Summertime Peach Cobbler

GAHHH, why isn't EVERYTHING made out of peaches?! It's the peak of summer and I cannot think of a single food that I love more.

I love peaches.

SO SO MUCH!

They're a real peach.  I guess that's where that saying comes from.

You can grill them, you can put them in salad, you can make my very favorite desserts out of them.  You can bob for them. You can eat them with a man named Bob. They'd even brighten up some corn on the cob. (Sorry, I momentarily channeled Dr. Seuss there. I'm on a peach sugar high). Anyway, there is really nothing that a peach can't make better. Even RK, who claims that he has always disliked peaches, now loves them. They are perfect. We are in love. WE are a real peach.

I am also in love with this cobbler recipe. It is SO simple. Nothing fancy. It just focuses on the flavor of the peaches and the simplicity of a perfect pastry topping. Just use very ripe, fresh peaches and you will have the perfect summertime dessert! Rich's grandmother's china is optional, but encouraged.

Ingredients:

For the peaches
8 fresh peaches, peeled, and sliced into thin wedges
1/4 cup white sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

For the pastry
1 cup flour
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
6 tablespoon chilled butter cut into small cubes
1/4 cup boiling water

For the topping
3 tablespoons white sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Flaky sea salt (optional)

Method:
In a large mixing bowl, combine peeled and sliced peaches, 1/4 cup white sugar, 1/4 brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, lemon juice, and cornstarch. Toss everything together until the peaches are coated evenly. Pour into a greased baking dish and bake in an oven preheated to 425 degrees for about 10 minutes.

While the peaches are baking, in another large bowl, combine flour, remaining sugars, baking poser, and salt. Using your fingers or a pastry blender, cut in the chilled butter and blend until the mixture resembles course meal. Stir in the boiling water until just combined.

Remove the peached from the oven and top with spoonfuls of the pastry topping. Sprinkle the entire cobbler with the cinnamon and sugar mixture. Bake until the topping is golden and the peaches are bubbling, about 40 minutes.

Remove the cobbler from the oven and sprinkle with flaky sea salt. This is totally optional, but I did it and it was delicious.

Serve warm with vanilla bean ice cream!

Sweet Corn & Zucchini Salad with Feta

Mr. Keith took me on a very nice date night last week to Osteria Mozza courtesy of Alloy Entertainment and Warner Brothers... the producers of his new TV show. Yes, my man definitely has figured out the way to my heart. Use of his gift cards on me. It was our first time eating there and I must say that it was well worth the wait.  I know... we were wayyyy behind the bandwagon on that one, but holy food coma was it AMAZING. It totally lived up to the hype and we had such a wonderful meal. The view wasn't too bad either, as we found ourselves sitting next to the entire cast of Scandal... with Scott Foley in my direct eye line. Ah. The teenage girl in me was having flashbacks to pretty much every TV show that I ever used to watch. Thankfully, my husband was also in my direct eye line and he was the most handsome distraction in the restaurant. Though I'll admit, I kinda had a two-for-one view.

Besides my usual buratta indulgence, I stepped out of my comfort zone a little and ordered a sweet corn ravioli which pretty much changed my life and my opinion of corn that is sweet. I have always loved it, but always thought of it as something to be gnawed on... not enjoyed in a delicate pasta. So, it got me thinking what else I could add sweet corn too. The answer? Pretty much everything... including this amazing summer salad!

Thinly sliced zucchini and sweet corn make up this perfect salad to start any summer meal with! It is super fresh and light, but packed full of flavor with a little bit of spice. You could also add some chicken to make it a husband approved meal. I served it beside some heirloom tomatoes, grilled lobster, and lemony pasta with pecorino cheese! In my opinion (and the opinions of my dinner guests that night... ) the most perfect summer meal!

We were lucky enough to share the meal with our friends Rob and Krista who brought some amazing French wine. All in all, it was a night to dine for...

Sweet Corn & Zucchini Salad with Feta

Ingredients:
4 ears of sweet corn, husked
4 small zucchini, thinly sliced lengthwise
2 cups baby arugula
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
1/4 cup flat leaf parsley, chopped
1 cup feta cheese,  crumbled

1/3 cup olive oil

1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
Kosher salt

Method:
In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the corn for about 3 minutes until bright yellow and tender.  Let cool and then cut the kernels from the cobs and set aside.

