Holiday Brunch

I wanted to share with you what a special holiday brunch would look like coming out of my kitchen. I wanted to show you how I create my menu based on the likes/dislikes/dietary restrictions of my guests and what best showcases the flavor profiles I enjoy. Entertaining can be easy, fun, and when done right stress free. For me the key to success is planning, prepping, and organizing. I come up with my menu a week or two prior to the actual event. This gives me time research recipes and tweak recipes as needed. A lot of times I will simplify recipes so they don't have long list of ingredients, just what is absolutely necessary to make it tasty. I always try to stick with something either I have done before or that I know I can't mess up too bad. While it is nice to try recipes out on friends, I find that an actual event/party is not the time to do it, it will just cause you stress thinking about if it is going to come out or not. Not everything needs to be homemade, as much as I like to say I've made every single menu item from scratch, it is just not necessary or feasible most of the time. For this brunch, my one friend has a gluten intolerance and the other tends not to be an egg fan. I wanted to create options so that both had something to choose from.

I chose mini quiches with a hash brown crust and sweet potato sausage hash because they are gluten free and hearty. I opted for the Cinnamon French Toast Bake and Grapefuit Salad for my other friend who tends to enjoy the sweeter breakfast options. I offer one signature cocktail, the Rudolph Spritzers, and then coffee/tea. For dessert, I finished off with a fun make your own hot chocolate bar and my family recipe for magic cookie bars. I referred to my favorite recipe blogs, cookbooks, and of course Pinterest to organize my ideas. Check out my board here: Holiday Brunch Pinterest Board.

I set the table the day before, that way I wasn't scrambling to cook and set up while my guests were arriving. I kept it simple with disposable plates, napkins, and silverware. I don't have a dishwasher and I didn't want to be on clean up duty after brunch, I wanted to relax and enjoy my company. See stress free is possible!

I used some leftover raffia from wrapping presents to hold the silverware together and add a little extra flare. I kept the theme rustic with a pine wreath and pinecones elevated on a cake stand over  a green charger. Small trinkets of santa, deer, and christmas trees helped to keep the scene. I set up the drinks in the kitchen out of the way, yet still festive.













The food was laid out buffet style in the kitchen so everyone could pick and choose what they wanted. I used little homemade cards to label each dish. I'm not Picasso or anything but I'll admit I had fun doodling these.

Here are links to the recipes I didn't mess with too much:
Honey Banana with Grapefruit (I used fresh grapefruit instead of jarred)
Rudolph Spritzer's 
Cinnamon Baked French Toast (I used cinnamon bread, so I cut out the cinnamon in the topping, let it sit overnight, and baked for over an hour to get nice and crisp)
Mini Quiche (I cut this down and used a muffin tin lined with cupcake liners, I used half and half instead of sour cream, half the amount of goat cheese, half the bag of hash browns, 6 eggs for the filling and one egg for the crusts. Cook for 22 minutes or until firm to the touch or slightly golden brown on top)

People really do eat the food I post on here :)

Magic Cookie Bars
1 stick butter (1/2 cup) melted
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 cup sweetened coconut flakes
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2-3/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans or almonds

Melt butter in the microwave in a 9x13 pyrex baking dish. Spread it out evenly then sprinkle graham crackers in an even layer over the butter. Pour the sweetened condensed milk into an even layer on top of graham crackers, sprinkle with chocolate chips, coconut, and nuts. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes or until bubbly and slightly golden brown around the edges.




Cranberry Brie Bites 
2 packages pre-made phyllo cups (about 30)
8 oz. brie, cubed
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
2 Tbsp. real maple syrup

Place phyllo cups on a baking sheet. Place two small cubes of brie in each cup, adding a few dried cranberries and a few walnut pieces to each. Top with a sprinkle of brown sugar, and a drizzle of maple syrup. Bake at 350 for 10-15 minutes or until cheese is melted. This can also be made without the phyllo cups, using the entire wheel of brie and placing it in a small baking dish with sides and topping with the rest of the ingredients. This may take slightly longer to cook through 15-20 minutes and serve with apple wedges or crackers.

Everything came out with little to no stress and tasted like it had been made with love! Here is a pic of almost everything laid out on my plate. I had to snap this picture quick because the plate was clean in no time at all. And honestly after this point there was no picking up the camera just enjoying a relaxing Sunday morning with great friends. I hope some of these tips or recipes help you to create a stress free and rewarding brunch/event. Happy Hanukah, Merry Christmas, Feliz Navidad!

Pomegranate Glazed Squash topped with Crispy Kale

So I promised you all some holiday recipes and I always keep my promises. I've been busy as a bee holiday shopping, baking holiday treats, wrapping presents, and attending some very fun holiday parties (think ugly sweater party, cocktail party, holiday brunch, and so forth and so on). 'Tis the Season to eat, drink and be merry. And I sure am living that mantra to it's fullest this year. This was a quick late night dinner that I threw together after a 3 mile run on the treadmill. I wanted something clean, fresh, and healthy so I rummaged through my trusty Heidi Swanson cookbook. She is the clean eating, vegetarian guru that I may have mentioned once or twice before on this here blog. You can find the cookbook here: Super Natural Everyday. It is well worth it to add this lovely book to your cookbook repertoire, there are some gems in here and you will never feel guilty when cooking from it! This recipe is derived from an eggplant, squash, and tempeh recipe that Ms. Swanson shares in her book. I used what I had on hand and added some texture with the kale. This really is more like a side dish to be accompanied with a protein and a carbohydrate but you work with what you got. I just ate a double sized portion and was quite full afterwards.

