Crab Cakes with Red Pepper Aioli

Spent Valentines Day teaching my love how to ice skate and finished the night with a nice glass of wine and some crab cakes. Hope you all enjoy the recipe and have a good week! XO

Ingredients:

Crab Cakes:

16 oz lump crab meat

½ cup bread crumbs (seafood seasoning or planko)

½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped

1 cup of bell peppers (any mixture of red, yellow, or orange), diced

4 green onions, chopped

1 egg

1 clove garlic, minced

¼ cup mayo

 

Aioli:

1 roasted red pepper

2 gloves garlic, minced

3 tablespoons cilantro, chopped

1 tablespoon lemon juice

Salt and pepper to taste

 

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F. Combine all crab cake ingredients minus the bread crumbs in bowl. After mixed well, roll crab cake mix in bread crumbs and shape into small patties. Cook on stovetop with olive oil until both sides are browned. Transfer to baking sheet and bake patties in oven for 10 minutes. To make red pepper aioli, simply combine ingredients in food processor until you get your desired texture. Serve alone or on a bed of lettuce with your favorite side veggies.

Two of my recent favorite recipes...

So I have realized that I cook just about every night and rarely post what I make on my blog. Mostly because every day after work I have been working out and when I finally get home and get something made I am dying to dig in and forget to take a picture. Also, I will admit I can be a bit lazy at times. Having a blog can be hard work!  In attempt to make up for my laziness lately here are a couple recipes that I actually snapped a photo of before I took a bite.

Honey Soy Salmon

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons honey

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 ½ tablespoons fresh lime juice

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon water

2 teaspoons vegetable oil

Two 6-ounce pieces of salmon fillet

 

Preparation:

In a small bowl whisk together honey, soy sauce, lime juice, mustard, and water. In a small non-stick skillet heat oil over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking and cook salmon 2 to 3 minutes on each side. Transfer salmon to 2 plates. Add honey glaze to skillet and simmer, stirring, 1 minute. Pour glaze over salmon.

I have used this recipe two different times. Once, as a marinade and another as the glaze like the recipe above. Both ways were equally delicious!

 

Baked Parmesan Kale Spaghetti Squash

Ingredients:

1 yellow onion, diced

1 large spaghetti squash

2 cups kale, finely chopped

¾ cup parmesan cheese, grated

Olive oil

Salt

Pepper

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Cut spaghetti squash in half lengthwise from stem to tail. Using a fork, scrape out the seeds and a small amount of the flesh from inside the squash. Coat squash in olive oil and dash with salt and pepper. Place squash face down and cook for 30 minutes. Adding water to the bottom of the pan will help make the squash more tender so add some if you wish.

Cook for 30 to 45 minutes. The squash is done when you can easily peel and separate the flesh into strands that look like spaghetti. When spaghetti squash is done cooking, scrape all of the squash out of the skin and set aside.

Next, sauté the onion and kale in olive oil until onions are translucent. Transfer cooked onions and kale to bowl with spaghetti squash and mix. Pour into a baking dish, top with parmesan cheese more salt and pepper and bake until cheese is bubbly.

Serve as a side or enjoy as a nice vegan meal. I promise this will be your new favorite dish!

Super Bowl Eats

For Christmas, Stephen's parents gifted me a cookbook featuring traditional Latin meals with a healthy twist. I have been wanting to give a bunch of the recipes a try but it is hard to keep up with such a hectic work travel schedule. So I finally found a long Sunday to take my first stab at completely homemade empanadas. Although, they were very time consuming I will definitely be making these again! Both the ceviche and empanadas were a great addition to my night of watching Super Bowl commercials :) 

Shrimp & Avocado Ceviche

 

Ingredients:

1 pound uncooked medium shrimp, peeled, deveined, chopped

¼ cup fresh orange juice

3 tablespoons lime juice

1 tablespoon lemon juice

2 tablespoons sugar

¼ teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons of Mexican crema

1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger

1 avocado, peeled and cut into chunks

¼ cup red onion, diced

1 teaspoon jalapeno, chopped

Fresh cilantro

 

Directions:

1. In a medium pot, bring 6 cups of water to a boil. Drop shrimp in and cook until they just begin to turn pink. Do not overcook! Drain and chill the shrimp down on ice.
2. In a small bowl, combine the orange, lime and lemon juice with the sugar, salt, Mexican crema, and fresh ginger. Mix well and pour over shrimp. Let chill and marinade for about 15 minutes.
3. Before serving, gently toss in the avocado, onion and jalapeno. Top with cilantro and enjoy!

Cuban Citrus-Braised Pork Empanadas

Ingredients:

Dough:

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 egg yolks

¼ cup water

6 tablespoons olive oil

 

Directions: In a medium bowl, mix all the ingredients together until it forms a firm ball. Transfer to a floured surface and knead until smooth. Form the dough into a ball and tightly wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 20 minutes. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F.

 

Filling:

2 ½ pounds of bone-in pork shoulder, trimmed of most visible fat

1 ½ tablespoons ground cumin

1 ½ tablespoons ground coriander

1 ½ tablespoons salt

1 ½ tablespoons freshly ground pepper

2 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil

1 ½ cups chicken stock

1 tablespoon sherry vinegar

1 large yellow onion, chopped

4 gloves garlic, peeled and chopped

½ cup orange juice

¼ cup lime juice

2 dried bay leaves

4 sprigs fresh thyme

2 sprigs fresh oregano

2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro

1 egg, lightly beaten

Rub the pork with cumin, coriander, salt and pepper mixture. Heat oil in large heavy bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown pork on both sides, about 3 minutes each side. Add chicken stock, vinegar, onion, garlic, orange and lime juices, bay leaves, thyme and oregano. Cover the pot and place in the oven to braise for 1 ½ to 2 hours or until the meat easily comes off the bone.

Remove pork from the oven and let cool. Remove bay leaves, thyme and oregano. Shred cooled pork into small pieces and let rest for at least 2 hours before adding in the onion and cilantro.

When you are ready to assemble and bake the empanadas preheat the oven to 350 degrees F once again. Roll out dough to about ¼ thickness. Using a 3 ½ inch diameter round biscuit cutter, cut out 12 circles. Top dough with filling.

Whisk an egg in a small bowl and begin forming the empanada by first brushing egg mixture around the circle of the dough. Next, fold the dough in half and close the seal with a fork. Brush the tops with the egg wash and bake until golden brown, 18 to 20 minutes.

"It's Great Day at Devils Head Lodge"

A trip home to snowy Wisconsin wouldn’t be complete without a ski day at Devils Head Resort! Last weekend my older brother’s girlfriend Elise came down from Minneapolis to ski with me and my dad to try out her new ski boots that Jared gifted her for Christmas.

To fuel us for our long day on the slopes Saturday, my mom made this quinoa and oat porridge recipe she found in February’s issue of the magazine Real Simple. I am always looking for ways to add protein to breakfast and quinoa is a great source so I thought I would share this recipe with you all.

The quinoa and oat porridge definitely kept us energized. The weather was perfect, snow conditions were good, and we had a blast! Elise and I ended the day with a cold Spotted Cow beer in the lodge. What else would a native Wisconsinite want?

Over the past few months, I have had a few friends asking me about recommended ski wear so I thought I would also share a few of my favorites in this blog post. If any of my readers do winter sports and have their own favorites please share them with me by commenting below!

