Let's Mangia.. Mangia

The New Tuna Salad

2012-03-07T13:11:00.000-08:00

This was so quick to make and so full of color, flavor, texture and crunch.
Here's the ingredient list:

1 each red, green and yellow bell peppers cubed
1/2 onion chopped
2-3 cloves of garlic crushed
3-4 peperoncini sliced
2-6oz can of solid white tuna in water
and a hand-full of parsley chopped, if I had fresh tarragon at home I'd use that too, would taste great with tuna.

For the dressing, in a small bowl whisk together:

1/2 tsp whole grain dijon mustard with seeds
1 tsp rice vinegar
3Tbsp grape-seed oil or olive oil, whichever you prefer.

Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl, pour dressing over it, season with salt and pepper to taste and enjoy.

keep it simple and mangia..

Potato and Spinach Country Eggs with Jalapenos

2012-03-04T11:58:00.000-08:00

It's been a while since I've posted a recipe, so busy with so many projects... :)
But as you can tell I couldn't pass on this one. This is perfect for Sunday morning, we all have a little more time on Sundays and can actually enjoy this sitting down and not running out the door to work.
Hope you guys enjoy it as much as we did. (This is one of those improvised recipes...)

Ingredients:
1 onion chopped
2 med potatoes diced (small so they cook faster and at the same time as the other ingredients)
2 jalapenos sliced (I leave the seeds in one of them so it's not too spicy, but you can remove all if so desired)
2 hand-fulls of baby spinach
a hand-full of parsley chopped
5-6 scallions sliced
6 eggs

Saute onions, potatoes and jalapenos in a Tbs of butter and a Tbs of oil till potatoes are fork tender and the onions opaque. Season as you go with salt and pepper
Add spinach, parsley and scallions, cook for another 5-10 min on med-high heat, mixing every now and then.
Lower heat a bit, break the eggs on top of the potato mixture, cover and cook until the whites are well cooked but the yolk is still runny about 5-7 min.

*Note: I leave the eggs whole instead of beating it with little milk like usual omelets, this gives it a more rustic, country look and dipping your toast in the yolk is one of those little pleasures in life most people enjoy. Now if you have cholesterol problems or don't want the yolk then you can do egg whites only -- substitute 8 egg whites for the 6 eggs.

*If you want to add another layer of flavor, sprinkle some feta cheese on top at the end.

And that's it! Simple, fast and very satisfying..

Enjoy!

Red Lentil Soup with Okra

2012-02-03T15:39:00.000-08:00

This soup recipe is from my friend's kitchen, and I loved it... tweaked and added a couple of things.. as I always do :) It's easy, quick and really tasty.

Red Lentil Soup with Okra

Ingredients are:

2 cups red lentils (give it a quick rinse and drain)

1/2 cup #4 size Bulgor (cracked wheat)

1 celery stick sliced

1 large yellow onion chopped

1 14 oz bag of frozen baby okra (this is what I added to the recipe... loved it but if you don't like okra leave it out)

2-3 Jalapeno peppers washed (this is another item I added, if you just throw them in the soup whole it wont make your soup spicy but if you have spicy eaters at home like I do, they'll love you for it :)

1Tbsp turmeric

1tsp cumin

1/4 -1/2 tsp chilli powder

2Tbsp Olive oil

about a 1/4 cup of chopped fresh cilantro

and a pinch of Saffron (I didn't have any on hand so I didn't use it this time, but it should add some great flavor)

In a soup pot filled with water about 3/4 of the way, add the lentils, bulgor, okra, celery and the spices, bring to boil, then let cook till lentil is all mushy and soft, mixing occasionally and adjusting the salt and pepper.

In the meantime in a sauce pan saute the onion in the oil, till nice and brown almost caramelized, add the cilantro and remove from the heat.

When soup is done cooking which should take about 30 min, add the onion mix and that's it, done!

We add Sriracha or other hot sauce to all our meals, and it went quite well with this one too...

*If the soup turns out a little too thick for your taste just add some more water, but don't forget to adjust your seasoning after.

Mangia and keep it simple..

Carrot, Spinach and Asian Pear Salad

2012-02-02T12:37:00.000-08:00

I'm no health freak by any means, I love my read meat off the grill nice and juice, my pasta good and saucy. I love my vodka cold, my whiskey on ice, my martini shaken and my junk food has it's warm and fuzzy place in my life. But it has been brought to my attention recently that my health is not in such great shape. It would seen that the physical and emotional stress of the past few years as well as the eating and drinking whatever, whenever I please because "I just lost my husband and I don't care" attitude has landed my body in the gutter.. Let's face it everything eventually catches up to you.

