Basil

Bean and Rice Burritos

2013-05-15T18:40:00.001-06:00

It's been a week full of rice. I even made a baked rice pudding for dessert! I love mexican food and have been wanting to try this particular recipe for quite some time. The chipolte peppers in abobo sauce give the bean and rice mixture a smoky flavor; and I loved that they use greek yogurt instead of sour cream. This is definitely a healthier choice and great for vegetarians or vegans, with some subtle changes!

Bean and Rice Burritos
Recipe adapted from Tasty Kitchen

1 tablespoon canola oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 chipotle pepper, minced
1 tablespoon adobo sauce
1 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1 can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 can black beans, drained and rinse
1/2 cup water
2 cups brown rice, cooked
1/2 cup pico de gallo

Heat canola oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic, chili powder, chipotle, adobo sauce, cumin, and cayenne. Cook briefly until fragrant, about 30-60 seconds.
Add in drained and rinsed beans, and water. Bring to a simmer, then lower heat to medium-low and cook for 8 minutes, mashing the bean mixture slightly. Remove from heat, and stir in rice and salsa.

Condiments:

6 large flour tortillas
cheese, shredded
lettuce, shredded
pico de gallo
scallions, chopped
greek yogurt

Divide mixture evenly down the center of each tortilla. Top with cheese, lettuce, scallions and greek yogurt. Roll each and serve.

Ashley

Tarragon Chicken with Leek Cream Sauce

2013-05-13T14:54:00.000-06:00

Any chance I get to use my dutch oven is my favorite! This recipe is easy and quick with great ingredients. Tarragon is a delicious herb that I don't think gets enough use. It adds a nice light but present licorice flavor to anything you cook.

Tarragon Chicken with Leek Cream Sauce
Recipe adapted from Cooking with Sugar

6 chicken thighs
salt and pepper, to season the chicken
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 leeks, washed and sliced into 1/2 inch pieces
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1 cup vegetable broth
1 cup white wine or sherry
1 bouillon cube
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon tarragon, chopped {fresh or dried}
2 tablespoons parsley, chopped
1 cup heavy cream
2 cups frozen peas

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Season the chicken thighs well on both sides with salt and pepper. Place the flour in a shallow dish and dredge the chicken in the flour lightly and place on a separate plate.
To a dutch oven add the oil and heat over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot but not smoking, add the chicken thighs a few at a time and brown well on both sides, about 5 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside in another dish.
Add the leeks and pepper to the oil and cook, stirring to scrape up any browned bits at the bottom of the pan; cook for about 2 minutes. Then add the bouillon cube, wine and vegetable broth and cook for another 2 minutes. Add the butter and allow it to melt.
Place the chicken on top of the saue and top with the tarragon and parsley. Cover with the lid and place in the middle of the oven, bake for 20 minutes. Remove the lid and cook an additional 20 minutes.
Take the dutch oven out of the oven and remove chicken. Place pan back on the stove over low heat. Add the heavy cream and allow sauce to simmer until it thickens. Add the frozen peas stir until they are coated with the sauce. Top with the chicken and garnish with fresh parsley.

I served this over rice and squeezed lemon over it to help bring out the flavors!

Ashley

Cilantro-Chickpea Quinoa Salad with Lemon Dressing

2013-05-10T11:41:00.003-06:00

I love trying new things, particularly ingredients I've never worked with. I took the plunge and decided to use quinoa. Yes, I've eaten it before, just never gotten the chance to make something with it myself. This salad might not look as desirable to eat, but it sure is delicious!

Cilantro-Chickpea Quinoa Salad with Lemon Dressing

Recipe adapted from The Diva Dish

1/2 cup dry quinoa

2 cups vegetable stock

2 cups spinach

1 bunch cilantro

1/4 cup onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1 can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed

1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

2 avocados, diced

Lemon Dressing:

2 lemons, juiced

1 lemon, zested

2 teaspoons dijon mustard

1 tablespoon honey

1/2 teaspoon cumin

salt and pepper, to taste

1 tablespoon olive oil

Soak the quinoa in a pot in the vegetable stock for about 15 minutes. After that, turn on the heat to medium-high and let the quinoa come to a boil. Once it boils, reduce the heat to low and let the quinoa simmer. Stir every so often, and cook the quinoa for about 20-25 minutes, just until the liquid absorbs.
In a food processor, add your spinach and cilantro. Process the greens until they are finely diced. Add the greens to a bowl, and set aside.
Add the onion, garlic and chickpeas to the greens mixture and stir until everything is combined and coated. If the quinoa is cooled, you can add it to the mixture.
Make your dressing by whisking all the ingredients together. Pour it over the salad, and mix until combined. Add in tomatoes and avocado and mix.
Set in refrigerator for about 10-15 minutes before serving.

