supperella

I Will Only Cleanse If I Can Eat

noreply@blogger.com (valerie olivia) — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 04:55:00 +0000

As I'm sure you've all heard of, or maybe even tried, the high and almighty "cleanse". Haven't you noticed that everyone was jumping on the bandwagon in 2010 just trying to rid their bodies of toxins or whatever nonsense drinking juice is supposed to do? Don't get me wrong, though. I DO think that our bodies need a break from impurities once in a while, but I just wouldn't be able to sacrifice FOOD.

Chime in Bon Appetit! They've compiled a two week food-lovers cleanse...and it actually looks bomb. To make matters even sweeter, they provide full shopping lists, schedules, and recipes for the things you'll need to eat. A sampling of the rules, however:

Alcohol. Do not have more than 2-4 drinks per week. Totally do-able.
Water. Drink at least 2 liters per day. Bring it on.
Bread. Reach for other sources of whole grains and complex carbs (quinoa, farro, freekeh, brown rice, winter squashes, sweet potatoes, barley, oats) So, no bread? Yikes.
Dairy. Drop it—aside from yogurt/kefir—to give your digestive system a break. Please don't take my cheese away!

To cleanse or not to cleanse? That is the question. Seems like if there were a "fun" way to cleanse, this would be it. Until then...unlimited bacon and cheese for me.

See full food lover's cleanse details here.

photo

Jolly Green Giant Tomato

noreply@blogger.com (valerie olivia) — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 03:46:00 +0000

I was doing my weekly Whole Foods visit when I stumbled upon this beefy guy. This heirloom tomato just stared at me with its many imperfections...and that's why I brought him home. I knew I wanted to do something that wouldn't take away from all of his great qualities: he was fresh, smelled good, and had smooth grooves. A simple tomato salad inspired by this post was exactly what was in order.

I tore up some rosemary bread and spread out on my toaster over sheet (lined with foil). A drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, dash of kosher salt, sprinkle of black pepper and oregano. Toast about 4 minutes or until however crispy you want your croutons.

In the meantime, I sliced up my tomato along with some cherry tomatoes that I had and tossed with slivers of white onion. I mixed together in a large bowl with about 2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar, the juice of a small lemon, 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, a dash of kosher salt, and a generous sprinkle of freshly grated parmigiano reggiano cheese. I added the croutons in right before serving to avoid a soggy mess.

P.S. My one heirloom tomato weighed about 1.5 pounds and served two very generously, but you might want to do this as a side for a heartier meal.

Stop, Drop, and Lobster Roll

noreply@blogger.com (valerie olivia) — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 17:56:00 +0000

As the Labor Day weekend approaches, I've been panicking that summertime is nearing it's end. The season has tip-toed right passed me so I'm in a mad rush to do all things warm weather-related within the next week or so. It's nearly impossible for me to soak up a summer's worth of sun in a weekend so I'll resort to food. Lobster rolls to be exact. I fell smitten over this little recipe because not only was it super simple, but it also used Greek yogurt instead of mounds of mayo and melted butter. It was the bees knees...

Although I would've loved to use freshly caught and steamed lobster, that's just unrealistic for me in my tiny kitchen. I don't even own tongs! Thanks to the lovely Whole Foods, I was able to buy 8 ounces of lobster meat. I did need to thaw it out, but once it was ready to work with, the rest was piece of cake. In less than 10 minutes, I chopped all the ingredients and just blended together for a tart and refreshing summer's dinner.

And, of course, the whole wheat buns were extra toasted. Enjoy what little we have left of summer! xo

Recipe: Lobster Rolls via Food Network

+ 2nd photo via flickr

B-A-N-A-N-A-S

noreply@blogger.com (valerie olivia) — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 10:00:00 +0000

I had about 6 bananas sitting in my refrigerator and they were EXTRA ripe. I wasn't in the mood to make a banana bread, so my friend Erica suggested...wait for it...bananas foster! I know, I know. To be completely honest, I'm not sure that I've ever eaten bananas foster prior to last night, but it was better than snow days and scratch off lottery tickets. First of all, the ice cream manages to stay cold with the hot topping, which makes the whole dish a bit reminiscent of apple pie a la mode. If I didn't know that eating ice cream every night would pose some serious health problems, I would petition this to be dessert...at least twice a week.

To make:
Over medium heat, combine 1 tablespoon of light brown sugar, 1 tablespoon of butter, 1 banana (sliced), 1 teaspoon of cream (or vanilla ice cream), 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon, and 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt in a frying pan/skillet until it bubbles like below, about 4 minutes. Remove and smother on top of two scoops of vanilla bean ice cream.