There are two ways that you can prepare the zucchini. You can use a mandolin to thinly slice it lengthwise. Or, you can hop on the Spiralizer trend and use the flat blade to create thin ribbons. I did this method because I thought it was prettier, but either way will work great! If you do not have either piece of equipment, you can use a veggie peeler to create thin ribbons.

In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, crushed red pepper flakes, black pepper, and kosher salt.

Combine the zucchini, corn, basil, arugula, and parsley in a large bowl and toss with the vinaigrette. Top with the feta cheese and serve immediately.

I shared the leftover corn cobs with our current foster sheep... errr puppies....

They are 8 week old chihuahua poodles and in need of new homes!!! 

I know, SIGH... they are the most adorable creatures EVER!

xo

Pan Roasted Halibut with Blue Crab, Heirloom Tomatoes, and Horseradish Creme Fraiche

For my birthday last week (happy 21st birthday to me!), Marco, gifted me the new A.O.C. cookbook by Suzanne Goin . I find it funny that all of the men in my life buy me cookbooks... I wonder what they're trying to say?! Without surprise, the new A.O.C. cookbook is amazing. It's focused on seasonal dishes that all have that amazing Suzanne Goin touch and I seriously want to make every single dish in it... so I think I will! Annnnd since Marco and I have birthdays only 5 days apart, it was pretty easy to find an occasion for such a feast....

With such fantastic culinary inspiration, what better reason to kick off dining al fresco on the veranda than my best friends birthday dinner?! Dining outside is one of my favorite things in the world. There is something truly special and romantic about watching the sunset, eating good food, drinking good wine an breathing the fresh summer air (or whatever air it is we breath here in Los Angeles). I just love it. And since Marco is also one of my favorite things (people) in the world, I got this ginger (blonde) bum in the kitchen (um... yeah, just kitchen) and got to work. And I prepared a pretty perfect summer menu, if I do say so myself. We started dinner with a butter lettuce salad with grapefruits, avocado, shallots, and pistachios (Rich hates salad with fruit and he said it was one of his favorite salads EVER). For the main course, I prepared a pan roasted halibut with blue crab, heirloom tomatoes, and horseradish creme fraiche. It was so simple, but yummy! Light, fresh, and full of flavor! And for dessert I made a cantaloupe sorbet (Sorry Rich, he hates melon). But if you love melon, you love sorbet, and you love fun, you can find the recipe HERE!)

Pan Roasted Halibut with Blue Crab, Heirloom Tomatoes, and Horseradish Creme Fraiche

Ingredients:
6 filets of halibut, 5-6 ounces each
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon thyme leaves
4 tablespoons fresh parley, finely chopped
1 tablespoon shallot, finely diced
1 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup plus one tablespoon olive oil
3/4 pound blue crab meat, steamed and picked over***
3/4 cup creme fraiche (sour cream or plain greek yogurt can be substituted if you must)
1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
2 pounds heirloom tomatoes
1 bunch of arugula
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

***I could not find blue crab meat anywhere, so I just bought king crab legs and used the meat from those. I am not a big seafood person, so I am not sure what the difference is, but I will tell you, the king crab was delicious!

Also, for three people, I cut this recipe in half. 

Method:
Season the halibut with the lemon zest, thyme, and 2 tablespoons of chopped parsley. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or over night. If you are familiar with Suzanne Goin's recipes, almost everything she makes needs to be marinated for at least this long, so PLAN AHEAD!

Remove the fish from the refrigerator 15 minutes before cooking to bring it to room temperature.

Place the shallot, both vinegars, and salt and pepper into a small bowl and let it sit for 5 minutes. Whisk in 6 tablespoons of olive oil and set aside.

In another small bowl, toss the crab meat (gently) with one tablespoon of creme fraiche, the lemon juice, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and the remaining 2 tablespoons of chopped parsley. Taste for balance and seasoning... the crab meat may or may not need to be salted.

Combine the remaining creme fraiche, (yes, in ANOTHER bowl) horseradish, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and a little pepper.

