Cuit Sans Four

Say Cheese! Inspiration from Wisconsin's dairy country...

2012-09-23T15:28:00.000-04:00

"It's gonna be a long, hot summer, we should be together with your feet up on the dashboard now..." On the one hand it seems like just yesterday when Keith Urban crooned those very words, to me and me alone of course, as I sat in the balmy Wisconsin night, a frosty adult beverage in one hand and, naturally, cheese curds in the other (when in Rome, they say). But when I really think about it, we are officially into autumn and that perfect June night was a solid three months ago. A long, hot three months ago - the man delivered on his promise. Never one to lament the end of summer, I'm not complaining about the impending change in seasons. In fact, I'm quite pleased with the already cooler days and downright chilly evenings, but it does have me wondering where my summer went and what, at least culinarily, do I have to show for it?!

I may have neglected my blog this summer, and my kitchen in general for that matter. May have neglected my grill. May have neglected feeding my boy homemade yumminess on the regular and maybe, just maybe, may have neglected eating as healthily as I would have liked. But I did make homemade cheese. Call it inspiration from my trip to Wisconsin. Call it dairy addiction. Call it fan-freakin-tastic! Because, I will tell you, if I did one thing right this summer it was this cheese. If you've been following along on my culinary journey, you already know that I have a bit of a cheese problem. I mean, I'm the girl who waxed poetic about the virtues of baked ricotta with chocolate chips for a full paragraph. I'm the girl who has never met a cheese she didn't like. And just to prove it, I'm also the girl who has spent no less than an hour sampling an abundance of cheese at the Fairway cheese counter (yes, they'll let you taste the cheeses and seem happy to do so, even if you want to taste ALL of them!!!). So for this love story to progress organically, the next logical step is for me to remove the middle man from me and my cheese. Which is exactly what I did.

It began innocently enough when I returned from my Wisconsin trip with six pounds of cheese curds in tow (cheese problem). Granted, a pound or two were to be gifted, but the remaining cheese was for us. To say that it didn't last long would be a grave understatement. I can say with relative conviction that our cheese was gone within the week (cheese problem). Which led Doug and I to perform an Internet search to purchase cheese curds and have them shipped to us (cheese problem). Exorbitant shipping costs, however, prevented us from completing our purchase but left us fiending for some cheese sooooooo....off to Fairway we went. In search of squeaky, delicious cheese curds. Which they did not have. What they did have was fresh mozzarella curd and inspiration struck.

When making homemade mozzarella, you really only need a few things:

a large heatproof bowl
fresh mozzarella curd
nearly boiling water (liberally salted if you prefer)
a wooden, bamboo or other sturdy spoon
cold, fresh water
patience as it cools
willpower not to eat the entire ball in one sitting

Start by cutting your curd into approximate 1 inch cubes and placing in a heatproof bowl.

Bring a pot of water almost to a boil. If desired, liberally salt the water. Don't worry about over-salting, you will cool and soak the mozzarella in fresh water after forming it and much of the salt will be drawn out then.

When the water is almost boiling, ladle it around the edges of your bowl, not directly over the curds. Continue ladling the water around the bowl edges until your mozzarella curds are completely covered. Allow the curds to sit in the hot water for a few minutes. Then, using your spoon, begin to scoop the curds together from underneath and upwards out of the water, stretching the cheese until they have a glossy sheen. Repeat until all the curds are incorporated and have come together as a homogeneous substance.

Now it's time to shape your mozzarella. This takes a little practice, so don't worry if you don't get it right the first time. - it will still be delicious. I've made mozzarella a few times now and my ball always ends up semi-flattened. Take the mozzarella in your hands (carefully, it will be hot) and begin to roll it under itself pushing and tucking until it takes the shape of a ball.

Once balled, move to a bowl of fresh, cold water to cool. You may need to change the water once or twice to completely cool the cheese. Or, if you simply cannot wait, like me, it's phenomenal warm!

Now that you've got a ball (disk?) of homemade mozzarella the possibilities are endless. Seeing as it's the end of the season, a fresh caprese salad is a good way to use up the last of the summer tomatoes and garden fresh basil before the frost comes. Slice your tomatoes thick, do the same with the mozzarella and layer them on a plate. Tuck basil leaves between the slices, drizzle with a balsamic reduction (heat balsamic vinegar until it reduces by half and thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon) and a bit of olive oil. Simple, classic and, for those of you who want to, a nearly perfect way to hold on to those last bits of summer!

For another summery variation on this theme, halve peaches, remove the pits and slice thickly. Drizzle lightly with olive oil and toss with salt and pepper. Grill the peaches until you see grill marks and the flesh begins to soften, turning once or twice. Layer the grilled peaches with the fresh mozzarella and either fresh basil or mint leaves (or a combination of the two). Drizzle with a balsamic reduction and olive oil and enjoy!

Bon Appetit!

Ramp It Up!

2012-05-14T20:46:00.000-04:00

Everyone knows the old proverb "April showers bring May flowers" but I have to say, this year, I'm preferring May showers to May flowers. If you recall from my last post, Doug and I recently dug up our front patch of grass and threw down grass seed. I hesitate to call what we did "planting" because, quite frankly, neither one of us have a particularly green thumb so it was more like wishful scattering. We've been watering ~~religiously~~ intermittently so I've been very thankful to Mother Nature for her recent contributions to our new grass movement. Because...look what started sprouting up the other day...baby grass!!!

I shouldn't be so surprised. The seeds gave me a personal guarantee. See?

But, you don't know me. Some days I am fully convinced that the only reason I remember to feed and water the dogs is because they remind me. Loudly. Calm down, I'm kidding. I take very good care of the dogs. Grass, and other botanical endeavors? Not so much. So yes, despite the guarantee, I was skeptical. Yet there it is a week later - tiny little blades of fresh baby grass poking through the (partially dry) soil.

Ok, so maybe it's sparse and maybe it'll require another scattering, but it is most definitely there and growing! The epitome of spring and renewal. I am...elated!

The freshness and downright "springy-ness" of our new grass led my thoughts to the fresh flavors of spring. What could be springy-er than asparagus, peas and ramps? Three different shades of springtime green dancing against a backdrop of creamy white rice? Yep - I'm making a spring risotto!

But before I do, let me backtrack because I'm willing to bet there are a few of you who are wondering what on earth a ramp has to do with springtime, let alone risotto. Well, if you'll permit me a quick analogy, ramps are to foodies (especially Manhattan foodies) what gossip is to a Desperate Housewife. Pretty much the...Best. Thing. Ever. Embodying the Manhattan foodie trifecta, they are rare (hint - check your local farmer's market or Whole Foods), in season for a very short time (March to June) and not mainstream dinner table fodder...yet. Ramps are basically wild leeks.

With a flavor like that of an onion/garlic hybrid, and their virtues extolled in the likes of Bon Appetit and Time, ramps lend themselves quite easily to multiple cooking styles. Easy to clean and easy to cook these versatile little garlicky oniony wonders are fast converting me to a culinary hipster. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go Occupy my kitchen.

Yields 4 heaping 1 1/4 cup servings

Cal: 380 Fat: 6g Carb: 71g Protein: 12g Fiber: 3g
10 Weight Watchers points + per serving

1 tbsp olive oil
1 shallot, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup white wine
1 1/2 cups arborio rice
5 - 6 cups 99% fat free chicken stock
1 bunch asparagus (cut into 1/2 inch pieces)
1 bunch ramps (bulbs and stems finely chopped, leaves roughly chopped)
1/2 cup peas
1/3 cup grated parmigiano reggiano cheese
1 tbsp lemon juice
Freshly shaved parmigiano reggiano cheese for garnish (optional)

Heat broth in a saucepan, and keep warm on low while preparing the risotto.

Warm olive oil in a large pan. Add shallot, garlic and ramp bulbs/stems.

Saute until tender and transparent - approximately 3 - 4 minutes. Add rice and stir to coat with oil.

Continue to stir rice until it is warmed throughout (use the back of your hand to check). Add wine and stir to deglaze the pan. Begin adding warm broth to the rice by the 1/2 cupful and stir.

As the rice absorbs the liquid, add another half cup and stir. Continue to add liquid and cook until absorbed, stirring constantly (the first rule of making a creamy risotto is STIR!) for 18 to 22 minutes.

At around the 15 minute mark, add asparagus and peas to the risotto.

Stir, stir stir! Continue to cook, tasting as you go and adding liquid if necessary (the risotto should have a creamy texture and be al dente but cooked through) until the asparagus is crisp tender. Add the ramp leaves and stir, cooking until they are just wilted.

Once the asparagus is cooked, the ramps are wilted and the risotto is creamy, remove from the heat. Add lemon juice and cheese and stir well to combine. Add salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with shaved parm and enjoy!

Bon Appetit!

Broccoli Rabe(d) For Time?

2012-05-01T22:16:00.000-04:00

After a brief hiatus (while getting settled in my new job), I am happy to be back and blogging again! When I last posted, it was Thanksgiving and I was reflecting on the hard and happy times alike during the preceding year. Since my last post, the happy times have far outnumbered the hard times! In January I took a quick (and bittersweet) vacation to Florida to visit my family for a few days (and say a tearful goodbye to my uncle who had passed away in September). In February I left a job that was making me miserable, accepted a job that is making me happier than I've been in years and had a lovely impromptu Valentine's Day getaway with Doug. The arrival of March brought foot surgery for Doug and several weeks of recovery at home; the silver lining being the opportunity for us to spend some fantastic quality time together while he was recovering. All in all, the past few months have been good to me - busy, but good. All that busy, however, has led to less home-cooked meals and more take-out on the way home; something I have vowed to change time and again. So while I make a concerted effort to spend more time in the kitchen, I need my life to get on board and quit positioning itself between me and the stove!

But seriously, have you ever had one of those days when life gets in the way? Where no matter what your intentions you can't seem to accomplish what you set out to...and for no real reason? I had several of those days last week, but none more so than Wednesday. Typically, Wednesdays at work are pretty standard - halfway through the work week, not terribly taxing or stressful and this particular Wednesday was par for the course. I had a fairly productive day at work - however replete with last minute meetings and ad hoc tasks that led me somewhat off my intended track - still I left feeling moderately accomplished. Upon arriving home, life's intervention kicked it into high gear when I opened the door and the doorknob fell off in my hand. After temporarily reattaching the doorknob and making a mental note to permanently fix it later, Doug arrived home and was motivated to clean so we began a cleaning spree (which mostly consisted of dusting and organizing the wine collection - no small task - and some light vacuuming). We got distracted by a cute puppy outside who needed our love and attention as well as our two cute puppies inside who needed our love and attention. And while outside, we noticed that the small patch of front lawn needed "mowing" (there's so little of it that we use a weed whacker to "mow") so Doug started weed whacking the lawn, I began raking the grassy bits and before you knew it we were pulling dead grass out by the roots, tilling the soil over the entire grass patch and spreading new grass seed; our fingers crossed for a plush new lawn. By the time we returned inside it was after 8pm and I'd lost all motivation to do the only thing I'd wanted to do since leaving work - cook dinner! See? Totally life's fault! Doug's brother was going to be joining us for dinner (his arrival was imminent) and seeing as I'd promised a home-cooked meal, last minute take out wasn't an option. I needed something fast - and hearty enough for two hungry guys! So I uncorked a bottle of wine, poured Doug and I each a glass and had dinner on the table in less time than it would have taken to have a pizza delivered - and well before Steve arrived! Life, if you're listening, I'm requesting more nights like this (i.e., wine and quick dinners) please!

A "healthified" twist on an Italian restaurant classic, this dish has fast become one of our favorites and, when I'm cooking, usually makes it into rotation once a week. It's so darn yummy, the fact that it's healthy, fast and super easy is just the proverbial icing! Move over Rachael Ray - I see your 30 minute meals and raise you waistline friendly! How's that for delish?!

Yields 6 heaping 1 1/2 cup servings

Cal: 458 Fat: 12g Carb: 60g Protein: 27g Fiber: 5g
12 Weight Watchers points + per serving

Rotini with (Turkey) Sausage and Broccoli Rabe

1 lb rotini (I used original Barilla but feel free to substitute whole wheat &/or any shape you prefer)
1 package (5 links) Jennie-O Turkey Store Sausage or Purdue Turkey Sausage (sweet Italian style), casings removed
1 bunch broccoli rabe (rapini), cleaned and cut in thirds
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp crushed red pepper (more or less to taste)
1/4 cup fat free chicken broth
1/2 cup pasta water
1/2 cup grated pecorino romano cheese
cooking oil spray
salt and pepper to taste

**Recipe Variations: Try with hot turkey sausage instead of sweet or omit the meat entirely - it's delicious either way! Or, for an added veggie boost, double up on the broccoli rabe!**

Bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, liberally salt the water. Blanch broccoli rabe in the salted water for 45 seconds to 1 minute.

