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Asparagus alla Fontina + Green Salad

June 12, 2015 //
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Asparagus alla Fontina 
Asparagus alla Fontina

This celebration of spring is perfect for a light dinner or brunch. It is a bit like a crustless quiche, but it isn’t heavy on the eggs.

Salt
2 ½ lbs. thin asparagus, trimmed and washed
4 TB. unsalted butter
Freshly ground black pepper
Freshly grated nutmeg
⅓ cup grated Gruyère or Fontina
¾ cup finely minced or slivered prosciutto
2 TB. minced parsley
3 eggs, beaten
3 to 4 TB. grated Parmesan

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add the asparagus and cook until crisp-tender. Drain and cut into 1-to-1½-inch lengths. Return the asparagus to the pot. Add the butter and season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Set over low heat and stir to melt the butter. Remove from the heat.

Turn the asparagus and the melted butter into a 9- or 10-inch pie plate. Arrange in an even layer. Sprinkle with the Gruyère, prosciutto and parsley. Pour the beaten eggs on top, gently shaking the pan to distribute.

Top with the Parmesan and bake until the eggs are set into a custard and a golden-brown crust forms on top, about 35 minutes. Serve hot or warm.

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Cravings

June 12, 2015 //
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I’m not a big dessert person. I don’t turn it down per se, but I would rather eat something salty and fatty than sweet. HOWEVER, pregnancy brings out my inner sweet tooth. I feel like I deserve dessert when I’m pregnant because I can’t have certain foods anymore, I can’t drink and I am physically uncomfortable. I also sort of crave sweets a bit more than usual, especially after lunch or dinner. Ice cream has been an almost daily treat for the last few months. Until Monday…. The latest sonogram showed that I have a bit more fluid than normal and one reason may be too much sugar. Everything is fine otherwise, and most likely everything is normal, but to make sure I have to avoid refined sugar and white flour for at least the next two weeks – fun…

Fortunately, summer is almost upon us which means nature’s dessert – fruit – is staring to make it’s way to my local farmers market. Strawberries have already arrived and cherries, peaches, etc. are on their way. They might not totally make up for ice cream, but they will help.
Strawberries at Boro Hall

This week’s meal plan introduces two brand new seasonal recipes and two repeats from last year. Enjoy!

Meal #1: Asparagus alla Fontina + Green Salad
Meal #2: Chicken with Gorgonzola + Roasted Green Beans and Potatoes
Meal #3: Panko-Crusted Salmon + Fennel and Parmesan Salad
Meal #4: Pork Chops with Rhubarb-Cherry Sauce + Roasted Asparagus

Your Grocery List, excluding the usual pantry items:

red or yukon gold potatoes – 6 medium
green beans -1 lb.
dried cherries – 1/2 cup
white/yellow onion – 1
rhubarb – 10 ounces
asparagus – 3 large bunches
lemon – 1
fennel – 2
fresh parsley – 1 bunch
rosemary – 1 bunch
panko (Japanese dried bread flakes) – 2/3 cup
eggs – 3
gruyère or fontina – 4 ounces
gorgonzola cheese – 4 ounces
parmesan cheese (if you don’t already have it)
Dijon mustard (if you don’t already have it)
honey (if you don’t already have it)
sherry vinegar (if you don’t already have it)
prosciutto – 4 ounces
skin-on, boneless chicken breasts – 4 (8 ounces each)
pork loin chops – 4 (each 1/2 inch thick and 6 to 8 ounces)
salmon fillets, skin on – 4 (6- to 8-ounce each)

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Poached Eggs in Tomato Sauce with Toast + Bacon

October 3, 2014 //
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Poached Eggs in Tomato Sauce with Toast
Poached Eggs w Tomato Sauce

This is a great “breakfast for dinner” meal (or fancy brunch), and a wonderful way to use up any tomato sauce that you might have leftover from an earlier meal. Plus, it is incredibly inexpensive!

If you are using leftover tomato sauce than this meal comes together in about 10 minutes; if you need to make the sauce it’ll probably be closer to 20-25 minutes.

Tomato Sauce 

¼ cup olive oil
4 garlic cloves, crushed or sliced
1 large basil sprig
1 pinch of hot red pepper flakes
1 28 ounce can of crushed tomatoes (or whole, but crush them with your hands before using)
salt and pepper, to taste

In a large skillet over medium heat, heat the oil. When it is hot, add the garlic, basil and red pepper flakes. Saute for 1-2 minutes, until the garlic starts to sizzle, but don’t let it brown. Add the tomatoes and stir. Simmer until the sauce thickens a bit, about 15 minutes. Discard garlic, if you desire, and add salt and pepper to taste.

