tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16437634853358269522024-03-13T11:47:40.324-07:00NYC Living: Cooking in a Cornerjen_abigailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07491395265549962708noreply@blogger.comBlogger27125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1643763485335826952.post-73409176762249487712012-09-20T19:17:00.004-07:002012-09-20T19:17:56.841-07:0010 Minute Pantry Pasta<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">As stereotypes go, one would think working from home would mean an individual would be tempted to work the same or less hours than in an office. Sadly in my case, I seem inclined to work non-stop. It's hard to 'leave' work when you're always home! Anyways, after a particularly long day, I decided to take a dinner break before going 'back to work' (aka sitting at my desk) to finish up what needed to get done. I ate some delicious Creamy Broccoli Soup leftovers for lunch and wanted something different for dinner. At this point, I have next to no fresh groceries in my fridge after being in Romania for the past week. But luckily I did have some left over spinach from the soup I made yesterday! So I paired it with some pantry staples for this tasty and FAST meal.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>10 Minute Pantry Pasta</b></span><br />
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<ul>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Angel hair pasta (again, being scrappy, I had about 1/3 of a box left)</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2-3 Tablespoons olive oil </span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">4 Cloves of garlic, peeled and sliced thin</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 can stewed tomatoes</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">3-4 Cups fresh spinach (a couple big handfuls)</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/2 Teaspoon salt</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/2 Teaspoon red pepper flakes</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Parmesan cheese (being in a rush I didn't even grate it fresh! Straight from the plastic container)</span></li>
</ul>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Put a pot of water on to boil, salt it generously. Heat the olive oil in a large pan (it will seem like a lot but is part of the sauce). Add the sliced garlic cloves and let them brown, careful not to burn them. Add the can of stewed tomatoes. Use whatever variation you have (diced, whole, sliced etc)- mine came in thick slices so I chopped them up a bit more with my spoon. Let simmer for a couple minutes. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">By now your water should be boiling so throw in the pasta, it should cook in 4 minutes. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Add the spinach, salt, red pepper and pepper to the stewed tomatoes and let the spinach wilt. Stir, then scoop out the pasta to add to the sauce once it's done cooking. No need to strain it carefully, the pasta water will add to the sauce nicely. Mix it up then add some grated parmesan on top once you've plated it. Fast, easy, enjoy!</span></div>
jen_abigailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07491395265549962708noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1643763485335826952.post-60668175479692324522012-09-19T18:36:00.000-07:002012-09-19T18:36:50.899-07:00"Creamy" Broccoli Soup with Crunchy Garlic Croutons<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC0oRqqeZdzKG-DyXilK4PozDlvPXi9TrEV8BVeDeZH1PLl_ylDcseX5dolgjwwJHe7O5rjavrml9Oq3gxV08zgwRna3rsd6FJSrTHmKbxnaa04eajPaMkHMRmo-8hgebqyrVAFy9t1Jo/s1600/DSC_0209.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC0oRqqeZdzKG-DyXilK4PozDlvPXi9TrEV8BVeDeZH1PLl_ylDcseX5dolgjwwJHe7O5rjavrml9Oq3gxV08zgwRna3rsd6FJSrTHmKbxnaa04eajPaMkHMRmo-8hgebqyrVAFy9t1Jo/s640/DSC_0209.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">This soup tastes very rich and creamy, which is wonderful considering how healthy it is- just some parmigiano reggiano rind and greek yogurt and boom! You have a healthy creamy soup with a great depth of rich cheesy flavor. I also snuck in some spinach and carrot for some added nutrients.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">In case you're interested, two things inspired this dish: </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1. My recent trip to Romania to visit Trent. Soup with croutons is a pretty common menu item, and we ordered it several times. Let me tell you, croutons aren't just for salads! It was so tasty, and the quirky part was that they always served the croutons on the side in a bowl which I really liked because it kept the croutons from getting soggy. Add a few, take some bites, add a few, take some bites...you get the idea.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2. The weather! It's chilly and breezy and starting to feel like Fall. That is all I needed to indulge in my passion (perhaps that is too strong of a description?) for soup. I believe I've stated this before, but I love, love, love cooking soup. You just throw a bunch of ingredients in a pot, it turns out so tasty and flavorful, warms you up, stores well in the freezer and it's easy to make it healthy. So my apologies in advance for the massive increase in soup recipes I will begin posting until next summer. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">"Creamy" Broccoli Soup </span></b><br />
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<ul>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>1 Large onion</b> (you may need two small or medium ones)</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>5 Cloves of garlic</b> (sounds like a lot, but cooked garlic is very mild)</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>4 Crowns of broccoli florets</b> (4 full stems)</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>8 Baby Carrots</b> or 1 large carrot (I had baby carrots in the fridge, wanted some extra flavor, so I threw them in there!)</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>3 Cups fresh baby spinach</b> (you can always put more)</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>Parmigiano reggiano <i>rind</i></b> (if you grate your own cheese, no need to throw out the rind any more! Have a gruyere or asiago rind instead? Don't be wasteful- use what you have, especially if it's a strong flavored cheese)</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>5.5 Cups water</b> (more or less, depending on the quantity you use for other ingredients)</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>1.5 Veggie bouillon cubes</b> (alternatively, sub this and water for chicken stock)</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>1/2 Teaspoon ground pepper</b></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>A dash of cayenne pepper</b></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>3/4 Cup (6 oz) plain greek yogurt</b></span></li>
</ul>
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Crunch Garlic Croutons</span></b><br />
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<ul>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>1 Loaf crust bread</b> (cut into 3/4-1 inch cubes, I ended up having about 5 cups cubed. day old bread works well for this, great way to use up leftovers!)</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>3 Tablespoons olive oil</b></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>1 Teaspoon salt</b></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>1/2 Teaspoon garlic powder</b></span></li>
</ul>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGqgKoc3IYKfE3lRRwM06-G_8xxLSx6lGaS3PnTDrWGH5ASfN48p_dTJkA5m1hYgr7U1S_9kuc3IaA1-7Zaw3jsSrUl7ETgribrdPOUIIkhX5HQV7B6-niujO606yaDcJaLZ6jr4yPzLU/s1600/DSC_0194.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGqgKoc3IYKfE3lRRwM06-G_8xxLSx6lGaS3PnTDrWGH5ASfN48p_dTJkA5m1hYgr7U1S_9kuc3IaA1-7Zaw3jsSrUl7ETgribrdPOUIIkhX5HQV7B6-niujO606yaDcJaLZ6jr4yPzLU/s320/DSC_0194.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Chop the onion and garlic- rough chop is fine since you will be blending this soup at the end. Chop the baby carrots. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2eEOVss_ryciWtgWt6Ff-FD5VEWrcbiEjO-BVHNbk7HvIVM7VQp71A_Sg8S6Bqz_bU24B1KVlnNGQ1G8WL2Y4cuWbQ3Fx3aw7X8ZslzsADkhotPOQbYBaoSFX1v5KH867ULIAK_BzxLo/s1600/DSC_0195.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2eEOVss_ryciWtgWt6Ff-FD5VEWrcbiEjO-BVHNbk7HvIVM7VQp71A_Sg8S6Bqz_bU24B1KVlnNGQ1G8WL2Y4cuWbQ3Fx3aw7X8ZslzsADkhotPOQbYBaoSFX1v5KH867ULIAK_BzxLo/s320/DSC_0195.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Sauté the onion for several minutes, until beginning to turn translucent. Add the garlic and carrots and sauté for several more minutes. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyAKMRcQkyB1q3CigBkdsNPIMhJ4vecrds_KuoIEm58k7wpq81sEQTg9IAS8YV6kIyPNQTO6mDI8L7t9TVtgLzjUlVavl-ugzP1VBOYkc12v8DO9r_iqy5_AyPapvdYcXLnyFLxVarI0Q/s1600/DSC_0201.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyAKMRcQkyB1q3CigBkdsNPIMhJ4vecrds_KuoIEm58k7wpq81sEQTg9IAS8YV6kIyPNQTO6mDI8L7t9TVtgLzjUlVavl-ugzP1VBOYkc12v8DO9r_iqy5_AyPapvdYcXLnyFLxVarI0Q/s320/DSC_0201.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Rinse the broccoli and chop the florets from the stems. Add the broccoli, veggie cubes and pepper to the sautéing onions, garlic and carrot.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNVR-ZZ1eJEFDnOBT1Ne7R7B-ySMlN1qtHWscKNXx2XG2X0bwWpzC6gx1mf1W_vDI_0J_uXu-9cqrr8HR5bF5yeLN-rqOt2u5rbV5Aa6m1fjVBqsMNNx5SohSMsJfOlyeFuC9TOOou2CE/s1600/DSC_0198.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNVR-ZZ1eJEFDnOBT1Ne7R7B-ySMlN1qtHWscKNXx2XG2X0bwWpzC6gx1mf1W_vDI_0J_uXu-9cqrr8HR5bF5yeLN-rqOt2u5rbV5Aa6m1fjVBqsMNNx5SohSMsJfOlyeFuC9TOOou2CE/s320/DSC_0198.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> Add about 5.5 cups of water to the pot of sautéing vegetables, add the parmigiano reggiano rind, and add the spinach and a dash of cayenne pepper. Bring to boil and let it continue to boil for at least 20 minutes. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2znmUpp4twI_zMS8WAEh8Mq1O1od3oUMKBpe2JK_9YnoUrx0dtyFqAvd__nJo0CTZVIpR_a6-WA3G8-KRIP4wx6Au52L-V99jFSNH9-ktGSqnzxFEc58Yz32fPHCQzWAbpEkpl_kSgkA/s1600/DSC_0202.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2znmUpp4twI_zMS8WAEh8Mq1O1od3oUMKBpe2JK_9YnoUrx0dtyFqAvd__nJo0CTZVIpR_a6-WA3G8-KRIP4wx6Au52L-V99jFSNH9-ktGSqnzxFEc58Yz32fPHCQzWAbpEkpl_kSgkA/s320/DSC_0202.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Now it's time to make some croutons! Cut the bread into about 3/4 or 1 inch cubes, place in bowl (I had about 5 cups from 3/4th of a round loaf) and toss well with the olive oil, garlic powder and salt. Place on an aluminum foil-lined pan and spread out evenly. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdmaA31FESEWBP8qdfv5VrwufzC5B5_aA0769n5v6mATwlZUwgImnt1ZnqEnVZY7L8TUsswbmejyTfQvV66KjzPvZM_ZlsnGOvOW0uMQt019YPTA7lW5P4LwP9lP-cvv3xbV89IF2iRFM/s1600/DSC_0204.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdmaA31FESEWBP8qdfv5VrwufzC5B5_aA0769n5v6mATwlZUwgImnt1ZnqEnVZY7L8TUsswbmejyTfQvV66KjzPvZM_ZlsnGOvOW0uMQt019YPTA7lW5P4LwP9lP-cvv3xbV89IF2iRFM/s320/DSC_0204.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Bake in 400 degree oven for 10 minutes, flip and bake another 3-5 minutes (keep an eye on it, may need to flip it earlier, take it out earlier or bake it longer).</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Now back to the soup. If you've let it boil for a while, remove the cheese rind. It should be gooey looking if you've let it boil together long enough! Use an emersion blender to blend the soup. Add the greek yogurt and continue blending until it has a smooth consistency. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6NxC_GwiIqCeGxtnw5iAGNL0immU46Zu9WFeW_7rtsGDnlGS8wI9arflwVLF66DRByZdEVjsiCOaJZYg7BYVyCiNUH97BjSnuZLae8p2-J6oKz6H1H0hfoh6UCn7WBov-B3XhzMom_FI/s1600/DSC_0206.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6NxC_GwiIqCeGxtnw5iAGNL0immU46Zu9WFeW_7rtsGDnlGS8wI9arflwVLF66DRByZdEVjsiCOaJZYg7BYVyCiNUH97BjSnuZLae8p2-J6oKz6H1H0hfoh6UCn7WBov-B3XhzMom_FI/s320/DSC_0206.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Check for taste- it should have enough flavor where you don't have to add extra salt (on top of veggie cube or chicken broth).</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">You can serve it Romanian style (croutons on the side)...</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiae25TooupF6D63sa17KDyMvJUhz4X1N2zyESKSp351ed1b5oksY0euetZwVILZM1it3dMrWZR_8r08tgF34fnmCpzaparL0X8f1eT0Jgp-7CIr3KVAdl7ugIZJoUHsxBoEuuT1DYr4Vk/s1600/DSC_0207.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiae25TooupF6D63sa17KDyMvJUhz4X1N2zyESKSp351ed1b5oksY0euetZwVILZM1it3dMrWZR_8r08tgF34fnmCpzaparL0X8f1eT0Jgp-7CIr3KVAdl7ugIZJoUHsxBoEuuT1DYr4Vk/s320/DSC_0207.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">...or for a prettier look, just top the bowl with some croutons!</span><br />
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jen_abigailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07491395265549962708noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1643763485335826952.post-28876385210819195942012-09-18T14:24:00.001-07:002012-09-18T14:24:22.473-07:00Vegetarian Eggplant Lasagna with Herbed Garlic Loaf<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggr1xYOzwL6YEaIlJdgM_0B7LMxYvN4BgrbzakYofWG-2l27jtUXDPagxrrOm7tM3-DBqdCE58W6pt7Ji5qV-2Ip3QmgHa-G_vUSsW9Tl-CBJhO4Ko3rJwx7lwxKWolaOc-x2339HXtPU/s640/blogger-image--1326994580.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggr1xYOzwL6YEaIlJdgM_0B7LMxYvN4BgrbzakYofWG-2l27jtUXDPagxrrOm7tM3-DBqdCE58W6pt7Ji5qV-2Ip3QmgHa-G_vUSsW9Tl-CBJhO4Ko3rJwx7lwxKWolaOc-x2339HXtPU/s640/blogger-image--1326994580.jpg" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">This lasagna is AMAZING! And I would have never come up with the idea if it wasn't for my lovely Mom who was in town for work again so TJ and I had her over for dinner. Her diet is not only vegetarian but also gluten free, so cooking dinner for her always forces me to think creatively! So instead of making a traditional lasagna I decided to buy a big eggplant that I could slice thinly to replace the lasagna noodles.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">And let me tell you, this was a huge hit. I'm not even a big fan of eggplant but I loved this because it not only had so much flavor but also tasted really hearty, the thin slices of eggplant added an almost meaty taste to the dish. It doesn't matter if you're a meat eater, vegetarian, gluten free or carb lover, this is guaranteed to please!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>Eggplant Lasagna</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
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<ul>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 Jar tomato pasta sauce (you'll probably only end up needing around 1-1.5 cups</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 Large eggplant (9 thin slices)</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 Large zucchini</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 Large onion</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">3-4 Garlic cloves</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">6 Cups fresh spinach</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2 cups fat free ricotta</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 Egg</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 Large ball of fresh mozzarella cheese (Or a container of 2-3 balls packed in water)</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/4 Cup grated parmigiano reggiano</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2 Teaspoons dried oregano</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2 Teaspoons salt</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 Teaspoon red pepper flakes</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/2 Teaspoon cracked pepper</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Pince of ground nutmeg</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, packed</span></li>
</ul>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>Herbed Garlic Loaf</b></span><br />
<ul>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 Baguette </span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">3 Tablespoons + 1 Teaspoon olive oil</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">3 Tablespoons chopped basil</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1-2 Cloves garlic</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 Teaspoon salt</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> 1/2 Teaspoon freshly ground pepper</span></li>
</ul>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">You can start by preparing the ricotta/vegetable mixture that will be in the filling of the lasagna. Dice one large onion and sauté until they start to turn golden, mince and add the garlic as well. Just don't burn them! </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Add the spinach leaves until they are all wilted. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Grate the zucchini and add it to the sauté pan for just a couple minutes then take it off the heat. Try to drain as much of the water out of this mixture as possible; there will be a lot because of the veggies. You can even press the mixture in a strainer to get out the excess liquid; you don't the lasagna to be soupy! </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Put this vegetable mixture into a large bowl and add the ricotta cheese. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Stir together this mixture along with the egg and the oregano, salt, red pepper flakes, pepper, and nutmeg. Set this mixture aside for the layers in the lasagna.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Slice the eggplant as thinly as possible; you'll need 9 very thin slices (remember, this is replacing pasta!). This is tricky! For my last three I ended up having to use multiple pieces since I wasn't able to cut straight down. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">You can also shred the mozzarella cheese and set it aside. The mozzarella cheese was really soft so I didn't grate the entire thing, I ended thinly slicing the end of it which looked really nice on the top layer of the lasagna. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Take out a large 9x13" glass pan and pour a little tomato sauce on the bottom of the pan so the eggplant won't stick. Then layer the bottom with three strips of eggplant (alternate the direction they face so that they fit well). </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Pour half of the ricotta/vegetable mixture in the pan and spread as evenly as possible over the eggplant. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">C</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">over with 1/3 of the shredded mozzarella cheese and sprinkle with 1/3 of the chopped basil and drizzle with some of the tomato sauce. You can add a pinch of the shredded parmigiano reggiano to each layer but save at least half of it for the top layer. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Repeat these layers so that the first two have the ricotta mixture and the top layer will just be tomato sauce, mozzarella/parmigiano reggiano and basil (so it will be tomato sauce, eggplant slices, ricotta mixture, shredded cheese, basil and tomato sauce; then eggplant slices, ricotta, shredded cheese, basil and tomato sauce; then eggplant slices and then just tomato sauce with mozzarella basil and parmigiano reggiano). </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_MkomU0Zf0XuafYMKAW3b7RB1y0sOut6YzvgGze_SwT25-8gh5yio3z66-EJeD2aedFaFcOh-kU5TRRdrsNtpylF8zLPt8zJ-iusC02futXxDEobJoiP6fdtqlDhXXCaRKPNhcoGCj0w/s640/blogger-image--570683772.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_MkomU0Zf0XuafYMKAW3b7RB1y0sOut6YzvgGze_SwT25-8gh5yio3z66-EJeD2aedFaFcOh-kU5TRRdrsNtpylF8zLPt8zJ-iusC02futXxDEobJoiP6fdtqlDhXXCaRKPNhcoGCj0w/s640/blogger-image--570683772.jpg" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Pop this baby in the oven for 20-30 minutes until it is bubbly and perfect and your whole house will smell like italian heaven. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8imgw8nlhhktAkHLfpNamZ1KPe8kZWBNbYD23l79jFPjRPmJUH30lyJrvdYpqlvN3NpAAdCrmXMJAKqmgoslfy9lkKfSH7rT03lRbLbQcpG8-taPZzOoeqEzcI5v7iPnylRCaL6nSO70/s640/blogger-image--1321451773.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8imgw8nlhhktAkHLfpNamZ1KPe8kZWBNbYD23l79jFPjRPmJUH30lyJrvdYpqlvN3NpAAdCrmXMJAKqmgoslfy9lkKfSH7rT03lRbLbQcpG8-taPZzOoeqEzcI5v7iPnylRCaL6nSO70/s640/blogger-image--1321451773.jpg" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Because I thought TJ and I would be in desperate need of some carbs with a carb-less lasagna I decided to make a side of crusty herbed garlic bread. Just mix together the olive oil, minced garlic and basil and salt and pepper. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Spread this on both sides of the baguette and pop them in the oven. In fact, once the lasagna is done cooking you can take it out of the oven, raise the heat to 400 degrees and bake the bread for at least 5 minutes.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pre-oven!</td></tr>
