6 Easter Menu Ideas

quiche | home fries | salad | madeleines | raspberry ricotta cake | homemade cream eggs

When I was a little girl the Easter Bunny would bring us dried fruit, maybe some m&ms & a small toy. Rarely did we have the novel chocolate bunnies waiting for us in our baskets. My mom got a nutrition degree from Cornell so I’m pretty sure she laid down the law with the Easter Bunny about what could & couldn’t make the basket. That said there was always plenty of dessert around in the form of baked goods at Easter that were sugary but usually more fruity or Italian cheese cakey, I suppose to compensate for the lack of chocolate bunnies.  That is probably why half of the recipes I pulled for this post are desserts (he he). Grab the links for those 6 recipes here:

1. quiche 
2. home fries 
3. salad 
4. madeleines 
5. raspberry ricotta cake 
6. homemade cream eggs

Easter’s one those holidays that can start early, like breakfast. So why not make some brunchy type foods for your family? We’ll be spending Easter with family & I’ll be bringing deserts. I’ll probably make this or maybe something new. I haven’t yet decided. What are you making?

Happy Easter y'all :)

P.S.: If you're looking for decorating inspiration check out how my mother-in-law decorates here. She never disappoints. It's always festive & tasteful!

P.P.S. Happy Passover, too!

Thanksgiving Desserts

clockwise from top left: Soft Serve Vegan Pumpkin Ice Cream; Whipped Coconut Milk & Pineapple Parfait;
 Moto's Warm Date Cake with Toffee Sauce; Fudgey Made-from-Scratch Brownies

Here are some of my favorite desserts as of late. Some are healthy & some are just deliciously decadent. I think any of these would work for Thanksgiving. What will you be making for dessert tomorrow?

Happy Thanksgiving Eve! Be safe!

Thanksgiving Appetizers

clockwise from top left:  Balsamic Glazed Roasted Grapes with Lemony Ricotta Toasts;
Zucchini Butter; Simple Toasts with Marscapone, Chives & Sea Salt; Garlicky Pretzel Pizza Rolls

It's getting close! It's almost Thanksgiving. If you're not hosting you're probably bringing an appetizer. Here are some of my favorites from this year. What are you making?

2013 Highlights

2013 was full of personal highs & lows, as I'm sure it was for most.  I'm grateful for the life lessons it has taught me & look forward to 2014's possibilities! Thanks for reading this year, I appreciate you! Here were the top 5 favorite posts from 2013 (according to you!):
#5 - Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner Quinoa
#4 - Easy Homemade Soft Pretzels
#3 - Wholefoods Quinoa Salad
#2 - Easy Butternut Squash
#1 - Halloween Costume Ideas

Thanksgiving Sides

Clockwise from top left corner: Parsnip Puree | Simple Herb-Lime Farro | Celery Root Puree | Root Vegetable Stuffing

'Twas the Monday before Thanksgiving & you haven't gone grocery shopping yet. You're not hosting but you said you'd bring a side dish to dinner. What will it be?

Truth be told, I've yet to host Thanksgiving or cook a whole turkey (or chicken) myself.  Each year I usually bring a dessert or side or both. This year I will be making mashed potatoes for an army - the request was specific so potatoes it is. If someone else is whipping up your mashed potatoes this year & you're looking for a tasty side dish to make these are some that I've made before that are super tasty & a little bit different.  Let me know if the comments below if you try them or if you have another side you recommend.

Fave Recipes for Fall

clockwise from upper left corner: chicken pot pie; the baker chick's cinnamon rolls; turkey & white bean chili; easy homemade soft pretzels

It feels like summer out there but (if you follow me on Instagram you already know) fall has kicked into high gear in my kitchen. Here are some of the usual suspects that will be on the rotation this fall. What are you cooking?

Happy New Year!

2012 was a year filled with peaks & valleys.  2012 will always be the year I started this blog. Thanks so much for checking in to read what I'm cooking up next.

Above is the book of recipes from 2012 that I created & wrapped up for my mom, my grandmother & my mother-in-law for Christmas.  The process was a combo of graphic design, photos & lots of time (read: love) but I think it was worth it in the end. You can make your own book like this on blurb.com too if you're fulfilling a new year's resolution or just want to try your hand at a book that is easy to make but looks much much more facny.

Blurb has all the tools you need to create & publish beautiful print books & ebooks, from quick, easy-to-make books of your Facebook & Instagram photos to innovative portfolios, to professional-quality business books.

To get you started, I'm passing along a 30% off your first Blurb book. Click here to redeem the offer on your first order!

HAPPY 2013!!

Wild Mushroom Agnolotti with Tomato Sauce with Carrots & Onions

This weekend I managed to squeeze in a couple of chapters of My Berlin Kitchen.  The one thing The Wednesday Chef brought to the surface for me was how she feels when she cooks for other people.  She finds joy in making others happy with what she's prepared in the kitchen for them.  Call it an epiphany or an a-ha moment, but this hit the nail on the head for me. I guess I always knew I liked to cook & share it with others but I never verbalized that I do it because it makes me happy to see others happy because of something I cooked. Thanks for the wake up call Luisa Weiss!

