I ran 16 miles yesterday! It was actually a pretty painful run because my right hip and knee were really hurting during the run for some reason, but after the run and today, I'm just having some run of the mill soreness. I'm crossing my fingers that I'm not injured (I don't think that I am) and in the meantime, wearing a pair of Naturalizers that my mom gave me because they didn't fit her. It's seriously like walking on air! Three cheers for old lady shoes! (Not that my mom is an old lady- I'm just saying Naturalizers seem to have a certain cachet among those who are pushing 70. Mom has resorted to such shoes because she has arthritis in her feet.)
In other news, I am cooking a ton of Mark Bittman recipes lately. Partly because I got the Food Matters Cookbook for Christmas (Thanks, Tyler!) and partly because he's been putting some really good recipes online lately. Last night I made a version of the chicken, broccoli, and mushroom stir fry in the article I just linked. I used carrots instead of mushrooms (darling fiance does not share my passionate love of mushrooms), added some shredded cabbage when everything else was almost done cooking, and used some sesame oil to finish the dish. I was really glad I added carrots to the stir fry because they were perfect with the ginger and garlic that the recipe calls for. I'm also pretty thrilled to get back on the veggie band wagon.
As for the cookbook, I can't say enough good things about it. I've poured through the book and dog eared the pages for a TON of recipes I want to try. I really like the approach of using meat as a seasoning rather than the focus of a dish, and I think he's done a good job of making sure that his recipes, despite being low-meat are veggie focused rather than just giant servings of carbs (and the carbs in the recipes are also exclusively whole grain). I think that his recipes are very straightforward and there is a nice balance of ingredients that appeal to me and flavor combinations that I wouldn't have thought of on my own but am excited to try (like navy beans and butternut squash). I also love that he provides tons of recipes for beans!
As for the recipes I've tried out- I made Jook (asian rice porridge, basically- it's creamy, comforting, and full of veggies), red bean and collard green soup (southern, yet healthy!), and pasta with tuna, capers, and tomato sauce (I was surprised by how much I liked this one. Tuna in olive oil is amazing.)
What's your favorite cookbook?
Showing posts with label recipes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label recipes. Show all posts
Monday, January 3, 2011
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Jello Cake
Last night I went to a "bring your favorite childhood food" dinner party (aka Ketchup and Carbfest 2010) and I brought the cake that my grandmommy (mom's mom) always made when I was growing up (frankly, it was either that or spaghetti with ketchup and cheese). It's simple and delicious and much more than the sum of its parts- so I thought I'd share the recipe here. It sounds weird, but I promise, it's pretty much the best thing ever.
Jello Cake
1 box yellow cake mix
1 box lemon jell0 gelatin (not pudding)- oddly enough, the cake doesn't taste lemony
1/3 cup water
1/3 cup canola oil
3 eggs
Combine ingredients and bake in a bundt pan for 40 minutes. Be sure to both oil (or PAM) and flour the pan before you put in the dough b/c I've learned the hard way that this cake loves to stick. Enjoy with fruit or ice cream.
Jello Cake
1 box yellow cake mix
1 box lemon jell0 gelatin (not pudding)- oddly enough, the cake doesn't taste lemony
1/3 cup water
1/3 cup canola oil
3 eggs
Combine ingredients and bake in a bundt pan for 40 minutes. Be sure to both oil (or PAM) and flour the pan before you put in the dough b/c I've learned the hard way that this cake loves to stick. Enjoy with fruit or ice cream.
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Paprika?
I bought some paprika at Greekfest on Friday because it smelled wonderful- however, I have actually never cooked with Paprika before. I used to think it was the colorful but flavorless stuff ubiquitous to deviled eggs and never bothered stocking my pantry with it. If a recipe called for it, I just omitted it, and the recipe usually turned out fine without it.
Now I've known for a while that there is more to Paprika than the low quality stuff languishing in the back of my mom's spice rack, but I never quite got around to smelling or trying good Paprika. Subsequently, I have no idea how to use the Paprika I just bought. I suspect, but don't know for sure, that it is smoked Paprika. Currently I'm planning to sprinkle it over a scrambled egg filled portobello (#68 on Mark Bittman's excellent list of easy summer meals)- hopefully this will be a good idea.
Does anyone have any good recipes involving Paprika for me to try?
Monday, May 31, 2010
Blueberry Braided Bread
Last week, I was having a stressful day and decided to let off some steam in a completely normal way- I decided to embark on a 4 hour baking project after work. And of course, I decided that the best thing to do would be to combine two recipes I'd never tried before. I mean, isn't that what everyone does on a weekday? So clearly not, but baking bread on a weeknight can be done without cramping one's schedule too greatly because there are big spaces of free time built into the process. And, amazingly enough, this project turned out to be a fantastic success.
I wanted to make a braided blueberry cream cheese bread, but most of the recipes I found called for an overnight rise. Finally, I found a recipe for a braided lemon curd and cream cheese bread on Smitten Kitchen that could be accomplished in one night. Ultimately, I chose to combine the bread from the Smitten Kitchen recipe with the filling from a recipe I found on Fresh Loaf, but I ended up making a few changes to both recipes. The bread recipe needed more liquid and a longer baking time for me, and I simplified the cream cheese filling recipe a bit.
Sponge
6 tablespoons warm water
1 teaspoon sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast
1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
Dough:
Sponge (above)
6 tablespoons Greek yogurt
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 large eggs, 1 for the dough, 1 beaten with 1 teaspoon milk and set aside for brushing the bread
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
Filling
2 cups frozen blueberries
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
2 tablespoons lemon juice
8 oz. softened cream cheese
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
First, combine the ingredients to make the sponge. Then set it aside and allow it to rise for 15 minutes. (During this time, I walked the dogs and got ready to go to the gym.)
Next, whisk together the yogurt, egg, sugar, vanilla, and salt. Mix in the sponge, then slowly add the flour. The original recipe called for 2.5 cups of flour, but I only used 2 and 1/3 cups and added a little milk at the end so that all of the flour would incorporate. Knead the dough for 5-10 minutes, place it in a lightly greased bowl, cover it with saran wrap and allow it to rise for 60-90 minutes. (During this time I went to the gym, and stopped by the grocery store to get some cream cheese. I also made my fillings.)
