Pumpkin Cheesecake

Courtesy of Paula Deen

Yes, you are reading this correctly. I baked. It's kind of a big deal. For those that know me, you know I do not enjoy baking...it usually makes me really frustrated and I end up screaming that I'm never baking again. This go around was no different, BUT I must say that this came out really well and was a big hit! I highly recommend trying this recipe if you're looking for a good pumpkin cheesecake. Thanks to my good friend Erin for making me aware of this recipe! XOXO.

Ingredients

Crust:

• 1 3/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 3 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 stick melted salted butter

Filling:

• 3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 (15-ounce) can pureed pumpkin
• 3 eggs plus 1 egg yolk
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• 2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

For crust:
In medium bowl, combine crumbs, sugar and cinnamon. Add melted butter. Press down flat into a 9-inch springform pan. Set aside.*

For filling:
Beat cream cheese until smooth. Add pumpkin puree, eggs, egg yolk, sour cream, sugar and the spices. Add flour and vanilla. Beat together until well combined. Pour into crust. Spread out evenly and place in oven for 1 hour (I did 1 hour, 10 minutes). Remove from the oven and let sit for 15 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours. I let mine set overnight and it turned out really well the next day.

*Note: Erin instructed me to use the water bath to prevent cracking, which definitely worked. There were no cracks! Simply wrap the springform on the bottom and sides with foil. Place into a larger baking pan and fill with water, up to about an inch up the pan. Remove from water bath once cooled and you're about to put it in the refrigerator.

Poulet au Vinaigre de Romarin

Adapted from One Perfect Bite Blog

This dish was really delicious, it had so many flavors. I halved the below recipe and was really happy with it. I think this would also be good just as a chicken dish, although the sausage did add a nice zing.
 
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 pound sweet turkey Italian sausage, cut in 1/2-inch rounds
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1-1/2 teaspoons dried rosemary
1/4 cup red wine vinegar (I threw in a bit more)
1/2 cup canned low-sodium chicken broth (I threw in a bit more)
1 teaspoon cornstarch dissolved in 2 teaspoon water
2 tablespoons Italian parsley, chopped fresh

Directions:
1) Heat oil in a large heavy skillet pan set over medium heat. When oil shimmers, add sausage and cook, stirring often, until sausage is lightly browned, about 5 minutes.
2) While sausage browns, season chicken with salt and pepper. Dredge in flour and shake off excess.
3) Remove sausage from pan and set aside. Add garlic and saute until light golden brown. Remove garlic from pan and set aside. Add chicken and cook over medium-high heat, turning once, until chicken is brown, about 6 to 8 minutes. Pour off fat. Return sausage and garlic to pan and scatter rosemary over all.
4) Pour in vinegar and bring to a boil. Boil until the vinegar is almost entirely evaporated, about 2 minutes. Add chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover pan, and simmer for 15 minutes longer. Add cornstarch mixture and cook until thickened, turning chicken pieces to glaze. Transfer to a serving platter, sprinkle with parsley and serve immediately. Yield: 4 to 5 servings.

Brussel Sprouts with Bacon, Garlic, and Shallots

Courtesy of Cooking Light

I have a confession. I have never had brussel sprouts...seriously. It was one of those foods growing up that I claimed I did not like, but had actually never tried. I somehow got away with never having to eat them, but lately, I've seen a few recipes that looked pretty good. After all, I am 30 years old, so I figured it's something I should try. I actually thought these were pretty good! Well, adding bacon to anything makes it good, but these were definitely tasty.

Ingredients

• 6 slices center-cut bacon, chopped
• 1/2 cup sliced shallot (about 1 large)
• 1 1/2 pounds Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
• 6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 3/4 cup fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

1. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add bacon, and sauté for 5 minutes or until bacon begins to brown. Remove pan from heat. Remove the bacon from pan with a slotted spoon, reserving 1 tablespoon drippings in pan (discard the remaining drippings).
2. Return pan to medium-high heat, and stir in bacon, shallot, and Brussels sprouts; sauté 4 minutes. Add garlic, and saute for 4 minutes or until garlic begins to brown, stirring frequently. Add the chicken broth, and bring to a boil. Cook for 2 minutes or until the broth mostly evaporates and the sprouts are crisp-tender, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; stir in salt and pepper.

Buffalo Chicken Salad

Courtesy of Plated Perfection
(Chicken seasoning courtesy of Cooking Light)


I have a serious obsession with buffalo chicken. My love affair is more with the sauce itself, but buffalo chicken is one of my favorite foods ever. Anyone that knows me can attest to that! I had some chicken thighs to use up and was craving buffalo sauce and ranch dressing (one of the best matches ever made). I thought I'd give this a shot. The recipe was originally just for the buffalo chicken thighs, but I decided to just make a salad with it. It was DELICIOUS. Definitely give this a shot! 

Ingredients
6 tb all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp ground cayenne red pepper
8 chicken thighs, skinless and boneless
3 tb hot sauce (I used Frank's)
1 tb butter
1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese (or whichever cheese you prefer)
Ranch Dressing (to serve with the salad)
Lettuce for salad (I used butter lettuce) 

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375°.
2. Combine first 4 ingredients in a heavy-duty zip-top plastic bag; seal. Shake to blend. Add half of chicken to bag; seal. Shake to coat. Remove chicken from bag, shaking to remove excess flour mixture. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add flour-coated chicken to pan; sauté 4 minutes on each side or until browned. Transfer browned chicken to a baking dish. Repeat procedure with the remaining uncooked chicken, flour mixture, and oil. Discard remaining flour mixture. Bake chicken at 375° for 8 minutes or until done.
3. Combine hot sauce and butter in a microwave-safe dish; microwave at HIGH for 30 seconds or until butter melts, stirring to blend.
4. Top salad with the cheddar cheese, one chicken thigh, and drizzle the buffalo sauce on top of the salad. Serve with Ranch.

