I'm moving to Memphis!

So, it's been ages since I've posted, and absolutely everything has changed here! I found out in mid May that I'll be moving to Memphis after having been offered a job there (nothing writing or editing related, but a great opportunity at a really cool place—and, hey, there are always opportunities for freelance writing on the side!). Almost immediately after getting this great news, I went on back to back to back trips—first, a visit to see my cousin and her husband and then spend some time with my grandmothers; then a trip to Memphis to visit my boyfriend and find an apartment (took us three days of non stop, all day searching, but I found a great place!); then a mother-daughter trip to Rehoboth Beach. Since then, it's been all shopping and packing and getting schedules figured out (figuring out how soon I could move, when my parents would be around to help, etc.). I finished up at Macy's at the end of June, and while I'll miss my amazing coworkers, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't ecstatic to leave the world of retail. The front room of our house is looking less like a family room and more like a storage unit as I stack up my stuff in there and my bedroom is getting more empty by the day. My parents will be helping me with my move and we'll be loading up a UHaul truck in just a few days, so it's crunch time now. I'm getting a little nervous as my move in date gets closer, but I'm so incredibly excited to be starting this new chapter in my life.

It may seem silly, but one of the things I'm most excited about is the food scene that comes with living in a city (particularly in Memphis, which has a pretty fun restaurant scene and some wonderful food). I'm super close to a really nice Kroger, Whole Foods, and Trader Joe's (a HUGE step up from my quite average local grocery store here in my current town), plus there are a bunch of weekend farmers markets and plenty of restaurants. I've been stocking up on kitchen stuff and I'm already worried about how to fit it all in the kitchen of a one bedroom apartment (I'm already planning on putting a shelving unit in the dining room area to help store everything), but I am so excited to cook in my new place. I work wonderful hours and get off of work earlier in the afternoon, so I look forward to cooking more often, especially now that I'll have a set schedule (having an ever-changing schedule made cooking on a regular basis incredibly difficult here). John is also completely on board with my cooking plans and I'm looking forward to trying out my recipes on him (thought my dad is quite sad that I won't be home to cook for him anymore). Now that I'll be on a regular schedule, in my own space, I'm very eager to cook (and therefore post) more often, so please stay tuned!

Recipe: Black Bean and Garlic Sauce Chicken with Snow Peas and Rice

I bought a jar of Black Bean and Garlic sauce on a whim during a recent trip to my grocery store. I'd read about it before—it's a mixture of fermented black soy beans and garlic and it's praised as a marinade for beef and chicken in Asian dishes. I figured it would make for a nice alternative to my usual stir fry marinade ingredients and I was totally right—this sauce is the definition of "umami." It's meaty, salty, and savory, and with a little soy sauce, ginger, and sweet mirin, it makes a delicious marinade.

Serves: 4
Prep. time: 10 minutes, marinate for approx. 20-30 min.
Cooking time: Approx. 20 minutes
Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients
For the marinade

• 2 chicken breasts, cut into small slices or cubes
• 3 tsp. Black Bean and/with Garlic sauce (can be found in the Asian section at your local grocery store—I used Kikkoman brand)
• 2 tbsp. low sodium soy sauce
• 2 tsp. mirin (Sherry will work in a pinch)
• 1/2 tsp. rice vinegar
• 1/2 tsp. dry ground ginger (or grate a little fresh ginger into the mix)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced

For the meal

• 2 small white or yellow onions, cut into large chunks (quarter the onions and pull apart the layers)
• Approx. 2 cups snow peas, cleaned
• 1-2 cups white rice
• Sesame oil
• Peanut oil

Directions

Combine the ingredients for the marinade in a medium bowl, add the chicken, and toss to combine. Set aside in the fridge and let marinate for 20-30 minutes. Prepare a pot for the rice and cook (I use store brand rice, make two servings, and it takes approx. 20 minutes to cook). While the rice is cooking, heat a splash of sesame oil and a splash of peanut oil in a large (deep) pan or wok over medium high heat. Add the chicken, including the marinade, and cook until partially cooked through, then add the onions and snow peas. Continue to cook over medium heat until the chicken is cooked through. Turn of the heat and serve the chicken and veggie mixture atop the finished rice.

This is a great variation on stir fry, and the black bean and garlic sauce is packed with flavor. Because the marinade only has a few ingredients, it's quick and easy to pull together, which makes this a great meal for a weeknight meal. 

Recipe: Linguine with a Creamy Avocado-and-Spinach Sauce

I'm one of those people who just randomly gets hooked on certain foods. A month ago, it was Eggo waffles. A few weeks ago, it was hard boiled eggs (but only if they were freshly boiled and still warm). The past week, it's been almonds and those little tiny chocolate liquor bottles with real liquor inside (random, I know). Another thing I've been eating a lot of lately is avocado—avocados are rich and creamy with a delicate flavor and I've been eating them like it's my job. So, when I found a pasta recipe that involved using avocados to make a creamy sauce, I was all over it.

Serves: 4-6
Prep. time: 10-15 minutes
Cooking time: 15-20 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Special equipment: Food processor

Ingredients

• 1 box (16 oz.) linguine or other long pasta 
• 1/2 reserved pasta water, as needed (to thin the sauce)
• 1 ripe avocado, pitted
• Juice of 1 lime
• Zest of 1 lime
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1/4 jalapeno 
• 1/4 cup packed basil (approx. 2 packages of pre-packed basil)
• 1 cup packed baby spinach
• 2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Grated Italian cheeses, to taste

Directions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook according to package instructions (approx. 9-11 minutes; remember to save some of the pasta water after the pasta has cooked). While the pasta is cooking, add the avocado, lime juice and zest, garlic, jalapeno, basil, spinach, olive oil, and salt and pepper to a food processor and pulse to blend, until smooth. Add a little pasta water, if needed, to slightly thin out the sauce. When the pasta is finished cooking, drain it and return it to the pot, then add the sauce and toss to combine. Serve topped with grated Italian cheese, as desired.

When my dad tasted this sauce, his response was "Ooo! It's like guacamole. Kinda." Yeah. It kind of is, Dad. This sauce is creamy and fresh-tasting, with a little kick of heat from the jalapeno, and you could probably just as easily pour it on a taco or blend it into salsa to create an all new dish. And, really, besides being delicious, it's pretty healthy too. Avocados are fatty, but they're a good fat, and you get a solid serving of veggies with the spinach and basil added in too. Add chicken, shrimp, or even bacon to add a little more protein to this dish. 

Recipe: Cheesy Orzo with Cherry Tomatoes and Basil

As I've said in some of my past few posts, I've been trying hard to work on planning meals in advance for the week rather than picking recipes throughout the week and shopping along the way. I've already pretty much mastered the art of "Chopped: Refrigerator Edition," or that ability to take random ingredients from the fridge and pull them together to make a meal (like a less intense version of the show, Chopped, where contestants are given a basket of ridiculously mismatched ingredients and asked to make meals). Between work and looking for work (did I mention I'm planning to move to Memphis by the end of the summer?) this week, I only had time to try out two new recipes (and though I planned and shopped accordingly, I still failed at groceries because I went shopping while hungry...Hello, frozen soft pretzels and Ben&Jerry's S'Mores!). Anywho, this orzo recipe was the first I made and I was quite happy with the results. Cheesy and comforting, this dish is a lot like if mac&cheese and rice pilaf had a baby—orzo (a type of pasta that looks an awful lot like big pieces of rice), grated Italian cheeses, fresh basil, and tart cherry tomatoes mix together to create a comforting and delicious side dish (add chicken or even shrimp for a complete meal).

Yields: 4 servings
Prep. time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 20-30 minutes
Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp. unsalted butter
• 1&1/2 cup orzo
• 3 cups low sodium chicken stock
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated or shredded
• 1/2 cup Pecorino-Romano cheese, grated or shredded
• 10-15 leaves (large handful; approx. 2 packages of pre-packed) basil, chiffonade cut 
• Butter and olive oil, as needed
• Salt and pepper

Directions

Melt the butter in a medium pot over medium high heat. Add the uncooked orzo and saute in the butter until lightly golden brown, then add the chicken stock. Briefly bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 20-30 minutes, until little or no stock is remaining (drain excess stock if necessary; orzo should be al dente/tender yet firm when done). During the last 5-10 minutes the orzo is cooking, add a little butter and olive oil to a small pan over medium heat, then add the tomatoes and cook until their skins start to split a bit (they should be a little soft). When the orzo is done, add the cooked tomatoes, garlic, basil, cheeses, and salt and pepper and gently stir to combine. Serve as a side (top it with chicken or shrimp for a nice meal), or make into a hearty and comforting meal by adding chunks of sauteed chicken to the finished orzo. Or, if you're me, just eat it as is! Who says it can't be a meal in and of itself?