Pomegranate Glazed Squash with Crispy Kale
1 acorn squash (sliced at the seams, then peeled, and cubed into 1/2 inch pieces)
2 medium cloves of garlic, smashed
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. pomegranate molasses
3 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
1 cup washed and trimmed kale
salt and pepper
zest of lemon

Smash garlic on a cutting board with edge of knife, add salt and begin rubbing with the knife to create a paste. In a small bowl, combine the garlic paste, red pepper flakes, and pomegranate molasses. Slowly whisk in 2 Tbsp. olive oil. Layer squash on a foil lined sheet pan (this will save you lots of time during clean up). Pour pomegranate glaze over squash, reserving about 1/2 Tbsp, and toss until squash is completely coated. Bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 40 minutes (turning the squash at about 30 minutes). While the squash is cooking, line a second baking sheet with kale (should be trimmed into bite sized pieces), drizzle with remaining tablespoon of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. When you give the squash a turn at the 30 minute mark, place the kale on the oven rack below the squash and cook for the remaining 10 minutes until the kale is dried out and crispy (may take less then 10 minutes so be sure to check). Serve the squash in a bowl, garnish with lemon zest, remaining glaze and top with crispy kale.

This has a nice smoky, slightly sweet and slightly spicy taste to it. The kale adds a nice texture contrast to the velvety squash which should be slightly caramelized on the outside. This would be a great new addition to any Christmas meal!

Mini Frittatas

So normally I go the sweet route for my Sunday morning breakfasts. Think french toast bites, chocolate chip pancakes, cinnamon pull apart bread, you get the idea. But today I wanted to use up what I had left in the fridge so savory was just going to have to do. In the fridge I had fully cooked turkey sausage, gruyere cheese, sliced roma tomatoes, chopped onion, left over tater tots (yes, I may have had these with my chicken burger last night creating childhood nostalgia), eggs, and pie crusts. I thought to myself I should just make a quiche it's super easy and I can basically do it with my eyes closed. But then trying to be a little better about my eating habits, since it is the holidays, I didn't want to have pie crust and tater tots combined, just too many carbs in one. So, I thought individual mini frittatas would be a nice breakfast and I could bring the extras to work for a quick and easy weekday breakfast. With these little guys you can literally use whatever you have hanging around the house. I've made broccoli and cheddar cheese before, or asparagus and swiss. Really use your imagination if you like bacon or pork sausage feel free to substitute, or if your vegetarian take out all the meat either way these will still be tasty. These are also great if you have a houseful of guests this holiday season and you weant something in the house that your guests can easily snack on or help themselves to.

Mini Frittatas (makes 12)
4 eggs
splash of half and half
splash of 1% or skim milk
1/3 cup shredded gruyere cheese, grated (a hard cheese similar to a swiss, can be found in the specialty cheese section)
1 Tbsp. flour
4 fully cooked turkey sausage links, sliced into small rounds
6 cooked/leftover tater tots, cut in half
1/2 small onion, chopped and lightly sauteed
Salt and Pepper

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, whisk eggs, half and half, and milk. Add cheese, flour, onions, salt and pepper then stir together. Using a cupcake tin, line tin with cupcake liners (you do not want the mess of cleaning cooked egg and cheese off a muffin tin, trust me). Using a tablespoon, spoon out 1 tablespoon of egg mixture into each liner. In each cup add two pieces of turkey sausage, two pieces of tater tots, top with one slice of roma tomato. Top each cup with another tablespoon of egg mixture to finish it off. Bake in the oven for 18-20 minutes or until firm to the touch. The frittatas may be golden brown, that is what you want! Serve with a slice of toast or fresh fruit for a complete and delicious morning starter.

This is my favorite time of year where delicious food revolves around every party and get together. Stay tuned for some more holiday recipes this season. Hope you all enjoy One Recipe At a Time. I love hearing your feedback, questions, and your stories of the recipes you've tried. Comment below to tell me your favorite One Recipe At a Time recipe! Happy Holidays to you all. I'm off for some shopping, wrapping, and decorating. A perfect Sunday started off with a perfect savory breakfast!

Poached Egg over Olive Toast

So it is Sunday afternoon at 5:30pm and I have yet to leave my apartment? You may ask, hermit much?? But not to worry there was plenty to keep me busy. It has literally been an entire month since I have been home for a weekend. What have I been doing? The question should really be what haven't I been doing? I have been blessed with so many fun fall weekends it's hard to remember all the details. The gist of it is there was a camping trip, bachelorette party (there may or may not have been some drag queens involved), a football homecoming weekend, and to round things off a hurricane laden wedding! Each weekend was a unique experience with amazing friends. I seriously couldn't ask for a better bunch of people to have in my life. Watching one of my oldest and dearest friends manage to throw together a beautiful and memorable wedding in a matter of three days was awesome. And being surrounded by all of her friends and family, it was such an honor to be able to celebrate with her. Hurricane Sandy had nothing on the Young/Dickerson wedding that was for sure.