Ashley

Asian Salmon Pasta with Snow Peas and Mushrooms

2013-04-25T11:19:00.001-06:00

Any reason to use sriracha in a recipe is a good enough reason to me. I've been on an asian kick lately too, so this will work perfectly.

Asian Salmon Pasta with Snow Peas and Mushrooms

Recipe adapted from Julia's Album

1 1/2 tablespoons sesame oil

5 scallions, chopped

1 tablespoon sesame seeds

8 mushrooms. sliced

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup chicken stock

1 teaspoon sriracha

1 cup snow peas, steamed

8 oz linguine, cooked

1 tablespoons sesame oil

3-6 salmon filets, deboned and skinned

salt and pepper, to season the fish

1 tablespoon honey

1 tablespoon soy sauce

Heat the sesame oil in a pan on medium-high heat. Add green onions and sesame seeds, saute for 2-3 minutes. Add the sliced mushrooms and cook for another 2 minutes on medium heat. Remove the pan from the heat and add the soy sauce, honey, chicken stock, sriracha, making sure to mix everything until combined
Add the snow peas and pasta to the pan. Mix everything well and heat everything through on medium-low heat.
Preheat broiler. Heat large skillet on high heat. Season salmon on non-skin side with salt and pepper. Add the oil to the hot pan. Add salmon to the and sear for 4 minutes, moving the fish around the skillet to make sure oil coats the surface of the fish and that the fish is not sticking to the pan while searing.
Turn the fish over and sear for another 3 minutes on high heat.
Mix honey and soy sauce together, heating it a little bit in microwave to soften the honey. Brush the top of the salmon with the mixture.
Place salmon the under the broiler for 3 minutes. Brush with more sauce midway through broiling, if desired.

Ashley

Kimchi-Bulgogi Panini

2013-04-23T17:14:00.001-06:00

I knew right away when I saw this recipe I had to make it. I love Korean food, especially bibimbap. I hope to make it soon. Bulgogi is another great dish, which is included in this fabulous panini. I also made a special trip to the asian market to pick up gochujang. It's a sweet fermented red pepper paste with a hint of spice. It's usually served with bibimbap. Another item I've never used was the asian pear. It's definitely different from a pear I was used to.

Kimchi-Bulgogi Panini

Recipe adapted from Chow Divine

Bulgogi:

1 lb steak {any cut preferred}

1/4 cup soy sauce

1 tablespoons sesame oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 onion, thinly sliced

1/4 asian pear, grated

2 tablespoons honey

1 tablespoon mirin

1/4 teaspoon pepper

Sautéed Kimchi:

2 cups napa kimchi, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon gochujang

4 teaspoons brown sugar

6 hoagie rolls

mayonnaise

provolone

arugula

Stir together soy sauce, sesame oil, minced garlic, honey, mirin, and pepper.
Place thinly-sliced beef, sliced onions, and grated pear into a large mixing bowl. Add the marinade to the beef and mix well. Cover tightly and marinate for at least 30 minutes or overnight.
Heat a pan on medium-high heat and add the canola oil. Remove the beef from the marinade and sauté until nicely browned. Don’t overcrowd the pan. Remove from pan and cover with foil foil to keep warm.
Add a drizzle of oil to the same pan with the bulgogi bits still stuck to the pan. Lower the heat to medium. Add the sliced kimchi and sauté until the kimchi starts to look translucent. Add the brown sugar and gochujang and stir well until the gochujang is mixed into the kimchi. Remove from the heat.
Cut the hoagie rolls in half and spread mayo on each side of the roll. Top one side with bulgogi, kimchi, provolone and arugula. Fold over the top of the roll to cover the contents and brush the top of the sandwich with a little bit of oil or butter.
Transfer the sandwiches to a panini maker {I use the George Foreman}. Cook the sandwich until browned and the cheese is melted.
Serve immediately.

