May 24 2012
2 Comments
Food, Recipes, Baking, Dessert

Banana-Caramel Bread Pudding

Been a bit since I’ve written… buying a house and trying to move has kept me pretty busy! I was going through my photos on my phone the other day (3/4 of which are all food btw) and realized I never posted the bread pudding recipe I made for my lovely significant others birthday. It was his 30th, and I wanted to make something super special for him (aside from his sweet party medallions, picture below) for dessert. When I came across this recipe from epicurious.com I knew I had found the one. I didn’t change too much about the recipe – except the added salt and few measurements. These little gems are super easy to make and really delicious.

Banana-Caramel Bread Pudding – (adapted from Epicurious.com) Serves 4

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cup purchased caramel sauce (I used Smucker’s, they have a squeeze bottle)
4 5×3 1/2-inch slices potato bread, very lightly toasted
2 medium bananas, peeled, thinly sliced on diagonal into 1 1/2-inch ovals
2 large eggs
3/4 cup half and half
1/4 cup whole milk
1 1/4 tablespoons sugar, divided
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted

Directions:
1. Preheat broiler and butter four 3/4-cup ramekins
2. Spoon 1 generous tablespoon caramel into each ramekin
3. Place bread on rimmed baking sheet and spread 1 generous tablespoon caramel over each bread slice
4. Broil until caramel is bubbling and slightly darker, keeping and eye on it, 1 to 2 minutes then cool
5. Cut each bread slice into 6 squares, for 24 pieces total
6. Set 1 banana slice on each bread square and arrange 6 banana-topped bread squares standing on edge, side by side in each prepared ramekin, fitting snugly. Don’t worry if they stick out above the ramiken

7. Whisk eggs, half and half, milk, 3/4 tablespoon sugar, and vanilla in a small bowl
8. Pour enough custard into each ramekin to reach top and let stand until bread absorbs some of custard, about 30 minutes, reserving any remaining custard
9. Position rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 400°F
10. Pour remaining custard into ramekins and brush exposed bread pieces with melted butter and sprinkle with remaining sugar
11. Set ramekins in large roasting pan filled with enough hot water in the pan to come halfway up sides of ramekins (imagine water in the photo)

12. Bake puddings until set and knife inserted into custard comes out clean, about 45 minutes
13. Remove from pan and cool… and ta-da!
 It is best to serve bread puddings warm or at room temperature

As for the medallion I mentioned earlier – here it is… we went on a tracksuit pub-crawl in Ballard, all 40ish of us sporting these little numbers :)

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May 16 2012
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Food, Recipes

Banh Mi (Vietnamese Sandwiches)

We have no shortage of good banh mi around my office, but I wanted to try to re-create one of these delicious little sandwiches myself. A year or so ago, I found and amazing recipe for Thit Nuong (Vietnamese grilled pork) from gastronomyblog.com. I adapted it a bit, using pork tenderloin instead of pork butt and eliminated a few of the ingredients but realized it would be great for a banh mi filling. I was right :)  This meat can also be served over rice noodles with additional accompaniments (this was how it was used in the original blog post I found).
*please note, this is not an authentic banh mi recipe, just one I adapted to my taste buds. 

Grilled Pork Banh Mi (serves 4-6)

Ingredients

For the meat:

2 lbs pork tenderloin, thinly sliced approximately 1/4 inch thick
1 large shallot, finely minced
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/4 cup lemongrass, finely minced
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon honey
1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 tablespoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon vegetable oil

For the mayo:

1/2 cup low-fat mayo
2 tablespoons sriracha (or to taste)

Accompaniments:

4-6 crusty bread rolls
cilantro
mint
basil
julienned carrots
julienned diakon
julienned cucumbers
sliced jalapenos

Directions:

