Recipes

I really love sweet potatoes, but don't eat them nearly enough. Usually I simply bake them whole in foil as you would a regular tuber, but decided to chop and bake them with vegetable broth and spices. Wow! I was so pleased with the results. The potatoes are so naturally sweet, the celery is a bright touch and soaks up all the yummy dish juices. This meal definitely put a smile on my face. :)

Baked Chicken and Sweet Potatoes

with Steamed French Green Beans

 

• 2-3 large sweet potatoes, cut into a 1/2" dice
• 1 small onion, cut in half and sliced
• 3 celery stalks, cut long-ways into quarters then into 1/4" slices
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed of fat and pound to 1/4" thickness
• 1 garlic clove, chopped
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 cup vegetable or chicken broth
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 ginger
• Salt and pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Prepare a 9x13 dish.

2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Saute sweet potatoes, onions,  and celery until beginning to soften, about 4 minutes. Season with salt, pepper, nutmeg, cinnamon, and ginger. Toss veggies in the pan until coated. Pour in broth and bring to a simmer. Simmer 2 minutes. Veggies will still be a bit hard. Pour into 9x13 dish, set aside and keep warm. 

3. In the same pan, pour 1 tbsp olive oil add garlic and chicken breasts. Brown chicken on both sides, but do not cook all the way through. Place skillet contents on top of sweet potatoes in dish. Bake in preheated oven for 40-45 minutes until potatoes are soft, shaking pan half way though.

For Green Beans:

1. Place steamer basket in pot on stove with 1" of water, bring to a boil. Add green beans, cover and steam for 5-6 minutes until bright green and still crisp.

Trainspotting

I have a love affair with trains. The supreme power, the rhythmic sway, the shadowy romance of it all. I can only imagine what the first passengers aboard a steamer in the 1800's must have felt. There were no panes of glass in the windows and planks of wood on which to sit. The dirt and debris of the thick black smoke that coughed out of the regulator pipe was so dense it covered passengers with a layer of soot. But for the first time they witnessed the blues of the sea, the golds of the flatlands, and the purples of the mountains, how exhilarating! Obviously things have changed, but the excitement I feel with every "all aboard!" still warrants the same pioneer feeling.

As a kid I would take the train from Baltimore to Manhattan to take dance classes and see Broadway shows. Taking that New York subway was so intoxicating! Dirty and terrifying, it always seemed to ignite my adoration for the city. The griminess was symbolic of freedom. If I could make it here...you know the rest. Years later, as a bona fide California girl, I yearned to be free of the freeways. The monotony of being solo in a cage, slowly creeping across the infinite web of concrete, felt so...mundane. I decided I was going to employ the Metro line that wove beneath the city streets which was so underutilized, it was almost secret. I was struck by how little traffic there was, the trains were clean and on time, and only $1.25 to ride. What had I been thinking? I rode with the day-workers headed to MacArthur Park and teenage kids skipping school. I made friends with mom's pushing little brown babies to the flower market Downtown and the concert-goers avoiding the $30 parking fees around Staples Center. There were homeless folks, the occasional business person, the ironically adventurous hipsters, hospital workers, people reading scripture to the car, and all the while I did my crosswords, quietly observing and enjoying my time on the train. It wasn't until our time living in Japan that taking the train became less of a lifestyle choice and more of a necessity. That experience changed my life for many reasons, but the whole getting from Point A to Point B thing was an everyday adventure. I planned my routes early in the morning, taking notes and drawing cartoonish maps of my destinations. I tentatively boarded the trains that kept the choreographed chaos of the city in motion. There are unwritten rules and manners associated with riding the train in Tokyo. The first person on the platform is the first to board, and the subsequent line that formed behind said passenger must snake into the car fast because the doors WILL shut on you. I know this from (many) experiences almost losing a purse, or arm, in the jaws of time conservancy. The trains are rigorously kept on time and nothing, not even an extremity, will delay them. Once you actually get in the car, you will be face-to-face, shoulder-to-shoulder, knee-to-knee with strangers who ignore you. I imagine this is ingrained into the culture in order to maintain some semblance of calm amongst the confusion, but let me tell you, it can get anonymously squishy.

My favorite times were riding the bullet train from Tokyo to Kyoto and all the way to Nagasaki and Hiroshima. The lightning fast (300+ mph) train feels like you are traveling though time, and often it did appear you warped back in time like when a silent, beautiful Geisha tip-toed past or the bell of an ancient temple was rung symbolizing a prayer was made. I can picture all 15 of us running, sprinting even, through packed stations, my husband carrying our 70 lb suitcase over his head, trying to make the transfer line to the next city. Collapsing into laughter and high-fives if we made it or cursing and searching for beer if we did not. Sometimes people would get left behind, sometimes we waited. One of us always forgot something in the previous city, and all the hostels were predictably impossible to locate. But it was the trains that made all of these amazing things possible. Now I often wonder how we get by without them. Then I get behind the wheel of my dirty, old, beat-up car, start the engine and ease back into traffic.

