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It’s the Holiday Season!

December 8, 2014 //
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This time of the year it is hard not to get Christmas songs stuck in your head. As I type I can hear Andy Williams singing “It’s the holiday season, and Santa Claus is coming around…” It goes on and on…. I don’t know whether it is because Patrick and I snuck away to Charleston last weekend, but the Christmas season feels short again this year and I feel like I’m far behind. I have to catch up, because for the first year ever Eliza fully understands that it is Christmas. It is adorable to watch – she loves the tree, the caroles and Frosty, but it also means that we better step it up and plan some fun activities and get her (or ahem, ask Santa) for some good presents!

Despite the busy season full of shopping, decorating, baking and general merriment I am still trying to slip a home-cooked meal in when I can. It isn’t as often as I’d like (there’s a pizza on its way while I type this), but I am hoping to get a few dinners made without the help of a microwave. Here are a couple of repeats, and two new meals that are delicious and perfect for the season. Enjoy!

The first snowman of the season (I know, he is a little scary)

The first snowman of the season (I know, he is a little scary)

Meal #1: Pork Chops with Apples and Onions + Braised Red Cabbage
Meal #2: Chicken Saltimbocca with Cheese + Sautéed Spinach
Meal #3: Brussels Sprouts and Pork (or Beef) Stir Fry + Rice
Meal #4: Lemon Pasta with Roasted Shrimp + Green Salad

Your grocery list, excluding the usual pantry items:

fresh sage – 1 bunch (or 1 tsp. dried sage)
white onion – 2
scallions – 1 bunch (approx. 4)
red cabbage – 1 head (2 1/4 pounds)
lemons – 3
spinach – 2 bags or bundles
apples – 5
brussels sprouts – 1 lb.
carrots – 2
jalapeno – 1
ginger – 1 small piece
fontina (provolone or gruyere work too) cheese – 6 slices (approx. 4 ounces)
pine nuts (optional)
apple cider – 1 cup
linguine – 1 box
dry red wine – 1/2 cup
rice (if you don’t already have it)
apple cider vinegar (if you don’t already have it)
oyster sauce (if you don’t already have it)
reduced-sodium soy sauce (if you don’t already have it)
unseasoned rice vinegar (if you don’t already have it)
dark-brown sugar (if you don’t already have it)
bone-in pork chops – 4 (3/4-1-inch thick)
flank or skirt steak – 1/2 lb.
bacon – 4 ounces (approx. 4 slices)
proscuitto – 6 thin slices
chicken cutlets – 1 1/2 lb.
shrimp – 1 1/2 lb.

 

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Categories Meal Plans

Maple Sriracha Brussels Sprouts

November 25, 2014 //
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Maple Sriracha Brussels Sprouts
Maple Sriracha Brussels Sprouts

I’m always looking for new ways to make Brussels Sprouts. As much as I love them roasted with some olive oil, salt and pepper a little twist is always welcome. When I saw this recipe from the blog So Let’s Hang Out on Pinterest I knew I had to try it. I was excited about the sweetness of the maple syrup and the spice of the sriracha.  Sriracha can be quite spicy so feel free to use a little less.

1 pound of Brussels Sprouts (about 20 sprouts), sliced in half or quartered if large
3 TB. maple syrup
1 TB. sriracha

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with tinfoil and spray it with a little bit of olive oil spray (or other cooking spray you have on hand) then set it aside.

In a mixing bowl whisk together the syrup and sriracha. Place sprouts in the same bowl and toss thoroughly to coat.

Pour sprouts onto the lined baking sheet and spread them out evenly. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until the sprouts are tender on the inside and crispy on the outside.

 

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Autumn’s Best Sides

November 25, 2014 //
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Way back in July, when it was warm and sunny, I shared four great summer side dishes, and as those of us in the Northeast brace for a Thanksgiving Eve Nor’easter I’m here today with some favorite autumn side dishes. We’ve said goodbye not only to 80 degree beach days, but also tomatoes and corn on the cob, but there are still a lot of great vegetables to enjoy this time of year, and many, such as Brussels sprouts and kale, are at their best after the first frost of the season.

I like these side dishes any night during the fall, but they would also be perfect for your Thanksgiving table. Just add turkey and cranberry sauce!

A pile of cranberries ready for Thanksgiving!

A pile of cranberries ready for Thanksgiving!