1. Combine all meat ingredients from shallot through vegetable oil in a large non reactive bowl
2. Place pork in marinade mixture, coat well
3. Allow the meat to soak overnight (or for best results, 24 hours)
4. Thread pork onto bamboo skewers that have been soaked in water for 20 minutes
5. Bbq pork over medium high heat until caramelized and cooked through (about 3-5 minutes per side)
6. While the meat is cooking, heat rolls in a slightly warmed oven, about 200 degrees.
7. Remove pork from skewers and place in a large serving dish
8. Slice the rolls and spread about 1 1/2 Tablespoons of the mayo on each roll
9. Add meat, and any of the accompaniments above

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May 10 2012
2 Comments
Food, Recipes, Weeknight Dinner

Herb and Balsamic Sauced Chicken

Well I’m back from vacation and all though it was a wonderful time of eating, drinking and hanging out with friends and family, I was VERY ready to be home. I was practically melting in Texas, I don’t know how people live there full time! I’ve been craving a home cooked meal that wasn’t 1. BBQ 2. Tex-mex (all though I think I’m ready to eat tacos again) or 3. red meat. This week has been a lot of salads and lighter meals, including last nights dinner. I adapted this recipe from one I found in a Bon Appetite several years ago (original recipe) and has become a favorite when I wanted something light yet flavorful. The sauce is really versatile and can be used on anything from fish to steak to potatoes as well! I served the chicken with roasted asparagus and oven roasted potatoes.

Herb and Balsamic Sauced Chicken (adapted from Bon Appetite, serves 4)

Ingredients:
12 garlic cloves, peeled, divided
1 1/2 cups (packed) fresh flat leaf parsley
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup (packed) fresh mint leaves
1/4 cup (packed) fresh basil leaves
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
3/4 cup olive oil
4 boneless chicken breasts (I cut mine in half to make them thinner)

Directions:
1. Cook 8 garlic cloves in boiling water 2 minutes, drain garlic and cool
2. Add the remaining 4 garlic cloves and next 6 ingredients
3. Gradually add oil, blending until thick sauce forms and season with salt
4. Place chicken in large resealable plastic bag and add 2/3 cup sauce and turn to coat evenly
5. Chill at least 1/2 hour and up to 4 hours, turning bag occasionally
6. Heat outdoor grill to medium/high heat and grill each chicken breast half about 4 minutes on each side
7. Top with a bit more sauce before serving and pass additional sauce for anyone that wants more (it was great on the sides* I served it with too)


*I suggest serving this dish with asparagus and roasted potatoes, as the sauce accompanies both side very well!

 

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Apr 16 2012
4 Comments
Food, Healthy Eating, Quick and Easy, Recipes, Weeknight Dinner, Weight Watchers

Bruschetta Chicken

A particularly warm and sunny April evening last night called for a more summery type of meal. Nothing says summer and warm weather to me like tomatoes especially when combined with something off the grill. Warmer weather also has me craving something lighter, and this recipe was just what I needed. You could also make a bruschetta chicken sandwich if you feel like getting your carb on :)

Bruschetta Chicken (Serves 4, Weight Watchers Points+ 9 points – includes the cheese)

Ingredients:
4 – 6oz boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 lb. tomatoes (I used mini heirlooms for this particular recipe), roughly chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
15-20 basil leaves, chopped
1 1/2 Tbs. balsamic vinegar
Salt
Pepper
1/2 cup shredded parmesan (I shaved mine into ribbons)

Directions:
1. Combine tomatoes, garlic, basil, balsamic vinegar and a shake of salt/pepper. Let this mixture sit for up to an hour
2. Heat a gas grill to medium high heat
3. Sprinkle each chicken breast liberally with salt and pepper
4. Grill chicken 4-6 minutes on each side
5. Top each chicken breast with 1/4 of the tomato mixture and add 2-3 tablespoons of parmesan cheese on top


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Apr 10 2012
4 Comments
Food, Pizza, Recipes

Pizza Party

I have never made pizza dough from scratch, but seeing the cover of the March issue of Bon Appetite had me wanting to try. The recipe is pretty simple and I didn’t change a thing for fear of messing it up. It’s no knead, and requires only 4 ingredients. The only downside is it does take time to rise (about 18 hours) but it’s easy to do the night before and you’re dough will be ready just in time for dinner!

