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Spicy Turkey Lettuce Wraps…

June 17, 2012 //
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Yesterday, my trainer presented the challenge of going on a Paleolithic diet to me which is eating like they did in caveman or hunting and gathering times. At first I did not think it would be that difficult as you can eat fish, meat, veggies, fruit, and nuts, but then I realized you cannot have grains, legumes, dairy, salt, refined sugar, or processed oils. Huh??? No cheese or yogurt? No farro or quinoa? No beans? No bueno! Those are the foods that help me feel satisfied while doing this calorie counting thing. You know I love a good challenge and with the wedding 5 weeks away, I think I will try and meet her halfway and attempt to live by the Paleo rules at least during the week. I mean, I am paying a lot of money to have a wedding dress custom made to fit my body, so my body better look damn good in it, right?

After each work out, I am more and more encouraged to put healthier things in my mouth. So after I left my trainers house, I stopped by the market and tried to come up with something special to make Mike and I for din. I mean, the poor guy has to be so tired of salad and grilled chicken. That is why I love my man… he is such a trooper! I did my best to follow the Paleolithic diet rules. I broke a couple of them, but a gal has to start somewhere, right? This recipe is super easy and for having such simple ingredients and for being low cal, it was really flavorful. I think Mike had 4 wraps! You could also use ground chicken instead of turkey and this would also be really good to add some rice to if you want something a bit more filling or if you wanted to stretch it out to feed more people. We will be making this again, for sure. Caveman diet, here I come!

Spicy Turkey Lettuce Wraps:

  • 2 teaspoons sesame oil
  • 1 pound lean ground turkey
  • 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 large red bell pepper, finely diced
  • 1 8-ounce can water chestnuts, rinsed and chopped
  • 1/2 cup low sodium chicken or vegetable broth
  • 2 tablespoons hoisin
  • 1 teaspoon five-spice powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
  • 2 heads green leaf lettuce, leaves rinsed and separated
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh herbs, such as cilantro, basil,  and mint
  • 1 large carrot, shredded
  • Sriracha and extra hoisin for serving

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add turkey, garlic, and ginger. Cook, crumbling with a wooden spoon, until the turkey is cooked through, about 5 minutes. Stir in the bell pepper, water chestnuts, broth, hoisin, five-spice, salt and pepper; cook until heated through and liquid reduces a bit.

To serve, divide lettuce leaves among plates, spoon some of the turkey mixture into each leaf, top with herbs, hoisin, Sriracha, and carrot. Roll into wraps. You can also prepare the turkey mixture the day before. This would be a really easy and satisfying lunch to pack! Note to self…

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

Honey Sriracha Chicken Legs with Garlic and Herb Cool Down…

June 13, 2012 //
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Lately, my diet has been has been high protein and lots of vegetables. Grilled chicken breast gets old really quickly, so Mike and I have been experimenting with ways to make this calorie counting stuff more enjoyable. I freaking love anything spicy and I especially love me some Sriracha. It makes almost anything taste better and when you are watching what you eat, it def helps to spice things up a bit. Li-terally. This recipe is nothing genius and super easy, but thought I would post as my photo on Instagram got lots of inquiries. I am not kidding, it is honey and Sriracha. That is it, it’s that easy. I think some of my favorite recipes are the simplest and that just goes to show that making something yummy and satisfying doesn’t take a ton of fancy ingredients or special technique. This recipe is inspired by a similar (but more gluttonous) hot wing dish served at our favorite neighborhood gastropub called the York  in Highland Park. If you haven’t been, check it out. The food is amazing and it has such a great atmosphere for having din or a drink with your babe. Oh, and the happy hour starts at 3! You heard me… not that I will be indulging in that for a while:)

If you are counting calories or want to make this healthier, I would suggest using skinless legs or you could definitely probably do this with a skinless chicken breast as well. Maybe it is the Midwest in me, but I love chicken on the bone. It is so much more flavorful. This recipe is quite spicy so we made a little sauce to cool it down. Again, we used Greek yogurt which is much better for you than the usual suspects. We threw in some fresh herbs for freshness. It was soooo delish and I will say that this is going to be a regular on the Hall-Martinson household menu. So for those of you who may be at our next B.B.Q., def plan on these being served!

Honey Sriracha Chicken Legs…

  • 1 1b. skinless chicken legs
  • 1/2 cup Sriracha hot sauce
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • salt and pepper

Season chicken legs with salt and pepper. In a bowl mix Sriracha and honey together and season to taste. These proportions do not need to be exact. If you like it spicier, don’t add as much honey, and if you want it sweeter, add more honey. You can’t mess it up.

