YUM: Strawberry Brie cups

I just made these for a New Years party and they were not only quick and easy but also delicious.

Buy:
1 wedge of Brie
Strawberry jam
Phyllo cups

Do:
Cube the Brie and place it into the phyllo cups
Bake at 350 for 7 minutes
Remove from oven and scoop jam onto each cheese cup
Bake again at 350 for 3 minutes

Ready to eat in 2 minutes!!!! Crispy and delish!

YUM: Labor Day Guacamole!

Holy guacamole, this stuff is AMAZING!!!!

3 ripe avocados
1 clove garlic
2 small slivers of chopped red onion
1 plum tomato
1.5 tsp lime juice
1/4 tsp salt (plus a pinch)

Mix it all together (without completely smashing the avo's) and you should be set. If you need to keep it fresh for a party (like me) wrap it in saran wrap with the saran actually touching the guac.  Air is what ruins it, so don't leave any room for it.  Also, you can be paranoid like me and throw the pit in along with another glass cover on top.

Enjoy your long holiday weekend!
L

YUM: Chickpea Salsa Lettuce Wraps

Another quick and absurdly easy recipe by yours truly! All you need is: salsa, veggies, chickpeas and lettuce! It takes no time at all.

15 oz chickpeas/garbanzo beans (these are the same thing, right?)
12 oz salsa
veggies of choice
Lettuce leaves for wrapping

Mix chickpeas and salsa into a small/medium saucepan and cook for about 10-12 minutes.  

No clue what the face is for. This stuff is great!

Let cool. Either overnight or a couple hours in the fridge.  Then, chop up any veggies you feel like adding, wash your lettuce and you're done prepping.

Choose whatever veg toppings you lurve. I picked avocado and tomato!

Throw it all on a slicer of lettuce and eat like a regular burrito. YUM.

So delicious!

Caution: little dogs may become depressed when they realize none of the yum is for them.

xoxo

L

YUM: Homemade Manicotti

This recipe is a slight variation (skim milk/less salt) of my uber-Italian Grandma's (who pronounces it "munny-gutt") and it is my FAVORITE.  It's also been a Christmas tradition for as long as I've been alive and I even remember the banner year that I managed to scarf down 7 in one sitting.  I was 10 years old and 60 pounds. Yeah, it's that good.

What you need to make 15/16 shells:

3 eggs

1 cup milk (I used skim and found there to be no depressing outcome)

1 cup flour 

What you need to make 15/16 fillings:

1 lb ricotta (I used part-skim)

1 egg

salt 

pepper

Locatelli (similar to Parmesan)

Extras:

Marinara sauce (I use Pomi)

Fresh Mozz (optional topping)

Mix all of the ingredients together for the "shell" (skin? casing?) and grab a small saucepan. Spray it and turn your oven to Low.  Also, if you have a tiny ladle like I do,  one scoop produces the perfect shell amount.  PS. These things cook FAST once the pan is hot, so it's a pretty quick process once you get started.

Makin' the hubs WERK it!

Put your oven to 350 degrees.

Onto the filling: mix the above ingredients together and then throw in some Locatelli, salt and pepper "to taste."  I like a LOT of Locatelli...almost 10 spoonfuls.  Definitely taste your concoction and if it's too thick, add half of an egg.

Once you are set, foil your pan, spread out a thin layer of Marinara Sauce and start filling your Manicotti! FYI: you can fit 18-20 on each cookie sheet.  

Pour some red sauce over top of your pasta and sprinkle Fresh Mozzarella or Locatelli over top.  Then, cover it up with some foil and you're almost done.

Bake for about 25-35 minutes (I did 32 so that the little edges got some crisp...however, I think this dried the filling out a bit.)

After that, you should be golden.  Also this is the perfect meal for a large group! Amazing, delicious and filling!

Pre-baking manicotti

Enjoy your feast!

L

YUM: Overnight Oats with Chia

A friend of mine posted a recipe for this on facebook and I just knew that I had to steal it and make it.  

Done and done.

The hubs and I did a test-run last night with a taste-test this morning resulting in a tastebud explosion, resulting in a unanimous decision. Chia shall soon become my sister-wife. We're in love! This breakfast is SO easy and SO healthy. And even more than that, it is SO filling.  It's definitely an amazing alternative to an egg and cheese bagel sandwich.  Although, I probably shouldn't mention those guys in a post where I'm trying to get people excited about eating chia seeds. I apologize. My b.