So needless to say my apartment had lacked a certain cleanliness and my kitchen had not seen any real cooking in quite some time. To pass my time I prepared a delicious breakfast of a poached egg over buttered olive toast, made delicious Cinnamon Pull Apart bread (see recipe here: My Chocolate Therapy), cleaned the kitchen top to bottom, then dirtied it up again making potato leek soup, cleaned it again and then deep cleaned the rest of the apartment. Plus, I read an entire book! I was up early, what can I say I felt the need to be productive. So keeping up with my streak, I'm sharing my favorite go to fancy pants breakfast. That's right I said fancy pants, because that's was a poached egg is! It's delicious with a velvety smooth yolk and soft texture. Pair it with farmer's market fresh olive bread toasted and buttered and you're in savory breakfast heaven. And honestly it was so easy! There is nothing to be afraid of when poaching eggs. There are a lot of different methods out there but honestly the simpler the better. Keep it no fuss.

Poached Egg with Toast 
1 cage free organic large egg
1 tsp. white vinegar
3/4 cup water
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 thick slice of olive bread toasted and buttered

In a small saucepan, bring water to a simmer (not large bubbles, just enough so the water is moving). Add vinegar and stir. Crack egg directly into water (don't mess with it, just leave it!). After about a minute, using a spoon carefully splash some of the cooking water over the top of the yolk to help seal in the egg (this will cause the egg to begin whitening on the top if it hasn't already). Cook for another minute, longer if you like a harder yolk. Using a slotted spoon gently scoop the egg out of saucepan and dry on a piece of towel. Season with salt and pepper. Serve over buttered toast and dig in!

You can also served topped with hollandaise sauce (I use a semi-homemade packet version that tastes pretty good for on the fly). I couldn't resist sharing since I always seem to share my poached eggs pic on Instagram, I thought I would follow up with the actual recipe.  Let me know if you ever try out any of these recipes. Did they work for you?? Were they delicious? How were the directions? Let me know! If you like what you see feel free to share :)

Pumpkin Mousse Parfait

Hurricane Sandy made herself known here in Virginia. I have been sitting in my apartment for two and half days all bunkered down. I lost power for close to 24 hours and only ventured out once today after the worst was over for a much needed cup of joe. There was no stopping me from finding fresh, hot caffeine. I mean really a girl has to have some standards of living.  But on a more serious note, my thoughts are with all my friends and family up in New Jersey/Long Island.  I hope you all faired the best you could through the storm.


So now that the power is back on and I've had some time to whip something quick up, I am sharing with you my post Sandy celebratory dessert! That's right I had to use up what was in the fridge since the room temperature cream cheese was only going to last for so long. This literally took me a total of 5 minutes to put together so there is no excuses for not having a sweet treat.

Pumpkin Mousse Parfait (makes 4 parfaits)
1 8 oz. package 1/3 less fat cream cheese, room temperature
1 15 oz. can organic pumpkin puree
1/2 cup raw sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/8 tsp. all spice
1 sleeve triple ginger cookies, crushed/crumbled (I used Trader Joe's Brand)

In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese, pumpkin, sugar, vanilla, and spices. Using an electric mixer, mix on high for 2 minutes until completely combined and smooth. In a glass or small bowl, layer 1 Tbsp. crushed cookies, then 2 Tbsp. pumpkin mixture, repeat and garnish with a full cookie.

If you don't have triple ginger cookies you can substitute with granola, crushed vanilla wafers, or crushed graham crackers. Any of these would be a tasty mix up! This is a nice, light dessert to finish off any meal. It is best to make the filling first and refrigerate then assemble right before serving. Otherwise, the cookies will become soggy and lose texture. I may just pack some up for tomorrow mornings breakfast (1/2 cup filling topped with 1/4 cup granola, yum!).

Fried Green Tomato BLT's

Good morning friends! It is a beautiful Sunday morning and the air is crisp with fall. As I sit here on my couch with my feet over stretched on my new coffee table and a my newly installed wireless router being put to good use I feel like I'm finally making my little studio apartment a home. This will be my third year in this apartment and I think I'm finally settling in. I just resigned a 15 month lease, eeeck did that feel like commitment, and I'm starting to realize that it's the little touches that make a difference. Thanks to my parents and grand-parents for the early birthday gifts (table and router). I can always count on my family to know what I need.

I'm getting ready for a day up at the apple orchard picking apples with friends and exploring the pumpkin festival. Believe me this blog is going to blow up with everything apple. But I thought I'd share this great end of summer recipe that blew my socks off. It was one of those meals on the fly where nothing was planned but everything seemed to come together. I made this on a Thursday night when the last thing I wanted to do was cook something complicated. I looked at what I had....these gorgeous end of summer green tomatoes that I had purchased at the farmer's market the previous weekend that were just at the beautiful ripening point.  I had known I wanted to make fried green tomatoes with them but I knew that wasn't enough for an entire meal. I checked the fridge and I had some delicious looking turkey bacon and the light bulb went off. Turkey Bacon Fried Green Tomato BLT sandwich. Oh yea, this could be good. And so it began....


