I'm Backkkkk!

     In my last post, I promised to share a bunch of Thanksgiving recipes. Well not only has Thanksgiving come and gone, but so has Christmas, Valentine's Day and St. Patrick's Day. So many tasty holiday treats went unshared due to my hectic travel schedule, work and wedding planning. While none of these things will be slowing down anytime soon, I feel that I have a better balance of LIFE. While I many have just found my "balance" again, I never stopped cooking. Girls gotta eat!

Stuffed Herby Chicken

Ingredients:
2 whole chicken breasts, skin-on, bone-in
6 ounces garlic and herb goat cheese
Fresh basil leaves
Extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Loosen the skin from the chicken, leaving one side attached.
Stuff cheese and 2 basil leaves under the skin of each chicken breast. Rub with olive oil, then season with salt and pepper.
Bake for 40 minutes.
Serve with pasta and roasted carrots.


Truffle Tagliarelle

Ingredients:
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup heavy cream
6 tbsp butter
1/2 tsp white truffle oil
1 package pasta
1 tbsp chopped chives
Parmesan

Directions:
Bring large pot of water to a boil.
In a saute pan, heat cream over medium heat until it begins to simmer. Add butter, truffle oil, salt and pepper. Mix all ingredients together over low heat.
Add pasta to boiling water and cook according to package. Drain the pasta, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking water.
Mix cooked pasta into sauce, using the cooking water to your liking to keep the pasta creamy.
Sprinkle with chives and parmesan.


Roasted Carrots

Ingredients:
Bunch of carrots
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp minced parsley

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Toss carrots in a bowl with olive oil, salt, pepper and parsley.
Transfer to a sheet pan in one layer and roast for 20 minutes.
Season to taste.

Ketchup!

     It's been awhile since my last post and naturally a lot has happened. Rather than try to recap it all, I'm just going to share a few of the meals I've made lately. I wish I could tell you that I'm back to my regular cooking self, but I'm actually leaving my kitchen tomorrow for 15 days. I plan on picking up tons of foodie inspiration somewhere between Palm Springs, Newport Beach, San Francisco, Sonoma Valley, New York City and Detroit and will have lots to share once I return. Not to mention, I can't wait to share all of the yummy recipes I whip up with my Mom and sisters for Thanksgiving. Gobble Gobble!

Southwestern BBQ Chicken Salad

Ingredients: 

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts

BBQ sauce

1/2 head iceberg lettuce, chopped
1/2 head romaine lettuce, chopped
6 fresh basil leaves, cut into strips
1/2 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup canned corn, drained
2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
1 tomato, diced
1/2 avocado, diced
1/4 cup mexican shredded cheese
Tortilla chips, broken into bite sized pieces
Spicy Ranch Dressing

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. 
Brush BBQ sauce on chicken breasts and cook for 30 minutes.
Cool, then shred into bite sized pieces.
Mix lettuce, basil, black beans, corn, cilantro, tomato, avocado, cheese and tortilla chips in a large salad bowl. 
Toss with spicy ranch dressing and drizzle with BBQ sauce. 

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The Californian

Ingredients:
1 Sesame bagel, toasted
1 tbsp cream cheese
1/4 tomato, sliced
1/4 avocado, sliced
1 egg, cooked over easy
1 tsp cilantro
Red pepper flakes ~~~ CLH

Directions:
Spread cream cheese on bottom half of bagel.
Layer tomato, avocado, egg and cilantro on top of cream cheese.
Sprinkle with red pepper flakes. 
Serve open-faced.

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Chicken Parmesan

Ingredients:
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 egg
1/2 cup bread crumbs
2 tsp italian seasoning
1 cup sun-dried tomato sauce
2 tbsp mozzarella cheese, shredded
2 tsp parmesan cheese, grated

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 deg F.
Combine bread crumbs and italian seasoning in bowl, set aside.
Beat egg in a separate bowl. Brush chicken with egg mixture.
Coat chicken in bread crumbs.
Place coated chicken in casserole dish. Cover with tomato sauce. Bake for 30 minutes.
Sprinkle mozzarella and parmesan cheeses over chicken breasts, then place under broiler for 5 minutes until melted. 


Sauteed Broccoli Rabe

Ingredients:
1 bunch broccoli rabe, tough stems removed
2 tbsp live oil
3 garlic cloves, smashed
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes ~~~ CLH

Directions:
Blanch broccoli rabe, then set aside to dry.
Heat olive oil over medium heat in large saute pan. Add garlic and red pepper flakes. Once garlic begins to brown, remove it from the pan and discard. 
Add broccoli rabe to the pan. Coat in olive oil mixture and cook for a couple minutes more.
Serve with parmesan chicken and crusty bread.

