Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween from our home to yours!

Hope everyone has a fun and safe holiday!

City of Angels

New York was a blast, but I'm glad to be home!

Bye New York!

Home: such a beautiful and comforting sight

Oktoberfest in a Treasure-Filled Apartment - II

I was going to include the following pics in the previous post, but I changed my mind and created a part II. I felt that KF's adorable apartment deserved a post of it's own. The apartment is an amazing space filled with all sorts of treasures. There are so many unique and special items that you could really spend hours looking at everything. Which is saying a lot considering the size of most New York apartments. But even in the modest space, she has managed to arrange everything just so. It is almost too perfect, like a set of a photo shoot, which is sort of what I turned it into!

Oktoberfest in a Treasure-Filled Apartment - I

Middle Sister and I helped a friend, KF, throw a surprise birthday party for her boyfriend. We went with a Fall theme and planned a menu of sausages, chili, warm soft pretzels, puff pastries, meatballs, and beers from all over the world. We wanted to go with something tasty, but casual. I love party planning and was eager to see what KF had planned for food and decor and she did not disappoint! It was obvious that KF spent a lot of time thinking out every detail and it was all perfectly executed.

Click on the pictures below to zoom in.

Pizza Night in NY

While in New York, of course I had to see how the Middle Sister and ML did pizza. Pizza is my favorite food and although I love plain cheese the best, I enjoy trying other peoples' homemade creations. We each made one. See what we came up with! The above creation is ML's white pizza with clam and garlic topped with arugula. I usually avoid clam pizzas, but this one was amazing!

Middle Sister created a delicious sausage, peppers and corn topped with basil. Then I created a pizza which I will call miscellaneous. I used the leftover toppings and not enough cheese. It also had a big bubble in it, which I strategically covered with basil. With the pizza we enjoyed a refreshing Riesling they had bought on a recent trip to the Finger Lakes.

As my Middle Sister would say as a kid, "It was a good day. The End."

Perfect Popcorn

I love good popcorn and often enjoy it as a snack at home. But I really don't like movie theater popcorn or microwave popcorn. Don't get me wrong, I'm definitely not above bad-for-you snacks with chemicals, but there is something about the strange artificial taste that turns me off. I loved the air popper our Grandpa gave us when we were kids and I still enjoy that same air popper as it was on our registry and given to us by my Sister-in-Law. It makes popcorn taste good even without toppings. It's a great way to snack guilt free!

Of course my Middle Sister and her boyfriend, ML, have their own version of how to make this treat special. ML is a great cook himself and gets a lot of his good ideas from Chef Alton Brown. He uses Brown's method of cooking popcorn, but made it his own by mixing two different types of corn and his own concoction of spices. You really can't go wrong, so have fun making this your own.               

Happy Popping!

New York

New York, New York!

It is an exhilarating city and I love visiting. The energy, the shopping and of course the food is so amazing. I'm visiting with the Middle Sister and will be blogging from her apartment for a week. Isn't her view beautiful? This is really lucky for you guys because she is a true gourmet, maybe bordering on gourmand. She is the go to person for recipes, dinner menus and wine pairings. She always has good ideas about what to serve on what occasion. I'm hoping to learn a few things while I'm here. During my stay, Middle Sister and I will also be helping a friend throw a themed party which I will definitely be blogging about. This particular friend is also a little Martha Stewarty and so I can't wait to see what she has planned.

Here are some things that my sister has been making:

Katsu Curry

She mixed Korean Curry Powder with onions, potatoes and carrots. To prep the pork cutlets she dipped the cutlets into flour, egg and then panko flakes. She then pan fried them in peanut oil  (because it has a higher smoking point). She served it with a side of cabbage slaw over a bed of white rice. She paired the dish with a glass of sake. 