Turkey Bacon Fried Green Tomato BLT  (makes two sandwiches)
3-4 small ripened green tomatoes, sliced into 1/2 inch thick slices (they should still be slightly firm to the touch so they don't break down while frying)
1 egg
1 tbsp. water
1/4 cup flour
1 cup Panko Bread Crumbs
Salt and Pepper
1 tsp. Paprika
3-4 tbsp. olive oil for frying
4 slices turkey bacon, cooked until crisp
lettuce
garlic aioli for serving
4 slices whole wheat toast

Take three shallow bowls and line them up next to your fry pan. Heat olive oil in fry pan (you will need to do the tomatoes in batches so be sure to add a touch more oil each time). In first bowl, mix 1 egg and 1 tbsp. water whisk gently. In second bowl, mix flour with a pinch of salt and pepper. In third bowl, mix bread crumbs, paprika, and a pinch of salt and pepper. In assembly line fashion, dredge the slices of tomato in bowls one, two, and three placing into fry pan. The tomatoes should be fried for about 3-4 minutes each side or until the outer crust is golden brown and the inside is cooked through. Assemble the sandwiches so that you have aioli on each side of the toast, lettuce, bacon, and then green tomatoes (I used two but if you want a bigger sandwich go all out!). This will help bind the sandwich together to make it easier to eat.

Here is my classic garlic aioli that I use for everything! It can make the simplest meal feel gourmet.

Garlic Aioli
1/4 cup olive oil mayonnaise
2 tbsp. lemon juice
1/2 tbsp. lemon zest
2 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper
Whisk all ingredients in a small bowl and voila!


I talked about this recipe for literally a week after I made it. The sandwich definitely stuck out in my mind!
 If you have any great apple recipes feel free to help a sister out! I'm going to have a lot of apples and I'm not sure what to do with them. Post a comment here or if you follow me on facebook that works too! I'll be sure to highlight where the recipe came from in my next post. Love you to all! Now go outside and enjoy this weather :)

Grapefruit Margaritas....Grilled Honey Peaches with Mascarpone and Pistachios

Well I'm back at it after a wonderful, relaxing vacation. What a great way to cap off the summer. My friend, Jen, looked absolutely glowing on her wedding day. She literally exuded happiness. It was such an honor to be able to stand up for her. It was great to see all of my friends in one place celebrating friendship, family, and love. Scott and Jen congrats! I hope you're having a great time in Thailand :)

After the wedding festivities died down, I spent the large part of my vacation eating incredible food and drinking incredible wine at the local vineyards. I was only able to squeeze in one beach day, but it was a perfect day so it was worth it. I ate everything from real NY style pizza to lobster rolls to authentic greek fair to a delicious homemade feast made by the beautiful Doreen (aka the best Mom on the planet).  I made a small contribution to the feast so I thought I would share these winning recipes with you all. Many of you were there to taste the end product so feel free to leave a comment on what you thought of them! Follow these links for the original recipes: Grilled Peaches and Pink Grapefruit Margaritas

These cocktails, to me, were the perfect summer drink. Sweet and tart at the same time with a wonderfully vibrant color.

Grapefruit Margaritas (makes two large pitchers) 

4 cups Ruby Red Grapefruit Juice (100% juice)

1 1/2 cups Lime Juice (freshly squeezed)

1 cup Triple Sec (or orange liqueur of your choice)

2 cups Silver Tequila

Ice

Kosher Salt (garnish for glass)

1 lime, sliced (garnish for glass) 

Fill two 2-quart pitchers with ice. Combine grapefruit juice, lime juice, triple sec, and tequila. Stir until completely mixed. Rim each glass with kosher salt and garnish with a lime. Enjoy your margarita on the rocks!

This next recipe was quite the find. It's the perfect summer dessert, not too heavy and not too sweet. Use farm stand fresh peaches for the best results. The best ingredients make the best dishes. You can find mascarpone cheese in the specialty cheese section of the grocery store. It is cross between a cream cheese and creme fraiche (either of these would work as well if you can't find mascarpone). 

Grilled Honey Peaches with Mascarpone and Pistachios (Makes 12 single servings) 

6 large ripe but slightly firm Peaches, pitted and halved

4 Tbsp. Honey, divided

1/2 cup toasted Pistachios, chopped

2- 8oz. containers of Mascarpone Cheese 

Place halved peaches on a large baking sheet. Using a pastry brush (silicone works best) brush the cut side of the peaches with honey (1 Tbsp.). Grill peaches cut side down on a grill or grill pan for about 5 minutes or until the peaches are heated through and there are nice grill marks present. In a bowl combine mascarpone cheese (at room temperature) and 2 Tbsp. of honey. Remove the peaches from the grill and place back on the baking sheet. Top each peach with about 2 Tbsp. cheese/honey mixture, sprinkle with pistachios, using remaining honey drizzle over top. Serve warm. 

