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Friday September 3rd 2010
I’ve been in a funk all week because it has been rainy, gray and dreary for the past 6 days. I’m not complaining too much because it is a welcome break from the 100 degree heat, and that’s only helping my garden grow. But I just miss the sun. The overcast views outside my window make me want to crawl back up in bed or veg out on the couch with a hot cup of cocoa. So after a week of looking out my dreary windows I satisfied my gray-weather craving last night by making this- Red Plum & Asian Pear dessert.
I recently found these cute little individual pots at Tuesday Morning for only $3.99 ea.! They are the perfect size for an individual dessert serving like this. Though you could dump this recipe in to a larger baking dish and it would turn out just as good.
I had an over abundance of Red Plums and Asian pears from my last co-op share from Urban Acres. These fruits made for the perfect pairing in this dreary-week, pick me up dessert. The soft tart plums baked down to tender perfection, and the crisp Asian Pears still held their texture which make for an excellent contrast in flavors and textures. If you haven’t tried an Asian Pear before I suggest you run to the supper market immediately and pick some up. You don’t have to go to any specialty food store, I’ve seen them just about everywhere, you just have to know what to look for. Their skin resembles a pale yellow-green Bartlet pear, but they are much more round like an apple. The white flesh within is juicy, crisp and very sweet.
I didn’t have enough flour or sugar on hand to make a traditional crumble- so I improvised, and the result was so simple and delicious! I will definitely make this time and again with a variety of fruits. To create a buttery sweet crust on top I simply tore up some cinnamon raisin swirl bread and baked them in butter. As a rule of thumb, Butter + Sweet Bread + Fruit = always equals Awesome!
 Red Plum & Asian Pear Bake
2-3 red plums, sliced
2-3 Asian pears, sliced
2 1/5 tbs lt. brown sugar
1/2 tbs fresh lemon juice
2 tbs butter
3 slices of Cinnamon Raisin Swirl Bread
In a mixing bowl, toss your sliced plums and pears in the lemon juice and brown sugar to coat evenly. Pack the fruit in to your baking dish. (don’t be afraid to pile it high, this will bake down and fruit will settle) Tear up your bread in to small pieces and cover the top of your dish evenly. Dot the top with butter evenly. Ten in to the oven you go- at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until the edges are bubbly and bread on top is crisp and golden.
Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
 
Thursday September 2nd 2010
One of my go-to Asian restaurants for lunch is Asian Mint – located at Forest & 75 in the shopping center right behind the RIP Black Eyed Pea, soon to be Matitos. The service is always fast, the portions are ridiculously large (good for a big eater like myself), and the food certainly doesn’t disappoint – especially the Yellow Fried Rice.
This was my first attempt at trying to recreate this dish at home, and I’m pretty proud of my interpretation. It wasn’t as good as the original, but it was definitely a solid weeknight dish that could be perfected in time. I honestly couldn’t find a similar recipe for this dish online, so I started with a basic fried rice recipe and improvised the dish from there.
Yellow Curry Fried Rice with Scallops
8 ounces sea scallops (you could also substitute bay scallops)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons cooking oil, divided
3 eggs, beaten
2 stalks green onion, minced
1 shallot, minced
4 cups leftover rice, grains separated well
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon ground tumeric
2 tablespoons of yellow curry paste
Handful of cilantro, chopped
In a large bowl, toss the scallops with the salt and pepper. Heat a wok or large sauté pan on high heat, and add just 1 tablespoon of the cooking oil and swirl to coat pan.
Add the scallops, quickly spreading out around the cooking surface area so that they are not overlapping. Let fry, untouched for 30 seconds. Flip over and let the other side fry for 30 seconds, or until about 80% cooked through. Remove the scallops from the pan onto a plate, leaving as much oil in the pan as possible.
Turn the heat to medium, let the pan heat up again. Add the eggs, stirring in a quick motion to break up and scramble the eggs. When the eggs are almost cooked through (they should still be slightly runny in the middle), dish out of the pan into the same plate as the cooked scallops.
