.
Bite me is such a good cookbook! I won’t add a bid because I already have a copy, but whoever wins is going to have some great recipes to try out!
Dana: I really like it, too!
I make chicken dish with herbes de provence. I learned to make it from my host family in Germany. My host mom who was a gourmet chef taught me to cook. While I’m generally in the kitchen on my own making this one, it always reminds me of standing in the kitchen with my host mom learning to cook. So, in a way, I’m cooking with her every time I make it.
@Chris: How lucky to have a host mother who was a gourmet chef!
Hi Sydney,
I always look forward to cooking French toast with my grandson when I visit. It is his favorite breakfast, but for some reason, no one in his family cooks it. I think he only has it when I visit. So we make it together, and I am teaching him how to make his own French toast. It is a simple recipe, but we enjoy making it together and having this time alone in the kitchen.
Kathleen
Cooking in Mexico: I loved french toast when I was a kid (and still do)! Thank you for sharing your story!
I like making cinnamon rolls with my nieces!
Melissa: I love cinnamon rolls!
Every Easter, my family and I make what we call easter cakes. They are small pastries with either nuts/sugar or dates in them. They take a few hours to make but are absolutely worth it every time.
Katie: I love dates – those sound delightful!
I love to make sausage balls with my mom at Christmas time. Simple yet super delicious.
Ever since I was a kid, my mom would would make “Lasagna Roll Ups” with my brothers and me. It was a basic lasagna, but we cooked the noodles first and had a little assembly line putting the ingredients on top of them. First spreading ricotta on like butter, then layering the browned meet, cheese, and finally rolling them up!
it was always an absolute mess in the kitchen, but I have a lot of fun memories doing this with my family. I’ve even done it with roommates and friends in recent years and the experience hasn’t lost its charm!
Jeney: Lasagna roll-ups are so good! That’s a great thing to do with kids!
greens n chocolate is actually my daughter’s food blog. she has inspired me to become a better cook/baker – we have a blast in the kitchen!
@Aldean: You must be very proud of her!
@Terri: I need to make cookies with my brothers sometime, that sounds fun!
@Katie: Banana bread is the ultimate comfort food!
@Tawny: I love when my husband is in the kitchen with me, too! Steak gorgonzola alfredo sounds sinfully delicious!
@Joanna: Mexican food is possibly my favorite type of cuisine – I love the 3-alarm cheese idea!
I like making cookies with my sister. We only get to do it a few times a year, but we always have fun
I always enjoy baking banana bread with my mom. We’ve been doing it together since I was little and it never gets old.
hmm I like when my husband helps me cook anything! Usually cookies but he really likes Steak Gorgonzola Alfredo so i’ll say that!
Hi!
Looks tasty! One thing I enjoy making for my husband is chicken enchiladas. We get this 3-alarm cheese (Monterey jack w/ jalapenos, chipotle peppers, and habanero peppers in it) at sam’s club, and they’re sooo good! I usually make homemade refried beans and Spanish rice too, because we love Mexican food!
We all like to make cupcakes together, then get a bit messy with the icing sugar – putting naughty slogans on each other’s cakes when they aren’t looking! 😉
I did this when I was little and I still do this with my nieces and parents. We get together to make dumplings, whether it be won ton or pot stickers. You can never just make a few so you spend some great quality time catching up and sharing ideas in how to fold the dumplings. The teacher part of me also loves that it teaches kids to refine their fine motor skills!
P.s. Love your website!
I love my dad’s homemade italian sausage. He would hand-crank the sausage grinder…we would watch and eat!!
I love grilling steak and corn with my boyfriend during the summer.
Love your blog!
i love cooking beef stroganoff with my mom. we do the sour cream /cream of mushroom soup version, its simple, basic and wonderful. it’s easy, and i mostly watch mom make it, but its just fun to sit and gossip and then eat the good meal.
Our famiy (when we get really ambitious and actually get together) make lefse. It’s a norwegian dish that is like a potatoe batter that you roll out like a tortilla, then throw it on a lefse griddle. When it’s done you put butter and sugar on it, roll it, and enjoy.
Best. Food.Ever
I love making sugar cookies with my husband. We have a blast decorating them into the wee hours of the night!
Pancakes. On a Sunday morning or any day actually I love to mix up a batch of pancakes from scratch with my girls.
One dish I love to cook with my two daughter’s, ages 16 & 5, is easy cheese enchiladas. I do the hot grease and sauce, my 16 yr old loads the stuffing and rolls the enchaladas, then my 5 yr old sprinkles all the cheese over the top.
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