Ashley

Spicy Sausage Pasta

2013-04-17T17:40:00.000-06:00

I was in Florida last week from the 7th until 14th. I had a great time visiting with my family... eating at local eateries and drinking delicious drinks! We visited the The Milk Bar where they host tasty tuesday's, it was the best! I ordered a roasted lamb and beef gyro with fresh herbs and lemon aioli, so good! I also went to a hip restaurant in winter park called Prato. From there I ordered a fungi pizza with arugula, goat cheese and balsamic glaze. I love discovering new places to eat in Orlando while I'm there. I also had some amazing photos taken by the talented Andrea Price! She's a photographer in the central Florida area, and basically my sister. Check out her amazing photography.

But enough about my trip, and onto this delicious meal.

I found this recipe while browsing Pinterest and thought it would be a great quick fix for dinner. Plus I love smoked sausage and don't cook with it enough.

Spicy Sausage Pasta

Adapted from Kevin and Amanda

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 lb smoked sausage

1 1/2 cups diced onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 1/4 cups chicken stock

1 can ro-tel

3/4 cup heavy cream

16 oz penne pasta

salt, to taste

pepper, to taste

2 cups monterey jack cheese, shredded

1/3 cup scallions, thinly sliced

Add the oil to an oven-safe pan over medium-high heat until just smoking.
Add the sausage and onions; cook until lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Add the stock, ro-tel, cream, pasta, salt and pepper. Stir and bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat to medium-low and cover the pan. Simmer until pasta is tender, about 15 minutes.
Remove the pan from from heat and stir in 1 cup of the cheese. Top with remaining cheese and sprinkle with scallions. Broil in the oven until the cheese is melted and browned.

Ashley

Belgian Waffles

2013-04-11T08:34:00.000-06:00

Well, Sundance has officially closed for 10 days due to the transition between Winter and Summer! Because of this closure, I decided to fly to Florida to visit my family. I've definitely been slacking on my posts because of school though and since I'm graduating in the next couple of weeks I hope that will not be the case anymore. I've never actually made posts in a different location, but I'm currently at my mothers house and decided to make waffles. At work we've been making waffles a ton and it just seemed like the right thing to do.

Belgian Waffles
Recipe from CDKitchen

2 eggs, separated
2 cups milk
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup vegetable oil

Preheat waffle maker. Put all ingredients except egg whites in a mixing bowl. Mix until smooth.
In another bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks. By hand, gently fold in beaten egg whites.
Pour 1/2 cup batter over the grids; cook until steam no longer escapes, about 3-5 minutes.

Ashley

Bagels with Lox

2013-03-10T15:50:00.000-06:00

What a great reason to wake up in the morning... Lox! When growing up my step-dad, Mike, introduced us to a ton of great eats. He's Jewish so we got to eat a lot of different things we had never had before, this was one of them and definitely my favorite. I remember getting up in the morning and walking into the kitchen and there would be a spread of yummy bagels with lox and garnishments. I'm thankful to have had that in my life so early.

Bagels with Lox

bagels, toasted {any variety}
cream cheese, softened
tomato, sliced
red onion, thinly sliced
smoked salmon or gravlax
capers

Spread each side of the toasted bagel with cream cheese. Add 1-2 slices of tomato, red onion, smoked salmon and capers.

Enjoy!

Ashley

Fire Cracker Salmon

2013-03-10T13:00:00.001-06:00

I actually first had this at Tim's parents house during one of their get togethers in the super. I believe it was the fish fry. I really enjoyed it and figured I've get the recipe. The salmon is already a delicious fish, but adding a sweet and spicy twist to it makes it that much better.

Fire Cracker Salmon

3-6 salmon filets, deboned
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup garlic chili sauce
1/4 cup brown sugar
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons parsley, chopped
1 teaspoon ginger, miced
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Preheat oven or grilled to 350 degrees.
In a bowl, combine all of the ingredients, except for the salmon. Once combined, add the salmon filets and marinate for up to 24 hours. You can marinate for less time if wanted.
If cooking in the oven, bake the salmon for 10-12 minutes. If cooking on the grill, grill for about 4-5 minutes per side, or until the salmon is flaky.

I served this with buttery orzo and sauteed zucchini with soy sauce and lemon.