So, in light of this recent information I will have to change some habits in order to get my health back on track before it's at a point of no return and I'm an old bitter lady sitting on a porch chair hating all the other healthy seniors who play golf every morning and vacation in sunny destinations. A year and a half ago I took the first step into better health when I quit smoking and have recently been trying to get more active by rekindling my relationship with yoga and walking again. Now one must be honest and realize that we can't just change completely and write off all the "bad" things we eat or drink. I know I can't, because it will make me miserable and most likely give me all the more reason to "cheat" on a particular diet. So NO diets for me, just the realization and acceptance that I'll have to cut back on some of the bad stuff and choose more of the good stuff to put into my body. Because honestly.. we all need some good and some bad in all aspects of our lives, and all things in moderation. I believe a little bit of bad and a little bit of good goes a long way and makes for a happier you!

Now that we've covered all that, let's move on to my food blog. I want to document this transformation... journey if you will of my path to a healthier me. I will try and post some of the dishes I make, these will most likely not be fancy food posts, just a quick entry, with an ingredient list and a short description of the meal with instructions. The pictures will most likely be taken with my phone and no exact measurements, as I'll be eyeballing most of the time, unless it's a baked good. Baking is a science and must be carefully measured or you'll fail and your moist muffins will not be so moist... :)

I think that it will be fun to share with you guys and hope to get some feedback and ideas or suggestions as well. Onward we go...

Today I want to share this delicious light salad I made recently and will make again very soon, loved it!

Carrot, Spinach and Asian Pear Salad

2 large carrots, peeled (using the peeler shave long ribbons off the carrot or just cut in matchstick if you like)

2 Asian pears cut into thin wedges (I don't peel them, I like the crunch)
couple of handfuls of baby spinach leaves washed
some chopped Italian parsley
about a 1/4 cup of slivered almonds
3-4 Tbsp of Grape Seed oil, I prefer this oil to Olive oil for salads.. much milder taste to it.
about 2 Tbsp of Rice vinegar (this is what makes this salad so tasty.

Mix dressing well in a jar with salt and pepper to taste
Pour over all the veggies in a bowl, mix well and enjoy :)

I really loved this salad, it was really light and quick to make.

Mangia... and keep it light.

White Chocolate Holiday Bark

2011-12-28T09:23:00.000-08:00

This is one of my favorite holiday treats this year. Super easy to make, fast, very tasty and if packaged right makes a great little gift for when you're visiting friends or family.

Takes about 15 minutes to make, and about 30 to chill.

The ingredients you'll need:

1 cup sliced almonds

1/4 cup unsweetened coconut

1 cup oven-roasted rice cereal (like Rice Crispy)

1 cup dried cranberries

1 1/2 pounds good-quality white chocolate, chopped

2 teaspoons vegetable oil

1. Preheat oven to 325*F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and set aside.

2. Spread the sliced almonds and the coconut in an even layer on the baking sheet. Toast in oven for 5-8 minutes or until coconut just begins to brown. Remove baking sheet from the oven and let cool.

3. In a large bowl, combine almonds, coconut, rice cereal, and dried cranberries. Reserve about 1/4 cup of the mixture, and set aside.

4. Place chopped white chocolate and the vegetable oil in a large heatproof bowl, and set over a medium saucepan of simmering water. Stir with a spatula until the chocolate is completely melted.

5. Remove the chocolate from heat, and fold in the almond mixture. Spread mixture evenly on a parchment lined baking sheet. Sprinkle on the reserved 1/4 cup of the almond mixture topping. Refrigerate for about 30 minutes or until the chocolate has completely set.

6. Break the bark into small pieces, and serve.... Enjoy!

muhammara .. (spicy pepper dip)

2011-05-28T10:15:00.000-07:00

This is a Lebanese spicy pepper dip with walnuts, pomegranate molasses, bread crumbs, cumin and olive oil.

*Photos and recipe contributed by my friend Angel :)

‎2 red bell peppers and about 20 small size red hot peppers roasted
seeds and skin removed, roughly chopped
1cup toasted walnuts, roughly chopped
half cup plain good quality bread crumbs
juice of a half a lemon
2 Tbs cumin
2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
about 1/4 cup pomegranate molasses ( this is what makes this dip amazing)
about 1/4 cup olive oil or grape seed oil
salt to taste
Mix everything in a food processor. Drizzle extra olive oil on top if you like and enjoy!

Let's Mangia...