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Slow-Cooker Turkey Chili

Ingredients:
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp yellow onion, diced
1 tbsp jalapeno, minced
1 tbsp garlic, minced
1.5 lbs ground turkey
1 tbsp Emeril's Southwest Essence
1.5 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/8 tsp dried oregano
1 bay leaf
2 cups low sodium chicken broth
1 (10 ounce) can diced tomatoes and green chilies
1 (4 ounce) can diced green chilies
1 can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed

1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 cup canned corn

1 cup canned black beans

1/2 tbsp fresh cilantro stems, chopped
1 tbsp fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
Sour cream
Mexican cheese, grated
Green onions, chopped

Directions:
Heat olive oil over medium heat. Toss in onion and jalapeno and cook for a few minutes. Add the garlic and cook for a couple minutes more. 
Stir in the ground turkey, Emeril's Southwest Essence, chili powder, salt, cumin, oregano and bay leaf. Cook until turkey is browned and cooked through. 
Transfer ingredients from the pan to slow-cooker on low heat. Add chicken broth, tomatoes, green chilies, garbanzo beans, kidney beans, corn, black beans, and cilantro stems and leaves. Mix all ingredients together.
Cook for 8 hours. 
Serve chili in bowls. Top with sour cream, cheese and green onions.

Say Goodbye to Salty Thai

     I was really craving good old fashioned spaghetti tonight, but since I'm going to one of my favorite Italian restaurants tomorrow, I held myself back. What's the next best thing? Well, Thai of course. The only drawback of Thai food is the sodium intake. I swear, the morning after eating Thai I can barely open my eyes because they are so swollen. So, I'm on a mission to make a low-sodium, healthy Thai meal. 

Curried Halibut

Ingredients:
2 tsp canola oil
2 shallots, minced
2 tsp curry powder
2 cups low sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup light coconut milk
1/2 tsp salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 (5 ounce) halibut fillets
2 roasted red peppers, sliced, recipe follows
1 scallion (green part only), sliced
2 cups jasmine rice, cooked

Directions:
Heat canola oil over medium heat in a large pan. Add shallots and cook until browned. Stir in curry powder until fragrant. Add chicken broth, coconut milk and 1/2 tsp of the salt. Simmer for about 5 minutes. 
Season halibut with salt and pepper, then place in pan. Coat the fish with the sauce. Place cover over pan and cook about 10 minutes until fish flakes easily with fork. 
Assemble rice on a plate, followed by roasted red peppers and then the halibut.
Stir the cilantro and scallions in the sauce, then pour sauce over fish. Serve warm.


Roasted Red Peppers

Ingredients:
2 large red peppers

Directions: 
Preheat oven to 500 degrees F. 
Place the whole peppers on a baking sheet and cook for about 35 minutes, flipping a couple times through. 
Remove from oven and cover in aluminum foil. Let it rest for 30 minutes. 
Remove stems, seeds and skin. Cut into quarters. 

No...I mean...MORE Soup for You!

     Not to send you on soup-overload or anything, but it's a rainy day here in Chicago and I can't continue to ignore all of the yummy fall vegetables that have been popping up in the farmers markets lately. Also, it's supposed to jump back into the seventies tomorrow which is totally unexceptable for soup, so I need to get this recipe out while I can (because I don't have 6 months of freezing cold weather ahead of me or anything)...

Butternut Squash and Apple Soup

Ingredients:
1 (3 lb) butternut squash
1 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 tbsp. olive oil
2 shallots, diced
2 garlic cloves, diced
1 carrot, diced
1 celery stalk, diced
1 apple, diced
4 cups chicken broth
1 tsp. cider vinegar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. chili powder, to taste ~~~ CLH
4 pieces thick cut bacon
2 tbsp. reserved bacon fat
Goat cheese, crumbled
Maple bacon croutons, recipe follows

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Trim the top and bottom of the butternut squash. Cut the squash into quarters lengthwise, then cut each quarter in half. 
Arrange squash on a baking sheet. Brush melted butter over squash. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Roast for 45-50 minutes. (TFD: You'll know it is finished when you can pierce it easily with a fork)
Warm olive oil over medium heat in a large pot. Sautee shallots, garlic, carrots, celery and apple until softened - about 7 minutes.
Add chicken broth and simmer for 20 minutes.
Remove skin from roasted squash then puree in a food processor or blender. 
Blend pureed squash and soup together until smooth, then return to pot. 
Stir in cider vinegar, cinnamon and chili powder. 
Cook over medium-low heat for about 5 more minutes or until warm. 
Fry bacon in pan over medium heat until done. Remove from pan, reserving 2 tbsp. for the croutons. Dice bacon into bite size pieces and set aside.
Prepare maple bacon croutons (recipe follows). 
Serve warm soup in bowls and top with croutons, diced bacon and crumbled goat cheese.


