A few recipes I've made recently, and failed to photograph!

a few amazing recipes that i've tried recently! (i over-cooked and over-photographed over the holidays - so i've been slacking on it all....wompwomp)

Korean Beef Tacos (i just made the beef) - these were seriously flavorful and delicious! simple to make, but make sure to watch the crock pot.

Sweet & Spicy Green Beans (i omitted the honey) - these were crispy, full flavor - and i added sriracha sauce to give it an extra kick!

doesn't get much more simple than a toll house chocolate chip cookie - but if you want to stick to a tried & true recipe, try the Tollhouse Chocolate Chip Cookie!

I'm sure there are plenty more and I'll be sure to share them as they come! And I promise to try and do a better job sharing my life with the few readers that I still have!

holla!

Baked Brie - YUM!

how good does this look!?!?! (before we baked it!)

and after!gimme!

baked brie is one of my favorite appetizers! especially since we set this one up like a little christmas tree! simple as halved cherry tomatoes, pesto drizzle and basil! YUM!

Recipe: Skinny Beef Barbacoa

{Recipe via SkinnyTaste}

This recipe is spicy, juicy, easy, amazing and delicious! Please make this ASAP! tastes just like Chipotle Beef Barbacoa....if that doesn't sell you on it, then i dont know what will.

 Beef Barbacoa - Via Skinnytaste.com

(with my adaptations in italics)

"Ingredients: 

• 3 lbs beef eye of round or bottom round roast, all fat trimmed
• 5 cloves garlic
• 1/2 medium onion
• 1/2 lime, juice (whole lime)
• 2-4 chiptoles in adobo sauce (to taste) (i used the whole can, minus the sauce)
• 1 tbsp ground cumin
• 1 tbsp ground oregano
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• salt and pepper
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 tsp oil
• 1 cup water

Directions:
Place garlic, onion, lime juice, cumin, oregano, chiptoles, cloves in a blender.

Trim all fat off meat, cut into 4 inch chunks. Season with salt and pepper and brown on high heat in 1 tsp oil. Add liquefied spices, water, bay leaves and simmer on high in a crock pot for 4 hours.

Once cooked and the meat is tender, remove the meat and place in a dish. Shred it with two forks, and reserve the liquid for later (discard the bay leaf). Return the shredded meat to the pot, adjust salt and cumin (you may need to add more) to taste and add some of the reserved liquid back. Simmer uncovered for about 10 minutes to let the flavors penetrate."

note: i served mine with black bean and corn salsa, sofrito rice, and avocado slices. i suggest all of this. ah-mazing.

food pics because i have nothing else as of yet....

the flower actually blooms in your glass and makes the BEST tea! @houseofnanking in san francisco

umm...we did damage.

flower tea before the flower opens up! so cool! i love House of NanKing

first homecooked meal back home - amazing. definitely could have seared the scallops a bit more, but they were still cooked well.

please disregard my fancy plate and utensils - but this salad was too good to not share! arugula+spinach+beets+sundriedtomatoes+romatomatos+goatcheese+greekdressing

i promise ill be back with more fun stuff coming up!

Pedro&Vinny's Burritos

read the Arl Now review for pedro&vinny's here

and now my review: A+

here's why:

• fresh ingredients daily
• home made "goose sauce" - mango habenero sauce! (omg!) - and they bottle it for sale!
• home made cilantro habenero sauce! (double omg!)
• combo of the two (....and i DIE)
• reasonable prices - $6.45 for a steak burrito 
• steamed tortillas - REALLY steamed (30 seconds or more), not chipotle flash steamed.
• the owner, John Rider really made the experience special. your probably thinking "how can anything that has to do with a burrito shack be special?" - well - he was super personable, introduced himself and went through the whole menu with us and told us how his DC customers have been ordering for years. i went with all of his suggestions, and i couldnt have been happier.

i'm sorta worried about myself now that i know its walking distance from my house and open til 3am on weekends, but other than that, i'm seriously pumped that this restaurant opened in our Columbia Pike neighborhood!