 

Baked Eggs with Tomato Sauce

Courtesy of Plated Perfection

I love tomato sauce and am usually looking for any excuse to eat it. I do like to make my own sauce usually, but there are two brands that I absolutely love: Rao's (my FAVORITE Italian restaurant) and San Marzano.  I had some San Marzano on hand, so thought I'd toss it into breakfast! I also got to use the cutest baking dish ever - which was a gift years ago from my friend Sarah. Try this out, it's delicious and absurdly easy to make!

Ingredients
1 egg
1/4 cup tomato sauce
1 basil leaf, chiffonade style
2 tb fresh grated parmesan cheese
salt and pepper
1-2 slices toast (I used sourdough)
dash of garlic powder (I used garlic powder with parsley)
1 tsp olive oil, to brush on the toast

Directions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spoon 1/4 cup tomato sauce into the ramekin (or small dish). Top with half of the parmesan cheese and the basil. Crack one egg on top. Top with a dash of salt and pepper. Bake for approximately 12 minutes until the white develops and the yolk starts to set (to your preference). In the meantime, brush the olive oil on the bread and sprinkle with the garlic powder and a pinch of parmesan cheese. Throw the bread in the last 5 minutes while the egg is cooking, on aluminum foil, until bread is crisp. Take both out of the oven and top the egg with the remaining parmesan cheese. Scoop up with the bread and savor it!

Cabernet Braised Short Ribs with Polenta

Adapted from Cooking Light

I have had this recipe on my list for quite some time, but I knew it would be somewhat time consuming. Today, I decided to take advantage of doing online training from home and cooking this during my breaks. It proved to be pretty difficult because of that, just in terms of multiple steps, but boy will it make your house smell amazing! I gotta say, there's nothing better than hearty meals in the Fall and Winter...good ole comfort food! I did make a couple of modifications - I used boneless short ribs instead of bone-in, and I also used pre-cooked polenta because that is the only thing that was available.  I am posting the original recipe, but my photo is with my modifications :)

Ingredients

Ribs:

• 16 (3-ounce) bone-in beef short ribs, trimmed
• 5/8 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 teaspoons olive oil, divided
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 3/4 cup chopped shallots
• 1/2 cup chopped carrot
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 6 garlic cloves, sliced
• 1 rosemary sprig
• 2 1/2 cups cabernet sauvignon or other dry red wine
• 1 1/4 cups lower-sodium beef broth
• 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons water
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Gremolata:

• 1/3 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon rind
• 1 garlic clove, minced

Polenta:

• 3 cups fat-free milk
• 1 cup water
• 5/8 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup quick-cooking polenta
• 1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Preparation

1. Sprinkle ribs with salt and pepper. Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add 1 teaspoon olive oil to pan. Add 8 ribs, and sauté for 6 minutes, turning to brown on all sides. Remove ribs. Repeat procedure with remaining 1 teaspoon oil and 8 ribs. Add onion and the next 5 ingredients (through rosemary) to pan; sauté 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Add wine to pan, and bring to a boil, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Cook for 13 minutes or until reduced to 2 cups.
2. Preheat oven to 350°.
3. Add broth to pan, and bring to a boil. Return ribs to pan. Cover and bake at 350° for 1 1/2 hours, turning ribs after 45 minutes. Remove ribs from pan, and strain cooking liquid through a fine-mesh sieve over a bowl. Discard the solids. Skim fat; discard. Return cooking liquid to pan. Combine flour and 2 teaspoons water in a small bowl, stirring well. Add to pan, and bring to a boil. Cook for 11 minutes or until reduced to about 1 cup. Stir in vinegar.
4. To prepare gremolata, combine 1/3 cup parsley, 1/2 teaspoon lemon rind, and minced garlic.
5. To prepare polenta, bring 3 cups milk, 1 cup water, 5/8 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper to a boil over medium heat. Slowly stir in 1 cup polenta. Cook 5 minutes or until thick, stirring frequently. Stir in cheese. Place 1/2 cup polenta in each of 8 shallow bowls, and top each serving with 2 ribs, 2 tablespoons sauce, and about 2 teaspoons gremolata.

Nana's Chicken Pastina Soup

Courtesy of Cooking Light

OK, this is not "my Nana's" soup - this is just the name out of Cooking Light and I felt guilty changing it. Don't get me wrong though - my family makes some amazing food, including great soups! However, I had been wanting to try something new and had the motivation to try a new soup tonight. I gotta say - I was impressed with this soup. It is super easy to make, and the flavor is really delicious. My goal is to have it for lunch a day or so and then freeze the rest. Check it out! Oh, and there are a few pictures just because I couldn't resist the cute pasta:

and fresh pesto that was SO yummy:

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup water
• 2 (14-ounce) cans fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
• 2 1/4 cups pre-chopped celery, onion, and carrot mix
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 pound cooked chicken breast (cut into 1-inch cubes or shredded)
• 1/4 cup (1 1/2 ounces) uncooked pastina (I used Stellina)
• 3 tablespoons commercial pesto (Whole Foods has delicious fresh pesto)
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 cup (1 ounce) fresh Parmesan cheese

Preparation

Note: I boiled the chicken. Bring water and broth to a boil in a large saucepan/Dutch oven. Stir in celery mix, pepper, salt, and chicken; bring to a boil. Add pasta; cook 4 minutes. Be sure to stir immediately so the pasta does not stick to the bottom. Stir in pesto and juice, and simmer 1 minute. Sprinkle with cheese. I preserved the cheese for each serving, personally.

