elly says opa

Spaghetti and Turkey-Pesto Meatballs

January 2, 2013 · 17 comments

in chicken/poultry,healthy,italian,pasta

It’s taken me quite a while to board the ground turkey train. Even as a healthy eater, ground turkey just never appealed to me in the slightest. I’m not even all that crazy about the big roasted bird, so it makes sense that I wouldn’t go gaga over a ground version. Plus, ground sirloin is lean and tasty, so why bother?

Well, originally? Largely because of money. Calorie-wise, most ground turkey is similar to ground sirloin, especially if you’re using “ground turkey” vs. “ground turkey breast.” It’s true that you should limit your red meat, but you don’t need to stay away from it altogether. But when it comes to cost? Well, since we started buying organic/grass fed/humanely treated animal meat, ground turkey is just a lot cheaper than ground sirloin or lean ground beef. So, while we still purchase red meat, we’ve reduced it a bit in lieu of things like ground turkey and turkey sausage.

The good news is I’ve learned how to use ground turkey pretty well, which is to say it’s more of a blank canvas than anything, sort of like chicken breasts. As long as you use great tasting ingredients, the turkey will be pretty great tasting, too. And in my mind, you can never go wrong with anything pesto flavored. I’ve been wanting to make turkey pesto meatballs for a while, but it finally happened recently when I had some extra basil to use up. I doctored up my standard meatball recipe, and it turned out wonderfully. I can honestly say I didn’t miss the beef at all and Tom commented both at dinner and the following day, after eating leftovers for lunch, how great the meal was. Zachary for his part also ate 3 meatballs, so I’d say it was a winning dish all around.

Spaghetti and Turkey-Pesto Meatballs

Meatballs
1/3 cup breadcrumbs
1/4 cup milk
1.5 Tbsp. pine nuts
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 cup loosely packed fresh basil (about 1 oz.)
4 tsp. olive oil, divided
1/3 cup finely diced onion
1 lb. ground turkey
1 tsp. salt
ground black pepper
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/4 cup Parmesan or Romano cheese

Sauce
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
2 cups canned crushed tomatoes
1/3 cup beef broth, chicken broth, or water
1/2 tsp. oregano
salt and pepper to taste
fresh basil, optional

8-10 oz. dry whole wheat spaghetti

To make the meatballs: Preheat the oven to 375. Place the breadcrumbs in a medium bowl and pour the milk over the top. Allow the breadcrumbs to soak as you prepare the next steps. In a small skillet over medium heat, toast the pine nuts, stirring until golden brown and fragrant. Cool slightly and place in food processor. To the food processor, add the garlic, basil, and 2 tsp. oil. Pulse until well blended.

Heat the oil in a skillet (I just use the same one I used to toast the pine nuts) and add the onion, cooking until translucent. Cool slightly.

To the breadcrumb mixture, add the turkey, salt, pepper, egg, cheese, onions, and basil mixture. Mix until just incorporated, being sure not to overmix. Form the mixture into meatballs and place on a baking sheet (I like to line with foil for easier cleanup). Bake until nearly cooked through, about 10 minutes for 1″ meatballs.

To make the sauce: Heat a large skillet over medium heat, and add the oil. Stir in the onion and cook until translucent. Add the garlic and crushed red pepper, stirring until fragrant, about 1 minute. Deglaze the pan with the balsamic vinegar, scraping to remove any browned bits from the pan and allowing the vinegar to become absorbed. Add the crushed tomatoes, broth/water, oregano, and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer over low heat as the pasta and meatballs cook.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add salt and the pasta and cool until al dente.

Remove the meatballs from the baking sheet and place them in the sauce. Cover and continue to simmer until meatballs are thoroughly cooked and pasta is ready. Serve the sauce and meatballs over the cooked pasta, topping with additional fresh basil, if desired.

{ 17 comments }

2012 Year in Review: Favorite Recipes

December 31, 2012 · 5 comments

in misc.

Happy (early) New Year! I hope you enjoyed the holidays and are having a fun time gearing up for 2013. Today, I’m really excited that Zachary gets to help with making our traditional new year’s bread/cake—the vasilopita—for the first time! By this time next year, we’ll have to cut an extra slice for kiddo #2!

