I really wanted some comfort food tonight and decided on making this spicy pork wonton soup. I’ve never made wonton soup before, and it was super easy! I bought the wonton wrappers at Whole Foods, and the rest of the … Continue reading
I love Caesar salad, so when I got Brussels sprouts and kale in my CSA this week, I thought I would try it as an alternative to the usual romaine lettuce used for this salad. Homemade Caesar dressing is so easy to make, and so much tastier then that fake creamy dressing so many restaurants use. Normally you add an egg to the dressing, but I didn’t because I planned on topping my salad with a soft boiled egg. Plus I don’t think you sacrifice any flavor when omitting the egg in the dressing anyway. Next time I might add some crispy pancetta, or maybe some fried capers in addition to the croutons I made!
Ingredients:
2 cups brussels sprouts, trimmed and leaves peeled
1 cup laminate kale, shredded
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg, soft boiled
French bread, cut into crouton size pieces
Olive Oil
Salt and pepper, to taste
Caesar Dressing:
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 oil-packed anchovies
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan (plus more as needed)
Salt and pepper, to taste
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Toss the croutons with olive oil, salt and black pepper. Bake for 15 mins or until crispy. Set aside to cool.
In a mortar and pestle, mix together the anchovy, garlic, and a pinch of salt. Add in the lemon juice and mustard and mix well. Very slowly whisk in the olive oil until it thickens a bit, then stir in the grated Parmesan cheese and pepper. Add more lemon juice and/or salt if needed.
For the egg, boil a small pot of water and gently add your egg. Cook them for 7 minutes, then remove immediately and place in a bowl of ice water. This will help stop the cooking process and will leave you with the perfect semi-runny egg!
I decided to quickly blanch my greens to help soften them just a tiny bit. Add the greens to a pot of boiling water for about 15 seconds, then remove and place in a bowl of ice water. Again, this will stop the cooking process. Put the greens through a salad spinner to dry (or pat lightly with a paper towel) then place in a large bowl. Alternatively you can skip this process and just keep the greens raw if you prefer.
Toss well with the Caesar dressing, then sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and top with the croutons and soft boiled egg. Enjoy!
I had a lot of leftover vegetables this week and thought it would be a good idea to use them up in a fall pot pie! It was perfect little meal to make on a Sunday afternoon. If only they made buttery pie crust blankets I could wrap myself in… then Sunday’s would EVEN BETTER. Dare to dream people.
Pie Dough:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (plus more for surface)
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 stick unsalted butter, very cold and cubed
Pinch nutmeg
Pinch black pepper
3-4 tablespoons ice cold water
1 egg (for egg wash)
Filling:
1 medium butternut squash, peeled and cubed small
3 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
1/2 yellow onion, chopped
1 leek, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup kale, chopped
1 cup baby bella mushrooms, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh sage, chopped
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth (or vegetable)
1 teaspoon corn starch
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon paprika
Salt, to taste
Start by making the dough. In a food processor, pulse the flour, salt, sugar, nutmeg, and pepper. Add the cold butter and pulse until the texture resembles small peas. Add bits of the water at a time and pulse until the dough is able to hold together when pinched. Make sure not to over mix it though! Pour it out onto a flat surface and form the dough into a disk shape. Wrap in plastic wrap and place in refrigerator for at least one hour.
When the dough is almost ready, you can start to make your filling. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Drizzle the squash and carrots with olive oil, salt, and pepper, and bake for about 25 minutes or until fork tender. Remove and set aside. In a heavy bottomed saucepan, cook the onion and garlic in a little olive oil until translucent. Next add the leeks, kale, and mushrooms, and cook until softened. Lastly, add in the sage along with the roasted squash and carrots.
In a separate saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons olive oil and sprinkle in the 1/4 cup flour. Whisk well for about 1 minute. Slowly whisk in about 1/2 cup chicken broth at a time until smooth. In a little bowl, mix together the corn starch with a splash of water, then add that to the broth. Stir for about 5 minutes until thickened. Pour the mixture into the pot with the vegetables, and toss in the white pepper, nutmeg, paprika, and salt to taste. Let cool slightly.