Maple Bacon Croutons

Ingredients:
4 (1/2 inch thick) slices day old bread
1 tbsp. grade B maple syrup
2 tbsp. reserved bacon fat
1/2 tsp. paprika
Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:
Dice bread into bite size cubes. Toss with maple syrup, bacon fat, paprika and salt and pepper.
Fry in pan over medium heat until grill marks appear and bread is crunchy, tossing the cubes around every so often to that all sides are golden.

Tomatopalooza

     I have never gotten the flu shot. In fact, I make fun of people who do (like my boyfriend) and honestly I never get sick - but this year it got me. 

     I've been on my death bed for the past week with the flu, unable to eat, drink and especially entertain. My boyfriend's parents were visiting us in Chicago and even though I didn't get to spend very much time with them, I'm definitely enjoying the pounds of tomatoes they brought us from their garden back home. Fresh fruits and vegetables are a big thing to us city folk, so tonight it's Tomatopalooza in our household. 

Fresh Salsa

Ingredients:
3 lbs tomatoes, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 jalapeno peppers, diced*
1 medium white onion, diced
1 bunch cilantro, stems removed
Juice of 1 lime
Salt and pepper, to taste

* CLH: Reduce if you want it less spicy

Directions: Place all ingredients in a food processor and blend until chopped. 
TFD: I prefer chunky salsa, so I blend for just a few seconds. 
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Caprese Skewers

Ingredients:
15 grape or cherry tomatoes
15 fresh mozzarella balls
15 fresh basil leaves
3 tbsp. olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Balsamic glaze
5 wooden skewers

Directions:
Using the wooden skewer - spear tomato, mozzarella, and basil. Repeat until you reach the end of the skewer. Place on a serving dish and pour olive oil over skewers. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Drizzle with balsamic glaze. Serve. 
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Roasted Tomato Basil Soup w/ Grilled Gruyere Croutons

Ingredients:
2.5 lbs roasted tomatoes
4 tbsp. olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, diced
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes ~~~ CLH
1 cup fresh basil, chopped
1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes
4 cups chicken broth
Salt and pepper, to taste
Grilled gruyere croutons, recipe follows
Grated parmesan cheese
Extra basil leaves, for garnish

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Spread tomatoes on a baking sheet and drizzle with 2 tbsp. olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for 45 minutes. 
Heat the rest of the olive oil in a large pot. Add onions until softened. Stir in garlic and red pepper flakes and cook a couple minutes. Be careful not to burn the garlic. Add basil, can of tomatoes, chicken broth and roasted tomatoes out of the oven. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for 2 hours over low heat. 
Transfer ingredients from pot into a blender. Blend until smooth, leaving a few tomato chunks. 
Top with grilled gruyere croutons, parmesan cheese and basil leaves. 
Serve warm. 


Grilled Gruyere Croutons

Ingredients:
1 loaf fresh italian bread
Gruyere cheese, sliced
2 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted

Directions: 
Heat pan on stove over medium heat. 
Cut bread into four 1/2 inch thick slices. Spread melted better on one side of each slice. Layer gruyere on the side that is unbuttered, then top with another slice of bread, buttered side up. 
Place sandwiches on warmed pan and grill until browned. Flip and grill until the opposite side is browned and cheese is melted.
Remove from pan and cool. 
Cut into 1 inch cubes. 

Crowd Pleaser

     My boyfriend hates maple syrup. I on the otherhand, throughly enjoy it...so tonight I'm making a maple-ginger roasted salmon. Just so you don't think I'm a bad girlfriend for making him eat things he doesn't enjoy I'm going to balance it off with his two favorite things - roasted brussels sprouts and rice pilaf.

Maple-Ginger Roasted Salmon

Ingredients:

¾ cup maple syrup*

2 tbsp. minced ginger

2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice

2 tbsp. soy sauce

½ tsp. ground black pepper

½ tsp. salt

1-2.25 lb salmon filet (skin on)

*TFM: Use Grade B if available. It has a stronger maple flavor, with carmel undertones that is better for cooking/baking.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Mix all ingredients except salmon in a bowl and pour into sealable bag. Marinade fish for 2 hours.  
Line baking dish with parchment paper and place salmon skin side down. Brush fish with marinade and roast for 20-25 minutes (TFM: Brush more marinade on fish halfway through cooking time, so the fish doesn’t dry out). 
Fish is done once it flakes easily with a fork.
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Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Ingredients:
1 ½ lbs. brussels sprouts

3 tbsp. olive oil

1 tsp. kosher salt*

½ tsp. ground black pepper

*TFD: Use ¾ tsp. kosher salt before roasting and sprinkle with ¼ tsp. coarse sea salt after roasting.

Directions: 
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. 
Trim ends off of brussels sprouts and cut in half lengthwise. Mix olive oil, salt and pepper in a bowl. Toss brussels sprouts in mixture and arrange in one layer on baking sheet. 
Roast 35-40 minutes, until crisp on the outside(TFM: Shake baking sheet every 10 minutes or so to prevent burning).  



BTW, my boyfriend cleared his plate.