Thanks Angel :))

Project "Postcards for Smiles"

2011-05-05T08:37:00.000-07:00

Dear friends I'm happy to announce that I'm finally able to launch this project. My mind gave birth to the idea a little later than I would have liked but, we still have two months till my trip to Armenia. With all of your support I'm confident that we can make this a successful fundraiser. So here is the idea behind this beautiful project...

I will be bringing my late husbands ashes to Armenia this summer, to Etchmiatsin where he studied as a young boy. I want to honor and remember his kind and happy spirit with some charitable deeds. This is where you come in... I have put together some of my better photographs as greeting cards, I've build an online shop where you can view and purchase these lovely gifts, and also read more about the project.
Please spread the word, share this link with friends and family... with great appreciation and a humble heart, I thank you!

Mari Mansourian
HerThirdEye

http://herthirdeye.myshopify.com/

Mangia..

Roxy's Potato Bacon Soup

2011-04-28T11:42:00.000-07:00

Take on 12 to 16 oz pack of bacon, cut in small cubes and brown the bacon till crispy. Take it out of the pot and set it aside. Dump some of the oil out of the pot and leave about 2-3 spoonfuls. 1 red onion, 4-5 cloves of garlic, 2 jalapenos finely chopped into the pot to sauté. When these are soft just about to turn golden 5-6 potatoes (med ones) pealed and fine chopped into the pot. Let the potatoes sweat a little then add about 3 cans of beef broth and one cup of water. Let this cook till potatoes are fully cooked. Finely chop about 3 bunches of green onions and add them to the soup and a cup to cup and a half of half and half. if the soup is not thick enough in a separate small saucepan brown 2 spoons of flower with a cube of batter, when it’s about caramel color add a cup of the cooking soup broth mix well till all the lumps dissolve and add the mix to the soup to thicken it up.

*Recipe and photo by Roxy

Mangia..Mangia..

Warm Lentil Salad with Balsamic Dressing

2011-03-25T18:26:00.000-07:00

This is a recipe I posted some time ago on my other blog and It was a popular one, so I'm going to share it here with you guys. Very tasty and healthy.

Ingredients:

1 cup brown lentils cooked**
4 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, sliced ( I prefer red onion here)
4 celery stalks, sliced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 zucchinis, trimmed and diced
1 cup of green beans, cut into short lengths
1/2 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
1/2 yellow bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1tbsp balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper
cilantro (optional)

** Rinse and drain lentils, in a medium pot cover lentils with plenty of cold water and bring to boil. Boil for about 10 min, then simmer for another 15-20 min, till they are tender but still have a bit of a bite. (I throw a bay leaf in the pot, gives it more flavor) Drain and move to a large bowl, set aside.

*In the mean time prep the veggies.

*Heat oil in pan, add the onions and celery first, saute for 2-3 min, till soft but not browned. Stir in the garlic, zucchinis, and green beans and cook for another 2-3 minutes.

*Add the bell peppers and saute for another couple of minutes.
*Stir in the mustard and balsamic vinegar and mix well with the vegetables.

*Pour the warm vegetables over the lentils, toss to mix well, season with salt and pepper, I like to add some fresh cut cilantro at the end too, ( nothing says fresh like fresh herbs). Serve warm with some crusty bread and enjoy.

Mangia..

Lent Pancakes

2011-03-20T21:25:00.000-07:00

Since many of you folks are on lent nowadays.. I guess no animal products for you guys, so I was told.
As requested by a friend, here is a really good tasting pancake recipe that will fit right into your diet for the moment :)

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 Tbs sugar
2 tsp double-acting baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp white vinegar
3 Tbs salad oil (vegetable oil is fine)
1 1/4* cup vanilla flavored almond milk (*add as needed for the desired thickness)
cooking spray for the pan or griddle
pancake syrup (always warm up your syrup...tastes so much better :)
blueberries or raspberries (optional)
toasted slivered almonds for garnish (optional) I didn't have any handy
makes about 12 regular size, or 18 smaller pancakes

In a bowl mix together the first 5 ingredients
Add the vinegar, oil and 1 cup of milk, whisking and adding milk as needed till you reach desired thickness, it should be like a milk shake consistency, not too runny.

Heat up pan or griddle, spray cooking spray and using a ladle pour about a 1/4 cup of batter onto hot pan/griddle, spreading it out into a circle. When small bubbles start forming on the surface of the pancakes, flip and cook for another few seconds. Repeat with the rest of the batter.

Pour warm syrup, fruit and nuts if using and enjoy..

