Archives for the month of: April, 2012

Purple Baby Brussels Sprouts, Kale, and Sausage Gnocchi…

April 28, 2012 //
6

I always thought that moving to Highland Park, I would have to give up some of the luxuries of the good grocery stores and farmers markets around Silverlake and Hollywood. I was definitely wrong! There is a farmers market every Tuesday afternoon at Marmion between Ave. 57 and 58 and we have an amazing little grocery store that just happens to be walking distance from our house called Figueroa Produce. We are so lucky to have this place and also sad to hear that it is relocating closer to Eagle Rock. But, for all of you who live over that way, from what I hear it is going to be bigger and better including a juice bar! The thing I love about this place is that they sell lots of hard to find grains, international foods, vegetarian and vegan options, and they do an amazing job with their produce selection by getting the majority of it from local family run farms! Because they focus on lots of seasonal produce, it is fun to go in and pick obscure ingredients as the inspiration to create new recipes. That is how this dish came about. I found these amazing little purple brussels sprouts and purple kale when I stopped in after work one day. Figueroa Produce also has a great meat counter, so I picked up some homemade Italian sausage to make this even more special for Mikey. All in all, I think this dish was mighty tasty. It is a bit heavy, so I would recommend serving it with a light salad and maybe also serving it on a cold, rainy night when comfort food is needed:)

Purple Baby Brussels Sprouts, Kale, and Sausage Gnocchi…

  • 3/4 Lb. sweet or hot Italian Sausage, removed from casing
  • 1 sweet onion, diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1 pint baby heirloom tomatoes, halved
  • 1 pint purple baby brussels sprouts
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 bunch purple kale, stems removed and leaves chopped
  • 1 cup low fat ricotta cheese
  • 1 can canellini beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 package store bought gnocchi (I don’t have the patience to make this from scratch, do you???)
  • handful fresh basil, chopped
  • handful chives, chopped
  • salt and pepper
  • freshly grated parmesan cheese

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Preheat oven to 375. Toss brussels sprouts with 1 tablespoon olive oil and salt and pepper. Spread out onto a baking sheet and roast until tender. About 20-30 minutes.

Remove sausage from its casings, and brown in a large skillet with olive oil. Add onion, garlic, red pepper flakes, a bit of salt and pepper, and cook until sausage is brown and onions are translucent. Stir in tomatoes and kale and saute until cooked down. Add in roasted brussels sprouts and beans.

Drop gnocchi into pot of boiling water and boil until it floats and is cooked through, reserving some of the pasta water. Drain gnocchi and add to sausage and vegetable mixture. Stir in ricotta cheese and a bit of the pasta water to keep moist. Top with fresh basil, chives, and parmesan cheese.

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Categories cheese, dinner, food and recipes, lunch, pasta, pork

Beet, Barley, and Haricot Vert Salad with Beer Can Chicken…

April 21, 2012 //
0

Mike and I try and utilize Sundays as a day to cook things that we can eat throughout the week. We have both been trying not to eat out as much so that means packing our lunches when we go to work. One of Mike’s coworkers gave him a contraption for the grill to try out for beer can chicken. Making a whole chicken at the beginning of the week is perfect because you can use the leftovers as a salad topping, for sandwiches, or to make a yummy chicken salad.

Beer can chicken is so simple and it turns out so moist, flavorful, and crispy on the outside. You just wash and dry the lil guy, bathe it in olive oil, and cover it in your favorite herbs and spices. You then dump out (or drink) a quarter of a can of beer, add the can of beer to the beer can holder, and sit the chicken upright so the beer can is inserted into the chicken cavity. You place the chicken upright directly on the grill and cook on medium/high heat for an hour and 15 minutes or so. Holy cow, it’s so good! I can’t believe it was our first time doing this!!!

On Sundays we also try to make a large salad that will hold up throughout the week as we can pre-dish into single serving bowls that we can grab as we run out the door. I can’t even make time to blow dry my hair in the mornings let alone put our lunches together, so this has worked out great!