Ashley

Steak Fajitas

2013-03-03T18:19:00.000-07:00

Hello again! It's been quite a while since my last post but that doesn't mean I haven't been cooking! I'm currently doing my internship at the Tree Room in Sundance {a ski resort} and absolutely love it. When I'm not cooking there I'm either at school, doing homework, playing WoW {my guilty pleasure} or cooking at home. Lately I've been cooking a lot of meals that I've made before so it's been hard to make those newer posts. But I got the idea to make fajitas because we had leftover kobe flank steak at work... so good.

Steak Fajitas

1 onion, sliced
1 red pepper, julienned
2 cloves garlic, chopped

In a pan over high heat, add olive oil and cook the onions until they start to brown. Add the red pepper and continue cooking until they soften. Add the garlic and remove from the heat until the garlic is fully cooked.
Remove the mixture from the pan and set aside.

8 oz flank steak
salt
homemade taco seasoning
cascabel pepper flakes

Season the flank steak with salt, homemade taco seasoning and cascabel pepper flakes.
To the same pan that the vegetable mixture was cooked in add a little olive oil and the flank steak. Make sure that the pan is at a medium-high temperature. Cook the steaks for about 4-5 minutes on each side {or to your specific doneness}. Add the butter at the end of the cooking process.
Once finished, remove from the pan and let rest before slicing.

Condiments:

flour toritillas
cabbage
pico de gallo
sour cream
cheese

Ashley

BELT Sandwich

2013-01-10T12:47:00.000-07:00

So, this is got to be one of the best sandwiches I've ever eaten. Yes, I say that a lot but still! There is so much going on with flavors here and it's amazing. I love the added melted mozzarella cheese on top, it just really helps bring this sandwich together. And arugula never disappoints.

BELT Sandwich
Recipe adapted from Tartine and Apron Strings

sourdough bread, sliced and toasted
pesto mayo
arugula
tomato, sliced
bacon, cooked
fried egg
mozzarella cheese, shredded
pepper, to season

Preheat oven to broil.
To assemble the sandwich, spread each piece of toasted sourdough with the pesto mayo, place arugula on the bottom piece of the bread. Add the sliced tomato, bacon {amount desired} and fried egg on top of that. Place the top piece of bread on top and layer it with mozzarella cheese and season with pepper.
Place in the oven and cook until the cheese is melted and lightly browned.

Enjoy!

Ashley

Butternut Squash Stuffed Shells with Goat Cheese Sauce

2013-01-07T16:36:00.002-07:00

Happy {belated} New Year! I've been so busy these past few weeks with my internship I've barely had time to blink. All I can say is that I love it though. I also started my Spring classes today, but thankfully I had time to make this delicious dinner.

Butternut squash is such a versatile ingredient and one that I've really not used too often. I thought this recipe sounded great and I love the addition of a goat cheese sauce. Also, if you have lefover breadcrumbs in your pantry, you can easily use them for this.

Butternut Squash Stuffed Shells with Goat Cheese Sauce

Recipe adapted from Pink Parsley

1 large butternut squash, halved lengthwise and seeds scraped out

3 cloves garlic, unpeeled
2 sprigs thyme

2 tablespoons olive oil

salt and pepper
6 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon sage {ground}
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 cups milk
1 1/4 cups goat cheese
1 1/4 cup parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 cup breadcrumbs

1/4 teaspoon thyme, chopped
20 jumbo shells, cooked

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Place the squash flesh side-up and place 1-2 garlic cloves and a sprig of thyme in the empty cavity of each half. Brush with the olive oil, and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Cook until the flesh is easily pierced by a fork and beginning to brown and blister, 45 to 50 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
Discard the thyme sprigs and put the garlic in a large bowl. Scoop the squash flesh from the skins and add it to the garlic. Mash with a fork until smooth, stir in 1/8 teaspoon of sage, 1/2 cup parmesan and season to taste.
Decrease the oven temperature to 350 degrees.
Meanwhile, make the goat cheese sauce. Melt the butter in saucepan over medium heat. Add in an 1/8 teaspoon and cook until the butter is fragrant, about 2-3 minutes. Add the flour and whisk until smooth and golden, about 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in the milk and cook, whisking occasionally until thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 15 minutes. Stir in the goat cheese, 1/2 cup parmesan, nutmeg, and season to taste.
To the 1/2 cup of breadcrumbs, add 2 tablespoons melted butter, 1/4 cup parmesan, 1/8 teaspoon sage and 1/4 teaspoon thyme. Stir until combined.
To assemble the shells, lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish. Spread 1/2 cup of the reserved goat cheese sauce over the bottom of the dish. Stuff each shell with the butternut squash mixture, then arrange in a single layer in the prepared baking dish. Pour 1 1/2 cups of the cheese sauce over the shells, then sprinkle with the breadcrumbs. Cover the dish with foil and bake 25-30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake an additional 10-15 minutes, or until the breadcrumbs are browned and the sauce is bubbly.