Remove broccoli rabe with tongs (do not discard the water) and immediately plunge into a bowl of icy water - this shocks the broccoli rabe and halts the cooking process. Bring the pot of water back to a boil and add pasta.

While the pasta is cooking, spray a large saute pan with cooking oil spray and heat over medium-high heat. Once the pan is hot, add turkey sausage. Break up the turkey sausage into small pieces as it cooks.

Add chicken broth, garlic and crushed red pepper. Drain broccoli rabe and add to cooked sausage. Saute until broccoli rabe is warmed throughout.

Cook pasta just to al dente, reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water, then drain. Add cooked pasta, in batches, to the saute pan with the turkey sausage and broccoli rabe and stir to combine.

Add pasta water and pecorino romano.

Cook for 2-3 minutes (the starches in the pasta water will tighten up into a light sauce) and toss to coat.

Bon Appetit!

Linked to and Featured At:

Giving Thanks

2011-11-28T20:50:00.000-05:00

Another Thanksgiving has come and gone which means we're nearing the end of yet another year. The older we get, the more swiftly the years pass and I long for the days when a school day seemed a week long. This past year, like many recent ones, has been wrought with hard times: emotional, financial and medical - the all too sudden death of my grandmother (which I am still learning to cope with daily), the untimely passing of an uncle (my mother's younger brother), unexpected (and costly) car repairs, six plus months of fighting a stubborn illness. I could go on, but when I really think about it, this year has been replete with happiness, rebirth and celebrations as well - incredible vacations, a fairy tale wedding (I still can't believe my "baby" brother is married), a new job and one more important thing to be thankful for...a new oven!

If you recall from my second post, when Doug bought the house, we had a hole in the island where the oven should be. A hole that was too small for a conventional oven to fit without many renovations. A hole that even with renovations would not accommodate a conventional oven due to the inconvenient placement of the gas line. A hole in which we were told said ill placed gas line could not be moved or capped. A hole in which we were told it was nearly impossible to run the right kind of electric line to support an oven. A hole in which it seemed only an Easy Bake oven would ever reside.

It took nearly two years, countless measurements, a handful of consultations, one incredibly talented and dedicated electrician, an added breaker and three 6-inch holes in the basement ceiling to get here but here it is, in all it's beautiful self-cleaning glory!

What you may notice from the photo is that along with our pretty new oven, we've got a fancy new electric cook top as well! While I loved the old gas stove, going electric was a concession I had to make in exchange for the ability to broil, bake and roast. Which is exactly what I did as Doug and I hosted our first Thanksgiving dinner! That oven worked overtime as I made roasted pumpkin soup, an herb roasted turkey, spice roasted autumn veggies and a decadent salted caramel apple pie!

As another November passes, I am truly thankful. I have my health, the most wonderful friends a girl could ask for, family ties that can never be broken, the love of a man who supports me in more ways than I can describe, a good job, two sweet dogs whose puppy kisses can brighten even the darkest day - I am a lucky girl. And while I am thankful for all of these things and more on a daily basis, I can't help but feel especially blessed as I pull a tray of cupcakes from the oven and begin whipping buttercream as they cool!

So welcome to phase two of Cuit Sans Four - Simply Cuit!

Stuffed Cabbage and Rain Storms

2011-10-28T13:25:00.000-04:00

I know I've said it before, but what is with the rain this year?! I can't help but think of the nursery rhyme I grew up singing. Rain rain go away, come again another day? Maybe not. Rain rain go to Spain, never show your face again? That's more like it!

I spent a good part of the summer looking for the silver lining to all the rain. All I came up with was that it must have made home gardeners quite happy. I can't be sure, though, because I have a ~~green~~ black thumb. It's all I can do to keep my potted basil plant alive but my father fancies himself quite the gardener and I'm inclined to agree. So maybe all the rain this year was good for dad's garden because he procured quite a bounty: a plethora of peppers, 2 types of eggplant, green, yellow and butternut squashes, never ending tomatoes, broccoli, herbs, cabbage and I think I saw the beginnings of a few small pumpkins! On a trip home in late August, I made sure to plunder the family farmer's market of some precious booty! In all honesty, it wasn't so much a plundering as a Hurricane Irene induced hand-out. Fear of the impending hurricane had left dad scrambling to harvest as much of his garden as humanly possible and I (along with the rest of his neighborhood) reaped the benefits!

I found myself with some gorgeous yellow squash, baby heirloom tomatoes, zucchini and the aforementioned 2 types of eggplant which all came together for my Confetti Couscous, but then I was left with this enormous head of cabbage. This monstrosity was so big (how big was it?!) - it didn't even fit in the fridge! I knew I could get a meal and at least 1 side dish (maybe 2) out of this colossal cabbage. First order of business - Italian Style Stuffed Cabbage; a comforting meal from my childhood that is perfect for rainy and not-so-rainy nights alike. Next up - a warm cabbage slaw with smoky, salty bacon. And finally, since no cabbage ever sets foot in this house without taking a nice long bath in some beef stock - a small batch of Doug's favorite cabbage soup.

It was the perfect night to spend in front of the stove. Hurricane Irene was on her way; the rain had just started to pelt the house, the wind was whipping into a frenzy and I was whipping up a hearty meal. I got the cabbage stuffed, smothered it with tomato sauce and sat back listening to the rain as the house filled with the most wonderful earthy aroma. The stuffed cabbage was more than enough for a couple meals for us and the warm cabbage slaw was a fantastic side dish for some spicy turkey sausage a few nights later. Gazing out the window yesterday, on that dreary, gloomy Thursday got me thinking about that blustery weekend in August; how much we enjoyed that cabbage and how, once again, it would be the perfect night for a cozy meal like this.

The stuffed cabbage pairs very well with just about any side dish (mashed potatoes - find my recipe for cheesy mashed potatoes here - and veggies are a personal favorite)!

Cal: 152 Fat: 6g Carb: 13g Protein: 14g Fiber: 3g
Yields 8-10 (nutritional information based on 9 servings)

8-10 large cabbage leaves
1 lb lean ground turkey
1 cup brown rice
2 cups plus 1 cups fat free chicken broth (divided)

1 large egg

1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

1/3 cup pecorino romano cheese, grated (plus additional for topping, to taste)

2 tsp Italian seasoning blend

3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes (with basil)

Fill a large stock pot with water and bring to a boil. Once boiling, salt the water liberally. Clean 8-10 large cabbage leaves and blanche until wilted (about 10 minutes).

Drain, pat dry and set aside to cool.

Meanwhile, cook rice in 2 cups of chicken broth for 35-40 minutes until broth is mostly absorbed; removing from heat when it is just slightly undercooked. Allow to cool.

In a large bowl combine ground turkey, egg, garlic, parsley, italian seasoning and pecorino romano cheese. Mix well. Add cooled rice and mix until all ingredients are well combined.

Lay a cooled cabbage leaf flat on a cutting board, add a scoop of filling at one end (I used an ice cream scoop for perfect proportions). Roll cabbage inwards over the stuffing, tucking in sides as you go. Repeat with remaining cabbage leaves until all filling is used. Place filled leaves in a large, deep saute pan.

Mix crushed tomatoes with remaining cup of chicken broth and pour over stuffed cabbage leaves. Cover and cook on medium high heat until sauce comes to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for an hour.

Serve stuffed cabbage smothered in sauce topped with additional pecorino romano cheese, if desired.

Bon Appetit!

Nurgers?

2011-08-25T21:51:00.000-04:00

You've gotta love technology. We've come so far, yet sometimes it seems like all this progress does nothing more than hamper interpersonal communications. I admit it; I'm guilty of falling prey to the instant gratification communication needs of the cellular technology age. I am an avid texter. I'd rather shoot off a quick text message than have a lengthy chit chat. No small talk, no pleasantries - why should I pick up a phone and actually talk to someone when I can get my message across in 160 characters or less? And, with the advent of smartphones with Swype and Slide-It keyboard technology it's become that much easier to send messages. I can swipe out a text message in seconds flat (she says with pride)! There's only one problem. My smartphone isn't as smart as it claims.

For years, I had cell phones with T9 technology to predict and auto-correct my typing errors. But could it be? Was there something better? A phone that would seemingly know what I wanted to say almost before I did? I had to have it! Welcome 2011 and enter my very first smartphone with Swype. Simply slide your finger across the touch pad keyboard, drawing the pattern of the word you want to spell, and the phone will ~~correctly~~ predict what you are attempting to say. A lot of the time, it's surprisingly accurate. But then there are those times, the times that there's been an entire website (which can be lewd) devoted to, when auto-correct seems to take on a mind of its own and your intended sentiment becomes one big fail. Which is exactly how we ended up having nurgers for dinner one night.

We were out to dinner; nowhere fancy, just a local burger joint - a loud local burger joint where I felt it necessary to text my conversation to Doug. Partly because I was too busy shoveling juicy delicious char-broiled meat into my mouth and partly because shouting over dinner is just not becoming for a lady. My inquiry was simple: "how's your nurger?". Really, phone? Nurger? The beauty of technology at work. I don't know what, exactly, is smart about my smartphone that it a) thought nurger was actually a word and b) thought that that would be my word of choice given all the other words that could be made by the pattern I drew on my keyboard. Budget, midget - both practical options, and real words to boot. But, nurger? Yet there it was staring back at me, after I'd hit send. Though in hindsight, I suppose "How's your midget?" would not have been a better option. Regardless, never one to miss an opportunity to mock me shamelessly, moments later I had a post from Doug on my Facebook wall: "You're a nurger.".

Since then, nurgers have become our new name for an old favorite...as well as a silly new pet name to add to the rotation. So, Doug wasn't surprised at all when he got the following text message from me one night: "Dinner later? Curry turkey nurgers?". Without missing a beat came his reply: "I love nurgers! Sounds good.". And so, on yet another rainy summer night when the grill was out of commission (is it me or have we been having an awfully lot of rainy summer nights this year?!) I set out to make my Curry Turkey Nurgers, er Burgers.

Cal: 213 Fat: 9g Carb: 11g Protein: 23g Fiber: 3g
Yields 4

Curry Turkey Burgers

1 lb lean ground turkey
4-6 tbsp mild curry powder
2-3 tbsp mango chutney
1 clove garlic (grated)
2 tsp ginger (grated)

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Mix well with your hand ensuring that all the seasonings are uniformly distributed throughout the meat. Form into four 4oz patties, slightly indented in the middle to help battle the burger bloat.

Grill (or griddle) for 6-8 minutes per side.

I piled my burger with a mountain of peppery arugula and a smear of Curry Aioli (recipe below).

Curry Aioli
2 tbsp light or low fat mayonnaise
1/2 tbsp mild curry powder
1/2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp garlic, minced

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Mix well. This is fantastic on the burgers but also works well as a dip for french fries or raw veggies.

Bon Appetit!

The Easy Way Out

2011-08-23T21:23:00.000-04:00

I'm still feeling pretty crummy. Saw the doctor yesterday and he said I'm about 60% recovered and wants me on continued rest throughout the week- not exactly the prognosis I was looking for especially when I'm sure things are piling up at work. Reactions from friends and family have run the gamut from "60%! That's great!" from the Little Mary Sunshines to "60%??? That's all???" which is more in line with how I'm feeling about this illness. I understand it's going to be a long road to being 100% myself again but when even doing nothing is exhausting, it's hard to be excited about slightly better than half.

All these percentages got me thinking about the proportions of me. How, exactly, does one embody 60% of themselves? And currently what 40% am I missing? It didn't take much introspection to realize what 40% of my personality has gone missing lately. Sense of humor, optimism, carefree and fun-loving have been replaced with stress about being sick and the ramifications on other aspects of my life, worries about how to ensure I don't relapse into this illness again, sadness about being stuck in the house and missing events like my future sister-in-law's bachelorette party and sheer exhaustion from, well, all of it. Oh yeah, and patience. I'm definitely lacking some of that these days. I want to be well. I want to have the energy to walk the dogs. I want to laugh without coughing. And it's not happening fast enough.

