upcycled sides

Steamed salmon, soufflé, watercress salad; some dishes get all the credit. Switch up the food hierarchy by repurposing the traditional starch and veggie sides with some culinary creativity. Share the supper spotlight with a recipe modified from Bon Appetit Magazine to upcycle a typical side into a showoff appetizer.

Spiced Sweet Potato and Roasted Broccoli Toasts

1 sweet potato, peeled and cubed

1 head of broccoli, cut into florets

Ciabatta bread, 3/4 in sliced

1 c water

1/2 c EVOO

1/4 c heavy cream

2 Tbsp. butter, unsalted

1 clove of garlic, minced

1 sweet bulb onion, chopped

1 lemon slice

2 Tbsp. parsley, chopped

1 tsp. red pepper flakes

Kosher salt to taste

Pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. On large cooking sheet, toss broccoli, onion and garlic in 2 Tbsp. EVOO. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for 12-15 minutes.

2. In a medium saucepan, bring water to a boil with sweet potato, salt, red pepper flakes, 1 Tbsp. butter and 2 Tbsp. EVOO. Simmer until tender with a fork and drain. With an electric mixer or potato masher, mash potatoes with cream, salt and remaining butter until smooth.

3. Brush remaining EVOO on bread and toast in oven for 4-5 minutes or until golden. Remove from oven and let cool.

4. Remove broccoli from oven and season with juice from lemon. Combine with parsley. Spread potato mash on toast, then top with broccoli and salt and pepper to taste.

Recipe modified from Bon Appetit.

go for the gold

Let the Sochi games begin. With winter weather below freezing, cheering on #TeamUSA during Friday’s Opening Ceremony felt like we had a front row seat to the Winter Olympic Games. Trey and I warmed up with Ruby by our side, a bottle of another Team’s wine and my stovetop burning as bright as the Olympic Flame. Go for the gold with our Sochi Squash Soup, Medal-Winning Corn Muffins and Double Axel Chocolate-Crème Fraîche cookies. With a team of ingredients this good, there is sure to be no #SochiFail in your kitchen.

Butternut Squash Soup

4 c butternut squash, peeled and cubed

6 c chicken stock

2 Tbsp. EVOO

1/4 c heavy cream

1 onion, chopped

1 clove of garlic, minced

3 Tbsp. unsalted butter

1 tsp. pepper

1 tsp. kosher salt

1/2 tsp.  cinnamon

1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

1. In a large pot, saute onions and garlic in EVOO until tender. Add squash, stock, salt, pepper, cinnamon and cayenne pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook until squash is tender to mash with a fork around 20-25 minutes.

2. With a slotted spoon, remove squash and puree. Mix squash puree, butter and cream in soup. Add a garnish of basil or rosemary.

Gluten Free Rosemary Maple Corn Muffins

1 c gluten free cornmeal
1 cup spelt flour (or regular ap flour)
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 Tbsp finely chopped rosemary
3/4 c unsweetened almond milk
1/2 c maple syrup
1/2 c canola oil
1 tsp apple cider vinegar

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together all of the dry ingredients.

3. In a smaller bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients.

4. Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients and, using a wooden spoon, stir together until just combined. Don’t overmix.

5. Fill muffin cups 3/4 of the way full, and bake 18-20 minutes.

6. Let them cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes, remove them, and let them finish cooling on a wire rack.

Recipe from Love and Lemons.

Chocolate-Crème Fraîche Cookies

Cookie Ingredients:

16 oz. bittersweet chocolate
¼ c coconut flour or all-purpose flour
1½ tsp baking powder
1 tsp kosher salt
1½ c brown sugar
½ c unsalted butter, room temperature
4 large eggs
2 tablespoons crème fraîche

Crème Fraîche Ingredients:

1 c heavy cream

2 Tbsp. greek, plain yogurt

1. Make crème fraîche 24 to 48 hours before. In a jar, combine cream and yogurt and let sit at room temperature.

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt 8 oz. chocolate in double boiler over stovetop. Let cool.

