Chorizo and Asparagus and Microwaved Sweet Potatoes

If you are looking for an easy and super quick mid-week meal boy do I have a good one for you. check.  Asparagus, check.  Slivered Almonds, Check.  Bread, check.  Olive Oil, check.  Along with a pan that’s literally all you need for this recipe.  I found this recipe on Smitten Kitchen and can’t get over how easy and delicious it is.  You can also toast your bread right in the pan but I prefer to bake my croutons to avoid the extra oil.

Ingredients:
Serves 3-4


chorizo, chopped

asparagus, chopped

slivered almonds

3 Tbsp olive oil

Salt and pepper

½ loaf of old bread, cubed

2 sweet potatoes

Method:

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine the chorizo and asparagus in ½ the olive oil in a skillet. Use the remaining olive oil to coat the bread cubes and toss with salt and pepper.  Put in the oven until lightly browned, about 15 minutes.  Add the slivered almonds to the pan once asparagus is nearly cooked, the time will depend how well you like your asparagus cooked (I like mine a little al dente).  Remove croutons from oven and toss into the skillet ingredients.  Cut the sweet potatoes in half, lengthwise.  Puncture with fork and put in microwave for 3 minute increments until fully cooked.  Slice into cubes once done and serve.

Healthy Turkey Balls

For anyone who lives in New York City and doesn’t live under a rock, they most likely have heard about the phenomenon that is The Meatball Shoppe.   I had my first experience there last month and it was utterly brilliant.  I can’t stop thinking how the proprietors came up with a simple idea, executed it to perfection and now have this insane following for a restaurant that primarily just serves meatballs!  It’s crazy.  Crazy good. 

I think the notion that meatballs must be made from beef has long since been erased and I am a big fan of using ground turkey.  Meatball Shoppe watch out…my dad makes a mean turkey ball!  In an attempt to learn how to cook after college, I had an evening tutorial with my dad to learn how to make the perfect turkey ball.  I’m pretty sure my recipe has evolved since that evening but the basics are mostly there and this recipe is pretty fail-proof for anyone willing to try!  For the sauce I use a recipe found on 101cookbooks.com that is a great base for any tomato sauce.  You can use it as is or add vegetables like mushrooms, peppers, etc. depending on your taste.

Turkey Balls

 Ingredients:

1lb extra lean ground turkey (make sure to check the package before buying to ensure it is Lean or Extra Lean meat)

1 egg, beaten

Handful fresh parsley, finely chopped

Handful of fresh parmesan, shredded

1 small onion, finely chopped

¼ cup planko bread crumbs (regular bread crumbs will work too)

1 tsp oregano

1 Tbsp olive oil

salt and pepper

5-Minute Tomato Sauce

 
















Ingredients:

1-28oz can of crushed tomatoes

3 cloves of garlic, crushed

zest from 1 lemon

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 ½ tsp red pepper flakes

Salt and pepper

Method:

Combine dry ingredients in a bowl  (Bread crumbs, parsley, onion, parmesan, oregano, salt and pepper).  Mix well.  Add the ground turkey and crack the egg over it before you mix it into the rest of the ingredients. Roll into 1 or 1 ½ inch balls.   Heat olive oil on medium heat in a large skillet and slowly add the turkey balls so that they evening coat the pan.  Using tongs turn the meatballs as they start to brown.  Once each side has been browned (3-4 rotations) add the crushed tomatoes, garlic, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper.  Turn the heat down and let the sauce simmer for about 15 minutes.  Cut into a ball and make sure it is fully cooked.  Serve over pasta in a sandwich or if you want to bring the Meatball Shoppe to you – serve over a salad with variety of fresh vegetables.  ENJOY!!!

Roasted Peppers with Mozzarella and Capers

For no apparent reason, I have stubbornly held onto a childish dislike of capers.  I was never a particularly picky eater but as a child there were always a few things that I dreaded like brussel sprouts and oysters.  I outgrew those distastes years ago but inexplicably I have categorized capers in a forever “yucky” category.  Truthfully, I can’t even remember where I was or what I was eating (I must have been a few glasses of wine deep) because I ate a dish that was sprinkled in capers.  Wouldn’t you know it.  I actually like capers.  So I decided to make my very first dish using capers.  I found this recipe on the Smitten Kitchen food blog and was taken in by her yummy pictures.  I think this would be a great side for a dinner party – it is so simple but beautiful and impressive.