And thank you my reader for joining me on this journey, I sure do enjoy your comments (hint, hint). Click through for the tomato sauce recipe  I snagged from My Berlin Kitchen that I served with Wild Mushroom Agnolotti* with Tomato Sauce with Carrots & Onions.


*Agnolotti is just like ravioli. If you want the real difference between the two check it out here.

Fish Tacos

Who doesn't love tacos? When we were in Hawaii for our honeymoon I ate fish tacos at least once a day.

Chris loves sushi & seafood but he usually opts out of cooked fresh fish.  These fish tacos are great way to get him to eat fresh fish.

I used this recipe with some fresh tilapia for my fish tacos.  The key is to prepare the marinade ahead but to only marinate the fish for 15-20 minutes max, otherwise the lime juice will start to "cook" the fish.  The best part is that you get tons of flavor in just a short amount of time & since it's a marinade you don't have to spend a bunch of time mastering your knife skills - chunky & mismatched sizes are OK here!

I grilled whole wheat tortillas & topped with chipotle mayo, shredded cabbage, tomatoes & fresh baby spinach.

What's your favorite kind of taco?

P dot S: Happy Birthday Christine! xoxo

Crab Stacks

Inspired by the tasty crab stack we enjoyed in San Francisco I attempted my own version. I'd say it was a success! Oh and I should mention there's no cooking involved in this one either (just chopping and smooshing)! 

I got a little photo happy, so make sure to check out the photos & my recipe after the jump!

Braised Duck & Mushroom Fettucini

I'm really a chicken and fish girl when it comes down to the 'meat' of my diet (and by diet I mean the foods I eat - I'm not on a diet). I sometimes will roll the dice and try red meat (I live on the edge, I know) but for the most part the house always wins - its a lose lose for how my body feels after eating it.

So on Sunday I thought I'd live scandalously by cooking up some duck.

Usually I like to make a meal that takes tens of minutes, not hours, to make. Feeling inspired by a fab restaurant in San Francisco, Pesce, I give you braised duck and mushroom fettucini.

For this dish I used a hybrid of this eggless pasta recipe, this duck and this sauce. I jazzed my sauce up with some shallots and mushrooms (shitakes and baby portobello) which I added to the duck fat before I added the duck.

If you're not into duck or don't have a Sunday afternoon to cook this specific dish you can easily substitute the duck with roasted chicken and use boxed pasta or fresh in the deli section.

Cuban Yellow Rice

I honestly am the worst at making rice. Yes i can make tons of other stuff but rice well it's just not my forte.  That was before the Cuban Surf and Turf class that Chris and I took.  This rice recipe was not only delicious, it's almost fool proof!  Try it!

Arroz Amarillo

Yellow Rice*

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 4 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
• 1 cup minced white onion
• 1/4 cup diced green bell pepper
• 1/4 cup diced red bell pepper
• 1/2 cup  dry sherry
• 1 cup tomato sauce
• 8 to 10 saffron threads
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 3 cups chicken stock
• 1 1/2 cups long-grain rice
• 1 (4 oz) jar pimentos, sliced
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Make it:

1. Heat a large skillet and add the olive oil. When the oil is fragrant and hot, make a sofrito or thick sauce by adding garlic, onion and peppers and stirring occasionally until the vegetables are soft and translucent, about 10 minutes.  
2. Add the sherry, tomato sauce, saffron, salt and chicken stock.  
3. Combine well and raise the heat to high, bringing the mixture to a boil.  
4. Add the rice. Bring to another boil then cover, lower the heat to a simmer and cook for about 20 minutes, or until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is slightly moist and fluffy. Do not overcook. 
5. Garnish with slice pimentos and sprinkle with parsley.

Tip: Eat this rice with beans and you've created a complete protein.  It's the best way I know how to eat carbs!

*From "Cuba Cocina!: the tantalizing world of Cuban cooking - testerday, today and tomorrow" by Joyce LaFray, William Morrow and Co.

The Best Black Beans Ever

The best beans I've ever put in my mouth! Try them and you'll be hooked I promise.

Chris and I took an incredible Cuban Surf and Turf class at the Institute of Culinary Education.  Along with the other fourteen people in the class plus a master chef and two assistants we created a delicious cuban feast!  They split the menu and the class into groups.  Our group worked on four yummy dishes. Two of my favorite dishes overall were none other than the rice and beans.  

The beans were so delicious I had to share this recipe.  They're surprisingly easy to make and extremely flavorful (and vegetarian).

Frijoles Negros

Black Beans Cuban Style

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 medium onions, peeled and diced
• 2 green peppers, halved and seeds removed and diced
• 3 to 4 garlic cloves, sliced
• 1 pound dried black beans, soaked overnight
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 4 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon sugar

Make it:

1. Heat the olive oil in a large, deep pot (at least 4 quarts).  Add the diced onion  and green pepper and cook until softened.  Add garlic, and cook about 1 minute more, until the garlic is fragrant.
2. Rinse the beans well in cold water. Add the beans to the sauteed vegetables along without the bay leaves and salt in a large pot, and cover with cold water.  Bring to boil. Cover and reduce the heat and simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until the beans are tender, stirring occasionally.  Add more water if necessary to keep the beans covered.
3. When the beans are tender, add the tomato paste, oregano, cumin and sugar.
4. Season to taste with additional salt, if needed.