After a half hour conversation with a girlfriend this afternoon I hung up the phone, my voice fading and in need of a nap. I awoke a little refreshed and in the mood to make dinner. I whipped up an old favorite, Spicy Asian Glazed Chicken and a simple fried rice side dish. This quick and easy side is great to make when you have leftover rice in the fridge, which we just so happened to have this evening. What I didn't have was a variety of fresh veggies on hand, so I just tossed in the basics but included some yummy alternate options below. My perfect variation of this dish would include all of the veggies listed but feel free to use whatever combination you have on hand! You can also make it a full meal by adding a cup or two of chopped grilled chicken, cubed steak or cubed tofu!

Disclaimer: In keeping with the theme of the day, between the recycled main course and the day old rice, I have determined this post to be roughly 60% new.

Serving size 2/3 cup
Yields 6 servings

Cal: 163 Fat: 2g Carb: 29g Protein: 7g Fiber: 3g

Fried Rice

non-stick cooking oil spray
3 cups cooked brown rice
1 cup carrots, shredded
2 tbsp water
1 cup frozen edamame, thawed
1/2 cup scallions, chopped
1/2 cup egg substitute (such as Egg Beaters)
1/3 cup reduced sodium soy sauce
1 tsp ginger root, grated

Veggie variations

1 cup Chinese bean sprouts
1 cup shitake mushrooms
1 cup shredded savoy or Chinese cabbage (bok choy)
1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed

Spray a wok with non-stick cooking oil spray and heat over medium heat (if you don't have a wok, a large saute pan will do nicely). Allow the pan to get hot and add the carrots and water. The water will act as a steaming agent to get the carrots softened nicely and then evaporate without affecting the final consistency of the dish.

Saute the carrots for 1-2 minutes and add the edamame and scallions.

Saute the veggies together for 2-3 minutes more and add the rice.

Toss until the rice is warmed throughout and then push the mixture towards the walls of the wok, or pan, making a well in the middle. Add the eggs to the well and scramble.

When the eggs are almost cooked through, mix well with the rice and veggies. Add soy sauce and grated ginger and cook until the rice is only slightly moistened by the soy sauce.

Bon Appetit!

Veggie Tales

2011-08-21T19:28:00.001-04:00

I am, without a doubt, a meat eater. A full fledged, card carrying carnivore. I once approached a guy in a bar and told him to take me to the meat (which I learned, ladies, is not an altogether horrid pick up line depending on your intentions). I was not, however, trying to pick anyone up and in my defense, I was at a bbq festival and he appeared to be wearing some sort of V.I.P. all access pass. I thought I had just met my new best friend! Turns out he wasn't a V.I.P and had no more access to the meat than did I (or any other paying customer) but you can't blame a gal for trying!

I tried vegetarianism for a full 9 months when I was younger before falling shamelessly off the chuck wagon and crawling wantonly towards a chuck steak. It became quite clear - I need meat in my life. That said, I do love me some veggies and there are many times I enjoy eating vegetarian (even vegan). It just will never be a way of life for me. Nor will it be for Doug. He may be an even more devout meat eater than I which is why I relish the nights he's away, like tonight, to make a hearty vegetarian meal for one.

There's something about summer veggies that makes me giddy. When I see fresh eggplant, zucchini and yellow squash (just to name a few) my tummy does a happy dance and I know it's going to be a night to go veg! Even better when I can get them from a local farmer's market or my parents' garden. Yum! I happened upon some beauties the other day and have been thinking about what to do with them since. I'm still feeling under the weather so I wanted a quick and easy one pot option; maximizing flavor while minimizing time in the kitchen. A quick saute of my veggies, finish with some couscous and I'm good to go. Quick, delicious and healthy. A few simple changes (noted below) and you can easily take this dish from vegetarian to vegan.

Yields approximately 4 huge 2 cup servings

Cal: 290 Fat: 3g Carb: 55g Protein: 10g Fiber: 7g

Confetti Couscous

cooking oil spray
1 tsp olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 small onion, chopped
1 small zucchini, diced
1 small yellow squash, diced
1 small eggplant, diced
1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
8 oz baby portobello mushrooms, quartered
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 cup whole wheat couscous
1 1/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth (substitute vegetable broth for vegan)
2 tbsp each fresh parsley and basil, rough chopped
1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
1/4 cup grated pecorino romano cheese (omit for vegan)

In a large saute pan, heat cooking oil spray and olive oil together over medium high heat. Add onion and garlic and saute until soft and translucent. Add zucchini, yellow squash, eggplant, grape tomatoes and mushrooms.

Cook, covered, 8-10 minutes until vegetables are tender. Add chicken broth and bring to a boil. Once boiling, add couscous. Continue to cook until couscous has absorbed the cooking liquid. Remove from the heat, stir in fresh herbs and grated cheese. Top with a pinch more grated cheese and enjoy!

Bon Appetit!

A River Runs Through It

2011-08-20T23:20:00.002-04:00

I have finally discovered the poached egg. Don't ask me how I'd gone 35 years without eating one - I can barely fathom it myself, but up until recently nothing was more disgusting (and terrifying) than eating runny yolk. Eggs were to be scrambled (dry), deviled (my now second favorite way to eat them), made into an omelet (the more cheese the better) or as an addition to a recipe but never ever ever were they to be wet and runny. The mere thought gave me chills.

But, how can one profess to be a foodie (foodista?) and food blogger whilst being scared of a little egg? Preposterous! I admit, over the past year or so, I've been tempted. I mean, the Crab Cake Eggs Benedict my girlfriend ordered for brunch in DC last summer almost swayed me and if we hadn't drank so much fun the night before, I may have caved. It was coming, it was...inevitable; and my world was changed forever on Sunday July 10, 2011 at roughly 11am at Shea's Cafe in Absecon, NJ. Their Eggs Benedict shamelessly took my poached egg virginity with reckless abandon (or maybe that was just the way I devoured my brunch) and left me wanting more! Since then, I can't get enough of that drippy, velvety, buttery yolk. I want everything I eat to be slathered in nature's gravy. Poached eggs on buttered toast has become my new weekend go-to breakfast - and for those of you who've never poached an egg before; don't believe the hype it is NOT difficult! I've been poaching eggs like a fiend over the past month and putting them on everything from toast to salads to creamed spinach; which has to be, hands down, the most comforting dish there is! Maybe it's because it's so new to me but this dish is more comforting than mashed potatoes, more comforting than macaroni and cheese, more comforting than dessert - ok maybe not, I've got to draw the line somewhere! But you get my point - this is divine!

Creamed spinach is historically, although tasty, not the healthiest thing out there and at the rate I've been eating it these days I'm starting to hear my arteries scream for help. So, I decided to lighten it up without sacrificing flavor or that creamy delicious texture. My version has 139 calories and 8 grams of fat per 1/2 cup serving (including the poached egg) and you really can't taste the difference! Add some whole wheat toast and you've got the makings of a sublimely comforting meal.

If you want to make it truly decadent (and calories aren't a concern that night), try your hand at deep frying the poached egg (keep scrolling for the recipe and pics). I know it may sound kind of odd and altogether difficult but so long as you handle with care, the end result is well worth the effort (and calories)!

Creamed Spinach
Cal: 69 Fat: 3g Carb: 7g Protein: 3g Fiber: 1g
With Poached Egg
Cal: 139 Fat: 8g Carb: 7g Protein: 9g Fiber: 1g

Creamed Spinach with Poached Eggs

2 10 oz bags of baby spinach
1 tbsp butter
1 small shallot (finely chopped)
1 tbsp all purpose flour
1/2 cup fat free half and half
1/2 tsp grated nutmeg
salt and pepper to taste

Lightly spray a large saucepan with nonstick cooking spray. Add one bag of baby spinach.

Cook spinach over medium heat until it begins to wilt enough to add the second bag of spinach. Add the second bag and continue to cook until all spinach is wilted.

Remove from heat, drain in a strainer and then transfer cooked spinach to a clean kitchen towel. Squeeze as much water as possible from the spinach. Place squeezed spinach on a cutting board and coarsely chop.

Meanwhile, heat a small saute pan over medium heat. Add butter and allow to melt. Once melted, add the shallot and saute until tender (3-4 min).

Then stir in flour to form a roux.

Cook the roux for a minute or two, then add fat free half and half. Continue cooking over medium heat until the mixture thickens. Remove from the heat, stir in nutmeg and salt and pepper to taste.

Add chopped spinach to cream sauce and stir until well coated.

Now for the poached eggs:

Half fill a saucepan with water and add a splash of white vinegar. Place over medium heat and allow to come almost to a simmer - you don't want the water actually simmering but to the point just before. While the water is heating, crack an egg into a small bowl or ramekin. Once the water is ready, using a large spoon, stir the water until you've got a nice whirlpool going. Carefully slide the egg from the bowl into the center of the whirlpool. Don't worry if it looks like the white is separating from the yolk, it'll all come together.

Allow the egg to poach for 3-3 1/2 minutes then remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to paper towel to dry.

Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and serve over creamed spinach (or anything your heart desires!).

Now, for those of you who are feeling a touch ambitious (and not calorie conscious) read on for how to deep fry your poached egg. You'll need the frying holy trinity: flour, egg wash, breadcrumbs (I use panko - nothing beats the crunch!).

Heat a small saucepan with a couple inches of oil (when frying, you want to use an oil with a high smoke point - peanut, sunflower, grapeseed and safflower are all good options). Bring the oil to about 350 degrees.

Gingerly coat the egg in the flour then transfer to the egg wash.

Turn once or twice in the egg wash and transfer to the panko.

Carefully turn in the panko until the egg is well coated.

Once your oil has come to temperature, lower the breaded egg into the oil and fry for approximately 30 seconds or until it is a light golden brown. Remove from the oil and place on paper towel. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and enjoy.

My favorite way to eat a fried poached egg is on creamed spinach or over a salad but I'm always looking for new ways to enjoy this treat!

Bon Appetit!

Something From Nothing

2011-08-19T11:03:00.000-04:00

To say that my not-so-new job has been draining me is a bit of an understatement, but it's not just the new job that has had me so run down lately. The little summer cold I came down with in early May has taken up residence, simply refusing to leave, landing me at the doctor's office more times than I care to admit in the last three months and culminating in a chronic sinus infection and nasty bronchitis that has me unable to walk more than a few feet without becoming short of breath (damn asthma!). Add to it Zumba classes, nights and weekends spent visiting friends, late evenings with the boy, a mild stomach flu that plagued me for most of June and it's amazing I haven't collapsed by now. Being this sick for this long, I welcomed the doctor telling me to stay out of work for the week and do nothing. But how does one so used to doing everything do nothing? Recumbent in bed, with the laptop, updating her oh-so-neglected blog - that's how!

So, for those of you who've missed me - I'm sorry, I will try not to stay away so long again. For those of you who may not have known I existed before this post - welcome, you've missed a bit! Go back, read through some recipes and try your hand at some yummy dishes! And, for those of you who didn't even notice I was gone - I'll just assume it was because you were too busy cooking your way through my past posts to realize I hadn't posted anything new! ;)

Put a Stick In It!

2011-06-05T13:08:00.000-04:00

Is it me or does food on a stick just taste better? I really think that's why corn dogs have such appeal. Put that sucker on a bun and it's a whole different animal - and not nearly as tasty a one! I mean, think about it. Little chunks of meat and veggies that could be stew - add a skewer et voila! Shish kebab - how fun! Corn, ice cream, those deep fried twirly cut potatoes at local fairs, fondue (ok that might be a bit of a stretch but you know I'm right); all better on a stick. And think about what a stick and the freezer did for plain old pudding! Even comedian Jeff Dunham has a schtick on a stick. Yep, food on a stick is funnier, funner (aren't made up words great?) and just plain yummier! And what could make food on a stick even better? Grilling it! And dipping it! Put that all together and I get so excited I can hardly eat - or is it hardly wait to eat?!

I'm the kind of person who will grill year round. And I have. But there's something about grilling on a late spring (or early summer) evening that just makes everything right in the world. Firing up the grill as the sun slowly heads for the horizon, eating outside, tiki torches ablaze; realizing just as you finish your last bite of dinner that it's cooled off a bit and is a great night for toasting marshmallows and making s'mores. It's so much better than grilling surrounded by snow - although that has surreal attributes that make it almost as much fun. Almost.

It's been a beautiful few days. Temperatures hovering in the mid 70's, blue skies, high puffy cotton ball clouds; perfect grilling weather. So, I dug out the bamboo skewers and set about making some grilled food...on a steeeek.

These are great as an entree with some grilled veggies and a big salad. You can just as easily make them with thinly sliced pork, a sturdy fish or even tofu for a vegan treat! Just pick your favorite protein, marinate and grill for a quick, easy and delicious dinner! Or, try them as a fun appetizer at your next BBQ!

