As Christmas approaches, and I've been getting ready to leave for a week, I've been attempting to eat up some of the fresh food in the fridge. I hadn't really planned anything for dinner tonight, since I am here by myself (Joe headed to Grand Rapids on Monday, so I've been solo all week), and I had considered jumping in the car after work and making the drive tonight to G-Rap. Since I decided not to make the drive tonight (I'll be waking up suuuuper early tomorrow, dodging Chicago traffic, and arriving around the time we would have been waking up if I had made the drive tonight), I threw together a little something that makes a great breakfast or dinner: the Omelet!
This can be made using a variety of fillings/toppings (what's the correct term?). Use what you have!
Tonight's version...Cilantro Potato Omelet
Drizzle vegetable oil
1 smallish potato, chopped small
1 tbsp cilantro, plus some extra
2 scallions, sliced (white and light green parts only)
2-3 eggs
glug half and half or milk (half and half was yummy, and needed to be used up!)
Salt and pepper
Heat the oil in a medium, non-stick skillet. Cook the potatoes until tender.
Meanwhile, whisk together eggs, cilantro, scallions, and milk/half and half.
Remove potatoes from skillet. Pour the egg mixture into the skillet and leave in a thin layer. As needed, push the edges around so that the uncooked egg runs to the sides. When the eggs are mostly set, add the potatoes and extra cilantro, as well as salt and pepper, to one half of the omelet. Fold the other side over. Leave it for a sec.
I added the end of a jar of salsa. Deee-lish!
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Monday, December 20, 2010
Sunday Soup: Sweet Potato soup with Orange Creme Fraiche
This week's soup was amazing. Seriously, this might be the best one yet. Which means that it's kind of OK that the post is a day late...
We enjoyed this one with my cousins, Meg and Jeff. Meg is in town for the holidays; Jeff lives here full time, so we have no excuse for not seeing him more frequently (except maybe that he and Joe are both busy students...?). It was also Joe's birthday, but it was pretty much the third night of celebrating, so this didn't really count as his birthday dinner.
The soup is relatively low-intensity in the amount of work it takes to make it. It is also pretty nutritious, as the sweet potatoes are packed with fiber and beta-carotene, and there is not a lot of fat in the soup. It is also vegetarian (but I'm sure Joe would have enjoyed the addition of a little bacon. The food, not the dog).
Sweet Potato soup with Orange Creme Fraiche
Orange Creme Fraiche
Base: 1 C. heavy cream and 1/3 C. sour cream, whisked together and allowed to sit until thickened, about 6 hours or more, at room temp.
3/4 C. base
1 tsp. fresh ginger, finely minced
1/2 tsp orange zest, minced if too thick
Whisk together.
(I actually didn't make the base according to the recipe. I whisked together one part low fat plain yogurt and 1 part half and half. Worked just fine, but maybe was slightly runnier than if I had used the base...oh well, it tasted awesome)
Sweet Potato Soup
4 tbsp butter or olive oil, divided
2 lbs. sweet potatoes, peeled and diced to about a 1/2 in. dice. Bigger is fine, but will take a bit longer to cook.
2 tsp. light brown sugar
2 c. chopped onions (about 2 medium onions, just approximate the amount)
a few stalks celery, finely chopped
1 tbsp minced peeled fresh ginger
about 6 c. vegetable stock/broth, low sodium if you can find it, plus more if needed (as always, you can mix in some water if you don't want to use all that stock. Those boxes of stock are about 4 cups, so if you use one of those and the rest water, it should be fine. Might need more seasoning, but that's easy enough)
1 C. orange juice, plus extra if needed
salt and pepper
chopped fresh, flat leaf parsley for garnish. Don't buy this just for this purpose, but it's nice for color and freshness if you've got it.
Preheat the oven to 400F. In a large, oven proof skillet, melt/heat 2 tbsp of butter or olive oil. Add the diced sweet potatoes and toss to coat with butter/oil. Sprinkle with brown sugar, then move the pan into the oven (if you don't have an oven proof skillet, you can transfer from the skillet you're using to some sort of baking dish, but then you'd have an extra dish to clean). Roast for 15 minutes, then stir and roast until tender when pierced with a knife and browned around the edges, around 15 more minutes. Remove and set aside.
In your soup pot, heat the remaining butter/oil over medium heat. When hot, add the onions, celery, and ginger and saute for around 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the potatoes and saute for a couple more minutes.
Add the stock and juice, salt and pepper. Bring the mixture almost to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until the vegetables are very tender; 20 minutes or more.
Puree the soup in batches in a food processor, blender, or with an immersion blender. It should be relatively thick; if it seems too thick, feel free to add more liquid (stock, water, or juice). Taste teh soup and season as needed.