Eggplant, Mushrooms, Cherry Tomato Sautee with Israeli Couscous

I'm averaging one blog post a month...man am I a bad blogger or what?! Well at least I saved up all my writing juices for this next recipe. It's a doozy! I thought up this recipe as I was groovin' to some summer jams for a road trip play list I was putting together. I'm prepping for my journey up north this coming Wednesday. One of my dearest friends from high school is drinking the kool aid and getting hitched! I'm so psyched for all the festivities and to be a part of her big day. Congrats Jen and Scott!! Then to top it all off I'm spending a week at home lounging at the beach, going on the boat, and hitting up all the North Fork vineyards have to offer. I CANNOT WAIT!! So I thought I would leave you with this scrumptiously fresh recipe that will definitely be seen in my kitchen again. If you're lucky I may even blog from the beach with a seafood recipe. We'll just see how ambitious I am :) I couldn't think of a good name, so the ingredients will just have to speak for themselves!

Eggplant, Mushrooms, Cherry Tomato Sautee with
 Israeli Couscous, Pine Nuts, and Goat Cheese 
1 small eggplant, cubed
1 small red onion, sliced
3/4 cup white mushrooms, sliced
1 cup cherry tomatos, halved
3 cloves garlic, minced
2-3 Tbsp. olive oil
3 Tbsp. pine nuts, toasted*
1 oz. goat cheese, crumbled
2 tbsp. basil, chopped
1 cup Israeli couscous (prepared using directions on the box)
Salt and Pepper to taste

*To toast pine nuts, add nuts to a dry saute pan over medium high heat. Toast for 3-4 minutes or until golden brown. Be sure to stir to avoid burning.

In a large saute pan, heat 2 Tbsp. olive oil over medium high heat. Add red onions cooking for 2-3 minutes, season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Add eggplant and mushrooms cooking for an additional 5 minutes (they should be nice and caramelized with a beautiful golden brown crust). Add cherry tomatoes and garlic, cooking until tomatoes are heated through. Serve vegetables over couscous garnished with a sprinkle of goat cheese, a sprinkle of pine nuts, and basil.

This has the perfect combination of textures, smooth and velvety from the couscous and cheese, crunch from the pine nuts and the fresh hit you get from the basil tops it all off. If you don't have israeli couscous on hand orzo, acini di pepe, or any small pasta would work great. I usually can find israeli (aka pearl) couscous in the international foods section at my grocery store. I had this as my main entree but it would go great as a side dish to steak or a nice meaty fish. I think the key to this dish is the fresh ingredients from the farmer's market. You can't beat the produce mid summer at your local market. This summer is shaping up to be the best yet. Let's enjoy it while it lasts...fall will be here before we know it!

Peach and Ginger Hand Pies

Summer is flying by...I feel like I blinked once and already we are half way through the dog days of summer. I have been enjoying almost every minute of the deliciously long days. I could go without the 106 degree plus humidity days, but for those special 80 degree sunny, breezy days I wouldn't miss it for the world. I have been indulging in my local farmer's market and basking in the loot I bring home each weekend. This week I had some prized peaches, golden cherry tomatoes, large red heirloom tomatoes, the freshest mozzarella balls you've ever seen and yummilicious green beans. So, I had to make some pretty special recipes to highlight these pretty special ingredients. And I must admit I don't think I disappointed, although I am the only judge so take it with a grain of salt (no pun intended).

I started the week off right, with this open faced caprese sandwich. Fork and knife definitely required before diving in. 

Next up, with my peaches being at their peak ripeness I decided to make some little hand pies. Of course, I had way more filling then I needed so I accompanied them with a mid-sized rustic galette. I used my ever handy Mark Bittman, "How To Cook Everything", as a guide but didn't follow the recipe exactly. And no I didn't make the crust from scratch. Sometimes, you just have to use pre-made. I didn't have any biscuit cutters on hand, which would have been ideal for cutting the dough, so instead I used the top of a clean, empty 15 oz. can. It worked perfect, proving you don't always need the fancy tools to get the job done right. 

Peach and Ginger Hand Pies/Galette

4 ripe medium peaches, peeled and sliced

1 Tbsp. grated fresh ginger

1/3 cup sugar (more if peaches aren't sweet)

1 Tbsp. cornstarch

1/4 tsp. cinnamon

1/8 tsp. nutmeg

1 Tbsp. butter, cut into small cubes and divided

1 egg whisked, for egg wash

2 pre-made pie crusts (I used Pillsbury)

For Hand Pies-- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. In a large bowl, combine peaches, ginger, sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Roll out one pie crust until thin, using can to make small circles. Place small circles on lined baking sheet, put a small amount of peaches in the middle so there is still room around the edges. Place one small cube of butter with the peach mixture, top with a second circle, sealing off the edges by pinching together. Create two small lines as vents, then brush with egg wash. Continue until you have made six small pies. Bake at 350 for 18-20 minutes or until crust is just turning golden brown. 

For Galette-- Roll out second pie crust, and place remainder of filling and dot with the rest of the butter. Use egg wash to brush the sides of the crust. Bake at 350 for 20-22 minutes or until crust is golden brown and filling is slightly bubbling. 

