just a fork and a spoon

homemade basil pesto... revisited

2013-06-05T10:15:00.001-07:00

who has time to cook? well, this is what i've been up to lately.

not vivi's best picture but let's be real- getting a two year old and a (then) one month old to pose for a picture is just not gonna happen. in fact, getting my two year old to even hold vivi takes serious bribing.
i digress. since there hasn't been a whole lot of new recipe creation going on in my kitchen we've relied on our old standbys. homemade pesto is always in our dinner rotation. an overwhelming sense of embarrassment comes over me every time i look at my first few posts, pesto included. My photography skills were just short of horrific. in making this last round of pesto i replaced my sad iphone picture. being gardening season i felt it appropriate to re-share this deliciousness with you. growing your own basil? find some great tips here.
pesto freezes nicely. simply pour into ice cube trays and toss in the freezer. once frozen, place "cubes" in a freezer-friendly plastic bag. to defrost the cubes, run the bag under cold water. you can toss with pasta, add to a sandwich or add a dollop to the top of a grilled chicken breast. the possibilities are truly endless. happy summer.

pesto
3 c fresh basil, (2 oz)
3 tbl walnuts
3 tbl grated parmesan
2 garlic cloves
1 tbl lemon juice
salt & pepper
1/4 c olive oil

1. combine first seven ingredients in food processor streaming olive oil in slowly.
2. that's seriously it... seriously.

homemade granola

2013-03-10T12:40:00.000-07:00

ganola and yogurt parfaits are on the top of the cravings list these days. oooooo and trail mix too! weird, i know.
this is a super simple not-so sweet homemade granola that you can layer with yogurt and fresh berries for the perfect breakfast. when baking be sure to stir the granola every ten minutes so all sides get equal toasty time. everybody's ovens are different so bake time is really dependent on color. you want to bake it until it gets golden brown. it will seem soft and not quite done, but will crisp up even more after you take it out of the oven and let cool. my lower oven rack seemed to toast those suckers a bit more than the top so be conscious of that as well.

homemade granola
4 c oats
1 c shredded coconut
3/4 c dried cranberries
3/4 c almonds, chopped
1/2 c walnuts, chopped
1/2 c honey
1/2 c canola oil
1/4 c brown sugar
1 tbs vanilla

1. combine oats, coconut, cranberries, almonds and walnuts in a bowl.
2. combine honey, canola oil, brown sugar and vanilla. pour over dry ingredients and stir until coated well.
3. spread granola over two baking sheets. bake at 325 degrees for 30-40 minutes or until golden brown stirring every ten minutes.
4. layer fresh berries, yogurt and granola in a glass and devour.

turkey sausage & quinoa stuffed peppers

2013-02-03T17:36:00.000-08:00

seems this random grain quinoa popped up out of nowhere. i've been playing around with it for months knowing its' healthy reputation, however, found it to be extremely bitter on its own. i knew it needed some flavorful cast members.
for those that aren't familiar, quinoa is a grain usually being substituted for rice in various dishes.

turkey sausage & quinoa stuffed peppers
1 lb turkey sausage
3/4 c cooked quinoa
2 tbl olive oil
1/4 c red pepper, minced
1 zucchini, minced
1 tbl tomato paste
3 green peppers sliced in half and de-seeded

1. cook quinoa according to package using chicken broth in instead of water. set aside and cool.
2. saute red pepper and zucchini in olive oil over medium heat for 5 minutes. add salt & pepper to taste. set aside and cool.
3. combine turkey sausage, quinoa, vegetables and tomato paste in a bowl.
4. place halved green peppers in a casserole dish and stuff with turkey sausage mixture. cover pan with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 65 minutes.

baked cinnamon apple french toast

2012-12-13T19:18:00.000-08:00

i'm hoping you're as behind as i am and have yet to plan your menu for christmas morning brunch?
this recipe looks beautiful and presents as a whole lotta work. you'll be thankful to know that the most time consuming part is peeling the apples. it's a breeze to whip together and guarantees a sweet treat everyone will love.

baked cinnamon apple french toast
18 pieces of french bread, sliced in 1 in. slices
1 c milk
6 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tbl sugar

cinnamon apple topping
5 apples, cored, thinly sliced and peeled
1 c lite karo syrup
1 c brown sugar
1 tbl cinnamon