Mountain Hard Wear Jacket- My dad and I are both big fans of the brand Mountain Hard Wear. A few years ago I purchased this ski jacket and a pair of their snow pants at a ski shop in Baraboo, WI called The Wild Side and I absolutely love them. All their products are great because they are very light weight yet super warm. If you are in the market for a new active winter jacket, there are some great deals on their website right now at www.mountainhardwear.com

Burton Gore-Tex Mitt- A quality glove or mitten that keeps out moisture is essential for snowboarding since you have to sit down strap in your snow covered boots every run. Since I don’t hold anything while I snowboard, I prefer mittens to gloves. However, these particular mittens are really a hybrid of the two because they have spaces for your fingers inside the mitt. They also have a pocket on the top of the glove where you can place hand warmers and an adjustable cord on the end which keeps snow and cold air from getting in. And as gross as it sounds, the most convenient feature on these gore-text mitts is the “snot catcher” on the thumb. So much easier than getting a Kleenex out of your pocket in zero below weather!

Ugg Boots- If you have ever worn a pair of ugg boots, I can bet you would argue that finding a warmer shoe is just about impossible. The problem is their “classic” boot made of sheepskin and EVA materials aren’t exactly waterproof. What you might not know is that ugg also sells a variety of waterproof boots in all different shapes, sizes, and colors. Although they aren’t quite as warm as their classic boot, I do have to say they are much more functional for the slopes. I have worn the boots shown in the picture above multiple times in dirty slushy snow and they still look like new!

Smart Wool Socks- I am a huge fan of Smart Wool’s PhD Light Snowboard socks. Most people would probably look at the price tag on these socks and look the other way. However, if you give these a try I promise you will be warm and dry all day long. Other wool socks can overheat and make your feet sweaty and cold but I have worn these for up to 6 straight hours of snowboarding and they kept my feet warm without overheating. They are designed specifically for women and padded in just the right areas to make them super comfortable in your boots, too. They are fantastic!

Dakine Hat and Neck Warmer- There is something so fun about wearing a hat with an oversized pom pom on the top! Dakine has an entire line of ski and snowboard gear with great bright and creative patterns at a pretty affordable price. You can find this brand at practically any store that sells ski or snowboard apparel. They also have a line of ski and snowboard bags and luggage.  I think I may have trade in my boring standard Samsonite suitcase pretty soon because finding my current suitcase amongst other similar black bags at baggage claim is never a fun task.

Patagonia Base Layer- Although my boyfriend would disagree that expensive brands like Patagonia and North Face are worth the money, I have to disagree. All their products are very high quality and will last you for years! If you are looking for base layers, I recommend searching towards the end of the season. You can find really good deals at REI and on online outlets.

That’s all for now. Stay warm out there!

 

Ingredients:

½ cup quinoa

½ cup old-fashioned rolled oats

2 tablespoons brown sugar, plus more for serving

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 and 2/3 cup water

1 cup milk, plus more for serving

½ cup raisins, toasted nuts, and chopping banana for serving

 

Directions:

Combine the quinoa, oats, sugar, cinnamon, milk and 1 2/3 cup water in a small pot. Cook, stirring often, until tender, 25 to 30 minutes. Stir in raisins and cook until softened, 1 to 2 minutes. Serve with the nuts, banana, and more milk and brown sugar if desired.

KC Restaurant Week

Kansas City restaurant week starts today though January 25th!


Multi-course lunch menus for $15 and dinner menus for $33. KC friends- Which one of these restaurants is a must try? 


https://www.kcrestaurantweek.com/restaurants

Mussels, Hummus, & Pesto - Oh my!

Last weekend, I was missing my Italy vacation and craving Italian food. To compensate, I decided to try my own take on a mussel recipe I found on the Food Network website by Bobby Flay. I used all the same ingredients as Bobby but just changed the proportions by adding more garlic and wine. I was serving the mussels with a simple broiled Tuscan artisan loaf with olive oil and I wanted more broth and flavor for dipping purposes.

I also decided to make homemade hummus and pesto which I think is going to be a pretty regular occasion moving forward. It was so much easier than I imagined and with the amount of hummus I typically consume making my own should be a lot more cost effective!  To blend, I used my VeggieChop rather than a food processor so both turned out chunkier than your typical hummus and pesto but I actually think I prefer both items that way.

