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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

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

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 //
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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

Classic Potato Gratin…

February 15, 2012 //
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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

Cranberry Pomegranate Glazed Ham and Baked Pineapple Casserole…

December 30, 2011 //
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This Christmas, since we stayed here in sunny L.A. and did things a bit more untraditional, I thought I would try and do a more traditional Christmas ham dinner. It was a weird and sad holiday indeed being here without my family. Mike and I slept in, made bloody mary’s with stuff my dad sent us from Indiana, Mike made chilaquiles, we took Luna to the dog park, and ended the evening with dinner, wine, friends, and a fire. Although it was 75 degrees here that day and we had on shorts and sandals, I still missed celebrating the traditional way…

My family makes a ham and a deep fried turkey every Christmas and no matter what, my step mom always makes this baked pineapple dish that everyone loves…including me. So that was the inspiration for our menu. We had ham, the baked pineapple, roasted brussels sprouts with bacon, and creamy mashed potatoes. I knew I wanted to make some sort of glaze for the ham so made this one up based on some stuff we had in the fridge. It was super flavorful and took on a bit of an Asian flavor from the star anise. I think I will try the glaze again on a pork tenderloin or something. I didn’t take many photos of the dishes in their final stages or the plating of them for some reason…(blame it on the vino) but you get the idea. For this being our first ham, I’d say it came out OK! Hope you all had a great Xmas and have an even more amazing New Year!!!

Cranberry Pomegranate Glazed Ham:

  • 10 lb. ham (ours was fully cooked, and we did not need one that big!!!)
  • large handful of cloves (for ham and a couple for the glaze)
  • 1 bag fresh cranberries
  • 2 cups pomegranate juice
  • 1/4 cup orange liqueur
  • 2 cups brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup honey
  • 3-4 large tablespoons mustard (we used a brown sugar bourbon one our friend made us)
  • cinnamon stick
  • star anise pod
  • salt
  • pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. To prep ham, remove all but about 1/4-inch of the fat. Pierce ham all over with a knife and insert whole cloves into the piercings until ham is covered all over. (If you don’t love the taste of cloves, you can omit this step. I learned this from my mama:) Set ham aside and work on the glaze.

In a large saucepan, add cranberries, pom juice, orange liqueur, brown sugar, honey, mustard, a few cloves, cinnamon stick, and star anise pod. Bring to a boil and simmer until cranberries break down and it reduces and become thick and syrupy. You may need to adjust a few of the ingredients to your liking like adding more sugar for sweet or more acid for sour. Once thickened, let cool a bit, remove cloves, cinnamon stick, and anise pod. Blend mixture or push through a sieve and return back to the pan and continue to simmer until ready to use. Season with a bit of salt and pepper.

Brush glaze over ham and place ham in the oven for about an hour and a half. If the ham is labeled ‘fully cooked’, heat for 8 to 10 minutes per pound, or to an internal temperature of 140°F. About half way through, pull the ham out and reglaze. Once done, the glaze will be brown, sweet, and delicious. Slice ham and serve with leftover glaze.

Baked Pineapple Casserole:

  • 1 large can pineapple chunks (undrained)
  • 4 cups white bread torn into small pieces
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 3/4 stick of butter cut into tiny pieces
  • bit of nutmeg
  • bit of cinnamon

Mix all ingredients together and put into a prepared baking dish and bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees until it is set and top is browned. It is so yummy, easy, and goes perfect with ham!

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Categories baked goods, dessert, dinner, food and recipes, fruit, pork, side dish

Creamy Roquefort Cheesecake with Peach Preserves and Pecans…

December 24, 2011 //
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Happy Christmas Eve, everyone!!! This weekend I am pretty bummed as it is my first Christmas not in the midwest with my family. I am missing them so much today. Christmas Eve has always been a tradition in my family and we have always went to my Grandma’s house to eat lots of food, drink, play games, and open gifts. I am definitely breaking tradition this year, but am happy to not be in the cold and excited about tomorrow being 78 degrees in LA! I am certain tonight will be fun. We are spending it with friends and drinking, eating lots of yummy appies, and hot tubbing. You heard me, hot tubbing!!! I made this appetizer, amongst a few others for this evening and cannot wait to get this party started. Hope you are all celebrating your traditions happily tonight or creating new ones like we are!!! Merry Christmas!

Roquefort Cheesecake with Peach Jam and Pecans:

  • 1/2 cup pecan or walnut halves
  • 2 (8-oz.) packages cream cheese, softened
  • 1 (8-oz.) package Roquefort cheese, chopped
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
  • 1 tsp. freshly cracked pepper
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 (11.5-oz.) jar peach preserves
  • Crackers, seedless red grapes, and assorted vegetables

Preheat oven to 350°. Bake pecans in a single layer in a shallow pan 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly toasted and fragrant, stirring halfway through. Reduce oven temperature to 325°.