1. arrange bread slices in a 9 x 13 baking dish overlapping slices.
2. whisk together milk, eggs, 1 tsp cinnamon and 1 tbl sugar. pour over french bread. cover with foil and refrigerate overnight.
3. prepare cinnamon apple topping by combining all ingredients in a saucepan. bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes allowing liquid to thicken. cool and refrigerate overnight.
4. preheat oven to 350 degrees. pour cinnamon apple topping over french bread and bake uncovered for 45 minutes.

turkey mini pot pies

2012-11-14T19:35:00.000-08:00

i'll be honest- i could go without the turkey on thanksgiving and simply indulge in the sides. mashed potatoes and stuffing to be exact. and then some more mashed potatoes and stuffing.
i'm convinced everybody has leftover turkey because they'd rather eat the sides too. shake up your traditional chicken pot pie with some leftover turkey and puff pastry dough.

turkey mini pot pies
2 cups cooked turkey, diced
2 carrots, peeled and diced
2 celery stalks, diced
1 onion, diced
1/2 c frozen peas
1 sheet puff pastry dough, thawed (i use pepperidge farm from the freezer section)
3 tbl butter
1/3 c flour
2 c chicken broth
1 c milk
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tbl butter, melted

1. melt butter in a stock pot. add carrots, onion and celery. cook on medium-low until soft (about 12 minutes). add frozen peas and cook for another couple minutes.
2. add flour to vegetables and cook for two minutes stirring to coat. Add chicken broth and milk to vegetables and bring to a boil. turn heat down to low and simmer for 5 minutes allowing liquid to thicken. add turkey.
3. cut 4 circles out of puff pastry dough using a cookie cutter or the top of a cup. (circle size needs to be larger than the ramekins).
4. ladle turkey mixture into 4 ramekins. lay puff pastry dough over the top. cut slits in dough, brush with melted butter and sprinkle with kosher salt.
5. bake pot pies at 400 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until pastry dough is golden brown.

i'm baaaaack

2012-10-22T19:02:00.002-07:00

so there's a baby in my belly hence my falling off the face of the earth for the last few months. pregnancy hasn't been very polite to me- eating and cooking just weren't on the agenda. well, i'm over the hump and expecting another baby girl in march. here's to getting back in the saddle again. my truck-driver appetite craves pretty much everything that's bad for you so strap on your seat belts (or elastic pants?).
i bring you kung pao shrimp! friends, this has a kick. red pepper flakes give it the heat so be sure to adjust the measurement based on your tolerance. i'm not a fishy eater, so i did the same rendition just substituting chicken.

kung pao shrimp
1 lb peeled shrimp (i used 31-40 ct shrimp)
3 c brown rice
1/2 c cornstarch
3 tbl olive oil
6 tbl soy sauce
3 tbl sesame oil
3 tbl sugar
1/2-1 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 c dry roasted peanuts

1. cook rice according to the package.
2. whisk together soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, red pepper flakes and ginger. toss shrimp in cornstarch.
3. heat olive oil in saute pan until pan is hot. add shrimp cooking on medium heat for 3-4 minutes on each side until cooked thru.
4. pour sauce and peanuts over shrimp. simmer for 5 minutes allowing sauce to thicken. stir allowing sauce to coat both shrimp and peanuts. serve on brown rice.

roasted vegetable + brie grilled pizza- that's a mouthful

2012-07-25T17:59:00.001-07:00

weird i know, but there's something so fantastic about roasted veggies. i had to throw 'em on a pizza. and since it's summer, grilling pizza is a must. this pizza is fresh and hearty all in the same bite.
if you haven't grilled pizza before, you're in for a life changing experience. okay, maybe that's a bit dramatic, but it's awesome. and super simple!

roasted vegetable + brie grilled pizza
store bought pizza dough (we use sciortino's bakery dough sold at sendik's)
olive oil
7 oz brie cheese, sliced in teeny 1/2" pieces
tomato sauce

roasted veggies
1/2 of a zucchini, sliced and cut in half
1/2 of a yellow squash, sliced and cut in half
2 tomatoes, cut in large chunks
6 asparagus, cut in 3" pieces
1/2 of a orange pepper, cut in 2" x 2" pieces
1/2 of a yellow pepper, cut in 2" x 2" pieces
1/8 c olive oil
1 tbs fresh rosemary, minced
salt & pepper to taste

