blackberry empanadas

my husband was away last weekend, and i decided to get in the kitchen and create (after watching 2 movies on lifetime and about to start my 3rd, i thought i needed to be a bit more productive). as i've told you before, i don't eat sweets often. so that means i don't bake. i will bake an apple pie or a cheesecake from time to time, but a holiday is usually the reason. i found a recipe online that looked easy to make, so i decided to give it a whirl. out came the flour, butter, salt and water. that's it, all made in a food processor! 2 1/4 cups of all purpose flour, 2 sticks of cold butter (oh hush, i was bored), 6-8 tablespoons of cold water and a pinch of salt. throw it in the food processor and you have homemade dough! this makes 2 pie crusts. i knew i wasn't going to make a whole pie, i just wanted to try something with the beautiful dough i just made, so i thought about individual, bite size empanadas. i really like small desserts. for these, i just mixed some blackberries with lemon zest and a spoonful of sugar and flour. used a 3" round cookie cutter and filled it with my mixture. (just to give you a reference of size - only 2 blackberries fit in the crust) brushed an egg wash on top and a sprinkle of sugar. baked them at 400 degrees for about 12 minutes.  if you only eat one, what's the harm, right?  i made eight, but i also ate eight.  had to have been the boredom...
by the way, check out one of my favorite blogs - www.bondstreetbakery.com, this chick can bake!

roasted tomato basil soup

this will blow your mind.  not the soup,(even thought it was very good) but what i am about to tell you. i decided to make a batch of tomato and basil soup for my clients to have around for a few days.  i got off to a late start and was getting pretty hungry myself.  i came across an "organic tomato and basil soup" while i was at the market.  i bought it.  even though i was making my own, it would not have been ready in time for lunch, and  i get grumpy when i'm hungry (my husband calls it mean).  when i got home i looked on the back of the soup to see the ingredient list.  i rarely (pretty much never) buy "premade" food. lesson learned, look before you purchase.  i could not believe how much crap was in this "organic soup".  it was disgusting.  bare with me on this and let me list all the ingredients, there are a lot of them.  then compare it to the one i made.  i hope it turns your stomach as it did mine.

ingredients: tomato juice from concentrate (water, tomato paste, evaporated cane juice, basil), milk, diced tomatoes in juice (tomatoes, tomato juice, sea salt, calcium chloride, citric acid), cream, tomato paste, vegetable base,(vegetables and concentrated vegetables[carrots, celery, onion, and tomato], salt, autolyzed yeast paste, cane sugar, soy sauce (water, soybean, salt, alcohol), maltodextrin, natural flavor, potato starch, autolyzed yeast extract, dried onion, dried garlic and spice, canola oil, water, wheat flour, evaporated cane juice, cornstarch, cultured dextrose on maltodextrin, basil, garlic, salt, tamari soy sauce (water, soybeans, salt, alcohol), citric acid, spices.  phew.  what the heck is maltodextrin and autolyzed yeast paste?  not to mention alcohol?

my ingredient list:  roma tomatoes, olive oil, onions, garlic, canned plum tomatoes, fresh basil, fresh thyme, chicken stock, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper.

the original recipe can be found here.  i used only 3 tablespoons of olive oil in my recipe and no butter.  i also put everything in a blender for a smooth consistency, and removed the seeds from the roma's before roasting.  the photo is before i blended it.

which one would you want to eat?

chicken paillards

i always try to cook for my clients economically. just because they are paying for my services, doesn't mean i can be irresponsible with their money. i generally go to the market every morning, but there are times when i don't always use everything i bought that day. today for instance, i had an avocado, grape tomatoes and some cucumbers in my fridge. it's been a while since i have cooked chicken so i thought a chicken paillard (basically a thinly sliced chicken breast), topped with a fresh "salsa" would be nice. it was a beautiful, sunny, breezy day out, and it just seemed to suit. i marinated a few chicken breasts, which i halved horizontally, in fresh basil,oregano, parsley and garlic. i grilled and topped them with fresh grape tomatoes, cucumbers, avocado, basil, lemon zest, and juice, and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. simple, easy and delicious. i find that simple and fresh is always better.  this photo might not do it justice, but how bad could it be??? 