Beef and Chicken 5 Spice Satay
Marinade (Makes enough for 1 pound of meat)

2 tbsp lime juice
1 tbsp Chinese 5 spice seasoning blend
2 tbsp reduced sodium soy sauce
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 tsp sugar
3-4 thin slices of ginger root (approximately 1 inch in diameter)

1 lb flank steak, cut into 1 oz strips
or
1 lb thin sliced chicken breast, cut into 1 oz strips

Beef - per 1oz skewer
Cal: 62 Fat: 2g Carb: 6g Protein: 6g Fiber: 0g
Chicken - per 1oz skewer
Cal: 43 Fat: 0g Carb: 6g Protein: 6g Fiber: 0g

Mix all marinade ingredients. Place meat strips in a zip lock bag, pour marinade over meat, squeeze as much air out of the bag as possible and seal. Allow meat to marinate for 2-3 hours.

Meanwhile, soak bamboo skewers in water for 20-30 minutes. Once meat is done marinating, skewer each piece by weaving a skewer in and out down the length of the meat.

Grill for 2-3 minutes per side. Serve with Spicy Peanut Dipping Sauce (below).

Spicy Peanut Dipping Sauce

1/4 cup skim milk
1/4 cup reduced fat peanut butter
3 tsp reduced sodium soy sauce
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp ginger root, grated
2 tsp unseasoned rice wine vinegar
1 tsp lime juice
2 tsp Sriracha (more or less to taste)

Per tablespoon
Cal: 55 Fat: 3g Carb: 5g Protein: 2g Fiber: 0g

Mix all ingredients with an immersion blender (or whisk) until fully combined.

Bon Appetit!

Burgers, Burns and Bites

2011-05-30T21:34:00.000-04:00

Memorial Day Weekend 2011 - where is this year going? Mother Nature seems to be taking her cues from National holidays this year ushering in the sweltering summer heat just in time for the "unofficial start of summer". Personally, I'd be thrilled with 4 more weeks of spring, but I decided to play along with summer's early arrival and head down the shore yesterday to celebrate one of my oldest and dearest friend's birthdays.

At 10:30 a.m. Jimmy and I donned our bathing suits for the first time this season, packed up the car with beach chairs, towels and sunscreen and hit the road. What should have been less than a 2 hour drive delivered us shore front at roughly 2pm. Anxious to hit the beach, we quickly found parking and were on the beach in no time. After an inaugural dip (only ankle deep) in the icy Atlantic, I lathered up with sunscreen and settled in. Even though it was in the high 80's, there was a cool breeze coming off the ocean and before long I was snoozing on the warm sand. I awoke a couple hours later hungry from the heat and ready to hit the shops and restaurants. Upon first examination, I didn't appear to be burned but a closer look revealed that my right arm, and only the outer side of my right arm was lobster red. Ugh! Note to self: apply sunscreen before sun exposure - and yes, hanging your arm out the passenger window on a 31/2 hr drive is sun exposure! As I brushed the sand from my body I noticed I was getting kind of itchy and discovered quite a few welts on my legs and one HUGE one on my forehead. I initially dismissed them as mosquito bites but when the swelling on my forehead became such that it appeared as if I got conked with a baseball bat and the itching turned to a dull stinging sensation I knew these were no normal mosquitoes (I later found out that I'd been bitten by horseflies - ew!). Not insect bites nor sunburn were quelling my appetite though so Jimmy and I headed for a quick bite to eat at a local greasy spoon before heading farther south to Atlantic City to continue the birthday festivities. We returned home around midnight (after doubling my gambling budget on the slot machines - woo hoo!), and after a quick shower and a liberal application of aloe I was more than happy to fall into bed for the night. I awoke this morning in a bit of a sunburn haze, happy to have the day off from work and happier yet to be inside in the air conditioning.

Did you know that this weekend is not only Memorial Day, but also another National "holiday"? It's National Burger Weekend! As if we didn't already have enough of a reason to fire up the grill and celebrate! Usually the thought of an unctuous burger dripping with melty cheese and thick slices of bacon is my food porn, but after the damage I did at the beach yesterday (What? Can you blame me? I'm sorry, but strolling down the Boardwalk munching on carrot sticks is not nearly as refreshing as a twisty cone or freshly squeezed lemonade!) a greasy burger is the last thing I want. But, I'd been kicking around an idea for a lightened up Greek inspired burger with a refreshing Tzaziki sauce for a while now and what better excuse to give it a shot than National Burger Weekend?!

Tzatziki Sauce

8oz fat free Greek yogurt
1 small cucumber peeled, seeded and grated
1 clove garlic, grated or very finely minced
2 tsp lemon juice
1 tbsp fresh dill, chopped
1 tsp fresh mint, chopped
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp ground black pepper

Per 1/4 cup

Cal: 18 Fat: 0g Carb: 2g Protein: 3g Fiber: 0g

Strain the yogurt using a coffee filter and a metal strainer for 3-4 hours to remove the excess liquid. Peel the cucumber, cut in half lengthwise and using the tip of a spoon, scoop out all of the seeds and grate. Sprinkle the grated cucumber with a little salt to help draw out the liquids and then strain it in a small strainer to remove the excess liquid. You may want to press the cucumber against the strainer with the back of a spoon or squeeze it with your hands to make sure to remove as much of the liquid as possible.

Once the yogurt and cucumber have finished straining - and don't skip that step or your Tzatziki won't have the desired thickness to it - mix together yogurt, cucumber, garlic, lemon juice, dill and mint. Season with salt and pepper and mix well. Chill until ready to serve.

Greek Burgers

1 lb 93 % lean ground beef
2 tsp Greek seasoning blend (if you can't find it in stores, I've included a recipe below)
4 oz reduced fat feta cheese, crumbled
3 tbsp Tzatziki sauce, plus extra for serving
1/2 tsp salt
pinch ground black pepper

Per burger
Cal: 251 Fat: 12g Carb: 1g Protein: 30g Fiber: 0g

**Nutritional information is for the burger only. Bun and toppings will alter nutritional info.**
In the interest of keeping calories down, I used Arnold Whole Wheat Sandwich Thins (adds an additional 100 cal, 1g fat, 22g carbs, 5g protein and 5g fiber) - low cal, lots of fiber and even though they're thin, they can stand up to a burger!

In a large bowl, combine ground beef, Tzatziki sauce, feta and Greek seasoning blend.

Mix well with your hands. Form into 4 equal sized patties.

Slide your burgers onto the hottest part of the grill to get a nice sear. Grill for about 4-5 minutes until you see juices starting to collect on the top of your burger (this means they are cooking through the middle).

Flip the burgers once and cook on that side for about 1-2 minutes shorter than it took for the juices to collect the first time. So if you grilled for 5 minutes on the first side, grill for 3-4 on the second. Flip the burgers only the one time and never, I repeat never flatten or smush your burger - you might as well pick it up and squeeze out all those awesome juices with your hand.

Once your burgers are done cooking, remove from the heat and let them rest for 5 min.

Then, pile a bun full of your favorite toppings, and a little more Tzatziki sauce, and enjoy!

Greek Seasoning Blend

1 1/2 tsp oregano
1 tsp mint
1 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp basil
1/2 tsp marjoram
1/2 tsp dried minced onion
1/2 tsp dried minced garlic

Makes about 5 teaspoons. Store in an airtight container in a dry place and it will keep for approximately 6 months.

Bon Appetit!

I love a rainy night...

2011-05-23T23:34:00.000-04:00

Or is it rainy days and Mondays always get me down? Usually it's the former, but after a week of this rain and no end in sight, I'm leaning towards the latter. And after yet another dreary day in the city, what's better than a bowl of soup?

I worked my first full week at the new job last week and it rained every single day. And not just little showers, full on storms - pelting rain, driving wind and a chill in the air more reminiscent of October than May. In the afternoons, when it wasn't chilly, the air hung stale and heavy with humidity; making each breath on my walk to the subway suffocating.

I have a love hate relationship with the city. I've learned that we are, in the most literal sense, fair weather friends. Unless it's sunny and hovering in the low 70's, I haven't much use for Manhattan and she, likewise, isn't altogether kind to me. Rain and humidity make me wonder why I bother to do my hair each morning. When summer comes the stifling heat in the subway will render any make up I've applied completely useless. And winter - I'm already dreading the bone chilling winter and we've barely begun spring. But, Manhattan isn't without her charms. The draw of Broadway, the street corner cafes, the wine bars and beer gardens, the quaint streets of the west village, the insomniatic nightlife - all attributes I love to love. And, once the weather isn't so gloomy, I plan on loving them fully! In the meantime, though, I think I'll curl up with a bowl of soup, dry and comfy on the couch, and listen to the rain.

This is a variation on a tortellini soup my mother used to make when I was growing up - thanks to a recipe I found online I was able to pin down more precise measurements than "a pinch of this" and "a dash of that". She always used homemade chicken broth, and if you're so inclined please do! I'm finding, these days, that I'm too busy to make homemade broth on the regular (though I probably should) so a quality reduced sodium broth stands in quite nicely in a pinch.

Tortellini en Brodo with Baby Spinach
adapted from SkinnyTaste

1 tbsp butter
2 medium carrots, chopped
2 medium celery ribs, chopped
1 cup chopped onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
8 cups 99% fat free, reduced sodium chicken broth
3 cups water
1 small Parmigiano Reggiano rind (optional)
1/2 tsp ground pepper
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
2 cups fresh baby spinach

Cal: 162 Fat: 6g Carbohydrate: 21g Protein: 6g Fiber: 3g Serves: 8 (approx 1 1/2 cups per serving)

In a large stock pot, melt butter over medium heat. When melted, add the Mirepoix (carrots, onion and celery) and garlic. Stir to coat with melted butter, cover, reduce heat to medium-low and sweat for 10 min or until veggies begin to soften.

Add chicken broth, water and Parmigiano Reggiano rind. Raise heat to medium-high and bring to boil. Once boiling, add pepper and nutmeg. Stir well. Reduce heat to low, add tortellini and simmer until tortellini are cooked to al dente (about 10 minutes). Remove the Parmigiano Reggiano rind and add the baby spinach. Stir well and cover until spinach is wilted.

Serve with grated Parigiano Reggiano or Pecorino Roman cheese if desired.

Bon Appetit!

Happy Pounds and a Blog Award

2011-05-22T15:45:00.001-04:00

I've been a little absent from blogging over the last month but I promise it's been for very good reasons. Last we knew, I was unemployed, a little lonely and getting very frustrated with my job search. While that's as good a place as any to pick up my story, I think I need to go back even farther. To summer 2008. It was a big one.

You know how people always tell you that once you get your own life in order and stop looking for things, those things will inevitably find you. Well, it's true; as evidenced by my experiences in late spring/summer of 2008. I was happily working for a company I liked and had made some great friends there. I had gone back to school at night and my work schedule allowed me to work full time, take night classes and still have a social life. I had a great new apartment and I had just met a great new guy (one who I've come to share my life with today). With all this happiness, stability and comfort in my life, it seemed like the stress pounds that had decided they wanted to be a part of my journey during the previous years were just melting off and by summer of 2008 I was at my goal weight and getting comments such as "holy skinny!" from good friends who hadn't seen me in a while. Life was good and it only got better for the next 9 months. Nights out for drinks, dinners and desserts with the new boy, who truly didn't mind a curvier version of me, had started to put on a few "happy pounds" here and there and I found myself back at "within 5 pounds of goal weight" and telling myself "eh, it's only 5 pounds and they're there for the best of reasons!". Then in early 2009, due to company cut backs, I lost my job and became veiled with a slight depression. It was quickly replaced, however, with the realization that I now had even more time to spend with the boy - and, of course, most of that time was spent consuming yummy deliciousness of the liquid and solid variety. The ups and downs continued for the next year and a half to 2 years, battling fruitless job searches, one truly horrific job that lasted only a short time, one truly horrific break up that lasted only a short time, one truly fantastic job that lasted only a short time and another unemployment that lasted much longer than it should have - which brings me to where I left off with my last posts.

On a Friday in late April, I received a call from a recruiter in NYC wanting an interview to discuss my experience and what I was looking for. We scheduled an interview for the following Monday. I'd worked with this recruiting company before without much success so I was expecting the interview to go as such: "It was a pleasure meeting you. You have an impressive resume. I'll put my feelers out and we'll be in touch." then go weeks without hearing so much as a peep. Needless to say, I was pleasantly surprised when I left my recruiter's office with an interview with his client scheduled for 3pm that same afternoon! By 4pm I had the feeling that I aced my first interview and my suspicions were confirmed before I had even exited the subway with a voicemail from my recruiter saying they loved me and wanted to schedule a second interview a.s.a.p. We had it scheduled for Wednesday morning as I boarded the train home. Doug and I celebrated my successful interview with dinner out and a bottle of wine that night. Wednesday morning's interview came and went in a flash and I had that same feeling of success as I walked to the train station. I boarded an early afternoon train home and by 3pm I had an offer letter in hand. I happily accepted and Doug and I celebrated with an impressive fondue dinner (and many drinks) at the Melting Pot. I started my new job on Monday, May 2nd.