Ingredients:
Serves 2-4

3 bell peppers
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp capers
fresh mozzarella
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4  cup red wine vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

Method:

To roast peppers, preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Remove stem and clean out seeds from peppers.  Coat with olive oil and place top down on a baking sheet.  Bake for about 30 minutes or until skin is easy to peel off.  Remove from oven and let cool.  Once cool enough to touch - peel away skin.  Cut into thin slices.  Meanwhile combine vinegar, garlic, salt and pepper and mix.  Pour over peppers and let marinate for at least an hour.  Add capers and mozzarella.

Fourth of July Blueberry Pie

For the 2nd annual Hamptons girls wine tasting event (which includes Greice, Lisa and myself) we returned to Wolffer Estates Winery in Sagaponack, NY.  They offer an incredible Rose which you can drink outside overlooking their vineyard at dusk.  Anyone headed out that way should make a point of visiting.  Anyways, while we were busy purchasing multiple bottles of Rose to take home with us I noticed a beautiful cookbook, Savoring the Hamptons.  I happened to flip to a recipe called the Fourth of July Blueberry Pie.  I immediately knew I had to make the pie.  I will admit doing a bad deed.  Instead of buying the cookbook I just took a picture of the page so I had the basics to follow.  I am headed back out there next weekend and will without a doubt purchase it.  This recipe is so delicious (and I didn't even make my own crust)!  I think that pies that don't cook the fruit are some of my favorites.  My mom makes a strawberry pie with fresh local Washington berries that is phenom.  Next time I'm back in Seattle over the summer we might have to have a pie off to see which is better:  blueberry vs. strawberry.  I highly recommend this recipe to anyone who likes delicious food. 

Ingredients:

2 quarts blueberries
1 tsp lemon zest
2 Tbs corn starch
1 cup water
2/3 cup sugar
pie crust (I used pre-made)

Method:

So the key to this pie is that 3/4 of the blueberries are not cooked.  They are coated in a sauce and then placed into the already baked pie crust.  Get ready for it.  To make the sauce combine the water and the sugar in boiling water.  Stir to dissolve the sugar for about 15 minutes.  Place the cornstarch in a bowl and add 2 Tbs of the boiling water.  Stir to dissolve and then return back to sauce pan.  Stir constantly.  Take 1 cup (or 1/2 quart) of blueberries and add to water.  Continue stirring for another 8 minutes or until the sauce takes on a slight syrup texture.  (Avoid smushing the blueberries if you can).  Place sauce in bowl and let cool.  Once cooled put remaining blueberries in a larger bowl and fold in the sauce so the uncooked berries are completely covered.  Put in refrigerator to cool.  This can be done several hours ahead of time.  When ready to bake the crust, place in pie tin and crimp the edges.  The recipe called for pastry weights (which I did not have and therefore did not use) but I recommend using them so that the pastry doesn't bubble since you're cooking it bare.  Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees and bake for 15 minutes.  Remove pastry weights (if using) and cook for another 8 minutes or until crust is browned.  Remove and let cool.  Once cooled place your filling in and serve.  I topped mine with whip cream but I don't think you'd go wrong with vanilla ice cream either. 

Chicken Kebabs with Goddess Dresssing

I don't know what it is about Goddess Dressing but we've made these kebabs twice and the chicken comes out unbelievably tender.  This time we also added a packet of bbq dry rub to give it a little more kick but that it not necessary.  This is a great meal to keep in your back pocket when you need something quick and easy.  Especially in the summer so you can grill. 

Ingredients:

1lb skinless boneless chicken breast, cubed
1 bell pepper, loosely chopped
1 zucchini, loosely chopped
1 onion, loosely chopped (I used a vidalia onion)
olive oil for veggies
goddess dressing
pitas
lettuce
1 tomato, diced
1/2 cucumber, diced
hummus

Method:

Placed cubed chicken into a container and coat with Goddess Dressing or any tahini dressing you can find.  Let sit for at least 30 minutes.  Soak wood skewers in water, if using.  Make sure veggies are chopped into large chunks that can be easily threaded onto the skewers.  Combine in a bowl and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil.  Stir and make sure they are evening coated.  Load skewers with chicken and veggies.  Grill until chicken is fully cooked (about 10 minutes depending on the strength of your grill).  Meanwhile chop the tomatoes, lettuce and cucumber.  Toast your pitas and cover with hummus.