Ashley

Cream of Mushroom Soup

2012-12-17T17:01:00.000-07:00

Woo, finally done with Fall semester! Only downside is I start my internship early... tomorrow to be exact. I will be working at Sundance Resort in a fine dining restaurant called The Tree Room. I'll be working there everyday until the beginning of the year which means I'll have no time to cook new dishes. My loving boyfriend is going to have to start cooking dinners for himself. Thankfully, I have an entire blog of recipes for him... hehe!

Mushroom soup has always been a favorite of mine. My mother used to make it all the time and her version was definitely different in the consistency. I loved that this recipe uses sherry, it gives such a great flavor... especially for cream soups.

Cream of Mushroom Soup

4 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 onion, chopped
5 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon savory {herbs}
1/4 teaspoon rosemary
1/4 teaspoon cascabel pepper flakes
1 lb baby bella mushrooms, sliced
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup sherry
1/4 cup flour
4 cups chicken stock
1 cup whipping cream
1 bay leaf

In a pot, heat the olive oil and butter over medium heat until the butter is melted. Add in the onions and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, stirring to combine and cook for a 2 more minutes.
Toss in the herbs, cascabel pepper flakes, mushrooms, pepper and salt. Cook until the mushrooms are soft, about 5 minutes. Add the sherry and cook until it has been absorbed by the mushrooms.
Sprinkle with the flour and stir to combine.
Pour in the stock and cream, and add in the bay leaf. Stir to combine everything. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for about 10 minutes until the soup has thickened.
Ladle half of the soup into a blender and puree until smooth. Return the pureed soup to the pot, stir and season more if needed.

Ashley

Broccoli and Cheese Soup

2012-11-27T17:34:00.000-07:00

I grew up eating broccoli and cheese soup so of course I've been craving it lately. The reason I really loved making this recipe is because it was super fast and simple. By only using processed cheese, such as velveeta, it helped give the soup a creamy texture.

Broccoli and Cheese Soup
Recipe from Cooking Light

cooking spray
1 cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 cups chicken broth
16 oz broccoli florets {frozen}
2 1/2 cups milk
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon pepper
8 oz Velveeta

Heat a large nonstick saucepan coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic; saute 3 minutes or until tender. Add broth and broccoli. Bring broccoli mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium; cook 10 minutes.
Combine milk and flour, stirring with a whisk until well blended. Add milk mixture to broccoli mixture. Cook 5 minutes or until slightly thick, stirring constantly. Stir in pepper. Remove from heat; add cheese, stirring until cheese melts.
Place one-third of the soup in a blender or food processor, and process until smooth. Return pureed soup mixture to pan.

Ashley

Creme Anglaise

2012-11-19T19:03:00.000-07:00

This is definitely Timmy's favorite sauce for any dessert. I said I was making it to go with my pear galette and he got super happy. He describes it as a melted ice cream and he's completely right. Making the sauce is super easy, you just need to make sure that you don't overcook the final custard. The great thing is that this is the base for many things like ice creams or advanced creams like creme anglaise-style buttercream.

Creme Anglaise
Recipe from Advanced Baking and Pastry

243 g milk
243 g heavy whipping cream
97 g sugar, divided
97 g egg yolks
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

To a pot, add the milk, heavy whipping cream and half the sugar. Bring to a boil.
In a bowl, add the egg yolks and right before the liquids in the pot come to a boil add the rest of the sugar to the egg yolks and whisk until combined. You want to do this so that the sugar doesn't cook the egg yolks.
Temper the liquids into the egg yolk mixture and return everything back into the pot. Cook the custard until it thickens and has reached 160-180 degrees.
Strain the mixture into a bowl over an ice water bath and stir until cooled and add in the vanilla.
Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Ashley

Cranberry-Citrus Relish

2012-11-18T17:03:00.000-07:00

This recipe comes from one of my classmates and it's amazing. It's light and fresh and goes great with vanilla-honey greek yogurt... I just can't get enough. She also told me to use organic sugar because white granulated sugar gives a grainy texture.