3. Whisk flour, baking power and salt in small bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat brown sugar and butter. In a small bowl, beat eggs then gradually pour in brown sugar and butter mix. Add crème fraîche and melted chocolate. Mix in dry ingredients and remaining 8 oz. chocolate chips. Cover and chill dough for at least 1 hour.

4. On parchment-lined baking sheets, roll dough in tablespoon-sized amounts, 2″ a part. Cook for 18-22 minutes.

Cookie recipe modified from Bon Appetit. 

salt and spice makes game day nice

Super bowl weekend is always more fun for the food and friends than the football. Especially this year with the ‘eh’ commercials (except the #bestbuds, so cute) and the almost blow out game. What was not a bust? Bruno Mars and my spicy homemade popcorn. Great for a game day snack and impressive to showoff in front of friends. Simple recipe, hundreds of ingredient variations and a savory reason to step away from the television.

Homemade Popcorn

1/4 c EVOO

1/2 c popcorn kernels

1 tsp. cayenne pepper

1/2 tsp. cumin

1 tsp. sesame seeds

1 tsp. table salt

1.  Heat EVOO in saucepan over medium-high heat. Drop one kernel in saucepan and cover.

2. Once the kernel pops, add the rest of the kernels to coat the bottom in an even layer. As kernels begin to pop, pour into separate bowl.

3. Add cayenne, cumin, sesame seeds and salt. Cover and shake well to cover all kernels. Serve warm.

Optional: Substitute spice for sweets. Melted chocolate, caramel sauce, shredded coconut, etc.

patriotic proposal

My Fourth of July weekend started out like any Independence Day. Box seats to a Justin Bieber concert, summer bbq on my pink grill and the most amazing man asking me to marry him.

Trey always jokes that the upcoming holiday is always my favorite holiday, but 4th of July is really, really (really) my fav. Fireworks, an afternoon by the pool and classic colors of red, white and blue, what is not to love? So the Bieber concert happened because no one else wanted the tickets at Trey’s firm, the proposal happened because Trey loves me and I love us, and the cookout happened because we are Americans.

Trey’s Pepper & Bacon-Wrapped Pops

dozen jalapeño peppers, sliced

dozen cayenne peppers, sliced

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

1 lb. slices of bacon

14 oz. cocktail-szed smoked link sausages

1 Tbsp. Italian parsley, chopped

1 Tbsp. chives, chopped

pinch of salt

pinch of pepper

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees or prepare grill. Soak toothpicks in water for 5-10 minutes to prevent burning. In a small bowl, combine cream cheese, parsley, chives, salt and pepper.

2. Spoon cream cheese mixture on each individual link sausage. Wrap individually in bacon and secure with toothpick. Grill for 15-20 minutes or until bacon is crispy.

Cumin-BBQ Chicken

1 lb. chicken thighs, legs and/or breasts

1 c ketchup

2 Tbsp. brown sugar

1/4 c dark molasses

1 Tbsp. vegetable oil

1 Tbsp. lemon juice

1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

2 tsp cumin

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp chile powder

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees or prepare grill. In large bowl, combine all ingredients. Mix well. Coat each piece of chicken with sauce and let marinate for at least one hour. Save remaining sauce.

2. Grill chicken on each side. Use remaining sauce to continue to baste chicken and allow to grill until cooked through.

Whole-Roasted Cilantro Corn

Ears of corn

4 Tbsp. butter, softened

1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

1 Tbsp. cilantro, minced

1 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. cayenne pepper

Pinch of salt

Pinch of pepper

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees or prepare grill. Pull back husks of corn to one end but do not remove husk.

2. Brush corn with butter and evoo. Sprinkle garlic powder, cayenne pepper, cilantro, salt and pepper on all sides of corn. Rewrap husks over corn and grill for 12-15 minutes.

two days later, we’re engaged! july 6, 2013

an incredible lifetime with an incredible man.

add an ‘e’

Fondu melts away the past decade and brings me back to my 15 years of pink tights, pointe shoes and performances as a ballerina gracefully bending the knee of my supporting leg. Add some vodka,  a Pier 1 gift card and the letter ‘e’ and the term, Fondue takes on an entirely new meaning. For a late night summer supper, Trey and I took to the sticks and the stovetop for an easy meal that would be great for a couple’s dinner party or ultimate cheese craving.

