valentine's dinner

We've had more extravagant Valentine's Day celebrations in the past, but thought it would be nice to make a delicious meal together and enjoy it in our home. The food we had was a little more decadent than our average dinner, but is still relatively healthy; you really can have an indulgent meal without loading up on tons of calories.

On the menu:

• Grilled Filet Mignon with Drunken Onions
• Garlic Dijon Mashed Potatoes with Spinach
• Baby Green Salad with Raspberry Vinaigrette
• Flat 12's Bleeding Heart IPA
• Reduced-Guilt Raspberry Brownies

drunken onions

2 Servings

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 medium onion, thinly sliced

Salt & Pepper

8 oz. ale

4 oz. beef broth

• Heat extra virgin olive oil in a medium skillet. Saute onions until lightly browned. Season with salt & pepper. 
• Pour ale and beef broth in and deglaze, scraping up any brown bits from the pan. Simmer until reduced to a thick gravy/onion mixture.

garlic dijon mashed potatoes with spinach

4 servings

1 1/2 lbs yukon gold potatoes, diced

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1/2 lb spinach, torn into small shreds

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 c. milk

2 tbsp butter

2 tbsp dijon

Salt & Pepper

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Boil potatoes until fork tender.
• While potatoes are cooking, heat extra virgin olive oil in a small skillet. Saute spinach and garlic until spinach is wilted.
• Combine potatoes, spinach & garlic mixture, milk, butter, dijon, salt and pepper. Mix on high until fluffy.

The "Reduced Guilt" brownie mix from Trader Joe's is by far the best boxed brownie mix I've ever had, and it is LOW FAT! It calls for combining plain or vanilla yogurt with the contents of the box, but I decided to do raspberry yogurt and serve it with fresh raspberries. The only fat in the whole thing comes from the yogurt. 

new kitchen gadgets

I've gotten some great new kitchen gadgets recently. I'm pretty excited about them, and HIGHLY recommend both of these items!

Cuisanart Griddler
So far, I've used this for paninis (see my gourmet grilled cheese post) and to "grill" some chicken sausage with it during the freezing rain yesterday.

You can use it as a panini press, a grill, and a griddle.

I was really planning to just buy a panini press, but for a few extra bucks got this upgraded item. One of my favorite things about it is that the cooking plates on the top and bottom are removable for easy cleaning. They are even dishwashwer safe! Most other appliances like this are such a pain to clean when you have to put the entire thing in the sink. It also has heat controls, unlike most panini presses. 

Kitchen-Aid Pro 500 Series

I was so excited to get this for Christmas from James! It looks gorgeous on the countertop, I love the brushed nickel finish. It is so much faster than using a hand mixer, and I can walk away or do other things while it is mixing. It came with a whisk and and flat beater attachment, and also a dough hook for kneading bread doughs. 

I've already gotten a lot of use out of this one in the last 2 months. I really want to get some of the other attachments for it sometime... there are so many! Some I'd like to have: 

• Ice Cream Maker: For making ice cream, obviously, and sorbet, frozen custard, etc. 
• Pasta Roller: Again obviously, for making homemade pastas. So much easier than rolling out by hand!
• Food Grinder: Grinding meats for hamburgers, meatloaf, custom-blended sausages, etc. and grinding large grains

gourmet grilled cheese & tomato soup

Who doesn't love a good grilled cheese with tomato soup? I recreated this classic dish with a gourmet twist for a quick and delicious dinner this week.

On top of being quick and delicious, this is a vegetarian dish. James and I made a New Year's resolution to eat vegetarian at least twice a week. We've really enjoyed having some new vegetarian dishes, but you can't go wrong with this old classic.

gourmet grilled cheese
Serves 4

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 lb kale, stemmed and ripped into large shreds
Salt & Pepper
8 slices multi-grain bread - we like Oatnut bread for an extra crunch!
Reduced fat margarine
6 slices havarti cheese
2 cloves garlic

• Heat extra virgin olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add kale, salt, and pepper. Saute for 5-7 minutes, or until kale has reduced to half of the original size. 
• Butter one side of each piece of bread. Place one and a half slices of havarti cheese on 4 of the slices. Using a microplane or other fine grater to shred half a clove of garlic over each of the 4 slices. Top with each of the 4 slices with kale, then top with other piece of bread. 
• Cook the grilled cheeses using a panini press heated to medium-high heat. 

gourmet tomato soup
Serves 4

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 carrots, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 lb tomatoes, chopped
3 cups vegetable stock
salt & pepper
1/2 cup half & half

• Heat extra virgin olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pot (I always use enameled cast iron for soups). Saute carrots and onion until onion is translucent.
• Add tomatoes, 2 cups vegetable stock, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer mixture to a blender and puree, or use an immersion blender (I really need one!)
• Return puree to pot, add remaining cup of stock, and half & half. Simmer for an additional 10 minutes to incorporate. Season to taste.

it's almost spring!