Poached Eggs in Tomato Sauce

1-2 eggs per person

With the tomato sauce simmering, crack an egg, one at a time, into a small bowl and carefully place each egg in the tomato sauce. Lower the heat and place a cover on top of the skillet. Keep an eye on the eggs; they should take between 8-10 minutes to cook – less if you like your eggs runny and more if you want them fully cooked.

Place 1 or 2 eggs with sauce on a piece or two of good toast and shave parmesan cheese over, season with salt and pepper.

Bacon

Cook however much bacon as you want, however you like. But, I am a convert to the Rachael Ray method, which is much less messy than using the stove.

Preheat oven to 375F. Place bacon on a slotted baking sheet and bake to crisp, 15-18 minutes.

 

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Transitions

October 3, 2014 //
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I certainly wouldn’t be the first to profess my love of autumn on the Internet. It is hard for me to let go of summer, but the arrival of tart apples, pumpkin beer and foliage help. And as much as I hate to say goodbye to tomatoes and corn, the new season allows me to indulge in cooking and eating some other favorites, such as roast chicken and winter squash.

This week’s meal plan is a bit of a transition into a new season and menu. Like farmers markets this time of year where you can still get some pretty good peaches as well as gorgeous winter squash this meal plan isn’t ready to completely concede to cooler weather. Roast chicken is back, but I haven’t started roasting Brussels Sprouts yet (they are better after the first frost). And a trip to a Connecticut apple orchard last weekend inspired the pork chops with apples and cider.

Apple Picking

Meal #1: Poached Eggs in Tomato Sauce with Toast + Bacon
Meal #2: Hamersley’s Roast Chicken with Onions and Potatoes + Steamed Green Beans
Meal #3: Pork Chops with Apples + Sautéed Kale
Meal #4: Pasta Carbonara with Leeks and Lemon

Your grocery list, excluding the usual pantry items:
fresh (or dried) sage
dried thyme
dried rosemary
bunch of basil – 1
lemon – 2
leeks – 4
red onion – 3
bunch of kale – 1
green beans – 1 1/2 lb.
medium red potatoes – 6
tart apples – 2
apple cider – 3/4 cup
diced tomatoes – 1 28 ounce can
good bread – 1 or 2 slices per person
short pasts – 1 box
Dijon mustard (if you don’t already have it)
Parmesan cheese (if you don’t already have it)
eggs – 1 dozen
1/2 -inch-thick boneless pork loin chops – 4 (5 ounces each)
bacon
whole chicken – 4 lb.

 

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Eggs with Ricotta and Heirloom Tomatoes

August 20, 2014 //
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Eggs with Ricotta and Heirloom Tomatoes
Eggs w Ricotta and Heirloom Tomatoes

This breakfast/brunch dish is perfect for guests. It is so beautiful, and yet so easy and quick to prepare. You can use any cheese (cheddar, goat, feta, mozzarella), but I think ricotta is lovely because it is light and fluffy. Serve this with some toast and bacon or sausage and you have a feast!

8 eggs
1-2 TB. butter
2 heirloom tomatoes (depending on size), sliced
1/2 cup (?) ricotta cheese
a few basil leaves, torn
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat broiler.

Crack eggs into a large bowl. In a large skillet heat butter until it bubbles. Carefully pour eggs into the pan and let the eggs cook just until the whites start to solidify. Place tomato slices and spoon ricotta on top of eggs.

Place skillet under the broiler and cook until desired doneness – 5 minutes or less for slightly runny yolks, closer to 10 minutes for fully cooked eggs. Either way, keep an eye on the eggs so they don’t overcook.

Remove from broiler and sprinkle basil on top, season with salt and pepper.

 

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Asian Tonight?

May 12, 2014 //
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I don’t know what was up with this week, but for some reason I made a lot of meals with Asian ingredients and flavors. The great thing about using Asian ingredients is that they often add a great burst of flavor with very little work or time. So, for this week’s meal plan I’m featuring two of these dinners – the pork stir fry and grilled tuna steak which when paired with my dipping sauce may remind you of sushi.