I still have 5 bananas left...
Banana bread? Unless you have any other recipes to help me use up the rest of my ripe bananas. Help a sister out.

Nobody Calls Me Chicken

noreply@blogger.com (valerie olivia) — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 10:00:00 +0000

In an effort to cut down on cooking time, I sometimes cheat...and I buy a rotisserie chicken from the market. It's about $6 for a whole chicken and there you have about 2 days of supper and lunch. I have to admit that plain chicken is not my favorite, so I find myself having to jazz it up. Last night, I used an old trick that my roommate uses with tuna: green apple and pistachios. Dinner for two in less than 10 minutes.

It's RIDICULOUSLY EASY to make this Waldorf-esque chicken salad: rough chop about 2 celery stalks, 1/4 of a granny smith apple, 10 pistachios (shelled), and 2 chicken breasts (or whatever part of the chicken that you like). Add 1 healthy-sized tablespoon of low-fat mayo and about 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil (you can eyeball it). Finally, top with fresh ground pepper, kosher salt, 1 squeeze from a fresh lemon, and 1/2 teaspoon of dried parsley. MIX and dollop on toasted bread! Done.

P.S. Top on a bed of iceberg if bread isn't your thing. No harm in that.

The Breakfast Club

noreply@blogger.com (valerie olivia) — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 10:00:00 +0000

A. That's a baked summer tomato, not a pumpkin.

B. My kitchen ceiling is fixed so I'm back to cooking. Actually, my ceiling was fixed last week, but I've been too busy (and kind of lazy) to cook. I realize that it's a food/cooking/trying to cook blog, but I'm allowed.

C. That laziness has rubbed off into this week so yesterday's dinner was...breakfast. I was having company. And even though these tomatoes spent more time in the oven than on our plates, the wait was worth it for a meal that the three of us rarely get to eat during the week.

My pretty cookbook I Know How To Cook (by Ginette Mathiot) was the source of inspiration for a quick and easy egg recipe. Egg Stuffed Tomatoes looked me in the eye and said "bake me". I changed the recipe and added some extra frills; however, I have to imagine that the original recipe has the same characteristics of my concoction: the tomato softens just a bit, but retains it's shape. The egg gets so fluffy and it's almost like cake cutting through the final product.

We had our friend Erica over for some Supperella, and after a long hour of waiting for the tomatoes to be done, we finally chowed down at about 9:30 PM. It was what I had hoped for, but we decided it was missing a kick: Tapatio was made for these tomatoes.

I adapted the recipe to include some greens, and I also scrambled the eggs instead of keeping them sunny side up. 2 eggs instead of 1 in each tomato turned out to be the perfect dinner portion with a tiny salad and side of turkey bacon. I also made only 3 tomatoes instead of the 6 that the recipe called for...breakfast was only for 3 after all.

Egg Stuffed Tomatoes (Adapted from I Know How To Cook)
3 medium round tomatoes
Olive oil
6 eggs
1/2 cup of baby spinach
3 tablespoons of chopped white onion
Pinch of dried parsley
3 tablespoons of freshly grated parm cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Cut a circle at the top of each tomato and spoon out the guts. Rinse with cold water and rest on paper towel to dry. Brush on olive oil to the outside of each tomato and place in a baking dish.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the 6 eggs. Add a pinch of salt and pepper. Pour evenly into each tomato shell. Stuff about 6 spinach leaves into each tomato and top each with a tablespoon of white onion and dried parsley.

Bake for 45 minutes. Top each with 1 tablespoon of parm cheese and continue baking until cheese is melted and brown; about 10-15 more minutes. Using a butter knife, puncture the center of each tomato to make sure it is fully cooked. Serve warm with your choice of breakfast sides.

Under Construction...

noreply@blogger.com (valerie olivia) — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 21:53:00 +0000

No, not Supperella.

However, my kitchen ceiling needs a little work and will be out of commission for the next couple of days.

Mom Taught Me: Basic Rice

noreply@blogger.com (valerie olivia) — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 10:00:00 +0000

They say that there are "things" everyone should know how to cook. Eggs are usually on that list, but I am a firm believer that you should know how to cook the things you REALLY like, not necessarily the easiest things to cook. It just so happens that something I could not live without is just plain rice (maybe it's the Colombian in me talking).

The wonderful thing is that there's nothing particularly special about rice. It's plain, not too much flavor, and it pretty much goes with everything. It's not easy. Burning happens and it took me a while to get the formula/timing right. My mom still has the best recipe (I don't know what I'm doing wrong!), but I'm confident that I sure am close...

