A new salad {recipe}

I get in major salad ruts.We have a side salad almost every night for dinner, and it ends up being pretty much the same thing every night... romaine, carrots, tomatoes and if I feel like it I'll add parmesan cheese and avocado. I usually just switch up the dressing depending upon what the main course is. I switched things up this past weekend using kale and brussels sprouts...and it was delicious!!! I told my husband what I was making and he was convinced that he would hate it, and to his surprise he loved it and even asked when I was going to make it again!

Kale & Brussels Sprout Salad (Bon Appetit Nov 2011)

Ingredients:

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

• 1 tablespoon minced shallot

• 1 small garlic clove, finely grated

• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt plus more for seasoning

• Freshly ground black pepper

• 2 large bunches of Tuscan kale (about 1 1/2 pounds total), center stem discarded, leaves thinly sliced

• 12 ounces brussels sprouts, trimmed, finely grated or shredded with a knife

• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided

• 1/3 cup almonds with skins, coarsely chopped

• 1 cup finely grated Pecorino

Preparation:

Combine lemon juice, Dijon mustard, shallot, garlic, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and a pinch of pepper in a small bowl. Stir to blend; set aside to let flavors meld. Mix thinly sliced kale and shredded brussels sprouts in a large bowl.

Measure 1/2 cup oil into a cup. Spoon 1 tablespoon oil from cup into a small skillet; heat oil over medium-high heat. Add almonds to skillet and stir frequently until golden brown in spots, about 2 minutes. Transfer nuts to a paper towel–lined plate. Sprinkle almonds lightly with salt.

Slowly whisk remaining olive oil in cup into lemon-juice mixture. Season dressing to taste with salt and pepper. 

DO AHEAD: Dressing, kale mixture, and toasted almonds can be prepared 8 hours ahead. Cover dressing and kale mixture separately and chill. Cover almonds and let stand at room temperature.

Add dressing and cheese to kale mixture; toss to coat. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Garnish with almonds.

Tuscan Chicken Soup {recipe}

All four of us have been home sick for the past 7 days. Two trips to the ER, dr's visits, and endless boxes of kleenex.  I am SO ready to get this out of our house! Somehow I had energy to cook a great soup that I thought I would share.

Kale Vegetable Chicken Soup

Ingredients:

2 large chicken breasts (cooked and shredded)

1 medium yellow onion (medium dice)

4  carrots (peeled, washed, and medium dice)

2 cups fresh kale (chopped, stems removed)

2 zucchini (washed and medium diced)

2 cloves fresh garlic (chopped finely)

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp dried thyme

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

28 oz can crushed tomatoes

6 cups chicken stock

Kosher salt-to taste

Fresh ground black pepper -to taste

1/2 cup Couscous (large pearl)

Parmiggiano reggiano cheese

In a large pot add 2 tbsp olive oil and saute onions and carrots over medium high heat for 8-10 minutes. Add zucchini and garlic. Saute until tender, about 5 minutes.
Add chicken stock, tomatoes, basil, thyme, kale and chicken. Simmer soup for 30 minutes, vegetables should be tender. Add the couscous and cook right in the soup for another 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Top with grated parmiggiano reggiano and serve!

** The couscous will absorb a lot of the liquid. If you want your soup to be more brothy, just add a few more cups of chicken stock.

  

Best Kale Salad (recipe)

After eating at True Food Kitchen I have become slightly obsessed with kale. They have the best (in my opinion) kale salad. I could eat it all day. And they are kind enough to put it on their website for all of us to try. 

Dr. Weil's Kale Salad

Ingredients - 4-6 cups kale, loosely packed, sliced leaves of Italian black (Lacinato, "dinosaur," cavolo nero) midribs removed - juice of 1 lemon - 3-4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil - 2 cloves garlic, mashed - salt & pepper, to taste - hot red pepper flakes, to taste - 2/3 cup grated Pecorino Toscano cheese (Rosselino variety if you can find it) or other flavorful grating cheese such as Asiago or Parmesan - 1/2 cup freshly made bread crumbs from lightly toasted bread Instructions Whisk together lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper, and a generous pinch (or more to taste) of hot red pepper flakes. Pour over kale in serving bowl and toss well. Add 2/3 of the cheese and toss again. Let kale sit for at least 5 minutes. Add bread crumbs, toss again, and top with remaining cheese.