While that cools, roll out your dough on a floured surface to 1/8 inch thick. Pour the filling into your pie dish, and top with the dough. Trim edges as needed, and slit a few holes in the top so it can vent while cooking. Bake in oven for 40 minutes, or until golden brown. If the edges begin to burn or cook too fast, simply cover the edges with some aluminum foil for the remaining time… OR you can get one of these lovely pie crust shields that I use!
Let cool for about 5-10 minutes before digging in. I randomly added a small dollop of sour cream to mine which was delicious!
The beginning of this week was much colder than I was mentally prepared for. It’s that awkward time of year where I’m not sure how to dress myself and am in complete denial that Summer is over. I’ve also avoided turning my heat on, as that means I am accepting Winter is on its way and that my bills are about to get higher. Well this week despite the cold weather, I refused to give in! I wrapped myself in a big blanket and made this spicy eggplant pasta to warm up. This recipe was also great because it took all of 15 minutes to make and was super delicious. A perfect weekday meal!
Ingredients: (serves 2)
1/2 box thin spaghetti
1 small eggplant, cubed
1 small green bell pepper, chopped
1 small shallot, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
Salt and pepper, to taste
Parmesan cheese, for serving
Saute the garlic and shallot in some olive oil until softened. Add the bell pepper, eggplant, and a touch more olive oil. Cook for about 5 minutes. Pour in the diced tomatoes, followed by the pepper flakes, paprika, and sherry vinegar. Salt and pepper to taste, then cook for another 5 minutes over medium heat. In the meantime boil your pasta per the box instructions. When the pasta is ready, strain and add to the tomato mixture, coating all the pasta with the sauce. Plate and serve with fresh grated Parmesan cheese!
I’ve never made risotto before, mainly because I thought it always sounded so time consuming to make. But I am happy to report that it doesn’t take that long and is totally worth the end result. The pancetta with the runny egg reminded me a little carbonara, which I love. I think my favorite thing about this recipe was that I tossed in some lemon juice and zest which ended up giving it really nice flavor.
Ingredients: (serves 2)
3 cups chicken broth
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 oz pancetta, chopped
1 large garlic clove
1 cup sliced leeks
3/4 cup arborio rice
1/2 cup water
Juice of half a lemon
1 teaspoon lemon zest
3/4 cup chopped arugula
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 eggs
Start by bringing the chicken broth to a simmer in a medium saucepan. Keep on low.
In a heavy saucepan, cook the pancetta in a little olive oil. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. Next, saute the garlic and leeks in the leftover pancetta drippings until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the rice and and stir for another 1-2 minutes. Next add the the water, lemon juice and zest, and cook until liquid is absorbed. Add in 1/2 cup of the hot chicken broth and cook until liquid is absorbed, then repeat until all broth is used. You want to be stirring constantly. The rice will be soft but will still have a little firmness to it when finished. Toss in the pancetta and arugula.
To poach the eggs, boil some water in a medium sized pot. Add about a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar (helps make them fluffy) and swirl the water with a spoon to get a little whirlpool going before pouring the eggs in one at a time. Cook for about :30-:45 seconds before removing them with a slotted spoon. I usually lift them slightly out of the pot and gently poke the centers until it feels a little firm but runny in the center.
Plate the risotto and top with fresh grated Parmesan cheese and your poached egg!
Making your own pasta isn’t as hard as it sounds! I’d like to experiment more with different flours and techniques when I have some extra time, but these quick raviolis were a nice start. The sweet potato with the peppery watercress were nice together. I’m looking forward to my leftovers tonight!
Pasta Dough:
1 1/5 cups all purpose flour
2 eggs
1/4 teaspoon salt
Ice cold water (as needed)
1 egg, beaten
Filling:
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 whole garlic cloves
1/2 small white onion, chopped into chunks
Pesto:
1/2 cup pecans (I used what nuts I happen to have, but pine nuts or walnuts work too!)
