White Turkey Chili

October 24, 2008 by Susan

I have been having a love affair. With chili. It’s not even funny, I really love chili – it’s well known among my friends and family. It’s become a joke now, come to think of it. If I at all need to be ‘bribed’ to go somewhere the final temptation is a mention that chili will be served. Works every time.

I do make the traditional chili with tomatoes and chop meat, I’ve been making it for years. I recently decided to spread my wings a bit and try a white chili and I’ve been pleasantly surprised! It’s still chili, but it’s different…a nice different. It’s lighter, since I’m using turkey meat, and I’m sure more healthy. The spices are somewhat similar as a normal chili, however, this one is made with chicken stock and tons of cilantro. And if you’ve read my Tuna Fish Sandwich post you know just how I feel about cilantro. The other new (for me) and interesting ingredient in this chili is poblano peppers. The poblano is a mild chili pepper that is green and smaller than a green bell pepper. Most of the heat is found in the ribs and seeds, so if you shy away from spicy foods, be sure to remove them all. They provide a nice, gentle kick to this chili. My local market doesn’t sell them but I was able to find them at the Union Square Farmer’s Market. If you can’t find them you can use three regular green peppers and maybe one small jalapeno pepper (seeds and ribs removed). Here’s what poblano peppers look like…

I was also able to pick up some fresh corn at the farmer’s market, so I cut the kernels off and added them to the chili. If you don’t have fresh corn, by all means just add a small can of corn, or even frozen. I do like how this chili is mostly white and green with just a few flecks of orange from the carrots and yellow from the corn.

Another strange ingredient in this chili is barley. I just took it upon myself to throw some in, for the heck of it. You don’t really need it. I just like knowing it is in there, and I think it helps thicken things up a bit. As with regular chili, this version improves as it sits in the fridge.

And let’s not forget the bread! For me it’s essential to have a very crunchy piece of whole grain bread to go along with this. I love the crunch!

For all you traditionalists out there, give this version a try, you just might like it.

Here’s what you will need to serve 4-6 people…

Recipe

1 tbsp olive oil

1 medium onion, diced

2 stalks celery, diced

1 small carrot, diced

1 large ear of corn, kernels removed

3 medium poblano peppers, seeds and ribs removed, diced

1 small green bell pepper, diced

2 cloves garlic, grated

1 1/2 heaping tsp ground cumin

3/4 heaping tsp ground coriander

1/2 heaping tsp cayenne pepper

1 heaping tbsp chili powder

1 tsp oregano

1 pound ground white turkey meat

1 15 oz cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

1 15 oz can chick peas, drained and rinsed

5 cups chicken stock, low sodium

2 tbsp barley (optional)

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

salt & pepper

**bread slice and one clove garlic (optional)

Method

Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onions, celery, carrot, peppers and cook, stirring occasionally until soft, roughly 8 minutes. Add the garlic, cumin, coriander, cayenne, oregano and chili powder, stir to mix and cook for one minute.

Slide the mixture to the side of the pot, add the turkey and cook for 2-3 minutes, breaking up the meat into small pieces with the back of the spoon. Cook until no longer pink. Add salt & pepper to taste.

In a blender, puree 1/2 cup total of both chick peas and cannellini beans with 1/2 cup of chicken stock. Add puree to the pot with the remainder of the beans. Add chicken stock , corn and half of the chopped cilantro, stir and bring to a boil. At this point, if you decided to use barley, add it to the pot now. Reduce heat and simmer, partially covered for 30 minutes. Add most of the remaining cilantro to the pot and stir. Divide into serving bowls and sprinkle with last remaining chopped cilantro.

Toast bread. Once removed and still hot, gently rub garlic over hot bread.

