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First in 10 (seven layer dip plus 3!)

5 Feb

First in 10 Layer Dip

(Serves 10-15)

It’s Super Bowl and though I’m blue through and through I decided to go for flavor over flair in my game day apps.  I love a good 7 layer dip.  Anything that transports tortilla chips to my mouth is good by me.  Now take that classic dip and add 3 MORE LAYERS and you’ve got a game day classic.  All in!

2 (15.5 ounce) cans black beans

1 package taco seasoning

4 ounces queso fresco, crumbled

1 (15.5 ounce) jar salsa- I like a thick and chunky with some heat

1 recipe guacamole

3/4 cup sour cream

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1 cup shredded iceberg lettuce

1 cup sliced black olives

1/2 cup sliced pickled jalapenos

1 cup prepared pico de gallo see recipe below

Pico de gallo

1/2 cup chopped fresh tomato

1 tablespoon minced red onion

2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro

2 tablespoons sliced scallions

1 teaspoon lime juice

1 teaspoon olive oil

salt and freshly ground pepper

In a food processor combine black beans (including liquid in can) with taco seasoning.  Puree until smooth and then spread to fill the bottom of a clear baking dish by 1/4 inch. Next, add queso fresco and then salsa and spread evenly over beans.  Top with guacamole, spreading evenly.  Next add sour cream, cheddar cheese,  iceberg lettuce, then olives, then jalapenos.  In a small bowl, mix ingredients for pico de gallo.  Season to taste and strain extra liquid.  Finish 10 layer dip by topping with pico de gallo and sprinkling with a touch more salt.  Serve with corn chips and enjoy the game!

Couscous with Dill, Golden Raisins, and Pumpkin Seeds

27 Jan

Couscous with Dill, Golden Raisins, and Pumpkin Seeds

(serves 10-12)

I made this as a big batch and I was certainly glad I did.  It is an AMAZING snack throughout the day filled with fresh ingredients and hitting on so many cravings at once– while still being incredibly healthy.  It is another one of my go-to lunch options that I make on Sunday and eat throughout the week.

2 cups couscous (cooked according to package instructions–I love using the boxes from Near East– in which case use 2 for this recipe)

1 yellow pepper, finely diced

1 bunch scallions, sliced thin

1 cup mixed pitted olives, roughly chopped

1 cup pepperoncini, thinly sliced

1 cup golden raisins

1 cup roasted and pumpkin seeds

1 cup chopped dill

In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients.  Stir.  Yes, it is that simple! And couscous is one of my favorite grains because it cooks so fast.  If you chop fast, this is literally a 10 minute recipe.  Enjoy warm or as a chilled couscous salad.

Balsamic Glazed Chickpeas and Baby Bellas

23 Jan

Balsamic Glazed Chickpeas and Baby Bellas

(Serves 4 portions)

I find it so helpful to cook on Sundays for the rest of the week.  That way I set myself up for delicious home cooking that I can just grab and go or heat on the fly.  It works out so well not only for my budget but for my time and health as well.  It is much easier to make good choices when you set yourself up to do so.

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided

2 cups sliced white onion

salt and freshly ground pepper

1 teaspoon sugar

3 tablespoons balsamic, divided

1 package baby bella mushrooms, cleaned and quartered

1 (1 13 ounce) can chickpeas

3 cloves garlic, pressed

In a large saute pan over medium-high heat, add two tablespoons of olive oil.  Add in onions and season with salt and pepper.  Sprinkle with sugar and add in 2 teaspoons of balsamic vinegar. Cook for 4-6 minutes, turning several times, until onions have begun to turn translucent and are beginning to caramelize.  Then add in the mushrooms and the remaining olive oil.  Cook another 4-6 minutes until mushrooms begin to tenderize.  Then add in the chickpeas and the crushed garlic.  Finish with remaining balsamic and cook until balsamic has reduced into dish (about 3-4 minutes).  Stir frequently.  Season to taste and serve warm or store for later.  This dish is fine served cold too– it makes a wonderful snack.  Enjoy!

Lemon and Caper Chicken with Roasted Parmesan Asparagus

10 Jan

Lemon & Caper Chicken with Roasted Parmesan Asparagus

(serves 2 for dinner with leftovers for 2 for lunch)

The new year for me is all about simply delicious.  Foods that are naturally well paired, succulent, and enticing not just for their taste but for the ease with which the dishes come together.  Less effort and better results…at least that’s the goal :)

Roasted Parmesan Asparagus

1 bunch of asparagus

3 tablespoons olive oil

salt and freshly ground pepper

2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese

1 teaspoon lemon zest

Preheat oven to 350.  Trim the asparagus so that only the tender stalk is left (I like to snap off the grisly end- that way I don’t just cut to make even stalks– I find I get more tender pieces this way).  Next, line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Rinse asparagus then shake dry and spread along baking sheet.  Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.  Shake it all up a bit- coating all sides and bake in the oven for 10 minutes.  Turn asparagus and continue baking for 8-10 minutes until slightly charred and cooked through.  Immediately cover with grated parmesan and lemon zest. Taste a piece and season to taste with additional salt and pepper.  Serve warm.