Tangy Roasted Beets and Carrots
Butternut Squash Gratin with Blue Cheese and Sage
Sicilian Cauliflower and Black Olive Gratin
Maple Sriracha Brussels Sprouts

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Pan-Seared Scallops with Apple Cider Brown Butter and Brussels Sprouts Apple Slaw

November 7, 2014 //
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Pan-Seared Scallops with Apple Cider Brown Butter and Brussels Sprouts Apple Slaw

This dinner is a great celebration of fall fruits and vegetables. Featured in The New Greenmarket Cookbook, this recipe is from Union Square Cafe, which is one of my favorite restaurants in New York. Sadly, Danny Meyer’s first restaurant is slated to close at the end of 2014, but fortunately we have recipes such as this one to keep us going…

This recipe serves four as an appetizer, and two as a main dish.
Scallops w Brussels sprouts and apple slaw

Slaw

1 small to medium-sized cored Honeycrisp apple
7 large Brussels sprouts
1 TB. fresh squeezed lemon juice (about 1/2 lemon)
1 ts. apple cider vinegar
salt and pepper
2 TB. olive oil

Using a mandolin or sharp knife, shave or finely-slice the apple into short matchsticks. Shave or thinly sliced the Brussels sprouts and toss with the apples in a bowl. Dress with lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, salt, pepper, and olive oil, and toss to coat. Set aside.

Scallops

16 large scallops, abductor muscles removed
salt and pepper
2 TB. vegetable oil
5 TB. unsalted butter
6 torn sage leaves
1 TB. fresh squeezed lemon juice (about 1/2 lemon)
6 TB. apple cider

Pat the scallops very dry with a paper towel. Season both sides of each scallop with salt and pepper. Heat the vegetable oil in a 10-inch saute pan over medium-high heat, until wavy but not smoking. Remove the pan from the heat to add the scallops, then return to medium-low heat. Cook until the scallops are nicely browned on one side, 1 to 2 minutes. Turn the scallops over and cook the other side for another minute – they might not be as brown as the first side, but that’s okay. Transfer to a plate, dark side up.

Pour out the oil or blot the pan with a paper towel. Add the butter and return the pan to medium heat. When the butter is bubbly and golden brown, remove from heat and add the sage leaves to sizzle. Then add the lemon juice, apple cider, and pinch of salt. Swirl all ingredients together and return the pan to the heat, bringing to a full boil while scraping the browned bits off the bottom. Once the liquid boils, reduce heat to low and add the scallops, dark side up, and any juices that may have gathered on their plate. Lightly simmer until the sauce is smooth and thickened, swirling occasionally to keep combined, about 1 minute.

Place the scallops on individual plates with a couple of spoonfuls of apple cider-brown butter over each. Add a bundle the slaw to each and serve.

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Categories Meals

Market Discoveries

November 7, 2014 //
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One of the best things about the local food movement is that it has brought to light so many underused vegetables and fruits. If it weren’t for farmers markets I wouldn’t know about or have gotten a chance to eat fennel, celeriac, or romanesco. Before the proliferation of farmers markets I bet many of you had never seen or eaten a heirloom tomato. Whether you get them now from a farmers market or your local grocery store, the demand for these special, and dare I say better tomatoes, stems from the growth and ubiquity of farmers markets.

It isn’t just brand new foods that markets introduce us to; markets provide a retail space for farmers to try out different versions of some tried and true favorites without the worry that a grocery store will reject them because they aren’t the right shape or color. That’s how I encountered these beautiful carrots seen below. While shopping at my local Greenmarket I stumbled upon a big bunch of carrots in shades of orange, yellow and purple. They were majestic and I had to have them! So, get a little adventurous and try a new vegetable or fruit this week. We are so lucky to live in an age when hard, pink tomatoes are no longer acceptable.
Carrots_Web

Meal #1: Pork Tenderloin with Maple Glaze + Roasted Roots
Meal #2: Penne alla Vodka + Green Salad
Meal #3: Pan-Seared Scallops with Apple Cider Brown Butter and Brussels Sprouts Apple Slaw
Meal #4: Lemon and Olive Chicken + Red Roasted Carrots

Your grocery list, excluding the usual pantry items:
Honeycrisp apple – 1
Brussels sprouts – 7 large
lemon – 2
onion – 1
beets  – 4 medium to large
carrots  – 1 large bunch (8 or so)
potatoes -1/2 lb.
crumbled dried sage leaves – 2 ts.
sage – 1 bundle
green olives – 1/2 cup
chicken stock – 1 cup
large (28 oz) and small (14 oz) can Italian plum tomatoes – 1 each
penne – 1 box
heavy cream – 1/2 cup
Parmesan cheese – (if don’t already have it)
dried thyme – (if don’t already have it)
crushed red pepper – (if don’t already have it)
maple syrup – (if don’t already have it)
apple cider vinegar – (if don’t already have it)
apple cider – (if don’t already have it)
Dijon mustard – (if don’t already have it)
cinnamon – (if don’t already have it)
paprika – (if don’t already have it)
chili powder – (if don’t already have it)
garlic powder – (if don’t already have it)
pork tenderloins – 2, 12- to 14-ounce
bone-in chicken breast halves – 4
scallops – 16 large
vodka – 1/4 cup

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Categories Meal Plans

Is it spring or is it winter?

