Around the Table: Loving Food in RI & Beyond......

Coconut Braised Cod

2012-03-06T05:00:00.000-05:00

I must confess, I was in the mood for "something different." I don't know what would constitute as different per se, but this recipe was not something I make often so it was different enough for me. I feel like I do not cook enough fish in general, so this was my chance. I have had a can of coconut milk lurking in my pantry for weeks just asking to be used. Now is its chance to be center stage in this super easy dish that I found on Wholefoods.com

This is a nice recipe because you can use any extra veggies you have on hand and really make it your own.I baked bok choy, chopped it up and added it for some crunch. I also added jalapenos to add some spice to contrast the creamy sauce. I also served this with some rice noodles( at bottom of bowl.) You could serve this with rice or even spaghetti. It gives the same effect. If not, you can keep it more like soup because it is delicious. One tip, I am not one for recipes with millions of ingredients, but try not to cut anything out. If you go behind my back and cut ingredients out( because I do it all the time), do not cut out the lime juice. That is the best part of this dish. It cuts the richness of the coconut milk. Don't be afraid to use other types of fish, shrimp, chicken of even beef. Whatever you have on hand use. I might use shrimp next time. That sounds yummy! Might I add, a score is that it is only 240 calories per serving! Can I get a heck yeah for healthiness?

Ingredients

2 tablespoons chopped mint
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
1 cup bean sprouts
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 stalk fresh lemongrass
2 teaspoons canola or vegetable oil
4 (4-ounce) black cod fillets, each about about 1-inch thick, center-cut, boned and skinned
1 tablespoon peeled and finely chopped ginger
1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
1 (13- to 14-ounce) can unsweetened light coconut milk
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 tablespoons Asian fish sauce
1 small red bell pepper, cored, seeded and thinly sliced
1 large carrot, julienned
4 green onions, cut into 3-inch pieces
2 tablespoons lime juice
Lime wedges

Method

In a medium bowl, toss together mint, cilantro and sprouts; set aside. In a small bowl, mix salt with sugar and pepper flakes; set aside.

Remove the tough outer layer of the lemongrass then smash the remaining stalk with the side of a chef's knife or mallet to release the oils. Finely chop and set aside.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle each fillet with the salt mixture then sear, flipping once, until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Move fish to one side of the skillet then add ginger and garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add coconut milk, soy sauce, fish sauce, chopped lemongrass, bell peppers, carrots and green onions and cook for 5 minutes at a fast simmer, or until the fish is just done and opaque throughout; stir in lime juice.

Serve cod in bowls, ladling the broth and vegetables over the top. Garnish with reserved sprout mixture and lime wedges.

Olive Oil Ice Cream

2012-03-05T05:00:00.000-05:00

Before you overreact and say,"Ewwww." Let me tell you how amazing olive oil ice cream is. I, like many of you did not think there was anything appealing about olive oil ice cream. Toby had the idea of making it for our All Local Dinner. I was sold. I borrowed an ice cream maker (soon to be my new guilty pleasure when I buy myself one)from my friend Jen and we were on our way to flavor town.

This was super easy to put together. First, you need to find a good olive oil. How do you find one you ask? I have no idea. Unless you go to a store where you can try all of their olive oils or know someone that is knowledgeable you will be pretty lost. I even tried tweeting Mario Batali to ask him which kind I should get. He didn't respond. I was on my own. The recipe I followed said to use a "fruity" olive oil. So basically I looked for one that said fruity and was on my way. It also warns not to use "cheap olive oil." I happened to find a really delicious one that said Frutato or fruity on it. It was delicious. Score! I suggest you serve this with a sprinkle of sea salt and maybe some dark chocolate. It is perfect on its own also. Trust me, I know. I have been eating it all week. This recipe made about 20 small servings. You don't need much more than one scoop per serving so it might be 15 larger servings if you really like it. I used a recipe from Savory Bites, which was David Lebovitz recipe.To make things better, I served it in a waffle bowl. Yum.

Cook's note: Do not overcook the custard. I did. It killed me to throw it all out. Once you smell scrambled eggs, you are donezo. Throw it out and start over. It is better for it to be more loose than scrambled eggs!

Olive Oil Ice Cream
Ingredients:
1 1/3 cups (330 ml) whole milk
1/2 cup (100 g) sugar
Pinch of salt
1 cup (250 ml) heavy cream
6 large egg yolks
1/2 cup (125 ml) fruity olive oil

Recipe:
Warm the milk, sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan. Pour the cream into a large bowl and set a mesh strainer on top.In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly pour the warm mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.

Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat with a heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula. Make sure that you don’t over cook it or else you’ll get scrambled eggs. It’s better to err on the safe side by turning off the heat when the custard just slightly thickens because the heat in the pot will continuously cook the mixture. Pour the custard through the strainer and stir it into the cream.

Whisk the olive oil into the custard vigorously until it’s well blended, then stir until cool over an ice bath.

Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Oh hello amazingness......

Coffee Creme Brulee

2012-03-03T05:00:00.000-05:00

Creme brulee is one of Toby and my favorite desserts. We usually get it at restaurants and a few years ago started making it at home. This is actually a really easy dessert to make. It is perfect for dinner parties because you can make it the night before. In fact, that is what alot of restaurants do anyway. As you know, all week I have been blogging about my All Local.All Rhode Island party ( sponsored by Foodbuzz.) This was one of our desserts. I used all local eggs,cream, and coffee beans. I did a play on coffee milk ( one of the most beloved drinks in RI.) Well, for me anyway. Growing up we would always drink coffee milk. Envision chocolate syrup for chocolate milk. This is what coffee milk was. Coffee syrup that you mix with milk. This probably got me on my caffeine kick early on in life.

So this dessert was an ode to coffee milk. This is a basic recipe for creme brulee, but with instant coffee. For some pizazz we topped these with chocolate covered espresso beans. YUM! Invest in some cute ramekins. You can use them to store dipping sauces, salt, sugar. I love them. I used a mini torch to brulee the desserts, but if you don't have one you can broil them in the oven until the sugar caramelizes. Here is the recipe I used on FoodNetwork.com.

Ingredients

4 egg yolks
1 cup sugar, divided
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 tablespoon instant coffee
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.

In a medium-size bowl, beat egg yolks and 6 tablespoons sugar with a whisk for approximately 1 minute, or until smooth. Reserve.

In a second medium-size bowl, add coffee and 1/4 cup creme. Whisk thoroughly until smooth, then add remaining creme and whisk until well blended. Add coffee creme mixture and vanilla to egg yolks. Use a rubber spatula to gently fold together.

Use a ladle to pour mixture into individual ramekins, 3/4 of the way to the top.
Place ramekins into a roasting pan. Transfer to oven. Before closing oven door, pour water into pan a water bath) until it reaches 1/2 way up the side of the ramekins.

Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, or until when you shake the pan, the brulee giggles slightly. Remove from oven and leave out on counter, allowing the residual heat of the water to finish the cooking process.

When brulees have fully solidified and cooled down, sprinkle 1 1/2
tablespoons of sugar evenly over top each individual portion. Under a watchful eye, use a small blowtorch to caramelize the sugar.Alternatively, place ramekins 1-inch below oven broiler until sugar caramelizes.

Braised Local Short Ribs

2012-03-02T05:00:00.000-05:00

Braised short ribs. Quite possibly the most amazing cut of meat EVER. They are so succulent and tender. The trick to short ribs is cooking them ( repeat after me) low and slow. I had these in the oven for about seven hours and they just came out so perfectly. I don't have a dutch oven (sigh) so I roasted these in a large roasting pan that I loosely covered with tin foil. If you use a roasting pan keep the oven at 300 degrees F for about 6 hours. If you are cooking for 4 hours I would put it up to 350 F. If you are using a dutch oven then follow this recipe exactly.

The sheer amount of beef I was working with was something I was not used to. I usually cook for one or two so cooking for nine was insane! There was so much beef!Beef that was amazing and local. Ann Marie from Blackbird Farm is the best. You can't go wrong getting beef from a local farmer who puts love and care into her cows. There are no antibiotics or hormones either so you know you are getting a great product.She even has eggs and lamb!And if you pick up the meat at her house you can see the cows! Know your food!

Anyway,a great time to cook these short ribs is on a Sunday morning when you can leave them in the oven all day and be super excited to eat them later. I would love to eat these with some whipped mashed potatoes. Yum. And don't forget to save the pan juices and make a terrific sauce!I used Tyler Florence's recipe and it is divine. Don't get scared if they look fatty for the first few hours. The fat needs to melt a bit so they get super tender. I was actually nervous for awhile and Toby talked me through it. Just remember... low and slow.

Ingredients

Short ribs:

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 pounds short ribs, in 1 long piece or at least in pairs
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 medium onion, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
1 large tomato, quartered
3 ribs celery
1/2 head garlic, peeled
1/4 bunch fresh thyme
1 1/2 cups dry red wine
2 cups low-sodium, organic beef stock
4 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley

Directions

Preheat a cast iron grill or outdoor grill.

Season the short ribs with salt and pepper, drizzle with a little extra-virgin olive oil, and brown on all sides.

Place the onion, garlic, celery, carrot, and tomato into a food processor and blend until you reach a consistent, smooth pulp.

Take a large Dutch oven and place over medium-high heat. Add a 3-count of extra-virgin olive oil and add the thyme to infuse the oil. Next add the vegetable pulp, season with salt and pepper, to taste, and cook for about 10 minutes. Pour in the red wine and stock and bring it to a boil.

Using tongs take the ribs and nestle them into the braising mix; the liquid should just about cover the meat. Place the lid loosely on top, reduce heat to a simmer and cook until the meat is very tender, approximately 2 1/2 to 3 hours.

When the ribs are about finished, remove about 1 to 2 cups of liquid and strain into a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Heat the sauce until slightly reduced and thickened, about 5 minutes.

Hello Gorgeous!!!!

Steamers with Wine & Butter Sauce

2012-03-01T05:00:00.000-05:00

I must confess, this was my first time making steamers. Steamers, if you are not familiar are steamed clams. Like most shellfish, they are so easy to cook. You literally throw them in a pot with some liquid (beer,stock,wine) and they open and absorb all that yummyness!Serve this with some crust bread and you have yourself a great meal or appetizer.

This was literally, one of the easiest appetizers I have ever done. Make sure that you wash the steamers before you steam them. You want to make sure you you get out any grit or shellfish gunk. You can totally get creative with what kind of a flavor bath these clams take. I think beer and bacon would be nice. White wine and shallots are a nice combination. Play around with this recipe. I bet you will find some you like. How about coconut milk and chillis? That just came to me. I think that would be divine. You can also you this recipe with other shellfish like mussels. The recipe I adapted from is on the site Making Light.

Ingredients

3-4 lbs. live steamers ( clams)
3 tbsp. butter
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 bottle white wine ( we used 3/4 bottle)
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
thick slices of French bread

Directions
1.Put your clams in a strainer and thoroughly wash the clams.
2.Melt the 3 tbsp. butter in a tall pan and cook the garlic in it until soft. Pour in the entire bottle of wine and add the pepper flakes. Bring to a boil.
3.Add the clams. Put a lid on the pot and cook for 10 minutes or until tender. If no clams are open wait a bit longer.
4. Remove the clams from the pot with a slotted spoon, and strain the broth through a fine strainer.5. Put in a large bowl with juice and serve with crusty toasted bread. Also serve bowl for shells.
* Optional* Serve with butter for dunking. People love it. Everything is better with butter.

Fabulous Fish & Chips

2012-02-29T05:00:00.000-05:00

Fish and Chips are why I love Rhode Island! Do people in other states actually eat fish and chips? I have no idea? I never really thought about it. Fish and chips are uber popular in the summer in New England and mostly because they are so darn good!The light flaky fish and the crispy batter slathered in tartar sauce ( and ketchup.Yum.) If you missed my post before, I got the cod from Captain's Catch in Warwick, RI. They have a ton of great local seafood that comes in that day! You can't go wrong with fish that was caught that day.

I found a great recipe from Tyler Florence for this amazing dish. It uses rice flour instead of all purpose which makes the fish light and flaky. I also substituted amber beer instead of club soda. What can I say, I like beer batter. My batter was a bit thick so I added club soda so it was thinner. You don't want the batter to be super thick and make the coating uneven and the batter is uncooked. And of course I made my own tartar sauce ( Jay commented it was the best he has ever had.) Thanks Jay! This was the tartar sauce recipe I used.For the fries, soak them in ice water after you cut them to take out the starch so they get crispier when you fry them. We use that trick every time!

This recipe yields 4 Dinner size portions

Ingredients

Vegetable oil, for deep frying
3 large russet potatoes
2 cups rice flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
3 teaspoons salt, plus more for seasoning
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for seasoning
1 (12-ounce) can soda water
1 large egg, lightly beaten
2 (8-ounce) cod or haddock fillets, cut in 1/2 on an angle
1/2 cup rice flour, for dredging
Malt vinegar, for serving

Directions

Heat 3 inches of the oil in a deep fryer to 325 degrees F. Alternatively, use a deep heavy skillet.

Peel the potatoes and cut them into chips (that is, fries) about the size of your index finger. Put the potatoes in a fryer basket and lower into the oil. Fry the chips for 2 to 3 minutes; they should not be crisp or fully cooked at this point. Remove the chips to a paper towel-lined platter to drain.

Crank the oil temperature up to 375 degrees F. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt and pepper. Combine soda water and egg and pour into the flour mixture. Whisk to a smooth batter. Spread the rice flour on a plate. Dredge the fish pieces in the rice flour and then dip them into the batter, letting the excess drip off.

Put the chips in the bottom of the fryer basket and carefully submerge in the hot oil. Carefully lower the battered fish into the bubbling oil on top of the chips. Fry the fish and chips for 4 to 5 minutes until crispy and brown.

Remove the basket and drain the fish and chips on paper towels; season lightly with salt. Serve wrapped in a newspaper cone with malt vinegar and/or tartar sauce.

Honeycomb & Cheese Crostini

2012-02-28T05:00:00.000-05:00

Chewy.Sweet.Creamy=Amazingness

Can I start by saying this appetizer was such a hit!When I first went to Aquidneck Honey and visited Jeff, he gave me the idea for this appetizer. His honey was so sweet and amazing. Since he uses no pesticides, I felt alot better about using it in my menu. Now we are talking honey comb here, not straight up honey. I think serving honey comb adds such a "wow factor" to your dish. It is different and many guests may not have had it before. That always "ups the ante" for any dish. I paired this sweet honey with an Italian style cheese with nutty and caramel tones. I got the cheese from Narragansett Creamery who uses all local milk and cream with no artificial growth hormones. Hooray! If you cannot find this cheese, ask the cheese man( or woman) for a nutty cheese. Pair this with some amazing crusty bread, and you have one hell of an appetizer that is really simple to put together. The crustiness of the bread paired with the melted,nutty cheese and sweet sticky honey. It is a slice of heaven.

What you will need for this appetizer is:
1 baguette
1 package Atwells Gold Cheese
1/2 package round honey comb

Directions:

1. Cut baguette into small pieces ( as you would bread for brucshetta)
2. Also cut cheese and honey comb to fit bread
3. Spread honeycomb on bread and top with cheese
4. Put into oven on Low (Broil) or on bake at 400 degrees F

When the cheese is melted, place on a platter and serve!!