White Turkey Chili

Author: Feasts And Fotos

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1 small carrot, diced
1 large ear of corn, kernels removed
3 medium poblano peppers, seeds and ribs removed, diced
1 small green bell pepper, diced
2 cloves garlic, grated
1½ heaping tsp ground cumin
¾ heaping tsp ground coriander
½ heaping tsp cayenne pepper
1 heaping tbsp chili powder
1 tsp oregano
1 pound ground white turkey meat
1 15 oz cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 15 oz can chick peas, drained and rinsed
5 cups chicken stock, low sodium
2 tbsp barley (optional)
¼ cup chopped cilantro
salt & pepper
**bread slice and one clove garlic (optional)

Method

Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onions, celery, carrot, peppers and cook, stirring occasionally until soft, roughly 8 minutes. Add the garlic, cumin, coriander, cayenne, oregano and chili powder, stir to mix and cook for one minute.
Slide the mixture to the side of the pot, add the turkey and cook for 2-3 minutes, breaking up the meat into small pieces with the back of the spoon. Cook until no longer pink. Add salt & pepper to taste.
In a blender, puree ½ cup total of both chick peas and cannellini beans with ½ cup of chicken stock. Add puree to the pot with the remainder of the beans. Add chicken stock , corn and half of the chopped cilantro, stir and bring to a boil. At this point, if you decided to use barley, add it to the pot now. Reduce heat and simmer, partially covered for 30 minutes. Add most of the remaining cilantro to the pot and stir. Divide into serving bowls and sprinkle with last remaining chopped cilantro.
Toast bread. Once removed and still hot, gently rub garlic over hot bread.

Quinoa Porridge

October 18, 2008 by Susan

It’s gotten a bit chilly in New York in the past day or so. It’s perfect weather for a nice hot breakfast to start the day. I love oatmeal and have been having it for breakfast during the colder months for many years. I just recently tried switching things up a bit and making my regular oatmeal (porridge) with quinoa instead. And I have to tell you, I like it better! And I like using the word porridge better now too!

As you might know quinoa is a gluten free amino-acid rich protein seed (not a grain although it is often referred to as one) that is native to South America. The protein it supplies is a complete protein which means it contains all 9 essential amino acids. It is close to one of the most complete foods in nature because it contains amino acids, enzymes, vitamins and minerals, fiber, antioxidants and phytonutrients. Whew! These guys pack a punch.

It’s a nice change from the plain old oatmeal and I prefer the texture of the quinoa version much better. It is fluffy and has a slightly crunchy texture. And here is something interesting…I have noticed that the quinoa version sustains me far longer than traditional oats do, and trust me, I have a very healthy appetite and am almost always hungry!

This combination of the walnuts, cranberries and raisins is my favorite. I especially like the walnuts because I like having that crunch. I find that I search out the walnuts with every spoonful. You can certainly add any other nuts and dried fruits you love or some fresh ones like blueberries or chopped apples. I even like adding a few slices of bananas sometimes. There are many different variations you can try.

I love starting my day with this breakfast. It’s warm and comforting, it fills me up and is very yummy.

Here’s what you need to serve one hungry person…

Recipe

1/2 cup uncooked quinoa

1/2 cup water

1 cup milk

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1 tbsp chopped walnuts

1 tbsp dried cranberries

1 tbsp raisins

1 tsp agave nectar (honey)

1 tsp plain yogurt (optional)

Method

Add quinoa, water, cinnamon and 1/2 cup of the milk in a pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until most of the water has been absorbed. Add the remaining 1/2 cup of milk, walnuts, cranberries and raisins and allow to simmer for about 5 minutes or until it reaches your desired consistency (it will gradually get thicker). Once it reaches the consistency you like, add the honey and the yogurt (yes, yogurt!) and stir to combine. Adding some yogurt might seem odd to some of you, but trust me, it provides a lovely silky consistency.

Quinoa Porridge

Author: Feasts And Fotos

Ingredients

½ cup uncooked quinoa
½ cup water
1 cup milk
¼ tsp cinnamon
1 tbsp chopped walnuts
1 tbsp dried cranberries
1 tbsp raisins
1 tsp agave nectar (honey)
1 tsp plain yogurt (optional)

Method

Add quinoa, water, cinnamon and ½ cup of the milk in a pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until most of the water has been absorbed. Add the remaining ½ cup of milk, walnuts, cranberries and raisins and allow to simmer for about 5 minutes or until it reaches your desired consistency (it will gradually get thicker). Once it reaches the consistency you like, add the honey and the yogurt (yes, yogurt!) and stir to combine. Adding some yogurt might seem odd to some of you, but trust me, it provides a lovely silky consistency.