Very Basic Rice (Basmati and Brown Mix*)
2 cups water
1 cup of rice (3/4 Basmati and 1/4 brown)
2 tablespoon of canola oil
1 scallion, the white part only
1 clove of garlic, whole
1/2 teaspoon of salt

In a medium sauce pan, combine water, rice, oil, scallion, garlic, and salt over medium heat. Boil until water is not visible, about 15 minutes. Cover and lower to low heat, simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and keep covered until ready to serve. Remove scallion and garlic before plating.

*Mama uses just white Carolina brand rice. That's the golden ticket.

Chive Records

noreply@blogger.com (valerie olivia) — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 10:00:00 +0000

I've made it pretty apparent that cheese is a huge weakness of mine. So, it was no surprise that when I stumbled across this recipe on my Epicurious app, I went absolutely bonkers. I knew I had to make these because they were my favorite thing at Red Lobster circa age 5. I have to hope that mine are a tad bit healthier than their version, but, who am I kidding, I'm really not concerned about the butter. I did have to make a significant change to the original recipe: nix the dill, add the chive!

Cheddar Chive Biscuits (adapted from Epicurious: Cheddar Dill Biscuits)
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt*
1 tablespoon of garlic powder*
5 tablespoons cold salted butter, cut into bits*
1 cup coarsely grated extra-sharp Cheddar
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives*
1/2 cup non-fat plain yogurt*
1/3 cup whole milk

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 400°F. Combine flour, baking powder, sugar, baking soda, and salt by hand until combined. Add butter bits and massage mixture until a coarse meal forms. Add Cheddar and chives; combine. Whisk together yogurt and milk, then massage into mealy mixture until smooth and doughy.

Spoon 12 mounds of dough about 2 inches apart onto an ungreased large baking sheet and bake until puffed and pale golden, about 12 to 15 minutes.

* The original recipe calls for 1/2 teaspoon of salt, no garlic powder, 5 tablespoon of unsalted butter, 1 1/2 tablespoons of dill, and 3/4 cup of whole milk plain yogurt. I changed according to my taste, so I encourage you to do the same if you try this one. I find it SUPER helpful to read the comments section when looking at recipes online--folks will give you information that even the recipemaker didn't know would make their food taste so good. No shame in experimenting either--try doing buttermilk instead of whole, you wild child.

It's Not Easy Being Cheesy

noreply@blogger.com (valerie olivia) — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 13:00:00 +0000

Supperellites: meet my very own Eggplant Rollatini. Melted inside and out these tiny little rolls are three scrumpious cheeses--ricotta, parm regg, and shredded smoked mozz. Hold your horses because there's a layer of prosciutto on the inside!

I'm so proud of these because my entire Pyrex tray was gone in less than 24 hours. I think it's safe to say that I judge the quality of my food on how quickly my roommate and I are able to finish off the leftovers. Ha, is that terrible?!

P.S. Big thanks to my mama for sending over the eggplants from the garden. You did good.

Three Cheese Eggplant Rollatini
2 medium oval-shaped eggplants
16 oz. ricotta cheese
1 egg
1/4 cup of grated parm regg
1/4 cup of chopped fresh parsley, reserve some whole leaves for garnish
1/8 lb. of thinly sliced prosciutto
1 1/2 cups of marinara sauce
3/4 cup of whole wheat seasoned breadcrumbs
1 cup shredded smoked mozzarella cheese
3 tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt and ground pepper

Preheat oven at 350 degrees. Slice the eggplants lengthwise in 1/4 inch strips. In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil and cook the eggplant (so it softens) for about 1 minute each side. Remove and put to the side. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to your baking dish to coat bottom.

In a large bowl, combine the ricotta, egg, parm regg, and parsley. Season mixture with salt and pepper. Lay one slice of prosciutto in the middle of an eggplant slice. Add 1 heaping tablespoon of the cheese mixture to one end (on top of the prosciutto) and roll. Place seam side down in a baking dish. Repeat with all eggplant slices.

Once all the rolls are in the baking dish, top with marinara sauce. Sprinkle breadcrumbs for some crisp and finish off with the smoked mozz. Bake for 20 minutes. Garnish with parsley sprigs.

Zucchini Leek Pizza Pie!

noreply@blogger.com (valerie olivia) — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 13:00:00 +0000

A while back, my roommate and I schemed out an idea to make the perfect quick pizza--it would have grilled zucchini, leeks, vine-ripened tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, oregano, and grated parmigiano reggiano. The issue: we were too lazy too make our own dough, but we wanted something extraordinary.