Either rinse out the pan or use paper towels to wipe the same wok or sauté pan clean and return to high heat with the remaining 1 tablespoon of cooking oil, swirling to coat. When the oil is very hot, add the green onions and shallots and fry until fragrant, about 15 seconds. Add in the rice and stir well to mix in the green onions throughout. Spread the rice all around the wok surface area and let the rice heat up, untouched until you hear the bottoms of the grains sizzle, about 1-2 minutes. Use the spatula to toss the rice, again spreading the rice out over the surface of wok.
Drizzle the soy sauce all around the rice and toss. Add the cooked eggs, scallops, tumeric, yellow curry paste and sesame oil, tossing to mix the rice evenly with all of the ingredients. Let everything heat back up again, then taste and add an additional 1 teaspoon of soy sauce if needed. Top with cilantro & serve!
Wednesday August 25th 2010
Yesterday was one of the first days in August that was less than 100 degrees here in Dallas. So guess what that means? Slow-cooker time! As you already know, I have an ongoing love affair with my crockpot, and I’ve really missed it this summer. I know there are plenty of summer dishes to be made in the slow-cooker, but whenever I bring it out I automatically crave something warm and cozy.
I found this recipe on the Gluten Free Goddess site. I’m obviously not averse to eating gluten, but this seemed like an interesting combination, and I was willing to give it a whirl. And I really, really liked it. The sauce is truly delicious in it’s own right, and next time I might consider throwing it on the stove to make a full-on gravy after the meat is done crock-potting. It’s that good.
I decided to not only experiment with a new recipe, but experiment with a new meat. I opted for Bison Brisket from Central Market - a cut of meat that was completely new to me. It turned out even better than expected. It was just as tender as a beef brisket, but with much less fat. I really think I’ll be opting for bison brisket for all of my brisket wants & needs in the future.
Braised Bison Brisket in Pomegranate Sauce
1 1/2 to 2 pounds bison brisket or grass fed beef roast (trimmed)
Sea salt
Light olive oil, as needed
1 onion, sliced
4-5 cloves garlic, chopped
1 cup unsweetened pomegranate juice
1 14-oz can Muir Glen fire roasted crushed tomatoes
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/8 cup pure maple syrup
1 teaspoon dried French herb mix or Bouquet Garni
A small pinch of cinnamon
Salt & pepper the meat on all sides.
Add a small dash of olive oil to the crock. Add in sliced onion and garlic. Stir to coat with the olive oil. Place the meat on top.
Pour in the pomegranate juice, crushed tomatoes, balsamic vinegar and maple syrup. Stir to combine. Add the dried herbs, a pinch of cinnamon, sea salt and ground pepper.
Stir a little bit to co-mingle ingredients.
Cook on low for 8 hours.
I served mine with garlic mashed potatoes & sauteed spinach for a cozy, weeknight meal on a 90 degree day in August.
Tuesday August 24th 2010
This was actually my second Lemon & Blueberry bread that I made last night. The first attempt never made it into the oven. Right before I was about to bake it, I dropped a glass jar with vanilla beans that just happened to break on the side of bundt pan, and glass splattered everywhere. While I’m 99% sure I got all the pieces of glass out of the pan, I didn’t really feel like it was worth the risk of slicing up my mouth up to eat a piece of this bread. Or killing anyone at the office when I brought the leftovers to work.
It’s good, but it’s not that good.
So I started all over again. Luckily the recipe only calls for two bowls, so my second attempt was in the oven in less than five minutes.
This recipe is technically a “cake” recipe, but I like to call it bread because it makes me feel better about eating it for breakfast.
Lemon & Blueberry Yogurt Bread (adapted from Ina Garten’s Lemon Yogurt Cake)
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup plain whole-milk or greek yogurt
1 1/3 cups sugar, divided
3 extra-large eggs
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest (2 lemons)
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 1/2 cups of blueberries (fresh or frozen, coated with 1tsp flour)
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8 1/2 by 4 1/4 by 2 1/2-inch loaf pan or bundt pan. Grease and flour the pan.
Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt into 1 bowl. In another bowl, whisk together the yogurt, 1 cup sugar, the eggs, lemon zest, and vanilla. Slowly whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. With a rubber spatula, fold the vegetable oil and the blueberries into the batter, making sure it’s all incorporated. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 50 minutes, or until a cake tester placed in the center of the loaf comes out clean.