Vegetable Stuffed Peppers

October 15, 2008 by Susan

I had no idea how nutritious red peppers are! They are an excellent source of vitamins C and A and they contain lycopene, a powerful antioxidant that helps neutralize free radicals (bad things) that cause some types of cancers and heart disease. Surprisingly, red peppers contain almost three times the amount of vitamin C as green peppers. Poor green peppers, they just aren’t up to snuff.

Traditionally, stuffed peppers are made with chop meat. I do make the meat version at times, however, I like to keep things on the healthy side over here, so I try to make it with mostly veggies now, or sometimes I will add some ground turkey. All versions are delicious. I like to bring a stuffed pepper with me to work for lunch, and since I make 4 or 5 of them I eat one a day, everyday for lunch that week. And NO, I don’t get sick of it! They are so delicious, healthy and filling. A complete meal stuffed inside a nutritionally packed red pepper. What more could I ask for?

Here’s what you will need to make approximately 6 peppers…

Recipe

4 large red peppers

1 cup brown rice, cooked

1 large zucchini, small dice

1 large yellow squash, small dice

1 large onion

1 small container crimini mushrooms, small dice

1 can whole peeled tomatoes, mashed up

1/2 cup chopped baby spinach

2 cloves garlic, grated

1/4 cup chopped parsley

2 tbsp grated parmigiano reggiano cheese

pinch dried oregano

pinch pepperoncino

olive oil

Method

In a skillet over medium heat coat pan with some olive oil. Saute the zucchini, squash, onion and mushrooms until slightly softened, roughly 5 minutes. Add grated garlic, spinach, oregano and pepperoncino and some salt & pepper. Cook for additional 2-3 minutes.

Add tomatoes and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for about 15-20 minutes.

While the filling is simmering away, carefully cut out the tops of the peppers and remove the seeds and ribs from the inside of the pepper. It helps to have small hands! I usually discard the tops, but once or twice I did keep them and put them back on top of the peppers for decoration, like little hats. Up to you.

Once the filling mixture has cooked for awhile, add all the brown rice and parsley and stir well. Turn off the heat and add the cheese. Mix well again. I’ll tell you, this sauce (minus the rice) would be perfect over some pasta! Here’s how things should be looking at this point.

Now for the fun part…stuffing! I love stuffing these guys. I use a teaspoon for this. Basically just stuff the filling mixture into each pepper, pressing the filling down into the bottom of the pepper. Fill them way up to the top. Just like this…

In the bottom of a baking dish, I put some water and oil (and some tomato sauce if I have some left over) to keep things moist. Arrange the now stuffed peppers in the baking dish and sprinkle the tops of the peppers with some olive oil. Bake at 375 degrees for about 45 – 60 minutes, or until the peppers have become slightly wrinkly and soft. I prefer my peppers to still have a slight bite to them. Some people like to cook them alot until they are very mushy, again – up to you. As I said, I like mine with a bite, not too mushy.

Get stuffing people!

Vegetable Stuffed Peppers

Author: Feasts And Fotos

Ingredients

4 large red peppers
1 cup brown rice, cooked
1 large zucchini, small dice
1 large yellow squash, small dice
1 large onion
1 small container crimini mushrooms, small dice
1 can whole peeled tomatoes, mashed up
½ cup chopped baby spinach
2 cloves garlic, grated
¼ cup chopped parsley
2 tbsp grated parmigiano reggiano cheese
pinch dried oregano
pinch pepperoncino
olive oil

Method

In a skillet over medium heat coat pan with some olive oil. Saute the zucchini, squash, onion and mushrooms until slightly softened, roughly 5 minutes. Add grated garlic, spinach, oregano and pepperoncino and some salt & pepper. Cook for additional 2-3 minutes.
Add tomatoes and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for about 15-20 minutes.
While the filling is simmering away, carefully cut out the tops of the peppers and remove the seeds and ribs from the inside of the pepper. It helps to have small hands! I usually discard the tops, but once or twice I did keep them and put them back on top of the peppers for decoration, like little hats. Up to you.
Once the filling mixture has cooked for awhile, add all the brown rice and parsley and stir well. Turn off the heat and add the cheese. Mix well again.
Once the filling mixture has cooked for awhile, add all the brown rice and parsley and stir well. Turn off the heat and add the cheese. Mix well again.
Now for the fun part...stuffing! I use a teaspoon for this. Basically just stuff the filling mixture into each pepper, pressing the filling down into the bottom of the pepper. Fill them way up to the top.
In the bottom of a baking dish, I put some water and oil (and some tomato sauce if I have some left over) to keep things moist. Arrange the now stuffed peppers in the baking dish and sprinkle the tops of the peppers with some olive oil. Bake at 375 degrees for about 45 - 60 minutes, or until the peppers have become slightly wrinkly and soft.