Preheat grill to high heat. Place chicken on the grill and cook until almost cooked through. Begin to sauce the chicken with a brush and continue to grill. The sauce will thicken and caramelize a bit. Continue to brush chicken with more sauce and cook until chicken and sauce darken in color and chicken is cooked to your liking. Remove from grill and serve with garlic and herb yogurt dipping sauce.

Garlic and Herb Cool Down…

  • 1 cup low fat Greek yogurt
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • large handful of chopped herbs (we used cilantro, mint, and basil)
  • salt and pepper

Add all ingredients together in a bowl or jar and mix. Season to taste. Let stand and refrigerate. This could also be great thinned out with lemon juice as a salad dressing or used as a dip for vegetables.

P.S. The pretty wood plate featured was made by Mike’s stepfather, Ed and was given to us as part of our shower gift! Isn’t he talented???

 

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Categories appetizer, chicken, dinner, food and recipes

Grilled Skirt Steak and Arugula Salad with Guilt-Free Blue Cheese Dressing…

June 11, 2012 //
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Sorry if it seems as if I have disappeared off of the face of the earth, but that is what planning a wedding will do to you! Not only have we been planning the big event, I started seeing a personal trainer and I love it! Don’t get me wrong, she kicks my ass and has me doing things I never thought I would do like counting and tracking my calories and cutting out alcohol. Yes you heard me, limited wine intake until the big day! Its been a challenge especially when I travel, but I will say that  I feel so much better and it is so great to be moving my body again and a relief to have something outside of work and the wedding to focus on. Not to mention, my trainer is pretty freakin rad.

So now you know why I have not been posting much lately. I have been eating light meals like Greek yogurt with berries, tuna with vegetables, cottage cheese with fruit, grilled chicken with greens… you get the idea. Sounds pretty boring, right? Well it can be, but I realized (and my trainer agrees) that you have to have some healthy fun and being super strict on things just sets you up for failure.  Mike and I got a pretty flank steak from Figueroa Produce and I really wanted to make a salad to pair with it with blue cheese dressing. Obviously, blue cheese dressing is the devil, but I think I came up with a way to be able to eat this with out packing in all of the calories of the traditional dressing often made with oil, buttermilk, and mayonnaise. I made it with Greek yogurt! I know it sounds weird, but give it a try. It was really tasty and I promise you won’t be able to tell much of a difference. Greek yogurt is the bomb. We use it for everything. It is a good substitute for mayo, sour cream, etc. and it is really high in protein. This dressing would also be good as a dip for vegetables or apples… in fact, I am def packing some along with a sliced apple as a snack tomorow.

Grilled Flank Steak…

  • 2 pounds flank steak
  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 1/3 cup soy sauce
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • Kosher salt
  • Freshly ground pepper

Score the surface of the steak with a knife. Make the cuts about 1/4 inch deep. Combine the marinade ingredients. Place steak and marinade ingredients in a large freezer bag. Coat the steak well with the marinade. Seal the bag and place in a bowl. Chill and marinate for at least 2 hours or overnight.

Coat the grill rack with a bit of olive oil and preheat to high heat. Take the steak out of the bag and sprinkle generously on both sides with salt and pepper. This will help form a savory crust on the steak. Place steak on the hot grill. If you are using a gas grill, cover the grill. Grill for 4-6 minutes on each side until medium rare. Don’t overcook flank steak as it can get tough. Remove from the grill and place on a cutting board. Let rest and cover with aluminum foil for 10 minutes. Slice steak on a slight diagonal and put on top of the salad.

Guilt Free Blue Cheese Dressing:

  • 1/4 cup blue cheese finely chopped or in crumbles
  • 1/2 cup non-fat Greek yogurt (we use Fage 0%)
  • Juice of 1/2 a lemon
  • 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1-2 cloves of garlic, minced
  • Cracked black pepper to taste
  • Bit of salt of seasoned salt
  • Drizzle of honey or agave

Finely chop or break apart blue cheese into small crumbles. Combine blue cheese, Greek yogurt, lemon juice , vinegar, and garlic in a bowl or jar and mix well. Add all seasonings and a drizzle of agave or honey and stir well with fork until cheese is no longer clumpy. Adjust seasonings to taste and may want to add some water to get it to your desired consistency. We left it pretty thick. I suggest letting sit for a couple of hours or even making this the day before. Use atop salads or as a dip for vegetables or crunchy apples.

