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Young & HungryIf you can't take the heat, get outta the kitchen! |
| 12 March |
If you have a sweetheart, or you don’t…if you love yourself, or you loathe yourself….this sandwich is for you! A dead ringer (tastewise, that is) for the Sausage McMuffin, this breakfast sandwich is not only a snap to make, but eons healthier than it’s fast food counterpart, making it the perfect meal any time of day. Valentine’s Day is on a Sunday this year, ladies….what are you making for brunch?
| 26 February |
Have you enjoyed 5 days of soups and more than enough veggies to compensate for a month worth of French fried sides? Alas, I’ve saved the best for last! A Tuscan favorite enjoyed by many a peasant past – ribollita! Ribollita, next to Papa al Pomodoro, was probably one of my best finds during my time studying abroad in Florence. I honestly don’t know what I would have done without this “kitchen sink” of soups or with the abundance of fresh market goods in my pantry had we not been introduced. Ribollita isn’t really all that different from other soups. It generally contains broth, beans, and vegetables, but then you add big chunks of Tuscan pan (bread), which completely transforms the consistency of the soup. Suddenly it’s thick and creamy enough to comfort even the most homesick of students. Mangia!
| 24 February |
I had the pleasure of finishing off the remainder of this soup last night. I found myself without enough meals in the day to finish the hefty pot of soup and can now confirm that it does in fact freeze well! This recipe is a combination of various sources, none of which I recall at the moment. Surely they too were delicious, but I will remain loyal to my own creation. Barley is a relatively new ingredient in my repertoire, but I found it to be a welcome addition. Make sure to note the long cooking requirement and schedule accordingly. Outside of the lengthy wait, I wouldn’t change anything except the size of my kale and collards. Your bite might be a bigger size than mine, but there was no way I was fitting those large leafy greens in my mouth with a struggle…
| 23 February |
A foggy day….in London town….so goes the classic song. When foggy days hit Stateside, I enjoy making a soup as rich and thick as the dew in the air, and split pea soup fits the bill every time. Pea soup has gotten a bad rap–true, it’s not the most glamorous or beautiful of dishes, but, when done right, it’s savory, filling, and super healthy, don’t know what’s so bad about that! Here, I took my Nani’s recipe and punched it up a bit with some white wine for depth and lemon juice for brightness. Guaranteed to warm your bones on even the foggiest of days.
Thick and rich for a chilly day!
| 19 February |
This soup has A LOT OF VEGETABLES! Please don’t feel obligated to buy the entire market like I did…and if you’re not up to dumping your entire produce drawer into a pot I understand. If you did neglect your “5 a day” this weekend, however, this will more than make up for it. It works that way right? I’m pretty sure my veggies consisted of fried green tomatoes and Bloody Mary’s, so I’m taking every…umm…real vegetable I can get!
I originally found this recipe on the Cooking Light website and modified to the point of minimal recognition. Feel free to substitute parsnips for the more common Mirepoix or sweet potato for Mr. Idaho. Those two ingredients were the largest flavor enhancers, but who am I to make you experiment. I’m pretty sure the original recipe also neglects the cruciferous joys of Brussels Sprouts and cauliflower, but I suppose they do tend to be the outcasts of the veggie kingdom.
| 24 January |
It seems like every time I turn around there’s a new taqueria opening. And, upon further thought, I can’t think of a single one that’s ever closed! America, or Atlanta anyway, is taco crazy! I don’t blame them, you, or me. Tacos are fresh fun fare that can be jazzed up as many ways as there are restaurants trying… Lately I’ve seen everything from tongue & goat tacos to tacos made of mashed potatoes and always the usual pulled pork and brisket in between. There are varying salsas, veggies, slaws, aioli, cheese, and other toppings yes, but all a taco make. Here’s my take on the taco that I believe started the craze, the fish taco. I jazzed it up with a chipotle mango twist on your usual salsa and slaw. Sorry taquerias, this one’s on the house!
| 22 January |
What I love about the New Year: a fresh perspective, renewed optimism, and a new 12 months on the horizon. What I hate about the New Year: my body is hungry as I go through holiday mode 24-hour eating extravaganza withdrawal. Here is a lovely Indian recipe that I adapted from one found on Smitten Kitchen (originally in the New York Times) that beautifully melds heartiness and healthiness and staves off Am-I- Really-Relegated-to-Eating-Balance-Bars-Where-Did-The-Trader-Joes-Truffles-Go New Year grumpiness. You’ll thank me for this one.
| 18 January |
Fry Fry Baby – not this year. Before you know it Spring’s going to be here (I can only hope…) and you’ll still be donning your winter “coat.” So in keeping with this month’s theme, here’s another easy & light meal that even allows you to utilize those Clementine and tangerines that they’re practically giving away at your local grocer. You don’t even have to peel the little suckers! Citrus that’s not sans skin you say? That’s right; this dish requires peels, pulp, and all so be grateful they’re seedless and leave your segmenting skills at home. I too was baffled by this skin and all phenomenon, but quickly remembered my cooking class in Shanghai where they left the bones in the chicken pre chop. Kind of the same right? If it worked then, it can work now. So in they went, skins and all. It’s quite a time saver to boot, not having to peel…baby oranges. I’ll take it!
In conclusion, I don’t think you’re necessarily supposed to eat the tangerines post wok (Bon Appetit disagrees), but if you accidentally catch one or two with your not so impressive chop stick skills I know firsthand that they won’t kill you. That said, it could be like leaving the skins on your shrimp for the extra flavor; obviously you’re not going to toss the meat because of a shell or two. I think I’ll take the extra flavor blast and leave sucking on soggy little citrus wedges to the birds.
| 13 January |
There are many outlets in life: martial arts, shopping, anger management classes. When I need to unwind, I seek mental escape through the practice of executing a complex recipe; somehow, the numerous steps and rigmarole ease my mind while I focus on the task at hand. Bonus points for finding a complex recipe for a dish that is traditionally simple. Enter Tom Colicchio’s chickpea salad recipe from my favorite cookbook, The Craft of Cooking. Now, I have been making chickpea salad for years (also called chi chi beans in my family) and find it no harder than opening up a few cans of naked beans and jazzing them up with some oil, vinegar, and seasonings. Delicious. Simple. Too simple.
| 5 January |
In need of something warm, rich, and creamy that won’t break the theoretical calorie or actual bank? This risotto just screams comfort food! Perhaps that’s why it’s one of my favorite things… I find it ironic that New Years, with all its resolutions and whatnot, falls right when you feel like wrapping yourself up in the Snuggie you got for Christmas and not coming out until Spring. Speaking of Snuggies, I am now the proud owner of a hot chocolate brown Dreamie. Snuggie’s O.U.T. Especially after they failed to send me my free sample… What is a Dreamie you ask? It’s a fleece blanket with a sizeable pocket at one end for your pillow! I am about one day away from bringing my shiny new Dreamie into work to stop the shivering during these cold winter months. Seriously though, I’m cold inside and out. Day and night. Layers or bare. Get the point? So before you end up like me, fired after being caught purple-handed with my pillow-laden Dreamie and space heater, try this risotto to keep those cozy feelings coming even when it’s 8 degrees outside.
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