Roasted Pepper And Goat Cheese Sandwich

October 9, 2008 by Susan

This is one of my go-to sandwiches on the weekends. After the gym I’m usually ravenous and want to eat something immediately and this sandwich is so quick to make, provided you already have the roasted peppers on hand. I highly recommend roasting the red peppers yourself instead of using the jar kind. It’s so easy, basically all you do is pop them in the oven. The only tedious part is after they are cooked when you have to peel the skins off and get the seeds out. In my opinion, the payoff is worth it. If you roast 4 or 5 peppers at a time, you will have a nice supply in the fridge for up to a week. Well, that’s if you live alone, like I do. Although this sandwich is easy to make it feels sorta…gourmet. And after sweating it up at the gym this simple, gourmet sandwich is a treat I can feel good about eating. This recipe is adapted from Ina Garten.

Here’s what you will need to make 2 sandwiches…

Recipe

4-5 large red bell peppers

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

2-3 cloves garlic, smashed

1 tablespoon capers

1 teaspoon chopped parsley

1 teaspoon chopped basil

5-6 large basil leaves, whole

goat cheese

good bread

red onion, sliced paper thin (optional)

Method

The Peppers:

Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Place the whole peppers on a sheet pan and place in the oven for 40-50 minutes, until the skins are wrinkled and charred. Turn once or twice during cooking. Remove from oven and immediately cover tightly with aluminum foil and set aside for at least 30 minutes. You don’t want to burn your little fingers. Once they are cool enough to handle peel all the skins off each pepper and remove the seeds and stem. Rip the flesh of the peppers into thick strips and put them in a bowl with their juices.

To the bowl add the olive oil, balsamic, smashed garlic, capers, chopped parsley, chopped basil and some salt & pepper to taste. Voila, the peppers are done! I like to let this mixture blend for a few hours or even a day before preparing the sandwich, so the smashed garlic has a chance to flavor the peppers and oil. I prefer to add the whole garlic cloves smashed instead of chopping the garlic, eliminating the risk of eating a raw piece of garlic in the sandwich. It could be potent sometimes. These peppers will stay in the fridge covered for up to one week (if they last that long).

The Sandwich:

For one sandwich: Toast bread. Spread each half with goat cheese. If you love goat cheese (as I do) spread liberally. On top of the goat cheese on one half of the bread lay as many basil leaves in a single layer as will fit on your bread slice. On top of the basil leaves lay the red pepper slices. If you decide to include the red onion in this sandwich now is the time to place those slices on top of the peppers. I don’t always add the red onion as I find they have a tendency to linger long after the sandwich is gone. However, if you are careful to slice them super thin, it’s not so bad. If you love red onion, then feel free to slice to your desired thickness and glob them on. Cover with the other slice of bread and enjoy!

Roasted Pepper And Goat Cheese Sandwich

Author: Feasts And Fotos

Ingredients

4-5 large red bell peppers
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
2-3 cloves garlic, smashed
1 tablespoon capers
1 teaspoon chopped parsley
1 teaspoon chopped basil
5-6 large basil leaves, whole
goat cheese
good bread
red onion, sliced paper thin (optional)

Method

The Peppers:
Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Place the whole peppers on a sheet pan and place in the oven for 40-50 minutes, until the skins are wrinkled and charred. Turn once or twice during cooking. Remove from oven and immediately cover tightly with aluminum foil and set aside for at least 30 minutes. You don't want to burn your little fingers. Once they are cool enough to handle peel all the skins off each pepper and remove the seeds and stem. Rip the flesh of the peppers into thick strips and put them in a bowl with their juices.
To the bowl add the olive oil, balsamic, smashed garlic, capers, chopped parsley, chopped basil and some salt & pepper to taste. Voila, the peppers are done! I like to let this mixture blend for a few hours or even a day before preparing the sandwich, so the smashed garlic has a chance to flavor the peppers and oil. I prefer to add the whole garlic cloves smashed instead of chopping the garlic, eliminating the risk of eating a raw piece of garlic in the sandwich.
The Sandwich:
For one sandwich: Toast bread. Spread each half with goat cheese. If you love goat cheese (as I do) spread liberally. On top of the goat cheese on one half of the bread lay as many basil leaves in a single layer as will fit on your bread slice. On top of the basil leaves lay the red pepper slices. If you decide to include the red onion in this sandwich now is the time to place those slices on top of the peppers. I don't always add the red onion as I find they have a tendency to linger long after the sandwich is gone. However, if you are careful to slice them super thin, it's not so bad. If you love red onion, then feel free to slice to your desired thickness and glob them on. Cover with the other slice of bread and enjoy!