Cranberry-Citrus Relish
Recipe courtesy of Leann Pointer

1 bag cranberries, rinsed

1 orange, ends and seeds removed

1 lemon, ends and seeds removed

2 apples, cored

10 oz crushed pineapple

1 cup sugar {organic}

1/2 pomegranate seeds

In a food processor, blend everything separately, making sure everything is the same consistency. After each item is blended, empty the contents into a bowl.
First start with the cranberries, then the orange and lemon, and lastly the apples {adding the pineapple in before finished processing the apples}.
Mix all of the processed fruit in the bowl and add the sugar, stir until combined. Add the pomegranate seeds and combine.
Let sit overnight so that all of the flavors meld together.

Ashley

Pasta with Zucchini, Tomatoes and Creamy Lemon-Yogurt Sauce

2012-11-12T18:15:00.000-07:00

I absolutely love greek yogurt so I knew this was going to be something I'd love. It's a refreshing pasta dish that you could make all your own with other fresh vegetables!

Pasta with Zucchini, Tomatoes and Creamy Lemon-Yogurt Sauce

Recipe adapted from Jillian Michaels

12 ounces farfalle pasta
3/4 cup greek yogurt
1/3 cup parmesan cheese, grated
1 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest, grated
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon slap yo mama seasoning or black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 medium zucchini, halved and cut into thin strips
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1/2 pint grape tomatoes, halved

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the pasta, and cook about 9 minutes, or according to the package directions. Drain the pasta and set aside.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, stir together the yogurt, parmesan cheese, lemon zest, salt and slap yo mama seasoning; set aside.
In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the zucchini, and cook just until wilted, flipping them over occasionally with a spatula.
Push the zucchini aside so a space on the bottom of the pan is clear. Add the garlic, and cook for 1 minute, until golden but not really brown.
Mix the garlic into the zucchini.
Stir in the tomatoes and cook until softened, about 2 minutes.
Transfer the zucchini mixture to the yogurt mixture, and stir to combine. Add the drained pasta, and toss gently to combine.

Ashley

Savory Breakfast Bread Pudding

2012-11-04T11:37:00.001-07:00

This savory bread pudding was super yummy and easy to make. I'm thinking next time I will add mushrooms to give it extra flavor.

Savory Breakfast Bread Pudding

4 eggs
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon parsley
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 onion, chopped
2 green onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 fresno peppers, chopped
1 small tomato, chopped
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup spinach
1 1/2 cups cheese, shredded {monterey jack and sharp cheddar}
5 strips bacon, diced
5-6 slices of bread, cubed
slap yo mama seasoning, sprinkled on top

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a bowl, add the eggs, milk and parsley. Whisk together and set aside.
In a pan over medium heat, add the butter and saute the onions. Add the green onions, garlic and fresno peppers and continue to saute. Add in the tomatoes and cook just until the tomato juices start to evaporate. Season with salt and pepper.
Add the vegetable mixture to the egg mixture. Add the spinach and 1 cup of the cheese mixture as well.
In the same pan used to cook the vegetables, add the bacon. Cook completely. Drain the bacon grease and add the bacon slowly to the egg mixture making sure to stir while adding.
Spray a 8x8 inch baking pan with cooking spray and add in the bread. Pour the egg mixture over the bread and make sure all the bread is equally soaked. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of cheese over the top and sprinkle with the slap yo mama seasoning.
Bake for 30 minutes. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

I served this with spicy roasted potatoes!

Ashley

Reuben Sandwiches

2012-10-30T18:19:00.000-06:00

It seems that the only right way to make a reuben is to start with fresh prepared ingredients. During my garde manger class we made these sandwiches and I don't even know how I had gone that long without eating one before. The flavors are just so amazing, it's truly a marvelous sandwich.