Season the fish with salt and pepper. Heat a large sauté pan over high heat for 2 minutes. Swirl in the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and carefully lay the fish in the pan. It will smoke, but do not move the fish. Cook 3-4 minutes, until browned. Turn the fish over, lower the heat to medium low, and cook for a few more minutes until just cooked through. Do not overcook the fish. It will continue cooking when you remove it from the heat and will be flakey and opaque in the center when it is done.

While the fish is cooking, arrange the sliced heirloom tomatoes and arugula on large dinner plates. Spoon the vinaigrette over the tomatoes and arugula. Place the halibut in the center, arrange spoonfuls of crab on top of the fish. Dollop each fillet with a heaping spoonful of horseradish creme fraiche (you could seriously put the horseradish creme fraich on a shoe- it is so delicious, so don't be stingy!)

Enjoy!



annnnnd HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MARCO!

Green Minestrone for a Summertime Cold

Wanna know what's worse than sweating in 90 degree weather.......??
Sweating in 90 degree weather because you have a fever and feel like death.

UGH!

Summertime colds are the very worst time. They are way worse than winter colds because at least when you have a winter cold you can wear sweatpants.

In front of me I have two glasses of OJ because one is obviously not enough, 5 dogs piled on my lap, 97 or so crumpled up tissues, a scary movie playing on netflix because only scary movies are appropriate for me to watch in my current state of horror, and one Bon Appetite Magazine from which I found the recipe for my only reason for surviving today...

Green Minestrone. 

It is soup for summertime colds and it is delicious. Like, really, really delicious. It is quick to make, so you don't have to have the stove top on all day long. And it is packed with bright, seasonal produce and herbs!


Ingredients:
6 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 leeks, white and pale green parts only, chopped
1/2 fennel bulb, chopped
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 celery stalks, thinly sliced
4 cups veggie broth or chicken broth
2 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced lengthwise on a mandolin
1 1/2 cups green peas (fresh or frozen)
1 1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves
1/2 shallot finely chopped
1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
Shaved parmesan to serve, optional

Method:
Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat and cook the leeks, onion, fennel, and celery until softened, but not taking on any color, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds before adding the broth and bringing to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 10- 15 minutes.

Add the carrots and the peas and simmer until the carrots are tender, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

While soup is cooking, process the parsley and the remaining 4 tablespoons of olive oil in a food processor to a course paste and transfer to a small bowl. Mix the shopped shallot into the parsley paste.

Serve the soup topped with the parsley pesto, thinly sliced red onion, and shaved parmesan.

Fudgesicles!

Remember when you were a kid and your mom would strip you down to your undies and send you out into the backyard with a popsicle in one hand, which would of course turn you into a stick mess from head to toe, and a water gun in the other, eventually bringing your brothers to their watery death? Ok, so that was my mom and my childhood, but it was a good one and my brothers DID deserve to die. Growing up in Arizona, we would literally spend every waking hour outside in the pool, running through the sprinklers, and trying to drown each other with the garden hose. Without water, there is no life... especially during an Arizona summer. Or an Arizona winter. Or any time in Arizona. It's a friggin' desert. I am sure that most of us have our most fond childhood memories of summer because being a kid in the summertime is the very best time to be a kid! No school, loose bedtimes and all the icy, sweet treats you can handle! Sounds a lot like my life now.... you know, no school, very loose bedtimes and I usually lose count of how many popsicles I consume in a day when it is hot outside. Seriously, there are popsicle sticks piling up everywhere. And I am a sticky, blonde mess.

I have always been a sucker for fudgesicles (once you go fudge, it's hard to budge), but lemme tell you.... those things are filled with more crappy ingredients than a box of blue box blues (also delicious...) And while they may only be 100 calories, I would rather put 157 calories of pure organic sugar in my body than all of that crap... Because I live in Los Angeles, love Gwyneth Paltrow, and have lots of free time on my hands. Plus, I took the time to read the ingredient label. I'm still sounding out half of the words...

"nonfat milk, sugar, corn syrup, whey, high fructose corn syrup, water, palm oil, cocoa processed with alkali, tricalcium phosphate, mono and diglycerides, cellulose gum, guar gum, malt powder, salt, polysorbate 80, polysorbate 65, carrageenan" 

Yup..... Those are the ingredients in one fudgesicle! Am I crazy or should the ingredients be far more simple? Perhaps "fudge" and "sicle" would do? Since I couldn't find any pre-made sickle's I came up with my own recipe consisting of milk, sugar, chocolate, vanilla, butter, and cornstarch. That's it!