Zesty Grilled Tilapia

Courtesy of Paula Deen

I saw this while watching the Food Network and Paula Deen always makes me hungry. I try to avoid the "stick of butter" recipes, but this one actually seemed remotely healthy...I figured I had to take advantage. I must say, I was somewhat disappointed in the flavor. Don't get me wrong, we took care of eating all of the fish that was made :) but, I do feel like it could have had some adjustments. I would've added more flavor through additional hot sauce (I used about 1 tb and it was still somewhat washed out) or more seasonings, or even less oil (I didn't even use the additional for brushing). The oranges were also not looking as good as usual, so I feel that the juice and zest wasn't as sweet and juicy as it could have been. Long story short, this is a healthy dish that you should give a try, but I would get a little creative as well - and make sure you get good oranges!

Ingredients

• 6 (6-ounce) tilapia fillets (I got away with 4)
• 6 tablespoons olive oil, plus additional for brushing
• 1 tablespoon grated orange zest
• 6 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
• 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
• 1 teaspoon hot sauce, to taste
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Place the fish in a large nonmetal dish. Whisk together the 6 tablespoons oil, the orange zest, orange juice, ginger, hot sauce, salt, and pepper, to taste; pour over the fish. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for 30 to 60 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare grill. Brush the fish with additional oil. Grill until fish just flakes when tested with a fork, about 5 minutes per side for each inch of thickness.

Garlic Lime Pork Chops with Asian Green Beans

Adapted from Epicurious

I'm fortunate to have friends that like to cook as well :) My good friend Rebecca had me over for dinner a couple of weeks back and made this dish. It's the perfect combination of healthy and savory! I've been excited to try it myself, and tonight was the night. There's nothing like a relaxing Saturday at home, spent vegging out, and then cooking a yummy dinner to eat while cheering on the Capitals! I made a few changes in measurements, to use less oil, etc. so this recipe below is what I used for myself - you can find the original on the Epicurious website. I saved the leftover sauce and plan to try it on fish, it's delish! Enjoy!

Garlic Lime Pork Chops

• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red-pepper flakes
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 6 (1/2-inch-thick) boneless pork chops

Whisk together lime juice, garlic, red-pepper flakes, and 1/4 teaspoon salt, then add oil in a slow stream, whisking well. Whisk in cilantro. Pat pork dry and season with salt and pepper. Lightly oil a skillet or grill pan (preferably with grill markings), then cook pork chops over medium heat, covered, turning over once, until just cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes total (depending on thickness of chops). Serve drizzled with vinaigrette, and with remainder on the side.

Asian Green Beans

• 1 pound green beans, trimmed
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1-2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon grated peeled ginger
• 2 teaspoons rice vinegar (not seasoned)
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1/2 teaspoon Asian sesame oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds

Cook beans in a 6-quart pot of boiling well-salted water, uncovered, until just tender, 6 to 7 minutes. Drain in a colander, then plunge into an ice bath to stop cooking. Drain beans and pat dry. While beans cook, mince and mash garlic to a paste with a pinch of salt, then stir together with soy sauce, ginger, vinegar, and oils in a large bowl. Add beans and toss. Serve sprinkled with sesame seeds.

Lemon Garlic Tilapia

Adapted from AllRecipes.com

Yes, it has been a while. I really have no good excuse other than I've been doing some quick vacations, working and going out to eat way too much after those long days :) When I have cooked, I've resorted to previous recipes on my blog (not a bad thing!). I finally decided I needed to get back into action! This recipe is actually super simple, healthy, and delicious - you should try it! Hopefully you'll be hearing more from me...well, after I get back from San Francisco this long weekend :)

Ingredients

• 2 tilapia fillets
• 1 fresh lemon, juiced
• 1/2 tablespoon butter, melted
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon dried Italian Seasoning
• pepper to taste

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
2. Rinse tilapia fillets under cool water, and pat dry with paper towels.
3. Place fillets in baking dish. Pour lemon juice over fillets, then brush melted butter on top. Sprinkle with Italian seasoning and pepper.
4. Bake in preheated oven until the fish is white and flakes when pulled apart with a fork, about 15 minutes.

 

Red Wine, Balsamic & Blue Cheese Filet & Lobster Tail with Zucchini

Courtesy of Plated Perfection

I have a hard time walking away from the fresh meat section at Harris Teeter - and the seafood section, sigh. So, why not get both? This meal wasn't too difficult and you can choose to serve the steak with or without the sauce. I also cooked up some zucchini and diced tomatoes to have on the side. Note: This recipe is for medium cooked filet.

2 filet mignon (mine were about 7 ounces)
2 lobster tails
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup Meritage (you can use a red wine of your choosing)
1.5 tb brown sugar
3 tb butter
approx. 1 tb Montreal steak seasoning
2 tsp lemon pepper seasoning
1 zucchini, cubed
1/3 cup diced tomatoes
1 tb Italian seasoning
2 tb olive oil
dash of lemon juice

Steak: Leave the filet mignon out for about 30 minutes to bring to room temperature. Preheat the oven to 500 with an oven proof skillet or cast iron skillet in the oven. Pat the steaks dry with a paper towel. Top each side of the filets with the steak seasoning. When the oven is finished preheating, take the dry skillet out and insert the steaks. Sear approximately 2 minutes per side. Place back in the oven for approximately 4 minutes per side (this may vary depending on the size of steak). Remove from oven, top with the blue cheese (feta also works) and cover the steaks with a foil tent for approximately 10 minutes on a platter.