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jen_abigailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07491395265549962708noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1643763485335826952.post-34950581390869821802012-09-01T12:05:00.000-07:002012-09-02T19:20:48.244-07:00Spicy Black Bean and Spinach Burritos with Cilantro Lime Brown Rice<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">August was a busy month! After traveling most of the month for work I figured it was time to post this recipe that I made way back in July because it was super tasty. TJ and I had been going on a lot of long walks after work to help him prepare for Go Ruck (which he completed with his two brothers in August, very proud of them!), and we would come home late and very hungry. I was craving something that was vegetarian, healthy, filling and packed with protein- this fit the bill. Added bonus, I already had most of the ingredients in my pantry. I've made many variations of a bean burrito over the years but this one is by far the best!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>Cilantro Lime Rice</b></span><br />
<ul>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/2 Cup brown rice</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 Cup water</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2 Large cloves of garlic, crushed</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 Tablespoon cilantro</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/2 Teaspoon salt </span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Fresh ground pepper</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/2 lime, gently squeezed</span></li>
</ul>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>Black Bean Burritos </b></span><br />
<ul>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/2 White onion</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">3 cloves garlic</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2 Cans black beans</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 Small can green chilies </span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 Heaping teaspoon cumin</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/2 Teaspoon salt</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/2 Teaspoon pepper </span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 Tablespoon Cilantro</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Cayenne pepper (at least a couple dashes for warmth, more if you like it spicy like me)</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/2 Large tomato, diced</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/2 lime, gently squeezed</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Splash of water</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Whole wheat tortillas </span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Shredded sharp cheddar cheese, I used Dubliner</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Fresh spinach</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Greek yogurt and chopped cilantro to top the burritos</span></li>
</ul>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">To make the rice, smash the garlic cloves (remove peel) and sauté with a little olive oil. After they cook a little add the dry brown rice and toast it a little in the pan along with the olive oil and garlic. Add the water and cook according to instructions. Afterwards add the salt, pepper and cilantro. Add more cilantro based on your preference!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Slice the onion (slice not dice!) and sauté them in another pot with a little olive oil. Let them brown a bit and add the garlic. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOtqawDmgxL-EHAjg0Ixpr9GTCVj_Az_zpl4ke5bJ8x-RhwODxKVXXhfv05ySpLhzrZFkGNOQLyjU-oFKhZTSWBBCJxvT751Vdj1lwvFdeqpwIg6PfDz_PkfTgIzsdQkH2U05ZSYcNxYg/s640/blogger-image--972104440.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOtqawDmgxL-EHAjg0Ixpr9GTCVj_Az_zpl4ke5bJ8x-RhwODxKVXXhfv05ySpLhzrZFkGNOQLyjU-oFKhZTSWBBCJxvT751Vdj1lwvFdeqpwIg6PfDz_PkfTgIzsdQkH2U05ZSYcNxYg/s640/blogger-image--972104440.jpg" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Open the cans of beans and rinse them in a strainer. Add the beans to the onions and garlic and add one can of green chilies. Add the seasonings, lime juice, diced tomatoes, cilantro and tweak the seasonings to taste. Add a little splash of water and let it cook for flavors to blend.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRQ7d3sI5metY57fEOZpiw5fIl40BUZRmTRsw6piByX7X9igf_ZdaOqqcjneYw3SDUpxMnM0BCrv3u7mtjrDvqZ46_CdJGpzQ9VaN7A9HjiEWWdqvfPhrkTwhhyphenhyphentAVqw4nl1opx52A_Qo/s640/blogger-image-1097484676.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRQ7d3sI5metY57fEOZpiw5fIl40BUZRmTRsw6piByX7X9igf_ZdaOqqcjneYw3SDUpxMnM0BCrv3u7mtjrDvqZ46_CdJGpzQ9VaN7A9HjiEWWdqvfPhrkTwhhyphenhyphentAVqw4nl1opx52A_Qo/s640/blogger-image-1097484676.jpg" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">To make the burrito put a little fresh spinach on the center of the tortilla and put a little rice and some of the bean mixture on top (this will wilt the spinach). </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Add a little sprinkle of cheese on top and roll up with a dollop of greek yogurt on top if you'd like. Enjoy!</span></div>
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jen_abigailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07491395265549962708noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1643763485335826952.post-32534679583694512482012-07-17T19:02:00.000-07:002012-07-17T19:02:08.564-07:00Garlic Parmesan Baked Potato Fries with 'Aioli'<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp9x-jPg943OeJx9zdP7yZWgZrQ4XM_R4IpMIdOCIZT48SW1ciSbSas1Os4bhuDRVCZnWwlKTwIXe2bh6qUSKK9PsJHDGDJKBxi3_XBL7RhaHeq1Fah3Mqegw1vjlg2ugtKeRSa-RChEk/s640/blogger-image-667682881.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp9x-jPg943OeJx9zdP7yZWgZrQ4XM_R4IpMIdOCIZT48SW1ciSbSas1Os4bhuDRVCZnWwlKTwIXe2bh6qUSKK9PsJHDGDJKBxi3_XBL7RhaHeq1Fah3Mqegw1vjlg2ugtKeRSa-RChEk/s640/blogger-image-667682881.jpg" /></span></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I love roasting vegetables. In fact, I don't think I've roasted a vegetable that I haven't loved so far- potatoes, broccoli, brussel sprouts, cauliflower, squash, tomatoes (OK, I guess technically this is a fruit), leeks...I've even roasted arugula for a few minutes before tossing it in a soup! Roasting just brings out incredible flavor. And in this case it gives you french fries, which is why I've probably roasted more potatoes than anything else in my cooking years. Put anything you want on these, the below is just a suggestion. If you just have olive oil, salt and pepper your'e still in for a treat. Fresh herbs are always a nice touch. If you have cajun seasoning this is a great option too!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Now, I served these with a delicious garlic "aioli." Quotation marks are necessary because it's mostly greek yogurt, not mayonnaise and sour cream or other delicious things usually used to make aioli, so it's a really healthy option! I am a major french fry and ketchup girl but trust me, this is a really refreshing, tasty and healthy option. I liked it so much that I put a good smear of it on the burgers too (guilt free more flavorful alternative to mayonnaise!). I also added some arugula, tomato, dubliner cheddar cheese, onion, avocado and a little spicy mustard to the burgers* (*morning star veggie burgers). They were exceptionally tasty. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Garlic Parmesan Baked Potato Fries</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<ul>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2 Potatoes</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Olive Oil</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Salt</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Pepper</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Garlic Powder</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Freshly chopped thyme</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Freshly grated parmigiano reggiano </span></li>
</ul>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">'Aioli'</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<ul>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/2 Cup Greek Yogurt</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/2 Teaspoon salt</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/2 Teaspoon pepper</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Cayenne to taste</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 garlic clove or 1/4+ teaspoon garlic powder</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/4-1/2 Teaspoon olive oil</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/4-1/2 Teaspoon champagne vinegar</span></li>
</ul>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Preheat the oven to 425. Scrub and rinse the potatoes well. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEispxIyDojT8S_Cl7f5ISZbtvMvNNJjuaXegvhcGzvtQvMrmOixK4MkA6yA3CIEZYhvTyT8xIlyY9D8UcC_lpfIU6uVbYhFaG008MT2RN-iqmG3b0Yceuo_A6A1_-1yqXsy6eHoDQw_qWo/s640/blogger-image-658797995.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEispxIyDojT8S_Cl7f5ISZbtvMvNNJjuaXegvhcGzvtQvMrmOixK4MkA6yA3CIEZYhvTyT8xIlyY9D8UcC_lpfIU6uVbYhFaG008MT2RN-iqmG3b0Yceuo_A6A1_-1yqXsy6eHoDQw_qWo/s640/blogger-image-658797995.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Cut the potatoes in half lengthwise and lay on their flat side.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg33qHRaDyG_u3mYBngPoVvP4jiQG8T_x9vUrTzRx3d7F_-Zhyphenhyphen1ZNWl2Gqs8Pg45EnNnvjQst_QWBvzUhj0gA6pqwfdJ-ztNSqtHWOlV-q_yCHci2n9mCcZjd1Z8_6Dg7m-9WcpajoaN28/s640/blogger-image--911416435.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg33qHRaDyG_u3mYBngPoVvP4jiQG8T_x9vUrTzRx3d7F_-Zhyphenhyphen1ZNWl2Gqs8Pg45EnNnvjQst_QWBvzUhj0gA6pqwfdJ-ztNSqtHWOlV-q_yCHci2n9mCcZjd1Z8_6Dg7m-9WcpajoaN28/s640/blogger-image--911416435.jpg" /></a></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Cut each piece in half lengthwise again and then cut each quarter into three wedges. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM8nvT5Wnp9dVN3RLqCTBtg8WvxClFN3u9HwoZFcLg97HsDv4VK1fDemGS_fDG8zohn9mjaGCpuGwwiDuca0xou2dwyKf9KkCWwul5a6rTf26b-gkWiNpPY07gBqMNPiLtM5d4YhiKvMM/s640/blogger-image-1318040068.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM8nvT5Wnp9dVN3RLqCTBtg8WvxClFN3u9HwoZFcLg97HsDv4VK1fDemGS_fDG8zohn9mjaGCpuGwwiDuca0xou2dwyKf9KkCWwul5a6rTf26b-gkWiNpPY07gBqMNPiLtM5d4YhiKvMM/s640/blogger-image-1318040068.jpg" /></a></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Pile the wedges on a foil lined pan and douse with olive oil, toss to evenly coat.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaDrkLpEnjbIlpqND0Af2qwQg4CErVuQ3H_cvUUMURLfWTt0rKT8w9Y8bg5RdJWHakHF_hb4I2yITXqjRi_rqAAszxOi1tMdg7Qy9xNoVqQs3crH0Y_HwsgYug34JYEGIJUW_4YVpDBME/s640/blogger-image-2021264949.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaDrkLpEnjbIlpqND0Af2qwQg4CErVuQ3H_cvUUMURLfWTt0rKT8w9Y8bg5RdJWHakHF_hb4I2yITXqjRi_rqAAszxOi1tMdg7Qy9xNoVqQs3crH0Y_HwsgYug34JYEGIJUW_4YVpDBME/s640/blogger-image-2021264949.jpg" /></a></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Lay the wedges flat on the pan and then sprinkle evenly with salt, pepper, finely chopped thyme and garlic powder.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGgJTwNMIWWG8_DbrI9F4v8_DhMeqKHCq7Xh5h_FAe3F7My2dnlCUn-rlcsSqPbfhs1GHnBYxLo7y9n6lkvhBVvb2s2DDyxBmmUfKRChA6vaY-rJTxPOFw9LI44R4cx7RMo5rj-RkIIhY/s640/blogger-image-484730889.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGgJTwNMIWWG8_DbrI9F4v8_DhMeqKHCq7Xh5h_FAe3F7My2dnlCUn-rlcsSqPbfhs1GHnBYxLo7y9n6lkvhBVvb2s2DDyxBmmUfKRChA6vaY-rJTxPOFw9LI44R4cx7RMo5rj-RkIIhY/s640/blogger-image-484730889.jpg" /></a></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Bake for about 20 minutes then take the wedges out of the oven and carefully flip each piece over. This may be a slow process as some pieces will try to stick to the foil and it's important to try not to let that happen!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK3VxQoH84EaKNT5-xV_jTvdx6Z_Q7uxBDOLnw1bNeuW4D7ve8wOz9WQ6-A3xW1rtpnAt47rsi4dqzHnIp88MfpCoS8zHG6ZM1CVQAJWI_MxzHB0CnkDZ2ar8e2hQ3og3sQv8G33fo4M0/s640/blogger-image--1205971812.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK3VxQoH84EaKNT5-xV_jTvdx6Z_Q7uxBDOLnw1bNeuW4D7ve8wOz9WQ6-A3xW1rtpnAt47rsi4dqzHnIp88MfpCoS8zHG6ZM1CVQAJWI_MxzHB0CnkDZ2ar8e2hQ3og3sQv8G33fo4M0/s640/blogger-image--1205971812.jpg" /></a></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Add more salt and pepper then pop back into the oven for another 12 minutes or so.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisTR6NXFukYOaYWUHjPUYQcA9fDnNtOnZua6xqlaRon40qJ-xSj4ArkhamBK9vKiEqllA51rj9k3UfqXkf0a0nm48DwTaS7fG4lq12fgBwY5cVsaBfT0gExTL36uCEQY_K7DzvriRYswo/s640/blogger-image--1640929074.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisTR6NXFukYOaYWUHjPUYQcA9fDnNtOnZua6xqlaRon40qJ-xSj4ArkhamBK9vKiEqllA51rj9k3UfqXkf0a0nm48DwTaS7fG4lq12fgBwY5cVsaBfT0gExTL36uCEQY_K7DzvriRYswo/s640/blogger-image--1640929074.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Grate the cheese.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir24w2FSpc-ey6QtL9GGVxZpLuaepSP3fi_3i2SA4HZh6Zfs3pBsvfKButFOFWc1FrLjykDpdS0yjsrAkIfPWr9xGdQ9cZStgfZ0EoS0RJ5qhsxzotxSSvecouekja-kH4PyJR7BLnNX8/s640/blogger-image--1106481251.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir24w2FSpc-ey6QtL9GGVxZpLuaepSP3fi_3i2SA4HZh6Zfs3pBsvfKButFOFWc1FrLjykDpdS0yjsrAkIfPWr9xGdQ9cZStgfZ0EoS0RJ5qhsxzotxSSvecouekja-kH4PyJR7BLnNX8/s640/blogger-image--1106481251.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Sprinkle the cheese lightly and evenly over each potato wedge, then pop it back in the oven for around 10 minutes. Just keep them in there till they're golden and perfect, keep an eye on it. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0Th7L8DXolAStKElYYdAc8IpfDj5ZfnlzilHp9QeaWQcEi00VVDknLzv3VR0LI32A-rv1GRN8TdrBMs7y3CJpGAUtnmy-uxU4qkcpNkMrlFQm_VAoFWO7v54fEgxCtf0IL7YgOU-eBRg/s640/blogger-image-584896362.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0Th7L8DXolAStKElYYdAc8IpfDj5ZfnlzilHp9QeaWQcEi00VVDknLzv3VR0LI32A-rv1GRN8TdrBMs7y3CJpGAUtnmy-uxU4qkcpNkMrlFQm_VAoFWO7v54fEgxCtf0IL7YgOU-eBRg/s640/blogger-image-584896362.jpg" /></a></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Golden delicious perfection, nice and crisp.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Now for the aioli. I've made this several times and pretty much used different proportions each time, each result very tasty. So mix all the ingredients together, taste, and tweak to your likings. A great alternative to dip your fries in, especially fancy pants ones like these! </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-80yvroAycNuQS0HcI7kq1n9WVE28nOLLMLhsdMDijp1lj_PJhMnXPI7l8OCPBP4NAloomgd_cWE_U-yXrrJkI0i_A0klqJ_bPfYOhktyvu0tKmOZtLtYm4WTbXfPAf5hv0SQAsKSiAs/s640/blogger-image-1550791330.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-80yvroAycNuQS0HcI7kq1n9WVE28nOLLMLhsdMDijp1lj_PJhMnXPI7l8OCPBP4NAloomgd_cWE_U-yXrrJkI0i_A0klqJ_bPfYOhktyvu0tKmOZtLtYm4WTbXfPAf5hv0SQAsKSiAs/s400/blogger-image-1550791330.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>jen_abigailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07491395265549962708noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1643763485335826952.post-83237832223523494222012-07-17T17:05:00.000-07:002012-07-17T17:05:24.048-07:00Cauliflower Parsnip Soup with Garlic Parmesan Crostini<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdg1B_k1-_lU2GmHKprvtyGZ9xU2n0YBNFpHE7y0yv7JvKZrHWzDzcx2jt5e63HorQhdTlpOOc6kA2aBN6c_oBcDrsm2nCkD8KcpMq9FKvHUNITvCkdSv4orcDjrYLTrZBKoSWd4N-reU/s640/blogger-image--272778037.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdg1B_k1-_lU2GmHKprvtyGZ9xU2n0YBNFpHE7y0yv7JvKZrHWzDzcx2jt5e63HorQhdTlpOOc6kA2aBN6c_oBcDrsm2nCkD8KcpMq9FKvHUNITvCkdSv4orcDjrYLTrZBKoSWd4N-reU/s640/blogger-image--272778037.jpg" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It's possible that my favorite thing to cook is soup. It's so easy, just throw a bunch of ingredients in a pot and boil. And you're pretty much guaranteed to have lots of tasty leftovers for easy lunches or dinners later in the week. I always make extra large batches so that I can pop some single serve tupperware in the freezer and enjoy them a few weeks down the road- that way you don't get tired of eating the same thing every day in one week! This is a nice light soup recipe so it's still a great option to serve in the summer. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">As a side note, I've made this soup with different proportions (less onion, no parsnip, etc) and it still tastes great. So consider the recipe pretty forgiving. Also, if you don't feel like making the crostini then you can serve it with a half sandwich. I had a leftover bowl for lunch today with a half sandwich of a few slices of dubliner cheddar cheese, thin slice of tomato, fresh spinach leaves, salt and pepper. Yum!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0LLPb_ZV78O0gWLG1jEBDIYoOf3KQsHcLhcuYOmc34MdpnfKfl3z0bSJCPN2mmuPxk2gif_XHvIdbyM-dCead1NlC-C1C5S8DbG2ZJ42BDVOO9YGsPrj71OlaKnpg9aylw5-m8OjewhY/s640/blogger-image-861814304.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0LLPb_ZV78O0gWLG1jEBDIYoOf3KQsHcLhcuYOmc34MdpnfKfl3z0bSJCPN2mmuPxk2gif_XHvIdbyM-dCead1NlC-C1C5S8DbG2ZJ42BDVOO9YGsPrj71OlaKnpg9aylw5-m8OjewhY/s640/blogger-image-861814304.jpg" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Cauliflower Parsnip Soup</span><br />
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<ul>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2 Onions</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">3 Parsnips (they look like ugly white carrots...ugly until you peel them at least!)</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">3-4 Cloves of Garlic</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2 Heads of Cauliflower</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Water + 1 Vegetable Bouillon cube</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Thyme (lots of it!)</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/2 Teaspoon salt</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/2 Teaspoon pepper</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2 Dried bay leaves </span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Cayenne pepper - amount depends on how spicy you like it, I usually give it at least 4 good shakes, I like tasting a little heat in the soup</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/4 Cup greek yogurt</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/4 Cup milk </span></li>
</ul>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Garlic Parmesan Crostini</span><br />
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<ul>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Skinny french bread loaf</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Olive Oil</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Salt & pepper</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 garlic clove</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Fresh grated parmigiano reggiano</span></li>
</ul>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Dice the onions, peel the parsnips and die them, peel and chop the cloves of garlic. You'll be blending the soup later so a rough chop is fine. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Saute the onions and parsnips in a little bit of olive oil in a large pot until cooked well. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Add the garlic and a large tablespoon of minced fresh thyme and cook for a few more minutes. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Cut the florets off the cauliflower and rinse, then add to the onion/parsnip/garlic and mix. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiKab76fFlHg8LppWLv3ZL12pEPhf2y3OzXnoVSa1XOWX3v5s92g_VE0pg_pilenV-eKGIjWojz2t0b9Nn15SL_HHFkLCCEVYNVE0ZplqdlhPRXJXuwECM-kjaQaDziPO6VEHOvym61o8/s640/blogger-image-629029229.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiKab76fFlHg8LppWLv3ZL12pEPhf2y3OzXnoVSa1XOWX3v5s92g_VE0pg_pilenV-eKGIjWojz2t0b9Nn15SL_HHFkLCCEVYNVE0ZplqdlhPRXJXuwECM-kjaQaDziPO6VEHOvym61o8/s640/blogger-image-629029229.jpg" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Add water so that it covers the top of the veggies in the pot and add 1 vegetable bouillon cube, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, 2 dried bay leaves and cayenne pepper to taste. Tie a bunch of thyme together with twine and throw it in the pot. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUp6uaSI-Hqt3LMUHbhqlXwsT7pKFSZ6Ip3GVNoQ5HgzC1YOCkPfq749H4UFCv02oC_bXr6AxaXwgzby5s_PFVyWosC5eQMJ48Opr6ir7sZIN3xdgJVA77a7Ho3BgZJcft6nm9zxt9DXU/s640/blogger-image-1512123010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUp6uaSI-Hqt3LMUHbhqlXwsT7pKFSZ6Ip3GVNoQ5HgzC1YOCkPfq749H4UFCv02oC_bXr6AxaXwgzby5s_PFVyWosC5eQMJ48Opr6ir7sZIN3xdgJVA77a7Ho3BgZJcft6nm9zxt9DXU/s640/blogger-image-1512123010.jpg" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Boil until the cauliflower is tender. Remove the thyme bundle and bay leaves. Use an immersion blender to mix until smooth. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Add the greek yogurt and milk (optional, but makes it nice and creamy) and blend again. You want a smooth consistency. Taste and adjust seasonings to your preference.</span><br />