Ladle the soup into large mugs or soup bowls and swirl some creme fraische on top. Sprinkle with a little parsley if you're so inclined. Serve with some crusty, whole grain bread.
I'm off to try the re-heated version, with a rustic grilled cheese sandwich on the side. Nommmm....
We enjoyed this one with my cousins, Meg and Jeff. Meg is in town for the holidays; Jeff lives here full time, so we have no excuse for not seeing him more frequently (except maybe that he and Joe are both busy students...?). It was also Joe's birthday, but it was pretty much the third night of celebrating, so this didn't really count as his birthday dinner.
The soup is relatively low-intensity in the amount of work it takes to make it. It is also pretty nutritious, as the sweet potatoes are packed with fiber and beta-carotene, and there is not a lot of fat in the soup. It is also vegetarian (but I'm sure Joe would have enjoyed the addition of a little bacon. The food, not the dog).
Sweet Potato soup with Orange Creme Fraiche
Orange Creme Fraiche
Base: 1 C. heavy cream and 1/3 C. sour cream, whisked together and allowed to sit until thickened, about 6 hours or more, at room temp.
3/4 C. base
1 tsp. fresh ginger, finely minced
1/2 tsp orange zest, minced if too thick
Whisk together.
(I actually didn't make the base according to the recipe. I whisked together one part low fat plain yogurt and 1 part half and half. Worked just fine, but maybe was slightly runnier than if I had used the base...oh well, it tasted awesome)
Sweet Potato Soup
4 tbsp butter or olive oil, divided
2 lbs. sweet potatoes, peeled and diced to about a 1/2 in. dice. Bigger is fine, but will take a bit longer to cook.
2 tsp. light brown sugar
2 c. chopped onions (about 2 medium onions, just approximate the amount)
a few stalks celery, finely chopped
1 tbsp minced peeled fresh ginger
about 6 c. vegetable stock/broth, low sodium if you can find it, plus more if needed (as always, you can mix in some water if you don't want to use all that stock. Those boxes of stock are about 4 cups, so if you use one of those and the rest water, it should be fine. Might need more seasoning, but that's easy enough)
1 C. orange juice, plus extra if needed
salt and pepper
chopped fresh, flat leaf parsley for garnish. Don't buy this just for this purpose, but it's nice for color and freshness if you've got it.
Preheat the oven to 400F. In a large, oven proof skillet, melt/heat 2 tbsp of butter or olive oil. Add the diced sweet potatoes and toss to coat with butter/oil. Sprinkle with brown sugar, then move the pan into the oven (if you don't have an oven proof skillet, you can transfer from the skillet you're using to some sort of baking dish, but then you'd have an extra dish to clean). Roast for 15 minutes, then stir and roast until tender when pierced with a knife and browned around the edges, around 15 more minutes. Remove and set aside.
In your soup pot, heat the remaining butter/oil over medium heat. When hot, add the onions, celery, and ginger and saute for around 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the potatoes and saute for a couple more minutes.
Add the stock and juice, salt and pepper. Bring the mixture almost to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until the vegetables are very tender; 20 minutes or more.
Puree the soup in batches in a food processor, blender, or with an immersion blender. It should be relatively thick; if it seems too thick, feel free to add more liquid (stock, water, or juice). Taste teh soup and season as needed.
Ladle the soup into large mugs or soup bowls and swirl some creme fraische on top. Sprinkle with a little parsley if you're so inclined. Serve with some crusty, whole grain bread.
I'm off to try the re-heated version, with a rustic grilled cheese sandwich on the side. Nommmm....
Sunday, December 19, 2010
Kale Chips
Hi all! I know my posts have been coming more slowly lately. I guess you could call it a writer's block of sorts. Anyway, I've made an early resolution to get back on board with frequent posts. Here's a simple, nutritious recipe to start things off...
Baked Kale Chips
1 bunch curly kale
about a tbsp olive oil
sea salt to taste
Preheat the oven to 350F. Thoroughly wash the kale and dry with paper towels. Use kitchen shears, a knife, or your hands to remove the leaves from the thick stems and into bite-sized pieces. Line a couple of baking sheets with foil or parchment paper, spread the kale into a single layer on each of the baking sheets, and drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt and toss to distribute evenly. Bake for 9 minutes; longer if needed, but definitely check after 9 minutes. They are done when the edges are crispy. If they are overcooked, they quickly take on a burnt taste, so be careful here.
I made a bunch a few minutes ago, and they are at least half gone already... Yeah for dark, leafy greens!
Stay tuned for some Sunday Soup later this evening...