I absolutely love beets and wanted to create a salad that was fresh, hearty, and healthy. This salad has all of the right textures amongst the barley, walnuts, chickpeas, and crunchy veg. It actually got better as it sat in the fridge a couple of days. The mint really shines here, so I would try not to omit it as it made all of the flavors pop. If you hate roasting beets as much as I do, you can get the pre-cooked ones in the refrigerator section of Trader Joe’s. What a time and a mess saver! I personally like a more acidic salad dressing, so if you do not, feel free to play with the proportions to your liking. It is pretty impossible to mess up. This salad is awesome and we were both sad when we finished it. It is great served with a bit of chicken and would be awesome with fish, but a great meal all on its own!

Beet and Barley Salad…

  • 2 cups barley
  • 4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
  • 2 cups water
  • 4 roasted beets (I used red, but a red and golden mixture would be wonderful)
  • 1 small red onion, diced
  • 1 red pepper, diced
  • about 2 cups haricot vert
  • 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 1 cup roasted walnuts, chopped
  • about 8 oz. crumbled goat cheese
  • large handful fresh mint, chopped
  • large handful fresh parsley, chopped

Dressing…

  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 cup olive oil
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons dijon mustard
  • 1-2 tablespoons honey
  • 3 tablespoons or so apple cider vinegar
  • juice of 1 lemon
  • dash or red pepper flakes
  • salt
  • pepper

Bring chicken stock and water to a boil. Add in barley and cook for 30-40 minutes until tender and cooked through. Drain excess water and rinse with cool water. In a large bowl, toss together cooled barley, beets, onion, pepper, haricot vert, chickpeas, walnuts, goat cheese, and herbs.

To make the dressing, place garlic, olive oil, dijon, honey, vinegar, lemon juice, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper into a mason jar. Screw on the lid and give it a shake. Adjust the proportions to your liking and season to taste. Toss dressing with the salad and let sit for at least 15 minutes. Sooooo good!!!

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Categories appetizer, cheese, chicken, dinner, food and recipes, lunch, salads, side dish, vegetarian

Blackberry Basil Cream Cheese Tart…

April 16, 2012 //
4

When you work hard during the week, it is important to treat yourself on the weekends. Not only did Mike and I both have long work weeks, we got our wedding invitations ready for the mail and got our cake squared away! Now that definitely deserves a special treat. Check and check. The weather got better toward the end of the weekend and all of this sunshine has me ready for summer to begin and ready for summer California cuisine.

Mike and I brought home a ton of fresh blackberries and a large bunch of basil on Sunday, so I decided to put together this tart for our weekly Mad Men date. I love the combo of herbs with fruit. The basil in this just brightens everything. I made it healthier than usual by making a crust light on the butter, the filling with fat free cream cheese and sour cream, as well as using agave in this recipe instead of sugar. I also used a special bottle of vanilla my friend brought me back from Mexico that I have been dying to use (since we all know I do not bake much). I have got to say, it was delicious! No extra fat needed. It was refreshing, creamy, and Mike loved the crust. I doubt these leftovers will be around long!

Blackberry Basil Cream Cheese Tart…

For the crust:

  • 1/2 cup walnuts lightly toasted
  • 1 cup graham cracker crumbs (I used the ones from TJs)
  • 1 large egg or 1 egg white
  • 1 tablespoon canola oil
  • 1 tablespoon butter, unsalted melted
  • pinch of salt

For the filling:

  • 8 ounces light or fat free cream cheese,  softened
  • 1/4 cup light or fat free sour cream
  • zest of 1 lemon and juice of half of it
  • dash of vanilla
  • 2 tablespoons raw agave

For the topping:

  • 2 cups fresh blackberries
  • handful of fresh basil, chopped
  • juice of half a lemon
  • 1 tablespoon or so raw agave

Preheat oven to 325°F. Coarsely chop walnuts in a food processor. Add graham cracker crumbs and process until the mixture is fine and forms uniform granules. Whisk egg in a medium bowl until frothy. Add in the graham mixture, melted butter, oil and salt; combine well. Press the mixture into the bottom of a tart pan.