Gazpacho

Summer in New York City is a love hate relationship for many.  People flock outside to enjoy late evening dining but during the daylight hours (and often well into the evening) there is no respite for the intolerable heat.  This truly is a concrete jungle.  I returned home after a weekend in the shaded Philly suburbs to find the summer in full swing.  NYC was sweltering.  I started thinking of ice cream and smoothies almost immediately.  Since I couldn't justify ice cream for dinner I decided on gazpacho.
I've thought about making gazpacho for a while now.  It is straight forward and requires little work minus the initial chopping.  I made enough to last me all week.  I would say this though - you do not want to eat too much gazpacho in one sitting.  I tried pouring a normal size bowl and was a bit overwhelmed.  I think I prefer it as a starter, a very refreshing and light starter.  I followed a recipe from Ida Garten on the Food Network but made a few changes because I wanted my soup to be a little chunkier.

Ingredients:

4 tomatoes, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 sweet onion, chopped
1 english cucumber, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 cups low sodium tomato juice
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper

Method:

I chopped all my veggies into large chunks and placed each individually into a food processor.  You don't want them to be over processed so make sure they still have some texture.  Combine the veggies into a large bowl after they have been in through the food processor - the garlic can just be chopped by hand.  Add olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper.  Stir and put in refrigerator to cool.   The longer it sits the more flavor it will have, give it at least an hour before you serve.  I served with cantaloupe wrapped in proscuitto for a delicious and cool dinner.

Healthy Greek Chicken Wraps with Tzatziki

We had these chicken wraps two nights in a row and they were delicious both times.  This is such an incredibly easy week night meal and great because you can make enough for a couple of meals.  What's not to love about it.  Also, what's not to love about Tzatziki.  I know Greek yogurt is all the rage these days but count me in because it so versatile without all the fat of other spreads.  I substitute in all kinds of recipes and it hasn't steered my wrong yet (although it is the original ingredient for tzatziki).   Anyways if you're looking for something super easy and quick - these wraps are seriously great.

Ingredients:

whole wheat wraps
1lb chicken breasts, cubed
lettuce
sundried tomatoes (or regular tomatoes if you prefer)
crumbled feta
tahini salad dressing or marinade (I used Goddess from Trader Joe's)
hot sauce

Tzatziki:
8oz of non-fat greek yogurt (I love Fage)
1/4 cucumber, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, finely minced (use to taste I love garlic)
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp dill
salt and pepper

Start by marinating the chicken in the dressing.  Let sit for about 1/2 an hour at minimum.  I put the chicken on the grill as kebabs but you could just as easy put in the broiler or use a indoor grill.  Cook until done.  Meanwhile to prepare tzatziki stir in the cucumbers, dill, garlic, lemon juice, salt & pepper into Greek yogurt.  Spread tzatziki on wrap and throw on the rest of the ingredients.  Add hot sauce if you like hot!!

Pork Chop with Dry Rub

 

















The other day I found myself standing in front of the butcher counter at my local grocery store, completely lost.  As someone who only recently started eating red (and by recently I mean about 4 years!) I was in a total quandary.  I didn’t want to spend $27/lb for steak but I also didn’t want to end up with a mouthful of tough chewy meat.  Then my meat angel came and swooped in – he was very clearly a seasoned butcher who took one look and me and decided exactly what I would be having for dinner.  Pork chops.  On the bone.  At $7/lb I couldn’t go wrong and when Ethan got a look at them even he had to admire what I had picked up.  Now I know now all pork chops are equal and I believe these were particularly good quality for the price but they were really tasty and without the cost.

We decided to do something new, a dry rub.  Generally our marinades include olive oil, balsamic or soy sauce.  I happened across a recipe from Simplyrecipes.com (which is just about one of the best places to find any type of recipe you are looking for!) for a dry rub marinade and decided to give a try.  The flavors were insane - without being overwhelming it really gave a boost to the meat.  The chops went straight to the grill and then served immediately.

Ingredients:
Serves 2-4

2 pork chops, bone in

Dry Rub Marinade

1/4 cup cumin seeds
3 Tbsp black pepper
1 Tbsp coriander
2 Tbsp sugar
1 1/2 tsp salt

Method:

Mix together the dry rub and cover the pork chop on both sides.  Grill for about 5 minutes on each side, or until done depending on the strength of your grill. Serve hot!