While the bread is rising, heat the blueberries, sugar and lemon juice on the stove until the blueberries are thawed and boiling. Add the cornstarch and allow the berry mixture to thicken while it simmers.
Once the bread has risen and the fillings have been made, roll the bread out into a big rectangle on a piece of aluminum foil (this is crucial). Spread the cream cheese in a long strip down the middle of the rectangle, leaving plenty of dough on either side. Carefully spread the blueberries on top of the cream cheese. (I had some leftover blueberry sauce- I saved it and had it on my yogurt the next day- Yum!)
To make the braid, cut inch wide strips down the sides of the dough on either side. Make sure to cut the same number of strips on each side. Then fold the strips over each other over the filling to form the braid. (Please excuse my blurry camera- I'm not sure what happened...maybe some cream cheese on the lens?)
Transfer the braided bread to a baking sheet (just carefully pick up the foil by holding either end, and then lift it onto the sheet. Allow the bread to rise for about an hour. (During this time, I made and ate my dinner, and cleaned up the kitchen.)
Brush the egg wash over the bread and then bake it at 375 for about 40 minutes. Allow to cool for at least 20 minutes before you slice it.
Saturday, May 8, 2010
Deconstructed Guacamole
My mom's best friend, Doris, is one of my favorite people on the planet. She's an Italian New Yorker (with the temper to match!) who has found herself transplanted to the Mississippi Gulf Coast. She wears tons of jewelry, curses like a sailor when she drives (to the amusement and shock of my mother) and is the sweetest, funniest, most devoted friend you could ever hope to have. I'm terribly fond of her- and happy that she doesn't mind that I tag along with her and mom when I'm on the coast.
Doris sends me recipes, and I've gotten a lot of mileage out of one recipe in particular. It began it's life as an avocado tomato salad, but over the past couple of years, I've slowly altered it. The version I make now, in my opinion, is perfect. I love it because it tastes wonderful, and is a great healthy option to bring to a barbecue or picnic.
The first time I made this, I followed the recipe and intended for it to be a salad. I set it out on the table, alongside salad bowls and tongs, only to watch aghast as my friends dug into it with some chips that happened to be nearby. I haven't bothered with the salad bowls since.
The first change I made after that was to omit the bacon- I guessed, correctly, that serving this as a dip with blue corn chips would provide the same satisfying salt and crunch.
Next, I fiddled with the proportions. These days, when I make a big potluck sized batch, I use 2 large tomatoes, 2 avocados, and 1/2 a red onion. (The batch I made today used 1.5 Roma tomatoes, 1 avocado, and about 1/4 of a red onion- and will be enough for two people to munch on for a day or two.)
Finally, I noticed that while the dip tasted wonderful, it always looked a little brown. I solved this problem by switching from balsamic vinegar to brown rice vinegar. Be sure to add plenty of hot sauce to adjust for the milder taste.
The last time I served this, my friend Katy dubbed it "deconstructed guacamole" which sounds better than my name for it: "tomato avocado dip that is supposed to be a salad."
Deconstructed Guacamole (serves a big group as an appetizer)
2 ripe avocados
2 ripe tomatoes
1/2 red onion
salt and pepper to taste
Chop the onion, tomatoes, and avocado. The onion should be chopped finely, but the avocado and tomato should be fairly chunky. The chunks are kind of the point of the recipe, but you want to avoid getting a big bite of nothing but onion on your chip-- that can be a little overwhelming.
Mix the chopped veggies together, then add salt and pepper to taste.
In a small bowl, mix together the following:
2 T olive oil
2 T brown rice vinegar (I found mine at whole foods- regular rice vinegar would work just as well)
hot sauce to taste (I use about 1/2 a teaspoon of Louisiana Hot Sauce)
These amounts are pretty approximate. I've never liked the classic 3:1 oil to vinegar ratio in most dressing, and to be honest, I tend to mix mine up, taste it, and add more vinegar and hot sauce as needed. As for spiciness- I add hot sauce until I can taste a little heat in the back of my mouth. You don't want the spiciness to overwhelm the dip, but you do want it to have a little kick.
Once the dressing is mixed up, add it to the veggies and let it rest in the fridge for at least half an hour. Serve with blue corn chips. I also think this would be great with grilled chicken or shrimp.
Doris sends me recipes, and I've gotten a lot of mileage out of one recipe in particular. It began it's life as an avocado tomato salad, but over the past couple of years, I've slowly altered it. The version I make now, in my opinion, is perfect. I love it because it tastes wonderful, and is a great healthy option to bring to a barbecue or picnic.
The first time I made this, I followed the recipe and intended for it to be a salad. I set it out on the table, alongside salad bowls and tongs, only to watch aghast as my friends dug into it with some chips that happened to be nearby. I haven't bothered with the salad bowls since.The first change I made after that was to omit the bacon- I guessed, correctly, that serving this as a dip with blue corn chips would provide the same satisfying salt and crunch.
Next, I fiddled with the proportions. These days, when I make a big potluck sized batch, I use 2 large tomatoes, 2 avocados, and 1/2 a red onion. (The batch I made today used 1.5 Roma tomatoes, 1 avocado, and about 1/4 of a red onion- and will be enough for two people to munch on for a day or two.)
Finally, I noticed that while the dip tasted wonderful, it always looked a little brown. I solved this problem by switching from balsamic vinegar to brown rice vinegar. Be sure to add plenty of hot sauce to adjust for the milder taste.
The last time I served this, my friend Katy dubbed it "deconstructed guacamole" which sounds better than my name for it: "tomato avocado dip that is supposed to be a salad."Deconstructed Guacamole (serves a big group as an appetizer)
2 ripe avocados
2 ripe tomatoes
1/2 red onion
salt and pepper to taste
Chop the onion, tomatoes, and avocado. The onion should be chopped finely, but the avocado and tomato should be fairly chunky. The chunks are kind of the point of the recipe, but you want to avoid getting a big bite of nothing but onion on your chip-- that can be a little overwhelming.
Mix the chopped veggies together, then add salt and pepper to taste.