Lemon & Caper Chicken

2 chicken breasts

1/4 cup flour

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 lemons juiced

1/2 stick butter

1 cup chicken stock

1 teaspoon arrow root powder

3 cloves garlic, pressed

2 tablespoons capers

salt and freshly ground pepper

Begin by cutting each chicken breast in half length-wise.  Then place chicken filets between two sheets of saran wrap and pound with a mallet until they are about 1/4 inch thick.

Next, dredge chicken in flour and pat excess off.  In a large saute pan, add olive oil and bring to medium-high heat.  Cook chicken in batches, two filets at a time, 2-3 minutes per side till just cooked.

In the mean time, take a medium sauce pan and fill with lemon juice, butter, and chicken stock.  Bring to a boil.  Cook for 4-6 minutes at a boil.  In a small bowl, combine arrow root powder with equal parts water and mix thoroughly.  Add arrow root slurry to the lemon sauce and mix until sauce begins to thicken.

Lower to a simmer and stir in garlic and capers.  Continue cooking 4-6 minutes and season to taste with salt and pepper.  Return 2 chicken filets to the saute pan and cover with 1/2 of the sauce.  Simmer 2-3 minutes till chicken is coated on both sides.  Serve with mashed potatoes and roasted asparagus.  (the rest, pack up for lunch).  Eat your dinner and savor.  Enjoy!

Chimichurri Sauce

31 Oct

Aurora’s Chimichurri Sauce

I fell in love with this sauce the first time I had it.  It is incredibly bright, well spiced, vibrant, and pairs fantastically with grilled red meat.  I wanted to serve patatas bravas with my brunch this morning and thought- why not serve it with an Argentinian rendition of the classic steak and eggs. Thus was concocted the decadent Spanish feast perfect for a snowy weekend in OCTOBER!

4 cloves garlic

1 poblano pepper (seeds included)

1/4 cup Italian parsley

1/2 cup cilantro

1/2 cup mint

1/2 cup basil

5 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

2 large jalapenos (seeds included)

1 lime, juiced

dash cumin

dash garlic powder

(salt to taste)

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth.  Season to taste with salt.  Serve room temperature, drizzled on steak.  Enjoy!

Patatas Bravas

29 Oct

Patatas Bravas

(serves 3-4)

One of my favorite tapas is patatas bravas.  They are like spicy, delicious Spanish french fries.  They serve as a perfect late night bite, side dish, or even as a breakfast.  And they combine so many things I love all in one dish: spice,  fried potatoes, and scallions–not to mention the mayo.  How can you resist?

salt

6 medium Idaho potatoes

canola oil for frying

1/4 cup Tapatio

1/3 cup tomato sauce

1 teaspoon hot smoked paprika

3 cloves garlic, pressed

1 Italian pepper, minced with seeds included

mayonnaise

3 scallions

Fill a medium sized stock pot 3/4 full with salted cold water.  Next, peel and dice your potatoes.  Immediately throwing them into the salted water.  Once all potatoes are cut, turn the heat to high and cook the potatoes for about 20 minutes until the pot is just starting to boil.  Strain immediately and allow to steam dry.

Next, fill a frying pan 1 inch high with canola oil and bring to high heat so that as potatoes are added they will instantly start frying.  (I like to test with one potato slice first–if the oil starts to bubble around it as you throw it into the pan you have reached the correct temperature– but make sure the pan doesn’t start to smoke).

Fry the potatoes in batches, to avoid overcrowding.  Cook each batch about 8-10 minutes- turning from time to time until an medium-brown crust has formed.  Once potatoes are fully fried, remove them to a paper towel-lined plate and season with salt.

As you finish frying, start making the sauce.  In a large bowl, combine Tapatio, tomato sauce, paprika, garlic, and minced pepper.  Mix thoroughly with a fork.  Once all potatoes are cooked and seasoned, toss them in the bowl with the sauce and immediately plate.  Drizzle with mayonnaise (I used a pastry bag to create a latticed look) and top with scallions.  Serve immediately.  Enjoy!