Meanwhile, cook the 1/3 cup lemon juice and remaining 1/3 cup sugar in a small pan until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is clear. Set aside.
When the cake is done, allow it to cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Carefully place on a baking rack over a sheet pan. While the cake is still warm, pour the lemon-sugar mixture over the cake and allow it to soak in. Cool.
Monday August 23rd 2010
On Saturday mornings, I wake up at 5am to run my long runs as part of my training for the New York Marathon (less than three months to go!) so I’m always looking for a carb-heavy dish to eat on Friday night. It usually ends up being one of my favorite dinners of the week, because it’s tough to go wrong when eating a meal that revolves around carbohydrates.
But Friday night is also the night when I’m the least motivated to cook. It’s usually been a long week, and the last thing I want to do is spend all evening in the kitchen. So last Friday I did what any hungry/lazy girl would do – I resorted to the Pioneer Woman. The Pioneer Woman is my go-to resource when I’m not concerned with calories, looking for something really flavorful, or just looking to cook with the least amount of effort possible.
I’ve actually made a lot of chicken parmigiana over the past few years (baked, fried, breaded, unbreaded), but this recipe is a consistent winner. The key is braising the chicken in the sauce at the end – it’s such a simple step, but it keeps the chicken moist & tender.
This dish definitely helped prep me for my 16 mile run in 110 degree heat on Saturday, but it’s also a solid weeknight meal for the non-runner as well.
Chicken Parmigiana (adapted from thepioneerwoman.com) – Serves 2
2 whole Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts, Trimmed And Pounded Flat
½ cups All-purpose Flour
Salt And Pepper, to taste
1/4 cup Olive Oil
1 Tablespoon Butter
1 Half Medium Onion, Chopped
4 cloves Garlic, Minced
¾ cups Red Wine
2 cans (14.5 Oz.) Crushed Tomatoes
1 can (14.5 Oz.) Diced Tomatoes (I prefer the fire-roasted with garlic)
2 Tablespoons Sugar
¼ cup Chopped Fresh Basil
Tsp of oregano, thyme, crushed red pepper (any dried italian herbs you have on hand)
1 cup Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese
1/2 cup fresh mozzarella
1/2 pound angel hair (or your pasta of choice)
Mix flour, salt, and pepper together on a large bowl or plate then dredge flattened chicken breasts in flour mixture. Set aside.
Heat olive oil and butter together in a large skillet over medium heat. When butter is melted and oil/butter mixture is hot, fry chicken breasts until golden brown on each side, about 2 to 3 minutes per side.
Remove chicken breasts from the skillet and keep warm.
Add onions and garlic to the same skillet (don’t clean) and gently stir for 2 minutes. Pour in wine and scrape the bottom of the pan, getting all the flavorful bits off the bottom. Allow wine to cook down until reduced by half, about 2 minutes.
Pour in crushed tomatoes and stir to combine. Add sugar and more salt and pepper (and any italian herbs you have on hand) to taste. Allow to cook for 30 minutes. Toward the end of cooking time, add chopped basil and give sauce a final stir.
In a separate pot (obviously), cook pasta until al dente.
Carefully lay chicken breasts on top of the sauce and completely cover them in grated Parmesan and Mozzarella. Place lid on skillet and reduce heat to low. Allow to simmer until cheese is melted and chicken is thoroughly heated. Add more cheese to taste.
Place cooked noodles on a plate and cover with sauce. Place chicken breast on top and sprinkle with more basil. Serve immediately.
Friday August 20th 2010
This post is not about what you think- I’m not about to suggest a bunch of my favorite summer ales for you like Corona and lime or Sunshine wheat beer. No, I’m going to tell you how to make my favorite most refreshing drink to be enjoyed in the summer heat. ~Summer Beer
 You’ll find that only a handful of bars offer Summer Beer in Dallas. I’ve rolled up to a few asking for a summer beer and the bartenders will look at me funny and ask “which one?” Thinking I meant some kind of specialty ale. Vickery Park Tavern makes my favorite summer beer in town, but be careful! These go down so easy, and that splash of vodka in there will knock you on your ass if you’re not careful! The best thing about Summer beer is that it is so versatile. You can make it with a Hefenweiser (wheat beer), which is my favorite, or you could just use your favorite light beer of choice. I’ve made it with everything from Corona to Miller Light. Then pick your lemonade- pink or regular, sparkling or not. I’ve recently had some mint growing in the garden so I threw a handful of mint leaves in my last one and that was another refreshing touch. I’ll leave it up to you to decide which refreshing touch you’d like to add, and if you have any other recipes for your favorite summer cocktails- do share!