Meal #1: Salmon and Potatoes in Tomato Sauce
Meal #2: Pork Stir Fry with Asparagus and Sugar Snap Peas
Meal #3: Grilled Tuna Steaks with Dipping Sauce + Sesame Broccoli
Meal #4: Pasta Carbonara with Leeks and Lemon

Your grocery list, excluding the usual pantry items:

onion – 1
shallots – 2
lemons – 2
asparagus – 1 lb. bunch
sugar snap peas – 1 1/2 cups
broccoli – 1 large head or 1 lb.
leeks – 4
ginger – 1 piece
small white potatoes – 3/4 pound
fresh parsley – 1 bunch
Kalamata olives – 1/2 cup
diced tomatoes – 2 cans (28 ounces each)
sherry – 1 bottle (it’ll keep)
sesame seeds – small package (they’ll keep)
short pasta (penne) – 1 box
rice (if you don’t already have it)
soy sauce (if you don’t already have it)
Sriracha (if you don’t already have it)
brown sugar (if you don’t already have it)
rice vinegar (if you don’t already have it)
sesame oil (if you don’t already have it)
corn starch (if you don’t already have it)
eggs – 2
pork tenderloin – 1, 12-16 ounce piece
bacon – 6 slices
salmon fillets – 4 (6 ounces each)
tuna steak – 4 1-inch pieces

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Balance

April 2, 2014 //
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We all juggle commitments to family, friends, work, our home, and of course, ourselves. Unfortunately, most of us don’t do a great job balancing these important aspects of our lives and at least one often gets neglected. I think some people are better at being out of balance than others, but I am not one of those people. I like routine and habit – I always have. Having Eliza really shook up a lot of the balance that I had carefully crafted and maintained over the years. Two years into motherhood, I think I have a better handle on how unscripted and unplanned life can be, but that doesn’t make it any easier.

One way that I’ve dealt with the imbalance, or rather the stress of living with it, is to cook. I realize cooking isn’t everyone’s remedy, but it is mine. There is something about reading recipes, organizing ingredients, prepping vegetables and preparing a meal that I find very therapeutic. Within a few minutes I am out of my own head and into the creation process, which is often what I need. I love the concentration that chopping an onion requires and the creativity that sparks when I stray from a recipe. This week was another busy week, beginning with my business trip to Madison, Wi. and ending with Patrick working an  evening and having his usual Thursday night class. Fortunately, I got a few homemade dinners in to keep me on balance.

The tools of my "therapy"

Tools for my “therapy”

Meal #1: Chicken Thighs with Shallots and Tomatoes
Meal #2: Pasta Carbonara with Leeks and Lemon
Meal #3: Roasted Cod with Potatoes and Olives
Meal #4: Chicken and Vegetable Stir Fry + Rice

Your grocery list, excluding the usual pantry items:

red, new potatoes – 2 lb.
ginger – 1 small piece
scallions – 1 bunch
red, yellow or orange peppers – 2
zucchini and/or summer squash – 2
snap peas – 1 cup
shallots – 12 to 15
leeks – 4
cherry or grape tomatoes – 2 pints
tarragon – a few sprigs
parsley – 1 bunch
lemon – 1
kalamata olives (if you don’t already have them)
soy sauce (if you don’t already have it)
oyster sauce (if you don’t already have it)
rice wine vinegar (if you don’t already have it)
sesame oil (if you don’t already have it)
dijon mustard (if you don’t already have it)
Parmesan cheese (if you don’t already have it)
white wine
eggs – 2
penne or another short pasta – 1 box
rice
chicken breast – 1 lb.
bone-in chicken thighs – 8
bacon – 6 slices
cod fillet – 6 to 8 oz. per person

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Pasta Carbonara with Leeks and Lemon

February 7, 2014 //
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Pasta Carbonara with Leeks and Lemon

IMG_0831_Web
Let’s get this straight; carbonara does not have heavy cream in it! Its creaminess comes from the use of eggs and grated cheese; capisce? I’ve had carbonara that sits like a bowling ball in your stomach, but the real stuff shouldn’t do that. The addition of lemon and leeks to this traditional dish imparts it with the flavors of spring.

Don’t be afraid of leeks if you haven’t cooked with them before, just beware that they are dirty. After you chop the leeks, soak them in cold water for several minutes to release any stubborn dirt stuck within their layers. The other nice thing about leeks is that they are often one of the first vegetables to return to farmers markets in the spring because they can overwinter, which just means they can survive in the fields, even under snow, and be ready for an early harvest. How’s that for a tough vegetable!