Sauce: Combine the wine and vinegar and bring to a boil. Stir occasionally. Stir in the brown sugar and 2 tb butter and cook to your desired consistency. I let mine boil for about 10 minutes. Drizzle over the steak.

Lobster Tail: Cut the top shell of each lobster tail down the middle. Pull away the sides a bit. Season each tail with lemon pepper seasoning, a dash of lemon juice, and 1/2 tb butter. Broil on high for approximately 10 minutes until the tails are firm to the touch. Pull out of the shell and top the steak.

Zucchini: I decided to spice up the zucchini with some diced tomatoes. Toss the zucchini in a bowl with 1 tb olive oil and the Italian seasoning. Add the olive oil to a saute pan. Toss in the zucchini and cook for approximately 5-7 minutes until lightly browned. Add in the tomatoes and simmer for another 2-3 minutes.

Cornish Game Hens - 2 ways!

Courtesy of Plated Perfection

Yes, some people will not agree with me on this one, but I think Cornish game hens are so cute that I always want to buy them for dinner! I hesitated for a long time because Nick informed me he was not a fan - then I found out the only place he had had them was in a mess hall in Iraq - yeah, time to change his opinion. I told him he had to at least try them :) I think he approved. I made two, each a bit different, just so he had some variation. They were very juicy!

Pesto Style:
Mmmmm..pesto sauce, makes everything better.

• 1 Cornish game hen
• 3 tb pesto sauce
• 1 tb Italian dressing
• garlic clove, mashed
• 1/2 zucchini, sliced into 1/4 inch pieces
• pinch of salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and spray a baking dish with cooking spray. Rinse and pat the hen dry. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, inside and outside. Separate the skin from the meat and massage pesto sauce under the skin and all over the hen (as much as desired). Fill the cavity with the zucchini, dressing and the mashed garlic clove. Bake for approximately 30 minutes, until internal temperature is 160 degrees. Cover with aluminum foil for 10 minutes.

Italian Style:

• 1 Cornish game hen
• 1/2 cup Italian dressing
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  
• garlic clove, mashed
  
• 1/2 zucchini, sliced into 1/4 inch pieces
• pinch of salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and spray a baking dish with cooking spray. Rinse and pat the hen dry. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and the Italian seasoning, inside and outside. Separate the skin from the meat and massage the italian dressing under the skin and all over the hen (as much as desired). Fill the cavity with the zucchini, last 1 tb of dressing and the mashed garlic clove. Bake for approximately 30 minutes, until internal temperature is 160 degrees. Cover with aluminum foil for 10 minutes.

Chicken Stir Fry

Adapted from Kikkoman

I usually like to make my own sauces and whatnot, but I was in Whole Foods not long ago and spotted some stir fry sauce I wanted to try. I was planning on making a quick meal for lunch and figured, why not?! I followed the recipe on the back of the bottle and it turned out well! Kikkoman has lowered their sodium levels too, so I didn't feel as guilty eating it. This made a decent amount! Nick and I will have lunch for two days :)

• 1 pound chicken tenderloins, cut into chunks
• 1 tb corn starch
• 1 tb low sodium soy sauce
• 2 tb sesame oil
• 1 bag of frozen mixed vegetables (I like PictSweet Summer Vegetables with Cracked Pepper)
• 1 small bag of frozen snow peas
• 1/2 cup Kikkoman stir fry sauce
• 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds

Coat the chicken in the corn starch and soy sauce. Add 1 tb sesame oil to a big skillet or wok and brown the chicken on both sides. I cooked mine until pretty much cooked through. Remove chicken and place in a bowl. Add another 1 tb sesame oil and add the vegetables (mixed and snow peas). Cook until almost tender. Add the chicken back in with the stir fry sauce. Cook for approximately 5 minutes. Top with toasted sesame seeds!

Italian Frittata

Courtesy of Plated Perfection

I think I've become obsessed with the frittata concept and experimenting with different flavors! They're just so easy and fast, and pretty delicious! I tend to have a lot of Italian-ish ingredients in my fridge, so I used whatever I could find that sounded good together :) This is great for a group too since it makes a decent amount! As Duncan put it, who was over for the frittata, this is a yummy egg pizza!

• package of sliced prosciutto (about 3 ounces)
• diced pepperoni (about 2 ounces)
• approx. 1/2 teaspoon rosemary (I had dried on hand)
• approx. 4 leaves fresh basil, chopped
• approx. 1/4 cup chopped roasted red peppers
• approx. 2 tb capers, chopped
• 8 large eggs
• 1/4 cup milk
• pinch of pepper
• 1-2 tb fresh grated Parmesan
• approx. 6-8 thin slices fresh mozzarella
• approx. 6-8 tb pesto

In an ovenproof skillet, brown the prosciutto, pepperoni, and rosemary. Preheat the broiler. In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, red peppers, capers, pepper, parmesan cheese, and basil and pour into the skillet. Cook, until almost set; top with the mozzarella cheese and pesto sauce. Broil until set in the center, about 5-7 minutes. 

Loaded Frittata

Courtesy of Plated Perfection

I've been wanting to try another frittata and decided this past weekend was a good time! I hit up the farmer's market a block from my house for some of the fresh ingredients. We had a guest crash in our spare bedroom and he definitely approved - considering he woke up to a home cooked brunch :) This was delicious. One piece is pretty filling, but it's just as tasty leftover. Feel free to get creative with the ingredients..that's the fun part!

