10.29.2010

Fashionista Teacher Pt. III



Necklace: Target
Jacket: Express
Sweater tank: Caché
Slacks: Express
Shoes: Nine West

This is my favorite outfit so far!  I love it!!!  I was shocked to find some non-cougar clothing at Caché but this was also a few years back before they made the full transition.  It was a dig but you could find some good things on sale.  Now that store is straight animal prints.  So garish.  I realized I need to do more close-ups of items when being photographed so expect those in the future!

10.28.2010

Fashionista Teacher Pt. II



Scarf: The Gap
Dress: The Gap
Blazer: Express
Belt: Express
Shoes: NineWest

This is another outfit from a day of teaching.  I've had the scarf, belt and shoes FOREVER.  The dress is a recent addition.  It was less than $30 at Gap.  It takes me way too long to get dressed in the morning now that I have to think about looking professional.  It's so ridiculous!  But sometimes I love the result!  This is just a like day.

10.27.2010

Watermelon Gazpacho

I would show you the pic I took but it came out AWFUL.  This recipe is courtesy of Tyler Florence.
UPDATE: Here's the requested ugly pic...
  • 1 large tomato, pureed
  • 1/2 serrano chile
  • 2 cups cubed fresh watermelon
  • 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
  • 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons minced red onion
  • 1/2 cucumber, seeded and minced
  • 2 tablespoons minced fresh dill, plus more for garnish
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
In a blender, puree the tomatoes, chile, and 1/2 of the watermelon. Pour in the red wine vinegar and olive oil and pulse. Add the onion, cucumber and dill and season with salt and pepper. Puree until smooth. Pour into chilled bowls and sprinkle with dill, feta, and remaining watermelon. Serve.

Results:  There was some sweetness but not as much as you would think.  This was actually shockingly delicious.  I took it to a party and people raved about it!

10.26.2010

Turkey Meatloaf with Feta and Sun-dried Tomatoes

Recipe courtesy of Giada de Laurentiis
  • Vegetable cooking spray
  • 1/2 cup plain bread crumbs
  • 1/3 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • 1/4 cup chopped garlic and herb-marinated sun-dried tomatoes
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced, optional
  • 2 eggs, at room temperature, lightly beaten
  • 2 tablespoons whole milk
  • 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 pound ground turkey, preferably dark meat
Place an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Spray a 9 by 5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray.
In a large bowl, stir together the bread crumbs, parsley, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, if using, eggs, milk, feta, salt, and pepper. Add the turkey and gently stir to combine, being careful not to overwork the meat.

Carefully pack the meat mixture into the prepared pan and bake until the internal temperature registers 165 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer, about 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and slice. Put on a serving platter and serve.

Results: Can you spell AWESOME?  I hope so.  It will help you in reviewing this recipe.  This was soooo good!  I served this with a side of Whole Foods wild mushroom risotto.  I mixed in frozen peas the last few minutes of the cook time.  That was decent, too.

10.25.2010

Linguine with Red Clam Sauce

I was watching the Food Network and Cooking Channel at 1 in the morning and decided I wanted to cook. I found this recipe on cdkitchen. I originally started with a different recipe on the site but switched to this one when I realized I didn't have lemon. Bah. I was already past the anchovy step so I didn't use them this time.

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon anchovy paste
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
1 can (28 ounce size) Italian style crushed tomatoes
1 can (5-ounce size) whole clams
1/3 cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley, chopped
12 ounces uncooked linguine

Heat olive oil over low heat. Add the anchovy paste and garlic (I also added half of a diced/minced red onion). Stir and cook for 2 minutes. Add the crushed red pepper flakes, tomatoes (I used a 15 oz. can of fire-roasted diced tomatoes), and broth from the clams, white wine, tomato paste, and parsley. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes until slightly thickened.
Bring a large kettle of water to a boil and cook the linguine until al dente. Drain well.
Add the linguine and clams to the sauce and reheat, Serve immediately.

Results: We all know I hate tomato paste so I definitely left that out.  I got some body in the sauce by using diced tomatoes.  This was soooooooooooo good.  Full of flavor.  I added salt and white pepper to the sauce.  I also definitely used more crushed red pepper than the recipe called for!