Below you will find the recipe and step by step instructions for the dough followed by the pizzas that I made. Have fun and be creative with your toppings! (Note: this recipe makes enough for 6 10′-12′ pizzas – I only made 4 pizzas and discarded the leftover dough.)

No-Knead Pizza Dough (From the March issue of Bon Appetite, recipe by Jim Lahey)

Ingredients:
7 1/2 cups all-purpose flour plus more for shaping dough
4 teaspoons fine sea salt
1/2 teaspoon active dry yeast
3 cups water

Directions:

For the Dough:
1. Whisk flour, salt, and yeast in a medium bowl. While stirring with a wooden spoon, gradually add 3 cups water; stir until well incorporated.
2. Mix dough gently with your hands to bring it together and form into a rough ball. Transfer to a large clean bowl.
3. Cover with plastic wrap and let dough rise at room temperature (about 72°) in a draft-free area until surface is covered with tiny bubbles and dough has more than doubled in size, about 18 hours (time will vary depending on the temperature in the room). *I am ashamed to admit this, but I actually put my dough next to our heater (turned to 67 degrees). I started it on the floor and then moved it to a chair about a foot from the actual heater.
4. Transfer dough to a floured work surface. Gently shape into a rough rectangle. Divide into 6 equal portions.
5. Working with 1 portion at a time, gather 4 corners to center to create 4 folds.
 6. Turn seam side down and mold gently into a ball. Dust dough with flour; set aside on work surface or a floured baking sheet.
7. Repeat with remaining portions.
8. Let dough rest, covered with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel, until soft and pliable, about 1 hour.
DO AHEAD: Can be made 3 days ahead. Wrap each dough ball separately in plastic wrap and chill. Unwrap and let rest at room temperature on a lightly floured work surface, covered with plastic wrap, for 2–3 hours before shaping.

For the Pizzas:
1. Arrange a rack in middle of oven and preheat to its hottest setting, 500°–550°.
2. Working with 1 dough ball at a time, dust dough generously with flour and place on a floured work surface. Gently shape dough into a 10″–12″ disk.
3. Arrange dough disk on baking sheet; top with desired toppings. Bake pizza until bottom of crust is crisp and top is blistered, about 10 minutes.
4. Transfer to a work surface to slice. Repeat with remaining pizzas.

We made 4 pizzas that night – the only one not pictured below was the Hawaiian. My best advice to anyone making more than one pizza is to prep the ingredients ahead of time (oh and have a glass of wine handy), it will save you time and a headache!

Pizza #1 – Margarita
Handful of basil leaves, whole
Sauce (I used blended crushed Italian tomatoes)
Fresh mozzarella
Pizza #2 - Prosciutto
8-10 Slices prosciutto, sliced
3 oz. crumbled goat cheese
3 oz. fresh mozzarella
3/4 cup caramelized onions
Sauce (again I used blended crushed tomatoes)
Pizza #3 – Sausage and Red Pepper
1/3 lb. Italian chicken sausage
6 oz. goat cheese
1/2 cup peppadew peppers
Sauce (again I used blended crushed tomatoes)

 

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Mar 27 2012
6 Comments
Food, Recipes, Weeknight Dinner, Weight Watchers

Chicken, Asparagus and Goat Cheese Pasta

Asparagus is starting to pop up in grocery stores and fruit stands now and I couldn’t be more excited. I bought a bundle last week without even having a clear intention for them, so I set out to find a good recipe. I wanted something new and different and I wanted to make a main dish with the asparagus, not just put on the side like I usually do.

I stumbled upon an asparagus-goat cheese pasta recipe from Real Simple which looked absolutely to die for.  I wasn’t in the mood to be a vegetarian, so I decided to add some chicken to the original recipe. I also changed the amounts of some of the ingredients, but tried to keep true to the spring time flavors of this lovely pasta!