• 1 pound ground Italian sausage (I used Mild)
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped (small size)
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped (small size)
• 1 shallot, chopped
• 8 large eggs
• 1/4 cup milk
• Salt
• 1 cup high quality, sharp cheddar (I used extra sharp)
• 1 cup cooked maple bacon, chopped (good quality)

In an ovenproof skillet, cook the sausage and crushed red pepper, breaking up the meat, until browned, 7 to 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a plate lined with paper towels (to drain some of the grease). In the same skillet, add the peppers and shallot and cook, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the cooked sausage. Preheat the broiler. In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk and 1/2 teaspoon salt and pour into the skillet. Cook, scrambling the mixture, until almost set; top with the cheddar cheese. Broil until set in the center, about 5 minutes. Top with crumbled bacon.

Saturday's Slow Cooked Ribs

Courtesy of SlashFood
Nick has been wanting to make slow cooked ribs in the crock pot for quite some time. Obviously, I fully supported this decision. Saturday was the day and boy were they fall off the bone delicious! They were so tasty that he bought two more racks on Monday and plans to make them again soon. This makes me happy.

Buy some baby back ribs, cut each slab in half to make sure they fit in your cooker and peel off the silverskin (silvery white connective tissue on the underside of the ribs). Then, simply layer the ribs with barbeque sauce and set the timer. Nick used 3-4 pounds of baby back ribs in our 5-quart slow cooker. Nick cooked them on low for 7 hours.

Tangy BBQ sauce
1 cup ketchup
½ cup apple cider vinegar
¼ cup dark brown sugar
2 tbsp honey
¾ tsp garlic powder (or 1 clove garlic)
½ tsp paprika
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp ground black pepper

Combine all ingredients and whisk together in a medium bowl.  Layer sauce with meat in a slow cooker. Makes about 2 cups.

Roasted Vegetables
I feel that I should explain at least what these are, since they are in the photo :) I bought a package of fresh stir fry vegetables from Whole Foods, dumped them in a roasting pan, and tossed them with olive oil, fresh rosemary, juice of 1 lemon, salt, pepper, and a touch of balsamic vinegar. Bake at 350 for approximately 25 minutes. Top with freshly grated parmesan cheese.

Sea Bass with Lime Ginger Sauce & Sake Soy Bok Choy

Courtesy of Plated Perfection 
I'll admit, I became obsessed with the chilean sea bass I had in Vegas at Joe's Steak & Seafood...to the point where I almost got it two nights in a row there. I restrained myself and made my friend get it ;) However, I saw chilean sea bass at the seafood counter and decided it was time to try to imitate what I had at Joe's. It was pretty darn close, in my opinion! I did get the skin removed from the fish at the seafood counter, I personally love doing that. The fish flakes so easily and it melts in your mouth! This sauce was enough for about two fillets.

Sea Bass with Lime Ginger Sauce
- 2 Chilean Sea Bass fillets
- dash of pepper
- juice and zest of 1 lime
- 1 tsp. ground ginger
- 3 tb soy sauce (low sodium)
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1-2 garlic cloves, diced
- 1 green onion, green parts, sliced

Preheat the broiler. Line a broiler pan with foil and spray with cooking spray. Grate the zest from the lime. In a small bowl, combine the lime zest, lime juice, ginger, soy sauce, oil, diced garlic, and black pepper. Place the fish on the lined broiler pan. Brush the fish evenly with some of the sauce and broil 4 inches from the heat for about 5 minutes. Remove the fish from the oven, brush with additional sauce, and cook for another 4-5 minutes or until the flesh is opaque and just flakes when tested with a fork. Top with green onion.

Sake Soy Bok Choy
- 2 baby bok choy (or however much you desire to make - adjust as necessary), rinsed
- 1 tb olive oil
- 3-4 tb sake (definitely approximate)
- 2-3 tb soy sauce (also approximate)
- dash of salt and pepper

Heat the olive oil in a saute pan. Toss the bok choy in and toss in the sake and soy sauce. Add a dash of salt and pepper. Cover and steam for about 5 minutes (just keep your eye on it).

Mediterranean Salmon

Courtesy of Plated Perfection
Harris Teeter informed me recently that Alaska Wild Salmon is only in season for a bit longer, so I took advantage and purchased some. I decided that would be my healthy lunch to take to work! I was also craving my homemade tzatziki sauce, so I figured I'd combine my efforts. I always throw the tzatziki sauce together on a whim and never follow the same measurements or recipe, so I recommend making this to your liking - taste along the way! The salmon was super easy to make, and then I just topped it with the sauce and some feta crumbles...yum in my tum. (This is over one serving of salmon and about 4+ servings of sauce; I wanted to make extra to have around this week).

- 1 filet wild salmon (approximately .5 pound)
- 2 lemons
- 1 tb dried oregano (half for salmon, half for sauce)
- few dashes of lemon pepper seasoning
- dash of salt
- 1 tb olive oil
- 1 larger container of non-fat greek yogurt (approximately 1 cup)
- 1 tb fresh chopped dill
- 1 tb fresh chopped mint
- 2 cloves garlic, diced
- approximately 3 inches English cucumber, peeled and diced (these are seedless)
- 1 tb crumbled feta

Place a large sheet of aluminum foil in a baking dish (any oven-proof dish). Coat the foil with half of the EVOO and put the other half of EVOO on top of the salmon. Place salmon on foil. Sprinkle with a dash of salt, lemon pepper, juice of 1/2 lemon, and oregano. Fold the foil on the ends and create a tent above the fish. Bake at 400 for approximately 20-25 minutes (depending on the thickness of the fish).