Sloppy Joe Remix

sloppy joes are always one of my favorites! i looove them. i think that there are two reasons i love them so much: 1) my mom makes the BEST ones and 2) they remind me of It Takes Two with the Olsen Twins....love me some old school olsen twins! hahah!

i tweaked this recipe a bit to make it a little less tangy, and a little more sweet! so delicious. please make these, sloppy joes are such a crowd pleaser!


 Open-Faced Skinny Sloppy Joes
{slightly adapted from *Gina's Skinny Recipes}

• 1.25 lbs 93% lean ground beef sirloin
• 1 tbsp steak seasoning or seasoned salt
• 1 medium onion, minced (i used a pre-diced frozen bag)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup mixed bell pepper, minced (i used a frozen blend)
• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 1/2 tbsp brown sugar
• 2 cups tomato sauce
• 2 tbsp tomato paste

Chop all the vegetables really fine, using a chopper or food processor.

Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the meat to the pan and break it up as it cooks. Season with steak seasoning and cook the meat until it browns, then add onion, garlic, and red peppers to the skillet. Reduce heat to medium and add red wine vinegar and Worcestershire sauce, cook 5 more minutes. Add brown sugar. Add tomato sauce and paste to pan, stir to combine. Cover and reduce heat to simmer and cook an additional 5 minutes. Using a measuring cup, pile 1/2 cup of sloppy meat onto toasted buns - we used whole wheat pita bread or whole wheat sandwich thins.

Enjoy!

Crrraaazzzyyy Feta!

guys, this picture is unappealing. but i kid you not, this is the MOST amazing dip/spread/condiment i've ever had. EVER. and i know i say that a lot, but this time i mean it! for realz.

Cava is one of my favorite restaurants in the DC area (a few locations), and they have this appetizer called Crazy Feta....and How Sweet It Is is one of my favorite foodie blogs..and she made a home made version of this.

needless to say, i had to make it. immediately. and it was well worth the expensive block of feta and burning my eyes after touching jalapenos (will i ever learn??).

MAKE THIS:

Crazy Feta

{*via How Sweet It Is}

From her site:

"makes about 2 cups [a little goes a long way!]
2 bricks of feta cheese, 8 ounces each
3 whole jalapeno peppers
1/4 cup olive oil + 1 tablespoon
1 bulb garlic
the juice of half a lemon
the zest of half a lemon
salt and pepper
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Chop the top off the garlic bulb and drizzle it with a teaspoon of olive oil. Wrap it in foil and roast for 25-30 minutes, or until garlic is golden in color. At the same time, brush the jalapenos with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Either grill or roast them – I stuck them in the oven with garlic and just watched until they were charred. Remove both from oven and let cool. Once jalapenos are cooled, remove skins, cut in half and discard the seeds. Chop into small pieces. Don’t touch your eyes!
In a large bowl, crumble the feta bricks. [Crumbling the bricks yourself works best, but if you can only find crumbled feta that is fine.] Add chopped jalapenos, the zest of half a lemon, and the juice of half a lemon. Squeeze the roasted garlic out of the bulb directly into the feta. Add 1/4 cup of olive oil and mash with a fork. You want the feta to be a bit “wet” – I can best describe it as a cross between a spread and a dip. There is no right or wrong – make it however you’d like. Taste the feta and season with salt and pepper. Serve with pita chips, warm pita or naan, or spread it on sandwiches. Store it in the fridge for up to one week."

Enjoy! seriously.

summer pasta salad!

i just posted about some of my farmers market purchases, and i was not kidding when i said how delicious the produce was! my whole car smelled like a caprese salad before i even got home thanks to fresh basil and tomatoes :)

i knew i had to use most of this immediately. sadly it wasn't because i thought it would go bad, it was because i couldn't handle another minute without it....

so i made a delish, fresh pasta salad!

ingredients for the salad:

• handful or two of cooked whole wheat pasta - i used penne
• handful of grape tomatoes (yellow or red), chopped into two or four pieces
• two or three radishes, thinly sliced
• palmful of frozen (or fresh!) sweet white corn kernels
• a small plum tomato, diced
• handful of basil, chiffonade

ingredients for dressing:

• juice of one lemon
• teeny bit of lemon zest - gah, im so good at measuring...
• pinch of cayenne - or in my case, a lot more than a pinch
• pinch of sugar, salt and fresh ground pepper
• tablespoon or two of evoo

preparation:
whisk together dressing ingredients and toss all salad ingredients in with the dressing! 

enjoy! i know you will! it's the most refreshing salad ive had in a while! i'm going to try it with more veggies and no pasta next time! mmmmm!

farmers market!

apparently, i've been missing out on some amazing local produce for the past three years! i finally went to the clarendon farmer's market and came out with some pretty amazing produce! 

i made a delicious summer pasta salad using some of these ingredients, recipe coming soon!

Here's to trying new things....

 

{via google images}

given my past with food....i've grown WAY more adventurous over the years. i didn't even eat fish from 2nd grade through college - but now i am obsessed. the thought of mussels and oysters used to make me sick to my stomach...but now i love both of them and would choose to eat them over many other things.  i used to think that radishes and parsnips were repulsive...but now i love including them in my dishes....funny how things change.

a few things i still can't manage to enjoy - despite how many times i've tried them - are mushrooms, clams, beets, and olives.

i can't even begin to count how many times i've tried mushrooms. fried, cooked, uncooked, in meals, on pizza, in mini quiches.....and i've liked them a grand total of ONCE...and that was in san fransisco....on the other coast. but i am willing to keep exploring the wide world of mushrooms - i am convinced that i will eventually like them. my dad and most of my best friends are obsessed with them....so i have to be too (it makes sense in my head).

beets taste like feet. but they have amazing health benefits and i want to like them. so i am going to try to cooking them on my own - i usually like things the way i prepare them more anyway....any good recipe ideas? i keep reading (wear an apron....they will stain everything. wear gloves, they will stain your hands. blah blah blah - sounds like a hot mess.)

clams taste like rubber. i dont see myself liking them any time in the near future, but the last time i had them, i didn't hate them....so here's to hoping! as for making these myself, i am still venturing into the seafood cooking world, and i've heard the cook time is harder to estimate. i don't want to fail and be turned off forever....so i'll leave the clam cooking to the pros :)

as for olives.....i still gag at the smell and i could never wrap my head around the various textures. never. my dad once convinced me that olive bread was raisin bread...thinking i would at least try it. well i did, and i threw up in the kitchen sink. thanks, pops....enjoy cleaning that up.

have you challenged yourself to enjoy something that you generally dislike?  a lot of foodies say to try things several different ways before you completely dismiss it....and that's what i plan to do this year! any suggestions on how to go about this are more than welcome!

Sick Day

I am still at work, but this is a totally not-fun-sick-day for me! So, I got spicy ramen and some tylenol for lunch.....
.... and while I understand that this is not exactly gourmet eating, I still would like to understand WTF those swirly things are? That is not natural in any way.

Pregaming for Dinner....

my mom SERIOUSLY cracked me up the other day when she said "pregaming for dinner"

no, she didnt mean with alcohol like the typical pregame, but she was talking about food. My dad ate a slice of pie (at home) before a really nice dinner out. WHO DOES THAT?


it seriously made me want to change my blog title to "Pregaming for Dinner". food, booze, dinner before dinner, dessert before dinner. it's the story of my family's life :)

haha we'll see if i can come up with some clever features including this!

Bay House Weekend!

Hi bloggy friends!

this weekend, me and the boyf are headed to my parents' bay house with a few friends!

I seriously can't wait, and I'm SERIOUSLY hoping the roads are plowed...how much would it suck to drive 3 hrs and have to walk a mile with a dog and crapton of groceries? in 3 ft of snow. oh...i don't even want to think about it!

both photos by my papi!!


on the menu this weekend:

Boyf's french toast - it's to die for, i dont know how he does it...i always mess up!
Pasta with Arugula and Tomatoes - from snowmageddon
Pan-Seared Scallops on Linguine with Tomato-Cream Sauce - for valentine's day!
Flank Steak with Chimichurri sauce and my dads Garlic Jasmine rice (omg...so good)

and so many other delicious things! I'll be sure to post new recipes next week, lovlies!

shameless plug, my dad's rental properties! don't bother looking unless you have money to spend! I know I can't afford it!!