Three days later Doug and I left for a week long vacation to Northern California. It was a whirlwind trip from San Francisco and Oakland to Reno, NV to Lake Tahoe to Napa Valley and back again. The week was filled with many drinks, much wine and some of the best food I've ever eaten - and lots of it! And, as I'm sure you've gathered, a few more "happy pounds". But, now I'm back to the grind. Finding my days are much longer than ever before and the temptation to just grab something on the go greater than ever. It's time to buckle down and do what I do best - cook healthy foods that are just as tasty as they are balanced and good for us - with the goal of losing a few pounds but keeping the happy!

Which brings me to the second half of this post. My blog award - yay!

This award is particularly special to me because I was hand selected by one of my blogging peers to receive this award because she really likes my blog. How unbelievably flattering! So, first and foremost, I'd like to thank Sandie at Sandie's Bitchin' Kitchen for bestowing this Versatile Blogger Award upon me and my blog! If you haven't already done so, please check out Sandie's blog! It's truly bitchin' and with a name like that, how could you not love this lady and her yummy food?!

As I accept this award, I must note the rules (this goes for all who receive this award as well). You must thank the person who awarded you by linking back to their post. You must state 7 things about yourself (let's assume they should be interesting). And, last but not least, you must pass this award down to 15 other new or newly discovered (by me) blogs.

Here goes:

I am a self admitted geek. I love Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, science, philosophy and (almost) all things "geeky".
I'm handy. I own power tools and love the challenge of fixing something, building something or taking on a new project. No matter where I've lived or who with, I've been the resident carpenter, spackler, picture hanger, bug killer, Ms. Fix-It and proud of it!
I'm a Broadway addict - plays and musical theater alike. At times I've thought a drug habit might be cheaper to sustain, but nothing beats the high of a good Broadway show!
I have an irrational fear of sharks. I know it's much more likely that I'll be killed by a toppled vending machine, however, I never go more than ankle (maybe mid-calf if I the water is crystal clear) deep in any ocean for fear of being shark bait!
I used to play classical piano - for 15 years to be exact - yet I can barely read music, preferring instead to play by ear. It's been many years since I've played but I look forward to the day when I'll have the time to practice everyday; something I used to loathe as a child.
I love to travel. I don't do nearly enough of it, but I plan on changing that. Before this year, it had been almost 4 years since I'd been on anything longer than a weekend trip. Going forward, I plan to take at least one true vacation a year.
Historically, people have believed in me much more than I've ever believed in myself. This blog is just more proof of that. The love and support that was the catalyst to me creating it has been returned ten-fold by my readers proving, once again, that I need to see what others see in me!

Wow, that was harder than I anticipated! Now for the easy part. The 15 fellow foodie bloggers I'd like to honor:

Real Food for Real Life - Jessica

Table for Two Cookbooks - Warren

Dream of Cakes - Eftychia

Flour Dusted - BriarRose

Freida Loves Bread - Freida

Linda's Yummies - Linda

Christine's Pantry - Christine

Big Apple Little Kitchen

The Pretend Chef

Congrats to my new foodie friends and thank you for your inspiration, encouragement and support!

As always, Bon Appetit!

Beef Stroganoff and Daddy Issues

2011-04-22T22:36:00.000-04:00

Living an hour away from my family and friends can sometimes be harrowing. Doug works long and erratic hours. I don't work at all. So, I spend a lot of time alone, or with the dogs. If I lived back in NY, I'd be surrounded by a bevy of family and friends. Instead, simple girlfriend get-togethers require much more planning than ever before - partly due to evolving lives and growing families, still I can't help but believe the added distance is a factor. Family dinners are reduced to mostly holidays and special occasions. For the most part, I'm not complaining. Even with it's occasional pitfalls and difficulties, I love my life. I have a wonderful supportive man who allows me just enough wallowing before lighting a motivational fire under my tush, the time we spend together is filled with love and laughter and when I do get to see my family and friends, it's usually somewhat of a grand event.

There is just one thing that's been eating at me. It's been eating at my father too, but not in the way he'd prefer. It's something he mentions with every new blog post and the physical distance between us is, without a doubt, the culprit. A staunch supporter of my blog, as is the rest of my family, dad loves reading my prose but simply reading the recipes just isn't cutting it. Culinarily challenged, he is a bit gun shy about attempting my recipes but exhibits no hesitation in reminding me (with great regularity) that "dear old dad" has yet to sample my dishes.

However, last December, Doug and I had the pleasure of hosting my parents for a simple dinner. It was a lovely evening and this dish was the star - at least for us carnivores (mom, being pescevegetarian, feasted on a huge salad and some noodles (next time they come for dinner, though, I'm making this)). Dad raved about dinner then, and can now say that he's tasted (at least one of) my recipes. So, dad, this one's for you!

Traditional Beef Stroganoff, while creamy and delicious, can be a bit heavy so I thought I'd lighten it up a bit. Granted it's still a bit of a splurge, but really really worth it!

You can make this on the stove by cooking the meat all the way through, but I think nothing beats the extra time in the crock pot for some truly tender morsels of beef.

Beef Stroganoff

1 1/2 lbs boneless beef sirloin
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
Cooking oil spray
1/2 tsp dried ground mustard
1/2 tsp dried dill weed
1/2 tsp paprika
2 cups 99% fat free beef broth
1 1/2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp cornstarch
1 tbsp ketchup
1 cup reduced fat sour cream
12 oz Ronzoni Smart Taste Egg Noodles (cooked according to package directions)

Cal: 419 Fat: 15g Carb: 51g Protein: 43g Fiber: 8g

Serves: 6

Season the sirloin well with salt and pepper and cut into 1 inch cubes (or 2 inch strips across the grain if you prefer). Spray a large saute pan with cooking oil spray and saute garlic and onions until translucent. Add beef and cook just until browned.

Stir in ground mustard, dill and paprika. Transfer mixture to a crock pot.

Add 1 3/4 cup of beef broth (reserving the final 1/4 cup for later use) and Worcestershire sauce.

Cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 6-8 hours.

Stir cornstarch into remaining 1/4 cup of beef broth until to make a slurry. After the beef has finished cooking for 3-4 or 6-8 hours, but while still in the hot crock pot, slowly stir the slurry into the beef mixture and continue to stir until the broth thickens. Once thickened, add ketchup and sour cream and stir well. Serve over egg noodles.

Bon Appetit!

Toaster Oven Chicken Tenders & Cheesy Mashed Potatoes

2011-04-13T20:27:00.000-04:00

Sometimes you just need comfort food. Today was one of those days. Actually, many days lately have been one of those days. I've been really needing to cloak myself in a big, enveloping comfort food hug.

You see, I lost my job last year. A job I loved, working for a company I believed in, where I was successful and well respected. You know, a rarity! I'd only been with the company for a few short months but had already been promoted, was an integral member of the CEO's management team and had forged some really great friendships. I was, dare I say it, happy. Wait...what? She's happy? Cue disaster. Get misery and depression on the phone, we need them on stand-by. And so, on that balmy Monday afternoon in mid-July, when disaster apparently had nothing better to do, it all came tumbling down.

I suppose, if you're the kind of person who believes in signs, you may have seen this coming. What began as a sunny morning commute foretold what was to come when no sooner did I set foot out of the car in the office parking lot than the sky took on an ominous shade of gray. Every trace of blue vanished and clouds rolled in as I walked into the building, down the hall and towards my office. Plunging the key into the lock on my office door, I turned the handle in synchronicity with the first thunderclap. The skies opened up and rain pelted my office window, hard. I gazed outside as my computer booted up, too distracted by the cacophony of the storm to notice the prescient text message that had arrived from my closest work friend. "Whatever happens today, I love you Jour and am glad you are a part of my life.". Concerned, I frantically dialed Jessica's number. Voicemail, damn.

Moments later she came sweeping into my office with breaking news, a look of despair on her face. The CEO's daughter, she had information about events that had transpired over the weekend, and behind closed doors, with teary eyes, we talked about the impending death of our beloved corporation. Long story short, we were forced into a chapter 7 bankruptcy by lenders and private equities firms who saw us as a write off. The livelihood of close to 100 dedicated employees reduced to little more than black numbers on a white page. The shades of gray lie in the bewildered glances exchanged. In the line of former employees sitting on the curb, boxes holding months and years of their professionals lives next to them, wondering how to get home to loved ones who were hours, if not many states away, when our company cars were no longer company property. In the farewell hugs and the abundance tears. In the taxed looks on the faces of people who were, simply, a tax write off.

That evening was one of the hardest nights of my life. I couldn't take phone calls from concerned friends and family because I couldn't stop crying long enough to talk. I couldn't eat, couldn't sleep. Hell, I could barely catch my breath. That was 9 months and countless emailed resumes ago. In this time, I've gotten, if I'm being generous, maybe 10 responses. Most emails get ignored leading me to believe that the digital age has done little more than give us yet another medium with which to be rude. Phone calls go unanswered, messages unreturned and the couple of recruiters I've actually spoken with have been kind enough to make the decision for me that either a) the commute was too far or b) the pay was too low. Head, wall, I believe you 2 have met. Bang, bang bang.

I had my first interview since being laid off last week. If you ask me, if went really well; I'm perfectly qualified, they didn't blink at my salary requirements, the owner and I are both dog lovers (his Jack Russell even spends time in the office). Yet, here it is, a week later and...nothing. Obviously, there are good days and bad and I know things will eventually change, but I'm just not feeling the love on the job front. So, you know that feeling of love that comes from having a belly full of homemade comfort food? The kind that takes you in, wraps you up and makes you feel like a happy, protected 5 year old? That is what I needed (albeit with slightly fewer calories)!

Toaster Oven Chicken Tenders

1 1/2 lbs skinless, boneless, thin-sliced chicken breast cut into nugget sized pieces

1 1/2 cups seasoned whole wheat breadcrumbs

3/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
1/4 cup whole wheat flour

2 eggs, beaten

1/2 cup low fat buttermilk

Cal: 242 Fat: 5g Carbohydrate: 20g Protein: 28g Fiber: <1g

Serves: 6

Preheat toaster oven to 400 degrees.

Soak chicken pieces in the buttermilk for 15 min.

Arrange 3 bowls in a row: 1 with flour, 1 with beaten eggs and the final with breadcrumbs.

Add cayenne pepper to the breadcrumbs and mix well.

One by one, take a nugget, dredge it in the flour, then eggs then finally in the breadcrumbs making sure it is fully coated. Arrange on a toaster oven baking sheet and lightly spray the tops of the nuggets with cooking oil spray.

Bake for 15 minutes at 400 degrees.

Serve with dipping sauce of your choice; we love to have these with curry ketchup - recipe below.

Cheesy Mashed Potatoes
5 medium red potatoes
1/3 cup low fat buttermilk
3 tbsp grated pecorino romano cheese
1/2 tsp salt
pepper to taste

Calories: 148 Fat: 1g Carbohydrate: 34g Protein: 6g Fiber: 4g
Serves 4

Place peeled and cut potatoes in a saucepan and cover with about an inch of water. Cover, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are fork-tender. Drain potatoes and return them to the pot. Mash potatoes. Add remaining ingredients and stir well to mix (an electric mixer may prove helpful, just don't over-beat or the starch in the potatoes will turn them into something akin to glue).

Curry Ketchup

1/4 cup ketchup
3 tsp mild curry powder
dash lime juice
1/2 tsp honey

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and chill for 30 min. Makes a great dipping sauce for the nuggets, as well as for fries!

Bon Appetit!