Gruyere Cheese Fondue

2 c gruyère, grated

1 clove of garlic, roasted and minced

1 sprig of rosemary, chopped

Pinch of salt

Pinch of pepper

1.Gradually stir in cheese. Alternate adding additional cheese with garlic, rosemary, salt and pepper. Once all ingredients added, continue to stir until smooth.

2. Serve with cured meats, asparagus, dried figs and an assortment of bread, including sourdough, ciabatta or my favorite, naan.

summer solstice social

Summer is here and it is time to serve your guests the tastes of the season. Celebrate the longest day of the year with fresh fruit from the local farmer’s market and herbs picked right from the backyard garden. This featured appetizer and sparkling drink will make guests remember this social as the party that made the sun stand still.

Fried Polenta with Veggies

1 package of polenta, sliced
Seasonal vegetables, sliced
Zucchini, Yellow Squash, Mushrooms, Jalapeno, Corn, Red Bell Pepper, Yellow Bell Pepper, Avocado, Artichoke Hearts
1 sweet bulb onion, chopped
1 clove of garlic, chopped
1 tsp mustard
1/4 c  and 4 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Pinch of Salt
Pinch of Pepper

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Cook polenta over medium-high heat in medium-sized pan with 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil until golden. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place polenta on paper towel to removed excess grease.
3. Place all desired vegetables, onion and garlic on foil-covered baking sheet. Drizzle extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper over mixture. Bake for 15 minutes.
4. In separate bowl, combine mustard, 2 Tbsp of extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper. Coat cooked veggies in mixture. Place vegetables on top of polenta and serve as appetizer.

Sparkling Vodka Sipper

1 part sparkling water

1 part vodka

1 part orange juice

15 oz. can of sliced peaches, undrained

Seasonal fruit, sliced

Mangoes, Blackberries

1. In a large pitcher, mix sparkling water, vodka, orange juice and undrained can of peaches.
2. Place sliced mangoes and blackberries in individual drinkware. Pour sparkling mix over fruit and serve chilled.
3. Serve with Name Skewers and enjoy!

Party Skewers

1 Package of Wooden Skewers
Craft tape

1. Cut tape in 2-inch pieces. Place top of skewer in the middle of the tape and fold the outer sides of tape together.
2. For Name Skewers: Have guests write their names on tape and place in drinking glass to avoid drink mix-ups.
3. For Party Skewers: Write appetizer name on tape or leave blank and use different prints for different appetizers.

sweetness of summer

The savory summer weather of late night dinners on the patio are just around the corner. I love having friends over for a light meal and an even sweeter dessert to catch up and enjoy time under the stars. There’s something about the thick, Texas air that makes me crave the coolness of watermelon. This featured appetizer is a great idea for a large party or small gathering. Finish the night with seasonal banana pudding and a dollop of fresh whipped cream to start your summer off on the right dish.

Watermelon with Mint & Feta

Watermelon, cubed
1/4 c Feta cheese
1/4 c Mint, chopped
2 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 Tbsp. Balsamic Vinegar
Pinch of Salt
Pinch of Pepper

1. Combine feta, mint, extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper.
2. Place mixture on top of watermelon squares and serve with party skewers.

Banana Pudding with Cream

1/3 c sugar

1/3 c cornstarch

3 c milk

3 c vanilla wafers

3 bananas, thinly sliced

6 eggs, separated

1 c heavy whipping cream

1 Tbsp powdered sugar

4 Tbsp butter

1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract

Pinch of Salt

Optional: Pistachios, shelled and minced

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. In a large saucepan, combine sugar, cornstarch and salt. Mix well. Add milk. Over medium heat, continue to stir until thickened and boiling. Remove custard from heat.

2. In a small bowl, whisk egg yolks, then add in 1/2 cup of hot custard until blended. Pour mixture back into saucepan of custard and cut for an additional 4 minutes. Add vanilla and butter until well blended. Refrigerate at least 4 hours before serving.