Beat cream cheese, chopped Roquefort, sour cream, parsley, pepper, and chives at medium speed with an electric mixer until blended.

Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until yellow disappears after each addition; fold in flour. Spoon cheese mixture into a lightly greased 7-inch pan (could use a spring form pan if you have it, but I did not).

Bake at 325° for 1 hour or until set. Run a knife around outer edge of cheesecake to loosen from sides of pan. Let cool in pan on a wire rack 30 minutes. Cover and chill 8 hours.

If using a spring form pan, remove sides of it and transfer cheesecake to a platter, or you can leave in a pretty baking dish like I did.

Spoon jam over top (we used this peach rosemary jam that my friend Matty made for us, but any peach, pear, or even fig preserves will do); sprinkle with pecans. Serve with crackers, red grapes, and assorted vegetables.

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Categories appetizer, baked goods, cake, cheese, dinner, food and recipes, fruit, side dish, vegetarian

Martha’s Mac and Cheese…

December 23, 2011 //
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It has been a while since I have posted, and believe me, it has been a while since I have cooked! Its busy time in the Hall/Martinson household. Between holiday work travel, long work days, holiday parties, gift shopping, and us finding a new house, I have not had a minute nor the energy to be in the kitchen. Looking forward to getting back to it this weekend though! And, yes, I said we found a house! We were actually not looking at all and helping a friend find a new place when we stumbled upon this amazing 1912 craftsman for rent in Highland Park. It has everything a modern gal, guy, and a crazy pup could need. We have a grown up house! Let me mention a few of the things like a fenced yard with grass, a garage, a built in BBQ (that sold Mikey right away), a working fireplace, an extra bedroom, and a dishwasher! The dishwasher is what did it for me. We are super excited and will be moving in on the 15th of January. I am really sad to leave this place in Silver Lake that holds so many great memories for me, but am excited to explore a new hood and build new ones with Mike and Luna. Luna will be so happy to be able to run around!

I actually made this mac and cheese over a week or so ago. I am warning you that though it is ridiculously delicious, it makes enough to feed an army, so you may want to cut this recipe in half. We gave half of it away and I think there is still some in the fridge waiting for us to toss. I also altered it a bit and used a breadcrumb/Pecorino Romano cheese mixture for the topping instead of real bread cubes like Martha did. I mean, of course Martha would not take any shortcuts! We served it as a side with pomegranate grilled pork chops and sauteed greens with bacon and cranberries (which I am so mad that I didn’t document as it was the bomb), but this would be a perfect main dish served with a simple salad. I will definitely be making this again and will experiment with different cheese combinations.

Martha’s Mac and Cheese:

  • 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, plus more for dish
  • 1 1/2 cups breadcrumbs
  • 1 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
  • 5 1/2 cups milk (I used 3 cups milk/2 1/2 cups half and half because I had it in the fridge)
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
  • 4 1/2 cups grated sharp white cheddar cheese (about 18 ounces)
  • 2 cups grated Gruyere cheese (about 8 ounces)
  • 1 pound elbow macaroni

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Butter a 3-quart casserole dish; set aside. Place breadcrumbs and Pecorino Romano in a medium bowl. In a small saucepan over medium heat or in the microwave, melt 2 tablespoons butter. Pour butter into bowl with breadcrumbs, cheese, salt, pepper, a bit of garlic powder and toss. Set breadcrumbs aside.

In a medium saucepan set over medium heat, heat milk. Melt remaining 6 tablespoons butter in a high-sided skillet over medium heat. When butter bubbles, add flour. Cook, whisking, 1 minute.

While whisking, slowly pour in hot milk. Continue cooking, whisking constantly, until the mixture bubbles and becomes thick.
Remove pan from heat.

Stir in salt, nutmeg, black pepper, cayenne pepper, 3 cups cheddar cheese, and 1 1/2 cups Gruyere or 1 cup Pecorino Romano; set cheese sauce aside.

Fill a large saucepan with water; bring to a boil. Add macaroni; cook 2 to 3 minutes less than manufacturer’s directions, until the outside of pasta is cooked and the inside is underdone. (Different brands of macaroni cook at different rates; be sure to read the instructions.) Transfer macaroni to a colander, rinse under cold running water, and drain well.

Stir macaroni into the reserved cheese sauce. Pour mixture into prepared dish.

Sprinkle remaining 1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, 1/2 cup Gruyere or 1/4 cup Pecorino Romano, and breadcrumbs over top. Bake until browned on top, about 30 minutes. Transfer dish to a wire rack to cool 5 minutes; serve hot.