Set the pan on a baking sheet. Bake until dry and slightly darker around the edges, about 8-10 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

Beat cream cheese, sour cream, lemon zest, juice, vanilla, and agave in a medium bowl on low speed until smooth and well combined. Taste for sweetness or tartness and adjust to your liking.

When the crust is cool, spread the filling evenly into it using a rubber spatula, being careful not to break up the crust.

Gently toss fresh blackberries and basil with agave and lemon juice until evenly coated. Arrange blackberries on the filling, pressing lightly so they set in. Chill for at least 2 hours or over night. Serve with a sprig of basil or mint.

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Categories baked goods, cheese, dessert, food and recipes, fruit, vegetarian

Spicy Turkey Cutlets with Strawberry Jalapeño Sauce…

April 12, 2012 //
0

This weekend was so amazing. The weather was absolutely beautiful, I got to spend it with some amazing old friends, and I think I finally found comfort with the fact that me and my friends are now certified grown ups. I knew something was happening when I wanted to move away from Silverlake to somewhere quiet as I always thought I wanted to be in the thick of it, but man, I absolutely love living on the east side!

When living and working in Chicago, I formed a pretty tight- knit friend group and we have done an amazing job at keeping in touch. I would say those were some of the best years of my life. Some of us moved west and some are still in Chicago. Lots of  my friends from that group as well as many of my friends out here now have babies.

A few of my Chicago friends came for a visit this weekend so Mike and I decided to throw a BBQ. It ended up being a reunion of sorts as well as a meet and greet for all of the new babies. We coined it the “Baby-Q.” :)  The party was sups simple with burgers, dogs, chicken, corn on the cobb, and everyone brought a salad or a side. I used to be the kind of host that always provided everything, but  doing more of a pot luck is the way to go when having a large group. It was so much less stressful and so fun to see (and taste) the different dishes everyone brought.

We prepared a bloody mary bar and an adult strawberry-mint lemonade jug. Just because you have kids, doesn’t mean you can’t have a good time! My friend Mark took so many great photos and the ones featured above are just a few of them… (I love having friends who are photographers!) Yup… summer is definitely on its way!

Summer = strawberries. There are so many beautiful strawberries in the markets right now. Not only did I put them in the very adult lemonade this weekend, I also used them in an interesting dish that I prepared midweek. I came across some turkey cutlets and wanted to make something fresh to spice them up. I was thinking about things that pair well with turkey like cranberry sauce and decided to do a twist on that with ingredients that were in season.  I love sweet and spicy so attempted to balance the sweet strawberries with some spicy jalapeño and chili. It actually came out really nice! Mike loved it. I roasted the cutlets and served them with the sauce, some steamed spinach, and a little quinoa. Boom! How is that for healthy?

Spicy Turkey Cutlets with Strawberry Jalapeno Sauce…

  • 1 Lb. turkey cutlets
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil (plus one more for sauce)
  • 2 tablespoons chili powder
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • a few sprigs fresh thyme
  • 1/2 large onion, diced (a large shallot may be better)
  • 2 large jalapeños, minced
  • 2 cups sliced fresh strawberries
  • zest of 1 orange
  • 1 cup fresh orange juice
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • a few of dashes Sriracha hot sauce (more if you like it really spicy)
  • salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Toss turkey cutlets with olive oil, 1 tbsp. chili powder, a clove of garlic, some fresh thyme, salt and pepper. Bake for around 30 minutes.

In a large skillet, saute onion, jalapeño, and garlic in olive oil. Season with chili powder, salt and pepper. Cook until onions soften. Add strawberries and cook for around 2 minutes. Add orange zest, juice, honey, brown sugar, chili powder, and hot sauce. Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until mixture reduces. Once reduced, season to taste with salt and pepper.

