Cooking With Kessner

Blueberry Muffins

2012-02-12T08:39:00.000-08:00

I've been baking. A lot. I have to say, cooking is a lot easier than baking because there's room for modification and experimentation. When it comes to baking, there's a recipe and you follow it. However, if you have the right recipes, baked goods can be pretty delicious. I had a bag of frozen blueberries on hand the other day and thought whole wheat blueberry muffins sounded interesting and difficult to screw up. I was right. With the addition of some lemon zest and sour cream, these muffins were tangy and delicious!

Ingredients

5 tbsp unsalted butter, softened

1/2 cup sugar

1 large egg

3/4 cup sour cream

1/2 tsp grated lemon zest

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

3/4 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

Start by preheating your oven to 375 degrees and using butter to grease your muffin tins.

Beat the butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add the egg and beat well, followed by the sour cream and lemon zest. Combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt separately then add into the mixture, little by little, combining with the mixer until well-incorporated. Gently fold in the blueberries.

Scoop the mixture into the muffin tin, filling about 3/4 of the way up. Bake for about 25-30 minutes or until the muffins have browned on top.

Let them cool and enjoy with a cup of coffee for breakfast!

Turkey Enchiladas

2012-01-17T07:22:00.000-08:00

I love, love, love Mexican food! Unfortunately, I don't eat it as often as I like because it can really pile on the weight. I decided to try and make my own enchiladas recently, only I swapped the chopped beef for ground lean turkey which I am sure saved me a lot of calories! The enchiladas were both healthy and tasty and honestly, so easy to make!

Enchilada Ingredients

4 flour tortillas

1 can pre-made enchilada sauce

1 lb ground lean turkey

22scallions, diced

1 small onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, diced

1/2 jalapeno, seeded and chopped

1 tomato, seeded and diced

1/2 tbsp cumin

1/2 tbsp coriander

1/2 tbsp paprika

pinch of cayenne pepper

handful of shredded cheddar cheese

1 can refried beans

2 tbsp olive oil

Heat the olive oil in a pan then toss in the onions, 2 of the scallions and tomatoes. Saute for a few minutes, or until onions are translucent. Add in the ground turkey and spices, and mix until the meat has cooked through. While everything is cooking, preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Spread about 3/4 of a cup of the enchilada sauce on the bottom of a baking dish. Take the first tortilla and dip it in the sauce, then flip and dip the other side. Spoon about 1/2 - 3/4 cup of the turkey into the middle of the tortilla, roll it up and move to one end. Repeat with the next three tortillas as well. You'll also want to spoon some of the enchilada sauce on top of the rolled up tortillas.

Sprinkle some of the cheddar cheese on top, glob on a few spoonfuls of refried beans here and there, then sprinkle with the remaining scallions.

Pop in the oven and bake until the cheese has melted and the insides have heated up, about 15 minutes. You can serve with some sliced up avocados or guacamole, some reduced fat sour cream and diced tomatoes!

Yummy Meatballs

2012-01-08T12:22:00.000-08:00

I've always wanted to make meatballs, but for some reason I've been intimidated. I just thought it would be difficult to not only make them, but make them well. Meatballs are great because it lets you indulge your red meat craving without having to consume an entire steak or burger. I found a recipe and gave them a shot and was pleasantly surprised at how good they came out! Just a warning, don't make these in advance and let them sit out too long... and don't reheat them in the microwave, or they will dry out (which I did for my husband who got home late the night I made them). Enjoy!

Meatball Ingredients

1/2 lb ground veal

1 lb ground beef

2 large eggs, beaten

1/3 cup grated parmesan

4 cloves finely chopped and sauteed garlic

1/4 cup panko bread crumbs

1 tbsp chopped oregano

salt and pepper

This recipe was so easy to make! Simply combine all the ingredients in a bowl...

roll the mixture into 1 1/2 inch balls....

heat some olive oil in a pan over medium heat and fry until the meatballs are fully cooked.

You'll need to turn them around with tongs to make sure all sides cook.

When the meatballs are done, you can eat them plain or toss them over some spaghetti with marinara sauce!

Tuna Burgers with Wasabi Aioli and Asian Slaw

2012-01-07T07:35:00.001-08:00

Burgers have kind of become my thing. I love experimenting and making lots of different kinds, like turkey burgers, lentil burgers and chicken apple burgers! I find it fun to experiment with different proteins, seeing what kind of combinations I can come up with! Right before the new year, I decided to try my hand at tuna burgers, since I always love them in restaurants. They came out yummy, but it's not the cheapest protein to turn into a burger! I also made some wasabi aioli and awesome asia slaw to serve with it... the result was a very satisfied husband :)

Burger Ingredients

1 lb sushi grade ahi tuna, chopped

2 tbsp cilantro, finely chopped

4 tbsp low sodium soy sauce

2 tbsp honey

1 tbsp black sesame seeds

2 scallions, chopped

1 tbsp toasted sesame oil

Start by chopping up the tuna, until it's pretty smooth. In a bowl, mix the tuna with the cilantro, soy sauce, honey, sesame seeds, scallions and sesame oil.