Last Saturday was so fun! Suzy was in town for the weekend to hang out, and it was a gorgeous spring day, so we decided to do lots of fun things that remind us of spring and summer. 

Suzy and I started the day at the (Winter) farmer's market. I really do enjoy this one, but in combination with the nice weather, I was thinking about our favorite farmer's market, the Broad Ripple Farmer's Market, and wishing we were there instead. 

James, Suz, and I went hiking at Holliday Park. It was still a bit wet from all the ice melting, and the river was really high, but we had a great time getting out after a long spell of cabin fever. 

Later James and I saw that the guest bed was in total sun from the back window, so we took a quick cat nap and pretended we were laying outside in the sun.

To top off the day and keep with our spring/summer theme, we had dinner at a local Mexican restaurant, and of course had some delicious frozen margaritas. 

I can't wait for more weekends like this to come!

cabin fever

I can't wait for spring! Luckily it has been nice out the past few days, but I am still so over winter! I had to get some "life" in the house - or at least pretend to.

I love the way this looks on our table, and guess how much I spent...

$5!! I got the regularly $1.49-priced long stem gerber daisies at Michael's for $0.50 each, so that was my $5 spent. I already had the vase from a Christmas centerpiece I did. The vase wrap is made burlap with leftover ribbon off of a Christmas present woven into it. To do this, remove consecutive strands of burlap (I removed about 25 horizontal strands to accommodate the width of my ribbon), then just weave in the ribbon!

and some delicious fresh-squeezed orange juice, wow I can't wait for it to be warm out!

lightened up meatball subs

We had a favorite of James's the other day... Meatball Subs, or as he calls them, Meatball Bombers. We almost always use lean and extra lean ground beef, and often also substitute the ground beef with all-white meat ground turkey. The one trick with using extra lean meats is making up for the flavor and moistness. I've been tweaking my turkey meatball recipe little by little for a while, and I finally got it exactly the way I wanted!

I like to use minimal ingredients in many of my recipes. You might think this will result in a plain or bland meal, but when you use quality ingredients it really allows those flavors to shine.

turkey meatball subs

Servings: 4

1 lb. all white-meat ground turkey
1 egg
2 tbsp homemade pesto
1/2 c. panko breadcrumbs
2 tbsp parmesan cheese
Salt & Pepper
2 c. marinara sauce: I use Trader Joe's Organic Marinara
A pinch of red pepper flakes, or more if you like it spicy!
2 baguettes: I buy them from Jimmy John's - only $0.49 for day-old!
2 handfuls of part-skim shredded mozzarella cheese

• Combine ground turkey, egg, pesto, panko, parmesan, salt and pepper.
• Spray a large sheet pan with cooking spray and preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• Form into 1-inch balls. Flatten slightly so the meatballs will stay on your sandwich better.
• Bake for 35 to 38 minutes, flipping halfway through. 
• Heat marinara over low heat in a medium sauce pan with red pepper flakes. Place meatballs in marinara. 
• Slice baguettes open and sprinkle them with mozzarella cheese. Broil to melt cheese.
• Top baguettes with 3 to 4 meatballs. Enjoy!

claire!!

I got the best surprise I've had in a long time last Wednesday... one of my best friends, Claire, showed up at my door! Claire has been gone in Australia, New Zealand and Southeast Asia since the end of 2008. While she's been gone, we would email and Skype, but didn't get to talk very often.

I was excited when I heard from her and we were going to be able to Skype for the first time in a few months. About half an hour before we were supposed to "meet online," I get a knock at my door and it is her!! I was SOO excited!

I'm so glad you're back for a while, Claire! I've missed you so much!

custom bulletin board

I recently completed this bulletin board I'd been wanting to make for my office. The flowered fabric actually cloth napkins from Target. I love the print, and accompanied with burlap, works perfect for my office. I used brown grosgrain ribbon to section off the four quadrants, and also for the loops to hang it by.

This can be customized with any fabrics you like to match your room, and works also works great for displaying photos. And I've already sold one! Want one? Starting at $25 (final price will depend on fabrics used).

it's bri'ish!