From Farm to Table: A Dinner Party that's All Local,All Rhode Island

2012-02-26T21:04:00.001-05:00

I was super excited when I was chosen by Food Buzz to participate in their 24X24. What is 24X24 you ask? It is 24 people that get chosen to throw a themed party all on the same night around the globe. I hosted a Farm to Table, all local Rhode Island dinner. Where is Rhode Island? Is it a state? You mean Long Island? No, I do not live in New York. Rhode Island is in fact a state. It is a very teeny tiny state on the east coast of the U.S bordering Massachusetts and Connecticut. You know Boston? Yeah, right near there.

Toby & his RI T-Shirt!

Having an all local dinner was a great way to see what Rhode Island can really offer. Since we are on the ocean we have an abundance of seafood available to us year round. After reaching out to one of my foodie favorites (Thanks Andrea!) I found out there was so much more that I was missing! Local beef, cheese, eggs, produce & wine. It was all right at my front door. And trust me, if the smallest state in the U.S has all of these amazing products locally, I'm sure you all do too (well, maybe not the seafood unless you live near the ocean). By buying all of your products locally you support your local economies, reduce shipping and carbon emissions and enjoy really fresh food! I will be posting the below recipes all week so check back and see how they were prepared!

For our all Local Menu we enjoyed:

I started my journey with Jeff, "The Bee Guy" from Aquidneck Honey. Jeff supplies local restaurants with his top quality honey and honeycombs. Might I add, he does not use any pesticides or chemicals so you are getting 100% pure, amazing honey. With his amazing honey comb I made the crostini with honey comb and Atwells Gold Cheese. This was a hit! I used local bread from Olgas and Narragansett Creamery's cheese.

Next I went to Newport Vineyards to pick up some libations for the party and let me tell you - this vineyard is huge (and beautiful)! You can go and take a tour, sample some wine and have a great day! Big thanks to Mary Ellen from the Vineyard. She helped us pair wine for this meal. Might I add, the wine was amazing. We also drank local beer and a new RI-produced whiskey called Uprising (it was delicious!)

I then picked up some local steamers and cod that had just been caught that morning at Captain's Catch in Warwick, RI. All you have to do is ask them what they have that was just caught or local and you will be amazed as to how much they have! If you have questions visit them at their new location - 1 Centerville Road in Warwick, RI 02886. (401) 738-6762.

Where's the Beef? Who knew getting local beef was could be so easy? Blackbird Farm is practically in my back yard. Ann Marie, the owner, let me know their cows are top quality and hormone free. Score! Their beef is used in many top quality restaurants in RI. After my purchase Ann Marie let me know the money I had just spent would provide her enough money to feed all of her cows for one day. Gosh, owning a farm is expensive!

Next was produce. I went to my first farmer's market ever yesterday. How have I never done this before? There were so many vendors and they had everything you would need. Eggs, milk, beef, seafood, bread, jams. I was in sensory overload! I called my husband after I left and told him we are going there every weekend. What a great experience! I picked up some awesome brussels sprouts, potatoes and bread on my epic foodie journey. Not to mention there are food trucks outside and I had an awesome breakfast taco from Mijos Tacos.

Now we have everything we need to get a party started! A big shout out to my husband, Toby and my friend Katie who were my sous chefs for this local extravaganza. Without them I would not have been able to do this. Also big thanks to my resident photographer Brittany. Here are some shots from the night and I will be posting all of the recipes from the dinner this week, so check back! I don't mean to brag, but everything was amazing!!

My Amazing Guests!!

We decided to serve the food family style so everyone could take what they wanted for the local feast. It is a nice time saver because you do not need to transfer the food and people can take exactly what they want.After dinner we decided to give everyone time to digest before having them sample these amazing desserts. Coffee Milk( cousin to chocolate milk) is a big drink in Rhode Island. I drank it growing up. The creme brulee was a play on that. The olive oil ice cream, well that has nothing to do with Rhode Island. It sounded awesome. It is awesome. So different and intriguing. I did however use local eggs and cream.

The best part of the night was laughing all night and sharing my love for food ( and Rhode Island) with my friends. I don't remember a night where I had more fun. I love these people. Thank you Food Buzz for letting me host one of the best parties ever! At least you all know where Rhode Island is now. I hope I inspired you to go and check out what is local in your neighborhood today!

Recipe Swap: Butternut Squash & Apple Soup

2012-02-24T07:00:00.000-05:00

Can I start raving about this recipe now? Wow. This soup is delicious. First off, it was really easy to put together. Basically you chop and drop,simmer,blend and serve. I really enjoy butternut squash in the winter and this soup gave me a new way to use it. I am usually not a fan of overly sweet dishes and I was afraid this would be sweet, but it surprisingly was not. The bacon helped cut the sweetness of the squash and cider. It added really great texture also. A big thank you to Colleen who supplied me with this amazing recipe. Check out her blog, Does not Cook Well with Others!

As I said before, this soup is really easy to put together. It makes about 6-8 servings so this can feed one hungry family!A few hints before the recipe. Cut each of the veggies the same size that way they cook evenly. I purchased pre-peeled and chopped butternut squash. It saved me a ton of time and was not more money that buying a squash and doing it myself. I used Greek yogurt as a garnish. The tang was nice with the sweetness of the soup. Feel free to use sour cream also. I used an immersion blender to blend the veggies (literally one of my favorite kitchen tools) and it blended in less than three minutes. Easy cleanup too! I topped the soup with a drizzle of nice olive oil for a nice finishing touch! I used an awesome ginger and citrus olive oil I bought in Paris in December. It was awesome.Some nice additions to this soup may be jalapeno for some kick, garlic cloves, and a touch of cream for richness. Hope you guys enjoy the soup!TGIF!

Butternut Squash Apple Soup
Recipe from Epicurious.com

Ingredients

6 slices bacon*, cut into ½-inch pieces
2 celery ribs, diced
1 carrot, peeled and diced
1 medium onion, diced
¼ tsp cinnamon
⅛ tsp nutmeg
¾ lb boiling potatoes, peeled and chopped (such as Yukon Gold, white potatoes or purple potatoes)
2 medium Granny Smith apples (about ¾ lb)
1 ½ lbs butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into ½-inch cubes
2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth*
1 cup apple cider
1 cup water
1 tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
Low-fat sour cream, for garnish

Directions

Place a 6-quart sauce pot over medium heat, and cook bacon until crispy. Remove with a slotted spoon, and reserve 2 tablespoons of the fat. Add vegetable oil if using lean bacon which doesn't yield enough fat.
Add the celery, carrot and onion to the reserved fat in the pot, and cook, covered on medium-low heat for 10 minutes. While vegetables are cooking, peel, core and roughly chop one of the apples.
Add the cinnamon and nutmeg to the vegetables, and cook, uncovered for one minute.
Add the squash, potatoes, the chopped apple, broth, cider, water, salt and pepper to the vegetables in the pot. and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, then simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes to 20 minutes, until vegetables are tender.
While soup is simmering, thinly slice the remaining apple into matchsticks. Place in a bowl, cover with water and a generous splash of lemon juice.
Puree soup in the pot using an immersion blender**, adding up to an additional ½-cup of water if soup is too thick. Season with additional salt and pepper if necessary.
Ladle 1 cup of soup into a bowl, and garnish with a tablespoon of sour cream, some of the bacon, and a few apple matchsticks. Serve with crusty bread.

* - To make this recipe vegetarian, omit the bacon, and cook the vegetables in garlic-infused olive oil, and sub vegetable broth for the chicken broth.

** - If you don't have an immersion blender, cool the vegetables and liquid to room temperature, and puree in a food processor or blender, in batches if necessary. Reheat in a clean sauce pot.

WIAW& English Muffin Bread

2012-02-22T05:00:00.000-05:00

It's that time again for What I ate Wednesday (WIAW) This post is a hodge podge of highlights of what I have eaten so far this week. I am also sharing a recipe for my guilty pleasure of the week English muffin bread!

So this week I ate:

Breakfast: English Muffin Bread with butter and Jelly ( OMG)
Snack: Chocolate Coconut Luna Bar. OMG- taste just like a Somoa Cookie
Lunch: Home Made grilled veggie Pizza
Dinner: Fish Tacos at Perro Salado!!! Best tacos ever
Disaster of the week: Not putting enough tomato sauce in the crock pot and burnt it all. :(

And as for the best bread I have ever made. I have been busting a gut to make this bread. I love English muffins and I love bread. Put them together and it is a match made in heaven! This bread was really easy to put together! I used a recipe from the blog, One Good Thing and it was super easy to follow. You basically dump everything into a bowl and mix. Now that is my kind of baking!

I got really nervous about throwing all the ingredients in together as her directions say. I know salt can kill yeast so I didn't risk it. I only had 2 packs left and if I killed it I was not getting this amazing bread! So I let the yeast, sugar, and water sit for 10 minutes then added salt and flour. It came out perfectly. If you want to live on the wild side, try it out her way. I'm sure it will be fine!

As this bread was baking my house smelled so amazing. Toby kept checking it and saying ,"Oh my God, they look so good." So the anticipation was killing me! With ten minutes left make sure to brush the bread with butter for some color. Yum. The verdict: this bread was amazing. We had some last night and I had it for breakfast. It tasted just like and English muffin. I had mine with butter and jelly, but add whatever you like!

English Muffin Bread ( I cut this recipe in half when I made it)

5 1/2 cups warm water
3 packages yeast
2 Tablespoons salt
3 Tablespoons sugar
11 cups flour (I used bread flour....but my Mom always used All Purpose)

Mix altogether, let rise in bowl until double in bulk, then spoon into 4 greased loaf pans. Let rise in pans until dough reaches the top of the pan, and bake in 350 degree oven for 45 minutes or until golden brown.

10 minutes before done, brush with melted butter. Makes 4 loaves. Bread will be moist at first. Allow to

OMG.OMG.OMG.

COOL COMPLETELY before cutting.

Spinach & Artichoke Stuffed Mushrooms

2012-02-21T05:00:00.000-05:00

I basically like spinach and artichoke stuffed anything, so this dish was a no brainer. I was in the mood for stuffed portabello mushrooms and I had no idea what I was going to stuff it with until I got a light bulb idea. I had some chopped artichokes from a pizza I made last night and some fresh spinach. Well that was easy. I think maybe I love the idea of spinach and artichokes because the sauce is rich and creamy. Actually this combo would be great with some pasta also. I guess kind of like the mac and cheese I made. Feel free to use frozen spinach also. Just squeeze out the water after it cooks. This is something you can put together fast so it is a perfect weeknight meal!

If you don't like spinach and artichoke you can stuff these mushrooms with anything. Bacon and cheese, veggies, or even make it into a pizza. The larger the mushroom the better. That way you can fill them enough for a meal. If they are smaller, then serve two per person. I added some panko bread crumbs to the top of these for some textural crunch. Feel free to omit or add another topping of your choice!

I made a basic cream sauce first (saute flour and butter then whisk in milk and let thicken) while I roasted the mushrooms in the oven on 350.

I then added the spinach and artichokes and a splash of white wine. Everything is better with wine right?

Take portabellos out of the oven and stuff with filling. Top with cheese and bread crumbs.

Turn oven to broil ( low) and melt cheese and toast bread crumbs!

Better Food Photography Photos 101

2012-02-20T05:00:00.000-05:00

My hottie husband measuring!

Food photography is uber important to having a successful food blog. No matter how great you write, people will be looking at your photos so they better be good. More importantly, with the rise of Pinterest (my new favorite guilty pleasure) your photos must be appealing in order for people to repin. Places like pinterest, tastespotting, food gawker, and photograzing drive tons of traffic to your blog, and what do you need to get on to these websites? Good pictures!

Now trust me, I am no professional photographer nor will I pretend to be.I have been trying to get better photos and I think it is working. I am still using a Cannon point and shoot ( dreaming of getting a DSLR for my birthday in a month.) I have been reading a ton of articles over the last few months and I gathered a few tips they will help you take better food photos.

Do not ( almost never) use flash
If using external lighting try to light from both sides, not above
Remove clutter that is not part of the frame. Who wants counter clutter in the background of your photo?
Learn how to use whatever camera you have (even if it is P&S) really well
Get creative, try out different angles and props
Natural light will probably get you your best lighted shot
If you are using a P&S use the macro setting

This weekend Toby and I made a light box for me and I cannot wait to use it. A light box uses translucent paper and a desk lamp to transfuse light and make your artificial lighting more natural. I tried it out with a lemon in a bowl and it looks really great! This is the website I used to help me. It had great step by step directions and it was really simple!

Some Tips for Construction:

It took me forever to find translucent paper. If you are a frequenter to Michael's Crafts you will probably know where it is.If not, just ask someone. I walked around for an hour before asking a lady in the floral department.
For the white paper to cover the inside of the box with- We found a roll of "project paper" at Office Depot. It looks like wrapping paper only it is all white.
Buy double sided tape. It makes it easier to paper the inside of the box

The box before adding translucent paper to top

Final Product!

These are some photography articles I found helpful. Hope they help you too!

10 Tips for Mouthwatering Photography
Food Photography Basics: Shutter Speed
Best Food Photography Tips from Experts

Outside the Kitchen: 22 Bowens

2012-02-18T05:00:00.000-05:00

I was recently asked by the Newport & Bristol County Tourism Bureau to check out the incredible special 22 Bowen's has going on every Friday night in the blustery winter months.I had been to 22 Bowen's once before for Restaurant Week and was overjoyed with the meal we received. I was thrilled to be asked back to try out their "Dinner for Two" special running every Friday night this winter. This incredible deal includes an appetizer,entree, and dessert for two and a bottle of Beringer Stone Cellars Cabernet or Chardonnay for $65.22.Count me in. Might I add, these entrees were no run of the mill fare. There was so much to choose from, one dish better than the next. There was salmon, ribeye, sirloin,pork, lobster ravioli. I mean seriously? Customers are totally making out on this deal.

Atmosphere
There is something about Newport in the Winter that makes me so happy. There are no tourists shuffling about and you don't have to wait for a table in an incredible restaurant. 22 Bowen's is located in historic Bowen's Wharf and could be argued the hub of downtown Newport. 22 Bowen's atmosphere was such a delight.I love how it was full of ornate wood and dim mood lighting. It is a perfect date night spot or a place to wow out of town guests, might I add. We were seated overlooking the wharf. My husband, Toby commented on how comfortable the chairs were. We could stay at this table for awhile.

Service
Our waiter Fabio was incredible. I actually overheard the table next to us singing this man's praises. He was attentive all night and was so knowledgeable about the menu. He was an absolute delight.

Food

Well, the food is mainly why I am writing this stellar review. Can I first talk about their rolls. You have to try these rolls. My favorite was the cranberry roll studded with warm cranberries. Spread some of their whipped butter on there and you can die happy. You don't even need dinner. I ordered the New England style clam chowder for an appetizer. Wow. This chowder was rich, creamy, and delicious. There was an abundance of tender clams and potatoes. It was delicious. I then ordered the pork with shredded potatoes and bacon and sauteed greens. Another amazing dish. The pork was tender, juicy, and flavorful.The potatoes were rich and the greens gave a nice contrast. The pork was covered in a apple cider reduction which cut the richness of the potatoes. There was so much food on this plate there was no way I could eat it all!

Toby decided on the Ceaser salad and grilled rib eye. The Ceaser salad was delicious and the steak was cooked perfectly. Again, judging by the photo, you can tell this steak was enormous. Toby's eyes lit up as it was brought to the table. This gigantic cut of meat was served with gorgonzola mashed potatoes (cue eyes rolling back into your head in delight) stuffed into a freshly made popover. Seriously? Could this dish get any better. I have to admit, I ate almost all of his mashed potatoes, while he worked on the beef because they were so good. The popover was also delicious.