Form the mixture into patties and cook in a pan with olive oil over medium heat until the burgers have seared on the outside and remain a little rare on the inside. Be careful, it's easy to overcook them, but they'll be a lot more tasty and moist if left a little pink in the middle.

Wasabi Mayo Ingredients

3 tbsp mayo (regular or low-fat)

1/2 tbsp wasabi paste

juice of 1/2 lime

For the mayo, simply mix all the above ingredients together in a bowl!

Slaw Ingredients

1 carrot

1/2 red bell pepper

1 cup red cabbage

1/4 cup cilantro

4 scallions

3/4 tbsp minced garlic

1 tbsp minced fresh ginger

1 1/2 tbsp soy sauce

1 1/2 tbsp brown sugar

2 1/2 tbsp creamy peanut butter

3 tbsp vegetable oil

3 tbsp rice vinegar

This slaw is so easy and so tasty! Just cut the carrots, scallions and peppers into thin matchsticks and chop up the cilantro, ginger and cabbage. In a separate bowl, combine all the liquid ingredients to make the dressing and then pour over all the vegetables. I recommend combining closer to serving time otherwise the slaw might become wilted.

Top the tuna burgers with some wasabi mayo and serve alongside a big heaping of slaw!

Lemon Ricotta Cakesters

2011-12-06T06:19:00.000-08:00

It seems I've been bitten by the baking bug lately! Since I usually send my husband lunch, it's nice to have the occasional home baked good to toss into the lunch bag! I was watching the Food Network recently and saw Giada whipping up a batch of these yummy looking lemon ricotta cookies, so I just had to try them! They tasted great but I was under the impression they'd be "cookies" whereas their softer texture made them a little more like cake than cookies. Either way, they were refreshingly unique and a nice change from the usual banana bread repertoire!

Cookie Ingredients

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1 stick unsalted butter, softened

2 cups sugar

2 eggs

1 15 oz container whole milk ricotta cheese

3 tbsp lemon juice

zest of 1 lemon

Glaze Ingredients

1/2 cup powdered sugar

3 tbsp lemon juice

1 lemon zest

Start by preheating the oven to 375 degrees. In a bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt and set aside. In another bowl, combine the butter and sugar and beat with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time and beat until well incorporated. Then, add the ricotta, lemon juice and zest and combine.

When combined, add in the dry ingredients. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and spoon the dough on in 2 tbsp size portions. Bake for 15 minutes, remove and let cool for another 20 minutes.

Make the glaze by mixing the powdered sugar, lemon zest and juice until smooth. Spread about 1/2 tsp onto each cookie and let harden before enjoying!

Goat and Gruyere Quiche

2011-11-20T05:51:00.000-08:00

A couple of weeks ago, we had a few friends over for brunch. Besides the usual spread of bagels, lox and fruit, I felt there had to be something homemade on the table. (Especially since I have a cooking blog!) I decided it had to include some yummy cheeses so I could go harass the guy at my local market's cheese counter for samples! I decided a Gruyere and Goat cheese quiche with mixed vegetables would be unique and showcase all the yummy cheeses I bought! The quiche was a success and, so easy, it's now one of my brunch "musts."

Ingredients

2 tbsp unsalted butter

1 cup chopped yellow onions

1/4 lb mushrooms, sliced

1 bunch of asparagus, cut into chunks

1 tsp minced garlic

3 tbsp chopped fresh basil

2 tsp chopped fresh thyme

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper

1 1/4 cups half-and-half

1/2 cup grated Gruyere

1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese

1/2 tsp crushed red pepper

3 large eggs

pre made pie crust

Start by preheating the oven to 375 degrees and chopping your vegetables.

Melt the butter in a skillet over medium-high heat and add the vegetables. Cook until the vegetables have wilted, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Add the fresh herbs and season with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat and let cool.

In a bowl, beat together the eggs and half-and-half, then season lightly with salt and pepper. Add the Gruyere and crushed red pepper.

Spoon the cooked veggies into the pie crust.

Pour the liquid mixture over the veggies and crumble the goat cheese on top. Bake for 30 minutes, or until set.