These pies came out delectable and they are the perfect individual portion size. Just enough to satisfy that ever present sweet tooth. The ginger adds for a nice depth of flavor that is enhanced by the cinnamon and nutmeg. These definitely aren't your average peach pies. I hope you give them a try, because I don't think you'll want to miss out on this. I hope you all are having as great as summer as I am. Keep cool, until next time ;)

Turkey Burgers with Maple Mustard Dressing on Ciabatta Rolls

So my friends...I have decided to come out of my weeks and weeks of hiding to share a delicious Turkey Burger recipe. I have been traveling out of town literally every weekend for the last month for some wonderful events. I was able to see my beautiful cousin graduate from college along the Hudson river, celebrate one of my closest friends bridal showers at a waterside restaurant, run a meaningful and emotional 5k in honor of my little cousin, and celebrate the marriage of my wonderful cousin in Newport, RI. And on top of that my new job has proven to take every last bit of energy I have left during the week. So to say the least, I have not been cooking up the most creative or elaborate meals these past few weeks. But I did throw together this keeper last week and thought it was the perfect summer meal to share. 

So for everyone out there that is lucky enough to be blessed with an outdoor space that includes a real grill, this is an ideal grilling recipe (just make sure to spray the grill with cooking spray as the turkey patties come out sticky to start). But for the others, that share in my tiny studio small stove I really want a big kitchen lifestyle, a grill pan works just fine. This recipes serves up 5 small turkey burgers or 3 larger ones. If you want to use the full pound of turkey, still only use one egg, just increase the amount of spices and ketchup/mustard. 

Turkey Burgers with Maple Mustard Dressing on Ciabatta

1/2 lb. Ground Turkey (93% lean) 

1 egg

1 Tbsp. Ketchup

1 Tbsp. Dijon Mustard

1/2 cup Panko Bread Crumbs

1 tsp. italian seasoning

1/2 tsp. paprika 

Dash of Salt and Pepper

Drizzle of olive oil

Ciabatta rolls for serving 

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl. Form into 5 smaller patties. Pre-heat grill pan over medium high heat. Drizzle olive oil over each patty. Place the patties olive oil side down on the pan, cooking for about 5 minutes, drizzle olive oil over each patty again, flip and cook for additional 5 minutes or until the center is no longer pink and burger is still tender. Do not overcook, it will dry out the burger!  

Maple Mustard Dressing (adapted from a recipe from Sandra Lee)

1/4 cup light mayo

3 Tbsp. dijon mustard

2 Tbsp. real maple syrup

Salt and Pepper

Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl. Spread onto ciabatta buns before serving! 

Add ons to top things off:

1 slice muenster cheese

1 thick slice of tomato

handful of spinach leaves

Quick tip: Cut the buns in half, brush with olive oil and grill on pan prior to cooking turkey burgers for a nice toasty bun! Serve with corn on the cob, and some veggies for a complete delicious meal. 

And don't forget the summery wheat beer, too! This is a new favorite of mine. Even the label reminds me of summer! 

Blackened Chicken with Quinoa Salad

So, I know four posts isn't a new recipe everyday of the week and that was the challenge that I put upon myself. But I think five new recipes in one week might be an all time high for me. And the fact that each recipe was yummy and one that I would try again sounds like success to me. I hope you enjoyed the challenge and may even challenge yourself to try some Pinterest recipes. The last two recipes are combined into one meal since they compliment one another so well. 

This was a great weeknight meal that did not take much to put together. It was full of flavor and texture and all around goodness. The original pins came be found here:  Pin #1 and Pin #2. The original recipe for the chicken can be found here. 

Blackened Chicken

2 chicken breasts, cut lengthwise into 4 thinner pieces

1/2 tsp. Paprika

1/4 tsp. kosher salt

1/4 tsp. black pepper

1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

1/4 tsp. onion powder

1/4 tsp. cumin

1 tbsp. olive oil.

In a small bowl combine the spices. Rub spices over each side of the chicken breasts. In a medium saute pan heat olive oil and cook the chicken for about 5-6 minutes on each side or until chicken is no longer pink in the center. 

The chicken has a delicious spicy, crunchy coating that works really well with a cooling avocado garnish. For the avocado garnish, simply combine the flesh of one avocado, 3 tbsp. plain fat free greek yogurt, 1 tbsp. lemon juice, 1 tbsp. chopped cilantro, salt and pepper in a food processor and process until smooth. 

Quinoa Salad

1/2 large white onion, chopped

1 large clove of garlic, minced

1 Tbsp. olive oil

3/4 cup uncooked quinoa

1 3/4 cup low sodium chicken broth 

1 tsp. cumin

1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

1 (15 oz.) can of low sodium black beans, drained and rinsed

1 cup frozen corn 

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

In a medium saucepan, heat olive oil and add onion and garlic. Cook for about 3-4 minutes or until onions are slightly translucent. Add quinoa, broth, cumin, and cayenne pepper brining to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for another 18 minutes or until the broth is absorbed and quinoa fully cooked (careful not to overcook because the quinoa will burn at the bottom). Remove from heat and add black beans and corn. I served at room temperature but this would be good hot or cold too. Checkout the original recipe here.