Every year, I love doing a “favorites” post to share my favorite (and your) recipes from the year. It gives me a chance to reflect on the things I’ve made, and more importantly keep track of the hits for our family that will likely be staples for years to come. If you’re a new reader, it gives you a chance to look at the best of the best without scrolling through as much (though, as the owner of this blog, it is my duty to tell you to scroll through. ;-))

This year, I actually posted less frequently than every other year (sorry ’bout that), but when I made my preliminary list of favorite recipes, I somehow managed to have one of my largest lists ever. I guess that means that, despite my less frequent postings, we still ate a lot of great stuff this year. It was really difficult to whittle it down to 15. One of my requirements for a main dish making it onto the list was that we had to have eaten it more than once since making it for the first time (and, if you know other bloggers or people who really love trying new recipes, you know that sometimes, even if a meal is really great, it can take a while to make it again because of all the others you want to try first).

“Your” favorite recipes are those that received the most traffic and/or links back. This year, I also asked Tom to list his favorite recipes. We actually only overlapped on 3 things in his top 10 – though all but one of the things on his list made it onto my preliminary one.

And if you’re feeling nostalgic—or, like me, you just really love lists and can’t get enough of them—check out the round-ups from the preview years:

2011
2010
2009
2008
2007

2012: Your Favorite Recipes

2012: Tom’s Favorite Recipes (in order of posting date)

2012: My Favorite Recipes (in order of posting date)

Lighter Chicken and Dumplings
This version of chicken and dumplings is slightly healthier than thte standard, but you’d never know. The broth is so rich and flavorful, and the meal is comfor food at its best. Plus, it taught me a new trick about making dumplings come out fluffy and light vs. soggy/sticky.

Key Lime Yogurt Cake
I took one of my favorite yogurt breads/cakes, and adapted it to include the winning combo of lime and coconut. The result was an incredibly moist cake (or bread, if you want to be healthier) with a bright citrus punch.

Goat Cheese Drop Biscuits
Goat cheese. Biscuits. Nuff said.

Chicken with Creamy Green Chile, Tomatillo, and Poblano Sauce
I think I made this sauce 3 times in the same month. It’s so easy, healthy, creamy, and delicious. It’s great with chicken but it would be equally great with another protein, or as a topping for nachos, or…anything. Really. Just make this stuff. While writing this post, I actually managed to add it to next week’s menu.

Mushroom-Crusted Chicken Burgers
Anything with mushrooms is a winner in my book, but dried porcinis, creamy cheese, and peppery arugula put these burgers high on my list.

Super-Crisp Oven-Baked Fish
Okay, if you know me at all or follow this blog, it’s probably pretty surprising that I’m listing a fish recipe as a favorite of the year. But, this recipe is just that great. The crispy coating really makes it and topped with a few squeezes of fresh lemon, I’m pretty sure fish doesn’t get much better.

Tsoureki (Greek Easter bread)
It took forever, but I finally made my first tsoureki and it turned out fabulously – albeit, really huge. This year I know to split it into more loaves!

Skillet Ground Beef Stroganoff
I’d be remiss not to add this one to the list. It’s not the most gorgeous or complicated dish, but it quickly became one of our staple dinners. Easy to make and full of flavor but not preservatives, like its (less tasty) Hamburger Helper counterpart. I’m also going to cheat and sneak in an extra different, but similar dish here: creamy taco mac. Both have made whatever semblance of a rotation we have.

Southwestern Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
This meal really surprised me. I liked all of the ingredients, but the end result was even better than the sum of its parts. This recipe was a big winner among all of us – which is especially awesome when it’s a healthy vegetarian recipe.

Fresh Strawberry Cake with Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting
Tom’s pretty pink birthday cake. :) And all the pink comes from fresh strawberries – no dyes here!

Summer Barley Risotto
This was another surprise hit. But I guess it should never be surprising when a dish with oven roasted tomatoes turns out wonderfully.

Fattoush
Considering we had this all.the.freaking.time. over the summer, this salad is deserving of a spot on this list.

Margherita Pizza/Thin Crust Pizza Dough
For its crispiness, ease, and taste, this pizza dough quickly became my favorite one to make. This pizza keeps it simple with fresh tomatoes, basil, and fresh mozzarella.

Hummingbird Coffee Cake
Oh, this coffee cake. I had every intention of taking much of it into the office, but I couldn’t bear the thought of parting with it and neither could Tom. This coffee cake is incredibly moist and packed with tons of my favorite ingredients.

Slowcooker Loaded Potato Soup
People always seem to have a ton of luck with crockpot soup recipes, but I am rarely one of those people. This soup, however, fired on all cylinders.

{ 5 comments }

Soft Frosted Sugar Cookies

December 18, 2012 · 6 comments

in desserts/sweets

I don’t get a lot of pregnancy cravings (more like justifications for making poor food choices…) but when I do, they’re pretty terrible. And I don’t necessarily mean terrible as in unhealthy, I mean terrible as in being really processed. With both pregnancies, I started wanting “pistachio salad” like, immediately (total lol that it’s called a salad). I’ve been craving casseroles with cream of ___ soups that I haven’t eaten in years. Lipton flavored noodle packages sound amazing. And holiday-themed soft frosted sugar cookies have been at the top of my want list forever. As soon as I started seeing giant frosted pumpkins and snowmen, I’ve been thinking about them 24/7.