Easy Meal {Lettuce Wraps}

I've fallen behind on posting a new recipe each week, I'll try to get back on track. This recipe is my go-to for an easy week night meal. It tastes great and is super healthy. Enjoy!

Super Easy Lettuce Wraps

Ingredients:

1 package ground chicken or extra lean turkey

3 large carrots, sliced

1/4 cup pine nuts

1 T fresh ginger

1 clove garlic

1 bunch cilantro, chopped

2 t oil

1 can sliced water chestnuts

1/4 cup Soy Yaki or teriyaki sauce of your choice

Lettuce (iceberg or romaine)

Directions:

Saute oil, meat, ginger and garlic in large skillet. Saute a couple of minutes until meat starts to brown. Add carrots, pine nuts, water chestnuts and teriyaki sauce. Continue to saute until meat is completely cooked. Once meat is cooked throughly, add chopped cilantro. 

Serve with lettuce. 

How to Roast a Chicken

It was a cold and wet weekend and all I wanted to do was curl up by a fire and eat some good old comfort food. I believe the perfect winter meal is a roasted chicken. And it boggles my mind how many of my friends don't know how to make one, or they assume it is difficult. It is quite possibly one of the easiest things to cook. Here's my version, and it turns out perfect every time. 

Ingredients:

1 5-6 pound roasting chicken

2 T room temperature butter

2 lemons, one halved and one sliced

1 large bunch fresh thyme

5 cloves garlic

5 springs of fresh rosemary

freshly ground black pepper

kosher salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425F. 

Remove any giblets that may be in the chicken. Rinse chicken thoroughly. Generously salt and pepper the inside and outside of the chicken. Stuff the cavity of the chicken with the lemon cut in half, garlic, springs of rosemary and thyme. Insert sliced lemon slices under skin covering the breasts. Brush the outside with butter and sprinkle again with salt and pepper. 

Place chicken in roasting pan, breast side up. Roast the chicken for 1 1/2 hours, or until the juices run clear when pierced with a knife between the leg and thigh. Remove, and cover with foil. Let chicken rest for 20 minutes before serving. 

Serve with roasted vegetables. 

This is adapted from Ina Garten's Roast Chicken recipe. You can view her recipe here. 

A Week's Worth of Recipes

I was putting together my grocery list for this upcoming week's dinners and thought I would share what was on the menu. I have cooked according to my meal plan and it has worked out great. Easy grocery shopping, spending less money, not wasting food and not having to worry about what's for dinner. 

I'm no Martha Stewart, a week's worth of meals includes left overs on Thursday, with Friday and Saturday left blank as we usually go out with friends or eat at family's.  

So here's our week {4 days of meals}

Sunday- Chimichurri steak & chicken with green salad {see recipe below}

Monday- Meyer Lemon Chicken Piccata {Cooking Light}

Tuesday- Chicken and Black Bean Green Enchilada Rice Bake {Picky Palate}

Wednesday- Roasted Chicken with Balsamic Bell Peppers 

Thursday- Left Overs

Chimichurri Steak and Chicken

Season steak and chicken with salt and pepper and grill.  

Chimichurri Sauce

1 cup fresh Italian parsley

1/2 cup olive oil

1/3 cup red wine vinegar

1/2 cup fresh cilantro

2 garlic cloves, peeled

dash of crushed red pepper flakes

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon salt

Puree all ingredients in food processor. Transfer to bowl. Serve sauce with prepared meat. Sauce may be kept in refrigerator for a couple of days. Best served at room temperature. 

Mexican Style Butternut Squash and Chicken Stew

I would consider myself a cook, not a baker. I very rarely follow a recipe exactly {which is why I am not a good baker}. I took this recipe and spiced it up a bit. It turned out delicious. And I did it in a crock-pot which makes it even easier. Here you go:

Mexican Style Butternut Squash and Chicken Stew

Ingredients {missing butternut squash}:

1 can black beans

1 can Rotel  mexican style diced tomatoes with lime and cilantro

1 t. dried oregano

1 cup quinoa

1 T crushed garlic

1T olive oil

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts

1 large butternut squash

1 t. salt

2/3 c. chopped parsley

water

Optional:

avocado, limes and 

Directions:

1. Using large knife, pierce butternut squash and put in microwave for 6 minutes to soften. Remove from microwave, peel and dice into 2 inch cubes. 