So, break out your popsicle molds! These fudge popsicles are creamy, chocolatey, and made from scratch! NOTE: No brothers were harmed in the making of this recipe.

Fudgesicles!

Ingredients:

1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

2/3 cup granulated sugar

2 tablespoons cornstarch

3 tablespoons unsweetened all natural cocoa powder

2 1/2 cups organic whole milk 

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 tablespoon unsalted butter 

Popsicle mold

Sticks

Method:

Combine chocolate chips, cocoa powder, milk, sugar, and cornstarch in a medium saucepan. Heat over medium heat, stirring constantly, until all ingredients are melted and combined. Continue stirring until the mixture has thickened, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in butter and vanilla extract. 

Let the mixture cool for about 30 minutes. Pour into popsicle molds, insert sticks, and freeze until completely frozen before serving! 

Enjoy!

Cantaloupe Sorbet

Hellllllo Summer!

While most years I feel like I greet summer with a bit of a scowl, I am beyond ready for it this year! I have been missing BBQs and bikinis and ice cream like nobodies business. I have even died my hair blonde to be more like the sun. Yes, that is correct. I am a ginger no more! So, what now? Am I blonde in the kitchen? The answer is no. I am ginger in my soul and in my roots (which are very visible thanks to the super cool dye job from Mary) and therefor, a ginger in the kitchen I shall remain. (Though Rich insists I be blonde everywhere else).

With the heat of summer on its way (who am I kidding... the heat is HERE), I figured there is no better time than now (after a slight 2 month vacay from my blog. Oops...) to start diving into some fun summer recipes! There is nothing that tickles my fancy more than homemade ice cream, but this is the first time I have made sorbet! Shocking, I know. It had just never even crossed my mind, but I am so glad that it did because holy hot weather, this sorbet is AMAZING and makes me so excited to start trying some new flavors. It is so easy to make and requires very few ingredients, so no sweaty trip to the market needed!

Cantaloupe Sorbet

Ingredients:

1 small cantaloupe melon

1/4 cup  sugar

2 tablespoons organic honey

Juice of 1/2 lemon

Method:

Remove the rind and seeds, and chop the melon into 1 inch cubes. Toss with sugar and honey and let sit for about 30 minutes. Place melon and sugar in a blender and blend until very very smooth. Add lemon juice to taste and freeze in an once cream maker according to the manufacturers instructions. Place in the freezer to finish freezing. 

Enjoy!

Funfetti Birthday Cake Ice Cream

I'm not really a birthday cake person. I know, I have lost my mind. Here's the thing... to me, the best part of birthday cake is the ice cream that goes on top. So, obviously the best and most logical thing to do is mush them both together (frosting, sprinkles, and all!) and make, well, for lack of a cooler thing to say.... a party... in your mouth! I am so serious. This is so good. 

Ingredients:

2 cups heavy cream

1 cup whole milk

3/4 cups sugar

2 tsp vanilla

1 tsp salt

2 cups funfetti cake, baked according to boxes instructions and broken into small pieces (not crumbs)

3/4 cup vanilla frosting (I used pink because it is pretty!)

1/2 cup rainbow sprinkles

Method:

In a mixing bowl, combine 2 cups cream, salt and vanilla. Set aside. 

In a small saucepan, combine sugar and 1 cup milk. Stir constantly over medium heat until sugar has dissolved. Cover with plastic wrap and place in fridge for 2-3 hours until cooled. Once the mixture has chilled, follow the instructions of your ice cream maker to make the base ice cream. With 5 minutes left of churning, add in your sprinkles.

Meanwhile, put your icing into a pastry bag with any sized tip you like. Once your ice cream is done, gently stir in your chunks of cake. Spoon one layer of ice cream into your container. Then, add one layer of frosting from your pastry bag. You'll be doing 3 layers total so make sure you only use about a third of your frosting. Repeat with a layer of ice cream. And a layer of frosting. Add your last layer of ice cream and top with your last layer of icing.