April 15, 2014 //
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Well this has been a crazy weather week! We started off with an absolutely beautiful weekend in NYC where it would not have been crazy at all to wear shorts and then bam – 30 degrees slams you in the face! Some of you probably even got some snow. Sorry about that. With Passover and Easter so late this year I thought we were guaranteed a holiday meal with local asparagus, but it looks like we’ll have to wait a few more weeks for those beautiful stalks to hit the farmers markets. Fortunately the first ramps of the season have been spotted and it is only a matter of time before everything else starts rolling in.  I can’t wait! I’ll be the first to say that I am pretty sick of what I’ve been cooking lately and I am ready to prepare and share with you some new recipes. In the meanwhile here’s a new meal plan with two new recipes and two repeats.

Eliza enjoying the sun at Brooklyn Bridge Park

Eliza enjoying the sun at Brooklyn Bridge Park

Meal #1: Chicken Fajitas + Black Bean and Corn Salad
Meal #2: Brussels Sprouts and Pork (or Beef) Stir Fry + Rice
Meal #3: Penne with Swiss Chard and Kielbasa
Meal #4: Fennel and Garlic Shrimp + French Bread

Your grocery list, excluding the usual pantry items:

limes – 2
red bell pepper – 1
yellow or orange bell pepper – 1
onion – 1
scallions – 1 bunch
carrots – 2
jalapeño – 1
grape or cherry tomatoes – 1 pint
Swiss chard (preferably red) – 1 large bunch
fennel – 2 bulbs
Brussels sprouts – 1 lb.
parsley – 1 bunch
ginger – 1 small piece
can of black beans – 1
can (or bag) of corn – 1
salsa
tortillas
penne
rice
French bread
soy sauce (if you don’t already have it)
chili powder (if you don’t already have it)
ground cumin (if you don’t already have it)
crushed red pepper flakes (if you don’t already have it)
parmesan (if you don’t already have it)
oyster sauce (if you don’t already have it)
rice vinegar (if you don’t already have it)
skinless, boneless chicken breasts – 1 lb.
kielbasa – 1/2 lb.
shrimp – 2 lb.
skirt steak – 1/2 lb.
Pernod (optional)

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Celebrations

March 18, 2014 //
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This week kicked off with two celebrations – Eliza’s 2nd birthday and St. Patrick’s Day. For Eliza’s birthday we hosted a small family party and kept it simple by ordering pizza, but we did have a homemade birthday cake. Last year, I made the same chocolate cake with vanilla icing and decorated it in a festive confetti style.
Elizas 1st bday cake_web
But, this year, since Eliza’s interests are much clearer, I indulged her love of Elmo and all things Sesame Street with this cake. I was pretty proud of my work!
Elizas 2nd bday cake_Web

Since St Patrick’s Day was the next day, and fell on a Monday, I didn’t have it in me to make a stew or shepherd’s pie (I am not a corned beef and cabbage girl). So instead, I opted for something a little easier, but still in line with the holiday – Martha’s recipe for salmon, red cabbage and potatoes. I figured it had cabbage and potatoes, and the Irish love salmon so it worked. Plus, Patrick and I each had a Guinness with dinner – and there is nothing more Irish than that!

Meal #1: Salmon, Red Cabbage and Potatoes
Meal #2: Butternut Squash Salad with Pine Nuts, Pecorino and Balsamic Vinegar
Meal #3: Skirt Steak with Winter Salad
Meal #4: Penne with Brussels Sprouts, Chile and Pancetta

Your grocery list, excluding the usual pantry items:

lemon – 2
red cabbage – 1 small head
red potatoes – 4-6 depending on size
Brussels sprouts – 1 lb.
butternut squash – 1 small (about 2 lb.)
fennel – 1 bulb
radicchio – 1 head
arugula – 1 bunch or bag
rosemary – 1 bunch
horseradish
sundried tomatoes
pecorino cheese – ¼ lb.
kalamata olives (if you don’t already have them)
grainy mustard (if you don’t already have it)
ground coriander (if you don’t already have it)
ground cinnamon (if you don’t already have it)
ground cumin (if you don’t already have it)
crushed red pepper flakes (if you don’t already have it)
pine nuts (if you don’t already have it)
Parmesan cheese (if you don’t already have it)
penne – 1 box
pancetta – 6 oz.
salmon filet – 1 ½ lb. skinless
skirt steak – 1 ½ lb.

