Sweet and Spicy Pork Chops by Rachel

Growing up in an asian household, I had pork often.  Now that I'm making food choices for myself, I try not to indulge in too much pork just to keep my meals low fat and to give myself room for the desserts and baked goods that I love so much, but every now and then, I just want a nice pork chop.  Pork chops aren't always my first choice because if not cooked right, pork chops can be very dry.  I'm not the kind of girl that eats apple sauce with my pork chops so I need my pork chops to be sweet and juicy on their own.  What's the secret?

BRINING.  Brining means that you're marinating the meat in a salty solution overnight.  It traps in flavors into the pork chop and keeps the meat moist.  Know that if you want to make this recipe you will need at least a day because the pork needs to brine OVERNIGHT.

Ingredients for the Brine- Per Pork Chop (I bought two bone-in pork chops that were about 1/2 lb each)

1/4 cup water
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons salt
1/2  teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon of ground black pepper
canola oil for cooking

My Favorite Pizza by Rachel

With all the snow that's hit New York, I haven't been able to get to my favorite pizza joint in NY- Paulie Gee's.  They are a great pizza joint in Greenpoint and they make wonderful neapolitan style pizzas.  Feeling the cabin fever come on, I decided to do some research about how to get that pizza at home.

I've always kind of stayed away from making breads because of the long wait times needed for bread doughs to rise properly.  Pizza dough research will tell you that the wait time is necessary.  And they're right.  You have to let it ferment overnight.  While there are quick-fix recipes out there, I found that almost all recipes called for overnight fermentation.  So I did that.

I don't have a pizza stone either so I was a little worried that I might not get that crust that I wanted, but I have a solution for you!  Let me take you on my pizza journey, starting with the ingredients:

Really, this is all you need.

Ingredients
For the pizza dough (makes two 12 inch pizzas)
2 cups bread flour
1/2 tsp yeast
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 cup water

For toppings
1 can crushed tomatoes (you can buy whole peeled tomatoes, but you'll just end up crushing them yourself)
mozzarella, however much you want!  8 oz is probably enough, but if you want more, do it up!
fresh basil
any other toppings your heart desires!  My recommendations would be prosciutto, pepperoni, anchovies, or broccoli rabe.  All great choices- you can't go wrong.

Butternut Squash and Yam Gnocchi in Sage Brown Butter by Rachel

Hey guys!  I'm back!  It's been a while since I updated the blog, but I've been busy getting things ready for my wedding (I'm getting married in Thailand)!  Now that most of those things are finally settled, here I am!

This recipe was really born out of my needing to use up ingredients around my kitchen, but sometimes the best things happen when you're least expecting it!  Butternut squash is clearly a star ingredient when it comes to making fall favorites, so hopefully this recipe will become a favorite of yours.

Ingredients
1 small butternut squash
1 large yam
1 egg
scant 2 cups of flour
1 tsp salt
1/8 tsp of nutmeg
olive oil for roasting

3 tbsp unsalted butter
4-5 leaves of fresh sage, diced finely
salt and pepper for taste
parmesan cheese to finish

Whole Wheat Linguine with Kale, Yellow Tomatoes, and Ricotta by Heather

I just got the Meatless Cookbook by Martha Stewart, and had to make a version of their linguine with kale and tomatoes- the picture was so pretty!  Normally I find Martha Stewart recipes to be a little lacking in flavor, so I amped up with recipe with lemon juice, white wine and added some Greek yogurt to the ricotta mixture.  This recipe comes together in less than 20 minutes, so it's a great weeknight dinner option.



Ingredients:
1 lb. fresh, whole wheat linguine
zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 pint yellow tomatoes (also known as zima tomatoes)
3-4 large lancinato kale leaves, roughly chopped
4-5 stalks broccolini (you can add more if you like), roughly chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup white wine
2 tbs. olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup Greek yogurt
1/4 cup ricotta (I used goat ricotta)
pinch of red pepper flakes

Shiitake and Pea Shoot Salmon En Papillote by Heather

"En Papillote" is just a fancy French way to say that something was cooked within parchment paper.  The parchment paper is shaped into a little sealed bag to hold the salmon, which essentially steams it in the oven, so the end result is a flavored, juicy piece of salmon!  I served this dish with Rachel's bok choy recipe, which you can access here.