In the meantime, it's time to tzatziki! Mix the greek yogurt, 1/2 tb oregano, juice of 1.5 lemons, dill, mint, garlic, and cucumber. BAM! You're done.

Top the salmon with a hefty serving of tzatziki and your desired amount of feta. Top with additional dill (optional).

Chicken Yakitori with Bok Choy

Chicken Yakitori (Adapted from Cooking Light)

• 1 cup sake
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 3 1/2 tablespoons lower-sodium soy sauce
• 1 (1-inch) piece peeled fresh ginger, sliced
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into 36 (3/4-inch) cubes
• 5 garlic cloves, chopped
• 5 cilantro sprigs
• 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon dark sesame oil
• 1-2 red bell peppers, cut into pieces for skewers
• Cooking spray

Soak the skewers, if wooden in a bit of water for about 20 minutes. Combine first 4 ingredients in a small saucepan; bring to a boil. Remove from heat; let stand 15 minutes. Remove ginger with a slotted spoon, and place in a medium bowl. Add 2 tablespoons soy sauce mixture, pepper, chicken, garlic, and cilantro to ginger in bowl; toss well. Cover and chill 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Preheat grill to medium-high heat. Bring remaining soy sauce mixture to a boil; cook 10 minutes or until reduced to 1/4 cup. Remove from heat; slowly add vinegar and oil, stirring with a whisk. Divide soy sauce mixture into 2 equal portions (about 1/4 cup each); set aside. Remove chicken from marinade; discard marinade. Thread chicken and red bell pepper pieces alternately onto skewers. Place the skewers on a grill rack coated with cooking spray. Cover and grill for 8 minutes or until done, turning after 4 minutes and basting occasionally with 1/4 cup reserved soy sauce mixture. Place skewers on a serving platter; serve with remaining 1/4 cup soy sauce mixture.

Bok Choy (Adapted from Steamy Kitchen Blog)

• 1 1/2 pounds baby bok choy
• 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1-2 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger (using the jar of ginger works too)
• 3 tablespoons water + 3 tablespoons white wine
• salt and pepper to taste

Start by trimming the stem off - don't trim too much - just the end. Cutting the thick stem off will ensure that the bok choy cooks evenly. Separate out the leaves, keep the tender center intact and clean under running  water. Drain. Place wok or saute pan on your stove and pour in the cooking oil. Add the garlic and ginger. Turn the heat to medium-high. Let the ginger and garlic gently sizzle in the oil. When the aromatics become fragrant and light golden brown, add the bok choy leaves. Toss very well to coat each leaf with the garlicky, gingery oil for 15 seconds. Pour in half of the water and wine. Immediately cover and let cook for 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle a bit of sesame oil on top. Top with remainder of the water and wine. Cover and simmer for another couple of minutes.

Ham, Eggs & Avocado

Courtesy of Plated Perfection

Well, I just got back from Las Vegas, where I have been for the the past 9 days, so I apologize for the lack of activity! On a plus side, I visited MANY amazing restaurants while there.  My wallet may not appreciate it, but my taste buds sure do! I took today to get my life back in order, which means I cooked something :) This is a super easy dish to make...and fast!

1 ham steak
2 eggs
Cooking spray
1 avocado
1/2 lime, juiced
2 tb salsa verde
salt & pepper to taste

The ham steak should be pre-cooked, so this really only involves a bit of heating and browning. Spray a skillet and cook on medium heat for about 3-4 minutes per side. Remove from the skillet and keep warm. Spray the skillet with more cooking spray, if needed, and crack two eggs. Cook for about two minutes, flip, and cook for another two minutes. (Cook to your preference). In the meantime, dice up an avocado and mix with lime juice. Top the ham steak with the eggs and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Serve with the avocado on the side and top with salsa.

Vinegar Glossed Chicken

Courtesy of Wives with Knives Blog

I admit, I usually buy boneless, skinless chicken breasts to be healthy...but this go around, I had to go for the chicken thighs with the skin on! The recipe really caught my attention, again, because I love vinegar :) I must say -- cooking with bone in and the skin on sure does give it a lot of flavor! This dish was yummy and wasn't over the top with vinegar. I highly recommend it!

1 cup best-quality red wine vinegar
3-4 garlic cloves, minced (about 2 tablespoons)
3 sprigs fresh rosemary, chopped (about 1 tablespoon)
3 pounds bone-in chicken pieces
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
Extra-virgin olive oil
3/4 cup chicken broth, plus more as needed

At least 15 minutes and up to 2 hours before cooking combine the vinegar, garlic and rosemary to marinate chicken.

Thoroughly season chicken pieces with salt and pepper.  Heat a large, heavy skillet over high heat and swirl enough olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan.  Place the chicken in the skillet, skin side down.  Don't crowd the chicken; leave space around each piece.  Work in batches if necessary.  You should hear an immediate sizzle when the chicken pieces hit the pan.  Don't move them.  It takes a few minutes to sear the chicken so it doesn't stick.  Brown all sides; this can take up to 10 minutes per batch.  Regulate the heat so it stays high but does not burn the chicken.  Place all the browned chicken back into the skillet.

Add chicken broth and scrape up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan.  Lower the heat, simmer, and reduce for 15 to 20 minutes.  Increase the heat to high and pour in the vinegar mixture.  Swirl the pan and stir around as the vinegar evaporates to form a simmering glaze, 8-10 minutes.  Serve immediately or refrigerate and reheat with some extra broth.