Happy Valentine's Day!!!!!!!!!! I hope you all have AMAZING weekends, from what i've read/stalked on your blogs, everyone looks like they have perfect plans :)

Chili-Roasted Cod and Garlic Asparagus

Chili-Roasted Cod
adapted from here**

1 lb cod filets
chili powder
juice of 1 lime
s&p
evoo

Heat oven to 450°F. Lightly coat a roasting pan with vegetable cooking spray. Arrange the cod fillets skin-side down. Sprinkle with the chili powder, s&p, and drizzle evoo. Roast 5 to 7 minutes or until the cod is just opaque and flakes when tested with a fork.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a small skillet over medium-low heat. Cook, swirling constantly, just until the butter begins to brown. Add the cumin and lime juice and continue to cook, swirling 1 minute longer.

Remove the cod from the oven. Set aside half the cod for another use. Drizzle the cumin-lime butter over the remaining cod. Serve.

Garlic Asparagus

1 bunch of asparagus (skinny or fat, doesnt matter, longer cooking time for fat)
1 bigass tbsp of garlic (i use more, cause i'm garlicky like that)
2 tbsp evoo
s&p

heat evoo and add garlic. when fragrant, add asparagus. s&p as desired. stir up to make sure aspragus is covered in evoo and garlic. cook for 5 mins!

how easy is that meal? enjoy!

Superfood x2

I have a couple wonderful, healthy recipes to share with you bloggy friends today!!

first up:
Quinoa, Black bean, Edamame & Chicken salad

alright friends, don't be intimidated by this, it requires some time mgmt, but it's so worth it!

Ingredients:

2 chicken breasts, in cubes
1 chopped medium onion
1 chopped red pepper (yellow and orange work well too!)
1 tbsp evoo
2/3 cup red quinoa - SUPERFOOD!
1 1/3 cup of chicken stock (or water. or vegetable stock. you're choice)
1 bag of Steamables edamame (soy beans) - SUPERFOOD!
1 can black beans
basil
2 lemons (juice)
2 tbsp grated lemon rind
2 tbsp minced garlic
s&p to taste

combine first 4 ingredients in a pan, cook through. add garlic after 5 minutes. be sure to stir, you don't want that garlic to burn!
while the chicken is cooking, prepare the quinoa. prepare as directed on the package - bring stock to boil, add quinoa, stir, reduce to simmer - 15 minutes cook time is standard.

steam edamame as directed on package. if necessary, remove from pods.

while waiting for chicken and quinoa, (see??...time mgmt...) in a separate bowl, add black beans, edamame, basil (to your liking), lemon juice, lemon rind, and s&p.

when the chicken mixture and quinoa are cooked, add to the bowl. mix well, s&p to taste. serve hot, warm, or cold :)

enjoy!

i'll have to post a picture next time, friends!

Chimichurri x2

s

hi again, lovely blog friends!

Last night's din consisted of more chimichurri deliciousness! follow the recipe from yesterday (double or triple for more! taste as you go!) to get started!


Cumin rubbed Steak

• 3 lbs flank steak - i forget the REAL name for it. good thing i'm so descriptive.....flat steak.
• Goya Mojo sauce (int'l section of the grocery store...hispanic foods)
• cumin
• s&p

rub the cumin, s&p into the steak and place in a big ziploc or dish - pour liberal amounts of Mojo sauce on top. Marinate for as long as you like (2 hrs for me!)
grilling instructions: find them yourself.
pan-searing instructions: put some evoo on the bottom of the pan and heat - place steak in and cook about 3 minutes per side if the steak is an inch and a half thick for a pink middle. remove steak once done to your liking, and let it sit for a few before you start cutting it, let the juices settle.