Give it a try, you know you want to ;) 

Strawberry Nutella Trifle

Loving my Anthropologie
Berry Dish (you can find it here) 

Where to even begin with this post...Saturday I went to my farmer's market (a favorite weekend errand of mine) and I saw the first strawberries of the season. My heart literally did a little leap as I passed by the beautiful plump red berries. It immediately brought me back to my childhood days of picking strawberries on my Great-Grandpa's farm and selling them roadside to the beach tourists or happy locals. Summer on Long Island, ahh those were the days. It brought back memories of my sister and I doing cart wheels to try and entice the passerby's to purchase our little pints of strawberries. It made me think of my cousins that came down every June when the mimosa trees were in full bloom for a visit and how excited we would get to see them. That being said I wanted to do something extra special with these berries. I had found this Pin, which had brought me to memories of eating Nutella crepes along the streets in Paris when I was just 15. With all of these memories floating about I'm not sure how I even came up with this, but I did and I think you'll thank me. I decided upon a Strawberry Nutella Trifle with layers of Oreo cookies, fresh market strawberries, Nutella cheesecake filling, and light whipped topping. I mean come on, if that doesn't sell it I'm not sure what will. But back to the strawberries, you know that you have good quality, fresh and in season berries, when they are small, in a variety of shapes, and deep red in color. I couldn't pass up the opportunity to make something fabulous with these little guys.

Strawberry Nutella Trifle
1 pint fresh strawberries, sliced
2/3 cups Nutella
1 (8oz.) bar of 1/3 less fat cream cheese
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tub fat free whipped topping
14 Oreo cookies, crushed
2 Tbsp. butter, melted

In a large plastic zip bag crush the Oreos. Divide the Oreo crumbs into two. In a small bowl, combine half of the Oreo crumbs and melted butter. Using either a large trifle dish or two smaller ones, press mixture in the bottom to form crust. In a medium bowl, using an electric mixture mix the Nutella and cream cheese. Using a spatula, fold in half the tub of whipped topping and vanilla into the Nutella mixture. Layer the Nutella mixture on top of the Oreo crumbs, then make a single layer of sliced strawberries, top with a portion of the whipped topping, then end with the cookies crumbs. Repeat until you have reached the top of the dish or you run out of ingredients :) I ended with the strawberries on top with a dollop of whipped topping and crumbs for garnish. Allow to chill for 2 hours before serving for the filling to set.

I do hope you try this decadent and simple dessert. It is a no frills recipe with all the frills when served. This could easily be done as a quick impromptu dessert or part of a fancy well planned dinner party. I apologize for all of the photos I couldn't help myself...It was that good ;) I may or may not have dipped a few extra berries in the left over filling to then dip in the leftover crumbs. Which could be actually quite delicious for an even easier deconstructed version of this recipe.

Homemade Cheese Crackers

Here is the second recipe of my self inflicted Pinterest challenge. I have never made my own crackers from scratch, so I thought why the heck not. Think of these as grown up Cheez-Its. There is a nice little kick from the crushed red pepper, and the cheddar cheese in nothing short of delicious. These would be great to serve during cocktail hour at a dinner party or for a wine and cheese night. They are easy to put together but make sure not to over pulse them in the processor or add too much milk or they will become tough (I myself added a smidgen too much of milk). The original recipe can be found here Melt-in -your-mouth (the blogger has great pictures and directions so please take a look as I followed the recipe verbatim). I simply halved the recipe not being exactly sure how they would come out.

Processing 

Homemade Cheddar Cheese Crackers

3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

2 Tbsp. unsalted butter

1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp. all purpose flour

1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 Tbsp. milk (no more, it will work I promise you just be patient) 

Coming Together

In a food processor, combine cheese, butter, flour, red pepper, and salt. Pulse about 5-6 times then add milk and pulse until it comes into a ball. On a floured surface, roll out the dough and cut into small crackers. Using round end of a skewer dot each cracker (this will help prevent them from puffing up too much). Bake at 350 for about 12 minutes or until the crackers are just beginning to brown along the edges. 

Fresh out of the oven

They were quite yummy and I look forward to having them as a nice little snack at lunch. 

Packed up

Spring Onion and Asparagus Risotto

Sunday night dinner sets the tone for the week. I wanted to start this week off with a bang so I chose this Pin to get started. The original recipe was from Bon Apetit, which can be found here: Risotto Alla Primavera. I wanted to use the fresh produce from the farmer's market that I had picked up on Saturday, so I adjusted to what I had on hand. I also halved the recipe since I am cooking for just one :) Risotto is a great weekend meal, it takes time, attention and patience. I thoroughly enjoy the process of risotto and I'm excited for this new spin on it.