Greek Quinoa Salad

Nowadays most people are pretty familiar with quinoa.  But what you might not know is what it is, where it came from and why it is considered a “super grain”  To give a very brief background quinoa comes from the high plains regions in Andes and has been used by indigenous cultures for literally thousands of years.  It is full of protein and nutrients which makes it very distinctive compared to other less nutritious grains like rice and wheat.  This is also why it remains such an important part of the local culture’s diet even today.

Quinoa is so versatile and incredibly easy to prepare.  We decided to dress ours up with a Greek spin using a light olive oil, garlic and lemon marinade.  Toss in cherry tomatoes, Greek olives, red onions, cucumber and feta.  The great thing about quinoa is not only is it easy and fast to make – it also makes great leftovers.  It can be served as a main or as a side salad depending on your preferences.

Ingredients:

Serves 8

1 box of quinoa

cherry tomatoes, halved

1/2 cucumber, finely diced

greek olives, diced

crumbled feta

1/4 red onion finely diced

1 Tbsp cilantro, finely diced

Sauce:

1/4 cup olive oil

juice of 1 lemon

salt and pepper

2 garlic cloves

Method:

Follow directions on package to cook quinoa.  Don't forget to wash and drain quinoa first - VERY important!  Once cooked put quinoa in a large bowl and let cool.  Combine tomatoes, cucumbers, onions and cilantro in bowl.  Meanwhile combine garlic, lemon juice and salt & pepper in a food processor or blender.  Slowly add olive oil until well mixed.   Toss vegetables, feta in with quinoa and mix with sauce.  Serve cold or at room temp. 

Turkey Burgers

With summer right around the corner, the time has come to start putting a little extra work into getting in shape and with that of course is an improved diet.  Now I would say that I am always trying to find ways to eat healthy without sacrificing too much on flavor.  One of my all time favorite compromises is the turkey burger.  I always opt for the extra lean ground turkey but if you are looking to make the jump from beef start out with the lean option which is 93/7 fat content– it’s still much lower in fat than beef but not full health freak status.  I promise you will not be disappointed.  Another thing I absolutely recommend is using Challah dinner rolls.  They are egg bread and when fresh are soft and fluffy and the idea vehicle for maximum meat and veggies - with of course the main goal being able to fit the burger in your mouth!

Ingredients:

Serves 4

1lb extra lean ground turkey

2 Tbsp planko crumbs

1 egg 

2 Tbsp bbq sauce

challah buns

1 avocado, thinly sliced

extra sharp cheddar 

pickles

condiments

Method:

Combine the turkey, egg, planko crumbs and bbq sauce into burger patties and throw on the grill until done, about 10 minutes depending on your grill.  Add cheese if using.  You can also cook on the stove top (if it's not grilling season)!  Add condiments, toast bun and assemble and you are ready to eat!  Such an easy and healthy meal!

Tuna Kebabs with Caesar Salad and Pesto Pasta Salad

Although the weather has been hit or miss this spring it is unquestionably grilling season.  Ethan is the man behind the grill but we make a great team pulling together a complete meal.  Yesterday he came home from the Union Square Farmers market with 2lbs of fresh tuna and it was quickly decided to make tuna kebabs.  On the side we agreed on a pesto pasta salad and Caesar salad with fresh croutons - a slightly random combination but it seemed appropriate on one of the first summer days of the year.  With a crew of hungry yet very appreciative guys, I wanted to keep it healthy but also make sure no one walked away unsatisfied.  

Tuna Kebabs
Serves 6

Ingredients:

2lbs fresh tuna, cubed
1 red onion, quartered
1 carton button mushrooms, washed and de-stemmed
2 green peppers, chopped in larger pieces
olive oil

Marinade:

1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup white wine
juice of 1 lemon
1 Tbsp fresh thyme
salt & pepper

Method:

Combine ingredients for marinade and add tuna in bowl; let stand for 30 minutes.  Soak wooden skewers if using.  Add vegetables large bowl and cover in olive oil.   Build kebabs by alternating tuna, onion, mushrooms and green peppers.  Grill for 10 minutes or until fish is cooked. Serve hot.