In a small bowl, mix together the following:
2 T olive oil
2 T brown rice vinegar (I found mine at whole foods- regular rice vinegar would work just as well)
hot sauce to taste (I use about 1/2 a teaspoon of Louisiana Hot Sauce)
These amounts are pretty approximate. I've never liked the classic 3:1 oil to vinegar ratio in most dressing, and to be honest, I tend to mix mine up, taste it, and add more vinegar and hot sauce as needed. As for spiciness- I add hot sauce until I can taste a little heat in the back of my mouth. You don't want the spiciness to overwhelm the dip, but you do want it to have a little kick.
Once the dressing is mixed up, add it to the veggies and let it rest in the fridge for at least half an hour. Serve with blue corn chips. I also think this would be great with grilled chicken or shrimp.
Monday, April 19, 2010
Quick Dinner
I made a pretty good, very healthy, quick dinner tonight- chicken with summer squash, spinach, and cheese! I wasn't sure how much seasoning it needed, but in the future I will probably jazz up the basic recipe. All things considered though, it is definitely on the make again list.
1.5 Chicken Breasts (I never really have room for an entire chicken breast so I make 1 for my darling fiance and half of one for me so I don't waste food)
1 yellow squash, thinly sliced (aka summer squash)
2 cups spinach (more or less, I used half a bag of the pre-washed stuff)
3 slices of swiss cheese (any cheese will work)
Basically, I cut the chicken into strips then sauteed it over medium heat in a little olive oil until it was browned and almost cooked through. I added the squash slices and cooked them until they were soft. Then I added as much spinach as would fit into my sautee pan, and stirred it around until it wilted. I seasoned everything with some freshly ground pepper and garlic powder, then put it in a 8x8 glass pan that I had coated with cooking spray. I topped the chicken and veggie mixture with sliced cheese, then baked it for 5 minutes at 375. I ended up adding some salt to my portion at the table. I'd say this took about 30 minutes from start to finish.
In the future, I will definitely saute some onion and garlic before adding the chicken to the pan next time. I think you could really play with the flavor profile of this dish by adding different spices (I think oregano would work well) and ingredients (I'd normally add tomato sauce, but I wanted to have something non-tomato-y for a change). And of course you could use different cheeses in this recipe- I think mozzarella, goat cheese, and feta would all work really well.
All in all I'd say that I'm a fan of this dish. The squash and spinach tasted really fresh, and the cheese made it seem really decadent. The squash and spinach paired really well together, and I never would have thought to combine them on my own. Of course, now I'm envisioning a homemade pizza with tomato sauce, spinach, squash, oregano and goat cheese.... Or an omelet with squash, spinach, and mozzarella....Yum!
In other news, I kicked butt at the gym tonight. I did my regular weights, abs, and pushups workout; then followed it with an 800 yard (that's 1/2 a mile!) swim. I'm really tired now!
Does anyone know a good way to work out your back muscles? I would like my back (and arms, but I think they are progressing nicely) to look really good in my wedding dress, so I'm trying to incorporate more weight lifting into my routine.
1.5 Chicken Breasts (I never really have room for an entire chicken breast so I make 1 for my darling fiance and half of one for me so I don't waste food)
1 yellow squash, thinly sliced (aka summer squash)
2 cups spinach (more or less, I used half a bag of the pre-washed stuff)
3 slices of swiss cheese (any cheese will work)
Basically, I cut the chicken into strips then sauteed it over medium heat in a little olive oil until it was browned and almost cooked through. I added the squash slices and cooked them until they were soft. Then I added as much spinach as would fit into my sautee pan, and stirred it around until it wilted. I seasoned everything with some freshly ground pepper and garlic powder, then put it in a 8x8 glass pan that I had coated with cooking spray. I topped the chicken and veggie mixture with sliced cheese, then baked it for 5 minutes at 375. I ended up adding some salt to my portion at the table. I'd say this took about 30 minutes from start to finish.
In the future, I will definitely saute some onion and garlic before adding the chicken to the pan next time. I think you could really play with the flavor profile of this dish by adding different spices (I think oregano would work well) and ingredients (I'd normally add tomato sauce, but I wanted to have something non-tomato-y for a change). And of course you could use different cheeses in this recipe- I think mozzarella, goat cheese, and feta would all work really well.
All in all I'd say that I'm a fan of this dish. The squash and spinach tasted really fresh, and the cheese made it seem really decadent. The squash and spinach paired really well together, and I never would have thought to combine them on my own. Of course, now I'm envisioning a homemade pizza with tomato sauce, spinach, squash, oregano and goat cheese.... Or an omelet with squash, spinach, and mozzarella....Yum!
In other news, I kicked butt at the gym tonight. I did my regular weights, abs, and pushups workout; then followed it with an 800 yard (that's 1/2 a mile!) swim. I'm really tired now!
Does anyone know a good way to work out your back muscles? I would like my back (and arms, but I think they are progressing nicely) to look really good in my wedding dress, so I'm trying to incorporate more weight lifting into my routine.
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Something to Write About
Inspiration strikes!
I am having some members of my sorority alumni club over for dinner (and a board meeting) next week and I intend to feed them. I looked at Smitten Kitchen for some menu ideas and I think I'll make cranberry walnut chicken salad (minus the celery and with basil instead of taragon, because BLEH) on croissants, with a green side salad, and blondies for dessert. I think I may also make the Israeli salad with pita chips for dipping as a starter, but I haven't decided yet. The burning question is: what should I put in the blondies?
Some of my blondie ideas are chopped dried figs (presoaked in bourbon) + almonds, white chocolate + raspberries, butterscotch chips + chocolate chips....
So please, help me decide! A) Should I make the Israeli salad or not? and B) What should I put in my blondies?
I am having some members of my sorority alumni club over for dinner (and a board meeting) next week and I intend to feed them. I looked at Smitten Kitchen for some menu ideas and I think I'll make cranberry walnut chicken salad (minus the celery and with basil instead of taragon, because BLEH) on croissants, with a green side salad, and blondies for dessert. I think I may also make the Israeli salad with pita chips for dipping as a starter, but I haven't decided yet. The burning question is: what should I put in the blondies?