But even so, I haven’t yet purchased one of those giant cookies, or the Lofthouse cookies that they sell in plastic clamshell packages in the grocery store (actually, I haven’t given into any of the above cravings – yet). That said, when I was deciding what to bake for the holidays, soft frosted sugar cookies rose to the top of my list.

Now, I’m not going to tell you these are healthy. Surely they aren’t. But, they’re made from real ingredients without preservatives and really, they couldn’t be easier. These are definitely better than the stuff you buy at the grocery store and don’t have that fake aftertaste. There is a good amount of vanilla in this recipe, which makes them especially good (though I have no doubts a little almond extract would be great in them, too). A quick note on the vanilla—if you leave the frosting uncolored, be sure to use a clear vanilla extract if you want to keep the frosting white. I don’t have clear extract, and mine was a little off-white (not that I minded).

Zachary loved helping decorate these cookies and by some small miracle, didn’t eat anything as he was doing so. Generally, having him help with dinner just leads to him eating an entire meal off the cutting board before dinner is served. This time I told him he could help decorate, but no cookies till after dinner, and he obliged. When he got frosting on his fingers, he even asked for a napkin instead of licking it off. Weird.

We were big fans of these cookies, and I’m so glad to have finally made them. I didn’t have the time or inclination to go all out with royal icing Christmas sugar cookies this year, and these were a fabulous compromise.

I’ve had this recipe bookmaked from Hostess with the Mostess and made it from there, but later looked at Annie’s version and realized she increased the cookie recipe without increasing the frosting. So, I’m actually using her adjustments, because I definitely had a ton of leftover frosting making the recipe as-is. Plus this way you get more cookies. Win-win.

Soft Frosted Sugar Cookies

Adapted from Hostess with the Mostess

Cookies:
4.5 cups all purpose flour
4.5 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. salt
1.5 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1.5 cups sugar
3 eggs
1.5 Tbsp. vanilla extract

Frosting:
1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
scant 1/4 cup milk
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
5 cups powdered sugar, sifted

To make the cookies, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Place the butter and sugar in a stand mixer and beat on medium-high until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time, followed by the vanilla extract, just until incorporated. Reduce the mixer speed to low and slowly add the flour mixture, just until incorporated. Wrap the dough in plastic and chill for an hour or longer.

Preheat the oven to 375 and line baking sheets with a silicone mat or parchment paper. Roll about 2 Tbsp. of the dough into a ball and place on the prepared baking sheet, repeating with the remainder of the dough. Alternatively, you can roll the dough out and then cut into shapes with cookie cutters. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or just until the edges start to turn a light golden brown, being careful not to overbake. Place the pans on cooling racks and, after a few minutes, move the cookies themselves to the racks.

To make the frosting, whisk or beat the butter, milk, and vanilla together. Add sugar, 1 cup at a time, until frosting is the desired consistency (if it gets too thick, add a small amount of milk). Tint with food coloring, if desired.

{ 6 comments }

Za’atar & Lemon Lamb Chops with Bulgur Risotto and a GIVEAWAY!

December 14, 2012 · 63 comments

in lamb,middle eastern

Since I’m Greek, it’s no surprise I love lamb. I grew up on it, eating it easily once a week (ah, the good ol’ days) and my love for it remains (though I now prefer it much less done than most Greeks :))

I’ve had Lava Lake Lamb quite a few times in the past, and it’s always been great. Their lambs are grass fed and roam freely over tons of rangeland. Over the past couple of years, we’ve shifted to only purchasing organic/grass-fed and humanely treated meats, which is important to us. The great thing about Lava Lake is that they ship the meat right to your door–plus, they now offer beef, too!

Lamb chops are high on my list of favorite types of lamb. A lot of times I make them in a way that is pretty typically Greek, with olive oil, lemon, and oregano. These are not vastly different, but I substituted za’atar for the oregano to give these a bit more of a Middle Eastern vibe. I thought feta risotto would be a great accompaniment, but decided to go with bulgur instead of rice, to further play on the Middle Eastern theme.

My husband was so excited about these that he kept looking at them in the fridge, both before and while they were being marinated. I was pretty excited about them myself, and for good reason. They were fabulous. Lamb chops are so quick and easy to cook, but they still feel very special, and can be elegant. We were big fans of this meal all around.