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Penne with Brussels Sprouts, Chile and Pancetta

March 18, 2014 //
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Penne with Brussels Sprouts, Chile and Pancetta
By now, we’re all over Brussels sprouts; I know. But, trust me, this recipe from Melissa Clark will still make you crave them. I love the idea of using Brussels sprouts in a pasta dish, it is so unexpected. The use of pancetta doesn’t hurt either.
Brussels Sprouts Web
The recipe is for 2 servings, just double the ingredients to accommodate 4 people. I also tone down the chile because Patrick can’t tolerate spicy food, so go ahead and adjust according to your taste.

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Pork Tenderloin with Apples and Red Onion and Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Blue Cheese, Dried Cranberries, and Walnuts

March 7, 2014 //
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Pork Tenderloin with Apples and Red Onion

This recipe is a variation on a Martha Stewart Recipe that I love to make in the summer when plums are in season. I liked it so much, and loved how quick it was to prepare, that I came up with a fall/winter version, using apples and apple cider vinegar instead of plums and red wine vinegar.

2 pork tenderloins (approx. 2 lb.), sliced into ½ inch medallions
1 TB. olive oil
1 TB. unsalted butter
2 apples, cut into wedges
1 red onion, sliced thinly
2 TB. apple cider vinegar
salt and pepper

Season pork medallions with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil and butter in a pan over medium-high heat. Saute pork medallions on both sides until golden brown, about 5 minutes total, and remove from pan.

In the same pan, saute apples and red onion over medium heat. Add apple cider vinegar, and stir until bubbling. Return pork to pan and toss.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Blue Cheese, Dried Cranberries, and Walnuts

I LOVE roasted Brussels sprouts, but I got bored with just tossing them with olive oil and salt and pepper. This recipe is something I came up with to jazz up one of my typical fall/winter side dishes.
roasted bs w cheese, etc_Web

1 ½ lb. Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
2 TB. olive oil
salt and pepper
2 TB. blue cheese, crumbled
¼ cup dried cranberries
¼ cup walnuts, chopped and toasted
2 ts. balsamic vinegar
2 ts. maple syrup

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Toss Brussels sprouts with olive oil, salt and pepper on a baking sheet and place in oven for 20-25 minutes.

Remove Brussels sprouts from oven and toss them in a serving bowl with blue cheese, cranberries, walnuts, vinegar and maple syrup. Season with salt and pepper as needed.

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Busy as a Bee

March 7, 2014 //
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This week has been pretty stressful. At the end of last week, Eliza got the croup and we’ve been battling it since – not fun. At the same time that we are taking extra care of her, both Patrick and I are getting busier at work. I was in Ottawa one night  for business and Patrick  worked one night, along with his usual Thursday night grad school class. Quiet nights at home have been few and far between and our weekdays will probably stay pretty hectic through May. Oh well.

During weeks like this I try to make dinner whenever I can, but with a special focus on quick meals. I’m sure your lives are pretty similar, so I hope you enjoy this week’s meal plan which includes a bunch of simple, delicious dinners. I also included a chili recipe, which I made for Sunday’s Oscars. It takes a little bit longer to cook than the other meals, but you’ll have leftovers for the rest of the week, which is perfect during this busy time.

(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: Fennel and Garlic Shrimp + French Bread
Meal #2: Chili
Meal #3: Pork Tenderloin with Apples and Red Onion + Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Blue Cheese, Dried Cranberries, and Walnuts
Meal #4: Pasta with Marinara + Green Salad

Your grocery list, excluding the usual pantry items:

fennel bulbs – 2
garlic – 1 head
red bell pepper – 1
green bell pepper – 1
yellow bell pepper – 1
lettuce – 1 head of bag
Brussels sprouts – 1 ½ lb.
red onion – 2
apples – 2
flat-leaf parsley – 1 bunch
basil – 1 bunch
14.5 ounce cans diced tomatoes – 3
28 ounce can of crushed tomatoes – 1
pasta – 1 box
kidney beans – 1 can
blue cheese – ¼ lb.
dried cranberries – ¼ lb.
walnuts – ¼ lb.
French bread
chili powder (if you don’t already have it)
cayenne pepper (if you don’t already have it)
cumin (if you don’t already have it)
unsweetened cocoa powder (if you don’t already have it)
balsamic vinegar (if you don’t already have it)
apple cider vinegar (if you don’t already have it)
balsamic vinegar (if you don’t already have it)
maple syrup (if you don’t already have it)
Parmesan cheese (if you don’t already have it)
Flour (if you don’t already have it)
shrimp – 2 lb.
pork tenderloins (approx. 2 lb. total) – 2
ground beef, buffalo, turkey or chicken – 1 lb.
Pernod (optional)

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