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</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Slice the baguette thinly and place on a foil-lined pan. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Drizzle or brush with olive oil and add salt and fresh cracked pepper. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDnqWmlyzlZbbpssEoaYtVZoWssTugKC4buNri6OH4c9rusn0vV9jkfr2QOUHdaR_h7ti4UYZ3BROPQXJh9uM19qYeeq5zP_zIMGtiEJNN5ntl2z-ITSBLpy3PsOinMHCKOkmCW6siT7M/s640/blogger-image--65374803.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDnqWmlyzlZbbpssEoaYtVZoWssTugKC4buNri6OH4c9rusn0vV9jkfr2QOUHdaR_h7ti4UYZ3BROPQXJh9uM19qYeeq5zP_zIMGtiEJNN5ntl2z-ITSBLpy3PsOinMHCKOkmCW6siT7M/s640/blogger-image--65374803.jpg" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Toast for 7-8 minutes then remove from heat when lightly golden brown. Cut a peeled clove of garlic in half and rub the garlic on the warm crostini. Grate some parmigiano reggiano and lightly sprinkle the cheese on the crostinis and put back in the oven for 4-6 minutes. Just keep an eye on it! Top the cauliflower soup with two crostini and enjoy!</span><br />
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</div>jen_abigailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07491395265549962708noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1643763485335826952.post-12009520556057803102012-07-17T09:34:00.002-07:002012-07-17T09:34:34.763-07:00Spicy Sweet Broccoli & Tofu<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0eBW0T-IuFvbo91FcurFCwlpVVN89XPy1lzX5eMBYernq0YSfW9ygZxohcmUM2BgpnikYCJMeL_dQq45u-KGHU_UinjyOpbJ0Ex7oBzdbs1GzrlUAHUGd7ggw-rZJO2FxtV74c2uJvfc/s640/blogger-image--230524515.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0eBW0T-IuFvbo91FcurFCwlpVVN89XPy1lzX5eMBYernq0YSfW9ygZxohcmUM2BgpnikYCJMeL_dQq45u-KGHU_UinjyOpbJ0Ex7oBzdbs1GzrlUAHUGd7ggw-rZJO2FxtV74c2uJvfc/s640/blogger-image--230524515.jpg" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Well, I thought it seemed a little excessive to just eat a million homemade vegetable egg rolls for dinner and so I thought a quick carb-free entree with protein and vegetables would be a good choice. And with that the broccoli and tofu stir fry was born. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>Spicy Sweet Broccoli & Tofu</b></span><br />
<ul>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 Block extra firm tofu</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2 Heads of broccoli, rinse and trim to reserve the florets </span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2 Spring onions</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">3 Tablespoons champagne (or rice) vinegar</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2 Tablespoons hoisin sauce</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2 Tablespoons soy sauce</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 Tablespoon honey</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 Teaspoon ketchup</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">3 Tablespoons water</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/2 Teaspoon red pepper flakes</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Olive oil and salt/pepper to taste</span></li>
</ul>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Slice the block of tofu in half so that you have two 'sheets' of tofu the same size as the original block, but thinner. Makes sense? Then put paper towels on a dish towel, lay the two sheets of tofu on it and then fold the towels over and press firmly to help drain the excess liquid from the tofu. Then slice the tofu into thick cubes. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">You'll see in one of my earlier posts, tofu stir-fry, I usually cut tofu into thinner slices because it's faster (just flip once in the pan to cook both sides), but I wanted larger/more substantial pieces in this recipe since there are really just two main ingredients. But if you don't want to go through the slightly tedious process of flipping the tofu cubes 4-6 times to sear each side then just use thin slices. I went ahead and poured a small amount of olive oil in a hot pan and just flipped these guys till each side was golden. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and then set to the side.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Mix together the vinegar, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, honey, ketchup, water and red pepper flakes. Taste the sauce, add more soy sauce if you choose. Pour half of it into the hot pan (tofu just removed) and add the spring onions, cook for less than a minute. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Add the broccoli and a little more of the sauce, stir. Put a top on the pan for a couple minutes so the broccoli can steam. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Remove the lid and add the tofu, gently stir to mix. I didn't use all of the sauce but add as much as you'd like. I served this as is without rice and it was really great!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFEByKzynu03qLU24LOZqvPIbZKBjVZAI_ci_zYJRG7E9Wt7iQtw54CW9qcBEZj54U3MiMoJrZu9zcTczlQeLcP0BTTEvz74maCX_N0xsv1PeZ0LB9aFlFvRU6urpR8Pln7bJS7L-8d24/s640/blogger-image--1670191243.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFEByKzynu03qLU24LOZqvPIbZKBjVZAI_ci_zYJRG7E9Wt7iQtw54CW9qcBEZj54U3MiMoJrZu9zcTczlQeLcP0BTTEvz74maCX_N0xsv1PeZ0LB9aFlFvRU6urpR8Pln7bJS7L-8d24/s640/blogger-image--1670191243.jpg" /></a>jen_abigailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07491395265549962708noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1643763485335826952.post-10616857735223663602012-07-12T19:17:00.001-07:002012-07-12T19:17:21.368-07:00Cheesy Tomato & Basil Pasta<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTrRTETdiRD1JJEEU-jbWZruWNjEA3NMaitaufzLuudwrt1yTVfveJb9Xf3o-hmqKfWRgDQ4fcrp_I3lxEPDHYJfliBvhTWzDM9yG6vWDtH2Gd5w7s4rKQNCB6EDMMl98vp_gOPi5tMQQ/s640/blogger-image--1109187107.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTrRTETdiRD1JJEEU-jbWZruWNjEA3NMaitaufzLuudwrt1yTVfveJb9Xf3o-hmqKfWRgDQ4fcrp_I3lxEPDHYJfliBvhTWzDM9yG6vWDtH2Gd5w7s4rKQNCB6EDMMl98vp_gOPi5tMQQ/s640/blogger-image--1109187107.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pasta Perfection</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I have been craving a delicious plate of pasta for a while now. After being unable to satiate this craving with a plate of gnocchi at a cute little Italian place on the Upper West Side, I decided to take matters in my own hands. I wanted something packed with flavor and a bit of cheesiness, and I'm pretty much in love with what I created. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I also wanted to make something fast and easy for dinner, and pasta is always happy to fit that role. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I'm not going to sit here and tell you this recipe is exceptionally healthy, but I will say this recipe will really hit the spot if you're craving a cheesy, filling carb fest that is a lot friendlier to the waistline than mac and cheese or some other cheese-laden baked dish. The combination of sun dried tomatoes, fresh tomatoes, garlic and fresh basil is outstanding. The mozzarella and parmigiano reggiano melt to lightly coat the pasta. If you wanted, this would be great if you sautéed some slices of asparagus with the garlic and tomato to add some crunch and extra veg. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Cheesy Tomato & Basil Pasta</span><br />
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<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Linguini Pasta (fresh is ideal)</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/2 Cup good olive oil</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 Cup basil leaves</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/2 Cup sun dried tomatoes, chopped</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 Teaspoon salt</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/2 Teaspoon fresh cracked pepper </span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/2 Teaspoon red pepper flakes</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">4 cloves garlic</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 Pint cherry tomatoes (mine were larger than normal and <i>amazingly</i> fresh)</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 Fresh mozzarella ball (packed in water, or two if they're small)</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/2 Cup Parmigiano Reggiano</span></li>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Start with the best ingredients and you can't go wrong!</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Start by putting a large pot of water on to boil. Salt the water generously. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Blend the following ingredients in a food processor: The sun dried tomatoes, basil, balsamic vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, pepper, red pepper, 1 clove garlic. Blend and slowly add most of the olive oil (reserving at least a tablespoon or so). </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is before it's finished blending, right after I added the sun dried tomatoes. By the time you're done blending it should all be finely chopped and mixed together like a paste. </td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Put the pasta on to boil, be sure not to over cook especially if you bought fresh pasta. The italian market on my corner has an amazing selections of pastas made in house and somehow this is the first time I bought it, not sure how I waited this long! I had a very large quantity of pasta, but this recipe would still taste great if you kept everything the same and just used a smaller batch of pasta (I would probably just use less cheese).</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi4-NSTiKBIoJ__-EpB1RercHgnCfC3Zg3BRIs8qY415TipI5KeSyIYaggA7M68xelTSIRVg9jamu991N0CPH4bFN5ONe3cnTqwxKpqybX-_VEcPa6XmhcGuSx5KqcO8oPKahGWEI07EU/s640/blogger-image-2101313454.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi4-NSTiKBIoJ__-EpB1RercHgnCfC3Zg3BRIs8qY415TipI5KeSyIYaggA7M68xelTSIRVg9jamu991N0CPH4bFN5ONe3cnTqwxKpqybX-_VEcPa6XmhcGuSx5KqcO8oPKahGWEI07EU/s640/blogger-image-2101313454.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Pour the rest of the olive oil into a large pan (large enough to fit all of the pasta eventually) and heat over medium. Add 3 cloves of minced garlic and the pint of tomatoes. You'll want really fresh flavorful tomatoes for this, the best you can find. Sauté the garlic and tomatoes for a few minutes till the tomatoes are soft and a couple burst. Be sure not to burn your garlic.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIo1PGni6kwbUjVgDgIQad6Assi_4MnMLDX3wPbrfO652kJqUf7zAB3XRbaaK4z-vk4TEnEPGlBRkNExJdJzd5fQeNnSHrHz-ZVZ9ege1Gcl_z-HBPWrnPDOfqJNeMy8Rw_MAW5Wvqzv4/s640/blogger-image-2025248413.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIo1PGni6kwbUjVgDgIQad6Assi_4MnMLDX3wPbrfO652kJqUf7zAB3XRbaaK4z-vk4TEnEPGlBRkNExJdJzd5fQeNnSHrHz-ZVZ9ege1Gcl_z-HBPWrnPDOfqJNeMy8Rw_MAW5Wvqzv4/s640/blogger-image-2025248413.jpg" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">By now your pasta should be done, drain the pasta but be sure to reserve a cup of the pasta water. Add the pasta to the sauté pan and turn off the heat. Add the sun dried tomato/basil mixture to the pasta and mix together. Cut the mozzarella into small cubes and grate the parmigiano reggiano; add both to the pasta but reserve some parmigiano reggiano for plating. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfD9ppez8sN-cVipjDROVv29cgt8POwLJ4fo7QMLxCNcczySuE5_rJrNJvf2ng5pLdJsC3JZ02phZL3gWT6dAVYJa6Ox9aqez8-9vQR3UCyeddDtW8Y3VWsZb8JKRrMqwxKHDYr3B8oC0/s640/blogger-image-364536021.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfD9ppez8sN-cVipjDROVv29cgt8POwLJ4fo7QMLxCNcczySuE5_rJrNJvf2ng5pLdJsC3JZ02phZL3gWT6dAVYJa6Ox9aqez8-9vQR3UCyeddDtW8Y3VWsZb8JKRrMqwxKHDYr3B8oC0/s640/blogger-image-364536021.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Mix everything up, add enough of the reserved pasta water so that it has the right consistency- this will help develop the sauce that coats the pasta. Finish with a 1/2 teaspoon salt and serve warm - the cheese will be melty gooey perfection and it will be hard to resist seconds...enjoy!!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimFavLfqAsfKLKF4ZdTuZ-EqSjSTRt4fCWp1rv0BImqfonjiGJ-SC3n5ryauKY2lHiEvo-G2CqCj6slaQWtDMYgYK8VBmzVEm67bix2X4355E29xyAlBgupCJoEJUrHYyXNIpBotL2OSQ/s640/blogger-image--938622546.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimFavLfqAsfKLKF4ZdTuZ-EqSjSTRt4fCWp1rv0BImqfonjiGJ-SC3n5ryauKY2lHiEvo-G2CqCj6slaQWtDMYgYK8VBmzVEm67bix2X4355E29xyAlBgupCJoEJUrHYyXNIpBotL2OSQ/s640/blogger-image--938622546.jpg" /></a></div>jen_abigailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07491395265549962708noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1643763485335826952.post-5527036689968867992012-07-05T18:59:00.001-07:002012-07-06T07:44:28.337-07:00Baked Vegetable Egg Roll<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhajOnoLuLtcf25DrRXPbM_JbsCDXSda0__osA5CcQ8pdtx5IhCtvLu3BVfO79YcNt8coN5i08dc_9NfoOqWYb8EvDrieBN_TbbWQPRRM2LrKhVDxkoMqjmFvIU7vLm6Z-V4USUvR34Jj8/s640/blogger-image-308560248.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhajOnoLuLtcf25DrRXPbM_JbsCDXSda0__osA5CcQ8pdtx5IhCtvLu3BVfO79YcNt8coN5i08dc_9NfoOqWYb8EvDrieBN_TbbWQPRRM2LrKhVDxkoMqjmFvIU7vLm6Z-V4USUvR34Jj8/s640/blogger-image-308560248.jpg" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Ahh this is perfection- incredibly flavorful, tastes super sinful but is actually a relatively healthy appetizer! Nothing but lots of veggies here so feel free to chow down and enjoy yourself.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">As a side note, this was one of the most time consuming recipes I've ever made. However, the time commitment had nothing to do with how long it took to actually prepare and cook the egg rolls, but had everything to do with the fact that I somehow had to visit 5 different grocery stores in order to actually find egg roll wrappers. After the third stop I knew I had to keep going until I found the darned wrappers, and unfortunately that meant spending $7 on a pack of frozen wrappers. But the bright side is I discovered a couple new (to me) great grocery stores in my hood that I hadn't visited yet!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>Vegetable Egg Roll</b></span><br />
<ul><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Egg roll wrappers</span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 Head of nappa cabbage</span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">3-4 Cremini mushrooms </span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 Very large carrot (if your grocery store doesn't sell these separately you'll probably need at least 2 medium sized carrots from a bunch)</span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">3 Spring onions</span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1.5 Heaping tablespoon ginger (this is a lot, you'll definitely taste the ginger in the egg rolls which I love)</span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">3 Cloves of garlic</span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Water chestnuts or sun choke or jicama (optional, but a small handful adds nice crunch)</span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 Tablespoon soy sauce</span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/4 Teaspoon salt</span></li></ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGnByp4Q8AOXKofdEQ1igY1Q7jFfri7r3opXG3AZcPq6038mBu19ochAbPb5P8aCZe7-8vdEhLG4KNv8FqV1OwK-VflwKTTCzmtmVKn0_vg5EMMy8qKRxYYxlN7SOiTGkuOrLR9rEY1kQ/s640/blogger-image--1402307611.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGnByp4Q8AOXKofdEQ1igY1Q7jFfri7r3opXG3AZcPq6038mBu19ochAbPb5P8aCZe7-8vdEhLG4KNv8FqV1OwK-VflwKTTCzmtmVKn0_vg5EMMy8qKRxYYxlN7SOiTGkuOrLR9rEY1kQ/s640/blogger-image--1402307611.jpg" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>Sweet and Spicy Dipping Sauce</b></span><br />
<ul><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 Tablespoon soy sauce</span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 Tablespoon honey</span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/2 Teaspoon champagne vinegar (or rice vinegar)</span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/2 Teaspoon hoisin sauce</span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 Clove minced garlic </span></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/4 Teaspoon red pepper flakes</span></li></ul><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Start by prepping your veggies. Discard the outside layers of the nappa cabbage and then slice and chop the rest of the head. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Use a dry dish towel to gently rub/clean the mushrooms. Pull off the mushroom stem and then slice the mushroom cap length-wise and then thinly slice the two layers.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Peel and then shred the carrot. Slice the spring onions, both white and green parts. This not only gives good flavor but adds nice color. Mince the garlic.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Slice the tough skin off the ginger and thinly mince it. I used about a one inch cube of ginger.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn3RA37JU6Qdg2R2QmEqptKAMZsPXdEXaqJJ1FM6DkU5aSUD5pQPx-yT0EqF4ieZEd-P4b_Mwwv0wp1hsHSe4U3p4PnNsbR1n2hoPBB0b1UReHpy4rWgzsh-S3DUw8y1J2zHZiUGoUjeI/s640/blogger-image--2055291966.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn3RA37JU6Qdg2R2QmEqptKAMZsPXdEXaqJJ1FM6DkU5aSUD5pQPx-yT0EqF4ieZEd-P4b_Mwwv0wp1hsHSe4U3p4PnNsbR1n2hoPBB0b1UReHpy4rWgzsh-S3DUw8y1J2zHZiUGoUjeI/s640/blogger-image--2055291966.jpg" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Now, to be honest, initially I accidentally bought a sun choke instead of ginger. Luckily, since I went to 4 grocery stores afterwards I was able to easily pick up ginger root once I identified my mistake. A quick google taught me that sun chokes can be eaten raw and are very crunchy and relatively flavorless. Reminded me of water chestnuts which I wanted to add to the egg rolls anyways, so I just peeled and sliced the sun choke into matchstick strips and I think it was a great addition! If you have sliced and canned water chestnuts then just use a small handful and slice thinly. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Time to get cooking! Sauté the spring onions and ginger for just about a minute. </span><br />
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</span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghmcOvaDqkCAVfe28WzGGI5MOdwFduBA2duGxk41rB4tYmM68uvw8QeYqZh3z6ZX8nguOnjL-Biwl9AusgGw4GsJNNLAvdfkgSk0MXWYl5kRECu8zMaLN3eDcBDzsoDWRAZsqy3PREE74/s640/blogger-image-1140054399.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghmcOvaDqkCAVfe28WzGGI5MOdwFduBA2duGxk41rB4tYmM68uvw8QeYqZh3z6ZX8nguOnjL-Biwl9AusgGw4GsJNNLAvdfkgSk0MXWYl5kRECu8zMaLN3eDcBDzsoDWRAZsqy3PREE74/s640/blogger-image-1140054399.jpg" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Then add the garlic and sauté for another 30 seconds. Add the mushrooms and stir. Add the carrots and stir in well. Then add the cabbage and cook until wilted. Add one Tablespoon of soy sauce and a pinch of salt and, if you choose to include, the sun choke or water chestnuts. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjijP6YWjbFMVpIpfrKX3UdGZZFcZndT1LZzohqpWyW8wRr5XN3sOlkDPtJw9JEG3iGNlW7vjNL_t9Sxw6vchmMYPb37loN7BUjUh41oU381SjXPCnx5qqyBiXjJA7WrjJaL3kA3iomG4c/s640/blogger-image--340434987.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjijP6YWjbFMVpIpfrKX3UdGZZFcZndT1LZzohqpWyW8wRr5XN3sOlkDPtJw9JEG3iGNlW7vjNL_t9Sxw6vchmMYPb37loN7BUjUh41oU381SjXPCnx5qqyBiXjJA7WrjJaL3kA3iomG4c/s640/blogger-image--340434987.jpg" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">If there is one part I didn't excel at it would probably be the wrapping part of this procedure. Put a wrapper on a flat surface and put a heaping pile of the veggie mix in the center of the wrapper (it seemed like these were extra large wrappers but to be honest I don't have a point of reference). You'll put the filling in a line at an angle, basically going from one corner to the opposite corner. Dab your fingers in a bowl of water and wet the outside edges of the wrapper. </span><br />