10.14.2010

Max & Min

I like to think I'm opposite of Jameil when it comes to recipes. Where she will spend all day in a farmer's market and get every.single.ingredient for a dish, I will look at same recipe and skip it b/c of the "esoteric" qualities. Although I TOTALLY admire her for her no fear approach to cooking, I'm more on a "what will I ever need cardamom for? Pass". She has no fear, I just like to stick with what I know.

You can imagine my joy when Foo.dNetwork introduced a show called '5 Ingredient Fix'. Sooooo up my alley! If something calls for 18 steps and ingredients, my eyes glaze over and I order sushi. I really don't know where this lazy approach to cooking came from cause I used to be a cooking fool in college!!

I digress.

I found recipes that aren't even 5 ingredients. Try THREE! I'm sharing an app, a main, a side, and dessert!!

Goat Cheese Empanadas
Using a 3-in round cookie cutter, cut out 16 circles from 2 refrigerated rolled pie crusts. Divide 4 ounces fresh goat cheese among the circles. Lightly dot the edges of the dough with water, fold in half, and press with a fork to seal. Bake on a rimmed baking sheet for 20-25 mins. Serve with 1 cup store bought corn salsa.

Creamy Pecorino Pasta
Cook 12 oz spaghetti according to the package directions. Drain the pasta and return it to the pot. Add 1 cup heavy cream to the pasta and bring to simmer. Add 1/2 cup grated pecorino, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper, and cook tossing until thickened and creamy, abt 2 mins.

Parchment-Baked Halibut with Orange
Place 4 6-oz pieces of skinless halibut on 4 12-in pieces of parchment, keeping the fish to one side; season with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp blk pepper. Dividing evenly, top with 12 sprigs fresh thyme and 1 thinly sliced small orange. Fold the parchment over the fish, then seal each packet by making overlapping folds along the edges. Bake on 2 baking sheets at 400 degrees F for 12 mins. Cut packets open and serve.

Sauteed Spinach & Basil
Heat 2 tbs olive oil in a large skillet over med-high heat. Add 1 10 oz package spinach (abt 16 cups); 2 cups fresh basil, and 1/4 tsp kosher salt and black pepper and cook, until just wilted, 2-3 mins.

Raspberry Ice
In a small saucepan, combine 1 cup water and 1/2 cup sugar. Bring to a boil, stirring; let cool. In a blender, puree 3 cups raspberries with the sugar syrup. Strain into a loaf pan or shallow dish and freeze until firm, at least 4 hours. Whip 1/2 cup heavy cream until soft peaks form. Using a fork, scrape the surface of the raspberry ice to create icy flakes; divide among bowls. Serve with whipped cream and add'tl raspberries, if desired.

I'd like to think you can get maximum satisfaction with minimum effort/ingredients!

10.06.2010

Drink and Be Merry

If you know anything about me, I like to know or assume "what's in" and try to incorporate "it" into my life as much as a teacher can! Whether it's a color, food, or song, I try to call it and share.

So Ursh and J have a song called "Hot Tod.dy". I do like the song and like the thought of what an actual hot toddy is. Being the person who loves chocolate martinis and white russians, a hot alcoholic drink sounds right up my alley! I found a FABULOUS recipe to share with you! Be a hit at your Winter Wonderland Extravaganza!

Belve Hot Toddy
(serves 10-12)
1 bottle Belvedere Citrus
24 oz pressed apple juice
3.5 oz cinnamon simple syrup
1.5 oz lemon juice
cloves
cinnamon

Warm al ingredients and serve in heat resistant glasses (clear mugs would be awesome). Garnish with slices of apple or lemon

10.01.2010

Huevos con Chorizo, Rajas y Champiñones

(Eggs with Mexican sausage, roasted poblano pepper and mushrooms)
Recipe courtesy of Rick Bayless (who else?)



I couldn't find the recipe I used online and I didn't feel like typing it out in the accepted standard... HORRID food blogger, I know!  I'm sorry!

Cook 1 lb. of chorizo in a pan.  Drain.  Discard all but 2 tbsp.  Use to cook one diced onion with 8 oz. of mushrooms and 1 roasted, peeled poblano pepper and one large diced tomato.  When everything is cooked, re-combine all ingredients.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Whisk together 8 eggs and about 1/2 tsp. of salt.  (You don't want to over-salt if your chorizo is salty.)  Add eggs to pan, scramble to taste.  Top with dried oregano and crumbly cheese like feta or cotija.  Yum!  I added a squeeze of lime... my favorite acid.  :)