Pesto Pasta Salad
Serves 6-8

Ingredients:

1 box of pasta, I used bow ties
3-4 Tbsp fresh pesto sauce
Parmesan cheese, fresh grated
1 container cherry tomatoes, halved
1 Tbsp olive oil
Pine nuts (optional)

Method:

Because I wanted to give the pasta time to cool, I cooked the pasta about an 1 hour before dinner.  Once the pasta is cooked, drain and put in bowl with a little olive oil (so the noodles don't stick to each other) and place in the refrigerator to cool.  Immediately before serving mix in pesto sauce, grated parmesan, pine nuts (is using) and cherry tomatoes.  Make sure pesto evenly coats the pasta. 

Caesar Salad with Fresh Croutons
Serves 6-8

Ingredients:

2 heads of Romaine lettuce
Caesar salad dressing, to taste
Parmesan cheese, grated
Juice of 1/4 lemon
1/2 loaf of bread, diced
salt & pepper
1 tsp italian herb seasoning
olive oil

Method:

Wash and dry lettuce and cut into bite side pieces, set aside.  Meanwhile dice bread into bite size pieces.  Toss with olive oil, herb seasoning and salt & pepper.  Place on baking sheet and bake at 400 degrees for about 15 minutes.  Make sure to shake the pan a couple times to ensure all an even browning.  Remove from oven and let cool.  Add to lettuce with parmesan cheese and lemon juice. Toss with salad dressing and add fresh cracked pepper if desired.

Gnocchi with Vodka Sauce

After an epic 14 mile walk, I decided I could take the night off from cooking healthy.  And let me just say, I'm so glad I did.  I've never made a vodka sauce before, truthfully I wasn't even sure if the recipe would actually called for vodka; for the record it does.  It's also incredibly easy to make, I used fresh gnocchi but you any pasta you have would be totally fine.  This is a great meal because it looks fancy but it's actually wildly simple.   I adapted this recipe from two recipes I found on the Food Network, Giada Laurentiis' Penne with Vodka Sauce and All Recipes, Easy Vodka Sauce.  I basically took ingredients from each and created my own recipe, which in my opinion, is the best way to cook because you can get exactly what you enjoy the most!

Ingredients:
Serves 4

1lb of fresh gnocchi (or any pasta)
1 28oz can of whole tomatoes
1/2 onion, finely diced
1 tsp olive oil
1/2 cup of cream
1/2 cup of vodka
1/4 cup grated Parmesan plus extra for serving

Method:

Put diced onions in heated skillet with olive oil, saute until onions are lightly browned.   Add vodka and reduce for about 10 minutes or until most of the vodka has burned off.  Add tomatoes, simmer for about 15 minutes.  Add cream and let simmer for about 20 more minutes.  Stir occasionally.  Once sauce has reduced to a thicker consistency stir in grated Parmesan cheese.  Meanwhile, if you're using fresh gnocchi boil hot water and cook for about 2-3 minutes or until gnocchi floats, drain and serve with vodka sauce. 

Poulet en Papillote and Roasted Carrots & Radishes

This is such an incredibly easy, healthy and absurdly delicious way to cook chicken.  En Papillote "In Parchment" is a french technique where food is cooked in a parcel.  It is so wonderful because it keeps in the moisture and you can really taste the difference in the chicken.  I found this recipe on the Sophistimom blog and I knew I had to try it!  Start with parchment paper and then you can put just about anything in there; I know a lot of people are using this technique to cook their Thanksgiving turkeys since it is generally such a dry meat.  Anyways I encourage everyone to try it!  I served the chicken with roasted carrots and radishes.  I have really been into radishes lately; it is such an overlooked vegetable but they really offer such a peppery and unique flavor.

Poulet en Papillote
Serves 4

Ingredients

1lb boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 shallot, thinly sliced (a sweet onion would be fine to)
a couple sprigs of thyme
fresh tarragon if you have it, I didn't and used a pinch of dried
olive oil
salt & pepper
parchment paper

Method

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  Place cleaned chicken a large sheet of parchment paper on a roasting pan.  Drizzle with olive oil and use a brush to make sure it's totally covered.  Cover with shallot, thyme, tarragon and salt & pepper.  Roll parchment paper into a pouch and try to make sure it's air tight (you want to make sure to keep in all the moisture).  Cook for 25-35 minutes depending on the size of your chicken.  Remove and serve hot.