1. let dough sit on your kitchen counter for 2 hours prior to using. this allows the dough to get a little stretchy and more workable.
2. line a baking sheet with foil. throw your chopped veggies on baking sheet and toss in olive oil, rosemary and salt & pepper. roast in the oven at 425 degrees for 30 minutes. once done, set aside.
3. heat up your grill to a very low temp.
4. put small amount of olive oil on another baking sheet. roll out the dough to your liking and place on cookie sheet. brush the top with olive oil.
5. place dough olive oil side down on grill. close the grill and cook on low for 5-10 minutes or until bottom is lightly brown and crispy.
6. brush the top with olive oil and flip over. top with tomato sauce, roasted vegetables and brie pieces. close the grill and cook for 7-10 minutes or until lightly brown and crispy. turn off grill and let pizza sit for 3 minutes allowing cheese to set. (if the cheese isn't oozy enough for you at this point- throw in the oven on broil for a quick 3 minutes)

baked eggplant fries

2012-07-09T17:07:00.001-07:00

who's the idiot that baked eggplant fries in the ridiculous heat last week? that would be me. yep, my oven and i never seem to part ways.
this recipe is a health-i-fied version of fried eggplant. (although the battered & fried stuff is still pretty amazing in my book). using a bit of olive oil in the breading and spraying with pam make for crispy happenings.

baked eggplant fries
1 medium to large eggplant
1 1/2 c plain breadcrumbs
2 tbl italian seasoning
1 tsp black pepper
2 tsp salt
2 tsp olive oil
5 eggs
1 c flour

1. peel eggplant of it's thick purple skin using a knife. cut into long 1" thick strips.
2. prep your dredging bowls. one with flour, one with eggs (whisked) and one with your breadcrumbs. add italian seasoning, salt & pepper and olive oil to your breadcrumb bowl and stir to combine breaking up olive oil clumps.
3. dredge your strips in flour, then egg and finally breadcrumb mixture. lay on a baking pan lined with foil. repeat process with all strips.
4. spray strips with pam. place on the top rack of your oven. bake for 10 min. pull out and flip strips to other side. spray again with pam and bake for another 5 minutes.
5. serve with warm marinara sauce.

chipotle zucchini turkey burgers

2012-06-18T19:14:00.003-07:00

always, always looking for ways to sneak veggies in my recipes. i thought zucchini would go well with turkey. and yes, my friends, it did. pair with some sweet potato fries and you have something spectacular. the addition of three tablespoons of olive oil may sound strange, but it really moistens the turkey. i promise it is worth it.
so here i thought i had something innovative, until i saw a similar recipe floating around pinterest by a very popular blogger. ugh. i'm going to pretend i didn't see it. don't make hers. make mine.

chipotle zucchini turkey burger
1 1/2 lb ground turkey
1 zucchini
1 tsp chipotle tobasco
1 tbl worcestershire
3 tbl olive oil
salt & pepper

1. chop zucchini into larger chunks and throw into a food processor. pulse a few times until finely chopped.
2. add ground turkey, zucchini, tobasco, worcestershire, olive oil and salt & pepper into a bowl. combine ingredients using your hands and form into four patties.
3. freeze patties for 20 minutes allowing burger to firm up a bit.
4. grill for 7-10 minutes on each side on medium heat.
5. serve on a toasted, crusty bun.

i heart thawk

2012-05-30T19:56:00.003-07:00

my very best friend kailyn ann introduced me to her family's little cottage in tomahawk, wisconsin way back in 2000 i believe. i fell in love with tomahawk (we call it thawk) and lake nakomis way back then and am still in love with it now. it's what you would picture as "up north" complete with pine trees, an ice cold lake and bald eagles. what makes it even more special is the company. the smith family welcomes all their visitors with open arms.
i'm so beyond fortunate to be invited to to tomahawk to this day to experience the great north woods. bringing my baby girl brings a whole new dimension to our long weekends. watching her see it all for the very first time is unexplainable.
well memorial day weekend came and went. it was reagan's third time, but probably the first time she really "got" it. the weekend was simply fantastic. being the cooking fanatic i am, i volunteered to plan the grub for the weekend. we embarked on an all american (or should i say wisconsin-ian) fish fry, baked french toast, yogurt parfaits, a cajun pasta and some barbecued chicken complete with a homemade barbeque sauce. after consulting kailyn for some creative approaches to the bbq i chose mango as the surprise ingredient. it was lip smakin' good.
soooo... here's the funny part. i was looking at some pictures from way back when and came across an album from a summer weekend in tomahawk in 2006. this was us then. (p.s. there's a beer bong in the back).

and this is us now. bbq covered faces and all. as you can see it was a hit with all ages.

here's the recipe. throw it on anything. literally. anything. the mango adds a sweetness allowing for less use of sugar, which i'm always a fan of.

mango bbq sauce

1 1/2 c ketchup

1 c pureed mango

3/4 c apple cider vinegar
1/3 c brown sugar
1 tsp liquid smoke

2 tbl molasses

cracked black pepper

1. combine ingredients in a saucepan.