                           

 

 

 

Recipes

This colorful pasta is such a satisfying summer dish! Feel free to substitute any of the vegetables (and pasta) for the fresh ones you have on hand. I highly recommend investing in a lemon zester, lemon zest truly brightens vegetable dishes and adds a very satisfying acid to the "grounded" taste of broccoli and mushrooms. This dish is also excellent the next day. It's ok to cook too much, you'll have a delicious lunch after all the flavors have a chance to meld overnight. I hope you enjoy this light pasta as much as I do!

Vegetable and Chicken Rigatoni

 

 

• 1 lb pasta of choice (I used rigatoni)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 12 oz fresh broccoli, cut into small florets
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 pint fresh mushrooms (baby bellas or white), sliced
• 1 14 oz can artichoke hearts, drained and sliced
• salt and pepper to taste
• 5 tbsp freshly grated Parmesan
• 1/4 cup freshly chopped Italian parsley
• 1 lemon, zested and juiced

1. Cook pasta according to package.

2. In a large saute pan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Brown chicken and garlic until cooked through, remove and keep warm.

3. Pour the chicken broth and white wine into same pan, scraping brown bits with a wooden spoon. Bring to light boil and add broccoli and mushrooms. Cook for 3-4 minutes, shaking pan occasionally. Add Artichokes, tomatoes, cook 1 minute. Add chicken, garlic, and cooked pasta. Cook for about 5-6 minutes until heated through and sauce thickens. Season with salt and pepper, and toss.

4. Transfer to a serving bowl and top with Parmesan and parsley. Serve warm or at room temp.

Tips & Techniques: Kitchen Essentials

I put together a list of items I like to keep the kitchen stocked with. These are things that make cooking convenient and affords you the chance to experiment with recipes more easily. I usually have recipes already in mind when I hit the market, otherwise I would stand in front of the meat section for an hour, and that can get...cold. So I recommend knowing what cuts of meat, specific veggies, or other perishables you plan on using that week before you arrive. There are of course some specialty items that are not listed such as curry paste, firm tofu, or kimchi that last a good amount of time and are also nice to have on hand. Every kitchen is unique after all (I know I could definitely eat more fruit) but this is simply a guide if you are in need of a pantry update. Feel free to comment things that are always on YOUR shelves!

Recipes

Cilantro-Basil Pesto Pasta 

with Chicken

 

  

For Pesto:

• 1 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves
• 1 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro
• 1/3 cup slivered almonds, toasted
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/8 cup freshly grated Parmesan or Pecorino

For Chicken & Pasta

• lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed of fat
• salt & pepper
• 1/2 pint baby bella or white mushrooms, chopped
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 lb pasta of choice (I used Fettuccini Regate because it has grooves that catches the pesto nicely)
• Parmesan or pecorino to garnish

For Pesto:

1. Place the basil, cilantro, almonds, garlic, lemon, juice, salt and pepper in a food processor and blend into a paste, scraping sides with spatula. Slowly add olive oil with processor on to make pesto smooth.

For Chicken & Pasta:

1. Heat salted water until boiling, cook pasta according to package.

Meanwhile,

 2. Place chicken between plastic wrap and pound until 1/4" thick. Season on both sides with salt and pepper, and squeeze lemon on breasts. Heat oil in skillet at medium high. Place chicken and mushrooms in skillet and cook until chicken is no longer pink, about 5-7 minutes per side. Remove and keep warm.

3. Drain pasta when just al dente, reserving about 1 cup of cooking water. Toss pasta in skillet used for chicken (wiped out) and toss with pesto and a little olive oil over low heat. Stir in cooking liquid until pasta is coated. Grate cheese over top. Serve with sliced chicken and mushrooms.

Recipes

Salmon with Dill Sauce,

Spinach and Mushroom Saute,

and Pine Nut Cous Cous 

 

Salmon with Dill Sauce

• 4 (6-oz) Salmon fillets, with or without skin
• 2 tbsp olive oils
• 1 1/2 cups creme fraiche (or sour cream as a sub)
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp fresh lemon zest
• 3 tbsp finely chopped shallots, slowly sauteed in olive oil until golden brown, about 10 minutes
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh dill
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1-2 tbsp Dijon mustard (Grey Poupon or any white wine-based Dijon is good)
• salt & pepper to taste

1. In a small bowl whisk fresh dill, creme fraiche (or sour cream if using), cooked shallots and Dijon mustard together. Season with pepper and salt to taste, blend well. Let stand for at least 30 minutes at room temperature. 

2. Brush each fillet lightly with olive olive all over, especially on skin (if using).  Rub minced garlic on all fillets. Season well with salt and pepper and sprinkle zest on flesh, set aside.