Salad:

  • 3 cups baby arugula
  • 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 green apple, thinly sliced
  • 1 red or orange bell pepper, thinly sliced
  • 1 Roma tomato, chopped
  • salt and pepper

Toss all salad ingredients into a bowl and season with a bit of salt and pepper. Toss salad with 2-3 tablespoons of the blue cheese dressing. Plate the salad and top with a few slices of the grilled skirt steak. The warm steak as well as the crunch and sweetness of the apple paired with the strong blue cheese is soooo good! You won’t even miss all of those calories you are saving:)

So, if I post anything else before the big day, bare with me as they will more than likely be about me trying create a healthier option. Fingers crossed that I can keep this up… not just for the wedding, but for a healthier lifestyle. Hooray!

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Categories appetizer, beef, cheese, dinner, food and recipes, fruit, lunch, salads, side dish

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 //
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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

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

Broccoli, Potato, and Blue Cheese Soup…

March 27, 2012 //
0

O.K., so wedding planning has officially taken over my life. I have been so freaking busy that Mike and I have not been making anything really worth blogging about lately. Well, I take that back… we have been cooking for many people and actually making really good food but have not documenting anything as it adds an extra step and just another thing to our list. Silly and lazy, right?  This past month has been so hectic… I had my BFF Jeffy here for my birthday at the beginning of March, which was so amazing by the way… Mike had a great party for me (lets just say sloppy joe sliders, bacon wrapped mac ‘n cheese balls, and a serious dance party were involved). I have been traveling heavily for work, dog sitting, have been deciding on a dress, a caterer, the invitations, the photographer, finding accommodations for wedding guests, researching musicians and DJs, planning our honeymoon, had a fave high school friend in town, and the list goes on. There have been a couple of times where I just wished we would have eloped, but then I bring myself back to earth and remember that I am actually really excited to have everyone here in July. I mean, when is having everyone you love in the same room ever going to happen again in your lifetime? Let’s just say that I don’t think I am cut out for planning large events. Give me an intimate gathering and we are golden.  If you ever have the opportunity to hire a wedding planner, do it. The control freak in me always thought I would want to do everything myself. Let me tell you, this control freak has loosened up!

I made this on a rare free night that I spent with my boo and the doggie babies (Luna and Yuma, Luna’s BFF) before I started  a week of travel. When I travel, I like to leave Mikey with something easy to reheat when I am gone.  I worked with what we had in the fridge. Actually, the blue cheese used in this was left over from my birthday party:) This soup is “souper” easy and tasty all the same. Try it you’ll like it. Promise.

Broccoli, Potato, and Blue Cheese Soup…

  • 1 Tsp. olive oil
  • 1 extra large shallot (or two if they are small)
  • 2 cloves of garlic, minced
  • dash red pepper flakes
  • 1 large head of broccoli cut into small florets
  • 2 yukon gold potatoes, peeled and chopped
  • 4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
  • good blue cheese to your liking
  • 1/2 cup-1 cup half and half depending on thickness and creaminess of soup you desire
  • 5-6 large basil leaves chopped
  • salt and pepper

In a large pot, heat olive oil, add shallots, red pepper flakes, and garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Next add broccoli and potatoes. Cook until shallots are tender and vegetables begin to cook through, about 4 minutes. Add vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Boil until vegetables are tender.

Once vegetables are tender, remove soup from heat. Puree in pot utilizing an immulsion blender. Once pureed, return to heat and add in cheese, basil, and half and half. Stir until cheese is melted. Run mixture again through immulsion blender. Season to taste and serve with good bread.

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Categories appetizer, cheese, dinner, food and recipes, lunch, potato, side dish, soup, vegetarian

Homemade Meatballs with Fresh and Spicy Tomato Sauce…

February 20, 2012 //
2

We are slowly starting to warm our home! This weekend we had some friends over that haven’t seen our new pad, (and I did my first big Bristol Farms shop… man, I am in love with that grocery store) so I decided to cook. I have been wanting to try to make meatballs for some time now and when I saw the meat counter at the Bristol Farms in South Pasadena, I could not resist. I mean what is a bigger gesture to good friends than big, juicy, meaty, cheesy balls??? Hell–oooo!

This was a lot easier than I had thought! I made the whole recipe up as I sipped white wine and face-timed with my Dad. No measurements necessary! I am sure you can switch out the meats and spices to your liking. We are spicy obsessed and probably made this a bit too spicy for the average joe so start minimal when adding in the red pepper flakes.