2. bring to a low boil. turn down heat and bring to slow simmer. cook for 30 minutes allowing flavors to develop.

b.l. double t

2012-05-21T16:58:00.001-07:00

this is so delicious you'll thank me later. a fancy twist on the classic blt.
aoili is a sauce usually consisting of mayonnaise, garlic and olive oil. i added sundried tomatoes making the "double t". my "l" is spinach. just a preference really. bacon is bacon... let's get real.

b.l. double t panini
8 slices ciabatta bread
12 slices bacon
2 ripe tomatoes, sliced
3 c fresh baby spinach

sundried tomato aoili
1/3 c sundried tomatoes, packed in olive oil
4 tbs olive oil
2 garlic cloves
3/4 c lite mayonnaise

1. arrange bacon slices on a cookie cooling rack over a baking sheet covered in foil. bake bacon at 400 degrees for 12 minutes.
2. meanwhile, make aoili by combining all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until smooth.
3. layer a couple tomato slices, a handful of spinach and three slices of bacon on a slice of ciabatta bread. spread a generous amount of aoili on another slice of ciabatta bread. place on top of your sandwich.
4. brush each side of ciabatta with olive oil and place onto your grill pan (or saute pan if you don't have a grill pan). cook on medium heat until warm and crispy. flip to other side. cook until that side is warm and crispy.

teriyaki pork tenderloin kabobs

2012-05-12T06:25:00.001-07:00

we broke out the grill. amen.
i read somewhere recently that pork being unhealthy is just a myth. i'm sure there was more to that, but i'm going to just go with it. i do like a pig. unless of course i can see it's cute face. then you can count me out.
this is a super simple weeknight recipe. i served with a side of brown & wild rice.

teriyaki pork tenderloin kabobs
1, 2 lb pork tenderloin, cut into 2"x 2"pieces
1 yellow squash, sliced thick
1 zucchini, sliced thick
1 red pepper, cut into 2" x 2" pieces
1 purple onion, cut into 2" x 2" pieces
teriyaki marinade (below)

teriyaki marinade
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbs brown sugar
1/3 c soy sauce
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 tbs olive oil

1. combine teriyaki marinade ingredients in a large plastic bag marinade pork tenderloin pieces in teriyaki sauce for 30 minutes.
2. place kabob ingredients on skewer alternating veggies with pork.
3. grill on medium heat for 7 minutes on each side or until cooked thru.

mmmm... brown butter

2012-04-22T15:00:00.001-07:00

the simple act of cooking butter until it gets brown is going to blow your mind. you'll be surprised to know it makes already delicious butter even more delicious by bringing out a nutty, sweet aroma. use this technique on green beans, ravioli or even fish. add your favorite fresh herb near the end of the cooking process and you'll add an entirely new layer of flavor.

brown butter asparagus
1 bunch of asparagus, ends trimmed off
4 tbl salted butter

1. add butter to a saute pan. slowly melt butter at medium to low heat. continue this process swirling with a wooden spoon until butter begins to brown (but not burn!) for about 7 minutes. butter should be brown and have a nutty, sweet aroma. turn the heat off.
2. meanwhile bring a pot of water to a bowl. place asparagus in a steam basket over the water and put the top on. steam for about 5 minutes or until tender.
3. place steamed asparagus in the brown butter and toss until coated.