This dish is simple, quick to make, and quite tasty. The cheeses melt into the orzo, making the dish creamy and rich. Fresh basil and cherry tomatoes add a pop of flavor to balance out the creaminess of the cheese. Cooking the orzo in chicken stock rather than water adds great flavor to the dish. This is a perfect side dish, but it can be made into a main meal with the addition of some sort of protein (chicken, shrimp) or simply serve it as is for a comfort dish. 

Recipe: Quick and Easy Microwaveable Brownie for One

Sometimes you want a brownie, and you want it NOW. You want it chocolaty, hot, and hopefully topped with a scoop of ice cream or paired with an ice cold glass of milk. This desire for a brownie hit me not once, but twice, a few weeks ago (it had been a loooooong week), and I went on a mad online search for a decent recipe for microwave brownies (because waiting for a batch to bake in the oven was so not happening). I found one on Food.com that looked pretty good—I know that a brownie made in a cup and thrown in the microwave can't possibly compare to a batch properly cooked in the oven, but it's really nice to have the option to make a quick brownie when you want one. This recipe results in a fluffy yet gooey brownie rather than a dense and chewy brownie or cake brownie, and it just makes a single serving. You can make it in a mug, but I made mine in a small, microwaveable mixing bowl. I added a few drops each of peppermint and spearmint extract to make a minty brownie and topped mine with mint chocolate chip ice cream, but I've just listed the main, plain recipe here.

When I said I wanted it NOW, I meant it. There was no time to take a proper picture. NO TIME!

Serves: 1
Prep. time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 1-1&1/2 minutes
Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
• 2 tbsp. water
• 1/4 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• 1 dash (approx. 1/8 to 1/4 tsp.) salt
• 4 tbsp. granulated sugar
• 2 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder (I just used Hershey's, but the better quality you use, the better the flavor)
• 4 tbsp. all-purpose flour

Directions

Melt the butter in a mug or small, deep bowl, in the microwave. Add the water and vanilla to the mug/bowl and whisk to blend. Add the sugar and salt and whisk to blend. Add the cocoa powder and flour and whisk to blend. The final mixture should be well blended, with no lumps (there may be some graininess because of the sugar). "Bake" in the microwave for 1-1&1/2 minutes, but no longer (too long and it'll get burnt and dried out; a minute and 15 seconds is just about right). The brownie should be soft and slightly gooey in the middle (unless you cooked it a bit longer); it will also be very hot, so be careful. Let it sit for a minute or two before eating. Best served with a scoop of ice cream, a dollop of whipped cream, or a glass of milk.

Simple and tasty—that about sums it up. It's not a dense brownie square like you'd get from a proper batch of oven-baked brownies, but it's chocolaty, gooey, ready in a minute, and you can eat it with a spoon, so it's pretty damn delicious nonetheless.

Recipe: Jalapeno, Bacon, and Chicken Pasta with a White Cheddar Sauce

Last week, I planned out my meals for the week, buying all of my groceries in one go at the beginning of the week and assigning different meals to each day. My plan got a little kink in it at the end of the week when I didn't end up making the jalapeno-and-cream cheese stuffed chicken I had planned on making and instead used the cream cheese in my lemon and raspberry cheesecake. I also had green onions stashed in the veggie drawer that I had bought for a tuna dish I thought I would be making but couldn't (due to the fact that my crappy local grocery store never has tuna; I grabbed the green onions before making my way to the fish counter and finding out they hadn't gotten any tuna in for the day). So, I had jalapenos and green onions to use, plus the cheddar cheese that was called for in the jalapeno-and-cream cheese chicken recipe, plus half of a red onion from another dish I made, plus some heavy cream. I went through my quite common "What can I make with this assortment of ingredients?" routine and settled on making a spicy, cheesy pasta dish with chicken and a little bacon, for good measure. The resulting meal was quite tasty—tender chicken and pasta tossed with crispy bacon, lightly cooked green onion and red onion, jalapenos (minus the seeds, to help cut back on the spiciness), and a light and creamy white cheddar sauce.

Serves: 4

Prep. time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 30 minutes

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

• 8 oz. rotini, or other small/short pasta
• 4 slices bacon
• 2 chicken breasts, cut into cubes and seasoned with salt and pepper
• 1/2 red onion, chopped
• 1 bunch green onions, chopped
• 2 jalapenos, seeds removed, finely chopped*
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2-1 cup heavy cream
• Approx. 4 oz. white cheddar cheese, shredded
• Butter, as needed
• Salt and pepper
• Cornstarch-and-water mixture, as needed

*When removing the seeds from the jalapenos, use gloves or whatever is available to cover your fingers so as to avoid getting the seeds and oil on your fingers. The oil in jalapenos is very spicy/hot and stays on your skin for quite some time, even with frequent hand-washing. I made the mistake of not using gloves and I could still feel and taste the jalapeno on my hands after two days. On a related note, if you want more spice in your dish, add in some of the seeds—they're where the real heat is. 

Directions

Heat water in a medium-sized pot over high heat. While waiting for the water to boil, heat a large pan over medium-high heat and add the bacon. Cook until crisp, but not overcooked, and remove to a paper towel-covered plate to drain. Leave the bacon grease in the pan and add the chicken, cooking until golden brown and cooked almost all the way through. When the water in the pot is boiling, add the pasta and cook according to package instructions (approx. 10-12 minutes). To the pan with the chicken, add the green onion, red onion, and jalapeno and cook over medium heat until they are tender. Add the garlic, salt, and pepper (and butter, if needed) and reduce the heat to low. Crumble the bacon and add the bits to the veggies and chicken. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, add the heavy cream and heat slowly over medium high heat. Once simmering, slowly whisk in the cheddar cheese and some salt and pepper. Allow the cheese to melt into the cream. Add some cornstarch-and-water mixture if the sauce seems too thin. Cheddar doesn't always melt very well, so the sauce may not be as smooth as you want, but once mixed with the other ingredients, this isn't noticeable. When the pasta is done, drain it and return it to the pot. Add the chicken and veggie mixture to the pasta and toss to combine. Pour the cheddar sauce over the pasta mixture and toss to combine. Add more salt and pepper, if desired. Serve topped with shredded cheddar cheese.

This dish is a perfect mix of spicy, salty, cheesy, and savory. The cheddar sauce pulls everything together and helps mellow and evenly distribute the heat from the jalapenos. Tender chicken and crispy bacon add a little dose of flavorful protein and the flavors of the green and red onions really kick the dish up a notch. 

Recipe: Lemon Cheesecake with a Raspberry Swirl

So, making a cheesecake was my way of dealing with the fact that I had a box of Girl Scout Trefoil cookies, which were pretty tasteless (at least in comparison to Walkers brand shortbread, which is far superior), that I refused to waste. The easiest way to use them, in my mind, was to make a crust with them, and I felt that cheesecake was the ideal filling for said crust (plus, I've never made cheesecake before, and I wanted to try something new). While out to dinner with a friend, I mentioned my plan for this cheesecake and we started brainstorming ideas for flavors for the dessert (because New York Style with gooey strawberry puree on top was not gonna cut it). We both mentioned lemon and raspberry in almost the same breath, and I was immediately hooked on the idea, so I found this great recipe from The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen to work off of. Even though Pennsylvania still can't seem to decide if it wants winter or spring (and thus, we go from 70 degrees one day to 40 degrees the next), I felt the flavors of lemon and raspberry were bright and perfect for this transitional stage between the end of winter and beginning of spring. Lemon and cream cheese, each with their own tangy flavor, go perfectly together, while sweetened raspberries add another dimension to the flavor and help sweeten the cheesecake. Aside from the exceptional flavor, this cheesecake is thick, creamy, and decadent—so rich that even I, champion of eating ALL the dessert, only cut myself the slimmest slice so as to avoid overdoing it.