Whole-Wheat Banana Nut Bread

October 2, 2008 by Susan

I really enjoy making quick breads such as this one. I find them extremely comforting and once they come out of the oven I always feel I’ve made something substantial. This particular bread is quite healthy because it’s made with whole wheat flour as opposed to white flour. The bananas provide a substantial and sustainable boost of energy and the walnuts are an excellent source of protein and are rich in fiber and antioxidants. So there is absolutely no feeling guilty about enjoying this bread! Just try not to eat the whole thing in one sitting…

The only planning in advance you need to do is buying the bananas and letting them sit on your counter for a few days until they are good and dark….very dark. Over ripe. I’m a bit picky with my bananas if I’m just peeling one and eating it. It must be yellow, preferably with no spots at all. But when you are making a banana bread, the blacker the better. They become super sweet and moist. And that keeps the bread very moist.

A slice of this bread is great for breakfast or a snack anytime of day – and, honestly you don’t even have to toast it. It’s perfect plain, however, if you are so inclined, feel free to toast up a slice and slather it with some cream cheese or butter (or not for those keeping things on the healthy side). Either way, I promise you that your home with smell intoxicating while this is baking in the oven!

Here’s what you need to make one loaf…

Recipe

1 1/2 cups whole-wheat flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature

3/4 cup sugar

2 large bananas, mashed, very ripe

2 eggs

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Method

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a standard loaf pan (I use a Pyrex).

In a medium bowl stir together the flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside. In a large bowl beat together the butter and sugar until blended. Beat in the banana, then beat in the eggs until completely mixed. Add the flour mixture into the egg mixture in three additions, being careful to not over mix. Stir in the walnuts with a spatula just until blended.

Spread the mixture into the loaf pan and bake for 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean. Cool in the pan for about 15 minutes, then turn onto a wire rack to cool completely.

This recipe is adapted from a Williams Sonoma cookbook.

Whole-Wheat Banana Nut Bread

Author: Feasts And Fotos

Ingredients

1½ cups whole-wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
¾ cup sugar
2 large bananas, mashed, very ripe
2 eggs
½ cup chopped walnuts

Method

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a standard loaf pan (I use a Pyrex).
In a medium bowl stir together the flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside. In a large bowl beat together the butter and sugar until blended. Beat in the banana, then beat in the eggs until completely mixed. Add the flour mixture into the egg mixture in three additions, being careful to not overmix. Stir in the walnuts with a spatula just until blended.
Spread the mixture into the loaf pan and bake for 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean. Cool in the pan for about 15 minutes, then turn onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Lovin The Latte

September 25, 2008 by Susan

Although this is not really a ‘recipe’ I thought I would share how I start every single day right now. And I’m not stopping. Nope. Never. It’s heavenly liquid, I’ll tell ya. Don’t you just want to dive into this?

Everyone has certain things in life they can’t live without. Ok, well, let’s not get overly dramatic with ‘can’t live without’ – that would mainly be water and food. I’m talking about certain things people have or do each day that has become a ritual. A habit. For me, it’s this latte first thing in the morning.

It all started four years ago in Paris. Yup, Paris did it to me. They truly excel in the casual sidewalk cafe arena. I went to a different cafe every morning and had myself a latte, the thing to do in Paris. I loved lazily watching the Parisians pass by while sipping this hot, frothy concoction. So, when I returned to NY I thought why not make it for myself at home? Being Italian, I already had a stove top espresso maker. So that’s exactly what I did, every Saturday and Sunday morning. It was my weekend treat. I yearned for Saturday to come each week!