church... again & patty melts

2012-04-11T16:01:00.000-07:00

so if you recollect from one of my november posts, church did me wrong. i shouldn't say that as jesus and i are pretty "tight", however, church + 18 month old = something i shouldn't say in the same sentence as 'church' & 'jesus'. well, here's the deal. i got an email from my pastor about a month ago. it went something like this.
"stacy, i haven't seen you or your family in awhile. just emailing to make sure all is well."
hmmmm... there's something called catholic guilt, however, i'm not catholic, yet the guilt was still there.
you may be in suspense wondering what happened next. (or maybe you have a life and this post has already bored you to death and you stopped reading). i emailed my pastor back explaining that my dear reagan doesn't really like church. i also promised i would be there on easter.
well easter came. trying to outsmart my almost two year old i didn't feed her breakfast in hopes the apple slices and cheerios would bring on at least ten minutes of distraction. well, i was wrong. i believe one apple slice was consumed and maybe three cheerios. the rest was as you suspected... a whole lotta bad things.
"reagan, do you want to play with your cups".
"no. mama, mama..." (standing on me, talking louder than anybody in the congregation).
"reagan... what are you doing?!" (as she's crawling underneath the pew to the pew behind us).
do you recollect those bookmarks in your bible with the ribbons that were probably made by a very sweet group of old women during their bible study? yep, reagan was intrigued for exactly 30.3 seconds. yet she insisted i keep my bible open for a good ten minutes.
to make the longest ever hour of my life as short as possible, i will spare you most of the details. crayons were involved, however, we forgot to bring a coloring book and of course the girl in front of us had a coloring book. "color! color!" apparently the back of the program didn't cut it. there was several outings to the back of the church. none of which seemed successful since the second she got back everybody in front and back of us was staring. yah dee yah dee yah.
yes. i will be expecting an email from my pastor in about a month.
onward christian soldiers.... patty melts. these make me happy. very much a guilty pleasure that i decided to embark upon in my own kitchen. it's not hard. in fact, my husband told me it was so easy that it shouldn't be blog worthy, but i disagree. if anything let's pay homage to whomever decided to put a greasy burger on rye bread, right?!
i used my panini grill pan, but you by all means can cook as you would a grilled cheese.

simple patty melts

1 1/2 lb ground beef, formed into 4 patties
1 large onion, sliced
8 slices rye bread
4 tbl worcestershire
2 tbl butter
4 slices swiss cheese
4 slices american cheese
non-fat cooking spray

1. salt and pepper your beef patties. spread each patty with a tablespoon of wocestershire sauce. let sit for a few minutes allowing to soak in and spread the goodness.
2. grill or pan fry patties for 4 minutes on each side. (cook until medium rare as they cook further later).
3. saute onion in butter in a saucepan for ten minutes or until soft. set aside.
4. spray each rye bread slice with cooking spray. layer starting from the bottom with patty, onion, american cheese, swiss and rye bread slice.
5. place sandwich on grill pan or saute pan and cook on medium heat for 5 minutes or until golden brown. flip over and cook on other side until golden brown.

ham & cheddar brunch eggs

2012-03-28T17:57:00.000-07:00

if you don't think that brunch is hands down the best meal of the day then i'm sorry but we can't be friends. coffee AND eggs AND bloody marys? it's definitely exceptable to slurp down vodka and a beer chaser at 11 a.m. or even 10:30 a.m., but not 7 a.m.? hmmmmmm... i never thought about that but kinda weird. i digress. easter is a couple weeks away. i thought i'd share a staple at all of my family easter gatherings.

ham & cheddar brunch eggs
1 box of seasoned croutons (6 oz)
1 1/2 c sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
9 eggs
2 1/2 c milk
1 tsp worcestershire sauce (betcha you didn't know how to spell that until now)
1 tsp dry mustard powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 lb ham steak, cubed

1. preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. whisk eggs, worcestershire, mustard, salt, pepper & milk together until well combined.
3. pour croutons in a 9 x 11 casserole dish. top with cheese & ham.
4. pour egg mixture over the top and bake for 60 minutes or until eggs aren't wiggly in the middle.

cooking for the fire deparment

2012-03-25T18:12:00.001-07:00

lieutenant dan (he he... i still laugh when i say that) invited me to cook for the greenfield fire department. talk about pressure! i spent hours menu planning for these guys. i knew it had to be good and there had to be a lot of it. the menu consisted of meatloaf with a beer gravy, homemade mac & cheese, creamed corn, jalapeno & cheddar biscuits and carrot cake. (yep, i baked.... ) here's just a few of these handsome men.

so nicole and i headed to the station around 2:00. i asked nicole if she was planning on helping me (she doesn't cook... ever). she replied that she would help if the task was simple enough. well here it is. the simple task of mixing cream cheese frosting for my yummy carrot cake. she told me to document it as it probably won't ever happen again. mission accomplished. best cream cheese frosting i've ever had.

the guys were not quite sure of me at first. one in particular went out of his way to make me feel at home. his name was tai. when i asked nicole if she knew how to cut the butter in the biscuit dough, he chimed in with "use the back of the fork!" i fell immediately in love with him. (in case you were wondering, nicole did not know what cutting in the butter meant so i had to do that).
i also took a special liking to brian. brian came into the kitchen while i was prepping the mac & cheese and asked, "wait, like you're cooking that from scratch? like cheese sauce and stuff?" i was so confused. he thought i would make a special trip to whip up a blue box of kraft? i don't think so.
after convincing him that i was in fact making homemade mac & cheese, i rolled up my sleeves and got to work. after a couple hours dinner was served to 15 hungry dudes. i sat next to scott. scott was great. he appreciated my meatloaf, which in turn, made me appreciate him. this is scott.