Bean Curd and Bucket Lists

2011-04-07T20:15:00.001-04:00

Recently, a fellow blogger got me thinking about bucket lists. We all have one, whether scrawled on the back of an envelope, meticulously enumerated on a "to-do" list or not so indelibly etched with our mental pencils. Mine was the to-do list variety; bulleted points, each carefully printed with an extra fine tip Sharpie (my "this is important" pen). Sadly, my actual list was lost during one of umpteen moves in as many years. I don't think it's lost for good, but more likely is packed away with half of my life in a storage unit in NY. I remember never keeping the list readily accessible, preferring instead to hide it away somewhere where I'd only come across it once or twice a year. It was fun to see not only what I'd accomplished and how far I'd come, but as the list got older, the kinds of things I'd aspired to all those years ago. It was always good for a teensy feeling of accomplishment as well as a chuckle or 2 at my younger self. The last time I stumbled upon the list, I was able to cross off a couple of items, one due to accomplishment (get a tattoo - I now have 2) the other due to physical restrictions following a car accident and subsequent injury (go skydiving). I got to thinking how sad it was that I'd had so many opportunities to skydive prior to my accident and never took any of them. The excuses were plentiful albeit, if I'm being honest, lame. Once, I was too busy at work. Another time I couldn't justify spending the money. Yet another time a friend gave me too little notice. Looking back, all I can tell myself is: work to live, don't live to work, what good is the money if you can't enjoy it and a little spontaneity never hurt anyone.

These days, I don't often think about my bucket list but my goals have evolved over the years. Seeing as my first list was created in my early 20's and contained such deep and discerning ideas such as "get a tattoo", "swim with dolphins" and "name a star", I decided to establish (at least the beginnings of) my new 30-something bucket list right here. In no particular order, here goes:

Re-master my command of the French language
Master another language (Italian)
Test my mastery of both languages by returning to France, and visiting my family in Italy
Travel more - eat my way across the country and around the world
Learn more about wine
Go back to school and pursue a career change involving either my first love (science/medicine) or my enduring love (cooking/baking)
Do/learn something new every day
Write a cookbook
Start a family
Commit fully to a healthy lifestyle
Make time for the people who enrich my life
Learn to let go of the toxic people who don't

That's a pretty ambitious start, but there's room for one more:

Find new and exciting ways to create protein rich, meatless meals like this one

Which brings us to the bean curd. First of all, I know, curd is a very unappetizing word and if you've never tried tofu, you might be wary. I, too, was once skeptical of all things curd but I took a lesson from my old friend cheese. Maybe tofu doesn't have the ooey gooeyness of a fried cheese curd but I can tell you this, it is just as delicious. Go ahead, mock me, but I'm not kidding. One of the fantastic things about tofu is that it acts like a little sponge, soaking up flavor from whatever ingredients you use to season it. It is fantastic in soups, on kabobs, pan fried, stir fried, marinated and baked...I could go on, but you really have to try it for yourself. Every so often I crave tofu marinated in sesame oil and soy sauce with lots of garlic and ginger (a staple marinade that works with just about anything). Lucky for me it's a LOT healthier a craving to indulge than when the dessert cravings come calling. This is a very simple dish, perfect for the tofu newbie and tofu lover alike. My mother used to make this quite frequently - it always reminds me of her and of home and therefore is sublimely comforting. This is my take on her recipe:

1 block extra firm tofu (14.5 oz)
1/3 cup soy sauce
2 tsp sesame oil
2-4 cloves garlic, grated
2 tsp ginger, grated
1/2 tsp toasted sesame seeds (for garnish)

Try a spicy version by adding:
1 tsp Sriracha (optional)

Cal: 149 Fat: 9g Carb: 6g Protein: 13g Fiber: 1g

Serves: 4

Cut the block of tofu into half, then quarters, then eighths.

Cut each rectangle on the diagonal to form triangles.

Meanwhile, combine soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, ginger and Sriracha (if used) and stir well. Place tofu triangles in an airtight container, cover with the marinade and marinate 4 hours (overnight is even better), giving the container a little shake every now and then to make sure all of the tofu is soaking up all that fantastic flavor.

Once the tofu is completely marinated, remove from the container and assemble the triangles on the toaster oven baking sheet.

Bake at 400 degrees for 10 min, then broil for 1-2 min until the marinade starts to caramelize and the tofu edges start to brown. Assemble baked triangles over baby greens (I dressed my greens with equal parts rice wine vinegar and soy sauce...just a dash of each), sprinkle with sesame seeds and enjoy!

Bon Appetit!

Italian Style Quinoa and Sausage Stuffed Peppers

2011-03-30T20:21:00.001-04:00

I've never considered myself particularly trendy, preferring instead to play the chameleon and attempt to blend in in most situations. However, I will say this: when it comes to culinary creations, I do like to stay on forefront of emerging eating and cooking trends. So I was pleasantly surprised when I hopped online today and saw an abundance of recipes featuring quinoa on some of my favorite sites. I have to admit, I haven't been cooking with quinoa for terribly long, but I enjoy it immensely and have SO many ideas for recipes featuring this amazing little seed! It's nice to know I'm in good company.

Quinoa has been touted as a "superfood" and the more I work with it, the more I'm inclined to agree. If you're a quinoa newbie, here are a few things you should know:

1. It looks like a grain, but is actually a seed.

2. It is a complete protein (containing an almost ideal balance of all 9 essential amino acids), is high in fiber, is nutrient rich (calcium, iron, manganese, magnesium, vitamin E and B vitamins) and is gluten free.

3. It's a good idea to soak/rinse it before cooking. Quinoa has a coating called saponin on it's surface that can produce a bitter soapy quality when cooked. Granted, most of what you'll find at the local grocery store has already been pre-washed and dried, but in my opinion, a little prevention never hurt anyone.

4. There are 3 color varieties: white, red and black. I've only come across the white variety to date but you can rest assured that as soon as I see either of the others they'll be on the dinner table that very night!

5. Working with quinoa is very similar to cooking rice, and a bit like couscous. There are a couple different methods for cooking it: boiling (like pasta) vs absorption (like rice). I'm still trying to find my preference.

6. It's delicious! The texture is somewhere between that of barley and couscous...light and fluffy yet with a toothsome bite and slight crunch. The flavor has the earthy nuttiness of wild rice but, more reserved, not as aggressive.

7. It's versatile! Breakfast, lunch or dinner , hot or cold, side dish or main course - quinoa can seamlessly integrate into almost any meal!

I'm always on the lookout for healthy (and filling) options for our dinners. Both Doug and I have, ahem, hearty appetites (we can EAT!) and we're always trying to reign it in without feeling deprived or ravenous. I've found that quinoa has given us the option of having something nice, starchy and filling on our plates without the guilt of pasta or potatoes and with all the added nutritional benefits I mentioned above (score!) I hope if you've been quinoa curious I've managed to gently nudge you over the edge and you'll give it a try. This recipe is a great way to incorporate quinoa into your diet, and maybe even be an inspiration to try it in other creative ways (as a substitute for morning hot cereal with fresh berries and honey, perhaps?).

1 cup uncooked quinoa

1 3/4 cups plus 1/2 cup fat free, reduced sodium chicken broth
5 large red bell peppers
1 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 links (12 oz) Italian style chicken sausage, removed from casing and rough chopped (I used the fully cooked variety)
10 oz frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
1/2 cup Sauvignon Blanc
1/2 tsp dried sage
1/2 tsp dried tarragon
pinch crushed red pepper
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup pecorino romano

1 cup shredded fat free mozzarella

Cal: 403 Fat: 12g Carb: 43g Protein: 26g Fiber: 8g

Serves: 5 (I made 4 peppers and ate the leftover stuffing for lunch the next day...yum!)

**The nutritional information is based on 1 whole pepper per serving, however, I've found that a half a pepper with a salad is more than enough for me and makes a filling, well balanced meal.**

Thoroughly wash and dry peppers. Cut tops off of peppers, seed and de-vein. Set peppers and tops aside.

Soak quinoa in a bowl with water for 15 minutes. Drain quinoa and rinse well. Add quinoa and 1 3/4 cups of chicken broth to a medium saucepan (reserve the additional 1/2 cup of broth for later use). Cover, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until all liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat and allow to rest, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and transfer to a large bowl.

Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a medium saute pan. Saute onion and garlic until transparent. Add chopped sausage and heat until just warmed throughout. If using uncooked sausage, cook until browned.

Add chopped spinach, wine, sage, tarragon, red pepper, salt and pepper. Stir until thoroughly combined.

Remove from heat and stir in pecorino romano. Transfer to bowl with quinoa. Add mozzarella and stir until all ingredients are combined.

Fill each pepper with approximately 1 cup of the quinoa mixture. Arrange stuffed peppers in a crock pot, cover with pepper tops.

Pour remaining 1/2 cup of chicken broth into the bottom of the crock pot, cover and cook on high 3-4 hours or low for 6 hours.

Bon Appetit!

Smoky Southwest Turkey Meatballs

2011-03-18T21:05:00.002-04:00

Sometimes necessity really does breed invention. Such was the case with these meatballs. It started with a package of ground turkey a few days shy of its expiration date. I needed to get this turkey out of the fridge and fast so the brainstorm began. Turkey burgers? Not tonight and besides, they are so much better when grilled outside on a perfect 70 degree evening, 2 puppies playing at our feet, and with my grill master away for the night, this was not that perfect 70 degree evening. A Greek twist? Maybe another night. Spaghetti and...? Nope...not in the mood to make sauce. Our old standby with soy sauce and lime (recipe will be forthcoming)? Nah...I needed something different.

Have you ever had one of those moments where, blinded by hunger, nothing sounds good? I know it barely makes sense but it's precisely how I ended up staring into our pantry, bemused and befuddled by the litany of spices looking back at me and desperately seeking inspiration. Nearly an hour later, after sorting through and reorganizing said spices I emerged with a brand new bottle of smoked paprika, some ancho chile powder and an idea for a smoky southwest inspired meatball. So I was off to Fairway for some fresh produce and to spend an exorbitant amount of time perusing the cheese case.

The last time I got pulled into the vortex of a fresh cheese case, I discovered baked ricotta with chocolate chips. I'm finding it hard to put into words just how delightful this cheese is, not because there isn't enough to say about it, but because words simply can't do it justice. The texture is velvety and smooth like traditional ricotta, only firmer, yet not quite as firm as ricotta salata. Slightly sweet, it dances over your tongue as it warms in your mouth and the chocolate chips begin to melt, perfuming the cheese with an almost tart butteriness. It's almost as if someone solidified the filling to the most perfect cannoli - I'm sorry, cannoli shells, but your crunchy services are no longer needed. Anyway, where was I? Oh yes, on my way to Fairway, my intentions to gather a few quick items for my meatball experiment and then get lost in cheese (not too difficult for me, as I'm sure you've gathered). What happened when I got there gave me pause.

I made my way through the produce section, filling my cart with organic citrus fruits (for zesting), fresh garlic (a gal can never have too much garlic), fresh herbs and a jalapeno and was on a clear path to the cheese when I found myself pushing my cart clear past the cheese, as if on auto-pilot, and heading for the spice aisle. In case I didn't make it clear earlier, let me reiterate. It took me just under an hour to sort and reorganize my spices. Let's stop and reflect on that for a moment. An hour! I am fairly certain that most of you will tell me that I, undeniably, could not possibly need more spices and I would be inclined to agree with you. Yet a half hour of examining Fairway's offerings yielded a star anise, fenugreek and Madagascan vanilla bean that I simply had to have! Side note: if you have a Fairway nearby, go! Go and spend a half an hour in the spice aisle. You will be amazed. This coming from a girl who indubitably needs a spice intervention. I mean really, fenugreek? Side side note: fenugreek is an ingredient in many curries. We love curry so I figured why buy an already mixed curry powder when I have (almost) all the spices needed to make my own and besides, it's way more fun to play with the ratios and flavor profiles that subtle changes in spices can make. But I digress...back to my meatballs.

Smoky Southwest Turkey Meatballs

1 1/4lb 93% lean ground turkey
1 egg
1 tbsp lime juice
1/4 cup panko
1 seeded and deveined jalapeno pepper, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 1/2 tsp ancho chile powder
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp minced onion
cooking oil spray

Cal: 177 Fat: 9g Carb: 4g Protein: 22g Fiber: 1g
Serves: 6

Preheat the toaster oven to 400 degrees.

Combine all ingredients (except cooking oil spray) in a large bowl and mix well with your hands.

Form into 12 equally sized meatballs (each meatball should use approximately 1/4 cup of the mixture). Line the toaster oven baking sheet with aluminum foil for easy clean up, spray with cooking oil spray and arrange your meatballs on the baking sheet in batches of 6. Lightly spray the tops of each meatball with cooking oil spray and bake each batch for 15 min.

These can also be baked in mini loaf pans - super cute. Just adjust your cooking time according to the size of your loaf pan (I used itty bitty loaf pans so I didn't need to adjust).

These meatballs pair really well with a cool, creamy dressing. I made 2 versions of a buttermilk ranch dressing; one with and one without avocado. Try them not only with the meatballs but also as a salad dressing or as a dip for fresh raw veggies or french fries.