a simple salmon supper

 this is a very easy supper to put together.  it's light, but still hearty and it has wonderful flavors.  you start by boiling some whole wheat pasta - for a serving of four use only 1/2 pound.  this is not a pasta dish, per se. wash a dry some baby spinach, put a big handful, about 2 cups per serving in a shallow bowl.  while the pasta is cooking, grill your salmon, just salt, pepper and a touch of olive oil.  toss the cooked pasta in a bowl with one clove of minced garlic, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, salt and pepper. toss in 3 tablespoons of capers, the zest and juice of one lemon, and a 1/4 cup of chopped basil.  toss to combine.  put pasta on top of spinach and finish with piece of grilled salmon. i love this meal.  when i feel like eating substantially (which is pretty much always), but don't want to have that over the top feeling, i make this. it has it all...healthy greens, high protein and good carbs! the original recipe can be found here

the mighty choke

i made artichokes for my clients tonight, a snack before dinner. i have always known that this beautiful vegetable was good for us, i just didn't know how good. they are loaded with health benefits. for starters, they are an excellent source of  fiber. artichokes are also one of the most nutrient packed vegetables on the planet. they are an antioxidant powerhouse. they protect against cancer and heart disease. they have anti-inflammatory and anti-allergenic properties. they promote urinary tract health, memory function and healthy aging. they have been shown to inhibit cell proliferation in prostate cancer cells. they help in lowering cholesterol. artichokes also contain anti-cancer and anti-viral properties. i could go on. artichokes are in season now, so go pick up a few. look for ones that have a tight leaves and are heavy in size. i steam mine by cutting the top off about 1 inch. i take scissors and snip the points of the leaves off (i really don't know why i do this, just read many years ago i was suppose to, so, i do...). put in a steamer, cut side down, for about 25 minutes or until you can pierce the stem with a knife and it easily inserts. i eat my chokes plain, sometimes with a small bowl of lemon juice.
hey, scientists have done all the research and hard work for us, all we have to do is eat them and reap the benefits.

i'm crazy for sushia mania!

i rarely eat out, almost never. but, when i do, sushi mania is one place i love!. it's fantastic, for many reasons. it's family operated, and i like that.  pride is involved.  kenny makes the rolls and his wife anna is at the front end. she learns just about everyone's name, so when you come back after a few times, she welcomes you on a first name basis, makes you feel good.  and the food is spectacular.  i have been going to this quaint little restaurant for about 3 years now (sometimes 2 nights in a row) and have never, not once had a bad meal. the photo taken is of a hot night roll, it's the only roll i get now. the rolls are really big, so one is enough for me. the fact that it's owner-operated, you can be guaranteed excellent quality. the food is always plated beautifully...every roll comes out like a piece of art.   the only bad thing about sushi mania...it has turned us into sushi snobs.  we simply don't enjoy any other sushi, it just doesn't stand up.

comfort food at its healthiest - i think

i admit it.  i really like jalapeno poppers... hate the name, hate saying "poppers."  but, i really like the hot jalapeno with the gooey cheese and the crunchy topping. i grow jalapenos in my garden every summer and they grow like crazy.  from salsas, to the salsas, to more salsas ( i think that's all i really ever make with them). knowing that these p*#@ppers (i just can't say it again) are generally loaded in fat, i went on a search for a "healthier" version. i think i found one here .  i changed these up a bit by using reduced fat cream cheese, whole wheat flour, fat free milk, and egg whites.  next time i will use whole wheat panko bread crumbs. let me tell you, they were divine. and you won't miss the fat, i promise.

my banh mi

typically banh mi is made with pork, but i only had a sirloin in the fridge, so i used that. glad i did. i made this for my lunch today and just threw it together. i didn't want to put too much effort into it, i was pressed for time. i did however try to put a few traditional vietnamese elements in it, after all i still wanted it to taste good. while the beef was sitting out, i put some soy sauce, fish sauce and sesame oil over it. while grilling the meat, i thinly sliced a cucumber, carrot, jalapeno, onion, fresh spinach and basil. grilled my baguette, topped it with everything and was out the door. i must say, it was awesome.

cherry cherry, boom boom

i have received many inquiries about the painting i have at the header of my blog. i commissioned my dear friend, zola solamente to paint it for me. above is another piece of her artwork. she is a fantastic artist who lives in boston. she loves painting vibrant food, fruit and floral still lifes. that is why i chose her artwork for my site. i think her artwork is just awesome. please let me know if you are interested in having her create something for your home. original art is just as enriching as well prepared food. at least in my opinion...

fire up the grill for lamb chops!

yep, that's right. it's finally grilling season. outdoors at least. i made these tonight for my clients, aren't they gorgeous! sadly, i didn't make any for myself. not much needs to be done with lamb chops, salt and pepper would be delicious on its own, but i like to marinate mine for a few hours with fresh herbs from my garden. any herb, really. my choice this evening was mint, basil and rosemary. put the herbs in a processor with some garlic and olive oil and pour over the chops. take the chops out of the fridge and let sit for 20-30 minutes, just to let the chill off. salt before grilling. i cooked these medium rare by placing them on high heat, 2 minutes the first side, 3 minutes the second. by the way, these are fantastic to serve as an appetizer for a cocktail party, their easy to eat. (just received a text from one client telling me the lamb chops were "delicious")

move over maryland...

georgia's gonna show you how to make a crab cake!

it's spring time and that screams crab cakes! my husband loves them. if we are ever at the beach, sitting on a deck, drinking a beer (or two) you can bet he is ordering a crab cake sandwich. i am a bit particular towards them, however. it's hit or miss with me. i don't like fried ones. i don't like them loaded with a lot of filling, just the crab itself, please. and i don't like them to be over worked, to a point where it doesn't look like crab meat anymore. i think i make a pretty damn good crab cake. i don't use a bunch of ingredients, and i bake mine, with the help of a cast iron skillet.