after scarfing down dinner and a hearty helping of carrot cake i peeked and saw this. this my friends, you will never, ever, see again. like a billion guys in the kitchen cleaning. they did all the dishes and then some. it was a dream come true.

funniest part of the day came immediately after this. i put my camera down and caught a glimpse of dave. dave had a quart of ice cream in front of him. i looked at him with confusion knowing we all had a very large meal complete with dessert. he responded with, "what?! don't judge me!". well then. i will not judge you dave. you go right on with your bad self.
aside from the grossness of their refrigerator i was truly impressed with the set up they had going on there. they had flour, vanilla and i think i caught a glimpse of garlic powder. they even had a lazy susan. the day was truly fantastic. i love cooking for people that appreciate it. i didn't have a chance, however, to tell them how much i appreciate them and the work they do everyday to keep our community safe. i hope fattening them up a bit showed just a token of that appreciation.

meatloaf & beer gravy
1 lb ground pork
1 1/2 lb ground sirloin
1/2 c bread crumbs
1 egg
1 small onion, minced
1 tbs tomato paste
3 tbs fresh parsley
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

beer gravy
2 c beef broth
1/4 c flour
1/2 amber beer (for the record i used o'douls for these guys knowing beer isn't necessarily welcome in the firehouse)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

1. preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. combine all meatloaf ingredients in a large bowl using your hands. be sure to break up the pork and sirloin.
3. form a "loaf" in a bread pan and bake for 45 min to 1 hour or until your meat thermometer reads 160 degrees.
4. in the meantime prepare beer gravy by bringing beef broth to a boil in a saucepan.
5. combine beer and flour in a small bowl using a whisk. pour into saucepan with salt and pepper.
6. turn heat down to a simmer allowing gravy to thicken stirring often. (about 5 min)
7. pour gravy over meatloaf.

simple lemon vinaigrette

2012-03-17T09:46:00.000-07:00

unusually warm air has inspired some spring flavors in my household. i bring you a simple lemon vinaigrette. why buy the bottle when you can just make your own? side salads tossed with vinaigrettes accompany pretty much every meal when entertaining. white wine vinegar is a subtle flavor in the background allowing the lemon to be the star of the show. you can switch up the white wine vinegar and lemon in this recipe for red wine vinegar, balsamic vinegar or you could get crazy and do a champagne vinegar...
a trick to get more juice out of your lemon- throw it in the microwave for 30 seconds.

simple lemon vinaigrette
3/4 c olive oil
1/2 c white wine vinegar
1 1/2 tbs dijon mustard
the juice of one lemon
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper

simply combine all ingredients together in an airtight container and shake until combined. this recipe makes quite a bit of dressing. i only use a quarter cup or so when tossing with leafy greens.

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balsamic grilled veggie panini

2012-03-04T18:12:00.002-08:00

most people have sky diving on their bucket list. i have making the perfect panini.... something is wrong with me. well, i might as well embrace this and bring you some panini recipes. i got this grill pan for christmas and i'm truly obsessed. there's something fabulous about a warm crunchy sandwich. and there's endless possibilities! i just pinned a jalepeno popper panini on pinterest. are you kidding me? sign me up! i've used a couple of different breads for the panini madness, however, ciabatta is the best. my husband said this was too vegetable-y, i think it's pretty fantastic.

balsamic grilled vegetable panini
8 oz fresh mozzarella, sliced
1 medium eggplant, sliced horizontally making longer slices
1 zucchini, sliced on an angle making longer slices
3 portabella mushroom caps, stems removed
1/2 c balsamic vinegar
1/2 c olive oil
salt & pepper
ciabatta bread, sliced

1. heat up your grill pan to a medium heat. mix vinegar and oil with salt & pepper. (vinegar and oil naturally separate so you will have to stir frequently throughout this process).
2. lay sliced vegetables across a baking sheet. sprinkle with salt and ground pepper. brush with vinegar and oil mixture. in batches, lay face down on grill pan. Grill until you have golden brown grill marks. brush opposite side and flip, repeating the process. set grilled veggies aside.
3. build sandwiches with vegetables and top with mozzarella cheese. brush each side of ciabatta bread with olive oil and grill. flip once you have golden brown grill marks and cheese begins to ooze.