Reuben Sandwiches

rye bread {or pumpernickel rye}

swiss cheese

thousand island dressing

butter

corned beef {recipe below}

german sauerkraut

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Toast the bread in the oven until golden brown on top.
Flipped over and spread each piece with the dressing and top with the cheese. Put it back into the oven to melt the cheese.
In a pan over medium heat, melt some butter and add the corned beef, cook until heated.
Once the cheese is finished melting, put half of the corned beef on one slice of bread. Add a layer of sauerkraut and then add the rest of the corned beef to the second slice. Put back into the oven for 2 minutes to warm.
Once finished put the second slice on top and slice.

Corned Beef

Recipe adapted from Cooking With Mel

1 3 lb corned beef plus seasoning packet

3 cups water

4-6 cups beef stock

salt and pepper

In a large stockpot add the beef, seasoning packet, water, beef stock, salt and pepper. Make sure there's enough liquid to cover the beef, if not, add more.
Bring the liquid to a boil over high heat. Boil for a minute or two. Then reduce the heat to medium-low so that the liquid is simmering.
Cover and allow to cook for about 4 hours.

Enjoy!

Ashley

German Sauerkraut {Bohemian Style}

2012-10-29T17:36:00.001-06:00

This sauerkraut is so flavorful. An even amount of tartness and sweet. It would be great as a side dish or as a condiment!

German Sauerkraut {Bohemian Style}
Recipe adapted from Chef Keem

1/2 lb bacon, chopped
1/2 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon beef base
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon paprika
1/2 tablespoon pepper
1/2 tablespoon caraway seed
1 cup red wine
1 quart sauerkraut, rinsed
1 apple, skinned and grated
2 tablespoons roux, cold

In a pan over medium heat cook the bacon until halfway crispy. Add in the onion and garlic and cook until the bacon is completely crispy.
Once ready, add the beef base, brown sugar, paprika, pepper and caraway seed. Mix thoroughly and cook for about 3 minutes.
Turn the heat down to a simmer and add the red wine, sauerkraut and grated apple and let simmer for about 5 minutes. Add the roux and simmer for another 15 minutes.

Ashley

Thousand Island Dressing

2012-10-28T16:57:00.000-06:00

So the inspiration for making this dressing comes from my craving for reuben sandwiches which I will be making on Tuesday! It's easier for me to make the condiments and such before since I have work, class and homework during the week. This is a very simple and yummy dressing.

Thousand Island Dressing
Recipe from Chef Franz

1 cup mayonnaise
1 ounce chili sauce
1 ounce ketchup
1/4 cup onion, finely minced
2 tablespoons parsley, chopped {fresh}
1 ounce pickle relish
1/2 ounce capers, chopped
2 hard boiled eggs, chopped
pepper, to taste

In a bowl, mix all of the ingredients together and chill for at least 2 hours prior to using.

Ashley

Baked Halibut with Pine Nut, Parmesan and Arugula Pesto Crust

2012-10-22T18:01:00.000-06:00

Today we definitely made a great food discovery in downtown Provo, a restaurant called Black Sheep Cafe which focuses on southwestern native-american cuisine. I ordered the "goat" burger {a beef burger stuffed with goat cheese and roasted garlic, topped with portobello mushrooms, roasted red peppers, spring mix and adobo mayo all wrapped in nanniskadii bread - very similar to naan!} and the Orange Habenero Crème Brulee. I was in absolute heaven when eating my burger, I'm going to eat there again for sure.

For dinner, I decided to make this baked halibut. It's quite flavorful because of the arugula pesto and parmesan cheese.

Baked Halibut with Pine Nut, Parmesan and Arugula Pesto Crust
Adapted from Kalyn's Kitchen

6 halibut fillets, deboned and skinned
3/4 cups pine nuts
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons parmesan cheese
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon arugula pesto
4 1/2 tablespoons mayonnaise
lemon
1/4 cup panko

1 tablespoon butter

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Spray a baking pan with non stick spray or olive oil. Remove the fish fillets from the refrigerator and let them come to room temperature while the oven heats.
Finely chop the pine nuts and mince the garlic. Mix together chopped pine nuts, parmesan cheese, garlic, pesto and mayonnaise.
On each fillet, squeeze a little lemon on top and spread the crust mixture evenly over the surface of each fish fillet. Pile it on so all the crust mixture is used. Sprinkle the tops of each crust with buttered panko.
Bake the halibut for 10-15 minutes, or until the fish is firm to the touch and crust mixture is starting to lightly brown. If the fish is thoroughly cooked, but the crust is not completely browned, turn on the broiler and brown the tops.