I served my hummus with pita chips as an appetizer while the mussels cooked and decided to save the pesto for Panini’s for lunch the next day. I think later this week I am going to use the rest of the pesto to make a dish similar to Noodles and Company’s Pesto Cavatappi with pasta, mushrooms, tomato, parmesan, chicken and Italian Parsley. Do the same with my recipes below! :)

Tarragon Steamed Mussels

2 pounds mussels, scrubbed

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 shallot, coarsely chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon leaves

3 cups white wine

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

-Heat olive oil in stock pan and when warm sauté shallots and garlic
-Add butter, salt, pepper, mussels, then wine
-Steam with lid on for about 5 minutes
-Take off lid to mix mussels then add tarragon leaves and steam for another 3 minutes
-Serve mussels in a bowl and ladle broth on top

*I cooked my mussels in my new Le Creuset pan and didn’t have enough room for 2 pounds of mussels so I just split the recipe and cooked in two batches.

Sundried Tomato Hummus

1 can garbanzo beans

¼ cup tahini paste

¼ cup lemon juice

4 cloves of garlic, minced

½ cup olive oil

½ cup oil-packed sun dried tomatoes

Salt and pepper to taste

 

Fresh Basil Pesto

2 cups fresh basil

½ cup pecorino cheese

¼ cup pine nuts

2 gloves of garlic, minced

2/3 cup olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

-To prepare hummus and pesto, blend items in a food processor to desired texture.

 

More Trader Joe's Please

Trader Joes is my happy place. That is, until I get to the checkout counter and realize I have spent three times as much money as I intended. Seriously though, if this store had a reward program I would definitely be platinum.

I love Trader Joe’s because they have all your staple foods, great meats nuts and veggies, and hundreds of other unique products that are so easy to throw in your cart and so much fun to try! While a typical grocery store may carry 40,000 items from all different food vendors, Trader Joe's only stocks about 4,000 items, and 80% of its own brand name. By skipping the middle man Trader Joe’s is able to pass along pretty significant savings to their customers.

There is a pretty common misconception in the public that their products are expensive, which is definitely not true. You will find that many products are way cheaper than your typical grocery stores, especially their frozen fruit and veggies. I think the key to shopping at Trader Joe’s on a budget is:

a. Not shop when you are hungry
b. Have self control
c. Limit yourself to a specific number of "unique items"

I myself usually never follow any of these rules. Hence, breaking my food budget on a pretty typical basis. I will justify however, that if you are looking to cook a quick and healthy dinner, stopping by Trader Joe’s on your way home is perfect. Here were two of my dinners this week that took less than 10 minutes to make:

*Garden vegetable mushroom & asiago chicken sausage with colorful sautéed peppers

*Angus beef with onion, asparagus, and mushroom mix topped with General Tsao stir fry sauce

Trader Joes also has a great website which shares their history, recipes, locations, and announces new products. My favorite part of the website is “how to make bestovers” aka leftovers. They provide a grocery list of items you can buy that will make you one dinner and two different lunches using the items from the grocery list.

Another fun fact about Trader Joe’s is if a product doesn’t sell well, they take if off the shelf! So if you really like a product, tell your friends and family about it so it never leaves. My favorite is the Speculoos Cookie Butter Ice Cream.  It is literally LIFE CHANGING and after browsing their website today I found out they have cookie butter CHEESECAKE too! Who has the next upcoming birthday in my life? I need an excuse to go and purchase this!  I can imagine it will be next on my much loved dessert list.

 

Leave a comment below with YOUR favorite Trader Joe’s product/s.