Herb Marinated Green Beans

Courtesy of One Perfect Bite Blog

This would make a really great side or snack! My Mom made something similar to this recently and I loved them -- probably because they have vinegar in them :) My Mom used to catch me on the counter drinking vinegar with a spoon as a kid...doesn't sound as appetizing now, but I do still love vinegar! This is easy - I used canned green beans for this and it was so easy.

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1 teaspoon fresh oregano
5 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
1 pound green beans
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt to taste (Kosher or sea salt)
Fresh ground pepper to taste

Directions:
1) Choose a large bowl and place parsley, basil, oregano and vinegar in it. let it steep for 10 minutes. Add onion and garlic and mix well. Let steep for another 30 minutes.
2) Snap off ends of green beans, rinse in cold water, and drop them into boiling salt water. Drain string beans while still very firm. Add warm green beans to bowl with vinegar and herbs. Marinate for a minimum of 1 hour and as much as 5 or 6 hours. Mix thoroughly from time-to-time. Serve beans at room temperature, adding olive oil and salt and pepper to taste just before serving.

Salmon Burgers (version 2)

Adapted from Ezra Pound Cake Blog

Yes, I already have a recipe on my blog for salmon cakes - and that was adapted from my Dad's recipe. They were tasty! I then came across this other recipe, so figured I'd give it a whirl. This time I used fresh salmon, which I think I'd recommend if it's possible. If not, canned/packaged definitely works too!

• 1 pound skinless, boneless salmon
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1 shallots, peeled and cut into chunks
• 1/2 cup coarse bread crumbs
• 1 tablespoon capers, drained
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• juice from half of 1 lemon
• few dashes of Old Bay seasoning
• Remoulade sauce, for topping

1. Cut the salmon into large chunks, and put about a quarter of it into the container of a food processor, along with the mustard. Turn the machine on, and let it run – stopping to scrape down the sides if necessary – until the mixture becomes pasty.
2. Add the shallots and the remaining salmon, and pulse the machine until the fish is chopped and combined with the puree. No piece should be larger than a quarter inch or so; be careful not make the mixture too fine.
3. Scrape the mixture into a bowl, and stir in the bread crumbs, lemon juice, old bay, capers and some salt and pepper. Shape into four burgers.
4. Place the oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet, and turn the heat to medium-high. When the oil is hot, cook the burgers for 2 to 3 minutes a side, turning once. Alternatively, you can grill them: let them firm up on the first side, grilling about 4 minutes, before turning over and finishing for just another minute or two. To check for doneness, make a small cut and peek inside. Be careful not to overcook. Serve on a bed of greens or on buns or by themselves with remoulade.

Skillet Eggs with Squash & Zucchini

Adapted from Food Network Magazine (July/August 2011)

I'm ashamed that I haven't posted anything in as long as it's been! This usually means that I've been bad by eating out, going to too many happy hours, and most likely going out of town on the weekends! However, a lot of fun has been had in the past couple of weeks, but now it's back to the grind and cooking! I decided to make a new breakfast dish since the weekend seems to be the perfect time to do this. One note - your life will be a lot easier if you have a food processor with the shred attachment. This is now my new favorite toy :)

INGREDIENTS:
4 medium summer squash and/or zucchini (I used 2 of each)
Kosher salt
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 scallions, thinly sliced, white and green parts separated
1 leek, sliced thinly (white and about an inch of the green portion)
1 dash ground red cayenne pepper
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
6 large eggs
1/2 cup freshly grated smoked gouda

DIRECTIONS:

Grate the squash into a colander using the large holes of a box grater (or use a food processor fitted with the shredding attachment). Toss with 1 tablespoon salt, then let drain in the sink, 30 to 40 minutes. Squeeze the squash to remove as much liquid as possible.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Heat the olive oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Set aside 3 tablespoons scallion greens. Add the remaining scallions (white and green parts), the leeks, the cayenne pepper, and salt to taste and cook until the scallions are soft, about 3 minutes. Add the shredded squash and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 7 minutes. Stir in the parsley, nutmeg, and pepper to taste. Cook until the mixture is slightly dry, about 1 more minute. Remove from the heat and let cool, 5 minutes.

Spread the squash evenly in the skillet. Make six indentations in the mixture with the back of a spoon; put 1/2 teaspoon butter in each one. One at a time, crack each egg into a small bowl and pour into an indentation. Season with salt and pepper, and sprinkle with the cheese.

Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake until the egg whites are set and the yolks are cooked to desired doneness, 10 to 12 minutes. Scatter the reserved scallion greens on top.

Red Snapper with Leeks & Tomatoes

Courtesy of Epicurious

Red snapper is a tasty fish and whenever it's fresh at the grocery store, I tend to take some home! I wanted to try something different and found this recipe on Epicurious' website. I did halve the recipe, and I also made some measuring adjustments (aka I eyeballed everything and made a change or so). The below is what I went with, but you can find the original recipe on Epicurious' website. Mmmmm seafood...I can never get enough!

• 2 red snapper fillets
• 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 medium leeks (white and pale green parts only), thinly sliced
• 1 large garlic clove, chopped
• canned Italian seasoned, peeled plum tomatoes, chopped (I took these out the can, about 5, and cut through them)
• 1 tb balsamic vinegar
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350°F. Sprinkle fish on both sides with salt and pepper; place in baking dish (preferably glass). Heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add leeks and garlic and sauté until leeks are tender and beginning to brown, about 6 minutes. Add Italian seasoning, tomatoes and a spoon full of the tomato sauce to skillet; stir until tomatoes are combined, about 2 minutes. Mix in vinegar; season to taste with salt and pepper. Spoon leek mixture over fish fillets. Bake until fish fillets are just opaque in center, about 20 minutes (depending on thickness of the fish).