Some of my blondie ideas are chopped dried figs (presoaked in bourbon) + almonds, white chocolate + raspberries, butterscotch chips + chocolate chips....
So please, help me decide! A) Should I make the Israeli salad or not? and B) What should I put in my blondies?
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Guilt Free Ranch Dip
I mixed ranch dip mix into 2% Greek yogurt instead of sour cream and dipped raw veggies in it as part of my lunch (2 servings!) today. It tasted just like ranch dip but the stats are much better. A cup of 2% greek yogurt (although I had maybe 1/4 to 1/3 of a cup in my dip) has 150 calories and 20 grams of protein. Sour cream has 478 calories per cup and 5.5 grams of protein. Greek yogurt, of course, costs more than sour cream, but I think it is so worth it, especially because you can also sweeten Greek yogurt and eat it at breakfast (which I do on most weekdays).
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Playing Catch Up
I'm briefly diverting my attention away from the million things I have to do, to write a recap post before I forget everything I wanted to write about.
First, Pancake! I got a call back from the vet saying he tested positive for Toxoplasmosis which could explain why he had the seizure. They want to put him on a month of antibiotics to knock out the infection. We still have some questions: Cats get it from eating dead prey- and he hasn't been outside since Nov., but he tested positive for IgM antibodies which is indicative of a recent infection (versus IgG which is indicative of an older infection) so we're not sure how long ago he would have gotten it. But overall, I hope that this is the problem- because I would love to give him a course of antibiotics and then have him be seizure free! Overall though he is doing well and hasn't had any seizures since we brought him back from the vet, so that's good news!
Second, Mardi Gras! Mardi Gras was a ton of fun this year. We went to the Arthurian's ball on Friday night, which is always a great time. On Saturday, we hung out at the Endymion parade with our friends, and on Sunday we went to the Bacchus Ball and had a great time. I'll do a more detailed Mardi Gras post with some cute pictures soon, I promise!
Up next, Work! Tuesday (Mardi Gras day) was a vacation day for my office- and yet somehow I spent it flying to Houston for work. Boo! I thought that meant that I could take Monday off completely to recover from the Bacchus Ball (we rolled in around 3 or 3:30, as I recall) but I had to work about 4 hours on Monday to prep for my work trip. Fortunately, my boss let me work from home. I wish I could wear PJ's to work every day! Anyway, I worked a 10 hour day on Tuesday and a 12 hour day yesterday (which included 10 hours spent in a meeting- ugh!) . I thought yesterday was going to be a 15 hour day, but I managed to catch an earlier flight (which involved running to the gate- who needs dignity?) and got home around 7:30. I was exhausted, but a 12 hour day is so much better than a 15 hour day!
Which bring me to, sickness! I think I am getting sick again. Last night I had a low grade fever and a horrible sore throat and this morning I'm coughing and stuffy. I think I'm having a relapse of the cold that I just got over, so hopefully my immune system will kick into gear and get rid of it quickly this time.
Because I miss running!! I think it has literally been a month since I've run. Having managed to get two (or more) colds in the past two months has really put a damper on my exercise. And whenever I'm well, it has either been cold, raining, or both. Fortunately, my running buddy got in touch with me this week. She's been out of town for med school this month and is eager to get back into our workout schedule. So hopefully I will be feeling better and we can get back into our routine next week! I will give myself credit though because I have actually been going to the gym as much as possible. When I'm feeling pretty good, I've been doing a workout inspired by Angela at Oh She Glows. I crank the treadmill up to an incline of 15% and walk at 4 km/hr for half an hour. (I usually follow that up with some abs work and 20 pushups.) When I'm not feeling so well, I just hop on the elliptical and watch TV. But I've been making it to the gym 2-4 times a week, with the exception of one week when my cold was particularly chesty, so I'm pretty proud of myself for maintaining my good habits! I also rode my bike for the first time in literally a year on Sunday. I needed to get to my friend Sarah's house but couldn't drive there because of parades. I biked there and back home, for a total of 6 miles. I enjoyed the ride, but I definitely remember why I don't ride my bike very often- it bruises my rear! :( I guess it's something you get used to over time, but I hate that about biking! (And yet somehow running induced foot blisters don't bother me....)
Finally, I want to say that I got a shout out on another blog. I tried Smitten Kitchen's Tomato Sauce with Butter and Onions (and so should everyone because it is easy and amazing!) and suggested that Heather at Heather Eat's Almond Butter should try it, and when she did, she mentioned me in her post. So, thanks, Heather! :) I'm glad you loved the sauce!
Okay I think that's all I planned to talk about for now. I hope everyone is having a good week!
First, Pancake! I got a call back from the vet saying he tested positive for Toxoplasmosis which could explain why he had the seizure. They want to put him on a month of antibiotics to knock out the infection. We still have some questions: Cats get it from eating dead prey- and he hasn't been outside since Nov., but he tested positive for IgM antibodies which is indicative of a recent infection (versus IgG which is indicative of an older infection) so we're not sure how long ago he would have gotten it. But overall, I hope that this is the problem- because I would love to give him a course of antibiotics and then have him be seizure free! Overall though he is doing well and hasn't had any seizures since we brought him back from the vet, so that's good news!
Second, Mardi Gras! Mardi Gras was a ton of fun this year. We went to the Arthurian's ball on Friday night, which is always a great time. On Saturday, we hung out at the Endymion parade with our friends, and on Sunday we went to the Bacchus Ball and had a great time. I'll do a more detailed Mardi Gras post with some cute pictures soon, I promise!
Up next, Work! Tuesday (Mardi Gras day) was a vacation day for my office- and yet somehow I spent it flying to Houston for work. Boo! I thought that meant that I could take Monday off completely to recover from the Bacchus Ball (we rolled in around 3 or 3:30, as I recall) but I had to work about 4 hours on Monday to prep for my work trip. Fortunately, my boss let me work from home. I wish I could wear PJ's to work every day! Anyway, I worked a 10 hour day on Tuesday and a 12 hour day yesterday (which included 10 hours spent in a meeting- ugh!) . I thought yesterday was going to be a 15 hour day, but I managed to catch an earlier flight (which involved running to the gate- who needs dignity?) and got home around 7:30. I was exhausted, but a 12 hour day is so much better than a 15 hour day!