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</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Fold the top and bottom corner in onto the filling and then take the larger left corner and fold over the mix and roll it up tightly.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsRf6eBY-84d5mepxlruBRZfyVqX7IdjXruJQbfh9WIkFtT6Io17FGIqKzj2WB71DBvHKrWK5Mo9J09tOvhFRoe4WDV3KAeEz0q3tHImCDc1t6XvtmLCFM7eLh_bZ3JrYZiUmmjDFSlPg/s640/blogger-image--1039236052.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsRf6eBY-84d5mepxlruBRZfyVqX7IdjXruJQbfh9WIkFtT6Io17FGIqKzj2WB71DBvHKrWK5Mo9J09tOvhFRoe4WDV3KAeEz0q3tHImCDc1t6XvtmLCFM7eLh_bZ3JrYZiUmmjDFSlPg/s640/blogger-image--1039236052.jpg" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Line a pan with tin foil and spray with non stick cooking spray. Place the egg rolls on top and then lightly brush the egg rolls with olive oil (I might just use cooking spray next time instead). Pop into the oven for about 15 minutes.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBOuRAwbfg69si0c2GnohLxy9umZH908pbeUSabyovkLRAuekRYIoGIoMkTP2niR5lMsVICM70UKS4MzzjongmUI3PqldpH88TabFtNAppgtvXDcsBpBfnEn2OnNHjsIRsxupkJItJSAc/s640/blogger-image--103972019.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBOuRAwbfg69si0c2GnohLxy9umZH908pbeUSabyovkLRAuekRYIoGIoMkTP2niR5lMsVICM70UKS4MzzjongmUI3PqldpH88TabFtNAppgtvXDcsBpBfnEn2OnNHjsIRsxupkJItJSAc/s640/blogger-image--103972019.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Before</td></tr></tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6Wkk3XjtjMymJfwn0WEEUPaJVVpxqziHt_SGU8cQdc4yhVeWgy2pWg1q7fa3va2m_aDGDA_NisN-KmInJDAEd9l3mqrRUgNeez-anrqeS1vjvq0wtykBnvjj55HhkMiT5kNejS0MZEhk/s640/blogger-image--105695968.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6Wkk3XjtjMymJfwn0WEEUPaJVVpxqziHt_SGU8cQdc4yhVeWgy2pWg1q7fa3va2m_aDGDA_NisN-KmInJDAEd9l3mqrRUgNeez-anrqeS1vjvq0wtykBnvjj55HhkMiT5kNejS0MZEhk/s640/blogger-image--105695968.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After</td></tr></tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">While the rolls are baking, start mixing up a dipping sauce. In a small bowl combine the soy sauce, honey, vinegar, hoisin sauce and red pepper flakes. Mince a clove of garlic and add to the sauce. Sweet and spicy and tangy, a perfect compliment to the egg rolls. </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl2ppkdhBHH07gFUE0aZmx52j8OF0f2cX9U3W8ebL8BIo4U8yGulqzv95eMbxVyMVz3GKJOxlKcNDCm4oknfBxRsw9rCylJjOp7wIzlsgsLV7mtbpQTVafXJXGWrJYpPKjwH3C9eZ0DXA/s640/blogger-image-1992449447.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl2ppkdhBHH07gFUE0aZmx52j8OF0f2cX9U3W8ebL8BIo4U8yGulqzv95eMbxVyMVz3GKJOxlKcNDCm4oknfBxRsw9rCylJjOp7wIzlsgsLV7mtbpQTVafXJXGWrJYpPKjwH3C9eZ0DXA/s640/blogger-image-1992449447.jpg" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The egg rolls will come out golden, crunchy on the outside and really PACKED with flavor. </span><br />
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</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXhwtNhAO5PH6lEh0JFw2nSud-eY2ptJb3cPkBHnp-yNBXcmQUPLk-CknzS7OcYHfAodE_D47CkNyZ94q-0yxOxHoVBEB0LAdV9NygraOSZ8tXPGu6luAWMJ0euNPd2KcxiR0hItnAG_U/s640/blogger-image--797436928.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXhwtNhAO5PH6lEh0JFw2nSud-eY2ptJb3cPkBHnp-yNBXcmQUPLk-CknzS7OcYHfAodE_D47CkNyZ94q-0yxOxHoVBEB0LAdV9NygraOSZ8tXPGu6luAWMJ0euNPd2KcxiR0hItnAG_U/s640/blogger-image--797436928.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeV6AqcXK8zODxyBZPxEiTizLaA4smgCpMXJQrFgc1_CIqRiq5H1370esAi8OPt2M4PqupSmHhFk2XoRi-Dw3VhmCYRu-KXMxg1sp_8e68eHC1CQl5aX3MMBVt7pPtILIGQ2qi7BLq9gk/s640/blogger-image-1582948745.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeV6AqcXK8zODxyBZPxEiTizLaA4smgCpMXJQrFgc1_CIqRiq5H1370esAi8OPt2M4PqupSmHhFk2XoRi-Dw3VhmCYRu-KXMxg1sp_8e68eHC1CQl5aX3MMBVt7pPtILIGQ2qi7BLq9gk/s640/blogger-image-1582948745.jpg" /></a></div>jen_abigailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07491395265549962708noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1643763485335826952.post-7785728575633069502012-07-05T17:57:00.000-07:002012-07-05T18:06:13.636-07:00Crunchy Summer Salad<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXEPsm9N3pE1tGkNFkRiHTpCr6wrARez8hh235FOFi9O38GdZIic5bqzV8oj7-VsgP4vuhyphenhyphendwWzFrHGEBQqEOfSfotpciSHGa10OstX2zhrfa6JMBdwOpipGQ8TZErgj8N8qFE8ZHOOKY/s640/blogger-image-1844710589.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXEPsm9N3pE1tGkNFkRiHTpCr6wrARez8hh235FOFi9O38GdZIic5bqzV8oj7-VsgP4vuhyphenhyphendwWzFrHGEBQqEOfSfotpciSHGa10OstX2zhrfa6JMBdwOpipGQ8TZErgj8N8qFE8ZHOOKY/s640/blogger-image-1844710589.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Ok, the truth is I wanted veggie hot dogs on the 4th of July and figured I should have a healthy side to go with it. It was easy for me to decide on a salad because I recently had a really refreshing and tasty one at my best friend's beautiful outdoor wedding in the outer banks.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Crunchy Summer Salad</span></b><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<ul>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Mixed greens</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Green apple</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Radishes</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">White onion (red would be good too, I just had white because of my hot dog topping desires which clearly took precedence during my grocery list planning!)</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Carrot</span></li>
</ul>
<div>
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Honey Dressing </span></b></div>
<div>
<ul>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2 Tablespoons lemon juice</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">3 Tablespoons good olive oil</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 Tablespoon honey</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/4 Teaspoon salt</span></li>
</ul>
<div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmpTmgZjNw0_zTAzwBTd28vDwUZULU6KWvWP-SqzAp5F4-Po0t1-Sj61ee0YRoIqAV5tE2N74f3kDVYkDnUWRtpkEDbV2nqEJecAh-loA8tODIow-r4zHqCWzWJDPZFO7NzeB-_XvOZP4/s640/blogger-image-757919458.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmpTmgZjNw0_zTAzwBTd28vDwUZULU6KWvWP-SqzAp5F4-Po0t1-Sj61ee0YRoIqAV5tE2N74f3kDVYkDnUWRtpkEDbV2nqEJecAh-loA8tODIow-r4zHqCWzWJDPZFO7NzeB-_XvOZP4/s640/blogger-image-757919458.jpg" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">You'll notice a block of feta cheese...I'm sure the salad would be great with it but I simply forgot to add it!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Clean and trim the radishes and slice thinly. </span></div>
</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Cut thin slices of the apple by standing it up and cutting one side off, avoiding the core. Then cut that piece into very thin slices, then cut into thin matchstick-sized thing strips lengthwise. Cut thin slices of the white onion. Shred the carrot.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj8JamCd754XkcegMkzX2Rsl6KIOY9Vx_-jJ7ZX7ixxee77vHTO7esMJMofi1eCqv2Q-Z-iXgnrCGC84plU9yVgijThVGtr1RozDf53LQ2kikcey74nkLTAuh8ieFu-hF0-N4VqWOmqi8/s640/blogger-image-1477378527.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj8JamCd754XkcegMkzX2Rsl6KIOY9Vx_-jJ7ZX7ixxee77vHTO7esMJMofi1eCqv2Q-Z-iXgnrCGC84plU9yVgijThVGtr1RozDf53LQ2kikcey74nkLTAuh8ieFu-hF0-N4VqWOmqi8/s640/blogger-image-1477378527.jpg" /></span></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Combine all of the salad dressing ingredients into a bowl and mix well with a fork or whisk. It will be sweet but pairs really perfectly with the salad.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">And you have yourself a refreshing light summer salad! Clearly I was preoccupied with the veggie dog component of this meal as you can see from the lack of solo pics of the salad...</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKRCyw7tyhQzytzZ6W3Iw5WtDW08lLqAEDkX_ziuFxc2EdFlJl1MCwBIbvnHvzxtKocuN-ftN6D7pn3QsD-NFQviSD6fjvXXTjg7nbCEmhRQr2TfFf32d3XGC2f9jgt3Xhp9ibST3ZSvo/s640/blogger-image--1926690038.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKRCyw7tyhQzytzZ6W3Iw5WtDW08lLqAEDkX_ziuFxc2EdFlJl1MCwBIbvnHvzxtKocuN-ftN6D7pn3QsD-NFQviSD6fjvXXTjg7nbCEmhRQr2TfFf32d3XGC2f9jgt3Xhp9ibST3ZSvo/s640/blogger-image--1926690038.jpg" /></a></div>jen_abigailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07491395265549962708noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1643763485335826952.post-70590059260181753612012-06-18T18:55:00.002-07:002012-06-18T19:03:15.980-07:00Quinoa Medley<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdTJF2TMAjLLiHil0OlnHlDdswZgVSl3R7jkV574QvAu6WbiHuGiE-BUVSZl12daoSI_7kkIehVKX9jKoK-ecK9RoVzMrsEY_S0GOi-5zlkzn4BcjH1ji3J4IAg8bXujPh1m3ILnUwd28/s1600/IMG_0687.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdTJF2TMAjLLiHil0OlnHlDdswZgVSl3R7jkV574QvAu6WbiHuGiE-BUVSZl12daoSI_7kkIehVKX9jKoK-ecK9RoVzMrsEY_S0GOi-5zlkzn4BcjH1ji3J4IAg8bXujPh1m3ILnUwd28/s320/IMG_0687.jpg" width="239" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">After a glutinously delightful weekend filled with incredible midnight dinners and too many cocktails, I decided to get back on track today with a jog through central park and a dinner overloaded with vegetables. Yum. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">By nature a recipe like this is pretty flexible. But please don't try to make it without the toasted pine nuts! I know pine nuts can be pretty pricey, especially in Manhattan, but it's one item I like to stock up on at Costco. It's great to have them on hand to add to salads, use in pesto, and stir into recipes like this one. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">If you'd like you can grill a chicken breast to go with this (fresh herbs, garlic, lemon and you've got a great marinade). Quinoa is already a good source of protein. I bet this would be good if you threw a handful of spinach in it, too. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">So go buy some veggies and start your week off right!</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Quinoa Medley</span><br />
<br />
<ul>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 Cup quinoa, uncooked</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2 Cups water + 1/2 veggie bouillon cube (or just use 2 cups chicken stock)</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">4 cloves garlic</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 Red pepper</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 Zucchini </span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">3-4 Spring onions</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2 Cobs of corn</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2 Plum tomatoes</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/4 Cup pine nuts</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/4 Cup ricotta salata cheese</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/4 Cup chopped parsley</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 Lemon</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 Tablespoon honey</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">3 Tablespoons olive oil, plus a little for sauteing </span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/2 Teaspoon each salt and fresh ground pepper, plus more to taste</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/4 Teaspoon dried oregano</span></li>
</ul>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Start by rinsing and prepping your veggies. Stand the red pepper up and slice the four sides off of the pepper; this gives you flat pieces of pepper that are easy to slice thinly, about 1/4 inch, and then dice. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Dice the zucchini slightly larger than the pepper. Usually you want your vegetables about the same size but zucchini cooks faster than peppers. Cut the zucchini lengthwise into about 1/3 inch slices, make a quarter turn then cut the same way so that you have long strips that are easy to dice. Clean the corn and slice the kernels off of it. Chop the spring onions and mince the garlic. Slice the plum tomatoes. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Heat a tiny bit of olive oil in a pot and cook one smashed clove of garlic until fragrant then add the 1/2 veggie bouillon cube. Add the 1 cup dry quinoa and stir for a few minutes to toast the couscous. Add 2 cups of water, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and put the top on the pot. Cook for 15 minutes.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Take out your largest sauté pan and heat it on medium with nothing in it, then add the 1/4 cup pine nuts to the dry pan and toast over medium heat stirring regularly. They'll start to sizzle and turn brown, this brings out an amazing nutty flavor and is definitely worth the short time and effort it takes to toast them! Take the nuts out of the pan and save them for later.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Pour about 1 teaspoon of olive oil (or less) into heated pan and add the red peppers for just about 1 minute.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Add the diced zucchini, spring onions, and garlic and stir. Add about 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">After a few minutes or so add the tomatoes and corn. I like to use plum tomatoes because they hold up well to a little heat. Once you add the corn and tomatoes you'll just want to heat the mix for another minute or two then turn the stove top off. You want the vegetables fresh and just cooked, don't kill them with heat!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">While you're waiting for the quinoa to finish cooking, juice the lemon. It should be about 3 tablespoons of juice. Add 3 tablespoons of olive oil, 1 tablespoon of honey, 1/4 teaspoon oregano and whisk until blended. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">By now your quinoa should already be done cooking. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Add the vegetables to the quinoa and stir. Add the olive oil and lemon dressing. I used just about 4 tablespoons of the mix, but add according to your taste. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Add the toasted pine nuts, 1/4 cup shredded ricotta salata and 1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley. Stir and add more salt and/or pepper to taste. Top with a little shredded ricotta salata and enjoy. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">And d</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">on't feel bad about going back for seconds!</span><br />
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<br />jen_abigailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07491395265549962708noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1643763485335826952.post-58731060238896450502012-06-13T20:46:00.002-07:002012-06-14T07:50:02.468-07:00Grilled Veggie Sandwich<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXK1PWdlB7Z_9TOc3xgWjfuPJkuDTa0hgOXnUlAmAW7PKf-xEnby-wh8SZfcDogwomwY2sFphQy7pwQTMKDH6S-rx6XQsFOsoObEmKjCjd2eYZKgU5hwAgy2BkfExPfL1oqRIw2dXwA7A/s640/blogger-image-2138380510.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXK1PWdlB7Z_9TOc3xgWjfuPJkuDTa0hgOXnUlAmAW7PKf-xEnby-wh8SZfcDogwomwY2sFphQy7pwQTMKDH6S-rx6XQsFOsoObEmKjCjd2eYZKgU5hwAgy2BkfExPfL1oqRIw2dXwA7A/s400/blogger-image-2138380510.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Please excuse the uneven knife work on that tomato- not sure what happened there!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">As you may have gathered by now, I'm in love with my new grill pan. I also love a good sandwich. My family used to go to Rehoboth Beach most summers and there was a little sandwich shop that had the best roasted veggie sandwich. It was a tradition to eat there each visit (or...multiple times each visit!) and I figured it was time to recreate the deliciousness. As a side note, the name of this recipe is deceiving because only one item is grilled, but that is besides the point. If you choose to roast the eggplant instead it would be just as good. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Grilled Veggie Sandwich</span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">1 Eggplant</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">1 Red pepper</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">1 Tomato</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">1 Mozzarella ball</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Mixed </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">lettuce greens</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">1 Loaf of good bread, I used ciabatta </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Olive oil</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Balsamic Vinegar</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Mayonnaise (optional)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">1 Clove Garlic</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Salt & freshly ground pepper</span></li>
</ul>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_SGhT2ILCI8-XYcwbeuLtIvY1PaedmBcQUomnd42lVx2V2xcN1VPBR0Q49xgyYas-ybTPXsEyAONJSTfVyBdJCGnkiUzBtvdsDrQAdFFsGwo2r9qAjGQbQF3efpGi2iD7vegI0VtVreg/s640/blogger-image-130324770.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_SGhT2ILCI8-XYcwbeuLtIvY1PaedmBcQUomnd42lVx2V2xcN1VPBR0Q49xgyYas-ybTPXsEyAONJSTfVyBdJCGnkiUzBtvdsDrQAdFFsGwo2r9qAjGQbQF3efpGi2iD7vegI0VtVreg/s640/blogger-image-130324770.jpg" /></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I started by roasting the red pepper. I've always bought jarred roasted red peppers which works fine, but roasting it yourself is easy and really takes it to a new level. Sadly and strangely, I don't have a pair of metal tongs (I'm already planning a trip to the closest Sur La Table) so I had a really awkward technique for roasting the pepper. I stabbed the bottom of the pepper with a large steak knife as I roasted it over the open flame on my stove top- but surely I would recommend using metal tongs if you have them! If you have an electric stove top then you can use your oven broiler to roast the pepper.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Brush the pepper lightly with olive oil. Hold the pepper over the flame and slowly rotate the pepper until it is blackened evenly all over. Try not to catch the stem on fire! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Once it's blackened, put it in a bowl and cover with a lid or saran wrap and let it steam while you prepare everything else. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx7cSgB3nzWEkmHMUvtxYKVzAioNDxyB4QhxT-M9fv0y3uiHbUjBzwdbxUoF3f8vyhTvoNfGLW8EdajwEcudAT4jPdvSMsip0zV7h5ZGE38f2WMCwonqBvJnZIrS6RoYd9S-3ipUmp1lA/s640/blogger-image-410349649.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx7cSgB3nzWEkmHMUvtxYKVzAioNDxyB4QhxT-M9fv0y3uiHbUjBzwdbxUoF3f8vyhTvoNfGLW8EdajwEcudAT4jPdvSMsip0zV7h5ZGE38f2WMCwonqBvJnZIrS6RoYd9S-3ipUmp1lA/s640/blogger-image-410349649.jpg" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Next I cut the eggplant evenly into about 1/3 inch thick slices. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7S0Kv2nRe4MBOtQeB62xUVzQ7Dz2Ml3qSG-sOCAFOlFWnyOkL_-xbl6Bi0Zbc9fPkFZ3NrjZReTFE1bDLUGZE6kIk5zXLPwnxPP-Rmv0uMtFqEdNMfrCEaJklp2wzJ7rJTMtvga5g5QE/s640/blogger-image-603108689.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7S0Kv2nRe4MBOtQeB62xUVzQ7Dz2Ml3qSG-sOCAFOlFWnyOkL_-xbl6Bi0Zbc9fPkFZ3NrjZReTFE1bDLUGZE6kIk5zXLPwnxPP-Rmv0uMtFqEdNMfrCEaJklp2wzJ7rJTMtvga5g5QE/s640/blogger-image-603108689.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Use a brush to lightly coat each side of the eggplant with olive oil and add salt and pepper. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Cook the eggplant on the grill pan once the pan is hot. Cook for about 3 minutes on each side, depending on how hot the pan is and how thick your slices are. You just want to be sure the eggplant is nicely cooked through. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Set the eggplant aside once cooked.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Slice your tomato and mozzarella into thin, even slices and set aside. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Now let's get back to that roasted red pepper- by now it should be cool enough to handle and you should be able to very easily peel off all of the charred skin. Cut the pepper into thick slices, drizzle with olive oil and add salt and pepper.