Yields: About 16 servings (depending on how large your slices are)
Prep. time: 20-30 minutes
Cooking time: 10 min. for the crust, approx. 1-and-a-half hours for the cheesecake
Difficulty: Easy to moderate
Special equipment: Springform pan, food processor, stand mixer, strainer

Ingredients
For the crust

• 1&1/2 sleeves Girl Scout Trefoil cookies (or approx. 1 box of your favorite shortbread cookies/approx. 20 cookies)
• 2 tbsp. granulated white sugar
• 4 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted

For the raspberry puree swirl

• 10-12 oz. fresh or frozen raspberries
• 1/4 cup granulated white sugar
• 1/4 cup water

For the cheesecake filling

• 4, 8 oz. blocks/packages of cream cheese (I used Philadelphia 1/3 Less Fat), room temperature
• 1 cup granulated white sugar
• Zest of 3 lemons (approx. 2 tbsp.)
• 1 cup sour cream (I used a low fat style), room temperature
• 4 large eggs, room temperature (you can bring them up to room temperature faster by placing them, still in the shells, in a cup or bowl with warm-to-hot water)
• Juice of 3 lemons (approx. 1/2 cup)
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• Additional 1-2 tbsp. sugar (to help cut some of the acidity of the lemons)

Directions

For the crust

Preheat the oven to 350*F. In a food processor, pulse the cookies until they are broken down into a fine crumb, then add the sugar and melted butter and pulse to blend until the cookie mixture is wet and looks a bit like damp sand. Spray or butter your springform pan, then pour the cookie mixture into the pan and press evenly on the bottom and up onto the sides. Bake for 8-10 minutes, until the crust is golden brown. Set aside to cool.

For the raspberry puree swirl

Add the raspberries, sugar, and water to a small saucepan and heat over medium high heat for approx. 10 minutes, until the raspberries are completely broken down and the mixture is bubbling. Remove from heat and pour the mixture through a fine mesh strainer into a small bowl or measuring cup (the strainer removes all of the unwanted lumps and seeds and gives you a nice, clear puree). If the puree is a little watery, boil for about a minute to slightly thicken in. Set aside to cool (I placed mine in the fridge to cool faster).

For the cheesecake filling

Lower the temperature of the oven to 325*F. Wrap the bottom and outside sides of the springform pan in aluminum foil, so no water will leak inside while cooking (the cheesecake will be cooked in a water bath). In the bowl of your stand mixer, on medium speed, cream together the cream cheese, sugar, and lemon zest until the mixture is smooth and airy (approx. 3-5 minutes). Add the sour cream and mix it in, then add the eggs, one at a time, fully incorporating each one before adding the next. Add the lemon juice, salt, and extra sugar to the mixture and blend, scraping down the sides of the bowl, until the mixture is well mixed. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan with crust and smooth the top of the batter with a spatula so it is even and smooth. Carefully drizzle part of the raspberry puree in a large circle around the edge of the batter, then another slightly smaller circle in the middle, and a smaller circle inside of that (3-4 rings of raspberry puree should be fine; you should have puree leftover). Take a skewer, chopstick, or other long and thin kitchen utensil/tool and make a zigzag motion across the batter from top to bottom, then side to side, creating a swirl pattern. Place the springform pan in a larger pan (make sure it's not too tight of a fit). Boil a pot of water and pour the boiling water carefully into the larger pan (do not splash any water into or onto the cheesecake) so that the water comes up about halfway up the sides of the springform pan. Bake for about an hour and 30 minutes, until the cheesecake no longer jiggles much in the middle (a little jiggling is fine, as the cheesecake will continue to cook a little even after being removed from the oven, and it will firm up after removal from the oven). Remove the cheesecake and let it cool in the pan for at least 2 hours, then remove the pan (leaving the bottom) and allow the cheesecake to cool for at least 5-6 hours in the fridge. Save the remaining raspberry puree in an airtight container in the fridge.

Serve the cheesecake with an extra drizzle of raspberry puree, if desired, and if you're feeling a little adventurous (as I was), add a dollop of homemade whipped cream (1/2 cup heavy whipping cream, 2 tbsp, sugar, and 2 tbsp. of the raspberry puree whips up to create a lovely raspberry whipped cream). Keep the cheesecake and puree in the fridge to keep them fresh. 

The cheesecake, fresh out of the oven. My puree was a little thin, which caused it to pool a bit when I drizzled it on and swirled it, but I still think it looks pretty good!

This cheesecake is phenomenal, with flavors that are perfect for the spring and summer months. Bright, tangy lemon tempered by the sweetness of the raspberries and creaminess of the cheesecake batter itself makes for a delicious cheesecake. It's both light and incredibly rich, with a smooth, thick creaminess that's oh-so-decadent. I think other flavorings could easily be subbed in for the lemon and raspberry, so this is definitely a recipe you can play around with, but this raspberry and lemon combo is pretty hard to beat.

Recipe: Basil Lime Chicken with Coconut Lime Rice

So, I decided to do what I should be doing every week: plan out my meals for the whole week. I'm notorious for taking multiple grocery shopping trips per week to get things for recipes I pick at the last minute and don't have ingredients for. It's a waste of gas, money, and time, so I planned out this week (factoring in when I'd want to reheat leftovers instead of make something fresh, and when I might want a filling lunch instead of my usual light lunch). One of the things I decided to try this week was a variation on this basil lime chicken recipe—something bright, fresh, and light. I paired it with basmati rice lightly flavored with shredded coconut and lime zest and a sprinkling of fresh basil on top to make for an incredibly flavorful meal.

Serves: 4
Prep. time: 10 minutes, plus approx. 20-45 minutes for the chicken to marinate
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients
Chicken & Marinade

• 2 chicken breasts, thinly sliced into approx. 3x1 in. pieces
• Juice of 2 limes
• Zest of 1 lime
• 2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tsp. soy sauce
• 4 large basil leaves, chiffonade
• A big pinch of shredded, sweetened coconut
• Salt and pepper

Rice

• 1 cup basmati rice (I used Uncle Ben's, ready in about 15 minutes)
• 2-4 tbsp. shredded, sweetened coconut, chopped
• 1 tbsp. time zest
• 1 tbsp. lime juice
• 2 tsp. cumin
• 2 tsp. coriander

Directions

Combine all of the ingredients for the chicken and marinade in a bowl, cover, and set aside in the fridge to marinate for approx. 20-45 min. (not too long though, because the acidity in the lime juice can over-tenderize the chicken). 

Follow the package instructions for the basmati rice (the style I used required water, a little butter and salt, and rice and took approx. 15 min. total to cook). When the rice has about 10 minutes left to cook, heat a medium pan over medium high heat and pour the bowl of chicken and marinade into the pan. Cook, stirring occasionally to mix up the marinade sauce, until the chicken is tender and done. Reduce the heat to low. When the rice is done, fluff it and add the lime juice and zest, coconut, coriander, and cumin and gently toss to combine. 

Serve the chicken atop the rice and top with freshly cut basil.

This dish is absolutely perfect for a warm spring or summer day. Bright and tangy lime, fresh basil, and sweet coconut create the perfect flavor combination and the lime juice makes the chicken perfectly tender. Basmati rice is a great alternative to the usual plain white rice (I considered using jasmine rice, which would probably work just as well), and it easily takes in the flavor of the lime, cumin, and coriander. This dish is easy to make and absolutely delicious.

Recipe: Chicken, Asparagus, and Rice with a Buttery White Wine Sauce

So, as we sat down to dinner and each took our first bites of the meal, my dad said "Wow! I really like the look of this sauce, and it's really good too! How'd you make it?" Before I could even answer, my mom cut in and said "She pulled it out of her butt." That's her way of saying I came up with it on the spot (how appetizing, mom!). I do like to work off of recipes, just to get an idea of what to do, but I usually glance at the recipe print-out once or twice, then merrily carry on without it, adding things as I see fit until I'm happy with the results (and often ending up with something very different). That's just what I did tonight when making this sauce and, to be honest, I didn't actually write down the ingredients as I was making the sauce (I think I did a good job at guessing the amounts for this post though!). I also took a crap-ass picture right before digging in because I hadn't really thought this meal was going to be that exciting, so I hadn't bothered to bring my camera downstairs and I was too hungry/lazy to go get it before eating. So, considering I just "pulled this out of my butt," this sauce was lovely—light, bright, and buttery—and it was very easy to make.

Please excuse the poor quality iPhone picture. When I make this sauce again, I will be sure to replace this with a proper  photo.