If you plan on serving this the next day, just heat in the oven for 10 minutes at 350 degrees since it's best served warm!

My Favorite; Carrot Cake

2011-11-18T08:13:00.000-08:00

I've always big a BIG fan of carrot cake, particularly because I love the frosting! (I've actually bought a slice just to lick off the frosting!) This week, I decided to take a break from baking the usual chocolate chip banana bread my husband lives for and try my hand at my favorite. My carrot cake came out really delicious and disappeared way faster than I could have imagined! Note, the recipe posted below is meant for a larger cake, which requires making, stacking and frosting three separate cakes to form a layered carrot cake. I modified the recipe and used 2/3 of all the ingredients to make a single, larger, cake.!

Cake Ingredients
Butter for greasing baking pan
2 cups all purpose flour
2 cups sugar
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
4 eggs
1.5 cups vegetable oil
3 cups grated carrots
1 cup chopped pecans
4 rings canned pineapple, cut into chunks

Start by preheating the oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9 inch pan with some butter. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt

Blend all the ingredients with a handheld mixer.

Add the pineapple, carrots and pecans. Pour into a greased 9 inch pan and bake for 40-60 minutes or until browned on top. I say 40-60 minutes because everyone's oven is different and while the original recipe called for 40, mine required an hour. Some may need more time than others.

Frosting Ingredients
2 8oz packages of cream cheese, room temp
1 stick unsalted better
powdered sugar, to taste
1 tsp vanilla extract

To make the frosting, whip together all the ingredients in a bowl. I don't specify the amount of powdered sugar because the original recipe calls for what I think is way too much, plus, people have different palettes for sweetness. I'd mix the other ingredients together and then go adding one tbsp of sugar at a time until it reaches the level of sweetness you're comfortable with.

Once the cake has completely cooled, spread the frosting all over the cake.

You'll watch this cake disappear quickly, trust me! Mine did :)

A Dairy Free Pumpkin Pie

2011-11-11T07:27:00.000-08:00

What thanksgiving dinner would be complete without a pumpkin pie? I made a really good pie that could be served alongside turkey, because it's a little more savory than the traditional dessert. In order to make this pie Parve for my kosher family, I used some dairy free coffee creamer. I've heard it's not the healthiest stuff on earth, but once in a while won't hurt! The result was a very tasty pumpkin pie that's a great alternative to the traditional version!

Ingredients

1 pre-baked 9 inch pie crust

2 eggs

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp powdered ginger

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

1/4 tsp salt

1 3/4 cup mashed cooked pumpkin

1 cup non-dairy coffee creamer

Start by cracking the eggs into a bowl.

Whisk until frothy. I used a hand held electrical mixer to make life easier.

Beat in the sugar, then spices and salt followed by the pumpkin and creamer. Mix until well blended.

Pour mixture into the pie shell and bake at 450 degrees for 10 minutes, then lower the temperature to 350 degrees and bake another 30-35 minutes, or until the pie has set. Remove from the oven and let cool before serving.

Stuffin' Muffins

2011-11-06T06:47:00.000-08:00

I can't believe the holiday season is upon us again! I really love the holidays... lots of time spent with family and lots of good food! Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays and I usually end up stuffing my face until I can't stuff it anymore. Last year I flew down to Puerto Rico to feast and have fun with my family, but this year we'll spend Thanksgiving in New York at my aunt's house. I, of course, offered to make a couple dishes, so look for some Turkey Day recipes to appear between now and then! This recipe is for some muffins made out of stuffing. They were really yummy and something different to do with your traditional stuffing!

Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil

1 stick butter (or equivalent of earth balance for dairy free alternative)

1 bay leaf

4 celery ribs and leaves, chopped

1 large yellow onion, chopped

salt and pepper

3 apples, chopped

2 tbsp poultry seasoning

8 cups cubed stuffing mix

2 to 3 cups vegetable broth

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves

Start by preheating the oven to 375 degrees. In a pan, heat the olive oil and butter over medium heat and toss in the bay leaf, celery, onions and apples. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and poultry seasoning.

Cook 5 minutes to soften then add parsley and stuffing cubes.Moisten with the broth until the stuffing is moist, not wet.

Butter 12 muffin tins and scoop the stuffing mix into each. Be sure to remove the bay leaf before doing so or one of your diners won't be too happy! Bake for about 15 minutes, or until muffins set and crisp on top. Remove and serve hot or at room temp for best results!

Baby Food Making 101

2011-11-04T09:02:00.000-07:00

Don't worry, just because I recently had twins, doesn't mean this blog is about to only feature mashed up baby food recipes! However, I thought I'd dedicate a post to Baby Food Introduction and Making 101, in case there are any new and confused parents out there who are looking for some helpful hints the way I was!