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marinated steak salad with sun dried tomatoes and arugula

2012-02-26T09:10:00.000-08:00

i've been staring at this damn computer screen for the last hour trying to think of something great to say and this is all i've come up with. this is simple, yet packed with flavor. that's it. that's all i got. ugh.

marinated steak salad with sun dried tomatoes and arugula
1 sirloin steak
4 cups of arugula
4 oz gorgonzola cheese
handful of sun dried tomatoes, thinly sliced

steak marinade
1/2 c soy sauce
1/2 c olive oil
black pepper

salad dressing
1/8 c balsamic vinegar
1/4 c olive oil
salt & black pepper

1. combine marinade ingredients in a large bowl. place sirloin steak in bowl and marinade for 30 minutes on each side.
2. preheat oven to 450 degrees. heat oven proof saute pan over stovetop to highest heat. wait to put steak on pan until screaming hot. (you want that carmelization). place steaks in pan for 1 minute.
3. put pan in oven for 3 minutes and flip over cooking opposite side for another 3 minutes. this will give you a nice "medium" on each side.
4. allow steak to sit outside of the oven for at least 4 minutes. cut steak on an angle against the grain.
5. combine salad dressing ingredients and toss with arugula.
6. place strips of steak on a bed of arugula. top with crumbled gorgonzola and sun dried tomatoes.

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black bean cakes

2012-02-15T17:44:00.000-08:00

on the menu of this tiny little restaurant in the third ward, swig, is black bean cakes... heavenly delicious bean cakes. determined to recreate, i bring you these. holy cats, strap on your elastic banded pants; these are good. perfect for a superbowl app as i did or breakfast for god's sake.

black bean cakes
2, 15 oz cans of black beans, drained
6 green onions, chopped (dark green parts removed)
1/4 c red onion, chopped
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tbs adobo sauce (found in cans of chiles with adobo sauce)
1/4 c corn meal
4 tbs olive oil

chipotle lime sour cream
8 oz light sour cream
2 tbs adobo sauce (found in cans of chiles with adobo sauce)
1 tsp lime juice

1. heat 2 tbs olive oil in a saute pan. add onion and cook for 5 minutes or until soft. add cumin and cook for an additional 2 minutes.
2. place black beans, cooked onion and adobo sauce in food processor. pulse a few times until beans are mashed up a bit. (you do not want them pureed).
3. place mixture in a bowl. add cornmeal, salt & pepper and stir to combine.
4. form like small patties with bean mixture and lay on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. place in freezer for 20 minutes to firm up.
5. heat remaining olive oil in a saute pan. cook black bean patties in oil for an estimated 5-10 minutes on each side. (you want a golden crispy outside). repeat on other side. (you may have to add more oil as you go).
6. combine chipotle lime sour cream ingredients.
7. top cakes with sour cream and devour!

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bbq chicken pizza with caramelized onions and shaved celery

2012-02-07T18:19:00.000-08:00

this pizza is absolute heaven. for those that haven't used fontina before, it's a semi-soft buttery cheese that melts just beautifully. using shaved celery adds an unexpected crunch.
the process of caramelizing onions is simply cooking over a low heat stirring occasionally until brown and translucent, allowing all the yummy sugars to come out. it's totally worth the half hour, i promise. i personally would rather cook my pizza on the grill, but my wisconsin home doesn't allow winter grilling. so here we are using the good old fashion oven, patiently awaiting spring and more importantly, summer.

bbq chicken pizza with caramelized onions and shaved celery
pre-made pizza dough
2 chicken breasts shredded (i used rotisserie chicken)
1 cup bbq sauce
1 large onion, sliced
4 oz fontina cheese, shredded
4 oz provolone cheese, shredded
1/2 c thinly sliced celery (slice on an angle super thin to make it pretty)

1. preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
2. heat 2 tbl butter in a sauce pan and add onions. saute at a low heat until brown and yummy. (this can take up to a half hour depending on how many onions you have). add some salt and pepper in the last few minutes of cooking. (and if you're crazy like me add a splash of marsala wine... makes it even yummier but not absolutely necessary).
3. roll pizza dough out on a baking sheet. combine shredded chicken with bbq sauce.
4. layer fontina and provolone on dough, followed by caramelized onions, chicken and celery
5. bake for 15-20 minutes or until crust becomes golden brown.