1 cup watercress
3/4 cup grated Parmesan
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 the juice of one lemon
1/4 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1 garlic clove
Salt and pepper, to taste
Start by making the dough. On a clean surface, mix together the flour and salt, then make a little well in the center. Add the eggs and olive oil to the center and whisk with a fork. Start scooping bits of the surrounding flour into the whisked eggs. Once all the flour is mixed in, start shaping it with your hands, adding small amounts of cold water as needed. Continue kneading for about 5 minutes. After a while you’ll notice that it pretty firm and no longer sticky. Wrap in saran wrap and place in the fridge for 30 minutes.
**Alternatively, you can place all the dough ingredients into a food processor! If the dough seems dry at all, add a little cold water until you achieve the right texture.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Drizzle the sweet potato, garlic, and onion with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast until fork tender. Place in a food processor with a splash of olive oil and blend until smooth. Cover and set aside.
For the pesto, place everything in a food processor and blend until smooth, adding more olive oil as needed. Salt and pepper to taste.
Once the pasta dough is ready, cut it into quarters. One chunk at a time (while the others stay covered as to not dry out) pass each portion through the pasta machine until 1/16 inch thick. Dust with flour and continue with the other pieces. Next, brush two pieces of your rolled dough with the egg wash. Scoop teaspoons of the sweet potato mixture onto one side of the dough, keeping each dollop about 1 inch apart. Top with the second piece of dough, and use your fingers to press down around each mold of filling. Using a knife or pastry cutter, cut between each piece to make the individual raviolis. Dust with a little flour and set aside.
Get a large pot of salted water boiling, and add about 10 raviolis at a time. I like to add a tiny bit of olive oil to my water to prevent the pasta from sticking together while cooking. Plate and top with pesto, a drizzle of olive oil, and some fresh Parmesan cheese!
There’s been so much sweet corn at the farmers markets the past few weeks, and it’s been making me want corn chowder. So I finally made some! I didn’t want it to be super creamy and heavy, so I only used a bit of cream and kept it thinner. Overall it was a chowder success!
Ingredients: (serves 3-4)
3 ears of corn, cut off the cob, reserve cobs
1 poblano pepper, chopped
1/2 small yellow onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 leek, chopped
4 red potatoes, cut into 1-inch chunks
2 1/2 cups low sodium chicken broth
2 cups reserved corn water (see in recipe)
1/2 tablespoon fresh thyme
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
3/4 cup half & half (or cream)
Olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the corn and poblano peppers on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil and a little salt and pepper. Roast for 25 minutes, or until the corn is slightly browned. In the meantime, get a pot of water boiling and add the potatoes and reserved cobs. Boil until the potatoes are fork tender, but careful not to overcook or they won’t hold up later when added to the soup in the end. Strain the potatoes and toss the cobs. Set the water aside for later use. Next, saute the garlic and onion and some olive oil for about 2-3 minutes, then add the leeks and continue to cook for another 2-3 minutes. Lastly, toss in the roasted corn and peppers, followed by the thyme, chicken broth, 2 cups of the reserved water. Bring to a boil, then turn down the heat down low add the cream, paprika, salt and pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes more then serve!
There is a restaurant in NYC (Zero Otto Nove) who have this amazing appetizer that I could eat mounds of. It’s very simple – butternut squash, sweet sausage, and Gorgonzola cheese. When I got a big acorn squash in my CSA bag this week, I though I would try to recreate something similar. I roasted the squash and mixed half of it into the sausage mixture, then stuffed put it back into the squash shell and roasted it for a bit. It was delicious and totally reminiscent of my favorite little dish!