In general, infants are ready to begin their foray into solids somewhere between 4 and 6 months of age. Our pediatrician ok-ed them once they were able to hold their heads up on their own and showed increased interest in watching us eat and drink. (aka they tried to grab my glass out of my hand as it made its way to my mouth!) Around 6 months is also when the tongue thrust reflex starts to disappear, a reflex which causes the tongue to push out objects placed in the mouth to prevent choking.

The first foods ("Stage 1") for babies need to be soft, thin, strained and puree... similar in texture to breastmilk or formula. You'll know it's the right consistency if you turn the spoon upside down and it drips off. Some of the most popular Stage 1 foods include rice cereal, bananas, sweet potatoes and avocados! I don't know if this is necessarily true, but I've read that it's best not to start off with fruit, because then your child's palate will prefer sweet foods. For me, sweet potatoes seemed like the perfect choice. They were sweet, though not as sweet as fruit, and have tons of flavonoids like beta-carotene and vitamin A!

If you're going to try and make your own baby food, it's best to make it in bulk and freeze it in large batches using the ice cube tray method, which I found extremely easy and resourceful! Here's how I made my girls' first meal:

Start by buying some fresh, organic if available, sweet potatoes, butternut squash or yams in your local supermarket or farmer's market.

Wash and scrub the sweet potatoes well, prick with a fork, wrap in aluminum foil and stick in the oven at 375 degrees for 45-60 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes are very soft. Let them cool.

Scrape out the flesh and toss into a food processor. Make sure the equipment has been washed well to prevent contaminating the food with any bacteria.

Puree well and add either water, breastmilk or formula to thin out the sweet potatoes. Seeing as how I was already giving my girls formula, I thought adding formula to the puree would not only give it a familiar taste, but provide some extra nutrition! Make sure there are absolutely no chunks in the puree, since new eaters may choke. The puree should be served warm. Make sure there are no heat pockets that will burn your babies' sensitive mouth.

To save all the food, I used the ice cube tray method which involved pouring the puree into an ice cube tray (wrap it in saran wrap to prevent freezer burn) and leaving it there until completely frozen. Once frozen, remove all the cubes (to get them out, flip the tray upside down and run some warm water over the bottom to loosen the cubes) and placed them in a freezer bag.... make sure it's a freezer bag and not a sandwich bag. Lastly, make sure to label the bag with the type of food (since orange cubes can get mistakes for several things) and the date made so you know when it's time to toss it (usually 2-3 months after making it.)

In the very beginning, solids should not replace bottles or breast milk. After offering the normal feeding, then offer an ounce or two of solids so that your child can experiment with textures and flavors, and basically learn how to swallow their food.

Your babies might love solids and grab the spoon to feed themselves, like mine did, or they might push the food out of their mouths. If they do that, don't be discouraged, sometimes it takes a while for them to get used to it. If your child turns their head when you offer the spoon or close their mouths, don't force it on them. If they don't want to eat, wait a few days and try again! Eating is a learning process and before you know it they'll be eating entire meals!

Chicken Apple Burgers

2011-10-29T07:13:00.000-07:00

Every year, when their apple orchard yields tons of tart crunchy apples, my in-laws host an apple fest at their East Hampton home. Every couple is responsible for creating one delicious dish that features apples as the key ingredient. Since we have some great bakers in the family, it's become a habit for me to always make savory dishes. This year was no different as I took on the challenge of making chicken apple burgers. Everyone was pretty impressed with the burgers which I topped with a sweet maple sauce, especially myself who ended eating three!

Burger Ingredients

1 lb ground chicken

2 apples, peeled, cored and diced

2 large garlic cloves, diced

1/4 cup diced celery

1/4 cup diced onion

2 tbsp fresh thyme, chopped

2 tbsp maple syrup

1 egg, beaten

1/4 cup Panko bread crumbs

3 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp butter

salt and pepper

Maple Sauce Ingredients

1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons real maple syrup
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

Start by dicing the apples, onion, celery and garlic. Remove the thyme leaves from their stems and chop finely. Cook all ingredients in a pan over medium heat with a tbsp of butter and a tbsp of olive oil until softened.

While the vegetables cool, make the creamy maple sauce to drizzle over the burgers by combining the mayo, mustard and maple syrup. This sauce might be one of the yummiest I've ever made... and so simple too!

When the vegetables have cooled, mix them with the ground chicken then add the maple syrup, egg and panko crumbs. Season with salt and pepper and mix well. Scoop into patties using 1/4 cup portions.