Serves: 4
Prep. time: 10-15 minutes
Cooking time: 20-30 minutes
Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

• 1 cup white or brown rice 
• 2 chicken breasts, either flattened to 1/4-to-1/2 inch thickness or cut into short slices 
• 1 bunch asparagus, cleaned, with ends of stalks removed
• Olive oil
• Butter
• Salt and pepper

For the sauce

• 3 tbsp. butter
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 small white or yellow onion, quartered and cut into thin slices
• 3/4 cup white wine (cooking wine is fine)
• 3/4 cup chicken broth/stock (I recommend low sodium)
• 1 tsp. lemon juice
• 1-2 tbsp. sour cream
• 1 tbsp. dried parsley
• A pinch of dried sage
• A pinch of dried thyme
• A pinch of dried marjoram
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Water-and-cornstarch mixture to thicken, as needed

Directions

Preheat the oven to 450*F. Arrange the asparagus in a shallow baking dish, lightly coat with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and set aside. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and set aside. Cook rice according to package instructions (the brand I use requires water, butter, and salt and takes about 20 minutes to cook—the goal is to time it so that the rice finishes around the same time as everything else for the meal). While the rice is cooking, add a little butter and olive oil to a medium pan over medium high heat, then add the chicken. Cook until just cooked through and golden-brown on both sides. Remove from pan and place in a covered dish or place on a plate and cover tightly with foil to keep warm. Put the asparagus in the oven when the rice still has about 15 minutes to go and cook for the asparagus for 15 minutes, or until crisp-tender. While the rice and asparagus are cooking and the chicken is being kept warm, add 1 tbsp. butter to the pan used for the chicken, then add the onion and garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes over medium heat until fragrant and slightly soft. Add the white wine, chicken broth, and lemon juice and continue to cook for about a minute. Whisk in the sour cream, then add the remaining 2 tbsp. butter and add in the herbs and salt and pepper, whisking to blend. Let the sauce gently boil for a minute, adding a little cornstarch-and-water mixture if desired (this will help thicken the sauce slightly). Reduce to medium low heat. When the asparagus and rice are done, plate them alongside the chicken and top with the sauce. 

The sauce is what makes this dish—it's a little sweet and tangy from the wine, a little salty and creamy from the butter and sour cream, and gets a little flavor boost from the herbs and spices. It's easy to make—perfect for a weeknight meal—and it dresses up the simplest of meals. 

Recipe: Melted Ice Cream Cake (Funfetti Cake + Birthday Cake Ice Cream)

This whole thing started a few weeks ago the morning after a girls night with my best friend from home. We'd gotten Ben & Jerry's, eaten a few heaping spoonfuls, and the still mostly full pints were languishing in the freezer. I wasn't really too excited about having them stick around, but I certainly wasn't going to toss them, so I started thinking up ways to use them. "There's gotta be a way to use melted ice cream in some sort of baked good"—that was my first thought. And then "cake!" One of the pints was red velvet cake, so I got this grand plan to use red velvet cake mix with the red velvet ice cream and make super red velvety red velvet cake. I found this recipe from the blog Cookies & Cups to work off of (because I wasn't quite sure how to pull this off) and was all set to make it, but I ended up pushing it off while I spent a week in Memphis with my boyfriend. I told him about my plan and he suggested funfetti cake with birthday cake ice cream (because he loves cake-flavored frozen treats), so I promised to make him that instead of my red velvety red velvet and send it to him for Easter. The cake turned out pretty well—fairly moist, tender, and very very cake-flavored. It was actually quite sweet, but definitely tasty. In the future, I would plan to use a more subtle cake base (vanilla or chocolate) and try a fun flavor of ice cream (I'm dreaming of a strawberry-chocolate cake, mint-chocolate cake, or peanut-butter chocolate cake—yum!). This was pretty easy to make and pretty fun too. Since I'm mailing the cake, I decided to top it with a glaze rather than icing, since glazes hold up a little better. A generous spray of sprinkles completed the cake and made it perfectly fun and colorful for Easter.

Yields: 1-2 cakes, depending on what type of pan you use (I used two, 9 in. pans); approx. 12 servings (according to the cake mix package)
Prep. time: 5-10 minutes
Baking time: Varies (depending on the type of pan you use)
Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients
For the cake

• 1 box of cake mix (approx. 15-18 oz.)
• 1 pint (approx. 2 cups) of ice cream, melted (use this in place of the water and oil required for the boxed mix)
• 3 eggs
• Cooking spray to grease the pan

For the glaze

• 1/4 cup milk (2%)
• 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• Sprinkles (if desired)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350*F. Lightly grease the pan(s) you plan to use for the cake. In the bowl of a mixer, add the cake mix, melted ice cream (ice cream should not still be solid and/or frozen...it should be totally or mostly melted), and the eggs and beat on medium speed until well-blended. Do not add the oil or water required for the mix—the melted ice cream acts as a substitute for these. The mixture should look creamy, fairly thick, and smooth. Pour the batter into the prepared pan(s) and bake according to package instructions (different pans take different amounts of time). Be sure to check the cake a few minutes before it's done (my cakes were in 9 in. pans and were supposed to take at least 29 minutes to bake, but they ended up taking almost 7 minutes less than that). Let them cool in the pan for a few minutes, then finish cooling on racks. 

Heat a small pot over low heat. Add the milk, vanilla, and powdered sugar and whisk until well-blended and smooth. Cook until smooth and warm. Remove from heat and pour or drizzle over cake. If you want to add sprinkles, add them while the glaze is still wet. You can also use a prepared icing or make your own and use this in place of a glaze.

My boyfriend and his friends, having seen pictures, are calling this "metacake" and "cake-ception." Love it.

Melted ice cream cake is a fun twist on traditional cake and, because you're just using boxed cake mix, it's super easy to make. You can mix and match endless flavors to create exactly what you're craving. I highly recommend sticking with a basic cake (chocolate, yellow, white, or vanilla) and picking a fun ice cream flavor, thought this birthday cake ice cream-funfetti cake combo was definitely fun. 

Recipe: Mushroom-less Chicken Marsala

I had set out chicken to thaw in the fridge the night before last and had been eyeing the head of broccoli nestled in the veggie drawer—I was going to make something for dinner last night, I just didn't have a plan. Realizing I wouldn't be home from work until 6:00pm, I needed something quick, so it wasn't the best night to be experimenting with a new recipe. I asked my mother about maybe just having her make either her much-loved Chicken Kiev or her Mushroom-less Chicken Marsala, but she's been feeling a bit under the weather, so we picked the latter of the two dishes (because it's easier and faster) and came to a compromise: she would do as much prep. work as she felt she was able to do, and I would swoop in and take over after getting home from work. She managed to trim and flatten the chicken breasts, but the rest was up to me.

Now, this dish is one of my mom's classic dinner dishes—she's been making it for as long as I can remember and I was terrified of messing it up, because her version is just so good. Aside from letting the sauce reduce a bit too much and overloading a bit on the parsley (her recipe had the measurement for fresh parsley, while I was using dry parsley, and you need far less dry than you need fresh), the meal turned out well and I'm happy to share this variation on Chicken Marsala with you.

Serves: 4
Prep. time: 10-15 minutes
Cooking time: 10-15 minutes
Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

• 2 large chicken breasts (boneless, skinless), flattened to about approx. 1/4-to-1/2 inch thickness (pound them out between two pieces of plastic wrap using a meat mallet)
• 1 large egg, whisked together with 1-2 tbsp. water
• 1/2-to-1 cup panko coating/bread crumbs (use more, as needed)
• 1 head broccoli, trimmed and cut into florets
• Approx. 6-8 oz. egg noodles (we usually use large noodles)
• Salt and pepper
• Butter and olive oil

For the sauce

• 4 tbsp. (1/2 stick) salted butter
• 4 tsp. all-purpose flour
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup water
• 1/3 cup Marsala wine (we use cooking wine, but the real stuff has better flavor)
• 4 tsp. dry parsley (or 1/4 cup fresh)
• 1 tsp. chicken granules or bouillon (you just add it directly to the sauce—no water needed)
• (Salt and) pepper, to taste

Directions

Preheat the oven to 225*F. Spread the panko out on a plate or piece of wax paper and season lightly with salt and pepper. Dip each piece of chicken in the egg-and-water mixture (it's best if this is in a shallow bowl), thoroughly coating each piece, then dip each piece into the panko and coat thoroughly. Heat a little butter and olive oil in a medium pan over medium-high heat, then add the chicken. Cook evenly on both sides, letting each side crisp up and turn lightly golden brown. When they've just about cooked through, remove them from the pan, set them in an oven-safe dish and put them in the oven to keep warm. Bring a medium pot of water to a boil, then add your noodles and cook according to package instructions (about 7 minutes). After 4 minutes have passed cooking the noodles, add the broccoli to the pot with the noodles and cook until done (this will cook the broccoli gently, but don't add the broccoli too early, or it will get mushy). While the noodles and broccoli are cooking, add the butter for the sauce to the pan used to cook the chicken and heat over medium heat. Once it's melted, add the flour and whisk it in to blend it into the butter. Add the garlic, cook for about a minute, then add the water, Marsala wine, parsley (if using fresh, add it at the end—fresh herbs lose their flavor quickly when cooked), chicken granules/bouillon, and pepper (and salt, if needed) and stir or whisk to blend. Continue to stir and increase the heat until the sauce starts to boil and thicken (about 1 minute), then reduce the heat to low. When the noodles and broccoli are done, drain them and return them to the pot (add a little butter if desired to prevent the noodles from sticking). Pour the sauce into a gravy boat. Serve the chicken alongside the broccoli and noodle mixture and top with sauce.