Here's the Overnight Oats with Chia recipe (with a couple alterations from yours truly):

1/2 cup Rolled Oats

1/2 cup Vanilla Greek Yogurt (you can use Plain)

2/3 cup Almond Milk (you can use regular Milk)

1 tbsp Chia Seeds

For later:

Healthy (less ingredients on the label/no processed stuff) strawberry jam

1 Banana

Mix all of the top ingredients together in a glass bowl or jar and leave overnight in your fridge.  The next morning, add some strawberry jam and half of a banana or a whole one if you're crazy and voila! Breakfast is served.

My camera is on the fritz, so these awful phone pictures will have to do. Sorry!

Yes my chia is in an old salsa bottle.

It's possible you think this looks grosser than the food in your grandmother's nursing home cafeteria.  That is possible, but please...hold your throw up.  This stuff tastes good! I promise. Now, close your lids and try some. You are going to LOVE it!


xoxo
L

Veggie Loaves are...not attractive.

Guess what this lucky girl had for lunch?!

A veggie-filled monster turd with cat throw up poured over it!   

Stop, I'm drooling. 

If the 8 year old version of myself ever caught wind that I would later in life become someone who willingly consumed veggies in loaf form, I would have passed out flat on the playground.  Which is actually great because it would give now-me a chance to slide a nice slice of veggie loaf down my little kid gullet.  Gotta get those taste buds ready! YUM!!! This stuff is awesome.
 

YUM: Crock-pot Salsa Chicken

Holy awkwardly easy recipe alert!

I may have stumbled upon the world's easiest crock-pot recipe (from my sister's cooking blog). How did people survive before crock-pots? And how will I exist NOW that I know such a domestic dream exists?!  Will I ever be capable of cooking non-crock-pot again?

Only time will tell, I suppose...

So, here's how the Salsa Chicken taste-fest went down:

My hand-me-down crock pot.

Hour 0: Chicken and slime. YUM.

  

First, I tossed a whole SLOP of Tomatillo green salsa along with Medium Tomato salsa into my cauldron without measuring. Next, I dumped 3 nakey chicken cutlets into the mix and proceeded to shake an ungodly amount of chili powder atop.

Then, I waited.

Hour 4: A bit on the soupy side from the Tomatillo salsa

Four hours later, I turned the heat level from LOW to HIGH and I stirred, chopping at the chicken ever-so-slightly with my witches wooden spoon.

Then came abandonment phase numero dos.

SEVEN hours (total) later, dinner time was upon the Thompson household and THIS is what I found in my crock-pot-o-love:

Poorly photographed, shredded chicken bliss!

We topped with "Follow Your Heart" Vegan Nacho Cheddar, lettuce, and tomatoes.

Remy waited with bated breath for some chicken delicious-ness to fall his way but sadly, it did not (too much chili powder).

I really wish this computer had smell-o-vision.  For your sake.  

Ultimately, I'd say that this meal is quite possibly the crowd pleasing recipe of the century.  It's pleasing for me because I threw stuff in a pot and checked on it twice before delivering perfection, and it's pleasing to hungry burrito lovers because it makes Mexican dinner night WAY more zest-filled and flavorful than ever before.  

Needed:
Chicken breast (however many you want)
Salsa (however much you want to use...I used an entire small container)
Tomatillo Salsa (I used 4 or so "dollops") 
Chili powder - this is better than using taco seasoning (I sprinkled this on there every time i checked on it...about 29 times)


You can't mess this up. I promise.

Dive bar dilemma - Kate's Joint

It's a sad, sad world.  When I moved to NYC in 2005 it took me a loooong time to find my "going out" niche.  You see...I love dive bars, but not their food.  I love the feeling that I don't have to dress a certain way when I go out, but I also don't like feeling that I have to eat french fries and nachos if I choose not to starve.  See? Dilemma.

That is...until I found Kate's Joint.  This place, on the corner of Avenue B and 4th street, is the very first bar that I went to and immediately knew, "I will be back. Every week. For years."  Kate's is divey with unmatched everything, yet so comfy and cozy.  It's less gritty and gross and much more low-pro and awesome.  Also, they serve a completely vegetarian menu (and vegan, if that's your thing).  Sure, they have nachos and fries if you still want that stuff, but they also have awesome alternative options (I will have some vegan cheese pizza please!).  FINALLY, I had found a place that would allow me to drop my bags and stay a while.