Once sauce has thickened, place cutlets into sauce and simmer until warmed through. Serve atop a bed of quinoa and a side of steamed spinach. 

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Categories dinner, food and recipes, fruit, lunch

Mediterranean Baked Chicken Orecchiette with Lemon Dressing…

April 3, 2012 //
2

This weekend I had my first wedding dress fitting! Let me tell you, finding a wedding dress has been quite an obstacle. Everything looks like a cupcake… strapless, embellished, poofy. Uh-uh. Not for me. Anyone who knows me knows that I am not and have never been a “foofy” girl. There are not many simple, modern dresses out on the market and the ones that are are few and far between, or in my case; sold out:(  I gave up being on the hunt and decided to have one custom made. The experience so far has been amazing. I had an initial design meeting to let my dressmaker (who is awesome by the way) know what I was looking for where we went over some inspiration photos, sketched some stuff up, and conceptualized. Then during my last meeting, we actually started the draping process which was so much fun. It is like we are just designing the garment right on my body! After 7 years of schooling in this area, you would think I would just be able to do this project myself… Glad I am still paying for that education! But let me tell you, spending that much money on a dress and having to stand in only your underthings for an hour while people pin and tuck on you in a mirror surrounded room will really make you want to get in shape and eat lighter.  A couple of my pals have committed to this cause with me to make the process easier. Its hard to have to go it alone! After work yesterday we we rounded up a couple of pups and went on an hour long hike. After sweating it out and being in the sunshine, all I wanted was something fresh, crisp, and healthy so that is how this recipe came about. It is super simple and you can use any vegetables or pasta you like. To make it even more healthy, a grain like farro or quinoa would be tasty. If you can, have someone help you chop to make it go by faster or put on some jams and pour yo self a glass of vino.  I will be way jealous as I am only allowing myself to indulge with the vino on the weekends. I mean, you can’t deprive a gal of everything she loves!

Mediterranean Baked Chicken Orecchiette with Lemon Dressing:

  • 1 lb. skinless, boneless chicken breast tenders
  • 1 tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 tsp. or so paprika
  • 1 tsp. or so garlic powder
  • 1 lb. orecchiette
  • 1 red bell pepper, diced
  • 1 orange bell pepper, diced
  • 1/2 english cucumber, diced
  • 1 cup sweet cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1/2 red onion, diced
  • 1 head broccoli, cut into bite-sized florets
  • 1 can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed (chickpeas would be good as well)
  • (1) 8 oz. jar green Spanish olives, chopped
  • 1/4 cup sliced pickled pepperoncini peppers, chopped
  • 6 oz. fat free crumbled feta
  • large fistful of fresh mint, chopped
  • 4-5 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 cup grape seed oil
  • 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice (about the juice of 4 lemons)
  • pinch of red pepper flakes
  • sea salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375 and line a baking sheet with foil. In a bowl, toss chicken tenders with olive oil, paprika, garlic powder, and salt and pepper. Bake for around 30 minutes or until browned and cooked through. Tent chicken and set aside.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Once boiling, drop in the pasta. When pasta has around 2 minutes left to cook, drop in broccoli florets for just a couple of minutes until they soften and turn a bright green color. Quickly drain pasta and broccoli and run under ice cold water to cool and stop the cooking process. Set aside.

In a large bowl, add peppers, onion, cucumber, tomatoes, beans, olives, pepperoncinis, mint, and pasta/broccoli mixture.

To make the dressing, add grape seed oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, and red pepper flakes to a jar. Screw on the lid and give it a good shake.

Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper to taste. Toss salad with the dressing and let stand for about 10 minutes.  Serve salad topped with warm sliced chicken. *Note: We generally try to only make our own salad dressings. Its really easy and once you get the acid/oil proportions right, you can change up the flavors and herbs to the combo of your choice. It is so much better for you and actually a whole lot more affordable, however, an Italian or store bought vinaigrette would work for this as well.

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Categories cheese, chicken, dinner, food and recipes, lunch, pasta, salads, side dish
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