Which bring me to, sickness! I think I am getting sick again. Last night I had a low grade fever and a horrible sore throat and this morning I'm coughing and stuffy. I think I'm having a relapse of the cold that I just got over, so hopefully my immune system will kick into gear and get rid of it quickly this time.
Because I miss running!! I think it has literally been a month since I've run. Having managed to get two (or more) colds in the past two months has really put a damper on my exercise. And whenever I'm well, it has either been cold, raining, or both. Fortunately, my running buddy got in touch with me this week. She's been out of town for med school this month and is eager to get back into our workout schedule. So hopefully I will be feeling better and we can get back into our routine next week! I will give myself credit though because I have actually been going to the gym as much as possible. When I'm feeling pretty good, I've been doing a workout inspired by Angela at Oh She Glows. I crank the treadmill up to an incline of 15% and walk at 4 km/hr for half an hour. (I usually follow that up with some abs work and 20 pushups.) When I'm not feeling so well, I just hop on the elliptical and watch TV. But I've been making it to the gym 2-4 times a week, with the exception of one week when my cold was particularly chesty, so I'm pretty proud of myself for maintaining my good habits! I also rode my bike for the first time in literally a year on Sunday. I needed to get to my friend Sarah's house but couldn't drive there because of parades. I biked there and back home, for a total of 6 miles. I enjoyed the ride, but I definitely remember why I don't ride my bike very often- it bruises my rear! :( I guess it's something you get used to over time, but I hate that about biking! (And yet somehow running induced foot blisters don't bother me....)
Finally, I want to say that I got a shout out on another blog. I tried Smitten Kitchen's Tomato Sauce with Butter and Onions (and so should everyone because it is easy and amazing!) and suggested that Heather at Heather Eat's Almond Butter should try it, and when she did, she mentioned me in her post. So, thanks, Heather! :) I'm glad you loved the sauce!
Okay I think that's all I planned to talk about for now. I hope everyone is having a good week!
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Salad Days
Dinner tonight was easy, delicious, and took all of 20 minutes to prepare. I made Salad Pizza! I used the recipe that I linked for inspiration, and went from there. First, I went to Whole Foods and bought some pizza dough. Yes, I know how to make my own pizza dough, but I was feeling lazy. Plus, it cost all of 3 dollars and tasted better than my homemade dough. When I got home, I plopped the dough in a bowl that I had greased with cooking spray, covered it with saran wrap, and let the dough double in size, which took a couple hours. I then stuck it in the fridge until I was ready to use it.
When it was time to make the pizza, I made a quick tomato sauce (though I've been known to use canned spaghetti sauce in the past). I took some leftover canned tomato sauce I needed to use (b/c I had eggs poached in tomato sauce for lunch on Sat.), and heated it up in a pot with a little olive oil, garlic, basil, pepper, red wine, and red pepper. It was probably about a half of a cup of sauce, total. I then spread my dough into my big tart pan (b/c I don't have a pizza stone). I haven't made pizza since getting my tart pan, so I was really excited to try it out as a pizza pan because I am a dork. :)
I topped my pizza dough with the tomato sauce (spread thin b/c I didn't want it to overpower the salad topping) and a thin(ish) layer of mozzarella. I also added some thinly sliced tomato b/c I a) love tomato on pizza and b) needed to use up 1/2 a tomato that had been in my fridge for a while (does anyone see a theme to my dinners?). I baked my pizza at 450 for 15 minutes.
While the pizza was baking, I made my salad. I just took about half of a bag of spring mix and tossed it with some homemade salad dressing. My go-to dressing recipe is olive oil, lemon juice, freshly ground black pepper and Parmesan. I tend to use a little more lemon juice than is called for in the recipe, b/c I like a nice tangy dressing.
When the pizza was done, I topped it with the salad and some prosciutto. I popped it back into the oven for a minute so everything would be warm, but in the future I will skip this step. The heat of the pizza wilted the greens anyway.
The pizza was delicious! This "recipe" is also very versatile. You could pretty much top it with any type of salad you like, and the cheese and tomato sauce on the crust is completely optional. I think it would be excellent with just some olive oil and herbs baked into the crust. One variation I would like to try is grilling. In my quest to figure out how to cook my dough (b/c it didn't come with instructions), I found this video recipe for grilled pizza from Gastrokid (and now I want their cookbook even though I don't have kids) that looked amazing.
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Kale!!
I really love kale. A week or two ago, I discovered that Rouses was selling giant bags of chopped kale and I've become a little obsessed. It started with kale and white beans. I like to simmer several cups of kale with 2 cans of Great Northern Beans,1 can of beer, lots of pepper, a generous dash of hot sauce, a little sausage (optional), and several dashes of Worcestershire sauce for an about an hour. So good! I made a big pot this evening so that I can have white beans and kale for lunch all week!
I've also made Kale and Spaghetti, and tonight I had roasted potatoes seasoned with thyme (topped with hot sauce and ketchup) andsauteed kale (prepared like the kale in the kale and spaghetti recipe) topped with a poached egg for dinner. It was amazing!
I've even tried making a green monster with kale. (Confession- I prefer spinach.)
So if you've never tried kale, I urge you to do so. It has a very mild taste compared to other greens, and it is a perfect addition to hearty winter meals. And of course, it's really good for you!
P.S. I made another Kale recipe today- Chickpea and Kale Stir Fry. It was amazing and took all of 20 minutes. Seriously, go make this now.
I've also made Kale and Spaghetti, and tonight I had roasted potatoes seasoned with thyme (topped with hot sauce and ketchup) andsauteed kale (prepared like the kale in the kale and spaghetti recipe) topped with a poached egg for dinner. It was amazing!
I've even tried making a green monster with kale. (Confession- I prefer spinach.)
So if you've never tried kale, I urge you to do so. It has a very mild taste compared to other greens, and it is a perfect addition to hearty winter meals. And of course, it's really good for you!
P.S. I made another Kale recipe today- Chickpea and Kale Stir Fry. It was amazing and took all of 20 minutes. Seriously, go make this now.