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

Bacon-Wrapped Stuffed Medjool Dates…

November 27, 2011 //
0

A few weeks ago, my pal Jessica took me to this ridiculous pizza place in Pasadena called the Luggage Room. She was really excited for me to try their bacon-wrapped dates. They were pretty much the best thing I have ever tasted! I mean, sweet sticky dates, salty crispy bacon, roasted almonds, cool delectable goat cheese…. what is not to love???? They are very reminiscent of the bacon wrapped water chestnuts that my grandma makes every Christmas eve, so I decided to try and recreate them for turkey day.  I think this recipe may be my new go-to thing to serve or bring to BBQs and cocktail parties. They were a hit and they were super quick and easy to prepare. The cool thing is that you can prep them a day ahead and they are easily transportable. I was so busy chatting and getting my bellini on while these were cooking that I think I over did them a bit, so keep your eye on them as the bacon crisps up really fast.  I assure you that your pals will be so pleased if you serve these at your next get together.

Bacon-Wrapped Stuffed Dates:

  • 2 dozen large Medjool dates, pitted
  • 24 roasted almonds
  • 1+ cup mild goat cheese, crumbled
  • 12 slices of thick cut applewood smoked bacon, halved crosswise

Preheat the oven to 400°. Cut a lengthwise slit in the dates and pull out the pits.

Stuff each one with an almond and fill with goat cheese. Pinch the dates closed.

Wrap each date in a piece of bacon and secure with a toothpick. At this point, they can be refrigerated until ready to use.

To bake,  arrange the dates, seam side down, on a wire rack set on a baking sheet. Bake the stuffed dates for about 20 minutes, or until the bacon is browned and crisp; turn each date after 10 minutes. Serve the stuffed dates warm or at room temperature. So good, they are like candy!!!

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Categories appetizer, food and recipes, pork, side dish

Butternut Squash, Apple, Cornbread, and Sausage Stuffing…

November 26, 2011 //
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Our turkey day was super untraditional but all around lovely! I mean, who gets to spend Thanksgiving outside, around a fire, with some of their fave people, and 4 cute pups? I do! We made so much damn food that we actually did not cook some of what was prepared. The menu was hefty with cranberry bellinis, bacon wrapped dates, homemade French onion dip, (all of which I will write about later), cranberry chipotle glazed chicken wings (Mitchell made these and Mike was in heaven!), stuffed mushrooms (a Sasha special), and a beautiful cheese plate to start (thanks to Sara and Max).

We then had the pumpkin soup, grilled turkey sliders, this stuffing I am writing about, another traditional stuffing, broccoli casserole, a potato casserole (Mike’s signature dish), and a pumpkin ice box pie, along with buttermilk pie served with homemade bourbon and pecan ice cream for dessert. We did not even make the green bean casserole, sweet potato fries, or brussels sprouts that we had prepared because we were so stuffed! One thing I love about my friends is that we really do have no limits when it comes to food and we all share such a love for it and cooking.

The pups seemed to have a great time too! Luna was quite occupied hanging with Yuma, Pig, and Violet. She is such a trouble maker and it was funny watching these ladies put her in her place. Mitch gave them a Thanksgiving meat treat that made them all very happy. Its so nice that these girls can get together and play. Puppies need girl time too!

Butternut Squash, Apple, Cornbread, and Sausage Stuffing:

  • 4 cups butternut squashed, cubed
  • 2 Tb. olive oil
  • 1 Tb. brown sugar
  • 1 pound sweet Italian sausage, casing removed
  • around 16 cups corn bread stuffing cubes
  • 1 stick of butter
  • 8-12 fresh sage leaves
  • 2 apples, diced
  • 1 Tb. thyme
  • 4 stalks celery, diced
  • ½ cup fennel, diced
  • 1 leek, diced
  • 2 medium onions, diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • tsp. red pepper flakes
  • lots of salt and pepper
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 quart chicken stock

Heat oven to 375° F. Lightly butter casserole pan. 

Place ½ -1 inch cubed butternut squash on a foil lined baking sheet and drizzle with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, salt and pepper, and 1 Tb. brown sugar. Roast at 400 degrees for about 30 minutes or until tender. Set aside.

In a large skillet add sausage making sure to break it up with a spoon and cook until browned, about 8 to 10 minutes. Set aside.

In another large pan heat butter over medium-high heat. Add sage, thyme, red pepper flakes, fennel, celery, apple, leeks, onions, garlic, salt and pepper cook until the vegetable become soft an transluscent. Add in sausage with the fat.  Transfer to a large bowl and let cool for 10 minutes.

Combine eggs and broth and season with salt and pepper. Add the bread cubes, butternut squash, some more fresh sage, and egg mixture to the sausage and vegetables and toss to combine. Transfer to prepared baking dish. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake until browned, 20 to 30 minutes more. This recipe can feed an army! We have stuffing for days.

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Categories dinner, food and recipes, fruit, pork, side dish
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