Cheers Y’all! Have a great weekend!
Summer Beer
1 part Hefenweiser (wheat) beer
1 part lemonade
1 shot of vodka
Few mint leaves and lemon/ lime squeeze (optional )
Step 1- Stir together the beer lemonade and vodka.
Step 2- (optional) Squeeze a lemon or lime on top and garnish with a few fresh mint leaves.
Step 3- (not optional) enjoy on a hot summer day.
Wednesday August 18th 2010
Last weekend my sweetheart whisked me away to New Orleans for a long weekend getaway to celebrate my birthday. Being the southern food fanatic that I am, it’s hard for me to believe that I haven’t been to this foodie epicenter before. People warned me to be cautious about the seafood because of the dreaded oil spill in the gulf. But after asking lots of questions while eating my way through the city I can assure you- New Orleans is open for business and the food is not only safer than ever, it’s- make yo’ tongue slap yo’ brain good!
People seriously know their food here. That’s the one thing (other than Katrina) that connects everyone in this city. It doesn’t matter whether you grew up in the projects or in a mansion on St. Charles Ave, every person I met along the way all has the same respect and love for their local flavors. It became clear to me with each new bite that I was not just feasting on the local fare- I was consuming the culture.
Highlights of the trip included, but are not limited to:
- Got to spend a long weekend with Matt
- Conversations with the Oyster Shuckers
- John Besh wished me Happy Birthday! (while I passed him in the street car waving
like a star-struck school girl)
- Bloody Marys and Oysters for breakfast everyday
- Experienced my first “Red Dress Run”
- Hurricanes (not the scary windy kind)
- Drinking in the street ( I still can’t believe that’s legal )
Since pictures are worth 1000 words I thought I’d just post a few of my favorites for you to enjoy here. More to be posted on my flickr page soon.
Monday August 16th 2010
I’m sad to report I didn’t do any cooking this weekend. I heated up leftovers on Friday night, but I don’t think that really counts.
But, I did have some great meals in Dallas. Nothing too extravagant, just some solid, go-to meals that created a successful weekend of eating.
Good 2 Go Taco
I love this little taco joint inside the Green Spot Market at Buckner & Northcliff, but lately I’ve been disappointed by the selection of breakfast tacos. Luckily, their wide array of inventive, custom breakfast tacos are back! I feasted on the Paris, TX – hanger steak, spinach, egg, potato and cheese AND the honey bear – honey bacon, goat cheese, spinach and egg. Seriously, delicious. There’s nothing more rewarding after a long, hot early run at White Rock than indulging in these out-of-this-world tacos and a gigantic gatorade.
 Paris, TX Taco
 Honey Bear Taco Cafe Modern (at The Modern in Fort Worth)
I actually ventured outside of Dallas to make a field trip to The Modern for lunch in Fort Worth. Legendary Mexican chef Diana Kennedy (who is actually British) was there to sign books, and Cafe Modern served up a three course lunch of classic Kennedy selections. It was fun little adventure, and The Modern is a spectacular space. I can’t wait to return for another day of exploration.
Urban Taco Grand Opening in Uptown
I’m not going to lie – I mostly feasted on Tecate Light at this new taco place in Uptown. But I did a get a chance to try a few ceviches, and they were delightful. I’m already a fan of the Mockingbird outpost of Urban Taco, so I’m looking forward to the new space in uptown.
Thai Noodle & Rice
This isn’t a place I would visit at nighttime by myself, but I had a decent lunch by myself there on Sunday. I was actually the only person in this small cash-only restaurant on Sunday afternoon at 2pm. Apparently hole-in-the-wall Thai food isn’t a big draw in the middle of the day on Sunday. But it was perfect for me. Quiet and fast.