Sausage Ragu over Spaghetti

In a dutch oven she added onions, carrots and celery to warmed olive oil. Then she added a mix of hot Italian sausage and sweet Italian sausage. When browned, she stirred in a cup of dry red wine and then added crushed tomatoes and tomato paste. After an hour of simmering, she topped it off with fresh basil and freshly grated Parmesan. She paired this dish with a California cabernet.

Now if only I could get her to write up a recipe!

Oatmeal Toffee Cranberry Cookies

Baking again?! I know I can hardly believe it myself, but we had reason to celebrate in our household so I had to bake something for my Husband. This is originally a Martha Stewart recipe, but Week of Menus raves about it as well. They turned out really good! But beware, there is a lot going on in this cookie. Oatmeal, chocolate, toffee and dried cranberries. Enjoy!

Martha Stewart's Oatmeal Toffee Cookies

Makes about 2 dozen 3-inch cookies

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup light-brown sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups oatmeal

1 cup dried cherries*

1 cup bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped*

1 cup toffee pieces, (5 1/2 ounces)*

* I used Craisins instead of dried cherries.

* I used 4 Heath bars coarsely chopped instead of a cup of toffee pieces.

* Because of the chocolate bars, I reduced my 1 cup of bittersweet chocolate to 3/4 cup.

Directions:

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Sift together flour and baking soda, and set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugars on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl once or twice during mixing. Add egg, and mix on high speed to combine. Add vanilla extract; mix to combine. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.

Add the sifted flour a bit at a time on a low speed until well combined. Add oatmeal, cranberries, chocolate, and toffee pieces; mix to combine.

Divide dough into three equal portions, and roll into logs using plastic wrap, approximately 1 1/2 inches in diameter. To bake, cut logs into 3/4-inch pieces. Bake on parchment-lined baking sheets, until golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from oven, and transfer to a baking rack to cool.

I froze a few logs for later!

Printable Recipe

Kombucha Tea

I've been meaning to post about this drink for awhile. I'm sure by now all of you have heard about Kombucha and it's myriad of health benefits. Kombucha is made up of live raw cultures and contains nutrients such as active enzymes, viable probiotics, amino acids, antioxidants and polyphenols. Long story short, it is supposed to be an amazing superfood.

Like all other superfoods, Kombucha is thought to have a funky taste. Slightly vinegary and acidic. Millennium has come out with a line of Kombucha tea, Syngery, that is mixed with just a little bit of fruit juice, which helps make it easier to take down. The result is really delicious and there are so many different flavors. Like my friend CD says, it's sort of like champagne, as it has a slight carbonated taste. You really feel energized afterwards and it is great for appetite control. And it is not just for the ladies. My Husband thought it wasn't bad, although he wasn't crazy about the price.

The price is a little steep at $4 a bottle and many people have resorted to making the cultures themselves at home. I would like to eventually try doing that, but I heard that it can also be risky and if you're not careful you might contaminate the cultures. Yikes. Check it out for yourselves. They sell it at Whole Foods. Also if you buy a case (which is just 12 bottles and you can mix and match flavors) you get 10% off. I really like Divine Grape, which tastes like Concord grapes! Guava Goodness and Strawberry Serenity are also pretty good. If you're a bit braver, you can try the ones that do not have any fruit juice in it and are 100% raw organic Kombucha. I suggest Botanic No. 3.

Açaí move over!

Roasted Sesame and Panko Coated Asparagus with Soy Ginger Drizzle

The other day I called my Husband at work and asked him what he was in the mood for in terms of dinner. He's not very picky and he usually just says "Anything is fine." But on this particular day, without hesitation he said, "Veggies. I don't care what else, but I need veggies." I wanted to make something more exciting than a salad so I started looking through my fridge, when I remembered this recipe that I saw in a magazine at the doctor's office. I was leafing through a Bon Appétit magazine and this asparagus recipe looked so tasty that I took a picture of the recipe with my phone. I had completely forgotten about it.

I'm glad I finally tried it. It was really quick to make and very crunchy and flavorful. I bet other veggies would be good in this recipe.