Kate's Joint with the hubs - 2007

Well, I've been going for the past 6 years now and loving it.  Never has the idea that they may need to close at some point down the road crossed my mind.  NEVER.  Because if that was a possibility, I would cry.  This week I've learned that my little nightmare is coming true.  They owe a whole lotta money in rent and things are looking bleak.  But, Kate's is not going without a fight.

This Friday, they are having THIS fundraising event:

http://www.facebook.com/events/326729597388092/

And on Saturday, the hubs and I are having our very own "sit in" ALL day long (just like the good old days) starting at noon.  I'm so sad to see a true staple of my new york life bid the east village adieu and will definitely need this one last hurrah to fill the memory book!  And heck, maybe if enough people drop by and order enough drinks and hummus wraps, they can stay open forever!!!!  (I've always been a dreamer)  A girl can hope!

You can and should donate here:
www.indiegogo.com/savekatesjoint

With so many needy causes, I'm certain this will tug at your heart strings most (I'm only half-joking).  SAVE  INDEPENDENTLY OWNED EAST VILLAGE DIVE BARS!  


Thanks! 
xoxo

YUM: Cauliflower crust pizza

Pizza and veggie lovers, unite.  

I'm always looking for a healthier take on pizza.  Like most health-food-searchers, I do the usual things: sub whole wheat crust for white, use non-dairy cheese or organic tomato sauce, but to no avail.  Even a good whole wheat crust pizza usually leaves me thinking, "ew. that was weird."  So, I was really surprised to try this amazing Cauliflower Pizza recipe of my sister's.  What a tasty success! 

http://themoserfive.wordpress.com/2012/02/27/cauliflower-crust-pizza/

Side-effects:  I found myself feeling super burp-y after downing a healthy sized portion of this.   This does not mean you should avoid eating it, but rather eat with a crowd, so the condition is shared.  Burping = awesome feeling.  Holding in burps = no bueno.

YUM: Corn on the cob

Try this: 

Corn on the cob with

Cotija cheese  and

smoked paprika

Delicious!

YUM - Mac and Cheese with a side of Spinach, please!

Tonight's dinner only took 3 hours.  Juuuust kidding...it took 2, but it was glorious.  So so glorious.  

Unfortunately, I am a mac and cheese addict.  To the core.  Nowadays I try to use Annie's organic mac and cheese when I want some, but mostly I just avoid the stuff.  Especially if I'm out.  That's why last year, Jeff felt SOOOOOO bad for me (can you imagine never having a baked version of your favorite food?!) and made this fabulous rendition of S'mac.  It's made with whole wheat shells, 1% cottage cheese, low fat extra sharp cheddar, paprika, breadcrumbs, olive oil and organic fat free milk.  Oh, and a couple tablespoons of flour.  

The recipe isn't exactly GOOD for you, but it's a snazzy alternative.  

Cheesy goodness +

Whole Wheat Organic pasta shells +

a tid bit of breadcrumbs =

YUMMY GOODNESS!!!!!

And for our side...

A quick little stir fry of broccoli, garlic and spinach did the trick. 

For all you doers, here's the recipe:

3 Tbsp breadcrumbs

1 Tsp extra virgin olive oil

1/4 Tsp Paprika

1 3/4 cups low fat milk
1 cup 1% or fat free cottage cheese

3 Tbsp flour

2 cups shredded extra sharp cheddar or cheese alternative

1/8 Tsp ground nutmeg (we've never had this around to use)

1/4 Tsp salt

Pepper to taste

8 ounces whole wheat pasta (Use an extra cup)

Boil pasta for 4 minutes and then add to:

Heat milk in large sauce pan over medium/high heat until steaming.  Whisk remaining 1/4 cup milk and flour in a small bowl until smooth; add to the hot milk and cook, whisking constantly until the sauce simmers and thickens, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in Cheddar until meltied.  Stir in cottage cheese, nutmeg and salt and pepper.

Add pasta to this delicious sauce. Sprinkle your breadcrumbs atop. And then send it off into the oven (Which is heated to 450 degrees) for 25 to 30 minutes.