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Groundhog Day

February 7, 2014 //
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I started to pull this post together on February 2 – Groundhog Day. Don’t you love the irony of Groundhog Day? If the sun is shining, good ole Punxsutawney Phil sees his shadow and we’ve got 6 more weeks of winter, but if it is cloudy, dreary, and frankly winter-like, spring is on its way! How in the world does that make sense (putting aside the fact that we are looking to a creature that we normally never think twice about to predict the weather)? Of course, for this particularly cruel winter, those of us in the New York region were teased on Groundhog Day with sunny, relatively warm weather only to wake up the next morning to a cascade of heavy, wet snow. Despite that brief reprieve, this winter has been more like the Bill Murray movie – every day feels the same – dreadful. Do you get the sense by now that I hate winter?

At least they shoveled the Brooklyn Promenade.

On the bright side, at least the Brooklyn Promenade has been shoveled.

To survive the winter doldrums I try to remember that we are only a few months away from flowers peeking up through the ground, longer days, and the first bunch of asparagus at the farmers market. We may still be in the season of stews and braises, but there are a bunch of seasonal, yet light dishes that remind us that winter will not last forever.

(Meals should feed four adults and take about 30-40 minutes to prepare, or the time it takes Patrick to give Eliza a bottle and put her to bed.)

Meal #1: Grilled Shrimp + Avocado Salad
Meal #2: Pasta Carbonara with Leeks and Lemon
Meal #3: Spicy Peanut Chicken and Broccoli + Rice
Meal #4: Mustard Crusted Branzino + Sauteed Spinach

Your Grocery List, excluding the usual pantry items:

limes – 2
lemon – 1
cilantro – 1 bunch
parsley – 1 bunch (optional)
avocados – 2
grape or cherry tomatoes – 1 container
scallions – 1 bunch
broccoli – 2 heads
leeks – 4
spinach – 2 bags or bunches
short pasta (ex. penne) – 1 box
breadcrumbs
eggs – 2
Parmesan cheese (if you don’t already have it)
peanut butter (if you don’t already have it)
sesame oil (if you don’t already have it)
soy sauce (if you don’t already have it)
sambal oelek aka Sriracha (if you don’t already have it)
rice vinegar (if you don’t already have it)
whole grain mustard (if you don’t already have it)
bacon – 6 strips
boneless, skinless chicken thighs – 4, approx. 1 ½ lb. total
shrimp – 1 ½ lb.
whole branzino or trout, butterflied – 2 (1 ½ – 2 lb. each) OR thin, white fish fillet – 1 ½ lb.

 

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One-Dish Meals

January 17, 2014 //
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Okay, so I didn’t exactly just serve one dish per meal this week, but I could have! Each of the main dishes offer a combo of proteins with veggies and/or carbs. I love these types of dishes; especially for weeknights. I didn’t grow up eating casseroles, so you won’t see too many on this site, but I do like a dish that can serve as not only the main event, but the only event.

(Meals should feed four adults and take about 30-40 minutes to prepare, or the time it takes Patrick to give Eliza a bottle and put her to bed.)

IMG_3517

Meal #1: Chicken Thighs, Fennel and Artichoke Fricassee with Noodles
Meal #2: Pork Chops with Peppers and Capers, Green Salad
Meal #3: Salmon, Red Cabbage and New Potatoes
Meals #4: Chicken and Vegetable Fried Rice

Your Grocery List, excluding the usual pantry items:

bell peppers – 1 each green and yellow, 3 red
large red onion – 2
ginger – 1 piece (you can freeze or refrigerate the rest)
zucchini – 2
bunch of scallions
small red cabbage – 1
new potatoes – 10
lemon – 1
fennel bulb – 1
lettuce, or whatever greens you like for a salad – 1 head or bag
parsley – 1 small bunch
artichoke hearts – 1 can
chicken stock – 1 can (you’ll need 1 cup, but you can always freeze the rest in an ice cube tray and use later)
water chestnuts – 1 can
horseradish – 1 bottle (it’ll keep, or you could make bloody marys!)
egg noodles – 1 bag
bone-in chicken thighs – 8
bone-in pork chops – 4
skinless salmon fillet – 1 1/2 lb.
chicken cutlets – ¾ lb.
dry white wine

 

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