Horseradish Mashed Potatoes

24 Oct

Horseradish Mashed Potatoes

(serves 2-3 side dish)

Mashed potatoes are very simple but their are several tricks to make them super creamy and just a little special.  One- I always love to flavor the potatoes with a strong ingredient: wasabi mashed, cheddar mashed, garlic mashed, or horseradish mashed (which pairs very well with beef).  The next trick is to get a little decadent– butter and cream I’m talking.  You don’t want to do diet mashed when the cold weather hits. You want to make it a little more hearty and a whole lot tastier.

3 cups peeled, diced Idaho potatoes

5 tablespoons butter

3/4 cup whole milk

1/4 cup half and half

3 tablespoons horseradish

salt and freshly ground pepper

Fill a medium stock pot 1/4 full with cold water.  Salt the water heavily and as you are peeling potatoes, immediately add them to the water (step 1: keeping your mashed spuds perfectly white).  Once all your potatoes are added, fill with additional water until potatoes are completely covered. Bring stock pot to high heat and cook for 15-18 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small stock pot add butter, milk, and half and half.  Bring to medium heat but simmer before mixture has a chance to boil. (warming your milk makes it a lot easier to incorporate it quickly into your potatoes and also keeps it at the perfect serving temp.)

Test potatoes with a fork. Once they are tender and mash easily, drain them and allow them to steam dry for 2 minutes.   (remove all water so that the potatoes absorb the cream and butter in its place) After they have steamed, return them to the medium stockpot and work over with a potato masher until potatoes begin to cream.  Add in butter/milk and whip with an electric blender.  Add in horseradish and season to taste with salt and pepper.  Serve warm.  Enjoy- and oh, you will.

Tortilla Espanola

18 Aug

Tortilla Espanola

(Serves 8-10 portions)

I LOVE this recipe! It is so affordable, so satisfying, and so versatile.  Once this omelet has set you can serve it in a pie slice, as a side, or as a main course (breakfast, lunch, dinner, or snack) but you can also cut it up into small squares and serve it as a passed appetizer.  Not bad when its main ingredients are also pantry basics: potatoes, eggs, onion, and Parmesan.  I could go on forever-but someone’s gotta eat today so onwards with that recipe.

salt and freshly ground pepper

6 medium potatoes (the ones from the $2 bag at most grocery stores work just fine)

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 large yellow onion, fine dice

5 large cloves garlic, minced

8 large eggs

1/4 teaspoon cumin

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon hot smoked paprika

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup sliced scallions for garnish and finishing flavor

Fill a medium sized stockpot 3/4 full of cold salted water.  Peel potatoes and slice thinly (as you would for scalloped potatoes).  A mandolin works great for this but if you don’t have one, just use a chef’s knife.  Immediately after slicing, add the potatoes to the water to prevent them from browning.  Once all your potatoes are sliced into the pot (the water should cover the potatoes by 1/2 inch), turn the heat to high and bring to a boil.  In about 15-20 minutes once the pot is on a full rolling boil, turn off the heat and strain potatoes into a colander.  Allow them to steam dry and cool.

Meanwhile, in a large saute pan with at least 3 inch deep sides, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and bring to medium-high heat.  Add in finely diced onions and saute for about 4 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper and add in minced garlic.  Cook for an additional 2-3 minutes until translucent, stirring frequently.  Remove from heat and transfer onions to a small bowl.

Next, in a medium bowl add eggs, cumin, garlic powder, and hot smoked paprika.  Whisk eggs and season generously with salt and pepper (you really want to be sure to add flavor to the eggs since they will be the gel that holds this omelet together and imparts that flavor with every bite.)

Add remaining olive oil to your 3 inch deep pan and make sure to spread 0n all sides.  Start to layer in 1/4 of your boiled potato slices, covering the bottom of the pan with your first of 4 layers.  Add 1/4 of onion and garlic mixture and top with 2 tablespoons of Parmesan.  Repeat until you have used all your potatoes, onions, and cheese (you should have about 4 layers). Pour egg mixture over potatoes and shake pan lightly to settle ingredients and ensure that you have layered evenly.  (I even run a spatula over the top a couple times to press the mixture as well.)

Bring the heat to high and cook uncovered for 10 minutes (you want to develop a beautiful crust on the outside).  Next, reduce heat to medium-high and cover and cook an additional 10 minutes.  Remove from heat, uncover, and allow to cool for 10 minutes.  Run a spatula around the sides of the pan, carefully.  Then put a flat plate on top of the pan and quickly flip the omelet to the plate.  Slice with a sharp knife (I used a serrated bread knife and it sliced perfectly), top with sliced scallions, and serve immediately for a warm omelet or refrigerate for tapas, appetizers, and other meals.  You can make this ahead of time and is a sure hit for a party.