VOILA!!!! Yum-ness is yours.

YUM: Valentine Dinner = Complete Success

Woohoo! It's cookin time!  General Tao's Chicken made the Vegetarian way (Yes, I eat a lot of vegetarian food.  No, I'm not a full-fledged vegetarian.)

SO...since Jeff has a crying problem, he threw on my sunglasses and got to chopping the onions.  We used 1 onion less than the recipe from Vegweb.com called for.

 We also threw in some broccoli to sautee.  I love broccoli!

 Morning Star Chik'n Strips are more bomb than 1999.  Try them! 

 Here's our whole battering, or as I like to call it, "antiquing" process:

 And into the cornstarch, you go.

 

 Here were our ingredients.  We will definitely be making this again with so many leftovers!

 Pre-frying.

Mid-frying.

 Post-everything! YUM!!!

 

 Time to eat!

This dish rules.  Next time...a tad more sugar and we'll be as good as gold!

Recipe time:  General Tao's Chk'n.

12 ounce box firm tofu, in 1" cubes (frozen and thawed)  OR Morning Star Chik'n (That's what we did!)
1 egg or egg replacer prepared
    3 tablespoons + 2 tablespoons water, divided
    3/4 cup + 1 tablespoon cornstarch, divided
    vegetable oil (we used virgin olive. Made no difference) for frying + 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
    3 green onions, chopped
    1 tablespoon minced ginger
    1 tablespoon minced garlic
    2/3 cup vegetable stock
    1/4 cup granulated sugar
    2 tablespoons soy sauce
    1 tablespoon white vinegar
    1 tablespoon sherry, optional
    red pepper, to taste
    steamed broccoli, to serve

By the way...we had no idea what "divided" meant.  We just kept ingredients away from each other. 

1. Mix the egg and add an additional 3 tablespoons water.  Dip tofu/Chik'n in egg mixture and coat completely.  Sprinkle 3/4 cup cornstarch over tofu and coat completely.  Watch out that the cornstarch doesn't clump up at the bottom of the bowl.

2. Heat oil in pan and fry tofu pieces until golden. Drain oil. Heat 3 tablespoons vegetable oil in pan on medium heat.  Add green onions, ginger, and garlic; cook for about 2 minutes.  Be careful not to burn garlic. 

3. Add vegetable stock, sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, sherry, and red pepper. 

4. Mix 2 tablespoons water with 1 tablespoon cornstarch and pour into mixture stirring well.  Add fried tofu/Chik'n and coat evenly.

Serve immediately with steamed broccoli over your choice of rice.

Serves: 4, Preparation time: 30 Minutes

Dessert - An odd rendition of the old Krispie Treat

Kamut (the recipe uses puffed rice) puff krispie treats made without marshmallows may sound kinda terrible...but they aren't!  They're just different!  Be nice.  These treats may not be like the old krispie treats made from the blue box, but they're still super dessert-y and awesome for curbing a sweet tooth in a healthier way.

Here's the recipe, taken from vegweb.com and altered a bit:

Crispy treats!

    1/2 cup agave syrup
    3/4 cup sugar
    1 tablespoon whipped

    1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
    5 cups puffed rice cereal or Kamut, divided

Directions:

1. Begin by heating the syrup in a small pot over medium heat, then add the sugar to the pot. Stir continuously for a few minutes; you might start to notice it bubbling at the bottom. If it starts to become frothy, turn down the temperature some.

2. When it starts to look like it's boiling, add the margarine. Stir until evenly mixed, then add the vanilla, still stirring. If you notice that the syrup/sugar mixture does not boil, you can turn up the heat.

3. Meanwhile, in a very large bowl, measure out about 5 cups cereal. Pour the heated mixture over the cereal. Stir all ingredients with a heat resistant spatula making sure to evenly combine.

4. You might want to add the remaining cup or more of the cereal, depending on the amount of saturation you're looking for. Lay out a 9x13" piece of wax paper, and lightly spray with oil.

5. When mixture is stirred to satisfaction, pour the cereal on to the wax paper, using the spatula to push it into a large rectangle, approximately 1" or so thick. Allow the rice crispies to cool until hard, about an hour or so (although sampling of a chunk of warm rice crispies is possible for instant gratification!)

Serves: about 20 medium sized squares, Preparation time: 15 prep, 1 hour to cool