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Toast your ciabatta bread and rub a peeled garlic glove that you've cut in half over both sides of the bread. Spread a thin layer of mayonnaise on one side, and add a tablespoon or two of balsamic vinegar to the other side of the bread. If your bread isn't thick enough to soak up the vinegar then you can just pour it over the sandwich once assembled. I assembled the sandwich with the eggplant on the bottom, then roasted red pepper, tomato, salt and pepper, mozzarella and topped with lettuce. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQQ5WqyIfMl5NyyDaT0Gu30Q0As4R7qhyphenhypheno7b9iBG8MjxAjCp3I7oaN-d0MA8Z0n4UpjfX1vETQfrLYRgBiEJrahemuCrTabwogGV1I3_z3ZNHUHHP3EP7w0pykvoawdlSJ274i3aChOzc/s640/blogger-image--1982527210.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQQ5WqyIfMl5NyyDaT0Gu30Q0As4R7qhyphenhypheno7b9iBG8MjxAjCp3I7oaN-d0MA8Z0n4UpjfX1vETQfrLYRgBiEJrahemuCrTabwogGV1I3_z3ZNHUHHP3EP7w0pykvoawdlSJ274i3aChOzc/s640/blogger-image--1982527210.jpg" /></a><span style="font-family: Georgia;">After enjoying this tasty sandwich for two meals in a row, I decided to make a naked sandwich aka salad one night when I just had a few minutes to eat before running out the door. I threw the leftover lettuce on a plate, sprayed with some balsamic vinegar, then just layered slices of the veggies and mozzarella on top, sprinkled with salt and pepper and it was fantastic!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNTBeEh0Cg03qegUZEs3po9t-Mqmg5GlNaFMHcD6t2FabGad8HaYSzLtZZLenUGpblFtDQUlIVaU5PTBtyCZX9XsggvYXzAqz5uyy2FeE8Z1hnnSvoIXILHpaxbzOUCO-d32oNdU2AOCg/s640/blogger-image-219183615.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNTBeEh0Cg03qegUZEs3po9t-Mqmg5GlNaFMHcD6t2FabGad8HaYSzLtZZLenUGpblFtDQUlIVaU5PTBtyCZX9XsggvYXzAqz5uyy2FeE8Z1hnnSvoIXILHpaxbzOUCO-d32oNdU2AOCg/s640/blogger-image-219183615.jpg" /></a></div>jen_abigailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07491395265549962708noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1643763485335826952.post-57856477589806370162012-06-13T20:08:00.000-07:002012-06-13T20:08:54.098-07:00NYC: Baked by Butterfield<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Unfortunately the local news had to announce that it was national doughnut week recently, and it induced a craving frenzy that I could only control by succumbing to it. After a quick search I realized that I would need to make my way to Chelsea at some point to visit Doughnut Plant. But my craving called for faster action, and I found a little shop called Baked by Butterfield that just recently opened. Of all things, they make doughnuts that are BAKED and not FRIED. Now, to be honest I have a bit of a problem with this since a baked doughnut is really a small circular cake, but I wasn't in the mood to be choosy. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTZY-8KhvyG06CxN-pw5d6lizt-qTDfAf4g-FKEGX9w2Nax0HDNdLxHga9fmG6Dreed2_92yWT15uaOE8we2Iw2AT6FRl02jxHIZanyczicUz0Byryf1Y3Z8BDmDj-gvTiaeRluEuK-2A/s640/blogger-image--670397691.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTZY-8KhvyG06CxN-pw5d6lizt-qTDfAf4g-FKEGX9w2Nax0HDNdLxHga9fmG6Dreed2_92yWT15uaOE8we2Iw2AT6FRl02jxHIZanyczicUz0Byryf1Y3Z8BDmDj-gvTiaeRluEuK-2A/s640/blogger-image--670397691.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">I bought two doughnuts so that I could have a sampling: Salted Caramel and Creme Brulee. I also got an unsweetened black iced tea which was a little weak for my taste.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTXZ54E2PdHoRwEwOGuf81HTGCO4X0_0NpWk37l7A4EHvQIvFkU5sdytxvxw2wVj9RZU32Af_PC1R3UxXKarUt0cS6vu33IFyBtPvvngtaKkxIybQ_SkZ_brgP-0EGNt9yEwJuVJLvFxA/s640/blogger-image-527927552.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTXZ54E2PdHoRwEwOGuf81HTGCO4X0_0NpWk37l7A4EHvQIvFkU5sdytxvxw2wVj9RZU32Af_PC1R3UxXKarUt0cS6vu33IFyBtPvvngtaKkxIybQ_SkZ_brgP-0EGNt9yEwJuVJLvFxA/s640/blogger-image-527927552.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">The Creme Brulee doughnut had a torched sugar top that looked lovely, and it had no hole (channeling a jelly doughnut) and was filled with a creme brulee-type custard. I had one bite and it was nice, but after trying the Salted Caramel doughnut I couldn't go back to it. The Salted Caramel doughnut had a very thick chewy caramel coating and you could really taste the salt. It was amazing. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD0sQTkpTqtUtRQYJZjsUiLgts8ZVuvpk9ond7HdpINl0cztfefvNyApzPKJlVqZ26m0SYlRlX07o_38fRfJEfrFs6JPXW75BBjpvhdwWqV-n0Hv19ZzcYdNnFCFSmPFfWdO2ZiCHxIvw/s640/blogger-image--431067854.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD0sQTkpTqtUtRQYJZjsUiLgts8ZVuvpk9ond7HdpINl0cztfefvNyApzPKJlVqZ26m0SYlRlX07o_38fRfJEfrFs6JPXW75BBjpvhdwWqV-n0Hv19ZzcYdNnFCFSmPFfWdO2ZiCHxIvw/s640/blogger-image--431067854.jpg" /></a></div>jen_abigailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07491395265549962708noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1643763485335826952.post-82251788923786843122012-06-13T19:54:00.000-07:002012-06-13T19:57:25.329-07:00Lemon, Garlic & Herb Chicken<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I can be pretty scrappy sometimes, and I just threw this together with the ingredients I had on hand in my fridge. It is the perfect example of how easy it is to make healthy, delicious food in a snap!</span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrZDwuCYqGSuKufAYb49M7chihEm08hQsdYY4YvyCk3pvSRd1NdReg4Wv_J5FjQGG1rAsWOV7Ka4_EvWDtmRMRyGKsCQ3ljaxoIWgVCCbslCUwOcju28Ho14ogK40cAREVoW_-U8cYtjs/s640/blogger-image-1344559410.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrZDwuCYqGSuKufAYb49M7chihEm08hQsdYY4YvyCk3pvSRd1NdReg4Wv_J5FjQGG1rAsWOV7Ka4_EvWDtmRMRyGKsCQ3ljaxoIWgVCCbslCUwOcju28Ho14ogK40cAREVoW_-U8cYtjs/s640/blogger-image-1344559410.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Scrappy.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">We all know boneless, skinless chicken breasts aren't known to be exceptionally flavorful, but if you use fresh herbs and let it marinate over night you'll be pleased with the results. I happened to use basil because that is what I had on hand, but rosemary is one of my favorite herbs to pair with chicken. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">If you are cooking 2 or more chicken breasts, you can just double the recipe (no need to triple it for 3 chicken breasts, etc). </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong>Lemon, Garlic & Herb Chicken</strong></span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">1 Boneless skinless chicken breast</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">1/4 Cup olive oil</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">1/2 Lemon</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">2 Garlic cloves</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">2 Tablespoons fresh herbs (I used basil), chopped</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">1/2 Teaspoon salt</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">1/2 Teaspoon pepper</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Pour the olive oil, salt and pepper into a shallow container large enough to hold the chicken breast. I had half of a partially squeezed lemon left over, so in addition to adding the remaining juice to the marinade I also sliced the lemon and threw it in the dish for extra flavor. If you're using rosemary I recommend zesting the lemon for even extra flavor. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Chop the garlic and herbs and add to marinade, mixing everything together.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5D-4qC3SdF7xHFzDgwhWY0q6raeHqFkN3-hwefCY8voZJDe2qaQIrNZ_gbREgs8J0dv3Mzw1bdRy0CO09N6RYdP7G40cKBKbF8eZh56FOrmgBrvRwx00LEpPxznkY5HUZwEHiBcI6j50/s640/blogger-image-943674886.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5D-4qC3SdF7xHFzDgwhWY0q6raeHqFkN3-hwefCY8voZJDe2qaQIrNZ_gbREgs8J0dv3Mzw1bdRy0CO09N6RYdP7G40cKBKbF8eZh56FOrmgBrvRwx00LEpPxznkY5HUZwEHiBcI6j50/s640/blogger-image-943674886.jpg" /></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Add the chicken breast, flipping so that it is evenly coated. Don't leave the slices of lemon directly on the chicken, it's best for it to sit on the olive oil. Marinate overnight for best results, flipping at least once.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjELxi10HiYVAEeCrEzHP-feCmvEanAB27QwGmGBKQEj70MNZKFpNXDwazVdZLjZdpvTnvlGZp52ImIcZCIBC22oF9zSWG8gMnN1D6qmhrCq6FOup3ngwz3alkY2WzEiQvCIA1UCn-geU4/s640/blogger-image--1237359548.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjELxi10HiYVAEeCrEzHP-feCmvEanAB27QwGmGBKQEj70MNZKFpNXDwazVdZLjZdpvTnvlGZp52ImIcZCIBC22oF9zSWG8gMnN1D6qmhrCq6FOup3ngwz3alkY2WzEiQvCIA1UCn-geU4/s640/blogger-image--1237359548.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">When you're ready to cook the chicken, scrape off the extra garlic and herbs from the chicken so it doesn't burn, and add a little extra salt and pepper to each side of the breast. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEPCGv3UFbSnybCH05LTbe5p9nlyW2UW4OZJf-ubdeGSr71MGkJUewwjcCpNzl_hyeitI6cKc4sCxzO2zT1AV4nkYA0V6Mf2neUka7ud1Z7Y3YHvIjdsxSa9DEKnodXjfj74YweNS5ufk/s640/blogger-image--1577557281.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEPCGv3UFbSnybCH05LTbe5p9nlyW2UW4OZJf-ubdeGSr71MGkJUewwjcCpNzl_hyeitI6cKc4sCxzO2zT1AV4nkYA0V6Mf2neUka7ud1Z7Y3YHvIjdsxSa9DEKnodXjfj74YweNS5ufk/s640/blogger-image--1577557281.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I cooked mine on a grill pan by heating the pan and cooking it for about 6 minutes on each side. </span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs0m5oVcTwFQH1SFWnlXA_CG_3tFhOJ_jBjA7AlcIbaNMZsF_cMLzzORKXfmomepNskyM-ZIBufp1TRLvfiO58C3P2Gc8tljgpEXAe1dA5rrc2DLfsGZ89v6mamLMXv6oGI_Q8pfN9Jbc/s640/blogger-image-575299007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs0m5oVcTwFQH1SFWnlXA_CG_3tFhOJ_jBjA7AlcIbaNMZsF_cMLzzORKXfmomepNskyM-ZIBufp1TRLvfiO58C3P2Gc8tljgpEXAe1dA5rrc2DLfsGZ89v6mamLMXv6oGI_Q8pfN9Jbc/s640/blogger-image-575299007.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Voila! Healthy and full of flavor. Great with a side of your favorite veggies or you can tear it to add to a wrap or salad.</span> </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZMBb9gxmlfM3RNV6EKxv5KZ4JoafEy2dbrYdFYbevwTctLujmMq_glmhQOZ8e9sqWE3lN20b9wMzwT4ucxPsXTPlfG4OueJcPIDP9Hc0MR6f-ksmTw1_Fh5FP6LpOObMQF0SQSjvvwuA/s640/blogger-image--608402025.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZMBb9gxmlfM3RNV6EKxv5KZ4JoafEy2dbrYdFYbevwTctLujmMq_glmhQOZ8e9sqWE3lN20b9wMzwT4ucxPsXTPlfG4OueJcPIDP9Hc0MR6f-ksmTw1_Fh5FP6LpOObMQF0SQSjvvwuA/s640/blogger-image--608402025.jpg" /></a></div>jen_abigailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07491395265549962708noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1643763485335826952.post-23367761444746869572012-06-06T19:04:00.000-07:002012-06-06T19:17:09.857-07:00Simple Scallops & Spinach<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhkBILc3o-k5lx5MLWT5HtrOZhm-0QmsXZBmm1QxxThAJgzN0KdLY3PCACkXVWgLLWuq-xMq1WgN0ef1vdAg_DYOtXUpZIXoHu4C82FhgkwVZjDwJZnElPPuXz-hgjjA4XPRk3xTj8444/s640/blogger-image--999809912.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhkBILc3o-k5lx5MLWT5HtrOZhm-0QmsXZBmm1QxxThAJgzN0KdLY3PCACkXVWgLLWuq-xMq1WgN0ef1vdAg_DYOtXUpZIXoHu4C82FhgkwVZjDwJZnElPPuXz-hgjjA4XPRk3xTj8444/s640/blogger-image--999809912.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I have always loved scallops and have had some fantastic variations at restaurants over the years. Yet somehow, I never tried cooking them at home! Since I will be heading out of town again soon I didn't want to buy a lot of groceries that would go to waste, so I figured a simple preparation would be best. This recipe is perfect because it's not only fast, but it also doesn't take a lot of ingredients to taste great. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">It's also easy to splurge on scallops when you're just cooking for one! Adjust the quantities if you have anyone joining you for dinner.</span><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Spinach</span></strong><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">2 Cups of spinach</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">1/2 Shallot</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">1/2-1 Clove of garlic</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Olive oil</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong>Scallops</strong> </span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">4 Scallops</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Salt & pepper </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">1 Lemon wedge</span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Start by preparing and cooking the spinach. Dice the shallot finely and slice the clove of garlic very thinly.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifWnzMb25qp5zzStHg7RXCj6fp9CsOBortJOY9TqZMEdfcATSwnfFQB6g2FGYF0t_iF_DxAwStGo_eb_9eIzsgtrpsQOhsv4ef_wFG5kJ7kNrLrr5qTuP294cHFy-Lp7gqdAIgyrsicvg/s400/blogger-image-1850156681.jpg" width="299" /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Heat a little olive oil in a pan and saute the shallot for a couple minutes. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Then add the sliced garlic and cook for another minute or two. It's okay if the shallot gets a little brown - they're good that way!- but you don't want to burn the garlic. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Add the spinach leaves and continue to cook until the spinach is wilted. No need to cook the spinach to death.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoJSEa1SYU5E8qLGFhbPDKOL4QI7_dLqG9_85hEm26u_jwpMIQRt5wpU6H1yCu4dZNaxA7I7R2eyXALPLZoCIgXrdubz02N7PUmkxJRjvjOOpENwuxbsLHk_ctwxoT7VnxjMsJnPYl5lg/s640/blogger-image-916071355.jpg" /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Put the spinach on your plate and it's time to get started on the scallops! If you need more olive oil, just add a very small amount. I needed just 1/4 teaspoon if that. Heat the pan to medium/medium-high, lightly salt and pepper both sides of the scallops, then place the scallops flat side down and cook for about 2 minutes. Flip and cook the opposite flat side for just 1.5-2 minutes longer. Both sides should have a nice sear.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTrvUYqYf3FHWTcxO5OVlWULpSPg4X9YQ7QJg3n7bYOW4IraKhItST2rWm2pvwvsrbILYHuORCdThqAV2jkWs5SsvY4SNqA0Ud6VVkbcNvzxINHPD2oUafv1-7nZqZvWEH11U8oVhX9tk/s640/blogger-image--1305687969.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTrvUYqYf3FHWTcxO5OVlWULpSPg4X9YQ7QJg3n7bYOW4IraKhItST2rWm2pvwvsrbILYHuORCdThqAV2jkWs5SsvY4SNqA0Ud6VVkbcNvzxINHPD2oUafv1-7nZqZvWEH11U8oVhX9tk/s640/blogger-image--1305687969.jpg" /></span></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Plate the scallops and squeeze the lemon over the scallops and spinach, and you've got yourself a meal! For a little more substance, I seared a little ciabatta bread in the pan after the scallops and added salt, pepper and topped with chopped basil to serve on the side. Enjoy.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhffuXPRO1Ti_7Bp954mFfI7VHAxlhXgaC4wj1bl4GHrLchCpZMmM-jtgtIEbdgpAPIi8qPjt1OfL1HTTTZNCanhLyMcfZJwgm7tKeiaYEGT9a-xJ75PRXm58ig3i1Mr9N_uPZ3y3YGhLI/s640/blogger-image--630439558.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhffuXPRO1Ti_7Bp954mFfI7VHAxlhXgaC4wj1bl4GHrLchCpZMmM-jtgtIEbdgpAPIi8qPjt1OfL1HTTTZNCanhLyMcfZJwgm7tKeiaYEGT9a-xJ75PRXm58ig3i1Mr9N_uPZ3y3YGhLI/s640/blogger-image--630439558.jpg" /></a></div>jen_abigailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07491395265549962708noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1643763485335826952.post-69529215794996424972012-05-30T16:22:00.001-07:002012-05-30T20:00:58.388-07:00Open-faced Chicken & Pesto Sandwich<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGdEnxNjCcGM1ZegQ3pnxQ9aArEJ4pREEMyNEdHuuaLs2NrV1qEMmgL9EnTw-AknST9-ItHJZ-oX11_gMrYhA1ifbWiJL2Yq-xFhUL4Nk8yyJpgHf8E0NfSbacsaSDNmMRiEmlue1YRuQ/s640/blogger-image-858272766.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGdEnxNjCcGM1ZegQ3pnxQ9aArEJ4pREEMyNEdHuuaLs2NrV1qEMmgL9EnTw-AknST9-ItHJZ-oX11_gMrYhA1ifbWiJL2Yq-xFhUL4Nk8yyJpgHf8E0NfSbacsaSDNmMRiEmlue1YRuQ/s640/blogger-image-858272766.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">By now you shouldn't be surprised that I was eager to use up some leftovers from yesterday's yummy Antipasti 'Pizza' Bruschetta! I threw together an amazing lunch in minutes using my leftovers. And thanks to my freezer I had some chicken to use, too!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Frozen chicken tips: Costco sells large packs of skinless-boneless chicken breasts that are humanely raised. But Costco-size packaging means a 2 person household can't necessarily eat it all in time. Not to mention a 1 person household. So I utilize a tip obtained from one of my colleagues: it's easy to cook a bunch of chicken breasts all at once. Just wrap the cooked chicken breasts individually in saran wrap and freeze them. Then you can transfer one into the fridge the night before you want it for lunch or dinner, and before you eat it just pop it in the microwave, saran wrap on, for 30 seconds (more/less depending on it's size) and it's ready to be sliced on a salad or used any way you'd like! Great tip for work time lunches. I also always freeze a couple raw chicken breasts so that I can marinate them once they're defrosted for more variety. </span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicAkbwL4Sq1ifjO_D9Dxh8jHCXVh4X6fGQSSAY6PjSLp89tygB9GvJNe5X9sRIh3qJho2uO_4O0SMJQMEGloel47Mijmr3hiZ0ga370wX8jTpS87HRQEFQn-sAi8UZ4Hon68oaOGgWOV0/s640/blogger-image--1409492663.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicAkbwL4Sq1ifjO_D9Dxh8jHCXVh4X6fGQSSAY6PjSLp89tygB9GvJNe5X9sRIh3qJho2uO_4O0SMJQMEGloel47Mijmr3hiZ0ga370wX8jTpS87HRQEFQn-sAi8UZ4Hon68oaOGgWOV0/s400/blogger-image--1409492663.jpg" width="299" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">See my saran wrap chicken? Yum! You can kind of tell in the picture- I like to put a generous sprinkling of salt and cracked pepper then cook in a medium heat pan for about 6 minutes on each side. Don't touch it in between the flip to help make it golden.</td></tr></tbody></table><strong><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Open-faced Chicken & Pesto Sandwich</span></strong><br />