Roasted Sesame and Panko Coated Asparagus with Soy Ginger Drizzle

(Adapted from Bon Appétit - April 2008)

Ingredients:

1/4 cup mayonnaise

4 teaspoons unseasoned rice vinegar, divided

3 teaspoons soy sauce, divided

1 1/4 teaspoons finely grated peeled fresh ginger, divided

1 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)

1/4 cup sesame seeds

1 pound thick asparagus spears, trimmed, bottom 2/3 of each spear peeled

2 1/4 teaspoons Asian sesame oil, divided

1 teaspoon golden brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon chili-garlic sauce

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450°F. Oil large rimmed baking sheet.

Whisk mayonnaise, 1 teaspoon rice vinegar, 1 teaspoon soy sauce, and 1 teaspoon grated ginger in pie dish. Mix panko and sesame seeds in another pie dish. Toss asparagus in mayonnaise mixture to coat, then roll in panko mixture. Transfer to prepared baking sheet. Drizzle with 2 teaspoons sesame oil. Roast until browned, turning once, about 16 minutes.

Meanwhile, whisk 1 teaspoon water, brown sugar, chili-garlic sauce, remaining 3 teaspoons vinegar, 2 teaspoons soy sauce, 1/4 teaspoon ginger, and 1/4 teaspoon sesame oil in small bowl for sauce.

Transfer asparagus to platter. Drizzle with sauce. Enjoy!

Printable Recipe

Strawberry Banana Muffins

I can't believe this is my second baking post in a week. I really am beginning to enjoy baking. There is also something really nice about baking fresh muffins on a Saturday morning. I think my Husband really liked waking up to the smell as well! Who am I?! I saw this muffin recipe on one of my favorite blogs Week of Menus, and I've been wanting to make them for forever. Any baked good that has strawberries in it just sounds amazing to me. They turned out really good!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups of all purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 stick of butter, (6 tablespoons or 85 grams of butter) melted
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2/3 cups sugar
1 large egg
2 large ripe bananas
1 cup fresh strawberries, diced (frozen strawberries won't be the same) 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake/muffin pan with liners. In a medium bowl, measure out and mix together flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Set aside.

2. In a large bowl, whisk egg and sugar together until well combined. Add melted butter. Mix well. Add vanilla. Squish bananas into the mixture. A nice squish should break the bananas up well enough to be incorporated into the batter.

3. Add strawberries to the dry mixture. Toss until strawberries are well coated with flour mixture. Add dry strawberry mixture to the wet mixture. Use a VERY light hand to mix at this point. The more mixing you do the tougher the muffin so try not to over mix. You want everything well mixed together but not over mixed.

4. Divide batter equally in liners. Bake until golden brown, about 22-30 minutes.

5. Cool for 5 minutes in the pan. Then enjoy.

Printable Recipe

They also make great gifts!

Homemade Spaghetti and Meatballs

My Husband and I both love pasta, but we rarely eat it because of the carbs. Also, I prefer tomato-based savory sauces, whereas he enjoys the heavier creamy sauces. However, a pasta dish that we both love is good ol' fashioned spaghetti and meatballs. This is a dish where making things from scratch does not take much time. It's simple and easy to make a big batch if you have people over. Tonight my parents unexpectedly decided to stay over for dinner after cheering on the Dodgers, but it was not a problem. With this dish, I had more than enough.

Homemade Spaghetti and Meatballs

Makes about 4 servings

Ingredients:

1 pound spaghetti

Meatballs:

1 pound ground sirloin

1/2 onion, chopped very finely

3 cloves of garlic, chopped very finely

1/2 cup bread crumbs (I used Italian seasoned)

1/4 grated Parmesan cheese

2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1 egg, beaten

1 egg white, beaten (optional)

salt and pepper to taste

Sauce:

1 can (28oz) crushed tomatos

1 can (6 oz) tomato paste

1 cup beef broth

1 onion, finely chopped

4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

1 tsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

handful of chopped fresh basil

handful of chopped fresh parsley

olive oil

Directions:

Spaghetti:

Bring a large pot of water to boil. When boiling add salt and pasta and cook to al dente.