Freeze for 2 hours (more for firmer ice cream) and enjoy!

Zucchini Blossom and Burrata Pizza

I started writing this blog yesterday. 

I failed. 

I tried again this morning. 

0 for 2. 

8 Hours and 2 Hangover Curing Meals Later...

I'm finally making it happen. But, I have to be honest, sometimes I just don't have anything to say. Which is ok, because sometimes I think Rich thinks I am prettiest with my mouth shut. So, silence really can be golden. Or ginger. 

So here it is... short, sweet, and to the pizza. A basic recipe for delicious, healthy(ish), homemade pizza! You can, of course, add toppings (and calories) as you see fit. My two favorite toppings are zucchini blossoms and burrata cheese. You can find zucchini blossoms at your local farmer's market and burrata cheese (the creamy middle of mozzarella) can be found at most grocery stores. And, if you think it's weird to put flowers on your pizza, you should just shut your mouth and try it.

Simple Pizza Dough

Ingredients:
4 cups of all purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1 tsp dry active yeast
1 1/2 cups warm water (about 110 degrees)
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp olive oil

Method:
Preheat the oven to 500 degrees. Place a baking stone on the lowest rack to preheat with the oven for 1 hour.

Dissolve the yeast in warm water and set aside. 

Combine the flour,and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer. While the mixer is running, add the water and 2 tablespoons of olive oil and mix on medium speed until the dough forms into a ball.

Scrape the dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead into a smooth, firm ball. Divide the dough into 4 equal balls and rub a small amount of olive oil onto each ball to keep them from forming a skin. Place the dough balls under a dish towel, on a lightly floured surface and let them rise for about 45 minutes. 
While the dough is rising, make the pizza sauce.

Pizza Sauce

Ingredients:
8-10 tomatoes, cut in halves
2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp water
Salt and Pepper

Method:
Heat olive oil in a medium skillet.

Add the tomatoes, garlic, and water. 

Cover and bring to a simmer. 

When the tomatoes are beginning to cook down, about 20 minutes, remove the skins, they should slide off easily, and dispose. Once all of the skins are removed, remove and dispose the garlic cloves and crush the tomatoes until they are smooth. 

Continue cooking, uncovered for another 25 minutes until the liquid has evaporated and the sauce is a deep red color. 

Add salt and pepper to taste. 

To Assemble Pizzas

Roll out dough onto a floured surface to desired shape and thickness. I suggest rolling your dough super thin to get a nice, crispy, Italian style crust. 

Place rolled out dough on a preheated pizza stone** and quickly spoon pizza sauce onto dough and top with cheese. If you are using burrata, do not put it onto the pizza until AFTER the pizza is cooked or you will end up with a runny mess. 

If you are adding zucchini blossoms (or any other toppings) arrange them on the pizza and then place the pizza stone on the lowest rack of in the oven. 

Bake the pizza for 8-10 minutes until the crust is browned and the cheese is bubbly. I generally think that a properly cooked pizza looks a little over cooked. 

Remove the pizza from the oven. If you are adding burrata or fresh basil, sprinkle them onto right before serving!

Makes 4 pizzas

**If you do not have a pizza stone, no problem! you can bake the pizzas on a cookie sheet, just make sure to lightly oil the surface.

Coconut & Raspberry Ice Cream (It's Vegan!)

It's hot. Like really, really hot.

Now, I know that I grew up in the hellish desert and some of you that still live in Arizona may think that I have lost my heat resistant skin, but let me tell you, I know that 112 degrees is hot. I get it. It's the desert. But do you know what else is hot? 93 degrees with 40% humidity in a 1940's building with crappy wall unit A.C. when you were born in Canada with sensitive ginger skin. Now, that's hot.

I'm grumpy. Heat waves are definitely the worst. Worse than tidal waves, that wave maker attachment for flat irons, even those waves at baseball games. Especially since I've already colored my hair for fall and I am feeling the itch to start decorating the house with my transitional gourds (these are gourds that are somewhere between summer squash and pumpkins). It should not be over 90 anymore! I want to wear boots and I really want to stop trying to convince myself that being hot and sweaty gives my skin a luminous glow, it just doesn't. It makes me look like that girl who swears she is sober enough to get into the bar...