1 lb. of lump crab meat - picked through
8 saltine crackers - crumbled - (there's whole wheat saltines out there now!)
1 egg beaten
2 tablespoons of greek yogurt
1 tablespoon of dijon mustard
a good dash of worcestershire
1 tablespoon of old bay
1 tablespoon of fresh parsley
a squeeze of lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste

preheat oven to 400 degrees

combine everything in a bowl except for the crab to incorporate. once everything is mixed together, gently fold in the crab meat. do not over work it! divide meat to make 6 even in size crab cakes. using a cast iron skillet, heat to medium high and spray bottom with olive oil (not pam!, go buy an olive oil sprayer). put cakes in pan and cook for about 2-3 minutes until you get a nice golden crust. flip and put skillet into oven for 10 minutes or so until crab cakes have been warmed through. serve plain, with a lemon wedge, cocktail sauce or tartar sauce. hell, or all of the above!

make your own sauces. it doesn't take a lot of time and they are better for you. there are no extra additives and preservatives, and they just taste better!
click on the sauces above to see how i make mine.

summer succotash

i am constantly on the lookout for new sides to serve my clients. i want it to be in season, healthy, fresh and to taste good. this has it all. very simple to put together and the colors look so nice together, don't you think? i used lima beans for this, if your not a fan, try shelled edamame. i added some fresh corn, cut off the cob, diced roma tomatoes and fresh mint. basil would be fantastic, too. i boiled the limas for 8 minutes, meanwhile i added some fresh chopped garlic to a saute pan, tossed in the corn and cooked for about 2-3 minutes, added the limas. i threw in the tomatoes and mint off the heat . i bet a small squeeze of lemon juice would have been nice. i served this with individual turkey meatloaves with feta and sun dried tomatoes, and pan roasted cauliflower.

absolute heaven

i don't eat dessert often. not for any other reason than i just don't have a sweet tooth. i like sweets, of course i do, but i would much rather fill up on savory items. this however, is simply incredible. i was given tom colicchio's cookbook a few months back and have made this recipe so many times. it is the kind of dessert that absolutely wows people, seriously. not to mention it is easy to make, can be made ahead of time and is relatively low in fat and calories. its a lemon steamed pudding. and this is how you make it. the recipe calls for a serving of 6, but i make it for 5. could be that my ramekins are larger.

i think i am going to make this for my clients on cinco de mayo, but with limes of course!

1/2 cup sugar plus additional for dusting ramekins
2 eggs, separated
3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon of all-purpose flour
pinch of salt
2/3 cup of buttermilk
2 1/2 tablespoons of lemon juice
zest on 1 1/2 lemons

heat the oven to 300 degrees. lightly butter and sugar 5 - 4 ounce ramekins. beat the eggs whites until they hold soft peaks, set aside. sift flour, sugar and salt. in another bowl, combine buttermilk, egg yolks, lemon juice and lemon zest. gradually add the flour mixture. fold in the egg whites. place ramekins in a roasted pan with enough water to come half way up. fill ramekins with batter. cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes, remove foil and bake for an additional 20 - 25 minutes until the tops are lightly golden. unmold and serve alone or with fresh berries, or with a berry compote. i made a blueberry compote by putting blueberries in a saucepan, add about 1/2 cup of water, 2 tablespoons or so of sugar and a squeeze of lemon juice, cook over low heat until blueberries burst.

tyler florence has a version of this recipe that you can find here

light and delicious

i adore pasta. always have, always will. i wish dr. atkins never spoke up (r.i.p.). it's as if pasta is like crack or something. it is one item that i rarely cook for my clients. not because i don't want to, but it's generally only requested for "special occasions". it saddens me, i love making pasta dishes. the recipes are endless. i agree that there are many that are loaded in fat, cholesterol, etc, but there are many that are not. this meal for instance is full of healthy ingredients. i started with a whole wheat spaghetti, and added to it: roasted grape tomatoes (put a few tomatoes on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper, and bake for 12-15 minutes). while the pasta is cooking, saute some garlic, toss in shrimp (peeled and deveined, of course), add a bit of white wine and red pepper flakes. once the pasta is done ( i like to go just a bit longer with whole wheat pasta, maybe 30 seconds or so, i think it taste more like the real stuff, in texture anyway), add it to the tomato mixture. throw in some chopped fresh spinach, fresh parsley and some toasted, chopped almonds. what is possibly unhealthy about that? it's real food, with fresh ingredients, and no preservatives.