It didn't take us long to realize that we could simply take Sullivan Street's Pizza Bianca and toss all of the ingredients on top.

After sauteing 1 thinly sliced small zucchini and 2 roughly chopped leeks for about 5 minutes in a skillet, we layered it all on top of the flatbread with 2 thickly sliced tomatoes. Shredded mozzarella went on top of the veggies to lock them on after the melt, and then a drizzle of grated parmigiano reggiano, oregano, and olive oil sealed the deal. Baked in the broiler for about 4-5 minutes to brown (...or longer to blacken like below).

We did 6 slices of Pizza Bianca which was plenty for a two-person dinner. We were able to use all the veggies we bought for the pizza, except for the leeks. Ugh, the leeks! I didn't know what else to make with them. Steamy, hot leek soup? Nope. Anyone care to leak their leek ideas? I'll make you pizza, especially if you like it burnt.

Squash Out the Heat

noreply@blogger.com (valerie olivia) — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 11:40:00 +0000

The humidity is really unbearable in NYC and when I was trying to figure out what to make for dinner yesterday, I knew I wanted something clean and refreshing. So, I took a cue from my girl Martha and whipped up a healthy portion of Summer Pasta Salad with Shrimp. The really amazing thing about this supper is that the only two things that require cooking are the pasta and the shrimp. It takes maybe 25 minutes on a sluggish day. Easy as pie. Needless to say, the recipe serves 4, if you can resist seconds.

Summer Pasta Salad with Shrimp (adapted from Everyday Food)
1/2 pound of short pasta, regular or whole grain; I used Campanelle above
1 small to medium yellow summer squash, thinly sliced crosswise
1/2 cup Kalamata olives, chopped
4 lightly packed cups of baby spinach (3 1/2 ounces)
1 teaspoon of lemon zest
2 teaspoons of lemon juice
Extra virgin olive oil
3/4 pound of large shrimp
Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper

Cook the pasta in a large pot for about 9 minutes or until al dente. Drain. In a large serving bowl, mix with squash, olives, spinach, zest, lemon juice, and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Cover with pot lid to trap steam (this will wilt the spinach and squash).

In a large skillet with a splash of olive oil, cook the shrimp on medium heat, turning occasionally, until they are pink and opaque (about 4-5 minutes). Top pasta with shrimp.

Serve warm or slightly chilled.

Will Work for Food

noreply@blogger.com (valerie olivia) — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 13:00:00 +0000

My friends and I all work like animals, some more than others, but the one thing we have in common is that we all value the importance of a good meal...and I prefer mine homemade. To me, there is nothing better than creating a whole dinner out of a handful of ingredients. And, if I can pretend to be Anthony Bourdain, Giada, or Bobby Flay for about an hour of my day, then why the hell not.

Supperella is about my epicurean life in New York. I work, I eat, repeat. I think it's pretty obvious which of the two I like the best. Like Cinderella, I'm just young, trying to get by. I don't have any mice helping me because that would just be awkward in the kitchen, but my fairy godmother (a.k.a. cookbooks, food shows, my mom, etc) will help me in my culinary adventures. I have and will run into some challenges while making my suppers, I mean, on my way to the ball:

1) Cooking for two (I live with my friend from college). Some of the yummiest recipes I've encountered are made for families of 10, apparently. We end up eating leftovers for 5 days which is no fun. I'm going to try to find ways to make smaller suppers for people who don't have to feed that many mouths.

2) Lack of time. I get home at about 7 PM each night which leaves me about an hour (at the most) to cook and eat before any good shows come on. I need to find either quick recipes that are actually good or recipes that I can throw in the slow cooker for the day. Either will work.

3) Groceries, more specifically produce size. Ever try to buy herbs for one meal? Impossible. I am constantly stuck drying or freezing them which defeats the purpose of using fresh anything. I have to learn to cook completely different meals using the same ingredients. Goal #3, check.

4) And then there's the problem of happy hour which isn't actually a problem, but it is the culprit for supper-free nights. My only solution to that is finding yummy late night snacks that require the LEAST amount of work in the least amount of time. More to follow.

I feel like I need to note that I am by no means an expert at this game. I can do the basics, but I have a lot to learn about different foods and actually cooking itself. There will be cuts, maybe some blood, and definitely burns and tears. In the end, I work hard and, darn-it, I deserve good food...me and my kitchen are on a mission to make sure I'm getting it.

Stay tuned!

[photo via fanpop]