So, after a night of violently throwing my blankets to every corner of my our bedroom as I tossed and turned without a wink of sleep (Rich slept peacefully, his neuroses confined to his dreams), I woke up all hot and sweaty (in the non-sexy way, did I mention Rich was sleeping?) and went straight for the internet. The only thing on my mind? Popsicles. I came across a recipe from Spoon Fork Bacon and would have started jumping up and down with excitement if it wouldn't have landed me near death with heat exhaustion. I mean, raspberry and coconut.... IN A POPSICLE? I love all of those things. But then it hit me.... popsicles take time. A lot of time. You have to wait for those frozen bitches to freeze and that can take hours... at this point I was pretty much about to burst into flames at any second (let the ginger jokes begin), like Eric suntanning on that mountain in True Blood. My point is... who has time to wait for popsicles to freeze?!

Man, my morning was pretty dramatic....

Once I turned the A.C. on and was able to think clearly, I realized that, while popsicles were not a convenient option for me at this time, there is always a frozen dessert that I can count on. Ice cream.

coconut & raspberry ice cream

Ingredients:
2 cans coconut milk
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup shredded coconut
1 cup fresh raspberries


Method:
Combine the coconut milk, sugar, vanilla, and coconut. Freeze in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions. While the ice cream is churning, slightly crush some of the raspberries and then a few minutes before you are done churning the ice cream, add the raspberries and let them swirl through the ice cream. Enjoy!

Post Labor Day Asian Peanut Noodles with Chicken

I am blogging today from a very different place than usual. You see... we went to Palm Springs for  a pretty epic Labor Day weekend, and my brain has decided that it still needs a day or two of vacation before getting it together. Four days in a gorgeous house with a huge pool and 7 of your absolute favorite friends really takes it's toll on a girl. I am tired, extra freckly, and feel a little bit like a fish must feel when you deprive it of water... dead. So, we're just gonna roll with this and see how it goes....

Upon our return last night, the Mr. and I walked through our front door, explained to our dogs that the only kind of attention we were capable of was the cuddling kind (mostly of each other, while they watched, confused and sad), then planted our lazy (but nice) asses immediately on the couch with absolutely no intention of moving for at least 12 hours. We succeeded with flying colors because, well, let's be honest, we are very dedicated when we put our minds to something. We ordered not only one meal, but two. Yup, we had two meals delivered to our couch yesterday. It was more of a pre-dinner  and late dinner.

It really worked for us, but it got me thinking.... maybe since I am a chef (surprise!) and I put my body through a little more abuse than usual over the past four days, I could pull it together, lose the Chinese delivery guy's number, save a few bucks, and make my own crave-worthy Asian peanut noodles while keeping my waistline in mind (it is possible, both for me to think and for me to do). I finished that thought (and my second round of delivery food) and decided that, once again....this was a plan worth succeeding at. So, here we go....

Asian Peanut Noodles with Chicken

Ingredients:
Peanut Sauce-
1/2 cup chicken broth (or no-chicken, chicken broth for vegetarians)
2 tbsp creamy peanut butter
1 tbsp organic honey
1 tbsp tamari sauce (or soy sauce)
3/4 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tbsp siracha sauce (or more to taste if you like spicy)

Chicken-
10oz (2 small) chicken breasts, cut into strips
1/2 tbsp siracha sauce
juice of 1/2 lime
5 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tbsp fresh garlic, grated
1 tsp tamari sauce (or soy sauce)
1/2 tbsp sesame oil

8oz rice noodles (you can find them in the Asian section of your super market)
1/2 bunch green onions, sliced
1 1/4 cups ribboned carrots (the original recipe called for shredded carrots, but I used a vegetable peeler and shaved mine into pasta like ribbons, which added a great texture when mixed with the noodles... and helps to cut carbs!)
1 cup grated broccoli stems (again, the original recipe called for shredded broccoli slaw, I used the stems of a head of broccoli and grated it. This worked great and I saved the crown for another use.)
1 cup bean sprouts
2 tbsp chopped peanuts
Sliced lime and cilantro for garnish (optional)

I know, this seems like a TON of ingredients, but the dish comes together super quickly!
And obviously, if you want to make these vegetarian... leave out the chicken.