Heat a grill pan with 2 tbsp of olive oil over medium high heat and place the patties on the grill. Cook about 2-3 minutes on each side, or until the patties are no longer raw in the middle.

Top patties with maple sauce and, if you have some left over ingredients, make an apple slaw by tossing together some sliced apples with a little bit of thyme, celery and onion! The slaw ingredients will tie in nicely with the burger's flavors! This meal is great for those who are lactose intolerant, just leave out the bit of butter and replace with some more olive oil!

What to Make With Steakhouse Leftovers

2011-10-06T10:22:00.000-07:00

How many times have you been in a steakhouse and ordered more juicy meat than you can handle finishing? It happens. Often! Last week at dinner, my husband ordered a filet, and took the leftovers home. As usual, it was my job to make him a nice sandwich using the leftovers for work the next day. I'm not going to post a recipe for this one since it's kind of easy, but all I did was.........

slice open a nice ciabatta roll and spread a little pesto on both sides...

saute some onions and red peppers to pile on top....

slice and layer the leftover steak on...

and top with fresh arugula and tomato slices!

A Sweet Noodle Kugel for a Sweet Year

2011-09-30T06:55:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite dishes to eat at high holiday dinner celebrations has to be noodle kugels! I mean, who doesn't love sweet raisin-studded noodles? Anything sweet is good in my book! Since we spent the first night of Rosh Hashanah at my in-laws, I thought it only appropriate to bring something homemade for the holiday. My noodle kugel came out pretty delicious, even I was surprised. My mom suggested the addition of pineapple which I have to say made the dish even better!

Ingredients

1 12 oz package of egg noodles

1/2 stick butter, melted

1 lb cottage cheese

2 cups sour cream

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

6 eggs

3/4 cup raisins

3 pineapple rings, sliced

Start by preheating your oven to 375 degrees. While the oven is heating up, place the noodles in salted boiling water for 4 minutes to soften. Drain and set aside.

In a bowl, mix together the eggs, cottage cheese, sour cream, butter, sugar, vanilla and cinnamon. It may seem like a lot of wet ingredients, but once you bake the kugel, it won't be so wet.

Pour in the egg noodles and add the raisins and pineapple chunks.

Mix well and pour into a greased 9x13 inch baking dish and bake for about 45 minutes.

You'll know the kugel is ready when the noodles on top start to brown and get crunchy!

Jerk Chicken

2011-09-26T06:41:00.000-07:00

All my mother in law talks about is how much she loves a good jerk chicken. When we go to certain restaurants, she asks about it, hoping they just might have it as a special that day. Her fondness of the dish inspired me to try and make my own. After all, I do love a spicy dish and, having never had jerk chicken, was curious to see why she loved it so much. Now I know and I will definitely be making it again!

Jerk Chicken Ingredients

1 bunch scallions, chopped

3 garlic cloves, chopped

1 habanero chile, chopped

1 lime, juiced

3 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp brown sugar

2 tsp all spice

1 tsp fresh thyme, chopped

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

4 boneless chicken breasts

salt and pepper to season chicken with

To make the chicken marinade, place all the ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth.

Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Pour the marinade over the chicken and seal in a Ziploc bag. Let the breasts marinade, the longer the better.

When ready to prepare the meal, heat a grill pan on medium-high and brush with olive oil. Grill the chicken about 4-5 minutes on each side.

Ingredients for Mango Cilantro Salsa

2 mangoes, peeled and diced

1/4 cup chopped red onion

2 tbsp chopped cilantro

3 tbsp fresh lime juice

3 tbsp fresh orange juice

salt and pepper

This slaw is really easy to make, just combine the above ingredients. Thank you, Bobby Flay, for a great recipe!

The salsa is really fruity and tropical tasting which cools your mouth after the spicy jerk chicken! I served it alongside some yellow rice and corn salad, for which you can find the recipe here. This dish was a nice break from the usual thai or Indian dishes i'm more likely to experiment with!

Chicken Parmesan

2011-09-19T06:30:00.000-07:00

I really wanted to make my husband something for dinner last week, but didn't really have hours to spend shopping and prepping since the babies went to sleep on the later side. I decided to whip up some chicken parmesan using a bunch of ingredients I already had sitting around the house. Cheese wasn't a problem.... I always have a variety sitting in my fridge. Tomato sauce..... always keep some cans of San Marzano in my cupboard. Chicken... usually have a breast or two sitting in my freezer for rainy days! I served the chicken with a light salad and some avocado to give the meal a "healthier" component (per my husband's request).