Before we get to this giveaway, just a reminder that the giveaway for the immersion blender ends tonight, so be sure to enter if you haven’t already.

And now, for the GIVEAWAY!

One reader will win a $50 gift card + free shipping from Lava Lake Lamb! Just leave me a comment telling me your favorite cut of lamb or beef, or your favorite lamb/beef dish.

Contest ends on Tuesday, December 18th at 11:59 p.m. CST. Be sure to include your email address (it will be visible to no one but me) so I can contact you if you win. Limit one entry per person.

By the way, the last day to place an order for Lava Lake to arrive by Christmas is December 17. Sign up for their newsletter, too, because there will be a lot of specials to make your $50 gift card stretch!

Disclaimer: Lava Lake supplied me with these lamb chops, and is also funding this giveaway. All opinions about the company and meat are my own.

Lemon-Zaatar Lamb Chops with Bulgur & Feta Risotto

Serves 2

Lamb Chops:
1 Tbsp. za’atar
ground pepper
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 Tbsp. olive oil
4 lamb loin chops
Lemon wedges for surving

Mix together the za’atar, pepper, lemon juice and olive oil. If your za’atar doesn’t have salt, you’ll want to add that too.Place the lamb chops in a shallow bowl or plate, and rub all over with the mixture. Refrigerate for 1-1.5 hours, or allow to rest on the counter for 30-45 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 400. Heat a large, heavy-bottomed skillet (cast iron works great) over medium-high heat. Add the lamb chops and sear for 2-3 minutes per side. Place in the oven and cook for an additional 4-5 minutes for medium rare. Rest for a few minutes before serving. Serve with lemon wedges.

Bulgur Risotto with Feta:
2 cups stock or broth (I used a combo of beef and chicken)
1.5 tsp. butter
1.5 tsp. olive oil
1/4 cup finely diced onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup medium grain bulgur
3 Tbsp. dry white wine or dry vermouth
1/2 tsp. lemon zest
1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese

Place the stock in a small saucepan and keep over low heat on the stove as you make the bulgur.

Heat a small walled skillet or a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the butter and oil and, once melted, stir in the onion; cook until translucent. Add the garlic and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the bulgur and stir until toasted, about 2 minutes. Pour in the wine and deglaze.

Working 1 ladle at a time, add the stock and stir frequently. Continue adding stock by the ladle, stirring frequently, until bulgur is cooked (it will take about 20 minutes and should still have a little liquid and be “loose;” add a couple tablespoons of broth if this is not the case). Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon zest, feta, and salt and pepper to taste.

{ 63 comments }

White Bean Soup with Crispy Prosciutto and a GIVEAWAY

December 10, 2012 · 154 comments

in beans and legumes,healthy,soups and stews

Warning: This soup is dangerous.

So, yeah. If you need another reason to move from canned beans to dried, I’m here to give you one. I was making this soup on a Sunday evening when I managed to slice my thumb on a can lid that wouldn’t open fully. I wasn’t sure if I needed stitches (sadly, I get a decent amount of cuts, but they never seem to be a big deal), but the more my husband and I looked at the cut, the more it seemed I did. So, off to the ER we went. Did I mention that I had literally been thinking earlier that day how I’d never gotten stitches before? Yeah.

I won’t lie. Part of my decision making process revolved around whether I should leave the soup. In the end, Tom just simmered it while I was getting stitched up, and we ended up eating it the next evening with the prosciutto.

This soup, thankfully, is pretty great (and I’m sure that it actually benefited from sitting in the fridge over night). It’s earthy and rustic, with a little brightness from the lemon juice. The crispy prosciutto is a great way to add texture, and complements the other flavors wonderfully (what doesn’t prosciutto complement, really?). The beans make this soup just starchy enough and, when pureed, create a thick and creamy soup without the use of any heavy cream. Which means it’s healthy! And filling! And I’ll definitely make it again! Hopefully without a trip to the ER in the midst of it all!

Giveaway:

I’m giving away an immersion blender to one reader. To enter, just leave a comment on this post telling me what you’d most like to use it for. Make sure you leave your email address (it will not be visible to anyone but me) so I can get in contact with you if you’re the winner.

Contest ends Friday, December 14th at 11:59 p.m. CST.

Disclaimer: This giveaway is not sponsored, and is funded by yours truly.

I’ll be doing a few more giveaways for the holidays, so stay tuned!