3. Using a large electric mixer, mix the heavy whipping cream and powdered sugar to form the whipped cream.

4. Spoon chilled banana pudding in individual serving bowls, top with whipped cream and vanilla wafers.

Optional: Add minced pistachios on top for nutty flavor and crunch.

serve up the spinach

As the weather begins to warm up, I love having family and friends over for dinner. Sometimes the stress of grocery shopping, decorating the table and prepping the meal can be dinner-overload. As a moving gift, my mom sent me this lasagna recipe from Martha Stewart that Trey and my neighbors absolutely loved. Paired with pesto and gruyere bruschetta as an inviting appetizer, this one-dish meal is sure to please your guests and your schedule too.

Sausage, Spinach and Lemon Lasagna

3 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1/4 c all-purpose flour
3 c whole milk
1 c finely grated Parmesan cheese (about 4 ounces)
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
5 c coarsely chopped spinach
1 lb. sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
1 lemon, very thinly sliced
6 no-boil lasagna noodles

1. Melt butter in a saucepan over high heat. Stir in flour; cook for 2 minutes. Whisk in milk. Bring to a boil, stirring. Reduce heat. Simmer for 1 minute. Remove from heat. Whisk in 3/4 cup cheese, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Stir in spinach.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook sausage in a skillet over high heat, breaking up pieces, until no longer pink, about 4 minutes.
3. Cover lemon slices with cold water by 3 inches in a saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer for 7 minutes. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate using a slotted spoon.
4. Spread 1/4 cup sauce in an 8-inch square nonreactive baking dish. Top with 2 noodles, half the sausage, and 1 cup sauce. Repeat. Top with a layer of lemons, 2 noodles, then remaining sauce and lemons. Bake, covered with parchment-lined foil, for 27 minutes.

Remove from oven. Heat broiler. Uncover lasagna; top with remaining 1/4 cup cheese. Broil until bubbling, 2 to 3 minutes.

Recipe from MarthaStewart.com.

Spring Pesto & Gruyere Bruschetta

1 Baguette
1 block of gruyere cheese, thinly sliced
1 c cherry tomatoes, sliced
1 large garlic clove
2 c fresh basil leaves
2/3 c extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
Black pepper

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. Slice baguette into 1 inch slices. Place cheese slices on top of sliced bread and melt cheese in oven for 5-7 minutes.

3. In a food processor, combine basil, garlic, extra-virgin olive oil. Season with salt.

4. Once the cheese is melted, remove baguette slices from oven and spoon pesto on top. Finish with tomato slices and a pinch of salt and pepper.

bring on the brie

Life without a dishwasher is hard. I prefer my 100 year old apartment, and that comes without a few modern amenities. That’s why I love this easy and elegant party appetizer that will not only jump start your guest’s taste buds for the main course, but give you a few less dishes to wash too.

Baked Brie with Fig

Large sheet of puff pastry
5 in. round Brie wheel
13 oz. jar of fig preserves
1 egg yolk, beaten

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut puff pastry sheet in half. Lay and gently press one sheet along the sides and at the bottom of 8 in. baking pan.

2. Place brie wheel on top of press puff pastry sheet. Spread preserves on brie and fold dough over the top. Place remaining half sheet on top to form round shape along the size of the wheel.

3. Brush egg yolk on top to give a deep, glossy finish. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until pastry is golden brown. Serve with grapes, green apple slices and toasted baguette slices.

pumpkin bread

From Thanksgiving to first day of 2013, baked goods will be passed from family to family as a celebration of the giving season. Among the divinity and Santa cookies, pumpkin bread will be wrapped up in colorful cellophane as one of the many breakfast and after dinner treats to enjoy all month long. Make your pumpkin bread stand out from the rest with my mother’s timeless pumpkin bread recipe.

Mama’s Pumpkin Bread

1 1/2 c flour
1 c sugar
1 can (15 oz.) pumpkin puree
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 c water
1/2 c olive oil
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp clove
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Sift together the flour, sugar, salt and baking soda.

2. Mix the pumpkin, oil, eggs, spices and water together. Combine with the dry ingredients.

3. Grease and flour 9×5×3 inch loaf pan. Pour batter and bake 55 minutes. Let cool.