Mangia

Eggless Chocolate Cupcakes with Raspberry Cream Cheese Frosting

2011-03-20T19:54:00.000-07:00

So I had a special order for eggless cupcakes for a client this weekend, and did some research... After a couple of test runs came up with this one. This actually would be great for those of you on lent now. It has no eggs, milk or butter... however the icing does have cream cheese so you may want to skip on that ..(although I'd have to say, that is my favorite part of a cupcake :)

For the cupcakes you will need:

3 cups of flour

2 cups of sugar

1 tsp salt

2 tsp baking soda

1/2 cup of cocoa powder

3/4 cup of vegetable oil

2 tsp distilled white vinegar

2 tsp vanilla extract

2 cups of cold water

Preheat oven 350*F

Prepare cupcake pans with paper liners (2 regular size pans or 3 mini cupcake pans)

*I made half the recipe for 3dz mini cupcakes

Sift the first 5 ingredients in a large bowl.

Make 3 wells in the flour mixture with a spoon. Pour the oil in one well, the vinegar in another and the vanilla in the third well. Pour the cold water all over the flour mixture and mix well with a whisk or fork. Be sure to incorporate all the flour, leaving no clumps.

Pour batter in prepared cupcake pans, filling 3/4 of the way. Bake for about 20-25 min.

** As far as baking time is concerned, I never like to give exacts, with cupcakes I don't like over baking them, if you want a moist, soft cake don't over bake. As soon as the toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean take them out of the oven. Leave in pan to cool for 5 min or so then remove to rack to cool completely.

For the icing.

2 8oz packages of cream cheese

3 cups of sifted powdered sugar (measure after sifting)

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup raspberry jam/preserve (push through a fine sieve to get all the seeds out)

In a mixer beat cream cheese on med for a few minutes till fluffy.

Lower the speed and slowly beat in sugar, scraping down the sides of bowl.

Add vanilla and jam and mix well on medium.

Pipe onto cooled cupcakes and enjoy.. :)

Mangia

Goat Cheese Crostini with Toasted Pecans and Raspberry Vinaigrette

2011-01-31T22:18:00.000-08:00

Delicious..delicious..delicious.. this is simple and absolutely yummy, would pair up perfectly with a nice fruity Red wine and is a great starter to any meal.

I was in a bit of a hurry making these, so don't ask me for exact amounts of ingredients. But I'll tell you what I used and what you can substitute with :)

A nice crusty French Baguette, cut into thin slices
Olive oil for brushing on the bread
A 10oz log of Herbed Goat cheese sliced on an angle
* I remember the chef giving me an inside tip, at the restaurant where I did my internship about how to
    make slicing goat cheese easier, put it in the freezer for a bit to harden, then slice. I find it helps
   too if the knife is brushed with some Olive oil as well.
About a cup of roughly chopped pecans, toasted in a 450*F oven for about 10 minutes or till golden brown.
And I used a store bought Raspberry Vinaigrette.
*If you can't find one, just use French dressing. I've used that before, but find that walnuts are better
    with that than pecans. The earthy flavor of the toasted pecans go very nicely with the sweet and pungent
   flavor of the Raspberry Vinaigrette.

Turn the oven to Broil, on a foiled grill rack place bread slices and brush with some Olive oil, broil for about 5-7 minutes, (keep a close eye on them, being careful not to burn). Turn and broil the other side, brushing with more Olive oil for about 3 minutes.
Take rack out of the oven and gently place a slice of cheese on each toast. Broil for another 5-7 minutes or till cheese is slightly turning color.

Remove and let cool just for a few moments. Arrange on a serving platter. Top with the toasted pecans, drizzle some vinaigrette on top and enjoy...

Mangia..

Southwestern Bean Salad with Chipotle Dressing, Avocados and Chicken Wedges

2011-01-27T08:16:00.000-08:00

I love salads made with legumes, such as beans, lentils, etc.. This salad is very tasty and goes great with grilled or pan fried chicken breast, you can eat the chicken on the side, lay it on top or cut into cubes and mix into the salad as well. The chopping up of all the veggies may be a bit time consuming for those weeknight dinners, but you can prep the night before and just add the dressing and prepare the chicken the day of, mix and eat :)
The great thing about salads like these, is that you can omit or add anything you like... just about anything goes, salads are very forgiving in that way. I call them the anything I have in the fridge salads.. So by all means change it up, add, or remove anything you like or dislike, it's certainly not carved into stone :)

So here's what you need:

Salad:

1 15oz can Black beans
1 15oz can White (Cannellini) beans
1 15oz can Red (Kidney) beans
1 15oz Blackeyed peas
Kernels cut off of two corn cobs, or use canned or frozen kernels
1/2 Red, Yellow, and Greene peppers, cut in cubes
4-5 medium Haas avocados cut in cubes (remember to squeeze some lime on top after you cut)
3 large Radishes sliced
1 celery stalk sliced
3 Green onions sliced thinly
handful of cilantro leaves, chopped
3 8oz chicken breasts *I slice in half lengthwise to make them into thinner breast pieces, faster to cook, easier on your waistline as well as your wallet..