White Bean Soup with Crispy Prosciutto

Adapted from shutterbean

2 Tbsp. olive oil, plus additional for brushing prosciutto
1 onion, diced
2 celery ribs, sliced
1 large or 2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
4 large sage leaves, minced
1 bay leaf
6 cups chicken broth
2 (15 oz.) cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
8 thin slices of prosciutto (about 4-6 oz.)
1/2 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice

In a 5-6 qt. stockpot or Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onions, celery, and carrots and cook, stirring occasionally until the onions are translucent, about 5-7 minutes. Add the sage, garlic, and bay leaf and continue to cook for 2 more minutes, until aromatic.

Add the beans, broth, and salt and ground pepper to taste. Increase heat and bring soup to a boil; then lower the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Simmer uncovered until the vegetables are completely soft and have started to break down, about 45 minutes.

Meanwhile preheat the oven to 350F. Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking sheet or parchment paper, and then brush the sheet with oil. Place the prosciutto on the sheet in a single layer, and brush the top with additional oil. Bake until they are slightly darker and wrinkly, 10-15 minutes. Let cool (they will crisp even more while cooling). Break into shards and set aside.

To finish the soup, remove the bay leaf and puree the soup with an immersion blender (or a food processor/blender in batches). Stir in the lemon juice and add more if needed. Season to taste with additional salt & pepper if necessary. To serve, ladle soup into bowls and top with the crisped prosciutto.

{ 154 comments }

Sage-Brined Pork Chops with Brown Sugar Glaze

December 6, 2012 · 2 comments

in pork

I find that pork chops are one cut of meat that I’m not terribly creative with. I typically just cook them on the stovetop, make a quick pan sauce, and serve. So, whenever I find an easy but different pork chop recipe, I’m always interested in trying it. This recipe brines the pork chops, which keeps them nice and tender (though you obviously still need to make sure you don’t overcook them) and finishes them with a sweet glaze of melted brown sugar.

The only bad thing about this recipe is that while it cooks incredibly quickly, it needs to brine for 1-3 hours. That means it’s not as time consuming as my weekend meals usually are (since weekends are the only days I can make meals that take more than 25 minutes), but not quick enough to be made during the week. Still, it works great for a busy weekend or when you really just don’t want to spend much time in the kitchen.

Despite being quite largely pregnant like I was when I first made it, we had this baked brown rice and vegetable pilaf with the pork. Thankfully, it didn’t cause as much drama this time around and was a great complement to the chops.

Next time, I’ll go ahead and fry up some sage leaves before cooking the pork, to add a little more sage flavor (and to, you know, eat them), like with this saltimbocca. My glaze didn’t turn out nearly as pretty as the picture on the original recipe for some reason, but we definitely could taste it, and that’s all that mattered. This dinner is meant for 2, but 1 lb. of meat is quite a bit in my opinion, so Zachary could easily partake in this meal, too. And he really loved the pork and kept asking for more. Maybe it *could* be a meal for 2 if it’s just him and someone else eating…

Sage-Brined Pork Chops with Brown Sugar Glaze

From The Kitchn
Serves 2

2 cups water
2 Tbsp. kosher salt
2 Tbsp. minced fresh sage
2 center-cut, boneless pork chops, 1″ thick (about 1 pound)
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
Vegetable or canola oil

Heat 1 cup of the water to a simmer. Add the salt and sage, and stir until the salt has dissolved. Mix in a second cup of cold water to cool the brine down; let stand until mixture is lukewarm.

Place the pork chops in a shallow dish and pour the brine solution over top, making sure the brine covers the pork completely (otherwise you will need to flip the pork halfway through brining). Cover and refrigerate for 1-3 hours.

When ready to cook, place a heavy-bottomed, oven-safe skillet in the oven on a center rack (I prefer cast iron). Heat the oven to 400°F. Remove the pork chops from the brine solution and pat dry (discard the brine). Leave them at room temperature while the oven is heating.

Carefully remove the hot skillet from the oven and place it over medium-high heat on the stovetop. Rub the pork chops with oil and sprinkle them with ground pepper; place them in the pan. Sear for about 3 minutes or until the underside of the pork chop is golden.

Flip the pork chops and spread a tablespoon of brown sugar over the surface of each chop. Immediately place the pan in the oven. Bake for 5 to 7 minutes, until the center of the chops are just barely pink and the internal temperature is 140. If the brown sugar hasn’t quite completely melted, run the pan under the broiler for a few seconds.

Plate the pork chops and spoon some of the pan juices over the pork chops just before serving.

{ 2 comments }

Meatless Monday: Crispy Black Bean Tacos with Feta and Slaw

December 3, 2012 · 6 comments

in beans and legumes,healthy,mexican/tex-mex,quick and easy,vegetarian

It’s no secret that we are a Mexican food loving family. The word “quesadilla” entered Zachary’s vocabulary very early on, and he continues to be extremely excited on quesadilla and taco nights. Can’t say I blame him.