Chicken, Asparagus and Goat Cheese Pasta Adapted from Real Simple (Serves 6, WW Points+ 11 points/serving)

Ingredients:
1 11/4 pounds chicken breast
1 pound asparagus
1/2 pound dry whole wheat spaghetti
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 3/4 cup chicken broth
4 ounces goat cheese
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
salt
freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
1. Heat a large pan of lightly salted water to boiling over high heat. Trim the ends of the asparagus and cut the stalks into 2-inch pieces.
2. Blanch the asparagus in the boiling water for 2 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking.
3. Heat a grill to medium high heat. Season chicken generously with salt and pepper. Grill the chicken about 4 minutes on each side, or until done. Slice into strips, cover.
4. Add the spaghetti to the boiling water and cook until al dente. Drain.
5. Meanwhile, in a saucepan over medium-high heat, melt the butter. Whisk in the flour.
6. Add the broth and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly (make sure to stir constantly!), until the sauce thickens. Blend in the goat cheese and lemon zest.
7. Toss the spaghetti with the chicken, asparagus, sauce, and half the Parmesan. Serve with pepper to taste and the remaining Parmesan.

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Mar 22 2012
1 Comment
Food, Healthy Eating, Quick and Easy, Recipes, Weight Watchers

Spicy Shrimp and Avocado Lettuce Wraps

*WARNING*: This recipe is very, VERY spicy. Like eyes watering, lips burning spicy. You can decrease the amount of jalapenos (depending on their actual spiciness level, it might not even help) or you could substitute jalapenos for poblanos, which have a slightly spicy aftertaste, but not the bite a jalapeno would have. I also served this dish with some brown rice on the side (rice not included in points value).

Spicy Shrimp and Avocado Lettuce Wraps (Adapted from Aggie’s Kitchen, 6 WW Points +/serving – serves 4)

Ingredients:
1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 head butter lettuce, rinsed with leaves separated (I used green lettuce, but would recommend finding butter lettuce if you can)
4 jalapeno peppers (or 2 poblanos if you are using)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. ground coriander
1/2 cup chopped cilantro, plus more for garnish
1 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil, plus 1 tsp.
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 red or orange bell pepper, diced
1 medium avocado, diced
1 lime

Directions:
1. Set your oven to broil
2. Place the jalapeno or poblano peppers on a sheet of foil, directly under and as close to the broiler as possible. Make sure to keep your eye on them and turn them every few minutes to get an equal char/blister on each side of the pepper
3. Remove, and let cool until you are able to handle them, and give them a rough chop
4. Using a mortar and pestle, (if you don’t have one – you could use a small food processor) combine the garlic, cumin and coriander. Add a pinch of salt and grind until it becomes a paste
5. Add the jalapenos, or poblanos, to the mortar and pestle and grind. Then slowly add the cilantro and 1 tsp. olive oil, grinding until you have a paste again
6. Combine the paste with the shrimp and let it sit for about 15 minutes
7. Heat 1 tsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Sear the shrimp (1 1/2 minutes on one side, 30 seconds on the other). Remove and set aside.
8. Saute the bell peppers until soft (you can add a bit more olive oil if needed)
9. Combine shrimp and bell peppers.
10. Add this mixture to a lettuce cup, top with diced avocado, more cilantro and a squirt of of lime

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Mar 16 2012
4 Comments
Food, Health, Healthy Eating, Recipes, Slow-cooker, Uncategorized, Weight Watchers

Slow cooked “bolognese”

So technically this a crock pot meal, but does take a bit of preparation before hand. I put bolognese in quotes because while it is slow cooked like a bolognese, I omitted the cream which I’m pretty sure you need to make a true bolognese sauce (let’s see how many times I can say bolognese in this post!) and added a few spices that are more likely to be found in a marinara sauce.

To keep this a low calorie and low point meal,  you can serve over roasted spaghetti squash – I served it over some multi-colored pasta.