Roasted Carrots & Radishes
Serves 4

Ingredients

6-8 carrots, sliced into large medallions (my carrots were too thin for medallions so I just cut into pieces)
1 bunch of radishes, halved or quartered depending on size
olive oil
sea salt

Method

Since I already have the oven at 350 for the chicken I just left it at that but if you're just roasting vegetables I'd turn it up to 400 degrees.  Toss sliced carrots and radishes in a bowl with olive oil until completely covered; sprinkle generously with salt.  Lay flat on a baking pan.   Bake for 15 minutes and flip or give pan a good shake.  Roast for another 10-15 minutes or until browned but now burned.  

Healthy Chicken Enchiladas

I wouldn't normally classify enchiladas as a particularly healthy meal but there are definitely ways to enjoy enchiladas without all the fat.  The first is by limiting the amount of cheese you use.  My cheese grater is meant for lighter cheeses like parmesan which you would want to sprinkle on top of pasta, I use it for everything.  I can cover a pan of enchiladas using half the amount of cheese called for in a recipe, thus cutting down significantly on the fat content.  I also use whole wheat tortillas and substitute cream cheese for low fat greek yogurt.  The best part is I don't feel like I've sacrificed the taste at all but I also don't walk away feeling guilty for stuffing my face with enchiladas!  Enchiladas are also great because you can get a couple days worth of meals from one pan; which saves time and money.  This is a super easy recipe that I've adapted through many attempts, you can add or replace the ingredients depending on your preferences.

Ingredients
Makes 1 pan

whole wheat tortillas
1 14oz can of enchiladas sauce
2 skinless chicken breasts
1 onion, diced
1 bell pepper, chopped
Monterey Jack cheese
low fat greek yogurt
1 tbsp olive oil
hot sauce, to taste
1 avocado
salt and pepper to taste

Method

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat olive oil in skillet, when hot add onions.  Cook for 5 minutes; add bell pepper and salt & pepper to taste.  Remove from heat once sufficiently browned, about 5 more minutes and remove from heat. I prefer to poach my chicken but you could also bake, broil or saute depending on your time.  For poaching, slice chicken into strips and place into boiling water of a sauce pan.  Depending on size of your strips should take about 8 minutes.  Once completely cooked, remove from pan and let cool.  Once cool, using two forks shred chicken.  Add chicken to the onions and peppers - if you have extra sauce you can add a little to the mixture.  You can also add cheese, if you're trying to be extra healthy then skip this step!  Meanwhile pour about 2 Tbsp or enough to cover the bottom of a casserole dish with Enchilada sauce.  Pour extra enchilada sauce on plate and cover both sides of each tortilla, I used a brush to make sure they were completely covered.  Start placing each tortilla in the pan and stuff with filling, roll up when full, repeat until pan is full.  Shred cheese over the pan and bake for about 10 minutes or until cheese and sauce are bubbling.  Sprinkle with hot sauce, avocado slices and greek yogurt. Serve hot. 

Fresh Linguine with Spicy Sausage

No matter how good the food is or how plentiful the wine is there is no substitute for great company.  With all my best friends in town and after an eventful weekend of food, drink and exploring the city we decided to hit up two iconic food markets and make dinner at home for their last night.  We started at Murray's Cheese Shop on Bleecker Street where we picked up some fresh linguine.  We easily could have done all our shopping there but we also wanted to go check out Eataly, which I have previously avoided due to the crowds, but figured on a Monday afternoon we should be all right.  Eataly is notoriously expensive and there is plenty of truth to that, but we were able to walk out there without spending too much.  However, if were to do a complete grocery shop there or sit in for a meal you could certainly make a dent in the wallet.  We picked up some incredible olives with a citrus seasoning as well as a loaf of rustic olive bread, which was expensive, but incredibly delicious.  From the butcher shop, we picked up some spicy sausage.  The sausage was incredibly flavorful with just the right amount of kick and no more expensive than what you'd find in Whole Foods.  For those of you who don't live in New York City, grocery shopping at Whole Foods is one of the more reasonable places to shop, unbelievable I know, but that's my justification for using Whole Foods prices as a comparison.  

