Lemongrass Chicken and Ramen Noodles by Heather

I am so excited to share this recipe because it uses fresh ramen noodles I got from a friend whose grandma owns and runs a Chinese market in the Chinatown in Oakland.  They make their own noodles, and these are honestly the best ramen noodles I've ever had!  I also went to a ramen making class this past weekend, so I feel like I have a new appreciation for how complex the process is.

Ingredients:
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken thighs
1/2 cup coconut milk (full fat)
1 stalk lemongrass, with core sliced finely
1/2 tsp. turmeric
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 tbs. ginger, roughly chopped
1 shallot roughly chopped
5 green onions, finely sliced
2 handfulls fresh ramen noodles
1/4 oyster sauce
1 tbsp. sesame oil
1 tbsp. soy sauce (or more to taste based on your preference)
Sriracha (add based on your preference)

Salmon, Kale, and Mascarpone Spaghetti by Heather

I haven't gone grocery shopping yet this week, so this dish came together by combining whatever I had left in the fridge.  Yesterday, I had a delicious salmon and creme fraiche tartine at Tartinery, which just opened up inside Hudson Eats.  I love the combination of anything creamy with salmon, and I had just picked up from Gravlax from my neighborhood bagel shop.  I also happened to have some mascarpone in the fridge- so an idea popped into my head to make a pasta dish inspired by that tartine!  I apologize that I didn't take any pictures of this dish while I was making it, but it comes together so quickly and easily, I don't think you'll need the pics!

Ingredients:

1 bunch kale, de-stemmed and chopped

1/2 onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 cup white wine vinegar (white wine is preferable if you have it)

zest and juice of 2 lemons

4 or 5 basil leaves, roughly torn

1/2 package spaghetti or linguine

3/4 cup mascarpone cheese

3/4 cup Greek yogurt

2-3 slices Gravlax (smoked salmon)

1 cup of pasta water (reserve after the pasta is cooked and add to the pasta at the end if you need more moisture in the sauce)

4-5 tbs. olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

Chipotle Shrimp Tacos by Heather

I've been obsessed with tacos lately.  Maybe it's because it's finally starting to get warmer outside, and nothing sounds better than sitting outside with a margarita and some tacos.  Sadly, today it rained again and it's dipping into the 30's, but one can hope!  These tacos are really colorful and they pack a lot of punch from the chipotle peppers.

This recipe was adapted from this one at Tartine and Apron Strings, and this comes together so quickly, I didn't take a ton of photos, but it's super easy to make.

Ingredients:

For the shrimp and tequila lime marinade:
1 lb. raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 tsp. sea salt
2 tbs. honey
juice of 2 limes
1/4 cup tequila
1/2 onion, chopped
1/4 tsp. cumin
1/4 tsp. chipotle powder

For the slaw dressing:
1/2 head red cabbage, finely sliced
1 tsp. dijon mustard
1/4 cup lime juice
1/2 cup neutral oil like canola
salt and pepper to taste

For the chipotle crema:
1 cup Greek yogurt
1-2 chipotles in adobo sauce

Additional ingredients:
corn tortillas
1 lime, quartered
1 avocado, diced
hot sauce (optional)

Special Ingredient: Citrus Tapenade with Chilean Sea Bass by Heather

This month, Rachel and I decided on citrus as the special ingredient since they're in season and help brighten a cold winter night.  This recipe combines lemons, limes and oranges.  You could put this tapenade on chicken or any other white fish, but I chose to use Chilean Sea Bass since it's a nice sturdy white fish.



Ingredients:

Citrus Tapenade:
2/3 cup pitted kalamata olives, chopped
2 tbs. capers, drained
1/4 cup parsley, chopped
1 anchovy, chopped (optional)
2 tbs. orange juice
juice of 1/2 a lemon
juice of 1 lime
2 tbs. zest of an orange
zest of 1 lemon
zest of 1 lime
segments of 1 orange, chopped (I used a Cara Cara orange but you could use any kind)
2 tbs. olive oil
sprinkle of red pepper flakes

2 6-8 oz. filets of chilean sea bass (or your protein of choice)
1 cup uncooked quinoa

Quinoa with Pomegranate and Spinach by Heather

Yesterday, I posted a recipe for a very decadent Thanksgiving side.  Today, I'm offering up a lighter side that's easy to prepare and very festive.  I also turn to this dish when I need an easy weeknight side that can be served along something like  miso-soy glazed salmon.

Ingredients:
1 cup dry quinoa
2 cups water
1 box frozen spinach
juice of 2 lemons
1/2 cup pomegranate seeds (make it easy on yourself and just get a carton of the seeds so that you don't have to de-seed a pomegranate yourself)
1 Tbs. basil infused olive oil (if you don't have this, regular olive oil and a few basil leaves will work)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Bring the quinoa and water to a boil, then turn the heat down to a simmer, cooking for about 15-20 minutes, covered, until quinoa is fluffy.

While the quinoa cooks, defrost the spinach and add to a bowl.  Combine rest of ingredients in bowl, then add cooked quinoa.  Easy as that!