<ul><li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">1 Slice of nice bread, sliced 1/2 inch thick</span></li><li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">1-2 Tablespoons pesto</span></li><li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">1 Small chicken breast</span></li><li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">1-2 Tablespoons good cheese, grated (I used Gruyere) </span></li><li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Cherry or grape tomatoes sliced in half </span></li><li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Arugula</span></li><li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">A splash of Balsamic Vinegar</span></li><li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Squeeze of lemon (optional)</span></li></ul><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Toast the slice of bread, spread with a layer of pesto. Yesterday I threw in the extra marinated sun dried tomatoes into my pesto so it had a bit more flavor and texture.</span> <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm7IVInkEwrclPoCDcx905OakpYsDmJ8aw-5hj-VkKnFt9dkGdm9qCGtRAkTit2TJgF0jwCmy5y92mwmui6JTmQBJVWQ2WK0AkWpMsrssFPGVzoNwmUYl8NX6kl25BfZwGPf3sM9tbXo4/s640/blogger-image--1536069343.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm7IVInkEwrclPoCDcx905OakpYsDmJ8aw-5hj-VkKnFt9dkGdm9qCGtRAkTit2TJgF0jwCmy5y92mwmui6JTmQBJVWQ2WK0AkWpMsrssFPGVzoNwmUYl8NX6kl25BfZwGPf3sM9tbXo4/s400/blogger-image--1536069343.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Cover with slices of the chicken breast and top with a very thin layer of flavorful cheese. Using grated cheese means you can use a lot less than a slice would be. </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzcLuFYx6hBewrA2M8xTq8p6NsSCHR7BAEXb1DRSxTQNad8kuZgCh3jDY_TZEhEPmWedFceE9xBrH1lzNiAUiNuAFn-YXPsUGoTR1VTf2E45PgnQH3Gp8yAfEIo3WifjlcPPKawP5uFEU/s640/blogger-image-360959139.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzcLuFYx6hBewrA2M8xTq8p6NsSCHR7BAEXb1DRSxTQNad8kuZgCh3jDY_TZEhEPmWedFceE9xBrH1lzNiAUiNuAFn-YXPsUGoTR1VTf2E45PgnQH3Gp8yAfEIo3WifjlcPPKawP5uFEU/s400/blogger-image-360959139.jpg" width="299" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Top that with the sliced tomatoes to cover the whole sandwich and then put a handful of arugula on top. </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIT5lEBQec-oKCwAGvNN0oVFzrSrxVmYr9lYpNBzos8InlmNWD49PvfO3afp5gs2ynS-E1yqP7u5WJQFjVadDsLSS_1CIWViaVFLtqsJpqnF6pPZuwwRmN5WdlEHoq-Br6QZ3CSBrY-hw/s640/blogger-image--1410797341.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIT5lEBQec-oKCwAGvNN0oVFzrSrxVmYr9lYpNBzos8InlmNWD49PvfO3afp5gs2ynS-E1yqP7u5WJQFjVadDsLSS_1CIWViaVFLtqsJpqnF6pPZuwwRmN5WdlEHoq-Br6QZ3CSBrY-hw/s400/blogger-image--1410797341.jpg" width="299" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I added a quick squeeze of lemon on top just because I had it leftover from making the pesto. Give the arugula a couple good sprays of balsamic vinegar on top (or a teaspoon if you don't have a spray bottle). So, so good.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNcvmRoC9QhCJMGAKSuQskLbOia1guCmEQhrxQLUtVopVei9vZB0IcuDjc91MDcWYuYgidFZacc2ZZ1oNNERMbCazhG1rbJ2gnDgYd5EtlzGGlrb9P4zPJZBf-QhPf2A6mwxm0I-dTARI/s640/blogger-image-114983839.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNcvmRoC9QhCJMGAKSuQskLbOia1guCmEQhrxQLUtVopVei9vZB0IcuDjc91MDcWYuYgidFZacc2ZZ1oNNERMbCazhG1rbJ2gnDgYd5EtlzGGlrb9P4zPJZBf-QhPf2A6mwxm0I-dTARI/s640/blogger-image-114983839.jpg" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">And guess what? I had extra pesto to make a super tasty plate of pasta for dinner...just add enough of the starchy pasta water after the pasta is done cooking to make it reach the right consistency and that's the only work you have to do for this! I added some bright sliced tomatoes for a nice contrast. </span><br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw9ZrAbjsFIIej9rkTz9A7tivka4ycow6qA_dEjUPb5HJDUrGlqca9nqFCNEKLXEqmYln5xsFAy5uWX2TTnTv0hXMy1LQyy-NNFtL2h4ABDJhFcJ8AOQbdvmB95JUlAFXKWs0eFloOWco/s640/blogger-image-1465373897.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw9ZrAbjsFIIej9rkTz9A7tivka4ycow6qA_dEjUPb5HJDUrGlqca9nqFCNEKLXEqmYln5xsFAy5uWX2TTnTv0hXMy1LQyy-NNFtL2h4ABDJhFcJ8AOQbdvmB95JUlAFXKWs0eFloOWco/s400/blogger-image-1465373897.jpg" width="298" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You can see a few of those marinated tomatoes in there!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidHIwMeDTXU2GYniITmfRDGeIM00bAgCs5N4lca9IDd2Mu5Ec8NLOEiz1Xjmk0o6Bct41G1BlujQCHKgPsef300n220k7colDahNjnKbxiS7_Qb17Y-9owi5N2MoaHX6ELLgSRH5Lxay8/s640/blogger-image-1942919849.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidHIwMeDTXU2GYniITmfRDGeIM00bAgCs5N4lca9IDd2Mu5Ec8NLOEiz1Xjmk0o6Bct41G1BlujQCHKgPsef300n220k7colDahNjnKbxiS7_Qb17Y-9owi5N2MoaHX6ELLgSRH5Lxay8/s400/blogger-image-1942919849.jpg" width="297" /></a></div></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI2j2euRP0mM4SI6D7bKPb_J-IZ3vNAcam1R3LDDCZ-bW23qzsCxtAS7Fpki-4IQ_NIiEtuzYFyhFFdv0jxr1NEw53B5wSfjpf_yrDgdbDtu8KPUXF7_JUodIFeFbaYKBFvtu0jTpdhLo/s640/blogger-image-1894360599.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI2j2euRP0mM4SI6D7bKPb_J-IZ3vNAcam1R3LDDCZ-bW23qzsCxtAS7Fpki-4IQ_NIiEtuzYFyhFFdv0jxr1NEw53B5wSfjpf_yrDgdbDtu8KPUXF7_JUodIFeFbaYKBFvtu0jTpdhLo/s640/blogger-image-1894360599.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ta-dah!</td></tr></tbody></table>jen_abigailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07491395265549962708noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1643763485335826952.post-81244088565758243462012-05-29T18:23:00.000-07:002012-05-29T19:27:48.885-07:00Antipasti 'Pizza' Bruschetta with Homemade Pesto<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I absolutely love this, it's a small portion bursting with flavor that will be sure to satisfy you! I will describe how I made it but this is one of those very flexible recipes and I really encourage you to use what you have. It's perfect to make after you've been entertaining if you have a variety of nice antipasti items leftover- nice cheeses, mixed olives, etc. As I mentioned in my last post, my friend visited over memorial day weekend and I always like to have things like this stocked in the fridge since it's super easy to whip together a big plate to enjoy. After my visit to Italy two summers ago I can hardly prepare a cheese plate without jam or chutney and honey on the side! A great tip to fill out your cheese and antipasti plate when entertaining. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Now, I made a big batch of homemade pesto for this even though it only calls for a tablespoon or so. But the pesto really takes the recipe to the next level. I've actually made this without pesto and it was good but really didn't compare (but if you must you can smear a very thin layer of Dijon mustard on the bread as a 'base' layer). I happened to have a large block of <span style="background-color: white;">parmigiano reggiano</span> that I needed to use up so it was an easy choice to make pesto, plus it stores well and will be easy to use in a recipe later this week. If I don't get around to it then I can always freeze it, too.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I was cooking for one, so adjust portions as needed. A lot of the topping portions are up to you based on what you have and how large your slice of bread is. </span><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Brushetta</span></strong><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Sun dried tomatoes</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Nice olives, pitted</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Small grape tomatoes</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">2-3 Types of nice cheese, shredded</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Large slice of nice bread- <em>I used sourdough</em></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Olive Oil</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia;">1 Clove garlic</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">1 Tablespoon pesto- <em>recipe below</em></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Arugula - optional</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">To start, cut the sun dried tomatoes in strips and soak in 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar (mine were dry, if yours are packed in oil then skip the olive oil and just soak in balsamic). These tasted SO GOOD I could use them on anything!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Now slice your olives. Use what you have, but I wouldn't recommend the little green ones with pimiento nor canned black- just use freshly marinated, whatever variety you prefer! I had a mix of 'Spanish tapa' olives, seed in, leftover so that is what I used. It's pretty easy and fast to slice them even with a pit in, just cut the four sides off, laying the olive on it's newly flat cut side with each slice. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7DP_FEwrf480L7U3jiBuarBWK5jIQHxWgr7XIroON6TzzflxIlKR5YEuGe6o7CH8kN4KMjZDgDUrO1JXQik4i5M8lcXs_y89FT5Et_uHsfquxIKFK7Zay-iuwgL7861r8PUrzqDrtFSc/s640/blogger-image-48677090.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7DP_FEwrf480L7U3jiBuarBWK5jIQHxWgr7XIroON6TzzflxIlKR5YEuGe6o7CH8kN4KMjZDgDUrO1JXQik4i5M8lcXs_y89FT5Et_uHsfquxIKFK7Zay-iuwgL7861r8PUrzqDrtFSc/s640/blogger-image-48677090.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You can see the pits in the bottom right, just four quick slices and you've got most of the 'meat' off the pit!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I had adorable tiny little grape tomatoes so I just cut them in half. If yours are larger you can quarter them, just be sure they are really ripe. I'm all for using what you have but I really prefer mini-tomatoes for this vs. a diced large tomato because the small ones heat up really nicely and almost burstswith flavor. If you find them reasonably priced it's fun to do mixed colors, yellow and red grape tomatoes, for a nice presentation.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Shred the cheese. It's nice to use 1-2 sharp, hard cheeses (for a salty bite) and maybe 1 soft and mild cheese (something that will melt really nicely). I used aged gouda and <span style="background-color: white;">parmigiano reggiano</span> for the hard & sharp cheeses and st. nectaire for the mild(er) soft(er) cheese. Mozzarella would work nicely for this too. You can slice the softer cheese into strips if that is easier than shredding. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8Mfn2zQGpyuJG0EFuoeA484XUAhhaNwfhWzLUoUZAaXbSYtcMT-C5hHSFBMqDohQgqGfHFX_kC-u6WmZ25-2Ja_-hTGayOIO_icZtIzCXY5-aV_nd3p4eu1jfGgVq4ZV-vkyMCPf_lzE/s640/blogger-image--333120065.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8Mfn2zQGpyuJG0EFuoeA484XUAhhaNwfhWzLUoUZAaXbSYtcMT-C5hHSFBMqDohQgqGfHFX_kC-u6WmZ25-2Ja_-hTGayOIO_icZtIzCXY5-aV_nd3p4eu1jfGgVq4ZV-vkyMCPf_lzE/s320/blogger-image--333120065.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">St. Nectaire, it was really good but I will probably try a milder soft cheese next time since the two hard cheeses had such great, strong flavors</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSxLBEqNdnoW8zgKPgJ7LBz2ucPdUjWarw2o0NgtId9W0WqfCHyLnKBLIqRUUiiF-H8RzhguZQ3ftd0fYJibZVUxqfYF7jNNmQIh0JSiClwlfyKB-mZytkZMOhOCOkEhQE_ZTj2pT1uKg/s640/blogger-image-1556793942.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSxLBEqNdnoW8zgKPgJ7LBz2ucPdUjWarw2o0NgtId9W0WqfCHyLnKBLIqRUUiiF-H8RzhguZQ3ftd0fYJibZVUxqfYF7jNNmQIh0JSiClwlfyKB-mZytkZMOhOCOkEhQE_ZTj2pT1uKg/s1600/blogger-image-1556793942.jpg" /></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Cut a slice of bread, about 1/2 an inch thick and brush both sides with olive oil. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Heat for a few minutes on each side in a grill pan, on the grill, or toast in the oven at 400 degrees for 4 minutes on each side. I used a grill pan because I STILL don't have air conditioning set up and there is no way I'm turning on my oven with this 90 degree weather! Slice a clove of garlic in half at an angel and peel, then rub the top of the warm bread with the cut slice of garlic.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Now you start the building process based on your taste preferences! Start by spreading with a tablespoon (more or less depending on size of bread) of pesto on the grilled bread. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Then sprinkle a thin layer of a sharp cheese- I used the aged gouda for this layer. Top with olives and a generous amount of the marinated sun dried tomatoes and fresh tomatoes. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Cover with a small amount of the soft cheese and a small sprinkle of hard cheese- <span style="background-color: white;">parmigiano reggiano</span> is nice on top. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I toasted this in the toaster oven until it was nice and melted, but if your oven won't turn your entire apartment into an inferno you can bake this at 400 degrees for 5-10 minutes, just keep an eye on it. Top with a few fresh slices of basil, left over from making pesto, and you are in for a REAL treat! I ate this with lightly dressed arugula (just a squeeze of lemon and a drizzle of olive oil) but I've also served with soup which is heartier and equally delicious. In fact if you serve with soup don't be afraid to just top the brushetta with the arugula. This was so good I could have easily eaten two, YUM!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">** Side note- do NOT add any extra salt to this! You'll get plenty from the sharp cheeses, olives and pesto.</span><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Pesto</span></strong><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">1/4 Cup pine nuts</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">1/2 Cut shredded <span style="background-color: white;">parmigiano reggiano</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">2 Cups basil, packed</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">1 Tablespoon lemon juice (about 1/2 a lemon)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">1/2 Teaspoon salt</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">1/2 Teaspoon Pepper</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">1 Cup minus 3 tablespoons good olive oil- <em>add slowly, as much as needed. I preferred a thicker texture for this recipe</em></span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Just throw this all into a food processor and blend! </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Add the olive oil slowly. I like adding lemon for a bright touch. I didn't add garlic but you could always throw in 1 peeled clove. This is so good, you'll be really happy to have left overs. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">You can get creative with your pesto if you want to, too! Add some olives, some sundried tomatoes, less nuts, a variety of herbs, see what happens...</span></div>jen_abigailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07491395265549962708noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1643763485335826952.post-72231208457432091322012-05-29T17:21:00.001-07:002012-05-29T17:21:38.218-07:00New Obsessions: Yucca Fries and Matzo Ball Soup<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">One of my close friends from college visited over memorial day weekend and we went on a serious food tour of Manhattan. We had lots of amazing meals but I just had to share two things I had somehow never tried before and I now know how much I've been missing out. Yucca fries and Matzo ball soup (don't worry- not at the same time!). Thank goodness Alison had a craving for Matzo ball soup one night after...a few drinks...and it was a welcome change to my typical weekend late night gorge on french fries. We went to a 24 hour diner on the way home and I fell in love with this soup right away- it's as simple as warm chicken broth with two large round dumpling-like pieces of perfection resting in the center of a shallow bowl, only partially emerged in the broth. It is divine. Unfortunately there is no picture because we split one bowl and couldn't stop in time to photo it. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">And then my second discovery, thanks to Alison again, is yucca fries! Which, for the record, are pronounced you-kah not yuck-ah (whoops). For some reason whenever I order Mexican I never crave fries but boy I missed out. These are starchy, fried perfection. The first time we ordered them was at Taqueria Cascabel on the Upper East Side. They have a great happy hour with a bunch of little $4 tapas- radishes with fresh herbs and a light vinaigrette, boiled/toasted large corn kernels (I don't know exactly how they make these but they're wonderful), yucca fries, etc. They also happen to have fantastic $6 watermelon basil margaritas, though I'm not a fan of their other three variations. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvOsxno0L2pAHq6LzLxdh1phqJMBAENVRjPncqJ8uExP6R7momMmuj4FcBmz3bCS7ZnslVmlG3z9LuqG8NkILFn5r231_rWV1G-k0NFIyG4GivH9gCEy_1BGe1XdHdMoq_4u6Esj5iUl8/s640/blogger-image--1490015469.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvOsxno0L2pAHq6LzLxdh1phqJMBAENVRjPncqJ8uExP6R7momMmuj4FcBmz3bCS7ZnslVmlG3z9LuqG8NkILFn5r231_rWV1G-k0NFIyG4GivH9gCEy_1BGe1XdHdMoq_4u6Esj5iUl8/s640/blogger-image--1490015469.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bottom right you'll see the Watermelon Basil Margarita- fresh watermelon pulp and muddled basil...so tasty!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">However, La Esquina, located on Kenmare between Lafayette and Cleveland, take the prize for 'best in show' yucca fries. They were very thick cut with rough edges as if they had been boiled and torn apart in large pieces before being fried, and they had a seasoning that just set them apart from anything else. They looked like they had paprika on them and tasted almost tangy as though they had some sort of lime seasoning. They were served with a creamy yogurt/sour cream type sauce. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSJHV6P-4QH1iAgrnfCe2cASNo9MTQU1FElN-Z_oji4A9jXF4UywwO0QHVggpRgys3BTaWQvsEfie9Gyxx8P99FVE59MnyhryU2kk1b2ky7ZDydyGNM3M9YSPa0sdBA8d03ta2ZQQwnYg/s640/blogger-image-924574997.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSJHV6P-4QH1iAgrnfCe2cASNo9MTQU1FElN-Z_oji4A9jXF4UywwO0QHVggpRgys3BTaWQvsEfie9Gyxx8P99FVE59MnyhryU2kk1b2ky7ZDydyGNM3M9YSPa0sdBA8d03ta2ZQQwnYg/s640/blogger-image-924574997.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">See the perfect Yucca Fries in the center of the table- so good!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">We also had very fresh grilled fish tacos and amazing grilled corn at La Esquina. Almost more notable is the fact that we luckily happened across this little gem which happens to be basically three restaurants rolled into one. We were stopped in our tracks seeing people eating at small two-seater metal tables outside of a little taco stand with a mini deli stand inside- the food smelled great. We walked inside the very, very casual shop and there was a way over-dressed man in a black suite with a radio 'guarding' an employees only door. Turns out they have somewhat of a speak-easy downstairs dining room. We ended up turning the corner and going into the second public entrance (around the corner from the taco shop, with essentially the same menu but higher prices) and got a table inside a cute, tiny dinning area. The decorations were great with a large floor to ceiling bookshelf lining the back wall. Such a unique set up for a restaurant that I had to share!</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGVUYz9i6o906prbeDsrcLkTaCEwoytoSSJ2mQ6sL_cNz9T6vBM6A_kjMZ3KCvSEmfqPEEHKji3lteScvhrp4Rn2yQ9OTfNCL5dSTD4nN4KsWWbBsVypAth4UXp7E5eUQEEQhYPIRn5QQ/s640/blogger-image--1678114162.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGVUYz9i6o906prbeDsrcLkTaCEwoytoSSJ2mQ6sL_cNz9T6vBM6A_kjMZ3KCvSEmfqPEEHKji3lteScvhrp4Rn2yQ9OTfNCL5dSTD4nN4KsWWbBsVypAth4UXp7E5eUQEEQhYPIRn5QQ/s400/blogger-image--1678114162.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Roasted corn with cojita cheese, spices, cabbage and lime</td></tr>
</tbody></table>jen_abigailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07491395265549962708noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1643763485335826952.post-28891081655360212162012-05-23T19:11:00.002-07:002012-05-23T19:19:50.855-07:00Marblehead, MA & Lots of Lobster<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Well,</span> I haven't posted a recipe for a while but it's because I was busy stuffing my face with seafood in Marblehead, MA to celebrate my parent's 30 year anniversary. I think that is a halfway decent excuse! So since I wasn't able to cook for myself I made sure to eat as much delicious food as possible and document it every bite of the way.<br />