It was about six months into this new ritual of mine that I thought to myself….why am I limiting this special treat to only on the weekends?! Why on earth am I not having this every single day?! What am I nuts?? So, I started making it every day. And it’s been about 4 years and still going strong. There are mornings that just thinking of having this latte is what gets me out of bed in the morning. There are nights that as I go to bed I am looking forward to waking up to have this latte. Hmmm…good thing I’m not talking about Scotch.

I use either Lavazza or Kimbo espresso coffee. And although I started with regular lowfat milk, I now primarily use Soymilk. Sometimes I throw in a splash of half and half if I’m feeling particularly wild that day! But it’s not really needed, the Soymilk frothes wonderfully. And for a little extra somethin-somethin I always…always…add into my milk, before frothing, a pinch of cinnamon and a touch of freshly grated nutmeg. That’s just how I roll.

My ritual is this…I either sit on my living room couch and sip my latte while looking out the window at the trees in front of my apartment. My cat Billy likes to cuddle up to me during this time, so I pet him and we just hang out. Or, I sit in my comfy ‘romantic’ chair (an antique slipper chair I had re-upholstered) in my bedroom and look out my window at the trees in the back and listen to the birds and watch the squirrels chase each other up and down the trees. They are very active and quite funny to watch. Basically, it’s just a relaxing, quiet, comforting time before the day starts. Before the craziness of the day ahead. And I love starting my day this way.

It truly is a simple pleasure that I treasure. And after all, it’s all about the simple things in life, right?

Steak N Eggs

September 5, 2008 by Susan

Some nights I just don’t feel like making a production out of cooking. In other words, I get lazy. I want something yummy, but quick. I saw Giada make this on her show once and it stuck in my mind, so I thought I would give it a try. I didn’t follow her recipe exactly – I didn’t put olive oil on the steaks because I sprayed my grill pan with Pam that contains olive oil. And, I used some butter to cook the egg in, not olive oil. I used my stove top Le Crueset grill pan and the steak came out great with wonderful grill marks. Next time I might broil it in the oven, in an attempt to not smoke out the place.

I am a big fan of goat cheese and I really like it in this dish. The heat from the egg gently melts the goat cheese so it becomes creamy. And once you cut into the egg, the yolk starts to run and you have a terrific gooey creamy mess to slather on each bite of steak. The parsely adds a nice freshness to this dish. In my opinion, almost everything is better with parsley.

Traditional combination of steak with eggs is most commonly seen on menus for breakfast. But really, it works well for any meal of the day. Personally, I can’t have a steak for breakfast….brunch, possibly. For dinner it was great. This recipe serves one.

Recipe

1 rib eye steak

1 tbsp herbs de provence

1 egg

1 tsp parsley

goat cheese (about a 1/2 inch slice)

salt & pepper

Method

Place grill pan over medium high heat on the stove top. I sprayed mine with Pam, as mentioned above. Season both sides of the steak with some salt and pepper and the herbs de provence. Grill away until it is cooked to your liking. Once the steak is done, set aside on a plate to rest for about 5 minutes. At this time, put some butter in a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat and crack an egg directly into the pan. Season with salt and pepper and cook for about 2-3 minutes. Place the egg directly onto the steak. Break up some small chunks of goat cheese and scatter all over the egg. Lastly, sprinkle parsley and serve.

Giada’s recipe can be found here…

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/everyday-italian/grilled-tuscan-steak-with-fried-egg-and-goat-cheese-recipe/index.html

Steak N Eggs

Author: Feasts And Fotos

Ingredients

1 rib eye steak
1 tbsp herbs de provence
1 egg
1 tsp parsley
goat cheese (about a ½ inch slice)
salt & pepper

Method

Place grill pan over medium high heat on the stove top. I sprayed mine with Pam, as mentioned above. Season both sides of the steak with some salt and pepper and the herbs de provence. Grill away until it is cooked to your liking. Once the steak is done, set aside on a plate to rest for about 5 minutes. At this time, put some butter in a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat and crack an egg directly into the pan. Season with salt and pepper and cook for about 2-3 minutes. Place the egg directly onto the steak. Break up some small chunks of goat cheese and scatter all over the egg. Lastly, sprinkle parsley and serve.