I served this with lemon-garlic mashed potatoes and sauteed spinach!

Ashley

Thai Beef Noodles

2012-10-17T16:25:00.000-06:00

We start advanced baking tomorrow and I'm not sure how it's going to go. I'm only sure that I'll be exhausted with my current schedule... 5 am - 10 am (work), 11 am - 5 pm (school) and then homework! It's because of meals like this that make my life so much simpler. I can just throw it together and when Tim gets home, he's got something to eat. This recipe reminds me a lot of thai chicken fettuccine too. It's a very basic thai-inspired pasta.

Thai Beef Noodles
Recipe adapted from Taste of Home

1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons sherry
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
3/4 teaspoon sambal
12 ounces spaghetti, cooked
1 lb beef top sirloin steak, thinly sliced
1 1/2 teaspoons vegetable oil, divided
1/2 cup carrot, julienned
1/2 cup sweet red pepper, julienned
2 green onions, sliced
1/4 cup peanuts, chopped
2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped

In a small saucepan, bring the first eight ingredients to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat and set aside.
In a large skillet or wok, stir-fry the beef in 1/2 teaspoon oil until no longer pink. Remove and keep warm.
Stir-fry carrot and red pepper in remaining oil for 3 minutes. Add in the green onions; stir-fry 3 minutes longer or until vegetables are crisp-tender. Return beef to the skillet.
Drain the noodles and add to the pan. Add the peanut sauce and toss to coat. Sprinkle with peanuts and cilantro.

Ashley

Green Tomato Chocolate Cake with Mocha Frosting

2012-10-16T16:36:00.001-06:00

Since our tomatoes are on the verge of not ripening because of the cold weather, I've decided to use some of them in this chocolate cake. Tims mom gave me this recipe when we were at their house this past weekend and it sounded great. I also loved the idea of a mocha frosting.

Green Tomato Chocolate Cake with Mocha Frosting

3/4 cup butter

2 cups sugar

3 eggs

2 teaspoons orange extract

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup milk

2 cups green tomato, finely chopped

1 cup walnuts, chopped

mocha frosting {recipe below}

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Add in the orange and vanilla extract. Combine the flour, cocoa, cinnamon and salt.
Mix the dry ingredients and milk into the mixture until just combined.
Stir in the tomatoes and walnuts. Grease a bundt pan and pour the batter in.
Bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes. Let cool before frosting.

Mocha Frosting:

1/4 cup butter, softened

2 1/2 cup powdered sugar

2 tablespoons cocoa powder

1 tablespoon rum

2 tablespoons coffee

Cream the butter and add in the sugar, cocoa, rum and coffee until smooth.

Ashley

Potato, Bacon and Feta Scones

2012-10-11T15:43:00.000-06:00

So I've been wanting to make savory scones for quite a while, at least since the last time I ate some a year ago. I actually found this recipe in a baking book that was brought back from Australia. The baker, Allyson Gofton has great ideas so I was excited to learn more about her recipes.

Potato, Bacon and Feta Scones
Recipe adapted from Allyson Gofton

3 strips bacon, diced and cooked
1 1/2 cups self-raising flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup mashed potato, cooled
1/4 cup feta
3/4 cup goat cheese*
2 tablespoons parsley {fresh or dried}
1 egg
1/4 cup milk, plus more for brushing
parmesan or cheddar cheese

Preheat the oven to 430 degrees; set the oven rack towards the top of the oven. Grease a baking tray or line with parchment paper.
Sift the flour and baking soda together into a bowl. Use a pastry cutter to gently mix through the potato, feta, goat cheese, bacon and parsley and make a well in the center.
Beat the egg and milk together and pour into the well. Use a knife to mix to a soft dough. Add more milk if necessary {the amount of milk required depends on the softness of the mashed potato}.
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead very lightly until smooth, roll or pat out and cut circles, squares or triangles.
Place the scones close together on the prepared baking tray. Brush with a little milk and sprinkle with the cheese.
Bake in the preheated oven for 15-18 minutes until well risen and golden brown and cooked. Transfer to a clean tea towel covered cake rack to cool. Serve warm.

*I substituted in 3/4 cup of goat cheese because I was low on feta, you can use only feta if preferred.

Ashley