Dressing:

1/4 cup Olive oil
2 medium limes, zest and juice
1 Chipotle pepper in Adobo sauce, chopped and mashed into paste (remove the seeds if you don't want too much heat)
1/4-1/2 tsp of Cumin powder (optional)
salt and pepper to taste

Rinse and drain all the beans, if using fresh corn, cook in boiling salted water for about 10 min, let cool and cut kernels off. Chop all the vegetables. You can prep up to this point, pour in a large bowl, cover and refrigerate ahead of time.

Prepare chicken however you prefer, grilled, broiled, boiled, or as I did, pan fried in some oil, seasoned only with salt and pepper. Let cool on cutting board.

Cut avocados last, pour some lime juice on top so they don't turn brown.
In a small bowl mix all the dressing ingredients. Toss with bean mixture well, add avocados and gently fold in. This serves about six, so you can serve this in a large platter, layer the sliced chicken wedges on top and serve family style. I hope you enjoy!

Mangia..

Spaghetti with Shrimp and Fresh Tomato Sauce

2011-01-24T17:06:00.000-08:00

This is a very simple pasta dish, quick to make and delicious. If you've noticed by now, I like simple fresh ingredients when cooking, I think the food itself should be the star and not get overpowered by too many fancy additions. I like using just a few extra ingredients that enhance and bring out the flavor of the food I'm cooking. And this by the way makes it much more easier to prepare meals for the family, during the week especially. Fast, easy, fresh and delicious :)

Ingredients:

1 Lb Spaghetti

1 Lb Black Tiger Shrimp, peeled, deveined and cut in half

4 large Roma tomatoes, peeled and cut into large cubes

5-6 cloves of garlic, sliced

1/2 of a red onion diced small

Olive oil

1 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves, or your choice of herbs (my mom uses purple basil in this dish)

salt and pepper

1/4 tsp of red chili flakes (optional)

Prepare pasta according to package directions.

While pasta is cooking, saute garlic and onion in about 4-5 Tbsp of Olive oil in a large pan or wok, on medium heat, till onion is soft and opaque. Careful not to burn the garlic. Add tomatoes and cook stirring occasionally, season with salt and pepper to taste and add the red pepper flakes. Cook for about 8-10 minutes, or until the tomatoes start breaking down and the mixture gets saucy. Add the shrimp and cook stirring for about 5-6 minutes, until all the shrimp are nice and pink. *Don't overcook the shrimp. Add cilantro leaves and mix.

Drain the pasta well and add to sauce, stir and cook for about a minute. Serve immediately for best taste, sprinkle some Parmesan on top for a little extra flavor if you like and enjoy! :)

Some people don't mind the tomato peel in their cooked meals, I however don't like it, so I usually peel my tomatoes before cooking them in sauces, etc.. I have found a couple of ways of peeling them. But for this dish, since we have boiling water handy for the pasta, this is the easiest way to do it.

Cut a cross on the top of the tomato, drop in boiling water for a minute or two, fish it out with a slotted spoon, wait for it to cool a bit and the peel comes right off. *You don't want to leave the tomato in the boiling water for too long.. it will cook obviously :)

Enjoy the meal and have a great week everyone.

Mangia..

Blueberry Lime Muffins

2011-01-23T10:53:00.000-08:00

As I recall... It was somewhere between my Brioche dough rising and the passionate speech Chef Tang gave about the different types of flour in our baking class in culinary school, is when I realized that I'm a baker deep down, that this is my true passion. Those six weeks spent in the baking lab were heaven for me, the only frustrating days were working with chocolate... But then again I've always felt that chocolatiers are of a different breed...hmmm perhaps aliens sent to earth to seduce us humans with their evil ways of melting chocolate...aaaahhh

Don't get me wrong I love to cook and most of the stuff I make comes out pretty good but... when I'm baking, now that's an entirely different feeling. I'm not sure which part of it is the most intoxicating for me.. the way butter and sugar come together as you cream them... the feel of the flour between my fingers... the smell of baked goods from the oven, it's as though with each breath, you smell every ingredient that's in that moist, warm goodness, bubbling away in the hot oven... Every time I stand there beating egg whites to a perfect soft peak... I go to another place of pure joy... sighhh...