2. Add above ingredients {except parsley} to crock pot and fill crock pot with enough water to cover your ingredients. 

3. Cook on high for 4-5 hours or low for 8 hours. 

4. Stir in parsley.

5. Serve with avocado, limes and salsa if desired. 

Enjoy!

Month of Meals- November Failure & a new recipe

You may have noticed there was no post for Month of Meals {November}. That's because I don't have one. I have resorted back to my old self and cooking my old self recipes. Oh well, maybe next month. And at least I'm still cooking. 

I did make a really delicious Fall soup for Halloween that I will definitely be making again. It is easy, healthy and delicious! The perfect combination. 

Here's the recipe {adapted from Martha Stewart Everyday Food}

Pureed Butternut Squash Soup:

Ingredients:

approx. 2 1/2 pounds of butternut squash {peeled and cubed}

1 yellow onion

2 T butter

2 T ginger

2 cloves garlic {chopped}

5 cups water

1/4 c. orange juice

Directions:

1. Pierce squash with large knife and insert into microwave for approx. 6 minutes. Peel and cube {you can buy already peeled and cubed squash at Trader Joe's and most major grocery stores if you want to skip this step}. 

2. Chop onion and saute in 2T butter. Cook on medium-low heat until onion is translucent, approx. 10 minutes. 

3. Add ginger and garlic and combine. 

4. Add squash and cook approx. 2 minutes. 

5. Add water and bring to a boil. 

6. Reduce heat to low and simmer approx. 20 minutes or until squash can easily be pierced with a knife. 

7. Working carefully, puree with a hand emulsion blender or add to a blender {if using a regular blender make sure lid is off and covered with a towel as heat needs to escape while blending}. 

8. Add orange juice and serve hot. 

And these were the perfect addition to the soup:

Mom's Corn Bread Muffins

Ingredients:

1 box Krustez Corn Bread Mix

1 box Duncan Heinz Yellow Cake Mix {extra moist}

4 eggs

2/3 c. oil

1/3 c. milk {add more if mixture seems too dry}

1/2 c. cream corn

Directions:

Mix ingredients above in a large mixing bowl. Prepare muffin tin and fill with corn bread mixture. Bake  for 18 minutes at 400. 

Month of Meals- October

Back to Basics would be the theme of my October meals if I had to pick a theme. After a good 4 months of searching magazines, online and cookbooks for new meals I think we are ready to return to the basics. No recipes needed, just a little of this and a little of that and you're all set for a good dinner. I think the cooler weather makes me want to make soup and pull out the old crock pot {yikes}. We have left overs on Fridays and usually go out on Saturdays. I did repeat a couple of times but overall was able to have something new every day. Here's what's on the menu:

Roast Chicken

Chicken Tacos

Lettuce Wraps

BBQ Chicken

Pork Tenderloin

Turkey Chili

Turkey Meatballs

Chicken Noodle Soup

Carrot Soup

Teriyaki Chicken

Stir Fry

Chimichuri Chicken

Taco Salad

Lemon Chicken

Taco Casserole

German Chocolate Marshmallow Stuffed Chocolate Cookies

I saw these at Target:

and was determined to bake something with them.

It was the first time baking with this beauty:

1945 O'Keefe and Merritt

I decided a marshmallow stuffed chocolate cookie sounded like a good plan, here's the recipe {makes 16 cookies}:

1/3 c. coco powder

1 c. flour

1/2 t. baking soda

1/2 t. salt

1/2 c. butter at room temperature

1/4 c. brown sugar

1/2 c. white sugar

1 egg

1/2 t. vanilla

16 German Chocolate Marshmallows

Preheat oven to 375. Sift first 4 ingredients {through salt} in large bowl; set aside. Beat butter and sugars until well mixed; add egg and vanilla and cream together. Mix dry ingredients into sugar mixture. Take one marshmallow and cover with cookie dough. Make sure the marshmallow is sealed inside the dough. Cookies will be about 1-2 inches. Place on cookie sheet approximately 2 inches apart. Bake 10-12 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes and enjoy!