All in all I would say it was a success. The whole table said they would “order it again!!!” We served the meatballs over pasta alongside a salad of arugula, red pear, Marcona almonds, and good Manchego, with a hunk of garlic bread. A true carb lovers dream… score!!!

Meatballs:

  • 1 lb. ground sirloin
  • 1/2 lb. ground veal
  • 1/2 lb. ground pork
  • 2 eggs, slightly beaten
  • 3/4 cup breadcrumbs
  • splash of milk
  • 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
  • handful fresh oregano, chopped
  • few basil leaves, chopped
  • tsp. or so garlic powder
  • tsp. or so red pepper flakes
  • salt
  • pepper
  • 2 tbsp. olive oil for browning meatballs

Place all ingredients in a bowl. Mix with your hands until well incorporated. Begin to form mixture into 2-inch balls. The mixture will be sticky and you may need to adjust breadcrumb amount to get the correct texture. Place meatballs on a cookie sheet.

Once all meatballs are prepared, heat olive oil in a heavy bottomed pot. Drop in meatballs and cook until browned being careful not to crowd the pan like this genius did and ensuring you move them around enough that they don’t stick to the bottom. I obviously did not pay attention to this:) Do this in batches until all are browned. Set them aside on a paper towel lined plate. Scrape large bits out of pan and set aside pan with oil for tomato sauce.

Fresh and Spicy Tomato Sauce…

  • 1 large sweet onion, diced
  • 5-6 garlic cloves, minced
  • handful fresh oregano, chopped
  • large pinch red pepper flakes
  • handful fresh basil, chopped
  • 6 fresh vine ripened tomatoes, seeded and chopped
  • 1 cup or so red wine
  • 2 28 oz. can crushed San Marzano tomatoes
  • salt
  • freshly cracked pepper

In the pot that meatballs were browned in, add onion, garlic, oregano, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Saute until onions are translucent. Add fresh tomatoes and cook down until soft. Add in red wine, stirring to scrape up all of the bits on the bottom of the pan. Reduce. Add in tinned tomatoes and season to taste.

Cover and simmer about 10 minutes. Once thickened, add in fresh basil and place meatballs back into sauce. Simmer together for about 15 more minutes. Serve over pasta and top with freshly grated parmesan and a bit of fresh basil. Yowza!!!!

 

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Categories appetizer, beef, cheese, dinner, eggs, food and recipes, pasta, pork

Classic Potato Gratin…

February 15, 2012 //
0

This is one of my favorite things to order when eating at a French restaurant. Often times its the side dishes that win me over.  I do not make this at home often because it is not good for the waistline, but thought I would make it for Valentine’s day to make Mikey even more happy that he is marrying me in July:) I am pretty sure it worked. I mean who doesn’t love potatoes with cheese? Even more, who doesn’t love potatoes with cheese and lots of herbs doused in loads of fattening cream? Did  I mention the crunchy brown top? This dish is a perfect side dish for steak or something like braised short ribs. I paired it with a heart shaped rib eye steak and made a delicious shallot and red wine sauce to top it with. I would say between this and the chocolate mousse, my man was more than satisfied. For being so rich and delicious, this dish is actually very easy and affordable if you want to wow someone special. The only problem is that this recipe makes a large portion and the leftovers are waiting for me every time I open the refrigerator!!!

Classic Potato Gratin…

  • 2 lb. Yukon Gold potatoes
  • 3 cups heavy cream
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • Generous pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
  • handful fresh thyme, rosemary, or whatever herbs you have, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
  • 1 cup shredded young Gruyère

Preheat oven to 400°F. Using a mandoline, carefully cut the potatoes into 1/8-inch slices. If you do not have a mandoline, use a very sharp knife but it is important to slice the potatoes thinly to they cook through evenly.

Place the potatoes in a large heavy-based pot or saucepan and add the cream, salt, pepper, nutmeg, herbs, and garlic. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high, stirring occasionally (use a rubber spatula so you don’t damage the potato slices or scape the bottom of your pan). Once the cream boils, pour the mixture into a 2-1/2- or 3-qt. baking dish, removing the garlic cloves. Stir in a bit of cheese. Spread potatoes out, let the slices settle ,and then sprinkle top with the remaining cheese.

Bake until the top is golden brown, the cream has thickened, and the potatoes are tender when pierced with a knife, about 40 minutes. Don’t worry if the dish looks too liquidy at this point; it will set up as it cools. Cool for about 15 minutes before serving. OMG…so good!

 

 

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Categories dinner, food and recipes, potato, side dish, vegetarian
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