Ok Earth to Mari... :)
I'm always playing around with recipes, testing and tasting over and over again... this of course in not so great for my waistline, but oh well...

This Blueberry muffin is definitely one of my favorite recipes I came up with, it's very moist, not very sweet and the slight hint of lime is just perfect..

Ingredients:
for 1 dozen

1 stick of unsalted butter, room temp
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups fresh blueberries
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
the juice and zest of one large lime
1/2 cup milk

Preheat oven to 375*F
If using paper liners for your muffins, line a standard 12-cup muffin pan
if not, you will need to butter the muffin pan and dust with flour, tapping our excess flour.

I like to sift my dry ingredients together, this process insures even distribution of all the ingredients, so sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Using the same sifter, working over the bowl toss the blueberries with about 2 tsp of flour, this will insure the berries don't sink to the bottom of the muffins as they bake. Set aside.

In your electric mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar on med-high speed till light and fluffy, about 3 min or so. Add eggs one at a time, beating till combined. Mix in the vanilla and the lime zest and juice.

Lower the speed of the mixer to low, and add the flour mixture, beat just until combined. Add milk again beating till just combined. Do Not Overmix! This is the trick to a moist muffin. Using a rubber spatula fold in the berries, being careful not to smash them. Divide batter evenly between prepared muffin cups and bake until the muffins are a golden brown and the tester inserted comes out clean... it's about 30 min. [Chef Tang used to say.. bake till it's done, as if we were all supposed to be born with this secret internal baking clock and are supposed to just feel when it's done :)... well I'm just about there, the smell tells me usually.]

Enjoy!! These were a big hit the last time I made them for family :)

I tested another recipe yesterday, with dried figs, cranberries and pecans... was pretty good, but I feel this combination of ingredients would do much better in a scone..so when I've just about perfected that recipe, will share with you guys. :)

Mangia..

Split Pea Soup

2011-01-17T17:47:00.000-08:00

I didn't have time to go grocery shopping today (Mondays are my shopping day), so I used whatever I had at home to make soup. The weather here in LA has been so hot the past couple of days and who wants to eat hot soup on days like this right? But I like eating soup at least once a week, can't eat solid food all the time :) Anyways this was a very tasty soup and even at room temp it's delicious.

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp Olive oil
5-6 cloves of garlic sliced
1/2 of an onion, any kind will do, diced (I used red onion)
2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
3 cups dry Split Peas
1 Tbsp each of Italian Parsley and Cilantro chopped
2 medium Sweet Potatoes, peeled and cut into large slices (you can use any kind of potatoes, I like the sweetness of the sweet potatoes)
12 oz of Cauliflower florets
8 cups of water

Heat oil in a large soup pot, add onion and garlic and saute for a few minutes. Add carrots and cook a few more minutes stirring occasionally. Add the Peas, stir and let cook for a couple of minutes.
Next add 8 cups of water, cover pot with lid slightly and bring to a boil, turn down to simmer and let cook for about 20 min or until the peas are softer but not cooked all the way. Add the herbs, Sweet potatoes and Cauliflower. *If using other potatoes, add to soup with the peas, so they may have enough time to cook.
Season with salt or Garlic salt which is what I used, cook another 10-15 minutes or until the peas are well cooked and almost dissolved into the soup. This is a very light soup and I prefer this over the traditional Split Pea soup with the Ham Hock in it. But if you must have your pig in it... :) chop some cooked bacon and sprinkle on top of your soup. Enjoy!

Mangia

Poached Egg on a Sweet Potato Hash Brown w/ Mini Heirloom Tomato Salsa

2011-01-17T09:50:00.000-08:00

This dish is the perfect Sunday breakfast/brunch. I've made this many times before, especially when my nephew sleeps over, but this time I used sweet potatoes instead of the regular hash browns and had no heavy sauce on top. It was amazing and the boys loved it. And since it's a much lighter version we topped it with a nice crisp strip of bacon with no guilt at all :)

Now lets talk about poaching eggs... I have fond memories of culinary school, it was a fairly easy, sweet and a kind of a no brainer experience for me. I mean when you've been cooking since about 12 years of age, there isn't anything you haven't already burnt, overcooked, over seasoned, undercooked...etc. you get the picture. But the one week we spent on cooking eggs was possibly the most frustrating for me. I couldn't get my soft boiled to be soft, my hard boiled could kill someone if you hit him on the head, and my fried eggs were never timed right either, I don't even want to remember the poached eggs... Let's just say I cursed a lot that week and as I recall I found myself yelling passionately at boiling water on several occasions, and in the end I still couldn't master these little white shelled things.