Fresh Blueberry Muffins

I bought a huge thing of blueberries at Costco and was determined to make some fresh blueberry muffins. I searched for some great recipes but a lot of them called for sour cream or buttermilk {both of which I did not have}. With a napping baby I was not about to go out to the store. Instead I decided to try some with Greek yogurt. They turned out great!

Fresh Blueberry Muffins

Yield: 12 muffins

2 cups all-purpose flour


1 tablespoon baking powder


½ teaspoon salt


1 egg


1 cup granulated sugar


4 tablespoons (2 ounces) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly


1 cup sour cream


2 cups frozen or fresh blueberries

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a standard 12-cup muffin tin (or line with paper liners) and set aside.

2. Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl until well combined. Whisk the egg in a separate medium bowl until well combined and light-colored, about 20 seconds. Add the sugar and whisk vigorously until thick, about 30 seconds. Add the melted butter in 2 or 3 additions, whisking to combine after each addition. Add the yogurt in 2 additions, whisking just to combine.

3. Add the berries to the dry ingredients and gently toss just to combine. Add the sour cream mixture and fold with a rubber spatula until the batter comes together and the berries are evenly distributed, 25 to 30 seconds. Small spots of flour may remain and the batter will be very thick. Do not overmix.

4. Using a large spoon or a cookie scoop sprayed with nonstick cooking spray, divide the batter amount the muffin cups. Bake until the muffins are light golden brown and a toothpick or thin knife inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes, rotating the pan from front to back halfway through the baking time. Immediately remove muffins to a wire rack and cool for at least 5 minutes. Serve immediately or at room temperature. Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature.

Sorry for the Instagram picture {my sister in-law has me addicted}!

Chocolate Fleur de Sel Cookies

First, I would not consider myself a baker. I do not measure therefore baking is not my speciality. I typically add a little of this and a little of that when it comes to cooking that is okay. My problem is that I like the results of baking a lot more than cooking. I have a sweet tooth and I have a special love for cookie dough. Anyways, yesterday I was motivated to make some chocolate fleur de sel cookies. A friend had made some for me and I just had to try them for myself. And....they turned out to be a success! This is a cookie that will satisfy one of those salty/sweet cravings and is not for the faint of heart.

I used a recipe from Pierre Herme, a famous French pastry chef. Check out what he has to offer here. I went to one of his shops in Paris and the stuff he makes looks too pretty to eat. You can buy them online for $24.

Ingredients

1 1/3 c all-purpose flour

1/3 c unsweetened cocoa powder

1 t baking soda

11 T (5.5 oz) unsalted butter, softened to room temp

½ c packed light brown sugar

¼ c granulated sugar

1 ¼ t fleur de sel (fine white sea salt)

½ t pure vanilla extract

5 oz dark chocolate, very finely chopped

Directions

Sift flour, cocoa powder and baking soda, whisk to combine. In the bowl of an electric mixer on medium, beat the butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, salt and vanilla, periodically scraping the bowl. DO NOT over mix, you don’t want to incorporate too much air. Using a rubber spatula, scrape the bottom and sides of the mixing bowl. On low speed add the flour mixture and mix just until it disappears. Mix in the finely chopped chocolate, do not over mix.

Turn the dough out onto the table (you may need to lightly dust the table with flour.) Gather into a ball, slice in two and roll each half into a log – you can determine the diameter of your cookies – I like 1.5” diameter. Wrap each log snuggly in plastic wrap and chill until firm, about two hours. Can be chilled overnight or frozen (warm to a firm chill in order to cut)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees f. Line two sheets with parchment or silpat (I have also tried just spray oil and it works fine). Using a sharp knife, cut the dough log crosswise into a ¼” slice and transfer slices to the baking sheet. (Sometimes you may need to reshape your slices if they crumble a bit – this is the indication that your dough is too cold or that the chocolate is not fine enough. But simply press the dough back together.)

Bake oven, preferably one sheet at a time (unless you have convention oven) for about 12 minutes. Do check them if have cut them very thin. The cookies will puff slightly and the surface may crack. Let cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes then loosen from tray to fully cool. Store airtight or freeze.

I will definitely be making these again!