This is the Chicken Marsala I grew up with—flavorful, simple, and mushroom-less. My mother has never liked mushrooms and, until recently, I didn't either, so it took me a long time to realize that my mother's recipe was a bit different than the usual. Despite it's differences, it's absolutely delicious. Marsala wine adds sweetness to the sauce, while the butter and chicken granules add saltiness. Garlic and parsley add a little pop of flavor, while the flour helps to thicken the sauce. We used to use regular bread crumbs on the chicken, but the panko just crisps up so much nicer and makes the chicken lighter. Tender egg noodles make a nice change from pasta and broccoli adds freshness to the dish. It's a twist on a classic, and it's absolutely delicious. 

Recipe: Red Velvet Brownies with Cream Cheese Icing Drizzle

I spent last week in Memphis with my boyfriend, making the most of his week-long spring break. We spent a few quiet days in Arkansas, at an old hunting lodge/clubhouse his family is a member of, and spent the rest of the week at his family home. I ate some great food (including a homemade beef and cheddar hot dog in a soft pretzel bun from Hog & Hominy, a burger at Huey's, and of course, cupcakes from Muddy's), met some of his law school friends, had some "arts and crafts" time (we painted pottery and made glass dishes--both were a lot of fun to work on!), and visited a few galleries and museums. As a thank you to him and his family for hosting me, I thought it would be nice to bake brownies and send them down their way. I found this recipe for red velvet brownies and knew I had to try it out—I don't generally play around with baking recipes because they are so precise and I find it hard to change and edit ingredients (it's so much easier to mess up in baking than it is in cooking), so I left it as is, but added a little drizzle of cream cheese icing to give them a little more flavor (makes 'em prettier too). The resulting brownies were perfectly chewy and dense with a light, flaky top, just like a brownies should be, and the drizzle of icing added a little tangy flavor and creaminess to them.

Yields: 1, 9x13 inch pan of brownies (approx. 20 brownie squares)
Prep. time: 10-15 minutes
Baking time: 35-40 minutes
Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

For the brownies

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1&1/2 cups brown sugar
• 1&1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 4 large eggs, room temperature
• 2 oz. red food coloring (if you don't have enough food coloring, add water to get the required measurement)
• 4 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• 2&1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 6 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder (I used Hershey's, because that's all I could find, but a better quality brand will yield better brownies)
• 1/2 tsp. salt
  

For the cream cheese icing drizzle

• 2 oz. cream cheese
• Approx. 1/2 cup powdered sugar (or more, as needed)
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp. milk

Directions

Preheat the over to 350*F. Spray a 9x13 inch clear, glass baking dish with cooking/baking spray. Using the paddle attachment in your mixer, beat together the butter and both sugars on medium speed until creamy, light, and fluffy (approx. 2-3 minutes). Add the eggs slowly, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Slowly add the food coloring and vanilla and blend on medium speed until the color is fully incorporated. In a medium bowl, add the flour, cocoa powder, and salt and whisk to mix. Slowly add this mixture to the mixing bowl on medium speed until it's fully incorporated—be careful not too over mix though.  The batter should be quite thick and all of the flour should be mixed in. Pour the batter into the greased baking dish and spread evenly in the dish. Bake for 35-40 minutes, until done (insert a toothpick in the center—if it comes out wet with batter, the brownies need more baking time, but if it comes out clean or a little crumby, the brownies are done). Brownies should be a little flaky on the outside, but slightly moist on the inside. Set aside to cool.

While the brownies are cooling, add the the ingredients for the cream cheese icing drizzle to a small bowl and whisk to blend (you can use the mixer, once clean, to make this go a little faster and to mix it better, but I was too lazy to clean the mixer and ended up whisking together the icing by hand). The finished icing should be thick, but still be able to be drizzled easily. Cut the brownies into squares and, using a spoon, drizzle the icing as neatly as possible over each square (I actually used a squeeze bottle to get more precise drizzles; you can use an icing/pastry bag with a round tip for neater results). Let the icing set (it will not get hard, but rather, it'll thicken and be a little sticky) for a few minutes.

Serve with a glass of cold milk or a mug of hot coffee, or whatever beverage you prefer. Perfect with a scoop of vanilla (or perhaps red velvet, for added red velvet-ness?) ice cream or with some fresh berries. Store brownies in an airtight container and avoid stacking them, if possible, because the cream cheese drizzle will get smeary and smudged.

These brownies are essentially your basic, everyday brownies, but the pop of red food coloring and the sweet and tangy cream cheese icing drizzle add a little pizzazz to them. Great for dessert, for a party, or an afternoon snack, these brownies are chocolaty, chewy, and absolutely delicious.

Recipe: Hot Sausage and Mushroom Bucatini with a Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

My mother was going to some dinner event with friends tonight and I was instructed to "make something your dad likes...you know, spicy, with mushrooms or peppers or whatever." I took this to heart and made just that: a dish with mushrooms and peppers that was spicy. My dad and I both love heartiness in pasta dishes and red sauces, and this dish offered both. Bucatini, a thick, spaghetti-like pasta noodle with a hole in the center (down its length), is a unique pasta—it's thick, with a bit of a bite or chew to it, and it always make me think that it's more "old school" Italian than some of the other, more common pasta shapes on today's grocery store shelves. My father tells me stories all the time about his Pap making heaping bowls of bucatini for the family and said tonight's dish brought him right back to those dinners. Using roasted red bell peppers as the base of the sauce added a depth of flavor and a little punch that you don't get in a plain tomato sauce and hot Italian sausage paired with meaty baby portobella mushrooms add a both meatiness and earthiness to the dish.

Serves: 4
Prep. time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Special equipment: Food processor or stick blender

Ingredients
For the sauce

• 1, 12 oz. jar roasted red bell peppers, drained
• 1/2 cup diced tomatoes
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1-2 tbsp. red wine (cooking wine is fine)
• 1/4 cup chicken stock
• Dash of crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste
• 1 tbsp. dried basil
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Garlic powder, to taste
• Cornstarch-and-water mixture, as needed (this can help thicken the sauce just a little bit)

For the rest of the dish

• 3 hot Italian sausage links (about 1/4 lb.), casings removed, pulled into small pieces
• Approx. 1 cup baby portobella mushrooms, cleaned (stems/stalks removed), sliced
• Approx. 10 fresh basil leaves (I ended up using one small packet of fresh basil from the grocery store), chiffonade cut (long, skinny strips)
• 1 tbsp. red wine
• Butter, as needed
• Olive oil, as needed
• 1 lb. (16. oz.) bucatini pasta (any other long noodle, like spaghetti or linguine, would work if you can't find bucatini)
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Garlic powder, to taste
• Italian cheese, as desired

Directions

Add the roasted red bell peppers and diced tomatoes to the food processor. Heat a little butter and olive oil in a large pan over medium high heat, then add the onion and cook until tender. Add the garlic and cook for less than a minute, then remove from heat and add the mixture to the food processor. Add the chicken stock, red wine, crushed red pepper flakes, dried basil, garlic powder, salt, and pepper to the mixture and blend until fairly smooth and well-blended. Set aside. 

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. 

In the same pan used for the onion and garlic, add a little butter and olive oil and heat over medium high heat. Add the sausage and cook until mostly cooked through, then add the mushrooms and a little more butter, reducing the heat to medium. As soon as you add the mushrooms, add the pasta to the pot of boiling water and cook until al dente (10-13 minutes). While the pasta and the mushroom and sausage mixture are each cooking, pour the red pepper sauce into a small saucepan and bring to a gentle boil. Add the cornstarch-and-water mixture if desired, let thicken a bit, and reduce the heat to medium. Let cook for about 5-10 minutes, then pour it into the mushroom and sausage mixture. Add salt, pepper, and garlic powder, as desired. 

When the pasta is done, drain it and return it to the pot, then stir the fresh basil into the sauce, mushroom, and sausage mixture and add the mixture to the pasta. Toss to coat. Serve topped with more fresh basil and Italian cheese, as desired. 