Method:
Marinate chicken with siracha, lime juice, garlic, ginger, and tamari sauce. Cover and refrigerate while you prepare the rest of the dish.

To make the sauce, combine the ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Stir every few minutes and simmer for about 10 minutes until the sauce is smooth and well blended. Set aside.

Prepare the rice noodles according to the package directions. Most likely, you will place the noodles in a large bowl, pour boiling water over them, and let them sit for 8-10 minutes until tender.

Heat sesame oil in a skillet and sauté chicken on high heat until cooked through, about 4-5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside. Add shredded broccoli and carrot ribbons to the skillet and sauté for just two minutes. You still want them to be crisp!

Toss rice noodles, broccoli, carrots, and chicken together with the peanut sauce. Place on a bed of bean sprouts and top with sliced green onions, chopped peanuts. Garnish with lime wedge and cilantro.

Makes about 2 servings.
Recipe adapted from Skinnytaste.com


P.S. (as in Palm Springs....)
I though about it and due to my braggy first paragraph, I feel it is only right to share a few photos from our Palm Springs getaway. I love photos and I love sharing, so here you go!

 

 

My friends are better than your friends. Well okay, I don't know that

for a fact. I just know that mine are pretty fantastic.

Rigatoni with Buratta, Summer Squash, and Roasted Cherry Tomatoes

I have been on a serious carb fest lately. (That is a thing, by the way. See: I only want to eat carbs all day.) This makes sense with our Palm Springs vacation coming up in only a few short weeks. You see, I really love to be healthy and in shape UNLESS I have to be in a bikini for 4 days. As soon as it's time for me to start perusing for a new bathing suit, it's also time to start my carb only diet. (Is butter a carb?) The only thing that could make my life easier would be if there were a bikini shop next door to Terroni.

Speaking of Terroni....I really love it there. Have you been? If not, you should go. In this humble Ginger's opinion, you won't find better Italian food anywhere in Los Angeles than at Terroni. This is a pretty big statement seeing as I have only had one dish there. I have been at least a dozen times, but the first time I went I ordered the homemade rigatoni with burrata and zucchini. Now, if you know me, this will come as no surprise because if there is ever ANYTHING on a menu that has burrata in it, I will order it with out question. Burrata and I are in love. Hard. (Don't tell Rich, he thinks we're just friends. He's so naive.) No matter how many times I go, I just have to order this pasta. It is perfection.

So, after our pizza grilling party the other night (yup, it was a party) I started thinking about my next meal immediately (I am such a fat kid) and I could not get this pasta out of my mind. I even dreamt about myself taking one cheesy bite at a time in slow motion. I used to have dreams about my wedding and nice romantic things like that... now I have them about pasta. Maybe it's because Rich is still on the couch being all old and injured (his back... STILL! Ugh, poor handsome boy. I guess while you're incapacitated, I'll leave it to cheese to please me). But with Rich stuck on the couch, I couldn't bear to leave him and take myself on a pasta binge date.... so I decided to make it at home.

Just a note: I am watching The Today Show right now, as the Mr. and I do every morning because we are old and married (well, he is old and I am married) and Al is at the Iowa state fair (why on earth!!! I know....) and they just did a segment on a bunch of kids in a pie eating contest and I thought to myself "Sarah Keith, you could totally kick those 8 years olds asses in a pie eating contest..." This statement is F'd for many reasons, but mostly because it is 9:36am and now all I want is a pie....to myself. Ok. Back to Pasta.....

This pasta. 

Ingredients:
1/2 pound of rigatoni pasta, cooked to al dente, of course
2 pints of cherry tomatoes (or about 2 pints....)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp basil, chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
1 Yellow squash, sliced (Zucchini would also be great!)
Burrata cheese
Kosher salt

Burrata is my soulmate. Don't tell my husband.

Method:
In a baking dish, combine cherry tomatoes, minced garlic, olive oil, and basil. Season with a pinch of kosher salt and bake at 350 degrees for about 40 minutes, giving the tomatoes a stir every now and then.

Cook the rigatoni to al dente. While the rigatoni is cooking, sauté the squash or zucchini until just browned.

