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Young & HungryIf you can't take the heat, get outta the kitchen! |
| 10 March |
Who wants to get up early to slave over the stove, rising hours before your guests arrive to make brunch? Not I. This Italian variation on the Mexican Huevos Rancheros (soon to follow) can be made from leftover spaghetti sauce or store bought if slaving in general just isn’t your thing! The remainder of the ingredients can be kept on hand so a big breakfast or brunch are never out of your reach. Serve with prosecco juiced up with some peach nectar or Orangina.
| 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!
| 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.
| 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.
| 20 November |
My roommate makes me these for brunch on the weekends after late nights out and about. They’re easy. You have these things on hand. If you don’t keep them around they freeze well. And last forever. So no excuses. Add these ingredients to your grocery list. They. Will. Save. You.
| 18 November |
Did someone say more pumpkin please? Ok, if you insist. I know I have failed to deliver as much pumpkin as promised this year, but here’s to making up for it. The inspiration for this recipe came to me on the cold rainy night before Halloween. I had leftover sage and sausage and probably could have made use of the 4 fresh pumpkins purchased for our Halloween party the consecutive night, but opted for the easy canned variety. Speaking of, I have a number of Halloween party recipes in store for you, but at this point they’ll have to wait for next year… In the meantime I hope you enjoy my Little Miss Piggy Pumpkin Pasta named after the muppet most resembling me this holiday season. Eh, I’ll pick a new one come New Year’s!
| 23 August |
For those of you that live alone, skip to the recipe or, if you’re lonely, keep reading with a reminiscent heart. Now, to the readers who cohabitate, let us reflect on all the lessons learned from roommates past. There was my first roommate from West Virginia who taught me that most of the rumors about people from West Virginia are not in fact true, most. She also tried to teach me how to shotgun a beer in our freshman hall’s bathroom to no avail. My next roommate taught me a lot about boys, you could call her a boy magnet of sorts. She had flirting and the fine art of dating down to a T, ahh that was a fun year. Next I went through an assortment of roommates traveling abroad to Florence and west to UCLA. They taught me a myriad of things from the greatness of In-N- Out to how to appreciate a fine wine. I learned to recognize cheeses even though they mostly look and feel the same, that the only thing Italy got wrong was that they forgot to put the gelato between two freshly baked Diddy Riese cookies, and to appreciate tofu – the other white meat? Finally, they reminded me how to swim laps to work up an appetite for aforementioned good eats, particularly during water polo practice.
My current roomie has followed suit bringing an entirely new set of lessons to the table, my favorite of which are probably from her Mom’s organic garden which turns out by far the best tomatoes and blueberries I’ve ever had. When she’s not feeding me my veggies, however, we take delight in our love of mayonnaise and late night pizza. Not at the same time of course, usually. She also has taught me that impromptu infomercial purchases can, in time, earn their keep. And so, we were happy when we were able to use both the Chop Wizard and the mass quantity of mayo in our kitchen for this recipe. The ShamWow, however, I fear will never see the light outside our laundry room… Here’s to a Snuggie come Christmas.
| 18 August |
I’m pretty sure I have already written and deleted or misplaced this post. Perhaps I’m suffering from déjà vu and have simply thought of what I wanted to say so many times that I thought I would have written it down by now, somehow I think I’m just getting old and forgetful… What I will never forget, however, is how amazing tuna steaks are seared with a simple rub!
My first taste of Ten Minute Tuna Steak was during a barbeque at our condo in Hawaii. My roommate’s Dad was in town visiting and spent our long workday slaving away to prepare a delectable dinner for us come quitting time. Walking in the door to the delicious smells and busy bodies in our condo is still very clear to me, as is the breezy and cool night air, good company and greener than green surroundings. I am still working on blocking that this was probably also the occasion of our 2nd or 3rd warning from building management who finally took away our party privileges altogether declaring that they didn’t know what kind of hooligans, yes hooligans, we were, but that this was a residency not party central. I blame the rest of our project for any misconduct, but I suppose I’m quite good at setting the scene.
In the case that you also like throwing rather large gatherings and would like to whip this recipe up for your fellow hooligans, I recommend you make the theme BYOT, Bring Your Own Tuna. The good stuff, which is what you want to eat considering you should keep it bright pink in the center, can run around $20 per pound. Sadly enough, you will also find a number of people who are seafood phobic. Let them bring beef. A flank steak or fillet are no tuna, but they work.
| 17 March |
So fancy!
It’s the proverbial vegetable that sends naughty children screaming into the night, but I am here to tell you that Brussels sprouts actually are not the archenemy to all things palatable. In fact, they can be quite delectable and are low in calories and high in phytonutrients, making these crucifers quite the tasty little powerhouse. Case in point: Sesame Roasted Brussels Sprouts, a great way to enjoy an infamous vegetable and get a mega dose of Vitamin C, to boot. Brussels sprouts are a hearty vegetable and therefore square off nicely with the strong, nutty flavor that sesame oil imparts, while the vinegar adds a bit of tang. They’re perfect for the naughty–and nice–among us.
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