We both finished our meals with the same dessert, our favorite, creme brulee. One other important note about this meal, both Toby and I commented to each other on how well paced the meal was. The staff was not trying to turn over the table, we were not being rushed. There was a perfect amount of time between courses so we had ample time to enjoy the night and get ourselves ready for the next course. what a delight.

Back to dessert. The creme brulee was the perfect creamy consistency and the sugar topping was torched to perfection. As if having the creme brulee was not enough, it was served with two cookies. I was barely able to walk out of this restaurant.

Overall, this meal was amazing and I urge all of you to make a reservation for this Friday night delight. There may not be a better deal in all of Newport. Better yet, get a few couples together and make a night of it. Have some wine, amazing food, and enjoy the company and view. You will not be disappointed.

My New Favorite Snacks!

2012-02-17T05:00:00.000-05:00

So since I have been running around so much lately, I thought I would share with you some of my new favorite snacks!Sometimes I find myself only having time for a snack before class or working out. Both of these snacks are healthy and utterly genius and delicious. I have come to the conclusion I cannot go through the day without snacking in between meals. Actually, nutritionists say that healthy snacking throughout the day keeps you full and stop you from overeating later. So if you are running around all day like me , snack away!

The first snack is popcorn. Who doesn't like popcorn? I LOVE movie popcorn, but popcorn swimming in butter and salt....not so good for my butt. God, I love that butter though. This is a really easy and inexpensive way to make popcorn on the go. All you will need are brown paper bags ( like lunch size bags), popcorn kernels, oil, and salt. I have read in tons of articles that there are a ton of chemicals in microwaveable popcorn bags that you buy at the supermarket. Um..Gross. Plus, microwaveable popcorn is like $4 for 4 bags. Not much saving there. Buying kernels in bulk at the market is SO CHEAP and you can make whatever size portion you want ( for just yourself or a crowd.)This is so easy to do. Let me show you how...

1. For one serving- take a handfull of popcorn kernels and put them in a brown paper lunch bag. Put this bag into another ( double bag) incase the oil comes through.

2. Pour a tsp ( or less) of oil into the bag and pour in whatever spices you want. Some popular combos I like are lime zest and chili powder, red pepper flakes and grated cheese, and cumin and garlic powder. Roll up the top of the bag and shake kernels around to distribute spices and oil.

3. Pop in microwave for 1 minute 30 seconds or more depending on your microwave and you are done! Hooray! No chemicals and individual servings of popcorn for less money!

Coming up Next- White Bean Guacamole Dip

I love guacamole. Avacado is so delicious and it also has really good fats in it. I saw a recipe for white bean-avacado spread and I was intrigued. The addition of white beans just makes this more healthy adding a ton of fiber. I mixed one small can of white beans and mash with a fork. Next add half of a avacado and mash. Mix together with some jalapeno and you have an awesome spread that you can put on a sandwich, wrap, or dip veggies in it. It was really great!

Happy Snacking!!!

Chewy Soft Pretzel Bites

2012-02-16T05:00:00.000-05:00

No one likes soft pretzels like my friend Katie. In college she would buy frozen soft pretzels to bake when we came home from a long night of partying or just because. Well, those days are long over for us ( 5 year reunion this year<cringe>.) Even though college is over, we can still rejoice because there is always an occasion to make soft pretzels.Kids LOVE pretzels and heck, adults do too. These are perfect just to snack on or to serve at your next party.

Surprisingly, these are really easy to make. I followed the recipe from Two peas in Their Pod ( I know, really cute blog name.) It could not have been any easier to assemble. I made these for the super bowl and they were a hit! It is really easy to make them savory or sweet by adding cinnamon-sugar instead of salt before baking. I made both kinds because my husband likes both and I am obsessed with those cinnamon pretzels at Auntie Anne's. If you are going to make these for a party, please remember that the dough needs to rise for an hour before you roll and cut so factor in that time!There also looks to be alot of directions, but don't worry. You make the dough, boil quickly and bake. Easy!

As for dipping sauces ( my favorite part) I was really excited to make a beer and cheddar dip. Tragedy struck when i ran out of flour making the pretzels so I had none left for the sauce! Ok Leanne, think fast. Honey Mustard Dip! This had to be the easiest dip ever. I combined yellow mustard, honey, and light mayo and made a sauce to rival Applebee's. For the cinnamon pretzels I made an icing with confectionery sugar and milk. It reminded me of the sauce Domino's serves with their cinna-stix. Yum! Next time, I will totally make a cheese dip though. I could probably drink it with a straw. Hope you enjoy!

Homemade Soft Pretzel Bites

Ingredients:

Soft Pretzels:
1 1/2 cups warm water
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 package active dry yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)
3 ounces unsalted butter, melted
2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
4 1/2 to 5 cups all-purpose flour
Vegetable oil
3 quarts water
3/4 cup baking soda
1 whole egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon cold water
Coarse sea salt

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

For the Pretzels: Combine the water, sugar, yeast, and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer and mix with the dough hook until combined. Let sit for 5 minutes.

Add the salt and flour and mix on low speed until combined. Increase the speed to medium and continue kneading until the dough is smooth and begins to pull away from the side of the bowl, about 3 to 4 minutes. If the dough appears too wet, add additional flour, 1 tablespoon at a time. Remove the dough from the bowl, place on a flat surface and knead into a ball with your hands.

Oil a bowl with vegetable oil, add the dough and turn to coat with the oil. Cover with a clean towel or plastic wrap and place in a warm spot until the dough doubles in size, about 1 hour.

Bring the water to a boil in a small roasting pan over high heat and add the baking soda.
Remove the dough from the bowl and place on a flat surface. Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces, about 4 1/4 to 4 1/2 ounces each. Roll each piece into a long rope measuring 22 inches and shape. Cut the dough into one inch pieces to make the pretzel bites.

Boil the pretzel bites in the water solution in batches. We did about 15 bites at a time. Boil for about 30 seconds. Remove with a large slotted spoon. Place pretzel bites on a baking sheet that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Make sure they are not touching. Brush the tops with the egg wash and season liberally with the salt. Place into the oven and bake for 15 to 18 minutes until golden brown.

Remove to a baking rack and let rest 5 minutes before eating.

WIAW & Spicy Black Bean Soup

2012-02-15T05:00:00.000-05:00

It's that time of the week again! What I ate Wednesday! Since this month is veggie themed I of course have lots to share!! I took Valentine's Day off this year for a "mental health day." And boy, was it needed. Between getting my MBA, working full time, and blogging I am stressed to say the least. A day to myself where I could do whatever I wanted sounded amazing. I ended up getting a hot stone massage ( OMG) and got all of the knots I accumulated from the past few months kneaded out! Gosh, did that feel good. After that, I spent the whole day lounging, watching T.V and I even got an oil change. My awesome husband even came home early from work before he had class so we could hang out! SCORE!

As for what I ate today....

Breakfast: Greek Yogurt with Kashi cereal and honey( my new favorite breakfast)

Snacks: Yellow Peppers, guacamole and chips,wine,cucumber water ( my new favorite thing.)Apparently, when you get knots taken out you need to drink lots of water to flush out the lactic acid. I drank like five glasses of this amazing cucumber-lemon water. I need to recreate this at home.

Lunch: A big,huge amazing bowl of spaghetti with olive oil and cheese. Sorry folks, I ate it too fast and forgot to take a picture!

Dinner: Spicy Black Bean Soup. This soup is amazing. It is hearty, spicy, and delicious. Black beans are really good for you and they have a ton of fiber, which means you stay fuller,longer. Did I mention it is super easy to put together, but you would never know! After this soup simmered I went at it with an immersion blender to make it thicker. If you have a blender,use it! I topped i with greek yogurt,cilantro, and low fat cheddar cheeseHere is the recipe I followed from Bon Appetit Magazine:

Ingredients

2 oranges
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups chopped onions
4 garlic cloves, pressed
4 teaspoons chili powder
4 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3 15.5-ounce cans seasoned black beans, drained
2 14.5-ounce cans diced tomatoes in juice
Hot pepper sauce
Sour cream or plain yogurt
Chopped fresh cilantro

Preparation

Grate enough orange peel to measure 1 1/2 teaspoons. Juice oranges. Heat oil in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onions; sauté 5 minutes. Mix in garlic and spices. Add beans, tomatoes, and half of orange juice. Simmer over medium heat until heated through and flavors blend, stirring often, about 15 minutes. Mix in orange peel and remaining orange juice. Season to taste with hot sauce, salt, and pepper. Ladle chili into bowls. Top with sour cream and cilantro. Pass extra hot sauce alongside.

Sweet and Spicy Asian Slaw

2012-02-14T08:00:00.000-05:00

First off, Happy Valentine's Day Everyone! Hope you all enjoy this special day of love with someone you love! Let's not forget, love that special person in your life all year round, not just Valentine's day! To that, Happy Valentine's Day to my wonderful amazing husband, Toby. I love you bean. You are the best not only for putting up with me, but for supporting me and my baby for the moment, this blog. I love you!

Ok, back to business.....When I found this recipe for an Asian style slaw on Once Upon Chef I was super excited because it is so versatile. You can eat it by itself, in a wrap, or add some chicken, shrimp or steak and call it dinner! It is packed with nutrients and protein from the edamame and is a yummy addition to any meal. You can buy the edamame frozen and shelled so it adds a ton of nutrients for not alot of effort on your part. The dressing for this is KILLER and I am already thinking of other ways I can use it. I was thinking sesame noodles or a marinade for shrimp or chicken. Come to think of it, it would also be a nice addition to chicken lettuce wraps. In addition to peanuts, I added some toasted sesame seeds for added crunch. This is also perfect for potlucks or picnics. Enjoy!

Ingredients

For the Dressing
¼ cup honey
¼ cup vegetable oil
¼ cup unseasoned rice vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon Asian sesame oil
1 tablespoon peanut butter ( I used Teddy Natural)
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon Sriracha sauce (Thai hot sauce…optional)
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1 large garlic clove, minced

For the Slaw
4 cups prepared shredded coleslaw
2 cups prepared shredded carrots (or grated in food processor)
1 red pepper, thinly sliced into bite size pieces
1 cup pre-cooked, shelled edamame (available fresh or frozen)
2 medium scallions, finely chopped
½ cup chopped salted peanuts (you can also leave them whole)
½ cup loosely packed chopped fresh cilantro

Directions

1. Make the dressing by combining all ingredients in medium bowl. Stir until peanut butter is dissolved. Set aside.

2. Combine all of the slaw ingredients in a large bowl. Add dressing and toss well. Let sit at least 10 minutes so vegetables have a chance to soak up the dressing. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary (I usually add a bit more salt but go by your own taste). Serve cold.

Great Uses for Leftover Wine (if you ever have any)

2012-02-13T05:00:00.000-05:00

I was uber excited when I saw this article on The Nest (website for married people, sister website of The Knot). I rarely have left over wine (what can I say, Toby and I always finish it), but if I ever did I would want to have these tips in mind. I figured since they were so great I would share with all of you good followers.

Use in a sauce or stew - Red wine goes well in tomato sauces, while white wine is a good fit for mushroom or cream sauces.I always use red wine in my red gravy and I love how it makes the sauce no rich. Why waste the wine? Add it to a sauce and bring it to another level.

Poach fresh fruit in a mixture of wine - Red or white works for this.Add some sugar and anything else you may like. Serve with ice cream in the cavity of the fruit and garnish with a spring of mint for a decadent dessert or with Greek yogurt!You can even grill the fruit!

Steam Shellfish! White wine is such a great accompaniment to shellfish. Steam mussels with some white wine, garlic and parsley and the wine will give them incredible flavor. Toss with some spaghetti or a piece of crusty bread and you have yourself a meal!

Make Sangria - Sangria is my favorite part of Summer.Sangria is nice because it is super refreshing and you can add whatever you have on hand to make it amazing! Mix wine ( red or white) with fruit juice, liqueur, and fresh fruit for a refreshing cocktail to share with friends!

Freeze it! You can freeze wine in ice cube trays to use in soups and stews later. It will stay in the freezer longer and you can use it when you need it.

Valentine's Day Special: Nutella Stuffed Pastry Hearts

2012-02-11T05:00:00.000-05:00

Well kids, it's almost Valentine's Day and that means 2 things: it's time to eat amazing foods enveloped in chocolate...and drink champagne. Yeah, I know. Not everyone's Valentine's Day is like that. Whether you are single, dating, or married this is a perfect dessert to serve! You can fill these buttery delights with anything (peanut butter, jam, cream cheese, chocolate chips or for those savory lovers - cheese. These were super easy to make but we put together a video for you so you can look awesome on Valentine's Day. And if you are single it may be even better because you can keep these babies all to yourself.

I hope you all enjoy these special treats. We enjoyed making (and eating) them! Share them with someone you love today!

Ingredients

2 Sheets of puff pastry, thawed

1/3

cup hazelnut spread with cocoa

raspberries ( optional)

tablespoons dark chocolate chips

egg, beaten

tablespoon powdered sugar

Directions

1Heat oven to 375°F. Line large cookie sheet with cooking parchment paper.2Unroll both dough sheet; cut each into 8 squares. 3Spoon 2 teaspoons of the hazelnut spread onto 1 side of each square. Top each with 3 raspberries and 4 chocolate chips. Place one dough square over the other over ; press edges to seal. For a Valentine's Day flare, cut with a heart cookie cutter. 4Bake 13 to 17 minutes or until hearts are golden brown.

Perfect Heart!

5While these are in the oven, in small microwavable bowl, mix remaining 1 tablespoon hazelnut spread and remaining 1 tablespoon chocolate chips. Microwave uncovered on High 45 to 60 seconds or until mixture can be stirred smooth. Feel free to add some hazelnut liquor to the chocolate drizzle. (It makes it AMAZING)6 Drizzle with sauce Sprinkle hearts with powdered sugar.

Recipe Swap: Potato Dauphinois

2012-02-10T07:00:00.000-05:00

Can I tell you all how happy I was to hear that the recipe swap was potato themed!Potatoes are one of my favorite things.. ever. Mashed potatoes are my favorite, but let me tell you these potatoes may be dethroning them! A big shout out to So Tasty, So Yummy for giving me this recipe. When I saw the picture for these potatoes on her blog I got really nervous, hoping that I could recreate. This dish is perfect for a dinner party because it is so fancy, but is made with such little effort! That is my kind of side dish!
Toby helped me put these together because I only had twenty minutes before I had to go to spin, so we were in hyper mode! I was freakishly washing and peeling potatoes and Toby was slicing the potatoes on the mandolin like a mad man. Do yourself a favor and purchase a $5 mandolin. It is so difficult to cut the potatoes the same width free hand. We tag teamed those potatoes like no other. I would note, I do not think that you need to peel them. The skin might add some nice texture. We also decided to mix the sweet and white potato. When this first came out of the oven I kept picking the potatoes off the top because they were so good! Do yourself a favor and make this for your next dinner party. Since the potatoes need to chill in the fridge for eight hours you can make these the night before. Then the day of the party you literally pop them in the oven for ten minutes. Well, that was easy!Here is the recipe from So Tasty, So Yummy!

Potatoes Dauphinois

1 ½ cups whipping cream
1 cup milk
½ teaspoon each: dried thyme, salt and pepper
5 russet potatoes, peeled
1 sweet potato, peeled (can substitute russet potato)
3 cloves garlic minced

Heat oven to 400 degrees.