Baked Kale Chips
1 bunch curly kale
about a tbsp olive oil
sea salt to taste
Preheat the oven to 350F. Thoroughly wash the kale and dry with paper towels. Use kitchen shears, a knife, or your hands to remove the leaves from the thick stems and into bite-sized pieces. Line a couple of baking sheets with foil or parchment paper, spread the kale into a single layer on each of the baking sheets, and drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt and toss to distribute evenly. Bake for 9 minutes; longer if needed, but definitely check after 9 minutes. They are done when the edges are crispy. If they are overcooked, they quickly take on a burnt taste, so be careful here.
I made a bunch a few minutes ago, and they are at least half gone already... Yeah for dark, leafy greens!
Stay tuned for some Sunday Soup later this evening...
Sunday, December 12, 2010
Bacon!
Joe and I have some exciting news to share: We're getting a puppy!
The above photo is our little guy, at about 5 weeks old. We named him Bacon. We pretend he's already home with us, so we get used to the idea. We already know that he is awesome.
He is a Boston Terrier, and will someday look a little like this:
We recently talked to our landlord and got approval to add this little addition to our family. We researched breeds that are appropriate for apartments, and this breed seemed like a good fit. Of course, we'll have to be really diligent about training him, crating him when we are away, and taking measures to reduce any barking, etc that may bother the neighbors. Allegedly, Boston's do not bark a whole lot, but you never know. Since our neighbors have woken us up a couple of times with band practice at 3 AM, we're hoping that they will be cool about the first couple of nights (which we hear are the worst).
I spent a lot of time identifying an appropriate breeder (there are a lot of scary ones out there), and found one that seems really professional and seems to care a lot about her puppies. She's been sending weekly updates since we chose him a couple of weeks ago.
We'll be bringing Bacon home around the New Year. We are just so excited! For now, I'm working on rearranging things in our apartment to "puppy-proof" to the best of my ability. This has also motivated me to finish up some projects around the apartment, so be ready for some posts about those!
The above photo is our little guy, at about 5 weeks old. We named him Bacon. We pretend he's already home with us, so we get used to the idea. We already know that he is awesome.
He is a Boston Terrier, and will someday look a little like this:
 |
| http://www.dogsindepth.com/nonsporting_dog_breeds/boston_terrier.html |
I spent a lot of time identifying an appropriate breeder (there are a lot of scary ones out there), and found one that seems really professional and seems to care a lot about her puppies. She's been sending weekly updates since we chose him a couple of weeks ago.
We'll be bringing Bacon home around the New Year. We are just so excited! For now, I'm working on rearranging things in our apartment to "puppy-proof" to the best of my ability. This has also motivated me to finish up some projects around the apartment, so be ready for some posts about those!
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Sunday Soup: Squash, Corn and Lemongrass soup
Hello, friends! Since today is my birthday (the big 2-7, yipes!), Joe is in charge of cooking me a delicious steak dinner. This is sort of a rarity around here (both the menu and the chef these days), so I'm pretty excited.
Although I won't be making any soup today, I wanted to share a recipe that I found the other day on thekitchn.com. Give it a try, let me know how it is!
Squash, Corn, and Lemongrass Soup with Spiced Pumpkin Seeds
Although I won't be making any soup today, I wanted to share a recipe that I found the other day on thekitchn.com. Give it a try, let me know how it is!
Squash, Corn, and Lemongrass Soup with Spiced Pumpkin Seeds
serves 4-6 as a main course, 8 as an appetizer
adapted from Gourmet
adapted from Gourmet
 |
| thekitchn.com |
For the soup:
1 fresh lemongrass stalk, trimmed and outer layer discarded, about 6 inches long (you can replace this with fresh ginger and lemon zest, or just the zest)
1 large onion, chopped
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 pounds butternut squash (about one small to medium squash), peeled, seeded and cut into 1-inch pieces (about 4 cups)
2 1/2 cups frozen corn kernels
1 fresh lemongrass stalk, trimmed and outer layer discarded, about 6 inches long (you can replace this with fresh ginger and lemon zest, or just the zest)
1 large onion, chopped
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 pounds butternut squash (about one small to medium squash), peeled, seeded and cut into 1-inch pieces (about 4 cups)
2 1/2 cups frozen corn kernels
For the spiced pumpkin seeds:
1 cup raw green pumpkin seeds
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt or smoked salt
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon coriander
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 cup raw green pumpkin seeds
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt or smoked salt
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon coriander
1/2 teaspoon paprika
To make soup:
Smash lemongrass stalk with side of a heavy knife. Add butter and oil to a medium heavy pot over medium heat. When hot, add lemongrass, onion, and 1 teaspoon salt. Cook until onion has softened, about 10 minutes. Add squash, corn, 5 cups water, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper and bring to a boil.