3. Meanwhile heat olive oil in skillet over medium-high heat.  When hot, lay salmon, skin side down and reduce heat a bit. Spoon 1/3 of dill sauce over flesh as cooking. Do not move fillets, allow to cook for 6-7 minutes, flip and cook additional 3-4 minutes. Remove salmon from skillet and keep warm.  Reduce heat to low and pour remaining dill sauce in skillet, cook until heated through, about 1 minute and serve over salmon.

Spinach and Mushroom Saute

• 1 pint of white mushrooms, chopped
• 10-oz fresh spinach, roughly chopped
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• Salt & pepper to taste
• 1-2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1. Heat olive oil over medium heat in large skillet. Add garlic, cook less than a minute. Add mushrooms and cook about 5 minutes, add balsamic vinegar and continue cooking until mushrooms release their juices, about 5 minutes more.
2. Stir in spinach and continue cooking until just wilted. Season with salt and pepper, and serve.

Pine Nut Cous Cous

• 1 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup chopped shallots (1-2 shallots)
• 3 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade, or water
  
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 cups cous cous
• 1/2 cup pine nut, toasted
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley 

1. In small skillet toast pine nuts until fragrant and golden brown. Set aside to cool. 

2. Melt the butter in a large saucepan. Add the shallots and cook them over medium-low heat for 3 minutes, until translucent. Add the chicken stock, salt, and pepper and bring to a boil. Turn off the heat. Stir in the couscous, cover the pan, and set aside for 10 minutes. Add the pine nuts and parsley and fluff with a fork to combine. Serve hot.

I Love NOLA

New Orleans. Just saying the words makes me think hot, sweaty, sexy, defiant, proud, mischievous. The air feels different here. It hovers, so in the distance the filtered neon lights glow through mist in the most coyly inviting way. You know your a visitor when you're here because the language is meant for natives only. There is a unshakable bond among the New Orleanians. They know their food, their music, and their city is special...unchanged in spirit if not by landscape. They watched their city be swept away and it took a long time, years in some cases, for people to come back. But once the foundations were reestablished, albeit some cracked and eroded, the tentative music began playing again. 

I visited with a native Louisianaian, born and bred in the shadows of the Big Easy. Having lived elsewhere in the recent past, you could tell the city still had it's enchanting affect on him. Here romance has a palpable heartbeat yet the atmosphere is still somewhat unsavory and slightly insidious. Founded by the French, ruled by the Spanish and with the roots of Acadians ("Cajuns" from Canadian Island region of Nova Scotia and all the way down south to Maine) the food and culture that has been maintained is an evolution of artists and heavy on musicians. There wasn't a moment in time during my visit that there wasn't music in the air, whether it the deep throaty song of the tree frogs coming off the marshes or the wail of the saxophone from inside a local venue. New Orleans thumps, it beats, and it never sleeps. I fell in love...

 

 

 

Recipes

I always rely on chicken breast when I am making dinner in a hurry. It's easily marinated, or simply seasoned with salt and pepper, baked, sauteed, grilled, broiled, or fried. I decided to take a recognizable recipe, Chicken Parmesan, and turn it into a week-night meal by using ground chicken and forming it into chicken burgers. As a side, Simply sliced and seasoned potatoes are baked "fries" that make this an uncomplicated and casual meal. 

Chicken Parmesan Burgers 
with Baked Potato Fries

 

Chicken Parmesan Burgers 

• 4 rolls (such as ciabatta or french
• 1 lb ground chicken
• 1/3 cup marinara, plus 3 tbsp (homemade or good quality jarred)
• 1 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 tsp chopped fresh thyme
• 1/4-1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 cup panko bread crumbs
• 4 slices fresh mozzarella
• 8 basil leaves
• 2 tbsp olive oil 
• 4 rolls (such as ciabatta or french)

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 
2. Cut rolls in half, place on baking sheet cut side up. Bake in preheated oven for 5 minutes until toasted. Set Aside.
3. Combine chicken, marinara, rosemary, thyme, red pepper, panko, salt, and pepper. Divide into 4 patties. Heat an oven proof skillet over medium high heat. Add 2 tbsp olive oil to skillet. Add patties and cook 3-4 minutes per side. Spread 3 tbsp marinara over the patties and place skillet in oven. Bake for 8 minutes. Top each patty with mozzarella slice and bake additional 1 minute, until melted.
4. Place a patty on each roll and top with basil leaves. Serve immediately.

Baked Potato Fries

• 2 large baking potatoes, such as Russet, peeled & sliced into thick fries
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Coat baking sheet with cooking spray. Set aside.

2. Place cut potatoes in large freezer bag, add olive oil, garlic, onion powder, paprika, salt, and pepper. Shake to coat. Spread onto baking sheet.

3. Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes, shake pan, cook an additional 20-25 minutes until crispy and golden brown. Serve.