Buttermilk Ranch Dressing

1/4 cup fat free Greek yogurt
1/4 cup Hellman's low fat mayonnaise
1/2 cup low fat buttermilk
1/4 tsp dill
1/4 tsp parsley
1/8 tsp onion powder
1/8 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp salt
1/4 tsp worchestershire sauce

Per tbsp: Cal: 9 Fat: 0.5g Carb: 1g Protein: 1g Fiber: 0g

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and whisk well. Chill 30 min.

Avocado Ranch Dressing
Per tbsp: Cal: 18 Fat: 1g Carb: 2g Protein: 1g Fiber: 0.5g

Prepare ranch dressing as instructed above. Before chilling, in a separate bowl, mash half of a small ripe avocado with a dash of lime juice. Add to dressing and stir well. Chill 30 min.

I sliced 2 of my mini loaves and stuffed them into a multi-grain pita with romaine, thinly sliced tomatoes, a few slices of avocado and a couple tablespoons of the ranch dressing and made easy work of devouring it. Yum!

Bon appetit!

Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus

2011-03-06T21:07:00.001-05:00

I told you all about my Valentine's dinner for Doug and the mayhem that ensued, but never mentioned what he did for me. Actual Valentine's Day started off with a kidnapping of sorts. The instructions were simple: pack a bathing suit, wear sneakers. That's all I knew. We hopped in the car and headed east towards Manhattan. I had recently mentioned the free public pool at the Grace Hotel to Doug and we'd both expressed an interest in visiting sometime, so I was convinced that's where we were headed. No need for a tropical weekend getaway, an indoor pool with a swim-up bar right in the heart of the city could be just as much fun!

When we crossed over the George Washington Bridge and continued onto I95 North, past Manhattan, I was confused. When we crossed the Whitestone Bridge I was utterly dumbfounded. I knew we had to make it back home, shower and change with enough time to make an 8pm dinner reservation (at an undisclosed destination); surely, we couldn't be going much further. I was right, because shortly thereafter we exited the expressway and turned into a residential neighborhood in Queens. At this point, I was positively bewildered! We pulled up to what appeared to be a large hotel, complete with valet parking. The facade read: Spa Castle. A modern day castle (of sorts) resplendent with a multitude of spa offerings...ingenious! I'd never heard of such a place and so my bewilderment continued during check in when we got our "watches" that ended up being waterproof locker keys (brilliant!), through the locker rooms when I changed into my Spa Castle uniform for the day (orange shorts and a pink t-shirt? Stacy London would not approve!) and up the huge spiral staircase that delivered me into a cafeteria where I met up with Doug (after we were relegated to his and hers locker rooms upon entry).

We spent our afternoon sweating in the saunas, cooling off with a cocktail (or 2) and lounging in the heated rooftop pools overlooking the city. It was wonderful and a great way to spend a romantic, relaxing afternoon together. Upon leaving Spa Castle, we realized that our departure was ill-timed (can you blame us for being hesitant to leave?!) and we were faced with NY traffic at rush hour. There was no way we were making it home to NJ to shower and change and then heading back "in this general direction" (the only clue I got about our dinner whereabouts) by 8pm. So Doug called the restaurant and asked if they could accommodate us earlier. They happily obliged and we went straight to dinner. He took me to a fantastic little Italian place on Arthur Avenue. For starters, we split a couple appetizers, one of which was called Asparagus Fiorucci. It was delicious and I immediately knew I needed to attempt to recreate it at home sometime. Below is my interpretation of this lovely dish. The slight crunch of the earthy asparagus blends so perfectly with the creamy cheese, the floral citrus flavor of the lemon zest and the salty prosciutto; it truly is a simple yet elegant appetizer.

Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus
adapted from Mario's Restaurant, Bronx NY

1 bunch asparagus (approximately 24 spears)
6 oz Neufchatel cheese (regular cream cheese or Brie make nice substitutions)
12 oz prosciutto (I used President's brand...it came pre-sliced and I found it to be the perfect thickness for wrapping the bundles)
zest of 1/2 a lemon (optional)
drizzle of olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
fresh wedge of parmigiano reggiano cheese

Even with the reduced fat cream cheese, these are NOT diet friendly, but they are SO worth the splurge!
Per bundle: Calories: 226 Fat: 14g Carbohydrate: 5g Protein: 21g Fiber: 1g

Preheat toaster oven to 400 degrees. Place your cleaned asparagus in a large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper to taste. Zest your lemon on top of the seasoned asparagus and toss well to coat.

Place a slice of cheese (approx. 1 oz.) centered on top of a small bundle of asparagus (I used 4 spears). Tightly wrap a slice of prosciutto around the asparagus and cheese. Repeat with a second slice of prosciutto (if desired).

Arrange bundles on a lined toaster oven baking sheet and cover tightly with aluminum foil. Bake at 400, covered, for 10 minutes.

After 10 minutes, remove the aluminum foil and allow bundles to continue baking, uncovered, for an additional 5 minutes. Remove the bundles from the toaster oven, shave parmigiano reggiano cheese onto the tops of the hot asparagus bundles and allow to melt slightly. Serve immediately.

Crock Pot Lasagna Florentine

2011-02-28T02:12:00.002-05:00

Anyone who knows me will tell you that I am a cheeseball, on so many levels, but probably most notably for my love of cheese. I, seriously, have never met a cheese I didn't like. Mild, sharp, creamy, crumbly, moldy, stinky...to me, they are all manifestations of love. So, one of the hardest things to swallow when faced with the oven-less kitchen was the lack of ooey gooey cheesy baked goodness in my life. No baked macaroni and cheese? No stuffed shells? No manicotti? No lasagna? You might as well throw the burlap sack over my head and march me to the gallows! Surely a life without lasagna is a life not worth living, and I do believe Garfield would agree!

It became imperative that I find a way around this lasagna quandary...and fast! Initially I thought the toaster oven might be my savior, but as I mentioned before, it's teeny tiny. So, unless I wanted to make a lasagna amuse-bouche (calorically prudent, but really who eats 2 bites of lasagna?) it was practically useless. Surveying the rest of my kitchen arsenal didn't yield a promising contender so I was left with the old stand by crock pot...not just for pot roast anymore (though stay tuned because I'll be posting my recipe for the pot roast that saved Christmas Eve soon).

I have to say, I went into this lasagna endeavor a little gun shy and skeptical, fully expecting a lasagna soup kind of outcome. Imagine my surprise when after a few hours, I removed the crock pot lid to reveal a perfectly cooked lasagna! Now, if you're one of those people who live for the crispy, crunchy edges that only an oven can produce, sorry Charlie, you're outta luck. But, if you're in it for the right reasons (the cheesy deliciousness!) this recipe will not disappoint! One note: once it's finished cooking, turn off the crock pot and allow the lasagna to sit for a good 20-30 min or so. I made the mistake of diving in too soon; partly out of hunger and partly because I'm a gluttonous cheese-lover and it's next to impossible for me to let a lasagna "rest", so while I still didn't end up with soup, it was definitely too hot for the pieces to hold their shape and what resulted was a slidey, gooey, fantastic mess on my plate (hence, no plated pictures). So trust me....let it sit!

Crock Pot Lasagna Florentine

2 cups (16 oz) part-skim ricotta cheese
2 large eggs
1 tbsp parsley
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 cups (16 oz) finely shredded, part-skim mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup grated pecorino romano cheese

2 cups fresh baby spinach

6-7 cups pasta sauce (you'll want to use a thinner variety of sauce as opposed to a chunky marinara)

12 oz uncooked lasagna noodles
1/2 cup red wine (optional..adds an additional 8 calories per serving)
**Here is my rule about cooking with wine: never use a wine in your meal that you wouldn't want to drink with your meal.**

Calories: 412 Fat: 13g Carbohydrate: 49g Protein: 24g Fiber: 7g Serves: 10

Now I know this may seem like a relatively unhealthy meal, but by comparison, a frozen Lean Cuisine Classic 5 Cheese Lasagna's stats are:
Calories: 360 Fat: 8g Carbohydrate: 51g Protein: 21g Fiber: 4g

When you consider that mine is homemade, fresh and heartier - especially when paired with a salad or veggie, I think I come out the clear winner. :) If you prefer a meat lasagna, simply replace the spinach with fully cooked ground beef, turkey or sausage (nutritional information will be affected).

Ok here we go:

In a small mixing bowl, combine first 5 ingredients and mix well.

Lightly spray a 5-6 quart crock pot with cooking oil spray and ladle in sauce until the bottom is fully covered. Then add a layer of lasagna noodles, breaking them to fit as needed - it doesn't have to be pretty.

Cover the noodles with a thin layer (3-4 tbsp) of your ricotta mixture, then a small handful of shredded mozzarella and sprinkle with a couple tablespoons of grated pecorino romano.

Add a layer of spinach (a good handful or 2).

Finally, add another healthy layer of sauce.

Repeat this process until you've used all your ricotta mixture, pecorino romano and spinach. Finish off the top of your lasagna with a final layer of noodles and the remaining sauce and mozzarella cheese. I then drizzled red wine around the edges of the lasagna to add some depth of flavor and extra moisture. Feel free to incorporate it into your sauce, or leave it out altogether, though.

Cover and cook on high until lasagna noodles are cooked all the way through, about 3-31/2 hours. Then, and I mean this, let it rest for 20-30 minutes before digging in.

Bon appetit!

The Sunken Sink

2011-02-27T02:49:00.001-05:00

One more day. One more day until I can do dishes like a human being again...by loading them into the dishwasher. I've felt very "Little House on the Prairie" lately, doing dishes in the bathtub. Don't get me wrong, I don't mean to seem unappreciative of the indoor plumbing that has allowed me to do dishes without a large basin, a small fire and some melted snow or minimize the trials and tribulations of pioneer life, but hunched over the bathtub for 45 minutes scrubbing and scouring is not how I like to spend my time. I don't even like to spend my time standing in front of a sink scrubbing and scouring but let's not split hairs. And don't even get me started on the dishpan hands - as if winter wasn't taking enough of a toll on my skin I now have the hands of a dehydrated 80 year old woman! Swell.

Needless to say, I was quite pleased when Doug's uncle came by today armed with 2x4's, some sort of metal sander, a razor sharp chisel and heavy duty epoxy. It took a couple hours to clean, sand and prep the granite but once we slid that sink into place and the epoxy started to ooze up, spill over the edges and drip down into the basin, I swear a chorus of angels sang. Only 24 hours of "curing" until the garbage disposal and dishwasher can be reattached and the sink can go back to serving its intended function as a queue for dirty dishes awaiting their turn on the water ride. Life is good.

Chicken Tikka Masala

2011-02-22T20:38:00.002-05:00

Several years ago, I spent 1 or 2 nights a week working as a bartender for an Indian gentleman at a Latin club (don't ask). While Abdul wasn't going to win any employer of the year awards, the man knew his way around a kitchen and seemed to love cooking for me, almost as much as I loved eating my way through his menu. I spent the time before my shifts sampling Samosas, Tandoori Chicken, Lamb Saag and Chicken Vindaloo but no matter what I tasted, I couldn't shake my affinity for Chicken Tikka Masala. Maybe it's the simplicity of the spices, the perfect kiss of hot pepper or the touch of cream; maybe it's the way they all blend together and embody, to me, a cool evening in Mumbai, sitting at a street cafe watching the hustle and bustle of the city. I wouldn't know, I've never been there, but in my mind it's as vivid as the brightest of saris. Perhaps I'll get there someday, but until then, I'll forgo the sari and my Indian travels will remain the culinary variety.

This is my interpretation of the dish Abdul made for me countless times. I've attempted to "healthify" it a bit by replacing butter with cooking oil spray and heavy cream with fat free half & half. By doing so, I've slashed 67 calories and 8 fat grams per serving. Not too shabby! Of course, if you're not feeling particularly health conscious, go ahead and saute your chicken in butter and replace the fat free half & half with 1/3 cup of heavy cream.

Chicken Tikka Masala

1 1/2 lbs skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into 1 1/2 inch cubes
salt and pepper to taste
cooking oil spray
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
3 tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp paprika
2 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp cinnamon

1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes (undrained)

1/2 cup fat free half & half

1 1/2 tbsp cornstarch

1/4 tsp crushed red pepper (more or less to taste)

Cal: 220 Fat: 9g Carb: 10g Protein: 25g Fiber: 2g - Original Recipe

Cal: 153 Fat: 1g Carb: 11g Protein: 25g Fiber: 2g - My Version

Serves: 6

Season chicken cubes with salt and pepper. Spray a large, heavy saute pan with cooking oil spray. Over medium high heat, saute chopped onion and garlic until translucent.