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Festive
I have to post a picture of the first Christmas Tree I've had in 7 years. I know it's awful that I haven't had a tree since I stopped living with my parents. But isn't my little tree pretty? :)
Other than getting a Christmas tree, my weekend hasn't been too eventful. My office party was Friday. It was fun, but I forgot to take any pictures. We looked at wedding venues and bought the Christmas tree on Saturday.
Today I did chores and ran 6 miles. This evening I made a really delicious dinner. Baked Shrimp with Feta. Pro-tip: triple the garlic, which is basically my motto in life. I served this with quinoa instead of couscous and used the shrimp/quinoa combo to stuff baked red bell peppers. It was really good and very easy!
Saturday, November 21, 2009
So good
I've been joking all day that this recipe was developed by a cardiologist in need of patients, but this corn casserole was a hit at the Thanksgiving Potluck I attended today. This is delicious, but incredibly rich- perfect for sharing with a lot of people!
Shelly's mom's awesome corn casserole:
Serves 1 million :)
1 box Jiffy Cornbread Muffin Mix
8oz sour cream
1 can cream corn
1can whole corn (drained)
2 cups shredded cheese (plus more for sprinkling on top)
1 cup chopped green onions (optional)
1/4 cup softened butter
2 eggs slightly beaten
mix all together --pour into greased casserole dish, sprinkle with extra cheese---bake 45 minutes 350 degrees.
Shelly's mom's awesome corn casserole:
Serves 1 million :)
1 box Jiffy Cornbread Muffin Mix
8oz sour cream
1 can cream corn
1can whole corn (drained)
2 cups shredded cheese (plus more for sprinkling on top)
1 cup chopped green onions (optional)
1/4 cup softened butter
2 eggs slightly beaten
mix all together --pour into greased casserole dish, sprinkle with extra cheese---bake 45 minutes 350 degrees.
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Wedding Stuff
It's been almost a month since I got engaged and people have started asking me how my wedding planning is going. My answer is, slowly. In all fairness, we've kind of narrowed the date down to March or April of 2011, so there is plenty of time. On Saturday we're going to look at two potential venues, which I am looking forward to. I want to be able to imagine details of what everything will be like, but I find that to be pretty difficult when I haven't even seen the places where I'm thinking about having the wedding and reception.
Other progress:
We've "envisioned our event," as the knot would say. Basically this means that we have agreed that it will be inside, during the evening, and that the wedding and reception will be in the same place. We favor cocktails and appetizers over a sit down meal.
I know what I don't want in a dress- I am basically going for the opposite of the poofy princess dress. I'd love something fitted and maybe even short. That's all I know- I haven't done much else beyond dismiss the majority of wedding dresses on the internet as entirely too poofy, and wonder aloud if the Jcrew dresses would look good on someone other than Keira Knightly's clone. (I particularly like the second dress I've linked but I don't think it's designed for someone with boobs.)
I have a vague image of white flowers with dark green leaves in mint julep cups.
Oh and I've added a bunch of wedding blogs to my google reader. That totally counts as progress, right?
Other events coming up include my Theta Alumni Club's wine and cheese party tonight (I've made Smitten Kitchen's cheesecake brownies, and urge you to do the same because they are amazing), and a night out on the town tomorrow. We are planning to go to the GAPSA (graduate and professional student association) mixer which gets all the grad students (and their dates) at the various colleges in town together for free drinks; and then we're going to the Marigny to listen to Debauche- The Russian Mafia Band. We keep tossing around the idea of asking them to play at our wedding, but we're worried that they're a little too non-traditional. :) And on Monday my office is having their annual Thanksgiving Potluck which I really enjoy. The food is always really good. I'm making Macaroni and Cheese (also from Smitten Kitchen).
Other progress:
We've "envisioned our event," as the knot would say. Basically this means that we have agreed that it will be inside, during the evening, and that the wedding and reception will be in the same place. We favor cocktails and appetizers over a sit down meal.
I know what I don't want in a dress- I am basically going for the opposite of the poofy princess dress. I'd love something fitted and maybe even short. That's all I know- I haven't done much else beyond dismiss the majority of wedding dresses on the internet as entirely too poofy, and wonder aloud if the Jcrew dresses would look good on someone other than Keira Knightly's clone. (I particularly like the second dress I've linked but I don't think it's designed for someone with boobs.)
I have a vague image of white flowers with dark green leaves in mint julep cups.
Oh and I've added a bunch of wedding blogs to my google reader. That totally counts as progress, right?
Other events coming up include my Theta Alumni Club's wine and cheese party tonight (I've made Smitten Kitchen's cheesecake brownies, and urge you to do the same because they are amazing), and a night out on the town tomorrow. We are planning to go to the GAPSA (graduate and professional student association) mixer which gets all the grad students (and their dates) at the various colleges in town together for free drinks; and then we're going to the Marigny to listen to Debauche- The Russian Mafia Band. We keep tossing around the idea of asking them to play at our wedding, but we're worried that they're a little too non-traditional. :) And on Monday my office is having their annual Thanksgiving Potluck which I really enjoy. The food is always really good. I'm making Macaroni and Cheese (also from Smitten Kitchen).
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Foodie Week and a Great Weekend
I wanted to share a few recipes I tried out this week that were really good. I mixed things up for breakfast by replacing my standard Greek yogurt/honey/fruit/and granola with baked oatmeal. I made a big casserole dish of baked oatmeal with blueberries, almonds, coconut, cinnamon and vanilla and it lasted me for 3 days. It was really good- my advice is to use a lot of spice because otherwise it can end up tasting a little bland.
My dinners this week have been especially tasty. I tried out this recipe for spaghetti with Kale and my dear boyfriend and I both loved it! I also adapted this recipe for shrimp scampi by using scallops and adding broccoli. (I've also actually used it to make some fantastic shrimp scampi too.)
I also made a couple recipe free dishes that turned out very well. I made artichoke hummus by combining 1 can of chick peas and 2 cans of artichoke bottoms (drained) in my food processor with a couple of cloves of garlic, a little lemon juice, pepper, and a drizzle of olive oil.