Combine cream, milk, thyme, salt and pepper in a large pot. Cut russet potatoes and sweet potato into 1/8 inch slices, dropping them into the cream mixture as they are sliced. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are evenly coated and cream mixture thickens, about 10 minutes.

Sprinkle garlic over the bottom of an 8 inch square buttered baking pan. Transfer potatoes into pan in layers, placing sweet potatoes in center layers. Pour remaining cream mixture over. Bake until potatoes are golden brown and tender, about 30 minutes. Cool about 1 hour. Cover, refrigerate until firm, at least 8 hours.

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Cut potatoes into rounds with 3 inch ring molds (I used a regular ole can and it worked great). Bake on a parchment lined (or Silpat) baking sheet until they begin to bubble, about 10 minutes.

Cheesy Quinoa Mac & Cheese

2012-02-09T05:00:00.000-05:00

I have discovered my new favorite dish. I am a huge fan of Quinoa as you have seen in some of my latest posts, but this recipe has put this super grain over the top. I love mac and cheese from every angle. The cheese, the crunchy topping, the richness. Gosh, it tugs at my heart strings. This recipe makes it at least healthy for you. I used reduced far sharp cheddar, almond milk, and quinoa. I say that is a major win. Leanne 1, thunder thighs 0.

This dish touched on every reason as to why I love Mac & Cheese in the first place. The quinoa's texture tastes like pasta, but has more flavor. The cheese is creamy and sharp as ever and the topping. Oh the panko topping. This may have made the dish. If you are a cheerleader for texture, add the panko. I just put them on plain( no oil or butter) and they were super crunchy. I added some local hot sauce for some zing and broccoli to bump up the nutrition. You can make this as a side dish or main. It would be perfect with a side salad with a vinaigrette dressing to cut the richness of this cheesy delight. I also served them in the cutest individual ramekins. It makes it easy to figure our serving size and they are really cute if you have guests. You can literally top these with anything. Salsa, more cheese, hot sauce. I used a local hot sauce, which is to die for!

Hello my new favorite ( & local) hot sauce!

I found this recipe on Pinterest, but check it out on the main website for Monica Nelson Fitness.

Hello Cheesy Quinoa!

Serving Size: 8

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups quinoa, rinsed and drained
Veggies of your choice (optional)
good pinch of salt
a few grinds of seasoning salt
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 large eggs
1 cup soy milk or non-fat milk
1 1/2 cups grated Cheddar cheese, more for sprinkling
Optional- Crushed Red Pepper, Panko Bread crumbs for topping
Toppings (optional)- salsa, hot sauce, sour cream, scallions

Lightly saute any veggies you would like in this dish.
Cook quinoa to packaged instructions until fully cooked. (About 15 minutes)
Preheat oven to 350 F. Coat 13x9 inch dish( or 8 individual ramekins) with cooking spray.Whisk together eggs and milk in large bowl. Fold in quinoa mixture and cheese. Stir very well and let some of the cheese melt. Transfer to prepared baking dish and if using Panko Crumbs or Bread crumbs add now and bake 30-35 mins, until bread crumbs are browned.

WIAW& The Best Addition to Any Dish: Pickled Onions

2012-02-08T08:21:00.000-05:00

So it is love your veggies month.Well, I love veggies so that should not be a problem for my WIAW post. I eat veggies probably every day. My favorite, as you saw in my post from last week is brussels sprouts. I could literally have them every day. Today I wanted to give you a sampling of what I ate Tuesday ( WIAT??) and give you a veggie recipe to take away! Double Whammy.

Breakfast:So I started breakfast with a veggie egg white flatbread from Dunkin Donuts ( ice coffee mecca for those of you not on the East Coast.) I usually make my own coffee and breakfast, but I was running late. I was running so late I forgot to take a picture!All I got was a picture of the apple I ate. Whoops.

Lunch:I had my favorite asian roll Nim Chow. Man, I could eat this every day. It has mint, basil, pea pods, bean sprouts, rice noodles and served with a vinegar sauce with crushed peanuts. Yum.

Dinner:I shot my Valentine's Day Special after work, which means I had a puff pastry heart with nutella for dinner ( technically.) I then went home and ate vegetable pad thai, which made me SO HAPPY.I like the veggie version better personally. Lots of pea pods and broccoli!

Snack: A glass of Apothic Red. My favorite wine. (Notice my grad school homework in the back ground of the glass. Crap, I still need to read for class tomorrow.)
As promised, here is a recipe from Bon Appetit magazine for pickled onions! I am SO EXCITED to make these. They are perfect with any dish and add such a depth of flavor! They are my favorite with tacos! The best part is that they are SO EASY to make.

I love the color red onions add!

Ingredients

1 medium red onion, thinly sliced (about 1 cup)
1/4 cup red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar
1/2 tsp. sugar
Kosher salt

Preparation

Place onion slices in a medium bowl. Pour vinegar and 1/2 cup warm water over onion. Stir in sugar and season with salt; let stand until slightly pickled, about 30 minutes. Drain.

DO AHEAD Can be made 2 days ahead. Let cool slightly. Cover and refrigerate.

Example of these onions in action... Fish tacos from Perro Salado. THE BEST.

Chicken Toastadas

2012-02-07T05:00:00.000-05:00

Since starting up graduate school again this semester, my time in the kitchen( and in general) has been limited.Working full time, going to school two nights a week, working out, having a life. Phew, sometimes it is alot. Lucky for me, I have this blog and it helps me find ways to help combat this constant loss of time. I started getting really good at making meals with whatever I have on hand and making it work.... actually really well I might add.

Tonight was that kind of a night. Not surprising at all , but I felt like Mexican food.... again. And then it came to me. Chicken tostadas.

Fairly easy to prepare, not many ingredients. I am in. For my tostadas I used:

1 can of black beans
2 pieces of chicken
1 whole wheat tortilla
Queso fresco
cilantro,tomatoes
1 small can diced green chillies
Greek yogurt ( my new sour cream)

So since there is no recipe ( per se) I will show you in photos and easy instructions. You can basically add whatever you like to these to feel free to experiment

I first started with the chicken since it would take the longest to cook. You can use rotissere chicken if you want, but I had some raw chicken from the night before that I wanted to use. I seared the chicken in a pan to seal in juices. I seared it for about 2 minutes on each side. I then put it in a baking dish with habanero-mango salsa and baked on 350 degrees F for 20 minutes.

While the chicken was in the oven, I started on the beans. I poured half a can of black beans into a pan on low and crushed the other half of beans in can( why dirty another dish) with a fork and added it to the pan. I like the mixture of texture. Almost like refried beans.I then grated some garlic with a zester.

Next, cut whatever veggies and herbs you want.I used tomatoes.

Take chicken out when cooked fully and put oven on broil. Toast tortilla. Shred chicken with two forks.

**For Green Chile Sauce
I took 1 small can diced green chills and cut it with some vinegar to make it less thick and blended with an immersion blender. It was a bold and tangy sauce.

Assemble!

Baked Bang Bang Shrimp

2012-02-06T05:00:00.000-05:00

So I have seen this recipe on Pinterest a few times now. It temps me every time. So I finally gave in. Apparently this dish is at a restaurant called the Bonefish Grill? I have never heard of that restaurant( there aren't a ton of chain restaurants in Rhode Island I guess,)but the dish looked delightful so I figured I would give it a whirl.

Traditionally the shrimp in this recipe is fried. I like to challenge myself so I decided to bread and bake the shrimp. Success! They came out amazing. Huge thank you to Panko breadcrumbs... my savior in cooking. Make sure to not overcook the shrimp if baking. I kept them in on 400degrees F for about 15 minutes. Just keep checking them to make sure they are cooked without overcooking them. It is very easy to overcook shrimp. I served my shrimp with a vinegar based coleslaw to cut the richness of the sauce. It was a really nice combo. You can also serve it with the bibb lettuce!

Here is the recipe I followed from Food Network.com:

Ingredients

For the Sauce:

1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon Asian chili sauce (such as sambal oelek)
2 teaspoons honey
Kosher salt

For the Shrimp:

Vegetable oil, for frying
2 large eggs
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cornstarch
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 1/4 pounds small shrimp, peeled and deveined
Bibb lettuce leaves, for serving
Thinly sliced scallions, for garnish

Directions ( For frying)

Make the sauce: Mix the mayonnaise, chili sauce, honey, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1 tablespoon water in a large bowl; set aside.

Prepare the shrimp: Heat about 2 inches of vegetable oil in a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium heat until a deep-fry thermometer registers 350 degrees. Meanwhile, whisk the eggs in a shallow bowl. Whisk the flour, cornstarch and 1 teaspoon each salt and pepper in another shallow bowl.
Working in batches, dredge the shrimp in the flour mixture, shaking off any excess, dip in the beaten eggs, then return to the flour mixture, turning to form a thick crust. Fry the shrimp in the hot oil until lightly golden, 1 to 2 minutes, adjusting the heat as needed to maintain the oil temperature. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate with a slotted spoon.
Toss the shrimp with the prepared sauce. Arrange the lettuce in a shallow serving bowl or on individual plates. Top with the shrimp and garnish with scallions.

I wish I used a bit less sauce, but it was delicious

Pasta with Shaved Brussels Sprouts & My New Obsession

2012-02-04T05:00:00.000-05:00

First off, I was awarded another Liebster award from a fellow blogger! Please check out her blog, Go Bake Yourself. It is amazing and I want to make her desserts every day!! She is a young blogger who blogs far beyond her years. Not to mention....she calls Australia home. Hooray and thank you Choc Chip Uru!

Secondly, I am not afraid to admit it. I love brussels sprouts. And call me crazy, but I always thought they were called brussel sprouts? Clearly I have been mistaken. Toby and I eat "brussels" as we refer to them at least twice a week. We usually saute them as a side dish with pancetta, lemon, and Parmesan cheese. Can you see why we are obsessed? I am not entirely sure how I never Incorporated them into a main dish before, but one night I was really craving pasta so I went with it. Spaghetti is on of my favorite pastas so I chose to shred the "brussels" so they were easier to eat with the pasta. I used whole wheat spaghetti, but feel free to choose whatever pasta you like best. And if you like things spicy, douse this dish with red pepper flakes like me. I LOVE IT.

Can I also share with you my new obsession? Toby and I were at Bed, Bath, & Beyond the other weekend and I found this stone with a chef on it that claimed to never let pasta water boil over. Done. My pasta water boils over constantly because I have a small and extra large pot. For $3 I thought it was a deal. This little guy is my new best friend. Please go out and get one if you always have this problem!

I didn't exactly follow a "recipe" for this. I cut up the brussels sprouts thinly and sauteed them until tender with some olive oil,salt and pepper.

While your pasta is boiling take some starchy cooking water and add to brussels so it starts to make a light sauce. You can even add vegetable or chicken stock. Keep adding water until it is at the consistency you like. ( The starchy water thickens the sauce. Yum)

You can also toast bread crumbs in a saute pan. They add really great crunch and texture to the dish.

Drain pasta, and add to saute pan. Toss with bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese then serve! Might I add, pancetta would be a great addition to this dish.

Home Made Falafel (YUM)

2012-02-03T05:00:00.000-05:00

Hello Falafel!

So I saw this recipe for crock pot falafel on pinterest the other day and was intrigued. I love falafel and they are super healthy (minus the frying). So basically, what I am saying is that chickpeas are healthy. They are full of fiber and protein, not to mention a ton of other vitamins. Like 95%of falafel is chick peas so we are taking a step in a healthy direction. I was so hungry when I made these I did not want to make them in the crock pot. I just pan fried them with a bit of cooking spray and a tsp of olive oil.

I totally will make these in a crock pot some time because they were really easy to put together and I love coming home to a meal that is already cooked. Oh…and a cooking hint on these. I used steel cut oats in these as a binder instead of bread crumbs. I added about 2 tsp of whole wheat bread crumbs also. Oatmeal bumps up the fiber content ( keeps you fuller, longer.) Feel free to add what you like and test one out first. If it falls apart, you need more breadcrumbs/oats. You want to make sure they are slightly wet, but not falling apart. I really loved this recipe. It brings out all of the flavors of falafel I love. I served with some tahini and pita. Serve with whatever you like!

Ingredients:

- 1 15oz can garbanzo beans (chick peas)

- 1/2 onion, chopped

-1 T dried parsley

- 2 cloves minced garlic

- 1 egg

- 1 t kosher salt

- 1/4 t blackpepper

- 2 t groundcumin

- 1 t groundcoriander

- 1/4 t cayennepepper

- juice from 1 lemon

- 1/2 to 3/4 cup bread crumbs ( I used oats also)

- 2 T olive oil (for the bottom of your crock)

The Directions

Drain garbanzo beans. Dump them into a mixing bowl and smash them with a fork ( I used a potato masher- heavy duty lol). Set aside.

Combine and blend together all of the spices, the onion, the garlic,the egg, and the lemon juice in a food processor. ( I did not do this.) I was too lazy to take out my food processor. I grated the onion with a grater and mixed it with everything else.

Pour on top of your smashed garbanzo beans. Use your fork tomix together, and add the breadcrumbs (or oats) slowly until the mixture is slightly wet andsticky but can be formed into balls nicely. I needed 1 cup of a cup ofbreadcrumbs/oats.

Pour 2 T of olive oil into the bottom of your crockpotstoneware insert.

Form squished golf-ball sized patties of falafel. Dip eachside into the olive oil and then nestle into your crockpot. It's okay if theyoverlap or are on top of each other.

Cook on high for 2-5 hours. You can flip them halfway through the cooking time if you feel like it, butthey will brown on top even without flipping.

** If you just can’t wait that long and choose to cook them on the stove top (like I did) , sauté them for about three minutes on each side and flip. If they are falling apart, you need to add more binder (ie breadcrumbs or oats)

Sadly, I wanted to eat these so badly I ate this while taking the photos.

Baked Eggplant Napoleans

2012-02-02T05:00:00.000-05:00

Before I start this post, I would like to dedicate this post to Robert M Valentine Jr Esq. Bob, ( or Bob Loblaw as I refer to him as- Arrested Development.. anyone?) has recently become a vegetarian to make a healthy lifestyle change and I wanted to give him a recipe that was easy and not lacking in flavor. Also.. if you need a lawyer and are in Florida call him up. He just started his own firm. Yey!

Can I just say, I have out done myself on this dish! I had a ton of home made ricotta left over so I wanted to make something with it. I love eggplant. I almost never fry eggplant anymore. I almost always use panko breadcrumbs because they get super crunchy when baked. I also do not peel the eggplant. I enjoy the texture of the skin. I was all out of panko, so I used the Italian breadcrumbs I had on hand. I was nervous, but they turned out really great! I only sprayed them with cooking spray and they came out as crispy as if I fried them. I think this is a nice low fat version of eggplant parmasean. I would eat this all day, every day. It helps that the ricotta added an amazing creaminess to the dish. It adds a great textural contrast to the crunchiness of the eggplant. I added a dollop of tomato sauce to the top and a few springs of basil. Done. Easy weeknight meal with minimal effort. Some melted fresh mozzarella would be great on top here also.I'm not afraid to admit it, I ate the entire eggplant. Granted it was just feeding me, so I picked a small one, but I ate an entire breaded eggplant. Then went to spin an hour after! Yikes.

The recipe for this is actually super simple. I will describe in pictures.