Ingredients: (serves 2)
1 small acorn squash, cut in half & seeds removed
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 small yellow onion, chopped
2 cups kale, chopped
2 sweet Italian sausage links, casings removed
1/2 tablespoon butter
1/4 cup Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled
Olive oil
Parmesan cheese, for serving
Salt and pepper, to taste
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Drizzle the acorn halves with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Place face down on a baking sheet and bake for about 30 minutes, or until fork tender. Set aside to cool slightly. Next, in a large pan saute the garlic and onion in some olive oil until translucent, about 2-3 minutes. Crumble in the sausage and cook until browned. Lastly, toss in the kale and cook until wilted. Remove half of the squash filling and add it into the sausage mixture. Combine well, then add the butter and Gorgonzola cheese. Fill both squash halves with the mixture and place back in the oven for about 10 minutes. You can also broil for a few minutes to crisp the top a little. Serve with some fresh grated Parmesan cheese.
Last night I gathered all my items from this weeks CSA bag and headed to my friends house. We decided to make a few pizzas to have with our bottle bottles of wine. The first pizza had more of a southern style, with okra, shallots, and fresh heirloom tomatoes. The other pizza was made with these AMAZING beet and pork sausages that Meghan got from The Meat Hook. The sausage was so good we decided to just add some onions and cheese and let it shine on its own. Both came out amazing! To save us time, I bought the dough from a local pizza shop in the neighborhood for a few bucks. Thanks Meghan and Daniel for having me over for the 700th time this year!
Ingredients:
Okra Pizza:
1 small pizza dough
Tomato sauce
6 large okra, chopped 1/4 inch thick
2-3 small heirloom tomatoes, sliced
1/4 cup thinly sliced shallot
1 large garlic clove, chopped
Fresh mozzarella, sliced
Salt and pepper, to taste
Fresh Parmesan cheese, for serving
Sausage Pizza:
1 large beet sausage (available here)
8 oz fresh ricotta
Fresh mozzarella, sliced
4-5 small fingerling potatoes, thinly sliced
1/2 white onion, chopped
1 large garlic clove, chopped
Olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste
Fresh Parmesan cheese, for serving
Preheat the over to 425 degrees.
Start by rolling out the dough on a floured surface. I used one large ball of dough and split it in half, as I like my crust on the thinner side. Place on two lightly floured baking sheets and set aside.
To make the okra pizza, simply cover the bottom with about 1/4 cup tomato sauce, then layer with sliced mozzarella, fresh tomato, okra, garlic and shallots.
For the sausage pizza, start by cooking the onion and garlic together in a large pan until the onion is a bit translucent, then crumble in the sausage and cook thoroughly. Set mixture aside and cook the potatoes in the same pan until slightly golden on each side. Spread a good amount of ricotta cheese on the dough, followed by some fresh mozzarella. Top with the sausage mixture and sliced potatoes.
Cook both pizzas for about 15-20 minutes or until the dough begins to crisp and the top is bubbling (and your mouth is watering.) If you used a larger ball of dough for each, you may need to cook a few minutes longer. Sprinkle with fresh cracked black pepper, then slice and serve with some grated Parmesan cheese on the side. Bon appétit!
I finally bought a spiralizer and have been making “pasta” out of any vegetable that enters my home. Well those that can be spiralized anyway. My favorite is the zucchini “zoodle” though. It’s amazing how it totally satisfies your pasta craving without eating the real thing. I also like how the vegetables soak up a lot of the sauce, making them very flavorful. If you don’t have a spiralizer yet, I would definitely recommend getting one!
Ingredients: (serves 1)
1 large zucchini, spiraled (with spiralizer, or julianned by hand)
1 large garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup chopped leeks
1/4 white onion, finely chopped
Olive oil
10 cherry tomatoes
good pinch red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper, to taste
Heat a good amount of olive oil in a large pan and add the garlic, onion, and leeks. Cook for about 3-4 minutes over medium heat. Add the tomatoes, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Cook until the tomatoes begin to burst, about 5 minutes. Toss in the zucchini and mix well. Continue to cook for about 3-4 minutes or until the zucchini is tender. Serve in a large bowl with fresh grated Parmesan cheese.
the petite beet 