Ingredients

3 chicken breasts

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

2 eggs, beaten

1 1/2 cups panko bread crumbs

2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

salt and pepper

1 28 oz can tomato sauce

3 pieces of mozzarella string cheese

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

4 tbsp olive oil

Start by creating your "chicken coating" station. You'll need three separate stations. For the first, measure out the whole wheat flour. For the second, beat the eggs in a bowl. For the third, combine the panko bread crumbs with the parsley and some salt and pepper.

Wash your chicken breasts, then dunk in the flour, followed by the egg wash. Lastly, give it a nice panko coating and set aside.

Heat the olive oil in a pan and brown each chicken side for 3-5 minutes over medium heat.

Top the cooked chicken breasts with the tomato sauce, mozzarella and parmesan cheese.

Bake in the oven at 400 degrees, or until the cheese is completely melted and a little brown, about 15 minutes. Serve with some healthy greens and enjoy!

What's in your lunch box?

2011-09-12T06:52:00.000-07:00

Lately, my husband's been SWAMPED at work! So swamped, in fact, that he often can't find the time to sit down for lunch until 5:00 or 6:00 in the afternoon! Being the good wife that I am, I've begun to make sure I send him off to work every day with a nice sandwich to enjoy at his desk. One creation he particularly enjoyed was a basil, mozzarella and tomato sandwich on a ciabatta roll with homemade pesto. I took a walk to Chelsea Market one afternoon to buy all the ingredients... the roll from Amy's Bread, the farm fresh Mozzarella from Lucy's Whey..... it was a fun sandwich to shop for and assemble!

Ingredients

1 large ciabatta roll

fresh mozzarella

basil

tomatoes

salt and pepper

homemade basil pesto (recipe here - just substitute arugula for basil)

Start by slicing your bread in half

Spread a good amount of the pesto on each side of bread.

Layer on slices of fresh mozzarella cheese.

Top with slices of tomatoes and season with salt and pepper.

Top with a handful of fresh basil leaves. Make sure you wash them first since they often still have dirt on them.

Assemble sandwich, slice down the middle and wrap in aluminum foil to hold it all together. I packed the lunch together with a Red Velvet Cupcake for what I'm pretty sure was the best lunch my husband's ever had at his desk!

Thai Coconut Curry Shrimp

2011-09-06T17:15:00.000-07:00

My husband and I looooooove Thai food. Although we order it often, I haven't really tried making it myself too often. I guess I always thought it was the type of food best left to professionals.... I guess I was wrong! I was recently in the mood for something coconut-y and thought I'd try my hand at a coconut curry instead of picking up the phone for delivery again. I opted for shrimp instead of chicken since I don't cook with shrimp that often. The result was really tasty and some chopped cilantro gave the dish some nice freshness!

Ingredients

4 scallions, chopped

1 tbsp red curry paste

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 lb shrimp

6 oz coconut milk

2 tsp fish sauce

1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

salt

1 tbsp canola oil

Start by heating the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the scallions and red curry paste and sautee for about two minutes.

Add the shrimp, garlic and some salt to season and cook it all together for about three minutes. You'll want to flip the shrimp halfway through to let both sides cook. Tongs are great for this task! Lastly, add the coconut milk and fish sauce and mix well. Simmer for about 3 minutes. Mix in half the cilantro and then sprinkle the remaining half on later.

I chose to serve this over a bed of coconut rice, which I made by cooking the rice in a combination of water and leftover coconut milk. The dish is not only delicious, but really quick to make since shrimp cooks quickly!

A Very Homemade Caesar Salad

2011-08-30T14:55:00.000-07:00

It's been a few months since our twins were born and I'm finally ready to start cooking a bit here and there. (After all, there's nothing like a hurricane that keeps you stranded indoors all weekend to motivate you to start cooking again!) Saturday, my sister and I spent the day preparing the components of a homemade Caesar Salad - my latest obsession -while my husband entertained the babies. You're probably thinking a salad sounds kind of easy to make, but not when you're making the croutons, dressing and grilled chicken. The salad came out pretty great and went well with a couple bottles of wine and some board games.... not a bad way to spend hurricane Irene!

Crouton Ingredients

2 slices bread

1 garlic clove, minced

3 tbsp butter

To make your own homemade garlic croutons, start by cutting off the crusts of two slices of bread (I use sourdough because it's what I had) and then cut into cubed. While doing this, preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

In a large saute pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Stir in garlic and cook it for a minute. Add the bread cubes and toss to coat. Spread them on a baking sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until crispy. The croutons turned out so much better than the boxed ones, I'm not sure why I never made them before. So easy!