Ingredients

1 medium eggplant
1 cup ricotta cheese
Your favorite red sauce
Basil for garnish
2 cups panko or regular bread crumbs
2 Eggs

Directions

1. Pre heat oven to 400 degrees F. Slice eggplant in uniform slices and dip in egg then bread crumbs to coat. Then place on sheet pan. Do yourself a favor and put spices in the bread crumbs. I add red pepper flakes and garlic powder.

2. Bread each of the eggplant slices and set aside. Spray sheet pan with cooking spray and place slices on pan.

3. Bake for 25 minutes ( depending on thickness of eggplant) flipping half way through. Usually when the bread crumbs are toasted, they are done.

Crunchy Goodness!

4. Put one piece of eggplant on the bottom of your tower then spread ricotta cheese on. Top with another eggplant slice and tomato sauce and basil. Done! Yum!

Toby's "Healthy" WIAW & His Famous Meat Muffins Recipe

2012-02-01T08:00:00.000-05:00

This week for WIAW I figured I would focus on what Toby eats during the week before the big Binge day. As you all saw last week, this is clearly his favorite day of the week since he eats uber healthy for the rest of the week. For him, this includes lots of quinoa,lean meat ( bison,turkey) and veggies.

My husband also has a eating quirk that I wish I had. Actually, maybe it is me that has the quirk? He has eaten the same week’s worth of meals for three weeks now. He has no desire to switch it up and is perfectly happy eating the same thing all the time. It would be a lot easier for me to do that, but quite frankly I get sick of foods very easily. No way could I eat the same leftovers more than three times in a week. Then again, if I ate the same thing all the time I wouldn’t have a food blog. Anyway ,here is the website he plans his meals on in case you are interested in looking. They are all really simple and might I add,tasty.

What Toby Ate yesterday: Bison.eggs.salad.quinoa.protein cake

Let's do a quick WIAW recap of what he ate yesterday:

Sunflower seeds + Flax =healthy fats!

Breakfast: Ground Bison & Egg Whites
Lunch: Salad with grilled chicken
Snack: Cinnamon swirl protein bread ( AMAZING) & sunflower seeds + flax seeds
Dinner: Turkey Meat Muffins( pictured below) with quinoa

Here is Toby’s go to recipe for Meat Muffins. He loves them.You can add veggies to these and I think it would be delicious. Also if you want to add in some fat add some low fat cheese. They are already proportioned so it is easy to not over eat. Despite the turkey being 99% fat free, it is actually really tender. He usually eats these with Quinoa and veggies. It makes a ton so he takes them for lunch all week!

Meat Muffins

Ingredients

2 lbs ground meat (I've used beef, turkey, and combinations)
1/4 heaping cup chopped celery
1/4 heaping cup mushroom, diced
1/4 cup oatmeal
1/4 cup finely chopped onion or 1 tbsp dehydrated onion flakes
2 cloves garlic, minced, or 1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp dry mustard powder
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried sage
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp salt
2 egg whites
1/4 cup water

Directions:

Preheat oven at 325 degrees.
Spray 2 muffin tins with nonstick spray or oil

Mix all ingredients in a bowl (using your hands works best).
Cook at 325 degrees for 22 minutes.
This recipe makes about two dozen turkey muffins. They're great to take to work for lunch and can be combined with salad, quinoa, brown rice, or veggies for an easy and healthy dinner.

Three muffins make one serving. Each serving contains 2 grams of carbs, 2 grams of fiber, 30 grams of protein, and 263 calories.

Insanely Easy Homemade Ricotta.. Oh and I won an Award!!

2012-01-31T08:00:00.000-05:00

First I will start off with the blog award since that is more exciting than making cheese. A big, HUGE thank you to Ruth from Spring of a Curiouseed and Maggie from Kitchie Coo for awarding me with the coolest award around town. Please visit their blogs. They are awesome. And funny. Did I mention funny? Anyway, this award is awarded to up and coming bloggers with less than 200 followers. Thank you for making my day ladies!

Now.... time to pass it on to five blogs. I would love to give the following blogs this award!
Oh Cake
Texanas Kitchen
What Would Jessica Eat?
Oh Shine on
Quest for Delish

Now, for the recipe!!
Can I tell you how exciting it is to make your own cheese? I could have put thirty question mark/exclamation points after that sentence to show you how excited I am over this. Who knew making your own cheese was so easy? I found this recipe on the blog Tasty Kitchen, which features step by step directions and pictures to help you along the way. Dear God, I bought a gallon of milk for this. i wanted to make sure I did it right so I didn't ruin it!

Ricotta is one of my favorite cheeses to cook with because it is so versatile! You can make it savory or sweet and eat it warm or cold. It adds a rich depth of flavor and creaminess that cannot be matched. I really like to use it in baking also( ie my lemon ricotta muffins). Ok. I am now off of my cheese soap box. Let's talk about the recipe.

It had three main ingredients and less than five steps. Sold. I purchased 2% milk, but feel free to buy Whole for whole milk Ricotta. The 2% worked fine with me. The recipe also calls for a digital thermometer, which I did not have. I was to cheap to buy a digital thermometer so I used my meat thermometer. Obviously, don't use a meat thermometer that only has meat settings( ie pork,chicken,beef.) Mine has numbers so I was able to tell when the milk hit 185 degrees F. Also don't put the burner on too high. You don't want to burn the milk. You pretty much have to stir the bottom every few minutes to make sure it does not burn. Another tip: when buying lemons for this, buy a bag. It could take a few ( it took me 3) to get 2/3 cup of lemon juice. And please, do not use that weird lemon juice in the bottle that looks like a plastic lemon. That has other ingredients in it and would probably not work as well. I bought a bag of like ten lemons for $4. Buying two lemons was $2. Sometimes it pays to buy in bulk. I'm sure you can use your imagination to use the lemons in other dishes. Chicken picatta anyone? Speaking of lemons, make things easy on yourself and zest the lemons before you juice them. It will be difficult to zest the lemons when they are all limp and juiced.

Ok, that is it for my cheese making tips. Good Luck, however I really don't think you will need it.

Homemade Ricotta

Ingredients

1 gallon Whole Milk
1 teaspoon Salt
⅔ cups Lemon Juice
⅓ cups Basil, Minced (optional)
1 teaspoon Lemon Zest ( optional)
⅓ teaspoons Pepper

Directions

Yes this is only at 80 degrees. Heat until 185!

In a large Dutch oven or deep pot, heat milk and salt to 185ºF, stirring frequently to avoid scalding. Remove from heat and pour in lemon juice. Let sit for 25 minutes while curds separate and form. Do not disturb.

Line a large colander or strainer with a double layer of cheese cloth, placing them over a deep bowl. Slowly pour cheese mixture into the strainer lined with cheesecloth and allow to drain, about 10-15 minutes or until the liquid no longer strains freely.

Place in a large bowl. Fold in minced basil, lemon zest, and pepper if desired. Do not mix too much, just enough to incorporate.

Place in sealed containers and let chill for two hours. Serve with garlic toast and olive oil for drizzling.

Superbowl Video Special: BBQ Chicken Tacos & Blue Cheese Cole Slaw

2012-01-30T06:00:00.000-05:00

BBQ sauce.Beer.Blue Cheese. Three of my favorite things. Throw it all together in a Mexican classic and you have a sure fire Super Bowl delight that will wow all of your guests. I first saw this recipe on Closet Cooking. I love the idea of BBQ chicken and blue cheese together. This would also be yummy with buffalo chicken. Check out my video with Three Desert Films on how to make them!

BBQ Chicken ( 10 servings)

1.5 LB of chicken
12oz of your favorite beer ( I used Newport Storm Octoberfest)
1 Cup of your favorite BBQ Sauce and more after chicken is cooked

I cooked my chicken in the crockpot on low for 4 hours on low. Feel free to use pulled rotisserie chicken or poached chicken. Either way you cook it, shred it with two forks. After shredding the cooked chicken add as much BBQ sauce as you like and add to tacos.

Blue Cheese Cole Slaw
This is the best cole slaw I have ever made. The blue cheese is such a nice addition to the mixture and it is absolutely delightful!

Ingredients:

2 cups cabbage (shredded)
1 carrot (shredded)
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons grainy mustard
1 lemon (juice)
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup blue cheese (crumbled)
1 handful parsley (chopped)

Directions:
1. Mix the cabbage and carrot in a large bowl.
2. Mix the mayo, sour cream, mustard, lemon juice, salt and pepper in a bowl.
3. Mix everything together.
4. Cover and let mellow in the fridge for a few hours.

Blueberry Lemon Power Muffins

2012-01-28T11:46:00.000-05:00

I am a huge fan of the muffin recipes from Cookinglight.com. They are usually really flavorful and healthy. I adapted this recipe from their Lemon Blueberry Muffins. I really enjoy having breakfast pre-made for me so I can just grab them and go in the morning. This would be a really yummy recipe for a brunch also. You could even use mini muffin tins and make tiny muffins! Actually maybe that is a bad idea.... you may eat like 15 because they are so small. Either way, if you can resist not having a dozen mini muffins make them!

I substituted whole wheat flour in place of all purpose. Hey, sneak in nutrients when you can. Whole wheat flour will keep you fuller longer so if you have it.. add it! Toby and I have been on an almond milk kick lately so I added that instead of buttermilk. Buttermilk is actually lower in fat, but I like the unsweetened almond milk in it. If you have a milk allergy, feel free to add a substitute. For some extra pizazz I added a mixture of steel cut oats and sliced almonds to the top. I always keep a canister of steel cut oats. They are a great binding ingredient for a ton of recipes and add a nice crunch to these muffins. Try these muffins and you will not even know you are being healthy! Yum. Enjoy!

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 cup butter
1 1/4 cups low-fat buttermilk
1 large egg
1 tablespoon grated lemon rind
1 cup blueberries
Cooking spray

Cook Tip: Toss blueberries in flour so they don't sink to the bottom of the muffins!

Preparation

Preheat oven to 400°.
Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour and next 5 ingredients (flour through nutmeg) in a medium bowl; cut in butter with a pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse meal.
Combine buttermilk, egg, and rind; stir well with a whisk. Add to flour mixture; stir just until moist. Gently fold in blueberries.

Spoon batter into 12 muffin cups coated with cooking spray. Bake at 400° for 20 minutes or until the muffins spring back when lightly touched. Remove muffins from pans immediately, and place on a wire rack to cool.

The Nest's Recipe Swap: Moroccan Spiced Spaghetti Squash

2012-01-27T07:06:00.000-05:00

Well folks, it is time once again for The Nest's Recipe Swap hosted by A Taste of Home Cooking! The theme this time around was healthy dishes. I was assigned with Moroccan Spiced Spaghetti Squash, which I got from Jessica and her blog The Jey of Cooking. I was super excited about this recipe because I love Moroccan spices and the play on sweet and savory. First off, when I made this my condo smelled like a Moroccan bizarre. It was amazing. Secondly, it was so easy to prepare. You can cook the squash in the oven or microwave. Since I have started up MBA classes again, time is of the essence. Microwave it is...

This was my first time cooking spaghetti squash and wow, it was easy. I cut it in half after microwaving and then shredded it with a fork. Could not have been any easier.

This was such a delicious recipe and it made me want to eat this as a side dish all the time. The flavors and textures in this dish are amazing.The raisins and almonds are a great contrast in the dish.It is an added bonus that it is healthy to boot! Do yourself a favor and transport yourself to Morocco and enjoy this dish!

Moroccan Spiced Spaghetti Squash - slightly adapted from Gourmet Magazine via Epicurious

1 3-4 Lb. Spaghetti Squash
2 Tbsp. Butter, unsalted (to make this dish Vegan, substitute a Vegan butter spread or Olive Oil)
2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
3 Garlic Cloves, minced
1 tsp. Ground Cumin
1/2 tsp. Ground Coriander
1/8 tsp. Cayenne Pepper
3/4 tsp. Kosher Salt
1/4 Cup Slivered Almonds, toasted
1/4 Cup Golden Raisins
2 Tbsp. Fresh Cilantro, chopped

With a small knife, pierce the squash all over to prevent bursting. Place the squash on a microwave safe plate and cook for 6 to 7 minutes, then turn the squash over and cook an additional 8-10 minutes, until the squash is soft. Allow to cool 10-15 minutes. Alternately, place the whole pierced squash in a baking dish and bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 1 hour.
While the squash is cooling, melt the butter and olive oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook until golden, about 1 minute. Stir in the spices and salt and remove from heat.
When the squash is cool enough to touch, carefully halve lengthwise. Remove and discard the seeds. Scrape the flesh with a fork to release the strands from the skin. Add the toasted almonds and golden raisins, then toss with the spiced butter mixture and top with cilantro.

Make Your Own Takeout: Sticky Orange Chicken

2012-01-26T08:00:00.000-05:00

Sticky.Sweet.Delicious

Hooray for healthy non-msg ridden Chinese food. Now, don't get me wrong. I am all about Chinese food from time to time. I crave Chinese food often so if I can cook it at home then that is a plus. The only problem I have with this is that most times my version of Chinese food isn't really that comparable to food you find in restaurants. That is...until now!

My usual Chinese creations are on the bland side, which made me hope this one would be different. And indeed flavorful it was. This is a nice combination of sweet and spicy. Also let me add how easy it is to prepare. This was the first time I baked the floured chicken in the oven, while cooking the sauce on the stove top( on low- remember honey can burn). After tossing the chicken in the sauce I was amazed. It became super sticky and delicious. I popped some brown rice in the microwave and steamed some broccoli and BAM- you have a delicious and rather healthy meal. The recipe I was inspired by was from Skinny Mommy. She made honey sesame chicken and that is what recipe I will put on this blog. I had some oranges left over so I added orange zest. It gave the chicken a nice bright flavor. If you don't like orange, leave it out. No big deal. Actually, lemon would be great too. Yum. So try some "make your own takeout" today!

Here is the recipe! Could not be any easier!

Ingredients
1.25lbs of chicken, cut into cubes
Flour
1/2 cup honey
1 TBS of sesame oil
Sesame seeds (optional)
1-2 tsps of siracha or other Asian hot sauce

2 TBS low sodium soy sauce
zest of 1 orange ( optional)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400. Sprinkle flour onto a plate and dip the chicken into it, shaking off the excess. Line a baking pan (with high sides) with parchment paper and add the chicken making sure it is spaced out. Bake for 15 minutes.

While the chicken is baking, mix together the soy, sesame oil, soy, honey and siracha. Put ingredients in a pan and heat on low.

Take out the chicken and pour the sauce over it, stirring to coat each piece.

Put the chicken back in the oven and bake for 10 minutes more, stirring a few times to be sure every piece is glazed evenly.

WIAW& Toby's Gluttonous Saturdays

2012-01-25T08:00:00.000-05:00

Toby w. his cheat day list

So for WIAW this week I wanted to introduce you all to what my husband Toby eats on Saturdays. Toby has been reading the book Four Hour Body. In the book that says if you eat super healthy all week you can eat whatever you want one day a week. If you do this, you will crave those "bad foods" less because you know you can eat them one day a week. Also since you are working out and eating healthy all week, your body will spike your metabolism with the high amount of calories.. bla bla bla. I don't want to bore you, nor quote this guy. Nor do I know if this even works but, really this day entertains me and Toby loves it. We got about 5-7 inches of snow on Saturday in Rhode Island so our food sources were limited. Toby and I planned to go to a restaurant called Fat Bellies ( yeah great name) so he could get a Philly cheese steak sandwich, but the snow filled roads stopped us in our tracks. No really, we made it to the highway and turned around.