These tacos are obviously a bit different than your usual ones, but we all really liked them. A quick and crispy slaw gives texture and freshness to the tacos and feta cheese (as odd as I thought it when I originally started seeing/using it) is really great with Mexican fare. These tacos come together in no time. Zachary seasoned and mashed the beans on his own, and also helped me with the slaw (which, per his usual “helpfulness” included him eating most of the prep ingredients). These take just a few minutes to crisp up on the stovetop, so dinner is ready in no time.

I had put coleslaw mix on the grocery list, and Tom came back with broccoli slaw (probably because it was a smaller bag) to which I let out a groan. I’m really not the world’s biggest broccoli fan, if you haven’t noticed nearly the complete absence of it on this blog. But for some reason, I liked this slaw better than standard broccoli. I may have even liked it better than regular coleslaw mix. That said, I think these tacos would also be pretty awesome with jicama slaw, so I’ll try that next time around.

Crispy Black Bean Tacos with Feta and Slaw

From Bon Appetit via Cara’s Cravings

1 (15 oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 tsp. cumin
2 tsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. lime juice
1.5 cups coleslaw mix
2 green onions, sliced
1/3 cup chopped cilantro (if you’re a fan)
2-3 tsp. vegetable or canola oil
4 white or yellow corn tortillas
1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
Bottled hot sauce for serving

Place the beans, cumin, and salt and pepper to taste in a bowl and partially mash.

In another bowl, toss together the coleslaw mix, olive oil, lime juice, green onions, and cilantro. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and set aside.

Heat the canola oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the tortillas in a single layer. Spoon 1/4 of the bean mixture onto one half of each tortilla; cook for about 1 minute. Fold the tacos in half and cook until golden brown and crispy, 1-2 minutes per side.

Stuff the tacos with the slaw and feta. Top with hot sauce.

{ 6 comments }

Blogging Friends Weekend in CT

November 29, 2012 · 12 comments

in misc.

I started this blog mainly for myself, as a repository of recipes, especially Greek ones since everyone knows Greek people don’t use recipes. And while I love trying new recipes and blogging about them, the absolute best part of the whole blogging experience for me has been the friendships I’ve made over the years.

For well over a year, I’ve been emailing with Courtney, Annie, Tara, and Josie on a regular basis. A while back, everyone but me (*tear*) flew to Richmond to surprise Courtney when she was expecting her baby girl. So, after seeing all the fun they had (and knowing how awesome they are from our daily conversations), I was itching to meet these ladies. I had the pleasure of finally meeting Annie earlier this year, and I was so, so excited to get to spend a weekend with everyone this October. I love these girls, and was so happy to finally get to spend some time with them.

Tara was gracious enough to host us at her new house, which is just gorgeous. She lives in CT, and fall was a beautiful time of year to visit. We all arrived on Thursday night, and of course my flight was delayed (“inclement weather” in Chicago which, FYI, meant a light drizzle). Since we got back to Tara’s pretty late, we didn’t do much but stay up chatting that night, but it was so fun and well, it’s pretty awesome that you can stay up late chatting with people you’ve never really met, but somehow know better than people you met years ago. And there were also pretzel M&Ms.

I didn’t bring my camera, which was a major bummer, but thankfully everyone was willing to share their pics so I could share them with you. :)

On Friday morning, we went to breakfast at a little local diner called Leo’s. As I’ve mentioned before, I’m more of a savory breakfast person, but I have a really hard time saying no to sweet breakfasts, or at least bites of them. So in addition to my savory egg breakfast, a few of us also shared a waffle with pumpkin cannoli cream. Um yes, the pumpkin cannoli cream is definitely something that needs to be replicated in my kitchen.

We spent most of the rest of the afternoon just hanging out and talking (and there were more pretzel M&Ms). Later on Friday, we went to dinner at a restaurant called Taste. When we hopped in the car, we basically had no idea where we were going because the few places we called were unable to accommodate us for reservations. Courtney suggested this place after searching the web during our drive, and it was definitely a good call. We split some apps, including a cheese platter and a pizza, and for my main course I got the lamb chops (big surprise, right?).

Then, we headed to the Great Jack-O-Lantern Blaze in Hudson Valley. I’d never been to anything even remotely like this and had no idea what to expect, but it was amazing. It was basically full of the most ornately decorated pumpkins. There were pumpkin groupings that replicated a zoo, life underwater, you name it. It was so cool!