Caesar Dressing Ingredients

4 tbsp mayo

1 garlic clove

zest and juice of 1/2 lemon

1 2oz container of anchovy filets in oil

1/2 cup parmesan cheese

2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

3 tbsp olive oil

Combine all the above ingredients in a food processor for a creamy, garlic-y caesar dressing to pour all over your salad! If you want something with a little less fat, I also posted a mayo-free version of a Caesar dressing last summer.

Chicken Ingredients

2 large chicken breasts

1/4 cup olive oil

1 bunch scallions

4 garlic cloves, minced

salt and pepper

You'll want to marinate the chicken breasts before grilling to let them absorb some flavor. In a plastic bag, combine olive oil, chopped scallions and garlic. Let marinate in the fridge overnight (or a couple hours if you're cooking it that day).
Season the breasts with salt and pepper and place on grill pan over high heat . Cook each side for about 5 minutes, or until the chicken is no longer raw in the middle.

Wash, dry and cut three bunches of romaine lettuce and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

Lastly, add on on the dressing, croutons and chicken and don't forget some fresh ground pepper, and you're ready to enjoy your very homemade Caesar salad! This dish is great to make during hurricanes..... and earthquakes, and monsoons.....

Signing Off For Now

2011-04-11T16:56:00.000-07:00

Hello blog followers! As some of you may have noticed, it's been a while since I've done any cooking due to the fact that I'm pregnant with twins and about to pop any second now! It's become too difficult to cook, let alone stand on my own two feet without wanting to collapse after five minutes. While learning to cook was fun, I'm beginning a new adventure into mommy world. Needless to say, I'll probably have my hands full for a while, but hopefully I'll be back in the future with lots of new recipes and photos to share. Thanks for reading :)

Mofongo, Beaches and more Local Fare

2011-02-15T11:08:00.000-08:00

Luckily, I had the fortune of escaping this dreadful winter weather to visit my family in sunny Puerto Rico last week! Being home was wonderful, not only because I got to sit on the beach all day, but because I got to enjoy some of the local fare from my childhood. On our last day, we drove all the way to Rincon, a popular surfing spot on the west coast, to explore beaches that looked like this...

On our way, we stopped at a local restaurant that served typical Puerto Rican food...

We pigged out on rice and beans...

and mofongo, which consisted of mashed green plantains filled with savory chicken broth and pieces of shrimp...

or chicken...

Looking forward to our next trip already!

Arugula Pesto Pasta

2011-02-02T08:44:00.000-08:00

About a year ago, I got an amazing grill pan as a gift at my bridal shower. Unfortunately, I've only used it a few times. Last night, my sister and I decided we were going to try and grill some chicken using my under-appreciated pan. I found a recipe for a pesto pasta dish, so we made a delicious dinner with a heaping of vegetables and juicy grilled chicken! Since we made the pesto ourselves, the flavors were really fresh and bright!

Ingredients

1/2 cup sliced almonds, lightly toastes

2 cups packed arugula leaves

1 cup basil leaves

1 1/2 lemons, juiced

2 small garlic cloves, minced

1/3 cup parmesan, cut into small chunks

salt and pepper

3 chicken breasts

3/4 cup olive oil

whole wheat pasta (spaghetti, penne, etc..)

1 small head of broccoli

1 small package cherry tomatoes

1 small pack button mushrooms

Start by toasting the almonds in a dry pan over medium heat. Then, add the almonds to a food processor along with the arugula, basil, lemon juice, garlic, parmesan, salt and pepper. Pulse as you slowly drizzle in the olive oil, until a well combined, thick pesto has formed.

Lightly pound the chicken to thin it out, then spread a large spoonful of pesto over both pieces.

Heat a grill pan over medium high heat and spray with cooking spray and cook the chicken for about 3 minutes on each side. Remove chicken from grill and slice into small chunks.

Add some olive oil to a pan and cook the broccoli, cherry tomatoes, mushrooms and whatever other vegetables you feel like adding. While they are cooking, boil your pasta in a separate pot. When done, add the chicken and pasta to the vegetables and douse with a good amount of pesto.

Mix well, serve and enjoy!

Some Healthy Dark Leafy Greens

2011-01-19T13:00:00.000-08:00

While this might not be the most interesting post, it's definitely the healthiest! As someone who has always had a tendency toward anemia, it's really important that I get a lot of iron in my diet. Hence, all the dark, leafy greens! Whenever I get bored of spinach, I usually turn to kale.... and this recipe for sesame kale that I found on Epicurious was really tasty!

Ingredients

1 large bunch of kale

1 tsp vegetable oil

1 tsp garlic paste

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

2 tsp toasted sesame oil

2 tsp sesame seeds, toasted

Trim the bottom stems off the kale and roughly chop.