This dish is hearty, a little spicy, and absolutely delicious. The size and shape of pasta is incredibly important in Italian dishes and this dish screams for bucatini. This noodle's thickness is perfect with this relatively thin sauce, and it pairs well with the chunks of sausage and mushroom slices. Cooking the mushrooms in with the sausage allows them to soak up that oh-so-good sausage grease, giving them exceptional flavor. Using roasted red peppers for the base of the sauce makes for a nice change from a traditional tomato sauce—there is a mild spiciness and smokiness in the sauce that makes it ideal with the heat in the sausage. Overall, very very tasty and definitely fit the bill for a dinner that's "spicy, with peppers and mushrooms and stuff."

Recipe: Home-Style Meatloaf with Roasted Red Potatoes

Meatloaf seems to be one of those love/hate foods for most people: either it's something your mom or grandma made for you when you were a kid and it brings back fond memories of tater tots and macaroni art, or it was a dry, gray, tasteless loaf of awful that the lunch lady slapped onto your plate on "Meatloaf Mondays." It's not a food you'll see on most restaurant menus, likely being deemed too "humble" for out-for-dinner diners, and it's probably not even in your family's regular rotation of meals, but when it's actually prepared and cooked well, it's really quite tasty. The recipe I used for last night's dinner came from my On Cooking textbook from the intro. culinary arts classes I took in the fall of 2011. A bit of tomato juice keeps the meatloaf moist and a few splashes of soy sauce and Worcestershire sauce give it a little kick. Cooked in the oven for an hour, this meatloaf comes out perfectly tender, and the light brushing of ketchup over the top and sides give it great flavor without excess (one of the things I used to think of when I thought about meatloaf was the obs-and-gobs of ketchup that often get mixed in—so gross!). Roasted red potatoes are a little classier than creamy mashed potatoes, and pair perfectly with the flavorful meatloaf.

It's kind of hard to make meatloaf look attractive, but I swear it's delicious

Servings: 2, 9x5 loaves; Approx. 4 servings of potatoes
Prep. time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 1 hour
Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

• 1 large onion or 2-3 shallots, finely chopped
• 2-3 celery stalks, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 lb. ground beef (I usually go for 93% lean)
• 1 lb. ground meat of your choice (I used ground venison that my dad brought back from a hunting trip—very very tasty. Ground pork or ground veal would work too. Mixing meats means more flavor.)
• 3 oz. bread crumbs, fresh or dry
• 1/2 cup tomato juice (I blended up diced tomatoes because we didn't have juice on hand)
• 1 egg, beaten
• Approx. 2-3 tbsp. dried parsley
• 1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tbsp. soy sauce
• Approx. 10-12 red potatoes, washed and cut into halves or quarters
• Salt and pepper
• Olive oil
• Ketchup, as needed

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350*F. Heat a splash of olive oil and a pat of butter in a medium pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion/shallot, celery, and garlic and cook until tender (approx. 5 minutes). In a large bowl, add the two meats, bread crumbs, tomato juice, egg, parsley, Worcestershire sauce, and soy sauce and mix together until fairly evenly mixed. Add the celery, onion/shallot, and garlic to the meat mixture and mix together. Add salt and pepper, as desired (about 1 tsp. each, or more as needed), and mix. Divide the mixture up into two even batches and either form into loaves and place in ungreased loaf pans, or form into loaves and place in a large shallow pan (there needs to be a bit of an edge to it, because the loaves will release fat as they cook and that'll drip right off a flat cookie sheet). When forming the loaves, be sure not to pack them too tightly or too loosely, and make sure there are no cracks in the loaves (cracks will inevitably cause the loaves to fall apart while baking). Brush the tops (and sides, if you're baking in a large pan) of the loaves with ketchup. Place the potato pieces on a greased sheet of foil, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and toss to evenly coat (I added Penzey's Shallot Pepper to mine because I used shallots in the meatloaf—feel free to add some dried shallots or chives, or even a few slices of fresh onion or shallot to the potatoes to add flavor). Fold the foil over to create a sealed packet for the potatoes to cook in and place the packet in the oven. Place the meatloaf in the oven. Bake for approx. 1 hour, until the meatloaf has reached an internal temperature of 165*F and the potatoes are cooked through and tender. Remove them all from the oven and let everything rest for a few minutes. Slice the meatloaf and serve alongside potatoes and any desired condiments (my dad loves mustard with his meatloaf and I like to dip mine in just a little bit of ketchup).

This dish is an easy-to-make comfort meal that kids and adults alike will enjoy. The veggies and seasoning in the meatloaf give it great flavor, while the tomato juice and ketchup "glaze" help keep it moist (and colorful!—no yucky gray meatloaf here!). Tender red potatoes are the perfect accompaniment to the meatloaf and a big ol' glass of Coca-Cola probably wouldn't hurt the overall meal either. As for getting two loaves with this meal, just serve one for dinner later in the week or freeze it for a month or two and enjoy it later. 

Recipe: Balsamic-Red Wine Sirloin and Vegetables with Halved Fettuccine

Leftover sirloin steak, three bell pepper halves, an aging onion and tomato, and a handful of shiitake mushrooms meant dinner last night was going to be a "throw it in a pan and see what happens" affair. Slicing sirloin into thin pieces and searing it is a great way to cook it, and it's a great way to cook veggies as well. I didn't want stir fry again, so I opted for an Italian-style dish with the flavors of balsamic vinegar, red wine, Italian dressing base, and olive oil. Simple, flavorful, and colorful (and a great way to use up some leftover ingredients!), this dish is easy to make and a great way to get your vegetables and protein for the day.

Serves: 4
Prep. time: 15-20 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

Marinade

• 1 shallot, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced 
• Approx. 1-2 tsp. Italian dressing base (I used a loose form from Penzey's, but you can use the prepared packets)
• Approx. 1 tsp. Italian seasoning
• 2-3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
• 1 tbsp. red wine (cooking wine is fine)
• 1 tbsp. red wine vinegar
• 1/2 tsp. salt 
• 1/2 tsp. pepper

Meat and veggies

• Approx. 1/2-3/4 lb. sirloin steak, thinly sliced into 2-3 inch-long/1-2 inch-wide pieces (to be honest, I used half of a sirloin roast, but any steak appropriate for searing, like a strip steak, could work—I would use at least two steaks for four people, but you may want to do one steak per person if you want a lot of meat) 
• 1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
• 1 tbsp. red wine
• Approx. 1 cup chopped bell peppers (I used 1/2 orange, 1/2 yellow, and 1/2 green, but any combo will work)
• 1 large white or yellow onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup mushrooms, thinly sliced (I had shiitakes left over, but any small mushroom would work)
• 1-2 tomatoes, center removed (unless you like all the seeds and goo), chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 3-4 tbsp. fresh basil, chiffonade cut
• 16 oz. (1 box) fettuccini, broken in half (when the noodles are halved, it makes them easier to manage; you could also use penne or a similar shaped pasta in this dish)
• Salt and pepper
• Olive oil
• Butter

Directions

In a medium bowl, mix the ingredients for the marinade, add the slices of meat, and toss to coat. Set aside (if possible, let the meat marinate for an hour). 

Fill a medium to large pot with water and bring to a boil. Add the fettuccini and cook until done (approx. 12-14 minutes). 

While the pasta is cooking, heat a little olive oil and butter in a large pan over medium high heat. Add the onion and bell peppers, as well as the balsamic vinegar and red wine (a sprinkle of the Italian dressing base, along with salt and pepper, will add a little flavor). Cook until slightly tender, then push to the side of the pan and add the meat, laying the pieces out in an even layer. After a minute or two, turn each of the pieces of meat over and continue to cook. Reduce the heat to medium, add the mushrooms and tomato, and toss to mix the ingredients. Add the garlic and basil, toss to combine, and reduce the heat to low. 

When the pasta is done, drain it and return it to the pot. Add a drizzle of olive oil and a little butter, then add the meat and vegetable mixture to the pasta (I used a wok-like pan to cook my veggies and meat and it was easier to toss the pasta in with the veggies and meat rather than vice versa). Serve with Italian cheese, as desired.

This dish is simple, with clean flavors and a good mix of textures. You could sub in different vegetables if desired, but the bell peppers, mushrooms, tomato, and onion blend well in this dish. Adding steak to pasta is a little different and definitely a nice change from the usual chicken, meatballs, or sausage that are often included in pasta dishes. Sweet red wine and tangy balsamic vinegar are great flavors that balance each other out while adding a kick to the vegetables and the meat. 

