Eggplant Parmesan Towers

With the final countdown to sporting my bikini on the beach in sunny Punta Cana, I decided to cook vegetarian meals this week. To be honest, I wish I could go completely vegan but I love cheese way too much!

I saw these eggplant towers on Pinterest awhile back and thought they looked divine. Recently, one of the food blogs I follow posted them as well so I decided to give them a try. And let me tell you, they were divine.

Eggplant is a great way to keep those carnivore cravings away as they have a very meaty texture and taste to them. I knew I might have those cravings kick in midweek so I picked an eggplant up at Trader Joes on Sunday. I was glad I did because I had a lot of fun with this recipe and I hope you do too! 

Ingredients:

-Cooking skewers

-1 jar of your favorite marinara sauce

-1 eggplant

-3 Roma tomatoes

-6 eggs

-¼ cup water

-¾ panko breadcrumbs

-¾ cup of Italian breadcrumbs

-1 teaspoon dry basil

-1 teaspoon dry parsley

-8 ounces of fresh mozzarella cheese

-1-2 cups of Parmesan cheese

-1 lb of fresh spinach

-1/2 tablespoon crushed red pepper

-5 garlic gloves

-2 tablespoons olive oil

-Salt

-Pepper

 

Directions:

Heat your oven to 400 degrees F.

Start your prep by chopping the eggplant, tomatoes, and mozzarella cheese in about ½ inch slices.

Crack and whisk 4 eggs in a bowl and set aside. In another bowl mix your water, panko and Italian breadcrumbs, basil, and parsley. After, whisk in 2 eggs and set aside.

Spray a cooking sheet with cooking oil.

Next, you need to saturate the eggplant in the egg moisture and then dip in breadcrumb mix until fully covered. Transfer to a cooking sheet and bake for about 30 minutes or until they look golden brown.

 

Now you can begin cooking your sautéed garlic spinach.

To start, add olive oil, minced garlic, and crushed red pepper to large stockpot or French oven. Add medium heat to pan but do not let the garlic get too brown! Add spinach, salt, and pepper and stir until all the spinach is completely covered in EVOO. Cook for 2 minutes with the lid on. After 2 minutes, stir the spinach then turn heat to high and cook for another 2 minutes. It only takes 4 minutes total to cook so be very attentive!

Using a baking pan layer the bottom with your favorite marinara sauce. When eggplant is finished baking you can begin the fun part – layering! The order is really up to you. My layering order went in this order: eggplant, Parmesan cheese, tomato, mozzarella cheese, spinach, tomato, eggplant, and last but not least more Parmesan cheese. To finish, break cooking skewers in half and pierce the layers using the sharp end first to avoid splinters.

Bake another 25-30 minutes or until the cheese is melted and perfectly browned! Serve with more tomato sauce, ground pepper, and fresh basil or thyme.

Pour yourself a big glass of red wine and enjoy! 

Cast Iron Pizza

Oh pizza, how I love thee.

Making your own pizza for date night in can be so much fun! Who needs greasy pepperoni pizza via delivery when you can go all out, with crazy good, fresh toppings that are packed full of flavor right at home?

In the picture below, I used local Italian sausage, cherry tomatoes, arugula, pine nuts, mozzarella and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. The possibilities of toppings for homemade pizza are practically endless!

Last summer, I found a pizza crust that you cook on the grill. Stephen and I really enjoyed making our own creations and ending up with a crust that was a tiny bit charred. After browsing a few of my favorite food blogs who swear by cooking pizza in a cast iron pan, I decided to expand my pizza prep.

I think my next pizza will involve some sort of Thai peanut sauce topped with chicken, scallions, carrot, purple cabbage, roasted peanuts, and fresh cilantro. I’m pretty sure if you make your own in a cast iron with your own dough, you will not be ordering in again. My mouth is watering just thinking about it. 

Chicken Tortilla Soup

One of my favorite Christmas presents this year was my KitchenAid stand mixer. I was so excited to add this forever staple to my collection of “red” kitchenware. However, I am not the best at baking nor is baking the best for my diet so I haven’t used it as much as I hoped I would. I was explaining my dilemma to a coworker this week during our long night shift and he told me how you can use your KitchenAid to shred chicken. At first, I was skeptical but after showing me multiple YouTube demonstrations I decided I would give it a try this weekend. Turns out it works great! I thought I would share this exciting news with all of my readers. Go try it for yourself! And maybe even convince yourself to splurge on that vibrant colored KitchenAid you have been eyeing every time you walk into Target ;)

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped

1 red bell pepper, chopped

4 carrots, chopped

1 4-once can green chilies

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 teaspoon dried crushed oregano

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

6 cups chicken broth

1 16-once can of diced tomato with liquid

12 ounces of chicken (2-3 breasts)

2 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels

1/3 cup fresh cilantro

1/3 cup lime juice

Directions:

In a large stockpot heat olive oil. Add onions, peppers and carrots and sauté over medium heat until onions are translucent in color. Add green chilies, chili power, cumin, garlic, oregano and cayenne pepper. Cook for 1 minute. Then add chicken broth and can of diced tomatoes and bring to a boil.

Meanwhile, bring a separate pan of water to a boil and add frozen 2-3 chicken breast. Cook for about 20 minutes, drain, and transfer to KitchenAid stand mixer. Using your flat beater, mix the chicken on medium speed until chicken becomes perfectly shredded.

Reduce heat and add chicken. Simmer for 15-20 minutes. Add corn and simmer for 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in cilantro and lime juice.  Garnish with tortilla chip strips, monetary jack cheese, sour cream, avocado and/or cilantro. Enjoy!

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.