We had one of our old favorites this week, Shepherd's Pie; but this time, pumped up with more veggies since James will eat them now. Served with a fresh field green salad and, of course, a brewski - just like the pub!

Shepherd's Pie

Servings: 6

PREPARE THE FOLLOWING COMPONENTS:
Mashed Potato Layer: 
1 1/2 pounds Yukon Gold Potatoes, peeled & diced
2 tbsp butter
4 tbsp milk
Salt & Pepper

• Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add potatoes and cook. Strain.
• Add to mixer with remaining ingredients and mix until fluffy and creamy. 

Meat & Veggie Layer

1 lb extra lean ground beef

1/2 yellow onoin, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced 

4 small carrots, sliced 

3-4 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

Salt & Pepper

1/2 c. beef stock

1 1/2 c. corn

• Brown ground beef with onion and garlic. Add carrots when meat is nearly finished cooking and cover for 4 minutes. 
• Add worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper to season. Add beef stock and corn, simmer until thickened. 
• If the liquid does not thicken, put 3-4 tbsp of the liquid in a jar with 1 tsp. of cornstarch, shake to combine, and pour back into meat mixture. 

Biscuit Layer

1 c. flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

3/4 c. milk

Pepper

• Mix all ingredients together in a bowl; should make a thin biscuit mix similar to a thick pancake/waffle batter.

ASSEMBLE

• Preheat oven at 375 degrees
• Butter a 9 x 13 inch dish
• Place mashed potato layer in dish, making sure to push into each corner and smooth across the top. 
• Layer meat & vegetable mix onto mashed potatoes and pour any remaining liquid on top. 
• Pour biscuit batter over meat & vegetable mix. 
• Melt 2 tbsp butter and pour over biscuit layer. 
• Bake 35-40 minutes until golden brown. 

quick asian bistro meal

One way I want to keep up on this blog is by posting more of my culinary creations. So I'll begin with some of our memorable meals from this past week.

We always have Trader Joe's Chicken Potstickers on hand, so I tried something new with them. We typically eat them as an appetizer or side, but I thought I'd do my own Wonton Soup. We served this with homemade pan-fried vegetable eggrolls with peanut satay and ginger-soy dipping sauces.

I love to eat lots of veggies, and we get tons of organic and local vegetables and fruit from James' work, Green Bean Delivery, each week, so there is always a lot to use up. This meal gives you two hefty servings of vegetables, without even seeming vegetable-y - a huge help in getting James to eat more veggies, since he is more of a newcomer to most of them.

Asian Dumpling Soup

servings: 4

1 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic
2-inch piece fresh ginger
5 scallions, chopped
3 c. chicken stock
1 c. beef stock
1 c. water
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp sherry wine
2 carrots, sliced
2 heads baby bok choy, torn into small shreds
16 potstickers
sesame oil
Sriracha hot chili sauce

• Heat olive oil in stock pot. Puree garlic and ginger in food processor. Fry in oil with scallions.
• Add chicken stock, beef stock, water, soy sauce, and sherry; bring to boil.
• Add carrots, cook 3 minutes. Add potstickers and baby bok choy. When the pot stickers float, you're done!
• Serve with a drizzle of sesame oil, and a squirt of Sriracha if you can handle the heat!

Pan-Fried Eggrolls

servings: 4

1 tbsp + 3 tbsp canola oil
1 scallion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
3/4 c. shredded cabbage
1/2 c. bean sprouts
1/4 c. shredded carrots
1/4 tsp. sugar
2 tbsp soy sauce

4 eggroll wrappers

• Heat 1 tbsp of canola oil in a wok or skillet. Stir fry scallion, garlic, cabbage, bean sprouts, and carrots for 3 minutes. Add sugar and soy sauce and stir fry for 2 more minutes. 
• Place eggroll wrapper in a diamond shape. Dip your finger in water and outline the edges of the wrapper. Place 3 to 4 tbsp of filling in the middle of the wrapper. Fold the bottom point over the filling, then fold in left and right sides, and roll. Press seams to seal together. Repeat for remaining eggrolls. 
• Heat remaining 3 tbsp of canola oil in skillet. Once the oil is hot, place the eggrolls in and fry for 3 minutes on each side. Remove carefully and place on paper towels to drain.

winter yarn wreaths

One of my new crafting regulars is making these yarn-wrapped wreaths for our front door. I've made four so far: fall, Christmas, winter, and Valentine's Day. I like to do them while watching TV because they aren't too complicated, but it is fun to make different designs for them. Here are my most recent wreaths: winter and Valentine's Day.