Tuna Fish Sandwich

August 28, 2008 by Susan

You might be thinking – who can’t make a basic tuna fish sandwich?! Well, that’s just it, mine is anything but basic. I jazz mine up. My dad says it seems like alot of work for just a tuna fish sandwich. He just slops mayo on the tuna and throws in some red onion. Probably the reason I never really loved a tuna sandwich while growing up. My version has three ingredients that might seem a bit odd. The first is cilantro. If you are one of those people that does not like cilantro, I feel bad for you. I like it and it really works well in this. The second is wasabi horseradish. It provides the perfect little kick to this sandwich. If you don’t want to mix it in with the tuna because you are frightened of it, you can just spread some on the bread like you would mayo. The third is the avocado. I love avocado! If you don’t like avocado, well, I feel even worse for you than I do those that don’t like cilantro. The avocado REALLY does something spectacular to this sandwich. Once you put it on the warm, toasted bread it starts to melt slightly and provides a terrific creamyness to the sandwich. I really love this version and I promise, it’s not alot of work. It’s simple. Here’s what you do…

Recipe

1 can albacore tuna (in water) drained

2 tbsp finely chopped carrots

2 tbsp finely chopped celery

1 1/2 tbsp chopped cilantro

1 tbsp mayo (or nayonaise)

1/2 tbsp wasabi horseradish (optional)

1/2 avocado

Toasted bread

Method

Alrighty…pop the bread into the toaster. Please pick up some really good bread. I use sliced whole wheat, good rustic bread. Chop the carrots and celery and put into a bowl with the tuna. Add the chopped cilantro. Next, add in the mayo and the wasabi horseradish. I am not one of those people that like alot of mayo, I like just a little, to moisten things. But if you like to drown your tuna fish, then go right ahead, who am I to judge? Toss together to combine. Set aside.

Slice half of the avocado into strips, lengthwise. At this point, the bread should be just about ready. Arrange all the slices of avocado on one of the bread slices.

I usually have one or two pieces left over, which I happily just eat with my fingers. Spoon the tuna mixture on top of the avocado slices and top with the other piece of toast. Voila!

Tuna Fish Sandwich

Author: Feasts And Fotos

Ingredients

1 can albacore tuna (in water) drained
2 tbsp finely chopped carrots
2 tbsp finely chopped celery
1½ tbsp chopped cilantro
1 tbsp mayo (or nayonaise)
½ tbsp wasabi horseradish (optional)
½ avocado
Toasted bread

Method

Alrighty...pop the bread into the toaster. Chop the carrots and celery and put into a bowl with the tuna. Add the chopped cilantro. Next, add in the mayo and the wasabi horseradish. Toss together to combine. Set aside.
Slice half of the avocado into strips, lengthwise. Arrange all the slices of avocado on one of the bread slices.
Spoon the tuna mixture on top of the avocado slices and top with the other piece of toast. Voila!

Baked Fish with Roasted Potatoes and Fennel

August 20, 2008 by Susan

Boy, do I love a one pot meal. Technically, this is a 2 pot meal, but if you make the sauce ahead of time (which I like to do) then this is, in the end, a one pot meal. No reason this sauce can’t be made up to a few days ahead and then just added to the dish at the right time. This recipe was adapted from Cooking Light, I really only made a few changes. The first is, I did not add the fennel seeds, not because I don’t like them, but because I just didn’t have any on hand. (Mental note to self to buy some). Also, I shorted the original amount of orange rind because…well….I was scared. Yes, a little scared to be adding orange rind to a tomato sauce. Just seemed odd to me. But it worked!! So have no fear my friends. A quick note about this Salmoriglio Sauce. You don’t really need it. This dish is wonderful without it. But, if you want to go the extra mile, I’ve included the recipe. I did go the extra mile and made it (very simple) and it is a nice touch sprinkled over the fish just before eating.

This meal is light. It’s healthy. And it’s delicious. And it’s also rather pretty to look at, isn’t it? My version of this recipe serves 4. You might have some extra sauce leftover which would be rather tasty over a little pasta the following night when you really just don’t feel like cooking. So, here’s what you do…

Recipe

3 cups (1 pound) red potatoes, cut into 1/8 inch slices

1 large fennel bulb, sliced thin

1 tablespoon olive oil (roughly)

1/2 teaspoon each of salt & pepper

1 teaspoon fennel seeds

2 garlic cloves

3/4 cup white wine

4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

1/2 tablespoon orange rind

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes, chopped

4 6-ounce halibut fillets (or any other firm white fish)

Method

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Combine potatoes, fennel, 1/2 tablespoon olive oil, some salt & pepper in a baking dish and toss gently to coat. Bake for 30 minutes.