Toby actually set his alarm this Saturday at 8am so he could get up early and not miss out on any eating time. So long quinoa. Adios 99% fat free turkey. This man is ready for sugar and fat. His day started off with this.

Breakfast:
One medium Dunkin Donuts Iced Coffee Extra, Cream Extra Sugar( his one coffee a week)
2 mini bagels with butter
One waffle and ice cream sandwich
Bacon....lots of bacon

Lunch
Three Pieces of pepperoni pizza
French fries

Snack
Cheddar Sun Chips
A Harry & David Chocolate Bar
Dr Pepper & Rum ( Hey it's Saturday)

Dinner
A huge plate of nachos!
Another Dr Pepper & Rum

Well that was it. Does this diet plan work? Who knows? He lost 7 pounds in 2 weeks. Doesn't sound like it is hindering at least. Bottom line is that it works for him so that's good enough for me. Bad thing for me... I eat alot on Saturdays too.. Take a look at the pizza I ate..

OMG. Chicago style deep dish with spinach & Mushrooms

Chopped Apple Salad with Toasted Walnuts, Blue Cheese & Pomegranate Vinaigrette

2012-01-24T08:00:00.000-05:00

This recipe is in my Bar American Bobby Flay cookbook that I made the chicken cutlets from.This is a great cook book. I highly recommend it. I was introduced to this recipe by my friend Katie who made this for a get together at her house. By get together, I mean a medium came over that talks to dead people came over to do readings for Katie and her friends. Great times. Katie said this salad was a big hit the last time she made it so she wanted to make it again.

First off, this salad is amazing and might I add easy to put together. We made it with feta since Katie's sister does not like blue cheese, but try it with whatever crumbly cheese you have on hand. This recipe uses pomegranate molasses, which may be my new favorite condiment. Come to think of it, it would have been yummy with those chicken cutlets I made a few weeks ago. We made the molasses from scratch, which is actually way easier than you think. You literally pour 100% pomegranate juice with sugar and let it simmer for a little over an hour. You don't even have to stir it very often. Even better, it stays for a really long time so make it once and use it forever!You can buy pomegranate molasses at the market, but ti may be hard to find. When in doubt, make it yourself!

This salad would be perfect for dinner parties or a potluck. This would even be a perfect weeknight meal with some grilled chicken on top. Enjoy!

Mmmm Molasses

Home Made Pomegranate Molasses

Ingredients

3 cups pomegranate juice(if there is added sugar in your juice, reduce the sugar called for in this recipe)
1/2 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup sugar

Directions

Combine all ingredients.
Simmer and reduce until there is only 1 cup of liquid remaining. It would be helpful to boil it for a few minutes to thicken it up some.
Chill.

Chopped Apple Salad with Toasted Walnuts, Blue Cheese & Pomegranate VinaigretteServes: 8

Pomegranate Vinaigrette
¼ cup pomegranate molasses
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 heaping tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon honey, or more to taste
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
¾ cup extra virgin olive oil

Whisk together the pomegranate molasses, vinegar, mustard, honey and salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Slowly whisk in the olive oil until emulsified. Vinaigrette can be stored, covered tightly, in the refrigerator for 2 days.

Salad

6 apples (Granny Smith, Gala, Fuji) any or a combination of all, skin left on, core removed and cut into ½-inch dice
2 cups baby spinach
2 heads endive, thinly sliced
1 ½ cups toasted coarsely chopped walnuts
¾ pound blue cheese, crumbled
Pomegranate Vinaigrette (recipe above)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Combine the apples, spinach, endive, walnuts and blue cheese in a large bowl. Add the vinaigrette and toss to coat, season with salt and pepper to taste.

Lemon-Lime Funfetti Cupcakes

2012-01-23T08:00:00.000-05:00

So for my sister Kellie's birthday I told her Toby and I would babysit my niece and nephew ( Teresa & Anthony.) I read online that you can make these soda( or diet soda) cupcakes. This also works out when you have no oil or eggs at your house. Just a disclaimer... I did used boxed cupcake mix. Sometimes, it is easy and it works.Whatever, We all do it sometimes. My niece Teresa loves to bake so I thought this was a perfect activity for us to do. This could not be any easier and might I add, lower in fat than regular cupcakes. When I made these before I used lemon cake mix and diet 7-up. Delicious lemon lime combination. I topped it with some fat free cool whip and a raspberry and that made one lean, mean, low-fat cupcake. Some other yummy cupcake combos are chocolate cake and cola, carrot cake and ginger ale or yellow cake with orange soda. The possibilities are endless!

Anyway, back to our cupcake making. We added sprinkles to the batter to make them "funfetti" cupcakes and it makes them so pretty! The kids and Toby would not believe that these cupcakes would even rise, but I proved them wrong! We made a few different colors with the frosting and of course used sprinkles. This was a blast and we had such a great time! And the best part may have been eating these babies. They taste exactly like regular cupcakes and you don't have to feel as guilty about eating one...or two.

Soda Cupcakes
Number of Servings: 12

Ingredients

12 oz of soda ( 1 can) We used 7-Up.

1 box cake mix

Directions
Put cake mix in a bowl. Add 12 oz of soda. Mix. Wow. That was easy.

Five Amazingly Helpful Tips for the Kitchen

2012-01-21T15:16:00.002-05:00

Thank you stumbleupon for giving me these amazing kitchen tips!Trust me, everyone can learn something from these. And if you knew all of these tips already, I am very impressed with the cook you have become. Congrats!For most people out there, I think this will blow your mind.

1.Never put citrus fruits or tomatoes in the fridge. The low temperatures degrade the aroma and flavor of these persnickety fruits.

Ok, I have been putting tomatoes in the fridge for as long as I can remember. No more! They will be sitting in their own bowl on my counter top so I can taste and smell the "amazingness" that are tomatoes!

2.Before you chop chili peppers, rub a little vegetable oil into your hands and your skin won’t absorb the spicy chili oils.

Now, I am not sure if I have sensitive hands or not, but every time I cut poblano peppers, my hands are literally on fire all night. This only happens with poblano peppers. I am fine with jalapenos and other hot peppers. The last time I cut poblanos I spent hours sticking my fingers in cups of milk, nail polish remover and Vaseline.You would be surprised what it says can help burning finders online. Now, it does not seem very safe to cut a pepper with slick hands, but if you were in the amount of pain I was you would chance it.

3.If you aren’t sure how fresh your eggs are, place them in about four inches of water. Eggs that stay on the bottom are fresh. If only one end tips up, the egg is less fresh and should be used soon. If it floats, it’s past the fresh stage.

So, in my earlier cooking years I had no idea eggs had expiration dates. Yup,they sure do. There is an expiration date on the carton, but if you don't want to go by that use this test! Yes, I tried it. Yes, it worked.

4. Before making popcorn on the stove or in an air popper, soak the kernels in water for 10 minutes. Drain the water, then pop as normal. The additional moisture helps the popcorn pop up quicker and fluffier with fewer “old maids.”

I don't know about you, but Toby and I started popping our own popcorn recently. There are a few reasons why popping your own popcorn is better than using bagged.

You control the ingredients. Do you know how many chemicals are in microwaved popcorn bags? Yuck.
You can make them as healthy or as unhealthy as you want. Extra butter anyone?
It is way cheaper than buying bagged popcorn. Buy a large canister and brown paper bags. Done. tons of servings for under $5.

Toby and I actually like the half popped kernels, but sometimes you just don't pop the kernels enough and you have alot of duds or "old maids." Nothing against old single women, but I am going to try this to get more popped kernels and fluffier popcorn.

5. Don’t store your bananas in a bunch or in a fruit bowl with other fruits. Separate your bananas and place each in a different location. Bananas release gases which cause fruits (including other bananas) to ripen quickly. Separating them will keep them fresh longer.

Now I am sorry, but this is genius. I will give you $5 if you knew this tip. I put everything I buy at the market in a fruit bowl and come back in a few days and the fruit is over ripe. Now granted, bananas are fairly cheap to buy, but some fruits are not. I am totally doing this. However, I hope i don't misplace any bananas in my kitchen.

Pizza Making at Gepettos and Some Random Grilled Pizza Tips

2012-01-20T08:00:00.000-05:00

Grilled Pizza's Progression to Yumminess

Can I just tell the world right now," This is the best Groupon I have ever purchased!" There, I said it. I found this gem on Groupon right around Christmas and I thought it would be a perfect gift for my best friend Brittany. The Groupon is for a grilled pizza making class for two and a five course dinner served family style. These classes run a few times a week, which is nice.Now, notice this blog post is entitled Grilled Pizza. There are a few places that are famous for grilled pizza. I believe on the Show Man Vs Food he came to Rhode Island and said grilled pizza started here. I don't know if that is true, but all I know is that if I was looking for grilled pizza I would come here.

Brittany and her Dough Ball

We started the class with all of the ingredients to make fresh dough and the chef walked us through the recipe. We then had a lump of dough that could make four grilled pizzas. We learned many cooking tips, which was great because I didn't realize there were so many differences in making grilled pizza as opposed to baking it in the oven. First off, you don't even let the dough proof before cooking. He showed us techniques for throwing the dough on the grill ( yes literally throwing) and even the technique of moving it every minute to compensate for hot spots.

Mind you, we were doing this on a gas grill...indoors. And who knew you need to add cheese to the dough before sauce? The sauce can make the pizza soggy and it could rip. Genius. After the class, our group sat at a long table and ate a five course family style dinner, which was amazing. Calamari, penne ala vodka, grilled pizza, and my hubby's favorite dessert, tiramisu!

Calamari.Penne Ala Vodka.Grilled Pizza.Tiramisu

This was such an amazing night. I highly recommend this class for beginners and even pizza pros. I learned so many tips from this class I want to fire up my grill right now! I have seen this again on Groupon since Christmas so if you see it- Buy it!You will have a blast.....and eat alot....and love all of it.

If you don't live in Rhode Island feel free to make the dough at home!Here is the recipe they gave us. Happy Grilling!

Gepetto's Basic Dough Recipe

3 1/2 cups flour

1T yeast

2T sugar

1/2 tsp oil

1 1/2 cup warm water ( between 95-115 degrees F)

Place all dry ingredients in a bowl and mix.

Add wet ingredients to dry. The dough should turn into a ball. ** If dough is too dry add one tablespoon of water at a time. If mixture is more like a batter, add more flower one tablespoon at a time.

After mixing, remove it and place it on a pizza tray. Portion the dough into four ounce pieces to produce a 8 in pizza.

Roll the dough into balls ( eliminating any creases/folds) and coat with oil.

Note: There is no rising time,punching down, or waiting for the dough to double in size. The dough is now ready to spread by hand. The dough can be refrigerated for 2-3 days or frozen.

Grilled Pizza Making Tips

-Fold circular rolled out dough into a half circle and throw on grill (tossing away from you) and then unfold when on grill.

- After dough as been on for a minute, flip and add cheese then add sauce sparingly.

- Keep moving dough on grill to prevent uneven cooking.

Crock Pot Beef Stew

2012-01-19T08:00:00.000-05:00

I read it was impossible to make brown foods look good. This was my attempt.

So I am on Day 2 of crock pot cooking. The honey lemon chicken was such a hit I figured I would give the crock pot another try. I found this recipe on All Recipes.com. I was so excited when I found the recipe since I love beef stew. Beef stew is one of those reasons I love Winter. In fact, it might be the only reason I like Winter. It makes you feel so warm inside, especially when the temperatures are dropping here in the Northeast.

My mom always made beef stew when I was growing up and it continues to be one of my winter favorites. This recipe adds red wine so this makes me even happier. Please folks, do not buy a cheap bottle of wine to use in this soup or any dish for that matter. Only cook with wine you would drink from a glass. And if you have no pallet for wine and drink... I don't know.... Franzia from a box ( yes I did in college) then put whatever wine you have in. You will probably not tell the difference. Crap, I hope I didn't offend anyone. If I did, sorry!

Once again, not many pictures for this recipe since it is alot of dumping and not alot of cooking. Hey, I'm ok with it. The only thing I did was brown the meat the night before. I added everything the next morning and let it go for ten hours ( yes my days are long.) It came out great. Be careful on the salt here also. The broth is pretty high in sodium. I would hold off on salt until you taste it before serving or use low sodium broth. Mine did not need any salt at all.

My favorite thing to serve with beef stew is a large hunk of crusty ( chewy in the middle) bread I recently found this frozen bread from Whole Foods that is $2 and you pop in the oven for 10 minutes. It is super crusty on the outside and chewy on the inside. I almost ate the whole loaf myself. I settled for half. Holy carbs. I apologize in advance to my butt and thighs.

Hello yummy,delicious and cheap bread.

Enough about my thighs. Here is the recipe. Hope you enjoy!

Ingredients

4 pounds bottom round, well trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup olive oil (plus more if needed)
2 large onions, diced (2 cups)
1 6-ounce can tomato paste
1 cup dry red wine
1 pound potatoes, cut into 2-inch pieces (about 4 cups)
1/2 pound baby carrots (about 2 cups)
2 cups beef broth
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1 bay leaf
1 cup frozen peas, thawed

Preparation

Coat the beef in the flour. Heat a few tablespoons of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the meat, a few pieces at a time, adding more oil as necessary. Transfer to a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker. Add the onions to the skillet and cook over medium heat until tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and coat the onions; transfer to the cooker. Pour the wine into the skillet and scrape up any browned bits; add to the cooker. Stir in the potatoes, carrots, broth, salt, thyme, and bay leaf. Cover and cook on low heat for 7 1/2 hours, or on high for 4 hours. Add the peas and heat through.

My Own Personal Food Mecca:Eataly

2012-01-18T08:00:00.000-05:00

I decided to focus my WIAW post this week on my recent trip to what could be one of my new most favorite places on the planet- Eataly. Sadly, I probably ate as much in this one three hour trip as I would in an entire day so trust me when I tell you, I have plenty to talk about.
When Katie and I walked up to the doors of Eataly, my heart may have skipped a beat. We walked in to a bustling eatery that was filled with foodies just like me!Eataly is a place where you can do your grocery shopping while drinking wine (there no better way to shop) or eat a quick bite at one of their themed eateries. Just a tip when checking out this place: I would take a look around before you decide on what to do first. We spent three hours at Eataly and I am sure we didn't see everything. I actually would like to go there during the week and spend the entire day. A girl can dream.

First we browsed the fresh pasta cases and then the pasta restaurant. Everything at Eataly was very well priced ( including groceries, food, and wine.) We then made our way to the piazza to sample some wine. We decided to "splurge" and get the $2 cheese pairing with the wine we got. What a deal. While we were munching away we ordered a plate of prosciutto,fresh mozzarella and bread. This was a highlight. Do not miss out on this mozzarella. This was like no other cheese I have ever eaten. It was spongy and creamy and amazing.Not to discount the prosciutto though- it was amazing also.

We put our name in at the rooftop brewery and walked around to grab another glass of wine. This station was also selling small bites so I couldn't very well say no. I had fried risotto balls stuffed with mozzarella. Oh My God. These were amazing. First off, they make them fresh to order. Secondly, for three large risotto balls it cost$6. Are they serious? I should have gotten two more orders.

We then made our way to the rooftop bar, where they brew their own beer and serve amazing food. If you come in the summer make your way to this brewery. The ceiling opens to an open air eatery. We split an amazing portabello mushroom with balsamic glaze and sauteed veggies.

We finished our day of eating with a stop by the dessert case. We split gelato and pana cotta with salted caramel and strussel topping. Best dessert ever. Eat dessert here. Please.