Combine the rigatoni, roasted cherry tomatoes with their juices, and squash. Top the pasta with burrata cheese, season with kosher salt, and top with fresh basil if you so please... which I always do.

Enjoy, because.... how could you not?!

Penelope approved.

Zucchini Lasagna & My Favorite Weekend Ever

I know... that's a pretty weighted statement......

"My favorite weekend ever."

......And I am standing by it. Saying that the last three days were epic would actually be an understatement. Richard and I were visited by my cousins Katrina and Stephanie all the way from Canada (you know, the undeniably most epic country ever!). I had not seen them in 8 years, but one of the best things about family is that the second you give each other a jumping up and down while squealing full body hug.... you are instantly best friends as if not one day has past since the last time you were together**

**Please note that one of the last times we were together I was 12 years old and we were so misbehaved that I was STILL grounded even when we got home from our family vacation to Canada. My cuzzys and I have always had a knack for getting ourselves into some pretty awesome trouble when we are together.

We definitely went at about 1,000 miles per hour from the second they got into town on Saturday morning.... guzzling champagne (8 mimosas at brunch is acceptable, right?) indulging in fabulous meals, pulling all nighters (who needs sleep when you have 8 years to catch up on) and starting dance parties like it was our job (which as much as I wish it was, it is not). My husband deserves a medal. Seriously. But judging by the fact he's currently drooling on the couch, it looks he's happy to settle for a nap. His third of the day. Apparently he needs one per decade he's been alive. Or one per Bacsalmasi he had to spend the weekend with...

So, since my brain is still drying out and re-forming from the weekend, and words escape me, a photo recap is obviously necessary.

These are my cousins. They are the best (minus Jessica... we missed you!)

this is what three girls look like watching the sun come up.

the absolute most fun.

  

Ok, just looking at the photos makes me a bit exhausted. Oy. Anyways, if you can't tell (surprise, surprise)  I am functioning on a few (thousand) less brain cells than I had last Friday, so I am going to keep this short and sweet. My body was in need of some serious nutrition today and this delicious vegetarian recipe did just the trick! Packed with veggies, super simple to make, and really.... if I didn't tell you it was PASTA FREE, you wouldn't even notice. It's also the perfect way to use up the three pounds of zucchini you bought to grill for dinner (but because you got distracted with dancing and hugging dinner didn't happen). Did I mention my husband deserves a medal?

Ok, let's get to the food....

Ingredients:

For the sauce

Use your favorite store bought sauce (I LOVE Rao's.) Or use my recipe found here. 

For the filling

1 pound small-curd cottage cheese

1 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese (about 3 ounces)

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For the vegetables

3 pounds zucchini, ends trimmed and sliced lengthwise 1/4 inch thick

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 pounds cremini mushrooms, sliced

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

10 ounces frozen artichoke hearts, thawed, patted dry with paper towels, and coarsely chopped

1 pound shredded whole-milk mozzarella cheese (about 4 cups)

Method:
Ok, there are quite a few steps, so don't get intimidated... it's much easier than the number of word's I am about to type.....

Make your sauce. Or set the jar nicely on your counter and feel accomplished in your own way. Both work great.

Combine the ingredients for the filling. The cottage cheese, parmesan, salt and pepper. Set aside.

Prep your veggies. I recommend grilling the zucchini to avoid it getting soggy, but if you prefer to broil it in an oven, that will work too. Either way, rub each slice with a little olive oil, salt, and pepper. Grill over high heat (or broil) until well cooked. I like the zucchini to be a bit crispy.

Next, in a sauté pan over medium/high heat, sauté the mushrooms and artichokes until browned.

Ok. All of your components are ready.... so start layering! On the bottom of a baking dish, spread some tomato sauce and 1/2 of the mushrooms and artichokes. Then layer with the grilled zucchini. Next, spoon 1/2 of the cottage cheese mixture on top of the zucchini. Then more artichokes, sauce, zucchini.... you get it. Layer all of your ingredients until they are gone. Top with shredded mozzarella cheese and throw that sucker in the oven at 350 degrees for 30 minutes until sauce is bubbly and the melted mozzarella is golden brown. Let the lasagna sit at room temp for at least 15 minutes so that it can set before serving or else it will be a runny mess.