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My sister and I put together some healthy afternoon snacks for us to enjoy, which is easier said than done when you just have a butter knife from the B&B to cut veggies and fruit!<br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The first restaurant we went to was Jack Tar, and it was incredible. We started with a crab and lobster egg roll which was basically an egg roll stuffed with crab cake and chunks of lobster. It was served on a bed of crisp coleslaw that was tossed with a sweet and sour sauce. What a genius idea! No dipping sauce, you just ate the egg roll with the dressed slaw and it was fantastic. I ate this too fast to take a picture so my sister had to remind me to take pictures for the next two courses. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">We shared seared scallops and edamame risotto for our main, it was fantastic. The scallops were super fresh, I can't wait to makes some at home!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh69es5TwPdT-skiF0VfIsXLKajzasxov7dkGOxGRr4Hpt0x4-zLPKkjrrGqnYRWBjPhXVjsc0jCWvKInhh-uoZdZT-21lU7-Q6DSfXUu-YrIJCQZl4udmsQ89eI5UkeCQP2wydsKCrFls/s640/blogger-image-998915461.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh69es5TwPdT-skiF0VfIsXLKajzasxov7dkGOxGRr4Hpt0x4-zLPKkjrrGqnYRWBjPhXVjsc0jCWvKInhh-uoZdZT-21lU7-Q6DSfXUu-YrIJCQZl4udmsQ89eI5UkeCQP2wydsKCrFls/s640/blogger-image-998915461.jpg" /></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">For dessert we had creme brulee with strawberries which was wonderful but I think could have used some vanilla bean in the custard.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">And the winning dessert for the night- chocolate lava cake with vanilla ice cream. Perfection.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">We decided to get Italian one night and were not disappointed. We were started off with the best bread rolls we've ever had at a restaurant. Perfect crisp crust with a doughy inside that almost reminded us of a pretzel.</span> </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQrP2mvXB-oWTm0crTBGlQQa6gtzTkBUyrlPB0gzl8nUuOuEZm3gA2zVa_IrFstI6lYUi9EiE5RSCKIKkPi_URZ8UYUegBCl9zqpzhuZG68MIm9-2EJNkwYuMQyi3arJXFuxvtVINfWBw/s640/blogger-image--949779471.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQrP2mvXB-oWTm0crTBGlQQa6gtzTkBUyrlPB0gzl8nUuOuEZm3gA2zVa_IrFstI6lYUi9EiE5RSCKIKkPi_URZ8UYUegBCl9zqpzhuZG68MIm9-2EJNkwYuMQyi3arJXFuxvtVINfWBw/s640/blogger-image--949779471.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Pear, blue cheese, walnut and prosciutto salad was delicious. I took off most of the prosciutto but left a couple of the crispy beauties on top, whoops.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE9Ne5AQfr9R7GCKqjkk_yk9lMoeo4rD33PhBsvsELCAbG7z-EZXNcxxl1A26YjN8-MZmymdgvNX7VvjER6ANXvVlt-30dRBG2gV7WErZ1BAQoXUgPMpgIYRmtlV9jZleNxTMLhV0DFR0/s640/blogger-image-1770948.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE9Ne5AQfr9R7GCKqjkk_yk9lMoeo4rD33PhBsvsELCAbG7z-EZXNcxxl1A26YjN8-MZmymdgvNX7VvjER6ANXvVlt-30dRBG2gV7WErZ1BAQoXUgPMpgIYRmtlV9jZleNxTMLhV0DFR0/s640/blogger-image-1770948.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">And the main dish was linguini and clams, can you believe this was a half portion? It just goes to show that portion control is easy if you just restrict what you put on your plate in the first place! This was super tasty because the clams were local and fresh, though the dish could have used some more parsley and garlic, and maybe a little heat. I saw some red pepper flakes, just couldn't taste them!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2n7pmcrKxHvFI06G7qQXWFvWx3E0kq3_mqDb7wGpQ-opRoKJAWB-ao1xONUx7V5RTHtwAa2X3kClRSBMsodxYK1mKGuLiLREIlervrWjUfNtIqo9tw4DcLqZp_nY_4wcGP9B5W1L1f3g/s640/blogger-image-376762549.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2n7pmcrKxHvFI06G7qQXWFvWx3E0kq3_mqDb7wGpQ-opRoKJAWB-ao1xONUx7V5RTHtwAa2X3kClRSBMsodxYK1mKGuLiLREIlervrWjUfNtIqo9tw4DcLqZp_nY_4wcGP9B5W1L1f3g/s640/blogger-image-376762549.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">On our last night we wanted to be sure to have some steamed lobster to help celebrate my parent's big 3-0 anniversary. But I also saw oysters on the menu and couldn't pass them up. My sister and I decided to get them steamed and the waitress had never heard of such a thing! Poor northerners must not know what they're missing without southern oyster roasts. She gave us melted butter and said she was clueless on what she was supposed to serve the steamed oysters with! We let her know cocktail sauce, vinegar, lemon and saltines are perfect. These oysters were fresh and incredible.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwXljevnKCQlrMVkTtOJYbkM5io7wbLvGmH1qWjYbL267vhm80wh3GK9LCaVGIFNBZchGh0eehBLf8jZsxl7jS9psfV-RVRRCF2aaFRxHdvwqi5gDhB49ZMWNx0ivoyN1d80qB6PmAUNk/s640/blogger-image-146257117.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwXljevnKCQlrMVkTtOJYbkM5io7wbLvGmH1qWjYbL267vhm80wh3GK9LCaVGIFNBZchGh0eehBLf8jZsxl7jS9psfV-RVRRCF2aaFRxHdvwqi5gDhB49ZMWNx0ivoyN1d80qB6PmAUNk/s640/blogger-image-146257117.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Lobsta! I actually prefer their meat chopped up and nestled in a bun, but I think that is mostly because they freak me out a bit. I'm a crab legs kind of girl!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyzDioK5wntgB6O6qy6vi6U7igh_KCF1Lt9RcDYqEFbiF78CWDUOMxiBdL2xbdWI4LdkUuyUwHFUqymisEwq8r2e-aMRVbNFHq3Ua5RL-rwtfsVI49cL4oQM522Tcub14EErnEUA4PBVs/s640/blogger-image-199816915.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyzDioK5wntgB6O6qy6vi6U7igh_KCF1Lt9RcDYqEFbiF78CWDUOMxiBdL2xbdWI4LdkUuyUwHFUqymisEwq8r2e-aMRVbNFHq3Ua5RL-rwtfsVI49cL4oQM522Tcub14EErnEUA4PBVs/s640/blogger-image-199816915.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">There was a local shop that had amazing lobster rolls for just $15, it was so good we went there twice for lunch on the trip! My sister made me share one with her, that was my only complaint.</span> </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7r5Wgvo01AwXaWbDEr673WCtMx4Tko_2xnoZD16xQhbjGdqLCL7VVJRMUQnKclmTBz4vJPkJ1BQkMOlh5mTODze78bj9pfJER0ILwXnCZqwEmsCdEwzu1X6AYlnzb0CA2TMLN85_ARDA/s640/blogger-image--1039351174.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7r5Wgvo01AwXaWbDEr673WCtMx4Tko_2xnoZD16xQhbjGdqLCL7VVJRMUQnKclmTBz4vJPkJ1BQkMOlh5mTODze78bj9pfJER0ILwXnCZqwEmsCdEwzu1X6AYlnzb0CA2TMLN85_ARDA/s640/blogger-image--1039351174.jpg" /></a></div>jen_abigailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07491395265549962708noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1643763485335826952.post-56145958929490817782012-05-14T18:52:00.001-07:002012-05-14T18:55:36.211-07:00Classic Black Bean Soup<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Maybe it's because I've just been in Manhattan for a few months after several years in sunny South Carolina, but I still enjoy these cool, rainy May days. It's the perfect excuse to make a big batch of soup. I am a huge fan of making homemade soup. It's one of the easiest way to make a big meal full of flavor that tastes even better the second day... a perfect one pot meal that provides delicious leftovers!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I've probably made this soup more than any other recipe. It's full of protein and packed with vegetables, and the ingredient list isn't going to break the bank especially because it relies so heavily on your pantry. This is the first time I've ever measured the seasoning, and I typically tweak it depending on what I have, adding more gradually in layers as I taste the soup. </span><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Black Bean Soup</span></strong><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">2 Onions</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">2-3 Carrots, peeled and trimmed</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">2-3 Salks of celery, trimmed</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">3-4 Cloves of garlic</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">1 Heaping teaspoon dried oregano</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">1/2 Teaspoon dried basil </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">1/2 Teaspoon salt</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">1/2 Teaspoon pepper</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">1/4 Teaspoon cayenne pepper</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">2-3 Bay leaves</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">1 Veggie Bouillon Cube</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Water (or broth, but don't use the bouillon cube if you use broth)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">3 Cans of black beans </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">1 Can of black-eyed beans </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">1 Can diced tomatoes</span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Dice the onion, carrots and celery. Saute the onions for a few minutes in olive oil until they start to get soft, then smash the cloves of garlic to peel them, then smash them a couple more times until they're almost broken apart and add to the onions. Add the celery and carrots and cook a couple more minutes. Then add the seasonings and stir, let the mixture cook a couple more minutes. I like my onions soft and the other veggies a little crunchy in this soup.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Pour the beans into a strainer and rinse thoroughly with water until it no longer bubbles- nobody likes gassy beans. I just had black beans in my pantry so I ended up just using 3 cans of black beans. I like flexible recipes! Add the beans and tomatoes to the sauteed vegetables and pour water until it covers the bean and vegetable mixture completely. Let simmer for 20 minutes or so. Be sure to taste to see how the seasoning is, and add more as needed. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrId20xOx3G5zaAi51i2KjgHgyBKEtJmes940sY7WVarxohSVAS5IklG6h3orclu1Xn6xUBIOzQZttWbyMYyJ6S84KImXb2Q4cu_9Al2Oo1kW0COv8wGTUmyyy4wUXfs5JO9f9YAxw9F8/s640/blogger-image-1848842777.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrId20xOx3G5zaAi51i2KjgHgyBKEtJmes940sY7WVarxohSVAS5IklG6h3orclu1Xn6xUBIOzQZttWbyMYyJ6S84KImXb2Q4cu_9Al2Oo1kW0COv8wGTUmyyy4wUXfs5JO9f9YAxw9F8/s640/blogger-image-1848842777.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I really enjoy eating this with fast garlic toast. I typically always have sliced wheat bread or bagels in the freezer and that works perfectly for this. Just take a frozen (or not, of course!) piece of bread or half a bagel and put straight in a toaster oven. Once it's golden take it out, drizzle it with good olive oil and a generous pinch of salt, fresh ground pepper and garlic powder. Now, this doesn't compare to oven-made garlic bread with fresh garlic and herbs but I'll save that for another day. This was an easy day and this garlic toast hits the spot!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">If I get sick of eating the same thing after a couple days I'll freeze the rest of the soup individually in single-serve tupperware so it's a fast and easy lunch for another week. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl8yqbqFkMf6OFNNHs1WBi-6K17MGpJVrEjR9V0fYPVbCxJeJbC9A0ckG9ILq6gjYVVQJij_e40re4w-QxCQBgKpXE82gRO76uKIwcryYM_F1En9X7eV1PAUQkVd0jQ2LXzXfkvJagr7I/s640/blogger-image--1518689127.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl8yqbqFkMf6OFNNHs1WBi-6K17MGpJVrEjR9V0fYPVbCxJeJbC9A0ckG9ILq6gjYVVQJij_e40re4w-QxCQBgKpXE82gRO76uKIwcryYM_F1En9X7eV1PAUQkVd0jQ2LXzXfkvJagr7I/s640/blogger-image--1518689127.jpg" /></a></div>jen_abigailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07491395265549962708noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1643763485335826952.post-85498718547157987642012-05-13T12:31:00.002-07:002012-05-13T12:52:47.703-07:00Mother's Day Brunch<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">One of my best friend's scheduled her bridal shower and bachelorette party for this weekend, which was wonderful timing because it meant I not only got to see my close friends but I also got to spend mother's day with my Mama! Now, unfortunately the bachelorette party was the night before, but staying busy is a pretty effective hangover cure. I should have made a bigger brunch.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">I love, love cooking in my parent's kitchen these days since it's an open layout and it is most certainly not a tiny corner kitchen like mine! My mom also has an affinity for collecting fun dishes and so it's easier to make a nice presentation here than it is at my apartment with my boring white plates. I also really loved grocery shopping here, I had no idea it could be so cheap to eat so well! All of the groceries for this feast just cost $20, plus a $10 bottle of Riondo prosecco, my go-to cheap bubbly. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong>From-Scratch Bellinis</strong></span></div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">1 Bag frozen peaches (no sugar added, just peaches)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">1/2 cup sugar</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">1/2 cup water</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Champagne, Prosecco or Cava</span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Heat the sugar and water on the stove top, stir until the sugar is dissolved. Add in the frozen peaches. If you let them thaw first then you can take it right off the heat, but if you forgot to leave the peaches out you can just heat them for a couple minutes in the simple syrup so that they're not rock solid. Use an immersion blender to blend this concoction into a peach puree and keep it cold in the fridge. Just add 2-3 heaping spoonfuls into a glass of something sparkling and delicious and you've got a hand crafted bellini! They will be kind of pulpy but I like them that way.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Oh theses bellinis looked so good but I couldn't bring myself to drink one, not today. But Ma and Pa said they were very refreshing! As you can see this makes a ton of peach puree and unless you're hosting a big party you probably won't get through all of it in one brunch, so I would definitely recommend freezing the leftover peach puree in ice cube trays. Then you can add them to champagne for a great way to keep your drink super cold and super delicious- it's fun to have different shaped ice cube trays for a neat presentation! You can also use the peach ice cubes in sparkling water, or in white wine if you add some club soda to make a spritzer. They'll also be great to add to a smoothie (if you're hungry use my Greek yogurt healthy smoothie recipe as a guideline, or if you want something lighter you can skip the yogurt and stick with ice and fruit!). </span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Kitchen Sink Roasted Potatoes</span></strong></div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">6-8 Red skinned potatoes</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">2-3 Sprigs of rosemary</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">3 Cloves of garlic</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">1/2 Teaspoon red pepper flakes</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Lots of salt & fresh cracked pepper</span></li>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
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<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Olive oil</span></li>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The name sounds unpleasant the more I think about it, but I like it because you can add anything to these potatoes and they just keep getting better! I've made roasted potatoes with just garlic, salt and pepper and they're great, and if I have more fresh herbs I'll sometimes add those in, too! Rosemary and thyme are wonderful together if you have them both. If you just have your pantry you're working with you can just use salt, pepper, garlic powder and red pepper flakes and this will still be great. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Rinse the potatoes and quarter them. Mince the rosemary and chop the garlic. Line a pan with tin foil (makes cleanup a cinch!) and pile the potatoes in the middle and cover with the herbs, garlic, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes and cover with olive oil so that each potato is coated once you toss them. Spread them out on the pan and roast for at least 45-50 minutes, turning once. If they're sticking you can add olive oil when you turn them. They should get nice and crisp and golden beautiful, leave them in until they're nice and brown. These will make the house smell absolutely heavenly while you cook the rest of the meal!</span><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Grapefruit Salad</span></strong></div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> 2 Ruby red grapefruits</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">1 Teaspoon fresh mint</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">1/2 Teaspoon sugar</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">This is easy to put together, is really refreshing and gives a nice pop of color on the plate. Use a sharp knife to cut the skin off of the grapefruit so that you can see the flesh (sorry for the graphic-sounding references). You want to try to cut off as much white pith as possible. You'll see the dividing veins in the grapefruit separating the sections; use a small paring knife to cut the grapefruit segments out and place them in a bowl. Top with a little sugar and chopped mint and toss so that it's evenly coated. If you have oranges it would be really nice to add those, prepared the same way. Keep cold in the fridge until just before you serve it.</span><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">ART Benedict - Avocado, Rocket & Tomato Benedict</span></strong></div>
<ul><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">English muffin (or toast- you could cut it in a heart shape for a special occasion)</span></li>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
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<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Tomato</span></li>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
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<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Arugula - also known as Rocket to my lovely Australian family :)</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Avocado</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">2 Eggs</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Vegemite (optional)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">TJ and I are big brunch fans. I don't know that we've spent a weekend together without either going out to brunch or making it at home, and quite honestly it would be hard for me to pick which I like better! Brunch is the one meal where I can find TJ in the kitchen and he makes a mean avocado egg stack by mashing avocado with a squeeze of lemon, piling it on a piece of toast with either spinach or arugula and adding a poached egg on top. For some reason I hadn't thought about using Arugula on eggs benedict before but it's perfect because the hot egg wilts it just slightly. One weekend we were visiting my sister and her husband in Nashville and I got the Bel Air Benedict which had avocado and tomato which I loved. So between TJ and that restaurant, the ART Benedict was born! I think this would be really great if you added some crisp bacon too, a play on a BLT sandwich. The nice thing about this benedict is that it has so much flavor you won't miss the butter sauce, I mean, hollandaise sauce.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Toast the english muffin or bread and butter it. I love adding a little smear of vegemite. Even if people think they hate vegemite, they can't hate it like this. It just adds a nice salty bite and I love it. Put a small handful of arugula on the bread (or spinach if you have it instead) and top with one slice of tomato and two slices of avocado (and bacon if you want). Add the poached egg on top (see instructions below) and finish with fresh ground pepper and salt.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">To poach your eggs, fill a large sauce pan with water and bring to a simmer (if you just have a pot just be sure to not add more than 2 inches of water, you want it to be shallow). Add a splash of vinegar and a pinch of salt, I used apple cider vinegar since that's what I found most readily in my mom's expansive pantry. Crack the eggs and gently drop them straight into the water, be gentle so you don't break the yolk. Once you've added the eggs be sure to turn off the heat completely, put a lid over the pan and let the eggs sit for 4 minutes. This is the "Lindsay's Perfect Poached Eggs" technique and it works every time! I had 6 eggs in the pan at once and thought they'd need a few extra minutes to cook because of how many there were, but don't make the same mistake I did. I ended up over cooking them so the yolks weren't nice and runny like I like them. So, moral of the story is stick to the rules, 4 minutes that's it and you'll have perfectly poached eggs!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1O_4prl1ltBIhvp1NvyVKTVmy6Eoo7ND4fWrhoWz7HjVZnJJgkXE4VHbtb7IvrSXFHrD_NxPY0R2bAXq9nVjSGUptHe1BUPSek8S5qiEL_z3NEvJHMije1NP1z7kA_njcUELER8vfA_g/s640/blogger-image-284684205.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1O_4prl1ltBIhvp1NvyVKTVmy6Eoo7ND4fWrhoWz7HjVZnJJgkXE4VHbtb7IvrSXFHrD_NxPY0R2bAXq9nVjSGUptHe1BUPSek8S5qiEL_z3NEvJHMije1NP1z7kA_njcUELER8vfA_g/s640/blogger-image-284684205.jpg" /></a></div>jen_abigailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07491395265549962708noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1643763485335826952.post-20896694619952779272012-05-09T18:31:00.000-07:002012-05-09T18:41:15.762-07:00Healthy Sweet Treats & Savory Snacks<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Ooh how I love a good snack, especially when it's filling, healthy and of course delicious. I'm always one to choose savory snacks over sweet, and let me tell you I have a weakness for french fries which is unfortunate. So I try to regulary snack healthy to help make up for my french frie splurges. On the other hand, TJ has a major sweet tooth, so together the two of us can really do some damage. Anyways, I have a couple very satisfying treats up my sleeve that can satisfy your cravings whether they're for a savory snack or a sweet treat! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">My favorite sweet treat to make is a frosty delicious fruit smoothie. I use plain Greek yogurt because it has a thick texture and has lots of protein to fill you up. In fact, one of my favorite afternoon snacks is a 'deconstructed smoothie.' That's my unnecessarily fancy way of saying, plain Greek yogurt with fresh berries and a tiny bit of honey- perfect snack to curb severe afternoon hunger when you're in the office without ice cubes and a blender. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"></span> <br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"><strong>Guiltless Fruit Smoothie</strong></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"><ul>
