Update

It's been a while- that's what happens when you get busy with work and life! All good things. Check back this afternoon for a serious post with new photos and some creative one pot recipes as my new kitchen is TINY and I have had to learn new ways to cook haha

home in connecticut.

My mom has spent the summer in Spain taking classes, and while she was gone, she let me use her beautiful condo in the suburbs of Connecticut. Something about being there, and home just really makes me feel relaxed. While I was home, I threw a little dinner party for my cousin Lauren and her boyfriend Jeff. It was a beautiful summer night and we had a blast.


Apricot Chicken w/stewed sauce
4 Chicken Breasts


Sauce
4 apricots
1-2 cloves
1/4 cup orange/pineapple juice.

Marinade
1/2 cup Balsamic Vinegar
1/4 cup white wine (one you would drink)
1/2 jar apricot jelly
1 small onion
garlic
Pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Marinate Chicken for at least 30 minutes, but no more than 2 hours. Heat an oven safe pan on medium-high heat. either spray with pam or use a small amount of olive oil. Take chicken out of the marinade but save it. Sear on both sides, for about 4 minutes a side or until you see some color forming. Pour reserved marinade over chicken and put in oven and cook for 12-15 minutes depending on your oven. Check and turn chicken after, and cook for an additional 10 min depending on size. With 2-3 minutes left, broil the chicken for some color, watch it as to not burn.

While the chicken is cooking, slice apricots thinly and sear in a non stick pan or in butter on the oven to get some color on them. Add 1/4 cup white wine and let cook off for a minute, then add the oj/pineapple mix. Add the clove. Bring to boil then down to a simmer for about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.

When chicken is done, remove from oven. either slice after resting or serve as a breast with the stewed apricots on top.

Tastes awesome with some cous-cous and steamed broccoli w/ lemon and butter.

check it. clams and scallops

So I get that it's been raining....pretty damn humid and miserable. I hate this weather. Any type of precipitation makes me want to melt like the wicked witch of the west. OK so she might not have melted, I don't have any authority on the matter but I digress. On to the second part of the slight debacle. I love to cook most of the time, but I get especially excited about spending time in a warm kitchen when it is nasty outside. Being in the comfort of my own home is essential.

Lately the worst thing has happened to me. I am a cook with out a kitchen. I am 26 and subsisting on instant coffee and takeout. I can't get into details but it has severely impeded my time exploring my culinary desires. But, I was able to squeeze in a Sunday evening making dinner in my friend Deb's apartment. What a saint! Well, it was a humid, rainy June Sunday and we all craved a light pasta dish. Check it we had fresh angel hair w/seafood in a light tomato sauce.

Feeds 4 People

1 dozen clams
1 lb bay scallops
2 packets fresh angel hair
1 tomato
1 shallot
2 cloves garlic
tomato paste
1 bunch kale
White wine
Veggie stock
Olive Oil
Butter
Parmesan

Boil a large pot of water and blanch the kale. When you remove it from the ice bath, cut it in 2 inch thick strips
At the same time, saute the shallot, garlic, tomato w 2 tbsp olive oil and a thin slice of butter.
Put a large pot of water to boil for the fresh pasta ( only takes about 1-2 min)
When ready, deglaze pan with 1/4 cup white wine. Add 1/4 cup stock. Add 2 tbsp tomato paste and put kale into the liquid and veggies. Submerge kale and cook for about 6 minutes.
After about 6 minutes, add the clams and scallops. Cover and let this simmer on low heat for about 6 more minutes.
At this time, add the angel hair, salt, boil and drain. Put on a serving platter. Pour the veggies, sauce and seafood over the pasta. Toss, add Parmesan and serve. Voila. Deliciosa!

Being Abroad

I just got back from 2 weeks in Israel. The food was interesting at best b/c being on a planned trip left little to the imagination and hardly any options. Now that I am back, I do want to experiment with the flavors and tastes in a way I didn't get too while I was there. Did you know there was an on going debate as to whether or not Israel has a national cuisine. I would say yes....while most recipes do have an eastern European roots, you can see the influence of all the cultures that sought out safety in the homeland and how that has shaped their food.

Check back for some Israeli influenced recipes....but there might be a break on Hummus. I think I ate enough for the next year and need a little break!

Greek Turkey Burgers

This one is especially done for my friend Lauren. She is in LOVE with these turkey burgers...and I have found they taste delicious whether done in regular burger size, or as burger bites to put over mixed greens ( a healthier option) or in Pita Pockets.

1 package low fat or fat free ground turkey
1 package frozen spinach-defrosted
1/2 red onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, diced
1 package low fat feta cheese
Salt/Pepper
Olive Oil/Pam/Butter ( whatever you prefer to work w/)

Preheat oven to 350* degrees

Take a sautee pan, put on medium heat and add a tspn of olive oil til warm
Take 1/2 the frozen spinach, ring it out in a few paper towels to remove moisture, add to the pan with the garlic and onion. Sautee for about 5-7 minutes on medium heat.

Let cool, and add to turkey. Mix well, and add salt/pepper and 2 good sized handfuls of the feta cheese. Form turkey meat into either individual patties, or burger sized patties, whatever you prefer.

Reheat sautee pan on medium heat, and add pam/olive oil or butter.

Add turkey burgers to pan. If they are small, sautee on both sides for 2 minutes then move to pyrex bakeware in the oven for about 12 additional minutes. If they are large, sautee for 4-6 min on either side and then add to the oven for an additional 15 min.