For lunch, I made a baked bean bowl by putting a can of baked beans over brown rice and topping it with chopped tomato, chopped green onion, cilantro, sprouts, and a little BBQ sauce. It was really good! I find beans and rice to be very filling, but you can always beef it up with some shredded cooked chicken if you want more protein.
This weekend has been absolutely wonderful. Friday night, my dear boyfriend and I saw Opus at the Southern Rep Theater. We both thought it was a great play. The tagline is "Sex, Drugs, and Chamber Music." It's about the dynamic between the members of a string quartet as they get ready to play Beethoven's Opus 131 at the White House shortly after adding a new member (a young woman) to their group of middle aged men.
Before the play, we went to Iris and had drinks and appetizers. Iris is officially my favorite place to go before a play because it is within walking distance of both the Southern Rep and Le Petite Theaters. The bartender is also known for amazing, creative cocktails. My first cocktail, for example, contained elderflower liqueur, basil, and a pineapple balsamic reduction. My second one contained bourbon, vanilla, ginger liqueur, and Thai tea. My dear boyfriend had one drink that contained scotch, gin, and a plum/cardomom syrup. His other cocktail contained Rye, bitters, beet juice and apple juice. They were all amazing. As for food- we split a cheese plate, 1/2 a dozen oysters, and some short rib rolls that were wrapped in lettuce. It was all delicious!
I also got to wear the purple ruffled shirt that I bought last week. I paired it with black pumps and a pencil skirt. I'm glad I got to wear it because a cold front finally rolled in on Saturday.
On Saturday, I started the day off in a terrible mood because the chance of rain was 75% on and off all day. However, it never really rained! I really wanted to go for a run, but was convinced that the second I got out there, the bottom would fall out. Finally, I decided to just go for it. (I brought my phone with me so I could call home for a ride if I got trapped by rain.) I am so glad I did because I had the best run ever! I was a little nervous because of my horrible 8 mile run, but I shouldn't have been. Clearly, the 78 degree weather played a big part- but I had tons of energy and had a great time! I was also thrilled with my pace. I ran a 9 minute mile pace all the way through mile 6 (54 minutes, compared, for example, to my Crescent City Classic time of 62 minutes), and didn't slow up very much for my last 3 miles. I finished the run in 84:16!
On Saturday evening, we were supposed to have a picnic in the park and listen to the LPO, but that got cancelled due to rain (although it never rained!), so instead my dear boyfriend and I grilled out. We had chicken kabobs, mango chili chicken sausage, and sweet Italian turkey sausage (we cooked a ton of meat so we'd have leftovers to eat this week) along with a side salad. I had blue cheese on multi-grain bread for dessert as well. I really love the amablu Gorgonzola. It is a fairly mild blue cheese that is really creamy. It's great spread on bread or alongside a sliced pear.
Today I have been being pretty lazy. I am about to get up, clean the kitchen, and wash the dogs. Later, I am going to go over to Sarah's house to carve pumpkins, eat pizza, and watch Hocus Pocus. I loved that movie when I was a kid!
All in all this weekend has been just what I needed. It's been so nice to relax and spend some quality time with my dear boyfriend. :)
My dinners this week have been especially tasty. I tried out this recipe for spaghetti with Kale and my dear boyfriend and I both loved it! I also adapted this recipe for shrimp scampi by using scallops and adding broccoli. (I've also actually used it to make some fantastic shrimp scampi too.)
I also made a couple recipe free dishes that turned out very well. I made artichoke hummus by combining 1 can of chick peas and 2 cans of artichoke bottoms (drained) in my food processor with a couple of cloves of garlic, a little lemon juice, pepper, and a drizzle of olive oil.
For lunch, I made a baked bean bowl by putting a can of baked beans over brown rice and topping it with chopped tomato, chopped green onion, cilantro, sprouts, and a little BBQ sauce. It was really good! I find beans and rice to be very filling, but you can always beef it up with some shredded cooked chicken if you want more protein.
This weekend has been absolutely wonderful. Friday night, my dear boyfriend and I saw Opus at the Southern Rep Theater. We both thought it was a great play. The tagline is "Sex, Drugs, and Chamber Music." It's about the dynamic between the members of a string quartet as they get ready to play Beethoven's Opus 131 at the White House shortly after adding a new member (a young woman) to their group of middle aged men.
Before the play, we went to Iris and had drinks and appetizers. Iris is officially my favorite place to go before a play because it is within walking distance of both the Southern Rep and Le Petite Theaters. The bartender is also known for amazing, creative cocktails. My first cocktail, for example, contained elderflower liqueur, basil, and a pineapple balsamic reduction. My second one contained bourbon, vanilla, ginger liqueur, and Thai tea. My dear boyfriend had one drink that contained scotch, gin, and a plum/cardomom syrup. His other cocktail contained Rye, bitters, beet juice and apple juice. They were all amazing. As for food- we split a cheese plate, 1/2 a dozen oysters, and some short rib rolls that were wrapped in lettuce. It was all delicious!
I also got to wear the purple ruffled shirt that I bought last week. I paired it with black pumps and a pencil skirt. I'm glad I got to wear it because a cold front finally rolled in on Saturday.
On Saturday, I started the day off in a terrible mood because the chance of rain was 75% on and off all day. However, it never really rained! I really wanted to go for a run, but was convinced that the second I got out there, the bottom would fall out. Finally, I decided to just go for it. (I brought my phone with me so I could call home for a ride if I got trapped by rain.) I am so glad I did because I had the best run ever! I was a little nervous because of my horrible 8 mile run, but I shouldn't have been. Clearly, the 78 degree weather played a big part- but I had tons of energy and had a great time! I was also thrilled with my pace. I ran a 9 minute mile pace all the way through mile 6 (54 minutes, compared, for example, to my Crescent City Classic time of 62 minutes), and didn't slow up very much for my last 3 miles. I finished the run in 84:16!
On Saturday evening, we were supposed to have a picnic in the park and listen to the LPO, but that got cancelled due to rain (although it never rained!), so instead my dear boyfriend and I grilled out. We had chicken kabobs, mango chili chicken sausage, and sweet Italian turkey sausage (we cooked a ton of meat so we'd have leftovers to eat this week) along with a side salad. I had blue cheese on multi-grain bread for dessert as well. I really love the amablu Gorgonzola. It is a fairly mild blue cheese that is really creamy. It's great spread on bread or alongside a sliced pear.