In a skillet on the stove top, heat 1/2 teaspoon olive oil. Add fennel seeds (or not) and garlic, saute for one minute. Add some salt & pepper, wine, 1/2 of the parsley, orange rind (don’t be scared!), oregano and tomatoes; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 8 minutes.

Sprinkle fish fillets with some salt & pepper. Arrange fillets over the potato mixture and then spread the tomato mixture over the fillets. Don’t drown them to death, just coat a nice layer over them, enough so it starts spilling over into the potato/fennel mixture. Bake at 450 for 20 minutes or until the fish flakes easily. Sprinkle with the remainder of the parsley. Sprinkle some salmoriglio sauce over fillets (or not).

Salmoriglio Sauce

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon grated lemon rind

2 garlic cloves, minced

Salt & pepper to taste

Wisk all ingredients together. Easy enough!!

Baked Fish with Roasted Potatoes and Fennel

Author: Feasts And Fotos

Ingredients

3 cups (1 pound) red potatoes, cut into ⅛ inch slices
1 large fennel bulb, sliced thin
1 tablespoon olive oil (roughly)
½ teaspoon each of salt & pepper
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
2 garlic cloves
¾ cup white wine
4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
½ tablespoon orange rind
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes, chopped
4 6-ounce halibut fillets (or any other firm white fish)
Salmoriglio Sauce
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
2 garlic cloves, minced
Salt & pepper to taste

Method

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Combine potatoes, fennel, ½ tablespoon olive oil, some salt & pepper in a baking dish and toss gently to coat. Bake for 30 minutes.
In a skillet on the stove top, heat ½ teaspoon olive oil. Add fennel seeds (or not) and garlic, saute for one minute. Add some salt & pepper, wine, ½ of the parsley, orange rind (don't be scared!), oregano and tomatoes; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 8 minutes.
Sprinkle fish fillets with some salt & pepper. Arrange fillets over the potato mixture and then spread the tomato mixture over the fillets. Don't drown them to death, just coat a nice layer over them, enough so it starts spilling over into the potato/fennel mixture. Bake at 450 for 20 minutes or until the fish flakes easily. Sprinkle with the remainder of the parsley. Sprinkle some salmoriglio sauce over fillets (or not).
For the sauce, just whisk all ingredients together.

Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting

July 2, 2008 by Susan

These cupcakes are exceptional. The combination of the peanut butter icing with the dark chocolate cupcakes….wow! Whoever invented the marriage of peanut butter and chocolate should go straight to heaven. Genius. It’s a favorite of mine. I love how the inside of these cupcakes are jet black, decadent! Although the cupcakes are moist and delicious, the star is truly the peanut butter icing. This recipe makes 12 cupcakes. I made alot of people at work VERY happy.

Before you dig into one of these you might want to grab yourself a glass of cold milk.

Recipe

1/2 cup cocoa powder

2 oz bittersweet chocolate bar

8 tbsp butter

**Melt these over a double boiler, wisk until combined

3/4 cup flour

3/4 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

**Whisk together in a bowl

2 eggs

3/4 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp salt

**Whisk together in a bowl

sour cream – keep on hand for a last minute addition

Method

Now…add the chocolate mixture to the egg mixture and wisk together. Sift 1/2 of the flour mixture into the egg mixture slowly. Stop and add 1/2 cup of sour cream and mix into the batter. Once incorporated, add the remaining flour mixture until combined.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 18 minutes.

Peanut Butter Icing – by Ina Garten

1 cup confectioners sugar

1 cup creamy peanut butter

5 tbsp unsalted butter (room temperature)

3/4 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 tsp salt

1/3 cup heavy cream

Place confectioners sugar, peanut butter, butter, vanilla and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed until creamy, scraping down the sides of the bowl. Add the cream and beat on high speed until the mixture is light and smooth.

As you can see I couldn’t wait to bite into one…