I have a real soft spot in my heart for flat noodles, and the flat noodles at Thai Noodle & Rice are killer. They’re served with a light oyster sauce, greens, eggs and shrimp. It sounds bizarre, but it’s beyond tasty. Warning: this place is crazy cheap and addictive. Visit with caution.
Southpaws Organic Cafe
After eating tacos and Thai food all weekend, I thought it would be best to detox over lunch at Southpaws. Southpaws is a small, organic, breakfast & lunch cafe in Preston Center (conveniently located across from DSW and Marshalls). They have some really incredible sandwiches & salads that make you forget you’re actually eating healthy. My favorite sandwich is the Dr. Luke – roast beef, feta, spinach, tabouleh, mex mix, jalapenos and hummus on a toasted whole wheat pita. Yum.
Tuesday August 10th 2010
I’ve been a little MIA for a little while, but I’ve been drowning in work during the week and traveling on the weekend. Luckily Angela’s had some fun recipes to keep you entertained in my absence.
But I’m returning with a recipe that is certainly a keeper. I’ve made variations of this same recipe over the past few years, but I’ve finally found a version that I think I’ll stick with. It’s a great weeknight meal that I serve over Near East Curry Couscous along with some Garlic Naan on the side. So my breath is obviously awesome after I indulge on this dinner.
The recipe below calls for browning the chicken on the stove followed by baking it in the oven, but this would also be great on grill. Just make the marinade the day before, and marinate the chicken for 12-24 hours.
Cumin, Honey & Orange Chicken
2lbs Chicken Legs (you could also substitute breasts, but the legs are a lot juicier)
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup water
Juice of one orange—about 3 tablespoons
1 tablespoon honey
2 tablespoons cumin
2 tablespoons coriander
2 teaspoons tumeric
1/2-1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Liberally salt & pepper the chicken legs. I also like to sprinkle a little bit of cumin on them for extra flavor.
Brown the chicken on the stove (using a little olive oil) – about two minutes on each side. While the chicken is browning, combine the next 8 ingredients in a small pot. Bring to a boil, and then let simmer for 2-3 minutes.
Once the chicken is nice and crispy, pour the marinade into the saute pan with the chicken, and then put the saute pan directly in the oven (just cover the handle with foil). Cook for 20-25 minutes until the chicken is cooked all the way through.
Sunday August 8th 2010
Pickled okra, and dill pickles are some of my favorite things. I love the salty bite these snacks offer. I’ve always wanted to try a recipe for making my own- it seems easy enough- but there are so many recipes out there with vastly varying techniques, it makes it hard to decide which way to approach this. After reading tons of recipes, and talking to others who have tried their own- I decided to take the most simple recipe and start from there. All I wanted was a salty dill pickle that had some good flavor and a crunchy texture (very important in a good pickle). I finally found this recipe from Bruce and Eric Bromberg’s “Blue Ribbon Cookbook” which I was able to adapt with what I had around my kitchen and they turned out beter than I could have hoped for. You can find the original recipe here. I didn’t have bay leaf, fresh dill, or mustard seed, so I switched my recipe up a bit, but they still turned out to salty crispy pickle perfection.
Homemade Garlic Dill Pickles
Ice cubes
1 large pickling cucumber
2 tablespoons white vinegar
1/4 cup coarse salt
4-5 cloves sliced garlic
2 tablespoons chopped dried dill
1 tablespoon of Crazy Jane’s mixed up salt
Wash and slice your cucumber in to your desired snacking shape (I prefer the spear). Then place in a bowl full of ice, cover the ice-covered pickles and place in the fridge to chill for at least an hour or up to overnight. Fill a medium nonreactive saucepan with 4 cups water, vinegar and salt; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until salt is dissolved, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let mixture cool to room temperature.
Drain cucumbers of the icy water and place in a large mason jar. Add sliced garlic, dill, and Crazy Jane’s salt. (PS this salt is amazing, and I find excuses to sprinkle it on just about everything, Since I had a lack of spices from the original recipe I thought this would be a good substitute…. and it was)
Pour salty water mixture over cucumbers and be sure they are completely submerged; add more water when necessary. Let stand at room temperature for 3 to 4 days before using. Transfer to refrigerator; pickles will keep for up to 1 week.
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