Slow cooked “bolognese” (5 servings, 5 p+/serving)

Ingredients:
1/4 lb. center cut bacon, chopped
2 tsp. olive oil
1 medium white onion, minced
2 celery stalks, minced
2 carrots, minced
1 lb 95% lean ground turkey
1/4 cup white wine
28 oz can crushed tomatoes
2 tsp. garlic powder
2 tsp. oregano (dried)
1 tsp. onion powder
2 bay leaves
salt and fresh pepper

Directions:
1. In a large saute pan, saute the bacon until the fat starts to render.
2. Add celery, carrot and onion. Cook until soft (about 4 minutes) over medium heat.
3. Increase the heat to medium high and add the meat. Season with salt and pepper, saute until brown.
4. Drain the fat, then add the wine. Cook 3-4 minutes.
5. Add meat mixture to crock pot along with tomatoes, a bit more salt and pepper and the bay leaves.
6. Cook on low for 6 hours.
7. Season with garlic powder, onion powder and oregano and cook 30 additional minutes.
8. Serve over pasta or spaghetti squash.

 

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Mar 16 2012
6 Comments
Baking, Food, Health, Healthy Eating, Recipes, Weight Watchers

Roasted Spaghetti Squash

In an attempt to beef up my meals without sacrificing my precious Weight Watchers points, I sacrificed my pasta one night for roasted spaghetti squash. If you are a true pasta lover, this might be a stretch for you, but I quite enjoyed it. The squash doesn’t have a ton of flavor so it lends itself well as a substitute for pasta.

I tried cooking the squash a few ways, cutting it in half first and cooking squash side up, cutting it in half and cooking rind side up and then cooking whole and cutting after. The best way I’ve found is the rind side up method, I think it keeps the squash firmer.

Roasted Spaghetti Squash
(1 large squash is enough for about 4 people for a main dish. 0 P+/serving)

Ingredients:
1 large spaghetti squash
PAM or an other Non Fat Cooking Spray
Salt
Pepper

Directions:
1. Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees
2. Cut the squash in half length-wise (use a sharp knife, it can be a bit hard to cut if you are using a dull knife)

3. Scoop out the seeds and fibers from the inside of the squash
4. Spray the squash lightly with the cooking spray and liberally salt and pepper each half of the squash
5. Line a cookie sheet or baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the squash rind side up on the baking sheet
6. Cook for 45 minutes
7. Remove the squash, flip it over (use caution, it’s hot!) and let it rest for 5 minutes
8. Using a fork (and pot holders), scrape out the flesh of the squash a little at a time – it will separate into spaghetti like strands
9. Place in a serving bowl and top with pasta sauce, pesto or just some butter and cheese!

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Feb 21 2012
3 Comments
Appetizer, Food, Quick and Easy, Recipes

Tomato Basil Bruschetta

If you are in need of a quick and easy appetizer recipe, here it is! It’s best made in the summer when you have access to fresher/more in season ingredients but making this in the winter did transport me back to summer (for a second anyway). This recipe is adapted from Simply Recipes and the original can be found here.
Ingredients:
1 french or sourdough baguette, sliced into half-inch size pieces
2 lbs heirloom tomatoes (I like the color, you can use regular on the vine too)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp. Olive Oil, plus 1 Tbs. for brushing the bread
1 1/2 tsp. balsamic vinegar
12-14 basil leaves, thinly sliced
Salt
Pepper

Directions:
1. Remove the seeds and juice from the tomatoes as much as possible. Chop tomatoes (you can remove the skin if you want, but I prefer to keep it on).
2. Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees. Brush one side of each slice of bread with olive oil. Place the olive oil side of the bread down on a baking sheet. Bake for 6-7 minutes on the top rack in the oven (or until edges brown)
3. In a large bowl, combine tomatoes, garlic, basil, 2 tsp. olive oil and the balsamic vinegar. Add salt and pepper to taste.
4. Serve tomato mixture with the bread olive oil side up*
 *You can serve this a few different ways, but if you are pre-loading the bread with the tomato mixture, be aware the bread could get soggy. The best way to serve is to have the bread on a platter with a spoon in the bowl to allow people to build their own.

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