Recipe: Oven Roasted Chicken with Garlic-Lemon Red Potatoes and Broccoli

Tonight, I wanted something pasta-free. *GASP* I know, I know: pasta is my thing. It's my favorite ingredient and a majority of my posts are recipes involving pasta. However, while I would happily eat pasta every night forever and ever, sometimes, it's good to switch things up. When I came across this recipe on Tastespotting today, I knew I had to recreate it. I only made some minor changes—I subbed in broccoli for the green beans (I've never been a fan of green beans; asparagus could work really well in this too); added a little butter to the lemon-olive oil mixture; and added thyme, onion, and fresh lemon peel to kick the dish up a notch. The result was a delicious, lemony dish perfect for any time of year that both looked pretty and cleaned up easily.

Serves: 4
Prep. time: 15-20 minutes
Cooking time: 40-50 minutes
Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

• Pam or other cooking spray
• 5 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 3 tbsp. white wine (cooking wine is fine)
• 1 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
• 3 large garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tbsp. dried thyme
• Salt and pepper
• 2 lemons, one thinly sliced and one zested and juiced
• 1 medium to large onion, thinly sliced (pull the slices apart into rings)
• 6-10 small to medium red potatoes, washed and cut into small pieces (approx. 4 pieces per small potato, 6 pieces per medium potato)
• 2 small heads broccoli, cut into florets (or 1 bunch asparagus, with stalks cut into 1-2 inch pieces)
• 2 chicken breasts

Directions

Preheat the oven to 450*F. Spray a large (9x13), semi-deep oven-safe pan or skillet (I used a big Corningware baking dish) with cooking spray or lightly coat with olive oil. In a medium bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, white wine, butter, garlic, and thyme. Whisk in salt and pepper (at least 1 tsp. each). In the pan, lay out the lemon slices along the bottom so that none are overlapping (if you don't have enough to coat the whole bottom, don't worry—just make sure you lay them out in rows and don't overlap). Evenly lay the onion slices/rings over the lemon slices. Toss the potato pieces in the lemon juice-and-oil mixture, remove with a slotted spoon, and evenly distribute them over the layer of onion and lemon slices. Toss the broccoli in the lemon juice-and-oil mixture, remove with slotted spoon, and evenly place the pieces in with the potatoes (on top, next to...just make sure they're mixed in with the potatoes). Put the chicken breasts in the lemon juice-and-oil mixture, toss to coat, let sit for a few minutes, then use tongs or slotted spoon to remove and place over top of the veggie layers in the pan. Pour the remaining lemon juice-and-oil mixture evenly over the chicken and veggies. Sprinkle the lemon zest evenly over the dish, place in the oven (on the middle rack), and cook for 40-50 minutes, until the chicken is tender and cooked through and the potatoes are tender. Serve, being sure to use a spoon to ladle out the cooked lemon juice-and-oil mixture and pour over each serving for extra flavor.

This dish is really easy to make and it cleans up so easily because you're just using a roasting pan, a small bowl, and a handful of kitchen tools—while the dish is in the oven, you can put away ingredients and wash the dishes, and the cleanup after eating will be that much easier. The flavor is bright, fresh, and simple and the dish is pretty healthy too. This dish is great for any night of the week, but because it looks so beautiful and colorful coming out of the oven (and because prep. and clean up are so easy) it would work well on an evening when you're expecting a few guests at dinner.

Recipe: Sautéed Chicken and Pasta with a Leek and Onion Cream Sauce

So, I picked up leeks a little while ago with plans to make my Fettuccine and Sweet Italian Sausage in a Parmesan-Leek Sauce. When I left the house this morning, I set chicken out to thaw, having completely forgotten about the leeks (which have been languishing in the veggie drawer for over a week now), and planned to just wing it for dinner tonight. When I got home in the evening and starting getting prepped to make dinner, I found the leeks in the fridge and decided to just do a different take on that sauce from the original recipe, and the result was delicious. Leeks, onion, and garlic all have strong flavors, but blended together with heavy cream, Parmesan cheese, butter, and seasoning, they mellow out, creating a light, creamy sauce that pairs perfectly with chicken (and could work with a lot of other white meats).

iPhone 5 photo...not too shabby (I was too hungry and lazy to run upstairs and grab my camera)

Serves: 4
Prep. time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 20-30 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Special equipment: Food processor

Ingredients

• 2 leeks, cleaned and cut in half (remove all of the green top part and the roots/bottom; soak in warm water for a few minutes to help remove any grit and grim)
• 1 medium white onion, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• Approx. 1/2 cup grated or shredded Parmesan cheese
• 2-4 tbsp. lemon juice
• 2-4 tbsp. white wine (cooking grade is fine)
• 2-4 tbsp. dried oregano
• 2-4 tbsp. lemon pepper (if you don't have this, just add some extra pepper and dry lemon peel, or skip it altogether) 
• Approx. 1/4 cup heavy cream (add more as needed)
• 2 chicken breasts, whole or cut into strips
• 1 package (approx. 16 oz.) spaghetti or linguine (you could also try a small pasta, like penne or rotini—they could work very well with the sauce)
• Olive oil
• Butter
• Salt and pepper

Directions

Bring a medium pot of water to a boil, then add the leeks and cook for 2-4 minutes, until tender. Drain the leeks and put them in the food processor. Heat a little butter and olive oil in a medium pan over medium-high heat and add the onion. Cook until tender, then put it in the food processor. Add garlic, Parmesan cheese, lemon juice, white wine, oregano, lemon pepper, salt, and pepper to the onion and leeks. Blend in the food processor until well-blended (the mixture likely won't be completely smooth, but this is fine—a little texture is good for this sauce). With the food processor running, slowly add the heavy cream. Sauce will be not too thin but not too thick. Pour it into a small pot and warm it over medium heat on the stove—add a little water or milk if you need to thin it out. In the same pan you used for the onion, add a little butter and olive oil, heat over medium-high heat, then add the chicken (season the chicken with salt, pepper, and lemon pepper). When partially cooked through, add the white wine (I just poured a splash in) and let it cook down. When the chicken is cooked through, it should be golden brown and no wine should be left in the pan. Reduce the heat when the chicken is cooked through to prevent overcooking. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, lightly salt it, then add the pasta and cook according to package instructions (about 5 minutes). Drain the pasta and return to the pot. Add the sauce (I reserved a few big spoonfuls to pour over the chicken) and stir/toss to coat. Serve the chicken atop the pasta and top with sauce, if desired. Serve with Parmesan cheese.

This dish is flavorful and creamy, but not overly rich. The strong flavors of the onion, leek, and garlic blend well together and the heavy cream and Parmesan cheese help even out the flavor. Cooking the chicken with butter and white wine helps brown it beautifully, while adding flavor and helping to keep it tender as it cooks. My parents only had one suggestions for this dish: add bacon. I agree—a little cooked, crumbled bacon sprinkled on the dish would heighten the saltiness and bring out the flavors in the sauce. But, even without that delicious pig meat, this dish is tasty.

Recipe: Pecan-Panko Chicken with Maple Mashed Potatoes and Maple Honey Mustard Sauce

Each time my parents head up to State College, they stop by Wegman's and come home with bags and bags of groceries, and one of those bags always has some interesting new fruit or veggie for me to cook with. They spent part of this past weekend up there and, as usual, brought me a unique food to try: name (pronounced "nah-may"), a root vegetable very much like a potato. I struggled to find any information about this tuber online, but eventually stumbled upon a recipe that involved baking and mashing it. I carefully followed the directions (400*F for 1 hour), but the result was a still-fairly-hard root that ended up getting popped in the microwave until it eventually softened up. I mashed it, I added the maple cream mixture, and we prepared ourselves for our first taste of this new-to-us tuber...and, it tasted a lot like a bland potato. So, for this recipe, I'm just going to substitute in potatoes for the name, because really, the name isn't worth it and making mashed potatoes is super easy.
This dish as a whole is absolutely delicious: nutty, crunchy pecan chicken pairs beautifully with the slight maple flavor in the buttery cream mixture that's blended into the potatoes and a sweet-and-savory maple honey mustard sauce pulls the whole dish together.