so psyched!

this just thrills me! i was asked to cook for a client of mine who was having people over for a wine tasting. he asked that i make a pasta dish using one of the wines they would be enjoying. so, what did i turn to but of course, a bolognese. the head count was 12, so i needed a pan large enough to hold all of the sauce without having to make 2 batches. i have a few le creuset dutch ovens, but not one large enough. i went to william sonoma to invest in a 6 quart le creuset dutch oven. after 45 minutes or so of kicking around the reality i was about to drop $300, i went ahead and pulled the trigger. a bit of buyers remorse came over me, but i quickly got over it. on my way home i stopped by target to grab a few items and what did i see...giada de laurentiis has a line of cooking products. and guess what? yep, she has a beautiful 6 quart dutch oven. for a mere $89. i know what some of you are saying, especially those of you who have and use le creuset. "you get what you pay for" but, come on, how could i resist? needless to say, i made a trip back to willliam sonoma. i have only used it once, but it worked beautifully. it's incredibly heavy, great quality and it's at a fantastic price. i'll keep you posted on how it stands up after a few more uses. she has several fantastic kitchen wares that i can't wait to get my hands on.

green and simple

i make a salad with every meal that i prepare for my clients. when was the last time you made one? i think the key to any good . . . no actually, great salad, is washing the lettuce. and to never, ever, buy salad "kits"... ever. truthfully, i don't even enjoy salads out, not even at really nice restaurants. the lettuce is never crisp. anyway, so this brings me to my point. i am a huge fan of romaine. i make salads with it often. what i like to do is take the outer leaves off, cut the top and bottom of the head and discard. keeping the head in tact, i make about 1/2 inch slices, toss them into the spinner and wash the lettuce under very cold water. i do this with most of the vegetables i am using, excluding a few (mushrooms, tomatoes, onions...)i think it shocks the cut ends and creates for a very crisp bite. i use a salad spinner to dry the lettuce. an item every kitchen should have, by the way.

big tuna

tuna fish was a hard sell in my house. my husband hates mayonnaise more than any other food product out there. i mean he hates it so much, i don't even keep it in my house, hates it. so, in order to get any "mayo" effect, i turn to greek yogurt (fage, because that is the only brand i have tried and have been completely satisfied with) or plain fat free yogurt. i personally think it tastes better than mayo. for this sandwich i used about 1/4 cup of fat free plain yogurt, a heaping spoonful of dijon mustard (please don't use that yellow stuff you put on hot dogs at a fair, go buy dijon.), a splash of worchestershire, garlic powder, onion powder, celery seed, curry powder, a splash of white wine vinegar and one can of albacore tuna, drained. as you can see i also added bacon. easy now, it was only one slice! add whatever you like, shredded lettuce, thinly sliced onion, tomato, shredded carrot even? by the way, i generally never have bacon around. so, when i have any left over from the package, which i always do, i freeze the remainder. i take two slices of bacon, wrap it in plastic wrap, and store in my freezer. when i want to have a slice of bacon for a "special" egg white sandwich for breakfast on the weekends, i simply pull it out of the freezer. it only takes about 15 minutes to defrost. it's a nice weekend splurge. this big tuna is light and goes perfectly with a homemade bowl of soup or salad. you will be left satisfied and full!

cozy quinoa

did you know that quinoa is a super food? one cup has more calcium and protein than a quart of milk. ounce for ounce it has as much protein as meat, contains all the essential amino acids and has high amounts of iron. all in all, it comes closer to any food in supplying all of the nutrients needed for life. and it's delicious. i use it as i do orzo, couscous, farro or any other grain. toss any vegetable, nut, cheese or herb you like and it's sure to satisfy. in this recipe i added toasted pine nuts, fresh parsley and lemon zest. enjoy.

roman chicken

so easy, so tasty. a chicken breast seared, then braised with white wine, peppers, tomatoes and prosciutto, finished off with fresh parsley and capers.(i like to use a bone-in breast - i remove the bone before serving, it's so much more tender and juicy than a skinless/boneless, and by removing the bone it's easier to eat). this is a great meal to put together when you have time in the morning, or you could even do it the day before and reheat it (taste even better that way). i make this meal often for my clients when they ask me to prepare something that they can have over the weekend (i only cook during the week). the recipe can be found here