So, getting back to poaching, you could do it the traditional way, which is to bring a pot of water to boil, then lower the heat to simmer. With a wooden spoon stir the water as you would stir your coffee to create a spinning motion. Crack the egg in a small bowl, and slowly drop egg into water. The whites will slowly gather around the yolk and in about 5 minutes your egg is done. Fish it out with a slotted spoon and that's it. Or, you could try an easier method. Using a shallow fry pan, boil water, spray a glass custard ramekin or bowl with cooking spray, crack egg in that, lower into the simmering water. Cover the pan and let cook for about 5-6 minutes, with rubber spatula help your egg out onto a plate and that's it...done! *(Caution, the bowl will be hot, pick it up with tongs or a towel.)

If you don't feel like the hassle all together, just make an over easy egg in your fry pan and put that on top of the hash brown, that will work too :)

Here's what you need for this dish:

About 4-5 eggs for poaching
(depending on how big your hash browns are you'll get about 5 patties, so you'll need just as many eggs)

4-5 medium Sweet potatoes, peeled and shredded
1 egg lightly whisked
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 tsp of Cayenne pepper

Mix all the ingredients in a bowl
Heat a fry pan on medium heat, use a little oil to pan fry, or use cooking spray to fry.
Drop a heaping spoonful of potatoes on pan, flatten with back of your spoon, cook for about 4 minutes.
With spatula carefully flip and cook the other side for 5 min.
*If your hash brown crumbles and falls apart, don't sweat it, it's ok.. just spoon onto your plate and still proceed... :)

For the tomatoes:

about 8oz of baby Heirloom tomatoes, quartered
1 Tbsp of Italian parsley, chopped
salt to taste

Just mix all the ingredients in a bowl and set aside

Make your hash browns ahead and keep warm in a warm oven, and mix your salsa and set aside, as well as the bacon if using. You'll want your full attention on poaching your eggs.

To serve place hash brown patty on a plate, top with a poached egg (season egg with salt and pepper), top with some salsa and place a strip of bacon as the crown... and enjoy!
This will serve 4-5 people

Mangia..

Pan Fried Tilapia w/ Sauteed Fennel and Baby Broccoli

2011-01-15T15:15:00.000-08:00

I can't tell you how good this dinner was.. I cook Tilapia often but had never tried this combination of seasonings, and Fennel.. well that's always a good choice with fish. I definitely got two thumbs up from the boys on this one, my nephew too :)

For 4-5 Tilapia fillets:

The zest and juice of 1 large lime or lemon (I used lime)
about 1 tsp of Garlic salt
1 tsp of dried mint

Smother all over the fillets and let stand for about 10 min (don't leave for too long, the citrus juices will "cook" the fish)

For the Veggies:

2 Fennel bulbs trimmed and cut into large pieces
1/2 of a Red Onion sliced
1 pkg about 8oz of Baby Broccoli
3-4 Tbsp of Olive Oil

Heat skillet on med to high heat, add oil. Next add the Fennel, saute for a few min, add onions and cook for another 3-4 min, turning occasionally. Add Broccoli and Saute turning every now and then till all the vegetables are tender and somewhat browned, season with salt.
* If you don't feel like literally slaving over the hot stove... just mix all these veggies with some Olive oil and salt, put on a parchment lined roasting pan and roast in a 400*F oven for about 20-25 min, turning every now and then.

Use a nonstick pan for the Tilapia, heat the pan add Olive oil to coat bottom and fry fillets 2 at a time, about 3-4 min on each side. *Careful these cook pretty fast so keep your eye on them.

I served Whole Wheat Spaghetti on the side, just tossed with some Olive oil, salt and dried Oregano. Cook your noodles according to your preference and per package directions.

1 Cook the pasta
2 Marinate the fish
3 Saute the veggies
4 While the veggies cook, fry the fish

Enjoy!! Some dry white wine would go great with this dish. :)

Mangia..

Mushroom and Brie Quesadilla

2011-01-14T18:54:00.000-08:00

So I had some leftover of the mushrooms and had some Brie on hand, as well as Tortillas, so... made some quesadillas. I love using flavored tortillas, I get the sun dried tomato ones as well as the spinach ones. They last a while in the refrigerator, on nights I don't feel like cooking I know I can always make some quesadillas with whatever leftovers I have. This particular tortilla I used was the Jalapeno Cheddar one.