Smash lemongrass stalk with side of a heavy knife. Add butter and oil to a medium heavy pot over medium heat. When hot, add lemongrass, onion, and 1 teaspoon salt. Cook until onion has softened, about 10 minutes. Add squash, corn, 5 cups water, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer, covered, until squash is tender, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat.
Discard lemongrass. Puree soup in blender in small batches. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve and discard solids. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve sprinkled with spiced pumpkin seeds.
For pumpkin seeds:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Toss seeds with oil and spice mixture. Spread onto a sheet pan and bake until toasted, 10 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Toss seeds with oil and spice mixture. Spread onto a sheet pan and bake until toasted, 10 minutes.
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Still working on the hall...
I wanted to give a bit of an update on the work - or non-work - that I've done on the hall. This "room" is plaguing me.
Stumbling blocks:
1. After the little jog to the side, the hallway extends about 18 feet. That means, even the longest runners I've found on Overstock.com are still sorely shy of the length I need. Along with this dilema, I can't seem to find pictures on the internet of actual hallways (not staircases or open foyers) that have runners, so it's hard to imagine what this hall would look like with a too-short runner.
This is the runner I've been eyeing, mostly because it's inexpensive (so not a big commitment), natural, neutral in color (except the rust - but we've got tons of rusts/reds/oranges in the living room and kitchen), and 12 feet long (longest I've found).
2. The walls are not "flush" or flat, so my ideas about hanging a picture rail are out. I might be able to do it, but the work involved, possible destruction of the wall, and maybe ugly result are turning me off.
3. The walls have that "sandy" treatment going on. This doesn't really qualify as a stumbling block, but it's so weird. I don't know where this "wall treatment" came from, but it will never go away. And, it makes the walls sharp, which can't be good Feng Shui.
Progress:
1. The new hall table. I love this thing.
2. New "boob" lights. I don't love them, but they are better than the old ones.
3. Art. I've got lots to hang, but I need to mix a few non-engagement, non-wedding pictures in with the bunch. I don't want the entire apartment to be photos of us, even though the pictures are amazing. I'm planning this weekend to create an art wall on one or both sides of the hallway.
4. I'm still working on the DIY pendant light idea. World Market has a large drum lampshade for $30, and I've been looking at ways to cover it with fabric to make it a bit more interesting.
Stumbling blocks:
1. After the little jog to the side, the hallway extends about 18 feet. That means, even the longest runners I've found on Overstock.com are still sorely shy of the length I need. Along with this dilema, I can't seem to find pictures on the internet of actual hallways (not staircases or open foyers) that have runners, so it's hard to imagine what this hall would look like with a too-short runner.
This is the runner I've been eyeing, mostly because it's inexpensive (so not a big commitment), natural, neutral in color (except the rust - but we've got tons of rusts/reds/oranges in the living room and kitchen), and 12 feet long (longest I've found).
 |
| Overstock.com |
3. The walls have that "sandy" treatment going on. This doesn't really qualify as a stumbling block, but it's so weird. I don't know where this "wall treatment" came from, but it will never go away. And, it makes the walls sharp, which can't be good Feng Shui.
Progress:
1. The new hall table. I love this thing.
2. New "boob" lights. I don't love them, but they are better than the old ones.
3. Art. I've got lots to hang, but I need to mix a few non-engagement, non-wedding pictures in with the bunch. I don't want the entire apartment to be photos of us, even though the pictures are amazing. I'm planning this weekend to create an art wall on one or both sides of the hallway.
4. I'm still working on the DIY pendant light idea. World Market has a large drum lampshade for $30, and I've been looking at ways to cover it with fabric to make it a bit more interesting.
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Happy Holidays!
Sunday, when we returned to Madison after our Thanksgiving visit to Door County, Joe and I spent the afternoon putting up the Christmas decorations. I've been wanting to do this for a couple of weeks now; but have been holding back since I didn't want to jump holidays (you know, like skipping Thanksgiving decorations and going straight to Xmas, Target style).
Our tree...
Reindeer/snowflake felt garland, purchased at a little shop in Egg Harbor, WI this weekend...
Stockings, all hung by the TV with care...
I'm not sure if the photo shows this very well, but I used three green, woven placemats (wedding gift), a couple of glass vases that we purchased for our centerpieces at our rehearsal dinner, and a whole bunch of red and gold ball ornaments that we bought a couple of years ago. The center hurricane was purchased last week at Marshalls for $5 and a subtle vanilla scented pillar candle for $6. I'm imagining changing out the ornaments for something different depending on the season, but using this piece year round. In total, I've spent under $20 to jazz up our holiday decor. Not bad, I'd say!
Our tree...
Reindeer/snowflake felt garland, purchased at a little shop in Egg Harbor, WI this weekend...
Stockings, all hung by the TV with care...
And, the star performer, the coffee table!
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