And, since we didn’t have dessert at Taste, we really wanted to go somewhere after the blaze, but pretty much everything was closed. We tried to make it to a couple ice cream shops to no avail, but just as we were about to call it quits, we found a crepe/ice cream place. Bonus? It was in Sleepy Hollow, which, you know, is kinda cool.

On Saturday, we did what everyone wishes they could do shortly after waking up – went to Cupcake Camp, New Haven. This is an event where bakers (amateur and professional) bring various cupcakes and you eat them. For free. Uh yeah, it doesn’t get much better than that.

Between Josie and me, we were eating for 5 (she’s expecting twins!), which means we (rightfully) needed to consume as many cupcakes as possible. The cupcake camp was held at BAR, which also has really great pizza that we had for lunch. We had a mashed potato pizza with bacon (which sounds weird, but it was so freaking good. And carb heaven) and pizza with sausage and peppers. Both really fabulous.

After we got back to Tara’s, we started doing some menu planning and grocery shopping. We decided to make a chorizo dip (thank you, Pinterest) and some shrimp enchiladas, both which were great. (And of course we made some guac to snack on while we made dinner, since it ended up being sort of a late dinner.) Annie got to work making flour tortillas. For some reason, flour tortillas have always intimidated me, even though I’ve made corn several times. After seeing how quickly they were whipped up, now I know I need to make them on my own. The rest of us just split up the tasks, doing different things. I have to say, I’m not a big fan of people sharing my kitchen (ask my husband) but I guess it’s a bit different when they’re people who like cooking as much as you do – and when you’re working in a kitchen 3 times the size of mine. :) After dinner, we of course had leftover cupcakes.

On Sunday, all of us but Annie went home. I was sad to leave them all, especially since I’m not sure the next time we’ll get to meet up! Admittedly, I was hesitant about being away from home (not hanging with them, that always sounded great) because it had been the longest I was away from Zachary. But, the trip totally flew by (and I got to facetime with my little dude, who told me all about how dad made him fish and sweet potatoes for dinner one night).

By the way, I was on the smallest plane ever, which I was totally unprepared for. When I was boarding, I noticed people leaving their carry on luggage outside the plane door, and I asked if they ran out of overhead compartments. The lady behind me said, “Oh no. This plane is too small so there aren’t overheads.” Umm okay. I admit, I freaked a bit when I saw the size of the plane. I used to fly a lot and I’ve never been remotely scared of flying until I had a kid. Now for some reason, I get very anxious. Being on the smallest plane ever did little to soothe my fears. I mean, I was on a plane in Greece that was bigger than this one and allowed smoking. Seriously. The guy next to me said he wanted to take his coat off but he was afraid he’d accidentally punch me in the face. Hah. Anyway, thankfully I made it home safe and sound. And I can’t wait till the next time we can all get together again!

{ 12 comments }

Chewy Chocolate Almond Cookies

November 26, 2012 · 10 comments

in desserts/sweets

I came across these cookies in Courtney’s blog a while back, and they drew me in immediately. I’m a huge fan of using almonds in pretty much anything, and any baking recipe that has 5 ingredients and uses minimal effort is pretty much my ultimate baking recipe. We were actually headed to my in-laws’ the weekend I first saw this recipe, and I planned on making them that night for my sister in law, who’s gluten free. But, the one drawback about these is they require an overnight chill in the fridge, and I didn’t have that kind of time.

I’ve since been meaning to make a batch of these and take them to work, too (it seems half my office is allergic to gluten), but, well, it didn’t happen. So, Thanksgiving turned out to be the perfect time to make these. I was able to easily whip up the dough one night, and while a little messy, rolling them in sugar and baking them didn’t take very long the following day.

Let me preface this by saying that I’m sort of weird with chocolate. I like chocolate a lot, but I’m not huge on chocolate cookies and chocolate ice cream (I know). That said, I really loved these cookies, and I’ll totally make them again. The almond flavor is very subtle (I’d recommend using almond extract if you want a more almondy flavor), and in my opinion, these taste very much like a brownie — which is certainly not a bad thing. In fact, it’s a pretty great thing to eat a rich and chocolatey cookie. I think these would also work well as a “holiday” cookie with the addition of a little peppermint extract or some mint chips folded in.

Chewy Chocolate Almond Cookies

Yield: 20-24 cookies
Adapted from Tasty Kitchen, via Cook Like a Champion

8 oz. semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
3 Tbsp. butter, softened
2 eggs
1/3 cup sugar, plus additional for rolling
3/4 cup finely ground almonds or almond meal

Melt the chocolate in a glass or stainless bowl set over a pot of barely-simmering water (make sure the bottom of the bowl is not touching the water). Once melted, add the butter and stir until thoroughly combined. Using a hand mixer, beat the eggs and sugar together in a medium bowl until light, 1-2 minutes. Gently fold the egg mixture into the chocolate, and then fold in the ground almonds. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Preheat oven to 350º. Using a 1 Tbsp. cookie scoop, portion out dough balls and roll each one in sugar. Place the cookie balls on a lined baking sheet about 2″ apart. Bake for 10-12 minutes, just until cookies are set (the center will still seem a little underdone). Cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transfering to a wire rack to cool completely.