In a large pot, bring 1 cup of water to a boil. Place a steamer basket in the pot and add the kale. Let it steam, covered for 4 minutes. Uncover and cook for another 3 minutes.

While the kale is steaming, toast the sesame seeds by placing them in a dry pan and heating until lightly browned.

Heat the vegetable oil over medium heat in a skillet. Add the garlic paste and cayenne, followed by the kale. Cook for 3 minutes. Finally, transfer kale to a bowl and toss with sesame oil and toasted sesame seeds.

Not a Horrible First Brisket Attempt

2011-01-13T13:37:00.000-08:00

I'm a big fan of brisket, especially when done right. One of the best briskets I've had in recent memory was at my sister-in-law, Andrea's house. Like a trooper, she had the entire extended family over for a Hannukah party and served up a delicious and huge Jewish Style Sweet and Sour brisket. I tried to replicate the recipe for my own little Hannukah party, but cooking for four is a little different than cooking for twenty-something. While my meat tasted delicious, I dried it out by following the cooking time intended for the larger portion of meat. (Not my proudest moment!). If you're going to try this recipe at home, I'd suggest using a shorter cook time and testing the meat every so often to make sure it stays in "juicy" land and out of "well done" world.

Ingredients

2 pounds beef brisket
1 cup water
1 cup ketchup
1/2 cup white vinegar
1 onions, sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon salt

Start by browning all sides of the brisket in a dutch oven (I like Le Creuset) over medium-high heat.

Stir in water, ketchup, vinegar, onions, garlic, brown sugar, and salt. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to medium-low. Continue simmering until tender, turning brisket occasionally. The original recipe called for the brisket to be cooked close to 3 hours, but I would start with a half an hour per side with the smaller cut of meat. If the meat is too rare, continue cooking.

Remove brisket and let cool before slicing it against the grain. Serve with gravy poured on top.

I Want to Be Like Bobby

2011-01-12T07:29:00.000-08:00

I know it's been a while, but I'm finally back to blogging! Holiday traveling and being pregnant with twins haven't been very conducive to cooking (but at least I can still reach the stove!) Now that I'm back in the city and it's freezing out, what better to do than stay in and try out some new recipes?

I live just down the block from Bobby Flay's Southwestern restaurant, Mesa Grill, and really love the bread basket they serve at brunch. In an attempt to be like Bobby, I thought I'd try to make some jalapeno cheddar corn muffins. They weren't as good (aka "buttery") as the ones at Mesa Grill, but were a nice pre-dinner treat with their bit of heat and cheesy gooeyness :)

Ingredients

2 tbsp unsalted butter

1/3 cup finely chopped onion

1 cup fresh corn kernels

1 tsp salt

3 dashes Tobasco Sauce

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup yellow cornmeal

1 tbsp baking powder

Pinch cayenne pepper

3/4 cup shredded Cheddar

1 cup buttermilk

1/4 cup vegetable oil

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

2 tbsp minced seeded green jalapenos

3 tbsp honey

Start by preheating your oven to 375 degrees and greasing a muffin pan. Melt the butter in a small skillet over medium-low heat. Add the onions and cook for 3-4 minutes.

Add the corn and cook another 3-4 minutes. Set the skillet aside to let cool.

In a large bowl, mix together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, salt, cayenne pepper and cheese.

In another bowl, mix together the buttermilk, oil, eggs, jalapenos, tobasco sauce and honey.

Add the buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture. Mix together then add the cooled corn and onions.

Fill each muffin tin 3/4 of the way full and bake about 15 minutes, or until golden.

Let the muffins cool and serve with either butter or some kind of jelly.

Spiced Pumpkin Bread

2010-12-14T06:40:00.000-08:00

Saturday morning, I was up before 8:00 and thought it would be nice to surprise my husband, who was in a coma-like sleep, with something sweet and homemade for breakfast. Since it was way too cold to run out to the market, I decided to use a recipe that called for ingredients already in the pantry. I remembered another blogger having posted a recipe for a spiced pumpkin loaf he had found on Epicurious and thought I'd try it out too. The bread was moist and delicious, almost cake-like, and my husband couldn't get enough of it (once he woke up, that is).

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 1/2 large eggs

3/4 16-ounce can solid pack pumpkin

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 9x5x3-inch loaf pan. (aka, coat with butter, then sprinkle with flour and shake off excess).

In a bowl, combine sugar and oil. Add in the eggs and canned pumpkin.

Slowly mix in flour then cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, salt and baking powder.

Add chopped walnuts.

Pour into the loaf pan and bake for an hour and ten minutes.

Remove and let cool...

for some really deliciously moist and dense cake/bread...