Serves 2

Ingredients:
2 6-8 oz. salmon filets
carton of fresh pea shoots (you only need about 8 shoots per fish)
1/2 cup chopped shiitake mushrooms
1 tbs. grated ginger
1 tsp. soy sauce
1 tbs. lemon juice
1 tsp. honey
2 dashes red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp. rice vinegar
1 tsp. olive oil
parchment paper

Fish Nuggets by Rachel

Fish is always an easy weeknight dish.  It cooks quickly and is really easy to season.  To spice things up, I thought I'd give our friendly tilapia a little frying and they came out great.  The thing I like most about doing tilapia this way is that it keeps a flaky, white fish very moist because all the juices get contained in the shell.

Ingredients
about 1 lb of tilapia, filleted
1/3 cup all purpose flour
1/3 - 1/2 cup cornmeal
1 tbsp salt
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
pinch of paprika
1 egg
1 tsbp water
canola oil for frying

Kale Caesar Salad by Heather

This Ceasar salad is based on a similar salad I had a couple of months ago at Il Buco.  The key to making any simple salad exceptional is to use high quality ingredients.

Ingredients:
1/2 loaf of day old bread (I used a rosemary sourdough boule)
1 salad container of assorted kale
3 garlic cloves, minced
4 anchovies in olive oil, minced
Parmigiano Regiano shaved into strips
3 tbs. olive oil, plus more for drizzling
juice from one lemon
sprinkle red pepper flakes
2 dashes Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp Greek yogurt
1 tsp dijon
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 lb shrimp, defrosted and peeled

Cut bread into large cubes, and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.  Sprinkle liberally with olive oil, salt and pepper, and 1 of the cloves of minced garlic.  Bake in oven at 375 for 7-10 minutes, or until golden brown.

Heat a medium saute pan with olive oil and a little garlic.  Add shrimp with salt and pepper, and sauté until pink.

To make the dressing, combine the rest of the garlic cloves, 3 tbs. olive oil, lemon juice, anchovies, Worcestershire sauce, dijon, Greek yogurt, and salt and pepper into a small jar and shake to combine.

Toss all ingredients in a large bowl until kale is coated with dressing.

Shrimp and Spinach Wontons by Heather

These wontons look like they are hard to make, but they're actually quite easy.  If you wanted to make these vegetarian, you could easily swap the shrimp with sautéed shiitake mushrooms.

Ingredients:

Dipping Sauce:
3 tbs. soy sauce
2 tbs. olive oil
1 tsp. rice vinegar
1 scallion, chopped
1/8 tsp. granulated sugar
dash red pepper flakes

Wontons:
1 package wonton wrappers (you can choose square or circular; these are normally in the refrigerated section of the grocery store near the tofu)
15 uncooked shrimp defrosted, shelled, and chopped
2 scallions, chopped
2 tbs. cilantro
2 tsp. olive oil
1 tsp. corn starch
1 tsp. rice vinegar
1 small nub fresh ginger, grated
1 cup chopped spinach
salt and pepper to taste

Linguine with Shrimp and Lemon Oil by Heather

This is a recipe I turn to when I want something quick and fresh.  The lemon and arugula in this recipe really lighten and brighten the flavors.  This is a recipe adapted from Giada de Laurentiis.

Ingredients:

Lemon Oil:

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

zest of 1 lemon

For the Pasta:

1 lb. linguine

2 tbs. olive oil

2 shallots, minced

2 garlic cloves, minced

zest of 1 lemon

1/4 cup lemon juice (from about 2 lemons)

1 lb. shrimp, deveined, and tails removed

1/4 cup white wine

3 heaping cups arugula

1/4 cup chopped fresh flat leaf parsley

sprinkle red pepper flakes

salt and pepper to taste

grated parmesan to sprinkle on top 

Spicy Roasted Tomato Soup by Rachel

Brrr!  It's starting to get chilly in NYC!  For some people, their most comforting soup might be chicken noodle, but mine is definitely a nice, creamy tomato soup.  I found a recipe that sound delicious with roasted garlic so I tried it.  It was lovely.  I hope you'll enjoy it too!

Recipe inspired by A Mummy Too

Ingredients:

4 large tomatoes

About 3-4 tbsp olive oil

1 can chicken stock

1 bulb of garlic

1 Fresno pepper (or any other hot pepper, just depends on how spicy you want your soup)

2 tbsp heavy cream

2 tbsp cheddar

salt and pepper to taste

Greek yogurt to taste

Pan Roasted Bok Choy by Rachel

As mentioned in my Harissa Soy Rub Steak post, I made some wonderful sides to go with my flavorful beef.  One of those sides would also make a healthy additional your Thanksgiving sides, too.  I made pan roasted bok choy.  This can probably be done with baby bok choy as well, but I used the full-size ones.