Serve over mixed greens, in pita pockets with tahini or eat alone with cous cous!

Been out of the country for the last week...sorry to leave everyone hanging. It's been a rainy spring in NYC but today was amazing...I am going to experiment with Mushroom Soup tomorrow ( making it from scratch not using it in a recipe). Stay tuned for the outcome!

Apples and Oranges. Well, not yet.

More about eating in-season- check out the Farmers' Market in Union Square. Today was beautiful, sunny and packed around 3pm. I found yummy apples but it's only March. Lots more colorful goodness to come.

Random Helpful Hint

Try rolling lemons/limes before you squeeze to get more juice out of the fruit. You can also zap them in the microwave for about 5 seconds and then squeeze if you dare. I live in an apartment with a kitchen the size of a postage stamp. A microwave is a far, far away dream. Oh, and and make sure your fruit is room temperature- it's easier to manipulate them while squeezing.

Rainy Night Roast Chicken

Tonight is super rainy and gross. My favorite thing to do on these nights is to make a yummy roast chicken with in season veggies. What do I mean about in season? Well, I was recently inspired by the book "Omnivore's Dilemma" by Michael Pollan. Among many of the lessons in the book, one of the resounding ones personally was the idea of eating food as it grows. This means brussels sprouts in the winter, asparagus in the spring, and apples in the fall. The less we eat out of season, the less damage we do to our environment and the more vitamin rich our locally grown in-season food is...basically. So according to that theory if I go to my local fruit/veggie stand or market I would be looking for eggplant, asparagus, snow peas and zucchini to compliment my chicken.

My mom taught me a great way to take a chicken and place it on a roaster thus using the natural juices with a little olive oil to cook the veggies. This whole meal? All of 2 hours depending on the weight of the meat.

Roast Chicken and Spring Veggies

1 kosher roast chicken
I bundle of asparagus
1 large eggplant
1 medium yellow onion
1 red onion
1 bunch broccoli
3 large cloves garlic-diced. Divide into 2 piles
2-3 lemons
salt/pepper
paprika
dill
Olive Oil
White Wine

Preheat oven to 370*. If you have a good oven, 350* will probably work but my oven is awful so I have to increase temperature.
Cut up red onion, broccoli and eggplant into 1 -2 inch chunks. Toss in 2 tspn of olive oil or less. You need such a small amount. Layer the bottom of a roasting pan with the veggies and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Place the roaster over the veggies.
Take the chicken, make sure giblets are removed and the neck bone is cut. Cut the yellow onion in half and stick inside the chicken. Add salt/pepper. Take 1/2 a lemon and squeeze the juice inside and then place rind inside the cavity.
Place chicken on roaster. Sprinkle liberally with salt/pepper/paprika and dill. Take 2 leftover lemons, slice and squeeze juice all over the chicken. Place rinds on veggies. The essence of the lemon will infuse the veggies.
Take 1/4 cup olive oil and pour over chicken until it is covered but not drowning in oil (cause...ewwww, and you will get fat drippings from the skin)
Cook for 1 hour then take chicken out. Stir veggies and pour white wine over chicken to add some liquid.
Cook for another 45 min to an hour ( I like my chicken dry so I cook it longer, personal flavor).
Let sit for 5-10 minutes to collect the juices...carve and serve with fresh bread!

Weekend Plans

This is what I will be doing all weekend.

Sauteed Eggplant and BK

I spent my afternoon yesterday in Greenpoint BK, and in Williamsburg. The view there is so beautiful. This is from a park in Greenpoint ( and on my blackberry) that they are currently re-doing, although it has been slowed due to the economy.

So, after my afternoon exploring, I decided to do a little cooking. I am a self taught, slightly obsessed foodie. You will probably notice I only post this to twitter when I have a recipe that I think I can share. I wanted an easy place for my friends and family to be able to access my thoughts about food....because I have a lot of them and it's torture to read a recipe on the phone.

I LOVE this sauteed eggplant from Sabra, and they stopped selling it in my Food Emporium. (Sadly enough these are the little things that you notice when you don't have to be at work 9 hours a day.) I decided that instead of hunting it down at another supermarket in the city like a normal person, I would try and re-create it at home. First shot, not so bad or hard at all. Let me know if you have any suggestions. I'll be making eggplant for the next few weeks. I tend to find a veggie and eat it constantly for a few weeks so I can figure out exactly how I like it. I just finished the winter of the brussel sprout :) Eggplant is on deck for spring.

Sauteed Eggplant
2 mini eggplant- pierce skin 2-3 tims
3 whole garlic gloves peeled
one small onion-cut in quarters
1/4 cup of tomato sauce
olive oil
Salt/Pepper
1 tsp of sugar
Dash of red wine
Dash of Balsamic Vinegar

Heat oven to 400*
Place eggplant, onion and garlic in a pan, drizzle a small amount of OO and salt/pepper over the veggies. Roast for 35-45 minutes.
Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Slice eggplant in half.

Heat up a skillet on the oven on low to medium heat, add a little olive oil.
Take out your Cuisinart, pulse chop the veggies until they are chunky.
Put veggies in skillet, add balsamic, red wine, tomato sauce, salt, pepper and sugar.
Cook over low/medium heat for about 5 minutes or until liquid is almost cooked off.

Serve over crackers or on mini whole wheat pita as a great appetizer or snack!