So that was our WIAW edition of a day chock-full of eating. Thank you Mario Batali and Joe Bastianich, for my new favorite foodie mecca.

Lemon & Honey Glazed Crock Pot Chicken

2012-01-17T08:00:00.000-05:00

Hello again Citrus Blog Hop!I have been on a crock pot stint as of late. I have been so tired after work and the gym and I figure it would be nice to have dinner made when I get home with minimal effort. And along came my crock pot. I googled recipes last night and found this stunner from Rachael Ray. This recipe cannot be any easier to whip up, not to mention affordable. Bone in chicken is very cheap these days. I think it was $1.50 for a pound. That is pretty crazy.

I didn't really even take many pictures because all you do is brown the chicken and place all ingredients in the slow cooker. Can;t get much easier than that folks. This is a great meal if you are not so sure of your cooking abilities.I browned the chicken the night before and cut an onion. You can throw in the baby potatoes whole. And that's it.I put it all in the crock pot on low the next morning before work at by 6pm I was eating when I walked through the door!

Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
Salt and ground black pepper
1 1/2 pounds baby potatoes
1 small onion, chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
4-5 sprigs thyme, leaves picked and chopped
2 lemons, thinly sliced
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup chicken stock or water

To finish:

Zest of 1 lemon, cut into strips
1/2 cup flat leaf parsley, chopped
1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted
Balsamic Drizzle

Preparation

In a skillet, heat the EVOO over medium-high heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and brown on both sides.
Scatter the potatoes, onion, garlic, thyme and lemon slices in the bowl of a crock pot. Season with salt and pepper. Lay the browned chicken over the veggies and drizzle with honey. Add the stock or water, cover and cook, undisturbed, for 4 hours on high or 6-8 hours on low.
Serve each portion topped with a combination of the lemon zest, parsley, toasted nuts and balsamic drizzle.

Pepperoni & Cheese Monkey Bread

2012-01-16T08:25:00.002-05:00

When I tell you.. "this is one of the most ingenious appetizer ever" I am not lying. I first saw this recipe on The food blog, The Sweets Life. You guys are familiar with monkey bread right? It is pieces of dough with cinnamon, sugar and a yummy glaze. You get it. This is a savory twist on that and I swear to you, I will make this for every party we have. This is perfect party food and it is really inexpensive to make. You can assemble it before hand and then throw it in the oven before guests arrive. I borrowed my sister's bundt pan ( thanks Kel) since I didn't have one. This is actually a great dish to make with kids too. It is really easy to make so they can easily help and I know they will like eating it. Who doesn't like pepperoni and cheese? Well, I guess if you don't you can fill them with whatever you want. Ham and cheese, veggies, steak and cheese, buffalo chicken and blue cheese. I just thought those up in five seconds. I'm sure you could think of more. You are creative.

Back to the recipe.I hope you enjoy this recipe because it is so yummy. Might I add, it was one of the most popular dishes at my party. When the dish comes out of the oven it does not seem like you will be able to pull apart the dough balls ( see Harold, I told you.) You totally can and paired with a zesty marinara sauce you can't loose.

One other note: I do not think I filled these enough. I kept thinking that they were too full. Just remember that the dough puffs up and you want to make sure they are as cheesy as possible!Stuff that cheese in there! So here is the recipe! Good luck!

Pepperoni Pizza Monkey Bread

Ingredients:
-2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
-4 tbsp butter
-2 lbs pizza dough
-6 oz. mozzarella cheese, cut into small cubes (about 48 pieces)
-pepperoni (about 48 slices)
-2-3 cups marinara sauce for serving

Directions:
1. In a small saucepan, heat garlic and butter over medium heat until garlic begins to brown. Remove from heat and allow to sit. Brush the inside of a bundt pan with the garlic butter.
2. Pull off large marble-sized balls of dough and flatten. Place a slice of pepperoni and a piece of cheese on each, folding the dough around the cheese and pepperoni and pinching well to seal.

3. Brush the pizza ball with the garlic butter and place in the prepared bundt pan. Continue until all dough has been used.

4. Cover and allow to sit for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 400F and bake for 35 minutes, until top is browned. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes. Invert onto a platter and serve with warmed marinara sauce for dipping.

Outside the Kitchen: The Waterman Grille

2012-01-14T11:30:00.000-05:00

First, I wanted to thank the NCCVB for making it possible for me to win their foodspotting contest. The Newport Restaurant Group gift card I won paid for this dinner, So those of you that voted for my dish- my stomach thanks you!

Atmosphere: When walking into the Waterman Grille, I was greeted by the scent of smoked bacon. Great start. The first floor of the Waterman Grille was bustling. The kitchen was open and looked like a well oiled machine. We were seated upstairs, which was quiet and cozy. Our waitress was really sweet and attentive. The menu is seasonal, which is always a good sign.

Food: First off, their bread was amazing. It was warm and had some sort of herb crust. Great start. The Waterman Grille has a great wine list and some great drink selections. For dinner, I decided on the award winning crab and jalapeno chowder. I don't know how many awards this chowder won, but my guess was many. Being from Rhode Island, we always have an abundance of clam chowder, but crab chowder is different from the norm. It had bacon and jalapeno in it and corn bread sprinkled on top. Let's not forget a ton of crab. This was such an amazing chowder. There were so many different textures and flavors. I would totally order this again.

The "wow" factor was obviously my own personal cauldron

I could not have been any more excited for my next course. Pork belly sliders. Holy bacon. I ate a sandwich of almost all fat and it was amazing. It had a veggie slaw, aoli and huge pieces of pork belly in it. The sweet potato crisps on the side were also amazing. They melted in your mouth. A true gem.

Bacon.Fat.Delicious.

Toby decided on the Georgia Sea Scallops,which of course are local to Rhode Island. The most amazing pan seared sea scallops sat atop of cauliflower puree and Brussels sprout leaves. Wow. This dish was amazing. The scallops were cooked to perfection and the cauliflower puree was silky smooth. Home Run dish. We went to dinner with Toby' s Dad and step mother and their meals looked delicious also.

Scallops.brussels sprouts.cauliflower puree.yum

Overall this was an amazing meal and I would recommend this restaurant to anyone. This would be an amazing date spot, or a great place to have drinks with friends. Providence Restaurant Week is in two weeks. Stop by the Waterman Grille, you will leave happily full and satisfied!

Philly Cheesesteak Egg Rolls

2012-01-13T08:00:00.000-05:00

Cheesy.gooey.Delicious

If you have been to a party at my house you are familiar with these amazing morsels of deliciousness. It is the perfect hybrid between street food and Chinese take-out. We first came across this recipe at Dave & Busters ( the adult Chuck E Cheese where you can drink lots of beer and play skee ball.)

I digress... So we had these and loved them. We said to ourselves," this cannot be that hard to whip up." So went home and googled Philly cheese steak egg rolls and the recipe for Guy Fieri's egg rolls came up. And a star was born. We get requests to make these constantly so I have a feeling you will be too. I usually serve them with ranch dressing or ketchup, but good ole fashion velveeta cheese dip would be delightful also.

You can tailor these these to any way you like. Toby does not like pepper and onions ( i know blasphemy) so we make them with plain shaved steak and a slice of American cheese. Feel free to experiment with whatever cheeses you like.

Cooking note: I use raw shaved steak ( they always have it at my market) and if you use that just make sure you drain the steak in a strainer after you cook it. You want to make sure the juices do not make the egg rolls soggy. And no, in case you were wondering I have never tried baking them. It might work. Fried just tastes so much better to me.

Ingredients

Canola oil, for frying
2 eggs
2 tablespoons milk
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
1 small red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 small green bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 pound roast beef, thinly sliced
16 ounces pepper jack cheese, shredded
8 egg roll skins

Directions

Preheat oil to 350 degrees F in medium saucepan. Fill with enough oil that egg rolls will not rest on the bottom of pan. Mix egg and milk together, in a small bowl, for egg wash.

In medium saute pan over medium heat add olive oil, onion, and peppers. Sweat vegetables until slightly softened, about 2 minutes. Add roast beef and saute until onions are translucent, about 5 minutes more. Add cheese and mix thoroughly, until cheese begins to melt. Remove from heat, strain in a fine mesh sieve to remove excess moisture, and let cool.

Divide cooled mixture into 8 equal parts. Place mixture in center of each egg roll skin. Fold in side corners and roll, sealing edges with egg wash. Submerge egg rolls in oil and fry, making sure the rolls do not touch the sides or the bottom of the pan. Fry in batches, to avoid over-crowding. until golden brown. Remove egg rolls to paper towels to blot excess oil. Cut egg rolls on bias, place on a serving platter and serve hot

Our Artistic Plate. lol

Bobby Flay's Chicken Cutlets with Prosciutto,Brie & Arugula

2012-01-12T08:00:00.000-05:00

The Finished Product- Yum!

I was super excited when Toby and I got a signed Bobby Flay cookbook from my mother in law this Christmas ( Thanks Becky!) It is a great cook book. I was leafing through it today and decided to make an amazing recipe for breaded chicken cutlets, creamy brie cheese, prosciutto, and an arugula salad.

Our Signed Copy! Thanks Becky!

My family has forever been complaining that I have this blog and I share none of the food I make with them ( Does that happen to anyone else?). I decided to go to my dad's and have dinner with him,my step mom,and her friend Elaine. Toby and I said we would cook dinner, so I thought this would be the perfect thing to make. I think what attracted me to this recipe is the difference in textures and flavors. The crunchiness of the chicken, rich creaminess of the brie and acidity and bite of the arugula. Great combination people. Might I add, do not skimp on the prosciutto. Being in a state that has many Italian residents good prosciutto is always around the corner. If you are scared by the price ( sometimes $18 /lb) don't be. You are only buying 6 slices. I believe mine cost about $4. Well worth it. If there is no prosciutto in your area ham would be fine. I have to say, these turned out amazing. I made more than the recipe ( about double) so I put these on a baking sheet and popped them under the broiler for 2-3 minutes to melt the brie.

Before I share the recipe, I wanted to add that my food blogging is changing my family. My step mom Faith took lots of pictures of the food with her camera and the cooking process. My sister Kellie took pictures of her food at a dinner she went to and even made her friend wait to eat her dinner so she could send me pics. My sister and brother in law sent me a picture of the awesome octopus they ate for dinner. I'm glad I am rubbing off on my family and they are embracing the foodie lifestyle. It makes things interesting and fun! Has any one's food blog had an effect on their family?

Breaded Chicken Cutlet with Ham, Triple Creme Cheese & Baby ArugulaServes: 4

Chicken
1 cup flour
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups Panko breadcrumbs
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Four 6-ounce boneless, skinless, chicken breast
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 pound Red Hawk triple crème cheese (can substitute brie), thinly sliced
8 thin slices Virginia ham or prosciutto

Frying up the Chicken Cutlets

The Chicken before I put them in the oven

1. Place flour, eggs and breadcrumbs in three separate shallow bowls and season each with salt and pepper.
2. Place each chicken breast between two pieces of wax paper and pound to ¼-inch thickness.
3.Season chicken on both sides with salt and pepper and dredge eachbreast in the flour and tap off excess. Dip into the egg wash and letexcess drip off then dredge on both side in the breadcrumbs. Place on abaking rack set over a baking sheet.
4. Preheat two large nonsticksauté pans over high heat, add 3 tablespoons of butter and 1 tablespoonof oil to each pan and heat until the butter is melted and sizzling.Place 2 breasts in each pan and cook until golden brown, flip over andcontinue cooking until golden brown and the chicken is cooked through,about 5-6 minutes total. Remove to a plate and immediately top eachbreast with a few slices of cheese, then top with a few slices of hamand some of the arugula salad.

Arugula Salad
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
½ pound baby arugula

Whisktogether vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Slowlywhisk in the oil until emulsified. Add the arugula and toss to coat theleaves with the vinaigrette.

WIAW & Buffalo Chicken Mac & Cheese

2012-01-11T08:22:00.000-05:00

Horray! It is Wednesday. I have been waiting all week to post for #WIAW. For those of you who don't know what WIAW ( What I Ate Wednesday) is get ready to get educated. Basically it is a blog party that is happening at the Blog Peas & Crayons. It gives blog authors a chance to tell everyone what they have been eating( since I know you are all dying to know.) Here are some of the things I ate Tuesday and Wednesday.

Buff Chick Mac & Cheese.popcorn. Morning coffee.PB.Baked chips & Salsa

Breakfast
I woke up starving today. I decided to trade in time to make and eat breakfast in order to sleep fifteen more minutes and cuddle with Toby. I am a sucker for cuddling. I packed half of a whole wheat pita and some chunky natural peanut butter ( peanut butter pictured when it was all gone- hey I forgot to take a picture ) to eat when I got to work. I also had my morning cup of joe. Thank you Woolfgang Puck for making Hazelnut Kona in K cup form.

Lunch: I ate a grilled cheese on wheat with tomato and sweet potato & chipotle soup ( the only thing my work's cafeteria does right.)Warm,sweet, and spicy. YUM. Grilled cheese's cheese was not melted all the way. Epic Fail. Not worth the calories.

Snack: Since I couldn't wait for dinner and I was starving before I left work I ate an awesome braeburn apple we just bought at Whole Foods. I hate soft apples so this one did the trick.

Dinner: I had made a buffalo chicken mac and cheese last week and froze it for when I didn't feel like cooking. Check. I defrosted it all day and popped it in the oven for 20 minutes at 400. Hot sauce, blue cheese, panko bread crumbs and elbows. YESSSSS (Tom, I truly am sorry I did not bring in the leftovers for you.)

Snacks: I was SO hungry when I got home from spin Tuesday I ate baked chips from "Garden of Eaten" and salsa from Whole Foods." Might I add.. when I was at Whole Foods Monday night they had a gelato case! I was so excited. They had a balsamic and olive oil gelato. I had to try it. It was so good! It almost tasted like balsamic reduction. That being said, I tried some of that, and bought a kiddie cup of hazelnut.

Incase you want the recipe for the buffalo chicken mac and cheese here is the recipe from the Food Network!! I love buffalo flavored anything and adding it to Mac & Cheese makes it so much better!!!

Buff Chick Mac & Cheese- Honestly, it's not the best pic, but it tasted so good.

Yields 6-8 servings

Ingredients

7 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for the dish
Kosher salt
1 pound elbow macaroni
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
2 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 cup hot sauce (preferably Frank's)
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons dry mustard
2 1/2 cups half-and-half
1 pound yellow sharp cheddar cheese, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 3 1/2 cups)
8 ounces pepper jack cheese, shredded (about 2 cups)
2/3 cup sour cream
1 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil; add the pasta and cook until al dente, about 7 minutes. Drain.

Meanwhile, melt 3 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and celery and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in the chicken and garlic and cook 2 minutes, then add 1/2 cup hot sauce and simmer until slightly thickened, about 1 more minute.

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the flour and mustard with a wooden spoon until smooth. Whisk in the half-and-half, then add the remaining 1/4 cup hot sauce and stir until thick, about 2 minutes. Whisk in the cheddar and pepper jack cheeses, then whisk in the sour cream until smooth.

Spread half of the macaroni in the prepared baking dish, then top with the chicken mixture and the remaining macaroni. Pour the cheese sauce evenly on top.

Put the remaining 2 tablespoons butter in a medium microwave-safe bowl and microwave until melted. Stir in the panko, blue cheese and parsley. Sprinkle over the macaroni and bake until bubbly, 30 to 40 minutes. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.