<li>3/4 Cup <strong>plain</strong> Greek yogurt </li>
<li>1 cup fresh fruit (strawberries, 1/2 banana, blueberries, mango, whatever you have)</li>
<li>1/2 - 1 cup ice cubes</li>
<li>splash of orange juice or milk (optional)</li>
<li>1-2 Tablespoons honey</li>
</ul>
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Ok, confession. Per usual I didn't actually measure this recipe but I pretty much adjust the proportions each time. Sometimes more ice for an extra cool treat, sometime a splash of OJ or milk to make it thinner, more or less honey depending on how sweet the fruit is that you're using. Overly ripe is good for this! If you only have frozen berries then use less ice, but you'll probably have to use more honey. Just roughly chop the fruit and put it in a blender or use an immersion blender to mix in the rest of the ingredients. I think one of my favorite combinations is strawberries with a 1/2 banana. This is so satisfying, refreshing and filling and really guilt free. If I have extra sometimes I'll freeze in an ice cube tray for an extra cold treat later on.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJclCTLZWyHKsAQGKCUXNxvSTYR_aLAzu02GN-Udj0sA8MK9CcboSMRYXMF-2rncEALxbIULZbPkx3LmVe5VR5P-Kd7ZeIfmB9RVDCSsFsRMPqEnZfpAKpsk69GUpPV2YDY1G7X9-hFms/s640/blogger-image-889865030.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJclCTLZWyHKsAQGKCUXNxvSTYR_aLAzu02GN-Udj0sA8MK9CcboSMRYXMF-2rncEALxbIULZbPkx3LmVe5VR5P-Kd7ZeIfmB9RVDCSsFsRMPqEnZfpAKpsk69GUpPV2YDY1G7X9-hFms/s640/blogger-image-889865030.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A delicious frozen treat!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Next! Savory snack time. Now, I know healthy microwave popcorn is no new invention. But I love dressing it up with a few easy tweaks to make it a lot more fun and flavorful.</span><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Dressy Popcorn</span></strong><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Popcorn </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia;">fresh ground sharp cheese </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia;">1 Tablespoon fresh minced herbs </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia;">1 Tablespoon <strong>fresh ground</strong> pepper</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia;">1 Teaspoon salt</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">I like to use Pop Secret 94% fat free brand popcorn. Actually, that's a lie. I love Pop Secret Homestyle but it is super bad for you so I let TJ buy the healthy stuff for us, which kind of tastes like cardboard unless you dress it up. And there are plenty of ways to do that without using butter! I prefer microwave popcorn simply because it's easier but it's super tasty if you pop your own- just heat a little oil in a pan and pop your own kernels (you'll need to have the lid on your pan and shake it constantly, yum! I like to add a TON of fresh cracked pepper and some extra salt. It doesn't get better than adding fresh herbs; rosemary, thyme and/or sage. Fresh herbs are perfect with freshly grated <span style="background-color: white;">parmigiano reggiano </span>on the popcorn. That's my favorite cheese pick for this because it's got a strong flavor so you don't have to use as much to get a strong punch of flavor. Plus popcorn has fiber so it should fill you up. Enjoy!</span><br />
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</div>jen_abigailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07491395265549962708noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1643763485335826952.post-12189178433846026752012-05-07T15:11:00.000-07:002012-05-07T15:11:04.238-07:00Chicken Enchiladas<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">These enchiladas have incredible flavor, guaranteed to please! This is the first time I made homemade enchilada sauce. I always liked the canned sauce and thought it wasn't worth the time to make your own. Until I actually made my own and realized it is definitely worth the limited extra effort!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Now, I really do like easy recipes. But as I mentioned before, I have a pretty expansive spice rack which makes it easier for me to mix a big 'mexican spice' blend from my pantry and save it for multiple recipes like tacos and enchiladas. In fact the only reason I used the spice blend in this recipe is that I had some leftover from tacos I had made the week before. I just needed to justify to long list of ingredients for the spice blend, but once you taste it you won't complain because it gives great depth and warmth to your meal, super tasty with a PUNCH of flavor! And if you don't have any of the spices listed, you should, so buy them once and they'll do you well for a while.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong>Chicken Enchiladas</strong></span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">4 large boneless skinless chicken breasts (use left over roast chicken meat, shredded, if you have it)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Wheat tortillas</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">About 1-1.5 cups shredded cheese (cheddar or any mild shredded blend, though I wouldn't recommend mozzarella)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">2 cans of diced tomatoes (stewed, diced, with onion and celery, whatever you have)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">1 large onion</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">4-5 cloves of garlic</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">1 bunch cilantro</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Greek yogurt or sour cream (recommended topping)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Spring onions (recommended topping)</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong>Mexican Spice Blend</strong></span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia;">1 tablespoon chili powder</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia;">1.5 teaspoons ground cumin</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia;">1 teaspoon salt</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia;">1 teaspoon pepper</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia;">1/2 teaspoon garlic powder </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia;">1/2 teaspoon paprika</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia;">1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia;">1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia;">1/4 teaspoon dried oregano or Italian spice blend (funny, I know, but I ran out of oregano and the Italian blend was perfect)</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Cook the chicken breasts. I heated a <em>tiny</em> bit of olive oil in a pan on the stove top and flipped the chicken once without touching in between which made it nice and golden. Be sure to cook it through so it is no longer pink. Set chicken aside and cover with a teaspoon or two of the spice blend. Once it's cooled you can shred the chicken with your fingers. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Dice the onion and mince the garlic (it's a lot and it's delicious). Heat some olive oil in a large pan and saute the onions until translucent, add the garlic and 2 tablespoons of the spice blend for about 30 seconds. Add in the two cans of tomatoes and let simmer for a couple of minutes. If you have tomato sauce instead you can use that. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">My immersion blender is one of my best friends, I hope you have one too. It makes blending soups a snap, and is perfect for this recipe too. If you don't have one use a blender and blend the sauce (you're not going to get this perfectly smooth and it's good with texture). Taste the sauce and add in more of the spice as needed (I ended up using a lot). Add a splash of V8 or tomato sauce and blend again IF you have it. If you have leftover spice mix it's great for chicken or vegetarian beef tacos! Reserve about 1.5 cups of the sauce and set aside. Put the shredded chicken in the pan with the rest of the sauce and toss in a large hand full of chopped cilantro to give it a bright flavor and stir in 1/2 cup shredded cheese. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Pour a little sauce in the bottom of a glass baking pan so your enchiladas won't stick. Take your tortillas and fill with a large scoop of the chicken/sauce blend, roll up and put in the pan, seam down. Mine fit 6 perfectly, extra full, with all of the filling! Top with the reserved sauce, try to cover the ends of each enchilada, then sprinkle the remaining shredded cheese evenly over the top. Pretty guilt free since these enchildadas aren't nearly as cheese-ridden as typical recipes! And trust me you're not missing out on flavor. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until melted and golden.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_7EG6bMeJaTvB7cSkPQ5NFDUTPVUKgyDeYpyM3BtCv-XZtquWG1xZ7IM6BnzMg1gn5TZoc7nNaxgHcXmF-RC26ptX434MzQhb-sLG35DPlIytn1-cm6nft7N45haNTwMJzchgKpqxNx8/s640/blogger-image--2122602568.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_7EG6bMeJaTvB7cSkPQ5NFDUTPVUKgyDeYpyM3BtCv-XZtquWG1xZ7IM6BnzMg1gn5TZoc7nNaxgHcXmF-RC26ptX434MzQhb-sLG35DPlIytn1-cm6nft7N45haNTwMJzchgKpqxNx8/s640/blogger-image--2122602568.jpg" /></a><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Serve with a LARGE dollop of plain Greek yogurt (TJ and I piled it on and loved it!) or a small dollop of sour cream, a generous amount of thinly sliced spring onions and a healthy sprinkle of cilantro. You don't want to miss the toppings on this, and I promise you'll be looking forward to the leftovers!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh46C8TNFDHvZXURr1wRWsHh37rDzx7h7JuZiAItWem_CqCgg5DuwbXFq6NxmveVAMmBSIIrzEMBYe9p3pU5yEKtYbFIMYsotyWo48fE8bnNKR4uAoWW9UcbuUm-VlScIdo6dtKBlwWboY/s640/blogger-image-1396917707.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh46C8TNFDHvZXURr1wRWsHh37rDzx7h7JuZiAItWem_CqCgg5DuwbXFq6NxmveVAMmBSIIrzEMBYe9p3pU5yEKtYbFIMYsotyWo48fE8bnNKR4uAoWW9UcbuUm-VlScIdo6dtKBlwWboY/s640/blogger-image-1396917707.jpg" /></a></div>jen_abigailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07491395265549962708noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1643763485335826952.post-39387150019395065732012-05-03T17:16:00.002-07:002012-05-03T17:41:13.173-07:00Miracle Roast Chicken<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">After getting spoiled on Valentine's day this year I wanted to make an extra special dinner for TJ the next day. So, I decided to make a roast chicken. Having been a vegetarian for the past 15 years, you can believe it was a <em>daunting</em> task heading in! To my shock, two hours later an amazing, golden, crispy, juicy chicken emerged from the oven smelling like heaven and it might have been the easiest thing I ever cooked. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">This was the moment I decided to have my first piece of meat after going over a decade without! I paid $23 for that 3lb chicken because I bought a hormone-free, vegetarian fed, free-range chicken. Fortunately I have since found that Costco will sell two 4lb chickens that were raised in the same humane manner for just $20- a real deal! I like to think it's worth the extra cash to get properly raised meat, and I imagine it impacts the taste, too. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">I'm telling you, if you eat meat you should probably be roasting a chicken at least once a week: it's a minimal prep time, flexible recipe and is pretty much guaranteed to be delicious. Once you throw it in the oven you have over an hour to hang out while the chicken makes your home smell incredible, and then you take it out and have a really impressive meal! Plus you'll have leftovers to make easy meals the next day or two. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">To make it you'll have to have the chicken, it's best if you have fresh herbs, and the rest is up to you. Don't take recipes like this too seriously. I have some suggestions below.</span><br />
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<strong>Perfect Roast Chicken</strong><br />
<ul>
<li>1 whole chicken, 3-4lbs</li>
<li>1 or more fresh herbs such as: rosemary, thyme, sage </li>
<li>1/2 - 1 Lemon</li>
<li>Garlic, smashed and peeled, 2-5 cloves</li>
<li>Onion </li>
<li>Celery (optional)</li>
<li>Carrot (optional)</li>
<li>Butter and olive oil</li>
<li>Salt and fresh ground pepper</li>
</ul>
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Now, I've made a perfect roast chicken with just 1 spring onion, half a lemon that had been zested and half juiced and was sitting in the fridge a couple days, a sprig of sage and a bunch of smashed cloves of garlic. It doesn't take much to get crazy flavor. Just have garlic and lemon? Go for it. Just herbs and onion? I bet it'll be amazing. Although you can always part with the fresh herbs, they really do make a difference. Especially on the skin. <br />
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Rinse the chicken inside and out and then place on a foil-lined pan. Cover the top, sides, bottom and inside the cavity with a <em>generous</em> amount of salt and fresh cracked pepper. I usually crack a bunch of pepper ahead of time in a bowl to make it easy, I'm super paranoid about cross-contamination with raw chicken. Melt a 1/2 tablespoon of butter in 1 tablespoon of olive oil (just pop in the microwave for a few seconds) and then mix in a tablespoon or so of finely chopped herbs. Using a brush, cover the entire chicken thoroughly with the mixture, top to bottom. Then stuff the cavity with whatever sounds good! I've had great results with lemon, a couple springs of herbs, smashed garlic cloves and half an onion. If you have celery and carrots throw those in there, too (it doesn't take much, 1/2 a stick of each). Tie the legs together with twine (I never have twine so I roll up a small piece of tinfoil and use this) to keep all the goodies inside. If you have extra onions and veggies you can make a bed and lay the chicken on top of it. <br />
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Now, depending on how much time you have there are a couple of options for cooking. For slower but better results I like to cook it for an hour and 15 minutes at 350 degrees, then raise the temperature to 375 and cook for 30 more minutes. If you're in a crunch you can cook at 400 for 1-1.5 hours depending on the size of the chicken. Just be sure the chicken temperature reaches about 165 degrees, and you want to have a nice golden crisp skin. The juices will run clear (and it will be JUICY!) and the leg should be loose as though you can pull it off. Just be sure to let it rest 10-15 minutes before serving so you don't lose all the juices. <br />
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TJ and I always take off the skin when we actually eat it which makes it a bit healthier, and you still get great flavor. YOU'RE WELCOME and ENJOY!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5VKpWW40pOw_VmkFUlSKFnMHbjU5kLTeO5wMAf7hgop9ZT_2cMcuAEveuGrLOrAwN_d1eV0LMpseZdHLNOa1AbvRW4Uz7hJZNhWn-H7dIekxvtukUnFVIFKuJWvGx6_pXPfjvp34vx-c/s640/blogger-image-993078153.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5VKpWW40pOw_VmkFUlSKFnMHbjU5kLTeO5wMAf7hgop9ZT_2cMcuAEveuGrLOrAwN_d1eV0LMpseZdHLNOa1AbvRW4Uz7hJZNhWn-H7dIekxvtukUnFVIFKuJWvGx6_pXPfjvp34vx-c/s640/blogger-image-993078153.jpg" /></a></div>jen_abigailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07491395265549962708noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1643763485335826952.post-68515678133301660612012-05-02T18:43:00.000-07:002012-05-02T18:46:43.554-07:00Tofu Stir Fry<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Of all things, I impulse bought a package of extra-firm tofu a few weeks ago because it was less than $3 in the grocery store and it seemed too cheap to pass up! Since I haven't bought fresh veggies in a couple days I figured it was good timing to stock up and make a stir fry. Plus I haven't made this recipe in a couple of years and I had to make sure it still tastes good while TJ is out of town (I'd hate to give him a bad first impression of my tofu cooking capabilities).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">My sister passed along the sauce recipe to me and it does require 2-3 ingredients you may not typically have in your pantry, but they're good to have. Plus, I say there is no such thing as having too many spices and vinegars and sauces on hand (unless we're talking about the crazy people on Doomsday Preppers) because it means that a unique and delicious meal is always right at your fingertips. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;"><strong>Stir Fry</strong></span><br />
<ul>
<li>1-2 packages extra firm tofu</li>
<li>Bok choy or baby bok choy (a good amount since it wilts down quite a bit)</li>
<li>1 large onion sliced thin</li>
<li>1 green bell pepper sliced thin</li>
<li>1 red bell pepper sliced thin</li>
<li>3-4 cloves of garlic minced, depending on your garlic-comfort level</li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"><strong>Sauce</strong></span><br />
<ul>
<li>6 tablespoons cooking sherry</li>
<li>3 tablespoons water or broth</li>
<li>3 tablespoons oyster sauce </li>
<li>2 teaspoons soy sauce</li>
<li>1 teaspoon honey or sugar</li>
<li>1 teaspoon sesame oil</li>
<li>1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes</li>
<li>1/4 teaspoon pepper</li>
<li>A few dashes of cayenne pepper if you like spice like me!</li>
</ul>
First drain the tofu, it comes packaged in water. It will be an unappealing colorless brick that you'll need to cut into 1/4 inch slices. Put two paper towels over a clean kitchen towel and lay the slices of the tofu on top, side by side, and cover with a couple more paper towels. Press down firmly on the tofu to get out the extra liquid, this will help it reach a nice texture when you cook it.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSuUFeJq95ehYsdQGEK-wu5IcqQi1_4OJ4GHZCqOG8zBSVnosVIi9INKNE7KHkqY0E6Piz0HkU2xUaoQ2WOag2P4T1j4khy1H7H1BWdjSUu_92iFCc8ztBlz0dUbcIvKpvFkpVGp8gZt4/s640/blogger-image--829887170.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSuUFeJq95ehYsdQGEK-wu5IcqQi1_4OJ4GHZCqOG8zBSVnosVIi9INKNE7KHkqY0E6Piz0HkU2xUaoQ2WOag2P4T1j4khy1H7H1BWdjSUu_92iFCc8ztBlz0dUbcIvKpvFkpVGp8gZt4/s640/blogger-image--829887170.jpg" /></a><br />
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Heat a little olive oil in a large pan (it doesn't take much, we're not deep frying here!) and put in half the tofu so that they're all laying flat on the pan. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. After a couple minutes, once they're nice and golden, flip each over and let cook until golden on both sides. Cook in batches until you're done and then set aside on a paper towel lined plate. These crispy little beauties are delicious as is, they're hard to stop snacking on so try to resist or you won't have any left for the final product!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1E3l480KIVciuZklRKvW5bwVSSU1l98hSEN9XFV3n6lP4lpizuCsGosfixuieRyf8AtP6yd7EhyphenhyphenxrTJ-EbBFe1Y-hLKNsYyeSx7GSGSUyHdeQHKyfTI1KJ3rVWliReFsgEIbAkEkIveY/s640/blogger-image--665462695.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1E3l480KIVciuZklRKvW5bwVSSU1l98hSEN9XFV3n6lP4lpizuCsGosfixuieRyf8AtP6yd7EhyphenhyphenxrTJ-EbBFe1Y-hLKNsYyeSx7GSGSUyHdeQHKyfTI1KJ3rVWliReFsgEIbAkEkIveY/s640/blogger-image--665462695.jpg" /></a></div>
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Once you've washed and sliced the veggies start by cooking the onion first for a couple minutes until it begins to get translucent, then add the garlic for a few seconds. Then add the rest of the veggies and saute for just a couple extra minutes. Keep in mind you can use whatever veggies you have on hand- long slices of spring onions instead of onion, broccoli, thin slices of carrot, etc. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdGBRtmueuhepnjq93A_wojsJqRCTgkS0oLl09UKs4o6A88qK22OEKYWKK8XDlw2PcdTVl_GMu4_qds-qGnRc3AbBrZEcjbFUWQ44oRJ3eY25wtXGteabQNeTvrLixRRs1Bfn0tyzfyWM/s640/blogger-image--2089537906.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdGBRtmueuhepnjq93A_wojsJqRCTgkS0oLl09UKs4o6A88qK22OEKYWKK8XDlw2PcdTVl_GMu4_qds-qGnRc3AbBrZEcjbFUWQ44oRJ3eY25wtXGteabQNeTvrLixRRs1Bfn0tyzfyWM/s640/blogger-image--2089537906.jpg" /></a>Stir together the sauce ingredients and pour over the stir fry. Next time I might try simmering the sauce in a separate pan to let it thicken before adding to the veggies (I don't like the veggies to get too over cooked). Serve over a little rice (Jasmine is my favorite, cooks perfectly every time) and enjoy! <br />
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