Spring Onion & Asparagus Risotto
1 Tbsp. olive oil
10 small apring onions, white parts only sliced
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 cup arborio rice
1/4-1/3 cup white wine (I used Pinot Grigio)
3 1/2 cups low sodium chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
1 cup trimmed asparagus
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1/4 cup grated fresh parmesan-reggiano
Salt and pepper to taste

In a medium sauce pan, warm chicken broth and keep over a low flame. In a large pan heat, 1 tbsp. olive oil and place onions and garlic. Cook until onions become translucent. Add risotto and allow the risotto to toast about 1 minute. Stir in the wine and allow liquid to evaporate. Add broth in about two ladlefuls at a time, allow liquid to evaporate. Repeat 3 more times (approximately 9-10 minutes over medium heat). Add the asparagus and two more ladlefuls of broth, again allowing broth to soak into the rice. Add two last ladlefuls of broth and allow to evaporate. Once the rice is done it should be creamy with a slight bite to it. Remove from heat and add butter and cheese, stir. Serve piping hot! I garnished with the green portion of the spring onion thinly sliced and extra cheese.

The risotto itself is creamy and scrumptious. The spring onion adds a subtle freshness and the asparagus keeps a slight crunch for a great texture combination with the risotto. As I sit here enjoying my meal, drinking a glass of pinot, and writing this post I hope that the recipes I share find their way to your table. This is a classic dinner and would be a lovely surprise for those special people in your life. For now I will enjoy my meal and prep for what looks to be a great week!

One week One Recipe a Day

I cannot believe it has been almost a month since I have hunkered down to write a blog post! But this is going to be a good week full of fun posts. I am going on a week long Pinterest recipe journey. Each night I am going to try a different Pinterest recipe that I have pinned on my board, If I were a foodie. Take a look and let me know if you have any requests because I obviously loved them all that's why I pinned them. Of the 78 pins, I have tried 19, not bad if I say so myself. Go me for being a proactive pinner. Here's hoping I find a few keepers. For now here is a snapshot from the Falls Church Farmer's Market this morning. 

Zucchini Fritters with Tomato Chutney

I have been blessed with many visitors this past week due to the early blooms of the Cherry Blossoms. My grandparents rolled through town on their way back north from Florida this past Tuesday. We spent a wonderful afternoon strolling through the blossoms and taking in the authentic DC restaurant scene at Old Ebbitt's Grill downtown. My Nana had never seen the blossoms in full bloom and we couldn't have picked a more perfect day to take in the sites. We were all surprised by how white the actual blossoms were at full peak. 

Nana and Pa Haman

The weather was absolutely amazing and put me into the an early spring mood! Bring on the warmer weather. Next into town, were my fabulous parents who came in for a long weekend. I was crossing my fingers for the weather to hold out but mother nature did not want to cooperate. So pulling on our rain coats and popping out the umbrellas we ventured out in the misty rain for a much different scene at the blossoms. 

Mom and Dad

Well, apparently the color comes towards the end of the peak because they had a richer pink color that day. So while we did have to put up with a little bad weather we were rewarded with a unique experience that included gorgeous color. And since the parents were in town I was treated to a stock piled fridge! Thanks Mom and Dad :) 

So what was a girl to do with all this fresh produce and warm weather on her mind but put together a delicious spring supper. I used this recipe, Zucchini Fritters, as a starting point and used what I had on hand. The original recipe uses stewed grape tomatoes but I wanted to use up a can of diced tomatoes I had, plus speed up the cooking time because yes I was hungry! 

Zucchini Fritters

2 smaller zucchinis, rinsed and grated

4 scallions, finely chopped (reserve 1 Tbsp. for garnish)

1 egg

Zest of 1 lemon

Scant 1/4 cup finely grated parmesan

1/4 cup ricotta cheese

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

Salt and Pepper to taste

Olive oil for frying

In a large bowl, combine grated zucchini, scallions, egg, zest of lemon, parmesan, and ricotta until incorporated then fold in flour, season with salt and pepper. Heat oil in large frying pan. Create small fritters with about 1/4 cup of mixture and flatten before placing in hot oil. Cook fritters for about 5 minutes each side on medium high heat (olive oil will begin to smoke if over high heat so be sure to reduce the heat). Remove from pan and cool on paper towel lined plate. Serve with tomato chutney(recipe below). 

Tomato Chutney

1- 15 oz. can no salt added diced tomatoes

1 Tbsp. sugar

1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar

1 tsp. italian seasoning

Salt and pepper

Combine all ingredients in a medium sauce pan over medium heat. Cook until tomatoes begin to reduce and thicken about 6-7 minutes. 

The fitters came out crisp on the outside with pillowy insides. The tomato chutney added a nice sweet and sour finish. The lemon zest and scallions are a must to add a brightness and fresh pop of flavor. This would be a wonderful starter to a more substantial meal or used as a main dish with a side salad for lunch. 

I am so thankful to have a family that is willing to travel hours just to spend a little time with me. I had a wonderful week full of great memories I will cherish. These kind of weeks remind me of how lucky I am to live in a city as beautiful as DC and to have the people that I do in my life. If you have never had a chance to see the cherry blossoms in full bloom in person, I highly recommend you carve out a spring weekend end of March/beginning of April to check it out. Be sure to check ahead of when they will be at peak bloom because it only lasts about a week. 

Jefferson Memorial