Serves: 4
Prep. time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 25-35 minutes
Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

For the chicken

• 2-4 chicken breasts, pounded out to 1/2 inch thickness 
• 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup pecans, finely chopped (a food processor is best for this)
• Salt and pepper
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/2 to 1 cup flour

For the potatoes

• 4-8 Idaho or russet potatoes, peeled and cut into similarly sized chunks (you can use red/new potatoes or Yukon gold if desired)
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 stick (4 tbsp.) unsalted butter
• 2 tbsp. pure/real maple syrup
• Salt and pepper

Sauce

• 2 tbsp. pure/real maple syrup
• 2 tbsp. honey
• 2 tbsp. Dijon mustard
• 2 tbsp. spicy brown mustard
• 2 tsp. soy sauce
• 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 2 tbsp. unsalted butter
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• Salt and pepper

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400*F. Place the potato chunks in a large pot and add just enough water to cover them, then set aside. Pour the panko and finely chopped pecans into a large bowl, season with salt and pepper, and set aside. Put the egg and flour into separate bowls. Dredge the chicken breasts in the flour, then the egg, and then the pecan-panko mixture—be sure to completely coat the chicken in each thing (there should be no raw chicken visible through the coating). Set the chicken breasts on a lightly greased baking sheet and bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes until cooked through, but tender. Once the chicken is in the oven, bring the pot of water and potatoes to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer, cover, and cook for 15-20 minutes, until cooked through and tender. While the chicken and potatoes are cooking, add all of the ingredients for the sauce, except the heavy cream, together in a small saucepan and bring briefly to a boil. Reduce the heat, gradually whisk in the heavy cream, and reduce the heat all the way to low. In a different sauce pan, melt the butter for the potatoes and set aside. When the potatoes are done, drain them in a colander, return them to the pot, and mash them. Add the melted butter, heavy cream, maple syrup, and salt and pepper (add more cream or butter, as needed—some people like really buttery potatoes, others like them less wet) and mash to combine the ingredients—don't over-mash them, because they will get gluey. When the chicken is done, plate each piece along side a big dollop of mashed potatoes and serve with the maple honey mustard sauce. For some added health, add roasted vegetables (I roasted broccoli with olive oil, salt, and pepper for 10 minutes in the oven, alongside the chicken).

This dish is the perfect meeting of savory and sweet. The pecans, heavy cream, and copious amounts of butter make this dish decadent and comforting all at once, while the flavors of the maple syrup and honey add sweetness to the dish. The sauce could easily work as a dip for chicken tenders, but for this dish, it's perfect as a sort of gravy for the potatoes and chicken breast.

Recipe: "Fried Rice" Quinoa

Once again, I had no recipe planned for dinner, so when I told my mother "Hey, I'll make dinner tonight if you'd like me to," I then immediately thought "Wait...why did I just say that? There's no chicken thawed out, we just had pasta (which is my go to ingredient), and I've got job applications to work on today....what the hell am I gonna make?" My mother offered to bring chicken up from our extra freezer (you know the one...it sits in your garage or basement, crammed with packs of chicken, some years-old bags of frozen veggies, and a box of Popsicles or ice cream sandwiches). I knew I didn't want pasta, I didn't want to bother with rice, and my initial plan to make polenta fell through because I barely had 1/4 cup left. I had three boxes of quinoa beckoning me to cook some, and a small collection of vegetables stashed in the bottom drawer of the fridge, alongside a forgotten chunk of fresh ginger, so I thought I'd go for an Asian-style quinoa. The idea of fried rice came to mind, so I decided to replace the rice with quinoa and use the chicken to make the dish more substantial and filling. This kind of dish is perfect, because you can use pretty much any vegetable you have on hand—I had snow peas, onions, and cauliflower—and you could use any meat (chicken is a staple in our house, but shrimp, steak, or scallops would work well). This dish pulled together easily and the sauce blended into the quinoa mixture popped with the flavors of garlic, fish sauce, soy, and mirin.

Sadly, my lovely, white plating plate was in the dishwasher during this shot

Serves: 4
Prep. time: 10-15 minutes
Cooking time: 20-30 minutes
Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients
For the chicken marinade

• 2 chicken breasts, cut into 1-2 inch cubes
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 2 tbsp. mirin (cooking sherry works as well)
• 1 tbsp. oyster sauce
• 1 tsp. fish sauce
• 1/2 tsp. sesame oil
• 1 tbsp. rice vinegar
• 1-2 tsp. freshly grated ginger (dry ginger works as well)
• 1 clove garlic, minced

For the sauce

• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup water
• 1-2 tbsp. mirin (cooking sherry works as well)
• 1 tbsp. oyster sauce
• 1-2 tsp. fish sauce
• 1 tsp. sesame oil
• 1 tsp. rice vinegar
• 1-2 tsp. freshly grated ginger (dry ginger works as well)
• 1 clove garlic, minced

For the remainder of the dish

• 1 cup dried quinoa (I use Ancient Harvest's Traditional Quinoa, which calls for 1 cup quinoa and 2 cups water; it cooks in 10-15 minutes)
• Peanut oil, enough to lightly coat the bottom of a large pan or wok
• Approx. half a head of cauliflower, cut into florets
• Approx. 6 oz. snow peas, cleaned
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 3-4 eggs, scrambled

Directions

Mix together the ingredients for the marinade in a medium bowl, add the chicken, stir to coat, and set aside in the fridge. Mix together the ingredients for the sauce in a small bowl, and set aside. Cook the quinoa according to package instructions. While it's cooking, steam the cauliflower until tender, yet crisp (you can also parboil it, then shock it with ice and water to stop the cooking; steam or parboil any hard vegetables you plan to use, like carrots or broccoli). Heat peanut oil in a large pan or wok over medium high heat. Add the chicken (do not pour in the marinade though) and cook until about half done, then add the onions. Add the cauliflower and snow peas (or whatever vegetables you've chosen) after the chicken has just about cooked through. In a small, nonstick pan, cook the eggs until you've got fluffy, scrambled eggs, then break them up and add them to the pan with the chicken and veggie mixture. Add the finished quinoa and toss to combine. Pour in most or all of the sauce and thoroughly mix it in. Serve with additional grated ginger on top, as desired.

Quinoa is a great alternative to rice, and it's incredibly healthy. Its fluffy texture and nutty taste work in just about any dish, and it absorbs the Asian flavors in the dish nicely. Crispy snow peas and cauliflower, paired with fluffy eggs, and softened onions add flavor and texture to the dish, and chicken helps turn this side dish into a real meal. 

Recipe: Penne with Roasted Asparagus, Bacon, and Shredded Gouda

I had asparagus still wrapped in its green plastic grocery bag sitting sadly on the top shelf in the fridge. In the cheese drawer, a package of bacon and a variety of cheeses intermingled, alongside a misplaced candy bar or two (my mother insists on stashing a few in the drawer—something about liking cold chocolate). As usual, I had no recipe planned out for dinner last night, but that asparagus was on its way out, so I decided to roast it and toss it with pasta, alongside crispy bacon and aged Gouda. The resulting dish was a little smoky, a little salty, and a little nutty—absolutely delicious, especially on a cool winter evening. Roasting the asparagus really brought out its flavor and helped crisp it up and it paired perfectly with the cheese and bacon.

Serves: 4
Prep. time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

• 1 bunch asparagus, washed, ends clipped; cut each of the stalks into 2 inch pieces (each stalk can be cut into approx. 4 pieces)
• 4-6 strips bacon; reserve 2 tbsp. bacon fat
• 8 oz. penne pasta, or other small pasta (rotini, ziti, etc.)
• Approx. 3/4 - 1 cup finely shredded Gouda (I used a hard, 5 year-aged Gouda from Whole Foods that was excellent)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1-2 tbsp. butter
• 1-3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil, plus some for roasting the asparagus
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

Preheat the oven to 450*F. Bring a medium-to-large pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta. While heating the water for the pasta, heat up a medium pan over medium high heat and add the bacon, cooking until crispy. Set the bacon strips aside on a paper towel-covered plate and save approx. 2 tbsp. of the bacon fat in a small bowl or cup. Evenly spread the asparagus pieces in a shallow, oven-safe dish and add a splash of extra virgin olive oil and some salt and pepper—toss to combine. Place the asparagus in the oven and roast for 10-15 minutes, or until cooked through but still crispy. While the asparagus is cooking, add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until done (about 12-14 minutes). Drain the pasta and return it to the pot, along with some or all of the reserved bacon fat (depends on how "bacon-y" you want it), butter, olive oil, and minced garlic, then toss to combine. Crumble the bacon strips and toss the pieces in with the pasta. When the asparagus is finished, remove it from the oven and toss it in with the pasta. Sprinkle the shredded Gouda into the pot and stir to combine—reserve some for the table so everyone eating can add more, if desired. Serve and enjoy.

This dish is packed with strong flavors that blend beautifully, creating an amazing aroma and delicious taste. The Gouda, especially if you get a good quality, aged cheese, is nutty, while the bacon is smoky, and both add salty flavor to the dish. Adding in fresh garlic gives it a pop of flavor and it smells wonderful. Adding butter, bacon fat, and olive oil creates a light, but flavorful sauce that easy coats the pasta and asparagus.