Meatballs:

Preheat oven to 425.

Mix beef, Worcestershire, 1 beaten egg, garlic, onion, bread crumbs, cheese, salt and pepper.

Some say that the meatballs taste better after sitting in the fridge for a bit. But it's optional.

I put the beef mixture into the fridge for 2 hours. When I pulled it out I added the extra egg white to give it a bit of moisture.

Roll meat into 1 inch medium sized balls and place on nonstick cookie sheet

Bake for about 15 minutes, until no longer pink

Feel free to add the meatballs to the sauce while it is simmering

Sauce:

In a medium pot heat a little bit of olive oil over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, crushed red pepper, oregano. After 5 minutes or when onion is soft add the broth, crushed tomatoes, paste and fresh herbs. Bring to a simmer and cook for about 20 minutes.

Serve with a side of Caesar salad, some garlic bread and a nice glass of red wine!

(For the garlic bread, I used a loaf of Italian bread. I spread a mixture of butter, garlic and fresh parsley. I baked the bread for about 10 minutes on 350F. After 10 minutes I pulled out the pan and sprinkled grated Parmesan cheese on each piece and put the pan back in for another 2-3 minutes.)

Printable Recipe

  

Baking

I am not a baker. I find it time consuming, difficult, and I dread the clean up. Therefore, I am very impressed by people who do bake and who do so frequently. My friend VL is an amazing baker and never ceases to amaze me with her cookies. Not only does everything taste delicious, but she is very flexible and sensitive in her baking and tailors her creations to her friends' tastes. She always remembers who doesn't like white chocolate or who prefers nuts or who likes which types of cookies. She even remembers which cookies my mother likes! It's no wonder I wait with bated breath for Christmas to come because she always brings me a tin of her famous holiday cookies. Only another 3 months!

So the reason I attempt to bake today is that I saw VL the other day and she gave me this cookie recipe brought to you by Michael Mina. I am always so inspired by VL and have been promising myself (and her) for years to bake more often. Also I feel that if I love entertaining, baking is an integral part of all that. I invite you all to follow along on my journey to learn how to bake, mishaps and all. Trust me, there will be mishaps!

Baked Crispy Chicken

Chicken is not the most exciting dish, but my Husband likes it and it is leaner than other meats. So I'm always looking for new ways to make it interesting. I usually cook stove top and avoid using my oven, because like many others I use my oven as storage. I dread pulling all the pans and trays out, but tonight I wanted to cook with bone in, skin on chicken and it is tastier baked. So I dusted off my Mario Batali roasting pan which we received as a wedding present but rarely use because it weighs a ton.

I marinated 8 chicken thighs in a marinade of one cup soy sauce, one cup mirin, a tbsp of minced garlic, half an onion pureed, and a tsp of sesame oil for one hour in the fridge.

After marinating, I placed the thighs in a roasting pan and then into the oven that was preheated to 500. After about 30 minutes the skin was crispy and golden.

Making Choices

Eating healthy is all about making choices. I'm generally pretty healthy and do my share of working out, but there always comes the time when I feel that little craving. We've all heard that it is not effective to deprive yourself, so I allow myself to indulge once in awhile. And if I'm going to be bad, I want to choose something really delicious to make it worth the calories.

For me it's usually, do I eat the chocolate chip cookie or do I go for the slice of pizza? Which is the lesser evil? It's a big decision! My Husband sent me this link today that will make deciding much simpler. It is a website called TwoFoods. Here you can insert two different foods and they give you a comparison chart of the nutritional facts. I just compared pizza and french fries and they're sorta the same, yet pizza has more protein! Check it out!