Add your chicken cubes and cook until the chicken is no longer pink (about 8-10 minutes). Add all of your spices (except crushed red pepper) and the lemon juice. Stir well and cook for about a minute.

Remove chicken cubes and transfer to a serving platter.

Reduce heat to medium, add canned tomatoes and stir well. In a small bowl, stir the cream into your cornstarch to make a slurry. Slowly stir the cornstarch slurry into your saute pan, then stir in the crushed red pepper. Allow liquid to come to a boil. Once boiling, lower heat and simmer until the sauce thickens.

Transfer your sauce to a blender and blend until smooth. Remove the cap from your blender lid to allow rising steam to escape, but cover the opening with a folded dish towel to prevent the hot liquid from splattering.

Pour blended sauce over chicken cubes and serve with Basmati rice (rice not included in nutritional information).

A great veg accompaniment is cauliflower sauteed with a touch of fresh ginger, garam masala and turmeric. Yum!

Forgive the paper plates, we are still without a sink and I'm trying to minimize the amount of dishes I have to do in the bathtub!
Bon Appetit!

The Valentine's Day (Kitchen) Massacre

2011-02-18T17:12:00.000-05:00

I suppose it had to happen. Our day-early Valentine's celebration was going all too well. Doug had a good day at work, got out on time and arrived home with flowers in hand (too cute!). I'd cooked up a storm and the end result was well worth the effort. The wine was tart, crisp and refreshing, dinner was positively divine, dessert was indulgent and we were altogether fat and happy. Something had to go wrong.

After dinner, we'd retired to the bedroom to curl up with the 53rd Annual Grammy Awards and whatever we had recorded on the DVR. But, about halfway into Muse's performance of Uprising, a cacophony of clatter rose up from the kitchen below. Something did not only go bump in the night, it was a full on crash! bang! boom! We jumped up from the bed and went downstairs to investigate. It was decided that I'd check on the dishwasher and Doug would head down to the basement to make sure the puppies hadn't gotten into any trouble (a much more likely scenario than the dishwasher imploding). I checked, rechecked and reorganized the dishwasher ensuring it would have a smooth wash cycle and Doug emerged from downstairs reporting that all was quiet on the basement front. Perplexed at finding nothing amiss, we returned upstairs, finished watching the Grammy's and had all but made it through Desperate Housewives on DVR when Doug had a craving for some more of my pulled pork ravioli . We stood in the kitchen, happily munching on cold ravioli by refrigerator light and chatting about the awards show winners (Did Arcade Fire really deserve Album of the Year? Honestly, in 10 years, who will have made a bigger impact on music and who will people remember more? Arcade Fire? Or Lady Gaga? Just sayin'). Anyway, satisfied with the ravioli (and a chocolate covered strawberry or 2), we were about to head back upstairs when Doug found himself standing in a massive puddle in front of the garbage.

At this point, despite my earlier fruitless investigation, I was positive the dishwasher had sprung a leak and was set to stop it, mid-cycle, and resign myself to doing dishes by hand (unheard of!) when Doug found the true culprit. It seemed the hullabaloo we'd heard earlier was not the dishwasher imploding, but the kitchen sink! The sink had somehow unglued itself from the counter and had fallen clear through the opening and into the cabinet below, taking with it all the dirty dishes that hadn't fit in the dishwasher! A slow steady stream of water was trickling down into the cabinet, onto the cleaning supplies and out onto the floor. We mopped up the flood, emptied the cabinet of the soggy, waterlogged cleaning supplies and after determining that the drain pipe from the dishwasher was most likely damaged by the falling sink, piled the remaining dirty dishes in (where else?) the bathtub.

You'd think the destruction would end there. If only we were so lucky. Before going back upstairs for what we hoped would be the night, we trudged down to the basement for one final check on the puppies and found another puddle in the middle of the basement floor. Wearied by cleaning the kitchen and already frustrated, it was all too easy to just blame Rigby for peeing on the floor yet again, but closer examination of the puddle revealed no trace of a yellow tinge, so the little one was off the hook (this time). A glance to the ceiling and we knew the kitchen flood had made it's way down through the floorboards. Luckily (if there's any luck to be had in this mess), Jonas' bed happened to be directly under the flood stream. So while the poor puppy essentially had a massive sponge for a bed (don't worry, I threw it away), it was our saving grace in minimizing the mess downstairs. A quick wipe of the floors and ceiling and we could (finally) call it a night. Dejected and thoroughly exhausted we returned upstairs, our inner OCD finding solace in the fact that at least now we had a matching set of appliance-less holes in the kitchen.

So, now we wait. For the granite guy and plumber to come assess the damage, for estimates and repair, for the kitchen to make it's way back to "normal". It's times like these though, when I know I won't be getting to the dishes immediately, that I am so thankful to have my Wolfgang Puck Stainless Steel Cookware Set - 18pc. These pans can sit unwashed for days on end (not that I ever do that, of course) and they come clean with no more than a splash of hot water and the swipe of a soapy sponge.

Now if you'll excuse me, I have a tub of leftover Valentine's Day dishes to wash! *sigh*

Pulled Pork Ravioli Two Ways - Sage and Toasted Walnut Beurre Noisette or BBQ Demi Glace

2011-02-17T21:12:00.000-05:00

To some people holidays are nothing more than a source of stress. Gift buying and get togethers don't mesh with their busy schedules. I am not one of those people. Every holiday, for me, is an opportunity to shower those I love with cards and gifts and more importantly, every holiday is cause for a feast; at least in my house. Growing up in a mostly Italian family we treated births, deaths and any holiday as an occasion to eat. And I mean eat! Come to dinner without your "eating pants" on and you won't make it to the entree course. Seriously.

Holidays take on a slightly different meaning when unemployed, however. Gifts are harder to come by when you're scraping to make ends meet. So when faced with Valentine's Day and nary a gift for Doug in sight (nor funds for said gift in wallet), I figured I'd do what I do best - feed him. Honestly, what says love more than a full belly and a sated smile?

Ok, ok, now I know what you're thinking. "Second recipe and this is what she's throwing at us? Homemade pasta and crazy French terminology? Beurre what? Demi who?" Simmer down, the former is nothing more than a brown butter and the latter a simple sauce thickened and reduced to a glaze...they just sound fancier in French, don't you think?! Admittedly, this recipe is a touch more ambitious, but having said that, I've broken it down into 2 parts for you. If you're not ready to tackle the recipe in it's entirety just yet, simply stop at pulled pork, add a ciabatta bun, some slaw or a salad and a pickle and you're set. For those of you who want to take the plunge and attempt the finished product, I promise you it's so worth it, whichever sauce you choose!

Remember when I told you about our occasional splurges? The beurre noisette is most definitely one of them. So much so, that I'm not even going to calculate the nutritional information for fear of instant cardiac arrest. The BBQ demi glace is slightly less caloric, but still counts as a splurge in my book. This decadent recipe not only makes a fair amount (I used only half of the pulled pork and yielded 30-35 raviolis), it's quite filling, so feel free to halve the entire recipe if there are only a couple of you.

Pulled Pork Ravioli Two Ways
Pulled Pork

1 2lb boneless pork tenderloin

We love pulled pork. The only complaint I have about it is that it can be really fatty and that just ruins the whole smoky, barbecuey, tender love-filled experience for me. So, when making my pulled pork, I like to use a leaner cut. I find that if you cook it "low and slow" in a crock pot it falls apart and shreds nicely. Best part is, no hunks of fat to contend with!

drizzle of olive oil
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1/4 cup brown sugar
cooking oil spray
3/4 cup barbecue sauce

Cut the pork tenderloin into 1 1/2 - 2 inch cubes and place in a bowl. In a separate bowl combine cayenne, salt, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder and brown sugar. Drizzle the pork cubes with olive oil, add the spice rub mixture and toss well to coat. Really get in there and massage the pork so that all your little cubes get some spice loving.

Spray the inside of your crock pot evenly with cooking oil spray and transfer the seasoned pork cubes to the crock pot. Set the pork for 3-4 hours on high or 6-8 hours on low. While it's cooking, your house will take on the smell of a Memphis barbecue pit; the savory garlic, warm cayenne and paprika and sweet sticky molasses aromas dancing through the air. It's amazing!

Once your pork is done cooking, transfer the cubes to a cutting board using a slotted spoon and shred them using 2 forks. I find it easier and less messy to transfer the cubes in small batches rather than all at once and add my shredded pork to a separate bowl until I've finished shredding it all. After you've shredded all the pork, return it to the sauce in the crock pot and give it a good stir.

At this point, you've got the makings of a fantastic meal. A good bun, some salad or slaw and a pickle (or 4) is all it takes to make me deliriously happy. If you're zealous enough to try the rest of the recipe, then read on. If not this time, (trust me, you'll be back), bon appetit!

Pasta Dough

This recipe has been in our family for easily over 100 years. It has been used by my grandfather's sisters and my mother alike and has never failed. It makes a tender pasta dough that can be cooked immediately or formed, cut, dried and frozen for later use.

2 cups all purpose flour
3 egg yolks
1/2 tsp salt
3+ tbsp water

Mix together flour and salt. On a clean, dry surface pile your flour mixture. Make a well in the flour and add your liquid ingredients (starting with 3 tbsp of water). Using a finger, break the egg yolks and begin to swirl the flour little by little into the wet ingredients. Then, knead by hand, on a lightly floured surface, until ingredients are fully incorporated, adding more water by the tablespoon as necessary.

There are 2 options for rolling your dough - pasta cutter or by hand; both work equally as well. Whichever method you choose, roll out sheets of dough about 3 inches wide by 18 inches long and no thicker than a won ton wrapper or a penny. Always work on a lightly floured surface and dust your dough with flour as needed if it becomes sticky.

Filling

2 cups pulled pork
1 1/2 cups finely shredded fontina cheese

In a mixing bowl, combine pulled pork and shredded cheese and mix well.

Assembling Your Ravioli

Lightly flour your work surface and lay out one length of dough. Using a teaspoon, drop filling onto dough, equally spaced, in small mounds. Place another length of dough on top of the first and stretch to completely cover your filling mounds. Lightly press down on the dough along the edges, then, using a ravioli stamp, stamp out the raviolis along the length of the dough. Gather the scraps of dough after stamping out raviolis, knead and re-roll to minimize waste. Repeat this process until you have used all of your filling.

Boil ravioli in moderately salted water for 3-5 minutes until tender.

Sage and Toasted Walnut Beurre Noisette

Beurre Noisette literally translates as "hazelnut butter" even though there are no hazelnuts used in the preparation of this sauce. My best guess is that this name came from the nutty quality the butter takes on when prepared this way, as opposed to simply melting it. A simple beurre noisette can be used in a variety of ways, from a sauce such as this to a dressing for winter vegetables to the base for many baked goods. Once we get an oven, I promise to post a recipe for a brown butter poundcake...I'm drooling just thinking about it! Ok, on to the sauce...

1 stick of butter, cut into pieces (I told you this was decadent)
10-15 fresh sage leaves
toasted walnuts

Place 1/8 cup of walnut halves in a small saute pan over medium to medium high heat. The walnuts will start to release a warm, nutty aroma and take on a toasted brown color as they cook. Cook, stirring frequently to avoid burning for about 5 minutes. Remove from pan, cool and give them a rough chop.

In a separate pan, melt butter over medium high heat and add the sage. After the butter melts it will start to separate - the clarified liquid will rise to the top and the little bits of milk solids will sink to the bottom. These bits are what will cook and ultimately give the butter the browned color and nuttiness. The butter may foam a bit as it browns, this is normal, but keep a close eye on it and stir it often since there is a fine line between browned butter and burned butter. Once your butter is browned, stir in your walnuts, pour over cooked ravioli and serve.

BBQ Demi Glace

1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp flour
1/2 cup beef broth
1/2 cup barbecue sauce

In a small saucepan, melt butter. Add flour to melted butter and whisk until combined and slightly browned. This forms a roux, which is a classic method of creating a thickener base for sauces.

Add beef broth and barbecue sauce to the roux and whisk. Bring to a boil (stirring occasionally) and reduce by half. The sauce will thicken as it boils.

Drizzle lightly over cooked ravioli and serve.

What Valentine's Day dinner would be complete without hoards of sinful chocolate for dessert? I found these adorable heart shaped chocolate dessert cups and decided to fill them with a thick fluffy chocolate mousse and serve with chocolate covered strawberries. Here's how the finished product turned out...

For the chocolate mousse recipe, I have Alton Brown to thank!

Bon Appetit!