Spray the bottom of a nonstick griddle or fry pan with olive oil spray. Put a tortilla on the hot pan let brown a bit, in the meantime warm up your mushrooms, spoon over one half of the tortilla, add thinly sliced Brie cheese on top covering evenly. Fold the other half of the tortilla over. Using a spatula press down a bit, cook for a couple of minutes then carefully flip over to brown the other side. Another minute or so on the other side then remove onto a cutting board, slice with pizza slicer and enjoy :)))
If you have some grilled chicken, you can shred it in...or not your call.

This is always a great hit with my boys they love Brie and mushrooms.

Happy cooking!
Mangia..!

Pork Chops w/ Apricot Butter and Sauteed Mushrooms

2011-01-11T18:49:00.000-08:00

My boys love mushrooms, and mostly the more simply prepared the better. And Pork..well they are meat eaters that's for sure and they've been eating pork chops for as long as they could chew :) My oldest especially loves to pick at the bone till there is nothing left on it. So you can bet this was a hit with them. The sweet butter was a 4 out of 5 in the young ones taste buds, but my oldest wasn't crazy about it.

for the mushrooms:

2 packets of mushrooms (any combo will do, I used Portobello and Crimini)
I quartered the Crimini and sliced the Portobello just to make it interesting :)
1/2 of a Red Onion sliced
3 Lg cloves of Garlic sliced
3 Tbsp of Butter
Olive Oil
2 Tbsp each of Italian Parsley, Cilantro and Tarragon chopped

for the Pork

for 4-5 chops
the zest and juice of 1 large lime
2 tsp of Chili powder
liberal amount of salt and pepper (sorry when it comes to seasoning I never measure it's sort of an eyeballing thing with me)
Marinate chops for about 1/2 an hour in the juices turning once to coat other side

While the chops marinate, make your apricot butter. The spread I used I can't give out the recipe for (I hope to bottle some of this stuff and sell some day, sorry) But this simple butter will work too, soften a 1/4 cup of butter, add 2 Tbsp of Apricot jam and mix well, leave it at room temp for serving.

Make the mushroom:
Heat a large skillet on medium to high heat, add oil to coat bottom (about 3-4 Tbsp) add butter and melt.
Add onions and garlic at the same time, saute for a few minutes till the onions are soft and opaque.
Add the Portobellos and saute for 3-4 min, then add the smaller Criminis. Mix every now and then and let cook till the mushrooms are almost done, seasoning with salt and cracked pepper to taste.
Add the herbs towards the end, mix and cook for another minute and turn off the heat.

In another large skillet while the mushrooms are cooking heat some Olive oil, enough to coat the bottom, you can use a grill skillet if you like the grill marks and don't want to use the oil, you can spray some Olive oil spray and that will do.
Cook the Chops 2 at a time for about 5-7 min on each side, make sure the juices run clear before taking them off the heat.

To serve:
Spoon some of the mushrooms in a plate, put a chop next to it and spoon some butter on the hot chop and enjoy :)

Mangia..

Arugula and Pea Sprout Salad w/ Fennel and Pepitas

2011-01-09T17:32:00.000-08:00

Hi there friends, I've been wanting to do a food blog for some time now. It would appear that the opportunity has presented itself now. My boys have requested that I cook more for them, they want to eat more healthy and want to help me with the cooking more... wow right?! A big surprise coming from teenagers, but hey.. I'm not complaining!! So, I figured since I'll be doing a bit more cooking this year than last year, why not share some of the yummy things we come up with?! So here's my first post, I felt like having a fresh crisp salad today and this is what I put together. It was super easy, quick and absolutely delicious!

Enjoy and let me know what you think when you try it yourselves..

Ingredients: serves 2 main dishes, or 4 side salads

2 cups loosely packed Arugula leaves

1 cup loosely packed Pea Sprouts

1/4 Jicama, cut into matchsticks

1/4 Fennel bulb, sliced thinly

1/4 cup blueberries

1/4 cup Pomegranate seeds

1/2 cup roasted Pepita seeds

4 Tbsp Olive Oil

2 Tbsp Orange Muscat Champagne Vinegar (from Trader Jo's)

[if you can't find this item, just use any other fruity vinegar]

Salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste

Shaved Parmesan cheese to garnish

To serve:

Whisk Olive Oil and Vinegar in a small bowl, add the salt and pepper

Toss with the rest of the ingredients gently

Transfer into serving plates (make it look pretty :)

Top with cheese and enjoy

Mangia.. Mangia