The recipe is really easy and takes less than 20 minutes, in total, to prepare, so it's great if you need to add something quick to a meal.  If your a vegetarian, bok choy is also a pretty hearty, yet juicy vegetable.  Clearly, I'm a fan.

Ingredients
2 large bok choy
1 egg
3 tbsp oyster sauce
1/8 tsp fish sauce
Sriracha, to taste
1/2 tsp sesame oil
1 tbsp olive oil

Harissa Soy Rub Steak by Rachel

Now that the weather is getting chillier, I find myself wanting hearty meals, which is what brought me to the harissa spice.  I had picked up the harissa when I was visiting Turkey in the spring and I'm glad that I bought it.  Harissa is really a versatile spice and can be used on a variety of meats and root vegetables. Harissa rub steak isn't a new concept, but mine has a little bit of an asian twist.

Ingredients

2 hanger steaks, 1/2 lb each
1tbsp harissa
1 tbsp red chili flakes
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup water
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp roasted glutinous rice powder

Summer Rolls by Rachel

Summer's come and gone and so have my summer rolls!  Bad pun, I know, but that doesn't make my summer rolls any less tasty and the recipe is extremely easy.  You can really put whatever you want into a summer roll, but here's the recipe that I go back to time and time again.

Ingredients:
1/2 lb of beef or pork (totally up to you)
1/2 cup cilantro, torn or chopped coarsely
1/4 scallions, diced
1 tbsp hoisin sauce
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tsp salt
1/2 cup of soaked cellophane noodles
1/4 cup of toasted rice powder
1 package of Vietnamese rice paper

Chili Roasted Tofu with Minted Quinoa Relish by Heather

I wanted to share this easy weeknight dinner.  It's light and healthy, and only takes about 45 minutes from start to finish to make.  This recipe is from Sprouted Kitchen (one of my go to recipe sources) and this was actually the first time I've made this recipe.

Ingredients:

1 14 oz. pack extra firm tofu, drained and pressed in paper towel
1 cup quinoa
2 cups water
2 tsp. chili powder
pinch smoked paprika or chipotle
2 tsp. maple syrup or honey
1 tbs. orange juice
1 tbs. olive oil
1/2 tsp. salt

1 pomegranate (just buy the arils)
1 shallot, finely minced
zest of 1 orange
2 tbs. chopped mint leaves
salt and pepper to taste
1 avocado, diced
Sriracha to taste

Wrap tofu in paper towel and place between two plates.  Rest a couple heavy objects on the top plate to help remove any excess liquid from the tofu.  Keep the tofu pressed for at least 10 minutes.

Cook the quinoa according to package directions.  Typically, the instructions call for 1 cup of quinoa, 2 cups of water.  Bring the quinoa to a boil, cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until quinoa is fluffy and all water is absorbed.

While the quinoa cooks, make the chili marinade.  Combine the chili powder, paprika or chipotle powder, maple syrup, orange juice, olive oil, and salt in a small bowl and whisk until combined.

Green Tea Poached Salmon with Soba by Heather

On days when I want to eat healthy, but want to feel indulgent, I turn to this recipe.  I make salmon at least once a week and I love its versatility.  Don't be worried about poaching the salmon here.  It's actually quite easy.

This recipe was adapted from Sprouted Kitchen, and I've made only minor tweaks to the recipe.

Ingredients:

For the sauce:
2 tbs. sesame oil
2 tbs. tahini
2 tbs. honey
Juice and zest of 1 lime
3 tbs. soy sauce
1 inch piece of ginger, grated

For the salmon:
3 bags green tea
1 tbs. whole black peppercorns
1/2 cup rice vinegar
1 8 oz. salmon filet

1 package soba noodles
1 bunch broccolini or broccoli, chopped
2 tbs. olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced

Garnish:
2 green onions, cut on the diagonal
black or white sesame seeds
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Whisk sauce ingredients into a bowl and set aside.

Combine broccolini, garlic, and olive oil on baking sheet and roast for 15 minutes at 425 degrees.  If you are in a hurry and need to save time, you can also microwave the broccoli in a microwave safe bowl with lid for 2 minutes.

In a medium sized sauce pan, bring 1 cup of water to a simmer.  Turn heat down to low and add tea bags and peppercorns, steep for 3 minutes, then remove and discard tea bags.  Add rice vinegar to the poaching liquid, then slide in the salmon, skin-side down.  Cover and cook for 8-10 minutes, until salmon is just barely cooked in the middle.  Remove the salmon and set on a plate, and flake it into pieces with a fork.

Meanwhile, cook the soba according to package instructions.  Once the soba has been drained, divide the soba into individual bowls.  Top with sauce, broccolini, and salmon, then garnish.