I could not wait to dig in!!

Citrus Blog Hop: No Bake Lemon Raspberry Cheesecake

2012-01-10T08:20:00.000-05:00

Hello Cheesecake...

No- Bake and Cheesecake. Two of my favorite words. This is a perfect dessert for people that do not like to bake or for people that like to make desserts ahead of time. I saw this recipe on Pinterest( of course duh) and it was originally posted on the blog, My Baking Addiction. This recipe could not have been any easier.I added this recipe to Oh Cake's Blog to share the #citrus love!

My mother in law got us these amazing individual glass ramekins for Christmas and I thought these would be perfect for the recipe. It turns out the blog writer had the same idea and the same ramekins. I used low fat cool whip and cream cheese so this can be a nice low cal dessert. You can add whatever fruits or candy you like to these. Toby does not like raspberries so I made his with nutella. Hello, chocolate and hazelnut. Keep in mind these have to chill in the fridge for a minimum of 2-3 hours so keep that in mind when making them. I also piped the filling into the ramekins to make it easy and minimize mess. The recipe notes that you can make this in a whole pie instead of individual ramekins. There is something about these individual ramekins that makes them so beautiful and dainty. If you got em, use em!

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients:

For the crust

3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
1 tablespoon sugar
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

For the Filling

2/3 cup sugar
zest on 2 lemons
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 (8 ounce) tub frozen whipped topping, thawed
1 cup fresh raspberries, slightly mashed with a fork

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, stir together thegraham cracker crumbs and 1 tablespoon of sugar and melted butter.Evenly divide the crumbs between your individual serving dishes andpress into the bottoms of the dishes to form a crust layer.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the sugar and lemon zest until thesugar becomes moist and fragrant. Add cream cheese and beat with anelectric mixer until smooth. Add lemon juice and vanilla mixing tocombine. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the whipped topping until wellblended, then fold in the raspberries.
3. Evenly pipe or spoon the filling into individual serving dishes.Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours beforeserving. If desired, garnish with fresh raspberries and a sprig offresh mint.

Travel Note: Want to take these somewhere? I fit these in an pyrex dish and it traveled perfectly. I put tin foil on the top and we were good to go.

Outside the Kitchen: Perro Salado

2012-01-09T07:00:00.000-05:00

I could not have been more excited to be spending time with our foodie soul mates Renee and Evan who accompanied us to my own personal Mexican Mecca, Perro Salado!

Winter is actually one of my favorite times to visit Newport. It is not bustling with tourists and amazing local restaurants offer great deals! Perro Salado does just that on Tuesday nights. They have a few entrees every Tuesday that are half price! Um..yes please. As Toby and I walked from the parking lots to the door I swear to you I could smell sticky pork ribs wafting in the air. Is your mouth watering yet!? So we walk in and it is really busy for a Tuesday night. Evan and Renee were already at the back bar having a drink before dinner. This is one of my favorite rooms in Perro Salado. Yes, it is small, but that is the best part. There are a few seats at the bar and a few tables for sitting. My other favorite part of this restaurant is the fire places! There is at least one in every room. They light them in the winter and it makes you feel at home.

We started off with some of Perro Salado's famous margaritas. Toby usually opts for an original but I like to take a walk on the wild side and I ordered a cucumber and jalapeno margarita! It's not as spicy as you may think - just a subtle burn in the back of your throat. Delish! While we were at the bar I remember Evan remarking that their beer selection was stellar. So you are all set with whatever you choose. They even made Renee a virgin blood orange margarita!

We were seated and our friendly waitress came over. They had some great half price specials that night but I had to order the fish tacos; they are my absolute favorite. Toby had his usual sticky pork ribs. We have probably been to this restaurant fifty times and he has gotten the same thing every time, they are just that good. He loves them so much I thought about getting them as a groom gift for him to be delivered to Belle Mer for our wedding in September (best wife ever!)

We started off with the chips and guacamole which was really the largest bowl of guacamole ever with a mound of chips piled on top. There were also tostones ( fried plantains) which are delicious with heap of guacamole on top!

Then dinner came (as I did a happy dance). The fish tacos were set in front of me and I could not wait to devour them! I usually prefer fish tacos grilled, but it is something about the frying on these that make them light and airy. Tempura batter maybe? Yum. Next time I need to remember to ask their secret. My favorite part of the fish tacos are the pickled onions. It comes as a condiment for many dishes there. How have I never had these before coming here? They completely make this dish.

Now let's talk about what Perro Salado is famous for- Sticky Pork Ribs.These are the best ribs I have ever had in my life. They are like a cross between Chinese sticky ribs and Southern style BBQ ribs. They instantly fall off the bone and melt in your mouth. The crunchy,charred outside ads so much flavor. And of course paired with the pickled onions you cannot go wrong.

This was the first time I have ever got desert at Perro Salado. Wow, have I been missing out.We got sopapilla (fried, puffy tortillas) that were drizzled with spicy chocolate and honey. It was a perfect end to a perfect evening! Big thanks to Renee and Evan for coming with us. We ended up talking food all night! (suprise - my favorite topic)

Zucchini Feta & Onion Fritatta

2012-01-08T06:00:00.000-05:00

When I tell you this is one of the easiest things I have ever made, I am not lying. I had some eggs, cheese and leftover veggies and I came across this wonderful recipe! Feel free to substitute any veggies you have on hand or if you like egg whites instead feel free to use those. I love goat cheese, but had feta on hand so I used that instead. I would call this meal a B-L-D meal, which in the words of Rachael Ray means you could eat this for breakfast,lunch, or dinner. I made it for lunch and although the serving size is just one, you can easily multiply this for a crowd.

I may even start making this in the morning because it took ten minutes to make! So easy! Try it out today. Let me know what you think! Might I add... this marks the end of healthy recipe week. I enjoyed this so I will "pepper in" some healthy recipes throughout the year.

Serves 1

Serve this perfect frittata for one with a green salad on the side, if you like.

Ingredients

2 eggs*
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil*
Few thin slices of red onion
1/2 medium zucchini, thinly sliced
1 ounce fresh goat cheese*
1 roasted red pepper from a jar, chopped
Small handful fresh herbs such as parsley and chives, roughly chopped

Method

Beat eggs and season well. Heat oil in a small cast iron or other ovenproof skillet and cook onion and zucchini 2 to 3 minutes to soften. Add eggs and cook 1 to 2 minutes until almost set. Dot with goat cheese and roasted red pepper, then sprinkle with herbs. Place under broiler until golden, 2 to 3 minutes.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Granola Bars

2012-01-07T14:08:00.001-05:00

These are delicious! Even better- they are preservative free!

We are on Day 6 of healthy eating for the week. I found this recipe on Pinterest ( my new obsession) originally posted on How Sweet Eats. After seeing how easy it is to make your own granola bars, I couldn't help but think," why have I been spending $4 for a box of eight granola bars?"

I had everything you need for this recipe on hand so in my mind these little morsels of delight cost me nothing! Hooray! I made these when I got home from spinning and it took about 10 minutes to put together before baking. You can add whatever you want to these. I added chopped almonds, chunky peanut butter and chocolate chips. This recipe is also great if you have kids because you can make a whole batch for each child( plus they get to pick their own toppings and can help make them.) Honestly though, this recipe cannot be any easier so make a batch today!

Cooks take Note: Instead of the brown rice syrup ( I don't even know what that is) I used clover honey. It was delicious. Also when you are pouring the honey and peanut butter into measuring cups, spray the cups with cooking spray first. It comes out so easily. I even sprayed my hands with cooing spray when mixing so they honey didn't stick to my hands.

5 Ingredient Peanut Butter Granola Bars

makes 12-16 granola squares

4 cups rolled oats

2 tablespoons chia seeds (optional)

1/2 cup unsalted peanuts, chopped

3/4 cup natural peanut butter, melted

1/2 cup brown rice syrup (or honey)

Directions

Preheat over to 350.

In a large bowl, combine oats, chia seeds and peanuts. Add brown rice syrup (or honey) and mix to combine. Add melted peanut butter and mix until moistened. This works as a perfect, simple granola bar, but you can also throw in any add-ins at this time. Fold them into the dough. You may need to get in there with your hands and work the granola dough! If dough is still too dry (this can depend on your ingredients) add more peanut butter or syrup (or honey) 1 tablespoon at a time until moistened.

Press dough in a greased (non-stick spray) 9 x 13 baking dish. Bake for 25 minutes.

Note from How Sweet Eats: These would also work as a great no-bake granola bar, but I liked how they came together and the chocolate chips melted as they got warm. If you want to make no-bakes, simply press the dough into the pan and refrigerate for 60 minutes.

Quinoa with Roasted Balsamic Mushrooms

2012-01-06T08:38:00.001-05:00

Quinoa is like the most delicious super grain. As I said ina post from a few weeks ago for quinoa cakes, quinoa has a ton of nutrientsand is a nice switch from brown rice. I really like the texture of it. I foundthis recipe on my Whole Foods app ( why haven’t I used it this much before) andit could literally not be any easier to prepare.

I got home from the gym at 7pmand I could not wait to eat. I was starving. I quickly threw the quinoa in apot and followed the package instructions. While that was simmering I choppedup the mushrooms and made the dressing ( which might I add was delicious!) Pouredthe dressing on top of the mushrooms and threw it in the oven. After about 30minutes the meal was done. Wow, that was pretty easy. This is anothervegetarian meal (which I have been trying to eat more of since I saw the movieFood Inc) and it suits me well. I feel satisfied, and not really missing themeat. Plus after seeing how companies and farmers handle animals we eat Iwanted to throw up. Gross.

Anyhoo- I think you will all really enjoy this recipe. It iseasy and fast to prepare and it is delicious. I am going to totally make thedressing again. If you want to just do balsamic vinegar, olive oil and mustardyou can do that too. Oh and this can be served hot or cold so it would be nice for a potluck or picnic!

Ingredients

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 pear, peeled, cored and cut into chunks
1 garlic clove, halved
2 pounds portobello mushrooms, stemmed and gills scraped out
1 cup red or white quinoa
3 cups tightly packed fresh spinach, chopped
4 green onions, thinly sliced
1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted
1/8 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Method

Preheat oven to 475°F.

Put vinegar, mustard, pear and garlic in a blender with 1/3 cup water and blend until smooth, about 1 minute, to make the dressing. Cut mushrooms into chunks and combine in a large mixing bowl with 1/4 cup of the dressing. Spread mushrooms in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast until tender, stirring occasionally, 20 to 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly.

While mushrooms roast, prepare quinoa. In a medium pot, bring 1 3/4 cups water to a boil. Stir in quinoa, cover pot, reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove pot from heat and set aside, covered, 10 minutes more. Uncover and fluff quinoa with a fork.

Combine mushrooms, quinoa, spinach, green onions, almonds, salt, pepper and 1/2 cup more dressing in a large, wide serving bowl. Stir to mix well. Serve with remaining dressing on the side.

Around the Table: Loving Food in RI & Beyond......

Coconut Braised Cod

Ingredients

Method

Olive Oil Ice Cream

Coffee Creme Brulee

Ingredients

Directions

Braised Local Short Ribs

Ingredients

Short ribs:

Directions

Steamers with Wine & Butter Sauce

Fabulous Fish & Chips

Ingredients

Directions

Honeycomb & Cheese Crostini

From Farm to Table: A Dinner Party that's All Local,All Rhode Island

Recipe Swap: Butternut Squash & Apple Soup

WIAW& English Muffin Bread

Spinach & Artichoke Stuffed Mushrooms

Better Food Photography Photos 101

Outside the Kitchen: 22 Bowens

My New Favorite Snacks!

Chewy Soft Pretzel Bites

Homemade Soft Pretzel Bites

Ingredients:

WIAW & Spicy Black Bean Soup

Ingredients

Preparation

Sweet and Spicy Asian Slaw

Great Uses for Leftover Wine (if you ever have any)

Valentine's Day Special: Nutella Stuffed Pastry Hearts

Recipe Swap: Potato Dauphinois

Cheesy Quinoa Mac & Cheese

Serving Size: 8

Ingredients

WIAW& The Best Addition to Any Dish: Pickled Onions

Ingredients

Preparation

Chicken Toastadas

Baked Bang Bang Shrimp

Ingredients

For the Sauce:

For the Shrimp:

Directions ( For frying)

Pasta with Shaved Brussels Sprouts & My New Obsession

Home Made Falafel (YUM)

Baked Eggplant Napoleans

Toby's "Healthy" WIAW & His Famous Meat Muffins Recipe

Insanely Easy Homemade Ricotta.. Oh and I won an Award!!

Superbowl Video Special: BBQ Chicken Tacos & Blue Cheese Cole Slaw

Blueberry Lemon Power Muffins

Cook Tip: Toss blueberries in flour so they don't sink to the bottom of the muffins!

Preparation

The Nest's Recipe Swap: Moroccan Spiced Spaghetti Squash

Make Your Own Takeout: Sticky Orange Chicken

WIAW& Toby's Gluttonous Saturdays

Chopped Apple Salad with Toasted Walnuts, Blue Cheese & Pomegranate Vinaigrette

Lemon-Lime Funfetti Cupcakes

Five Amazingly Helpful Tips for the Kitchen

Thank you stumbleupon for giving me these amazing kitchen tips!Trust me, everyone can learn something from these. And if you knew all of these tips already, I am very impressed with the cook you have become. Congrats!For most people out there, I think this will blow your mind.

1.Never put citrus fruits or tomatoes in the fridge. The low temperatures degrade the aroma and flavor of these persnickety fruits.

Ok, I have been putting tomatoes in the fridge for as long as I can remember. No more! They will be sitting in their own bowl on my counter top so I can taste and smell the "amazingness" that are tomatoes!

2.Before you chop chili peppers, rub a little vegetable oil into your hands and your skin won’t absorb the spicy chili oils.

3.If you aren’t sure how fresh your eggs are, place them in about four inches of water. Eggs that stay on the bottom are fresh. If only one end tips up, the egg is less fresh and should be used soon. If it floats, it’s past the fresh stage.

So, in my earlier cooking years I had no idea eggs had expiration dates. Yup,they sure do. There is an expiration date on the carton, but if you don't want to go by that use this test! Yes, I tried it. Yes, it worked.

4. Before making popcorn on the stove or in an air popper, soak the kernels in water for 10 minutes. Drain the water, then pop as normal. The additional moisture helps the popcorn pop up quicker and fluffier with fewer “old maids.”

I don't know about you, but Toby and I started popping our own popcorn recently. There are a few reasons why popping your own popcorn is better than using bagged.

You control the ingredients. Do you know how many chemicals are in microwaved popcorn bags? Yuck.

You can make them as healthy or as unhealthy as you want. Extra butter anyone?

It is way cheaper than buying bagged popcorn. Buy a large canister and brown paper bags. Done. tons of servings for under $5.

Toby and I actually like the half popped kernels, but sometimes you just don't pop the kernels enough and you have alot of duds or "old maids." Nothing against old single women, but I am going to try this to get more popped kernels and fluffier popcorn.

5. Don’t store your bananas in a bunch or in a fruit bowl with other fruits. Separate your bananas and place each in a different location. Bananas release gases which cause fruits (including other bananas) to ripen quickly. Separating them will keep them fresh longer.

Pizza Making at Gepettos and Some Random Grilled Pizza Tips

Crock Pot Beef Stew

Ingredients

Preparation

My Own Personal Food Mecca:Eataly

Lemon & Honey Glazed Crock Pot Chicken