Brown Rice with Red Peppers and Cucumbers

• 1 cup brown rice
• 2.5 cups fat free reduced sodium chicken broth
• 1 cup red bell peppers - roasted (s&p, evoo, diced peppers in glass baking dish for 30 mins on 375 should do the trick)
• 1 cup diced cucumbers
• s&p
• 1/3 cup evoo
• 2 lemons - zest and juice
• a few sprigs of green onion - chopped (use both green and white parts)
• reduced fat or fat free feta cheese - if you please :)

boil chicken broth, add rice, reduce to simmer for 40 mins or until cooked through. in another bowl whisk together lemon juice and some zest, green onions, evoo, s&p. Add peppers and cucumbers. let sit while rice cooks. add rice, stir, yay it's done! so simple! don't forget to top with yummy reduced fat feta cheese! can be served hot, warm or cold :)

this makes me happy, i hope it makes you happy too! it's so simple, and so worth the ridic 40 minute wait for the rice!

and for dessert, SUCK ON THAT MICHELLE!
Italian Wedding Cookies - this time properly plated!



might i just add that i made this for 8 people :) it's not all for myself ...hahaha

Atlantic Cod with Chimichurri Sauce and Spicy Black Bean Quinoa Salad

This meal was to.die.for. and it doesn't get much healthier!

White, flaky, wild caught fish - baked - and quinoa...a superfood! Throw in veggies, beans, and a ton of fresh herbs - what more could you ask for??


Recipes:

1 lb of Atlantic Cod
evoo
s&p

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. lightly s&p the fish, sprinkle some evoo over the top and place in a cooking dish. Bake for 10-15 minutes depending on the size of the filets. When it turns a solid white, it's done. Don't overcook this flaky goodness!

Chimichurri Sauce (adapted from here):

• 1/4 cup (packed) fresh cilantro (I used a cup)
  
• 1 cup (packed) fresh Italian parsley
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/3 cup red wine vinegar (i used rice vinegar, didn't have red wine - couldn't tell the difference)
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled (i used way more..probs 6 or 7.)
• 3/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

place all ingredients in a food processor or blender and wa-la!

Spicy Black Bean and Quinoa Salad (adapted from here):

• 3/4 cup red quinoa (rice/couscous section of the store...)
  
• 1 1/2 cups water (double whatever amount of quinoa you use)
• Juice and zest of one lime, about 1.5-2 oz. juice, and 1-2 teaspoons zest
• Kosher or sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon chipotle powder
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 6 scallions, thinly sliced (white and green parts)
• 1 cup chopped red bell pepper (yellow and orange work well too!)
  
• 1 can cooked black beans
• 1/2 cup picked fresh cilantro, roughly chopped (i think i used more...i LOVE cilantro)

1. Bring the quinoa and water to a boil in a small saucepan. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for about 15 minutes. Fluff with a fork and set aside.
2. In a large serving bowl, whisk the lime juice with the zest, a pinch or two of salt, the chili powder, chipotle powder, and the cumin. Add the olive oil and whisk until the dressing comes together.
3. Add the quinoa to the dressing and toss. Add the scallions, red peppers, black beans, and cilantro and toss well to combine. Garnish with additional cilantro and lime zest, if desired.

the texture of this meal is unreal, and it tastes even better than it looks! definitely a repeat!

i suggest a fruity white wine as a pairing....sauvignon blanc (my personal fav!) from the Marlborough district of New Zealand is ALWAYS a winner in my book.

12 things I love right now

1. My 2010 Sarah Pinto Planner - get one for yourself! they are adorable!
2. Red and lavender together. oh how i love you. this room just needs a few more pops of red - perfection.
   