Mushroom Barley Soup

Its supposed to be a cold one tomorrow so what better way than to warm up with some hot mushroom barley soup? If you haven’t noticed, I love making soup in the fall and winter and my body enjoyed refueling on this nutrient packed soup after two very hard workouts this week :)

-Soak ½ cup barley in water for an hour

-Chop and sauté 1 onion, 2 carrots, and 3 celery sticks in 2 tablespoons of butter in soup or crockpot until onions are translucent

-Add two tablespoons of minced garlic and 8 oz of assorted mushrooms and sauté veggies for another 3-5 minutes

-Add 1 ½ quarts of chicken broth 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, and ½ teaspoon of dry thyme

-Drain and add barley and simmer soup for 1 hour

-Ladle and add dill and parley to serve

You can add any assortment of mushrooms but I recommend adding shitake to your mix. I made this soup on Sunday night and had it as leftovers tonight. It was much better tonight because the shitake mushroom flavor was soaked up in the broth. I think this recipe proved to my beer enthusiast boyfriend that barley isn’t only for beer ;) Hope you all stay warm out there!

Home for the Holidays!

It goes without question, that most of us enjoy some of the best food of the year around the holidays.  For Christmas this year, my mother definitely out did herself in the kitchen. We enjoyed ham, shrimp, mussels, crab legs, lobster tail, and prime rib while I was home! 

I wanted to share some simple things my mom added to our prime rib sides that were very simple but added a lot to the meal.

First, she added pomegranate seeds to our spinach, apple, walnut, and blue cheese salad. Pomegranate is a very festive additive for the holidays and not just for cocktails. We even added them to roasted carrots for Thanksgiving! 

Next, she roasted pine nuts and added them to our green beans. I think pine nuts are good on pretty much everything but I really enjoyed the added texture and flavor to sautéed green beans. I am going to make these soon but sub haricot verts for the traditional wide wax green beans. 

Lastly, she decided to add equal parts of olive oil, Dijon mustard and parmesan cheese to our roasted potatoes. Mustard is always a good flavor to pair with prime rib and adding it to the potatoes was a great way to add flavor to the meal without taking anything away from the meat. 

Thanks for the delicious food and good company, Mom! We love you!

Thai Basil Chicken

Santa was very good to my cooking blog this year. I couldn’t even get all my new cookware home in my luggage! However, I was sure to fit in an item that I have been anxious to get in my kitchen for some time now – an Asian wok!

I think I was anxious to get back in my kitchen this morning because I found myself grocery shopping at 6 am! I came to find that shopping that early is actually really wonderful and made my Sunday seem extra long.

The recipe below is from the William Sonoma cookbook titled “Chicken”. I will be trying many stir-fry recipes in the next few weeks so check back for more posts! This dish was very light, easy, and delicious. The only critique I would make is if you like vegetables, then add more than 1 red pepper to the mix. Personally, I didn’t think just one was enough.

If you find yourself inspired to take up stir-fry like myself, I encourage you skip your typical grocery store and instead look up a local Chinese food market to purchase sauce ingredients. I bought about 8 different sauces at a store in Madison next to Imperial Garden for $13, which was a great deal!

Hope you enjoy :)

Thai Basil Chicken Stir-Fry

Ingredients:

6 tbsp chicken stock

2 tbsp fish sauce

2 tsp brown sugar

½ tsp cornstarch

2 tbsp of vegetable oil

1 red bell pepper

1 or 2 Thai or jalapeño chilies

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 lb of boneless chicken cut into thin strips

¾ cup fresh Thai basil leaves

3 green onions

1 cup jasmine rice

Directions:

In small bowl, whisk together chicken stock, fish sauce, brown sugar, and cornstarch until fully dissolved. Set aside.

In large wok, heat oil over high heat. Add bell pepper and sauté for 1 minute. Add chilies to taste then garlic and stir-fry until fragrant. Add chicken and cook until the meat loses pink color. Stir in basil and green onions.

Whisk sauce mixture again then pour into wok. Cook until the liquid comes to a boil.

Serve with jasmine rice.