Today I have been being pretty lazy. I am about to get up, clean the kitchen, and wash the dogs. Later, I am going to go over to Sarah's house to carve pumpkins, eat pizza, and watch Hocus Pocus. I loved that movie when I was a kid!
All in all this weekend has been just what I needed. It's been so nice to relax and spend some quality time with my dear boyfriend. :)
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Buffalo Shrimp
Last night, I tried my hand at a meal that my dear boyfriend usually cooks and I am proud to say that it turned out very well. It is a quick, tasty meal for a busy weeknight- so I'm posting it.Buffalo Shrimp
* 1/2 bag of frozen shrimp, shelled and de-headed (not the most precise of measurements, I know, but it doesn't really matter b/c you can make as much or as little as you like)
* Tabasco Garlic Pepper Sauce
* 1 Cup chopped onions
* 1 Tbsp butter
Defrost shrimp, then add enough Tabasco sauce to generously coat all of the shrimp. Marinate for at least 15 minutes, but longer is better. Cook chopped onion over medium heat in butter, stirring frequently, until browned, about 10 minutes. Add shrimp and sauce and cook until shrimp is done, about 2 minutes. Remove shrimp and reduce sauce until it is very thick. Drizzle sauce over shrimp.
Since this is ends up being nice and spicy, I like to serve this with something cool and creamy. I especially enjoy it on top of a Caesar salad (I just buy the kind you can get in a bag at the grocery store). The Tabasco garlic pepper sauce really tastes exactly like buffalo sauce, so this is a quick way to satisfy a craving for hot wings too. :)
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Petit Dessert
Tonight I used my new P
etit Pear Casserole Dish (a birthday present from my dear boyfriend's brother and brother's girlfriend) to make a peach crumble. I followed the same recipe as my semi-healthy blackberry crumble, but substituted frozen peach slices for the blackberries. I also topped it with Hagen-Dazs vanilla ice cream. It was divine! And of course, the dish is so cute that I had to take pictures. (You can also see my pretty table mats that my parents got me for my birthday in these pics.)
Monday, August 3, 2009
Monday, July 20, 2009
Turkey Lurkey
Okay, last post for today, I promise. :)
I made some awesome turkey meatloaf last night and wanted to post the recipe because it was so healthy, easy, and delicious. All measurements are pretty approximate because, of course, I just threw stuff together in what seemed to be the right proportion at the time.
Turkey Meatloaf
1/2 lb ground 99% fat free turkey
1/2 medium bell pepper, chopped
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 clove minced garlic
1 small can diced green
3 sliced green onions
1/4 cup salsa (this is our secret family ingredient for awesome meatloaf)
2 eggs
1/2-1 cup uncooked oatmeal (add 1/2 a cup, then more if the mixture is too moist)
Ketchup
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix together first 8 ingredients. Add 1/2 cup of oatmeal and stir. If meat mixture is too moist, add more oatmeal, until the mixture can be formed into a loaf. Place meat mixture into a loaf pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Top with a thin layer of Ketchup. Bake for 30 minutes.
I served my meatloaf with the last of the new potatoes from Mom's garden (I boiled them, cut them in half and tossed them with a little butter and garlic salt) and green peas. Total comfort food!
I made some awesome turkey meatloaf last night and wanted to post the recipe because it was so healthy, easy, and delicious. All measurements are pretty approximate because, of course, I just threw stuff together in what seemed to be the right proportion at the time.
Turkey Meatloaf
1/2 lb ground 99% fat free turkey
1/2 medium bell pepper, chopped
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 clove minced garlic
1 small can diced green
3 sliced green onions
1/4 cup salsa (this is our secret family ingredient for awesome meatloaf)
2 eggs
1/2-1 cup uncooked oatmeal (add 1/2 a cup, then more if the mixture is too moist)
Ketchup
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix together first 8 ingredients. Add 1/2 cup of oatmeal and stir. If meat mixture is too moist, add more oatmeal, until the mixture can be formed into a loaf. Place meat mixture into a loaf pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Top with a thin layer of Ketchup. Bake for 30 minutes.
I served my meatloaf with the last of the new potatoes from Mom's garden (I boiled them, cut them in half and tossed them with a little butter and garlic salt) and green peas. Total comfort food!
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Peanut Butter
I just made the peanut buttery bars from the blog Carrots N' Cake. They turned out very well! I made a few changes so here is my version below:
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cup oats
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup dark chocolate chunks, plus about 1 TBSP reserved (I chopped up some Dove Dark Chocolates that needed to be eaten)
1/2 cup peanut butter (plus a little more if needed)
2 eggs
A generous squirt of honey (I used Jiff peanut butter which is really sweet so I didn't really have to use much sweetener at all. My mixture seemed pretty dry though, which is why I ended up adding a little extra peanut butter and an extra egg compared to the original recipe- the dryness could also be because I used WW instead of regular flour.)
Mix ingredients together, except for the last TBSP of chopped chocolate. Bake in a greased 8X8 baking dish at 350 for 15-18 minutes. After the top is brown, top with the remaining chocolate and put it back in the oven for a minute or so to melt. Once it is melted, take a knife and spread it evenly over the top of the bars. Allow to cool before cutting.
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cup oats
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup dark chocolate chunks, plus about 1 TBSP reserved (I chopped up some Dove Dark Chocolates that needed to be eaten)
1/2 cup peanut butter (plus a little more if needed)
2 eggs
A generous squirt of honey (I used Jiff peanut butter which is really sweet so I didn't really have to use much sweetener at all. My mixture seemed pretty dry though, which is why I ended up adding a little extra peanut butter and an extra egg compared to the original recipe- the dryness could also be because I used WW instead of regular flour.)
Mix ingredients together, except for the last TBSP of chopped chocolate. Bake in a greased 8X8 baking dish at 350 for 15-18 minutes. After the top is brown, top with the remaining chocolate and put it back in the oven for a minute or so to melt. Once it is melted, take a knife and spread it evenly over the top of the bars. Allow to cool before cutting.
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