3. This is a cabinet dedicated to sprinkles and fancy dessert decorations - i want it. now.
4. These are just SO pretty - i'd love for these to be hanging from the ceiling at a party or wedding i throw or attend!
5. Champagne diamonds - stacked. i die.
6. A beautifully simple cake - k.rose cakes - she is in DC, people!!!!!!!!!!!!
7. Peonies - they look so light and fluffy and lovely
8. Lipgloss - don't get me started. i might as well post a "12 lipglosses that i love right now" blog - thats how much i love it.
9. Cooking Light magazine - delicious, healthy recipes - perfect for after a heavy duty eating season
10. E-sessions or love shoots with balloons - so fun and carefree and PERFECT
11. Kitchenaid mixer - dear God, please send me one from above. i'll be good and make plenty of yummy treats. this is #1 on my "things to buy myself" list - need to save up for this pretty machine
12. Wii! My new obsession - i don't know how it took me SO LONG to actually play, but i started over the holiday season (after taking two years to get over my hatred for video games...) and i LOVE LOVE LOVE it! sore arm though....haha

read from left to right and then onto the next line! :)

Weekend Recap

Happy Monday!

This past weekend was the MOST relaxing weekend I've had in a long time :) it was awesome.

Friday night = Happy Hour(s) with coworkers - it was nice to hang out with everyone outside of work! I work with some awesome people! After that, just relaxed at home and went to bed early :)

Saturday night = Out to dinner at Mike's All American Grill (A Great American Restaurant, such creative dishes, such great service) with Luke's mom! SO YUMMY!

Sunday was a beautiful day here in DC !! 75 degrees!

Sunday night I made my mom's chili! well my version of her chili...basically the most simple recipe in the world:

1 yellow onion, chopped.
1 green bell pepper, chopped.
1(ish) lbs of ground turkey, beef, or chicken (i used turkey this time)
1 can black beans
2 can light red kidney beans
1 can dark red kidney beans
1 can pintos
(in all reality, pick the beans you like and add them. it doesn't matter unless you are going for color variety)
1 can diced tomatoes
1 little can tomato paste
1 HUGE can crushed tomatoes with roasted garlic
1 small can green chiles
1 small can fire roasted tomatoes
2 packets of chili seasoning (so easyyy..i did one with lower sodium, and one HOT!)
salt and pepper to taste.
tbsp olive oil

add onions and peppers, s&p, and olive oil to a hot pan. cook til onions are clearish. Add turkey (which i forget to do this time. oops. had to cook it in a separate pan, still tasted amazing.) and cook almost all the way through. onions should be clear, green peppers soft and meat cooked. start adding beans. I usually leave two or three cans un-drained and drain two or three. depends how much your making, but i typically do half drained and half un-drained. add tomatoes, chilis, fire roasted tomatoes, tomato paste. stir.
add chili seasoning. stir.
let it sit for about 20 minutes and its done.

we served ours with a bit of sour cream :)

i love simple things that turn out so tasty! the good thing about chili is that its so flexible - beans, chili seasoning, meat, tomatoes - in whatever amounts/varieties/versions you like.

I would have taken a picture, but we all know what chili looks like....and we ate it too quickly!

Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Icing

HAPPY FALL!

my intro to fall were the most amazing pumpkin cupcakes that i found here! I altered the recipe a little bit, but they were super simple to make and SOOO yummy!

i felt like paula deen adding all sorts of butter and cream cheese and sugar - but i went with fat free or reduced fat wherever i could...

here is the recipe!
Cupcakes
2 1/4 c. flour, sift before measuring
1 T. baking powder
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
3/4 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. ginger
1/2 t. nutmeg
(I measured equivalent amt of what was supposed to be cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg and used Pumpkin Pie spice in it's place. cheaper/faster)
1/2 c. butter, softened
1 1/3 c. sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1 c. canned pumpkin
3/4 c. milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake pans with liners (this makes about 18).
In a large bowl, sift dry ingredients together and set aside.
Cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time. Mix in pumpkin.



Alternate stirring in the dry ingredients and the milk, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Scrape down the bowl and stir until blended.
Spoon into liners and bake for 20-25 minutes.



Cream Cheese Frosting
1lb. cream cheese, softened and cut into small pieces
6 T. unslted butter, softened and cut into small pieces
1 1/2 t. vanilla extract
5 cups sifted confectioners sugar



In a large bowl, beat the butter and cream cheese until very smooth. Add vanilla and beat. Add sugar, one cup at a time, beating continuously.

Enjoy!