Sesame Chicken Salad Slaw

8 Aug

Sesame Chicken Salad Slaw

(serves 3-4)

For a low fat alternative to your basic chicken salad–this salad is great.  Fresh herbs and vegetables boost the flavor while keeping the calories at bay.  Easy to assemble and extremely refreshing this salad makes a great light lunch, snack, or addition to your picnic.

2 cups cooked and shredded chicken (about 1 chicken breast boiled and shredded)

1/2 teaspoon sesame oil

3 cups shredded Napa cabbage

1 cup shredded carrot

1 cup thinly sliced radish

1 package Ramen noodles (cooked according to package instructions–minus seasoning mix, drained, and long strands cut)

1/4 cup sliced scallions

1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro

1 tablespoon minced fresh basil

Dressing:

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

1 1/2 teaspoons low sodium soy sauce

2 teaspoons teriyaki sauce

1 teaspoon sambal

1 tablespoon sesame oil

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon ground mustard

Garnish:

1/4 cup sliced cherry tomatoes

1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

1 teaspoon poppy seeds (optional)

In a large bowl, combine shredded chicken with 1 teaspoon sesame oil to keep it moist.  Add in cabbage, carrot, radish, and Ramen noodles (it is best to cut the noodles with scissors or a paring knife so that you don’t have extra long strands). Next add in scallions, cilantro, and basil and mix until thoroughly combined.

In a medium bowl mix ingredients for dressing.  Pour dressing over salad and mix until fully incorporated.

To finish, divide your salad into serving portions and top with sliced cherry tomatoes.  Sprinkle with sesame seeds and poppy seeds.  Eat immediately or chill for later use.  Enjoy!

Shrimp and Grits

11 Jul

Shrimp and Grits

(Serves 2-3)

A classic combination that I had for the first time in Louisiana.  When I first tried it the shrimps were so tender and succulent and the broth made the dish.  It was so good as a first course, I wanted to pass over the main course and just order another bowl.  Sometimes you just can’t beat simplicity (though truth be told the dish was deceptive–there was nothing simple about the broth). As I was invited back to the kitchen later and got to see the saucier station–it was no joke.  It sure did smell divine though!

(above is some true Louisiana shrimp and grits)

For my version of shrimp and grits, I kept it a little more on the succulent side and got saucy by adding in some smoked gouda to kick up the flavor on the grits and by grilling the shrimp for a contrast of texture.  Pretty darn tasty.

Shrimp and Grits

2 corn cobs

1/2 pound medium sized shrimp, cleaned, shelled, and deveined

1 lemon, juiced

2 teaspoons seasoning mix (I love Kirkland’s signature seasoning salt with fresh dill.  Also Tony’s Original Creole Seasoning is pretty awesome as well)–other substitutes 1 teaspoon dried/fresh minced dill or 1 teaspoon onion powder mixed with 1 teaspoon smoked paprika.

salt and freshly ground pepper

1 cup quick cooking corn grits

2 1/2 cup shrimp stock

1 cup whole milk

1 cup grated smoked gouda cheese

1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon smoked paprika

minced cilantro/cilantro sprig for garnish

Rinse corn cobs in water and leave damp. Add them to a preheated grill and grill about 3-4 minutes per side, turning as they pick up color.  Corn should be finished in about 12-16 minutes.  Remove from grill and set on a cutting board to cool.

Meanwhile, add shrimp to the grill.  Grill until just pink–they go fast so keep an eye on them.  (I use an electronic grill since I live in NYC but if you are using a standard grill–you can either grill them on top of nonstick aluminum foil or skewer them in water soaked skewers). In about 2-4 minutes shrimp will have fully cooked. After the shrimp are pink, quickly remove them to a medium bowl and season with lemon juice and seasoning.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper then set aside.

By now your corn will have cooled enough to cut it from the cob.  Take the corn kernels and season them with salt and pepper then set to the side.

In a medium stockpot, combine shrimp stock and milk and bring to a boil.  Slowly stir in the grits and whisk until thickened.  Once grits have soaked up most of the broth and have a creamy consistency, add in gouda.  Mix until thoroughly combined then finish with butter and season with salt and pepper.

To plate, spoon a generous helping of smoked gouda grits into a bowl and top with a large spoonful of grilled corn kernels, arrange shrimp on top of corn, and sprinkle with hot smoked paprika. Top with cilantro. Serve warm and enjoy!

This dish goes great with hot sauce!

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