bragging rights

sorry, no recipe this time, just a little bragging about my fiancé cooking dinner for me tonight!

prep work.



nice presentation:




The handsome chef himself!




I'm lucky, I know! Recipes to come, really. This wedding planning is time consuming. Here's a hint: what smells like thanksgiving but just bakes in a loaf pan?

enjoy!

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have your cake and eat it too.

at Harvest in Harvard Square:





On the Spirit of Boston Cruise:





now, back to the gym! ;)


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testing, testing 123

I tried out a new recipe tonight, and am posting with a new iPhone app!

This is an easy one: dice peppers, zucchini, onion, carrots, garlic. Put them all in a large sauce pan, and cook until softened.




Make sure you're stirring often so they don't burn. Add a 28 oz can of crushed or diced tomatoes, stir, bring to a boil, and then let the whole thing simmer for 20 mins.





Add spices: oregano, basil, salt and pepper, and continue to simmer, 15 minutes or so.

Serve over pasta:




Yum!

One more quick note: J and I had a lunch date today at Sportello in Fort Point. FP is a fun area, very artsy so there are a few great galleries to check out while you're there! Sportello is one of Barbara Lynch's brilliant creations, and is a favorite spot among my co-workers. J and I opted for the lunchbox: just $10 for the sandwich of your choice, drink, housemade chips, and a cookie. Love it!

My lunchbox ( they actually pack you a lunch!)



and a peek inside:




enjoy!



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Monday Night Thai

Tonight we tried something new ... thai! This pre-packaged noodle and sauce package was fantastic. Generally I'm not a big fan of pre-packaged foods - they're usually full of additives and chemicals. This one, though, was sent to us from J's Mom (among other fabulous housewarming gifts!) and boasts "all natural, no preservatives" right on the front!



The package contains the noodles and the sauce. We added chicken, snow peas, and scrambled egg (what's pad thai without scrambled egg?!) and it was absolutely fantastic! Word to the wise though, this mild was SPICY ... and we loved it!



Tasty Thai is available at grocery stores, and even on amazon.com ... and did I mention, it's gluten free!

enjoy!

Beth

picture perfect.

well, last night's marinade wasn't my favorite (olive oil, brown sugar, lime, garlic, and a splash of white wine) but the picture sure is pretty!



tonight J, our resident pizza pro, is putting together a classic margharita pizza - I can't wait!

saucy.

BBQ sauce is something that I didn't ever think about making myself. And then I found this recipe ... and well, would it be too drastic to say life changed?

Since this recipe makes more of a marinade than a sauce, I've made some adjustments:

- 3/4 cup ketchup
- 1/4 cup vinegar
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 clove garlic, finely minced
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 TBSP pepper
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 3 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne, or to taste

Combine all the ingredients in a medium sized sauce pan, and let simmer for at least 20 minutes.

The real trick is to add the liquid ingredients very slowly, so you can make sure that you end up with the right consistentcy. This sauce is fantastic on chicken, steak, and pork.

(no pictures on this one due to dead phones ... but good news, the iphone comes tomorrow!)


enjoy!

welcome home, J!

Jason is back home after two weeks in Korea - finally! :) I made a big welcome home dinner for him, and tried two new recipes, both of which I'm excited to share!

We started with one of my favorite appetizers, bread with dipping oil. I'm still (slowly) re-stocking the fridge after the 4th of July weekend disaster, and didn't realize until it was too late that I didn't have any balsamic. I ended up with an herb-infused oil instead, that we both loved. I mixed about a 1/4 c. EVOO with oregano, garlic powder, pepper, and a pinch of salt. Just add the spices a little bit at a time until you're happy with the taste - easy!



Dinner was simple and summery. I marinated two tilapia filets in lemon juice, lime juice, and fresh ground pepper for about 4 hours. Just bake at 400 for 20-30 minutes (depending on the thickness of the filet - just keep an eye on it). I topped the tilapia with fresh mango salsa from Whole Foods, with jasmine rice and fruit salad on the side.




The real show-stopper was dessert. I found this awesome no-bake, dairy-free strawberry pie here. A word to the wise: make sure you bake the pie crust first! (oops!) Once I recovered from that little speed bump, it was all smooth sailing. The recipe is simple (and delicious) and a perfect summer dessrt.




I also put together a make-ahead casserole for breaskfast. It was definitely a special treat since is loaded with dairy, but well worth it! We first had this french toast casserole while visiting our friends Steve and Tugce over the 4th of July weekend, and J loved it so much I had to find a way to re-create it! I found a good recipe by Paula Dean on the Food Network Website. The only trick here is that this is a recipe for a crowd, and I just wanted to make enough for the two of us. Here's how I modified the recipe:

6 slices (about 3/4 of an inch) french baguette
2 eggs
1/2 c. half and half
1/4 c. milk
1 TBSP sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg


Arrange the slices in two rows in a loaf pan. In a medium bowl, combine the eggs, dairy, sugar, vanilla and spices until well blended. Pour the mixture evenly over the slices, cover the pan with tin foil, and refridgerate overnight.

The next morning, preheat the oven to 350 degrees, and mix up this quick topping:

1/4 brown sugar
1 Tbsp Canola oil
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 Tbsp honey

Lightly mix unil ingredients are combined (don't over mix). Sprinkle the topping over the casserole, and bake for 35 minutes, until the bread is golden and puffy. YUM!







enjoy!