Ingredients:

4-6 Spicy Italian sausage links
1lb Fresh pasta
1 48oz can of crushed tomatoes
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 onion, chopped
Olive oil

Method:

Start by sauteing the sausages in a pan with a splash of olive oil.  Once brown on all sides, slice into medallions.  Meanwhile, saute chopped onions in olive oil until they start to brown, add the red bell pepper, about 15 minutes.  Add tomato sauce and sausage,  simmer on low until ready to serve.  In a large pot boil water for fresh pasta.  Fresh pasta takes 1/2 the time for normal pasta to cook. Taste and drain when you reach desired texture.

Serve with fresh bread and an arugula salad with a lemon dressing and grated Parmesan.

Banana Bread with Blueberries

I have wanted to make banana bread for a while now, unfortunately I never seem to have overly ripe bananas.  Finally I looked in the fruit basket and there lay 3 bananas, just screaming to be made into a delicious banana bread.  So that's just what I did.  I found this recipe on Simply Recipes and then modified it to my liking.  I love adding blueberries because they are so juicy and tasty.  I used fresh but frozen are perfectly fine.

Ingredients:
Makes 1 pan

4 ripe bananas, smashed
1 pint of blueberries (fresh or frozen - if frozen defrost before use)
1/3 cup melted butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
Pinch of ground cloves
Pinch of salt
1 1/2 cup of flour

Method:

Preheat the oven to 350°F.  Mix butter into the smashed bananas in a large mixing bowl - I used a mashed potato utensil to smash the bananas. Combine in the sugar, egg, vanilla, then the spices. Sprinkle in the baking soda and salt and mix. Add the flour last, and slowly fold into mixture. Pour batter into a baking pan - I used a round cake pan but I think a loaf pan may be more ideal.  Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, or until your fork comes out clean when inserted.  Let cool on rack and serve when ready.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Chicken tortilla is one of my favorite soups - it's full of flavor but still light and healthy.  Soup is so great because you can make enough to freeze and pull it out whenever you don't feel like cooking.  I used homemade chicken stock, I've included the recipe below, but you can use any store bought stock if you don't feel like making your own.  I also used leftover chicken from the roast chicken I made earlier but you can also use new chicken breasts for this recipe. 

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, diced
1 1/2 jalapeno, de-seeded and finely diced
1 14oz can diced tomatoes
1 14oz can black beans
3 chicken breasts
6 cups chicken stock (homemade recipe below)
juice of 1 lime
salt and pepper
tortilla chips
1 avocado
cilantro, finely chopped or if you don't have that I just threw in about a tsp of ground coriander
cheese, Monterrey is good but anything you have should be okay

Method:

In large soup pot heat olive oil and add onions, cook for about 2 minutes and then add garlic and jalepenos and cook for another minute.  Add tomatoes, chicken stock, beans, salt and pepper - bring to a boil.  Once you reach boiling turn heat down to simmer.  If you are using uncooked chicken breasts add to soup now.  I might cut into large strips.  (If you are using leftover pre-cooked chicken do not add to soup yet). Let the soup simmer for about 25 minutes.   Remove chicken and use forks to shred - set aside.  Add lime juice and cilantro to pot.  Take shredded chicken and place in serving bowls, ladle broth over the chicken.  Top with tortilla chips and slices of avocado.


Homemade Chicken Stock
Makes about 12 cups

Making chicken stock is incredibly easy and it just makes me feel better about eating homemade soup since I know exactly what I will be eating.  I usually make roasted chicken about once a month and then make chicken stock with the bones.  Here's what you'll need to do for a very basic and delicious chicken stock.

Ingredients:

1 chicken picked down to bones
3 carrots, unpeeled
1 onion, quartered (doesn't need to be peeled)
3 stalks of celery
salt and pepper
2 bay leaves
Approximately 10 cups of water (more or less depending on the size of your soup pot) 

Method:

Place chicken in soup pot.  Fill water so just the top of the chicken is sticking out (about 1 inch).  Add onion, carrots, celery and bay leaves.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  I cut the carrots and celery in half so they fit into the pan easily.  Bring to boil.  Once bowling turn heat down and simmer uncovered for about 4 hours.  Skim top with spoon to remove any scum.  If you need to add more water to ensure you have a full pot of stock. Put in tupperware and freeze whatever you're not using.  A friend of mine who just happens to be a professional chef, told me to pour stock into an ice cube tray to use for sauces which I thought was a brilliant idea.