{ 10 comments }

All-Beef Meatloaf

November 20, 2012 · 9 comments

in beef

I meal plan on Fridays. And every Thursday or Friday, I ask Tom what to add to the menu. And almost every Friday, I plan the whole menu by myself, anyway, because he has no suggestions.

A couple weeks ago, though, Tom did have a suggestion (a couple, in fact) and the first thing on the list? Meatloaf. I’m pretty sure I can say that I’ve never had, like, actual, real-deal meatloaf (let alone made one). I’ve made mini meatloaves once or twice, but I flavored them with Italian seasonings, stuffed them with cheese, and topped them with pasta sauce instead of ketchup – so, really, what I made were meatballs in a muffin tin.

If I had to make a list of unappealing foods, meatloaf would be pretty close to the top. It’s just, you know, shaped meat. Except unlike good shaped meats like meatballs and burgers, there’s really no sauce (or pasta!) or cheese and so, what’s the point? But, because I am the most awesome wife ever, I forged ahead and made my very first meatloaf. I felt very American, indeed.

This recipe comes from Cook’s Illustrated so it should be no surprise that it’s sort of weird. You grate and freeze Monterey Jack cheese. You use gelatin. There is coriander involved.

I figured I would tolerate this meal, but in actuality I really, really liked it. The meatloaf stays incredibly moist, so it’s really not the brick of beef I’d imagined in my head. The glaze is great. It’s very similar to a barbecue sauce, without molasses. The use of coriander is really interesting and I liked it (though I will admit to not being the world’s biggest coriander fan, so I used a little less than the recipe called for). And I’m pretty sure the leftovers were even better. Zachary ate two slices on his own, and kept trying to take some off Tom’s plate at lunch the next day. So, I’d say this recipe is definitely (and somewhat surprisingly) family-approved.

All Beef Meatloaf

From Cook’s Illustrated, via Tide & Thyme

3 oz. Monterey Jack cheese
1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1 medium onion, finely diced
1 celery rib, finely chopped (I omitted this since we didn’t have any)
1 large clove garlic, minced
1 tsp. paprika
1/2 cup chicken broth
2 large eggs
1/2 tsp. unflavored powdered gelatin
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
2/3 cup crushed saltines
1.5 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. minced fresh parsley
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
1 lb. ground chuck
1 lb. ground sirloin

Glaze
1/2 cup ketchup
1 tsp. hot pepper sauce
1/4 – 1/2 tsp. ground coriander
1/4 cup cider vinegar
3 Tbsp. brown sugar

Heat oven to 375. Spread the cheese on plate and then place in freezer until ready to use. Prepare baking sheet–wrap a broiler pan or a cookie cooling rack with two layers of foil and punch holes in it so fat can drain. Place the pan/rack in rimmed baking sheet (line that one with foil for easy cleanup, if desired) to catch drips.

Heat the butter in a skillet over medium-high heat, add onion and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until they start to brown. Add the garlic and paprika and cook, stirring until fragrant, about 1 minute. Transfer mixture to small bowl and set aside to cool.

Whisk the broth and eggs together in a large bowl until combined. Sprinkle gelatin over liquid and let stand 5 minutes. Stir in the soy sauce, mustard, saltines, parsley, salt, pepper, and onion mixture. Crumble the frozen cheese into a coarse powder and sprinkle it over mixture. Add the ground chuck and sirloin; mix gently with hands until thoroughly combined, about a minute. Transfer the meat to the prepared baking rack; shape into 10×6″ loaf about 2″ high. Bake 55-65 minutes. Remove the meatloaf from oven and turn on the broiler.

While the meatloaf cooks, combine all ingredients for the glaze in small saucepan; bring to simmer over medium heat and cook, stirring, until thick and syrupy, about 5 minutes. Spread half of glaze evenly over the cooked meatloaf using a rubber spatula. Place under broiler and cook until glaze bubbles and begins to brown at edges, about 3-5 minutes. Remove the meatloaf from the oven, spread evenly with remaining glaze, and place back under broiler and cook until glaze is again bubbling and beginning to brown, about 3 minutes more. Let meat loaf cool about 20 minutes before slicing.

{ 9 comments }

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