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simple chicken & dumpling soup

2012-01-31T18:38:00.000-08:00

dumplings. yum.
bisquick is used in this recipe as a shortcut to making homemade dumplings. while simmering, the dumplings thicken up the soup making it extra yummy.

simple chicken & dumpling soup
3 bone-in chicken breasts
1 qt chicken broth
4 carrots, chopped
4 celery stalks, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1/2 c frozen peas
2 c bisquick
3/4 c milk
3 tbl fresh parsley
salt & pepper

1. place chicken breasts, carrots, celery and onion in a stock pot. pour chicken broth in pot. bring to a boil, turn down heat and simmer for 25 minutes. turn off heat. using tongs, take out chicken and allow to cool.
2. in the meantime, combine bisquick with milk, parsley, salt & pepper.
3. shred chicken and place back in soup. add frozen peas and bring to a slow simmer.
4. drop dough mixture a large spoonful at a time (i used a "heaping" tablespoon) into soup. cover and simmer for 10-12 minutes.

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fish tacos with chipotle sour cream

2012-01-20T18:32:00.000-08:00

taco week day 5: fish tacos with chipotle sour cream
i have a secret to share. i can no longer go on having you think that i eat seafood. i don't. i hate it. it smells and it tastes funny. ugh, i know. okay, i feel so much better. this does not, however, mean i won't make it; especially since every other normal person loves it. i just have to suck up the smell every time i do. so i ate this but substituted the fish for black beans! regardless, the highlight of this dish is hands down the chipotle sour cream. you won't be disappointed.

fish tacos with chipotle sour cream
2 tilapia filets, cut into 1" cubes
6 flour tortillas
1 cup red cabbage, sliced thinly
1 tbs white wine vinegar

chipotle sour cream
8 oz light sour cream
2 tbs adobo sauce (found in cans of chipotle peppers... just use the sauce)

fish marinade
1/2 c olive oil
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp chili powder
juice from one lime
2 green onions, chopped
2 tbs cilantro, chopped
salt and pepper

1. combine marinade ingredients and cubed fish. toss to combine and marinade at room temperature for 20 minutes. strain from olive oil.
2. toss cabbage with white wine vinegar and a generous amount of salt and pepper and set aside.
3. combine sour cream with adobo sauce and set aside.
4. heat saute pan until hot. add fish and cook for 5-7 minutes on each side or until golden brown.
5. pile fish on top of a warm tortilla, followed by cabbage and sour cream.

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pork tacos with red pepper pico de gallo

2012-01-19T18:48:00.000-08:00

taco week day 4: pork tacos with red pepper pico de gallo
yay for crock pot meals! best thing ever to make in the crock pot is shredded pork. you can never go wrong.
the red pepper pico de gallo brings a freshness to the dish. a trick for getting more juice out of your lime- throw it in the microwave for 12 seconds before slicing.

pork tacos with red pepper pico de gallo
3 lb pork shoulder
corn tortillas
1/2 c queso fresco or queso blanco, crumbled (mexican cheese)

mexican pork rub
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp paprika
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper

red pepper pico de gallo
2 plum tomatoes, diced
1/3 c white onion, diced
2 tbs jalapeno, minced
1/2 c red pepper, diced
3 tbs cilantro, chopped
juice of one lime

1. combine mexican spice rub ingredients in a small bowl. rub over pork shoulder.
2. cook in crock pot with a half of a cup of water for 4-6 hours. once cooled, shred and set aside.
3. combine red pepper pico de gallo ingredients in a bowl.
4. pile pork, pico de gallo and cheese on top of a warmed corn tortilla.

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the perfect margarita

2012-01-18T18:49:00.000-08:00

taco week day 3: turkey tacos

i must pay homage to my husband's favorite meal. the turkey taco. i wish i could add some fancy ingredients to create the oooo/ahhhh factor, but truth be told my husband is the most traditional, conservative man you'll ever meet, therefore i wouldn't be telling the truth if i added any sorta pizzazz to this meal. that being said, there isn't a recipe. it's simply ground turkey with a packet of taco seasoning on a flour tortilla with chopped tomatoes, lettuce and cheese. viola.
while we are on the mexi train i find it absolutely necessary to share with you the recipe for a perfect margarita. brian was a bartender back in the day, and a good one at that. he is truly in his element with a shaker in one hand and a bottle of booze in the other. amen to that. beware. this contains pretty much all booze. i'm told the stuff in the bottle that you and i are probably used to isn't the "real deal".

the perfect margarita
3 oz tequila
1 1/2 oz grand marnier (or any other orange liqueur if you are cost conscious)
juice from 1 lime
margarita salt

1. salt rim of glass by dipping in bowl of water followed by dipping in margarita salt.
2. throw the booze & the juice of a lime in a shaker with ice. shake it up. (if you don't have a shaker use 2 pint glasses.)
3. pour into your salted glass.