Summer Risotto & Seared Scallops with Meyer Lemon Buerre Blanc

Courtesy of Cooking Light

This started out as two separate dinners, but then I decided to combine them into one. The flavors just seemed to go together. I will say it turned out really well, but it was definitely somewhat time consuming and took some serious coordination in the kitchen -- especially when you're tired! However, it was worth it :) As usual, these were great for leftovers. The fun thing about the risotto is that you can sub in or out whichever veggies you want, so get creative! I also got to use my new herb garden -- this is very exciting!

Seared Scallops with Meyer Lemon Buerre Blanc

• 2/3 cup fresh Meyer lemon juice (about 6 lemons)
• 1/3 cup dry white wine
• 3 tablespoons minced shallots
• 2 thyme sprigs
• 3 tablespoons chilled butter, cut into pieces
• 3/4 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
• Cooking spray
• 1 1/2 pounds dry sea scallops
• 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme (optional)

Combine first 4 ingredients in a small heavy saucepan over medium-high heat; bring to a boil. Cook until reduced to about 1/4 cup (about 8 minutes). Remove from heat; discard thyme sprigs. Add butter, 1 piece at a time, stirring constantly with a whisk until butter is thoroughly incorporated. Strain mixture through a fine sieve over a bowl, pressing to release all of the sauce; discard solids. Stir in sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Heat a large cast-iron skillet over high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Sprinkle both sides of scallops evenly with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and remaining 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Add scallops to pan; cook 2 minutes. Turn scallops over; cook 1 minute or until desired degree of doneness. Serve scallops with sauce; sprinkle with chopped thyme, if desired.

Summer Lemon-Vegetable Risotto

• 8 ounces asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 8 ounces sugar snap peas, trimmed and cut in half (I left these out because I didn't have any)
• 5 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 (8-ounce) zucchini, halved lengthwise and cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices
• 1 (8-ounce) yellow squash, halved lengthwise and cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices
• 4 3/4 cups organic vegetable broth
• 1/2 cup finely chopped shallots
• 1 cup uncooked Arborio rice
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated fresh pecorino Romano cheese
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh chives
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Add asparagus and peas; cook for 3 minutes or until crisp-tender. Drain and rinse under cold water. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 teaspoons olive oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add zucchini and squash to pan; cook for 7 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring occasionally. Set aside. Bring vegetable broth to a simmer in a medium saucepan (do not boil). Keep warm over low heat. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add shallots, and cook for 3 minutes or until tender. Stir in rice, and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in wine; cook until liquid is absorbed (about 30 seconds), stirring constantly. Stir in 1 cup broth; cook 5 minutes or until liquid is nearly absorbed, stirring constantly. Reserve 1/4 cup broth. Add remaining broth, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly until each portion of broth is absorbed before adding the next (about 22 minutes total). Stir in vegetables; cook 1 minute or until thoroughly heated. Remove from heat; stir in reserved 1/4 cup broth and remaining ingredients.

Final Product: Serve risotto, topped with scallops and drizzled with the lemon buerre blanc.

Stewed Okra & Tomatoes

Courtesy of Plated Perfection

I am totally shocked that I have not eaten okra before, especially being that I am from a small town called King & Queen County, VA. I have lived in Arlington, VA for 7 years and don't ever see myself leaving, but one thing I took away from my upbringing was my terrific family and their amazing food. This is something I am surprised wasn't around for dinner, but maybe it was and I just claimed I didn't like it :) I used to do that as a child. Long story short, I decided to try cooking some of these babies up. They turned out pretty yummy! It's a fun way to spice up the boring vegetables you're used to eating!

• 1 bag frozen cut okra (since this was my first time, I didn't want to mess with prepping fresh okra)
• 1 can/box of chopped tomatoes (I used Pomi -- delicious!!!!)
• 1 small yellow onion, diced
• dash of pepper, to taste
• dash of salt, to taste
• 1-2 tb olive oil (your preference)

In a Dutch oven, saute the onion in olive oil until transluscent (about 5 minutes or so). Toss in the frozen okra and stir. Stir in the chopped tomatoes. Simmer over Medium heat and continue to stir every few minutes. Toss in the salt and pepper to taste. Slurp up and enjoy!

Ginger-Hoisin Glazed Sirloin Filet with Chinese Mustard

Adapted from Cooking Light

I'm always looking for new steak marinades and this one caught my eye. I had picked up hoisin sauce at the grocery store, so that motivated me to give this one a try! It's got a great Asian flavor and is easy to whip up. I decided to throw in an extra kick with serving it along side the hot and spicy Chinese mustard!

• 1 1/2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
• 1 1/2 teaspoons grated peeled fresh ginger
• 1 1/2 teaspoons honey
• 1 tb lower-sodium soy sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon chili garlic sauce (such as Lee Kum Kee) or crushed red pepper
• 2 (4-ounce) beef tenderloin steaks, trimmed (1 inch thick)
• Cooking spray
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• Kame Hot Mustard (Chinese style)

Preheat the broiler to high. Whisk together the first five ingredients together in a bowl. Sprinkle the steaks with salt. Line the broiling pan with foil (for easy clean-up) and spray with cooking spray. Broil steaks 5 inches from heat for 2 minutes, and turn over. Broil 2 minutes; turn steaks over. Brush steaks with half of hoisin mixture; broil for 1 minute. Turn steaks over, and brush with remaining hoisin mixture; broil 2 minutes or until desired degree of doneness. Serve alongside some hot and spicy Chinese mustard!